Our first Murder Mystery Party {and why you should have one!}

A friend from the Mom's playgroup I am part of invited Drew and I to a Murder Mystery Party that she and her husband was hosting. Have you heard of these parties where everyone is assigned a character and you basically play Clue but the living version? Well, ever since I first heard of this concept about a year or so ago, I have been dying (I had to, guys) to see what these were all about. Well let's just say it did not disappoint. My friend got the scripts from this website if you are interested in looking in to hosting one yourself. Here are a few pictures from our evening: A Flapper Murder at the 1920's Speakeasy...

If you have any questions about how these work, leave a question in the comments or email me, but I highly recommend hosting one or bribing your friend to host one. I know many cities also host these. Our park system has Murder Mystery Dinners so that's another option. 

My "baby" is 22 months old

Matching shirts from Shop Jumping Jack

Today Aiden is a mere 2 months away from being a TWO year old. With baby #2 on the way, I find myself staring at him even more frequently, soaking up every cuddle, every toothy grin, every giggle. I keep telling myself to stop referring to him as my baby and start calling him my big boy.

*cue hormonal pregnancy tears.

He is growing and changing so quickly and I just love all his little quirks. He still loves being outside and has become such a good helper. He always picks up the cat's food bowls when they finish eating and hands them to me, closes drawers and the fridge when they are "left open," picks up trash on the ground to throw away, etc. He is the biggest sweetheart ever and gives us kisses on demand. I never want that to end! My new favorite thing he does is call Drew, "Drew, Da-da." He picked up on me calling Drew by his name a few months ago and so he tacked that on to Da-da all on his own. It's hilarious. Last night after Drew kissed him goodnight, Aiden said, "Goodnight, Drew Da-da." Seriously. It's adorable.

Here are some of Aiden's favorites at 22 months...

Favorite Foods: Watermelon, Yogurt, Chipotle rice bowl and quesadillas, Bananas, Oatmeal, English muffin pizzas, Grilled cheese and Donuts. This kid loves donuts and lives for Saturday mornings when Daddy comes in the front door with a white box. He still won't just straight up eat vegetables unless they are in a pouch, mixed with somethin or pureed (the only exceptions to this are potatoes and black beans), but really who can blame him?

Favorite Hobbies: Bubble baths, Pushing toy cars all over the arms of our leather chair, walking his Thomas Train or Firetruck around the neighborhood and greeting our neighbors, being read to, throwing rocks in the creek by our house, chasing around the kitties and pulling Sawyer's tail.

Favorite Toys: Mr. Fox, Thomas the Train Push Toy, Little Tikes Water table, Any truck, train, plane or cars character.

Favorite Movie/T.V. Shows: Pixar's Cars, Thomas the Train, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Sid the Science Kid, Peg + Cat Sesame Street (Elmo's World).

Favorite Books: Roadwork, Little Blue Truck, Goodnight Gorilla, Indesctructible books (Baby Faces, Beach Baby, Baby Peekaboo), Panda Bear, Panda Bear What Do You See, Thank You God, "The Mama book" (a recordable book I made for him when I had to go out of town a few months ago).

Sleeping Habits: Sleeps from 7-7 and has been pretty consistent with this schedule for about a year now. Praise Jesus.

Most frequently said words and phrases: "Watch Cars", Mama, Dada (or lately: Drew-Dada), Kitty, Donut, Bubble bath, Go hide (he loves  playing hide and seek with us!), "More Yum Yum" (granola bar), Big truck, Lawn Mower, Go Outside, Brush teeth, "Ready, set, Go!"

New things this month:

• He is starting to sing! When I say, Old MacDonald had a farm, on cue he says E-I-E-I-O! It's the cutest thing ever. 
• He now knows all the characters from the movie Cars and all the names of the trains from Thomas. (Should I be proud or embarrassed? We obviously have watched these shows a time or two. Haha. I choose proud.)
• Two months ago we transitioned away from his pacifier so, no more Wubbanubs! I didn't have to use any special tricks, just slowly took it away and he eventually stopped asking for it! 
• He is finally loving the church nursery. Finally. 
• He is starting to add possessives to words..."Mama's shoes, Aiden's shoes, Dada's shoes, etc." 

He is just the happiest, sweetest, smartest kid ever (says every Mom ever.) But really...it's true.

First Trimester Rewind {The return of the bump}

Oh the first trimester. So much excitement and so many symptoms. When I was pregnant with Aiden, I honestly felt great in my first trimester. I was tired, but I was hardly nauseous at all and I slept really well right up to the very end (with a little help from my pregnancy pillow.) Don't hate me for that, because I've pretty much made up for it with this pregnancy. Nausea, insomnia, weight gain, oh my.  But I can't even be mad about it because every symptom means there's a baby that is growing inside of me and that fills me with so much joy.

So my first trimester included lots of eating (the only thing that made me feel less nauseous), taking naps with Aiden and reading in bed at 3AM when I couldn't sleep. There were doctors visits, our first ultrasound and the return of my bump, which has decided to pop out way earlier than last time. I personally am super excited about this (my pants are not so excited though so I got rid of them. Haha.) Here's my first trimester in pictures....

"So you're saying I am going to have to share you?!"

And of course a few weekly bump pictures! 

I have already come to terms with the fact that this time around I will not do a bump picture each week. I'm sure you're all super disappointed. Ha.

So all you Mamas out there with multiple kiddos, what are some must haves for Baby #2?

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Big Brother Status

Baby Renner #2 is coming January 31st (ish), 2017!
We can hardly contain our joy and are so very thankful for this new blessing.

Because some days are like that...

Some days...I wake up with tiny toes in my face.

Some days...I let my child run around wearing only his diaper because well...less laundry to do later.

Some days...I make a spectacle of myself trying to get my child to eat something. Anything.

Some days...I don't get out of my pajamas or shower.

Some days...I just give in and nap with my child.

Some days...I'm on my phone too much. I think it's my way of feeling connected to the outside world, but it is something I always feel guilty about and I'm setting some boundaries on for myself.

Some days...I try to plan out our entire day and then that blows up in my face.

Some days...you can't see the rug in my family room because it is covered in a sea of Hot Wheel cars and trucks.

Some days...I look at my phone and realize we watched Elmo's Brushy Brush video 50+ times that day. And I actually enjoyed it each time. Whoa.

Some days...I have to go in to work and I spend my lunch scrolling through pictures and videos of my little guy and then I wish I was home with him.

Some days...I put way too much "Mom attire" in my online shopping cart. Oops.

Some days...I look in my child's closet and tear up thinking about having to clear out the closet of his next set of too small clothes.

Some days...Let's be real here, everyday, I pee with another set of eyes watching me.

Some days...An outing to Starbucks can turn my whole day's outlook around.

Some days...I look into my little guy's eyes and feel a love run through me so deeply that I would do anything to protect him.

Some days...we watch too much PBSKids because some days are just tough like that.

Some days...I feel like an amazing Mama and we go to the splashpark, have a picnic, eat ice cream, then I come home and do laundry, cook dinner, etc. But that is only some days.

Some days...I spend nap time feeling proud that I am making healthy foods that I just know my little guy will love, only to have him spit them out or throw them on the ground at mealtime.

Some days are hard, some days are just plain hilarious, some days are frustrating, some days are completely and utterly exhausting, but everyday I am thankful to be a Mama to my sweet boy who is growing up way too fast.

4th of July SNAPS

Our 4th of July was pretty low key. It was a rainy weekend here in Ohio, but we managed to get in a classic 4th of July family cookout complete with delicious food, patriotic clothes and sparklers. Here are a few of my favorite snaps from our celebration of the amazing country we live in.

Blueberry & Lemon Breakfast Quinoa Bowl {An easy on the go breakfast!}

Trying to get out of the house in the morning with a toddler can be a challenge. By the time I get Aiden ready some mornings, I have to grab my breakfast to go and run out the door. So when I found this recipe for a healthy breakfast that I could make and take, I had to try it and I'm so glad I did. Nuby's Insulated Stainless Steel Food Jar helps to keep my breakfast piping hot until I'm ready to eat it. It holds 15 ounces and has a folding spoon in the lid. Since it is stainless steel it keeps foods warm, but is cool to the touch. This has been a lifesaver for on the go breakfasts. I have also taken several of Aiden's meals in it when I pack meals for on the go. (Great for yogurt, cut up fruit, mac and cheese, cottage cheese, etc.)

Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup lemon zest
3 Tablespoons Maple syrup
1 cup blueberries
2 tsp. flaxseed meal
1 pinch salt

Instructions:
1. Rinse quinoa in fine strainer with cold water until water runs clear
2. Heat milk i a saucepan over medium heat until warm
3. Stir quinoa and salt into the milk
4. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes (there should still be liquid in quinoa after allotted time so it is an oatmeal like consistency)
5. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in maple syrup, lemon zest.
6. Fold in blueberries and flaxseed meal and top with extra lemon zest
7. Serve warm

*I was given this product for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

31: My Birthday Wish

Today I am 31. Whoa.

Normally I make a big deal of my birthday. I make my birthday wish list weeks in advance and I like to plan all kinds of birthday fun. But this year is different and I'm not sure why. I still have some fun things planned, but I didn't make a wish list and when my husband asked what I wanted to do and who I wanted to invite. I said I wanted simple. Maybe I'm actually becoming a "grown up." Or maybe I am just learning new things about myself and my heart.

I've learned so much about myself in my 31 years, but lately God has been working on my heart and showing me that I have a long way to go before becoming the wife and mother I desire to be. But I'm thankful that as I learn and grow, those two precious faces up there in that picture will be with me.

I'm beyond grateful to be a wife to a supportive husband, a mom to the sweetest and smartest little dude, a granddaughter, daughter, niece and sister and a friend to some amazing, amazing people.

So my birthday wish this year is to live every day like the gift that it truly is and to have a desire to continue wanting to learn and grow so I can be the woman of God, wife and mother I'm created to be. So here's to year 31...

31 be kind to me. I'm not ready for wrinkles and I don't want any more gray hairs. Oh and the stretch marks could fade a little too. Thanks in advance.
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A day in the life {with an 18 month old}

Life with a toddler is full. Full of messes, full of outfit changes, full of stories, full of laughter and full of crazy. I love capturing what a day in our life looks like at different stages so here we are at a year and a half. And here's what a day in our life looks like...

6:30ish AM: Aiden is up. I go and get him from his crib, change his diaper and bring him out to the couch with his sippy cup of milk and his stuffed fox who we lovingly call, Mr. Fox. We usually cuddle on the couch and read books together for at least 20 minutes. I love this slow transition into our day. Sometimes the cats join in for cuddle time too. Aiden's favorite books right now are: Little Blue Truck, Trains, Goodnight, Construction Sight. Any clue what his interests are? Haha.

After we cuddle, Aiden plays in the family room while I fix breakfast. This kid loves chocolate chip waffles so that is his main breakfast entree on repeat almost every single day. I try to mix it up with oatmeal and yogurt or bananas and toast, but waffles are his favorite. My parents got Aiden this Thomas the Train ride on and he is obsessed. We take walks with him every day and sometimes he even joins us at the breakfast table.

After breakfast we get dressed and play outside because this child is a huge fan of the outdoors. Since I knew we would be getting in the water table later, we put on our wet clothes, but we had to walk up and down all our neighbor's driveways with Thomas and Mr. Fox first. 

I scored this water table at a Mother of Twins sale for 12 bucks. We have gotten more than our money's worth from it. 

After we play, it's time to cross some things off the to-do list so we put on some real clothes and head to a local market we like to shop at called Pipkins. They have tons of fresh produce and Aiden likes to run around in their garden area after we shop. Aiden likes to point out all the produce and "help me" put it in the bag. "More Nana!" "More Apple!"

12:00ish Then it's back home to eat lunch. Aiden's favorite lunch lately is an English Muffin Pizza, Veggie Straws and some type of Applesauce I make. Sometimes I mix in Sweet Potatoes, other times it's carrots, but he loves any homemade concoction I make and it's so easy.

This EzPz mat is a life saver for Toddler meal time! I wrote about it in this post.

After lunch, it's nap time. Aiden has never been a long napper so I'm lucky if he naps a solid hour, but I'll take what I can get. While Aiden naps I throw in a load of laundry, clean some dishes or meal prep. Or some days when I'm just plain tired, I sit on the couch and catch up on an episode of Nashville. After Aiden wakes up, he requests more "B" aka milk and we might turn on an episode of Thomas per Aiden's request. "Choo Choo on."

If I decide to actually cook a meal, this would be when I do some meal prep. On tonight's menu, an easy crock pot meal: Italian Meatball & Gnocchi Soup. So good!

Drew gets home around 4:30 and Aiden is in heaven. They usually run around outside if it's nice out so I can finish up dinner or we might take a family walk around the neighborhood. From our front door, Aiden usually heads straight to our neighbor's garage and "borrows" her kid's toys. Good thing we have nice neighbors. Then it's time to eat, play a little more and then around 6:30, Aiden is exhausted so the three of us head to his room to get ready for bed.

7:00 Drew and I read Aiden his favorite bedtime books, then I rock Aiden for a few minutes and lay him down in his crib. I usually just stand above him and watch him sleep for a minute or two. I always thank God for giving me my precious little boy. He brings our family so much joy! Every single day with him is a gift.

See my other "Day in the life" posts below...

A day in the life with a 15 month old
A day in the life with a 10 month old

A day in the life with a 6 month old

What does a day in your life look like?

Mother's Day 2016

I'm so very glad that I live within 20 minutes of both my Mom and my Mother in law and get to share Mother's day with both of them. They are both gems. We spread out the love all weekend long starting with a cook out with my family Friday.

The weather was perfect so we all sat outside and watched Aiden run around like a wild child. 

Everyone just loves when I pull out my camera while they are stuffing their faces. Ha.

Aiden and his YaYa.

Saturday Drew and Aiden took me to Krohn's Conservatory for the Butterfly show! In all my years here, I have never been to the Butterfly show. Aiden and I both loved it! 

"Butterfly, where arrrrreeee you?"

After the butterfly show we walked to Eden park to play and then it was off to Echo for brunch. Their Flying pig sandwich (French toast is the bread) is to die for.  MMMmmmm.

Sunday morning both my Mamas came to church with us. I kept Aiden in my lap (because it's Mother's day, duh.) And Dara Maclean was a surprise special guest! Her song Blameless is just beautiful...go give it a listen.

Then it was off to my sister in law's where she and my brother in law did almost all the cooking. She even designed this adorable chalkboard art for the occasion and brought it outside so we could take pictures with it. She knows me well. 

Shirt from Ezra + Eli

Add in a dozen roses from each of my boys and I'd say this Mama was completely spoiled!

Thankful Mama doesn't even begin to describe it.