Back in the saddle

The first trimester wore me out this time around. With Bennett I felt like I'd been run over by a truck for a couple of weeks, then I was bad sick for 3 days, then it was done, so by week 9 or so, I was good to go. This time around, I was naseous (sp? I can never figure out how to spell this word, or all of its forms) from week 4 to about week 8, and was truck-runneth-me-over exhausted for 3 months. This has been tough for a few reasons: a) Bennett does NOT slow down. Ever. Except when he is asleep, which only happens at night, and for two hours during the day (if I'm as lucky as I plan to be each day :) ). b) Michael started school back in August and has also worn more hats and been busier this time around than ever before, so he's been tired too, which if you know my husband, is highly unusual and very unlike him (which explains Bennett's one speed of turbo). c) I really do NOT like having a messy, dirty house, and it's been that way for at least a couple of months and has been extra annoying since I also didn't have the energy to escape it much of the time.

BUT, my friends, the good news is, I am a couple of weeks into the glories of the second trimester, and about a week ago, my energy returned. I feel like me again. It's so hard when you don't feel like yourself at all and you can't really do anything about it, and even harder when you don't have any idea when/if things will return to normal...can I get an AMEN! from all the previously or currently pregnant women out there??

So anyway, my floors are cleaned, the toilets are scrubbed (praise God!), the dishes are being washed and put away at a regular rate, and the laundry is hanging up in our closets rather than gathering dust while still folded in their baskets in big piles all over the house. And besides that (insert pat on the back), we have a little pumpkin patch and a gathering of scarecrows hanging out in our home, and an adorable "Happy Fall" wreath hanging on our door :) I'm feeling festive and productive and ready to tackle just about anything.

I don't expect anybody to really care one whit about this post, but I'm rejoicing in the new phase I find myself in, and celebrating the desire and action of getting my tush off the couch and into gear again :) Here's a list (for myself, although you're free to read on if you're convinced you care) of things left to do that I'd really like to jump into and accomplish before this new energy fades in a few more months:

1) Clean out the guest closet and bag up stuff for Goodwill.

2) Actually take said bags TO Goodwill, rather than keeping them in said closet.

3) Have a White Paint Day if this baby is a girl, and a Blue/Red Paint Day if this baby is a boy (which we'll find out in about 3 weeks - YAY!!), at which friends and family will hopefully help with a dresser, a shelf, and picture frames.

4) Finally finish contact papering the shelves in our kitchen and bathrooms (the old stuff is nasty and has those "adorable" little roosters and chickens on it that were oh so popular in the 80s/early 90s). I've finished our pantry and the new paper is FANTASTIC. It makes me happy to open our cupboards :)

5) Install new smoke detectors (actually, Michael will probably do this :) )

6) Try to sell this stinkin' jogging stroller at a resale shop since it didn't sell at JBF *sigh*

7) Finish Bennett's first year scrapbook (which I was supposed to do a LONG time ago...obviously, since he's about to turn two). This involves first ordering old pictures that I still need prints of, THEN organizing and scrapbooking them. Yikes.

8) Switching Benito to his toddler bed and moving the crib into the baby's room.


There's more, for sure, but I think I'll stop there...I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed :)


And for a couple of side notes, here is a final list of some of my new FAVORITE cleaners I've recently discovered that TOTALLY rock and work miracles (seriously):
1) Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (gets un-gunkable gunk off of stuff with mild scrubbing)
2) Spray-n-Wash for laundry (gets out old stains, even grease or grass. Phenomenal.)
3) Greenworks spray cleaner (smells great, cleans great, and is good for the environment)

And here's a list of upcoming pictures:
1) 15 weeks pregnant (I'm going to try to do one of these every 5 weeks here on out)
2) Bennett updates
3) Great Great Grandmother Imogene's 98th birthday (if we're able to make the drive to Longview this week)

That's all friends...have a great week!