Noah's Birthday. . .

The post title kind of makes me chuckle.  I ran across a blog tonight, Joel & Amy. While scrolling through, her DIY projects started me thinking about what we (uh-hummm, I) need to get done so we can have a huge 3 year old boy surprise!

For Noah's 3rd birthday, we are transforming his still baby room, into a big boy room.  We found one of those super boyish blue race car beds at our local Once Upon A Child for more than 50% off retail!  Its what I initially wanted to do, until I priced them at Toys R Us and WalMart.  For the same price, we could get a bed from IKEA at pretty much the same cost, that he would be able to use more than the next few years.  Except with the new solution, I was having trouble figuring out what we were going to unveil to him.  He is going to need to be overly excited, so not think again about his crib.  We've been mentioning in passing for the last few months, that it was about time to be a big boy - and he would have to sleep in a big boy bed.  He'd answer with, "nah, I just luv my cwib.  I don't neeeed to be a big boy".  His answers really haven't changed since the beginning.

The plan:
His birthday is on a Monday - we've already scheduled a separate extended family party Memorial Day weekend, while my in-laws are in town.  His birthday is the following Monday.  The kids will stay at my mom's Sunday night - Chad and I will work and work so we can go get them Monday (I'm shooting for shortly after lunch) and reveal total transition.  So, I'll need to have everything ready!

What we have:
1. The bed
2. Dresser - we are just using the one we got from IKEA before he was born
3. CARS (the movie) sheets
4. Red comforter

What he's getting for his birthday:
1. Toy Box
2. Cute little red table with a blue chair

What we need:
1. Red paint for under a border chair-rail
2. Light grey blue paint for above the chair-rail
3. Checkered flag border for chair rail - found some on Amazon, just haven't bitten the bullet yet and just bought it - just don't want to commit to 2 rolls if I don't have to.
4. Lamp - NO IDEAS!!
5. Fabric for valance (to be made by Nani) - looking for checkered flag, found an already made one on Amazon, but don't really want to shell out the $25!
6. Chalkboard paint for the table corner - gonna frame it in, gonna be cute (PS this is how I'm going to get away with one roll of border vs 2!)
7. Things for the walls - IDEAS??  I'd like something with his name.  Nothing too CARS (the movie) themed.
8. Pulls to change up the dresser

I'm really NOT creative (math minded), so I have trouble with the details - and definitely have trouble envisioning what something could be made into.  Any help is appreciated!

Monday, May 9

What a great Mother's Day (Weekend!!)!

I really have zero knowledge of what me and the kids did Saturday during the day.  I did a couple loads of laundry, since I got behind on that during the week.  I think I still have a load in the dryer. . .breaking my own rules.

Saturday night we met my parents and grandparents for Red Lobster, and after nixing the two hour wait, we jumped ship and decided on Outback's 20 minute wait.  Yummy steak and shrimp for Momma!  Then had my first dose of Aglamesis Bros. ice cream.  Pretty great!

Chad cooked us tacos Sunday for lunch and grilled us turkey burgers for dinner.  Us girls beat the socks off the boys in Mille Borne, well, we won anyway!  Was great visiting with the cutest couple around!

Since I did my grocery shopping on Friday last week, I didn't have to get that done today.  And I think I'm moving grocery day to Friday from now on - Monday has too many people, workers trying to change the tags for the new sale items, workers stocking the new sale items. . .I don't like dodging those huge rolly things.    Now I have to rethink my whole schedule. . .SIGH!

But today, Noah and I left Chad at home (to do some work) for the morning, and went to our first (kinda) playgroup.  I'm just not sure I'm cut out for it - AND more importantly, there were no kids Noah's close to Noah's age.  He played my himself for the bulk of the time.  So, why would I drive 15 minutes to a park if he's gonna play by himself and we could walk (literally) 15 steps to a park.

Tonight, I started back on my walking. . .I'd like to say "see-ya" to at least 15 pounds.  I was SUPER impressed in the battery on my iPhone with the iPod running the (don't laugh) whole mile (15 minutes).  BUT, I was down to 33% left, figuring the iPod would really drain it, but when I stopped, I still had 31%.  My goal: work up to 4 miles in the mornings and 4 miles in the evenings.  Until Madison is out of school, I probably won't have enough time to get more than 2 miles in before Chad needs to start getting ready for work.  Can I do it??!  I'm going to set up a playlist for my walks, so I know I'm done, rather than keeping track of how many laps around the park.  Any ideas on upbeat walking music?

Tomorrow, I'm making a trip to Lowe's for flowers and some paint for the front and back doors.  My goal: prime both doors, plant flowers, take down Master Bath shower doors, load of laundry, get winter boxes together for Chad to take to the basement, go to bed at 9pm(right)!

Dinner

Tonight we had Black Bean Soup and it was so good I wanted to share. Thank you Tif!

Weight Watchers Black Bean Soup

1 medium onion
1/2 green pepper
29 oz fat free chicken broth
1 can rotel tomatoes
1/2 bag frozen corn
8 oz salsa
15 oz salsa
1/2 cup brown instant rice

Put chopped onion, chopped pepper, and chicken broth in pot over medium heat and cook until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse black beans and add along with everything else. Let simmer about 40 minutes. Add sour cream or cheese. I understand without sour cream or cheese 1=3 points. Yummy!!

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Grouchy much?!

Apparently today I was a little grouchy?! Didn't do much today after the busy tiring weekend. Sure don't bounce back as well as I did 10 years ago. We did go to the grocery today and forgot several things. Yes, Elizabeth we did get bread and eggs :). Oh well. Although, my ground turkey rang up wrong. Sooo I got 4 pounds of ground turkey, paid 3.69 per pound at the register, and after a talk and walk with the service desk, I got back 12.38. You do the math!! Made my day for awhile anyway. I probably will go back later in the week anyway with all my coupons for the $5 off 10 participating items sale. There were several things on sale that were not in the ad that we would use. I made brownies for the teachers at Madison's school for teacher appreciation week. Made a loaf of French bread that just finished in the bread maker. Sure does smell good!

The potty training isn't going well. But it's just what I expected. I put him in underwear a couple days last week. We had accidents, but not puddles. Like he didn't like the feeling, so he stopped himself. I would tell him pee pee goes in the potty and put him on the little potty and he'd keep saying that he couldn't do it and that he didn't want to be a big boy. We've offered all sorts of treats and surprises, he just says he doesn't want our whatever it is. Do I keep on going or do I take a break?

Have a great week!

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