Teacher Appreciation

Last week Henley's little Mother's Day Out program celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week. I'm a bit confused because I have heard that some schools celebrated the week before and some schools are celebrating this week, and then there was a National Day, so who knows when the technical week was. All I know is that I got an email about bringing food to the teacher's kitchen and was immediately on it! 

After being a teacher, I feel like you tend to appreciate your children's teachers even more. Now, I was a middle school teacher, so I can't say that I got much in the way of gifts from kids (they each have 7 teachers, I totally get it), but the PTA and our administration always took great care of us. It is amazing what a little gift or special surprise can do for your day as a teacher! 

On Monday, I baked some banana nut muffins for the kitchen, but on Friday, I felt compelled to do a little bit more. After I dropped Henley off, I went to the store in search of something special for her two teachers. Now, keep in mind, I did something a little bit bigger because I knew that I would be scattered on the last day of school, also Henley's first day of swim lessons, so I went ahead and did a Teacher Appreciation/End of the Year gift all together. Her teachers were so excited! 

I originally had a few little things in my cart for a spa-like bag, then I came across these adorable beach bags and it all came together. These were only $9 each, and I thought they were perfect for getting her teachers excited about some summer pool days! 

Once I found the bag, the things inside it started falling into place. 

I filled it with a few summer essentials and things that might help her teachers relax. You can't beat $3 flip flops! I am thinking I may need to go back and get a pair of these for myself! The bag included: 

- flip flops 

- lavender bath bombs (my favorite)

- summer nail polish 

- a $5 gift card to Sonic 

- facial masks 

I bought the Sally Hansen Insta-Dry brand of nail polish and the colors were "Sonic Bloom" and "Pink Blink." Again, I might be going back for more soon! They both seemed perfect for the pool or beach! I also happened to have some cellophane at home, so I wrapped them up together and tied them up with a ribbon so they wouldn't be floating around in the big bag. 

When I got home from the store, I sat down to write a little card for the bags. Now, I did go on Pinterest and I found TONS of cute ideas for teacher gifts and most of them had cards to go with them, but I ended up going with my own idea, so I thought it would be fun to make a card myself! 

I love making things like this! I hole punched the corner and used a ribbon to tie these onto the straps of each bag. I also personalized it by writing a note to each teacher on the back. You have no idea how much a simple note can mean to a teacher. 

These are the fun little masks I bought, and I LOVE them! I bought a few for myself (a post on that later), and they are so easy. I put one on the other night and loved the way it made my skin feel! 

I was so happy with how the bags turned out, and even more happy with the reaction I got from Henley's teachers! 

This post is not to pat myself on the back, but to hopefully encourage you to do something for your kid's teachers too. I understand that the end of the year can be totally overwhelming and that finances might be tight, but you have no idea how much it means to teachers to receive even the littlest of gifts. Don't underestimate the power of a $5 gift card! You have no idea how it will brighten a teacher's day to know that they can stop by Starbucks or Sonic for a free drink! Also, if you can't buy anything, a nice note goes a LONG way too. Most teachers keep those notes forever!

Happy almost summer!! 

Show & Tell Tuesday: Memory Lane

Today is Show & Tell Tuesday, so I'm linking up with Andrea to share "a trip down memory lane!" 

Really, I'm just sharing some of my favorite things from childhood, and I cannot wait to read what everyone else chooses! Hold onto your hats, because I'm pretty much just going to throw everything out there that I could think of that reminds me of my childhood! 

My sisters and I watched all of the Friends episodes when it was actually on tv, and I can remember us being so devastated on the last episode. We couldn't wait until the dvd of just the last episode came out so we could go get it!

We played Super Nintendo sometimes like it was our job! Donkey Kong, Mario Kart, Mario Brothers, and a random Lion King game were our favorites! 

We obviously had caboodles, and at some point, all of our trolls ended up in there after we were done using them. 

Gosh, I was telling the kids I tutor about Dunkaroos just the other day! How amazing were these snacks?!?!

Game Boys were legit! I loved Super MarioWorld and I also loved a game called Paper Boy. We carried these around everywhere in their awesome cases! 

I used to dress up ALL THE TIME as Sandy at the end of the movie, complete with a cut off straw as my cigarette, and reenact the last scene. There is no telling how many times I watched this movie! Looking back and seeing it again as an adult, it is totally inappropriate, but apparently that all went way over my head. 

Another mildly inappropriate thing that went completely over my head...The Eagles! This album was on repeat in my dad's car on the way to school for so many years. My sisters and I knew every word to every lyric. Hence, why my child's name is Henley...aka Don Henley! 

Barbies were a big deal for a while in our house. I mean, how do you have four girls and not have TONS of barbies?! Christmas morning was like Barbie Dreamland. My mom would usually allow us a week or so of completely overrunning our game room with barbie world and then she'd make us clean it up. We had bags and bags of barbies and all the accessories everywhere! 

Who didn't love Saved By the Bell?! I mean, it is a childhood staple! Not to mention...tv was just so much better back in the day. Just to name a few that I grew up watching: Family Matters, Step by Step, The Torkelsons, Boy Meets World, Full House, Hey Dude, Salute Your Shorts, etc. The list could go on forever! 

You know how every child has a movie they watch over and over and over again? For instance, the Frozen or Trolls craze that is currently going on. Well, my movie was Steele Magnolias. Yes, I was an interesting little child! I would come home everyday and tell my mom "I wanna watch Weeza!" 

Not just me, my entire family has always been OBSESSED with Celine Dion!! My parents took all of us to my first concert and it was Celine Dion. My dad did the whole How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days thing before it even existed. He told us all we were going to a MAVS game one night and when we showed up...it was Celine Dion! This was right after the movie Up Close & Personal, so the song "Because You Loved Me" was HUGE at the time! She was and still is amazing! 

Anyone heard of these?! Well, they're still on the market! My oldest sister would get one of these (usually the red) and hide it in her bathroom at our house growing up. One of my other sisters and I would BEG her to give us a taste and every now and then when she wasn't home we would be able to sneak some! 

Good 'ole SCC!! This was another, more appropriate, cd on repeat in my dad's car on the way to school every morning. We could sing our hearts out to some Stephen Curtis Chapman! 

I'm pretty sure that if you have ever watched this movie with me that you probably just want me to shut up! I (and my family) know every single line to this movie! The Sandlot, Steele Magnolias and Field of Dreams are the movies we watched every single time we went on vacation in the car. If you have every hung out with my family, we have probably quoted one of those movies while you have been with us! 

In order to get this pictures, I had to google "Trolls, old school." I loved me some trolls! I loved doing their hair, and my sisters and I loved playing with them! 

And last but not least, because I'm pretty sure I could go on forever if I let myself, Oregon Trail. Of course it was on the ginormous, old computer and it took forever to load and all that with the dial up, but this game was awesome! I was telling another kid about this the other day, and I may just be googling it soon to see if I can find an app to play again! 

Please please please comment with your favorite things from childhood! I love walking down memory lane! 

Bump Date: 28 Weeks

In this picture, I am technically 27 weeks and 4 days. I swear, objects appear larger in real life than they appear in this picture though. We went over to a friend's house on this particular night for dinner and I was feeling HUGE. I asked Ben all sorts of questions on the way home about how I looked and he refused to put up with my antics. Thankfully, the next day, I felt back to normal, but some days I definitely feel large and in charge. Other days, I feel like I just have a bowling ball in my belly. For the most part though, I still LOVE being pregnant and feel great, so I will take that as a huge win! 

HOW FAR ALONG: As of today, I am 28 weeks and 2 days. For some reason, 28 weeks seems so far along to me! Saying 28 weeks makes me feel like we are really close to nearing the end of this pregnancy. I'm sure I won't be saying that come June when it is blazing hot and I am beyond ready to meet George, but right now, it feels like we are so close! 

According to my apps (I use The Bump and Sprout, and love them.) George is about 14 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds. He is about the size of an eggplant. Gosh, that seems large! One night last week when Ben was out of town, I happened to be looking at all sorts of baby things on my computer and my email from The Bump popped up with the fact that we had 90 days left, and I all of a sudden needed to get all the things done! When you put it in days instead of weeks, that doesn't seem like long at all! 

FEELING: I am still feeling great! I have yet to get sick during pregnancy which I consider a big win considering my family's history. I have felt super normal for the most part and have even had to remind myself I'm pregnant every now and then. The third trimester tiredness has definitely kicked in though. I have definitely felt just a little bit slower these past couple of weeks, and the need for some rest has been much more present. I could possibly attribute that to an incredibly busy schedule as well, so maybe when things start slowing down (I don't think they will, but we can cross our fingers), I will get some energy back. We'll see! 

Braxton Hicks have for sure been a thing in the past few weeks or so. I don't remember ever having them with Henley. In fact, I remember being worried that when I went into labor with her that I wouldn't know what a contraction felt like, and I really didn't until they got much bigger. This time around, I definitely know what they feel like. Along with getting kicked like crazy, I am also experiencing some major Braxton Hicks on an almost daily basis. They are for real! 

WEIGHT GAIN: As of my last appointment, I believe I've gained about 18 pounds. I go back to the doctor next week, and then start seeing her every 2 weeks (so crazy), so I'll have a better idea of my weight gain then. The truth is, I really haven't paid much attention to my weight this pregnancy. I don't really remember what my starting weight was, so I am kind of guesstimating. I didn't make it a big deal for Henley's pregnancy and felt like I had a really healthy attitude towards weight gain and weight loss, so I am trying to do the same. There are definitely days when the whole getting bigger thing gets the best of me, but for the most part, it doesn't phase me...hallelujah! 

CRAVING: I really haven't craved anything since the first trimester. In fact, this past week, allergies have hit me like whoa and I really haven't even had much of an appetite. Of course, chips and salsa always sound good to this Texas girl, but I don't necessarily crave it. 

I am loving cheese, pretzels, yogurt and just little snacks here and there for lunch. I've never been a huge lunch fan, and am enjoying just having little meals throughout the day right now. I have been drinking protein shakes as well that satisfy me. I feel like I entered the "get full really fast phase" pretty early, so I try not to eat big meals right now. I seem to just need little bits here and there throughout the whole day. 

WORKING ON: We are working on what I call the "new baby shuffle" all over the house. I am trying to organize every nook and cranny as well as get Henley's big girl room done so we can then start on the nursery. Over the past couple weeks, we have really been working hard on Henley's big girl room. Ben and I finished putting together her big girl bed (big reveal coming soon) over the weekend, and I am still working on redoing the dresser in her room. Once the blinds or shutters are on the windows, we will move her in and then get to work on the nursery. I am so excited to see both rooms come together! 

BIG SISTER: 

Big sister is doing great and still so so excited about becoming a big sister! She LOVES to read her "big sister books" and talk about her little brother. Henley is even putting her hand on my belly every now and then to feel George kick. It is just the sweetest thing!! 

I am finding myself soaking up this time with her and trying to make lots and lots of memories. I cannot wait for the weather to continue warming up and for summer to get here! We had so much fun swimming and going to water parks last summer, and "being a fishy" is all Henley can talk about right now. We start swim lessons at the end of the month, and then I anticipate lots and lots of pool time for the two of us! 

WORKOUTS: My workout routine is still going really well! I am so happy to be doing my usual workouts with just a few modifications here and there. I came home on Monday though and told Ben that I definitely felt different at the gym. I felt heavier and like I wouldn't be able to keep up the intensity of some of my workouts for much longer. Don't get me wrong, I will keep going to the gym, but I have a feeling I will be modifying more and more from here on out. A couple weeks ago, my boot camp class did sprints at one point and, of course, I thought there was no reason why I couldn't do them...BIG MISTAKE! I legit felt like George might fall out for the rest of the day! 

For the most part, my workouts still look like this: 

Monday - boot camp

Tuesday - spin

Wednesday - body works 

Thursday - spin or body works 

Friday - off or workout on my own (usually the elliptical for about 45 min with some weights) 

Saturday - spin or off 

Sunday - always off

Just for reference, this was me at 28 weeks with Henley! 

Show & Tell Tuesdays: Grown-Up Parties

Yay! Today, I'm linking up with Andrea for Show & Tell Tuesday! Today's topic is Grown-Up Parties! 

I must say that this is a topic that I don't have a ton of experience with, but I can't wait to read everyone else's party ideas. Ben and I are constantly saying that we need to host more parties with different themes, but we seem to fail to actually put them together. Womp womp! 

The one party that we did manage to put together also happens to be our very favorite theme, and the party that we will definitely be putting back together now that we seem to be settled for a while in this house. I can't wait for December this year!! 

Ben and I got married in July 2010, and in December 2010, we hosted an UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY for lots of our friends. It was fabulous, and still happens to be a party that a lot of our friends talk about to this day, almost 7 years later. We had a blast! 

We had such a blast that I only managed to take this one picture! Whoops!! 

At the time, we were living in about a 700 square foot apartment, so we hosted the party at my in-law's house. We invited friends from all different parts of our lives. Some people brought finger food/appetizers and it was BYOB. It worked out perfectly! 

We didn't plan anything special or any games, etc. for the night, but when you're around your favorite people it seems like you really never need those things. We just hung out inside and outside all night and talked about anything and everything. Just talking about the party is getting me excited for planning another one! C'mon Christmas!! (jk I can't wait for summer!) 

We haven't hosted another one of these parties since then, but we did convince our home group the following year to do an ugly Christmas sweater party as our Christmas get together. It was also a blast! 

You might recognize this picture if you received a Christmas card that year...yes, Ben and I sent this one out to all our friends and family! 

Seattle: Part Two

Gosh it seems like forever ago that we were in Seattle, but it has only been a month! Time is flying, and I can't say that I mind, especially right this second as I am waiting to get my blood drawn for my glucose test. Yuck!! 

Well, last time I posted about Seattle, I left off on Tuesday, so lets start where I left off...

On Wednesday morning, we woke up and had breakfast in our room before heading out to hike the ice caves. The drive was a little over an hour and I loved the views. I don't know if I've said this yet, but I can't wait to come back to Seattle in the summer, because if it is beautiful during the rainy season, I can't imagine how pretty it is in the summer! 

There was a little place to stop right before we got to the "trail" that had a bathroom and I snapped this picture. I made the whole crew stop, because there was no way I was about to go another couple hours without using the restroom! 

We eventually got to a dead end road and another couple looked like they had just finished a hike, so we asked them for a little direction. They told us that we just had to hike about two miles in for the ice caves. The road was closed off and completely snowed over, so we knew we were in for an adventure! 

Only a few minutes into the hike, we thought...hmmm, are we supposed to be our here?! There was absolutely nothing in sight and there were a few different tracks/poops on the trail, so we kept our eyes peeled for any wild life. Brenda and I eventually forgot about the scary part of the hike, but I'm pretty sure Ben had his eyes peeled the entire way! The Texas boy in him was really wishing he had a knife or something on him! 

Lookin' good! 

About a mile into the hike, Ben mentioned that he really hoped that the actual trail to the ice caves wasn't two miles in, because then we would have another two miles to get to the ice caves...turns out he was right. After a little over two miles of sliding around in the snow (the trail was not packed), we made it to the ice caves sign. 

And that was as far as we went! The boys tried to see if the hike to the caves would be manageable, but they started sinking in the snow up to their knees, so we said "we're out!" Even though we didn't get to see the ice caves, I really enjoyed the scenery we did get to see. The hike was hard from all the slipping and sliding, but beautiful! The two miles in weren't too bad, but the last mile was pretty tough. My lower back was hurting pretty bad from shifting around so much and I had some major pelvic pain. The joys of hiking while 21 weeks pregnant! Other than that, I really enjoyed it! We stopped for just a second to get our sandwiches and chips out for lunch, but kept on trucking since it was cold and rainy. Oh, and we saw the couple we asked about the trail at the beginning as we were finishing up the hike. Turns out they hadn't just finished and hadn't seen the trailhead either! Whoops! 

We were all pretty pumped by the time we saw our car! We hopped back in and headed back to downtown Seattle. While we were driving, I noticed that Cafe Allegro was on our way and it had come highly recommended. We all decided that we could definitely go for something hot, so we stopped for a nice cup of coffee at Seattle's first coffee shop. 

If you happen to stop here on a trip to Seattle, just realize that it is tucked into an alley. We were a little confused when our directions had us stopping on a street with no signs of Cafe Allegro. It was definitely worth the stop! 

Our plans for the rest of the afternoon included some relaxation and a trip to the hot tub. I was able to join this time since the guys found out that it was located inside. Brenda and I just sat on the steps and put our legs in which felt phenomenal after our hike. 

While we were getting ready for dinner, Ben noticed on Instagram that Josh Abbott was in Seattle and playing a show that night. The show was pretty close to where we were having dinner, so we decided that if we were up to it, we would stop by! 

Dinner was at a little hole in the wall Italian restaurant called, Machiavelli's. It was delicious! The food was delicious, the wait wasn't bad at all, and the service was great! Our waitress was so nice and even let us know ahead of time how many specials were available. This pregnant lady who had her eyes set on that special so appreciated that! 

After dinner, we stopped by the concert at the Crocodile Room and enjoyed some Texas country with lots of Seattleites (is that what they call them?). It was such a pleasant surprise to end our night! 

Thursday called for clear skies and sun, so we got pretty excited about a trip on the ferry for the afternoon! We headed down to Pike's Place for breakfast and Ben and I had the most delicious breakfast sandwiches at Honest Biscuit. Holy Yum!! 

After breakfast, we all headed for the ferry to Bainbridge Island. I was super pumped to get out in the sun and walk around what I had heard was such a cute little town. I love walking in and out of little shops! 

The ferry ride was only about 20 minutes long, and we immediately hit downtown Bainbridge once we docked. They had adorable little shops, coffee/lunch places, etc. 

I was so wishing I could take some of these cookies back to Henley from the Blackbird Cafe. It was an adorable little shop! 

I was also wishing I could take this sweet puppy back for Henley and myself too!! He was in one of the shops we stopped at and I just couldn't get enough of him! 

After some fun shopping, we headed back on the ferry for a late lunch. We all had our hearts set on a grilled cheese sandwich from Beecher's, the cheese place we stopped in a few days before. 

The grilled cheese sandwiches did not disappoint! 

After relaxing in our apartment for a little while, we all got ready for drinks and dinner. Our original plan was to sit at the bar of a restaurant we wanted to go to, but when we got there and put our name on the list, we were told that the bar even had a wait list...whoa! So, we walked across the street to the Four Seasons for some fabulous drinks for them and a little mocktail for me. It was fabulous! 

A few years ago we went on a trip with Landon and Brenda to Branson, MO. While we were there, we would go through Table Talk cards at our meals and we had so much fun talking about all sorts of things. We didn't have our cards this trip, so we looked them up on an app and had a blast! We spent the entire cocktail hour discussing topics from the cards and had so much fun! Ps - my mocktail was so flipping good that Ben ordered it plus alcohol for his second round! 

After drinks, we walked back across the street to dinner at one of the best meals we have had in a long time! We went to Japonessa for some delicious sushi. I even got to enjoy some yummy sushi by taking the raw fish out of one roll and it felt so good to feel a little bit normal! 

Well, that's part two friends! Check back soon for our final day and a half in Seattle!