on the farm...

Here are a few quick phone pics from our trip to Grant's Farm this past weekend. As soon as Jack started feeding the goats, I whipped out my camera, and realized that I didn't have my memory card so these will have to do. I blame the baby-brain!

Jack loved the goats!

He loved that he fed them out of a bottle, and that "I'llllll feed my baby sister with a bottle!" so he was getting his practice in!

I wouldn't let him down while he was feeding the goats for fear of him being jumped on, knocked down, and scarred, because, trust me, these guys get aggressive when it comes to their milk! Jack was very adamant with the goats that they should "Share with each other!", as apparent via his disapproving finger-pointing!

I tried to convince Jim that we needed to bring a baby goat home with us, but he was pretty insistent that we just wait a few more weeks and bring a real baby home with us instead. You win, Jim!

After the goat fun (and what's not fun about wearing flip-flops in the dirty, poopy goat pen?!), Jack needed to cool off in the sprinkler...

...and feed the camels. Good times on the farm!

Nursery (part 4)

More nursery progress! We have a finished/usable armoire in the room! Here’s the breakdown.

We got this armoire for free last summer from neighbors who were moving. Free=nice. Navy=Not Nice. It sat idle in our garage for almost a year.

Finally I realized that we’d need somewhere to put all of baby girl’s clothes, so we pulled it out of the garage, dusted it off, and relocated it to our third room for a makeover. I pulled out the primer from when we primed the basement before we even moved in over a year ago. It was the consistency of Elmer’s Glue…uck! But, I’m cheap and lazy, so I made it work!
After priming, 2 coats of paint on this beast (which was a paint in the ass to paint BTW!), and a few cute door knobs from Hobby Lobby, it’s like a whole new piece of furniture!

If I’m being honest, I don’t love it. It doesn’t offer a lot of storage like I’d hoped, but it’s fine for now…and for free (+ cost of paint and door knobs). As warned, it looks way cuter in the pictures than it does in person! Hopefully it will grow on me...otherwise I'll be DIY-ing again soon!


Note: the knobs ended up being to big for the doors (they don’t close all the way), so I’ll have to go back and get a smaller set, but you get the idea!

So there you have it. Another check off the list. I feel a little bit better having this phase completed: it was the last major project to finish, but now I'm noticing all of the little projects I should work on in the evenings. Instead, I sit down for an hour and watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey because they are seriously nuts and I love it, so I'm happily entertained!

34 weeks...

I feel like all of a sudden I woke up and am like, "Holy s#!t, I'm 8 months pregnant?!?" As excited as I am to meet this little lady, I'm wishing time would slow down to a leisurely pace rather than high-speed freight train velocity so I can slow down and:
1. Finish my list of projects to complete her room.
2. Take time to organize/clean all of the baby gear that's been sitting idle since Jack used it.
3. Relax a bit before life gets a whole lot crazier!

Instead, time is turning me into this...

which is roughly the size of a honeydew!

I've officially begun wearing Jim's clothes...and not just t-shirts while lounging around the house: work shirts. I tell myself I'm totally pulling off the "trendy menswear look", but I'm really just looking for something roomy that's clean at this point!

I’m making a list so I can be sure to pack my hospital bag ahead of time this go-round. When I went into labor with Jack, I didn’t have my bag packed yet (because he was 3 weeks early!) and it caused a major meltdown mid-contractions because I hadn’t picked out the perfect outfit for him to wear yet. I’m trying to be prepared this time (which is proving harder when I'm trying to keep up with Jack)!

All in all, I'm feeling good and in slight disbelief that this pregnancy is almost over. At least I have a three-day weekend to look forward to. Hopefully some organizing is in my future!

PS: This weekend we re-finished up the armoire for her room so I have some pictures (that make it look way cuter than it does in person) to show later!

We're back...

After a fun filled week complete with cousin-love, family bonding, fishing (with real worms), riding rides, jumping on beds, and adventures galore, we are home. Our bags might still be packed, and we might be running on the bare BARE minimum as far as groceries, but we are home. And I know two cousins who are already missing eachother...


I wonder how long we can live off canned veggies and frozen pizzas...without clean clothes...and unedited pictures...I'll be back with answers (and pictures).

We're off...

to Branson...

Re-org

AKA: "What to do when your child is sent home sick and you are nesting"


After you make sure he is taken care of and napping well (obv!), get busy washing, boiling, thoroughly sanitizing every part of every bottle.


Then, look at your storage. And think, “Who lives like this?! I’m a hot mess!” So remove all of the junk/miscellany (yes, this includes Easter candy that’s been hiding from Jack: gross!).

Clean, sanitize, reorganize the shelves and step back and admire your work…(also, realize that this will most likely not stay in such pristine condition, and that is ok).

Is it the silliest thing that this kind of stuff gets me excited?! Just like when we finally cleaned out what was just a large “throw-all” known as our 3rd bedroom, I find myself taking sneak peeks at the lovely, organized cabinets!

This also lead to more cabinet reorganization…ummm, nesting much! Hopefully, this can jumpstart a fun weekend of cleaning/organizing as the clock is ticking before baby girl comes along!

On a Jack note, the poor little guy has a fever and is not himself. Hopefully he can get plenty of rest and TLC this weekend...

Pregnant & Random

Yesterday was officially 2 months from my DD (in real time, not pregnancy time because pregnancy time is all weird: you would think 40 weeks=10 months right [40÷10=4]? But no, not in Pregnancy time where 40 weeks=9 months because apparently a month is 4 1/3 weeks long not just 4 so its not a nice, even, round number…whatever, I hate math!)

Anyway, I got to thinking: only 8 more weekends until DD. And weekends are golden because it’s prime time to get the ‘To Do’s’ to be ‘To Done’! But Jack was like 3 weeks early so that makes me think she will be the same way…which makes me think: Holy hell I need to get stuff done because she'll be here before we know it and I don't even have the birdcage decor! (Because logically, her room would just not be livable without the birdcage decor!)

And then I came across this article that really stuck with me. It’s called Letter to A Pregnant Friend…and I love it…go read it. (Of course, I had to share it with my pregnant friend, Laura!) And I keep thinking about the line below and realizing that, “It is going to have to do, and the funny thing is, it will”…it may not all be my picture perfect, but it will be just right…and it will do.

There are going to be many, many days when you will not be able to do one single thing on your list of what needs to be done. The baby's needs are going to claim every living second of your time…You will think, "God! If I could only take a three-minute shower, I could cope," but there will be no chance for a three-minute shower…Maybe late tonight you will finally get to take your shower, and even brush your teeth. It is going to have to do, and the funny thing is, it will. (Anne Lamott)

Me (+baby) and Jack

milestones...

We’ve hit a few milestones this week…

For one, Jack received his first professional haircut! It was overdue! I was nervous because I didn’t think he’d sit still for the venture, but he was a champ! I think he was just enthralled with the handsome boy staring back at him in the mirror!

I was so proud and he looks so handsome with his new 'do.

Also this week, Jack finally went potty at school/daycare! He’s been “sitting on the potty” a lot, but when I asked if he went he always said, “I try, but it no work!” Well, it finally worked...YEAH! He went twice and everyone in his class (and at home) was very excited for him, think happy dances and M&Ms!

A smaller milestone, was reached last night as well: Jack ate Chicken McNuggets from McDonald’s…3 of them to be exact! He’s never liked chicken before, and was always very clear with his McDonald’s order: cheeseburger with ketchup and French fries with ketchup and "a hamburger man" (aka: a Happy Meal toy). I know it seems like an insignificant thing, but if he’ll eat something new, it’s kinda a big deal! Or maybe he’s just as sick of McDonald’s burgers as I am!

Jack and the monkeys...

One of our family adventures over the holiday weekend included a trip to the zoo. Jack LOVES the zoo and we’ve discovered that in the late afternoon, all of the animals seem to be at their active peek, so we enjoyed quite a show.

Check out what a difference a year makes! Here's Jack with Phil the Gorilla, a zoo staple since I was a kid. (Note: Yes, he is wearing the same shirt in both pictures, which is crazy considering how much growing this guy has done! It's one of my favorites, but I think this year it will have to be retired...for now!)

Here is Jack demonstrating his “new thing”: he always wants “Jus’ ONE more”, whether it’s “one more pet the goat!” or “one more book” or “one more Kung Fu Panda”…it’s almost too cute to deny...almost! ;-)

Jack loved to ride the train around the zoo, but one section must have been under construction so it was a long, dark tunnel (literally pitch black!). Needless to say, Jack was a bit scared. Good thing Daddy was there for protection, and Mommy was there with the camera!

Jack had much more fun in the light of day...