She even got to meet "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty" (two cute junior high girls that all the 2 & 3 year olds truly believed to be who they said they were). Isabella cried the entire way home because she didn't understand why she couldn't go see their castles. I guess we'll have to start thinking Walt Disney World before too many years go by. Oh boy.
Cousin Jack also came for a visit - we got to hang out with him, Aunt Alli, Uncle JJ, & the Gentry family. We had a great time hanging out & going to the zoo. Although, at 7 months preggers ... I didn't enjoy that trip as much as usual (little did I know the future would hold 114 degrees for me)
(Feeding the fish)
And ... then ... the storm broke. A mere four days before our house was going to be taken off the market, we were offered almost our asking price. SOLD. However, we had NO IDEA what to do because they wanted us out in 21 days and the houses we had once been very interested in had either been sold or were no longer on the market. We started looking that very week at rent houses & I was in tears pretty much every day. The following week, we just so happened to find a house we really loved & started considering making an offer, etc. Long story short, we ended up selling one house, purchasing another, packing all our stuff, getting repairs done to our old house for the buyers, and moving ... all in 21 DAYS!!! That was June. Oh, and did I mention ... during all this stress ... some super-awesome person decided to help themselves to all of my nice jewelry and my nice silver (silver of which a majority had belonged to my mother and grandmother before I registered for a few more place settings of when Brad & I got married). I was crushed, but mostly just because of the sentimental value of all the things taken. In the end, it was just "stuff" and I know how blessed we are.
The following pics are of Isabella playing in our first back yard on our last night all together in the house.
(Above is Isabella telling Brad and I to "put your bubble up" ... something she learned at school when the teachers want them to listen. She did not appreciate that we were talking to one another instead of giving her our undivided attention. LMAO!!!)
Then, it was time to move. The whole family - both sides - came to help at some point or another even though we had movers too! Everyone was a bit worried that I was doing too much. With all the stress, I had started having contractions on and off the entire month of June. On moving day (the end of June), we got an awful phone call that my Mimi had been taken to the hospital and was in ICU. My dad and Kathy obviously rushed back to NWA. The next couple of weeks were nothing short of an emotional roller coaster, as we thought we would lose her at any moment. I was able to go up to NWA a couple of times that she was off the vent. Again, long story short, she amazed the doctors and all of us and started to recover after a few rough weeks in ICU. Recently, at the end of July, she got to leave the hospital and go to a rehab facility. She is still there and getting better every day with PT and OT. God. Is. Good.
So ... back to other things that were happening here:
Isabella had to have a play date with Sammi not long after we moved in. We got a baby pool for the new back yard and Bella had it all ready to go! :)
Below ... 4th of July ... Party on the Lake!
BESTIES!!! Aren't we cute?!?!
Isabella chillin' and watchin' the annual egg toss ... basically, adults being children! :)
Below ... Isabella started dance classes in July! Ballet & Tap. She was SO EXCITED to wear her new "dance clothes" :)
As Hannah's due date was now only a month away ... we needed to get her nursery ready! Sammi, Lexi, Sara, and Nonna came for a day. I attempted to keep the three little ones entertained (dress up while baby cousin Lexi was napping was a highlight) ...
... and Nonna and Sara painted Hannah's walls "Periwinkle" ...
I am so lucky to have these two ladies in my life! After the walls were dry, I was able to get the rest of Hannah's room put together pretty quickly as everything else was pretty much ready to go - bedding had arrived, furniture had been put together on moving weekend, and I had washed blankets, onesies, gowns, socks, etc. I should put a picture of both the girls' new rooms when I get a chance. I'll try to remember to do that. Isabella's is pink ... of course! (Also painted on a different day by Nonna and Sara)
Above are pics of Isabella playing in her new "playroom." The new house has a bonus room that, eventually, I'll get organized as a nice playroom for the girls. At least I've gotten most of the boxes out of there and most of the toys moved in. The next step is organization! :)
The only other bit of news that I can think of to share is that the mini triathlon for kids that I chaired for CFF for Arkansas Childrens Hospital took place on July 16th. Despite all the bumps in the road over the past year of planning ... it went really well for a first event and raised between 15k and 20k for ACH!!! I look forward to chairing it again next year. If you live in LR & are interested in helping out ... I'd LOVE it!
Now that August is here, the waiting game is truly on for Hannah's arrival. I went to the doctor yesterday and he said that she is head down and ready to go ... just waiting on her to decide when it is time. I am having contractions as we speak ... however, that has been going on now for two months. They come, they go. Cross your fingers for me that sooner than later they start becoming the real deal. I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore & even more ready to spend time with our newest member of the family! Love her so much already ...
Stay cool everyone! LOVES!!!
