Mommy's Day!

I love being a mom.

Keelin in 2006, 3 days old

Jackson in 2009, 4 hours old

My babes meeting for the first time!

They're growing up!

And up!

Can't wait for Keelin and Jackson to meet Finn,

the baby that completes our family,

in just a few more short months!

(23 weeks and 1 day)

Happy Mother's Day to my mom

and all of the other women out there that positively affect the lives of children.

People become moms in all sorts of ways :)

Copy-crafting!

This morning, I was catching up on my blog reading. I read one of Kory's recent entries on Live Completely and was inspired!

Jackson and I ran to the craft store and picked up some essentials and I got started making Waldorf-inspired toys for him and Keelin. I have always purchased these kinds of learning toys, but have never even considered that I might be able to successfully make them myself! You know, let's be real. I LOVE handmade toys and LOVE unique educational materials to use with my little ones, but we're on a budget! I don't have an endless supply of funds to spend on Etsy, so anything that I can do myself is a great benefit!

Bitty Man armed and ready!

He helped me put together and paint a wooden tractor model!

No pictures, though. It was "his." Nooo pictures!

$1.00 for a wooden basket!

Perfect for holding peg people!

Like these!

That fit into bean pot candle cups like these!

Kinda line this!

I made a set of 6, a rainbow!

Blue, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, and Orange!

A Power family easter basket! :)

I also picked up a bag of recycled cardboard eggs!

The bottom left egg is unpainted for this photo.

Just thought I'd share what I spent my afternoon doing!

I did some sorting balls in the colors to match the cups,

pastels for the eggs!

All finished!

Haven't decided whether or not to give the other peg people faces...

Anyway, visit Kory and show her some love! She writes a delightful blog!

I'm planning to make these and more for favors to give guests at Keelin's 5th birthday party this summer- no plastic ickiness here!

If you're one of Keelin's friends mommies, I ruined the surprise, but I just had to share :)

Halfway there!!

Today, I'm 20 weeks pregnant with my last baby.

How can this be??

It feels like we got the positive pregnancy test yesterday!

Baby Finn is an active little guy, lots of rolling, not a lot of kicking.

I'm starting to poke out a bit more!

Definitely enjoying carrying him high...

I can still wear a couple of my non-preggo jeans and a lot of my shirts!

In this picture, I'm wearing a pair of Lucky Brand (maternity) Jeans that I snagged at a consignment for $10.

I love that they don't look like maternity jeans.

I'm not an old fuddy duddy (I don't think, anyway!)- I'm only 24!

I think it will be fun when I have a bigger belly!

Just can't believe that this is the last time I'll be counting the weeks up to delivery,

feeling a little one rolling around, getting big and ENJOYING it...

It's bittersweet!

Jackson and Big Bird?

I just feel the need to celebrate my wild guy!

This morning, Tim and I took him outside after we took Keelin to school.

It was time to check on the chickens water/food and open the door for them to go outside!

"Mommy, it's BIG BIRD!!!"

So, the chicken Jackson is pointing to is officially his special hen.

She's an Araucana hen named Big Bird.

Big Bird decided that she'd had enough.

Jackson WILL find you, Chicken... in his pjs and flip flops!

Jackson holding Big Bird.

I have never seen that little boy just stand still...

He really enjoyed getting to love on his feathered friend!

It's Friday! I'm in love!

With Craigslist :)

We have had so many phone calls and visits about our car! I just wish that more people knew how to drive a 5 speed. The green machine would have been sold to the first visitor/caller if that had been the case! We have a very interested guy coming by in the morning, so hopefully he will buy it. That would be delightful!

I was productive today! Finished detailing the car with Daniel, did some yard work, ran a ton of errands, cleaned out the chick's area, washed a load of diapers, and now I am going to enjoy a yummy batch of sweet potato fries with spicy salt and no-HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) ketchup. Delicious!!

http://www.mamaeve.com/index.php/general-parenting/204-might-be-a-counterculture-mama-if/

This is a really interesting post. I found it through a parenting board I enjoy reading and I identify with most of the list. I guess I am a bit crunchier than I think I am! Which is definitely not a bad thing. I strive to be crunchier- getting back to the basics is never wrong, people. Anything you can do that is "mainstream" can be done in a healthier way. I promise- and you don't have to turn into a homebirthing, toddler nursing "Counterculture Mom." For example:

If you're addicted to tupperware, I can show you my amazing glass food storage that can go from baking in the oven to the microwave, to the dishwasher, to the freezer, etc. And no, it isn't more expensive than the plastic stuff! I paid $30 for a huge mixed-size of containers to start with and then added some Mason jars to the mix. They rock!

If you think little plastic tables and chairs are cute for kids, you should see the wooden ones! They are no more expensive and aren't going to off-gas or leach chemicals like a plastic set. They don't have to be handmade, either. We got our set from Ikea for $20.

Farmer's market produce that isn't organic might be better than organic, he or she may just not be able to afford what is required to be labeled organic. I pay less for farmer's market delights than people pay for Mexican produce at Walmart. Support your local little guy, stimulate your own little economy, love your earth, love your body... We bought some maple breakfast sausage from a farmer at our market that lives 20 minutes away from us. He handed me a dozen (free to us) eggs from his happy, free-range chickens and told me that he wanted to ensure that we would have delicious eggs to go with our delicious sausage. The egg whites were not pale yellow like store bought eggs, they were bright yellow/ almost orange, and the most flavorful eggs I've ever tasted. Cannot wait to visit him again and let him know how much we enjoyed his hard work and admired his commitment to his animals and to his customers. His free dozen eggs have earned him a customer- at least until our teeny chicks start laying themselves :)

Okay, my poor brain has had it. It is official, I need to treat myself to some sweet potato fries and then get some sleep before I drive 2.5hrs to do Elizabeth's baby shower tomorrow!