Tomorrow we start again!

Round 3 of building begins tomorrow!  We will be taking this loft off our original cabin part (this is an old photo- it has walls and built in shelves that I spent a long time making....
AND- we are adding onto our 2nd story from the new addition- making a full 2nd floor across the whole 14x16 foot original cabin and putting in a bathroom (with a tub) and another kid room for Lily.  New baby will then get the nursery- which is already pretty much set up for him! He will probably spend the first couple months in our room anyways- so hopefully by then Lily's room (and she) will be ready for the change.  The construction crew arrives in the morning to start (so hopefully it is not raining like it has been pretty much the last 2 weeks!)

To get ready for this, Jim had to disconnect all the lights, fans, etc in the kitchen and bathroom, and we had to move everything out- including the upper cabinets, etc. 

 We put some things in my storage container (garage), and the rest is in the rest of our house.  It will work for awhile- I think we have a decent setup, but I do look forward to having my kitchen back to normal.

One of my more immediate concerns is going to the bathroom while the roof is off...since our bathroom is going to have no roof- and there will probably be a bunch of guys working up there all day.  As a very pregnant lady- I use the bathroom A LOT.  So.....I'm thinking my best option is to go behind our sand hill outside (I don't THINK they could see me there from the roof).  Of course, this will be made a little harder by Lily following after me- as I can't even go to the bathroom inside without her clinging to my legs very often. I may just need to run errands in town (Melrose 7 miles away has a BP) quite often.  Jim says not to worry about it- it will only be a couple days before it is covered....but that doesn't exactly solve my problem for tomorrow.  So- we will see. 

I am excited about our addition- especially the tub for Lily- I know she will LOVE it!  She enjoys her baths in the sink, but it is getting smaller for her- and she is interested in pouring water much more now...and the counter sometimes becomes the place to pour during bathtime.  It will also be nice when baby 2 is a bit bigger to let them both play in the tub and take baths together. 

Arlo is healing from his dog attack....he went to visit the neighbors last week, as he often does, and a visiting dog was eating and attacked him.  One of the wounds was especially deep- but they said he didn't need stitches- just antibiotic and no swimming for 10 days.  It has already been about that- but it still looks too open for dirty water. The gnats have been especially pestering him, and I haven't wanted to leave him outside for all that long- they just get right in there.  He hasn't been wanting to stay out very long either- so I think they really bother him.  I think he is getting especially bored!  It is getting a LOT better though- so I think by next week it will be closed enough for swimming. 

On Thursday, Jim leaves for Alaska- he is going to Cordova to install a Bergy wind Turbine at Boswell Bay.  Lily and I are flying out for a week to join him on Monday.  I am very excited about the trip and being in AK again, seeing the ocean, and not being without Jim for a week...but to be honest, I am dreading the flight!  I haven't even been going to church lately, because keeping Lily sitting for an hour is a next to impossible task (and my church is too small for a nursery).  So....5 1/2 hours with her having to be on my lap the whole time will be rather interesting!  We will get by though!  I have been thinking of games and things I can bring to entertain her. Luckily, she loves books and puzzles, so that will help.  I do feel sorry for the people that will be around us though, as there is bound to be a bit of protesting!  Maybe she will take a nap for part of the time?!    I know she will love seeing the ocean and everything though.  Lucky girl- going to AK 2 times before she is 2!!  While it may not be as convenient for keeping toddlers still- having them ride on your lap sure saves $$!
With the trip to AK, building, etc- I have a feeling August 28th (my due date) will be here before I know it! While it is hard to ignore my giant belly, and I am excited about the coming baby, I guess I don't think about it all that much- things are just busy I guess.  I have been trying to imagine what it will be like with 2 kids...busy I know.  Tiring the first few months for sure- but I think I will like it.  I do worry a little bit about how Lily will feel with a baby needing a lot of attention.... and I hope she doesn't get pleasure in trying to run him over with her train rider, the way she does with Arlo lately...  =) She has been understanding so much though- and she is able to do simple things to help out- like throw something away, getting her own diaper, feeding the cat and the dog (with a little spillage- but she does try to pick it up, too).  She is getting smarter everyday- it is really amazing.  She is putting together peg puzzles now, stacks sorting cups on her own, builds a 6 block tower, etc.  It is hard to imagine all the things she will learn in the next few months.....

Jim is now finishing up the computer drawing of our floor plans, with all the measurements.  Occasionally I help by measuring something (closet depth, window height, etc).  He has been working really hard this weekend getting ready for tomorrow.  He even took off a bunch of our siding to get ready for demolition...which will save us some money.  Instead he paid with blood- the mosquitos have been nasty this weekend!! If my legs looked like his I would be going crazy!  I have no restraint when it comes to itching....I can tolerate pain a lot better than I can itchiness! Hopefully the mosquitos at our place won't drive the carpenters away!  I was going to take Lily for a walk to see the neighbor's horses this evening, but after a bunch of rain- they were just too horrid...I was constantly having to swat them off her- even when she was walking fast, so we gave up and ran inside. 
Well, I guess that is the news for now- time for bed soon, as people will probably be arriving early!

Summer Time!- Berry picking and cooking!

Now that I have more time I have been able to cook more!  I even got out strawberry picking with Lily last week- and she had a great time!  She stuck closer than I thought she would- and once she discovered she could eat the berries- she was all in!!  She previously has refused to eat them, so I was surprised!  The blue bowl shows what Lily picked! =)  The muffins I made were carrot and sweet potato...with applesauce instead of sugar/lots of butter.  Finally- she is getting some vitamin A! Lily is so much fun right now- I am really truly enjoying this age!

John and Richelle's wedding

 A very laid back wedding- short and sweet! =)

 Lily really enjoyed this screen door which opened very easily.

 John and Richelle singing and playing together. They are a match well made!

A couple of weeks ago, Jim, Lily and I took a trip up to Eveleth MN for John and Richelle's wedding.  It was held outside near a lake.  Unfortunately, it rained- but mostly it was just drizzly and we were still able to be outside- it was still pretty nice out.  Lily heard a dog bark when we first arrived, and spent a big chunk of the evening running around calling for Arlo and collecting sticks for him...she missed her puppy!  We took Lily back to the hotel about 7 and Jim stayed with her, while I went back to hear some of the live music.  Here are some pictures from the wedding, and of Lily having a pillow fort with Jim in the hotel....she has been very attached to her Daddy lately.  She has stopped even saying "Momma"but says Daddy all the time.....so we are working on Momma again!

Up North! Bublitz Weeked 2014

Today was our first day back from our annual trip up to the cabin north of Grand Marais, off the Gunflint Trail for the Bublitz family reunion.  We started up Thursday night (Jim, Arlo, Lily and I) and spent the night in Superior- driving the rest of the way Friday morning.  We stopped at Betty's Pies by Two Harbors and visited with one of Jim's college friends (and his family) which was fun.  They had a daughter that was almost 4 and a baby boy (maybe 9-10 months old?) Lily had a great time seeing the kids and chased the little girl all over after breakfast- which wore her out enough to sleep most of the way. 
   It rained most of Friday and Saturday, so we spent most of the time at the Struve's cabin, visiting with cousins and playing with ALL the kids!  It was loud and crazy, and a lot of fun! Sunday, after taking a dunk in the lake (Jim and Arlo swam, but it was COLD), Jim went home with Wayne and Grandma back home, and Lily, Arlo and I stayed up another day with my mom.  The sun came out and it felt great!  Lily had a long bath on the porch, which I finally had to end because I was afraid she would get sunburned.  We went on a boat ride and saw a couple beaver- but no moose on this trip.  Lily liked the boat- but it was tricky getting her to the boat without her getting all bit up.  The black flies liked me- but luckily they stayed off Lily for the most part.  I had a cribbage tournament with mom after Lily went to sleep (which I won).  On the way home the next day we stopped at Kitchigami on Lake Superior and Arlo swam a bit more.  Lily enjoyed all the rocks and playing in the rock puddles....she was pretty wet and needed to be changed before we left.  She also had fun picking up sticks....and had a bit of a fit when I made her drop them before getting in the car.  It was a fun weekend- and I really enjoyed seeing my cousins- I don't see them nearly enough!

Lily and Great Grandma Squires

It worked now!  Here is Lily visiting Great Grandma Squires on Halloween!

Mama's little Love Bug for Halloween

 Looking back at Halloween......Hiking with my 2 buddies.....

 For Halloween, Lily borrowed Alaina's little ladybug costume...but with little hearts on the antennas, she was a little love bug!  The outfit fit her good, and kept her warm too!  We visited both her Great Grandma's on Halloween....unfortunately the one of her and Grandma Squires is not uploading right now, so I will have to try and remember to post it later.

Such a happy little girl!  When Lily sticks her tongue out like this- that is her really excited look =)

Life is busy with work and baby....

What else can I say....sorry it has been almost 6 months since I last posted!  Life has been moving fast and some things have fallen aside as life moved on- sorry to those who actually still check my blog occasionally!  Anyways- Lily is now 11 months old- hard to believe!  After a cold snap of under -20 the first part of this week, today it warmed up to nearly 40- so we went outside hiking and sledding around the yard! Lily wore her snowsuit given to her by her great grandma- and used by her great aunt when she was a baby!!  Pretty neat that it still works great!