weekend recap | photo dump

You guys. The weather was absolutely beautiful this weekend. It was the first sunny weekend we have had in MONTHS so, of course, we took full advantage of it!

Friday night we had dinner on the deck.

Saturday morning we got up and ran some errands to Big Lots and Target. We mobile ordered our coffee from Starbucks but when we got there Natalie decided she had to go potty "in the coffee shop". I was a little anxious but she totally rocked it and we celebrated with cake pops. We picked up a twin mattress and box spring at Big Lots for the guest room which will FINALLY be (mostly) done this week! Then we headed to Target for odds and ends and before we left, Natalie again let us know she had to use the potty. I was beaming with pride - no accidents during this outing. This potty training thing has been going REALLY well and I am feeling incredibly fortunate about that! When we got home, we spent the rest of the day playing outside.

Water guns from the Target $ spot for the win!

B is such a good sport :)

Sunday, Nat woke up ready to take on the world at 6AM.  To let B sleep, we opted to take a walk around the neighborhood. In princess heels, of course. She is such a girly girl and I have no idea where she gets it. Sunday morning also included a trip to the park before we hit the deck to play with the water table.

 

 

oh you know, just eating raw corn on the cob :)

me and the Mr. during naptime

Monday was a more low key day since the sun really took it out of us the rest of the weekend. I had a rockstar trip to the grocery store and managed to spend under $100 but save $60. However, we did end the weekend on a bit of a sad note. Natalie broke one of her princess heels in half.

All in all, it was a picture perfect weekend with my little family and I am feeling quite refreshed and ready to tackle the work week.

Natalie Says...

It has been awhile since I have had a Natalie says post.  She is talking up a storm these days and always says the funniest and sweetest things. Sometimes I have to ask her where she learned so much. Girlfriend has so much personality. 

1/26/16: Natalie had stacked her Mickey Mouse puzzle pieces to make a "mountain", B had warned me that she was quite protective of her mountain but I wanted it off the floor. While she was in the playroom I picked it up and put it on the table. She came out of the playroom, moved it back to the floor and said "Mommy, I told you, do NOT touch my mountain!" Well ok then.

1/27/16: I came home from work and all of the doors upstairs were closed. Natalie proudly came into the hallway, closed the playroom door behind her and said "Look Mama, I closed ALL my doors!" 

...it wasn't too long after this that Natalie locked herself in the bathroom and we had to break the door down. While trapped in there, she knocked on the door, "Mommy. You wanna build a snowman?" Needless to say, she is not allowed to close doors anymore.

3/16/16: B and Natalie were getting ready to leave to go to daycare/work and Natalie yelled out behind her "See ya later, Hanky! I'm going to Cheryl's!"

3/29/16
Me: Good job baby bear!
Nat: I not a baby bear. I Natalie!

4/3/16: We walked into BJ's Brewhouse for lunch and Natalie looked around, "What is this place?!"

4/4/16
Me: Why are you so big?
Nat: Because I go to Cheryl's house.

4/5/16: love my little 'Bama fan :)
B: Come on Nat, we gotta roll.
Nat: Roll Tide?

4/6/16: B turned on the hall light and opened Nat's door to get her ready for daycare. Nat pulled her pillow over her head, "Shut the light. Shut the door. No Daddy."

4/10/16
Me: Come on Nat. Are you a helper or a hinder?!
Nat: A hinder.
Me: Where is my sweet girl today?!
Nat: She's not home.

5/3/16: Natalie and I had a chat over dinner about being a big girl...
Me: Are you a baby or a big girl?
Nat: A big girl.
Me: Well, big girls don't have a paci and big girls don't wear diapers. [blank stare from Natalie.] So are you a baby or a big girl?
Nat: hmm. A baby.

5/12/16: B could hear Natalie calling Gemma from her bedroom so he hit the speaker on the monitor to tell her that he was coming upstairs, Natalie responded "That's not Gemma! That's Daddy! Oooooh no! Where's Gemma?!"

5/21/16: My older sister and I found out some questionable news that made me upset. Natalie looked at me "What's wrong sweetie? Calm down, ok Mommy. Deep breaths."

5/23/16: I picked Natalie up from daycare and Cheryl was giving me the report from the day. She said Natalie had gone all day without an accident. Natalie looked at me, very proudly, and said "Mommy, I'm really trying hard." It was so precious because, the truth is, she really is trying so hard to be good at potty training.

Friday Five

It has been one hell of a week. We are on day 17 straight of rain in the DC metro area and I am so close to going crazy... so close that we're going to work on potty training this weekend [insert blank stare emoji here]. We figure if we're stuck inside anyways... Perhaps this weather is making us feel just a little masochistic. To get in the mood for our very exciting weekend plans, I put together a Friday five for the first time in months which is leaving me feeling pretty dang accomplished this morning.

1. Emerson Grace Boutique is killing it with the bright colors and racerback tanks for summer. I cannot wait to snag a couple of these for when the weather warms up... if it ever warms up around here. If you're loving the pink and coral, just wait until you see the teal ones!

2. Speaking of racerback tanks... The Blue Envelope has started a new campaign  #projectloveyourself for anyone who has been bullied, mom shamed or just felt like maybe they weren't enough and I couldn't love this idea more. These tanks are amazing and rumor has it, they are super comfy too :)

Also, if you are looking for end of the year teacher gifts... Amanda has some good ones!

3. Last weekend we celebrated my cousin Maylin's Sweet 16 and it was the first time some of my family members were even meeting Natalie, which is crazy to think about.  It was so so so good to see my cousins. We don't all get together often but when we do, I am reminded how lucky I am to be related to such amazing, ridiculous people.

Totally stole this gem from my cousin Patty :)

4. Y'all, Starbucks brought back the S'mores frap. No other words are necessary.

5. This week is Police Week.  On Monday my sister went before the Mayor and City Council to accept the Police Week proclamation for the city she works in. I am so proud of her so I wanted to share some of what she said.

To some, this week may seem like an observed nicety, a political play of sorts. To the men and women that I proudly stand next to each and every day, it is recognition of every officer who has gone before us and made the ultimate sacrifice for their community. It's a reminder that when we put on this uniform, we come to work and do this job knowing full well that on any given day, it could be any of us.  

These men and women have and will continue to dedicate themselves to this City, this community. They spend thousands of hours away from their loved ones, missing birthdays, holidays, weekends and so much more. They weather the physical and emotional toll that this calling leaves in its wake. They see the unimaginable, and yet return the next day, because that's just who they are. No matter how long or short you do this job, you walk away forever changed by it. We are human after all.

 So please make sure you thank a police officer this week. I know I have :)

My sister and me, circa 2007

Bonus: today my little stink pot is officially 2.5 years old.

Now I am going to spend the remainder of the day googling potty training tips, pouring over pictures and videos of the last two and a half years of Natalie and trying to decide which wine pairs best with this kind of misery. Happy weekending, y'all.