The Busy Budgeting Mama

Baby Book - 13 Weeks Bump

2012-05-21T21:19:00.002-04:00

BLANQI Girl

I've been feeling more tired during the day..

but the daytime sickness has gone away...now it's just night.

and worse. but I can handle that..the girls are sleeping! ;)

Sienna is very hands on with this pregnancy..little cutie.

I have realized saying "please don't touch mommy for 5 minutes" isssss.....pointless. ;)

Starting to warm up..

I love letting them play outside..

because I get to SIT DOWN and cheer and clap from my chair. :)

We got a sprinkler today.

Officially the best mom in the world.

Pulled out their swim suits from the bins they were packed away in...

Sophia was IN HEAVEN.

and I LOVE this photo..because it is totally her. that pose=my sophie.

Sienna....not loving it so much.

She walked back to the have another look when I went to turn it on....traumatized.

I think she'll get brave enough to try it out soon.

but today she just looked cute in her swimwear. ;)

(She wanted to pose like her sister.....hehe.)

Can't wait for this little bambino to get in

on the snuggles and play time. :)

Sophie, in bed, avoiding going to bed: "when the baby pops out it's

going to walk into my room!"..........

Seriously, she says "pop out" 5 million times a day....... haha

Sophie: mom, the angels put the baby in there?...

The angels will help you pop it out."

Me: "I sure hope so. ;)"

Sophie's Lemonade Stand + Free Lemonade Banner Printable

2012-05-20T22:58:00.005-04:00

Our big girl had her first lemonade stand

this weekend during our Garage Sale!

It was sooooo fun seeing her get into it.

She made bank.

She would see potential customers in our yard and walk right

up to them and ask if they wanted some lemonade.."it's 50 cents!"..

and it was hilarious seeing how barely anyone could say no to her.

and the ones who did made a face like I feel like I am so cruel..

She took the first rejection sad..

but I got her to say "thanks anyways!" to the ones who said no.

One lady payed 3 bucks for a cup...

some payed and didn't even take some!

She was cranking out the lemonade.. we had to make 2 more pitchers and keep adding ice!

Sophie was loving it...and I was loving watching her have fun.

She was charming the crowd.. ;)

Lemonade Stand Supplies:

Ikea Chalkboard

A old school desk we found and I had spray painted pink. (was in playroom)

Plastic Lemonade Pitcher from Walmart

(husband put ice in container instead of center piece.. that's why there is tape holding it down....lovely right? ;)

Blue Colander (TJMAXX) full of lemons (or balls to sienna)

Lemonade Banner I made/printed/stapled to ribbon/taped to desk

If you would like to use this lemonade banner printable

for your kid's next lemonade stand..

click here to download!

I'll have it up for a limited time..and then I'll be selling it for $5 in my etsy shop.

Lemonade Banner Printable- Two letters per page. 4 pages.

(print full size or reduce in printer settings)

Sample:

Sophie got the hang of filling up the cups.

Sienna on the other hand...I kept looking over to

find her turning the spicket on and walking away.... ;)

Sienna being a big helper and Ben.

(during one of the few slow moments at the garage sale.)

Sienna was so funny..she saw sophia filling up the cups over and over and went to try it.

she filled it up an inch and gave it to the lady haha. She was very proud of herself.

She spent most of the morning throwing a lemon around..and moving the "50 cent -stuffed animals on the blanket " off the blanket.... ;)

We let sophia pick out something from the neighbors

garage sale with some of her lemonade stand earnings.

They are in love with bubbles right now....so this was a hit!

Hope you had a wonderful Weekend!

Baby Book - 12 Weeks Bump

2012-05-17T18:38:00.000-04:00

Morning Sickness has slowed this project down..But better late than never!

Going to do a Baby Book with notes to the baby and a bump update.

I've seen these on pinterest and they look so cute.

I did something similar with the other girls but not the note..

I think it'll be fun to look back at the image/note combined.

Doing the weekly photo of me in my Blanqi...it expands easy. :)

Going to turn it into one of those videos documenting my growing belly!

Baby # 3..and my tummy popped out even faster than with sienna!
I guess it remembers this whole process.. haha.
Found these AMAZINGLY comfy maternity cropped cargo

pants at Burlington the other day (first purchase there ever but so happy)

I needed comfy. :)

Target Tank and Cardigan.
Old Navy Flip Flops.

Day old hair in pony.

Sienna is all over this baby bump.

the popped out belly button is just too fascinating I guess.

Sometimes ben asks if she is trying to get back in the womb.

You know how when you are pregnant..and sick...and don't want to be touched.....

yeah........almost 2 yr olds don't get that. ;)

She loves this baby.

Sophie wouldn't let daddy just take a photo of me and the bump..

she would have posed forever..

sienna...not so much. hehe.

Sophie chit chats with my bump.. saying good morning and what we've been up too. :)

DIY Teacher Appreciation Treat Bag Inspiration Board

2012-05-15T16:23:00.002-04:00

The end of the school year is coming!!

I rounded up some of my DIY Treat Bag Ideas as Teacher Appreciation Gifts..

A cute gift idea to say THANK YOU to the

wonderful teachers you know or work with!

I sell the printables in my Etsy Shop, Pretty Paperie for $8 if

you would like that part taken care of for you.

Just print, cut and staple to bag!

(2 styles per pdf.. And you can print as many as you want!)

1. You are One Smart Cookie! - Printable PDF

2. Thanks a 'Latte' for your hard work! - Printable PDF

3. Thanks for a Picture Perfect Year! - Printable PDF

4. You are Sweet! - Printable PDF

5. We need S'MORE Teachers like you! - Printable PDF

If you have a custom phrase request just send me a message!

I made up this design for a client last week..

She was filling them with lifesavers. :)

Hope this post gives you some ideas of

what to do to say Thanks!

To my Amazing Mom...

2012-05-13T21:30:00.000-04:00

Hope all of you had a wonderful mother's day!

I just want to post on my mom.

She is such an amazing woman and role model.

One skill she has..that was not passed on to me...is her green thumb.

She can take a twig and turn it into a blooming bush!

Her deck is full of plants she is bringing to life..We call it her plant infirmary. :)

Hope you don't mind me bragging about you mom.. love you!

Yummy FAST Homemade Wheat Pizza

2012-05-10T09:56:00.000-04:00

This recipe has become a staple in our house..

Homemade Pizza.

and every time I instagram a photo of it people

are always asking for the recipe..

so here's the revised version of how

I've been making it lately...

I've been making this recipe a lot lately using wheat flour. (for the hubs)

But ended up liking it even more this way!

I follow the same recipe as below but add in a little more olive oil to

soften up the dough as I knead it a little..

and I add a little more honey... :)

I'm also heavy handed on the seasonings.

It's soooo good!

(here's a shot of when I would make smaller ones with regular flour)

I am always searching for tried and true favorite recipes..

and this one has become a favorite ever since we first tried it.

I felt amazingly domesticated when

I made my own doughhhhh.::CROWD CHEERS::

so go feel awesome about yourself and make this. :)

I have tried lots of topping varieties...using whatever I had in the fridge..

but it's really good with fresh sliced tomatoes and mozarella....and very pretty too.

....................................................................................................................................

This is a Easy Pizza Dough recipe that you can make during

Dinner time instead of having to prep it earlier in the day!

Only Takes 30 minutes to rise..divide up, rests for 10 minutes..and ready to use! awesome.

I was so impressed with how fast this came together and how delicious it was!

My husband ben loved it!! It didn't dry out at all it was soft and crunchy.

This is a must try. your loved ones will think you are amazing..which you are. hehe.

instead of ordering out tonight....cook this up!

found this recipe on the lovely ezra pound cake blog! go visit!

Adapted from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics”

Makes 6, 8-inch pizzas

Dough Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110) water

2 packages dry yeast

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

Kosher salt

To Make The Dough:

1.Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

3. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Place the doughs on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

4. Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle, and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (If you’ve chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.)

5. Add the topings of your choice! (what i used is below.)

6.Bake the pizzas for 10 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown.

Toppings for my Mini Margharita Pizzas:

-I drizzled olive oil over the dough

-some shredded Mozzarella cheese

(but fresh mozzarella or a blend of cheeses would be tasty)

-A can of whole tomatoes

(I just squished them over the dough and

tore up pieces- put on top so they don't melt off cheese)

-spices: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, garlic powder

(or fresh if you have it.)

Toppings for my Wheat Crust/Cheese Pizza: (FAVORITE)

-I drizzled olive oil over the dough

- Spoon some Jarred Pasta Sauce on and spread

(We use Giant Eagle Brand but just use your favorite!)

-some shredded Mozzarella cheese

(but fresh mozzarella or a blend of cheeses would be tasty)

-spices: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, garlic powder

(or fresh if you have it.)

You could go crazy with different toppings!

I've tried barbecue sauce and chicken with cheddar cheese..so good.

The possibilities are endless..

and a good dough makes all the difference.

enjoy!

DIY Curtains & Pelmet Boxes

2012-05-09T21:39:00.003-04:00

I had seen this DIY Project on some of my favorite blogs..

Particularly the Little Green Notebook.

She has a great Pelmet Box Tutorial.

I wasn't even going to attempt one because hers is so great.

Click on over and check it out if you want to make one yourself!

--I used 1 Pack of Ikea Curtains..

(2 pack..cutting each down the middle per window and

using the leftover length for the pelmet boxes)

I don't think they sell this style anymore..at least not online.

But I think I got it for either $19.99 or $24.99 for the 2 panels.

They have some great options!

--Foam Boards I got at Michael's for $1.99 each. (needed 3)

--I used some batting material I had leftover from another project..

and then grabbed up some extra at Joann's.

--Used Wall hangers attached to the foamboard/fabric

with super glue and then hung up on nails.

The Curtains and Pelmet Boxes came together pretty easy..

and I love the way they look in the room!

I think if I could do over..I would make my boxes a little taller..

and extend my curtain rod hidden inside the box so they fill it up more.

(I already have the fabric/foam board for another

pelmet box for above the kitchen sink! hehe.)

Our Week by iPhone. Get all up in our Business.

2012-05-07T23:24:00.000-04:00

Getting through Morning Sickness..is a group effort I guess..haha.

below are the girls "helping" mommy...

Funniest thing I heard today.....

Sophia (3.5) "Mommy when you are

done throwing up I need to pee."

I took these 2 photos the other day..

and I seriously can't stop looking at them I love them so much.

They are now my phone's backdrop.

I reflect on these cute shots when they are

protesting bath/bed/wearing pajamas/sienna having to wear a diaper.......

DIY- Been working up a Felt Board for my girls!

It's a slow but steady process. I needed something crafty and fun to work on.

I have been taking photos and will be sharing easy templates to make your own felt board!

While I was still in bed sienna brought me ONE AT A TIME...each of the felt items.

It gave me a good 5 minutes to not have to get up yet. ;)

So If this wasn't a successful project for them I don't know what is.

more sleep + keeping them busy sounds good to me.

This past weekend was the Pittsburgh Marathon!!

Ben ran in a relay and was there supporting his brother bob's non profit..Dirty Vagabond.

I know some of you donated to his fundraising efforts..so thank you!!

his goal was to hit 3,000 and he just went over that! woohoo!

The girls loved cheering on their daddy..

and ringing the cowbell...(which is now "lost"....oops.) ;)

I have little helpers who come and do my laundry for me....

and then I re do it when they are sleeping.

They love nuns.....and sienna is rocking their nun outfit....they are so cute.

My little snacker.

I think she is going to turn into a pretzel stick.

Parenting Confession - I fed the girls lunch at 10:00 and

did nap time early one day...

It was a great morning. and I will totally do this again.

Been working up lots of printable orders!

Lots of teacher appreciation treat bag tags going out..

baby showers.. and of course birthday parties!

It's been cool seeing how many assistant principals

have been ordering the teacher tags for their staff.

The one below turned out cute I thought..

she was going to fill it with lifesavers for their teachers!

I think those circle gummies could be cute too.

Dress up..this is a typical sophie look.

Favorites mama moments- This sweet moment of them

not moving/eating/crying to eat the same

thing/jumping/needing to pee/not wanting to pee.....lasted 2 minutes.

and I loved it. :)

Been getting more of these sweet moments lately.

They are so cute together.

The days of blow drying and straightening my hair are limited these days...

rocking the dirty hair.. sophia loves it..she goes mama you're hair is curly like minee!!

(notttt really. but yessss.)

Sienna trying to rush sophie's post nap time wake up....

she is feeling risky I guess..this could be dangerous.... ;)

Missing Shannon a lot lately. Sometimes I can feel it bubbling up in me.. just the anger of why did he do it? All the details from the news coverage..and the police reports handed down.. have formed this image in my head of how it happened.. and Sometimes I wish I could have not heard some of the details.. because they are out of a horror movie.

Pray for her soul every night.. for her 2 sweeties.. for her family and friends..for everyone affected by domestic violence. and I pray for him. and for his family. Even though sometimes when I say it..I can't fully come to it..but I'm hoping just saying it..will help me forgive.

Sophie's "mom pose".......

hm. she has got me down pat I think.

Eating the requested SHREDDED cheese before bed..

because eating string cheese would be way too easy.......................

Hope you all had a great weekend..and week so far!

Been loving these moments with the girls..they are a fun age. exhausting age.. but fun!

and sienna is talking up a storm right now. she says the funniest things.

Sophie has been full of funny things too lately... EXAMPLE: the other day

a guy walks by with SUPER SHORT shorts on.. he looked like he did steroids/body builder.. hugeee old man. and tinyyyy shorts. I know..I was confused too...

Sophie: "Daddy..where are those guys pants?" hahaha... ooh we were glad we were in the car so we didn't have to deal with that one.

And PS..I'll be sharing the felt board soon.

even though it's a work in progress..so many ideas still of things to make!

Sophie requested the castle..now a princess is needed... and a prince. (of courrse.)

Party Inspiration Look Book- Modern Shabby Chic

2012-05-02T23:40:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun putting together this
Party Inspiration Look Book for a Client's Modern Shabby Chic Party!
She contacted me via my Blog's Facebook page..
asking for inspiration in planning her daughter's first birthday.
She gave me her color scheme and some details..wanting something pretty and
shabby chic-ish and not too babyish.
A DIY beginner but wanted to have details she could create herself.

Have a look! For a small fee I can help you plan your party..

just shoot me a message if you are interested.

I love planning parties vicariously through others... ;)
Click here or below to open up the Issue and
be able to click each image and go directly to the link.
Lots of great ideas and fun links to check out!

Again, click the images above or the

magazine preview to go check out all the links!

Hope this helps with any party inspiration you were looking for..

Can't wait to share the next theme! :)

So Proud of my Husband..

2012-04-30T08:39:00.001-04:00

I'm proud of my husband for the way he is helping me so much through this pregnancy...

The grocery store runs..gatorade runs..the back massages and letting me sleep in..

I'm proud of him for setting goals to lose weight and
already in a couple months losing 20 pounds! going after 20 more!

And I'm proud of the way he is supporting his brother's Ministry.. Dirty Vagabond..
and working so hard to raise money for those teens.

He is running the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay next weekend..
So far he has raised $1,000 in just over 2 days! His goal is 3,000.
But the Ministry is still under their goal of 30,000.. All of the runners are raising money and even though I'm not a part of it...I want to help support my husband's efforts..

So please...watch the video below..and if you can/feel called...

please donate to help my brother-in-law and this Ministry.

I have first handed seen God working in the lives of these teens!
This is my husband's big brother's ministry..
and He and his wife, with their 6 children, give all of themselves to these teens..
Would love to help them out..even if it's with a shameless blog post. ;)
Lately I've been getting 10,000 + views a day.........
PLEASE...if you are reading this..

even ten dollars can make a difference in their efforts.

I know we all have different things we support but If you can help...
it would be amazing. I'll let you know how it goes!!!! :)
It's been so exciting seeing the donations role in for Dirty Vagabond!
It is refreshing and inspiring to see people come together to help others.
Please pray for this ministry and their efforts in your prayers tonight.
God Bless!

Anddd....hopefully my husband isn't that awkward runner on sunday.
hehe love you honey. :)

Color Crush - Olive and Sky

2012-04-24T20:39:00.000-04:00

Loving this color combo of Olive & Sky.

If we have a boy would love to use these colors..

or even do it for a girl and add in pops of coral instead of the deep blue.

the nesting bug has kicked in... in between the throwing up.

image found on pinterest via House of Turquoise

Creamy Chicken Rice & Vegetables

2012-04-22T22:03:00.001-04:00

Realizing that lately all my content on my blog/facebook/twitter is food related..

Let's blame in on the pregnancy. haha.

But I made this up as I went along tonight and it was soooo good that I

already went back for a late night snack from the leftovers.

So I had to share.

If you are wanting something SIMPLE savory and warm..this is it.

I started off just cleaning out the fridge using up veggies..

husband requested something simple..and this is the result!

Creamy Chicken Rice & Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

1 large(huge) chicken breast (cooked up a bunch for other recipes)

4 small carrots

1/2 large green pepper

1 green onion

Instant Brown Rice

salt & pepper

2 TB Butter

2 TB Flour

1 Cup Chicken Broth (more or less)

DIRECTIONS

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

(I moved up to 375 after 30 minutes. I was getting hungry.)

-I used frozen Chicken..So I defrosted a few minutes in the microwave to speed up cooking time.. then put in casserole pan (still a little frozen)

-Drizzled Chicken with Olive Oil. And Cover with Lawry's Seasoned Salt.

(If you have never used this..get it! The Pioneer Woman convinced me. and I love it.)

-COVER WITH FOIL..keeps moisture in. (mine were skinless so they had no protection.. I completely sealed the pan and notice a difference when I don't.)

-Pop in oven for 50 minutes (varies to how much chicken/if frozen.. you get the idea..)

-While the chicken is doing it's thing.. start chopping vegetables.

Use whatever you like and have in the fridge!

-I wanted my chopped carrots soft..sounded yummy..

So I steamed them in a pan with a little water.

Once the water boiled off and they were soft enough I added in the chopped green onion, green peppers & a splash of olive oil.

-I sauteed that up and then put on low.

-Get the Instant Rice going. I made 4 servings.

SAUCE:

-Once the rice is done toss the vegetables into that pan and stir.

-In the vegetables old pan melt 2 TB butter

-add 2 TB Flour and brown.. do not burn. (you want to cook off the flour taste)

-Pour in Chicken stock (I think I put in about a cup..but maybe less.

eyeball it.. you can always add more.

tip: If you add in too much liquid.. my mom taught me to put in a bowl a little flour and water..stir..and then add into sauce. thickens it back up.)

-Salt and Pepper Sauce

FINAL STEPS:

-Slice up chicken very thin.

-Put Chicken in pan with rice and vegetables

-At this point you can put the sauce in with everything..

but we poured it over our own bowls when we served up..

then when putting the food away combined it all together. either works.

-Salt and Pepper to taste

I always love seeing what real people are cooking up in their kitchens..

so thought I would share! I'm no chef but my family loved it!

If you are pregnant this is a perfect meal...

something simple but with taste.

that sentence sounds weird but makes

perfect sense to a sick pregnant lady. ;)

Best Homemade Mac N' Cheese Recipe EVER

2012-04-20T21:44:00.000-04:00

I wanted something warm cheesey gooey yummy...

and The Pioneer Woman's Macaroni & Cheese sounded just right.

If you have been thinking about buying a cookbook..........BUY HERS.

I have her first one but her second one is on my must buy list.

I used her recipe with a couple tweaks with what we had/what we wanted..

and ended up with the most amazing Mac N Cheese we've ever tasted.

We wanted to eat the entire bowl.

we didn't............ but we wanted too. ;)

I realized the NEED to post this recipe on here once I instagramed this photo and

my facebook blew up with PLEASE SHARE!!!!!!!!..(more or less)

So I'm going to share miss ree drummonds masterpiece..

hop over and thank her for this recipe of yumminess.

SEE ORIGINAL RECIPE POST FOR ORIGINAL VERSION

She shares on her blog the version of undercooking

the pasta and baking it in the oven to make it bubbly and golden.

I might try that version one day...but

I was wanting something fast..

I had hungry mouths to feed.

This way made up fast..and fast is good at dinner time.

Listing the ingredients I used

(only difference than hers...I used mini shells,

less butter/flour..and Velveeta Cheese)

'UHHH-MAZING' Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

-4 Cups dried Mini Shells (or pasta of choice)

-1 Egg Beaten

-3 TB of Butter

-Just under 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour

-2 /12 cups Whole Milk

-2 heaping teaspoons of Dry Mustard

- 8 ounces Velveeta (or 3 1/2 cups of Cheese of Choice)

-1/2 teaspoon Salt (more to taste)

-1/2 teaspoon Lawy's Seasoned Salt (The Pioneer woman convinced me to buy..so good)

1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

(hubby put hot sauce on his)

INSTRUCTIONS:

-Cook Macaroni until al dente (or till the softness you like to eat!)

-Drain.

-In a small bowl, beat egg.

-In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour.

-Whisk together over medium-low heat..

-Cooking mixture for five minutes..whisking constantly. don't let burn.

-Pour in milk, add mustard and whisk until smooth.

-Cook for five minutes until very thick.

-Reduce heat to low.

-Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg..

-whisking constantly to avoid scrambling eggs :)

-Pour egg mixture into sauce..whisking constantly.. stirring until smooth.

-Add in Cheese and stir to melt.

-Add salt and pepper..taste and add more seasoning if desired.

-Pour in drained, cooked shells and stir to combine.

-Serve Immediately to get the full creamy deliciousness.

ENJOY!

again..to see the original version check out this post..

Our Week by iPhone. Get all up in our Business.

2012-04-19T15:13:00.000-04:00

MY FUNNY GIRLS - Sienna does not lack personality.

this girl is making faces all day..Love her kissy face.

Sophie: "Hey mom! take a picture of me..I'm exercising."

*note the sneakers..summer dress..exercise band..and one glove...she's rocking it.

In the Kitchen - Chicken Pot Pie sounded so good

so I used a recipe from my Pioneer Woman's cookbook.

I loved it. I think next time I won't put in as much cream though.

(it calls for 1 cup cream but also has a butter flour roux.)

Baby #3 Update- Almost 9 weeks. Sick. very..very..sick.

More than my first 2 pregnancies combined and then tripled.

So grateful for my mom..who cleaned out my fridge during her visit. something a sick pregnant mama does NOT want to do. I hold my breath when I open my fridge just because of all the mixed food smells. (I feel crazy) And feeling so blessed by a random dinner drop off from Meg & Mark!! I didn't even know it was coming..so thankful for their kindness!

Sprite is my best friend (or anything bubbly really) I find myself just trying to survive till nap time..and then survive till bed time. haha. Hopefully only a few more weeks of this because I feel completely useless. Trying to remember that there is a crazy amazing miracle of a baby growing super fast in me but wowww.. I'm sick.
I lay on the couch a lot. and I don't know if it's a baby rule..but if they see me sitting/not moving..they must be ON ME. and there is only so much of me...so I end up with one covering their ground on me and the other trying to squeeze on but very unhappy to only get one shoulder. haha. I try and fit in snuggle time with each one. :)

FIRSTS- (for sienna) Corn on the cob.

.So excited when I saw it at the grocery store!

Playing Movie.. this lasted all of 5 minutes.

and then they moved on to fighting over ONE toy in the entire house FULL of toys... :)
Sound familiar? I'm thinking this is just going to be life with more than one child..hehe.

Playtime outside.

Some of the youth group kids forked our yard...
Don't worry I made them feel bad they made a pregnant lady and 3 yr old pick them up. ;)
It's hard to be mad when you know a priest helped in the pranking...

A VERY RARE shot of sienna- she's not moving.

I feel like sienna is calming down. I feel like in all my blog posts she is referred to as the wild one. and that's because she IS. but...she is talking a lot now and I think that being able to tell us what she wants is making her more content.. she is just always going to be on an on the go baby. Her favorite thing to say is "no"..and "IwannaGo".. and "sorry"... that sums her up. haha.

Sienna trying to get in on mom and dad hugging..

PARENTING- Just one of those days....

you just have to be content with..they are healthy and dressed.

Grabbed up some discounted flowers right after easter..

can't wait for the cold nights to pass so I can start to garden!

We..meaning sienna.. "lost" the keys.......

Came across this little busy bee and was hoping to find it in her cardboard mailbox..

no luck. probably out with the trash.

Sharing an AMAZING homemade Mac N' Cheese Recipe next post!

It's the best I've ever tried.. you need to know this one..

I wanted to eat the entire pan.

and that's not the pregnancy talking. my husband did too.

(we didn't though. just fyi.)

It's different this time around without her...

2012-04-16T20:46:00.001-04:00

I only have a minute.

I have one sick baby with daddy

and one wild thing grandma is chasing for me.

Luckily my mom is in town.. because I feel useless at times with how sick I am.

24-7 sick. I feel like I'm on a long bumpy car ride..

in the back seat.. and can't get out to get some fresh air.

It's worse than with the girls. combined.

But I can't help but think of how each pregnancy... I shared with Shannon.

We were on the same baby track!

We would commiserate the sickness..the I want to eat everything in sight..

the EXCITEDNESS!! sharing when the babies kicked or contraction

details when it came time.

I miss that.

and sometimes I find myself struggling again with "him" even though I still include him in my prayers each night. I feel just confused. confused that someone could do something like he did to such a beautiful person. a person who loved him with all his faults even when she was getting away from him to protect herself and her children. who told everyone to forgive him. she saw the good in people even when no one else did. so I'm trying to be like that.. but its hard when I think about these moments and experiences we can't share anymore.

I've found myself going to text her.

or when the girls are down thinking Oh, I could call now I have a moment.

Saying a prayer for her help during these hard weeks..

and for blessings from above for this pregnancy and baby.

I miss you Shannon. Help me to be a good mama like you!

A New Grocery Cart Staple

2012-04-12T12:55:00.000-04:00

We have a new favorite. We can't go back to the generic brand we got before..

we are hooked. this is a must in the grocery cart.

A while back Welch's contacted me about trying out their new Welch's Natural Spreads.

I never turn down something edible. It think it's a blogger rule. ;)

A few days later 2 jars showed up on my door step!

The girls were excited..not only did we get mail..but they could EAT IT. haha...

Was officially the best mom ever. they appreciate the little things at this age.

But I realized, after the jar was ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE...

That maybe I should blog about it before it's empty. haha.

The husband was actually the one who loved it the most I think.

He's trying to eat nothing with high fructose corn syrup in it.

tougher than you would think..but this spread has none.

The girls loved it..but they aren't hard to please.

Welch's did a good job of camouflaging the good stuff in this

that the girls had no clue that I was going all healthy on them.

With this pregnancy I am loving eggs and toast in the morning..

so this morning we whipped some up and of course put some of the spread on it!

We've been eating it on everything.

I think it would be really good in greek yogurt...

or on top of pancakes with powdered sugar...trying that next.

Have you tried their spreads before??

Check out Welch's on Facebook.

Split Pea Soup Recipe- Pregnancy Craving #1

2012-04-11T15:31:00.002-04:00

With this Pregnancy, nothing sounds good to me...

so when something does..I jump on it!

Split Pea Soup sounded amazingggg..

So at the grocery store I pulled up a recipe on my phone,
grabbed up some potatoes, peas, onion and bread,

and made it for dinner last night!

I used Ina Garten's Split Pea Soup Recipe on Food Network to know where to start..

Here's my take on the recipe.. check out the comments on the

food network page above to get even more ideas

on how to tweak the recipe to make it how you like it!

I almost followed it exactly..****with my changes marked underneath.
it's delicious. and SO EASY.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

1 Cup chopped yellow onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 cup good olive oil

**I used what I had

1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1-1/2 Teaspoons Salt

1 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)

1 Cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled 3 small

**I put in 4 potatoes

1 pound dried split green peas

8 cups chicken stock or water

**I used 4 cups water & 4 cups Vegetable Stock (What I had)

Directions

In a 4 quart stockpot on medium heat - saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt & pepper until the onions are translucent..10 - 15 minutes.

Add the carrots, potatoes, stock/water and ALL the split peas (her version says 1/2)

Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.

Stir frequently to keep solids from burning on the bottom.

Taste for salt and pepper and simmer for another 40 minutes.
(Add in more water if you want it less thick..I added in a cup or so..)

Serves 5-6

So yummy served with a piece of french bread.

mm..I want leftovers now..... ;)

Pregnancy Craving #2

I made a pumpkin pie tonight....... hehe.

(I followed the instructions on the can.. was heavy with the spices. :)

I had some pre-made dough in the fridge.

(I grabbed it up because someone left a

coupon on it in the grocery store. so nice right??)

I love my husband so much..

I realized as I was about to put in my evaporated milk it was old..

so he ran to the grocery store to get me some..

only I said condensed milk by accident...........

so he went BACK and got me the right ingredient.

because he loves me so much. :)

he texted this the other night.. he knows I'm having a hard time being SO sick..

things like this help. :)

Easter!- Sophie, 3 years old: "Jesus Saved us!"

2012-04-10T10:03:00.001-04:00

Hope all of you had a wonderful Easter!

Thought I would share our Weekend..(I love being able to click back each year!)
The Easter bunny hopped through our house

and left some fun stuff to celebrate Jesus' Resurrection.. and a fewww sweets. ;)

Sophia was so funny..she kept telling us

"Jesus was trapped but then he went like that (does a wiggle) and got out!.. and he got the bad guys(??) and Heaven won!.....Jesus saved us!" haha...

It was a fun day of visiting with family, playing, eating & going to Church.
We even got in a 3 hour family nap..Easter miracle! seriously....
Thank you Jesus. haha we needed it.

Easter Baskets found at Jo-Ann's on clearance (only because I'm horribly last minute..)

I loved them! They are nice and sturdy too.

We have an Easter tradition that the Easter Bunny
and her stuffed animals have an Easter Tea Party!...
and when the girls wake up they can join in on it!

I found a tea set this year that a bit "fancier" for an older sophia..
(a tin one from Babies R Us)

Sienna immediately grabbed up a muffin as soon as she saw them..

she held it the whole morning until she put it in her Easter Basket for later. ;)

The Bouncy Balls the Eater Bunny found at Target were a hit!

I loved the colors..the girls loved rolling on them..

daddy loved throwing it at them and watching them giggle...............

I was so happy with the Tote Bag the Easter Bunny found at the Dollar Store

(and the bible drawing pad too!) The Bag said "Jesus my Forever Friend"..

they had a bunch of cute ones.

I LOVED seeing sienna open the eggs and discover what was inside!

She then went on to hoard all of the jelly beans... in her mouth.

It was an "Adventure" at mass on Easter...Sienna was feeling a bit...wild.

But we MADE IT! haha. and nap time soon followed.
*dress from target maternity

The only family photo I have.. :) Easter Dinner with Ben's Family..

It was fun seeing all the kids play together..

and a polish get together wouldn't be complete without some Kielbasa. ;)

We were sent home with leftover ham..

I am making Split Pea & Ham Soup with it tonight. yummy.

Family Floor Snuggles before bed time..

and sienna snuggling with the baby bump ;)

I love the shot of Ben snuggling with one of his ballerinas...hehe.

I grabbed up, the day after Easter, some discounted dresses from Target.

(Sophie is wearing hers) They call them their Wedding day dresses..

They posed for these photos. Sienna is wearing her ballerina

gear the easter bunny brought them. SOOO CUTEEEE.

The night before Easter Ben and I went with his

little brother, sister & her boyfriend to the phillies game!

I mean Pirates game.. ;) We lost. but it was still fun.. a fireworks night!

Can't wait to see all of your posts on your Easter!

Love seeing how everyone celebrates it.

The Last 2 Easters- Bunny Tea Party, Recipes & Free Jesus Printables

2012-04-06T10:22:00.000-04:00

One of the best parts about blogging...

is that you can look back at past posts and be able to remember all the fun!!

The girls and I sat down and looked at the last 2 Easters I blogged about..

So crazy how the first I was pregnant with sienna and Sophia was sienna's age now!

And how both were in different houses....we're in a new place now too!

I thought some of you might appreciate the ideas and cuteness..

so linking up both posts here for easy viewing.

2010 Easter

Some recipes that are sweet...

but..you HAVE to try the broccoli salad recipe in this post. uh..mazing.

(I'm 22 Weeks Pregnant with Sienna!)

2011 Easter

I loved putting together this Bunny Tea Party on Easter Morning!

I think sophia was even more in love with the idea as we read back on the post..

Attempting to track down her tea set......#toomanytoysinthiscrazyhouse

This year for the baskets we are going simple..with "busy" activities... I need those types of toys right now just so I can sit for a minute. With baby #3 making itself known alllll dayyy longggg it will be very helpful to have some fresh activities for them to do. Messy free ones. well...as messy free as you can get with these two.

Details after the weekend!

Click over to the post to print off the free Jesus is Risen! coloring pages..

Using these again this year.

Can't wait to share what we are doing this year on Easter Morning!

I love making it special for them...

Sophia has been busy brushing her dolls hair getting them ready for Easter. hehe.

I would think it's even moreee cute if she wasn't using MY hair brush........

DIY Easter Ideas - Kid Activities, Basket & Eggs Inspiration Board

2012-04-05T14:31:00.000-04:00

I wanted to put together some ideas

for Easter Activities with kids...

DIY details to put in the Easter basket..

and Egg inspiration!

I love the little Peep Pal and the He is Risen Donut Tomb....

How are you connecting the Easter Bunny to the

reason for celebrating Easter?? (Jesus' Resurrection!!)

I told the girls the story..that after Jesus died for us on the cross..

he was put in a tomb with a biggggg rock blocking the door.

But Jesus moved it and angels came and he went to heaven and opened it up for us!!

So one day we could be with Him there too!

And the little Easter Bunny saw allllll of this amazing ness happen and

ever since has been bringing treats on Easter to celebrate Jesus rising from the dead!

The girls love the story. Would love to track down a book that is similar.

let me know if you have the name of one!

Enjoy these great links. (all listed below)

1. Intense Egg Dyeing Tips by Design Mom

2. Glittered Eggs by Martha Stewart

3. Bunny Finger Puppets by purl bee.

4. Little Peep Pal by Michael Ann Made

5. Kool-Aid Egg Dyeing Guide found on Pinterest (original source unknown. do you know it??)

6. Neon Dip-Dyed Easter Eggs by Oh Joy

7. Easter Egg Finger Puppets by wild olive

8. Chevron Easter Eggs by BonBon Rose Girls

9. Washi Tape Easter Eggs by lovely indeed

10. Creative Play Easter Basket by modern parents messy kids

11. Jesus is Risen Paper Craft by Totally Tots

12. He is Risen Tomb Snack Activity ound on Pinterest (original source unknown. do you know it??)

13. "Hands on" Easter Chick Activity by that artist woman

14. Cookies in Egg Carton (great gifting idea/inspiration!) by cheryls.com

15. Paper Plate Easter Bunny by free preschool crafts

DIY Easter Ideas - Sweet & Yummy Treats Inspiration Board

2012-04-05T06:59:00.001-04:00

As promised...some sweet and yummy treat ideas for a DIY Easter this year!

I included some of my printables in this inspiration board...

all of which will be e-mailed out same day as ordered!

so you have time to make up a sweet treat bag for gifting.. or cupcake toppers for a cute display!

My favorite......the tuxedo peeps. so cute! and yummy. ;)

Enjoy this Easter Inspiration Board!

Check out all the links below to get all the

details on these recipes & sweet ideas!

1. Tuxedo Peeps by Babble

2. Easter Bird Nest Cookies by With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart

3. Peep Treat Bag Tags by The Pretty Paperie Printables (my etsy shop)

4. Hot Cross Buns with Dark Chocolate & Dried Cherries by Cookin Canuck

5. Coconut Macaroon Nutella Cookie Nests by Two Peas & Their Pod

6. Easter Egg Lunch Hunt by Gluesticks

7. Easter Rice Krispie Treats by kidscooking.about.com

8. Chick Deviled Eggs found on Pinterest (but originally from the recent issue of Taste of Home)

9. Easter Cupcake Topper Printables by The Pretty Paperie Printables (my etsy shop)

10. Resurrection Rolls by Surreality

DIY Easter Ideas - Pretty Table & Decor Inspiration Board

2012-04-03T21:29:00.000-04:00

Easter is just around the corner..

Here's some DIY Ideas for your Easter Table and Decor!

Follow the Links below to check out all the details on each fun project!..

More fun Easter Inspiration Boards coming tomorrow and thursday!

(Sweets and DIY's to fill the easter baskets!)

1. Wheatgrass place settings by my insanity

2. Tablescape by nestofposies

3. Carrot Centerpiece by wants & wishes

4. White Tablescape (pinned from citrus and orange )

5. Tissue Paper Tassel Inspiration by confetti system

6. Fabric Garland by sugar lander

7.Candy Centerpiece by Martha Stewart

8. Doily Place Setting via intimateweddings.com

9. White Tablescape found via pin on Good Life of Design

10. 'Hoppy Easter!' Thumb Print Cards or Place Settings by sarahndipities

11. Tissue Paper Tassel Garland Tutorial by Visual Vocabulary

12. Vintage Easter Brunch on Hostess with the Mostess, by Julia of In Good Company

13. Floral Centerpiece by chatelaine

14. Doily Wrapped Drink from Hostess with the Mostess, by Julia of In Good Company

15. Cheery Yellow Table Setting by my sweet savannah

16. Tablescape with Moss Runner by between naps on the porch

17. Colorful Floral Arrangement on the wedding chicks

Tried to link up to the original source for as many as possible.

(I think 1 I couldn't find! so let me know if you know.)

Hope you are having a great week so far..

We are great here! but today was one of those Can I make it to bed time?!?!? type of days....

And lately...Every night it seems like my children are SHOCKED that we do bed time...........

Surpise! bed time.. I know..it's not like we do this every night...

thought I would shake things up for you little ones.......?!?! ;)

Enjoying the silence right now and sweet sleeping babies.

Not enjoying the morning all day sickness from Baby #3..

I don't have time to be sick with these two girls running around! ;)

Hoping I can get through this rough part of the pregnancy soon

and start getting that mommy glow.....ha.

VLOG- 3 Little Reasons why I can fall asleep w/eyes open..

2012-03-30T15:09:00.003-04:00

I have 3 little reasons of
why I can fall asleep with my eyes open.
1. sophia.
2. sienna.
3. baby in my belly.
with their powers combined....I'm exhausted. :)

I made this video last night because I wanted to remember this moment in our life...

The girls are growing up so fast.. And through my cloudy sleep deprived vision..
I don't want to forget any of this. hehe.

I can't wait to watch this a few years down the road and
remember how little and sweet they were! :) (Wedding material...haha)
(sound cuts off at end..I'll go back and fix it later..no time now!..reasons stated above.)

I love their ages right now.. (2 & 4 in august)

Although sometimes, as posted above,
I feel like I'm asleep and awake at the same time..

Ben and I went on a date the other night..

and the topic of conversation was..

"I am sooo tired."

"Me too"

"Are my eyes open or closed?"

"Let's go home and sleep"

"we are lame"

Here's how we have been keeping busy...

I'm sure doing a lot of the same things as you!

we go for walks and play outside a lot.
**play outside is code for wear them
out till they can barely walk to the bath tub and then put them to bed.**

We play around in the house a lot.
making as big a mess as possible....
something about a clean room that these girls are just drawn to destroy.

we run errands and play around pittsburgh..
aka we go to target and playgrounds.

We announced this week we are expecting!

Thanks for all the congratulations and love.. we are so excited.

I love sharing this pregnancy with my girls..they read to the baby bump..sing/play the "flute" to the baby bump.. cuddle with the baby bump..

play tag with the baby bump.. (it's a very one sided game.)

We had our first ultrasound for Baby #3..

I'm 5 Weeks and 5 Days.

It's early to do one but they ordered it to figure out a more exact due date.

November 24th! (give or take 4 days)

It was so cool..seeing the movement from the heart beat.. amazing.

so in love already. the girls love the baby too..

Sophia and Ben are convinced it's a boy..

I keep trying to tell Sophia that it COULD be a girl..but she says no way..it's a baby brother.

She even argues her case with random strangers.

I guess I have 9 months to work on this.....;)

PARENTING FAIL- We got the girls all ready and off to the Zoo...

only to discover the ticket booths closed because Spring Hours don't start till end of March..

.even though IT'S OFFICIALLY SPRINGGGG.

So we took them to Chuck-E-Cheese to redeem ourselves.

Who needs vegas?! chuck-e-cheesing it up people.

Product Love - Target and all their Mari Mi Products!

check out the party aisle.. I love it all.

Sophia's one busy mama.

Her kitchen is cleaner than mine....... don't judge.

NAP TIME- Sometimes Sienna wakes up before Sophia does...

I think it's her goal and life mission to wake her sister up from the minute she realizes she is awake and sophie is sleeping. little rascal.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Off to help with a High School Retreat with my husband.
Please offer up some prayers for us.
the girls are coming too... so....pray....haha.
it's going to be awesome though. really excited..and hoping the nausea lets up so I can function a bit more.. But I know it's going to be a powerful weekend no matter what!

Color Crush- Spring Blooms

2012-03-25T21:21:00.000-04:00

Spring is here!

Here's some color inspiration to celebrate. ;)

Bringing back my Color Crush Blog Series!

image via pinterest

Exciting News!!!!!!

2012-03-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

It's official! We're having a baby!

The past month I felt pregnant...

but 2 negative pregnancy tests made me feel like I was just crazy.

I felt how I did when I was pregnant with sienna and

I felt bloaty and my tummy getting bigger.I've been going to the gym almost every day...

but now that I know it's a BABY HUMAN making it big, it all makes more sense. haha.

I seriously felt like I was going crazy.

We found out on St. Patrick's Day.

We were in Baltimore for my cousin's wedding.

I was a bridesmaid..and we were at the rehearsal dinner and I could not get over the fact that my stomach was sticking out so much!! Ben laughs at me because back at the hotel I was like "BEN!..get in here...look at this!!"...and he did the 'YEP. that looks different face.'

So he ran down the street in the city the next morning so I could take a test.

And when it came back positive we were like AH!..YAY!!!!!..AH!.. :)

We are so excited..and I think the craziest part about about being pregnant is, and even though we've experienced this twice before, it's still hard to imagine their little faces..and personalities...but once they arrive, you can't imagine life without them!

We keep joking this one is going to be a red head. ;)

Sophie and Sienna are sooo excited!

Sophie the most. she really gets it this time.

It's so fun seeing her experience it with us!

When we told the girls we video taped it...here it is.....

**NOTE TO SELF: If you want to keep something a

secret, till the right time to announce it, don't tell your 3.5 yr old.............**

Luckily people weren't listening when she said "mommy has a baby in her belly!" the first time. haha. But at the right time we had her tell our immediate family in the hotel room! it was fun being all together when we shared the news.
***the best part of the video is when Sophia
asks how the baby got in my belly.....haha.

The girls are so sweet with my bump.
If I am on the couch they come over and lay their head on it..or give it a kiss.
Sophia talks to the baby all the time..just chatting away.
telling it she is going to change it's diapers and walk it around.

We asked her what we should name the baby and her first response was boy. hahah.

I think that sienna is hopeful that is a boy purely so she doesn't have to deal with sophie dressing her up like a prince. ;)

Ben has been calling himself the baby whisperer.

Because for the past month he told me I was pregnant (even with the negative tests)

He called it both times with the girls too. His ego is huge right now with his baby guessing talent. He also is guessing it's a boy.

It's funny.. I told ben, the first thing people are going to ask us

is if we are trying for a boy...and I was right! haha.

Of course we would be so excited if we had a boy.. but 3 girls?!? so fun!

(I'm going to re-read this post during their high school years)

Obvsiouly..we don't really have a choice on the matter. ;)

And we are just excited to have a number 3!

Sienna is officially a big sister too!

she already has been feeling less baby and more toddler the past month or so.. it's crazy!

I love this age though. (1.5) Although she is into EVERYTHING..

she is also INTO everything..loving life and mommy and daddy. :)

I love the snuggles. my belly gets them a lot now. this baby is going to be loved.

they are smooching, singing, talking and hugging on it already! ;)

Praying for a healthy and happy
baby & pregnancy!
Let me know if any of you are expecting..
would love to share the journey with you!
My girls are already taking this big sister role very seriously...
I need to work on my swaddling. a little rusty. ;)