Favorite Link Friday

It's a light week.

*This is a great outdoor tablecloth idea. I need to get my mom to work on this one.

*This cashew chicken just might continue to fuel my current love of all Asian foods.

*Cupcake tower - delightful!

Those who have sun - enjoy it. Those who don't, I'll take a bit of your 65 and cloudy right about now --it's 79 in my house and it's 10:30 p.m. on Thursday.

$10

Conversation between Dave and I the other night.

K: the baby is moving, do you want to touch my belly?
D: No!

K: Why? It's your child, don't you want to feel the baby move at least once?
D: Have you ever seen the movie Alien?
K: No
D: I have and if I touch your stomach that kid might reach his hand up out of your belly and grab me

K: Seriously? What's it going to take to get you to feel this baby move?
D: Money.
K: So if I paid you $10 you would feel it?
D: Yeah! I would have done it for $5, but it's definitely $10 now.

I don't think I'm going to give him $10, but if I do, he has to keep his hand on there for 5 minutes. 5 minutes of Alien torture.

the big restroom

I'm a huge respecter of handicapped parking spaces and restroom stalls. I know that the moment I use one, someone who actually needs it is going to drive up or walk through the door.

This being said, I've made an exception. No, I'm not parking in handicapped parking spots. According to my husband, there is no need. When I'm pregnant, we get what he likes to refer to as "pregnant parking". All it means is that I have the pregnant girl luck when it comes to parking. Without fail there is always a place in front of the store. And there really is, he's right. But now that I've just written it here, I'm jinxed.

But the bathroom stalls, well, that's a different story. I'm more than happy to take up a stall if I have my double stroller and a 3 1/2 year old desperate to use the potty. For anyone waiting outside for the toilet, I'm more than happy to say, "Sorry, we really do need the room".

What if I'm alone though? Some of the regular restrooms are so small I feel like I'm threading my prego body through the eye of a needle. Just barely escaping falling in the toilet. So I've decided, any pregnant woman over 7 months, is allowed to use the handicapped stall in the bathroom and this is why:

1. it's roomy. I need all that space to turn around without risk of falling into the toilet.
2. it has nifty handle bars to help the ladies who are 9 months up off the toilet. Not saying we all need this, but regardless of if you are half way down or all the way down, coming up is always a problem when you are that far along. I'm already sighing when I see something fall on the ground and then instantly looking around for one of the girls to pick it up for me. The bars are necessary.
3. it's just more comfortable. period.

So there you have it. The big stall is no longer just for handicapped, it's for the prego mama's as well. We need the help too. (I mean NO disrespected to ANY/All handicapped individuals - if you are waiting in line behind me for the restroom, you go first.)

Memorial Day 2009

This weekend was messy, but really fun. Here's a look at the activities:

Painting

Digging and getting it all over our faces

Camping out in the backyard

Eating

Tricycle rides along the river

And more eating (smore's from last weeks FLF)

On top of all that add a BBQ with friends, two trips to IKEA, free breakfast at IKEA and our first experience with washing the car for the first time at our house (novel idea right!). It really was a fantastic weekend and a much needed rest.

Favorite Link Friday

This week has been a busy one. Lots and lots going on. But I managed to squeeze in a 30 week shot. Not the best, but you get the idea.


*Eloise and I are planning on making this little purse It could be a good little girl birthday gift.

*I saw these yesterday on Martha and I would love to make them, but they just look like so much work. Any takers?

*I have a shed that would be just right for some of these cute paint can planters.

*This is for all my gluten free friends. Looks like pretty good granola and a pretty good resource.

*Best birthday cake idea ever!

*We aren't going camping this weekend, so I think this will have to do.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Busy weekend

A 30 week bump picture will be coming soon.

My parents came this weekend and we spent the entire week gardening and getting the house in order for baby to arrive. My kids were covered in sand, sunscreen and whatever else they could find. It was great! I love it when my kids have long days of playing outside.

I did come to the realization that gardening at 7 months pregnant results in ALOT of pain and VERY swollen feet. There is hope of rain coming tonight so I'm hoping that will help with the swelling and the freshly planted plants.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Favorite Link Friday

Fun links for all

*Punched butterflies -- this one might be kind of tough and I don't know if it would be kid friendly with sharp edges, but maybe a great garden gift.

*Trash bags for the car -- We need to make these. I'm sick of all the paper around and wrappers. I think hanging one on each seat for the girls would work great.

*New use for old windows -- these are great finds at garage sales or estate sales or maybe even along side the road for free.

*Simple child's apron pattern

*Interesting comparison with the current recession and the Great Depression

*Great blog - Grace Violet

Have a wonderful, sunny weekend!

A boy

For the first time the other day I described the baby as 'our son'. It felt really strange but normal all at the same time. What will life be like with a boy? Some say not much different, but to a mom of two little girls, I think it's going to be drastically different.

I picture him to be less emotional than the girls. Instead of crying over being punched by Lily, he'll most likely just hit her back.

I assume he will be non-verbal. Maybe not, but if he is, it will be a huge adjustment in this house. The girls talked very early and I never had a hard time knowing what they wanted. Most boys I know just point and grunt.

I have a feeling that his oldest sister's orderly habits and behaviors might be disturbed by reckless abandonment. Our organized toy shelf might not be so organized much longer. And the kitchen might as well be used as a place to hide army men rather than a place to cook imaginary chocolate cookies.

Despite all the differences, I think he'll fit right in with them at the sandbox, digging in holes and playing baseball with their dad. Instead of two little girls standing at the back door drenched in mud and sidewalk chalk, we're just adding one little boy to the mix.

Those who have boys, what do you love about having a boy(s)?

Mother's Day

What did my 4th mother's day bring?

*A singing card that sings "I will survive"

*A beautiful climbing plant that Dave picked out for me--we took it back b/c it doesn't seem to fit our climate all that well.

*Gummi Fish

*3 hours by myself to clean and do a few projects while Dave and the girls were out shopping.

*A fantastic dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Tapatio...delish!

*New pretty flowers the girls helped me plant

A tall 3 yr old covered in 13 Hello Kitty band-aid's
she took from the bathroom during rest time in my room......and left the trail of wrappers in my bed too, amongst other things.

The joys of being a mother

Favorite Link Friday

*I love this idea for an outdoor lounge. We need to create some extra shade in our backyard and this may give us some tips.

*Lots of great gardening and other idea here at A Soft Place to Land.

*My girls love skirts and this is adorable. I may try to get my mom to make a few.

*I can only hope that my husband would come up with an idea like this. He does come up with some good ones, but these are the sweetest ones.

*These cupcakes sound delicious. Especially the frosting.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mama's. Have a wonderful weekend.

Breakfast

I'm sure every mom gets asked the question, "What do you feed your kids for....?". We are always looking for a great meal that doesn't require a fight.

Breakfast is one meal I love making for my kids. And I love to have it ready in the morning to just heat and serve. I'm not a huge fan of cereal b/c I don't think it fills them up enough and there usually isn't alot of protein. So finding recipes that have milk, eggs, and some fruit is always helpful.

I figured I'd offer a few of our household favorites. If you have any favorites of your own, please feel free to comment and share. I am always looking for new ideas as well.

Waffles - These were delicious. I tried them out last week and I think next time I'm going to substitute half the butter for applesauce and try it out with whole wheat flour.

Baked Oatmeal - Lily loves this one. Eloise does too but it's not her favorite. I make it the night before, let it sit in the fridge and cook it in the morning. It's not bar like at all, still mushy like oatmeal. I mix it with milk to soften in the morning.

Banana Muffins - This is not low in fat or sugar. I lower the sugar a bit to make them not so sweet. I've also made them with 1/2 whole wheat flour and they turn out great. If I make them in the afternoon they turn into a great afternoon snack as well.

Egg and cheese omelets - I have no recipe for this one. I figure you can all manage :) With a slice of buttered toast -- yum!

Cinnamon rolls - These are a weekend treat and a family favorite on all holiday's.

1 - cantelope size ball of dough from the Bread in 5 minutes a day - you are making this right? It's delicious.
1 1/2 sticks of butter - divided
2 T milk
1 1/2 C brown sugar - divided
1 large box cook and serve Vanilla pudding
1 C. chopped pecans
1 TBLS Cinnamon

1. In small sauce pan melt 1 stick butter, milk, 1 c brown sugar and vanilla pudding until just melted. Set aside, but keep warm
2. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4 in. thick.
3. Soften 1/2 stick butter and spread across surface of dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 2 inch slices.
4. Pour sauce into 9x13 greased pan and top with pecans. Place 2 inch slices in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in fridge overnight.
5. Bake 350 for 30 - 35 minutes until browned. Turn over onto cookie sheet and let cool.

Have fun making breakfast!

We survived

It wasn't as bad as I had envisioned.

Two small 4 a.m. wake-ups. A binki search, blankets put back on and nighttime music turned back on and we lasted until 7:15. I actually had to wake Lily up at 8:15 b/c we had to go to bible study. I think she may have laid in bed for a while after the 4 a.m. wake-up.

We started a tinker-bell sticker chart for Eloise regarding sleeping on the top bunk. She gets gum as a treat everyday if she sleeps up there and at the end of the week she gets to go to the dollar store. It worked like a charm. It helps that she is addicted to gum at the moment.

We'll see how night #2 works out.

My worst nightmare

I'm attempting my worst nightmare right now--moving both girls to new beds at the same time. by myself.

Eloise is moving to the top bunk. For most kids this isn't a major milestone, but with a girl who operates exactly like her mom and doesn't like change, it is. She didn't have a nap today so I'm hoping that it will happen quickly. So far a few tears but nothing major.

Lily is moving to her big girl bed in her room, temporarily. When I explained to her the other day that baby Sam would be taking over her "cribby" she told me that it was not baby Sam's "cribby" and that he would have to sleep somewhere else b/c it was her "cribby". She doesn't cry over anything, she just gets crazy, giggly, and out of control. We lowered the side to her crib about a month ago and we allow her to get out of bed after naps and in the morning. It hasn't proved problematic b/c she doesn't get up until 7:30. If she was crawling into bed at 5:30 I'd be a little more hesistant.

They've only been in bed 10 minutes and I think I'm handling it okay. If I wasn't pregnant I would have definitly opened a bottle of wine or beer for this one.

Favorite Link Friday

Happy May Day!

*I loved this post about life before kids. I was SO like this. I just thought kids were much easier to control than parents let on. She hits it right on and I love her humility.

*This is for all the font snobs, courtesy of How About Orange

*Quiet time bins--I really want to attempt this for the upcoming arrival of baby #3.

*Check in on what Bakerella is making--Donuts! My mom used to make donuts when I was growing up. There is nothing more delicious than homemade donuts.

*Raspberry Leaf tea sounds like it might have alot of benefits for labor. But I'm betting it's not as good as an epidural.

*If I looked like this at 32 weeks, I would be jumping for joy. No stretch marks and completely adorable. I think this may have been me at 22 weeks, but with stretch marks.

Have a great weekend!