Reveal Party

When we found out we were expecting, I didn't want to find out the gender of the baby but Chris did. So I agreed that we could find out if we could have a fun reveal party and keep the name a secret until the baby is born. I had been seeing ideas for gender reveal parties floating around Pinterest and I practically had the whole party planned before we were even pregnant.




We had our anatomy scan last Tuesday and had the ultrasound tech seal the gender pictures in an envelope. I delivered the envelope to the lady making our cake on Wednesday and picked it up on Saturday. I wasn't the least bit tempted to peek during the ultrasound, take a peek before delivering the envelope, look at the CD we had made of the ultrasound pictures, or even look in the envelope when I picked the cake up on Saturday. But when I brought the cake home and set it on the counter, the thought hit me that the answer to our big question was right behind the layer of icing. I had a slight moment of wanting to cut into it, but knew it would ruin the whole party.

We had about 70 people over to our house for the party Sunday evening. We had just finished up a wonderfully blessed meeting at Little Union which started on Thursday night. Everyone was exhausted, but it was a fun ending to the weekend. 

The cake turned out so great! I also wrapped Hershey's bars in pink or blue paper showing "she" or "he."

A big thank you to Sis. Bobbie Jo and Sis. Abbey for putting the backdrop wall together. This was the first time I made the tissue paper pom poms. They were really easy to make and turned out really cute!

 

Pink and blue punch. We also had chili and a baked potato bar.

Team Blue - - the losing team!

Team Pink

Trying to get Skype set up for my family and Chris' family to be a part of the party.

Deciding how we're going to cut the cake

The big moment! I was completely shocked it was pink! I was sure it was going to be blue.

Still completely shocked!

Making sure our family can see it's PINK!

Chris cut the other end of the cake to be sure it was pink the whole way through! :)

Checking the ultrasound to be sure

 

Cute blanket from the Hulls

It's a GIRL!!!

The cake was yummy!

The party was a lot of fun and so special. It is definitely one of my favorite memories of the pregnancy so far. It turned out even better than I could have ever planned. We love our church family and loved being able to spend this special moment with them. I was also glad to be able to have our families be a part of it. It took a while for it to sink in that we're having a little girl. I had been so sure from the beginning of the pregnancy that we were having a boy. Every time I thought about the baby or would start planning things, I would just think about a boy. When I woke up Monday morning, it really hit me and I'm so excited! I'm already planning my trips to Joann's and Hobby Lobby. I have a list started of things I want to make.

I can't wait to start on the nursery. We have the yellow and grey fabric bought already. We had decided that if it was a boy we were going to do navy accents and aqua accents if it was a girl. So yellow, grey, and aqua it is!

The name is still going to be kept a secret until she's born. That's not going to be a problem at this point because we're not close to having it picked out. 

A List of Ten

A list of ten things I love about fall:

1. Pulling out the fall clothes and feeling like I have a new wardrobe (Although my growing body means a lot of clothes don't fit. So I'm dreaming of a new wardrobe - - leggings, sweater dresses, boots, skinny jeans, cardigans...)
2. Soups, chili, and baked treats
3. Waking up to a chill in the house and snuggling with a blanket on the couch
4. Starting the coffee pot right away and enjoying a steamy mug with pumpkin spice creamer
5. Being able to go on a walk at any time of day and not feel like I'm going to die
6. Having the doors and windows open
7. Colorful fall sunsets
8. Knowing Thanksgiving is right around the corner
9. Enjoying the abundance of pumpkin flavored yummies
10. Knowing our electric bill is getting a little break from having the a/c off!

Fall has always been my favorite season. Growing up in Illinois, my list of fall favorites was a little different. It would include bonfires, seeing the leaves change, and pulling out the jackets. Since we've moved to Florida, I have had to adjust to a new fall season. Even though it took a long time to get here, I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures and no humidity!

And Baby Makes 3!

Words cannot express how excited and thankful we are to announce that we are expecting our first little blessing on March 23, 2013!

We have known that we are pregnant for a little over a month and it has been HARD keeping our little secret! I am thankful to be feeling pretty well so far. I've had a little nausea, but nothing too miserable. Our first appointment was last Tuesday and we were able to hear the heartbeat! What a special moment! I could have listened to that sound all day, but the OB was in a hurry to move along with the appointment.

There's no denying that I'm pregnant! I haven't had crazy cravings, just have moments when only one specific thing sounds appetizing. Last night, we were laying in bed around 10:30 and I was hungry (which is a constant state for me). Chris looked at me like I was crazy when I said that I really wanted a salad from a salad bar. Ice cold lettuce, crisp peas, egg, ham, cheese, onions, ranch dressing, sunflower seeds, and croutons. I couldn't get it out of my mind! Earlier in the night it was a blizzard from Dairy Queen. That's all I could think about! Of course, I'm too lazy and practical to give into the cravings. I never understood the hype about pregnant women getting cravings, but I completely understand now! I find myself buying things at the grocery store I would have never considered buying before. Chicken nuggets are on my list for today. I don't know if I've ever bought chicken nuggets, but I'm buying some today!

I hope my lovely readers don't get tired of reading about the baby! If so, you might want to stay away from the blog for a while (or forever)! It's the most exciting thing in our life right now! Much more exciting than reading about the dog! :)

Black Thumb

Both of my parents are wonderful gardeners. Their yard is perfectly landscaped and they enjoy spending time working to keep it looking great. My mom always has a ton of flowers planted in the flower beds, pots around the yard, and hanging baskets on the porch. Growing up, when people would find out where I lived, they would usually make a comment about how pretty our yard was. Dad has done a great job landscaping all of the yard. It looks professionally done.

Let's just say their gardening abilities were not passed down to me. I don't know if they were passed down to my other siblings. I haven't seen any evidence of it. But I can't keep a plant alive for anything!

Case in point #1:

 

This poinsettia was given to us as a housewarming gift when we first moved here. It was so full and beautiful. Once the Christmas season was over, it got moved to our patio. It's still alive, but pretty sad looking. I might remember to put some water in it once a week or so. Poor poinsettia.

Case in point #2:

Chris bought this hanging basket shortly after we moved in. Like the poinsettia, it was full and beautiful and really helped brighten up the front entrance. I did really well remembering to water it at first, but it slowly started slipping my mind. Once it got to sad and unattractive for the front of the house, it was also moved to the patio. I was excited that the one measly flower popped up after I watered it one day this week. It really is a sad, sad story.

Up until last week, those were the only two plants we had under our care. Our yard is beautifully landscaped, but the landlords pay someone to take care of it. Very wise choice on their part!

Last week, we added a new plant to our care:


 

We bought this beauty at IKEA for only $1.99! I thought that was a good price to pay for something that might end up dead in a few months. The cute pot was also only $1.99. The best part about this plant: it only needs to be watered every 5-6 days! The instructions say that it needs to be completely dry before watering again. Perfect for me!

I have high hopes for this little guy! Perhaps my black thumb will begin turning shades of green.

Window Turned into Idea Board

My parents remodeled their living room and dining room a few years back and gave me one of the old windows they replaced. I had them hanging in living room in our house in Illinois. We also had one hanging in our living room in our house in Texas.

Windows hanging in living room in Illinios

When we moved into this house, we put one of the windows in our guest bedroom.

Window in guest bedroom with scrapbook paper

 

 

Before: Empty window hanging in my craft room

I also wanted one in my craft room. I had trouble deciding what I wanted to do with it. I thought I might find some pretty fabric to hang behind it or maybe blow up a picture. It just stayed blank for several months. Then a few weeks ago, I had several ideas floating around in my brain and needed somewhere to write them down where they could be seen. I grabbed a dry erase marker and wrote on the window. The idea hit me to find some scrapbook paper to match my colors, but that would also be light enough to still see the writing, and make the window an idea board.

After: Pretty scrapbook paper behind the glass and dry erase marker to write on the glass

I found the paper at JoAnn and Hobby Lobby. I love how it turned out! Now I have plenty of room to keep my lists and it's pretty!

After: Window turned into idea board

Anna Maria Island - - Church Beach Trip

This past weekend, a group of our church family headed down to Anna Maria Island, FL to spend the day at the beach. It was such a beautiful and relaxing day! I'm ready to go back! We enjoyed soaking up the sun, listening to the soothing sound of the waves and seagulls, playing in the sand, laughing together, eating a delicious lunch, and thanking God for his beautiful creations.

Britt has been talking about going swimming for several weeks now. He had this idea that Chris (or Bruder Chwis) was going to take him swimming. They played at the beach together for quite a while.

I love this picture. Later in the day as we were getting ready to leave, Britt came up to Chris (unprompted) and said, "thank you for coming to the beach" in his sweetest voice. It was adorable.

Grandma wasn't all that excited about the beach. She stayed up on the porch of the beach house most of the day, asking if it was time to go home yet. We did get her to come sit down by the water for a bit in the afternoon.

A Few for Friday

...I just got done using our pool for the first time! We bought a $13 inflatable chair at Wal-Mart today, which was an awesome investment! I laid on it and floated around the pool for quite a while. My feet and bottom of my legs were the only part of me that got wet. The chair even has a cup holder! I can see many days spent floating around in the pool, fruity drink with umbrella in hand, and not a care in the world. I might not get much housework done, but that can wait until rainy days. :)

...We are going to the beach tomorrow! I have been anxious to get to the beach since we moved here and especially since the weather has been so beautiful! Well, that's a bit redundant, because the weather has been beautiful since we moved here. As I just said, we took a trip to Wal-Mart today to stock up on our beach gear. I can't wait!

...I've started taking the dog for a short walk in the mornings. There is a golf course right behind the houses across the street from us. If we walk about 4 houses down, there is a nice open view of the course. I love listening to the birds, soaking in the warm sun, and watching the golfers on the bright green course as I wait for the dog to do his business. There's something peaceful and beautiful about a golf course and I don't play golf!

...I. LOVE. Florida! The weather has been amazing since we moved here in December. I'm told that I probably won't have such affectionate feelings for my new home once August hits, but we'll deal with that when the time comes. There are so many birds here! I'm sure I look like a crazy schoolgirl on a tour at the zoo with the way I stare in amazement at the different birds. I was sitting at Starbucks the other day and a little lizard came up next to me. I just sat there watching it for a while. We don't have lizards in Illinois, unless you go to the pet store or zoo.

...I love when I have a "brilliant" moment (it happens very rarely). I made breakfast for supper last night. We had a breakfast ring...sausage, eggs, spinach and cheese in crescent rolls shaped into a circle. Once I got done putting it together, I had a little bit of everything left over. I remember that I had 2 tortilla shells in the refrigerator, so I put together two breakfast burritos to throw in the freezer. It worked out perfectly and made my night.

....Another thought from breakfast last night...I love watching The Pioneer Woman on the Food Network on Saturday mornings. A few weeks ago she was making breakfast and showed these frozen fruit cups. I don't remember everything she put in hers, but it was basically a combination of canned and fresh fruit frozen in their juices, then taken out a while before eating. They end up being kind of a slushy-like texture. I did this last night with a can of peaches, a can of mixed fruit cocktail, and banana slices. I had some for a bedtime snack, when it was just starting to freeze. Then I had some this morning for breakfast. It was so yummy! I think this will be a new go-to summer snack. Frozen bananas kind of have a vanilla ice cream texture and taste, plus the juice from the canned fruit makes it slushy. Very good!

And that's all the randomness I'll bore you with on this lovely Friday afternoon!

Strawberries

Last Saturday, we visited the Strawberry Festival here in Plant City. These folks around here are really proud of their strawberries! Not that it's a bad thing, because they certainly are delicious! As we were leaving the Festival I bought us a flat of the prettiest strawberries you ever have seen. Once I got them home and realized just how many strawberries are in a flat, the wheels started turning trying to figure out what I was going to do with all of them before they started going bad.

I found this idea on Pinterest for dried strawberries in the oven. The directions say to dry halved or quartered strawberries for 3 hours at 100C/210F. Well, I had a blonde moment and tried to set the oven at 100 degrees. My oven would only let me turn it down to 170, so I dried them at that temperature for around 3 hours. My dried strawberries didn't turn out as vibrant and plump as the picture from the website makes them look. They were kind of mushy, but still tasted pretty good. Maybe if I try baking them at the right temperature, they might not be so mushy.

Their strawberries...

My strawberries.

I also attempted to make some strawberry jelly. I found Martha Stewart's recipe for Quick Strawberry Jam. It sounded easy enough and I had all the ingredients. I was a little skeptical that it didn't use any pectin or gelling agent, but I thought if Martha Stewart approved then it was good enough for me!


My jelly/jam turned out a little thin. It's more like syrup than jam. Grandma and I had it on some pancakes this morning and it is delicious! It did thicken up some in the refrigerator, but still not quite as thick as jam.

Strawberry jam/syrup on pancakes. Yum, yum!

We have been eating a fair amount of strawberries for breakfast and snacks. I also froze some to use in smoothies after the season is over.

Manatee Viewing

Friday was Grandma's 89th birthday. We were excited to have her son and daughter-in-law visiting for the weekend. I had heard about a manatee viewing center near us and thought it sounded interesting. It was free, not too far away, and something none of us had done before. It was a beautiful day to be out by the water!

Our first sighting of a manatee. We just looked for the dark blobs in the water and waited for one to pop its head up for a second.

Chris pointing out the manatees to Grandma.

Standing up to get a better look.

Marilyn, Grandma, and Dave

Grandma and her son

We also saw a few little sharks!

Chris showing Grandma the shark.

It was so exciting when one would decide to stick its nose or tail up for a second.

Manatees are kind of ugly creatures, but still interesting to watch. One came close enough to see some of the scars on its back. Because manatees are such calm animals, they often get hit by boat propellers. The researchers use the scar patterns to identify the manatees.

A pretty flower and butterfly

One manatee had a tracking device attached. Another manatee sanctuary attached the tracking device a couple weeks ago and has been in contact with this sanctuary since the manatee made its way to Apollo Beach. Researchers can tell by its scar pattern that it is a manatee first sighted in the late 1970s.

These two guys were called in to rescue a manatee caught up in a buoy. They were trying to get close enough to put a marker on it, then they would go out later with a bigger boat to catch it in a net and remove the buoy. The manatee was not interested in letting them get close!

This is about as close to a shark as I would like to be!

Little crabs

One last shot of one sticking its nose out of the water to catch a breath.