Month: September 2009

Downtown Holland

Thursday morning we took the kids to downtown Holland and walked around. So many cute shops and I loved the small town feel. This toy store had a “castle” with a train in it, so you know the kids were drawn to it like bees to honey. We ended up picking up a pizza on the way home and got to eat in peace when the three of them got fussy…

After naps Charlie got a haircut (Ms. Jen was kind enough to give me one as well!) and we played until bedtime. It was a quick trip but SO worth the drive (which wasn’t bad at all; I was a little anxious about driving three hours by myself) and I am always thankful to spend time with my sweet friend and her little family. Thanks, Jernigan’s, for the getaway, we miss you!!!

The Critter Barn

Our first night we drove over to the Critter Barn, a petting zoo and real farm right down the road from Ms. Jen’s house. They had teeny, tiny baby bunnies and Charlie was so excited to pet one. We were the only people there, but I’m sure as the fall progresses, this place is a total zoo (no pun intended)…Ethan and Henry got to feed a horse AND the goats!! I admit, I really am a “mom of a girl” and kept Charlie in her stroller while the boys got down and dirty in the chicken coop…I call Charlie my girly-girl, but she’s really a bit of a tomboy, so you know that she’d much rather be IN the chicken coop than just looking at it. Of course, there are other moms of girls I know that are not fussy about this sort of thing. Oh well…maybe Baby #2 will be my girly-girl!!

Michigan

Our two days in Michigan were so renewing for our whole family! Charlie LOVED seeing her boys, and Ms. Jen and I were able to catch up and have some quality girl time. The boys have a great play room set-up and Charlie made herself right at home…

The Simple Woman’s Daybook

For Today, September 15th…

Outside my window…it is too hot!! Grrr. I have cute sweaters to wear!!

I am thinking…that I wish I could get through one day without spilling something on myself.

I am thankful for…a quiet house. Charlie finally fell asleep today, after MUCH duress.

From the kitchen…Turkey Chili Mac is cooking in the crockpot!! I bought the greatest cookbook: Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Family Favorites by Beth Hensberger and am going to tackle one or two recipes a week. That way, we can have leftovers and I don’t have to feel guilty about ordering in, because we are doing both!!!

I am wearing…a hoodie after changing out of my “cute” clothes from Mom’s Group…however, I spilled coffee on it two seconds after I put it on.

I am going…to Holland, Michigan tomorrow to visit Ms. Jen!!!!! Looking forward to some quality girl time!

I am reading…nada.

I am hoping…that breastfeeding is more successful the second time around (sorry, guys, skip over this one…)

Around the house…need to finish up with eBay and get these Christmas items listed!!

A few plans for the rest of the week: ballet, our Michigan roadtrip, a fun bbq on Saturday, DATE NIGHT on Saturday night (the sweet Speelman fam is sitting for us) and hopefully some quality family time in between…

Here is a picture I am sharing…Charlie in her spring Matilda Jane…

If you want to know more about the Simple Woman’s Daybook…

A Christmas Musing in September

An unfortunate side effect of pregnancy: insomnia. It’s starting to occur more and more, as the belly gets bigger and I officially enter into my third trimester, as of a week ago. This morning I woke up at 4 am and could.not.get.back.to.sleep. So I decided to make use of this time and get up, take a shower, and am now contemplating getting my morning coffee going.

Vann and I had a long talk about our (hopeful) future plans the other day and I find that I am starting to feel anxious about it all. I so want to enjoy this sweet season of anticipation and special one-on-one time with Charlie. I don’t want to wish it away!! I HATE having to downplay Christmas and keep it low-key, but the truth is, if we are moving in the spring it just doesn’t make sense to continue to accumulate things (that’s my practical side talking). I absolutely adore Christmastime and always want to do it up big. I even contemplated NOT doing a tree/decorations this year to keep things simple but thankfully Vann talked me out of that. This will be the first year I think Charlie will “get” some things about the season and it’s important to us to have those experiences!

I do think I *overdid* it last year (I do love giving gifts) so I’m going to *try* to keep things at a manageable level. We have a budget for stockings and usually do one or two bigger gifts for each other…but this year we are “giving” each other our “slice of heaven” recliner…and stockings will be on a smaller scale. I do think we will do a “Santa” for Charlie (actually, it’s a non-negotiable) but what I really want to get for her is a kitchen, and we will definitely wait on that. I LOVE wrapping gifts and having things to open, so I am trying to keep an open mind about this year. I already told Vann that next year we would be making up for what we don’t do this year…I’ll be saving up my “nice” points for that Gucci, right honey??

Anyway, don’t know how I got on the topic of the holidays BUT I do know that I will not scrimp on candles and Christmas music. I think that’s why I’ve gone overboard on the fall decorations because I know we will be spending a lot of time here between Thanksgiving and New Year’s and I just want to be comfortable and cozy in our home. Aside from family activities we venture out for, I know my homebody self (thanks, Vann, for turning this self-professed “Party Girl” into a hermit who loves staying home in her pj’s) will want to nestle in and spend time with my girls, welcome guests, and hang with Mimi (who you know will be staying here for two weeks!). I hope our friends will come and visit and try out our new chair and stay for a cup of hot chocolate.

After all, by then, I’ll be able to eat chocolate-covered marshmallows, one of my favorite holiday treats. Maybe I’ll even share one with you…

Best Laid Plans

Our neighborhood is having a GermanFest this weekend, and I had plans to dress Charlie up in a lederhosen-type outfit I have from my childhood (I wore it when I was 2!). By the time we attempted to get her dressed and out the door for a little photo shoot, she was burning up the place in this tutu (a gift from our sweet neighbor Mrs. Jill) and refused to take it off. Alas, no lederhosen shot. HOWEVER, I know that Oktoberfest is coming up, and I do plan on getting that shot at some point this fall.

I also have a Baylor cheerleader outfit that was a hand-me-down from Charlie’s cousin Dali that needs to be worn sometime during football season. I’ll have to break that out before she outgrows it!!

This is a busy week for us…we officially return to Mom’s Group for the fall “season” after a hiatus of a few weeks. Last week we met to discuss logistics of roles changing, etc…but this week we really dive into our study. It is such a lifesaver, I really don’t know what I would do without my wonderful group of Mom’s Group friends. Many of them are seasoned with 2 or 3 kiddos and it is huge for my soul to hear how they take on the challenges (and joys) of motherhood. Not too mention that the nursery is great and I get two hours of a break while Charlie plays with her friends.

Charlie also has her flu shot scheduled (boo), but then Wednesday we are back to ballet and then straight off to Holland, Michigan to visit Ms. Jen and the boys for two nights. I know that Charlie is going to freak OUT when she sees them!! Daddy will get a little break, too, which will (I’m sure) renew him for when we return on Friday.