a little {big} announcement...

We had such an amazing time in Florida last week! I have lots to catch you up on and stories of our adventures, but here's one picture to get you going. 

Believe it or not, it's the only picture we got of all of us...

  

All FOUR of us. 

:-)

Yep. Another kiddo is headed our way. Estimated time of arrival: May 13, 2014!  

Over the past few nauseating and exhausting weeks I've learned you take SO much for granted your first pregnancy...so...much. Like you can take a nap whenever you want. You can throw up in peace. You can sit on the couch all day and watch movies. When you want to do all of these things with baby #2, there is still baby #1 that has to be taken care of. Sooo you can't sleep whenever you want, when you barf (or want to) your toddler is right next to you and wants to see what's going on, and when you want to watch movies all day you feel bad about how much TV your toddler has actually watched in an 8 hour period of time. *sigh. Pregnancy sucks. 

No joke. It totally does. Don't get me wrong- the reward, "light at the end of the tunnel" part of it all is completely worth it. Having Jillian has been one of the most rewarding and incredible things I've ever done. But getting there? Aye. And I'm a total whiner- I know, but I'm entitled. I am growing a person. You know when they say a pregnant person has a "glow" about them? I'm pretty sure my only "glow" is the reflection of the porcelain toilet seat as my face hangs over the bowl while I gag my brains out. blegh. 

Oh, and here's one for the record books: I couldn't button my pants by about 9 weeks and as I learned at my first appointment today (11 weeks), I've already gained 10 pounds. This baby must be eating Miracle Grow (..or I'm eating wwaayy too much take-out..I will rule out neither assumption). Whatevs. Bring on the maternity clothes, they're more comfy anyway.

But we're excited. Tired, but excited. We should be able to find out the gender in about a month! Stay tuned...I'm off to find another snack.

5 years!

Happy 5 years to James and I! FIVE! That's a big one. I think it'll be really fun to get to the point where you've spent more years WITH the person you love than without- we're workin' on it. 

(On our 1st anniversary- eating our frozen wedding cake)

 

You learn a lot about a person after being married to them for 5 years. You learn what buttons to push, and which ones not to push, and which ones you can only push on certain days. You learn their weird little habits or rituals and you learn to still love them for it. You learn how to disagree without raising you voice, how to compromise, and how to forgive and ask for forgiveness. You learn how to listen- even when it's about something completely uninteresting to you, but incredibly interesting to them- and you're interested because THEY are. 

(Our 2nd anniversary- eating..again)

 

And you even learn things you thought you already knew how to do- like take turns (taking the trash out), share (my side of the bed- aka the whole thing), say please and thank you. You learn to never take those two words for granted- please and thank you. It's often the little things you thought you already knew how to do that you relearn the importance of after a few years or marriage and you get "comfortable". The little things will make or break you, people. Take heed. I have good marital advice. 

(Our 3rd anniversary) 

All in all, I wouldn't have wanted to spend the last 5 years with anyone else. And I don't want to spend the next 5 years with anyone else. 

He's my guy. 

We've invested a lot in each other. In it to win it.

(Our 4th anniversary- oh look, eating some more) 

 

 SO after 3 moves (2 apartments, 1 house), 4 cars, 7 jobs, 2 college degrees and another in the process, and 1 incredibly adorable toddler later, Happy 5 years James Houlin! Love you a whole lot! 

The 5 year picture will come soon. But right now I'm sitting on the couch in my pj's, no makeup and greasy hair. That's what year five looks like. ;-) But don't worry, we're going to the gulf coast next week to officially celebrate so the picture is SURE to be of us eating some incredible sea food. Clearly we like to celebrate with food. That's totally normal. 

(Updated 10/23- Year 5!)

 

moo!

My memory is going you guys...short-term, long-term...it's going. Early onset Alzheimers? I'm not ruling it out.

I FORGOT we went to the farm a few weeks ago! Which is surprising considering how much Jillian STILL talks about it. Kristen finally got around to posting on HER blog about it and it all came rushing back. ;-)

We went with some friends and all of the littles loved it! Jillian was running from animal to animal shouting the noise that it makes. I think it's safe to safe her favorite part of the whole day was her very first pony ride. I was taking bets that she wouldn't even let me put her on the pony. She tends to freak out over the smallest of things and HATES trying new things or anything that draws attention to herself.

 Much to my surprise, she LOVED it. She didn't even want me to put my hand on her back to steady her! She grabbed that saddle horn and was a natural. She kept petting its mane saying "Hi Pony!" I don't think her smile could have stretched any wider. 

Maybe there are horse riding lessons in our future...following in her mama's footsteps!

girls weekend in park cit-ay

A couple of weekends ago I went with some good friends up to Park City for a getaway. My cousin Jenn has been living in Utah for the summer and was moving back to Indiana so we needed a last hoo-rah. It was so much fun! We stayed up way too late, ate too much, and spent too much money (well, I did anyway) but it was all worth it!

I love these girls!

I found this mini letter writing kit in one of the boutiques we were in. Naturally I had to buy it...I mean...HELLO!?!?

 Oh...and we found out the hotel room only had 1 bed when we walked in. Good thing we brought an air mattress. The 3 tiny people shared it. 

The hotel room was also set up really strangely. You walked in the main door to the room, then there was a small hallway with two separate doors to two separate rooms that were no thicker than a regular bedroom door. We totally thought the guy in the room next to us was going to murder us in our sleep...Kristen was looking out of the peep hole and the guy was just standing in the hallway staring at our door! Total creepsters. Needless to say we moved a bench in front of the flimsy little door. I'm happy to report all 5 of us are still alive. 

hey! i started an etsy shop!

I decided to open an Etsy shop!

Go check it out! Also, if you have an event coming up and a theme in mind, contact me and I'll make something custom for you!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrettierParty 

fall is for soups

During fall/winter I make soup probably twice a week. I'm a soup person. James? Not so much. But every now and then I find a good one that is so delicious and filling that he too accepts soup as a suitable solo meal.

This is one of those soups.

I give you- Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup. Complete with iPhone quality photo (Hey, I never claimed to be a food blogger).

• 2 whole Large Cloves Of Garlic Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 cans 10 3/4 Oz Cans Of Condensed Tomato Soup
• ½ cups Sun Dried Tomatoes, Chopped Or Two Tablespoons Of Sun Dried Tomato Paste
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes 
• 1-½ cup Milk
• 2 cups Half-and-half (I use fat-free)
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 1 whole 9 Oz Package Of Cheese Filled Tortellini (I use Bertolli)
• ½ cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese
  Saute garlic with the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat until golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too brown or burnt.
  When the garlic is done, add tomato soup, tomatoes, milk, half and half, chicken stock and spices. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, drop noodles into the soup. Cook according to the package directions. Mine takes about 8 minutes.
  After noodles are cooked, ladle soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.
  
  
  
  Mmmmm....taste the fall-ness. I can't get enough of this recipe.
  
  

so many things, so little time

Last night I was telling James how I need more hours in a day. There are constant piles of laundry on my bedroom floor, my trunk still isn't unloaded with party supplies from Abuelo's 80th birthday party I decorated for, I can never stay on top of emails for work, and I really just want to have a little spare time to put in the tile back splash in my kitchen that I've been planning for months...*sigh. But really I just want to take a nap.

James solution to all of this was a simple one- stop watching Grey's Anatomy reruns. I started watching it around season 5 or 6 back in the day, so I decided I should watch all of the first seasons on Hulu. I told him giving THAT up was not a possibility. So really I just need more hours in a day. There will be no giving up of the McDreamy or McSteamy around here. 

 

BUT the good news is...it is finally FALL! And it FEELS like it. It's incredible. I have my windows wide open and the AC turned off (which means it probably won't be turned back on until April), tomato soup and crusty bread is on the menu for dinner tonight, and I want to eat all things baked pumpkin goods.

Life is busy, but life is good. 

Here are some pictures from said birthday party! Feliz Cumpleanos Abuelo!

fall is for farmer's markets

In a perfect world, there would be year round farmer's markets, instead of moldy, puny strawberries on isle 3 in January. Blegh.

So we'll just live it up every Thursday and Friday night while we can!

pro/con

Do you ever make pro/con lists when you have a really big decision to make? Like...where should we move to next, or when should we have another baby, or should I eat the rest of that ice cream in the freezer? 

Meh. I don't really either. Although, one time my very best friend made me (MADE me) verbalize a pro/con list for these two guys I was sorta dating, one of them being my current husband..soo I guess we know the results of that one. But generally when I have a big decision to make I just sulk and complain and call my mom. 

That was a really long way of getting to what I'm actually getting to, which isn't a big decision at all, but a pros and cons list for fall time. I'm just not ready to let go of summer! It was way too good to us. I didn't even mind the heat and consistent over 100 degree weather- bring it on. 

So this in all in attempt to help myself cope with the fact that we're going out out of one of my favorite seasons and headed towards one of the worst (winter that is). I'll just really try to enjoy the in-between...

The pros/cons of Fall:

Pros:

• Sweater, scarves, and boots- oh my! And I'm just gonna do it this year- I'm buying Jillian and myself a pair of Hunter boots. Just gonna do it.
• Pumpkin EVERY thing. Kneaders has a "count down to pumpkin bread" running on the board outside of their store and it's nearly torture. 
• Leaves changing colors- it's absolutely gorgeous 'round these parts when they do!
• Apple cider. I'm not necessarily a huge fan, but there's something about apple cider in the fall time that just makes me giddy.
• Pumpkin patches and hay rides. Things like that are infinitely more fun once you have kids.
• Anniversary! Our 5 year anniversary is this October and we're headed off to Florida to ditch let Jillian stay with Nana & Papa while we go off for a bit (to a destination that has yet to be decided...ideas are welcomed)
• I don't have to turn my AC on = lower electricity bill for 3 months.
• School supplies are everywhere. Although I'm not really ready to get back into a school/work routine, I love, love, LOVE buying new school supplies. 
• Soup! I usually only make soups in the fall/winter season...like 3 times a week. And man oh man have I pinned some delicious soup recipes the last couple of months just-a-waitin' to be simmered on ma' stove. 
• The farmer's market is open and we go every week!
  
  
  Well, that's more than I was expecting to come up with.
  
  Cons:
• Summer is over.
• No more snow cones
• No more swimming
• It get's darker earlier 
• Means winter is coming...*shudder
  
  Really if I could live in a place where there were just 3 seasons- spring, summer, and fall, life would be grand. If you know of such a place, do share. I'll make a pros/cons list of why we should move there ;-)
  But that totally helped me cope a little better with summer being over...and maybe, just maybe, get a little excited for fall. _________________________
  
  And a few random things from this week:

 

1// Designing my business card for my new Etsy shop! More on that later.

2// Check out this book I found at the library called "Everybody has a Tushie". It's literally a book for kids about butts.

3// One of my neighbors decided to rig up a hammock on the parking structure...

4// James dislocated his shoulder playing soccer and has to wear that beauty for a couple of weeks.