Another Week (that's already passed) in Review

Oh, this is the week I discovered Instagram--the second week of March! My Boushka was my first subject for an Instagram photo.

This tiny tot was my second!

 And this DIY pretty board (as they're called in this house) was my third. 

 Since I love posts on DIY projects, I decided to do one for my "pretty board"--starting with a trip to Hobby Lobby. Only because I love the cute girls who were with me!

I bought frameless cork boards and fabric--I already had a stapler and scissors at home. But that was really all this project needed.

I cut the fabric so that there was a couple inches of give on all four sides. I laid the cork board on top of the wrong side of the fabric. 

The cork board comes with sticky things in order to hang it on your wall, but I don't like sticky things on my wall. It is said in Murphy's Law Book that I will ruin any wall that I stick something to. So I used the sticky things to secure the fabric as I stapled. 

Then I simply folded one side over the sticky things.

Make sure it's taut and staple.

Then you fold up the bottom of your fold's corner like so. 

And then you lay it down flat and staple.

Then you pick up the next side of fabric and fold it over. The corner piece will overlap the part you laid down in the last step. Seriously, this is as tricky as this project gets!

See? Now brace yourself... it's about to get boring!

You can see the correctly folded corner in the top left of this picture. Once your side is folded down, you pull it taut and staple again. 

 

 By now, you're all pros since this ain't your first rodeo. So I skipped one side's worth of folding. You're welcome! Just make sure that when you get to this last piece to fold over, you do the corners (both of them) first. Then fold the long piece over.

Staple it up!

Then say "VOILA" as your children enter the room--where you've been crafting the last 8 minutes--so they think you're a creative genius. Tell them you made them a pretty board so that they can get rid of all the clutter on the family desk and instead, hang it up on their pretty board in their room.

I didn't get pictures of this step because Matt did it, but make sure you have picture hangers put on the back--inevitably the kids will want their new pretty board hung in their room!

And make sure you do this on a day when you have extra food cooking, you haven't cleaned up after any meal, etc, etc. Just so you can have your kitchen look as messy as mine did that day!

It was bad, folks!

But this? This was good! Oh so good. In case you can't read it, the recipe says "Lemon-Pepper Fettucinne" and it is in the Food Network Cookbook. I made it for a dear friend of mine. Paired with a crisp salad, toasted french bread, and homemade fudge---this is the perfect meal.

 And here's why I need to keep m posts up to date-- I can't remember details. I know I took this picture of my shrimp taco whilst dining with Matt and Scrunchie because I considered it fine culinary art, but I can't remember why I only had one kid with me in addition to my husband. Where were my other kids? Well-taken care of... probably at one of the Grandmas' houses!

 Also, I know Brownie made this sweet gift for me, but some details are sketchy--but the important ones are clear. She overheard a conversation I was having with Matt about quitting my second job and the money loss that would come with it. So out of the sweetness of her soul, she made me money. She asked "mom, can you write 'This is for' on this piece of cardboard (that already had "68" on it). I said sure and did as she asked. She does something to it real quick and then hands it to me. She says "Will this be enough money for you to quit that job?" She wrote "mom" after I wrote "This is for" and told me it was money so that I could quit my job. How does her little five yr old brain understand this? Well, I lost it right there, folks! On so many levels, I felt my bursting into tears was okay because---

• I'm pregnant and reserve the right to cry just because
• I felt guilty that she overheard my conversation and took on the burden I was feeling
• I felt so proud that my little girl has this much heart. I love that she wanted to help and that she acted in a way that she thought would help! I'm VERKLEMPT!
• And then again because I feel guilty about what she heard and then felt!

But ain't she sweet?!!!

 Scrunch had a sucker--for what reason I don't know. But I thought her picture needed to be taken because she was enjoying it so much. 

 We did venture out one day when I had the girls. One of our errands was getting Peach some new soccer shoes for the season. Games started that Saturday! The exclamation point is for me--I love Soccer Saturdays!!!

 That Friday I was 13 weeks preggo. I tag teamed Scrunchie's 12m check and my OB appt--we see a family practitioner, so I can do back-to-back appointments like that. It works out great for us. Scrunch was pretty healthy. She was about 21 pounds and 29 1/2 inches.She did have a little ear infection though. We had just finished a Z-pack a week or two before, so I was pretty disappointed to hear that she had another infection.

For my OB appt, the doctor and I were pretty sure we'd hear a heartbeat this time (we didn't hear it at my 9 wk checkup), but after searching with the doppler for five minutes we headed back to the sono room. I was sooooo nervous that something was wrong, but right away she found the sweet kiddo moving around and little flickering heart just beating away. The whole family (except Brownie who was with Grandma) got to be there. The girls were pretty excited to see their new sibling. We also announced our news on FB this night. Matt had been dying to say something to our friends--so I caved.

And of course, we started soccer games the next day. My Brownie scored some goals and went after the ball like a champ!

And this sweet Peach did the same. Score a goal--CHECK! Get after the ball--CHECK!. 

The three big girls went home with Gram after soccer, so Matt and I took the little two shopping. Grammy met us at the store and took Boushka home with her. So we checked out and went home to clean. Because you know... that's how you spend your free time when you parent 5 children all six and under!

Week in Review (from first of March)

Recently, I got to watch all three bigger girls dance in their ballet, tap and (KP's) jazz class. The parents were supposed to participate, but I (and all the other parents) was too busy taking pictures and recording videos.

I got to see all five of their dances. They were adorable. I just love watching my kids participate in sports and activities. I suppose one could say it makes my heart sing. When they see me watching them, they get a big smile on their face and beam with pride. Which, in turn, makes me beam with pride!

The day after ballet was Karys' birthday and open house at Brownie and Bug's preschool. First on our list for the day was a special birthday lunch for my big 1yr old girl. Boushka and I took Scrunchie to Jason's Deli(other girls were either in school or on their own lunch date with Gram and Daddy couldn't get away from the office) for her birthday treat. I let Scrunchie dine on her very first bowl of mac 'n cheese. She thought it was quite delicious!

 And so did Boushka!

 Mommy and one-year-old photo!

She got her belly full and passed out in the car. I wanted to take her to the big park in town, but the rain hit as we hopped into the car. Oh, and she fell fast asleep with a belly full of cheese.

So we went home to nap--except I prepped for the party that night. And once Daddy came home we all headed to the preschool open house. 

 The girls all enjoyed the art table activity. 

 A proud Bug ready to show off her work!

 More art work--a rainbow to be exact. 

And some circles! 

And to add to our crazy week, the older three put on their play for an audience on Thursday. My mom enrolled them in an acting class (they took on in the fall and one this winter) for eight weeks, and this was their big performance.

 My three stars!

 Brownie and Bug were in the same class and preformed together. Brownie and Bug are both in brown--each on one of the ends.

 There was quite an audience that night. A sweet little sister clapped for her sissies!

I got a late start on recording Peach's play, so I didn't get a picture before they started like I got of the other girls' play. But I did get plenty of video.

That Friday I had to go to work. I was also 12 weeks preggo, exactly. I felt like my work pants--which used to be my "fat" pants--really made my pooch stick out. It's all baby though, trust me :)

And just overlook the laundry spilling out on to my bathroom floor and my spotty mirror. Minor details, folks!

You Might Be a Copeland if...

- you drive a minivan, though you once swore you never would

- you love the KU Jayhawks

- you're used to being around girls

- you're prone to dance wildly at a moment's notice

- you dream in pink

- you speak sarcasm fluently

- you can name several, or all presidents in order

AND...

- you know things are cheaper by the dozen, but you want to find out if things are also cheaper by the HALF dozen!

On January 12, this is how my husband found out we were expecting. I made up this (then) fake blog post while sitting next to him on the couch. I said, "hey can you take a look at this and tell me what you think?" Because at our house it's very common for the two of us to ask each other to look over/proof-read/edit/whatever-you-want-to-say... so this didn't seem out of the norm for him.

He took the computer from me and read the above post. He then looked over at me and smiled. I then smiled, and the rest is history.

I've had two check-ups--one at nine and one at thirteen weeks. At both appointments the doctor couldn't find the heartbeat, so I've seen the baby twice now. Both times with a sweet heart beating away. The reason we couldn't hear the HB is because my placenta is anterior--basically it is situated between the doppler wand and the baby, thus blocking the thumping sound I so wanted to hear. But that's okay. I'm very happy with my sono pictures.

So there's our news. And I don't think there are many who read this blog who don't already know our special news. But there you have it!

My Scrunchie had her first birthday almost two weeks ago. She turned a whole year old! And we celebrated with a good ol' fashion cupcake birthday party. At a cupcake shop. With cake and baby cupcakes. 

And speaking of baby cupcakes---my baby had this GI-NORMOUS cupcake. It was her dig-in cake. 

The one she's supposed to dig-into and smash all over her face!

 Well, we had to kinda help her. But she eventually caught on. 

 She enjoyed her vanilla goodness--and I certainly enjoyed watching her.

And, she sorta tried to eat her presents too. Bows, shoes, toy remotes... she doesn't discriminate.

We celebrated with grandmas, papa, aunt and uncle, some friends and cousins. And of course a MAMA, DADA, and four big sisters! 

Happy birthday to our sweet Scrunchie girl! We love you!