Ten on Tuesday (in pictures)

1.  I think this little man is in the middle of a growth spurt.  The other night, he woke up crying uncontrollably.  Dave heard him walking around in their room....crying.  So, Dave went up and C. said he needed to go to the bathroom (while rummaging in the closet).  Dave guided him down the stairs and let him head to the back of the house alone.  Next thing, we hear the PANTRY door open.  While he didn't urinate in the pantry (thank goodness!), we got him to the bathroom just in time....still crying.  It wasn't until AFTER using the bathroom that he really woke up and stopped crying.  He cuddled with mom for a bit before dad took him back up to bed.  This morning?  He's literally beating himself up.  Falling, dropping things, running into everything.  Total klutz.  Growing?  Indeed.

2.  My bedroom is starting to look like a bad episode of Hoarders.    Hurry up, house...get done!

3.  As an aside, is there ever a good episode of Hoarders?  It's all sad, and usually showing signs of some sort of mental illness.  I just can't watch.  However, I'm living it....so, there's that.

4.  Also in reference to the above picture, I FINALLY found our new bedding! ( jammed in the FAR back corner)  I've been obsessively on the prowl for the past few months- bound and determined to find affordable good quality bedding before we move into our new room this fall.  I wanted it early so I could choose a non-beige color for our walls.  Yo....TJ Maxx is the place to go!  Actually, I checked a few smaller TJ Maxx's  in other areas....but the other day, I went into the large one near me.  They had 2 beautiful styles for me to choose from (the others were nice, just not my style) AND in the California King size!  Whoot!.  And since I have many dirty boys in my house (including my husband!), I went with the one that was less-white.  And it was $23 cheaper- meaning it fit into what was left of the envelopes for this month- PLUS enough to purchase a sweet accent pillow.  In one tiny trip to TJ Maxx, I decorated my bedroom- since Home Depot was right after that, I found the wall color, and already know what window treatments to use.  I LOVE it when rooms come together in 2 store trips!  EEEKKKKK!


5.  My sister-in-law read my post here where I complained about ugly feet and not having enough discretionary income to do a pedi.  She kindly offered my niece's pedi skills at our family get together on Friday night.  Wow....Emily DOES have skills!  I'm totally impressed.  All for free, I walked in with ugly feet, and walked out with pink/yellow ombre toe nails complete with glitter overlay and gemstone flowers on my big toes.  And she did it all over the course of like 15 minutes!  Seriously, I am impressed.  The picture below doesn't do them justice.  And also, you can see my feet are starting to swell.  Sad face.  But, thank you, EMILY!!!  I got to repay her at a baby shower on Saturday by doing a sideways french braid.  Fun things like that exchange with my niece make me SO excited to have a little girl! (Who will probably be bald until the age of 6....but whatever...)

7.  Guess what arrived in the mail today?!?!?!  My Cord Blood Donation Kit!  Looks like 3rd trimester is where all the action is, huh?  We had the kit with both boys, but weren't allowed to donate with C.  There was a placental abruption during delivery, and that is a deal-breaker.  However, A's cord was REALLY long (and around his neck once and shoulder once too), so we were able to get a GREAT harvest.  The nice thing is that since I'm already in their system, I got to bypass the 20 minute interview and go with the shortened 10 question list before they sent the kit.  Really, it's SO easy to donate cord blood!  It's painless, and totally free.  I strongly encourage anyone pregnant to consider it.

8.  This thing....this black plastic curtain.....has become the BANE of my existence.  I know, I know...it means there's progress on the house.  However, I can't see any progress, and it's in the MIDDLE of my KITCHEN!  There's approximately 12" between the kitchen table and refrigerator- which means I can't open my freezer door enough to open any drawers- rendering it useless.  In addition, the black curtain is covering 2/3 my dishwasher- which means it's a pain in the arse to load and unload (but provides a neat little pocket for me to crawl through to peek at the progress once in a while.)  In addition, Dave recently informed me that we've got a few more weeks- a month of this curtain.  He's going to keep it up while the insulators blow in insulation in the ceiling, and the painter sprays the primer.  :(  Sigh. (wiping tears away)

9.  On Friday night last weekend, we went to Matt's house to celebrate Dave's parent's 60th birthdays (one month apart) and 40th wedding anniversary.  Since all the grandkids were under one roof, we took the opportunity to get an updated Grands picture.  Let me tell ya....SEVEN kids all looking at the camera AND smiling is a modern-day miracle.  Kris (Matt's wife) and I had our cameras out, and I was just on continuous click mode....hoping for a good shot.  I got a few, but this one is my favorite!

10.  Then, Dave's parents got into the mix.  The kids were getting a little squirrely, but there's a few decent ones in there.  Note to self:  putting a 3 year old on the top of a slide and telling him NOT to slide is ill-advised.  Poor kid didn't know which end was up- he kept wanting to slide, but everyone told him to sit still and smile.  Next time the big boys get the top of the slide spot.  :)  AND next time, numbers EIGHT and NINE (our baby girl is nine) will be in the mix!

5QF- last one for July!

Well, this morning started out with a bang. 

We still have a baby monitor in the boys' room- since it's 2 floors away.  And I'm nosy when they have friends over.  :)  So, at 6:19 this morning, I hear Dave talking sternly to the boys up there.  They left their room a mess, and as they were cleaning it this morning, Dave notices a STASH of candy wrappers shoved under their bed.  ALL the parade candy from July 4th that we had hidden in the pantry was up there (how?  I don't know!), eaten, and all the wrappers thrown under the bed.

Then I hear Dave utter words that made me cringe.

"no screens at all today."

No TV, No wii, No netflix, No computer, No DS.  Nada.


Now, I'll be the first to admit, I've grown quite dependent on those screens as means of keeping the boys quiet while I work.  (and sometimes other times when I need a break too)  Babysitters cost between $8-10 an hour, and I work three days a week!  Yes, today is a work day....jam packed, as a matter of fact.  I have no sitter scheduled - since she's in South Carolina....it's kinda hard to call her last minute.

I'm working on a chore list for the boys to do today...in addition to some fun activities I've been saving for fun days- but it's also raining out here.  I'm hoping it will clear up sooner or later.  And I'm thinking I may* need Starbucks.  *(MAY?!?!? really, come on, Sandy....it's a necessity today!)

Oh, in addition, drywall hangers are here today - which is a TOTAL YAY! - BUT, they're loud, their tools are loud, their radio is loud...and there's nothing separating us except a thin piece of plastic. At least they're playing good music.

In other words....pray for me. 

If I'm not sucking my thumb in a corner by 3pm today, I'll consider it a success.

Hold me.








1. What is the funniest thing you saw on Facebook/twitter this week?

It was a status update from my husband's cousin.  Her husband told their boys that he would pay them each $10 to pull the weeds in a flower bed.  Yesterday, she was at the zoo with the boys, and one of them saw a necklace he HAD to have.  He loudly declared that he'd give his mom all his WEED MONEY for the necklace.  People turned heads...and she quickly had to explain what that meant to on-lookers. 

I laughed so hard!



2. What is your favorite Olympic event?

I have to admit I really like watching gymnastics.  The amount of athleticism to do those tricks is just astounding.  Those girls have made it their life's work to get there, and I always pull for them.

I also think this summer we'll be watching some swimming.  The boys just finished a 3-day round of lessons, and I think it would be neat for them to see the professional level of swimming - so they understand what swimming is really all about.  (You know...and not drowning too....)


3. Do your kids to chores around the house? If so, what are they and how old are the children? Do they get paid for them?

You bet they do!  We have our boys on a Commission system, since Dave and I are big fans of Dave Ramsey.  A. is 8 and C. will be 5 next month.  They can choose whether or not they do these chores...but if they don't do them, they don't get paid.  It really comes in handy when we're at Meijer, and they're begging for a toy.  I just say, "How much money to you have? Well, that's not enough for a toy....you should go home and look at the sheet to see how you can earn more."  I love that.  :)

Here's a breakdown:
Making their bed (.05 a day)
Ally job - feeding and putting her outside after she eats- (.05 a day)
Cleaning up toys without being asked (.10 a day)
Cleaning up their clothes without being asked (.05 a day)
Folding towels and washcloths and putting them away (.50)
Dad job - this usually includes helping him clean out his van or sweep the garage (.50)
Mom job- this usually includes sweeping the floors, cleaning the toilets, etc. (.50)

We have the clean up things without being asking in there because we want that to become something they do without a fight- without being asked, and we want to put a positive spin on it right away.  Probably next year, we'll move that into an unpaid expectation.  Other unpaid expectations- cleaning up after yourself, helping me set and clear the table, and other misc. things we ask them to do.

4. If you get bad service/food do you complain or keep quiet?

This depends.  I understand if a restaurant is busy and the server is overworked, etc.  Then I'd complain to the manager about not having enough people on staff for a busy night.  If the server is rude, yeah, I'll complain.  Or....you know, leave a crappy tip- direct consequence of my having to deal with them.

Otherwise, sometimes each person needs a little grace.  If they're forgetful, etc, it's just nice to realize we're all in it together and get over yourself.  Just my opinion.


5. If you could pick ONE frivolous item for your home, what would it be? (massive room sized closet? swimming pool? greenhouse? etc...)

Come on, just ONE?!?!?!?

I'd have to go with a tricked out back yard.  I love being out there, but I'm not a fan of bugs and allergies.  When we are out there, Dave and I love having a little fire in our fire pit and just sit out there talking until my butt falls asleep in the folding chair or until the bats start to creep me out.  (seriously, though...they keep the bugs down...so we co-exist peacefully...most of the time).

So, here's some of my backyard inspiration from Pintrest.

Source: homeideasdesign.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: imgfave.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: imgfave.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: aestheticoutburst.blogspot.com via Sandy on Pinterest

(Almost) Done

There's a lot half-finished lately at the PMD house.

We're

(almost) done. 

with a LOT of things.

For starters,

I'm (almost) done being pregnant!  Today is the first day of the third trimester! 

12 weeks to go!!!

Another thing, the Love Shack is just a little closer to being done today.

Drywall gets delivered!

Granted....we still have a LONG way to go before it's done

(i.e. hanging said drywall (tomorrow) , finishing it (Monday), trim work, priming, painting, and all the little things that go with finishing a room (or five)- light and plumbing fixtures, etc.)

BUT, we're a LOT closer to being done than we were 10 weeks ago.  :)

This is what my living room currently looks like:

If you've EVER lived through a drywall project, you'll understand why it's blocked off so well....and still, we'll be vacuuming that super fine dust out of couch cushions for the next decade.

But hey, it's (ALMOST) done!

And other (almosts):

A. is (almost) fully dressed for the day.

I'm (almost) fully done with our camping trip:

Laundry is clean and folded

She's been bathed (just this morning, but hey....it's done!  Hence the wet spots on the belly pic above):

The only thing left to do is take the clean linens out to the RV and give her a good scrub down and vacuum.

And one of my favorite (almosts):

I'm almost done making the dragonfly mobile for baby girl's room!

I saw a butterfly one on Pintrest, and thought I could do one to match our bedding.

My friend, Stephenie, came over last night for some crafting fun, and we got a good start.

Now, I just have a few things to do to finish it.

Which I'll probably get around to early next week.

But, since it's (almost) done, you get the gist!



(almost) done!

Ten on Tuesday update

1.  Our van is fixed!  With a happy little tune-up, a new coil kit (huh?) and a new alternator, our van is purring like a kitten again.  We're MUCH happier to spend $545 to fix it rather than $5000 for a new (used, of course...we aren't non-smart enough to take the initial depreciation hit on brand new vehicles)one.  To top it off, the wheel strut tower that Grand Caravans usually have issues with is showing no signs of rust on our van....looks like we'll have her for a few more years!  (knock on wood)

2.  The boys started swimming lessons yesterday.  That is, in and of itself, a blog post of its own.

3.  We had insulation blown into the new addition yesterday.  Dave and Matt installed rolls of insulation in the basement.  Now, we wait for more inspections.  You know...we probably would have done all this energy efficiency stuff regardless....because it's smart.  But just knowing that the government is MAKING us to this- apparently because we can't be smart citizens trusted to make good decisions for ourselves- just kinda rubs me the wrong way.  Whatever....the house is progressing.  I'm happy about that.

4.  Drywall hopefully starts at the end of this week, and the siding was delivered yesterday.  The drywall is subcontracted out, but Dave will do the siding.  That's horribly tedious.  But- since it's a detail job- he's awesome at it.

5.  I'm on the look-out for new bedding for our bedroom.  I'd like to find it before I have to pick paint colors.  The budget is finite, and I'm not particularly inspired by what I see out there right now.

6.  I have yet to get into the RV to do a deep clean from our weekend trip.  I'm using the ever growing pile of laundry as an excuse to put it off.  Once all the laundry is done, I'll have to go out there to put it away.  Then I'll have to clean...until then, I'm just going to put it off another day.  I've got a camping hangover...and I'm tired.

7.  I've realized that up until 10 days before school begins, we have plans everyday.  At least, every week day.  From vbs to camp, Coast Guard Festival and swimming lessons to birthday celebrations....every darn day.  Except this Thursday and Friday.  I'm intending on enjoying those days right here at home....doing not a whole heck of a lot.

8.  My friend's husband returns home shortly after being gone for a long time.  I'm VERY excited for her to have him home again.  She was a total rock star while he was gone...but I know she's missed him dearly.  I've been praying for her every day while he was absent....and I'm just soooo excited for a happy reunion.  :)

9.  I'm praying for a nap today.

10.  I told the boys about what it means to register for gifts.  Now, they're so excited about registering, they're asking EVERY day, sometimes EVERY hour to go with me to register.  I'm thinking this may end up being a family trip.  :)

The annual camping trip

While the idea of "camping" doesn't send thrills up my spine, it isn't something I flee from either.

Once a year, the opportunity arises to go up north with some fantastic friends from our small group,

so we borrow Dave's parent's RV...pack up....and head into the great not-too-far north.

We know we're getting closer to the campground when we see things like this:

Yes, northern Michigan....a place where hicks still go to roost.  :)

Why, yes...that is duct tape with it's reflective properties writing "Git-R-Dun" on the front of that Astro Van.

Ally came too.

My, a lot changes in a year. 

Kids are older.

Molly is gone.

Ally joined our pack.

Baby on the way.

Ally had a hay-day digging in the dirt.  Home girl had a great time.

She would dig until she found a root, and then play tug with it.

The kids learned that she doesn't bite...but she jumps.

Apparently, they liked to learn again, and again, and again.

Poor Ally thought they were only playing with her...and when they screamed,

she took that as screams of glee....which they weren't.

We had lots of fun family activities to keep us busy during the weekend:

Swimming:



Archery:

Father/Son shoot out

The men had a shoot out too.

I cannot even remember if there was a winner.  :)

Clearly, none of us have an archery background.

You can also see in the background of the above shot that there's a tennis court, obstacle course,

miscellaneous games, and a basketball court back there too!

Hobo pie making:

Saturday afternoon we made pizzas in them for lunch.  Mmmmmm.

Ally was smelling the remnants.  :)

There was fishing:

Lots and lots of fishing.

This dock was right off our camp site.

The boys had a great agreement.

C. baited the hooks, A. fished and reeled them in, C. removed the fish from the hook and released them.

This picture warms my heart. 

I even got to fish!!!

(Which is also #88 on my List!!!)

The boys were totally impressed that I could bait my own hook and take the fish off.

I think I earned some awesome-boy-mom points that afternoon.

However, chivalry is not dead.

C. was itching to help his mommy out by taking my BIG CATCH off the hook.

So, of course....I let him.  It was a small price to pay.  ;)

Of course, there was snacking:

(look, mom....GLUTEN FREE bird seed!)

Bird seed is a mix of Cheerios, raisins (or in my case, Craisins), peanuts and M&M's.

It's a tradition for any trip in our family.  :)

Of course, the boys got their own bag of gluten-ous Bird Seed.

I was just excited to be able to have it this year!

We slept....a little bit.

The first night is always a learning curve.

Dave always had A. in the top bunk with him, but A. is getting WAY too big for that.

So, he was down on the fold out couch with me the first night.

C. was on the fold down table.

Mistake.

A. clearly needed his own bed.

I slept about 2 hours that night....chopped up.

I was soooo thankful for Dave taking the boys swimming on Saturday afternoon so I could take a nap.

Saturday night, we gave A. the fold down table and C. slept in the middle, me on the wall.

Dave had the top bunk.

I put the travel DVD player on, and there was no fighting to go to bed.

No fighting in bed....and they zonked out within 15 minutes.

Here's Sunday morning's bed carnage by phone camera.

And last, but not least...my favorite picture of the weekend.

Our friends, Randy and Cindy celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary last weekend

and brought cake.

Graham really enjoyed it.  :)

5QF - Lady Katie edition. :)

I'm a procrastinator by nature.  And this morning, I'm reaping the consequences of that personality trait. 

I have a lot to do, and a very little bit of time to do it in.


And here I sit....blogging.

Clearly, I have my priorities in order.  :)

Since Mama M. decided to ditch her Michigan vacation (wwwwaaaaahhhhhhh) and do a local vacation ("lo-cation"- her word), Kate is hosting the 5QF today.  Which is awesome too- because Kate is, herself, awesome. 


We have a very busy weekend ahead....and it starts in about 2 hours.  So, imagine me running* around like a chicken with my head cut off, and two little boys anxious to start the weekend running around my non-existent cankles, and a very nervous dog feeding off the energy of her pack.  Oh yes....it's fun.  :)


*you know, as much as a pregnant woman can actually "run"....which really means a gentle saunter.  :)


OK!  Questions!


1.  What do you call them- flip flops, sandals, thongs, or slippers?

Well, if you're referring to the footwear that has a thingy that fits into the crack between your big toe and long toe...then it's a flip flop.

Sandals are anything else that doesn't have a thingy that kills that crack.

Thongs....well, they kill a totally different type of crack.

Slippers are for keeping your feet warm in the winter.

2.  Are you a "my kids can do no wrong" kind of my or a "Johnny punched you?  Well, what did you do to him first?! kind of mom.?

I'm not really firmly in either camp.  I'd probably say I lean toward the latter camp, because I know that most things don't go unprovoked.  There's usually a cause and effect....especially when it's between the two brothers.  However, things get sticky when other kids get involved and I don't really know their personalities well....then, I'm a hawk-eyed mom who watches like mad so I KNOW what went down...unless they're at school- then I have to ask for eye-witness accounts.  :)

That said....I do get my dander up when someone intentionally hurts my kid.  Whether it's with words, manipulation, or physical....I do get Mama-lion protecting her cubs.  It's instinct...and there's no fighting it.

3.  Would you confront a good friend that looked/ looks down on her husband/ significant other?

Yes.  Most definitely.  I would, and I have.  I will admit, I'm not the model wife...our marriage isn't the epitome of perfection.  I haven't seen one yet that isn't without troubles at some point.  However, the husband-bashing is tough to always hear.  And if we, as wives, are always spewing the anger with our friends, what kind of image are you representing about the man YOU picked to marry?!?!?

I once confronted a friend who was picking fights with her husband left a right.  There was so much venom in her voice it wasn't funny.  Me...in my Sandy-has-a-limited-verbal-filter conversation told her to essentially, "Stop being such a princess.  You're not daddy's little girl anymore, your a wife to a grown man.  Don't be his mom, be his WIFE.  Quit trying to control and manipulate him.  Put on your big girl panties, and start learning how to respect your husband and let him lead."  I have to say that that evening her husband received an apology.  :)  See?  My quick tongue can save marriages.  :)

4.  Biggest pet peeve?

I have many, many pet peeves.  Really...a LOT.  But, I'm going to lump a few into one and just say:

Bad drivers.

This includes, and is not limited to:
driving slow in the left lane
not knowing where the heck you're going and braking at every street that comes up
driving slow in the left lane
getting on your cell phone and driving 15 miles below the speed limit
driving slow in the left lane
going the wrong way in a parking lot lane
driving slow in the left lane
not using your blinker
driving slow in the left lane
driving too fast in residential areas- where children are clearly present
driving slow in the left lane.

5.  What's your favorite take out meal?

Well, I don't really do take-out anymore since going gluten free...and trying to eat fresh stuff.  There's a restaurant near me called the "Electric Cheetah" that I'm sure I could get take out at....they have a gluten free menu, and purchase only locally grown food and baked goods (including gluten free baked goods!!!).  I LOVE eating there...and go as often as I can.....which is about once or twice a year.   I don't get out much, if you can't tell.  :)

Last post of the second trimester!

Today I am officially 27 weeks pregnant.


One more week of the second trimester.

Actually, it depends on who you talk to...some say 26 weeks, some 27 and some 28.

My OB says it's "technically 27 weeks and 3 days...but who's counting?!?!"

So, we'll go with 28 weeks, and I'll bid the second trimester a fond adieu with this post.

So, here I am at 27 weeks:

(photo by A.)

So, here's a recap so far:

•  At my Dr. appt yesterday, I gained 0.2 pounds over the last 4 weeks.  Making my total weight gain 10.2 pounds.

• My blood pressure yesterday read a happy 110/60.  (This is HALF of what it was with A!)

• I do believe my stomach is having a hard time with dairy lately.  I'm not sure why....because I survived on dairy at the beginning.  Weird. 
• Cravings?  fruit.  Keep it comin.'

• It's a girl.  Yes, we have a name.  No, we're not telling.  :)

• Things I miss:  regular underwear.  Buttoning pants.  Sleeping on my back.

• Things I'm looking forward to:  working on getting baby girl's room ready!  We have 13 weeks to make it happen.  It currently looks like this: 

• As stated before, I sit in the Dr. office waiting for my appt. comparing cankles.  So far, I think I'm doing ok.  (?)  I can see bones...so I consider that a success.  hehe See for yourself:

• I understand that my toes look horrible.  My sciatic nerve won't let me do them myself without horrible pain, and this month's envelopes aren't allowing for a pedi.  Hopefully August will give me a little wiggle room for pretty piggies.  :)

• In addition to the returning sciatic nerve pain I had with C., I'm also experiencing the JOY of round ligament pain.  Wow....it's just a ball of fun. 

• I'm ecstatic to be PAST the viability week!  When I was in the ER at 14 weeks with issues, they said that the viability week was week 26.  At that point, if the baby were to be born, there was a 50% chance of survival.  Until 26 weeks, the Dr. said that they usually don't do much if the pregnancy shows signs of distress.  So, we've been holding our breath until week 26.  Well, now we're at week 27. YEAH, BABY!  I'm also happy to report my contractions have decreased dramatically since the 18th week.  This makes me very happy.

• I'm starting to experience some reoccurring nausea again.  I don't remember it coming back this early with the boys.    I believe that this is the whole boy/girl thingy.

• This little Miss LOVES her daddy!  Seriously....she'll be quiet as a mouse all the live-long day.  He comes home and says, "Hello," and she starts jumping all around.  She.loves.her.daddy.  I'm amazed at how early that bond forms.  :)

• We're now into the every-2-week Doctor visit schedule.  I can't believe we're there already.  But I LOVE LOVE LOVE my OB....so seeing her is like visiting with an old friend.  I'm praying I go into labor on her day to deliver.  (She was out on maternity leave for both boys.....seriously- great timing, huh?)

• My next visit includes the glucose test.  I want to hurl just thinking about it.  Thank goodness the glucola is gluten free.  (and kinda darn too.).

• The boys were RAILING on me for not telling them the baby's name.  I told them that since they have big mouths, there was NO WAY we were sharing that information with them.  So...as a gesture of good faith, I told them her middle name and said if they could keep it a secret for 8 weeks, we'd tell them her name.  Yeah....the secret lasted LESS than 24 hours.  Yep....I think I called it on that one.  :)

10 on Tuesday

1.  Today is officially a "holy crap, it's a busy day" day.  Seriously...it's amazingly busy.  Yes, I'm blogging, but only doing so while playing tug with Ally, leading a craft for C. while A. is at Lego camp, on the phone with an insured who apparently doesn't know which end is up.

2.  I'm hot, sweaty, and pregnant.  /whine

3.  We had rough inspections today!!!  D has itty bitty things to fix...but only because I believe they nit-picked him.  One thing needs to be reinspected.  Since we won't be home tonight, I have a feeling he'll be working on it in our absence and we'll have a green light to go ahead with insulation and drywall by tomorrow afternoon.  That is, if the drywaller would ever call us back.

4.  I love friends with pools.

5.  I'm starting to compare cankles at the Dr's office.  So far, I'm not doing too bad.  Is that bad of me?

6.  I really don't care if that's bad....I'd probably still compare cankles.

7.    I LOVE that the inspectors all know us as that "Debt-free project on (Censored) St."  Every single one of them.  And if we're home when they come through, they ALL applaud us for sticking to our guns when it would be oh so easy to go out and get a mortgage.  Hearing comments like that make my heart glad.

8.  My dog is letting me know that she needs attention.  Apparently, she doesn't care if it's positive or negative....cause she's going for negative.

9.  I love watermelon.

10.  I love air conditioning.

The One who has my back.

I'm not sure why I bother to worry.

It's not fruitful.

There are things I cannot control...and things I can.

I am a "do-er", so the things I can, I usually do something about.

Other things, I just usually actively worry.

I'm not sure why.

But, sometimes....

.....it's just wonderful.....                                                    

.....when God answers prayers:  spoken and unspoken.

Lately, He's been answering prayers left and right.

Even when I don't bring my petty little worries to Him,

He still answers them.

And in ways that I just can't consider a coincidence.

He's surrounded me during this season of pregnancy.

With a support system for rough times,

with prayers....countless prayers.

With dear friends to help us tear down the Love Shack so we could start on the new house.

With a Doctor next door who lends me her doppler-

no questions asked, so I could hear the baby's heartbeat.

One day I was thinking about how much baby stuff we had given away. 

Including our rocking chair...and our low dresser that doubled as a changing table.

The next day, I get a call from my sister-in-law who offered me her glider rocker and short dresser.

God to Sandy:  I've got your back.

I was a tad wee little bit (ok a LOT) freaked out about having a girl....
...and the next week, I had a GREAT discussion with my small group moms which totally eased my mind.

God to Sandy:  I've got your back.

Then, I remembered that I broke a bracket on our crib when I dismantled it the last time.  Upon calling the manufacturer, I found out they refuse to sell it since it's a drop side crib (currently illegal).

The NEXT DAY, my neighbor calls and says she's out shopping for matching cribs for her twin daughters, and offered us her crib.  For free.

God to Sandy:  I've got your back.

Our car seat is expired, our gender neutral bedding has been donated, and most of our toys are thrown out. 

God gave me Kathy who filled the back of my van this morning. 

With all those things- and then some.

Yesterday, on the way to church, our van BUSTED.  BROKE.  NADA. 

I was worried about the busiest week in summer - what the heck was I going to do?!?!?

When we got to church (in the RV), a friend offered us his van that they are trying to sell as means of transportation for the week.  I didn't have to cancel one thing!

God to Sandy:  I've got your back.

I realized that I have so much more that we need for the baby.

God provided some amazing friends who are hosting a shower to fill in the blanks.

God to Sandy:  I've got your back.

So, while I have worries....financial and physical, I'm just going to do what I can...

...and leave the rest to God.

After all, He's got my back.

5QF

Friday!

This has been a loooooong week this summer.  By far, the longest feeling.

A. has had sports camp up at his school all week- which gave me a "fond" remembrance what it's like to commute everyday.  I'm kinda not looking forward to that again....and actually am at a total loss as to what we'll do when baby girl gets here.  I know I won't be able to drive for 2 weeks- my hemoglobin always drops too low, and I'm on Dr's orders not to drive.  Dave leaves for work around 6:30 everyday, and many times doesn't come home until 6:30 at night, so extended care is out of the equation.  Perhaps I pull them from school for 2 weeks?  Gosh, I just don't know.  Perhaps I'll just jump off that bridge when we come to it.

Anyway, I've also been fighting a bit of a stomach bug as well.  It's running rampant around here, and I've known two people now that have ended up in the ER for hydration so far.  Others, it's not too bad.  I've just had a "whonky" stomach for a few days, and have been focusing on resting when I can...I finally feel like I've turned a corner.  :)  I've said it before and I'll say it again....germs should be illegal in the summertime.







Anyway, Let's answer some questions!


1. What's your view on men wearing sandals (yay or nay)?


I must say, Mama M....I'm the exact opposite as you!  I am not a fan of flip flops on men....it looks lazy.  But athletic sandals?  yep...fine by me!  (ahem, men....no socks, please!)

2. What song do you love but are embarrassed to admit?

Oh....I'm blushing.  I'm ashamed to admit this.

Ready?  It goes a little somethin' like this"

"I like big butts, and I cannot lie.  You other brothers can't deny...."

Takes me back to college bar days.  Lots of fun.  And anyone who can rap about their love of curvaceous booties?  Well, that's just top notch in my book.  (Spoken by a woman who has a lot of junk in her trunk.)

Source: someecards.com via Sandy on Pinterest

And now you can forget I ever said anything about this totally outdated kinda gross song.  M'k?
3. What summer camp should they make for moms?

Camp Iwannagetaway.

This is a camp where you come and do whatever the heck you want.  Take naps, get fed (without having to prepare food- or clean up!), Laundry is outlawed, crafts are optional, and there's a mandatory sit-on-your-butt-and-read-a-book time every afternoon.  There's shopping day excursions, and best of all, they send a poor schlub from the camp staff to clean your house from top to bottom before you return home.

4. What is the most romantic song? (Not necessarily your favorite or your wedding song...)


Romantic song?    I'm having a hard time raking my brain on that one.  Every one I think of CLEARLY has strong sexual connotations to it.....Very strong.  Apparently, I have sex on the brain?  Sorry about that.  If I think of one, I'll come back and update.  :)  Deal?


5. Do you have an embarrassing pregnancy story?


Let me preface this by saying I'm not a big cry-er, in general. 
I was pregnant with A.  We were still technically "newly-weds."  Our biggest issue on date nights was trying to figure out where to go for dinner.  We usually did the whole process of elimination thing-

I don't want to go here...

you don't want to go there....

so, what's left?

So, one night, Dave decided to incorporate an estimate in one of our date nights (insert bone of contention with me....but it was happening more and more since he JUST started working for himself). 

It was 7pm before we got out of there, and I was hungry.  Not just hungry, dry-heaving hungry.  But so far past the point of feeling hungry, I wasn't really craving food anymore.   Oh, but I was ornery.

So, I told him to pick a place.  I didn't really flippin' care.  (there may or may not have been an *edge* to my voice on that one)

So, he started driving into a Blimpie.  What he didn't realize is that earlier in the pregnancy, I threw up some Blimpie...so, smelling that place really wouldn't sit well with me.  So, I said, "If you're in the mood for subs, I'd really prefer going to Subway."

Ohhhhh, he went OFF.  (Apparently, he was a wee bit hungry too).  "WHY WOULD YOU LET ME CHOOSE WHEN YOU CLEARLY HAD AN OPINION ON WHERE YOU WANTED TO EAT?!?!?"

I started to cry.  And cry.  And cry.  He didn't say a word, but promptly drove me to the nearest Subway.  Where I kept crying....and couldn't stop.  So, I'm there at the counter ordering my Sweet Onion Chicken Teryaki sub...still crying. 

I ate my sub....still crying.  I seriously couldn't stop.  I was over the "fight" by then, and we were laughing about it, but I couldn't turn off the water works.

I can only imagine what those teenagers working that night thought.

There are many other embarrassing pregnancy stories (oh...many), but I LOVE bringing this up to Dave by saying, "Remember that time you made me cry over sub sandwiches?  Well done, DAD."

Ten on Tuesday

1.  I'm giving myself a bit of a break from crazy blogging scheduling- due to some summer fun.  And pregnancy.  And work.  And house.  Normally, blogging gives me a sweet release for whatever is on my mind.  Lately, though, I have little on my mind and a lot in my hands.  We're having a jam packed fun filled summer, and I'm lovin' it.

2.  I'm tired.

3.  I'm also sun burnt.  In addition to the sun burn, I put on a pain killer spray yesterday- which I am apparently allergic to.  So, now I have a blissful rash on top of the burn.  Lovely.  Ever itch a sun burn?  It's ill-advised.  But- the happy side of this all is that since the burn is still so red, you can't see the rash!  Anyway, we had a fantastic time at a beach north of us on Saturday with my friend, Michelle, and her two little guys.  See pictures here.  I didn't think to take any pics with my phone....except for this one:

This is on the way home from the beach.  The hair I lost during 1st trimester

has now grown back a bit, but the new hair is only 2 1/2 inches...and curly.

Leaving me with oh-so-lovely wings.  Lovely.

4.  Ally just clawed the heck out of my front window screen this morning as Matt was arriving for work.  She got excited.  I got PISSED.  And once again, we look like redneck hicks in a new house.

5.  I am currently 25 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  This is right around the gestational time that my nephew was born.  He is currently a happy, healthy 3 year old.  Proof positive that miracles happen everyday.

6.  Dave fixed our dryer!  With a little google-magic, and a run to the parts store, our dryer is fixed for a grand total of $28.47.  I love that man.

7.  Our plans for this afternoon have been postponed for another time.  My poor friend, Kathy, is sick.  (Feel better soon, Kathy!).  There is a nasty stomach bug going around our geographic area...and I'm praying we don't get it.  I thought it was against the rules to get sick during the summer.  :(

8.  I'm working on a blog series dealing with being gluten free.  In the past 4 weeks, I've had more than 10 people approach me about being gluten free.  This is in addition to the friends and family that Dave and I think could really benefit from some gf eating.  I can give all the advice in the world, but until people see that it can be easy, and it can be inexpensive-ish,  there's very little follow through on actually doing it.  So, I'm going to take you through my daily menu's (with pictures).  I started taking pictures yesterday.  I'm going to start later this week in order to give myself a few days of grace- in case I get too busy one day, I won't mess it up for y'all.

9.  I had some beautiful friends offer to throw a baby shower for me.  My first instinct was to decline since it's our third child, and (in all honesty) feelings of unworthiness (these are my own self-esteem issues...I'm working on them).  However, I was informed that it's going to happen (with or without my cooperation :), and God has told me, through prayer, that He has blessed me with these friends, and I'm to graciously let them love me.  These ladies are high-quality friends....and I'll love them to death.  So, I'm just going to be grateful.  So grateful.

10.  After a crazy heat wave last week, we have finally cooled down for some more happy-pregnancy weather.  We have windows open in the morning, and I'm loving it.  I just saw the forecast, and it's showing another hot air mass coming by Wed/ Thursday.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed a tear.

5QF---Wait...it's hot out?

It's Friday.

I'm holed up in my basement office....working all the live long day.

Yesterday, our a/c ran the entire afternoon- without stopping once.  And the house got up to a balmy 80*. 

Oh, it was lovely.

I'm a wee bit scared of today, but we shall get through....right?   RIGHT?!?!?!

My strategy for today:  don't leave the house.  work until my eyes cross, and then take a nap.

Sounds like a plan to me!


Ok, let's get to some questions:






1. Is love at 1st sight possible?

Meh....my jury is out on this one.  I think *lust* at first sight is totally possible.

I think love comes out of a relationship that has been cultivated and cherished.  Can it happen quickly?  Yep, sure.  But at first sight?  I'm a skeptic.

That being said, the first night I met Dave, I knew something was different about him.  Something big was about to happen.  I felt it in my gut.  Love at first sight?  Nah....  Lust?  Sure- he's a hottie.

But there was something on a different level....something deeper than shallow attraction.  I can't really explain it, though.


2. How did you choose your pet's name?

Ha!  This is easy for me to answer.  We named our first dog Molly. After Molly Ringwald.  Dave and I are HUGE 80's (more specifically Brat Pack) movie fans.  Then, we decided when Molly was a wee baby that we'd just work our way through the Brat Pack with our pack of dogs. 

Now that Molly is gone, we have Ally.  (Yes, after Ally Sheedy).

I'm scared of the next dog.  Dave is DYING to name him The Donger.

Can you imagine calling a dog out your front door at midnight?  "DOOOONNNNNGGGER!  Come here!"  Um, no.

Besides, Donger is technically not a member of the Brat Pack.  I'm hoping I'll win this argument on a technicality.  Fingers crossed.  :)


3. What are you considering giving up (cable, home phone)?

We're already off the home phone band wagon.  Just in time for an election year!  We realized that the only people who were calling our home phone were our parents (to talk to me- they'd already use the cell for Dave), and robocallers.  Yeah, not worth the $60/month we were paying for that.  So, we're cell only.  Only bad thing- I need to be hyper vigilant about charging my phone.  I haven't been so great about that in the past.

If I wasn't working from home, and I didn't need an active cable line in order to get good Internet, we totally wouldn't have cable.  The only reason we got it was because of my work.  And we loose so many family moments due to that stupid TV.  I think I'd be a lot more productive if I wasn't wanting to complete the Dawson's Creek series on Netflix.  Just a thought there.

4. How much do you pay your babysitter?

Around $8 per hour. (I usually round up if we're in the middle of an hour, etc)  I have two kids...both potty trained- in a full routine.  Most of our babysitters say that my boys are the easiest bedtime kids ever.  And since they're so low-maintenance, I'm not about to pay an arm and a leg for babysitting.

This will probably go up to $10/hour once baby girl arrives....but it will be a long while before she's left with a sitter.

5. How "young" is old enough to babysit?

Depends.  I was 9 when I started for the neighbors next door.  They'd want someone to watch the boys while they were outside doing house chores.

I think I was 11 or 12 at my first no-parents-home job.  I think that was a little young, looking back.  But there were never any incidents of strangers near the house, unruly kids, etc., so it all turned out ok.

I personally like babysitters that can drive themselves to my house.  :)

Happy weekend everyone!!!

Because

Because my computer is taking an inordinate time transmitting my audit report,

....I am able to blog.

Because my mom is a rock star and takes the boys overnight,

....I am able to work my arse off.

.... I love her all the more.

.....I hope to get a nap.

....and I'm hoping to give my downstairs bathroom a deep clean.

Because the windows arrived today,

....Dave is working here at the house for a bit putting them in!

.... I can go to the township offices to ask for some rough-inspections

(mechanical, electrical and plumbing)

....I'm doing a happy dance!

Because the dryer is broken,

.....I'm not doing laundry.

...... or changing sheets

Because I'm meeting my dear friend Jeanie tonight,

.....I'm wearing clean clothes :)

.....I'm sticking my hair in the no-heat hair curling technique to have pretty locks

..... I'm leaving my husband with left-overs and a quiet house for dinner

Because Aldi Salt Water Taffy is gluten free,

.....well, I bought a bag.

..... and I hid them from everybody else

..... and I'm limiting myself to 3 pieces a day

..... and I'm enjoying each and every one (except the black licorice yuck)

Because Dave and the boys had their annual camp out on Tuesday night,

....no one got more than 3 hours of sleep

.... they were ALL HOT

..... they were Dave was a wee bit cranky for the 4th of July

.... A. started to show signs of heat-exhaustion after the bike parade

..... A. freaked his mama out!

Because A. took a FOUR HOUR nap yesterday,

....he got to stay up and go out with Dave for fireworks last night.

Because C. REFUSED to lay down at all,

...he missed the fireworks.

.....tearfully went to bed at 7pm and slept blissfully until 7am this morning.

.... and is currently counting down to when he can watch fireworks too (364 days)

Because I have awesome friends,

......I consider them family.

.... I love them mucho.

Because I have some awesome friends currently in the midst of heartache or strife,

.....I'm praying.  A lot.

..... I'm making dinners and delivering them.

.....  I'm thinking of them. A lot

.... I wish I could do more to help.

..... I'm never short of hugs and tissues.

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Happy Fourth of July!

C. and I have a "thing"

It all started when Ally ate my old sunglasses.

They were my favorites.

I paid a total of $11 for them 4 years ago at Target.

It was, by FAR, the longest I've ever had a pair of sunglasses.

Plus, I loathe searching for sunglasses that work with my face shape, my style, and my budget.

But, my little man, C, made it so much more of an experience.

Shopping started while A was still in school, which is why he's not featured in this post.

I started trying on sunglasses one day at Target.

C. wanted in on the "fun."

Only, he couldn't see the mirrors.

And because of my early stages of pregnancy,

lifting the 49 pound kiddo to see them was out of the question.

Enter:  phone cam.

Oh, he's so classy.  :)

And then, it started into a tradition to stop and have some fun with pics everytime we went to a store.

He even turned the tables on me.

He picked out the MOST obnoxious pair, and made me try them on.  :)

So, obnoxious became the name of the game.

(I do believe he and I are kindred spirits on this one)

And here are my ultimate favorites:

And the cream of the crop.  :)

Just in case you're wondering which pair I ended up with:

And to this day, even though we're no longer shopping for sunnies,

we'll still stop at the racks for some mother/son fun.  :)