Discovery Street

How I'll Get Into Shape

2013-05-16T09:34:00.001-07:00

It's begun. The official 'chase your child everywhere' stage has begun. I cannot believe how fast she crawls, and how she manages to get into everything she's not supposed to. What is it about electrical outlets, cell phones and remotes that babies love so much? She could be surrounded by a dozen flashing, blinking, noise making toys and all she wants is my phone.

It seems like overnight this baby of mine became not a baby. Oh my heart.

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The Great Gatsby Premier

2013-05-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

Last week I got together with some ladies to attend the premier of The Great Gatsby. It was on my friend Lindsay's '30 before 30' list to go to a midnight showing of a movie. She organized the event and suggested we all get dolled up in 1920's fashion for fun.

I don't own any drop waist dresses, so I made do with what I have...I think my hair looks more 1970's than 1920's...but this is what you get when you have 15 minutes to get ready. I haven't worn color on my lips since high school...I stick with mostly chapstick or clear gloss, so it felt strange to wear such bold lips, but I kinda liked it!

We met for dinner at a local restaurant--don't these ladies look amazing?

I read the Great Gatsby in high school, and I didn't recall the slightest bit about the story line. Lindsy read the book right before the movie and she said the movie followed the book amazingly well. The movie was awesome--the ending was pretty depressing, but it stayed true to the book.

What have you seen at the movies lately?

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When You Don't Really Know Your Mother

2013-05-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

** Have you entered the giveaway for a custom birth print? **

It just kinda hit me that I will forever hold the title mom. It's a hefty title to hold. I'm curious how my relationship with my daughter will unfold and wonder how she will view me when she is a young woman.

Mother daughter relationships are complex and complicated. I don't really know my mother. I know that sounds strange. I love her and I know without a doubt she loves me, but there is a communication barrier that separates us. My mother speaks poor English, and I don't speak Korean. Our conversation has always been very basic and superficial.

I didn't realize that I didn't really have a relationship with my mom until I went off to college. My roommate at the time spoke with her mom on the phone every day. And I noticed most of the girls I went to college with spoke with their mothers often too. Since I left home at 18 I probably spoke with my mother on the phone 4-5 times a year. There just isn't really much to talk about when you don't speak each other's language.

It's a bit strange...I don't really know much about my mom's life. I know she grew up very, very poor, was only educated through fourth grade, and lost her mother at a very young age to suicide. Her circumstances created a very fierce, strong willed, opinionated woman packed into a 4 foot eleven inch, 100 pound frame. I know she did the very best she knew how to love me and raise me. I am her only child and I know the second I was born, her life became about mine. I'm positive 99% of the worry in her head is about my well being.

I'm not angry, or hurt, or bitter. I love my mom dearly; I only wish we knew each other better, especially as she ages. She has had health issues most of her life, but lately has been going through some health things that really make me wish we lived closer to each other.

Although it was my very first Mothers Day, I couldn't help but think about her. Our relationship isn't typical, but it is what it is and I'm thankful to still have her in my life.

Are you and your mom close?

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The Nursery (Again) + A Giveaway!

2013-05-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

We lived in a different house when Parker was born...so for a few short months she got used to being in the loft space above our bedroom. Then of course we bought our current home and decided which room would be Parker's. It was the first room we prepped; Andy painstakingly painted all the brown shiplap pink, and also painted pink stripes on the walls. Unfortunately the room we chose for her shares a wall with one of the foreign exchange students we host. We didn't want the poor girl to lose sleep if Parker was having a bad night, so after a few weeks we moved Parker's room downstairs across from our room--the tiny room that we were going to use as an office space.

We thought it was going to be pretty temporary because we naively believed she would continue to sleep through the night. Haha, the joke was on us.

(I bought a pink blackout panel from Target to block the massive amount of light that pours through this door in the mornings).

I still want to paint the walls a neutral color because we do eventually want to use this room as an office someday, and i want to put Parker back upstairs in her original room which has a closet. I just bought a cheapo metal frame (which you can see in the second picture) to hang some of her outfits for now.

Although the room and space is not ideal, it works for now. What helps me be content with the space are the little pieces that have helped make the room come together. I made a few of the pieces while I was "nesting." Including the bunting above her bed and he dog painting in the top photo.

This DIY paper bird painting was the very first thing I made for Parker's nursery.

I love the little pieces like the owls, alarm clock and globe I found thrifting.

One of my favorite new additions is this beautiful framed custom birth piece made by Etsy shop Baby in the Rain. Isn't it darling? I love how it has all of Parker's stats and that I was able to choose the colors to match perfectly with her nursery. And one lucky reader will win their own! Winner will be announced next Wednesday.

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You Don't Understand Unless You Live in the PNW

2013-05-06T11:10:00.001-07:00

Every single blogger who lives in the PNW is blogging about how glorious our weekend was. Because it's blogworthy people. Spring is usually pretty crappy in these parts; so when the sun shines for more than 3 days in a row (and expected to shine for the next week), Washingtonians go bananas. All the parks, pools, waterfront restaurants and anything to do with the outdoors is PACKED.

All the fans, sunglasses and sunscreen sell out, and pale white shoulders and legs are exposed for the first time in about 9 months. PLUS, it was Cinco De Mayo. So to celebrate we went on a walk to the Ruston Way waterfront in Tacoma, then dined out on a restaurant patio eating a plateful of nachos.

Parker wore a dress I've been dying to put her in that her Nana bought her last year on a trip to Italy.

Unfortunately we changed shortly after because she spit up green peas all over it. Boo.

Later that afternoon we got to hang out with a bunch of friends for a little Cinco De Mayo get together. Parker experienced two firsts. The baby pool and watermelon! (She loved both).

It truly was such a fun and relaxing weekend. I hope it's just a small taste of what summer will be like in the PNW. Days like we've been having truly make you forget about the overcast, rainy days most days of the year. Sun, food, family, friends and views like this of Mt. Rainier:

It doesn't get any better.

The only downside...I realized I no longer own a single pair of shorts.

Linking up with Sarah

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Parker Penny // 8 Months

2013-05-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

It's impossible to get a picture of this girl--she is constantly in motion...so these are the only shots I could get!

Well, these past 30 days have thrown me for a loop. Nothing has been consistent this month but I'm guessing it's because of how crazy fast this little girl is developing physically and mentally. My coffee intake has definitely increased as she is waking up 1-2 times a night again (after months of sleeping through the night), and she's been ready to start her days lately at 6am. My mornings are a bit foggy, but I just eat up every second with this girl.

Here are some updates-

Eating:: This girl can EAT. I'm actually a little shocked at how much this girl puts down in a sitting. I'm still breastfeeding and she usually eats solids twice a day. We've done the baby led weaning thing for a couple of months and really like it a lot. It's messy, but this way we can all eat at the same time. She still doesn't have any teeth but manages to gum all fruits, veggies and even meat!

Talking:: She's pretty vocal. When she wakes up at 6am, I can hear her "talking" and playing in her crib for about 20 minutes before it turns into a cry. She still repeats dadadadada, and bababababa...and just within the past couple of days has been saying mamamama! I know she hasn't attached meaning to the sounds yet, but it still makes me happy.

Play:: This girl is ACTIVE. She does have moments of contentment playing by herself, but it's rare. She is constantly crawling and pulling herself up on everything, including me. I'm a human jungle gym. I'm flying across the country in June with her and I'm terrified as sitting still is not on her list of favorite thing to do.

Sleep:: Sleep is all over the place. In the beginning of the month she was going to bed around 730 or 800, but now is back to 630 or 7...she would probably prefer I put her down earlier, but evenings are a little hectic. I still go in for a dream feed around 10pm.

Naps:: Naps have been all over the place this month. Mostly because my schedule hasn't been consistent. On the days I'm home all day, she'll usually go down for a morning and afternoon nap. Nap times still vary from 30 minutes to about 2 hours. There have been days where she only takes one nap though...I am not a fan of those days.

On a sad note, nursing has become pretty difficult. I keep getting recurring milk blisters and plugged milk ducts. They are incredibly painful and last 3-4 weeks (I've had about 5 or 6 so far). So the last 5 months or so I've been dealing with this issue. I'm not ready to be done nursing, but it just hurts terribly. And to make matters worse, Parker wont sit still while I nurse. She will actually turn herself so she's on her hands and knees, or position herself on her knees facing me and nurse. This, plus the pain of milk blisters makes nursing in public quite awkward and difficult.

Other than that, this girl is the light of my life.

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Our Only Job

2013-05-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

"Besides nurturing and feeding our kids, our only job when they are this age is to delight them."

I was out with my friend Lillian last week and she said this. I loved it. It's so true. Making Parker smile, giggle and belly laugh brings such joy to my day. I think I might love it more than she does.

Truly...is there a better sound in the world than baby giggles?

Linking up with Mandy

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April Recap + A Couple of Blog Questions

2013-04-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's the last day of the month? How did this happen? Tomorrow is May people. Which means my birthday is in less than two months and I'm going to be 35. YIKES.

Anyway...There have been lots of new readers recently (THANK YOU!) So I wanted to do a quick recap on a few of my most popular posts this month.

The kitchen remodel is almost done!

How we've been getting by since I quit my job.

Where I'm at with faith and motherhood.

Also, every now and then I do a check in with my readers to re-evaluate my blog...would you mind answering a few questions?

How do you read blogs? (desk top, mobile device, ipad, etc).

How many days a week do you read blogs?

Do you have any questions/feedback/comments regarding my blog you'd like to ask?

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How To Not Be Awkward at a Blogger Meetup

2013-04-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, I'm an introvert by nature. No one would usually guess it because I can go to a party and "meet" people and carry on a conversation. But my preference would be to sit in a corner with someone I know, chow down on meatball appetizers, and scroll through my instagram feed.

Last winter I went to the PNW blogger meetup in Portland (my first blogger meetup) and left a little disappointed because I didn't really "meet" a lot of the bloggers. It was my own fault; I didn't muster up the courage or effort to go introduce myself.

This year the meetup was in Seattle. I read through a lot of the comments of bloggers attending who stated they were excited to come, but were coming alone and didn't know anyone. Meetups are a lot like 8th grade dances. Everyone is dressed up, standing against the wall feeling awkward and hoping someone comes up to us to ask us to dance.

I decided to be the hot boy at the dance. And let's just say I left with a lot of girls digits.

OK, but in all seriousness. This is how to get the most out of a blogger meetup. (Or any sort of networking event).

1. Be prepared--bring a business card. I did not have any business cards at the last meet up I was at. #bloggermeetupfail. It's hard to remember everyone when you get home, having a business card or calling card is a must.

2. Get cute! Ok, I'm not anything close to a fashion blogger (I live in yoga pants), but women (generally) like clothes, accessories, jewelry, shoes etc. If you're wearing something cute it's a great conversation starter. And come on, how many of us don't love to be greeted with, OMG, that _____ is sooooo cute! And we respond casually, "This old thing? I totally thrifted it and got if for like, $2.00".

3. Be bold and introduce yourself first. Unless you're the most popular blogger there with a lineup of people waiting to meet you, you're gonna have to put in some effort. Get up, walk around and introduce yourself. Start off looking for someone standing by themselves. They are usually relieved that you made the first move! Once you feel comfortable doing that, get a little crazy and introduce yourself to a group of girls.

Not one person I introduced myself to looked at me with evil eyes and was like, "why are you talking to me?" (Unlike 8th grade dances). Everyone was eager to exchange cards and engage in conversation. If you're worried about what to talk about, here are 3 easy tips:

Find something cute about their outfit, jewelry, business card and say. "OMG, that scarf/handbag/necklace/ring is soooooo cute, where'd you get it? Who designed your business card, I love it!?" Compliment people (genuinely) and ask them about themselves.

If by chance you introduced yourself to someone who didn't bring a business card, and came in yoga pants, a sweatshirt and a ponytail--ask them about their blog. You can't go wrong asking someone what their blog is about.

Keep moving. OK, there is nothing more awkward than meeting someone and feeling like you're out of stuff to talk about (I know this seems virtually impossible with women, but it happens). Don't be awkward and just stand there in silence. End the conversation and move on! Say, "It was so nice to meet you, can't wait to check out your blog; I have 15 more business cards to pass out so I'm gonna keep introducing myself to some new people." They will not be offended. If you're out of stuff to talk about, they will be relieved that you made the first move to leave.

Women are so concerned about offending other women that we will often stand in pointless conversations for hours because we don't want to hurt someone's feelings. Moveon.com people.

Needless to say, I had a much better time at this blogger meetup. I met a ton of great gals and I can't wait to go through their business cards to check out their blogs.

Have you been to a blogger meetup? What was your experience like?

OH!! And I'm a guest host for the #Yolo Mondays linkup with the fabulous Molly & Carly...If you haven't joined in yet, do it now!

Happy YOLO Monday! Each week, Molly & I will be selecting a few of our favorite posts from the Monday before to feature......it's a great way to put the spotlight on a few of y'all each week! Please be sure to link up an ACTUAL post, not just a link to your main page.Our favs from last week?

Sunday Stripes

When is too much shopping too much?

Curry, Carrot & Rutabaga Soup

How to wear bright lipstick

The Rules for #YOLOMONDAYS Link-Ups:

Follow your hosts Molly @ still being [molly] ,Carly @ Lipgloss & Crayons , and your guest host for the week Ruthy @ Discovery Street
Grab a button and / or post a link back here in your BLOG POST (NOT your blog’s main page) so your readers know what all the #YOLOMONDAY-ness is about. We love you guys linking up and we do go through and read all your posts… so if you do not give credit, we will have to remove your link. That’s no fun, right? Right. So be nice and share a link! Pretty please?
Link your blog post up using the linky tool below! It can be ANYTHING! An outfit post, a giveaway, a story, a recipe, whatever. Why? Cause it’s #YOLOMONDAYS!
Visit a blog or four that you’ve never been to before and leave a #YOLOMONDAYS comment – you never know, you might “meet” someone new that you will lurve!
Have fun! Cause #YOLO!

Want to cohost #YOLOMONDAYS? We will be accepting weekly cohosts starting next week..........please email us at carlybrydon@gmail.com for more info!

Movin' & Shakin' In Her Huggies #HuggiesTester

2013-04-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Huggies®.

My daughter has a thing or two to teach me about flexibility. She's a natural yogi; her favorite position? Its a tie between downward dog and the plank position. I found her in these positions often when she first started to crawl. I can't even believe I'm using that word. She's only 7 1/2 months but she started crawling a month ago. (Crazy early right?). I think it's amazing how strong babies are. Every single morning she would do just a little bit more than she did the day before. It's really like magic watching them build their skills and strength day after day. Of course now she can't sit still and chasing this child around my living room has become my daily workout.
Clearly we needed a diaper that could keep up with this active child and not hold her back. So of course I was excited to become an official Huggies tester. Did you know you can sign up to be a Huggies tester too? It's free and by signing up you can get coupons and play games to win some awesome prizes. And the best part is that with every prize entry Huggies will donate a diaper to a child in need.

Diaper changes have become a struggle in my household. Parker hates them. She cries and cannot sit still. I was in need of a diaper that didn't need to be changed frequently and was able to keep her dry between prolonged periods. I also wanted a diaper that could move with her, was flexible, soft and of course could keep up with her with no leaks. Only Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers have the new SureFit Design with a flexible waistband, and these diapers did not disappoint. Few diaper changes per day makes me happy, Parker happy, and best of all, makes my pocketbook happy. Huggies for the win!

Now if only I could keep up with her like Huggies diapers do!

Huggies® is introducing parents to improved products that are designed to take on some of the messy challenges of parenting: Huggies® Snug & Dry Diapers with NEW SureFit* Design, Huggies Natural Care® Wipes with NEW Triple Clean* layers in the new Designer Tubs. In addition to the same trusted Leak Lock® protection parents have come to love and trust, only Huggies® Snug & Dry Diapers now have NEW SureFit® Design, to provide long-lasting fit for up to 12 hours of leakage protection.
Interested in trying out these new products for yourself? Huggies® is encouraging parents everywhere to become Official Huggies® Testers at Huggies.com/Tester and put their new and improved diapers and wipes to the test in their everyday routine – from playground play dates to messy mealtime.
To get coupons and other great rewards, visit the Huggies® Test Town!
Or check out the Huggies® Facebook fan page to learn more now!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Huggies®.

Oh The Places You'll Go

2013-04-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.” ~Albert Einstein

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The Dream Feed Hour

2013-04-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

My favorite time of the day is usually around 10:30 at night. I've just finished Parker's dream feed, she's sound asleep and she lays limp in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder. I hold her, pray over her and don't want to put her back down in her crib because it will be another 24 hours before she'll let me hold her like that again.

I've mentioned it before--Parker is not a cuddler. She kicks, arches her back and pushes off when you try to snuggle her. (This is so very hard on her mama and daddy as we are big time snugglers).

I hope this is just a phase she grows out of. My neck is ready and waiting for her to bury her face into it. My shoulders are waiting to be hugged.

I've read that between 7 and 8 months is a good time to drop the dream feed, but I doubt I will. I'll get my snuggle one way or another.

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Daddy's Girl

2013-04-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

Andy hoped for a girl when we found out we were pregnant.

It's truly something special to watch your husband be a father. Specifically, to watch your husband father a daughter.

I think often how lucky this little girl is that she'll get to grow up with Andy as her daddy. Not just because of the epic daddy/daughter dates he planned out before she was born, but because he'll speak truth into her life. He will pray with her. He will make sure she knows her value does not lie in her looks. He'll teach her about respect, integrity, boundaries, kindness and humility.

I think the way we look at Jesus is influenced by how we were (or weren't) fathered. If we didn't have a healthy relationship with our own fathers, is there any question as to why we might have issues, questions, doubts, concerns about our heavenly Father? (Although it's quite (very) possible to have those same questions, doubts, and concerns with healthy father/daughter relationships).

All that to say, I'm grateful. Grateful for the man my husband is. Grateful that the human lens Parker will view Jesus through is filtered through him. Grateful that Parker will never have to doubt who the apple of his eye belongs to.

That Parker Penny is one blessed little girl.

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Motherhood & Faith :: Where I'm At

2013-04-18T07:01:00.000-07:00

I recently joined a women's book study through my church. It's the first time in a long time I'm doing something to reconnect with God. I'm not sure if all new mom's go through a season of feeling too preoccupied with their baby to be intentional about spending time with God, but I feel like I've been using this as an excuse for way too long and I'm truly missing the intimacy I used to have with my Savior.

I haven't forgotten about God...my relationship has been more like a friendship that requires time and effort, and instead of making the time to grab coffee together, I've been sending an occasional text message. I pray, I attend church, I open up my bible now and then, but I haven't spent "quality time," so to speak with God. I remember a time when I couldn't wait to spend time in God's word; I was excited about what he was going to teach me...I looked forward to time with Him. Lately, I've only sought Him out at my convenience.

And yet he remains faithful and good. He carried me through my daughter's diagnosis of hip dysplasia (and still carries me as I sometimes let fear get the best of me). He's answered prayer after prayer and somehow I still remain too "busy" (checking facebook, instagram, twitter, reading blogs, etc) to find time to spend with him.

I've never really struggled with guilt; thinking that God was mad at me, or disappointed; rather I think I take advantage of God's grace and forgiveness and love and use it as a crutch for my lack of self discipline and/or desire to spend time with him.

Since having Parker I've slowly incorporated things back into my daily routine. First it was basics like showering and getting out of my pajamas. Then it was doing laundry and picking up the house. Then paying attention and serving my husband (my husband has been incredibly patient and gracious with me during this time). Now I'm cooking and preparing meals again...eventually I'd like to incorporate exercise; I somehow prioritized all these things above Jesus.

Is this normal for a new mom? I don't know. I'm not gonna beat myself up over it. But so much time away from my God has left me empty and feeling purposeless. And that just sucks.

I want to have conversations about more than just poop, and lack of sleep, and baby hair bows. I want to get out of my head and start serving again. I want to want to spend time with my God.

How have you incorporated your faith into motherhood? Did you go through anything similar after having a baby?

Linking up with Molly and Carly

Post Quitting My Job :: A Money Update

2013-04-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

There are very few days out of the year that just Andy, Parker and myself inhabit our home. We often have guests, travelers from Airbnb, or foreign exchange students staying with us.

When buying our new house, we were intentional about finding a house with extra rooms and living close to the local community college. We currently have two girls living with us, Jean from China (on the left) and Saki from Japan (on the right). This is our 5th time hosting students from around the world; not only do we enjoy it, it helps supplement our monthly income. We provide room and board and the students pay us $575 each per month. Since quitting my job, the extra cash is nice and helping us to rebuild our savings account after we depleted it on our home remodel and sending the IRS a hefty check. (Boo).

Our new house also came with a renter. The bottom level of the house was converted into a daylight basement, so we collect a rent check from him, as well as rent checks from the duplex we used to live in.

We've also tightened the reigns on our spending. Now that I cook for two extra people I had to get organized about dinner. I started meal planning a couple of weeks ago and this has made such a huge difference in my stress level and our grocery budget.

There are definitely inconveniences of having renters and people living in our home; but if you have empty rooms in your home, you might as well use them!

Do you have any creative tips on making or saving extra cash?

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She is Definitely Mine

2013-04-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

Oh the lengths I would go for a good cookie!

Happy Monday!

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We Met on the Internet

2013-04-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

I find it surprising that people are often shocked when I tell them my husband and I met online. (e-Harmony). In today's virtual world it just seems so normal to me for people to meet on the internet.

My blog helped me connect with local friends when Andy and I moved. One of my blog followers, Carlee, turned out to live down the street from me...I emailed her when we moved to Tacoma and said "let's grab coffee!" We are now great friends (and new moms together).

I also recently organized a play date with some bloggers I had never met in real life.

Kiddos belong to Melissa, Gretchen, and Lindsy (and mine on the end).

We had a great time and I gained some valuable mom insight (as I was the newest mama).

I've also gotten together with local bloggers for dinners and meet ups, as well as met up folks at local Twitter meet ups. Sure there is some awkwardness at first...meeting new gal pals isn't really different than meeting a blind date. You hope you click and find some common ground...chemistry is important with girlfriends too.

This week I was at the bank and as I was leaving I passed a gal and I thought to myself...how do I know her? Then it came to me...I follow her on Instagram! So I went up to her and said, "I hope this isn't creeper-ish, but are you 'so and so' on Instagram?" She recognized me too and I was stoked to find out she lived so close to me! We discussed getting together for a walk with the kiddos.

I find this to be totally normal behavior...what's your view?

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As Of Late...

2013-04-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

Kitchen I love being in = me cooking a lot.

I made a ginormous pot of homemade spaghetti sauce for the first time. I'll never buy jarred again.

I've been hanging out with adults. So I put on big girl clothes.

Mama's gotta eat. And it's way more fun with other mama's.

This girl. She's pulling up on everything. (Gus photobomb...he looks calm, but he's the most high energy dog on the planet).

Parker Penny...total hipster.

There's been a whole lotta this lately. Teething? Who knows.

Mental note...plastic kitchen spoons are way cheaper than toys.

Kitchen Remodel Update

2013-04-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy using my kitchen since our countertops finally came in that I forgot to show you all the progress!

To say I love being in this kitchen is an understatement. I actually enjoy cleaning it.

There are still some things left to do like put up backsplash above the range, paint the door next to the fridge, get or make an island, and get some decor up. But after not having a functioning kitchen for 2 months, I'm just over the moon to be able to prep and cook here.

For those of you new to my blog, we chose to go with Ikea cabinets. I will have a much more extensive review of going the Ikea route and what I think of their cabinets in a later post....but the main reason we went with Ikea is because they had the style I wanted (flat front, not shaker) for an affordable price (we paid about $2500). I was nervous about designing the kitchen with no upper cabinets, but I love how it turned out, and really love using drawers instead.

I really, really wanted quartz countertops, but if you haven't noticed, we've got countertops for days. It just would've cost way too much money. After doing a ton of research, I decided to go with acrylic. (I was sold after reading that Young House Love has the same countertops but a different brand). The very best price we found was at Lowe's for their Allen + Roth brand at $33 a square foot. Plus Lowes throws in a sink!

I was positive I wanted white countertops. Some people thought I was crazy, but I never questioned the color. In our last house we had dark granite countertops and I could never tell if they were dirty or clean. With white countertops it is very easy to tell if they are dirty. And in my opinion, very easy to keep clean.

We debated about the sink. I wanted stainless steel and Andy wanted an integrated sink. I had done some research on integrated sinks and the results were 50/50. People loved it or hated it. Andy won the debate, and so far we have had zero problems keeping it clean. I use a magic eraser every now and then and a quick spray of bleach once a week and it is still sparkling white.

Oh...and here is a picture of what the kitchen looked like before the remodel in case your forgot. You can see a few more pictures here.

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Family + Distace

2013-04-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

My in laws were in town last week to visit Parker. (They of course were happy to see Andy and I, but let's be real...if Parker weren't in our lives I doubt my mother and father in law would've made a 22 hour road trip in 1 1/2 days just to hang out).

My side of the family unfortunately lives much further away and won't get to see this little nugget very often--in fact my parents have only met her once since she was born. Skype and Face Time make things a bit more tolerable, but it kinda breaks my heart that Andy and I don't live near our parents. I can count on one hand the amount of times I was able to visit with my grandparents growing up (my dad was in the military so it just wasn't feasible). Andy has wonderful childhood memories with his grandparents; I want that for Parker.

Andy and I have no idea where we will eventually settle...we're not really tied down with roots anywhere, and we're both used to moving often. So in the mean time we'll be keeping our eye out for good air fare deals.

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Parker Penny // 7 Months

2013-04-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

Every single day I'm just amazed at how God created us. Watching Parker Penny grow and develop every single day is like watching magic. It baffles me how one day she can't sit up and the next day she can. One day she was able to just push herself up from a laying position to a sitting position. Then another day she is dragging herself along the floor. And the day after that her knees and hands are coordinated enough to crawl across the floor. CRAWL people.

I'm pretty sure I have an early walker on my hands and I am not ready for this. Where did my baby go?

Here are some updates-

Food:: I've pretty much decided to go the baby led weaning route...more out of laziness. She has proven quite capable of eating food that isn't pureed. We still haven't ventured outside of fruits and vegetables yet...but so far she's enjoyed everything we've given her, including asparagus! She typically eats food twice a day (at lunch and dinner time).

Poop:: She averages about 1 (sometimes 2) poops a day.

Talking:: She gibber jabbers all day long. Still waiting to here MAMA though.

Play:: She can play by herself but definitely prefers if I'm playing with her, or at the very least next to her. She seems to go in and out of separation anxiety. Sometimes she's fine if I walk away, other times she throws a tantrum.

Sleep:: Daylight savings time threw us for a loop and created an entirely new schedule. She now usually goes to bed around 7:30 and wakes up anywhere between 7-8am. I still go in for a dream feed at about 10:30pm.

Naps:: She takes 2 naps a day...and they average 45 minutes to 90 minutes.

Nursing:: Still nurse likes a champ; but definitely gets way more distracted. I pretty much have to be in a dark room with no distractions for a decent nursing session.

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Baby Buy :: The Ultimate Play Mat

2013-04-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

I've had so many people comment on Parker's new play mat; but before I recommended it I wanted to test it out for awhile. Well the results are in. We LOVE this play mat. I ordered on Amazon.com...it's a bit on the pricier side, ($89.95), but I think it's worth every penny. First of all, it's double sided, and the other side of it is completely different. This is a mat Parker will have and learn from for years.

I knew I needed it when she bonked her head on our very hard, uncushioned floors. This girl is crawling like crazy and I'm sure she will be walking soon. I wanted something that had a very cushy surface, and the thickness of this mat does not disappoint.

It is also super easy to clean, and easy to roll up and store away. I'm not a fan of the mats that are made of multiple pieces that fit together like a puzzle. (I have one--it's a pain in the butt to clean and move).

You can order it here.

I was not compensated in anyway. I just love my latest purchase of this mat!

Affiliate links used.

Easter Weekend

2013-04-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

We had a glorious Easter weekend. Food, family, friends, church and of course Parker Penny adorableness.

The weather was absolutely ideal. I'm telling ya, moving to the Pacific Northwest has made me so incredibly grateful for sunny, warm weather.

I love watching Parker play with other kids. She is so curious at this age. How cute are these two?

Pre Easter

2013-03-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about the weekend for multiple reasons. Obvs, it's Parker's first Easter; which means an Easter dress. I didn't go out and buy one, I have a pretty adorable hand me down that Parker will love I'm sure. Also, my sister in law is coming to visit--Parker loves auntie Tay Tay! And of course, what I love most is what this holiday is really about...my Lord, my Savior--Jesus. Last Easter I shared my testimony...if you haven't had the chance to read it and are interested...you can find it here.

How are you celebrating Easter?

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Don't Even Think About It

2013-03-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

My child is not a snuggler. My husband and I are. Parker dislikes anything that constrains her in the slightest--the car seat, any sort of baby carrier, clothes, and sadly, hugs and cuddles.

This is Parker's 'don't even think about cuddling me' face.

I'm hoping it's just a phase. Were any of your kids non-cuddley? Did they grow out of it?