Mini-vacation

We packed up and headed out around 8:00am, with a long day ahead of us.  Hot breakfast in our tummies, hot coffee in our cupholders, and a bag of snacks, change for tolls, pillows, sweatshirts, water, and Tums in our car. We stopped at Olive Garden for lunch (a gift card for $25 and a bill for $24.75---oh yes we are THAT good).  Then, we saw it:

Like a beacon, the blue and yellow calls to us...

The most glorious place in the world.  Ikea.  3 floors and thousands of products. 

I had done quite a bit of research on what we were going to buy, so we were prepared.  Several hours later, we emerged with this loot:

The loot.  You also get a sweet view of our soon-to-be finished staircase. 

-A silverware drawer separater.  Our kitchen drawers are so narrow we couldn't find one that fit, and I even had to cut this plastic one a bit but it works!  Huzzah for organization.

-3 spice racks.  The goal is something like this.  A place for our kiddo to put his or her books facing outward so that the cover is visible. 

-a recycling bin that we thought would be perfect as a cloth-diaper pail.  We registered for a drawstring bag that will hopefully fit inside here perfectly.  And the lid will hopefully keep any stinkies in.  

-A stepstool.  We just needed one.  Dillon is in the process of staining the step and top a dark color and painting the rest white. 

-A tea infuser.  My favorite tea is Rooibos, which is surprisingly hard to come by in the US.  And it often comes loose. 

-2 table legs.  I had been using saw horses for my craft table legs downstairs, but it was slightly too tall and the sawhorses recently were used as actual sawhorses and are cut and stained and icky.

-a picture.  It was on sale and will match baby's room perfectly.  I'll give you a better photo someday when it's hung up.

-A giant pillow and cover.  It was pretty and I was planning on cutting up the cover to make a cushion for the rocking chair (that my shoulderblades poke through) but I don't know if that will ever happen.  Wish me motivation and creativity!

-This table thing.  We were looking for some sort of inexpensive nightstand-type thing to have next to the rocking chair in the bedroom for reading materials and water and things.  This is what we came up with.  The wood color matches the crib and dresser that will be in the room, and it was pretty inexpensive.  Works for me!

-This gray and white striped rug that will go by our front door where we take off shoes.  Anything more "welcome mat" was too thick and wouldn't allow the door to open.

-This candy bar.  Which I am going to buy 10 of the next time I visit an Ikea.  It didn't even make it home.

So our trip to Ikea was a success.  Although, as Dillon correctly put it, "Ikea is one of those places where you are so excited on your ride up the escalator to the 3rd floor, and by the time you leave the checkout lane you are ready to murder someone."  I'd say that sums it up well.  Although I also get a lot more satisfaction from putting my furniture together than he does.  Those tiny hex wrenches--so handy!

The following weekend, we went over to Green Bay to force our presence upon some friends.  We had a blast, although it felt so short!  If you saw our picture on facebook, I have to share that we were in a brewery  Nothing makes a gal feel classier than looking pregnant and walking through the busy bar area 3 times to visit the bathroom. 

We're so cool we took a picture of Lambeau field out of our car.  I'm sure we're not the only ones to have ever done that.

Josie is a spectacular cook, and she graciously fed us.  Over and over and over.  Homemade soup and rolls, lemon muffins, egg sandwiches, apple crisp, homemade pizza.  It was delicious and I would live in their spare bedroom if I could. 

There was also a trip to a great mexican restaurant, a small purchase at an antique store, and a coffee shop visited while we were there.  What a great time and I'm so thankful for great friends. 

Dillon and I very practically stopped at Lowes to look at handrails, balusters, and newel posts.  This railing will be done--SOON. 




TO BUY:
-Rug for nursery (still waiting for a 75% off sale at Rugsusa)
-anything that's not a gift off our registry
-diaper sprayer
TO DO:
-read birthing books
-tour the hospital (by the way, I was the only mama there writing things down and asking questions!!! Do these ladies not understand this stuff is IMPORTANT??? or am I just a little too type-A for this?)
-preregister at the hospital
-make sure our insurance will still all work out since Dillon's place of work changed providers (grrrr)
-Take our birthing classes (we still are practicing our hypnobirthing every day!)
-Take our "breastfeeding and newborn" class (Starting today!)
-Finish up our registries (since Target's in-store selection was limited and we haven't even started the 2nd one)
-Look into placenta encapsulation (anyone had any experience?  Is it worth it?)
-Attend shower
TO MAKE:
-sheets
-cushion for rocking chair
-footstool
-mobi wrap (don't have to! Thanks, Meghan, for offering to send us one of yours!!!)
-mobile
-portable high chair thinger
-Nursery decor (some sort of sign with a favorite hymn written on it)
HOUSE TO DO:
-Paint nursery
-Finish Railing
-complete flooring (transition strips and heating vent)
-Finish our pantry cabinet (add shelves, paint, and fill with all the crap that's covering my counters and stressing me out)
WANT TO DO:
-mini-babymoon by showing up at a friend's house for the weekend (thanks Ryan and Josie!)
-Ikea Trip
-Knit a onesie
-Make and freeze a bunch of meals