Annalee takes Ballet

It's time for ballet!

We decided that it was time for Annalee to have some after-school social time to get her used to other kids, instruction, group activities and the like. I found a 'creative movement' class at our local ballet studio that allows 2 year olds to participate, so we signed her up and just like that, we have a little ballerina on our hands.

Hadley and Annalee watching the big girls!

We have a ways to go before any actual ballet instruction takes place... but they do cute little walks and dances. They learn how to sit and listen, play with props, etc.

tu-tu cute!

We are still working on the sit and listen part, but every week we get a little better. We are on week 3 and this time she actually participated in the dancing portion of class, wore a tutu for a little while, and did a curtsey at the end of class for a sticker.

Bonus - I only had to chase her out of the room once!

At least we have some cute pictures to show for it, right?

Fall Meal Planning

meal planning worksheets via.

Meal Planning. O what fun it is! We are headed to the coast in 9 days, so my meal planning for this week was actually for a week and a half. Hoping we can actually make it 9 days without another grocery run.

We try and stick to a $100/ week grocery bill. This trip, I spent $213, for two weeks... and that included a couple outfits for Mr. Ford too.

For grocery planning purposes, we usually both eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at home and pack Annalee's lunches and snacks every day too. Occasionally we will order a pizza or eat out for lunch - so I plan for one lunch and one dinner out every week.

Also, we still have a local catering delivering a meal to us once a week as a gift from my Board of Directors from when Ford was born. Best gift ever - delicious, healthy meals delivered to my door step for 12 weeks. Amazing!

We are by no means on a diet or anything like a 'Whole 30' kick, but some of the recipes below are actually whole 30 and most are pretty healthy too!

So what are we eating this week and next??

  Monday - Pork Tenderloin with roasted red potatoes, onions and baby carrots {whole 30)

  Tuesday - Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta w. salad and garlic bread

  Wednesday - Chicken Soup from Jenny, the Caterer, w. biscuits

  Thursday - Pizza and salad. {I keep a frozen one on hand, in case we don't have time for delivery}

  Friday - Brats w. a corn, black bean and avocado salad {whole 30}

   Saturday - DATE NIGHT IN - Steaks on the grill w. loaded baked potatoes and spinach salad

   Sunday - Acorn Stuffed Squash {whole 30}

   Monday - Turkey Taco Sweet Potatoes {whole 30} 

   Tuesday - Delivery from Jenny!

   Wednesday - Shrimp Fried Quinoa {whole 30} w. Eggrolls

   Thursday - Off to P'cola we go!!

For lunch I keep deli meat and rolls/bread handy, bagged salad w. chicken or shrimp, or leftovers.

___________

And for those of you that are curious about our snacks and toddler selections, keep reading...

Annalee staples - applesauce (pouches too), whole milk, yogurt, frozen veggies, chicken, cucumbers, peppers, cheese, raisons, fruit and avocados.

Snacks for us - whole gain nabs, apples, yogurt, Cliff Bars, nuts, veggies and dip.

Happy meal planning my friends... it's a constant circle for us. Trying to find new dishes to try. I'm open to all your suggestions for healthy and easy weeknight meals. Do share!

Samford Walker | Two Months

Two Month Highlights:

• 14lbs, 12 ozs., 25 inches long, 16 1/2 in head circumference (at 9 weeks)
• 12 lbs, 3 ozs., 23.25 inches, 15.75 in head circumference (at 5 weeks), 
• Dark blue eyes and dark hair... or what is left. Sporting a great old man cut at the moment
• Wearing 3-6 month clothing and pajamas \\ Pampers Size 1 diapers 
• Nicknames: Little Man, Baby Ford, Brother Bear
• Firsts: Your first smile, first tractor ride & fall festival, first bottle, first real bath
• Tricks: Holding your head up, following us from side to side, recognizing voices
• Food: Just Momma's milk
• You made your first trips to Great Valley Farm Brewery (twice), Rocca, Southern Inn, King Family Vineyard, KA, DBB, Don T's and Sweet Things
• You celebrated your first Rockbridge Community Festival on August 26 and Rockbridge County Fair on Sept 8
• We had visits from the Hollomon's, GranDe and Gia this month!
• Made an appearance at BAH and went to work with Mom a couple days
• You love playing on your playmate/gym and it's our favorite activity at the moment
• You are not a fan of the paci, so we are going to try and go without 
• We made it to church as a family of 4 for the first time! 

One Month Favorites {Items We Couldn't Live Without}:

Boppy Newborn Lounger \\ Bassinet \\ Boppy (for mommy) \\ Swaddle Blankets \\ Sleep gowns \\ Bob Stroller \\ Play mat \\ Burp clothes \\ Copper Pearl Multi Use Cover \\ Ergo 360

Pictures from this month:

After church snuggles with Dad

First real smile!

Playtime with Sissy

GranDe snuggles

Hollomon's visit - August 27

Rockbridge Community Festival - August 26

One Month Highlights

Foyer Mirror

We are finally getting around to a little bit of decorating at the new house. This is our foyer at the moment. I am looking for a new mirror to put above the little table we have. These are my two options for now. Tell me what you think!

Option 1 - Gray and white Cathedral Mirror via Kirkland's. 

Option 2 - Uttermost Kintra Arch Mirror in Gold via Bed, Bath and Beyond

Our last option... use this mirror we already have. 

Help me pick! 

Cheers to a great weekend friends! We will be hanging around the house, hopefully getting some decorating done and putting together a few new pieces of furniture. 

Poppin' Into Fall

Ever since we got a taste of the fall weather I have been itching to try some new trends. With the new baby, house move, and renovations we have been limiting ourselves on any non-essential purchases. I've been SO good. But, last night I finally caved and picked up a couple fun fall staples from Poppoly.

I have seen this dress on so many blogs this fall - it's a comfy, casual dress that I think will be an easy go-to for fall outings. It's back in stock and on sale for $20, and now comes in this gorgeous wine color. {The "it" color of the season, or so I hear.} 

See Me Pocket Maxi Casual Dress

I have never been a big fan of the romper, but when we were out Friday night I saw at least 10 girls wearing one. Almost all of them were black - and they looked so cute. So, I thought for the price, I would try one out for the fall. Bonus for new moms - this one looks nursing friendly too!

Powerful Love Chiffon Romper

And my last purchase... this adorable pumpkin sweatshirt for Halloween!

Ready for Pumpkin Printing Hoodie

The best part, FREE shipping on all orders right now and use code POP05 for 10% off.

Happy Fall Shopping!

First Fall Weekending

We had a great little fall weekend... even though it felt more like late summer.

We got a sitter on Friday for Miss Annalee and took Mr. Ford out for a night on the town... to meet all our favorite bartenders. :) He was the perfect angel - sleeping through almost all of our outing - and made us remember how easy it was with just a newborn. 

TAPS for drinks and Bistro for dinner. 

Saturday we woke up bright and early to venture out to Rockbridge Fall Farm Day. It was SO much fun. We rode in from the parking lot on a hayride pulled by a BIG tractor - which Annalee loved! They had a corn maze, hay bails for the kid to run on, a big slide in the field, old time tractors, a kids train to ride, cow-milking and much more. It was such a fun morning - and felt as authentic as they come. 

Saturday afternoon the Hastings came over to play and watch some college Fooball. We are going to miss "the boys" as Annalee calls them. They are moving to ATL in just a few short weeks. :(

Sunday I took both kids on a walk solo for the first time... and we survived, sans double stroller. The verdict is still out on what kind to buy. I'm leaning towards a double Bob, but want to be sure we really need. For now we are just taking two strollers on a walk, just pushing Ford in one, while Annalee walks, or carrying Ford in the ergo. We'll see how long this lasts. ha! 

But we also enjoyed a little time at the new playground in the hood - it's so cool - and less than a mile from our house. Score! 

After naps we ventured up the road to Crozet to meet the Hollomons at King Family Vineyard for afternoon Polo and some vino. It was such a fun time... the girls ran and played, the boys just chilled, and the adults actually had time to sit and chat. Reminded me of the good ole days... and was exciting that we could still make it happen! 

Cheers to a great week ahead, friends! I am getting back into the swing of things at work... two events this week and a couple meetings. SLOWLY getting back at it. Ford is 8 weeks tomorrow... how is that possible?? 

The New Routine

Morning playtime.

We are starting to find a new normal around here... if that's possible with my mother-in-law still in town, in a new house, with a newborn... not exactly normal, but new for sure. I'm trying to make myself get into some sort of routine now, so when I get back to work things may seem a little more normal.

On thing that keeps me sane is going to bed with a clean house. In our new house this requires quite a bit more effort, but I'm learning day by day how to make things easier on myself.

I also love getting things prepped at night, so I can actually sit and enjoy a cup of joe and play with Miss Annalee most mornings.

A few things I try to do every night before bed: 

- All those things that goes upstairs... kids clothes, shoes, jackets, earrings, scarves, etc. gets thrown in a basket at the foot of the stairs, and I take it up and it all goes away before bed.

- Coffee gets made and the timer set for 6 AM. Sometimes I even set out coffee mugs.

- I pour Annalee a cup of milk and have it ready to go in the fridge.

- All dishes are loaded in the dish-washer and most nights I set it to delay start around midnight.

- I stock our room with extra baby essentials for the night - diapers, wipes, a burp cloth, blanket, outfit and socks.... just in case we have any accidents during the night. I also lay out his blanket and jammies (if he's not already in them) and move his bassinet close to my bedside before I bring him up.

- I bring up two cups of water and a midnight/3 AM snack for mama (most nights this is a granola bar, fig bar, or PB crackers).

- All toys in the family room are put away.

- Annalee is packed for Mimi's. Backpack, lunch and outfit ready to go.

We also wipe the counters down after dinner, put away leftovers, wash any dishes that are out and give the floor a quick sweep.

What's your nightly routine? Anything else you like to get done at night that makes your mornings a little more enjoyable?

Cheers to a great start to the day, and week, friends!