lynsey & brian

Mullet Be Gone

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

I had been putting off getting Mason's first hair cut for a long time. I have no idea why. I guess because I knew he would no longer look like a baby and instead would look like a little boy. I wasn't ready for that. I still consider him my baby. But it was time. The mullet had gotten out of control.

So one Saturday we ventured to a kids hair salon to get it done. I knew I would need Brian's help. One parent to hold Mason and one to take pictures. Duh! Luckily Mason had gotten a hair cut gift certificate to a cute kids place - Snip Its- for the "First Hair Cut Experience Package".

Upon entering we knew there was no way Mason would sit in the chair by himself. We tried but it turned ugly fast. Thank goodness for Daddy being a good sport and willing to hold his boy for his hair cut. I, on the other hand, came armed with goodies. If you know anything about Mason it is that he can be bribed with food. So once the tears came, out came a cereal bar. And guess what.. it worked.

Oh, the tears...

Cereal bars make everything better...

Mason did great the rest of the time and the stylist, Candice, was so nice. She gave Mason a great haircut and was super patient with him.

The package included a photo as well as a certificate and of course, a few pieces of his hair. These items have been placed in his memory box!

The after pictures... Mullet be gone. Doesn't he look like a little boy now?! When did he get so big???

Did your child cry during their first haircut or is mine the only one? How long did you wait until you first cut their hair? (Mason was 16 months old!)

A little setback

2012-01-30T08:27:00.001-05:00

This is my first time posting from my phone. Hopefully it works!

I had a ton of post on my list to finally get around to posting but we've had a little setback.

Yesterday evening I took a tumble on the steps and I am now in a boot and on crutches, with an x-ray scheduled for today at 10:30. Thankfully it is my left foot so I can still drive.

So relieved that I was able to catch myself and just sit down so Caroline is just fine. She has been kicking up a storm this weekend, what a wonderful feeling! Now we are praying for good news from the x-ray and the orthopedic doctor today! Any prayers are greatly appreciated. Being 21 weeks pregnant, on crutches and keeping up with an almost 17 month old toddler isn't easy!

Big thanks to Brian for taking such good care of me and for my parents for helping us out with Mason!

Pinspired - Make Ahead Freezer Smoothies

2012-01-26T09:51:00.000-05:00

Today I am linking up with Kodi from a brighter yellow for my pinspired post.

This week I finally got around to make something that I "pinned". I decided to make these Make Ahead Freezer Smoothies. Therefore in the mornings all I would need to do is grab a bag out of the freezer, throw some milk or juice into the blender with the goodies and blend away to a perfect smoothie. Quick and Easy.

Source: thetidynest.com via Lynsey on Pinterest

I picked up the ingredients at the store. I used a mini muffin pan to freezer the yogurt and then I sliced a banana to freeze as well. After both were frozen, I mixed in the berries and placed them into bags. Each bags makes about 2 smoothies.

Needless to say, they were DELICIOUS!

I plan on making more next week as I always like to have easy things on hand for breakfast.

Have you made anything recently that you "pinned"? If so, I'd love to hear what you made. Isn't pinterest the greatest?

Semi - Wordless Wednesday: The Big Name Reveal

2012-01-25T07:00:00.005-05:00

We loved reading all of the guesses on Baby girls name. People left their guesses on here, twitter and facebook. It was fun to see if anyone guessed correctly. I will say a few of you did, so good job!

Without further ado, Baby Girl Moore will be..........

And the Winner Is.....

2012-01-24T07:00:00.002-05:00

One of the biggest decisions that expectant parents have to make is not the color for the nursery, the pattern for the sheets, or the outfit for the baby to wear home from the hospital. It is choosing a name for their child. For some reason Lynsey decided to let me write about this very momentous occasion. Before we get to the big reveal, let me tell a little background, or if you are impatient, then you can scroll to the bottom and find out the answer.

With Mason, we went through a very scientific process for determining his name. (Those of you who know me should not be surprised.) It involved a structured elimination with criteria of rhyming, word association, and potential nicknames by elementary school bullies. After all that, we ended up with what we thought was the perfect name for us. I thought that since this approach work so well with Mason that we should use it again with Baby #2. Lynsey is much more flower child and less structurally scientific than I am, so obviously this approach did not work the second time around.

This time we each had a favorite so there was no need to eliminate the superfluous choices; Lynsey’s was Emerson and mine was Katherine. After a couple weeks of debate and sneaky notes signed by our choice of name we both realized that neither of us were going to give in. So we could either have a nameless baby or decide on a compromise, and being the rational parents that we are, we chose the latter. The important things that we both agreed on were that it should be classical but not overly common while also being contemporary but not too edgy. It should be long but not long and it should be her real name and not something that would be abbreviated. It had to go well with our middle name of choice, which runs in Lynsey’s family, and the initials should not spell anything vulgar.

Surprisingly, once we put our favorites behind us, the mutually decided on name came pretty quick and easy. The only remaining decision was to let people know the name in advance. In brief Lynsey won out on this one. So without further ado here is Baby #2’s….

Initials.

Come back tomorrow to see the full name. Guesses are welcome in the interim.

Christmas 2011 - Part 2 and 3

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

I want to get these up on the blog and be done with Christmas posts! I can't believe it has taken me this long. Wow.

Anyways, we spent Christmas Eve at our house and woke up Christmas morning ready to open gifts and just spend time as our little family for a bit. We lounged around the house, Brian made a delicious Christmas breakfast and we got to take our sweet time getting ready before heading back to my parents house. It was perfect. Nothing was rushed. We were able to just enjoy the moment.

Later in the afternoon, we headed back to my parents house to visit with my great aunt and uncle that had come over for the day. They hadn't seen Mason since he was about 5 months old, so needless to say, they were excited to see him! We had a nice visit, enjoyed yummy food and then headed home to rest up as we were leaving bright and early the next morning for Tennessee.

The day after Christmas we hit the road for what would be a 9 hour car ride to Tennessee. We left bright and early in hopes that Mason would sleep. While, he didn't sleep much he was a dream travel buddy and only whined for about 30 minutes the whole way there. We made plenty of stops and were more than ready to arrive that afternoon!

We had a great time visiting with Brian's family and Mason really enjoyed seeing his Grandma and Grandpa Moore and Aunt Traci and Uncle Robert. We exchanged gifts and enjoyed spending time with family and catching up.

We stayed in Tennessee for about 5 days and had a wonderful time. It was nice to sit back and relax and Grandma and Grandpa loved playing with Mason and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Although Mason wasn't a great sleeper while we were there, which I expected, we managed and made the most of each day.
One of the highlights of the trip for Mason was that he got to ride in a tractor with Brian and then sit on a bulldozer with Brian. He loved it! I think they were both in heaven!

Thank you Doris and Jim for your generosity and hospitality and for watching Mason for us so we could enjoy some time alone and time to just relax.

And that, my friends, was Christmas 2011 in a nut shell.

Christmas 2011- Part 1

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know it's the middle of January. Yes, I know Christmas has come and gone. However, this is my blog and I do what I want. :) Actually, for documentation sake, I wanted to get our Christmas recaps on the blog.

We celebrated Christmas Eve with my family (parents, Bro and SIL, my grandparents (dads side)) since my dad had to work Christmas Day. We had a wonderful time just hanging out with my family, eating way too much food, watching Mason open gifts and counting our blessings for how well my mom has done through all she has endured this year.

This year was a little different as we were unable to attend Christmas Eve Lovefeast service with my family since my mom is still going through chemotherapy. But nevertheless, it was a wonderful Christmas Eve and all that mattered is we were surrounded by family and my mom is telling chemo who is boss!

As always, everyone was way too generous and we actually had to make two trips to get all of Mason's toys home. Crazy!!!

He loved his new Pottery Barn chair and we love it because he has a his "own" chair now.

Thank you LuLu McGee for his shirt!

Perhaps one of his favorite toys of the night was a pot and pan cooking set that Uncle Zach and Aunt Taylor gave him.

All and all it was a wonderful Christmas with family. We continue to be blessed with amazing family and surrounded by love.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of Christmas!

Baby M #2: 19 weeks (& 5 Days) Survey & Belly Shot

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Once again.. Better late than never. As of today, I am HALFWAY so I thought I better get this up now.

How Far Along: 19 weeks (& 5 Days in the picture)

Size of baby: A Mango.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have no idea but if my eating is any indication, I would say I've gained A LOT this week. Can't stop eating!!

Maternity Clothes: Pretty much maternity everything. I'm carrying a lot lower this time than I did with Mason so I need the maternity tops for the length.

Gender: A sweet baby GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Movement: Yes! She is certainly an active little thing!

What I miss: Still missing my turkey sandwiches.

Sleep: Great as of late! Mason is back to his sleep loving self so momma is happy!

Symptoms: I can feel some tightness in my lower abdomen but nothing painful.

Cravings: Candy. Anything fruity and gummy and SOUR.

Best Moment this week: Teaching Mason to "hug" and "kiss" his baby sister. He is going to be the best big brother. I asked him if he loved his little sister and his response was "Yeah". So sweet. We also took Mason to get his first haircut! He looks like a little boy now and no longer a baby.

What we are looking forward to: Starting the nursery.Crib arrived today!

Happy 30th Birthday Taylor!

2012-01-17T07:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my sister-in-law Taylor!

We hope you have a wonderful birthday and we have a feeling this year will be the best yet for you!! We love you and Mason says Hi Aunt Taylor, love you!

P.S. Make sure my brother spoils you rotten on your big day!

Girl Nursery Inspiration & HELP....

2012-01-13T07:00:00.002-05:00

First, can I just ask you how I ever planned a wedding much less a nursery without the help of Pinterest?

Let’s start with the basics:

Crib: We have purchased a new crib for our girl as I have always dreamed of having white furniture for a baby girl’s room. Also, I am pretty sure Mason will be in his crib until he is at least 3 years old considering he is one active sleeper.

This is the crib we purchased: DaVinci Jenny Lind

Dresser: We are going to look at consignment and antique shops for a dresser that Brian can refinish and paint white. Ideally, I would love to find a French Provincial Dresser but we will see. Said dresser will also serve as a changing table. Example of one:

Source

Glider: Still debating this one but this is the one that I like the best. I have gotten some great reviews on it as well.

Now comes the hard part and the part that I need your help on… FABRICS!!!

I am not a pink kind of gal. Yes, I realize our daughter will wear pink and that is fine. But when it comes to decorating a whole room in pink… I just can’t do it! We have decided to paint the walls a light/medium grey color (yet to be chosen). With that in mind, we chose a grey/lavender/yellow color scheme.

I have found two sites on ETSY that do custom bedding and since we won’t be needing a bumper (again, nothing against those that use them but this paranoid mama fears them!), it makes the most sense to order custom. Also, since I won’t be getting a bumper, I will use that money towards curtains.

So help me out readers.. which fabric should I use for 1- curtains, 2- crib skirt and 3- crib sheet? Oh I should mention, I'm not big on the animal prints for a girl nursery.

Site One offers these options in fabric:

Site 2 offers these options on fabric

I could always get the skirt from one site and the sheet from another. Or get the curtains for one and bedding from another. The options are endless!

There are also these fabric options that I LOVE as well...

Can you see why I need your help? So which one do you like from site 1 or site 2. Remember, I might need to use 3 different fabrics so let me know your "letter" choice. Way too many options for this indecisive momma!!! Help me out and let me know what you like best. I would forever be grateful!

Find Me At I Run, Therefore, I Am

2012-01-12T09:18:00.000-05:00

Today I am guest blogging over at I Run, Therefore, I Am. Be sure to head there and check out my post about my 12 in 12 challenge and which race was my favorite and why.

Big thanks to Jen & Jess for having me!

Baby M #2: 18 weeks (& 4 Days) Survey & Belly Shot

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Since I turn 19 weeks today, I thought it better get this up before it's too late!

Please excuse the unmade bed as well as the iPhone image. I promise you a better picture next week.

How Far Along: 18 weeks (& 4 Days in the picture)

Size of baby: A SWEET POTATO! 5.6 inches, 6.7 ounces

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Much to my surprise, I have only gained 2 pounds total! Shocked!

Maternity Clothes: Pants, yes. Everything else is still my regular clothes.

Gender: A sweet baby GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Movement: Yes! She is certainly an active little thing!

What I miss: Back to missing turkey sandwiches.

Sleep: Pretty good. Mason is working through some sleep regression issues so aside from that, I've been sleeping fairly well.

Symptoms: I can feel some tightness in my lower abdomen but nothing painful.

Cravings: Candy. Anything fruity and gummy.

Best Moment this week: Finding out the gender of Baby #2 and learning that all test came back perfectly normal and sweet baby girl looked healthy on the ultrasound.

What we are looking forward to: Starting the nursery. Crib has been ordered!

Snips, Snails & Puppy Dog Tails OR Sugar and Spice?

2012-01-09T13:06:00.000-05:00

Today is the day I've been waiting for ever since we find out I was pregnant. Today is the day that caused me to toss and turn last night. I was anxious. I was nervous. I was eager.

This morning at 7:30a we walked into the doctors office to find out if Mason would be gaining a little brother or a little sister. Either way, we were going to be happy. We have felt very blessed to be adding another little baby to our family. Most importantly, we wanted to make sure the baby was healthy.

Brian said from day 1, that Mason was a boy. He said from day 1 that baby #2 was a girl. I had no instinct. I just couldn't tell. All I knew is that both pregnancies were very different but I heard that was common no matter what you have.

So was Brian right? Would we be quoting "Sugar and spice, and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of" OR would it be "nips and snails, And puppy dog tails, That's what little boys are made of."............

Well............................

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brian was right again!!! Sugar and Spice it is!

She is measuring right on schedule and looked perfectly HEALTHY!! Praise the Lord! We are so blessed to be adding a little girl to our family. Mason is going to be the best big brother ever! He has already started giving the baby hugs around my belly! Love him.

She was very active and moving all over the place. This didn't surprise me as I have felt her move for about 2 weeks now and just last week Brian was able to feel her move for the first time.

We are overflowing with joy and so in love with our little girl! It means the world to us. It's hard to believe I am almost to the halfway mark. Perhaps she will be like Mason and arrive on her due date.. June 6!

Thank you for everyone that has prayed for us during this pregnancy.

Baby M #2: 17 weeks Survey & Belly Shot

2012-01-05T10:44:00.000-05:00

Playing catch up, BIG TIME!!! Considering I am 18 weeks along as of yesterday I thought I better get the 17 week picture and survey up!

I ran my last 5k on the day I turned 17 weeks (in Tennessee) hence why I am looking rough and in workout clothes. But I am proud to say that I have completed my 12 in 12 goal (12 5ks in 12 months)! More on that goal in another post!

How Far Along: 17 weeks

Size of baby: AN ONION! (5.1 inches long)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'll find out Monday, which I dread. I certainly ate for 2 over the holidays!

Maternity Clothes: Pants, yes. Everything else is still my regular clothes.

Gender: We will find out Monday!!!

Movement: Yes! I have felt the baby move a few times and Brian was finally able to feel it move the other night! It was very faint but he still felt it!

What I miss: Nothing. Not even turkey sandwiches!

Sleep: Pretty good. Mason is working through some sleep regression issues so aside from that, I've been sleeping fairly well.

Symptoms: Nothing major this week.

Cravings: Candy - Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, Gummy Bears, Starburst.. anything fruity or gummy.

Best Moment this week: Feeling the baby move!

What we are looking forward to: Finding out the gender on Monday!

Hello 2012!!

2012-01-01T21:00:00.002-05:00

Baby M #2: 16 weeks (& 4 Days) Survey & Belly Shot

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

How Far Along: 16 weeks & 4 Days (As of Christmas Day)

Size of baby: An Avocado! (About 3.6 inches long)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have no idea. Won't know until next appointment on January 9

Maternity Clothes: Pants, Yes. Most of my shirts are still regular ones. I popped early with #2 so I've been in maternity pants since about 11 weeks.

Gender: Don't know yet - Find out January 9!

Movement: Nothing yet.

What I miss: Turkey sandwiches.

Sleep: Decent. Can't complain.

Symptoms: Other than the occasional craving, nothing else.

Cravings: Hanging steady with candy and salt and vinegar chips.

Best Moment this week: Spending Christmas with family and friends.

What we are looking forward to: Finding out the gender on January 9.

Semi Wordless Wednesday: What a Difference A Year Makes

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

2010: Mason was 3 months old

2011: Mason is 15 months old and I'm 16 weeks with #2

Baby M #2: 15 weeks (& 6 Days) Survey & Belly Shot

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Please ignore the outfit, the hair, everything. This is what you look like when you are up from 1145p-2a with your 15m old who is teething really badly.

How Far Along: 15 weeks & 6 Days (this picture was taken on Tuesday, December 20)

Size of baby: Naval Orange (About 4 inches long)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: No idea. I think I'm right back to my starting weight.

Maternity Clothes: Pants, Yes. Most of my shirts are still regular ones. I popped early with #2 so I've been in maternity pants since about 11 weeks.

Gender: Don't know yet - Find out January 9!

Movement: Nothing yet.

What I miss: Turkey sandwiches.

Sleep: Decent. About as good as you can get when you are waking up to pee or getting up with your 15 month old.

Symptoms: Nothing new. Still gag at the Chik Nuggets.

Cravings: Candy. Salt and Vinegar Chips.

Best Moment this week: Getting ready for Christmas!

What we are looking forward to: Finding out the gender on January 9.

Welcome Home, Jason!

2011-12-24T09:19:00.000-05:00

It may be Christmas Eve but to one of our most favorite families, it is something far more special today. Today, after 7 long months, one of my best friends, Jennifer, will finally be reunited with her husband! And Reagan will get to see her daddy again!

I can not tell her how excited and happy we are for them to finally be back together as a family and for Jason to see the two girls that mean the world to him. Jason, thank you for all you do. Thank you for the selfless service to our country. You are an amazing Marine, an amazing husband and an amazing father.

Jennifer, you are an inspiration. You are stronger than any mother/wife I know. You have navigated first year motherhood with ease. You make it all look so easy. You have raised Reagan to be such a well mannered, bright little girl. I know Jason will be proud.

I could not ask for a better Christmas gift for your family. We love you all and just wanted to say WELCOME HOME, JASON!!!

Happy Birthday Zach!

2011-12-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my big brother, Zach! I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Mason would like to say " Happy Birthday Uncle Zachy!"

Semi Wordless Wednesday: Visiting Santa

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Well this year didn't go as well as last year but I fully expected it...

I even told the lady as we were walking up that he would cry but I still wanted a picture. She thanked me for being realistic. Ha ha. Too bad Santa's hand is covering Mason's adorable Lulu McGee shirt. Mason walked up and smiled at Santa and then freaked out when I sat him on his lap. After I picked him up he smiled again at Santa and waved bye. Oh sweet boy, one day you will LOVE Santa!

For a look back.. 2010

Amazing how fast they grow up!

How did your kid react to Santa?

A Child’s Ten Commandments to Parents

2011-12-20T07:30:00.001-05:00

I originally found this on Facebook and then found the original source via pinterest. It was too good not to share and I will admit that I had a few tears in my eyes when I finished reading it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It's a wonderful reminder! It makes me want to be a better mom every single day!

A Child's Ten Commandments to Parents by Dr. Kevin Leman

1. My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely: don’t restrict me unnecessarily.

3. Housework will always be there. I’m only little such a short time—please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.

4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don’t nag me all day long. (You wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness.) Treat me as you would like to be treated.

5. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragement, but not your praise, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.

8. Please don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations. I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me with my brother or my sister.

9. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.

10. Please take me to Sunday school and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.

Emily Elrod Photography

Our 2011 Christmas Card

2011-12-19T07:00:00.002-05:00

Today I am linking up with Faith for her annual Christmas Card Carousel ( a few days late!). Be sure to check out her blog and link up too!

Now that our cards have been mailed and most of the recipients should have received them, I can show them off! We love using Shutterfly for our cards and decided to use them again this year. Here is our 2011 card!

Front

Back

I love the look of black and white photos so we decided to use them this year. The family picture as well as the pictures on the back with Mason were taken by the lovely Emily Elrod Photography.

I am in love with our card this year!! It's perfect. It's just what we wanted.

Now, go link up on Faith's blog and show off your Christmas card!

Oh, What Fun It Is To... Decorate!

2011-12-16T10:59:00.000-05:00

Today I am linking up with Erin at Blue Eyed Bride to show of our Christmas decorations.

If a 15 month old boy running loose in the house, we decided it was in our best interest and best for our sanity to keep our decor simple this year.

Some things I didn't take pictures of include candles in all our front windows, our advent wreath on our dining room table, Christmas Wreath on the front door, Christmas flag as well as two Christmas decorations on the front porch. Perhaps when I have more than five minutes of free time, I will get around to taking pictures of these things.

We finally have a fireplace! We didn't have one in our previous house so I was very excited to be able to hang our stockings on the mantle this year. Our stockings are from Pottery Barn and the pups stockings are from Home Goods.

One of my favorite pieces of our Christmas decor is our Nativity scene by Willow Tree. It was one of my Christmas gifts from my in-laws last year and I am in love with it!

This year we decided to get our Christmas tree from a local place in town instead of driving to the mountains to cut our own down. We found a beautiful tree and we decorated it with all our fun ornaments that have sentimental value. Our tree skirt was handmade by one of Brian's aunts.

A few of my favorite ornaments...

1. My Baby's First Christmas Ornament from 1980. 2. Mason's First Christmas ornament 3. Hand woven star from Germany 4. Moravian Christmas Star 5. Moravian Advent wreath

One last decoration is the fun Rudolph pillow made by to talented momma, Meredith. Mason loves to point to Rudolph.

Like I said, we kept things simple this year but I love how festive and cheery our house looks and feels.

Don't forget to link up with Erin today and showcase your Christmas decor!

Now tell me, What are some of your favorite Christmas decorations?

Guest Posting at Love to the Moon

2011-12-16T07:53:00.000-05:00

Today you can find me over here talking about one of our favorite Christmas traditions. Be sure to head over to Lindsey's blog and check out my post!

Thank you Lindsey for letting me be a guest on your blog today!