Life Begins at Thirty, Right?

Blogs Are Great

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:20:00 +0000

I know - the fact that blogs are great is not news to anyone here. So I think this is what they call 'preaching to the choir' or something.

I'm not preaching though - just excited and happy to be part of a generation that both blogs and appreciates blogs :-)

Anyways - this is a long intro to say that hubs and I actually did some things around the house this weekend. This is not a joke.

I will start with the task that made me proclaim "Blogs Are Great".

1. Install a window covering in the master bathroom.

I'm not sure if you noticed (or if you were too kind to mention it), but our gorgeous bathtub sits in front of a very, non-gorgeous view.

Yes, that is a "brick" wall. I put bricks in quotations because it isn't actually brick. It is an old siding product called Iso-Brick that I think is not to code anymore so no one uses it, and it was installed on an angle. An angle that only makes the angle of our window look worse. Yes. Our window isn't straight. Maybe it was at one point, but over the 111 years the house has been standing, maybe the middle sank. Who knows.

In addition to the ugly brick wall, you can see that the window edges have yellowed over the years. This to me was the most challenging issue with the window. Mostly because it meant that we couldn't use something like this to cover the view:

Source

I think that one of those vinyl window films would have been gorgeous in our bathroom. It would bring in a little pattern, block the view and still let in a lot of light. However, these films wouldn't cover up the yellowed edges of the window.

Gross.

So I went to option 2. A sheer roll-up blind that would cover the edges and still let in a lot of light. Enter my friend, the internet.

I did some searching around on the good ol' interweb and came across this awesome post at Door Sixteen. Basically, she covered all of her windows with cheap roller blinds from Ikea (the "Enje" blind) and figured out how to customize them easily at home.

Thank you, Anna (and blogs!). I went out to Ikea and picked up the Enje Blind. I brought it home. It sat in a corner for a few months. Oops.

So this weekend I got busy. This is probably the first time I've felt motivated since getting knocked up. I brought up the necessary tools, my camera and my computer and I followed Anna's steps. And you know what? IT WORKED!!

Crazy right? I love how you can still get a lot of light through the CUSTOM blind but it blocks the yellowed edges and 'softens' the wonky fake brick.

So, thanks to blogs, the internet and my husband with a hacksaw, we now have a custom blind on our bathroom window. SWEET!

2. Shelving.

Hubs also installed some shelving in the laundry room. We used some trusty Ikea shelves (which are great because you can cut them to size) and now I just need to figure out what to put on them! haha

Sorry for the crappy pic - it is a small room so hard to get a good picture of it.

These pics also show that we put up a large white cover next to the washer/dryer. Reminder - this is what it looked like before:

Now - if only I could make it look like this:

Source

Hope everyone had a great long weekend!! What did you get up to? Any house projects?

One More Thing...

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:16:00 +0000

Is it just me? Am I the only one who laughs and laughs and laughs at this commercial?

When the other guy takes off his 'clothes' and dances? OMG.

White Hallways

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:49:00 +0000

So we are now getting things organized to finally paint our hallway. And by getting things organized, I mean, thinking about it and trying to pick a paint colour.

And that, my friends, is difficult.

I know people talk about it all the time - how there are a million versions of white and to the untrained eye, they are all white. Of course, we ~~think we~~ know better :-) Every white seems to have a different undertone, a different feel.

But what one is right?

Here are some whites I've read about and/or used in my house already:

Benjamin Moore "Cloud White" (top half) and Benjamin Moore "Chantilly Lace" (bottom half)

Source

Benjamin Moore "Decorator's White"

Source

Benjamin Moore "Chantilly Lace" (the after pic)

Source

Behr "Ultra Pure White"

Source

Para Paints "Whitewash White" (bottom half)

They all kind of look similar to me (I know - the horror!). Here is what I'd love for my hallway to look like:

Source (Photography by Michael Alberstat)

So there you have it. Lots of whites that look similar. Any suggestions on what to pick? Should we take this time to also do the stairs? That might be too much, but should we go ahead and paint the spindles and the side trim (right side, going up the stairs)?

If there is any value in knowing this, the whites we currently have in our house are as follows:

BM Cloud White: Trim in hallway and dining room/living room. It is going to be repainted because I made a rookie mistake and painted the trim in matte.

BM Chantilly Lace: Trim in the basement and basement bath. I prefer this to Cloud White for trim as it is 'whiter'

Para "Whitewash White": Upstairs bathroom moulding and trim (as you can see from the pic above). This seems similar to Chantilly Lace in that it is really white. I like that.

Should we just pick a white we already use? Should we have a different white on the walls vs on the trim?

Here is a pic of the hallway a long time ago for your reference:

SOS! Please help! :-)

Our Love Story

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:49:00 +0000

In honour of the day that is Valentine's Day, I thought I'd post about yours truly and my hubby, J. I've seen this on a few blogs so I figured why not?!

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

J and I have been together for 8 years - first 'proper' date was December 27, 2003.

2. How did you meet?

We were set up! Yep - that is not a joke. I worked with a girl named Stacey at the time who kept talking about her husband's best friend J and how we would be great together. Once I was ready, she set up some dinners etc at her house and her husband would invite J. Of course, J didn't know about the set up whereas I did. He would just show up for dinner and there I was. Same went for a movie night. There I was again! He must have thought "who is this weird girl who keeps showing up?!" There were a few other impromptu group 'dates' (again, J had no clue) and eventually we set up a proper, one on one date.

We went to Kelsey's (I hate Kelsey's) and I thought he was flirting with the waitress.

3. If married, how long have you been married? We've been married since October 4, 2008.

4. Where did you get married? Big or small wedding? We were married at the gorgeous St. James Cathedral here in Toronto.

...and the reception was at the Rosewater Room (just on top of the Rosewater Supper Club). Yep - guests could walk between the two. There were about 135 guests.

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Um...J sometimes calls me Shmoop-Dog (weird, I know). Otherwise, not really.

6. 3 things that I love most about J. His ability and desire to make me laugh (which at times is not easy - I can be a tough crowd), his work ethic (I've never seen anyone like him - if there is something that he wants to accomplish, he will do whatever it takes to get it done.) and how great he is with my family (you should see him with my nieces!). Oh, and his blue eyes :-)

7. How did he propose?

J proposed up at my cottage. From what I understand, he wanted to do it earlier (it was late July when it happened) but our plans kept getting derailed and he kept having to reschedule. We went up for just one night and on the Saturday, he kept bugging me to go on a canoe ride. I, of course, kept saying no. Eventually he wore me down and I finally agreed.

Once we were in the canoe, I wanted to stay near the shore (our canoe is very tippy and I'm not the most adventurous swimmer). J of course had other plans. He wouldn't take no for an answer, and started paddling towards a nearby island.

Once we got there, he wanted to go on a hike. I should have known something was up when he lovingly dried my feet before I stepped into my shoes.

We hiked for a bit. He put me up on a fallen tree to take a picture (funny enough, he got down on one knee so I could boost myself up on the tree) and all of a sudden...he got very....nervous.

Looking mighty nervous, J!

Acting funny. A little sweaty.

I think I might have even said "Are you Okay?!"

And that's when he did it :-)

Happy shocked faces!

We then went back to the cottage, only to find my dad (who J had asked for his blessing just prior to getting in the canoe) circling the island in the boat. He was 'worried' that we'd fallen in :-)

Back at the cottage we celebrated! Absolute perfection!

8. Flowers and teddy bear or strawberries, champagne and rose petals for Valentine's Day? I'd take either and J would probably take neither. It's a work in progress :-)

9. What makes 'us' work? I think that we work because we are first and foremost friends. Friends who love each other and wanted to have a family and be together forever :-) We turn to each other for advice, support and we help each other be the best versions of us. We are a practical couple - one of our earlier dates was essentially an interview and we asked all of the key questions to make sure we had the core things in common. We want to build a future together and have fun while we are doing that! Plus, he keeps me on a budget and I convince him to loosen up once in a while. We are a good team!

10. Most romantic thing J's ever done for me? Um...he moved over 4 hours away and took a new job so that we could be together while I went away to school. That's pretty much the best thing ever. Plus he doesn't judge when I eat copious amounts of Kraft Dinner.

Anyhoo - there is a little insight into us, and into our relationship for this special Valentine's Day post! Hope you are spending your day (or evening if you work during the day) with someone special. If not, treat yourself to something yummy and indulgent for dinner and dessert. I think that's a fair trade :-)

What a Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Let me start off by saying that no, I won't be able to show any sneak peeks of the nursery :-) I'd love to, but that would ruin the surprise, now wouldn't it?!

I will say that it is totally, absolutely, flippin awesome!!!! I can't wait for you guys to see it!

I did want to show you another pic of an Egg Chair in a nursery that I found...no, this isn't a clue.

Source

How sweet is that?!

In other news, hubs and I actually felt the baby move this weekend!! It is such a surreal feeling - especially since I never really felt 'flutters' or anything like that. It went from "was that gas?" to "the baby just karate chopped my insides".

It was so neat - I could actually see my belly move from the outside. Which is cool. But freaky. Kind of Alien-esque.

In house news, I am now on the hunt for art for the bathroom. Figure if I've ordered the mirror, I should just get on this and finish this thing up!

Happy Monday!

Table for Sale

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:28:00 +0000

Hubs and I are going to sell this table but I have no clue what 'style' it is:

It used to be my grandmother's and we have NO space for it. No storage space either. That is what happens when you finish a small basement and 'finish' all of the storage space right out of it!

We did have it stored in the guest room...but...well...you know. It isn't going to work in there anymore!

So if anyone has any tips on what to call it/how to describe it for selling purposes let me know! Or if you want to buy it of course :-)

(PS for those who are wondering, the famous duo is going to be in my house today filming :-) OMG. I know.)

You Aren't Gonna Believe This!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:53:00 +0000

After all of the awesome news this week, this one is a doozy.

You'll never guess.

Wanna try?

We are *this* close to ordering a mirror for the bathroom!!!!!! [insert CRAZY APPLAUSE!]

I mentioned that our awesome designer gave me a bit of a nudge a few weeks back and I realized that we needed to just get'er done. Ever have something like this? The final piece to a puzzle and you just keep waiting, sitting around, living without it because you are just so. darn. tired of making decisions that you don't want to mess up the last piece?

Or is it just me? :-)

Anyways, after getting a quote from Jesse at Lumsden Custom Cabinetry and shopping around to see if we could get the mirror for a better price (with Jesse doing the frame still), we decided that it was best to have one person do the whole thing. I figure that if we had one person make the frame, and one person doing the mirror, we'd end up in a situation where neither person wanted to take responsibility for the other person's work. Best to go with just one. Especially one who did such a fantastic job on our showpiece of a vanity.

Isn't there a saying about too many cooks? Or too many hands?!

So here's the thing - I need to give Jesse the exact dimensions of the frame so he can get busy making it and ordering the mirror to fit in. Here is a picture of the space:

Here's my question - does anyone have any input on how much space should surround the frame (i.e. between the outside of the frame and the side walls, and between the top of the frame and the crown moulding)?

Our walls are not straight so having it flush is not an option that I want to go with.

Please enjoy my "Paint" skills. Option 1 is a bit bigger than option 2.

Anyone have any suggestions? Once I get this nailed down, we are ACTUALLY going to order it. It is going to be a big day. The final, permanent piece to the bathroom which was announced as being completed in October. That's right, folks. October.

Bumpity Bump - 20 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:41:00 +0000

I think I'm the only preggo who isn't great at tracking how far along the baby is.

This is me at what I *think* is 20 weeks.

It looks like I was sticking it out in that pic but I wasn't!

I'm probably one of the only bloggers who isn't taking professional looking 'bump shots' every week. Oops.

P.S. The dress is from Anthropologie and is called the Pieced Column Dress. It is by far the most flattering dress I've purchased in a while. It fits the 20 week bump (and will probably last until 30+ weeks as it is super stretchy) and will also fit after the fact. That's how I justified the price to my husband. Hi shmoops :-)

Guest Post: Elliot's Nursery!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

After all of the recent nursery talk, I've got something pretty special for you! Good friends of ours had a cute little baby last year and did an AWESOME job on the nursery. I have been hounding Bianca (the adorable mom of said cute little baby) to do a guest post on the room and I finally got my way :-)

So please welcome Bianca to LB@30 and enjoy!

*****

Janice and I are kind of house twins: I live in an old Victorian in downtown Toronto and our layouts are pretty much exactly the same. And like Janice, our nursery was previously our second bedroom and is literally the exact same layout, weird window placement, tiny closet and all.

I had my first baby this past August. Hello Elliot!

Four days old. So long ago!

My husband and I decided that we weren’t going to find out what we were having, so we set out to design a nursery that was neutral and modern. I was determined to create a space that I wanted to spend time in. Something serene but fun, with no cartoon characters in sight! We also didn’t want to break the bank as we were concurrently doing a major basement reno (as in digging down three feet, removing support beams, moving the furnace, new electrical and plumbing…) . I think that what we achieved is a nice balance of splurge and save, modern and classic, calm and whimsical. I’ve included a complete list of items and sources at the end.

I started my search for inspiration online, of course, and quickly fell in love with the Oeuf Sparrow crib. This is hands down the biggest decision of the nursery as it may be the largest investment and its design is a big jumping off point. For us, it’s also the first thing you see when you walk in the room. We loved the modern simplicity of the Sparrow crib and I especially loved the low profile design. As I’m all of 5ft tall, I needed a crib that I could easily get the baby in and out of. A bit of advice to all the pregos out there: test out cribs before your belly gets too big to get close!

We repurposed the rug from our master bedroom. It’s easy to clean and looks pretty funky--plus we already had it! It was a super cheap find at the Royal Winter fair in 2010. The elephant laundry hamper was a freebie from my sister who got it at work. I’d had it in storage for nearly two years and it was the first thing we had for the nursery. In the picture over the crib (I’ll talk art at the end) you can see the reflection of the light fixture. It’s an artichoke lamp that looks like this:

Source

We found a very affordable take on the PH Artichoke original. We’ve got the light on a dimmer so it’s easy to check on the baby at night without waking him and to set the bedtime mood. The dimmer may just be my favourite room feature.

The dresser/change table is an Ikea special. I wanted something that would match the crib but not the crib price. Because space in the room is limited we needed something that would pull double duty as storage and change station. Also, the change pad is removable so the dresser can grow with Elliot. It doesn’t hurt that it bears a very close resemblance to the Oeuf Sparrow furniture! We store the diapers, wipes and change necessities in the top right drawer, out of sight. The lamp on the dresser is a Homesense find and I changed the shade to white. I initially thought it was just a cute addition to the room but after all the diapers we’ve changed there, I appreciate it as necessary task lighting.

No nursery would be complete without a nursing/reading/rocking corner. I was initially very opposed to the idea of a glider. Much like Janice expressed in an earlier post, they kind of made me nauseous and most of them are pretty ugly. I wanted something modern and comfortable (which is not always synonymous!) I got very lucky at the annual Gus* warehouse sale and picked up both a rocker and ottoman for over 50% off. Woot! Let’s just say many sharp elbows were involved in the score and the chair is amazing. The name of the chair is Sparrow, so it was meant to be! We inherited the ladder shelf as a hand me down from my sister. It was originally dark brown so hubby had fun spray painting it out white.

The shelves have filled out a lot since Elliot arrived! We’ve also added this toy bin to the corner:

Source

The final touches to the nursery were the art prints. We framed everything with Ribba frames from Ikea which are affordable and simple. We sort of splurged on the set of three prints over the change table. We loved the little French looking characters and the background colour of the prints matched perfectly with the wall colour, Silver Sage by Restoration Hardware. I totally saved on the print over the crib. It’s actually a sheet of wrapping paper which cost $5! I love how the birds on the mobile look like they’re flying through the trees behind them. Very Zen.

All of the pictures are pre-baby and we’ve added little things here and there: cast iron doggie bookends on the book shelf, a set of aluminum initials that sit on one of the frames above the dresser, the box from the bottle of champagne we had when we brought Elliot home to store keepsakes… We love the room more every day and most importantly, I think Elliot likes it too. No complaints so far!

*****

Thanks to Bianca for writing such a great post on her gorgeous nursery. I love how she mixed splurge items (Oeuf crib) with lots of Etsy finds and more inexpensive pieces (Ikea dresser). It really is a special place for a special little boy!

So tell me, what is your favourite part of the nursery? My favourite part is actually all of the accessories. They really make the room look professionally done and pulled together. Love it! For those of you who are interested, see Bianca's source list below!

Sources

Paint: Silver Sage, Restoration Hardware, http://www.restorationhardware.com

Crib: Oeuf Sparrow, Ella and Elliot, Toronto, http://www.ellaandelliot.com/Oeuf-Sparrow-Crib-P23.aspx

Chair: Sparrow, Gus* Modern, http://gusmodern.com/products1/chairs/sparrow-glider/sparrow-glider.shtml#sparrow-glider

Dresser: Mandal 6-drawer, Ikea, http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/00176320/

Rug: Tandy Leather Factory at the Royal Winter Fair http://www.tandyleatherfactory.ca

Bookshelf: hand-me-down

Prints above dresser: Blanca Gomez, Ella and Elliot, also on the artist’s Etsy store, http://www.etsy.com/shop/blancucha

Print over crib: The Paper Place, Toronto, http://www.thepaperplace.ca/

Picture Frames: Ribba, Ikea, assorted sizes, http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/categories/series/16456/

Alphabet print, elephant and bird prints on book shelf: Petit Collage, http://www.petitcollage.com/ (I bought them at Indigo)

Pillow: Tonic Living, http://www.tonicliving.com

Curtains: Stokholm Blad, Ikea, http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/10112016/

Rod and tie backs: Umbra Halo Tie backs, http://www.umbra.com/ustore/product/243280-764.store in metallic pewter (I bought them at Home Outfitters)

Fox Storage Bin: 3 Sprouts, http://www.3sprouts.com/collections/storage-bins (I bought it at Moms to Be and More, Toronto)

Elephant Laundry Hamper: freebie from my sister’s work

Lamp on dresser: Home Sense, shade, Ikea http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/20161285/

Sleep Sheep on crib: Babies R Us, http://www.toysrus.ca/home/index.jsp?categoryId=2567270

And I Thought the Baby Was Big News!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:31:00 +0000

First up, thanks to everyone for all of the kind comments, emails and tweets about our little baby (still SO crazy to say that!). J and I are super excited and it definitely feels more real now that we know a little about who I'll be hanging out with in 4.5 months!

I did promise that today would bring big news though, and I hope that this does not disappoint. It certainly didn't disappoint me!!

So here it is.

Do you use Facebook? You know, that super popular social media site where you can connect with all of your friends (and randoms from high school) and even people that you would love to be friends with (ahem, celebrities who you 'like' their page)...

Well I use Facebook. And I 'like' a few celebrities.

Celebs like Sarah Richardson.

(are you freaking out right now?!)

Celebs like Sarah Richardson who post things like this on their walls:

Umm...HELLO YOU!! Single room that is cluttered and chaotic?

CHECK!

No cohesive design vision?

CHECK! (clearly, as shown above)

Requiring a decorating makeover?

CHECK! (recall, we have a BABY coming!)

I think I took all of 45 seconds before I sent off an email to Sarah (well, her team) saying that I had a messy room that needed to be turned into a nursery. After a few emails, I filled out an application and waited. And waited. And then I called J and told him what I'd done. (Don't look shocked, you would have done the same thing!).

I received an email later that night asking if some of the 'team' could come check out the room to see if it was suitable. OMG. This is really happening. I was sort of freaking out. The freakout increased ten fold when the next day, TOMMY SMYTHE got out of the car parked in front of my house and came in. To my house. (yeah yeah, OUR house. Got it :-)

That's right. Tommy. Flippin. Smythe.

For those of you who don't know (all 4 of you), not only is he a fantastic designer, but Tommy is a big supporter of Canadian bloggers and even came to last year's Canadian Design Bloggers event. It is an understatement to say that I'm a bit of a fan-girl.

I kept my cool (I think so anyway!) and Tommy, Lindsay (another one of Sarah's designers) and a story editor came in, looked around, asked a few questions and that was it! They were gone! It was all very surreal. And for those of you who are wondering, no, they didn't walk around my house ~~oohing and ahhing over my keen design skillz~~ giving me design tips.

2 days later we were told that we were picked to be the last episode of Sarah 101!!!!!!

For real. This isn't a joke, friends. Not only are we going to be on tv (which is SO weird), but our unborn child is going to have a super insane, tricked out nursery, designed by none other than the fabulous and inspirational Sarah Richardson, Tommy Smythe and their team.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Even better? It is going to be done in 2 weeks.

Place Your Bets!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:36:00 +0000

So tomorrow is the big day, folks! I feel like we've been waiting ages to get a peek at our baby again as the last ultrasound was at 12 weeks (jeesh, that IS a long time!).

And...of course there is the excitement over finding out whether Baby Poutine** is a boy or a girl!

I don't really care - now that we are this far along, I am just hoping and wishing for a healthy baby, no matter what the gender is. I have no reason to be concerned but I will feel a lot better after tomorrow I think!

I was going to do a fancy-shmansy poll for everyone to place their bets, but then I won't know what each of you thinks!! So if it makes a difference, here is a blurry sketchy bathroom shot of me today:

So there it is - I can't wait to hear what you think! BOY OR GIRL?! Place your bets!

** name based on the first trimester content of baby LB@30. All poutine, all the time.

Remember the Wallpaper?

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:07:00 +0000

...the wallpaper that could have been a marriage-ender?

I actually get a lot of requests for where I bought it, etc. And you know what I tell them (after I say "Home Depot")?

I tell them to get a stencil.

Royal Design Studio sells a stencil in the exact pattern of the wallpaper. While I think that using a stencil would be quite work intensive, I think it would be amazing because it is a solo job :-) No bickering over the thickness of the paste, the relevance of certain bubbles and whether we should just throw the whole thing out.

The amazing Mandy over at Vintage Revivals used the stencil in her home and it provided for some serious wow effect:

PS If you haven't checked out Mandy's blog and her amazing Master Bedroom, please do so. You won't regret it.

Um yeah - so I tell people to save their money and get the stencil.

In other news - I've been seeing this pattern a lot recently. I know it is a classic pattern that certainly didn't start with my wallpaper, but still. I thought it was cool :-)

Found a duvet cover at Home Sense (maybe this is the next Imperial Trellis?):

AND check out the carpet at the wedding I went to on the weekend:

Crazy eh?! It is everywhere!

Now - if someone could tell me what this pattern is called and where it originated, I'd be very grateful!

(And for those of you who were wondering, only ONE dress fit for the wedding. A summer dress that had an elastic empire waist. So I wore it. Ha)

Gliding Through Life

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

I have read probably all there is to read on the glider debate.

Did you know there was one? A glider debate? This is what the cool kids call a first world problem, right?

So the debate is basically about whether or not a glider is an "absolute must" in a nursery, or if you can use any comfy chair to nurse in.

I would say that from my online research, it seems that it is about 50/50. However, in actually asking some of my friends and family (I know, CRAZY right? Researching by asking people in real life? Woah!)...I'd say it is about 90% in favour of gliders as a MUST and 10% felt that any old chair would do.

Which is unfortunate, because gliders (in Canada especially) are extremely expensive. Like $800-$1500 each. I'm not kidding. We don't have the Target options (where you can get decent gliders from reputable companies for in and around $500 or even less) and are stuck picking from just a handful of options.

After talking to friends and trying out a number of gliders/rockers, here is what I'm looking for in a chair:

1. High enough back that I can rest my head.
2. Comfy arm rests at the right height.
3. Not too reclined - I've heard that you need to be sitting up for breastfeeding and I want to be able to get out of the chair easily with a (hopefully) sleeping baby in my arms.
4. Comfy enough - I am willing to sacrifice some comfort for the right chair, but don't want to sit on a hard plastic chair.

Glider Pros:
- the gliding movement is probably quite nice for babies (or so I hear)
- it is easy to make the chair move. Once you get them going they seem to move on their own
- since there is no rocking mechanism (the curvy legs), there is no risk of little fingers getting caught under the rocker (not sure if that ever really happens, but I'm trying to think of pros)

Glider Cons:
- EXPENSIVE
- hard to find good looking ones that have all of the features I'm looking for
- the movement actually makes me feel a bit nauseous. Not sure if that is pregnancy related or not.

Here are some examples of good looking gliders from Canada and abroad:

(from top to bottom: Monte Design "Luca", Monte Design "Vola", Monte Design "Joya rocker", Gus Modern "Sparrow" and Nurseryworks "Empire Rocker"

I also have spent some time looking at non-gliders that would do the trick and look great. That is when I fell upon the classic Egg Chair. How awesome would this look in a nursery? It doesn't glide/rock, but it swivels and I actually really like that motion (and don't feel sick from it!).

I found a picture of an egg chair in a nursery that also got me pretty excited:

Source

Some others:

Source

Love the look of the Egg Chair for sure. My office actually has 4 of the original chairs in a conference room, so I sat in one and loved it.

Problem with the Egg Chair? This won't be a surprise to many of you, but I have a very narrow staircase and the chair won't fit! It is HUGE. I'm not sure we could even get it though a window!

Back to the drawing board....

So tell me - glider or no? How often do you actually nurse in the nursery? During the day I figure I'll sit on the couch, but at night, I'll be in the nursery, right?

Baby Cages

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:58:00 +0000

I'd say the most exciting part about being preggo (other than the BABY of course :-) is going to be decorating the nursery. Even if you aren't pregnant or haven't been pregnant, it is hard not to fall in love with the amazing nurseries out in cyberspace.

Case and point:

Source

Um...hello LOVER! How nice is THAT?! I love the dark walls with the bright white trim. The grey Oeuf crib with the pops of bright colour coming from the accessories.

Anyways - we are waiting until the big gender reveal before we really start thinking about the nursery (too stressful planning out a boy and a girl option!), but one thing I've really fallen in love with is the Jenny Lind crib. Sure, we saw lots of modern cribs that we loved, but with the 1K++ price tag, it wasn't a slam dunk.

I'd gathered a lot of photos of Jenny Lind cribs prior to my first day of shopping, so when I asked a local supplier how much it would be, I was literately dumbfounded at how cheap it was. Not cheap - reasonable.

Here are some examples of some gorgeous nurseries with Jenny Lind style cribs:

Source

Gorgeous, right?! I love that it would fit in quite nicely in our Victorian home, but can be paired with more modern items as well. I also love the idea of painting it too - but we'll have to see on that!

Random Thoughts in One Place

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:41:00 +0000

I wish I had something interesting and house related to talk about with you guys. Especially those of you who originally started following me because of the renos and the painting and the decorations. Hmm...sorry 'bout that!

Here is what I've got for ya:

1. I ran for the streetcar again today. Still isn't pretty. I've really got to stop doing that to myself.

2. Last night we went to a friend's place and we came home with PILES of baby stuff. Mostly maternity clothes (YAY) and today I'm wearing a maternity skirt. I now understand why women go on and on about how they never want to stop wearing maternity clothes. I feel like I'm wearing jogging pants.

Also came home with some other fun baby stuff which was amazing and "OMG" inducing at the same time
:-)

3. I've got a wedding this weekend so please, send some good vibes and pray that my 'winter weddings' dress still fits. I really don't want to shop.

4. I still haven't felt the baby move. I've heard this is normal. I'd like it to happen soon though :-) Mostly for my peace of mind. I'm getting fatter so I figure that is a good sign. Case and point:

5. T-8 days until the 20 week scan and when we get to find out whether I've been hanging out with a little boy or a little girl. Start mulling over your guess - I'm going to post a poll or something fancy like that shortly!

6. In house related news (shocker, I know)...I received a very polite email from my designer asking when I was going to get that mirror up in the bathroom. It was very funny, actually. She wants to come take some pics of it (I imagine for her website) and the mirror is definitely holding that up. Made a good suggestion though and I have emailed Jesse at Lumsden Custom Cabinetry (the awesome guy who made the vanity) to see if he could take care of it. J and I had planned on DIY'ing the mirror but...well...we haven't done it yet. Hopefully I'll have an update soon!!

7. For those of you in Toronto, I had my first ever pizza from Pizza Gigi on Harbord Street last night (yes, the same place that got busted for selling pot to people). Illicit drugs aside, they make an AMAZING pizza. It isn't a fancy thin crust, but it is a delicious, food-coma inducing take-out pizza (which incidentally is my favourite kind!). If you haven't tried it, DO IT :-)

Sort of Like a Honeymoon...

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:36:00 +0000

I'm sure you have heard about the concept of a Babymoon, right? It is like a honeymoon, but you go on it when you are expecting a baby and have been convinced by anyone you talk to that this is your LAST CHANCE to travel EVER before you have kids.

People who give advice can be scary, eh?

However, unlike the push present**, I think the Babymoon is just a catchy term for something that really should happen! I think people are RIGHT when they say you won't be able to travel as a couple for a long time once the baby arrives. Makes sense to me!

We waffled between an all inclusive vacation and doing something a bit more custom, like doing a non-all inclusive on Turks and Caicos or Grand Cayman and going out to great restaurants for our meals, etc.

Turks looks beautiful with an INSANE beach:

As does Grand Cayman:

However, for some reason I couldn't pull the trigger. While dining at awesome restaurants seems amazing (both T&C and GC are known for having incredible food), there was something nagging me.

Ultimately, I felt that maybe at 6 months pregnant, I wouldn't want to *think* on our trip too much. If I was sitting on the beach and wanted a drink, I don't think I'd want to get up and put on a cover up and walk down the street to the grocery store.

I also thought that planning and organizing where we were going to eat everyday might be a little too much. There is no way I could go and just 'see what happens' - I'd want to research every restaurant and determine what people say are the best restaurants to hit up.

So, we gave up and booked an all inclusive. While we are not totally AI people, I think that it serves a purpose for us this time around. No thinking. Pay up front and that's it. If I don't like what I eat, I can order something else. I can get all the slushy virgin daiquiris I want. No beady eyes from J over the prices. Perfect, right?

So we'll be heading to one of our favourite islands and will be chilling out here:

Nothing to sneeze at, eh? :-)

So - here is where we are.

Pregnant? Check
Babymoon? Check
Stroller? Check (thanks Mom and Dad!)
Everything else...X

Lots to do but at least we have this trip to look forward to!! Special thanks to my husband who will have to *suffer* through an all inclusive with his lazy pregnant wife :-)

** Push presents are something I may discuss at a later date. Extra points if you can figure out what side of the debate I fall into :-)

Bumpity Bump

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:27:00 +0000

Morning everyone!!

Let me start off by telling everyone that today I had to run for the streetcar. Not just a job, but an all out, hauling of the ass, thinking OMG OMG OMG the whole way. It was also raining at the time.

You see, I have one of those apps on my phone that tells me when the next few streetcars are coming and I like to check it before I leave the house. I was ready to go and checked my phone. I saw that the next street car was going to be at my stop in 2 minutes, and the one after that would be 20 minutes.

TWENTY FREAKING MINUTES. During the morning rush.

So I had to make the 2 minute one. I literally busted my butt to get there.

Why am I telling you this? Well because I wanted to tell you that 2 minutes of 'sprinting' left me in a pool of mush, wanting to die. I am SO out of shape (I blame it on the whole pregnancy thing, but those who know me IRL know that it is because I don't work out). Can I blame it on the rain?

When I got to the streetcar, I could barely make my legs step up the three steps at a normal pace. The driver had to say "come on, just get on".

SHAMEFUL!

Anyways, like I said, I like to blame it on this:

Yes, it is sketchy work bathroom pic of my 17 week baby bump! I can still fit into most of my regular clothes, except for a few pair of higher waisted pants, but it is almost time. A number of my work dresses probably only have a few weeks left in them before I'm going to bust right out of them. Which won't be pretty. Or work appropriate. Not that taking a phone into the bathroom is, but well...I have a blog to take pics for!

Knowing that I am about to have to start shopping for clothes to fit the 'new me' - does anyone have any suggestions on where to shop? What was worth it? What wasn't? My mom is in Arizona for the winter so I can order some stuff from US stores but obviously would prefer to stay local for the bulk of it. Haha. Bulk.

Somebody's Gonna Be Slow-Cookin' This Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

First up, THANK YOU to Crock-Pot for supplying this amazing stainless steel slow-cooker for this giveaway. After using it multiple times over the last week or so, I can say that it is incredible. I had NO CLUE how much a Crock-Pot could do!

Second, can you BELIEVE how many entries there were? 96 of you put your names in the proverbial hat to win this awesome prize. I love free stuff, especially when it is something you will actually use and enjoy for many, many years to come (like a Crock-Pot!). :-)

And now, what you've all been waiting for! The winner!

I put the numbers into Random.org's number generator and the winner is....

Rachel Lapin! Congratulations Rachel - looks like you will be able to make some spaghetti sauce, chili, pot roast AND chicken in the near future :-)

Send me an email with your mailing address and a Crock-Pot will be coming your way!!

For the 95 of you who didn't win, thanks for entering and keep your eye out for sales on the Crock-Pot - I've seen it at Canadian Tire and it is worth it (even at full-price!).

Last Day!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:27:00 +0000

Today is the last day to enter the awesome Crock-Pot giveaway! If you haven't entered yet, click here to do so!

Good luck!

(PS, thanks to an email from a great reader, hubs made some amazing Crock-Pot ribs on Sunday that were delicious! This thing really is awesome!)

A Giveaway That is (not) a Crock!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:52:00 +0000

I know, I'm so funny with my post titles :-)

Just before Christmas, I was given the opportunity to test out a pretty fancy shmansy Crock-Pot. To be honest, I've actually only ever used one slow cooker, ONCE, before in my life.

I bought a $9.99 special at Canadian Tire and I have no idea what I made in it. All I know is that the slowcooker was IMPOSSIBLE to clean. The inside didn't come out of the outside, so to clean it you actually had to put the whole thing in the sink - including part of the electrical cord.

I took a screwdriver to it thinking I could just 'pop out' the inner bowl and then put it back together. That is why I was only able to use it once.

So when I was approached to review this:

6.0 Qt. Crock-Pot® Designer Series Slow Cooker

• 6.0 Qt. / 5.6L oblong slow Cooker – ideal for 6-7 people

• Removable stoneware for easy serving and cleaning

• Tempered glass lid

• Digital timer counts down cooking time

• Auto-shift to Warm setting when cook time is complete

• Dishwasher safe lid and stoneware

• Rinse-Clean™ stick resistant coating for easy cleaning

• Programmable cooking time from 30 minutes to 20 hours

• Gasketed lid

• Brushed stainless steel finish

• Integrated Handles and Cord Storage

• Model # SCCPBP600S-CN

I jumped at the chance. PLUS with the whole having a baby thing, I thought that having (and knowing how to use) a Crock-Pot would be pretty useful. I've heard babies take up a lot of time. :-)

Anyway, I busted out the Crock-Pot on Monday night and here is how it all went down.

1. Opened the box. This thing is huge. And gorgeous. My sister was there when I opened it (and she is a COOK) and she was literally drooling over this thing. Sleek, solid and totally digital. You can set it for 10 hours on low and the it automatically pops over to 'keep warm' after the 10 hours is up. Cool.

The cord just hides under the machine - so cool!

2. I decided to do a roast chicken. I'm lazy and the thought of just plopping the whole chicken in the Crock-Pot without pre-cooking anything seemed pretty appealing. Salt, pepper, butter and lemon, just like the recipe said.

...and into the pot she went:

3. I set it for 4 hours on high, put the lid on, and that was it!

4. Wait.

5. Waiting still.

6. My sister tells me that waiting for a slow cooker to cook is an exercise in frustration. I agree and go into the basement to watch a movie.

7. DING! It has been four hours and the chicken is done. However, it looks like this:

Kind of gross right? Like it is still raw. Like it will get up and start dancing at any moment. Yuck. Clearly, I should have added more spicing on the top to give it the 'look' of being roasted, or something. Or maybe I was nuts to do a chicken in a Crock-Pot. HOWEVER, the chicken was seriously fall off the bone tender and delicious!!

We had planned on having chicken and veggies for dinner that night and using the leftover chicken for a soup on Tuesday, but I wasn't feeling the whole 'raw-looking' chicken so I went right to the soup.

8. Jay pulled all of that delicious chicken off the bone.

9. And I turned it into soup using this recipe (which incidental, doesn't call for chicken but my sister recommended it). The recipe is from cooking light and honestly, from the taste of it, you would NEVER know it wasn't full of fat. It is DELICIOUS.

10. It gets even better. We threw the rest of the bones BACK IN the Crock-Pot, added a carrot, celery and a few cloves of garlic, poured in some boiling water and set the timer for 10 hours on low.

Who doesn't like home-made chicken stock?!

In the morning when I woke up, the most amazing smell was coming from the kitchen. The Crock-Pot had simmered up the most beautiful broth. I strained it and put it in the fridge to cool.

So with 3 presses of a button and one 8 dollar chicken and some vegetables, we ended up with a huge pot of soup, a ton of home-made broth and enough left over chicken to make chicken tacos :-)

11. Clean up. The black insert just lifts right out of the stainless exterior and washed up in a minute. No problem. Amazing, right? No screw drivers required!!

So of course, I now need some more Crock-Pot recipes! Any recommendations?

To make this more interesting, Crock-Pot has offered up another machine to one of my readers!! Just be a follower of this here blog and leave a comment letting me know what you would cook with this sweet, sweet Crock-Pot! That's it!

A winner will be picked on the 11th of January (one week!).

Aww...

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Thanks so much for all of the lovely comments and emails (and the odd tweet) about the whole "I'm pregnant" thing! You really know how to make a girl feel special.

I was strangely nervous to tell you guys. Not sure why - of course I didn't want to do it too early, and I wanted to make sure my IRL friends knew first, but even once that happened, I was all nervous about how to tell you. What was the best way? Should I take a cute picture? But I'm not big enough yet so ppl would probably think 'huh?' or 'looks like she's off the whole low-carb thing'.

Moving on...

So yeah, as a little background, I thought I'd answer some of the key questions people had (both online and in real life):

1. Was it planned?

Yes. People actually asked me that. Not even after an appropriate celebratory period. Like "congratulations, was it planned?". For real. Either way, YES this baby was planned. As is usual for J and I, we talked and talked and waited and thought about it. We probably spent over a year and a bit making sure it was the right decision for us and in August, on our holiday, decided that we would 'start' on a certain day in the fall.

I know. We are so weird.

We've always been like that though. Our second date was more akin to an interview to ensure we both wanted the same things from a relationship. Forget candles and soft music. We sat on the couch and asked all of the 'key' questions.

Bottom line is that I know we have not entered into this stage of our life without due thought. So when I start getting nervous (like any first time preggo), I take comfort in the fact that we did not come to this decision lightly. Because from what I hear, this is a bit of a life changer :-)

2. Have you always wanted to have kids?

To be honest, J and I went through a phase where we were unsure. Hence the necessity to spend so much time talking and thinking and soul searching. We were newly married and loving our lives as downtown city people without any responsibilities. However, we pretty quickly realized that when we really thought about it, we wanted a family. And while there are many ways to make a family, we thought we'd try the old fashioned way :-)

That said, hearing "I thought you didn't want to have kids" when you tell someone you are pregnant is never fun. How the heck do you respond to that? I mean, please. Even if we DIDN'T want to have kids, I"M PREGNANT. :-) Lucky for us, we do (and probably always really did) want kids.

3. Are you going to find out gender?

Um, HECK YES! The whole 'baby coming out of me' will be surprise enough, thank you. We will be finding out at the end of January and I CAN'T WAIT!

4. How did you find out you were pregnant?

The downside to all of these pregnancy tests that are super sensitive and can detect pregnancy as early as early as "5 days before your expected period" (which would be all of one week post-ovulation), is that you find out you are pregnant "5 days before your expected period" which is EARLY, yo!

Hubs and I were getting ready for work and he said something along the lines of "you're pregnant". I laughed. How could I be pregnant? I consistently woke up every morning and hit myself in the boob-region. Nope, no sensitivity. I analyzed every feeling I had and (thought) I didn't feel anything different.

Of course, the intrigue was undeniable and I picked up a package of tests that day on my lunch. When I got home, I waited for J and then peed on the stick. I held it up so he could see it first. His face was hilarious. It looked something like this:

Source: Shannonpatrick.com

I think it was a cross between "I don't know how to read these things" and "NO G-D WAY". I mean, sure, it was planned, but we didn't think it would happen so fast.

We both then started the laugh. You know the laugh. The one that is kind of high pitched and scary, filled with a strange mix of happiness, disbelief and fear. OMG. We are pregnant.

I then made J walk with me to Shoppers to buy one of those fancy digital tests that says "Pregnant" or "Not Pregnant" right on it.

And when that wasn't good enough (I'm crazy, I know), I went to the Dollar Store and grabbed a handful of tests. I took one a day for about two weeks.

5. How have I been feeling?

Remember how I said that I had no symptoms of pregnancy? Well they kicked in eventually. I felt like I had constant gut rot. If you went to university and 'experimented' with alcohol 'that one time', you know the feeling. The way your stomach feels the morning after a night of drinking vodka cranberries (or worse, those super sweet lemonade coolers - through a straw, nonetheless). You don't want to vomit, and you might feel hungry but nothing really helps.

And when I didn't have gut rot, I was sleeping. I had more naps during my first trimester than I've had in the past 2 years. Maybe more. I haven't napped like this since university.

I am feeling much better now though. As long as I don't let myself get hungry. Because if I get hungry, watch out (especially you, J).

So that's all for now! If you have other questions, let me know!

Projects for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

With 2012 right around the corner, I'm sure I'm not the only one going "holy CRAP how did that happen?".

Right? Please say I'm not the only one.

Otherwise I'll feel weird.

Moving on....

In the spirit of the New Year, I figured that it was as good of time as any to make a list of what I'd like to get done in the coming year. Resolutions, sort of. I don't really like calling them that because I don't want to feel bad if I don't accomplish them all :-)

So here goes...my top 5 projects for 2012 (yes, I know 'top ten' sounds better, but that seems a little ambitious for me. I'm the kind of girl who adds 'make a list' to my to-do lists so I can cross it off.)

1. Hang Stuff in my House

I have major problems committing to certain things, like hanging art/mirrors on the walls. It doesn't help that my walls are 60% plaster so hanging things is slightly more difficult than normal. I have piles of frames and artwork lying around in the house and I need to get busy and hang some of them!

Specifically, I need to order and install the mirror in the bathroom. Yes, that means we are still just living with the temporary mirror J put on the counter.

We also are planning on putting up a series of six frames over our sideboard in the dining room to spice things up a little. I'm hoping this gets done in the next little while (notice how I said 'next little while' and didn't commit to a specific time frame. Ha. I'm sneaky like that.)

2. Paint the Hallway

I've mentioned it before, but I *really* want to get our hallway painted this year. It is definitely looking worse for wear and the cracks in the plaster are getting more noticeable. I'm thinking we may hire someone to do it...it is a HUGE job and we don't have the plaster fixing skills necessary. OR...maybe we can pull down the whole wall of plaster and lathe and install that sound proof drywall. THAT would be awesome. A dream, but an awesome dream.

3. Deal with our Leaky Roof Issue

Yes, I think that 2012 will bring a new roof for us. Which sucks. Because that can be very, very expensive. However, because of some poorly planned eaves troughs, one area of our roof has taken a huge beating thanks to 3/4s of all rain water being directed over that one particular spot. Awesome.

Handy Hubs got up there a month or two ago and redirected the water which has seemed to help our leaking issue, but it is something we'll have to deal with sooner rather than later, I think.

4. Figure Out the Guest Room

I think it was 7 or 8 months ago when I started thinking about the guest room. Striped walls? White walls? I wanted somewhere that was lovely and comfortable for my guests. Um...yeah. It has turned into a bit of a storage room. Must do something with this. I have a few ideas though...all related to number 5.

and finally....

5. HAVE A BABY!!

That's right, folks. J and I are having a real, live baby! No, we are not getting a puppy. I'm knocked up! With child. In a family way. Have a bun in the oven. FOR REAL.

So yeah - that is why I've been so MIA these past months. I wasn't feeling great and the last thing I wanted to do was a) do house projects or b) spend time on the computer. Plus keeping a secret is hard, yo!

We are 15 or so weeks along according to my doctor. I don't have a cute bump to show you yet, but I can show you this:

Yep - that is baby LB@30 right there!! 12w6d or something I think. Sleeping. haha

I was a little shocked when we found out (yes, it was planned), and it didn't really sink in for a while. Here is an idea of what I did to remind myself that yes, I was actually pregnant.

I'm not going to lie. I think I took at least 12 pregnancy tests. I know, I'm a nut.

Anyways, so that is our news :-) We are pretty excited about all of this and feel like we have a lot of projects coming up in preparation for the arrival of the little guy/girl.

There is definitely a blogger baby boom these days!

Do You Agree?

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Jennifer over at Rambling Renovators is hosting an awesome blog series again this year and she asked me to take part!

Basically, she's invited some seriously awesome bloggers (who knows how I made it with my AWOL-ness lately!) to share their favourite blog posts of 2011.

Head on over, check out some of the other awesome bloggers and let me know if you think that I picked well or whether you had a different favourite!!

In other news, I'm putting together a pretty insane 2012 resolution list that will be posted shortly :-)

Spoiled at Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:00:00 +0000

I love Christmas (as you all know) but (this might be shameful) but I LOVE getting presents! To be fair, I also love GIVING presents, so I'm not a total jerk, but I love getting gifts at Christmas and get so excited about it!

I love seeing the gifts under the tree and seeing what everyone received from their family. It is such a fun time! Of course, it is extra super fun when you get to watch your kids (or in my case, my nieces) open their gifts because kids are HILARIOUS at Christmas. They get gobs of gifts and usually end up playing with (and remembering) one or two.

Me: Kate - what did you get for Christmas?

Kate: I don't know.

Me: (looks around and sees stacks of kid-friendly gifts). Did you get that Yo-Yo?

Kate: umm...yeah I think so.

Me: Did you get that crazy microphone that makes you sound like a rock star?

Kate: Ya. (continues watching Elf on tv)

Me: What about that Leapster thing?

Kate: Ya - that too.

Kids are hilarious.

Anyways, back to me :-)

I was a lucky girl this year! I received a number of really amazing gifts from my family.

1. $$ for my iPad! My family, being the smart people they are, realized that I had mentioned that the new iPad is supposed to be released in the next few months and figured that I might want to wait for that, so they went the gift card route for me. Sweet!! Of course, it is now burning a hole in my pocket and it will be a test of my patience as to whether I can wait!

2. Picture Frames - my brother in law and his girlfriend bought me all of the Ikea frames I asked for! Now I can get moving on my dining room 'tweak' :-) Smart kids - they bought the frames at the 50% off sale that Ikea had recently!! Sweet!!

3. Accessories for my dining room - my mom did a little shopping at West Elm and picked up two of these beauties for me!

4. Chocolate - I did receive a Terry's Chocolate Mint from my Mother in law. I was seriously pumped when I opened it! It is half gone already. I'm not going to lie. Of course, I found some more on boxing day at half-off so I picked up a few replacements :-)

I did receive a few other awesome gifts but I will post about those in the coming days.

Pretty awesome right?! Anyways - I'm now enjoying my time off work - hubs is working so I'm watching a Property Brothers marathon :-)

Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Happy Holidays!!

noreply@blogger.com (LifeBegins@Thirty) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:42:00 +0000

Christmas Eve is tomorrow and hubs is finishing up work for the next few days. Soon he'll be home and we will plan out what details we have left to take care of before CHRISTMAS!

Of course, in our house, Christmas Eve is filled with last minute shopping, wrapping presents and watching Love Actually. This year we are also going to a party at my Godparents' place so that will be fun :-)

So have a lovely holiday, friends. Enjoy the time off, the smell of turkey roasting in the oven and the satiated feeling that only a huge meal of turkey and stuffing can give you :-)

I'll be around so you might hear from me :-) - I promise that my blogging will get a little more frequent in the New Year!!