Snow Day!

Today was supposed to be B's last day of preschool here in Iowa, but unfortunately it's a snow day.  We're using the term "Snow Day" loosely at this point, as all it's been thus far is rain, but I hear (and see via Facebook) that the snow is coming. I think we said this morning that the weather man might as well just check Facebook for the forecast... what friends in Kansas City said the weather was doing first, has moved through Des Moines, heading to Iowa City, and then it will make it's way to the QC.

I'm really sad though because it was supposed to be the preschool's Christmas program that they'd been working on for a month and I was so excited to see B stand up with his little classmates and sing! Also, he'd been telling me how they were working on a secret project (which he then let slip exactly what it was) and I know he wanted to give it to me... Hopefully I can arrange with his head teacher to see her and give her the gifts we have for her and the other two teachers and get the project.

So instead of running errands and going to school today, we are packing and getting Christmas gifts ready. Christmas cards and birth announcements are also going out today- finally!

New, New, New

It's looking like a blog revival is going to be necessary in 2013...  I've changed the name of my blog to something a little more relevant, although we're headed back to a big city area & we have a new baby. I still like "Words with the Wallace's" better. More fitting, I think.

Lots of big changes happening & that will be happening in the next couple of weeks. The Hubs started a new job in November in Seattle. Yep, Seattle. That's a crazy commute from Iowa, so we're moving back there in January. He's been out there for different periods of time over the last month & a half.

Speaking of the last month, we have a new baby! He's one month old today! Happy one month birthday Mr. JJ! He's adorable & so calm, most of the time.

The one who started out this blog as Baby B will be turning 4 in a couple weeks. He's been in preschool this past 'semester' & I'm hoping we can find him a new school when we move. It breaks my heart that he's leaving his beloved school, teachers, & friends, but I know he'll enjoy a new school, like new teachers, & make new friends.

So be on the lookout... I'll be slow starting with the holidays, moving, etc., but then I'll be back. After all, now we'll have family looking for these posts!

Boy oh Boy!

We're having a boy!

While I realize I haven't blogged in months, I couldn't let this news go un-blogged. Earlier this week we found out we're expecting our second son. Of course, we knew we were expecting (I'm almost 21 weeks), but it's even more exciting (in my opinion) when you know the gender. Now we can finalize his (middle, as first is already decided) name and get to work. I'm pretty thrilled that we can reuse most of B's stuff, as their due dates are only about 5 weeks apart - thus the clothing *should* work, assuming Baby J is about the same size as B was. I'm so excited to watch two boys grow up together and so happy for B! Plus I know how amazing of a big brother B is going to be... it will be exciting to watch (and also a little heartbreaking because... seriously? How can B be this old?!)

Official due date is November 23rd - the day after Thanksgiving. We'll see if J arrives in time for turkey or turkey leftovers. Now that we know he's a he, I'm ready to get started on his room. I cleaned out the closet a few weeks ago and ripped down the remaining wallpaper border today. Surprisingly enough, wallpaper that's been in the room for about 16 years came down shockingly easy! Next up is cleaning the walls and taping, so we can paint. After we determine paint colors that is. We've decided to just move the decor from B's room into J's and upgrade B to a Bigger Boy Room. There's a few things we have to replace from the original nursery decor, but the rest is still in great condition. While this may seem unfair to those second kids out there (not me, as I only have an older brother and our rooms were certainly as different as could be growing up), B's theme was Sports Fan - with a focus on baseball additions- and that's all I'm really interested in doing again for Baby J. I don't get down with the puppies or the baby blue too much... We're a baseball family here, so we may as well stick with what we know best.  As far as the Big Boy Room, I'm thinking bright colors. I just painted B's room bright blue (his favorite color) this past January and I'm imagining orange and bright green... we'll see what I come up with. I love the way this looks and while this exact picture is not possible, the colors certainly are!

Meet Baby J! 

Is it the weekend? Not for me...

After two long days without a nap (mostly my fault, not B's), I could use a break. And a glass of wine. (Okay, I've succeeded at one of those right now). Seriously though? I don't ever want nap time to actually end. B has been amazingly well behaved for not napping, but I feel like I've been running non-stop since 7am yesterday. I just. need. a. break. And a break that does not involve working two very long days this weekend (which is what I get for having all last weekend off for an awesome wedding).

I could also use some more peanut butter patties from those little girl scouts. 

And yes, I know I failed at 28 days of blogging. Ugh.

Oh- if you're reading this and interested... I'm hosting an online 31 party and I've been obsessing over my dog-eared catalog. I just can't choose! Here's the link- it ends on the 15th of March (next Thursday). http://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/catalog.aspx?eventId=E1462269&from=DIRECTLINK

Email a Scrapbook.

Today, while wasting time on Facebook, I came across this post and it got me thinking. Wouldn't it be great to have an email address that is simply your name, rather than several numbers afterwards, or some random handle? (Perhaps if you have an less typical name, you already have this, but let me tell you- there's thousands of Amanda Wallace's, so it's not something I'll ever have.)

Anyway, to further the actual post, I thought, what a fabulous idea! B has a baby book and a journal (that I started when I found out I was pregnant and it's not yet full), but I'm pretty terrible at really updating it. I have this blog, but I'm not so great at keeping it updated either. What I am great at? Anything on my phone. Total convenience at my fingertips. So I opened an email account for B and lo and behold, he already has several messages from our family, with stories and thoughts... I plan to send pictures and thoughts whenever the urge strikes and with it all being at my fingertips, it'll be so easy! I'm actually pretty excited about this. I think it's brilliant, and of course, in this age of email and social media, why not grab that email handle while you still can? I already couldn't just use his full name (or nickname and last name), I had to add a middle initial!

Work Schmurk.

Gosh, only a few days in and I already failed. After what seemed like a super busy weekend, I realized last night at about 11:45  that I hadn't blogged yet. What a bummer.

Weekends go by more quickly now, when I work the entire thing. For anyone who doesn't know, last Spring I went back to work. I started out going full-time, which was terrible. The job itself wasn't too terrible- I was a manager at a department store that I'd worked at before... with my bachelor's degree in Apparel Merchandising, Design, and Production, this is basically right up my alley- for the midwest anyway. But I was working constantly, at all hours. My mom essentially lived with us for about 8 weeks, on and off, to care for B. We soon realized this was not conducive to anyone's life and I stepped back from the management position into a part-time position. I now work two nights a week and normally one weekend day. Occasionally though, like this past weekend, I work both days, which really stinks. No time with the Hubs, no time with B... no time with friends or anything. However, since B just informed us that we are going to Disney World!, the extra money will be helpful!

Most of the time I don't mind my job. It's nice to get out of the house, talk to other people, catch up with the ladies I work with. Also, I work in the shoe department. I've never owned so many shoes! This is certainly appealing! However, when B looks at me and says "no Mama, don't go to work. Stay here with meeeee...." it breaks my heart a little bit. But I know how good it is for him and the Hubs too- they get some quality time together. However much it sometimes sucks, I know how blessed I am. I'm lucky to have these two (three if you count that giant puppy, who is snoring at my feet right now) and how wonderful my life is... work and all.

 ...just a few photos from the past couple weeks or so... i love instagram! 

Almost too late!

Going back to work stinks... Vacation is awesome.

On another note it's 11:33pm and I just realized that I hadn't blogged yet. Nor have I started my column that's due on Monday. Whoops!

Sent from my iPhone

Fill in the Blank Friday

In order to maintain a steady 28 (or 29!) days of blogging, I'm resuming a little Fill in the Blank Friday! It's always nice when other people come up with your topic...

1.   If money wasn't an issue, the first thing I'd cross of my life list is   a vacation for my family. If you're my Facebook friend you know that we'd be hitching a ride to Disney World, like, today. Immediately. But that my friends, takes money. Then I'd pay our houses off. and cars. and B's college education. Is that too much to ask? (At least I didn't mention future kid's college educations!)

2.  Chips on a sandwich? Mustard as my only condiment? My dislike of ketchup?   is something I like that other people think is weird.

3.  If my life were a movie right now, the title would be   Just keep swimming... just keep swimming...

4.  Three things I am looking forward to this month are     Valentine's Day/ work trip to Minneapolis (We're tagging along with the Hubs)    ,   blogging again and    the end of the month because one of my best friends is getting married at the beginning of March!

5.  My favorite song to sing in the shower is  non existent. I really don't sing in the shower. 

6.  If I found out that the production of   Sephora's clear brow mascara   was ending this month, I'd go out and buy as much as I could tomorrow.

7.  One thing I'll never grow tired of is  watching the Hubs and B together- wrestling, trains, singing... doesn't matter. love it all. 

Thanks to Lauren at The Little Things we Do for supplying the questions! Doing Fill in the Blank? Link up on her blog! 

Today I Love

Right now I'm loving...

Needtobreathe ... I love this cd. I've been listening to it constantly while painting... and driving... and breathing.

Disney World! B wants to go so badly and we want to take him...
Planning will commence now.


The iPhone Foursquare app... mostly because the Hubs and I have made it in to a challenging game- who can check in first when we're together, who checks in more often, etc. Unfortunately for me, I go to the same places every week and any time I go somewhere else, I tend to forget to check in. Oh well, it's still pretty fun!

Daily Seeds From Women who walk in Faith. I picked up this devotional at MOPs last week when we had a phenomenal couple of speakers (seriously, awesome.) and am so happy I did. It's so easy to get through and really encouraging.

Ready and GO!

It's February 1st... Generally this time of year is cold... snowy... and we're feeling some serious cabin fever. This year is not the case. This year it's been sunny and 45 degrees or warmer this week. Today it's a blustery (no, just kidding... a little chilly though!) 40 degrees. Like I mentioned yesterday, I've been doing some projects throughout our house. Our main floor bathroom is painted as well as B's room. While I'm excited to reveal pictures, neither one is put back in order, so those will have to wait.

Instead I'll thrill you all with some pictures from the past month or so...

Enjoying the glorious January weather and train tracks leftover from his 3rd birthday party!






Target stickers rock. As do the cookies. As does Target.  

 Play place at a mall

Popcorn and a movie in a hotel (on a business trip with Daddy)

Morning Hot Chocolate

Visiting the Grant house in Galena, Illinois... Impressive 15 pound bible on the table.

 Wrestling with daddy...

Painting sneak peek... Here's B's room!

my new favorite recipe - Sour Cream Chocolate Banana Bread

Train table at the local car wash...

And also, as several of you have pointed out, yes there are 29 days in February of this year. Consider it a bonus - you can miss one day and you can still be rocking the 28 days of blogging!

So Long January...

Tomorrow is February first... is anyone thinking about doing 28 days of blogging? I'd actually forgotten all about it, but as luck would have it, I remembered this morning! Perfect timing, right? What's also perfect timing is how I'm spending this last week of January and the first week of February doing some minor... or major... changes to our house. Guess what most of my topics will be in the first few days of February? You got it- the changes in the house! I'm pumped! But I better get to work or I'll have no finished products to show tomorrow!

See you in February!

Catching up ... is hard to do.

Can you guys believe the gorgeous weather we're having around the midwest? Seriously, 50 degrees and sunny in January! I for one am loving it... but am also waiting for the snowstorms to hit. Preferably while it's still technically winter. Perhaps this is because I was totally prepared, with snow boots and snow pants for myself- not just B.

I'm working on a Christmas post, as well as little man's 3rd birthday post, but my motivation is severely lacking. Working mom sucks. So does busy at home mom. The busy just never ends, so I'm trying to work around it, but only so many things can get done!

To entice you to check back (as I know, I've been a horrific blogger this past year), here's a shot of the birthday boy himself from this week:

Hmm... also, maybe come February will anyone want to do 28 days of blogging again? Maybe that'll get me into the swing of things again...