Oh Simon… one of these days you’ll learn how to smile for the camera!
Last week was a pretty low-key week for us. I think I only had a few things written on the calendar, so that was really nice.
I did start to feel a little “cooped up” by the end of the week since the weather was either really cold and snowy or warmer but rainy, so we didn’t get outside much at all.
Thankfully, we ended the week with a sunny day on Saturday… plus, Dave went and got donuts from our favorite local shop on Saturday morning (and donuts makes everything better!)
Simon and James both woke up with fevers in the middle of the night (different nights). Nora also had a cough and runny nose for most of the week… and even Dave started to feel under the weather by Friday (he’s been a bit sick all weekend).
Ironically, I just ordered the Kinsa Smart Thermometer… and we actually had ample opportunity to test it out.
So far, it seems REALLY cool — I already set up a “profile” for each person in our family via the App on my iPhone. I can use the App to keep track of various temperatures throughout the span of a fever. I can also take notes on when I gave each person meds — which is super helpful for me because I always seem to forget.
I actually got my thermometer “free” using Swagbucks (read how I did it here).
Thankfully, I’ve dodged any type of sickness so far (fingers crossed) and, as Nora put it, “Well, you’re a mom so you can’t get sick. If you got sick, who would do everything for the rest of us?”
My thoughts exactly… moms shouldn’t be allowed to get sick 🙂
Last weekend, we had the perfect melty, wet snow to build a snowman — something Nora has been not-so-patiently waiting to do all winter long. She and Dave were outside for a LONG time rolling huge balls of snow. In fact, I was even summoned to go out and help pick the middle ball up to put on the base. It was REALLY heavy!
We got more snow one day… and the kids were really excited to go out to play after Dave got home.
I’m not sure when the whole mitten thing started — but Nora wanted to wear my mittens one day… which then made Simon want to wear Nora’s mittens. I let them do it once, and now they’ve been wearing the “wrong” mittens ALL winter long.
At least I have more than one pair!
Since it was rainy and slushy outside most of the week, Nora worked on her GoldieBlox kit that she got for Christmas. It was a gift from Dave’s brother and sister-in-law… and his sister-in-law is an engineer, so the gift was very fitting since the purpose of the GoldieBlox kits are to instill basic engineering and building skills — specifically for girls.
In case you can’t tell, Nora LOVES it!
Nora also helped me make snacks for her preschool class (she was the snack girl again last week).
The letter for the week was “P” so we brought pudding cups and pretzels one day, and then popcorn and pink, heart-shaped finger Jell-o the next day (the color for the month is pink, and the shape for the month is a heart).
We also worked ahead and made her Valentine’s treats for her class (which she’ll bring to school later this week).
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, when I was growing up, my mom always did my sisters and my hair in “heart braids” for school. So this year, I’m doing Nora’s hair in a heart braid 🙂
This was my first attempt… I’ll be tweaking a few things before I do her hair for school on Thursday!
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Simon wasn’t sleeping well all week — probably due to his slight fever and overall not feeling 100%.
It’s never good when Simon doesn’t sleep well because he is our SOLID sleeper. He goes to bed easily, sleeps soundly all night, wakes up happy, and like to play in his crib for 15-20 minutes after he wakes up… so when he’s not sleeping well, it really puts a cramp in our sleeping plan.
Usually the “plan” is that Dave gets up with Nora (she still usually wakes up 1-2 times a night) and I get up with James. We honestly don’t even need to worry about Simon because he NEVER wakes up.
Well, this past week, we played “musical beds” as Dave and I were both up with Simon a couple times — plus our usual wake-ups with Nora and James (sometimes happening all at the same time). It felt like a circus.
Thankfully, Simon has been sleeping much better the past couple of nights, so hopefully we can go back to only have 2 kids wake us up at night instead of 3 🙂
Besides the sleeping thing, he’s pretty much been our silly (and slightly stubborn) Simon all week.
He is officially 23 months old, and we are excitedly planning his 2nd birthday party for next month.
We are currently deciding between The Very Hungry Caterpillar theme (one of his favorite books) or a Clifford theme (one of his favorite stuffed animal). I’m leaning towards the Hungry Caterpillar, but Nora really wants to do Clifford so she can dress up as Emily Elizabeth 🙂
We’ll see what I decide!
Simon has been such a good big brother to James lately — it’s like his nurturing side just kicked in. Yes, there are times when he tries to sit on James, times when he has thrown a ball right at James’ head, and even a time when he tried to pick James up… but for the most part, he is very gentle with James.
He has been very interested in holding hands with James and giving him little kisses… which usually get a giggle out of James… which then makes Simon laugh and try to do it all over again 🙂
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James will be 7 months old this weekend (on Valentine’s Day)!
He is starting to crawl really fast, so we need to watch him more. Thankfully, he still has no interest in the stairs.
As I mentioned above, James was also a little under the weather on Friday and Saturday… probably a “gift” from his older brother and sister! He hasn’t really been fussy or upset at all, and he’s actually been sleeping better at night, so I’m thankful for that.
Another reason he might be sleeping better at night is because he might be in the process of giving up his morning nap already. He has been taking only 1 nap a day for the past week (maybe a little longer) and no matter how hard I try to rock him to sleep, feed him to sleep, bounce him to sleep, etc. he seems satisfied with just the one nap.
This is OK with me… it just means we need to get used to a new schedule again! It also means he sometimes gets very tired early in the evening and I get to snuggle while Dave plays upstairs with Nora and Simon!
We’ve tried rice cereal and applesauce a few times now — but James is really only interested in the spoon. He makes the silliest faces when we try to put any food in his mouth!
At least he likes sitting in the highchair!
I’ve been doing LOTS of laundry this week in an effort to keep any lingering illnesses at bay. So far, Nora is the only one who has really been sick (coughing, sneezing, runny nose, etc.) and I’m hoping to keep it that way! I washed all the pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals, and bleached a bunch of toys.
I’ve also been working to slowly clean out the pantry and freezer. I tossed a few expired items that I forgot about and have been making an effort to use up much of the stockpile I’ve been building since before James was born. Our deep freezer is about 1/3 empty… and I’m aiming to empty it a bit more over the next couple of weeks. Then I’ll probably defrost it and slowly start stocking it up again.
I did a mini-clean of our upstairs freezer — nothing major, but it’s just nice to know it’s “done” for now.
Dave and my “big news” for the week is that we purchased a Costco membership over the weekend. (Yes, I realize this completely contradicts my efforts to clean out our freezer and pantry!)
There was a deal with Livingsocial that you could get a $20 Costco gift card and a bunch of other freebie coupons with a $55 membership. So since the freebies and gift cards equaled to more than $55, we figured it was a good time to test out a membership — especially since we have a Costco store just minutes from our house.
I don’t really see myself making weekly trips to Costco — maybe more of a monthly “family outing” to browse through the store, eat the samples, get ice cream at the little food court, and pick up a few things we can’t get at the grocery store. Also, I hear their gas is cheaper than almost anywhere, so we’ll fill up on our monthly outings!
Our Meal Plan
MONDAY:
- Ham and potato soup
- Bread
- Fruit
- Cookies
TUESDAY:
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (recipe coming later this week)
- Steamed veggies
- Applesauce
- Fruit
- Chocolate bundt cake
WEDNESDAY:
THURSDAY:
- Roasted Chicken
- Cheesy Mashed potato casserole
- Broccoli and Cauliflower
FRIDAY:
SATURDAY:
- Leftovers for lunch
- Culver’s for dinner to celebrate my dad’s birthday
One more thing… our 2015 family photo album arrived! Nora and I have enjoyed looked at it throughout the week!
Diana says
Yes, we love costco too! Their hummus prices on 32-oz tubs beat out even sale prices at regular grocery stores. (If you eat hummus. 🙂 ) And definitely check the cheese prices and frozen fruit–frozen strawberries were a steal compared to our Kroger. (Great for smoothies or adding to hot oatmeal to cool it down.)
Here’s a random question that doesn’t really have anything to do with your post. Do you have any specific things that make your home *feel* clean? I notice that even in your photos where there are toys out, there’s still a clean feeling to the room. I feel like even when I pick up our toys, there’s still a dirty feeling to the room! I know you’re not one to always be wiping down baseboards, mopping every day, dusting every minute, or you’d spend ALL your time cleaning. (And I KNOW you don’t do that! 🙂 ) So what is it that makes the difference? Just curious if anything comes to your mind about that topic–figured I’d better ask a person who naturally knows how to keep things neat and organized!
Andrea says
Hi Diana, thanks for the frozen fruit tip!
I’ve been thinking about your question all afternoon, and I think I have a few “answers”
1. We have LOTS of white — which makes everything look nice and bright
2. We have lots of windows and natural light in our rooms
3. My iPhone truly does take really great pictures
4. Other people’s homes always look better and cleaner and nicer to us 🙂
I know it might sound silly, but I think that #4 is probably the biggest one. I know I’ve thought this about other people’s homes too… it’s just because we always see the flaws in our own homes.
Diana says
We love frozen fruit (although the strawberries we pick in spring are still worlds better, even frozen, than any storebought I’ve ever had. Of course!)
Really great points! I’m thankful we have lots of natural light too. Our back double doors are right across from our living room windows, so we get cross-light in our main living space which is glorious. I didn’t know how much I’d love that when we cut a door to allow it! 🙂 The white helps a lot, I’m sure. And YES to #4, and I’m definitely prone to “the grass is greener on the other side” thinking. 🙂
I’ve been thinking more too (before I read your reply!), and I tried a few things today to see the results. I did a deep-sweep this afternoon, and even though toys are out again now, it still feels so much better. So maybe I’m sensitive to dirty floors but I don’t always notice that’s what’s bothering me? 😉 You would think something like that would be obvious! Ah well, I’m going to try sweeping more and see if it makes a difference I guess! And maybe as we make choices about furniture and colors, realizing that light and bright can go a long way in making a space feel fresh and clean.
Thanks again for the tips and I always enjoy reading what you have to say. Cleaning and organizing doesn’t just come naturally to me so it’s great to see what works for other people!
Beth says
Hi Andrea,
Looks like a great week and a timely reminder to clean out my freezer 🙂 Question for you. What size is your photo book, who do you order from and are you satisfied with the photos?
Thanks and have a great day!
Andrea says
Hi Beth,
Here is a post that shares all the information about our photo books (https://andreadekker.com/our-digital-photo-albums-how-i-manage-photos/)
Leanne says
these are some of my favorite posts you do, Andrea!
now… don’t laugh…I was actually hospitalized last week and had lots of time to mull over things like “good enough”, saving money :{I had 3 MRI’s and a spinal tap) cant wait for those bills!, dressing simply and for my stage in life… just a lot of stuff you write about… and once you wrote a post on having all the “important”papers in one place– and we did—so no one had to ransack our house looking for important information!
you blog blesses my life, thank you!
Andrea says
Thanks Leanne! And WOW — sounds like you’ve been through a lot latelY! Glad to give you some reading materials!
Deb says
Here is the thermometer for only $14.99 and FREE shipping.
You will love Costco, if you bake a lot, the yeast is the single best deal they have. I have not found their meat to be cheaper than sales/markdowns at the regular grocery. If you are only going once a month, make sure you go when their “clipless coupons” are on. There are a few days every month where there is nothing on sale. They will have strange stuff for good prices sometimes, like plants in the Spring.
I LOVE your blog. I am out of the baby stage but have gotten the baby hammock and now the Kinsa thermometer for my first grandbaby! I love that your recommendations are sensible and backed with experience. I love your stories and the honesty, not like, Monday, I went to the spa, Tuesday, we left for Europe………bahahahaha!
Andrea says
Thanks Deb… and no, you likely won’t read about me going to a spa or to Europe any time in the near future!
Alicia says
We LOVE Costco! With three little boys, we do end up going about once a week, but that didn’t really become a necessity until we had our third baby last year. The Kirkland brand is such an affordable, but really good quality brand, which I also love.
I hope your family stays healthy and you all have a great week!
Rita says
I love how Simon scrunches up his little face, it makes me smile!
JJ says
Wow! I feel like I’m reading about our life sometimes–haha! My oldest(3) has been getting up one to two times a night, so my husband gets up with him. My baby(3 months) has been struggling to sleep. Two nights ago he was up 5 times. Read, Mama got 2 hours of sleep. Haha! My middle child sleeps like a rock, so when she gets out of sorts it gets crazy. Hope everyone feels better soon!!!
Allison says
Andrea – I love your blog and hope to be like you when I grow up! (did I mention I’m old enough to be your really really older sister lol!) I chuckled when you said your monthly trip to Costco. Costco is great. They have the best meat. And the gas is the cheapest around here. You can’t beat that hot dog and soda deal for $1.50!
Rachael says
Sorry to hear you guys were sick! Question for you: What do you do with Nora and Simon while you’re putting James down? I’m struggling with this with baby #2 and have been wearing her for all her naps for 4 months. Makes is hard to play with my toddler (and my feet hurt!)
Andrea says
Hey Rachael,
I’m not sure how old your first child is, but Nora and Simon usually just play together or watch a Netflix show while I’m putting James down. Sometimes I need to feed him first — and then they watch a show to keep them quiet.
When James was smaller, I would often rock him to sleep in the carrier and then lay him down in the crib once he was sleeping — maybe you could do that??
Kaitlin @ The Mom on Purpose says
Glad Simon is feeling better. It’s never fun to have sick babies!
We did The Very Hungry Caterpillar theme for our first son’s 1st birthday and it was my favorite theme we’ve ever done! (I’m a former elementary teacher so it was right up my alley!) There are so many DIY ideas on Pinterest that made it a super easy and cheap party!
And Nora’s heart braids are seriously so adorable! You’ve got the girl mom thing done! 🙂
Andrea says
Yes, I’ve seen some of the cute Hungry Caterpillar things on Pinterest — which is why i’m pushing for that idea. Although I was thinking Clifford would be really easy because I could just do everything red 🙂
Jamie says
You will love Costco. It took me awhile to like it but I absolutely love it now. You can get a huge roasted chicken for $5. It is delicious. I but 1-2 every week and strip it and freeze for quick dinners throughout the week. Casseroles, quesadillas, etc. We also eat lunch there almost every Friday. All 5 of us can eat for about $10. They also have great deals on lots of other things and I have liked just about every Kirkland brand item we have tried.
Andrea says
Yes, we are fully aware of the food court — you can eat there even without a membership 🙂
Katie says
We have a Costco membership and while our small, young family doesn’t quite need it for groceries, there are some things that are much nicer to buy in bulk (cheese!) but the real deal for us is cat litter. We can get 40 lbs of nice multi-cat formula at Costco when it’s on sale for the same price as 20 lbs at the grocery store. I usually buy white vinegar and ziploc bags there too.
Leigh says
I am loving these posts.
And we love Costco, just the gas savings pays for our membership. And then the shredded cheese pays for it again. I find it easer to stock up there often vs the regular grocery store. And the kids and I like it for a lunch and shopping date. My girls can share a hotdog and lemonade for $1.50. And samples for dessert.
Andrea says
we eat TONS of cheese — so this is good to hear!
Christine @ The (mostly) Simple Life says
I’m amazed at how busy you are for a “slow” week! I hope everyone is much healthier this week. Can’t wait for your chicken cordon bleu recipe. I’ve found a few on Pinterest, but haven’t tried one yet.
Andrea says
Well, I’m not sure what you consider “busy” but I literally only left my house 4 times last week (2 to bring Nora to school, 1 to get groceries, 1 to go to culver!) However, I will say that LONG days at home with the kids did allow me to catch up on some housework during nap times!
Deni says
I love your “peek into our week” series! The kids are growing up so fast, it’s hard to believe I have been following since before the kids. Your family seems to really love Culvers. If I ever come across one, I am definitely going! Hope everyone gets well soon 🙂
Andrea says
haha – yes, Culver’s is basically the only place we go to eat as it’s very “family friendly” and only about 5 miles away from our house! It’s also right next to my parent’s house so they often meet us there.
It’s funny because we usually go 1-2 times per month, but they ALWAYS seem to be on the weeks when I do my peek into our week posts so they are always listed on my menu plan!