A work in Progress?

Hello and Happy Monday to ya!  Is anyone else ridiculously excited for Thanksgiving?!  I know I'm counting down the days :)  More food than I can handle?!  Yes, please!

In the midst of the holiday madness, I've been trying to work on some projects for P too.  And this past week, I created a little painting for her room!

I wanted to do a Shakespearian quote that I found and love, along with this beautiful stencil in the background.  Feels very elegant, I think.  So to start, I mixed up a light gray color, and then aligned my stencil with the corner of the canvas.

My guys worked on a little 'painting' too :)

There wasn't a whole lot of scientific method involved.  I just sorta eyeballed the spacing I liked.  And I wasn't super precise about how filled in the stencil was.  I liked the kinda faded/rough look it gave it. (a perfectionist, I am not)

Then, to make sure I wrote in a straight line, I laid out three lines with painters tape.  (so maybe I have a  LITTLE perfectionist in me :P)

I had typed the quote up on the computer, and tried to just recreate the look of the font I used.

Here's were the 'in progress' part happened.  I really wanted this to be all pink and gray, which is the colors I'm going for in her room.  So, I pulled out this pink and started painting over my lettering.

But it just sorta got lost in the gray stencil.  And I wanted the quote to stand out.  In hindsight, I probably should have done the stencil in pink, and the lettering in gray.  Live and learn!  But, before I painted over the whole thing and started over, I wanted to try something else.

Enter plan B- Black :)  I painted over the letters, and it definitely made the quote stand out more!

Finished, for now!

I love it, but can't help but think it needs a little something else.  Maybe some pretty pink flowers?  A feather or two?  Some glitter?  I can't decide.  What do you think?  Maybe once I get it hung up in her pink room, I'll decide that the simplicity works best.  We shall see!

Happy Hooker

So, I have a little secret.  

I hang out a lot on the corner of 5th and Vine.....

Only kidding!  Please tell me you didn't believe that.  And if you did, we need to talk :P

Actually, I like to crochet!  It's something that I started in college, believe it or not.  I remember many late nights, hanging out with my neighbors in the dorm, watching American Idol and working on the blanket that I gave to my then boyfriend.  He's stuck around all this time, so it must have been an amazing blanket :D (Also can you tell I was QUITE the party animal in college?!)

Anywho, its something that I kinda do for a while, and then I don't pick up my hook for months, and then I get back into it.  And remember how much I enjoy it!  I like to make baby blankets for people, scarves, and I've even done coffee cup cozy's!

Well, I figure with a new little one about to be here, its time to pick up my hook again!  And its been a lot of fun :)  Here's some little beanies I've made for P.

I need to start a blanket for her.  And finish the one I have started for Gage.  Better late than never right?  I'm also working on some Christmas gifts.  And I might get really sassy and attempt a pair of booties for baby girl :)

If you're interested in trying out a new crafty hobby, I totally recommend crocheting!  Check out YouTube for tutorials.  And once you learn a couple basic stitches, you are good to go!  I recently discovered Ravelry, which is a great website full of patterns and tutorials.  And of course Pinterest is always a great place to lose a few hours of your day find some inspiration.

So how about you?  Any secrets to share? ;)  

Feeling Super

Hello and happy Monday to ya! Hope you had a fantastic weekend.

So the title of today's post is actually a bit of a farce.  I actually managed to come down with a wicked cold this weekend :( so I'm not really feeling super today. BUT, I am managing to feel a bit better already, thanks to one Super food: kale

Along with lots of water, vitamin C and rest, I'm packing this leafy green veggie in wherever I can!  My favorite way to eat it- in a smoothie!  Kale definitely has a distinct, almost bitter taste.  But pop it in a smoothie, and you don't even know it's there!

Blueberry Kale Smoothie

1 c vanilla almond milk

1 banana

1-2 leaves of kale, stem removed

1/2-1 c frozen blueberries

Mix on high until smooth and enjoy!

I also made a kale soup the other day, and enjoy kale chips on the regular.  Check out all the benefits of this awesome leafy green!

Well I'm going to go have a smoothie, and try to get some rest!  What are some of your favorite remedies for dealing with colds?

Hitting the Bullseye!

Hey hey!  So today, during my weekly Target run, I managed to score a pretty sweet deal.  And thought I'd share.

Now before I explain how it went down, let me say that I am by no means a couponing expert.  I wish I was, and I'm trying to learn.  But I AM cheap :)  So I try to make sure something is a good deal before spending the money.  And this, my friends, was a good deal!

Whenever I go to Target, I always browse the kids clothing areas.  Specifically the clearance racks.  Sometimes I go weeks without finding anything good.  Which is why I check often.  Have you seen the cuteness Target comes out with?!  can't.handle.it  So today, I scored all of this for $16.82!!

That's roughly $2.10 per item!  Original retail on this little lot was $69, which means I got a 75% savings :)  Queue happy dance!!

So I found all of this on clearance.  Then, Target's Cartwheel app has  2 Circo coupons, each offering 15% off.  That saved me $2.50.  Plus I received a coupon in the mail for $4 of your kids clothing purchase of $20 or more.  Bringing it down to $16.82.

If you are on the lookout for clothes for the kiddos, check Targets clearance.  And download their Cartwheel app!  I know it makes me a humongous dork, but I get SO excited when I find a deal like this.  So I have to share with all of you :D  Hope you manage to score some good stuff too!!

56 Days

Hello and happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  Mine was fun, stressful, but overall fulfilling :)

Since its been about a month, guess what time it is again?!  Pregnancy update time!  I've been falling behind in taking pictures.  Well and really, I've been falling behind in everything these days!  Thank goodness I have an amazing husband who is willing to cook at night.  Cuz if it was up to me, by 6:00 each night, I'd be fixing bowls of cereal and calling it good :)

So I had a bit of a reality check/freak out the other day.  My due date is less than 60 days away!  And we still have three holidays and a move to get through in that time!!  But you know what?  It'll all get done, and we'll just take it one step at a time.  Knowing that I wasn't taking my usual weekend pics, I've been trying to snap a couple here and there when I feel like I look decent haha!  So this is at 29ish weeks.

And then this is about 31 weeks.

Baby girl definitely looks a little lower in that second picture!  I've started going to the doctors every two weeks now.  I actually got to meet one of the nurse midwives last week, and she is AMAZING!  I'm glad that so far I like 95% of the people in my practice.  But go figure I'll probably end up delivering with the one guy who just kinda leaves me scratching my head.  Like I honestly have NO idea how to read him!

Right now baby P is measuring about a week behind, so we'll see how that plays out at the end.  I'd love to not be induced this time, but you never know!  She is crazy active all the time, which is both fun and makes me almost pee my pants sometimes.  I'm still dealing with insomnia, and just a lot of discomfort while I sleep.  I crave lots of sweets, but thats also kinda normal for me.  My sweet tooth is a little out of control :)  I also randomly find myself STARVING at about 10:30 every morning.  And I eat breakfast everyday.  So now I'm eating four meals a day.  Don't judge

My newest symptom though- Braxton Hicks!  Ugh!!!  I don't remember feeling a single one with Gage.  But this time around, they are brutal.  We walk every evening, and by the time we are done, I am having painful Braxton Hicks contractions.  I don't want to give up the walking, as ultimately I feel like its really good for me.  But I do wish that each walk didn't end in pain and a sore belly :(  

While I feel like the end is rocketing towards me, I'm also trying to slow down and truly appreciate this time.  This time of just being a family of three.  And this time of being pregnant.  Even though it comes with aches and pains, its still an amazing process.  Feeling her move and seeing her grow, is just incredible!  And this is most likely the last time I will ever be pregnant.  So I want to savor it :)  And the fact that being pregnant means I can eat four times a day, guilt free!

Monday Musings

Waiting is my favorite thing to do!  Said no one ever.

I'm sitting here looking at my November calendar and feeling... stuck.  Stuck waiting.  October was crazy busy, with several things going on each week.  Hence why I've been a little MIA here.  And so far, November is looking like the opposite.  None of the 'fun stuff' is happening until December.  Or at least the end of November.  Because what pregnant chick isn't looking forward to the face-stuffing-fest that is Thanksgiving, amiright?!

But as I look at December and think, we'll be moving, we'll be unpacking, we'll be setting up the new house, CHRISTMAS, we'll become a family of FOUR!  I can't help thinking that I want all the cool stuff to just hurry up and get here!

But I know that is just not realistic.  To just wait.  In the meantime, there really is so much to DO!  I just need to get my booty in gear!  And get my creative juices flowing agin :)  I've been feeling in a crafty mood, so I'm going to make myself work on a couple little projects.  This house isn't going to pack itself, and I want to be that crazy organized packer who has color coding and spread sheets.  So I better get on that.

So even though I'm feeling stuck today, I'm going to come up with a plan, and make the most of these next few weeks.  Because I know its going to be the middle of December, and I'm going to be thinking man, I wish I just had a little more time, to wait!