Summer Vacation Week 8 & 9

Ah! Summer vacation is coming to a close. All 11-month employees are returned to school last Monday to get ready for the new school year. Here in 3 days, I'll be returning to work too! I seriously can not believe it! It's time to actually start thinking about my classroom again, even though my house isn't even ready for baby #2 and coming in 10 days. School starting isn't that far behind with only 14 days remaining. Let's pray I can do it all or get the help I need! :)

 Anyway, this past 2 weeks has me really fatigued so I did very little. I've cleaned a little and rested a lot! Josh has been busy with work and other projects. Little Miss has just been very active, but somewhat accommodating to this mommy needing her rest. Baby Girl is getting me ready for her arrival... I had about 3 hours of contractions Monday night and again yesterday. 

If you're reading this, I'd appreciate a little prayer for me and my family as there is still a lot to do! :) 

Summer Vacation Week 6&7

Summer Vacation is winding down though I really feel like mine is beginning with another possible 10 more weeks off still.

The last 2 weeks have been laid back. Baby Girl is getting big so it's getting hard to move as much as I want/need and my energy seems like it's been depleted but it doesn't help I'm not sleeping well at night... Though I think I may have figured out how to fix it in the last few nights (staying up later, less waking up in the middle of the night, waking up more refreshed). We'll see if it continues to work.

Josh has been busy with getting ready for Baby Girl and work. He has a gym membership so he can work out for those jobs he wants to apply for. He has been busy doing the honey-do list. He has been taking care of Little Miss when I have just been to tired to do it. He is amazing! 

Little Miss is more active than ever! Though she's a bit more cuddly now that everyone keeps asking her/talking about Baby Girl coming. It's really quite nice because she normally never cuddles with me unless she's sick. She is excited and fascinated with all things baby though, whether it be taking care of her baby dolls or seeing an actual baby at the store, she just wants to be near them. How she treats her baby doll, for the most part, tells me she's going to be a GREAT big sister! She's also finally showing interest in books... She's never been a big fan of being read too, ever (Except at Grandma Sheri's)! She is finally interested in books and actually letting Josh and I read and finish the book. 

Baby Girl is getting big and hasn't dropped. It's a good thing I've got a c-section scheduled since Baby Girl is doing the exact same thing Little Miss was, breach and refusing to drop. Her heartbeat is being picked up clear up by my ribs still. She is active and moving, all the time! I have a theory she's going to be a night baby. Whenever I have woken up in the middle of the night, she is the most active I have ever felt her, which will be fun once she comes! :D

As for me, despite being 35 weeks at this point, I'm trying to get some things done like the ward's Primary Program, last minute things around this house, and lesson plans which is scary that I've actually got to return to set up my room just for someone else to start the school year off. In that sense, I am very nervous even though I know I have a great sub. As far as everything else, it's only within my control that things get done or not so I'm not nervous because I can always shift and come back later. School planning, I've avoided (minus Pinterest and some TpT) most of the summer because I've been busy around the house but now it's time to start thinking and planning. I'll let you know how that goes! 

Anyway, have a good week! 

Summer Vacation Week 3

Ahh! Time is flying by!

Monday we had breakfast with the family since everyone is in town. We stayed home the rest of the day. This mommy finished cleaning the kitchen minus 2 things which will be worked on later! Room 1 off my list... Now, I'll be working on room 2, the master bedroom. Our room was attacked by ants late Saturday evening and even though it goes against my order of things, I've learned to be flexible! 

Tuesday was a day of working on our bedroom and then we went swimming. It was fun playing with the cousins. Little Miss took an almost 3 hour nap afterwards.

Wednesday, Little Miss woke up way too early. Like 4:30 in the morning, too early. We went to storytime, grandma's, Target, and then came home and cleaned some more. The bathroom and Little Miss' bedroom is done, (so much for being flexible but I'm trying to get all the laundry done first... And there is a lot of it!) but now I need to organize both just a wee bit! 

Thursday and Friday was a day of rest with a little bit of cleaning/organizing. Friday night, Josh and I actually had a date night. We saw Inside Out. It was such a cute movie! 

On Saturday, I helped my Mother-in-law paint wooden firecrackers for her ward's 4th of July breakfast. They turned out so cute! Hopefully I can show you pictures next week. Sunday, we went to grandma's and Little Miss decided to play in the baby doll's rocking crib. It was too cute! 

So, the house is a work in progress. It's very slow, but it's getting done. 

Summer Vacation Week 2

Holy Smolies... I think I'm getting the prego brain! I can't remember a lot!!! Eeek!

Okay so Monday we went to a friend's house and went swimming. 

Tuesday was a relaxing day at home most of the day since I got burnt to a crisp the day before because I didn't put sunblock on. We did go to the library and ended up going to storytime. 

I think I cleaned most of Wednesday. 

Thursday was our Mesquite. We mostly relaxed, at least I did because I overdid it on Wednesday. 

Friday was spent partly in Mesquite, but we came home early because we signed up to feed the missionaries that night. We grilled bratwursts and hot dogs, made Frito salad, cut up some watermelon, and made brownies for desert. It was delicious! I swear it's easier to feed a crowd of 6, than for 2!

Saturday was spent cleaning and prepping church activities for Father's Day.

Sunday was a kick back day. We went to church, began planning the primary program, and watched a movie. I just needed to rest after my long night the night before and everything that occured during the day that put my body into stress mode. 

So...

Maybe my memory isn't as bad as I thought. 

Summer Vacation Week 1

Last year, if you remember, I was all about doing something every day. When it didn't go the way I planned, I fell into a sad state of mind. Going into this summer, I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to feel sad and I can not afford it being a mommy to an active toddler and being in my third trimester of pregnancy. The only expectation I had for myself is that I would not enter into my sad state of mind.

So we kept things simple. We went to the Splash Pad on Saturday and did some shopping for daddy. 

Monday we went to the doctor and my blood sugar results came back good. Baby Girl is progressing well. 

I don't remember what we did Tuesday... I'm pretty sure we took it easy.

Wednesday we went to one of the local pools with the cousins! Little Miss had a blast! Sadly, both of us had burnt shoulders. 

Thursday and Friday, Little Miss spent most of her time with daddy as mommy had trainings to go too. Friday night, we spent some time with Kim and Sarah. We caught up on life because it's nearly been a year and Little Miss kept Sarah on her toes running up and down their stairs! 

Saturday, this momma got herself her Bountiful Basket. 

There is a lot of yummy food inside, if I could just eat it all! We spent the day running errands, like buying Little Miss new shoes since she's outgrown her size 6 shoes. Size 7 is a little big still, but I'd rather have a little big than too tight. 

Sunday of course was spent at church and then at home.

Minus the few things scheduled, we did not have anything planned and this mommy did not get sad! 

Now on to my summer to-do list:

Clean/organize this house- room by room.

Make a quiet book for Little Miss as she likes to remain active and we need something calming and reverent for church. 

Sleep.

Read.

Line up a sub and get lesson plans done.

I think that's it, at least until Baby Girl gets here, in less than 11 weeks! 

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great summer!  

Summer Reads: Land of the Lone Star series

Most of you have probably never heard of  Land of the Lone Star series. This is a series by Tracie Peterson. I absolutely love almost all books by her! She is a phenomenal writer as her books are filled with such captivating power against the reader, you can't help but fall in love.

I read Chasing the Sun and was not disappointed. It had everything I loved: romance, history, suspense, and most importantly were Christian values!

I read book number two, Touching the Sky. As I began, I was highly disappointed! Usually I'll read her trilogy's because they have a distinct connection and this book in no way seemed to have connected. About halfway through, we reconnect with 2 of the male characters from book one. It was a pleasant surprise! As stated, this book began atypically and the focus was on 4 new characters, not really continuing the story from the first. Of course, this book still had everything I love about Tracie Peterson's books!

Book three, Taming the Wind, picks up shortly after book two and follow a young lad from book one and a southern belle from book two. Peterson combines the two families shared individually and pairs them up wonderfully creating a third family by the end of this series. Again it has everything I love, including the adrineline pumping adventure because of worry for the main character.

Although I was thoroughly saddened by a lack of connection at the beginning of book two, I was ecstatic about the plot twist making the connection!  

I have read at least one series every summer by Tracie Peterson and am rarely disappointed! If you get a chance, go to your local library and check it out.

Summer Vacation Week 3

I finally gave up with my list and did our "days" how I felt like it. 

Monday and Tuesday were days I caught up on shows on Hulu (Castle & Grey's Anatomy). 

Wednesday we went window shopping at the Meadows Mall. Baby girl absolutely loved the mirror in the play area! Thursday, despite the wind, we went window shopping at Town Square... I ended up buying 2 outfits for baby girl at Old Navy. I can't wait to show pictures! Friday was laundry day, then we drove up to Mesquite to see Grandma & Grandpa. Josh & I got to do "date night" on Saturday. We went bowling and shopping for baby things like diapers and food. We also went swimming and Josh even joined us! We left Sunday and celebrated Baby A's 2nd birthday at family dinner. 

Updates on Baby Girl:

Her first tooth finally broke through last Sunday. We can clearly feel it, but it's still difficult to see. 

She can pull herself up without guidance... Though sometimes she still needs it. 

With assistance from mommy, daddy, or someone else, she can walk wherever she pleases.

She is growing up way too fast!

Summer Vacation Week 2

This week was a bit off, but much better than last week. 

We went to the library on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday, I stayed in and cleaned the house. Thursday, I honestly don't remember. Friday we went swimming at the clubhouse pool. Saturday we tried something new and went clothes shopping.

Updates on baby girl: 

- She is very close to crawling

- She growls to let you know she isn't happy

- She is so adorable when she gets excited-- she will wave her arms every time but always includes one of the following- squishy face while snorting, clasp her hands together with an almost pouty face, or grabs me and hugs me. She is just too adorable.

Summer Vacation Week 1

So Monday was library day. We did not go because we went to the library on Saturday when we were in Mesquite. Tuesday we were going to walk around the temple, but it was just so darn hot. Window-shopping Wednesday didn't work out because we had a doctor's appt for Baby girl, "house sitting", and a church meeting that evening. Swimming Thursday didn't work out. Friend's Day Friday didn't go as planned. Try Something New Saturday was the only thing that kind of went right. So I would say this week is a bust! That's where I get to try again next week! 

Summer-Time

As the school-year is officially winding down, summer-time is heating up and like most moms, I am thinking about what I can do with my kiddo. Even though Baby girl is almost 6 months and can't be independent even though she wants to be, she is very curious about the world around her and gets bored easily. I also need to get out of the house so I don't go crazy! I also need to spend part of the day inside so I can finally unpack and organize. I have come up with a plan to "do it all"! It's in quotes because as all mommies know, plans can easily be changed whether we want them to be or not!

For me, I want to work out, with my daughter. I've found some other women who have tips and tricks. I want to read and finish the Book of Mormon this summer. I want my house unpacked and organized by the end of the summer. Most importantly, I want to spend a lot of quality time with my ever-growing daughter! Because I am a teacher, I get to spend my 9 school free weeks being a stay at home mom which I'm sure will drive me crazy at times but, every moment will be worth it I am sure! Speaking of which, I've got to spend some time getting ready for church!