Bored Jar Free #Printable

I have been working on creating a Bored Jar for quite some time now. I wanted to create a list of activities that had a variety and would come from items found around the house. What I really wanted was a list that I could print off that gave me all of the information I needed right there – no searching the internet for further instruction required.

Winter can be long and boring and cabin fever usually takes hold long before spring is anywhere nearby. There are also days during the summer when it is rainy and gross outside and the kids are bouncing off the walls and I just need some sanity time… enter the bored jar.

Welcome to the WORLD!

Last Wednesday I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! Baby Julia arrived on Wednesday June 19, 2013. I cannot believe it has already been a week! The time just seems to fly by, especially when you are instructed not to lift anything over 10lbs and to take it easy, I say – define easy. Regardless, our home has been abuzz with help from family. This is MUCH appreciated!

I have been enjoying snuggles and although my nights are restless, I love the newborn phase. I may be biased… okay, I am totally biased; but I think baby Julia is one adorable little lady. I am loving every minute of having myself a little girl. So without further ado, let me introduce you to my daughter Julia.

Circus Themed Party

My little boy turned 2 in April and to celebrate I threw him a circus themed birthday party complete with carnival games, face painting, and finger foods galore. It was not crazy over the top {at least I don’t think it was} and it was a pretty intimate affair – as only family was invited. Regardless, we embraced the circus theme and ran with it.

Paper Plate Animal Masks #CraftForKids

It rained on and off here this last week and I decided to try something simple for our kid friendly craft project; we made paper plate pets. This is essentially simple masks made out of paper plates and paint. Regardless of how simple the concept is, this project entertained my children for hours… yes I said HOURS!

These paper plate pets were really simple to make and the kids have already requested to do this activity again. I told my son that he was only limited by his imagination; he could make whatever he wanted. He ran with this idea.

#WW Father’s Day

Father’s day was very low key for us this year. Since baby Julia could arrive any day now we are very limited in what we can and cannot do as well as how far out we plan our schedules. It feels like living on eggshells some days, but will be well worth it once she arrives.

So this father’s day I woke up early with the kids and let my husband sleep in {this is HUGE as I am so NOT a morning person – and my children let me know that this was weird and unacceptable as far as they were concerned… apparently dad is much cooler than I am in the morning}. We spent the day playing and relaxing at home. My husband spent a little one on one time with his first born at the pool and then we spent the afternoon/evening at his parents’ house eating, playing, and relaxing. It was a very low key day, and exactly what my husband asked for.

Anytime Now #Pregnancy Week 39

Okay, I am officially ready to have this baby. It takes me FOREVER to get up and waddle across the room! Baby Julia is putting so much pressure on my body that I feel like I live in the powder room and I may or may not be able to get out of bed by myself unassisted. Although I can still see my toes when I look down, I can barely reach down to touch them anymore… But I did get them painted! - Let alone the fact that I just want to hold this baby girl in my arms! {my husband would tell me that I need more patience}

Vegetable Tortellini #Recipe

This pregnancy has me craving veggies like it’s no one’s business and I have been looking for fun ways to eat them. I saw a picture of spinach and tomato pasta in cream sauce that looked delicious and so I decided earlier this week to raid my vegetable compartment in my fridge and make myself a little Vegetable Tortellini Medley.

It was pretty simple to make and was even better reheated on the stove {microwaving this meal to eat as leftovers causes the sauce to separate and is not nearly as tasty… seriously take the little bit of extra time and toss it in a pan to heat on the stove if you are going to eat this as leftovers}. I used the mixture of veggies I had on hand, but I am sure that this recipe will lend itself to tweaking quite nicely.

Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight Stand-On Tandem Stroller Review

As a mother of two very active little boys with baby number three due any day I have become very adept at managing my family when out and about. I have found that the key to a successful and non-stressful outing lies with our mode of transportation. When Joovy sent me the Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight Stand-On Tandem Stroller to review I was thrilled, as I have been looking for something light and easy to navigate that would grow with my expanding family.

Moving in the right direction #Pregnancy Week 38

I cannot believe how quickly – and how slowly – this pregnancy seems to be going! Some days I cannot believe that I am well into week 38 and other days I am ready to go on a mile long hike in the hopes that I can speed this pregnancy along. I am anxious to meet baby Julia, but at the same time I know this may be my last pregnancy so I am bittersweet about it ending. Nothing is written in stone, but we will see how I handle having 3 little ones 4 years old and under.

How Far Along: 

38 Weeks Pregnant {38 weeks 5 days}

Due Date: 

June 22^nd, 2013

Boy or girl: 

Girl!

Bump Picture: 

Here it is…

In the Sand

This week has been all about getting outdoors and enjoying the beautiful weather we have been having. It has not been too hot and it has not been too cold. It has been perfect – or at least I think so. At 38 weeks pregnant I am grateful for the perfect temperatures! So I have been taking the boys to parks almost daily and we have been playing in the sand quite a bit.

Cheesy Zucchini Bites #Recipe

When summer rolls around I start to think about light foods that I can make for my family. I also try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our daily diet. Fruits are super easy, as my family cannot get enough fruit and will try anything. Veggies on the other hand can be a bit tricky to get into my kids… and if I am being perfectly honest I am not a HUGE veggie lover either. –Don’t judge me, I am working on it.

I am always on the lookout for new side dishes to make for my family and I happened across one for cheesy zucchini bites that looked good. The original recipe was a little heavy for my taste and so I went about my usually routine of adapting and tweaking the recipe to fit my family. What I came up with was a really crisp and clean veggie side dish that my husband and I both love. 

How to have the BEST water fight EVER: Make Sponge Balls #CraftForKids

My kids love to play in the water. They love to swim and they love to run through the sprinkler. I have been toying with the idea of a water slide for a while now and am still unsure if it is a good idea for my boys… I will have to give that particular summer activity some more thought. Another summer water activity that I have been on the fence about is water fights. I worried that the boys would hurt each other throwing water balloons and so I looked for alternative materials to use for this activity and came across the idea of the sponge ball.

Ready to Rock and Roll #Pregnancy Week 37

I am 37 weeks pregnant and well aware that I could go any time now. I have tried to prepare for this baby’s arrival to the best of my ability. I have washed all of her clothing as well as any removable fabrics that go on swings, bassinets, and bouncers. I have washed sheets and blankets and packed my hospital bag {yes!!! I finally packed my bag!}. I am in the process of setting up her nursery – but that will not be completed before she comes as I will be getting my craftiness on and must wait for my sewing/craft room to be completed in the basement before I can tackle some of the projects I have in mind.

How Far Along: 

37 Weeks Pregnant {37 weeks 5 days}

Due Date: 

June 22^nd, 2013

Boy or girl: 

Girl!

Bump Picture: 

People have been very surprised recently when I tell them how far along I am. They keep commenting on how small I look. I will be taking that as a compliment – as I feel as big as a house and have the swollen feet to prove it!

Privacy!

If you are the mother or father of a child you know that there is no such thing as privacy anymore. I swear that there is an internal alarm that goes off inside my children’s heads notifying them of the exact moment that I enter a bathroom… What is really funny to me is that my youngest son seems to have his internal alarm dialed into my older son’s routine as well.

Each time my oldest son enters a bathroom my youngest son is right there at the door wanting to come in. While my oldest child needs privacy from mommy and daddy when going potty, he does not need privacy from his little brother. In fact he prefers it if his brother is sitting by the door waiting for him to complete his business – as opposed to playing without him.

Summer To Do List 2013 #Printable

I love summer! I love summer time even more now that I have children. Summer used to be all about going to the pool or having a barbeque with friends. Now summer time is all about parks, outdoor activities, and letting my little guys burn off as much energy as possible!

After a while the parks become a little mundane and the pool no longer holds all the appeal it once did at the beginning of summer. So I have decided that my family is going to have a summer to-do list. Essentially this is a wish list of activities for the family to do this summer.