Ice Cream PJ Party!

Today we are celebrating! Mason has moved into his big boy bed! He is very excited, and so am I. It feels like a big relief to me to begin this transition--another thing that makes me feel a bit more ready for Baby Boy to come! (It will be even more exciting when Grandma Gaulke makes his new quilt, which she has been waiting for me to make decisions about.) I really like how the boys' room lays out, and the rocker fits in our room okay too. Yay! I actually really like changes like these--keeping things fresh and being practical to make our space work.

To officially mark the occasion we surprised Mason with an Ice Cream Pajama Party and took him to Dairy Queen in his pj's tonight. He ate a little of his Dilly Bar, but mostly just enjoyed running around DQ like a wild man! He didn't take a nap today, so I think that makes it a good night for the switch. He's so tired that it was easy to settle him in. So far he actually loves it, so if we can keep him from jumping on it when he is supposed to be sleeping, we should be in good shape!

Did I mention that he was a wild man?

Mason's 3 kitties joined us at DQ as well.
It was quite a party!

Reading "David & Goliath" to us in his new bed.

Marking Time

I know, it has been FOREVER since I've even attempted a blog update. I've decided that's okay. And I'll just keep doing the best I can. But I do want to keep it going so I can continue to mark the times and seasons of our family, especially as we add a little guy in less than two months. I always love to go back and read and remember.

Brent and I just got back from Florida on Wednesday, and I decided that a vacation is a good "time marker." Therefore, a good time to post on the blog again. We spent time beforehand (B.V. - Before Vacation) planning, anticipating and packing. Then we thoroughly enjoyed! Now we're back home (A.V. - After Vacation), and it's time to get serious. In fact, on one of our flights I spent time listing the things that need to happen B.B. (Before Baby). There are 15 items on the list...so far.

I also made a list of things I learned and observed while on vacation. If you're looking for depth, you'll only find the very slightest bit here, so don't be disappointed. Hopefully there will be more to come on the Gaulke blog in the near future, but I make no promises.

A Few Things I Observed & Learned on our Florida Vacation

1. Putting "Express" in the name of a restaurant doesn't make it fast.


2. Seeing families having fun together is good.


3. A little girl in a swimming pool can sound like a small yapping dog.


4. It's good not to have a schedule. I'm getting better at it.


5. I really like to spend time with my husband. It's fun.


6. SPF 30 is not enough for white skin and beach sun. When will I learn to go all the way with the sunscreen?


7. There are many poor swimsuit choices made every day.


8. I like eating out, but it's expensive.


9. Uninterrupted time laying by a pool in a warm place is still a favorite activity of mine, though rarely experienced.


10. I don't like birds at all, especially not the swooping kind that tend to like to be around people at beaches and resort pools.


11. It's easy to be grateful when facing no adversity. On the other hand, those can be the times that I most often forget to stop and be thankful.


12. It's dumb to have a bad cold on a Florida vacation; to blow my nose while sitting by the pool or lounging on the beach just feels wrong.