promise not to tell

I am a secret country music fan. I've had an on again off again love affair with country for years. It started after I moved to a small rodeo town in northern California. I was certain I wanted a little hillbilly life in the dusty mountains(this was long before I was certain I was going to marry the alternative rock musician, but after my Grateful Dead faze), but came to find out I just didn't have what it takes-bottom line was Wranglers were a requirement.

Recently I caught myself giggling while driving down the road listening to the latest country tunes with lyrics like-"there ain't nothin like the sound of a cooler sloshing on the bed of your truck" or "you don't look a day over fast cars and freedom" and "It's two bare feet on the dashboard, young love and an old Ford, cheap shades and a tattoo and a Yoo hoo on the floor board." How can this music not make you feel good? It instantly transforms you back to simpler days, all your first loves, hot summer nights, old friends, and the ever important-beer, cheap wine and hard liquor. For a short time this winter I was soo deep into country I was considering the name Wyatt for baby #3.

Well, all I have is a secret love of the music and in the end I kinda did marry a cowboy of sorts. His horse is a truck, the long dusty trail is the road, and camping out under the stars is a truck stop. When I started dating Todd he loved tight jeans and he still wears cowboy boots when we go out. He dreams of adventures in the wild west together-via a Peterbilt and several stops to deliver loads. It may not be the romantic backdrop of the dusty mountains, but it's mine and I love it.

I heart my laundry room

It truly is a bit of a sickness-this organizing thing. Once you have the bug it is just hard to stop, especially this time of year. Here are a few of my favorites at the moment that have made my life easier. I love these over the door shoe pocket thingamajiggies. I have one here in my laundry room that has mainly become my summer/dog stuff organizer and I have one in the coat closet down the hall that holds the kids hats, gloves and warm winter things that will soon become the sandal and croc organizer. Anyways, this is total clutter control and I love it.

Becca suggested these wall pockets and I think they rock! I clearly have one more to hang(although I am no hurry as #3 is not allowed to grow up that fast), but this system right at the back door has been a crazy mom saver. The boys have plenty of hooks for everything and I can use it as well for the bag I grab just heading out the door(extra clothes and such). They love having their own little organizer for school and although this year it has not been essential, next year I think it will be a fabulous system to have in place because I really don't need to go insane.

The BIG(and only getting bigger )Reveal

My mom says she NEEDS to see me pregnant-so here I am in all my chubby glory. Nearly 30 weeks and we are starting to anxiously await his arrival. I have been working on his room, stressing over how to dress him in the summer(always had Fall babies) and really enjoying all his kicks and wiggles-as I know this is my last time being pregnant. Enjoy mom. Wish you were here to feel this little guy do somersaults, but can't wait to see you holding him in June.

*this is the one and only picture you will see of me in this state as I do not need any more witnesses to my puffy face and butt*

drum roll please...

WE ARE DONE!! all the interior painting is finished and we are breathing a big sigh of relief. The final touch was a new Foyer light expertly hung by my adoring husband(I can say that because I was not here when all this took place-more than likely he was cursing-possibly at me-for taking on this project). So for the remainder of the month I will be working on baby's room. And if it ever warms up we will start with outside projects. Ah...the joys of home ownership.

it might take more than a little bit of luck

I have 87 days(not that I'm counting or anything) to come up with my master plan on how to raise these boys in a house that dreams of harmony and peace. Three of them. When I found out we were having a third little dude I found comfort in the fact that God surely has a plan for me. I am meant to be the mother of three boys-I always knew I would be and it was coming true. Not that I doubt God, but there are some days when the two hulagins I have already are fighting and I am at my wits end wondering how to make this work. Boys take a lot of energy-energy that doesn't come all that naturally for me. It involves talking A LOT(mostly about expectations in public), working things out, understanding where they are coming from, encouraging them to be them selves, not stomping on their little boy spirits, physically restraining them from time to time before they land another jab to their brother, letting them be rough and adventurous, watching them ride down the street like Evil Kanevil in a strange game of "out due the neighbor kid", keeping yourself from breaking up the latest wrestling pile because someone is going to loose an eye-but that someone seems to WANT to loose an eye(in boxing don't they only call a fight when there is a TKO or too much blood?-I've taken to those guidelines) Basically it takes a lot of work for a girl to just let a boy be a boy(this applies to husbands as well-the other boy in your life).
So here are the three books I have collected to help me understand my role with these boys. Thanks Bec for the little bit of humor with the House of Testosterone. This is the book I decided to tackle first. It has made me laugh out loud several times already, and then I had to put it down for a couple of days because of the chapter about the author's three boys fighting all the time. So wish me luck, pray I gain some insight, and feel free to give me unsolicited advise :)

I hope this isn't what your doing

This is what complete boredom has brought me to. Cleaning way before it's spring. I made the mistake of putting-magic erase all base boards-on my to do list and then I couldn't

ignore it. I want it crossed off my list so bad that I started the horrible chore this week. So it's three magic erasers later and have only done four doors and one hall way. It took me the better part of my afternoon and I have to say it was total torture. I only have like 2000 sq feet left to do.

before

On yet another trip to the Brass Armadillo I was able to find JUST what I was looking for-I love it when that happens. My plans are to paint this chest and use it as a changing table in the baby's room. It is the perfect height and although the details at the moment are pretty feminine, once it is a soft blue(my new favorite paint color is Washed Navy by Ralph Lauren)it will be all boy. I'll be sure to post after pictures, you know-for my mom :)