Thursday, January 31, 2013

Floral Crown DIY

I thought I'd have a try at making a floral crown for an upcoming photo shoot. I have a plan to do something rather dramatic for these pictures, so this crown was to make a statement. This is the first of 3 that I hope to whip up and while my silk flower options were certainly lacking, I thought it ended up looking really pretty. All supplies were found at Hobby Lobby with the exception of the smaller red flowers which I found at a thrift store.
I used this mesh tiara from the bridal section at Hobby Lobby as my skeleton. To get things going, simply start with the largest and loveliest flower and in this case, wrap the stem around the crown. And then continue on by adding the second largest bloom, keeping them close together and so on. I grabbed the hot glue gun when there were no stems and added smaller blooms working my way down each side. After I'd covered the front half in flowers, I wrapped the remainder of the mesh in a ribbon. And finally, I grabbed the glue gun again and added a few berries to the back of the crown, laying it lightly over the ribbon. 
I think they'll make a beautiful spring decoration when we're not frolicking about with them on our heads. :) Pregnancy permits so many special allowances, does it not?

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Snow Day White Out

Parker was thrilled to stay home with me today and enjoy the beautiful snow that never stopped falling, not even for a second. 

Monday, January 28, 2013

Maternity Style {winter coral}

{shirt - Gap, brooch - Target, dress - borrowed from mom, boots - J C Penney}

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Oh baby

{23 weeks}

Oh baby,

This is my first letter to you here. It took me a little while to get started but ... I'm here now. You're almost 6 months along now and have become quite strong. I feel you moving often but only very recently have I been able to feel your kicks from the outside. They feel so big on the inside but daddy's never been able to feel it. I'll have to catch you in a busy moment soon so he finally can! What's amazing is that you're the size of a grapefruit ... small yet powerful. 

This has been a good month for us. All the nausea left at about 14 weeks and I started to feel myself again. Can't say I've had many days yet when I've not been eager to take a nap but it's not overwhelming tiredness which I really appreciate. You've certainly given me a run for my money this pregnancy but since it's the last time I intend to do this, well, might as well go out with a bang! 

I suppose I'll add some stats to this entry - 
Since my first visit to the doctor I've gained 11 pounds. Seems like quite a lot to me but it's not too terrible cause at least 5 of those pounds must have gone to my chest alone. Though that's still not saying much as I started off as an A (little details you needn't worry about :) and now it means that I'm uncomfortable and very .... "womanly". Suppose that if a pregnancy does one thing besides create you, little one, in all your glory, it's create sexy women out of us skinny girls. Curves in all the right places plus some! 

That's all I'll write for now. I love you and hope you're still feeling well in there despite all the coughing that's happened up here. Can't wait to see you again soon. Praying for you every single day. 

With love, 
your mommy

Saturday, January 26, 2013

3 Boys {play time}

{This is a part of a series I'll be doing in 2013, a portrait of each of my boys every week of the year.}

The 4th week in January

Elliot 
You love to play the drums too. But instead of using drum sticks, you prefer making music with my glittered pencils. 

Monty 
You kids love it when we sit down for a board game. This is one of your favorites but you also love playing Candy Land.

Parker 
With all the homework you have to get through on most afternoons, your absolute favorite way to unwind is playing Mario Chase on the Wii U with your dad and Monty. 

It's been such a rough week for us, boys, and you've been so patient. Either your dad or I have been flat on our backs in bed for the last 7 days which means you boys have had to entertain yourselves quite a bit. And I know you've been worried about us and are happy to have things getting back to normal again. I'm just so thankful that whatever we all had seemed to hit your dad and I much more severely than it did you all (and little E, you managed to stay healthy through it all). Anyway, we hope that's all over now. Much love to you boys. xxxx


Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Barely There

Hello friends. Sorry it's been so silent around here for a few days now. Our house has experienced the worst bout of sickness that we've ever had. After watching Downton Abbey come down with the Spanish flu, I laughed at our similar predicaments, though our's wasn't quite as Spanish as theirs. :)

But I think we're over the worst of it now and all of my boys are well enough. I've been the last one to kick the head and throat ache. I was just saying what a wonderfully healthy winter we were having, just the other day ... Ugh!

So needless to say, January has been a bit of a miserable month for me (and many others I'm sure), and I'm just really looking forward to sweeter days. The kids start their swim lessons again in February and I hope to begin painting the boy's room and getting a little makeover underway. I also hope to try my hand at flower crowns to use in a maternity photo shoot with me and my sisters at the end of February. So there are some fun little projects to look forward to. Hope to be back tomorrow with my portrait series and I also hope to begin a series for this baby. Need to get busy with that one! Till tomorrow.

xoxo

Friday, January 18, 2013

DIY Picture Wall

It's Friday! I'm exhausted and have been since Wednesday. What gives? Doesn't help that my scalp is itching up a storm, that I wake 3 times each night to pee, and that I feel fat as a cat. Guess that might exhaust a person. 

But, despite all of that, I am pleased to share that a very large and empty wall in my living room is now somewhat decorated. I had the room painted a lovely grey back in September, I believe, and I've not to this day done anything to it at all. It used to be a gallery wall (here's a peek at our autumn wall from 2011) but I was ready for something new. So I finally decided to go with this idea ... 4x4 prints of my favorite iphone photos. I think iphone editing is just so incredibly gorgeous, so printing those photos is often more exciting to me than prints from my fancy camera. So I've always printed my Instagram pics through Printstagram and I think they're fabulous (this is how they look above my bed). But I recently found out that Mpix offers prints in square sizes which I love the look of in a collage. Ashley's collage above her fireplace is inspiring. 

So I ordered about 47 4x4 prints (that's just how many images I liked in my phone library - they're 29 cents each for that particular size) and did so directly from my phone via the app Mpix Tap to Print. It was a ridiculously easy way to choose the pictures from my photo library and checkout, right there. No hassle. 

They arrived within 2 days and I set to work immediately. I've never seen Instagram pics this size and despite my reservations, they looked great! I wanted a rectangle to begin with and so decided to use 45 of the prints, 9 across and 5 deep. Here you'll see the almost empty wall, aching for something pretty/cool/whatevs. 
The plan is to expand on this as the photos are taken. They're placed seasonally, beginning with last summer and ending now. Kind of fun right?

Thursday, January 17, 2013

3 Boys {in the morning}

{This is a part of a series I'll be doing in 2013, a portrait of each of my boys every week of the year.}

The 3rd week in January 

Parker 

I wake you each morning at 7am. Neither of us likes this very much. I usually stand beside your bed and rub your back until you start making a move to sit up. It'll take a couple of minutes. Last night you had an unusual night, waking twice in tears. The first time you came to me in bed and I could hardly make sense of what you were saying. You were really shaken up. You'd obviously had a bad dream and kept saying over and over, "I want to go to heaven." I assured you that you were (there is no doubt, little man, that you love God with all of your heart) but your entire body shook as you sat next to me and I held you while you cried. And then again at 4:30am, you woke in tears, but this time it was an ache in your hip. Growing pains I think. All this to say that at 7am, when I woke you to get ready for school, you said, "Mom, I'm sorry for waking you up twice last night. I remember the second time but I can't remember why I woke the first time." Now I'm used to waking up a lot for you kids at night but you're the first to apologize for doing it. I was amazed by that. But that's just how you are. 

Monty 

You usually wake around the same time as Parker does but just because you hear him get out of bed and don't want to miss out on anything. Though this morning you slept until about 8. If you wake early, you take as many stuffed toys as you can hold in your arms and you head to the couch, where I cover you up with a quilt and you enjoy cartoons for at least 30 minutes. You're not ready to eat right away. You tend to snuggle those blankets and softies all morning, until it's time to get ready for school and eventually head off. But even then, you hide at least one or two in your backpack to take along. It's just so cute!

Elliot 

I never know when you'll wake. One month it'll be a consistent 6:45 and another a 7:40. You can't seem to get into a rhythm that lasts longer than a few weeks before you change it up for me. At least, dear one, it's not 6am or earlier cause that I could not handle. As soon as I walk through your door (I know you're up because you yell "MOM" as loud as you're able to) you say to me "hi-morning" and I sit on your bed. Every day, you lay your head on my lap and I play with your hair for a few minutes. Then you put one duppy over my right shoulder and one duppy over my left and climb into my lap, holding me around my neck like you always have, a tight little monkey. Then we go to the kitchen and you get your cereal ready. All on your own! You get a bowl and then move the stool over to the cupboard, reaching for the box of cereal. You pour it yourself and get yourself down and after I put in some milk, you carry it to the table. There are even mornings when I'm busy and I'll find you sitting at the table with a bowl of dry cereal. So independent and clever. 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Spring Fix {+ a guest post}

 {necklace - Anthropologie, jacket - Gap, sweater - Hey Daisy! (GB), shirt & jeans - Asos, boots - DSW}

I've started to introduce spring colors and patterns into my everyday wardrobe and tucked some of the darker winter shades away. It's all with the intention of creating an ambience of warmth and smiles. Is it working? You can read more about it here at Holly's lovely little blog, where I guest posted recently. xx!


Monday, January 14, 2013

Maternity Style {21 weeks}

{jacket & skirt - Gap, top - Express, boots - Big Buddha}

No need to wait until February to start wearing pink. :)

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Something Borrowed {for the bump}

{sweater - moms, shirt - husbands, jeans - Asos , boots - J C Penney, purse - thrifted}

Get ready for an overload of sexy!
Just had to share these maternity jeans with you cause I thought they were so cool. I've seen similar styles in preggie jeans but none exactly like this, with that actually button closure which, when not exposing the entire delightful belly, looks quite normal and non-maternity. There's even the adjustable waistband on the inside much like my kid's pants. And then there's the full belly band attached which sort of smooths the line, that terrible transition of jean to belly where all the latter explodes over the former in various unflattering pillows of chub. And best of all, it's a true skinny jean which I've not seen anywhere. I really prefer the look of skinny jeans for pregnancy as I tend to live in oversized t's, tunics and button ups. So there needs to be that slimming effect on my lower half to balance it out and a regular pair of boot cuts don't do the job. I've moved 5 of my husband's button up shirts to my side of the closet now. And I love his long sleeve J. Crew t's. They're the pregnancy BOMB! At least half of what I wear has to be of the true "boyfriend" variety. I'm so authentic aren't I?

Speaking of bombs, Little E was sledding down the hill in our front yard when we started taking these pictures. He couldn't resist making an appearance. :)

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Three Boys

Taken tonight before bed. Loving the idea of taking a portrait of each child, every week of the year. So I'm going to give this a try in 2013.  

Elliot

You're crazy, kid! Craaaazy. This week you're just as grumpy as you are sweet; I just never know what I'm going to get. Here's a prime example of the insanity that comes out of your mouth ...
(said to mommy in response to something or other, obviously outrageously unhappy with me)

"Watch your language, be a listener, AND you're on the naughty list!" 

You take two baths every day with your new pirate ship and I have to drag you out of there. Your favorite movie is Pirates of the Caribbean and has been for at least 2 months now. Your brothers would have been petrified to watch something like that at your age, but you think it's awesome. We visit the children's museum every week, sometimes 3 times a week, cause you're loving it there so much. And your newest hobby is snowmobiling with your brothers, something that boggles my mind a little with the temps being as they are and with the speed that you zip around at. At night I have to sing you 3 songs, first Silent Night, second Away in a Manger, and third Twinkle Twinkle. It's been the same for a month and at times the process is exhausting but we cannot alter our course or we will hear the wrath of E. Daddy has to come in and do the exact same after I'm done. But you know what? I really can't mind your procrastination at bedtime because while I sing, you let me play with your hair and rub your face and tonight you grabbed my own face and brought it close, until our foreheads were touching, and we stayed that way for the whole song. It was wonderful. 

Monty 

You lost your first tooth this morning after much persistence. That tooth didn't stand a chance! You wiggled it every chance you got and ate as many apples as you could bare. And you're so proud of that toothless gap today. Parker says he's a bit scared of the tooth fairy (and Santa and the Easter bunny) so he suggests placing it on the desk in your room tonight. But you're not worried and have put it on your pillow right next to your head. It's all so very exciting. You love to tell stories, wild and imaginative tales that we tend to just go along with cause, of course, you tell them as if they were true. It's lead us to several more serious (furrowed brow) conversations about truth as a result, something we're working on now. It's tricky when we can't tell if your story is real or not. Very tricky. 

Parker 

You love to be outside in the winter. Every chance you get, you head out there. It's unbelievable to me, that I'm raising these snow loving children. Not unbelievable really, just funny. Tonight, as you rode outside on the snowmobile and I froze my butt off watching, I overheard you yell to the heavens, "This is the best day ever!" I love to hear that. Best day ever! When I tucked you in tonight you told me, "I love you to bits and pieces." Needless to say, my love tank is full. :)

Monday, January 7, 2013

Electric Blue {20 weeks}

{blazer - Target, shirt - J. Crew, skirt - Asos (can be worn at varied lengths), shoes - Sam Edelman}

Ooh, I'm starting to struggle to find (1) a good home bound location to shoot winter photos and (2) a nice and flattering angle. It's not that I'm all that rotund yet, it's just that I'm not quite as streamlined as before and I feel like every picture we take enlarges my double chin or love handles. But we'll keep trying friends; try to get at least one per week for each of these 40 weeks of pregnancy, though I'm sure I only started numbering them around 8 weeks. No biggie.

Anyway, electric blue is what's making me happy at the moment. That and all other brights, or in other words, any color that does not resemble winter. I am over winter! And I have a long road ahead ... My shipment of Asos maternity wear arrived on Saturday and I wasted no time at all in wearing this skirt unearthed from said package. I'm happy and greatly relieved to tell you that all the clothing fit perfectly and I would highly recommend their ever changing maternity line to all you lovely pregnant ladies out there. They are so incredibly reasonable, this skirt on sale for $12, and end up being just as cheap if not cheaper than Target or Old Navy would cost in the US (plus free shipping). There's not much better than that! If you're in need of a few maternity items, you must take a look. Plus, the dresses are absolutely adorable!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Maternity Style {faux fur}

{faux fur - Cynthia Vincent from T J Maxx, dress - too old to know, shoes - Besselli (GB)}

These fluffy fur vests don't seem to be quite as "happening" as they have been in the last 2 winters past which really just means that I haven't seen them on every fashion blogger, dominating mag spreads or racks and racks at every store as often as I once did. My mom, on the other hand, has worn them plenty .... and in a rainbow of colors. She incorporates them into outfits as if they were simple cardis, no big deal, which leaves me feeling gutsy enough to throw mine on too from time to time. They're not easy to wear (in my case, you must be willing to forego any appealing or slenderizing shape) but they are exceptionally warm, I tell you! And in Wisconsin, that's all you can ask for in clothing. So faux fur me up!
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