OUR HOUSE IS RENTED!

We just got notification! Application filed. Application accepted. Lease signed. They are moving in TOMORROW. Wow. That was an incredibly long 5 weeks.

Just yesterday I was number crunching and trying to figure out exactly how long we could get by with our savings if the house didn't rent. Now, I am sweating a little less.

What a relief!

Thank you to all of you that helped out. Whether it was through your invaluable manual labor, or just thoughts and prayers. We appreciate you!!

Jamie's Shower

Today was my friend Jamie's baby shower. For those that know Jamie, they know that this baby is a completely unanticipated miracle. Jamie is due in late May and her and Derek are going to make amazingly wonderful parents.

I had such a good time today. It's always great to get together with your girlfriends (and in this case about 20ish other lovely ladies I didn't know before today...) and ooh/aww over adorable baby things. But, when these adorable baby things now belong to one of the most loving and just plain-ol' awesome people that you know, you just can't beat it.

Congratulations, Jamie! Pickle (as her fetus is so adorably nicknamed) is one lucky boy to have you and Derek. Not to mention the fact that there are no shortage of 'aunties' to love him to pieces.

Happy Birthday to Jeremy!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy BIRTHDAY dear Jeremy, happy birthday to YOUUUUUUUUU!

Jeremy, I hope that you enjoy this day. And remember - growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.

I love you.

Emily

Because I'm a proud Auntie, and because she is so stinkin' cute, I thought I would share a couple of my favorite pictures from the weekend. Emily had a short stay in the NICU this weekend, fear not - she is A-OK, and is now back at home with Mom and Dad. That trip did, however, delay my holding/snuggling with Emily. I was successful in leaving my camera in the car (she will have plenty of time to get used to my paparazzi-like tendencies...) and just enjoyed a little quality time with the fam.

Here they are!

Emily in her new bouncer. She is so tiny!

Uncle Jeremy holding Emily for the first time. He's a natural!

My Oh My!

We have always been big Mariner fans, but we are just loving them these days. What a great start to the season. Another win tonight against Detroit! That makes them 8-3... Tied for the best start in 11 games in franchise history. There seems to be some great team chemistry this year. The past handful of years they have had a missing link (weak bullpen, inability to score runs, injuries, you name it), but this year it appears they are solid on all fronts!

Personally, I attribute much of this to the return of my all time favorite Mariner - Griffey. As many of you that know me can attest to, he has been my idol since my first M's game. My grandpa and I shared a mutual love for The Kid since as far back as I can remember (Yes, he is largely the reason my lucky number has been 24 since I was probably 7 or so). During his many moments of greatness, and even during unfortunate injury, he manages to bring a lighthearted spirit to the dugout that really builds up the teams morale. I think that is a lot of what the M's were missing. They've been down for too long. I know that seeing him back in a M's uniform warms my heart and it appears to be doing wonders for the team and other Seattle fans. I sure hope they keep it up and we get to see more of this new and improved Mariner's team. Go M's!

Emily Grace

As I announced on Tuesday, Emily Grace is finally here! I thought I would share a couple of pictures from her birthday...

Doesn't Daddy look proud?

Big Bro (AKA Aidan)

Princess Emily herself

Welcome to the clan, Emily! We're so happy that you are finally here.

What a week..

It has been a GREAT week so far, and it's only Tuesday!

Yesterday: Scotty was released from the hospital. For those who were not caught up in real time... Scotty was in the hospital for just over a week and the reason for his stay is still somewhat unknown. At this time we believe it all to have stemmed from a reaction to some meds. He was pretty sick for a bit, but thankfully is looking and feeling much better now!

Today: The joke was that my niece-to-be was just waiting for grandpa to get out of the hospital before she decided to come out. Well... As we speak my sister-in-law is in labor! Jenn is doing her best to convince baby Emily Grace to 'grace' us with her presence today (yes, I'm hilarious with the puns, I know this :) ). Hopefully in just a few hours I will be holding my new niece!

Emily is going to be a little sister to two fantastic big brothers. I know that they are going to love and protect her from day 1. My Brother-in-Law JP has, for all intents and purposes, been a step dad for a few years now, but he is going to have a baby girl of his very own any time now! Congratulations Jenn and JP, we cannot wait to meet your new addition.

(Extra congrats to Jenn, now she won't have to be so outnumbered with all of those boys around!)

Rental House (Pt II)

Yesterday was the first day we were able to actually get in the rental and check things out. I was really scared. I was having these visions of stained carpets, broken appliances and light fixtures, animal smells (especially since they had a pet for 10 months before we found out and collected a pet deposit..), and other awful and expensive fixes.

Boy were we relieved when we found that the house was completely empty (not even any extra trash for me to throw away!), vacuumed, cleaned (with the exception of dusting), and not smelling of anything resembling wet dog or cat pee. Only some general maintenance is required. Yes, that sound you're hearing is my giant sigh of relief.

Does that mean I am looking forward to about a week of constant manual labor? No. But, it needs to be done and it is worth the investment. At least that's what we keep telling ourselves! Now, if you're really into shoveling gravel/bark or pulling weeds we've got plenty to keep you entertained! I'm fully willing to bribe you with a yummy dinner and an IOU. :)

Wedding Album

I left one lovely detail out about our drive home from Idaho on Monday. On the way home we swung through Seattle and picked up our wedding album! It is finally finished! It only took three months working with their designer to come up with the layout and have it printed, bound, etc.

Let me tell you, it is beautiful. I even brought it in to work for folks to look at and they have all been so impressed at how gorgeous and unique it is. I am SO happy that we forked over a little extra cash to have such an amazing keepsake of our special day. It was an unforgettable day, and easily the best wedding I've ever been to (okay, I may be a liiiiiiittle biased). Every time I look through it I remember something different about the day. We are really enjoying reliving it over and over every time we flip through the book.