getting your opinion . . .

I really do love hearing from you guys what you think and why you think it.  It's a lot of fun.

So the question of the day . . . 

image from hello bee 

should I make an embroidery hoop mobile like the one in the room above

or 

bunting like in this room

with perhaps a strand of this sort of bunting thrown in

image from Paddington Way

or both hanging from the ceiling in the nursery?

Kelly

this man

asked me to be his wife five years ago today!

What sweet, sweet memories and how very glad I am that he did!

Kelly

so sweet

I am starting to get e-mails, texts and phone calls from you guys checking in on me, seeing if I've gone into labor or something.  :)  

You are so sweet.

I will try to update the blog every little bit so you'll know we're still hanging in here but no promises as I'm busy nesting, trying to plan meals/cook ahead, etc. as well as 

building SUPER long trains and elaborate train tracks!  

We're having fun.  

My boy is learning to count so high too.  

He is *so* big and I know he is only going to seem even bigger when we bring a tiny little baby home.

These are good days.

Also, here's something you can chime in on.

I'm debating on whether or not to get a more girly pack and play sheet for baby girl.  It is totally a want *not* a need!  But in the end will I really care?

She will probably be sleeping in the pack and play in our room at first but then again, that was our plan with her brother too and he seemed to sleep better in his crib from the beginning so we ended up moving into his room with him (there was a full bed in the room) but with her there is not room for a bed for us in her nursery but her room is RIGHT by ours.  

hmm . . . 

We shall see.

Anyway, pack and play sheet . . . 

what would you do?

We have this and this

and I am considering this or this.

Hope you're having a good one! 

Kelly

nursery progress tonight

polka dot wall is DONE!!! 

things are going up on the walls

furniture is in the room if not yet positioned

ruffle baskets are started!  Yippee!!  labels are on

lots of stuff stacked around waiting but it's happening!!!

super special thanks to my dad for painting the nursery and my brother for helping!  

You guys are the GREATEST!!!

Kelly

closet dividers

I made some easy peasy and super cheap closet dividers for the nursery.  

pink hangers on sale at Babies R Us for $2 a pack of ten, patterned paper from my stash, clear packing tape I had already, sharpie . . . 

Travel Tuesday - Portland

Remember when we went to Portland (just the two of us!) last spring?  

I never finished blogging it so here is another glimpse from our getaway.  

This fun pool with sea lions was right by our hotel.  

They are statues in case you were getting nervous for me.  

These fun guys were right across from our hotel.

There was a lot of neat public art in Portland.

  

impromptu "maternity shoot"

We took a few pictures on Saturday before heading out for David's EARLY birthday party.

This little boy really loves his sister already and I love that!  

Kelly

ten on ten - March 2013

It was a good day.

A busy day.

Not documented the best in photos but I needed to just jump back in somewhere even if just with my phone and some random shots after not doing ten on ten for a few months.  I like having this documentation of our "regular life" too much to let lack of inspiration/motivation keep getting in the way.

getting to see friends at church who were visiting and being blessed with diapers!  Thank you Sara and family!

generosity from all sides - the loan of an infant insert for our new ergo!!

a sweet and adorable baby gift 

and maternity clothes on loan just when I'm absolutely sick of everything I have

we've been doing a lot of reading around our house lately - hooray for the library!

kicking off the shoes after church for a little rest before heading back out (after changing shoes because all I want is the most comfy these days!)  Apparently the backhoe needed a rest too.  

my cutie button trying to steal Mama's scarf as he heads off to the library with Daddy

women from my church know how to throw some CUTE showers

It seems we have about one a week right now with six of us I think due between February and May!

dinner with friends we haven't seen in far too long at their house and a new to him guitar to play with 

He was quite enamored. 

scrumptious dinner!  Thank you, Sarah!

and just because I only had 8 pics from today and it's my blog, two photos from yesterday's early birthday party for our little man

intent on his strawberry cake - that he helped me make! - with dairy free "buttercream" frosting that turned out quite well.  Thanks for the cake recipe Teri!

Sweet boy enjoying being sung "happy birthday" too while wearing his new train conductor hat from Aunt Mandy, Uncle Jeremy, Caleb and Aaron

Happy Tenth everyone!  

What did you do this weekend?

linking up here

Kelly

seven minute post

First of all, don't forget about the WATER!!

Second, this photo is from the baby shower that our church threw for us on Sunday.  AMAZING!!!

Third, I am hungry but I don't know what to eat.

Fourth, I am finding it hard to work on the nursery somewhat because my biggest block of uninterrupted time is afternoon nap for David but her room is right next to his and I generally try not to go upstairs at all during his naps because I don't like to do anything to risk them being shorter than they would be both for his sake and mine.  Mine is a boy who needs his sleep to function most cheerfully.

Fifth,  here's a fun new game.  Either/Or . . . 

Do you think I should 

a) clean the inside of my microwave before the baby comes

or 

b) finish the reorganization of the kitchen cabinets that I started?

Just wondering.

Sixth, we did a refresher childbirth class last night.  It was good.  

I learned a few new things and feel calmer approaching this birth. 

I am getting so excited to meet her!

Seventh,  God is so good!  I have had three nights in a row where I haven't woken up and laid in bed awake for a long period or ended up getting up in the middle of the night.  This is virtually UNHEARD of this pregnancy.  I've still briefly woken up but gone right back to sleep.  It's wonderful.

Okay, seven minutes are up.

Hope you're having a good one.  Don't forget to chime in on #5.  :)  

Kelly

Water!!!

Good morning you guys.

This is one of the photos I took at the Children's Museum in Pittsburgh.  

I love seeing the interaction between Grandma and David.  I love seeing the delight and discovery on my little guy's face as he gets to explore this COOL water play area.

This morning though as I looked through my iphoto for a photo to include in this post, this one took on a different light to me.

The day we were there (in the winter, during cold and flu season!) you can be sure I told David not to drink this water as he played just like I ask him not to drink bath water.

See that elephant??

He reminds me of Africa.

This morning I am thinking about Uganda, Africa.

Elephants live there.

And I'll bet you anything that the mamas in Uganda Africa would CRY TEARS OF JOY 
to let their kiddos drink from the water in that vast play area.

That humbles me and helps me to see that photo in a COMPLETELY different light.

We've talked about The Adventure Project (or TAP for short) here on the blog before.  It is a project that I truly believe in.  It is a project that I have given money to time and again (not to toot my own horn just to say that I am putting my money where my mouth is, this is not just an empty blogpost.)

The Adventure Project is about jobs for people so that they can have HOPE in their circumstances.  They are conscientious and well prepared and they are people who love God.  

March is the month that The Adventure Project focuses on WATER.

This year the project is for Uganda, Africa.

I haven't been to Africa at all yet but I have MANY dear friends who have lived in, worked in and visited Uganda.

It is exciting to me that Uganda is the country for this year's project.  

This project has the real opportunity to bring Heaven to earth - to do God's Kingdom work here and now.  To be pleasing to Him.  To change lives . . . bringing health but also bringing smiles (can you imagine the delight that drinking a pure, clean glass of water would bring when it's your first???!) and HOPE.  Hope for the future, for CHANGE because this project is more than just about digging wells for clean water.  It will train people, people who struggle just to get by, it will train them to have jobs that can change the course of their family history for generations to come.  

There will be positions for well mechanics and meter readers.

JOBS people!

I would absolutely love it if you decided to partner with this project even just a little.

My friend Mandy can tell you even more about it here and she's raffling off some really fun items (especially if you're local but there are some that can be shipped!) so go check out here post.

And enjoy the blessing of clean water you have today and say a prayer for those who don't have the easy access to it that we have.

Have a great day! 

Kelly

Travel Tuesday - Alaska

little hiker boy

looking for salmon berries to eat no doubt 

Kelly

Travel Tuesday - Alaska

me and my boy

on the ferry from Juneau to Sitka, AK

love this photo that Adrian captured

Kelly

two years ago and today

This photo was taken exactly two years ago.  Fun times.

Today . . . 

oh today we potty trained.

We are exhausted.

Kelly

this morning

I enjoyed a "crostini breakfast".

We had a HUGE snowstorm last night!  Everything is completely covered and there is still a light snow coming down.  So thankful to be cozy warm inside and just observing the beauty out the windows.

Off to build some tunnels for the train track.

Hope you're having a good day.

Kelly

Travel Tuesday - Alaska

photo by Adrian

big list of praises

I feel compelled to make sure I list and capture some praises today because I feel like they are coming at me fast and furious and for that I am oh so very thankful and humbled.

* a BEAUTIFUL sunny day with temps in the high 50s

* an invitation to come over tonight for chocolate cake

* wonderful parents who serve me and my family and bless us

* scoring some great vintage sheets this morning for nursery 

decorating and a mom who is willing to sew a ruffled crib skirt with them!

* laundry that is truly, actually, amazingly almost caught up (again, thanks to an amazing mom)

* a very thoughtful husband and one who communicates

* God's reassuring me gently and in wonderful ways that when I think "the plan" has derailed, He REALLY DOES have it covered!

* people who listen to nudges from the Holy Spirit to be used in the above reassuring

* good nursery progress being made 

* not having to cook dinner tonight

* fun social opportunities to look forward to tomorrow

* a sweet baby girl moving around like crazy inside

* wonderful friends who know me, love me and accept me for exactly who I am

* some new blogs I'm enjoying reading

* more energy today than I've had in a while - wonderful for nesting!

* a neat conversation with the check out lady at the thrift store today about how my mom is a breast cancer survivor too and how is her treatment going, etc.  I could tell she was blessed and I am so thankful God could use me for something that to me was so small but to her was big

* a VERY patient boy in said thrift store and one who was willing to leave behind the toy he had been playing with without buying it - very mature - not that we don't ever buy toys but you know . . . 

happy heart day

This sort of makes me feel like my kitchen is a fun, festive bakery that one would visit on vacation as opposed to just my normal everyday kitchen.  

Sometimes it's good to feel that way about your house.

I hope you have a very happy heart day!

And get to eat some chocolate.  :)

I don't know if I'll ever forget the day our PTA at school switched from the "death by chocolate" spread they annually put on (have you ever tried a brownie bite in a chocolate fountain?!) to a healthy yogurt bar without any warning.  

I'm planning to take my friend Janae's grandma's Mocha Angel Food Torte to our MOPS meeting today.

What are your plans for the day?

If you're feeling mopey, try brightening someone else's day in someway and hopefully you'll feel ten times better too!

Kelly

thank you Nana!

Nana made these super cool robot Valentine's for David's class party!  

Thank you for the great idea to copy, Aunt Gail!

Kelly

super mom

Do you ever do things that make you feel like "super mom" if only for a few minutes?

Once upon a time I had saved this idea that I found here.

The other night after dinner this was our special dessert.  

I made it right there as we all sat around the table while he watched.  He was pretty into it.  It was fun.

Often when I try to implement something cute I saw online, it turns out that it is something moms think is cute or maybe older kids or something but he isn't really all that into it.  

This time was fun.  Plus it was healthy fruit for dessert!

My only prep was to add "green apple" and "green grapes" to the shopping list when Adrian was going to the store and then to e-mail myself the link so I could look at the step by step instructions on my phone while I made it and just making a note to do it after dinner that night.  

I think that sometimes I feel like I need to prep these things ahead of time and then they just never happen so this was a good lesson learned. 

Plus I got to cut the apple on the horizontal and show him the star that God put into the middle of apples!  I remember how I used to beg my mom to cut our apples that way so I could see the star.

So, if you have any green apples and grapes sitting around, maybe have a turtle for dessert tonight. 

Kelly

declutter {thirteen}

ancient tennis shoes

two wire hangars

generic nyquil that expired in '11

an empty Biz box and extra scoop once I emptied the contents into my glass jar

a broken set of chopsticks that somehow went through the dryer???

I took a photo of the little piece that sits in the washer's agitator but I'm not getting rid of *it*, I just spared you a photo of all of the gunk that had collected in it that has been bugging me for weeks and I finally cleaned out.  It was super simple, why did it take me so long?

an empty and washed out can that I had saved for crafts or whatever - I can always get another, it's time for stuff to go!

some cards/notes/drawings from school years past that I don't need anymore (don't worry I've kept many meaningful ones)

shopping bags

Travel Tuesday - Juneau, AK

hiking Mt. Roberts

photo by Adrian

Queen of Hearts

I recently got to host a women's event at my house.  I had two lovely ladies helping me and they did basically all the food and let me decorate!  That is my kind of sharing hostessing duties!

Our theme was black, red and white, queens, hearts . . .  and it was a fun one to work with.  I'm just realizing that all three of these table coverings were cheap ($1 at an estate sale) or free (when I scored after someone cleaned out storage closets at my old school.  

Look at these ADORABLE ladybug crackers that Jeanette made!  They were tasty too.  Well, except for the black olive, I didn't eat that part but I'm sure if you like black olives they were quite tasty too.  The black spots were cream cheese with black food coloring!  Do you see those little chive antena?

Kat made this YUMMY cake that she put a tiara on top of, how clever is that? 

We had lots of other goodies too.

It was also fun to see my living room full of women dressed in red and black!  Quite the coordinated event!  

Kelly

decluttering {twelve}

*Finally* mailing off something that I should have already!

The glass lid to a candle.  Do you keep these while you're burning the candle or throw them away as soon as you light it the first time.  These are kind of an enigma to me.  I'm never sure where to keep them or if I should once I've lit it the first time.  The candle has long since been burned and thrown away but I found the lid in a drawer.  

a random price sticker found on the floor.  I gave David the remainder of our price stickers to play/"craft" with after we did our last garage sale and decided "never again"

a box that held three remaining notecards - kept the cards, don't need the box

various fabric scraps (and my fabric basket is still stuffed full)

a Dec. issue of Real Simple

In the morning light . . .

paint samples on the walls

The top pink is different than the bottom pink.

The grey is on the right.

Any thoughts?

Kelly

seven minute post

I've got a lot to "talk about" so I didn't even start the seven minutes until after I'd uploaded and resized the photo.

David has croup  :(  

He is nearly over it I think for which I am really thankful.  It has been one of those weeks where plans didn't really turn out as planned but at the same time I could see God's hand leading the way, preparing it all.  

Baby names . . . we still don't have one.  Wanna talk girl names?  What names do you like that you can see us having in our family?
(Remember please, no last name on the blog, thanks!)

I feel like we're leaning towards some names that start with 

K, A, E, C, maybe L

What are your favorite girls' names that start with those letters?

Okay, paint, it is hard.  

Why is it so hard to pick a color?

There are sample swatches painted on the walls of the nursery right now and I'm not 100%.  Two pinks and a gray.  I think I like REALLY pale paint colors.  But the thing is that all three colors are the palest on their cards.  hmmm . . . advice?

Let's see, what else?  I thought I had a lot to say.

In the middle of the night last night when I was lying awake in bed I sure had a ton of thoughts swirling around in my head.

One of the ways that God took care of my smallest of needs/worries was that Dollar Tree carries these great mini-rollers for painting, two to a package, no clean up!  Yippee!!  

hmmm . . .

I feel super conflicted about food right now. 

Eat what I want? try to be healthy? what does healthy food even mean with so many conflicting opinions out there?

I do know that I need to continue to submit this area of my life to God and if I'm honest, I don't like to take God with me to the refrigerator.

What is going on in your week?

What sorts of things are keeping you up at night?  ;)

Okay, well, there's seven minutes.  

I'd love to hear what you're thinking.

Kelly

Travel Tuesday - Juneau, AK

eagle

taken by Adrian