BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Just in case you haven't heard the McConnell family will be growing by one in July. Yep, that's right baby #3 will arrive hopefully around July 3rd. It would be great to have an Independence baby but he or she will come whenever they are ready. The girls are super excited and Ava says she will change on the poopy diapers, Ella all the pee ones, and Mommy can feed the baby. I am guessing I will not get to hold the baby till he or she is about 6 months old. We are excited to get the room ready and the girls are really excited to share a room. We even have bunk beds ready to go. This is a great Christmas present for our whole family and next year is going to be something.

First pictures of Baby McConnell!!!

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, no really LET IT SNOW!

Mother nature decided to give us a dose of snow in 16 inch range. It started snowing yesterday afternoon and didn't stop till this afternoon. Along with the snow game 40 mph winds and blizzard conditions. The weather got us out of school early Tuesday, no school Wednesday, and no school Thursday. I love snow day but hate making them up at the end of the year.
After all the snow was done it dug out the driveway and the 3 four foot drifts all the way down. Usually it takes about 30 minutes to snowblow the driveway. Today it took me 1 1/2 hours. Here are some pictures of the end result and the massive amount of snow. Summer can't be to far off can it? Keep safe.


Looking at the drift from Welter's driveway. Sarah said we should just tunnel to the neighbor's house. Not a bad idea.


Mark and I's snow pile between the houses.

Door on the side of the house. I had to dig out 3 feet of snow.

A Great Break

I hope everybody had a wonderful break and the countdown begins for Christmas. As usual break was spent eating a lot and getting some home improvements done around the house. We went to the Vest's for afternoon Thanksgiving and to my parent's house for evening Thanksgiving. It was great to see Jane out of the house and the kids loved being with her. They are so good and careful with her and give her "light" hugs. After a day of gorging ourselves on every food imaginable Friday my dad and Mark came down to help convert the basement into Sarah's photo studio. We put up a new ceiling and rearranged everything for her backdrops. It really looks nice and seems to be working well. The Truebloods are back up to Mayo for a checkup and get a schedule for Chemo. Sarah and Shawna went with them and it seems to put Mark and Jane at ease to have them with. Also Sarah and Ava went to Princesses on Ice at Wells Fargo Arena. Ava loved it and was glued to her seat the entire time. Stay tuned for a video of her at it. She came home and told me that she cried at the end because she was so happy that all the princesses got married.

A Free Friday Night

In a rare occasion Sarah did not have pictures on Friday night and we were left with nothing to do. We decided to go out to eat with the girls and get a birthday present for Ava's party on Saturday (Preschool friend). While heading out to eat we heard about the fire works at Jordan Creek and decided to go. It was great, a little cold, but good. The fireworks were awesome and really close. They fired them off in the lake and the parking lot. We had a great time listening to Christmas music and just have some good family time.

Me and Ella. Notice that Ella is holding her leftovers from dinner. She ate them the next morning.

My girls.

Ava took this picture all by herself. Pretty good. She might have a future in this.

Ava's Song

Last Friday Ava was trying to write a song that she was singing but couldn't figure out the letters. I told her to tell me what to write and I would write it down exactly like she told me to. Here is the song that she came up with.

Sleeping child we are at church.

Well, we can, child we will get ready for the night.

Well we, you should eat dinner.

Because its all most time for bed.

What are you doing in my paint?

What my kids I, I want its all right.

It's almost time for the big kids to go to school.

But we can put this baby down for a nap.

Not sure what it all means but she was really wanting to get the song down on paper. Maybe you will here her sing it on stage in the next few years.

Ella's Photo Shoot

While Ava was at Preschool Sarah decided to take Ella out for a photo shoot, and based on the pictures she did a really good job. She took her to Walker Johnson Park and without Ava there she was very photogenic. Sarah told her to give her attitude and she put her hands on her hips and smiled. Truly a model in the making.

Those dark eyes will be the death of me.

Beautiful smile

This is her attitude pose.

Click here for more pictures of Ella.

Halloween Weekend

After the roller coaster of a week things are starting to get back to normal. Jane is home and resting and starting the healing process. She has one heck of a scar that I bet all the grandkids will love to see. Our girls got their trick or treat overload as they went Friday in Urbandale and then up to Ames on Saturday. Friday in Urbandale was awful. It was cold, wet, and windy, but they powered through and got their fair share of candy. We had our yearly tradition of going to the Welter's to help them pass our their candy when we were finished. Saturday we headed up to Brett and Anna's to get candy with Sylvie. It was a way better night and the girls had a blast with their cousin. It was amazing to see tons of people going from house to house. It was a couple of big nights and the girls were ready to get home and go to bed. When it was all said and done we have a grocery sack full of candy to go through. Sarah got home on Sunday so our life is trying to get back to normal.

Me and my princesses.

Ella the witch, Ava the princess. (That is so their personalities.)

Ella, Cousin Sylvie, and Ava.

Click here for more pictures: Halloween