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?