Baby Update

It's been 31 weeks already!  The days, weeks and months have flown by!  I miss having Alex and Emily home during the day...especially during this time of year.  I love going to the park and taking their pictures...but since they're at school...you just get a picture of me...sorry!  {courtesy of the self-timer!}

{Do I remind you of certain big purple dinosaur?  Ha!}

I'm still feeling really good...except that it takes some effort to get up off the couch and go to the bathroom...over and over again!  I pretty much ran out of breath when I rode my bike around the block yesterday!  Alex and Emily were each at a friend's house after school...and I rode my bike to get them when it was time to come home...I'm sure that was something to see!  I'm starting to lose motivation on cleaning out closets and painting...but I still hope to get to that in the next two months!  We'd like to paint the kids' bathroom and our bedroom...and finally have the upstairs pretty much in order.  It feels good to have so much accomplished...however...I have a feeling keeping up with the laundry and keeping the beds made every day is about to fall to the wayside when the little one arrives! 

But...for now...I'm enjoying it!

We finally got the crib and dresser up...and I hung a couple things on the wall...it's starting to feel like a sweet little nursery!

I usually have no idea when it comes to decorating...I like to walk around Target, Hobby Lobby and even flea markets or fun little stores and hope that something jumps out that I love! 

Yesterday I went to Hobby Lobby and did just that!  I found the little shelf with picture frame that I liked...although it had plain white peg hooks...so I bought some glass knobs, replaced them for the pegs...and had to saw off the extra screw length from the knobs in the back...and I'm happy with how it looks now!

I also found the little metal sign too...it has the quote Star light, Star bright...and of course I can't wait to meet the little princess who will fit into the sleeper soon! 

Until then...I'll try and keep getting things organized and cleaned out...and definitely take some nice long naps!

{click here and here to see more updates on the nursery!}

miscellany monday

{it's monday!  time to join carissa at lowercase letters for more miscellaneous happenings and random thoughts!  join in and share your mundane moments too!}

1.{my old twin...sort of}

did anyone else live to watch 90210 back in the day...or was that just me?  I still remember when I was in high school that people used to tell me I looked like Tori Spelling back then...and I was so flattered, ha! 

fast forward...ahem...about 15 years...

we started a new year of MOPS last week, and during one of our getting to know you games...a new mom I had not met before sits down and says to me first thing..."Has anyone ever told you, you look like Tori Spelling?"  I started laughing!  I'm not sure I look quite like her...but I guess there's some similarity...maybe the shape of our faces and our haircuts...I don't know, what do you see?  ha! 

2.{stack 'em up!}

on friday, Alex and Emily were part of the cup stacking tournament at school.  I had no idea what it was going to be like or how many kids participated...but let's just say...I was a little overwhelmed at the noise and activity level once I was there!  they were both really excited about it!  

Emily getting her score sheet...

...the practice area...

...the testing area...

they had three chances to improve their times...and poor Emily got disqualified all three times!  I guess when she unstacked the cups each time, she was going in the wrong order.  she was so devastated and all tears...I felt so bad.

then it was time for the doubles competition...which we thought when they signed up that Alex and Emily would be competing against each other...turns out they were actually a team!  Emily didn't want to do it anymore because she felt so defeated by the singles round, but I told her she had to...  I thought it was so funny watching them practice...Alex didn't want to get so close to Emily!

I loved watching them work together...and they did great!

the idea was that they each had to take turns and only use one hand to complete the stacking and unstacking...

...and guess what...

they won third place and received a medal!  I was so happy...and Emily was thrilled!  I was so proud of them!

what a great team!

{Emily wore her medal all weekend!}

3.{t minus seven}

Alex finally lost his seventh tooth!  he refused to pull it even though it was flapping when he breathed!  I was afraid he was going to swallow it, so I finally convinced him to get it out!

nice grin!  it's picture day next week...his smile keeps changing every year!

4.{little picasso's}

I finally put the quote up over the kids' artwork in the basement that was inspired by Kelli at RTSM.  I love seeing their artwork and I think they're pretty proud of it too!  There's plenty of wall space to expand...so I hope the gallery keeps growing!

I'm not sure why some of the letters are so much bigger than others...I used the same size for all of them!  I used the Cricut to cut them out on vinyl adhesive paper...and used a laser level to try and hang them all straight...maybe it's just my eye...but it still looks a little crooked!  oh well...I kinda like that it's a little imperfect! 

{Thanks Kelli for the cute idea!}

I also hung the little shelf that used to be near our back door next to their little kitchen, added a couple of pictures...and created cafe picasso...ha!  all artists need a snack break!

Happy Monday!

Goodbye Clutter...Hello Floors!

It's nice to vacuum...I actually kinda enjoy it!  If I can't get anything else accomplished...the house seems to feel so much better with just a good vacuum!
And since we've been getting rid of clutter...I've been able to do it alot more!

I mentioned that I cleaned out Alex's closet and from under his bed...and last weekend, Emily and I cleaned up her room...and I love that I can see her floor again!

I know this looks just like her room did before...but her bed was actually on the opposite wall since then...and the bookshelf on the other wall.  So...once we cleaned up her floor, which was cluttered with so much stuff...I didn't know where to begin...we moved everything back...again! 

We cleaned up her bookshelf and got rid of lots of books and little toys that she didn't even remember were there...which made space for her more special things like her jewelry box and her dolls.  It's nice to have them up off the floor!

Unfortunately...we didn't get rid of as many stuffed animals as I would have preferred...but we put them all in storage tubs and hid them under her bed!  She can pull them out and play with them whenever she wants...let's just hope she can put them back when she's finished!

I also changed her curtains to a solid purple/ruffled panel instead of the flowers she had before.  I loved them because they used to belong to Dan's cousin as a girl...but I was trying to reduce all the busy patterns in the room...especially since Emily put up all the Hello Kitty decals awhile back too! 

Alex's room has stayed pretty tidy...I'm so proud of him! 

He's still guilty of pulling out lots of wires and cords and stretching them all across the room...he even has a spot taped off for his little projector!  He likes to play the old Nintendo 64 on it while it's projected onto the wall!

{His office...you can see the little square of masking tape on the floor behind his chair, ha!  This was the desk that came out of what is the baby's room now...and it's old and heavy...but Alex and I wrangled it into his room awhile back!  And if you can see around his room...he's even hooked up speakers around the room on the floor for surround sound!}

{both cats are under the bed too...I really have no privacy...ever!  I love our pets...but they can be just like kids sometimes!  They follow me around the house all day!}

He's been wanting to paint his room orange...but he and Dan may paint it IU...red and white stripes?  I told them when the time comes...it's all up to them!  Yikes!

Okay...I'm actually going to show the closet now...something I thought I'd never do! 

It's not completely clutter-free {the house will never be!}...but once again...the floor used to be completely covered with clothes, clutter and toys.  Thanks to Dan...we cleaned it up, put up shelves, and since the washer and dryer have moved up there...I am happy to say the laundry has been quite managable, and clothes actually get put where they belong...and not piled up on the floor!

I love having this long table to sort and fold clothes on!  Dan made it long ago and it also came out of the office, which is the baby's room now!  I'm glad we could find another use for it...it's hard to get rid of some things!

{all the baby clothes underneath waiting to be washed and sorted...it's getting close!}

I thought it was a good idea to document the clean, clutter-free floors now...while my nesting is in high-gear...because once the baby arrives...I'm sure it's going to be quite the opposite!  But it's such a good feeling...and I'll enjoy vacuuming the floors while I can!

Wordless Wednesday {6-year-old Teenager}

{Emily put on her pink shades...pink boots...and a little photo album clipped to her necklace...and asked me, "Don't I look like a teenager?"  Hmmm...if she thinks a teenager wears Princess sunglasses and rides a pink Barbie bike...then...yes...I'm happy to say you look like a teenager!}

Tuesday Tidbits

Once again...the weekend has flown by...Monday has come and gone...and it's already Tuesday!

We had a pretty productive weekend which always feels so good...but not for my muscles...especially ones I forgot I had! 

Friday I finally painted the nursery...it's a small room...but still a big job!  I'm not super excited with my paint choice {no surprise} but I think I can live with it...mostly because I'm not painting it again!

My original vision was pink and brown...the color of the crib bedding...with dark wood crib and furniture...but a friend had white furniture she was selling...and I can't pass up a good deal!  It saved us a lot of money I'm sure...and saved me from having to make a decision on what furniture to buy!

Anyway...I hope once it's all together...the room will not seem so green!

The little rocking chair was my mom's as a child...I think someone made it for her when she was little.

I plan on putting the dresser where the picture is and the crib on the other wall...there really are not many more options than that in such a small space...but I'm always open to suggestions!

And the little Princess table came out of Emily's room...

She was so sweet...we cleaned up her room on Sunday and donated a lot of things...threw some things out...and she wanted to keep the table so she can have tea parties with the new baby!  I hope she still feels that way in a couple of years!

Saturday Emily had a make-up ice-skating lesson that she missed last Tuesday...and they were having a costume/dress sale...she was in heaven!  She picked out two little dresses and two sparkly headbands.  After her lesson, she got popcorn and a sucker because the concession stand was open...which it's usually not during the week...so it was a big deal!  She said it was just like being at the Ice Show!  After that we headed to Target where we bought more than we needed {as usual} and had lunch at our favorite little drive-in and treated ourselves to marshmallow Cokes!  It was a fun girls' day and she told me it was the best day ever! 

Although...I think the marshmallow Coke may have given this baby an extra kick...or two!  She kept me awake all night with her cartwheels and somersaults!

Sunday we headed to church...and although this isn't exactly Emily's Sunday best...this is how she was dressed...

She was so excited to wear her new sparkly headband...and her new pink cowgirl boots she picked out at Target!  Ha!  I couldn't resist either...a girl needs a pair of boots...right?  Right!

It was great to accomplish some more projects this weekend...and to step away from the computer.  Our internet was not working for a couple of days...and we couldn't figure out why.  I even asked Alex if he did something...and he denied it.  But I was suspicious.  It turns out..after it just didn't make sense...Alex had swiped not one, not two...but three of our old internet routers from cleaning out a closet and tried to hook it up to his computer!  It's so hard to catch your kids in a lie...but after we asked him about it and he told us he didn't hook them up...we had to take his computer away for the week.  Bummer.  If you know Alex like we do...he is just naturally wired to love wires!  He loves nothing more than to figure out how things work and go together...so in his defense...he really meant no harm in hooking them up...but the fact that he lied got him in trouble.  He's not really good at it either!  When you ask him about it...and he just looks at you and doesn't answer...we know something's up!  ...sigh... 

Whew...hope you all had a great weekend too!  This week comes with more hot temperatures...in the '90s!  We may even get to enjoy one last swim before we officially close the pool for the season!  But I'm ready for Fall to begin and the cooler weather to arrive...visiting the apple orchard and seeing the leaves change!

Happy Tuesday!