Saturday, February 18, 2012

Hodge Podge of Things

This post has a Hodge-podge of things.

First I started working on Olivia's birthday! Ahhh! Can't believe she is going to be one!!!

Second we have a little helper.  She started helping with the dishwasher.

Third we went and visited Brendon at his bike race and she did a great job.  There will probably be another post with pictures since we had 2 cameras and I only have one right now while writing this! 

Birthday invites!


Birthday cookie cutter recipes!

Helping with the dishwasher



Chilling at Daddy's bike race!

I love these blue chairs!

Trying to crawl across the table

Chomping on my monkey

Hey daddy!

Oh no daddy!

Family shot!

Olivia "walking" at the bike race

Olivia "walking" at the bike race

Friday, February 17, 2012

Testing the limits

Olivia today started really testing the limits.  She LOVES the stairs.  I probably pulled her off of them about 20 times today with a, "No!" attached to it.  Didn't work.  Also she can climb up on things now.  Brendon has a rocking video game chair and she figured out how to climb up on it, sit on it, and climb it like a monkey.  She looks like she is scaling a wall. Funny but not funny.  That resulted in saying no about 20 more times today.  It was a beautiful day today and I was so happy to have today off! I got groceries done this morning, a 4 mile run, and Brendon even got a bike ride in. 

Probably the biggest disaster today happened with Jake.  I was getting Olivia out of her crib and changing her diaper after her afternoon nap.  All of a sudden I heard crashing glass! Uh oh! Jake knocked over my lovely Pyrex pan that Brendon made brownies in this morning for his bike race tomorrow.  Uh! What a mess.  So I put Jake in time out (his crate) and put Olivia in her exersaucer.  Then swept the floor, wiped the floor, and vacuumed the floor which caused loud screaming and crying from Olivia.  It was probably the worst 15 minutes I have had in a long time.  But got it all cleaned up.  I am still paranoid about the glass but that Dyson can really suck things up! I hope we make it to the park tomorrow before it rains to see Brendon in his bike race!

The stairs...out worst nightmare!


Loves to look at books!


Going from chair to drawers!

Super stretch!

Back to chair!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Putting stuff away

Sigh... we are starting to put some stuff away that Olivia isn't using anymore.  Her little bath tub we don't use and we don't use the swing anymore.  I tried putting her in the swing last week and her head was hitting the little animals that spin around and she was trying to rock like a real swing.  But now we are getting big girl toys! I am a little sad that she is growing up way too fast.  Last night when I checked on her before bed I wished I could take a picture of her snuggled up with her Lamby doll.  It was just precious!

Who doesn't love khakis?!?!?

Clothes from the sale yesterday



What's up with my swing mama?

I'll just check out the toy box

Bye bye swing!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Super Deals

Consignment season is open! I never knew what consignment sales were until my friend Michele told me about them and how you can get some super deals on clothes and toys.  I went to my first one last year when I was pregnant and picked up some pretty good deals.  I have gone to a few and so has Brendon to find toys and clothes for Olivia.  There is kind of an art to it.  Here is what I have found that works for me.

1. Know what you are looking for.  The sales are usually by season.  So a spring sale will have spring and summer clothes etc.  Know what sizes you are looking for and what kinds of toys are you looking for.

2. Be patient.  There are usually long lines (remember people are buying lots of stuff).  There is also lots of people looking for stuff too so the aisles have lots of people.

3. Find a good time to go.  The first days of a sale are crazy and find times that other people are at work etc. Refer back to number 2- be patient.

4. Know how much you are willing to pay for an item. If you know you are looking for a certain toy- price it before you go and see how much you are really saving.

5. Look for others while you are there.  If you see something for friends' children etc. be a nice friend and pick the item up for them.

6. Be proud of how much you saved!

Here are some of the things I got today!

This picture does not do justice to all the clothes for Olivia from the consignment sale.

Valentine goodies that came from Grandma and Grandpa- can't wait until we practice with the vacuum!

New toys!

Consignment find #1- retail about $110, I paid $40! Works perfect and is great shape!


Consignment find #2 Playskool walk and ride, retail about $30, I paid $18.  Perfect condition!




Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!

Olivia celebrated her first Valentine's Day.  Daddy and Olivia had lots of fun this morning.  When I came home from work I brought a special lunch home- Chicago Dogs and Chili Cheese Fries for Brendon.  He was so surprised! Then we exchanged presents.  We tried going out to dinner for Valentine's Day twice the past 2 days and it just didn't work out with Olivia being so fussy and sicky.  Trust me I am very used to celebrating holidays not on their actual date.  Besides I know Brendon doesn't love me any less because we didn't have dinner for Valentine's Day on the exact date.  What we did was special for the day-trust me I don't need anything fancy anyways.   Olivia and I took a quick trip to go see her Godmother and Kristy and Shawn to give them Valentines! Olivia even got some Valentines in return! After lunch Olivia took an awesome (being sarcastic) 35 minute nap this afternoon and then was up crying.  Therefore I did not get much school work done.  But we sure did play a lot and had lots of hugs and kisses.

Checking on my brew

Daddy gave me a dragon!

Chicago Dogs...yummm Brendon (and Bill's favorite)

Olivia's Valentine to her daddy!

The hands are Olivia's and on the crinkle part it says "This Much"

Brendon's present (the best man present a woman could get for her Valentine!)

Best Valentine from a student- Love some Bieber!

Flowers for me!

The sweetest Valentine!

Mommy I do not like this headband!

Valentine from Kristy!

Checking out my cards!

Hey- How you doin'? You wanna be my Valentine? (this was the sweet picture that Brendon sent me at school- excuse the drippy nose but she still is cute!)

Monday, February 13, 2012

Manic Monday

Today was a manic Monday.  Olivia still wasn't feeling the greatest.  She is still stuffed up and a little bit of runny nose.  We just hope that she is not getting an ear infection.  Daddy took Olivia to Academy Sports this morning.  We did go to Gymboree today and Olivia stood on her own a few times.  After we got home from Gymboree Olivia was majorly fussy.  She fell asleep on the car ride home and then didn't nap once she got home.  Then she didn't want to eat and all sorts of fussiness.  After she ate she was better.  We played and daddy gave Olivia a bath.  She slammed her bottle before bed and is out like a light!

Loves to play with Jake's toy box

And now tries to climb on top of it.

Playing with the kitchen

Standing on my own!





Finally crawled through the middle!
Shopping at Academy Sports and looking at the bikes!