And then it hits you...

There's a baby in there!! We had our first peek and listen today...baby was jumping all around and having a good 'ol time...and best of all looks absolutely perfect! :)

um....where's the weekend?

Seriously, where did the weekend go? It zoomed by so fast that I am not even sure what to share from the last few days...it was a great weekend, mind you, just fast...at church on Sunday we had a Hawaiian themed cookout and it was tons of fun...above are the fruit kabobs I made as the dish we brought....yum!

Moses loved the lei and cried when he broke it...isn't he a cutie...all dressed up in his Hawaiian outfit. :) He was also walking around the cookout like the party was for him, waving and saying hi to people as he passed by them. :)

They had this enormous slide that we rented...Moses braved it twice and then decided he wanted his clothes back on. :) Look at the face!

Doug had been ridiculous in spoiling me this birthday...I got these FUN bowls one day, a flash diffuser for my camera and today I got a wii fit! SO fun...even if it will tell me about my increasing weight gain. :)

I think he has a problem.

And here is an actual belly shot for you...taken two days after 12 weeks...i am pretty sure I didn't show this much with Moses at 12 weeks but here we are. :)

And we have cake!!! Yummy, delicious and perfect cake!! Goes great with the flowers my honey brought me home the other day too! He should be careful not to spoil me too much...he has to live with me. :) Not too many plans for my birthday today...life does go on you know. We went out to lunch and frozen yogurt and now both of the boys are sleeping. :) We are praying for Doug's crazy schedule to even out a bit soon...thought he did surprise me yesterday with the night off!! :)
So here's to the last year of my 20's!! Hope you are having a fabulous day!

I'm still here!!!

Did you miss me? I didn't really go far but Doug had his first time off in oh...over a week...and what a tough week it was but it's over and things for his job are looking up...they think they found the perfect partner for him and that is a relief to us all! In case you didn't know...he has been doing the job of two or more...the other guy that was supposed to be working with him up and quit...then walked out. He was supposed to have last night off too but at the last moment they called him to come in because of some issues at work...and being the kind of man he is...he went to bed to get what sleep he could and left for work at nine. Our time off together was WONDERFUL and so much fun!! I wish every woman on Earth loved spending time with their husbands the way that I do. :) You want to hear the craziest part of his whole job so far...besides the wacky hours? He has lost over 30 pounds since starting!!! Don't you just hate him? I mean seriously...he looks great, always has to me but do you really pick the time that you KNOW your wife is getting fatter by the second to lose 30 lbs (and counting) over night? Sheesh. Regardless I am super proud of him for the man he is, job performance, weight loss and all. :)Today makes me 12 weeks pregnant. :) To date I haven't gained an ounce. Thanks to all the morning sickness I actually lost some weight and just now I have balanced back to my normal numbers. My body has definitely changed shape...it's like this time around my body was like "oh, I got this and know what's up" and went poof! and assumed the shape. This week baby is the size of a lime and is working on his little reflexes. :) I am doing SO much better than I was...still tired at times and sick if I wait too long to eat but I'll take it! :)

Today I am working on some yummy thank you's for some folks in our life who have been good to us lately. Here in the South we speak food for all occasions. Nothing says thanks heaps like some homemade goodies. :)

mmmmm......

Here is the recipe. It's my go-to chocolate chip recipe...I never make them any other way because these are perfect!! I got the recipe from a Martha Stewart magazine...don't let that name throw you...it's a super easy and yummy cookie!

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

And in the shop it's a BDAY SALE!! Go to the shop to check it out! :) It ends on my birthday on Monday and will probably be my last sale for a good long while so stock up while you can!! :)

And P.S. I have the coolest friends...remember Aaron and Jeremy I told you about a few post ago...well they went and got cooler...here they are in an article on PASTE magazine(an awesome music magazine). You can go here to see it. :)

Have a great weekend!! :) XOXO

I've been busy...

Here are some of my favorites...all in the shop waiting for you!

You know your bathroom is dirty when...

So you know the cleanliness of your home has taken a turn for the worse when your toddler takes things into his own hands. This morning when we were getting ready for church we heard that scary silence that only comes when a toddler is is up to no good. We found him in the upstairs bathroom. Literally taking matters into his own hands. He had the comet. Oh yes. It was in a baby proofed cabinet so the fact that he got his hands on it proves his genius right? Anyway. By the time I got there the sink was covered, the toilet was covered, his toilet was covered, the floor was covered and the tub was covered. What was I to do but clean the bathroom, right then and there, in my church clothes. He left the bathroom and made periodic checks to make sure I was doing my job. The bright spot in all of this is that at least this proves that I do clean the bathrooms...how else would he know what to do with the comet?

Summer fun and bun in the oven.

Last night I did some research and found some new parks in the area to take Moses to. I feel like summer is slipping away so fast that we have to act now and not put off things that we want to do...Belmont park is one of a few on the list I made last night.

The best part of this one was that it had a splash park! How fun is that! And free!!One of Moses challenges at the moment is keeping his clothes on...we had to fight to keep the swim diaper on here. Then we had to fight to get his shorts back on before he played at the nearby playground.

We had a great morning...we love finding new places and are really trying to take advantage of the great city we live in while we still live here. With Doug's job we never know when or where that next move will be. :)

My mail man has been good to me this week...I got a fun package from Scottie that included this super cute house...I LOVE anything with our name on it...

And now I will really look like a pro with my website on a tag and all. :)

And earlier this week I got a great package from my MIL that included this sweet dresser scarf that she stitched along with some other goodies including some fall clothes for Moses!

This week baby is the size of a fig (1 1/2in long).How come this doesn't look fig sized to me?

Last week when we went to our first doctors appointment, the nurse matter-of-factly stated that I should expect to gain between 25-35lbs. I had to try hard not to laugh out loud. Even Doug could hardly keep a straight face. I wanted to say "try doubling that number sister". I don't do anything half heartedly....last time I was pushing 55lbs of "baby weight". At least this time I know enough to not worry about it and hopefully by the grace of God it will all just melt away again...a girl can hope can't she? :)

Hope your weekend is swell...I'll work on a giveaway real soon! :)
xoxoxo

I am a birthday cake brat.

There are very few things that I am bratty and demanding about. At least I would like to think that there are...I am sure the loved ones in my life could point out more but this is not their blog. :) Every year Doug asks me what I want for my birthday and every year I give the same answer: a birthday cake. Not homemade. Not that he made from scratch. But a yummy bakery made rectangle of a pallet for mounds of butter cream icing and huge delish flowers. Those who know me well, know my distain for cake mix in a box so they sometimes find it strange that this is what I want for a birthday cake but...what I give and what I get are two different things right? So, every year I tell Doug that this is what I want. And every year he tries too hard. One year he got a round variety flavor cake. One year I think he got a red velvet cake. I have blocked the other years out but it's not that he doesn't try he just tries too hard. He wants so much to please me that he goes above and beyond. Last night we had the talk. Honey, I say, I want a cake, a rectangle, white or yellow cake with butter cream frosting and lots of flowers, from a bakery. He gave me this look like I was nuts, like after years of failed requests he would try to be creative again. I have faith in you honey. :) Heres a link. (choc butter cream filling with butter cream frosting on the outside, yellow cake). :) He's a good honey. :) And here is where you may think I am a weirdo...I put that yummy new cake right in the freezer...I love me some frozen cake. :)

Doug is the best present giver. He always knows just the thing to make me happy. I am far from a frou-frou girl and he knows that. He gets me gifts that speak to my practical side and I wouldn't have it any other way. One year for Valentines day he got me a bouquet of Henckle knives. One year an arrangement of super quality gardening tools. As much as gifts are my love language it seems that the more practical they are the more they sing to me. Any birthday money I am blessed to receive is treated the same way...what can I get that will bless me for a long while and not just for the right now? This year anything I receive will go to completing my bedroom set with a nightstand. :) We have one of the above (in a dark wood color)because that's all the money we had at the time and you don't just go charging a nightstand. :) As I think back through the years of gift receiving, the things I remember the most are things I still use today...
Like my mixer. I love this mixer so much and use it year round...

and nesting mixing bowls...I LOVE these. I got a set years ago and still use them every day. I have a semi-set in white. Moses busted one and I have requested a new set in fun colors for my birthday. :) So, this totally wasn't the post I was planning today but here we are. :) Let's see a post on YOUR blog about some of your favorite gifts through the years.

Hope you are well and blessed! :) xoxo

For the Love of my sanity.

Help me breathe some life into my shop. :)

It's a BOGO SALE!
Buy One Item and Get One For 50% Off!!!

50% will come off of less expensive items(s).
Please DO NOT PAY but wait for a revised invoice!! :)

Does not apply to custom orders!!

xoxo

boy vs. table.

Boy loses and has his first shiner. He has officially entered boyhood. :) For some reason his new mark of tough guy-ness doesn't photograph well but his left eye has quite the blue and purple tint to it...not to mention that he constantly looks like he is giving you the stink eye thanks to the swelling. :)

We made a surprise trip to Radford this weekend...Moses learned the wonders of the trampoline...

and thoroughly enjoyed Canaan's company the whole weekend...

Moses loved to follow him around...

We drove down to surprise Michelle for her birthday. :)

And visit with friends...this photo pretty much typifies our times together...lots of food, talking and silly stories.

And now we have the joy of watching our kids have a battle of wills...or play together. :)

It was a fun weekend but ended all too fast...

About the size of a kumquat...

That's how big baby is this week...and is a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce,minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin. I'm not even sure what a kumquat is but there you have it.

The giveaway this week is being hosted by GroceryMama. Go there to enter to win a towel set!

And do yourself a favor and go see Kristi here...look at the amazingly cute pillow she made from the humble pillow-top I made for her...she is AmAzInG!!

And just because I love you...one of my FAVORITE chocolate cake recipes. And its from Cooking Light...my favorite cooking magazine...so you can tell yourself that it's good for you. I made this a couple of weeks ago...yum! You should make it this weekend.

Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, divided
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup fat-free milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set aside.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add to flour mixture. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

Combine 6 tablespoons butter, fat-free milk, and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powdered sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread over hot cake. Sprinkle cake with pecans. Cool completely on wire rack.

I added sprinkles because they make even a pity party seem festive. I seem to be climbing out of the pit at the moment...though some moments still kick my bum but it's getting better by the day...I even made something new today...

Remember those cute little kitchen towels your granny would crochet a button and handle to? Well at least my granny did...lots of them. When we were in SC my sister in law and I discussed how great these towels are but how they need to be modernized a bit...well here is my go...what do you think? It's in the shop if you can't live without it. :)

Have a great weekend! xoxoxo

Things accomplished by the prayers of friends.

The last 24 hours have been better ones. I have still been sick, sick and tired but they have been better. I am thankful for the prayers of each and every one of you who take the time to remember me in yours...I can feel their affect in my life. Please don't stop now!

Here are a few things I was able to get done in the last 24 thanks to Him, you and my wonderful honey:

-Laundry-ALL done and put away
-Hung a photo that had been sitting in the hall for weeks
-cut Moses hair...like a big boy and all...pics of that later
-gave Moses his first popsicle.
-played outside with Moses while Doug cut the lawn
-got some things made for the shop
-cleaned my workspace
-posted new things in the shop
-threw away a million things that needed to be thrown away
-MADE DINNER!!!!
-went to our first baby poppyseed appointment and found out that our insurance will cover 100% of the prenatal appointments!!
-went out and got the materials for two baby gifts
-went to the post office and am now 100% up to date on things I need to ship
-thought of a great way to transform my linen closet into my crafting closet

Like I said, I am still super tired and pretty sick but this gives me hope to cling to, even if it's not much.

Right now I cling to this verse:

Psalm 127:3 Children are an inheritance from the LORD. They are a reward from Him.

Pretty amazing if you think about that verse. God has given me my children as a reward. My very own inheritance from the Lord that He trusts ME to take care of. A humbling job request, huh?

Thanks for your love and continued prayers! xoxoxoxo

An honest post...lacking fluff.

Before we get to the heart of things I should take the time to thank my sister in law for this great bunch of goodies that arrived unexpectedly and deliciously at my doorstep today...if lifted the clouds if only for a moment. :) Thanks friend!

And the winner of this weeks drawing is Kristi. :) I can't wait to see the goodies you make with this fun ideas and your amazing talent!

I've been avoiding the 'ol blog all day. Partly because the energy to get here and write anything legible seemed too daunting for most of the day and partly because even I am sick of me. And I have managed to convince myself that most in my life are probably sick of me too...in order of closeness...proximity and not necessarily relationship.

Then I decided that this is my blog and I would take the risk of finding one sympathetic ear who knows that I am not the "woe is me type" someone who remembers that I am a doer and a getter. I check things off my list, I do fun things with my toddler, I make my family healthy meals, I cuddle with my husband for TV time, I keep my house clean and my home organized and I run a successful (albeit small)business. I am patient(as I can be) and kind.

But not in this moment. Not now. Right now I am tired and lazy. Sick on top of sick(I got Moses' cold on top of my normal nausea). I celebrated today because Moses had veggies for two days in a row. I am forgetting to read my Bible in the morning. I am forgetting to read Moses his devotional. I have had a load of laundry in my dryer for three days now. I am cranky and no fun to be around. I am not long in patience. I am short in temper. I don't even know me right now. I have been terrible at keeping in touch with ALL of my friends...therefore isolating myself more. I take forever to respond to an email/convo/voicemail. I feel like I am stressing my husband out a little...or a lot. My house is a mess. You could write in the dust. How is that for a confessional?

Once again I share because maybe you are in this place too...or have been and need to know that it is normal. I do not doubt that God is good and I know that this won't last forever. That doesn't make it fun...it just makes me pray harder.

The post in which I complain about a two haircut day...

the last 24 hours have not been my friend. Not a single one of them. Yesterday my uncle came into town for his monthly visit with us. We had lunch then took Moses to see the firetrucks that were being displayed in the parking lot for little ones to explore. Best day of his life I am sure. Immediately afterwards we had to get home so that Doug could get to sleep...he started his overnight shifts this past Monday...another paragraph. Moses went to bed soon after and my uncle and I dozed while we watched TV and waited for Moses to get up from his nap. When Moses got up we decided that we would go to the mall so that I could get a haircut while Moses and my uncle had their own adventures in the mall. So. I sit in the chair. I ask for a bob, but not too much length taken off of my shoulder length hair...I mostly wanted some shape since I was in the process of growing it out. The girl, whose boyfriend and child are hanging out in the seat next to me...literally carrying on, tells me that she doesn't know how to cut a bob...red flag. Two other girls (and I purposely use the word girls here...maybe 18-19 in age, not maturity) come over and give her a few instructions so I begin to feel a little better...because there are folks nearby that seem to know what they are doing and I am all for giving folks a shot. Stupid stupid me. The haircut begins with NO washing of the hair. A first for me. A red flag. She never takes the time to straighten up my part, or ask me how I part it. Another first. Tears well up in my eyes as I see rather long chunks of my hair fall to the floor but I push them back because certainly those long chunks are coming from the back of my head where I would expect them to be from. Oh and I am facing away from the mirror. She eventually wets my hair and my entire face with a with a misting bottle. Happily she cuts away...I still can't see myself. She eventually turns me towards the mirror to ask what I think (after one of the other girls comes over to give her some more guidance in shaping my bob). Gulp. It looks like I have a mix between some sort of badly cut bob and a MULLET. I tell her about the mullet. She calls another girl back over and snarkily says "she says it looks like a mullet". I'd also like to add that at this point that my hair is still wet enough that I have not the fullest idea of how bad it is at this point. The other girl comes and shapes it up until I think it looks OK. I think. We go home and immediately I run to the bathroom. Horror. Tears. Burning ones. I gulp them down and go ask my uncle to be sure that I am not a pregnant nut. He agrees that it is bad. One side of my head has at least 30-40% more hair than the other and is a good two inches longer than the other side. Not an exaggeration. I promise that it is not. I verified it with a non-hormonal person. I immediately realize that I cannot go out in public like this. Cannot. Will not. I start to call other hair cutting places around the area while Moses eats dinner. I cry as the first person tells me they are too booked to take me. I call the next and they can take me if I come right now. Moses finishes and I put him in the car with dinner still on his face. As I walk into the salon the lady immediately knows who I am, since I told her the story on the phone. ALL of the women who are there cutting hair stop and mouths drop. No joke. That is how bad it was. The woman who fixed my hair apologized to me dozens of times while she worked. She ended up having to cut it up to my ears because of how badly it had been cut. It is so short now that I can't even look at it without crying....even if the hair cut is SO SO much better. This morning when Doug came home I cried to him about how ugly and homely I feel...cause I do. This morning was another series of small disasters. Doug got home too late to go to church, Moses has a cold of some sort so his demeanor is particularly pleasant...not, we are still trying to find our new flow to life with Doug's new schedule...I know that it will be good eventually but the transition is tricky. I am sick of being sick and not feeling well. I'm tired of being tired. I have no creativity in me at the moment. But I know that my life is good and so is God and that this is just a sharpening time but I also know that I am weary. So that is my story at the moment. I promise not to come back until I have happier things to say.

A different kind of giveaway...

This giveaway is for those who sew. Amy Butler's Sew-it Kit. I bought this kit in hopes that I could make cool things but it turns out that I don't like to follow directions...but there are some very cool patterns and idea cards in this kits...totes, pillows, bags, etc. The only things missing from this kit if the two pieces of fabric but the rest is all there...waiting for a better sewist than me to tackle...If you like to sew you won't be disappointed. Just leave me any 'ol comment on this post and I will choose the winner on Monday. :)

Today we spent the morning getting these new spectacles for Doug. Isn't he cute in them? He tried contacts for a while but they weren't doing much for him so we went back to glasses...I love these new ones...

And this is the first baby item that I am dying to own, Kuster JellyBaby Changing Mat...to me a changing table is a necessity. This time around we are hoping to get a dresser that is the right height to use as a changing table...we bought the one we had for Moses for $25 and sold it last winter for $20. :) My favorite part of this one is that you can wipe it clean..they do sell liners but you don't really need them and it's made from memory foam! :) I think it has made it to the have to have list. :)

And I am six sales from 2000!!! :) The 2000th sale will get a surprise in with their order...the more items you purchase the bigger the surprise. :) Could it be you?




And I must confess that I went out today and got my box of chicken patties...the fillets just didn't cut it...all that whole breast fillet was faaar too healthy for what I was craving. :) And I may or may not have bought popsicles...but they are mini and the perfect size for Moses...and I may or may not be banned by my husband from the grocery store for some time...may...or may not. :)

Have a great day! xoxof