Kitchen Before & After

It is AMAZING what a difference a gallon of paint can make.  When we purchased our home every single wall was painted a deep dark color including the dark red in the kitchen.  It is now sea foam green and feels ten times larger.  While the paint made a huge difference we still have a lot of work to do.  Including painting all the cabinets, new hardware, replacing the rest of the appliances, putting down new floors and changing the counter tops.

Kitchen Before

 Kitchen After

Kitchen Before

 Kitchen After

In our previous kitchen I had a lot of red accessories including this utensil holder, jars, vases etc.

Instead of buying new I bought a can of aqua spray paint and went crazy with it.

One of my favorite parts of our kitchen is our family organization board from PB.

This post is To Be Continued...

One year ago today

Today celebrating my daughter's first birthday is causing me to reminisce about what happened one year ago and the craziness that ensued.
April 9, 2011
6am  I woke up on a Saturday and felt contractions.  I was only 36 weeks along but I knew right away I was in labor.  I felt the exact same pains with our first daughter 2 years earlier.  I woke up Dave and he did not believe it and told me to go back to sleep.  I grabbed his phone, downloaded a contractions app (best app ever) and starting timing while I laid in bed.

8am  When the contractions had not stopped and were now every 7-10 minutes apart.  I got into the bathtub hoping to ease the pain and failed.  When I got out the contractions were 5-7 minutes apart so I started making calls.  I paged the doctor, called my mom, my sister and best friend Abby to ask if we could take our 2 year old over there.  When the on call doctor called me back and I described what was going on and I had a pretty intense contraction while on the phone she told me that if I wanted to get an epidural (which I DEFINITELY wanted) then I needed to come in.  Dave FINALLY got out of bed and started to run around.  He threw a few things into a bag because of course we had not packed anything yet.  (Later in the hospital I realized he had managed to pack himself a few nice outfits, comfy clothes and everything he needed but failed to bring me any shoes or even a shirt a fit!  Never let someone else pack your hospital bag.)  I tried to put on some makeup and dry my hair in between calls but was struggling to breath or concentrate anymore and Dave told me it was time to go. 

10am  With damp frizzy hair adn little makeup on I reluctantly went along.  We dropped off our oldest at our friends' house and started on the nearly 30 minute drive to the hospital.  Dave hit every bump and pothole on 465 along the way.  I called my sister who was in the room when our first was born and wanted to be for this one too.  I told her to get in her car because she lived almost 2 hours away.  I then called my girlfriend Kristin to try and distract myself from the pain.

11am  When we arrived at the hospital we spent a few minutes getting checked in and headed to triage.  I begged Dave to go get someone as they left us in there alone and said the doc would be in to check me soon but the contractions were getting worse.  He was his usual relaxed everything will be fine self and told me they would come as soon as they could.  When the doc finally arrived 10 minutes later and checked me.  I was 4-5cm dilated already.  She confirmed I was in labor (DUH) and told them to send me up to labor and delivery.

12pm  I got to my room and asked everyone I could find to please get the anaesthesiologist.  She is in another room and will on her way soon I was told.  I began begging and pleading.  I was in a lot of pain and no one seemed to understand.  I looked at Dave and said "I know I am not going to get an epidural in time.  I need drugs.  I cannot do this.  Get her!"  Again, Dave told me she would be there as soon as she could and I would be fine.  When she finally came into the room the doc said she wanted to check me again before they started.  I was 8!  I knew it.  This baby is moving fast.  I sat on the edge of the bed and as the anaesthesiologist began to work I started to cry that I could not do this.  I needed to lean back.  I was feeling pressure.  LOTS of pressure.  Everyone told me that the baby was not coming.  I was only 8.  But I knew.  "Please I have to push" I begged.  I was warned that if I move I could harm myself because she was inserting the needle.  I tried not to move but began yelling that I HAD TO PUSH.  She said she was in.  I rolled back on my back and a beautiful tiny baby girl came right out with less than half a push.  No one was ready and the doctor was shocked.  She was still in her sack because my water never broke.  The doctor broke open the sack and it seemed like a lot of chaos and I was in a bit of shock.  Did that really just happen?  Roughly an hour after arriving at the hospital I had a baby?  And with no drugs?  A few minutes later my legs started to go numb as the epidural started to kick in.  SERIOUSLY!?!  It did not last long as she did not get much in.  The doctor looked at Dave and told him that she hoped he was taking notes because at this rate I would be delivering my next baby at home.  Dave then headed down to park our car and get our bags because it was still pulled up to the front door where we left it as we jumped out just an hour earlier.



We spent the next 3 days relaxing in the hospital and celebrating with family and friends. 

April 15 We loaded our trailer and moved to Fort Wayne to be closer to Dave's work so he would not have to commute 2 hours anymore.  Listed our house and moved in with Mom.
June 1  Sold our house.
June 18  Dave was offered and accepted a promotion back down near Fishers starting immediately.
July 1  Closed on our house and started house hunting
November  Found a house and made an offer.
February 27  Closed on the new house and moved back to Fishers.

It has been one crazy, fun, chaotic year and Adalynn has rolled right along with it.
We are looking forward to year two of her little life.  Hoping for just as much fun but maybe a little less chaos.

"EGG"celent Mail

I recently saw online that you can mail an Easter egg. 

So the girls and I went to the dollar section at Target. 

Picked up a bag of eggs, a bag of jelly beans & a bag of hopping bunnies.

I then cut out little cards and had Emerson decorate them with crayons and stickers.

We filled each egg with a card, bunny & then jelly beans.

Sealed them with tape and stuck a mailing label on then.

Next stop is the post office when the girls get up from their naps.

This was a great activity to keep Emme busy and talk to her about sharing. 

(she really wanted to eat the entire bag of candy herself)

We had lots of fun filling the eggs and I hope her friends are just as excited when they get an egg in the mail box.

Emerson's Woods

I had a very productive weekend and got Emme's room done too. 

Today I spent a few hours painting trees on the wall behind her beds. 

The idea is to paint a few shelves to match the tree branches and hang them for some stuffed animals, books, etc but of course last time I went to Ikea they had none of them in stock. 

Next time I guess. 

Until then this room can also be called done.

 Step 1:  Freehand trees on wall and paint the trunks & branches.

 Step 2:  Paint the foliage.

 Step 3:  Add flowers.

 Step 4:  Add final details and put room back together.

Sew Cute Room Makeover

Okay I am finally posting pictures of the new house. 

I am 99% done with one room...Adalynn's.  I had originally thought about chevron walls but went with stripes instead due to ease and lack of time.  Her bedding was grey and pink from our first daughter but I wanted to make her room feel different and special for her.  I had bought the matching quilt from PB that went with the bedding and to this day I cannot figure out why.  What does a baby need a $100 quilt for?  They cannot even use blankets.  Either way I decided to hang the quilt on the wall and make a book sling to hang below it.  I found some fun fabrics and got to work following this blog. 

One of my favorite things about this project is that the fabric is a list of flowers.  My father owned a greenhouse and called me Petunia when I was little.  Although you cannot see it here Petunia is listed on the front of her book sling.  So this is a way of doing something to put a little of my Dad is Adalynn's room. 

I also used the fabric to make a matching teething rail for the crib.  For some reason both of my girls seem to think they are part rabbit and need to chew on EVERYTHING with their little buck teeth.  I have tried two other plastic rails from Babies R Us and none worked because my daughter always found out how to get them off.  This one is way cuter, did not take long to make, inexpensive and she has not figured out how to get it off yet.  To make one of your own check out this blog. 

(I set her down in the crib to take a pic and on cue she began gnawing on the rail)

I still have some fabric letters to hang over the changing table and the closet is going to get painted but for now I am calling this one done.

I did it

I have not blogged for 15 days since I started my new 17 day diet and let me tell you what I was NOT doing...

I did not give into the temptation to...

eat a cheeseburger when my entire family stopped for fast food on a road trip

take a bite of the kraft mac and cheese I was serving my daughter

eat ANY of the ice cream cookie cake my MIL bought for valentines day

devour a piece of my 6 year old nephew's birthday cake or ice cream or toppings

I did however find myself cheating a bit...

I ate one sugar cookie on valentines day...what do you expect!  I mixed, rolled out, baked, frosted and decorated over 2 dozen heart shaped cookies for family and friends.

I consumed fruit after 2pm and

had a very small portion of whole wheat pasta.

But after all these ups and downs I am super excited to announce that I hit my first blogging goal of losing 20lbs!  That means that I have lost 40lbs so far this year.  I am keeping to my reward to myself and getting a new hair style.  I have been pinning lots of ombre styles and found one I really love.

My next goal is another 35lbs by my 30th birthday in August.  If I can obtain that goal I will weigh less than when I got married.  To make things a little easier I am going to break the goal into two obtainable parts.

20 more lbs by June.

Wish me luck.

17 Day Challenge

Day 2 of my 17 day diet challenge

Yes, I am trying a new diet. 

While I loved the ease of slim fast I found myself getting bored and cheating on the diet.

Last week after celebrating the Super Bowl I gained 2 pounds.

I need something to re-energize and re-motivate me.

My sister-in-law suggested the 17 Day Diet.

So, I did my research and it is recommended by "The Doctors" & Dr. Phil.

Why does Dr. Phil get to recommend diets?

He has a PhD in psychology.

Do they normally deal with weight loss?

Either way I am taking his recommendation and jumping in head first.

For the first 17 days of this diet I have to follow a VERY strict menu to detox my body from sugar.

Not at all excited about this.

However, with my PCOS it causes insulin resistance so low sugar diets are great for me.

Well great for my body but terrible for my attitude!

Yesterday was day 1 and I stuck to a diet of eggs, cheese, raw veggies, greek yogurt/fruit smoothie & salad with a little chicken.

Today I have done the same for breakfast and lunch but headed to Chick-fil-a for dinner.

I know you are asking "why".

My sister and I are taking the kids there to run around and play since it is freezing outside.

I am hoping they have a really awesome yummy grilled chicken salad.

I have found that I am not only a stress eater (isn't everyone?) but also a boredom eater.

So, I am thinking this is the perfect time to start a diet.

We are moving in 19 days and I have a ton to get packed and done before the move so there is no chance I will be sitting around bored thinking about what snack I should have.

I am super excited about fast results this diet promises.

Every other diet I have ever done suggests you have to lose slowing to maintain but this says just the opposite and has research to back it up.

Wish me luck and I will keep you updated on my progress over the next few weeks.

Be prepared for lots of tears...on my end.

I just keep reminding myself that this is not supposed to be easy & nothing tastes as good as thin feels!