We Be Back.

Turns out I took a little break from blogging, when really I wish I could have just taken a break from life.  Here's a run down of the last two months, blog lurkers.

1.  Went to Chicago one last time to get some Garrett's Popcorn and for the boys to ride Thomas.

Thomas.

Cute boys.

2.  Brian graduated with his MS and Certificate of Endodontix from Marquette (that means he be really special and can charge outrageous amounts of mooola for a root canal.  Lesson?  Brush ya teeth).

3.  Next day, loaded up the UHaul for the last-time-in-my-life-forever -I -mean- it.  Left Wisconsin forever.

4.  Flew into AZ wearing a sweatshirt, jeans and running shoesies.  It was over 100 degrees in blessed Phoenix.   A not-so-blessed 43 degrees as we left WI.  I was overdressed.

5.  Put an offer in on a house and got accepted!  We had to move on from the house we were waiting on as a short sale.  The house is AMAZING!  1 acre of land.  Flat!  In Prescott!!  Total win.

6.  Swam in parent's pool.  A LOT.

7.  Did some running.  Blessed trails in AZ.  Oh, Granite Mountain, how I have missed you.  And oh, how I now live a quarter of a mile away from your trail head.  That sounds soooo bad.

8.  Celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.  Had the WORST dinner and saw the WORST movie.  But without kids so whateva.

9.  Fourth of July.  Fun-nessss.

10.  Moved.  Again.  This time FOREVER.

11.  Still unpacking.

Look at those eyelashes.

Chicago skyline boat ride.

He's the besticle.

Brian's bro's.  He spent more time with them than he did with me.

Graduation dinner.  I made this maternity dress.  Don't I look stunning?

Doddy Doo Swimming.

Brothers

Konrad.  What else can I say?

Goon.

goon.

Apy's Jeep. Topless.

Julie and myself.  Modeling our 4th of July teeshirts.  Aren't they gorgeous?

Mr. Daddy.  His idea.  Not mine.

Firemen.

Fireman Konrad.

Our Truck of Crap.

The Omen.

I believe in Omens (yes, that is a capital O, on purpose).  I believed in the idea of Omens before now, but I AM A BELIEVER! 

So, we go to take our picture on Thursday night.  Back story:  I lied to everyone I knew that asked when we were finding out what we were having.  I don't know why.  I just lied.  Turns out that lying is pretty fun!  Our US was Friday May 6, so my grand idea was to get two blue balloons (one representing each boy) and I got two pink balloons.  That way, I could take pix before the US, have them photoshopped and ready to email/text when we saw our baby's vagina or wiener.

We pull into the park, get the boys and balloons out of the car and find that one of the pink balloons was deflated.  No biggie, right?  I had another one.  I was glad I had thought ahead (this rarely happens, by-the-by). I give the camera to Brian then get the balloons positioned for the first pic.  Except, the last pink balloon is missing, as we ignore Konrad in the background saying, "Oh no!  Look!".  I tend to ignore a lot of what he says.  Anyhow, the pink balloon had escaped my grasp and was up in the trees.

That was the omen.  No pink balloons.  No vagina.  Only a wiener left.  My little boy's wiener!  I am so pumped to be having a little boy!  I bought the sweetest fabric for a quilt and I am pretty pumped I don't have ANYTHING that I need to buy (except for sanity, but I don't think that's for sale).  Konrad is especially pumped.  The whole time he has been saying that it's a boy.  In fact, when we asked him what he would think of a little sister, he would say, "No.  It's a boy.  A brother.  His name is T. Rex."  Just like that!  Every time!  And, no, we are not naming him T. Rex.  We are calling him  Baby Wayne.  Check it.

18 weeks.  Them's maternity pants.

Go Away.

The rain and the cold seriously need to flippin' go away.  Well, if it doesn't go away, we will!  We leave for AZ in about 24 days.  That is great, but I have sooooo stinkin' much to do before D-Day.


It is the first of May but we are still stuck inside, due to the awesome Spring we are enduring here in M'Waukee.  They boys (and myself) are feeling really cooped up, so we have been having picnics for lunchtime.  Nothing spectacular, but it is sadly fun.  I wish we could have a proper picnic outside, in the sun, but that may have to wait another 24 days.  

Yes, they are matchies!  I made them shirts that say "scallywag" with my silhouette machine.  They are soooo cute!  I still can't get over Rodney Roo's haircut!

Hair Cut

We took the boys to the Barber yesterday.  It was originally just to get Brian's hair cut, but Rad decided he was gonna be a big boy and get his done too.  Then, by my utter shock and amazement, Tom, the Barber got Rodney Roo to sit in a chair (with a sucker) and get his hair a little more than trimmed.  I told him just a trim, but he definitely was on the extreme end of a trim.  It's okay, though.  Roo still has curls and he is still darling.  Oh, and he might look a little bit like me.  Just a tid bit.

mOnSTeRs

Konrad loves Monsters, INC.  Shoot, I love it to!  I mean, how can you hate anything with Billy Crystal?  It's almost un-American.  I think I loved him most in The Princess Bride...mostly dead.  LOVE.

I made Rad and Roo some monsters.  Rad must have his every night when he goes to sleep.  If he does not have it we have to search the place till we find it.  It is irritating beyond belief, but so cute!

Introducing Sully.  I love that he has him all tucked in to bed (my bed) with him.  Rodney Roo's monster is named Mike.  I know, so terribly original!

Peace. Emily

baking bread

I have been baking bread every two or so weeks for the past little while now.  I didn't do it much after Rodney was born but I have been back in business this winter.  I got a Bosch for Christmas last year and it is AMAZING.  I don't know how my ancestors (or even mom) made bread the old-fashioned way.  I am glad that I am a modern girl living in the 21st Century!  I can make 5 loaves of bread at a time, and it is the most delicious bread I have ever made!  I have used lots of recipes.  LOTS and LOTS of recipes, all of which failed in comparison with the recipe I have been using lately that was my great grandmother Henrietta Williams Janson's recipe.  Soooooo good.  Want to try it?  Okay!

3 Tablespoons active dry yeast ( or three envelopes)

4 1/2 cups warm water

2 cups sugar ( I use brown sugar)

1/2 cup oil

7 teaspoons salt

1 can evaporated milk

6 cups whole-wheat flour ( use more if your colon can take it, I usually use 8 cups of white wheat flour)

White flour

Sometimes I will put in 4 eggs with the wet mixture is I am making rolls.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add the rest of the ingredients.  Start adding the flour slowly while using a metal whisk. 

At this point put the top of the mixer on and turn on power to the lowest setting.  Continue adding white flour (turn up the mixing speed

as needed) until the dough is dry enough to not stick to the sides of the bowl.  

I do not raise the dough two times, but it needs to raise at least 1 hour  This recipe makes 4 loaves.  I cook at 350 degrees for at least 40 mins.  ---Janyne----

it might be different.  I but melted butter on the top when it comes out of the oven so the crust isn't actually "crusty".  Cool loaves "bottom Down" on racks.

When I am making bread the boyz have to be "helping" me.  Not any real help, but it is pretty cute.  They must wear aprons (per Konrad) and I give them a bowl of flour to play with.  It more often than not ends up in the Bosch, but whatever.  I can't control everything.  I will say that I am extremely excited to have a bigger kitchen to bake our bread in!

Little Rodney Roo

Today was Roo's first day in nursery.  He wore his new get up and it was so cute!  He loves nursery.  He was the only new little guy that didn't have a complete meltdown!  He did, however, climb on every single table and on the piano.  That is to be expected.  He has a new bruise for every day of the week, and then some.  So dapper.  Watch out, Don Draper!  His curly hair is the best!

Have A Monster Truck Day!

Rad takes a tumbling class and a sports of all sorts class at the YMCA in Wauwatosa.  He loves it, especially sports of all sorts.  As we walk in each time, we have to walk down the stairs past all the people that are on the elliptical machines.  He always waves at them and says "hi guys!!".  He always gets waves back and a few laughs.  Well, this week he decided to shake things up.  He says, "Have a Monster Truck Day!!". I have no idea where he got this.  It sounds like a bad Valentime card.  This phrase has now replaced good-bye or see ya later.  He now tells everyone to have a monster truck day!

When I got done doing laundry downstairs a few days ago, I came back up and Konrad had found my muffin tin and put all his monster trucks in it.  Hilarious.  That being said, HAVE A MONSTER TRUCK DAY!!  Some times he will say HAVE A GRAVE DIGGER DAY!!

Up to Speed

I haven't blogged in a bit.  I have a coupla reasons and they are both related.

1.  I have nothing to blog about.  There is nothing to do when it's freezing outside and three feet of snow on the ground.  We pretty much stay home and do things (make cookies, letter searches, color, play dough).  Not much to document.

2.  I am pregnant and feel like garbage.  Yay for pregnant!  Not so much for feeling like garbage.

We are pretty excited for our new little nugget!  I am kinda tired of people saying they hope we have a girl, though.  I have extremely cute boys, so a boy would be great!  I don't wanna get my hopes up either way!

Now that you are up to speed I hope you feel better.  We have less than three months till the move to AZ.  We are really pumped to move!  In fact, I was watching a neighbor bet out his snow blower and thought to myself, "Self!  You will NEVER have to buy a snow blower!!"  That is right.  Eff the midwest!  I do, however, love their mustaches and how they have not given up on the mom jean.  It is beautiful.

Valentime's Day

I made the boys these fabric mail boxes a few weeks ago. It was the fabric mailboxes I was working on when my sewing machine died!  Every day I have been giving them a little Valentime from somebody they know.  For instance, they got one from Apy, Grandma, Grandpa, Cousin Nate, Santa, and the list goes on.  It's been very cute!  Rodney just white-knuckles his treat until I let him eat it after breakfast.

 These are the Valentimes I sent out to family this year.  Took me about 10 minutes AND I was pleasantly surprised to find a pic of both of them looking at the camera AND smiling!!