Some finds

Small outfits...

We went to Goodwill yesterday and found some tiny onesies for baby Josie. Not that we'll need much of course, due to the full closet of hand-me-downs waiting for her. But we loved these open ended onesies for the first few months...plus 99cents isn't too much to fork out.

Then there was this purchase. Skeptical? Hmmm...me too. But before you rush to judgement, I should inform you that yesterday Lou actually pooed in her potty. Not even 18 months and I think she could be ready for this. I haven't read the book yet, but even if it's totally bogus I'

m sure there will be some helpful hints. (Again, a 99cent purchase.) I will let you know how the rest of this adventure goes. Trust me, I have my doubts too. At this point it will mostly be me sitting her down on the potty, not a "hey mom I am getting the urge to go potty so can I go?" kind of thing. I figure it's a start, and if she's open to sitting there, why not? And again, she actually did

go yesterday! Oh and I'll probably only let you know how it goes if it's successful :) I'm kind of like that. Don't like to admit failure so much, you know ;)

Oh, and for some reason I love this commercial...Ode to the Commode

(Or is it just me that thinks thats a very clever way to sell bleach?)

Haha; well it's just so fun, isn't it? I love how I can go from talking about bread-making one day, sharing prayers the next, then this. It's life I suppose!

Morning offering

O Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works,

joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular
for the intentions of the Holy Father.

Amen.

breadmaker breadmaker, make me some bread

Every time I've made bread in my oven it's turned out too dense or some other thing has gone wrong. So finally, I got my hands on a bread maker!

I was just wondering if any experienced bread-making-ladies out there (or guys) has any helpful hits for me before I get started...? Thanks in advance!

Some pictures, but not all.

I had the hardest time selecting photos from our visit to put on my blog. I don't generally like to have hundreds per post, so I just picked the ones of the kids playing together and the rest can be found in an album on facebook (I will post a link as soon as I get them up...)

Also, if you get a chance click here and use the code 0001161204 in the search bar. I submitted the photo I took of Isaac and Lou and possibly, maybe, it could be selected for use on a Jones soda bottle. How cool would that be?? Well, there are over 40,000 entries and more pouring every day so its kind of a long shot :)

Lovely ladies adorning themselves with flowers from Christy's garden

Eating watermelon together...a nice summery thing to do (oh and not a posed picture, at all :)

Haha; this picture cracked me up when I saw it! Malachai and Lou are both pretty outgoing kids. Here they are "sharing" the toy.

Cute kids, all around!

After Sunday liturgy, playing in the sun.

Doesn't she look like a baby from Little House on the Prairie or something?

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Though it was a long drive for the littlest one, it was well worth it. Next time maybe Mike can get some time off so we can stay a little longer. It's interesting because most of Mike's family lives in Oregon so we've been down a few times to visit, but I also grew up taking trips down there because I have cousins that live on the coast. I have many childhood memories of Oregon, too. Very fun. I would probably write more but Lou is waking up from her morning nap. By the way, she has made our lives a bit easier now that she decided that falling asleep on her own and in her crib is fashionable.

Sweetness

Isaac and Lou

...more pictures to come of our whirlwind trip to Oregon to visit family.

Alfalfa

So, were you expecting to see elephants on my blog today?? :)

My mom, Lou, and I took a quick trip to the Woodland Park Zoo yesterday. (The reason we are able to do this is because we have a zoo pass, otherwise it would be far too expensive.) Anyway, we have been so many times I didn't really get too excited about taking pictures. I pretty much just took it out for the elephants, because they were really close this time and were doing tricks for a presentation! Did you know elephants can squeak? It was so...cute!? Haha; not sure if elephants qualify as being cute or not. But. I will say that these giants might start to rival the gorillas for my favorite zoo animal....

Well, hope you enjoy the many pics I took of these guys (well, the smaller one is a female Asian elephant and the big one with tusks is a male African elephant)

Oh, Lou was a little nervous about being so close to these giant creatures, as you can tell by this photo with my mom...but doesn't she look so beautiful in the sun? And her little alfalfa hair!

Have a great weekend all!

I'll tell you what

...is not a good idea:

It's not a good idea to wait 3 years to go to the dentist. This might be something you already knew, but just in case. Take it from me. Me, who went in yesterday and found out that a toothache I was having was the result of a nice little cavity. Did I say little? Actually, I meant a

cavity large enough to fill almost the entire inside of my molar, resulting in the need for a root canal. See what I mean? Three years = major, expensive, painful dental work. That was not all...I also have two other cavities and a portion of receding gum line. I was quite concerned about getting dental work done while pregnant, but both the dentist and my OB assured me that everything I need is safe for the little jelly bean. That is comforting, but still, the last thing I want in the world to do is sit in a chair, on my back, while people drill in my mouth. :P

I'm not asking for pity. I deserve none. Just do me a favor and go see your friendly neighborhood dentist if you haven't in the last 6 months!

At least Lou knows; an apple a day keeps the dentist away! :)

(By the way - growing up we were always diligent about going to see Dr. Thomas every 6 months. I never had a cavity until I turned 18. It was just after going to college and getting married that I let it slip)

Growing up

This Saturday I attended Kristina's bridal shower. She is getting married in 1 month....so exciting. Most of my closest friends from school are now married (or very close) and as you can see, now I'm not the only one with a baby! Aubri and I were thrilled to find out we were due the same month, me at the beginning and her at the end. But, here is our first belly picture together! So fun that we get to do this. I will always remember this as being a great time in our lives. Even though pregnancy isn't always the most pleasant experience. Actually yesterday I felt horrible all day long. I didn't make it out of the house :( I'm pretty sure it's not a bug but just a combination of icky pregnancy hormones (I still haven't completely shaken off the morning sickness) and I also have a toothache which is giving me a killer, constant headache. I still don't feel 100% this morning so I think my mom and sister are going to come over to help entertain Lou so she doesn't go stir crazy with her mama on the couch.

Anyway, I just wanted to post these pictures of us girls looking so grown up! (Sarah, we totally missed you amiga)

Simple Woman's Day Book

I got this link from Laura who got it here. Hopefully I did it correctly!

Outside my window...it's cloudy but warm.

I am thinking...My body is ready for a nap. I can't wait for Mike to get home. I love that Lou bear, even when she's grouchy.

I am thankful for...Mike having a job, a healthy Lou, and a baby on the way

From the learning rooms...Louisa is learning about tearing up magazines

From the kitchen...A whole flat of raspberries is waiting for me to make pies or something yummy

I am wearing...white shirt and maternity jeans :)

I am creating...A new icon corner, in the living room

I am going...to have to see a dentist - I have a toothache! :(

I am reading...Strangers and Sojourners by Michael O'Brian

I am hoping...Kelly and Dan get to move closer one day

I am hearing...You can fly! from Peter Pan (Disney on Pandora)

Around the house...A newspaper is open to read, a baby is ready for a nap soon

One of my favorite things...Baby kisses

A few plans for the rest of the week: Kristina's bridal shower Saturday!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Lou and her godmother, my aunt Ginnie. Family is so very important, no?

Call me Ishmael...

...or you could call me materialistic. But after picking up a cute new top and baking some chocolate chip cookies, I feel ever so much better.

I guess you could just call me a woman ;)

Okay, to be fair, there are some more pure reasons for me feeling much more cheerful today; like Mike letting me go out alone last night, a good conversation with him, and yes, there was prayer involved. Well, it still needs to be involved. All joking aside, I really need prayer to sustain me. It always amazes me how quickly I can forget this simple fact. Life feels like it's getting more complicated by the day. I know that I cannot sort it out all on my own without God's help through prayer. I need His assistance every moment. I especially need to trust Him and trust that goodness and love will prevail above all life's difficulties and problems.

Though again, let's be honest; chocolate can really help out in certain situations, too. ;)

(I like how if you look closely you can see my belly in the reflection. Which, by the way, is getting bigger by the day. I should really post a few belly pictures. I was already doing that by now with my first pregnancy, I think.)

Bad to better

Oh boy. Yesterday was a rough day for us girls for some reason. It just started out bad and didn't really improve until we picked up Mike from the bus stop and went grocery shopping together (is it just me or is it much more pleasant to shop with your husband? With a wiggly baby anyway. I wouldn't mind going completely solo, I suppose) I got a call from Stevie right in the middle of the rough afternoon, and ended up breaking down a little. Sorry Stevie! I am doing better now. I'm just glad that awful Monday is over. Lou, though distracted by recent play dates, has been having a hard time lately with teething. It's affecting her sleep which makes her doubly-miserable. She just wants my full attention all the time. There is really no end in sight but hopefully we'll all be able to better manage it without getting too frustrated. I wonder if pregnancy hormones are affecting things, too?

I'm encouraged by the fact that I get to go online for a few minutes this morning. It's one of those things that gives me energy and cheers me up for the day. Especially when I get to read lovely

blogs and see how people are doing before starting my own day. Also, a rather large cup of hot coffee resides by my side.

I thought, after reading about Anne and Kelly's gardening endeavors that I would document my own tiny venture. My tomato plants are actually flowering quite nicely but I haven't seen any buds yet. Then, these lovely purple flowers appeared and were a surprise to me (when I got them they were tiny and just green.) They are supposed to attract humming birds. You should smell them, they are SO fragrant. (Oh, don't forget to read about Mary's gardening, in El Salvador!)

Here's to a better Tuesday!

Pool party

We were invited to hang out at Cabrini's pad again this weekend. The babies had a pool party while we bbq'd. Mike would have jumped in but, alas, he forgot his suit :)

We totally got to hang out with cool people and so did Lou. This was our first time meeting Jack, and yes, he is as sweet as he looks in pictures. Lou was happy to share her bottle. I'm finding kiddos like to share their drinks more than toys ;)

Say...what are you drinking there?

Here, you give it a try.

It was a grand, summer-y time. Again, hopefully there will be more of these gatherings in the near future!

Another day indoors

These are some pictures from Louisa's playdate today! (Mandy, you're probably impressed I am getting this posted so fast. It's only do-able because Mike is putting Lou down for bed and I have a few spare minutes, lucky me! :)

So Louisa and Cabrini are only two days apart. This is their second play-date and they did well playing together for the most part :) There were a few sharing issues, but to their credit they did share their sippy cups quite well. It is so adorable seeing these two dainty (ahem) little girls together. (Dainty as in climbing all over the couches, running into each other, grabbing toys from Peter :) No, but it was great. I hope they become good buddies over the years.

It was just super fun having them all over. We all took refuge in our cool apartment and the girls kept each other busy. Later the husbands came from work so we all had an impromptu dinner together. The babies were pretty worn out by the time dinner and dessert were finished. I'm pretty sure Lou is already asleep....which means I better get going so I can have the rest of the evening with Mike and a show or two...yay :)

Thanks Cabrini, Peter, Mandy and Eric for a lovely Friday afternoon playdate! Hopefully there are lots more in our future!

Indoor sort of day

Other than going out this morning for our swim lessons we've been indoors all day. It's too hot for anything else but camping out somewhere cool. Luckily we have an AC unit because otherwise it would heat up here so very fast. But it hasn't been easy keeping Louisa busy...toys are fun but only for so long...

This kind of play time only lasted for short bursts. Luckily my mom came over in the late afternoon for some added entertainment. I was ready for summer weather but WOW. I also need to keep hydrated because I was fighting a headache all day. Anyway, I wanted to write more but Lou is super tired now and Mike and I need to get to the grocery store before bedtime. Wish us luck!

Introducing....

Our baby GIRL...

Josephine May

...and her tiny little toes. So everything looked good as far as they could tell. We are right on the mark with the conception date.

Lou is going to have a sister! Mike and I both had strong feelings that it would be a girl. It is super exciting though seeing as our first two will be the same gender. We can just imagine them being the best of friends. We'll save some money, too! Now I am so looking forward to preparing for this sweet girl! That will include taking out all the newborn onsies and receiving blankets, getting them organized and washed and such :) I know we've got lots of time, but when you get news like this you're itching to do something!

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Thank you Lord for this blessing that we don't deserve. We praise Your name and ask for your continued protection and guidance. Hail Mary, full of grace! Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus!

Freedom lover

Hope you had a happy 4th of July yesterday! If you have today off (like Michael) I hope you have a great day today, too!

God Bless America

A new look

Ahhh how refreshing, yes?

What was that? You say you hate it? I should go back to simpler times?

Hey, you can't tell me what to do :O! This is my blog. I can do what I please with it.

So there.

But, um...I really hope you don't hate it.

Lou's first camping trip

...Told through Louisa's eyes. But first a note from her mama; So, we went to an area that I grew up going to. I have many great memories of camping, swimming, hiking, boating, playing. Less pleasant memories of mosquito bites, poison ivy, rainy days, and fighting with siblings are thrown in there, too. But it all comes in the package of being a family, right? I love

that you can go to "Eastern Washington" where it's much warmer than Seattle but still maintains the forrest-y Western Washington terrain. Also, I love the crisp, clean glacier fed rivers and lakes - and yes we did go swimming in them! I am grateful for those memories and that's why I am so happy to be able to help facilitate memories for Louisa and our future children. Oh, mom, I realize now how much work it was for you! As the mother you do so much but are still blamed for when things don't go quite right. I am convinced though, that all the work is well worth it. (Easier said once we are back in a cozy home, right :))

On to the adventures of little Louisa meets the woods!!

First, we got in the car and drove for a while. Good thing I was tired so I napped most of the way! Then we got to this place where there were lotsa trees and boppa and daddy got out a big

thing called a tent....

It started to seem like we were going to stay there for a while, so we got out some snacks....

Then uncle Pat showed up! (I am getting better at saying his name by the way) I was starting to get tired again so I napped on daddy....

At nighttime we slept in the tent. I was quite happy to give everyone a wake-up call at 5:15! I didn't want them to sleep in in this strange place! It was cold, but I was able to snuggle with mommy and go back to sleep. Everyone else started their day, though. I think they enjoyed making bacon and coffee. oh, I discovered I like bacon myself!

We went to the lake, too! It was very pretty there. I played with my bucket

in the sand. The water was too cold for me, but mama jumped in and surprised everyone. Daddy said mama was kind of crazy, but he says that a lot. Oh, and I ate some sand....

What is it with daddy trying to sleep? That is not something I'm fond of, so I went over to make sure he wouldn't miss any of the action....

More fun was had back at camp, sitting by the fire reading...

I think I liked the whole camping idea. I don't know if I understand the concept yet entirely, but it sure is fun to eat junk food all day and hang out by the lake. Sleeping in a tent, sitting by a fire, getting dirty; all fun stuff! But mostly I was happy to be with the people I love and I would do it again any day....

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