Logan stork is preparing for take-off!

Kyle & Sarah has reported on their blog that Sarah is getting closer to Logan's arrival time. http://doesthatlooklikealinetoyou.blogspot.com/

The picture of Sarah is great.

Kyle & Sarah saved us!

Just as I made the decision to go to see a movie, Drew was like no, the Daytona race started. That was fine. In the meantime, Kyle had called to say they would like the high chair we had and they would be over in a little while.

Kyle & Sarah ended up having dinner with us in addition to picking up the high chair. Then Ashley & Alex called to check in.

All that excitement made the weekend end on a great note. Hopefully for Sarah's sake, the next time we see them, Logan will be on our side.

Now what do we do?

It's hard to believe but with Ashley & Alex on vacation with Grandma, Drew & I have the house to ourselves and we don't know what to do.

Most of the day Friday and Saturday was spent packing things into boxes, sorting things to take to the Salvation Army, throwing things away and getting the house ready for realtors to come check out the house. We really did kick butt on getting the house together. At one point yesterday morning I felt like I was on Extreme Home Makeover and we needed to send the kids a video message of what's going on in the house - no wrecking balls were involved. The realtors were so nice. They gave us a homework list of things to have done before they return next month with a sign for the front yard.

• New doors on the kitchen cabinets
• a new piece of linolium for the kitchen floor and back landing
• paint the front door
• paint the front porch if the weather allows
• paint the kitchen
• paint the bathroom
• paint the closet door in the kids room

That seems simple enough to knock out in a month.

Specifically, my homework is all about "packing and painting". I have already packed a ton. I completely went through the big linen closet. We have listed some new things on ebay. I have a lot more to pack in the basement and then I will have to pack things up in the attic. Then list some more things on ebay.

The realtor told us cooking garlic has to be put on hold - no garlic smells but we can bake all the cookies & bread we want and make lots of coffee.

Friday afternoon we had lunch at Potbelly's then "desert" at Starbucks and listened to Northwestern University softball over the internet - they played this weekend in Arizona. Yesterday after the realtors left we listed some things on ebay and went out for dinner at 8:30.

Now here we are today. Northwestern Softball games at 9 & 10am. Its raining out and we are going crazy in this clean, quiet house asking each other what we are going to do now. If this is any indication of what things are going to be like when the kids go away to college, we're toast. Again, let me say, the kids are not here, the house is clean and we are bored. We did not need the absence of the kids to make us realize how much we love it that our life revolves around them. Drew even so much as mentioned taking one or two of Ashley's teammates down to Northwestern tomorrow night just to have something normal to do. I don't think we will be doing that but those other girls would really love to take Ashley's spot for a night.

I am making an executive decision, we're going to go see the Bucket List.

*note the background color of this blog - the brown for the color of the corrugated boxes I am packing our things into.

Not that the ringing sound of packing tape isn't exciting but thank goodness there are some more exciting things to come:

• The kids trip story and hopefully pictures
• My birthday :)
• Logan's arrival
• Going to Carbondale to watch Northwestern Softball
• Spring Break
• "Sign Day"
• Northwestern Softball Home Opener

More Snow?!

This time it is enough to be a snow day from school. It it said we have had more than 12" dumped on us.

We might not have the best of everything in this town but boy do we have pretty clean streets!

We say it now but in June we might not think it is such a big deal to be in school just one more day.

Fat Tuesday Tradition

We don't celebrate Mardi Gras in full swing but we do make a point of traditionally having red beans & rice for dinner just as you have turkey on Thanksgiving.

That meal will always top the meal Drew & I ate with my parents for my 21st birthday. They came down to school and took us to St Louis for Mardi Gras. The parade was great, the drinks were great but I still remember my dad ordering me "crawdads" for dinner which ended up being the little things I used to catch as a kid at the harbor of the lake we now live near. ~ Love the memories but it still gives me the creeps thinking of that platter of crayfish!

Deja Vu

Last night we expereinced a strange coolness. 23 years ago last night, Drew & I had our first date - the DeMolay Sweetheart Dance at the Medinah Country Club. Last night Ashley was installed in her first office in Rainbow. Alex and his friends (who just happen be the brothers of Ashley's friends/softball team mates and fellow Rainbow Girls) watched the State Officers of DeMolay in anticipation for what they have to look forward to in the next year and a half until they can join.

We are really proud of them both.

I was installed on the Advisory Board with Ashley's friends moms, Kyle & Sarah's best friends and Mrs Overholser (and other people).

There was a dance and lock-in after installation. Ashley stayed, Alex did not. Drew reminded me before I fell asleep that we had just left our little baby at dance where there were boys who were similar to the kid he used to be.

Interestingly Cora & Logan will be old enough to join Rainbow when Ashley is in college and is a majority Rainbow Girl.

The best thing about the kids interest in Rainbow and DeMolay is that it is not just because we did it but because their friends have joined and they love it too. Even if we move, these will be great connectors between our kids and their greatest friends.

Oh yeah and the other deja vu - Mrs O was sweet and complimented Ashley on how pretty she looked and that she knew the dress she was wearing. Yes, it is the dress her daughter Kim made for me - on of our bridesmaids dresses. We went to pick up Ashley's white dress Friday but it is not ready. It worked out good - all of the other girls wore colored dresses as well.

Vote on Super Tuesday!

On Tuesday, we who live in Illinois have the privilege to vote in the primary for President of the United States. I don't care who you vote for (well I do but my only stump is on the front lawn) as long as you make the most of your opportunity to vote.

I'm going to Hollywood!!!

This is the "video" of Ash's future American Idol flashback!

Just gotta do it

It has been a month since I have been here to share anything. It was easier to keep up with this when I was consistantly posting. Now I feel like i need to post to update and get myself back into this.

Christmas break ended and we all went back to school and work. We're back in the groove of our usual activities - school, softball, dancing, scouts along with still plugging away at business plans, shoveling more snow and getting things done around the house.

Ashley sang Bubbly in the school Talent Show. She was great, people asked if she was taking voice lessons too. I said of course, in school music class! She also played the cello in the orchestra concert, sold pizza for softball and got straight A's on her report card.

Alex has been occupied by hanging out with his friend who's sister plays softball with Ashley, preparing for his first band concert and getting his report card as well. He has some improvements to make - more like an extreme make-over.

Grandma has been busy cooking up a great trip to visit big Grandpa & Dolores in Texas. The kids are excited. Let's see, Padre Island for 4th/5th grade spring trip - what are they going to ask for when they get to high school?

Two weeks until we get some indication on how quickly our future will become a reality. Let's cross our fingers. In the mean time, I walk through the house asking myself if I would buy each room - if not, what do we need to do to want to buy it. I would love nothing less than to sell quickly before the dogs are able to make the backyard a mess. I am hoping that contingencies like there will be a different light fixture in the dining room when we leave and we will leave the backyard sodded - will work themselves out and make everyone happy. Hopefully in March we will be able to finally have a new business party.

We look forward to seeing little Cora soon - it has been too long. Each Monday we go down for softball, we are running tight on time to get there, it seems really late when we get done and Ashley still has a ton of homework to complete so we haven't been able to be all social like I had hoped.

Ashley will be installed in her first station in Rainbow tomorrow night. She is excited. Alex is excited for the brothers of Ashley's friends being there - aka future DeMolay.

Today we ended up getting walloped with snow. I went to school but called in our kids. It was crazy. There were only a handful of kids to babysit in school so I was there for most of the day then left at 10:15 to come home to my own kids and the Hathorn kids who were having fun hanging out, playing inside and playing outside.

I have been a crazy political junky. Drew said today he was going to block MSNBC on the tvs. No MSNBC & politics - no hunting shows or Discovery Show.

So major things have not been going on - just lots of busy work. More later, it is a great time for a nap!