Life as we go it

Plenty of glue sticks to go around...

Gluing rocks to the letters...

Fun stuff...

Ahhhhhhh....I'm finally sitting down and updating my blog! It has been way, way too long. I told myself, when I started my blog, that I would post one or two times per week. And here I am, four weeks since my last post.

I really have no excuse, other than the fact that I've been nauseous and barfy and really tired. I guess I've just been really pregnant :)

We are overjoyed and feel so blessed to be preggers again! It really is a miracle. Not only are we excited to have another little peanut running around the house someday, but also for Liam to have a sibling.

But I've had like ZERO energy to do anything other than watch Liam and take care of minor things around the house. During Liam's nap time every day I've thought to myself "I need to update my blog." But a blanket and a pillow seems to have trumped it each time. Once the 2nd trimester comes along I'm hoping to get more of my energy back & would appreciate if the nausea subsided. I started feeling better at around 13 weeks with Liam, so I'm hoping this pregnancy mirrors the first one.

I already shared this photo on Facebook, but here it is again. My clever little way of announcing Liam's future as a big brother:

Looking at the ducks...

Picking up rocks and throwing them into the lake... Picking up rocks and throwing them into the lake... Picking up rocks and.....you get the picture!

More rock exploration...

Investigating the green slime stuff....luckily he didn't try to taste it :)

My cutie's sandy little feet...

Snack break! "Would you like a little applesauce with your sand?"

Okay - here is MY favorite part of our beach day (other than my amazingly cute little boy splashing in the water of course) - beach glass!! I just love beach combing. And finding beach glass is like an added bonus! I found ten pieces, which I think is pretty good. I'm excited to add it to our beach glass collection (yeah, I know, totally dorky).

Liam got a nice warm bath the second he got home. He had sand in places I won't even mention....eek. He skipped lunch and went right down for a nap :) Mama likes the beach.


And one more quick photo.
The Italian Zucchini I harvested from our garden last night:

Holy cow! (I bet you NEVER would have guessed I was a child of the 80's by the use of that expression). Liam has accumulated a ton of books in the past seventeen months.


As a mom I've realized that there IS such a thing as your kid(s) having too many toys. But, in my heart, I don't think a kid can ever have too many books :)


He's been given a bunch as gifts (when he was born, for his baptism, for his 1-year birthday). And I've found quite a few "cheapies" at rummage sales this summer (I love me some $0.25 books). And occasionally Matt and I will find one at a toy store or a book store that strikes a chord, so we'll by it.

But this week we were absolutely blessed with two huge boxes of lightly loved board books from our neighbors (thank you B&P!). Their kids are now school-aged and they're moving away, so they figured Liam would love them. And oh does he ever love them!

We've looked at each and every book already (within a 24 hour time period) and I think I've read half of them to him already. I think I'm losing my voice.

And today I made sure to put little "This Book Belongs To Liam" bookplates on all of the books that he already had. I just think it's cool and important that he knows which books were given to him as gifts by his grandparents, cousins, us, etc. My mom STILL has books at her house that have my name or my brothers' names written on the inside cover. It's fun to look back at them and remember reading them as a kid.

Here are the little woodland-animal-style bookplates I bought a while back at an awesome local home shop, Nest:

Gallison New York makes these

Aren't the little bunnies  and lady bugs cute?

Here are the new books, happily living with the books that Liam already had:

Some of Liam's faves from this stack: The Napping House Where's Spot Is Your Mama A Llama

Faves from this stack: All The World Happy Pig Day Skippy Jon Jones

Faves from this stack: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See Little Miss Spider Goes To School

Faves from this stack: Are You My Mother The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Okay, so I really want to know, what what was YOUR all-time favorite book when you were a kid? Mine was "Socks For Supper." Ever heard of it?

My mom made these cute little t-shirts for Liam, Bella and Rylan

Liam, walking in memory of my dad :)

There were plenty of snacks to keep us fed throughout the night...

Each time one of us walked a lap we put in noodle in the "Laps Walked" jar. I didn't count the noodles yet, but I'll let you know how many miles we walked once I count!

Liam loved the therapy dogs that were a few campsites away

My niece Caroline and my mom, keeping Liam out of trouble

My niece Bella sold $30 worth of glow in the dark necklaces! Proceeds went to the American Cancer Society.

We purchased luminaries, which we dedicated in memory of my dad

The luminary walk at 10:00pm - my favorite part of the event. The bags glow all night long, making it very peaceful while you walk.

We made it until morning! All of us slept in our tents a bit, except for my niece and my brother Jason. Crazy night owls!

A photo of my dad, keeping us company until morning :)

The event raised over $50,000 for the ACS. And our team raised over $1,500 by itself!

Thanks for letting me share this with you :)

I'm getting closer to finishing organizing my new desk area in the kitchen. I still want to paint the chair a funky color and upholster a new seat. But I have the essentials - a mini chalkboard, mini cork board, mirror, photo of Liam, computer, mail tray and Kleenex :)



The most important thing to me, when looking for a new desk, was getting one that had a file drawer. We already have a filing cabinet in the basement where we file paid bills, tax info, home repair receipts, etc (boorrriinnngggg).

But in the kitchen I wanted to place to file the fun stuff! Fun stuff like craft ideas, party ideas, restaurant menus, etc.

I'm always ripping articles and pictures out of magazines, whether it be books that I want to read, recipes that I want to try, or craft projects I'd like to attempt. And the little ripped out things end up sitting all over the dang house.

Home project ideas...

Craft project idea...

Party and entertaining ideas...

So now I have a place to file the things that make me happy :)
I bought some fun, bright colored hanging files at Target and shabam! Instant organization!

Mike Wizowski cake that my sister-in-law made for my nephew's birthday. It was her first time using fondant and I think it turned out amazing!!