Pumpkin Patch Playdate

This post is a little late....but better late than never right?

I LOVE the fall....have I said that? I think I have. Anywho....there are a lot of things that are going on in the fall that I love....we have football, Halloween, Thanksgiving, my anniversary, this year we'll be having a baby, and for me it's not fall without a trip to the Pumpkin Patch.

I never went before having a kiddo and that first year the trip was definitely more for me than Victoria, but it was so much fun to go on a hayride and pick out our pumpkin. In the past I've picked little ones out for her. A size she could carry. This year was a different story. This year I never made it out to actually buy pumpkins so I decided to get 2 big pumpkins....this was not a good idea at 8 months pregnant. I had to just hope my 2.5-year-old would cooperate while I carried 1 in the crook of my arm (the genius I am got one without a proper stem) and the other I carried by the stem. I thought I was going to DIE. My bestie almost got a shot of this craziness until Victoria went running to a tractor to jump on and ride away without out me so not only was I carrying 2 good size pumpkins; I was also running with them to get my child. Fun stuff. I didn't take my camera....just my phone so pardon the pics. I have always gone with one of my besties and it has been so much fun to take our children together. Her little boy is 3 months younger than Victoria (and we're expecting together again!!!). It has been amazing to look back at pictures and see how much they have grown. This year we got to go with our other bestie and her 2 children (another little boy that is 3 months younger than Victoria and a little girl who was 14 months at the time). Besties make everything more fun and we had a great time:) I feel so blessed to have 2 such wonderful ladies in my life.

We go to Oakes Farm and it's always a good time. We did the "Back 40" this year since the kids were old enough to participate a little. They played on the slide, the corn pit thingy, and checked out the animals. They tried to jump in the bounce house but it was having some issues. There was a lot more to do, but with 2 year olds and wind and such we just didn't get around to it. We were going to go back after the hay ride and pumpkin picking....but we didn't.

And a photo of the 2 that have been going for 3 years together now on top and the bottom is the group photo (which is hard to do with 4 kiddos...all 2 and under).

Apparently I'm the sentimental sap type.....

When we first moved into our house I loved it of course because it was our first home, but I dreamed of the day we could move to a more manicured subdivision and a little bit larger home. When we moved I was about 16 weeks pregnant with Victoria and so then I became a little attached to my home; this is the house my baby was born into. She has a beautiful mural painted with love by her aunt. Victoria even tells you that Kathy put it there. (BTW....this picture from her nursery when it was still a nursery just about breaks my heart.....my baby girl is growing up and has a full-size bed in there now).

The of course there is this...

I hadn't "planned" on that per say but I love how in old houses and it movies you see this and just couldn't resist anymore. Those 3 marks are my baby at birth, 1, and 2.......soon there will be 2 new marks when little Emily is born and when Victoria turns 3. How can I possible leave this?!

Then there are my gardens. They are still quite the work in process BUT my great-grandmother passed away last year and her plants that she loved so much came to live in my gardens. Plants from my Papaw's garden (like the beautiful crepe myrtle he was getting rid of) and from my Mom's garden live in there. I'm not huge into plants....but I care about these.

Then we replaced the cheapo carpet with wood floors in most of the house. My husband laid it at an angle and I'm in-love with it! I mean seriously I don't know how I could move into a house without it laid like that.

Now our second little girl is about to be born and well, our house has become our home.....our memories. I watch my husband paint Emily's room and I don't know how I can leave this place. I don't have to worry about that any time soon, but our house seriously has NO storage. I hate that other people in the subdivision could give a flying flip about their houses and the yards are overgrown with weeds.....it's just not the subdivision I planned forever in, but I just don't see how I can leave my home. Our plan has always been to leave in 3-5 years, but we've been here 3 and well...the plan is still 3-5, but secretly I don't want to go....ever. I would have to take the growth marks, the plants, the flooring, the girls' rooms.....and of course that's just not possible.

Sweet Sayings

Miss Victoria has been saying the sweetest things lately and it just melts my heart. Sometimes having a 2-year-old is more than a little stressful. I'm not a big fan of her saying "huh" all the time and I have no clue where she got this. I'm also not a fan of her showing me her food in her mouth....I think that one came from parents day out....Anyway, every time she has about pushed my patience to the limit she does the super sweet things to make up for it.

I kiss her on her face about a billion times and tell her "I'm going to eat you up!" Well, she loves and and smiles and laughs....now she asks for it. The other day while her Daddy was supposed to be getting ready for basketball I heard little girl just a giggling away and went to see what was making her so happy. She was running all over my bedroom saying "Eat my up Daddy, Eat my up!!" They were having a grad ol' time! It was super cute:-) I just love the way she says "Eat my up!" I don't think I'm ever going to be able to correct her.

The other cute sayings is "You got me!" when you give her a big hug....or sometimes it's just after she jumps on you so you can hold her. She's also been talking about her little sister Emily all the time! I LOVE that she is old enough to know what is going on. She can tell you she is having a little sister, what her name is, and where she's at. She'll also tell you that she is going to hold, and feed her, and play with her, and wash her, etc. (all while she is making the motions to each action).

My little girl definitely pushes my buttons sometimes, but she always turns right around and makes my heart melt over and over again.

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

I tried to talk myself into putting a picture with this blog but I just can't do it......yet. I will add it at the end when I've talked it up because the picture looks not so yummy. I LOVE this soup though. It is going to be a staple this fall. The first time I went to make it the hubs got that disgusted look and said he'd eat a sandwich. He had never had it; he just assumed he wouldn't like it. Of course now that he's tried it he likes it as much as I do. I didn't have an onion this last time I made it so I threw in some Onion Soup Mix and I couldn't tell a difference. I also didn't have green bell pepper so I just left that out. A word of warning.....the day you make it's really soupy, but it becomes pretty thick and I guess stewy (because of the barley). I like it both ways....I actually prefer it thicker because I'm not much for really liquidy soup. I know that sounds a little odd. Oh, the hubs asked for more veggies!!!! When I picked my jaw up from the floor I made note to make it with more corn and such the next time, but the hubs STILL wants more corn and green beans in there!!! I can definitely oblige. I asked him about carrots.....that was a negative. LOL! Both times I've made this I forgot to throw it in the crock pot early enough so I did high for 4 hours instead of slow for 6. This is another Betty Crocker Recipe;)

1/2lb stew meat
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 oz) beef broth (I didn't have any the first time so I used chicken broth)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen green beans (I accidentally grabbed snap peas so I used canned green beans)
1/3 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
1/2 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Throw it all in your crock pot set on low for 6 hours and there you have it!

Did I say I LOVE this soup?!?! I think I could eat it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! I know it looks gross, but you should give it a try:) This picture by the way is left over so after a day it has thickened up quite a bit. Sorry for the blur.

Dresser Make-over

I can't believe that I get to blog about my dresser make-over!!!! I'm not a DIY person although I seem to forget that from time to time and think I'm Martha Stewart. This time I actually fell into the project somewhat by accident....maybe that was the difference. I had planned on having my dear sweet hubby paint this armoire AND add drawers and change it into more of a wardrobe type piece.

It is HUGE though and it was going to be a big project on top of what I already have him doing so we decided to part ways with it and buy this dresser. Man oh man I tried so hard to snatch up a $30-$40 one on craigslist, but alas....it was not to be. I snagged this one for $40 (down from $50 after I haggled for the first time EVER).

I felt like it had a lot of character. I knew I wanted a piece with doors like that or with little drawers for such things as little bitty socks, etc. I offered to sand it for my dear husband because I figured you couldn't really mess that up. Once I started sanding that baby I fell in-love with it all over again! The wood was beautiful!!!! It was hard to think of painting it truth be told. I asked one of my besties who is really good at this sort of thing exactly how to go about painting it and I also did some research online. I ended up following this blog's instructions with hopes that the wood grain would show through.

So I sanded, sanded, and sanded some more. I used a little sander with 80 sandpaper and this is what I got. I didn't care too much about the drawers...I cared way more about the top and sides.

Then I got started with the primer. I bought one can....I would recommend 2. I have no patience so I went ahead and got started. I got 3-4 coats on top though and went heavy with 2 coats on the drawers (but they definitely could have used more). Oh, and I would recommend a mask or something because I was not digging that fumes from the spray paint. This is what I got.

Then I started with the paint. I was all gung ho about the 5 coats of thin paint is better than 1 thick....until I felt like I was going to loose my mind after 2 coats. The top got 4 and so did the inside of the drawers, but everything else got 3. I didn't feel like using multiple brushes so I just used one big one. Needless to say with all the curves and crooks there are some spots I need to take a small brush to for some touch ups. I ordered new knobs (at an AWESOME price from here and bought some new hinges at Home Depot....but they don't let the doors close all the way so they're going back and getting exchanged for some that do. I WAS going to put some super cute contact paper in the bottom of the drawers but I am loving the clean look for now. I made some mistakes.....I forgot about filling in the holes on top where some weird piece of random wood was screwed down AND I figured the knobs would cover everything from the old hardware but it didn't. Oh well! It was the first piece of furniture I have every done this too and I am loving it!!!!! So I will file this is the anyone can do it category. I have a couple of things in there (like running a marathon). I think that if you honestly WANT to you can:) Was it harder than I thought? YES! I didn't think it would be easy, but it was 5 hours of priming and painting alone....that's not fun at 7 months preggo. Will I do it again? Ummmm....probs not. Next time dear sweet hubby says he'll do it I'll say "OKAY" and go inside and bake him some these cookies that he loves so much and tell him thank you. I am happy I did it though:)

ETA: The dresser came from a thrift store....forgot that part and the wood grain DOES show through on the top:) YAY!!

Holy WOW!

I was thinking recently that I might have been rounder with Victoria at this point in my pregnancy. With her it was Christmas when I was this far along and I just remember one shirt in particular fitting a lot different. Don't get me wrong.....getting my big round butt off the sofa is still quite the task and the hubs looks at me like I'm a nutcase every time he sees me do it. Anywho......here's a comparison picture....the weeks aren't exactly on....the one on the Left is with Victoria at 30 weeks and the one on the right is with Emily at 32 weeks. I think total weight gain is the same so far.....

The hubs doesn't think it's that different. My pants aren't in the same position so that does throw it a little.

Italian Ravioli Soup

Mmmmmmm.....I love the warm comfort food this time of year. I also don't mind that it takes about 15 min. or less to throw some food in the crock pot for a yummy supper. My only problem with crock pots is I tend to forget to throw the food in there........so then it's like 2-3 hours before supper time and I have to come up with an alternative. Oops. I get less forgetful as the season goes though. Pardon the horrible pictures I take of food....maybe it will get better. I should have taken a picture of the soup in the bowl instead of what was left over in the crock pot after we were done eating. Oh well...you live and learn. I didn't come up with this recipe.....I don't come up with a lot of recipes. This one is courtesy of Betty Crocker......a lot will be since that is the app I use on the iPad when I'm meal planning. Anyway, I really liked this soup and it took probably 5 min. to put together! The hubs said it needs meat so you could add some ground beef or use ravioli with meat, but I liked it as is. I don't have to eat meat with every meal and since being preggo I'm not a huge meat fan anyway. If you're a vegetarian you could substitute out the chicken broth for veggie broth.

Ingredients:
4 medium carrots, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) diced tomatoes with Italian-style herbs, undrained
2 cans (14 oz. each) chicken broth
1 can (19 oz.) cannellini beans, drained
2 tsps. dried basil
1 package (9 oz.)refrigerated Italian sausage- or cheese-filled ravioli (this is where the sliced cheese is at my grocery store)

Directions:
In 3.5-4.5 qt. crock pot mix all the ingredients except ravioli. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hrs. (or until carrots are tender). About 10 min. before serving throw in the ravioli and cook on high. That's it!!

32 weeks!

Today I turned 32 weeks!!! I have 56 DAYS left.......that's just craziness!!! I told the hubs today that it will have taken less time to bake this baby then it did to make it. That's kind of odd to realize. Today I worked on a little project for Miss Emily's room. I can't wait to post pictures!!!!!! I am going to blog all about the process of my dresser painting project BUT first I have to get the hardware in the mail......an exchange the hinges I got because they do fit. I am going to wait (if I can) to blog when I can take a picture of the finished project. I am also going to be doing some blogging on some FOOD this fall! I LOVE crockpot season. I am going to do the first foody blog tomorrow.

Let's see....hubs is still working on that wall print. Poor guy......I tried to help and wanted to shoot myself after about a minute so I cannot complain about how long it's taking.....at least he is doing it. I couldn't or wouldn't...not sure which one. He has got almost all the way around the room with the design on the part he could easily reach.......he still has to go back around the room with the ladder which I can only imagine is going to blow balls. He's going to take a break though and do the beadboard before he does that. I'm hoping the beadboard will actually go on the wall next weekend and then he will be almost done! I think it will really make him feel like he is getting somewhere once he gets done with that because then he really is only a week or two away from being done with that room. I got rid of a few of his projects so I think he's happy about that. Instead of making him paint the changing table that I adored and changed all my little Victoria's diapers on......I sold it. It was pretty sad. I've picked out a new white one and we'll see if I actually get it......depends on a few things; I may just end up throwing the changing pad on top of the dresser. Yes, I use a changing table (I know some people don't really, but I do). Also, I am working on selling my armoire and instead of trying to paint and transform that piece we bought a dresser at a thrift store and painted it. I'm in-love with it....and frustrated at the same time, but I'll save that for the blog. Anywho....

Last ultrasound Emily was breech. I *think* she has flipped, but I have no clue really. I actually think she flips all the time in there. I have another ultrasound in just over 2 weeks so we'll see. I'm 100% exhausted all the time. I think I am more exhausted than I was in the first trimester. It doesn't mesh well with nesting, or school, or watching kiddos, or anything else. My back is KILLING me......especially after my project today. I have no patience at all. I know to just not put myself in certain situations right now because I am way too hormonal. I am so hormonal I almost started bawling while on the phone with the nurse when I was asking if I could ride a bike. Then I about cried again later that day when the guy who was supposed to come buy my armoire couldn't find my house and so he didn't come get it. Ummmm.....I NEED that money for dresser work dude! Oh well.

Sorry for the long blabbing blog! Oh...........found my camera!!! Of course after I blog about it being gone. I am going to do a late blog about the fair here in a couple of days. Victoria had a blast!

Here's me at 168.5 (24 lb. gain) and 32 weeks. The belly is FINALLY getting cute:)