Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Breckin's Room Reveal

About this time last year, we made the transition from crib to twin bed for Breckin. It was at this time I started decorating his big boy room. It has been a long process...just adding things here and there. I had actually planned on painting it, but never got around to that. It's a little bittersweet to share this post now because now that Hubby and I have found out our news, we are planning on bunking the two boys in one room. I plan on revealing Tanner's room as well, since his made big changes too. Here is a picture of the moodboard I had created for Breckin's room:


And here's what we've ended up with:


The bed and bedding were Tanner's old sets. The bedding was from Target and I love it so much. I wish they still sold it so I could do matching bunk beds with it when the time comes!


The dresser was given to me by a friend when I was pregnant with Tanner. I actually have two of them! They are actually pretty cute - bamboo detailed. Perfect for a beach-themed room.


The striped rug is also from Target. The dog just follows me around.


This is his desk area...he's a bit too young for schoolwork yet, but I was planning early. He's also big on tools right now, so his tool bench sits right beside. The "B" picture is one I painted myself and the frame was around $3 at Ross when I was pregnant with him. The lamp was from Target a few years ago, again from Tanner's old room. The chair is actually a chair I've had since I was a teenager! It's moved with me time and time again and is now the perfect chair for either one of my boys. The bulletin board is a Goodwill find I covered with fabric and pinned down with nailhead trim {I ran out of trim and need to go grab another pack from Hobby Lobby!} I did this exactly like I did Tanner's in this post.



The shelves were my favorite part to decorate. I found the cool orange mirror at TJ Maxx and knew I had to have it for his room. The coconut monkey is actually a drink holder I got from a vendor while walking on Savannah's River Street. The football piggy bank and striped photo album are from Target.


This is his reading nook. He loves books. This kid will not go to bed without a story {or three}. He enjoys looking at books by himself too. I definitely have no worries about this one when he gets to Kindergarten!


The chair and ottoman were from Marshall's, as well as that small blue bucket. The shelf was a curbside find from my neighbor. The lamp base was from Target, but had a baby blue shade. I actually JUST changed that out because can you believe I found the matching shade to the other lamp at Goodwill the other week for less than $2.00??? It was like it was meant for me to find it. I love crazy finds like that. The "B" monogram was made from a Goodwill frame, some fabric and a wooden "B" from Hobby Lobby. I showed you how I made Tanner's here.


 The lamp was from Target {surprise, surprise}.


The nightstand was another curbside find from my neighbor, not sure why they were getting rid of it! It's a great nightstand.  The "Breckin" market tote was made from an Etsy seller a couple years ago. I used them as their Easter baskets. For now it holds some of his favorite bedtime buddies.


The curtain is definitely Target, but I got it off a selling group on Facebook for moms in my area. The stacked cube shelves I've had since my college days {also from Target}. The brown drawer was from Target and the blue bucket {matches the one in the book nook} and the cube box are from Marshall's. 



And lastly, his toy bin shelf is a folding tier shelf I've had since college too. The baskets are from Marshall's {I have yet to label them - my chalk marker ran out!} They magically fit perfectly across in the shelves when I brought them home.

So overall, what do you think of the space? It will be sad to break most of it down in the coming months as we start putting together the nursery. But my hopes are to plan a great shared room for them and hope they don't kill each other!


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Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Blogtember: Life Takes a Turn

This Blogtember thing is pretty fun. I'm not participating in ALL of the days; just the ones that really interest me. I hope you are enjoying them too...I like to think it gives you a little more insight into the girl behind the blog.


Tuesday, September 10: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

It was actually pretty easy to pick this moment in my life. This moment was on February 28th, 2005.

Jake {my Hubby} and I had broken up after about 4 months of a long-distance relationship. He was funny because even though he had claimed he didn't feel we were "right" for each other, he called me every day...often on my breaks at work and almost always before I went to bed at night. By this date, we had been broken up almost a month...and he had called earlier that day, to let me know he had received his transfer orders. He was being relocated to Charleston, SC for the USCG.

I remember mumbling something to him such as, "Well, I guess I'll never see you again." And he said, "Don't say that." However, I didn't tell him at the moment on the phone, but I had had a funny intuitive feeling that I was pregnant for the last couple of weeks. He said for me to call him after work and we both hung up.

I hadn't missed a period yet or anything, but the intuitive feeling was really nagging at me ever since that phone call. I knew I had to take a test before I called him again. Not because I actually thought I was pregnant, but more just to get it off my mind and confirm I was just being ridiculous. So I bought the mother of all tests at the time...the EPT Digital. Because it's digital, it took a few minutes to pop up with a "Pregnant" or "Not Pregnant". I had my phone open sitting on the bathroom counter with Jake's number ready to call as I waited for the test to beep. It finally did after what seemed like an hour...I looked down at it and...

"Pregnant"

I immediately pressed "Call" on my phone.

After that phone call, Jake and I had a lot to work out. He had to move. He had no choice. He begged me to come with him. Remember though, we still were broken up...and he had no intentions of getting back together "just because I was pregnant". We even tried to get his orders changed to somewhere in southern California so I wouldn't even have to worry about the choosing whether to move, but that request was denied. He was in a rock and a hard place; and I had a crazy-difficult choice to make. After all, I had only known the guy a little over 4 months. Could I really trust that he would be the father he was promising to be?

I ended up moving back to Idaho in April of that year while Jake was out on a three-month USCG tour. My dad came down to help me pack and we drove 14 straight hours back to my hometown. I wasn't settled with it, but one of my choices was to live with him until I got on my feet after I had the baby.

Over many emails, and very few phone calls while Jake was out at sea, we tried to work out this situation. He kept begging me not to keep him from being a father to his child. Eventually, I gave in, and told him I'd give him a chance. I let him know that if he messed up, I'd leave in a heartbeat. So in late May after he was back, we packed up and moved to Charleston.

We welcomed our first baby boy, Tanner on November 6th, 2005. Our lives were forever changed. But I will never forget that moment that started it all...taking that pregnancy test and being thrust into a whirlwind of hard decisions to make. But obviously, you can see it all ended up working out for the best. It didn't come without trials and tribulations in those first years, but we ended up getting back together and we got married in November 2007. We welcomed a 2nd baby boy on August 8th, 2010. We are now a happy, Christian family...and though that moment gave my life quite the turn, it was a turn for the absolute better.

I guess sometimes you have to take a leap of faith to gain a reward.




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Monday, September 9, 2013

Big News!

So if you are a friend of mine on Facebook, or you follow me on Instagram, you already know...





Yep...and ironically the very first cycle I had after I posted this about having thought I might be preggers last month. It was totally an "oops" moment ONE TIME and this is what happens, folks.

Apparently, I need more than one test to tell me the news {6 to be exact, one of those being the doctor's test - and I still took 2 after that}. A little in shock for sure...and we found out super early {as I tend to do with all of my pregnancies}.

Hubby and I are excited...truth be told, I'm REEAALLY hoping for a girl this time around because this is DEFINITELY our last baby. But regardless, first and foremost, I pray it be a healthy baby and an easy pregnancy. I don't plan on changing much...I still want to workout every morning after I drop the boys off to school {yay for a school year pregnancy, right?} and I do want to be a little more careful with what I eat in comparison to my past pregnancies {not that I went crazy-overboard, but I could have been better}...staying away from too many sweets and empty calories. I really want to stick to the +300 rule and just eat protein-packed foods and lots of leafy greens and fruits that are beneficial to the baby. I'd be lying if I said having a 3rd child really makes me nervous about my post-baby body this time around! Here's hoping I can stay on track.

Having been due in November {2005} and August {2010} with my other two, I've had to endure the hot, humid Charleston, SC summers during pregnancy...so now being due in May, this is a very different pregnancy for me...with different fashion options to style the bump as well. I'm excited to be able to be comfortable in leggings, boots, and long sweaters for my growing belly. Once April comes around, I'll have to shed some layers, but that will be fine. Here are some inspiring pregnancy fashion photos I've been pinning...

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I have a couple of these boyfriend blazers and they will be super-cute with a maternity tee and some jeans.
fashionbaby
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I imagine wearing this style through most of my growing months since it will be winter. Just looks so comfy!

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And I love the fabulous Andee Layne of The Honeybee blog...she's fashionable and her pregnancy was no exception!

Even though I still have all of my maternity clothes, I'd really like to try to use as few maternity items as possible. Forever 21 is a good option for stylish yet forgiving clothes on the cheap. I'm sure most of my maternity wear is "out of style" now anyway!

Looking forward to sharing this next nine months with you!

Friends/Family - if you would like any of the pictures you see of us on the blog, please just right-click on the image and save it to your computer. You are welcome to print at your leisure! They are all high-pixel images. If you do not know my family or me, you probably shouldn't right-click/save or print any of our images. Just saying.

Monday Musings: Some News...

So if you are a friend of mine on Facebook, or you follow me on Instagram, you already know...




Yep...and ironically the very first cycle I had after I posted this about having thought I might be preggers last month. It was totally an "oops" moment ONE TIME and this is what happens, folks.


Apparently, I need more than one test to tell me the news {6 to be exact, one of those being the doctor's test - and I still took 2 after that}. A little in shock for sure...and we found out super early {as I tend to do with all of my pregnancies}.

Hubby and I are excited...truth be told, I'm REEAALLY hoping for a girl this time around because this is DEFINITELY our last baby. But regardless, first and foremost, I pray it be a healthy baby and an easy pregnancy. I don't plan on changing much...I still want to workout every morning after I drop the boys off to school {yay for a school year pregnancy, right?} and I do want to be a little more careful with what I eat in comparison to my past pregnancies {not that I went crazy-overboard, but I could have been better}...staying away from too many sweets and empty calories. I really want to stick to the +300 rule and just eat protein-packed foods and lots of leafy greens and fruits that are beneficial to the baby. I'd be lying if I said having a 3rd child really makes me nervous about my post-baby body this time around! Here's hoping I can stay on track.

Having been due in November {2005} and August {2010} with my other two, I've had to endure the hot, humid Charleston, SC summers during pregnancy...so now being due in May, this is a very different pregnancy for me...with different fashion options to style the bump as well. I'm excited to be able to be comfortable in leggings, boots, and long sweaters for my growing belly. Once April comes around, I'll have to shed some layers, but that will be fine. Here are some inspiring pregnancy fashion photos I've been pinning...

11148
{via}
I have a couple of these boyfriend blazers and they will be super-cute with a maternity tee and some jeans.


fashionbaby
{via}

I imagine wearing this style through most of my growing months since it will be winter. Just looks so comfy!

{via}

And I'm sure many of you know the fabulous Andee Layne of The Honeybee blog...she's fashionable and her pregnancy was no exception!

Even though I still have all of my maternity clothes, I'd really like to try to use as few maternity items as possible. Forever 21 is a good option for stylish yet forgiving clothes on the cheap. I'm sure most of my maternity wear is "out of style" now anyway!

Looking forward to sharing this next nine months with you...plan to do some outfit posts as well! xoxo

 
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Friday, September 6, 2013

Five on Friday


It's felt like a short week...and it sort of has been thanks to Labor Day weekend! So now it's time for:



{one}
Hear who is going to play Christian Grey in the upcoming film adaptation of every woman's sinful novel guilty pleasure - 50 Shades of Grey? Oh yes, none other than...


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Charlie Hunnam...AKA Jax from Sons of Anarchy. Oh man, he is HOT. Definitely looking forward to this movie now {as if I wasn't regardless!} I'm not so sure about Dakota Johnson, but she does play an awkward, pretty in her own weird way girl pretty well on Ben & Kate, so it fits the bill, I think. Looks like I need to get to finishing the trilogy...I left off last year in the second book somewhere.

{two}
Did you know Grandparent's Day is this Sunday? I was a good daughter and daughter-in-law and had my boys make these for each set of grandparents:



Easy-peasy and maybe a little cheesy, but that's what grandparents love, right?

{three}
My Emily-Maynard-inspired Aztec sweater arrived and it's oh-so adorable. I really love the colors. Here's my remaking of her outfit:



I know, I know, we may as well be twins, right? Ha, yeeeeeah. She's gorgeous...I'll claim her style, not her looks! I can't wait to rock this outfit once the weather cools a bit!

{four}
Did you check out my new command center/bar area I posted about this week?




{five}
These boys are excited to share something with you soon...




Don't they just look so cool? Haha...

Have a great weekend, everyone!
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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Blogtember: Be The Person You Would Want to Meet

I'm here with another Blogtember post:

Thursday, September 5: Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered.

For this one, I'm actually going to regurgitate a post I created around this time last year. I have found it to be some pretty crucial advice for anyone...especially myself. I hope you enjoy.

Here goes:



Simple enough, right? I mean, it should be. I know that there are times when I've not put my best foot forward in my circle of friends, or even with complete strangers. I was younger then, and I'm human...and we all know that young + human = mistakes. I know there have been times I could have given off a better impression.

Now that I'm older {oh, and so much wiser}, I find myself really contemplating my actions and my words before I release them. It's a matter of stepping outside of myself and seeing it from someone else's perspective. Like, what would I think of a person if they did or said this in this or that situation? Would I respect them, understand them, admire them? If my answer to any of those questions is no...well, then, I take a step back and reconsider.

I find that as a woman, I face a lot of adversity...the Nosy Nancys, Chatty Cathys and Judgy {read: jealous} Janes can take a toll on you. Women are natural competitors and have a bad rap for tearing each other down without mercy...or being nice to your face while holding a knife to your back. It can be hard not to fall into that game yourself. I know I have a time or two {or twenty maybe}. I'm sure that I've lost friends along the way because of this kind of senseless and cruel stuff {sometimes it was me; sometimes it was them}...in fact I know it. I don't know of many girls that can't say they've lost a friend or two because of stupid girl stuff.

What have I done to change? I don't know that I've necessarily changed as far as how I ultimately feel in those adverse situations, but I've definitely changed how I react to those feelings...because how I react is what people see; what they remember about me. They don't see the feelings...nor do they probably care. I don't want the first, or last, impression I leave on someone to be a negative one. I want people to see a girl that takes the high road...a girl that bites her tongue and smiles instead...a girl that kills adversity with kindness...a girl worthy of respect and admiration. I don't try or want any girl to be jealous of me. I don't even believe there's a lot of reason to be. Does that mean I don't have a lot going for me? No...it just means that I know I'm not the cat's meow and there is always something someone else has to offer that I can't. I don't want anyone to be jealous...there's a difference between admiration and jealousy. I want people to just think I'm a worthwhile person...and if I have strengths that maybe they don't, then I would rather they feel inspired by those strengths or even ask me for advice. Just as I want to be able to do with them because we are all different, we are all talented...and we all have strengths and weaknesses...we all have something to offer. I've given up the game of gossip...I don't want to hurt others. I want others to see a friend in me when they need one...or even when they don't think they need one. I want people to see the genuine person that would bend over backward for a friend or loved one...the person that remembers birthdays without the help of Facebook {if I knew you well enough in grade school, yes, I remember your birthday. Don't ask me why.} I want them to see the person that lives and works hard for her husband and sons...that is appreciative of all of God's great gifts. That person is me; the real me, but if I show them anyone other than that person, why would they want to give me a second thought? Why would they even go as far as to shake my hand?

You will always face some sort of adversity in life...what matters...and what really burns a memory in others' heads about you...is the manner in which you face that adversity.


Coco said it best, didn't she?
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Blogtember: 3 Months of Freedom

Wednesday, September 4: If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do? (bonus points for fun photos from Pinterest, but don't forget to cite the source!)


This is an interesting one - mostly because having three months of freedom without worrying about this life, the bills, etc...would be an absolute dream!

I'm a dreamer. I often catch myself envisioning what I would do if I could just take off for a while, if money were no issue. I imagine frolicking on tropical beaches, traveling to beautiful countries, taking in other cultures and trying new things.


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As I'm a woman who became a mom at 22, you can imagine I haven't traveled very much. I barely got my passport at age 25 when my husband and I went to St. Maarten on our honeymoon. Other than that, I've just been in the States...and really not that many of them. My husband often talks {read: brags} of his USCG travels and all of the amazing places he's seen.


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I would love to spend three months going to places I've always wanted to see and just renewing my mind and spirit. {And I'd probably fly in my husband and boys for a week or so here and there too.}



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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Command Center / Bar

Most things in my house serve dual duty...kitchen/dining room, play room/home office/fitness room, Tanner's room/guest bedroom...you get the gist. You've got to do your best to work with what you've got. So, in keeping with our multipurpose trend around here, I've put together my bar and our command center. {Makes it easy to drown the hectic lifestyle stress with a gin and tonic, right?}




We took down our wall organization system last April when we painted the kitchen and living room and have just never put it back up since. I think I was hoping to find another wall somewhere to put it, but I never did. So, after having our bulletin boards and picture frames leaning on a wall in the never-used downstairs bathroom for months now {though I used a couple of the bulletin boards in our kids' art area}, I decided it was finally time to put it all back up. Now that school has started and the paperwork coming home is already piling {it's only been a week!} I knew it was time to get our command center back in business. That wall now also houses our buffet/bar...so I'll just have to make do and live with it. After all, it's best for the command center {and the bar} to be in our kitchen where we are every morning before the day begins {no, no, I don't start every day out with a stiff drink}.




The hanging mesh file baskets are for Tanner and Breckin. Each of them gets one for their misc. paperwork and artwork that I plan on later filing away in their schoolwork storage boxes to forever be cherished. Of course, Breckin doesn't get nearly as much paperwork as Tanner yet.

The calendar is just that - a calendar. I try to keep it up to date with activities and appointments to remember. And the other board is for pinning important things - such as invitations, reminders, etc. and the dry-erase part I like to use for my "Honey-Do" list and other notes to Hubby.




And the bar, well, it's sort of "in progress". I want to add more liquor canters, some cute straws and maybe some San Pellegrino. As you can see, our liquor canters and wine holder are currently empty...you can either see that as us being light drinkers, or us being complete lushes. Your choice.

*Update* - Had a BBQ over Labor Day weekend which forced me to stock the bar a tad...so here are some pics of the canters with actual alcohol in them.







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