Yiasou Greek Festival

We had another busy weekend at our house, including a visit to the local Greek festival.  After living here for three years, we finally made it, and it was amazing! 

Let me just say that I love a good festival.  I grew up in this little town in Iowa, and every year there was this huge Tulip festival where we all celebrated our Dutch heritage by putting on really uncomfortable costumes, dancing traditional dances, and getting our pictures taken by tourists.  It was the most fun time of year, because really the rest of the year there just isn't very fun.  So 20 or so years of that made me really appreciate festivals of all kinds. 

Henry and Daddy

We decided to go on Saturday before football started.  The weather was perfect: mostly cloudy, which this time of year here means not beastly hot, and we beat the rain that sprinkled right as we were getting into the car to go home.  H, despite not really napping (big surprise) did great and was pretty calm the whole time.  It always amazes me that he does well in public when he's kind of a mess at home.  Anyway, we planned to eat lunch there, and there were so many choices we didn't even know what to do.  We settled on souvlaki because it seemed easy.  Also, the line was pretty short.  There was a whole tent of baked goods and desserts, and I got the most incredibly delicious dessert ever: the baklava sundae.  Seriously, I almost bought baklava and ice cream at Trader Joes today just to see if I could recreate it.  It was chopped baklava served over ice cream, and it was amazing.  So sad that Greek festival only happens once a year, because I could eat that once a DAY.  But then I'd never lose the baby weight, so I guess it's a good thing I can't, right?

Amazing dessert

lunch!

There were also exhibits about Greek history and the Byzantine Church, which we checked out briefly before H started to get cranky.  By the time we started to walk out, though, he was asleep.  Little cutie.

little sleeper

Weekend Plans: Greek Festival

So, I was all excited to post about H's first trip to Daddy's office because we drove into the city to meet N for lunch at the BBQ and Blues festival, but he slept most of the time and then cried (and also flipped out when I firetruck drove right past us with its siren going), so I didn't get any pictures and it was hot and sweaty and crowded and stressy anyway.  So I won't write about it except to say that I didn't even eat any barbecue.  I ate a crabcake sandwich, which was good, but what was I thinking?  Actually, I was thinking that the crabcake place didn't have a line and I didn't feel like waiting in line for barbecue.  But I did get apple beignets for dessert, which were delicious and powdered sugared all over N's office.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a different story, because N and I are planning on going to a local Greek festival that we've never been to in all the time we've lived here.  Now that we have a kid, we feel like we have to get out and do more things.  N and I went to Greece on our honeymoon, so it's kind of a special place for us (and Greek food always makes us remember all the crazy things that happened on that trip, like the time we took an all-night ferry between the islands and slept in chairs because we didn't want to pay for an actual room, which, by the way, I do not recommend).  (Seriously, if you're travelling overnight on not an airplane and you can get a room, do it). 

My other goal for this weekend is to get bedding for our new bedroom set.  Or at least decide what I want.  I know I'm looking for yellow and white, but I'm thinking it might be a good idea to go all white with the bedding for easy bleaching, then just do some yellow accents like pillows or a small blanket for LB's nesting pleasure.  Thoughts?

TGIF Workhorse: Mom jeans and patterned tops

Oh, I cannot tell you how glad I am that today is Friday.  I know that my days are all theoretically the same, since I don't work anymore, but you have no idea how nice it is to have my darling husband around during the weekends.  Not only does H love his daddy, but I love having someone who talks back to me with words instead of animals noises and, his new favorite, spitting.

Anyhoo, to celebrate the almost-weekend, let's showcase my absolute can't live without wardrobe workhorse: jeans.  After having H, let's just say my body is a little different (and still a lot heavier).  Which meant that for the first two months he was around, I had no jeans that fit me.  I know that I had this giant, throbbing incision in my abdomen that made wearing anything non-stretchy painful, and I know it was like 100 degrees out every day for those two months, but it was still depressing.  So a couple of weeks ago, I finally sucked it up and went shopping.  With my baby.  Twice in one week.  But you know, it was totally worth it because I scored two pairs of these jeans, which are my new favorites, at the Gap, and I used a coupon, so it's not like it really counts, right Visa?  But then I had to promise Darling Husband that I wouldn't buy any clothes at all for the whole month of September as part of his birthday present, and then we went out and bought a new bedroom set anyway, so so much for that gift idea and now I probably have to get him something real unless I can promise not to shop ever again.  Oh, but I still need to get sheets for the new bed, and wouldn't it be nice if they were 600-thread count?  But I digress.

on me: Jeans: the perfect boot by Gap, top: Anthro, nursing tank: Target.  on Henry: star onesie and blue pants: Faded Glory, gift from Aunt Kay

While I do have other jeans, I always come back to a dark bootcut.  There is simply no wrong was to wear them (although I pruposely cut off my feet in these photos so you can't tell that I have been wearing these around unhemmed, which probably IS a wrong way to wear anything because it makes me look like I'm playing dress-up with grown-up clothes.  Which is why I bought two pairs that look exactly the same.  I like things that are easy.  Also, these jeans are a little higher rise than I used to wear, and I never thought I would be one of those women who started wearing higher jeans when I had a baby, but, seriously, they do so much to suck in the giggle below my waist, and also, I'm not flashing the goods all over when I bend over to pick H up, so now I kind of get it. 

I actually read in one of my baby books that nursing moms should wear printed tops because they show stains less.  Which is totally true.  I'm working on getting a few more printed pieces for my wardrobe (well, not right now because of that damn birthday promise), but this on remains a favorite.  The surplice neckline makes for super easy nursing, and it has this nice gather-y piece that lays gently over my still-jiggly belly.  Plus, I'm pretty sure no Henry-related stains show on it, so it's a great piece to wear when I know we have a lot to do in public.  Because I don't mind wandering around my house covered in bodily fluids, but I don't need strangers to know that.

Also, doesn't H look cute in that little outfit from Auntie?  It's the softest thing and so sweet and also he threw up all over the clothes he was wearing earlier. 

All Kinds of Workhorse (jersey dress, nursing tank, comfy flats)

Sorry for my absence, all!  I really meant to be a good blogger and do the whole WWW this week, but my life has been hijacked by little Mr. No Nap (and Not Very Much Sleep At Night Either).  Anyways, I'm back, and I PROMISE to try really, really hard to post again tomorrow!

So, my last WWW post showcased a jersey skirt, ruffle cardi, and nursing tank.  Not only were these pieces absolute essentials during my fourth trimester, but the skirt and cardi were also big players during my pregnancy, helping my look put-together for long days of teaching when I felt like my stomach was busting at the seams.  Well, the dress I'm showcasing today is another piece that I wore right up to the end of my pregnancy, and I don't think I could live without it.

Dress: J Crew, ubiquitous nursing tank: Target, sandals: Clarks via DSW

I actually own this dress in two colors (this one and pink), and I wear at least one a week.  This dress is seriously perfect: easy to nurse in, dresses up or down, and is totally comfortable.  Like, jammies comfortable.  Just the thing for a mom whose baby won't sleep. 

I've already extolled the virtues of nursing tanks, but seriously, these things are awesome, and the Gillian O'Malley ones from Target are my absolute fave.  Totally comfy, plenty of soft support, and easy access.  Which is important when you're lying on the couch watching reruns of White Collar and begging your three-month-old to JUST TAKE A NAP PLEASE.

I'm not much of a heels girl, and after a semester of student teaching, I firmly believe that comfortable shoes are a must.  I spent all summer (once I got my feet back) looking for the perfect sandal, and I haven't taken these off since.  Cute AND comfy?  Yes, Please!

Happy Tuesday!

This weekend was kind of a biggie for us.  Saturday was the first game of the season for Hawkeye football, so Nate made sure that we all got decked out in our finest black and gold to watch the game.  And, after obsessively checking the internet and an irate call to Time Warner Cable, we were able to.  Honestly, I don't know why we pay extra for the Big Ten Network when half the time we have to call and yell at them because the game's not on, but oh well.  All cable companies are evil, in my experience.

Here's Henry with Daddy, all Hawked out:

We also celebrated Labor Day by staying true to the spirit of America.  On Sunday, Nate grilled a bunch of burgers and dogs, and yesterday we spent a ridiculous amount of money on a new bedroom set, even though we had said we weren't going to get one for a few more months.  All that was missing was alcohol and fireworks to make us True Americans.

Wardrobe Workhorses

The ladies over at Scholar Style Guide have designated this week as Wardrobe Workhorse Week.  Since I'm not doing anything else (well, except for the ongoing nap battle...), I thought I'd participate.  While I don't consider myself especially stylish, I do think carefully about what I wear each day (sometimes too carefully, since half the time I end up with some kind of bodily fluid on my clothes anyway).  As a stay-at-home mom, I have to consider my clothing choices carefully for ease of nursing, comfort, washability, and floor-friendliness (the ability to sit on the floor in your clothes without flashing the goods).  So here's my first submission:

sweater: Banana Republic; blue nursing cami: Target; skirt: Old Navy; sash: from another skirt; flower flip flops: Clarks via DSW

The sweater and skirt are favorites from my pregnancy wardrobe.  In fact, that skirt was one of the last pieces that fit me.  When I first came home with Henry, it was a lifesaver because I could adjust it to keep it off the incisicion from my c-section.  While the sweater hasn't seen much wear this summer thanks to the beastly heat, it's nice to have on hand for chilly air-conditioning.  Plus, the silk ruffles make everything seem more polished.  This outfit has it all: I could nurse easily thanks to the nursing tank, and the skirt was comfortable AND easy to sit on the floor in.  Since I hiked it up to my natural waist, I also felt a little more put-together than usual.  Which was great, because we had tons to do that day, like, you know, nursing.  And napping.  And some tv-watching.  Oh, and we played on the floor.  It was a big day. 

I have no idea why this picture looks so blurry, but I can barely use my camera or the minimal editing stuff on my computer.  Hmm. 

LB's Big Catch

So I was in the house, trying to deodorize the living room because when it's warm out it gets this weird, musty bonfire-y smell. I think it's from the fireplace, but I'm too scared of it to check to make sure the chimney is open. So anyway, I was happily spraying multiple odor eliminators into the fireplace when I heard RJ barking outside. Since I don't really need another visit from Animal Control, I decided to check it out.

I never figured out why he was barking because as soon as I stepped out the door, LB started running around holding something in her mouth. I finally cornered her under the deck, and the thing in her mouth turned out to be a bird -- a dead bird. Gross.

It looked really young, and it could have even been the same one that was stupid enough to get caught by our dogs a couple of weeks ago. I just really hope LB killed it and didn't find it already dead. Anyway, I couldn't think of how to make her let go of the bird, so I just grabbed her and started shaking her. She didn't like that at all, and she dropped the dead bird when she turned around to snap at me. I picked up my growling little sweetie and put both dogs in the house. Then I picked up the dead bird and tossed it over the fence. With my hands, because those are more washable than gloves. Like I said, I hope LB killed that bird. Gross.

Just to make sure LB didn't decide to tunnel under the fence in pursuit of Dead Bird, I made sure to toss it in the same place I throw their poop. Then, to make extra sure, I placed bricks all along the fence in front of Dead Bird/poop area. Of course, after going to that extra work, the dogs seem to have already forgotten about Dead Bird.