Long time no post

I will gladly admit that the transition from mommy of one to mommy of two has not been an easy one.  I feel like I'm constantly playing catch up.  But I do love it (most of the time). I am getting into a decent rhythm, Joey's loving School and she's learning so much.  And I don't just say that because it was the push she needed to get us over the potty-training hump. Things are running a little more smoothly now that I'm back to running full steam.  Norah is sleeping through the night with only 1 feeding now, WOO HOO! So glad to be getting sleep again.  It really makes all the difference. 

As you can see Joey was a purple fairy for the Harvest Party. She was very excited about it. Well that's all that really new with us.  They're both just getting so big, way too fast.  CRAZINESS!!

New Baby Crazy

Hey folks, things are well and good with the Palmquists. 

We're all gearing up for Joey's first day of school on Monday so things are a little crazy.  Even more so because Danny's been working nearly full time hours.  Which is great for us until I go back to work.  But a little crazy making since Joey and I have such similar personalities that we kind of rub each other the wrong way when confined together for extended periods of time.  Danny tends to come home to us stressed out and needing a break from one another but with her in school I am much more confident in retaining my sanity until I go back to work and get some regular grown up interaction again.  In the mean time, I'm hoping to have some free time at home while the little one is napping to get back to crafting.  I have so many things planned in my head. 

Here are some photos that a friend took for us of our little ones! Enjoy!!

momma and baby

baby eating her hands

such a loving big sister

so sedate (sometimes)

and a big yawn

Home again, Home Again

Jiggity Jig Jig

Baby Norah and I are home again and doing well.  She had her one week well visit today and all is well.  I actually got out of the house today, just for the appointment but hey it's something.  It's Joey's 3rd birthday today.  We had a little family celebration for her yesterday and we gave her the guitar that we got for her and she was so excited.  She's all psyched to learn to play.  She knew what it was before the paper was even off the plain brown bow it was in.  It was really cute to watch.  Her little face lit up so big.  More to come when I'm able to add  pics of the little one and whatnot. 

BABY!

I'm having a baby tomorrow!

The countdown winds down

11 days to go.  I'm at the point where I want to be done being pregnant.  I don't long for the painful recovery but I'd rather it be over sooner rather than later.  I'm trying to tie up all my loose ends and gets all my ducks in a row.  I've planned my bulk shopping trip, cleaned out and organized my pantry, fridge and freezer in preparation.  I've begun meal planning but if I find some awesome deals while at the store, they might need some tweaking.  My hospital bag is mostly packed.  My childcare plan is set for everyday the week I'm in the hospital, even though they keep changing Danny's schedule.  So whatever he's working he's covered and somebody might get a break in there somewhere.  It's all coming together and I am feeling the homestretch coming up! WOOT WOOT! I am excited.  Can't wait to meet this little girl. 

We had Joey's birthday party last weekend and it was a blazing success.  Danny made duct tape crowns for the craft.  The kids (and adults) all decorated their own cupcakes.  (I totally picked that as to not have to figure out how to decorate a cake).  It was awesome and the kids loved it and I got to be a lazy momma and enjoy the party. 

joey decorating her b.day girl crown (check her out in that dress too!!)

 

she loved the beading at the bottom and we only lost a couple strands by the end of the day.

presents!

preparing for cupcakes

and blowing out the candles

Fun was had by all.  And even though it was a 90 degree day, there was an awesome breeze and we all were able to sit in the shade.  It was actually cooler feeling outside than it was inside (can I just say, I love summer days like that). 

Projects Projects Projects

I've been up to so much lately.  Prepping for baby is fun stuff though. I've made lots of cool stuff for both girls.  And I've finally got pictures! Woot Woot!! So, here they are!!

Joey's Birthday Dress, I've added a little purple fabric flower since this photo!

Joey's back pack for school! She is very excited about this one.

Changing pad cover that used the leftover fabric from both girl's baby blankets. 

Another diaper bag.  I think I like this one almost better than mine!

diaper bag again

and again!

I've only got a few more sewing projects left on my nesting agenda.  I want to make new curtains for our living room.  I need to make bench cushions for our kitchen corner unit.  I use our kitchen table as my sewing area and it really digs into the back of my legs after a while so, it needs cushions.  I also want to make a changing pad for on the go use.  I don't know what I want that to look like yet and I feel like I may even have our old one lying around somewhere, even though, I don't know where that might be at the moment.  I'm also trying to meal plan in advance for while I'm laid up from my c-section.  I want to have lots of frozen meals ready to go, and lots of crock pot meal ideas but I haven't been able to stock up on anything yet but I have been printing out recipe ideas.  Well, I'm off, I have some inquiries to make about grocery delivery options.  Tootles!

Nesting Fun

So I know I've been amiss in my blogging lately.  I've had a lot going on.  I've been nesting like crazy.  Everything is getting cleaned and organized.  Projects are getting completed.  Plans are getting in order.  I've got 3 weeks left before this baby is getting evicted!  I'm getting all my ducks in a row.  Now if only I could find the battery charger for my camera battery and take photos of all of my accomplishments.  :-( I had it in the diaper bag the other day and I'm afraid our little one thought it a toy and now I can't find it.  I have not given up though, I know it has to be somewhere! I shall find it!!  I must find it, I'd really like to have it ready to go for the hospital. 
We have this baby scheduled for C-Section on August 15th at 1:30pm so, prayers would be appreciated for that for sure.  I've had so much going on that I haven't even had time to blog from work and we are still internet free at home which is really proving to allow for much more room to prepare for baby.  I have been slacking on my meal planning though since I've been without online recipes and inspiration for new things.  I've also been feeling less and less like cooking with the extreme humidity here (the only downside of living only a few miles from the beach). 
I've been truly blessed with hand me downs! Norah has all of Joey's old things that weren't totally stained and gross and with hand me downs and gifts Norah already has a complete wardrobe for the first year of her life.  And then I get to pass them on down to a lovely friend of ours who is having a little girl in a several months.  I love it!! It's also going to be perfect for us because then I won't be tempted to haul baby things across the country when we move. 
Danny has recently found work!! PRAISE JESUS!!! I'm so excited for him.  The company looks like such a good fit for him.  He's going to be part of a flagship team taking over merchandising for the local Best Buy.  The best part...The company is a National one and they have locations in Colorado.  So, here's hoping that it's just part of the amazing set-up that I foresee for our moving.  I've been being blessed with little snippets of hope, in a bunch of people that we know all talking about moving to the Denver area which is where I've been feeling like we're supposed to be going and Danny is now starting to feel a little more as well.  WOOHOO! It's so nice to be on the same page as your spouse about big things.  The small things too, but the big things really do tend to be the conflict starters don't they?
Ok, well I've got some more calls to make and emails to send to get everything all set for this baby's arrival so I'm going to be off!

Book worming it

So, I've been reading like mad lately.  I've been burning through the Anne of Green Gable Series.  I'm in love with it and have been since I was a girl.  I wish that Joey had the attention span for reading it with me.  :-(  She kinda lost interest in the Little House Series once the story grew too old for her.  Ahh well, How much should I really expect from a nearly 3 year old anyhow.  We made it through 4 of them before she lost interest and that's quite a lot, and of course, I went on and finished reading the rest of them on my own just to satisfy my own need to finish things that I start.  I am loving that I can get most public domain books for free on my Kindle!  Almost all my books are books that I've been reading lately, I've gotten for free.  There are so many wonderful books to chose from.  And Danny's been making regular trips to the library with Joey and she's been loving having new stories in the house and she memorizes them so quickly.  I'm really in awe of that little one. 
I also think that I've narrowed down my specialty that I'm going to focus on for my Etsy.com page.  I know I've been meaning to do it forever but I just haven't been able to figure out how to do it affordably.  The cost per picture per month with all the inventory that I have was just too much to fathom when my profit margin was so low to begin with.  But in my search for diaper bags with this pregnancy, I found that I could make a completely machine washable diaper bag that I would actually be proud to carry for 1/3 to 1/2 of what I could purchase one for.  The only one that Danny and I could agree upon that I found available retail was $80 (yeah, totally out of the question).  So, I made one out a some fabric that I'd been dying to use but hadn't found just the right thing for yet.  It only cost me $20 for the materials and I can throw it in the washing machine AND the dryer.  I have not found a diaper bag yet that boasts that and looks any kind of decent.  So, now I think I've finally found my niche!  Woo Hoo!  Plus the cost difference between what I can make them for and what I can sell them for might actually mean that I can afford to market them properly.  I am so excited to get cracking on them.  I've got some fabric ideas working already and I do so love having ideas to mull over and perfect. 
Now to just finish organizing the house so that my ideas can become reality.  We really are close to being done.  We've gotten our bedroom nearly in order and ready for the bassinet.  We've gotten the girl's bedroom closet cleared out of most unnecessary stuff and we've been making regular trips to Savers to donate things that we'll not be keeping.  We're down to just needing to go through books of ours and sorting toys (which has been started but seems to get undone every so often).  I've even conceded to throwing away all my DVD cases.  We'll be organizing them in binders and separating out the kids movies once we get some more binders. 
We've gotten all or Joey's clothes in plastic drawers so that she can choose her own outfits in the mornings and she can get herself mostly dressed.  She still needs a little monitoring to make sure that she doesn't just wear the same ballet tutu every day with last night's shirt and galoshes.  But she's loving being able to do more on her own.  And it's super helpful for laundry's sake because she can put her clothes away by herself too.  I love that part.  I just hand her a stack of shirts and tell her to put them in the appropriate drawer and they almost always wind up in the right place. 
Well, I'm off to Michael's today for a new sketchbook.  I am in such a need to one and here's hoping I find a coupon file folder that I can use as well.  I need to be more organized but I'm getting better at the couponing.  I was only able to save about $50 this past month with deals and coupons and card savings and all but that's $50 off an already minimized budget and I think I can do better next month.  And the fact that I chose to make and reuse things that I can, saves me quite a bit to begin with and then on top of it I buy in bulk where I can.  But I still think that I can do better. 

Productive weekend

I must say being without advanced technology at home has been rather refreshing.  We're getting so much done.  We've gone through every box in the house.  We've cleared out so much crap.  We found lost loved items.  We even found an old Raggedy Andy doll that used to belong to Danny's dad, that Joey has quickly fallen in love with and calls Andy Dandy. 
I organized all of our old baby clothes from when Joey was a wee one.  Now I just have to go through the new hand-me-downs that I've been too overwhelmed to get to yet.  I'm super pumped.  I found three nursing bras amongst all the baby clothes along with two pairs of maternity jeans and two pairs of maternity Capri's and one pair of maternity shorts and three of my favorite tops from the last go round.  Oh man, what a score!!  I was so stoked!! I think I actually squealed. 
I got all of Joey's clothes organized in drawers at her height and she's very excited about being able to get herself dressed.  She still needs a bit of help making sure shirts are on the right way front and that shoes are on the right feet but she's getting pretty good at it.  Now if only I could get her to focus on learning what all the letters in the alphabet song look like.  She seems totally content on just knowing the letters and never learning to recognize them.  A little frustrating but we have time still. 
Got to visit with my family on Father's Day and it was a blast.  Joey and my sister Maggie spent 3 straight hours playing with the hose, two buckets and two dish soap bottles.  They only took one short break for brownies and that was it.  They had such a blast and it was awesome fun to watch.  I was really glad that I had that SPF 60 for her though.  She is just so fair skinned and never seems to pick up any color.  Not even a freckle. 
I've got an ultrasound next week.  It seems our little Norah has decided that she has to be different from her sister.  She was breech at our last appointment (and in our last ultrasound) and the OBGYN wants to double check on her position as we get closer.  Fun Stuff.  At least we were already planning on a repeat c-section.  So it doesn't change our plans much.  It just really helps ease our minds more than anything that our sense that this was the path that we were supposed to take.  And that those urgings that Danny and I felt from God way back at the beginning of this pregnancy were accurate.  Yay God! 
Oh well, I'm off.  The hubs will be picking me up from work soon and off we'll go. 

Internetless me

Hey Folks,

I know I've been a total blog-slacker lately.  I'm sorry.  We're without Internet for a bit.  Our laptop died and we have no funds to fix it and then our desktop died.  We were given a desktop to use in the mean time but since we've had our Internet/cable/phone shut off.  And without a laptop to be able to go off and use in wi-fi hot spots we're a little cut off from all our far-off loved ones.  We're having a bit of an issue with some of our income sources.  Social Security withdrew Danny's SSI and we've trying to reconcile our electric bill since we were unable to get Energy Assistance over the winter.  We're doing what we can and we've been extremely blessed to be surrounded by people who care enough to help us manage and squeak by but I think we'll be without Internet access for a while until we can get things more in order.  It's just one more expense that we don't need now that Danny's not in school. 
We're also trying to sell off all of the things that we'll be needing to get rid of in order to move to Colorado next year.  I'll be taking photos of some of my handmade crafts and posting them to sell soon.  I wish I could afford an etsy.com account but it's just too pricey for me at the moment.  So, I'll probably be posting them on craigslist, google, and facebook.  I know it'll be a harder sell but I gotta do what I gotta do. 
We've been cleaning out closets and donating clothes and selling instruments and all we can think of to make space for another person in our little apartment.  It finally seems like the mess is getting smaller.  Cleaning out closets always seems to make things worse for a while before they start to get better but we're making headway slowly but surely. 
I'm planning on making Joey some summer dresses since she's been really into pretty dresses lately and I've been a slacker on making them for her.  I really want to make her a nice pretty dress for her birthday in August.  She seems really excited about that idea.  I also have decided that I need another cute summer maternity/post baby dress and I haven't been able to find anything not super low cut.  I also think I need a cute pair of maternity shorts and I just don't like the ones in the store, nor can we afford to go buying clothes willy-nilly.  I also want to make Joey some pillows for under her bed.  I think I've mentioned that her new bed is a low loft bed so she has a little play area all her own underneath.  So, those are my projects for a while.  I don't know how to get everything done but I shall try.  I plan of breaking out the sewing machine again as soon as we get some of our donation bags out of the house. 
I'll post pictures once everything is in progress and out of chaos.  Right now our apartment is in a total state of chaos until we can get more cleared out.  I just have to keep reminding myself that progress is being made and that it can only get better from here.  
But that's our life for a while.  Not much else going on.  Danny's been hunting for jobs something fierce and I'm really proud of him.  He's also on a mission to lose 45lbs before Norah is born and he's already lost 30lbs.  Yay DANNY!!  It's really been helpful for me too since it keeps me on track as far as my weight gain too.  It may make life a little more crazy to have to be planning meals and making sure that we're portioning food out when we buy it so that we're only making what we should be eating in a sitting at a time.  But it's super helpful that it's a team effort.  I'm so proud of him.  He's really trying so hard to do so many things and I know it's not easy for him but he keeps on going.  And he keeps on sacrificing for his family and I'm really excited for things to come.  Well, that's all for me for now. 

Things and things

So many things going on lately.  Where to begin.  I know I've been slacking lately in my blogging (sorry!), we had two computer's die on us in the past few weeks.  Ok, not die per se but make themselves unusable for the time being.  The laptop will no longer take a charge but otherwise works fine, we just can't get any juice in it too use it, Danny took it apart and fixed what he could but he thinks there's a small component in the power system that needs to be replaced.  Then our desktop got a virus (at least it waited until Danny finished his finals).  So now we are sans a computer with Word which means that one (preferably both of them) need(s) to be fixed before the fall semester begins.  It's honestly a good thing that Danny hadn't gotten around to cleaning out our old desktop otherwise I'd not be typing now.
So, now that Danny's through with finals we've begun planning how exactly our move to Colorado is going to work.  We'll either be moving in March or May of 2012.  That's what we've narrowed it down to. We probably won't finalize a date until Danny either finds work, or begins school again, whichever comes first.  If he's able to find a decent job to tide us over until March, we'd prefer to move sooner.  If he's not able to find work, then he'll go back to school in the fall and we'll wait until the end of the spring semester.
I had my oh so fun glucose test on Wednesday.  Lord knows that's always fun.  But for once, I got a phlebotomist that not only found my vein on the first try but managed it without me wincing.  Usually it takes a few tries before they're able to find a vein on me.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I also had a neurologist appointment on Thursday which took way longer than I thought it would.  But it turned out pretty good.  The doctor thinks I just have a really bad case of restless leg syndrome which he recommends that I take iron supplements and magnesium for (horray for the homeopathic!).  I'd so rather take vitamins than medication.  He also suggested something I find totally silly, putting a bar of Ivory brand soap in between my sheets at night while I sleep.  He said he doesn't get it either but enough people have said that it helps, that it's made it's way into the medical literature.  (WOW right?)
Danny sold our Saturn today! And boy oh boy did we need that, I'm still not sure if we'll be getting his SSI this month so it's nice to know where at least rent is coming from this month.  Yay for small blessings.  It's one less thing on my mind.  Danny's been working really hard at streamlining our household assets as well.  We're trying to get rid of all the things that we're not planning on taking with us to Colorado when we move.  So, I've gotten rid of clothes and we're going through books and selling off what we can and giving away what we can't.
Danny's even been trying to sell off some of his non-essential musical instruments and the things that go with them.  I'm so proud of him.  He's really trusting God to provide for us when we get out there and I know that it's really hard for a musician to part with his instruments and I'm just so proud of him.
Joey and I are almost finished with our third book in the little house series.  She's really been enjoying it. She calls the books Ma & Pa, which I think is just super cute!  Every time I say that I'm going to read some more, she asks if we can read all the pages, and I have to explain that we most likely won't get to all the pages since it's nearly time for bed.  But it's become a really great wind down routine before bed time & nap time.
Now, if only I could figure out how to keep my living room clean, but that's a project for another day.  Joey's making me a tea party while I'm making lunch so I should jet.  Tootles!

God is Faithful

I have been burning myself out lately as some of you may know.  Working, being a mom, pregnant, looking for work, Danny's been in school full time (he finished his last final today) and has been looking for work himself (we're hoping to here this week on a job that we think would be a perfect fit for him).  We've been struggling but scraping by and it's just a world of stress. 
We decided that this year we were both going to try and carve out time for ourselves to have some alone time before the baby comes.  Our church has an annual Women's Retreat that has really kept me from going over the edge the last two years that I attended (courtesy of some lovely ladies that gave me anonymous scholarships).  I was beyond grateful. 
This year Danny and I decided that no matter what I would go and we would trust God to come up with whatever funds were needed to make that happen.  Then two weeks ago, all hell broke lose with our finances and we still felt like God meant for me to go but we now had less than what we needed in our bank account and my unemployment was under review and our utilities were cut off and Social Security threaten to pull Danny's SSI due to our bank changing names.  UGH, right? 
So, we've been trusting God with it and been honest with the people around us.  Our church blessed us by paying a god portion of our rent after we had to use the money we had for it to get our lights turned back on.  I've been on the phone with Unemployment everyday for nearly two weeks to make sure that they aren't cutting me off.  The ladies had a last minute scholarship open up for half of the cost of the retreat for me.  But we still had only $2 in our bank account and no gas in the car.  I had to decided for the final count yesterday whether I would go or not, even though nothing had come through yet.  We still felt like it was something that I needed and that I should go.  So, I told them that I was going and made arrangements to pay the weekend afterwards. 
Today, I finally hear that Unemployment is back on track and according to my balance I'm getting all of my back weeks benefits that I've been waiting on, deposited in our account, TOMORROW!  Yay!  I can pay to go to the retreat.  Danny's done with finals.  My in-laws gave us a little gas money to hold us over.  Hopefully, Danny will be able to get to a clinic today after his other dr's appointment (he's not been feeling well).  I should now be able to get things worked out with SSI this week now that I know what I'll be receiving from Unemployment.  Then hopefully, I'll be able to get things in order to file for hardship with the utility company once I have my paperwork from Unemployment and SSI so that they can't shut us off again. 
Things plummeted very fast and now they're back on the upswing.  God is good and faithful!  And sometimes we just have to take that leap of faith and trust Him before we can see what's coming.

Baby Quilt

I DID IT!!  I finished the quilt.  I started yesterday afternoon, after baking a cake (ahh, those pregnancy cravings).  And then, I kept truckin' away until 10:30 and got it DONE!  Yay!! So here's some pics of the quilt along the way.

my pieces and backing all cut out

my kitchen table complete with Mother's Day Flowers from the hubby

my first block

next step, lining up all the little blocks

all pinned to the backing and ready to quilt

all quilted now just to do the edging

 

 

 

DONE!

 

 

Joey helped me pick out all the fabrics.  I tried to keep it in the same color family as Joey's baby quilt.  Joey's is pink and brown with hints of green so we went with pink and green with brown accents for Norah's quilt.  Norah's blanket also has some gold threading in two of the fabrics.  Joey liked them best because they were sparkly. 
Danny said he thinks that it's better than Joey's baby quilt.  I tend to agree.  I made Joey's quilt 3 years ago and I've since learned some things about quilting since then.  I also have a rockin' new machine to quilt with now. 
Now, Joey's asking me to make a blanket for her baby(her cabbage patch kid).  I think I'll make that one out of something else but I'm planning on using the scraps from Joey's quilt (yep, I still have some) and some of the scraps from Norah's quilt to make a cover for the changing table.  Something patchwork-y.  I think it'll be fun.  But that's a project for another day!

Nesting Monday.

Wow, I feel like I've accomplished so much today.  Joey and I had a relaxing morning and a busy one all at the same time.  I woke up bright and early (it's becoming a habit, not of my own choosing).  I checked my email, ate breakfast and did some other random internet browsing before waking the hubs for school. 
Then I just hung out with him for a bit before Joey woke up, which didn't take long.  Got her changed and fed.  Danny left for school and I had Joey clean up her toys and she got a movie reward (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs).  I must say, I am a sucker for movies where the dorky guy gets the girl. 
Then she and I did some coloring and she helped me scoured the bathroom.  I cleaned the kitchen and scoured the sink & other surfaces while she had a snack.  Then I made lunch.  Wow, that's a lot off of my list for the day.  I am determined to get cracking on the sewing stage of Norah's baby quilt.  I've got all the pieces cut and my first seams pinned and ready to go. 
I've also got to get my meal plan together for the week.  So here we go...

Monday
breakfast: cereal & oranges
lunch: cheese tortellini with grape tomatoes
dinner: meatloaf and mashed potatoes

Tuesday
breakfast: leftover pancakes
lunch: pb&j and apples
dinner: slow cooker kielbasa & sauerkraut

Wednesday
breakfast: cereal & bananas
lunch: leftovers
dinner: chicken nuggets & green beans

Thursday
breakfast: oatmeal & apples
lunch: nutella sandwiches
dinner: fish tacos

Friday
breakfast: cereal & oranges
lunch: leftovers
dinner: pasta & italian sausage

Saturday
breakfast: pancakes
lunch: pb&j and veggies
dinner: roast chicken & veggies

Sunday
breakfast: oatmeal at church
lunch: party in south windsor
dinner: leftovers

Provision and more

So, I don't know if I've mentioned how much I adore our church.  Danny and I as many of you readers know are in a serious financial pinch lately.  Our church is so lovely, upon hearing about the whole mess with the Energy Assistance program/ our electric company, they are giving us the money to cover our missing rent this month.  I am beyond grateful.  God is so GOOD!

I am currently fighting with Unemployment Insurance over my current claim/extension/something about a new claim that I have to make but am not eligible for because I work for a non-profit.  I don't know but they're not making a decision in any kind of timely manner.  And I've called them everyday this week and gotten a different answer about the same questions but no results.  Why must the headache be so redundant.  I've accepted that I'm not eligible for the new claim, I'm ok with that.  I kind of have to be, it's the law and it's not up for negotiation.  So, why not just drop it and let me keep what I've got.  It seems like so much work on their part, to fight for me to get something we both know I can't have, when I'm not asking for it.  I just need my check this week (and next for that matter) to pay for things like gas and rent and our other bills that are all due at the beginning of the month. 

I hate bureaucracy! I've never understood the point of making people jump through hoops for things that they need.  Have some compassion and just do your job efficiently.  It makes the most sense for everyone involved.  But, I'm keeping calm about it all, and I'm having faith.  God will make what needs to happen, happen. 

On a totally other note, I finished cutting my pieces for Norah's baby quilt.  It's looking so cute.  Joey helped me pick out all the fabrics and they're just perfect.  The colors match her baby quilt but aren't quite the same.  I'm also going to be using a different pattern to make Norah's so that they're sure not to get confused.  I'm very excited for it.  It's going to be such fun to make.  I just need to give myself time to get the house back to a state of clean before busting out another mess.  I'm almost there.  Some of the pieces of my last project are still lingering around.  Joey likes to 'help' so, things wind up a little bit of everywhere. 

Feeling Better

So, I know my last post was a little *RARR*.  Sorry for that!

Feeling better today.  I've still got a whole lot on my plate to work out and it certainly is not an easy process but I'm working my way through all the steps.  It seems like there's way more work involved than I had thought, but that's ok.  I'm taking things step by step (at least for the time being).  I'm making phone call after phone call and it's oh so fun being on hold and fighting through red tape. 

But our food stamps came in for the month and at least now I have food in the house.  So, on to my weekly meal plan. 

Tuesday
breakfast: bagels & oranges
lunch: sandwiches & tomatoes w/hummus
dinner: Frozen pizza & sauteed squash

Wednesday
breakfast: cereal and bananas
lunch: hot dogs & chili
dinner: pasta salad

Thursday
breakfast: oatmeal & apples
lunch: pb&j and tortilla chips
dinner: Sam's club combo

Friday
breakfast: cereal & bananas
lunch: chicken nuggets & salad
dinner: bean burritos

Saturday
breakfast: pancakes
lunch: kielbasa & sauerkraut
dinner: potato salad

Sunday
breakfast: oatmeal at church
lunch: church snacks & leftovers
dinner: roast chicken & green beans

Monday
breakfast: eggs & oranges
lunch: nutella sandwiches & veggie sticks
dinner: meatloaf & mashed potatoes

Tuesday
breakfast: cereal & bananas
lunch: leftovers
dinner: chicken stir fry

Yay for one more thing off my to-do list.  Now to my next task for the day.  I'm going to try and finish cutting my pieces for Norah's baby blanket today.
Yesterday we had an ultra-sound appointment to get those last vital pics of our little one before she gets here.  She's growing right on schedule.  Everything was perfect!  We even got some awesome profile face shots too.  Looks like this little one will have that trademark 'Palmquist' chin.  Not really shocked on that one.  I've heard that a cleft chin is one of those genetic markers that if either parents have it, it's guaranteed to be passed on.  She also appears to have a nose a bit more like Danny's and his dad's and less like mine or Lisa's (like joey has).  I'm excited to see her little face! 
And when I was talking to my midwife this time around, I finally got a referral to a neurologist about my leg and neck spasms.  It's only taken 4 years and two pregnancies to finally get someone to hear me that it's not just a weird pregnancy symptom.  But YAY!!  The lovely nurses even helped me find a GP that is not only taking new patients but also takes my insurance.  I've been needing one.  I love my midwives group!! They are awesome!

Frustrated Monday

So, this week is not off to a great start but I'm hoping it will get better soon. (Please God, let it get better soon!)  Yesterday, I couldn't file my regular Unemployment claim, sometimes it happens so, I just figured I'd call today.  Then our power was disconnected this morning.  (We have quite the back balance with the electric company.)  I'd been expecting to have to deal with it sooner or later I suppose.  So, I get that turned back on but only after giving them 2/3 of the money that we have in our bank account, which was 2/3 of our allocated rent money.  WHEEEEE!!!
I signed up for financial hardship with them (again).  Let's hope I can keep them from turning it off next month too.  I had been trying to apply for Energy Assistance with the state but their office isn't open without an appointment and I'd been calling every month since August to get an appointment or even just the paperwork that I needed to file with them.  They kept blowing me off, telling me to call back in this month or that month, I kept calling.  They finally send me the paperwork, I got it FOUR DAYS AFTER IT WAS DUE.
I don't know if I should blame them or our horrible postal delivery person who has lost many a package due us and now no longer dares deliver packages at all, we just have to go pick them up.  And if there's no tracking information, we don't even know they're here since she won't even leave those lovely little slips that they're supposed to leave. 
Then I get my brain back and call unemployment to deal with my other headache for the day.  I stayed on hold for a good half hour.  Th woman was very helpful.  She got my account set up again but then forgot to take my information to file my weekly claim. UGH!  Now, I'm hold for another potential half hour (or more if they decide to take lunch before taking my call).  I really hope that I can get this taken care of soon and then do something fun.

I need to make a to do list for the day but I already feel so emotionally drained.  I need to make a meal plan for the week but I don't have any food in the house and our food stamps don't come in until tomorrow but we don't have time to actually get to the store until Thursday.  I don't know what to do with myself.  I think I just need to zone out and watch a cheesy kids movie with Joey.  But, then I'd have to get her to clean up the living room to get the reward of a movie.
Head Smashing KeyBoard

Crafty McNester Pants

Last night I worked diligently and finished the diaper bag I've been working on.  I'm so proud of myself.  It's perfect and I used up a ton of scraps and It looks great.  

front inside

front with flap and strap

inside pocket

It's so cute.  I just need to add a few closures and it's all done.  Woo Hoo!!  I also made this car organizer last week. 

back or car seat organizer

I love it too!  Nice and bright for all things baby related when we need to have a stash of quickly accessible things for rides in the car.  I installed it the other day and I totally need to take a picture of it in. 
I've still got a baby quilt on my craft to do list and some other ideas that I'm still kicking around before our newest little makes their appearance.  I want to make myself another maternity dress but I still haven't found the right fabric for it (at the right price).  I will find it though, I'm sure.  I just know that I'll be needing something cute to wear this summer.  I made a really cute maternity dress when I was pregnant with Joey but I don't know what happened to it. 

Sunday Reflections

So, I'm enjoying some last few minutes of quiet before Sunday morning really begins.  Next week is Mother's Day and I'm almost in shock to think that next year, I'll have two little girls to celebrate with.  It makes my heart smile.  Joey is just getting so big and I almost can't believe that my pregnancy is winding down again.  And soon our bustling little household of three will be a household of four.  We still don't know how we're going to make all the schedules work, but somehow, it will.  God will provide, that I'm sure of.
The weather's getting warmer and it's so fun to be outside.  I love spring.  The only thing that would make spring better for me would be if I had a yard to plant in.  I was talking to my grandmother the other day, and I was telling her how I ache to garden and plant things.  She said simply, 'we come from farmers, it's in your blood.'  How true that is!  She grew up on a farm, my mom grew up on a farm, I spent my summers growing up on a farm.  There's nothing like it in the world.  No city can compare to it.  No matter where I go, it's with me.  My heart longs to farm, to have my life ebb and flow with the seasons.  I can't escape it, and I can barely contain it.  I feel most myself and most connected to God when I'm doing something with my hands or when I'm out in nature.  It's my home.
It makes me yearn more for our move to Colorado.  I've been peeking at places out there only sporadically since we postponed the move, but it makes me excited to know that since cost of living is so much lower out there and since the lifestyle out there lends itself more to self-sufficiency, I might actually be able to have a yard, or at least a little piece of land to dig in and grow things.  We are just floundering here sometimes.
There is so much pressure in New-England to perform, perform, perform! And with the job market being so flooded, and work being so hard to find (and neither of us having found any in quite some time), it'll be really nice for the change of pace.  Not to mention the change in cost of things.  Generally, the cost of living out in CO is 60% of what it is here.  Such a big cut for us since we're living in a constant state of deficit.
For those of you not up to date on our finances: We have 0 money.  We're living off of Social Security Supplemental Income, Unemployment benefits, my part-time wages, food stamps, coupons and anything we can save after books from Danny's Pell Grant from school.  It's not much and it doesn't sustain us.  We haven't paid our utilities in over a year and we just keep praying that the lights stay on, but we have no means to pay them.  It's all we can do to keep the rent paid and food on the table and diapers of Joey's tush (though hopefully not much longer on that last one).  Now, our SSI got pulled, though I'm hoping that's just a technicality due to our bank changing names.  One of us needs to find work or some means of support SOON.  But God hasn't shown us where that will be coming from yet.  We keep looking but we're not finding.
Any prayers you'd be willing to throw up for us would be greatly appreciated.  We sure could use the extra intercession.  Danny's finishing up finals this month and he's trying to figure out if God even means for him to go back to school in the fall or if he needs to work (should he be able to find any).  It's a rough road we're on.  There's a light not only at the end of it but not too far off by the way of Colorado, but the mean time however is totally unclear to us.
Well, I should go wake up the family and get us moving and ready for church.  I'm excited for what God has in store for us.  I just wish that I could see it a little better.

Boo, no sewing! SO, on to baking!

So, Joey's up from her nap and my sewing machine's out for delivery but not here yet.  I've gotten the living room cleaned up(Joey helped).  I got Joey's room a bit more organized.  I finished one load of dishes and my second load is going now.  I finished my meal plan for the week in my post earlier today (BONUS: all my menu items use things in my pantry and require no further shopping until Friday). 
I still need to change the sheets on our bed and in turn make the bed and take out the trash but I figured I'd hold off until my sewing machine got here and I'd take out all the trash at once.  I also waited until after Danny came home from class to change the sheets and make the bed since he tends to snack/nap in there on Monday afternoons while things are fresh in his head from class. 
So, now my morning activities are done(Yay Me!).  I've planned my afternoon quite loosely since I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with Joey when she woke up be we decided to bake cookies for Care Group tonight.  Joey's been really into helping me cook & bake lately, which is super fun for me.  I love having her help count out measurements and learn what's in things.  This morning she decided that our oatmeal pancakes needed some apple in them, so we added some grated apple and she got to eat the apple nubs. 
I think she eats more knowing that she had a hand in creating her meals.  She also helps pick what fruits go into her yogurt blends, and her yogurt popsicles that we make.  She loves to watch the berries and things ooze into purees in the top of the baby food grinder.  Yep, she's nearly 3 and I'm still using the thing.  It's the same baby food grinder that my mom bought when I was little, way back in the early 80's.  Who needs modern gadgets when the older ones are way cooler anyhow.  I may need to get a new 'O'-ring for it soon though since it'll be getting double use once our newest little is ready for real food.  I've already put some little 4oz. mason jars on my wish-list for the canning season.
The only modern gadget I'm still lusting after is a Kitchen Aid mixer.  *drool*  I can't seem to kick that one, even though I know I don't need one. 
I'd like an ice cream maker too but I deem that want rational since it would save us money and I don't really care as much about it. 
Ok, enough from me, that cookie dough should have softened enough to handle by now.  I had made a really big batch of cookie dough a while back and I froze what I couldn't make right away.  I've had it in the fridge to thaw for a few days now but it was still a little hard so I left it out on top of the running dish washer and I'm hoping it's soft enough to scoop by now. 

Easter Monday

Alrighty, the Holiday is over and it was lovely!  I love Easter.  Such a wonderful time.
The fasting of Lent always leaves me feeling refreshed, once it's all over.  Danny and I still haven't plugged the cable in yet and  I think we're going to see what we can do about leaving it that way.  At least during the day.
Joey's been much more well behaved without it.  Plus now she can't just turn it on when we're not looking and she actually has to do her chores to get a reward of a movie.  And to be honest, movies are much better for us as a household.  First off, no commercials.  Secondly, they're not nearly as annoying as some of the shows. Thirdly, we try to keep educational or at least musical movies around (she and I just adore musicals).  Lastly, it's helpful to be able to put on something with a definite end point and that holds her attention for most of the time.
We're watching the WIZARD OF OZ right now.  Joey requested it.
I still need to get the Sound of Music on DVD, I love that one.  It's on my list but I just haven't gotten to the 'wants' section of my list, I got a bit of the way through our 'needs' list and then we ran out of money.  Our tax refund didn't go as far as we'd hoped this year.  Danny is going to try and find work once the semester is over, 3 weeks and counting.
So, I've made some progress on our to do list for the day.  Danny did some laundry while he was up late last night which was a huge help!  I made oatmeal apple pancakes for breakfast.  I organized some of the remaining laundry.  I still have a bit left to go.  I need to change the sheets, I need to make up the meal plan for the week, I am hoping my sewing machine shows up in time for me to do something during Joey's nap, I need to make dinner, I need to clean the living room, and I am hosting care group tonight while Danny's off doing school work.

So, first thing's first,  MEAL PLAN:

Monday
breakfast: apple oatmeal pancakes
lunch: leftovers
dinner: mac & cheese & peas

Tuesday
breakfast: oatmeal & oranges
lunch: pb&j and milk
dinner: chicken tikka masala & rice noodles

Wednesday
breakfast: cereal & berries
lunch: ramen & beets
dinner: chicken nuggets & mashed potatoes

Thursday
breakfast: leftover pancakes
lunch: egg salad sandwiches & apples
dinner: pasta/asperagus/tomatoes/capers

Friday
breakfast: oatmeal & raisins
lunch: Sam's Club combo
dinner: grilled cheese & tomato soup

Saturday
breakfast: cereal & oranges
lunch: nutella sandwiches & veggie sticks
dinner: roast chicken & sweet potatoes

Sunday
breakfast: leftover frozen pancakes
lunch: snacks at church and pb&j
dinner:  leftover chicken & potato salad

Happy Easter

Today was nearly the perfect Easter.  I got to have a bit of a mellow wake up followed by some quick breakfast while getting ready for church which Danny and I both got to enjoy and not 'have to' do stuff for.  Joey woke up and got to open her Easter basket.  She was very excited about that pink crown in there.  

We got to enjoy worship & most of the service with Joey with only one serious meltdown.  Woo Hoo!!  We had a lovely Easter Potluck luncheon with our wonderful church family.  The kids had a fun little Easter Egg hunt and the Sun came out for it just in time.  

We got to enjoy some nice warm sunshine (for me) and now it's raining and soon to be storming (for Danny).  Joey woke up happy from her nap.  Danny brought home dinner so I didn't have to cook, which was super awesome since I'm having a little trouble breathing with the high humidity and high pollen count today.  Now, Danny and Joey are listening to their 'crunchy grooves' and dancing.
What a lovely day it was!  The only thing that would have made it better would have been if my folks could have come down.  GOD IS GOOD!

Rainy Saturday

You know, usually I'm not a huge fan of the rain but today, I really don't mind it.  I think I might even prefer it to what would have been the alternative.  I got to sleep in this morning and then Joey woke up and puked when Danny brought her to the kitchen to get her some breakfast.  :-(  I think she was just over hungry though because now she's dancing around the living room while Danny plays some guitar for her.  I do so LOVE a good lazy Saturday with the family.

So, Yeah

It's my one day of lull before craziness ensues.
Danny's birthday on Tuesday was wonderful.  Lots of people showed up and loved on my hubby.  He got lots of fun presents and everyone was super excited that I found him a bike that fits him.  I'll have to post pics of the bike soon.  It's being kept in the basement at the moment since it'd most likely be stolen if we left it outside.  Danny's been itching for the weather to cooperate on his non-school days so that he can take it for a real ride but I think today's going to be it for a few days yet and he really wants to get his school work that's due next week done before holiday madness breaks out.
The other day, I finally started that painting that I've been wanting to get started on for my girls.  I got a lot done so far.  I'm still stuck as to how I want the sky to look and I can't really finish up with the rest until I get a new palate knife (I don't know what happened to mine).  So, I'm making progress on that which makes me happy.  I really love painting, I could paint for days straight if I were ever to have the time or space.
I was nesting really bad last week and I started some sewing projects and it seemed that just as I got all my pieces cut out and pieced together, my sewing machine broke.  UGH!  I proceeded to sew some of it by hand but hit a snag since some of my pieces need to have elastic attached.  Luckily my mother-in-law is really great with sewing machines and used to work for a repair shop.  She took a look at my machine and told me that what I thought was wrong was indeed broken and she couldn't fix it herself and that it would cost at least $100 to get it repaired.  Oh well! Since I can get a new machine for the less than that, I said goodbye to that lovely machine(It lasted me almost 10 years).  And will soon be moving on to a new one (Woot Woot!).  I have it all picked out and I just need to go get it before the sale price runs out at the end of the month.
Tomorrow is Good Friday and Danny's actual birthday and we have tons going on this weekend.  I really wish that I could somehow slow time down just for the weekend so that I can get everything done and still enjoy the whole thing.
P.S. Please pray that our Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday doesn't get rained out.  For some of the kids that we put it on for, it's the only egg hunt that they can get to.

Crazy Monday

So, it's Holy Week and Danny's 30th Birthday week.  AHHHH!!! Can we say, crazy combo?  His party is tomorrow and I have so much to do but I sit here blogging because I don't know where to begin so I thought, if I need to write things out to clear my head, I might as well put them here for all the world to see.
On my to do list for today & tomorrow: cut up all the cheese for my homemade ham(made in the slow cooker overnight lst night), cheese and cracker platter; put away all the clean laundry(joey helps with this one); clean & vacuum the living room; make lunch & dinner; adjust my meal plan since I forgot to take into account the hubby's party last week when I made it; figure out what joey wants to get danny for his birthday; do dishes; get danny's present wrapped before he gets home and tears into it before I can(major fail on this one); organize joey's room more;  see if I can get into her closet and find her Easter sweater that fell somewhere(Could not find it in there)); try and make some progress on my craft projects(just to get it out of my head); print out my Target coupons(tmrw); get all the paper supplies for Danny's party; get Joey and I showered and clean(tonight); fill the pinata for the party; try not to forget about the to do list in favor of nesting projects.
Pretty exhausting right?!
It's not a lot of stuff especially since I do have Joey around to help with some of the things on my list and she's a really good helper.  And I know that I can do it.  I KNOW I CAN!  I just have to keep moving & I need a soundtrack to modivate me(add that to the to do list).  Now to start with my meal planning.

Monday
breakfast: eggs and ham
lunch: pb&j and oranges
dinner: shrimp lo mein

Tuesday
breakfast: berries and yogurt
lunch: Target coupon for the marketplace while getting party supplies
dinner: PARTY TIME

Wednesday
breakfast: cereal & bananas
lunch: leftovers
dinner: Leftover party food

Thursday
breakfast: oatmeal & raisins
lunch: cheese ravioli & peas
dinner: hotdogs & beans

Friday
breakfast: cereal & oranges
lunch: Sam's Club combos
dinner: grilled cheese & tomato soup

Saturday
breakfast: bagels & berries @ Easter Egg Hunt Outreach
lunch: nutella sandwiches & oranges @ EEHO
dinner: chicken tikka masala & rice noodles

Sunday
breakfast: cereal & bananas @ church
lunch: Church Easter Potluck
dinner: leftovers

OK, meal plan done, Joey's working on a card for Danny and I've found a playlist(at least for the time being).  3 down, 20 more to go!! Here's to progress(fingers crossed)!

UPDATE: I got most of that done before 2pm.  I think I shall reward myself with extended craft time. Woot Woot!

Meal Planning and To Do list

So, I've been slacking on my meal planning, I really need to stay on top of this.  I have been more diligent on creating checklists to keep myself on task though.  I'm starting to get ideas for some frozen meals for when baby comes.  So much to do.
I've been trying to figure out organizational things for the apartment. Today I ordered some drawer organizers.  I figured that I'm just not going to find the time or tools to make them myself.  I've also been peeking at car organizers at Target but I'm pretty sure that I could make one myself for way cheaper.  It's essentially just a apron with a bunch of pockets in different sizes and elastic or velcro closures.  I have all that I need already to make something like that.  The only thing that I think I will surely need to purchase is the soft, leek-proof trash container for the car.  I haven't figured out how to make one leek-proof myself yet.  :-/
I finished up the sketching of my painting that I'm working on last night.  I'm hoping to get started on the painting sometime this week but I don't know when I'll find the time.  I think it might be better to get started on the car organizer today since I can clean up the fabric and stuff easier than I can the paint.
So, my to do list for the day: start a project (just one), do dishes, make a meal plan, do two loads of laundry, vacuum, a nap.  Not a long list but my brother's also coming over later to hang out a bit so a short list is better I think.

Meal Plan:

Thursday
breakfast: cereal and bananas
lunch: leftovers
dinner: frozen pizza

Friday
breakfast: eggs & oranges
lunch: sam's club combo
dinner: chicken stir-fry

Saturday
breakfast: fruit pancakes
lunch: mac & cheese & peas
dinner: hotdogs & baked beans

Sunday
breakfast: eggs & yogurt w/ berries
lunch: cheese ravioli & baby carrots
dinner: grilled cheese & tomato soup

Monday
breakfast: leftover pancakes
lunch: leftovers
dinner: chicken tikka masala & rice noodles

Tuesday
breakfast: eggs & oranges
lunch: egg salad sandwiches/ pb&j & celery sticks
dinner: cheese tortellini & sauce

Wedensday
breakfast: cereal & bananas
lunch: leftovers
dinner: balsamic glazed chicken & potato salad

Painting fun

I've been racking my brain lately. I have been wanting to paint something for my newest little one that we're expecting.  Before Joey was born, I painted her a lovely fairy painting and I've been wanting to paint something for our new little one.  I've been struggling to pick a subject matter but today it came to me as I was getting ready for work. 
(BTW: I am loving my little piece of alone time on Wednesday mornings when Danny takes Joey to Lisa's house since his school and my work overlap one day a week)
It's a scene from Revelations.  I know, I know... Revelations is a little heady for a kids room but bear with me, it's a beautiful scene.  But I figured out that it should be a painting for the two of my girls to share.  I'll also be making a baby blanket for our new little one and last year on our church's women's retreat, I painted a small painting of a butterfly for Joey so I'm sure I'll get around to making one (or several) just for this little one at some point too. 
"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.…" -Revelation 22:1-3 (KJV)
I sketched it out this morning before I left for work.  It's looking great.  I can't wait to get started painting.  I don't know where I'll find the time but I'm hoping that I will get it done in time.  I'm hoping that my girls will also get the duality that the tree growing on two sides of a river that divides it will also not be lost on them during their adolescent years since they'll most likely be sharing a room for a while.  

I love divine inspiration!
I watched a movie recently where the main character was a artist struggling to find his voice as an artist in the midst of some serious life struggles.  (Doesn't it always work that way)  He was being mentored by a famous painter who was slipping in and out of depression over the recent  loss of his one true love and was nearly unable to paint anymore due to some serious arthritis. 
The movie opens with the main character telling his mentor that he was feeling lost in his painting and had been painting expressionism most recently.  His mentor joked that expressionism could get one lost rather quickly and told him to paint what he loved, because love was the only thing that mattered.  At the close of the movie, the mentor altered this statement slightly in a vast revelation.  He said not to paint what can be lost but rather to paint the Light.  Because the light always remains even when the things of this life have faded away.  I found it rather profound. 
I hope that I always remember to paint the Light.  It truly is the only thing that lasts.  My best painting have always been the one's that God has inspired me to paint.  At least, I think so.  So, I'm feeling inspired and ready to paint the light.  Now, here's to finding the time while in the midst of life's toil, to get that done!

Dreams...

I have so many dreams and I always get distracted by life and wind up off course.  I want to be a writer.  I have a book that I've been writing for 14 years and have never gotten past Chapter 6.  I have plenty of other book ideas that I have never gotten past the idea stage.  I have had poetry of mine published, yet I don't write anymore.  I love to sing and would love to sing with the worship team at church but I'm already doing too many things.  I want to go back to school and get a degree but I ran out of money the last go 'round.  I long to be a person that lives off the land and grows her own food and raises her own livestock and needs very little financial income to thrive but I've never owned any land. 
It's so hard to start something that you've already stopped once.  I never had intentions of giving up on my dreams.  And my dreams are very much alive.  I need to find a way to follow my dreams and still make life happen.  Because one can not spend life dreaming dreams for the future but if I never make any headway or keep plugging away, my dreams will never come to fruition. 

Cravings & Gender surprises

So for the most part, I have been much lighter on the cravings this pregnancy than I was with our precious Joey.  With her I craved Taco Bell & ice cream all through the pregnancy and on through nursing.  This time, I haven't had any serious cravings really.  A few bouts of, 'you know I could really go for some guacamole' or 'hey, i don't feel like cooking can we go out.' but no, 'I need such and such right now' kind of cravings. But today, I am craving a cocktail (total no-no), I know.  Luckily, I am a bartender by trade (or at least I was until recently),and I have a few good tricks up my sleeve for good 'mock'tails. So, since the hubby is out anyway, I sent him for provisions.  Simple 'mock'tail recipe: equal parts pomegranate juice and club soda, & a splash of fresh lime juice or if you have sour mix around, that works too.  So, hopefully, I can top off my night with one of those and I'll be a happy lady!

So, both Danny and I have been feeling like we were for sure having a boy this go around and we've been planning for what we'd do since most of our baby stuff is pink or girlie in nature.  So we went into our ultrasound yesterday expecting to see some little boy parts.  We were surprised to find a very showy little girl hiding in there.  She flashed us her bits a couple of times just so we'd be sure, I think.  So, in about 19 weeks or so we'll be welcoming our second little princess into this world.  Norah Dawn is our working title.  Joey's certainly excited about it though.  She's been pretty consistent about wanting a girl baby.  Though, thankfully, she's given up on wanting to name her Mary Poppins. 
Now, I'm trying to explain the concept of hand-me-downs to Joey since all of her things will be passed down to her little sister.  I am excited about not having to buy all new things for the little one on our already tight budget.  And plus with their birthday's so close, I should (in theory) be able to use all of Joey's things again since they'll be in season at just the right time.  I know that this little one could be built totally different from Joey or I could go into labor way early and render this plan useless but I'm hopeful.

Early Mornings

Looks like I'll be having some caffeine in a few hours to stay awake at church.  Ugh.  This little one has decided to wake me up nearly every night this week around 3 or 4 in the morning.  I hope this isn't a pattern that continues after he or she is born.  I may have to relearn to caffeinate regularly if that is the case.  It is a nice quiet time though.  The birdies are chirping outside just a bit and the only sound from inside is the click-ity-clack of the keys as I type.
In two days we find out if we're having a girl or a boy, should the baby prove cooperative.  I find myself wondering if this little one will be a thumb sucker in-uetero like his/her big sister.  Every ultra-sound picture we have of Joey, her thumb is in her mouth.  Ahh, good times!
I spent a good 5 hours putting together Joey's big girl bed yesterday and Joey loves the thing. That makes me so happy.  She helped my organize her things underneath the low loft after her nap.  It's such a nice little nook for her.  She can't quite climb up or down the ladder yet but that's OK since, she won't try without me there to watch/help her.  It just makes nap time that much easier, she has to either lay there and sleep or not sleep but she can't just wander out on her own.
Now, I just have to get her new dresser (my old dresser) organized with all her things and re-adjust the height of the crib for new baby and we'll be ready to set up for this little one.  I just keep having to remind myself to take things one step at a time.
There's just so much to do.  I also, have to keep reminding myself to let Danny handle the planning.  I keep trying to plan and do all the stuff and it's just too much.  I'm such a control freak.  Danny's here trying to plan and help take stuff off my plate and I keep cutting him off at the pass.  I need to learn to let go a little bit.  I can allow myself to handle the doing of stuff and let him handle the planning.  He's a better idea person anyway.  I'm better at the getting a plan moving.  I know this, logically, in my head but I can't seem to get the thoughts through to my actions.  How do I get that part to work?

Rainy Productive Day

Danny's napping and Joey and I are waiting for the IKEA delivery men to bring her new big girl bed and my new dresser.  It's been a really productive day.
I went to work while Danny took Joey to Barnes & Noble for story time.  They came back and picked me up and Danny jaunted off to school for some advising for his new semester and to get some schoolwork done.  He finished up at the school early and was feeling productive so he ventured to IKEA alone to pick out Joey's big girl bed & accessories and our new dresser.  Joey and I cleaned up the apartment while he was away.  I made lunch and dinner according to my meal plan (that I made up yesterday, I've been slacking lately).
Danny came home and we started making space for Joey's bed and now he's off napping while I wait for the delivery men.  I'm hoping they'll be nice to the pregnant lady and bring everything all the way up.  Last delivery guys came when only Danny was home and they took one look at the stairs and told Danny he was on his own.  Joey was only maybe 9 months old at the time which made that game super fun for Danny.  I'm hoping they'll take pity on me and my inability to lift any of it (which is why we opted for delivery instead of renting a van in the first place).  Then I get the fun of putting it all together tonight.  I'm rather impatient and I'm confident that I won't be able to wait until tomorrow to put it all together.  I've got all my tools ready and raring to go.  If only I could find my hammer (just in case).  Sometimes those pegs just don't want to go in right away.  But I've got my multi-screwdriver and my allen wrench set.
I love building stuff.  If only I still had the back strength for carpentry work. *sigh* I'll post pictures as soon as I get things in order.  I may be able to build my new toys tonight but I doubt that I'll get the tornado that will no doubt ensue cleaned up by tonight too.
I'm just so excited to have things all organized by the time baby comes.  I've got a dresser for my two little ones to share, an extra dresser for he newest little in our closet for those mid-night changes while we're still using the co-sleeper in our room.  I'll soon have a dresser for Danny and I that will fit our things and not be held together by duct tape.  (WooHoo!) And we're getting a nice twin low loft bed for Joey, and it can be used as a bunk bed if we have another girl (we find out on Tuesday).  Then all I have to do is find everything it's place and fine tune all the minor details and we'll be all set.  Sure we'll need a highchair at some point but I know my mom has one in storage somewhere and there are other things that I need but nothing major.
I'm still trying to find a love seat that will fit up our stairs via craigslist.org, but I'm not having much luck. *sigh again* I don't know what we'll do when people want to come over and meet new baby. I have spent the past month trolling Craigslist trying to find a nice double stroller for cheap but I don't think I want to go out and buy one full price with Joey as big as she is.  I just can't justify it, we've got two strollers and a couple of baby wraps and I think that's plenty.  I've been stalking Craigslist to be honest, I've been trying to find all the things that I've been wanting to buy anyway, used for cheaper but to no avail and now I'm getting to the point where if I don't get it done soon, I won't have enough time to get the rest of things ready.  I still want to make the newest little a baby blanket of his/her own. And I need to start finding clothes if we find out we're having a boy. Wow, ok I'm gong to stop rambling now before I totally overwhelm myself with my to do list.
So, anyway having a really productive week and especially a productive day. Woo Hoo!