23 Weeks

I am 23 weeks today! WOOHOO One week away from saying I am 6 months pregnant :) April flew by and I have a feeling May will go by even quicker. We have my dad's 60th birthday weekend, Palmer's 5th Birthday Party and a trip to the BEACH!

Please excuse the BAD picture, I tried to take one that was not in front of the toilet! Everything is great with Chandler even though I am throwing up nightly and sometimes mid day still, apparently it is not effecting her in any way and I am trying to drink lots and lots of water!

Everything is definitely getting bigger  to say the least :)

Speaking of my cravings for food this was my dinner last night (yes, I am sure it could have fed 4 people! ha!) but it was mostly veggies, right? Asparagus, Squash, Tomatoes and pork chops with salt, yes please! The kids LOVE pork chops and au gratin potatoes so it is a win/win for everyone. They think squash and asparagus are yucky!

It is Thursday which means its almost Friday and I LOVE Fridays! The weekends can't come soon enough :)

Obsessed...

So I found a new (new for me) cleaning product that I am 100% obsessed with. I have found that coming from a new house to a 30 year old home I have had to change how I clean. It isn't necessarily a bad thing but just different. I think older homes probably have to be cared for and maintained obviously different than new homes and it seems I am slowly learning the ropes.

Given the fact that I am almost 6 months pregnant and I am obsessed with cleaning currently I needed to find something that would work the way I wanted it to without the harsh chemicals of products with bleach in them. So insert my new fav thing...

WHITE VINEGAR

At only $2.96 for this HUGE bottle this cleaning product is not only AWESOME at cleaning but VERY economical! Go here to Vinegar Tips to find the hundreds of amazing things this product does! I first learned about it from a friend who was soaking her water tray from her refrigerator in it to get off the hard water stains! I have never found something that could do that!

I also have used it in my microwave with water and heat it up and it wipes completely clean in minutes! I seriously have not used another cleaning product in the last 3 weeks. It does windows, counter tops, appliances, bath tubs, etc... I think Tex thinks I am crazy because our whole house smells like vinegar but it is clean! :) The tips in the website are amazing, use it in your laundry, dishwasher, etc... I had a lot of build up around my faucets in the bathrooms and on our shower doors. Sprayed this and let it soak for about 10-15 minutes and voila it all comes right off! Just had to pass this along!

Miss Chandler

I had the privilege of seeing this little beautiful miracle this morning! Chandler Grace is almost 23 weeks and weighs 1 lb 2 oz. She is perfect and active :) She was kicking the ultrasound tech, eating her fingers, moving her mouth like she was talking and having a great time!

Today I was overcome by gratitude and emotion. For me there is no way you can't believe in God when you experience the miracle of a baby growing inside of you. I feel honored that I get to experience this gift again and feel truly, truly blessed. Life has thrown me many curve balls some I handle with grace others I handle like a raging lunatic :) but at the end of the day I TRY to be a good example to my children. I TRY to show them that life isn't always fair but it isn't how we handle ourselves on our best days it is how we handle ourselves on our worst days. Sometimes I fail miserably and sometimes I get it right. I am pretty sure they know I am human and they have seen my tears and felt my defeats even at their young age but they have also seen me keep on going, rise above and love them with a fire that burns deep inside of me. I get to do this again, my heart gets to grow 100 times more, I get love another person more than I ever thought humanely possible. It is an awesome day!

The weekend was crazy busy! I am starting to see a pattern here :) our weekends might be crazy for the next 18 years! Despite being super busy I did get not one but two mommy nights out on the town! It was AWESOME! Friday night I went with my mother in law, sister in law and a friend to see this movie...

My oh my! Zac Efron is ALL grown up! I enjoyed the movie a lot! I have heard some say that it was slow but I enjoyed it~ Zac Efron made it enjoyable to watch especially when he had his shirt off :)

After we went to the movies we ate at Olive Garden! I ate too much but it was SO gooood! It was such a nice night out with the girls to recharge myself for the weekend!

Saturday night we got to go out to eat to celebrate Tiffany's birthday! Robbie and Tiff have known Tex since before he was Palmer's age. It is so fun to watch our kids grow up together! Aunt Tiff can keep them in line for sure! I am going to send my kids over to her house when they get in trouble!

I had to take some pics since we rarely go on a date night!

This is us with me at almost 23 weeks! I love comparing pictures of us with the different kiddos!

We did a lot of eating and a lot of running this weekend! Palmer is now playing soccer and tee ball so we had two games and a practice this weekend not to mention church, Sunday lunch and grocery! I was worn out last night! It was so fun and a great weekend!

22 Weeks!

Well, I am 22 weeks! Which means that I have 17 weeks left (c-section at 39 weeks) and it also means that I have hit the less than 4 month mark for both work and being pregnant! I know I will look back and say how fast it flew by but right now I am not there yet!

Here I am in all of my 22 week Glory. Weight Gain is definitely picking up and that's a little scary! I am terrified to think about my body at 35 weeks in the dead of summer! haha

This week has been very uneventful and I LOVE uneventful :) Things have been running SO much smoother at our house since we have implemented the sticker chart almost 1 week ago (sticker chart post to come!)

Happy Thursday! It is almost FRIDAY! WOOHOO!

Summer Reading List

So, I have a big list of reading to accomplish before baby Chandler gets here! I have been hearing about so many books that I want to read. I am making a promise to myself to avoid social media at night and focus on reading! It is so much more calming and I find that I sleep SO much better if I read before bed  vs. being on my phone or the computer! So, here is my summer reading book list. I might not get thru them all but I am going to try!

Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James! I don't know if I should even admit that I am dying to read this one :) You will have to look up the dirty details yourself! It is definitely not apparently a light read to say the least. I definitely want to figure out what the juicy is buzz is all about!

This next book is by a woman named Kelle Hampton. I am not even sure how I stumbled upon her blog but it is a MUST READ! Go here Enjoying the small things to start reading. This link takes you directly to Nella's story where you want to start off. I have NEVER read anything more gripping, raw, emotional and inspiring in my life. I was literally grasping on to every picture and word. Her writing is amazing and she is a true inspiration as a woman and a mom. After Nella her life changed and she wrote a book chronicling how she found happiness in the unexpected. I have already heard wonderful things about this book and I literally can't wait to read it!

Hunger Games.... need I say more? I think I may give in to all of the hype and just read them apparently they are sooo good :)

This is the book that I am currently reading. I am only on page 60 but it is a great book so far. It is a true story about a homeless man, a millionaire art dealer and a woman who binds them together and changes their lives forever. I am just getting to the good part so I will let you know how it finishes out but I heard this one is a life changer. I love books like that :)

Recently I have had several people tell me how good Safe Haven was. I have always loved Nicholas Sparks but I think I burned myself out on him a while ago. I probably haven't read one of his books in about 2-3 years but I heard this one is amazing! I also recommend the Lucky One (the new movie coming out with hottie Zac Efron) I did read that book and it was GREAT!

So there you have it. You can pretty much guess what I will be doing after 9 pm every night! I will let you know how they turned out!

Party Time!

It was a partying kind of weekend at the Templeton household. We ended up having 3 birthday parties this weekend and this momma is WORN out :) (I didn't get to take my nap on Saturday or Sunday! ha!) The kids had a blast and they acted awesome which made for a fun weekend!

The first birthday party we headed to was for Palmer's buddy at school. He had a superhero bowling party. This was Palmer's first time bowling and he LOVED it! He loved it so much that before we left the bowling alley he signed up for his 5th birthday party next month (tear, tear!)

Here is my little super hero buddy bowling for the first time!

Intensely watching his ball roll down the lane! He was actually pretty good!

The boys in his class are seriously the sweetest group of boys ever. They just hug each other all of the time it is hilarious. If one boy hit a pin they would all just hug each other and high five. This is Collin Palmer's BFF!

All of the kiddos...

The next birthday party was for Tatum she was turning a big 4!

All of the buddies from Tatum's Party!

These two melt my heart, they literally get SO excited when they see each other! I need to find some pictures of their daddies together at this age, I am pretty sure they would look the same!

Oh Ann Mason :) She was a good girl this weekend I think she likes to party :)

Well, our last stop and birthday celebration was for Papaw. Ann Mason is to say the least pretty smitten with her Papaw and I am pretty sure he feels the same way.

The whole crew Mamaw and Papaw with their grand babies, can't wait to throw another one in the chaos!

This picture sums it up.... we found Ann Mason on the couch dead asleep at 7:15! Palmer is probably smiling because he got to stay up and watch his favorite movie Transformers in peace :)

It was definitely a fun filled weekend, I think it might take me all week to catch up on my sleep!

Oh my gosh! I barely got this up, it is definitely Friday the 13th :) my work is insane today! I was 21 weeks yesterday and feeling more like 35! ha! Ann Mason wanted to get in the picture with me this morning. She loves baby Chandler. My bump looks HUGE in this picture :)

Nothing too eventful this week other than trying to figure out how to parent a strong willed, intelligent, independent, defiant 3 year old little girl (she may or may not be in this picture!) she is literally testing our whole household. Feel free to leave any comments with suggestions of books, parenting styles, etc... for this type of child! haha I am seriously at a loss. In all seriousness Tex and I are getting some books this weekend and we are going to try a sticker/chore/behavior chart for both kids tonight. We are willing to try just about anything to get a better handle on this fiery personality. I love, love, love my girl but she is literally going to test me as a parent and hopefully just make me better and stronger (at least that is what I am trying to tell myself!)

We have a birthday party filled weekend, 3 birthday parties in one weekend! So that is what we will be doing! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Nursery inspiration

Chandler's nursery is definitely a work in progress! Honestly with this being my third child I am thinking SIMPLE but elegant. Less is more is definitely the motto in this room for sure! I am loving the distressed/white washed look. Very airy and bright. The room that will be a nursery is actually an office with no windows (pretty sure that is probably what it was before we bought the house. Oh and it has no doors either  :) What it does have is two AMAZING built in closets and a built in bookshelf and storage.

It definitely has potential. We are going to eventually put glass french doors on so that we can close them while she is sleeping. Here is some of the ideas of what the nursery looks like in my head :)

Chandler's bedding. I fell in love with this bedding even before I knew I was having a girl and was determined to use it for boy or girl. I have done the blue for boy the pink and green for girl and now I am ready for a more neutral pallet.

Here is the glider (plus we have an ottoman) that we have had since Palmer was born. SO glad I chose the yellow because I have made it work in every nursery so far. I love that all three of my babies will be rocked in this chair. I will keep it forever and maybe one day my kids will rock their babies in it.

I am LOVING the interlocking monogram wooden letters that are all the rage. I found some that are really reasonable on etsy and will have them done in a white/cream color to hang over the bed pretty much similar to these.

So we were gifted a really terrible brass ornate mirror with a bow on the top from the previous owners. This has since been replaced in our hallway but for some reason I kept it and I am SO glad I did. I am going to spray paint it and distress it kind of like this mirror to hang over chandler's dresser.

I have been going back and forth between the chandelier vs ceiling fan debate. I WANT a chandelier but I probably NEED a ceiling fan. I heard it reduces the risk of SIDS and with the room having no window I just feel like it could use some more air movement. I just so happened to stumble upon this nifty ceiling fan/chandelier combo! How great is that, best of both worlds! I would like to find this and use it in the room.

I THINK we are going to paint the walls a very subtle yellow. We may even leave them the tan color that they are right now. With Tex working so much and on the weekends it is hard to think that we will ever get anything done again! ha!

So now if I can just make everything come together Chandler should have a peaceful, simple and elegant place to rest her beautiful little head! I still am in shock that we are going to have a tiny newborn in 4 months! There is nothing new in this room but the bedding and that is fun for me. I love that when I rock her it will be in the same chair as Palmer and Ann Mason and when I lay her in her crib she will be sleeping exactly where Ann Mason did! This little one is already loved and I can't wait to watch Palmer and Ann Mason play the part of big brother and big sister I think they are really ready!

Easter Day

We had a BUSY but FUN Easter! I am WORN OUT today! It might take me this week to catch up and feel normal again! haha Sunday morning the kids woke up early as usual and rushed out to see their baskets. We had to have a big talk about how the Easter bunny was NOT like Santa so no one would get the wrong idea! ha!

Here are the kids Easter Baskets... Ann Mason got Alvin and the Chipmunks Chipwrecked in hers...

Palmer got the movie Hop! I was SO excited about both, I like their movies just as much as they do!

 Palmer totally pumped about Hop up until yesterday we hadn't seen it and I think we watched it 4 times in a row :)

Do you all see this?  Girlfriend has her hand on her hip? Really? I am in for it!

Me and my sweet babies... hard to believe that this time next year we will have an 8 month old to add to this photo!

KK and Ann Mason

My handsome boy, I think this is the last year I am going to get him to wear exactly what I want, he was NOT happy with the button down and vest but mommy was!

The girls outside of church!

Our family photo, Ann Mason is about to make a run for it! Tex was literally dragging her across the yard in her dress I am surprised her dress doesn't have grass stains all of it! She might make me lose my mind sooner than later :)

The kids closing their eyes waiting for Mamaw to bring out their baskets!

 As much as she pushes me to my limits I love this smushed up face! She is my girl as rotten as she may be I love her so very much!

And the crew minus Matt and Kellye out in Cali! Thankful to have family around especially for Holidays!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

The Night Before Easter

We had a GREAT Easter Weekend! Minus the fact that Tex is in the midst of his busy season and his only day off his Sunday :( boo! I don't like when he isn't home! We still made the best of it and had a great time celebrating the fun Easter and the true meaning of Easter!

Saturday night my mother in law had everyone over for her tradition of dying eggs and an Easter Egg Hunt, the kiddos love it!

Here is my Easter boy! I seriously love this guy so much!

And my crazy Easter Girl! She wears me out but I love her and her feisty personality! haha

These two girls together are about as sweet as you can get! If I could have Katelyn just permanently live at my house I think Ann Mason wouldn't be such a handful :) She is the BEST big cousin to Ann Mason and keeps her occupied which these days is priceless :)

And these two are more like brothers than cousins. They play hard and wrestle hard and love every minute that they are together!

Dallas and his family have become honorary members of our family and our with us for most events which we love, the more the merrier! Dallas is the sweetest kid ever and my kids love him!

Mamaw helping Ann Mason at her Easter Egg station, they are hard at work!

 Palmer seriously loves this stuff! I could just eat him up!

All of the kids lined up and anxiously waiting for the "go" to run outside and fill their baskets!

They ran like crazy and had a great time!

After the Easter Egg activities we had a bonfire and told stories and made smores. It was seriously a wonderful night with family and friends and Palmer and Ann Mason had a blast. I love to know that they will remember this kind of stuff for years to come!