Guess What?...

We are closing on our new home on FEB 17th! WOOHOO. We are really excited. We were told shortsales were a long tedious process and we were prepared for that. However, we put the offer in right before Christmas and we are closing before the end of Feb.
UNHEARD OF!!
The house is over an hour away from where we are now, so the boys will change schools in the middle of the year. This has concerned me as I remember the feeling well of moving alot as a child. I hated being the new kid. They are only in kindergarten and really like making new friends, so we will pray they adjust quickly and get use to the school that will be theirs for some time to come.
The house is in North Peoria. Just 10-15 miles south of Lake Pleasant. Its a fun family house. It does need some work, like new paint in the whole thing (its all green and brown inside for the most part) it needs sprucing up and cleaning and a fence around the pool. Im really excited to have my own pool, but even more excited that my community also has a waterpark with slides and several pools and kiddie areas. I'm really looking forward to unpacking the boxes that have been in storage for the past 9 months. Plus just having some personal space from the kids will be nice. The house we have been renting is under 2000/sq ft. This house will almost double our space, its 5 bed 3.5 bath 3700/sq ft. AH, I can use the bathroom without someone dying to use it on the other side of the door and rushing me( I am pregnant people!). Here are a few pictures of the house. I will post more after we moving in and start some of the remodeling projects. Now I just need my mom and the TEXAS/CANADA Staceys to come and decorate it!!!


Entry into the master bedroom (left) and master bath (rt)
Street shot. Im going to put new carriage lights outside. Oh, do I have plans!
Family room off kitchen.
Coming in front door.
Kitchen area

Private/ Updated

Thank you all for sending me your email addresses. I will definately add you when this turns private. I have been solicited by family members to keep it open until my new little man arrives. Just in case great gradmas and grandpas forget how or dont know how to sign in to see pictures.
So...with that in mind, I will hold off for just a little longer before going private.

As far as updates on the baby go:
We have narrowed things down to three names. We each have our preferences but want to see what this little guy looks like before making any announcments. At my 35 week appt I was 50% effaced with no dialation. And he is TRANSVERSE...yuck. Hopefully that will change in the next couple weeks.
. Im tired of being pregnant but want to make sure he can pack on some lbs before arriving. He is measuring in the 50 percentile, so we are sure he wont be too big. Anytime around 38 weeks would be perfect. I would love a baby born on Valentines Day!
We toured the hospital we will deliver at. Its newer, but Im still a little nervous about it. I've heard good and bad reviews. If the tour was any indication of patient care, I will be really sad.
We arrived to a group of people waiting for the tour in the lobby just before 7 pm, the scheduled time. This alone was annoying because they only do 2 tours a month, and they are only at night. Thus, anyone with children had to get a baby sitter since it was bedtime and children under 12 werent allowed on the floor. Anyway- we wait for about 15 min, when a man with a wife who had been on bedrest for 3 months, gets up and goes to the intercom. He explains that they along with others are waiting for a 7pm tour and its been 15 min with no acknowledgment from staff. His wife is sitting in a wheel chair with cervical issues, and needs to get home ASAP. Could they hurry things along. The nurse says she will send someone and that is that.
7:30 rolls around and still, we have seen no one. Assuming they are very busy, I stand and gently remind them that we are all still waiting (most of us, some people were already mad and left). A postpartum nurse sticks her head out and tells us how busy they are and someone will be there shortly. After another 5-10 min a woman comes to greet us. She explains that she is just a surgical tech for the C-section team, but will give us a brief tour of the floor. As we walk we see very little action and hardly any people. The nurses stations are full of nurses sitting and talking, laughing and eating.-The tech tells us how things vary at this hosptial from feast to famine with deliveries. We ask about that evening and she tells us how they arent busy...REALLY?!?!
I pass the postpartum desk and see the nurses chatting. Wow...really working your butts off girls!
Seemed very laid back. No WIFi, the cafeteria closes at 6 and they dont like to take babies to the nursery at night, if they can help it. Rooming in is prefered.- Blah, Blah, Blah.
Im hoping my stay is better than I am imagining it will be. I should have toured the hospital first, then picked my doc based on the hospital.:)
Anyway--heres to counting down this pregnancy. Im ready to breath again.

Keeping our fingers Crossed!

We made an offer on a short sale back in December. Its up to the bank now. Could be a while, but if all goes well, we may have a home in the next few months. I CANT WAIT!
Here is a picture of the thing Im looking forward to the most with this house.
Its backyard and pool!

Nesting

Well, Im almost to 34 weeks. I just had my three hour Gestational Diabetes test (which was not fun) last week. Luckily for me, I dont have it. However, I have gained so much weight with this baby that my doc wants me to cut sugar back anyway. Alot of that is because I went from being active and teaching at the gym, to not doing anything at all. I mean nothing. I hardly know anyone, I didnt join a gym since we are only renting this house and plan to move an hour away, and I was just sick for so long, I had no movtivation. Now, here I am HUGE, and still needing to get this baby to pack on the lbs before delivery. Im praying for a BIG baby.

Anyway, as I sit home with Asher, I have found that I am finding little projects to get done. Here is my latest creation for the new guy. Kinda fun. Hope it works with this AZ sun. Now I need to make lots of bibs. Anyone have a great pattern or link?

Here comes Santa Clause

Here are some photos from Christmas. As you can see Grandmas and Grandpa's, you spoiled these children yet again.

We spent Christmas Eve with my brothers Neal and Taylor and his family, and my sister in laws parents, our friends the Jatens.
Before dinner, Santa made an appearance and gave each child a gift they could open.










Christmas morning the children awoke to so many things, their heads almost exploded. We spent a few hours at home looking to see what Santa brought. Opening family gifts, and then we drove to Tucson for another fun time opening gifts at Grandpa Banzhaf's house with family. It was alot of fun.

The family tradition of running the trains on Christmas still continues. The boys love it!

Zachary, wearing his great grandpas conductor hat.

Im sure he was smiling in heaven when he saw that his great grandsons love the trains as much as he did.

Yes, Santa brought the boys Littlest Pet Shop. Who says animals arent gender nutral?








Then the piles started forming all over the house.

Notice my kindle...yes...it is all consuming. I love it!

The Shrek and Spongebob Chia Pets were hillarious.

The kids cant wait to grow them in the spring.

Phoenix Zoo

Over the winter break, we decided to take advantage of the weather and do some outdoors exploring in Phoenix. We spent the whole day at the zoo. It was lovely weather and the animals were out and about. They had some great exhibits.
I may really HATE Arizona in the summer months. But, I'll admit...its heaven here in the Winter months. I miss seeing and playing in the snow, but I dont miss being trapped inside by it. We have had amazing temps here. I never thought I would say this, especially after only 7 mths of living here. I can see some of the appeal of living here. At least in the non-summer months.

Going Private

Well, after three years, its time to finally go private. I have held off doing it for some time since its such a hassle for some people. But, Im starting to get weirded out by some of the stories Im hearing, plus all the loonies that just want to write strange messages to me on here.

Anyway I will be going private in 2 weeks (most likely by the 23rd). So, if you want to still keep up with us, email me your address. My comments are moderated, so I wont post anyone's information on my blog. Even if you are just a lurker friend and want to be included, it wont weird me out. Just let me know!

More posts to come. Just need to download pictures.- Stay tuned.