Last Week of Second Trimester! #Pregnancy Week 27

I am very much looking forward to entering the third trimester and getting even closer to that special day that I will get to meet this little lady. I know that the third trimester can be tough. I am hoping that it will not be too tough. Here is to hoping, right?

How Far Along: 

27 Weeks Pregnant {27 weeks 5 days}

Due Date: 

June 22^nd, 2013

Boy or girl: 

Girl!

Bump Picture: 

This bump picture is my on the road bump picture – as I have been taking a little vacation to visit my folks. Hence the strange backdrop {and the fact that this is not a picture of me on my staircase}.

Bath Night Fun Night

We have a bath night routine for the kids that has changed slightly over the last month or so. They boys used to take a bath together, but now prefer to have separate bath times. I think this is because they are each struggling with the whole “sharing” thing – especially when it comes to their bath toys.

Now little man takes his bath first. Since his bedtime is slightly earlier than big brother’s bed time this just makes more sense to me. Then Big brother has his bath. They seem to like having their own baths way more than their combined baths; I have a feeling that this is simply a phase and they will be back together in no time.

Mushroom and Asparagus Delicious Side Dish #Recipe

I love mushrooms, I always have and I probably always will. I am also a big fan of asparagus. I have no idea why these are some of my favorite vegetables, but they are. I love their flavor and the fact that you can eat them as a side with just about anything. I feel that they compliment pretty much any main dish perfectly.

With my latest pregnancy craving being all about veggies I have been playing around in my kitchen with various side dishes to accompany my meals. Mashed cauliflower { this recipe still needs to be perfected}, sesame broccoli, and mushrooms with asparagus have quickly become staple side dishes in my kitchen.

Review & Giveaway: Motorola MBP18 Digital Wireless Video Baby Monitor

I love great products. When I happen upon a great product I cannot help but share my thoughts and opinions about it with everyone I know. A while ago I had the opportunity to review the Motorola MBP36-2 Remote Wireless Video Baby monitor and I loved it. I still love it and use it regularly. It is so fun being able to see what my little guys are doing when they think they are not being watched.

Recently Motorola asked me if I would like to review another video baby monitor of theirs, a more compact model. Of course I said yes! After setting up the Motorola MBP18 I did a little happy dance; as this baby monitor did not skimp on the quality. There are some seriously awesome features in this compact but highly efficient package.

I have used this monitor nonstop from the moment it entered my house. There are a lot of reasons to love this little monitor, first and foremost is the fact that the picture and sound quality is outstanding. It has video capabilities, audio capabilities, and zoom capabilities.  Aside from that – which in itself is reason enough to love it, it is also a wireless rechargeable unit. Love it!

Design Board: The Pretty in Pink Nursery

My mother-in-law recently posted on the Mom Mart Facebook page that she likes the color pink and would like to see a nursery that embraces this color. She is my inspiration behind this week’s nursery design board that I have titled “Pretty in Pink”.

A pink theme can be overwhelming and sometimes nauseating depending on the room and the amount of pink in the room. I speak from experience as my childhood room had pink walls, a pink bow border, and pink just about anywhere else you could possibly think to put it. I grew up, but my room did not grow up with me. That is why my “Pretty in Pink” nursery theme embraces various shades of pink, but only as accents that can be switched out. I have also thrown ice blue in the mix to cool things off.

I chose to bring the pretty in pink theme to life with some soft accents like floor pillows and a pink and white striped rug. The bedding is floral, but not old. It brings in shades of pink as well as yellow and blue. I love the paisley print too! I happened across this DIY pink ombre dresser and thought it was perfect. The pink gradation is perfect and I love the clean modern lines of the dresser that contrast nicely with the more traditional feel of the bedding. The upholstered glider is in an ice blue shade that cools off all of the pink in the room nicely.

Kid Craft: How to make Bath Crayons!

I have bought bath crayons and almost immediately thrown them away because they created such a mess. I am talking hard to clean mess that left my pretty white bathtub stained green and blue and red… Needless to say I was not happy.

While shopping for some arts and crafts supplies online I happened upon glycerin soap and remembered a recipe a friend gave me for bath crayons. I have been wanting to make some homemade bath crayons for the kids to play with for a while now and have simply been too busy to get to the store for the supplies that I needed. I wanted to make bath crayons that would not stain or leave a big mess. So I clicked a button and bought some glycerin soap for our project.

Trying to keep up my energy #Pregnancy Week 26

I have started to get tired again. I know that once third trimester hits I will be getting increasingly more exhausted.  So I have started to look for ways of boosting my energy and what has worked best for me is keeping busy and exercising. I know it sounds silly, but if there is a project to do I focus on the project and not how tired I am. I have added more exercise to my schedule in order to give me a boost and this has worked the best for me so far!

How Far Along: 

26 Weeks Pregnant {26 weeks 5 days}

Due Date: 

June 22^nd, 2013

Boy or girl: 

Girl!

Bump Picture: 

The bump is getting pretty big now and you can even see her moving if she is being particularly active– which I think is super cool!

Mr. Oven Mitts

My oldest son loves to help me in the kitchen and this usually entails him playing with a number of my kitchen products. Usually he is a big fan of my bowls, spoons, and colanders. Lately though he has become enthralled with the oven mitts. So much so that he takes them and runs through the house playing with them. This is his impression of the Mr. Oven Mitt Monkey.

Pork Tenderloin with Pan Sauce #Recipe

My father-in-law recently came over to help my husband frame some walls in our basement and as a thank you I decided to make him and my mother-in-law a nice home cooked meal of Pork Tenderloin with Pan Sauce, Mashed Cauliflower, Cheesy Biscuits, and Wild Berry Cobbler.

While the pork was ridiculously delicious {two slices left over… just two slices! We devoured this meal.}, the mashed cauliflower was on the dry side and that recipe will be undergoing some serious renovations of its own. The pork was really easy to make and my husband said it was outstanding. It will defiantly be making onto our dinner table again.

Design Board: A Vintage Circus Nursery

I am having such a fabulous time coming up with these design boards and creating such diverse nurseries themes that I am rethinking my original nursery plans. There are certain aspects of each nursery design board that I create that I fall in love with… that I just have to have for my little girl’s nursery. This week I am head over heels for this vintage circus design board that I have lovingly put together.

A circus theme can be very bold with the use of primary reds, oranges, and blues… or it can be made a little more understated and soft by using various shades of yellow, green, orange, and blue.  I have even seen some that even embrace a full on pink theme. I have seen ceilings painted red and white and I have seen awnings over cribs that resemble a big top. There are a million ways you can go with a circus nursery theme.

I chose to bring the vintage circus theme into this nursery by using accents and accessories that can easily be switched out. I have nothing against the color pink, but I happened across a crib bedding set and a throw pillow that made me want to embrace the color orange with this room. I have seen the mobile as a DIY project on Pinterest and thought it looked like something I could do, but just in case I don’t have the skill, time, or inclination I think that the hot air balloon mobile I found is beautiful!

Kid Craft: Dry Food Art!

I decided to be really cheap and go through my pantry for this week’s art project. I went with dry hard foods that varied in color and shape. Things we weren’t going to be using for a while that were super inexpensive and easy to replace. I chose the foods that the kids would have an easy time manipulating on their own. Now… what to do with the dry goods?

At the store I ran across an amazing sale on glue for $.17 a bottle of glue, so I picked up six bottles… I kind of cleaned them out {oops}. Okay, we are getting somewhere now! Dry food, check. Glue, check… and a quick look in my art supply cabinet told me I was up to my eyeballs in construction paper. Now to get crafty!

Getting a little uncomfortable now… #Pregnancy Week 25

So I am getting bigger and as I get bigger the waddle increases, the belly gets tighter, and I start to feel like an over inflated balloon. I feel like it is a little early in this pregnancy to feel this way, but I do have pregnancy brain and rose colored glasses on when it comes to each pregnancy.

How Far Along: 

25 Weeks Pregnant {25 weeks 5 days}

Due Date: 

June 22^nd, 2013

Boy or girl: 

Girl!

Bump Picture: 

I am getting bigger by the day and depending on what I wear some days I feel like I look like the good year blimp. I know this is not the case and I am not really huge {I am gaining the correct amount of weight, so says the doctor.} I just feel huge.

A Fun Filled Snow Day!

I love snow filled days. I enjoy getting the kids all bundled up and spending an hour or so playing outside in the snow. Afterwards we head inside for a fire in the fireplace and some hot cocoa. It reminds me of when I was a child and my family would go sledding or build forts with the neighborhood kids. Winter can be fun.

Parmesan Baked Pollock Fillet Recipe

I am a big fan of seafood. I love to eat seafood year round and I like to change things up when it comes to the way I cook seafood. Thank goodness my husband likes seafood as much as I do.

I recently played around with different ways to cook Pollock. I was tired of fried fish and it was too cold to venture outdoors to grill, so I got a little creative with the idea of baking Pollock. I wanted it to be a light and fresh tasting dish with a little zing. I also did not want the dish to be too overpowering.  

I know that fish recipes are a big hit this time of year with Lent, so I thought that I would share my Parmesan Baked Pollock Fillet recipe with you. It is definitely a great alternative to the standard fish fry {although I have to say that Holy Cross had a really delicious fish fry back when I was growing up.} I pair this dish with a little mushroom and asparagus medley and a cheesy biscuit.

Product Review: The Ergobaby Carrier

I love baby wearing, but I was not always such a baby wearing fan. When I had my first child I was a novice when it came to baby wearing and thought that all baby carriers were created equal. I bought a super inexpensive soft structured carrier on clearance for about $10 and thought I was set… I was wrong.

The more baby wearing I did the more I knew I needed to look into a better baby carrier. My original carrier hurt my back and neck after a quick walk around the block {we are talking less than a ½ hour of baby wearing at a time}. I knew that I loved the closeness and bonding I got from baby wearing - as well as the ability to multitask and be hands free; but I was not happy with the pain baby wearing caused me and my little guy didn’t seem too comfy after a half hour either!

Thankfully other people out there felt my pain and a new type of carrier was created with ergonomics in mind. When I gave birth to my first born son there were not a lot of options out there; now there are all kinds of carriers out there and they come in all shapes and sizes. One of my personal favorites and one I continually use again and again is my Ergobaby Carrier.

Design Board: Whimsical Grey and Yellow Dandelion Nursery

We painted what will soon be the nursery a really soft shade of yellow a couple months back when we were transforming the room into a guest room. Yellow is a pretty neutral color to begin with and could work with a wide variety of themes; I thought it would be a great idea to put together a yellow themed nursery board.

Once I started thinking about the color yellow itself I quickly found myself wrapped up in dandelions. I really love the idea of layering greys and yellows of different shades in one room. Mixing and matching different fabrics and patterns should create depth and interest. The major pieces {crib and glider} would be solid colors to offset the amount of movement going on with patterns elsewhere.

Kid Craft: Construction Paper Collage

The kid craft we are completing this week is construction paper collages. Although the paper I am using is constructions paper, you can use virtually any scrap paper you have lying around the house. Since I scrapbook, we will be doing this activity again once I can find my scrapbook paper holder {it is in the basement stored away while we are working on household projects}.

The purpose of this activity is to let the kids have creative freedom to make whatever they choose while working on learning our colors and shapes. They will also be working with glue, which is not something we typically use –but I am trying to incorporate into more of our activities. 

Early Morning Movement #Pregnancy Week 24

How Far Along: 

24 Weeks Pregnant {24 weeks 5 days}

Due Date: 

June 22^nd, 2013

Boy or girl: 

Girl!

Bump Picture: 

With both of my children being home nonstop over the past 2 weeks either sick or recovering from surgery we have had quite a few pajama days with very few real clothing days. This is one of the few non-pajama days we had.

A Low Key Birthday

My little guy just turned four years-old and we celebrated this occasion with a very low key family only party. We took him to his favorite place to play. Let him run around to his little heart’s content and then headed home for some yummy pizza, rainbow cupcakes, and presents.  It was perfect!

Normally I go a little overboard with birthdays for my kids. I get on Pinterest and get my craftiness on. I glue and sew and staple like crazy until I have the perfect party… or what I think of as hip and happening party. Not this year. William was scheduled for surgery following his birthday weekend and I was not willing to take on a big huge event right before his surgery.

Soft Food Diet for Kids

This week I am taking a break from my regular Tuesday recipe post and instead sharing with you something that I hope you find very useful. I am sharing my list of foods that I have been feeding my toddler who is on a soft food diet. This last week while taking care of my son after his adenoidectomy I had to create a whole new menu that had quite a few restrictions.

Toddlers can be finicky eaters to begin with… I am well aware of this. My oldest son is a picky eater and this does not make any severe change to his diet easy. Soft food diets are not easy, or at least it has been my experience that a soft food diet with a toddler is not a cake walk. We have had some ups and downs with soft food experimentation and I have had to be flexible with what my son is eating, just to make sure that he is getting enough to eat!

If you have a little one with dental work coming up, an adenoidectomy, or any other surgery that will require them to be on a soft food diet I hope you find my soft food diet suggestion list for kids helpful.

Baby Shower Decoration Ideas

I love hosting {and co-hosting} showers, be it wedding showers or baby showers. I find showers a fun way to celebrate big moments in life and I think that they deserve a little bit of thought and consideration when planning.

One big thing that needs to be thought about prior to throwing a shower is the location. If you are throwing a baby shower in a house you have a lot more free reign to decorate than you would if you were throwing it in a restaurant. For example, when I co-hosted my sister-in-law Wendy’s baby shower it was in a home and I was able to string up baby onsies and pictures of my newborn niece throughout the house as decorations. I highly doubt that the restaurant we will throwing my sister-in-law Krystal’s shower in will let me go tape crazy with strings and onsies.

Each location comes with pluses and minuses. The big one to consider is cost. Throwing a home shower is free, while a location shower usually comes with a deposit for room rental or a minimum purchase package requirement – each place is different. While a home party you have the option to cater or make your own food; a restaurant will take care of all of the cooking, preparation, dishes and so on for you but may be a bit more expensive.

So what can you do for decorations when throwing a shower at a location? Well… each location is different in what they will and will not allow. Some places may not care if you tape up a streamer or two, but my guess is that most places won’t allow it. If the walls and ceiling are off limits the next place I look to make a statement is at the tables and party favors.

Design Board: The Modern Owl Nursery

With baby number three on the way I have been thinking about designing the perfect nursery for our little bundle of joy. This is the third nursery that I will be creating for my family and it is the first one for a little girl, so I am chock full of fun ideas! As a result of my need to create and nest I will be creating some nursery design boards to share with you.

To kick off my design board extravaganza I would like to share with you my take on a Modern Owl Nursery. I love owls. I think they are adorable {thought I was going to say “hoot” – didn’t you?}. They are whimsical and can bring nature into a nursery with fun pops of color.

I wanted to create a colorful nursery that would work for a little boy or a little girl and be something that a child could also grow into; something gender neutral without being beige. I really enjoy the blood orange color paired with the soft blue and clean white. It pops without being too overwhelming. I am also a fan of adding texture and this pouf brings in a soft quality that helps offset the clean lines of the modern crib and dresser.

Kid Craft: How to Make Shaving Cream Paint

This may seem ridiculously simple, but after the whole puffy paint fiasco I take nothing for granted. In case you missed it, a couple weeks ago we tried our hands at making puffy paint and it did not go well. Needless to say that our puffy paint did not puff and we were more than a little disappointed.

After reading through the comments I received on the unsuccessful puffy paint post, I decided to try out a shaving cream kid craft. It was pretty easy to make and really simple to clean up – so you know that this is one that we will be doing again!