Catching up...

It's been awhile since I posted much about what's been going on, so here goes...

In the last nine months or so, we:
- fenced our yard (back yard still a work in progress)
- found out we are having another baby girl
- connected to public water lines (we were on a well)
- had a sump pump installed in the basement to keep it dry
- went to Disney World in Orlando, FL
- demolished the old carport
- got layed off (just me)
- went to Paris (me, with my sisters)
- had our big redwood tree limbed up
- started building a new room to move the computers into
- had several bushes and small trees removed from our property
- built a small swingset and setup some outdoor toys
- had the entire roof replaced on our house
- potty-trained Ana during the day (still not ready overnights)
... and probably a few other things I'm not thinking of at the moment.

It's been a busy time!! We're now nearly finished with the new room and getting ready to bring home our new baby, Cassandra, who is due to arrive any day.

Bart is busy every day with finishing the new room, or at least whenever he's not working. I've been trying to clean the house and keep up on the housework - and just when I think I'm starting to get a schedule together, I'm suddenly feeling very pregnant and can't get off the couch to do anything. Hopefully I'll get my motivation back again soon.

I've also been trying to post pictures more often of everything going on, so you may have seen some of those. There will be more new ones posted tonight as well.

There's one set of pictures I'm strangely excited about - newspapers from 1953, found inside one of the walls of our house a couple days ago. They were apparently used as insulation when the kitchen was last remodeled. The papers were old and gross, but fascinating and I took pictures for as long as I could stand to keep the dirty pages in my hands (and kept a bottle of Purel handy!). While the last wall was being built tonight, I slipped in the free Columbian I get every week so the next person to tear into this place can find an old paper too - I'm curious when that will be, who it will be, and if they will be as interested in finding it as I was.

So anyway, if you're in the area and see our cars in the driveway, feel free to stop in and check out everything we've been doing or just say hello. Friends and family are always welcome to drop by, and soon we'll have a new baby to show off too!

Hope you are all having a good summer!!

~Jen~

Back from Disney World

Bart and I were on vacation in Florida from Dec 6-13, and are happy to be back home. Although we knew Ana was in good hands at Bart's sister's and their mom's, we missed her a lot and called to check in almost daily. Apparently, she didn't even realize we were gone! She went to my mom's a couple days before we got back, and when Mom told her it was time to go home to see us, she said "NO! Grandma's house!!" and stubbornly refused to get her coat and shoes on to leave. She was all smiles and hugs when we got her back though, so I know she must have missed us at least a little... or maybe it was just thanks for the new toys we brought back to her.

Anyway, pictures have been posted for your enjoyment. Check out the Disney World link from our www.jabberz.com home page to see them.

Going Hairless

As many of you have probably heard, I received a package for laser hair removal services on my legs last year for Christmas. I've just completed all 8 treatments and absolutely LOVE not having to shave. The hair removal is permanent and guaranteed for life.

Now, Bart is getting the same treatment done on his face and neck (leaving his mustache and goatee). He's had two treatments and is already starting to notice a difference. I've been taking some pictures of the treated area so we can keep track of the progress, and will be posting them over the next few months.

If you're interested in hearing more about the process, please give us a call or send us a message.

The Perfect Mommy-Daughter Date

Ana and I just had the most fun night together, and she was an absolute angel through the whole night! I've been feeling overwhelmed by her lately, with Bart at work so much, and tonight made it all so much better.

First, I picked her up from Mom's. She had a chance to ride Mom's horse while I was there, and then said goodbye, gave kisses, and we got in the car and left. The fastest and easiest pick-up in quite some time.

Then, we drove to Kid's Club in Salmon Creek. We played for over an hour, climbing through the jungle play yard and sliding down slides. We both had a blast. I was exhausted, and she was giggly and playful the whole time - even with the other kids. Once again she left without a fuss when I told her it was time to go.

On the way home, we stopped at Fred Meyer for a little shopping. We wandered around a lot of the store, but she didn't fuss about being in the cart the whole time. An off-duty employee noticed us by the bakery and brought her a cookie, and she didn't get shy like she normally does. She was talkative and friendly with the cashier too, and on the way out, showed off her ASL skills to another customer. I'm not trying to encourage her to talk to strangers, but it's nice when she doesn't start screaming the moment somebody looks at her.

At home, she played quietly when I was on the phone and then got ready for bed when I asked. She got on the toilet and went potty, then got her jammies on and climbed right into bed. I tucked her in and she gave me three sweet kisses - one on the lips, then one on each cheeck - a nightly ritual she started on her own a few weeks ago.

My little angel is growing up so fast...

5 year anniversary!

Bart and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary over the weekend with a relaxing massage at Athena Day Spa and then a trip to Long Beach. We stayed in an ocean-view room at Edgewater Inn, the same hotel we have been to for special occasions in the past.

We had a great time just kicking back and sleeping in, and Ana spent the night at her Grandma's watching movies and playing with her cousins.

Awesome concert

Bart and I went to the Tim McGraw concert last night and it was fantastic!! Jason Aldean opened - he's a great artist and a terrific performer. Tim was awesome, as could be expected. He played a few new songs from his next album, which hasn't been released yet.

Pictures have been posted on our site.

~Jen~

Just Catching Up...

It seems like I've let this blog go for awhile, so I figure I'll give a few quick updates.

- I got my glasses, they are very stylish ;)
- Ana knows approx 100 ASL signs now; it's hard to keep track of them all!
- We're going to be removing at least two trees from our property soon, to open up the property for building a garage.

Important dates to remember:
- Aug 2, our 5th wedding anniversary (BBQ? Party??)
- Aug 23, Saddle Up Car Show
- Sept 6 or 7, Ana's birthday party
- Sept 8, Ana's 2nd birthday

Have a fun summer!!

~Jen~

Hmmm... let me "see"
I have been having a lot of trouble with my vision lately - itchy, watery eyes, blurry/fuzziness, straining to see, read, and focus - so I finally broke down and scheduled an appointment to get it checked out. Since I had glasses before, I know I'm going to get a prescription for something again.

**moves closer to monitor to see what I'm typing**

Maybe I'll get contacts someday, but in the short-term I'll probably get glasses until I get used to having good vision again.

Whatever happens, Doc, let me SEE, please!!

Big enough for braids!!

I braided Ana's hair for the first time tonight. It's just the same small amount of hair usually pulled up in a ponytail on top of her head, but it looks so grown-up looking. I realized that braiding somebody else's hair is a lot harder than doing my own, especially when that somebody is a squirming toddler.

I've been published!!

I was quoted in an article about spam (junk emails) in The Credit Union Journal. The article also includes a picture of me, and some charts from the spam filters I helped put together.

http://www.cujournal.com

Ana and I will be participating in the March for Babies (formerly March of Dimes) this year on April 26. Please consider sponsoring one or both of us so we can reach our goals. If you're in the area (or plan to be that weekend) you can sign up to walk with us as well.

You can find more information about this event or make a donation to support the March for Babies at the links below.

Sponsor me - http://www.marchforbabies.org/jenglessing
Sponsor Ana - http://www.marchforbabies.org/PrincessAna
Sign up to walk with our team - http://www.marchforbabies.org/499897

Thank you for your support!

Hey there! Welcome to Jibber Jabberz... the newest piece of the Jabberz site.

~Jen~