An evening at the Beach!

 Matt has Mondays off for the next few weeks and we decided to take Rachel to the beach to collect shells. We ended up at a beach in Venice and they had some nice shells that weren't all broken. She had a good time filling her pail and playing a little bit in the water. We saw some lightning as soon as we pulled in, so we didn't want her going in completely (plus, neither one of us wanted to get in). The water was very pretty and looked clean, but the beach wasn't that great since it was a little rough and had somewhat of a drop off instead of a nice slope into the water. There was a pier with a restaurant that would probably be nice if we ate seafood.

 This little fish got washed ashore and we told Rachel to pick it up and put it back in the water to save it. She did it and the whole time, I was thinking ewww.

I ordered some corbels online and got them painted so Matt could finish the shelf. After some caulking and painting to cover any gaps, we think it turned out wonderful! Glad to have it done. Our glass shelves just came in today, so this weekend, the baby's room will get finished. We have about 6 weeks left and I am ready now. I don't sleep well, my lower back hurts a lot, and I feel stretched to the max. I went to the doctor yesterday and my belly is measuring right on track and the heartbeat was around 140.

The Newest Additions to our Family!

Since we got that nice reward of our first egg, we decided it was time to get a few more chicks. We picked out 2 new ones, an Americana and another Buff (a yellow one). Matt put them in the coop for the first night in the little roosting area and left the door open by the ramp.  Our other chickens would not go up or down the ramp for a few days, so we thought this was safe.  The large door was open so the other chickens could get back in. We were gone for an hour or so and came back to close the coop. Matt found no little chicks around and figured they chirped so much that an animal got a nice snack. I was bummed since we had just spent some money on something that lasted a whole hour. Rachel was very excited about them, so telling her they had died already was going to be a little depressing. Matt went out the next morning to check for eggs and found two little chicks walking around behind the chicken coop. Apparently, they were not afraid of the ramp and decided to go exploring. We cannot believe they didn't get eaten during the night and decided to not push our luck and brought them onto the back porch in a bin. We think the older chickens will pick on them, so we are going to keep them apart for a few weeks.

 We dubbed them Miracle 1 & Miracle 2. Rachel LOVES them.

 We had some of Rachel's old hot pink door trim to burn and some other scraps, so we had a little fire and roasted some marshmallows. It was still pretty warm, but definitely has cooled off some. It was bearable versus just sweating instantly.

 Our red chicken was acting kind of funny and Matt was pretty sure she was going to start laying the next day, so she was off by herself and not hanging around with the other two. Rachel loves to pet and sometimes hold the yellow chicken. It is way too nice to her for the things she puts it through. She will just squat down and deal with being pet. The black and red ones are still pretty wary.

 I had been wanting to make some wooden signs ever since we got back from South Carolina (which is where I got the idea). I made this one for the nursery and the purple one (a few pictures down) for Rachel's room. They turned out great and once I figured out what I was doing, it didn't take too long. I have one more that I would like to make for the guest room, but it will be really different and I need Matt to put together the wood for me first. I would like to get it done before the baby arrives.

They had been good about staying in or on the edge of their little bin, but I suppose they need a little more room. So they hopped down and now...I guess they want off the back porch?

Matt is so Proud!

We finally had our first chicken egg! Matt thought they should start laying soon and he noticed that the hay had been messed with up in the boxes. Well, he came home yesterday and told us that we had something to collect. Rachel has always wanted a purple basket to collect her eggs in and she already had one from Easter, so we got it ready. She was very proud of the egg and we then went over to our neighbor's house to show them.  We aren't for sure which chicken it came from, but we think it was the red one. The yellow is the same age, so we expect some from both of them soon. Matt ate it for breakfast this morning.

Just an Update

 Here are some small updates to the nursery. This bookshelf has given us A LOT of problems and required a few trips back to Home Depot to pick up more stuff more me to stain. Ahhh...I still have some molding to stain that will go in the back corners (to cover that gap) and then we need to order some glass shelves for the top. I will have to touch up some exposed ends with stain and then put stuff in it! I like the way it turned out, but it has been a pain. It took Matt all Sunday afternoon to put that little light in and rewire the fan/light switch to accommodate the new light. I helped a little, but at least didn't have to go in the attic.

 I got this white shelf at IKEA a month or so ago and we finally got it up. It is a little to plain/modern for my taste as it is, so we bought some crown molding to go under it and give it more of a traditional look. Clearly, crown molding is not one of Matt's favorites either as we had trouble getting the cuts right. So, we are thinking of putting up some corbels and then the crown in between that. I go to HD to pick some up today and had no idea that they run close to $40 each. So, I have no at the moment and my hope of getting this shelf done quickly went down the drain. However, at least the shelf is up and not in my foyer anymore.

 Here is Rachel, just as silly as ever. Why is she wearing those hot pajamas? Because this girl found her stash of winter clothes and thinks her footed pjs are the BEST. She loves wearing them and doesn't seem bothered by how warm it is. I make her take them off for nap and bedtime, but trying on different pairs keeps her busy for a long time.

One of my latest sewing projects was a new doll stroller cover. Her old one had been sat in way too much and was ripping everywhere. I found a tutorial on someone's blog and made it out some old bean bag fabric I had. It was pretty easy and I only had a few redo spots on it. I had fun and she was excited to have a new cover. I also made some table clothes for our card tables that we use for Bible study each week. I know I could have bought one, but those fabrics are not as cute and bright as I wanted. So I spent about $13 on each one and very little time and I really like my new table clothes. They will be used every week, so I am happy.

Matt's overtime has slowed quite a bit (much to his dismay) and he is done with the other house. I feel as busy as ever trying to keep up with my chores, gym, appointments, and having fun. Rachel used some swim floaties that go on her arms a few days ago and really liked them. Normally, she hangs out in the inner tube floatie, but I want her to get the hang of moving her arms and kicking her legs. She did great and was jumping in from the ledge like a pro. She doesn't mind going under the water and was very happy wearing them. On Labor Day, Matt took them off to see how she would do and she swam to him (very short distances) a few times. She calls them her swimming lessons. If it doesn't rain this afternoon, I will take her swimming again after my doctor's appointment. Poor Lauren, she must be getting tired of us using her pool all the time. We really appreciate it! As far as the baby goes, it moves a lot on my lower right side and I feel like I am constantly nudging it over. My belly feels huge, but I suppose it will only get bigger as I still have close to 8 weeks left. I am really hoping for an early baby since Rachel was early too. I am feeling pretty good, getting winded easier, and I noticed my feet were a little puffy after mowing the lawn today. I have been getting leg cramps about once a week at night, but all in all, I have been feeling good and just excited and anxious to meet this little one. Rachel now knows the two possible names for the baby (Lily or Evan), but she always refers to the baby as Lily. She is very sure she is having a sister and always asks what Lily is doing. I hope she isn't disappointed if the baby is a boy. I keep trying to remind her that it could be a boy, but I too think it is another girl. Sorry it was so long between posts and I will try to do a little better next time.