Home Away From Home

There is Light

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 11:19:00 +0000

Little blog of mine.. The last thing I have written in my drafts is an update on the baby at 10 weeks from August 25, 2014. It's been so long since I've opened this site, it took me a minute to remember how to access it. It's 3:00 a.m. and I couldn't sleep, and somehow, my thoughts landed here.

I have heartburn and the baby has the hiccups. So, I'm awake. Instead of tossing and turning and waking my little family, all cozied up together in our tiny little room (more on that later..), I got up and came here to write.

We went to Georgia for Christmas. We spent 10 blissful days at my parents' house. Everyone was home from college so we spent our time at home together, hanging out with my siblings (I love them so), being silly, eating a lot, just enjoying being together, celebrating, and having nothing to do and nowhere to be. Emmett being spoiled rotten all the while. I hung out with my parents who I miss so much. We celebrated my brother Luke's engagement and got to know his sweet fiance. We were sick, the whole lot of us, with fevers and flu and sinus infections, but what's a little vomiting and fever when it's Christmas and we're all together? I just remember the bliss.

We flew home after 10 awesome days. It was a long day of hard goodbyes and lots of traveling and we were so ready to get into our own beds when we pulled up to the house after 8:00 that night. I got Emmett out of the car while Ray went to unlock the doors. I heard him say a couple of times "Something's not right," but I thought he just meant the lock was stuck or something. When he opened the door...

Most of the house, our sweet little rental we've come to love so much, was under 2 inches of water. His feet sloshed as he walked inside. We heard loud sounds of water pouring onto tile, but I still didn't comprehend what had happened- my pregnant brain is slow these days. Then as we entered the living room we saw a huge gaping hole where our ceiling had been and pink insulation covering our couches and the ugly peach carpet. We knew it was bad.

We called our landlord and Ray's dad. She called a neighbor and her son who lives close by and we soon had the water turned off. We thought a pipe had burst from the little bout of freezing temperatures that we'd missed over the last couple of days. Turns out we were half right.

We didn't panic. We didn't even talk much about our wet things or what we may have lost. It was late and we went into survival mode. My mother-in-law was with us and she quickly drove Emmett and I to her house for the night while Ray and the other men stayed behind to assess the damage and close up the house for the night. There wasn't much for us to do at that point so we all went to bed.

There were so many ups and downs that first week, and into the second. We are still staying at my in-laws' (they are saints!), all three of us in a tiny bedroom. Our things are all packed away in our garage while they work on the house, so we're still living out of the suitcases we brought to Georgia. Now that it's been almost three weeks and it looks like renovations will take at least another three, we're thinking of ways to settle in for the long haul and make things easier for us and Ray's family.

We've looked for short-term rental options, knowing this process of rebuilding will take some time, but we haven't found a good fit. Two weeks ago I wouldn't believe my own ears at hearing this, but it's starting to look like staying put at Ray's parents' is the best option for us. Living, all three of us, in a tiny room in a crowded house seemed so awful at first, but it's amazing what you can get used to. Now, I think it's kind of cozy. Emmett loves being able to see us from his little crib next to our bed, and I love waking up and hearing him breathe and being able to see him whenever I want during the night. It's such a comfort, this late in my pregnancy, when my emotions are strong and I'm starting to mourn the last weeks with him as my one and only baby boy.

There have been so many ups and downs. At first, we thought we'd lost quite a bit to water damage, but we were able to dry and clean our white couches. They were such a dream come true and we would have been pretty devastated to lose them. Even Ray's TV didn't suffer too much and after a bit of drying seems to work like a charm. The only thing we couldn't salvage was his computer. That was a decent blow but we've already replaced it and I'm counting my blessings. None of Emmett's baby clothes were even touched by the water. Now that some time has passed, I see all of the little blessings in this.

When you're in your third trimester and your house gets ripped apart right in front of your eyes, you kind of panic a bit. I spent the first couple weeks in a fog of fear and anxiety and intense emotional stress, worrying about how this will all work out. Will the house be finished in time for the baby to come? How will we break Emmett of this habit of sleeping all together? How is he going to handle all of this chaos? I want so badly to give him an easy, stress-free few weeks before this baby comes and changes his whole world so drastically. My heart hurt as I mourned the peace I want so much for my family right now.

Everything seemed so BIG. My emotions were on high-alert and it didn't take much to send me crashing. One day as I dropped Emmett off at school, his first day back after the holidays and me missing him after being together so much for a few weeks, I dropped my phone and shattered the screen. I'm embarrassed at how much I cried that morning. Every little thing felt like that last straw, or at least another straw that broke my back and sent me careening into the depths of despair. It feels a bit silly looking back but I felt like my life was spiraling out of control and I was desperate for a little bit of good news. The Apple store fixed my phone for free that afternoon.

Yesterday, Ray finally met with a contractor and the insurance adjustor (our landlord's homeowner's insurance is covering all of the damages and beginning renovations soon) to discuss plans for the renovations. They found asbestos in the ceilings (which had fallen into the floor and spread throughout the house) initially, so they tore out all of the carpet, all of the ceilings, and two feet of drywall at floor-level throughout the house. One of the bathrooms has been gutted and every room but the kitchen and our bathroom will be completely refitted.

So now, we're almost three weeks out. I'm almost 32 weeks pregnant. But I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not even all that stressed anymore. I'm starting to see the light.

Sometimes I think maybe I'm being dramatic about all of this, or that maybe people see it that way. But we loved our house. We felt so settled there and had really turned it into a home over the last couple of months. Coming home and seeing all of our things wet and covered in debris is incredibly disconcerting and overwhelming. I knew right away that things are just things and that what really mattered was my family, and thank God we were safe. But finding yourself suddenly without the home you loved so much, at 29 weeks pregnant, is a violent thing. Living out of a tiny room in your in-laws' home isn't easy for anyone, and it's not easy for them having us. But we're all making the best of it and it won't be forever. We're getting through this, one day at a time.

There's light. I can see light.

I'm Back?

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 23:20:00 +0000

It's been a really long time since I've blogged. It's been a long time since I've even opened blogger to look at my blog. Since I'm working from home, all my old blogging time has been taken up with work, and when I do have a spare minute, it's hard to want to open my computer again. I write for one of my jobs, so writing is almost the last thing I want to do in my down time.

Also, I started to question the reasons behind my blogging. I began to realize that I don't care so much about how many people are following me, or how many comments I get on each post. I stopped looking at my blogger stats and sort of lost interest in the blogging "game." I realized that this blog is really for me most of all, as an outlet for me to talk about my life and my family and let out the thoughts that twirl around my head all day. So instead of just changing things up, I gave up on it all together.

Also, I don't always have a lot to say. Now that I'm staying home with Emmett, our life is so much less complicated. Sometimes, we stay at home for weeks at a time. We don't go out much, so I don't often feel like I have anything exciting to share. I have my daily anxieties, but our day to day is simple, and very laid back. In the very best way for us. I started to feel like my weekly Currently posts were the same each week- nothing had changed from Monday to Monday, so I felt silly writing those posts (and making you read them!)

So, those are the reasons I've been M.I.A. the last few months. Why am I back now? I'm not sure. I've had things on my mind that I want to get out, and I have new things to share and process. I received some encouragement from family and friends over the last few weeks to start up again, so I thought I would give it a try. I can't promise regular posts, certainly not scheduled recipe posts or link-ups, but I'll write when I have something to write about and if no one ever reads, that'll be okay.

This summer has been a crazy one. After lots of anxiety and a couple of tough months financially, our house finally sold. We spent three weeks in Georgia in July and August, where Emmett soaked up all the attention from my family and I did a lot of relaxing. We had an awesome week at the beach, where I spent every waking moment searching for shark's teeth and Emmett spent every waking moment asking to go in the water. Ray got to come too, which was so nice. It's great for all of us to spend time with my family, and we miss them an awful lot when we leave again. Now we're back in the desert, Emmett is back in school in a new classroom with a new teacher, and he's taking the changes like a champ.

Speaking of Emmett.. I am just so proud of that boy. He's so good! Ray and I talk all the time about how good he is, how sweet he is, and how smart he is. He blows me away with the way he adapts to new situations, the way he learns and grows all the time. I love him so much, and feel so lucky to be able to spend all my time with him. I'm the luckiest mama.

More later, I'm sure. ;)

P.S. If you think about it, say a prayer for us tomorrow afternoon. More on that later, too.

Currently.

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 18:18:00 +0000

Hi there! Welcome to Currently, where we share with each other what we are Currently up to and let you share your post through the link-up below. We love this link-up, where we can make new friends and build community. Join us.

Watching: I binge-watched my way through Suits, so I'm on the look-out for new shows to watch during nap times while I work. I'm catching up on Pretty Little Liars but it's shameful so I'd love suggestions! Ray and I watched the Game of Thrones finale last night and all I can say is YES! Team Tyrion all the way. And Jaime- way to redeem yourself you creepy weirdo!

Also, we started Hannibal. It's so creepy, I wouldn't even recommend it to you unless you like crime dramas and detective stories like I do. Beware, there's so much blood and guts and insane serial killers. Not for the faint of heart, friends.

Listening to: Sylvan Esso. Allllll day long.

Thinking about: Faith. And having it, and needing it. We accepted an offer on our house this week. It's a great offer, and if all goes well it will close next month. The offer came at the height of my stress about money and worry about how we're going to get through this. I had a bit of an anxiety attack while we were going back and forth about whether or not to take the offer. But I should have seen it right away. Here I was full of worry and anxiety, letting the stress affect every part of my life, but I should have let go and let God take care of us. When the offer came, I should have known right away that this was our way out, that this was all part of His plan. I know it now, and I'm working hard to relax into faith in that plan. I believe in my heart that this deal will go through, and by the time summer is over, we will be down to one house. Woohooooooooo!

So thankful for: My baby boy, who's not a baby any more. He's talking so much, repeating everything. We call him a parrot and he repeats that too. He's giggly and happy and so much fun. We bought him a little potty over the weekend and he used it successfully on his first try, then stood right up and dumped it out on the carpet. He's wild and messy but I'm so proud of him! I get worn down from being in the house day in and day out with no one but Emmett for company, but when I get right down to it, I'm so grateful for all the time we spend together. I love that boy so much, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Also, for friends who trusted me enough to ask me to take their engagement photos. We spend Friday afternoon and evening together in downtown Phoenix, and after a while Ray came and met us for drinks and dinner. It was so nice to get out, explore a little, and spend time with Ray and our friends. And it was really great to push myself outside my comfort zone and take photographs of someone who's not.. well, Emmett. It was scary and fun and stressful, and I think I love the result! Once I'm done editing maybe I'll share them here. :)

Also, pizza:

Wishing:
1. Still dieting, so I'm hoping to keep up with that this week. I'd like to lose a little weight and get in shape for our beach trip in a few weeks.
2. Work out! At least 3 times this week.
3. Take Emmett somewhere new one morning. We need to get out of the house and find new places to hang out!

I hope you had a lovely weekend!

CURRENTLY LINK-UP RULES

1. Link your Currently post below! Entries unrelated to the theme will be deleted.

2. Link back to this site so others can join on this adventure with us. You can grab the button below:

3. The link up starts on Mondays, but you can join any day of the week!

4. *THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE* We are each here to encourage each other and build a community of women and friends. Comment on the blog post directly before yours to help support and get to know each other. If you do not do this, your post will be deleted from the link-up.

A Mama Collective // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterest // bloglovin'

Home Away from Home // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterest // bloglovin'

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

Here’s the template for you to copy and paste and do a post as well — link up with us below!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

Wishing: (goals for the week)

An InLinkz Link-up

Currently

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 16:59:00 +0000

Thinking about: Our weekend! We finally had Ray home for the entire weekend! We spent Saturday relaxing poolside, ignoring the dishes, and just hanging out as a family. It was just what I needed and Emmett seemed to really love having both of us around for an entire day. Sunday, we got to work. We cleaned everything, and finally hung things on our walls. We set up Emmett's room and made it a space we all love. It feels really good to finally put some time into this little rental of ours. Just having the one room put together makes me feel so much more at home. As we left the driveway on our way to the grocery store yesterday, I felt a lump in my throat looking at our little house. I love it here.

Thankful for: Every few months, I see a little glimpse of God working in our life. Last weekend I was so stressed about money and how we're going to get by until our house sells. And then Ray was given an opportunity to do some work for a friend, just a few hours a week after work or whenever he can fit it in. That little job is going to help us get through this, and it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. God is taking care of us. We're going to be okay.

I feel so incredibly blessed to have the two jobs that I have, to be working at home just a few hours a week, bringing in some income to help provide for our family. When I think back to where I was last year, and how hard things were because of my job, I'm overcome with gratitude. I never thought life could be like this for us, but God knew the desires of my heart and he opened up doors for me.

Over the weekend a reader and sort of friend of a friend who I've never actually met before did something incredibly generous and kind. Out of the blue, she sent me tickets to Sea World. She'd read my Currently post from last week about how I wanted to take Emmett to San Diego for his birthday, but we just couldn't afford to go. So she bought our tickets to help make that little dream of mine a reality. Isn't that amazing? I still can't really believe it- what an incredibly thoughtful and generous thing to do for someone you hardly know. It made me realize that God really does want to give us the desires of our hearts. He knows what I want, even the little things, and He wants to give them to me. Those tickets to Sea World and the jobs are reminders that He has a plan for me, He loves me, and He will give me the things I want so desperately, in His own time.

I hope you had a lovely weekend! Once again, I'm joining with the ladies at A Mama Collective to bring you this week's installment of Currently.

CURRENTLY LINK-UP RULES

1. Link your Currently post below! Entries unrelated to the theme will be deleted.

2. Link back to this site so others can join on this adventure with us. You can grab the button below:

3. The link up starts on Mondays, but you can join any day of the week!

4. *THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE* We are each here to encourage each other and build a community of women and friends. :) Comment on the blog post directly before yours to help support and get to know each other. If you do not do this, your post will be deleted from the link-up.

A Mama Collective // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterest // bloglovin'

Home Away from Home // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterest // bloglovin'

Hand and the Heart // instagram // pinterest // bloglovin'

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

Here’s the template for you to copy and paste and do a post as well — link up with us below!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

An InLinkz Link-up

20, 21 & 22/52

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 03:55:00 +0000

Welp, I'm way behind so here's a three in one. :)

"A portrait of my Emmett boy, once a week, every week in 2014."

This was just two weeks ago but the weather was so much cooler. We spent our late afternoons and evenings in the back yard, soaking up the last bits of spring before the heat hit us like a ton of bricks. When I took this photo, Emmett was telling me about the very hungry caterpillar and all the "nummy" things he eats. He's starting to understand stories. He picks up a book and when I start to read he surprises me by reciting a few words on a page. Like "eat three plums!" or "sun, pop!" He's so smart, and holds on to knowledge to surprise me with it later. I love his little mind!

"A portrait of my Emmett, once a week, every week in 2014."

This week, we went swimming for the first time at his grandparents this year. He was nervous at first, but after watching his friend Paul (Ray's best friend) swimming, he lost all fear and started jumping off the stairs all by himself. That's when these arm floaties came in. We're swimming most days now, since that's the only thing we can really do outside now that it's so hot, and he's really taking to it. I love watching him learn new things and his fearlessness.

"A portrait of my Emmett, once a week, every week in 2014."

More swimming. I picked him up from his crib after his nap today and surprised him with a trip to the pool. His little smile whenever I mention swimming.. I'd do anything for that smile. He sits on the steps to play in the shallow water, and I just watch his little mind working. Out of nowhere he shouts "be whayel" and jumps off into the water, away from me because he wants to do it by himself. He is still for a few moments, watching the little waves, and then he turns and kicks his feet. "Dolphin kick! Whayel kick! Shark kick!!" he squeals as he tries to squirm his way back to the stairs. It's then that he remembers he needs me. "Up stairs," he says quietly, allowing me to help him. I love that spirit of independence. I want to foster that in him. But oh, how I love it when he needs me.

Currently. Keeping On

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 17:34:00 +0000

Thinking about: Oh, life. I don't even know where to start.

Things are busy, stressful, and slow all at the same time. The house hasn't sold, so we just paid rent and our mortgage and man, that hurts. It hurts a lot. We're squeaking by, we have enough, but only just. Saturday I found myself wallowing in self pity. Ray and I don't go on dates or eat out, ever. I need a haircut, I'm wearing old clothes that don't fit, and so is Emmett. I want to do a million things to the rental to make it feel more like home. I want to take Emmett to Sea World for his birthday. None of that is going to change any time soon, and I was feeling really sorry for myself about it all. Then Ray came home from the store with enormous mason jars and filled them with margaritas, and all was well with the world again. Sometimes you just need cute new glasses and a drink to set things right.

We are tired. We're weary from the work at the house and from watching our bank accounts drained each month. We are ready for things to be normal again. One home to worry about. Weekends together. A little extra money to save and to have fun with. I'm ready to feel free to leave my house without fear of spending money (this is self-imposed fear. Ray doesn't make me stay at home all the time, I'm just so worried that if I go out I'll end up at a Target or Starbucks or be tempted to spend money somehow.) We're ready for a change.

Emmett talks non-stop. He says words like hummingbird and submarine and his voice is so sweet it breaks my heart. He sings. Yesterday I caught him singing Winnie the Pooh's exercise song while he played with his airplanes. He does the head, shoulders, knees and toes dance and sings along with the song. He's so smart and funny and sweet. I'm so proud of him.

He and I are in a nice rhythm. We're used to being home together now and we both love it. I'm a better mama to him now. I've let go of a lot of my selfishness with him. I don't put pressure on myself to keep the house spotless and plan perfect meals for the week. I'm enjoying just being with him, riding our bikes if it's not too hot outside and swimming in the afternoons when it is too hot outside. It's peaceful and nice and I love that boy so much.

I've figured out a nice rhythm with work too. That job I was so scared of has turned out to be a huge blessing and I really love it so far. God knows, and He's providing for us little by little. Not having extra money is wearing on me, but it's also been really good for me. I see that and appreciate that and I know God is teaching me. Life is good and full.

Also, I started a diet today so y'all pray for me. My name is Anna Kate and I'm addicted to bread.

Reading: Rebus again. I know, I have a problem.

Watching: I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but I'm binge-watching Suits and I don't hate it. People have been telling me they love that show for months, but I was dead set against watching it. Then one day during Emmett's nap I couldn't think of anything to watch (I'd just finished Nashville. *tears*), so Suits it was. It started out not horrible, and then got better and better over time. I'm currently a few episodes into season 2 and it's definitely keeping me entertained while I work during nap times.

He loves to play with my brushes in the morning while I get ready.

Such a weirdo. He thinks my underwear drawer is actually full of "tank shirts" for him.

How we get through hot days:

Wishing: Oh, so many things.
1. Get caught up on The 52 Project. I'm two weeks behind I think. I've all but given up on this blog but I'm not letting go that easy!
2. Meal plan!
3. Work out, at least 4 days this week.

That's enough for one week, right? ;)

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

Wishing: (goals for the week)

CURRENTLY LINK-UP RULES

1. Link your Currently post below! Entries unrelated to the theme will be deleted.

2. Link back to this site so others can join on this adventure with us. You can grab the button below:

3. The link up starts on Mondays, but you can join any day of the week!

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

Here’s the template for you to copy and paste and do a post as well — link up with us below!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

An InLinkz Link-up

Currently: Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Tue, 27 May 2014 17:39:00 +0000

Thinking about: How busy life is! I am just not in blogging mode these days. Obviously, since I'm a day late to my own party (sorry ladies!) Life is so full, with working two jobs, the holiday weekend, and little Emmett's non-stop chatter. I haven't had it in me to sit down and document things. I think things around here are going to be a bit sporadic in the weeks to come, but who knows! Inspiration hits when it wants to. :)

Thankful for: Emmett. That boy is so special. His little personality is bounding out of him these days and Ray and I are so happy to be along for the ride. Wether he's mistaking my underwear for "tank shirts" and putting every pair over his head until he can't see anymore, walking around with a laundry basket over his head for entire afternoons, or just chatting about nonsense and airplanes literally all day every day, we are over the moon in love with him. He's a mess, and we can't get enough.

Dreaming about: Our weekend. It was pure bliss, from start to finish. It started with a girls' night in at our house Friday night with the lovely ladies from A Mama Collective and Corinna from Track 8. We had margaritas and ate kettle corn from the bag, and just caught up with each other. I think we all needed that and it was such a fun way to start the long weekend.

Saturday we had an open house at our condo, which went really well. That night we sent Emmett to his grandparents for a spend over and Ray and I went to a party to celebrate the engagement of our dear friends. We stayed up late and got to sleep in until 9 (!!). But then we rushed over to get Emmett because we missed him like crazy!

Sunday was the best day. After Emmett's nap, we headed over to Mary of A Mama Collective's house for a BBQ. Her daughter greeted us with a huge grin and said "happy swim party!" We ate amazing food, swam in the pool, and ended the night with the kiddos snuggled on blankets watching a movie outside. It was the best night and we can't wait to do it again!

We kept Emmett up until 9:30 for the first time ever. He did so great, and slept until after 9 Monday morning! I can't remember the last time I slept in that late two days in a row, much less on a Monday morning! It was amazing and he is such a good boy. We hosted a BBQ for family in the afternoon to finish off a wonderful weekend.

Wishing (goals for the week):

1. Decorate my house! I've done almost no decorating since living here. I have a million things I want to do but I've been holding off until I have money to do them. But I'm tired of waiting so I want to jump in and use what I've got.

2. Work. I have a lot of work to get caught up on. Making that a big goal.

3. Cook. I want to make something I've never made before this week.

4. Spend some quality time with Ray, sans Emmett, and not just on the couch watching TV. Maybe even a date night out!

I hope you had a lovely weekend as well! As always, I am joining with A Mama Collective to bring you this week's installment of Currently. Use our template below to join in!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

Wishing: (goals for the week)

CURRENTLY LINK-UP RULES

1. Link your Currently post below! Entries unrelated to the theme will be deleted.

2. Link back to this site so others can join on this adventure with us. You can grab the button below:

3. The link up starts on Mondays, but you can join any day of the week!

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

Here’s the template for you to copy and paste and do a post as well — link up with us below!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

An InLinkz Link-up

Currently.

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 19 May 2014 16:57:00 +0000

Hey there and welcome to Currently, where we talk about what we are Currently up to and also let you share your own through the link-up below. We’d love for you to join us and add a link to your own Currently. post! It’s a great way to make new friends and build community.

Thinking about: Our house, finally going on the market last night! Woohooo! I've been trying really hard not to complain, but it has been a rough few weeks. Ray has spent every weekend and even some nights after work over there fixing, cleaning, and perfecting that house (he's amazing), so we miss him and are ready to have him back. I'm looking forward to having our weekends back too.

I spend a lot of time at home alone with Emmett, so on the weekends, I really need some adult interaction and some fun, preferably outside the house. I'm looking forward to more of that in the coming weeks.

Now, we just have to sell the place.

This is our friend Paul and I "helping" Ray paint/i.e. taking selfies.

Thankful for: Emmett's sleep habits of late. When he stopped nursing, he started sleeping through the night. Or vice versa. But that wasn't until he was about 17 months, so we spent many a night over the first year and a half wide awake wishing he'd sleep better. Now that he sleeps through the night, I am not taking it for granted. He goes to bed at 7:30 and doesn't wake up until morning. Morning can be anywhere from 5:30 on, but lately, he's sleeping until 8:00. Yes, 8:00! It's incredible. This weekend Ray and I slept in right along with him, and it was glorious.

Anxious about: Work. I started a new job last week, working from home, so I'm in the midst of figuring out how to make it all work. It feels like a lot- I have three email accounts to juggle, which is a bit of a nightmare for me. I like my email to be really organized (weirdo), so three accounts to manage is stressing me out a bit.

I laughed at myself a few times this weekend when I started to get anxious about juggling two jobs and new responsibility on top of everything else going on. When I worked full time, my job was incredibly stressful and I managed it just fine, on top of being a mom and wife and everything else. So it's funny to me now that two part time jobs is stressing me out. And I feel silly for being anxious because HELLO! I'm living my dream! I'm staying home with my boy full time, and these two jobs are making that possible. But still, it's new and I'm figuring it out and so for now, it's stressful.

Also, I feel like I've signed away my nap times and evenings and even free time on the weekends. Working from home, you don't get to just leave work behind. It's always there, and this new job is the sort of thing that I can do as much or as little of as I want. Which means I will always feel like when I'm sitting down to watch TV or going to bed early, I should really be working. I guess I just need to set some boundaries, schedule time to work each day, and allow myself free time the rest of the time. I'll figure it out. Any of you mamas who work from home have advice for me?

Looking forward to: Swimming! We took Emmett swimming for the first time this year yesterday. Ray's parents have a pool so we can pop over whenever we want. I'm so excited to get him in the water and teach him how to swim on his own. He's an adventurous little thing, but he also loves holding on to his mama, so I hope I can get him feeling comfortable enough to want to swim on his own. So fun!

I hope you had a lovely weekend as well! As always, I am joining with A Mama Collective to bring you this week's installment of Currently.

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

Wishing: (goals for the week)

Link back to this site so others can join with us, too! You can use the button below if you'd like:

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

An InLinkz Link-up

19/52

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Thu, 15 May 2014 19:28:00 +0000

"A portrait of my Emmett boy, once a week, every week in 2014."

Our boy is developing quite the personality these days. He's asserting himself, even beginning to dress himself, and his little imagination has started to show. He wears tutus when we visit his little girl friend, and isn't afraid to don a pretty pink tiara either. He loves socks, and is happy to wear them with sandals, even when we can only find one of the pair. He's silly, and funny, and smart. He surprises me every day with new words I had no idea he could say, like penguin and hummingbird and "God bless you" when I sneeze.

The other day I asked him to stand by that white wall so that I could take his picture. Instead, he did this. If he was going to pose, he was going to do it his way. I can respect that! He really is quite a character, and I can't wait to see what silly things he does next. This week, I want to remember his funny personality, and that silly look on his face as he poses for a photo. I love that little kid so much.

Currently. Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 12 May 2014 17:24:00 +0000

Thinking about: Expectations/anticipation vs. Reality. This always gets me. I build things up in my mind, both good and bad, and reality never quite meets my expectations. This weekend, that was a good thing.

On Friday, Emmett and I were restless so we rode our bikes to the local library and museum. We had so much fun running around, riding old police motorcycles and fire trucks and playing with crates of plastic fruit. We came home and I got his lunch ready, but instead of eating he sat in his highchair staring into space and shivering. I snatched him up once I realized something was wrong and he was burning with fever. So awful.

We juuuust got over a terrible, everlasting case of croup like a week ago, so I was worried it was back and we'd be sick again for another two weeks. The fever reached 103.6 in the evening, so I got in a warm bath with him and pumped him full of tylenol and ibuprofen to bring it down. After a while he started talking and playing again and was able to eat some dinner. The fever lasted all through the night, and then broke around 5:00 a.m.

We took him to the doctor on Saturday, and left with a diagnosis of hand, foot and mouth disease. The doc told me his fever would last at least 5 days and I immediately melted into a puddle of tears and defeat. I thought we'd never make it. After the croup episode, I didn't think I could handle another week of fevers. And it was Mother's Day weekend!

But you know, it wasn't so bad. His fever hasn't come back, and he's been mostly happy. Every few hours he'll remember that his throat really hurts and it's all I can do to calm him down with popsicles and tylenol, but we spent most of yesterday snuggling, and that's all I ever want to do anyway. :)

Watching: I finished Nashville. What should I watch next???

Listening to: Emmett playing in the bath. He's in a great mood this morning! He keeps telling me he's swimming and he's a whale, then I say "a whale!?" and he says, "no whayal, Emmett hairplane!"

Thankful for: My husband. He helped me make the best of what could have been a really hard day yesterday. He got up with Emmett and I at 5:30 after a rough night, and ran out for breakfast and mimosas at 6:00 a.m. He came home with flowers and made my favorite breakfast, biscuits and gravy. He kept Emmett happy so I could shower (it had been daaaaays). When I wanted to go visit Oliver out of the blue, he made that happen too.

He stayed home from work this morning so I could work since Emmett can't go to school, and he's currently cleaning out our garage. Bless him!

I married a really good man. He centers me and keeps me sane, and loves me well. Yesterday at the cemetery I watched him holding Emmett's little hand and I was overcome with gratitude. For Ray, for Emmett, for the little family we have together. That it's him I'm going through this life with.

I hope you had a lovely weekend as well!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

Wishing: (goals for the week)

Link back to this site so others can join with us, too! You can use the button below if you'd like:

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

An InLinkz Link-up

Weekend Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Fri, 09 May 2014 15:03:00 +0000

Try: This weekend, I hope, will be a lazy one. Last Mother's Day, Ray woke up really sick so all of our plans went out the window and I was left feeling.. less than celebrated. This year, I just want to relax at home with my family. And maybe some flowers. Flowers would be good. ;) I'm picturing slow meals outside while Emmett plays, basking in the afternoon shade.

My hair is really long right now and in desperate need of a good haircut, so I've been looking for new styles to try that keep it out of my way while still looking put together and cute. I'm planning to try this one over the weekend.

Buy: I need a swimsuit! It's already summer here in AZ, and we're heading to a friend's pool for the first time tonight. I've been avoiding the idea of a swimsuit with all my might, but it's time. I loved this one from Madewell- so bright and fun and flattering, maybe. It's on the expensive side (aren't all good swimsuits!), so I'll be looking for something like it, but less expensive. :)

Make: For a weekend like the one I'm hoping we'll have, crock-pot meals are perfect. Low energy, low effort, big results. BBQ is on my mind these days. Summer seems to do that to me. So I plan to make this delicious looking Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed pork tomorrow morning to last us through the weekend.

Bake: Every good weekend needs a little baking. Ray plans to head over to the condo tomorrow to finish painting the last bathroom that needs painting (praise the Lord), which leaves plenty of time for Emmett and I to make cookies. :)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Mother's Day!

18/52

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Wed, 07 May 2014 16:02:00 +0000

"A portrait of my Emmett boy, once a week, every week in 2014."

This week, Emmett loves socks. He noticed his little sock basket in his room the other day and asks to wear socks with his sandals every morning. (I'm raising a 70 year old man!) He especially loves this green sock, and after a couple days of asking to wear it, I finally let him, even though I could only find the one. It made him so happy. He proudly wore that one sock under that one sandal all afternoon. We rode our bike to the store, and ran around the back yard, and he giggled every time he saw that sock on his foot.

He's the sweetest, silliest little boy, and I love him so much it hurts my little heart. I can't imagine my life without him. This week, I want to remember those sweet, silly little knees. Those chubby, soft hands. And that one foot in that one sock. So perfect.

Ode to our back yard

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Tue, 06 May 2014 17:45:00 +0000

When I look at our back yard, I think "a family lives here."

My parents' back yard is wide open. There are no fences in their neighborhood, so one yard blends into another to create a magical space. As a child, it was green grass as far as the eye could see.

Each afternoon, or first thing in the morning in summer, all the neighbor kids would gather in our common back yard to play. We'd make mud pies on one neighbor's back porch, climb on picnic tables and swing from rope swings, and jump from tire to tire at the neighborhood playground. In the evenings we played capture the flag. I remember running and laughing and warm summer nights.

As a teenager we sat on those same picnic tables. The play turned from mud pies to card games, but that back yard still held magic for me.

When I moved to Arizona, I missed that green, green grass. The desert has it's own kind of beauty, but grass is a part of me. When Ray proposed, I knew right away that I wanted our wedding reception to be held in my parents' back yard. To me, it's the most beautiful place I know. That night was magic, and the back yard was as beautiful as it's ever been.

Since then, Ray and I have dreamed of having a back yard of our own, with green grass for our children. We've had patios, but never grass. I wanted Emmett to grow up with a back yard. To play with roly polies, make mud pies and run through sprinklers. I want him to have a childhood like mine.

We have that now, in our sweet little rental home. A back yard of our own, with green grass. This little rental isn't ours, not really. But it's perfect for us now. It feels like home, and that back yard.. It's magic.

Currently.

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 05 May 2014 16:28:00 +0000

Watching: Nashville! Or trying to. I steal my sister's Hulu log in and she's started watching the show now too because I won't stop talking about it and she wants to know what all the fuss is about but Hulu won't let you watch two shows at once on the same log in. Booooo.

I'm a little bit embarrassed by how much I love this show. When Emmett and I are lying on the couch in the morning watching his whale documentary, I'm secretly daydreaming about Nashville. When I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep, I'm secretly day(night)dreaming of Nashville. It's that good. And I'm that obsessed. And alllll the drama!

Reading: Nothing exciting. Anyone have recommendations?

Thinking about: Instagram! I have a major crush on Instagram y'all. I love photography and looking at photos, so IG is the perfect social media app for me. There is so much inspiration to be found through hashtags and @instagram suggested users. There are people doing photo prompts like @my_365 and @its_my_week, communities teaching about iPhone photography like @annapolisandco's #theeverdayproject and my new favorite @theportraitclub's #theportraitclub. There's so much to learn and so many people to learn from, all over the world, at your fingertips. I have to be careful not to spend all day digging through hashtags and finding new users to follow. I just think it's so cool to be able to open an app and be inspired, just like that.

Thankful for: The weekend we had. It was really wonderful. Emmett and I started Friday off with a trip to the park with Mary and her kiddos, and finished it off with those same kiddos watching Frozen in the park. Such an awesome way to begin our weekend!

On Saturday, Ray worked at our condo (it's soooooo close to being ready to hit the market!) while I cleaned the house to get ready for our Cinco de Mayo party. Our friends arrived at 5 and we spent the evening chatting and eating while the kids played in the sprinkler and fought over trucks. It was a really awesome evening and left me feeling full and content and ready to host another party. We love having people over, and it's really nice having a place we are excited about to host parties and impromptu hang outs in the back yard.

If you're looking for something yummy to make for Cinco de Mayo, look no further. I wrote a complete menu yesterday!

I hope you had a lovely weekend as well!

The hosts of Currently.:

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

Grab our button below:

Here’s the template for you to copy and paste and do a post as well — link up with us below!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

Wishing: (goals for the week)

An InLinkz Link-up

Fish Tacos with Cream Cheese & Avocado Sauce, Corn and Avocado Salad, & Fresh Citrus Margaritas: A Complete Cinco de Mayo Meal

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Sun, 04 May 2014 21:40:00 +0000

We had a few friends over for dinner this weekend. With Cinco de Mayo coming up, we knew we wanted to serve Ray's insanely easy and delicious fish tacos with margaritas to celebrate the holiday a little early. The party was a huge success- the kids played together really well (after a few minor melt downs over toys everyone wanted at once,) the weather was cool and breezy, and the food was a big hit! There's really nothing more special than sharing a meal with friends in our back yard while the kids play.

Since the food we served was delicious and really easy to make, I thought I would share the menu in case you're looking for a quick and easy Cinco de Mayo meal for your family.

The Menu:

Fish Tacos with corn or flour tortillas (Ray loves flour, I prefer corn.)
Cream Cheese & Avocado Fish Taco Sauce
Corn & Avocado Salad (My absolute favorite summertime dish)
Beans and Rice (We use Vigo brand- so good!)
Hot Dogs for the kiddos
Watermelon
Fresh Citrus Frozen Margaritas

Fish Tacos: Ray insists this is too simple to be called a recipe, which makes me even more excited to share it with you. I love a meal that's incredibly simple to make, but still tastes really good. Ray's fish tacos are absolutely one of my favorite things he makes, and our friends agreed. "So nummy!" as Emmett likes to say. ;)

Ingredients:

1 pound Wild Pacific Cod (This should serve three. For the party, we made 3 pounds.)
Old Bay Seasoning
1 box Beer Batter
2/3 cup beer (We used an IPA)
Canola oil

Directions: Slice fish into small pieces. Lightly season with Old Bay Seasoning.
Mix Beer Batter and beer in a medium-sized bowl.
Place enough oil in a pot or pan to submerge the fish, and heat it on medium high until it's hot enough to fry. Dip each piece of fish in the beer batter, then submerge in oil for 2 1/2 minutes per piece. Lay on paper towel to cool.

Serve with tortillas, cole slaw, and lemon slices. Top with sauce, recipe below. :)

Cream Cheese & Avocado Fish Taco Sauce: This sauce is based on a sauce we had with fish tacos at a friends house years ago in California. Ray and I still talk about that sauce anytime fish tacos are mentioned! It was so delicious, but our friends don't remember the recipe, so I tried to come up with something similar for our party. It wasn't exactly the same as the sauce we remember, but I'm really happy with how it came out. :)

Ingredients:

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoon sour cream
1 avocado
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely chopped
juice from 1 lime

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, finishing with the lime juice, and mix in a blender or using a hand mixer. Serve cold with fish tacos.

Corn Salad: I crave this salad all year round. I wait impatiently for corn to be in season all through the winter until finally it begins to appear in stores again, and then I make this salad first thing and eat it straight from the bowl. It is my favorite dish to make in the summertime, so if you're going to a pot-luck with me this summer, expect to see it on the menu. :)

Ingredients:

5 ears of corn
2 avocados
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
juice from 1 lime
olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions: Grill corn until blackened. If we don't have time to grill it, we'll put it under the broiler in the oven to blacken it a bit. Let corn cool, then slice the kernels off each ear into a large bowl.
Slice avocado and add to the corn. Add cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the salad. Squeeze the juice from a lime over the salad, and mix. Enjoy!

Fresh Citrus Margaritas: We snagged a nice bottle of tequila on major sale yesterday, just in time for our Cinco party. We used grapefruit for our citrus because we have a grapefruit tree in our yard, but you can substitute lime, or orange, peach, watermelon, or whatever your heart desires. This recipe is for a large batch, and be warned, we like our margs on the strong side. ;)

Ingredients:

8 ounces tequila
6 ounces triple sec
juice from one grapefruit
8 ounces margarita mix
ice

Directions:

Mix ingredients together in a large blender and blend on high for about a minute and a half, until the ice is the desired texture. Enjoy, and drink responsibly!

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend so far! Have a safe and happy Cinco de Mayo!

Weekend Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Fri, 02 May 2014 20:32:00 +0000

Try: With Cinco de Mayo coming up, I'm looking forward to celebrating with friends in the back yard. I'm picturing twinkle lights, kids playing water games, and fresh margaritas made with citrus from our trees. Ray usually just wings the recipe, but this one is pretty good too. ;)

Buy: Spring seems to just be showing it's pretty face in most areas of the country, but here, it's Summer already. The high over the weekend is supposed to be 100, which means 110 and 120 are just around the corner. I'm not excited about any of that, but I am excited about shorts. These are on my dream list.

Make: Speaking of Cinco de Mayo, a version of these are on the menu for a little party we're having on Saturday. I'm hoping to share the recipe before Monday. We'll see if I get to it! ;)

Bake: I've been craving these insanely delicious salty-sweet bars for weeks, so I'm hoping to make a big batch in the morning. Yummmmmmm.

Have a great weekend friends! I hope your weekend involves cooler weather than mine will!

17/52

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Thu, 01 May 2014 02:45:00 +0000

"A portrait of my baby boy, once a week, every week in 2014."

While Emmett was sick the last week +, we spent a lot of time finding creative ways to cheer him up. Water was the biggest hit. We took baths, ran through sprinklers, and turned the hose on and off and on and off again as many times as he wanted to keep a smile on his face. Sometimes he wore pants, other times he didn't. ;)

This week, I want to remember my Emmett happy, turning the hose on and smiling when he saw water. It was a rough, sick, croupy week, so the smiles, though rare, were really special.

P.S. Did you know Emmett is related to Abe, through his daddy's side? Honest! ;)

Currently.

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 17:41:00 +0000

Watching: "Whale moomie! Airpane moomie! Too too tain moomie! Meemo moomie!"Emmett has been pretty sick with croup-turned-awful cold since Thursday, so we've done a lot of snuggling up on the couch watching "moomies." He has a whale documentary on Netflix that he's obsessed with, so we watch that a lot. Then there's Airplanes, Thomas the Train (sooo annoying!), and Finding Nemo. I always ask for Nemo because it's the only one I can tolerate, but his favorite is always the whales. Poor little guy, he's been through a rough few days.

Listening to: Emmett's little cough, as he lays his head on my lap. He woke up with a croupy cough on Thursday, which lasted through Saturday. He's had pretty high fevers each night, topping out at 103 on Saturday night, and now he's got a bad chest cough and cold symptoms. He's a sad little boy today, tired of being sick. And Ray and I are worn out from being up in the night worrying about his fevers all weekend. We're heading to the doctor in an hour or so just to make sure his ears are clear and he's on the mend. We're all ready to get back to normal around here.

Thankful for: Good friends. The kind who send you a text out of the blue just to check on you when they know you're having a hard day. The kind who build you up and remind you that you're doing a good job when you're feeling low. The kind who share their homes and their dinner tables. Who stop by with a six-pack at the end of a long day to share a drink and listen to your troubles. We have really good friends.

And our hose. I'm thankful for our hose, for cheering up my sad sick little boy countless times this weekend. It's amazing what a little water can do to brighten a little boy's day.

I hope you had a beautiful weekend! As always, I'm linking up with the lovely ladies at A Mama Collective to bring you this week's Currently. I hope you'll join us!

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

Grab our button below:

Here’s the template for you to copy and paste and do a post as well — link up with us below!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

An InLinkz Link-up

Weekend Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 22:38:00 +0000

Try: This weekend the weather is supposed to cool down a little bit. I'm picturing cocktails in the back yard with my husband while Emmett plays before bed. I love anything with cucumber in it, and we have grapefruit growing in our side yard, so these grapefruit cucumber cocktails are the perfect drink to try!

Buy: Speaking of lounging in the back yard with a cocktail.. Ray and I have been toying with buying a hammock . I'm thinking it's time we go for it.

Make: I bought a pizza dough from Trader Joe's on Monday that we've yet to use, so tonight I'll ask Ray to grill a pizza for us. This one from Martha Stewart looks amazing. I'll probably add ricotta because I'm obsessed with ricotta. And maybe a little basil from our garden.

Bake: I want to be one of those moms who bakes bread. I love the smell of bread in the oven, and I love freshly baked bread so much. But I have to admit I'm intimidated. I think this weekend I'll start with a simple recipe like this one, and if it goes well, I'll try something a bit more labor intensive next time.

April 24, 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 02:59:00 +0000

I made a cake to mark the passing of this day. My little Oliver's due date.

I wanted to do something to celebrate that little life we held for such a short time. So I baked a cake, and took my time on it. As I mixed the ingredients I thought about the baby I'll never get to hold in this life, waiting for me up in heaven. I'm sure there are tears mixed in with the batter. And I thought about this year, and everything our little family has been through.

My heart is full, even as it's breaking a little bit today. I miss that little baby, that tiny life that would have been. My head is spinning thinking about what our life would be like if I'd been able to carry him to term. We'd be expecting a baby any time now, folding tiny clothes and talking to Emmett about the little brother he's about to meet. I've cried so many tears thinking about all the things we're missing today. But I'm also grateful.

I'm grateful for my husband, who loves me unconditionally. Who stands by me and holds my hand and kisses my forehead for no reason at all. I'm thankful for my Emmett, who's all my dreams come true. That boy has filled my life to the brim. I miss my little Oliver, but my heart is full.

I'm so thankful God chose me to be his mama, even for just a few short weeks. He changed my life.

We planned a trip to the cemetery after Ray got home from work, but it seemed the world was against us. The freeway was closed, and our car wouldn't start (dead battery). I cried fat tears of disappointment. Then Ray said we should get up and go first thing Saturday morning. "He probably would have been born late anyway, like Emmett," he said with a smile and that brightened me right up. Ray was right, as always. It's not about today, it's about remembering our loss, our baby boy. It's about doing something as a family to show our Oliver that we haven't forgotten him, that we love him. So after a while, we charged the car and went for a burger.

When I woke up this morning, I was happy. It felt like a bright, new day, full of possibility and wonder. Emmett woke up with a croupy cough, so we didn't go to our friend's house to babysit like we do every Thursday. It was nice to have a day here at home, just Emmett and I, to play and just be together. I think that was a little gift from my Oliver.

16/52

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 22:15:00 +0000

"A portrait of my Emmett boy, once a week, every week in 2014."

The weather this week hasn't been half bad. It's been under 90 most afternoons, which is something to be excited about around these parts. So Emmett and I have spent our afternoons outside, soaking up all the good weather and shade we can get our hands on. This week, I want to remember my sweet little angel boy, hangin out in his little red tank in the afternoon shade. I can't get enough of him.

Currently: Easter Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 16:20:00 +0000

Thankful for: Peace. Confidence in the plan for our lives. The knowing in my heart that things are slowly getting better, falling into place. We've been through a crazy season the last year or so, full of unexpected turns and some heartbreak. A changing and growing season, and I'm thankful for that. But I'm thankful that life seems to be settling. And looking forward to our new normal.

Watching: Nashville! I started the pilot yesterday while Emmett was visiting his grandparents and I'm OBSESSED. I'm not even through the first episode yet but Connie Britton will forever be my favorite (Tami Taylor for life!) so I'm super super into it. Do y'all watch?

8:25 a.m. Waiting impatiently outside Emmett's door for him to wake up!

Our weekend: I woke up Friday morning with the worst sore throat of my life. Three hours later I cried every time I had to swallow and Emmett was looking at me with what resembled fear in his eyes so I left him with his grandmother and headed to urgent care. Apparently I had a sinus infection, which surprised me because I've yet to feel any congestion or sinus pressure, and two ear infections. I had no idea a throat could hurt that bad! Thank God for modern medicine. A few hours after taking my prescriptions, I was alllmost back to normal.

Saturday was one of those perfect days. Emmett woke up and ran straight for the sprinklers outside. I let him run around naked and it was bliss. We went to a friend's house for an impromptu Easter egg hunt. Emmett and the other kids played while we sat on the porch swinging and chatting. While Emmett napped, I snuck away to pick up Easter basket things. I almost never get to run errands by myself, so I was really excited. Target was an insane place the afternoon before Easter, but it was fun anyway. I had this perfect moment driving to Trader Joe's. The weather was beautiful, so I opened the windows and cranked up the radio. Neil Diamond came on (Holly Holy- takes me back to listening to the radio with my dad as a kid! Is anyone else really into Neil Diamond??) and.. I don't know, it was a good moment.

When Emmett woke up we dyed eggs. It was messy and silly and I loved it so much. I love traditions, and I love that Emmett is old enough now to sort of help and join in. I made this granola, and then Ray and I got ready to go out ON A DATE! We took a long bike ride to one of our favorite restaurants, and took our time with dinner and drinks. It was perfect, and a perfect ending to a really great day.

Can you guess who's is whose?

I know it's blurry, but it's RARE to get a picture of Ray smiling. :)

Sunday was more of the same. Family, friends, a warm day, and lots of bunny ears. I feel like I'm bragging- I'm sorry! It was just a great weekend, and we haven't had many of those lately with Ray being so busy with school and working on our condo. Things are good, and I'm happy.

Little booger figured out there was candy in the eggs so he sat down to eat and gave up on hunting!

I hope you had a beautiful weekend, and a wonderful, blessed Easter Sunday!

As always, I'm linking up with the lovely ladies at A Mama Collective to bring you this week's Currently. I hope you'll join us!

If you are interested in co-hosting, please email Jenna at info(at)amamacollective(dot)com to get on the list!

Grab our button below:

Here’s the template for you to copy and paste and do a post as well — link up with us below!

Thinking about:

Reading:

Listening to:

Watching:

Thankful for:

Happy Easter!

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 22:57:00 +0000

Happy Easter! From my family to yours. I hope your Easter has been a blessed one.

Weekend Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Try: I am not crafty. And Emmett isn't really old enough to get into dyeing eggs with me.. Right? But I'm determined to try, if only to keep the tradition alive in our family. We always dyed eggs when we were kids, and I want that for Emmett, too. And I can't resist adding glitter, if I'm going to be crafting anyway.. So I'll try to mimic these pretty eggs.

Buy: I know, I know, I keep talking about how tight money is. And it really is y'all. But again, I'm all about keeping up with family traditions, and that means Easter baskets. We played with these amazing fruit toys at a friend's house yesterday and Emmett was enthralled! He sliced those fruit and put them back together over and over again all day! That's a toy I want in our house. So I'm thinking instead of candy and a few small things, I'll pick this up for Emmett's basket.

Make: I'm a big, big fan of Thai rice and noodle dishes. I could eat them every night of the week, no problem. But I've never found a recipe I could make at home that really, truly hit the spot. I found this one on Pinterest and it looks amazing! I'm thinking I'll add chicken, and enjoy it with a cold beer and my husband in our backyard.

Bake: Have y'all seen Mary Beth's (of Annapolis & Company) insanely beautiful recipe series on The Wiegands? I drool over every recipe, and every photo. Mary Beth is my food photography hero. This recipe in particular looks so easy to make, and I know Emmett will scarf that peanut butter granola down so fast at snack time. I can't wait to bake some tomorrow! I might even let him help. ;)

Have a wonderful weekend, and a Blessed Easter!

15/52

noreply@blogger.com (Anna Kate) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 20:45:00 +0000

"A portrait of my little, once a week, every week in 2014."

I love that focused face he makes. When he works on a puzzle, or plays with blocks, or stacks his stacking toys, he gets so serious, so into it. I can see him concentrating hard, see the wheels turning. He spends a lot of time running around the house, pushing cars around saying "broom broom" and asking to watch a whale movie (he loves whales y'all.) But a couple of times a day he'll quiet down and concentrate on a task, and I sneak up quiet as a mouse to catch a glimpse of that sweet, focused little face.

This week, I want to remember him surrounded by toys in his playroom, working hard to stack his cups in the right order so they stay put. Wearing the world's cutest expression. Also, his hair is parted, which is a major dream come true for me!