my first 29th birthday

Just kidding........I'm not going to be one of those people that celebrate their 29th birthday over and over again.  I am actually excited about turning 30 and the thought of getting old doesn't scare me at all.  I used to alway think 60 was old, but my parents are nearing 60 and I definitely don't think they are old.  Our age is just a number.  Who really cares how old we are? Not me!!

I had such a great day celebrating my 29th birthday.  One of my friends from our ABF shares a birthday with me so we hung out all morning.  Carissa works Monday-Thursday but is off on Friday so I called her earlier this week to see if she wanted to spend her day off with me on our birthdays.  We had such a fun day together and declared that we are going to make this a yearly tradition!!

We started our morning off at Denny's for breakfast to get our FREE Grand Slam. 

 After breakfast we headed to Safari Park to let the boys play.  Landry is about a year younger than Pearson.  Pearson talks about "Aug-Wee" all the time.  They are just now getting to the age where they can really start to play together.  

My sweaty boy had such a good time at the Safari Park.  He is still talking about the Choo-Choo ride. 

We stopped at lunch at Firehouse Subs to pick up our FREE sub for our birthday!

 I had never had Firehouse Subs, but it was so good. Pearson even ate a pretty big portion of my sandwich and almost half of my chips!

The boys had so much fun playing with their fire hats. 

 After lunch we hopped next door to go get our FREE Yogurt at Yogurtville. I think this was both of the boys favorite stop of the day!!

All our morning fun with Carissa and Landry wore us both out.  Pearson took a nice long nap while I vegged out on the couch.  I always feel bad just sitting around and doing nothing, but not today!! It's my birthday!!

When Matt got home from work we headed out to Grimaldi's to get my FREE birthday pizza!! It was so good!! Even Pearson loved it.  We ate all but one piece!!

I asked Matt for a new purse and a personalized Otterbox so I picked out my personalized Otterbox online and then we went shopping at Charming Charlie's for a new purse.  

We finished my birthday out with a FREE Red Velvet Pazookie at BJ's.  

I definitely had a fun filled (and free food filled) birthday! I couldn't have asked for a better day!!

**If you are curious about how I scored all of this FREE food check out Dallas Moms Blog on October 3rd.  I'll be posting all of my secrets there!!

safari park

I've had a groupon all summer long to take Pearson to the Indoor Safari Park. I finally took him today with my friend Carissa and her son Landry.  We had a great time!! Here's a few pictures from our adventure at the Safari Park. 

If you are planning on going, I would definitely make sure you have a groupon. It's not worth the full $10 for a pass to play.  Also, it costs $1 for adults and the kids must wear socks!!

pearson {27 months}

• Monthly pictures are next to impossible to take these days.  This was the best we could do.  Actually, pictures in general are so hard to get.  I want some updated family pictures before I get too pregnant but it looks like that won't be happening because I'm positive you wouldn't cooperate!
• You started preschool this month.  You go 2 days a week from 9:15-1:45.  You are doing great so far.  You love talking about your new class and new friends and especially Logan. 
• You started carrying a "Tack-Tack" to school and you love it!
• You have finally learned all of your colors.  You still call brown black sometimes and purple pink.  But other than that, you know them all!!
• You are obsessed with Stickers and Stamps.  We do sticker books all the time at home and you get a stamp somewhere on your body everyday at school. 
• You love to dance in the car but Mommy and Daddy are not allowed to.  If we start dancing you say "No Mommy dance".  I guess you are already embarrassed by us.  
• If the radio station is not good dancing music you will tell me "New Station" and then if it's a good one you tell me "Up  Mommy" to turn the volume up!
• You got sick this month with the croup and strep and had to miss school one day.  The steroid you took for the croup made you CRAZY!! We had a rough week of really bad behavior, lots of tears, fits, time-outs, and spankings.  
• You will no longer give us hugs and kisses at night.  You lay in your bed and then say "Bwoah Kisses".  
• "Mo-Mo Cycles" (motorcycles) are you automobile of choice these days.  Although, big trucks and "Twawers" (trailers) come in a close second.  You also love looking at construction sights and love the cranes that we pass every time we go to church. 
• You think all houses with a round pointy part is a castle
• After watching me play Candy Crush you have learned the words, delicious, tasty and sweet. Everytime I brush your teeth you say "Yi-tious". It the cutest thing ever. 
• You used to call all churches castles because of the steeple.  We finally taught you they are called steeples and that if they have a steeple it's a church.  You can now spot all churches and steeples. 
• One day I went shopping for fall clothes for you and when we got home I showed Daddy.  I kept  saying "Aren't these cute?" Now when we get dressed you always say "Cute"......about yourself and about me and Daddy!
• This month you have become a very picky eater.  I never know what you are and aren't going to eat.  It's hit or miss everyday.  Some days I swear you only eat bread, crackers and fruit. 
• No is your favorite word and it's about to drive Mommy and Daddy crazy!!
• You have started playing soccer with Daddy in the living room. You love to kick your little soccer ball. 
• When we drive places you like to tell us to go "dis way" or "dat way".  You can also tell us exactly how to get to Lolly's house.  
• When you see a stop sign you tell us to stop and you also tell us "Green-Go" and "Red-Stop".
• You are convinced we are having a baby girl. If we say it is a boy you say "Nooooooo, baby gull"
• Every night when we say prayers we ask you whose turn it is to say prayers and you ALWAYS say "Mommy's turn".  One night when Daddy was playing softball and went and ahead an asked him whose turn it was even though Daddy wasn't home.  Of course he said it was "Daddy's turn".

grandaddy is 60

Sunday evening Matt's entire side of the family headed to Top Golf to celebrate his Dad's 60th Birthday!!

We left Pearson and Ethan (the two youngest grandkids) at home while we played golf!! 

 **I have been so terrible this summer at keeping my big camera with me, so all of my pictures are from my iPhone.  I stole the next three from my SIL because she always has her camera with her!!

{Most of the fam}

 {Matt, Bryan, & Stan}

 {Matt and his Dad}

After golfing we headed back to Matt's sister's house for cake, presents and a special video.

Grammy always makes the coolest cakes.  She is incredibly talented.  

{Grandaddy and his kids}

 {Grandaddy and his grandkids}

 Grandaddy had lots of help from Pearson and Ethan opening his presents!

My brother in law made a neat video full of pictures of Grandaddy all throughout his life.  It was fun way to celebrate 60 years of his life!!

Happy Birthday Grandaddy!! We love you!!

meal planning monday

Monday: Ravioli w/ Sauce, Caesar Salad, & Parmesan Bread

Tuesday: Me: DMB Mtg Boys: Steak Fingers, Mashed Potatoes & Salad

Wednesday: Me: MOPS Dinner Boys: Nachos

Thursday: Cranberry Chicken, Broccoli, & Sweet Potatoes

Friday: Grimaldi's for my Birthday!!

Saturday Breakfast: Einstein's Bagels

Saturday Lunch: Leftovers

Saturday Dinner: Taco Soup

Sunday Lunch: Sonny Bryan's

Sunday Dinner: Paninis and Chips

Baby No. 2 {17 weeks}

how far along? 17 weeks

how are you measuring? Right on track.  I was measuring one day ahead in my sono. 

size of baby? size of an turnip

heartbeat? 180's bpm (at our 13 week appt)

total weight gain/loss? 1 lbs

maternity clothes? I pulled out some of my maternity pants.  They feel so much better with the elastic around my waist but they are really still do big.  I'm wearing them anyway because they are so much more comfortable.  I'm still mainly wearing non-maternity shirts, but I did wear a few maternity tops this week because I just felt like wearing loose fit clothing.  I still kind of feel like if I wear I tight shirt it's hard to tell if I'm pregnant or just fat!! My little bump is really starting to grow so I shouldn't be in question for too much longer. 

stretch marks? No new ones.  But honestly I couldn't care less if more show up.  I'm not too bothered by the few Pearson left me!!

sleep?  I was very restless this week because I kept waking up thinking about how I want to tell friends and family the sex of the baby.  I got it all figured out one night in the middle of the night and now I can sleep again.  That is until we find out the sex of the baby and then I'll be up thinking about nursery themes, names, and matching outfits for my boys or new bows and dresses for my little girl!!  I'm waking up usually just once during the night to go to the bathroom. 

best moment this week?  The weather "cooled down" a little bit so I was able to go on 4 walks this week!!  It was about time that I got my booty moving again.

movement? Yes, and they are getting a little stronger where I can feel them without my hands on my belly.  I don't ever really feel them during the day, just at night when I'm laying down.  And, a few the past few days I have eaten a big handful of Peanut Butter M&M's and then I could really feel the baby move.  The baby must have a sweet tooth like their Mama!!

food cravings? Anything sweet!!

gender predictions? I'm still thinking girl, just because of the subtle differences between my pregnancies.  I wish I could know the heart rate of this baby before our next appointment because the old wives tale about the heart rate being high seems to be true with all of my friends.  Right now ours is very high, but it was a pretty early appointment and it's usually higher in the beginning.  We'll see.  We will be thrilled with a boy or a girl.....whatever the Lord chooses to bless us with is fine by me.  Nine more days until we know!!

what i miss? My skinny jeans.  I tried them on this week and they don't fit.  I'm definitely going to have to invest in a pair of maternity skinny jeans.  Any advice on a good brand.  I live in my skinny jeans in the fall/winter.
what i'm looking forward to? My birthday this Friday!!!
how are you feeling? No complaints here!!

comparisons to last pregnancy? I still wake up feeling kind of yucky.   I have to have my glass of cran-apple pretty shortly after I wake up in the morning or I start to feel sick.  I feel like at this point with Pearson this was already over. 

Here I am 17 weeks with Pearson and 17 weeks with Baby No. 2.

annie sloan obsessed

So THIS finally happened. 

I've been saying for months that I was going to repaint this hall tree but it just hadn't happened. On Labor Day Matt and I headed to High Street Antiques to pick up some Annie Sloan Chalk paint. They have a little boutique in the Anitque Store where they sell her paint. If you haven't heard about her paint you can read all about it here. (http://www.anniesloan.com/) It's a little pricey, but SO worth it because it is practically fool proof. The paint is $38.95 a can and the wax is $27.95 a can. It's very forgiving and super easy to use! Oh and did I mention that you don't have to sand or prime!!!

I used Provence! Isn't it pretty!! Just the pop of color I was going for in my kitchen!!

I started with this little $3 chair I got at a garage sale. I wanted to try the paint out on something small before I did my big hall tree.

After the paint dried on the chair I went ahead and started the first coat of paint on the hall tree. I could tell it was pretty easy to use and I wasn't going to screw it up.

I did two coats of paint on both pieces. In all if the tutorials they say you can paint in an x motion or swirly motion. You don't have to worry about brush strokes showing. The panel on the left is the first cost. You can see lots of brush strokes and lots of wood through the paint. It was amazing to see how th second coat of paint just covered it all up. The right panel has a second cost. It looks lighter because it just hadn't had a chance to dry.

It takes about 30 minutes for each coat of paint to dry. It dries super fast. I waited a few hours for my second coat to dry then I added the soft wax. The soft wax makes the piece have a finished look, gives it a little sheen and seals the paint. I decided not to do the dark wax on top, but that is also an option if you want a more rustic shabby look. I was going for finished clean look so the soft wax was perfect for me!!

Here is a picture of Pearson's little chair all finished!!

And here is my hall tree all finished!! I'm in love.

I can't believe I was able to finished this project so quick! I started at 10am after we got Oearson dropped off at school and finished at 5pm when he woke up from his nap. That was even with an hour break for lunch and an hour break to pick him up from school and get Dairy Queen.

Now I'm trying to decide which piece of furniture I want to paint next. I've got a coffe table and entry hall table that are screaming to be painted. My kitchen table could also use some updating. And as soon as we find out the sex of our baby I've got a bookshelf I want to paint for his or her room!!

Seriously I'm obsessed with Annie Sloan paint!! Just search for it on Pinterest and you can see tons of cute pieces of furniture!!

10 on 10 {september 2013}

 We went to the doctor yesterday and found out Pearson has Strep.  He has also been fighting a yucky croupy cough so today was not a normal Tuesday for us.  We stayed home and watched TV just about all day long.  It was the only way that I could keep this busy boy still. 

Who needs stuff animals when you can snuggle with a truck?

Even though Pearson couldn't go to school we still loaded up and went to Chick fil-A for Breakfast.  We just opted to go through the drive thru to keep from speading our germs.  This Mama can't pass up free Chick-fil-A breakfast.

We spent some time in the bathroom with a steamy shower trying to get rid of his awful cough. 

Mommy was WAY behind on laundry so I did lots of catching up while little man watched his shows.  

 Same song, second verse.  

Except we switched to the iPad and Mickey joined us. 

Sadly nap time didn't last very long today because he was having a hard time breathing.  I was able to squeeze in a little blogging and I also watched the Season Premier of Ellen's 11th Season.

We ended up making a second trip to the Pharmacy to get a steriod since Pearson was still coughing and having a hard time breathing.  Since my poor guy had felt so yucky all day I thought a Sonic slush would make things all better!!

 Yep, more shows on the iPad with Daddy.  Somebody got a little spoiled today.  I'll probably pay for it tomorrow when I don't allow him to watch any TV at all. 

Pearson ended the night with a little playtime with his pirate ship.  He felt the need to add Wonder Woman to the crew!!

 I bought a few new maternity clothes the other day so I decided to make a fake bump to see how they would look in a few months!! 

Happy 10th!!