Lately...

So things here have been crazy and I didn't realize until a few days ago how long it had  been since I posted anything. (with the exception of this post that I finished today) So I wanted to share some of what has kept us so busy lately, since I know you're all dying to know...

Bean:

I could simply leave that as the entirety of this post and that would be enough said.  But let's look at why she's keeping us so busy.

• First and most importantly Bean will be 2 in about 2 weeks. Gasp! How did this happen???? I'm not sure but she has gotten a very early start on terrible twos.  Anything at any moment could be "wrong" and deserves a screaming temper tantrum- even things that were previously ok and will be acceptable in the future.  Water instead of milk, milk instead of water, Ellie licked her, even though Ellie does that most of the time. She wants dinner, she wants to go "side", she wants up, no down , no up. And on and on we go. Its exhausting and honestly the whining makes me want to wear ear plugs most days.  Plus she can be kind of naughty sometimes- refusing to do things she is told even when she knows how to do what she is asked.
• Second is the mess.  These are a few pics of the messes made almost everyday (or the messes that are just ignored because we don't have any energy left to clean them after a day full of tantrums)

 One of our favorite toys: Pom Poms

And Legos and Beans

 

 And what our living room looks like today despite being cleaned and vacuumed last night.

• Lately we've also been with out pacifiers and a few weeks ago we took the railing off her crib after she climbed out one night.  So that means we've been getting up as soon as she wakes up because she won't stay in her bed and she won't leave us alone. Or she falls out of bed, despite our best attempts to prevent it, and that's always fun. 
• And then there's the potty.  We bought it in January and have had it around and slowly introducing Lizzie to the concept.  First we sat on in with clothes on, then just a diaper and then no diaper.  Then in the last week we've really been trying to work on the potty training by taking her potty a lot, sitting there FOREVER with her and even trying a few days with undies and a few days without anything on.  The only thing we've gotten from it is lots of puddles, wet underwear and being really sick of the bathroom.  I know she's not even 2 so I'm not worried that she's not even close but it is kind of frustrating when she sits on the potty for almost 20 minutes and then runs to her room and pees on the floor.  This will be a work in progress for sometime I feel but who knows maybe tomorrow she'll wake up and it will click- haha.

Besides Bean I've been gardening, I've got pumpkins, tomatoes, corn and cucumbers growing and even had a watermelon started before a stupid animal took a bite out of it :-(.  Its lots of work but its fun and relaxing and I'm learning a lot, like you really only need to plant 1 or 2 pumpkin seeds :-0

 

 

 I'm also running a playgroup at the church.  So far its only our friend Sara, her kids, her daycare kids and us.  I'm hoping that more people come eventually too but for now its good to get out of the house and the kids enjoy it.  

I've also been working on Bean's second birthday party.  Its gonna be awesome! Hubby thinks I'm funny because I'm doing a lot to make it "really cool" even though he thinks all we need is Bean and some cake and the people who love Bean.  I agree but I still want to throw her an awesome party! So I'm working on a Dog-bone pinata, a bean bag toss, cool decorations and an awesome cake, plus all the food etc.

And... the condo got rented out!! We found a really awesome tenant and he moved in mid-June.  We've had to take care of a few things since (the bedroom air conditioner stopped working sometime this winter and we had no clue!) but I think we're finally through with most of the major repairs and can now just enjoy that the place is rented for the rest of the year.

With the condo getting rented we've had some extra income to start paying off debts and save for a house.  So to help out with that cause I've been working on ways to earn cash at home- surveys etc but have come to the conclusion that if I get a real job (at nights) we'll be able to pay stuff off faster and get our own place sooner.  So after Bean's party (while she's at Grandma camp for a week!!) I'm going to start applying anywhere and everywhere to find a job to bring in some extra monies.  I'm not really excited about it because I really don't want to work retail again but I am excited to pay some stuff off faster.

Last but really most important is the soft launch of the new church.  Its coming up in September so things are starting to gear up for the launch.  Our first deputation service is this weekend and we've found a meeting place.  We're so excited to see what God will bring our church!

And that my friends is why we so busy... this and so many other reasons.  If I wrote about them all this post would be even longer so I just gave you the highlights :-) What have you all been up to?

 

 Yes, we're awesome parents- we video and photograph our baby asleep at the table before putting her to bed!

Goodbye binkies!!