InstaFriday

Happy Happy Friday!!

My cell phone pictures from the week...

Last weekend, we went Halloween Camping.  I found a pumpkin cake pan at my Mom's, and thought it would be fun for Karson to have a pumpkin cake.  I made my mom's home made frosting in the morning, and much before lunch, I let Karson lick the frosting off the beater.

This is how my first cake turned out.

A picture message was sent to my Mom with the words...

"help!"

She did...much better!

 {every time you say 'pumpkin' to Karson he says 'mmmm nummy'  I just now realized why...}

Some camping pictures...

Left-Munchkin so excited for the hay ride-with no hay.  He said 'oh wow' the whole time.

Right: My little 'goggie,' as Karson says it.

Don't let the pictures fool you.

It rained, and was cold....the entire time.  Except the 2 minutes we took these pictures...

The Smedley family will no longer be camping in the rain...

 So Molly sleeps in our bed.

I keep reminding DJ that when I am as big as a house, he and Molly will be kicked out of the bed...

Why, you ask?

Because, there is no kicking Molly off the bed.

She will not sleep by herself.

And because this is how she often sleeps....

 I took Karson to Barns & Noble the other day, just to get out of the house.  He was entertained forever with this train set!!  He is getting so big!!

Nutella....enough said. 

Katie has been making homemade bread in a bread machine. 

I was over there today, and she was showing me how she does it.

It got me itching to make some bread.

So I did.

Except I don't have a bread machine.

So I had to add all the ingredients, and mix them, and kneed them....

..and let the bread sit out on my counter to rise.

We will see if it turns out...so far it isn't rising...hmm...

Linking up with Life.Rearranged for InstaFriday.

"mmm Nummy"

Because just because is important some times.

Because sometimes, memories are more important that nutrition.

Because they are only little once.

Because he said 'mmmm nummy' in between every lick.

Because, my sweet boy deserved a special treat.

And he loved every last drop!!

{Disclaimer: It was homemade frosting.  Meaning there were no raw eggs.  Just sugar in every form possible.  It may or may not have been 9am when the 18 month old was given a beater full of sugar.}

12 Weeks

 Every Monday for the last few months I have been texting DJ.  Today's text said...

'28 more weeks...and only 25 if this one is as nice as Karson was to his Mama!'

Karson was 3 weeks early, and I am praying Baby Brother or Sister makes his or her entry a few weeks early too!

*We found out Karson was going to be a big brother on July 30th.  One of our last days camping in the U.P.

*I have felt a lot better this time around than I did with Karson.  But I still have really nauseous days.  It seems to always hit when I get hungry and in the evenings.

*I have been a lot more tired, than what I remember being with Karson.  For a few weeks I could fall asleep on the couch during nap time, and still go to bed when Karson did. 

*I want absolutely nothing to do with any vegetable, at all!

*My cravings have included: french fries, cheerios, apple juice, sweets, smoothies, cinnamon crunch bagels, popcorn, and basically anything fried and not good for you.  Luckily, apples are in season in MI.  Apples and peanut butter caramel are my new favorite snack!  For the first few weeks, all I ate was cheerios, french fries, and Panera's strawberry smoothies and cinnamon crunch bagels. 

*I can just now drink coffee again.  Man did I miss it, but the smell made me nauseous!

*I have pulled out my maternity clothes.  The 'bump' is starting to make an appearance.  Enough that my regular shirts are too tight, but maternity clothes are still too big.

*We plan on finding out what we are having.  I have a later 'half way' ultrasound at a specialist, because I have a brother that was born with a heart defect.  My doctor said I didn't have to go this time, if I didn't want to.  I absolutely loved the staff at the specialist, and requested that we go back.  I can't wait to find out if Karson will have a baby brother or baby sister!

*We are not telling names this time.  We shared Karson's name in the beginning, and then I started holding back.  I never realized how many opinions I would get, when sharing what we would be naming our little boy.  So this time...it is going to be a surprise!

*We are all set on a girl's name, but I am convinced we are having a boy.  A 'nameless' boy at that.  We can't some up with anything we like.  If you have any ideas, please share!! 

Today is Alzheimer's Awarenss Day.

Today, we wear purple.

Today, we remember loved ones lost to Alzheimer's.



Today we change our FB pictures to bring attention to Alzheimers.

Today, we support the cause.

Today, we spread the word.

Today, we pray that some day our littles will live in a world without Alzheimers.

I love him...

...and I love his blue eyes!

Sully's Crew {Alzheimer's Walk 2011}

I was told all the time when I was little that Grandpa was getting old, and he had a hard time remembering.  I would ask why he talked to himself, or why he didn't know what my name was. To be honest, I don't really remember my Grandpa before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  I remember that he loved to dance, and let everyone know it.  He was witty, and his 1 liners always made everyone laugh.  I always found it strange that he couldn't tell me what my name was, but he could tell me all about World War II, and could even give directions from how to get from 1 spot to another in Germany....drawing out a map in the air with his fingers.

My Grandpa passed away quite a few years ago, when I was a Senior in High School.  My family has participated in the Alzheimer's Walk in Milwaukee every year since then.  This year we decided to switch it up.  Our Wisconsin family traveled to MI, and we walked in the Grand Rapids Walk.

A few pictures from this year's Walk...

 pointing out his new love to everyone...airplanes

I love that Karson will grow up Walking for and Volunteering for such a worthy cause.  I love that he was at his first Walk when he was 9 months old.  I love that although Karson never got to meet his Grandpa Sullivan or Grandma Branderhorst (dj's grandma who passed away last december from alzheimer's), he has a connection to them.  I love that they announced the oldest Walker at the Walk was 95 years old.  And although we didn't have it announced, our youngest walker was Gavin, 3 weeks old.  Can you imagine how different Gavin & Karson's elderly years can be, in a world without Alzheimer's? My Mom said it best...We walk for a cure...so that some day Gavin, Karson & his Baby Brother or Sister will someday live in a world without Alzheimer's.

 Karson's flower in the Promise Garden

InstaFriday

 Yaay.  Its Friday.

Which means it is time for InstaFriday!

I do not have instagram, so these are just pain old cell phone pictures.

I was talking Karson for a walk, and looked down to see him all snuggled up with his blanket.

I love him.

So much!!

And I love that at our new house, we live on a safe road to take a walk on.

Our new house has an attic fan.

Karson thinks it is absolutely the best thing ever.

He stood under it, saying 'ooooooooooo' forever the first time it was on.

Now he runs to show everyone where the fan is.

Our kitchen is almost done.

I have 11 of 22 cabinet doors on.

I love how it turned out!!!

I will very much love when all doors are on and Karson proofed!!

That is our new back yard.

That is not Molly in our new back yard.

Whose black lab is it you ask?

No idea.

Challenge: What do I love?

Easy!

Currently, I love all things fried and horrible for you.

I have eaten 2 cans of cheese Pringles this week.

But they say they have no preservatives, and they are multi grain.

So its all good.

Right? Right.

Our local farm's Pumpkin Donuts.

Amazing.

Heaven in a box.

  The fact that Karson gets to see goats, and horses, and chickens when we pick them up...even better!!

He approved of the Pumpkin Donuts as well.

He ate 2 for breakfast.

Pretend it was a nutritious choice...

But what I loved most about this week.....

 Getting to see our newest sweet baby.

Due April 9th.

And the reason for the previously mentioned love of all things fried.

Happy Friday!!