They Call it Nesting!

I've been in full-fledged housecleaning mode the last month.

Not just the typical spring cleaning,

but a get-in-the-corners and clean-every-nook-and-cranny-before-this-baby-arrives kind of cleaning!

Everyone smiles and says "You're nesting!" 

I kept wanting to say "Yeah, right...I do this every year."

But honestly.

There are rooms and closets that I never had time to touch before

that have finally become organized.

I'm not ashamed to open the doors!

That, my friends, is saying something!!

I feel such relief to get this behind me, before I'm no longer able to bend over.

I want to enjoy the last two months of my pregnancy,

and not spend every waking minute scrubbing every surface of my house!

But I'm not holding my breath.

You'll likely see me on my ladder two weeks before the baby arrives,

cleaning every window within an inch of its life!

And at that point, I'll have to agree:

I'm nesting!!!

Prego Update: 30 weeks & counting!!!

{30 weeks}

Movement: Alot!
This baby kicks like a soccer player!!

Cravings: I can't get enough of fresh fruit and salads!
Smoothies are my go-to snack.

Sleep: It's really hit-or-miss at this point, but falling asleep can be tricky.
Naps are my lifesaver!

Wardrobe: I've been loving my maxi dresses and skirts, since they actually fit during and after pregnancy!
I just pulled out my maternity dresses and skirts and am loving how comfy they are :)

Exercise: I'm continuing to work out 5 days a week,
and am starting to walk/jog with the stroller again since the weather is so beautiful!
Some days it takes all I've got just to put one foot in front of the other,
but I feel so much better when I get out and get moving!!

Preparations: I got the nursery cleaned out and some tiny baby clothes ready to wash,
so it's starting to feel like there will actually be a baby in this house!
Hadassah's big girl room makeover is working itself out in my head,
but so far I haven't accomplished anything in real life! :)

Overall Health: You could say I have "dream" pregnancies;
I don't get very sick; I don't blow up like a balloon (even though I feel fat!)
and I can function fairly normally.
For that, I am extremely grateful!
The challenge for me is the emotional ups and downs.
I don't handle stress well at all.
Just ask my husband!

But baby seems to be healthy and growing,
and we are so grateful for that!

Celebrating Easter

Easter is a beautiful time, when the glory of spring is beginning to transform a dreary world. 

It's a victorious time, when we rejoice in the glory of a risen Saviour!

Easter is so worth celebrating!!!

 Since I'm hosting a family dinner tomorrow, I wanted to create a tablescape that would have elements of new life {or at least something green!} in it.

I discovered these adorable little clay pots at Dollar Tree and just couldn't leave them there!! 

After covering them with a coat of paint, I potted a succulent in each of them. Then I decided to add some interest with gold numbers.

A neighbor let me pick some daffodils from her flowerbed. 

Is there anything more lovely than fresh-cut flowers??!!

The vibrant yellow color makes me so happy :)

I think I'll give some of the potted succulents as favors...

if I can manage to part with them! 

The table is set and ready for guests.

A raspberry white chocolate pound cake is tempting me on the counter.

And I am so ready to go to church and worship the King Who died in my place. 

It's completely humbling to realize it was MY sin that put Him there,

but so thrilling to realize we are victorious because He defeated sin on the cross!!

Yes, Easter is worth celebrating

because HE LIVES!!!

Friday Favorites

Just because it's Friday,

and spring is officially here:

I wanted to share some of the little things that made my day!

:: spring blossoms against a startling blue sky ::

:: curious calves ::

:: finally, it's warm enough to dry clothes on the line! ::

:: my willing little helper ::

:: artwork that is ready to ship to a customer ::

: this chevron fabric that I love, ready to be put to use ::

:: my toddler's creativity in amusing herself! ::

:: freshly baked homemade bread ::

:: the joy of a precious newborn :: 

And, my parents and brother are on their way to spend the next few days with us!!!

Happy weekend everybody...

and don't forget to savor the little things!

Building Character: a Lancaster city treasure

You may be thinking that this is a post about how to build character while shopping in Lancaster.
Wouldn't it be great if shopping produced character?! Other than patience. Or self-control when restraining oneself from buying that fabulous dress that is WAY out of your price range!!
But that's not quite the direction I was thinking of taking this. I wanted to introduce you to a favorite new spot of mine, which my sweet sister introduced me to: a place called Building Character, located in downtown Lancaster. What a discovery it was!!!

 

It's a warehouse of over 40 shops filled with an assortment of vintage, handmade & recycled items.

It's a one-of-a-kind experience, and a blast to browse through this treasure trove!

 

 

Some stands had a collection of vintage furniture and reclaimed items.

There were a few pieces that I would have loved to have brought home with me!

Unfortunately, I'd already spent my allowance.

Hence, the character-building...aka: self-control!

 

The best part of this experience was sharing it with my sister, Fredi, mom, sister-in-law, Rachel and our kiddos! Fredi discovered this through a friend who is a vendor here

and knew that I would love it as much as she does.

 

The displays were so creative!

Loved this old washstand filled with handmade pillows.

My sister's co-worker created these items, and they were adorable!

I wanted this dresser! Isn't the finish fantastic?

 

I was drooling over these vintage cash registers, telephones and a fan that I also found.

If you love thrifting for antiques, you would love this place!!!

 

They even had thrift stores with clothing in this building!

Those weren't my favorite, but we browsed anyway.

Upstairs, there were lots of old windows, shutters, doors and corbels.

Oh, the possibilities!!!

 

The displays were tastfully designed and a feast for the eyes.

Do places like this inspire you as much as they do me?!

The only problem with finding this spot is that I now want one right here in Harrisonburg!



There's a Ladies' Night Out planned for March the 15th, with free mini cupcakes, live music, wine and free chair massages!!!

Anyone else interested in making a trip to Lancaster?!

 

Happy Tuesday, dear friends!

The Time Keeper

I've been anxious to share one of my favorite organization tools with you:

the Time Keeper!

I found this handy-dandy organizer through a favorite blog of mine, the Money-Saving Mom

and discovered that the author was someone I knew from PA!!!

I ordered my first copy of her planner last year,

and I loved it. 

I've always had a "thing" for planners, beginning back in high school when our teacher gave them to us to keep track of our assignments! {Do I qualify as a nerd?}

There are weeks when I feel like my brain can't handle all that I'm trying to remember, and this is wonderful in keeping all that information categorized.

There's a place for everything.

Literally.

A calendar-type page is at the start of each month, with a place on the right for monthly goals.

Then there are weekly pages, with space for daily activities and plans,

a spot to write your menu,

and a column on the right for notes. 

It's so helpful for me to write down the projects I need/want to complete each week, as well as keep a daily log of our activities. 

If I get inspired, I'll plan my menu in advance for the week and jot that down as well.

If not, I'll write what we ate for that meal,

and star our favorites!

There are shopping lists, which I haven't used as regularly since I have a memo stuck to my refrigerator and haven't gotten in the habit yet of writing it in here.

But it's perforated, and you can easily tear it off and put it in your purse when you're ready to head to the store!

There's a place for notes, a pocket for random cards/information,

and even a page to jot down gift ideas for your family & friends!

Can you tell how much I love this?!

It's made me so much more organized, 

which keeps me sane. ha!

These planners are only $11.75 + shipping, and you can order yours here.

So there you have it! 

What's your favorite organizational tool?

A Brunch for my Valentine

You know, we don't need Valentine's Day to celebrate the people we love the most.

But it helps me to be intentional about doing just that!

I like to have a special meal for my man,

although it's easy to miss it in the whirl of planning our youth's annual Sweet Sundae Shoppe.

So when I found some strawberries on sale,

I knew just what I would do with them!

I present to you:

Strawberry Nutella French Toast!!!

It was heavenly.

But then, I'm a little obsessed with anything Nutella, and adding strawberries just takes this over the top!

This is the French Toast recipe I used:

6 slices cinnamon raisin bread

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla & cinnamon, dip bread in mixture and fry in butter until golden.

Cut bread into a heart shape, slather on some Nutella {make sure you're generous!} add the strawberries, and top with the second slice of bread. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy with the ones you love!

Just looking at this makes me hungry! 

I think it's time to buy some more strawberries....

What's your favorite Valentine's brunch/dinner?

Much love to each of you!