Operation Playroom

When we moved into our house 7 months ago, one of the rooms that was getting to me most was the playroom. On a good day, this is what it looked like...
Don't you just see the wonderful order going on in this picture?

As soon as I had "saved up my $" if you want to call it that :) I was just about to order this, when a good friend told me about a man who built furniture. She suggested I check with him first. Not to mention, the wall system that I was just about to purchase didn't have the greatest reviews AND I wanted mine to be taller with more storage (something I couldn't get if I ordered it).

I went out to see the man, look at some of his work and get a quote on what I wanted. Let's just say as soon as I got the price, I immediately said "I'll take it and how long will it take you to finish?" So now, not only am I getting better quality wood and an altogether better quality product, it's the size I want AND I've now got a NICE little stash of change to go towards my next project. Quite a savings indeed!!! Have I mentioned I'm married to an accountant??? I knew he was going to be SO proud of me and my bargain! Well, let me rephrase that... he would be happy about my savings! Accountants don't typically have the word "bargain" in their vocabulary, ha, unless you actually didn't purchase something altogether... now that's the definition of a bargain as per Aaron :)

About 3 weeks later, my order was ready. Now, for the 3 weeks he was working on it, I was SO excited to get it, couldn't wait to pick it up etc... However, now that the day had come for me to go get it, I was a NERVOUS WRECK! It's not always a good thing to be a perfectionist with super high expectations! The BIG questions "What if I didn't like it, what if it was the wrong color, what if I had told him the wrong size...?" Aaron and I didn't say a word during the 45 minute ride to go pick it up. My mother too was a nervous wreck! They(Aaron, Mom & Dad) knew this was either going to be a GREAT day for Lindsey or a TERRIBLE day for everyone in the family :) I am happy to report, I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PLEASED WHEN I SAW THE FINISHED PRODUCT!!! Ahhhh... and EVERYONE breathed a sigh of relief! So glad Aaron and I were able to enjoy Brian Regan's show later that night, because if I hadn't liked the thing, I probably wasn't going to the show...

So here it is...and I couldn't be happier! Here are the baskets and liners. Super pleased with those too! If you need any furniture, I've got someone who I highly recommend!

Pink, Pink and More Pink!

So, come February, it looks as if our house will be getting a little pinker :) We found out today that Baby Z #2 is a GIRL!!! I think that will bring our household total to 5 girls and 1 boy--Aaron just got a little more outnumbered, but I'm sure he wouldn't have it any other way :) Remember, two of those headcounts are dogs, but they still count.I know I have mentioned this before, but Kenadie was positive she was going to get a baby sister, she NEVER budged from her thoughts. I talked up a baby brother just in case and she would always come back confidently with "but we're going to have a baby sister", as if she totally didn't hear all of my "baby brother" talk. Well, looks like she knew all along :) She's very excited, as are we! Now, just to come up with a name within the next 4 months...

Kenadie went with Aaron and I to my appointment today! Can I just say that I am still in SHOCK over how WELL she handled it all!!! She's the child who starts crying in the parking lot of the Pediatric Clinic, cries worse when her name is called to go back, actually will sit in my lap at doctor visits (this doesn't EVER happen ANYWHERE else), gets nervous if you attempt to paint her toe nails, doesn't dare like for you to put a band aid on her even if it DOES have her favorite princess on it, gets nervous/upset if someone else has a bo bo... So, in a nutshell, the child who "doesn't meet a stranger" TOTALLY has her guard UP if she is in the least bit of an uncomfortable situation, unless it's something socially, then she is fine.

So, moving along... she went with us today because all grandparents were working, NOT because I thought this was something she, at 2, needed to experience! After I saw how well she did, I would have hated for her to have missed it. All week long I had been talking up the appointment. You MUST prepare this child for ANYTHING new! Enough said! You certainly don't spring anything on her! On our way today, I was especially talking it up, explaining that we wouldn't actually see our baby or hold our baby, but we would see pictures on a TV of our baby. I told her our baby wouldn't look exactly like a baby, that he/she wouldn't have on any clothes and that the pictures would be in black and white, not color. I know, you're thinking I'm giving her a lot of information, but trust me, she NEEDS details :) After those few bits of information she paused and said "hmmm... that's strange." Yeah, we thought that was way too funny and fitting! Then when I was trying to explain the way we would see the pictures of our baby, I told her that the nice lady (ultra sound tech) would put a little circle on my tummy and take pictures of our baby, sort of like a camera. To that she made a distressed face and said "Oh Mommy, I'm going to cry for you." Ha!

Kenadie did great at the appointment--already filling her role as a big sister :) My concern was that she was going to get nervous and then begin to cry uncontrollably, but that wasn't happening today! She enjoyed the appointment and thought our baby was cute :) I'm so glad she got to be apart of this with Aaron and I. We are thankful that at this point, everything looked the way it should with Baby Girl Zumwalt :) Thank you Lord, for fun days like today.

Cooking With Snow White

She asked if she could help me cook, and seeings how for this recipe I had to break apart a loaf of French bread... I thought that might be something Snow White would like to do :)

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

1 loaf French bread
1 stick butter
4 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla
2 cups sugar
cinnamon and sugar

Spray 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Break apart bread into dish. In bowl, melt butter. Add eggs, vanilla, sugar and milk(last). Mix well and pour over bread. Push bread down with spoon to soak up milk mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar to your liking. Bake @ 350 degrees for 1.5 hours, or less depending on how firm you like it. Pour sauce over while still hot.

Sauce:
6 oz. white chocolate chips
1/2 stick butter
1 oz. water
1 cup powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave for a minute. Stir until smooth. Add water, sugar and vanilla. Blend well. Pour over hot cake.

"Ballgall" Games and "Flootballs"

Southern had their first home game this past Saturday, and I'm pretty sure my little cheerleader helped get them their first win!She was cheering from the time we got in the car to go to the game, to the time we were leaving! On our way, I asked her if she thought there were going to be a lot of people there, to which she replied "yes, and I can't count them all." She also told me on the way "Go Eagles, to the top! That's what we're going to say to the Eagles when we wins!" Walking to the game, or "ballgall" game as Kenadie says. Since she has hardly ever mispronounced words, I must make a note. When she's not calling it a "ballgall" game, it's a "flootball" game :) "Flootball" rhyming with "football", just add an L. Ha! And just like "badilla" for vanilla and "remener" for remember, I'm sure these cute mispronunciations won't last long enough :(

Here we are all nice and clean BEFORE we were covered in sweat! Gross!!!And one from last year...This is Kenadie's 3rd football season, and I can finally say it's EASY to take her and she really had FUN!!! Her first season we had bottles, baby food, diaper changes with NO real place to change her, and an often sleepy baby to contend with. 2nd season, last year, was diaper changes and a sometimes irritable almost 2 year old who had had enough of the football game just after the first quarter. Keeping in mind, her Daddy thinks we need to stay until the time clock says 0:00 :) Whew, we made it to her 3rd season and there are no diaper changes, all you really have to bring is her sippy cup and some pom poms, however, I had a WHOLE bag full of entertainment just in case, she LOVES popcorn, cheering, finding Seymour, visiting with EVERYONE around us, there's a little girl close to her age who sits near us... and the list could go on! She had a GREAT time and was FULLY entertained! Now, before I jinx us, I better stop talking about how wonderful she did or Friday's game just may be a flop...
Kenadie having a GREAT time! "Shake your pom pom with me. Can you shake it low?"Hoping she has just this much fun at Fridays game! Southern Miss---To The Top!!!

Twinkle Toes

Today was the big day! We started dance!!! Kenadie's ballet class is from 9:00-9:30. She had a great time and all of the little girls were precious in all their PINK. Pink is the color that is required for her age group. My only regret... I didn't think to bring the camcorder, however, you could probably piece ALL of the pics I took together and pretty much make a video, not missing a beat :)

The first thing they did was choose a beanie baby to do some of their little games/activities with. At this point, some of us moms were snapping our last few photos before the door closed. Kenadie had to come show me the one she chose. I watched this little dog change into about 10 other beanie babies until she finally decided on the cow. I think Papa had some influence on that decision :)
The rest of my pictures were taken from the little observation area, behind a tinted window. It was today that I found a new setting on my camera :) It's called TV... don't really know what it's for, but I do know when I tried it, my pics looked 100% better. Maybe Heather will leave me a comment :)Sweet friends... wish I knew what they were saying :)Playing with sticks. She made sure to tell me "we don't run with sticks."Can't wait to go back next week! and with our camcorder!

A Sunday Nap

Who says a nap has to be in a nice comfortable bed :) Sunday is by far Kenadie's most tired day of the week. Church just really does her in and always has. Well... the nap just wasn't happening today apparently, and after about two hours of playing, I look over to find her asleep. Only one minute prior to this, she was enjoying her "letters" book. I would have loved to have seen her close the book and lay down on the "soft" hardwood floors--ha, but I missed that part.And no football game or barking dogs was going to wake her either :)

And Kenadie Said...

Lindsey: "Come on Kenadie, we've got to run to the grocery store."
Kenadie: "But no Mommy, we can't run on our feet to the grocery store. We can only go in our car."

"Mommy, Oh no! Lily's(our dog) trick is ruined! I think she's affraid of doing tricks. Just think about it Momma."

Aaron: "Kenadie, sit still so I can dry your hair."
Kenadie: "But Daddy, I can't sit, I'm standing."

Kenadie: "Mommy, where is God?"
Me: "He's in heaven."
Kenadie: "Oh Mommy, I want to go there."

When playing hide-and-seek: "Daddy, you count and come find me in my tent."

Lindsey thinking aloud and looking into Kenadie's closet: "What are you going to wear tonight to go eat?"
Kenadie: "I think my mermaid shirt will do the trick."

"Look Mommy, his head isn't a circle anymore."

"Look Mommy, they're holding hands together in a circle."

"Mommy, you were so good at the doctor today, so here are your suckers."

Kenadie still has a monitor in her room, as she has YET to get out of her bed, which we are thankful for... Most every morning the first thing I hear her say on the monitor is "Mommy, Daddy???" But not this particular morning though. Instead it was a somewhat distressed "help, help, help." I walk in her room to find her reaching soooo hard for this watch on her nightstand :)

Kenadie's new favorite thing to do post bath time is to "fly" around the living room pretending to be a bat. Not the cutest critter to mimic, but hey, at least she is a pink polka dotted one.


And she is still able to play under the coffee table, barely, but still there :)