Getting Ready for Baby E3

We spent August getting this ready for Baby E3 --- starting with a surprise neighborhood sprinkle for me! I thought we were coming to celebrate Hannah's new beautiful kitchen (we still did) but it was filled with all things PINK as well! 

Patrick and I had mistakenly double booked ourselves that night and I even offered to come home early since I couldn't participate in wine night --- I quickly texted him and said "sorry, can't come home - this party is for me and Baby E!" 

These ladies really outdid themselves and I felt so loved! 

Getting prepped for a baby girl was a little out of our wheelhouse, so it was fun to learn from the experts! 

So lucky to have these ladies! 

Then we asked Callie to take some family photos of us - pre-baby and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. She captured us perfectly! 

The boys listened to her too which made it fast and easy :) 

Aren't they adorable?!? 

This one cracks me up too - just love it! 

Callie suggested this one too - fun to see the belly from this angle and I just love the contrast of the quilt and grass and dress. 

Callie you are amazing! 

And lastly, the nursery. 

Pretty much the same as with the boys but with a couple new "girl" things. 

First the sign - "Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will move mountains" 

I have had this sign in my head for years - so grateful to get to use it and for Lindsay at Board & Brush in Mt Horeb for making it for us! 

And of course the beautiful handmade quilt from Grammy - using the same colors of the nursery with a girlier twist --- and an adorable pillow! 

We are ready baby girl - don't make us wait too long! 

Drive-in Fun!

We have been working on our Summer bucket list all summer and one of the things I was most excited about was taking the boys to a drive-in movie. 

This definitely falls into the category of "truck stuff". 

We borrowed a futon mattress from the neighbors and packed up some pillows and blankets and we were ready! 

Family selfie before Hotel Transylvania 3! 

Pretty great view and super comfy! 

The boys zonked out part way through Mama Mia 2 - and I pulled the plug on the rest of the movie when the bug spray stopped working. Two sleeping boys on top of you and no way to itch your feet (pregnant or not!) I was done! 

But we will definitely go back! 

Summer cottage fun

We had a bunch of great weekends at the cottage - trying to pack in tons of fun before we are home bound waiting for baby! 

We got our annual 3 generation weekend in - but the weather was less than stellar. 

Thankfully the kids didn't seem to mind :) 

The littles got chilly faster than the bigs - but we had lots of warm towels! 

This picture cracks me up! 

We had lots of time for crafts and train shed activities. The grandparents got in some ping pong and the parents enjoyed euchre on the porch during a rain storm! 

While it wasn't the weekend we planned on - it was still wonderful to spend the time together! 

The Ulrich's came the next weekend and the boys had a blast! 

Mabel rides for everyone! 

Lots of fishing with the dads - and I think everyone caught at least one! 

These two were not interested in giving me a nice photo --- boys! 

We started our next weekend in Fondy - Anne, Dusty and Patrick did a trail run at High Cliff and then we celebrated with Gilles. 

Dusty was smart and took Abram's shirt off before he dove into his cone. Our boys followed suit and I think we have a new marketing campaign for Jim! 

It was Pearl Lake Days and we went down for the music and corn. 

The boys were happy playing with the other kids, but then started stealing my corn! 

Good thing there was plenty to go around! 

Sunday was a beautiful day and we had fun with the Hebels floating and swimming most of the day. 

More fishing too! 

And naps in the boat --- The only thing that would make this better is a little drizzle hitting the canopy! 

Jimmy lost his second tooth at the cottage - all of the Ellestad cousins were there and they were playing on the splash pad and for some reason James decided to BITE the mat. 

He told us the tooth popped out but he didn't realize it and thought he had a rock in his mouth, so he spit it out into the lake! 

Getting to be such a big kid - losing teeth, holding his own fish... :) 

We had a great day with the Ellestad cousins -it was short and sweet, but we also had the coolest rain storm while out in the middle of the lake. No one seemed to mind since they were already wet!  

I thought about going in - but never quite made it :) 

Neighbor fun

We are doing our best to pack everything into the summer (new baby on the way or not) - summer is so short and there are just too many fun things to do! 

We got to spend the day at Lake Koshkonong with a bunch of neighbors and we had a blast! 

Molly and Jenn selfie 

Group photo! 

We had a great day of boating - the ladies over took the front of the boat and had a blast. 

We celebrated Isaac's birthday one more time with Noah and Beckett and the boys had a pool party in the back yard. 

And another version of a Incredible cake  - each of the boys blew out a candle. 

Another favorite photo from the summer - it was food truck night in McFarland and Macey was sharing her snow cone with Isaac -- so cute! 

Check out this beautiful rainbow over our house!
Typical brother post - cover your brother's face, thumbs up, little brother holding a fly swatter!

Neighbor birthday celebration in the park!

With a pinata!

Pinata joy at its finest! 

Bowls of candy - party hats and chocolate faces ---  love our neighbors!

Yo Ho

This was the first time we went to the Lumberjack show in Woodruff and Eric made sure that they knew we were celebrating two birthdays ---
Isaac and Leo got to be a part of a "Yo Ho" yelling contest --- they were pretty funny!

Enjoy! 

Ellestad family vacay in Minocqua

July is always a great month for us - we celebrate the 4th and Isaac's birthday at the cottage and then when everyone thinks the fun is over - we pack up the car again and head way up north to White Sand Lake! 

We started the weekend at Amy and John's in Tomahawk and the weather was fantastic! 

We had boats and floaties galore! 

We were the first ones at the lake and that meant silly photos for everyone else still driving in the car...  I LOVE this photo! 

The kids all had a blast - life jackets on and they could do whatever they wanted. 

Jimmy and Isaac were pumped that there was a brand new Mabel and wasted no time jumping on with their cousins. 

After his Mabel ride, Leo was happy to ride on Uncle Patrick as well! 

The mini jet ski was a hit as well! 

The cousin twins were loving the new swimming platform - either looking for fish, jumping or diving off the side or shooting squirt guns at everyone from afar. 

April Snow (the boat) was a hit as well - for kids and adults alike! 

The Ellestads always have new floaties --- this was Elise's but Eric thought it was pretty great too! 

The Elton C motor was having some issues - Patrick was working hard to fix it - I was chief nut and bolt holder :) 

Once we got to White Sand Lake - the fishing amped up --- 

Isaac got some quality time in the Elton C with Daddy and Uncle Jeff on his birthday 

This is one proud kid slaying fish in the honey hole! 

We had a few run ins with Swimmers itch and were so grateful that the Lonnborgs lent us their swimming mat so we weren't playing on shore. Grandpa Ted wore out every kid that came at him! 

Adult photo - all 12 of us! 

 We celebrated Isaac's birthday with some cake cones --- yummmm! 

Every year Jenny finds something fun for the group - this year visors! 

We also brought a new game that makes you say silly things with mouth spacers pulling at your lips. 

These two thought they were hilarious! 

The whole family! 

All of the kids and counting! 

Annual photo at Paul Bunyans! 

The birthday boys after breakfast! 

This is our sleeping space at WSL - I love it! 

We will need to figure out where baby E3 goes next year :) 

Highlight of the week - the lumberjack show - watch for a video coming soon!