Snow Days

I would like emphasize the "s" on the end of snow days. Meaning one too many. What are we on snow day #45? No really, I think it's like snow day #8. But it certainly has felt like #45.

Snow days before kids was fun. Watch endless junk on TV, lay around in your jammies all day. Maybe get out of bed.

One snow day with a toddler is fun. Really, it is fun. It's not so bad. I love watching the excitement in Ethan's eyes over the snow. I loved watching him play in it- oh wait. I loved watching Evan and Ethan play in it from my dining room window. :) I love that my husband takes on the responsibility of the outdoor play time. Yesterday, they played outside for 2 glorious hours. Then he napped for 3. THANK YOU Evan!

So, getting back to my point about snow days. MANY snow days is not so fun. The kids get tired of the snow. We all get tired of being cooped up in this house. The "I'm bored" and "what are we going to do now" questions start ramping up. The whining and the crying starts. You've used every trick in your bag. We all need fresh air and a change of scenery. For crying out loud, we need to go back to preschool!!! It's been 2 full weeks now that we have missed. Did I mention that preschool tuition is non-refundable money?

Since we haven't been able to make it to the gym much due to weather, I've been trying my best to get creative at home. Yesterday I went for an hour long power walk around the neighborhood in the snow. It was actually very beautiful and it felt nice to breathe in that cold crisp air. On Wednesday afternoon (since we didn't know exactly what time the bad weather was going to start) Ethan and I went for a 4 mile walk.

Knock on wood, it's looking like next week "should" be a back to normal kind of week. As of right now, no crazy weather forecasts.

On a different note- I am so thankful that this crazy weather didn't effect Ethan's birthday party last Saturday. He would have been so upset (and I would have been too!). The party could not have gone better, and we all had such a great time. I plan on blogging about his party in the next couple of days.

Here are some pretty adorable pictures from yesterdays snow-

 

And one more for good  measure...

 

 

 

...and I hope that's the last we see of it!!!

 



Big Boy Room

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, I could not be happier with the way Ethan's room turned out. Classy and cozy, yet still perfect for a little boy. I tried to steer clear of anything that looked too "babyish" so that Ethan could enjoy his room for many years to come (and so his parents don't have to go through this again any time soon).

We ordered his furniture from Rooms To Go, and the bedding/curtains from Pottery Barn Kids. The prints on the wall that are framed I ordered from a shop on etsy. The shelves were an inspiration from the Pottery Barn catalog, and Evan so graciously made them for me. It all tied together perfectly.

 

 I found the letters at Michael's

 

 

 

I love that the quilt is double sided

 

 

This is above his tall dresser on the opposite wall.

 

 

Since I decided to use curtain rings, I still need to raise the curtain rod a little so that the gap at the top doesn't show the window molding. The curtain rings helped make the curtains more masculine. I love the way they slide open and closed so easily.

 

Ethan adapted pretty well to his big boy bed. The first night was a little rough, but once I got him a night light that "took all the scary away" he seemed to be fine. He is doing great in his bed, and I am so proud of him.

So, there you have it. Looks pretty darn cute doesn't it?

Happy Friday!

Cabin Fever

The craziness of February continues...

Over the last almost 3 weeks we have endured Ethan getting the stomach bug, Evan and I getting the stomach bug, and a week of crazy winter weather. Do you know what all this adds up to? Being stuck inside this house!!!

It took all 3 of us quite some time to bounce back from the stomach bug. It took Ethan a solid 4-5 days, and myself about 5. I haven't been to the gym (except for a random work out here and there) in 2 straight weeks. Once we all felt well enough do get back to our normal routines...BAM! This crazy winter storm hits. No preschool this week, no gym this week. Really no nothing this week.

Well, I take that back. We did do something this week. Played in the snow/ice! Ethan had such a blast. Ethan and Evan went sledding for almost 2 hours on Tuesday. Did I mention how thankful I am for my husband who entertained him OUTSIDE of the house?! 

 

 

Except for short trips around town, we've been pretty much stuck inside this house. I am thankful that my dear friend Sam only lives a few minutes down the road so that Izzy and Ethan could play. We have seen them twice this week, and it has been a lifesaver!

 

We are more than ready for things to get back to "normal" around here. Whatever "normal" is.

 

One very exciting thing....Ethan turns 3 tomorrow. OH MY GOODNESS. My baby will be 3. We have planned a pretty awesome party for Saturday. We are all really excited, and can't wait for a change of pace, and to see all our family and friends. As Ethan gets older, I love seeing the excitement that these things bring him.

 

Oh yeah, and I haven't forgot. My next blog will be on Ethan's completed big boy room. IT LOOKS AWESOME. I could not be happier with the way it all turned out, and I can't wait to share it with you. I hope to accomplish that tomorrow. Notice I said "hope". :)

 

Happy birthday eve to my sweet boy. It's hard to believe you've been with us 3 whole years.  God has really blessed us beyond words. We love you so much!!!!!

Happenings

Well, this week has been pretty crazy to say the least.

We jumped on the potty training adventure last Saturday. Something I've been dreading. Let me tell you, I miss diapers. You don't realize the convenience of them until you lose them! I must say though, Ethan has done pretty great in just one week. He has only had a handful of #1 accidents, and for the most part has got that down. We have even ventured out on many outings, and he has done awesome. Going #2 is a different story....oh well, we will get there (allow me to save you from my very fun poop stories). What do I love about potty training? Seeing his little hiney in those adorable underwear! ADORABLE.

Wednesday evening, Ethan came down with a nasty stomach bug. Throwing up every 20 minutes for a solid 4-5 hours straight. That was a very long night...but I am just so glad it passed quickly. The next morning he was back to his chipper self, and I was quite thankful. That is one illness I'd rather not deal with.

So, I think its safe to say that the majority of my week consisted of cleaning out poopy underwear, getting peed on, and holding the puke bucket. Good week, huh? My theory? Let's just get all over with at once. Moms are freakin' rock stars.

Something good that has happened this week....

I finally got clearance from my doctor to get back to my normal work out routine at the gym. (Insert Halleluiah chorus here) I was SO sick of only being able to walk and ride the stationary bike.  3 weeks of that is enough to drive you crazy....and bore you completely out of your mind. There isn't enough good songs on my Pandora radio to make up for how bored I was. SO, I did spinning twice this week and lifted weights. Results? I've lost 2 pounds in 2 days. Yes, I have some baby weight to lose. You don't understand how much I hate saying that...for so many reasons. I have about 4-5 pounds left. So, for the next several weeks it's back to my nutrition shakes for lunch, and vigorous work outs. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Something that has helped keep me motivated are these new kicks I just got. My Nike's from last summer have really seen their day.

 

 

Another fun thing that has been in the works is Ethan's new big boy room. His furniture arrives next Thursday and we have been working hard to get everything together and ready. If you couldn't guess, the theme of his room is construction. I was absolutely thrilled that a quilt set on the Pottery Barn Kids website I had been eyeing went on clearance. I LOVE Pottery Barn, but unless its on sale, I'm not buying it. That place is ridiculously overpriced. I also found these shelves that I fell in love with in their catalog. They hang on the wall. Evan saved us the extra $$ and made them. They are an exact match, and I love them. The only thing left to do is paint them navy blue.

 

 

He made me two of these that I am going to hang side by side on the wall above his dresser. They are for books. I promise to do a blog post when his room is complete. I cannot wait to see the finished product.

 

 

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all enjoy your weekend, and the beautiful weather we are supposed to have!