Sevin Family

Lists! Organization! Oh my!

2012-01-26T22:35:00.000-05:00

I'm a list girl.

It's just the way I've always been.

If I have a goal, my success rate grows just by seeing it in writing right in front of my face.

Walking by it, keeping it constantly on my mind, checking it off...

it's the best feeling to cross off a goal.

So, to help me regain balance and meet a few goals

{one being to keep my house organized!}

I made a few printables that I want to share.

Download Cleaning Checklist and Meal Plan Printable

You can print them out again and again

or you can frame them, like I am, and use the glass

on the frame as a wet board.

I'll share soon where I'm hanging mine

and I'll also be adding a few more printables in the future

to help us get even more organized!

Aidyn says, "Hello!"

2012-01-19T12:29:00.001-05:00

In his own way, of course.

500!

2012-01-11T20:03:00.000-05:00

Sevin Designs is celebrating reaching over 500 Facebook fans!

Enter code 500FBFAN when you check out and you'll receive

50% off your entire order.

A large portion of my shop has been purchased but if you visit my facebook page

I have an album with all the fabrics and elastics {I also have alligator clips} that are currently available.

You have to see the glitter elastic that just arrived.

It's fabulous!!

Feel free to look through sold orders and albums on my facebook page for ideas on what

can be made custom for you.

Custom orders qualify for the 50% off.

Sale ends this Sunday midnight EST.

Smiley McSmileypants

2012-01-04T16:05:00.001-05:00

This girl smiles... a lot.

Go to check on her in the middle of the night? Yup, she's smiling

Pooped her pants? Yeah... still smiling.

Strangers? No big deal. She's cool with that. And she will smile!

Hungry? No. She will not smile when she's hungry.. Do not mess with her when she's hungry.

Any other time? Yeah, she's smiling.

And this boy?

He likes to smile a lot too.

Even when he's feeling under the weather.

He melts my heart with that smile of his.

Notice the little head tilt? That's his way of getting anything he wants. ;)

Playtime Progression

2012-01-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T20:18:00.002-05:00

Elfie

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

We're here!

2011-12-22T20:59:00.000-05:00

We're moved in. Not even close to being completely unpacked.

But... we're here and finally have internet again!

I can't wait to share our Elf on the Shelf, Elfie, with you.

Don't miss out! Huge sale!

2011-12-06T13:37:00.000-05:00

My entire etsy shop, Sevin Designs, is 50% off!

Enter code 50FIFTY50 when checking out.

I'll update this post when the sale ends. :)

Woah!

2011-12-05T10:44:00.001-05:00

I can't believe how chaotic our lives are right now!

I nearly forgot to post Addison's 4 month photo!

Here she is. 4 months on November 17.

She's a smiling machine. Ethan and I are more surprised

when we catch her not smiling.

With all of her smiling, it's pretty funny how stingy she is with her giggles.

She let out a real conservative giggle at my sister and that same

day another little giggle slipped out.

Since then.... nothing!

We're currently staying with my in-laws while we wait for our house to be ready.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to move in

but not excited for all the unpacking.

Especially since we're moving in the week before Christmas

and it's going to be a mad dash to festively decorate the entire house for the kids.

However, I am so excited that Addison will have a nursery of her own for us to decorate!

I have an idea for a DIY project that I'll be showing you as soon as we move in.

The Floating/Foaming Soap Experiment

2011-11-18T10:36:00.001-05:00

Supplies Needed:

1 bar of Ivory soap

1 bar of any other brand soap

2 jars filled with water (clear containers are best for viewing purposes)

Drop in the "other" soap and watch it sink to

the bottom of your glass.

Then drop in your Ivory soap and watch it float!

Success! We explained to Aidyn the reason the Ivory soap floats is because it's made with air bubbles in it;

whereas other soaps are not made the same way.

Then we went onto try the foaming part of the experiment.

I originally found this on Steve Spangler's site and had to try it.

Place your Ivory soap on a plate in the microwave.

Set your time for about 2 minutes.

Watch as it expands and grows!

Once the soap cooled down we played with it to feel it's texture.

It felt much different than we expected-- try it out to see for yourself!

Crankypants Creations {Giveaway}

2011-11-11T13:20:00.001-05:00

I was out shopping the other day and while I was browsing through the store, walking up and down the aisles, I realized I was listening to Christmas music in the background! The holidays are approaching fast and it's time to start thinking of ideas for presents!

To make things easier-- I'm hosting a giveaway with Crankypants Creations to give someone sweet on your list an equally sweet present.

I found the owner of the shop while doing some online browsing and just knew her shop would be the perfect fit with my readers. I contacted her about a review & giveaway and she was immediately on board. She informed me she was going to mail me one of her most popular items and this is what I found in my package....

Oh.My.Gosh. Are you squealing?! I did when I opened it. I will openly admit to being majorly obsessed with bright colors and owls. I just love love love this dress.

And not only is it adorable-- it's so well made. Every seam is sturdy and the touch of the bows at the shoulders is just darling.

I don't know about you, but I joke with my husband that I go through a mourning period when either of my kids grows out of an outfit and I have to pack it up. I can remember every little detail of them wearing it and I never want to get rid of it. With this dress... you don't have to. That's my absolute favorite part. In the winter? Put a shirt and leg warmers under it. In the summer? Wear it as is. When it gets too short to be a dress? Put shorts or leggings under it and wear it as a shirt!

Are you as excited for the giveaway as Addison is?!

Win It: One reader will be gifted with a $25 Crankypants Creations credit to use however your heart desires. {There is a mandatory blog comment entry for the rest of your entries to be valid. It is the first question on the Rafflecopter.}

Buy It: Now until November 30th receive 20% off your order and possibly free shipping! Use coupon code: holiday20

If you want to stay connected with Crankypants Creations, make sure to Like the shop on Facebook for monthly giveaways and coupon codes!

**Interested in having your shop or item reviewed on my blog? E-mail me!**

This giveaway will end November 25 at midnight EST. Winner will be contacted via e-mail and will have 24 hours to claim their prize before a new winner is chosen. The dress pictured was sent to me for the purpose of an honest review and the prize is also gifted from Crankypants Creations.

Restocked!

2011-11-02T15:53:00.000-04:00

I've started restocking my etsy shop Sevin Designs!

I have a craft fair I'm also preparing for so I've been busy busy busy

and will be adding more soon. :)

Merry Chris....

2011-10-31T10:00:00.001-04:00

errr....

Happy Halloween!

.......................

There's one day left for my Shutterfly giveaway! 3 readers are going to win 25 holiday cards of their choice. Don't forget to enter!

Shutterfly Holiday Cards {Giveaway}

2011-10-25T10:00:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year to start planning for your holiday cards! Or... if you're way ahead of the game and already have your pictures ready for your cards... this is the giveaway for you.

3 people are going to win 25 Holiday Cards of your choice from Shutterfly!

The possibilities are endless. Last year when it was time for me to plan for our Christmas cards, I was in the early stages of my pregnancy, and so ridiculously sick that I never had the energy to send any out. This year I'm making up for it.

Shutterfly has so many options to choose from it would be impossible to say there isn't a card that fits your personality or style. The site is super simple to navigate and once you click on either Holiday Cards or Christmas Cards you're given a menu of options to narrow down your search; Classic, Contemporary, Whimsy *swoon*, Merry & Bright, Gallery, Religious & Story Cards.

I'm having such a hard time narrowing down the card I'll be sending out this year but here are a few choices I love. {These are not the pictures that will be used on my final cards.}

This card just speaks to my crafty side. I love the simplicity of it.

Bright colors are just my thing. It's so cheery and just screams,

"Yes! We're super duper excited for Christmas! Woohoo!"

But this card... oh this card... is really the one I'm leaning toward.

We do believe. ;)

And my favorite part? You can order address labels to go with your cards. I'm telling you, there is nothing worse than self-addressing 100 envelopes. Your hand will thank you for skipping a lengthy step.

Let's get on with the giveaway! {And don't forget-- I'm picking three winners!}

{Do you blog? Want a chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register here: http://goo.gl/DDw7Q}

Giveaway ends November 1 at midnight EST. Three winners will be chosen and notified by e-mail. Winners will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. All prizes have been provided by Shutterfly and they have also gifted me my own set of holiday cards for reviewing their site. Thank you, Shutterfly!

Three Months

2011-10-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

Coloring in the Lines

2011-10-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

Aidyn and I were sitting down working on a coloring activity from this week's lesson plan. I have a horrible tendency to be anal when coloring and constantly nudging Aidyn to color in the lines. I know, I can be a real pain and should just let the kid color how he wants. I'm lucky he's even willing to color with me because until the last few months, crafting for him has been the equivalent of pulling teeth.

I accidentally let another, "Let's try coloring in the lines," when Aidyn slammed his hand on his paper, pointing to the border and said, "Mommy, the line is right here!"

Touché, Aidyn. Touché.

Thank you for reminding your Mommy it's all about perspective and there should be no rules when it comes to coloring.

Frankenstein's Lantern

2011-10-13T10:00:00.001-04:00

I had seen this fun experiment floating around all over the web

and decided Aidyn and I could not pass up trying it out.

I pulled out one of my larger canning jars,

bought a pack of 12 glow sticks from the dollar store,

and sat down with Aidyn to try it out.

First we snapped all the glow sticks so they were already glowing in their tubes,

then I cut the ends off the sticks (both ends).

Just as a heads up, the liquid will splatter everywhere and you'll inevitably feel like an

honorary member of the Blue Man Group.

Don't worry-- it's non-toxic and

I had no problem cleaning it up.

We used 7 glow sticks in this jar,

shook it up {make sure the lid is on!},

turned off the lights,

and ended up with our very own Frankenstein's Lantern

as we lovingly like to refer to our fun creation!

I read somewhere to add water to the mixture to prolong the glow.

I give that a big thumbs down.

I added water to our first attempt and it just prevented the chemical

from coating the glass and pooled at the bottom.

Off to the fair!

2011-10-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

Sweet Rewards

2011-09-29T09:15:00.000-04:00

It was about a year ago that Aidyn started to show he was scared of the dark. We tried everything we could think of to show him there was nothing to be scared of in his room. He even had us remove every single stuffed animal from his room because anything with eyes would freak him out. To this day he still doesn't allow any in there-- just the other day I had to remove the Hungry Caterpillar from his shelf because I forgot it had eyes.

Soon, he started sneaking up to our room and sneaking into our bed at night to sleep because he didn't want to be alone in his room. Eventually we told him if he came to our room he would have to sleep on his sleeping bag on the floor. It really broke my heart to see him so scared of the dark.

After a few months of allowing him to sleep on our floor we decided it was time to get him back into his room. We set up a calendar in his room and told him every night he slept in his own bed {the whole night} he would earn a sticker and at the end of the week he could cash his stickers in for money in his piggy bank. He really wanted to save up to buy himself a Captain Hook costume.

He wanted the costume bad enough he started sleeping in his bed every night without issue. At the beginning Ethan & I did have to have a few pep talks with him and explained to him there was nothing to be scared of and we were in the next room so he could always feel safe.

Well, my Dad was on a mission to find Aidyn a toy he really wanted as a surprise and he ended up buying him this costume. The look on Aidyn's face was priceless when he pulled it out of the giant Disney bag. As soon as he put it on, he looked at us beaming and said, "Boompa got me this because I'm such a big boy sleeping in my bed all the time." I think we're all in agreement there's no way we can top my Dad's surprise!

I loved seeing the excitement on his face and Ethan & I joked with each other that he was never going to sleep in his bed again seeing that he was given the one thing he wanted so badly. We were wrong though. He adores his costume but in the time it took to earn it he developed a schedule and realized there was nothing to be scared of in his room. Plus, now he gets to go to bed as Captain Hook. ;)

Two!

2011-09-21T14:44:00.000-04:00

Addison turned 2 months on the 17th!

She grew another inch since her last appointment.

She's now 12lbs 5oz and 23 inches.

She definitely has a personality of her own and keeps us all on our toes.

She adores being in her Moby or Beco but still dislikes being in a sling.

She loves sleeping the day away in her swing but will not sleep through the night.

Bath times are her favorite but just try to change her diaper or clothes.

Good luck to you! ;)

She's full of smiles but hasn't yet giggled or squealed.

If it were up to her, she would eat all day.

We joke that she can smell me a mile away because as soon as

I come in the room she freaks out to be fed.

Tummy Time isn't so tragic anymore and she loves it when Aidyn

plays on the floor with her.

The changes from month to month happen so quickly!

Hey sweet boy...

2011-09-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

Letter A Week

2011-09-09T10:00:00.001-04:00

Irene

2011-09-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

I'm hoping everyone is safe and sound after

Hurricane Irene hit.

Luckily, we decided to wait out the storm at my parents house.

They live about 20 minutes from our house and barely were touched.

I was beyond shocked when I turned on the news and saw our area looking like this...

Via

The dam in our town breached and flooded the lower level areas.

The water was above the gas pumps and the only way

to view the damage was by boat.

This road is minutes from our house and the river and falls this water was

rushing from is in walking distance from us.

We had to wait it out a few days before roads opened up to our home but

we were so lucky to return to absolutely no damage.

Here's what the trees looked like once the water went down...

Everything is drying out but it's crazy to see the amount of mud leftover.

We've been driving around all over town and seeing these water lines

showing exactly how high the water flooded.

I really hope everyone else hit by Irene is drying out and home safe!

One.

2011-08-30T13:27:00.000-04:00

Look who is already into her first month!

She cracks us up with all her expressions.

Doesn't it look like she's just dying to tell us something?

And then she surprised us with real intentional smiles...

She's too much. :)

Trial Run

2011-08-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

Friday I'm taking Aidyn out for a Mommy & Son day with our

friends Mary & Ryder.

My mom is going to watch Addison for me but we wanted to be sure

she would take a bottle before leaving her behind for the day.

She drank from it like a champ and I think her big brother was pretty proud...

Rainy day project: Colored Rice

2011-08-16T10:00:00.001-04:00

Oh my...

2011-08-04T21:24:00.000-04:00

sweet babes...

you just keep melting my heart.

Someone special...

2011-08-02T13:58:00.000-04:00

Perfectly Perfect

2011-07-25T16:02:00.000-04:00

Sweet little Addy turned one week old yesterday.

I'm in a mix of not believing a week has already past but

it's gone by slow enough that our family has been able to enjoy

every second of her.

Aidyn has shown us what an amazing big brother he is.

He started out being extremely timid around her and it's definitely

because he was afraid of hurting her so he has been

extra extra gentle with her;

rubbing her head so softly, sweet kisses on her forehead,

and holding her for the quickest of moments.

I'm so in love with these two.

Welcome home, baby. Welcome home!

2011-07-20T20:56:00.001-04:00

Addison Grace

July 17, 2011

7lbs 15oz

20 1/2 inches

{the exact same size as big brother when he was born!}

So excited to share more stories and pictures soon!!

Right on, Mr. Fortune Cookie. Right on.

2011-07-13T20:07:00.000-04:00

I was hoping for one that said something more like

You are about to go into labor... right this very second.

But this....

ended up being, by far, the coolest fortune I've ever had.

I'm keeping it forever.

captain hook.

2011-07-08T18:51:00.000-04:00

Gutter Bookshelves

2011-06-27T10:01:00.001-04:00

I finally have the gutter bookshelves I've been wanting

hung in the kids room-- many thanks to my husband!

When we were living at our last place we had a great playroom

for all of Aidyn's toys and that is when I first mentioned I wanted these bookshelves.

I'm pretty sure Ethan thought I was a little crazy to want to

hang gutters on the wall as decoration.

When we moved into this house I really wanted them put up the wall by

Aidyn's bunk beds for extra storage because our house is so cozy!

I showed Ethan a picture online and then he was able to see

how they looked in person at my friend Heidi's house.

So, for Mother's Day, I asked for the supplies and he obliged.

All we ended up needing was one 10ft piece of gutter {about $7}

10 end pieces {about $1.50 each}

Plastic glue to glue the end caps on

and then Ethan bolted them to the wall.

I love how they turned out and now we're able to empty off

Aidyn's other bookcase and pull more books out of storage!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for an 8x10 canvas print of your choice! It ends tomorrow!

8x10 Canvas Print Giveaway! --Closed--

2011-06-21T09:42:00.003-04:00

Congratulations, Aimee!

I know you're going to love your new canvas!

------------------

I've had lots of e-mails asking me if I've had the baby yet and...no I haven't.

Not yet.

I've been at the doctor's more than I feel like I'm at home though

{I'm heading back there this afternoon after I finish this post!}

but I just had to make time to post about this awesome giveaway I have for you!

I was contacted by EasyCanvasPrints.com asking if

I would like to review and giveaway an 8x10 canvas wrap.

After looking over their site I just couldn't refuse.

I've been wanting a canvas with a photo of Aidyn for quite some time.

So, I went to the site and started to design my very first canvas.

First, I selected the size of the print I was recieving. {8x10}

Second, I chose if I wanted a standard wrap or a gallery wrap.

At first, I thought I definitely wanted the thickness of the gallery wrap

but I felt it cut off too much from this particular image when I viewed the preview.

You can choose to have your border as a mirror image, image wrap, or you can pick a color.

I chose the image wrap.

As soon as my canvas arrived I knew it was sturdy and made

with quality material.

I couldn't be happier with it!

I've already told Ethan I want to order another one once the

baby arrives and I take photos.

And while I continue to walk past my mantel and admire my new canvas print...

Here's a chance for you to design & win

an 8x10 of your very own.

Mandatory Entry: You must be a public follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect. {Right over there ----> on the menu bar.} Leave me a comment telling me you are. Easy Peasy.

Remember to leave separate comments for each entry.

Extra Entries:

2 extra entries: Like Easy Canvas Prints on Facebook and tell them you're stopping by from Sevin Family.

1 extra entry: Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page. {Be sure to link back to this page.}

1 extra entry: Follow me on Twitter. {Leave me your username}

1 daily entry: Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. {Leave me link to your tweet.}

Now for the rules...

This giveaway is open to US residents only {excluding residents of Hawaii & Alaska.}

The giveaway will end on Tuesday June 28 at midnight EST.

A valid e-mail must be left with entries. Once the winner is contacted they will

have 24 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen.

{Thank you to EasyCanvasPrints.com for providing me with an 8x10 for myself to review and also providing an 8x10 for my winner! Facebook is in no way affiliated with this giveaway.}

Bring on the Heat!

2011-06-06T11:05:00.000-04:00

I loved all the guesses guessing what Aidyn was up to!

{Ranae was right on with hers!}

Memorial Weekend was a hot one around here

and when we spent the day with the Super Sevins

it reached the 90's!

After spending the afternoon swimming in the pool

{heaven on this very pregnant body}

we went to watch Cole's baseball game.

It was still hot out so the kids had a blast spraying everyone

and themselves with the water fans.

We ♥ summer!!

Just because...

2011-06-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

...this photo {and little boy} make me giggle.

Any guesses as to what he's up to?

Save a Baby's Skin!

2011-05-28T22:40:00.000-04:00

Did you know May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month?

There are just a few days left but you can still join in

UV Skinz 4th annual campaign to Save a Baby's Skin!

{Aidyn in his favorite UV Skinz Casey shirt.}

Not only will UV Skinz be donating swim shirts to maternity wards and

pediatrician offices across the nation but

with every single UV Skinz purchase made in May

you will also be sent a free Baby Skinz {size 12-24months}

that looks just like the shirt Aidyn is holding above and pictured below.

Our family absolutely loves UV Skinz.

I know I'm guaranteed a quality product that I can trust

with every order I make and it's protecting our children with no chemicals.

If you don't need this extra free shirt for a little one of your own...

pass it along to a local women's shelter, friend, or someone you know that is in need!

Protect your child from becoming the one of five Americans

who will be diagnosed with skin cancer!

{I was gifted a Baby Skinz in exchange for raising awareness for UV Skinz Save a Baby's Skin campaign. All opinions are my own and I do strongly support UV Skinz and their products!}

Rain. Rain. Go Away.

2011-05-26T09:06:00.001-04:00

We finally had a break in the rain yesterday to go

outside and play in the sunshine!

It's been so long since we've had a dry day

I was afraid we might shrivel up.

So what did we do?

Ran through the sprinkler.

I guess we weren't as sick of the rain as we thought.

I was also finally able to take some pictures of the big lilac

bushes that surround our house.

They smell amazing.

When I walk by and get a whiff of them I'm instantly taken back to my childhood.

We had huge lilac bushes that grew in the front yard of my childhood house

and I would spend so much time playing inside them because

they formed a perfect fort.

There were many times I would pack up some toys and "run away"

to my lilac bush house.

Don't worry, I always returned for dinner. ;)

Since my camera broke last week,

I've been renting a camera while it's being worked on.

Aidyn agreed to model for me so I could get used to

the new body before I have a paid shoot tomorrow

but as soon as we started taking photos

we were covered with a gust of pollen and small black flies.

We ran inside but not before I was able to snap a couple shots of him.

He cracks me up!

Look at that pollen!

Just minutes of walking through the grass

and my black sandals looked like a tennis ball.

Best Buddies

2011-05-19T10:00:00.001-04:00

Love.

2011-05-09T12:46:00.001-04:00

Mother's Day was pure perfection

around the Sevin household!

I woke up to find Aidyn had pulled one of his ninja moves and snuck into my bed

some time during the night and was snuggling close to me and Baby Sevin

made their presence known by using my bladder as a punching bag.

When Aidyn finally opened his eyes, his first words,

"I love you, Mama. You're beautiful."

Seriously?!

As if my pregnancy hormones aren't

already going crazy.

My heart was ready to explode.

Ethan had been asking me what I wanted for Mother's Day,

and really, I didn't want any gifts for myself.

I'm in full on nesting mode so I asked if he decided to get me anything

please let it be gift cards to Amazon, Lowe's or IKEA

so we could work on crossing things off our must-do/buy-list to prepare for baby.

My boys followed through with my request and we were able to knock

a few things off our long list of to-do's

and still...

they surprised me with my favorite flowers.

And a day full of cuddles, laughs, and relaxation.

It was perfect.

I love my family to pieces.

Happy Mother's Day to all the special mommy's out there.

Spring Wreath

2011-05-05T09:41:00.001-04:00

I finally finished the spring wreath I started last month!

It still isn't hanging on our door but... soon enough.

{To read how I made it click Read More below.}

I went to a friend's house for a spring wreath craft night

and I decided to try this wreath that I found on NatSprat.

I really wasn't feeling great the night of the crafting party

so by the time I left I had only managed to wrap

my wreath form in burlap.

When I returned home, I tossed all my supplies in a corner,

and they sat there until earlier this week.

I wish I pulled the supplies out earlier because once I sat

down and followed the flower tutorials the wreath

was finished in no time!

The best part?

It was super cheap!

I already had a wreath form from the dollar store and

when I went to the craft store to pick out fabrics

the sales lady rang up enough 50% off coupons

to get my entire order 50% off!

I spent a total of $6 for the whole wreath!

Fenway!

2011-05-03T10:00:00.003-04:00

We made it to Fenway on Sunday...

{Click here to read more.}

... for Aidyn's very first Red Sox game!!

We were given tickets in amazing seats and I thought for

sure once Aidyn watched part of the game

he would be in heaven.

Turns out, he just went for the popcorn.

I'm not entirely sure he even noticed there was

a baseball game going on!

And once the popcorn was gone...

we played out by the concession stands

on the coolest Mickey statue

warming ourselves up in the sun.

We ended up leaving the game early but it was still

amazing to bring Aidyn to his very first game.

Plus, on the ride home we found out they won!

.............................................

Tomorrow....

I'm hoping to finally finish this wreath I started

at a friend's craft night.

I just have so many more flowers to make...

I really wish...

2011-04-28T11:03:00.001-04:00

I could look this happy

{and adorable}

when I'm not feeling well.

Easter

2011-04-26T11:47:00.002-04:00

Woah...

2011-04-24T19:35:00.000-04:00

The Easter Bunny left behind some serious tracks this year.

I guess my dad wasn't lying all these years he's been

telling me the Easter Bunny is 7'2. ;)

Prepping for Easter!

2011-04-22T08:33:00.000-04:00

Last year...

2011-04-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

he was...

too timid...

to go down...

any slides!

Take me to the city!

2011-04-12T12:00:00.001-04:00

I love visiting the city.

Love. Love. Love.

Saturday ended up being a gorgeous sunny day

and the perfect time to go down to Boston!

We had plans with Kelly, Brendan, Cole & Charlotte

to go see a Boston Blazers game in the evening but before the game

we were able to soak up the sunshine walking around the city.

Aidyn wanted to constantly hold hands with Cole or Charlotte

and kept close tabs on them at all times.

I tried to hold his hand and he quickly brushed me off.

I'll remember that, Aidyn. ;)

We walked through a park and the kids were able to play

on the statue ducks for awhile and then wandered over

to an open grassy section to play a game of tag.

Before heading to the Blazers game we stopped for dinner at Chipotle

and, well, I'm in love with them now too.

I've been dreaming of their yummy burritos since

we left and need to go back soon!

We finished the night off at the Blazers game.

If you ever have the chance to see a professional lacross game.. Go!

It was such a fun upbeat environment and Kelly's brother

{who gave us the tickets and works for the team}

was able to get the kids down on the field with all the players.

Aidyn looked unsure of the situation but he later told

me how much fun he had.

It was the perfect day and worth every ounce of Icy Hot

I'm still rubbing on my achy legs. ;)

Pregnancy Update

2011-04-05T08:50:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow marks my 25th week! With a 3 {almost 4!} year old running around the time really flies by. We've settled on names for the baby and, if you really wanted to know, you could ask Aidyn because he knows and we've learned real fast he's really not great at keeping secrets. He's already spilled the beans. :)

I mentioned before I had to go in for a much sooner appointment with my doctor because my blood pressure has been reading so high. I went in yesterday and it's still reading high. It actually went up slightly to 154/92. I've never had problems with blood pressure in the past so Dr. C is very convinced it's pregnancy related. It's possible it will go back to normal when the baby is born but it's all possible it won't.

Since I'm still pretty early on in my pregnancy, I've been put on a blood pressure medication, and I went in for blood work to check my kidney and liver functions.

The baby and I will have to be closely monitored for the duration of the pregnancy. I'll be going in every 2 weeks and on the 18th I will go in for an ultrasound to check on the growth of the baby and to see if the medication is bringing my BP down. We're just praying the baby will measure higher than the 10th percentile range.

If my blood work comes back funky or the medication doesn't seem to help I'll go back in for more testing. It's possible a tumor could be what is causing the high blood pressure but that is somewhat of a last resort test.

Dr. C has said I will most likely {hopefully} make it to at least 37 weeks again but probably not much beyond that. The medicine I was prescribed can cause the baby to be smaller so we're hoping the baby can stay in there as long as possible.

I'm trying very hard to stay positive and not stress out. We're just taking it one step at a time. I'm praying our next appointment will show the baby is growing beautifully and the medication helps with my blood pressure. Then... we'll take it from there.

Froggy Massacre

2011-03-28T13:55:00.000-04:00

I walked into the kitchen to throw out a wrapper and

saw the froggy bank I painted Aidyn sitting on top of all the trash...

with no eyes.

I quickly snatched it from it's stinky resting place,

flipped it over to see it still had one eye attached,

and realized exactly what happened.

"Aidyn, did you throw your froggy bank away?"

"Yes."

"Why??"

"It was staring at me."

"Oh. Okay."

When Aidyn made the transition from his crib to his big boy bed

we found him this safari themed quilt for his room:

It all went downhill from there.

Soon, we had to remove every stuffed animal with eyes from his room;

remove the safari themed vinyls from his walls because,

you guessed it, they had eyes;

and soon enough we had to flip his quilt over so that the

animals wouldn't be showing.

When we moved I did away with the quilt

and stuck with a simple striped comforter.

I left the froggy bank because

a) it completely slipped my mind that it had eyes and

b) I painted it for him so I didn't want to part with it!

I've promised Aidyn I will throw it back away but

I'm actually going to put it in storage.

Someday he'll laugh over this story and then he can throw the bank away. ;)

I love him.

2011-03-24T09:41:00.000-04:00

I have the best husband in the world.

Gushy, I know, but he deserves it.

He's been on a roll lately.

He walked through the door with my favorite flowers,

knowing how much I love a clean house he cleaned our bedroom until it was spotless,

tucked me into bed, served me dinner in bed,

filled my drink up about 5 times in one night,

delivered me snacks, and then cleaned up the downstairs.

Seriously, I love him.

...................

I went in yesterday for my 23 week check-up

and found out my blood pressure is still high.

It's my 3rd appointment with high blood pressure

so now I have to go back in 2 weeks to be monitored and

try to figure out what is going on.

Since I've never had a problem with high blood pressure,

my doctor seems to think I'm just way too stressed out but

because it can be dangerous to both the baby & myself

we really need to get to the bottom of it.

And can I tell you when you're told not to stress out...

you stress even more!

Write Your Own Story

2011-03-22T11:23:00.000-04:00

Wouldn't it just figure in New England,

after having a day close to 70 degrees,

we're back to having a few inches of fresh snow.

It's given us the perfect excuse to play game after game... after game...

of Kerplunk (all of which I lost horribly)

and sip hot cocoa.

I love pulling out this mug.

Such a perfect every day reminder.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T18:35:00.000-04:00

I've spent the day painting St. Patrick's Day pictures

with my little viking for Daddy.

As soon as we finished he said,

"Okay, can we go collect Easter eggs now?"

Seriously, buying Halloween costumes after Halloween

for 90% off is the best deal ever.

He has tubs full of them but he's decided

this week dressing up as Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon

is the way to go.

I can't blame him.

That hat is just too funny.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T15:49:00.000-04:00

Kick Me, Baby!

2011-03-12T17:07:00.000-05:00

I'm half way through my 21st week!

Seriously, this time is flying by way too fast.

I feel like I just found out I was pregnant!

Last week, almost exactly around the 20 week mark,

I felt the baby kick from the outside for the very first time.

I was dancing around with excitement but Ethan & Aidyn had gone out shopping

so I was celebrating all by myself.

Ethan finally felt the baby kick the other night and

every time I ask Aidyn if he wants to feel,

I usually get told, "No. I just want to read my book."

Ha!

One of the women on one of the pregnancy boards I follow wrote

that pregnant women must be the only people who ask to be

kicked in the stomach over and over again.

She is so right and I giggle to myself every time I think of her writing this.

It's the best feeling in the world!

An apple a day...

2011-03-11T09:32:00.000-05:00

... or in his case...

7, 8, or 9 a day.

365Project

2011-03-08T10:24:00.000-05:00

{A portion of the pictures I've submitted.}

After a lot of debating, I finally signed myself up for the 365Project.

I realized I've been down this road before when I found another account for myself

on the site that has never been touched.

It's intimidating to try and take & post a photo every.single.day.

I've relieved myself of that pressure.

I'm okay with not taking a picture a day.

I'm okay if the 365 project actually takes me 730 days.

Photography is a definite passion of mine but it loses it's appeal

if I start taking photos because I feel like I have to rather than wanting to.

My main reason for joining was to be inspired and so far I definitely have been!

There are so many amazing photos, photographers, and discussions on this site.

I'm blow away with what people capture in the simplest of places!

Spring. Please!

2011-03-04T08:01:00.000-05:00

I walked by our kitchen window and realized the snow was as high as the window.

It was hard not to walk away grumbling that I just want it to melt away!

I'm ready for green grass, blooming flowers, and hours of play outside.

Soon enough... right?! :)

More of... According to Aidyn

2011-03-02T10:00:00.001-05:00

**After pouring him a bath**
"Mama, the water is too hot."
"No sweetie, feel it again, it's warm."
"Oh! It's not bad! You're a genius!"

**Explaining St. Patrick's Day to him**
"I'm not Irish. I'm just a kid!"

**Cuddling on the couch**
"I think the walls are dirty. We need paint on these walls.
Blue paint. Then our house will be beautiful. Just the inside, not the outside."

**Playing with his cars**
"Mama, I call this the Fastmobile."
"Wow! You're right, that is fast!"
"No, it's more mobile."

**Looking out for his Mama**
"You can't eat all that chocolate, Mama. You already had ice cream."

DIY: Mustache Mug

2011-02-28T10:55:00.000-05:00

I'm really loving this mustache trend that seems to be so hot right now.

Even my 3 year old son is all about it.

My father convinced him if he eats more cookies his mustache will grow in.

Awww... Boompa... what will we do with you?!

I was watching a skin care commercial and the model

was drinking out of a mug with a whimsical mustache on the front

and I instantly fell in love!

...with the mug.

Just to clarify...

The best part?

I knew it would be super easy to make my own!

I picked up a few mugs from the dollar store and

I already had the enamel paint and brushes on hand.

I ended up free-handing the mustaches and

I would encourage you to do the same because each

of your mugs will have it's own personality!

My enamel paint called for 30 minutes in the oven

at 350 degrees and then I was done.

It doesn't get much easier than that!

Baby Sevin!

2011-02-24T10:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked 19 weeks and our big anatomy scan!

I was so excited but also so anxious to hear our doctor say

the baby looked healthy.

We arrived early and in true Katrina & Ethan fashion... we got lost.

In the building!

Have they invented a GPS watch yet?!

We ran all over the place, following {wrong} directions of staff,

and had a good laugh when we finally found the right suite and it

was one suite over from my regular office.

At least we got in a little exercise.

Aidyn came with us during the visit and was fascinated by the whole process.

He watched the technician rub jelly all over my belly and rubbed

my arm and whispered to me, "It's alright, Mama. It's alright."

He would walk by and kiss my arm, hands, feet... whatever he could reach.

He was so concerned I was being hurt.

After we were done with the scan we walked next door to my doctor's

and as soon we were settled in the room the fire alarm's started

blazing and the whole building had to evacuate.

We watched the firemen enter the building with their axes and check out the problem.

Easily the coolest part of the day for Aidyn.

Until we made it back into our appointment and Dr. C told us Baby Sevin

looks perfect and then

{knowing we're Team Green}

announced, "It's a... Puppy!"

Aidyn's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

I'm still not sure if he understands he was just kidding...

Eighteen Weeks

2011-02-18T14:40:00.000-05:00

How Far Along

...............

18 weeks & 2 days

Kelly reminded me this was my half way point with Aidyn.

I'm hoping this little one decides to bake in the oven a bit longer.

Remind me I said that when my ankles are the size of my thighs

in the hot summer heat. ;)

Size of Baby

.............

The baby is now the size of a sweet potato!

Maternity Clothes

................

Bring on the elastic waist bands.

I finally bought a pair of maternity jeans.

My belly has been thanking me ever since.

Gender

.....

It's a surprise!

Staying strong and sticking with Team Green.
Next Wednesday is our anatomy scan!

Movement

..........

Still feeling little kicks every once in awhile!

Cravings

........

I'm still dreaming of tiramisu from Olive Garden.
I could also really go for a Grilled Artichoke Wrap from
The Gourmet Food Barn.
Heaven in a wrap I tell ya.

Food Aversions

...............

Still... Chicken, chicken, and chicken.
I also can't stomach the smell of bologna or hot dogs.
Blech!

What I Miss

...........

My bladder being bigger than the size of a pea.

Sleep

....

I can fall asleep for a couple of hours and then wake up
wide awake and toss and turn for hours.

Symptoms

..........

Backaches & heartburn.
My sciatica has really been acting up.

Best Moment This Week

.........................

Spending time with Aidyn giggling over my big belly.

Boompa's Chair

2011-02-17T08:54:00.000-05:00

This little rocking chair sits in our living room.

It has become Aidyn's favorite seat in the house.

When I first brought it home I was tempted to paint over the worn out boards

and scratches a bright red or perhaps a turquoise.

I have a tendency to want to paint everything.

I stopped myself though.

I stopped myself because every one of those scratches

and worn out boards has a story.

This chair was my father's growing up.

It's now been passed down to Aidyn.

He uses it to play at his train table, he uses it to play pretend,

he pulls it up to the table in the morning and at lunch and

we have the best conversations together.

Like this morning.

He pulled up the chair for breakfast and was chatting away with me.

"Good morning, sweetie! Would you like some toast with Mommy?"

"Yes! Not toasted up though."

"So.... plain bread?"

and while I was making our breakfast...

"Why is your belly like that?"

"What is my belly like?"

"It's so..so.. round."

"Well, the baby is getting bigger and as the baby gets bigger, so will my belly."

"Oh. Is he okay in there? He must want out."

{No, we're not finding out if the baby is a boy or a girl but it seems even

Aidyn is convinced it's a boy. So am I, but I haven't told him that.}

Sled Dog Derby!

2011-02-15T08:20:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend we stopped by to watch a couple hours of the last day of the

82nd Laconia World Championship Sled Dog Derby!

Aidyn was given the opportunity to ride in a sled led by one dog.

We tried prepping him before we got there because it's really not in his nature

to jump into something new without a little coaxing.

He was able to get a little play time on this sled but once

it came down to race time he decided it just wasn't for him.

Ethan went with him to the start line and I waited at the half point to snap

some pictures but after the second time the announcer called his name

and he didn't appear... I knew he wasn't coming.

He was having way more fun playing in the snow.

Maybe next year!

These dogs are amazingly beautiful!

This particular dog was singing and putting on a show for a small crowd.

We had to sneak away so I could photograph a first birthday party

but it was just in time... we were frozen and ready to thaw out in the car!

I Love You More

2011-02-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

For you see, each day I love you more

Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.

{Rosemonde Gerard}

Seventeen Weeks

2011-02-09T19:24:00.000-05:00

How Far Along

...............

17 weeks today!

I look and feel huge!

I will definitely start taking pictures in the morning and not at night.

I already feel much bigger this pregnancy.

Size of Baby

.............

The baby is now the size of an onion!

Maternity Clothes

................

My waist is begging for elastic bands.
We haven't been able to find my maternity clothes anywhere
so I'm living in yoga pants 90% of the time.

Gender

.....

It's a surprise!

We're not finding out until the baby is born.

Movement

..........

I've started to feel the occasional kick & tumble!
Best part of being pregnant. :)

Cravings

........

Spinach Artichoke dip from Fratello's!
It's so creamy and delicious.
I've been dreaming {literally} of tiramisu from Olive Garden but
it's just too far of a drive for me to get some.

Food Aversions

...............

Chicken, chicken, and chicken.

What I Miss

...........

Not too much right now.
I've started to feel really great.

Sleep

....

Sleep has been pretty good.
Some nights I toss and turn and have a hard time falling asleep.

Symptoms

..........

Backaches & heartburn.
I feel like all my symptoms are coming on so much
sooner this pregnancy.

Best Moment This Week

.........................

Yesterday I felt a strong kick that made my day!

Today.

2011-02-04T16:24:00.000-05:00

Small Touches of Love

2011-02-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

I finally finished our Valentine's themed mantel.

The project I talked about here.

You're probably thinking exactly what Ethan said to me when I put it up....

"That's all??"

Yup. That's it.

I wasn't sure if he was implying that I had all the supplies around for weeks

seemingly preparing for a huge undertaking,

or the huge mess I managed to make making this project,

or that there really isn't much of anything up on the mantel.

That's why I love it though.

I fell in love with the idea as soon as I saw it on Lisa Leonard's blog.

It was simple, clean & beautiful.

The only thing I'm wishing were up there is my

favorite little blue bird.

She's packed away still in a box we have yet to unpack.

I don't want to overwhelm us with all this unpacking. **wink wink**

According to Aidyn

2011-01-27T09:32:00.000-05:00

Driving home from my doctor's appointment....
"Mama, can we go to the submarine store?"
"I'm not sure which store is the submarine store, sweetie."
"Remember! The submarine store and we ate cake when we were there."
"Oh! You mean the children's museum! That's far from here but I'll bring you soon and we'll pack a lunch."
"I don't want any girls there. Just kids."
"Aidyn, girls are kids as well and of course there will be girls there."
"Girls aren't kids!! Hahahahaha! That's funnnnny."

Witnessing me getting sick....
"Mama! Just spit the baby out!"

Talking about his future brother or sister....
"When it gets cold in the house you'll have to put the baby back in your belly."

Saying goodnight....
"I love you to the moon and back."
"I love you to the stars and back. That's more."

Asking for a water squirter seen in a catalog...
"Can I spray everyone with water?"
"It's too cold to be spraying people with water in the winter."
"Just Daddy?"

More baby talk....
"When the baby comes are you excited to play and share your toys?"
"I can't share with the baby. My toys are too much too big for the baby."

.......................................

My Ava Anderson Non-Toxic skin care giveaway is up and running!

Best of luck. I love this product!

This Just In...

2011-01-25T10:33:00.002-05:00

I rarely turn on the news when I'm watching TV.

I'm more into picking and choosing which headlines I want to read online,

but when I heard we may be getting more snow, I wanted to find out just how much.

Last night, I switched to our local channel and couldn't help but laugh

when they said something along the lines of, "We may get snow. We may not."

It looks like we may.

I'm wondering if I turn on the news they'll have a

This just in... It's snowing headline.

After my niece's birthday party this weekend,

Aidyn & I spent the weekend bouncing around the grandparent's houses

while Ethan was away for his annual guys weekend.

Aidyn was spoiled with all the attention and love they showered on him

and I was spoiled with all the yummy food!

{I'll be 15 weeks tomorrow and happy to report I'm starting to love food again!}

We came home and my Valentine's project I've been wanting to

finish is still sitting there.... completely unfinished.

I don't think I've ever decorated for Valentine's in the past

but when I was seeing all the simple but beautiful ideas Lisa Leonard

has been doing at her house I really wanted to recreate one of her looks.

Lucky for me, everything I needed was at my favorite store, Dollar Tree!

My goal is to have it done by February 14th.

I'm pretty sure I can manage that...

But in the meantime, I have a fabulous giveaway coming up later this week

involving an Ava Anderson product I use and adore.

This non-toxic product line was introduced to me by a friend a few months ago

and I really can't say enough great things about it.

I'll announce when the giveaway is up & running but feel free to check

out the site now!

Snow Painting!

2011-01-18T13:12:00.000-05:00

We've been getting more and more snow and

after a big storm we recently had

Aidyn asked if we could go outside and paint the snow.

I realized I was limited on food coloring so I mixed up a turquoise

and tried for a really bright lime green but it ended up

looking ~~like a dog marked it's territory~~ yellow once we starting painting with it.

Definitely need to pick up some more color options

especially since, as I type, we're being belted with

another storm...

I don't think this activity will ever get old-- he loves it & I love it!

It's inexpensive, easy, and entertaining.

{Later that evening, he even asked if he could go in the empty

bathtub with the shower curtain closed and just spray plain water!}

How I Add Texture to Photos (Step by Step!)

2011-01-14T09:36:00.000-05:00

Erin asked how I edited this photo so I'll

show you step by step exactly how I achieved the textured look.

Here is the photo I started with SOOC.

I had snapped a few photos of my mom's roses

while visiting and nothing about the pictures really stood out to me.

I decided to add a vintage look using a Florabella action

(her textures are high on my wish list!)

but you can choose to edit the photo however you choose.

If you're on a budget or would prefer to play around with free actions before

purchasing sets try The Pioneer Woman's actions {I love them!}

Also seach deviantART {You'll find endless amounts of actions, brushes &textures!}

Both links I gave offer actions for Photoshop & Elements.

After I finished editing my photo I opened up a texture file.

This texture happens to be concrete.

I liked the texture but I really envisioned adding some blueish/green

to my end photo so I went up to the Image on the menu (top purple arrow), clicked on Adjustments,

and finally clicked on Color Balance.

With the Color Balance window open I slid the top arrow all the way

over to Cyan. (second purple arrow)

This was exactly the color I wanted but feel free to play with the

colors until you achieve what you're looking for.

Now that I was finished with my texture I went over and selected the

Move tool. (purple arrow)

With the Move tool still selected drag the texture file directly over

the photo you're editing.

You can see on the right I now have a layer added and highlighted in blue.

With that Layer still highlighted go over to the Layer Menu (purple arrow)

and select Overlay.

When I add textures to photos I generally don't care for the texture

to show on the focus of my picture.

If you prefer the texture all over your photo you could end here and flatten your image.

To get rid of the texture on my rose I click on that box

where my purple arrow is pointing to add a layer mask.

You can see after I clicked on it my layer that's highlighted in blue now has

a white box next to it.

Now that your layer mask is open select your brush tool and change

your color to black.

Paint away all the areas you no longer want texture.

Flatten your image when you're happy with how it looks and you're finished!

Super easy and so fun!

13 Weeks

2011-01-12T15:42:00.000-05:00

How Far Along

...............

13 weeks today!

Size of Baby

.............

The baby is now the size of a peach!

{Our little baby is developing teeth and vocal cords this week.}

Maternity Clothes

................

I still haven't had to dig out my official maternity clothes but the past

few weeks I've been wearing the jeans I had to wear after having Aidyn.

Yoga pants are the most comfortable right now.

Gender

.....

It's a surprise!

We're not finding out until the baby is born.

Movement

..........

No movement yet.

I thought I felt a faint flutter when I was resting on the couch
but I haven't felt it since so it's quite possible
I was making that up in my mind. ;)

Cravings

........

Cravings are changing on a day to day basis.

Still love my fruit but the other day I had to have one of

those cheap burritos from the grocery store and it

had to be the one in the green package.
The next day I had to have pretzels to dip in Nutella.

I'm probably driving Ethan crazy.

Food Aversions

...............

Chicken still tops the list and I've been having a hard time

being able to stomach any kind of fluids.

What I Miss

...........

The days when I didn't have a super sense of smell.

Sleep

....

I'm still sleeping great and it's still the only time

I can escape from all this nausea.

Symptoms

..........

Horrible horrible headaches & I've back stepped
into ~~morning~~ all day sickness again.

Best Moment This Week

.........................

Today.

Being snowed in with my two boys, relaxing, playing games,

watching the snow fall out the windows, and hopefully some play time

in the snow this afternoon!

Clearly

2011-01-11T10:31:00.001-05:00

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly,

our whole life would change.

{Unknown}

Hide the remotes. On purpose!

2011-01-07T12:09:00.001-05:00

My mom & I are madly in love with Homegoods.

We always find ourselves walking through their aisles,

hunting for great bargains, or looking for inspiration

for our own projects.

I found this dish a little before Christmas on clearance and fell in love.

I've gone mad for the white!

Mom decided to pick it up for me and give it to me as one

of my Christmas presents.

After opening it, everyone was asking questions like, "Ooooo, are you going to put casseroles in it?"

"Hmmm, no. I don't think so."

"Mashed potatoes? Vegetables?!"

"Well, I could. But I was thinking I was just going to use it for decoration..."

I had fully intended to fill it with a beautiful flower arrangement

and have it decorate my dining room table but after having

my tail bone assaulted for the millionth time by sitting

on a random remote....

I decided the living room table would be the perfect place for my new present!

Ideally, I want to find a few hollowed out books to adorn

one of our end tables that will hide all our remotes

but I just haven't been able to find the style

of book I want.

For now, I'm definitely not hating having to stare at this and knowing

at all times where the remotes are.

We lose them way too often!

.........................................................................

Behind the scenes

Aidyn was given his very own camera from Santa for Christmas.

As soon as he opened it, he tossed it to the side and said something

along the lines of, "Ughhhh. A camera."

Haha!

As soon as he realized he's in charge of taking all the pictures,

he's been a crazy photog around the house.

This morning he pulled his camera out when I pulled mine out,

crouched down next to me,

and took about 20 pictures of the dish I was photographing.

After a few minutes, he looked at me confused,

and asked why we were taking pictures of a bowl.

I love that little boy!

Soon I'll upload a few of his masterpieces to share.

12 Weeks

2011-01-05T09:00:00.002-05:00

How Far Along

...............

12 weeks today!

Size of Baby

.............

The baby is now the size of a plum.

I haven't yet taken any pictures of myself during this pregnancy.

Actually, I was pretty horrible at documenting my growth when I was

pregnant with Aidyn as well.

Maternity Clothes

................

Not quite yet but I have definitely hinted to Ethan he can dig out

the box of my maternity clothes from the garage at any point. ;)

I'm sure I'm going to wake up one of these mornings and no longer

fit into anything in my wardrobe.

Gender

.....

It's a surprise!

We're not finding out until the baby is born.

Movement

..........

No, but I cannot wait!

Feeling Aidyn move was the absolute best part of being pregnant for me.

Cravings

........

Strawberries, raspberries, grapes, raspberry ginger ale and...

Lay's Kettle Cooked Black Pepper chips. {Ugh! I know....}

Food Aversions

...............

Way too many to list but chicken is by far

the worst offender.

What I Miss

...........

Eating & Drinking...

and keeping it all down.

Sleep

....

Sleep time is generally the only time I'm not sick so

I enjoy every minute of it.

Symptoms

..........

Headaches, exhausted all the time, afternoon/evening sickness...

and a big ol' bloated gut.

Best Moment This Week

.........................

A few glorious mornings with no morning sickness, bursts of energy

to chase after Aidyn while playing, and this amazing drink combined with my

two favorite things {raspberries & raspberry ginger ale} to celebrate New Year's with....

{I definitely dug those raspberries out of that cup

as soon as I finished taking a picture! Haha!}

.................................................

For the little ones stop over to my review page and enter to win a fun Kix prize pack!

Ringing in the New Year!

2010-12-31T09:04:00.000-05:00

I can't believe another year has gone and past so fast!

2010 was good to us as a family.

It's been a big year for us!

Our most important lesson learned;

it's not what you have in your life

but who you have in your life.

We're blessed to have each other and even more so to have

surrounded ourselves with genuine friends and family.

And as we say goodbye to the fun we've had...

... we're confident with the lessons we've learned in the last year

that 2011 will be just as great.

Happy New Years!

Merry Christmas Eve!

2010-12-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

We made it on our long awaited trip on the Polar Express!

Successfully visited Santa at the North Pole before Christmas.

And now we're relaxing at home enjoying the magic of Christmas.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Oh, Baby Baby!

2010-12-17T15:21:00.000-05:00

Most of you had a good idea of what I announced when

I took the family picture in my last post.

As soon as I was ready to click away I asked everyone to say,

"Katrina's pregnant!"

The first two pictures came out clear and then because I was

so happy to tell them, I started to cry and shake

and all the other pictures are all just a blur.

Literally.

But I'll still cherish them all because I can still make out their

expressions as the news I just announced was sinking in.

Our second baby is due July 20!

I've been in for 2 ultrasounds

{mainly to find out exactly how far along I am}

and my doctor laughed and said at least we were

consistent seeing as Aidyn's birthday is July 30th.

{Although he surprised us 3 weeks early so due dates are

just a very vague estimate to us. Ha!}

Since finding out he's going to be a big brother

Aidyn has said he would like it to be a sister.

Whether it's a brother or a sister he wants the baby

to be named 'Flippin'

and after seeing a baby crying he has decided

he would much rather whatever comes out

of my belly to be a pony.

Luckily, I have plenty of time to explain to him

it will definitely be a human baby that will be sharing a room with him. ;)

What were they thinking?? ... hint hint ...

2010-12-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

I informed my family in the morning that I wanted

a group picture that evening with my entire side of the family.

There were lots of groaning and "Do we have to's??"

but I insisted and was beyond surprised when I drove back to my parents

house that evening and everyone was ready and willing to take a picture.

So, I told them all to sit on the couch and when everyone was looking

I said, "Okay.... everyone say ________!"

This is the very first shot of their reactions and it cracks me up to see

some still trying to process what I said and others in shock.

Can you guess what I had them all say??

My last post may have a hint in it. ;)

P.S. For all my local New Hampshire readers, Van Otis (my favorite place to get chocolates) is putting on another fun event on the 18th! Stop by here for more details.

Where's the parent around here?

2010-12-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Overnight my little boy has turned into a 30 year old.

I wish I had a video of him the past few days because

what he has been coming up with is so sincere but so hysterical.

It makes me giggle how much he picks up from Ethan & I

that I never thought he was aware of.

He's so in-tune to when I'm not feeling well and

instantly takes on the parenting role and is on his best behavior.

{If only I had known the key to him listening to me was feeling a little under the weather sooner...}

"Mama, you need a blanket?"

"Do you want to watch a movie? How about Beauty & the Beast?" {ha!}

"Want some of Daddy's juice?"

"I miss you Mama." {Ack! Break my heart!}

I can be guaranteed a random kiss at least once an hour

and his little hand on my forehead checking things out.

He doesn't check to see if I'm hot or cold but

just lets me know that I'm not feeling better yet.

And when the worst comes and I actually do have to escape

to the bathroom to be sick....

he follows me.

Darn that bathroom door with no lock.

But I can't be too upset, he talks me through it

and asks me over and over again if I remember the time

he was sick on strawberry juice.

How can I forget?!

And I should also mention he's decided he wants to dress himself lately with no help.

Yesterday he walked out of his room with a pair of underwear on

inside out, a pair of blue athletic pants on backwards,

a maroon undershirt on backwards, and a yellow polo with his collar popped.

I think he must have gotten hold of Ethan's old Kriss Kross CD. ;)

He's a ray of sunshine, that little boy.

Recycled Post. Recycled Crayons.

2010-12-06T09:59:00.001-05:00

I've been feeling under the weather since Thanksgiving and really
haven't been up to much but lounging around.
We have been keeping ourselves busy playing with our recycled crayons
as blocks and making buildings so I'm just going to go ahead
and recycle my recycled crayon post.

Originally posted August 2009

Once upon a time
when I worked in a daycare
I used to have a special bucket
just for broken crayons.

When our bucket of broken crayons
would get full enough
we would recycle them

by making bigger crayons.

Since Aidyn hasn't been in the habit of
breaking too many crayons--as of yet--
I decided to buy a few (five, to be exact)
packs for $.20 each when I went shopping.

I've really been wanting to do this project
with Aidyn and since it was only costing me $1
I figured now was the perfect time.

So, while Aidyn was taking his nap
I unwrapped all 120 crayons.
By myself.
It was a tedious job but
well worth it.

And then, because I'm a little
crazy for organization (yup, I love it)
I separated the shades of colors
into their very own bowls.

When Aidyn woke up
I sat him down and let him break
all 120 crayons.
All by himself.
It's going to be real hard
explaining this was a one time deal.

We then greased up a muffin pan.
And, I mean, really greased.
Put the crayons in whichever color
patterns our hearts desired.
Sat back and admired our work...

I do like to make sure I make one
for different shades of green.
For grass and trees.
One different shades of blue.
For the sky and water.
And one different shades of red, orange, and yellow.
For fire and fall foliage.

We baked them at 275 degrees.
You really need to watch them
until they melt.
Mine took just under 20 minutes
this time but I also had a lot of
crayons in there.

Once it was done baking
we put them in the fridge until
they hardened just enough to
tilt them into our freezer.
It takes no time at all before
they've completely hardened.

Tilt the muffin pan
and they should just slip right
out for you.

Then have a blast coloring all
sorts of pictures.
Aidyn likes to use his as
stacking blocks as well! :)

Aidyn's Guide to Finding the Perfect Tree

2010-11-28T10:46:00.002-05:00

... a little snow on the ground to set the mood ...

... lead the way & leave the parents behind ...

... spot a good one? ...

... give it a good sniff ...

... smells great? bring it home! ...

... once home ~~demand the lights be put on right away~~

wait patiently for the tree to settle and to decorate the next day ...

Enter to win Tim McGraw's Southern Voice CD and Hamburger Helper prize pack on my Review & Giveaway page!

Just too many reasons...

2010-11-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

...to list why I love photography.

But I can't deny...

taking pictures of my son

and my friend's little cuties...

definitely top the list!

{After seeing these pictures Aidyn is now begging me to take

him to the tracks for a photo opp!}

The Bright Side

2010-11-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

I haven't made much progress as far as unpacking is concerned.

I cannot wait to have the house situated and have a

little normalcy around here.

Soon I'll be doing a review for CSN.

They have over 200+ stores and offer everything from

a counter stool for your kitchen to toys for your children!

I have my eyes on quite a few things that will help

with the decorating around here.

It's been hard with so much on my plate and on top of that

Ethan is working around 80+ hours a week.

We miss him.

A lot.

Alright, I'll stop whining...

I have started to make some progress on my craft area.

But still...

I've been working right here.

Making huge messes.

I haven't had to worry about the mess I'm making on the carpet

because we're taking this area rug out and replacing it with a new one

as soon as it's finished being bound.

Plus, the TV is right in the corner in front of the chair so

I've been watching a gazillion shows I've been DVRing.

It's been lonely all alone at night!

{Okay. Seriously. I'm done whining.}

On the bright side....

My mom & I drove down to the city to pick up

two of my favorite people in the whole world,

my Nana & Chubba!

We used to see them all the time but since they've moved

across the country visits are rare and extremely treasured.

Aidyn has always adored his great grandparents.

He told my mom he didn't want to leave her house today

because his friend Nana was there.

Ah! Love it!

They came here on a one way ticket so I'm hoping

they'll stay through the holidays.

I never want them to leave!

I found it!!

2010-11-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

Starting a couple months ago

a group of mom's in our playgroup

have been getting together once a month for a craft night.

This past month we made these burlap banners with some sort of

Thanksgiving saying on them.

I, however, was very unprepared.

I had put all the supplies I needed aside so I wouldn't lose them

during the move but somehow my twine and hot glue gun were

placed in a random unmarked box.

It took me days to finally find them.

I was so happy I would actually be able to hang my

banner before Thanksgiving.

It's the little things in life.

Now that we're in our new place I'm constantly

having dreams of how I want to decorate.

I've been wanting these couches forever...

Image Credit

I know.

Everyone thinks I'm out of my mind for wanting

white couches with a toddler in the house.

But they're so light, airy, and fresh looking.

Plus, you can purchase extra covers!

So while I wait for my dream couches

I've been throwing white touches into our living room.

Spray painting lamps, finding white candles, dreaming of white pillows...

and since I found my hot glue gun I figured I could put it to work.

I called Ethan and asked him to bring home some coffee filters

and got to work right away on this wreath.

We've had a long week of painting furniture and trying to unpack.

This was so therapeutic to sit down with and make.

Early December I'm going to a craft show as a vendor

{I'm completely freaking out about this.}

and I think I may make 1 or 2 of these to bring.

I'm off to work on some more projects.

I hope everyone is doing well and had a wonderful

Veteran's Day!

Chaos. Simply Chaos.

2010-11-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Scheduling time around the cable guy, breaking apart furniture so it

will fit up the stairs, visiting the doctor's office for a second time

in one week for a double ear infection, squeezing in

a Carrie Underwood concert (amazing!!!!,)

climbing through windows to unlock the door we

locked ourselves out of (hey howdy hey neighbors,)

carving pumpkins the day before Halloween,

a mailbox still sitting in the garage... definitely not collecting mail,

priming, painting, sanding, sealing those bunk beds I promised to have done

for the new house, eating too much fast food,

breaking down and buying new deodorant and soaps

because we just cannot find the box we packed them in,

not using my cell phone for days because the battery cord must be packed

in the same box with my deodorant, surviving daylight savings with

a toddler whose schedule was just thrown out of wack

(Seriously, can't we just do without time changes? Please??)

a garage jam packed with so many boxes it's laughable, days upon days in our pj's.

I'm never moving again until I've saved up enough money to hire someone

to pack, move and then unpack all my belongings for me.

So.... we may never be moving again. ;)

P.S. Stop over here and check out the meaning behind my little angel's t-shirt.

Nothing but blue skies on our side...

2010-11-04T10:00:00.001-04:00

Message from the Little Man

2010-10-31T10:00:00.002-04:00

Aidyn told me he had something to say...

but then he started acting shy...

Just kidding!

Happy Halloween!!

Empty

2010-10-28T10:00:00.006-04:00

Moving day is in four days and I'm surrounded by towers of boxes.

I just keep staring at them.

And staring at them.

And staring...

But it's true.

They don't pack themselves.

They're all still...

Yes. Four days and we're moving.

Don't worry.

We've packed the necessities.

As long as we can sort our mail and bake pirate boat shaped cakes...

It's all gravy.

We've just been slammed with plans since the beginning of summer and it

doesn't look like our calendar's going to slow down until mid November.

It's been a little crazy trying to find time to pack.

I did finally decide to cancel a play date we had scheduled for today

so I can claim all the boxes for my shoes while Ethan is at work. Har-Har!

While I'm busy packing I have a giveaway that I just posted here for all of you that

love smoothies and need (or want!) a new blender.

Hopefully that makes up for my boring box post.

At least for the winner. ;)

Batman is Back!!

2010-10-23T10:00:00.001-04:00

Straight from Aidyn's mouth

2010-10-20T10:00:00.001-04:00

"Oh, muffins!"

"Mama, I'm sorry. {long pause} I'm going to live with Nini."

"This is a nice house. But.. let's get a move on."

With some prompting from daddy...

"Here's your pumpkin Mama. Paint it at your leisure."

"I'm not your prince. I'm Batman."

Asked about his new house...

"It has a garage for my motorcycle."

"I need to brush my teeth. They're dirty."

"Did you hear my belly? He say, 'Give me food! Give me food!'"

"When I'm bigger I can go there. {walks out of the room & right back in} Look, I'm longer."

Etsy Shop!

2010-10-18T13:01:00.000-04:00

I've been on a crazy etsy overload!

I've been spending my nights and any free time I can squeeze in

here or there to fill my etsy shop with new items.

But not only for my etsy shop...

I'm also preparing to enter craft shows closer to the holidays!

Oh... and we're packing and preparing to move in the midst of all this.

It's getting a little crazy around here!

Lucky for me...

my mom has volunteered her services to help me paint boards.

Growing up my mom was super crafty and around the holidays

she would make jewelry and wreaths for extra holiday spending money.

I'll always remember filling up a huge thermos with hot chocolate and going

out and selling these beautiful wreaths she would make on the side of the road.

Working together on my projects is bringing back all those fun memories!

What have you all been up to?!

i heart faces - fix-it friday

2010-10-15T12:45:00.000-04:00

It feels like forever since I've participated in a Fix-It Friday.

I don't know why-- they're so much fun!

Here's the photo that was submitted:

BEFORE

And here is my edit...

AFTER

I used CS4 and mostly Totally Rad actions to edit the photo.

I cropped the photo in just a bit to put more focus on the little girl.

Then I did the following:

Claire-ify 100%

Boutwell Magic Glasses 55%

Super Fun Happy 40%

Her skin was looking a little too grayish/blue to me so I went back in and used

Warm it up, Kris! 60%

And lastly, I used Pioneer Woman's Bring Out The Eyes to lighten her eyes a bit!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

Cotton Candy . Carousels . Candy Apples

2010-10-11T10:00:00.002-04:00

This little boy was super excited to be going on our annual trip to our local fair.

{He was also probably on a sugar high. We start right at the gate.}

He even broke out into a dance

{that somewhat resembled the robot}

because he knew somewhere near

there were rides just waiting for him to jump on!

And then he spotted the flashing lights and screams of laughter...

and it was all business.

It was chilly and a little rainy...

but it was the same last year...

and that hasn't bothered us a bit!

And because he was so happy to be at the fair...

he actually looked at me while I had my camera in hand.

That's huge. :)

We stayed and played and stuffed our faces until we couldn't eat anymore

and couldn't possibly drag ourselves to another ride.

It was a blast!

{This picture is all show. I'm too terrified of heights to actually

trust myself or anyone I know getting on a temporarily set-up ferris wheel! Yes, I'm a chicken.}