906 E. Chic

Deep Thoughts and Belly Shots {week 37}...

2012-02-10T13:27:00.000-06:00

GET THIS THING OUTTA ME!!!!!

jk...not...I am ready to go, I am ready to get my push on and get this squirmy little alien out of my body...

I actually lost 4 pounds this week- which even the doctor agreed was a good thing since I was getting close to gaining 50 stinkin' pounds and coming really close to passing Ryan up in the weight department...

Nursery is almost done, all her little clothes are put away, diaper bag is packed, baby stations are located around the house, everything is ready to go except her little bookshelf that needs to be painted- I may get to that soon...

I have found out that there is only so much Wife Swap and Real Housewives that you can watch before you are dying for real human contact and conversation- thank goodness I go back to work to answer phones for a couple of days next week. My mind will thank me even if my ankles rebel and swell up to cankles again...I can deal...

Reading a new book called Bring Up Bebe One American mother discovers the wisdom of French parenting by Pamela Druckerman - LOVE IT but that is a post all in it owns. Let me finish it and then I will share thoughts...

I turn 28 tomorrow and I am ok with that...

I get to eat at Olive Garden tonight and I am REALLY ok with that...

We have a stroller in the back of our car- the only time I really remember this now is when I take a turn to fast and it slams into the other side of our trunk...

We really need to have a car seat in our car too but I am too lazy to carry it out and strap it in...so it sits in the nursery- we can just grab it on the way to the hospital right???

Everyone keeps commenting on how calm I am- even my doctor was impressed. It's funny but usually with something this big and life changing about to happen I would be freaking out, feeling really unprepared and not ready but I am not. I feel ready, I feel prepared. I know there will be lack of sleep and a new routine but I got this. If you could see my hands you would see that they are steady. If there is one thing I know it's babies. Bring it on Charlie, bring it on...

Just don't have colic- k?

Anyone have any good crock pot meals or meals that freeze well? I would like to have some of those on reserve...

This baby better not end up having a wiener cause I have way to many pink, purple, and flowery outfits to take back now...if she does come out a he- he is gonna be one little girlie man...

I'll end on this conversation between me and Ryan:

Ryan: Have you been doing your kegels?

Me: Do you even know what kegels are?

Ryan: Yeah and I haven't seen you do one the whole pregnancy.

Me: I am doing one right now.

Ryan: Don't you have to like get down on the floor and do them? Like a push up?

Me: I knew you didn't know what they were....

Elephants, Pinwheels, and Butterflies {The sweetest baby shower EVER!}...

2012-02-09T11:08:00.000-06:00

My sister-in-law Lainey crafted her assets off for this shower and it totally paid off. It was so stinkin' cute. It all started when we were in Philly and we saw these orange cake pops instant inspiration since my nursery colors were gonna be pink and orange.

Do you see those elephants?!? I literally had those in my basket at Restore for the nursery and put them back! Lainey came another time completely unaware that I had almost bought them. SHE bought them all and painted them in colors that matched with poke-a-dots. SO CUTE!!!

This shower was totally a family affair. All the sisters and moms pitched in with food, games, and setting up. So to all of you I say thank you. Me and Charlie definitely felt the love!

My new job...

2012-02-06T09:55:00.000-06:00

Today I got up with the husband

and packed his lunch

Too 1950's for you?

Not for me

It was a big moment- I felt like I had made it

I am officially the House Manager of the Sjuts residence

and I am lovin' my new post

I loved being a nanny

I loved being at home and taking care of the house

I like to grocery shop and clean

I had some good teachers in this art of making a home function smoothly

And now I get to do if for reals in my own house!!!

To Do Lists have become my new favorite

and my laundry no longer piles up and stares at me with angry eyes

I can cook a nice meal for us instead of eating Arby's for the third time in a week.

I have started clipping coupons and making PB& J sammy's instead of eating out

I wear a lot of sweatpants right now but this WILL not be my uniform after the baby comes

I have to make sure of this- for Ryan's sake

To my husband I say thank you for this opportunity to stay at home with my baby

Because for 10 years there is nothing I have wanted more

Thank you for saving for us to be able to afford this luxury

Thank you for trusting me to do what is right for our family

and knowing me well enough to see that I will be back to snapping pictures

and making money again in no time

But most of all...

Thank you for giving me this little baby growing inside of me and making my dreams come true!

Deep thoughts & Belly Shots...

2012-01-15T17:52:00.001-06:00

Christmas and Thanksgiving are great holidays to be 7 months pregnant. I have never eaten so much fudge, cookies, dip, and all other kinds of holiday yumminess more in my entire life.

...

I am tired all the time. I can only do about 4 hours of activity a day before I feel like I am going to die. The other day we were doing our dinner dishes and I was drying and I had to sit while I did it. Standing was just too much.

...

Ryan started nesting. It was awesome. He just started organizing the house one day, starting in the basement and working his way up. I joined in on my vacation and together we have whipped this little house into shape. It is the first time we have felt like our house is actually ready to put on the market. We feel all grown up and stuff.

...

Charlie's closet is painted and ready to be all full of little clothes and baby things...I still have a few finishing touches to add like a bookshelf, a changing station, and some storage stuff.

...

I waddle every where I go now. It looks a lot like this:

...

True conversation:

Ryan (to his cousin Levi): Oh yeah pregnant women are sexy.

Me (as I learn forward to get my drink only half aware of their conversation): grrrrrruuuuuuuuuunnnttt

Levi: It sounds like it

...

I eat Tums like ithey're going out of style. I actually crave Tums. Sometimes my heartburn is so bad I could just sit there and eat Tums like they are milk duds. I know you can't do this so I only take as many as I am suppose to but then the bottle still calls to me so I have to hide it.

...

I need at least 3 pillows to be able to relax...at least.

...

I am so thirsty all the time and even in my dreams I spend most of my time in the bathroom.

...

I get fat little hobbit feet now when I spend too much time on them.

...

I am the most annoying person in the movie theatre right now. If I am not shifting back and forth to save one of my hips then I am gasping for air in what can be described only as something resembling a hiccup. But the doctors tell me it's not a hiccup therefore it has no name. Or getting up to go to the bathroom or breathing hard cause I just had to walk all the way from the bathroom to the theatre and I'm all out of breath.

Whispering to my mom

"Where's my war horse?"

hehe

...

We decided to use disposable diapers instead of cloth. I had a moment of panic and just decided that there were enough new things coming at me with a baby and if there was a way to make it easier on myself then disposable diapers are it. So yeah, I'm a woman and can change my mind.

...

I'm still going to breast feed which freaks me out in so many ways. One- I have never done it, two- I have never done it, and three- I HAVE NEVER DONE IT!!! {plus no part of me wants to deal with sore nipples and getting bit}

...

My bellybutton is still fighting the good fight. So far still an innie... So I say to pregnancy

"You can take my pride and my dignity- but you will never have my bellybutton!!!"

Take that pregnancy.

...

Sometimes I think pregnancy books make me worry more then they help me or answer my questions. Like they will say things like "stay away from _________. " {insert some certain kind of food} Followed by a "there is absolutely no proof AT ALL that this causes any negative effect on the baby but just in case"...???...I don't follow those rules cause I am a pregnancy rebel... cause I believe in moderation and not fear should be your pregnancy guide

...

So there ya go! I know it has been too long since my last bump shot but between the sweatpants and the laziness there wasn't a lot of bump picture taking going on. I promise to return next week with week 34

...

After watching Teen Mom 2...

2012-01-12T12:58:00.000-06:00

the middle one grows up to be my Jim

Today in a bout of extreme boredom I watched an episode of Teen Mom 2. It literally made me cry. There were a lot of things on the show that made me sad, poor relationships with their parents, forgoing education to spend more time working so they could buy diapers and wipes, but what really hit me the most was the losers these girls had as the fathers of their babies.

I don't think I have ever felt as grateful for my husband then after those 30 minutes. These girls deal with emotional abuse, substance abuse, and sometimes even physical abuse. It seems like they do not see a way out. That they are destine to be with someone like that. They cannot see themselves with someone actually worthy of their love. They are stuck in these endless cycles of hurt and lies. While I can't say know what it is like to be a teen mother, I do know what it is like to be with a loser.

I was once stuck in a cycle of abuse and I think that is why the show hit me so hard. I was with a guy who did not love me or appreciate me the way I deserved to be. I was never enough. Luckily I never had a baby with this guy but I easily could have. We lived together for over a year. There was a lot of yelling and emotional abuse. There was a lot of leading me on with the promise of a ring and a better life. There was a lot of buying me stuff after he had been nasty to me. There was a lot of control on his part and none on mine. There were a lot of car rides with the back of my car filled with what I could fit swearing I was done. There was pushing and holding against the wall. It was not my proudest moment in judgement and I consider myself a smart girl yet there I was looking at houses about to start a life with this man.

There was a lot that lead up to me leaving him. Aside from an intervention from my parents and employer there was a dream. I dreamed I was with Jim from the office. I woke up from the dream and it haunted me. I knew exactly why I had dreamed about a relationship with Jim because when I watched The Office I knew deep down I had not found "my Jim". Jim loved Pam from the beginning, he made her laugh, he was her friend, he put her needs above his own, he wanted what was best for her.

I wanted someone who loved me, not the idea of me or what I could be if they changed me enough, really loved me. All of my quirks and the deep down things that most people don't see unless they look really hard because they want to know all the special things about you. The one who makes you laugh, not cry. The one who is the kind of guy that you mom says to you "he is exactly what I always imagined for you".

So I left him and it was really hard but I am sharing this because I want other girls to know that YOUR JIM IS OUT THERE somewhere waiting for you and all you have to do is have the courage to say I deserved better. I deserve not to settle. I deserve to walk out the door right now because even being alone is better then being like this.

There was a moment when I was leaving the loser we were standing alone in a half empty townhouse, both crying and scared of what was going to come next. He was begging me to stay, promising me all the things he had promised so many times before, and he was sucking me back in. Then in my weakest moment it hit me. If I stayed then I was choosing this life. There would be no one to blame but me. I knew that I was settling and I was going to have to be ok with that in order to stay with him. I hugged him, told him I was sorry, and I walked out that door.

When I met my husband I knew almost instantly he was my Jim. He makes me laugh and feel beautiful, not like a sex object but like a wife should be loved. The best part of our relationship was not the first couple of days or months- it is yet to come. It gets better every day. I love him more every day. He knows all of me, flaws and all and never mocks me or try to change me. Do we fight? Sometimes- do my neighbors look at me with a look of pity because they can hear through the walls what is going on? Never. We fight like grown-ups, with a purpose, because we want to understand each other and be able to move on to the next stage.

So if you are a teen mom or just a girl stuck in a relationship that really deep down makes you more sad then it does happy, please listen to me when I tell you. YOUR JIM IS OUT THERE. Don't settle because I didn't and I am here to tell you it is so worth the wait and the pain. As we prepare for this baby I feel so completely spoiled to have a husband who loves me so much. But you have to believe that you deserve it. You have to be patient and let it happen how it is suppose to happen. You can't get desperate and fall for the lie that he is gonna change because they never change that much. You have to stand firm in your decision every time he texts you and asks you to marry him {yeah that happened more then once} or to run away with him- that you do not want him, you want the idea of him and you will not settle for less then Jim.

Because the Jims of the world are soooooo worth waiting for I know cause I married mine.

A 906 Christmas {10 days late}...

2012-01-09T11:26:00.003-06:00

I'm back!!!

Sorry for the quiet around this place

but

WE HAD 10 Christmases!!!!!!!

And there is some recovery time needed after all that festivity

What"s that?

You don't believe me that we had 10 different Christmases?

Oh well I will give you the run down of it all in case you can't wrap your mind around that

{it took me about 4 years to realize this was in fact my reality- usually resulting in my crying and trying to pull my hair out sometime around 2:30 in the morning on Christmas Eve as I realize I have 12 more presents to wrap}

Christmas 1- Our Christmas with just my immediate family- we did this on the 18th for my sanity and to include my littlest sister Mo who was going on an 8 day cruise for Christmas...

Christmas 2- Christmas at my Grandma's house on Christmas Eve starting at 12:30 with my mom's side of the family

Christmas 3- Ryan's Grandma W. also on Christmas Eve from 5- 7:30 with Ryan's mom side of the family

Christmas 4- Ryan's Opa's the last celebration of Christmas Eve from 7:30 to about 10:30

Then we go home and prepare for the next day this year I was in bed by 1 which is the earliest I have ever been to bed on Christmas Eve since me and Ryan started living together. Only a couple of presents to wrap in the morning which would have been a piece of cake except...

Our alarm didn't go off!!! So Ryan helped me wrap presents like a mad man, half asleep, and one little tiny fight later we were out the door in sweatpants and baseball hats {sometimes something has to give and this year it was showering on Christmas}

Christmas 5- Ryan's dad's on Christmas morning around 10 to 12

Christmas 6- Ryan's mom's Christmas morning from 12- 1:30ish

Christmas 7- My dad's side of the family Christmas from 2- 5

Christmas 8- Ryan's dad's side family Christmas 5-9

Then Christmas is over right?!?

No...

Christmas 9- Ryan's Oma on the Thursday after Christmas

Christmas 10- We drive up to Chicago to see Ryan's Grandpa who lives outside the city for New Years Eve weekend...

That's not even including some other visits that were made to see family members from out of town just cause.

It's a pretty hectic time

and I am wiped out.

We are extremely blessed to have to many people who love and want to see us and SPOIL US ROTTEN!!! Ryan is completely blissed out during all of this and I am learning to slowly let go of my expectations of the holidays and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I will say that this was the smoothest year to date and me and Ryan even got to have our own little Christmas on Christmas Eve Eve which we had never done before! {this was the first year Ryan actually wrapped my presents!} Ryan kept telling me what a good job I was doing and how proud he was of me. I was prepared this year. I didn't take on too many projects and put to much pressure on myself. I also didn't have cramps so bad that I was puking so that always helps.

I don't have pictures and it has taken me about a week and half to recover

BUT my house is back in order thanks to my awesome husband who is clearly nesting...

I will be back full force this week with:

Resolutions and goals

A deep thoughts and belly shot

And a little surprise announcement!!!

How many Christmas celebrations do you have??? How do you get it all done?

How I decorated for Christmas : A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas...

2011-12-18T21:21:00.001-06:00

This is how our home is looking this holiday season.

I was going for a Scandinavian kind of vibe.

I used a lot of red, blue, and white...

sounds kind of 4th of July but I don't think it comes across that way

but you can decide for yourself...

I thought it would be fun to show your our house

AND

for all of you to share with me {in the comment section Or

on facebook} pictures of your own home this Christmas...

Show me some link love!!!

Twine and vintage button Christmas tree : A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas

2011-12-15T15:45:00.000-06:00

Twine and Vintage Button Christmas Tree

You will need:

twine

cone form

moss

tiny terra cotta pot

vintage buttons

hot glue gun

Wrap the twine around the cone starting at the top and working your way down, always securing with glue every so often.

Glue pot upside down to the bottom of the cone and glue buttons.

Embellish with moss and a pretty glass dome.

I had all of this down in my basement. Ok besides the glass dome which is a Christmas present for some lucky lady. I am just borrowing it for this photo. It is now safely tucked away waiting for Christmas- not displayed in my house cause that would be wrong but that doesn't mean it makes me sad that it has to be out of sight and I don't get to keep it.

Mason jar snow globes : A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas

2011-12-14T16:35:00.000-06:00

Don't these bring out those it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas feelings in you? I was in love from hello with these when I saw them at Anthro. I was all prepared to do Martha Stewarts tutorial but then my friend Bethany over at Rinse. Repeat. posted a way easier version.

So I was all about that since I don't know where the heck to get glycerin and the people at Hobby Lobby didn't even know where fake snow was. So I kind of have feeling they would have a hard time telling me where to find glycerin.

This is a seriously easy craft and you will be whipping these puppies out like bam, bam, BAM! I think I made like 15 in 20 minutes and they are so sweet looking. I had tons of mason jars but now I am gonna have to restock my hoard once this holiday season is over. It has taken quite a hit in the past week. Ryan would be happy if he went down there and saw all my empty shelfs.

Terrarium Ornament How To : A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas

2011-12-13T20:01:00.000-06:00

I love terrariums. I was really inspired to make some of my own after visiting Terrian. You remember me talking about that place right? The nursery owned by the same people who created Anthropologie??? I was particularly inspired by these terrariums that they had on display...

I started a new tradition last year making my own ornaments for the tree each year. Soon Charlie will be able to help me make them and hopefully the other 3 will be along soon to help out too : ) I plan on packing them away each year and then when the kids move out on their own they will get a stash to start their own holiday decorating. I hope that making them together and having a different set for every year will make them full of Christmasy memories.

This year I went for a woodland theme. Ryan was like ummm ok...that doesn't sound Christmasy at all. That was until we were at IKEA and he saw my mushrooms I had been making all week long like a sweat shop. They were in a display on presents. He was all I shouldn't doubt your genius.- ok so maybe he didn't say those exact words but I could tell that was what he was thinking!

All you need to make your own terrarium ornaments are:

moss

clear glass bulbs

Place the moss inside the bulb.

Done.

Easy as pie.

How to make a pear from a light bulb : A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas

2011-12-12T21:45:00.000-06:00

I love pears. I think you got that from this post. So I was super excited to make this little craft project to fill up a pretty jar for a Christmas present. I first spotted it on Pinterest- but you probably knew that already. Sometimes I wonder how I ever made it without Pinterest. But there was no tutorial on how to whip these babies up so I made one.

Twine Pear How-To

You will need:

light bulbs

twine

hot glue gun

scissors

a stick from outside

First take the scissors and cut a small piece of the stick to make the stem of the pear {I do not use my good scissors for this part of the project}...

Should look something like this...

Take the stem and hot glue it to the light bulb- I think which end of the light bulb is pretty self explanatory...

Now you are going to hot glue the start of the twine to the base of the stem...

Begin to wrap the twine around and around and around, gluing every so often to secure the twine to the light bulb. When you get the the bigger part of the bulb more glue is necessary to keep twine in place...

Viola! A pear!

So cute I could make a million of them!

What you can do with old books : DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas

2011-12-11T21:32:00.003-06:00

These are a little time consuming to make {and messy!} but if you have a Sunday when all the hubs wants to do if football it up on the tv- this project could save your life {or sanity}.

I first saw them online at Anthropologie looking all cute but completely over priced. I'm sorry but it cost me less then $3.00 to make this and they are charging $48.00!!! For this:

Can you see the cardboard dividers on the Anthro tree??? I can and those don't look like $50 trees to me- those look like a crafter's dream. These trees are easy enough to make if you have the time and the creative want to. I used vintage buttons to top my tree and read this tutorial over at The Wonder Forest before going off on my own. You will get better with every tree so just keep with it and a good paper slicer helps!

Another great way to use those scraps you will have piling up from the trees? Use it as a fancy smacy way to cushion your breakables when you gift wrap...

Or as gift tags-...

I have made five trees, have two packages full of shreds of paper, and one tag- all of which came from the same old book I got from Restore for $1.00 and I still have more paper from it to use up. I have two more old books- imagine what I can do with those...

*and yes blame it on pregnancy brain or what ever you want to but I have been spelling Anthropologie wrong this whooooole time...I would like to believe that it is the pregnancy but I know in my heart it is just my bad spelling. Ryan usually spell checks for me but there was no way for him to catch this one. So just laugh it up at my expense and know what a pain it was to go back and fix it : )

A snazzy felt pom-pom for packages : A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas

2011-12-06T21:31:00.003-06:00

{TO MAKE}

{FIRST}

{THEN}

{AFTER THAT}

{KEEP GLUEING}

{DONE!}

These are best made while watching A Christmas Story or Elf with hot cocoa and sugar cookies. What can you use them for:

Christmas presents

Garland

Embellishments for pillows or blankets

These are just some ideas. Let me know what you use them for!

Cute dishtowels : A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas Day Four...

2011-12-05T23:32:00.003-06:00

Anthropologie $18.00

Source: anthropologie.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Girls Can Tell $14.00

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Anthropologie $18.00

Source: anthropologie.com via Ashley on Pinterest

what the hart likes $17.50

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Anthropologie $42.00
{set of three}

Source: anthropologie.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Crave Cute $15.00

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

* While some of these options are not that much cheaper then Anthropologie you would be supporting the hand crafted movement and creativity of the Etsy community!!!

How to make a felt mushroom ornament : Day 3 DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas......

2011-12-04T23:00:00.002-06:00

You will need:

{two different colors of felt: one cut into circle and the other cut into a strip, thread and needle, embroidery floss, stuffing, smaller circle of cardboard, scissors, and glue gun}

Lets begin now...

Step One {take strip of felt and roll tightly, sew basic stitch up the side to secure}

Step Two {take embroidery floss and stitch around the edge of felt circle}

Step Three {place stuffing into center of circle and pull slightly to tighten, take cardboard piece and put over stuffing and pull the embroidery floss tight and knot, cut excess floss}

Step Four {put a dab of hot glue in the center of top of mushroom and glue together}

Step Five {take extra embroidery floss and needle through center of mushroom, pull through, remove needle, and tie knot}

Step Six {hang from tree while watching a Christmas movie or listening to Christmasy music and drinking hot cocoa}

A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas Day Two...

2011-12-01T21:59:00.002-06:00

The Inspiration

Image from Anthropologie

Anthropologie Alternatives

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: justmushroomstuff.com via Ashley on Pinterest

A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas Day One

2011-12-01T08:24:00.002-06:00

Source: sewingin-nomansland.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Good morning!!! It is day one of A DIY Anthropologie {style} Christmas and I am super exctied to share this amazing and easy peasy tutorial with you. This would make a great gift for so many people like a teacher, sister, or your daughters best friend. You could do so many color combos. Don't know which colors are in right now? Check out some stores in the malls while you are out doing some Christmas shopping and see what colors your favorite stores are pairing up. It will give you some inspiration to design your own masterpiece.

I am making one of these as soon as my two week spending embargo is lifted and I can get to the fabric store. After IKEA Ryan put me on a strict budget. I am going to use the tutorial and get out the ol' sewing machine for the holidays. I got the idea from Pinterest but I hopped over to view the tutorial from the blog Sewing in No Man's Land and loved it. Lot's of great projects and tutorials you should check it out!

Yellow, navy, and grey living room...

2011-11-30T19:34:00.001-06:00

We went to IKEA in Schaumburg on Black Friday. It was the perfect day to go because all the crowds were across the street at the mall AND we got 15% of what we spent on our sofa back on a gift card!!! Sweet deal considering I can rack up about $200 worth of crap in the cart by the time we make it to the check out line.

I can't help myself {and we only go once a year!}. So I bet you are all like show us the darn sofa already right? Ok I will but not before one disgusting before picture to show you the progress we have made in the past year.

And now the moment you have all been waiting for...

I am one happy girl right now. I am far from finished with the room but it is soooo much closer to my style. It was a dream to decorate for Christmas now that my house is finally in some order again. We have all rooms upstairs in working functional order and it feels so good. More to come but tune in tomorrow for the first day of A DIY Anthropology Christmas!!!!

Coming soon to a blog near you...

2011-11-17T23:03:00.002-06:00

I have been planning some serious craft tutorials around here

Scouring the internet for places to get that Anthropology style for less

Making my list

Checking it twice

Come back Thursday December 1st

To find out whether you have been naughty or nice...

-15 days of Anthropology Christmas Style and Gifts-

let's make it a 906 tradition

I have gained 20+ pounds {and my knees feel it}...

2011-11-16T20:27:00.003-06:00

This is pretty much what I have been doing with my down time lately. I am starting to feel large and in charge {of the remote that is}. It is all I can do to make it through the work day to come home and veg out in all of my sweat panted glory.

October was such a busy month and I just haven't seemed to recover yet. Or that is what I keep telling myself? - like it is going to get better and miraculously I am going to wake up soon and have the energy I had 7 months ago. As much as I like to believe that to be true I have a feeling that it is not the case and these tired days are here to stay for a while.

So to create a little something to look forward to I am gonna start pinning some crafts I can do from the comfort of my throne. With a glue gun in hand maybe time will pass a little faster and make the days run together less. Looks like this place is about to get a little bit more crafty cause a girl has to do more with her life other then eat Oreos {by package, by the day...cause that is not healthy for anyone}.

I want a yellow, grey, and blue living room...

2011-11-14T17:26:00.000-06:00

And I want it like now. I am so tired of our current blah, non inspiring, just using what we got for the moment living room. It is a mish mash of nothing I really love or stuff that needs to be worked on. I guess there are a few inspiring items in the room...

I am thinking casual, beachy, and eclectic. I want to have this beautiful wing back chair re-upholstered in some kind of strip or poppy floral print. Are you following me here or am I getting a little crazy? Here are some pictures to show you where I am going with this...

Source: lariatsandlavender.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: smileandwave.typepad.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: brabournefarm.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Ashley on Pinterest

I am going to start making this happen. Starting with a little road trip to IKEA!!!

Tiny Clothes...

2011-11-13T22:02:00.000-06:00

Little, itsy, bitsy, leggings, tunics, and hats have found their way to 906 and I am in love! Shopping at Baby Gap has been my absolute favorite part of pregnancy thus far. I cannot wait to dress this baby. All these little clothes have me thinking about things like little hangers and cleaning out the closet in the nursery.

I am going to try and jazz up the closet a little. Here's a little hint for you: it involves poke-a-dots and stencils. Not saying anymore you will just have to come back to see the pictures! In the mean time I am gonna find a place for these newly thrifted flowers in the baby room.

Terrian...

2011-11-10T20:45:00.001-06:00

So I think that I have maybe mentioned before that I freakin' love Anthropology right? Well last month at a blogger meet up in the Philadelphia area {more to come on that later} I had the chance to go to a nursery run by the same company that owns Anthropology. Terrian did not fail expectations. I loved it all so much that it made me want to scratch my own eyes out from all the cuteness that I could not afford but also somehow could not live without. Does that makes any sense? If you had seen laundry detergent that cute you would understand....here are some pictures to prove it...

I could have bought every thing in the store but settled on some red and white twine {have actually wanted this forever and had a hard time finding it} and some scented tea lights. That alone cost me $32! That is gross but I guess that is the price you pay to leave with your eye sight.

Baby Nursery {Phase One}...

2011-11-06T14:54:00.000-06:00

Ryan got a baby crib for his birthday just what he always wanted! We were super excited to finally have a little something in our house that says a baby's gonna live here soon! This past Saturday Ryan put it together and I thought it would make me feel better having something for the baby done but instead it made me think of all of the the things we still need to do. I was feeling overwhelmed but it was awful sweet watching him put it together for Charlie.

That night while Ryan was out watching the game with the guys, I made a little trip to Meijer. I honestly went to get cleaning supplies and laundry detergent but kinda ended up coming out with a complete nursery. I pretty much got the core look going and I have to say I am in love!!! The only item that came from the baby department was the sheet for the crib.

I am loving it and so is Ryan. It's very girlie and sweet with that collected over time kind of look that I was going for.

Other things we need still: the antique rocker my mom is giving us {that was my great, great grandmothers} a bookshelf or some wall hooks, possibly different curtains, changing pad and a cute cover, some kind of shelving or wall hooks, a light fixture, some vintage quilts, and the closet still needs to be cleaned out and organized, and the pictures above the dresser still need to be painted to match the room.

But I feel like we are off to a good start. Me and Ryan can randomly be found standing in the door way just looking in and thinking what it is going to be like having a baby sleeping in that crib.

Here is what it looked like before:

And here it is after:

A Halloweeny Party

2011-11-04T16:01:00.000-05:00

Ryan turned 28 this Halloween so we had a little party to celebrate {and by little I mean about 30 people!}. Here is what it entailed:

Homemade potato soup & chili

A dessert table out by the bonfire

Snuggle blankets to keep toasty warm

Cider and candy to munch on

Homemade bread and baked beans

Lots of family to celebrate Ryan!

I didn't get any pictures of the actual party because by that point I could barely waddle around from being on my feet so much. So there was a dessert table I promise and it was awfully purdy for a boy party- good thing my husband pretty much lets me do what I want right now cause I am growin' his baby inside of me.

The party was a complete success! Even if it did take me {and my kitchen} days to recover I am so glad that I did it. Since this is our last Halloween without kids I wanted to really make Ryan the center of attention since for the next 13 years or so it will be more about the kids then him {on his actual birthday- don't cry to much for him he will still have birthdays- just not on the actual date!}.

He always tells me that he doesn't need a party but I could tell this year he was really glad we did! Happy birthday baby! Here is to the next 28 being just as wonderful!!!

PS Did I mention that I wore sweatpants to the party? Yeah I did...cause I am pregnant and I can.