easter dreaming

I am looking forward to Easter because Kira will be here by then and I'll be able to wear something in my OWN SIZE! Also Easter is just a fun time. I love ham & deviled eggs & potato salad. Easter egg hunts. Chocolate rabbits!

Here's a few things I've thought would be cute for Easter Sunday...

I wore rompers when I was in 4th grade so I feel a little funny about them now...but I think this is really cute! (and I may be the only one) Scott has already given it a NO vote because it's "ugly and too 80's". We'll see!

This looks like an easter egg :)

I love this one from Old Navy...it needs a belt but it is so cute & retro!

Sorry the pic is so small, but isn't this adorable? It's from WALMART, of all places! The website there isn't a store within 50 miles of me that carries it, and the only size & color available on the website is an XS Indigo. So I'm going to keep my eye on this one because I looove it in the color pictured and it's only $18!



I don't do strapless but I really like the plaid on this one. It's also a little too fancy for my family gathering, but what the heck. I will be celebrating having a new daughter and my body back so why not, right?? :P

scary scary stuff!!

Ok, I've been watching too much Intervention. I am so scared for when my kids start Jr High and High School, because what if they start taking drugs? Lots of these shows are about people who started smoking pot at age 12 or drinking at 14 and I just don't know how they can do that. Can you imagine being drunk when you're 12???? The one that scares me the most is meth. That drug seems to grab people the instant they try it and it never lets go. And it eats away at a person so fast...I'm terrified of Riley or Kira ever even trying it. I guess one thing I'm learning from all this Intervention is you have to be up your kid's a** and know where they're going, what they're doing and who they're with. And somehow make sure they're really telling you the truth---parents of teens help me out on how you accomplish that one!

I also watch Supernanny so I can *hopefully* make sure I don't end up with a houseful of screaming hooligans. I do try and channel Nanny Jo when Riley's giving me trouble. The problem on that show seems to be they keep the kids cooped up in the house all day, but that might just be from editing. You never really know if what you're seeing on these shows is "real".

Might as well fess up that I watch Hoarders when I want to be motivated to clean! Seeing those piles and piles of "hoarder lasagna" always makes me itchy to get my house sparkling. I do feel bad for the people on the show though, because it seems like the show doesn't really help them with their disease. They come in, clean up, then take off. I know it always says the people are using their 'aftercare funds' (whatever that means) to seek counseling, but who knows if they really do.

target clearance!!!

The Valentine stuff is pretty picked over at my closest target, but they did have some really cute t-shirts 90% off! I got one for .90 and one for .45, I don't think I've ever paid less for an item of clothing. This is the only one that I could find a picture of, and the one I got is short sleeves, but this was the .45 one. I've been seeing all these cute dresses made from repurposed shirts so I might just save it for something like that! I also got the tiniest little white shoes for Kira to wear when she comes home. I've been wanting some patent mary janes but haven't been able to find them. I guess I should get those in a larger size anyway so she can wear them a little bit longer. I have 46 days or less to go until she's here!

gurgle....

that's the sound my stomach is making right now. I had chicken wings for dinner and I'm not sure if it was the greatest idea. I didn't make em tooo spicy, but I guess maybe they were a bit much for my delicate constitution these days.

Today our basinette arrived, a gift from Grandma (my mom)! We're kind of bummed because she had the basinette she used for me and my brothers saved at HER mom's house, but over the years one of her sisters either sold it or gave it away or trashed it...you know how it is with families! So we've been kind of sad that we don't have it for our new little princess, but oh well. The basinette she got is not the most expensive, but it'll serve it's purpose and it's cute. I want to get it all set up but I know the cats are going to think it's a new place for them to hang out and that just doesn't sit well with me. Yes, the cats are all over everything when we're asleep (who know WHAT those cats get up to in the living room at night!) but that's beside the point. I probably will get it all set up just so I can see how cute it is then take everything down and put it back in the box until I go to deliver.

Oh! I bought a circle cutter today off ebay so I'm excited to get that and try it out. I'm going to make stuff for Riley's birthday with it-woo hoo!

baby shower!

This past weekend my cousin Brandi gave me a baby shower. Hosted a shower for me? I'm not sure how to say that properly. Kira is my third baby but I've never had a shower before. I had Aiden too early and then with Riley I was just freaked out by being pregnant...I was really scared of losing Riley too of course, so I wasn't really in the party mood.

This time around, as soon as I announced that I was having a girl Brandi was on it. She did everything herself and it was all so cute! We had it at my dad's house because that's where we have all family gatherings for some reason. Since Valentine's day was the next day that was the theme-my favorite! It was so much fun that I think I'm going to make it a tradition for us to have a girly Valentine party every year. And next year I won't be knocked up so we can have some fruity cocktails-woo hoo! You can tell I'm 33 weeks pregnant because I keep fantasizing about drinking. On a normal basis I don't drink hardly ever, but once something has been taken off the menu for 8 months you start wanting it. So I am looking forward to a girls night out post-delivery.

Anyway, here are some pics of the party...

The cute cake and cupcakes!

Mmmmmmm There was more food but we didn't get a pic

This was that game where you have to take the clothespins in one hand while saying a baby item. My cousin Christina has bionic hands and got like 20!!!
My dad got me Mad Men Season 2! Woo hoo!! I know it's a baby shower but I am doing all the work in this situation...;)
After the party we watched the kids play. This is Riley's cousin Malaki in a little Escalade that is WAY TOO FAST for a 4 year old to be operating! Riley thought it was the greatest thing ever to be riding around in a little car with another kid, and Malakai was super excited to have a passenger in there with him. It was so cute that it almost made up for...


Seeing them do stuff like this! It is amazing how close they can get to a car or mailbox without actually hitting it.Riley got to take his cousin Dionna for a spin! Next it was Dionna's turn behind the wheel and I'm sorry to say she crashed right into the front end of my dad's truck. That was the end of Escalade time and I hope not foreshadowing for when she turns 16!

trying something out

I like looking at all the lovely interior design inspiration blogs, and lots of the use collages to show images. I decided to try and make one just to see how hard it was. I used Picasa and it was super easy! I still don't have it mastered but I put together this one in about 10 minutes. I've always wanted to make a pretty pink nursery, but a couple of weeks ago I got the idea for a Little Red Riding Hood theme, and I just can't get it out of my head!

32 is a good number

This is day number 224 and you're 32 weeks pregnant!
You have 56 days or 8 weeks left, and are 80.0% of the way there.

Woo hoo 32 weeks! Just 8 little weeks or less until I have my little Kira in my arms. Gosh I am curious to see what she looks like. The only thing I've ever wanted as far as looks when it comes to my kids is Scott's eyes. He has the most amazing ice blue eyes, and I have plain ol boring brown. And of course brown eyes have to squash every other eye color in the DNA wrestling match that happens when a baby is created. Riley has everything exactly like Scott EXCEPT for his eye color- they're brown of course! Riley even has birthmarks in the same shape and spot as Scott. It's like he created a clone of himself and I was just the host.

I'm also wondering if Kira will have hair. I was one of those bald babies, didn't really start getting hair until I was about 2. Scott was the same way, so we figured Riley would be too. But he came out with a good head of hair and it grew pretty fast. He wasn't one of those kids where you go "Look at all that hair!" but he was not bald in the least. So it would figure that his little sister will be the one to be the baldie. I don't really care because I will be training her to wear headbands from the time the Dr. says I can put one on her. I can make bows, I have friends who make bows, and I love etsy--she's going the be a bow baby!

image via my friend Jill's photography website. she is an AMAZING photographer, if you're in the
McKinney, TX area and need gorgeous family photos, look her up! Check out her website & blog to see what I'm talking about...she's especially good with newborns, as you can see!

new blog, old posts

I imported the posts from my old blog, "Happy Paper" into this blog. I didn't realize I had been writing in it since 2008 so I figured might as well beef this one up with some more content since it's just sitting out there on the internet.

I decided to get this crown from Amy's shop. It matches Riley's bedding so it will look so cute in his room after his big b-day. So excited to get it! Thanks so much Kim and Amy!!!

help me decide!!

Look what I won!!! Kim at Tom Kat Studios had a giveaway from True Love Found. I get to pick any crown in the store!! For Riley, of course. :) With his birthday coming up this is a really great prize to win. So now I just have to actually choose one...and it's not easy because they're ALL so stinkin' cute. I think this is my top three...help me choose which one to get!

#1


#2


#3


What do you think?

it's only Tuesday?

My shower is on Saturday so of course this week is deciding to drag on...I keep thinking it's Wednesday but it's only TUESDAY.

My mom got me this cute shirt to wear to the party...I just found it at walmart.com Sunday, she ordered it yesterday with rush shipping so it will be here in time! How sweet is that??? I think she's just as excited to have a little girl around as I am. We love our Riley but the timing is right for a new tiny one to join our clan...and we're going to dress her up pretty much until she can verbally say "No I don't want to wear that". Even then I'm sure I'll be trying to talk her into bows or something pink.

YES!!!

Riley has now gone peepee on the potty TWICE! Last night after his bath he said he wanted to sit on the potty, so he did and he went pee!! The past few nights he's stood up in the tub and peed in there, so I guess he was working up to actually sitting on the potty. This morning he said he needed to take his diaper off and sit on the potty, and he did it again!!!! :) I am just so proud. I haven't really pushed potty training because I don't want to screw him up mentally. But I have been kind of worrying about it a little bit, because Kira will be here before we know it and I REALLY don't want to have to deal with two sets of dirty diapers. I have been telling him that it's a rule that if there's two kids in the house, the youngest one gets to be in diapers and the older one has to wear big boy underpants. I'm sure I'm not the only mother in history to tell her kid this!

He still doesn't want to wear underwear though. We have literally every cartoon character, color & pattern of undies out there and he just does not want to wear them! He'll wear a pair every now & then for a little while, but he always ends up asking to have a dipe back on. I asked him if he wanted to wear undies today and got a big fat "No".

So...baby steps! He's getting there and I'm so proud!!! :P

chocolate covered strawberries

One of my most favorite foods on the planet is chocolate covered strawberries. The only thing better than them is a hunk of chocolate with raspberries in it, but the raspberries have to be right for that to work. I don't think I've ever met a chocolate dipped strawberry that I didn't like.

Riley wanted to help, so I dipped the berries for him and he chose what sprinkles he wanted to use. You can see that he was most interested in seeing how chocolate tastes when licked off a strawberry. The cracker was also totally his idea. The package was sitting on the counter and he says "Mama I want crackers". As I'm opening the package he says "Mama let's put chocolate on the crackers" and my heart just about burst with pride. Maybe it's silly but when your child loves something you love it just makes you so proud and happy to be a parent! I have a deep rooted affection for chocolate and Riley seems to share it.

You look away for one second and this is what happens...a little boy sneaks some green sprinkles onto your supposed to be Valentine-y berry! It does look cute though, I will admit.

And of course he's always so cooperative when I want to get a shot of his cute face covered in chocolate....

cute valentine's outfit!

If I wasn't preggo.....

i'd wear this dress

with these glasses
and carry this bag

I already have the shoes to go with, they look like this! Mine came from walmart and the sole isn't as thick...but they were much more affordable than the $220 price tag on these :)

what's inspiring?

DISCLAIMER:I chose not to use Blogger's picture tool and coded my own HTML for the pics...therefore they're all huge and some don't fit. At this point I do not feel like correcting it! Sorries!


Today Amber's topic for Friend Makin Monday is "What Inspires You?" I have been particularly obsessed with inspired by the following people and places lately.......


beautiful family photography....there are so many awesomely talented photographers out there that take these AMAZING family pictures...I'm hoping we'll get the chance to do a photoshoot with Kira when she gets here
by drew



by love, me photography

the fabulously funky designs of courtneycourtney. i love the way she mixes colors! it reminds me of my scrapbooking style...when I make a book I like to use the same color scheme for the whole thing, but it always seems to be a kind of wonky mix of colors. Like the last Christmas book I did, I used regular red and green but also light blue and pink!




I've only just discovered Courtney, but I can already tell you that her stuff goes FAST. Like lightning super duper hyper speed fast! I'm a fan of hers on Facebook, and she posts her new stuff there...and it's gone within seconds! I'm kind of glad that she doesn't make baby sized stuff because I'm sure I would be totally stalking her trying to get something for Kira! Luckily I have a couple years before she starts fitting into courtneycourtney sizes and then I will be ON THE HUNT :)

And finally, who could look at the site Better After and NOT be inspired? It's just page after page of beautiful furniture re-do's (not sure if that's a word but you catch my drift). I love finding good pieces of furniture for cheap at Goodwill (i LOVE 50% off day!) and now I feel like I need to be visiting every location looking for ugly stuff to give a makeover.


This one is by The Fabric Floozie (cute name huh?)