Outside

I am a big believer in kids playing outside! It might surprise people, but my "dream house" is not in some fancy schmancy gated community, but on open land with lots of trees and places to run! Maybe even a creek and a tree-lined driveway! And a porch with a porch swing! Doesn't that sound perfect??

Landon loves to be outside. It cracks me up how he inspects each blade of grass when I sit him down. He sits so still and just rakes his fingers through it.

Some days I think he gets fussy because he gets sick of staring at the same toys/mama/walls all day.

So I throw him in the stroller and we go to the park or to the zoo. I have to admit, it puts me in a better mood too. Or sometimes we just walk down to the mailbox. We have a push buggy that he loves more than life itself.

Yesterday I weeded some of our flower bed while he rolled around in the grass. I think I have the cutest gardening assistant! Ha!

Happy Thursday!

Easter Basket Ideas

Can you believe Easter is almost here? Winter just went right past us this year because we never really had any snow or ice. And now it's Spring! The grass in our yard is green and if we hadn't killed all our trees I bet they'd be blooming. Hah!

I've been trying to brainstorm ideas for Landon's Easter basket because he's too young for candy. Joe and I make a little Easter basket for each other and we also agreed to "no-candy" this year. :) I usually put together a basket for my niece and nephew too. So here are some ideas I came up with for basket fillers!

I bought this adorable easter basket off of Etsy (seller here). I know I could probably have made it myself (especially if I had a Cricut!) but I figured he'd use it every year and honestly I haven't had much crafting time lately ;-)

Here are some ideas I brainstormed for kid's baskets:

• Dolls/stuffed animals. I bought Landon an Ugly Doll but I also have seen really cute stuffed bunnies and chicks - even at my grocery store!

• Tomy Hide 'n Squeak eggs. I had two separate people tell me about these eggs and just raved about them. The reviews on Amazon were really good and people said their kids played with them for several years!  

• Egg Shakers. We use these in music class and they fit easily in little hands (and mouths!) and honestly, they aren't annoying like some other musical instrument toys (I'm looking at you, drum!). ;-)

• Books about Easter and springtime. I got Landon Runaway Bunny, The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story and Bunny my Honey (LOVE this adorable book!).

• A first Bible. I'm trying to find somewhere to get one embossed!?

• Bibs, plates, utensils and sippy cups. Can you ever have enough? I got Landon this adorable bib from Zulily I'm going to put in his basket. :)

• Playdough, modeling clay - some of them come in egg-shaped containers!

• Stickers

• Rash guards, swim gear.

• Sunglasses and hats.

• Washcloths and hooded towels for bath time.

• Sensory balls. We got some of these for Christmas and I'm not kidding, we have played with them every single day. They are a big hit!

• Hair bows and headbands.

What else are you putting in your baskets? Or hoping for in yours?? :)

Landon Update :)

I think since Landon was about 6 months old time has really flown as a new mama. I can't believe I have an 8.5 month old now! I love this age! The day after Landon turned 6 months old he got his first two bottom teeth (together). I think they are so cute because they are so white and jagged on top. :) And just today one of his top teeth came through. We can just barely feel the edge of it.

I also love this age because the CURIOSITY.Isn't it the best?

Finally Landon is sleeping a little better at night but he has still never slept through the night. I guess maybe he will like to sleep more when he's a teenager? That's what I keep telling myself!!! :)

One thing I can't complain about is his eating. He still nurses about every three hours but he loves to eat people food too. He has never turned a food down. We even tried brussel sprouts and he wolfed them right down! Hah! We follow a principle called Baby Led Weaning for the most part, which basically means we give him foods fairly close to how adults eat them, just softened or modified as appropriate. We haven't really done much purees.

Well that's the update on the little man in my life! :)

Project 366: Week 8 & 9

Week 9:

 

That gets us all caught up! I must say, I am shocked at myself that I've been able to keep up this project for 9 weeks now! :)

Projects

I feel like I have so many project "balls" up in the air right now...!

I'm working hard to start planning Landon's first birthday party (say it ain't so!). I decided on a theme a couple months ago and now I'm trying to figure out how to coordinate cake, location, food, and all the other fun elements. It will be a Sherlock-Holmes-Detective-Vintage-London theme :-) Joe and I love London and I just brainstormed one day to pick something that we could incorporate with that. The problem is there are very very few inspiration things on Pinterest/the internet.

Last week I volunteered to work at a big clothes consignment sale my town has twice a year. I decided to consign some of Landon's old clothes too. Oh man! Going through everything, tagging, pricing, hanging and delivering everything was a lot of work! But I scored some great deals on stuff too!

yes, I used the treadmill as a temporary holding spot for clothes! hah!

I'm also in the process of re-decorating our master bedroom. Joe's aunt loves to sew so I had her make me a bedskirt and I'm trying to figure out how I want to re-cover the headboard and which direction to go with accent pillows/curtains/etc. I am SO indecisive! I found this bright green swirl fabric at Hobby Lobby and then brought it home to test it out. I just can't decide if it's a nice pop of color or if it's a little crazy. ???

Last night my girlfriends and I had our monthly craft club. We made these adorable yarn wreaths I've seen all over Pinterest. So cute!!

Happy Tuesday!!

Project 366 Week 6 & 7