The Benedicts: April and May 2013 - Moving into new house and sisters come for a visit!

April 1st we got to move into our new home! These several months have been really busy - buying a house, fixing and selling a house, and growing a baby... all while both of us have been working full time/over time jobs. The serenity of the new place, however, makes it all worthwhile.

View of the house and pump house, coming in the driveway

Our view from the yard - our wheat fields and the mountains beyond. No neighbors on three sides, and an empty lot
separates us from the one neighbor we do have! We LOVE this!

Thinking about all the projects on the new house can be overwhelming... I'll be content to just get a nursery set up (baby coming in 5 weeks!), a shower installed (bathing is tough when VERY pregnant), and the laundry moved into the main house. Actually - those three things are each big projects. Here we go!

Sea foam green tile bathroom - won't be staying.

Bathroom - before pics. The window looks into the dining room - it's a bit strange, but does let in some light and you can't actually see anything through it.

Hubs got the laundry moved in from the pump house within the first two weeks. There were no washer/dryer hookups in the main house, and no vent for the dryer. I'm so lucky he's so handy! He also built me a little platform for the machines to sit on so they're just the perfect height for loading and unloading. What a man!

Now I'm into the last eight weeks of the pregnancy. The nausea finally subsided at about 27 weeks. I had several weeks of really feeling great, and then I developed some pretty severe itching. The midwife is monitoring everything - seems like it's not harmful as is, just uncomfortable and makes it hard to sleep! We are so ready to meet this sweet little girl!

Sue, Mandy, Jewls and Brooklyn came for a visit to help set up the nursery for baby girl. This was so much fun, and a HUGE help and relief for me. With baby coming in a couple weeks and no place to put her this was a huge stress off my mind. The day before they came I scraped the popcorn ceiling in the nursery (only room in the house with this - thank goodness!), and painted the ceiling, walls and trim. I decided to go with chocolate brown walls with cream and espresso accents - and lambs. Lots of little "lambies." My favorite stuffed animal as a little girl was my "lambie" and for some reason I still think they're so sweet and cuddly. Perfect for a little girl's room!

I think I'm wearing sweats in most of these - 9 months pregnant not much fits anymore!

Auntie Sue feeling some kicks

Jewls holding Brooklyn and Evan (Buster) Braaten

Me with Brooklyn Ember

Hubs pretty much made himself scarce, but he did resign to a quick photo - supporting my belly!

This is what he was doing instead...camping and hiking with Joey!

Mandy fit just perfect in the crib!

Lichen made me this "Little Lamb" banner for the baby shower she threw for me. I loved it so much I saved it for the nursery. So cute!

My belly made a great perch for Brooklyn!

Lichen and Ryla

Feet up and relaxing while everyone else works! This is the life!

Mandy and Sue building the "closet." The nursery doesn't have a closet, so we had to get creative. I bought a bookshelf and some expandable curtain rods - it turned out pretty good.