A funny (That wasn't so funny at the time)

So we bought a 2010 dodge grand caravan Monday! We figure we'll have baby number 3 in a couple years so we might as well go big now. We love it. We actually bought it from our church. They use them for the missionaries and they sell them when they reach 50,000 miles or 3 years old and they sell them cheaper than what they are worth. Did you know that the way to tell if a car has too many miles is that cars should have 15,000 miles or less on them in a year? So 50,000 in 3 years isn't too bad...only 5,000 off. We felt like we got a deal! They keep the maintenance history and after looking it over and realizing they keep very good care of their cars and praying about our decision we went for it and bought it. 

This van had a paint chip in the front and I watched a youtube video on how to fix it...it really wasn't that bad, but I didn't want it to keep chipping and we want it to last us at least 5 years and continue looking nice, so I was like I can totally do this! I talked Greg into going to Auto Zone with me and getting everything we needed to do this. Greg was so hesitant but I was like, "Greg it's cool I watched it on youtube, I got this!" We sanded down that spot and then some other tiny spots that I thought we might as well do while we are at it....and then we tried to paint it...oops. We just made it worse. the paint was dripping and it was going everywhere. I wanted to throw up after we did...it was a "what have I done to this expensive vehicle!?" Curse Youtube! or it was more like Curse myself for thinking I could paint my own car! haha Ever since we figured out how to change our air filter in the honda I've felt like a real mechanic haha. Thankfully, we know a good person that is willing to take care of it for us! The bumper bar was also loose and he's fixing that too. We heard it when we test drove it, but we felt like it wasn't a big deal and after looking at it we figured it could be fixed fairly easy. He thinks someone tried to tow something and it was too much of a load. Other than that it's a good car our friend said it should last us a while. Anndd I didn't ruin our new car beyond repair! Basically, there will be no more do it yourself fixing the car things.

This isn't our van but it looks just like it but in silver

30 weeks

Only 10 more weeks to go! 

Evan gets very upset if you tell him the baby is in mommy's belly. He insists it's in his.

Me: Evan where is baby sister?

E: lifts his shirt and points to his belly- "right here"

Me: No, baby sister is in mommy's belly

E: NO! BABY SISTER IN EVAN'S BEL-TEE!

A couple firsts

Last Friday we all went to a columbus clippers baseball game. My mom bought Evan this little cars hat and every time he puts it on he says, "a baseball game?" He loved the game. He celebrated his first baseball game the right way he got Pizza, cotton candy, and popcorn.

Evan also had his very first dentist appointment yesterday. He was very obedient and let them clean his teeth while he watched cartoons and then he got a toy car out of it plus the toothbrush goody bag. Thankfully, his teeth are in great shape! Of course, I forgot the camer so I couldn't take a picture of him at his first dentist appt...epic mom fail.

A little family update

Greg took his first of four CPA exams yesterday. He has another one next week, so he studies all day and during breaks he'll play with Evan. Evan misses him so. All day yesterday after he left I heard, "daddy?! DADDDDYYY?!?" Complete with a pout. Greg doesn't find out his score of the first exam until August 5th...and I thought 24 hours to find out about my nursing license exam was brutal. 

Evan. My dear sweet boy. 

I am amazed every single day how much this child learns and knows. We were at the hospital to get my labs drawn and I heard him say "Triangle!" I walked over he there he was pointing to a triangle in the floor. I didn't think he ever really paid any attention to me when I would show him shapes I cut out of computer paper and laminated and make him repeat them, but indeed he is. Remember how I said we were going to start working on letter sounds? Yeah, well, that took a whole 2 days, so I am starting to very slowly teach him how to read now. He's been out of diapers during the day since April 13th, but he is out of  diapers at night now too. He wakes up occasionally in the wee hours of the morning to tell me he has to potty. He's doing great, but I have no doubt we will have accidents here and there. When he gets busy playing he'll have accidents and then come to me with his legs all spread apart and tell me about it. He hates being wet. It's amazing to me that 2 years and 3 months ago I gave birth to a tiny little infant who is now potty trained and at the beginning stages of reading. It's incredible what they learn in 2 years of life. I have a baby doll that was mine when I was little that he loves to hold when he watches movies...I hope he likes his baby sister just as much. He came with me to my doc appt a few days ago and he said, "A BABY SISTER!" really loud to the receptionist and she asked what he was talking about and I told her he just knows he's having a baby sister. He's pretty cute about it. I can't wait until he can hold her.

As for me. I'm large in the belly. I'm loving it. I have been having episodes of nearly passing out because my blood pressure is so low this time. I've been instructed to eat more protein more frequently and drink more than the 8 8oz glasses of water a day I already do. I can't stand for too long or I start to get all dizzy. It's all crazy to me because when I was pregnant for Evan I was on my feet for 14 hours a day and I never had this problem. Every pregnancy is different...

My grandma, My mom, and myself are all working on baby girl's blessing dress. It's going to be so beautiful! How cool is it that her mom, Grandma and Great Grandma are all going to have had a hand at her dress?

This little yellow dress is 73 years old and was worn by my grandmother. Now, my daughter is going to wear her great grandmother's baby dress....how awesome is that? I'm stoked...little white tights under that dress? Oh, Darling!

Have a party in your mouth

So I made this dessert and I had a huge party in my mouth. You guys, it is so delicious and fluffy and summery and not incredibly fattening, but definitely fattening haha.

Chocolate Lasagna

holy. delicious.

• 1 package regular Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff) – about 36 cookies
• 6 Tablespoon butter, melted
• 1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cold milk
• 1- 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided
• 2 – 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding.
• 3 1/4 cups cold milk
• 1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies. I used my food processor for this, but you could also place them in a large ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. When the Oreos have turned into fine crumbs, you are done.
2. Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers.
3. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust.
4. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.
5. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

Thank you centercutcook.com :o)

A Redo or 3

 I have been wanting to redo our headboard, footboard, and dresser for like a year now, but I knew we were moving and I didn't want anything to happen to it. We made it to Ohio and I figured now would be a good time to do it even though we are moving again next month, it's not a cross country move, so hopefully things will stay as they are. For the last few weeks this has been my project.

I am so bad about taking before and after photos so here is an almost before of the dresser. The bed has the same wood look..

isn't it so pretty!? I love it! I have big plans for  our bedroom when I get it completely put together I will have to show a picture of the whole room...probably won't be for a while :o)

This is a dresser we bought from craigslist for Evan and this little night stand  (below) came with it. It looked exactly like this and we wanted to have a nightstand in our room, so I revamped it as well.

cute, eh?

I used chalk paint. You use 2 TBSP water and 4 TBSP of plaster of paris and mix it up until smooth then add 2 cups of paint. I think for all of this I used 6-8 cups of paint and I have no idea what I'm going to paint with my last cup I mixed up, but I can't waste it...I just can't because I hate wasting things. I had to do 2-3 coats of paint on each piece. Wait at least 2 hours in between coats. I plan on making some runners out of some kind of patterned yellow fabric for the tops of the dresser and nightstand. I only want a vase  with yellow flowers on top of the dresser with the runner. I have plans for another canvas project to go over the bed. I haven't painted a canvas in 6 years, but I loved the one I painted that hangs in my living room, so I'm excited for another.

We found a place in Columbus that has 3 year old soccer teams. We hope to get him involved in the spring, he would love it. He kicked his puppy out and now sleeps with his soccer ball- that's how much he loves to play.

I made some things- dress, car seat blanket, and a baby

If you put band aids on owies they will be remembered forever! Seriously, he still points to his knees and says, "owie!" haha

the baby making is old news, but I'm 24 weeks! I love being pregnant. I love the way my body changes. I love that I'm growing a tiny human!

Evan knows his letters and how to count to 20, so we are starting to count higher now and we are learning out letter sounds!

Fresh picked strawberries from the garden. My family has always put sugar over strawberries and let them sit a while and they make their own sauce, but since I have a really hard time adding processed sugar to something perfectly healthy I made my own shortcake sauce: puree strawberries and add some honey...delightful!

Evan eats a strawberry straight from the vine daily.

I made a car seat blanket. I debated about making it because I thought well this one stays in the car seat and I'm going to want one when I take her out so what's the point in making this when I will have to carry one with me anyway, but my huns convinced me I should for all the times she won't come out of the car seat (grocery store) and because, "she'll be nice and cozy riding in the car."- love my husband.

so I added a receiving blanket to another blanket to make it a little heavier and then cut slits where all the belts go.

Greg didn't like the idea of a hood because he worries it will go on her face, so I just put the little cushion deal back in over the blanket. The blanket is still thin enough that it doesn't alter the position of the baby at all

this is the invisible baby all wrapped up.

I made our girl a dress. I want to make her blessing dress, so this was a trial to see if I could really do it. I did this without a patter, so I think if I have a pattern I could totally do it. I just lined it up with another dress to get the right size and then did my own thing with it. I'm pretty sure she won't be able to wear this dress unless I fix it and add some things. my sleeves are too far off the shoulders and one looks different than the other and I was to add some ruffles on the chest part.