Happy Birthday, Jess!

Happy Birthday, Mama!

This is Jess & I at BSU in 1998!

Jess is one of my closest friends....we talk daily...and have since we met at orientation for Bemidji State in June of 1998. We convinced our parents to let us be roommates (instead of chancing it and getting assigned with some random weirdo). That is how instantly we hit it off... we were wearing the same color of nail polish... O.P.I. "Root-Beer”, had the same watch, and some other quirky similar interests. Jess met her husband through another friend of ours from Bemidji, and Nick and I met through them as well.... God Bless Bemidji!

24 Weeks/6 Months

Holy Smokes! 6 months! The time has gone by so fast! One good thing about being pregnant in the summer is that summers go by so fast! I have really enjoyed being pregnant, but I am getting excited to meet the little guy!

This afternoon we are heading to Willmar for my friend Jenny's wedding. Then on Saturday, we will be heading back home for another wedding. Nick's co-worker and hockey buddy is getting married. His soon-to-be wife, Megan, is actually starting a daycare! Once we found that out, we were all over her to make arrangements! We were so excited that someone we know and trust would be watching our baby. They also live pretty close to us...funny how things work out!

Month of the Eggplant

Happy Birthday, Sally!

Happy Birthday to our future Sister-in-Law!

Home Improvement

Here are some photos of the improvements we have made so far...

(Please note: the "before" pictures are the previous owner's furniture/decor)

The Dining Room

Before...

After...

The Bathroom

Before...

After...

The Family Room

Before...

After...

23 Weeks

So...the basement didn't get primed last weekend. We decided it would be best not to paint on such hot weekends...and I just didn't feel like it. I did clear out the Nursery and got it ready for all the baby stuff! We picked out a paint color, which we will do maybe next month or so. While Nick was playing softball, I got the crib unpacked for Nick to assemble later. But as I looked at the directions, I thought that I could do it...so I did! I was suprised how easy it was so assemble. It made me a bit nervous how easy it was, so I had Nick look it over when he got home and it was all good. (Shocked myself!) It is kind of fun to look in there and see the crib all set up....so cute!

The origins of Eli

The name Eli \e-li\ is pronounced EE-lye.

It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "ascended; my God; on high".

Biblical: Eli was a high priest who judged Israel for 40 years and who trained the young prophet Samuel (son of Hannah) . Eli abruptly appears in the biblical narrative, when Hannah, who is childless, prays to God for a child. He blesses her after she promises the child to God.

Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, which greatly reduced the labor of picking cotton seeds. This was one of the key inventions of the industrial revolution and shaped the economy of the antebellum South.

Eli, a nickname for a Yale University student, after Yale benefactor and namesake Elihu "Eli" Yale.

Little Angels...

I couldn't resist sharing these pictures of my cousin Claire's beautiful babies.

Miss Hailey

Baby Jacob

(I think he really looks like his Mama!)

Jacob praying...