Our Disneyland Adventure!

Our first family Pic at Disneyland from Sleeping Beauty's Castle! 

I love planning our vacations and my husband and extended family know this very well! As soon as we book a trip, I hit the ground running doing research on where we are going and planning fun things for us to do!

Here in Monterey, Kyle is on a school schedule (4 quarters), so after every quarter they have a week break! We knew Kyle had to go to Bremerton, WA for a site visit the first half of the break, but I knew we had Thursday-Sunday free, so I started planning and chose Disneyland! I had researched another Disney cruise, but the value at this time wasn't there and the port visits were limited.

So here is a breakdown of our Disney trip. Some tips, tricks and lots of pictures! Enjoy!

Roadtrip
We headed out for Disneyland on Thursday morning. My goal was to be on the road by 6am, but unfortunately that didn't happen. We were out late the night before for Charlotte's Awana and Kyle had just gotten back from Bremerton that afternoon. After a quick stop at Panera for breakfast, we were on the road at 8am. Charlotte did great in the car and even took a nap! The drive there was definitely quicker than coming home as we took a direct route going. Kyle wasn't feeling well, so as soon as we arrived in Anaheim, I found an urgent care to take him to. We dropped him off and headed to the hotel. After a steroid shot, inhaler and Z-pack, he was on the road to recovery for all the fun I had planned! :)

7:30am and so excited to be on our way! 

Hotel
After tons of research, I decided to stay at the DoubleTree Anaheim Resort-Convention Center. Next time we go, we will book further in advance so we can stay on property at one of the Disney hotels. The rates were crazy expensive because all of the military rooms were reserved. I got an awesome military rate at the DoubleTree and the best part is that the room was spacious and had a living room and bedroom, separated by a door. Perfect for families. Also, since we are Hilton Gold Members (thanks Amex Platinum--free for military) we also received complimentary breakfast (a 14.99 value). They also have awesome chocolate chip cookies when you check in. The hotel was a .9 mile walk from the park entrance. We walked several times and also did the ART shuttle. This hotel also had a heated pool and jacuzzi, which was a plus! We saw one night and watched the fireworks too!

We brought some snacks and drinks to fill up our mini bar! 

Tickets 
Disney is awesome and offers a 3-Day Park Hopper ticket for military. It was $156 per person and you can purchase at any base ticket office, but not on site at Disneyland. You can read about the restrictions on the tickets, here. We used all 3 days during our trip.

Maxpass 
This is a fairly new program and I was SO excited about it. For $10, you basically get Fastpass and Photopass on your phone through the Disneyland app. Each person in your party needs the Maxpass to utilize the Fastpass option, but we only used that a couple times. In addition, you can still get regular Fastpasses from kiosks around the park. You have to purchase this once you are inside the park, but then you can enjoy the benefits! The Photopass was my favorite part because all of the pictures get loaded onto your app and you can download to your computer or phone for just $10!!! At our Princess breakfast, they came over with a several photos in a paper decorative frame. They wanted $37.95 for this! But then I told them I had Maxpass and they handed me a card and loaded them onto my phone in seconds!! I used the app to seek out photographers (Kyle hated this), but in the end we have some amazing professional photos!

ART
The Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART) is a great option for getting to and from the parks. We used it several times when our feet were a little tired. The one way fare is $3, but the day pass for adults is $5. I recommend getting that in case you use it more than once. Most of the good neighbor hotels sell them in the lobby. We walked right out front to get our shuttle. The one downside? You have to unpack the stroller and break it down. I enjoy walking and getting my steps in, but Kyle opted for the shuttle several times. Charlotte enjoyed "riding the bus" too! 

On the ART Shuttle!

Must Haves

Portable iPhone Charger
This was a life saver during the day at the park. It extended our battery life multiple times! Would highly suggest purchasing one before you go!

Collapsable Soft Cooler with Bottled Water and Snacks
Disney allows you to bring in water and snacks, so take advantage of this! We filled up our cooler and used freezer packs to keep it cold during the day! Totally worth it and saved money too! This fit really nicely underneath our stroller.

Autograph Book and Pen 
We purchased our autograph book onsite, because I forgot to get one before! I linked up one from Amazon for $11! This was really exciting for Charlotte! She loved giving the book and pen. I sent Kyle to buy one while we were in line for Minnie and he spent $20 on the book and matching pen.

We chose a Minnie Mouse book!

Clothing/Family T-Shirts 
I'm a big fan of matching and love to get creative with our outfits. We re-used our Disney family shirts from our cruise early this year! Those were done by Embellished! and then my friend Jessica, with Stitches by Jessica, made our sparkly princess monogram shirts! They turned out so cute!

Day 1 
Once Kyle was doctored up, we headed off to the park. I didn't make any reservations for this day, because I wasn't sure of our timing. Right after arriving at the park, we saw Minnie and Pluto! Charlotte was in heaven! Minnie was dressed for Halloween! Our first ride was Snow White (because the line was only 15 minutes). Charlotte didn't really care for it. She was a little scared. We continued to wander through Frontierland and it was just packed! We got onto the Pirates of the Caribbean ride fairly quickly and Charlotte is still singing the "Yo Ho Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me" song. I couldn't believe how busy it was for a Thursday night! Plaza Inn's fried chicken was on my list of places to eat, but the line was SO long, that we decided to press on to Tomorrowland. We finally found a place with a decently short line. Kyle had a cheeseburger, I had a veggie wrap and Charlotte had mac and cheese. Not the best meal, but it was late and we were just hungry! Next we rode the Autopia Car driving ride. Charlotte loved this and loved when Kyle bumped into the railing! Lol, it's the little things. We continued into Fantasyland and rode It's a Small World. Charlotte loved this one. After this, we called it a night and headed home. My watch clocked 13,307 steps and 6.51 miles for the day! Pretty good for not even full day in the park!

Day 2
We were up early to get ready for our Princess Breakfast at Ariel's Grotto! We decided to take the shuttle this day. We got to the park entrance around 8:45am and the security lines were so long! Thankfully, we made it to Ariel's Grotto by 9:00am for our reservation. As we walked down the circular staircase, Ariel was there waiting for us! Charlotte was so excited. After taking our photo with her, we were seated. I'll admit the breakfast was pricy, $35 per adult and $20 for Charlotte, but the presentation and experience was really great. We were served muffins, pastries and fruit (really fresh and delicious) and then we were able to select an entree off of the menu. I selected the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissant and Kyle had the Tri-Tip Steak and Eggs. Both were very good. Charlotte had a waffle that was made into a sailboat with a piece of bacon as the sail! So cute! As we had breakfast, the princesses were introduced and came around and said hi to us. We got to meet Belle, Rapunzel, Tiana and Snow White! Charlotte absolutely loved it!

Pastries and Fruit Platter

Charlotte's Sailboat Waffle 

My Breakfast Sandwich

Charlotte with Rapunzel 

With Tiana!

Family Pic with Ariel! Thanks PhotoPass!

After breakfast, we headed across the way to Ariel's ride. We only had to wait 5 minutes! It was perfect! Next on the schedule, was the Disney Jr. Dance Party. Charlotte loved this!! The party features Mickey and The Roadster Racers, Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins. Really cute show. After the show was over, we went outside and we were able to meet Sophia. We had about an hour before the Frozen show, so Kyle being the amazing daddy he is, when to wait in line so we could get front row seats while Charlotte and I stood in line for Spiderman. Yes, she was REALLY excited for Spiderman! After we saw Spiderman, we tried to hop over to Animation Academy where the Frozen characters are, but the line was long so we opted for popcorn and to meet back up with daddy to get our seats.

Spider Power!

The Frozen Show was absolutely amazing. We saw a similar show on our Disney cruise, but obviously this theater had more props/ability and it was wonderful! We were on the 3rd row! Charlotte stayed engaged pretty much the entire time! She kept asking us if she could give the characters hugs. Unfortunately once the show was over, the character meet and greet was already over for the day, so we were unable to see them.

The staircase rotated over the audience! It was so cool!

Next up, we ate lunch in the Pacific Wharf! We decided on Lucky Fortune Cookery! Kyle and Charlotte had a Teriyaki Chicken bowl and I had a Coconut Chicken Curry bowl. It was so yummy and not expensive at all. We also had some mango slices that were really good! Next we walked through Cars Land! Someone was getting sleepy, so we decided to have some ice cream, Mickey Bars of course, and head back to the hotel for nap!

Really into her Mickey Bar! Yikes what a mess! Chocolate everywhere!

After nap, we had a reservation for Morton's Steakhouse. It was a 5 minute walk from our hotel! After dinner, we headed back and changed for the pool. We made it to the pool deck just in time to catch the fireworks!

You can see the fireworks in the distance!

Day 3
Charlotte slept in until about 7:15am, so then we were rushing to get to her Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique appointment. We opted for the cheapest package ($65) which included hair, makeup and nails. This option is great because you can use a princess dress you already have, and we have tons of them! They will also get a BBB banner, backpack, and the leftover makeup, nail polish, stick on jewels, etc. An important note for BBB is that you can't book through the Disneyland app, you have to call and I recommend doing it as far in advance as possible. Also, a morning time slot is best so they can enjoy their style throughout the day and into the evening. Charlotte's hairstyle survived through nap time!

After checking in, we were taken back into the salon. It's so cute and they have all of the Disney music going. Charlotte sat in her salon chair and then there was a bench right behind for Kyle and I to sit on. The whole experience was very quick. One fairy godmother did her hair and the other did her nails and makeup. Once complete, they turned her around and told her to say, "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" and then the curtains opened and she saw herself in the mirror! She was so proud!

Next up it was time to see princesses in the Royal Hall. After a short 10 minute wait, we got to see Ariel, Snow White and Cinderella. Cinderella is my favorite (and now Charlotte's too). The princesses were so sweet and really spent lots of time with each child.

Twirling with Ariel

Cinderella!

We then walked over to get seat at the Storytelling Show at the Royal Theatre. Our show featured Beauty and the Best and we loved it! A special treat here, if you stay behind after the show and just linger, you may get a special one on one with Belle! :)

My favorite! Lifting her little dress like Belle!

Next up, we headed over to Winnie and The Pooh while Kyle rode Thunder Mountain with a Fastpass. Charlotte didn't care for the ride, but loved getting to see Tigger, Eeyore and Pooh! After that, we met back up with Kyle who waited in the 45 minute line at Plaza Inn so we could have their famous fried chicken and boy was it good! Charlotte thoroughly enjoyed her pasta too!

Her face!

Then we headed to the Fairy Hollow to meet Tinkerbell. It is really cutely decorated! Charlotte loves Tinkerbell. On our way to Toontown to see Mickey and Minnie, we ran into Captain Hook! Kyle and I divided and conquered and he waited in the Mickey's house line, while I waited in the Minnie house line. It worked perfectly! I had to wait for about 40 minutes! But, Char loved it.

We were getting close to toddler meltdown, but Kyle had a Fastpass for Space Mountain, so we split again and Char and I went to meet Moana. I knew I couldn't come to Disneyland without getting Dole Whip, so we bit the bullet and waited in the REALLY long line. Another tip here, there are two lines. Go to the one right outside the Enchanted Tiki Room. The line is shorter. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait.

  

Now it was back to the hotel to get some rest and also catch the Gator game! Of course, no channels were playing it, so Kyle went down to the bar and live-streamed it on his computer while I stayed up with Char! On our way to the park, we continued to stream the nail-biter of game, thanks to technology!

We had reservations for the Hungry Bear On-the Go Fantasmic! Dining Package. The package gave us fast passes to the 9pm show and allowed us to have a front row seat. I would highly suggest it, because it was way more affordable than the Blue Bayou package which was $60 per adult. You were able to choose from 3 different entrees and everything was nicely packaged up to take to your seat or to eat at the tables provided at the restaurant. These book up fast, so I would recommend booking this early through the app!

She loved the show!

After this, we were pretty spent and decided to head back home. It was a little chaotic because as we were leaving, the 9:30pm fireworks show was starting. We were able to catch a few on the way out and snap a few pics!

Outside the main gate! I loved all of the Halloween decor!

We really had a blast on our action-packed Disney trip! Even though Kyle has no desire to go back, I'm really excited for at least one more trip during our time in Monterey!

Bumpdate: 18 Weeks

Another 2 weeks have flown by and I am really starting to look and feel pregnant, especially at the end of the day! My belly is definitely more hard and round. I am continuing to feel good and once again feel so blessed! I am still running and exercising 3-4 times a week, although I definitely have to  make a few more bathroom breaks than usual. Check out my bumpdate from when I was 18 weeks with Charlotte! I am definitely showing a bit more with Baby #2!

How far along? 18 weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  I gained weight! Thanks Disneyland! Still down 3 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight!
Maternity clothes: Nope. My lululemon leggings are getting a little tight!! Will probably break out my maternity pants/leggings too! 
Stretch marks? None
Sleep? My energy has definitely come back! I feel like I am sleeping less and not as tired. Also napping less! I definitely need to rest up before the dreaded no-sleep with a newborn stage! Oh and a new development. I can no longer sleep on my back. It literally hurts and is so uncomfortable. If I find myself on my back, I actually wake myself up. It's really strange and uncomfortable!
Miss Anything? I didn't go on any of the rides at Disneyland. Just the small ones with Char! It was fine, but  I do love Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain!
Movement: The movement and flutters are definitely happening! It really feels real now!
Food cravings? Still getting a hotdog once a week from Costco and love Jolly Ranchers. I actually have been craving apples, too! I also started thinking about Poptarts and happened to find the Annie's Organic brand at Costco. I scooped up a package and haven't looked back since. Char and I share a 2 pack almost every morning. So good! 
Anything making you sick or queasy? I got Shrimp & Grits at a restaurant last week that came highly recommended. They were terrible and nothing like how southern Shrimp & Grits should taste. I actually thought I may get sick at the table. The shrimp just didn't sit well with me. I don't think I'll be able to go back to that restaurant now!
Gender: Boy! Anatomy scan scheduled for 2 weeks from now!
Symptoms: Sore boobs, headaches, lower back pain. Labor signs? Nope. Starting to think more and more about it, though!
Belly button in or out? Getting flat, especially when I lay down. 
Wedding rings on or off? On and still loose!
Happy or moody most of the time? Happy! We had a great Fall break at Disneyland!! 
Worst moment this week: Having to come home from vacation! We had a blast! Loving see the magic and awe through Charlotte's eyes!
Best moment this week: Disneyland with my family!
Looking forward to: Girls Weekend wth my Mom and Sister, all things Fall and more Gator Football!
Baby info: Baby is the size of a sweet potato.  He weighs about 7 ounces and is about 5.5 inches long. He can flex his arms and legs, which explains the movement I am feeling! 

Someone wanted to be a part of the bumpdate fun! 

Until next time!

Budget-Friendly Fall Front Porch Decor

I know I say this every year, but fall really is my favorite time of year. You know fall is in the air when, Bath & Body Works starts advertising their fall scents (my favorite is Leaves), Costco gets their giant mums and pumpkin patches and fall festivals start popping up all over!

I love transforming my front porch into all things fall and this year I got started a little early. So early, that I didn't find pumpkins until Saturday of last week! Finally my front porch is complete, with the exception of some extra pumpkins I'll add from our pumpkin patch visits over the next month. Here are some tips to get your front porch ready for fall without breaking the bank!

Mums. Costco is my go-to when it comes to large potted plants. They have the best prices and products. Their mums are $14.99. I picked up this one last week and many of the buds were still closed. Pick a mum with less open buds so that it will last longer! 

Orange Pumpkins. Walmart isn't my favorite place to shop, but they do have some amazing deals. This is where I got all of my pumpkins pictured and the Indian corn. I'm hoping to accent with some more eclectic pumpkins after our next visit to the pumpkin patch. $3.88 for large pumpkins and $2.88 for pie pumpkins. 

Mini White Pumpkins. These were cute and 3 for $3.88. You could substitute these and add gourds as well. 

Indian Corn. Also, 3 for $3.88 at Walmart! I love the different colors and varieties. 

Hay Bales. I picked these up at Michael's during a sale. I got two of them for $6.00 each with my military discount. I placed one vertical and one horizontal to add some dimension. If I had more space, I would have added more hay bales! 

Scarecrow. This was a request from Charlotte. I am not in love with it, but Charlotte liked it and loved her pigtails. At $5.99, how can you go wrong?! I also purchased this at Michael's. 

The wreath that is pictured is from Hobby Lobby from 6 seasons ago. The little pumpkins are starting to peel, but it has definitely served its purpose. Here are some additional wreath options from Michael's that would be a good substitute. I also added a monogram on top of the wreath. You can purchase a monogram from one of my favorite small-businesses, Boogie & Bear. It is a great investment because you can use it with all of your holiday wreaths and paint as needed! 

Both wreaths currently on sale for $25 

I haven't gotten down my bins to decorate the interior of our house yet, but I did attend an awesome craft night with some girlfriends last night and wanted to share the final product! We used Annie Sloan chalk paint, gold leaf and wax to design to fall pumpkins. I put my finished pumpkins with some other fall accents into a shallow basket tray as a centerpiece for my dining room table. 

The before paper mache pumpkins!

Crafting Away!

Finished Product!

Happy Fall Y'all! 

My Favorite Things: Trader Joe's

I'm excited to start a "My Favorite Things" blog series. I've had several requests through my followers on Instagram and I'm excited to share. If you have a favorite things request, send me an email!

We are very lucky to have TWO Trader Joe's here on the Monterey Peninsula. Moving to Monterey was definitely an adjustment because there is NO Publix here, which is where I exclusively shopped back in Florida (in addition to Costco). The Trader Joe's in Jax was about 20 minutes from our house, but I did go there to pick up special items occasionally. Our Monterey house is less than a quarter mile from the commissary (military grocery store), but we really love shopping at Trader Joe's because of the quality and cost. The commissary is great for last minute things though and fun to walk to with Charlotte!

We attend 8:30am church service on Sunday, which means we are out of church and in our car by 10:00am. This gives us plenty of time to get our grocery shopping done before we grab a later breakfast or early lunch. I actually love shopping as a family too, because my husband does do quite a bit of the cooking. He is very talented and comes up with excellent recipes on a whim. Thanks babe! A few weeks back we attended the 50th Anniversary of TJ's! Can't believe it has been around that long, but definitely a successful business. Ok, well on to my favorite things from Trader Joe's.

Produce/Prepared Foods 

The produce speaks for itself. It is fresh, good quality and inexpensive. At Trader Joe's everything is sold by item vs. weight. So keep that in mind when picking out your items!

Broccoli Slaw. I buy a bag of this weekly. It's so versatile and is an easy "Zoodles" replacement, except the work is already done. We love to make Thai Chicken Meatballs with Zoodles. 

Butternut Squash Zig Zags. These are awesome for little ones or even a replacement for pasta noodles. I love to toss with olive oil, S&P and roast in the oven. Charlotte loves butternut squash and sweet potatoes!

Shaved Brussel Sprouts. These are thinly shaved and so yummy roasted and tossed with TJ's Applewood Smoked Bacon!

Fresh Flowers/Orchids. TJ's has flower bunches starting at 3.99 and up. Their flowers are amazing and beautiful. Perfect for a hostess gift or for your own home! Throw them into a mason jar and you have a centerpiece! Their orchids are also beautiful and start at 9.99. What a deal! Add some dark chocolate and you have the perfect birthday gift for a friend, too!

Five Spice Chicken & Asian Style Noodle Salad. I buy these for Kyle for a quick lunchbox item. Everything is packed inside, including the dressing and he loves them!

Egg White Salad with Citrus. I LOVE egg salad, but of course it is loaded with calories. This is a lighter option with lots of flavor! I love snacking on this with crackers!

English Cheddar with Italian Truffles. I really could have shared ALL of the cheese at TJ's, but this one is one of my favorites! They have some amazing varieties of meats and cheeses (including our favorite, prosciutto). You can make a mean charcuterie board with their amazing selections. Once again, prices are on point too!

Frozen Items 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter & Sage. We bought this on a whim one day, but it has easily become one of my favorite items/ go to side dishes. The calorie count really isn't bad when you consider the flavor and servings! Yum. This pairs excellent with a grilled steak and asparagus.

Cauliflower Rice. If you have ever heard someone talk about Trader Joe's, they have probably mentioned the cauliflower rice. I actually like to mix this half and half with brown rice. You really don't even notice the difference! We love to make Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli and serve with the rice mixture!

Turkey Corn Dogs. These are a great item to have in the freezer as a back up for your little ones! Charlotte loves these and they are fun to eat!

A Dozen Macarons. These are great to have on hand for a little dessert or to take to a party! You would never know these were frozen before!

Dry Goods 

Speculoos Cookie Butter. There really isn't much to say about this except, it is heaven in a jar. If you haven't tried this yet, RUN to TJ's! I prefer the crunchy version and love to put on toast and top with banana. They also have yummy Speculoos Cookie Butter Sandwich cookies which are also amazing! When we lived in Hawaii, my sister used to ship this to me!

Cinnamon Schoolbook Cookies. These adorable and yummy cookies are perfect for your little ones. If I give these to Charlotte, she has to tell me the letters or numbers before she can eat them. A little lesson and treat all in one! These are also fun to spell out messages for a spouse or older child!

Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend. Yes!! This is a fairly new product, but boy is it amazing. If you love Everything bagels, but don't love the calorie count that comes along with it, you have to try this. I love the sprinkle mine over Avocado toast. So good!

Lasagna Noodles (No Boil). These are a great and inexpensive product to make homemade lasagna. No boil, just simple layer with your sauce and ricotta and bake!

Coconut Oil Spray. A great alternative to other cooking sprays and super inexpensive!

Pumpkin Pancake Mix. This is a seasonal item, but so yummy for fall. You can make pumpkin pancakes or waffles with this mix! Yum!

Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette. This dressing is amazing! Kyle makes a salad with grilled chili-lime chicken, avocado and mango and this dressing pairs perfectly with it! It is low in calories too!

Truffle Marcona Almonds. Ah, two of my favorite things. Truffles and Marcona Almonds. These are amazing, but I can usually only have a couple. They are so rich! These pair perfectly on a cheese board. Have them on hand for your next party or get together!

Mini Hamburger Buns. We aren't huge bread people, well at least we try not to eat a lot of bread. But these little mini buns are so cute and perfect for sliders. TJ's has an amazing bread selection with tons of different options, including pretzel sticks, brioche and even a cinnamon swirl french toast bread. I can get in trouble in this section!

Coffee. TJ's coffee selection is on point and offers a wide variety of options. I am currently drinking decaf, which I grind fresh in store and I think that makes it drinkable and tasty even though it has no caffeine! Kyle loves the K-cup options and they also released a Cold Brew Coffee too and it is organic!

Health/Beauty

Honey Mango Cream Shave. Kyle bought this and I'll admit, I have hijacked this product. I used it to shave my legs the other day and I couldn't believe how amazing it left them feeling. It has Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. It's really amazing!

Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion. Great price for this everyday lotion with SPF! 

Wine

Trader Joe's has an amazing selection of wine and of course, they are most commonly known for their "$2 Buck Chuck Wine", which is now $2.99. I've price compared TJ's with Total Wine and Costco and they usually have the best price. For example, Meiomi is $15.99 at TJ's!! 

I really could go on and on, but the items listed above are really my go-to TJ items. Don't have a Trader Joe's in your area? A quick Google search will return many shippable dry good items! Of course, you will pay a premium for these items! What are your favorite Trader Joe's items? 

Bumpdate: 16 Weeks

The past 2 weeks since my last bumpdate have flown by! Here is my 16 week bumpdate with Charlotte! It's crazy how similar the bumpdates are! We were just getting settled in our house in Hawaii at this same time in my pregnancy! This afternoon we have another check up for Baby Boy! 

How far along? 16 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  Still haven't gained any weight yet and down 5 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight

Maternity clothes: Not yet. Clothes are definitely fitting differently and in tighter things I just look like I have a tummy. I'm excited for my bump to be more defined. :)

Stretch marks? None

Sleep? Now that I am in the second trimester, I do feel like I have a little more energy and that I am not as tired. I usually take naps with Charlotte on days she is home, but I usually work during this time, too, and get in a 15-20 minute catnap. Charlotte is up like clockwork between 6:00-6:30am, so I try to get to bed early. 

Miss Anything? We went to an evening event at the Aquarium and it would have been really nice to have wine or a cocktail, but only a couple more months right?!  I did have one bite of sushi at a baby shower on Saturday. The mom-to-be is Japanese and made the sushi herself, so I felt safe having a bite, knowing she made it! It was so good! 

Movement: My app says I could be feeling movement at this time. At church this morning, I think I felt him during the worship music (it's pretty loud) so maybe it woke him up! 

Food cravings? Since my last bumpdate, I've added a new one. Thai food, specifically yellow curry! I allow myself one hotdog a week when Charlotte and I make our weekly trip to Costco on Thursdays. The food court staff know us by name there! One thing I have learned here in California is that people aren't talkative for the most part. We've made lots of friends out and about just by saying hello to people. It's a foreign concept here! Also, sour cream and onion Pringles. I just sent Charlotte and Kyle to the store to get some. Charlotte LOVES them, too. Kyle can't stand them. 

Anything making you sick or queasy? I've been feeling pretty good! Still experiencing some headaches, but really can't complain. 

Gender: The Harmony test says Boy! Hopefully soon we will be able to confirm via ultrasound! :)

Symptoms: Really sore boobs (this seems to have gotten worst), belly is hardening, lots of visible veins lately! Lots of blood running through me, I guess!

Labor signs? Not yet! Beginning to think about a birth plan for this baby. You can read more about my birth story with Charlotte here. 

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On and still loose!

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy! Feeling settled and excited to be working again. We have gotten into a great routine so far. I know that is only going to last so long because baby #2 will throw any and all routines out of the window.

Worst moment this week: Dropping my phone (again) and having the screen shatter. Waiting patiently for the new iPhone to come out. 

Best moment this week: Taking Char to San Jose to get her playhouse! She was so excited!

Looking forward to: Kyle's fall break from school and our trip to DISNEYLAND! I don't know who is more excited, Charlotte or me!

Baby info: Baby is the size of an avocado (yum)! He weighs about 3.5 ounces and will double his weight in the next few weeks. His heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day and his toenails have started growing! 

Until next time!

DIY: Notecards to Artwork

Being in the military, we move locations about every two to three years. I love to commemorate each duty station with special items from the area we are in. When were stationed in Hawaii, I fell in love with pineapple items and also collected several pieces of Hawaiian inspired artwork. I love how these items have so much meaning and bring back great memories whenever I see them around our home.

Now that we are stationed in Monterey, I have been on the hunt for art and local pieces. I quickly realized that pieces were either very expensive or just not my style. One day I was shopping at the Navy Exchange at Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and I stumbled upon some watercolor notecards on a spinning card rack. There were many different scenes, including the Bixby bridge, Monterey Bay, Lover's Point and of course several NPS scenes as well. I bought the items I was shopping for and didn't really think about them again until a couple of days ago. Weeks had gone by and I was still searching for the perfect "Monterey/NPS" artwork for our home. I had two 5x7 frames sitting in the closet with old photos from Hawaii and I was debating what to put in them and where to hang them. My mind instantly recalled the prints at the Navy Exchange. I couldn't remember the size of the cards, but I figured they would be 4x6 or 5x7. Worst case, I could contact the artist and have something made. I went back that afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to find they were 5x7 (and would fit perfectly in my frames) and that they were 3.99 per card! What a steal! I decided on these two NPS scenes.

I was so excited to get home and put them into the frames! I prepped and cleaned the frames and then put the prints in the frame. They were just a little too small! I was so sad! But then I realized that the envelopes were just a smidge bigger then the prints, so I mounted them onto the envelopes and then placed into the frames. Michael's or any custom frame shop could make something custom for these prints, but since I already had the frames, I really wanted to make it work.

I'm so happy with the finished product! Thanks Kyle for hanging them and getting them perfectly straight! Not bad for a DIY project under $8! 

 

Of course I want to give credit it to the watercolor artist, but unfortunately, her website is broken. 

The card has this info listed: 

Mary Lou Cortright

831-643-2295

montereywatercolors.com

Have a great Labor Day!