Another sweet blessing!

Not only is Clare going to be the biggest sister, but now Elle is going to be a big sister too!!  We are expecting our third sweet baby to join our family in January!  I was looking at the blog and Clare's announcement was very early, Elle's was about 8 weeks and this poor baby's I am making almost out of my first trimester!

My gut says its another girl because I have had yet again a very easy first trimester.  No sickness, no nausea, just a little sleepy, which is a HUGE bonus when I have no little ones to chase around. 

We are so excited to be adding to our family, and Clare is really thrilled she is going to have ANOTHER baby in the house!

I am due January 23rd and that day is already approaching too quickly!  I feel like every pregnancy 9 months gets shorter and shorter :)

We are blessed...beyond measure!

Sweet summer visitors

My parents came to visit for the fourth!!!  And we were all so excited!!  I don't know why, but it seems like forever since they have been here to visit.  And my dad had not been to our new home, so we were excited for him to see it.

As usual the trip with grandparents always starts off with surprises!!!

My parents had brought this talking parrot that repeats everything you say for the girls.  They thought it was so fun and Vanessa and I had one when we were little.  I'm sure it was just payback for how truly annoying this sweet toy can be :)

Clare has been talking since we moved in about Papa coming down to take her fishing.  Since we have a pond in our sub and Papa takes her fishing in Michigan she thinks he's the only one who could or would take her. 

So my dad brought her sweet little pole down from Michigan and though they didn't catch anything, they had a lot of fun trying.  Clare got a little too close to the edge and sunk quickly into the murky mud...she was not fond of it, but quickly recovered.

Elle, of course, had no interest in fishing, but kept herself occupied with the bait...popcorn!

So blessed to have my sweet Mom visiting and helping with my busy girls

Then on the fourth we bared the heat and sat at the Indian Trail parade.  My mom had brought super cute Independence Day dresses and the girls looked so festive.

You can tell by Elle's face she was way overheated!

But we did have a hot dog, candy and funnel cake, so everyone hung in there!

Then since my parents were here to watch Elle, we decided to take Clare to her first fireworks!!

She was BEYOND excited and talked nonstop the entire way there and the entire time we waited.

Sadly, her excitement was super short lived when they started.  She did not like them at all!!  We may put this one off for a few more years.

Another big adventure when my parents were here was that Clare got a twin bed (about time, I know!).  Her sweet quilt was made by one of my high school teachers whom I love very much and the bed was mine when I was little.  She LOVES it!

And no summer trip could happen without some swimming!

The girls were both thrilled to show off their swimming skills to my parents.

But Elle took the cake with her love for water and her new floating trick.  She is such a ham and this picture pretty much sums up her personality!  Oh, I love that girl!

Thanks mom and dad for such a great fourth of July and a great visit!!  Oh, how I wish they lived a little closer!!!