These are a few of my (current) favorite things...

Every now and then I discover something that I just love, and feel the need to share it with someone else!  Today I thought I'd list the little creature comforts that I'm especially fond of currently.  In no particular order...

The Morton Arboretum.

This place is heavenly.  Beautiful trees, flowers, paths, fountains... the most amazing children's section that I think was made specifically for boys with energy to burn... and a wonderful gift shop that makes anyone want to be more earthy!  (I have never wanted Ginkgo leaf jewelry or my own garden more... what!?  Where does that come from?)

Pure Valencia Orange Juice.

Sadly, they are either discontinuing making it or Target just isn't carrying it on their shelves anymore because it's GONE!  Go grab a bottle of this if you can find it - it's so sweet that you can't drink more than a short juice glass at once.

Thymes Sweetleaf Baby.

This scent is so yummy and I particularly enjoy the instant hand sanitizer.  (*This is a little 'splurge' item...)

The Soup.

Our friends the Larsons suggested we start watching more of this show, and we are glad they did.  It's hilarious, if not a bit crass, and every week Rob and I look at each other in amazement at all the terrible TV shows that are out there (which the Soup summarizes for you and shows highlight clips of the worst moments...).  Very entertaining.

Target Sheets.

I love Target for so many reasons.  One of the biggest is that I found these Thomas O'Brien sheets there a while ago (when they were on sale), and they are the softest sheets we own and oh-so-pretty.  They put our Pottery Barn wedding-registry sheet set to shame.

Butterfly Flower Room Oil.

This is apparently a new scent at Bath and Body Works (use a coupon when you buy it!).  At my local store they had it burning by the front door, and when I walked in I was in love.  It's a bit sweet, and since Rob has an aversion to scented anything, I usually just burn it during the day.

Privo Clark's Acacia Slip On.

I just found these shoes at our Outlet Mall in Aurora, and they were half the retail price!  I am loving them because 1) they go with (almost) everything, from active wear to cute tops, 2) I don't have to have a perpetual summer pedicure in order to wear them, and 3) my prego feet can swell all they want to in the next 2 months and these will still be comfortable on my feet.  The only downside is that they require a bit of maintenance to keep them from getting stinky since you wear them with bare feet.  A small price to pay, in my opinion.

Totino's Cheese Pizza.

A prego's best friend - at least this one's.  What's not to love?  They cost $1.27 at Target (on sale this week for $1.20!).  They cook in 10 minutes or less.  You can finish an entire pizza by yourself for lunch (at least right now I can).  I suppose some would balk at the calories, the fact that anything that can be considered a full 'lunch' and costs only $1.27 can't include quality ingredients, or the scare we had exactly one year ago of the Pepperoni Pizzas being recalled for Salmonella (I remember, because I was eating them back then since I was pregnant with Robbie, and had 5 Pepperonis in my freezer at the time!).  I play it safe and stick with Cheese now.  I realize that many of you have just lost an enormous amount of respect for me.  And you know what?  I'm ok with that.  That's how much I love this trashy pizza.

Skippy Natural Peanut Butter.

Rob gets the credit for encouraging me to steer clear of hydrogenated oil (we call it poison now).  But I was having a hard time giving up my sweet peanut butter for the bland, gritty, oily Smuckers Natural version that he has moved towards.  Then I found this product.  Bless Skippy.  It looks and tastes like the old kind of peanut butter, but actually BETTER - and there's hardly any oil swirling around the top when you open a new jar.  It's worked out nicely that in our household we have his-and-hers peanut butter, because right now I am loving the freedom of being able to dip my Pink Lady apple slices right into the jar.  And my double-dipping is guilt free.

Cascadian Farm Organic Granola - Oats and Honey.

I have tried every box and bag of granola that Jewel, Dominick's, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's have to offer.  This is the only one that I think tastes good!  Bonus - it's sold at Target.  Get a box and pair it with your morning yogurt.  Yum.

Dairy Queen Blizzard - Oreo.

Ok, this one isn't healthy, cheap or going to do anything good for you except take you to your happy place.  It might be my biggest and worst craving this pregnancy, next to trashy pizza.  Sorry baby girl.

Bumble and bumble Seaweed Shampoo and Conditioner.

I found these lingering in my bathroom closet from last summer, and am newly addicted.  They have a light, fresh, sweet scent with a hint of mint.  They're perfect for summer - not too harsh or heavy.  And although the conditioner feels more like a detangler going on, it hydrates enough for even color treated hair.  I restocked my supply when it was on sale (where else - at Target) because it's definitely a splurge item.  

So there you go!  These are my little indulgences.  What are yours???

And no, I am not paid to review products on my blog.  I just thought it would be fun.

Not Me Monday!

Since this is my second post in one day, it's going to be a short one.  But I had to confess...

That last week I DID NOT knowingly go to the park with Robbie in capris that had coke or some sort of beverage stain on the legs.  Said capris were certainly NOT white.  And we would NOT have been meeting friends for a playdate.  

I do NOT crave real butter right now.  Land of Lakes, unsalted, the real deal.  I DON'T eat certain things during the day just because they go with butter. DON'T you dare melt it on my toast, smother my roll with it, or fry my steak or chicken in it.  I'm just as happy with that 'I can't believe it's not butter' crap substitute.  (*I blame Miss July for this one...)

I would NEVER dream of taking up sewing right now.  I am NOT tempted to buy a sewing machine so that I can make my own drapes/bedding/etc, halloween costumes for Robbie, and other crafty things like the adorable denim-pants-quilt that has been haunting me ever since I saw the project on someone else's blog.  We have nowhere to keep a sewing machine, I am less than 2 months from delivering our second child, and I completely forget everything I learned in Home Ec.  Therefore, this entire concept  of taking up sewing does NOT swirl around in my head every day.

When I run errands by myself in Rob's car, my belly is NOT so big now that it accidentally honks the horn every time I get into the car.

A day would NEVER go by that I might not have consumed a single vegetable.

I am NOT addicted to sweet tea in the summer (2 bags Good Earth Original, 2 bags Luzianne), Grandpa Bob style (add Sweet and Low).

I do NOT get winded every time we go for a family walk around the neighborhood, and insist now on pushing the stroller so I have something to lean on when Sciatica strikes mid-stroll.

What's For Dinner?

2 Kinds of Flatbread Pizza!

"Garbage" Pizza

Flatbread (I got the Asiago Parmesan kind from Target)

Olive Oil

Pizza Sauce

Diced Garlic

Sausage, rolled into small balls and pre-cooked in skillet

Fresh Basil, torn 

Sliced Tomatoes

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Italian Seasoning and Fresh Black Pepper

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, cut into strips

Layer above ingredients (quantities are up to you!) in order, bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes!  Soooo easy.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Flatbread 

Olive Oil

BBQ Sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray's Original)

Cooked bite size pieces of chicken (think pyrex dish, chunks of raw chicken, drizzled with BBQ sauce - 350 degrees for 30 minutes)

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Cilantro, fresh - chopped

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese chunks

Grated Gouda Cheese

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Same directions: Layer above ingredients (quantities are up to you!) in order, bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes! 

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm so thankful to be able to celebrate my second Mother's Day this year.  It was a wonderful day, to top off a great weekend overall.  I even got a card written in crayon 'from Robbie'!  I know it is a blessing and not a guarantee to be able to have your own children, and to watch them grow up, and every single day we count this blessing and thank the Lord for Robbie and our little girl.  There is really nothing I would rather be in this lifetime than a mom and a wife who is devoted to her family, but most importantly to the Lord.  It is a lot of responsibility to be charged with bringing honor to God's name and to your family as a wife and mother, and I pray that every year I am able to experience growth in order to bring glory to God in these areas.  It is such a fulfilling journey!

Robbie, Rob and Me

Me and my sweet Mom, celebrating together!

Robbie and my awesome Dad

Another perfect spring day...

So far this weekend has been the perfect Mother's Day gift any girl could ask for.  Beautiful weather that has allowed us to get outside (even if it's in sweats!) and stretch our legs... lots of time together as a family... did I mention I have not cooked a single meal either? (oops.)

Robbie and I joined Rob in the backyard late this morning as he was cleaning up our bushes and flower beds.  He had Robbie's new sand and water table all set up and ready for play!  Grammy and Papa gave this to Robbie for his first birthday, and he already LOVES it.

He's been getting lots of practice over at the Arboretum with splashing so he knew just what to do.

Discovering that the water was dripping over the edge.

I just love this picture from the back - Robbie is tall and overall just a bigger kid for his age, but he is still such a little person!  

He's starting to increase his vocabulary, but is limited by the sounds he's able to make.  So he does a lot of pointing in an attempt to communicate, and when words fail him, he just says "This?" or "This!" - your basic question and exclamation!

We can tell that he knows much of what we are saying to him, and has started to put names together with familiar faces.  But that's another post... 

After a while, I resigned myself (2nd day in a row!) to the fact that he was going to trash his outfit.  So I let him crawl around in the dirt.  This was preceded by the moment he almost crawled off the deck, and Rob hesitantly picked him up (with dirt-covered hands) to keep him safe.  He knew I would cringe at the mess, but I think I surprised him when I said 'don't worry about it - he's going to get messy anyways.'  Plus, Robbie's safety always comes first!

Ah, yes.  Boys love dirt.  This one likes to crawl around in it more than the grass.

Content to examine blades of grass.  Bless those sweat pants and socks.

A great shot of the hand prints on his onesie!  But he is so happy - I must let him get this dirty more often.

Dad, would you like me to help?

Playing together in the backyard. 

Mom, I picked this stick out especially for you!

The picture I will pull out and look at when I'm having a rotten day in the future.  Doesn't it just make you happy?

Breaking into Dad's shed.

I adore how much this little guy loves his Daddy.

We finished the afternoon off with snacks on the couch, and a lesson on how to drink from a glass like a big boy.  It was a forced activity - Rob and I were eating and drinking, and Robbie now wants to eat/drink whatever we have (and won't take no for an answer when it's close to nap time!).  So I shared my half-bitten grapes and yogurt, and Rob shared his water.  Our couch will never be the same.  But I suppose I said that a few months ago when Robbie pooped all over it, and it's no worse for the wear.

Gross.  

I need to find a happy medium between our current state and wanting to be perfectly clean.  Excuse me while I go call the upholstery cleaners.

A beautiful day, from beginning to end

This morning when I looked out the window, it seemed like it was going to end up being a stay-inside-and-be-productive-while-it-rains sort of day.   I ran an errand with a friend once Robbie woke up, and when we got home I put him down for his morning nap.  I ran a load of laundry, ate lunch, wiped down our filthy stairs, and was making a mental list of all the chores I wanted to complete this afternoon.  Boring, but all necessary.  (Especially since we had been gone Monday through Wednesday traveling to Cincinnati to visit my relatives on my mom's side of the family.)

I heard Robbie waking up from his nap, and when I went in to get him, it seemed like the whole day just decided to lighten up!

First of all, this silly boy had apparently been awake for a little while and was trying to disrobe himself.  He got his arm stuck inside his outfit, which is when he decided to let me know he was awake and started to call for my help.  Of course, I ran for my camera before getting him out!

He was especially expressive after what appeared to be a very refreshing morning nap.

I cranked his window open to let in some fresh air while I changed his diaper, and that's when I realized that our gloomy, chilly day had turned into a beautiful, warm spring afternoon.  I bagged the list of chores and decided that we were heading over to the Morton Arboretum for an afternoon outside.  I changed Robbie into shorts and a short sleeved shirt, and applied - GASP - sunblock to every inch of his exposed skin (first time this spring!).

These tulips welcomed us into the parking lot of the Arboretum - don't you love the color combination?!  

And these were just plain pretty.  I wish I had them everywhere, all the time.

Our friends the Deedricks and Aunt Cheryl were also spending the afternoon at the Arboretum, so we met up with them for a little while to play.  Steve (Daddy Deedrick) had a hat on that Robbie took a liking to, and even wanted to wear around.  

Cheryl and her 2 boys... Robbie and Levi!  She knows these boys inside and out and loves them both so much.  Levi is 3 months younger than Robbie, and the last time we saw him was in the Fall at the Arboretum, when Robbie was 6 months old and he was 3 months old.  They are both so much bigger now!

The best part about the Arboretum for Robbie is this little area where you can pump water and watch it run through these wooden channels.  I don't know how else to describe it... all the big kids pump the water, and Robbie just plays at the bottom of the trickle-down channels, splashing away at the water pooling with stray wood chips.  He likes to pick the wood chips out and show each one to me like hidden treasure.  It is such simple, innocent entertainment and it totally melts my heart each time he proudly shows me his newest splinter of wood.  (Is that ridiculous?)  I always respond to him as if he were showing me the most beautiful thing in the world, which seems to greatly satisfy him.  We did this for about 30 minutes until he was soaking wet and very dirty.

Unlike the last time we let him loose in the water in this little play yard, I had come prepared.  Before heading to the car, I stripped his cold wet clothes off and wiped him down with a dry towel.  I put him in a dry one piece outfit and bribed him into sitting in his stroller, strapped in, with juice and a snack.  It was sheer mommy brilliance, if I do say so myself!

Robbie, relaxing on the way to the car with his juice... sunning his pasty white legs!?  I just loved this view I had of him reclining.  What a life...

And I am noticing that beautiful days make me sentimental... or maybe it's the growing realization that my time alone with Robbie is about to come to an end, and so these fun play-days we have together are even more special to me.  Whatever it is, I thought his toes looked especially baby-ish and delicious today, which warranted a picture. :)

My handsome little boy, as sweet as can be.  

We got home just as Daddy was pulling in from work, and while he mowed the lawn (is there a greater sound/smell?!?!  I think not.), Robbie napped and I put my feet up.  We decided to try something new for dinner, and went to Alfie's, which is basically a medieval diner.  I truly don't know what to make of it.  On the way home, we picked up some Dairy Queen - and yes, it was heavenly.   

What a fun day we had!

Update on our little girl

Yesterday I had my final ultrasound (we think) at the hospital, and it was fun to see our baby girl again!  She has gotten so much bigger in the last two months that she no longer fits very well on the ultrasound screen.  Here's the best picture:

If you're wondering (like I did) what those bubbly-looking things are that seem to be floating in the amniotic fluid above her face, that is the umbilical cord.

Everything still appears to be right on schedule and progressing perfectly... we are incredibly thankful for her health.  My favorite part about seeing her was when the technician had a perfect view of her face straight-on.  She moved the ultrasound wand in and out so that I could see the contours of her face, and our baby's chubby cheeks were actually visible!  I have never seen that before in a typical ultrasound, which tends to be very skeletal-looking.