Snow, Snow, Go Away!

Last time I checked the calendar it was March 27. MARCH 27! So why are we getting snow again!?! It all started the first week of December with two ice storms -- and hasn't really let up since. (These pictures were taken today; this morning the deck was completely cleared of any snow.) Please tell me this is the end of it. At least until November. Thank you.

Final Project ... For Now

Here is our 'new laundry room' before it's finalized. We are moving it up from the basement to the main floor. I thought you might like to see some before-and-after pics. We (and by "we" I mean Brian) are hoping to have it finished in the next couple of weeks. Then we are DONE with everything in the house, except the basement.

Then it's on to staining the deck and landscaping the backyard. Then we can relax. We hope.

One Sick Mama

I took Sam to my parents' house on Saturday since Brian is desperately trying to finish our final indoor project before April 1. He's moving the washer and dryer upstairs and our new appliances are scheduled for delivery that day. It's taking a bit longer than planned to get ready for them, and Sam and I aren't much help. In fact, we're no help. So we decided to make ourselves scarce to allow Brian time to work in peace.

We were having a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's house, although I was starting to experience some dizzy spells. I had four of them on Saturday. Strange, but nothing to worry about. Until 10 p.m, when I vomited a number of times. (Sorry if TMI.) That also was strange but nothing to worry about since it made me feel better. I went to bed as normal.

But when I awoke on Easter morning, the world was spinning and the dizziness only subsided if I lied down. Then the vomiting started back up again and as the day wore on, I could not keep my eyes open and things were going downhill. To make a long story short (too late), Brian took me to the E.R. in Des Moines, where we ended up spending the night in the hospital. I was very dehydrated and needed 6 liters of fluids pumped back into me, as well as anti-nausea medication. They still aren't completely sure what caused the 'world spinning' but think it was a viral infection in my ear that threw off my balance. Whatever it was, it was not fun and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Hopefully we're over this and on to recovery! Whew!

Oh yeah ... one little aside that I have to add ... as Brian was getting ready to take me to the hospital (and I was leaning over the toilet heaving), Sam came into the bathroom to give me a kiss and hug goodbye. I really didn't want to kiss him on the mouth, so I kept turning my head to give him my cheek. That little kid wouldn't take 'no' for an answer and insisted on kissing me goodbye. That just warmed my heart although I couldn't appreciate it at the time. We are lucky to be blessed with such a sweet little boy.

Happy Easter!

Here are a few pics from the Easter egg hunt at KFR, as well as an Easter Egg hunt at my parents' house on Easter. I'm not writing much more about Easter as I wasn't coherent enough to know what was going on. (See above post.)

Not for the Easily Offended ...

This weekend, we head out to Omaha for the Knoll Family Reunion (aka KFR). It will be the 28th annual reunion and is sure to be lots of fun. Here is the newsletter cover if that gives you any indication ...

Signs of Spring

Just a few of Sam's favorite things ...

1. Playing with Easter eggs. AND vacuuming when the grass 'falls' out of the baskets.

2. Checking out all the sights outside, after a long winter! He especially loves waving at the school buses.

3. And his new favorite thing ... finding bugs, smashing them with a napkin and flushing them down the toilet! After the flush, he says "bye". No bug is safe in our house now.

A Few Bad Eggs ...

On Saturday, we took Sam to see the Easter Bunny and go on his very first Easter Egg Hunt. It was quite interesting. All the activities were held inside our local outlet mall, which has quite a few open storefronts. And that's a generous statement. I'm not sure how the mall stays open. Anyway, inside one of the stores was the 'toddler and younger' hunt.

Just a little background info: before we left for the mall, we were cleaning up the house and vacuuming. Sam got to help with the vacuum and therefore threw a fit when we put it away. That little incident set him off for the rest of the day. Literally, he was not a happy child for almost the entire day.

Fast forward to the mall: Sam wanted the eggs, then he didn't, then he wanted his coat on, then off, etc., etc. We were a tad embarrassed that he was the only child making such a scene. Good times, good times.

So here are a few pictures of the hunt, as well as the car ride home, and a 'special' egg we colored later that afternoon (it says "Bad Idea" in case you can't read it).

So I guess the moral of the story is to let your child finish cleaning the house before trying to have fun! :-)

Meet Our Little Peanut

We had our ultrasound today with Baby #2 and found out it's a BOY! For some reason we both had a feeling it was a girl, but we were wrong. (There's a first time for everything.) We are so excited that Sam will have a little playmate!! We think his profile looks a lot like Sam's ultrasound. Check him out.