What's Up Wednesday

Today, I’m linking up with Shay, Shaefer and Mel for What’s Up Wednesday!

What we're eating this week: 

Just average boring meals but I am excited about my coconut cream coffee creamer purchase! I basically drink Almond Joy hot chocolate now and it's amazing!
What I'm loving:

• Our weather! We've enjoyed a solid week of 60 degree weather and are going to get a couple of more amazing days before it cools back down a bit. Spring in February! An Iowa miracle!!! 

 

• David's quote this week when Jack accidentally pushed the vacuum down the stairs while David was climbing down them, "JACK!!!! YOU ALMOST GOT ME DIED!!!!" 
• This family picture that Jack drew at school:)

What I'm reminiscing about:
This pic popped up on my facebook timeline the other day and I can't believe it was a year ago! I miss my babies!!!

What I'm dreading:
Being pregnant for another 8 weeks. I think I am starting to hit my 3rd trimester wall - my back and neck aches all day long and I am ready for bed by 5 pm.   
What we've been up to: 
We had a fun Valentines day! We heart attacked Spencer's car while he was at work :) These boys sure love their daddy! And I do too!!!
 
 Jack drew a picture of Spencer on every. single. heart. and when I asked him what he wanted to write on his love note, this is what he came up with :)

 My best friend, Katie, knows my Valentine love language and sends me a Ron Valentine every single year :)

We did a valentine's volcano and decorated cookies when Spencer got home from work.
 

Jack and David were spoiled with Valentine's packages from all of their grandparents. They are very loved :) The dollar bills from Grandma Annie and papa were a hit. Ninja knives, numchucks, and Easter eggs turned to "dinosaur eggs" for the win.

My parents gave me and Spencer a gift card to Texas Roadhouse for a Valentine's date but there was no way that Jack was going to let us eat those rolls with honey butter without him!

I wish I could say that this wasn't my child.

Other than that, we have been enjoying playing outside while the amazing weather lasts! On Saturday, we went on a little hike at a local park to the "dinosaurs."

This kid wore his painted "dinosaur egg" from the dollar store for 48 hours straight!




 
 
There has also been a lot of tractor riding, rocket shooting, super hero flying, and park hopping this week:



What I'm working on:
Cleaning and organizing everything! I think the nesting has hit. This week I've paused a bit to enjoy the good weather, but my kitchen cupboards and upstairs hall closet are screaming at me!

What I'm excited about:
Spencer's birthday next week and all of the plans that Jack and David have made for it. (They insist on taking Spencer to see Sue the T-Rex in Chicago for his birthday and Spencer is game because that means he gets Chicago style pizza and Sprinkles cupcakes too :)
What I'm watching:

Still watching This is Us and loving it. Spencer and I started Arrested Development and are having a hard time getting into it. Should we give up or keep going???
What I'm reading:
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. I LOVED THIS BOOK SOOOO MUCH!

Lighten Up by Chieko Okazaki. This is by far my favorite LDS book and I think I highlighted the entire book!

This book has my very favorite quote about Jesus:

"We know that Jesus experienced the totality of mortal existence in Gethsemane. It's our faith that he experienced everything- absolutely everything. Sometimes we don't think through the implications of that belief. We talk in great generalities about the sins of all humankind, about the suffering of the entire human family. But we don't experience pain in generalities. We experience it individually. That means he knows what it felt like when your mother died of cancer- how it was for your mother, how it still is for you. He knows what it felt like to lose the student body election. He knows that moment when the brakes locked and the car started to skid. He experienced the slave ship sailing from Ghana toward Virginia. He experienced the gas chambers at Dachau. He experienced Napalm in Vietnam. He knows about drug addiction and alcoholism.

Let me go further. There is nothing you have experienced as a woman that he does not also know and recognize. On a profound level, he understands the hunger to hold your baby that sustains you through pregnancy. He understands both the physical pain of giving birth and the immense joy. He knows about PMS and cramps and menopause. He understands about rape and infertility and abortion. His last recorded words to his disciples were, "And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20) He understands your mother-pain when your five-year-old leaves for kindergarten, when a bully picks on your fifth-grader, when your daughter calls to say that the new baby has Down syndrome. He knows your mother-rage when a trusted babysitter sexually abuses your two-year-old, when someone gives your thirteen-year-old drugs, when someone seduces your seventeen-year-old. He knows the pain you live with when you come home to a quiet apartment where the only children are visitors, when you hear that your former husband and his new wife were sealed in the temple last week, when your fiftieth wedding anniversary rolls around and your husband has been dead for two years. He knows all that. He's been there. He's been lower than all that. He's not waiting for us to be perfect. Perfect people don't need a Savior. He came to save his people in their imperfections. He is the Lord of the living, and the living make mistakes. He's not embarrassed by us, angry at us, or shocked. He wants us in our brokenness, in our unhappiness, in our guilt and our grief."

I also really love this quote:

“Be spiritually independent enough that your relationship with the Savior doesn't depend on your circumstances or on what other people say and do. Have the spiritual independence to be a Mormon--the best Mormon you can--in your own way. Not the bishop's way. Not the Relief Society president's way. Your way.”

What I've been listening to:
I have been slowly plugging through Year of Polygamy podcast for over a year now! This podcast has been so interesting, informative, fascinating, and scandalous ;) I am on episode 95 and think I will probably finish it within the month.
What I'm wearing: 
Darn maternity clothes. All of my maternity pants sag off my waist now and I hate it! Exercise clothes and stretchy pants are my favorite. Here is a picture at 30 weeks:

What I'm doing this weekend: 
I'm giving a presentation on body image at my church on Saturday and how our bodies are instruments, not ornaments - it's easy to forget that in the world we live in. I got a lot of ideas from Lexie and Lindsay at Beauty Redefined - check them out, they are awesome!
What I'm looking forward to next month:
Enjoying and soaking in my last full month as a mom of two :) It's the end of an era and it's been full of joy.

Bonus Question: What is your "can't live without" beauty products?

• I've been wearing May Kay's Clear Proof moisturizer since I was 10 years old when it was called Velocity! I love it because it's super light - anything thick on my face drives me crazy.

• I've been using mineral powder foundation since high school and bareMinerals is my favorite. I am super cheap and don't buy anything else but the foundation and if I buy the large seasonal jar on sale during the holidays, it usually lasts me until August.

 

• This eyeliner lasts forever and smears a lot less than any other eyeliner I've tried.

• I started using these tanning pads three winters ago when I was sick of how pale my face looked by the end of the winter and spring time. I apply one once a week during the winter before I go to bed at night and wake up with my face looking a little sun kissed, but not orange :) I've had a few friends tell me that I have the pregnancy glow (it's always the day after I apply a glow pad) so I have to break the news to them that my pregnancy glow is fake ;) I tried to save money once and bought a different brand but the results were not the same. This is the only kind I will buy.

•  I've mentioned this recently, but I almost splurged on Lipsense lipstick a few months ago because I love the idea of smudge-free lipstick that lasts all day. My kids always get into my purse and play with/ruin/lose my lipstick or lip gloss, so I had to apply lipstick with my other makeup and not take any with me and it would always wear off in an hour or so. Anyway, I read this blog post on affordable alternatives to Lipsense so I decided to try one of those before spending 8 times more on Lipsense and I am really happy with Rimmel Provocolips!

These are the products that I am brand loyal to. My face soap, blush, mascara, and eyebrow pencil I always switch up and usually just buy the cheapest option :)