the great wall

So I bet several cat owners share my opinion. One of the most difficult things about owning a cat, is figuring out where to put the nasty litter box. The cats need access to it, but you don't really want it in a high traffic area.

When we first looked at buying our house, the previous owner kept her cat box in the closet in the family room. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll pass on hanging out with cat poo while I'm watching TV. Since we've moved in the cat box has moved between the guest room and the soon to be nursery. Well it isn't really awesome to have the cat box in with your guests, and it most surely isn't ok to have a cat box in the baby's room. So what do we do?

Well our house does have a basement, and up until yesterday it was a garage entry basement. Our solution to the cat box problem? We built a wall in our garage so our basement is now an inside entry. Previously there were two ways to get into the garage... you could go through a door in the dining room, or one in the family room, which just happened to pop out right by the basement.

In the garage before we built the wall, looking at the door coming from the family room:

And here is the man after he got all of his studs put up:

And here is the wall after the drywall was up:

So it isn't currently the prettiest thing. But it is functional. Next step? Install a pet door so we can keep the family room door closed while still allowing our little guys to get down the stairs to eat and poo :o).

the places we go...

First I have start this post off with a conversation Chris and I had today...

Me: I want to write a blog post today, but I'm not sure what to blog about.
Chris: hmmm, I don't know...
Me: Well I thought about posting about a project I'd like to do for our family room. I want to make a map for the wall that we can stick pins in. But every time I post a craft or project I want to do I never actually finish it. My blog is going to turn into a bunch of posts with other people's projects that I never get around to trying.
Chris: Well your blog is called the domestic wannabe isn't it? :o)

Valid point Christopher, valid point. In that case, here is my post about the map I want to make, but may never actually get around to.

Chris and I have this goal, to visit each and every one of the 50 states together. I think right now we are only up to like 5 or 6, but eventually we hope to hit the 50 mark. To track our progress I thought it would be fun to have a large framed wall map in our family room, so we can put pins in the different places we visit.

Below are some pictures of the map that Leslie G. created to track her and her husband's travels. You can also view her blog post where it was featured on The DIY Show Off.

I'm having a hard time deciding if I just want to do a US map, or if I want to have a world map instead. For Chris and I's little project we would really only need a US map, but I have traveled out of the country a teeny bit, and thought it would be fun to put pins there too.

What do you think?

'09 holiday decor

My Christmas decor didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped this year. I just never got around to putting everything out, and I was missing a few things but couldn't find them in the stores. Hopefully next year (who am I kidding, I'll have a kid!) I will do a better job. For now, this is what I have to show!

In all honesty, this little silver tree is one of my favorite decorations this year. Its simple, and just sitting on my bathroom counter, but I think it is so cute!

I was paranoid that the cats would steal this snowflakes from the guest bedroom. They aren't very heavy and could easily be knocked over. Surprisingly the snowflakes have stayed put since the day after Thanksgiving.

Thats about all I have to show this year. I'll leave you with this lovely shot of Chris and I after we opened presents with my family Christmas morning. No, I do not generally wear shades in the morning, they were a gift!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

bump check: 25 weeks

Crazy what a difference ten weeks makes. The picture on the left was taken at 15 weeks, when I was just first starting to get a little itty bitty bump. The picture on the right was taken today. I apologize for the sweats. After the holidays and the four hour drive in this wonderfully snowy weather there was no way I was putting on cute clothes for a headless photo :o).

This week our baby girl should be about 13 and half inches from head to heel, and weight about a pound and a half. She is finally starting to put on some baby fat so her skin doesn't look so wrinkly. Supposedly she is also starting to grow some more hair, and it is sporting a discernible color and texture.

Baby J got some very fun little things for Christmas. From her mommy (and daddy) she received a cute little owl onesie that I found on Etsy, and a blankie from Pottery Barn. Her grandma got her an extremely cute dining set (plate, bowl, sippy cup, etc.) that also featured some owls, and also the book "Why Grandpa Rides a Harley". From her auntie she got some super cute KU booties and a hat, a KU burp cloth and a book about Big Jay. This poor little girl is going to be brainwashed to love KU and owls from the very beginning!

How far along: 25 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I haven't stepped on the scale in a while...
Maternity clothes: do you think that stomach would fit in anything else?
Stretch marks?: none yet
Sleep: it comes and goes
Best moment this week: ordering the nursery furniture
Movement: I'm pretty sure she is body slamming my rib cage
Food cravings: onion rings
Gender: girl
What I miss: holiday cocktails
Milestones: only 15 weeks left!

sleepless in... Omaha

(this was written at 6:30 am, but the iPhone wouldn't play nice...)

So as I was coming home from work yesterday I was on the phone with Chris, and he informs me that if we didn't leave last night to drive to Omaha, we most likely wouldn't be going. He wasn't about to risk driving in the bad weather. Well I wasn't going to miss Christmas with my family, so after getting my dad to add a night to our hotel stay, calling my boss to make sure it was ok if I didn't come in, and canceling my hair appointment for the evening, I tossed my clothes in a bag, grabbed a pillow and a blanket and we were on our way.

We got in at about 10 pm, watched TV for a little while, and were asleep by 11:30. Unfortunately I must have rolled onto my back around 5 or so this morning, and that combined with a baby pressing on my lungs and the drainage from my lovely cold, I woke up coughing and slightly unable to breathe. I tried for another 30 minutes or so to go back to sleep, but it wasn't happening. And I was just keeping Chris awake. (No he wasn't complaining, I just feel guilty)

So here I sit with my iPhone and my 'What to Expect' book on the floor of the hotel bathroom trying to entertain myself until a more reasonable hour. Lame.

Hopefully a little bit of Robitussin and my fleece blanket will make tonight go a little bit smoother...

bump check: 24 weeks

24 weeks. Really? REALLY?!? I seriously can't believe it. That means there are only 16 weeks left until my due date. And personally, I'm hoping she comes slightly earlier than expected, which means I would have less than 16 weeks to go. That is crazy.

Making it to 24 weeks is a pretty big deal in my book. From what I understand, 24 weeks = viability. No, no one really wants their baby to come into the world only having been baked for 24 weeks, but at this point there is a chance she could make it outside my body. I'd say that is a pretty big accomplishment.

Baby is now about a foot long, and still weighing just over a pound. Supposedly she gained about 4 ounces in the last week. Her brain is growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world.

I can definitely tell that our little one is getting bigger and stronger. For the first time last night, Chris could literally see my belly moving from across the room. He is still the only one besides me who has felt the baby move, but I'm hoping soon she'll be moving often enough and um, big enough? that other people can feel it.

How far along: 24 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +8 pounds
Maternity clothes: yep
Stretch marks?: still none
Sleep: the cough I've developed isn't helping the sleep situation
Best moment this week: Seeing my belly move like crazy
Movement: its getting stronger!
Food cravings: onion rings
Gender: girl
What I miss: margaritas
Milestones: reaching viability

chicken and broccoli alfredo

This is by far one of the easiest recipes I have made. Although it wasn't the most incredible dinner I have ever had, it was definitely good, and something I would make again.


The recipe was found on, drumroll... allrecipes.com :o). Check it out here. We seriously spent more time waiting for the water to boil for the pasta, than we did actually cooking the meal. When we make the recipe again we plan to add more broccoli, and also probably some sliced mushrooms. The recipe doesn't necessarily taste like alfredo to me, but alfredo isn't my favorite thing, so I was ok with that.

Hope you enjoy!

bump check: 23 weeks

Personally, I think the belly growth has really slowed down... which is definitely ok with me! I was really nervous based on how much my body changed between the 16th week and the 20th, but since then I feel like my belly has just been rounding out a bit more, and maybe moving a little higher. Not necessarily getting too much bigger. I'm sure I'll have another growth spurt at some point, but for now I can deal. Plus the semi regular pain in my ligaments makes me think they are stretched far enough!


Our little girl should be a little over 11 inches long, and weighing in at just over a pound. (The growth specifications on the internet become a lot more vague after 22 weeks...) Babycenter.com says that my baby can now really sense movement, so I should turn on some music and dance around. Her movements are becoming strong enough that you can see them happen on occasion. Also, because her ears are getting more sensitive, loud noises she is hearing now (such as the vacuum cleaner) most likely won't faze her outside the womb. I however, find that hard to believe!!

I had my monthly OB appointment this week. Nothing too exciting to report, blood pressure was fine, weight gain is fine, no crazy symptoms or terribly horrible pain. I was able to get the H1N1 vaccine, something I wasn't really planning on. The nurse mentioned that they had some available, so I took her up on the opportunity. I also scheduled my glucose tolerance test for my following appointment, so I got to go home with what the nurse described as orange flavored liquid sugar. Yipee, I can't wait to chug it next month. :o)

How far along: 23 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +7 pounds
Maternity clothes: almost all of my regular shirts are too short :o(
Stretch marks?: not yet!
Sleep: not so hot this week
Best moment this week: I seriously can't think of one... lame.
Movement: mostly in the mornings and evenings
Food cravings: ice cream
Gender: girl
What I miss: the ability to easily bend over
Milestones: another healthy check-up

nursery progress

Well I'm not sure you can say there has been actual progress on the nursery. It still looks like this:

However, I have selected some items and really started to think about the overall look of the nursery. Here are the fabrics we plan to use to make the crib bedding. The fabric on the left will be for the crib skirt, the middle fabric will be the outside of the bumper, and the fabric on the right will be the inside of the bumper. I hope to just buy some yellow crib sheets at the store.

And here is the nursery 'mood board' thus far (click the image to view it larger). I have ordered and received the yellow curtains from Urban Outfitters and I LOVE them. They are going to be so cute. I just need to pick out a curtain rod and get them hung.

The gray rug is from Anthropologie. I hope to have an owl mobile custom made in colors to match the nursery, and I want to paint a large letter (whatever her first initial ends up being) to hang above the crib. The crib we picked out right now is from the Munire Urban Collection. I know which glider I would like (the Quinn chair by BestChairs) but I'm not sure what color I want to have it upholstered in. I am hoping they have either a blue or a green fabric that will match what is in the crib skirt. We figured blue or green could work later on in a boys nursery.

That is all for now! When some real progress gets made I'll let you know :o).

beautiful curtains

Semi recently we hung some curtains (found at Crate and Barrel) in our guest room. I absolutely love the way they look!




Now I just really need a headboard...

bump check: 22 weeks

Due to some technical difficulties this post is coming to you just a teeny bit late. And secondly, I apologize that these stripes are a bit intense on camera. I thought they were kind of cute in person :o).

Every time I realize how far along I am, a little bit of disbelief follows. Now there are only 18 weeks until our little girl is due to arrive. I'm really trying to enjoy the pregnancy, but I just can't wait to meet her! Plus, all of these stretching ligaments are really starting to drive me nuts. This week I went to sit down on a chair in our house, and ended up in the fetal position on the floor because my body just didn't want to cooperate. Eh, the joys of being pregnant!


Baby is a whopping 11 inches long and weighs almost a whole pound! According to babycenter.com, our little girl should look like a mini newborn, with lips, eyelids and eyebrows that are becoming more distinct, and even tiny tooth buds developing beneath the gums. Her eyes are now completely formed, but are still lacking pigment. Come on baby blues! She is also more capable of hearing noises from outside the womb. Sometimes I feel like I should talk to her, so she isn't so bored floating around all by herself in there :o).

This week I've been spending a lot of time thinking about names. Picking one out for our baby girl stresses me out just a bit. What if she hates it? What if other little kids make fun of her? We have a few names that we are considering, and one that will most likely be the one, but I just can't say that it is officially what I want to call her. I've gotten the suggestion 'just wait until you meet her and then decide' but I just don't believe that when she pops out I'll know any better what her name should be. Hmm...

And a little laughable tidbit? I've pretty much lost all the strength in my abs. I have a tendency to get slightly stuck on squishy couches, or if I'm laying down in bed I have to roll over to sit up. Chris laughs and calls me a pregger turtle. Isn't he a sweetie? :o) (Ok he really is, but I have to give him a hard time now and then!)

How far along: 22 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +6 pounds
Maternity clothes: yep
Stretch marks?: nope
Sleep: I went all night without using the bathroom twice this week!
Best moment this week: receiving some sample nursery fabrics in the mail
Food cravings: I had beer cheese soup Friday night... :o)
Gender: girl
What I miss: my ab muscles
Milestones: making it through another week!

Check back later this week for how the nursery is coming along!