NewlyWoodwards

I don't think you're ready for this belly

2012-05-30T20:52:00.002-05:00

I had to do it. I've been waiting to post this title since I got pregnant.

I started this post before Henry was born, with plans to post it a few weeks before our official due date. I will still post it, with some minor adjustments. Who would have thought we'd have a little guy in our midst already?

Thank you all for sweet words after Henry's arrival. What a wonderful supportive community we have in blogging. I truly appreciate and am humbled by your kindness.

By the time I hit 36 weeks, my body was truly transforming right in front of my eyes. I could also no longer spot my feet.

Oh, look. I did have feet. And there was a pug hidden under that belly, too.

I was faithfully taking a photo of the belly each week and writing a note about the week's ups and downs. These were making their way into an in-progress photo book I planned to have printed after Baby Dub arrived. Then, last week, my laptop determined it was time to stop turning on. While nearly all of my photos are backed up on Flickr for blog use and all my important documents are on Dropbox, none of my weekly pregnancy photos made it on the blog. Which means none of them were backed up.

(This is why I should have an external hard drive.)

The pregnancy book I've been working on wasn't backed up, either.

(This is why I should have an external hard drive.)

I tried not to have a complete meltdown until we found out whether the data could be saved. But, it's not looking promising. And I was pretty mopey about it. I had spent so much time on that book and felt utterly disappointed that I wouldn't have a record of all those little moments. And I'm kicking myself for not making the book somewhere else, instead of saved on my hard drive. Because my memory is poor, I know it's nearly impossible to recreate it. Not to mention the fact that I don't even have the majority of the weekly photos.

Looking on the bright side, I have my computer back with a new hard drive. And I got it just in time for our little guy to make his arrival and fill up my iPhoto with adorable pictures. And the local repair shop gave me an exceptional deal. (Perhaps they knew that this poor little preggo couldn't handle a huge bill.) They even installed new casings for free, so it's like a brand new computer. And I brought home an external hard drive, too. About two weeks too late.

But, all those pictures and the pregnancy book? Still gone. My repair guys promised me that they are still working on it, and that there are options to send it off (for big bucks) with the possibility of getting everything removed. But, I'm not very hopeful at this point.

I'm trying to get over it. And my sweet husband has been so understanding about my disappointment. I definitely picked a good baby daddy. He kept trying to subtly remind me that this is not the end of the world. Which I truly realized when Henry did arrive. There are definitely more important things than a few pictures. And there are many worse things than losing them.

But for fun's sake, here's the photos that I still have on my camera from the past weeks. I'm pretty happy that I didn't delete them from my memory card yet. I was planning to share all the weeks at once as a collage, but this is a start, right?

My mom had written a message to Henry on the chalkboard when we got home from the hospital. I thought it was a perfect finish to the weekly pregnancy photos.

I'm still pinching myself. He's really ours.

Welcome to the world, Henry Vincent

2012-05-28T22:31:00.001-05:00

Well, our son has arrived. And our hearts will never be the same. Right now, my heart is so full that it may just burst.

Henry Vincent Woodward was born on Friday, May 25, at 5:35 p.m. He weighed in at a whopping 5 pounds, 11.4 ounces and was 19 inches long.

We thought we still had almost 4 weeks to prepare, but Henry taught us that there are some things you just cannot control. Some things you cannot plan to the minute. And I'm beginning to think that's a good thing.

But there is a lot to be thankful for right now. For Henry's health. For the wonderful doctors and nurses who took care of us. For the support and love of our friends and family.

I'm not sure when I'll be back to regular blogging. Hopefully soon. But, you understand - for now I have a newborn to snuggle.

Navy and white zig zag quilt

2012-05-25T04:30:00.000-05:00

I decided that I ought to start another quilt for the nursery. Instead of finishing more pressing projects, like vacuuming or putting away baby clothes.

I used the same Kona solids as on the houndstooth quilt. The pieces are half-square triangles. Now, I just need to bind and wash it.

And then I'll show it off here. And then, perhaps I'll even run the vacuum.

Porch progress and the baby-do list

2012-05-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of a "honey-do" list? Well, Ryan is taking this list to a whole new level. There were quite a few things on our baby-do list that were still unfinished a few weeks ago. So, instead of getting naggy (or naggier), I asked Ryan if I could make a list for us both. (Shout out to my mother-in-law for the brilliant idea of making a list.)

The problem - Ryan is dominating the list. He's totally WINNING. (I know, I know. It's not a contest. Although, it is kind of a contest.) And this preggo momma still has lots of unfinished projects on her side of the list ...

Anyhow, one of Ryan's largest projects was something he was dreading - installing new railings on the front and back porches. He went to town over the weekend and finished the railings.

A little trip down memory lane - this is what the back porch looked like in August 2010 when we took possession. Ugly house color, ugly back door, horrid light fixture, nonworking grill and rickety railings.

And while not finished, here's how it looks after Ryan's hard work over the weekend.

He installed new posts and built all the railings, including cutting all the spindles. I'm loving how much better it looks already.

Strangely, the back porch feels much larger now, likely due to the few extra inches of space allowed from the new post locations.

As for the front porch, it's coming along nicely, too. Here's what the front looked like in August 2010.

And today ...

If you've ever installed railings, you know it's not a quick and easy job. I'm so thankful for a handy and hardworking husband who finished the job without (much) complaint. And I think he's happy to have another check off that list on the fridge.

But, you see the real problem, don't you? THE PAINTING IS ON MY HONEY-DO LIST! He's showing me up and making more work for his baby momma. ;)

Luckily, I have a bit of an excuse - namely, growing a baby. But, I will need to get working on the painting at some point. And it's really no fun being the cause of the hold-up to progress.

Are you impressed (like I am) by Ryan's most recent project?

A navy and white houndstooth quilt

2012-05-22T04:30:00.000-05:00

At long last, the houndstooth quilt for our baby boy is completed. Can I get a "Hallelujah?"

I'm pretty much in love with it. And quite happy it's completed. It ended up being quite a labor of love for me. (If you are interested, the pattern is available for purchase from V and Co.)

While certainly far from perfect, with plenty of issues, I think it's lovely and perfect for our little boy.

The top is made from Kona solids in white and navy. The backing and binding are navy dots.

I tried long-arm quilting again with an allover pattern. This is my first time with hand binding, and while it was more time-consuming, I definitely prefer the end result.

Houndstooth quilt - check!

What do you think?

A baby blue shower

2012-05-21T04:30:00.000-05:00

In case I didn't feel blessed enough already, my aunt and cousin threw us a beautiful baby shower over the weekend. There's no way this mother and little baby boy could feel any more spoiled.

The grandmas haven't seemed to tire of the idea of a baby boy. They have smiled through every shower. Our little guy is one lucky little one.

The details of the shower were too perfect. Lots of blue and polka dots. Perfect for a Baby Dub.

Even the silverware appeared to be swaddled baby boys.

Becky put together this fabulous diaper tricycle. Have you ever seen anything so cute? It had diapers, baby socks, receiving blankets, bibs and a bottle.

We received more very special and generous gifts. The generosity of our family and friends is truly overwhelming.

Color us very thankful over here. Thankful, excited, tired and a little swollen (at least my ankles).

But mostly thankful.

Crock pot lasagna

2012-05-16T04:00:00.000-05:00

Another recipe for you via The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Crock pot lasagna

I've never made homemade lasagna before. Mostly because I'm lazy. And because Stauffer's is much simpler. But, when I saw that I could easily make it in the slow cooker, I was game.

And this was a winner! Ryan even loved it and had seconds, which is uncommon for Ryan with pasta. It is extra meaty and had great flavor.

And did I mention it was simple?

Check out the recipe at The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Who's going to try it?

Plants for a porch

2012-05-15T04:30:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things about our new house is the front porch. I love the look of an old fashioned front porch. While we still have some projects on the horizon - Ryan will soon be working on the railing and I plan to install a nicer mailbox and post. And while I did clean off the porch, I need to do it with soap and water.

But, I did spruce up the area a little last weekend with some new plantings.

It's quite cheerful, no?

The ferns were a steal of a deal at Home Depot - less than $9/pot. They are really nice and full, so I was thrilled to drag them home. (Okay. Full disclosure: Ryan dragged them home.) We had a few hooks, but Ryan installed a few new ones for my beloved hanging baskets.

And I potted the annuals I found at the Farmer's Market and a local nursery. Geraniums, while a bit old-fashioned, are some of my favorites. My mom used to plant geraniums when I was a kid - could that be why?

And a pot just isn't a pot without the yellow/lime sweet potato vines.

And one cannot forget our cheerful front door. Would you believe I found that vintage metal table at a sale for $1.50? Or that white pot on the side of the road in the garbage?

And I'm really enjoying the succulent "W" wreath, made by the lovely Beth at Unskinny Boppy. I won the wreath last May as part of her auction of Alabama tornado relief. When I received it, the outdoor season was pretty much over in my Zone 5 Midwest climate. And I have perpetual trouble keeping succulents alive over the winter, but I tried my darndest. I need to replace a few of the plants, but I still love the look of the wreath on our front door.

What do you think of our porch?

Microwave chocolate lava cake

2012-05-14T04:30:00.000-05:00

I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day! We hosted a little lunch for our moms, which has become a bit of a tradition at the Woodwards. It's quite strange that this will be the last Mother's Day without our son.

Anyhoo, it was a nice day, and we're quite lucky that we have families that get along so well.

I got busy and didn't take any photos. Although my mom did catch this picture, of all the guys doing the dishes after lunch. Love that about Mother's Day. (Lola was clearly helping.)

I found a new dessert recipe that is disgustingly easy. It's not elegant, but it's super yummy and quick and simple. And chocolately. Which makes it perfect for me. I made it for lunch on Sunday and it got rave reviews.

You'd never know it was simply a box mix and made in the microwave!

This is modified from a Pampered Chef recipe. I have the Pampered Chef deep covered baker, which has stoneware inside. I'm sure that other things would work, but I love that silly baker.

Microwavable chocolate lava cake

1 chocolate cake mix plus ingredients to make the cake according to package directions (egg, oil, water) 1 container of chocolate frosting (not the whipped variety)

Mix cake mix as instructed on box. Pour half of the batter into the baker.
Top with half of the frosting on top of the cake batter. Pour the remainder of the batter on top.
Bake in microwave for 10-12 minutes, uncovered. The cake is done when the edges of the cake come away from the sides of the baker.
Top the cake with the remainder of the frosting and let rest for around 10 minutes.
Scoop out with an ice cream scoop (it won't cut like a cake) and top with whipped topping or ice cream.

This is what I call ooey, gooey chocolately goodness. You ought to try it.

A granny stripe crochet blanket by Maybe Matilda

2012-05-11T04:00:00.000-05:00

Remember when I said that this wasn't going to become a baby or pregnancy blog?

Yeah. Me either.

This week is turning into Nursery Week 2012. While I'm certainly not ready to say the nursery is done, we've been making lots of progress and I enjoy what we're up to. Since baby prep has taken over our lives, the blog will probably reflect that for a bit.

Anyhoo ... sometimes I have to admit defeat and call in reinforcements when it comes to my projects. I had a dream of a crochet blanket for the baby's room, but I recently realized that my abilities, time and sanity probably wouldn't allow me to complete it myself.

That's when it's good to have friends in high places. I emailed my buddy Rachel at Maybe Matilda about her crocheting a throw that coordinated with the nursery. I think she may have been as excited about this project as I was, which made it extra fun. We went back and forth about the style - I was waffling between a granny stripe or zig zag. We ended up agreeing on a granny stripe and about a week later, I had a finished throw! (The woman is a crocheting robot, I'm certain of it.)

And it was love at first sight!

I asked Rachel to make it a larger than a crib size so I can use it, too. I wanted it to have a bit longer shelf life, so to speak. It's so cozy and perfect as a lap or snuggle quilt.

It made its way around the nursery looking for a home.

I think it's final home will be on the rocker - perfect for late night feedings or bedtime stories.

So, yet another piece of the puzzle coming together. And I hope this blanket will become a heirloom for our little guy.

Check out Maybe Matilda on Etsy or her blog. She's one awesome gal and one heckuva hooker. ;) Thanks, Rachel!

What do you think of our snuggly baby blanket?

A book shelf for baby

2012-05-10T04:30:00.000-05:00

I knew from early in planning the nursery that I wanted a place to store books for our little guy. I also knew I wanted something a little different than a typical bookcase. At first, I wanted Ryan to build something. (This initial discussion may or may not have ended in me in tears, squeaking "Do you want our child to NEVER LEARN TO READ?" I'd like to blame the hormones, but in reality, I'm just a nutcase.)

Then, after convincing Ryan to make a bookshelf, I spotted the Madison 4-shelf bookrack from Pottery Barn Kids. I really liked that it came in navy and that the books faced outwards, meaning you could see them from the front and Baby Dub could eventually pick out his own books. I also like that it takes up very little floor space and holds a lot of books.

Which is important when you are going to have a child who will clearly be a genius and need tons of books.

Ryan liked that he would no longer have to build something to his irrational-slash-hormonal wife's specifications.

See? Win-win.

So, I brought the piece of furniture home and set it up. Then, after a few baby showers, I had a full book rack. And it's so darn cute I can hardly stand it. It also holds a deceivingly large amount of books.

The little school desk was Ryan's grandpa's from his school. So, now we have a little reading area, which I adore.

It really spruces up the corner of the nursery. The books are good looking and functional.

One more check off the list, friends. One more check off the list.

A DIY crib skirt from a flat sheet

2012-05-09T04:30:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you are 7 1/2 months pregnant (read: tired and large) and need a fabulous crib skirt for your nursery in the shortest amount of time possible (read: before you need a nap and a glass of warm milk)?

You grab an extra navy flat twin sheet that you don't need and make yourself a stellar crib skirt on the cheap.

Mmmmmmhm. Cute, right?

Here was my inspiration for the crib skirt that I pinned ages ago.

Source: beddingenvy.com via Kim on Pinterest

I liked the navy and I loved the white stripe. I also love the box pleat, although lazy pregnant woman didn't attempt that (although you can, with the help of this tutorial - or this one).

Instead I was inspired by the crib sheet made by Rachel at the Atwoods (who, coincidentally, is awesome and also having a baby boy in June). The skirt is simply three panels sewn to length for each side and tied to the wire box spring area on the crib, like so. (I simply sewed the ribbons to the top of the panel.

The beauty of this set-up is that you can adjust the skirt to length as you change the height of the mattress. Score! I kind of liked the red ribbons, so I tied them to the edges for a little pop.

I added the grosgrain ribbon for a little (manly) pizazz. I like the way it turned out.

And that, my friends - is a crib skirt from a flat sheet. Do you love?

I, for one, am a fan.

June blooms and garden transplants

2012-05-08T04:30:00.000-05:00

I mentioned last week that I planted a lot of new perennials in our yard this year after the plant exchange. So, I thought it was time to do a little outdoor spring garden tour.

First, I should mention that much of the yard is very much a work in progress. But, it's come a long way.

We started out with, um, nothing, in the way of plants. When we bought the house in August of 2010, one of the first things we did was rip down the overgrown plants out front.

After we pulled the bushes, we had a blank slate. A very ugly blank slate.

(I know, I just threw up in my mouth a little.)

Nearly every single plant in the yard was transplanted from our old house or friends. Both because it's fun to share plants and also because we don't have the money to spend at the garden center. So, don't be too proud to take any plant you are giving, friends.

And here's the front of the house today. Most of these plants are hosta, iris and lilies on their second spring in the ground. In the past few years, they've grown like wildfire.

I added these hostas last fall, and they seem to love their new home around the lamppost. (Which, by the way, needs glass replaced and repainted.) But, can you believe how much these hostas taken over since September?

Speaking of taking over ... the iris. They are really loving the side of the house. These all came from four or five original plants in 2007 that I got from my uncle. Yeah ... they grow like weeds.

Can you believe how beautiful the blooms are?

I'm trying to enjoy them while I can, since iris blooms will only be around for a short time.

Moving on to other plants, here are a few garden beds in year one. I planted these hostas last fall from our friends' Dave and Pam's yard. They are still a bit small, but I'm expecting them to be massive next year.

As you can see, Ryan also mulched the yard and added a little area in the backyard shade for our chairs.

Moving on to this little garden. I transplanted the day lilies and hostas last fall. They are already taking off in their first spring.

Ryan and I also started a little side garage garden last fall. The plants are still small but I have hope.

I also never shared Ryan's little project from last fall - this great stone walkway that he made. It looks amazing, right? And the stones were all repurposed from the in-laws' stone fireplace.

And finally, the most recent transplants from last week's plant exchange. I like to split hostas up really small so I can get more out of them. That means they look really teeny and pathetic for the first year, but the payoff is worth it.

And that, my friends, is how you can make a garden (or a few gardens) with transplants. Not only will they look great, but they will save you lots of money at the garden center.

What do you think of our little gardens? Better, right?

Bed for the nursery - check

2012-05-07T04:30:00.000-05:00

Well, the bed in the nursery is nearly complete. Of course, the project took much longer than expected, but that's pretty much par for the course at this point.

You may remember, Ryan built the bed frame in March.

Then, I upholstered it in April.

So, the only thing left to do was get the bed legs painted and find some bedding. First, let's talk about how interesting an experience it was for a 7 1/2 month pregnant woman to be down on her side trying to paint those legs. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't pretty at all.

But, I think it was worth it.

I ended up ordering the Seacliff quilted bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. I think the solid navy works well with all the patterns. Now, I have a few more pillows to make with some fabric I picked up. (Sigh.) I guess the bed isn't quite done yet. Always a process.

I also had to share the adorable boppy cover that my friend Stephanie made for me. The boppy was handed down to me from a coworker and Stephanie made a new cover that matches the nursery. I'm kind of in love with it.

What do you think?

Steal this idea: A perennial plant exchange

2012-05-03T04:30:00.000-05:00

My friend Stephanie hosted the most awesome springtime party - it helped us all unload the perennial plants overtaking our yards and grab some new and different plants for our flower beds.

For free.

After this little get-together, each of us ended up with a trunk-load of new plants. We calculated that if we'd have purchased the plants from a garden center, it would have cost us upwards of $900 total for everything.

The idea all started with a Facebook message asking if a group of us wanted to swap perennial plants from our garden. Umm ... yes. Stephanie planned and hosted the swap at her house. (Thanks, Stephanie!) We each dug up plants in our yard to bring (I brought lemon balm and lots of iris that have overtaken my flower beds.)

There were eight of us participating - some didn't have any plants but wanted to start gardens. Some didn't want to bring home any plants but wanted to unload perennials. Then, there were a few like me who wanted to give and get. This is part of the stash of plants at the party when I arrive.

Stephanie also asked us to label the plants with all the info we had. I didn't do this well, but some folks were really detailed and included sun requirements, height, planting info, etc.

We each brought an appetizer and made a game of picking our plants. Each of us got to pick a few at a time. At the end, I ended up with a great variety of new plants - ornamental grasses, purple coneflowers, hosta, daylilies, columbine and a few other mystery plants.

I was able to get all my new plants planted in the yard the next day (which unfortunately meant this momma could barely move afterwards).

And that, my friends, is my favorite party idea ever! I think we're going to make it an annual event. I still have tons of irises to split this fall and I'm planning to swipe some peonies from Stephanie's yard if it's the last thing I do. ;)

(Read more about the planning and details at Stephanie's blog - Homeowner Rookies.)

Sound off: How do you stock your gardens for the season?

Taco pasta

2012-05-02T04:00:00.000-05:00

Emily introduced me to my new favorite food blog - The Girl Who Ate Everything. Oh my goodness ... there are a lot of great recipes on this site and I'm on a mission to try every one.

First up - Taco pasta.

This recipe was ridiculously yummy. And easy. And don't judge me for eating way more than one serving ...

Okay, I ate like four servings ...

It's the BABY!

Try this taco pasta for a great and simple weeknight meal.

The wife's April goals - how'd I do?

2012-05-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

Yowza ... I just cannot get over how quickly the months are going by. And the baby will be here within in the next month and a half, which blows my mind. MIND IS BLOWN.

With that said, here's my month in review ...

The Wife's April Goals
Read book club book.
FAIL! I didn't finish a single book this month, which is the first time this happened in a long time.
~~Visit Chicago with blog buddies.~~
A wonderful time was had by all.
~~Finish houndstooth crib quilt.~~
I did finish the top, but I still need to quilt and bind it. Still giving myself credit.
Make a crib skirt and ~~twin bed skirt for nursery.~~
Still need to finish the crib skirt, but I did get the upholstered bed done!
Paint canvases for nursery wall art.
FAIL! I decided that I may not be doing this, so it's coming off the list.
~~No breakfasts out during the week.~~
I shouldn't give myself full credit for this because I did hit the drive through twice. But this is a vast improvement over past months.
~~Try a new recipe.~~
Recipes to come.
Make monthly half-square triangles for February, March and April. Seriously. Time to catch up.
FAIL! Perhaps I need to be a little more realistic about my time and energy levels.
~~Celebrate the month of my birth!~~
Hurrah!

May's list is disgustingly excessive, so I am fully prepared to get none of it done. But, since the baby will likely make his appearance in June, I figured I should get it all out there. OHMYGOODNESS.

The wife's May goals
Read two books.
Quilt and bind houndstooth crib quilt.
Finish nursery crib skirt.
Paint legs of upholstered bed.
Touch up white paint upstairs.
Make pennants for nursery.

Sew pillows for nursery.

Stain shelves and install shelves in the hutch of the nursery.

Shampoo carpets.
Make changing table pockets.
Pack bag for the hospital.
Get a new mailbox.
Paint exterior doors.
Plant veggie and herb gardens.
Try a new recipe.

How does your month look?

A book-themed baby shower

2012-04-30T04:30:00.000-05:00

I know one thing - our little guy has lots of people who love and will spoil him. Case in point - another fun baby shower last weekend. It was thrown by my beautiful friends Emily and Shelly and it was a book and library theme.

The invites were just too adorable. Shelly got them on Etsy and they looked like library cards. They may very well be my favorite invites ever.

When I arrived, the room was just too perfect. It was held at a local restaurant with tons of charm. (And darn good food.)

Emily decorated the tables with kraft paper-covered books, children's book tale runners and little terra cotta pots.

I loved all the little details.

And let's just say that we will have plenty of book options for our baby boy. There were books everywhere and everyone brought a book for us to start his library. (I'll have to share a picture of his overflowing book rack.)

We played a few different games. Even the game cards were library themed. I love myself a cohesive theme.

Everyone also decorated a sheet of paper with one letter from the ABCs on it. Emily is putting all these sheets together in a book for our baby boy, which is just too fun.

To say I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends and family members since finding out we were expecting is a major understatement. After this shower, I have been reminded of how lucky we are and how wonderful the people in our lives are.

I don't think this baby (or this momma) is going to want for anything. And after unloading all that gear, I needed a massage and a nap. Yikes! Babies sure do come with a lot of things.

Only seven or so weeks to go!

Do you love this book shower theme as much as I do?

It's a pug life

2012-04-27T04:00:00.002-05:00

This post is for all you pug lovers. Since Ryan is traveling for work, the pugs and I have been spending lots of time together. Which means that they have been my primary means of entertainment.

What can be more entertaining than Franco's crazy eyes?

Or Lola's refusal to do anything active?

These dogs crack me up.

Then, one morning, I thought something looked a little fishy in our bed.

Is that a pug in the pillows?

Yep ... I think Franco found a new hiding spot.

Happy weekend!

I like old books

2012-04-26T04:00:00.009-05:00

I'm so excited about these two old books I can hardly stand it. When I saw the famous and fabulous Miss Effie last weekend, we got to talking about our newly-acquired property and what kind of house we may be built. When I told Cathy that we both like small bungalows, especially in the Sears or Craftsman variety, she loaned me this fabulous book.

I've been really enjoying looking through this plan book from the 1920s. And apparently we can build the houses in the book for around $4,000, excluding plumbing and electricity. SCORE!

The style of these homes are really common in our area. And I would be pretty happy to live in any of them. Although I think the Malcom is my favorite.

I also adore all the details and woodwork images.

They just don't make houses like they used to.

Just so much character. The interiors are a little different than what I imagine, but it's definitely giving me lots of inspiration.

Then, because I was on an old-book roll, I had to bring this little baby home from the Junk Asylum store.

It's a classic.

I love the images from the 50s and 60s, but I really like the information. There are sections on flowers, shrubs, trees, ground covers, vining plants, vegetables, fruits ... I think it's going to be a great resource.

What old books have you found lately?

Work in progress - houndstooth quilt

2012-04-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

I finished the top of Baby Dub's houndstooth quilt over the weekend, so I'm one step closer on this never-ending project.

This was definitely a lot more cutting and piecing than I'm used to taking on. But, the top turned out nicely, so I think it will be worth all the effort.

Now, it's time to quilt and bind it. The end is in sight.

What do you think?

My favorite comfort food - chicken, mushroom and rice

2012-04-24T04:00:00.001-05:00

Today is the celebration of my 28th year. And since I love my birthday, I don't keep it a secret. Instead, I shout it from the rooftops. It's a good day, friends.

You can send me flowers, carrot cake or gifts. Anytime. Not just today. But, especially today.

In honor of the day of my birth, I'm sharing the most unexciting - but one of my favorite - comfort food recipes of all time. You've probably made this or eaten it. But, if you haven't, I feel like it's my duty as the birthday girl to share it with you. It's not very pretty, but it's fabulous.

This was the recipe I requested of my mom when I was kid for my birthday meal. And I also made it for myself earlier this week to celebrate. So today is the perfect day to share.

Chicken and rice casserole

4 chicken breasts
1-2 cans of mushrooms (or fresh, which is better)

1/2 cup white rice

1/2 cup brown rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can of water (use the cream of mushroom soup cans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9x13 pan, mix the rice, cream of mushroom soup, water and mushrooms. Place the chicken breast on top of the rice mixture and "bury" the chicken under the mixture as much as possible to keep it moist. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until chicken and rice are cooked through.

(I usually double the rice, cream of mushroom soup and water when I make this because the rice is my favorite part.)

What's your favorite comfort food?

A faux-upholstered bed

2012-04-23T04:00:00.001-05:00

Last month, Ryan built a twin bed frame for the nursery to use as an extra bed and hang-out spot.

Instead of painting the entire piece, I decided to upholster the frame. (I was inspired by this upholstered bed at Land of Nod, at the crazy price of $899 with a headboard.) Upholstering the frame would allow me to use more of my favorite Dwell fabric (leftover from the curtains) and would also take the "edge" off the rough corners to keep our little guy from bumping his head when he starts moving around.

Upholstering the frame is a similar process to upholstering a headboard. Since I was on my own, I didn't take tons of pictures of the process, but I think it's self-explanatory.

I bought three yards of 1-inch Nu-Foam for less than $20 on sale at Hancock. The Nu-Foam is supposed to be an alternative to foam, particularly that it is flame retardant. I cut the 27-inch width in half and started wrapping the piece around the base board, stapling it in place.

Next, I cut strips of my fabric. Because I'm too cool for measurements, I just eyeballed the pattern to make it match up. When one strip ended, I just matched the next strip to the pattern and kept going. I obviously didn't waste fabric or foam on the inner part, since that will be covered by the mattress.

Here's the edge before. After matching up...

I just folded the border under and kept going. You can only see the seams if you are looking for them.

An hour or so later, I had it all faux-upholstered.

I'm really liking how it turned out. Now, I need to paint the legs and I'll be all set. I'm thinking I'll go with white to tie in with the crib and the hutch.

I just threw the sheets and pillows on the bed to see how it looks.

Since I have so much pattern in the room, I ordered this solid navy Seacliff quilt from Pottery Barn Kids. I had hemmed and hawwed about this bedding, but I just don't have it in me to make a twin sized quilt. Plus, the quilt is quilted with Hs, which is the first letter of our little guy's name.

(Pottery Barn Kids)

I'm also thinking I need to make a long bolster pillow in the Dwell pattern, too. I decided to nix a headboard, since the large map is right behind the bed.

In all, I think we have around $40 in the bed. The wood was free (Ryan used what we already in the garage), the labor was free (you should marry a handyman like I did), the Nu-Foam was $20 and the leftover fabric was around $18 (I ended up using a little over one yard of what I had leftover from curtains).

What do you think?

Guest posting at Ducks in a Row

2012-04-19T18:56:00.000-05:00

I'm super excited to be over at Ducks in a Row today, guest blogging while she's snuggling her newborn.

I'm blogging about a few of my favorite simple recipes. Please go check it out and send Laurel a lot of love for that precious baby boy.

Top picks for a weekend in Chicago

2012-04-17T21:44:00.000-05:00

I told you that I spent the weekend in Chicago with my blog buddies, Emily and Shannon. Now, I'm back with details and a few of my favorite spots we took in while in town.

The three of us have been planning this little excursion for months, but originally planned to travel in the fall. And then Emily and I went and got knocked up. So, we moved up our plans to April to avoid any issues. I'm so happy we did, I don't think I'd have had the patience to wait.

Emily and Shannon flew in on Friday morning, and I drove up to Chicago and picked them up at their airports. I'd already met Shannon and knew my undying (friend) love for her. It was also (friend) love at first hug with Emily. You always have that moment that you think, what if we really don't get along in person? But, that wasn't the case at all. Between the three of us, there wasn't a moment of silence or awkwardness. We just jumped right in.

It was a laugh-fest Friday to Sunday.

Not only did we spend the entire weekend together, we also shared a hotel room. Which could have gone horribly wrong, but didn't. (Except for that time when Shannon and I had a sleeptalking conversation. I'm sure that if I could remember it, that would have been wierd.) It was as good as the slumber parties of my youth. Where we all gabbed and talked and gabbed in the dark until it just went silent and we all passed out. (Shannon's passing out could have been from her solo drinking *wink*, but Emily and I were pregnant and stone-cold sober.)

While I was the closest to Chicago and probably should have done more planning for the trip, I pretty much just booked our hotel room (we stayed at the Holiday Inn on top of the Chicago Sun-Times building, which had a really awesome river view and was quite comfortable). Shannon and Emily did most of the other planning, and we tried to hit the areas that they wanted to see.

If you are planning a Chicago excursion soon, here are a few of my picks based on our trip.

To see:

Millennium Park and "The Bean"

Apparantly, visiting the Bean was a dream of both Emily and Shannon. We make dreams come true around here. Millennium Park is quite lovely, even on a dreary day. It's great for people watching and has good photo ops, too.

The Magnificent Mile/Michigan Avenue
While there aren't many stores available that aren't in most suburbs, the Magnificent Mile is still worth a stop. We did some leisurely shopping where I convinced Shannon that $40 was too much for napkins. Then, we admired the tulips. Seriously, the tulips were pretty awesome.

Navy Pier
While touristy, Navy Pier also has some lovely views. We ended up spending a good amount of time here while waiting for the boat tour. There's plenty of people to watch, the Lake Michigan views are lovely and there are lots of tschotchky shops on hand. Plus, there's ice cream.

Willis (formerly Sears) Tower
I've never been to the Skydeck, but I think it's worth a trip. We went at night, thinking we'd miss the crowds. Not so lucky. But, I still liked seeing the views at night, and the video was interesting. However, the 15 million teenagers I could have done without. Shannon opted out of the plexiglass ledge, but Emily and I took the leap for a photo op.

The Chicago River
Because I'm a moron, I wasn't aware this was a river. But, it was right by our hotel and had great views. The walking paths and bridges are also pretty.

To do:
Second City
I've never seen this comedy group before, but it's worth the effort to get a ticket. The show was hilarious - we had a great time! And we barely made it. We walked in the door right when the show was starting.

We also took a boat tour, which I wouldn't recommend. It was too early to take the true Architectural Boat Tour on the River. The tour we took was frigidly cold and the guide was painfully bad. But, we still did a lot of laughing ... at his expense.

To eat:
Portillos
Home of famous Chicago hot dogs, this is a fun place to visit and the food is quite yummy.

Frontera Grill
This is a Rick Bayless restaurant, if you know who Rick Bayless is. (I didn't.) But, Shannon was right on the money to pick this place. We went there for brunch on Saturday and it was quite delightful. It's also super popular, so get there early.

Giordano's Pizza
For Chicago deep dish, this is a good choice. And you can't go to Chicago without deep dish.

As you can see, there was lots of eating, a little drinking (by Shannon) and tons of being merry. There was also a lot of walking, which may have made us all a little sore by day two. Holy moley. This pregnant body can't move like it used to.

I'm already counting down the days until our next meet-up.

Wondering what these gals are like in real life?

Neither of them have an opinion about anything. (Psych! These girls have an opinion about everything. A funny opinion that I love.)
Shannon refuses to have a sip of alcohol. (Psych! She has nothing against drinking alone and, in fact, endorses it.)
Both of them are health food nuts. They won't put anything processed in their bodies. (Psych! We ate ice cream, drank fountain beverages and devoured burgers and pizza.)
Emily is a true diva. It takes her hours to get ready. (Psych! She can be ready for the day in 5 minutes.)

Blog buddies turned real-life friends. There's nothing better. Their secrets are not safe with me.