Easter Weekend Celebration

Most people celebrate Easter on Sunday, and only Sunday. However, with having two different halves of the family to celebrate with, we make it a weekend. We started out on Saturday heading to my mother-in-laws. She made the traditional Easter dinner with Ham and all the trimmings for us, my brother-in-law, and grandma. She got the kids a few treats and toys to celebrate the day. She got Nolan a new puzzle, Ryenn a new baby doll, and coloring books for the two of them.

We celebrated the Easter bunny visiting on Sunday morning. The Easter bunny is a fantastic giver every year to our kids. He spoils them too much!

FO Ryenn's Easter Dress

I decided a while ago that I wanted to make Ryenn's dress for Easter like last year. This time, however, I wanted it to be a little more formal. I picked up the fabric about two weeks ago and couldn't find a pattern I was in love with.

I have made numerous of Ryenn's dresses previously without patterns, but decided that I don't really have the thinking capacity right now to create something on my own. I instead searched the internet for patterns for dresses.

Happy Early Birthday Beebs!

Adam and I have been wanting to get the kids a play set since last summer. We just couldn't find one that seemed like a good fit for toddlers and that seemed like a good quality. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that Ryenn was still too little to really climb last year so almost all of them seemed a waste of money.

Most and Least Favorite Thing about Parenthood

What’s my most and least favorite thing about parenthood? So many things ran through my head as I was trying to pinpoint the things I love most and least about parenthood. I knew that this was going to be apart of the 30 things my kids should know about me list before I ever even read it in its entirety. Let's start with the negative.

My least favorite thing about parenthood would have to be dealing with babysitting/daycare. I am very picky about who I leave my kids with and am dreading the day I ever have to find a daycare for my kids. While I know that there are numerous daycares that are great with kids, I worry about leaving them with someone other than me. I have chosen to be a stay-at-home mom for numerous reasons, but one of them was daycare. I don't like to go out much because of the simple fact that I would be home with them than have someone else watch them. I could never forgive myself if something happened to any of my kids while under someone else's watch. I would always think that if I were there, that something never would have happened.

16 week (and 5 Day) Update

I haven't updated on the baby's progress in a while, which I apologize for. We are getting closer and closer to being able to find out what this little baby is! I am beyond excited! I am guessing that it's going to be a girl. I am mostly basing this off the fact that I want a boy. It has happened that whatever I want gender wise, I get the opposite. Girls are much more difficult than boys. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I wish Ryenn was a boy or that I can't handle her. I just don't think I could handle two attitudes like Ryenn's. She is a DIVA! Anyway, this Saturday we are 17 weeks along. That means a 3 measly weeks until we know what this little nugget is!

Most Embarrassing Moment

I didn't have an embarrassing moment to share for the 30 things my kids should know about me, until now. I was wondering just what I would write about because anything embarrassing that has happened to me was simple and has happened to everyone. This moment happened just the other day. I didn't even share it with my husband because I was so embarrassed. Nonetheless, I will share it here.

The World has this Wrong

I was confused with how to answer this question. Do I get spiritual? Does it have to be something including me? Is it something I have wrong as well? I was wondering how I would answer what popular notion that I think the world has most wrong for the 30 things my kids should know about me. Seeing as this list is about me, I decided that it must be something that I am included in. Recently I got into a heated argument over Twitter with what I feel was the most ignorant woman in the world. I know that this may sound harsh or rude, but she just didn't get it. It was on the topic of stay-at-home moms (SAHM).

FO Floral Blanket

While I was planning to have this floral blanket done by late January, I couldn't send off a product I wasn't happy with. The pattern called for the baby blanket size to be a lot smaller than I was happy with. Instead, I ended up added 11 inches in order to be happy with the size.

I loved working with all of the colors and had a lot of fun matching the right shades together. I really had a difficult time mailing this out last week, seeing as I didn't want to give it up. I am sure my little princess will have one very soon!

3 Childhood Memories

I am again struggling with another item from the 30 things my kids should know about me list. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood. I feel that there are not very many significant memories from my childhood, but I will come up with something.

 

WIP Holla Knits Test Knit

Although my time is somewhat limited lately, I always make time to help Allyson out with her new patterns. She has helped me so often with clients and questions and I feel this is my way of making it up to her (while getting amazing yarn to knit and amazing design). The Holla Knits 2nd Spring Collection is coming soon and I am anxious to see all of the beautiful pieces and designs. I am currently working on one of Allyson's designs for this collection.

One of the best things about testing knitting for Allyson? I get beautiful hand dyed yarn for FREE (my reward for helping). I have received some of the most beautiful yarns when knitting these projects for her.

Our 3rd Wedding Anniversary (How I KNEW He was THE ONE)

I always thought that my mom was lying when she said she couldn't really remember her life before she and Ray got married. I thought there is no way possible you just forget those things. Yet here I sit, not being able to remember a time before I met this man I sit next to as we speak. I feel like he has always been in my life, has always been my husband. I felt like today, being our 3rd wedding anniversary and all, was a perfect time to write about how I knew Adam was the one for the 30 things my kids should know about me list.

We met when I started working at Advantage Health. We had talked a bit before actually going out on our first date. For me, the timing wasn't that great but I thought what the Hell. At that time he was working two jobs, security at Saint Mary's (Advantage Health is a doctors office located inside one of Saint Mary's Emergency Room locations) and supervisor at the Advance Newspaper. When we started officially dating, getting time together was somewhat difficult. He and I worked so much and had other commitments to tend to. Nonetheless we made it work.

5 Strengths and Weaknesses

While I am trying to be honest, I wanted to avoid this item on the 30 things my kids should know about me list. Describe 5 strengths and weaknesses you have. I know that I have weaknesses but I like to either think of them as things I am working on or not at all. However, after reading Courtney Palmer's blog yesterday, I decided to tackle this question/task. Seeing as I want to end on a positive note, I will start with my weaknesses.

WEAKNESSES

1. My self confidence. I can honestly say that in the past four years of my life, this has improved. However, I still feel that it is lacking. I went from one abusive situation to another and used to believe my self worth to be next to nothing. I was told that school was a waste of my time, that dreaming of signing on a big stage was a waste of time, and that I wasn't good enough. I was constantly torn down with any little bit of success I saw. I was an emotional eater due to being cheated on, lied to, and abused. I felt alone no matter what I was doing. I finally read one of the most amazing books (It's Called a Break-up because it's Broken) and got in a relationship with one of the most amazing men I knew. This book taught me how to move on in 30 days (or less, I think it was more like 15) from the train wreck of a life I was trying to preserve. The person I saw in the mirror was finally becoming who I wanted it to be. I am still working on it, but I have made huge strides in the past few years.

Georgia Peach Review and Pattern Giveaway

 

Welcome Sweatshop of Love readers!! The Georgia Peach is one of the most amazing knitted sweaters I have ever seen for a man. I have searched high and low for a pattern for a sweater that my husband would actually wear if I were to knit one for him. There wasn't a single one that he said he thought looked cool.

When I knit this sweater, he was the model for the finished product. He looked great in it and he actually said he would want one! I was shocked. This pattern was amazing to knit, but what's even more amazing is that my macho man husband likes it too. I knit this sweater using Knit Picks Swish bulky weight in  Planetarium and Red. It was such gorgeous yarn to work with (but then again, what Knit Picks yarn isn' amazing). I also knit this before Allyson had a chance to create the duplicate stitch templates for the teams, which she added later for me

The construction if this sweater was really well thought out. Allyson thought of every design aspect while creating this pattern. The collar was the funnest part for me. At first I was confused with the construction and why I was being directed to do certain things. At this point I didn't have Allyson's pictures to guide me. Once I saw her pictures, it made more sense. Then once I was finished it completely made sense. Seeing as this sweater followed the vintage look from baseball past, you will see some of the inside of the sweater when the collar was opened. Being the professional she is, Allyson thought of this. It made sense to make this portion look as good as the outside. And that it did!

FO Pocahontas Dress

My sister, Kelli, is a brave soul. She was a part of the Polar Plunge again this year. Her work, Buffalo Wild Wings, dresses in a theme every year. This year they went as Disney Princesses and won best costume! The best part? I get to say that I helped make that possible!

Pocahontas jumping into Reed's Lake

What I love most about Adam.....

In the 30 things my kids should know about me list, I was excited to write about my favorite quality in my husband. Because there are so many things I love about him, it was hard to decide what I love most. He is funny, caring, determined, and loving. I think the thing I love the most about him is his sense of humor.

12 week (and 6 day) Update!

You read that right. After the first doctor's appointment and ultrasound today, our baby has been accurately measured to be 12 weeks and 6 days old today! That moves our due date to August 31st. Knowing me, however, it will be closer to mid August. So I will technically I will be 13 weeks along tomorrow (or today for most of you reading).

FO L and K

Kali and Lily celebrated their birthdays (11 and 7) this past January. We all celebrated as a family on the 3rd of February. For their birthdays, instead of toys, my sister completely redid their rooms exactly how they wanted them (their choice as this for their gift). I knew that I wanted to create something for their rooms.

My Typical Day

My typical day. I wish there was a typical day for me. My days are always different. However, for the sake of the 30 things my kids should know about me list, I will try to describe what I do everyday (because we all know stay at home moms just sit around on Pinterest and watching TV).

WIP Floral Baby Blanket

I have fallen behind on this floral blanket. The good thing is that my friend who ordered this blanket is having a boy so will be packing this away for a while. Nonetheless, I wanted to get this blanket done about 3 weeks ago. The leech that is draining my energy has prevented this.

11 Week (and 3 day) Update

I am late to posting this because I was supposed to have my first OB appointment this morning. On my way there (actually when I was in Grandville about 2 minutes from the office) I got the call that they needed to reschedule. All because there wasn't a protocol nurse there. From what I remember, that part of the appointment with both my previous pregnancies was pretty pointless. I can't imagine the third time being the charm here. Can't they check the records? Yes I am planning to breastfeed. Yes I want a circumcision if I am having a boy. No I am no interested in cord blood banking. Yes to all the tests I had done with my previous two and no to the ones I didn't. Hell yes I want an epidural (two if you can manage and the guy I had with my first pregnancy, not the woman for the second). Maybe all this ranting is just the pregnancy irritability I have been having. Or maybe I just really think that part of the appointment is a waste of time. Nonetheless, I have the appointment rescheduled for NEXT Friday and I am hoping that I can get my ultrasound done then too. Hopefully I will have belly AND baby pictures for you next week.

11 weeks and hubby helped with belly pics this week