Jan Berenstain.....I owe you

Heard some sad news today that Jan Berenstain, co-author of The Berenstain Bear books passed away.  The ironic part is that I have been waiting to do a post about The Berenstain Bears.  I bought Papa, Mama, Sister and Brother bear many many years ago at the St. John gift shop one night when I was on my lunch break.  I saw them sitting on the shelf and scooped them up without even thinking.  I put them away with plans to one day put them in my child's room.  Now they are out!! 

A very vivid memory I have of this little bear family is playing with my plastic versions of them at five years old, in the front yard, next to the road, in the ditch.  Hello parents? Where were you on this one? Seems dangerous to me????  But I remember it like it was yesterday - or 25 years years ago :)

I wish I still had those toys and my books but they have vanished over the years.  Here recently I have started Evelyn her own collection and dating the inside cover and I hope she takes them with her through the rest of her life. Still debating on if she gets to keep the dolls ;)

Jan Berenstain

7/26/1923 - 2/24/2012

If anyone wants to get me the entire collection.....i'm not gonna stop you :)

BONUS:

Today I am 21 weeks.

Check out this comparison picture.

I'm still waiting to see myself turn up in US Weekly for "baby bump watch".  

It hasn't happened yet ;)

Hope you are enjoying your week so far!

April

Rowell House Update

My goodness have I been busy!!! Been trying to get things together around this house, working on Evelyn's scrapbook, watching over house projects, the usual laundry/house cleaning business, lovin' on Phoebe, watching Idol and getting my niece ready for her first dance.....it's been non-stop.....

1.

I am now officially half way through my pregnancy.

Yay!! Can't wait to see this precious baby girl.

2.

Did watched a little house project get done.

Been wanting a backsplash in the kitchen for some time now.

My in-laws came over this past week and helped Zach get this project done.

before

after

before

after

3.

My mother-in-law made me some awesome burp rags and kitchen towels.

4.

Did a little registering this weekend.

It was a little overwhelming.

I like this parking situation though :)

5.

My 12 year old niece had her first school dance.

Makes me feel old and ugly.

I was NOT this cute in the 6th grade.

I'm sure it wont be long until I'm dropping Evelyn off at her first dance.....and staying to chaperone ;)

Have a great week!!! 

April

THIS is happening TONIGHT!!!! 

AND I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

Happy Saturday!!

April

A House Full Of Girls

It's official!! There is going to be a little girl coming to the house this summer.  Zach and I have had a feeling the whole time that it was going to be a girl. Not that we were hoping for one, we just felt it would be one.  All we wanted was a healthy and strong baby.  Our visit yesterday went wonderful and it was so amazing to watch her flip around and put her hands on her face.  I never cried though.  I think it really really really hit me that we are going to be having a baby! It just made it so real to see something more than a dot in the ultrasound.  

We came home and starting shopping online immediately! Now that we can actually look for gender specific things it was SO.MUCH.FUN!!!  We did good.  Only purchased one thing.  Found the bedding we are going to use.  Which means the walls are all going to have to be painted.  I was trying to avoid that but nothing we came across (and we looked at several different sites) matched the walls at all.  I really don't want an explosion of girly colors in her room so here is what we decided on.

We both really like this one and I like it because it's not too girly but still sweet.  It should be here Thursday and I can't wait to get my hands on it so I can see the colors in person and head to Lowe's to pick out some paint.

I'm 19 weeks today.  Here is a little picture of my growing baby girl.

It's also Valentine's Day!!  This is not a holiday that Zach and I go all out for.  It's usually an exchange of cards and then that's about it.  If he tries to tell you that he got me a cruise last year don't believe him! It may have taken place on Valentine's week but that's not why we went :)

I did receive a little goodie this year.  Came home to a sweet surprise.

The start to my new charm bracelet.  I've wanted one of these since I was a teenager.  

Love that husband!

Sooooo would you like to meet Evelyn Revay Rowell???

I just love that little face already!!!! :)

Here's what we were doing last year during this week.....

My, oh my, how life has changed.  Last year at this time we were soaking up the sun and hitting the beaches.  This year we are shopping for baby stuff and preparing ourselves for a big life change.

I'm so excited about this time in our life and feel completely blessed with everything God has given us.  

And it just keeps gettin' better :)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

April

The Little Things

Only two more days of work left! Thank goodness.  I wanted to leave pretty much every hour on the hour today but I made it through and even made it to the gym afterwards.  Had a little bit of the sniffle sneezes this morning but it went away after lunch.  

I have to give a HUGE shout out to my husband.  I came home on Monday after work and noticed when I pulled into the garage the Rock Band drums were in there.  I had asked him a couple of days before to put it in the attic. (we I am on a cleaning, throwing junk away spree)  When I saw it I thought "Awesome! One less thing in the house."

I walked into the house and right away noticed track marks from the vacuum.

"Did you vacuum today?"  I asked.

"Yes." He replied with the biggest smile on his face.  

I continued on into the "office" and noticed there were tracks there too.  The computer desk was compeltey cleaned and dusted.  Everything was straightened up.  When I turned around he was right on my shoulder with the same big smile.

"I even did the laundry and put it away and did the dishes and put them away and wiped all the counters down."

Now, I know I should have just said thank you and hugged him and accepted the amazing kind gesture and help.  Instead my first response was, "What do you want?"

Maybe he is just getting a little head start for when the baby comes.  And please know that I appreciate it so much that he did the cleaning and he really didn't want anything in return.  He was just being good to me.  I do love that man! :)

By the way, I got myself a pregnancy pillow this weekend and I have already found both Zach and Phoebe all wrapped up in it.  I sure hope I don't have to purchase another one :)

Also this weekend my niece and nephew spent the night and we took a little trip to the neighborhood park and took those converse shoe pictures I've been wanting to take.  Here are a few that I have messed with so far.

Yes, I do realize bird poop is on the back of the bench so I'm going to need to get expert help from my brother to take that out.

Congrats to a friend who had her baby girl today!

April