Halloween 2016

On Saturday night we headed to our church's Trunk or Treat for the evening! We got there and headed inside and the room was full of awesome decorations and lots of people dressed up that Liam thoroughly enjoyed...especially the ghost decorations. We grabbed a table and snagged some food and gobbled it all up before heading around the church building for some fun carnival games that Liam loved. He got to throw bean bags in witches cauldrons, shoot ghosts with Nerf guns and walk the plank with Peter Pan...and all the while he had a goody bag around his wrist. He loved going from room to room and playing games and getting toys...he was totally picking up on this whole Halloween thing!

After the games, we did a costume parade where he got to walk on the stage and he even did a little jig as his adorable pumpkin self! Tadd and I decided to be scarecrows in the pumpkin patch which was fitting since I have a little pumpkin in my belly! It turned out to be a really cute family costume!

Then the best part...the trunk or treating part! He was a pro. He hustled from trunk to trunk saying Trick or Treat loud and clear and even saying Thank you after getting his treat. Then he would say "next one," as he headed to the next car. He got lots of goodies and loved looking at them and choosing which ones he wanted to eat. He got to eat a few candies that night and then he proceeded to run a handful of laps around the church parking lot, which was perfect to burn off the sweets he just ate.

He definitely didn't want the night to end...he thoroughly enjoyed every minute of his Halloween Trunk or Treat experience...and now for actual Halloween, it may not be nearly as exciting!

This is the morning after...he took it upon himself to put all his candy on his high chair tray and celebrate all the loot he collected. (We then proceeded to separate it by kind, and he got one of each...the rest, well, lets just say its almost gone)

In other Halloween news, we went to a pumpkin patch a few weeks ago, and he loved it. Of course not necessarily because of the pumpkins alone, but they had a black pony Levi that he got to ride and then of course bounce houses and slides that he went crazy on. He had a blast. He also got to pull a wagon and snag a few pumpkins on the way out. I would say that Halloween 2016 was a major success!!!

Babymoon @ Eden Vale

Tadd and I decided to go on a Babymoon before baby boy #2 arrives. I thought it would be a nice way to just relax and reconnect before you are loving being over our heads with babies!!! I found this little bed and breakfast in Placerville. I had a few requirements when I was trying to find the location we wanted to be. 1. Close enough to our hospital in case I went into labor early like I did last time. 2. I wanted it to be driving distance so we wouldnt have to spend a big chunk of money on airfare. 3. It had to have access to a spa for a massage treatment! Other than that, I wasn't feeling too picky. 

We ended up at a place called Eden Vale Inn...and it was perfect! It had everything and more. It was the perfect location, only 45 minutes from where we live so just in case and of course we hardly spent any money on travel. AND they had an on site spa. Other perks included breakfast each morning you stayed, awesome grounds to enjoy with a fire pit, pond, porch swing... and then the room was also great. It was quaint but also big enough. It had cable, great lighting, a fireplace, a rain shower head and a common area where we could store food and then use a microwave, etc. 

 When we first arrived, we had a look around, got situated and then went and grabbed some yummy chicken pot pies for dinner. Then we face timed Liam who was having a blast in the bath with nana and papa and then we enjoyed some smores by the firepit. We both didnt sleep that great but probably just because we are not used to being so relaxed and not having anything to do the next day. The following morning, we had a great breakfast, pictured above and then we headed into Apple Hill to shop around before our massages that were scheduled in the afternoon. We went to a few spots in Apple Hill and I bough an adorable christmas ornament with four people on it! And we grabbed a few treats before heading back to the B&B to chill.

 We snacked for lunch and watched some random tv while we prepped for our spa treatment. We then were able to get our couples massage which was glorious!!! They had this amazing "pregnancy sling" that is placed on top of the massage table to allow for pregnant people such as myself to lay on their belly, but not actually...kind of hard to explain...but it was heaven sent. It was so nice to be able to kind of relax my back after the last few weeks of pregnancy. Anyway, if I could get one of those my bed and then maybe a masseuse to come with it, done and done.

After our massages, we freshened up and headed into Placerville to grab dinner. We walked around a bit before eating at the Independent. We had a great seat outside with nice lighting, warmers and just a nice overall environment. We ordered way too much food but enjoyed all of it. We got turnip fries, calamari, fried chicken, steak with sides of cheese grits and truffle mac and cheese. And as if all of that food was not enough (we did NOT finish it all) We topped off our dinner with their delicious bread pudding! It was a great dinner and a great day. We then headed home and I was ready to crash. We both slept really good and then woke up early to get everything packed and ready to go as Tadd was heading to Utah for a friends wedding that day. The B&B staff was willing to make us breakfast early which was so nice and so delicious, as pictured above. We enjoyed our breakfast and then headed out.

I dropped Tadd off at the airport and then got a few errands done like grocery shopping and laundry before meeting up with my parents and my little nugget whom I missed so much! We then had a lovely saturday out and about, checking things off of my pre-baby checklist. It was a wonderful weekend and we discussed possibly adding one of these trips to our life plan every year...until next time, thanks Eden Vale for a great Babymoon!

Baby boy #2 baby shower & 32 week bumpdate

I made it to and through the shower without delivering my child! Success. It was perfect!

The theme was simply colors based on the nursery and we did breakfast this time to try and do something different than we normally do. We did a crepe and parfait bar which turned out to be a great success. We had crepes and  yogurt of course...with lots of fruit, raspberries, blueberries, bananas, strawberries and then fillings and toppings. A lemon ricotta filling with blueberry sauce, whipped cream, nutella, honey, chocolate and some garnish like coconut, granola and cinnamon sugar to top it off. I think most of us went back for some version of seconds. We also had a few small muffins, an egg casserole that was yummy, orange juice, coffee and water...it was perfect!

The shower was so fun! We played a few games, ate, chatted, open presents and chatted some more. Baby boy #2 and I were totally spoiled with love and goodies. We are totally set with diapers for the first few months and we also have everything else we need such as the bassinet, wipes, burp cloths, clothes and other random accessories.

Now I am going a little crazy in nesting mode and reorganizing every room in our house...At least we know everything will be in order when this baby decides to arrive, early or not... (probably late!)

I feel so lucky to have had my mom and sisters host this shower and they always spoil me so much! It was also so great to have so many of my friends to spoil this second baby boy!!! I am just the luckiest!

While the girls were busy at the shower, the boys went to Top Golf which is a fun spot where you can basically be at a driving range but have all the perks like food, shade, tv and multiple people at one location! They got such a good pic of Liam and my dad playing, it was too cute not to share!

Bumpdate:: 32 weeks

How far along? 32 weeks
Weight gain? No comment
Maternity clothes? Just bought 3 more items to hopefully finish off my maternity wardrobe.
Sleep? Still pretty solid.
Best moment this week? Baby shower celebrating this little bear!
Gender? Bbboy!!
Movement? Trying to pay more attention to all his moves.
Food cravings? Nothing sounds that good.
What are you looking forward to? Our next ultrasound! Fall activities with Liam! And our Babymoon!

Baby Boy #2 Nursery

The nursery is ready... minus the first initial of this baby boy!  I chose to do a red accent this time around because I wanted it to be slightly different than my initial instinct of browns, navy and grey...which is exactly what Liam's nursery and toddler room are. I love how the frames turned out and the accent table and everything really came together and I am also pretty stoked that it is all ready and waiting for this baby to arrive. Now I am hoping he waits just a little bit longer because we are celebrating him next week, at 32 weeks this time, so I can be more sure to attend this time around.

Keeper

I found this awesome saying in my computer when I was cleaning out my documents and I just wanted to document it so that I don't lose it because it is so true. I am so thankful to have such wonderful women in my life like my mom, sisters, friends and other female examples. This saying is for you, because we are of great worth...and we should never forget how great we are!

The One Flaw In Women

 By the time the Lord made woman, He was into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel appeared and said, 'Why are you spending so much time on this one?' And the Lord answered, 'Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart -and she will do everything with only two hands.' The angel was astounded at the requirements. 'Only two hands!? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish.' 'But I won't, ' the Lord protested. 'I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days.' The angel moved closer and touched the woman. 'But you have made her so soft, Lord.' 'She is soft,' the Lord agreed, 'but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish.' 'Will she be able to think?', asked the angel. The Lord replied, 'Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate.' The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek. 'Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.' 'That's not a leak,' the Lord corrected, 'that's a tear!' 'What's the tear for?' the angel asked. The Lord said, 'The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride.' The angel was impressed. 'You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing.' And she is! Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take 'no' for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE TINY FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

2nd Baby Bumpdate 28 weeks

Baby #2 Bumpdate: 28 Weeks

How far along: 28 weeks (29 as of today!!!)
Weight gain: 20 lbs
Maternity clothes: Yes! I just snagged a few more pieces for the fall.
Sleep: Crazy dreams make my sleep slightly less restful
Best moment this week: Having my sister in town and having her spoil Liam with love and attention (which in turn spoils me!!!)
Gender: BOY round 2
Weird pregnancy moment: Not so much.
Movement: Yes, this boy moves quite a bit, until Tadd tries to feel for him, then he stops.
Food cravings: Nothing really.
Quesy: Nope!
What are you looking forward to: My appointment at 32 weeks! I get an extra ultrasound! And we are starting to do exams to make sure that this baby is not planning on coming early like Liam.

I can't believe I am already almost 30 weeks. That could mean that this baby could be here in 6-10 weeks...that seems unbelievable. However, I imagine the next 6-10 weeks will feel like eternity. HEre is to a healthy and successful next 8ish weeks.

Napa Girls Trip

My two besties from 5th and 6th grade and I took a trip to Napa for the weekend. We decided to go to celebrate our 30th birthdays!! And we have been friends for 20 years!!! We had such a great time. I had no idea that Napa was so close too...it only took like 1 hour and 20 minutes. When we arrived, we were able to get an early check-in to our hotel and we scoped the hotel out before heading over to oxbow market and grabbing some lunch. We then walked into downtown Napa and scoped out the shops and such. We wandered and then decided to get pedicures! It was so relaxing, and although we hadn't done much yet, I could definitely have fallen asleep in the chair. Once we finished with our nails, we continued walking until we found an ice cream parlor and chocolate shop...and snagged a few treats.

We then headed back to the hotel so my friends could enjoy their hour of free wine on the patio at our hotel. It was the perfect area to hang out and chat though with a nice couch and chairs and a fireplace to keep us cozy as it was nice and breezy. After they enjoyed their wine, we got ready for our first dinner reservation which was at a sushi restaurant that was supposed to be great!

 The food was really good. We ordered some sushi that was pregnancy approved, with a couple of other rolls for them and then some duck fried rice which was also quite delicious. Then we got a deconstructed smore for dessert which was also pretty good, even though the original smore somehow is usually the best. We then headed back to the hotel and got in our jammies and went to bed...and slept in until 9!!!!! It was a miracle. Whitney and I have kids so we normally don't get to sleep in, Lauren on the other hand, patiently waited for us to wake up...what a nice friend!

Once we were up and ready we headed into the vineyards of Napa with my sisters father in law who runs some Kendall Jackson vineyards. He gave us such a great tour of the vines and of his property that he oversees. He taught us a ton about wine and how long and involved the process is...makes my friends appreciate their wine a bit more!!! He then recommended a great lunch spot, which we ended up getting brunch because the food looked and sounded so delicious, and it did not disappoint!

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 After our delicious lunch, we went to a winery nearby so my friends could taste some sparkling wine which is what the winery is known for...I then found some salted caramels to share and enjoy the scenery. After they finished their tasting, we headed back to get ready for our second dinner of the weekend which was at an Italian restaurant!

We consumed lots of pasta and bread and enjoyed every bite before finishing it off with a cobbler and some shopping at a boutique next door. We also happened to stop into Kohls to get some toys for our kids so they would be happy to see us when we got back...ha! 

We then called it a night and slept in again...

Sunday morning we did a brisk bike ride nearby our hotel and grabbed some juice at the market before driving into Yountsville to see the cute town and then peeked at the local outlets which just so happened to have a brooks brothers which Tadd loves and I even snagged him a new pink dress shirt he has been wanting! Then we drove home and got back to our families...Overall it was a great weekend and something that we will definitely make happen again in the near future!