Snippets, Ramblings... Anything!?

Ahh, blogland, it's been a busy couple of weeks and again there's not much coming from this end in the way of creative thoughts, cute pics, or really... anything! When life gets a bit busier {or even if I just want a break from something!} the blog is always the first thing to go. I guess that's better than most things like the children, hubby, or laundry, though! :)

I've missed chatting with you all and hearing from you here, stopping by your blogs to hang out and comment, and just plain soaking in my bloggy friendships! I'm not sure if any of you noticed I was absent, but oh how I've missed my daily fix of checking in with my friends! :)

Like I said, it's been a bit busier the last weeks or so, but I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things very, very soon! I'm hoping to expand on a few points and goings-on around here, but for now I'm just going to ramble. I like to ramble sometimes, and I think it's long overdue here! :)

~ This little cutie-patootie turned {TWO} this week...

{I can't believe it either! I started this little blog when I was pregnant with him... We had a "Cars" party and tried to spoil him rotten. Not that that doesn't happen on a daily basis around here! Such a cute age...}

~ My parents were here for a week-long visit and we tried to fit in quite a few yummy restaurants and fun outings. I'll miss the extra help and extra food...

~ We'll start school at home this Monday the 23rd! I'm so excited, but feel like I have a lot to get together this weekend still. Hang things on the wall, freak out, pray, order a few more books and supplies, buy more art supplies, freak out again, pray again, trip to the Christian bookstore, look into homeschool groups... I figured out that I just needed to set a date and start or there would always be something left to do, so that's the date we set! I hope to be able to keep up on here with what we're doing every couple of weeks. We have a perfect little dining nook off the kitchen with built-in shelves and our table that we'll be using for our school area and storage.

{Here's a pic from when we moved in... Love the shelving on both sides and the bare wall space to hang and store lots of school stuff!}

~ Mark's schooling is going very well so far, and I've lovingly started calling him a "nerd". Studying advanced-level pharmacology, biochemistry, anatomy & physiology, statistics, and anesthesia research would do that to the best of us, I believe. {Just between you and me, though, I think he sort of likes it...} Classes and exams are really heating up now and in full-swing, but he's doing an amazing job of juggling school with plenty of family time. It's hard to believe, but in a couple of months we'll probably know where we'll be moving on to next for phase II, starting next summer. I'll let you know which state we'll be the newest residents of when we find out!

~ Last, but certainly not least... If you haven't noticed, our newest little boy-blue will be arriving before we know it! I'm feeling very good and just can't believe that it's nearing the end already! I'm getting sooo excited to meet him, see what he looks like, and see how our first homebirth unfolds. Did I even mention yet that we were having a homebirth with him!? Hmmm.... Well, we're planning on it! We love, love, love our midwife and look forward to the new experience. Of course there's a list that I want to have done by a few weeks time, but we're really trying not to overreact with crazy unnecessary preparations for this one. By the fourth, I think {hope!} things just fall into place a bit more. But if I'm wrong on that thinking, please don't burst my bubble... ;) And yes... I promise an updated baby belly picture before too long! Oh, I just can't wait to share his name with you all too...

So... What's new with you all? I have some catchin' up to do! :)