Family pictures.

Last week I went out and took pictures of my sister and her family, and today, she took pictures of us! She recently got a DSLR camera, so now we can just take pictures of each others family instead of going to a portrait studio. I really think she did a great job. Cameron was quite the wiggle worm, so it was a little tough to get a good shot where he wasn't trying to escape. I also wanted a good picture of just Jon and I, since the last time we had our pictures together was from our wedding (and truth be told, there aren't many I liked of us from that day!). Here are just a few of my faves-what do you think?



Now... Which ones to print and frame?
PS- mpix.com is running a special- 15% off prints through Friday at midnight. Enter 15prints at the checkout!

Snippets: on my plate.

My head is somewhat spinning these days, but in a good way. It seems as the holidays approach, time slips away and before we know it, we're in a brand new year, and things start to turn green again. When I stop and think about what's on my plate for the rest of the year, I feel as if I need to jump into a a machine that will replicate me into 2 or 3 people. One would just be a mom. The type who eats bon-bons and has dinner prepared and on the table by 6 o'clock. The other clone would work, design, run errands and and party plan. Here's what's on my busy plate for the rest of the year and early 2010.

• Finishing invitation design for BFF's wedding, and starting invites for the bridal shower and a Christmas cocktail party my dad is in charge of.
  
• Thanksgiving. I want to have ALL my Christmas shopping done beforehand.
  
• Cameron's 1st birthday. I have a few things left to get for his birthday and still have to design a quick little invite to send out.
  
• Christmas. When I think about the fact that I have 18 nieces and nephews (+ 3 more being born between Christmas and Valentines), and 13 brother and sister-in-law's, it makes me want to escape to an undisclosed (tropical) location for the month of December. I'd send out Christmas cards that said "Wish you we're here!!!!!!" with a picture of me surfing in a swimsuit and a Santa hat.
• My 26th Birthday. Which I just might "forget" this year.
• New Years.
  
• Bridal Shower for my BFF the day after New Years. I'm hosting!!
  
• Bachelorette party. Must build up tolerance.
• BFF's wedding in April!

I think that's all that I can think of! Anyone else feel like this year FLEW by?

Weekend Baby Shower!

This weekend was the baby shower I hosted for my sister-in-law. Everything went really well! Baby Christian (making his arrival around Christmas) will certainly be well dressed for the first 6 months of his little life!





I was really honored to host the shower for my sister-in-law. I've known her for 10 years and she was the one who introduced me to my wonderful husband 6 years ago. I am blessed to know her!

Baby shower prep!

This weekend is my sister-in-law's baby shower- and I'm hosting! And since I'm the only host, I've decided to keep things simple, doing most of the prep in advance so that on Saturday, everything is smooth sailing.
I noticed while shopping for baby shower decor, that most of it is either tacky, overpriced, or both! So I settled on some "It's a boy!" confetti, some tea light candles, and a little banner I made for just 2 dollars. I'll probably set the food table with some fresh flowers too. I wanted to share the banner I made, because it was easy (I got it done during Cameron's nap!), and I only spent 2 dollars on the paper and ribbon.
I started by drawing letters on this awesome glitter paper I spotted at Hobby Lobby.

Cut them out!

I used cups around the house to cut out the circles for the back of the letters.

Hobby Lobby was out of white card stock- so I used the back of leftover wedding invitations I've had sitting around for over 2 years. I couldn't bear to throw them away- I knew I could find another purpose for them!

I stapled the blue circles to the ribbon.

And then glued the letters to the white circles, and then the white circles to the blue ones.

Done- and so easy!
I'll definitely be back to show pictures of the banner hung, and of the shower!

Making my list. (And checking it twice).

Did you know that Christmas is pretty much next week? It is, my friends. I've been seeing these "100 days of cookies" or "100 days of holiday recipes" in magazines and online, and I have to admit, it's freaking me out a bit. Department stores are dusting off Christmas decorations as I write this post. And as soon as you have your last trick-or-treater, you'll see neighbors hanging up their Christmas lights and flanking their yards with inflatable deer and snowmen.

Anywho, if you are like me at all, I never know what to tell my family when they ask what I would like for Christmas. I never have anything in mind, and I always just tell them I'll get back with them and let them know later. Well this year, dearest friends and family, I'm armed with a list. Without further adieu, I present my Christmas list:




I'm happy to report that the #1 item on my list was purchased today by my wonderful husband! I have been telling him that if he waits until after Thanksgiving that there won't be any Uggs at ANY store, in ANY city. He was hesitant, but I softened the blow by telling him that he has his Christmas shopping done now!



I think this pretty, lightweight scarf from Gap would transition nicely into spring!



My next camera lens! A 50mm auto-focus, perfect for portraits.


A non-stick pizza crisper. So we can quit putting pizza directly on the oven rack, causing cheese to fall to the bottom of the oven, burn, and set off the fire alarm.



And lastly, a subscription to BHG. You may or may not remember this subscription was on my list for Mother's Day. I've gone from "casually" dropping hints at the grocery store newsstands, to flat out telling my husband that I'd like a subscription, to actually HANDING him a subscription card that's filled out with my name on it. Y'all, sometimes boys just don't get it. So for that reason, it's still on my list!
Anyone else have their list made? Shopping started?

There's an affair going on at work...

...and it involves me.
I've been putting in some good hours in at work lately, and it's the only thing that gets me through the day. I wake up excited knowing I get to turn it on, spend the day staring at it, caressing and stroking it. My snooze button has become a thing of the past. If my office had a window, it would likely be foggy from heavy breathing (mostly on my part).

Everyone, meet my new office affair, Mac.

Excuse the horrible florescent lighting in my office!

My eyes wander all over the 24 inches of its glorious face. It says so much without ever saying a word. Just LOOK at that keyboard! Now look again. Pretty fierce if I do say so myself. I think the feeling is mutual. ::blush!::
Don't worry; I've already notified my husband of the affair, and insisted we get one just like it to spice things up at home. He hasn't come around to see it my way, but he will. Oh yes, he will.

10 months & weekend fun.

Cameron is 10 months old today! I remember reading blog posts awhile back of moms who would cry when their babies turned one year old- and I thought "why on earth is that sad"? I totally get it now. And I'm pretty dang sure I'll be sobbing in two months when he turns one. I just want him to stay little forever! I love this stage right now- he gives tight hugs and slobbery kisses and it's the best thing in the world.

This weekend (well, just Sunday actually) we decided to go to Kansas City for the Chiefs vs. NY Giants game. I was so excited to take Cameron to his first pro football game! We're not huge Chiefs fans, but we like to support the home team and enjoy watching sporting events of all types.We headed out before the sun came up Sunday morning, and as soon as we got there, I wanted to whip out my camera and photograph some tailgate action. Um, would you believe that I left my camera at home? That's right. I charged my battery the night before. I packed my zoom lens in the diaper bag. I was all ready to take a few action shots and be hired by Sports Illustrated. I kicked myself the entire day for forgetting it- I never forget my camera! I snapped a few pictures from my phone, and thankfully our sweet friends took some pictures on their camera and will send them to me! Still, I feel like Sunday's game didn't even happen because I didn't have my camera. I'll never make that mistake again!

Our friends have several sets of season tickets just behind the end zone. They were great seats!

Snippets.

-I feel sick today. I've got a sore throat, and drippy nose. I don't know about you, but with all this swine flu hoopla, every time I sneeze or cough, or get a headache, I think about the possibility of having the flu. I've become pretty anal about washing my hands as well as Cameron's, especially after we've been around other people. I hope this is just a small cold and everything will pass!

-Our jogging stroller is on the fritz. I've always bragged about how great our jogging stroller is, but the bearings in the front have gone bad after just 10 months of use. I contacted Baby Trend and they are sending replacement parts; hopefully it will be an easy fix and won't happen again.

-Also out of commission is my beloved Mac. It won't turn on. After doing a bit of research, I found that VERY rarely does a mac need to be sent to a professional for service, and that most problems can be fixed with just a few steps. I hope that I don't lose all my files in the process- but I suppose it would be a small price to pay to have my sidekick back in business.

-Lastly, I am so glad I now have Adobe CS4 (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator...) on our PC! Since my Mac is down right now, it's nice to have the program on our other computer so that I can still work on all the invitations I'm doing.I had CS2 on my Mac, and the upgrades on the Adobe's newest version are awesome. Quite the jump from CS2 to CS4.

Moms: can you relate?

So the season premier of Desperate Housewives aired last night. I thought it was good and this is going to be a great season! I know that not everyone reading this watches Desperate Housewives, or is familiar with the characters, but there was a funny scene from last nights episode that I wanted to share with you all, especially since a lot of you guys are moms and moms to-be.

Lynette is in her 40's, and has four children already. Last season we found out that she is pregnant (surprise!) with another set of twins, and she isn't thrilled about it. This scene was at a prenatal appointment, where she has a little run in with a young, first time mom to be, explaining some of the "joys" of being a mom. Here's the minute long clip:

I Can't Imagine Anything Better Than Being a Mommy - MovieWeb


I laughed so hard, because I can totally relate with um, the "Spanish Stucco" comment. Then I cried, because I can totally relate to someone who is in their late 40's and has 4 children.

Stumped.

I mentioned awhile back that I'm trying to get our basement living space looking nice and cozy. Do you remember? That was what, 3 months ago or so? Anywho, I'm still trying. And I'm completely stumped and at a loss for ideas for what this living room needs.
The frames that are still empty. Just wanted to casually show off the fall wreath I made! =)

view looking in from the "office" area.

Snooze. Totally boring.

I need help. Design help. If this were your living space, what would be the first thing you'd do? I know that I need a big 'ol rug. My problem is, I like neutral colors (cremes and beiges) but that's not what this space needs. I'm not opposed to some bold/graphic throw pillows, I just can't seem to find any that I like that aren't more than a days worth of pay. Maybe a lamp for the side table? Some artwork above the couch?

I just hung 3 pictures above the chair, but I still have 2, very large blank walls to deal with.

What accent color would you bring in, given the grey/blue walls? Any stores/websites I should check out? I'm usually good at this stuff- but when it's my space, I find it hard to commit to something I'll be stuck with. Help a girl out- I'm hosting a shower in this space in less than a month!

Edit: I should mention that there are window treatments on those windows (white blinds). You just can't see them! Thanks and keep it coming! =)

The Seattle Recap

I think I'm finally recovering from a fast paced week in Washington! It was a short trip, but we managed to cram so much activity in the 2 1/2 days we were there. It was really nice; my brother-in-law is a life long Washington resident so he was able to provide us the best tour of Seattle possible.
Upon arriving in Seattle, we claimed our bags and headed straight downtown. After a morning of travel, we were starving so we stopped at Ivar's on the waterfront where we enjoyed fish and chips, as well as excellent views of Puget Sound. After lunch, we walked over to the infamous Pike Place Fish Market and surrounding markets. The energy down there is amazing; the juicy fruits, fresh cut flowers, antiques and art all contribute to the eclectic little market place.

After a few hours we were ready for some downtime. We headed to pick up my oldest nephew from school, and got settled in at their brand spanking new home (they were still in the process of moving in!). We then went to a nearby beach and watched the sun set over the mountains.

Isn't their home gorgeous? My brother in law built it. It's quiet and nestled in the woods.

Cameron got his first taste of seaweed!

That night we relaxed, and caught up with our family who we haven't seen since our wedding.

Wednesday we wanted to get out of Seattle, so we made the journey to Mount Rainier National Park. Living in Kansas we obviously don't get many opportunities for breath-taking (literally and figuratively) hikes. We also don't get the opportunity to truly explore the glory and beauty of God's handy work. I've been on some pretty awesome hikes and this hike ranks at the top. We only hiked about 2.5 miles in the park since Cameron was with us, but it was enough to get a taste of what the Evergreen State has to offer. Cameron did great the whole day and was such a trooper!

I was amazed at how big the trees were. They make us look so tiny!

Thursday was our last day, so we drove to Bremerton, got on the ferry which took us through the beautiful Puget Sound and docked back in Seattle. I had never been on a ferry that carried cars, so that was a neat treat for me! The chilly 50- minute boat ride was awesome and it was neat to see the Seattle cityscape from a distance. We docked and drove off, and headed for the Hiram Chittenden locks. We ate lunch at the Lockspot where I devoured the absolute best fish & onion rings. The salmon were running at the Locks, so Jon was in awe and wanted to throw in a pole.

We headed home and it was still early, so Jon and I left Cameron with his sister for the evening. Jon took me by his old house and showed me where he used to hang out growing up. He even showed me the basketball court where he had a gun pointed to his head when he was just 10 years old-yikes! It was pretty cool to see his old stomping grounds.

Ikea "happened" to be just minutes away, so of course we stopped. I had wanted to go to Ikea all along, so I told Jon to take his large suitcase and leave it half empty so we could bring goodies back. Let me just tell you, that restricting Ikea purchases so that they can fit into a suitcase is pure torchure and I don't recommend it. I had a bag full of stuff in less than 10 minutes and I hadn't even made it through 1/4 of the store. It probably would have been easier to avoid the store altoghether, but alas, everything I got fit in our suitcase!

Cameron did really well, and slept most of all four flights. I worried so much about making sure he had distractions on the airplane, so I bought a new toy and a board book to take with us. But what does he play with? Empty water bottles and shiny candy wrappers. I should have known this. Overall we had a blast, but there's no place like home!

Seattle Sampler

We landed back home from our trip this afternoon! Seattle is a beautiful and eclectic city. I thought I'd take a few minutes to share a few of the pictures I took while I was there. I'll definitely share more pictures in the days to come as well as a trip recap when things get back to normal around here. Enjoy the weekend!