My fall season officially starts this weekend with a clinic at the Big Ten offices in Chicago. Normally I'd complain about having to drive down 2.5 hours for a meeting that starts at 8am, but one of my friends is driving from MN over 4 hours just to stay with us this weekend and ride with me to the clinic, so he "wins."
Squeezing in some racquetball and golf once he arrives today.
there are two motivations in sports, which is yours?
Painted the trim in the bedroom this morning, had a meltdown about the move (just tired and stressed about getting out house ready to sell asap), painted one porch chair yellow, not sure if i like it. This afternoon we have a baptism for a friend's baby and a little party after. Will probably try to come home semi early to keep working on the house. H is cleaning out and organizing the basement (a huge job). Tomorrow I'm hoping to do another coat of trim paint, we have a meeting with the mortgage lender, then the in laws are coming up for the day. They're not big into projects, but we already told them we are finishing the basement tomorrow so they can watch or help.
Despite it being hot, I think we're gonna try to go to the zoo for a couple hours because DD has been absolutely begging to go all morning. Other than that, trying to finish a writing project and want to do some gardening. Anyone have experience trimming overgrown succulent plants and then transferring the overgrowth to a new pot? I want to trim some of our overgrown succulents and give some little succulent plants to our neighbors. I've heard it's pretty easy, gonna google how to's later!
@morgantu Wow, lots going on with the house! Hope the whole process goes quickly and it's sold before you know it!
@coybig Ooh racquetball and golf - sounds fun! Enjoy!
Nothing exciting today. We’ve had so much rain the past two weeks and some of it has brought some flash floods. While we needed some rain, we didn’t need this much. My backyard is currently a raging river/swamp.
Low key key day today. Tomorrow I’m going with my two SIL and their husbands plus my two oldest nieces on a lazy river tubing down a local lake, which I’m excited for. I can’t beleive the summer is coming to a close.
@maureenmce no advice I kill even the least needy plants. Good luck! @morgantu good luck with all the projects @coybig what do you do?
Oh, I forgot to mention the most random thing of all - in the middle of the night last night I had the strongest most intense craving I've ever had in any pregnancy and it was for...thousand island dressing. Not even like, on anything. I literally wanted to drink it. SO weird, haha.
DS had his last swim lesson this morning. It’s amazing how much he has improved since June! Now, we are just relaxing and packing for our beach trip. We fly out at 6:40 tomorrow morning. Hopefully DS is in a good mood!
Went to the grocery store this morning, we're going to try and start stocking up our freezer with meat so we're prepared when baby is born. This afternoon after nap time we're going to buy a nail gun so DH can put our trim back on the walls where we put tile down!
Tomorrow we're going to take DS to the Dinosaurs Revealed exhibit that's in town with our friends whose little boy is about DSs age. My son is going to freaking love it.
@maureenmce I had an intense craving kind of out of the blue the other day. It was the middle of the day while I was at work, I just REALLY wanted mint ice cream with Oreos. Not mint chocolate chip ice cream, but mint Oreo ice cream. No idea why, but I never got any, the craving passed by the time I got off work.
We have a semi-busy weekend planned. Today we already had lunch with some friends who were passing through town, it was awesome seeing them, food was okay. The rest of our day is housework (unpacking, cleaning, etc.).
Tomorrow we have a cousin & her H coming through town, they however are staying the night (not with us) so we can see them for more than one meal - yay!
So naturally, instead of working, DH and I are phoneing on the couch. Reddit/AnimalsBeingDerps is wonderful.
NTNP since Dec 2012 | TTC since Jan 2016 Dx: Unspecified IF BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
Busy morning and now I’m in the nursery in the recliner while everyone is asleep still from nap. Kids were up at 6 complaining they were starving. Made them breakfast (and ran out of everything as I was making it). Then has the dog to the groomer by 8 with both boys (h had to go to school by 8). Took the boys grocery shopping (they were on great behavior). Took them to Starbucks for snack time = strawberry cake pops. Played on our swing set with the neighbors kids. Came inside and played with the tent building kit and got them dressed for swim lessons. Got the car packed and started driving to swim lessons....but got a text from their coach that the pool closed down - kid pooped in pool. My kids were disappointed (me too). I was so grateful we weren’t the ones that caused the pool shutdown for the day. Then we played and waited for h to come home so we could go to the neighborhood pool (I won’t take the boys by myself). We all went to the pool, came back and had lunch. Then h finished lunch time with them and put them down for a nap while I picked up our dog. Got home, helped with naps (took one myself). I’m awake now so I’m playing on my phone since I figure they will be up soon. After reading that I know why I’m tired lol.
In DC this weekend for our BMB get-together! (And missing @temmetime ) It’s been so great. 14 of us total, plus husbands and babes, were able to meet up for a barbecue at the house of one of the women. Makes me look forward to this board’s eventual move to Facebook and the new type of bonding that comes with it! Tomorrow A and I fly back home, and I’m actually pretty sad to have to leave everyone.
Me: 31 | DH: 31
Together since 2003 | Married 2010 TTC #1 January 2016 BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016 Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018 BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
@Activebaby definiteky sounds like a fun (but tiring) day! Glad you caught a nap in there.
MH is out of town so Poppy and I are having a girls’ weekend. We hit the Childrens Museum this morning, had a long walk at the waterfront, a Starbucks date, Target run, lots of fun silliness, assembling the baby dresser, and having mani/pedi with nail polish (a big treat!) after her bath.
I’m lazing on the couch now with a micro sized glass of wine, debating whether to get a box of newborn stuff from the basement and start sorting, or start up the laptop and do some work, or just do nothing. Come to think of it, I think the most newborn box of clothes is still at my sister’s from her last kid. So...leaning toward do nothing. Maybe laundry and bed.
Tomorrow it’s supposed to be super hot, so we have a playdate at the splash park with one of Poppy’s friends from school. Other than that, mostly household stuff — groceries, laundry, weekly food prep.
@morgantu way to be productive. You're doing in a matter of weeks what took us months to do!
@maureenmce I've yet to have a crazy random and sudden craving like that!
@PensiveCrayon that sounds like so much fun. I hope you had a great time.
@Katzalia take advantage of the opportunity to be lazy!
AFM, it's 4:45 and I'm up. I can't sleep. Woke up once every hour since midnight. Anything and everything is waking me up. I don't know if I'm on edge/super alert because I got news my sister was having contractions last night and was in L&D, then sent home, despite contractions continuing. Maybe I'm expecting an update and can't sleep because of adrenaline. Either that or hormones being crazy. My sister, BIL, and niece were supposed to come see our new house today, help set up the crib, then have brunch with us, but clearly with her practically being in labor, that's not going to happen. I might go there instead. I dunno. Right now all I want is to be able to sleep!
@scaredunprepared I hope you got sleep! I get that a lot - waking all night, usually once every two weeks - and it’s a real PITA (especially since I’m naturally a marathon sleeper who can sleep long hours despite loud noises, bright lights, etc). DH knows how disruptive bad sleep is, so he doesn’t mind when I occasionally need a nap before and after lunch. Sleep! (Also, congrats on becoming an auntie again!)
NTNP since Dec 2012 | TTC since Jan 2016 Dx: Unspecified IF BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
@echo-charlietango thank you! Very exciting for our family. Fortunately her contractions have calmed down. Maybe her baby will wait until her scheduled c- section after all. I got maybe 2 hours of sleep total. I'm exhausted, and about to attempt a nap.
@Jens_Hoes I am a referee for US Soccer and NCAA. I work six+ conferences around the midwest including the Big Ten and travel throughout the country for US Soccer events. I'm also a referee instructor, assessor, and assignor. So yeah, I'm technically a SAHD, but I still have a lot of things going on through both organizations.
there are two motivations in sports, which is yours?
Just finished our first shared dinner in our new house! We love hosting dinners and little parties or tastings, so tonight was nice. DH’s cousin & H came over (we’re a road trip stop) for grilled chicken, roasted veggies, and ice cream. I made a nice blueberry balsamic reduction that was good on everything -especially the ice cream! I had to scale back some details (cloth napkins, fresh flowers, china, and candles) because we’re still unpacking. But it was really good, and they’re coming back for breakfast - yay
NTNP since Dec 2012 | TTC since Jan 2016 Dx: Unspecified IF BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
@echo-charlietango yay for first hosting event in your new home! Recipe on your bluebery balsamic reduction, please? I think I need to try this. I am digging all things blueberry right now.
@scaredunprepared how is your sister? Did she go into labor or did things stay calmed down?
AFM, I did get a lot more stuff done sround the house, but none of it Saturday night. Apparently I chose option pass-out-with-the-lights-on. Woke up confused at 3 am with fuzzy teeth. Can’t remember the last time that happened. The joys of pregnancy....
@Katzalia thanks for asking! My sister and her baby are doing well. Contractions stopped finally and baby is still cooking. Glad you got stuff done. I've chosen option pass out with the lights on many times. You are not alone lol
It was a great breakfast! I just nibbled on fruit because I don't wake up with an appetite, but DH cooked eggs & bacon before going to work. Our guests just left, and hopefully they'll come back for Thanksgiving
@Katzalia It was so good - I forgot how easy and tasty reductions are. You'll need 1 bottle plain balsamic vinegar (quality makes a difference, I use mid-range Italian imports that I find at the grocery store) and 1 tray of blueberries, rinsed (optional - 2 pitted dates for extra sweetness). Cover bottom of sauce pan with one layer blueberries, then pour in about half of the bottle of vinegar. Bring to slow boil, then let simmer uncovered at least 20 minutes. You may want to crack a window as the vinegar boils off, it can get a little strong in the beginning. It's ready when at least half of the liquid has boiled away. Serve on food directly, or in a bowl/gravy boat for individual drizzle power.
I make the same reduction - but more dates and fewer blueberries - for drizzling on roasted brussels sprouts. Om nom nom!
NTNP since Dec 2012 | TTC since Jan 2016 Dx: Unspecified IF BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
I survived the weekend!! Friday night we went to my home town for a bbq chicken dinner the local firefighter put on. My home town had their little festival weekend. It was nice seeing some old faces I haven’t seen in years. Then off to my bff’s house for Her oldest 10th birthday sleep over. We didn’t stay over just helped out. P.S. I hate slime, touching it, making it, smelling it. Saturday we were up early for a parade party, breakfast and mimosas aka OJ for me. Then parade to follow and kid zone. My kid loves her face painted and I can’t believe how much face painters can make in an hour. Next DD was off to the sitters and DH and I had a wedding to attend. It was a beautiful event in the woods next to the creek that runs through my hometown. (I haven’t spent that much time in my hometown in years). We finished the night closer to home and meet up with DH’s cousin who was in town for some late night brews aka I watched them drink and somehow paid the tab. Sunday we worked on our house all day. Starting to get it ready to list. Yard work, organizing, cleaning and painting. On the positive, I only have one more closet to go before I have to start with the basement storage!
@morgantu I also had a paint color issue. Solidarity. But our color is staying per my husband, welp.
@LLynde5 I think my color is staying too. It's just on 2 porch chairs. They look crazy sitting in the yard, but on the porch next to the gray siding, it's a nice little pop. I'm over this whole staging thing, so they're pretty much not getting changed cause i'm too tired to do it again lol.
I wish I could be so calm about mine. We have a pavers that line our front garden. The color is in between a super light red brick and terra cotta. I bought terra cotta paint and it didn’t look very orange to me. But it is definitely to the orange side not red. We don’t have our window boxes up but husband thinks they will tie it all in. I should have gone with my gut and painted the steps, doors and shutter black but my husband likes the dark green doors.
Eta: picture ....new windows, trim paint, weeding, power washing and putting the flower boxes back to come.
@LLynde5 is there a way you could tone down the color? This is going to sound weird, but maybe sand some of the color off? rub dirt into the holes to make it look a little darker? lightly sponge darker paint on? Just give it some weathering so they're not so bright? i'm all about the quick fixes! But, i'm also trying to keep in mind that while buyers want things looking nice, they don't have to be totally perfect. That's just us as sellers noticing every tiny thing.
@morgantu I am trying to add the picture but can’t get it to work on mobile. Ugh. I have thought of adding dirt, lol. My mom thinks they will tone down in a few weeks before we list. My Dad suggested a second coat. DH is over it and says let the next owner change them. The problem is one set of steps was cement and the other set is painted wood. They have always looked mismatched and now look uninformed so he sees improvement and is on to the next task. My next door neighbor is loving the house with the minor touch ups and I now feel bad like our house has been the dumpy one for years. Their house is an estate and ours is the smallest one in the association
@LLynde5 just because your house is smaller doesn't mean it's a bad thing! Ours was much smaller than another on our street, but there's went up a month before ours and is still on sale, while ours is already under contract. And we didn't just for much less than theirs. As long as you make the changes you think you need to sell, don't worry about size
@scaredunprepared thanks for the kind words! I hope ours goes fast! We literally have the smallest house in the neighborhood. Our house was the house the workers lived in while they built the estates in our neighborhood. People that want to live in the city jump on these house fast and we will be priced to sell. Our house is only 1,200 sq feet and the neighbors to the lefts house is about 3,500 sq feet, lol!!
@LLynde5 That could definitely work in your favor! There may be people wanting to get into the neighborhood and will jump at the chance to buy at a more affordable price.
Re: Weekend Randoms 8/4-8/5
This afternoon we have a baptism for a friend's baby and a little party after. Will probably try to come home semi early to keep working on the house. H is cleaning out and organizing the basement (a huge job).
Tomorrow I'm hoping to do another coat of trim paint, we have a meeting with the mortgage lender, then the in laws are coming up for the day. They're not big into projects, but we already told them we are finishing the basement tomorrow so they can watch or help.
Whew, I'm ready for this house to be sold!
@morgantu Wow, lots going on with the house! Hope the whole process goes quickly and it's sold before you know it!
@coybig Ooh racquetball and golf - sounds fun! Enjoy!
Low key key day today. Tomorrow I’m going with my two SIL and their husbands plus my two oldest nieces on a lazy river tubing down a local lake, which I’m excited for. I can’t beleive the summer is coming to a close.
@maureenmce no advice I kill even the least needy plants. Good luck!
@morgantu good luck with all the projects
@coybig what do you do?
Tomorrow we're going to take DS to the Dinosaurs Revealed exhibit that's in town with our friends whose little boy is about DSs age. My son is going to freaking love it.
@katy0990 have a fun trip!!
@maureenmce I had an intense craving kind of out of the blue the other day. It was the middle of the day while I was at work, I just REALLY wanted mint ice cream with Oreos. Not mint chocolate chip ice cream, but mint Oreo ice cream. No idea why, but I never got any, the craving passed by the time I got off work.
DS2 due 12/12/18
Tomorrow we have a cousin & her H coming through town, they however are staying the night (not with us) so we can see them for more than one meal - yay!
So naturally, instead of working, DH and I are phoneing on the couch. Reddit/AnimalsBeingDerps is wonderful.
Dx: Unspecified IF
BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks
BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
@CecilB93 the dinosaurs sounds so fun!
@maureenmce I hope the zoo was a blast!
TTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
@maureenmce I have no idea about the succulents. I just killed off the only plant that’s been in the house since our move (a succulent).
@CecilB93 yay for dino fun!
@katy0990 enjoy your vacation!
@Activebaby definiteky sounds like a fun (but tiring) day! Glad you caught a nap in there.
MH is out of town so Poppy and I are having a girls’ weekend. We hit the Childrens Museum this morning, had a long walk at the waterfront, a Starbucks date, Target run, lots of fun silliness, assembling the baby dresser, and having mani/pedi with nail polish (a big treat!) after her bath.
I’m lazing on the couch now with a micro sized glass of wine, debating whether to get a box of newborn stuff from the basement and start sorting, or start up the laptop and do some work, or just do nothing. Come to think of it, I think the most newborn box of clothes is still at my sister’s from her last kid. So...leaning toward do nothing. Maybe laundry and bed.
Tomorrow it’s supposed to be super hot, so we have a playdate at the splash park with one of Poppy’s friends from school. Other than that, mostly household stuff — groceries, laundry, weekly food prep.
@maureenmce I've yet to have a crazy random and sudden craving like that!
@PensiveCrayon that sounds like so much fun. I hope you had a great time.
@Katzalia take advantage of the opportunity to be lazy!
AFM, it's 4:45 and I'm up. I can't sleep. Woke up once every hour since midnight. Anything and everything is waking me up. I don't know if I'm on edge/super alert because I got news my sister was having contractions last night and was in L&D, then sent home, despite contractions continuing. Maybe I'm expecting an update and can't sleep because of adrenaline. Either that or hormones being crazy. My sister, BIL, and niece were supposed to come see our new house today, help set up the crib, then have brunch with us, but clearly with her practically being in labor, that's not going to happen. I might go there instead. I dunno. Right now all I want is to be able to sleep!
DH knows how disruptive bad sleep is, so he doesn’t mind when I occasionally need a nap before and after lunch. Sleep!
(Also, congrats on becoming an auntie again!)
Dx: Unspecified IF
BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks
BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
I had to scale back some details (cloth napkins, fresh flowers, china, and candles) because we’re still unpacking. But it was really good, and they’re coming back for breakfast - yay
Dx: Unspecified IF
BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks
BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
@scaredunprepared how is your sister? Did she go into labor or did things stay calmed down?
AFM, I did get a lot more stuff done sround the house, but none of it Saturday night. Apparently I chose option pass-out-with-the-lights-on. Woke up confused at 3 am with fuzzy teeth. Can’t remember the last time that happened. The joys of pregnancy....
DS: 12/20/16
EDD: 11/29/18
@Katzalia It was so good - I forgot how easy and tasty reductions are. You'll need 1 bottle plain balsamic vinegar (quality makes a difference, I use mid-range Italian imports that I find at the grocery store) and 1 tray of blueberries, rinsed (optional - 2 pitted dates for extra sweetness). Cover bottom of sauce pan with one layer blueberries, then pour in about half of the bottle of vinegar. Bring to slow boil, then let simmer uncovered at least 20 minutes. You may want to crack a window as the vinegar boils off, it can get a little strong in the beginning. It's ready when at least half of the liquid has boiled away. Serve on food directly, or in a bowl/gravy boat for individual drizzle power.
I make the same reduction - but more dates and fewer blueberries - for drizzling on roasted brussels sprouts. Om nom nom!
Dx: Unspecified IF
BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks
BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
Saturday we were up early for a parade party, breakfast and mimosas aka OJ for me. Then parade to follow and kid zone. My kid loves her face painted and I can’t believe how much face painters can make in an hour. Next DD was off to the sitters and DH and I had a wedding to attend. It was a beautiful event in the woods next to the creek that runs through my hometown. (I haven’t spent that much time in my hometown in years). We finished the night closer to home and meet up with DH’s cousin who was in town for some late night brews aka I watched them drink and somehow paid the tab.
Sunday we worked on our house all day. Starting to get it ready to list. Yard work, organizing, cleaning and painting. On the positive, I only have one more closet to go before I have to start with the basement storage!
@morgantu I also had a paint color issue. Solidarity. But our color is staying per my husband, welp.
Eta: picture ....new windows, trim paint, weeding, power washing and putting the flower boxes back to come.