Details

Adelaide's room has technically been finished for several months now. However many of the details were left unfinished while I was sick. Aside from a few nit-picky projects, her room is now truly complete.

This is how her room started. Not bad. Just not girly. And the picture does not show that the walls are heavily, and unevenly, textured from many different coats of paint over the years. There was even painted-over wallpaper in the layers.

I should mention the room originally had no over-head lighting. Randal added that first of all.

And this is how it has ended up.

The project was a bit more than giving the room a fresh coat of paint. The two pictures are taken at the same angle. In the first you can see there is no closet and desk. We took her closet (from the unpictured side wall) to help expand the bathroom in our master bedroom. Randal built a new closet along the far wall. To make it look like it belonged there, he and my dad built in a desk and bookshelves to finish the wall. Then he skimmed the room with wall compound to smooth out the texture. And believe me they look brand new! He did such a good job!

As for the details...

The baby-doll cradle was mine. My Grandpa R. made it for me when I was a little girl. After a fresh coat of paint we gave it to Addie for Christmas. I think she will love it as much as I did.

(I love you and miss you, Grandpa and Grandma R.)

The quilt is my first attempt at quilting. I'm really happy with how it turned out even though is took me forever and was probably nearly three times the cost of one from the store.


The headboard I did on the cheap. It was next to free. And started out like this:


Her flowers and name blocks came from one of my favorite stores in Utah.


And Adelaide's favorite part of the room?

Here.

She calls it her secret hiding spot. This is now where we find her every morning.

She is happy with her room. And so are we.

Ethan is so anxious for us to move on to his. Sigh.

Misc.

April was a busy month for Ethan and Adelaide.

The month started with Randal letting them up on the roof. My two chicken-hearted children were liberated by the experience. I, on the other hand, was freaked out of my mind. That is why there is no picture. I was too busy praying they'd be safe to take a photo.

Later, while Randal was again on the roof working, Addie popped up to join him having climbed up the ladder all on her own. Although I am proud of her bravery, I think we are mighty lucky nothing terrible happened. Or that we still have custody of our children.

And for my sanity (as well as for my mother's who will read this), the ladder is now safely put away.

The kids are learning to use chopsticks. It's hard to see in the photo but Ethan has a single kernel of corn between his chopsticks. One kernel at a time, that is how he ate it. I lack that kind of patience.

Adelaide's method of using her chopsticks is a little less than conventional, but she is still proud of herself nonetheless.

We attempted kite flying again this year with much better success, so much so Adelaide was able to resist picking the billions of dandelions in the field.

Same dollar store kite quality as last year's.

Better wind.

Smell something??

What a cute, harmless, little animal. Don't you think?


Now picture it laying in a bucket, on its back with four sooty, lifeless paws pointed stiffly heavenward.

That's what the chimney guy pulled out of our fireplace today.

I gladly paid him $162 to get the stinking, rotting thing as far away from here as possible.

Living near the woods comes at a high price--although you could argue it was squirrel who ultimately got the raw end of the deal.

Arrival

It's never officially spring until...


PS--I think Ethan needs a new bike.

Four

Adelaide turned four today.

Four?! Where did the last four years go?

She is such a big girl. I complained to her about turning a year older. She promised me she will be three again tomorrow.

This little girl is one of my favorite people in this entire world. She makes me laugh. She is thoughtful and helpful. And lucky me, she loves to snuggle. I think she is in tune with the Spirit without really knowing it yet. She has been such a support to me that past couple of weeks. It is as if she has sensed that I have needed a little extra love.

Adelaide is very detail oriented. Things must always be done a certain way. She turns out lights that are not supposed to be on. She studiously colors. She does not like being reminded a second time to do what she has been told. Don't be thinking she always does things the first time she is asked. No, it just means she heartily complains when things have to be repeated. "I know!" she says in the most teenagery voice she can muster.

Adelaide is our tiny contrarian. She can be as angry as she is happy. She is as shy as often as she is outgoing. And she can be just as sweet as she is a pill. One thing she is quite consistently is stubborn. (She gets it from Randal. I say that only because I'm too stubborn to admit which parent she may actually take after.)

The thing is, we wouldn't take her any other way.

A Door Shut

I've been absent from the blog scene for some time now. Trying to keep up with the nausea of pregnancy becomes a full-time job for me making the thought of blogging out of the question.

I'm feeling much better and am ready and need to start doing the things again that I love, one of which is staying in touch with family and friends who are so far away.

I don't even know how to say this. This is not what I would want to be writing, but I feel it important to explain.

Last week I went to one of my routine doctor visits and learned that our baby was no longer living. I was nearly fourteen weeks and had no indication anything was wrong. We are heart broken.

This is the reason I am feeling much better, however I would give anything to be sick right now.

Even though I feel very sad, I am so grateful for a loving and selfless husband, two fantastic kids and family and friends who love me.

Our family has had its recent trials, this being the pinnacle. Right now the lesson I'm learning in all this is that life is just hard sometimes--for all of us. Randal and I are hopeful a window will be opening for us sometime very soon.

Thank you for all your love and prayers.

Knock Me Over With a Feather

A few miracles occurred around here this week.

First. I was asked to participate in a stake missionary workshop and share some food from Russia. In a valiant effort to make all the youth in the stake gag, I made borsht (beet soup). And guess who ate an entire bowl without complaining? Ethan! I'm shocked. And thrilled. But mostly shocked.


Second. Finally, half a year later, I got over my fear of putting nail holes in our new walls and hung a few pictures.

I realize now, looking at this picture, that one is awfully crooked. I'll go fix that immediately.


And third.

We found out we're expecting a baby!

We wanted to wait a bit to tell everyone. I lasted a week.

And since that bit of news may not make you as happy as it makes us maybe this will:



You can tell I'm pregnant. I cried all the way through this clip--three times. I don't know why. I just think that must have made those travelers so happy.