WILW - Happy August!

Wed already?

August already?

Here's a few loves... I'll start out with my latest trip to buy 2 things turned wrong at Target..

1. Im loving their Marbled Mocha Breakfast Bread... are you kidding me?

This stuff is delicious.

Samantha calls it Chocolate Toast. It isnt THAT chocolatey.. hardly.. but I like her name she gave it

2. Organizing totes with hearts..

I saw these on Holly's blog! Thanks for the inspiration!

3. Pink Grapefruit Sorbet Bars...

I think I have a problem... I eat too many of these to mention..

okay I'll tell you ... today i had 3!

 4. Spearmint Kitchen's adorable ode to sprinkles blog post!

Makes me want to bake/cook with sprinkles!

5. Watching the Olympics

Im sitting here watching the Women's Gymnastic's team win FIRST PLACE!!

Gosh what a great moment... Im glad I got to see it !!!! Amazing!

Weekly Wrap Up

Here's our weekly update via my phone pics

Monday...

Samantha had her 3 year Dr's appointment

I took her by myself, and told her if she was brave, we'd get a treat...

She did pretty well, even though she's extremely shy.. and I could tell she was very very nervous..

I prepped her by playing with her Doctor kit the week before and told her everything the Dr was gonna do to make sure she was healthy.. so she did pretty well with the exam.

She's 50% for height and 70% for weight I think.. they dont give me a little piece of paper anymore like when she was a baby..(tear*)

So she got a cupcake at a nearby bakery on the way to Grammy's house.

Grammy hosted a little pool party/bbq ... and it was so much fun!

Tuesday..

I received my awesome new gifts via Holly my Swap partner from

Meg's Lip Gloss and Mascara Swap!

More detailed post to come.. but I loved everything she picked out for me.. and cant wait to get all pretty!

Wednesday
we had our Nanny over and her boyfriend for a farewell dinner

She's moving to my favorite place.. NC!! She is actually moving to our same little town, and renting in our SAME condo complex.. crazy, right? What are the odds! Im so happy for her and at the same time, sad that she's leaving and will be far away..

We made grilled pizzas, she brought an amazing salad and dip, and I made these for dessert

from Pinterest of course.. Banana Caramel Cream Dessert!

Thursday
We visited our friend Julie who just had her 4th baby!
Taking both kids by myself was a bit of a struggle that day.. Andrew was OVER due for a nap, so we didnt stay too long.
 I stopped for scones from Panera for Julie, and I treated SJ with her FAVORITE all time cookie..
Sugar with M&M's...
She ate a good lunch.. so ...

Friday
(and yes she is wearing the SAME shirt as Thursday..) I did wash it.. all I do is laundry...
Anyways..
We headed for the Zoo.
It was a mild night.. still hot, but we walked around and it wasnt too crowded
We rode the Carousel 3 times.. ha!

When we first arrived Andrew was snoozing...

All the animals seemed to be out... even our favorite Rhino...

Saturday...

we headed over to my cousin's house for a cookout.

We had hotdogs, I made potato salad, and the kids had fun swimming and playing outside

They were away when Samantha turned 3, so they gave her some new dollhouse furniture for her big Fisher Price loving family set...

She was occupied for a while Sunday...

 Setting up her house.. .

 And I ended the weekend with a Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar via Ina Garten, topped with Vanilla Ice Cream... what a long week!

I've been meaning to get this post up ALL weekend, and just kept adding to it and adding to it..
Its been so busy/crazy... I try to squeeze in blogging all the time!

WILW - Last one for July!

Here's What Im Loving today...

1) Im loving that I have had time to start and finish some art projects.

I will post when they are completely done..

2) Im loving this new bib I ordered for Andrew that came yesterday

Poor guy... SJ has SO many bibs, paci clips, shirts, bows, drawings.. etc with her initials/name on it.. I had to start getting him a little caught up..

 3) Im loving that I had SO much fun getting all my goodies together for the lip gloss swap that Im participating in this week!

 4) Im loving these babies.. Hylands Teething Tablets.

They're homeopatic. They're a lifesaver.

Andrew doesnt have any teeth, but somedays I think .. "okay this has GOT to be the day one pops through." Poor guy has been miserable...

5) Im loving this ... my favorite bread...

Sunflower with rolled oats..

Delicious.. They sell this here at all our grocery stores in WNY.. since its made locally not far away.

Not sure if you can get this anywhere else?

To Market ...To Market We Go

How many times do I blog on the same day as an event..

almost never..

so im savoring the moment!

Today we had a great day...

We walked up to our village Farmer's Market.. which we've done a few times this summer.

Its such a cute market.

It makes me want to start my own little cupcake tent on Saturdays... but maybe when the kids are a little older..

 Everything is so pretty to me at the market, and rustic

from the price tags, to the wooden crates.

 And the gorgeous flower and herb arrangements and plants

 And the baked goods.. ooohhhh..

We usually get a HUGE blueberry muffin and we all take a nibble.

 We all walked down to the park and Samantha ate her muffin with Daddy by the stream, while I attempted to breastfeed Andrew under some trees with a stroller barracade in front of me... Im not gonna lie, I SUCK at breastfeeding in public...

 Samantha had a very big day today...

Potty training has long been underway since late May..

But going #2 has been a HUGE problem.

I was embarrased to write about it, because I honestly have no idea how to overcome it!

But today she pooped ... BIG on the potty by herself..

 We busted out the chocolate and M&M's.... we went to get milkshakes after dinner... we really really wanted her to know how proud we were of her.. I really hope this continues.. such a releif!

So back  to the post.... after our muffin and "milk" haha.. we headed home

Andrew and I... of course my phone was set to some weird setting so it made it blurry...But you get the idea.. I just got my hair chopped last week about 2.5 inches.. so Im still trying to figure out how to style it... 

The 411 {Link Up}

I recently added this blogger to my reading list

and she did a 411 on Blogging so I thought I'd join in...

both kids are napping.. lunch is done, laundry is in-progress, and house is relatively clean...ha!

Okay here goes:

1. How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?

I started blogging in March of 2010. I came across a random cupcake/recipe blog, and then started reading her followers' blogs.. and it just spiraled from there...

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?

Yes, I went to John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio

I majored in Communications and Minored in English.

3. Where have you traveled?
Oh gosh....Canada, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, North Carolina, Florida, Reno, Chicago, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Aruba, Mexico, Jamaica, Texas, England, Barcelona, Portugal...I think those are the major ones.. ha!

4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
A large house in the beautiful town of Wilmington, NC.. (we want to live south again someday)

5. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?
People who are fake/superficial

People who are hypocritical

Nose pickers! ah!

6. What is your favorite movie?

The Time Traveler's Wife

I listened to the soundtrack over and over when I was in labor with Andrew a few months ago..

7. What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?
I love water!

8. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?
Blog, Craft, Online Shop (when I cant leave my house) 

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
One store??????

Okay probably Nordstrom

10. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.

I was shopping recently with the kids, and forgot to put a nursing pad under my bra... and yep, I leaked.. all through my shirt which was grey... so embarassing

11. What day would you love to relive again?
I know this is a popular answer but my wedding day or the birth(s) of both of my kids.

12. If your life was turned into a movie... what actor would play you?

Diane Lane, i just love her
  

13. What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?
Paper Route & Waitress, and Nanny

14. Show us a picture from high school or college. 

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
Bahamas

16. Show us the most current picture of you or you, or your family, or anything of meaning to

 you

This was taken in May 2012...we JUST got family pics taken professionally and I cannot wait to get them back!
 

17. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?
I see us settled wherever Mat's job takes us, and traveling with and maybe  a trip without the kiddos!

Now, tell me about you...

WILW - July Heat Wave!

Its been SUPER hot for our area this week

Andrew LOVES water ... thank goodness, I need to keep my babies hydrated

So I guess thats what HE is loving this week

Im loving spending time one on one with SJ
Samantha loved our little tea party.. I brought out some flour, water, spoons, and we added some sand and grass to our "soup" while brother was napping.

Im loving my recent bargains at the craft store

ALL the canvases were 50% and Martha Stewart glitter was on clearance!! yes!!

Im loving that SJ loves to craft with me on our 3rd floor playroom/Momma's Studio

We made "ballet shoes" yesterday with lots of pink.. pink glitter & paint

Im loving this Magazine

I think it may be my next subscription

Im loving this shirt we found for Andrew at Target

Look closely.. USA does not stand for United States of America

Lastly Im loving these two teaser pics my friend Carolyn sent me.

She did a photo shoot of the kids, and our family, and she sent me a few sneak peeks.. Im dying to see the rest

 My little prima

And our sweet baby boy...

And thats been our week of loves so far

Wizard of Oz {Samantha's 3rd Birthday Party}

We celebrated Samantha's 3rd Birthday this weekend!

The theme of course was "The Wizard of Oz"

Here's "Dorothy" posing for me before her guests arrived!

 I tried to be very creative, and even managed to make some Wicked Witch legs/shoes and stuck them under her playhouse in the backyard..

 It was a hot one.. as always is on her birthday

But she did pretty well for no nap... YES... NO NAP..

She naps EVERY DAY for at least 2.5 hours...

 I think all the excitement was too much for her to settle down.

And she was in a pretty good mood .. only a few minor meltdowns..ha!

I wanted her to have a few girl friends there..

So Lily and Livia came for some party fun, and the girls were so cute together

I made up goody bags for the girls to take home.
In the bags were Bubbles, Sparkle Putty,  Little Sparkling purses, candy, Little Notebooks, Stickers.. all things that three year olds would like.
I popped some popcorn the old fashioned way on the stove before her party and put them in bags as favors, or to eat at the party.. there were so many leftover, so now Im eating them! ha!

She was REALLY into blowing out the candles this year...

Last year she didnt really know what to do.. But she was SUPER excited.

Today I gave her a cupcake after lunch and she made Daddy and I sing to her AND light a candle so she could "blow it out again" she said..

We served marinated jerk chicken tenderloins, hot dogs, fresh fruit and fresh veggies, orzo tomato & feta salad, and a variety of drinks.

For dessert..........the best part, right?
Cupcakes of course.. Red Vines, Lollipops, & Ruby Slipper Cookies

I made Red Velvet and Vanilla with Vanilla Buttercream

She loved opening her presents.. She got so many lovely gifts.

A desk/easel, clothes, new DVDs, Books, dolls, craft sets,

new shoes!

Her own personalized towel.. Thanks Maria!!!! I absolutely love this... I wish I had an embroidery machine!

Its very bittersweet that she is already three.

She had so much fun at the party, and continues to light up our lives each and every day...

Happy Birthday to our Sweet Girl!