Weekend Activities

This past weekend we spent Saturday morning looking at homes and apartments. Let’s just say it wasn’t very productive, promising, or even very enjoyable. I think we finished feeling more stressed about finding a place to live than when we started. It just amazes me how much people can charge for rent out here. If you want a nice place that actually has some room you’ll pay for it. We actually did see one place that was nice sized (1100 sq ft) with a small yard & driveway/garage. Only problem was that the previous tenant smoked like a chimney & the entire house is completely infiltrated with the smell. It’s 1300 a month plus utilities anyway. So after a few hours of non-productive searching we figured it was time for a break to do something fun and we headed downtown for a little sight-seeing and some activities. After we stopped for some lunch we headed down to one of the children’s museums center city. The walk down there was great, Jacob is absolutely enthralled with all the huge sky scrapers. Both boys seemed to enjoy the general frenzied excitement and activity of the city. (Good thing! They have 3 more years of it!) They were a little disappointed when I wouldn’t let them chase the pigeons into the road, but were happy about everything else. We took them to the “Please Touch” Museum downtown; a cool little museum built just for kids. It’s got lots of different activities, toys, and stations for kids to play with. They can run around doing whatever & as a parent it’s a nice break from having to worry about them being loud, running around etc. It wasn’t quite a nice as the one we went to in Omaha, Nebraska; but still pretty fun for the kids! Some of their favorite places were the blocks table, the train table, the water station with boats, the huge subway train that they can pretend to drive, and the cars display. It was a little busy; I think lots of people are looking for something fun to do that is kid-friendly on a Saturday afternoon. But we had a fun time going as a family. I think Jeff got a bigger kick out of some of the toys than the boys did! When we finally headed home around 4, both Jacob & Caleb were totally exhausted. The 8 block walk back definitely seemed a little longer than our walk down to the museum. (Jeff gets free parking at his hospital, so we generally park there and walk to where we want to go) Anyway, it was a fun way to spend the afternoon & a much needed outing for the boys. I was just disappointed that I forgot our camera.

Sunday we headed over to New Jersey for church & to look around a bit more. We’re still debating whether to try and buy a house or not, but figured we’d take the time to look around before we completely settled for a while. It was a nice Sunday, and on our way back there was a massive storm that dumped a couple inches of water in just minutes! It made the traffic on the freeway just painful. There was one place where the water was pooling on the road; it was about 2-2.5 feet deep and all the cars were just crawling through it. There were a few cars that had gotten stuck, so everyone was being cautious and it made for a pretty big traffic jam. I was grateful to be in an SUV! Anyway, we made it home finally and enjoyed a nice afternoon together.

Our New Place

I've had a few people wondering about our home here in Havertown, Pennsylvania; so I thought I'd post a few shots of what it looks like. We're just subletting it until the end of August. It's a nice little twin townhouse just outside the city with 3 bedrooms 1.5 baths, three levels including a finished basement that makes for a perfect playroom for the boys. We also have a small yard which is great for playing in the pool and chasing lightning bugs & rabbits! It's been nice to be here, but I am looking forward to being more settled in a long-term place. We're just subletting from some people who went on vacation for a few months, the home was furnished too, which makes it nice for not having to find couches, tables, etc; but also has some drawbacks such as extra things around. All in all, it's been a pretty good place & we've enjoyed being here.

Oh What Fun It Is

I've officially hit the 3rd Trimester. I'm now 27 weeks along in the pregnancy. There's a fun little site called "Baby Gaga" where you can sign up to receive e-mailed weekly updates about what's happening during that particular week. It's been kind of fun, it usually tells you what's happening with the baby and mother, includes little info tidbits & stories, and always includes a weekly comic. This week's comic was great, and just hit me funny.

I'm really not one to get real emotional over silly things; but every now and then something will hit me just right that will just make me cry/laugh/get upset, or all the above at the same time etc. They're usually silly little things and I'll wonder why in the world I'm reacting so strongly. Then I remember, duh, I'm pregnant! Good thing my husband is understanding too! I pretty much enjoy the pregnancy, but there are definitely things that I look forward to once it's over; like being a little more emotionally stable and not having quite the roller coaster of emotions! I'm sure many of you women out there can relate!

July Happenings

Caleb got his first bee sting. I felt bad for him, but he was kind of asking for it. We have a little pool that the boys like to play in. That afternoon they were playing in the water, then they’d get out and run around, get back in the pool, etc. Jacob decided he wanted to lay on his towel for a little while, and Caleb decided he wanted to chase bees. He would run over to where they were and try to step on them. I stopped him and tried to explain that the bees would sting him if he stepped on them. I told him they would “bite” him and he would get an owie. (He understands how biting hurts!) Well, he just thought it was too fun to chase the bees and so the next one he went after got him. He got stung right on the foot. Luckily it was just a honey bee that only stings once, and I got the stinger out quickly, but he was pretty sad. He’s tough though and didn’t cry much. I think he’s finally learned his lesson & I don’t image he’ll go chasing after too many more bees.

Jacob has gotten into a funny stage. For the past 6 months or so, he's been very specific that he only wants me to do his hair with water. No hairspray, no gel, no nothing... only water. I would try to coax him to let me use other things because his hair is so thick it just doesn't stay done, but he was set. Well for some reason, the past couple weeks he's gone completely the opposite way. He thinks it makes him look handsome like Daddy. He's still specific about how he wants things done, but it's more like, "I want gel, then water, then hairspray." And lately, he's gotten into doing it all himself which would be fine except that he'll get this huge glob of gel & rub it right into the middle of his head. And then he'll spray it with hairspray about 10 times. It's kind of gross, but so funny. On Sunday morning when we were getting ready for church, Jacob did his hair while I was finishing getting Caleb dressed. Lets just say that he had some of the stiffest hair I've ever seen! I'm going to have to hide the gel & hairspray from now on.

I’ve hit the 6 ½ month mark. (Well, almost 27 weeks along) I’ve found this pregnancy to be very similar to my others. I usually stay small for a long time, then I’ll hit a growth spurt, (or the baby hits a growth spurt) between 24 & 27 weeks. Then I go from looking a little pokey around the middle to being pretty obviously pregnant. Not huge, but just a cute round tummy that sticks straight out like a ball under my shirt. This baby has been an active little guy & I imagine he’ll take after his brothers and be a busy little boy. It’s been fun for Jacob & Caleb so see and feel him move and kick. They think it’s pretty funny. Jacob is convinced that he’s going to be the best big brother ever & has already informed me that he’s going to “Take his baby brother trick-or-treating, and share his candy, and break up the ‘chokey’ candies so the baby doesn’t choke on them.” (Jacob has asked me when the baby will be born & I’ve told him it will be around Halloween) Anyway, we’ve been enjoying talking with Jacob & Caleb about the new baby, discussing possible names, etc. Now I’m just waiting to get to see the doctor when Jeff’s insurance finally kicks in.

We’ve spent a good amount of time in New Jersey lately. The real estate market in Philadelphia has really gone up even in the past year. We were really hoping to find a nice place with a yard, but in our price range there isn’t much available. Even to rent a semi-nice house will run you about $1300 plus utilities, we have found a couple apartment complexes that are only $1150 plus utilities. We might just find a place to rent for the 3 years we’ll be here, but Jeff wanted to be open to other possibilities as well, so we’ve spent a little time looking around in New Jersey. The homes are cheaper, and there is actually room for a nice-sized yard. (A must-have with 3 boys!) We don’t know for sure what we’re doing, but we’re keeping options open. I love the idea of being in a nice area with a nice house & yard, but I love being in Philadelphia in a familiar place that I’ve grown to love, with many great friends around. I guess we’ll see what happens and where the Lord directs us.

Jacob & Caleb have been enjoying the wildlife here in Philadelphia. Almost every morning or evening there will be rabbits that will come into our yard or the neighbors yard & eat the grass. The boys love to look out the windows and watch them. I especially love how Caleb calls them “Abbits” Jacob also gets excited about the lightening bugs and loves to catch them whenever he can.

Caleb's favorite song lately has been, "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam" He'll go around the house singing it all day with an emphasis on the "Sunbeam" part. He was even singing it at the grocery store the other day. It's so cute, I love to hear his sweet little voice singing.

As far as things happening with our family; I had a cousin get married this past week. I wish I could have been there! Congratulations to Shawnee & Austin Jenkins! My grandparents will be celebrating their 50^th anniversary coming up this next week. And Jeff’s mom is just finishing surgery for appendicitis, so hopefully she’s doing well!

Family Reflections

With all the changes that have been going on, we've been thinking of family a lot. Although we love being back East with many wonderful friends and good memories, it's hard not to miss our families that are now so far away. Jacob and Caleb are constantly asking about Grandmas & Grandpas, which direction their homes are in, and talking about all the fun things they remember. I've set up our computer to play slideshows of our pictures as the screen saver & both boys absolutely love it! They'll sit and just watch the computer screen forever. I must admit that I enjoy it as well; even though sometimes it occupies my time for longer than it should! We were fortunate enough to have family pictures done with both families before we left, so we have some current pictures of our immediate families that we can enjoy while they're far away. Not quite the same, but we'll take what we can! We love you all!

Happy 4th Of July!

We had a great 4th of July here in Philly, even though it was a bit on the cold and rainy side. Jeff had the day off which was a bonus. In the morning we took the boys to the park to play. They're so funny, when we get to the park, they're a lot more excited about chasing all the birds and rabbits they happen to see than the actual playground. They had a great time though. Afterwards we picked up a Philly favorite, Rita's Water Ice. Actually we got gelati's, and they were delicious! I've been craving one of those for a while now!

We enjoyed the day at home until around 5 when we took off to go downtown. We stopped for some cheesesteaks for dinner & headed into center city. It's sure nice now that Jeff is a resident at the hospital because he gets free parking in the garage. Always an added bonus! We walked down to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and caught the rest of the parade, it was neat but a little disappointing due to the fact that the parade was televised so it would stop every 5 minutes for a 10 minute delay. That's okay except when you're staring at the 'tour bus' section for 10 minutes!

After the parade we walked around just looking at everything that was going on with booths, prizes, food, games, etc. We found a nice little place along the parkway, near a baseball field where we were planning on watching the fireworks from. The boys entertained themselves by chasing and catching fireflies. Jacob had a nice little collection by the time he was done, we had a clear bottle that he could put them in and he thought that was just about the coolest thing ever. Originally we had planned to just sit out and wait until 10:30 for the fireworks. Unfortunately the weather had other plans. It had rained on and off throughout the day, but the real storm was just beginning. It was about 8:00 when we got to the field, and by 8:30 it had really started to rain, we're not talking nice little spring showers, I'm talking a complete soak-you-in-2-minutes downpour complete with gusting winds, and of course thunder & lightening. After hiding out under the trees for 30 minutes, we decided it just wasn't worth it and headed back to the car. Kind of disappointing, since the fireworks here are absolutely amazing, but with 2 kids and almost 2 more hours to wait in the rain (it rained hard all night), we decided to head & just pick up a treat on the way home. Then they boys went to bed and Jeff & I stayed up to watch a movie.

Even with the events turning out the way they did, we had a pretty fun 4th of July. The boys were great sports through everything and didn't complain once in the rain. More than anything it was just fun to be together. So although it wasn't the 4th of July I had hoped for, it turned out pretty good!

Here's a shot of what the fireworks looked like last year!

Beach Trip

After a long week of traveling, unpacking & getting settled, we decided to take the boys to the beach today for a well-needed break. We took off fairly early this morning and drove to Atlantic City, NJ. The beaches there are pretty nice; not quite like some, but the sand is powdery & soft and it's a good family environment that prohibits alcoholic beverages etc. Jacob and Caleb absolutely loved it. They loved getting into the sand and building castles (more like destroying the castles that we built for them). They even helped Jeff dig a big hole, and then took turns standing in it & smiling for the camera. They especially loved the water. They day was a bit overcast, but it didn't keep them from playing in the water. When we finally took off, they were both exhausted and slept most of the way home. It was a fun day together as a family!

Idaho Baby Shower

I came across some old pictures on our camera that I forgot to post. About a week before we left, the Young Women in our ward in Idaho had a surprise baby shower for me and another leader in Young Womens who was expecting a little girl in August. We had another activity planned, but before we left we had to go to the young womens' room to do a few things. When we opened the door, everyone yelled "Surprise!" It was so sweet of them! We played games, had great refreshments & enjoyed the time. So many people were so thoughtful. It really meant a lot! Thanks Castle Park Young Women!

We Made It

We finally arrived at our destination late Monday night. It feels strange being back in Philly again, almost like we never left. We have a nice little 3 bedroom home just outside the city that we're renting for a couple months while we look around & decide whether to buy or rent a home for the three years we'll be here.

The trip went surprisingly well! It was nice to go a little slower & enjoy some of the attractions along the way. Some of our favorites were Yellowstone National Park, and Mount Rushmore.

Jacob and Caleb were good boys during the trip, pretty patient and cheerful. I'm sure the portable DVD player helped greatly with that. They enjoyed the couple hotels we stayed at; and did pretty well those nights where we just slept for a couple hours in the car before taking off again.

We also learned a few things along the way, such as in Minnesota they have an annual "Tractor Pull" that draws pretty much the entire state to a small town called Tomah & it's virtually impossible to find a hotel anywhere within a 4 hour radius. (Believe us, we tried!)

We had a few issues along the way, such as a couple spark plugs that needed to be replaced in Indiana. But we were in a great little town with friendly people, and Jeff was able to just change them out himself. The boys and I enjoyed visiting their pet shop, that had a large variety of animals including a piranha, & a few other places for a couple hours; and then we were on our way again. And then the time in Montana where our trailer lights weren't working and needed a little work too. I can definitely say I'm married to a multi-talented man! Jeff was great!

Then there was that time in Wisconsin that Jeff drove away from the gas station before he remembered to take the hose and nozzel out of the car. Yes the hose does get ripped from the pump, but luckily it doesn't spray gas like it shows in the movies. We left that place in a hurry!

Then there is always the fun adventure of trying to get ready for church when you've pretty much been living out of your car. You pull out wrinkled church clothes & try to find the nearest Walmart so you can use their bathroom to wash your face & attempt to straighten hair.

Anyway, it was definitely a trip we'll remember for a long time. It's nice to be settled and getting back into somewhat of a routine. We're looking forward to the next three years and the adventures ahead!

On the Road Again...

Well today it's official. We sold our home about 2 1/2 weeks ago & closed on it today. What a relief, I'm so glad to be done! We were really blessed & got a full price offer with a good amount down & closing quickly. We've worked hard and put a lot of time and effort into the home. We were glad that it was sold to someone who was so excited & absolutely loved the home.
We've spent a lot of time over the past couple weeks getting things packed & finishing the last minute things. If everything works out, we'll be taking off tomorrow afternoon to start our long cross country drive back to Pennsylvania. I'm not anticipating the drive, I feel like I've done it way too many times already (and it seems like I've been pregnant during a lot of the drives) ; but we have some fun stops planned along the way & we'll be taking our time this trip. Not like our previous ones where we drove continuously & switched off driving when we got tired. We made those trips in a day & a half. Our trailer is packed to the max and I don't think we could stick another box in if we wanted to. I'm still wondering how we did it last time with a bookshelf, table & chairs, and couch. All I can say is that Jeff is an expert packer!
We're sure going to miss our families, but we're looking forward to the good times and adventures ahead. I'm sure the time will go by quickly, so we're going to try and have as much fun & enjoy the time as much as possible! Life is a Highway, here we come!

Date Night with Mom & Dad

After a packed day, we decided to continue the fun & do a date with my Mom & Dad on Saturday night. We haven't been out together for quite a while and our time here is nearing the end, so we figured we'd take advantage of the moment.
Uncle Cole babysat Jacob and Caleb while we went and did a fabulous job! The boys sure love playing with him, and they had a great time. Cole even had a monumental achievement, he changed his very first diaper! (okay, it was only wet; but I was proud of him!)
Jeff and I went with Mom and Dad to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. It's one of our favorite places to go together. Even without reservations we were in pretty quick & enjoyed a delicious dinner with good company.
We finished up the night be going bowling. It was Jeff's or my best night, but we enjoyed being with Mom and Dad & had a great time. My Dad finished off the night with the high score of 164. I was just grateful to be over 100 that night, like I said it wasn't my finest hour.
When we got home we visited a little while longer, then loaded up the boys who were asleep and headed home. I love being able to spend time with Mom & Dad. Some of the best times were just while we were driving in the car. I'm sure going to miss being around them when we head back.

Eagle Fun Days Parade

Saturday morning we went to the Eagle Fun Days Parade. It was a perfect day & so much fun! This was Caleb's first parade that he actually enjoyed (we went last year when he was about 9 months old, and it wasn't his favorite thing) It was so fun to see Jacob & Caleb both so excited about all the floats, horses, and especially candy! They loved waiting watching everything and waving to the people in the parade. They got tons of candy & even some apples, water bottles & otter pops. Now the famous thing about the Eagle Fun Days parade is the water part. The last third or so of the parade is pretty much a big water fight. The people have water guns, buckets, hoses, etc & will get everyone on the sidewalks. The people on the sidewalks do the same. So everyone is spraying, squirting, soaking everyone else. You wouldn't believe some of the vehicles. They're these big trucks with huge buckets of water. People will be ducking down behind the sides and get up and fire at everyone. Then there are always the boats, hummers, etc. One of the favorites is the local fire station truck. It actually uses the big fire hose and sprays everyone in sight. Needless to say, we stood a little further back during the water part & just watched everyone else. Actually Jacob did have a little squirt gun that he used to get grandma and aunt Lacey. It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed being able to spend time with family and visit with some old high school friends.
Afterwards, we went & spent some time at grandma's. They boys enjoyed playing in the pool & spending time with everyone. Jeff and I also went on a date with my parents while Uncle Cole babysat!

A Night at the Rodeo

Tonight we enjoyed the true “Idaho spirit” and took the boys to their first rodeo. Every year in Eagle, ID they hold the annual “Eagle Fun Days.” It’s about three days filled with a carnival, rodeo, parade, bike and running races, bands, shows, games, food, fun & lots more! Tomorrow we’ll be going to the parade, but tonight it was all about the rodeo. It was a little expensive, but lots of fun and we had a great time! Some of our favorites were the barrel racing and especially the bull riding. Jacob and Caleb thought it was great and even tried their first cotton candy, which Caleb refused to eat. He looked at us like we were crazy. I’m glad we had the chance to go before we head back to the big city where rodeos are something you’ll only see on television. We got home pretty late and the boys were tired, but we had a great night! Yee Haw!

Joe's Crab Shack

Yesterday after a long day of cleaning, organizing, and packing. Jeff's mom called us up to see if we'd be interested in meeting them for dinner. Great! It was just what we needed. So we packed everyone up and met Grandma, Janette & Kadie at Joe's Crab Shack. Jeff and I had never been there before but it was great! It was a fun little restaurant with a festive, party atmosphere. It was a great place for kids and the food was excellent. The boys really liked trying the crab and shrimp. It was also fun that we went yesterday because all day Jacob had been trying to convince me that we should go to the beach so we could see some fish & crabs. I kept trying to explain that the beach was too far away & that we would go another time, but Jacob wasn't satisfied. So even though he was eating the crabs & fish instead of actually seeing them, he thought it was pretty fun. We finished off the meal with a huge mountain slice of chocolate cake, one of the best I've tasted! More than anything it was so much fun to go out with family. The boys love playing with Kadie, they have lots of fun. And Jeff and I enjoyed spending the time with Mom & Janette. It was a great evening!

THE RESULTS ARE IN....

After a second ultrasound, we discovered that our baby is definitely not modest, just a big tease!

IT'S A BOY!!

Yes, after the second ultrasound today we found out that we are definitely going to parents of another little boy. I am so excited and couldn't be happier! It was funny, the tech doing the ultrasound said she was surprised our doctor couldn't tell (The OB actually did say he thought it could be a boy, but he just wasn't sure & didn't like to say unless he was positive because he's never been wrong). Anyway, the Tech said that the baby was not being the least bit shy today; it was pretty obvious that it was a little boy. I guess it helps when the baby cooperates though and gives you a good shot. It was sure fun going to the Fetal Fotos studio to have the ultrasound done. It's a nice relaxing place and they just make it so fun. It was Definitely worth the extra money! Especially since we were able to find out what we're having.

So it looks like we're going to be three for three on the Chinese Gender Predictor chart. I'm super excited to have three cute little boys. More than anything I'm grateful that everything looks good and healthy. It will be fun to get to know this new little one!

Memorial Day Campout 2007

I've been a little slow getting this entry done. The Stevens family has a tradition of going camping on Memorial Day weekend. We were glad we were able to go this year. Jeff was scheduled to work Friday, Saturday & Sunday, but we still managed to spend some fun times up with the family. This year we went to a place called Silver Creek Plunge. It was great! We had a big group campsite with a creek running nearby. (I'm still amazed we got through the trip without either Jacob or Caleb taking a plunge!) We spent tons of time playing games, horseshoes, riding motorcycles & 4-wheelers, singing around the campfire, hiking, fishing, and just enjoying time together.
Jacob was super proud of the two fish he caught. One was pretty small as you can see, the other was pretty good sized. Jeff had a few nice fish as well. One of the highlights was our hike up to Boiling Springs Hot Springs. It was actually a pretty intense hike with some fairly steep areas & drop-offs. Jacob was sure a trooper & walked the whole way by himself. I felt great & almost forgot I was pregnant. And Jeff was the pack champ, carrying Caleb & a bundle of supplies the entire way on his shoulders. (Caleb's close to 30 pounds now & the bundle was about 20)
The weather was pretty nice, it rained a little Sunday afternoon but was pretty much sunny and warm otherwise.
All in all it was a great trip & so fun to spend the time with family. We wont have much time coming up in the near future so we'll enjoy the time now!