:tuned in

Crafty weekend! {plus garland tutorial}

2012-02-12T12:35:00.001-05:00

Mason is turning one in less than a month.

Unreal.

And for once in my life, I'm actually getting a head start on party planning.

Also unreal.

{I'm a dreamer AND a procrastinator if you couldn't tell already. Bad combo.}

So, here's some pinterest inspired projects I accomplished over the weekend!

I love all kinds of garland. This one might be my new favorite! It's a mix of a few different ideas I found on pinterest.

Here's what you need to make it:

{1} I found this giant pack of rainbow assorted scrapbook paper at Hobby Lobby (50% off)

{2} Paper punch I already had (also from HB)

{3} Basic yarn (HB)

{4} Use the punch to punch out a variety of patterned paper and fold them in half.

Next, grab your average glue stick.

{5} Place the yarn inside your folded paper and glue shut!

{6} I spaced them randomly in groups of 1, 2, and 3 on the yarn. I think it gives it a vintage feel.

{7} Hang your cheerful garland!

***

My Mom brought her sewing machine over yesterday to help me make these fun ruffled streamers!

I won't bother with the tutorial.

GO HERE to find out how easy it is! This lady posts great photos and very helpful hints.

I followed it exactly and I'm so pleased with how they turned out!

I bought 4 rolls of streamers not knowing how much I would need.

2 rolls of white.

1 roll of blue. 1 roll of yellow.

I may have to go back and buy some more.
Yep.

I could see re-using these for parties/ weddings/ showers to come!!

***

And lastly....here's how I spent 2.5 hours last night.

Let's pretend I'm kissing my hard-working mommy arm in the middle pic and not (what looks like) smelling my armpit.

Can you tell I'm pretty proud of myself?

Greg kept asking if I needed help but me and my darn competitive nature just had to finish it on my own!

Well, I'm proud to say I did.

And, after all that effort I couldn't wait to give it to the kids the next day. I think they appreciate it. And happy early birthday to Mason...this is your big present!

***

Phew! What a weekend of productivity.

Feels so good...

PS- if you'd like to see the rest of Mason's 1st birthday inspiration board visit my pinterest page HERE.

Basement {phase 2ish)

2012-02-09T14:31:00.001-05:00

Just a recap...

Here's a pic I showed you yesterday. This is what our basement looked like as of last Friday:

And, here's a pic I snapped this morning! The treadmill is in the exact same spot (to give you a better perspective).

As Greg always says, "It's gotta get worse before it gets better!"

Ain't that the truth.

***

And if you would like to see some of my other basement dreams from a while back, click HERE.

So many possiblities!

If you like "before" pics...well then, these are for YOU!

2012-02-08T20:56:00.000-05:00

So.

Last Thursday night, after the kids were in bed, and we were happily plopped on our separate couches with separate laptops, scrolling through our separate FB accounts, exchanging the highs and lows of our day (yes, our life is really THAT exciting...don't be jeal.) Anyway, Greg announces that he would like to invite 2 of his brothers over on Saturday to help gut the basement.

Whoa. Hold up.

(**blink with perplexed brows and shake head slightly at the same time**)

I was shocked.

What?! We've been talking about finishing the basement for HOW LONG and all of a sudden you want to gut the basement on SATURDAY!? (Please understand: my husband needs T.I.M.E. when making big decisions. Finishing the basement? I figured it was never gonna happen).

Sa-weet!!

That's the good news.

The bad news is what I'm about to show you......prepare yourself as we enter the dungeon:

Good-bye happy world above ground level!

Welcome to the basement.

Now, it doesn't look so bad here (depending on your perspective)....

Other than the unorganized pile of junk haphazardly arranged on the floor. (There's a method to my madness, okay?) The only thing I actually use in this room: the treadmill.

But, what lies behind those walls of paneling you ask?

There's gotta be more to the basement than just this "junk" room, right?

Get ready for the most sarcastic basement tour of your life...

Lets go see what's behind that paneling then, shall we?

There was once a shower gracefully placed right under the ceiling light you see glowing in the picture below. While I never showered in it myself ('cuz we ripped the sucker out as soon as we moved in) I always thought it was so convenient. Placed right next to the exposed sump pump (the hole in the corner) for easy draining. PLUS, there was an outlet also directly above the shower. I imagined plugging in my blow dryer, so that the moment my shower was done, I could blow dry my hair without even stepping out!

Let's keep taking the tour, shall we?

Turn around.

Oh, look! I see some light down there....

Why yes there is! Let me TAKE you there! Come on!!

**skip skip skip**

THIS is the laundry room! Isn't it grand?!

But, what's that dark color running down the wall underneath the window?

Oh THAT?

pshhh.

That's just from the flood of '09 where we got 18" of water in our basement.

No. Big. Deal.

And don't you just LOVE the variety of colors on the wall?

Golly, that horizontal striped pattern above the chest freezer (probably from old shelves, I'm guessing) adds SO much dimension. Don't you think??

And THIS? Well this completes the tour of course. Just another beautiful corner of loveliness.

Okay I'm done.

Let's go back upstairs where my brain can think clearly.

While I'm excited about the idea of having a usable basement with a larger playroom for the kids, I know it will still be a loooooong journey. And don't get too excited for the after pics. It will not look as nice as the upstairs. But, anything will be better than what we have now!

I'll take pics tomorrow of what it looks like gutted. Now that the walls are down, I can see the whole basement at once. Lots of day-dreaming will happen in the next couple weeks.

Stay tuned!

The trying and tiring two's

2012-01-29T16:04:00.000-05:00

Before I had children I would cringe when people started groaning about the "terrible two's". They would depict fist-throwing fits where children would start to scream in the middle of the grocery store. And these toddlers wouldn't stop screaming. They would melt into a puddle of jello and refuse to walk. And when you try to pick them up they would throw their bodies into convulsions, screaming even louder. The mother would end up ditching the full grocery cart, drag (literally) the screaming child out of the store in complete embarrassment and drive home in misery.

I'm not saying it's that terrible--not yet anyway (or maybe I'm just trying my hardest to come up with other titles because I enjoy living in oblivion that things aren't that bad. They can't possibly be THAT bad. Right?). Whatever you want to call it...

This stage is humbling.

This stage is trying my patience.

And this 2 year old is making me plain tired!

with a capital T.

*Sigh*.....ohhhh this age.

Kensie (so far) doesn't seem to be a "throw-yourself-into-convulsions" kind of fit-thrower. And I have not had any horrible shopping experiences. She actually does very well going to the grocery store. I'm not saying she doesn't throw fits. She just has different ways of throwing them. It usually involves covering her face and shedding lots of TEARS. Lots and lots of tears. Oh, to be a girl.

Currently my daily battles with miss Kensie include (but are not limited to):

Sharing toys with Mason or other playmates. And she's a sneaky one too. I once caught her in the act of stealing a toy from Mason. She paused and looked at Mason with a scowl. Then looked at me and said, "Mason, share Mama?" As in, Mason needs to share his toys with ME. Uh, yeah right little miss. I caught her red-handed and she tried to talk her way out of getting the consequence. Geesh.
Dumping her cereal. If I don't take away her cereal bowl as soon as she's finished in the morning she dumps the bowl over and starts swirling the milk ALL over the counter. Every morning.
Putting toys away just before bedtime. Takes on average 30 minutes of repeating myself and then she winds up playing with the toys she's supposed to put away.
JUMPING ON THE COUCH. This one drives me absolutely nuts!! This is NOT a new rule in our house. I've been training her since she was walking that we do not jump or stand on furniture. I realize other people may be OK with this at their house. And I'm fine with that. But, at our home we DO NOT. She has been testing this one like crazy lately! I feel like giving this battle up at times but I'm still determined to keep trying.
Taking shoes off and ponytail out while in the car. It doesn't matter where we are going, the girl will take her shoes off and throw them across the van. The ponytail also comes out and I can never seem to find it again. There's probably a thousand hiding under her car seat.
Throwing things in the house. Once I walked in her bedroom after nap time and her lamp was knocked over b/c she chucked every dolly and blankie with all her might across the room.
I'm sure there's more but, that's all I got for now....

I know it's just a stage. Like so many others.

This too, shall soon pass.

I know I will get through it.

I'm sure I will not feel like a good Mom at times.

But, just for record keeping, can I please show you this video? Please??...

Mmmkay.

Here's the scenerio:

They were playing SO nicely together. Kensie was rolling the ball back and forth while Mason giggled hysterically.

And as soon as I pull out the camera...as soon as Mom wants to document this sweet moment, it all goes downhill.

Moment ruined.

I was venting to a friend last week and we agreed that God definitely knew these early years would be the hardest. That's why (we concluded) He made them so darn cute at these ages. It's what makes the tough moments tolerable, and the sweet moments that much sweeter! Just look at these cute little buns...

Can't be mad at those cuties for too long...

Updates: this and that

2012-01-27T10:56:00.000-05:00

We've had lots going on and I keep ~~procrastinating~~ forgetting to update the blog...so here it goes:

We had a lovely winter wedding {for my Mama} two weekends ago. It was held inside the most beautiful log cabin I've ever seen, tucked in the middle of a deep forest with trees covered in fresh morning snow. Beautiful. Unfortunately I don't have many pics so you will have to imagine the rest....

hanging out after the ceremony

the flower girl and ring bearer...they did awesome.
{even though their silly mom forgot the flower girl's shoes! Don't get me started...}

weddings are such a nice chance for family pics...

Mama and Terry...the lovely bride and groom.

trying to capture the gorgeous snow outside. Seriously, it was unreal.

***

Greg was gone the following weekend for a High School winter retreat with church. So, while he was enjoying sledding, broomball, and freezing his booty off....I enjoyed some quiet nights with candles, pinterest, my bible, and some precious moments with God. It was one of those potentially "lonely" weekends that turned out to be one of the most memorable two days I've had in a long time. I love how God speaks to us in love when we need it most. I was moved to tears Sunday morning during worship just thanking him for his goodness. This blog is used to document these times so I can look back on them later. So important to me.

One of my quiet weekend nights--enjoying some leftover flowers from the wedding and my favorite scented candles.

***

Speaking of pinterest...

I tried a new brussel sprouts recipe! Greg is not usually a fan of this particular vegetable.

These were a hit! I especially like the cranberries mixed in. Gives it a little zing!

Go HERE for the recipe.

I'm also working on a post which I've already titled, "The trying and tiring two's".

Can't wait for that one huh?

Me either.

Thanks for staying tuned in!

Evening stroll

2012-01-17T19:04:00.001-05:00

Strollers have been popular from the beginning.

Kensie has always loved pushing around various dollies, stuffed animals, and even Mason on occasion...

Is that my son??? Don't even recognize him here. Crazy.

But, today Kensie decided to switch things up a bit.

Is it just me, or is there something wrong in this video...

...that's what I thought.

The baby is pushing the toddler in the stroller.

Weird.

Kensie thinks she's boss.
Mason thinks he's actually walking.

Win-win.

This is NOT January weather.

2012-01-12T11:06:00.000-05:00

We live in a place that snows in the winter.

Some years are better than others.

Some years are worse than others.

This is what January is suppose to look like.
(pic taken this time last year)

But, this year I feel like I'm dreaming.

We've been absolutely loving this warm spell in the middle of January!

I'm talking....

(1) NO snow.

(2) Green grass.

(3) Playing outside in just a light jacket.

(4) Yesterday it was nearly 50* F

Unbelievable

**blink**

Am I still in California??

Wait.

NOPE!

It's motivated me to {finally} take down all the Christmas ~~crap~~ stuff.

I'm not getting tooooo comfortable with this heat wave though.

Snow is coming.

Soon.

Like tomorrow soon.

Like 8" plus.

Oh well.

It was fun while it lasted.

A {not so fun} 10 month celebration.

2012-01-08T11:43:00.002-05:00

Mason is generally a very happy baby.

Except when he's sick or teething.

And when he's sick AND teething....you don't want to be a guest overnight in our home.

Trust me.

When he wakes up he let's the whole house know it.

(Although Kensie and Greg NEVER wake up from his cries...those two sleep like rocks!)

During the day he is easily distracted.

But at night? It's a different story.

And (unlike Kensie as a baby) he does not go back to sleep without intervention.

He needs:

(a) a bottle

(b) mommy

So last night I was up from 2am-4am.

Happy 10 months little guy....

I hope you get those 2 front teeth soon.

You deserve it.

I deserve it.

***

On that note...this is a good post to tell you two things:
(1) I LOVE my role as a mother and absolutely think it is worth it to have kids.
(2) But, there are days like today, when I'm exhausted and wonder, "Can we just get to the next stage already!?!?"

Then I read THIS ARTICLE from a gal that (in my opinion) totally "gets it" as a mom.
I was so encouraged.
Read it.
If you have little ones, you will be encouraged too.

10 months and moving fast!

2012-01-07T13:41:00.000-05:00

Holy smokes! Is it really possible that Mason will be 10 months tomorrow??

Unbelievable.

What's even more unbelievable is how fast this kid is growing, learning and moving.

He's been army crawling for while now but just recently started cruising along furniture up on his feet.

And boy, is he happy about it....

New Year's Day {3 years ago}

2012-01-01T14:24:00.000-05:00

It was January 1, 2009.

I woke up early and slipped out of our warm bed. The sun was just coming up. Greg was still fast asleep. I tip-toed to the closet to grab my yoga pants and a coat. Something comfy and warm. I had to run an errand. A short errand, but one that required getting dressed. I knew exactly what I needed to buy.

I quietly snuck out the front door and clicked it shut. Fifteen minutes later I was back with a plastic Walgreen's bag draped around my wrist. Inside the bag was a box. One small item that always costs more than you think. I was so excited to show Greg my little New Year's surprise but alas, he was still sleeping and I decided to wait. And wait. And wait.

Then I heard the bedroom door slowly squeak. He emerged scratching his head and squinting his eyes. Heading straight for the bathroom, I rushed down the hallway to beat him to the door. He gave me a warm bear hug and whispered "Happy New Year babe". I quickly held up my Walgreen's bag and raised my brows with excitement, "I have a surprise for you...if you want to see it." His brows quickly matched mine. He knew what it was. And he knew why I was excited.

Yes. Inside that box was a pregnancy test. I was already a couple days late and just had that feeling. We had been trying for 6 months and were ready to start a family. So I opened the box, looked up at my scruffy handsome man and gazed into those familiar hazel eyes, "Should we take the test and see?" He replied with a sweet and silent grin.

It was such a special time for us. We prayed together as we waited for the results. Even though I knew in my gut that I was in fact carrying a baby inside...we still prayed that no matter what the results we would trust God.

And He decided to bless us with a baby. Nine months later she was born. Her name...Kensie Michelle. And just like that, I became a mom. And then nine months after that I was pregnant again. This time, a boy. And nine months later we had Mason Gregory. I felt like I became a mom all over again.

Anyway, it's my favorite New Year's memory.

Fast forward>>>>

Here's our little family today....January 1, 2012.

Can't imagine life without them.

A merry holiday indeed...

2011-12-26T18:12:00.000-05:00

We started the week with some sickies in the house but our holidays ended well...take a look!

Dec 20--I woke up feeling nauseous with zero energy. I also decided it was time to take Mason to the doctor's. He had been sick for far too long (nasty cough, runny nose, waking up frequently at night). I can't remember the boy NOT being sick. And a few hours later we walked out of that doctor's office diagnosed with a sinus infection and a prescription for antibiotics (praise the Lord for medicine!) I was hopeful he would be healthy by Christmas Day. I, however, felt worse as the day went on. Chills. Sweating. Chills. Sweating. Achy. Weak. Nauseous. Kensie was also getting over her own sniffles while simultaneously being disobedient. Great day. Pshhhh.

Dec 21--Mason on the mend but still crabby. Kensie on the mend but still disobedient. And me? Well, that day was a blur. All I remember was putting one movie after another in the DVD player for Kensie to watch while I laid on the couch. All day. I was miserable with the flu. Both kids had their flu shots in the fall so at least I knew I wouldn't pass it to them.

still in the mood for a pic despite the yuckies...love those two!

Dec 22--Started to freak out a little. My body was revolting against me. Along with the flu I started hacking away with a deep and painful cough. Awesome. We were planning to have Greg's family over on Christmas Eve. Things were not looking good. At all.
Dec 23--Woke up for the first time not feeling totally sick to my stomach. My fever broke. A miracle! My cough continued but I didn't care. I felt 1000 times better! Mason had successfully slept another 12 hour night in a row. Christmas was looking a little brighter....

Dec 24--I felt 80% normal again. I rushed Kensie to the mall in the morning to see Santa last minute. She absolutely loved it...in her mellow sweet way. She chatted about it the whole way there and home. (Similar to our Disneyland experience).

We went ahead and had the party with Greg's family at night. Total success! I've never seen so much generosity from one family in my life! We are blessed.

Dec 25--Christmas morning with my little family. Loved every second. Time with just my hubs and my kids. Utterly overwhelmed with joy. They are so precious to me. And feeling healthy was the best gift I could have asked for. So thankful.

I could go on about the nice gifts we exchanged and tell you I have the greatest husband in the world who probably outdid himself this year by totally surpassing all my expectations--which he did. Maybe another post on that.

But, I really saw the importance of Christ this year. And how he blesses us with relationships. And how that's really all that matters.

Kensie was so excited to receive this nativity set as a gift.
She often picks baby Jesus up and presses him to her cheek for a "hug".

And can I just say...Christmas is even more fun now that we have kids. Oh.my.gosh. I've heard the best years are only to come! Cannot wait.

Merry Christmas!

A surprise date and my first try at picnik {unrelated}...

2011-12-17T13:50:00.000-05:00

Last night I was able to surprise Greg with a date! We have not gone out (just the two of us) since before Mason was born.

Seriously. I know. Too too long.

This was just one surprise out of twelve. The idea is not new by any means. But, it's new to us! It's called {get ready!} "The Twelve Days of Christmas". Original I know.

"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...."

{now it's stuck in your head huh?}

Each day {for 12 days} you give your spouse a little present leading up to Christmas Day.

It could be as small as his favorite candy bar left on the seat of his car.

Or a kind note listing your favorite qualities about him.

Or like last night, a surprise date!

A gal at my church started the idea by inviting a bunch of us ladies to join her via FB!

Thanks Susan! It's been such a good way to stretch my love for my husband. He's worth it.

I started by taking him to his favorite place to eat....

B Dub's! Oh yeah.

...and then drove around without telling him what we were doing next...

Ice skating...

...with Santa no less!

This is just like the dates we had while dating in college. So many good memories then. It was so fun going back in time for a night and feeling like kids again!

***

In other news, I've officially used picnik for the first time!

And, I'm hooked.

It definitely takes some time but, worth the extra few minutes. And I LOVE that I can make a collage. It's just so hard to pick one ya know??
:)

Miss Kensie will be a flower girl for the first time in a couple weeks (first for my Mama and Terry), and then again next June (for Greg's brother--Elliot and Jessica). She will be wearing the above dress in both. It was found for $10 (can you believe it??) at a garage sale and has never been worn! Jessica's Mom bought it and has graciously given it to us! Kensie is absolutely in love with that dress, as am I...and asks to try it on all the time. I usually say no in order to minimize the risk of ruining that beautiful gown before said weddings. But, I wanted to see how much she has grown. It was way too long when she first wore it about 2 months ago...and now she can walk without stepping on it! Yay...no alterations!

Here's hoping she will actually walk down the aisle.

***

Hope you are all enjoying the holidays!

We have our first family party today...busy busy!

The attention span of a 2 year old...

2011-12-09T21:43:00.000-05:00

...is kinda like a squirrel.

She started out singing her favorite Christmas songs and just like when a squirrel sees a nut, she quickly goes in a different direction. You'll see what I mean...

I'm probably the only one that understands every word. But, in case you missed it here's the order of events...

Starts by making up a little diddy, "Baby Jesus, I luv youuuu!".
If you listen carefully she then sings the "B-I-B-L-E".
Trying to get back to the Christmas tunes she then sings, "Jingle Bells".
Makes it through the first verse (twice) and decides to sing her "A,B,C's" (version from Super Why on PBS)
Nope. "No mo songs" Mama.
Decides to try "Jingle Bells" again.
During her swivel dance move she gets distracted and plays peek-a-boo through the back of the chair with Mason. "I see you!"
Realizes I'm recording and begs, "Kensie see da picture?".
~~Forced to say~~ says "Merry Christmas".
Nears a meltdown cuz she still wants to "look da picture".
I cut her off and say bye.
THE END.

9 months

2011-12-08T22:27:00.000-05:00

He's in the 95th percentile for height and weight.

He's wearing 18-24 month clothes.

{Surprise surprise}.

He's army crawling.

{Which I'm super excited for since I've been lugging around a 9 month old stuck in a 2 year old body. I'm ready to chase that boy! Crazy I know. But, my arms are TIRED and I'm ready for some change!}

He has 4 teeth (2 on top, 2 on bottom) going on 6.

{and slightly resembles a vampire when he laughs}

He babbles "dadadadadadadadada" any chance he gets.

He is now a blonde dutch boy.

He is ready to move past baby food and eat some real food!

{the boy can eat....clearly.}

He wants to be near Kensie all the time.

{Tugging at her. Playing with her toys. Climbing on her. Giggling with her.}

Side note: This is the best Wendy's kid meal toy EVER! Wind up train that goes in circles. Who needs Christmas gifts? She has been playing with it for 3 days straight!

***

We are blessed to have you Mason Gregory!

Christmas is in the house! {a tour}

2011-12-01T16:36:00.000-05:00

Since we've been married (6 years ago), I've slowly acquired a fair share of holiday decor. And since we moved into our first home (3 years ago), I think I've put the Christmas tree in a different spot each year!

I like change.

Welcome to this year's Christmas home tour...

Come on inside...

I wanted the nativity to be the first thing I see when heading out or coming home. The entryway is a perfect spot to showcase the setting for Christ's birth.

Now close the door behind you and come inside! It's freezing!

Welcome to the "fireplace" room. It was once a sitting area but is now the dining room.

Greg and my stockings (sewn by my Mama).

I can't wait to have Christmas dinner next to a roaring fire!

And the spot for the tree this year??

**drummmmmrollllll please**

In between rooms! It's the absolute best spot to see the tree from literally every living space in the house! So happy with it this year.

This is the first year I set up a fake tree. I scored this super nice "Bethlehem" tree after Christmas sales last year. Doesn't it look real?? Bonus: I can leave it up twice as long!

If you'd like to see last year's ~~bush~~ tree...go HERE.

Kensie and Mason's stockings hung on the new little frame I painted recently. I painted it green without thinking "Christmas" but I love how it transformed into a festive little wall hanging.

With sturdy hooks so we can stuff them stockings full. *wink*

And some cookie cutters hung over the sink. I love Christmas in little nooks like this.

The sweater covered jars made a reappearance.

And you already saw the bookshelf but I had to include it in the tour.

Kensie loves to point out the teeny tiny people in the windows of each house. Everyday. And she quickly reminds me to turn the village lights on first thing in the morning.

Hope you are having yourself a merry little {decorated} Christmas at your house!

***

Best most awesome/exhausting trip ever!

2011-11-29T16:24:00.000-05:00

Wow. Where do I even begin...

I {heart} Californ-EYE-A.

And even more, I {BIG puffy red heart} my family.

We spent 6 days completely surrounded by some of my most favorite people in the world doing my favorite things.

Thanksgiving...

Uncle Rick always showing some humor

Apple pies I made under the wings of my artistic Aunt Gwen

Relaxing and playing...

Story time with "Lolo" and Aunt Gwen

playing in the backyard

Disneyland...

Kensie and her three aunt's walking down Main St. for the first time.

First rocket ride with Daddy!
(She didn't cry but didn't look like she loved it either...this was her face before and after.)

Pluto!

Kensie has been talking about Mickey Mouse ever since...

My favorite shot of the castle...it was stunning.

Disneyland during Christmas time = Uh-mazing.

Celebrating my Grandpa Woody turning 90...

Four Generations (minus Kensie)

The community he lives in decorated his golf cart and made a parade in honor of turning 90.
He's a kind of a big deal. :)

Terry and my Mama. Such a happy couple.

Aunt Gwen goes all out for parties. Over 80 people came to celebrate! Most of them being family.

Yes, there are 90 candles.

All FIVE of us siblings together again!! This pic means SO much to me.
From left to right--Katelyn. Lauren. Ryan. Me. Gretchen.

Meeting lots of "new" relatives and making friends left and right.

Grandma Bebe and Grandpa Woody. They just never seem to age! Love them.

My dear Aunt Gwen who I look up to so incredibly much. She's my aunt, my friend and my mentor.

The title of this post says it all. Never has a vacation been more fun and yet more exhausting than this one.

And after squeezing all four of us into the tiny room pictured above, I've never been more thankful to be home.

Traveling with kids...

2011-11-21T21:52:00.000-05:00

We are leaving on a plane tomorrow.

Excited? Umm yes.

Stressed? Umm yes.

Packed? Uh kinda.

I'm the kind of gal that starts making lists weeks before a trip and then wakes up in the middle of the night remembering to add "bibs" or "DVD player" or "zip lock baggies" to it.

I start making piles of neatly folded clothes all over the house and go back to weed out the items I don't think we need every day leading up to departure.

See the Mickey Mouse ears? *wink*

Yet, somehow with all this "planning ahead", I'm still looking at empty suitcases the night before we leave...

There's something about remembering everything we possibly need for a 6 day vacation that forces me to plan early. But, it's actually putting them all in suitcases that freaks me out. Once I hide everything behind those closed zippers I can't see it and simultaneously check it off my list! I know. I'm weird.

We have an afternoon flight tomorrow so I'm not too worried.

And we've been prepping a certain little girl about the sleeping arrangements we will have on our trip.

Some friends loaned us this blow-up toddler bed. We'll see how it goes. She has never slept in anything BUT her crib. Mason will have a pack n' play. Did I mention we will ALL four be in the same room?? Yeah. Pray for us.

Getting aquainted with the "new" bed in the living room while watching some VeggieTales.

Flying with a 2 year old and an 8 month old will be interesting. This will be Kensie's third plane trip and Mason's first. They have both proven to be good travelers...but they only last so long ya know? So, I will leave you with this cute idea I found via FB through a friend through a friend.

I took some leftover Halloween candy and put them in zip lock baggies.

Then you write this cute little rhyme on a card and stuff it in each baggie.

You give them to the strangers you end up sittting next to on the plane.

Because I remember that feeling before I had kids. You know...where you're quietly sitting in your assigned seat on the plane all comfortable with your purse in the open seat next to you....then you look up...and you see a clumsy Dad tripping down the narrow aisle holding a bulky carseat...and a Mom holding a wiggly baby in one arm and dragging a toddler with the other...making their way closer and closer....and the Dad looks up with eagerness that they have "finally" made it to their seats...and kindly pauses, "Excuse me Miss, I think we are right there next to you....

...and I vividly remember thinking in that moment, "Oh crap!"

Here's to vacation!! Whoop whoop!

Saturday projects

2011-11-13T23:10:00.000-05:00

I've decided to make my Saturdays more enjoyable by doing something different than my normal routine during the week. While I still take care of the kids and keep their routines the same, I try to switch up my routine. No computer. No TV. All my free time (aka naptime) is devoted to fun projects. It has really helped me look forward to Saturdays (seeing that Greg is gone for most of them). So, over the weekend I got a few projects done that I've been wanting to accomplish for a while.

I'm not the best at tutorials but here is a picture progression of an old window I turned into a fun and versatile chalkboard!

Idea via Pinterest

Now, onto the super easy supplies...

paint

tape

Grungy old window

Clean those nasty windows.

Tape everything but the glass.

Spray 2 coats of paint.

Peel off the tape annnnd....

Voila!

And I couldn't resist setting up my Christmas village I scored for 6 bucks at a garage sale!

***

The next project (which I forgot to take a "before" pic cuz I'm smart like that)...anyway, the next one was supposed to be a chalkboard as well....

I painted the mirror black in hopes of writing "Welcome" and hanging it near our entryway.

All was going well until,

Oops.

Oh well, guess it will just be an empty frame for a while.

Ahhhh. It feels so good to accomplish things.

Being thankful and a little about me

2011-11-03T11:12:00.000-04:00

I have been seeing a lot of "thankful" posts on FB lately and well...I'm just not feeling it this week. I had planned on doing the whole "30 days of Thankfulness" like so many others starting the first of November.

Well, November 1st came and went. Within two days, my children (as sweet as they are) took every ounce of my energy. It's like everything happens at once with those kids sometimes. I love them so incredibly much but they take a ton of love, attention, discipline, and work at times. And as you may have read a few days ago the Mr. isn't around a whole lot these days.

So, here I sit reading everyone's posts and thinking to myself, "Wish I had THAT to be thankful for". Why do we do this to ourselves?? Pure punishment I tell ya. I pull out my mental comparison chart and start tallying how much I have to NOT be thankful for. And then I get bitter. And then I get sarcastic. And then my baby has a blow-out on the couch at the most inconvenient time and I start accepting the situation as "Well of course THIS would happen", and the cycle just continues.

When things start to get hard in my life I have an instant urge to respond with sarcasm and an attitude of bitter selfishness. A non-emotional attitude that pretends to let everything "roll of my back" but really just gets under my skin. An attitude that reduces my world to just me and the small life I lead and all the problems that seem to take over it. I have seen the Lord work in this area of my life and how he can change my attitude when life "strikes" so to speak. But now and then I get caught up in how my flesh wants to react and this is definitely one of those times.

Our small group memorized this verse last week and it's been drifting in and out of my head all week...

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich". ~2 Corinthians 8:9

Now THAT is something to be thankful for Shannon. Right there.

I also just finished reading this 31 day series on "Determined Joy" for the past few weeks. Will you join me? Joy doesn't just happen...it takes work. And I need to be determined in finding it.

A newbie and a repeat {costumes that is}

2011-10-31T21:16:00.002-04:00

Halloween.

Not my absolute favorite holiday.

Too many scary movies on TV.

Too many scary costumes.

Too much candy.

Then I had kids. And those little sweethearts certainly make it more fun. Have you ever seen a baby or toddler in a costume that wasn't cute??? Me neither. There's just something about dressing up those teeny little people in adorable outfits that make me want to eat them up!

Here's Kensie last Halloween...

Not only do I love the bright red and green colors in this berry fairy costume but I knew it would fit her for a few years.

I was 4 months preggers with Mason in that pic. Crazy what can happen in one year!

So this Halloween, I give you the newbie "pumpkin" and the repeat "fairy". Twice as cute and twice the size!

At least one of them is able to sit still.

And what's better than trick-or-treating vicariously through your children?

{As long as they get 3 Musketeers and Milky Ways that is}

Oh, come on...you know you do it too.

Happy Halloween!

Not the Halloween post you were hoping for

2011-10-31T10:35:00.000-04:00

Nothing too exciting to report around here these days. I finished my last treatment for my legs last Monday--meaning I spent the next 5 days in an ace wrap with my feet up as much as possible, arms reach from pain killers, hardly sleeping at night, explaining to Kensie that mommy has a "boo boo" on her leg {one thousand times} and trying my best to keep the munchkins elbows, knees and feet from kicking my bruised areas as much as possible. Oh, and we never left the house--not once. Which I'm fine with actually. I'm a home-body and don't mind it one bit. It was just difficult to make the time pass quickly. I thought about taking Kensie to the mall purely for the sake of letting her play on the playground but I didn't feel like hobbling around the mall. So we had lots of friends and playmates come over last week which helped a ton! And if you are wondering why I didn't get child care help...I honestly wanted them around to (a) make the time pass (b) give me something to do (c) they make me happy despite the work sometimes.

Add to that, I think I saw my hubby maybe one night last week? Yeah that sounds right. In fact, besides my recent leg issues, this is the time of year when the temptation to become bitter starts to creep in my life. And I have to go to God with my frustrations and ask for peace and grace in our marriage. It happens every fall. And it boils down to one reason. My husband works A LOT. He works for a family business. A trucking business. A business that he is amazingly talented at. One that I am SO proud to see his talents flourish and be appreciated by so many people. But, it's a business that revolves around the holidays. Basically, their business delivers food {mostly refrigerated} all over the Midwest. And the holidays {as we know} revolve around food. So, as late summer turns into fall they get super dooper busy when it comes to trucking. There are loads to deliver left and right as stores and restaurants restock their shelves for the holidays. He is a dispatcher and office manager and has a looooonnnng list of duties. I don't know how he does it all.

And as a result, my husband tries his hardest to keep up with the madness at work. Meanwhile, I try to keep up with the madness at home. We pass each other occasionally as one heads to bed, or the other gets up, or we attend public functions like church and small group and other get-togethers where we are in the "same place" but not really "spending time together". Weekdays are the same as weekends. No break, no routine. Just a Dad working crazy hard for this family and a Mom keeping things running at home, but it's like they live two separate lives. And the cycle basically continues until January. Where the busyness slowly fades and I feel like I have a husband again. And we can talk about things other than work and schedules.

Thankfully we will be taking a week of vacation here soon. As in, 3 weeks away! We are headed back to Cali {the land where I'm from and the land that I love} for a family reunion on my Mom's side, take the kids to Disneyland for the first time, and to celebrate my sweet Grandpa who is turning 90 this year! Such a sweet old guy that I have not seen in forever...

I love that he's wearing Puma's. He's so hip and young!

A trip like this has not happened since before we had kids. "Excited" does not even describe how I feel about it!!

***

And you might see some pics of some adorable kids in Halloween costumes in the next post....you might.

Mason milestone {self-entertainment}

2011-10-20T16:32:00.000-04:00

Our sweet boy has been one giggly baby ever since he was just 6 weeks old.

He squeals when he sees Kensie. He laughs the moment anyone plays peek-a-boo up close with him. He melts into giggles at the slightest tickle...especially under his chinny chin chin (just like his daddy!). It's adorable. Kensie didn't laugh out loud until she was at least a year old. She was a very serious and observant baby. It's so funny how different siblings can be.

I know I've already posted a few videos of Mason laughing.

But, this week was different. He hit a new milestone.

Laughing without the help of anyone. Without anyone looking at him, making faces, or tickling him.

Just him. By himself. Self entertaining.

And thankfully I was close enough to the camera to capture it.

Enjoy...

Some FYI's:

{1}The metal thing he is playing with is not sharp at all (it's one of those cheap puzzles you solve--like the kind you put on the coffee table and let guests fiddle with. Greg loves those things! ). He is teething like crazy and I think he loves the way it feels in his mouth. Always given under supervision, don't worry.

{2} He has not laughed independently like this ever since. Maybe it had something to do with being overtired and close to bedtime perhaps? Who knows...but cute nonetheless.

You know you married a good man when...

2011-10-16T19:59:00.000-04:00

... he makes the baby's bottle {EVERY morning} before he leaves for work so as soon as I hear that ~~siren~~ baby in the morning I just grab it and go...

... he has to work late {again} but makes the effort to come home just before the kids go to bed so he can (a) see them (b) spend time with me until I go to bed, and then (c) goes back to work to finish up into the wee hours of the morn...

... he gets to church early to help set-up chairs, then rushes home to help me get the kids out the door...

... he drives calmly and quietly even though we are at least 15 minutes late to church {after the above situation}. He despises being late to anything--especially church...

... he sacrifices his Sunday afternoon nap by putting up baseboards in the house for 3 hours...

... he makes an emergency run to buy tampons and never complains or holds it over your head later...

... he always notices when I've cleaned...but never criticizes when it's messy...

***

Yeah. I'd say I married a good one for sure.

THE END

My favorite street

2011-10-10T14:59:00.001-04:00

I love our neighborhood, especially during this time of year. I have a "route" I like to run or walk regularly. Sometimes I push the the kids in the stroller. And sometimes {if I'm lucky} I enjoy a nice run alone.

Time to clear my head. Relieve stress. Pray. Think. Not think. Just me, myself and I.

And this is my favorite street...

Sometimes, I'll loop back and run it twice before I head home. The trees are what get me. This picture doesn't do it justice. And I'm pretty sure people think I live on that street. They always wave and smile as I pass by their house. So, I wave back...imagining that I do. Little do they know I live 6 blocks away.

Not a whole lot of running though these days. I just finished my second round of treatment on my legs today. It's going okay...but, I'm ready to stop popping the pain killers, take these ace wraps and stockings off, and get back to feeling somewhat normal again. Two weeks down and four more left!

Our bedroom

2011-10-05T11:16:00.000-04:00

I like to call our master bedroom "cozy" aka small. There's only enough space for our king-sized bed (which I wouldn't trade for the world!), two nightstands, and whatever you can hang on the wall.

I snagged this painting from an auction at our public library

this mirror as well as both nightstands were left from the previous owners of the house when we bought it. I'll take free stuff anytime thank you very much!

It's weird but honestly, I don't mind how small it is. In fact, our room is the smallest of the three. We don't really "hang out" in our room except for bedtime. And I like that. It's a simple room that meets two needs: to rest and to connect with my husband. That's it.

Found the sign at Hobby Lobby. I would love to incorporate more quotes and bible verses into our room.

The only thing that would be nice is a larger closet (not even worth taking a picture of, trust me). Maybe another post entirely on that whole issue some other time....we have a unique closet system in our house.

Mason photo shoot {she's done it again!}

2011-10-03T16:47:00.000-04:00

These photo's don't need any captions. They speak for themselves.

And that my friends, is why we keep going back to this talented lady. She captures babies and children at their absolute best!

Now, if only I can decide which ones I want to frame...hmmmm.

And just for fun, I looked back at some of Kensie's photo shoots to compare.
Here she is at 8 months...now scroll back up and look at the last one of Mason in the bucket.

Are those two siblings or what?!

After-nap playtime

2011-10-01T11:21:00.000-04:00

We have a new routine after naps lately.

If Kensie wakes up, I bring Mason in with me to get her. They both squeal with delight when they see each other and Kensie immediately asks if Mason can come in her crib to play.

Likewise, as soon as Mason starts making noise through the monitor Kensie rushes down the hall to "help" me open the door. She climbs up the side of his crib and begs to get in. Mason (who usually wakes up on his stomach) pushes up on his arms as high as he can lift his head to see Kensie's face. He then shrieks with smiles and laughter. How can you say no??

They end up playing together for up to an hour sometimes. So, I just plop down in the chair and peer into the crib as they giggle and play with each other.

So cute to watch them become buddies more and more everyday. I'm so thankful they love playing together...for now anyway.

Just get them taken care of!

2011-09-28T14:09:00.001-04:00

Before I get started I want to mention I now have a way for you (my dear reader) to contact me! Check out the address on the side----->

Okay, now on to the post...

Our society today (in America at least) has this mentality that modern-day medicine can fix anything. There is this idea that no matter what a person is diagnosed with, it can be taken care of. Which can be true. Sometimes. And only if you have lots of money, or full-coverage insurance...which is harder and harder to come by these days.

So when it comes to my "leg" problem people have a tendancy to say, "Just get them taken care of! Doctors can do anything now-a-days. You don't have to live with this the rest of your life."

And here's what goes through my brain when I hear this:

I know, people. I have researched them all. Laser treatments. Vein stripping. Injections. Undergoing surgery. There is A LOT to offer out there for varicose veins. And doctors are getting really good at these procedures. Some are more permanent solutions than others. It's overwhelming to know what to do. Are mine bad enough that insurance will cover it? And to what extent? And if our insurance doesn't cover it, then what? How much is this family willing to sacrafice in cash just for the sake of my dumb legs? It could cost well over $15,000...that's close to what we paid for our van. From a Christian perspective, is that worth it??? I don't really think it is. And worse, what if the procedure doesn't work? What if we paid all that money for treatment just to see my legs back to the way they were (especially after another pregnancy). Then what?....and on and on...

So after talking things over with Greg, I decided to make a deal with myself. I would schedule a visit with my family doctor to {at the very least} get my legs evaluated and ask lots of questions. Then I would make the dreaded call to my insurance. If the insurance call resulted in a "NO, we will not cover that..." then I would not pursue it any further. I would just plan on dealing with my veins the way I already do. Case closed.

This next part is where things start to turn around. So if you are still here....get ready!

My family doctor took one look at my veins and said I would definitely need to see a surgeon. This means that insurance would most likely cover it! After a good hour on the phone with the NICEST lady ever representing our insurance my hope started to build. Insurance would cover the extent of my treatments after we met our deductible.

ME: Oh great, always a catch. What's our deductible?

REP: Ten thousand dollars.

ME: So we have to pay up to ten thousand before you guys kick in the rest? Awesome. Wait...we had our son in March. I'm sure those hospital bills met our deductible!

---Silence---

REP: Oh yes...I see that on your account now. Then yes, we can cover it as long as it's within the same year. And it looks like your insurance renews on November 1st. So your appointments would need to be done before that date in order to be covered.

ME: Okay. Thank you very much!

REP: You're welcome. Is there anything else we can assist you with today?

ME: Nope!! You have no idea how much you just made my day!

***

After looking at the calender and realizing the limited amount of time I had to get these appointments in I got crackin'! Thankfully, it worked out perfectly. My last appointment is literally on October 31st. Yeah. Cutting it close huh?! I am having 3 treatments (each appointment has to be 2 weeks apart to allow for recovery). I should also mention these treatments are to take care of the deep bulgy veins in my upper thighs and behind my knees--since those are the ones that cause pain. This treatment will take care of my current varicose veins. However, because I've had them in the past I can still get them in the future. So I have to keep that in mind. But, my doctor reassured me that it's still a good idea to take care of them now even if I want to have more babies because (as I said before) they will only get worse. It's like blowing up a balloon. It's hard to get it started but once you do it's really easy to keep blowing. Same with varicose veins. They will only get larger, bulkier and more painful as the years go by.

So, AFTER ALL THAT.....I had my first EVLT (Endovenous Laser treatment) on Monday! It was a short 30 min in-and-out kind of appointment. I laid on a table while they did an ultrasound to locate the vein. Then the doctor placed a needle with a laser on the end of it inside the vein. Numbed it all up...and then zapped it with the laser! Painless and fast. The most cumbersome part is I have to wear a bulky ace wrap from my hip to my knee for FIVE STRAIGHT DAYS 24 hrs a day (I've already rigged up a plastic sleeve so I can shower). Then I have to wear a full length stocking from my hip down to my foot for SEVEN days after that. This will happen 3 times so that's about 6 weeks of wearing ace wraps/ stockings. Fun. But you won't hear me complaining! It will be SO SO worth it.

FYI: There are other types of treatments for spider veins and other blemishes that are purely superficial (insurance does not cover those). I'm not looking for a total transformation. I just want them to stop hurting on a daily basis and hopefully get rid of the lumps and bumps so I can stop being the circus side show at the beach and just go on with my life.

***

If you are a regular reader...thanks so much for sticking with me! I don't thank my readers very often but you are all so supportive and I appreciate each and every one of you! And if you are a recent follower, boy did you come at an awkward time. My posts do not usually revolve around medical problems I promise! So, hopefully you stick around to see my "fun" side.

Sensitive topic {my legs}

2011-09-27T16:55:00.002-04:00

I have diseased veins or better known as varicose veins. There's something about the valves in my veins that don't work like the average person's. You can google it if you want to know more (if you can stomach it--there's some pretty graphic pics--although not far from my everyday reality). But basically, leaky valves that don't work properly combined with a thing called gravity makes for some ugly lookin' veins. The blood starts to pool in the veins as it travels down the leg but then has trouble pumping it back up. As a result, veins start to turn funky colors, bulge in odd places, and even cause pain at times. At worst, they can leave you more susceptible to blood clots and ulcers and cause swelling and pain on a regular basis. At best, these unsightly little guys make you self-conscious about your legs.

You can counter the effects by eating right, exercising regularly, and watching your weight. Ummm check, check and check! So, that leaves one little thing you can't control. Genetics. And these diseased veins run on both sides of my family. Check-mate.

I won't post any of my pics on here (to spare you all!) but I can honestly say they are some of the worst on anyone my age. For real. And I'm sure you are thinking..."yeah right. I'm sure they're not that bad. You're only 28 for goodness sake..." Let's just say there are bulging veins that snake up and down both legs, combined with red/purple spots that resemble bruises between my knees and ankles, combined with clusters of spider veins around my ankles and feet. You can start cringing now. My closest family and friends know how much these burden me. They have seen me go back and forth on these roller coaster feelings towards my legs.

I have had intense feelings of embarrassment and shame when someone innocently asks, "oh no what happened to your leg?" To which my silent response is, "That's it! No one will ever see my legs again! I'm wearing pants the rest of my life!" And on other days I've thrown my hands up in the air and said, "Screw it! People can stare all they want but I am going to the beach! It's too hot outside to be miserable!" I have silently cursed others with {quote} beautiful legs that are blemish free who complain about not being able to get the perfect tan. And I've lied to people's faces when they point to my ankle and ask, "what's that?" by saying, "it's just a bruise...".

I debated for a long time whether to post on this topic for the following reasons:

{1} I don't like drawing attention to myself.

{2} It's not a life or death situation. There are much harder things in life...way more burdens than I can ever imagine that people are dealing with. Why should I complain. They're just legs after all.

{3} I feel like I'm the only 28 year old I know dealing with this problem to this extent (I know I'm not but it sure feels that way).

{4} I don't want this to be the thing that people recognize me for (that girl with the ugly veins)

{5} People don't know how to talk about it...so they just stare. That being said, I don't want to write about this and then people still don't know how to talk about it...so they still just stare. **crickets** awkward.

As you can imagine, 2 pregnancies have not helped my vein problem. The weight gained during pregnancy coupled with the increased blood supply made for some very painful months. (Good thing babies are worth it!) I was advised by doctors that my problem will only get worse if we decide to have more kids. This is not a roadblock in my mind...just something I know I will have to deal with.

There is a happy ending to this story....I just didn't want to make this post any longer than it already is.

So come back tomorrow to read the rest!

I have a "thing" for numbers....

2011-09-19T18:31:00.001-04:00

Alright friends, it's confession time...

I love numbers.

{NERD ALERT}

Like, ell ohh vee eeeeee numbers.

My love does not come from taking math or accounting while in college. No no. Not those numbers.

These are just everyday numbers.

Like the fact that my license plate has both my husband's former football number {77} as well as my former volleyball number {8}. Love that.

And if you recall when I was pregnant with Kensie, her due date was 9-9-09. How fun is that?!

Or when I got to the check-out counter at the boutique downtown and I had exactly $14.32 in my wallet. True story. Love that.

And I may or may not count the stairs to the basement every time I walk them. I know how many there are. Twelve. But I may or may not count them anyway.

Numbers give so much order and structure. And they are so predictable {sometimes}.

So, when I decided to add an "alphabet" on the wall in the playroom....

I started counting the panels on the wall to see how I wanted to space them out.

And guess what?

This wall was made for the alphabet.

There are exactly 26 panels on the longest wall in the sunroom.

Perfect fit.

Oh happiness....

Just one more reason I love numbers.

And Kensie sure loves those letters up there now. She knows every single one and can call them out at random. And before you think I'm super-mom...I take zero credit. Pretty sure PBS has proven to be educational. I just quiz her now and then.
:)

No. He didn't...

2011-09-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

Oh yes. He did.

I won fair and square and I'm giving myself a big fat POINT!

If you're new around here and need to be filled in, go read about our friendly competition.

And thank goodness for this blog 'cuz you know....documentation is necessary.

(I know. I'm a terrible winner.)

***

In other news....whatchya think about my new header?? I can't take complete credit. I found the idea on pinterest and re-created my own version. I love how simple the design is but how easily it gets the point across. It also reminds me that you never know how or where or when God will bring someone into your life. I never thought I would live anywhere but CA, let alone marry someone from a different state. But, that's the way God works. And I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised.

Love my tall-dark-and-handsome-Michigan boy!

...even though I beat him at silly games now and then...

Reflections on the little years

2011-09-13T10:21:00.000-04:00

You may have heard me complain about the inconveniences of pregnancy and all the "uncomfortableness" before, during and after giving birth. I'm sure I have dramatized the sleepless nights and fatigue that come with taking care of newborns--however, that's easier to say now that I'm out of the newborn stage....you decide. And I'm quite certain I have expressed {in *ahem* sarcastic ways} how NOT excited I am about parenting a two year old, potty training and switching a toddler to her big girl bed.

But, let me set the records straight....

I am absolutely loving these young years of my kiddos. I've been reminded lately in SO many ways that these are the best years of my life. And so far, I'd say they definitely are!

A two year old and a six month old take a lot of physical work. But, I'm so blessed to watch Kensie become more independent with each day....learning new words like crazy, wanting to "help" around the house, learning to pick up toys and share them with her brother....so precious to watch her transition from baby to child. And Mason is such a joy. Even though he already has that "boy smell" and he gets baths MUCH more often than Kensie ever did....he is sitting up to play more, smiling and babbling with such happiness, and thinks the world of miss Kensie. She will walk by without even looking at him, and he starts giggling and squealing with love for his big sister.

We have been having LOTS of tea parties lately. Mason loves the new perspective and Kensie loves having another guest at her party....this particular day was full of extra giggles.

See what I mean?

How blessed am I? I don't deserve this position Lord. And I certainly don't deserve such sweet kids.

Where were you?

2011-09-11T12:55:00.001-04:00

I woke up early around 6am by my alarm clock (west coast time). My body was so sore. We had been getting our butts kicked for the past few weeks getting into shape. It was pre-season for volleyball. My freshman year of college. The sun wasn't quite up as we shuffled down to the training room to get ready for another hard day of practice. In the midst of getting ankles taped and warming those sore muscles with heat packs....my teammates and I heard some noise coming from the trainer's office. The tiny TV screen was covered with smoke, flames, and rattled looking reporters trying their best to communicate what had happened. A tower had been hit with a plane.

I didn't know what big city it was until I suddenly recognized those towers. They looked familiar...too familiar. Our volleyball team was there just two weeks prior. I had never heard of the twin towers. But on our trip we toured NY and I snapped this pic with a teammate just before flying home to CA.

Me and Allison in NY just 2 weeks before 9-11-01

I remember feeling sick to my stomach. I looked at my teammate next to me in disbelief..."We were just there!.....pause...."I know...". I felt sick knowing we could have been there. My muscles were no longer sore. I was no longer concerned with how hard my day was going to be. But I felt even worse for all those people who were there. All those firefighters, policeman, and innocent civilians caught in the madness. I felt guilty for being on the other side of the USA on my safe college campus. I remember thinking, "Why?".

I couldn't even tell you what we did that day. I know we practiced but it felt like a blur. And I'm sure we had a game later that week...but, I remember not really caring.

***

I remember that morning very well. And 10 years later I sit here praying and thinking of all those who lost loved ones on 9/11 and hugging my little family extra tight today.

Where were you that day?

Change of seasons

2011-09-10T11:25:00.000-04:00

It's time to hang our summer hats....

and welcome the new crisp and colorful season! One of the things I love most about living in the Midwest.

So come on in...

and stay for some apple cider and pumpkin pie.

mmmmm I can already smell the beauty of fall.

We are ready! Are you?

Outdoor party decor..

2011-09-09T08:02:00.008-04:00

When planning Kensie's 2nd birthday party, I was just gonna use the same theme I had last year--strawberries (sorry I don't have a single pic with my own camera to show you). But, at the last minute I changed my mind. Who wants to have the exact same party 2 years in a row anyway?? I knew Kensie wouldn't know the difference, but I would. And I like to switch things up when it comes to holidays. So I scrambled for another plan. And I only had 24 hours to come up with something quick!

I had to make a grocery run beforehand and wouldn't ya know it??...I found a pretty flower-patterned tablecloth, napkins and plates in the party section. I snatched 'em up and brought 'em home! This was my inspiration for an outdoor "garden/ butterfly/ re-used banners and pinwheels from last year's party" party. Ha!

I loved the colors in the tablecloth and knew they would blend with the other decorations I already had. Recognize the flower arrangement {my sista made} from the dining table? Perfect match right?!

I carefully stored these paper banners I made from her party last year. To make--ribbon, scrapbook paper, a box of blue glittered letters from Michael's, a hole punch, and glue....easy as pie!

Remember these butterflies I usually have on the wall in the playroom?

Pinwheels I made with paper and held together with glue and tied with twine for the center.

This is our front door and kitchen window facing the front yard.

Yes, that's a "please knock" sign I taped over the doorbell. And yes, that's outdoor carpet on our front porch. But, we're not here to discuss that now are we? Yet...

If I haven't mentioned her enough...I'll do it again now. Tammi made this amazing keepsake photo album for Kensie. It's custom made with pics of Kensie from birth to 1 year. It was fun to put on display and let guests flip through when they arrived. How much she has changed!

The weather was simply divine! Sunny but nice and cool. Perfect outdoor party conditions. By the time the sun went down, we lit the firepit and huddled around it to stay warm until guests started to leave.

And this little girl had so much ~~cake~~ fun!

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek into the party!

half-birthday and a tea party

2011-09-08T11:27:00.000-04:00

Kensie and Mason are exactly 18 months and 2 days apart. It will be nice as they get older to have their birthdays nice and spread out....not to mention, easy to remember.

6 month pic--don't let the smile fool you...

Mr. teething-waking-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-wants-to-be-held-all-the-time-for-the-last-week is really wearing momma out. But he's worth it.

And in celebration we whipped up a little tea party this morning...

Mason. Kensie. Dolly

Happy half-birthday little fella!

A kinda-sorta slipcover

2011-09-07T16:59:00.000-04:00

We were given this couch as a hand-me-down from someone in Greg's family.

Structurally sound. Comfortable cushions. No major rips. And straight out of "That 70's Show".

We put it in the playroom and has never quite "fit" my decor.

Until now....

Ahhh SO much better.

Took me 2.5 seconds to "slipcover" my couch.

And I love it. However, next time I will fluff it in the dryer before putting it on so there are no wrinkles.

And I'm not ashamed to say it's our (rarely used) King-sized bedsheet either.

Now even I can stand to hang out in there.

Tee Double-you Ohhh

2011-09-06T22:26:00.000-04:00

Our sweet Kensie girl turned 2 today.

babies have suddenly become very important...

And what a sweet girl she is. Even though the number "2" brings it's extra energy and challenges sometimes, this little girl has stolen our hearts. And stuffed them full.

....feed the baby....

So full they might burst.

...shush the baby...

And since her birthday falls over Labor Day weekend, we packed in the parties!

(I'll do another post on decorations I used for one of the parties...stay tuned!)

one of the three cakes we ~~got sick over~~ enjoyed over the weekend

Three out of the last four days, she's had pizza and cake.

Don't judge.

"I'm two!"--we're working on showing just the two fingers...oh well.

Happy Birthday Kensie Michelle! You are loved.

Dearly.

Where does she come up with this stuff???

2011-09-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

I promise I had nothing to do with this. She was quietly playing in the playroom (for once!), so I went in to check on her. Thankfully I had my camera in hand and whipped it out just in time.

And I say it again...where do kids think up these crazy things?? Oh man.

Big news and a video {totally unrelated}

2011-08-31T10:44:00.000-04:00

I'm NOT (I repeat) NOT pregnant. Heaven's no.....

But, can you guess the big news from this pic???

It's blue. It's spacious. It holds 7 people. It's got brand new wheels. And yes, even a DVD player....

Yup.

(This is the only pic I have right now. More coming soon...)

We had to drive 2.5 hours one way to go pick it up. But, we wheeled and dealed and paid an awesome price. So so SO worth it.

***

And if you like giggling babies, giggling daddies, and a funny ending...

WATCH. THIS. VIDEO.

Random updates...

2011-08-27T10:31:00.000-04:00

Life seems to be a blur lately yet, I find myself not really wanting to blog about any of it. Nothing very inspirational to share. Just life. So here's a quick update for those that are interested:

Mason's been teething (or at least I think so). There has to be SOME reason he's not been napping well, waking up early in the mornings, fussy, drooling, wanting to chew on anything, pooping like crazy (sorry TMI), and just not himself.
Our house has not made any progress. Just look at the picture from the last post and it's identical to what's there today. Nothings changed. If anything it's only gotten messier. Piles of tools on the counter, stacked paint cans on the floor, piles of papers that you never know where to put, laundry covering the couch. Just messy. And I don't care.
I'm DONE nursing! Have been for a while now. But, it sure took a couple of weeks of feeling crappy before I felt normal again. As in...I thought I was pregnant there for a minute I was feeling that bad. (Which I'm NOT just to clarify). And the day I finally did feel good again was the day my cycle started. Awesome.
Greg's been working like crazy. Nuff said.
We have several events this weekend. I should be looking forward to them...all fun times with friends, potlucks and parties. But, being a mom of two kids under the age of two it just means shuttling the kids all over the place, figuring out child-care, etc. I will be fine once I get there...it just gives me a headache sometimes.
We are seriously looking a purchasing a vehicle and it has been very stressful. I've been the work-horse behind it (which I happily volunteered for!). But, just like buying a house it takes time and patience.
My Mom came out last week and did a front yard make-over for me! She helped me find some plants I love and basically re-did the entire planter area. Love it! Now I just have to keep up with weeding. Pics soon...

We have been loving the weather lately--Indian summers in the Midwest are the BEST!

Baseboards

2011-08-15T10:51:00.001-04:00

Check out the centerpiece that is gracing our dining table this morning.....

Freshly painted baseboards by the Mr. over the weekend.

And they will probably be there all week.

And there's about a magillion more.

Our home has not had baseboards for about 3 years. We ripped the suckers off as soon as we started painting one room at a time until the entire house was baseboardless (yes, that's a word I just made up).

They're nothing fancy. Super cheap. Not even real wood. But they are nice and wide and that's all I wanted. Plus, add to the fact that we are amateurs at EVERYTHING. So we are going for simple lines to make installation a bit easier.

***

And just for fun, I'm LOVING these new shoes I got over the weekend!

In order to relate this to the post...it's also been 3 years since I've had a new pair of running shoes. So in celebration of getting new baseboards I got some new kicks as well.

How's that for wrapping up a post??

Cutest video to date...

2011-08-12T13:24:00.000-04:00

This is the video I will show to my kids down the road when they never seem to stop fighting.

(Probably sooner than I think).

"Kensie! Mason! Stop bickering. Come here and sit down and watch this video!"

And then I will say, "Just look how cute you used to be in the good 'ol days..."

I love those two.

***

PS- I'm heading down to the basement RIGHT NOW to do the workout I missed yesterday! Sometimes, just writing it down is all the motivation I need...

Peace!

Basement dreamin'

2011-08-11T14:25:00.002-04:00

It's Thursday and my kids are napping.

I'm supposed to be doing my weight lifting routine in the basement on Thursdays.

But, today I'm zapped and don't feel like it.

It might have something to do with staying up WAY TOO LATE the past few nights in a row.

Why you ask? Oh, no reason really.

Other than coveting my time alone with the hubs while the kids sleep--watching movies, dumb TV shows, looking at cars on craigslist....really no good reason. And we are both paying for it. Dragging our feet. Suffering from headaches. Guzzling coffee and Mt. Dew. Yeah. We're smart like that.

So instead of getting fit in the basement I'm dreaming up ideas for that dungeon down there...

Like this basement laundry room:

BHG

I especially love the curtains covering the walls and the exposed white painted ceiling with the hanging lights. And that table covering the washer and dryer is awesome! So bright and cheery. Pretty much everything our basement is NOT right now.

***

And I would LOVE a larger playroom in the basement like this:

HGTV

Fun colors, nice built in shelves to stay organized, and LOTS of room to play.

***

And maybe if I had a workout room that looked like this I would be down there even on those blah days:

Source

Yes, I think I could easily lose track of time while looking at that mural. Simply stunning.

*YAWN*

Man, I gotta go to bed early tonight....

Mr. Mason Man and Miss Kensie Girl {new stages}

2011-08-08T17:00:00.002-04:00

This boy has a smile that can light up a room. Seriously. And those big blue eyes--just like his big sister. He melts me from the inside out with that sweet face. He's 5 months today and just gets cuter by the second.

I never thought boy babies could be cuter than girl babies. You know what I mean? Not that girls are cuter than boys...I just always had it in my head that baby girls would ALWAYS beat out baby boys (in the "cute" department anyway). But, now I bite my lip. I tell Greg almost every night before bed, "I really never thought a boy could be cuter than Kensie but, I think Mason just might have passed her up!"

I've said it before but he has SO much more personality than Kensie did at this stage.

Who knows how that will translate once HE turns 2. Speaking of turning 2.....someone is crossing over to her second year of life in a month.

Miss Kensie has had a few more spanks and time-outs this week. Oh my dear Kensie girl. She has run out of teething excuses, up-too-late-last-night excuses, etc. As one friend put it, she's just growing up. Testing to see which buttons are best to push. I see her frustration when she can't communicate, or can't finish whatever task she's trying so desperately to finish. And I see her wanting to make her own choices. Not just the ones I give her. *Sigh*. And I'm trying to stay calm. Make lots of eye-contact. Talk calmly repeating the SAME thing for the ten thousandth time. Many of my friends have kids between ages 2 and 3....and well, I think I'm next. Should be an interesting year to say the least.

I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to potty training, moving to her big-girl bed, and being in the front lines of parenting. Consistency is key but patience is fleeting. So pray for me if you think of it.

Mr. Noodle

2011-08-05T11:23:00.001-04:00

I love our town. It reminds me so much of the town I grew up in. Cute little downtown with unique shops and boutiques. Farmer's Market every Wednesday and Saturday. Just minutes from the beach. Small enough to run into people you know. A place where "college-town" meets "family-friendly". A perfect place to raise your kids.

It's definitely what gets me through those tough mid-west winters sometimes.
That's for sure.

Every Thursday night {during the summer} is Street Performers Night!

It's basically an outdoor talent show featuring a variety of live performances throughout downtown. They close off the street for easy walking and performers litter the sidewalks in every nook and cranny.

Singers

Hip-hop dancers

Juggling acts

Belly-dancers

Magicians

and Kensie's favorite.....

Mr. Noodle

Well, that's what we call him anyway.

Big shoes. Red nose. A hat full of tricks. Silly suspenders and white gloves. The quintessential clown.

He never says a word but, has the ability to capture an audience {especially kids}.

What a fun and rewarding gift he has!

Unfortunately, he wasn't there last night. We walked up and down the street while Kensie repeated, "Noonle...Noonle...Noonle".

Even the "juggling-fire-while-riding-a-unicycle" act didn't impress her.

Let's hope Mr. Noodle is there next week, or I'm gonna have some serious explaining to do.

My motto

2011-08-03T21:55:00.003-04:00

My new motto lately {one of many by the way} has been this:

"Mommies think about mommy things and Daddies think about Daddy things"

It's silly, but I say it ALL the time.

It has recently helped avoid many a conflict between Greg and I.

All in all, it keeps me sane.

Here's some {purely hypothetical of course} examples:

When packing the diaper bag...

Mommies remember everything for baby--plus some extras.
Daddies remember everything accept the most important thing (ie: got the formula, but forgot the bottle...got the wipes, but forgot the diapers).

When eating a snack...

Mommies eat the same thing as their toddler to avoid a scene--or sneak it in the kitchen when the child is not looking.
Daddies eat what sounds the best at the moment (like cheetos, or cookies of some kind)--in the living room, with an open can of Mt. Dew on the floor between munching, IN FRONT OF THE CHILD.

When putting the kids to bed...

Mommies (1) brush the toddlers teeth (2) get them in pj's (3) turn on the fan [for noise] and (4) shut the door.
Daddies do 2 out of the 4.

When doing "man-required" projects around the house...

Mommies don't do "man-required" projects but, if they DID (and some of you mommies may) tools would be color coded and hanging in alphebetical order with labeled bins for scraps high up on shelves AWAY from kids. Am I right?
Daddies leave every possible tool and scrap piece out in plain sight until whenever they get around to working on it next--usually on the floor. Perfect kid magnets.

When coming into the house...

Mommies take their shoes off and line them up against the wall.
Daddies drop their shoes (and socks!) wherever they feel like it--usually in high traffic areas.

When sitting down for dinner...

Mommies only put the food out that will be consumed.
Daddies leave ALL food and preparations out 'cuz they "might" eat some more later. And it ends up staying out until bedtime rolls around.

So, while we still have "discussions" about these everyday things....I am TRYING my hardest to plaster my motto across my brain and let go a bit. It's not worth fighting over petty things. And honestly, there are a LOT of things Greg thinks about that hardly ever cross my mind.

Like:

How to financially plan for our future and our kids' futures. Remember, yours truly is Spender McSpendsalot.
In what order to do house projects. I often just want the end result, and don't care how we get there.
Coming up with more efficient driving routes when we take family trips (his super-power).
Being adventurous and willing to let the kids try new things. I have a comfort zone so big that it needs it's own zip code. Really. Truly.
Taking the kids outside with him while he works around the house. I would just do it during naps, but he takes the time to work along side them. Precious to watch.

Who knows what next week's motto will be but for now, I'm thankful for both of our roles. We need each other.

Toothpaste {a friendly competition}

2011-08-02T14:00:00.000-04:00

Every couple months we go through another tube of toothpaste.

(Usually Crest, 'cuz I'm high-maintenance when it comes to my teeth and I'm a spender. Greg would brush with baking soda if he had to, 'cuz all he thinks about is how much that tube of Crest is costing us....aren't we such a good balance for each other?)

Anyway, every time we near the end of yet another tube something ignites in Greg and I. Well, it ignites in Mr. Penny-pincher first ('cuz he wants to get every last dime outta that thing) and I follow along ('cuz I'm oober competitive).

A battle of the wills.

Who will be the one to finally throw it away and start a new one?

Oh, it's onnnnn.

Who usually wins?

mmm not me.
(guys have stronger thumbs okay?)

Am I bitter about it?

usually.

Do I cheat?

sometimes.

Who's keeping track?

both of us.

Is it childish?

probably.

***

Competitive much??

Just a little.

Another year {flashbacks on marriage}

2011-07-30T21:15:00.001-04:00

We are celebrating 6 years of marriage today! Whoa.

I remember that first year of married life so so SO well.

Every. little. detail.....

Well, the wedding was a blur to be honest--thank goodness for pictures! But the moment we left for our honeymoon to the Riviera Maya, we soaked up every teeny tiny moment together.

He's all mine ladies....

We giggled every time we referred to the other as "husband" or "wife". And we couldn't wait to tell people we had just gotten hitched. With each week that passed we neared another month and it felt like FOREVER to get to 6 months. "Wow! We've been married for 6 months! Doesn't our wedding seem like SOOO long ago!" Oh my past little self...how much faster it would get.

Our tiny one-bedroom apartment was barely furnished, but we loved it. We couldn't wait to invite our other newly-married friends over for cards, movies and double dates.

Cathi & Justin. Aaron & Allison
These are some of our long-time "newlywed" friends from college (they're not as crazy as they look...ok maybe just a 'lil crazy). We all got married within just a couple months of each other and now all 3 couples have 2 kids each (just months apart as well). They also stood up in our wedding. LOVE these guys. And this is by far my favorite pic of them.

Ok, back to us...

I would spend all day thinking of how I wanted to set the table and what new recipe I would try for when my hunky man came home from work. We would go for long bike rides with no destination in mind....take as long as we I wanted wondering the malls....spend Sunday afternoons hid away in our bedroom....

Ahhhh that first year. There's just nothing like it. I truly remember thinking to myself, "this is everything I thought it would be!".

***

And although those days are gone (in some ways).....although we are busy with work, blessed with children (who add to the busyness)...although we find little time for dates and disagree on occasion....although we fight over the blankets and sleep on opposite sides of the bed sometimes....

...We celebrate 6 years gone by...we celebrate the depth of our conversations and late night talks...we celebrate our triumph over tough times and being there for each other when we need it most....we celebrate commitment and choosing to love even when we don't feel like it.....we celebrate marriage because not many do anymore.

Happy 6 years my love! I pray the next 6 will be even sweeter.

Pardon me...

2011-07-29T17:23:00.001-04:00

...while I switch things up a bit.

I'm in the process of changing the style of this here blog. I'm an amateur mind you, so don't get too excited. Just a few font changes here and there, a few color and background tweaks and hopefully a more updated header pic (since we have a new member to the family who is almost 5 months old already!). Although I simply LOVE the feet pic {taken by the talented Tammi Dryden btw} and it's nearly impossible to re-create something that special a second time. Or maybe I'll do a collage of some kind...I dunno. But, mostly I wanted a W I D E R layout so my posts look less like a never-ending novel and make it easier on the eyes to read. Even though I know you read every post all the way to the end, right? Psshhhh. Yeah right. More like speed scanning--that's what I do most of the time (secret's out!). That's why I use lots of lists and bold letters--so you have an excuse to scan and get the gist (or is it 'jist'....they both look wrong but I really wanted to use the word. Oh well).

Gotta run!

Nursing {personal pro's and con's}

2011-07-28T16:10:00.002-04:00

Today's topic? Nursing.

Controversial? ummm YES.

Like SO many child-rearing topics, nursing is one of those things mothers spend a lot of time discussing. Whether you are nursing or bottle feeding or both, it's a hot topic. Here's a few sub-topics to get you all fired up about...

Nursing in public--it's legal but is it appropriate? And to what extent?
How often should you nurse?--is it simply a matter of supply and demand or should you stick to scheduled feedings?
How do you increase milk supply if your baby isn't getting enough? (Don't get me started on how much I've read up on this one and how many crazy ideas are out there...)
Should you nurse your baby to sleep? Or keep them awake after a feeding?
If your baby cries after the bottle is empty does it mean he/she is still hungry? Or does your baby not know he/she is full and is crying out of frustration more than hunger?
If nursing is easy for you: to what age should you nurse your baby?
If nursing is a hard for you: how long do you struggle with it and when is it ok to "throw in the towel"?
When and how do you start to wean your baby? (Which I'm currently starting to do with Mason for many reasons. Keep reading to find out...)

**As far as all that (above) is concerned....do what is best for you, your family, and your way of life. When it comes to nursing, there are no black and white answers. Every baby is different and every mom is different. You should not feel forced into a corner by one person's experience. Learn what you can from others and apply it if needed.
That's my opinion.**

So, here's my perspective in a list ('cuz I like lists...and 'cuz I like looking back a year from now to remember where I was at...and mostly 'cuz I'm not good at writing in paragraphs and have terrible grammar).

PRO'S--short and sweet:

It's FREE. Formula is expensive. Period.
It's better for baby (from a nutritional stand-point)
Prevents baby from getting sick (due to the antibodies you give through your milk)
It's great bonding for mama and baby
It teaches patience and persistence (can also be a con)--which I always need to practice.

CON'S--this is where it gets more personal and "wordy":

It's hard to nurse baby #2 when baby #1 doesn't understand the importance of feedings and wants you to play with her instead of nurse her baby brother. Multiply this scenario by 6 feedings a day and it starts to get old. Fast.
I DON'T LIKE NURSING IN PUBLIC. I wish I did. I don't mind when other people do but I'm not graceful at it. My babies are loud and messy eaters and therefore draw attention, not to mention the clumsy "shield" I have to use and cannot go an.y.where without it. And depending on the circumstance....what do you do if baby #1 starts acting up in public while you are nursing baby #2?? You have to bring a babysitter along if you go anywhere. Overall, me no likey.
I'm one of about 7% of ladies who start their menstral cycle immediately following the 6 week after-birth. Yes, with both babies. Yes, even though I am nursing. I get my period once a month. Horray. After Kensie was born I was shocked but just went on with nursing like I thought I was supposed to. She ended up losing weight between 5 and 6 months old and I eventually switched to formula and was done nursing. I honestly have met NO ONE in real life who shares this experience. It wasn't until I came across this blog that I stopped thinking I was a complete freak-of-nature. In short, having my period affects the taste and supply of my milk--causing a fussier, night-waking baby during that dreaded week once a month. This time around (after Mason) I knew what I was getting into so I pumped A TON in the beginning and had a freezer stocked full of "emergency milk". I also started taking "the pill" this time around which eliminated my actual period but I still seem to have a drop in supply once a month. Booo!
I can't keep up with his growth spurts as a result of point #3. He is such a good sleeper if he gets enough to eat. So an extra bottle at night has really helped with the night-wakings. But, I currently have less than a week's worth of "emergency milk" left!

Now that I'm looking at my list it's no wonder that after ALL that I have indeed decided to start weaning my dear Mason. It is time. And I will be doing it much slower this round. I went cold turkey with Kensie and I was miserable for 3 straight days. So, this time I am substituting one nursing session with a bottle usually around his 3pm feeding. Then we'll move to 2 and so on. I'm looking to be done by the time he is 6 months old.

And that's my take on nursing! If you actually made it to the bottom I'm impressed...not always a fun topic but I like to keep things interesting!

I could watch this girl all day. Oh wait, I do.

2011-07-27T21:07:00.001-04:00

Just being herself. Weird. Silly. Creative. Full of energy...

Kids just make me laugh sometimes.

Musical Cribs

2011-07-22T15:21:00.001-04:00

We are on our third crib for miss Kensie.

Yes, third.

Here's the FIRST crib:

Ahhh, the nursery in the beginning stage. Blank walls. New crib (minus the mattress at this point in the pic). No curtains yet. Fresh new rug on our newly refinished wood floors. Anxiously waiting to meet our first baby girl.

And then she came and filled this crib full of sweetness....

{I can't believe how little she is here!}

I love this crib.

We found it on craigslist (if I had a dime for every time I said that...) and it has everything we wanted in a high-quality crib but (again) for a THIRD of the price. SCORE. Big time. As in, "we-got-a-4-piece-Pottery-Barn-nursery-furniture-set" kind of score. Yeah.

I love this crib.

An.y.way....

9 months past by...

and I was pregnant again.

Excited. Thrilled.

But, we needed a second crib. So, we moved the (above) crib into the "new nursery" (which now belongs to Mason) and my thoughtful friend Jessica offered to loan us the SECOND crib...

A perfect fit and exactly my taste.

That makes one crib for Kensie and one crib for Mason.

Problem solved!

Then....

Jessica was pregnant again.

Her third girl.

{Jess is one of those cute Moms you could totally picture with 3 adorable girls. Go check out her blog here to see what I mean. Adorable right? I told you.}

Anyway, she is due in September--right around Kensie's second birthday.

You do the math.

I wasn't ready to force Kensie out of the crib to a big girl bed yet, so we had to think of something quick!

We figured it was worth investing in a second crib so, back to craigslist we went and found her THIRD crib...

A convertible crib that will go from crib to toddler bed to full size headboard.

And in case you were wondering....cribs DON'T FIT THROUGH DOORWAYS. That means disassemble, reassemble, disassemble, reassemble....etc. We are now professional crib-setter-uppers to say the least.

But, I think we are DONE with the musical crib game. Whew!

For a while anyway....

Puzzles!

2011-07-18T10:10:00.001-04:00

I feel like I am on a video marathon here by sharing one in every post lately {my apologies to those of you hoping for something other than "life with kids" kind of posts--it's such a BIG part of my life}. But, there's something about watching toddlers grow and learn that just beckons me to pull out the camera, ya know?

Kensie spends a lot of time doing puzzles. After she hops down from breakfast at the counter, she wanders over to her kid table and becomes enthralled in some kind of puzzle. Sometimes she will do them by herself. But, usually she wants me to sit with her and cheer her on to finish one.

I see her determination to finish and her satisfaction once it's done.

Such simple accomplishments make me swell with pride.

Pockets and Shews

2011-07-15T11:01:00.001-04:00

This girl loves two things right now....

Pockets.

Pockets on shorts.

Pockets on dresses.

Pockets on other people's shorts and shirts.

Pockets, pockets, pockets.

And her hands must be in them at ALL times.

It's all fun and games until the day she runs with her hands in her pockets and trips and falls and...well, you know what would happen next...

Ouch.

She also loves "shews" as she calls them.

Her shoes.

Daddy's shoes.

Mommy's shoes.

Mason's shoes.

Everyone must wear their shoes at ALL times.

She frequently brings me various pairs of shoes and informs me who they belong to.

And like any good mom would, I play along.

For now.

My favorite things

2011-07-11T13:46:00.002-04:00

{1} Kensie's Crocs

She can put them on herself. They go with every outfit. She can wear them to church, to play, and run through the sprinklers. I scrub them with dish soap and a brush and they look like NEW. Found them on Amazon--they have tons of different colors.

{2} Certain Dri

I have a sweating problem. Bad. Embarrassingly bad. So bad, in fact, I probably could get a prescription for it. Just ask any former teammate of mine and they will tell you my uniform was always a darker shade than the rest of the team. No lie. But then I found this stuff and it works like a charm--at least for the under arm area. And you can buy it right at the grocery store! I make sure to NEVER run out. Let's hope they make it forever!

{3} Dirt Devil

Small enough to fit in a tiny closet. Light-weight enough for Kensie to use. Powerful enough to pick up just about anything on the wood and tile floors. Cheap enough to fit in your budget. LOVE.

{4} Aveda glossing straightener

I use a pea-size amount of this product so it lasts a loooong time. I run it through my hair as soon as I get out of the shower. It smells amazing and keeps the frizz down as I'm blow-drying my hair. It's a little pricey but SO worth it.

{5} Cougar Chariot {double}

I could go ON and ON about this one. Basically it's a double jogger stroller on steroids {the one shown is a single so ours is a bit wider}--can be a four wheel stroller OR a jogger stroller OR converts to a bike trailer in a pinch. Ours came with extra storage on the top and back making it easy to pack everything you need for a long outing. It pushes with incredible ease and turns on a dime! I cannot say enough about it. Thankfully we found one on craigslist for half the price!

{6} Hamilton Beach Brew Station coffee maker

This was one of those Christmas gifts {from my thoughtful hubby} that you never asked for but your gift-giver hit the nail right on the head! I especially love that it self-dispenses. No clumsy coffee pot to take in and out. Just put your cup under the dispenser and push. Mess-free and great for company!

{7} King-size bed

We love to cuddle. But when it comes down to actually sleeping, we need to stretch our 6'0" and 6'3" bodies way-the-heck out. We tell every newlywed we know to get one of these. Even though you think you will want to sleep right next to each other your whole life...trust us. This bed will make you love each other even MORE. Speaking of sleep.....

{8} Sleep Mate sound machine

Now that I have "mom ears" (you mommies know what I'm talking about)...I'm not a very sound sleeper anymore. This machine saved my life. And it easily packs in our bags to take on vacation!

{9} Mary Kay mineral powder

All my skin care products are MK but this is the one I love the most. And it lasts for.e.ver. All over coverage that doesn't weigh your skin down.

{10} Watching these two

'Cuz the list wouldn't be complete without them.

4 months!

2011-07-09T13:05:00.001-04:00

And the next two pics sum up how the day went...

Kensie insisted on being in the picture and then refused to smile or look at me. Little stinker.

It seems like when we try to take it easy in the mornings and don't go anywhere, she turns into a 13 year old with an attitude. Follows me around ev.er.y.where.... to the bathroom, to get a drink, to do the laundry.

JUST PLAY BY YOURSELF CHILD.

Mr. Mason {however} is just as happy as ever. As long as he is fed enough--still working on a post about that whole issue lately. Let's just say, I'm SO ready to be done nursing. And I'm ready for my little sleeper to come back for good.

Backyard decisions...

2011-07-07T14:02:00.001-04:00

First of all...to weed? Or not to weed?

(looking out the living room window into the backyard)

I choose "not to" and it's not pretty.

***

Ok, now onto something a bit more fun to discuss...

Here's a shot of our backyard {looking out the same window}:

Love the grass and shady trees. Don't love the view of the house behind us.

Here's the problem:

I want privacy and a safe place for our kids to play without running into someone else's yard {never mind the busy street behind us too}. We live on a cul-de-sac so the front yard is where we spend most of our time. But, the backyard is not so enticing.

Greg doesn't like the "look" of fences. He understands the need for safety if we ever want to play in the backyard but, cannot get past the "look" of a fence. Mind you, he grew up in farm country with TONS of room. I get that.

So, here's some ideas we've discussed:

A white picket fence...

(simple version using my paint program)

A row of bushes...

Or a tall privacy fence {with bushes in front}...

What do you think? Opinions? Would love to hear other ideas as well!

3 days over the 4th

2011-07-05T16:06:00.001-04:00

The Fourth of July was on a Monday this year and as a result Greg had three full days off....amazing right?!

I know.

Remember how my hubby loves to work under pressure?

And how he thrives on conquering tough challenges??

Especially in a short amount of time...

Well, he wanted to make the most of it by squeezing in as much as possible. And I'm not complaining cuz we got a LOT done and had a ton of fun!

{Day 1}

Greg spent most of the day putting up the rest of the trim on all the doors and closets in each bedroom...

(sorry forgot to take pics!)

...while I spent the morning with Kensie downtown at farmer's market enjoying some much needed one-on-one girl time. She's been a little clingy lately (those bad-boy molars are putting a number on this little girl) and she desperately needs some extra attention these days.

{Day 2}

Let's start off by saying the night before Mason woke up at 1:30, 3:30 and 6:00am. SO FRUSTRATING. I'm thinking it's a growth spurt. And I think my milk supply is dropping. This was around the same time that Kensie showed similar signs and by 5 months old I made the decision to ween her. So, more on that later...but, nothing like starting a day off with ZERO sleep.

We packed up the car with everything imaginable for a day on the lake with 2 adults, 1 toddler, and 1 baby.

Kinda stressed me out.

But, we made it.

We remembered everything.

And boy, was Kensie in for a treat...

I call this her "mini fridge swimsuit"....and I was surprised she didn't mind how bulky it was.

probably cuz she was so busy doing this...

We stayed out there until 7pm.

Kensie loved every minute.

Drove 45 minutes home, threw the kids in the bath, and threw them in bed (ok, we "placed them" but, that's what the bedtime routine feels like sometimes...just get them in bed!!).

{Day 3}

This time Mason awoke at 4:30 and 7:30am. Still not his normal 8-10 hour slumber but, better than the night before...

More packing (this time forgetting Kensie's swimsuit--and turning around to run home 5 minutes into the trip.) Coulda been worse right?

We scored the same sweet spot by the water as the day before.

And let Kensie loose...

After seeing her show "no fear" on the water, we decided to see how she would do on the boat...

Ummm she LOVED it. We sat in the front of the boat and she immediately started bouncing on my lap with excitement. We even did a loop around the lake going pretty fast (fast enough to pull a skier behind) and she kept saying "weeeee!....Whoa!....weeeee!!". When we pulled up to the shore I asked if she wanted to get off. In her sweet soft voice, "nooooo" (while shaking her head).

I think we have a little fishie on our hands!

We left the lake around 6pm and drove up to visit my Mom for dinner and fireworks in her backyard. Literally. It was a great set-up. Kensie slept in the house while we sat outside and watched the show.

We pulled into our driveway just after midnight. Exhausted. Dirty. Smelling of sunscreen and bug spray.

***

The downside for both days on the lake:

Kensie didn't nap at ALL for 2 days straight.

I don't like nursing in public but, we made it work.

My hate for mosquitoes > My hate for the snow.

Must. Get. A. Bigger. Car.

Too much sun + ZERO sleep = headaches.

The upsides:

Kensie was happy (despite no naps, a runny nose, and teething).

She sure is making up for it by napping super hard today!

Such a great chance to spend time as a family.

Mason did great eating and sleeping in a different environment (except at night).

I love my husband in board shorts.

Happy Independence Day!

Resolution Check-in

2011-07-01T11:03:00.001-04:00

Raise your hand if you are really good at setting goals but not so good at following through.

Both hands raised over here!

{Although I'm giving myself credit by even having the courage to do an update}

Ok, here we go...

The closest pic I had to January 1, 2011

'cuz what's a post without a picture?

If you want to read the original New Year's post go HERE.

Sounds good right?

Well, here's the reality of where I'm at 6 months later

{report card style}:

Patience

B-

Save more $$$

Fail

Get back into shape

A-

Let go a bit

Love my husband more

C+

Teacher's notes:

Shannon has transitioned well from 1 to 2 kids and exhibited some {relative word} patience ie: when her toddler throws a fit while her son has a blow-out...she get's frustrated but doesn't let it stop her from staying calm and loving her kids through it.

When it comes to saving more $$$, we recommend Shannon goes to summer school. She has good intentions but, she's had one too many detentions for over-spending at the grocery store and cheats by going through the drive-through for dinner too many times. If she wants to ever get a new car, something must change.

There is great motivation by Shannon to get back into shape, and we are proud to see her making time for a quick work-out on a consistent basis. Her motivation comes from wanting to feel in shape, not just look it. This is a much better outlook than years past. While she has not yet signed up for a 5k, there are plans to find one soon!

It is still extremely difficult for Shannon to let go. Again, we see her wanting to let go of her control-like tendencies. But, it is so much easier for her to do it herself (or so she thinks). This is an area that still needs a lot of work.

Considering the circumstances, Shannon is doing an adequate job of loving her husband. There are times where she is able to encourage Greg through a text or written note. And there are ways she has taken initiative to do things that make him proud ie: cleaning the floors. But, this too, needs work. Shannon needs to show that she will go above and beyond her usual {comfortable} ways of loving her husband.

***

Did you make any resolutions? If so, how are they going so far?

Garage Sales Galore!

2011-06-25T14:30:00.002-04:00

Today was a perfect day for garage sales! With the Mr. gone at work all day, the kids and I ventured out in hopes of finding three things: a crib and mattress (more on that in another post), some kids clothes, and a beach tent.

NONE of which we came home with. Of course.

BUT, we did snag some pretty good deals!

$2.50 for all these toy cars. 

I decided it was time to invest in some "boy" toys but, Kensie has been playing with them ever since she got home! This is how she arranged them just before going down for her nap.

Mason--these are for you. Kensie is just warming them up until you are ready to play with them, ok?

$9.00 for this battery operated 4-wheeler (brand-new)

The previous owner bought it for her daughter. She sat on it one time and was scared every time she pushed the button to make it "drive". I sat Kensie down for a test drive...and let's just say we brought that sucker home lickity split!

$6.00 for this entire light-up Christmas village

(not for each one but, for the WHOLE set people!)

I am incredibly excited about these!! Christmas in {almost} July!

I didn't even care that they smelled slightly of smoke and that all the lights work except one bulb is missing (easy to replace!). So excited. Have I said that yet? Ok, you get the idea.

I. Heart. Christmas.

***

And this is what I'm currently enjoying after all that bargain hunting.

Yes, time for some "me" time while the munchkins nap.

Happy Saturday!

Dada's Day {in photos}

2011-06-19T15:14:00.002-04:00

Without this strong, steadfast, loving man...

I wouldn't have these sweet moments to watch...

...like the way he connects with Kensie...

...and the way she looks at him...

...and the way they laugh together...

Oh, how we all love this guy. So incredibly much.

***

And, here's a quick clip of Greg's ideal day of celebration

(just moments ago)...

What Dad wouldn't love that??

***

UPDATE:

{Now all THREE of them are sleeping! I really think I'm getting the better end of the deal on this one.}

Happy Father's Day!

A taste of summer

2011-06-17T19:31:00.002-04:00

Strawberries remind me so much of summer. I just had to bring this yummy summer(y) fruit indoors.

And with the leftover party decorations from Kensie's birthday last year, I didn't have to buy a thing!

The tiny plate reads:"May the Sun Shine Warm upon Your Face"

I love summertime.

Fresh lavender from the front yard. mmmmmmm.

I love this welcome sign {Hobby Lobby}. It keeps rotating walls throughout the house and I still haven't used those adorable magnets--hmmmm suggestions??

And this lovely {fake} bouquet was passed on to me from my sister Lauren. She's getting quite good at arranging flowers and this was a "practice" bouquet for a wedding she did--Lauren made the fake ones so the bride could get an idea what she wanted....AND THEN made the real ones for the actual wedding--yeah. Who does that?? But, I was happy to take them off her hands. :) She needs to become a florist. Oh wait, she's already a super-genius practicing pharmacist. Yeah, I'm just a little proud {ok a LOT}.

Here are 2 more bouquet's my lovely Lauren made that I tucked into an old dusty keepsake box my Mom found in her shed. Thanks for the idea Lolo!

And this pic {from our honeymoon} is the epitome of summer. Ahhhh. Such good memories.
***

Have you brought some summer into your home yet?

21 months and 3 months {a list}

2011-06-13T22:09:00.001-04:00

{1} When did my Kensie girl grow up so fast? I mean, I know it happens a little bit everyday. But, where does the time go??? Yeah yeah...it goes even faster with the second one. I'm just marveling in these thoughts lately.

{2} We are entering some new stages with this girlie....nothing catastrophic....just a few more fits, some more outright, "NO's!"--from her that is, some trial-and-error disciplining and I'm waiting for the day I walk in her room to discover she's {finally} managed to crawl out of her crib....seriously. It's coming soon, I can feel it.

{3} This girl adores her two blankies. We hadn't washed them in ::cough over a month cough:: Gross. She sleeps with them at night and during naptime, so the window of getting them washed and dried is very short during the day. Annnyyway....we finally washed them the other day. Here's a clip of the reunion:

Don't judge out nasty un-finished basement either ok?

When I see it on camera I cringe...ick.

{4} Some new things she LOVES to eat: oranges, fresh cherries (after I pit them of course), and salad--of all things.

{5} She could really care less about Mason right now--other than trying to intercept my lap when I'm about to feed him.

Speaking of my handsome little devil, let's get to that list:

{1} Just turned 3 months but, looks {and feels} like he's 6 months.

{2} Has a lot more personality than Kensie did at this age. Smiles at anyone and flirts with ALL the ladies. Oh dear.

{3} Sleeps between 8-10 hours at night. Praise the Lord for another great sleeper!

{4} In general a very content little guy.

So those are the kiddo updates! Working on a decorating post soon...

Snaps of Memorial Day and the playroom

2011-06-02T14:58:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful Memorial Day we had on Monday!

It was sunny {85*} and gorgeous.

A perfect day for the parade downtown.

The marching bands are always Kensie's favorite.

And when we got home, the kiddie pool finally made it's debut for the season....

It was a hit, to say the least.

***

And if you have time this week, make sure to stop by Hobby Lobby! Lots of fun clearance items.

Like these cute butterflies I snagged for the playroom {$1.99 each}--sorry I cleaned out the rest of 'em on the shelf! But, there are lots of other fun summer(y) things like umbrellas, pinwheels, chinese lanterns. If you are looking to have an outdoor party this summer, then go. Right.now.

Makes you want to giggle huh?

Kensie {read: Shannon} has been pointing at them all week in excitement.

Shabby finds, gardening, and a visitor...

2011-05-29T15:28:00.001-04:00

Look what I brought home this week....

I have mason jars ALL over my house. But, whoever thought of making one into a soap dispenser just became my new best friend. I found this cutie at our local "Not So Shabby" store.

And this moss covered "M" fits perfectly into my decor as well. Also found at the same store. I know, I know. I could have totally made one myself. But, time for hobbies is decreasing at an increasing rate, so all you DIY crafters can sue me, ok?

And since I'm a below-average gardener....these pics are for my mother--"Mom! Look at the clematis {above} you gave me a few years ago! It's blooming and gorgeous and I love it. And remember that climbing rose {below} that I declared a 'non-blooming dud'?? Well I can't even count the number of buds on it!! Thank you for having faith in my lack-of-a-green-thumb skills".

Oh and as for our visitor this weekend...

Well, this pic pretty much sums it up.

Hope you are having a great Memorial weekend!

We sure are...

Mason's mullet

2011-04-27T15:41:00.001-04:00

This boy was born with a ton of hair. And I love it. He instantly looks like a mini Greg: dark brown in color. Stick-straight ends. Complete with sideburns.

see the matchy sideburns?

How cute are these two boys? Tall, dark and handsome. That's how I roll...

It's been 7 weeks since he's showcased his manly dark locks, and BOY has it grown! So much, in fact, he was starting to sport a mullet.

But, after a quick snip...

He's back to his ruggedly handsome good looks (I mean locks...tee-hee).

Ok, that was lame. But, that's all I had for material today, ok?

I'm so blessed to have a son. Especially one that reminds me of my hard-working husband every day.