Dear Work: You have pushed every ounce of my being this week. Between family members yelling at me out of pure frustration of their family member dying, to being short staffed {and the hospital being filled to the MAX!} to training a new employee who asks the more crazy pointless questions I have been stressed to the limit. Plus, I haven't gotten a lunch break all week...meaning I eat breakfast at 6am and then don't get a chance to eat again until after work around 5pm. Baby M is NOT a fan of that. Dear Weekend Rummage Sales: Hoping to find some amazing deals on baby clothes again this weekend! The goal is to have the closet stocked and ready to rumble for baby. Dear Nursery: We really must get going on you! Dear Wisconsin: Thunderstorms are something I usually do not mind but the fact that the obnoxious lab that lives in the house can't stand them means hubs & I are awake all night long. And that does not make for a happy preggo. Dear Eating Habits: You stink as of lately. Let's pick up the slack and hit the healthy thing again mmkay? Dear Weekend: Whoo for a three day weekend! Can NOT wait for 4pm tonight to kick it off! Here's to nice weather {fingers crossed}, rummage sale deals, selling the clutter junk from our basement and time with my one and only <3

Saw It. Pinned It. Did It: Seven Layer Bars

Hey there loves! Happy Thursday! We've almost made it to the weekend! Whoot! I have off this weekend and I totally looking forward to it. Fingers crossed that the weather is wonderful...or at least not rainy and cold! I'm here today to link with Steph and Katie for Saw It. Pinned It. Did It with another tasty treat. This has been by far one of my favorite treats since I was a child and I figured I'd be oh so kind and share it with you too! If you haven't tried these yet you NEED to! 

  

These little dandies are pure heaven. Chocolate+butterscotch+coconut=yum! And the best part? They're customizable! The flavor of chips can be switched out to your liking. Do you prefer mint over butterscotch? Throw some mint chips on instead. Prefer walnuts over pecans? Substitute them!

Inspiration: 

via

Creation: 

You'll Need:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup finely cupped pecans

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

 

Follow These Steps:

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a bowl and stir together with the melted butter

 

Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish until the crumbs are in an even layer

 
Sprinkle the pecan meal over the graham cracker layer, then pour on the sweetened condensed milk until the entire crust is covered

 
Scatter the coconut over the condensed milk and top with the chocolate and butterscotch chips

 
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the coconut is beginning to brown and the chips look like they’re about to start melting

 
Let the bars cool for at least 20-30 minutes to set up before cutting

Baby Registry Must Haves: Feeding

Avent Bottles: Well I've heard many people say that bottles really depend on what type baby likes we did put some Avent bottles on the registry. I plan on giving a solid attempt to breastfeeding but just in case we'll have bottles already and when I go back to work we'll have bottles to feed bambino with.
Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump: Again, I plan to make a solid attempt with breastfeeding and since I'll be going back to work after 12 weeks I'm going to need a breast pump to keep up while I'm at work. I've read great things about this breast pump.
Medela Tender Care Lotion: Gotta keep the ladies in tip top shape ;)
Bebe Au Lait Nursing Cover: For those times when we're out and about and need a little privacy to feed the little one. Plus, the design is darn cute!
Munchkin Precision Digital Bottle Warmer: While bottle warmers aren't completely needed hubby loved the idea that it could be set and he could warm up a bottle without worrying about it being too cold/warm. Anything to make this easier for the hubs right ;)
Boon Countertop Drying Rack: This is one of the items on our registry that I'm beyond excited about...only because it's far too adorable! And the cute little flower and tree attachments are so adorable too.
Boppy Pillow: This one is pretty self explanatory. 
    

Weekend Wrap Up

Morning party people! How are we all today? I'm enjoying the day off cuddled up under blankets on the couch. It's 52* here in Wisco and rainy. Talk about a waste of a day off. Blah. I was hoping to get outside, plant some plants and work on our patio a bit but it's looks like that won't be happening. I'm hoping that everyone had a relaxing, fun Memorial Day. Due to weather ours was quite the letdown. I worked all weekend and talk about crazy, hectic days at work! Whew! Saturday night we headed out to my in-laws for dinner and Sunday we spent some time with friends for a bonfire. 

And I may or may not have eaten one a few of these: 

 And no, I totally do not feel guilty. I'm craving ice cream like mad and twisted soft serve cones are totally doing it for me right about now. That and applesauce...I'm eating that like it's going out of style. And my morning go to? Doughnuts. Perferably the glazed kind...holy yums! 

Yesterday we where supposed to have friends over for a cookout but with the weather being so cold and crappy we canceled. Total bummer. It ended up working out for the best though because I started to feel horrible later in the afternoon and ended up sleeping on the couch all afternoon and evening. Hubs was so sweet and kept the pups quite so I could rest and even made me supper. I'm not sure what I'd do without that man...especially during this pregnancy! 

So, it looks like all my adorable outdoor red, white and blue decor will have to wait to make an appearance until the 4th of July. Hopefully we have better weather then! 

And with that I'll wrap up this completely pointless post and let you ladies get back to your work day. I've got tv to watch and more doughnuts to eat. I might as well just say "Hello pregnancy thunder thighs" because it's totally happening.

27 Weeks

 27 Weeks As Of 05.25.13

3 Months From Our Due Date As Of 05.24.13

How far along?  27 Weeks! Hello third trimester!{Still trying to figure out how the heck we got to the third trimester so quickly!}
Size of baby M?  Baby is about the size of an cauliflower & weighs about 2lbs!
Total weight gain/loss: Right around the 18lb-19lb mark
Maternity clothes? Still a mix. I'm able to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans with the help of my BeBand. I've been wearing either maternity shirts or shirts that are larger to cover up the belly. And I'm still loving my leggings and maxi skirts/dresses.
Stretch marks? Nope!
Sleep:  Horrible! I've been up frequently to use the restroom & have been having terrible leg cramps! Ones that are so bad they literally wake me out of a dead sleep and bring me to tears.
Best moment this week: My belly has been on the constant move this week! Baby just doesn't sit still! Plans for my baby shower are in progress which excites me greatly. And I found the perfect dress for my shower and maternity photos!
Have you told family and friends: Yes
Miss Anything? Non-interupted sleep! 

Movement: ALL the time!

Food cravings: I'm loving watermelon lately! We've been going through a melon in about 1.5 to 2 days. I'm also loving apples.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Symptoms: Back and hip pain, fatigue, leg cramps.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy for the most part. I had a pretty blah day this past week though where I just wasn't myself.

Have you started to show yet: Yep

Gender prediction: Only about 12 weeks until you all know! 

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out? Definitely out!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Looking forward to: My baby shower which is June 15th, maternity photos and counting down the weeks. 

Friday Letters

Dear Mexico: Dreaming of your sandy beaches is all I've been doing for the past few days. Wisconsin has been cold and rainy and it's making me crave your salty air even more. Maybe I'll have to suck up my "leaving baby fears" and head on down to see you soon than expected! Dear Baby M: Today marks three months until your due date! THREE months! How the heck did we get here so quickly? Tomorrow will mark the official start of our 27th week and the first week of the third trimester! I seriously can't believe how quickly this pregnancy is going and that in about 90 or so days we will be holding you in our arms! Ekk! Dear Spring: Let's act like spring mmkay? There's no reason I should be sipping chugging hot cocoa at the end of May! Dear House: You are getting so close to being complete it amazes me! We've got the last of the new windows being installed, we're FINALLY getting central air installed and the carpeting should be installed soon. We've also been busy landscaping and it's crazy the difference a few plants make! Dear Caramel Frappes: I've been craving you like mad but have been trying to avoid you. There are far more healthy things I should be consuming right now. Dear Hubby: Please let me hire a chef. I promise you won't be sorry. I'm just so sick of cooking meals. Baking I'll totally do...but cooking is just not my thing. Could we also hire a maid? Pretty please? Dear Pregnancy: The recent hip pain and leg cramps are totally not cool. Please don't tell me they're going to be a frequent thing! Ouchy!

Summer To-Do List

My dear blogger friend Whitney is hosting a summer to-do list link up and I thought I'd share mine today. Being that this will be the last summer before S and I become parents I really just want to enjoy it. Spend time together just the two of us. Here are a few of the things I'd love to do this summer: 

- Go on Frozen Yogurt Dates whether it be with S or with friends. In my opinion frozen yogurt is the perfect summertime treat! 

- Host Cookouts with family and friends

- Baby Shower! I'm totally looking forward to this! Seeing all my friends and family again and getting to celebrate this new little life!

- Swim! I can't wait until my parents have their pool ready so I can climb in! Swimming is by far one of my favorite things to do! 

- Visit somewhere new in the state. Perhaps Devil's Lake or Door County? I'd love to get to both just to check them out sometime. 

- Purge The House and donate everything we're willing to let go. We just have so much stuff and with baby coming {and hopefully moving soon} it's just time to clean out and get rid of! 

- Attend a Brewers Game. It's been forever since I was too one and we'd love to get a group together, tailgate and watch a game! 

- Maternity Photos! I can't wait to have our maternity photos taken! 

- Really dive into learning to use my Camera and the art of Photography. I keep saying I'm going to do this but we've just been so busy! With baby on the way I'd love to get a little better so I'm able to capture all his/her milestones even better! 

- Paint the master bedroom! Be gone bright purple walls! I'm looking to go with creams...more relaxing.  

- Go on a Picnic

- Really Enjoy The Sunshine 

- Finish Our House! I'm looking forward to being done with home renovations and hope that we can complete them before baby comes. Of course then we'll be on the house hunt so that we can get into a bigger home in a nicer neighborhood as soon as possible!

That's what's on my summer to-do list! What's on yours??

Baby Registry Must Haves: Bathing & Diapering

Munchkin Changing Pad: I picked this changing pad mearly because it'll be easy to find covers for. It is also waterproof which I'm sure will be a nice plus once baby is here. I opted against the typical changing table and we'll have a dresser on which this pad will sit. 

Boudreaux's Butt Paste: While I'm sure we'll have to wait and see what works best for our little one I've head great things about this product. 

Pamper's Swaddlers: Ahh. The great diaper debate. Huggies versus Pampers. Again, this will be a matter of what brand works best for baby.

Diaper Genie Elite: Every dirty diaper needs a place to be hidden! The elite version has a foot pedal so dirty diapers just drop right in! 

Johnson's Natural Head to Toe Baby Wash: I love the fact that this is a natural product! And the pump on top is just an added bonus! 

Prince Lionheart Wipes Warmer: It gets chilly here in Wisconsin and let's face it...who wants to have their tush cleaned with a cold wipe? 

Puj Flyte Compact Infant Bath: It took us awhile to find a bath tub we liked. I disliked how cumbersome most of them where and was at a loss as to where we would store it while it wasn't it use. Until I stumbled across the Puj tub. It's made of a thick, soft foam and is completly able to be made compact. It is also slip resistant, skid resistant, waterproof, bacteria resistant, mildew resistant, and stain resistant making it a sure fire win! 

Iced Coffee, Bonfires & Lovely Lilacs

There are a few things that I'm beyond loving lately. The sunshine is one of them. Though I'm finding that pregnancy causes me to feel like a roasting pig FAR quicker than I ever did pre-pregnancy. Tmi?? Is this really what summer feels like to most people? I've always been one to relish in 90* and yesterday we just about got there temperature wise and I felt like I was dying.

I'm also loving that each and every day that passes gets me closer and closer to meeting this little babe of ours. I'm totally amped about that and getting 12 weeks away from work. Hhheeellllooo maternity leave! 

26 Week Bump!

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal! There are just so many tasty breakfast foods! Iced coffee & cinnamon rolls totally hit the spot the other day!

 Bonfires with the hubby and friends are always a good time! Especially when 

they involve smores and lots of laughs!

Hubs & I toured this home the other day and totally fell in love. It didn't help that it was 80 some degrees that day and I was dying to get in that water! The house was beautiful, priced to sell and had many things on our wish list. 

 Our liliac bush is really taking off this year & it was full of lovely blooms! 

Which I of course chopped off to have in the house. I'm beyond in love with 

the smell of lilacs and love, love having them in the house! And honestly what's better than lovely lilacs in a mason jar?  

We've been doing tons of work around our house lately and since it's finally nice out we've been itching to work on the landscaping and outside of the house. We have people coming to finish replacing windows in a couple weeks which totally excites me. Last night we picked up a few new bushes to plant and hubs planted them...we're on our way people, we're on our way. I offered to help hubs and he said "That's alright. You just sit there, relax and make our baby." Aww :) 

And that my friends sums up what I'm loving these days. 

What are you loving?? 

26 Weeks

 

26 Weeks As Of 05.18.13

How far along?  26 Weeks! Only about 96 days to go!
Size of baby M?  Baby is about the size of an eggplant!
Total weight gain/loss: Still about 14-15 pounds
Maternity clothes? I've been on a mad hunt for maternity jeans/pants that I think but haven't been able to find a darn pair that fit well. Even when I went down in sizes they where falling off my tush. So frustrating! So I picked up a Beband from Target and have been wearing my pre-pregnancy pants with the help of that. It totally keeps my pants where they need to be, gives some serious support to my belly and allows me to feel comfortable in jeans/pants I love. Seriously, this thing has been an answer to my prayers. I've also been rocking tons of leggings, maxi dresses/skirts. So comfy but yet still cute! :) 
Stretch marks? None! Thank goodness! I'm hoping I don't develop any either!
Sleep: My energy level lately has been pretty great. I've been sleeping soundly and only getting up once {if that} to use the restroom. Which is surprising as this baby is sitting so low!
Best moment this week: Baby has been a total ninja this week! Always moving & kicking! I'm beginning to think that hubby & I are really in for it when this baby makes his/her appearance as it's proving to be quite the energetic little thing! Also, I've had tons of people tell me how "tiny" they think I am and I have to say I love hearing that! I've felt far less than tiny this past week so it's great to here people's compliments! We went to some rummage sales this past weekend and so many people thought I was about four months pregnant. They where shocked to here I was six months pregnant!
Have you told family and friends: Yes

Miss Anything? No

Movement: ALL the time!

Food cravings: I've just been hungry often this past week! I've been loving watermelon and ate the last one we bought in about a day and a half. I've also been craving iced tea now that it's warm outside.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, back pain, tons and tons of baby kicks, and still suffering with some dizziness episodes. I'm also getting to the point where my lungs feel like they're being squashed.

Happy or Moody most of the time: For the most part I've been happy though there was a few times this week I burst out crying over the littlest things. Which hasn't happened yet...made hubby think I was pure crazy.

Have you started to show yet: Yep

Gender prediction: Well I already know...so what's your prediction ;)

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out? Definitely out!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Looking forward to: My baby shower which is June 15th :)

Friday Letters

Dear Weekend: All that stands between you and I is this work day. So, let's make it snappy and just get it over with mmkay? We've got plans to cook out with friends and have a bonfire tomorrow and I'm beyond amped about that! Plus, I'm hoping to hit up some rummage sales to score some deals on clothes for bambino! Dear House: I will get you clean and organized one of these days! I will! I know right now it seems like I'm taking stuff from one room and putting it in another {which is probably the case} but eventually all will be organized! Dear Goodwill: You're quite the lucky little store with the truck loads I've been hauling to you! Dear Summer: You're coming & I can feel you! Just no more snow and 30* days like we had last week alright?! Dear Readers: Thank you once again for your continued support and well wishes! I can't tell you how much your encouragement and friendship means to me!

Saw It. Pinned It. Did It: Taco Pasta Bake

Ever have those times where you feel like you're eating the same things over and over and over again? Where you look through cookbooks and feel uninspired? I've been having a lot of those lately. And when those nights happen I usually find myself and hubby ordering in or dining out which adds up in cost and unhealthy options really quickly. 

This is one thing I love about Pinterest. There's always more recipes waiting to be found! There's always new options to try! So, for today's Saw It. Pinned It. Did It. I'm linking with Steph and Katie to show you one of the new Pinterest inspired dishes that we're loving here in the M household. 

Inspiration

via

Creation

You'll Need:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 packet Taco seasoning
14.5oz can tomato sauce
14.5oz can petite diced tomatoes
Few dashes hot sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (frozen, fresh, or canned)
4oz can chopped green chilies (I used green peppers)
8oz macaroni shells, cooked and drained
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
Toppings: chopped tomatoes, salsa, sliced olives, green onions, sour cream

Follow These Steps:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain, then return to the skillet. Add water, homemade taco seasoning, salt, tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, and hot 

sauce then stir to combine. 

Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile cook macaroni shells in salted, boiling water until just under al dente, then drain and set aside.  

Turn stove off then add 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese to the tomato mixture and stir until smooth. Add corn, chilies, and cooked shells, then stir to combine.

 Pour mixture into a non-stick sprayed 8×8 baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Top with crushed tortilla chips and remaining cheese then bake for 10 more minutes. Serve with toppings, if desired.

Baby Registry Must Haves: Sleeping & Snuggling

We'll start today with a short recap of our wedding registry. Like I said we did loads of research...Pinterest, fellow mommy blogs and product reviews to pick out the items that we wanted for our baby. Today we're talking about: 

Crane Drop Humidifier:We choose this adorable humidifier just due to the fact that the reviews where alright, it's white and the fact that it's not elephant/hippo/pig shaped.

Aden+Anais Swaddlers:These where choosen because I've heard so, so many good things about them! Swaddling is said to help baby sleep better and I'm willing to do just about anything to help our little bambino be a champion sleeper! 

Samsung Wifi Baby Monitor :After further research we're looking for a different monitor. We had picked this one because it is Wifi capable meaning we could check on baby even if we where away and baby was with a sitter. It connects with phones and iPads so we would have had access no matter where we went. After reading more into it though it's gotten a horrible rap for not working properly and being extremely difficult to set up with Wifi. Plus, it has a tendency to disconnect whenever it pleases...making it useless. We're on the hunt for a new video monitor now & I'd love to hear which ones you ladies love! 

Halo Swaddle Sack: Again, if swaddles helps sleep...swaddle we should do! This swaddler is fleece as well so I figure it will be perfect since bambino will get to experience the horrible Wisco winters just 3 months after birth. 

Graco Charleston Convertible Crib: When I saw this crib I knew it was the one for us! I love the design of it! My parents bought it for baby and it arrived to our house in less than a week! It was super simple to set up and I can't wait to see lil' one sleeping in it! 

Bobby Pillow:Isn't this a must have on any momma's list? 

Circo Chevron Crib Sheet: The nursery design we've picked is a neutral, calm, simple one. Grey and white. Chevron. These sheets will fit in perfect. Only trouble is that they're sold out at every Target in Wisco! If someone is cruising Target and sees this crib sheet grab me a couple! :)   

 

Playing Catch Up

Hey there pretty people! 
How are you all today? I'm super! Up early, have the day off work and it's a lovely one at that! I feel like there's been a lot going on lately that I haven't caught you up on so I'd love to do that today :) 

1. The weather here in Wisco has been wonderful!Nothing I love more than basking in all it's warmth! 

2. The dreaded glucose test! I actually didn't mind the drink so much but it made me feel like total crap. My head start spinning, sweating, blurry vision, nausea, and total jittery feeling. They tested me a little early {24 weeks} due to the issues I've been having. I passed! Though I have to say I would have been shocked if I didn't pass as I've been having problems with my blood sugar being too low, not high. So glad it's over with! 

3. Shopping for maternity clothes. Found this shirt that was adorable, but a size too big. After a week of contemplating I went back and bought it yesterday. I figured it would be cute with leggings so the longer length would work great for that. What do you ladies think?

4. Grilling dinner. My favorite part of spring/summer! 

5. I've been beyond tough on myself this past week with wondering if I'll ever have this body {photo taken last summer} back. Don't get me wrong I love being pregnant and I love this baby and would do this a million times over but there's just some days where seeing your ever expanding body gets to you.

6. My amazing mother! Spent a bit of time on mother's day with her! 

7. Mother's day goodies from the hubby! He's the greatest! 

8. Baby bump! So blessed to be this bambino's mommy! 

We also attended a wedding about a week and a half ago for one of hubby's best friends, Tim. Tim was actually an usher in our wedding and it was so great getting to be there his big day. It was a wonderful, long weekend. As the preggo of the group I was deemed the DD {imagine that huh?!} I did a few things that weekend that should make an person {preggo or not} proud. 

First, hubs decided he wanted to join the guys Friday night to celebrate the night before the wedding. I of course didn't want him drinking and driving so I went with him. There I was 5 months pregnant, in a bar, at 11pm...with a group of 8 rowdy men. Second, I wore heels all day long the day of the wedding. And my back only mildly killed after that. Third, we went to bed about 4am the morning after the wedding. 4am...I haven't seen 10pm in months let alone 4am! And lastly, I awoke at 7am {after three hours of sleep} and drove the two and a half hours home with hubs napped off his hangover in the passenger seat. Came home and unloaded the vehicle, picked up both dogs from the sitters, did dishes, unpacked and did laundry. Talk about exhausted after all of that! 

But anyway, here are a few photos from the wedding. I didn't capture many of them as the lighting in the reception area was a bit wacky and I was far too busy dancing ;) Preggo got down! 

Tomorrow will start a short recap of our baby registry. The amount of thought that went into our registry was crazy! Tons of Pinterest research for must haves, best baby items all while keeping it gender neutral. Whew! My baby shower is set for June 15th and I'm uber excited about it! Mainly just getting to see all my family again and celebrating this little bambino of ours! 

And, in exciting news as well you'll all be able to see our nursery inspiration soon! I know that I've posted some sneak peak photos before but now that I've made decisions on things I'm ready to officially share :) I can't wait to actually have it all put together to show you guys!