We’ve been the busy street in our quiet neighborhood lately due to a sink hole. I mentioned in my last post that our neighbor two doors down found a sink hole in their yard. The wife went to walk the dog at 1:00pm and there was no sink hole. Her husband went out for pizza at 3:00pm and found the 15-foot-deep hole. How scary is that?!
Our neighbor sent us these pictures 😱
I feel so bad, the neighbors that live in the house with the sink hole aren’t allowed to live there until the situation is safer. There have been authorities, police, borough workers, the DEP, and a million other people (nebby neighbors, too!) checking out the situation.
I was talking to Jimmy about this and just reflecting on the thought of “What if that was our house and we had to be evacuated while I’m nine months pregnant?” That would be so hard (also, there I go with “what if”). We’re praying for this whole situation to be safely resolved ASAP!
In the meantime, we learned that there were mines under our neighborhood sooo we signed up for mine subsidence insurance this week, LOL. Homeownership… not for the faint of heart!
Sadie had her first computer coding lesson this week!
She was all smiles and excitement afterwards! We got her progress report and it said words and concepts Jimmy and I had never heard of.
Like what is a sprite?! Scratch is a language? Also, I am glad they teach about internet safety and cyber bullying!
Right now, we are deep in the phase of our kids (specifically Sadie) just loving stuffed animals. She has a few Sonic the Hedgehog stuffed animals and I kid you not, those stuffies come with us everywhere. They have to be buckled in the car, too! Somehow, Sadie lugs all six stuffies in and out of the car everywhere we go.
She sets up elaborate scenes and games and plays and plays with them! Of course, Mordecai is happy to join in, too. I love it. It’s just so cute. This age and phase is fun! I just want to freeze time sometimes, you know?
Do you know the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day?” Jimmy tried to prove that wrong to me. He sent me this picture from a job site in the Strip District area of Pittsburgh.
He said this is what it looked like the next day…
How did they get that steel mezzanine erected in one day? I have no idea. It’s for a law firm, by the way!
A few photos from life lately:
I bought chocolate covered strawberries from a local small business for Valentine’s Day. Aren’t they so pretty? This business owner has become a friend of mine and while we both sell chocolate covered treats, it has never felt like a competition. We support each other and I love that. I am a firm believer that there’s room for everyone in business.
Another Valentine’s Day treat was taking the kids to get donuts on the 13th before we did school at Jimmy’s work! I have such good memories of going to Dunkin’ Donuts every Sunday morning before church with my family as I grew up. I always ordered a pink-frosted donut with rainbow sprinkles and a chocolate milk. The kids and I went to a locally owned shop (Madsen Donuts), and then did Sadie’s schoolwork 📖
The best day of the week for Mordecai… garbage day! This kid wants every day to be garbage day, lol. When the truck pulls up and we tell him it’s the garbage truck, he sprints to the window and says “dump it?” and watches and waves as the garbage men do their work. Afterwords, he says “Another?” and “Bye bye garbage truck.” So sweet! Once again… this phase and age. It can be challenging at times, but I am also loving it so much.
Can’t stop with the St. Patrick’s crafting! I found the little wood shapes at Hobby Lobby and painted them. The wood sign is from Dollar Tree. I painted it white and then glued on the shapes! Why is this so fun for me 😂
Homemade crackers (thank you to our neighbor + friend Bernadette!), magnatiles, and the ever-present Sonic the Hedgehog gang. Also, I am still loving our bed blanket. So much!
Sadie didn’t want to leave her second coding class! She said she finished making a game and then created a maze!
Before Mordecai got a hair cut! I went to take a picture and he stuck his tongue out so we all did 😛
He did really well! Now mom needs a trim! My hair has grown a lot the past few months… but I know it’s a trick because it’s all going to fall out postpartum 😆
My little Starbucks girl! And her Sonic stuffies. Are you sensing a theme here 😂
Jimmy treated us girls to Valentine’s Day flowers! Speaking of V-Day… Happy Valentine’s Day to you! I hope it’s full of love! Do you have any fun plans? We are going to go bowling with the kids 🎳
Other thoughts:
- This week I let the kids make an obstacle course (think every pillow, chair, and blanket in the house being used) while I deep cleaned our fridge. Parenting is letting one mess happen so you can clean another 😉
- Today (Friday) has been cold but sunny. It’s so rare for it to be sunny in Pittsburgh. I’m loving it, haha.
- 34 days until spring starts!
- Mordecai has been so into painting lately. Is it a giant mess every time? Yes. Is it worth it? YES! We make sure to use these washable paints and they come off of his skin, clothes, and our table with a little bit of water.
- Niva escaped our yard this week. I wonder how many times she has run away? I should have started a log book when we first brought her home, lol. She always comes back… but it’s always a little stressful!
Living My Full Life 
I saw the sinkhole from a distance (driving on your street), but those pics are crazy! Praying for the displaced family and everyone involved in figuring out the next steps to ensure safety for everyone.
Jimmy’s projects ALWAYS amaze me- so much hard work and dedication is put in to everything they do!
Sadie is so adorable with her sonic stuffies (I will learn all their names someday soon) and Deck following along and learning so much every day. His love for garbage trucks is so stinkin’ cute!
So excited for her coding class, and that she’s learning something that is so foreign to me… but so prevalent in the world today.
Deck’s haircut makes him look so grown up, and I LOVE that Jimmy sent both of his girls flowers for V-Day! 💐
This weekend: Dad and I are hoping to shop around for furniture for our family room/office space – since is now being converted back to its original use!
love you,
Madre