Home Away From Home

Today we are winding down our big holiday trip to Missouri.  It's been a fun trip with lots of family and friends.  We stayed in our loft condo in Kansas City that I bought five years ago.  It has been minimally furnished for the last year, so we decided to add a few pieces so that it's not so empty when we're here, or when family and friends stay.  We made a trip to Nebraska Furniture Mart on Sunday, and delivery was on Wednesday.  You couldn't ask for better luck, as everything was in stock.  Here are a few pics, albeit not the greatest ones, of our new additions:

A new entry table with a couple of lamps.  I love the circular one, as it's so "planetary" and actually puts out a nice light.  A new tray for "stuff" from Target.

New dining room table and chairs.  I really missed having something in this space, and we were able to get a floor model for less, so decided to go with this set.  I really wanted to add some color to this area, as there is no artwork anymore (all in Kohler), so the orangey-red chairs fit the bill.  I have always love my chandelier, and the way it casts a nice sparkly glow over the loft (bad camera lighting here, so you can't tell!).  

And finally, the bunk beds for what used to be my office.  This was the first set of bunk beds we saw, and the style fits the loft perfectly.  Kind of industrial and coordinates with the exposed pipes and the metal on the sofa.  We wanted more sleeping space, so the double on bottom, single on top will be great. The bedding is from Wal-Mart, and goes well with the paint in the room, which is not really visible in this picture.


Our trip is winding down, and today we will drive to Kirksville to celebrate the New Year with Jim's best friend, Derek, or "Enos" as everyone calls him.  He just moved in to a new home built with timber from his own land, and I am looking forward to seeing how it turned out.


We will say goodbye for now to our beloved KC and the next time we are here will most likely be with our new little one.   


Happy New Year to all and my you enjoy peace, love, and happiness in the coming year!


The Real Housewife of Sheboygan County 
(formerly the single career girl of Jackson County!)

Going Home

Today we are heading back to Missouri and we are driving.  We are looking forward to seeing family and friends in both Columbia and Kansas City.


I think the one thing that my husband looks the most forward to each year is the big Christmas Day breakfast feast.  I will try to get a photo or two, but no promises.  Biscuits and gravy, country ham & red-eye gravy, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, cinnamon rolls, various jams, jellies and butters, and the list goes on.  This is all prepared in my granny's "one-butt" kitchen, with the original appliances from 1958.  And the appliances did not include a dishwasher or garbage disposal.


Should be a fun time, and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Here's to lots of food, family and fun and a safe trip in the car!


Happy Holidays to all.  No promises on posts for the next couple of weeks, but I will do my best!  


The Real Housewife of Sheboygan County

The All Things Baby Day

I am almost to the end of a day that has been "all things baby."  Today was our visit to the Fetal Concerns program run through Froetdtert Hospital and Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.  Our soon to be daughter has a small birth defect that will require surgery after birth, so today was the day we transitioned our care to the specialists.


After an ultrasound (probably my 7th!),  we met with the perinatologist, who will deliver the baby.  He was a little crotchety (probably from too many late night deliveries), but nice.  Next we met with the pediatric surgeon who will perform the surgery on our little one.  We really liked him, and he seemed to think the surgery would be very routine (at least for him) and should be easily handled.  We felt good about our child in his hands and since he did his residency at Children's Mercy in Kansas City, my hometown, I felt good about his credentials.


Finally, we met with the neonatologist who will care for our baby after birth and surgery in the NICU.  We're not sure how long she will have to stay in the hospital after her surgery, as it will depend on various factors.  We are counting on at least two weeks, although it could be more or less, depending on how she does.  

During the ride, I worked on the baby blanket for her room.  This blanket has so far been an exercise in patience for me, as I have ripped out row after row trying to get my stitch counts right.  I love the pattern, but have decided that this blanket is just not going to be perfect, but it will still be pretty, and most mistakes won't be noticed by anyone but me.  My patience level has increased immensely over the years, and I am less willing to give up when something is difficult like I did when I was younger.  That being said, if I were to have had a child with a problem during my younger years, I know I wouldn't have handled it with the positivity and patience that I am handling the news now that I have some experience behind me.  Of course, a great husband, who is one of the most positive people I know also helps.  

As for the rest of the "all things baby" day, when we arrived home from the doctor's visit, a nice UPS package was waiting for me with the bedding for the baby room!  That's the little baby comforter that the yarn is sitting on - doesn't it match perfectly?  

Here's to all things baby,

The Real Housewife of Sheboygan County