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!

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

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. 

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.

I'm thinking again...Let's see how this goes

So, I was asking around on Facebook about what cloth diapers were the best and most cost effective.  A friend suggested that I just make some myself.  I don't know why I hadn't thought of this.  I've been poking around different websites with patterns and instructions and have been trying to figure it all out.  I think I may be onto something now though.  I found one woman who made diapers for FREE!!! she used fabric she had around the house.  I have tons of fabric around the house.  They recommended using terry cloth layered with flannel and/or wool for the soaker pads, using micro-fleece and flannel layered for the outsides.  I have so many ideas now, and all using fabrics and extra towels that I have laying around the house.  I even found a bunch of free patterns on-line in all different sizes.  I think the only thing that I'd absolutely have to buy would be either snaps or hook & loop for the closures.
I told Danny about what I found and he agreed that if we find a place out in CO that comes with it's own laundry, that we will for sure consider it.  I'm so excited.  Diapers for Joey run us like $50+ a month.  And the rough part is that I can't even buy off brand because Joey has really sensitive skin (like her mommy, ugh) and all but one brand give her really bad diaper rash.  But I am excited about this concept.  I'll even be able to make her training pants that I'll be able to re-use for baby number 2.  It's really going to depend on what kind of place we get in CO though.  We just can't expect to wash diapers in a shared laundry like we have now.
And of course, if we have tour own laundry space, I can start making my own laundry soap.  Another friend gave me a bunch of recipes for homemade laundry soap that are a huge money saver and if I have the space to keep a 5 gallon bucket of laundry soap somewhere, I will.  Oh that nesting brain is kicking in already, I can feel it.  I want to make and clean and everything all RIGHT NOW!!! AHHH!!!! But I'm restraining myself.  At least for a little while.  We have so much to do to prepare to move.  I have plenty on my to-do list.  I just need a game plan.