looking back

(right before we found out we were pregnant with Miss P)

Justin and I have sure crammed in a lot of living in the last 8 yrs. and sometimes I just wish I could hit the pause button.

Don't you ever feel that way?

I suppose we all have this similar fate, of making the most out of the tornado of everyday life...but some days I just miss certain things about my life before P & R!

I miss sleeping in...
and not even really late, I would be happy with 8am...
instead of 5:55....I think this wake-up time has aged me like 10 yrs....
but we are working on that.

I miss late night sushi dinners....late night movies...late night nights
Those are really fun.

I miss just hopping in the car and going....
not triple checking to make sure I have everything-under-the-sun including snacks, water, diapers, pacifier, tissues, sunblock, crayons, paper, stroller, etc.
We are working on this too.

I miss alone time...
Can I get an amen?!

BUT, I am grateful beyond measure for how things have shaped up for us.
We could never imagine the life we have now...
and I feel so blessed to be home with my kids,
up at 5:55,
eating early chicken dinners,
taking shorter-not-as-exciting day trips,
with my two little sidekicks
that think I am
Wonderwoman.

THIS I would not change for the world.


xoxo

getting it all done

I am wrapping up ALL my projects this month as I prepare to pack up all things crafty and say goodbye to it all for a few months.
Realistically, I don't think I will be crafting much of anything till after the new year....
unpacking and settling in seems to take me a LONG time, and since we are downsizing to a smaller place in Texas, organization will be imperative
(and if you know me, you know this is a challenge!!!!)
so I am getting it all done,
wrapping it all up,
and purging like a crazy person...my sis would be proud!

With that being said, I took on a sewing project for an OLD High School girlfriend who is expecting her first baby and wanted me to sew up a crib skirt, bumper and pillow for her little Jude.
I didn't think I would ever want to do another baby bedding set again after I finished little Stella's last year, but I guess it was just time to give it another shot

(much easier the second time around, btw!)

I was happy to do it, as keeping busy is the name of the game right now.
Here is what we ended up with.
The crib skirt was done in the striped fabric.
I really love how it turned out, and I hope little Jude will love his new crib as well!





Since Riv and Paige will be sharing a room with twin beds at our new spot in San Antonio, I knew I needed to change the bedding we had going on in each of their rooms...
Paige's = too girly : Riv's = too baby and crib sized....
so I came up with these fabrics, and I love how it all turned out.
They are twin sized, so they are quite large but hopefully
the kids will have them for a long time!









I want to get some cool artwork for the room too.
So far I have my eyes on these:


hughillustration

Modern Pop

beautyeveryday

lisacongdon

judykaufmann


This is my inspiration room...I just love everything about it!!
(don't remember where I snatched this picture from...maybe designsponge? Sorry!)


ALSO, no real update on Justin other than I think the luxury of ALL that "time to yourself" has worn off, and he is missing his family a lot.
(I don't blame him....we are pretty cool!)
He is running/working out/swimming/reading a lot to stay occupied...and just anxious to get to the halfway point so we can start to count down the weeks.
We miss him terribly, and pray for his health and safety everyday...he is a great Dad and an amazing husband. The Air Force is lucky to have him!

xo, proud Wife/tired Mom/crazy organizer/sunbathing addict

Day 19

With week 3 of J's deployment fast approaching,
I thought I would post evidence of us having fun on day 19
...since we are still having fun
....for now.
But, we have had
A lot of sulking
A lot of pouting
A lot of ATTITUDE....(even Riv has started the arms-crossed sass!)
But I digress...





Riv is kind of obsessed with our hand-me-down Cozy Coupe at the moment.
He doesn't go anywhere in it...just likes to sit
....have a little "guy time" I suppose.
If Paige is anywhere near it, he runs to it with full speed and jumps in like his life depended on it.
(Check out that physique!)






LOVE Paige's face in this one....funny girl!


I have been wanting to recover our chairs (again) for some time now, but really wanted to do it in something wipeable
(thanks P & R for always wiping your hands on our chairs)
....enter super bright and happy laminated cotton.
Goodbye very tired, although classic, black and white gingham...kinda.
I think they are much more cheery and happy, and they have stood up to countless cups of liquid, spaghetti sauce, blueberry smashings and dirty feet...
LOVE! And they got a new coat of white paint after these shots were taken, FYI.




And now, because I am totally sentimental this week, I leave you with a flashback from one year ago:
I really miss these kids...
REALLY REALLY REALLY miss them.
Last year was a lot easier than this year....
last year I didn't hear things like "You are ruining my life!" when I brush her hair out at night....
But I am learning to love where I am,
and make the most of these last precious years with the kids before I go back to work and the kids start REAL school...
I know I will miss these days just as much as I miss THESE days from last year.

Day 12

I LOVE him

I miss him

I DON'T miss being as big-as-a-house-pregnant,
but I like this picture because I am probably really hurting his leg,
and he never looks little next to me...but he does here!

He's hard to hurt, you know.

xo

webcam

This is us...
waiting to skype with Justin....
sooo thankful for skype...
we like making funny faces.
xo

70 days...maybe?

So, Justin left us on Wednesday for his deployment...he will probably be gone for about 70 days, down from the original 93 days that is was going to be...but it is the military, so we will just look forward to seeing him at some point in September.

( I would like to interject here how lucky I feel sending him off for such a short time in comparison to many men and woman who bravely leave their families for MUCH longer periods of time to serve...but he is gone, and I will miss him very much! Any time away from your family is hard.)

We spent our last few "family" days like this...



Justin is the "fun" parent that splashes/tortures the kids and chases them around the yard...I am not that parent...and I gave him the death look as my camera was just out of splash range...I think I should get a waterproof point-and-shoot for the summertime!


The little dog next door loves us...her name is Tink....she is tiny (can you see her??), and funny, and total entertainment for Riv. He loves her!


I will update as I get info. on his adventures overseas. He is in Germany now, and will be bopping around for the next 10 weeks....he should have a blast and learn a lot while he is there.

xo