Sleepover!

These last couple weeks I have been able to spend a bunch of time with my family up in Idaho. It has been so much fun.
We went to the park, played on the toys, went to Tauphus Park Funland and rode the rides, had cotton candy and even got snow cones a couple times!

Then last weekend Nicole came down to do some pictures with a great photographer named Skye Johnasen and when she left back up to Idaho she left her 2 older girls to stay with my mom and I for a couple days. I have never had Kendahl and Payton stay at my house all by themselves. It was so much fun!
We went to dinner at Chili's with Lisa, then did a little shopping, came home and had popsicles on the deck, took baths, and then stayed up late watching movies! They even got to sleep with Aunt Nat all in her bed, Payton ended up on the floor cause she moves around too much!
We had such a great time! I love these little girls!

Progress!

Well our house is still under construction and they are making some progress!

Not sure when it will be done but we're hoping within the next 3 weeks.
(Since that's when our little boy is due!!)
They are in the process of finishing the sheetrock/drywall
and then they will be doing the finishing work!
Next will be paint and carpet and then MOVE IN!!
It all sounds like it won't take that long but I bet we'll be lucky
if it's done by the end of September!
We are both really excited about it and
know that we are going to love all the changes!

Outside of the house: New garage and Bay window

From inside the Nursery a look at the Bay window

The other end of the Nursery

New Master Bedroom

Welcome to the World!

Dhylan Natalie Howell
Born on Saturday August 9th at 3:35 am! She weighed 5 pounds 10 ounces, this is my sisters biggest baby yet! Still so tiny.
She is absolutely perfect! I am so glad that I was able to be here when she was welcomed into the world!

You'll have to check out my sisters blog for all the details and tons more pictures. Let's just say if I were as lucky as she is I'd have my baby in less than 3 pushes and in about 2 minutes after my water broke! To her it may not have been that easy but to all of us watching it looked like a piece of cake!
Love you Nicole and little baby Dhylan!
Nicole had told me her middle name was going to be Emery and didn't tell me or any of the other family members that it was actually Natalie until after she was born. I didn't believe her at first but once I did finally believe that she wasn't joking I couldn't stop crying...must be all these hormones! Lisa caught my emotion and joy on film :)

This makes it seems so surreal that in about a month Eric and I will be going through this same process and welcoming our own little one! We can't wait!

"Broken Home"

Well the remodel on our house has officially started!
I have been up in Idaho so my friend and neighbor took some pictures for me. She said it looked like a plane went through the front of my house and another friend said it looked like a hurricane had taken seige on it! Needless to say I was anxious to get the pictures! I am so excited to be home in a couple days and see the progress for myself.

We are closing off our 3rd car garage (storage unit) and making that into the nursery. We are also knocking down a wall in our master bedroom and making it bigger and then a few other little changes!

I really hope this will all be done before our little baby gets here in about 5 weeks!!!

(Megan, Thanks for the pictures and the title of my post!)

Seven Weeks Left!

Well I am almost there.

I still have quite a little to go but hopefully the time flies by!

Things have been going pretty good for me. I'm not too uncomfortable yet. It's getting a lot harder to get a good night's rest, or even sit for too long. He has moved head down and so now his little feet are inching their way up to my ribs! I am obsessed with watching how much he moves. I could sit for hours and watch my stomach move. It's so fun to see little parts of him sticking out of my side, or pushing my whole stomach to one side! He is still moving like crazy...it gives my stomach a workout. Maybe after he's born I'll have a 6-pack from all this exercise he's been giving my stomach...ok so probably not, but wouldn't that be nice!

We are starting the remodel in the next couple days so that means I have no nursery to decorate. I am a little stressed that this may not be done before this little guy gets here...keep your fingers crossed! So right now I am busy thinking of all the ideas and things that I will need to do once his nursery is finally done! The crib, bedding, and rocker have all arrived and I love them all!

I can't wait to decorate!

People have been asking me about his name...no it's not a secret, we just haven't decided 100% on how it will be spelled. Once we figure that out I will make a grand announcement!

Eric and I are both so excited for our little boy to get here. We are counting down the days and looking forward to this new adventure in our lives.

I will keep you all posted on the next following weeks and also some pictures of my ever growing tummy and the progress of our remodel!

Here is a picture of my sister and I at our Family Reunion last week. My sister is getting ready to have her baby in the next week or so and I couldn't be more excited for her. I will be going up there next week so I can be there when little baby Howell arrives!

I know some people don't like the bare belly pics but once you are pregnant you will want some of those as well :) It's so weird and amazing how much your body changes!

Bear Lake Family Reunion

Last week I had a family reunion up at Bear Lake. It was my first time ever going there. It is such a beautiful place. I will definitely vacation there again!

The water is beautiful, so blue and clear, there is a sandy beach, the place we stayed at had a pool and hot tub, and the condos we stayed in were very nice.

We all had such a great time. There was hiking to and through a cave, horseback riding, jet skiing, boating, and so much more.

I wasn't able to do a lot of things that everyone did but I enjoyed soaking up the sun and even doing a little jet skiing!

A little peak...

We went to the Dr. today and were able to do the 3D ultrasound to see what our little boy will look like...well sort of.
He wouldn't cooperate very well so we only got a few pictures.
They aren't the best quality because I had to scan the pictures in...
His little profile

They said he has little chubby cheeks!
And Big Hands!
Look at those calf muscles!
Here is the lastest picture of me, I am 28 weeks in this picture. So a little more than a week has passed and I think I'm even bigger now!

Only about 10 weeks left!

Fourth of July!

I had a great week up in Idaho for the 4th of July! We were so busy all week. We played in the sprinklers, painted Nicole's nursery, set up her super cute patio, had a couple doctor's appointments, and I even got to spend a little time this year with Eric!

Some of the family that was in town...
As you can see, even though he was here he was still working...checking stats and making phone calls! I love how hard he works! :)

I'm sure Eric is going to be so glad that I put this picture up...

I love the 4th of July in Idaho Falls. My family has some traditions that we have been doing ever since I can remember. We get up early on the 4th and go to the parade, I could probably pass on that but Kendahl and Payton love it. Then we go up to a place that has a pool and waterslide, Heise, and spend the afternoon up there. After that we come home usually have a BBQ and then go to the best fireworks show around! I wasn't feeling very well this year but it was still so much fun!