Painting the Nursery

This is step 2 of our Nursery. The first step was clearing out the room. It was our storage room/office before. Once again we had our trusty painting friend S help us out! We do like him for more than painting skills. :)I only have a couple of pictures because I was out of the house for most of the painting. But the nursery is yellow! At first, the brightness was a bit shocking. But once the blinds were back up and everything, I've decided I'm really happy with it. It's very light and cheerful!

We also painted our bedroom. The color is Raccoon Hollow - and that's exactly what the color is - a grayish chocolate brown. We really love this one too!

So I think we're done painting for awhile. The main floor is mostly done and we'll be a little busy. This weekend we're doing one final coat of paint in the nursery. I know it's running late. But we had some problems. Our paint was really really thick so the guys got on 2 1/2 coats of paint and it still didn't cover well. So we're finishing the 3rd to make it all even. And then next week, I'm having a fun surprise painted on one wall. I'll share pictures afterwards. :) Once all the painting is done, then we can finally move all the baby stuff in our living room in!

Painting again

We're painting again! Or still. We've completed the living room, dining room and kitchen. We've already picked out the paint for the master bedroom and upstairs bathroom. I also picked out the paint for the stairs but that's still being looked at. J's not so fond of the bright maroon I picked out. So I'm looking at blues for that wall now. And actually, I think dark blue will work much better. Blue is my favorite color so I'm happy it'll work into my decor scheme.

And we're also picking paint for the nursery! This room has french doors and is on the west side of the house. So since we moved in, I've always envisioned it as a yellow room.
I really enjoy picking a paint. And so far, even though some of the colors scare J a little, they look wonderful on the wall and in our house. We could avoid some anxious moments if only I could transfer the mental picture I have to his brain. But until then I'll confidently pick colors, convince J and be happily proved right when the paint hits the walls! I love seeing how paint personalizes and pulls our home together.

I'm a little Tea Pot

I had to buy a new tea pot. No I cannot go without one! We drink sweet tea at our house. Well it's more like Huebert Tea. When we were in Charlotte, I discovered that sweet tea in the South is more like tea flavored sugar syrup. It's intense. So at our house we have a tea pot specifically for tea. It cannot be used to boil water for hot chocolate or anything like that. That would change the flavor of the drink and the pot. So when I recently scorched our pot (that changes the flavor in a bad way), I knew it was time to replace the trusty kettle I bought in college. And of course I bought the same one from Target! :) It's a good size.

Recently I also got one of these. This particular angel food cake pan was my Grandma's pan. We're in the process of selling their house so all the extra stuff had to go. I don't how many years it will take me to feel confident to attempt to make angel food cake. But I"m ready!

Fall

I think I'm ready for Thanksgiving...
I've been dreaming of cheesy potatoes, corn casserole and ham. Oh I love ham. Yes, we have ham at Thanksgiving. Papa doesn't like turkey and he's boss. And I'm not complaining! :) Speaking of ham, the first thing I"m eating when I'm not pregnant is a deli ham sandwich and an over-easy egg. I miss runny eggs.

This cool weather we've been having makes me sad that I won't be wearing my trusty sweaters this year. I do not want to stretch them out in hopes that they'll fit again next year!

God's Canvas

Psalm 19:1-5 ~ The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
I took these amazing pictures in August. J called me on his way home from work and said 'look outside! the clouds are amazing!'. So I did. Beautiful!

To the East was this big thunderhead reflecting rays from the sunset. At first I thought there would be no way I could get a good picture of it. So I put our new(ish, still to me) little camera on auto and lo and behold, there's a sunset setting. Thank you smart camera design man! J is so good at looking at the settings and picking the best one. I just click and get whatever it's already set on. I love the auto setting! Anyhow this thunderhead just ratiated sunlight from within and looked amazing! I love my great God and His handiwork is beyond my imagination!

To the West was a beautiful sunset. I wished I was at my parents so I could have an unobstructed view. Sunsets are not the same with other houses in the way!
Isaiah 40:12 ~ Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?

Bday Cheesecake

We had flock the day before my birthday so I made sure to sign up for treats. While I do appreciate other people making me something for my birthday, I like to pick what I get. This year this Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake tickled my fancy. The recipe is from Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen. Find it here.

And my first cheesecake attempt turned out pretty good! :) I used a spring form pan that I borrowed from Karin.
Here's the final piece...
It took about a week to polish off and I took it to flock and to work. Everyone wanted small pieces because it was so rich. I wanted a big piece! :)


I also received this fabulous purple purse from my siblings for my bday! My sister picks out the best purses! At first I thought it was black and was a little disappointed. I thought now this is just not like her to buy me a boring purse. I expect her to broaden my purse choices. I expect to have to reign her in if necessary. But when I pulled it out of the bag, I realized it was purple! How cool! It's the perfect size and I love it.

Baby... GIRL!

I was waiting until I had some photos to post with this. But sadly they are still on the camera. I'm going to have to have a talk with my tech guy about this! :) So without pix...

It's official - we're having a little girl. We just had our ultrasound. What an amazing experience! I couldn't help but tear up a little. This is the first time we get to really see our little one. She's so little and perfect! And she's got her little feet right on my bladder - well she did that morning. It was so comforting to watch Missy, the ultrasound tech check out all her little working parts. It looks like she has all her fingers and toes - and did you know that down syndrome babies usually keep their hands in fists rather than opening and closing those little fingers. Our girl was moving everything! And she checked that all the chambers of her heart were working correctly and that her brain was developing well. Plus they measured her - head, tummy and limbs. So even though we didn't have the special tests, we can be fairly confident that she's normal - well normal until we get a hold of her.

It's so fitting that it was pouring on Wednesday. The first time I felt her move a few weeks ago, it was pouring and thundering in church. I think maybe she can sense that I like storms or that rainy days make me sad and I need a little love. :) Wishful thinking I'm sure.

Crazy Hormones

First a word of warning... Do not drink coffee when you're pregnant unless you want to feel crazy. Last week I had a frappacino from Scooters. It's one of very, very few I've had since I found out I was expecting. I had been craving one for a couple weeks. It tasted wonderful! Well the first half did. As I slowed down, I noticed that I felt weird. I don't usually have a reaction to coffee. Now J gets the jitters almost every time but I only feel slightly more awake. This time I had the jitters, a headache, nausea, and felt like I was going to faint. So I guess I'll be limiting myself to sips of other people's drinks until the baby comes.

Well I think my pregnancy hormones have officially kicked in. I ordered a maternity swimsuit recently. I had looked at suits at Target and even tried some on. I knew the one I ordered wouldn't be cute. I was going for modestly over fashion. Did you know that when you're pregnant you're supposed to show the girls off?? yikes. Almost all the cute suits I found online would not be modest on me. So I ordered a more practical suit. But I was still excited for it to come! It arrived and I opened it and found... GRANNY PANTIES! AAHHH! I promptly burst into tears and refused to even try them on. When I had tried on suits, they were all under the belly bottoms with a long tankini top for full tummy coverage. I've found that the getting "fat" part of pregnancy is really hard for me to take, so the idea of having to wear granny panties put me over the edge. After an hour of me being irrational, and J comforting me and teasing me, I agreed to at least try them on. They weren't as bad as they looked since you can't see the top part. And I think I'll be happy to have them when I'm bigger. So until then I have a more normal pair of bottoms that I'll be wearing with my maternity top.
I hope this type of out burst doesn't happen often. I ended up being weepy the rest of the night. My poor hubby. I can't imagine what I'll feel like when I get to 9 months and feel miserable and more emotional!!

For Our Viewing Pleasure

This is our other recent purchase that I alluded to in my last post. J has been looking at TVs for about the last 5 years. Our current Tube was a Shopko return. J worked in the Shopko merchandising/returns area in college. So our TV doesn't work when it's really humid. BUT now we have this lovely new TV! :)










The very large box it came in...
We tried to put this in the back of our friend's Forerunner but it didn't fit. It has to ride home upright to avoid breaking and problems to the plasma screen. So we ended up using twine from the Sears guy to support it in the back of the truck. And I rode home with my arm out the back window for extra support on the corners and bumps.
Now our evening are mostly filled with J figuring out all the new settings and features. I think I'll like it more when we get past this stage and just watch it like normal. Some days new electronic toys are more hassle than fun. :)

My Favorite Husband & Chef

The cast of characters...
A few weeks ago after church I began craving an Egg McMuffin or a Bagel 'n Egg sandwich from McDonald's. J said 'no' because we will not be indulging my every craving - it's not healthy and I would gain 100 pounds! We even drove past McDonald's and I begged to no avail. Then my genius hubby said he could make one for me at home. I wasn't so sure. I really wanted that fake looking patty of eggs. And I was doubtful J could produce that or anything as good as I imagined it would be at this moment. OOH how wrong I was!!!
This picture is from the second time we've had these sandwiches of egg, bacon, cheese and English muffins. The may not be as structured as McDonald's but I think they're way better tasting! I am so impressed by my hubby and to blessed that he likes to cook and is good at it!




A little extra bacon and some hash browns make it the perfect Sunday lunch. Satisfying and nap inducing.










The other food I've been craving is coleslaw. Not just any coleslaw but only the world's best! I am very picky about this. Coleslaw from the grocery store has this weird tang to it and at restaurants it's just not creamy or homey enough. I finally called my Granny for the perfect recipe. It's from our Mennonite church recipe book and is actually from Dresbach's in GI. Sadly Dresbach's is no more... no more fried chicken and sides in the park. BUT the coleslaw lives on! It's perfect - nice and creamy with just enough vinegar to keep it from getting too creamy. Thanks to Dresbach's, Mennonites and Granny, I can count this craving satisfied!! Who knows what it'll be next.

Seats for our Seats

What do 3 huge boxes on our porch...










Plus a pile of bubble wrap equal...










New Bar Stools!!! Finally! I've been looking for these forever. I knew exactly which ones I wanted. The challenge was finding them in espresso, not black and for a reasonable price. Did you know you can get these exact stools at Pottery Barn for $250? Outrageous!!










Here's the aftermath...










We also got a surge protector for our other new purchase thus the 4th box.

Yearly Flowers

Our 4th Anniversary was July 2nd. Sadly that morning came and we both forgot to say "Happy Anniversary Honey. Love you". Only 4 years in and we're already forgetting. And I forgot to give him a card. This year I've been really bad at the card thing - birthdays, anniversary - you name it and I forgot. So part way through the day J emailed me a reminder. And I asked if we were doing anything and if he remembered our deal. Yes and he did.
About 5 o'clock that afternoon these beautiful flowers showed up at my work. I love getting flowers at work!! I get to show off what a thoughtful hubby I have. I'm sure you're wondering what 'the deal' is. Well my practical husband thinks that flowers are a waste of money. They cost a lot and they die after a few days. I know it's true but I still want flowers. So the deal is that I get flowers once a year for our anniversary. Valentine's Day is ten times more expensive and my birthday is a close second to the anniversary. I'd say it's a good deal! :)
Our joint gift was going out to supper. We went to The Dish. Have you ever been there? The food is very good. But it's a little pricey. I expected a huge plate of food for the price and just got a fancy regular sized meal. So I'd say it's a good place to go for special occasions once in a blue moon. We love trying new food places and revisiting old favorites. Since I've know J, this has become one of my favorite things about going on vacation. He always researches the best places to eat wherever we go!
So it was a happy anniversary and I got flowers! :)

Reality TV - Love & Family

Maybe I watch too much TV. Or maybe I read too much entertainment news online. I completely get drawn into shows about real families or couples or couples falling in love. I think that's girl thing. I didn't watch much of the Newlyweds but was still sad when Nick and Jessica broke up. This was particularly disappointing to me because they claimed to be Christians who believed in the sanctity of marriage. And they believed that marriage was a lifelong commitment. Sadly they did not uphold this pledge. I don't think you can say reality TV broke their marriage but I sure don't think it helped. Marriage has enough challenges without adding the pressure to perform for TV viewers.
Today's latest Christian couple to face marriage failure is John and Kate. This case makes me even more sad because of the kids that are involved. How sad that they believe that divorce is better for them. This also makes me mad because this family in particular spoke often about going to church and how their faith was not highlighted in their show. Every time the rumors come out about a new 'good' couple splitting up, I don't want to believe it's true. But after a few months of rumors, it usually happens. Now I wasn't really surprised that Jon & Kate were having trouble. Anyone could see that on the show. Kate was overbearing and even rude to her husband. And Jon was usually just not engaged in his life as a husband and father. But I am even more shocked at their behavior now! They've barely filed their divorce papers - they're not even divorced yet - and they're hanging out all over the world with their new partners for the whole world to see! Kate's short comings were rather obvious on the show but Jon's issues are coming to light now. He clearly does not want to grow up or be a father all the time. And I wonder if his 22-year-old partying girlfriend is the best influence for his 8 young kids. It's so sad to see not just the failure but total demolition of another Christian family on the TV. No wonder the world says marriage is silly and outdated and unnecessary if this is the example that they see.

On to other TV notes, the Bachelorette was on again this week. I must say there is way less drama and way less to talk about now that Wes is gone. This was the week that the fast forward button was real handy! Why does the world believe it's necessary to sleep with your significant other to know if their marriage material?!? Jillian slept with 2 possibly 3 guys in a week's time and claims to be falling in love with them all. Eww and totally messed up. What I did like this week was seeing the sights in Hawaii. What a beautiful place! I'm going to miss Reid and his awkward silliness. But I'm looking forward to the Guys Tell All show next week. I imagine more Wes related drama is in store. I've decided that my favorite part of this show is the middle weeks - when there are less guys but the physical ickyness hasn't started yet.

On another completely different TV note... We've been watching the Tour de France (say it Fronce cause it's better!). I really love that I've come to enjoy this sport so Justin and I can watch it together. I won't share many details in case you're like us and record it and might be behind a few days. But this year is drama filled! Lance Armstrong is back and making waves. Justin can't stand him and hopes he doesn't win. I can't help but secretly cheer for him sometimes. :) The next couple weeks of the tour are going to be awesome! I recommend watching - it's on Versus. Limited coverage in the mornings and recaps in the evening.

What do you watch on TV? What do you watch with/for your spouse? How do you feel about the example of Christian marriages we see on TV?
Have you seen Fireproof? Now that's a movie that portrays Christian marriage realistically and honorably! I cried at every other scene. Think that has to do with hormones? :) Not the best made movie but definitely the best message I've got from a movie in a long time.

Home is where the Heart is

June included a trip home (to my parent's house). I like that it can be home too. I have 2 homes now!! :) This was shortly after we bought our new little cannon so I have lots of pictures. And lots of 'artsy' pictures since we were trying out the features.
Highlight of the trip may have been checking out Dad's barn - more like castle/monstrosity.
Here are some views from the top... This barn has a tower of sorts on the side. You climb a very tall ladder and then climb through a small hole in the ceiling. Then you climb through another small hole to the very top where you can look out and see forever. I love how the corn is all green this time of year. So beautiful!
Here's the fire pit down by the lake (aka puddle) where we had brats for lunch. Don't worry we boiled them first so they were cooked and all that was needed was browning/burning. I love brats.
Here are our artsy photos of the day. I have more but this post was getting full so maybe later. This one is of a knot on the post of the deck. I thought it looked cool!

We also got in some animal time while we were there. Here's brother A with Desmo - Good Puppy! Well Desmo is no longer a puppy but since he's a little hyper dog, I still think of him as a puppy. He's so funny! He thinks he's big so he barks and chases everything. He doesn't like J so he always growls at him. :) Hehe. My parents also have new kitties!! Three left out of five (I think) is pretty good. And they're so cute. They followed us everywhere when we were close by the dog house. Yes they live in the dog house with the dog. He's the papa. :) I tried really hard to convince J to let me take one home with no luck. But I think I'm wearing him down!
Now the absolute best thing about this trip was telling my parents they're going to be grandparents this winter!! :) Sorry no pics of that but when I have a bump to show off I will. Right now it's so small, I would laugh posting pictures!

Finally Jillian Finally!!

Good Bye and Good Riddance Wes! Monday's Bachelorette was fairly unexciting but very satisfying because she finally sent Wes home. And he finally fessed up to all the girlfriends rumors and proved he was scum once and for all.
I don't feel like spending time on a recap, so I'll just say I'm hoping for an Ed vs. Reid final. There is something about Kiptyn I don't really like. Well it's more that I don't care - he's not interesting and doesn't seem like a good match for her.
Only a few more weeks! What do you think?
Who will she pick?
Who should she pick?
Who should be the next Bachelor - Jake or Michael?

Guilty Pleasure

... The Bachelorette.
It can't be helped. I was a casual watcher but I got hooked on Deanna's season and can't stop. It is so sneaking how they've strung the last few seasons together so you just have to watch the next one. And it does not help that most of the girls in our flock are also hooked. We all DVR it and end it watching it at home or staying late after study to watch it together. Our husbands humor us and I think maybe even enjoy it a little. Then we all shriek and ooh and ahh and discuss all the details!
Monday was a real doozy or wicked as she says. I think Jillian has completely lost her mind! Wes is just awful. He's there to promote his band and their new country CD. He's even told the other guys that! And now we find out that he even has a girlfriend at home. Of course most the guys are too chicken to tell Jillian that. And the ones that do tell her, she doesn't believe because she really likes Wes and is following her gut. Good guy and totally stand up honest man, Jake showed up this week after being sent home to tell her the truth and she wouldn't believe it. Boy, she makes women falling in love look stupid!
So Monday they had the hometown dates and we were sure we knew which one was going home. But then Ed, who had left a few weeks ago for his job showed up begging to be taken back. And of course she said come to the rose ceremony and we'll see. She gave roses to...
Kipton - nice. Bad kisser. But a front runner.
Reid - nice but slightly spastic.
Ed - yay! I liked Ed. I think he might win. And surprisingly he seems normal. Jillian has been picking rather weird guys. But what do you expect when she thinks it's a requirement that they've had the hearts broken before.
Wes - arhg!! We do not like Wes. Jillian is so dense. You should see how all the guys moan and roll their eyes when she calls his name. She must be blind!
So Jesse and Michael go home. Jesse was no surprise. But poor Michael. He was the young sweet goofball of the bunch and had totally fallen in love with Jillian already. I'm thinking he might be back begging her to marry him. We'll see.

So if you have time to waste on Monday nights tune into the Bachelorette! But as we near the end of the season be prepared to fast forward some steamy scenes. This is my least favorite things about the show and this seasons promos hint that they will show more than we ever cared to know. Eww. Thank goodness for fast forward. I really hope I can break this guilty pleasure soon! But if Michael is the Bachelor next season, I might have to watch again.

Summer is Flying By

Yes I am a bad blogger. It's been over a month since my last post. Let's just say I've been busy and not feeling like posting. The last couple months have included...

Weddings - oh weddings!! 2 in a row at the beginning of May. They were a blast. We had so much fun with all our friends and family. We had extra family in town for my sister-in-laws wedding.

Colorado. This month we took a trip to Colorado for a long weekend. It was soo relaxing. J and most of our small group took a snowy hike to the top of Mt. Quandry. I stayed at the cabin and napped. Beautiful day for napping. I really caught up on my sleep this trip. I didn't even realize I need to until I slowed down. We also caught up with the McNairs and their 3 girls and the Berkheims and little David. I love spending time with friends we haven't seen for awhile!

I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer! I'm especially excited that my sister is coming home from France this week so I'll get to see her the next few months. I'm thinking the rest of the summer will consist of more weekend trips, lots of yard work and a few trips to the pool. I love summer - it's my favorite time of the year in spite of the heat. :)

I Wish Wednesday

I have been a little busy and thus no blogging. So here's a quick wish.
I wish May wasn't so busy! The busyness includes...
New Job
This is my second week of work at my new job. I am getting the hang of my job description and slowly getting to know my new co-workers. I was not expecting to have a new job this spring but thankfully it's been a smooth transition so far.
Chizel Wedding
This was the first of 2 weddings we have this month. And Chizel is a celebrity name we accidentally came up with at the reception. Actually the very nervous best man said it in his toast. The wedding was amazing! Definitely one of the nicest one's I've ever been too. And I some what proudly say this is the first wedding I've danced at. My friend Abby was "drunk on freedom" from her kids and roped me into dancing. And I ended up having a lot fun. But my honey said that maybe I should practice before the next wedding dance, because I'm not going to win any awards for my moves. :)
Family Wedding
My sister-in-law is getting married this weekend and we have family from PA staying at our house. I'm anticipating another fun-filled, tired inducing weekend. I wish my house was already clean. They're coming tomorrow and we have lots to do!
Life
My life almost always feels busy! How does that work!? Life has felt busy in general since I got married. I remember being swamped before the wedding and thinking it was sure to slow down after the day. But I am still waiting for that to happen.

Funny Story

This made me laugh!!

Benadryl Enhanced My Sunday Worship
by Ashley Harris on 04/27/2009 at 11:48 AM
I've blogged about my allergies before. There is something in the mountain air that just slays me. Yesterday I woke up feeling yucky for the sixth day in a row. I called and canceled brunch plans after church. Before I hung up the phone my friend suggested I take some Benadryl to see if the symptoms subsided. She said that would probably be a good indicator whether I had a cold or allergies. Brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?
Probably because I don't have a medicine cabinet. Out of sight, out of mind. I still have 96 days of singleness left, so I refuse to do some grown-up things like stock a medicine cabinet until I have to. Besides, pain is your friend. It lets you know you aren't well yet. But since her suggestion did make a lot of sense, I called Brian (my fiance) and asked him to bring me some Benadryl when he picked me up for church. He stays with his parents on the weekends and they have a well stocked medicine cabinet. Thank you future in-laws.
He brought me some chewables. They were grape and reminded me of being sick as a kid. I loved being sick as a kid. My Maw Maw made me milkshakes periodically throughout the day while I laid on the couch and watched soap operas.
I chewed a tablet in the car and another a little later. I assumed that they were kid's strength since they were chewable. I was wrong. I stumbled into the church sanctuary. Brian said it was like going to church with a drunk person. Apparently I was a little loopy in our before-the-service fellowship time. So he apologized for me and explained that it was the allergy meds.
I felt really silly for overdosing and totally expected to snore through the sermon. But to my delight and surprise, I was more focused than usual. The medicine slowed down my mind enough that I wasn't thinking about my grocery list, wedding plans, what blog I was going to write on Monday, or the person smacking their gum behind me. It was amazing. I wept from the second song to the benediction. In the midst of my Benadryl stupor, The Lord reawakened my love for Him and His Kingdom.
How different could Sunday mornings be if I stopped worrying about all the things I can't change and just listen to what is going on right in front of me? I'm tempted to take a Benadryl before church every Sunday, but I know that's not the solution (and allergy medicine is expensive). So I'm praying that God will help me develop a steadfast mind because there is something very rich and life-changing about being completely engaged in the preaching of His Word.

Shopping Day

First off - yes I realize these pictures are horrible. Yes I somehow accidentally touch the lens and didn't realize it. So yes you are seeing my fuzzy thumb print in all of these pictures. :)Last week I went shopping in Omaha with my mom! I haven't been shopping for a few months. I'm thinking since Christmas but Justin would be the one to ask for sure. :)
I was looking for a spring dress and some summer tees and maybe some khakis. We only made it to one of the 3 malls in town. This is rather shocking but OK because it was still a success!

First this picture was taken at J.Crew. Now I don't normally shop here. I think they have very cute clothes. But they usually look best on very tall and skinny girls. I am neither, especially not tall. And J.Crew isn't exactly budget friendly. Anyhow I tried on this fabulous orange skirt. Pencils skirts look pretty good on me and this one fit perfectly!I should've taken the picture on an angle for the full effect. But I did attempt to stand on my tip toes. We all know a fitted skirt looks better in heels! Naturally the skirt was way out of my price range and not on sale. I could've blown my whole budget for the day right here. I also found...
1. Chino Short. I like Navy and Stone. They fit well and are a great length. 2. Minty Featherweight Cardigan. Cute and comfy! I really like these casual cardigans that are everywhere this season 3. Corsage Tee. I like the detailing. These things are going to stay on my list as things to watch. I hope they go really on sale online! So I left the store with socks. :)

Next stop Anne Taylor Loft. I love this store because they have cute stuff that is more grown up without being the Misses section at Dillards. No offense, I'm just not to that dept yet. But I also am pretty much out of the Juniors departments. It's a tough spot to shop. Last year I bought this shirt in blue.So naturally when I saw they still had them and they were on sale, I bought two! I also got a pair of pants that were later returned. My hubby gets the last word on whether or not the clothes look good. :) Thanks for the fashion expertise honey!

Next stop Banana Republic. Again this store is usually not budget friendly or curve friendly. But I found this...LOVE this dress!! But let me tell you, it was not love at first sight. It looks like a bag on the hanger. A serious bag. But it's super cute on. No this is not me in the picture (insert sarcasm and smile). So at first glance we walked right by. Then we saw it on the manikin and mom said maybe I should at least try it on. I tried it on and was slowly warming to it. Everyone that walked by said 'oh so cute, it looks so much better on than on the hanger'. This is a different style of dress for me than my usual style. Even Justin found it to be unexpected.
And of course the sales lady recommended I try these shoes...Can you say expensive shoes!? I love them. They make my legs look tan and longer. I love you shoes. Bye shoes. Maybe I can buy you when my independently wealthy sister loans me money. :) Don't you just love how the sales lady talks you into trying your dress on with shoes that you cannot afford but will absolutely fall in love with!? They capped off the whole look and I was convinced that this was the dress for me. And the dress when on sale after a couple days and I got money back. So it's definitely the dress for me!

We also walked through DSW. Does this store overwhelm you too? I can never buy anything here. It's too much of an overload. Sad but true - shoe overload can be achieved.I also came home with this from The Gap.
Like I said I like the casual cardigans. And thankfully this was on sale. But imagine full long sleeve lavender and polka-dotted navy instead of these colors. I love polka-dots!

After a quick stop at Cold Stone Creamery for a "healthy" snack and a perusal of Pottery Barn to feed my imagination, we headed home. I would say it was a successful trip!

Creative Day Off

Well I'm not feeling real wordy today but here's one of the projects I worked on while I've been home the last few weeks.Here I am in my comfys one afternoon with all of my card paraphernalia. I try to stay away from Hobby Lobby because I can't help but buy a few sheets of decorative paper every time I'm there. I have paper of every color and for every season! And here's just a sample... And after an afternoon, here's what I ended up with. I am now prepared for some upcoming weddings and showers, as well as the random birthday.
I really enjoy making cards. It's a creative outlet for me. And unlike scraping booking, it doesn't require me to have pictures. I'm really bad at taking pictures and they usually turn out bad.