Another Random Post

I really don't have anything to right a whole post about... so here ya go, another bulleted post with random information.

1. Jesse had me do the dirty work and call our renters down in Lacey. Their lease expires April 15th, but we decided we will give them until the end of May, if they would like. I would say they weren't too happy, but that was to be expected. I wouldn't be either. They didn't seem mad at us, just upset about the situation.

So, we are all set to move out of the current place and back our other house on June 1st!! I am so excited. I'm already dreaming of getting the huge play set from Costco to go in the backyard. But all of a sudden, I feel like I need to rush and start packing pretty darn soon! 2 months is going to fly by before I know it! Where to start...

2. I've been so tired lately. This pregnancy so far has really wiped me out. I feel fatigued most of the time. I have always been such a busy body but these days, it is not hard for me to not do much besides the necessities. I'm hoping this changes real darn quick.

3. I'm switching doctors. I have my last appointment with the OB/GYN out in Snoqualmie tomorrow and then I will start seeing the doctor in Puyallup that I was seeing when I was pregnant with Hunter. Obviously, I would've needed to switch because of the move, but there are a couple other reasons why that I might talk about some other time.

4. I'm feeling guilty that I have been too tired to take Hunter to any classes on a regular basis. When he was little, I was really good at taking him to The Little Gym or swim lessons at least once a week. Lately, not so much. I'm just feeling too tired to commit to something. Ugh, once again, when will this pass?!

5. I'm about to insert a spouse gripe, bear with me. Hunting season has been over since the end of January... and Jesse promised he would be around ALL the time once that time came. Not at all! He has decided to take up skeet shooting and turkey hunting (a summer season). Not too thrilled about this in the least...

Busy Busy Busy

We've had a pretty packed weekend that went from Friday through Monday around the Doyle house. The good part was that almost all of it was fun stuff!

Friday night we had a family pizza date with my mom and sister-in-law and then my mom and I set out for the movie theatre to see Hunger Games. We had a good time and it was so nice for me to get some girl time away from poopy diapers and cooking dinner.



I thought the movie was entertaining, not sure if I would describe it as great, but I'm glad I saw it.

Saturday morning we got up early and Hunter and I joined Jesse for a Ducks Unlimited meeting over breakfast. Pretty much it consisted of eating breakfast with a toddler on my lap the entire time because Hunter was overwhelmed by all the men at breakfast he didn't know. Later in the day I took Hunter to my parents house so that he could have a slumber party with them. Lucy got to be the co-pilot for the first time and loved it!



Once we got to Snoqualmie, Hunter got a haircut from his favorite person, Jerry, at the Main Shop. He looked like a new boy. :) And then we hung out at my parents for a bit before I headed back home to get ready for the Ducks Unlimited banquet/auction with Jesse.

The banquet was actually a pretty good time. We had several friends come and join. Dinner was good and Jesse even won a framed art print of some ducks. Lovely... it's already up in our living room :/ What can ya do?! I figure sometimes you just gotta go with it.

The next morning we slept in and then headed out to pick up Hunter, had lunch at Chipotle, and then went to Seattle for a few hours. Jesse's cousin out in Minnesota is doing a school project with a "flat Stanley" where they send a paper doll around to family and friends around the country/world and get pictures of the doll at cool places. So, it was our turn to take some pictures of Flat Stanley in Seattle.

We parked at the Space Needle and ended up taking Hunter AND Lucy on the monorail to Westlake Center and then walked down to Pike Place Market. It was a good time!














From there we headed up to my nephew's 7th birthday dinner with the whole family. It was a great time, I love getting to see Hunter with all his cousins!




And yesterday, I sat down and did another week of meal planning, grocery shopping, and then had some of our bestest friends over for dinner. :)

This weeks menu: chicken tortilla soup with corn bread, cobb salad, greek salad in pitas, and shrimp stir fry.

Friday Fun Day

So, I don't have an insightful post today. So I'll just throw some random things out there...

1. It's official.... the WIC program is moving to McChord, we will be here for 4 more years!!!

Okay, I guess that's a big one! :) Thanks for all your well wishes and prayers about this after I wrote this post. So, the plan is to move back to our house in Lacey in the next two or three months!

2. I got busy sewing this morning and it was so much fun. It was my first solo sewing day! Everything went smoothly. I made Nicole the baby blanket she won in this giveaway and then even attempted to make a couple burp clothes for the first time. Easy peasy.



3. What's the deal with all the reruns on TV this week?! I really do not like it. But, I did start watching the new show "Missing" and think I'm really going to like it. I hope all the shows come back for next week!

4. Any suggestions on meal planning next week? Last week went great. I made all the things I set out to make and only got behind by one day. Okay okay, it was because I was lazy last week and we ordered pizza instead ;) I would love if you could comment with a link of your favorite go to meal!

5. We have a packed weekend full of fun stuff. Dinner with some family and then Hunger Games with my mama tonight, Duck's Unlimited banquet (not my first choice, but sometimes ya gotta give), church, trip to Seattle for some sight seeing, and a family dinner with my whole family to celebrate lots and lots of stuff at Buca di Beppo. What are your plans this weekend? Hope it's a good one! :)

Meal Planning

I am finally feeling back to my old self, no more throwing up and I have tons more energy. So, I figured it was time for the new stay at home mom to get to work with some meal planning! I've never really mastered this and usually end up just having the basics on hand to make simple dinners like stir fry, curries, and baked chicken and veggies. BORING. Well, Jesse likes it because that means it's usually Paleo diet friendly, but this pregnant lady is craving some good old carbs and comfort food these days.

So, I got to work this morning while Hunter slept in until 10am! I pulled out my "Joy of Cooking" cookbook and did some meal planning for the next week or so. Here is what I came up with:

Thursday: Chicken Enchiladas (even with homemade sauce, I'm kind of a snob about this, I don't like canned enchilada sauce)

Friday: Corned beef and cabbage with red potatoes (Gotta celebrate Jesse's Irish heritage, right?!)

Saturday: My oldest brother and his fiancé have informed us this week that they are having a spur of the moment wedding on Saturday evening! So, no cooking for me, but I did volunteer to make my yummy red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. (Want the recipe? It's over there on the recipes tab!)

Sunday: Beef Stew

Monday: Spaghetti Pie

Sometime during the week I also plan to make some chocolate chip cookies and some apple muffins to snack on. All these recipes I found in the Joy of Cooking cookbook (expect the cupcakes, I leave that to Martha).

You guys have any luck with meal planning? I'm hoping I stick with it, but I just don't know if I can keep up with it every week. Any tips for me? I'd love to hear them.

Really?!

Sometimes I get a kick out of seeing what people did a google search for the come across this blog of mine. Today was not exception.

"naked picture stephanie doyle" Really?! Come on. I guess I was a bit flattered and then realized that either one, they were looking for a different Stephanie Doyle or it was my husband being silly knowing it would pop up for me to see. I'll have to ask him about that!

"woman like hookah" This really made me giggle. I did post one picture of me in Turkey this summer with a hookah and I do enjoy it. But never would I think such a search would lead to me!

Well, that is all, a bit random, but I was rather amused.

Thank You!!!

I just wanted to say thank you for all the congrats and well wishes about being pregnant I have received! I really feel like this blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram has connected me with some amazing ladies and has grown into such a great community to connect with other moms in! So... THANK YOU!

Speaking of that great community, I am so super excited to be going to my first blogger's night out with about a dozen or so other local bloggers. It's tonight and I can't wait to meet so many of the faces that I've come to know through social networking! I'll be sure to share some pics and the details afterwards! :)

I know I still have a bit MIA in blogland. I promise you, I have a good reason. This pregnancy has made me so very sick. I feel extremely tired 90% of the time, nausous most of the day, and throwing up everyday as well. BUT... the good news about that is that means my body is doing what it needs to, to grow a healthy baby! Totally worth it, but in the meantime I have been pretty worthless. I've been neglecting housework, seeing friends and family, blogging, and lots more. What I have gotten really good at is playing Monopoly on the iPhone app. Hee-hee.

My Glamorous Life

Like seriously, it's a super fancy life I live these days. I don't like to leave the house. I'm going through one of those moods. I haven't been feeling too hot and dealing with the transition between super busy working mom with not enough hours in the day and being a stay at home momma to a two year old.

Having this puppy doesn't help much either. She's too little to leave in the back yard while we are gone and I feel bad putting her in her kennel for more than an hour or two. So that leaves me to stay at home.

Can I just tell you about how much poop and pee I'm dealing with in this house between Hunter potty training and a nine week old puppy?! I seriously am over it. If it's not puppy poop, or Hunter pee, than it's Hunter finding puppy poop before I do, picking it up and then trying to rub it off his hands onto his legs. Yes, true story, it's happened twice in the last two days. So yeah, I'm seriously up the my eyeballs in poop, really. Don't worry, I didn't take any pictures to share these precious moments with you all.

Oh yeah, wanna hear another funny-gross-sad story? Hunter was running around naked before bedtime the other night and playing with Lucy, the puppy. All of a sudden he is crying and running to me to be held. I asked him if Lucy bit him, he says "Yes, Lucy bite my penis!" And then proceeded to tell me that he needed mommy to kiss it. No, sir. Kids and puppies are quite the combo, let me tell ya!

Okay anyways, I don't like to write with out leaving you a picture, don't worry, some cute ones, not ones of poop or bitten toddler parts!

It's Finally Real

I AM A STAY AT HOME MOM!!! It's hit me in the last day that I really am not going back to work, that this isn't just a vacation, and guess what... it's AWESOME!

I wrote that I was a bit out of commission for a few days because I was in a lot of pain with my back, but it started feeling much better yesterday. I am feeling so much more joyful and energized. I was looking forward to Hunter's naptime and bedtime a lot while my back was hurting. Today, right now, I am totally missing my little man while he's taking his nap. I just adore that kid and I feel like the luckiest and most blessed mama ever that I get to spend everyday with such a fun and easy little guy.

He was so cute yesterday afternoon. He woke up from his nap and was on the search for his Little People "farmer" that sits in the tractor. He couldn't find it anywhere. He sadly said "Mommy, farmer gone. In car?" So I went out to the car three seperate times to find farmer. No such luck. He wasn't in the playroom, Hunter's room, or in the living room. When I told Hunter that he was really gone, he just turned around and sat in his little chair and put his head down and said "Hunter miss farmer". It was the cutest and saddest thing ever. And then I thought, let's just go find a new one!

This is when it really hit me that I am a stay at home mom. There would be no way that I would have driven to Toys R Us on a weeknight to go on a search for a toy. But now I have so much energy and am so stressfree. So, we went to the store and I quickly realized that "farmer" is part of a $40 barn set. Ugh. But then Hunter saw a Little People "cook" and exclaimed "Farmer!!" and it was only $6, perfect! We got in the car and I took farmer out of the package and into the tractor that was waiting in the car. Hunter was the happiest little boy ever when I handed it to him!

Afterwards, I took Hunter to Applebee's for a little dinner date with my favorite little guy. He sat next to me and played with his farmer and tractor with such content. Then we went home and watched Cars. My heart just about exploded with love last night in realizing that this is my new life. I love it!

Adjusting and Weeks in iPhone Pics

I'm not sure if "adjusting" is the right title to this post. Last Thursday was my last day of work... and I feel like I haven't even gotten to enjoy it yet, five days later. That's because I started to have severe back pain starting on Friday. It's been so bad that it has even hurt to walk, until today. So yeah, I had these dreams of what staying at home with Hunter would look like: clean house, organization projects, playing on the ground with Hunter. Yeah, that has not happened in the least yet.

Oh well, I have plenty of time for all that once I get healed up a bit, right?

Well, I haven't posted many iPhone pics for awhile, so here are some from the last couple weeks!

Lots of cuddling with our favorite puppy :)



We went out to eat a few times (Adriatic Grill, Chipotle, and Snoqualmie Casino Buffet).



We were on the go!




Jesse left and then came back again!




Hunter and I hung around the house a lot together.



Hunter and I had a very low key New Years.



I took a couple photos of myself for the Instagram photo challenge



And best of all, we got to visit Henry's puppies!! We are going to get one, but we are still undecided between two of them! They are the cutest things EVER.

Week in iPhone Pics- Week 5

I am soooo late with this post, but wanted to still share the pictures I took with my phone last week.

Jesse got home from a ten day trip last Monday night. Hunter was so excited that his daddy was home! Tuesday morning started with a beautiful sunrise and ended with a fun ornament exchange with the squadron wives.



On Wednesday evening we made a visit to visit Henry's puppies. They were so little! Afterwards we headed over to the mall for some Santa pictures.



On Thursday night, we had all three of Hunter's godparents (our bestest friends) over for dinner. Meghan read Hunter the Elf on the Shelf, but she found the elf, Buddy, rather creepy. I don't really blame her.

On Friday morning, I asked my Twitter friends advice on whether my new winter jacket was too short, and then we met up with Jill and Amanda (and their gorgeous little ones) for a play date at the parks and rec center. We had so much fun with them!




Later on Friday, I made silly holiday pictures on an iPhone app and then made some yummy cupcakes for my niece, Emma's, 5th birthday!



We had a fun and full day on Saturday! We headed up north for Halle's 2nd birthday party at a bouncy place!




Afterwards, we went to my sister's house to make gingerbread houses and celebrate Emma's birthday with all 5 of Hunter's cousins from my side of the family. It was such a FUN time! We learned that gingerbread houses start by being a kid activity but end up being an adult activity! I dunno if I wanna see another gingerbread house kit anytime soon! :)





We ended the week on Sunday with a lazy family day. It was full of Hunter cuddles and him helping me back a blueberry breakfast cake that I found on Pinterest.

Week in iPhone Pictures: Week 4

Another week in iPhone pics! Check out Amy's blog to see other bloggers' weekly post!

Well, we have continued in potty training! So far, pretty good. Hunter doesn't have accidents at home, but he's still not quite ready to go out for longer than an hour without a pull-up. I think he's doing pretty darn swell! There has been a whole lotta running around with no pants on!



I've been somewhat productive this last week. I stocked up on my very favorite and expensive Victoria's Secret laundry detergent and some dryer sheets (for dirt cheap with my $10 off any purchase coupons!!) Hunter got a Christmas present in the mail from his "Grantie", so I wrapped it right up! And then we made a trip to Michael's.




I just might of gotten some packages in the mail! Including a Pinterest find (cookie sheet turned magnetic board!), a North Face hat for Hunter, and an ice cream maker! I made some awesome peppermint ice cream on Sunday!



Hunter got very acquainted with my iPad. It amazes me that he totally knows how to use it! He scrolls through all the apps and pics out the ones he likes, turns on videos, turns up the volumme. It's crazy!! He's taken it over, I don't remember the last time I used it.



We went out to the Ram for dinner with my parents, little brother and his wife. Hunter had fun hamming it up with Uncle Brandon.



In the last couple of weeks, Hunter has developed a love for stuffed friends. Mickey "Nicky" is his very best friend. "Nicky" does everything Hunter does, including drinking juice, eating Cliff bars, and taking long naps. "Nicky" isn't so bad, but when he has to have six more of his close friends join in on naptime... got going to lie... pretty annoying! Oh well.



The rest of the weekend was spent just hanging around. Hunter put hats and gloves on us, found unique places to sit, hung up his new airplane ornament, helped me load the dishwasher, and put all his money in his piggy bank.



And of course.... the famous duo, Hunter and Henry!

Potty Training Fun!

So, the verdict is out, Hunter was ready to be potty trained before Mommy was ready for him to be! My plan was to wait until our cross country move in June, unless he showed signs that he wanted to start earlier. And that he did! On Saturday late afternoon, he decided we would start. And let me tell you, I am still completely shocked how this all went down. So let me give you the run down.

Hunter and I got home around 4pm on Saturday. I changed his diaper and didn’t immediately put his pants back on, just left him in a shirt and diaper. A little while later, I turn around and he is trying to take his diaper off. I was a little annoyed by this and asked him to put it back on. He said “No! Hunter go potty!” He had never said anything like this before.

So, I grabbed his potty chair from upstairs. (I got it months ago and he only sat on it before and after bath time, but never had actually used it.) I put it in the living room and let him go naked. Within the next half hour, he had sat down and went pee. I was floored! I made a huge deal about it and gave him a Dum Dum sucker as a reward. I still thought this was just a onetime thing. Boy was I wrong! By the end of the night he had gone four more times and had no accidents! And yes, I did give him four more suckers. I figured I could give him way too much sugar one night to encourage this awesomeness! I put him to bed with a diaper on.

The next morning, the diaper was wet. But… I took it off right away and once again let him run around with no pants or diaper on. He didn’t have any accidents all day! I did have to run to Target to get pull-ups and a potty chair for my parent’s house, so I put him in a diaper for that little outing and then again when we made the forty five minute drive to my parent’s that evening.

He had one pee accident at my parent’s house on Monday, but THAT IS IT! He went poop on the potty Tuesday, Wednesday and today. I am SO proud of my little guy. He just goes and sits on his potty when he needs to and goes. I am simply amazed by this. I’ve taken him out twice for short periods of time in his big boy underwear with no accidents and for a couple hours yesterday evening in a pull-up, only to find that it was completely dry when we got home. Five days ago I had a little boy that had never gone to the bathroom outside of his diaper.

We have switched to small treats, like one tic-tac. I think the next step will be to not use pull-ups at all unless he is sleeping and to move the potty seat into the bathroom instead of whatever room we are in.

Any advice for this momma who was not planning on potty training this early? J What is the next step?? I’m just clueless about how to get from this stage to being fully potty trained.

I guess Jesse and I have a big boy now!

Week in Iphone Pics(and video!): Week 3

It's that time of week again to link up my week in iPhone pics with Amy over at A Good Life Blog. If you haven't checked her blog out, do it, she is great!

It was a pretty eventful week for us! Lots of good family and friend time with lots of smiles and laughs! :)



On Monday night, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings in Tacoma. They just opened their first one in Washington in the last few weeks. Jesse and I LOVE it! :) As always, Jesse got the boneless wings with Caribbean Jerk and I got mine with Mango Habernero! HOT! Jesse put a little bit of his sauce on Hunter's tongue. Poor guy kept trying to brush off the spicy from his tongue with his hand. Mean daddy!!



Nighttime cuddles, wrestling,teeth flossing with Hunter, and more cuddling with Henry. He saw me flossing and insisted that daddy floss his teeth. So cute. :)



Hunter loves Henry and Henry tolerates Hunter. Looks at these boxes in the living room! Grrr, these are boxes of goose decoys that Jesse left here for several days. I was rather annoyed and daily, no hourly, requested that he removed them from our living area.



On Friday, we met up with a blog friends, Jill and Corbin, for a play date at the parks and rec center. Hunter had a great time!! (And so did I!)



Good morning, Hunter! I scored a sweet deal on Tory Burch boots that I picked up for myself for Christmas, whoops! Hunter playing in his playroom. Day 3 of the advent calendar with Hunter.



Jesse kicked me out of the house on Friday for a girl's night! I had such a great time with six of my favorite ladies! We went to Bellevue Square for some holiday fun, Cheesecake Factory, and then drinks at the MunchBar and Piano Bash. It was much needed!



Saturday morning, Hunter and Jesse shared another goodbye. Jesse left for a short mission to Germany and the middle east somewhere, but will be back next weekend sometime! Hunter started potty training last night, which is worthy of a blog post in it's own! So proud of him!

And now for a video!



I took this last night. I love how Hunter and Henry are really able to interact now. But Jesse better watch out, Hunter is in training to become the new master to the dog!

My Week in iPhone Pictures

I'm linking up with Amy over at A Good Life Blog with her week in iPhone pictures. I love this idea because it keeps me taking pictures throughout eachday and it will be neat to be able to look back at the everyday moments in our lives. Check out her blog, you'll love it and her! :)

I realized that I really only take pictures when it's just Hunter and I. I promise I wasn't a hermit all week! I did actually go to work, see my family, and hung out with a few friends! I promise I will get better at this. :)




The stockings for all my nephews, neices and Hunter came from PBK in the mail! There are going to be going up at my parents house every year. :)