Around Here.

Scott started studying for boards, shortly after his psych rotation was over at the end of June and continued studying like crazy until he took them last week. It was a whole month of getting up early and not getting home until very late.

The kids and I have spent countless hours either at the splash park or the pool...

...it has been so refreshing during this heat wave we have been experiencing here in the D.C area.

We were able to meet up with Brielle's favorite preschool friend one day at the splash park. They had so much fun.

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Brielle and Braden completed their 2 weeks straight of swimming class. They have become such good little swimmers. It's amazing to watch them in the water.

It was so good for them and it was so nice to have at least one activity for them to do every day for 2 weeks.

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Abuelita and Tía Nya are in town. It has been SO nice having them here.

They are so helpful and it is so nice to have company and someone to give me a hand bringing groceries up 3 flight of stairs with this huge belly of mine!!!:) I haven't had to fold any laundry since they've been here...and my mom is such a good abuelita to my kids...it's been such a blessing to have her here.

You will definitely see a pattern in the posts for this summer...

We have spent A LOT of time at the pool.

...we've been having some fun, relaxing times...

Braden is one silly boy...he's always cracking me up with the things he says or the faces he makes...he has such a cute little personality.

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Last week we headed to the National Gallery of Art with some of our friends. The Gallery offers a series of classes during the summertime for children. It is free, so we took advantage of it!

The kids enjoyed the little class and both Brielle and Braden had a LOT to say. They kept raising their hand at every opportunity! Braden was very into it because the topic was 'sailing the sea'. He LOVED seeing all the ships on the paintings.

Brielle lost some interest toward the end, she kept saying that there were no mermaids. But I think overall she enjoyed it.

At the end of the class, they got to make their own little paintings.

These two LOVE anything that has to do with coloring, painting, drawing, etc.

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The other day we watched our neighbor's baby while she was packing to move.

Brielle and Braden were SO AMAZING! All they wanted to do was help and they were so loving and gentle with that baby...they were both so concerned when he wasn't happy.

I hope this is how they will be when our baby comes.

This was taken last week.

As of today, I have a full-term baby in me.

I'm 37 weeks.

It can come any time.

I think I'm ready.

Getting Dirty.

This is the story of two bored children

and a desperate super pregnant housewife

thinking of something fun to do with her children

on a hot, humid, rainy day

while her husband studies for boards all day and night.

The rain boots didn't last for too long...

...before they decided it's much more fun to take them off and play in the mud barefoot.

4 little dirty hands.

Trying to rinse off the mud in the puddles wasn't working so well...

...the hose worked much better...

I decided that day, that this needs to happen more often.

Getting dirty is so much fun!

Celebrating America.

The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays.

I love this country and feel grateful for the opportunities it has given me.

I became even more fond of it when 2 days after the 4th of July of 2003 Scott and I had our first kiss. I can't believe that was 8 years ago! So, every time around this time of the year I think about our courtship and how happy I am to have met such a great guy!

This year, it was special. Our kids have gotten to such a fun age and they get so excited about holidays. I'm grateful that Scott and I get to create memories for them.

Braden walked into our bedroom on the 4th, Scott and I still half asleep and said:

"Today, is a special day. It's firework day!"

A couple of days earlier, Scott and the kids had bought a bag full of fireworks. We tried to explain over breakfast that the 4th is much more than 'firework day'. But, fireworks, was the only thing Braden could think about.

We had a little barbecue with some of our friends. The food was delicious and the company was excellent. We always enjoy spending time with John and Rebecca, always good conversation.

Brielle and Braden quickly ate and off to play they went.

I made a fruit pizza and asked Scott to decorate it...this is his work. It turned out very nice. He was proud of it!:)

After the barbecue, I was feeling a bit weary, but we had promised the kids that we would all go to the pool afterward.

We couldn't break our promise.

I'm glad we didn't because we had such a fun time as a family.

Our 'flying marsupial'!

Our kids LOVE to watch 'Wild Kratz' on PBS. They both LOVE that show so much. They learned about flying marsupials and they have been talking about those flying marsupials ever since they watched it, about 2 months ago.

Those kids make me laugh.

The pool wore us all out, so we came home took a nap and woke up to head to the fireworks.

We couldn't have gotten a better spot. The show was great.

We had a great time watching the show and I LOVED watching my kids' faces while they were watching the fireworks. They did complain it was too loud and Brielle asked a few times if it was over yet...but their initial reaction was priceless and I will look forward to many years of this fun tradition.

We couldn't end the day without doing our own little fireworks. Brielle was out. But Braden had waited ALL day to do fireworks. Scott showed him how to use the lighter (after a serious conversation that he is NEVER to light anything while mommy or daddy are not there!). He was just a proud little boy that we were letting him do it all by himself.

He couldn't get enough of it!

I can't remember why I'm laughing so hard in this picture...

The following night, since Brielle had fallen asleep on the 4th, we went out and finished the rest of the fireworks with Brielle.

It couldn't have been a better 4th of July. I loved spending it as a family, sharing fun times together and feeling grateful that we get to be free to live our lives. I'm grateful for this time to reflect on the freedoms and opportunities that I have been given.

America is a beautiful place.

Lately.

Brielle graduated from preschool and Braden finished his first year of preschool.

They both had a successful year...

...and Brielle decided that the boy standing next to her will be her husband someday.

Brielle and Braden were blessed to have awesome teachers.

My Mr. Braden started preschool this year as the baby of the family.

He has grown so much and has become so independent.

I have mixed feelings about that one.

Lots of positive things about preschool, ONE negative one:

What is it about boys and bodily functions?

Let's just say that he has gotten soap in his mouth quite a few times since he started preschool...

Had to say goodbye to best friends.

We've been spending lots of time at the pool.

Those swimming lessons paid off.

Brielle and Braden are fish.

I signed them both up again for 2 weeks straight of lessons Monday through Thursday in July. We'll see how we survive!

Scottie and I celebrated 7 years of marriage.

Since medical school budgets don't allow fancy getaways, we went to the temple.

It was just what we needed.

We are already planning/dreaming our 10-year anniversary...which we hope will be a fancy vacation.:)

I don't believe in soul-mates but I'm pretty sure Scott is mine.

Father's day was a bit overshadowed by our anniversary and the fact that Scott was on call.

He was on call on Father's day...not fun.

He spent the morning with us and went to Church, then headed to his med-student duties.

Sometimes, being responsible is not fun.

Brielle and Braden showered him with cards and lots of hugs and kisses.

It was a very low-key father's day...

We had the blessing of having Scott's dad and grandma come visit us for a few days, before they headed to Cleveland to bless Scott's brother's family new addition.

We were spoiled and treated to dinner TWICE while they were here.

Special moments were shared.

I realized why Scott is such a playful father.

He learned it from his.

Grandpa Clay is just such a loving grandpa, he played and played with my children.

He played candyland, old maid, played cars, colored, he tickled them and simply loved Brielle and Braden.

It was great to see Great-grandma Jensen again and spend time with her.

Mr. Braden was being a goofball.

He is 'winking' on the right-hand picture.

"I'm feeling the fresh air."

While Clay and Grandma were here, Scott finished his Psychiatry rotation, last rotation of this year, which means:

He is officially a 4th year medical student!!!

He will be an M.D. in less than a year.

We visited the Washington D.C. Temple.

Walked around temple grounds.

I was reminded how blessed I am to have such wonderful people around me.

We had an enjoyable time together.

Thanks for coming to visit us!

On Tuesday, we said goodbye to my dear brother, as he headed to China for another semester abroad...and then to Ethiopia he will go.

We won't see him 'til October.

Goodbyes can be hard.

As you can see, the belly is getting BIG...I haven't been sleeping well.

I had a prenatal visit that came with good news:

NO more placenta previa, which means no c-section.

Baby weighs 4 pounds so far.

8 more weeks and a baby will be waking me up in the middle of the night.

Can't wait.