Happy Jack and Successful Dinner!

We had a good day yesterday. We were at home all day and it was so nice! No errands, no outings--just home. Now, I just hope to have one of those "lazy" days at home. OK, clarify that. I need to make, ie, let myself have one of these days:-).

I actually managed to cook a meal in peace!! It was super. Hanna helped, while Joe played computer games and Jack took a late nap. Now, part of our dinner was from Let's Dish, but hey, I still had to do a little prep for it and put it in the oven:-).

We had three cheese spinach stuffed shells (courtesy of Let's Dish), sauteed garlic green beans (me), and homemade cheddar-dill scones (made by Hanna and myself).

The whole scone idea was inspired by one of my "bloggy" friends, Ticia. She shared a good scone recipe on my homeschool blog last week. I really, really wanted some bread type thing with our pasta. I have never, ever had success with homemade biscuits. I figured I'd try and find a good cheddar scone recipe and give it a shot. OH MY GOSH!!!! These were sooooooo good! They seriously turned out perfect. I will share the recipe Sunday on my Homeschool Blog with my "kids in the kitchen" weekly carnival. Here is a picture though.

So, after dinner Hanna and Joe went outside to play. Jamie, Jack and myself were still finishing up and cleaning up. Jack got so giggly in his high chair. I realized I don't have any pictures of him laughing alot, and he laughs often and "with his whole body"--so sweet. I captured a couple.

This is his new favorite camera face. I guess when you get a camera shoved in your face as much as my kids do, you learn the "cheese" grin quickly--here is his:

Here is another one. He was laughing his head off:

Well, I'll see what I can bake up today. My goal is to bake, cook and eat as much good food as I can before I have my baby, and go back to basics:-).

39 Weeks, Barricading the Kids, Repurposed TV Stand and Jesse's Room

My Tuesday started with a bang--or rather an explosion yesterday. I make a protein shake for breakfast each morning in the blender. Well, I always take the lid off and stir it just a bit (with it running). I accidentally let the spoon hit the metal blade and it flew everywhere. Not just a small amount of it either. About two thirds of it. Did I mention this shake is about 24 ounces of liquid:-)? That's right. It flew on the ceiling, my face, my pj's, up one of my arms, six cabinet fronts, the microwave, the toaster, dishwasher front, kitchen window, counter and floor. This was so much fun to clean up, and it only took me about an hour. I am very proud to say though, I did not yell, cry or lose my temper. That is major right now:-).

After this fun I went down to Hanna's room to get Joe to come up for school. I found this:

What a sweet sight and something that did much good for me. It put me back where I needed to be and reminded me of what is most important.

Here's a picture of me Hanna took yesterday--39 weeks pregnant. I hope this is the last one I get pregnant. We'll see. It's all just a matter of waiting around now. I have no plans of induction unless absolutely medically necessary. I have a feeling you'll see at least one more picture like this:-).

OK, I am having major difficulty getting dinners cooked lately. If anyone has any suggestions of how to get dinner cooked without the kids killing themselves, destroying whatever room(s) they are in and me totally losing it--please let me know!! I am open to ANY suggestions!! I am seriously ready to serve cold cereal or PB & J every night temporarily! I was so desperate yesterday that I closed all the doors in our upstairs hall, put up a baby gate, gave them balls and a couple of games, and made them stay there and play for about a half hour. They actually enjoyed it at first:

But after a bit Jack started throwing balls down the stairs and one bounced off of a picture hanging on the wall (luckily it didn't break), so I ended this playtime quickly.

We are finished up in Jesse's room now. We still have to put a changing table in their, but we are not even worrying with buying a crib for a bit. He'll be in his bassinet for the first few months anyway. Sorry the walls are so bare. I doubt I'll hang pictures until the crib is in place.

Here are some pictures of Jesse's room as it is for now. Remember his bedding/theme is trains, so I got a cute Melissa and Doug train, and a couple of my favorite classic train books, The Little Engine That Could and Tootle for small decorative items. I am working on a picture frame and set of name blocks too.

Here is the "repurposed TV stand" I've been working on. I got the idea for it *here*.

That's it for our Tuesday. We got tons done. It feels good to have his room wrapped up. Now, I just can't wait to meet and hold him and have him here with us in his sweet, little bassinet. Won't be long.

Labor Day--No Rest From "Labor" Here

Bet you thought I was referring to having Jesse in my post title:-)--nope. I am referring to all of the work we did around our home today. We got lots done and have lots to finish up tomorrow too. But, we were productive and that was great!

No pictures of Jesse's room yet. Hopefully tomorrow. It is a mess tonight. We were pooped by the time we finished.

Today was filled with yard work, and lots of it, doing many things to finish up Jesse's room, I finished my repurposed TV stand, completed a bit of school with the kids and by that time it was dinner time.

We went out for pizza--big surprise there:-). After dinner it was off to Target and Lowe's for more supplies--we've been to Lowe's so much lately that the kids actually like it there now, can you believe that?! Back at home I made a delicious Smores dessert that I just discovered yesterday from my real life friend, Stefanie. Click *here* for the recipe.

After dessert, Hanna and Joe enjoyed another sleepover and movie night in her room while Jamie and I knocked out more to do's on home projects.

Here is what the kids had fun doing while we were very busy in other areas of the house this afternoon.

Joe decided to dress up as a pirate. This was his interesting take on how to put on his costume to look like a true pirate--he informed me "real pirates don't need the eye patch". I asked why, his answer--he couldn't find it:-).

Jamie, on one of his many trips to the playroom to check on the kids, brought Jack to me looking like this, and no, he is not sitting on the kitchen counter unassisted waiting to tumble forward to the floor--Jamie is beside him:-):

Jack got into a tube of Hanna's lipstick from her make-up caboodles box in the dress up baskets, and was putting it on and eating it too. This is the second tube of lipstick he's downed in the last week, by the way.

Other than that, it was life as normal around our home. We did enjoy our day together and out and about. It is always so nice to have Jamie home from work. I look forward to days when he is home and we are all together.

What we've been up to....

We have gotten quite a bit done around our home the last few days. It seems like this past week has been a very, very busy one. Lots of appointments, busy at work for Jamie, doing much with school for me and the kids. Amidst all of this, Jamie has finished up Jesse's room. We will hang curtain rods, curtains, hopefully find a rug and ceiling fan (so Hanna can have hers), and put a few more finishing touches in the way of decor in there tomorrow.

I have been working on redoing an old piece of furniture for in Jesse's room, as well. I have one shelf to finish up, put the hardware back on and it will be all done. I hope to finish this up tomorrow too. I will post pictures of all we've gotten done (even if we don't get all of this completed) tomorrow night. I am so glad to have gotten things accomplished this week so quickly. Time is nearing an end and it feels good to know things will be ready for Jesse.

The kids and I had a lot of fun today reading books--we read together alot today snuggled on the couch--something we haven't done in quite a while, all of us at one time. I crafted with them, we enjoyed our Muffin Tin Monday dessert and just had a really good family day together. I love days like this. At the end of them it is so nice to reflect on what is most important, and how special the memories are that you are making together.

After the kids were in bed Jamie and I enjoyed a chocolate fondue with fruits, graham crackers and marshmallows for dipping. So good! A perfect end to a wonderful day!

**Sidenote--This is my 200th post--WOW!!**

My Very First Blessing

Yesterday was Hanna's 10th birthday. I posted pics from her party over the weekend. Today I want to post some pictures of her first 10 years. I can't believe how fast they have gone, and looking at all of these pictures tonight has left me feeling very sentimental, thankful and blessed to have Hanna as a very special part of our family. She truly is "my first blessing". **I had to scan in most of these pictures and some of them are very grainy, but it was before my digital camera days:-).**

Here is Hanna at age one (I love the picture of her holding up her cake. Jack did this same thing at his one year old party.):

Age two:

Age three (this was taken at a Gymboree bday party--she had a blast, I don't have cake pics from years two or three for some reason):

Age four (this first picture is Hanna all dressed up--I love this picture):

Age five (a party at The Little Gym):

Age six (another of my favorite close up pictures of Hanna--just before she lost her first top front tooth):

Age seven:

Age eight (This is the year she was baptized--on the day of her birthday even. I like this picture of our family taken at her baptism. I was 4 months pregnant with Jack here.):

Age nine--(We took Hanna to the American Girl store for her 9th birthday. We stayed in an American Girl themed room at our hotel--it was decked out in hot pink everything. They even served Hanna pink milk and pink cookies on a pink tray in her pink bathrobe before bed! She was a true princess!):

Age ten:

Hanna is so beautiful inside and out. She is a caring, compassionate girl who cares deeply for people, animals and nature. She is strong willed and always stands up for what she knows is right. She was such a good example of right at school, and I was always told by her teachers of her trying to teach others to do right as well. She is fun and funny, loving, a helper and a friend. My life is blessed each day by having Hanna. Hanna, I love you forever!

My Very First Blessing

Yesterday was Hanna's 10th birthday. I posted pics from her party over the weekend. Today I want to post some pictures of her first 10 years. I can't believe how fast they have gone, and looking at all of these pictures tonight has left me feeling very sentimental, thankful and blessed to have Hanna as a very special part of our family. She truly is "my first blessing". **I had to scan in most of these pictures and some of them are very grainy, but it was before my digital camera days:-).**

Here is Hanna at age one (I love the picture of her holding up her cake. Jack did this same thing at his one year old party.):

Age two:

Age three (this was taken at a Gymboree bday party--she had a blast, I don't have cake pics from years two or three for some reason):

Age four (this first picture is Hanna all dressed up--I love this picture):

Age five (a party at The Little Gym):

Age six (another of my favorite close up pictures of Hanna--just before she lost her first top front tooth):

Age seven:

Age eight (This is the year she was baptized--on the day of her birthday even. I like this picture of our family taken at her baptism. I was 4 months pregnant with Jack here.):

Age nine--(We took Hanna to the American Girl store for her 9th birthday. We stayed in an American Girl themed room at our hotel--it was decked out in hot pink everything. They even served Hanna pink milk and pink cookies on a pink tray in her pink bathrobe before bed! She was a true princess!):

Age ten:

Hanna is so beautiful inside and out. She is a caring, compassionate girl who cares deeply for people, animals and nature. She is strong willed and always stands up for what she knows is right. She was such a good example of right at school, and I was always told by her teachers of her trying to teach others to do right as well. She is fun and funny, loving, a helper and a friend. My life is blessed each day by having Hanna. Hanna, I love you forever!

Sleepover

Hanna and Joe had a sleepover in Hanna's new room last night. They popped popcorn, red bedtime stories and then watched a movie on the laptop. They love having these sleepovers together. I think it is sweet and I am thankful that they love each other so much and have become so close these last few months. Joe learns alot from Hanna and she enjoys teaching him, being a big sister and is such a good example.

Here are a couple of pictures of them from last night. The first is of them reading stories together, and the next is them all tucked into bed for the night.