Fred-n-Sara

Even though I hate to acknowledge it,  we’re half way through the summer now.  So let’s take a look at this to-do list I posted earlier with updates in green:

*This list is in no particular order.

• Play for endless hours in the back yard with the boys  **Most days
• Construct outside clothes line (one of those eco-friendly things I love to do)
• Take long walks each day (weather permitting) with the boys to the park, library, and anywhere else we can think of. **Most days
• Paint the deck.
• Finger paint on rainy days with Calvin and Oliver.  **Thankfully we haven’t had too many rainy days yet!
• Revamp flowerbeds (both in front of our house and behind our deck, they are in sad, sad shape!) **The front is getting there, thanks to Fred’s parents who gave us some landscaping rocks.  I’ve got to get some more plants, but I’m trying to do this as cheaply as possible, so I’m waiting for good deals and handouts…
• Encourage Oliver to sleep through the night (in my dreams, right?), crawl, and walk! **I think this is going to take all summer.
• Reorganize/clean out storage space in the kitchen and closets upstairs. **This is started, I’ve got Cal’s room and the hall closet done, as well as some of the kitchen cabinets cleaned out
• Read countless numbers of books to both boys. **Everyday!
• Scour garage sales for gently used toys, both for inside and outside.  **We’ve had some success, but we’re still looking for a basketball hoop and climber (not that we have any flat space in our yard to put it)
• Take the boys swimming. **We’ve gone once, but this is challenging when Fred’s working, Cal is such a little busy body!
• Weed the revamped flowerbeds (I’m really bad at keeping up with this).  **Fred’s been doing more of this than me.
• Visit the zoo with friends and family. **We’ve hit the Akron and Cleveland Zoos once already.  Anyone want to go again?
• Visit local farmers markets for fresh produce and make healthy and tasty meals.  **Springfield has a small market on Fridays and there are a few more I want to get to, to check out still, but the produce I’ve gotten is great!
• Spend lazy summer days in the yard with the boys and nights on the deck with Fred. **Most nights
• Read good books. **Just finished Jodi Picoult’s Handle with Care; amazing and heartbreaking.  Now on to Naptime is the New Happy Hour by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor
• Take naps (when the boys do). **Really, who has time for this?
• Clean the carpets.
• Fill up the kiddie pool and splash with Calvin and Oliver. **We’ve got pictures to post!
• Re-cement the cement block around our house.
• Enjoy the season and hope it never ends!  **We really have been enjoying the season!

Hmm, looks like we have gotten to do most of the fun things, but the actual chores…not so much.  Oh well, we’re busy!  If we get the important stuff done, that’s all that matters.  And by important, I mean enjoying the summer with our boys!

No, not honeydew; although I do love the fruit!

But “Honey Do”, as in what’s on our home to-do list this summer. Last summer, our list of things to get done included getting the basement waterproofed (done!), moving the office to the basement (also done),  turning the former office into Calvin’s big boy room (done!), resetting the nursery for Oliver’s fall arrival (done!), flower beds revamped (nope, I couldn’t really do this without bending over at 7+ months pregnant), clothes drying line hung (nope).  We did pretty good with last year’s list, although some things were put off for another year (hey, we aren’t perfect!)… So I thought maybe if I post our list for everyone to see, we’ll get more of it done this year!  Although, really, if we don’t get all of it done, I’ll be just as happy, as long as the 4 of us make some great summer memories on our own and with family and friends to last all the busy year long!

*This list is in no particular order.

• Play for endless hours in the back yard with the boys
• Construct outside clothes line (one of those eco-friendly things I love to do)
• Take long walks each day (weather permitting) with the boys to the park, library, and anywhere else we can think of.
• Paint the deck.
• Finger paint on rainy days with Calvin and Oliver.
• Revamp flowerbeds (both in front of our house and behind our deck, they are in sad, sad shape!)
• Encourage Oliver to sleep through the night (in my dreams, right?), crawl, and walk!
• Reorganize/clean out storage space in the kitchen and closets upstairs.
• Read countless numbers of books to both boys.
• Scour garage sales for gently used toys, both for inside and outside.
• Take the boys swimming.
• Weed the revamped flowerbeds (I’m really bad at keeping up with this).
• Visit the zoo with friends and family.
• Visit local farmers markets for fresh produce and make healthy and tasty meals.
• Spend lazy summer days in the yard with the boys and nights on the deck with Fred.
• Read good books.
• Take naps (when the boys do).
• Clean the carpets.
• Fill up the kiddie pool and splash with Calvin and Oliver.
• Re-cement the cement block around our house.
• Enjoy the season and hope it never ends!

Too much to expect?  Maybe, but then again, maybe not!  Here’s to a wonderful summer, both in our house and yours!

I swear!  I know that I said I wanted to post a few things every week and I’ve not been keeping up with that lately, but I’ve been busy!  As of today, we have less than 2 weeks until my due date.  That means I have probably no more than two and a half weeks left before I am the mother of 2 boys under 2 years old!  Cal was born 2 days past his due date, so I doubt that I will go much past that with this one, although it is possible (please send lots of good thoughts my way… I don’t want to be pregnant for longer than 2 more weeks!!!) that I could go a week or two past my due date still.

So, like I said, I’ve been busy.  Doing what, you ask?  Hmm, some call it nesting while others would simply call it living.  Either way, I (along with Fred and Calvin and even Nina) have been busy getting ready for the arrival of our newest family member:

1. Cleaned up the nursery: Fred and I moved all of Cal’s things out of the nursery (like his clothes and toys) and put all the infant things back in (like the little clothes!).

2. Finished putting together the odds and ends in Cal’s new room (all the decorations are up).

3. Broke Cal of his night time bottle (Yay!! He’s turning into such a big boy!).

4. Washed and stuffed all the new cloth diapers we bought for  Baby J 2.o.

5. Cooking and freezing meals for after our new baby joins us.  Check out this awesome site about freezer meals (aka Once A Month Cooking).

6. Walking and hiking as much as possible (Nina is good at helping with this).

7. Washing all the fabric covered infant accessory surfaces in the washing machine.

8. Working (and making a little money in order to afford living expenses for everyone in our family).

So really, I’ve been busy and haven’t meant to neglect blogging all the updates in the lives of Fred-n-Sara.  I have some other things I’ve wanted to post about, hopefully I’ll get to them soon.  But until then, just know I’m not neglecting my blogger duties on purpose!

This week seemed just like many of the past weekends this winter with cold weather and lots of snow.  I think we’re up to over a foot on the ground now, even though today I’m sure some of it melted in the “heat wave.”  Anyway, I caught a few moments on camera and thought I’d share the monotony of our daily lives…

We had a bath (and played with our toes!)

Cal learned a new trick!

Had a contest to see who’s mouth is bigger (I think Cal won!)

And of course, we had some snow clean up to do…

Nina kept watch over the puppy  next door…

But most of our week was spent playing!

Fred’s been bugging me about posting here, since the last few posts have been from him.
But I have a good reason for not posting!
Two weeks ago I started a long term substitute job teaching kindergarten. The teacher I am taking over adopted a baby. As of right now, I’ve got the position until the end of this school year. I’m hoping that this will lead to a permanent position next year. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
As for now, I love the students in this class. I’m really having a great time, it’s like having my own classroom again.

In other news…

Fred (and Andy and Fred’s Dad) worked their behinds off this past week to remove all the furniture in the bedrooms and office, pull up the old carpet in the house (throughout the 3 bedrooms and hall way) and seal the floors with Kilz (just like in the living room). Then after the carpet was laid, they put all the furniture back (and cleaned up so I wouldn’t have to!).
** It looks great, I’ll post pics soon!

Fred and I repainted our bedroom, it’s now a nice robin’s egg blue!

I started another Grad class, so that’s 2 classes and the tutoring I’m doing one hour a week to keep me busy now.

Oh yeah, and the big news:

Fred finished his Graduate work! Soon he’ll have his Master’s of Education degree from the University of Phoenix Online in Curriculum and Instruction. He’s just waiting on his grade for his final class now. I’m so proud of him! He’s really worked hard for the last 2 years (almost) to get this done, even though he didn’t want to. I’ll post more about this too later, when he’s officially finished. But feel free to leave him a comment of congratulations or email him (he’ll check them when he’s not busy catching up on video gaming!).

Again, sorry it’s been a little slow around here, but I promise to post some updates in the next week or so. Just keep checking back!