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our summer bucket list.

 

last week while reading my friend sara's blog, she mentioned the happy family movement's summer bucket list challenge.  "this free, fun for all ages challenge is based on a simple premise: time spent together as a family is time well spent."

i promptly signed us up.  as this is our last summer in town, we're going to make the most of it.  even if it could be interesting with a new baby in tow.  so after breakfast yesterday, we each added things we wanted to do to our master family list.  some are super simple and others will take a bit more planning but no doubt many memories will be made.

 

 

yesterday we crossed two items off our list.  in 90+ degree temps no less.  we headed to bratfest and as we went later in the evening to try and not melt in the heat, we decided to attempt to stay late enough for the fireworks.  SO glad we did.  although the girls were a bit scared at first, they had a great time at the end and the fireworks finale was the best i've ever seen.

i'll also take a moment to point out that i look shocked in this photo as my crazy soon to be middle child was lunging at the camera and was trying to take me down with her.

 

 

also checked off the list?  C's desire to ride a "big wheel."  granted, she had this desire last year but balked upon seeing just how big the big wheel was last year.  this year she wanted it on the list but i figured we might have the same outcome.  turns out, she loved it.  she took a few spins with daddy and cuckoo while L and i enjoyed the view from below.

two items checked off our list and numerous memories yet to be made.  hello, summer!

the last of my to-do list.

 

i get stingy with my time when i'm "overdue" with a baby.  as in when i knew my estimated due date was the 19th, i began to plan that i'd really like to make it through the last week of preschool and C's picnic(yesterday) and then the girls had dentist appointments this morning.  check and check.  this was L's first trip and they were both rock stars.  they think going to the doctor and the dentist is the ultimate of field trips.

this morning i was also able to arrange the altar flowers at church for pentecost as well as stick three more meals in the freezer for the coming weeks.  i'm feeling like a rock star myself, thankyouverymuch.

so we'll see what the long holiday weekend brings...  if i was a betting person, i'm betting that we'll still be a family of four come tuesday.  if that's the case, i'll be getting lots more done in the meantime.  each day is an extra gift to enjoy our family as it is now before we begin to celebrate life as a family of five.

and the extra days will give me a chance to clean the incredibly thick layer of dust that came in through the open windows yesterday.  ugh.

preschool first day + last day.

 

oh what a difference a school year makes.  although apparently we're still very into pink and sandals no matter what the month.  at least i was able to convince her to let me pull her hair back today for the 87 degree temps projected.

so proud of her and everything she's accomplished in her very first year of school.  she's able to write her name, read, knows bible stories better than i do and so many other things.

looking forward to an amazing summer spent with three little ones and the no doubt many adventures we will undertake.  

and a BIG thank you to this baby for holding out and letting me attend their biggest sister's preschool picnic today.  it was much appreciated.

project life | week 18.

 

today i'm sharing week 18 of my project life album over on the BasicGrey blog for a new series we've started and we've named "what a week."  

i hope you'll head over and check it out for your chance to win a kit from Studio Calico as well as some amazing BG product.

menu plan monday : 5.21.12.

 

this week i'm going to attempt to get a few more meals in my freezer for post-baby.  since this baby is going to be well cooked, i figure i really should take advantage of the extra time!

meatless monday : leftovers.  cleaning out the fridge to prep for this week's groceries.

tuesday : turkey tikka burgers.  this one got bumped from last week's menu so it's back for this week.  looking forward to it.

wednesday : green chili chicken enchilada casserole with quick pico de gallo.  everyone loved this the first time we tried it and it's SO easy.  perfect for this week.

thursday : pizza.  pizza got knocked off of last week's menu as well.  how does THAT happen?!

friday : fish tacos with chipotle lime cilantro slaw.  found this on pinterest and immediately pinned it.  can not get enough fish tacos.  LOVE them.  now i'm not so sure how the others in my house will go for this, but considering i'm the 40 week pregnant mama in the house, i believe it's my right to make whatever i'd like.  i'm sure you'd agree.

 

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new recipe reviews from last week :

sweet and sour peppers and penne.  although there wasn't anything wrong with it, it was just okay.  i've already thrown the recipe in the recycle bin, so i don't plan on making it again.  too many other great recipes to try!

 

our saturday.

 

we packed a lot into our saturday this weekend.  quite the opposite of what one would likely think of doing when 40 weeks pregnant.  and it's 86 degrees outside.

first things first, miss L moved out of her high chair and into a "big girl chair."  instead of a booster, i snagged another kaboost that raises the height of our dining room chair to the perfect level.  it was the perfect meal to start with as she dined on her beloved french toast.

 

 

after breakfast we hit a local dairy farm that was having a family day.  the girls were enchanted with this calf and they each entered a contest to name him/her.  C's choice was darlin.  (the name that never goes away.)  L's choice was adam.  obviously she goes along with every idea her sister has.  both make better cow names than baby names, don't you think?

 

 

everyone but mama enjoyed climbing up into a couple of combines to enjoy the view and "drive."  this was daddy's favorite part of the excursion.

 

 

enjoying the view from atop some large hay bales.  you can see just how bright and sunshiney the day was.  much sunscreen was sprayed on.

 

 

and of course, we had to stop and color at the tables set up.  

right before coloring, we decided to treat the girls to some milk fresh from the farm.  it was bottled and everything, but it was from the farm we were at.  apparently i'm raising city children as they were amazed it was cow's milk.  as if they don't drink cow's milk every other day.  at each meal since, they've asked me if the milk i've given them is cow's milk...

 

 

the requisite shot with the farm sign.  love the name.  love that everything but the milk we purchased was absolutely free.  

next time, we're so trying the ice cream.

40 weeks.

 

40 weeks today.  besides being 86 degrees today, i'm comfortable and can't complain.  well, except for the fact that i have a total of four shirts that are long enough to cover my very large belly.  can't get enough peanut butter m&ms, but those are my favorites usually.

C has decided that if the baby is a boy, we should name him adam.  as in adam and eve from biblical fame.  i guess that's better than her last vote of darlin' as the baby name.

so not looking forward to losing this baby weight in the middle of summer.

perfect park morning.

 

my partner in crime.  we hit the park this morning for playgroup.  a gorgeous morning to be outside.  although i'll admit dragging the sunscreen back out for park outings isn't my most favorite thing as i hate smelling like it for the rest of the day.

but a happy face like this as she shoots out the end of a tunnel slide?  totally worth it.

love those turquoise shades.

wordless wednesday : dinner with daddy.

 

i asked to take a photo of the two of them together and she threw her arm around him and shrieked, "cheeeese!"

project life | week 16.

 

 

meant to get this up last tuesday but other things got in the way.  i was doing so well with being almost current and then my printer ran out of ink so i'm now a couple of weeks behind again.  hoping to be closer to current at the end of the week unless this baby decides to arrive earlier than my master plan.

 

 

[left page] the first round of baby laundry. two quotes from C [probably my favorite part of this whole project is the random things that she says.].  a 36 week belly photo.  the girls playing with daddy.  another photo of L at the ob's office as we wait for an appointment.

 

 

[right page] L transitioned to a cup.  the girls loving to bring the bins back to the garage each week on trash/recycle/compost day.  gorgeous flowers from a friend.  a twitter quote about how large this baby likely is.  a note from nana to the girls.  the girls dressed for church.  a trip to costco with aunt cuckoo.  new dress-up clothes from nana.

still continuing to love this project.  event with how chaotic this year will be, it actually means that our life is getting documented more as opposed to the occasional layout.  our 2012 will likely be documented via project life and baby #3's baby book.  and i'm okay with that.