Updates

Here's what we've been up to this week.

Enjoying the weather

Spring has officially supplanted summer as my favorite season. I LOVE it. The weather has been so gorgeous. It is so fun to watch the flowers bloom and the trees burst back into life with their lively light green leaves. It's invigorating. What a great time of year to have a baby!

This year, I have been so grateful for our backyard.
It is the best! We have a lot of shade, can hear
birds chirping, and the kids love playing back there.
Whitney got some princess roller skates for her
birthday and is learning to use them and is also
getting better on her bike, though I'm afraid she needs
a bigger one. Brandon loves to shoot hoops and ride
scooters. And both Whitney and I are into
sidewalk chalk drawings right now. Who knew
a concrete backyard could be so much fun?

We eat out on the patio every chance we get.
Last week when Andrew was gone for church
stuff, the kids and I had a lovely backyard dinner.

Then on Friday, W and I packed a lunch and had
a picnic and some local gardens. Gorgeous.

Nesting...bargain hunter style

I'm surprised at how laid-back I feel about preparations for Caroline's arrival. I feel like we have most everything we need and figure we can always run out last-minute for the things we've forgotten...right? I've made sure we have diapers, wipes, and a car seat. Those are the absolute essentials, if I remember correctly.

Anyway, one of the big things that we need to get is a new bed for Whitney. Our crib converts to a toddler bed, where W is still sleeping. I'm planning to get bunk beds that W and Caroline will be able to share later on. I've looked at several places, but have not made a decision yet. While I was furniture shopping, though, I came across these finds that I couldn't pass up:

I found this baker's rack at a tent sale
for $18. Are you kidding me? It fits
perfectly in this little nook outside of
the bonus room. It was screaming for
me to take it home. I listened.


Ever since we moved in, I've been looking
for a black chest for our entryway. But it
wasn't a top priority and I never found one
less than $100. This one was at the same tent
sale for $40. Hook me up!

This metal sign was on clearance at Target
for $4. Doesn't it look like something you'd buy
at a Mormon bookstore?

Baseball fever

I am so glad we live in a city with a Minor League Baseball team. We love going to games. We went to our first of the season on Friday night. It was a PERFECT baseball night and that place was packed. Last year we would just get lawn seats, but I didn't figure my big body would be up to sitting on the grass for 3 hours, so we splurged for reserved seats. Oooh la la. (They were only $2 more a seat and I found myself wondering why we didn't do this sooner!)

Go Grasshoppers!
The kids both enjoy the atmosphere of the
ballpark and the between-inning entertainment.
We let them play at the in-park playground
for a little while and B stayed focused the
rest of the game. Woo hoo!

Whit did pretty well, too, but at the
top of the 8th, she was getting a little
restless, so Andrew broke out his
secret weapon--PBS kids on the iPod. Yes.

On Friday nights they have fireworks
after the game.

Whit got freaked out a few times,
but enjoyed most of the show.

Brandon liked it, but had to keep his
ears plugged the whole time.

One month to go!

Caroline is due a month from today. Woo hoo! I have definitely reached the uncomfortable part of pregnancy. The worst part for me is that the muscles at the top of my belly just ache and burn almost all of the time. It's like they have reached their stretching capacity and don't have anywhere else to go. I had the same problem with B-train. Not fun, but could be worse.

I'm going through an anti-maternity-clothes phase.
For the last 4 days I have only worn NON-maternity
clothes. I think I was supposed to try this earlier
in the pregnancy instead of now, but I still
liked my maternity clothes then.

Here's a new outfit I bought.
Some of the cuts that are in style
now just seem to work with a pregnant
belly. Or at least that's what I'm telling
myself. Now I just have to hope
that I'm not stretching out all my clothes
and they won't fit the post-baby body.
(Oh darn, honey. I need a whole new wardrobe!)