Week 14. Birthday Celebrations. Week 15.

Life. Is. Crazy. I know it will only get crazier when these littles arrive, but it sure has been difficult keeping up with my weekly updates this time around. January is always a busy month for us - packing up Christmas stuff, planning and prepping Josiah's birthday party, and finding time to celebrate my birthday with friends and family. Josiah's usually takes over mine, but I don't mind having a low key, simple get together.

I'll try and do this update in the order that it all happened...

Week 14
I hadn't been feeling the twins move a whole lot, but I started noticing a pattern of feeling them in the evenings. This week I hadn't noticed at all and it kind of made me wonder worry. I didn't think about it too much though. My mom was arriving later in the week for birthdays, so I had plenty to keep my mind occupied...cleaning, party favors, party shopping, party, party, party!

(no baby bump photo...unless you count the snapshots from birthday celebrations)

I decided I wanted to do brunch with just some girlfriends the morning of Josiah's party. I wasn't sure if it'd be too much for one day, but it was actually pretty perfect. I am so very grateful for the ladies in my life. They are my family away from family. My community. My village. God is good.

Sound the Alarm! Josiah turns 3 years old!
Friday was his actual birthday, but we were having his party on Saturday. I had this great plan to have it at a local fire station - several friends in the past year had their sons party there and I loved the idea! I was looking for inexpensive, simple, fun and this was the perfect thing for our little boy! So many of his little buddies came out to celebrate, it was wonderful!

Birthday donut on his actual birthday

His birthday shirt I made and those awesome fire truck shoes to match!

Sunday was my birthday, which I had reserved for family time. We went out to eat at PF Changs in Austin. I had never been and it was delicious. I made sure to go on an empty stomach. Loved getting to celebrate with my little family and my mom. It's been nice having a birthday close to Josiah's, so she has an excuse to come out!

Dinner at PF Changes. Turning 31 never tasted so good!

Week 15
It had been such a busy weekend! I was looking forward to some down time. Luckily I had my OB appointment Monday morning while my mom was still here. I was just expecting to hear heartbeats, but my OB likes to use the ultrasound machine to view the heartbeats - less guesswork on what you're hearing, especially when there's two littles in there. It was a nice surprise that my mom got to see the twins rather than just hear them :)

Little noggins

This is the first appointment Josiah has been to. He's a very active little boy and he had been extremely difficult while gramma was here (testing every limit = not being obedient to mommy and daddy). I was dreading him coming with us, but I knew my mom could handle him. Plus, it was kind of fun to get to show him the "two babies in mommy's tummy" for the first time. He still doesn't really know what's going on, but he knows something is different. One of the twins was very active during the ultrasound - put my worry at ease for sure - and both heartbeats were good. Also, my blood pressure was normal (praise God!).We ended up going to Motherhood after my appointment because I needed some basic shirts to further my maternity wardrobe. I ended up getting a few that I can dress up and accessorize with scarves and jewelry. We're going for comfort here. My back is already starting to hurt, especially if I stand for a longer period of time. I don't know if it's because this is my second pregnancy or it's because it's twins, but I can feel the stretching and growing of these littles a lot more than I ever remember with Josiah. Sometimes it's fairly uncomfortable. I definitely notice when my belly has grown overnight!

We had a great time with my mom while she was here. There were some moments that were really tough dealing with Josiah's behavior. It made me worry a little about when she's out here this summer to help with the twins, how he'll behave for us. I'm praying that the time between now and then will help him mature a little and us as parents can be even more consistent with discipline. It's going to be such a transitional time for him (and everyone) and I want to be able to parent him well still as well as make him feel special and included. I have so many prayers for my boy during this time of just the three of us. So many prayers.

Brunch at Kerby Lane Cafe in Austin before dropping gramma off at the airport

Next week I have my MFM (high rish) appointment. I'm prayerful we'll be able to find out genders - here's to hoping the littles will cooperate! Richard may get to go with me. If he does, we will also bring Josiah. I would love to have them there when we find out genders. I'm also really eager to get started planning the nursery and stuff. One thing I've heard a lot with twins (and is already kind of in my nature) is to be as prepared as you can! I'm all about getting done what I can as early as I can before it gets too difficult or if certain things complicate it (bed rest, twins coming early, etc.). Along with finding out genders, another prayer I have is peace. I've been praying for a boy and a girl, but I also know that the Lord will give us what he sees fit. I want to be at peace with that. Whether it's two boys, two girls, or one of each. Trust. Just trust.

Hopefully I'll have some exciting news to share next week! Stay tuned...

Week 13

I probably should be fired from the internet for posting a bathroom selfie of my baby bump, but let's face it, with a toddler running around, I won't get a whole lot of opportunities to set up my tripod and post a real photo of myself. This will have to do. Toddler smudges on the mirror and all.

I'm 13 weeks pregnant with the twins now! My belly is getting bigger - a lot sooner than it did with J. I've been sick since Christmas with this congestion/allergy thing. It makes for a good nights sleep hard to find :( I'm already starting to feel aches in my back and shoulders. It's not too terrible, but boy, am I exhausted by 8pm! The nausea continues to disappear for days then magically show up again and hang around for a few days. Usually during nap time, so much doesn't get done around the house. I haven't actually been sick, so I can't complain too much, right?

A week or so ago I thought I could feel movement. This week I've noticed a little more. It's usually in the evening when I'm sitting on the couch trying to relax. It feels like little gas bubbles, especially after I press my tummy in certain spots. So fun! It'll be exciting, and I'm sure very weird, when they're a bit bigger and start really moving.

I've already had some weird pregnancy dreams, even before we found out it was twins - something about the baby being a spider. Yes, a spider. Last weekend I had a kind of scary dream and woke up crying. My poor husband. It felt very real and it kind of freaked me out - there was something wrong with Baby B and we lost it. I'm sure it's just my own little worry that stemmed from the sonographer having a hard time getting a good look at B at my ultrasound, even though she said everything looked fine and heart beat was good. My double hormonal self can't handle vivid dreams like this! I remember praying that morning after I calmed down. And various times throughout this week too. He will bring me peace and comfort.

In other news, we crossed off our biggest pre-twins expense this past weekend. We bought a minivan!

We were planning on buying a new (to us) car in April or May, but we stumbled across this great deal and couldn't pass it up! I always said I'd never own a minivan; that I'd drive a big SUV instead. Yeah, well with gas and insurance expenses, that's not going to happen. Minivan it is! Let me tell you, I actually love the practicality and functionality of it. It's so easy getting J in and out and as I get bigger it will be so much easier for ME to get in and out as it's lower to the ground...and the leather seats add to the comfort of driving it. It's still pretty surreal. When I'm driving around town I often catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror with rows of seats behind me and think, I'm driving a freaking minivan!" It's actually pretty great.

Next week is J's birthday and my birthday and my mom is flying in for a visit. It will be great to have the company and the help at his party. She'll also get to go to my next OB appointment and hear the heartbeats, all the while taming a wild 3 year old in the office. That should be fun!

Prayers for continued health and growth with the babies are appreciated. Along with the prayers that my worries be few and my trust grow as these littles grow inside me.

Confession: I'm (sorta) terrified & Week 12

Well this post is a week late as I was fighting some serious cedar fever/sinus congestion during the week of Christmas. Not fun, especially when there's very little to take to get some relief. The netti pot will be my friend during this pregnancy!

We are so incredibly excited and grateful to the Lord for answering our prayers, sustaining us through hope while we waited, and giving us the work to raise up more children, but I'm a bit terrified about this pregnancy and how twins will change our lives. So I want to lay it all out on the table. I think it might help me. To pray more. To worry less. Because, oh my gosh we're going to be a family of FIVE! So here goes...

I'm afraid of growing two babies. I'm afraid of what it will do to my body - all the stretching and discomfort.

I'm afraid of bed rest. Because, toddler.

I'm afraid I'm not getting the right nutrients or that I'm eating too much or (could it be possible?) not eating enough - and that somehow I'm already failing them.

I'm afraid they'll both be girls.

I'm afraid they'll both be boys.

I'm afraid I'll give birth too early.

I'm afraid I'll go to 38 weeks.

I'm afraid they'll have to stay in the NICU. I'm afraid of coming home without my babies.

I'm afraid of breastfeeding - that my body cannot keep up with the demands of such a task. I was unable to breastfeed Josiah - I'm afraid of the guilt I'll feel yet again.

I'm afraid of the cost - diapers, formula, baby clothes, furniture, carseats, a new, bigger car, all the things!

I'm afraid I won't be able to parent Josiah the way he needs, that he'll feel rejection at such a young age, and that he might resent me or the babies or both.

I'm afraid I won't allow a ton of help.

I'm afraid I'll depend too much on the help then be SOL when the help is gone and I've gotta do this on my own.

I'm afraid I'll never sleep again.

I'm afraid we'll never get to travel again to see family.

And there. Now I've said it.

Confession is good for the soul. Yes, yes it is.

And hear me, I know: God. Sovereign. Do not worry. Trust and obey. Jesus.

I know all of that.

That's why I have to whisper this to you in the quiet of a confessional instead of just being normal about it, because I know that it's not very Christian to be all up-at-night-terrified. I know.

But I just had to have this moment, this one dark, hushed moment behind a curtain, bowing my head next to a screen to confess it all. Thank you for hearing me.

I'm now in week 12 of this pregnancy and starting to feel a bit more energy. I've not been sick, but more dealing with a random and lingering nausea. I've had to change the frequency in which I eat and that has helped keep the nausea away for now. Hopefully it's gone for good!

One requirement for a pregnancy with multiples is seeing a high risk doctor as well as your regular OB. A couple of days ago I had my first high risk doctor appointment. Aside from the tremendously long wait (I arrived at my appointment time of 12:30, waited 2 hours before being seen, then the ultrasound took longer than I thought, so I wasn't able to walk out the door until about 3:45 to come home), things look good. *note: the high risk doctors come up from Austin once a week, so there will be a wait at these appointments as they try to see as many people as possible - I was warned about this prior*

I get to see my babies every month and then every week once I hit 32 weeks.

My babies. I'm choosing to ignore the financial cost of all these ultrasounds because I'd rather find comfort in getting to see them every month. I got to hear their heart beats this time. So precious.

The sonographer took a ton of measurements. I was offered the first trimester screen testing for genetic disorders like down syndrome. Richard and I had decided against it at our last appointment. It won't change our minds about anything and we're trusting the Lord that we will have healthy little ones. Once the doctor came in to talk with me and informed me that even the genetic stuff is at higher risk in a multiples pregnancy, I started to second guess our decision. I think that's just the worry creeping in. This pregnancy is already so different than my last and I'm still trying to adjust to it. The good news is, they both looked good and right on track with where they should be. My blood pressure was borderline that day - it's something I have to watch as I'm more at risk for pre-eclampsia and preterm labor among other things. I had slightly high blood pressure the majority of my pregnancy with Josiah, but the doctor wasn't too concerned. Aside from the huge weight gain, I had a pretty good pregnancy and felt good. I'm trusting this is just a precaution and that everything will be fine - need to get in some exercise and make sure I'm eating well. Easier said than done some days.

I don't have a baby bump picture for this week, but I'm already showing (and feeling) like I'm a little further along. A little back ache every once and awhile, but other than that, I'm feeling good. Sleep has been a little better. I need to drink more water earlier in the day because I'm getting up way too much at night to potty!

Again, I say how thankful we are for these miracles. All fears aside. For as long as God allows, I will do my very best to mother my second and third children. They are real and they are His and they are ours and we are blessed.

...and then there were FIVE!

We have BIG news...TWINS!!

As many of you know, we've been on this baby journey for a year and a half and were so excited to find out we were finally pregnant in November! We told family right away and a few close friends before sharing with our church small group and Sunday school group. So many have prayed with us through this journey and have encouraged us when I was feeling warn down emotionally. We couldn't wait to share the news with our friends! I have been a bit more cautious this time around and we waited until about the 8 week mark to share with our group of friends and then waited until after my first OB appointment to share with the rest of the world (aka Facebook and Instagram). I'm so glad we did because we discovered that there are not one, but TWO BABIES growing in there! During the ultrasound, the conversation went something like this:

OB: "Well, you're having twins!"
Me: "Are you kidding me?!" (cue sobbing for the remainder of the appointment...)

I remember the morning I found out I was pregnant - there were a lot of tears then too! Tears of absolute joy and praise to the Lord! The tears at my appointment were very much the same - full of joy, excitement, and you betcha - fear!

Let's back up a bit to my OB appointment in October. It was then that my doctor decided to try 3 months of a high dose of clomid to increase our chances of getting pregnant. I was to take 3 pills each day for 5 days then wait - if it didn't work then I'd do it all over again the next month then the next. With clomid there's a small percentage that you could end up with multiples. We were totally aware of this and were completely fine with it because there's always been a possibility we could have twins - my family has two sets of twins and Richard's family has one. We went ahead with the plan for clomid. I took the pills for 5 days and experienced hot flashes like a lady going through menopause. I spent a lot of time praying that month that we would get pregnant. Aside from wanting this to finally happen for us, I didn't want to have to take these pills again (and possibly again). I hated the way they made me feel and not to mention our insurance didn't cover the cost for the prescription and they were not cheap pills to purchase. A few weeks later I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. My heart sank. I waited several more days and when I was late I took another test on a whim because I had an extra and figured "why not?" I just knew I wasn't pregnant, but there was still a little bit of hope that maybe, just maybe I was. It showed up positive right away! I could hardly believe it! I called Richard right away sobbing (pretty sure he thought something was wrong).

One of my prayers recently has been that when we found out we were pregnant we would rejoice in the Lord for what he has done. That is exactly what I did when I read that pregnancy test, before I called Richard, or did anything else. I sobbed in the bathroom and gave him all the glory. HE did this! HE answered our prayers! His faithfulness and steadfastness just astounds me sometimes. So when we found out it was twins - can you imagine? We are elated, shocked, joyful, and slightly afraid, but He has taken care of us up to this point, He won't leave us; He is still very much here with us in this journey because it has only just begun!

I've decided I'd really like to continue documenting this journey through this blog. I want to remember everything He has taken us through and will take us through. And if others can relate or feel encouraged by it then that's great! So, I will be giving weekly updates as we go through this new adventure of waiting for our TWINS (I still can't get over that - hehe!). My next blog post will be up sometime this week starting with a confession then a brief fill-in of my week 11 pregnancy with twins.

May you all have a Merry Christmas!

My Whole30 Experience

It seems everyone around me has jumped on the Whole30 bandwagon. I fought with the idea of it for several months. Why? Because I'm stubborn. I've been unhappy with my body and how I was fueling it ever since I gained about 50-60 pounds during my pregnancy. I worked really hard after I had J and lost about 45 pounds in 9 months then I hit a plateau and became complacent. I developed some pretty bad emotional eating habits during that time. I was working out 4 times a week for an hour, but tended to convince myself that I 'deserved' that cookie or that bowl of ice cream because I burned X number of calories that day. A lot of it was because we were going through some stressful things, things that made me feel a variety of emotions and instead of finding comfort in the Lord, I looked for it in the food I was eating. I knew I needed to change, but I fought the idea of this Whole30 thing for several reasons:

• I didn't like how restrictive it was. I wanted to keep eating what I had trained my body to crave - total crap.
• I was scared I would fail. I just knew this was going to be hard because I felt I had no discipline with my food.
• Everyone else was doing it. I wanted my reason to be because I was ready and this is what I wanted, not because a group of my friends were doing it and I felt I need to join them in it too. This needed to be for me.

 This sounds so cliche, but I had one of those days where I just hit bottom. I sobbed over how I looked, how I felt, and how I had failed. I talked to Richard about it and he encouraged me to do Whole30 just to see how it goes. My one requirement was that he do it with me. I needed the moral support and honestly, needed him to be eating what I was eating so I wouldn't be envious of what he got to eat, which I could see would push me to cheat and then have to start over. Thankfully, he was very willing to do this along side me.

What is Whole30?
My very brief explanation is that Whole30 is meant to restart your eating habits. On Whole30 you cut out grains, legumes, dairy, and sugar. So basically you just eat lots of meat, veggies, and fruit. After 30 days of none of these things the idea is to gradually reintroduce each group back into your diet. From what I've read, a lot of people do Whole30 to find and restrict certain foods they may be allergic to/have bad reactions to. A lot of people also go on to eat mostly Paleo afterwards.

My Reasons for Doing Whole30

• Break my bad eating habits/remove cravings.
• Gain control, discipline, and confidence in fueling my body properly.
• Help with our infertility journey (I've read a lot that Whole30 has helped people with their infertility issues - eating healthier can definitely help with that).
• Lose weight/inches - total perk to me as I didn't want this to be the main reason for doing Whole30
• To walk away with a better understanding of myself and my eating habits so I can continue to deal with those emotional issues even after the 30 days is over.

Meals
Thought I'd share some of my favorite meals from our 30 day journey. I'm rather picky when it comes to vegetables and pretty much all other foods (thanks, mom), so there's not a whole lot of variety. I did try some new things that I never really cooked up before and I enjoyed experimenting with seasonings and new ways to cook.
 Samples -
Breakfast:
- scrambled eggs and a banana with cinnamon
- banana with almond butter and a mandarin orange (workout mornings)
- Paleo pancake (one egg mixed with mashed up banana)
- scrambled eggs with chopped up kale and some fruit (strawberries, banana, mandarin orange)

Lunch:
- tilapia filet with garlic seasoning and veggies (broccoli or green beans)
- leftover chicken and veggies (Richard took most of the leftovers to work, so this only happened a few times for me)
- apple slices with almond butter and 2 hard boiled eggs (my easy go-to lunch - must have had it almost everyday towards the end of the 30 days) Surprisingly filling.

Dinner:
- bunless burger with fried egg, lettuce, and tomato (I only had tomato once or twice - not a fan) and sweet potatoes
- tilapia and veggies
- thin boneless pork chops and fresh green beans sauted
- chicken thighs and veggies (this is one of my favorites)
- chicken breasts and veggies (only did this a few times - I'm no good at cooking juicy chicken breasts, they always turn out dry)
- shrimp, kale, and sweet potato skillet (another good one)
-lettuce wrap tacos
- pork roast with veggies or baked sweet potato

Here are some pictures of some of the dinners I made:

shrimp, kale, sweet potato skillet

lettuce wrap tacos with ground chicken breast and avocado

pork roast and cabbage

bunless burger and sweet potatoes

tilapia and salad with avocado dressing

My Experience
I won't give a week by week rundown of my experience, but just know that the first few weeks were a little rough as my body detoxed off all the sugar and processed food I had been eating prior. I was tired, irritable, and having tummy issues. It was kind of funny, the first two days on Whole30 I had two gatherings that surrounded food so I felt like that was my initiation. I made sure I ate before I went hoping that would make things less tempting. It was definitely still tempting, but I was able to say no! After the first two weeks, I began to realize that I totally have the willpower to control what goes in my body - I was becoming much more aware of WHY I wanted it. Some days it was out of boredom, some days it was because I wanted to eat my feelings, and others it was because it was just what I always did. For example, when packing J's snacks. I would usually snag a pretzel or golfish or teddy graham. You know how many back and forth moments I've had with broken pieces of pretzel in the past 30 days?! Seriously, if you could have seen the battle. I laugh about it now, but my goodness. Now, I definitely still want those things, but understand and desire to only treat myself every once and awhile rather than everyday.

My Results
I took before and after pictures, weighed myself, and measured myself throughout the Whole30. They say not to because they don't want to get you sidetracked, but I couldn't help it! I think it actually helped me stay more focused knowing that changes were happening. So here it is, I've lost 20 pounds, dropped about 1 size, and about 12 inches total (hips, waist, chest)!

What's Next?
Richard and I have agreed that we like having just veggies and meat for dinner (cut out the pasta, bread, and other grains), so our plan is to keep our dinners very similar to what they are now. We are spending the rest of this week gradually reintroducing certain foods, starting with certain grains - white rice, oatmeal, and corn. In a few days we'll try dairy. I think we'll gradually add in sugars as we go - I'm going to need some honey in my oatmeal tomorrow morning! We plan to eat like we have been most of the week with a few days (probably the weekends) where we'll cheat a little more. I am definitely going to have some coffee with milk and sugar and some ice cream in the very near future!

My Advice:

• Plan and prep! Use a meal planner for each meal during the week, fill it in with what you will eat, and only eat that. The form I use has the shopping list form just under it so when you grocery shop, you know exactly what to get and only get that! Also, meal prep is huge! Sunday afternoons I would bake chicken breasts and steam veggies for Richard's lunches for the week, pack them up, and stick them in the fridge. Nights that we had chicken thighs I'd make more than necessary so there would be plenty of leftovers. Since I stay home with J, it's easier for me to throw something together for myself so I had no problem giving Richard all the leftovers.
• Budget! The first week we went over our weekly grocery budget - things are more expensive when you're trying to eat healthy. Whole30 suggests you eat all organic, grass-fed stuff, but I quickly learned we can't afford to eat that way all the time, so I made some changes to our plan. Some shopping trips I found grass-fed beef on sale, so I bought it. Same with the all natural, no added hormones and stuff. However, when I just couldn't afford the fancy meat I chose to get the leanest I could find, which is totally ok for Whole30. I chose to focus on what was feasible for us and this is what worked.
• Give yourself grace! I was pretty determined when we started this that I wasn't going to cheat or let myself give in to temptation. I'm here to say that it's totally possible to NOT mess up!! I did not cave once, but I know that given certain circumstances it's really hard to avoid processed food, or some dairy, or even some bread. So with that I say, give yourself grace. If you find yourself in a situation where you have no options (or even if you do and you still mess up), reevaluate and start fresh the next day. One mess up isn't failure. Failure is messing up and then never trying again to better it.
• Don't stress! One thing we decided on before we started Whole30 was to not eat out for the 30 days because we knew it would be really hard to find something at a restaurant that was Whole30 compliant. We know there are places that exist that work for it, but we didn't want the stress of adding yet another thing to plan for when we were already planning every single meal, budget, and such. We knew this decision would help our stress levels stay low, that's what worked for us. If you see potential stresses ahead of time, try to be prepared for them. Don't focus so much on what you CAN'T have - I know it's hard because I found myself saying "I can't have that" A LOT in the last 30 days. I would bring my own snacks to get togethers in order to avoid the sweets and snacks tables.
• Be amazed! Before I started Whole30 I had read "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst, so I was already prepping myself spiritually for this journey with food because, yes, food isn't just a physical-rely-on-your-own-discipline thing. I prayed a lot throughout this Whole30 journey. For little stuff like "not letting my detoxing irritably hurt anyone today" or "please help me through the emotional reason I'm wanting to eat ice cream right now." Take every little victory and treat it like a huge one! Be amazed at what your body can do and what you can do when you allow yourself to be disciplined and allow God to be a part of that discipline. Sure, I lost 20 lbs, but only went down 1 size in pants. I could totally sit here and allow myself to be disappointed in that or I could embrace it and accept it as growth (in a smaller direction) and be motivated to keep going.

This has been a really good experience for me. It was WAY more than wanting to lose a few more pounds. It was about starting over, starting fresh, and seeing the potential I have in how I can live my life in a pleasing way to God - with my food.

I used to be fat. Now I'm a little less fat ;)

Keep My Eyes Above the Waves

 Quick Update:
Yesterday we got some good news after I had an HSG test done (if you must know details, check out what this test is here). They found nothing abnormal - and for that we praise Him! We continue to wait for results from Richard's SA test and my appointment in October to determine our next step.

I woke up this morning craving the comfort of my god. This little infertility journey we're on is an emotional one and I constantly find myself needing stability when so many things around us are whirling and not in one piece. I was reminded of a song we sing at church and cried out in worship to Him.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever you would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon your name

Keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in your embrace

I am Yours and You are mine

We are not promised an easy life, even as Christians. In fact, we are told it will be hard. The thing is, He is always there with us to bring comfort and strength. Instead of being upset and angry, I run to him to find rest; to find comfort while we wait in the unknown. My heart cry is that I will learn to trust Him without limits, meaning, wherever He guides me - in goodness and in trials - I will trust in Him and in His plan FULLY. I have to stop putting limits on God. I have to stop trusting him just a little bit and give Him all my trust. It's hard, people, but it's so incredibly humbling and completely worth it! My faith is being made stronger because of this; because of this journey; because of His love for us and for that I am so incredibly grateful.

I am His and He is mine in ALL things.

Project: Cheap Pantry Organization!

Let me start by saying how much I hate loathe our kitchen. It's small, the countertops are awful, the fridge spot is too small for a normal size fridge, and the pantry...oh the pantry! Because of the location and size of the refrigerator space we have no door on our pantry. With the addition of a toddler in the past two years, we've set up a baby gate to keep him out of there - oh so classy and chic, I know. Knowing the things I dislike about our kitchen I have had to remind myself of the lovely things about it. The cabinets are in decent shape, there are windows all around so it's easy to watch J play outside without actually having to be outside with him 100% of the time *gasp*, and I love that it's open and flows into the dining and living room areas.

I really enjoy entertaining. We don't do it nearly as often as we would like, but it holds a special place in my heart nonetheless. I don't, however, like that everyone who comes over can see right into our messy, unkempt pantry. There's no junk drawer or closet to throw it into when guests arrive. It's always out in the open, nowhere to hide. Over the past few months I had grown pretty tired of the way it was{not}taken care of. I started pinning organization ideas on Pinterest and finding ways to do it on the cheap. So, today I share with you the how and what I used to tackle this project!

Take a look at the hideous before picture:

Even the lighting is bad. Ugh. I had a plan for where I wanted things to go, so my first step was to take everything out. Y'all, my kitchen was FILLED with this junk as I cleaned off the shelves and swept up the floor. Next, I started grouping items - bread, snacks, J's inside/outside toys (crayons, chalk, bubbles, etc), baking goods, and spices/seasonings. I also gathered up my cookbooks and organized them for the pantry - they had been sitting on the kitchen counter taking up space and collecting dust. Once I had cleaned everything out I started with the large appliances, which I put on the bottom shelf - no appliances on the floor! Yay! I placed my grouped items in plastic containers and baskets. All my cookbooks went into 3 separate magazine holders and all the plastic wrap, tin foil, wax paper, and ziploc bags went into another 3 separate magazine holders. On the top shelf I organized all my glass jars, vases, and serving platters/dishes and I was DONE!

What I bought:

• 4 medium rectangular plastic containers - I found mine at Target for $5 each
• 3 small rectangular plastic baskets - Target $1 bins
• 6 cardboard magazine holders - again, Target $1 bins *cha-ching!* I love Target :)
• 2 - 12 inch round turntables for two of the shelves corners - Bed, Bath & Beyond $7.99 each, but I had a 20% coupon for one of them

The final result:

 Even the lighting is better! It's nothing too drastic, but it's enough change that I love it and it's so much more functional!

What other ways do you organize pantry items?