Change is good....right?

First big change: My parents are going on a mission. They opened their call last week.  They are going to London, baby!

Love my mom's eyes in this one.

This is where I hoped they would go so I can go visit them and fulfill one of my life dreams of going to England. They'll be area family history consultants or something like that. I can't imagine a more perfect mission for my dad, except maybe doing the exact same thing in Scotland.  They go to the MTC February 3rd which just happens to be 10 days before I'm due.  My mom is relieved they aren't going foreign speaking and my dad is relieved the average high in the summer is like 72 degrees.

I've probably been their most vocal nag supporter for the last few years but now that it's really happening, I'm second-guessing my enthusiasm. But I'm really excited for them to go to England and I'm excited for my sister and her family to move from AZ to house-sit while they're gone. I just don't like not having my parents around. And what happens when I run out of strawberry jam?!

Second thing: Finishing off part of the basement.  One more kid coming and I think I need more room. We are finishing off a bedroom and the laundry/storage room. Sarah seems excited to have a new room but cross your fingers that she still thinks it's a good thing when she actually moves downstairs. She does not like change (She cried and whined for two days after I cleaned out and reorganized her dresser). I'm hoping these two rooms will be done in January and the family room done sometime in Spring (please, dear husband?)

This is going to be built-in shelves. Sarah's room is to the left, laundry room to the right. I'm standing in the future family room.

Sarah's room.

Sarah's closet.

 Laundry room. Imagine lots of shelves. It's going to make the rest of my house so much more organized.

And that's just 2 weekends of progress thanks to Justin, his dad, and brothers. 

Third thing: The reality that another kid is coming is starting to sink in. Maybe it's the feet in the ribs. Maybe it's that I can't see my toes or sleep on my back or stomach. Whatever it is, it's creating a well of anxiety that I cope with by sewing. A lot. I was previously coping with my baby anxiety by buying clothes she doesn't really need because man, girl clothes are cute. Here's some blankets I've made over the past month.

This is a patchwork quilt I made. I started it right after I found out it's a girl. It took forever but I liked doing it. I feel like I'm channeling the talents of my grandmothers.

This is a quilt top I bought last year because it was so stinkin' cute and was hoping I'd have another girl to make it for. My mom and I hand quilted it then I finished off the binding.

And this is a receiving blanket I made. I like them bigger than the store sells so I decided to buy flannel and make my own. I've made 3 others so I think I should be good.

I'm also making a car seat canopy and comfy strap covers. And then some curtains for Sarah's room. Whew! I've got to get all my sewing out of my system because that is one of the hardest things to do once I've got a baby.

And because I can't post anything without a picture of my kids. Here they are riding their bikes as promised after taking their fall pictures. My husband is hot. And nice. So win-win for me. (Is that what win-win means?)