lots of little stuff

Oh man, so like the title says there are lots of little stuff to blog about! Take a look!

Yes I did post this on Facebook but I still love it. It's not every time she'll let me do it and I don't try every day but sometimes she doesn't mind and it's adorable! She looks so grown up with it. 

She has also been maturing SO much! She talks in decent sentences like here she's saying "Dios good cat, I like him too!" and she'll take toys or just random things and say they are friends or best friends and then they hug and kiss. She's getting so good about saying please and thanks which comes out as "anks" and actually the first time she said she also said another first... "mommy" I have always been "mama" and about 2 months ago I became "mom" and its been about 2 weeks now that I have officially been upgraded to "mommy" so you can only imagine when she looked up at me and said "anks mommy" for the first time I melted bad! So sweet. I try to write down all the cute things she says but I forget so much and then the ones I do remember are just cute because of how she says them haha. Her understanding has just increased so much along with her memory and it just blows me away so much! She has also sort of gotten the idea of her bike. She's still a little short for it but she can get it going. Only when she get distracted with turning or something that she gets all mixed up. Keith brought her outside even though I wasn't really down since shes still too small for it and our side walk is far from smooth! Well she went about 20 feet or so and then Keith was going to send her back and she caught a crack and ate it... Tears (mainly out of fright) came, scrapped her nose and knee but so slightly, no blood, no scab, just a little red and a small bruise. It took a while but I did get her back on the bike. I wasn't too stoked on the fall, I know she'll fall and get hurt but I didn't want it to happen her first time out when the bike is just a little too big for her anyways because I didn't want it to ruin her experience so I was really happy she got back on. She also can do a summer sault (is that how you spell it?) maybe 1 in 10 times but still for a 2 year old I feel that's pretty impressive. All the more reason I would love to get her in to gymnastics. And one more bragging right on her, I know I posted this on Facebook too but, Naomi is starting to take dirty dishes and silverware and put them in appropriate places in the dish washer! People say oh good job mom but really I don't ask her to do these things or have her help me load it but she just does it. She is just simply perfect! Such a helper!

Ok I am in love with Craigslist, I know out in Utah it's all about KSL and supposedly its even better than CL but its what I have and I'm in love hee hee. Recent example number one. Our old fridge was leaking and starting to mess up our new floor. Found this one, its a little on the small side but we got it for 50-70% off a new one in the store and its pretty new. Only a couple issues, which aren't really the worst things. We love it. it gives the kitchen a whole new vibe!

So then because the guys like to fish but we can't eat it fast enough and our new freezer is kinda small we desperately needed a garage one, we had wanted one for a long time now but with the new freezer and the increase in fish we were getting desperate. I called on a few around $70-85 but they were always gone. Then I found this one. $30!!! I couldn't believe it! AND the fact we got it! So nice to have. Now when there are deals on food I can stock up and put it in here. So great!

And then this is my last one. It was one of three. In this picture you can kind of see the castle in the back ground, another young mom went with me and got that one. These new would cost $400 +/- and we got them for $75. Yes they are used but in just fantastic shape, not even much sun bleaching! I have it being stored at my parents house and Christmas Eve after she goes to sleep were going to set it up in the living room with either one big bow (depending on how much the dang bow is) or a bunch of little ones. So when she comes down Christmas morning she will have a house! I can't wait to see her expression! I figure we have the room and it will help keep her busy during the rainy days and with me being a little distracted with #2. I'm so excited! 

Ah yes and siding continues!! 

It just looks amazing and when we can get a new light in there, of course that will be after we paint but it just looking so amazing! and yes more and more un level lines are being brought to light but Kyle is a master at hiding the fails the absolute best anyone could! We are so lucky to have him here helping us!

Still lots more to do for the entrance but its coming along and that is all we can hope for! 

Yes back to the construction site of a yard... 

So fall is here and its lovely. What are the best things about fall? Hot chocolate and or cider? Cozy blankets? Warm weather clothing and accessories? Holidays? The beautiful change of leaves? I agree with what ever you think! However all the trees around the neighborhood are green, yellow, red, and there are a lot of Japanese Maples that turn almost purple! So so so pretty! But what do we have in our front yard? This fugly bush tree monstrosity! It has those nasty spiky seed balls too, ouch! and yes its changing colors on the top, from green to brown! seriously? We all want to cut it down and get something else. I want something pretty. Something that changes pretty colors in the fall! Something that when you rake the leaves in to a pile to jump in you don't have to worry about getting gouged by a prickly seed ball! Besides we could use some fire wood haha ;)

See like this red to yellow to green and you can kind of see in the back to the let the dark red. Fall is so wonderful!

Ok on to the Crafty part of this blog, I warned you there was a lot of little stuff! I saw this idea from online (here is the how to blog: http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2012/03/simple-thrifty-diy-art.html ) What I really loved about it was this: "I like the idea of shopping for art.  But finding art for a specific spot in a home is hard, isn't it?  I want something that is the right size, incorporates the right colours and is affordable." Which is so true! And laying in bed and looking around it seems like we JUST moved in instead of being here for almost a year. I didn't get the exact foam as she did but same basic stuff. I got a 3/4" by 4' by 8' piece at Home Depot that after tax was just over $8. And the wonderfully sweet guy that helped me even cut it down a bit so it would fit in my car! I got the fabric at Joanns which came to about $22. So I was able to do this for less than $30 with insane extra! Its great!

Finally got it on the wall today. I didn't hang it like she did either, I just used the Hercules hooks we already had. If you don't know what those are google it and buy them! They are awesome! And cheap. And yes, its not centered over the bed, but that is because the bed isn't centered. I need to rearrange the room a bit and get some night shelves, I don't want night stands so were just going to make a shelf, big enough to have a phone charger, light and like a book on it. I'm excited for when it happens. 

Well Naomi loved it SO much but I didn't want to over do the idea that I thought I would try doing her name. 

It was a messy ordeal haha. 

So here's how it turned out. NOT NEARLY AS AWESOME AS THE ORIGINAL!!!! I'm not super crafty but it just didn't work as well but I figured she's still too young to care that much! I thought of another way to do it but still not sure if that would look good. I think hot glue might have helped... Naomi loves it though. When she saw the ones hung in our room she says "WHOOOOOA!!!" and then I brought her in to her room and she does the same thing and says "I like it!" And just now she climbed up next to me and goes "WOW!!! Wow! Its my room!" just from the pictures. I love it! She's adorable. 

Ok so another bump shot. I'm 34 weeks today. Thing's have been going ok. Last weekend I did have some serious sciatic nerve spasms from things widening and relaxing. It was crippling and bringing me nearly to tears... My doctor said I could take Tylenol but it didn't help. Thankfully it only lasted 2 days and since Sunday I have been ok. Knock on wood that it doesn't happen again. 

He's just too cute

Oh yeah ok so this is the new born beanie my most talented sister in law made for the little one. I had them for Naomi and I just loved them and got a bazillion complements on them. If you have a youngster, girl or boy, in your life this is a great gift! Here is one link to her store: http://www.etsy.com/listing/108328597/new-color-newborn-hat-in-navy you can customize the hats to a point as well. Like most of her flowers on the site are white but I asked for pink and well as you can see that was totally doable! 

Well I think that is about it. I know there will be more to post as the siding keeps going up and the pregnancy gets further and further along. Hope you enjoyed and didn't fall asleep! 

past month or so

So not a whole lot has been happening and yet nearly 2 months has past! We are done with the bank. cashed the last check and paid off the contractor. Naomi has been such a rock star with the potty training. Hiccups every now and then, only during sleep times though and I will take partial blame for some of them. I had to take the dreaded glucose test which has changed since I took it with Naomi, all but the nasty drink. I ended up laying on the floor in the waiting room in between getting my blood drawn because it was the only way I didn't feel like throwing up, since that would veto the whole test. I had an appointment the other day and she didn't say anything about it so I guess I passed? Is that the correct terminology? I don't know. We went up to the cabin for Labor day weekend with Kyle and Myra and well it was nice to get away but it was a meat bee year (Myra sat on the couch and got stung and bit and I was getting up from the floor and got stung) the fishing sucked and because of fires hopes of gold mining were put out. After we got back the guys measured out siding and we got that ordered so when ever they get a chance they can start pulling double shifts again (work and then work on the house) thankfully the only deadline we have are those we set ourselves. I had hoped to already have about 3 weekends of siding down but between the cabin and friends who are going to help having things come up we haven't had one =( It will get done though. Maybe we can just post pone rain until December? Naomi has been talking and so out going lately. The things she comes up with, I can't even remember them all! She has started remembering primary songs, the first one was the wise man and the foolish man, she doesn't really sing it but she does the hand motions. Then over the monitor one afternoon I hear her singing "I looka window what I see? popcorn tree!" and she will do all the hand motions for that song and say key words like surprise and treat. While we were at the cabin one morning she started jumping and saying "sun BEAT! sun BEAT!" it look us a minute before we realized she was doing the sun BEAM song. haha. Which lead to all of us trying to remember all the words to the song so she could jump at the appropriate times, far too cute. She will say "time to goooo!" "Stay here" "Perpect" (after she does something which translates to perfect) while we were driving home from the cabin she had to pee and told me and I told Kyle who was driving, we were planning to stop in about 15 minutes so he wasn't going to pull over. She just kept asking me and I kind of knew she needed to go so I told her she had to tell Kyle. She looks at me for a minute looks at Kyle and goes "Kyle! STOP!" And raises her little hand up motioning him to stop. We all were dying. Luckily there was an on/off ramp right then and she got to pee. She also is learning to say please on her own and does this intense girly please with the head cocked to one side and the hands clasped together in between her cheek and shoulder when shes not sure if it will really work. There are so so so many other little phrases like these that I just cant remember. Myra left us the movie the Lion King and Naomi is obsessed with it! There are definitely worse movies out there but its funny HOW much she could watch it. She has calmed down but still. She calls it the tiger movie, sometimes the king movie but mostly the tiger movie. Anyways here are a few pictures from the past month or so:

A while a go after church, I'd say it's juuuuuust about nap time

Morning snuggles with Ozzy as I get my morning things done.

Sorry Brittany, Ben left your comforter at our place and I walked in to see this. Little dogs need to stay warm too!

After a drift event the NOS girls attacked Keith's dirty hood and then everyone joined in. 

Oh yeah and one night Keith and Julian (or Junan as Naomi calls him) decided to put a much needed bench in the garage. 

Not perfect, but defiantly an improvement! 

Oh yeah a new bump shot, after the cabin about 30 weeks (I'm 31 weeks now) I think the altitude helped expand me out a bit and she has had a growth spurt for sure. I feel her thrash up by my ribs and on my colon at the same time. My body is also seriously prepping. My hips have been killing me and so has my pelvis to the point that when I stand up sometimes I can barely move and am hunched over like an 80 year old in a walker... I feel I need one of those at those times. I have been having the Braxton Hicks contractions (which is when your uterus practices contracting- doesn't really mean anything) and well when those happen or if I'm bending over or doing anything that pushes in on her she pushes back making more room for herself. Not the most comfortable for me but I know it can be soooo much worse. Also anything can happen but our front runner name for her is: KALYN (kay-lyn) haven't come up with a middle name but I am thinking either Kalyn Alisa or Kalyn Alyssa 

Here it is the rest of our siding! I can't wait for it to be done, in one day I had 2 people come to the door one person wanting work and another sales man trying to sell me siding. I was like we have it all, it's sitting the the driveway... (you know the driveway you just walked up?!) It's not so bad but it always seems to happen when I'm alone at the house with Naomi. Makes me a little nervous especially when I see people in unmarked cars scoping out my house then coming to knock on the door. And they always seem to do it when Naomi is sleeping so I can't just let them knock and ring the door bell and get Ozzy barking. She sleeps through a lot but still. 

So between life and helpers having their own lives (psh- just kidding) it's been a slow start but Keith has started getting the trim off. 

trim and worthless screen door

I'm not a contractor person but I feel like the sheets of siding should be closer together than this? I mean I see my insulation! hmmmm 

Yeah who thought it was a good idea to just smash the trim down and then pour the concrete front porch? Going to have to figure out what were going to do there... Freaking track home builders...

Well that is about it for now! I am sure I will post again soon as the siding goes up and windows go in!

summer time

I think the last blog was about the bank coming out in like 2 days. Well the appraiser came and went aaaaaaaaaand looks like we passed! I emailed out loan officer the other day asking what was up because I hadn't heard anything and she said that there was some issues or troubles or something with getting the title but all is done and she sent the paperwork to the bank on Wednesday and she should get the last check early next week and will send it our way! So hopefully this time next week we will be FREEEEEEEEE! So exciting! The guys have enjoyed the house breather not that much breathing has been going on between work, visitors and fishing (yes they got their first salmon off their kayaks in the ocean about 22 pounds!) but still. We will probably order the remaining siding in a couple weeks and then hopefully starting the last weekend in August and all through September it will be siding, siding, siding, calking, primering and painting! Very busy but then it will be done! And as the siding goes up more windows upstairs get replaced! I feel bad saying I can't wait because I'm not the one doing any of the work... but you understand! I really can't wait! In less than a year this house will have gone through SUCH a transformation! New siding, windows, roof, gutters, 70% ish new floors, all new paint inside and out, bathroom remodels, slight landscaping (as in getting rid of the crap that was here), epoxied garage floor and have things just actually work. It will be nice.

And surprisingly we got all that done with so many visitors! We have been so blessed to have Keith's parents and oldest sister stay with us for a few day early this summer, Denae and her family came out for a quick Sonoma county visit over the 4th, Keith's other sister and her clan stayed with us a while ago, a couple of Kyle's Utah buddies just left after staying with us over a span of a week getting a drift car built with a Formula D cage put in, Ben and Brittany will be coming out in a couple weeks, another Utah friend we haven't seen in forever is thinking about coming out, Denae is hoping to come out again late September/ early October and then Suzie and Joe in October! Oh and then of course baby girl #2 in November. It has been fun and may seem crazy but really its been spread out enough that it has been totally cool. Its nice to have a place for people to crash at and we are blessed that its big enough that were not all in each others faces.

And of course with all this going on and Naomi turning 2 and baby #2 coming we've been potty training. I took a week to prep her since we really hadn't been talking about the potty at all. My wonderful mom bought us a portable potty that sits on the ground that she would sit on every once and a while and an adorable little book but that's it. Taking that week to talk to her about it, sit on it and get a goodie (a resses pieces) really helped by Thursday she tinkled in the potty for the first time and she did again that Friday. Monday came around and it went ok. Tuesday and Wednesday were awesome with really only little half messes when it would sneak up on her and she would hold the rest in and coming running to me and wed both book it to the potty. We did end up getting one that sits on the normal potty and she does like that better I think. More adult which makes sense she has never been the child to take a baby step, All or Nothing just like her daddy <3. We even didn't have any messes for nap or bed time. Thursday was a different story however I will take some blame for some of the accidents. Today, knock on wood, has been good but she is down for a nap we will see if we make it to the potty in time when she wakes up (yup she woke up just before I posted this and she was dry!). But she gets so excited when she goes in the potty and more than half the time really puts together the feeling and what it means and well maybe a quarter of the time she verbally will let me know she has to go so I would say shes doing great! Even though yesterday I had to keep reminding myself that. It's only day 4, it's only day 4, it's only day 4... I think some of the best advice I got was to restrict liquid intake before naps and bed time, be there just as they are waking up to get them on the potty and while my child isn't a stick and does have a Gevas booty she is just in 2T bottoms and undies come in 2/3T size at the smallest but Fruit of Loom brand I guess has the smallest undies out there and they fit her perfectly!!! So major shout out to Brittany for the advice.

Well here are a few pictures of life recently to make this entry a little more interesting:

Lets see... absorbent sheets, lots of tiny undies and treats! 

Rocking out with daddy

He strummed and she would hit the Uke for some added rhythm. As Keith would speed up so would she as he slowed down she followed really smart and sweet! 

He was tapping his foot and so of course his mini me had to too, so she got off the couch and you can see her right foot pounding away. Keith is cracking up sorry the lighting sucks and the table is in the way.

One of Keith's co workers got rid of some of his girls stuff so Naomi got a bike! She loves it but her legs are about an inch too short to push the peddles but she loves sitting on it and turning while you push her and using the bell!

Ok Keith isn't a big fan of these kind of naked shots so Ill keep them off Facebook but I mean you got to have some fun when you're stuck at home potty training all week!

Hiding her toes

being silly

We don't have to have an accident to get our undies "soiled" hahah this picture cracks me up, sorry if it offends anyone else. If it does well... ummm... look how long her hair is!!!

I enter my 3rd trimester tomorrow (Saturday the 28th) I can't believe I'm that far already. With the cooler weather this past week I keep thinking it's fall and that she should be just around the corner when in reality she really is just right around the corner! 

And no, we have not settled on a name. We haven't been too in to it. There are a few we are playing with but nothing that is standing out as "the name". Will keep you up to date as that progresses!

some finishing touches

So with the bank coming MONDAY!!!! as in day after tomorrow!!!! I went and spent a bunch of money to "pretty-fy" our bathroom area. Looks a lot better and more finished. A few pictures:

So I bought some plain, white sheer curtains, I really don't understand how curtains can be so much money but surprisingly I found these for $9.99 a curtain at Bed Bath and Beyond and then they are just on shower curtain tension rods. Works for now and actually looks fairly decent, even if it doesn't show so well in the pictures. 

Another shot, that nasty old restaurant yellow bubbly glass will be gone, we have a new window for there that actually opens, which we can not wait for because that room gets so stuffy. The guys wanted to kick it out so many times while working up there! Me too actually haha.  

Bathroom painted white, new TP holder and new bath rug, also painted the door white. nice. 

Got a new shower curtain until we turn this in to a walk in shower. Then this will go in the hall bath and we will "retire" the other nasty, paint stained one.

Oh yeah I have a baby girl cooking in there. freaking huge ol' bump =)

Uh-oh! I lost her!

And as a celebration the boys went camping and fishing out at the coast. 11 nice fish. 

Yum cant wait to learn how to cook fish!

She LOVED to look at them but was so not down to touch them. Love her so much. Kind of a silly shot of her but still. 

are you jelly?

ok ok so its not done but I couldn't wait! The guys are genius! It looks amazing and really its not too expensive and a basic design, takes time sure but everything worth it does, but it looks so so awesome!!!! There is still more stuff to do but for the bank this will work! Take a look at what I mean:

 Starting out, frame and fit.

 Putting on the "ebony" stain

 AH! can you say gorgeous!!!!!

This is the best picture to show the darkness of the stain. Isn't it amazing!!!!!!!?

Its still as dark as the above picture (flash lightens it) but you can still see the wood grains

ok, ok not plumbed in but daaaaang

The guys gave me crap about spending the $44 on these, didn't have the faith but after getting them on they work perfectly, especially for only $44. There are nice ones but for twice and way more than that. 

Check out these sinks all ramp like and all. They are so cool! Square and ramp, hard and soft lines. Love the contrast!

Look what Sam built us!!! A chimney scoop topper thing. Its awesome he did such an amazing job! We are very lucky to have his help!

Oh and I pulled up the rest of the brick patio thing. Yes there is still more brick =/ but the patio thing is gone and do you see that massive brick stack in the back? Yeah, its pretty freaking big probably three sections of 3' by 3' piles. That's a lot of brick!!!

Were on a winning streak =)

So today we found out that we are 2:0, hence the "winning streak" comment. I know everyone already knows this so here are a few pictures, They aren't the greatest because I had to take a picture of them with my camera, for some random reason our scanner isn't talking to our computer right even though we've troubles shot it as much as we can. I dunno weird but here she is. Gotta say its kinda weird knowing... since with Naomi we waited.

Profile #1

Profile #2

Thumbs up!

No, we haven't done the name thing yet. Luckily we tend to like each others girl names better than agreeing on a boy name ha ha! 

a little something something

Ok short blog.

I had an appointment the other day baby is fine and kicking, I started feeling #2 around 15 weeks, I'm 18 weeks now. It's not every day but still its nice. I'm totally bumping and at least its looking more like a baby bump and not like I'm letting myself go haha. Well my doctor sent in the order for my big 20 week ultra sound!!!!! I will be Monday the 25th in the later afternoon. Since I am keeping it chill on Facebook but I don't expect people to check on here 24/7 I will post 1:1 if its a boy (as in we'll have 1 girl and 1 boy in our family) or 2:0 if we are cooking another girl! I will post the pictures on here! so I guess its time to start "taking bets" on what's in here.

On another note Naomi has her 2 year appointment on Tuesday so we can see how big shes getting! She is such a love. saying sentences like "here you go mama" "ok guys!" and so on its pretty freaking cute. However we have also hit the terrible 2's but really she's not even that horrible. Mainly she'll pout and glare at you and throw herself on the ground but doesn't kick or scream. She will glare and point at you and growl out a "YOU!" but were battling that with when ever she says "you" I'll say "me" and when she says "me" I'll say "you" slowly turns her frown upside down =)




So there is another house blog after this if you have a moment!