yet another awesome blog that i wanted to share…
jill of baby rabies always keeps me laughing and learning. i have been a fan for a while but have a newfound love for her perspective and content now that i have joined the mommy club. this woman is just so refreshing. witty and real and informative. good stuff.
whew! happy monday, folks. time is just ticking away. this weekend was over in a flash! but at least it was chock full of fun moments. we celebrated two birthdays…we enjoyed yummy food…we had a leisurely afternoon “brunch” with my mom while dad is out of town [sorry to party without you dad...but don't worry, you wouldn't have liked the menu much]. all in all. a great time.
i have a feeling that the next few weekends are going to be similarly stuffed full of activities. it is going to be crazy but good.
enjoy some snaps from our birthday celebration for the dynamic duo of ben’s mama and his sister rach. happy happy!
skewers and kabobs for the grill + an assortment of dips and sauces + homemade cheese straws + honey for the marinade…complete with a cute little smiley face on the lid! + beverages galore + scenes of coke sipping, goofy faces, mingling, chatting, and snacking
aren’t these just fabulous?
i love cool lamps but they can be just so darn expensive! and even if you do pay the price, they lack a certain “special” quality. that unique twist that makes them fit perfectly into the decor.
and so, i have decided follow in the footsteps of those brilliant folks at design*sponge and try my hand at creating a personalized lampshade or two.
there is never a shortage of fabulous prints at the fabric store so perhaps i will pop over there with my mom one afternoon and snag some interesting pieces. that plus a good ol’ vintage etsy find and i should be in good shape for raw materials. from there, i am hoping that i can just follow the step-by-step and then, voila! a gorgeous and one-of-a-kind lamp for miss elinor’s room.
wish me luck!
…
what fun diy projects are you tackling these days?
well. my mom is at it again. she is heading up north to spend some time with grandma in o canada. she will be gone for six whole weeks! so, we figured that a farewell dinner was in order. that, plus, we still had some combo birthday celebrating [seen here and here] to do from back at the end of may. this double-date-night-dinner was long overdue.
the four of us hopped in the car and popped over to beckett’s table for some up-scale, homecookery at its finest. this place has a relaxed and homey atmosphere. a fabulous gathering spot for friends and family. love the decor and the love the food even more.
the non-preggos sipped some wine and we noshed on skillets of appetizers before digging in for the main event. oh yes, and we topped it off with some of the most amazing pie i have ever eaten. to be clear, nothing beats my mom’s apple pie. but this, this definitely takes second.
smooches on the car ride over + beckett’s table + ahhh, that menu… + the cute little suess-esque plant on our table + cold water served in old-fashioned bottles [even if it were just tab water, it would taste better being poured from that cute little thing] + my man. seriously surveying the menu options + my fabulously fashionable and perfectly polished mom. isn’t that bright yellow the best? + FOOD…my short ribs. mom’s shrimp and sausage. ben’s green chile pork stew. ALL so amazing + that pie i mentioned before. fig and pecan pie, folks! with fresh cream cheese citrus zest ice cream. oh my + using clothespins for marketing. genius
…
toodle-oo mom! have fun up north…you will be missed.
and i will have a butternut squash sized little one happening inside my belly by the time you return!
one of my favorite outings is a lunch date with my mom…especially to true food. that restaurant is definitely a mainstay. to make it extra fun, my mom and i decided to grab a later lunch and then head over to giggle to do some baby browsing. and since hubby gets off of work earlier in the day [thank you 5am wake up time!] he was able to meet up with us for some looking around the this infant/toddler dreamland. so many cute things and fun ideas. there were some displays that were overwhelming…i mean, how many designer burp cloths does one child really need? but overall, it was so much fun to pick up tiny shoes, check out fabulous cribs, see the latest in high chair technology, play with strollers, and cuddle with stuffed animals. babies are pretty fun. i foresee many more lunchtime outings with my mom in the coming months…
the yummy menu + my lovely mom + fun conversation + my moroccan chicken salad sandwich + mom’s noodles + a perfect dessert…olive oil cake, fresh berries, and greek yogurt + giggle time + ben checking out the goods + the sweetest little swaddlers
having some fun test-driving the gliders. mom grabbed some props so i could “get a feel for it”. what do you think it will be…boy? girl? puppy? [okay, probably not a puppy. but we didn't want our furry babies to feel left out]
this was a big one. dinners with family, a birthday celebration, car races, and memorial day.
here is the pictoral plethora to prove it…
the weekend is here + a game of scrabble + we used all of the letters! such word nerds + quick stop at jimmy johns + my very handsome date + a tasty sandwich for him and a turkey, lettuce roll-up for me + can’t forget the chips and oatmeal cookie + our weekend entertainment…sherlock holmes season two and burn notice + the buddies enjoying some lap time + summertime sunshine + a refreshing pink drink for ben + homemade tostadas and enchiladas at the whitehouse home…sooo amazingly delicious + dessert: warm berries over graeter’s ice cream + off to the races! + some sunday brunch while we watch indy + hanging out with old family friends during our annual tradition + mr. charles being a good boy on his many car rides this weekend
sunday was my sweet mom’s birthday. my parents were out of town for the weekend and ben and i picked them up from the airport ready to party…with hats and blowers in tow! we escorted her to true food for a healthy, yummy, and celebratory dinner together. lots of chatting about their travels, catching up, laughing, munching, and blowing out the candles. and, the celebration will continue through the week since my mom and i are planning a little lunch date together PLUS we celebrate my dad’s birthday in a few days too. whew! what a fun week!
this was a big one, folks. we gathered all of the assorted family members together at one house for a big-time celebration. it was so much fun! the planning was fun, the preparing was fun, the cooking was fun, the eating was fun. it was an all-around great day. the kids took care of all the details, from the table to the flowers all the way to the dessert. then, we all gathered together and enjoyed the day. it was relaxing and celebratory. just how any family gathering should be. i hope our mothers were honored and blessed. we sure are honored to be their kids and blessed by them.
:: the mocktails ::
in honor of mothers day, my hubby, the mixologist du jour, created a fabulous menu of refreshing and festive beverages. with the help of his mixologist’s apprentice, faith, creative drinks were stirred and muddled for serving. the clear crowd favorites were “the derby” [a mild-mannered mint julep] and “the faux-jito” [a rum-less version of the cuban classic]. although, “the berry happy mothers day” might win in the appearance category for its vibrant purple hue and muddled berries.
:: happy conversation + mixing and mingling + relaxation ::
everyone kicked back with their beverage of choice while the meal was being prepared. the families shared stories and chatted with giggling and sipping. the guys even got to watch some golf. the kitchen was the center of the excitement as the aromas of potatoes and mushrooms and onions and bacon and eggs wafted into the livingroom.
:: a delicious brunch spread and table ::
:: dessert ::
we ordered the super special mothers day collection from jeni’s ice cream. so, we had a tasty little tasting of unique ice cream flavors like hummingbird cake, white house cherry, sake plum, and icelandic happy marriage cake. plus, rachel claire made a yummy berry crumble. a little something warm with a little something cold. the perfect way to end a meal.
:: the kids ::
:: the moms and the kids ::
my mom taught me well. i remember watching her when i was little as she cleansed and moisturized her skin, delicately dabbed her perfume, and carefully applied her makeup. i would mimic her technique. i so loved when we would do pedicures and facials together and she would share her tips and tricks. i admired her attention to detail. i watched as she would clean her makeup brushes, organize all of her products, and use “just enough”. she wanted to savor her little beauty treats and make them last. she always took such great care. i so appreciate that time and those lessons.
it wasn’t frivolous or vain, she was illustrating the importance of taking care of what God has given you. from her skin to the products in her purse. she wasn’t wasteful. she wasn’t indulgent. she didn’t take it for granted. she was careful and thoughtful. she knew how to save on some things and splurge on others. and she knew how to enjoy it all.
to this day, we still have fun little chats about the latest chanel nail color, the top beauty editor picks, the perfect mascara [i love maybelline the falsies, by the way], and the best drugstore steals. it is fun to be a girl.
over the years, i have tried my share of products. i love lip glosses. i am a sucker for body lotions. i am a big time fan of spa-like skin treatments. and i find myself drawn to pretty smelling stuff in cute packaging. i like to try things and then settle in on my go-to beauty items. while some products will come and go with seasons and seasons of life, there are a few that have stood the test of time and that i continue to look to.
here is my personal list of beauty product favs:
all images from my :: i heart :: board on pinterest
so here’s what’s gone on around these parts so far…
on february 25th we found out that we were expecting. wow. i have never seen anything more exhilarating and life-changing than that little ol’ plus sign. we are having a baby. a baby. wow. this is a new and totally unfamiliar chapter in life. how grateful we are for a sovereign God. His timing is perfect. He has planned it all. and now, He is actively knitting a little person. we have been blown away as we read about how tiny that little life is and yet how grand His design. did you know that the heart starts beating when the baby is still the size of a poppy seed? remarkable. such joy and excitement. we feel overwhelmed with gratitude for this incredible blessing. and by the way, ben has started to call me “honey bump” which is pretty darn cute.
since then, we have made many lists. lists for what to eat [and what not to eat]. lists of people to tell. lists of baby gear. lists of baby names. we are nuts over here.
my first appointment was on march 15th [the ides of march]. i kind of assumed that they would do some testing and actually confirm what the little drugstore pregnancy test said. instead, they greeted me with a new mom packet to fill out [and no, i had not picked out a pediatrician yet. i already feel behind] and a bag of baby samples and goodies. they just jumped right into congratulations and questions. so, okay…it guess it is all systems go! oh yes, they also drained about 4 viles of blood to make sure everything is copacetic with the baby. all seems to be well. it is real, people.
cravings & such. so far, no food aversions or weird cravings or sickness. what a blessing! keep it up, baby! i have been wanting carbs more than usual. i think baby likes macaroni and cheese and bread so we have enjoyed the occasional carb splurge which i am pretty sure hubby is loving since he is used to my gluten-free ways.
the bump. no super obvious baby bump yet. just a general feeling of puffy tummy. i know that is just the baby getting situated for the next few months so, by all means, make yourself at home.
cool & cute things. since my mom has been in canada for two months cleaning out my grandma’s house…it has made things a bit tricky. my dad planned to join her on march 28th and then returning on easter sunday. perfect, we thought, we can get the families together for easter and do some cute “the egg is hatching” or “i’m on the nest” thing to tell everyone at once. well, my dad soon informed me that they wouldn’t be flying in until late that night. there goes that idea [baby lesson #1: be flexible and go with what God gives you]. what to do…? ben and i thought about it and decided that it would be fun to make a great memory for my parents at the old ridley homestead.
what did we do? we bought t-shirts [see below]. we sent a package with my dad for my parents to open together upon his arrival in canada. and we brought a package to ben’s parents to spill the beans with them. it was pretty fun and the parents have been donning their shirts proudly. we followed that up with a call to ben’s sister and a dinner with my sister. from there, we have shared the news with our friends. the news is out. what a fun time. this baby is going to be pretty loved and covered in prayer. we feel so overwhelmed and blessed and excited.
new things: baby is almost fully formed! what?!
meaningful moments: this week, ben and i heard the heartbeat for the first time. what a cute and lively little whooshing sound! AND we had our first ultrasound. that was amazing. it made things so real to see that tiny little baby moving around [!!!!] and to watch the heart flutter. we were pretty overwhelmed. God is such a masterful and intricate Creator. we were [and continue to be] in awe.
the countdown: baby is due to arrive on november 2nd. 201 days to go!
current size: a fig
