the Hott Spott

Friday Favorite

2012-02-10T21:51:00.000-08:00

Park day

Happy Friday

♥

Her Heart

2012-02-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

At her last doctor's appointment we were informed that A has a heart murmur. It was mentioned in such a casual, nonchalant manner that we Brian didn't really stress about it. The doctor's exact words were, "I told you she has a heart murmur, right?"! Umm, actually doc, no you didn't. She went on and on about how it was very common, that it sounds "innocent" which means it's really nothing to worry about, and so forth...I'm sure I didn't hear most of what she said. I was still trying to figure out how it wasn't something that was detected at any one of her previous appointments and what a heart murmur really meant for her. Could you imagine what B would say if he was told she couldn't play sports?!

We were referred to a children's cardiologist, had chest x-rays done, and finally today she had her EKG and saw the specialist. She had her vitals taken then came time for them to check her blood pressure. Ha! There has to be a better way to check a toddler's bp than the cuff that most adults don't like. Come on people, really, you don't expect her to fuss when something is squeezing her arm so tightly?! Needless to say they weren't able to get an accurate reading since A was crying and fighting to get away the whole time. The geniuses then informed us that she would need to sit completely still for the EKG or else they'd get a false reading..."the test can read other emotions as well and won't be accurate." At that point I think I laughed at the nurse. Lady, you just squeezed the life out of her arm then leg (when her arm didn't work) and now you want her to sit still while you proceed to attach 23839215 different cords to her chest and legs "in order to get an accurate reading"??!! What the?! It's a good thing B took the afternoon off work to come with us because it took both of us distracting her, bribing her, letting her watch an Elmo video, all while holding her arms and legs still "in order to get an accurate reading"! What an ordeal!

Anyway, after the circus with the nurse we finally got to see the specialist. He then wanted to listen to her heart again and check her pulse. You guys are killing me! She definitely didn't want to sit still any longer so I had her sit in my lap while I distracted her with B's phone again. She cooperated just long enough for the doc to hear what he needed. The verdict is that yes she has a heart murmur but that it's "innocent" and totally normal. It's just the sounds that her heart makes. No medication, no restrictions in activity, nothing. Thank God! I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until after he gave us the news. After the week we've had it was refreshing to get some good news and it was a good reminder of how God is completely in control. His faithfulness never ceases to amaze me and I still cannot comprehend His love for us.

His love for her.

Sports here we come!

♥

Friday Favorite

2012-02-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

Practicing...

Happy Friday! ♥

Fun At Sea World

2012-01-29T20:48:00.000-08:00

Some of our family from Hawaii is in town and invited us to join them on some of their vacation excursions so we decided Sea World would be fun. It just so happened that they were going on a Thursday so Brian was able to join us :)

Since A is still free I just had to find some tickets for me and B...Craigslist to the rescue. I managed to find 2 really cheap tickets...both were less than one at the gate...so we were good to go. My nephew is staying with my parents right now so we decided to bring him along for the fun.

It's been a really long time since I was last there and wow has it changed since then! Of course the animals were all still there but they have rides and coasters and a mini water park for the kiddos in addition to the exhibits and shows. It was a really fun day and even though A had a mini meltdown because she refused to nap, she bounced back after lunch, and had a blast!

Here are a bunch of pictures of the animals for you to enjoy!

And here are some others from the day

And of course the only picture of the three of us all day isn't the greatest but oh well.

Friday Favorite

2012-01-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

Would you like some wine with that cheese?! Haha, too much sugar makes her crazy!

Happy Friday ♥

Sneak Peek :: Marisa's Mini Makeover

2012-01-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peek at another makeover project I've been working on:

the room

some inspiration:

Stay tuned for the full reveal!! It's pretty awesome.

What A Day!

2012-01-17T21:23:00.000-08:00

What a busy day! We started out early and headed to a playdate at the McCrays with the boys. After a couple days of rain we were thankful for the sun so the kiddos could play outside. After snacks and a nap (for baby T) we braved the "cold" and let the kids run around outside.

trying to decide if she's brave enough to go down the driveway

baby T enjoying his bouncer...and his fingers

hey there gorgeous...

giving kisses...

(Big brother B was off playing with the neighbor boys so he missed out on the photo shoot)

After we left the boys to nap we headed to Samy's so I could check out some lenses to rent for an event tomorrow. Miss A took her requisite short nap in the car and woke up just as I pulled into the parking lot. After renting my lenses, we did a few more errands in OC then headed home before traffic got too bad. We pulled into the garage at 4:15 which means we were out and about for 8 hours...almost half of which was in the car. It's no wonder A was exhausted! Night night, baby girl.

Mini Makeover :: Erika's Bedroom

2012-01-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

So I've been helping Erika with small projects here and there for her apartment. We started in the living room and then tackled the bedroom. The space isn't huge and there is an awkward wall that has a random window on one end and boarded up doorway (I think?!) on the other...with her bed somewhere in between:

*please excuse the pictures...I didn't have the correct lens on me the day I went up there!*

I suggested a "wall of curtains" behind her bed to serve several purposes. 1) it hides the fact that there are random windows and boards on the wall, 2) it adds some "drama" to the room, and 3) it acts like artwork in her room. Here are a few examples of what I was talking about

{source}

At first E wasn't so excited about it but as she slowly started warming up to the idea, she gave me the ok :) She found curtains that she liked that wouldn't compete with the rest of the room but that would add some interest to the walls.

We ended up using 95" long panels as we were going to hang from as close to the ceiling as possible. Remember, we wanted "drama"! We lucked out that the room was the exact width of the max of the curtain rod she had! So after a few hours of measuring, hanging and straightening up, here is the finished product:

What do you think? Because of the size of the room and the lens I was using, getting a picture of the entire wall was SO hard! Here's one on E's phone that she took that gets a little more of it:

Pretty huh? :) I LOVE IT! The curtains definitely make the space prettier while hiding the flaws we discussed and it most definitely adds the drama she wanted! During the day you can see the light coming through the window, but it's definitely better than what it was :)

Friday Favorite

2012-01-13T22:20:00.000-08:00

Yes, you got caught. Don't touch that stuff in the garage!

Happy Friday! ♥

A Small Step

2012-01-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

Well folks, after much prayer and careful consideration, I've decided to take a small step into the world of photography. I've had a lot of positive feedback from the recent photo shoots I've done and have actually started getting questions about pricing and booking sessions from people I don't know. How crazy is that?! It still baffles me. Anyway, I started a new photography blog that will serve as my main website for now. I don't know how far this will go as a "business" but I'm willing to see what happens. You can read more about it here:

Thank you for all those who have encouraged me to pursue something more. I am still learning and am in the beginning stages of getting everything "launched" so bear with me a bit longer. I hope I can continue to grow and learn and always strive to be better. Don't worry, I'll still post here about ~~Anayah~~ our family and crazy projects I'm attempting to do around the house!

If you are interested in any photography services, or know someone who is, keep me in mind!

♥ Mandi

Friday Favorite

2012-01-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

Yup, limes taste just like lemons!

♥ Happy Friday ♥

Photo Session:: Just Danielle

2012-01-05T21:04:00.000-08:00

You'll remember my friend Danielle from this post last year. She is a childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and doula, among many other things! When I reached out to my friends to offer photo sessions, she booked me to take a few new head shots for her new website and blog. I hadn't done "head shots" before but I figured it would be a great opportunity to practice! We went down to San Juan Capistrano and had fun walking around "practicing" and trying not to fall off train cars :) With a background in theater, Danielle wasn't shy in front of the camera which made taking pictures thisclosetoher much more comfortable! Once we got the requisite website shots, she let me have fun and "do my thing."

"website shots"

The "fun" ones

She does sultry well, no?

you are too much right now!

straight out of the camera...just gorgeous!

Danielle, you are one gorgeous mama! Thank you for being so flexible and willing to do whatever! You rocked it!

2011: A Look Back

2011-12-31T22:02:00.000-08:00

As 2011 comes to an end and we move forward into a new year, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on this year and highlight some of my favorites...projects, moments, and/or both, and some which never made it to the blog.

Starting the new year off with some bling!

Getting in some sun time with Jack.

Lamp shade re-do for A's room

Toilet paper art

A turned a year old!

DIY Accessories

DIY Media Center

Family trips 1, 2, 3, & 4

Starburst Mirror

San Diego Zoo

Photography Sessions

It's been a fun and exciting year that has gone by WAY too quickly! Anayah has grown up so fast and continues to amaze us with the things she's learning and the ways she's developing. Along with the fun, we have had some learning experiences and trials that have brought us closer together and strengthened our faith and trust in the Lord. We are so thankful for all the blessings God has given us this year and for His constant faithfulness to us. He has an amazing plan for us, even when we don't understand what it is! I know that He has so much more in store for us and I'm excited to see how it unfolds.

May your new year be filled with blessings and joy!

♥, brian, mandi & anayah

Friday Favorite

2011-12-30T13:26:00.000-08:00

It's been a while but here you go:

Happy Friday!

Photo Session:: Von Rosen Family

2011-12-27T17:09:00.000-08:00

Today I went to Old Town Temecula with our good friends Mandy, Surya & Jack. The weather was great (well a bit cold at first) and the lighting was beautiful as well. Mr. Jack is just as active as Anayah these days so I knew it was going to be fun trying to get him to sit still, but he did really well. There are so many fun/interesting places in Old Town that I had a hard time choosing places to shoot, but they were really patient with me as I worked through it.

One of my faves...

So cute!

Jack decided he didn't want to face the camera anymore...

Gorgeous! My other fave...

You guys are a gorgeous family -inside and out- and I'm so glad we can call you friends. Thank you for giving me the chance to capture a glimpse of your fun, beautiful selves! I had a great time and I hope you did too!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T20:15:00.000-08:00

This was the first year we spent Christmas morning at our own house! We usually go down to San Diego to be with my parents and some years we also drive to LA to visit Brian's side of the family too. This year however, we spent it at home. My grandma is in town from Hawaii and my dad and brothers came up to spend Christmas morning with us (my mom is in TX with my other brother & nephew). I will admit it was nice to not have to rush and plan and drive anywhere and to just be able to spend time at home. Starting our own traditions for our little family is something I look forward to continuing in the years to come...

So here's a quick recap of our weekend according to Anayah:

Running around outside after many hours stuck in my carseat and stroller while mommy and great grandma shopped:

Texting Santa my last minute wish list:

Christmas Eve family party in my pretty dress before I got cranky:

After I woke up from a nap (which happened hours past my bedtime!) at the party:

Mommy ~~forcing me to take a picture~~ documenting the evening:

Christmas morning (NOT a flattering photo of any of us!)

Helping grandpa with my tent:

Opening one of ~~hundreds~~ many gifts:

Too much sugar:

Guess what mommy got?!

Just kidding...it's all mine!!

Anayah was ~~spoiled~~ blessed very much this year as you can tell. She was so excited with all her new things and couldn't decide what to play with first! Thank you to everyone who helped make this Christmas so special! I hope you all had a blessed holiday and was able to spend time with friends and loved ones. Any fun plans for New Year's Eve?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T16:51:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas!

I'll be back tomorrow to share some highlights of a fun weekend!

Photo Session:: Miss Brianna

2011-12-19T19:45:00.000-08:00

I remember the day she was born. Her mom, Mindy, is one of my best friends from high school and it's still hard to believe that she has a daughter who is 8! She doesn't look 8 does she?! I can't get over how grown up and beautiful she is! Brianna was a natural in front of the camera and even had the posing down to a science. We had a fun afternoon walking through Little Italy in San Diego, snapping pictures between sentences while we caught up and chatted.

Oh, stop it. You are too gorgeous!

Even supermodels are silly sometimes...

Thank you both for being such troopers while I let my camera go crazy! Brianna, you are too gorgeous for words and growing up so fast! Remember you will always be my munchkin though :)

Living Nativity

2011-12-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

This weekend we had a chance to spend some time with my family in San Diego before my mom leaves to visit my brother in Texas. My parents took us to the Living Nativity at their church on Saturday night at it was so cool. They transformed the courtyard of the school/church to the journey into Bethlehem on the night of Jesus' birth. Everyone was in full costume, they had live animals, even authentic food! It was a really neat experience and there were a ton of people there. Anayah had fun at the petting zoo and watching the little scenes as we walked through the journey. She especially loved the camel! I tried taking pictures but keep in mind it was night time, barely any lighting, and I refused to use my flash. So here you go:

excited to see the animals...

the angel telling Mary she is with child...

Mary letting Joseph in on the news...

trying to find a place to stay...

in the manger...

the wise men with king herod

anayah's camel friend

the marketplace

not so excited to be leaving...

Hope your holiday season has been full of fun and not too chaotic thus far. Can you believe Christmas is less than a week away?! SO crazy!

Photo Session:: Clark Family

2011-12-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

This week I had a chance to do a family session with an old friend from college. Jenny and I were thick as thieves back in the day and had some great times to reminisce on. She, Terrik and their little guy Easton were totally fun to work with and made my job easier. We had a blast walking around checking out everything from the ducks to the Christmas decor...oh and getting some cools shots in between. Enjoy some of the pics from our fun session!

Thanks again Clarks for a fun day!

I'm Sad

2011-12-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

Today I subbed and left A with Bri all day.

It made me really sad.

Apparently she didn't really seem to mind.

I don't know what I'll do when I have to go back to work full time. Maybe we can find a way for me to stay home...even if it's just part time.

At least I know they had a fun day!

No, he didn't take her in public with her hair like that!

Off to bed to get ready for another day subbing tomorrow too. I'll bring tissues with me this time!

Photo Session:: Baby Josiah

2011-12-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

Isn't he so adorable?! Our pastor and his wife just had this little guy two months ago and we did a mini session because who doesn't love pictures of their newborns? Little Josiah was so mellow and made this session so fun and enjoyable. Thanks Josh & McKensie for giving me the opportunity to capture pictures of your little man.

'Tis the Season

2011-12-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

December is officially here! Can you believe it?! We spent the morning unpacking boxes and putting up the tree and decorations. I didn't decorate as much as I usually do...it's just less for the little hurricane to touch anyway.

She "helped" put the ornaments on the tree and was really good all day about not touching it until after dinner. It was like she all of a sudden noticed it and had to touch all the ornaments. Aye, aye, aye, girl. No touching.

Anyway, just a few shots of our decor this year:

Now we just need to start filling that empty space underneath the tree!

Photo Session:: Pinto Family

2011-11-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

Here's the family session I got to do for our good friends. Not hard to see where little miss Audree gets her good looks huh? Thanks, friends for giving me more practice! :)

Tiny Details

2011-11-27T22:09:00.000-08:00

I finished a few tiny projects that I've been meaning to get done for a while. They're nothing huge but I think they add some fishing touches to the spaces.

Turquoise pillows that were originally going to go on the accent chairs in the front room, but they add a nice pop of color to the entry way bench instead:

Peacock artwork for the front room:

I bought some peacock feathers from Joann's a while back, mounted them on white cardstock and put them in extra frames that I spray painted with oil rubbed bronze.

And an accent pillow for the sofa. I used the extra fabric from the curtains I had made for this room:

Now this room is almost complete. I have a couple other projects to get to then it will be completely finished.

Photo Session:: Audree's 1st Birthday

2011-11-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

Well I finally took my first baby step into the photography business with this photo shoot for little Miss Audree. Her first birthday is fast approaching and her parents wanted pictures done for the party so it was the perfect opportunity for me to get some practice. She was such an easy model and isn't she just so cute?! I'm excited to do their family session on Sunday!

I still have SO much to learn but I'm excited to finally be putting myself out there. If anyone needs any pictures taken, I'm available for free photo sessions! :)

DIY: Starburst Mirror

2011-11-26T15:03:00.000-08:00

Are you just as excited about this reveal as I am?! Now for those of you who just want to see the end result, here's a before and after picture of the wall it's on.

For those who want all the deets, keep reading!

I started with this tutorial and went shopping for my supplies:

8 packages of wood shims
2 bottles of wood glue/gorilla glue/liquid nails (whatever you decide)
stain or spray paint of your choosing
14" round mirror
1/4" plywood, cut into a circle
D-hooks or picture hooks

These are the wood shims I bought. They come in a pack of 48 for about $4 per pack. They sell shorter ones if you are making a smaller mirror but I wanted ours to be rather large so I went for the 18" ones.

Following the tutorial, I went ahead and glued the shims in groups of 5 and 7 like so

I used the clamps to make sure they were secure and worked on it here and there, between other projects and baking, giving the glue time to cure. I decided I wanted the mirror to have a dark stain so I used the leftover stain from our banister project and stained one side (the other side will be against the wall)

Obviously I didn't even stain the whole group since I knew the mirror would cover it anyway!

Then I arranged the shims how I wanted them

Flipped them over and glued a piece of plywood to the back. Then B used an entire tube of glue plus some and put a bunch of heavy stuff on there (yes, baseballs are so heavy, right?!) overnight.

The next morning we glued the mirror to the front and let it sit for a few hours (no pics, sorry) Then they attached the hooks to the back and hung it up on the wall.

And here she is again in all her sunburst-y glory!

I love how it turned out! It is pretty big and quite heavy but it's perfect on that wall. I kinda wanna make another smaller version for our bedroom...shhh, don't tell B!

Thankful

2011-11-25T14:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, I'm a day late but believe me, I had NO time yesterday to post anything. Here are a few pictures from the first holiday party we hosted at our place.

It was great to have all our family together celebrating with us. We had TONS of food, lots of fun, and plenty of laughs. Thank you to everyone who came out and helped make the day complete. We are so thankful for all the blessings in our lives and can't wait to see what else God has in store for us!

Starburst Mirror: Preview

2011-11-22T15:14:00.000-08:00

Have you jumped on the starburst mirror bandwagon too?! No? Well check out these beauties:

Aren't they gorgeous?! They served as inspiration for the current project I'm working on. I'll give you a sneak peek:

Oooh, I can't wait until it's finished! I'm really hoping to have it finished tomorrow but we'll see. Stay tuned for the reveal!

Molding Makes It Better

2011-11-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

I needed some change around here. I needed something bold, something dramatic.

Uh, no. It needed to be done on the cheap.

I figured paint or molding would be the cheapest way to make some changes so I toyed around with the ideas of repainting a few rooms but that sounded like too much work for one afternoon. Then I thought about doing a stencil on a wall but I couldn't commit to a design. So that left molding...who doesn't love molding?!

I figured the upstairs hallway would be the perfect spot to add these changes since it's so boring! Imagine my surprise when I found out one of my favorite Mandi's in blogland had just done the same project in her house recently (hers is definitely more awesome but whatever). Perfect! I loved the design she used so of course I just ~~copied~~ borrowed it.

A few shots of the boring space in all its glory:

sorry for the shadows from the banister...it's hard to get a shot without them!

We had already done a similar project in the upstairs bathroom so I pretty much had all the supplies. For the bathroom project we used pre-cut pieces of wood since we only needed a handful of boards. This project needed a significantly higher number of boards so buying the pre-cut boards would have cost us a pretty penny. Instead I bought a sheet of plywood (it doesn't need to be sturdy, just pretty) and had planned to bring it home and cut all the pieces myself. Much to my surprise, the very helpful guys at Home Depot offered to cut all the pieces for me!

Seriously?! That's like 20+ cuts! Wait, isn't it like 25 cents per cut?

Nope, we won't charge you.

What?! Free?? Ab-so-lute-ly!

After bringing all my ~~loot~~ supplies home, I got to work priming the boards and wall. From previous experience, let me tell you that priming your boards before putting them up is SO much easier. An extra step, yes, but so much less frustrating in the end...just FYI.

I decided on how I wanted the boards spaced then put them up and painted. It took me more than one afternoon but only because I had to let the primer dry oh and because we have a daughter who is deathly afraid of the compressor, nail gun, and vacuum making it tricky to do such a project without Brian home. Anyway, It was a cheap and easy way to bring some life to our boring hallway and it added some drama along the way.

I love it! Total cost was $11 for the plywood. Now that's my kind of project.

Now I just need to dress it up a bit *sigh* maybe after the holidays!

Put Me In The Zoo

2011-11-14T21:30:00.000-08:00

Remember this book?

Fitting for our little girl's first trip to the San Diego Zoo. We had planned to go with my parents on Saturday but the rain put a wrench in things so instead we just spent the day hanging out with them. After all the gloom passed, Sunday was beautiful so we packed the lunches and snacks and took advantage of the cheap tickets we scored off Craigslist ($15 instead of $40 yeah!) Grandpa was sick so just Grandma went with us.

Checking out what she's posing next to,

Trying to hug the goat after finally petting it.

Showing us her best fishy face,

Letting daddy ~~torture her~~ try on a tortoise shell.

Trying to figure out what the monkeys are doing,

And finally getting a decent family photo with the giraffes!

It was a really fun day! Can't wait for our next trip to the Safari Park!

Friday Favorite

2011-11-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

For Sale

2011-11-10T22:54:00.000-08:00

So last week I mentioned a BIG project that I was working on with my onesies. Here's what I've been up to:

I had the opportunity to sell my product at a Christmas Boutique here in our community which was hosted by one of our neighbors. There were vendors selling everything from Tupperware to Scentsy candles to handbags and Arbonne. I wasn't sure how my stuff would be received so I was a tad bit nervous. I ended up making a whole bunch of onesies, tshirts, and headbands as samples and also made up an order form for people to fill out.

The day was fun, lots of people in and out, lots of cool products to check out, and a few orders. I was hoping for a few more orders but it's ok. It's better than nothing. I've considered opening an Etsy shop but I don't know if I will. In the mean time, I added a new page to the blog where people can go to see a few designs I've done and can order if they so desire. I'm still working on the page so bear with me while it's being worked on.

Anyway, all that said, I have a few extra onesies and tshirts already made and ready to go (both boys & girls) oh and headbands too, that are for sale. If you need any or know of anyone who needs any, let me know!

Friday Favorite

2011-11-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

Haha, this is how she really feels about all the pictures I take!

mo-om, I don't wanna take any more pictures!

Happy Friday!

Have a great weekend :)

Trick-Or-Treat

2011-10-31T23:34:00.000-07:00

Our inspiration for this year's costumes:

This is our version:

We were able to borrow Fred's and Pebbles' costumes from our good friends the Soto's who dressed up as the Flinstones a few years ago. Her mom made the costumes and did a fantastic job! I was supposed to make Wilma's costume but I never got around to it. I did make her necklace though and just improvised with a white tank top...just good enough for pictures! :)

Little miss A had a lot of fun trick-or-treating this year and made out like a bandit with all her candy! It took her a few tries to get the hang of taking candy (she originally tried to give some to the homeowners) but in the end she was a pro! Everyone loved her costume (and daddy's too). Sadly though, some people didn't even know who they were. I felt very old at that point haha! Her buddy Jack was supposed to be Bam-Bam but it didn't work out this year. Maybe next year they'll be a different dynamic duo. Any suggestions?! Hope everyone had a great time!

all the "kids" ready to go:

And just for fun, a flashback to last year:

Halloween 2010

Halloween 2011

My how you've grown...and changed!

DIY: Built In Media Center:: Finished

2011-10-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

This post is LONG overdue but as I was going through old posts I realized I never showed you this completed project. If you don't remember what I'm talking about, you can catch up with part 1, part 2, and part 3 and read the progress.

Let me remind you what it looked like when we moved in:

This is how it looked when we declared it "done" (I really wanted a shelf though):

My dad came to the rescue (again) and I was able to get my shelf! Thanks dad!

We used the same trim molding from the front as a support of sorts for the shelf to rest on. We secured the trim with LOTS of nails and screws (in as many studs as we could find) so there wouldn't be any chance of the shelf falling. We cut the shelf pretty tight too so it definitely wouldn't budge. There was concern that over time it would bow in the middle because of its weight so we added a piece of trim molding across the front to help stabilize it...and make it look prettier.

We also added hardware to the cabinets which gives it another little personalized touch.

Here's the final product:

I'm so happy with the way it turned out. It's just like I imagined it!

Friday Favorite

2011-10-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when daddy does her hair

Happy Friday!

Pumpkin Time

2011-10-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a break from all the projects around here and we took baby girl to the local pumpkin patch for a little bit this afternoon.

We originally wanted to visit Pumpkin City but unfortunately it just didn't happen. It all worked out though because Anayah still had a blast and really, she doesn't know the difference yet anyway!

Posin' with the punkins!

Picture time with daddy...

Then with mommy.

Getting lost in the hay maze

Making new friends

This is what happens when you ask strangers to take your family picture. Haha!

Riding off into the sunset

Our first trip to the pumpkin patch was a success! Think a trip to Julian to pick apples may be on the agenda soon!

Anyone wanna go?

Things Are-A-Changin'

2011-10-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

In case you hadn't noticed, the blog underwent a makeover! Isn't that just so exciting?! Yeah, I know, no big deal right. Anyway, there are a few more changes coming in the next few weeks so stay tuned...In the mean time I'll be working on a BIG project with my onesies and two BIG projects around the house. Pictures and tutorials will be posted...I promise!

I'll be super busy for the next week or so but I will be back soon!!

We Are The Champions!

2011-10-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

We're back from our trip to Arizona where Brian was playing in the NABA World Series Tournament. We got to relax, watch some baseball, visit with my parents (who drove up EARLY Saturday to make an 8am game) and brother (who is in Peoria with the Mariners), AND their team won the whole tournament so that was really cool too!

We drove out very early Thursday morning and came back Sunday evening. Brian played a total of 7 games in 4 days! Craziness, I know! Don't worry, I won't show you ALL the pictures I took (there are about 400 of them), I'll just show you the highlights

Here's one of B-man in action

A few of Miss A doing her thing at the baseball field

and the CHAMPS! Good job guys!

As much fun as it was to take a vacation, we're tired from back-to-back trips in such a short time. No more trips for us for the rest of the year! I've been trying to get A back on her nap schedule (which is proving to be interesting) but I'm determined to do it! I do have a couple projects I have in mind that I'll show you soon. Need to recuperate first.

Friday Favorite...Vacation Edition

2011-09-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hey there. Long time no see! Yes, it's been a while. We've been doing a little bit of this and that and just enjoying the end of summer. I haven't been doing any projects around the house lately but I'm itching to do something soon...just need to round up some creativity first!

In other news, we just got back from a last minute trip to Vegas. Some of our family from Hawaii was in town and great grandma HAD to see her baby girl so we made a quick trip to Sin City. Anayah got to meet a bunch of family and we all got to hang out and spend some time together sightseeing, shopping, and eating! Buffets, buffets, buffets. Brian was in heaven.

getting ready for the day...someone tame that mane!

taking a stroll to grandma's hotel

stopping to talk to the birds

checking out the Fremont St. experience

taking a break from shopping...

to smile for the camera

with great grandma in the Forum Shops

attempting another family picture...

just "hanging out" with daddy

mesmerized by the fish in the aquarium

learning to drive at the arcade

settling in for the drive home

a few of the hotels on the way out...

see you next time!

the long drive home...

After a fun trip we're home for a few days, getting ready for Brian's next baseball tournament in Arizona. Perhaps the house projects will continue after October...just in time for the holidays!

Friday Favorite

2011-09-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

Making her onstage debut...

(peeking through the curtains to make sure her audience is ready)

Happy Friday!

Friday Favorite

2011-09-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

These mashed potatoes are delicious!

Happy Friday!

A Dedication & A Leak

2011-09-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Random title, I know.

Let's jump ahead in our story to Sunday morning. We had Anayah dedicated at church...finally! It was something we've been meaning to do for a while now and I'm glad we finally did. She will behave like an angel from now on. Ha!

(uh, we're praying Anayah, not laughing at the congregation!)

(presents from Grandma & Grandpa)

Ok, now rewind back to Saturday morning...

Well our weekend started out like many other weekends. A and I were hanging out at home while B was at work on Saturday. We went to check the mail... a very SLOW trip mind you, as Miss A has to check out everything on our walk there! On our way back I noticed water coming from the plants on the side of the garage. Upon closer inspection, there was actually quite a bit of water, some flooding actually, and I had NO idea where it was coming from. In my expert opinion, I declared a leak (I know, genius!) but I didn't know how bad it was. I spotted our neighbor's landscaper and asked him to come over and check out our situation. He determined it was either one of the sprinklers or we had a leak in our main water line and that we should contact the builder. Great. One: it's a Saturday, Two: it's a holiday weekend, Three: our warranty expired last year. Oh, man, the last thing we need right now is a large repair bill (no job, tight budget. remember?!).

So I called the builder. Word was they couldn't come out until Tuesday since it wasn't considered an emergency (no total loss of power or water. No, but the water bill I'll get because of it WILL be an emergency!). So now what? Should we try to dig and find the problem? Hire a plumber to repair it? We did what every responsible home owner would do. We shut off the water and got out of town (yes, ignoring the problem will make it go away). We headed to San Diego to my parent's house where we were taken care of quite nicely for a couple of days.

(things are just more fun with a headband on)

So now it's Tuesday and darn it, the leak it still there! Yes, I'm still waiting for the builder to contact me to come check out our situation. And yes, I'm still hoping they'll repair it for free.

Friday Favorite

2011-09-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

Waking up sweaty but happy from her nap!

Happy Friday

The Young...and The Restless

2011-08-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

We had a play date today with our friends the McCrays and the Sotos. There were already 6 kiddos among the three of us then Carrie's friend came by with her two boys, so at one point in our day there were 8 kids, under the age of 5 running around the house! It was chaos...but it was fun. Auntie Erika picked a great day to visit! Just a few pics before I go lie down. I need to recuperate!

Happy Baby!

We just got there and already eating SOMEthing!

The "big kids" coloring

Yummy applesauce

Crackin' herself up

Loving on the baby...so sweet!

We tried to get all 6 kids in one picture, but unfortunately this is the best we could do!

At least they're all facing forward in this one...but we're missing one...

Oh, there he is!

Thanks friends for a fun day!

Friday Favorite

2011-08-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

Happy (Belated) Birthday!

2011-08-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm a week late. I'm sorry. There is no excuse other than I didn't feel like blogging. But he deserves more than that lame excuse so I'm putting my laziness aside today.

(do they look alike or what?)

Happy Birthday, Bri! You made it another year...now you're old like me hehe. Thank you for being an amazing father and husband. You work so hard to provide for us and I can't tell you enough how much that means to me. You are the calm to my chaos and the peanut butter to my jelly. I'm so happy that we can celebrate YOU today because you definitely deserve it! Hope your birthday is full of happiness and excitement and that the Lord continues to bless you today and in the years to come.

Happy Birthday! We love you.

A Tiny Party!

2011-08-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

After a whirlwind weekend, I can finally breathe again! Planning a first birthday party is quite exhausting!

When I came across this post I knew I had to "borrow" the idea and go all out. I was super excited about the party theme because it suited A perfectly!

I started with the tiny invitations,

continued the theme with the tiny party favors for the adults as well as the kids,

(cake pops for the adults)

(tiny treats and toys for the kiddos)

and made sure the food & drink was tiny as well.

It's in the details people.

We had about 70 people attend her party (I know, that's like a small wedding!)...from family to friends and even neighbors. Anayah did great with everyone and all the attention and scored big time with presents!

She loved her cake and wasn't quite sure she wanted to share with anyone...except for her buddy Jack. The kids took a few swings at the pinata but in the end B had to put them out of their misery and just bust it open. She even had a blast in the jumper!

(sadly, the ONLY picture of the 3 of us!)

Overall, the party was a success! I think everyone had a good time and enjoyed spending the day at A's Tiny Party! Thank you to everyone who made it out. We enjoyed having you over and can't wait until her next one (in 5 years).

Thanks for celebrating with me!

♥ Anayah

DIY Toilet Paper Art

2011-07-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Yup, our budget is so tight that we had to resort to using toilet paper as artwork! Haha just kidding. So on my newest blog that I ~~stalk~~ follow, I found a fun little post about using toilet paper/paper towel rolls as artwork. I was intrigued and definitely interested in making it work in our house somewhere since it sounded like an inexpensive project and definitely something easy and quick.

I bought these canvases at Joann's when they were 50% off so I think I paid $12 for the 3 pack and I painted them with leftover paint from A's nursery.

I cut up about 10 toilet paper rolls and 3 paper towel rolls into 1.5in sections (no we don't go through THAT much tp...I had friends collect them too!)

I initially made the mistake of priming them before I glued them together. Don't do that...it's a pain in the butt. Glue first people! Know that these bad boys will soak up quite a bit more paint that you are expecting. Just FYI. So primer, then paint. Wait, wait. Glue, then primer, then paint!

After the paint was dry, I arranged them how I wanted and just used a bit of hot glue in the center to glue them to the canvas.

Super easy and cheap too! And now we have fun and unique artwork to complete our guest room! Just in time for ~~visitors~~ grandma.

Yay, the guest room is finally finished!

Twelve Months!

2011-07-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

The day has finally come...

Baby, girl, you are officially a year old! Mommy got a bit emotional thinking back on this year and how much of a joy and blessing you have been to us. You are by far the best thing daddy and I have done and we are so thankful and proud to be your parents. We are STILL in disbelief that this year has gone by so quickly and that you are no longer our baby. Of course you will always be our "baby" but you are most definitely more a little girl these days. You are very independent and ~~strong-willed~~ opinionated about everything...not quite sure where you get that (haha). You are still so curious about everything and love to sit and watch what people are doing then try it yourself. You are extremely smart and it's crazy the things that you are able to understand and communicate to us. In the last month you started walking and now you are off and going! You've started "filling out" (or getting fat like grandpa says) but you are still our tiny girl. It's only appropriate that your first birthday party will be a Tiny Party and will be the event of the year!

You spent your birthday with just mommy and daddy doing lots of fun (and new) things:

pancakes with butter and a teeny bit of syrup for breakfast

(want some?)

~~messing up~~ exploring daddy's man cave

(no daddy, it wasn't me)

opening birthday cards
(let's look inside...)

(aw, man, no money in this one)

helping daddy wash the cars

(this is fun, mommy!)

~~devouring~~ sharing your first berry sundae

(I'm not sure what this is, but I LIKE it!)

& playing outside

(higher, daddy, higher!)

Hope you had a fun day!

Anayah, our prayer is that the Lord continues to have His hand on your life today and always. That you will grow up in His favor and His blessings will be showered on you daily. That your heart will be full of His love and your actions and character will show the joy He has given you. May you always know that we love you and are so proud to call you our daughter.

Happy Birthday our sweet baby girl!

Before & After: Laundry Room

2011-07-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

So it's not really a huge transformation but it's one of my favorites so far. Not necessarily my favorite to work on but more the end result. Here's a reminder of what it looked like before:

builder white and boring...

addition of DIY laundry boxes and a fun rug...

It sat that way for ~~a few months~~ a couple years until a few weeks ago. My parents came up and my rock star of a dad finished what we started so long ago. A few pictures of the process:

paint plus the beadboard

then we added the trim

after caulk and more paint

and the finished product

It still needs some artwork and accessories but it will have to do for now! Another thing to cross off the list!

DIY Accessories

2011-07-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

So as I am frantically trying to ~~decorate my entire house~~ finish up projects around here, I have had to get creative. You remember I'm not working and we are operating on a *tight* budget these days. Anyway, while finishing up the upstairs bathroom, I needed some artwork and accessories to complete "the look" and it had to be cheap. So I scoured the house for things we already had and found these bathroom accessories.

I knew the brown wouldn't work with what I wanted so what did I do? Uh, spray painted of course!

I ended up painting them grey and glazed with black so the details would pop. They turned out pretty cool.

After those were done, I needed some artwork. I really loved the colors in the towel that inspired the whole bathroom decor so I decided to make it work. I bought a hand towel and decided to frame it as "art"

I cut a small piece for each frame and was able to use the parts I like the best. Totally customizable (today that IS a word) and inexpensive! See?!

The last two pieces of artwork that will hang in the shower part of the bathroom are still in the works so I'll post about those soon. I know I keep saying it's almost done, but seriously it is. I promise!

Friday Favorite

2011-07-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

I know it's been SO long since I posted but just know that I've been super busy not just being lazy!

Here's a couple pictures to (hopefully) bring a smile to your day!

She HAD to have a taste of B's lemon fruit bar...

then kept going back for more...

Happy Friday!

Friday Favorite

2011-07-08T23:39:00.000-07:00

Trying to muster up the energy to get in the pool...apparently the heat is too much for her!

Have a great weekend!

Projects, Projects, Projects

2011-07-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

I'm slowing making progress on "the list." Last week I finished framing the rest of the bathroom mirrors, finally washed/dried/put up the towels in the upstairs bathroom, started painting some accessories, and finished baby girl's party invitations. Geez, what a busy week!

For the bathroom frames I did them the same way I did my downstairs bathroom, but this time I glazed the paint. I used this tutorial for the glazing process and kinda made it up as I went along. I think it gives the frames a nice aged/rustic look while highlighting the details of the wood. Ha, it actually sounded like I knew what I was talking about right then, didn't it?! I just thought the glaze would look better than plain white and I didn't want a completely different color in there! A quick recap of some of the accessories I worked on:

These boxes were fun to do. Here's a "before" of the lovely things:

And here's an "after":

I used my trusty primer and paint and just went to town.

I took off the hardware so I didn't have to tape it off,

taped it inside the lid so I didn't lose pieces,

then primed and painted. New boxes, in no time.

I decided to get "fancy" and add stripes to one so I had an extra step of taping it off once the first coat was dry then painting the top coat a different color.

I know, such a rebel. I love how they turned out though.

This bathroom is just about complete. I'll post those pics soon! Next up, front room curtains. Stay tuned!

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

We spent the weekend in San Diego with my family just hanging out

~~being tortured by daddy~~ swimming,

eating,

walking,

and taking pictures (of course!)

Oh wait, did I mention walking?!

Yup, baby girl is officially a "walker" now! She was so proud of herself and we're so excited for her (and a tad bit scared now...hehe). Ok, I'm off to fully baby proof the rest of the house! Hope your 4th was fabulous!

Eleven Months

2011-06-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

I'm in denial.

There's no way you're just shy of a year old. Nope, I don't believe it. Maybe if I keep ignoring it, it will go away! *sigh*

How has time gone by so quickly? Everyday you surprise us with something new that you're saying or doing. You're absorbing everything around you and understand SO much! It's cute to see you crawl toward your highchair when I tell you it's time to eat or toward the stairs when we say it's time for a bath. My favorite is when we tell you to get a book so we can read a story and you crawl right over to your books and bring one to us. You then proceed to make us read the same book ~~a hundred times~~ until you get bored.

The other day you took a few steps without holding on...you were trying to get my food...of course. You finally have two teeth and they are oh so cute! Last week we started "Operation: Take Paci Away" and I can say it has been successful so far. You fuss/cry for a few minutes when we put you in the crib but fall asleep shortly after. Sometimes when you wake up early from a nap you have a hard time going back to sleep without it which results in a short nap but hopefully you will figure it out soon. You're still our champion eater and still sleep through the night with no problems. Teething threw your nap schedules off a bit so we're working on getting a handle on those again...fun times. You're wearing 6-12 month size clothes and size 2 shoes. We're not sure how much you weigh but guessing somewhere around 19lbs.

You are starting to get "shy" around strangers but are back to your social self after a few minutes. You're actually quite a ham...you love attention! You wave hi and bye to everyone including dogs. You're funny and sassy and stubborn all at once and it's hard to not laugh even when you do something wrong. We love you more and more each day and are so amazed at the little girl you're becoming.

We love you, baby girl!

Friday Favorite

2011-06-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

Loving the swings...

But not so sure about the slide!

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend :)

One Thing Done

2011-06-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

If you missed my ~~rant~~ post about the happenings around the house, check it out here. Since I was able to vent, I found some motivation to start checking a few things off "the list." Not sure if you remember this post where I decided that I wanted to finish the guest room for under $100? Probably not since it was forever ago...like November! Anyway, since then here's what's been done:

Making the bed & finding lamps to use (from the ~~stockpile~~ collection in storage)

Putting up curtains from Ikea

yes, I know I need to iron them but I'm too ~~lazy~~ busy! :)

Refinishing an old armoire we had in the garage

(yes, the knobs on the door are not on yet...we need shorter screws!)

I know, all this time and that's it?! Don't worry, it's still a work in progress. I will have more updates as I finish them. Until then, here's a quick before and after of the armoire:

the back is removed to paint the insides...

the piece was originally a dark cherry color...

the supplies we used for the transformation...

another look at the piece (without the knobs)...still debating it being angled or flat on the wall...

So, what do you think? I'm still below my $100 budget so that's good news. Ok, I'm off to do more projects...

Daddy's Day

2011-06-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

We spent a relaxing day at home as a family per B's request. He had a game this morning then just wanted to stay home and have some quality time with his two girls. It was nice to just take a day off from "doing" anything and hang out with our little family. I tried to take some pictures of our family but as you can see two of the three of us have a difficult time keeping our eyes open! Hehe. If it's not one, it's the other!

Whatcha doin' daddy??

A's fake smile

Daddy's eyes closed...

Baby's eyes closed...

Culprit #1...again.

Aye, now both of them!

Sadly, this is the only one where we all have our eyes open...too bad A looks SO bored!

Thank you B for everything you do for us. Thank you for working hard to provide for our family so that I can stay home with baby girl and for being a great father and husband. Thank you for being my handy-man around the house and assisting with all my crazy projects. Thank you for letting me add to our "list of things to do" with nothing but a smile and laugh, knowing full well you will be a part of its completion. I love the relationship you're building with Anayah and I know you two are only going to get closer in the years to come. This journey has been unpredictable but so rewarding and I know that God has so much more planned for us. I can't wait to see where He will take us and how He will continue to bless our family. I love you.

Friday Favorite

2011-06-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

Instead of pictures, here are a couple videos to entertain you...

(going to take a bath...whew, that's a lot of stairs!)

(showing off her skills...until the bump!)

Happy Friday!

Slow Progress

2011-06-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

Most of the time I am a patient person. When it comes to projects around my house, that's a totally different story. I'm not quite sure why the change occurs but it really isn't pretty. I have this list, you see, of things that "need" to be done and things I "want" done. Yes they are the same list because of course everything I want is also necessary! Yes, I'm being sarcastic. We've been in our house a little over 2 years and according to my personal timeline we should have WAY more finished around here. Did you miss the first part about me being impatient?? Now let's not take into account that 1. we're not made of money, 2. I was pregnant for a good portion of the time here and now have a 10 month old to run around after, 3. I currently don't have a job which means our budget is tight, or 4. the things I "need" done might be slightly unrealistic.

(I love the board and batten in here)

Here's where it gets tricky. Some of the projects on this list are small things that I could accomplish on my own (when A is napping or when B is home and can watch her). Others though definitely need to be completed by both of us (know any ~~good~~ free babysitters?). Knowing this, most days I am totally not motivated to complete these smaller projects because all I can think about are the bigger ones that I would rather be doing instead. Totally backwards right?! So instead of taking care of the small things in order to start crossing things off and making progress in the house, I continue to add new projects every time I come across something that I think "hey we could totally do that!" I think I might need some help.

(sure, we can totally do this to our stairs, right?!)

So now that A's party is rapidly approaching, I feel this self-imposed pressure to get the house "ready" before we have people over. I think I might need some help. Mental help that is, unless you want to physically help as well. I'll take it. I'm not too proud. As long as you can handle me telling you what to do ;)

If I'm absent from the bloggy blog for a while now you know why. I am frantically trying to cross things off my list in hopes that it will be ready by July 30th. Unless of course I get distracted by a certain someone...

I'll keep you posted!

Friday Favorite

2011-06-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Love the curiosity on her face!

Just enjoying our summer over here. Have a great weekend!

I'm Ready Coach

2011-05-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

Before we left for vacation I made these for me and A to wear at Brian's games.

Of course our little ham soaked up the attention she got from the team and fans and was ready to get out on that field to play!

(I'm ready to play, coach!)

Our vacation was fun as well as stressful and tiring! I almost need a vacation from my vacation. Not really but this trip was much more exhausting than our last trip now that A is wanting to explore everything! She seriously doesn't keep still unless she is sleeping and since everything was different from her normal routine, she didn't do much of that either! It was still fun to do something different and watch our social butterfly wave hi and bye to everyone she came across.

(What a ham!)

(It doesn't matter that you're trying to get my back, I MUST look at the camera!)

(Ok, fine, I'll take another picture...)

We also got to watch a few good games of baseball and see B in action. All in all it was a good trip but remind me never to drive back from Vegas on a holiday! Don't know what we were thinking but after almost 7 hours in the car, I was happy to be home!

Ten Months

2011-05-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

Baby girl, you are not so much a baby anymore. You are growing up so quickly and becoming so independent! Lately you've gotten so bold and fearless when it comes to exploring and finding new things to do, and you're pretty tough when you inevitably stumble and fall.

Your newest "trick" is to stand by yourself until you realize what is happening then you start squatting in order to get down where you're most comfortable. It's really cute. You are so proud when we notice and cheer you on! I suppose that means you'll be walking sooner than later. Then it will all be over. You already don't keep still as it is...I can't imagine what you'll be like once you're walking!

You are still our tiny girl, so petite, but such a BIG personality! You continue to fill a room with your joy and our hearts with your love. My favorite thing you've started doing is taking a break while you are playing to come over to one of us and just rest your head on our shoulder. It melts my heart every time. At your last doctor's appointment, you weighed in at a whopping 17.5lbs (4th percentile!) and 28in. long (29th percentile). Hehe. You are wearing mostly 6-9 month sizes but can still fit in a few 3 month dresses and tops. You still don't have any teeth but the doctor wasn't concerned...she said she's seen some babies get their first tooth at 18 months! Hopefully you'll get some before then! :)

As the months fly by we're just trying to soak it all in because we know it will be gone before we know it. I still can't believe that we will shortly be celebrating your first birthday!! Yikes! I can't wait to see what the next month brings! We love you, baby girl.

Getting Ready...

2011-05-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

We're getting ready for our mini vacation this weekend. The house is clean (because I hate coming back from vacation to messy house), the bags are packed, and the camera is charged. There's gas in the car and the weather is beautiful. See you all in a few days! Enjoy your weekend!

Happy Friday & Happy Memorial Day!

Friday Favorite

2011-05-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I haven't been posting anything lately. I'm overwhelmed with all the projects I want to do and need to just pick somewhere to start. Until then, this lady keeps me entertained and busy!

Apparently sitting up and eating is just too hard. She needed to lie down for a minute. Oh and the food on the face? She couldn't be bothered to take the time to move it so she just let it sit there! Silly girl.

Posin' for the camera...again :)

Happy Friday!

Friday Favorite

2011-05-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. Blogger has been having issues and every time I went to start a new post, the site was down. Anyway, I'll post a few fun projects soon. Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday!

Friday Favorite

2011-05-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't win. Didn't even make it to the semifinals. Oh well. THANKS to everyone who voted though! Maybe next time...

Happy Friday!

Happy Mothers Day!

VOTING CLOSES SOON!!

2011-05-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

VOTE HERE!

scroll down to #54 and keep voting until it no longer lets you :)

Hi guys!

Thanks for all of you who voted for me already! If you haven't voted yet, (or if you want to vote again, hint hint) you have until midnight to get your votes in!!

Just in case you needed another reminder ;)

VOTING is OPEN!!

2011-05-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, the voting is now open!

(If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read this post)

The voting will be open for only 3 days...it will close Tuesday at midnight so get.your.butt.in.gear.

Here are the directions:

click on this link: VOTE HERE

scroll down to the pictures of all the contestants (there are over a 100)

I am #54 (Yo, Yo! It's Mandi)

click on the star beneath my entry to vote for me...NO voting for anyone else! :)

Feel free to copy and paste the info into your facebook status or twitter accounts :)

THANK YOU!!

Friday Favorite

2011-04-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

Hanging out in her baby cave...

Happy Friday!

Nine Months

2011-04-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Hello sweet girl...

How can I accurately describe how much we love you?

Or how funny you are?

Or what a blessing you are to us?!

Words just can't do it justice. Everyone who has met you knows what I am talking about. You truly are a joy to be around and we are continually thankful for you.

This last month you have grown by leaps and bounds! You are officially a crawling machine and you can pull yourself up on everything! You are a bit hesitant when it comes to getting down but you cruise along the couch just fine. They say it's just a matter of time before you're walking so we'll see. I'm ok if it doesn't happen soon :) Here are a few other milestones you've reached this month:

- "dada" is your new favorite word...you say it constantly much to Brian's delight :)

- you have FINALLY learned how to nap longer than 30 minutes!! yay! you average about 1.5-2hrs per nap

- you are even more curious about everything and like to follow us around the house just to see what we're doing

- started weaning yourself from nursing (so sad for mommy) down to just twice a day

- grown out of your 0-3 month clothing...you're firmly planted in the 6-9 month range :)

We're still waiting for some teeth to pop through but that doesn't seem to keep you from eating whatever you want! You're still our champion eater...your size deceives people until they see you chow down! Happy nine months, baby girl. May the next one be just as fun and exciting. We love you!

Yo Yo! VOTE for ME!!

2011-04-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

Ok folks, I'm shamelessly plugging my entry in the EPIC giveaway over at Vintage Revivals. If you haven't been over there, go now. Seriously, stop what you are doing, follow the link and just go.

Still here? Fine but don't say I didn't tell you. Anyway, Mandi is awesome (no not me, Mandi, although I'm awesome too), Mandi of Vintage Revivals. She is uber creative and some of the stuff she comes up with just blows my mind, not to mention makes me feel like I need to troll all the second hand stores in my neighborhood looking for stuff I can revive. For those of you who were too ~~lazy~~ interested in my post to check out her blog, here are a few of my favorites:

Isn't she just fab?! Anyway, the reason for this post you say? Only the most awesome giveaway EVER! She's giving away her talent and time (and money!) by flying out to someone's house and doing a makeover!! How totally fantastic would that be?!

Now in order to even be considered, I must first show you the space that I would have her make over if I happened to win this makeover. After thinking for a minute about which space I would choose, I picked our formal living/dining room. Technically it's two separate rooms but because it's so open, they kinda flow into each other so I'm going to pretend it's just one big room :) Just go with it.

It's the first room you see when you come in and it's kind of embarrassing that it's the last room to be decorated! You know I love doing projects around the house...remember the banister, guest bathroom, framed mirrors and wall art...this room though is my kryptonite. It leaves me weak and defeated.

Ok, ok, it's not in horrible shape, it's just not in shape. I'm not complaining AT ALL. I'm just saying I need help. There are so many possibilities, so many options. I just don't know which way to go. Plus, if I have the chance of someone doing it for me...for free?! Heck yeah I'm gonna chance it ;)

I'm not afraid of color...clearly the green walls tell that story

There are also lots of pieces of furniture and accessories that are just waiting for some Vintage Revivals love

The couches still have life in them and my plan was to reupholster them but clearly that hasn't happened

Awkward spaces, weird arches, and no motivation = an unfinished living/dining room.

So here's where you come in. Once the giveaway closes to submissions, Mandi is opening it up to voters. So write it down, make yourself a little note, put it on the fridge, in your Outlook calendar, on your iphone, whatever...VOTE FOR ME. And for those of you who didn't write it down, don't you worry, you know I will remind you when the time comes.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

Hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends!

We spent the weekend at a fair,

(if I keep pulling on this string, I might be able to eat that pink thing...)

opening fun presents,

(this is the best Easter basket ever)

playing dress up,

(giving me her opinion about putting on her shoes and her headband)

and spending time with family.

(sizing up her cousin, J'Adore)

(having fun with G-G)

Happy Easter!

Friday Favorite

2011-04-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

Hey there gorgeous.

Happy (Good) Friday! Have a wonderful Easter!

Impromptu Date Night

2011-04-21T23:19:00.000-07:00

So Brian's work schedule is different from most. He works 4 10hr days and has two days during the week off plus one weekend day which means our "weekends" are usually Wednesdays and Thursdays. I don't really mind the schedule since I'm not working right now anyway. It lets us do random errands on days when there aren't crowds of people everywhere and allows for unexpected date nights during the week. Tonight we trekked down to San Diego where we left baby girl with my parents and headed to Petco Park. The Padres and Phillies were in action and Brian splurged on fantastic seats for us!

(check out those condos...they can literally watch a game from their balcony!)

We were almost sitting on the field and it felt like we were part of the action. Brian was ready to jump out there and lend a hand if they needed it! He had to settle for trying to catch foul balls instead :) Here are a few pictures before the game started (on the old camera since it fit in my Brian's pocket):

(requisite self portrait)

(the fans trying to get autographs...they were literally standing on my feet...that's how close these seats were!)

(Phillies' pitcher Roy Oswalt)

(Umm think this is just a picture to show how close the field is not to show of Maybin's butt)

It was a good game even though the Padres lost. Late night but fun...kinda reminded me of our younger days when we could stay out late and not have to down a 5hr energy for the drive home :) Oh and for those who noticed, yes I got a bang trim and I wear them like that for the first day or two until they grow out to the perfect length! Yes, I look like I'm 10 but it's all good.

Friday Favorite

2011-04-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

We bought our little girl a farm.

And on this farm we had Anayah! E-I-E-I-O!

Happy Friday!

Lamp Shade Re-Do

2011-04-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

This post is late but hey, better late than never. Anyway, I told you in this post about the lamp shade re-do that I completed for A's nursery. Here's a quick glimpse at how it all happened.

I found this really cute lamp in the As-Is section at Ikea and was so excited. I love glass lamps but even at Ikea they can be pretty pricey. This bad boy however was only $3! Score! (I should have known at the time that there was a reason it was so cheap but more on that later). Anyway I brought it home where it sat in her room for ~~forever~~ ~~a year~~ 8 months. I had imagined recovering her lamp shade using the fabrics in her room but I never quite got around to it. When I finally found some motivation to finish it, I realized I didn't just want a plain shade so I decided to add some ruffles to it because who doesn't love ruffles?!

First I cut strips of fabric about 2 inches wide (the width you cut will depend on whether or not you want finished edges). I decided to go with a finished edge so I ironed both edges under. You can sew the edges down (or use interfacing to have them stick) or just leave them as is if you're lazy like me! You can also leave the edges un-ironed (is that a word?) for a more shabby look.

Anyway after you decide how you want your edges, set your machine to the longest stitch length and sew a straight line through the center of your strip. Now I know there is a ruffler foot attachment that you can buy and avoid this whole process but I don't have one so this is how I roll.

When you sew your strip be sure not to back stitch at all and to leave a couple of inches extra thread at the end. Take your strip and start pulling the top thread out while at the same time pushing your fabric in the opposite direction, causing it to ruffle. Continue pulling out the top thread until your strip of fabric is as ruffled as you like. Tie a knot at the end to keep it from coming undone and you're finished.

I used hot glue to attach the ruffles to the shade, starting at the bottom and working my way to the top. If you look closely you'll notice I gave up on the finished edges except for the top and bottom. It was taking too long and I figured it added to the charm of the shade.

This project wasn't very difficult just very time consuming because of all the ruffles I had to make. I was so excited when it was finished, even more excited to put it together and finally add it to the nursery. Imagine my disappointment when I tried to place the shade on the lamp base only to discover that one (or more) of the metal prongs was missing (now I know why it was so cheap)! The shade sits on there but leans to one side or the other. Fail! I was way too irritated to figure out a way to fix it so I just put it in her room and leaned it up against the curtains. Who's gonna know? Other than all of you?!

Yes, I'll fix it one of these days...maybe right about the time I get her name up on the wall! Ha.

Kinda Proud of Myself

2011-04-09T22:18:00.000-07:00

Let me start out by saying that I'm not comfortable "tooting my own horn." I'm a firm believer in my actions speaking louder than my words and I'd much rather show you what I'm "good" at rather than tell you. BUT this is different. I just finished a small-ish project for baby girl which I am so proud of and wanted to show you. It's not anything new or groundbreaking, but it was a challenge and I'm mostly just happy I got it done.

I was inspired by the cart cover that Mandy got for Jack from this shop on etsy. It's much nicer than many cart covers I've seen and I loved the fabric she uses. The ~~cheap~~ thrifty side of me decided I couldn't pay what she was asking and figured I could make it myself. This is what I decided to tackle:

(image courtesy of tinderdesigns)

I ended up finding a pattern for a cart cover that I planned to follow but in the end I just wrote down the measurements from the one Mandy had and kinda just winged it from there. This one is professionally sewn so obviously it's MUCH nicer than mine but for my first cart cover, I must say it ain't too shabby. It wasn't supposed to be too difficult of a project but the perfectionist in me had to have it "just so" and perhaps it took me a bit longer than it should have. Brian helped me with a few of the details (poking himself several times with the pins...hehe) and in the end, it turned out just how I wanted it...at a fraction of the cost! Even better right?!

Hopefully baby girl appreciates the hours I ~~slaved~~ spent working on something cute for her.

Looks like she approves!

Friday Favorite

2011-04-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

Does this look remind you of a certain someone?

Reminds me of her daddy. Hehe.

But this one is more like me. Ha.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Anniversary

2011-04-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

This time last year we were in Hawaii on our babymoon, about to welcome our little girl into the world, excited for the unknown.

Fast forward one year.

Life is much different! There are so many new experiences, exciting adventures, and changes we've gone through this last year. At times things have been challenging, frustrating, and even heartbreaking, but our baby girl is perfect, the light of our lives, and an amazing blessing. I know I wouldn't have made it through all of this without my husband, my partner, my friend.

Happy Anniversary B! Thank you for being an amazing father and for going on this adventure with me. I look forward to many more adventures with you. I love you.

Friday Favorite

2011-04-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

So I'm not quite sure what is going on with Blogger right now but ALL the pictures I am uploading are showing up VERY unfocused! I'm really annoyed and quite bothered. I'm off to investigate and hopefully solve this problemo. Enjoy the blurry picture (GRRR) of baby girl playing hide and seek.

Happy Friday!

**edited post: I think I fixed it!! is it blurry??

It's About Time. Seriously.

2011-03-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

How old is my daughter? Eight months?! It's only taken me that long to FINALLY finish her crib skirt. I suppose I've been busy doing other things but whatever, there really is no excuse. I don't even think I've even shown you her room since we "finished" it. Total slacker.

Anyway, the crib skirt is nothing fancy, just a simple piece of material that covers the bottom of her crib. I wanted it to be adjustable so when we raise or lower the mattress the skirt could be easily lengthened or shortened. Instead of one piece, I made three different panels and sewed ties to the top (which tie to the metal base under the mattress). Like I said, nothing fancy. I didn't really take any pictures of the process because I was focused on just getting it done. Here it is on the crib:

I don't think I ever showed you the bumper that Brian's grandma made either. I gave her all the material and my "vision" and she made it happen. Now the curtains don't look so random in the space :)

(her sheets are actually pink but miss thang likes sleeping on this blanket because it's super soft and comfy. diva.)

(here's a better picture of the "layers" of the skirt, sheet, blanket and bumper)

While I'm at it, here are some pictures of her nursery. Notice the HUGE space above her crib? Yes, that is where her name is supposed to be. Yet another project that I have yet to finish! Ugh. Hopefully in the next few days. Hopefully.

(see that cute lamp shade? more details in another post. way cute, but an epic fail!)

Now all that's left is to find a rug that will finish up the space. OH and put her name up on the wall. Hopefully it won't take another eight months for that to happen.

Eight Months

2011-03-27T22:52:00.000-07:00

What a month this has been! You took your first road trip, starting eating finger foods, dropped a nap, and started crawling! All within a few weeks too. You had been scooting everywhere (well, when you were motivated enough) but today you got up on your knees and kept going. You haven't quite mastered it just yet but I'm sure you will within a matter of days. This is what we were able to watch you do today (ignore the disposable diaper...she wore her skinny jeans and her cloth diapers are a bit snug in them):

(Did you notice what motivated her to move so quickly?! Hahaha)

We're so proud of you, munchkin. You're maturing so quickly and it's so exciting to watch you take everything in. Although, you've started to get frustrated when we don't understand what it is you're trying to "tell" us. In fact, you've perfected the whine (which drives your momma nuts sometimes) while trying to gesture to what you want. It's an interesting game we play to try and figure out what it is you want, but hopefully you'll start speaking soon. I know you're learning more than we can even imagine and we can't wait until we can have conversations with you about the things you're learning. The ladies in the nursery at church always comment on what a good baby you are and how confident you are. They were quite surprised that you didn't cry or whine the first time we dropped you off there, and they get so excited when we you arrive.

We don't know how much you currently weigh but Bri guesses about 16lbs. You're still wearing an assortment of sizes anywhere from 0-9 months, depending on the brand. You continue to sleep 12+ hours at night and take 30 minute naps during the day. You do surprise us now and then with a 45min nap, and the other day you took a 2hr nap! I was so excited! You love to give kisses and are SO ~~nosy~~ curious. Nursing you has become an ordeal if there is anything/anyone within earshot, and you love to ~~stare at~~ watch strangers; it's a good thing you're so cute!

Thank you for making our lives complete. You make us laugh and bring such joy to our home. You are a delight to be around and bring smiles to everyone you meet. Your sweet nature is an example of God's love in your life and we pray that He continues to have His hand on you always. We love you our sweet girl.

Friday Favorite

2011-03-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

Once again I couldn't pick just one...so here you go...

Have a great weekend!

Finger Foods

2011-03-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been a while. No, I have no excuse other than I just didn't feel like blogging.

Not too much is going on over here. Unless you count baby girl starting to feed herself a big deal. Uh yeah, I do! She's been eating her puffs and yogurt melts for a few weeks now but in the last few days she has progressed to "real" finger foods. Chunks of whatever we're eating (within reason) somehow find its way into her mouth. We can now share a string cheese! And yes, my baby loves her cheese just as much as her momma.

Yum, cheese crunchies AND string cheese...my favorite snack, mom!

Anayah's buddy Jack started to refuse anything on a spoon so Mandy decided to try some finger food recipes and I offered to help. We attempted to make Apple Turkey Loaf Sticks, Sweet Potato Fries, Sweet Potato Pizzas, and Cheesy Veggie Nuggets. Note to self, when you alter the amount of sweet potatoes, also alter the amount of oil. Hehe. For the most part, it all turned out great and Anayah loves all of it. She is so proud of herself that she can eat on her own. She still lets me feed her rice cereal and stuff but I have to make sure to give her bits of food on her tray so she can feed herself as well.

So this is what I've been missing out on huh?! I love finger foods!

Our baby girl is growing up so fast! She's almost fully crawling these days as well. I'll have to show it to you later. I gotta go plan her menus for the rest of the week. One thing about eating "real" foods, it requires more thought on my part to make sure she is getting a balanced meal at every feeding. Good times.

Mini Vacay

2011-03-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

So we're back.

Our trip to Vegas was fun. Brian's team didn't win the tournament but he did fabulous. For those who "speak" baseball, he ended up 8 for 15, with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 3 stolen bases, 4 RBIs and 6 runs scored. For those who don't speak baseball, just know that those are very impressive stats. He played a total of 4 games in two days (their team made it as far as the first round of playoffs) which has left him a bit sore but he loved every minute of it! He was on fire and we're so proud of him!

(Nice form!)

(Run, Spotts, Run!)

When we weren't at the ball field, we just relaxed and hung out at the hotel. Baby girl did great for her first road trip, staying in a random place, and being off her schedule. Now that we're back, getting her back on it (plus the adjustment to daylight savings) will be the interesting part! Hopefully she'll cooperate!

(I'm on vacation, what do you want?!)

(The girls in their hats)

(I do declare, this weather is just divine!)

(Time to head home, guys, let's go. I'll drive!)

We'll be back in a couple of days once we've gotten back on track!

Friday Favorite

2011-03-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

Trying to look innocent after making a huge mess with her toys!

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

Vegas, Baby!

2011-03-10T22:43:00.001-08:00

We're taking a mini vacay. Baby girl packed her bags and is ready to go!

(This one's ready to go mom. Need help with anything else?)

Be back soon.

Another Creative Outlet

2011-03-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

Those of you who have been reading this crazy blog for a while know that I like doing projects that allow me to be somewhat creative, whether it's home decor or sewing or DIY projects. Well, I recently added yet another crafty/projecty task to my repertoire. Thanks to my friend Mandy, I have started a scrapbook for baby girl.

Uh oh.

I've always been intrigued by the scrapbooking world but never wanted to be a part of it because I know that it can be expensive and addicting and time consuming! I always steered clear of those aisles in Joann's that had all the little decals and stickers and paper because I knew once I peeked inside, I would be sucked in!

Then it happened.

Mandy (who is absolutely ~~obsessed~~ ~~crazy about~~ in love with paper supplies and crafts) started a scrapbook for Jack and I thought it was so cute and something Anayah would love to have (sure mom, whatever you say) one day. So I thought maybe I would put together a small one just documenting the big events of her first year, and that's it. We were at Joann's one day and I found this small book and these two packets of decals. Mandy has a TON of other scrapbooking supplies so she said I could use whatever she had and didn't need to buy anything else. Pretty cool, I thought, and not so expensive. I can totally do this.

Ha! Once I started going through all the supplies Mandy had and got to see all the fun paper and stickers and decals, I could feel myself getting sucked in. I ignored the tiny voice in my head that was screaming "retreat, retreat!" and continued to pick out stuff I thought was cute and would look good in A's future scrapbook. After a few minutes, I had ~~hoarded~~ saved this pile of stuff for the scrapbook I had yet to start.

Hmm, that small scrapbook I bought doesn't seem like it will be big enough for all this fun stuff! I think I might have to buy a bigger one. And apparently I needed a few more packs of "stuff" to fill this bigger book.

Yikes, I think I've officially crossed over to the dark side. Someone pull me back.

Water Babies

2011-03-05T19:20:00.000-08:00

Since the weather has been so nice lately I decided to take advantage. Can you guess where we're going?

(Swim diaper? Check. Swimsuit? Check. Sunglasses? Check.)

Anayah's friend Jack recently started swim lessons. I really wanted to join them but funds are a bit tight these days. However, Jack graciously offered to teach Anayah everything he is learning in his classes. Yay! Since he has to practice what he is learning anyway, we said, sure, we'd love to join you! Thanks buddy! So, we gathered the kiddos (and all their gear) and headed to the pool.

(Jack, we're going to the pool...why are you wearing long sleeves?!)

(I thought we were going swimming? Why are you STILL taking pictures??)

The big pool was a bit chilly so we put them in the hot tub instead. It wasn't very hot and the jets weren't on. It kinda felt like their bath water...plus we didn't leave them in there very long. Don't freak out on me people. Focus, focus.

(Who cares about the pool when I have my shadow to entertain me!)

I don't have any pictures of her in the water as that would have been pretty difficult while trying to make sure she didn't drown. Priorities, people. Just know that she is a total water baby. A fish, I tell you! She wasn't afraid at all and just had so much fun! Even when I dunked her under! Both of them did so well and Jack was an excellent teacher! Can't wait to see what we'll learn next week!

(Jack you're the best swim instructor ever!) (Aww Anayah, you're embarrassing me...)

Friday Favorite

2011-03-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

She and daddy were practicing a new hair do. I think I like the old one better :)

Happy Friday!