saturday....a day of utter relaxation =)

our friends natalie and roland gave me a gift certificate for a spa treatment after i took their wedding photos....and it has sat beckoning me on the shelf for months.
today it just happened that josh arranged for me to go...so off i went at 9:30 and left there at 1:30!!!
i took my camera to sneak a couple photos of this and that and utterly forgot....in fact i fell asleep 2x and possibly was caught snoring...but who can tell =)
i had a pedicure, a manicure, a swedish massage and a facial....then josh brought me my favorite lunch things from fresh market (salad, mango chili chocolate, lemon sparkling water...) which i ate in the relaxation room =) quite amazing.
thank you!!!!!!!

we then played at the land...all 4 of us just like being out there...even without a specific purpose...i weeded a bit, picked some greens, pushed the kids in the hammock and we sat in the newly tinned cabin and talked about life and the beauty of spring. josh and jack cut some vines off big trees, jack hacked up rotten trees...esme played babies in the woods and fed snickers the rabbit (and future father of her belle's babies)....

then home to ride bikes, put together puzzles on the floor....and then bath and bed.

i just snuck out with my friend gwen to decorate jenny and daniel's place a bit and bring some food...as they return this evening from china with their baby girl~!!!!! charlotte mei!!!!!
they have been there 2 weeks and are bringing home with baby girl tonight...so so exciting and beautiful....as jenny has said "there is one less orphan today" she will be home soon!

ok....off to relax some more with josh =) until tomorrow! and i promise to strap my camera on!

"all the better to hear you with my dear"

i can't help but think of "the little red riding hood" when i see stella all snuggled up asleep...
and one of us picks her up and cradles her....
i just imagine a bonnet on her as she is playing the part of the wolf dressed up like grandma =)

so we tired to put esme's bonnet on her..ha!
it would fit over her ears at all!

our little buddy...she really has the sweetest disposition...
 

 

the cabin...

this is actually yesterday's progress while today, it is all decked and sheathed (sp?)
justin is coming out tomorrow i think to help clay put up the tin! so exciting!

but josh and i feel like it has a glencove feel to it....
shady and peaceful...birds always singing...always a breeze....

just so lovely
 

 

 

 

laying brick

so today, we built a door frame for jack's house...
and then he and esme mixed mortar...and set about laying bricks!
we surely didnt' follow any brick laying rules which are sure to learn from clay once the house house begins...but i loved every minute of it...they were so very excited ...
and jack got handy with the level and figuring out how to make it look best...

after 4 bags of mortar we were out of bricks....but i think jack could have kept going for hours =)
esme decided not too long into it that she would rather take off her clothes and play in the mud and with the water hose =)

so we all had a lovely afternoon =)
 

 

 

 

 

my busy bees

jack has been working on the foundation of his little house...
today we used left over concrete from clay to fill in the holes of the cinder blocks...
i put the 80 lb bag in the wheel barrow and that was pretty much the end of my part.
he mixed (with some help from ez) and then filled up holes and smoothed off the top.

i mentioned today that i always loved finishing the foundation...bc it isn't THE most fun part of a building project and he gave me the funniest look and said,

"well, the concrete was super fun mama, what do you mean?"

my little buddy...he LOVES to get dirty and create something ....
and i think this will be something spectacular =) 

 

 

 

 

cabin and ez still trying to pull off 2 year old dresses =)

this little dress is another joanie creation which esme found in her 'save for my own children one day' box. and of course slipped it right on again....
slightly short but o well...she paired it with some high top boots...my little fashionista =)

certainly doesn't get a flare from her mama....she is her own little person =) 

 

siding and rafters are up!

the siding is on!
and the rafters are up!
next, i think, is to deck the roof and then put on the tin!
windows, doors....trim a bit maybe and voila!

it is in the prettiest spot...this morning we were all out there...it was cool and a fire was going and the wind was blowing, sun shining, birds chirping...magical.
 

 

 

 

 

ultrasound today!!!

all is well and good with the baby in the tummy!
sooo thankful and happy!

we didn't find out the sex...which is AMAZING to me....i always always figure out a way to find out surprises =)

here we are keeping ourselves busy in the midwife office awaiting the "results" of the ultrasound...
she said the baby was measuring 9 days bigger that for where i should be...so either i am off on due date or might have larger baby? who knows. i am just glad all else looked just fine!
 

 

 

after the egg hunt...

esme changed into her more relaxed party attire....
her joanie dress =)
and petted baby chicks, decorated a cupcake, made a paper hat and drank a lot of lemonade  

 

 

 

 

princess esme at the school egg hunt...

of course esme wanted to wear her bridesmaid dress and joanie sweater to collect eggs this morning...
never mind that all else are in shorts and tshirts or a bunny costume =)

she got down to business however when the time came to hunt for eggs...o my...!
 

 

 

 

 

the creek...

today we headed to the creek after working for a bit on jack's house...
it is HOT outside!
beautiful but hot....

anywho...the kids giggled uncontrolably bc the more they dug the more stella dug...they were truly a team of 3 =)