Baby Progress and Spring Time Fun

I can't believe I am three quarters of the way there.  And considering his big sister was 11 days early, I may be even closer than I think!  Of course, he'll be ready when he's ready, so he'll make his debut on his own time and I am perfectly good with that.  

 











If things go as planned, we will be getting back possession of our house on Tuesday!  I am so excited!  Just in time for this nesting mama to turn this rental back into a our home. 

And really, who am I kidding? 

There are a few things I can help with, but I am really at the mercy (and blessing!) of Hubs and my parents and some other wonderful people in our life that have offered their assistance in getting all the projects done.  

In other news, I found this little sand and water table for the Peanut on craigslist.  We had seen them for the last couple of years at Costco and I actually had the thought to try and find a used one first.

photo credit: Costco

This was a big step for me people.  Used toys/baby things are one thing if they are from friends and family....they are something else entirely when these things are purchased from perfect strangers.

But I figured with it being all plastic, it was nothing that a little all purpose cleaner couldn't handle, so I disinfected it immediately upon getting home.  

You think I'm kidding. 

Peanut has a huge fenced yard to play in at her disposal while we are staying here at my parents, but at our little house, not so much.  The backyard at our home?  It's pretty much a postage stamp. 

That said, this was the catalyst to find some outside entertainment for our little girl in our teeny tiny backyard.  Of course, I don't know why I ever thought that the sand and water would stay separate as indicated in the pictures on the box at Costco.

'Cause that's not the case....it was a complete mess in less than 2 seconds. 

But the verdict, despite her mama's OCD tendencies? 


Money well spent.




 

1 Down--4,376 to Go

I finished my first sewing project.

Well, it's actually not my first, as I made a pin cushion (with lots of help from my friend) for my Mom's birthday gift in late February. 

This project was, by far, much more complicated than a pin cushion.  Not the best project to "cut my teeth on" (to quote my Mom) in terms of learning how to sew.

  
But I did it.  I actually did it.

I sewed.

In the interest of full disclosure, my Mom answered lots of questions along the way and she weaved the big ol' piece of elastic through at the end and stitched together said elastic as well as the safety strap.  Oh, and she provided some help with the safety strap holes.

Those were real buggers. 

But I did do everything else.  Including having a wall eyed hissy fit (you'll have to ask Hubs and my sister-in-law about how his family even came to know what one of those is) near the end of the project.

When I made the first attempt at weaving the elastic through the edge, the thread that I used to sew the piece of elastic to the bodkin with BROKE when I had weaved the elastic through about two thirds of the edge.

The instructions didn't call for it, but I chose to cover the elastic toy strap in fabric.  I am just really pleased at  what a finishing touch it adds.  Why, yes, I am a dork like that. 

I cried.

Literally.

So my Mom took pity on the preggo and finished the elastic weaving. 

It's by no means is perfect, but it will do the job.  We have a shopping cart cover for Peanut, which has been very much used by this germaphobe, but it was a girly shopping cart cover.  And my one complaint about it was that it didn't fit the warehouse size shopping carts (also know as Costco's).  So I decided to make a boy one that fits Costco carts.

And fit it does.  Can you tell I am just plain tickled with myself?

Now on to all my other projects before baby gets here. 



 

Easter Fun!

As I stated earlier last week, I had been stalking the forecast for Easter weekend.  Well, as "luck" would have it, the day after I posted that pretty little picture, the forecast changed to rain for Easter Sunday.

Humph.

Needless to say, I was less than thrilled.  However.  We were extra blessed because that rain didn't materialize.  So not only did we have a wonderful reason to celebrate, but we had some rockin' (by Pacific Northwest standards) weather to celebrate it in.

My cousin, my sister in law, and my friend (who each have children several years older than Peanut) made comments about their kids and this being the first year they have been able to have egg hunts outside.  The eldest of all those children is seven.  So yes, it has been seven years since the weather cooperated on Easter Sunday.

Well, gosh, golly, HOORAY!--we certainly enjoyed it!

We started off the weekend with an Easter egg hunt at my friend's church (which included a very fun "stained glass" craft) and then we came home and made the Resurrection Rolls, as promised.  

However, our three year old daughter is very smart and immediately figured out that roll was empty {symbolizing the empty tomb} because the marshmallow inside {symbolizing Jesus} had melted during baking.  I asked her why Jesus' tomb was empty and her quick response was "Jesus melted!"

However, rest assured, we are getting there, because on Sunday morning as we were going over the Easter story with her again after church, we asked her why Jesus died on the cross and her response was "So He could rise again!!!!"

So, melting marshmallows or not, she is definitely starting understand.  


Following church on Sunday morning, we came home to get a quick picture in our Easter best and then it was play clothes for Peanut as she had fun outside for nearly the rest of the day. When the rest of our family got to my parents, we had an Easter egg hunt for the kiddos and had some amazing food, thanks of course, to my mama, the excellent cook.
 

After all the activities and dinner were over, Peanut let her cousin drive her car.....which Peanut got quite the kick out of, because she has never experimented with the reverse drive.  So her cousin was all about the reverse and they both had tons of fun.

Our family picture with the "entire" family.  

We had splendid day celebrating and hope you did too.....

Easter Cake

I used this idea and we made this Easter cake today. Well, actually I used this cake recipe (hopefully it will turn out good--the ratings were about half and half) and I sort of did my own thing as far as the cake went.  























I had some leftover chocolate frosting that I used for the filling and then I made a cream cheese frosting for the outside.  I also used plain {unsweetened} coconut flakes (I figured the rest of the ingredients had enough sugar!) and I did use full on food color for the grass.  I told you I could have a little fun.  A little now, not a lot.  ;)  

We "planted" the jelly beans by poking holes in the cake with a butter knife and inserting the beans inside.  Then we frosted the cake, planted the grass and now a little girl is anxiously awaiting to see the surprise that grows.

I can't wait to see her face in the morning.

Although this cake doesn't really have any spiritual significance of Easter, we will be making Resurrection Rolls for Easter morning.  I think these will have a lot more impact in terms of her understanding why we celebrate Easter. 

I just thought this idea was a fun one! 

 

Spring Things

We have been blessed with some nice weather lately.  In the land of rain, rain, and more rain, we have had some WONDERFUL sunny afternoons in the past few days.  Don't get me wrong, we have also had some wet and rainy {miserable} days too, but those sunny breaks every few days have been oh, so, welcome! 

It's still early spring here (read: a tad bit chilly to my taste), but we have had some nice, dry and dare I say it....partly sunny afternoons as well.  They are especially wonderful because the forecast has only predicted rain, so these little dry moments are always a welcome surprise. 

I have also been self admittedly stalking our seven day forecast, anxiously awaiting this weekend's arrival, praying that the forecast doesn't change.  It seems like each year when Easter comes, we get torrential downpours on the day of Easter, but lovely days preceding and succeeding the big day.  It would be such a huge blessing (and treat!) if the forecast will actually come true for us this year. 



























So I anxiously await.

I got a new macro lens (I think?) for my {little used as of lately} camera, so I have been trying to play around with it.  I am LOVING the bokeh it provides in the photos.   This lens makes this amateur photographer look like she half way knows what she's doing.  Just compare the smaller depth of field (meaning a more blurry background) this lens provides:

 
























 

























Huge difference, right? 

 


Plus, can I just share how much I LOVE it when the cherry blossoms are in bloom?  They are so, so pretty!!!  They just scream springtime and all things girly! 

LOVE them!  

 

























 

























A special thanks to Hubs for all the fantabulous pictures of our sweet Peanut....I am having problems bending/squatting down to her level in my delicate condition.  

Although, I did get to sneak this one in after bath time a few nights ago.....

 





















 

I just love these two.