Thanks for Your Patience.

Thanks for participating in the poll. As you can see, many people think Jade looks quite similar to Dakota Fanning. The next majority would be "maybe a little" (which is what I would have voted on if I'd been participating). I agree with Fawn and Diana that Jade is much cuter! Moving right along, we have been up to a lot in the last 4 weeks during which I've completely neglected this blog. Braden finished up preschool the last Thursday in April (also the day we closed escrow) with a delightful preschool luau. We met at a park and had a delicious potluck dinner and then watched the kids perform their Hawaiian dances. They started with a cute one about pearly shells. I loved to hear all the children repeating the lines after Mrs. Camille. Then the girls did the Hukilau while Braden acted like a goof with his friend Max. Then it was the boys turn. They did the Haka and showed everyone how strong they are (between giggles). They were all so cute. Although Braden did a good job, he gets reeeeealy silly in front of an audience. I think it's a nervous reaction mixed with a genetically-passed-on desire to make people laugh and to get attention. I need to help him learn that when he does the performance without being silly he will get good attention and also share the attention with everyone else involved.
After the luau, the kids went with my parents and Spencer and I buckled down and proceeded to move. Thanks to all of the many friends and family members who helped us, we were able to get out new place adequately cleaned, painted, repaired and everything moved in by the end of Saturday. This was despite our water not being turned on until Monday. Let me tell you, cleaning is very hard without running water.

Friday was Jades birthday, but since she was away from us, we had a simple celebration when the kids got home. I hid her gift in the new house and let them explore the house while they searched for it. She loved her "newborn My Little Pony with a stroller". I also made her a cake and we enjoyed being together.
That next weekend was Chelsea's baby shower. It turned out really cute. My mom put most of it together and it was so beautiful! Chelsea's getting closer to the end of the pregnancy. I can't wait to meet little Shea! She's going to be the best dressed and best accessorized little baby I've ever been an aunt to :) Chelsea has many talented and generous friends. I was in awe at all the cute little homemade clothes and accessories that they gave.

After the shower, I did several photo shoots and that was fun. I'm at a crossroads where I need to decide what to do with that. I'm getting more interested people than before and Spencer is wondering if maybe it's time to get compensated for my time. I'm not sure if that's what I want to do since I don't feel like I serve very much, but I also understand that my time is also my families time.
So lately I've mostly been putting the house together and planning for the exciting bridal shower coming up. Braden and Jade got robot suits made out of boxes thanks to Spencer and they had fun with that. I still don't have pictures of the house because every time I think of doing it I'm either involved in a project or it's dark. Don't worry, if you've followed this blog before you know that I eventually get around to showing pictures of our new houses. This may be the last time we do that in a while, so I want to do it justice. Thanks for your patience.