Well I never thought I would be so happy to see the number 12 but when I logged on and saw that only 12 days to go...yeah! We are definitely getting anxious....we will keep everyone posted.

Winding down his vacation, chris took ashley and jonny fishing to Devils Lake. Jonny caught this northern, the only one he caught all day. Ashley caught one as well but the camera batteries were dead...arghhhh!

Boys June vacation

Chris and Michael spent a couple of days in SD visiting family and relaxing.

Michael at Sylvan Lake...

Uncle Pat and Michael...

Trip to reptile gardens...

and a little time for fishing...(michael is in the orange)

20 kids

Jonny has been so caught up in the baby thing, he is constantly thinking about what he will have to teach his lttle sister. Every day is checks to see if the birds are out cause that will mean summer is here and he will be a big brother. A couple of weeks ago he had some funny comments that are staying with him growing into a complete story. I know I have left alot of but you get the jist of it:

Last month:

"When I get bigger I will have to go to Menards"

"why"

"To get money!"

for what

"So when we I marry ash I can have 20 kids"

oh okay

"I will need lots of money"

(ash has since declined the offer of marriage and now he is going to marry me)

Last week at MCD he saw a red van:

"I need that red van!"

for what

"For my 20 kids!"

and it went on but I can't remember all of it.

Last night at dinner:

"Mom when I get older I will have to Menards"

why?

irritatingly like I didn't remember "For my 20 kids!"

who is going to take care of your kids?

"You are going to"

I can't do that by myself

thoughtfully he replied "Ashley you can never get married ever!"

why

"She will have to help take care of my kids"

Finally a Name

With the past 3 I have always had a dream of what they would look like. (with michael I thought I was always dreaming of my friends little blond hair blue eyed boy..how would we have a blonde, right?) Jonny was so much like ash that I thought he was a girl...but this one...nothing. We have the hardest time with a first name even. But we have finally decided on Emily Lorriane Nero. Unless she dosen't fit at all, but looking back on our childhood photos, can you cannot help but see an emily there. Jonny is thinking blonde hair and Ashley is thinking brown. Chris and I just want healthy but think she will look like more my side...We are all on pins and needles waiting for her arrival and can't wait. Fridge/freezer is stocked, clothes washed, kids are on a summer routine and Chris only has about a month left of 6 day work weeks...we are hoping anyways. We just have to breakdown and buy a crib...I don't want to do the co sleeping thing this time..Chris thought that since jonny was our last it might be fun...hehehehe, 4.5 years later.....

Chris and Jonny went fishing this last sunday. It was the perfect day for the trip, jonny made his list that included strawberries, sunscreen, cat snot, minnows, koolaid and of course a boat. They caught 2 fish with his little spider man rod and now it is evident that jonny is ready for a big boy rod.

Decided that we should clean the camera off and found some pictures to share. This is the wish bone from our thanksgiving turkey in 2008. It was on the kitchen sill sealed behind the plastic on the windows for the winter so it was really dried out. The boys got to break this april, and it just shattered so we decided that they both get their wish.

Jonny's preschool graduation this last week.

first date

Last night Ashley had her 1st date. She was excited and nervous all day. He picked up her up at 445 and returned about 930pm. I remember my first date...how exciting. I am glad she waited until she was 16. Way to go ash!

Her profile

I had another ultra sound today. I guess we better start getting things together. My sister found some great deals on craigslist...but I have been looking here and nothing. It was neat to see the hair on her haed..we are thinking blonde, like michael but that is probably because jonny and ash are so similar that now it has to be the other 50%. She is sitting on her feet with ankles crossed...well really standing on her head...no wonder I have no room and can't breathe and heartburn from nowhere. Those feet are going up not out. She is currently taking the WHOLE space from tippy top to bottom and weighs about 3-11. We still haven't found the right name...keep sending those great ideas...

finally finished

Well we finished ashley's room. Here are some photos:

1. looking from the closet into the room.

2. opposite of the chocolate wall. -the vinyl tree came from http://www.littlewhittlelettering.com

3. the walk in closet

4. looking from the egress window.:

happy easter

We saw these on bakerella and jonny just had to make them. After the creative session with jonny and ashley, we decided to share them and deliver to some friends.

fair trade?

jonny thinks he got the best end of the deal. We traded our big screen tv from the basement(from when they first came out..)for a childs snowmobile. Jonny just loves it. Michael of course can ride it as well so now he can choose which one to ride the adult one or the little one. This is Jonnys first ride. He goes and then gets so excited that he has to stop and say whew....The great thing is the kids don't have to wait till chris is home to ride. Not much snow left...but just enough. Hopefully we won't get anymore till november. Keep your fingers crossed.

Well to my demise, Ashley caved on tuesday. I was taking a nap and I wake up to her singing and I can hear her in the kitchen cleaning. Now Ash was the culprit and has always done her share(and maybe some of michaels and I had to ask her several times over the weekend to only pick up after herself), but I think, well maybe Michael asked her to help and he was the one who initaited it.......wishful thinking. She just couldn't take it anymore, the mess. So when I came out I made Michael clean up the livingroom. After talking his ear off about how he needs to be a part of the family, not just a guest who hangs out here...hehehehe, I told Ashley she proved she was becoming more an adult than I wanted her to be but that I have to accept it, I extended her bedtime past 7:30 permantly. Needless to say of course she was thrilled and that threw michael into another tizzy. boys, big AND small.

the maid quits

friday started out great with a trip to the gym, then the grocery store to prep the cupboards for the flood. After coming home and unpacking it all, making a great dinner and cleaning the house for a nice weekend at home with chris's days off, all hell breaks loose at 4:30. By this time I am just exhausted, a little from overdoing it at the gym and having braxton hicks all day. The kids and i were starving after smelling it for an hour and dediced to eat early cause it smelled so good. I asked for a little help after dinner and got complaints all the way around. I up and quit being the mom, caretaker, chef and the maid. needless to say I am a little embarressed at the state of our home and had to cancel the service tech for the internet today. I really thought after 1 day they would pull it together, but as of yesterday and this morning it is just adding up. I doubled my meds to keep from just getting up and doing it and trying to find something to do today. I wish all I did all day was watch tv and eat snacks(okay so it would drive me crazy as I don't watch tv and it drives me crazy that they can sit for days watching it) is it too much to ask to put things away when done, close cupboards after opening and throw away your own garbage? so here goes some pictures...

new name

well the name 5 neros won't for a blog title much longer, but I am struggling for a new title. Any ideas? I really like the number thing but something catchy....please help me...

We decided to visit grandpa this weekend
while he is feeling good and added one more trip to play with uncle zak and kids in the snow, left some a little exhausted. Grandpa and kids being silly after church on sunday.

Wow what a whirl wind it has been these last couple of months. If you have been following, My mom is doing good, trying things on her own. my dad is okay dealing with round 2 of chemo and third ultrasound has shown our little girl it doing just great. We are now hoping to coast till spring. Wish us luck.

Per request hear are some of the details. After a trip to minneapolis the ultrsound showed a slightly thicker nuchal fold(1 in 15 chance for down) We opted for blood test and scheduled the amnio. When all the all blood results came back negative for chromosomal defects(chances went to 1 in 1700) and they found the bladder we cancelled the amnio and . YEAH what a huge relief. It was neat to see her in 3D and loved the time they spent with us. Check out her biceps...hehehehe

michael turns 12

For his birthday this year michael wanted a "MAW" cake. The kids have gotten addicted to this game on the xbox, so Ashley made the alien and tongue out of fondant.

This was a very exciting day for Michael as his birthday fell on sunday so he was sustained in sacrament and received the priesthood. He is nervous, but excited.

When Michael was little I would always sing Mariah Carey, "My Baby" to him. I kinda changed the words a little, but I guess you could say it was his song. The current playlist are some of his favorite songs. Now we just have to burn him a cd so he can listen on his 1st cd player.

for the love of cake

As Michaels birthday is approaching all jonny can think about is cake. For the last couple of weeks, or since he got sick, "lets make the cake today" is all he can say. He doesn't want pancakes, just CAKE! So when asked is wanted to ice fishing to the big house this weekend alone with Chris, he said no 'cause he didn't want to miss the cake. Then we promised we save it till he got back. Again today, "mom, you have to save the whole cake, remember!" "I Love Cake" It has to be birthday cake, not any cake. He wants it for after school snack, breakfast, lunch and dinner. This photo was taken when making ashley's cake 2005. He has had to be my taster ever since. So I guess I will be making the cake tonight before he goes fishing for the weekend.

top 10 things we are expecting in 2009

10. more snow(chris just got a snow blower and excited to use it)
9. Jonny to grow a little longer and turn 5.
8. Michael turns 12!
7. Chris wil be 2 years from 40.
6. Ashley will turn 17. (where did the time go)
5. more fishing...the boys caught and ate berbet last week.
4. more delivered pizzas....
3. Ashley might get her 1st boyfriend?
2. Michael to recieve the priesthood.

and the number one thing we are expecting in 2009 is....

1. little nero #4.