Den Update and Fall Book Basket...

I meant to post this weeks ago at the beginning of September and you see how well that went so we'll just call this our 'Fall Book Basket'. And on top of that I meant to post these pictures back in August...seeing the theme that is my life right now?!? Anyways, we flipped the kids bedrooms around and moved Avi-Kate out of her crib. When we did that we moved ALL the kids toys in to their rooms and out of the den. (Hallelujah!) In all of this we moved one of the bookshelves in to the den. I am loving having this shelf in the den now. It's twin stayed with the rest of AG's stuff and holds the rest of the kids picture books.

This shelf  holds the kids most favorite authors in the top left corner. (Willems, Falconer, Dewdney) The red bins hold board books and small toys for the kids to play with. Finally, the top right corner holds a seasonal/monthly selection of books aka my book basket. For years I've wanted a designated section that I could change out every month or so. Currently on the shelf we have the following titles plus this Little People Playset:

If You Give a Moose a Muffin

Fall Leaves Colorful and Crunchy

The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat

Ten Little Pumpkins

It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!

The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin

The Fox Went Out On a Chilly Night

The Busy Little Squirrel

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

Fall Pumpkins Orange and Plump

Fall Harvests Bringing in Food

Animals in Fall Preparing for Winter

Fall Weather Cooler Temperatures

Fall Apples Crisp and Juicy

Apples for Everyone

Pumpkin Circle

Fall Mixed Up

The Fox and the Falling Leaves

We're Going on a Leaf Hunt

Awesome Autumn All Kinds of Fall Facts and Fun

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

A few weeks back they had all of the seasonal Little People sets on sale and I was able to pick up last year's version of the Pumpkin Party set for $10 instead of $35. I was also able to snag two Christmas sets to add to the Nativity sets we already have. More on those when I get them out later in November.

Since we took this picture we've relocated our diplomas back to over the desk that is back to being on the other side of the den now. We've also picked out a new paint colors for the den, back hall, front hall, and kitchen. The den and hallways will be a shade darker than the color in the kitchen. Both are a soft muted grey. We've painted a test on the walls and we love the results...now if we could just get around to finishing it. Ha. Story of my life. I had Andy rehang the large bulletin board and it is now over the bookshelf. I covered it with some extra fabric I had on hand and hung up a plethora of pictures of our college family. The wheels are turning in my head to decorate the top of the shelf for Christmas and the bulletin board. I'm contemplating putting our Jesse Tree Ornaments and Advent Activities here. I still have a few weeks to mull it over so we will see what I come up with. The other idea we are talking about is putting a small tree in the den this year. (I've wanted to do this for years but we haven't had the space with all the toys in the den.) Now that we've rearranged the layout I think we might be able to swing a small tree and let AG put his monorail around it. He was pretty excited about setting it up around the tree and having a tree that he can help Avi-Kate decorate with their ornaments. Lots to do and mull but I'm excited about all the possibilities. I love this time of year. 

And here's a shot of the bulletin board that I posted on my Instagram...

Daybook...Septmeber 11th.

Whew...the week is off and running. Anyone else feel like life is moving fast these days? Maybe it's just me. Anyways, here's a daybook entry for this week/today.

Outside my window: Overcast and mild temperatures. Hallelujah! It seems to finally be cooling off around here and for that we are all grateful. I'm so ready for fall/winter weather because we didn't have any this past year.

I'm thinking: About my to do list that seems a mile long this week. I had several good weeks of getting the house in order/keeping it that way when AG started school and then we went out of town for Labor Day. Anyways, I'm making headway and tackling some projects. Although, some days it feels like I'm spinning my wheels and going nowhere. I'm also thinking about our Disney trip that is (thankfully!) only a month a way.  We are so ready to be back there...to have a few days of uninterrupted, quality family time. We've started picking up things we need for the trip and I've started stashing it in Avi-Kate's room. It'll be here before we know it and for that I'm very grateful.

I'm wondering: About a lot of things right now. Milling over lots of possibilities for lots of different things. I'm in a very contemplative mood. 

I'm praying: For Andy...he's away on a business trip. Praying for safe travels and a successful trip.

I'm thankful: For peace. The last few years have been rough as a friend and I have been shouldering some pretty tough stuff for someone. And at the moment I don't necessarily agree with how things are but I have peace because I know that without a shadow of a doubt that we've done all that has been asked of us. And on a different note I'm thankful for all that lost their lives on 9/11 and those that have sacrificed for the war on terror. It amazes me to think that it has been 11 years since that day. On one hand it seems like so long ago and on the other hand I can still remember every. single. thing about that day. 

I'm hearing: The tv in the background and AG's lullaby cd in the distance.

From the Kitchen: Not much this week. The last few weeks I've been working on stock piling stuff in to the freezer so that we can start using freezer meals some nights a week. This week I'm not doing any freezer cooking. Although, there was a sale on Stouffer's entrees this week at Kroger and I happened to pick a few of those up. They come in quite handy as we head in to this busy season. I like having a few stashed away as back-ups. 

I'm reading: Sigh. Nothing at the moment. I need to put something on my kindle but I haven't...needs to be a priority and it just hasn't been lately. I've been so wrapped up in life and everything that I haven't read anything in weeks. Guess I need to put that on my To Do list. :)

One of my favorite things: The new fall candles I picked up yesterday with a $10 off coupon I had for Bath and Body Works. (Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin and Leaves) Have I mentioned that I love this time of year?!

I'm creating: Actually, I just finished a burlap wreath for Ginny last week and I started on it's twin aka my wreath. At the moment I haven't gotten very far and then I ended up finding red and black burlap in stock when I was at Hobby Lobby the other day...so of course I bought some. I think I may stop the chocolate brown burlap wreath for the moment and work on a UGA themed one. And then finish the other one for Thanksgiving. I also started a project last year for the kids making some glass luminaries that are pumpkins and ghosts but I never finished in time. (Life with a new baby.) So, I packed everything up and I am determined to get them done this year. I'll post pictures when I finish.

Around the house: Trying to get the house back in order! Andy built an AMAZING corn hole set and has had a painting station set up in the front of the house. He just finished and so my goal is to get everything cleaned up. I need to take pictures of the set and post it here. I'm really impressed with how they turned out.

A few plans for the week: Kindermusik tomorrow for AKs and soccer practice for AG on Friday. My ladies bible study that meets twice a month starts back tomorrow night and I have girls night with the college girls on Thursday. Saturday we'll be in Athens for the game that evening. I'm excited for our first night game of the year. Actually, the Dawgs have back to back home games that are night games these next two weeks. Wahoo! This week is Florida Atlantic and next week is Vandy. The Vanderbilt game should be a good game and intense...last year's game in Nashville didn't end well with the coaches and players getting riled up after the game. So, we'll see how the rematch goes this year. 

A picture thought that I'm sharing: Next week our dear friend, Michael, will be in town for a few nights. We are so excited to see him and catch up. He graduated this summer from his graduate program at USC and is currently planning to stay out in LA. He's home for the month doing some business work and seeing family/friends. AG got really excited and was talking a mile a minute on the phone the other day when Michael called to finalize our plans. Here's a few pictures from our last visit last Christmas.

 

This and that...

Goodness gracious I feel like I've been playing catch-up for months and trying to keep my head above water. We finally seem to be finding a rhythm with two children and Avi-Kate is on a much more predictable schedule thanks to eating solids.

Anyways, the blog seems to have suffered in all the chaos that was this fall/holiday season and I've been constantly going back and post-dating stuff. In the middle of all of that I've been brainstorming ideas and things that I'm going to add to the blog on a weekly/monthly basis. Funny, right? Can't seem to keep up with the bare bones updates let's just throw in something else to keep up with! It gets even funnier...I'm in the process of creating a second blog with Andy's help. We've been working on it since the fall but had to take a break during the holidays. I was hoping to have it up and going by now but that's life...so it should be up and going in the very near future. :)

In the mean time the kids are growing like weeds and changing every day. Life is never dull with the two of them...I know I say that all the time but it's true. AG will be 3 in two weeks and I can't believe it. I'll blink and he'll be in high school getting ready for college. (Where does the time go?!?)

In the next few days be on the look out for:

-Goals for the year
-Disney update
-Daybook Entry (haven't done one of those in who knows how long...)
-New Years Eve Post with pics
-A belated Christmas house tour (because I normally do this before Christmas but again the chaos that was got the best of me...)
-Avi-Kate's 7 month pics (once I take them)
-52 Recipes Update...I've gone over my goal but dropped the ball in blogging them!

And a few other things that are currently swirling around in my head...but you'll have to stay tuned. This week is shaping up to be a busy week but full of happy moments. AG has his first Kindermusik class of the semester and our college students return tomorrow. They'll be over several times this week and for that we are all excited...it's been quiet without them these last few weeks. I'm off to fold some laundry and do some planning for the week ahead...

Nursery...

...an update of sorts. 

Well, we decided that while we were gone on our trip that this would be the perfect time to transition AG completely to his big boy bed. In the past few weeks he had been spending time in both the crib and the bed. After being gone for almost two weeks we decided that we would come home and not go back to the crib. He spent the entire trip sleeping in a regular bed and didn't have one problem at the places that we stayed. We got home Sunday and he was happy to snuggle under the covers of his big boy bed that night. We didn't have time that night to move the crib out and decided we'd do it Monday. 

Monday evening Andy had his men's group. He came home ready to get the crib moved and watch the NCAA Men's Championship. We got to work and AG was happy to 'assist' us. This would also be the same night that the weather was predicted to become severe...well, sure enough within minutes of starting this project the weather did, indeed, get bad. The winds were severe and the rain hadn't hit, yet. The power went out and the crib was half way apart. Shortly after the power went out the rains came. I got to work lighting candles and turning on our flashlights while AG helped Andy finish taking apart the crib. 

We reassembled the crib by candlelight and flashlights while AG and Samson scampered around the house chasing each other. Andy decided to go ahead put the crib on the highest setting for the mattress... meaning there is no turning back for AG! Once the crib was assembled we decided that our power was probably not going to be coming back on anytime soon. We let AG wear himself out and then tucked him in bed sometime around 11. Our power came back on sometime after 5 AM. Thank heavens it was not too hot or too cold that night. We were all quite comfortable sleeping. Trees ended up falling on three different streets around us...no wonder our power was out all night. Praise the Lord that our large oak weathered the storm.

It's quite surreal seeing the crib in another room and ready for an infant. I need to finish reorganizing things now that we've moved the crib. The next thing on my to do list was to finalize bedding for the crib. The problem is that after searching long and hard I had yet to find something that I was in love with. However, last night my dear friend, Ginny, told me about a gem of a website Serena and Lily. Well, after much browsing and weeks of searching I finally found what I was looking for! Hooray! Thank you Ginny for your help. All I need to do now is order the pieces that I need. Be on the lookout for a full picture post in the coming weeks with the nursery/guest room before and afters. 

Also, for the most part we are able to reuse most of AG's baby items but I do want some girly items to accent what we already have. I've got a running list of items to order from Amazon with our Prime account so that we don't have to pay shipping/tax. I also need a few summer items that I didn't need with AG. For example we used flannel receiving blankets with AG since he was born in January. And while I have them washed in case we need them I'm ordering a set of muslin blankets to use this go around since Avi-Kate will be born at the beginning of the summer. And summers in Rome can be quite sweltering. Things are coming along...can't believe she'll be here before we know it! 

Update on life these last few weeks...

Hmmm, well in my last big update I stated that the coming weeks would fly by as we head towards the holidays. It's true because I have not given a real update in almost a month. So here's an update on all that we have been up to these last few weeks:

--AG is doing great and growing like a weed. I swear he is heavier everytime I pick him up. He had an ear infection a couple of weeks ago but seems to have recovered nicely. He was 22lbs and 15oz that day at the doctor. We go Monday for his next well baby check up and I'm curious to see where he is on the growth chart. Now that he has teeth he is starting to learn the whole "chewing" process. It's funny to hear him make little crunching noises as he eats his MumMum Bars.

--Speaking of teeth it looks like the top two are coming in. We were up twice last night with him because of it. I'm also already seeing signs of the next two on the bottom and top. At this rate the tooth fairy will be visiting us before kindergarten. (For those of you who don't live in Rome AG's future kindergarten teacher, Mary Niedrach, is the tooth fairy. She pulls all the teeth at Berry Elementary and ask any child in any grade who the tooth fairy is and they will tell you Mrs. Niedrach with out batting an eye. Guess it's a good thing she lives just up the street.)

--AG is cruising like a pro these days. We got him a lion push toy that he can practice walking behind it this week. He is starting to figure it out. He already knows how make it play music and is starting to "dance" to the music. It's fun to watch. As for crawling he has mastered it but doesn't do it for kicks it has to be purposeful. He crawls to a location so he can pull himself up and cruise. He would rather be up right than on his hands and knees.

--We've had visits from GiGi, GrandNan, Uncle Tommy, Aunt Caroline, Cousin Ronnie, and Nanny in the last two weeks. We are looking forward to spending time together with all of them this holiday season. Now that AG and Ronnie can "play" it is humorous to watch their interactions together. I have a feeling Christmas is going to be much louder this year than it was last year. Ha.

--College students...at the end of September we celebrated Viraj's birthday with a dinner party.

Complete with a scrumptious cake from Honeymoon Bakery. AG is still not a fan of birthday candles. Ha. Seems to be the only thing that really and truly upsets the little man. We have some hysterical pictures from the party to prove it. I guess they'll be fun to show off 20 years from now. :) Hopefully, we'll be able to celebrate Viraj's LSAT score in the coming weeks. Our Thursdays are in full swing with our college girls. We still do dinner at Moe's and then everyone heads over here for Grey's and Private Practice. I've really enjoyed the new girls that we are getting to know this year. It amazes me that even now that we've been gone for several years we have a whole new group of students to love on simply by word of mouth. All the students that we work with now were still in middle/high school when Andy and I were at Berry.

--This past weekend we took AG to his first wedding. He did great! He even fell asleep on our friend Chris late in the evening. We enjoyed showing him off to some of our Berry friends that we haven't seen lately. Noel was simply gorgeous and we were honored to be apart of her and Michael's special day. We love you guys and look forward to seeing you soon!

--This weekend we are headed to Gwinnett. Andy has to coach and it happens to work out that we can celebrate birthdays while we are at it. (We have four family birthdays next week.) Also, Friday we are going to the Buford vs. Thomson game to support my brother-in-law. Costello coaches for Thomson and we are looking forward to all being together to support the Bulldogs. It'll be AG's first football game. So far he's seen a couple of baseball games and we are planning to take him to see a (Mighty) Ducks game when we are on the West Coast in March. Andy was hoping that maybe the Thrashers would be playing them then but they aren't. No worries it should still be fun. More about that trip in the coming weeks.

We are blessed. Life is great. I'm hoping the weather will cooperate next week so that we can take AG's 9month pictures in the leaves on campus. We've had at least 5 inches of rain in the last few days with more on the way. The rivers are already experiencing mild flooding...good thing we live on such a high hill. Rome is the city of 3 rivers and 7 hills. Anyways, hope everyone has a great rest of the week.

Side note--I wrote this on Wednesday and didn't get around to posting it due to my desire to put a slideshow with it. However, we've been dealing with a very cranky, teething child and it hasn't happened. Look for a long slideshow with my next post. Last night we were up two and half hours Andy ended up strapping him into his carseat and taking him on a ride. Apparently, he crashed out near the soccer fields. We are going to give the local remedy, Dr. Star's Teething Lotion, a try...I'm swinging by the only local pharmacy that still compounds it on our way out of town. If it works expect a post all about it. AG's friend, Emma, got her bottle of it yesterday...at this point Ginny and I will try anything. Here's to the weekend and I hope that we may get some sleep. And Ginny too! :)