I suck at french braids.

 I should clarify... I suck at french braiding a toddler's hair.  it is so fine.  and short.  And they move so much!
i really try.  this is the end result.  one side looks decent, and the other side goes in a pony tail because she won't stop moving and it always looks horrible.  i can't get her to sit still long enough!

So instead she gets to look like Cindy-loo-hoo or Pebble's from the flinstones.

  Having a boy is a lot less of a time commitment to get ready.  just throw in some gel and we are good to go!

or I can always go for the 'messy' look.  its the style right?  ech.  not on a 1 year old.  its way too thin to pull off...poor girl.  i hope i get better at fixing her hair cute soon!

Girls Night!

I hosted a girls night last week and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.  I did a 'Cooking Night' where I had everyone bring 3-4 ingredients and set up stations around my kitchen with the recipes we were using.  We drew out of a hat for the recipe we were going to be at and we got down to business and made a TON of food.  And it all came out Amazing. (please excuse the 'half eaten food' pictures...what can i say, it was THAT good...)
Here was the menu:
Appetizers: Cheesy Garlic Bread
                  Southwest Eggrolls
                  Salsa

although this doesn't look amazing in the picture, trust me, it was.

yes, you can buy 'egg roll' wrappers in the produce section of your grocery store!

this was Nicole's salsa, i didn't get a picture of the one we made...)

                  

Salad:         Berry/Spring Mix/Peaches
                  Homemade Blueberry Vinaigrette dressing

Main dish:  Cilantro Lime Rice w/ Pineapple
                  Carmelized Green Beans
                  Bacon wrapped Chicken terryiaki shish-ca-bobs

Drink:        Brazillian Lemonade (from scratch)

Dessert:    Cheesecake stuffed Strawberries dipped in Chocolate

I have to say my favorites for the night were the homemade salsa, bread, and the green beans.  Closely followed by the rest of the food...
I have a super creative friend who is really good at plate designs and showed us some ideas...

We even threw in a baby shower to go with it... Happy Baby Nicole!  We kept it simple and had the traditional present opening after we stuffed our faces.  good times.  Thank you friends for all your help with this.  It will be a great memory of good times and girls in the 'burgh. 

"Bun in the Oven"

I can't take the credit for these.  But I wish i could.  They were de-lish!

Shoes

I have a 'thing' for shoes.  My shoes, guys shoes, kids shoes.  Any shoes.  The bad thing about being a student's wife is the shoe budget is seriously lacking.  As in, pretty much no new shoes. Unless the ones you have have a hole so big that you can't wear them.  (okay, that is an exaggeration.  I have a small personal budget, but I admit that I have used it.  For the entire year.)  In summary, I am not buying new shoes any time soon for myself.

The good news is....drum roll please....KIDS are ALWAYS growing.  Which translates into:  Kids need Shoes more often than not!!!

And i am happy to accommodate their needs and will make the necessary sacrifice to get them new shoes.

Brooke happens to LOVE shoes as well.  I frequently catch her putting on several pairs of shoes at a time. she starts with her own and then layers them with mine or peter's over them. 

( i am really glad i got a picture of these pretties because we went to the park the day after and it was a bit muddy.  I am afraid the shoes will never be this clean again...)

Belly Pictures

Yuck.  i hate these things.  But since i did them with the first two i may as well not neglect #3.

Looking back at this picture I am thinking: why in the world am I still wearing normal clothes?  They look really bad.  Reminder to myself; You have never been this far along in a pregnancy when it is so dang hot outside.  All your maternity stuff is winter.  So you get to look like you are wearing Brooke's clothes.  

Week 22 

Second note to self:   Have someone else take the pictures.  it is so much easier.

Week 23 1/2

I am over halfway done.  Thank goodness.  I really can't complain too much.  I have moderately easy pregnancies and after being here in Pittsburgh and seeing what some of my friends have gone through (trying to get pregnant or being pregnant)  I have to admit that I am very blessed.  I was sick the first trimester and ended up losing a bit of wieght, but no worries.  I have gained it all back plus plenty more.  I am very hungry when I am pregnant.  (Meaning i eat.  All. The. Time.)  I have been running and doing my modified version of 'insanity' workouts.  Which I probably should have stopped a long time ago.  But i figured as long as it didn't hurt I was fine....
wrong.  it didn't hurt while I was doing it, but it has aggravated my round ligament to the point of severe pain.  I hate having to say that i have limits.  (i guess i do... don't tell anyone!).  And I pushed it too far.  I did one of those 'insane' workouts on Tuesday and I woke up not too hot on Wednesday.  It got to the point that I developed a fever and almost went to the ER.  not smart Jamie!  Long story short, I am totally fine now.  I just know that I need to go easier on my body and NO more "insanity" workouts until I am way post-pardum with this little munchkin.
On happier notes:  baby is growing and I feel big strong kicks and see body parts poking out on my belly every day.  he/she is a happy little person with lots of energy.  (probably from those insanity workouts....)

what happens when the movie is over...

Amoxijuice

You read it right.  Amox-i-juice.  The hidden way to trick an 18 month old into taking her antibiotics.

Directions: Daddy inserts straw into juice and drinks about 1/3.  Then fill medicine dropper with prescribed amount of amoxicillin.   Remove straw and dispense meds into juice box.  Give to toddler.

Other things of note:  gets rid of ear infections.  gives nasty diapers.

Outerbanks 2011

After much stress, (which I probably brought upon myself un-nessarily) we finally got to go on our much anticipated vacation to the Outerbanks in North Carolina.  I have to say that you know it was a great vacation when you get home and realize that you didn't take many pictures because you were too busy having a good time!  It was a super enjoyable experience (for the most part).
The highlights (for me) included:
the beach.

the sand at the beach.

the waves in the ocean.

the really awesome sea shells.

the sunshine at the beach.

the pool.

the light house.

I have to mention the bummer stuff because I am trying to keep an honest record of how things really are.
the lowlights would have to include:

brooke's ear infection 2 days before we went.

the antibiotics that made me have to change a stinky diaper 8+ times a day while trying to enjoy all of the above.

brooke's diaper rash due to the above events that made her super grouchy.  (bryan and i considered leaving her there for someone else to take home.)

other than that it was a really good time.  we rented an awesome beach house in Duck, NC.  Comparing this trip to last year I have to say that Duck is way cooler than Waves.  The whole area is more developed.  There was a ton to do.  Our house had a killer pool, and club house, and playground for the kids.  It also had a very convenient private access to the beach.  We were in walking distance to an ice cream shop, so of course Bryan was happy. 

Some of the boys (and a couple girls) even risked their lives and may or may not have jumped from the 2nd story balcony into the pool....

Peter hanging out on the Sound side of the island (this was the side that got pummeled by Hurricane Irene).  This was one of the only walks out to the water that was still in usable condition.

 Looks like it is nice weather...decieving.  We were really sweaty.  And hot.  And here is the closest thing to a belly picture you are going to get of me.  21 weeks.

 We got to hang out with Kurt and Helena a bunch and we had a great time with these guys! (sorry Helena, this is the only picture I got of you guys...I know its not great!)

 The highlight for Peter was the Go Karts.  It was a shinnanagan to find a place that would let a 3 year old ride as a passenger. (weird?  I thought so)  But he was in HEAVEN.  I think it was the highlight of his trip.

 Showing how Brooke really was...a snotty mess!

 This is as close as Peter ever got to the water.  Brooke would have swam off to China if we let her, but Peter was TERRIFiED of the waves.  He was hysterical every time we even mentioned the word 'beach' and he would consent to go but stay up close to the top and play in the DRY sand.  The picture below is when he was feeling really brave on the LAST day we were there.  Pathetic.

 I am almost done with pictures.  I promise.  To conclude I must put in the classic "Buried Alive" picture.  Meet Chad.  Once upon a time, a human.  At the beach, a sea turtle.  Pure awesomeness. 

I LOVED the time we spent together with family and friends.  We made some great memories.  The only thing that I didn't get to do was take a big group picture with everyone that went.  It was a great group!