Red, White, and Blue...

Celebrating the 4th this weekend? I'd love to see how you've decorated. I don't normally do anything special for the 4th but every year I say "Next year I am going to do something cute". Well the holiday has snuck up on me once again and because I didn't think ahead, I had to think fast. We are always flying Old Glory on our front porch, but I wanted to do a little something extra.


I recently read about DIY Yarn Garland on Kate's The Small Things Blog and I thought it would be a cute, simple, and quick way to add a little pop of 4th of July fun to my home. I went to Wal-Mart this morning and found some red, white, and blue cotton yarn from Peaches & Creme. It was on sale for like $1.27. I wish I would have grabbed a few of them, but I wasn't thinking about any other projects than my garland and I knew one would be enough.

 I followed Kate's SUPER EASY instructions and this is what I came up with:

Just a simple way to add a little patriotism to our home for the holiday.

I hope you enjoy celebrating your independence this week!

God Bless!

High Five Four Friday

I am so grateful that it is Friday. This week has been especially long with hubs being gone. I can't wait for him to be home tomorrow, and you can be sure that will be on my H54F next week. But although this week seemed to drag a little, I have had some great moments and here they are:

I finally got phase two of the wall finished this week and we (by we I mean my mom, step-dad and sister) actually started nailing this wood to the wall. I cannot wait to see this when its done.













I took the plunge this week and posted an item on my Etsy shop. I also started my first giveaway. There is still time to enter if you haven't done so!







I took a trip with my mom to visit my grandmother for her birthday. We had a great lunch and even go to visit with my cousin who was in town from CA. We also took a trip down memory lane and visited the old farmhouse my mom grew up in and the one my brothers and I remember from when we were little. I don't know why, but that was highlight of my day.

I was in need of new purse and this was on sale at Kohls. Thanks mom!  (she definitely spoils me)

No, I didn't go to jail. Well, actually I did but it wasn't in the back of this car. I had the opportunity to attend orientation at one of our local jails for a new ministry that I will be involved in for church. I had never been in a jail before and it was little intimidating, but I am really looking forward to working in this ministry.

Throwback Thursday: Sweet Pickle Relish

I had a craving for a tuna fish sandwich for lunch today which led me to my basement to grab a jar of my sweet pickle relish. I love my homemade relish. I learned how to make it last year and I don't even know how many jars I have gone through, but it's been a lot. I find excuses to use it. It is that good. I promise.

And as I was thinking about how yummy it is and how much I enjoy being able to run down to the basement whenever I need a jar, I thought to instagram the moment you know how that goes. So I snapped a pic and tweeted the thought and that led me to another thought. I'll just let you know right here that I do in fact have ADD and so I often have lots of thought trains that lead me to places I never intended to go. I thought "well what if someone sees this and wants to know how to make it"? Then I remember that I actually wrote a blog about this last year when I made my second batch. I knew right away that I would need a second batch of this stuff and that someday I would want to share with someone else, so I shared it with the three followers that I had at that time. But now I want to share it again. 

I've been thinking of doing a weekly "Throwback Thursday" post to revisit some of my favorite posts from the past. And what better time to start than today?

So here it is folks, for your canning pleasure:

How To Make Sweet Pickle Relish

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and if you make some please let me know how it turns out!

Project Pinterest- Pallet Crafting

Happy Wednesday! It's time for me to share another one of my Pinterest Projects. The project that I am talking about this week is not actually completed yet, but I've been working on it for two weeks and since I didn't share anything with you last week I thought I'd better fill you in. I wouldn't want you to think that I'm slacking or anything.

This weeks project comes from my "Baby" board on Pinterest and may look familiar to you if you follow my blog at all. I was searching for ideas on what to do in the boys room as we are expecting our second child at the end of August. My jaw dropped when I saw this room, well at least the wall in this room. I knew immediately this was something I wanted to do and asked Gabe right away if it was possible. He said sure, and I started digging deeper.

This pin led me to Katie's BowerPower Blog where she lays out exactly how this wall is created. Here is "The Wall"...

I was shocked when I discovered that this wall was built with old wooden pallets and that there is such a thing called "pallet craft". Who knew! This is where my journey begins. I mostly have followed Katie's instructions to a "T", but have had change a couple minor things here and there.

First: Getting Pallets

I started searching for old, untreated pallets. When I say untreated I mean that I didn't want wood that has been sprayed with ANY chemicals. After all, this wood is being hung in my children's bedroom. The things I learned while searching for pallets is this:

• Not all pallets are made the same. As in, there all sorts of different styles made with different sizes of wood. This may be obvious to you, I had no idea.

• When searching for pallets be VERY specific on what you are looking for.

• Be willing to take what you can get from whomever you can get it from (as long its what you're looking for). I think I ended up getting pallets from four different sources. Not all the wood looks the same, but it's similar enough that it will work and add more character to the wall.

Second: Disassembling Pallets

Katie recommended using a sawzall to take these pallets apart, and I can imagine that it would be easy to do so. But I have absolutely no patience whatsoever and decided at 7mo pregnant that I was going start this project while hubs is away for some military training. So I did some research, by research I mean I "Googled" it, on other ways to get this job done because I was not about to cut my fingers off in the process. I came to this good 'ol fashioned conclusion: a pry bar and a 2lb medal mallet. I can't imagine what hubs thought when I sent him a text that read "where would I find a 2lb mallet"...anyway, it did indeed get the job done. Let me just tell you however, that not all pallets come apart easily. It is hard work and just because I did this while pregnant does not mean that I am in any way encouraging you to do so. It took me a week to get enough pallets apart so that I would have all the wood I need. I could only do a little at time. Like I said, I want this bedroom done and hubs was out of town and you really can't stop a pregnant women when she puts her mind to something.

Third: Preparing your disassembled wood: Sanding and washing

Once I had all my pallets apart I had to make sure I got all the nails out. I just used a regular hammer for this. It wasn't hard, just time consuming. I made sure I wore these stylish safety goggles and a pair of hubs work gloves. And when that was finished it was time for the final two steps: sanding and washing the wood. I borrowed my dad's electric sander and I went through about 5 or 6 sheets sandpaper. I think I used 80 grade paper. I also sported the stylish pink gas mask with my goggles and gloves while I did this. I'm sure I looked very cute, but I was more worried about inhaling the dust and dirt particles off these old pallets that had been carrying who-knows-what. I sanded both sides of each piece of wood. This not only made the wood smooth, but it loosened up so much dirt. It was actually pretty gross to see how much dirt came off these.


And after taking the nails out and sanding all the wood, I washed it. I used a power-washer and some bleach water. 


Now I am left with this:

I ended up with about 100 pieces of wood, which should be more than enough if my calculations for the wall are correct.


And all I have left to complete on this project is actually getting the wood up on the wall. Right now the plans are to do this on Thursday. I'm hoping it goes smoothly and that I will be able to show you the finished product next week.


I've learned a lot doing this project and although it has been really hard work, I have actually enjoyed it. I love creating things and as I was working on this I kept thinking of all the things that you could make with this wood. And it's FREE! What a great way to recycle.


If you have any questions on how I did anything, please don't hesitate to ask.

Fabric Softener Sheet Giveaway!

After much deliberation in my head, I have decided to move forward with this Etsy shop idea. You may recall that I decided back in December to open an Etsy shop, and since then I haven't really done a lot with it. I was just a "little" sidetracked with my first year of teaching. I will also admit I was a little discouraged when the few things that I did post didn't sell.

But I cannot dismiss the idea in my head that I can be successful at this! God has given me a passion to create and I plan to use it. I have a desire to be successful, some knowledge in how to obtain this goal, and a passion for making things or finding new uses for them. Isn't that what a successful small business needs?

 And I'm not looking to make millions, just a little extra here and there and I think that is one thing that has made me hesitate a bit. I'm a go big or go home kind of person, so I think for awhile I felt like that because I didn't have tons of items to offer and the perfect studio to create in, that I wouldn't be successful. That perfectionist side gets the best of me sometimes. But I am choosing to have fun with this, so with only one product to offer I am moving forward. With baby number two on the way I'm sure things will be slow going in the coming months, but I still have lots of ideas in my head and I'm looking forward to putting them into action.

I'm excited about this journey and look forward to sharing it with you.

To celebrate my enthusiasm and to introduce my first product I am going to giveaway a set of my reusable, shabby-chic, cotton, Fabric Softener Sheets. Learn more about my inspiration for this sheets here.

Contest Rules:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me why you'd love to have this product
• Become a follower of my blog
• Like my Facebook page

Easy-peasy! The contest will run until I get 150 "Likes" on my FB page. I will draw the winner using an online random picker website.

If you have any questions please contact me. If you can't wait for the drawing and you HAVE to get a set of these fabric softener sheets right now, please check out my Etsy shop on the right side-bar of this page.
 

High Five For Friday

Is it really Friday again? This week has flown by, but don't they all? It has kind of been a blur for me. I'm not sure if that's because the weather has been so hot, I'm 7mo preggo, or just because I've been so busy. I'm sure you've been busy too! Enjoy your weekend, put your feet up, make some lemonade, and catch up on good book.....or laundry, whichever.

Here are my five favorite things from this past week.

1. I wish Brodey and I could have spent Father's Day with Gabe. But I am so thankful for a husband that truly is a wonderful dad. I heard a sermon at church on Sunday that has stayed in my heart all week about how we have a country in need of some good men that can step up and be good father's. Gabe is NOT perfect (neither am I) but he ALWAYS makes time for Brodey. He is the kind of dad that gives him horsey rides to bed, reads him stories, takes an extra 1/2 hour to unload a truck of wood so Brodey can help, and will play cops and robbers (or cowboys and Indians) until mom says it's time for bed. It means so much to me to be married to a man that goes out of his way to build a relationship with his son.

2. After my mini pregnancy hormone induced breakdown last Saturday over the boys' room,it felt good to jump into this project. My mom totally came to rescue on this one. Thanks mom! In one day we stripped the wallpaper, took down the existing chair rail and got all the walls painted. I love the color I choose by Sherwin-Williams, it's called Rookwood Terra Cotta. It looks really orange in this picture, but it has more brown to it and it is not nearly as bright as it seems. It is the perfect color for an adventure/outdoors theme bedroom. A little man's room. Can't wait to finish phase 2!

3. Oh my word was it hot this week! I had plans to finish phase two of the bedroom project, but at 7mo pregnant I had no desire to take apart pallets in 90+ degree weather. So we went to the pool instead. Brodey did so well swimming too! He can touch the bottom this year so he has fun bouncing around in the shallow end playing with his little rocket and a squirt gun. He didn't even need to hang onto me the whole time [tear] like he did last year. He is getting so big. He has a blast with his cousins too. His older cousin Bryce is so good to him and went out his way to play with him. That warmed my heart. Bryce is going into 7th grade and he doesn't have that "I'm too cool" attitude. I love that. Brodey appreciates it too.

4. I had fun sewing these burp cloths for a baby shower I attended this week. I love making things for other people and this project by "Sew She Sews" is great because it is so easy, it comes together quickly and this gift is always a success!

5. I hit the 30 weeks mark of this pregnancy yesterday. I can't believe how fast this is going, but I am thankful for it. I hope the these last weeks will continue to go as smoothly. I'm sure they will go as quickly.

On Second Thought

WARNING: This post was written under the influence of pregnancy hormones. Therefore it may not seem sensible. Pregnant women are not always sensible.

Today was a big day for me. I FINALLY finished "Operation Closet Overhaul" as I called it. I have spent three days - THREE - on constructing our new wardrobe set thingy, cleaning out our dressers, and gutting our closet. It needed to be done and although it really was exhausting at 7 months pregnant, I am so happy it is done.

I was feeling really good about finishing this project and it was still pretty early in the day so I decided to get started on the boys room. Things were going really well. I got all of Brodey's toys out of the room and even cleaned out the closet to prepare it for painting on Monday. During this process I decided it was time for Brodey to take a nap Brodey fell asleep. I actually thought of taking some before pictures of his room so that I could blog about the transformation later and as I stood in his room taking pictures, it happened. My pregnancy hormones EXPLODED and out of nowhere I started balling. 

"What in the world are you crying about?" I asked myself; which resulted in the following thought train: This is BRODEY'S room. I spent hours creating the perfect room for him and now I'm gonna just completely strip it all out and start over? How will he feel about this? I mean he going to have enough change coming with a baby in the house. How am I going to juggle showing my love for him and a new baby. I've gotta go and change his room too?  I know the wall paper is ripped, but his new bed will cover that up. Maybe I could just repaint the wall above the chair rail and keep the wall paper on the bottom so that there is still some familiarity with the room. For Brodey.

But am I really concerned about how he is going to feel if the color of his wall changes? He's four. He is excited about his new bed that he'll be getting when we put the crib in there. He hasn't acted like he cares for one second. And did you catch that sentence about juggling my love? What's that about? [sigh]

After a good cry always feels good to that once in awhile, here is where I am at: I am due at the end of August and if I want this bedroom to be done according my original plan, then I am going to have to wait at least another 3 weeks before I can actually get the wooden wall up. I can prep it and paint it, but that wall the one I want really really really bad is not going to be built for at least THREE WEEKS! Not by my choice. I can't get the crib, Brodey's new bed, accessories, and the baby stuff set up until that wall gets put up. That puts me at 8 mo preggo. I just don't know if I can deal with that. What if the baby comes early or I get put on bedrest for the last 8 weeks like did with Brodey? Then what? 

My other choice is to forget "The Wall" [gringe], keep the wallpaper, paint above the chair rail, and accent the room with some other woodsy ideas that I have stowed away somewhere in my brain. If I choose option number two I can have the room done in two weeks, or less. When Gabe gets home from his Guard training it will be all done and I can spent the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy not stressing about the nursery being incomplete.

Tough choice. I REALLY want that wall in the room, but I REALLY want the room done. Trust me, if I could run a saw I would not be stressing about this. I wouldn't hesitate to put the wall up myself, but even yours truly can't pull this one off. My brain hurts from thinking about the whole thing. 

What would you do? Am I being irrational? Here are some pics of what the room currently looks like:

 Any thoughts and advice are appreciated...especially from any moms that have gone from one to two.

High Five For Friday

Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to my new weekly post where I'm linking up with Lauren From My Grey Desk to bring you my five favorite things from this past week. Here it goes!

 1) 

I have had a blast working on my blog this week. I'm learning my way around  Picasa and was able to create my first banner. I was even excited to put my Picasa skills to use in doing some marketing work for my mom, which she appreciated. My Followers list doubled this week and I was featured in the Green section of BlogHer! This was such a wonderful surprise and good boost to my blogging confidence. Seriously, I am having so much fun with this blog!

2)

It's strawberry pickin time! And that means it's the start of the canning/preserving season, which is one my favorite things about summer. I had a great day picking strawberries and making freezer jam with a good friend this week. Soon it'll be time for blueberries!

3)

I enjoyed my morning coffee with this guy.

4)

I found some GREAT deals at garage sales this week, and took a picture of this barn while I was on my way to a sale yesterday. I love old barns and I just thought this was so cool (excuse the dirty windshield). Anyway, I could be here forever listing off the items I got, but I'll name just a few of my favorites: I got Brodey about 10 pairs of pants (all Gap or Seventy-Seven brand for .50 each), a new Boppy pillow (in GREAT condition), and some fun building blocks for the new baby.

5)

I discovered the best new NATURAL method for doing my laundry. An idea I picked up on Pinterest. I also made these cute cotton dryer sheets to use. I'll be selling them in my Etsy Shop soon, but it is currently a work in progress.

Project Pinterest

Liquid Fabric Softener and Fabric Softener Sheets

I am really excited to tell you about this weeks project because it turned out so wonderfully, and I have added this to my laundry system in full confidence.

First let me start by tell in you that I am already a fan of homemade laundry soap. I started making my own laundry soap about a year ago and have been happy with the results, and the money savings. I use this recipe that I got from a friend and it works like charm.

When I came across this pin for fabric softener and dryer sheets I knew it would be something that I was going to try right away. Now I've seen DIY softeners before, but never dryer sheets. And what made this recipe stand out to me was the essential oils. I LOVE ESSENTIAL OILS! I use them almost daily at my house. My son rarely takes a bath that doesn't involve a little aromatherapy; a bonus for mom that sits in the bathroom while he plays to his little hearts content, which can sometimes be way beyond the point of wrinkled skin. I'm telling you a little lavender and eucalyptus oil will do wonders before bed, especially during allergy and the cold and flu season. 

Also, I want to make it clear that this post is just a review and recommendation based upon information that I have obtained from diyNaturals.com. I want to be sure that I am giving credit where it is due. The handmade cotton fabric softener sheets that you see at the end of this post however, are my original design and idea.

DIY Fabric Softener

The fabric softener just calls for plain white vinegar mixed with the essential oil of your choice. I decided to opt out of using the essential oil in my softener because the scent will not stay on your clothes. It's more of an added bonus when doing laundry. Essential oil can be pricy, so I only stuck to using it on the dryer sheets, which I will explain in a minute. But the vinegar worked great as a softener! Does it leave your clothes smelling like vinegar? Not. at. all. But here is what it does do:

• Naturally softens your clothes
• Removes soap residue in the washing machine
• Reduces static in the dryer
• It's antibacterial

Now, if you would prefer to add a little pep to your laundering process by adding the essential oils to your softener, diyNaturals recommends using lavender for its calming effect, sweet orange to help fight stains and brighten clothes, and peppermint to help fight strong odors on your clothing. You can get the exact recipe for this vinegar/essential oil concoction directly on their website.There are many other essential oils that you could use too, these were just the main ones they highlighted.

DIY Dryer Sheets





This worked BEAUTIFULLY! diyNaturals has the following instructions for making your own:

"Cut cotton cloth into small squares. I use 5-inch squares of cotton t-shirts that I’m retiring. Add 3-5 drops of essential oil to your cloth and throw it in the dryer with your next load. These cotton dryer sheets can be used for 2 or 3 loads, each time adding 3 more drops of your favorite essential oil. Wash the cloth after a few uses and experiment with a new fragrance the next time! Some of my personal favorites are lavender, lemon, or grapefruit." - diyNatural.com

They also have some other recommendations for safe alternatives to dry sheets if you are not into essential oils, or just don't have any. What do I mean by "safe alternatives"? Well I would have to write another post to explain this, but I found a great website that can break it down for you. Check out what Holistic Health Secrets has to say about the safety factor of your dryer sheets.

I tried these dryer sheets using a clean dust cloth to test it out. I also used lavender, my favorite essential oil. OH. MY. WORD. Let me just tell you how much more enjoyable it was to fold my laundry. I kept taking deep breaths of all my clothes. They smelled like fresh lavender, not that fake lavender smell that commercial products offer. And not only did my clothes come out smelling great, when I walked out to get my mail I could smell the lavender coming from the dryer vent that goes outside. At first I thought to myself "hmmm, my lavender plants have bloomed already?" No, it was my laundry! And the BEST part, yes it does get better, is that the scent from the oils that you use on your dryer sheets will remain on your clothes. Not like the fabric softener. I'm telling you that this is the next best thing to drying your clothes on the line, yes I still do that as well. Did you know that dust mites can survive a run through the washer and dryer? Think about that when you put your freshly "cleaned" sheets on your bed.

To sum this all up, my advice for the best smelling, cleanest and I mean CLEAN, softest, most natural laundry routine is this:

• Wash your clothes using an all natural detergent using the recipe from diynaturals, the recipe that I use, or another recipe that you can find. There are many out there.

• Use vinegar fabric softener

• Hang your clothes on the line to dry and fluff for a few minutes in the dryer using your DIY essential oil infused dryer sheets. I at least recommend rotating your clothes so that get line dried at least once a week to kill those dust mites. I can understand not be able to line dry every time you do laundry, but try to get those clothes out there every so often. The sun really does a tremendous job of killing bacteria, and there is not one essential oil that can compete with the smell of nature. God really does always win.

And just because I like to add a little style here and there around the house, I created these cute reusable dryer sheets. Coming soon to my Etsy Shop (a work in progress).

 
Good Luck on your laundry! Let me know if you try any of these recommendations. I'd love to hear how they work for you.

Project Pinterest

I don't know about you, but I have fallen for Pinterest hook-line-and sinker. I love it! To me it's like skimming through an endless magazine filled with the things that only I am interested in.. I have stumbled upon some great blogs through Pinterest, and I have especially been thankful for this site when my pregnancy-induced insomnia kicks in at 3am.

But as fun as it is to pin all the fantastic ideas that I see, I've thought "what's the point if I'm not going to do them". So I have actually been trying recipes, subscribing to magazines that I have come across, and even redesigning some rooms in my house from the ideas I've gathered on the site.

And so "Project Pinterest" was born. The new addition to my little blog. I am hoping to report a new project or review of something I have actually tried from one of my many pinboards every Wednesday. I hope you find this new addition entertaining and helpful!

Let's get started today!

For my first Project Pinterest I would like to introduce you to this recipe for Slow Cooker Orange Chicken. After following this pin back to the original blog post from Six Sisters Stuff (great blog by the way), I decided to try it out.

Now you have to understand that I am not a cook. I like to cook, but I am NOT good at it and in fact I am scared to death of it. I mostly stick the good 'ol recipes that my mother taught me growing up, but every so often I will venture into something new. I have definitely expanded my cooking horizons since I've been married, but there is much more expanding that can be done.

I love Chinese food, but who doesn't? We don't eat it often because I cringe every time I see my bill from the local take-out place (yes I'm cheap), and although it is cheaper to go for the buffet, well I'd just really rather not. But every so often (like twice a year) I will allow myself to splurge on some good Chinese take-out. So when I found this recipe for homemade orange chicken I was ecstatic. I LOOOOOOVE orange chicken.

I very cheerfully went to the grocery store and picked up all the ingredients for this delicious meal and I followed the recipe to. the. "T". I never try to mix things up when I'm trying a new recipe. I like to make it just as instructed the first time so I can see how it turns out. Well this recipe started out great and the smell that filled my house while it was cooking almost makes it worth making again. But as much as I love the blog from which this recipe came, I have to report that the end result was less than what I had desired. 

I was so excited for Gabe to come home and see my masterpiece. He even commented on how good it smelled when he walked in and I was all like "yeah, I know. I rock." So we plated up and headed to the patio to enjoy our nice dinner on the deck. 

We sat, he prayed, and we dug in.......moment of silence...................more silence........................Finally I spoke up and said "honey, you don't have to eat this if you don't like it, I won't be offended". He looked at me with the most regretful of eyes and said "thank you, I can't take another bite".

Oh my word - it was awful! We scooped it all into a bowl and fed it the hunting dogs, and I'm pretty sure they were hesitant to eat it. And this is why we keep Ramen Noodles handy in the pantry.

So there you have it. My first Pinterest Project. It didn't turn out so well, but it was worth trying and hubs and I got a good laugh out of it. I think from now on we will just stick to our bi-annual splurge on take-out.

The Final Countdown

With less than 90 days to go, I have entered into the third trimester and therefore have begun the home stretch. To say this pregnancy has gone by fast would be an understatement, and I am hoping that time continues to move this fast for the next three months. I am SO tired of being pregnant, and am ready to start losing this baby weight [sigh]...


I have been doing very well with getting my projects done around the house. Even ones that I know were not necessary for baby's arrival, but when you start nesting in the second trimester you're bound to get side tracked with such tasks as repainting the laundry room and master bedroom, completely redoing the landscaping, and lots and lots of sewing.


I still have unfinished sewing projects. Right now I am in the process of making Wyatt a quilt, sewing reusable nursing pads and burp cloths. There are so many tutorials out there for baby sewing projects. I wish I had the time to do them all.


But my new main objective is the boys room. I can't call it the nursery because Brodey and Wyatt will be sharing a room and I'm trying not to make Brodey feel left out. I'm really trying to over-emphasize the "big brother" factor around our house these days. 


Are you ready to see the inspiration for the "boys room"?

Thank you Katie at bowerpowerblog.com

Isn't that wall absolutely amazing? I think so. Thank you pinterest for leading me to this amazing blog post that provides details instructions on how to get this look.

Gabe is not a mister handyman (well, he is actually very handy. Just not when it comes to this stuff) so I've had to recruit the help of my brother-in-law and father-in-law. Father-in-law is not yet aware of his participation in this project, but I just know he will be so enthusiastic when I give him my puppy dog eyes and push out my baby bump a little further - I know he will.

But before we go nailing all this wood to the wall there is much work to be done in preparation. I just finished staining Brodey's new bed to match the crib and changing table. Glad that task is done. But now I need to clean out Brodey's toys (hopefully while he is napping), strip the wall paper, and paint the walls. Oh, and "weather" the wood that will be nailed to wall so that it looks as awesome as it does in the picture here. Again, I say thank you to pinterest for the how-to on that project.

Gabe will be leaving for two weeks in mid June for Guard duty, so I'm hoping to get everything done before he leaves. [fingers crossed] On top of all this, I'm hoping to comb through the rest of the house and get my spring cleaning finished. 

I've been feeling great throughout this pregnancy and I just pray that I can continue to feel this good, and that my energy levels stay elevated throughout this trimester. If I get all my big tasks done by mid July, I can spend a few weeks relaxing and working on any last minute sewing projects. And of course, spending some good one-on-one time with my little man.


That's the plan anyway! Does anyone have any suggestions for things I can/should be doing to prepare for baby? I'd love to hear your comments.