Valentine's Day part 3

After we sent Mikie on his way to work, the girls and I played outside in the gorgeous weather for a bit. Trimming away the winter nastiness in the garden, girls rode bikes, cleaned out the garage, etc. As a reward for our hard work, we did pedicures. We soaked our feet in peppermint salt water, pumiced our heals and painted. I let the girls paint their own toes this time (which NEVER happens). Kailee did a super job, Addie, well, you can see.

When we were done with our toes, we set out to make our Valentine's mice. They crafted while I baked cookies for dinner at our neighbor's house. When it was all said and done we had a heard of mice! We went next door to our neighbors for a delicious Valentine's day dinner and great company. It was great. I hope you all had fun with your sweethearts and family! We sure did!

Valentine's Day Part 2

The big event of the day was a scavenger hunt (Leslie - I stole your idea!). Their clues were ready for them at the breakfast table. We let them read the first 2 clues so they would know what we were doing (Mike will often leave them mini in the house hunts before he works). The clues started from church.

Clue #1: The place you like to eat that has the funny hamburger man:
Answer: Sylvester's Burgers - YUMMY!

Clue #2: This is where we go to feed the ducks and ride bikes.

Answer: the Lake Park. With loaf of bread in hand we walked around the lake and made sure all the ducky families were fed. Well, all except the evil hissing geese. I tried to get a picture but couldn't capture the hiss. Weirdest thing. Ask the girls about it next time you see them. Hilarious to see their impression.

Clue #3: This place has cold stuff you like to put a worm on...
Answer: Yogurt Creations

This is one of those places you make your own yogurt and put your toppings. We love it.

The worm on top:

Clue #4: Where did we see teeny tiny baby somethings???

Answer: The Pet Shop. We had been here about a week earlier and they had teeny baby mice.

Clue #5: Everything here cost 4 quarters.

Answer: Dollar Store

The girls each got a dollar to pick one special thing...

It was very funny to see the contemplation on each of their faces as they decided how to spend their dollar.

They finally decided: Kailee chose pretend coins to use for her "classroom" and Addie chose gel window cling ons.

Clue #6: You look for bird nests here...

Answer: HOME!

Our juniper trees have been the home for about 6 bird families each spring. They love these trees. We love watching the baby birds go from egg to flying away.

We had an absolute blast! I would highly recommend this for any family looking for a good adventure on an afternoon. It took about 3 hours and I enjoyed every second. Kailee read every clue all by herself. I am continually impressed by her amazing reading skills. It was great to just stop the to do list for once and focus on them and fun stuff they like. Love my girls, Love my Hubbie, Love Valentines Day.

Valentine's Day Part 1

Valentine's is one of my favorite holidays... Fourth of July and Christmas are my other faves for those of you keeping track: ) I don't like Valentine's Day for the whole couples aspect. I actually completely rebel against the entire holiday in that sense. In fact, and this may surprise you, Mike and I do not exchange anything at all. I get him nothing. He gets each of us girls a single flower. I absolutely cannot bring myself to buy a cheesy $5 card... and I don't have time to make one, so it is understood that we show our love to each other everyday of the year, not just V-day. Anyhow, my mom always made it so special for us when we were kids... pink and hearts everywhere. Fortunately, this year it fell on a sunday so I could fancy up the day for my girls. This year we had to hurry it up a bit because we only had Mike until 2. So, I woke up early (which in itself should be a gift to my family b/c normally, if the kids aren't up, neither am I) to make a Valentine's breakfast. I made heart shaped blueberry scones, pink smoothies, eggs (forgot to put the food coloring in) and fruit salad. The girls each got a little goodie and we were off to church...

Preggo pics

Ok, fine. Here are some preggo pics. I always forget to have Mike take them when he is home and being that we are only getting bigger and bigger, I played around tonight trying to get a self portrait and, well, let's just say, I suck at self portraits. So this is what you get. 24 weeks 3 days. Me and my little tag-a-long.

Oh yeah...

Another point for God!

A friend at church goes to the same perniatologist as me. He told her that her baby had Down's. They opted to not do the amnio b/c of the risk for miscarriage and either way they weren't going to terminate the preganancy if they results said she (baby girl) did have downs. Instead, they waited several weeks and did another ultrasound to see if the "soft markers" were still there. Low and behold, the dr. that looked this time (a different one from before) said that if she had not seen the prior reports, she wouldn't have suspected a single problem with the baby!

Praise the Lord!

THE LIST

I am posting this mainly for my Type A neediness. Most of you know what I am talking about.... I make a list of things to do, cross them off with great satisfaction as I complete a task, AND (get ready, this part is wayyy Type A) add the things I accomplished that were on the list in my head, just NOT on paper. Also, if the list is here on my blog, I won't lose it, something that happens with my preggo brain.

Joshua's nursery list.

1. GeeGee - DONE

2. Curtains

3. Quilt

4. Dust Ruffle

5. Cute pillows (No bumper b/c why bother... I just stress they will get stuck under it anyway)

6. Letters (see below for a couple "manly" sets I have done for friends)

7. Stool (This is Addie's and I have no idea why blogger decided to upload it all topsy turvy)

8. CLOSET!! This one is a bigger chore b/c it involves scheduling my hubbie to work it in. He made the closet in the room that is going to be Joshua's an amazing craft/sewing closet for me when we first moved in. It is/has been heavenly. It's full of shelves, perfectly sized for what I planned to put on them. Well, that's all going to have to move out. Fortunately our master closet is totally under-utilized soooo... I have drawn plans to redesign a quarter of it to fit my craft/sewing love. It is on the calendar for the 3 weekend in February. Yes, I said on the calendar. That is how we operate in this insane life we lead.

9. Cradle: I have been working (ok, I worked on it one day and got overwhelmed) on refinishing our cradle. It is the same cradle my bro and I slept in. When Kailee came along, my mom painted it to be cutsie.... only a little too cutsie for a boy. So I am striping it and staining it. The hard part is the spindles. A pain in the behind!!! Maybe another Mike job. Right after the closet.

10. Sling: I found the cutest sling and want to make it. I even found the fabric.

11. Receiving blankets: Oversized made of flannel. Perfect for swadlling because they can't escape!! Already bought the fabric for 3, just need to sew them.

12. Cute picture hanger thing: found this idea on a blog and loved it. It will be super easy to make. Stay tuned for finished project pick.

13. Chair rail/paneling/???: Something woodsy around the already blue room. This will have to be scheduled of course being that I will need my handyman.

Basically, I have all supplies for EACH project, just need more hours in the day. Hmm... maybe I should quit working now and craft full time. Wish I could get paid for that.

I'm off to fold laundry now. Have to complete the list for the evening and all.

Joshua project #1 complete

So my list of projects to prepare for Baby Joshua is REALLY, REALLY long! Mainly because I have sooooo many ideas, I want to do them allll! (I'll post the list later)

The first project to be completed was his "GeeGee". Those of you who know my girls know the love they have for their "GeeGee's" - that is their security blankets they have had since they were teensy tiny. And yes, Kailee still has hers every night and each morning she wakes up.

Addie has a "tiny geegee" that she has to lay perfectly on her pillow satin side up, then has to be covered by her "big geegee".

That being said, it was very important for them to know what Joshua's geegee was going to be. We had a date night Friday night (date as in the girls and I b/c Mike was working) and we went to the fabric store so they cold pick the material for his geegee (satin and minkie is standard).

I did this one a little fancier, because why not??

For those of you who sew, a quick tutorial:

I cut the satin about 6" wider than the minkie and put the wrong sides together:

Then I wrapped the outer satin around and pinned the edge under with about a 1/4" hem. The corners are tricky, you have to "miter" them. Basically make it look pretty. Final product. Minky is the stripe and the dots are satin (not prom dress satin... super soft satin) Now the girls can rest easy and know their baby has a gee gee.