Pregnancy – Week 32

Jen Lawrence

Week… 32

Baby is the size of… a head of Lettuce

Highlight of the Week… Completing our birth prep class. Sounds strange for that to be a highlight but hear me out. Not only was our class informative, it was also entertaining and laid back. The instructor did an awesome job of talking us through the material we really needed to know and left plenty of time for questions and discussions. While it was a long day (6 hours), we also got in our hospital tour. Overall, we feel prepared for when baby decides it’s their birthday, and we are now looking forward to it rather than worrying about it. We’re ready. We got this.

Frustration of the Week… Damn Arizona weather. Not only is it hot as hell, the pre-monsoon dust storms are blowing through. The combination of air pressure change, wind, and all around nastiness has made this week a bit of a struggle.

Eating a lot of… Fried egg sandwiches and fruit. Not together! I’m not that weird.

Cute Thing Hubby Did This Week… This week, hubs continued to be an all-star player. From putting together all the baby equipment to keeping me giggling through the birth prep class, he’s been absolutely amazing. Oh, and also dealing with my sleep struggles because of my allergies/sinuses/whatever.

A Tidbit… I’m still doing poorly at slowing down for my body, but I’m getting better! Just stubborn. Walking takes more effort and therefore, I’m slower. I’ve made improvements in standing up slowly, instead of popping up like Tigger though. So that’s good too!

Bonus… being silly on Fourth of July. 

“From this angle, you almost don’t look pregnant.”

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Paper Palm Frond Decor Update

Jen Lawrence

Earlier this summer, I made paper palm frond decor for our guest room to go with a cute pineapple watercolor we found at a local art show. The paper palm frond concept was perfect, but I wasn’t totally in love with the color combination I had readily available in my paper supplies. Thankfully, for my baby shower, my friend brought over a paper leaf garland she had cut using her Cricut. The colors she used were perfect, and I was able to integrate her pieces into my decor.

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7 Facts about the American Revolution

Jen Lawrence

Happy Sunday! One of my favorite holidays is this week, and I can’t help dive into my nerdy history trivia. I studied the American Revolution in college and have continued to absorb as much as I can about it, carefully teetering between love affair and obsession. Did you see my Fourth of July mantel? All those books? That’s not even half of the books I have on the subject. So much to learn! I love it!

Below are seven of my favorite facts about the American Revolution for you to casually drop to your friends and family while celebrating this week.

  1. George Washington received exactly $0 for his service as Commander in Chief of the Army. Instead, he had minimal expenses directly reimbursed by the government. Source
  2. Even during war times, pets mattered. Washington found a dog sniffing around camp whose tags identified him belonging to the British General William Howe. Washington insisted the dog be returned to Howe “with his compliments.” Source
  3. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were the ultimate frenemies. Being fellow patriots and friends, they often butted heads on policy. They both died on July 4, 1826, just five hours apart – on the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Source and a great read!
  4. George Washington had a really legit network of spies that included many slaves and women. If you aren’t watching AMC’s Turn, you’re really missing out. Source
  5. Benjamin Franklin’s son stayed loyal to Britain through his entire lifetime. He was even a governor and general. Source
  6. Native American largely supported the British in fear of American westward expansion. Turns out, their fears were justified. Source
  7. The last signature on the Declaration of Independence was Matthew Thornton of New Hampshire… on November 4, 1776. Source

Interesting, right?! Share your new knowledge with everyone!

Have a safe and festive holiday!

Best of June

Jen Lawrence

June has flown by! Summer is in full swing, and it is hot-hot-hot in Arizona. We’ve been busy getting ready for Baby Lawrence’s arrival and finishing projects around the house. I took a small sabbatical from writing a lot of new content so I could map out the coming months. The bonus is we got to revisit some of my favorite craft projects from when I first started blogging. Did you see the second project blog post ever written by yours truly? The nostalgia was super fun and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. But onward and upward! There are plenty more posts to come over the next few months. You won’t want to miss what I have prepared for July. In the meantime, here are June’s highlights!

BestOfDivider CraftandDIY

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Are you ready for Independence Day? This patriotic mantel is full of crafty projects you can complete this weekend, including a fun 1776 wood sign and those super cool (nerdy?) presidential silhouettes.Read More »

Pregnancy – Week 31

Jen Lawrence

Week… 31

Baby is the size of… a Coconut

Highlight of the Week… This week, I had a particularly impactful appointment with my doctor. My doctor is laidback, incredibly honest, and always uses just the right amount of humor in dealing with me. For this appointment, we had a very candid conversation about my feelings about pregnancy and the physical struggles I’ve been going through. She made adjustments to my treatment, which have already been helpful, but even more importantly, gave me a pep talk that I’ve been in need of. I’m telling you… a great doctor makes all the difference.

Frustration of the Week… Figuring out all the forms and requests I need to submit between my insurance company and my work to take time off for maternity leave. We’re about seven weeks away from my planned leave and navigating the multiple submission needs is a bit of a pain. I think I got it all figured out though… I think. Haha.

Eating a lot of… Salads. Salads have always been my food of the summer and that’s no different pregnant. So refreshing during this hot time of year. (It’s been 110*F all week with no end in sight!)

Cute Thing Hubby Did This Week… This should be retitled “the ways my husband is incredibly legit.” The past week has been particularly painful for my body and frustrating emotionally. Rather than trying to fix everything, my husband has adopted two amazing phrases. One: “What can I do to help you?” and two: “Can you explain to me how that feels?” The second question has been particularly meaningful this week because pregnancy can feel very isolating, especially as my body constantly changes. To have my partner strive to empathize with me and help in every way he possibly can is the best gift I could be given right now.

A Tidbit… I’ve discovered that when my feet are swollen they look like Skipper doll feet instead of Barbie feet. And that makes me giggle uncontrollably.