Little Lucy Lu

Baby Update: 14 Weeks!

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:05:00 +0000

{exasperated sigh!}

I promise .... I'm REALLY trying to get back into this blogging thing, but .... I just can't seem to remember how!?!

HELP.

Please?

Well, it doesn't help that ..... you're never going to believe this ..... but I've been sick AGAIN. No strep throat this time, thank goodness -- just a regular ol' cold. But a NASTY cold.

I even got to spend my entire three-day weekend in BED!

Aaaaaah! My bedroom. How I've missed you.

NOT.

But, another week brings another exciting update from babycenter.com, reminding me that my babe is another week older! Yahoo!!!
Apparently 14 weeks means I'm "officially" in my second trimester now.

I promised you a picture last time .... and I do have a bit of a bump now, so at least there's something to show you this time!

(pathetic excuse for a picture ... I hate taking my own picture!)

I'd rather it looked a little more like "pregnant" and a little less like "fat" .... but we'll get there, I suppose! :-)

BABY STATS:
Baby is approximately the size of a lemon this week. 3 1/2 inches, and 1 1/2 ounces.
This week's major developments: baby can squint, frown, grimace, pee, and suck his/her thumb!

MAMA STATS:
Having officially entered the second trimester, I'm supposed to be getting some energy back .... which I WAS doing before I got sick again. I sure wish my appetite would disappear for a while instead of my energy! I don't think there are enough raspberries on the planet to satisfy my craving right now. Or cherries. Or watermelon (my favorite food while pregnant with Lucy ... I may or may not have eaten half of a watermelon a day ... by myself!).
So, basically ... fruit. Give me fruit, and I'm happy.
And cheese.
But that's nothing new.
My face is also breaking out BAD this past week (just as it did with Lucy) .... my entire face is covered in tiny little bumps. It is awful. Can't even stand to touch my own skin! UGH!
Hmmm..... I'm thinking GIRL this week!?!
Well, whatever IT is, I started feeling IT kickin' around in there last week! SO COOL!!! And about a month earlier this time than I felt with Lucy -- (they say that's normal).

LUCY STATS:
Lucy continues to seem unaffected by the baby news. She randomly brings it up once or twice a week, talks about it for a few seconds, then moves on. She has been VERY clingy with me though. I'm sure this is JUST the beginning .... :-)

Little Bit of Life: Lucy's Birth Story

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:48:00 +0000

I decided since I will be experiencing ANOTHER birth before I know it, maybe it's time to share LUCY'S birth story with you!
(Honestly, I've thought about it several times before, but somehow -- thinking about that day while struggling with infertility was just too tough for me.)

But now .... well, we have a different situation, don't we? :-)

So.
Now I'm totally ready to tell you this (rather entertaining?) story!

Lucy's due date was October 27th (a Monday).
The week prior, I had parent-teacher conferences on Monday and Tuesday (the 20th and 21st) -- mostly just to say my goodbyes and pass my kinders off to their new teacher -- and then I had the three remaining days that week to get last-minute shopping and baby preparations done.

By Friday (the 24th), I was DONE with preparing and READY to hold a baby!!!
I began doing everything I could think of (and everything I could find on Google) to put myself into labor.
I was bound and determined to have that baby by the end of the weekend.
(Not to mention, I knew if she was born over the weekend, I wouldn't have to worry about getting ahold of Scott on some far-away job site in the middle of nowhere, having to drive myself to the hospital, etc.)

By bedtime on Sunday ..... still no baby. Still no contractions.
Darn.
So much for my plan.

I went to bed around 11:00 on Sunday night, and woke up around 2:00 a.m. with some interesting new "pains".
Not cramps - like they tell you contractions feel like .... so, after the pain stopped, I drifted back to sleep .... and WHAM! Woke up to the same pain a half-hour later.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Finally, at 4:00 a.m., I decided I should probably get up and take a shower "just in case."
By 5:00, I had showered, blow-dried my hair, and even put on some makeup. (pathetic? maybe. but that's just me!)

I think I had one "contraction" in the shower .... one while drying my hair .... and one while putting my makeup on.

Because they drill into your brain that you should NOT come to the hospital before the contractions are 5 minutes apart ... and mine were anywhere from 10-15 minutes apart ... and not even "contractions", if you asked me!, I woke Scott up and told him I was probably in labor and he should probably not go to work that day .... but that we probably wouldn't be going for a while.

45 minutes later, at Scott's insistence (and by insistence, I mean whining and begging me to just go -- because he was so excited!), I decided we should just go to the hospital.
What's the worst thing that could happen ....? They send me home, right?

We arrived at the hospital at exactly 6:00 a.m.

Upon checking in, we learned that all of the delivery rooms were full.

Another darn.

So, they put me in a triage room to check me and see if this was, in fact, "the real thing."

I changed into my hospital gown, sat down on the bed, and began preparing for a long morning of watching talk shows (since I fully planned on getting an epidural as soon as I possibly could!).

The second I sat down on that bed, it was like something snapped. I was suddenly in EXTREME pain and told the nurse so.
She checked my cervix and reported that I was dilated 5 cm .... and that I probably had at least a few hours to go.
She stepped out of the room for a moment, and in another split second, I was back in the same INSANE pain I had felt just a couple of minutes earlier.

Another nurse walked in with some random equipment (for my iv, etc.), and I started screaming that something was wrong.
By this point I was curled on my side in the fetal position with my upper body wrapped around the underside of my bed.
(Yes, I'm sure I looked like a total freak, and I have no idea why this particular position made me feel better .... not that it actually made me feel better. There was no "better" by this point.)

Nurse #2 was asking questions that I could hardly even hear, let alone answer, when Nurse #1 came back in.
Nurse #2 tried telling Nurse #1 that I was suddenly in a lot more pain and she wasn't sure what was going on .... and Nurse #1 assured Nurse #2 that she had JUST checked me a few minutes ago and that I was "only" at 5 cm.

As my contractions were now literally coming on top of each other, I promptly grabbed my iv pole and practically wrapped myself around it in an effort to KEEP myself from pushing. When the nurses urged me not to do that - and attempted to take it away from me - and I screamed at them (like a crazy psycho) that I had to push ..... I think then they realized I might not be joking.

As nurses #3, 4, 5, and 6 hurried into the room (presumably due to the fact that it was approximately 6:15 a.m. and they had a crazy woman screaming bloody-murder in the triage room), Nurse #1 decided she should maybe check me again.

It took two nurses per side to pry my legs apart in order for this to happen.

No sooner had my legs been pried apart than the nurse was frantically letting the other 7 of us in the room that we were going to have a baby RIGHT. NOW.

Two minutes later, a young doctor from the emergency room walked in, introduced himself, and told me that he had never delivered a baby before.
(Gee, that was comforting.)

He broke my water with something that looked like a crochet hook, and then the nurses told me I would push with the next contraction (though I couldn't really tell where one stopped and the next started by this point).

I closed my eyes and prepared to push -- and heard my doctor walk into the room. (Thank the good Lord she was coming through to make her rounds early in the morning and was able to make it in time -- because I love her .... and the second I heard her voice, I knew everything would be OK.)

I gritted my teeth, pushed as hard as I could ..... and there was my Little Lucy Lu!

At 6:20 a.m.

Yep, you read that right, folks.
One push.
20 minutes after arriving in the parking lot.
10 minutes after being dilated to 5 cm.

WHOA!

The doctors and nurses agreed that perhaps I should consider birthing babies professionally.
I didn't agree .... particularly since I was more-or-less in shock and so scared out of my mind, I couldn't stop shaking!

Then again, by noon, I was asking if I could go home.
(They wouldn't let me.)

Looking back, it still amazes me ... how my life changed so completely in that instant.
The best day of my life, without a doubt.
God gave me the ULTIMATE blessing that day.
The best little person on the planet.

And now ... to think I will have ANOTHER one of those days!?!
I honestly can't wrap my mind around it.
It is kind of starting to terrify me .... how will I ever love another person like I love her?
Is that even possible?

Of course, I know the answer to that. And I know every mom (of more than one) felt the exact same way.
But it's still hard to believe that it's possible.

.... and don't even get me started on how afraid I am for THIS delivery!
I mean .... how much faster can it get, really!?
And don't they say the second one is usually faster!?

My current plan is to set up camp in the hospital parking lot two weeks before my due date .....

Baby Update: 12 Weeks!

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

The big 12 WEEK milestone is HERE!

I got to have another (the 3rd) ultrasound yesterday, and it was AWESOME!

There is seriously nothing better than seeing your baby in there .... and WOWZERS, was this little one active! Punching, kicking, stretching, twisting, and turning the whole time!!! I don't think Lucy moved that much in all of my (seven!) ultrasounds combined!

I was planning to show you a "bump" picture, but to be honest, there isn't really a bump to show you!
My plan is to post a baby update every two weeks, so next time - at 14 weeks - I'll be sure to include a picture of the bump (which will hopefully be noticeable by then!).

BABY STATS:
Baby is approximately the size of a lime this week, and the most dramatic development right now is reflexes such as grasping, sucking, and even hiccups!
He/she weighs approximately half of an ounce! (Hard to believe, looking at that ultrasound picture!)

MAMA STATS:
While the baby is only the size of a lime, my uterus is the size of a small melon! Yikes!
But like I said, still not really "showing" -- unless you count looking a little extra chubby as "showing"...? (*You have to remember, I'm just a hair under 6 feet tall, so there is a LOT of room to grow in there without having to POP!:-)
I am feeling SO much better this week. (I'm sure part of this is due to my strep throat being gone!) But I am actually getting some energy back, and it is WONDERFUL!
My bladder is also starting to get a handle on itself again ... so I'm only getting up ONCE a night to go to the bathroom instead of 4 or 5 times! (And my ultrasound today was much less traumatic, too! ... There's nothing worse than being SURE you're going to wet your pants in public!)

LUCY STATS:
Lucy officially knows about the baby now. She is just SO funny about it though! She talks about it so matter-of-factly .... like, what's the big deal??? She is most excited about changing baby's diapers BY HERSELF. (She is ADAMANT about that!)
When you ask her, she says she wants a little sister "just like her" ... yet, she refers to the baby as a he/him all the time .... and she told me the other day that I should name my baby "Hampster". Hmmmmm.... that one was definitely NOT on the list .....???
For the most part, she seems relatively un-phased by the news, and when she does bring it up, she is done talking about it 20 seconds later.
(So, pretty much like everything else!)

Meanwhile .... I miss you all! I miss reading your blogs .... and I miss having something for YOU to read HERE!
I hope to gradually pick up the pace again, though with the end of the school year fast-approaching, life continues to get a little crazier every week!
Summer is in sight though, folks! And then it's 14 months OFF for me! Hip-hip-hooray!!!

I'm Alive ... and Working on Well

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I know.
It's been awhile.

Where have I been .... ?
Well, first of all, there's the whole pregnant thing.
People, this baby has completely zapped every speck of energy (and creative juice) I may have ever dreamed of having.

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I have spent more time in my bed over the last 7 weeks than I'd spent in here the previous 7 months.
(Notice I say "in here" .... that would be because I am currently IN. BED.)

Wish I was kidding.

Honestly, the trip from here to my office to unplug my laptop and lug it back to bed with me was a little rough.
(About the only place I've traveled to in the last 48 hours is my bathroom .... approximately 732 times, by the way.)

Which brings me to my latest "excuse" for absence: strep throat.

If you follow along on Facebook, you probably already knew this.

But yes, I now have strep throat.
I can't tell you the last time I felt so awful.
In fact, I don't know if I ever have .... although I know it seems that way every time you're sick.
(Am I right?)

A fever, chills, the equivalent of a marching band pounding through the inside of my head, and a throat full of shredded glass.
That's what it feels like.

So .... here I lay, in my bed, with nothing to share with you.
Not even a picture.

I thought about showing you a picture of my bedroom, since that's really the only room in my house I ever see anymore .... but considering I haven't left my bed (aside from the aforementioned bathroom trips), the laundry piles have almost surpassed the height of the bed.
(Have I ever told you how much I loathe folding laundry...?)
Loathe.
Yes, that's a strong word.

Anyway. I really didn't want to embarrass myself right now ... I'm a little too emotionally unstable for that in my condition! :)~ So, no picture of my "view" to share. Sorry.

I could show you a picture of Lucy .... but I haven't even seen the sweet girl for a couple of days.
Thankfully, Nana took her for the weekend ... REALLY praying this evil bacteria will skip right over her.

And husband, too, for that matter because, let's face it ..... a sick husband is the equivalent of 13 sick kids.
At least.

I do not care to follow up THIS with THAT.
NO, thank you.

So he's been sleeping in the spare bedroom.

Fingers crossed.

I'd love to promise you some new and exciting posts later in the week .... but I'm not gonna bother to pretend that will happen.

If you don't mind, I'm gonna take another week off.

I will be through this life-sucking first trimester by then .... and hopefully, I will be HEALTHY by then, too.

This sick stuff is for the birds.

Thanks to all who have sent messages of care and concern! I've been reading them from my phone (in my bed, of course), and they are so encouraging. :-)

You guys are the best!

Baby Update

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:31:00 +0000

In case you don't follow Little Lucy Lu on Facebook (and therefore, didn't see the update after my appointment yesterday), I wanted to post a quick update here so that you're not worrying about me! :-)

The ultrasound went perfectly! There is just nothing better than seeing and hearing your baby's heartbeat, is there!? Tears of joy and relief were definitely streaming as soon as that flickering showed up on the screen.

Baby had grown exactly the right amount since the last ultrasound three weeks ago (actually, was measuring one day AHEAD of what the last scan showed! yay!), and everything was in just the right place.

Baby was even wiggling around for us! So cute!

So .... we are looking GOOD!
And I couldn't possibly write this post without thanking all of YOU for your comments, messages, emails, texts, phone calls, and prayers.

I wanted to share one message, in particular, that a reader sent privately. I will not use her name, and I hope she doesn't mind my sharing this, but it is such an awesome testimony of God's presence in this situation and the power of prayer ....

Dear Bec~
I know you don't know me from Adam, but I've been following your sweet blog for a little less than a year now. (You had me for life at your awesome ladder laundry rack...I'm still searching for "the" ladder!)
I feel compelled to send you this message because, a few months ago I'd been reading your post of the day and started thinking about how cute your family is and the thought of "she should have more kids, I wonder whats up with that?" went across my mind! Low and behold, a week or so later you explained your fertility issues. I started praying for you and your family and at that point was going to send you a message saying so, but life got in the way...sorry. Your announcement the other day about your pregnancy was an answer to so many prayers.
I just want you to know that I believe God placed you on my heart to pray for and you have become a daily blessing and faith builder in my life, even though we probably will never meet in this lifetime. I'm as happy for you and your family as I would be for any of my closest friends! Congratulations and God bless you!!

I wouldn't know where to begin to tell you how blessed I am by the messages like these.
(And there are many!)
I am so fortunate to have not only my real-life friends and family praying for us ... but so many of you, as well. It is just too awesome, and I don't know how to thank you all!

Please know how much I appreciate you taking the time to express your love and concern. And for those of you who may not comment or send messages, but are still holding us in your prayers -- I appreciate you, all the same!

Every prayer counts!

(This is the verse that's been written on my old window chalkboard for 5 1/2 weeks now ... :-)

So true.

Pregnant.

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:32:00 +0000

I'm still getting used to using that word.
And realizing that it applies to ME.

This post is not going to be what I originally intentioned for today.
(Though truth be told, I am having the hardest time even processing the thoughts in my own head right now ... so putting them out into print seems nearly impossible.)

I was planning to tell you about how this all even happened (with NO "help" -- no fertility treatments, no acupuncture, no supplements, no ovulation kits). And how I've been feeling (tired ... sick off and on ... tired ... terrified ... tired ... overwhelmed ... and tired). And other fun stories like that ....

But, the truth of the matter is ... we are not home-free yet.
This pregnancy has, unfortunately, not been without complications.

I've had a lot of spotting .... well, not a lot of spotting .... but a little spotting, rather frequently.
To say it is nerve-wracking is an understatement.
The only reassurance I've been able to hold onto throughout the past five weeks is the fact that I experienced the same thing with Lucy's pregnancy.
My body is just weird. And overreactive. And I highly dislike it.

So you're probably wondering why I would make the big announcement for all the world to see when I don't even know what the outcome will be .... ?
Well, first of all ... I just couldn't wait any longer.
Whether you know me in real-life - or just here on my little blog, you know that I'm pretty much an open book. I tell it like it is.
Not being able to share what is really going on in my life was killing me!
And bottom line -- if anything were to happen, I would want the support.
I would need the support.

So ... here's the latest:
Last night, I got a call from my doctor, letting me know that my hormone levels have plateaued. She is concerned (even though it is common for hcg levels to plateau after 8 weeks - and I am 9 weeks now), and has ordered another ultrasound for first thing this morning.

If you're not busy around 7:00 a.m. (PST), we would greatly appreciate your prayers.

I am terrified enough about being pregnant the way it is .... but throw a few monkey wrenches in the mix, and I've pretty much officially entered "looney bin" status.

Please Lord, let me see that heartbeat, nice and strong this morning ....

Thanks for your prayers! They are appreciated more than you know.

The Best Post EVER.

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:05:00 +0000

I hope you're ready for this .... because I have been dying to share it with you for weeks and weeks!

There are really no words that seem sufficient to preface what I'm about to show you, so I'm just gonna get right to it.

(A HUGE thank you to the lovely Lacey Meyers of Lacey Meyers Photography for this photo!)

And now, because I STILL have no words that seem sufficient, I'll just mention a couple of things today ... and follow up with more tomorrow.

If you don't know why this post is an EXTREMELY BIG DEAL, I would invite you to click HERE to read our infertility story. (Yes, it is ironic that I finally had the nerve to post that story three short months ago .... and now look where we are!)
We are overwhelmed at the awesomeness of God's power in this situation. What a humbling reminder that only God (not the doctors!) knows what the future really has in store for each of us.

Truly blessed and lucky, beyond all understanding!

And I am so very thankful for the many friends and fellow bloggers out there who have been praying for us -- and who will now share in our JOY!

Thank you .... a million times over!

{P}in Love .... Breakfast of Champions

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:38:00 +0000

I just created a new pinboard on my Pinterest account: Breakfast of Champions.
(Please tell me I'm not the only one who is constantly thinking of a new subject for a pinboard!?)
And by they way ... if you're new to Pinterest? My advice: make a pinboard for EVERYTHING. You might think it's a better idea to consolidate ideas (i.e. "Holidays" in lieu of a separate board for each holiday), but believe me .... if you don't do it now, you'll wish you had later!
Just some friendly advice.
'Cause I'm friendly like that. :-)

But now .... after creating this board (and repinning all of my breakfast-ish pins there), I am HUNGRY.
Let me show you some of the breakfast yumminess on my to-make-SOON list:

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

(from Real Mom Kitchen)

Blueberry Coconut Macadamia Muffins

(from Cooking.com)

Strawberry Lemonade Scones

(from Munchkin Munchies)

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies

(from This Chick Cooks)

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

(from My Baking Addiction)

Simple Breakfast Casserole

(from Bran Appetit)

Broccoli & Italian Sausage Egg Muffins...

(from Snacking in the Kitchen)

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

(from Our Best Bites)

And this one ... I've already tried and LOVED:

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

(from Alexandra's Kitchen)

Anybody else ready for breakfast now? :-)

Which one makes your mouth water the most?

Oh, and FYI ... you may not want to miss tomorrow's blog post.
It is my favorite post ever.
Yep, EVER.

Little Bit of Life: Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:38:00 +0000

We've just had the most glorious weekend in NW Oregon.
It was SUNNY!
And not just sunny ... but WARM!
Like, we're talking 80 degrees WARM!
(Thank you, Lord!)

Here's what happens around here when we get two days of sunshine:

I actually want to get out of bed in the morning. (I know. Profound. Pathetic? Probably.)
My house gets cleaned.
My laundry gets folded.
The yard gets mowed.
The garden gets planted.
The weeds get pulled.
The lilacs start to bloom.
Lucy spends at least 8 hours a day outside (and loves it!).
My toes see the light of day ... hello, flip-flops! I've missed you dearly.
I get to go shopping without my raincoat or my umbrella.
I get to wear sunglasses! (If you follow me on Facebook, you saw that picture already!:)~
The patio furniture gets to come out of hiding.
We barbeque and eat out on the deck. TWICE.
Daddy/daughter fishing trip down at the pond.

In other words.....
It was heaven.
And in other words .....
I got more done in two days than I have in the last two weeks.
Okay, probably two months.

We may not get a whole lot of nice days for 8 months out of the year .... but let me tell you, when we do? We sure do appreciate them!

Lucy, enjoying her strawberries on the deck ...

And sharing with Stella! :-)

Chasing Daddy and the lawn mower around ....

Until he finally lets her on....

and lets her drive!

Pure joy!

We're headed for 80 degrees again today .... I'm thinking an extra-long recess is in store for my kinder cuties this afternoon .... :-)

Yes, my blogging is still a little sparse lately.
And no, I still haven't shared my other story like I mentioned I might do today. I will soon. I promise.
I think you'll forgive me after you hear it.

Happy Monday!

Wednesday Lovin' ... Kitchen Gadgets Top 10

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:33:00 +0000

Centsational Girl has a cool link party happening with favorite kitchen gadgets .... so I thought I'd jump onto the bandwagon!
By the way, if you don't know Centsational Girl -- you ~~have been living under a rock~~ should.
She has lots of exciting stuff happening right now, too! (New contributor for Better Homes & Gardens!? Hello!?)

Anyway.
Moving onto the best kitchen gadgets in my kitchen (according to me).
In no particular order...

My KitchenAid hand mixer.

Yes, I have one of the big suckers, too .... but to be honest, I like my little ol' hand mixer better!

Call me crazy.

My new KitchenAid immersion blender.

The model I have (a Christmas gift from my mom!), has two other attachments, too.... a food processer and a whisk.

Those things come in SO handy! Almost anything I need to chop up quickly (i.e. onions, chicken, tomatoes, etc.) gets thrown into the food processing attachment!

It's rad.

Basic nylon tool set from Pampered Chef.

I absolutely love these utensils.

I've had them for YEARS and they still look (more-or-less) like brand-new.

And I use them ALL THE TIME.

(P.S. this will not be my last mention of Pampered Chef ... approximately 85% of my kitchen consists of Pampered Chef, so I'll just apologize for the repetitiveness now!:)~

Tongs.

I LOVE tongs.

These particular ones are Pampered Chef (I warned you), but I also have two other brands, as well .... and I love them all equally.

For cooking, for serving .... they're just a handy tool!

Cutco knives.

Before we had Cutco, we had those ones from the department store that everyone has (that starts with an H!?).

Yeah. I'm here to tell you .... compared to those?

Well, there just really is no comparison.

Yes, these are a pretty penny.

But they are WORTH every one of those pretty pennies.

For measuring dry ingredients ... I love this stainless steel set from All-Clad.

They could double as weapons if you get in a bind, too.

These suckers are HEAVY!

They mean business.

For measuring liquids .... it doesn't get any easier than these babies.

Easy read measuring cups (from Pampered Chef!)

For mixing (and storing!), I LOVE the Pampered Chef's batter bowls (the small AND the large sizes!)

It is SO awesome to be able to pop the lid on and put it in the fridge if you have a little extra!

And my other FAVORITE mixing/storage bowls are these (also from PC).

They have silicone on the bottom, too -- so no sliding around the counter while you're mixing!

I don't think there is a better set of mixing bowls out there!

I use at least one of these pretty much every day!

And last but not least .... a total luxury item, but --

if you want to make sure your cookies don't EVER burn, you need to get yourself a Silpat.

These things just rock my socks.

They are especially helpful for me because I am notorious for not hearing the timer -- or checking the cookies and intending on leaving them for "one more minute" - and in actuality, coming back in 5 minutes!

The Silpat saves me every time! :-)

Do we share any of the same favorites?

Got any MUST HAVES I'm forgetting? :-)

Mommy Moments Photo Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:14:00 +0000

12 photo prompts, inspiring YOU to capture YOUR mommy moments.

Check 'em out ....

How FUN would it be to capture these moments from your everyday life?

And you have nearly a month to do it!

Inspired By Family Magazine is teaming up with The Hollie Rogue to offer this fun challenge.

Oh .... and did I mention there are GREAT prizes!?

(Like YOUR CHOICE of a Shabby Apple dress!!!!)

And I am thrilled to be a judge .... (so be nice to me! Haha!)

Head over HERE to read through the contest details .... or to link up YOUR mommy moments posts and photos.

Feel free to grab to button to share on your blog or your photo posts ..... spread the word!

I look forward to being inspired by the creativity of your awesome photos!

Little Bit of Life: A Momentous Occasion :-)

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:03:00 +0000

Okay, so this post is going to be a tad-bit pathetic .... (much like my posting, in general, lately, huh?)
Sorry ... I think I mentioned that things are a little extra-crazy around here right now....?
Yep, things are just BUSY!
The beginning of the school year and the end of the school year tend to be that way! And even though we're still almost two months from kindergarten graduation, it is now that all of the preparation starts -- not to mention lots of field trips and other fun, end-of-the-year activities!
(And hopefully I'll be able to explain more about everything else soon, too.)
Maybe next Monday.
(Maybe not.)

Meanwhile.
A momentous occasion.
I think I may have mentioned in my Easter post last week that Lucy got her first haircut!?

The sad thing is .... I wasn't even there!!!
Last weekend was super busy for me, and my mom (Nana) was headed to the salon for her hair appointment, so she offered to take Lucy along with her!

My cousin, Sheryl, is our AMAZING hairdresser. And it sounds like Lucy had no hesitations jumping right up in that chair to get her hair cut!

*Note:

Nana took this photo with her phone. Nana hardly knows how to turn her phone on, much less take pictures with it, so it's pretty miraculous that we got a picture at all .... she knew I would want a picture, so I'm glad we at least got this one!

(Lucy's hair is a little extra wild when it's all brushed out .... afro, anyone?!:)~

I kind of can't believe I waited three-and-a-half years to get her hair cut, but those curls are just too darn cute!

Thank goodness, they're still there ....

Just a few less inches of them. :-)

...Which, coincidentally, means much less trauma at hair-doing time .... those curls are a nightmare to comb through every morning!

(By the way -- if any of you have great products for detangling curly hair without having to wash it every day -- I'd love to hear about 'em!)

I'll be back tomorrow to tell you about a REALLY cool photo challenge that I get to be a JUDGE for!

I'm hoping YOU will want to enter!

{P}in Love ... Party On!

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:07:00 +0000

I'm just in a party kinda mood today .... I think all of the (3 1/2 days of) sunshine is getting to me! Woohoo!
I've got ALL kinds of party-worthy FUN on my Pinterest boards, so I thought I'd share a few with you today!

I'm lovin' this beautiful Spring garden party from Hostess {with the Mostess}-- so feminine and pretty!

Or another Springtime party idea -- a Peter Rabbit party!

(from The Delaney Family blog)

You seriously MUST click over and check out all of the ADORABLE details!

Totally awesome!!!

These perfect little Flower Pot Cupcakes would be the perfect treat for a Springtime party, too!

(from Simple Girl)

Moving on to sprinkles .... sprinkles are the BEST!

And these next few treats are full of 'em!

Party Popcorn! (from she wears many hats)

Funfetti Cake Cups! (from Moose Mouse Creations)

And Cake Batter Cookies! (from Cookin' Cowgirl)

I am SOOOOO making these ASAP!

These aren't quite sprinkles, but jelly beans and marshmallows are pretty close!

What a sweet idea for a party treat or favor!?

(from Not Just a Mommy)

No party is complete without a couple good beverages to wash down the goodies!

This next pin qualifies as BOTH!

Whipped Root Beer Float Cocktails (from Dine and Dish)

(yes, please!)

And HELLO!?

JARGARITAS, anyone!?

TOO. AWESOME.

(from Bluebonnets & Brownies)

Who's coming to my party!? :-)

Ree & Me, v.3

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:57:00 +0000

It's time for another tried-and-true recipe from my (imaginary) BFF, P-Dub.
(Click HERE for the backstory.)

This one is a recipe I bet many of you have already tried .... it's an oldie but goodie!

Chicken Spaghetti
(found in her first cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

As always, my photos don't do these dee-lish recipes justice, so simply click HERE for Ree's recipe and lots of beautiful pictures!

But just to prove to you that I made it .... here you go:

This recipe has everything that is good ..... pasta, chicken ...... and cream of mushroom soup.
I have a theory:
(Are you ready for this?)
If it contains cream of mushroom soup, it's delicious.
The end.

This casserole is comfort food at it's finest.
My family LOVES it.
Just ask Lucy .... :-)

Oh, and don't tell Ree .... but even though the real recipe calls for a whole cut up fryer to be boiled down, etc .... I just shredded some baked chicken breasts. (Or you could even use a rotisserie chicken!)
I know. I'm a rebel like that.
Actually, I just hate boiling whole chickens.
It kinda grosses me out.
I know, I know -- then I don't have the wonderful homemade stock .... but stock-in-a-box seems to work just fine at my house!
And hey, if boiling chickens is your thing ... by all means, have at it! :-)

Give me a holler if this is one of YOUR favorite Pioneer Woman recipes, too!
And click HERE to see past Ree & Me posts!

Little Bit of Life: Easter 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:46:00 +0000

I love Easter!
It is truly a CeLeBRaTioN!
And no matter how many times I hear the amazing message at church on Easter morning, it never ceases to overwhelm me and bring goosebumps to my skin and tears to my eyes. :-)

This year, Easter with Lucy was SO much fun!
It all started approximately 1 minute after she woke up ..... she could not WAIT to get outside to see if the Easter bunny had been here!
Unfortunately, she didn't wait long enough for Mama to put her crazy hair back in a ponytail, so she spent most of that egg hunt looking like this:

Haha!

Hello, my little Easter bunny :-)

Then it was off to church where Lucy was VERY excited about the party happening in her class!

And after church, we headed to Grandma's house (my grandma's house) for dinner .... and another egg hunt, of course. :-)

(prepare for photo overload!)

Did I mention the SUN was actually SHINING here...?

We actually hit 70 degrees!

That's a miracle in itself, let me tell you!

(Did I mention I LOVE this girl...???)

Oh, and she got her first haircut this past weekend, too!

Thank goodness she still has plenty of curls. :-)

And the best thing the Easter bunny brought?

A bubble gun! :-)

I hope you all had a beautiful Easter celebrating with your families!

Happy Monday!

Simple Easter Centerpiece

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:13:00 +0000

A little last-minute, but hey ... we've still got a few days until the Easter bunny shows up! (Along with all of the relatives for Easter dinner!)
And if you need something to pretty up your table .... I've got a simple project for ya!

I spray-painted a mason jar (Heirloom White, Rust-oleum), tied a jute bow around it, and grabbed a few sticks off of the burn pile in our orchard.

My glass egg ornaments I got from Pottery Barn for less than $10.00 (very discounted since it was so close to Easter!), but I've seen others at Target -- or heck, you could probably even find them at the dollar store! (OR make your own with mini-size plastic eggs, twine, and a glue gun!)

It's sweet and simple .... just the way I like it!

Little Bit of Life ... Flood at the Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:16:00 +0000

So, last week was Spring Break.
My mom, sis, Lucy, and I headed to the beach for a little girls' night.
This is what we got to drive through to get there:

And this picture actually doesn't do it justice ... because about 15 feet further, and that car's headlights were pretty much UNDER the water.
I could no longer take pictures at that point because I was trying not to have a nervous breakdown.

I have never been so scared driving in my whole life.

But after driving for 2 hours .... then waiting in line to "cross the river" for another hour and a half, I was not about to turn around and go home.
(Okay, the real reason was we all had to go to the bathroom NOW.)

It rained the entire time we were there, but we did sneak out onto the beach for a little swingin' in the rain!

(Aunt Steph joined in on the fun...)

This girl LOVES to swing.
Even in the rain.
Here's hoping your "Spring" breaks are a little more Spring-like than ours! :-)

P.S. Things are a bit crazy around here right now. Forgive me if I'm a little MIA for another week or two ... I promise not to disappear entirely. :-)

Ree & Me, v.2

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:10:00 +0000

If you missed last week's (the first official) "Ree & Me" post, you may want to go back and read it so that you know why I'm acting as if Ree (aka: The Pioneer Woman) and I are on a first-name basis ....

Last week, I reviewed a recipe from her first cookbook, but this week .... I couldn't wait to dive into my brand spankin' new "Food From My Frontier."
And boy-oh-boy, did I start off on a good one!
(as if there are any bad ones!? .....yeah, right!)

Mushroom Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce
(page 100 in Food From My Frontier)

Ohmygoodness. I think I may have a new favorite PW recipe.
Well .... maybe it's a tie with last week's recipe.
Totally different kinds of recipes, but in the "burger" category -- this is the winner!

Click HERE to take you right over to Ree's recipe on her perfectly perfect blog. (As I said last week, there's no sense in me trying to mess with perfection .... you might as well click over and see it the right way.)

But this is what MY sliders looked like ....

I have a confession ..... before this, I had NEVER cooked a burger indoors!
Is that weird?

The thought of frying a burger in a pan instead of throwing it on the grill out back just seemed so strange.
Well, apparently strange can be A-MAZING.

I am a HUGE mushroom fan.
And don't even get me started on swiss cheese.
Okay, okay .... cheese, in general.

But I want to tell you mushroom haters out there -- don't be afraid! The mushrooms are chopped up and sauteed first (then smothered with cheese), so you won't even know they're there, I promise!!!
My husband isn't the biggest mushroom fan -- and he said these are the best burgers he's ever had!

And the sauce?
Divine.
And SO SO SO simple.
Three ingredients that I guarantee you have on hand.
Good on the burgers ..... good to dip your fries in. Just plain GOOD.

Oh ... and 100% Lucy-approved, as well!

And I would again, like to take this opportunity to throw in a disclaimer to Miss PW .... if you should ever happen to hear about this nonsense .... I promise, I'm not crazy. I just love you and think we should be BFFs, that's all. :-)
(Our names DO both have three letters, you know!)

I Washi-Taped WHAT...???

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:08:00 +0000

Until now, all of my washi tape projects have been for Lucy. (See HERE and HERE if you missed them.)

So I decided it was about time Mama got to have a little fun, too!

Yep, that's right. I washi-fied my iPad!

Remember I mentioned (maybe a few times?) that I was pretty excited about my new (3rd generation) iPad!?
Well, I also got the nifty smart cover that goes with it .... it automatically wakes and sleeps your iPad just by opening and closing the cover! Very cool.

I chose the light gray version.

I picked a couple cute washi tapes from my collection, and smoothed it onto the raised sections of the cover.

Then, because I wanted nice and clean lines along the edges, I got out my nifty exacto knife ....

And sliced (VERY CAREFULLY) around the raised sections of the cover. (This was surprisingly simple to do -- the washi cuts away so easily.)

I love that this simple addition makes my iPad - MY iPad.

SO CUTE.

And if I want to, I can simply peel the washi tape off (SUPER EASY) anytime .... and change colors!!! I can coordinate with the holidays, the seasons, or whatever I want!

....Not to mention, the washi tape will help protect the cover, as well -- because, who am I kidding? Little Miss Lucy uses the iPad more than I do! :)~

Spring Break!

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:25:00 +0000

Yep, that's right .... this worn-out teacher is on SPRING BREAK this week!!!
I might not be around quite as much as normal ..... but I've got a couple posts lined up for the week, so don't give up on me!

For today, just wanted to share this CUTE printable from Loving This {Crazy} Life!

I've had a SERIOUS case of spring fever lately (gee, wonder if all that SNOW I was buried under last week has anything to do with that!?) .... so this seemed especially fitting today!

Hope all of you gals in the SUNNY part of the country are enjoying it extra for us!

Share the Fun Friday {Mikarose Giveaway!}

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:17:00 +0000

I know, I know!
ANOTHER giveaway ...???
It's so rad, isn't it!?

I am SOOOOOOO very excited about this!

I've shared the rockin' online dress boutique Shabby Apple with you a couple of times in the past.

Today .... I have yet ANOTHER wonderful dress boutique to tell you about.

Mikarose.

Classic. Comfortable. Wearable. Versatile. Adorable. AFFORDABLE.

Need I go on .....?

Mikarose dresses are all of those things and more!

Perfect for everything from an afternoon at the mall ..... to a Sunday morning at church ..... to long hours at work (HELLO, perfect teacher dress!?).
(hint, hint ...... my birthday IS only three months away. just sayin'.)

See what I mean!?
Seriously .... where COULDN'T you wear one of these dresses!?

Now for the FABULOUS part:
Mikarose is giving away a $50.00 gift certificate to spend at their incredible boutique!
(Their most expensive dress is $59.99!)

To get your hands on this FREE $50.00 gift certificate, you MUST be a follower of Little Lucy Lu.
(Thanks!)

You must ALSO be a resident of The United States or Canada.

I'm going to stick with Rafflecopter, just like the giveaway last week. Hopefully it wasn't too difficult for everyone to figure out.....!?
(If you are having a hard time getting entered, please let me know, and I'll do my best to help you out!:-)

*You will need to click "Read more" down under my signature to get to the Rafflecopter box ....
And if you don't want to login with your Facebook account, just click on the Email option! (Super easy!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{P}in Love ... with Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:40:00 +0000

Well, what I mean is .... I WOULD be in love with Spring, if it ever decided to show it's sunshiny face around here ...

But alas, we have rain - and SNOW.
ALL. DAY. LONG.

Literally more snow than we've seen ALL Winter long.

At least Lucy Loves it ....

(Standing on a chair, watching the snow fall!)

Well anyway, I have been on a search to find SPRING -- and I found some on my lovely Pinterest boards!
({P}in Love = my PINS that I LOVE)

Love this simple Spring craft from Kiboomu:

Beautiful Spring arrangement ... LOVE the lemons in the vase!

(source)

Super cute little lamb cupcakes!

(no source, but here's the Pinterest link)

Here's a great idea for all those (Easter) eggs:

Use them as mini-planters! (from Craft Passion)

How about making a Spring Bucket List...?

(This one from How to Nest for Less)

and one more ....

(This one from Every Little Breeze...)

I already showed this off on my Facebook page, but had to show it again.

Tulips in a Toolbox.

My favorite.

(From On the Banks of Squaw Creek)

Lovin' this watering can decor for my front door ...

(From Midwest Living)

Or maybe the umbrella ...?

(Though Lord knows I'll be needing the umbrella for other purposes around here!:)~

(also from Midwest Living)

and nothing says Spring to me like YELLOW!

Loving these outfits ....

(from Polyvore)

and

(also Polyvore)

(Although, since I'm not really shopping this year .... I guess I'll have to go see what yellow I can dig out of my own closet!:)~

.... Is Spring here yet...?

Nope.

Still snowing!

Well, I tried ..... I really tried!

If YOU see the sun today, will you tell it to head west???

Ree & Me :-)

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:46:00 +0000

Okay .... so, it's no secret around here that I LOVE The Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond). Her blog is the first blog I ever read (long before I even knew it was called a blog), and I read it daily.
I actually learned about her blog from her first cookbook, which was a gift from a dear friend (best gift EVER!), and it has become - by far - my favorite cookbook.

Even though all (or almost all) of her recipes can be found on her blog, I still love being able to pull my cookbook out of the cupboard and lay it's pretty pictures open on my countertop while I cook. :-)

(Click HERE to order on Amazon.)

When she announced her newest cookbook, I did backflips.
Okay, that was a joke.
(Believe me ... that would be a joke!)
But I was VERY excited -- and I quickly pre-ordered two copies (one for my sister, too!).

(Click HERE to order on Amazon.)

This beauty arrived on my doorstep last week .... and I've been thoroughly enjoying it every day since.

So has Lucy....

Every time she sees Ree (on the computer screen, on the TV, in the cookbooks...), she hollers, "Look Mama! It's Charlie the Ranch Dog!"

That's because LUCY is a big fan of Ree's work, too ...

(Click HERE to order on Amazon.)

She LOVES Charlie the Ranch Dog. :-)

But now for the whole point of my rambling.
Raise your hand if you saw the movie Julie & Julia.....

Meryl Streep and Amy Adams...?
Anybody?

Well, I loved this movie.
And I decided it would be FUN to do as Julie did and cook (and blog!) my way through my favorite cookbook(s).

So .... once a week, I will post about a recipe that I have "tested" from one of Ree's cookbooks.
I'll try to snap at least one photo of the finished dish (although I haven't mastered the art of food photography by a long shot ..... as in, I haven't even tried). Forgive me.

This first "Ree & Me!" recipe review is my very favorite PW recipe to date.

Penne a la Betsy.

I love pasta.
I love seafood.
Therefore .... this dish = my best friend. :-)

I made it once .... then I made it twice and three times within two weeks time (twice when we had company).
Everyone has raved about this dish!
You will not be disappointed!

The recipe is laid out beautifully on Ree's website.
(I won't bother to try to copy perfection, so just simply click HERE for that recipe.)

And meanwhile, here's the photo from MY kitchen ....

Oh, help me.
I want pasta now.

Does Olive Garden deliver ....?

Did I mention that Lucy loves Penne a la Betsy, too!?

YUM!
Do you all have a favorite PW recipe I should try out soon ....?
I'd love to hear what your favorites are!

Oh, and disclaimer:
Ree has absolutely ZERO idea that I am alive.
And I would assume (unless I get my wish and win one of the trips to her ranch to cook with her someday -- or unless she feels so inclined to add the rainy state of Oregon to her book tour so that I can go meet her) that she probably will NEVER know I'm alive.
But if, by chance, she should ever catch wind that there is a crazy lady (aka: Bec, yours truly) out there, copying her recipes and rambling on and on about her as though they are BFFs .... then I'm coming after YOU people!

I promise, I'm really not crazy.

Little Bit of Life ... Confessions from the Bathroom

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:41:00 +0000

Not THOSE kind of confessions!
Get your mind out of the toilet!
(pun, intended .... bahahahaha!)

I crack myself up.

Sorry.
I'm delusional.
You'll know why in a moment.

Back to the bathroom:

Yesterday -- I went to church, I went to a two-year-old's birthday party, and then ...... I spent approximately three -- count them -- THREE hours in the bathroom.

Cleaning.

Jealous?

Didn't think so.

Okay, so here comes the "confessions" part:

I have my own bathroom. As in ... my husband has HIS bathroom, and I have MY bathroom. It's always been that way .... even back in our first house, which only had two bathrooms. One was his, one was mine. Other people's oookiness in the bathroom just grosses me out to no end --- even when said oookiness belongs to my husband. Is that weird?

Now, (for the last 8 years since we built our current house), we have four bathrooms. MY bathroom and SCOTT'S bathroom are literally on separate ends of the house - HA! We couldn't have gotten them any further apart if we tried. (Key reason being Scott's bathroom is just off of our mudroom/laundry room ... and when Scott comes home every day covered in MUD .... he is pretty much RIGHT where he needs to be .... his shower.
His shower. {SHUDDER} I don't want to know what's in there. I usually make Scott clean it himself (except for maybe once a year when I lose my mind). Does that make me a bad wife?

Here comes the big one. Don't judge.
I scrubbed the floor .... ON MY HANDS AND KNEES .... with a hard-bristle brush and three kinds of cleaner for at least an hour yesterday.
(I am NEVER using hairspray AGAIN, by the way.)
But -- that was the FIRST time I have EVER done that.

Yes, I did say we built this house eight years ago.

It's not as bad as it sounds.

Before I had Lucy - and back when I was still working full-time -- we had a housekeeper.
(Boy, do I miss that!)
Now, it's just not so justifiable since I'm home most of the time - (and therefore, make less money!).

There are more important things to buy now .... like TOMS for my baby. :-)

Anyway, I'm sure the housekeeper (probably) scrubbed the floor! .... but that floor hadn't been good 'n' scrubbed for THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS.
Swept? Yes. Swiffered? Yes. Even mopped? Yes.
But SCRUBBED? .... nope.

And I now know that that particular room -- MY bathroom -- is the NASTIEST room in our house.

Correction: WAS the nastiest room in our house.

Over three years of hairspray, PLASTERED to the floor. Ugh.

Honest to goodness, I scrubbed until my knuckles were raw and bleeding!

And when I was done?
I laid face-down in the middle of the floor!
HA!

See? I've officially lost my mind.
So much so that Scott's bathroom just might be next .....
(Can you tell that Spring Break is ONE WEEK AWAY!?!?!)

P.S. The WASHI TAPE GIVEAWAY ends tonight! Don't forget to enter!

Share the Fun Friday {Washi Wishes GIVEAWAY!)

noreply@blogger.com (Bec@littlelucylu) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:46:00 +0000

Hip-Hip-Hooray ... it's a GIVEAWAY day!!! :-)

I sure hope you've enjoyed the Washi Tape projects here on the blog this week .... (if nothing else, at least you now know what it IS -- and what it can be used for!)

Maybe you've even got some washi-inspired ideas of your own brewing....?
(I know you do!)

And if that's the case ..... I am about to HOOK. YOU. UP.
For reals.

The lovely Tessa from Washi Wishes has graciously offered to give one lucky Little Lucy Lu reader FIVE washi rolls of YOUR choice!

You've already seen a few of my favorite tapes this week ....

But here are a few pics from the Washi Wishes Etsy Shop:

I promise you ..... it will be EASY to find five rolls you ~~like~~ love if you win!

I'm trying out Rafflecopter for the giveaway this time. Hope it works! ;)~

*Note: the one thing you HAVE to do is add Washi Wishes to your Etsy favorites (that just means you go to her shop page (click HERE) and click on the heart in the sidebar.
.... But you ALSO get MORE entries for liking Washi Wishes facebook page - or liking Little Lucy Lu facebook page, so you should DO THAT, TOO!!!

You can earn up to EIGHT entries -- and you can tweet EVERY day of the giveaway for extra entries!

Once you sign in with Facebook OR your email address on the Rafflecopter widget below, it will walk you through the rest! It's really not hard, I promise.
(And the reason it needs your email is so we can contact you if you win!)

The "raffle" will be open through midnight on Monday .... winner will be announced and contacted on Tuesday!
GOOD LUCK!
And HAPPY WEEKEND!
(Don't forget to wear green tomorrow .... don't want my sweet peeps gettin' pinched!:)~

******YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CLICK "READ MORE" (below) TO GET TO THE RAFFLECOPTER BOX!*******

a Rafflecopter giveaway