New Look!

Don't you just LOVE my new blog design? I can brag on it because I didn't design it! That would be my friend Amy, who does all kinds of cool digital crafty stuff. Check out her etsy shop here.

I know Amy would have been happy to just switch out the girls' seriously dated pics for me, but I just felt like I needed something new! I told Amy it was part of my nesting, I think. I also wanted to create a little space in the header for Baby Brother. He looks a little like a blob right now (or maybe the Romulans are attacking the Enterprise?), but that's his sweet face via ultrasound. I'm sure he'll be even more handsome in person!!

The Painting Begins

Last weekend Joanna and I headed to the paint store to try and pick out some colors for their room. I brought all three of the kids’ quilts with me as inspiration. I don’t need anything in the quilts to match the color necessarily, but I want them to “go,” especially the one my mom made. I can’t believe I didn’t get any pictures of our adventure, but… I didn’t. :) I was pretty much looking at yellows and blues. I brought a card of yellow home, but I just don’t think I’m going to be happy with yellow. It’s just not a color I’m super attracted to. None of us look good in yellow, and I think I would get tired of it sooner rather than later. I also brought home a couple of blue cards, one I liked a lot.

So tonight we all went and picked up a sample can of “Honest Blue” from Sherwin Williams. (A side note: it felt SO GOOD in that store this evening. They were cleaning the floors so fans were on and it felt like the A/C was really cooking. Ahhhh…) Anyway, then we went to Lowe’s (where it was decidedly too warm) to try and find some low or no VOC primer. They actually had some no VOC primer, but sadly we had to by a gallon instead of a quart. I guess this stuff isn’t in high demand yet. So if anybody needs a little primer for a project, I'm your man! We also got a roller nap (made from recycled fibers!) because I was pretty sure we didn’t still have any.

When I get it in my head to do something, I pretty much like to start right now, instead of waiting around until a probably more convenient time. :) So when we got home, I sent Matt into the kitchen to warm up leftovers while I picked up the playroom and moved Joanna’s bed in there. There was already a pack-n-play in there for Natalie.

Then I prepped the girls’ room. I taped a little (cause even though it’s only a little primer and a little sample paint, I know me.) I also went ahead and took stuff off the walls, took off the face plates, and spackled some holes. I didn’t really want to open any paint until the girls were down, so I busied myself with prep work that’ll need to be done anyway.

And we said good-bye to the boxes.

A close-up of where the toddler bed used to be. Isn’t that disgusting?!

Okay, first glimpse of the blue:

I really have no idea why it’s that shape. :) It kind of looks like a little rain cloud from a cartoon.

I tried to put some up at Matt’s eye-level too.

Matt suggested I should paint all the way over to the window so I could see what it looked like next to the green.

From across the room. I also put Natalie’s quilt and a panel like Joanna’s quilt in the picture.

I’m actually not sure whether I like it or not. I mean, I like it, but it may be too dark. Dark may not be the right word. I’m excited to see it in the daylight tomorrow. I’m also a little worried it’s about the exact same color as our master bathroom, which I’m tired of. The little paint chippy thing is greyer. This is pretty bright still. But I just checked, and it’s not as bright at the master bath or as… icky. I also held the quilts up to the painted wall and I like how they go together.

Only time will tell, I think! And I can always get another color to try. What I really want are some people to come over and tell me what they think of my raincloud. Is it a keeper?

Tomorrow I’ll do another coat of the primer (hopefully the last). Those brown boxes are pesky. :)

And if you’re in the area, stop by and see the blue on the wall! You can pick up some toys and unload the dishwasher while you’re here.

Lunch

Natalie and I each just had a half a PB&J with homemade blueberry jam and a half with homemade peach/strawberry jam. Yay for Popo's jams!! We love 'em!
Joanna had a big 'ol salad. Seriously! I was so impressed. She said she didn't really want it, but that didn't stop her from eating quite a bit of it. Hey man, when you won't eat PB&J and your mom refuses to cook anything since it's so hot, your choices are limited. :)

22 Weeks

As usual, no pic yet. :)

How Your Baby’s Growing (from Babycenter.com):

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

How far along: 22 weeks

Pregnancy symptoms: back pain, constant hunger :),

Food Cravings: chocolate, cheetos, fruit

Sleep: good!

Measurement: inches

Movement: Lots!

Labor signs: none 

What I miss: not thinking of anything right now

What I’m looking forward to: ummmm… I guess the next doctor’s appointment.  Oh, I know!  I’m looking forward to getting the kids’ room painted. 

Milestone: I wore my maternity support thingie this weekend for my back.  Whoa it’s too hot for that.

Thoughts from the Girls: I may have already posted this; not sure.  I’ve decided I want to use Joanna’s quilt that Mom made for Baby Brother’s crib theme.  Joanna is totally on board with passing it down to him.  I’m so proud!

Doctor’s visit: not this week

A June Weekend

We finally made it to the real pool.  I first had to go hunt down pool bracelets, which fortunately was easy to do, even though I didn’t fill out the form way back in April like I was supposed to.  :)

I did not go by myself, nor do I think I will this summer.  Gran went with us.  It was still hard work!

The kiddie pools at Elm Grove pool are pretty cool.  There are three: 1ft, 1 1/2ft, and 2 feet.  We may head to a different pool next time though.  Natalie doesn’t understand that she can’t “swim” in the 2ft pool like she can in the 1ft pool, and it makes her kinda crazy.

Joanna has more fear, but still had a little trouble with the 2ft pool.  She stepped right in, not knowing it was so deep!  She got off-balanced and went under.

She liked having her vest and her floaties on.  She enjoyed playing in the little pools and “swimming” with me in the big pool.

 

At church this morning, we had a few minutes to attempt some pictures in the flower garden.

This is a classic Joanna face:

Cutie pie!

 

Isn’t this picture hilarious!  Yes, Joanna was kind of patting Natalie on the face, but no, it was not causing her the distress that’s painted on her face.  That was a fluke.

I snuck a couple of pictures in church later (without the flash, of course).

And Joanna’s favorite part of the service – the children’s sermon.  You can see part of her all the way on the right.  She loves to sit up there and I like to think she’s absorbing something of what Ellen says. :)

After church and lunch today, my helper Joanna and I ran some errands while Natalie took a nap.  We went to the paint store and grabbed a couple of paint card thingies for the kids’ room.  I think I’ve found a blue I like enough to get a sample can to paint a blob on the wall.  I’ve found a no-VOC paint I want to use, but I’m working on an acceptable primer.  I haven’t checked the hardware store yet, but the only low-VOC (not sure if they make no-VOC primers) one at Sherwin Williams only comes in a gallon.  And I just have like half a wall to prime, not several rooms.

We also went to Babies R Us to exchange a cup.  We’re trying out the metal kind that Thermos makes.  Joanna is IN LOVE with the straw-type.  Normally, she doesn’t even drink out of sippy cups anymore, but she’s consumed a lot more water today carrying that thing around!  I’m also looking for a selection of solid-color crib stuff (bumper, crib skirt, sheets) that I can match to Joanna’s quilt (which is getting handed down to her brother).  She never had a bumper and skirt that matched and I want to make this look like a set.  My mom started a crib skirt a few years ago, but life caught up and she never finished it.  She said she may finish it for Baby Brother!  Then I’ll just need a bumper.  So I’m remembering that BRU used to have quite a selection of solid color bumpers, skirts, and sheets.  Either I’m remembering wrong or that’s no longer the case.  They only have baby blue, baby pink, baby green, white, cream, and brown.  I thought I’d be able to find more colors.  The baby blue actually looked pretty good with the quilt, but I want more choices!  :)

So we went to Target to see if they had anything better, but they don’t.  Then we finally returned some shoes to Payless before heading home!.

It’s way too hot outside, but it was fun to shop with my big girl. :)  Especially since we didn’t actually spend any money!

Man, I’ve got some cute girls

These aren’t both mine, but I’ll claim ‘em!

I’ve been picking Anna up for Tennis Camp this week cause it’s just so easy for me and the girls love riding together.

This was Tuesday, I think.  Aren’t they so cute?!

 

I wanted to get a picture of Joanna by the tennis net.

Hamming it up!

My silly Natalie.  Matt’s putting a shoe on her here.  She is so funny.  If she finds one of her shoes around, she MUST put it on!  She’ll usually bring you the other one of a pair if you ask her to, as well.

Today – aren’t they too cute in their piggie tails?!

Also today.  I think this is really the first time Natalie has asked to put on a dress-up dress.

This is her “pose” as soon as I pull out the camera.

It took quite some convincing to get her to stand up for a picture!

We’re watching So You Think You Can Dance (past Joanna’s bedtime!) and Joanna pulled Matt up to dance with her.  She was trying to teach him some moves.  Good luck girl!

Salmon Patties

Due to a request (!!!), here is the "recipe" for salmon patties. My mom made these for us growing up.

Ingredients:

1 can of salmon (big one, not little like tuna cans)

2 eggs

~1/2-1 sleeve of Ritz crackers

cooking oil

To make the patties, drain the can of salmon and mix with two eggs and the half a pack of crackers (crushed into crumbs). If needed, add more crackers for consistency. You're going for the consistency of uncooked meatloaf... basically.

Using your hands, form them into patties. This recipe usually makes 5 patties. I'm just about to need to double it for us. I can remember when we used to have leftovers!

Cook them in a little veggie oil in a fry pan. I'm pretty sure I use about a medium heat. Flip them to cook both sides. Basically you're cooking the egg here. I usually split one open at some point to make sure it looks pretty firm inside.

We think they're yummy!