How to Survive Hotel Life

...in one room with two small kids for two months...

"Mom, does this match?"

London snapped this one of Juliet having a snack.

"Do you like the baby in my tummy?"

Alright, really, I can't complain too much because even though the quarters DEFINITELY felt cramped at times, we also had all this goodness mere steps away...

But you can't spend all day every day at the beach...so here are some tips for keeping it together when you're stuck inside.

1. Be organized about it.  I have a rule that if I am staying somewhere for more than a few days, then I unpack my suitcase and put my clothes away.  We put all our clothes in the closet and dresser.  Since it was two months worth of clothes for four people, it was a tight fit, but we made it work! And it allowed me to stow away the suitcases and not worry about people tripping all over them.

2. Without a kitchen, you are going to be eating out A LOT, so I would recommend stocking up on breakfast and lunch items (and snacks too, if you are a pregnant lady or a toddler. ;)).  We had our little mini fridge stuffed to the gills and then stowed our non-perishables wherever we could.  Behind the TV or in the nightstand, etc. We also made sure to have plenty of paper plates, napkins, and plastic silverware.

We kept all our plates and things in this bag.

3. Go ahead and skip the travel size toiletry items.  Bring your normal-size shampoo and whatever else you use.  This is real life, not vacation.  It also allowed me to save the hotel's complimentary toiletry items, and now I can use them for guests that come to visit us, or take them with me on a trip.  Or you can just let the hotel keep them, if you feel weird about it. 

4. Laundry is an inevitable part of life, so to make it easier on yourself, bring a collapsible laundry basket and invest in some detergent and whatever else you like to wash your laundry wish.  I also had a mesh laundry bag to help with sorting/lugging everything to the laundry room down the hall.  And don't forget the quarters!


5. If you have small children who still use bottles or sippy cups, make sure you have the means to wash them.  We brought a bottle brush and bought a small container of dish soap to keep things clean. 

6. Make sure to get out at least once a day if you can.  It was so hard to do that sometimes with two kids and no car, but even if we just went for a walk around the resort in the stroller, it made life so much better.

These stairs were one of London's favorite things about the hotel.  And one of Juliet's biggest struggles.

They had to go through this tree at least once a day.

I am so jealous of her curls.

London calls this her "house."

And, here is a quick tour of the set up we had going.

I tried to keep everyone's bathroom stuff organized in their bags.  We also bought our own liquid hand soap. Those bars get gross fast! 

 

Please note the large amount of stuff hiding behind the TV.

Our room would remain like this for all of two minutes (tops) after the cleaning lady came.

Closet full of clothes/ bags/my shoes.  We kept the diapers and wipes up out of reach because our girls love to play with them.

All our clothes were in that dresser.  Shoes are under the desk, paper and books on top of the desk.  The chair full of stuff has all the girls books and toys concealed under that blanket.  Normally they were strewn threw the room.  But I spared you that chaos.

We kept our gargantuan stroller and all the beach gear out on our balcony, out of the way.

Rainbow view from our room.

The best view from our room.

Especially at this time of day.

Hopefully that wasn't too terribly boring for you! I'm so glad that we are out of the hotel and in our very own home.  We moved in two weeks ago and finally finished all the unpacking.  Still getting settled and organized, but there are no more boxes in my house, so that's a step in the right direction! 

When we were still in the hotel Dan turned to me one night and said, "You know, I'm going to miss this place, it's starting to feel like home."  I don't know that I share those sentiments exactly, but I do really miss having someone coming in and cleaning for me every day!! ;)

My little miss

 I know I'm biased, but I really don't think it gets much cuter than this.  I love this little girl with all my heart.  I'm in love with her little personality that is coming out more and more now that she is learning how to talk.  Even though she can be stubborn and strong-willed, and some days it seems like half of the day was spent in time-out, she makes me laugh more often than not.

A few of London's favorite things:

The Little Mermaid.  We are a little obsessed at our house--we don't even own the actual Little Mermaid, but we watch Ariel's Beginning almost every morning.  And I don't know many 18 month olds whose vocabulary includes "mermaid," but my daughter's does.  Sometimes it's the first thing she says when she wakes up!

Playing outside.  Sooo much energy, you wouldn't believe.  If only we had a yard...I guess the park will have to suffice for now!

Doggies.  She has no fear and will walk up to any dog, no matter the size.  She won't always pet them, but she loves to look at them.  We were at the park the other day and she was making friends with a HUGE labrador.  The dog panted right in her face and London did it right back.  It was super funny.  And the first thing she wants to do whenever we go to Grandma's house is go outside and play with the dog.

Shoes, jewelry, bows, and dressing up.  I'm going to have one of those kids that insists on dressing themselves.  And it will always be in the girliest things.  The other day she INSISTED on wearing the fluffiest tutu she owned, instead of the shorts I'd picked out for her.  She also is constantly stealing any shoes she can find and wearing them around the house.   And every day after getting dressed she looks at me and says, "Bow???" Which is London-speak for, "Please do my hair NOW."

Babies.  This makes me happy, since we're going to have a brand new baby of our own in a couple of weeks here.  London loves taking care of her little baby doll--she's always putting it in the baby swing, singing her songs, or wrapping her up in a blankie to put her down for a nap.  It is so sweet, and gives me hope that she will be the best big sister.

Pictures.  London loves to look at photo albums and point out every one she knows. A few of her favorites are Mama and Dada, but she also loves to see KACK! (Uncle Jack), Papa (her word for both her grandpas), mama (that works for me or Grandma Carrie), Bubba (Uncle Spicer), and Mimi.  She recognizes her other aunts and uncles and will point to them when you ask where they are, but we're still working on the names.  She'll also point to her Grammie when you ask.  So hopefully next month when we have THE WHOLE ENTIRE FAMILY ON BOTH SIDES in town she'll be able to at least know who everyone is and not feel completely overwhelmed.

 P.S. Less than 20 days till we're a family of four!!

Ohhh we're halfway there

Today is my half-birthday!  Which means it's time for a progress report on my 24 things before 24...

1. Road trip to the Grand Canyon.  (Thinking maybe this summer??)
2. Sew an article of clothing. I did alter a pair of pants, but I'm hoping to do something a little more ambitious soon.
3. Sew a costume.

London's money bag.

4. Make a quilt. -in progress!  My mom is helping me!
5. Finish draft of novel.
6. Pick up violin again.  Master a new song--or an old one. Just something!
7. Learn a song on the guitar. (I've been practicing, but I want to be able to play something more exciting than Ode to Joy...)
8. Go to a concert.
9. Paint a picture, even if it's ugly.
10. Do something nice for someone you don't know
11. Take a photography class. Just started one!  It's online and it's free, but I'm learning!
12. San Fran.
13. Throw London an awesome first birthday party. Soooo on this one right now!  It's in less than 3 weeks!!
14. Visit the temple at least four times this year.  On track, already gone twice in the last six months (special thanks to Dave and Carrie and my wonderful sisters-in-law for making both times possible!)
 15. Go camping. Planning on it in July.  Snow Family Reunion!
16. Learn to respect your body. (And not treat it like a garbage disposal.)
17. Write a pen pal. 
18. Plant a garden.  And don't kill it.  I've already got some basil growing on my porch and plans for more.
19. Run a 5k. 

Basking in my glory!

20.  Host a houseguest.  Be the gracious Southern hostess you were raised to be.  Hopey, Zach, Kimmy, and Melanie, and we'll be hosting my mom and one of my brothers later this month.
21. Read 50 books. On track.  So far I've read 26 books.
22. Have a dinner party.
23. Go antique-ing.
24. Get out of the house, every day. Even if it's only a walk. 

Moral of the story...I am kind of a procrastinator and am going to be busy the next six months if I want to accomplish every last one of these goals.  Which means I better get off the computer and go put some of these plans into action. 

We are Thankful.

For Cheerios.
For our home.
For golf.

Can you guess who is grateful for each of these things?

Sweet Potato Bruschetta

(Recipe found here)
 Sweet Potato Bruschetta

1 1/2 pounds sweet potato, scrubbed, unpeeled, in 3/4- to 1-inch coins
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup toasted and cooled pecan halves
2 tiny or 1 small shallots
2 stalks celery
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon dried cranberries or cherries (Optional)
2 ounces firm-ish goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (hot!).
2. Coat a large baking sheet generously with olive oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons.
3. Lay sweet potatoes in one layer on the oiled sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, without disturbing, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece. The undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from the pan with no effort. If they’re not, let them cook longer. Sprinkle them with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the undersides match the tops.
4. Meanwhile, prepare your salad. Chop your pecans well, mince your shallots, chop your celery and parsley, mince cranberries if using them. Crumble your goat cheese, or purchase crumbled goat cheese! If you got too soft of a goat cheese for mixing, set it aside and sprinkle it on top. If it’s firmer, stir it into the mixture.
5. In a small dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon dijon. Pour half over salad.
6. When the sweet potatoes are done, scoop a spoonful of the salad over each round. Pour remaining salad dressing over top, to taste.
7. Eat immediately. If you plan on making these in advance, and storing them overnight, don’t! I made the mistake of covering the cooked potatoes overnight, only to find the next day that they were wrinkly and slightly soggy. You can definitely prepare your salad ahead of time, and cut your sweet potatoes, just make sure to bake them the day you plan on serving them!

This year was probably the first year I felt comfortable enough in the kitchen to actually contribute to the Thanksgiving feast.  I made a couple of appetizers and two desserts!  Maybe next year I'll be brave enough to make something for the main course.  I don't know if I'll ever be ready to cook a whole turkey though.  Does that scare anyone else??

London really enjoyed her Thanksgiving Dinner!  She had turkey, sweet potato, and green beans!

Family pictures after dinner. I think this one is the winner. [Thanks Hopey, for being our photographer!]

I hope you will agree with me and the rest of America that the pies are the best part of the day.  We had four beautiful ones!

Carrie's pecan pie.

Melanie's oreo pudding pie

My pumpkin cheesecake.

My Chocolate Pie. 

This is Dan's favorite holiday, and I really love it too.  How great is it that we have a whole day to celebrate all the good things in our lives?  I'm so grateful that I have such great people to share the holidays with.  I'm grateful that my sister was able to come down and join us.  I'm grateful I was still able to see my family this month, even if it wasn't for Thanksgiving.  I'm grateful for the beauty of the earth.  I'm grateful for our home.  I'm grateful for a loving Savior.  I'm forever grateful to Him for my beautiful daughter and the best husband.  I'm grateful for so much more, but these are the big ones.

Day at the Park

I love spending time with these goobers.  But it's still weird that they can grow facial hair now...

I think the beauty of the fall colors kind of goes without saying...but I feel like I won the lottery since they started falling while I was here.  God loves me, and maybe it's silly, but this was a tender mercy for me.  Crisp fall weather, sweaters and tights, hot chocolate, southern accents, beautiful colors, and chillin' with the fam...I think I'm finally in the mood for Thanksgiving!