Summer slow down!

I swear its crazy how fast summer flies by in this house. How fast life flies by as well. I swear it was just yesterday we were getting married, yesterday Carson was born, yesterday Oliver was born, yesterday.

The first day of summer here in the great pacific northwest was met with cloudy sky's, rain and a high of  60 ish degrees. But the real start of summer is the Fourth of July! Kicked off by spending the 3rd through the 7th down at my parents home on the Oregon Coast! The boys fished, Chris gardened, I sunbathed.

We rang in the birth of our nation by watching native americans blow up fire works. The irony is not lost on me. A great part of growing up near an Indian reservation. Illegal fireworks. No cops.

Carson is still talking about the fireworks. He told the sweet older ladies at our garden about them tonight and how they blew up.

I swear we can never leave my mom and dads house on a normal time frame. I always say we'll leave by 4 pm. Normally its about 7:30 at the earliest. Its still a two-hour drive.

We ate burgers 5 nights in a row. In my world, thats heaven! I live for summer foods. Clean kitchens are so easy when everything is BBQ! Nothing like spitting cherry pits too.

We have officially taken Carson off ALL dairy. Its the first step towards identifying a food allergy. We've gone to food allergists, and his pediatrician. Everyone tells me that its just "his bodies way" Um no. No its not. I have a ton to post about on this topic and I will hopefully have a post about it by the end of the week. Food allergies and picky kid is not exactly an easy task.

This next week we're spending some quality time with Chris' sister and mom! So excited. We haven't seen the Aunt for a while and daddy-Grandma was here last month and it was a total blast!

I swear summer is just flying by, busy this weekend. Next weekend we're doing a garage sale with some good friends. The next weekend is the Great Steam up a few towns down. My birthday in august, some sunshine fun with my folks.

Before I know it, it will be Labor Day. Then Carson's 3rd birthday.



Random fact. I have had hiccups the entire time I've been writing. Ugh. Bed

Great deal on audio software!

Vacation

I love visiting my folks down on the oregon coast! Its always so much fun and really relaxing. My mom, even though she hates to do it is a really good cook and makes yummy food for us to enjoy. She's one of those super grandma's that always has yummy snacks and foods for Carson.

My Dad took Carson fishing on Wednesday, he's a little rockstar with a fishing pole! Its great to see my dad being such an awesome Papa! 

We had so much fun at the beach, it was super windy which made it not as much fun cause Oliver cried. But after he got wrapped in a wind breaker he was perfectly happy! Carson and I explored the sand and explored some caves which had awesome sea anemones.

My mom and I went to the store on the fourth just to get junk food for fireworks, then we met some guy in the wine isle. We talked to him for like 25 minutes about all sorts of random crap. But when we walked away? I asked my mom how she knew this hilarious dude. Nope, she didn't know him at all. Random. We also bought awesome hats. 

My parents set up a super awesome cute little toy story bed for at the house! Carson LOVES it!

Oliver spent the majority of vacation sleeping in his pack and play outside under the apple tree. Sunning himself on the deck or snuggling up with his mama and anyone and everyone that will hold him! 

We took the sweet pea to the beach. First time ever he hasn't levitated standing on the sand! 

Little pool shark in training, he really enjoyed playing pool with his papa, papabear and uncle!

My mom and I think we are awesome! The duck face picture was also taken! 

My mom surprised us with a new toddler bed for Carson, she scored it 30$ off craigslist! 

The health code at this ice cream shoppe is lax at best

over 4 years together and still so in love! 

Heading down to Grandma and Papas got his bux on! 

Sleeping under the apple tree! 

I love coming home from vacation feeling for the most part refreshed. I got a bit of a sun burn and its hot at home, so we're off to go swimming! 

Steppin out Saturday (Sunday)

We've been totally MIA not just from blogging, but from life. Summer time does this weird thing to us as a family. We just got home for a five day stay at my mom and dads. So much fun, 70+ degrees all weekend. Watching my baby boy curl up under an apple tree in his pack and play and sleep in the sunshine, watching my big boy run through the tractor sprinkler in cute little swim trunks. But enough about vacation thats a whole nutha post. 

Skirt: Gap Top: Target 

After vacation exhaustion face

Instafriday

Carson and I are lucky that we get a couple hours in the morning to snuggle because Oliver is such a good sleeper




They are so precious

O loves food! Apples are his favorite!

These might be a couple of my favorite pictures. Oliver just loves Carson so much its crazy

Look at my little artist

I saved this old dog after she was hit by a car and wandering, I took her home and loaded her up in the van. She was so sweet, I took her to our Vets office and got a pictures so I could post on Craigslist. Yesterday it was looking bleak the county was going to come get her cause no micro chip and no owners claiming her. 

Then around 2 her mom and dad saw my ad and called the vets, she was still there. They went and got her and were so grateful. She is 15 years old, they get her as an 8 week old puppy, when they first got married. 

File this under "grown up discussion"

A few weeks ago Chris and I really started talking about our savings goals and the fact that we want to own a home in the someday (sooner) future. We then discussed our over spending habits. We luckily do not have any credit cards so we don't have consumer debt, and both cars are paid off and we will not be financing a car for a LONG time if we can help it.

So at the beginning  of June, I gave up going to target! It was really hard at first. I love shopping and I love Target, I love the bright red carts and the friendly shoppers. I love knowing where things are. I love the clearance end caps. (Its ONLY 2$ !!!) For something I didn't need in the first place.  Thats the big thing for me, if I don't see it, I don't want it. If I don't want it, I can't buy it. Saving a lot of money. Yeah Carson kept asking "Go Target, get treat?" but I held firm. They boys have more than enough toys. Neither of them NEED anything besides diapers/wipes and pull ups.

As I expected it was harder than originally thought not to just whip out my card. But I tried. We started meal planning, thats actually REALLY nice for me because I hate when Chris texts at like 2 and asks whats for dinner. Um dude I just had lunch, I don't know.

Meal planning and budgeting and paying with CASH was all new to me. I am that person that never carries cash unless I NEED to so it was odd the first few times handing over a couple 20's to pay for groceries.

We did pretty well meeting our savings "goal" this pay period. We didn't nail it like I would have hoped and we definitely both ran out of cash. But it was our first time really sticking to a budget, and we have more money towards savings at the end of the pay period than we normally do.

Meal planning is really helping with the grocery budget, and helps me stay sane. Its cut down on trip to the store as well.

If anyone is wanting to learn to budget, I would seriously suggest going to cash only. Even just a few categories at a time

Pin-spirtation Thursday

We've recently started budgeting and meal planning. This week on the menu I had pizza.

But when I went to the store, premade crusts were $8 a piece! Now, I'm generally not terribly concerned for one dinner a splurge. But I am generally a good cook, and I LOVE to bake. I make LOTS of my own breads, most of the time from pinterest recipes. I checked up and well, yeah super easy pizza dough recipe!

I ended up spending the majority of sunday mixing yeast, water and flour and a few other ingredients to make different doughs. I made pretzel dough, pizza dough and bread dough.

The pretzels were amazing and didn't even make it to picture.

But last night I made the pizza with the dough I'd made, and welp. It was the best freaking pizza I'd ever eaten.

I put left over parm chicken on top and pepperoni, I think next week I'm going to do a bacon/sausage pizza. I left a little section of "just chweez" for my little man to nom on. Even he loved it and its (fairly) healthy.