The Catch-Up Entry

With SO much to do to try to get moved in to our new house, the Blanes are feeling a little overwhelmed.  We have only unpacked about 3 boxes as of this morning--thankfully they were kitchen boxes so now we can finally eat in.  I think Paul has been living off of take-out now for about a month.  But even though I should be cleaning or weeding or unpacking, I decided I needed to do a little catching-up with the blog.   

First of all, we recently found out that Max will be getting a little brother!  We are very excited to be having another little boy since they are just so much fun.  Plus, Max is such a rough-and-tumble little guy--he's going to need a brother to keep up with him.  Here are pictures from the ultrasound:

We think he already looks like Max.

I know everyone is anxious to see pictures of our new house, but seriously we haven't even come close to getting organized.  There are boxes everywhere.  The guy who lived here before us was disgustingly filthy and we are having to scrub the grime out of every nook and cranny before we even dare put our stuff anywhere--and with Max around it's hard to get too much done during the day.  So, we have about 2 hours a night to clean, and at this rate I don't think we'll have everything cleaned and unpacked for, lets see...about 2 years.  Even the outside cleanup seems a daunting task:  The yard is 4x as big as our last one, and there are huge grasses (or reeds?) that need to be cut, tons of weeding and cleanup that need to be done and all we have is a push mower that needs to be refueled about 5x and takes around 6 hours to complete the lawn cutting.  And then we still need to get our garden in soon.  Aaargh!  Anyway, here are pics of the cutest member of our family playing in the new yard. 

Max hanging out in the front yard...

...and in the back yard...

...and having lots of fun playing on the new slide that Koa gave him.

Paul has been in our new house since the first of April, but Max and I decided to spend a little extra time in Holden visiting everyone before we made the 2,000+ mile trek.  We had such a fabulous time there, so it was very hard to leave. Max had so much fun playing with Jeslyn, Jauncee and Brady (and he got to spend a little time with Brooks and Alivia).  Emri even came down to play at the sandhills.  Max is such a social person--he just loves being around people, especially those of the small variety.  So, now that we are in PA and he is back to just hanging out with me all the time, he tends to get a little grouchy and whiney now and then--I need to find a playgroup, and fast!  Here are (a lot) of pictures of some of the fun we had while staying at papa and gramma's house:

I remember from my younger days (as do my siblings and cousins) how much fun the sandhills were around Easter time.  We would jump and roll down the hills, bury each other, and make trails to roll our decorated Easter eggs down.  Max and his cousins got to enjoy this tradition and they all had such a blast.

I thought this was a cool picture of Tio and Bryn.

Brady climbed up and down more hills than anyone--he even carried Max back up a few times.

Max loved his new shovel and bucket.  This was his greatest dream come true--spending all day long playing outside in the dirt with his cousins.

Rolling down the hill...

...and trying (unsuccessfully) to get back up.

Max really misses you Jeslyn and Jauncee!  

Gramma makes the most delicious brownies.  Max particularly loved them.  I think she made a new batch every-other day because they just disappeared.  I'm pretty sure Max gained a few pounds from our stay  (as did I)!--and the joke was that he was getting a dimpled "brownie-butt".

A cookie in one hand, a beater full of chocolate dough in the other...what things we get away with when we're visiting gramma!

Max really loved jumping on the trampoline...

...and playing in the dirt and gravel...

...and taking a trip to the farm to see the cows.  He would just point at them and look back at me and say "Mooo, moooo", then try to get close enough to touch them.  Of course they wanted nothing more than to get their baby calves far away from him.

Max really liked Uncle Jake.  When no one else could get him to give them a kiss, Jake always could!  He misses you, too, Jake.

He got to go on tractor rides...

...and play in the tractors...

...feed the horses...

...and he even got to go on a horseback ride with papa.  Max enjoyed this so much he complained when it had to end.

Max was such a good eater while there, I swear we couldn't feed him fast enough.  He was constantly hungry and always eating.

What wonderful grandparents!

We really miss you, too, Mom and Dad.  Thanks for letting us stay with you for so long, and for everything you have done for us.  We love you!