Goodbye Summer

Fall is here - and we're bringing out all the decorations in our house. I love this time of year. Coats, boots, scarves and football. But it's hard to say goodbye to summer when the weather reads upper eighty's this weekend. I guess I'll enjoy it while I can. 

With summer ending, I am happy to say goodbye to everything that came with it. We had a record of eight weddings over the past few months. Most of which we had to travel out of town for. It's been an exhausting (and expensive) few months - but we enjoyed every minute of it.

Toronto, Canada | San Diego, CA | Monterey, CA | Boston, MA | Rutland, VT

Many memories were created since we took Jordan on most of these trips. I will admit that on two of the flights, I sat there and cried. Any parent that has flown with a child knows what I'm talking about. Especially when they learn how to walk. Attempting to sit on a plane with a child who wants to get down and walk everywhere is hard. And thirty minutes of screaming feels like three hours. Now that I look back, it doesn't seem that bad - but at the time I wanted to crawl under a rock. Needless to say, we are done traveling for a while. We put Jordan on a plane three times in two months. I don't blame him for screaming. 

Because I took way too many pictures over the course of our summer trips...I will leave you with a mini summer Instagram photo dump...

One Year

I was on my laptop the other night, putting together albums of pictures that don't have a home. I came across all the pictures and videos of Jordan's birth. I sat there and cried - realizing that my baby is now a toddler. A year old. How did this year go by so fast?

What an amazing little boy he is turning out to be. Such a wonderful personality and so full of love and life. It's fun to watch his eyes light up over the smallest thing; a water bottle, or a leaf. His curiosity is so interesting, yet funny at the same time. The kid can do laps around the living room like no other - over and over, and doesn't get bored. The 'Energizer Bunny' has nothing on my son.

One Year.
Jordan stands at 31 inches tall and weighing in at 20lbs. He has eight teeth (with molars coming in!) and is a running machine. I am excited to scream to the world that we are officially done with formula. Such an awful expense that I'm glad to be over with. Jordan surprisingly took to cows milk easily....now we just have to master switching him from a bottle to a sippy cup. So far, the bottle wins.

Jordan's first birthday was an event in the making. It felt like wedding planning; you plan to the extreme - leading up to this one day. And then it's over. As stressful as it was, the party was perfect. Sure, there were tons of people there, but it was great to celebrate with our friends and family. But in the words of my husband, "never again".

The best decision I made about the party? Hiring a friend-of-a-friend to capture his birthday memories. Money well spent. Tara is an amazing photographer and I'm so pleased with our pictures. Best part is, I got more than just pictures - a new friendship grew. Check out her blog here.

A few pictures to end with....

Life as a Mom

Good grief. I literally haven't blogged since I gave birth. I've obviously been so busy, but honestly haven't had the desire to write. I have about six post drafts (some with only a few sentences), but never finish them.

Since having Jordan, my life has been a whirlwind. I'm pretty sure I have perfected the ability to multitask and change my clothes with one hand and baby in the other. Meals are quick (and often cold) and the nights of getting at least four hours of straight sleep brings a moment of rejoice. Spit up, poop explosions and getting peed on are all things I'm used to now. But all of that doesn't compare to the perfection of this little boy we call our son.

I would be writing you a book if I sat here and caught you up on the past eight months. So I won't. I will however tell you that the past eight months have been the best months of my life. Being a mother is the most rewarding job I have, and will ever experience. It doesn't even begin to come close to what I thought it was like. I was born to be a mother. Don't get me wrong -- I have my days where I'm so tired I could fall asleep while standing up; or I'm so emotionally exhausted, I could cry. Funny thing is, this is just the beginning. I can't wait to look back on this day and think 'girl, you had no idea'.

Jordan is growing up fast. Too fast. He started crawling around six months and has lately proven that he's on a mission to walk. He's eight months old and is the most determined kid I've ever seen. I think he's trying to keep up with the other kids at daycare. Yep, he's in daycare...and it was hard for me to do. Luckily our lady came highly recommended, as she babysat my current and old boss's children. Both of which had nothing but nice things to say about her, which made things so much easier on me. Although it's never easy to leave your baby. picking him up every day makes my heart melt. Seeing his face light up when I walk in the door is the best part of my day.

It's hard to believe that I'm starting to think about the planning stages of my son's first birthday party. Um...how the heck did any of us plan party's before Pinterest!? If you're not obsessed with it, then you live under a rock. I find the best ideas on there and I only wish it were as popular as it is when I got married a few years ago.

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I went back to work full time in early December and it was such a huge adjustment. I was fortunate to have five months off of work for maternity leave...so going back wasn't easy. I was also still nursing -- so for all you working mom's, you know how much fun it is to pump at work. Totally kidding. First of all, I applaud those of you who were/are able to continue and stick with it. I unfortunately had a hard time keeping up with it. I only lasted for about two months before my supply had drastically decreased. When I first went back to work, I was able to pump 16-20oz in a day; but towards the end I was working hard to pump 4oz. I was sad and felt defeated, but I knew I was done. My ultimate goal was to nurse for six months...and I did just that. Once I got over it, I patted myself on the back and moved on.

I'm pretty used to my routine now and every day when I leave work, I go home to start my second job. And that "job" is the best job. Cooking dinner and having family time with my husband and son is what I look forward to. I am the happiest I have ever been.

And yes...a birth story is still in the works. I've been incredibly lazy with that...soon, I promise.

Without further ado, here are a couple updated pictures of my pride and joy....

(Baby in a Box!! Christmas 2012)

(Looking WAY too much like his daddy!)



(Happy 8 Months, little boy!)



Introducing...

Before I begin, I've literally sat down to write this post a million times. But as all you moms know...things come up. The baby cries; he's hungry; he spit up; poop explosions. You name it. I also have a birth story in the works. That too is taking me a while.

But to prove that I'm alive and that I'm not 47 weeks pregnant, I wanted to introduce my baby boy to you all.

After 14 hours of labor, 2 epidurals and 3 hours of pushing - Jordan was born on Wednesday, August 8th at 6:56am. Anything and everything that I went through was completely worth it once I looked into my baby's eyes.

Caught him smiling in his sleep!!

So far, motherhood is amazing. I'm enjoying every second with this little angel. Don't get me wrong, I have my moments where I'm so emotional that I end up crying over the smallest things; and days where I'm so incredibly exhausted and I can't even see straight. But it all goes away when my boy smiles at me. He melts my heart.

Jon has been INCREDIBLE. He's such an amazing father...and seeing him fall in love with his son makes me swoon. Since day one, Jon has helped with all the midnight wake up calls cries. He gets up with me and changes Jordan's diaper while I get ready to feed. He's been so great through everything.

Jordan is now almost 6 weeks old and I'm on a mission to get him on a good schedule. He's not sleeping through the night yet. In fact, he's still getting up every 2 1/2  hours during the night - which quite honestly, is exhausting. A good friend of mine had her baby 3 weeks before I had Jordan and her son is already on a good sleeping/feeding schedule. She owes it to the Baby Wise book. I bought it as soon as she told me about it and I'm determined to finish it and [hopefully] successfully get my child to sleep good as well.

Good luck to me!

Overdue

It's Wednesday...and we are impatiently awaiting for our son's arrival. If I go by our "original" due date of July 31st, he's only a day late. However, we've always gone by the due date the ultrasound technicians gave us; July 27th. Perhaps that was a bad idea. Either way, his due date(s) have come and gone and I am craving the sound of my son's first cry.

I'm not going to lie -- this past week has been really rough. I started to have mild contractions on Saturday. They were all about 10 minutes apart; which of course got me thinking that "this is it"...only to have them completely stop the next morning. That routine continued Sunday, but as of Monday there hasn't been any action. Last night I did however experience about 4 pretty painful contractions. Unfortunately they were all about an hour apart and then they stopped. The pressure of him being so low has been uncomfortable. I have good days and bad days and at times feel emotionally defeated. Yesterday was a good day. I got up early, showered, put on makeup and did my hair. And I didn't cry once!

Everyone keeps saying "walk, walk, WALK!". Um yea, I don't know what to tell you people...I have walked every day, sometimes three times a day! Up hills; down hills, you name it. I do daily squats and bounce on my exercise ball. I walk up and down the stairs. We've had sex. I drowned my food with chili pepper flakes. I promise you I have tried everything in the book -- the kid just doesn't want to come out. I'm now relying on the full moon tonight. We shall see...

How far along? 40wks, 5days OR 40wks, 1day

Due Date? 7/27/2012 (or 7/31/2012)

Total weight gain: Up 38lbs (161lbs total)

Sleep: Not much. With frequent bathroom breaks and the late night contractions, I don't sleep well

Movement? Still moving like crazy!!

Symptoms: A lot of pressure, on and off contractions, lower back pain and the sciatica nerve pain (OUCH!)

Hmm...August 1st. That seems like a great day for little boy to make his debut....please?!

38 Week Bumpdate

Ok, I'm a few days late -- but here is my 38 week baby bump. The picture was taken on Monday (38wks, 3days)

 

We had a doctor appointment yesterday with the midwife. I was hoping (praying) that they would tell me that I was at least dilated to 1cm...but no. Nada. My cervix is still closed. Damn! Good news is, the midwife assured me that he is super low and his head is "right there" and things could be moving along "pretty soon" - whatever that means. Until then, I've been doing all I can to move this process along; spicy foods, walking like a mother effer, walking up and down the stairs and bouncing on the exercise ball. Tomorrow I'm meeting up with a girlfriend of mine for lunch. We're headed to Skipolini's Pizza for their famous Preggo Pizza!! YES PLEASE!!!

I've come to terms with the fact that sleep is pretty much non-existent at this point. Whether it's getting up to pee at almost every hour, or it's the anxiety of knowing little boy could come at any time. I can literally lay in bed for hours and just think about the experience and all the what ifs. Either my husband sleeps through all my tossing and turning; or he just loves me enough to ignore me.

Although I barely got any sleep last night, I have a random urge to clean and make sure everything is 100% ready for Jordan's arrival. Hopefully all my moving around today will help the process along [fingers crossed!]

A Letter To My Sweet Baby Boy

Dearest Jordan,

The time has finally come - you're almost here! We went from counting down the months, to counting down the weeks; and now finally, counting down the days. Your Daddy and I cannot wait to meet you and we've been dreaming about what your precious little face will look like. I can't even begin to express to you the kinds of emotions I have been feeling over the past nine months. It's been a whirlwind of all kinds of happiness - the kind of happiness that gives you butterflies. It's amazing how much we have fallen in love with you, and we have yet to even meet each other.

Since we found out that we were having you, your Daddy has enjoyed talking to you. He kisses my tummy every morning when he wakes up, and every night before he goes to bed. He is such a proud father and he can't wait to hold you in his arms.

Son, I will tell you that the moment I found out I was pregnant with you, it was an instant connection. We've been together every step of the way. I'll never forget the first time I felt you move - such a strange but exciting feeling knowing that you were growing inside of me. Even better was the first time your Dad was able to feel you move. The expression on his face was priceless; and one that I had never seen before. It was his first "bonding" experience with you...and it absolutely melted my heart seeing him so happy.

The first five months seemed to go by very slow, but these last few have flown by. Now we're here. At the end. And the anticipation is killing me. Knowing that you could arrive any day now is enough to make me go crazy. Your clothes are washed, your bed is ready and I think I've organized everything a thousand times. All we need is you, little boy!

I can't wait to hold you in my arms; lock eyes with you and meet for the first time; touch your tiny toes; kiss your little face; and tell you how much I love you.

You are, and will be, our whole world. Our little prince. This is a crazy world kid, but we will do everything in our power to raise you the best way possible. We will make sure you grow up with everything you need, but also knowing the importance of being a hard worker.

We love you "Baby J" and we look forward to meeting you!!

Love always,

Mom and Dad

New Blog Design & Pregnancy Update

Um yea...sorry it's been so long since I've blogged. Aside from being pregnant, life has been completely crazy. We moved. It was painful okay...but I'm so glad we're done. We're doing our final walk-through this weekend and then we don't have to worry about it anymore. Moving while nine months pregnant is a blast...NOT. It's sad and I'm really going to miss our place, but we're moving on to bigger and better things. We're going to buy a house at the end of the year. Best decision for our new family.

 

Baby J is doing very well. He's cooked and ready to come out (PLEASE). The weather has been rather hot lately and my toes are so swollen they look like Vienna Sausages. So I continue to talk to my son and tell him to be a good little boy and come out this week :-)

 

 Also, if you haven't noticed, I have a new blog design! I love it and I'm so excited about it. Big thanks to Stephanie over at Dirt and Lace. She's an amazing blog designer and I highly recommend her!!

So, I'll be 38 weeks on Friday, and I'll hopefully try to update you then - along with a picture. Until then, here's some stats!

 

How far along? 37wks, 4days

Due Date? 7/27/2012

Total weight gain: Up 34lbs (157lbs total)

Sleep: What's that? I can't sleep at all anymore...mostly anticipation of little boy's arrival and the fact that I have to pee all the time

Best moment this week? Finishing up the baby's room

Movement? He still moves like crazy! Although his kicks are really strong and hurt most of the time

Food cravings? Still loving cereal - donuts, fruit and broccoli

Food aversions? Still not a lettuce fan (especially shredded lettuce)

Symptoms: A lot of pressure and the fact that it feels like he's going to fall out. A little cramping here and there but nothing to be concerned about

Half Baked

How is it that 21 weeks have passed by in this pregnancy? I'm officially (a week over) half baked.
We had our big 20 week ultrasound last week and everything went great. The tech actually moved me up a few days, from July 31st, to July 27th. She said they think the doctors were off by a few days. Our baby boy is a healthy 14oz and growing! He's also kicking A LOT now. I feel him all day - and I can't help but smile every time. Over the weekend we actually started seeing him move - and Jon saw him for the first time yesterday. Every time before that, the baby would stop as soon as I called Jon over...little stinker.

We've been starting to buy things here and there, as well as stocking up on diapers whenever we have coupons. Jon's parents surprised us with the travel system that we wanted and I seriously can't wait to put it together. It's a huge box, sitting in our living room - staring at me.

I've also been buying a few clothes here and there when I come across good deals. Old Navy surprisingly has some really cute boy clothes that are decently priced. I bought three outfits, each $12.99 with an additional 20% off - sweet deal...I'll take it.

I'm quickly growing out of my clothes, which ends up being an "I-have-nothing-to-wear, I-hate-all-my-clothes" ordeal. I have a lot of hand me down clothes that were given to me from friends (thank you!), but they're mostly tank tops. So, mother nature, if you can please warm this weather up, I'd appreciate it.

How far along? 21wks, 4days

Due Date? 7/27/2012

Total weight gain: Up 10.5lbs (135lbs total)

Maternity Clothes? Absolutely! I need more of them!!

Sleep: Still sleeping with the Snoogle, which is the most amazing pillow ever invented. However, I wake up a lot to go to the restroom still...

Best moment this week? Seeing my husbands face when he saw our son move for the first time

Movement? TONS! He moves like crazy!!!

Food cravings? Cereal, cereal and cereal. Mostly Captain Crunch Berries and Honeycomb

Food aversions? Salad (lettuce) - so annoying

Symptoms: A few headaches here and there

Gender: Boy!!



16 weeks.....it's a BOY!

Good morning and Happy Valentine's Day!

Today I'm 16wks and feeling great (besides the occasional headaches and bachache). We had two appointments last week; our regular check up and our elective 3D ultrasound - to find out the sex. The check up went great. Our doctor brough in the doppler machine and we were able to hear the heartbeat (a strong 150). My blood pressure is perfect and I've gained 6lbs. Doc says I'm healthy and right on track.

Our 3D ultrasound was Saturday. It couldn't come fast enough. Last week might have been the longest week EVER. But it was all worth it. Both our parent's and siblings joined us at the ultrasound. The room is big with seating for ten people, so everyone was comfortable. Almost right away, our baby gave us some great shots between his legs. There's no doubt about it that it's a boy. Jon and my Dad were thrilled! I'm over the moon. Knowing that I'm having a son is unreal. I can't wait to meet my little man! The rest of the appointment went great. I lost it of course when I heard the heartbeat (I cry every time). Just hearing my son's heartbeat is the most precious thing ever.

After we got some great pictures, he decided to burrow himself in my placenta and sleep. Little stinker. He apparently didn't feel like showing his face anymore! I can't believe that in four weeks I'll be half way through my pregnancy! I have a feeling the second half of pregnancy will go by quicker then the first...

Now, don't hold me to it, because we all know how bad I am at posting; but I'm going to really try to do weekly updates with my pregnancy from now on. I'll try to throw in some pictures too.

How far along? 16 weeks

Due Date: 07/31/2012

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 6lbs (total weight 129lbs)

Maternity Clothes? Oh yes! Started wearing them around 14 weeks

Sleep: Still having trouble sleeping through the night. However, I just purchased a Snoogle and used it for the first time last night....uh-mazing!

Best moment this week: Seeing our baby and finding out that we're having a son!

Movement? Nothing yet. Sometimes I think I feel flutters, but I'm pretty sure it's just gas bubbles

Food cravings: Nothing crazy. I love Pop Tarts (brown sugar flavor) and FRUIT!

Food aversions: Salad (lettuce) and pizza - two things I LOVE, of course

Symptoms: Occasional headaches and some lower back pain. Oh and exhuastion (still)

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!!

Happy Tuesday and Happy Valentine's Day friends!! I hope everyone has a wonderful day with their loved ones. 

Necessary Update and some BIG news!

I promise you...I'm alive. I feel like I've been in another world these past few months - so I apologize for being completely MIA.

So, before I fell off the face of the earth, I was planning for my September wedding. It came (and went) so quickly. But it was the best day of my life. One of these days I will put together a 'wedding story', but for now, I will tell you that it was perfect! Everything went so smoothly. Not one thing happened where I felt out of control. I was surprisingly relaxed and calm - very unlike me. I just couldn't wait to walk down the aisle towards my future husband. If I could, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

Our honeymoon was absolutely amazing. The day after the wedding we went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for seven days. We stayed at a ocean front all-inclusive resort. My first time in Mexico and at an all-inclusive. So much fun! It was definitely hard coming home and back to reality. I'm pretty sure my first week back at work I did absolutely nothing. My mind was still at the beach.

Since the wedding, we've been enjoying married life and everything that comes along with it. We spent the holidays divided up between our family's. Thanksgiving in San Diego with my family and Christmas in Idaho with his. It was nice to finally be home once the New Year began.

And...I have some news that I can FINALLY share with you all - I'M PREGNANT!! EDD July 31st.

We found out back in November and haven't really said anything until a few weeks ago. I'm 14wks along and in my second trimester. This is our first child and we are over the moon in love with our baby already!

One week.

That's it. That's all that's left.

Last September the most wonderful man got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Last septemebr I was drowning in a pool of excitement. Last September I was starting my journey of wedding planning bliss.

And now it's here -- and I'm still just as excited; if not more. The thought of walking down the aisle towards Jon gives me instant butterflies. The kind that flutter around in your stomach until it hurts. I love that before my Dad gives me away, I get to spend those precious few minutes with him. Every single piece of the wedding day has played over and over in my mind, trying to paint an image. But I know that nothing I imagine will come close to what I'll experience.

It's still so surreal to me that I'm getting married. I'm going to call Jon my husband...and I'll be his wife. I almost feel like I'm saying goodbye to my childhood. It's a strange, yet exciting feeling.

I look back on this last year remembering how every time I would turn the calendar page, it seemed like a lifetime until the September page could be turned. I remember talking about the wedding day like it was years away. I remember when I first fell in love with my dress. It's been sitting in my closet, patiently waiting to be worn.

It's been an unforgettable year and I have loved every minute of it. Sunday is my birthday, but I can promise you that I'll be spending it finishing last minute wedding stuff. I got an early birthday gift from Jon; a new iPad. It's awesome, and has been keeping me very entertained. This last week will be a busy one and I'm hoping to remain sane during it all.

Happy Friday night!

One helluva month.

Literally.

I know for the mid-west and east coast, the heat has been unbearable. The west coast on the other hand, practically just started smelling the sweet scent of summer. It's been comfortably warm for the past few weeks and looks to remain pretty hot for the remainder of the week. Summer is here. And I beg to ask the question, "where has the time gone?"

I survived my first wedding festivity; my bridal shower. I'll admit, it was a tad bit overwhelming. But, I haven't had that much fun with my family and friends in a long time. Everyone showed up to support me and "showered" me with wonderful gifts...most of which made me blush. The food was amazing and the drinks were flowing. My best friend, Stephanie, planned an unforgettable shower for me and I will be forever grateful.

After the shower was over, Jon came over my parents house to help pack all the gifts up. I had so much stuff that we made his roomy BMW look like a tiny Smartcar. And you know that damn quest bedroom that I'm always trying to clean? Yea, well...that's where all the gifts found a home. There's actually still a few gifts and boxes in our living room. I keep hoping that they'll eventually grow legs of their own and make their way in the room; however, that has yet to happen.

I have been so incredibly overwhelmed (and apparently stressed) that I came down with shingles. No joke. It started out as a small red bump, then gradually spread into a cluster of bumps. It was not fun. I was home for a week, in bed, drugged up. Luckily I caught it early enough to start the antibiotics; which stopped the shingles from spreading to my stomach, or causing severe pain. I'm thankful it was only mild pain. They've since faded and might leave a little scaring, but I'm glad that's over with. I do not have time to be sick. There is way too much going on....

I leave tomorrow bright and early for Las Vegas. Me and six of my girlfriends are heading there for a fun-filled weekend of bachelorette festivities. The entire weekend is a "surprise" to me and I don't even know where we're staying or what we're doing. I do know it will be fun. Don't expect me to come back and dish out all the details...because you know how it works: what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas...

Next weekend Jon's brother, Clark, is getting married in Monterey, CA. I can't believe how fast that came up! Right after we come home, August sixteenth will be here...and that means our wedding is exactly one. month. away. [begin freakout] OH MY GOSH! [end freakout]

I've been continuing my craft binge and took my wedding shoes from plain to uh-mazing. Thanks to Michaels! There's nothing that a few bows and a hot glue gun can't do...

More fun to come! And you might get lucky and I'll share a few sin city stories. Or...maybe not. Happy Weekend to you all.

I fail.

.......at blogging.

I swear, I try really hard to keep up with this; but it's almost like a job. It's not easy. I'm embarrassed of the fact that I haven't written anything since Easter. I wish I could promise you that this won't happen again...but I can't. So I apologize in advance. There's a lot going on right now that derails my desire to blog.

Planning my wedding has literally taken over my life. But I'm okay with it. This is probably my biggest excuse for not blogging. We are now almost two months out until the big day. My excitement for it is overwhelming. We've been getting a lot done over the past few months and things are falling very nicely into place. I've collected all my vases for the centerpieces and I am well on my way.

Invitations were sent out Monday afternoon, and people are starting to receive them. We were so incredibly fortunate that my cousin owns a print shop and made our invitations for FREE! It's an amazing wedding gift and we will be forever thankful.

My bridal shower is next weekend and I am so excited. It will be my first wedding event; sort of like my "kickoff" to the wedding festivities. I also found the perfect bridesmaids gifts and I can't wait to give them to the girls.

Today the girls and I started to book our plane tickets to Las Vegas for my bachelorette party. We are going the first weekend of August and it can't come fast enough. The majority of the girls I invited are all going; so it will be a full house. Nine girls (including me) are ready to help celebrate my last Vegas trip as a single lady. I'm looking forward to all the memories we will be creating, and all the stories we'll be reminiscing about over years.

Since the wedding is only two months away, we're getting down to the wire with all the small details. Favors need to made and programs need to be printed. Everything is starting to be finalized with the vendors; food, music, photos and decorations. I've been channeling my inner craft-self, and I made my card box for the wedding. All the ones I've seen in stores or online are fairly expensive...and I knew that it was something easy to make. A simple trip to Michael's for a three dollar mini glue gun, some ribbon, wrapping paper and old shoe boxes did the trick. And viola!

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Today is July 1st, and I'm not quite sure where the time has gone. From this point on, every weekend until the wedding is completely booked. Our annual family camping is coming up in a few weeks and I'm beyond excited to go. I didn't think I was going to make it this year, but I managed to squeeze in a four day weekend of some relaxation and fun in the sun. Now that is something to look forward to.

It's going to be a busy weekend, full of friends, family, birthday parties, barbeque's and fireworks. Have a safe weekend!

Happy fourth of July!

easter sunday funday

Even though Easter isn't as big of a deal as Christmas or Thanksgiving, I still treat it like any other holiday. And that means, getting up early in the morning, baking cookies (pre-made packaged ones, obviously; Jenn doesn't bake), and making my homemade artichoke/jalapeno dip. Preparing and "baking" gets me excited and puts me in the holiday spirit.

My Aunt held Easter dinner at her house this year, so the whole family came together to celebrate. Lot's of food; lot's of laughs; lot's of love.

Decorating Calla Lilies is a traditional favorite in our family. My parents have tons of Calla Lilies in their yard, and we'd always use water paints and markers to decorate them. You should try it...it makes for a great art session!

The food was uh-mazing, and I couldn't get enough of it. Ham, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans...it felt like Thanksgiving in April. And I'm perfectly okay with that.

The kids played outside and couldn't wait to hunt for Easter eggs. So much so, that no one even knew they had done it already! They came inside with eggs in their baskets and smiles on their faces. Whatever makes them happy! Speaking of eggs...we found a crushed hard boiled egg and it's shell pieces in the Barbie's kitchen sink....and of course, it was "Barbie's fault".

I mentioned in my last post, that this years' Easter Day feature was bringing back the Egg Decorating Contest. I must say, everyone did a fantastic job. And as promised, here are the contestants:

"Eggpunzel" - let down your golden yolk

"Egguana"

"Pool Rack"

"Eggcident"; "Egg Plant"; and "MEGGerita"

And the winner.......

"Eggy Gaga" (and the 2011 Egg Decorating Contest trophy)

The "Eggy Gaga" still has me laughing. Next year I'm definitely getting in on the fun and entering the contest. I wish we could resurrect the original egg trophy. But it is almost twenty years old and it's housed in Arizona with my Grandma.

I'll be taking a mini blog break since we leave for Canada on Thursday. I haven't even begun to pack. Typical of me to wait until the last minute. I had every intention of going home yesterday and at least starting to pack; but instead, I had a beer, watched F.R.I.E.N.D.S, played games on my phone, cooked dinner, played more games on my phone and then went to bed.

I'll attempt to pack tonight...but I already know how that will turn out.

Happy Tuesday!


quickie post.

Another day...another picture-less post. I need to get back into the groove of snapping away at life's little treasures. I do however, promise that there will be plenty of pictures to come over the next few posts.

Easter Sunday calls for perfectly bloomed flowers; colors of the rainbow painted on eggs; and a feast that I am already salivating over. This Sunday, our family is bringing back a tradition that I haven't thought about for years....

The Egg Decorating Contest.

This defined our Easter when we were little. It became such a hit, year after year, that a trophy was created for the winner. And yes, it was made out of an egg. So, I was thrilled when I received the email stating that the contest was once again apart of our Easter. And I won't dissapoint...you will see first hand all the creativity that comes from just an egg.

Jon and I are headed to Canada next week for a friends wedding. It's our first time and we're very excited. Hopefully I'll be able to control my love for souveneers. I tend to buy things that I don't need, just because. It's usually things that I'll swear up and down that I will use in the future, but then either gets thrown away or collects dust on a shelf. Happens to the best of us, right?

I actually gave myself a pat on the back this afternoon for not using the fifty dollar off coupon I had for New York & Co. I walked in, grabbed a few things I liked, thought about it and put it all back. Jon would have been so proud...because I even can't believe I did that. Who am I?

Happy Friday...and Happy Easter!

five months.

Before I start, I had good intentions of posting this yesterday...but the weather was beautiful and I couldn't waste the day by sitting inside. So...this is a day late. Better late then never, right? I must admit, there's nothing better than sitting here on my laptop, with a nice cup of coffee in hand, with Say Yes To The Dress on in the background. Thank you TLC for fulfilling my wedding show obsession.

And...this is a picture free post (sorry...I didn't get around to taking any this past week).

Yesterday marked our five month countdown to the wedding. I'm warning you now, there will probably be a countdown for the remaining four months as well. It's gets me excited...so just go with it. Sometimes I think back to when we got engaged last September and picked our wedding date; how a year from then felt like a lifetime. Even though five months, is still five months, at least I have a few things to keep me preoccupied until then. I have to put myself to work next month picking out wedding invitations, because in June they're being sent out. In July, my best friend Stephanie is throwing my bridal shower, and in August me and the girls are jetting off to Las Vegas for my bachelorette weekend. There's a lot of things to be excited for leading up to my big day.

The "wedding corner" in our guest bedroom continues to grow as my Michael's trips become more and more frequent. I know I've mentioned this before, but their coupons are saving me. Not only do they have weekly forty to fifty percent off coupons, but they accept competitors coupons as well. Although our wedding is going to be a bigger wedding (about two hundred), I'm having a blast planning and preparing on my own. I am in my element and loving every minute of it.

I have to take a minute to congratulate two girlfriends of mine. My best friend, Analiese, just had a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Jon and I went to visit them the other night in the hospital and I just couldn't wait to hold him. Analiese got to the hospital just in time...literally. She didn't have any time for drugs...and with that being said, she is my hero. Another friend of mine, Jen, has been struggling with conceiving for many years. She has been told by doctors that she and her husband wouldn't be able to have children. They've accepted the fact that surrogacy and adoption are their only options. As a true believe in miracles, the most amazing miracle has happened to them. Jen found out that she's pregnant. Eight weeks pregnant, to be exact, with a healthy baby. Just writing about this brings me chills. Congratulations to my two amazing friends!

And of course (yet again) I've caught that damn baby fever; it's a problem, I know. I guess I just can't wait to start a family of my own. I long for that feeling of being pregnant; of looking into my baby's eyes as we lay staring at each other; for that tiny hand in mine; and the image of Jon being a father...because there is no doubt that he'll be amazing. But good things come to those who wait. And waiting is what I'll do. I do however, have a confession: I went online and looked at tons of baby stuff, looked at baby furniture, and stood in the doorway of our guest bedroom visually placing where everything would go. It fulfilled my baby fix and brought a smile to my face, and now I'm over it.

I am not however, over my craving for a new camera. A nice camera. The one I've been wanting for, oh about a year now; a Canon EOS T3i DSLR. I even had a dream about it the other night; no joke. But again, good things come to those who wait....

Well friends, that's it for today. I've got a hungry belly to feed, a full basket of laundry to wash, and a messy room to clean; all which need to be today.

Happy Sunday!

Wedding, A New Addiction...and Loving California.

Ok, so I supposed I need to catch up...(as my dear husband-to-be informed me). It's been a really busy week and this is the first time I've had a moment to write.

Lauren flew home last Wednesday for to help me with some wedding stuff. And we wasted no time. As soon as I picked her up from the airport, we went directly to David's Bridal to pick out the bridesmaid dress. We ended up picking two dresses that we really liked; now we just have to decide between the two. Oh the dilemma. Once we finished up there, we drove straight to Bed Bath & Beyond to do what I've been looking forward to doing for months now; registering. It was such a high. As soon as the lady handed me the scanner gun, I couldn't say thank you fast enough. I was out of the registration room in no time, and off scanning a bunch of crap.

It. was. awesome.

Even though we didn't get out of there until after six o'clock, we decided to keep on going and register at my second location; Macy's. It was an equally fun time until we found the Martha Stewart section. We were both in awe as we walked through the isles of every type of spatula you could think of. I'm not a fan of her personally, but my goodness, that woman thinks of everything. And you know what? It's decently priced. I'm pretty positive that I scanned every one of her items.

So, growing up, I've never really been into makeup. I wear a little bit, but nothing too extravagant. I recently had a friend do my makeup and she's started an obsession for me that I think could become very dangerous. Today was my second day in a row visiting the M.A.C. store. That store alone is dangerous. I also just found out that Nordstrom and Sephora accept returns on all opened makeup products. Uh-mazing. I can already tell this is going to be a wonderful relationship.

Hello. My name is Jenn and I'm addicted to buying makeup.

Before I go, I have some pictures of the ocean to share. Jon and I went to Half Moon Bay on Sunday, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. Our friend lives a stones throw away from the ocean...and I took it all in for the few hours that we were there.

It made me crave our honeymoon trip to Puerto Vallarta. While the sunset is always a beautiful site, there's nothing more breathtaking then a sunset in California. Enjoy!

Birthday Fun and Wedding Updates.

Last week was a busy week. Every day was booked with something to do. Usually there's a few days out of the week where I have a night to relax; lounge on the couch; pig out on junk food; be lazy. There was so much going on, that a night like that didn't exist. Secretly, I'm okay with it. Time flew by and now we're on to a new week and (almost) a new month.

Before we leave this month behind, a special birthday cannot (and will not) go unnoticed. My soon-to-be husband celebrated his 27th birthday on Saturday. While he didn't want it to be a "big deal" or "anything spectacular", I couldn't let him get away with having a boring birthday. Before he got up, I snuck out of the room to do a few "birthday" things around the house. Recreating what was done for me as a child, I hung a happy birthday sign up on the wall; and made sure the table was clear, so his present would be the first thing he'd notice.

Not expecting any of it, seeing his surprised face light up was all I needed to make my day. Hey, even at 27, a birthday sign and presents are still exciting.

After opening his gifts (a bunch of clothes) we got dressed and went shopping. I promised him shoes.....to which he found three pairs. But the man needs shoes. Sometimes it amazes me how simple he is. Before his new pairs of shoes, he maybe owned about 5 pairs. But this is what I love about him; name brands don't mean anything to him. If I asked him who Michael Kors is, he would give me that blank stare look and say "where?" Yes, you read that right......my point exactly.

The rest of the day consisted of delicious burgers at Fuddruckers, watching UFC, and enjoying a mouthwatering homemade chocolate cake from his Momma. We were going to finish the night off with seeing a movie, but quickly realized that a 10:30pm showing would be "too late". So we held true to our "we're so old" line, and opted for our warm bed instead. Perfect end to a perfect day.

In wedding land, things are moving along just fine. Our six month mark came, and then went, and now I'm just in that blah stage. All the big vendors have been booked and now I'm shopping around for the little things that need to be done. I feel like I'm in that "in-between" stage, where I want to start making name cards, but really can't until the end. I want to start making the programs, but I don't have all the ceremony details set. I want to start putting together all my favors, but if I do, where the hell will I put them all?

So for now, I'm being patient (trying, anyway) to wait. I've been continuing my weekly trips to Michael's, swooping up all the vases I can get my hands on. I went to the Hallmark store yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to find their wedding section 40% off. I walked out paying ten bucks for a super cute guest sign-in book. It's little things like this that make me happy.

I pick my sister up from the airport on Wednesday. She's flying in to spend a very busy day with me. We're finally picking out the bridesmaid dresses. Then we're off to Macy's and Bed, Bath & Beyond to finally register for gifts. (...I'm surprised I've held out for this long. I've been looking forward to registering before I even got engaged......not kidding).

If I thought I was going to get a night to relax this week, wrong again! I'm in store for another busy, but exciting week. I'll try to catch back up with you all at the end of the week.

With that, I'll leave you with these beautiful flowers that Jon brought home for me the other day. It's one of the many reasons why I love him :)

Happy Birthday To You, Blog.

One year ago today, I made the decision to bare my thoughts and soul to the world. One year ago today, I was mourning that little something special of what could have been. One year ago today, I began a journey of recovery, grief and moving on. It's amazing how far I've come in one year and how beautiful life can be when she throws you a different path. While it may feel dark and painful at first, the more you continue on, the brighter your world will become.

I've been asked before, "do you enjoy blogging?" ...to which I reply, without a pause; yes. I love blogging. It's my own place to go and feel like no one can judge me. I treasure it, like it's my home.

I love coming here and sharing with all of you, the wonderful things that are going on in my life.

I love slipping some pictures in here and there, giving you a small glimpse of what I'm seeing.

I love that this blog, my baby, is like my very own book about my life.

This blog has taught me so much over the past year and I have so much more learning to come. Coming here and seeing that blank page, waiting for me to scribble on, is like a artist staring at a blank canvas before he begins to paint.

So, I thank you, little blog.

Thank you for providing a place for me to vent. A place for me to cry. A place that brings a smile to my face.

And thank you, readers. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have any motivation to share my stories. I hope to give you more pictures to go along with my words.

As my blog blows out the candles, here's to another great year.

Happy Birthday Blog! You're my little something special.