Update on life

Busy is an understatement of what our life has been lately. Now that life has begun in full swing, it is crazy! I can't even describe it. My mind is constantly going a mile a minute and over all I'm just tired!

I wanted to do an update to what is going on in our lives since this blog is to document our life.

• Josh has to turn his thesis in in three weeks! I am so excited and so proud of him. We are both ready for this journey to be over. After he turns it in, he will have to defend it, and then he will graduate in May! This all means that he doesn't get home until 7:30-8:00 pm every night. He also works on it every Sunday. We eat dinner then collapse and do it all over the next day. We pray that a new degree will lead to a new job. Then he will start on his doctorate this fall! And so it begins again...
  
  
• Hadley is growing daily! I will post her 5 month update next week right after she turns 5 months! I cannot believe how fast time is flying. While I want her to stay this age, I'm so excited to be with her this summer and really watch her take everything in!
  
  
• I'm back at work and learning how to balance being a working mom. It's crazy! I'm so glad we prep as much as we can on the weekends but honestly it's still hard. I bring work home every night and try to go in on Saturday mornings. But I still don't feel caught up. I'm sure by the time summer rolls around I'll feel like I've got my act together again. Until then, I have a lot of work to do and just not enough time in the day to do it all.
  
  
• Our home is back on the market. We will not be taking it off until we sell it. We have no idea where we are going to move but we are ready.
  
  
• Oliver and Wembley are doing great! Wembley is still such a little sh*t and was locked in Hadley's room for three hours earlier this week...while she was sleeping. Of course I panic because I don't want him to hurt her, but luckily he is scared to death of her so would never jump in the crib. I finally went in her room to adjust her heating vent and he comes out meowing like crazy; almost yelling at me. Oh that cat! Oliver is still having a hard time adjusting to not being the main baby. We still give him so much attention and he's snuggled in our bed each night. But he gets upset when I hold Hadley and can't have him on my lap as well. But do worries, he totally tries to join us.
  
  
• Meal planning is still going very well! I need to get back on the ball and share on my Tasty Tuesdays. We were thrown a curve ball a few weeks ago. Josh has had a lot of stomach problems for over a year and I've been telling him that he needs to see the doctor because my instinct has always been a gluten problem. While he has not been tested yet, he has taken gluten out of his diet almost completely. Already he has done so much better. He hasn't been sick and feels better overall. This has changed how we eat. We've talked about how gluten free is a lifestyle change and, whether or not he has a gluten allergy or not, we know that it is a healthier choice.
  
  
• I haven't shared on here yet, and don't want to say a lot about it, but I'm still not recovered from my delivery with Hadley. I have an appointment with a surgeon on Friday so any prayers you could send my way would be very much appreciated. I'm hoping everything will heal on its own and surgery is not needed but whatever happens is for a reason.

Five on Friday

Linking up with Darci today for 5 on Friday!

{one}

My two love bugs have been cracking me up lately. Oliver is obsessed with Wembley's cat toy. He hits it so the mouse goes in circles and then tries to get the mouse out of the holder. He carries it all around. Not the brightest bulb!

Wembley is obsessed with ribbons. If you came into my house you would easily find three or four ribbons laying around on the floor. They're all different and from different things. His latest obsession is a new purple ribbon. He's like a kid in a candy store when he gets a new one. But he still carries around all of his other special ones. Really, carries them around the house like a lovey.

{two}

Last Saturday, after our great hospital tour, we went to the Food Truck Festival. I'm not going to lie...it was hot and busy. And we even got there right when it opened at noon.

Oh! Burgers is my favorite food truck. It's owned by a guy I went to high school with, which is how I found out about it. A friend of mine and myself try to meet there when it is close by us in the summer. They always have the freshest ingredients and I love that they buy local produce. Seriously, best burgers!

We also were given FREE Chobani flip yogurt. I'm going to be honest, I've never been a big Chobani fan, but the flip Almond Coco Loco was very good.

{three}

I didn't get a chance to post this yesterday but here is Miss H in all her watermelon glory (she's really dropped too). Yes, I just wore this dress a few weeks ago. Actually I've worn it several times since then but the first time this school year! I refuse to buy any more maternity clothes so I just keep changing up accessories.

{four}

Last weekend J and I went out to dinner to Cap City Diner. It was very good (although J said his burger was kind of dry). I had been waiting for this cake all week and it was totally worth it! This looks like two slices but they have to cut it in half to fit it in the container. It was amazing and no worries, I kind of shared with J.

{five}

My two (out of three) boys. They just melt my heart!

Holy devil eyes! I tried several times and they kept glowing!

Loves!

Getting your pets ready for a baby

I've read a lot about how to prepare your pets furbabies for your new human baby. And really I don't think there is one specific thing you can do. They have no idea what they're in for (and neither do we)! Oliver and Wembley have been our children for the past 4 years and we can't imagine them not being number one. So here are a few things we are doing to prepare our little monsters.

• Familiarize Oliver and Wembley with Hadley's things. Any time something comes in the mail or I bring something home I show them. Now, maybe this is because I'm home with them all summer and don't have a lot of human interaction during the day, but I think it helps that they get to see and smell the new things that come in. Once the clothes are washed they will be hung up so they (especially Wembley) can't get into them.
• Invite them into her nursery. I don't want them to feel left out, especially Oliver. He gets his feelings hurt easily. Yes, I know he is a dog. Once we have her nursery up and running we plan on inviting him in to lay down while we just relax in the chair. We might even put one of his beds in there to feel included. {Note: Oliver being included is really important to me}
• There's no way around it. Wembley is a sh!t. If you follow me on Instagram or have read any of my Oliver and Wembley posts, you know this. I'm constantly yelling at him because he's always into something. He's is a great cat--don't get me wrong. But he is way too smart for his own good. He's the third cat I've had in my life and he's completely different from the others. He's a climber--the other two were not. This is new to me because he's on everything. I hate cats on the counter. My biggest worry with him is Hadley in her crib. So we are going to prepare him early on! My mom discovered these things called Ssscats a few years ago. OMG. They're amazing. I'm not going to lie. They're expensive but they are totally worth it! Basically they're a can of air with a magic eye. When a cat gets near it, it sprays the cat. Wembley hates them unlike aluminum foil and clear tape (we learned the hard way). So if I have to spend $75 every six months then it's worth it! That will get you quite a few too! We will have Ssscats in H's crib, on her dresser, and on changing table. If it gets really bad he will not be allowed in the room. I would never do anything to harm Wembley. He's so noisy and I don't want him hurting anything or anyone.

I could watch these videos all day. Wembley does not react like this. He just jumps down.

• We definitely plan on J bringing home Hadley's baby blanket after she is born so they can smell her scent. We've heard how important this is and definitely want to do it before she comes home.
• Pretend baby is something we play sometimes. I will literally get a blanket and ball it up and pretend it is a baby. I will talk to it and hold it. I won't let O & W jump and look but ask them nicely to sit beside me. Usually W doesn't care after the first five seconds but O always wants to watch. This gets them use to seeing me holding something. We also will play baby cries from you.tube. Neither one are bothered or even realize what is going on, so that part will be interesting!

Oliver and Wembley have both been around babies; Oliver more than Wembley. They both have done so well and ignore the baby after a little while. I'm not really worried about either being hurtful towards Hadley what-so-ever. They are such loving animals and have been glued to me since day one. I'm excited to see their love for their new sister.

Any other advice for getting our furbabies ready?

Furbaby love

Skipping out on Menu Monday this week. I actually cooked a lot but they were all recipes I had made before so I wouldn't be sharing anything new. I thought I'd instead give a little update about some important loves in my life.

Someone is not allowed on the counter. But in a box on the counter isn't really breaking the rules.

Can't even look at me!

Sweet Izzy (parent's dog) was very sick and the vet couldn't figure out why. FINALLY they tested for Addison's disease and she was positive. This is very rare and not usually tested for. If your dog is every sick (lethargic, not eating, etc), ask your vet to test. 

I picked her up from the vet one day and she got on my couch and fell asleep. I feel too bad to get her off because she was so sad and had to feel terrible. I didn't even get to put a blanket up! Oliver was with her the entire time. He was worried.

Such a ham!

Two of my piano students made this for Hadley. I stuck it in the laundry basket to take upstairs. First Wembley was in it. The next thing I knew Oliver was in it!! LOL! He never gets in baskets!

Such a sweet boy!

New favorite spot when not sunbathing. Very random...

I just what to cuddle with him! He's so soft and fluffy!

Oliver's new do!

We have not had the best experiences with Oliver getting bathed and cut. I won't mention any names, but one larger company nicked him really good and he got infected...poor baby has been scared for life! Thankfully they were nice enough to pay for the vet bill!

Over the past month he has been in desperate need for a hair cut but I wanted to wait until I was on spring break to get him in. I had looked at a lot of different places in Columbus and finally decided that Woof 'n Suds was the perfect place. 

I first found out about them through facebook. They help one of the local humane societies around the area and I thought that was so nice of them. I definitely wanted to give them our business.

From the first phone call they were awesome! They got him in the week after I called. The people there were very friendly and really cared about the dogs. They were very prompt and had him done within the allotted time they told me {I know this is hard sometimes, but we've been to a place that called two hours after they told me they would be finished}. They are also very reasonably priced for everything that they do.

Another great option they offer is a place to bathe your dog yourself! They have huge tubs, shampoo, conditioner, and dryers. This is always an option for us but at the time Oliver desperately needed a hair cut!

Oliver came out happy and looking very handsome! We will definitely be going back again! If you're in the Columbus/Grandview area, you should give them a try.

Sweet boy and his bandanna! 

Thank you Woof 'n Suds!

This post is my opinion of the company. I was not compensated in any way.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Don't forget to link up with Jamie!

2012: A Year in Review

Our little blog started up again in February 2012. I had currently been blogging for myself on another blog but decided to open it up to family and friends. We had had this blog for a while and really decided to go for it. We shared what our life was like and how we were boring and basically consumed with grad school.

March came along and there were so many things to look forward to including spring break and finishing up grad school for me! J and I were both crazy busy in March and didn't blog much. I promise, you missed nothing. We were quite boring.

Wembley's favorite part about Ikea

In April we took a weekend trip to Cincinnati where we had our first Ikea extravaganza and found a new favorite bar/restaurant Arnolds! I can't wait to go back!! Our blog got this fabulous makeover by Jumping Jax Designs, which we still adore!

May was an exciting month for us because we had so much going on! First, May is melanoma awareness month, which is near and dear to my heart. I can't tell you enough: don't tan, wear sunscreen, and be careful of who you donate your money to. By the time May was half way over, I had officially graduated from grad school, my sister went to prom, and we had so much more to go! At the end of May, I found out that I had gotten the 5th grade position at my school and my sister graduated from high school--both bittersweet. Finally, J had a wonderful 29th birthday!

In June, I said goodbye to teaching 4th grade and hello to 5th grade. I also posted pictures of my sister's graduation party, which turned out beautifully. She had everything from a candy bar to a wishing tree. It was a success! School was over, but there was still a lot to do with moving into a new grade and new curriculum. I had a list of goals that I successfully accomplished during the summer months. We also vacationed to OBX, which I guess I never blogged about--oops!

July was very low key. The Olympics were in full force as we reminisced about the Magnificent Seven at the 1996 Olympics. The 4th of July has always had a special place in my heart because it's when we became a free country. It's amazing to think how our standards have changed since that time. Adoption holds another special place in my heart and Amy wrote an amazing post about the adoption tax credit that would help so many. At the end of August I had a little fun and joined in with some other bloggers blogging about "if you really knew me".  July was a slow month.

August started out rocky in the blog world. I was able to get into my new classroom and I had to unpack everything that was moved. It was a lot of work but wonderful to clean out and throw junk away! I talked about my unhealthy obsession with my Crock-Pot and how I basically can't cook anything unless it's in there! Emily and I went to Chicago and had a wonderful girls weekend. Yes, I slacked again and didn't blog about that either...I blame school starting again.School started at the end of August and it felt like Groundhog day. When you have the same kids two years in a row it's challenging to separate the two years. It just feels like one really long year!

September started on a clean slate. We got new carpet in the family room, a new dishwasher, cleaned out the basement, and my sister headed to college. We felt very accomplished! I found this amazing classroom library book organizer that is seriously the best thing ever! I know exactly which books of mine the kids are reading. It was a lot of work to set up, but totally work it! I also linked up with Kelly for Show Us Your Singles. I put my sweet friend Emily on there! She's still single boys!! School was crazy busy but never too busy for some fall fashion! On September 27th, I started my twenty-eight random acts of kindness in 28 days for my 28th birthday!

In the beginning of October, sad news hit the blog world but many were around to help. I was introduced to Voki, which is a great tool to use in the classroom. Wembley helped me check it out! Two of my favorite bloggers {and friends} Emily and Sam guest posted for me. Be sure to check out their posts if you haven't already. I also completed my twenty-eight random acts of kindness in 28 days on my 28th birthday. It was a success! Finally I shared with you my favorite Halloween costumes, following in Whitney's blog steps.

November started with a great guest post from Pam all about holiday crafts. I talked about how my mother did not prepare me to cook a Thanksgiving feast but thankfully we all survived Thanksgiving dinner this year {thanks to my inlaws}.  I shared some glammor shots of my fur babies because who can get enough of them. I also taught you about the dirty dozen and how to eat cleaner, which has been near and dear to our hearts lately. I also shared with you the most hysterical story that I had heard in a while. It was so funny that I couldn't even tell people because I would start cracking up. Seriously. If you click any link on this recap, click this one.

This was a month I will truly never forget. At the beginning of the month, I showed you my hoarder side with my mountain of tupperware  . I also talked about our holiday traditions which are very special to us and I can not wait to add more. Christmas was bittersweet this year because it was the last year at my parent's house that I grew up in. They are currently moving in to their new home as we speak.

2012 had it's ups and downs. There were a lot of things I didn't blog about that were not so happy but for my own personal memories. There were many stressful times for our family but I hope when everything is done and over not only can I share with you but it will have a wonderful outcome.

I'm so excited to bring in the new year. Odd years always make me nervous for some reason. But my age is an even number so I think it evens out :) I'm sure 2013 is going to be the best year yet. Stay tuned!

Word Vomit.

I really didn't know what else to call this post. It's just a bunch of thoughts and randomness...but makes perfect sense to me.

We have been super busy. Like sometimes I don't even know what I did when I had grad school work on top of all this. Then I think about if we had a child! Everyone does it. We could too.

I'm "touring" the United States with my students. This week we are studying the Midwest. Boring. I'm trying to make it exciting and show video clips but really...who wants to learn about farm land? Not this city girl. I'm definitely learning a lot on these "trips" and over all, the kids really enjoyed them. We've been known to make posters for specific cities, learn how to make bread like the colonists, and even dance the Charleston {my favorite}.

My cat is a sh*t. There are really no other words. If you ignore him in the evening (because we actually have work to do) he will get on the counter and knock everything off. So not only do I have to clean the counter again but I have to pick up the mess and put any dishes back in the dishwasher. He also learned how to unlock the child proof locks. Note to self: Ikea childproof locks are not cat proof.

Because we are "touring" the U.S. I spend at least two hours a night working on a presentation for my classes for the next day. Guess what I'll be working on all break?!

My parents are selling sold their house. They start moving December 26.

Winter break starts in FIVE school days. Yes, five. Then it's working on presentations and packing. :) But it's so nice to be home.

My cat J's cat also gets in the tree and knocks down the ornaments, ribbon, and takes out all of the twirly twigs that are on the lower half.

I've been doing a great job at cooking. I'm excited that I'm keeping up with meal planning. Thank the Lord for CrockPots!

Over my short Thanksgiving break three of my friends (both high school and college) told me they were expecting. Seriously. Something is in the water.

I really want an Elf. I told Oliver to write Santa for one but he won't. I told him that if we had an Elf then I would leave a  trail of treats for him every day. I also told him the Elf would bring bananas. He didn't seemed too amused.

Speaking of Elves. When one of my piano students told me about his elf I almost said that I needed to get Oliver one of those...woah buddy. I'm glad I stopped myself at "I need to" and finished it with "get Oliver to write a letter to Santa". Close call!

Furbaby Fotos

Waiting to decorate for Christmas will leave you to take a lot of pictures of your furbabies...

Always into something

Seriously mom?

Love his tail!

Glamour Shots

I've had enough

Evil eye

We're done

A few hours later...

I guess you found me upstairs...