{quirky}

Hubby would dig this:

{found here}

Too bad it's a little more than I would normally spend on a clock...

a rutabaga???

What the heck is a rutabaga?  Obviously I need to scope out the produce section a little better.  Not only to see what it is, but to see how big Babe is this week.

Pretty creepy, huh?  I just hope she's a lot cuter than this thing!

I'm at week 25 now.  Only 3 more weeks in my second trimester.  It's pretty weird to think I'm over half way done.  Less than 20 weeks to go - at least, let's hope so!

Here are a few stats as of 25 weeks:

Energy level:  Pretty good.  I'm able to stay up later (most nights), get up early without too much resistance (again, most mornings), and don't need as many naps.  And I do have more energy and drive to take care of chores, tasks and such.

Cravings:  Nothing yet.  There might be things that sound good but I've never had an all out craving where I need something NOW.

Stretch marks:  None.  Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

Swelling:  None.

Other aches:  A little lower back soreness and some strong "side aches" when I'm exercising.  I think my running days may be slowing down. 

Weird things:  There are some times when I feel like my stomach is bigger, other times I feel completely normal.  I usually feel "heavy" at night.  It's weird.  I've also had a few nights in the past week where I've woken up in the middle of the night starving.  My hunger pains were such a distraction that I had to get up and eat a bowl of cereal to calm the growling down!

Movement:  I first felt her truly move around week 21.  Just four weeks later I can really feel the difference.  I feel her when I'm standing, sitting, lying down, pretty much any time I am still.  It's the strangest feeling.

Weight:  I have no idea what I'm currently at and don't plan to know until my doctor's appointment in a little over a week.  :)

Here's my baby bump at week 25.  Not a lot different than week 20 but I think I may have spread a little more.  Oh boy.

I'm hanging in there.  These are still pre-pregnancy pants thanks to the BeBand although a full panel maternity pant is SO much more comfortable!

it's a start

After going back and forth SEVERAL times (Hubby can attest to this) I think I've finally settled on a color scheme for the Babe's room.  When we found out we were having a girl, I didn't know what direction to go.  I didn't want to do anything too girly; I want to be able to reuse things for future babe(s), girl or boy.  But as we were browsing, I discovered unless I wanted to do pink, I was caught in serious gender neutral territory - greens, blues, browns.  Now don't get me wrong, those are great colors.  I love them myself and I'm a girl but the more I was looking at things, I wasn't completely sold on creating an ambiance that might leave some to question boys room or girls room?

Last week I was looking at bedding.  Not crib bedding as we're just getting sheets for the bed but bedding for the twin bed that is currently in Babe's room and will stay.  Our thought is to turn that bed into a corner and make it into a daybed in case we need to sleep/nap in her room or a sofa for extra seating and maybe a feeding station.  While I was browsing bedding, I came upon a print that I keep going back to with aquas, blues, greens.  Funny thing is I actually bought a wedding card for a friend of mine about a month ago which had a similar design - a flower with yellows and aquas and told Hubby how much I liked it.  This bedding was a dead ringer for the design on the card.  Last week I went to Target (man, Target always comes through for me!) and found they had the bedding in stock.  I took it straight to the baby isle.  Yep, it had enough variance in color that I can still get the standard colored crib sheets.  I took it home and held it up to our current wall color in Babe's room.  We will not need to paint!  All the colors in the bedding will coordinate with the "antique verde" color we current have on the walls.  I think Hubby was thrilled by this news.

So, here's the bedding I bought:

{images via Target}

So now that this is decided we might actually be able to begin some work in there.  The furniture will have to wait; we haven't made any final decisions about cribs so it will be a bit before deciding where Babe will sleep.  But I do feel relieved to have this decision made.  And I know Hubby is happy he doesn't have to worry about me changing my mind again.

frugalista ~ part 4

It's the season for rain and sun and Target's Liberty of London line does not disappoint.  They have footwear for the wettest of weather and kicks for those bright, sunny days.

I love these cute wellies.  I never think to look at these when I'm in the store; only when I'm rushing out to my car in a rain downpour as my pants and shoes get soaked.

Super cute flip flops for the summer.  Which print do you like best?  I'm partial to the navy.

earth day ~ 2010

Happy Earth Day!  I've always liked Earth Day.  For me, it's kind of the official start to spring.  Not only are we asked to be more Earth-friendly and eco-conscientious but we're encouraged to do things that give back to the planet.  Last year, Hubby and I gave back by planting this oak tree in our front yard.

We also took advantage of some green sales and bought ourselves a new dishwasher which we have LOVED using this year.

 

We have also tried to make some other simple and greener changes this year.

We planted a garden and potted herbs.

We started using cloth napkins instead of paper.

We are in love with our new and improved (HUGE) recycling bin and are thrilled we can now recycle glass at a drop off spot in our town.

And we try to use green cleaning products in most all possible situations.

The switch to be a bit greener hasn't been too hard.  And I've noticed more stores selling (and sometimes at a discount) more green items.  Remember when I was browsing at Target this past weekend?  My cart was full of green supplies thanks to their Earth Day sales. 

The radio station Hubby and I listen to asks what's your one thing - what one thing are you doing for the planet?  What is your one thing?  Check out the Earth Day Network to see what is happening this Earth Day, 2010.

As for this year, Hubby and I will be venturing into new Earth-friendly territory:

{more to come on this adventure!}

spring weekend ~ part 2

We once again traveled to Nebraska this past weekend. We are becoming regulars in the Cornhusker state as of late! This trip was dedicated to football. I know, its spring, right? Well, when you're in Nebraska, football isn't just a fall event and the 77,000+ fans at Memorial Stadium helped prove that theory. We were blessed with a beautiful day - sun, warm temps, a slight cool breeze - which provided for some great tailgating and game weather. It was fun to spend the day with a bunch of friends and even some family. And the best part of the day, Nebraska won. ;)

It's pretty crazy when there are 77,000 fans trying to get to their seats and you run into your cousins!

{sister, cousin, cousin, brother, me}

Great game day with Hubby - and it was Babe's first Husker game, too!

{just breathe}

I can't get enough of this Pearl Jam song. Not sure if it's because it's somewhat reminiscent of some of their older, more ballad-like songs or if it's because it's such a catchy little ditty. Enjoy.

frugalista ~ part 3

Today I visited Target to stock up on some green cleaning supplies (love the Earth Day sales...more to come on that later...) and ventured through the storage isles. I like to organize and always want to look at the newest and neat ways I can organize and store my items. We're also on the hunt for a few storage bins for the Babe's room for toys, books, diapers, etc. As I was browsing the isles I saw the brilliant prints of the Liberty of London line. They have storage bins, people! And they're super cute too.

spring weekend ~ part 1

This past weekend we traveled home for one of my best friends' wedding. It was a busy but super fun and special (and a tiny bit tiring) weekend. Being a pregnant bridesmaid was...interesting. Luckily my dress fit (couldn't even tell I was preggo), the maid of honor and my buddy is also pregnant and even though we had to toast with a non-big girl drink, we still had a blast!

I love these ladies!

Nothing beats an O'Douls.

With our nerdy, but sweet hubbies.

Hubby was a great date and a big help that weekend!

My favorite part of the weekend was spending time with my girlfriends. I loved our time laughing and telling stories as we got ready that day. And it was wonderful to see my friend, Sarah, so happy! Seeing that happiness and love is the best moment of a wedding.

sleeping spot

Today I begin my 23rd week and it's time we start thinking about a crib. I don't really have a specific crib in mind. I only want it to be safe, sturdy, and maybe a little eco-friendly (a non-toxic finish would be nice). This is probably our next big purchase for the Babe as we are beginning to think about her bedroom. Here are a few I have looked into:

All are quite different in design but offer possible functionality in being multi-use (all will eventually convert to a toddler bed). Two have a more elegant design while the other two have a more sleek/modern and a simplistic design. The price varies slightly and we'd have to travel to Minneapolis to pick up the fourth option - something we were planning to do anyway this summer. So, while I have it narrowed down to four, it's time to look closely at the specs and decide which will be the best sleeping spot for the Babe.

fun

Today's post is for you, Hubby.  :)

frugalista ~ part 3

Can you believe this?  Liberty of London is selling their design via bicycles at Target!

Crazy, huh? They are available online only so if you're really into the design, you'll have to purchase there. I recently saw Nicole over at Making It Lovely had purchased the pink one for herself. Pretty unique!

smarties

I could eat an entire bag of these:

Do you think that means the Babe will be super-smart?

going green...or blue?

We are trying to figure out a color for Babe's room. We both know we want either a shade of blue or a shade of green. The problem is, there are MANY different shades.

We're not really doing a theme, per say. Our thought is to pick a color we like and design/decorate around that color. But picking a color is a dilemma...do we go with a pale green or a light blue? Maybe a mossy green or a gray blue? Tough decisions. A new coat of paint is our first step toward preparing a nursery so we better get painting!

charming kitchens

A kitchen remodel is not in our near (or probably distant) future.  But where's the harm in browsing some beautiful kitchens for inspiration?  A few found via Home Sweet Home.

frugalista ~ part 2

I was at Target this week (twice, actually) and passed the clothing section several times unable to disregard the Liberty of London clothing line. Their prints are so fitting for summer and spring and I'm loving their dresses and swimming suits. Too bad I won't be fitting into those anytime soon! 

In honor of warm weather, this week I'll feature a few pretties from Liberty of London's clothing line.

{my personal favorite}

I definitely won't be fitting into any of these suits this season but think some of the more flowy dresses might work for an upcoming May wedding. Target, save a dress for me!