SUCH a Great Day

I had such a lovely Mother's Day....did you?  That is, of course, assuming I have any readers left out there....aside from family.  'Cause ya' know, my posting has been a little um, sparse, shall we say these last few months?

The morning started out with Peanut giving me a precious little hot pad she made in her preschool class.  She brought it home on Thursday all wrapped, where upon arriving at home, she hid the gift (I still don't know where she put it--but it's not like I went looking for it either) and then asked me each morning thereafter if it was Sunday yet so she could give me my surprise.  Seriously?  She did it just as her teachers told her.  It just doesn't get much better than that. 

She even did the same with a cake that she decorated for Grandma the day before at the grocery store.  We put the cake in the cabinet where we knew Grandma wouldn't find it and Peanut went and found it all by herself Sunday morning to give to Grandma.  She was SO proud of herself!

Peanut and I went to church a little later on Sunday morning where she made a sweet little craft that had her hand prints on it and it said, I love my mommy because..........she makes me yummy food.  The bold words of course, are straight from Peanut's mouth.  So cute and even a little flattering as well. 

Even though my track record for the past few months has been less than stellar. 

However, that would be a post for another day. 

I had planned on making my mama a nice meal because I haven't been able to celebrate Mother's Day with her for the last two years.  Then late last week, we decided to switch it up and celebrate with my uncle and aunt and cousins.  The forecast said it was supposed to be gorgeous (it was--a little hot even!) so we had a big old barbeque and made a day of it.

It was glorious.  

And the icing on the cake?  My dear, sweet, hard working husband even got off work a little early (an hour and 15 minutes early!!!) and made it home to celebrate the rest of the day with us.  My friends, that was such a wonderful present for all of us--especially for the Peanut and I. 

We ate some amazing food (what family gathering is complete without good food?) and the ambitious ones even had quite the horseshoe tournament going.  No, I would not be one of those ambitious ones.  I have no hand eye coordination whatsoever, and quite honestly, no desire to work up a further sweat in 89 degree heat.  Plus, as with my first pregnancy, I have officially joined cankle-dom once again, so I took full advantage of the opportunity to put my fat little feet up on Sunday. 

 
It was a wonderful day.  







 

So Proud

I was so honored to attend my favorite (can I say that?!?!?) cousin's college graduation today.

I cannot even begin to tell you just how proud I am of this girl woman.  It just seems like yesterday she was my ever present shadow during our family camping trips and she was my partner in crime while we stayed up late at Granny and Grandpa's for sleepovers.  Now we are all grown up and both mothers (can't even believe that!) but more importantly, she is my friend.  

L~ I am SO proud of you.  

Congratulations!  


 

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.  

Driver's Ed

She's practically a better driver than a lot of grown adults (oh, how I kid....sort of)......

and she's certainly cuter!



 

Lovely Day

Ohmylanta....so, according to our trusty almanac, the first day of spring was on Tuesday.  Or so it says.  However on Thursday morning--here in our neck of the woods--we woke up to this:

 
Ahem. Despite those sad looking daffodils, that doesn't look very springy to me. 

That said, my family and I were just a little more than thrilled on Friday AND today, when we had some of THEE most beeeauuuuutiful days of the year (at least so far!!!!).  I think the high today was 64 degrees?  And if you know us crazy Northwesterners, when we get gorgeous days like this, we go all out.

Like break out the new spring/summer clothes all out.

And go out and take pictures to have proof of a 60+ degree day all out. 

 






















 

And go and fly that kite we've been promising Peanut we would fly all out. 

 And even break out the flip flops all out. 

























 

Yes, yes, I know.  That belly is definitely showing and I probably should throw financial caution to the wind and spring (ha, ha, get it?) for that pedi.  Either way, here's to more gorgeous days ahead!

Oh, and in other delightful news.....I had my glucose test this week.  And the results?  I DON'T have gestational diabetes--not even close!  This was quite a concern, as I did have it with our little Peanut.  I have been watching what I am eating (although most wouldn't really even say that I have been very restrictive--just cautious) and I have been making use of my parents treadmill during our stay here.  Which if you know me, takes a tremendous amount of discipline for this I prefer not to exert myself kind of girl.  But either way--praise the Lord--I am blessed!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Oh, and I can I just share?!?!.....just 37 more days until our house is back in our possession!  Note I just said possession......we won't be living there quite at that point, as this nesting mama has an ever growing Honey Do/My Gracious Folks Can You Help Us {Hubs?} With? list.

But I am still way excited....can you tell?