House Tour: Kitchen

One of my 33 Before 33 goals was to post a tour of our house.  I actually took these pictures way back last summer, but didn't get around to finishing the post until now.  Oops!  I think I've mentioned before, but we've talked about moving in the not too distant future, so I really want to make sure to document our house.

I'm starting with the kitchen, the room in the house we've done the least work on.  E likes to point out that we've painted every other room at least once, some more than once, in the 6+ years we've been here.  The kitchen has a lot of wood (including a wood ceiling), so the bright green really helps to brighten up the room!

View from the dinning room.

View from the side door.

As you can see, our kitchen is not super big, but not bad for a 1940s home.  At some point there was a small addition built on to the kitchen which adds the space for our kitchen table, play kitchen and built in desk.  I'm very grateful for that extra space and all of the windows!  The play kitchen isn't always in our kitchen (right now it's in our basement playroom), but it can be helpful to keep the girls busy when I'm cooking and cleaning.

For an older home, we also have a lot of cabinets.  When we first moved in I couldn't imagine we'd fill them all up, but it didn't take long.

Back entry way.

One of my deal breakers for our next house is some sort of mud room or entry way.  This is where we normally enter the house, just a small landing before the steps to our basement.  Not much space to get in with two kids and all of our stuff.

I think that's it for our kitchen.  More to come soon!

Friday Favorites 2

I'm linking up with Katie today for Friday Favorites.  Head over to Running 4 Cupcakes to see more Friday Favorites!

My littlest helper and her "princess dress."  I love that right now she wants to wear her fancy dress all the time.  When she's wearing it, she tells us, "I a princess."  A princess who likes to help put the dishes away.

Fresh flowers from Trader Joe's.  We picked up this bouquet for Miss A's Tea Party, but that was almost 2 weeks ago, and they still look great!  The flowers add such a great burst of color to the house on these often dreary days, and the prices at Trader Joe's are awesome!

Our new globe.  E has been talking about finding something to collect, so I picked something for him... globes (and probably maps too, because I don't know how many globes you can realistically find a place for).  When my mom and sister came to visit a few weeks ago we made a trip to another favorite, Junket Tossed and Found, where I found this great globe to start E's (really our) collection.  The lady I bought it from said she dated it to 1971.  I think it is a fun addition to our living room, and it's fun to look at how countries have changed even in recent history.  (And yes, I know I'm a bit of a nerd as a geography teacher with a globe collection, but I don't care.)

My Kindle, and books by Erik Larson.  I was initially reluctant to switch from paper books to an e-reader, but now that I have, I love it!  I have a really basic Kindle, which I find easier to read than my iPad, and it's easier to hold than a book.  I finished Isaac's Storm this week, and it was really good!  Isaac's Storm is about hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas in 1900.  This is the third book I've read by Larson, and while I enjoyed the other two more (Devil in the White City and In the Garden of Beasts) this was still a great read.  His writing style really draws you in to the story, even though the books are non-fiction.

Twosday: 33 Before 33 Check In

Today marks 6 months since my birthday, so I thought it would be a good time to check in on my 33 Before 33 that I shared back in October.  Overall I feel I'm doing okay on making progress, although I'm certainly doing better on some goals than others.

My first photo book... kind of cheating.  It's an Instagram Blurb book.  I love it!

 Things I Marked Off My 33 Before 33 Right Away

1. Donate Blood.  This was the very first item I checked off my list.  Our local library hosted a blood drive the weekend after my birthday so I signed up right away.  I had hoped to donate blood more than once, but now that Baby #3 is on the way, I'll have to wait.
2. Run a Race.  I was already signed up for the Free to Breath 5k on my birthday, so I knew I'd be able to get this one done too.  Again, I thought I would run more than one race, but with Baby #3 being due in early August, and my birthday in early October, I'm not sure that I'll be able to fit in another race.

Things I've Been Rocking on 33 Before 33

1. 12 Social Media Free Days.  Done plus many.  I've been trying to stick with a social media free Sunday policy for myself.  Some Sundays I cheat (like this past Sunday when I was stuck in the car for 8+ hours), but for the most part, I stay off Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on Sundays.  I know I mindlessly check social media frequently, so taking a day off each week helps me focus on being more present with my family.  
2. Blogging.  I set a goal to blog at least 5 times each month, and I've done it every month so far.  I've had this blog for over 4 years, and many times end up taking months at a time off, so I'm pretty happy with myself for being more consistent these past 6 months.  December and January were exactly 5 times, but the other months have been higher.  I've also done some updates to make the blog look a little nicer.  

Things on My 33 Before 33 I Haven't Done or Planned and Need to Do Soon

1. Go to a dermatologist.  I got as far as getting a referral from my regular doctor, but I haven't yet set an appointment.  This has been on my to do list for far too long, so I need to get on it ASAP.
2. Go to a fitness class.  There are a few classes I'd like to check out at my local rec center.  I don't have a good excuse for not going.  I really need to just do it!

Progress on Date Goals on my 33 Before 33

Last Vikings Game at the Metrodome

1. 6 Dates with E.  So far we've gotten out once a month, which is pretty good for us.  Our main babysitter actually called last weekend to see if we needed a babysitter soon (she's getting ready for prom) which was a good push for me to get some things lined up.  Twin Cities friends, any places we should check out?
2. 4 Mommy Daughter Dates (2 with each girl).  This has been harder than I thought.  If I'm planning something fun, it's hard to not take both girls.  Little J and I took a class together all fall, which I counted for just 1 date, though it met at least 6 times.  I thought counting all of the classes was cheating.  

Mommy and Miss A Donut Date

Mommy and Little J Date to Noodles

Things on My 33 Before 33 I Need to Refocus On

1. Eat More Freggies.  I was doing pretty well on this goal, starting my days with a smoothie (made with my awesome Ninja!) and including fruits and veggies with my meals.  Then mid-December morning all day sickness hit, and it has taken me awhile to get back on track.  Last week I was finally able to start drinking smoothies again, and I'm excited to see what new combos I can mix up.  
2. Donate clothes and household items.  I made one big trip to Goodwill last month, but there are many more closets and rooms in my house that need a good clean out.  

Twosday inspired by Heather.  33 Before 33 inspired by Tara.

Miss A's Tea Party

This year Miss A's birthday party was a little more low key than past years, and A LOT more girly.  After some negotiation, we decided on a butterfly tea party theme.  Miss A had a lot of opinions about her party this year.  Thankfully nothing was too crazy.  We ended up with 5 friends coming over to celebrate, for a total of 7 little girls 5 and under. There was lots of laughing, squealing and so much fun!

For the party, I only decorated the dining room, where we would do most of the activities, including the tea party.  I got some butterfly fabric from JoAnn to use as a tablecloth, a chalkboard paper banner from Target (I wrote Happy 4th Birthday), some paper lanterns from Michael's, flowers, balloons and lots of pictures of Miss A.

I found butterfly wings at the dollar store last month, and bought enough for all of Miss A's friends.  I also got plain white tea cups with plates for all of the girls.  One of the activities was for the girls to decorate their tea cups (I completely forgot to take pictures of the girls working on this because I was busy helping with the decorating).  I've seen the idea pop up on Pinterest a few times, and after looking at many, many pins, we used Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers to decorate the tea cups.  We rinsed them out after using the cups for our tea party, and sent instructions home with the girls for how to bake the cups (I thought this post was helpful. Miss A and I did a trial run in advance, and all went well).

The tea party itself was lots of fun.  We had apple juice for tea, and the girls were so cute drinking out of their fancy cups!  (I'm sure the cups will be used many more times around our house.) Miss A planned the lunch menu of hot dogs, chips, berries, grapes and string cheese.

Another activity the girls did was decorate butterflies.  Making "crafts" is one of Miss A's current favorite activities, so it seemed fitting for her birthday party.  I put out crayons, markers, puff balls, glitter glue, stickers and washi tape, and let the girls go.  The glitter glue was a HUGE hit, but it wasn't dry before the girls left, so we have some deliveries to make later.

Of course, we couldn't forget cake and ice cream!  Miss A really just likes the frosting.

Our annual picture with Mommy, Daddy and the birthday girl.

Twosday: Miss A is 4!

I both can't believe we are celebrating Miss A's 4th birthday today, and can't believe she's only been here for 4 years.  She is a sweet little thing, though she also test my patience daily.  I asked her some questions yesterday, on her last day as a 3 year old.  Below are her answers, and some of my favorite pictures of her from the past year. I should add, as I asked her these questions Miss A was wearing her new Princess Sofia shirt, black leggings, a Twins helmet, a yellow Apple Bottom dress (from her dress up collection... perfect for Belle, but still makes me laugh. Every. Time.) and dress up Belle heels, doing a ribbon dance with her new wand.

Miss A at her 3rd birthday party.

Celebrating her 3rd birthday with a special date to the Children's Museum.

Favorite Movie

1. Frozen. I don't' see this changing any time soon. She is obsessed.  Like most other little girls I know.  
2. Curious George Movie. This is the most recent movie we've watched, which is probably why it made the list. 

Favorite Princesses

1. Belle
2. Tangled

Favorite Shows

1. My Little Pony. As soon as we got Netflix, Miss A fell in love with My Little Pony.  Every morning this is her choice to watch while we get ready for the day.  
2. Doc McStuffins. Still a favorite since her 3.5 year interview. She has her own Doc McStuffins doctor kit to give checkups, a stuffed lamb she sometimes dresses up in a pink tutu and now her own Stuffy to give checkups.  

Favorite Ponies

1. Princess Celestia
2. Pinky Pie
3. Rarity

Favorite Foods

1. Strawberries
2. Peanut Butter and Jelly on bread (not toast)
3. Mac & Cheese

Favorite Colors

1. Pink
2. Red
3. Blue
4. Purple

Favorite Toys

1. Dollhouse
2. Dress up clothes

Favorite Books

1. A is for Annabelle
2. Poem Book (Where the Sidewalk Ends).  Side note: yesterday after her rest time, she brought us the book with a poem she really wanted to read... Sister for Sale.  

Favorite Things To Do

1. Read books
2. Snuggle

Favorite Songs

1. Let It Go
2. For the First Time in Forever
3. Love is an Open Door

How We've Celebrated Her Birthday So Far

1. Cake and presents from Nana and Papa when they visited early.
2. Butterfly Tea Party with friends.
3. Daddy Daughter Date to the Mall of America.  Rides, lunch and a trip to Build A Bear to make a giant Pinky Pie.

Plans to Celebrate Her Birthday Today

1. Visit to the library.  It is still too cold (for me) to do any outdoor activities.
2. Dinner out, Miss A's choice.  She's very excited to be in charge. 

Mommy's Favorite Things To Do With Miss A

1. Read books.  She loves to read, and she'll snuggle nicely when we read to her.  I'm happy to read to her, or watch her read with Daddy.  
2. Make projects.  I've really had a lot of fun recently playing with Miss A while Little J starts her nap.  I especially like the days she wants to do projects.  It's fun to see her create.  And I love that her pictures are starting to look like real things now.

Daddy's Favorite Things to Do with Miss A

1. Show her new things.  Any new things.  Daddy showed her the stars this winter.  One night this winter, Daddy showed her the stars.  I caught them both laying the snow, looking up at the stars, talking about them.  
2. Snuggle and watch cartoons.  (I think they're pretty cute together.)

Things She Needs to Sleep at Night

1. Lamby
2. Fuzzy (a blanket our neighbor made for her when she was first born)

Miss A was SO excited that Lamby got to be included in a picture.

Fit Pregnancy

Back when I was pregnant with Miss A, I was really committed to working out throughout my pregnancy.  For me, working out has always been partially about managing my weight and partially about relieving stress.  I started a new job that fall, in a new school, new grade levels, teaching new subjects, so keeping my stress in check was important.  Plus, working out had been a part of my weekly routine for years, and everything I read about working out while pregnant was positive, so I stuck pretty much to my regular routine.  I continued going to the gym until around 38 weeks when I was more tired and getting a lot of funny looks from other gym members.  Plus it was nice enough outside for E and I to walk around the lake most nights.

After Miss A was born, I had a hard time getting to the gym.  The one E and I belonged to didn't have child care, and I hated leaving as soon as E walked in the door to go work out.  Miss A was born in late March, and we had a beautiful spring, so we walked miles every day.  By my 6 week postpartum visit I was a few pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight and fit in my old clothes okay, so I didn't really worry about it.

I gained a few pounds back as I was weaning Miss A (she was about a year old) but it was still winter here, so I didn't worry much about it.  Then I found out I was pregnant with Little J, so I really wasn't worrying about it.  During my first trimester with Little J (as will all three pregnancies it turns out) I was really sick and tired, so I wasn't able to do much.  Summer came, and I walked a lot with Miss A and E, and pretty much called that my exercise throughout the rest of my pregnancy.  In fact, we made it out for a nice, somewhat chilly walk around the lake the day before Little J was born.

When Little J was born, my postpartum experience was much different.  For one thing, Little J was born in late November, meaning there were limited options for outdoor activities.  I could have gone to a mall to walk, but the idea of getting two kids under two bundled up to go walk around a mall was not appealing.  I also had to go back to work a lot earlier with Little J (8 weeks versus the 5 months... big difference!).  I picked up a Jillian Michael's DVD and some hand weights at Target, and tried to do those a few times a week.  Those helped me get started on my weight loss and back into a workout routine.

That spring was probably the nicest spring I can remember.  We had Miss A's birthday party and Little J's baptism over St. Patrick's Day weekend and it was 80 degrees.  We were about to have people out on the deck and playing in the yard.  It was wonderful.  The nice spring also helped me start running.  Running had never been my go to exercise, but it was something I could do fairly quickly in the evenings, and I knew it would be effective in helping boost my weight loss.  A friend suggested we run a 5k later that spring, and once I signed up I was committed to not embarrass myself at the race.  I ran a lot that spring, making it below my goal time for the race, and below my goal weight for a Biggest Loser contest we were having at work.  I continued running throughout the summer and fall, and the next year when it warmed up again I started running again.

When I found out I was pregnant this time around, in early December, 2013, I was in a pretty good workout routine.  The weather had gotten colder, so I was mixing in time on the elliptical (we got one for the house) on days I couldn't run outside.  So far I've been able to keep up with cardio 3 to 4 times per week, which I'm pretty happy with.  I joined a rec center near our house with a running track so I have somewhere to run in this crazy winter we're having.  I'm not running fast or far, but it's helping me to stay active.  I'm not sure how long I'll continue, but at 18 weeks it's still feeling okay.  The elliptical is a nice alternative.  The movement is much more smooth, but I don't always feel like I'm getting the best workout.  As the weather gets nicer, I'll probably add in a lot of walking too.  I haven't done much for weights during this pregnancy, but now that I'm starting to feel like myself again, I'll probably try to work more light weights in too.

I really feel that working out during my first pregnancy helped my postpartum experience, so I'm trying to keep that in mind as I go through this pregnancy.  I'm being careful to listen to my body and not do too much, but I'm hoping to continue some kind of work out routine throughout this pregnancy.  Any advice or suggestions for things to try in the coming months?

Baby #3: Weeks 16-20

Due date: Still August 2, 2014.  My due date with both girls was moved back over a week, so I keep expecting to hear the due date is actually later in August, but at the ultrasound Baby #3 was still measuring within a day of the August 2 due date, so we'll see.

What I'm loving:  Feeling baby's kicks.  Seeing Baby #3 during our ultrasound.  This week, Miss A and Little J both told me about their babies.  Miss A said, "I have a baby in my tummy.  I'm not sure if it's a girl or a boy."  (I think it's a little frustrating to her that she doesn't know if the baby is a brother or a sister.)  Little J likes to point to her belly button and say, "Baby!" while she sticks out her belly.  It's super cute.

What I'm looking forward to:  Real spring weather!  I haven't been very motivated to exercise lately, but I think being able to get outside would really help.  I'm also excited for E to be able to feel baby's kicks.  So far baby's kicks haven't been quite strong enough.

Cravings/Aversions:  I'm loving ice cream.  So much.  I've also gotten my sweet tooth back big time.  Give me sugary cereal, cookies, bars... yum, yum, yum!  I came home from one grocery store trip with a giant bag of Fruit Loops, 3 kinds of cookies and 2 kinds of ice cream.  The girls thought it was great (except I don't share very much).  For awhile drinking water was making me feel sick, but that is finally gone, so I'm back to drinking a lot of water, and I think that has helped out a lot.  The only things I've really been avoiding are leafy greens (keep salads far away, please) and red meat (similar to my other two pregnancies).

How I'm feeling: Still tired, but overall MUCH better than my previous update.  I have far fewer days where I feel sick now, though I still have occasional days where nothing sounds good to eat.  Except ice cream.  I'm always up for ice cream.

What I miss:  Having energy and eating normally.  I'm hoping for a little second trimester reprieve in the next few weeks.

Exercise:  Exercise has been really hit or miss lately.  I'll have a really good week followed by a week when I barely do anything.  I got a nasty head cold that knocked me out for almost a week, which really hurt my work outs.  Still trying to run at least once a week.  I'm limiting myself to indoor running until sidewalks are clear, and it can be tough to get the track's schedule worked out with our schedules.  Come on warm weather!

Diet:  Improving.  I'm not limiting myself on any junk food, but I'm trying to increase the number of freggies I eat during the day.  For breakfast I've been big on Fruit Loops, but I at least try to have an apple with the cereal to balance it out a bit.  I tried a salad with dinner recently, but it made me feel really sick, but I have been eating broccoli (a favorite of the girls), asparagus and (oh so many) carrots.

Differences between pregnancies:  I feel like my belly has taken longer to pop with this pregnancy than when I was pregnant with Little J, but I'm not seeing a big difference in the picture (20 weeks with Little J here).  With both girls I was still throwing up at this point in the pregnancy, but with Miss A, but that never really went away.