Catching up

Sorry it has been so long. I'm not as good at blogging or journal keeping as I would like to be. I feel like in order to write a post, there needs to be something new or exciting happening in my life.

There are a few new things that I will share but mainly I just missed being on here. :)

Many people know via facebook that Steve and I are expecting our second child in mid December and are super excited for the new addition to our family! We are planning to not find out the gender ahead of time and let it be a surprise all the way to the end.

Sorry in advance for this rant but a silly little topic has been on my mind. Someone asked me, "But what will you do for clothing if it's a girl? You don't expect her to wear Eli's old things...do you?" umm... that's not a pointed or awkward question. Are you volunteering your child's old clothing to me? I kindly replied, "we'll do what every mother before 1980 (give or take a few years) did since they weren't given an option of knowing the gender in advance." AWKWARD!  Steve and I will make do with the clothing we have and get her stuff as she needs it.  Really? Is my kids "gender appropriate" clothing going to make or break me as a mom?! My kids will be fed, dressed, clean, happy, and ultimately loved more than life itself. Yes, I'd love to dress a girl (if we are blessed with one) in frilly, beautiful, girly clothing and show her off as the creation our Lord made her to be, but if we are tight on money or haven't had a chance to go to the store the day after she's born, so be it! Boy clothes it is! :)
 We have all the necessities from when Eli was a new born so if this one is a girl, all we will need is clothing for her. I really wouldn't mind putting her in Eli's old stuff when we are home and not planning to go out or have many visitors. With $$ being tight and needing to go further for medical bills, I can't worry about having the newest and cutest things. I'll make sure my little girl (if we have a girl) is dressed like a girl when we are out and about, but seriously, in the grand scheme of things, what's more important? Helping my husband by being financially conscious or making sure she has brand new (or brand new second hand) clothes for every situation? 

Okay, rant done.

On a lighter and less annoyed note, lets talk vacations!

Steve and I were blessed to be able to take our lil family on a week long vacation to Paradise Hallow with Steve's parents and siblings. The cabin is in Lake Ann and is very close to Traverse City. We have been up there for the past two years and absolutely love it!  Eli had a blast chasing other kids around, looking at the fish we caught, running his little "pop corn popper" along the drive way for endless amounts of time, walking around the campground, taking his first paddle boat ride, walking around the city, and lastly, enjoying his first ever moomers ice-cream! It's hard to think this time next year we will have a 6 month old AND a 2 year old with us. AHHH! ;)

Anyone else going on (or have gone on) family vacations? If so, where? We love traveling and hearing about everyone's favorite destinations. :)

Hope everyone has a great summer and I hope to write a bit more now that Steve is home and we can do a few more family things on the weekends. :)

KLV

First paddle boat ride! He liked it despite the look on his face. ;)

Moomer's Ice-cream (our staple stop each year).

Indoor cabin fun while waiting for lunch to be ready. :) Normally Eli doesn't get a paci all day but the molar teething is a PAIN...so we gave in for the time being.