tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1734260460776697532024-03-05T05:50:43.535-05:00Enjoy Life and LoveShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-55408472919381317602013-07-25T20:22:00.001-04:002013-07-25T20:22:44.073-04:00See What's Cookin'I felt pried back into blogging to share some of the great recipes I have made this week. I have been making 1-2 new recipes a week to switch things up a bit (and so I don't have to think of what to make, just pick a recipe, the ingredients, and follow instructions). This week I did more!<br />
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On Sunday William was at my moms for the first half of the day so I made a different lunch for Brad and I. I had a $5 roasted chicken from Costco, which I love, and I went to Pinterest to find this recipe I pinned for <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/245235142182341330/">Chicken Salad lettuce wraps</a>. Not traditional chicken salad by any means. Chicken, grapes, apples, honey, almond butter. Next time I will use less almond butter, but it was pretty good! I refrigerated it for a bit before rolling in lettuce to try and make it easier. Have toothpicks on hand to close up the wraps! Will definitely make it again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFLBKIRwgQDPOOQZ9FHANmlEKIzDPWLroSZsHqZpL-fOzHdX67BbkQ8qtjy2f1_WlpMFGLFvlxoW1QQ8bI-9xxAVxZXASisd-V55jD9UkR50IKXULczONel9e45EwQW1zcTxPKfGDjFE4/s1600/5ada28149724b1eaf31622a0b8033e40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFLBKIRwgQDPOOQZ9FHANmlEKIzDPWLroSZsHqZpL-fOzHdX67BbkQ8qtjy2f1_WlpMFGLFvlxoW1QQ8bI-9xxAVxZXASisd-V55jD9UkR50IKXULczONel9e45EwQW1zcTxPKfGDjFE4/s1600/5ada28149724b1eaf31622a0b8033e40.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sunday evening we had friends over and the husband helped Brad install our new electric fence for our cows. So I made <a href="http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2012/02/crock-pot-chicken-taco-chili.html">Chicken Taco Chili</a> because I tossed it in the slow cooker at lunchtime and had it ready for dinner without having to "slave" with company here. It fed five adults, two toddlers and I had 1-2 servings leftover. Next time I will add some additional hot sauce to mine. I also used the jalapenos as a topping since the kids were eating it…didn't want my "easy dinner" plan to backfire and have to cook something different for them! The same night I also cooked cornbread from scratch thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Cookbook but it was too salty and I didn't like it much so I'm not even going to bother ya'll with that recipe.<br />
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Monday was BOGO pizza night from our favorite place so that's what we had!<br />
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Tuesday night we had porkchops seasoned with a rib rub from Penzey's and portabello mushroom tortellini and some sort of vegetable. Yummy!<br />
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On Wednesday I made <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/sour-cream-noodle-bake/">Pioneer Woman's Sour Cream Noodle Bake</a>. Yes it does contain sour cream. And cottage cheese. And that seemed weird to me but it was actually pretty good. The noodles tossed with the two aforementioned dairy items were good plain believe it or not.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3Rdp-sUH5JDUJap3T6bWsQvW5pNZva8VsEOQBwHVHx-Rd9d6EKvLBjJH3q5Yq0sspp3PvsYCtUZUHvs73wH7IeHs39d-GF961m8NOL6ZyuO5CvVqKcsBFSroYkLlwXvt3zR9tXDstTvz/s1600/5533560574_a517ed3e05_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3Rdp-sUH5JDUJap3T6bWsQvW5pNZva8VsEOQBwHVHx-Rd9d6EKvLBjJH3q5Yq0sspp3PvsYCtUZUHvs73wH7IeHs39d-GF961m8NOL6ZyuO5CvVqKcsBFSroYkLlwXvt3zR9tXDstTvz/s320/5533560574_a517ed3e05_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from Pioneer Woman. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You didn't think I'd manage to cook and take pictures did you?</span></div>
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Thursday morning William and I whipped up <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/06/watermelon-pico-de-gallo/">Watermelon Pico de Gallo</a>, also thanks to Pioneer Woman. Best recipe of the week by far! I wish I started making this in June when watermelon started popping up. Skip the chips and eat it with a spoon, not kidding. Doesn't even taste like watermelon somehow. I made a few tweaks based on our taste and what we had. I bought a 1/4 watermelon and used it all. Also used two peppers, not three. And I didn't use as much cilantro because my husband isn't a big fan of it and I know it can quickly overpower a dish.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You guessed it -- not mine either!</span></div>
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For Friday night I will be making chicken pot pie, using a recipe passed along by a friend who brought it to us right after baby #2 was born. I am using the rest of the Costco chicken (which I picked earlier in the week and froze) so it was definitely worth the $5 I paid! Plus, a nice comfort food way to end the week.</div>
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Try at least one of these recipes…they are yummy!</div>
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-48572351327147990892013-06-05T07:02:00.000-04:002013-06-05T07:02:38.489-04:00Tractor Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It has been a while since I have shared something crafty (my bad). Eat your heart out…here are a few photos from William's 2nd birthday party. I'd like to mention that we pulled this off one week after moving to the farm. I mean, how could we not have the tractor themed party at the farm? If you like what you see, please visit Memorable Designs' <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SRMemorableDesigns">Facebook</a> page or <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SRMemorableDesigns">Etsy</a> shop.</div>
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I made a banner for our mantle that used the same pattern as the invitations (you can view the invitations on Etsy). I made the cutout shapes resemble wheels with treads in keeping with the theme.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxOAVwLe05Y/UazCawQMDkI/AAAAAAAAMdQ/-GoCLFYMbS0/s1600/DSC_0379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxOAVwLe05Y/UazCawQMDkI/AAAAAAAAMdQ/-GoCLFYMbS0/s320/DSC_0379.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I kept his name separate to use in another area, on our kitchen wall, next to the food table. I printed out about a dozen pictures of him on tractors and hung them up…simple, but cute!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4C4Zey9VjLA/UazCbDwDewI/AAAAAAAAMdM/7l_2C3ec5A0/s1600/DSC_0383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4C4Zey9VjLA/UazCbDwDewI/AAAAAAAAMdM/7l_2C3ec5A0/s320/DSC_0383.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had these cute mini galvanized buckets and added chalkboard labels with farm-themed words for forks and spoons.</div>
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These baggies had rice krispie treats that the birthday boy helped make. Toppers read "Have a Hay Bale for the Ride Home."</div>
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For favors I did acrylic cups for each child with all different designs and their name. William got a green one since he was the birthday boy. I did everything from a crab, airplane and dinosaur to a ladybug, chicken and butterflies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLp4i74StquENdL-UcAr0xr87TqqOGBY6bA2yizkThDmVe0S9ai4d0kaZgiEzUHz7VjBOzNKgP9asHA6_YxnElVbsJIkJmEMKe-nPvlVNxTJgcPEOsKGFersC8tBD7mg0vY4DuwdyMWBt/s1600/DSC_0551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLp4i74StquENdL-UcAr0xr87TqqOGBY6bA2yizkThDmVe0S9ai4d0kaZgiEzUHz7VjBOzNKgP9asHA6_YxnElVbsJIkJmEMKe-nPvlVNxTJgcPEOsKGFersC8tBD7mg0vY4DuwdyMWBt/s320/DSC_0551.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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I also used vinyl to customize these little green buckets with the tractor theme. You can also see one style of food tent cards I made. I used a handful of complimentary patterns for the backgrounds.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJq_HORpDk0/UazCg4hiEyI/AAAAAAAAMd8/VNM0owWR2xE/s1600/DSC_0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJq_HORpDk0/UazCg4hiEyI/AAAAAAAAMd8/VNM0owWR2xE/s320/DSC_0595.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And a family picture…on the tractor of course!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hW_CErXp4jBlpbRpOMYO6eNYbnKVbHxhIRlFYHlv9KbS-qEWCRQooaKsZLh1wxUulOBGMpt-vYoN2g-ydUQa9ZWEM-Mx8hRkMYsaqyNWu7R_Buvl1D45ovU1NJ8Ozxra7Qz-89Wa3nNA/s1600/DSC_0724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hW_CErXp4jBlpbRpOMYO6eNYbnKVbHxhIRlFYHlv9KbS-qEWCRQooaKsZLh1wxUulOBGMpt-vYoN2g-ydUQa9ZWEM-Mx8hRkMYsaqyNWu7R_Buvl1D45ovU1NJ8Ozxra7Qz-89Wa3nNA/s320/DSC_0724.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-47959619842660389252013-06-03T12:19:00.001-04:002013-06-03T12:19:14.224-04:00Coming Up: House TourI realized that since we moved and welcomed a new baby in quick succession I haven't shared many photos of the interior of our new home. I will take photos of the rooms once the sun comes back out and post as a home tour. Consider most of it the "before" or "during" photos. Nothing is "after" photo ready (except our new <a href="http://enjoylifeandlove.blogspot.com/2013/03/lessons-learned-in-reno-1st-weekend.html">floor</a> and <a href="http://enjoylifeandlove.blogspot.com/2013/04/progress-flooring.html">carpets</a>).<br />
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The boys' bedrooms are the most exciting since they are the closest to being done. Actually, William's room is done except for a hanging picture, so score!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-1097839511780081632013-05-27T20:33:00.001-04:002013-05-27T20:33:55.627-04:00Our Life as Brothers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Brothers are family,<br />And brothers are friends, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Brothers stick together,<br />Brothers have no end, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Brothers part from time to time,<br />But come together again,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">And be thereselves,<br />No need to pretend,<br />Because... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Brothers are family,<br />And brothers are friends, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Brothers stick together,<br />BROTHERS have no end... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By Brandon Sigourney</span></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-32165538797734403772013-05-21T16:49:00.003-04:002013-05-21T16:49:50.684-04:00Settling InI feel that I can say I have settled in to my new role as a mom of two. Jonathan just turned three weeks old and between my husband's few days off, grandmothers cycling through for another week and my sister visiting for nine days, I am just starting to care for both boys all by myself. I am grateful for the help I received (especially from my husband in the mornings and evenings) which allowed me to spend many more quiet moments with the new baby than I expected. My husband is started a new job, technically his old job, next week and won't be working from home anymore so that may be a whole new definition of "long day" for me.<br />
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As most moms know, Jonathan wakes up for his first morning feeding around 5:30-6am and then goes back to sleep for a few hours…unless big brother wakes him up. This allows me to be with William once he wakes up between 6-6:30am, watch 30 minutes of one of his shows and have breakfast. I have been trying to run laundry, clean up, etc during this time because it is William's best time of day in terms of being content playing on his own and being calm. As far as sleep goes, the rest of the day is just a toss up. If they both nap at the same time, I try to also. I am very grateful for the sleep I do get at night because there have been several days that I have not napped and felt pretty good. Yes, I am always in bed by 10pm, usually 9pm :). Two nights ago it was 8:40pm!<br />
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A big change this time around is that when I feed Jonathan at this first morning feeding, sometimes I get him dressed for the day (in his first outfit at least) because sometimes we leave for an activity before he wakes up. He is not a big fan of the car. William slept all the time in the car but Jonathan spends more time awake and isn't always happy. So this prevents me from waking him to change him. Yes I have brought him out in pajamas, but it has been so hot that he would cry from being uncomfortable the last few days. Jonathan is sleeping in our room which is where I keep him in the morning and try to keep William away. I wish I had taught him the concept of whispering before the baby was born…<br />
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So we are doing the activities we used to do before baby, but I am not putting pressure on myself to stay out all morning, etc., just taking it day by day.<br />
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More pictures coming soon!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-35007908328501332192013-05-13T14:45:00.000-04:002013-05-13T14:45:57.941-04:00It's a BOY!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> Jonathan Paul</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">April 27, 2013</span></div>
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9lbs 5oz</div>
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21 inches long</div>
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A fast five hours from my first contraction until birth</div>
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7cm dilated when arrived at the hospital</div>
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Extra bag of epidural fluid needed to ease pain/discomfort</div>
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One proud big brother who was more interested his second visit</div>
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One set of very excited parents</div>
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One mother who could have sworn she was having a girl…but didn't!</div>
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Two weeks of getting life back on track as a family of four</div>
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Too little time to myself to spend it blogging -- I just want to sleep</div>
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Endless feelings of being torn between my boys already (but I am working on that)</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-5726836039454078512013-04-26T07:04:00.002-04:002013-04-26T07:04:51.379-04:00"Estimated" Due Date = Overdue (again)<br />
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The end of my pregnancy has (kind of) arrived! Yesterday, Thursday, April 25th I was 40 weeks pregnant with our second child. I have been feeling great for about three weeks now which has allowed me to do all sorts of walking, playing and climbing with my sweet William. Last weekend exhaustion hit me like a truck and I felt like I could barely function. Midweek I got some energy back, but daily naps are a must. Being <a href="http://enjoylifeandlove.blogspot.com/2011/03/overdue.html">overdue is a feeling I know</a> -- William arrived at 40w3d.</div>
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At my OB visit on Tuesday (39w5d) my weight was the same as last week so I have gained 35 pounds. My BP was healthy and thankfully baby is head down, my body is dilating and this baby and family are just waiting for his/her birth! I have contractions and other paints every day (seeping is not too enjoyable on my side with the extra weight) but none of the contractions have forced my water to break or stayed consistent enough to send me into active labor. So here I am…impatiently waiting…again.</div>
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I took a photo of myself last Friday before we went out to dinner, but it is still on my camera so I don't have it to share now. I will try and add it here soon. This week has been all about my little boy. We have gone to different parks several time, visited with lots of friends, gone on a tour of the post office and taken several walks together down our lane to get the mail, something he loves to do. Whenever he sits on the couch, I snuggle up with him since both my arms are his still and I just tell him how much I love him over and over and what a good big brother he is going to be.</div>
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At two years old he is rather interested in every baby he sees which will hopefully bode well for us in the coming days, months and years. And if it doesn't, Daddy is taking time off, then my sister will be here from May 11-19 and his Nana and Grandma and Grandpa will be around scattered between and after those dates. It might not hit him (or me) for almost a month that there are two kids and one Momma during the day. I hope the first few weeks with the new baby allow me time to relax my body and mind while others are here to help. But, I don't want William leaving to go to an activity every day either because I want time with him and for him to start adjusting.</div>
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My husband repaired all the walls in the new nursery, painted the walls, ceiling and trim. It looks great. Look for another post on the nursery soon :).</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-12518372089471293142013-04-16T07:13:00.005-04:002013-04-16T07:13:59.404-04:00Bubble Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last week during my OB appointment (I was 38w5d in these photos) my mom rode to the office with me and took William to a park right around the corner. There is a pond full of geese and a sidewalk that goes around it. Also some shady area with picnic tables. So, a toy lawnmower, bubbles and a ball provided 2+ hours of entertainment! Here are some sweet photos she took of us playing together since we will soon have a brother or sister in the mix.</div>
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I have been making an honest effort to pay less distracted time with William. The weather has been beautiful and we spend hours at a time outside. My phone is inside. Everything else can wait (unless my husband is away on travel for work). I realize that our lives will soon change and I want him to have my full attention as long as possible. It has also left me with mixed emotions about asking his grandmothers for help even though I may need it. I feel bad "passing him off" even though he has a wonderful time with them.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I LOVE his sheer joy in this photo!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Another fun shot except my eyes are closed so darn tight...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Sharing bubbles with the baby</span></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-24029735754050849272013-04-03T20:09:00.004-04:002013-04-09T21:26:30.781-04:00Closet Facelift<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On the same day that the <a href="http://enjoylifeandlove.blogspot.com/2013/04/progress-flooring.html">carpet installers</a> were at the house, I decided a little closet facelift was in order. All of the closets at our "old house" had white wire shelves. That is not the case here. This is the closet in the master bathroom upstairs. It is an obscenely large bathroom (no photo to share now) in need of several updates, but with a smaller size closet. There is also a similar size closet downstairs adjacent to the full bathroom on the main floor which I am grateful floor. Right now, that houses everything child related since it is near their bedrooms and extra towels that are not under the sink. Note: without locking bathroom cabinets, the only thing safely stored in them are towels! Back to the closet...</div>
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The closet shelves were in need of new paint. As you can imagine hair products, lotions, etc sitting there over the years. Well, I didn't want to paint because that would mean sanding, cleaning up dust, etc and we will probably paint the closet when we paint the bathroom down the road. </div>
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So, I used the next best thing, a material I am very familiar with…Vinyl! I purchased two large containers of this distressed chevron vinyl at JO-Ann's back in the summer for $2.97. The rolls were huge. Time to use them!</div>
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I simply measured the shelves, cut the vinyl and adhered it to the shelves. WaLa!</div>
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Now the shelves look updated, clean and it was a much quicker process than painting.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9tqatxii4Y/UVzCvadhN5I/AAAAAAAAMRc/9x_uIV8ehYE/s1600/DSC_0123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9tqatxii4Y/UVzCvadhN5I/AAAAAAAAMRc/9x_uIV8ehYE/s320/DSC_0123.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-68124284484476882952013-04-03T19:59:00.003-04:002013-04-03T19:59:49.524-04:00Progress - FlooringWhile I haven't posted, we have certainly made progress on the house. <i>I am going to break it up into all different posts so I have updates to share as I choose :).</i><br />
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Lessons Learned in Reno Progressively: You get more work done when you don't live at the house. For us this rings true because we have a toddler in bed by 7:30pm which restricts what improvement projects we can do because of noise. And we had family in town for William's birthday party/real birthday/Easter so we enjoyed three days with them instead of working.<br />
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So let's talk flooring since I did a whole post on it <a href="http://enjoylifeandlove.blogspot.com/2013/03/lessons-learned-in-reno-1st-weekend.html">earlier</a>. The carpet installers from Lowe's spent 7.5 hours installing carpet in 6 bedrooms of our house. We used two types of carpet: one for the four bedrooms and another for the two "bedrooms" in the basement.<br />
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Basement guest room</div>
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New carpet pad down</div>
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New carpet installed!</div>
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Removing the old and installing new carpet breathed a fresh breath of life into our house. It smelled fresh, it looked fresh and it looked updated and was what we wanted. We are glad we decided to go ahead and install all of the carpet at one time because the original carpet was old, discolored and stinky. Plus, since we spend alot of time playing on the floor, it probably wouldn't have been the best healthwise for young children.</div>
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Now Brad also finished our beautiful Pergo floor in the living room (large area, about 28x17). He did a great job and we are working on putting up new floor trim. Everyone compliments our floor and we are so happy with the color and material selection we made.</div>
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How did I contribute to the flooring process? Well, besides painting the floor trim in the bedrooms once the old carpet was removed, prior to the new carpet being installed, I also decided to pry up the flooring in the entryway (shown below). You don't need to remind me I was 34 weeks pregnant, my husband did that. I just sat on the floor and pulled up the pieces with a small crowbar, it wasn't too difficult. This area is going to have the same Pergo floor once we get the time to make noise for a couple hours to get it installed.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-9364278771126572512013-03-31T11:03:00.001-04:002013-03-31T11:03:26.326-04:00Two Years: Unforgettable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Two years ago, sweet William Michael entered our lives.</div>
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His first moments brought so much joy into our hearts, our lives and our relationship. I don't think we thought it could ever get better. But it has. As he has grown and developed, I think we have both fallen in love with him more than when we first met him at 8:18pm on Thursday, March 31, 2011.</div>
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He still looks like this newborn boy to me…when he is asleep at least. I know he has changed by leaps and bounds but the resemblance he bears to these first photos always makes me smile.</div>
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Happy birthday my son. May you have a wonderful second birthday (and Easter) with our family.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-43071745428472461792013-03-19T07:47:00.002-04:002013-03-19T07:58:10.810-04:00Happening this WeekThe whole idea of waking up early because I am finally sleeping better has its benefits. By 7:15am today I packed two boxes (one was 95% of our spice cabinet) and put the ingredients in the bread maker for some <a href="http://www.oster.com/manuals/oster/005838-000-000_English.pdf">fresh bread</a> (traditional white bread…added Rosemary). Today the carpet installers come to lay new carpet in the four bedrooms and two rooms in the basement…pictures to come!<br />
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I have grandparent assistance again so William doesn't have to wait around with me for the installers. Once the carpet goes in and tack strips with nails aren't all over the place, the house will be a much safer place for him to be. It also means I can bring a box of toys so he can be there with us without us being so worried about his safety.<br />
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Hopefully I can unload a few kitchen related boxes while I am there by myself. There is much more cabinet space in our new home which is exciting but also a little daunting. We do not have an official pantry, but there is a long refrigerator height door with pull out shelves and plenty of additional cabinets for food if needed. I would rather limit our food to the refrigerator and "pantry" as I do now, because as a family of three it is enough and prevents food from going to waste if hidden in the back of a cabinet. Also, in our current home, I have a linen closet in the dining room. Our new house does not have a formal dining room, so there is not a linen closet either. So, I will be storing tablecloths, napkins, servingware, etc in kitchen cabinets as well as the <a href="http://enjoylifeandlove.blogspot.com/2011/03/kitchen-update.html">buffet that was in our kitchen</a>.<br />
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Also while at the house I hope to assemble William's birthday banner since his party is next weekend! Also want to cut the food tent cards and maybe put some new white paint in the bathroom closets. We will see…I have been told to take it easy and my feet, hands and knees are also asking me to lighten up!<br />
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Also happening this week: DirecTV, satellite internet installation and hopefully some slow unpacking/transfer of items from once house to the other since we just live up the road.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-65814105300691643872013-03-17T21:03:00.000-04:002013-03-17T21:03:35.525-04:00Lessons Learned in Reno: 1st Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On Friday we started working on our new house! My husband picked up the flooring at Lowe's and we spent some time that afternoon enjoying the place we will call home (or "my farm" if you are my two year old).</div>
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Lesson 1: Main living areas look better WITHOUT carpet.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Living room on Saturday morning</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Living room on Saturday evening</span></div>
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Lesson 2: Old mauve carpet looks best thrown out on the front lawn!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo of the carpet and pads from the two upstairs bedrooms</span></div>
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Lesson 3: Paint trim white! On Sunday we went and picked up a new gallon of Valspar White semi-gloss paint to start painting the trim throughout the house, mainly the bedrooms. New carpet will be installed on Tuesday so painting trim before carpet is installed is much easier and allows us (or me) to not have to be super exact.<br />
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Lesson 4: This house is going to be where we live for many, many years and raise our children. It is a wonderful feeling. It is so relaxing to walk outside and not see neighbors, only our land. I so like people, but it just seems so "zen."</div>
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Lesson 5: (No photo). We are lucky to have grandparents nearby to keep William while we work on the house. He spent both days this weekend with my mom and had a wonderful time. We missed him lots, but couldn't have gotten as much done as we did without her help.</div>
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Weekend 1 achievements:</div>
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- removed all carpet (about 1900 sq ft worth) and brought to the local "beauty spot" to dispose of it</div>
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- laid our beautiful new floor in the living room</div>
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- removed all of the window grates and cleaned the inside of the windows</div>
- painted all the floor trim in the master bedroom and started the other large upstairs bedroom<br />
- removed the floor in the entryway in preparation for our new floor<br />
- in the laundry room, we removed a handful of boards with nails hanging out (as hooks), a large MDF bookcase once used to stack shoes to the ceiling and a broken wire rack<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-21446862024260790932013-03-10T21:05:00.001-04:002013-03-10T21:05:07.470-04:00We Bought a Farm!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Believe it or not…we bought a farm! We just closed on the property eight hours ago after making our initial offer in September. Surprised we are moving again? Some of you may have been with me since 2009 when I started writing about building our current home. But yes, we are moving again. Only 2.5 miles up the road, but technically it is a new town (same school cluster) and 13 more acres of land. Eek! </div>
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So this will mean one of two things for this blog. 1) I will be sharing lots of DIY and home improvement projects because we have a new place to start and make our own. 2) I will not share as frequently because I have an almost two-year old, am 33 weeks pregnant, moving and trying to make the house "ours" somewhat before baby arrives.</div>
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I am not going to share any pictures of the house itself yet, but for now, enjoy the view :)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KB8M7pEZ2w0/UTT7k2r8YrI/AAAAAAAAMOk/8mNWreE2QX0/s1600/DSC_7693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KB8M7pEZ2w0/UTT7k2r8YrI/AAAAAAAAMOk/8mNWreE2QX0/s320/DSC_7693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-75363547561502106262013-03-01T20:26:00.001-05:002013-03-01T20:26:06.648-05:00Gone too SoonIt is Friday evening. Thursday evening my husband received a phone call from an unknown number (and caller) with sad news. It is that experience that you never want to have. He told him that his good friend from graduate school had died the day before as the result of a heart attack. He gave him funeral arrangements and that was pretty much it. I received that call once. It was August 2004 and one of my closest friends had passed away. My husband handled his emotions much better than I did, and probably still would. This is the first time since we have been married that we have experienced a "shared" loss that has affected us so much.<br />
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This friend, D, has a four year old son who is his spitting image (except with hair, D was bald) and an 18 month old daughter. My heart breaks for these children and his wife who lost the most influential man in their lives at the young age of 42. My husband and I just sat in silence last night, me trying not to cry too much and get myself worked up well into what is normally my bedtime. Today was devastating for both of us. It is all we can think about, nothing else seems to matter. He will be leaving for Georgia this weekend to attend the funeral and service on our behalf. I just can't believe it.<br />
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But actually, I can…<br />
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My father passed away in his mid-30s after a battle with brain cancer that lasted about a year and a half. When he passed on April 27, 1992, I was two weeks from my seventh birthday, my sister was three and my brother was only 18 months. There is not much I remember about that time of my life and looking back I find that both a good and bad thing. I do remember coming home from school that day, seeing lots of cars at our house and being excited that my Dad had been released from the hospital. It was the opposite. I remember my reaction, but not actually hearing the news. Then it all goes blank.<br />
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As I have grown up, close friends have asked me, when appropriate, and not at all to make me mad, if I felt like it was "better to lose my Dad young or if I wish I had more years worth of memories with him?" "Do I think it would have been better (used very loosely of course) to lose him suddenly?" I'm still not sure how I feel about these questions, what my answers should be because they change. Because of my age, growing up with my mom as my single parent is something I was/am used to. I never really knew it to be any different. She over compensated for not having my Dad alive with us and did a hell of a job raising three children. I know D's wife will do much of the same as she finds the strength. Do I wish I had more memories, not ones from photos only, with my Dad? Of course! The chance to remember conversations and vacations with him? Of course! But do I think the heartache of losing a parent would be greater as an adult or teenager? Absolutely.<br />
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In reality, there isn't a "better" situation when a parent dies long before their time. I do believe that it is harder for the living spouse to cope than young children because everyone surrounds them with love and activities to keep them occupied during the immediate future and time of turmoil. But, being a parent myself and hearing William say to me "Mommy home, Mommy here," I can't imagine not being here. I can't imagine my husband not being here. God forbid anything happen to either of us, I hope he remembers us for the rest of his life. I hope I have taken (and been in) enough photos and videos so he can see our interaction and things we experienced together as a family.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-63581854343523350072013-02-03T06:46:00.000-05:002013-02-03T06:46:00.013-05:00Big Boy Bed UpdateWilliam has now slept in his bed for five nights and three naps.<br />
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Naptime has been successful: two hour naps, not hard to fall asleep, etc. Well, yesterday he stayed in his room for 90 minutes reading and chatting. He wasn't upset until 90 minutes passed and was banging on the door. I went to try and relax him and when I opened the door he was lying on the floor with a blanket. I think if I let him go for a few minutes he would have fallen asleep. But we had an Open House so we had to leave home. I hope he remembers how tired he was yesterday without a nap!<br />
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Nighttime has been great. The first two nights were off and on but no screaming. The third night I patted his back when he woke up and then slept through until morning. The past two nights have been his normal sleep pattern although he is waking up about an hour earlier. I am okay with this.<br />
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I am grateful that he made a smooth transition which made it "easier" for mom and dad. Good timing for us and him. Success!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-31558100578641575942013-01-30T12:26:00.002-05:002013-01-30T12:26:38.667-05:00Transition to a Big Boy Bed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This past Saturday (1/26), we assembled William's twin bed in his big boy room <i>(or big boy room until we move). </i>William was very excited to help with Daddy's tools and it only took us about an hour to remove the full bed and bed frame and assemble the twin bed. Ok, by we I mean my husband since I can't lift anything being 27 weeks pregnant.</div>
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Two weeks ago we had reconfigured the furniture in this same room because I sold an Ikea armoire through my local buy/sell page. Since the house is on the market, we moved things around to make the room look larger and it looks even better now with only William's furniture.</div>
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Last night (1/29) I decided to try and put William to sleep for the night in his bed. My husband and I have been spending time with him in the room setting it up, reading books and getting dressed to introduce him to his big boy room so the baby can have the other room. Well, it went MUCH better than I expected. I think my husband was pretty surprised to see him asleep in the bed.</div>
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This was all bittersweet for me. I wish I had thrown a last night in the crib celebration (only partly kidding) because now I hope he stays in the bed for good. Why switch him now? Well, I really didn't want to deal with a new house, new room, new bed and new baby all at once. Seemed like too much for our little boy. So, I just put him down for his first nap and managed to take a picture with my phone <i>(sans flash of course)</i>. I hope he has sweet dreams!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yKzUqvYz6Vk/UQlWMQctUKI/AAAAAAAAMNc/IwbVPQEKQBU/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yKzUqvYz6Vk/UQlWMQctUKI/AAAAAAAAMNc/IwbVPQEKQBU/s320/photo-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-19568832769367717402013-01-14T10:52:00.000-05:002013-01-14T10:52:21.872-05:00Create Space. Find Joy.I'm not even sure how many of you still follow me here since I have long ago fallen off the "regular blogger" bandwagon and jumped on the <i>mom of a toddler, 6 months pregnant, house on the market, feels like something is always happening </i>wagon. While it seems crazy and it can be, I wouldn't change it. Not that I don't care to share with you, my readers, but because as my little boy starts talking more and more each day and my belly grows larger and larger, I am always reminded to spend as much time with him as I can. Much like Rachel at <a href="http://rachelmariemartin.blogspot.com/2013/01/space-for-simple-moments.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FaKlTx+%28finding+joy%29">Finding Joy.</a><br />
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I came across Rachel's blog via one of her Dear Mom letters and was hooked. Even though I have one child and she has seven, her writing reminds me to step back and take it easy and many times I need someone more than my husband telling me so in order to do so. Why mention Rachel today? Well, our mornings were both filled with snuggles from our little boys this morning.<br />
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William slept until 8:20am yesterday, a Sunday!, which is unheard of. Today he was hollering for me at 6:30 which normally only means one thing: dirty diaper. So, after cleaning him up, I grabbed his blanket from the crib, sat in the chair with him, holding him like a baby, looking at his face. This position has once again become comfortable as my belly grows. I softly sang and rubbed his hair and tickled his face and back asleep he went…I soon followed.<br />
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After thirty minutes of chair sleeping, I put him in his crib and he slept until 8:10 a.m. I love holding him close and hope he lets me cuddle him for a long time to come. This morning even though I was awake and could have done other things, I wanted to snuggle William. Rachel's post reminds me to Create Space. Find Joy. I think I'm going to make a canvas of it and have it to look at <b>all the time.</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-50317115805625025022012-12-27T19:53:00.004-05:002012-12-27T19:53:56.597-05:00Choo! Merry Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ouWvxEazr8c/UNzsu8Jkl5I/AAAAAAAAMHw/X6fjCWvvxVE/s1600/DSC_9228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ouWvxEazr8c/UNzsu8Jkl5I/AAAAAAAAMHw/X6fjCWvvxVE/s320/DSC_9228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-47112340450402906372012-12-13T08:27:00.005-05:002012-12-13T08:27:39.829-05:0020 Weeks -- Already?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Well, I am halfway through my pregnancy with our second blessing of a child. Actually, as of today I am 21 weeks, but who's counting?! A few days ago all three of us went to a radiologist for the 20w ultrasound and I wanted to share a few of the images that were given to us. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygvOSq729IndY0caxof_OHHLS-LyKgywzc3jZmwmrFwg9ZeauTAaJkddjVKaBuNCUvrRS7oVbFx58hyphenhyphenvtKW9Zc_89mvK763GQtbbwLrHuHS0tJXb4wNxxJHyAGV4um0xEg__ejYZIjgBZ/s1600/DSC_8828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygvOSq729IndY0caxof_OHHLS-LyKgywzc3jZmwmrFwg9ZeauTAaJkddjVKaBuNCUvrRS7oVbFx58hyphenhyphenvtKW9Zc_89mvK763GQtbbwLrHuHS0tJXb4wNxxJHyAGV4um0xEg__ejYZIjgBZ/s320/DSC_8828.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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sweet little face</div>
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<a href="http://enjoylifeandlove.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-pretty-face.html">see here for my post</a> with a similar picture of William at 20w</div>
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The technician spent an hour taking measurements and looking at all of the bones and organs she could see. We saw the stomach since the baby is already swallowing and the kidneys. I was happy she pointed out things like that to us.<br />
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William was well behaved, but it is different having a toddler in the room. He was however excited to see "his baby." I was tempted to find out the gender, but, no, we are not finding out the gender again :)</div>
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Hi Momma, Daddy and big brother!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-37236236140318418202012-12-03T10:25:00.003-05:002012-12-03T10:25:48.712-05:00Running through my mind….1. Is my sweet boy feeling sick? He fell asleep on my shoulder during bedtime songs and hasn't done that in at least 6 months. I hope it is just a sleep hangover from a night at Nana's…<br />
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2. When do I need to think about transitioning him to a bed?<br />
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3. When will our house sell? <i>It has been on the market about 50 days and while we have had some twice-lookers, no offers (yet) but I am praying. Don't want to move William into a bed before we are in the new house (ideally).</i><br />
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4. How did I manage to get 52 hours "alone" from Saturday-Wednesday? Sweet boy gets overnights with both sets of grandparents thanks to black tie events Momma & Daddy are attending and today is MDO. So, in order to feel like I'm not wasting my time, I am going through boxes in the basement. Pulling out all the maternity clothes, sorting his baby clothes in case we have another springtime boy and making sell, trash, keep piles.<br />
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5. I am lucky because one of my closets friends is having a baby…any day…we hope…<br />
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6. I am also VERY lucky to have two of my closest local friends pregnant "with me," both due in June! I am very excited for both of them and cried when they told me :)<br />
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7. Proud to have some Christmas gifts done, but haven't started on others...<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-64839438333376705112012-11-21T21:34:00.004-05:002012-11-21T21:34:48.243-05:00TWICE Blessed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This year I am most thankful for the two littlest people in my life:</div>
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Our second blessing of a baby, set to make his or her arrival at the end of April:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d0Ja3n148kg/UK2Od3MAYBI/AAAAAAAAMDo/gVqxaKZJ0tQ/s1600/DSC_6783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d0Ja3n148kg/UK2Od3MAYBI/AAAAAAAAMDo/gVqxaKZJ0tQ/s320/DSC_6783.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And for my dear first born son William with whom I spend my days. We spend our days playing, cooking, climbing, crafting, watching tractors and searching for animals and trucks outdoors. I couldn't imagine it any other way.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9NjYGV1MHzc/UK2OkUFPS1I/AAAAAAAAMDw/R2ly7Tw4E-g/s1600/DSC_8254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9NjYGV1MHzc/UK2OkUFPS1I/AAAAAAAAMDw/R2ly7Tw4E-g/s320/DSC_8254.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-64014348262345100582012-10-29T19:43:00.003-04:002012-10-29T19:43:56.816-04:00Sandy StinksWe are at approximately hour 24 of rain from Hurricane Sandy. I am not writing from my own home because we have above ground power lines and we typically lose power pretty quickly. And the winds are supposed to be 65mph+ for more then twelve hours overnight. Doesn't sound fun does it?<br />
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So I hope if you are in the storm's path, you stay safe. We are inside, got some food at the grocery and I also picked up a pumpkin so William (I mean we) could carve it on the kitchen floor during the storm since we need something to do :)<br />
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We have some BIG NEWS so keep up!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-38538961853299146572012-10-17T19:20:00.003-04:002012-10-17T19:20:55.639-04:00Halloween Hat Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Earlier this month I hosted a costume swap for our local MOMS Club. I decided to provide some Halloween treats, but did not go overboard since all of the attending children were toddlers or babies. Let's be serious, the cookies were for the Moms :)</div>
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All I had to buy for the cookies was a pack of fudge stripe cookies and a pack of Hershey's Kisses. You also need honey and "writing" frosting, but I had both of those.</div>
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As you can see, the stripe side of the cookie will be face down on your plate/tray. Put a small dollop (I like that word) of honey on the bottom of the Hershey Kiss and then push onto the cookie, covering the hole. I let them sit overnight to "stick" better.</div>
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The next morning I used a small tube of yellow writing frosting to make a ring around the edge, where the cookie joined the kiss.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ymwcOoW0ZGg/UH88BF350hI/AAAAAAAAMCk/i17yh2c_HVU/s1600/DSC_7347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ymwcOoW0ZGg/UH88BF350hI/AAAAAAAAMCk/i17yh2c_HVU/s320/DSC_7347.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then I added little buckles to the witch's hats.</div>
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The cookies were yummy and people thought they were so cute! :)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9UdNvc3Zf5M/UH88OZ4Q9gI/AAAAAAAAMC0/ZC0fECLAusQ/s1600/DSC_7349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9UdNvc3Zf5M/UH88OZ4Q9gI/AAAAAAAAMC0/ZC0fECLAusQ/s320/DSC_7349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173426046077669753.post-8255938664470812072012-10-09T14:23:00.003-04:002012-10-09T14:23:37.772-04:00Miss Me?I decided after a full month away from writing my blog, but not reading my favorites, I'd come back (or try to). Alot has happened in the past month and alot is about to happen -- for that you'll just have to wait and see.<br />
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It is Autumn here and my pumpkin candle is glowing daily breathing the sweet scent I love into my home. To escape pre-Fall, we took a family vacation to Belize!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9WgscIYhig/UHRq14xO8nI/AAAAAAAAL3U/Gl-n72sVEsk/s1600/CSC_7231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9WgscIYhig/UHRq14xO8nI/AAAAAAAAL3U/Gl-n72sVEsk/s320/CSC_7231.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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More on that later…if I achieve my goal of getting around to it.</div>
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Life is busy and I decided not to spend my evening blogging. There, that's the truth. Also, I think people see enough photos of my sweet William and our antics on Facebook so I don't need to post them here. After all, some of my most vigilant readers are family and close friends who know all too many details about what we are doing/have done that they really don't need my blog to tell them.</div>
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The craft bug hasn't bit me personally in a bit. I use my craft skills to make products for my Memorable Designs customers everyday and LOVE it, but as far as personal stuff…I'm hoping to get some Thanksgiving items and then Christmas things made (For me. For once.)</div>
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So I suppose this is a hello and a warning that I will probably only be back intermittently and I won't be taking pictures of recipes and all that so much because I am preoccupied with life and just trying to soak up every second.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/48/4317E36CDAFC10EFDFA44131E22A7D83.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056909239657964546noreply@blogger.com0