days off

What does a day off mean to you? For me a day off is sleeping late, doing laundry, facebooking, food prepping for Sunday dinner, and hanging out with the fam in "Canada": my parents arrived Saturday afternoon to meet Ethan; Dad grilled up a delicious Texas seasoned flank steak; the girls chopped rhubarb; and Mom made a yummy strawberry rhubarb crunch.

Today was a great Sunday. After church everyone came to my house for country style BBQ ribs--with JD's original recipe ;=), party pototoes, salad, pickles, watermelon, and chocolate, vanilla or mint drumsticks!

Morgen & Carsten played until nap time and then we all layed down for naps, except Jen and Eric who took off for home with Ethan. After our naps Jen called saying they lost power and it was stormy. Jen and Eric had the car seats so Dad and I went to church without Mom, Morgen & Carsten. We met up with everyone after church when the skies had cleared (and the power was back on) to go to the Tuttles (Jake's future parents-in-law) for hot dogs on the grill. Carsten entertained us by wearing his cool glasses (sunglasses without the lenses) all night. Meg also tried on her wedding dress...sorry Jake no pics! :0)

I'm thoroughly enjoying my days off and am looking forward to tomorrow, another day off!

Edit Monday, May 26th: Yes, another great day off and successful to boot! I enjoyed a relaxing morning at home and then I met Meg, Jen, and Mom for a little dress shopping at Ridgedale Mall. Jen, Mom and I were the last three left to get dresses for Jake and Meg's wedding (only 2 months away!). I was ready to have a dress made for me if this shopping trip didn't produce anything, and I admit that I did not have much faith. I spent the last 5ish months shopping online and at stores so I was not expecting to find anything.

Jen found her dress first and plans to have it altered slightly to be the perfect fit. I found my dress next at Macy's. I couldn't believe it! And I got a great deal. I just need to find satin ribbon to make belt. The belt on the dress is a little to "earthy" for me. Mom still needed to find a dress so we tried a couple of stores at another shopping center. Still not finding the perfect dress we regrouped and made a new plan. I left Jen, Meg, and Mom to head north to another shopping area and I ran to the grocery store and then went home to make dinner. Mom came back with two outfits! Success all the way around!! We ended our day with a spaghetti dinner at my house and then strawberry ice cream dessert at Meg's house.

Here's a sneak peak at my dress:

I think the following poem (which was written by my brother Jake in elementary school and who we really did all this dress shopping for anyway) is appropriate for today:

In the fall
We go to the mall
Doesn't everybody?

i know Ethan Brandt Markgraf

My sister and her husband welcomed their third child into the world on Thursday, May 15th at approximately 1:15 pm. He weighed 7lbs 6 oz and was 20 inches long. He wasn't actually named until Friday morning because Jen really didn't see him much during his first day and he was admitted to NICU to monitor his oxygen levels.

Morgen & Carsten came over to our house on Thursday morning. I entertained them most of the day, except for nap time, and then we headed up to the hospital with Jess and Meg. I met Ethan Thursday night; he was introduced as BB Markgraf.

Eric picked up the kids Friday around 11 and took them to Morgen's music class. I met them up at the hospital and one at a time they got to meet Ethan.

I took the kids back to our house for a late nap. That evening Eric took over Morgen & Carsten duty and took them home to spend more time with dad and sleep in their own beds.

Jess, Meg & I went up to hold Ethan on Friday evening. He was still in NICU but was doing much better.

Ethan was discharged from NICU on Saturday morning. I went up to the hospital around noon. Jess joined us around 1:30 and we spent the rest of the afternoon with Jen and Ethan. The rest of the gang (Eric, Morgen & Carsten) came up in time for dinner. We had Davanni's pizza ordered in...no hospital food for us!

It's been an exciting three days and Ethan slept through most of it! Jen plans to be home sometime on Sunday.