39 Weeks - Today's the BIG DAY!

At times, okay mainly within the last two weeks, it seemed like this pregnancy was never gonna end but now that it is, it's a little bittersweet.  We're not sure if this is going to be out last pregnancy or not but it certainly could be.  I always thought I'd have three kids but I also thought I'd be all done having them by 32!  That was oh gee, more than a couple birthdays ago! 

These may be my last few hours of feeling little baby kicks and seeing my stomach move.  The last time I'll have a baby belly to look down at and marvel on the wonders of the human body and all it can do.  It might be the last few hours of excited anticipation, nervous and happy all at once.  There is just something magical about expecting a new life, a specialness that one remembers long after the baby is walking and telling you she can do it, "All by myself!"

Today we will be welcoming a new little love and our lives will be forever changed, just as they were a little over five years ago when ER joined us.  I am thankful for all the time we've had to parent and enjoy her little personality.  I treasure all the moments of it being just "Mommy and Me" and am looking forward to discovering a new child's quirks and unique aspects to love.  I'm excited to watch him grow and note who he takes after and what features on his little face will mirror my own.  Mainly I am looking forward to holding him in my arms, gazing into those eyes, and the start of a new adventure!

I'd also like to say thank you to my mom, who's one reason I can feel relaxed going into my procedure tomorrow.  I won't be worrying how ER is doing, since Mom will be with her back at home.  She came over and spent the second half of her birthday with us, and will be helping me care for both ER and the baby the first couple of weeks.  She helped and supported us so much the first time around, by flying from MI to NM and moving in for about ten weeks, while I was on bed rest and after ER was born.  It wouldn't be quite the same without you mom, thanks for everything!  I love you!

A Crafty Soiree #48

Hi Friends!  Welcome to another week of crafty goodness and inspiration.  I'll be brief today because tomorrow we'll be welcoming our new baby to the family!  Before you link up, take a few moments to check out the fabulous features I've picked from last week!

This sweet little pillow is from Sew Happiness, the whimsical illustration is perfect for the sentiment "Home is where the heart is", don't you think?

Fake it Frugal shared a yummy looking caramel apple cheesecake dessert dip, that caught my eye because it reminds me the sunflower peep cake I once made with my daughter.  I love it when food is playful!

Speaking of playful, isn't this a fun way to help the kids know what's coming next while on the road?  Visuals always help me and getting the kids involved in making them, really makes this one meaningful travel time line, from Housing a Forest.
<a href="http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/" target="_blank"><img width="150" border="0" alt="A Crafty Soiree" src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/KTnestingspot/Blog%20Buttons/FeaturedOnBlueButtoncopy.jpg" /></a>Ladies, for being our features this week, we're happy to offer you our special Crafty Soiree Ribbon! It's yours to proudly display! Don't forget to check out today's Crafty Soiree post at Yesterday on Tuesday, we both pick three participants to feature each week so you might have been featured by Malia. But you'll have to visit her to find out! <a href="http://www.katiesnestingspot.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img width="150" border="0" alt="Katie's Nesting Spot" src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/KTnestingspot/Blog%20Buttons/KatiesNestingSpotButtoncopy.jpg" /></a>Now it's your turn to link up! The linky will be open for a week, so you have plenty of time to join us! Here are some guidelines for our guests:

• Link up to 4 creative projects!
• Add your links to the specific posts and not your blog's homepage.
• Add my Crafty Soiree button above or link back to me in your posts, so others can find us and join in!
• Please comment on the post linked up in front of you. All partygoers love meeting new friends... don't just stop there...if you see something that catches your fancy-- stop by and say hi!
• Please consider following the hostesses, me and Malia, we want to get to know our guests
• Most importantly... enjoy yourself and have fun!

Don't forget, A Crafty Soiree is hosted on two blogs, so when you link up on one your link will automatically show up on the other one too! Please note, by linking up to A Crafty Soiree, you're giving permission to feature your project and photos in the future, with proper credit of course☺

Giveaway: Kroger Cart Buster is Back - $25 Kroger Gift Card

This giveaway is now closed, thank you to everyone who entered!  Your participation helps me get more fun opportunties to share with my readers.  Congratulations to...Mary Ann said... 10 I'm a gfc follower :-)

Have you heard? The Cart Buster Savings Event is coming back at the Kroger Co. Family of Stores, beginning July 31st with storewide savings in almost every department! During the savings event, summer deals are just getting started. Browse the aisles and load up your cart with everyday items from brands you already love.

From July 31st through August 17th save on tons of brands across more than 100 categories from General Mills, PepsiCo, Unilever, Heinz, Mars, Wrigley and Kimberly Clark.  Look for some of your favorite participating products like, Honey Nut Cheerios, Yoplait , Pillsbury Pepsi, Doritos, Gatorade, Smart Ones, Ore-Ida, Cottonelle, Viva, Breyer´s Ice Cream, Axe , Snickers, Pedigree and Orbit.

Look for big savings storewide at the Kroger Family of Stores, which includes Kroger, Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott´s food & Pharmacy.

Don´t let the savings stop there! Make sure to follow the Cartbuster "Deal of the Day" beginning August 3rd and running through August 16th.* Download exclusive offers, on more of your favorite brands, directly to your shopper card, by visiting http://www.cartbuster.com/, beginning Wednesday, August 3rd.

Remember, www.cartbuster.com is your link to all of the details, savings and the special "Deal of the Day" offers for the Cart Buster Savings Event, exclusively at the Kroger Co. Family of Stores. The Cart Buster Savings event beginning July 31st. "Deal of the Day" offers begin August 3rd.

*Please be sure to check your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores for participating dates and deals. The Deal of the Day promotion is not valid at: Fred Meyer or Food 4 Less.

Find more ways to shave with Kroger:

• Kroger Website 
• Kroger Facebook Page 
• Kroger Twitter Page 

Giveaway!

To celebrate the return of Kroger's Cart Buster Savings Event, I've got one $25 Kroger gift card for one of my readers.  It's good at any of the Kroger. Co Family of Stores!

To Enter:

Leave a comment on this post, perhaps you could tell me which of your favorite products you are most excited to find savings on during the Cart Buster event at Kroger.

Extra Entries:

• Publically follow my blog using Google Friends Connect.
• Subscribe to my blog via EMAIL.
• Post about this giveaway or provide a text link on your blog, tell me where I can find it to verify.
• Follow me on Twitter, share this giveaway and include @KTnestingspot and the hashtag #MyBlogSparkin your tweet.
• Follow Kroger on Twitter.
• Leave me a comment on a non-giveaway post and then tell me the post title in your comment.

Don't forget to leave a seperate comment for each addtional method of entry for them to all count!  Giveaway open now through August 9th at midnight EST to US residents.  Winner will be chosen via random.org, contacted via email, and have 48 hours to respond before a new one is chosen.  Good Luck!

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Get Outdoors with Backyard Safari Outfitters:Field Gear Review

This year summer coincided with the end of my second pregnancy, which means we haven't been able to get away as much.  Luckily, we've been able to have plenty of adventures without leaving home, with the help of Backyard Safari Outfitters.  We were introduced to them last year and recently added some essential field gear to our collection!  The Base Camp Shelter retails for $39.99 and is definitely a necessity.  It's our favorite product so far!  It's nice and roomy, at 40" tall it's got plenty of space for you and a friend or more.  It sets the mood camping or hiking the trails...even if in reality, mom is just over a  few feet in the garden.

I foresee the Base Camp Shelter being set up inside too, once the weather changes to cold temps and snow.  It will be easy to move it indoors as it's lightweight and easy to assemble.  So you really could take it with you to parks and on the trails!  We love the mesh pockets to stash gear within arms reach and it comes with a bonus Mini Lantern with carabiner.  In ER's opinion, it's the best part!

We also got Camouflage Netting to help us blend into our surroundings.  It's quite sizable at 5" by 8" and retails for $14.99.  Use it as a sun shade, to help provide extra shelter, or to hide behind while observing wild life in it's natural setting.  The rip-stop nylon is sturdy, stretchable, and rain resistant so it will stand up to being put up and taken down over and over. 

The Mega Magnifier makes exploring easy with it's clear, super-sized lens surrounded by a rugged frame with handy grips.  It gives you a wider than wide view of your surroundings and even floats so you can use it on land and water.  You can see details in the creeks, streams, and lakes or tide pools like never before.  We like to use ours to examine all the plants around our home on the neighborhood path.

Along with our Mega Magnifier we take our Expedition Two along with us on walks, both retail for approximately $14.99.  The Expedition Two is a really fun walking stick, as it's made to look hand carved and has a decorative head.  It's very helpful for keeping your balance when you're on an unpaved walk or stone covered path.  You can use also the Expedition Two for poking and prodding while exploring so you can uncover what may be ahead or underfoot ahead of time. 

Each item from the Backyard Safari Outfitter line comes with a handy Pop-Up Field Guide, that has a unique in the field mission related to the toy's specific function.  Now many also come with a cool collectible patch that can be added to your cargo vest, seen in our previous review post.   These add another element of fun to the nature play experience and over time will help show off your child's nature based expertise!

We've been so happy with the Backyard Safari Outfitter review products we've received that we purchased a Butterfly Keepers Butterfly Habitat to give ER for her birthday.   She saw it at the store and is very excited to try it out, we're just waiting for our butteflies to arrive!  If your child loves the outdoors and is facinated by nature, you should definitely check out Backyard Safari Outfitters.  They have a great range of gear and products to make outdoor time fun and memorable.  

Disclosure: Complimentary review products were provided via Team Mom.  Opinions and experiences related within are personal and unbiased.  No other compensation was received.

Almost There: Our Last Week!

Hi Everyone!  Thank you for all your support during this pregnancy. Here's a quick up date. Last Tuesday I filled out all the forms and scheduled our repeat C-section.  We're officially scheduled for 29th, that's THIS Friday!  I'll be exactly 39 weeks; they are pretty sure about my dates because they've seen the baby so often and feel that by then he'll be developed enough and ready for his big debut. 

That means we'll have yet another July birthday - that makes Brad, ER, my Mom on the 28th, and the baby possibly on the 29th.  If I happen to go into labor or something happens that means I have to deliver before this Friday, I'll have a C section at that point. So any way you look at it, this baby is coming on or by the 29th.  My hospital bag is packed and we're all ready to go!

I'm happy the end is coming and wondering if we're actually going to make it to then because sometimes I feel like this baby is going to drop out of me.  I know, if only it were that easy, right?   I've been having a lot of Braxton Hicks and while not true contractions, because I can still talk during them, they are getting very intense and uncomfortable.  It's always an odd thing when you see your stomach moving all over the place!

I have been feeling fine, my blood pressure meds and insulin levels were both increased and those have helped stablize things so I'm not having to run to Triage - been three twice so far.  I was back again a week ago today, because over the weekend my blood pressure had spiked.  Wouldn't you know it, by the time I was hooked up to everything, it had lowered to normal rates, of course!  All the lab work came back normal and didn't indicate preelcampsia.  The one thing that's back with a vengence is the swelling, by the end of the day my feet and ankles are swollen and uncomfortable but I don't think there's any way around that! 

I was feeling really productive last Wednesday and full of energy - more than I have in quite awhile so that was nice.  My friend had her baby a week ago yesterday, on the 17th, so I went and grabbed the fixings for a meal for her and dropped that off with some flowers.  Do you also bring meals to the ones you love in times of trouble or changes?  My mom and her friends were always doing that when I was growing up.  I think it's such a lovely gesture and so helpful!

Thursday was busy too, as it was ER's fifth birthday.  We had wanted to take her to the lake but it was just too hot for me.  We went to Chuck E. Cheese instead, Noodles & Co. for dinner, and then to Barnes & Noble for a sweet treat with our Kid's Club coupon.  Friday I took her to my non stress test at the Perinatal Assessment Center and thank goodness the test went fine and we didn't have to go to triage.  We came home and then were off again to meet friends at our favorite indoor climbing place.  Saturday I had enough energy to take out all the baby fabric I've collected and ironed it all out.  Finished some projects too!  The weekend ended with meeting my family for lunch yesterday, to celebrate my mom's birthday early.  Now I am planning on taking it easy and doing some small projects around the house in preparation for Friday!

The Big Idea Festival is Coming

I'm under no illusions that I'll be able to participate in this year's Big Idea Festival as it happens because of having a newborn to contend with, but I still signed up for this FREE event over at Big Picture Classes.  I encourage you to all give it a try too!  Even if you can't keep up with the project challenges while it's going on you will still have access to all the handouts, projects, and inspiration afterward.  Don't miss this wonderful resource that will give you creative ideas and tips all year long!

Goodbye Borders

You've probably heard by now that Borders has filed for bankruptcy.  The liquidation of their stores begins today.  This is particularly sad for us because they are not only a Michigan based company, their headquarters are in the university town near ours.  For all intents and purposes, it's like the local bookstore on the corner is closing, and not a large corporation. 

We have one location in particular that we especially love, a concept store that's only a few years old.  It's large and airy, parking is plentiful and convienient, and we go on average once a week or every other.  We have spent many hours there perusing their Children's section with it's colorful mural, sipping my favorite nonfat decaf lattes, and flipping through colorful magazines.  We use our Member's Reward Card regularly and support literature with purchases often.

Finally accepting that the inevitable, and believe me I was in deep denial for a long time, we went there last Tuesday to see it one last time as it was; as we'll remember it.  It was sad, I know it might be silly but I get emotionally attached to places and this is one store I'll miss...a lot.

Happy 5th Birthday

Whew it's a HOT one today, with the heat index making it over a 100 degrees our original plans to take ER to the lake or community pool were out.  Instead, we spent a fun filled afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese.  It was our first time there with her and a great way to spend this last birthday, while we're still a family of three.

I signed up for their email coupons before leaving and with our coupon it was a little bit more than twenty bucks for a large pizza, four drinks, and fifty tokens.  That's not too bad and pretty comparable to how much it would've cost to go see a matinee movie with popcorn and a drink. Each ride or game is only one token so she had plenty to do and had a lot of fun.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone and that next year she'll be heading off to kindergarten. 

A Crafty Soiree #47

Have you just been through an unbearable heat wave?  It's been hot, hot, hot here!  It seemed fitting to feature three participants with summery projects, enjoy!

These Rice Krispy Ice Cream Cones are so adorable, and wait until you see the lemonaide stand that they were sold at!  Cute as a Fox has all the details for making the sweetest summertime stand ever!

Sassy Style shows us how to transform an outdoor rug into something fabulous and custmozed with spray paint.  Imagine all the possibilities, no more having to pay a small fortune for a decorative one for the porch.

My last summery themed feature is this Road Trip Survival Kit from {Junk in their Trunk}.  It proves, once again, that it's all in the presentation!
<a href="http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/" target="_blank"><img width="150" border="0" alt="A Crafty Soiree" src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/KTnestingspot/Blog%20Buttons/FeaturedOnBlueButtoncopy.jpg" /></a>Ladies, for being our features this week, we're happy to offer you our special Crafty Soiree Ribbon! It's yours to proudly display! Don't forget to check out today's Crafty Soiree post at Yesterday on Tuesday, we both pick three participants to feature each week so you might have been featured by Malia. But you'll have to visit her to find out! <a href="http://www.katiesnestingspot.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img width="150" border="0" alt="Katie's Nesting Spot" src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/KTnestingspot/Blog%20Buttons/KatiesNestingSpotButtoncopy.jpg" /></a>Now it's your turn to link up! The linky will be open for a week, so you have plenty of time to join us! Here are some guidelines for our guests:

• Link up to 4 creative projects!
• Add your links to the specific posts and not your blog's homepage.
• Add my Crafty Soiree button above or link back to me in your posts, so others can find us and join in!
• Please comment on the post linked up in front of you. All partygoers love meeting new friends... don't just stop there...if you see something that catches your fancy-- stop by and say hi!
• Please consider following the hostesses, me and Malia, we want to get to know our guests
• Most importantly... enjoy yourself and have fun!

Don't forget, A Crafty Soiree is hosted on two blogs, so when you link up on one your link will automatically show up on the other one too! Please note, by linking up to A Crafty Soiree, you're giving permission to feature your project and photos in the future, with proper credit of course☺

A Little Friend Hops on Over

Earlier this month we had a little friend stop by.  Daddy caught him in an old canning jar.

We kept him for awhile; I was surprised by ER's excitement.  Could it be?  My little girly girl into amphibians?

Eventually we let him hop away home.  Now ER wants a little froggy friend for a pet.

Gomu Collectable Erasers Review

Has the collecting craze hit your kids yet? It seems all the kiddos in the neighborhood love little treasures they can trade, horde, and play with.  Gomu Eraserland is the latest in collectable erasers, with over 100 designs in ten different categories including surf, fashion, beauty, home and ER's favorite pets.

Gomu's are available sets of six with four you can see and two surprises or in single packs, like the one above.  Starting at just under a dollar, they're an inexpensive collectable that kids can use their own allowence to add too.  

Besides a colorful, cute, and detailed design, each Gomu has a point value.  The higher the value, the more rare it is.    Each comes with a collector sheet so you can check off which ones you have and find out which ones to keep your eyes open for.  Here's a close up of the gray elephant inside of ER's single foil pack, worth 300 points it has detachable eyes and is full of details like the nails on the feet.

Inside our six pack we got all sorts of goodies!  These all come apart so you can pretend to "paint" your nails with the polish, move the seal's head around, and the school bus has wheels that really work.  I was impressed by the high quality of the Gomu's we received.  ER has hers all inside a little metal lunchbox that she takes out frequently so she can look at them all.  She likes to line them up and plays with them all the time.  The range of designs and their cuteness factor mean that these are going to catch on for sure!

Disclosure: Complimentary review products and PR materials and images were provided.  No other compensation was received and opinions and experiences related within are personal and unbiased.