I should be cleaning my house...

Have I mentioned my mama is coming this weekend!?

And have I mentioned this week is just dragging on due to anticipation!?

Not only am I excited, but it's all Mckinlay can talk about:
"When Happy Jo gets here I want her to read me these stories."
"When Happy Jo gets here can we go to the water park? And get a hot dog? And an ice cream cone?"
"Will Happy Jo jump off the balance board {diving board} with me at the BIG POOL? You can't mommy 'til your baby comes out of you."
"When Happy Jo gets here she is bringing me
decorations for my wall!"
{Happy Jo = vinyl}
"I'm calling Happy Jo now Mommy."
...
Oh and today mom, she told me she wants you to buy her and Addy Winnie the Pooh cookies from Costco.

As if that is not exciting enough, she'll be here for a week and then Pappio and Tyler get here!
THEN
B, Alli and crew come up here too.
{So excited to meet this li'l guy!}
THEN
{I know the mind reels there could me more!}
We all head down to their place for Eli's baby blessing.

Then I come home and feel lonely -- and probably tired.
{But we won't talk about that.}

I only wish Maddle and Jeff could be here too, then it would be a bonafide family reunion!!

Anyway,
so back to what I'm doing instead of cleaning:

Decided to whip up a couple of these.
Since Prego-Mego is tending to need her hair back just 'bout daily--it's so muggy lately--might as well have something cute to do it with, right?
Took about 5 mins.
{Way longer than I spent on my do, if you could tell.}
Hardest part was deciding on what fabric scraps to use...or maybe getting the energy to go upstairs to get the ironing board.
It's a toss up.

And while the machine was out I figured I might as well do a little repurposing with a couple of my old favorite shirts.
Tutorial found here.
{BTW, never sewing with knits again.}

Aren't these SO much better than a spotless house?
Plus I'm super pregnant. I don't have the energy to clean...
right?

I really want to wake Mckinlay up and try her skirt on...but I'll wait. She is really starting to care about what she wears and wants to do things "all by myself."

Yesterday she came up with this little number.
She walked down the stairs saying:
"Mommy Daddy..."
And she does.

Bubble print attempt

We decided this would be a fun morning art project.
And it was for about 5 mins...
until Mckinlay sucked in instead of blew.

"YUCKERS!"

That swiftly put an end to the straw usage,
then she moved on to splashing with her hands.

At least I have a squeaky clean table now
-- even if it is with multi-colored soap.

I think we'll try this again next year.

The Beach

We went to the beach yesterday!
{Yes, we are still in Ohio, we went to the beach on Lake Erie.}

It was beautiful! The water was super warm and clear and it was perfect beach weather.

Mckinlay was in heaven. She likes to "practice her swimming."
"I kick my legs and I waddle my arms!"
Me: " Mckinlay you are SO tan!"

Mckinlay:

Oh. Silly Me.

In the car on the way there she said:
"Mom, you told Dad about baby in your tummy?"

Well, hon, if he hasn't figured it out at this point, we're in trouble...
Yikes.
At least I can still see my toes.

ABC/Twinkle Twinkle Mash up

Still working on the end bit.
{although I think I like it that way}
Nursery songs can be so tricky!

5 years

It's hard to believe in 5 years we've gone from this:

to this:

and in a mere 13 weeks (+/-, hopefully -) we'll have another little Loveless.

I've been thinking about all that we've done -- the friends we've made, the different jobs we've had, all the schooling, the places we've lived, memories made...couldn't have picked a better best friend to do it all with.

love you babe!
so much.

{top photo is on our first date, at a monster truck rally, 'cause we're classy like that.
bottom photos by em.}

Chocolate + Grahams + Mallows

Now go celebrate it!
...even if it is only 8:45 in the morning.

Yo ho yo ho!

Avast me hearties! Ye be correct!
It be 3rd annual Pirate FHE at the Loveless home.

Here be our li'l wench.

This be the treasure map.

Be rain or shine, we must find the treasure!
{Mckinlay stopped to hug Papa Pirate and to say "this is fun!"}

Up the ladder to find the booty!
{pirates booty that be.}

X marks the spot where the treasure be.
Our treasure be full o' fun and games, a Pirate tale and gold coins.
{DELICIOUS "gold coins" mind you.}Of course we filled our Pirate bellies with a meal any pirate would plunder and/or pillage for.
{Please make this. It's fall of the bone delicious.}

'Til next year me land lubbers!
Crazy to think we'll have another saucy wench added to our crew then!