Hallelujah it is Friday!

YEAH!  Finally it's Friday and the weekend is here.  Hope you have some fun plans!

 

Again, linking up with Darci, April, Natasha and Christina for 5 on Friday!

{ONE}

I mean come on.  This kid and firemen PJs.  So freaking cute.

And his slippers?  Well - he loves them and it's hilarious because he just walks around with them staring at his feet.  Ah this age.

{TWO}

Have you seen my post about nap time projects?  One of them was adding these frames on knobs above our bed.  Of course this was Pinterest inspiration...but I think it's growing on me.

{THREE}

Girl clothes - oh my!!!

So this little lady got a few cute outfits already from some friends and family and I went to a consignment sale to get some stuff for her and her brother as well and I have to say that shopping for 2 kids + 2 genders is very different!  It's amazing how the little girl's clothes all match and have multiple pieces with them and then I go over to the 2T boys section and grab a couple of t-shirts and shorts and call it a day.

All I have to say is I have a lot to learn and our checking account is going to suffer.

Ah - the cost of having cute accessories.

{FOUR}

Another 2 kid topic - DOUBLE STROLLER.

I have been looking at reviews on the Internet, etc. and can't quite figure out what works best for our family with a toddler that doesn't like to sit down for long periods of time and a soon-to-be-baby that will need to be in an infant seat for a while.  Hm...

So do we do a legit double stroller like the City Mini (which we have a single of already)?



Or more of a "stand and ride" or "sit and stand" version like this Graco?

I'm just worried about investing in a wide double stroller with a toddler that doesn't like to sit.  The latter won't be ideal for walks, which we will likely do a lot this fall...but once I go back to work not that much.  HMMM.  Decisions, decisions.  Any thoughts on anyone that has bought one already??  I just really need something that is easy to maneuver and get in/out of the car and not too heavy.

(P.S. I don't jog by myself, let alone with 2 kids - so no, I don't need a jogger or off-terrain!)

{FIVE}

I love following Money Saving Mom so much.  And even more exciting?  She showed up on the 25 most influential people in Kansas list too.  Who knew?  How fun that she is from Kansas!!

She lists out every week free e-books to download and I downloaded a free copy of this one last week and have been reading at night and it's a great way to spend the last part of my evening.

Source

It's $2.51 to download now...but that's still a steal!!  So get the book AND follow her blog for great deals like that each week and some great budgeting ideas.


HAPPY FRIDAY!

Nap time projects

So really the only time I have for any projects these days is during nap time on the weekends.  I'm guessing come late July and I have a 2 week old I will be looking back at my now self so angry that I didn't just sleep too, but that's life.  Not sure if it's nesting yet, or just plain ready to have stuff up on our walls and finally feel like our house is a home...but it's in full force now.

I really was looking to add something to above our bed in our master bedroom and couldn't figure out just what.  This was the picture I was going off of for inspiration.  

We have a ceiling fan versus that fancy, cool light - but I thought I could make the picture frames work and I really liked the way they were hung - hanging off of the knobs.  So in spirit of being on a budget as well, I went hunting in our basement.

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And I found these beauties that weren't being used.  I mean don't you just love the guy in the picture and his hair.  I'm pretty sure I got these at a Hallmark sale at work for like 50 cents and have been carting them around from house to house.

Instead of the 3 big frames and 2 little in the picture, I had those 3 little ones and these 2 bigger pictures already - so I figured I would make these work.  But I painted the small ones yellow to attempt to bring some more color into our neutral dominated bedroom (I have a neutral problem).

So then it was a question as to what do I put IN the frames.  Well, it just so happens that Jimmy has been saying he wants some pictures of Kansas City attractions hanging up and our awesome relator sent us a calendar with amazing pictures of KC...so I ripped them out and stuck them in the frames and wah-la!  Got myself some pictures frames.

I wasn't sure how exactly to hang the knobs on the walls since I went and bought some $1 cabinet knobs at Home Depot and checked out this tutorial on how to successfully hang them in the wall.  It was super easy and super cheap.

On Sunday, all I had was some tan string that I used to get all the frames hung, string tied, etc.

But when re-looking at the "inspiration" - I knew I needed black ribbon versus the tan that blended into the wall color.

I still need to straighten it up a little bit - but wa-lah (again).  I think it turned out pretty good and did just what I wanted to add a little pop of color to our bedroom wall!

So what do you think?

Do you have nap time projects?  Or really - when do you DO things when you have a toddler running around all day?!  

Brainwashed

So here's the thing.  I went to K-State and Jimmy went to KU.

We spent our last 2 years of college driving between Manhattan and Lawrence...each thinking our city and school were the best.  

And here's the thing.  I still bleed purple.  But ever since we got married - I'm convinced Jimmy has been trying to brainwash me to like KU.  He fought really hard to get me to get my MBA there versus UMKC (however, KU is a LOT more expensive and that just wasn't in the cards).  And ever since Charlie was born.  

Well, I would like to say it has truly been a house divided - but passion for our school's sports has seemed to have a greater weight.  

Or maybe the fact that I'm cheap and don't buy K-State clothes.

Or maybe it's the fact that I've always been in love with the city of Lawrence since I started dating Jimmy and now that we live 20 minutes away from it...I can't seem to get enough.

No matter what it is - I haven't been brainwashed into liking KU - but more the city of Lawrence and all it has to offer.

{That being said - I still wish Manhattan was just 20 minutes away because that 2 hour drive just makes it much harder}

I mean as much as I'm not a Jayhawk fan...I have to say my boys look pretty cute in their KU matching hats and they eventually were wearing matching shirts (because Jimmy is not allowed to wear the "Sun your buns in Miami" shirt out in public).

This last Saturday after nap time, we headed to Lawrence to have an early dinner with friends and by the time we got up there we just had to stop by the park on Mass Street.  The weather was just too nice in the sun to not take advantage of.  

And Charlie was loving it.  It's so fun to see him and how his personality emerges.  He started by not letting go of my hand and walking circles around the whole playground.  Then he spent some time on the toddler size playground, until he eventually made his way on the big kid stuff.  But he wouldn't walk across the bridge to the slide because he was scared at first.

And just like that - he decided it was OK to stand.  I love that confidence!

The fun thing about this park?  We got some of our engagement pictures taken here at the gazebo across the street.  It's just crazy to think that over 4 years ago when those were taken (October 2009) how much more blessed our lives are.  We had no idea what was in store for us to come in the future and how fun and exciting.  And even more fun and exciting bringing our sweet boy to that same place to enjoy a nice day at the park with his sweet little sister nestled in my belly.

Yep, that is enough to brainwash me into loving Lawrence, KS.  It's been good to our family.

And Mass Street and Jefferson's with Katie and Max and then a trip to get homemade ice cream?

Yep, I'll take that any day of the week.  

And then seeing my husband proudly walk down Mass Street with our son strapped to his back "just like his back pack, but better" (his words, not mine) was even more hilarious and fun to see.

{Yes, that is the Ergo baby that I found at Marshall's for $69 (UM - yeah that's a steal!) that is really for baby girl...but I was excited to find it and get some toddler use out of it as a way to wrangle our crazy toddler.  And guess what?  He loved it.}

The best part was on our walk back to the car from the ice cream place while I was sharing small bites on a spoon with Charlie while Jimmy was walking with him on his back.  Charlie would arch his back as I put the spoon in his mouth.  This cute college couple behind us told us they just wanted to walk behind our cute family because watching our son eat that ice cream was cracking them up.

What's crazy is that I wanted to word vomit to them that we were them (you know, that college couple walking on Mass Street) just seven years ago.  And to enjoy life and enjoy each other because you know what, you have a whole lot to look forward to.  Because even though there are good days and bad days in our life, we are loving all that it has to bring us every single one of them.

Luckily for them - I didn't word vomit them.  But I smiled at them a lot.

So after we made the quick drive home, Jimmy turned on the KU game.  And the brainwashing continued.  Not because of the game or that they destroyed Texas that night...but more because watching Charlie look at his dad watch a basketball game is just precious.  

When Jimmy cheers, Charlie cheers.  

When Jimmy throws his hands up, Charlie throws his hands up.  

When Jimmy stares intently at the screen, Charlie stares intently at the screen.

I just think it's the cutest to see how much he looks up to him.  And guess what?

All the fun we had that afternoon is enough to brainwash me into loving Lawrence, KS even more.

But I still won't wear a Jayhawk shirt.  Sorry Jam.

Halfway already! {20 weeks}

How am I already HALFWAY!?!?  20 weeks pregnant!  Seriously so crazy.

If the next 20 weeks go as fast as the first, this little baby will be here soon!!

How Far Along?  20 weeks

Size of Baby: Size of a banana and said her skin is thickening.

Gender: GIRL - I think we are still in shock!  But it's starting to sink in and the excitement is starting!

Weight Gain: 11.5 lbs now

Maternity Clothes: Yes - I am already starting to get sick of my maternity shirts!

Nursery: Well - we have it taped and trimmed, now just need to find a night for Jimmy to roll it and it's painted!  Jimmy even offered to paint white stripes on the north wall with the window - I'm still trying to decide if I want it!  But I did buy some pink chevron crib sheets this weekend!

Movement: Feeling her move more at certain times of the day - particularly when I get in bed at night before I go to sleep.

Symptoms: Feeling good still!

Sleep: Decent sleep but now having some crazy dreams

Cravings: Hmmm - fried pickles and fried macaroni this week topped off with wings at Jefferson's certainly satisfied any and all cravings.  I was really wanting Mexican food this week too!

What I Miss: Bloody Mary's.  However, the virgin one's are pretty good.  And healthy, right? Tomato juice?!?

Best Moment This Week: For sure finding out it's a girl (!)

Panic Moment This Week: For sure finding out it's a girl (OMG!)

Looking Forward To: After getting an email from Target that had cute little boy and girl Easter outfits and was the turning point and made me super excited to dress a little boy AND girl!! So fun!

Five on Friday

 

Again, linking up with Darci, April, Natasha and Christina for 5 on Friday!

{ONE}

My little reader.  Oh this sweet little boy just loves right before bath time now likes to sit in his chair, pick out his favorite books and read to himself and it's pretty stinking cute.

He's saying words and making funny faces.  Makes me smile!

{TWO}

As if I haven't posted this a million times on every piece of social media possible - but yes, we are having a girl.  And even though we are going with the big things gender neutral (just in case there is a #3), we're going with some fun pink accents.  I've been perusing Pinterest for some ideas and love these!  How cute and fun!  Jimmy is painting as we speak and I'm excited to see the end result!

Source 1
Source 2

{THREE}

I just love love love fresh flowers. 

And while the Valentine's Day delivery didn't make it on Friday (poor Jimmy), they finally showed up at my desk on Tuesday morning and MAN have they smelled good all week.  I just LOVE the smell of star gazer lilies so so much. 

Let the holiday live on a whole week!

{FOUR}

Freezer meal exchange.

Yes - I cannot wait.  A friend that I used to work with set it up and invited me and five other girls to join in the fun.  She has done a great job of organizing it all and the recipes we each are making were voted on via survey monkey, the date is set and we are ready to swap.  I cannot wait!!

Here are some ideas on how to get one started if you are interested - but I'll try to remember to update on how it goes in the next few weeks.

{FIVE}

Guess what?

My flight is booked and housing is set - so I'm headed over the pond in less than a month for work.  Yep, London, here I come.

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I'm so so excited and cannot wait to head to Europe for the first time as well as getting to meet some folks in our London office that I work with.

But terrified at the same time to leave my boys for a whole week.  I don't think I have been away from Jimmy for a whole 7 days in at least 5 years and have only been away from my sweet boy, Charlie, for just 36 hours!!!

So any tips for a first time traveler to London?  And any tips on being ok with leaving your husband and child for a week!?  AH!




Looking forward to a fun weekend and hope you are too!

Long weekend fun: trip down south

One of the perks that I have learned about working a stock exchange?!  Bank holidays.

Yep, even though we don't get snow days, we get bank holidays, so with a long weekend this last weekend, Charlie and I decided to take a road trip to visit our friend's in Owasso - the Ruddick's!  Better yet, Lauren tagged along with us for a fun little trip!

Since Valentine's Day was Friday night - we waited until Saturday morning to head down south.  Charlie was SO so good on the way down, until right before we got to Owasso.  Oh man, the kid would not stop screaming.  Poor Lauren (yes, not poor me, because I have the tolerance for that - every mom does).  But she was a trooper!

When we finally got to Katie's and Charlie saw James...they were just thrilled to have a friend and Charlie was just so excited that it was like SIXTY FIVE degrees outside and sunny.  After a cold winter and a foot of snow, we were ready for some outside time.

After some house exploring (did I mention they just built a new house  - and OMG it is just beautiful.  I loved it and it's perfect!!), dog loving and some naps, we headed out to the playground at the elementary school in their neighborhood.  The boys just loved running around and going down the big kid slides!

But mainly they liked playing off the playground and by the fence.  These boys.  And Charlie seems to be influential - so he better be a good kid.  James was hanging on his every move and mimicking it!!  It  was pretty cute - but watch out in a few years, Katie and Barry!

See what I mean!?!  

Then after a tour of Owasso and a stop at the liquor store (yep, I sat in the car with the babes watching Elmo....again), we decided to make a stop at Sam's Club.  We were on the hunt for a cookie cake, but they were no where to be found.  This pregnant lady was beyond disappointed!!

But the boys didn't seem to mind because they enjoyed the double carts and samples.

And for the first time...like ever...I walked out of a wholesale club without buying anything.  Seriously!

After some dinner and the boys were put to bed, it was girl time.  Barry (Katie's husband), cooked us some dinner and we ate outside by the fire under their covered porch and talked.  And talked and talked.  For hours.  Katie and Lauren drank wine (yes, that's typical!) while I drank water and devoured the smores we were cooking (because that's what pregnant people who cannot drink do, right?).  But it was just so fun.  Talking, reminiscing, and just hanging out.  I think the thing I miss most is just girl time.  With a kid, there always seems to be a schedule and somewhere we have to bed for nap, bed time, eating, etc.  And then everyone ends up going to their respective houses with their spouses.  And nothing against Jimmy, but he's not a girl.  Nor is he a girl that I have been friends with for over 20 years.  And that was what made this trip special. 

I loved getting to see our sweet boys interact and play and laugh with each other (it honestly made me VERY excited to have 2 kids running around my own house) but at the same time, made me appreciate the much needed adult girl time I got.  Also, it made me thank God one more time for my amazing friends!

Charlie slept like a ROCK and didn't get up until 8AM the next day.  Lucky for me, he stirred probably around 6:45 and then I took him in bed with me to see if he'd go back to sleep and we had the BEST snuggle time until 8:00.  I was in heaven that whole weekend.  So thank you to Katie and Barry for being such wonderful hosts in their beautiful home.

We headed back to KC around 10AM and made a stop in Coffeyville for a happy meal.  Luckily, Charlie did sleep a little bit - but it seems as 3 hours in the car is his limit because the last 30 minutes he was pretty unhappy again, Elmo and all.  But I'll take it.  Successful road trip!

What wasn't a success that weekend?  Jimmy's dad falling on the ice Friday night and breaking his leg and wrist.  UGH.  What a bummer.  Jimmy was over at his parents all day Sunday helping get the house set up for a wheelchair, so we headed over to keep him company.  And guess what?  Charlie found the wheelchair and seriously was obsessed. 

Of course, the walker was another favorite of his too after Pops arrived home.  Poor guy!!

Then we had ANOTHER full day to ourselves (I was for sure spoiled with my little man time this weekend!).  So we headed to LeighAnne's for a playdate and to see their gorgeous new house!  Charlie was a little shy at first, but did warm up to playing with Bennett and Lawson and really liked the geese outside!!  I loved getting some extra girl time with LA and Greyson too.

The boys?  Well they liked the shutters!  (go figure!)

Finally, after lunch and nap at home, we headed to get a haircut.  And man did he scream.  But once he got that sucker, it seemed to all be worth it. 

The weekend ended with dinner at my parents house and it was just awesome.  

So thankful for such a fun long weekend with Charlie and friends and that Jimmy got most of his "list" I left him completed!!! 

Valentine's Day fun

This year for Valentine's Day - I'm not going to focus on what we did with Charlie because, let's be real.  The holiday was on a Friday and we went to work and school.  I thoroughly enjoyed leaving work a little bit early to attend his school Valentine's Day party.  Seriously - this age is the just the cutest and they are so funny.  However, the minute someone mentioned "Elmo" he was over the party and all he wanted to do was get in the car.  Ha ha.  So I didn't get any pictures - but that's ok.  It's the memories that count, right?  And no cute baskets of presents - we bought our family a gold membership pass to the KC Zoo instead because we thought that would be the perfect spring/summer activity for our family!!  I cannot wait to use it!

Well back to Valentine's Day, Charlie and I headed across town to pick up some delicious Thai food take out while he watched Sesame Street 1-2-3 two times (lucky him - I seriously know the whole video by now.  It's sick).  And then we literally sat at the island in the kitchen eating take out from styrofoam containers.  

So nope, sorry, no pictures of that.

We hung out, the three (well four) of us.  And Charlie said "hi baby" like 14 times and then hugged and kissed my belly.  And that was it.  My Valentine's Day was complete!  So cute.

After we put Charlie down, Jimmy had a special activity planned.  I was excited to see what he had up his sleeve.  And boy was it something! Ha!

Have you heard of Bob Ross?

Well, Jimmy is obsessed with him.  Like so much that he watches his videos on you tube of him painting pictures every night when he gets into bed before he goes to sleep.  I have never watched with him.  Well - I got a taste of one on Valentine's Day and while I sucked at painting it, it was pretty fun.

He had it all set up with 2 canvases, the video ready to go, all the brushes and painting tools and a color palette for each of us.  

 

I think I was a little disappointed because mine turned out nothing like Bob's.  But I mean, I guess it's not horrible.  Those stupid evergreen trees were my least favorite thing and he kept adding them!! Sheesh!

However frustrated I was, it was a great activity and a fun date night with our little man sound asleep upstairs.  So Valentine's Day or just a date night, I think my man came up with a pretty fun activity that might have been better than Pinot's Pallet because I got to wear sweatpants and swear when I messed up.  

Then we went to bed at 9:00.  So that made it even more glorious.

Thanks Jimmy for a fantastic Valentine's Day!!

Baby number 2 is a..

....

GIRL!!!

And just like that...our little family of is getting all equaled out - two boys and two girls!

We are just over the moon and are so thankful for a healthy little girl.  Let the pink fun begin!

(P.S. Thanks Kinley Krumholtz for leaving your headband on accident - we put it to good use!!)