From The Sarge...

Listen up troops, I'm running this base, so when I say "jump" you say, "how high? SIR!"



Y'got that?



Do I LOOK like I'm joking?

We are heading out for a week and a half of fun in the sun (actually, rain) on the Oregon Coast. Have a great week!

A

Sugar & Spice...

...and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of.

Apparently I've been consuming A LOT of sweets, because we are having a baby girl! We we shocked to find out last week during our ultrasound that we will be parents of a girl. We thought it was a boy. We REALLY thought it was a boy. But no, the ultrasonographer gave us a 99.9% chance of a girl.

A sweet little baby girl.

Amanda's having a GIRL. See? I'm still in shock.

What will I do with a girl? I have NO idea what to expect. We are living in the land of boys. We thought our all access pass to boy land was one that was non-changeable and non-refundable. This baby girl will have 4 older boy cousins and an older brother to torment her.

She'd better be feisty.

I went out and bought the very first pink thing with flowers I could get my hands on. A cute five pack of onesies. Then my Mom and my Mother-In-Law went out and bought the very first girly things they could get their hands on.

I felt kind of lost in the baby girl section of the store, mostly because I have never been to the other side.

I kind of like the other side.

In honor of finding out that we will be welcoming a baby girl, I got bit. Meaning, I got bit by the sewing bug. I have long wanted to sew for a little girl. Dresses, skirts and rompers, "oh my"!

Here's what I whipped together this evening:

You can't tell from the pics, but it is an adorable denim with "jean-type" buttons down the back. I made the pattern off of a 9 month onesie, and left the back straps unsewn to fit when this little girl can wear it. I am guessing it will be perfect for next summer.

Lance about had a fit when I wondered out loud if Bubbalu could be my model.

I littered the floor of our bonus room with 10-15 fabric cuts awaiting my sewing machine and creativity to strike again.

Maybe the sewing bug will be in a biting mood during Bubbalu's nap time tomorrow...

A

Sun and Summer Love...

Well, my sister and I are back from our week in Phoenix. We are a bit more tan, MUCH more relaxed, and very rested.

We mastered the art of a Phoenix vacation by laying in the sun much of the day and watching movies while pigging out on yummy snacks during our sun break times.

We had great plans for working out in the air conditioned gym adjacent to the pool, but never seemed to make it over there.

Wanna know why? This is the pool:



Yeah, that's why.

I couldn't bake in the sun as intensely as I normally would have done. I just didn't think my baby would appreciate body temperatures around 100 degrees, so I mostly hung out on the side of the pool and read a book (well, I actually read 4 books, and played numerous Sudoku games).

I also drank almost a gallon of water a day and watched a total of about 10 movies. Not too shabby!

The highlight of the trip was witnessing a dear cousin of mine be married to her sweetheart. And while we (my Sister, Aunts, Grandma and girl Cousins) emulated the 'Big Fat Greek Wedding' scene the morning of the wedding at my Aunt's house, we managed to keep our craziness in check for the wedding ceremony and reception. Well, for the most part anyways. I am NOT posting a picture of me dancing the Twist.

For your enjoyment, a wedding picture tribute. Click on the play button to serenade your viewing:

Discover Louis Armstrong!

Do you take this man/woman to be your lawfully wedded husband/wife?



You may now kiss the bride:



Now presenting for the first time Mr. and Mrs...:



They're Married!!!



Bouquet tossing:

Garter-fetching and tossing:

The proud garter catcher, who slid in Travolta style to snatch his prize, nearly causing my Aunt to fall off her chair in hysterics:

The last dance:

Off to Mexico!

Congratulations Bree & Nick, we love you guys!

A

One Year Ago...

August 2007, just lazying around :



I can't believe how quickly time goes by, and how fast a child can develop. To think my Bubbalu went from not being able to crawl to running all over my house. Just ONE YEAR went by. It just boggles my mind.

July 2008, hiking with Papa:



Sometimes I want time to slow down, but then I desperately want it to speed up. I can't rewind either. I have to remind myself that I don't own the remote control of life. God is the keeper of time.

However, wouldn't a mute button be handy every once in a while?

A

Ivory Blessings...

I am a closet piano player.

What that means is, I truly enjoy playing and singing, but freeze when I know others are listening. I get nervous, start hitting wrong notes and end up just quitting whatever it is I am playing. I am a decent player, but am NOTHING like my dear friend Ms. SmileWon, whose musical talent stuns me.

I took 5+ years of piano lessons as a child, and am the only one of my piano-educated siblings to continue playing into adulthood; notwithstanding my secret playing.

At any rate, I have been asking my husband for a piano for 8 years, and last week, my wish came true. My Mom and Dad gave me the piano I learned to play on, the piano my Dad refinished by hand.

Here are the guys unloading the hulking piano from my brother-in-law's utility truck (thanks Dust!) :



We greatly recommend renting a piano dolly for anyone considering moving a large unwieldy piano. And when I say "we" I really do mean Lance and everyone else in the pictures. Notice I'm not in any of the pictures? I was SUCH a big help.

Here is my Dad positioning the dolly under the piano for ease of movement (he wasn't allowed to do any lifting) :



Up the steps it comes...lift with your legs guys!!!



Also, lay down some plywood or some such material to protect your floors from being damaged.

Oh wait, there IS a picture of Mama holding onto Bubbalu, who was none too thrilled at not being allowed to play under the feet of the muscled piano movers:



See? Mama's VERY excited about her piano delivery!

Final positioning against the wall :



And there you have it, my beautiful piano. Sorry I cut your head off Lance, I was just so excited about my piano :



How to move a piano, VintageDutchGirl style:

1. Find LOTS of strong, nice friends and plan a piano moving party


2. Make sure one of these friends has a truck and utility trailer that can handle heavy loads


3. Rent Piano Dolly - cost us 10 bucks


4. Send hubby to Ace to buy many sets of work gloves (as pictured above, modeled by my headless husband)


5. Obtain necessary floor protection equipment - blankets under plywood prevent scratching on wood floors


6. Move piano...lifting with your legs!


7. After the muscled movers catch their breath, shuffle them into dining room to chow down on chips, salsa, and 7 layer Mexican dip and cooled soda pop.


8. Send them out the door with their parting gifts of work gloves and a set of stretching instructions.


9. Play piano to your hearts delight...once everyone has left, of course.
   
   

I've been playing musical scores, old hymns, praise and worship songs and a smattering of classical work.

My newest piano music desire is the Pride and Prejudice music book:

Maybe my husband will just happen to read this post and wish to treat me.

Actually, I am receiving a treat tomorrow. My sister and I are flying out to Phoenix for 7 days of sun, reading, resting and the privilege of watching a dear cousin walk down the aisle in a stunning white gown...sigh.

I will not be providing piano accompaniment at the wedding. My hands will be too busy mopping my face...

A