DIY Terry Cloth & Flannel Burp Cloths

Baby Delilah

We found out last week that we are having a baby girl! These are pictures of 14 weeks and 16 weeks (not much change, but I still wanted pictures). The ultrasound is from 16 weeks and 2 days, we only got one picture because she would not let the OB take a picture of her girl parts! 

 

Baby Number 2

On Christmas Eve (2013) we found out we were pregnant with baby #2! We are so excited, well I actually think Lenora is more excited then we are. She carries around a photo of the ultrasound in her purse and shows everyone who will listen to her!

 We are now 9 weeks along and due on September 8, 2014!

9 weeks and already showing! 

Routine's

Ever since Lenora was born all I've heard is "routine routine routine" well Lenora and I have never been in to routines. We like waking up late, eating breakfast on the couch, watching cartoons, playing whenever we want, eating lunch whenever we're hungry, and just doing what we please. It's always seemed to work for Lenora during the day but lately we'd been having trouble getting her to bed. For MONTHS we'd lay on her floor yelling at her to "go to sleep, lay down, and stop talking!" Sometimes she'd get so worked up she'd puke. Then after she finally went to sleep she'd wake up after about 4 hours and we'd have to put her toddler mattress in our room at the end of our bed in order for her to go back to sleep. Over the summer we decided to try switching her to a twin size bed. So in August we bought her a brand new mattress and moved her to her big girl bedroom! The switch went fairly well and she willingly went into her new room. 

Once she moved into her big girl room we started story time (prior to that she wouldn't sit still and let us read her stories, she'd throw fits because "she wanted to read". After story time she'd insist that one us stay and lay with her until she fell asleep, and again we'd end up yelling at her to go to sleep. Sometimes is would take 30 minutes until she fell asleep. Then again, about 4-5 hours later she'd wake up and DEMAND that we lay down with her. Usually we'd just give up and lay in bed with her just so we could get some sleep and then she'd sleep ALL night, but the second we left she'd sit up and yell for us. 

After about 3 months of that one night she woke up right when we got comfortable in bed and I said "enough is enough" I let her cry for 15 minutes and once she started kicking the wall I went in and just sat on the end of her bed. Once she stopped crying, all I did was explain to her why we needed her to sleep in her own bed my reasons were: *we bought you this brand new mattress, *decorated this room for you, *that mommy and daddy have their own room, and their own bed, *we all need lots of sleep to grow big. The main thing was telling her how proud we'd be if she slept all alone (praise has been a BIG thing for Lenora) There might of been other points but I can't remember. It took about 20 minutes of talking and reasoning, but finally she just says "okay, you go get into your bed" strange, so I left and went into my room and cried because she didn't need me anymore. 

That night she slept all night ALONE for the first time in MONTHS! That morning when I woke up I had had the best night sleep in a long time. I felt like a new person! When I went in to get her the first thing she says to me is "are you proud of me, I slept all by myself" and yes I was proud of her! To this day she continues to go to sleep alone, sleep all night, and wake up happy! 

I can get Lenora to do almost anything with PRAISE. All I have to say is "I'll be proud of you" and her face lights up and she is willing to do anything! 

Since then we've started a bedtime routine just to help get things done for bedtime. I LOVE it and so does she. Bedtime is a lot smoother now and we get a lot more accomplished before bedtime. I just made one up in WORD using clip art. In the bathroom she has another checklist that says "brush teeth, floss, and mouthwash." This checklist has been our savior with getting her to go to bed on time! 

I still don't like routines, but I do LOVE lists! Yes we do read FIVE books! We usually start her bedtime routine at 7 pm, and after everything is done it's usually 8 or 8:30 pm which is a perfect bedtime for her (especially since she doesn't nap!)

Decorating for Christmas

Last year for Christmas was the first year of our 4 years being married that I attempted to decorate for Christmas. I always usually have a wreath on the front door with a lighted snowman on the porch, but last year I got our first (3 FT) Christmas tree! The same day I did all that I had part of my toenail removed (due to a pedicure gone wrong!) and Martin was coming home from a trip to Canada. After my appointment at the doctor Lenora and I went into Rite Aid (numb toe and all) and bought a Christmas tree and clearance lights/ornaments I think with the tree we paid $30 for everything. 

This year I was a bit more prepared. I decided to change the color theme since we didn't have much (last year I bought blue/silver) I wanted something a bit more grown up. I decided to go with traditional red, gold, and green, LOTS of glittery ornaments. Of course we also have all the family ornaments and Lenora's Buzz/Woody ornaments. I picked up a few unique ones at a thrift store as well. I also made a burlap tree skirt, and found some vintage ornaments at a thrift store during small business Saturday. We also found 2 big boxes of brand new lights for $2 a box at that same thrift store. Rustic Glam is the theme.

I finished my ornament window using ALL dollar tree ornaments (love them!), I made a wreath using the garland that we had last year on our mantel (since then we've ripped out the fireplace) and more dollar tree ornaments and glitter poinsettia.  

Lenora is beside herself with all this Christmas. I can't take her anywhere without her needing to be sedated. She isn't bad, she is just all over the place touching everything saying things like "wow, look at this Christmas! It's so wonderful" or "Oops this fell down, let me pick it up" 

Thanksgiving 2013

Thanksgiving was again a success. 

Menu

America's Test Kitchen Braised Turkey with Gravy

Americas Test Kitchen Stuffing with Dried Cherries and Sausage

Creamy Red Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Roasted Cauliflower with toasted Asiago Bread Crumbs

Cranberry Orange Sauce

Green Bean Casserole

Rosemary Rolls

Pumpkin Tart with Walnut Streusel  

(I did not add 1/4 cup of bourbon, and instead substituted 1/4 more heavy cream) It was yummy, and I made a spiced rum whip cream for the top! 

Cranberry Apple Cider (Made in the Crock Pot, So YUMMY)

Lenora put on a little fashion show while I was trying to take a picture of her dress. These are all her poses.

For the table I was trying to go for a rustic theme. I think I pulled it off pretty well. 

           

Camping 2013

This year we were lucky enough to get to go Camping on the beautiful John Day river twice! The first time we went was in June and the weather was beautiful, river was pretty cold but the camping trip was very relaxing! 

The second time we went was in August and we took my niece Hannah on her very first "Roughing it" camping trip (from hell). NEVER again will I go camping in August! It's way too hot! We moved camp sites twice, I almost fainted from heat exhaustion, got bit 2 or 3 times by horse flies! By the time we moved to the second and final camp site we were ready to jump into the river! It was so nice to just lounge on the river all day! Come evening time, while making dinner hundreds of yellow jackets showed up (had to of been a nest somewhere!) So poor Hannah spent most of the evening in her tent. There were also these big fluffy black and white striped bee like things that were BIG and kept buzzing around our ears! Of course Lenora couldn't figure out why me and Hannah were running around like saps! That many bee's and you would be too! 

Among other things, I forgot to bring one of the nights dinners (still at home frozen and marinating in the freezer) I forgot butter as well, so on Day 2 we drove into a small town and bought $4.99 Tub of Butter, $2 warm pops, and checked out the local craft/cantaloupe market.

When we got back to camp we had "Craft time" to see who could construct the best yellow jacket trap! 

We decided to go home a day early, and on the last morning made a BIG breakfast and then ate inside the tent. 

So we learned to NEVER go camping along the John Day River in August. At least not at this particular campsite. Regardless Lenora had a blast and did an amazing job with safety around the river and fire! She is definitely a camping/outdoor girl!