The Never Ending House To-Do List | Part 1

A fitting post title:)

Here is what I would currently like to tackle over time, for the 1st floor:


DOWNSTAIRS

Living Room:
--Hang artwork
--Hook up surround sound (the previous owner put a Bose system in our living room but we never hooked it up..slackers, I know)
--Re-Paint the Accent wall a different color? Maybe Navy?
--Get a basket for blanket storage
--New sofa

Kitchen:
--New pendant light over the sink
--Re-organize cabinets for baby items
--New baking storage canisters
--Artwork at the peninsula
--Hang mail holders
--Fix Broken Dishwasher

Dining Room:
--New dining furniture set
--floor rug
--hang photos/artwork
--Create small desk/work area for me?
--new draperies

Staircase:
--Hang large wedding canvas
--new frames on collage wall
--Remove 1/2 wall at the top of the stairs and turn into railing with balusters? I've had this idea for a long time but I worry that this change would be less kid-friendly.


OUTDOORS

Garage:
--Re-program garage door so that it actually works
--Organize. Organize. Organize.

Porch: 
--Seasonal decorations
--spray for ants and bees
--Finally plant some new flowers
--Clean furniture
--Re-stain front door

Backyard:
--Patio Project
--Make it much more awesome.
--Find a way for Kona to not dig out of the fence.


The ones in red are obviously things we HAVE to do instead of our wants.  Because when you own a house, there's always something that's broken or needs fixed I feel like!

 

House Projects

Ahh the lovely experiences of homeownership.  We have been in our 1st home for 3 1/2 years now.  It's crazy how time flies.  We have already gotten some of the big and little projects off of our my our list, but I think when you own a home there is always the next project that is on the honey-do list either because you want to or because you have to.  Here's a re-cap of some things we've done already...this list is surprising me with how long it actually is:

DOWNSTAIRS

Initial House painting:
Living Room accent wall and Dining Room Faux Finishing, man cave

Thermostat Replacement

Living Room Draperies

The year-long kitchen remodel which included:
Cabinets
Hardware
Granite
Backsplash
Sink
Faucet
Peninsula Chandelier
Accent Wall
Patio Doors

Kitchen artwork


UPSTAIRS

Guest Bath Refresh included painting & over-toilet towel rack

Master Bedroom Remodel included:
Painting
Artwork
New Furniture (when we moved into our house)
Flooring
Rug
Bedding
Draperies

Upstairs Hallway Nightlight Receptacle

Closet Door Giftwrap Organizer

Of course the Nursery/Bedroom3 Remodel which included:
Flooring
Painting
Furniture & décor
Ceiling Fan
 
Then there was the Flood which prompted:
New Washer & Dryer
Ceiling patching & painting
New flooring downstairs
Replacement carpet on 2nd floor hallway and staircase
Replacement Vinyl floor in laundry closet

Hallway art project

Hanging our Photo collage frame on the staircase


 GENERAL

Getting things on the walls always seems to take forever.  We still don't have this completely done.

Having my own space for art/crafting/sewing.  This is a work in progress and my "art corner" from this post actually no longer exists.  Thanks Pack & Play.

Landscaping will be the death of me.  We haven't really done anything in the past couple years.  Probably should get on that.




 ...I've been itching to tackle some projects lately.  I feel like so many rooms are halfway how I want them, or we have things partially done.  Instead of doing a little here and a little there, I think I want to start tackling one thing at a time to completely get it done.  So, look for that list tomorrow and I will of course slowly update as things get checked off the list!

 

What We're Loving Wednesday | My Favorite Blogs

I really love blogs.  Not only writing my own but reading others as well.  Writing this blog started as a way to share what was going on in mine & Jake's life as we were wedding planning and life as newlyweds, since I have a lot of family out of town/state and I could keep everyone in the loop very easily.  Now it's adapted into sharing updates on Ryleigh and other random things going on in our lives.  But mostly Ryleigh.  Cause she's the cute one everyone cares about anyway ;)

I love reading blogs, especially good "mommy blogs" because they give good ideas and some comic relief, and they help you realize that everyone has tough days [like when you're trying to pump in the morning and you hear a diaper explosion happen....] but everyone also has really great moments that make it all worth while.  These are ones I read on a daily basis:

3 Ladies & Their Gent
Amber is a young momma of twin girls and married to her firefighter husband.  She shares stories and photos of her adorable girls, and also some great baby food recipes and toddler eating ideas.  She is a registered dietitian so you can trust that her recipes and toddler meal plans give a nice, balanced diet.

Little Baby Garvin
Jessica is a momma of two girls, Harper and new little baby Eloise.  I think she can be credited with being one to start the chalkboard pregnancy update craze with her cute designs while she was pregnant with Harper.  She is refreshingly open and down to earth, and even her shortest blog posts are entertaining.  I love all of her fashion and decorating ideas.

Mix and Match Family
Shay Shull is the sister of Sean Lowe from the Bachelor.  This is her family blog, I also follow her foodie blog [info below].  She has two adorable kids and shares about everyday life with them and her hubby.  They are travel agents, so she shares stories of their trips and travel ideas for lots of fun places.  They are also currently going through the foreign adoption process so she has started sharing a little bit about that, although she's not giving tons of details until they bring their new daughter home, for privacy. 


And of course the designer in me loves some home décor blogs:

Bower Power
Katie is a wife and a momma to her three little boys.  She and her husband are very into DIY projects so her blog is mostly about that, while mixing in stories of her boys in between.  She is humble and sarcastic and always finds a positive outlook on things.  I wish I had her drive and planning skills to slowly tackle house projects.  I just get overwhelmed with my ideas and never get around to anything.

Tiny Talk
This is a party planning blog from Tiny Prints [a Shutterfly company].  I love seeing their ideas!



And I love, love, love this food blog:
Mix and Match Mama
This is Shay's foodie blog, and the best food blog I've ever found.  Her recipes are amazing and she has a ton of them.  We have tried so many and they have all been delicious...to name a few favorites: Lemonade Pie, S'mores Cookies, Chicken Pot Pie, Caramel Apple Cider Bundt Cake, Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings and the list goes on.  What I love about her recipes are that (1) her apps, dinners, and desserts are all fabulous. Sometimes a source is only really great at one of those categories, but you can get them all from her! (2) they are pretty simple.  You can easily find quick options for a weeknight dinner or last minute dessert to bring somewhere. 



 

 

37 Weeks....Baby is Full Term!

 

This past weekend Jake and I had maternity pictures taken by the very talented Griffin Poulter Photography [GPP facebook page] and I must admit I'm a little obsessed with them.  I was so nervous going into Saturday of how they would turn out--would the lighting in our nursery come out right, would the room be too small to get good shots, would the weather hold out since it was calling for rain, would I feel pretty or feel like a blimp?  I could not be happier with not only the final product, but also with our whole experience!  Griffin was very thorough, making sure to get all of the shots that we wanted [from posing/style ideas found on pinterest] as well as making some suggestions of her own.  Looking at these pictures makes me so excited to welcome our little girl :)

How far along?  37 weeks, 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: +29 lbs 

Maternity clothes? Yes. 

Sleep: I'm getting in about 2-3 hours straight before I have to get up to turn over, go to the bathroom, eat a snack, or let the dogs out.  I guess it's preparing me for nights with a newborn though!

Best baby moment this week:  Seeing our maternity pictures! 

Have you told family and friends: Yes

Miss Anything?  Sleeping through the night.  Moving quickly.  
 

Movement: Little baby feet in my ribs...rolling around in there...

Food cravings: Granny Smith apples w/peanut butter! Lots of fruit.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really

Have you started to show yet: oh yes

Gender: girl- Ryleigh Marie :)

Labor Signs: Found out at my appointment this week that some changes are already happening...which doesn't necessarily mean I'm about to go into labor, but hopefully this will make the labor process a little quicker/easier when it does happen...Definitely a reality check though!  I can't believe that my due date is less than 3 weeks away.....

Belly Button in or out?  Half & half?

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy/tired.  

Looking forward to:  Continuing to get things settled around the house...also starting to pack my hospital bag and we need to install the car seat...just in case!

 

 

 

Baby Gear assembly!

Well we had a very fun and productive weekend!  Thanks to some amazing family, friends, and a few coupons, the corner of our living room has looked like this since my baby shower a couple weekends ago [post about the shower coming soon once I upload the pictures!]:

And as of yesterday, every single one has been assembled!  We feel quite accomplished.  Our living room currently looks like a baby store showroom, but these will be making their way to their "places" around the house and in the car very soon :)

In case it's hard to tell from the boxes, here are the items we've gotten for baby Ryleigh...

1. My Little Lamb Platinum Edition Rock N'Play Sleeper / This is what we are using for the bassinet while Ryleigh is sleeping in our bedroom.  I like that she will be sleeping at a slight incline [although I hope that doesn't cause issues when we transition her to her crib later..] and it's the perfect height for sitting beside the bed.  All parts of it are very soft and breathable, and I love how easy it is to fold up or to carry and move around. 

2.  Britax B-Agile & B-Safe Travel System / This choice went heavily on safety ratings and reviews.  Britax is a great brand, and these will be two of the most used pieces for not only Ryleigh but also more than likely for Baby #2 whenever she/he comes along in the future.  Typically strollers & car seats have a "lifespan" of 5-7 years so we wanted something great quality, gender neutral, and a stroller that was easy to fold and use.  Once we saw this demonstration video we were sold.  Of course, Jake wanted it in Georgia Red :)

3. Fisher-Price Discover N'Grow Gym / This play mat just had really great reviews when I was looking at all of the different play gyms for tummy time & stimulation.  I like that it is so versatile and can "grow with the baby" for the different stages of play and learning. 

4. Fisher-Price Deluxe Monkey Bouncer / I have heard mixed reviews about whether or not to get a baby swing [price vs. use], so instead I looked for a good bouncy seat because I've heard they are generally much more useful.  This seat is actually more on the affordable side, but has fantastic reviews.  I love that the activity bar is electronic and has lights and sounds for stimulation, this is the only one that I have seen like that. Usually, if there is an activity bar it just has dangling stuffed toys.  The activity bar is removable so this will also be a great little spot for her to take naps and relax.

5. Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper / I admit, I totally buy into the Baby Einstein brand.  I love for every toy or book to be educational in some way.  I think it's great that they have a purpose to the reason things are colored a certain way or including different patterns on things.  Even when babies are too young to understand, they are still getting the visual exposure to the concept.  This jumper has great reviews and lots of fun things to play with. 

6. Graco Pack N'Play with Reversible Napper & Changer / I really like the Graco brand, and their pack n' plays have great reviews.  I really like these ones with the napper/changer attachment so that we have a convenient little changing table when we are traveling, or even if this just ends up being set up in our living room.  We chose the Scribbles pattern because it's a nice gender neutral color and pattern, and it just so happens to match the colors in our house really well too!

 

31 Weeks!

Not the best picture, but it was the only one we got on Christmas day!

How far along?  31 weeks, 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: +23lbs...darn those Christmas cookies! haha but really things seem to be on track and my OB is happy with where we're at so far....

Maternity clothes? All the time!  Now I'm also trying to focus on nursing clothing and taking that into account when/if I purchase any clothing.

Sleep: Seems to be okay...getting tired and taking some weekend or evening naps here and there.  I've gotten a few leg cramps in the middle of the night which is not fun.  I'm having a little more back/hip pain as this bump gets bigger and bigger so sometimes it's difficult to figure out a way to lay that is comfortable.

Best baby moment this week:  Several!  Jake and I went to childbirth class on Saturday and learned lots about preparing for the exciting, yet dreaded, childbirth.  I have to admit that it pretty much scares the mess out of me.  But, I'm now feeling super informed and finding some confidence in myself and the choices that Jake and I will make for bringing our daughter into this world.  We had a great instructor and both really liked the class.  

 

On our way home from class, we bought little one's crib mattress!  Selecting one seems overwhelming and impossible to do with all of the choices available, but I did some research and we settled on the Lullaby Earth Stage 2 crib mattress from Buy Buy Baby [thank you 20% off BBB coupon!].  It's a huge matter of personal preference, but the important aspects came down to organic materials, firmness/support, and it's waterproof so it will be easy to clean and hold up well.

 

Also all the love and Christmas gifts for Ryleigh :)  She's already one lucky little girl.  She got some outfits and pj's, bedtime prayer board book, squeeze/teethe blocks, and two handmade quilts!  I had to hold myself together when I opened up the beautiful quilt from my friend Shanti, which she also had embroidered with Ryleigh's name and it has the softest minky fabric back.  That will keep her warm next winter for sure! 

Have you told family and friends: Yes

Miss Anything?  Being able to sit down and get up quickly...being able to get dressed quickly...being able to do anything quickly...haha

Movement: lots, especially around meal times or after 7:30pm.  Night owl!

Food cravings: Still pasta, chocolate milk, and juice!  Trying out some out-of-the-ordinary flavors but not necessarily weird--like Hawaiian pizza.   

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really

Have you started to show yet: Oh yes :)  belly bump is measuring right on track at 32cm/32 weeks [I've been measuring 4 days ahead for a while now]

Gender: GIRL!  

Labor Signs: No, hopefully not until sometime in February!

Belly Button in or out?  In, but getting pretty shallow. 

Wedding rings on or off? On, but some days it's a little snug.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy/tired.  I do get emotional over sad/sweet things.  

Looking forward to: More nursery progress, and celebrating on New Year's Eve--closing out one pretty great year and looking forward to 2014 because I know it will be even better!  Also our maternity pictures and baby shower coming up in a few weeks!

 

 

 

29 Weeks!

Whoa hello 3rd trimester!  I can't believe we are already a week in, and that I'm going to be 30 weeks next week! That number just makes me feel like I'm sooo far along! 

Had my Glucose test this morning for my 28/29 week appointment.  I guess it wasn't quite as horrible as I had built it up to be, but it was still pretty nasty.  I took the first sip of my drink [I had the red one] and thought "well, maybe this won't be so bad" because it tasted like really strong Hawaiian Punch.  However, by the time I got to the bottom of that bottle I was questioning if I'd be able to hold it down for an hour!  I was told to put it in the refrigerator so that it tasted better, but I think that made it thicken a little.  Yuck--makes me gag just thinking about it again.

Everything else at the appointment seemed good! Measuring on track, baby's strong heartbeat at 143 bpm, and got my T-dap [whooping cough] vaccine.  Also found out yesterday at my follow-up renal ultrasound--for checking my kidneys/Hydronephrosis--that baby girl is head-down.  Of course, it's early and she could still move, but that's a good sign for being on track for a "normal" delivery.

Me & hubs before my company Christmas dinner last weekend :)

How far along? 29 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: +20lbs...little bit of a jump in the past month! Let's blame it on Thanksgiving....

Maternity clothes? All the time!  With a couple pre-prego shirts and sweaters mixed in, although those options are starting to dwindle because they won't fully cover my belly. [And let's be honest--some of Jake's sweatpants and shirts for comfy lounge clothes and pajamas!]

Sleep: This past week, pretty terrible.  I think it's a combination of being extra tired from the weather, a growing baby, Jake's crazy work schedule last week, the dogs being unsettled because of the weird work schedule, lots of things to do.....I guess I've probably over-done it a bit.  I just can't seem to get comfortable, my kidneys have been acting up again [but still not as painful as 6 weeks ago-thankfully!], I've had more back pain from my ever-growing belly.....the list goes on.  I'm just glad that although I toss and turn all night long, the sleep I do get is pretty darn good--like when you've only been asleep for 45 minutes, wake up/toss & turn, and feel like it's been 5 hours--so I'm not walking around like a zombie all day. 

Best baby moment this week:  Feeling her STRONG kicks.  Some so hard that they move my whole body.  Jake was talking to my belly the other night, and she kicked so hard my belly hit him in the face! haha...Also, had a great time Black Friday shopping!  I found some great deals on things like picture frames and a bookcase for her nursery :)

Have you told family and friends: Yes

Miss Anything?  Being able to sit down and get up quickly...being able to sleep on my back or my stomach...putting on socks or underwear without difficulty...

Movement: tons

Food cravings: Still pasta.  Always TONS of milk, chocolate milk, and juice!  Ice cream/milkshakes--not necessarily a craving but it's the only thing that seems to help my terrible indigestion/acid reflux or whatever it is. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: The drink for my glucose test made me super queasy.  I think the worst part was having to have an empty stomach.

Have you started to show yet: Oh yes :)

Gender: GIRL!  

Labor Signs: No, and better not for a while!

Belly Button in or out?  In, but getting a little shallow. 

Wedding rings on or off? On, but some days it's a little snug.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy/tired.  I do get emotional over sad/sweet things.  My lack of sleep has made me a little moody/irritable this past week though.

Looking forward to: Childbirth class, Christmas, and getting the crib set up!

 

 

 

Bits & Pieces....and coupon codes!

Bits & pieces of the To-Do list are getting checked off!  One item down:  crib mobile.  I was checking my deal blogs and found that diapers.com is having some great discounts right now for Black Friday week.  The Tiny Love brand is 30% off [with code JOYTINYLOVE], and while perusing some of their items I found the cutest little mobile that will match perfectly to Ryleigh's nursery:

 

At least from what I can tell from the photos, the colors of the mobile are spot-on with her giraffe fabric!  Also, the mobile arm can detach and once she's too big for it, we can keep using the sound machine.  The sound machine also has a remote control, which might turn out to be handy.  The only thing I'm a little worried about is that a few of the reviews said they had a hard time fitting the mobile to their convertible crib, but eventually made it work with some Velcro or similar straps.  Hopefully it fits just fine, but if not it looks like we will need to get creative!

 

Here is another deal code for my momma friends and mommas-to-be!  Use my friends & family referral code at Diapers.com and you will get an additional 20% off your order!  code:  STAC0250

 

 

Yay for decorating, sales and progress!!!

 



 

Fiasco Avoided!

Well, let's take a peek at the nursery progress, shall we?!



Paint selection, Behr Premium in Botanical Tint

Accent Wall painted! [BIG thanks to my parents for helping!] 

And the big fiasco that was thankfully avoided...furniture lead times.  Let me tell you.  I've read several different things before about how some nursery furniture takes 4-6 weeks to come in, and we already picked out the set that we wanted, so I figured it was about time to order.  Thankfully I called and checked on that this week.  Of course, the set that we chose--after much research and discussion--has a lead time of 16-18 weeks!?!  what the #(*@#%$?! Just in case you need a refresher....we've only got 13 1/2 weeks left until our due date!  Well, we were extremely lucky and the Charlotte location of BuyBuyBaby had ONE double dresser in stock, but no crib.  I called the Columbia store, and they, by some act of God, had two cribs on order that should be arriving within two weeks.  One was already sold, so I snatched up the other one as quick as I could!!  We should be getting a call by December 5th to be able to go pick it up, so by mid December it should be all put together :)  I think seeing her crib [although it won't have sheets or anything yet] in the room will definitely make reality sink in a little more!

P.S.--Jake decided that as soon as I got the dresser home it had to be unboxed and brought up to the nursery.  My stubborn husband was determined to get it upstairs and in place.  It was my  job to carry the individual drawers up [and down and up and down] the stairs...talk about  a workout! haha...At least he knows the proper way to move and carry furniture since he had to pretty much get it upstairs himself.  I would help to "stabilize" while we maneuvered it around the staircase, all while he would fuss at me every two seconds not to pull or hold any of the weight.  Then, once we got it up in the room and the drawers back in, I walked back in the room to find him doing this:

...Those would be all of the beanie babies and stuffed animals that my parents had saved from my childhood for my children to play with.  We went through the boxes this past weekend and picked out a few bunch that were cute or girlie or she could possibly be obsessed with after watching a Disney movie [i.e. the Gorilla beanie baby if she likes The Jungle Book or Tarzan, the baboon beanie baby if she likes The Lion King, or the fish beanie baby if she likes Nemo].  I know that's a little silly but hey, we're first time parents :)  He also decided to take it upon himself to put the pants and onesies that are not being hung up in the closet into that top drawer...and he tried to throw away two little skirts that he deemed "too short".....ohhh, this little girl is in for some rough teenage years.