Life is getting away from me

I'm so overwhelmed with how fast this year has gone. It's already November and I'm just floored, what did we do this year? It's been insane. And the truth is we've done SO much.  I'm hoping 2012 will be a quieter year, especially now that we are home, and can visit family more regularly.  We only have one trip planned next year and its for a friends wedding. Otherwise everything should be local. I'm starting a little early reflecting back on 2011 and I have a feeling I'll spend the last few months of it just trying to catch my breath.  Life is moving forward whether I want it to or not.

OJ recently turned herself into a fairy and has yet to convert back. She gets increasingly more distressed every time we get in the car and I tell her they have to come off to put her seat belt on.

The weather has been amazing, either sunny and comfortable or pouring rain (which leads to puddles). Our new backyard is AMAZING. It's completely unlevel but also flat, which means there are LOTS of places to jump in water. Our old backyard slanted downhill, you couldn't even put lawn chairs back there. let alone our grill or fire pit etc etc. I'm fairly certain a night around our fire pit is planned for this weekend. It might be our last chance before cold weather is upon us.

And then this happened.  I'm seriously just an amazing story teller.  I know...I hear it all the time.

Have I mentioned this guy. He's  9 months old and in the last 3 weeks....FOUR teeth.  So you know, that was pleasant. He's standing on his own, without holding on to things...because he's insane. He's growing so fast, I dont remember OJ growing this fast. Maybe I could tether him to the ground and he'll grow slower?


Cuteness:

 Ridiculousness:

Gah annoying cuteness:

OJ had no interest in being seen in her Snow White costume but she has insisted on wearing it almost every day since Halloween so maybe if I EVER update this blog again you'll see that.

On that note, I'm going to shower for the first time in 36 hours...I.AM.SO.EXCITED. I lead a very exciting life.

Peace out dudes.

Yes Dudes......welcome to 1991.

What we've been up to....ALL OVER THE PLACE

Well, we moved in...and nothing looks like it does in these photos but we've been busy and I'm exhausted. I keep meaning to post and then you know...my children are trying to eat each other, or eat a cat.  And WOW are we popular now that we've moved home.  Everyone and their mother...and our mothers want to hang out with us.  I don't delude myself into thinking that they want to see us....mostly just the little people who turn on all their charm when family comes over.

Okay so here we go, I'm hoping to clean up each space soon and do a before/during/after post for all the rooms.  This whole crazy project was well documented.

The last 2 months:

We took the plastic off this:

We filled this up:

We went to Narnia where the lamppost was broken.  No worries, we fixed it while we were there.

We got a pretty faucet to wash dishes with.

We visited some giant gnomes.

We searched far far away.

We went back home and found our fireplace was stoned. 

But we could drink about it and laugh about it.

Then we went swimming, because thats what little people do. (3D LOVED the giant bathtub)

And now I'm going to recover for five more minutes.  Or lay down some carpet which is apparently on the docket for the day.

BYE!

Quick House Photo Update:

BaZing...so exciting!

See my friends here:

They are very excited to be heading to Cleveland this weekend.  Hopefully we are going to see some life sized gnomes and we're hang out with the Aunt DeSanta because we have bad pronunciation skills and its just cuter than Aunt Diane.  Spending some time with the Grandparents and working on the new house.  I am very excited.  

So is he.....

and so is she!

Sadly not everyone gets to come home with us this weekend.  We are going to be missing this guy a lot!

(The big one not the little one...he's comin with me!)

In the words of the Bebes "We goin to Ceveland in Oheio!"

So excited we don't have to make this trip many more times!

I get to see my hole in a week.

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Get your mind out of the gutter you sickos.....

We've been busy...

So WOW...

Where do I even begin.  We're moving to Cleveland in 6-8 weeks, 3D just rolled back to front for the first time today, Dave learned how to make AMAZING Iced coffee from The Pioneer Woman.  OJ is her normal fabulous self and I'm pretty much one step away from a stint in rehab, but you wouldn't know it because I have this unnatural calm going on about all the excitement.

I can't even comprehend all the crazy going on, but it seems like everyone is handling it rather well, which is actually probably because of me...not to say I'm the driving force behind the mellow chill feel but because I'm not freakin out therefore my mood isn't affecting others.

My house is covered in boxes, full boxes empty boxes boxes with one thing in them...boxes with 47 small things in them.  Its fun.  I'm pretty overwhelmed with how underwhelmed I am.  If I could be whelmed I woud be...sadly that is not a word, just a state of existence in Lindsoland.

It probably doesn't help that my job got REALLY busy in the past 3 weeks on top of everything else going on. Thankfully there is a scheduled end date on that crazy...the house has no scheduled end date.  Which is like me standing on the edge of a cliff with my eyes closed thinking 'wont this be fun if I just jump.'

In all honesty I've got a great deal of faith and hope pulling me through all of this.  It's so exciting and I'm trying to keep focused on that.  I'm quitting my job in 5 weeks.  ME...I haven't been unemployed....well...ever.  I'm quitting my job.  While I feel like embracing my SAHM-ness I will be doing something part time to stave off the crazy.  But still...I'M QUITTING MY FULL TIME JOB. Giant leap of faith on that one...ekks.

Did I mention the house in Cleveland is getting remodeled, restructured and added on to.  Thats not stressful right?  Did I also mention my mother-in-law is handling most of that.  Now I have to say, short of 1-2 'wanna pull my hair out moments' we've been working really well together.  (I wonder if she'd say the same about me.....lol) We've been on the same page design and structurally the whole time.

I'm very much trying to just 'living in the moment' which is working out pretty okay for me.  I'm hoping to go home (to Cleveland) in a few weeks to check out all the amazing house progress in person.  Hopefully we won't let OJ fall in the giant hole in the backyard, my assumption is though at the rate things are going...there won't be a giant hole there...which is REALLY exciting.

I'll leave you with this...my giant hole.  (I really hope my sister-in-law gets a chance to read up on my giant hole..............)

I'm a blogjerk

A lot has happened in the last month and I've been crazy wicked busy. I didn't mean to neglect you dear blog, but heck things happen.

We signed OJ up for TaeKwondo and soccer.  She LOVES both of them.  She kicks and says "Hi-Yah!" which is frankly just adorable.  Yesterday after TaeKwondo she was SO excited to tell me about it all, I wish I had gotten it on video she was jumping up and down and rolling on the floor and touching her toes and talking a mile a minute.  I think maybe....she is my child.  

I've had at least one doctors appointment a week for something or someone.  3D had a WICKED cough and it turned into bronchitis and then a double ear infection.  I've had a few follow ups after pregnancy/delivery.  OJ had her 3 YEAR check up.  This week we have dentists and eye doctors.  Apparently we all needed tune ups!

We had both sets of grandparents in town, OJ's birthday, Easter, multiple construction of children's toys projects....In the next 22 days, we have 13 practices, appointments, meetings outside of our regular jobs/sitters etc.  I need a flow chart.

So other than being slightly mundanely busy.  Wow I didn't think mundanely was a word.  Odd. Anyway, we've got a lot going on but mostly just keeping up with our day to day stuff is kicking our butts.  We've spent a great deal of time trying to carve out family meal times.  This week we basically get to eat together 2 times, which is a bit ridiculous, one of those times we had 20 minutes total.  I'm looking forward to a slower more relaxing summer...maybe it will involve lawn furniture this year.  That would be lovely. Perhaps....a nice shade tree or an umbrella.  Stupendous.

I'm starring at a picture of 3D when he was 4 days old: 

and all I can think is OMG HOW BIG IS THAT PACIFIER.  He's just so freakin squishy and cute!

Look at  him now!  I DIE. (3.5 months old)

Just to update you on the rest of our happenings over here: 

Easter Egg Hunting...

and...

blurry egg frenzy.

The awkward family shot.

The most freakin adorable Dave's I know.  

And then we had OJ's 3rd Birthday!

Grandma got her a Mega Blocks Dora set....note the HUGE gift next to her...clearly Dora trumps all.  She wouldn't open more gifts.  Goofy.

3 years old must be the BEST YEAR EVER TO BLOW OUT CANDLES.  Or so I've been told. 

Digital camera...just like Mommys....dang it mines not pink!

Relaxing and enjoying wine...nom nom nom...look NO KIDS. 

Okay hopefully I'll update more soon.  That would be swell and super and stupendous! 

bye.

4ever.

jk.

This is probably going to be one of those rambling posts....

Lets be honest...it's my calling in life to just ramble on.

I haven't had the chance to type with two hands much in the last month so if I wasn't posting a quick photo...I haven't been able to say too much....I've got a bunch of half written thoughts all over the internet at this point....

Currently Baby Dave is being held by Daddy Dave...Earlier he took almost a FIVE hour nap.  We've been having some weight issues and some formula fussiness issues so he's had to be woken up to eat and today...well I just said FORGET THE RULES....and let the little guy sleep...but it's not like I've had the opportunity to be uninterrupted for 5 hours unless I was sleeping anyway...even though he's not a huge fan of chuggin the bottle...he still likes to be awake with us.

He is an amazing baby.  OJ was a really easy breezy baby...she was totally easy and great...Baby Dave is like 10x easier...well maybe 2-3x easier but still...he's making me think about having 9-10 children...I want to be Queen Victoria or one of the Duggars....WOW who thought those would ever be in the same thought/sentence.  Anyway, he's got this very peaceful disposition.  He just seems to enjoy being with us.  OJ LOVES HIM.  She, I believe was put on this earth to be a big sister.  She just 'gets it' she gives him gentle kisses and holds his hand during diaper changes.  She dotes on him every chance she gets.  She regularly tells me "hes soooooooo cute" and then giggles uncontrollably.

I, never having biological siblings, and while having wonderful step-brothers never really had 'normal' sibling relationships didn't know what to expect with siblings.  I realize I'm only a month into this, but I expected to deal with jealousy and for the Bebes to compete for our attention.  While that does happen it's nothing near what I had mentally prepared for.  She doesn't seem to mind that 3D needs a lot of our attention, she just wants to help and be a 'big sister soccer player.' She has her moments but overall she's been amazing as well.  I'm overjoyed that at this point, our little family of four seems to be getting along rather well.

The only problem we've had with 3D thus far is that in the beginning he wasn't a huge fan of eating and gaining weight, he was more interested in sleeping.  HE IS SOOO MY CHILD.  We had to start waking him up more often to eat.  I wasn't producing enough so we started supplementing with formula, he then decided he didn't like the formula.  He's not allergic to lactose but he's sensitive to it.  So now we are trying lactose free formula.  We are about 30 hours into it, and things are looking up...remember FIVE hours of sleep....crazy little guy.  I'm giving it about 15-20 more hours before I call this a success....we shall see.

 In other news, I'm leaving the house tomorrow...alone.  I'm excited.  I see coffee or a frosty in my future.

Dave and I are both doing well.  We are on a whole new level of marital awesome over here.  After the Bebes was born we struggled to be an awesome couple. This time around has been absolutely perfect.  We are both trying so hard to work as a team and take care of each other.  He went back to work this week after 3 weeks at home with us.  I miss him terribly.  I struggle to use the word 'help' I could rant for hours about how I feel with husbands who 'help' their wives with housework and child raising...OMG the raging feminist in me comes out.  BUT Dave has been more than an equal partner taking care of me through 2 weeks bedrest, an ER visit, a case of mastitis, 102.6 fever...it's been a crazy 4-6 weeks and I'm beyond grateful to have him....he also cooks....be jealous.

On that note, I've been less sarcastic than normal and my glass of wine is just about empty.  I think its time I get some sleep.  We have the next two days off as a family and I want to be as rested as possible.  Can I cross my fingers and pray that this 4-5 hours of sleep stretches are a new trend and that Dave and I might start getting a bit of sleep here and there...maybe at the same time.  Currently we spend about 45 minutes in the same bed every night.  At least we don't have to share covers?  I do like sleeping in the middle of the bed...not going to sugar coat that fact.

Hope you all have a lovely evening, weekend? weekend is coming right?  What day is this?

Goooooood Morning Vietnam.

Project:

The other day....Dave and I got ambitious and started a project.  While we worked on the project the Bebes did this:

Baby Dave did this:

We did this:

Other than a few small baskets and a shoe rack, OOOH and a pile of pants I wouldn't let myself try on or get rid of for a few more weeks till I can legitimately give them a yes/no/wtf....our closet STILL looks this cleaned out, I have NO clothes and we donated so much to Goodwill today, the man brought out a blue bin on wheels to help us remove the bags from our vehicle.  

Thankfully we did find our bed again, and the ladder is still in the middle of our bedroom but thats from a roof leaking issue that is still under investigation....by your mom.

I'm not letting myself go shopping till I fit back into my pre-pregnancy jeans.  So thats what like next week right?  RIGHT?  

I miss zippers.......I don't however miss my ugly wardrobe, I got rid of some dumb looking clothes.  

Wow If I was on Drugs I would be Sellin them on the Black Market

I'm sitting right now....in my bedroom with its ugly mauve walls and its faded purple curtains (not my choices....thanks previous owners).  I'm sitting on my quilt I bought in college its also purple and pink...it matches the room...I hold my head in shame.  Next to me on my bedside table is a stack of papers for swim classes and dance classes that I want to register the goobs for....and a porcelain tea set, the green cup is chipped, but thankfully Dave fixed that last week!  There are LOADS of laundry sitting in baskets in the corner of my room and I can't currently turn the tv on because theres a bunch of the bebes stuff blocking the censor.  My room has been taken over by everything and everyone.

I remember babysitting in middle school and high school and I'd imagine if I did the math correctly that the people whose kids we were watching were probably my age.  I remember being in their bedrooms and thinking wow they don't really keep this very cleaned up.  Theres lots of clean laundry here and there and why is there kids stuff in the room...etc etc.  In contrast I remember growing up and even to this day, my mom/my parents room has always been 'theres' I'm sure my stuff snuck in when I was really young and I just don't remember it but my mom has always had what I remember to be a strict separation of space.  This does not exist in my world.  I'm still sorting out my feelings on this one.

...On one hand, when I wake up in the middle of the night for my 9 month pregnancy 45th pee break...and I accidentally hit the piles of papers and they fly all over the floor, I'll probably be rather annoyed.  But at 7:30 or earlier....ekks...when my daughter comes in and I have a ceramic tea cup shoved in my face and I'm asked if I want keeeam in my tea...I'll find this all rather endearing.

Yesterday at my 37 week appointment my blood pressure spiked a bit and my doctor has put me on lite bedrest.  At least for this week.  So today, I got to stay home and stair at all the dirt in my house, while playing with my daughter and enjoying NOT being at work.  I'm not feeling 100% but heck I'm probably just psyching myself out.  Dave took the news of my impending possible bedrest/child is coming asap.....news...in a classic Dave way: he started and completed major painting projects.  The kid(s) bathroom is now painted the coolest shade of burnt crimson redishness ever.  And the bebes room is painted a very cool ashy blue.  I'm desperately in love with both rooms.  I think only in his mind does adding to the chaos not help manage the chaos actually equate to him being helpful...but heck I'm just jazzed the projects are done.

Tomorrow I'm going to either lay in bed all day till my follow up appointment OR.... vacuum.  We'll see what state my house is in and what state my well you know....reproductive baby making systems are in...sometime in the afternoon.  Part of me wants this baby to be here this weekend.  The 15th sounds like a lovely birthday doesn't it?  Part of me is VERY okay waiting till the 25th for his scheduled and wonderfully planned arrival.  Now that I'm at home relaxing I'm not so much "get this baby out of me" as I am "oh this is going to be fun, bring on the family of 4!"

I think I had a point when I started writing this...I wonder if it's lost.

Oh okay...home improvements....here we go...back on topic...OVERWHELMINGLY EXCITING...I know I know.

So I have these very sexy mauve walls right...and faded lavender curtains.  I totally misrepresented the ugliness of these curtains by calling them purple up there.  They are pastel fabulous lavender.  In fact everything in our house was a shade of an Easter egg when we moved in.  Our room is the last room left.  You know they always say when you have kids, its all about them.  You do everything for them and you don't spend the time and energy on yourselves anymore.  I guess my point was that as I look around my master bedroom I would imagine an outsider would totally say thats whats happening here.  I'm sure to some extent it's true, in our case we've just been slowly moving around the house.  Also Dave hasn't had much of an opinion on the kids rooms.  Where as our room we can't decide exactly what we want.  I choose a different bedding once a week and Dave hates color....he REALLY does.

ALSO....its not like my 2 1/2 year old daughter and my due any moment son have the slightest idea or even CARE about their rooms.  I on the other hand LOVE their rooms.  They are everything I'd hoped for when creating cute living spaces for small people.  Except that Dave vetoed the little chandelier in the Bebes room...gah...no imagination! Anyway can't I just live vicariously through my children and their very cute rooms and have it be about me and not them?  I'm going to go with YES.

I'm hoping to post pictures soon.  BUT Baby J is set to make his appearance anytime between 1-12 days so we'll see what actually gets done.  Maybe if you're all lucky I'll post a picture of my master bedroom.  My bedside table is a busted up old wooden box from the 1940's in a way thats totally cool and completely un-functional.  It's also barely visible under all the junk..so....not cool.  Dave has a low end 3 drawer dresser from Ikea as his bedside stand...much more functional...much less cool.

Wowzers its midnight...lets update that Baby J could be here TODAY...or sometime in the next 11 days.  Thats exciting!

Anyway I'm thinking I am not editing anything I wrote cause I think the wackado nonsensical rambling will be a good time capsule of 9 mo pregnant lindso and how clearly she's SOOO totally in her right mind.

I switched into 3rd person there didn't I.  "OMG" goodnight.

Also Dave just removed a cabbage patch doll from our bed. Apparently he doesn't like sleeping with "ladies."

xoxo
lindso

Halloweenie

I've spent WAY too much time obsessing over what my toddler is going to be for Halloween.  I've narrowed it down to whats practical and whats still available in her size.

I've ordered excessively off the internet today and I can safely say she'll either be a fairy, a lady bug or Minnie Mouse.  I'm already dreading the day when she has an opinion on what she's going to be.  This was hard enough.  I have no interest in spending a lot of money on this adventure either.

I kinda want her to be the generic fairy cause the outfit is so simple and can be used for dress up fun around the house outfits for months.  Also when you come up with these outfits you have to think about shoes...which is annoying.  Minnie Mouse and the lady bug at least need black shoes.  I've got that one covered.  Thank goodness.  The fairy I have no idea what to do.  We'll see what we end up with.

I think I'm stressing because this is her first year trick or treating and YES I know she's going to be herself...aka shy and wont say trick or treat to ANYONE but maybe once she realizes theres a candy reward we won't be so shy.  We'll just wait and see.

I'm actually MORE excited for next year when she'll make us buy her some ridiculous costume that cost a fortune AND I'll get to dress up her little brother.  He might be Yoda...or Batman.  OR Larry the Cucumber.  Because I'm mean and need these pictures for future slideshows...I'm all about the future slideshows recently.

Anyway at this point I think she's set.  I'm not sure what shes going to collect the candy in but I'm assuming a quick trip to Target may solve that problem for me.  And really who doesn't love a quick aka 2 hour long trip to Target.

The Bebes 1st Halloween was about 2 weeks after we'd moved into our new house and we got her those cute hot pink glow in the dark pj's with skeletons on them.  I have the cutest picture of her.  We didn't do much other than pass out candy for the neighbor kids but it was a cute year.  Last year goobs was a little sick and Dave had to work so we stuck around inside and vegged on the couch in a seasonably appropriate shirt...no candy to be had.  Sigh.

.... reminiscing....

I remember Halloweens as a kid.  I don't remember so much the trick or treating.  For that matter I'm not really sure where I did it cause we lived in the country and there weren't a lot of neighbors.  I do however remember the costumes.  This is totally where I fail as a mom because my mother made almost EVERY SINGLE COSTUME for YEARS. In high school she made me a 50's poodle skirt, as a little girl I was a clown and Raggedy Anne and the Statue of Liberty.  I have so many amazing memories of the costumes my mom made me.  Maybe my poor kid will get ONE homemade costume at some point here.  Who knows.

Am I even making sense today?  I'm so loopy.  I think it's time for a sandwich...or a a nap.  I like both ideas.

Gooooodbye

Do I even make sense anymore?

These prenatal vitimans are SUPER and I have pretty nails and hair again which clearly is a very important problem to have.  Except my nails are beautiful and they are annoying to type with...beauty or function...beauty or function.

I'm rocking out to Pandora right now...I'm so exited for payday tomorrow to pick up a few new songs on iTunes.  I might post my few favorite playlists right now.  I'm sort of out of my pop phase which is great because WOW how uninspired was I.

I left my book(s) at home AGAIN today so I'm stuck talking to myself right here...in my little corner of the world.  Hope you all don't mind? :)

I still want some serious nachos.  My plans are to go out and get all the ingredients for nachos and see if I can duplicate them at home.  Lets be honest I have a little addiction to queso and its a great excuse to use my little dipper crock pot thing.  How "Mom" am I?  I do love me some crock pot.  Sign me up and buy me a minivan!  Anyway I think I can replicate the Moes, I just need to make a stop at World Market to get the super amazing thin chips.  That might be all thats missing.

I just ate a yogurt.  I know this will shock you but it tasted NOTHING like nachos.  Sadness is overtaking me.

*Mellow Dramatic?*

The newest Phillipa Gregory book came out in the last week; I get my iPad tomorrow.  I'm semi-coloning those because they go together.  I'm 12 dollars away from my first legally purchased e-book.  My plans for tomorrow evening are to wear my child out by running her around a mall to extreme exhaustion so that she falls asleep on the way home.  Also cause shes so stinkin cute when she falls asleep in the car.  That way I wont be a neglectful mother when we get home and just want to play with my new toy and veg in front of the computer on a Friday night absorbing new music and media.

Nachos?

Are you there?

Yawn.  Sigh.

Goodbye.

Where I rant and then throw in some cuteness to make up for it.

So let me start out by saying...I had one of those REALLY annoying cute weekends.  I went on a date with my husband which I promise...we never do.  I hate when people exaggerate and they are like...we never see each other we don't do things together and then all you hear about is how Angelina Jolie has no privacy...except she can manage to make it to 2-3 premieres a week and has appropriate outfits for those premiers and has what 6 children...lady..YOU...have a nanny...I do not.

Anyway I'm so fabulous when I'm off topic aren't I?  So we went on a date...and we went to the fancy theaters that have the super crazy lazy boy seats and they bring you blankets and amazing gourmet food.  I had these little spinach and artichoke cheese deep fried balls of goodness...and man...I forgot I was even on a date with Dave...

Dave's friend watched the goobs for us Friday night.  He asked that she be fed and in pj's before we left because his skill set really lies in building massive towers out of alphabet blocks and watching them be destroyed by a 2 year old.  

Saturday...was the magically day though...Saturday...my child let Dave and I stay in our bedroom...undisturbed till 9:15...NINE FREAKIN FIFTEEN....It was almost like we had a teenager who didn't want to hang out with us...she played in her room for almost 3 hours and left us alone.  Now...you can only imagine what we did with that free time...and you'd be totally wrong..because Dave went back to sleep and I tried to concentrate on a book over his snoring...we are SOOOO ROMANTIC...

The rest of the day was spent in true Lindso OCD style....we got the 3rd bedroom straightened up and in organized chaos...there is now a crib and a changing table...and a huge bookshelf full of junk..but it's one step closer to choosing a paint color and being done with all that craziness.  I know I know...I'm like what 5 minutes pregnant (thanks Mary) but really...we find out what we are having in September...and then its football season..and then the holidays and I promise you...I will NOT be pleasant if I have to smell paint fumes in January with no ventilation...and have to take down Christmas decorations 9 months pregnant...PROMISE.  So I may seem OCD but I'm truly defending this mentality...and telling everyone to lovingly shove it! xoxo super smiley face...obnoxiousness.

Sunday...I had another bout of OCD and was done with my list of activities before 10am....which was awesome...but I was left without a vehicle that housed a car seat so I was unable to free myself from the confines of my home...to forage for nachos...

Lets talk about this for a bit...apparently all I want are nachos...not just any nachos...I don't want to make them from scratch I don't want them as an appetizers at a chain restaurant.  I do not want them from an authentic Mexican hole in the wall fabulous restaurant...no no...I want them from Moe's.  I've now eaten at Moe's a total of 3 times...maybe...maybe only 2?  I don't know...what I do know is that their nachos are heaven on a platter...a plastic platter with a sheet of parchment paper covered in queso...did you hear me NACHOS...oh dear lord...why am I squeezing this into a rant post...these nachos deserve their own pretty bold post dedicated to their fantabulousness.  We went to Moe's last week...and Dave got the nachos...I didn't know about them before this point...I made Dave take me again on Saturday...and then I could barely last 24 hours and I needed them again.  I'm not sure what we are having for dinner but CLEARLY you know what my suggestion will be.  NOM NOM NOM

Okay so I need to get off that topic it's clearly making me wish Moe's was near by...siiiigh

Heres were I usually abruptly end and loose focus and move on to other things...like um...nachos...oooh whatever I give up...

I leave you with this....this happened over the weekend and its ANNOYINGLY cute.  It also has ridiculously bad volume so turn those speakers way up...get ready to hear some mediocre music....and sorry if the video is fuzzy...I'm not a vlogger...mostly cause I hate that word but I also just have my iPhone and its great..but it doesn't translate to this space well.

goodbye forevers....

Hillshire Farms...GO MEAT!

Go Go Away!

Dave and I are taking up a small challenge this week and not eating meat.  We went and bought a ton of veggies and while we would usually use them as sides, we are making them the main attraction this week.  We are huge veggie consumers, we just don't make them the main dish very often.

The other night we had pan fried eggplant and we are planning portobello burgers hopefully with a creamy corn and poblano pepper garnish...I'm excited to make an eggplant hummus I just have so many great ideas.  My one main issue is that I don't know how to make many main dishes that can be reheated for leftovers or lunches throughout the week.  I don't want to miss out on the flavor and the textures from the first time I make something.  If leftovers aren't perfect I wont eat them.  Sure I can reheat a side of carrots or mashed potatoes...but I don't know what sorts of main filling meals I can make at work with the use of a microwave and a toaster oven.  I can't spend the bulk of my day "making" my food in the toaster oven either .  I also was hoping for simple dishes that aren't full of calories that I can enjoy at work......warm.  

Right now i'm eating the fried eggplant leftovers that I reheated under the broiler on the toaster oven, because I didn't want them to get soggy and mushy cause that grosses me out...I'm totally a texture person.  Well guess what...they are soggy and mushy.  Bleh!

I'm a huge rice fan...I could live off rice...I can make multiple variations of the same dish with different veggies without getting bored...but....I shouldn't eat rice everyday...and because I like to contradict myself I would get bored if I had rice for dinner then rice for lunch the following day....everyday.  

So I'm hoping to learn something from this week and come out with a few more main dishes under my belt...at least I hope the belt still fits at the end of the week.  We shall see.  

PAAAALEASE Email me if you have any great ideas that are still refreshing and light as leftovers the following day.  I welcome the interest in my vegetable consumptions!

Love,

The girl who threw out her leftovers and is eating cold cucumbers....and maybe a Dove chocolate square...mmmmmmmm

I'm busy...

Not in general but right now I'm busy...I'm busy keeping my external hard drive "on" while using the computer because I'm uploading 705 photos to Snapfish...and if I don't keep using the computer my hard drive will turn off because as brilliant as we are over here, we cant manage to keep it on.  So here I am...being busy...typing....

I'm working on uploading a large selection of the Bebes year two photos so that when her birthday rolls around I'll have her photo book almost ready to go.  This year we aren't making one for the families/grandmas just for us...but I would like to get it done in a timely fashion...so I figure I can get it all uploaded and work on it anywhere...

40 of 705....its 9:11pm.....

This week has been downright insane...I'm exhausted from it.  It might also not help that I've been on and off sugar highs for the past few days due to that Easter Bunny visiting...stupid bunny..."he" I think its a he..but heck who am I kidding I made him up...I guess I can give him whatever gender I want...anyway HE bought way too much candy this year...and I....the female HE ate too much....

I think I may be confusing you all with my gender...akkkkward....

Anyway...while we sit here...lets just talk about the fact that one of my cats is passed out...ON my cute pink Coach wristlet..which in all honesty our child has claimed as her own because its the perfect size for a 'toddler purse' her sense of fashion is so on...I worry by the time she gets to kindergarten she'll be carrying a Kate Spade book bag...Heaven forbid they even create those.......

While I'm uploaded and sorting all these photos I've got the SAPPIEST STINKIN MUSIC on...its making me all "What a beautiful life I have" blah blah blah.  Good thing Dave's playing video games or I'd make him get all sappy with me...except he never gets sappy.  Theres something to be said about iTunes on shuffle and chronologically going through photos watching your child grow up that is all.....well...ANNOYINGLY EMOTIONAL....

Nick Drake: One of These Things First
Coldplay: The Scientist (whole other emotional sappiness with that song)

While I don't think of this as sappy....
Vertical Horizon: Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)
GOOD GRIEF that song sounds so pretty when your shuffling through your child learning how to put shoes on in slow motion....and then helping her Daddy whisk eggnog at Christmas.  FORGET THIS...it's ruining my street cred...except I cry at the drop of the hat and my street is really just a residential suburban circle with very average people on it and I'm sure they don't think I have street cred either.

116 of 705 16%....WILL THE CUTENESS EVER END??

Oh....Save Me by Unwritten Law...at least I'm not all "Precious" and "Touched" cause I'm soo over that...I'm totally rockin out...in a dark room...by myself.....I'm very cool......Promise....

"I went to Heaven...couldn't get in...for what I have done....I said forsake me he said your crazy you were too much fun"

I should totally switch to watching last Mondays episode of Chuck on Hulu...cause "OMG" Chuck and Sara finally got together THANK GOODNESS.....if you actually believed me when I tried to convince you that I wasnt sappy earlier...you should DOWNRIGHT KNOW I'M LYING when I say I was totally cool watching Chuck on Monday cause THEY ARE SOOOO MADE FOR EACH OTHER.  It was by far my favorite episode.  I did not handle their happiness well.  I balled...I was so excited.

Dave gets mad at me cause I don't cry at real life situations.  Happy, sad....crushing.... ecstatic....nope...but you put a 30 minute show on...heck you put an emotionally charged commercial on TV and I'm HOPELESS....balling.  I cry over SciFi a lot...I CANNOT make it through the first 10 minutes of Star Trek...when Kirks father sacrifices himself I draw parallels to my own life (yes...I do...I mean...it's normal right) and I loose it...not like a little crying...like I LOOOOSE IT...I can't handle it it's so sad.  Kirk has to grow up without a solid father figure...I mean cause clearly that guy on the cell phone who married his mom... doesn't seem super cool.

(Mona Lisa by Guster....mmmm Guster is for Lovers)
166 of 705 24%

Oh heck I just hit Easter photos and Lifesong- And Now My Lifesong Sing.  Here I go again!  Bring me a little aggressive punk rock....cause The goobs looks SO CUTE in her Easter dress and she came home from church with her 'He is Risen' picture which clearly she colored well at her 23 months and 16 days of existence on this earth.  She's got mad coloring skills (again the lies..) but she is passionate about it...I'll give her that.  Anyway the sap is back...oh crap...and now I'm poetic...MAKE IT STOP...

Okay we've moved on to BNL which will forever remind me of a road trip to University of Toledo with a guy friend to see them in concert...freshman year of college...shhh my parents don't know (how old am I?)

I've convinced myself I'm probably just not going to sleep tonight...YIKES....these photos are never going to finish uploading....

"This is where we used to live"

Maybe I should make popcorn?  At least the iPhone photos are small and upload quickly its just when I got the fancy camera out and pretending I know what I'm doing...those photos are huge and take for freakin ever...

I'm gonna bail on you now blog world...I need to watch Chuck...I said it out loud and now it must happen....

I'll leave you with this:

Because OH MY HEART IS MELTING....I hate being happy...seriously....

Also:

OK Go- This Too Shall Pass (not a good sign? I was kidding I love being happy...no joke...I'll just cry about it...like a normal overly hormonal person).
231 of 705 32%

BYE!

Eat my biscuits!

This is another one of those...blurt out my random thoughts posts okay?  Okay here we go!

So I can't stop bobbing around today.  I'm antsy or just strange, either way I'm scaring the people around me.  I'm also extremely online social today.  Too bad I'm never social in real life...and I like it that way...

I got an AMAZING deal on Omaha Steaks today...and the fact that I'm blogging about it really adds to my super cool levels doesn't it?  Being a mom is the coolest lame job ever!  Why I equate Omaha Steaks to being a mom I don't know... especially because my child inst old enough to cut her own food, why Steaks=Toddler=Mom of Toddler?  Well whatever!

I'm looking forward to getting the mail?  Have I ever expressed my mail love?  I think I have but lets refresh...I HATE SHARING MAIL RESPONSIBILITIES.  Why can't my husband just let me get the mail.  I LOVE getting the mail...(and wow responsibilities is a hard word to spell correctly in all caps....dude).

I'm also craving orange chicken for dinner but seeing as we don't have any oranges or deep fry oil...I will sadly hold my breath for a day when imitation Chinese food is readily available to me again.

What should I have for dinner?  That question is open for commentary suggestions and smacks in the face.

Yesterday I used the word Culs-de-sac and was really proud.  I didn't actually use it in context because when does anyone need to talk about multiple cul-de-sacs haha cul-de-sacs silly...but I mean I guess when I take up my life long dream to become a city planner I can use this knowledge...huzzah!

I ate TWO St. Patrick's day themed sugar cookies today and let me tell you...I'm feeling very Irish...except that I'm not really very Irish I'm mostly just a Finn...theres a smidge of Irish I "think" on my fathers side...but I'm not going to be drinking green beer any time soon or speaking with an accent so it's best just not to believe me when I say I'm feeling Irish..cause then I'll just go off on a tangent and well...that would be bad.

I followed a link yesterday off a blog I read regularly and it took me to a Catholic news website.  It was really interesting and I was reading this really cute blog post on big families (I'm sorry I would cite it but I can't find it...my bad) and it was just a good humored nice family piece...I scrolled down to read some of the comments and after a while I fell upon one that was extremely negative and basically ripping "Catholics" so they say a new one and telling the other people commenting that they were crazy for wanting lots of children and the government should regulate this etc etc.  I personally don't have a problem with how many children anyone has, and I'm a huge fan of Catholics...but my argument against this person really has nothing to do with what they said...I'm just ASTOUNDED that this person who clearly hated what this blogger and what Catholic doctrine often leans towards or dictates went out of their way to find a blog they knew they would disagree with just to tell people off.  I don't surround myself with people like that so it's hard for me to understand someone powered by hate (of anything) to go lash out.  Thats like me saying I hate bananas and purposefully going to the Chiquita website and yelling at them for promoting something I personally don't like.  (except I really do like bananas...I promise...they are tasty!)  I just can't see being fueled so much by dislike that you'd go to a site and become your own instigator.  I have better things to do than that.

Off my soap box....lets see family and friends...I've been spending a lot of time at home with my hubby and the bebes.  We rearranged the living room last weekend to get our 3rd bedroom cleaned out.  We are hoping to sometime soon get an actual bed in the bedroom...I know...me and my crazy pipe dreams.  I'm really excited to hunker down in there soon and clean up my own mess....my mess has been kinda hidden by a larger Dave mess so its slowly getting cleaned up I can go and organize all of my drama in there.

I'm also hoping to bust out my sewing machine soon.  I need to make a pretty cover for an old bench/toy box that we are going to repaint to go in our entryway and I want to make boxes (I can't think of what they are called right now) to go over the windows to cover the top of the wood blinds and decorate...I'm dumb what are they called? Anyway thats in the works...I'm also wanting to make Christmas stockings for the family...which I should probably get going on because hello...theres only 10.5 months till Christmas...and it will probably take me two years to make them lol

I think thats all I can come up with for today.  Other than you know...this:


I'm gonna knock you out....

Oh my...seriously cut me off!






P.S. What does 'eat my biscuits' have to do with any of this?  I can't even begin to explain....

2010

So I'm a solid 6 days late on this post...I mean heck it is technically still 2010...I have a few hundred more days till I'm truly late.

It's been a really crazy couple of weeks.  In the last month we traveled through 3-4 different states, saw TONS of family, more than we normally see at the holidays, enjoyed lots of breakfasts, had a few visitors, missed our babysitter terribly, she came back and we let her know how much we missed her, made meatloaf, bought a 2nd turkey, lots of cookies, some from 20 years ago, traveled...did i mention we traveled?  Bought and wrapped more presents than ever, enjoyed our first Christmas with an active toddler who LOVES to unwrap gifts, assembled toys, read a few cookbooks, crockpotted, enjoyed some coke-a-cooola, visited friends, celebrated a 3rd anniversary, ate some subs, drank A LOT of coffee...and there was surely some other stuff in there too...

It's been a really busy few days of 2010 but also really lame.  I so enjoy lame.  I can't even express in words how much I love lame.  We are still working out the details of our vacation which is EXACTLY three weeks away!  Huzzah.  We have no idea where we are going...but hopefully I'll have it all planned out by Friday.  I've already started packing!  I've got some mini toiletries...and a toothbrush holder...I know I know...I'm high class.

I'm a bit wired and exhausted today.  The bebes decided to go to bed 2 hours later than normal...wake up at 12:45...stay up till around 3:30 and then wake me up at 5:45....and then pass out for another hour and a half...(with me...snuggling...ooooh man the mommy gene really kicked in..I TOTALLY understand cosleepers now...dang...)  So anyway it was a very long night.  I'm armed with a lot of caffeine and chocolate this morning.  Which is only serving to make me feel like I should go eat a salad...and jitter like a super freak.

Otherwise its cold here...well no...its FREEZING here...its cold in places like Ohio where theres 3 feet of snow...but in the Chicago area its flippin freezin!

I'm excited to head home today spend some time with my family, clean my house a bit and then curl up in bed and pass out HOPEFULLY till tomorrow morning...HOPEFULLY someone will sleep through the night...or someone(s) meaning all of us...that would be awesome!

I'm looking forward to an entertaining week end and weekend and booking my vacation...and getting caught up on life...reading a few books...and sleeping just a little bit (or a ton...either way...there will be sleep)

I'm really doing a miserable job today typing talking thinking or putting any of those combos together...maybe i'll try again sometime soon.

Peace out with pickles.....or whatever haha

Countdown till Christmas!

I LOVE Christmas.  I love the religious aspects of it, I love the materialistic aspects of it.  We always spend Christmas Eve with my husbands family and their (newish) church is becoming one of my favorite places to celebrate Christmas.  They have a large Deaf and Hard of Hearing population and I love watching the signing of the singing.  I wish my signing skills were up to par!  Their church does an exceptional job of reminding us that this holiday isnt filled with gifts and food for kicks.  It's really about the birth of Jesus.

Anyway this will be our 2nd Christmas as a family of 3 and the bebes is REALLY getting into it this year.  We got the fisher price nativity set for her and this way we have physical objects she can touch and relate to while we talk to her about Christmas.  It also plays music which is not such a bad thing!  We've learned she LOVES to help unwrap gifts even if they aren't for her and her new favorite word is tee (tree).

Yesterday we had to hit up urgent care for the bebes and myself because we were hit over the weekend with a sore throat swollen glands painful ears 102 temp and massive sinus issues (for me) and a wicked one ear infection (for bebes) that the Dr said was one of the worse she'd ever seen.  After 6 HOURS of doctors and pharmacies we arrived at home...took our med and passed out for 4 hours each.  Thank goodness we went yesterday it looks like we'll be back to our normal healthy selves by Christmas.

I'm so excited to cram in 4 different family events in 2.5 days and then head back home to relax for a week with Dave and the bebes.  Dave and I have our 3 year wedding anniversary.  I know I know...we are suuuuch an old married couple haha  It should just be a good time off with friends and family.

I have a few more gifts to wrap and one more to purchase.  A quick selfish trip to the mall and some cookies to bake...and I should be ready.  I'm so not stressed this year its been really great.  I'm so prepared I'm glad too because this weekends sickness festivities would have really put a wrench in my plans if things needed to get done.  My house may be a mess but no ones going to see it...I'll deal with it after Christmas.  For now...I'm just relaxing...doing some laundry so I don't look 'special' in front of family...and enjoying the season.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and some tasty cookies and a few extra calories and are able to enjoy all the wonderful people in your lives.

I am Thankful.

Most years we celebrate Thanksgiving as a small family of three (or two because the bebes hasn't been around that long).  My husband is in retail...we can't make it home for Thanksgiving...we've never made it home for Thanksgiving.  It's always just us...a straggler friend here and there...and a lot of leftovers...mmm I love leftovers!

This year though...THIS YEAR...we have family coming.  I'm so excited my parents are coming up for Thanksgiving.  We love to cook for people and its nice to just relax with family.  Dave has been brining the turkey since this morning.  I'm heading home shortly to work on sides and appetizers.  Tomorrow should actually be pretty low key.

Our normal holiday traditions usually center around my mom and I cooking/baking/running around like crazies...while my step-dad watching James Bond on Spike TV.  Now I didn't check the schedule for Spike yesterday but I do know the SyFy channel will have a Bond marathon and heck...we own all of them so it shouldn't be a problem.  I can guarantee that the volume will be up so loud that it will be a challenge for any of us to talk over it.  My Dad has little understanding of the fact he MAY be loosing some of his hearing...and probably has been for the past 30 years....

Anyway I'm excited...I bought a $2.50 turkey decoration to really class up my house.  Ironically the dining room looks very classy...the turkey brings it down a few notches.  Right where I like it.

Okay I'm done rambling...bring on the pie...I am thankful for pie.

(And yes I'm thankful for about 2938473 other little things right now...but I'm hungry and not so nostalgic.  Maybe I will be later?  Maybe not?)

A list for my Houseversary

Today....is our 1 year Houseversary. Ooooh Happy House!

For my own benefit I wanted to make a list of all the things we've gotten done around our house in the past year....so feel free to stop reading now...because this might be boring...annnd here I go.

1. Dining room was baby blue, is now dark tan, chocolate brownish color.

2. Dining room light was industrial line from Ikea, one of their 'not going to last a lifetime' items. Light was replaced with old world antique looking chandelier.

3. Shades and curtains replaced Ikea sliding panels that didn't fit the window properly to begin with.

4. Dining room is so 'done' that I actually could and have staged it for dinner. The only room in the house that is totally complete.

5. Large accent wall in Living room is painted with same color as dining room to help create flow and continuity between rooms.

6. Family room is a soft yellowish cream color, better than the white grey that preceded it. Glad the patched holes I've been looking at for the better part of 6 months are gone.

7. Entryway is almost completely painted. I'm calling this a finished project because we are one can of paint away from it being done. It used to be baby blue too...or in some parts not painted at all.

8. 3 Pictures as of two weeks ago are OFFICIALLY hung where I want them and not just prehung because we hadn't painted yet and I wanted to see what they looked like in a specific spot.

9. Well water has been studied researched broken and fixed successfully by Dave. I think he learned a lot which is pretty awesome! lol

10. Cat door installed. Way to bring profit back into your home by craving a hole in a hollow door and inserting a place for animals to run through. Worst idea for resale best idea for Lindsos mental stability.

11. Office florescent light was taken down from kitchen and replaced with really pretty and simple florescent light from Costco...Horray Costco!

12. Entryway and hallway lights have gone from classy shiny butt ugly gold lanterns to simple silver lights. The chandelier needs to be replaced still but the old one is down, we just need to install the new one. Which I guess should go in 'in progress projects.'

In progress projects:

1. Kitchen cabinet knobs...gone....need to be replaced with new ones in drawer

2. Kitchen needs to be painted red, may happen this weekend.

3. Lavender bathroom is still lavender despite having the paint for over 6 months to paint it.

4. Living room need to be painted same color as entryway...maybe I could convince Dave to paint it Jute...one shade darker? Hummmmm.

Future projects not really started yet:

1. Bathroom vanity fixture and mirror need to be purchased so I can hang my cute art work in small 1/2 bath downstairs...yes I want an entire bathroom completed so I can hang a small picture.

2. All three bedrooms need completed but that's being put on hold till after Christmas and Vacation and way in the future...other children will play into how we handle extra bedrooms.

3. Framing, Drywalling, and Flooring the basement for more usable space. What fun that will be!

Just writing all of that has totally exhausted me. Holy Cow! Looking back Dave's done a lot of work! Maybe I should be nicer to him?