P.S....?

Grace's self portrait- not bad!

The beach was gorgeous and so much fun!

I thought to myself "how cute! They are - heads together such sibling love!

Come to find out they're playing with my phone! A no no- but still so cute! At least theyre being mischevious together!

Happy Birthday Gabey!

We're pregnant!!!! We Pannebakers are still here and well! So many exciting things have happened to us since my last post! However two of which have been a broken computer and broken camera- making blogging so much harder! Anyways! News number one and most exciting; we're pregnant!!! Im due feburary 12th! This pregnancy started out a little rough- much sicker than I remember being with the first two, and right in the middle of moving to Corvallis kind of brought me into a depressing funk. Once I hit 11 weeks however I was so blessed to move out of the yucky phase and am now feeling great! And like I just mentioned we have moved! While I've loved our new home from the minute I saw it, it did take some adjusting. It is finally feeling like home and we LOVE living in Corvallis! Minutes from friends and family- it's just great to be home!

Other highlights- Gabe turned two! He is getting sooo big! Talking, counting, playing hide and go seek with his sister, climbing on everything, throwing everything! So sweet and SO energetic! Everytime he is too rough or hits, I say "Gabe be gentle" and he nods his head and says "baby tummy" and kisses the "baby!"

We spent an awesome weekend at the beach! (Thanks aunt liz!) Went to the zoo with my dear friend Jessye, and threw a birthday bash for my grandma who turned 75! I could be forgetting things but that's all thats in my head now. I just loaded pics from our camera- wasnt sure if it would work. Turns out the camera works fine but the screen doesn't work so these pictures were a nice surprise!!

DISNEYLAND!

Headed for Disneyland and SO very excited!

We arrived to sunny CA in the afternoon. Went straight to the pool and ate dinner at the ESPN zone

The kids were so good on the plane!

Oh to be warm!!!

Hello Disneyland!

Best Grammie ever! Thanks for coming with us!

World of color show was great! We got a good seat. It scared gabe, he cried for 5 minutes and fell asleep.

Twins.... in more ways than one ;) (aka they agree on everything :)

I just had to get in the picture :)

The second day at dland, we met all the princess without waiting in line! (and one after the other!) Graces dream come true!

If you're dressed like a princess at Dland, all the staff refers to you as "princess" so cute!

The first day at disneyland, before totally entering vacation mode, I worried about covering ALL of disneyland, in a slightly methodical order. Wanting to make sure we covered every part of each land before moving to the next. WELL, I was remember trips to disneyland past, where my brothers and I were older. We were at the park from open to close, waiting in lines forever, went on all the rides. And it finally dawned on me that 1.) our kids are little and its going to be different and 2.) ITS VACATION. DO WHAT YOU WANT......duh!

So I LET GO! And it was better than I could have imagined. We didn't do everything we just did whatever we wanted whenever we wanted and it was glorious! We even did certain things multiple times because they were the kids favorites! (Such as toon town pictured above!) I think it ended up being a better vacation than I could have imagined. We rested when we needed too, and if the kids wanted to go back to the hotel to swim (which would have bugged me to waste precious dland time) we just did! So we actually relaxed on our vacation- amazing!!

Grace didn't want to get close to mickey. Gabe was ok but not thrilled

Our strong men!

My one regret, was not bringing the double stroller. Oh how I missed it! We brought an umbrella stroller and ended up renting a disney stroller for Grace the last two days. They NEVER ONCE napped at the same time, and I think if we had a stroller they could both sleep in they would have. Timing was hard, we almost never got it right, we would walk around and shop thinking they would fall asleep and they wouldn't so we'd say "lets go do such and such that Gabe would like" and he'd fall asleep! OR they almost always fell asleep on our way to a meal so the kids ate many a cold hamburger. oh well!

I got to cross another thing off my bucket list- a date at disneyland! SO STINKING FUN! We went out, rode roller coasters, ate treats, watched fireworks, it was amazing. I love hearing Josh just laugh (because we got SOAKED on splash mountain!) and completely relax. I appreciate how hard he works for us all the time, and loved seeing him compeltely let go and just have fun!

A true belle waiting to meet belle. Princess breakfast was SO fun! Fancy breakfast, served like a princess and chance to meet all the princesses!

So fancy!

When you wish upon a star..........

Not gabe's favorite part of disneyland

Can you say "Christmas Card"?

We love you grammie!

Grace's favorite ride was not a kiddie ride, but grizzly river run! We got soaked and she just shrieked with delight! So fun to go on it with her.

Gabe's favorite thing was the choo choo train

He even got to sit in the "little red caboose"!

We pretty much ate ice cream whenever we wanted! I had a special mommy experience with ice cream. I had said before we got to disneyland that I was already craving a mickey shaped ice cream bar. Weird- im weird about food. Well first, day we spot our mickey shaped ice cream. I got an ice cream bar, grace got an ice cream sandwhich. The ice cream bar was heaven - probably the best ice cream bar I've ever had. Grace's ice cream sanwhich was hard as a rock. And after several minutes of trying to eat at it..........I offered to switch. I know this sounds SO silly- but I LOVE ICE CREAM. And I dont just give my ice cream to anyone. SO SILLY- but I kind of had a moment, like a I love my daughter so much I care about her joy more than my own. So silly I know, but true. (and I got another one the next day :)

So one night, we decided to keep the kids up and try and catch the fireworks show. We kept the kids up till 9:30!!! If you want a good view you have to camp out for a while. We found a spot on a bench with a so so view, and sat an hour 1/2 prior to the show. We got settled, churos and hot chocolate, waiting for the show, when two disneyland employees approached us. I thought they were going to make us move. They told us they were in charge of picking a family for a disney magic moment experience. (we shrieked with delight!) They escorted us to VIP seats directly infont of the disneyland castle. The section was roped off, and the people sitting around us pay $150 bucks to sit there!!! One guy even proposed to his girlfriend! Anyways we were emerssed in the magic of disney and ecstatic. We waited and waited, ready to be amazed.........and then the show was canceld due to windy weather!!!!!! SO SAD! But cool we got picked!

Our VIP seats

Cartoons and breakfast in bed- I LOVE VACATION!

Gramie waited for two hours so grace could be first in line to meet Rapunzel! (thanks gramie) Grace got to take her by the hand and lead the line into Rapunzels house!

Such an amazing trip! We'll never forget it!

Seattle

So I know- I need to post about disneyland, im getting there! But I have to note, that two weeks before we went to the big D, the hubby and I got away for a fun Seattle weekend!

Josh signed up for a PT class in Seattle, and I was SOO happy when he suggested that I go with him. He would be in class most of the time, so though we would have some fun evening time out on the town, it would mostly be alone time for moi. WHOA! Two WHOLE days of alone time??

Well first I was nervous/considered bringing the kids. I like a little alone time, a lot of husband time a lot of friend time, but I don't need very much time a lone. PLUS I was afraid I would feel guilty doing whatever I wanted whenver I wanted for two days...........................I got over it :)

It was part of my mothers day gift from Josh, he even gave me money to go SHOPPING! So sweet! The first night we had a fancy dinner at Leoscho, so good! And when Josh was in class the next day I fully enjoyed my time! Watched TV while I got ready/drankcoffee/ate breakfast! Then just wandered around the city to my liking! Super fun stores, awesome pike place market, street food! Cheese festival! SO fun! Then we had such a yummy dinner at Serious Pie, and world famous gormet donuts at a fancy restaurant called Lola's. (We actually went in, sat at the bar, and ordered donuts and hot chocolate.) Call me crazy but I crossed this event off my bucket list! They make the donuts after you order them, shake them in a bag of sugar and cinnomon and give you yummy things to dip them in!!!!! Best donuts and hot chocolate of MY LIFE!

Anyways, the second day was good, but tired of being alone. I had to check out of the hotel and walk around the city till Josh was done with class, got soaked! But met up with my brother and his girlfriend and spent the day drinking coffee and eating cheese with them.

So much fun, and so nice to relax! Thanks josh! (and thanks to my awesome mom and dad who took the kids!!!)

Thanks Family!

I had such a wonderful mother's day! We celebrated my wonderful mom yesterday, brunch and gardening! And today I had a yummy breakfast made by Josh, got to look at Sunday ads and drink my coffee uninterrupted and Josh even did the dishes! Josh and the kids took me out to yummy Hawaiian food for lunch and then I got to nap when we got home! We were actually so stuffed from breakfast and lunch that we didn't bbq like planned, but went out for ice cream for dinner instead! Grace made me a bracelet and actually kept it a secret for like a week! AND best of all my present for Josh is some money to shop BYMYSELF in seattle next weekend!

Thanks family, I love you and I love being a mom more than I love being anything else! I am so blessed by my kids and hubby!

birds

Gabe doesn't worry about anything
As many of you know, we are coming to town! Corvallis that is. We've talked about it since about two minutes after we bought our house in Independence. (Whoops) I don't regret us buying our home, it has been just that for almost three years, and it's been wonderful.
Soon, though, we will say goodbye to our "American dream" home but be so glad to exchange it for the loss of a 35 minute drive nearly everyday, a gift of time, community and gas money. We will be glad to rid ourselves of the 99 commute for so many reasons.
I am in a reflective mood, because I think we made a good decision last night, something Josh and I seem to struggle through sometimes.
When we bought our house, we thought about living in Corvallis, but there were literally 5 houses on the market under 200K. Josh was working in Monmouth so our decision made some sense, but to be honest, we picked our house because it was big-shiny-and new. Much different than the houses just above our price range in Corvallis.
We try really hard to listen to God, often we agonize over what he would have us to do. (like we have the past couple of days). We want so badly to do his will. But we are emotional people and it is often difficult for us to hear God over our passionate feelings and desires!
The past couple of days we've been agonizing ourselves again, trying to make a decision about where to live. We found a house that makes sense; its not too shabby, lots of room, nice backyard, room for chickens a garden and fruit trees. A play room! and an open floor plan, in the school district we like and 800 yards from the football stadium!!!! But we feel yucky about it, like a black cloud is hovering above a "yes we'll take it" and we don't know why.
We've gone back and forth, we said a total no on Friday and then applied for it yesterday, then went back to a definite no last night. (after looking at it again and liking it more) AHHH! This stinks! We've sought advice and opinions and every single person has said- if you feel weird say no! And we know they're right. So now we have peace, really we do. I still so badly want to know where we will call home, but I feel better, the stomach ache I've had for a week is gone.
And I feel good and excited trusting God, knowing something better or at least right will come along. (well I go back and forth between that feeling and oh crap where are we gonna live.)
But I'm holding firm to faith. We don't know where the heck we're going to live, but we know God cares. I haven't gotten to listen to the sermon from Dox this past Sunday yet, but Josh said the main point was not to worry, have faith!
"Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?...........................Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. "
From Matthew 6