Handmade Cards

Saturday mornings are perfect for lounging in your pajamas, listening to music, and making adorable handmade cards. I spent a few hours this morning at my craft table making some cards for my personal stash and they turned out so adorable! I love using up some of my supplies and creating card ideas as a I go along. Most of my supplies are from Stampin' Up and my favorite colors are reflected in these cards. Here are a few pictures of the cards I made this morning. Happy Saturday!

Baby Girl Nursery Inspiration

Our little girl's room will soon be remodeled and designed just for her! The room is the perfect size and just across the hall from our room and has a good sized closet for all of her adorable clothes! I have been browsing Pinterest and various websites for ideas for the nursery including colors, furniture, and decor accents. Here are just a few of my favorite ideas that I have pinned on my Future Baby Room board on Pinterest:

• DIY Ledges for Books and Pictures: This link has a great tutorial on building these shelves to hold all of her books, photos of baby girl and family, and maybe even an decorative letter for her first initial.

• Changing Table and Dresser: I absolutely love this changing table/dresser combo! I just can't decide between the ivory color or the dark brown wood color. And finding a crib to match perfectly might be a bit challenging :)

• Button Letter Art: I just love the look of this picture and it looks so easy to make. This would be a fun way to use leftover craft buttons and have baby girl's initial displayed on the wall.

I am excited to create a nursery for our little girl that will be sweet, calming, organized, and inviting. She will be spending many days and nights in her room and I hope we can create the perfect little space for her. I will be posting before and after pictures in the coming months as we put together the nursery, so stay tuned!

21 Weeks

Wow, 21 weeks has gone by fast! I know I didn't feel like the pregnancy was going by fast when I had all day naseau during weeks 5 to 14, but I definetly feel like the days are going by faster now that I am feeling great! I love this stage in the pregnancy and enjoy seeing my belly grow just a bit bigger every week. Here are my pregnancy updates for the week and a picture of my growing belly:

How far along? 21 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 3 pounds

Maternity Clothes? Yes! I have been wearing lots of summer dresses and anything that keeps me cool in this hot weather!

Stretch Marks? Nope :)

Sleep? Not great, I have been really tired the last few days and finding it hard to turn off my brain at night when I am ready to go to bed.

Best Moment this Week? Feeling little baby girl move and starting to really realize that we are having a daughter. Each day it sinks in more and I bond more and more with this baby and my growing belly.

Miss Anything? I miss sleeping through the night without having to pee and being able to sit outside in the heat without instantly melting and sweating like crazy.

Movement? Yes, I feel her move throughout most of the day... sometimes she kicks but most of the movement is slight flutters and sometimes it feels like bubbles in my tummy :)

Food Cravings? Still craving sweets including tapioca pudding and fruit popsicles. I also am loving Rice Krispies cereal (sometimes even for dinner)!

Anything Making you Queasy? Not really, I just notice my nose is much more sensitive.

Gender? Girl!

Labor Signs? No way!

Belly Button In or Out? In

General Mood? Pretty good. Other than being tired, I feel great. If I could just find a way to nap every afternoon, then I would be even better!

Looking Forward To? I am excited to work on the baby registry in the next few weeks and have started narrowing down ideas for baby girl's nursery.

I am looking forward to all of the fun planning over the next few months and enjoying this special time in my life. I keep reminding myself that little baby girl is the safest she will be right now growing in my belly and I need to cherish this time for as long as it lasts. I hope to remember the feelings and emotions of being pregnant, forever!

Opening Day!

Tonight is the first home game of the season for the Grand Junction Rockies and we are thrilled to be season ticket holders for the inaugural year! We will be heading down to the ballpark later this afternoon to check out our seats along the first base line and catch the first game of the season. My husband is a die hard baseball fan and has been talking about opening day for weeks. He is so excited to have season tickets and looking forward to catching over 30 games this summer. It is going to be scorching hot at the game today, so I planning on drinking lots of water and catching some shade when I can. I am excited to spend lots of time with my husband at the ballpark this summer and get a great tan! :) Play Ball!

First Day of Summer

Happy First Day of Summer!!! Summer has always been one of my favorite times of year and Summer always reminds me of being a kid at the pool, taking trips with my family to Lake Powell, taking a break from school, and enjoying the great weather! This Summer will be a busy one for us filled with lots of baseball games, planning the nursery, enjoying the sunshine, and tackling our summer to do list. Here are just a few things I have pinned on Pinterest that remind me of Summer:

• Summer Fun Checklist for the Family: I can't wait to tackle this list in the summers to come with our little girl!

• Strawberry and Blueberry Mini Cheesecake Trifles: These treats are so adorable for any 4th of July get together... and they look delicious!

• Popcorn Bar: This would be a perfect party idea for watching a movie on the backyard lawn! And who doesn't love popcorn?!!

Summer has officially arrived for us with almost 100 degree temps each day and loads of sunshine! I plan on soaking in Summer for as long as I can!

20 Weeks

I can't believe how fast the last couple of months have gone by. It amazes me that we are halfway through the pregnancy as of today. In just a few months, we will have our precious little baby girl to bring home and love! Here are some updates for this week:

How far along? 20 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 2.8 pounds

Maternity Clothes? Definitely! I probably need to go shopping for some maternity shorts soon, cause it is getting hot here... already hit 100 degrees this past weekend.

Stretch Marks? No

Sleep? It comes and goes... I sleep great for a few hours and then toss and turn the rest of the night.

Best Moment this Week? Seeing our little baby on the ultrasound yesterday and finding out we are having a girl... we are so excited for a little girl!

Miss Anything? Not really... I am loving this part of the pregnancy!

Movement? Yes and I love it! She moves a little bit at night but mostly in the mornings and I love the feeling of little flutters in my tummy! :)

Food Cravings? Sweets and frozen treats! I love the frozen lemonade containers that you can get at the movies :)

Anything Making you Queasy? Not really, but I am swearing off red meat for awhile... it gives me a horrible tummy ache.

Gender? Girl! And we already have a precious name picked out for her!

Labor Signs? No way!

Belly Button In or Out? In

General Mood? Pretty good! I am feeling great most of the time and trying to catch sleep whenever I can. I love that it is summer and hope I can weather the heat.

Looking Forward To? We are planning on putting together the baby registry in a few weeks and picking out nursery furniture soon. Can't wait to put together an adorable room for our little girl.

I am loving this stage in my pregnancy and hope I continue to feel great! We have a busy summer planned with lots of baseball games, a few visits from family, and lots of preparation for baby girl. Now that we know what we are having, I am wanting the time to fly by so that we can meet our little girl!

It's a Girl!

Today was our 20 week ultrasound and we found out that our little bundle of joy is a girl! We are thrilled with the news and can't wait to meet our little girl! The ultrasound went great and baby girl is doing fantastic. Her heartbeat is strong and she is measuring tall (big surprise, huh? since both of her parents are 6 feet tall) and she is developing great. It was so great to see her swimming on the ultrasound and seeing her head and hands and feet and little fingers and toes. I am so excited for little baby girl to arrive this Fall and I have a feeling the next 20 weeks will not go by fast enough!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all of the great Dads out there! 

Today is the first time we are celebrating Father's Day for Michael and I started the morning with a great card for him to remind him how lucky our little baby is to have him for a dad. I knew when I married Michael that he was going to be an incredibly daddy someday and I can't wait to watch him with our little one. We have so many Father's Days ahead of us and I look forward to all of the memories we are going to create as a family!

I always think about my daddy and all that he has done for me throughout the years. He has always been supportive of me and my dreams and has worked so hard to provide an amazing life and so many experiences for my brother and I. I can't even begin to list all of the great memories we have together and all of the times he was there to cheer me on and offer guidance and support. I love the special relationship that a daughter and daddy have and I am so lucky to have an incredible dad and can't wait to see him enjoy being a grandpa!

My life was blessed with having a step dad as well, and Jeff has been a great support and friend to me throughout the years. He has never tried to replace my dad and instead has been a guiding light on so many things and a great example of enjoying life. I am grateful for his advice, his friendship, his love, and his support!

Michael's dad Mike is the best kind of father in law.... he is fun, kind, caring, supporting, loving, and such a great example for Michael. I love watching the relationship that Mike has with his kids and knowing that he raised an incredible son who will now be raising our little one. I am so grateful for amazing in-laws and the relationship I have with them!

I am so blessed to have amazing men in my life and cherish each relationship I have with them. I hope they all have a wonderful Father's Day!

Next Book Club Selection - Under a Maui Moon

We just finished book club and had a fantastic time as usual! We spent most of the time catching up, snacking on delicious treats and sweets, and then discussing the book. Just about everyone agreed that this book was a tough read and was relieved to get through it and move on to a lighter book. The next book we selected is perfect for summer and reminds me of a summer romance novel that you would read on the beach. We chose 'Under a Maui Moon' by Robin Jones Gunn and here is a short summary of the book:

Carissa doesn’t know who she is anymore. She and her husband, Richard, are recent empty nesters and Richard is spending more and more time at work and Carissa’s boss informs her that she’s been “let go.” She wonders where God is in all of this since He doesn’t seem to be around to protect her—and she’s already stopped trusting her husband.

In the midst of her world tilting off center, she’s offered time at a hideaway on Maui. Hiding seems like the best way to respond to life’s overload, and the thought of being alone sounds like just the right balm to soothe her wounded heart.

The languid Hawaiian sun, white beaches, and warm-hearted people bring respite, but meeting handsome Kai causes Carissa to toy with the idea of being romantically involved with him. Then, under a Maui moon, she looks to God for guidance and hope for the future. That’s when she discovers His hand still is on her life, and that love is closer than she ever realized.

I can already tell that I will love getting lost in this book and plan on starting to read it this weekend on my patio under the beautiful Colorado sunshine!

Book Recap - Survival in Auschwitz

I just finished reading the current book club selection, Survival in Auschwitz, and I must admit it was a tough read. Anytime you read a book based on a horrific historical event, it is a risk on whether the book will be dark and dreary or have a story intertwined with a happy ending. Anytime I read about the holocaust and the conditions prisoners endured, my heart aches for them. It reminds me that no matter how bad a day we can have now, it doesn't even come close to comparing to the heartache and struggle that these prisoners faced in Auschwitz. I am also reminded of my grandparents story of surviving the war and making a new life for themselves in our great country. This book was hard to read and not one I would recommend, but I always appreciate a story that teaches me to be grateful for my own life and all of the blessings I have. 

Tomorrow night is book club and I am hosting the gals at my house. I plan on making one of my favorite party recipes, Cheesy Artichoke Cups. These wonton cups are filled with artichoke hearts, cheese, garlic, and red bell pepper and are so delicious! You must make these for your next party or family get together. I always look forward to seeing the book club girls and look forward to choosing our next book selection. I will post our next selection on Friday... Happy Reading!

19 Weeks

It amazes me that I am already at 19 weeks along in this pregnancy and for the most part I am feeling great. So many people told me that the second trimester was the best and so far they are right! There are times that this journey is flying by and I am desperately trying to cherish each day and moment until our little baby arrives this fall. Here are my pregnancy updates for this week:

How far along? 19 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 3 pounds

Maternity Clothes? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I am trying to wear as many of my pre-pregnancy clothes as I can until my belly gets too big for them.

Stretch Marks? No

Sleep? I have been sleeping a bit better this past week and catching naps on the weekends as often as I can!

Best Moment this Week? I felt the baby move for the first time on Sunday night and it was the best feeling in the world! I feel so connected to this little miracle each time I feel a movement or a kick in my belly. 

Miss Anything? I miss having a good appetite... I still struggle to eat some foods and my stomach gets full after just a few bites of most things.

Movement? Yes! And I love it! The movements are so soft and slight and happen at various times throughout the day... I just love connecting to the baby each time he or she moves.

Food Cravings? Still craving sweets and dairy and I had the best grilled cheese yesterday!

Anything Making you Queasy? Sometimes the smell of cigarette smoke, gasoline, or car exhaust makes me gag so I am avoiding all of those at all costs!

Gender Prediction? I still feel pretty certain that it is a girl, but we find out next Monday!

Labor Signs? Nope!

Belly Button In or Out? In

General Mood? Ever since I felt the baby move, I have been on cloud nine! I am feeling great most days (except for being tired) and can't believe we are almost half way.

Looking Forward To: I am excited for our 20 week ultrasound on Monday so that I can see the baby again and find out if we are having a daughter or a son. Once the gender is confirmed, I can't wait to shop for this little one! ;)

The next few weeks are going to be so busy with finding out the gender, sharing the news with family and friends, working on a nursery design, and putting together the baby registry. Even though it will be busy, it will also be so much fun! I can't wait! :)

Feeling Movement!

Last night was the first time I felt the baby move and it was one of the most amazing feelings ever! I immediately looked at my husband and said 'the baby just moved!' and then I began to tear up. It is a feeling that is hard to describe and different than anything I have ever felt. The minute the baby moved, I was positive that the movement I was feeling was our little baby either kicking or pushing against me. I sat very still and in about an hour the baby moved three different times. Now that I have felt the baby move, the pregnancy and our soon to arrive baby seem so real! I hope to continue feeling movement each day, because the feeling is amazing and helps me bond and connect with this little miracle growing inside of me!

Caprese Burgers and Baby Red Potato Salad

Tonight we celebrated Father's Day a week early with my Dad and I made this delicious dinner, Caprese Sliders and Baby Red Potato Salad.

delicious sliders made with pesto, fresh mozzarella, and sliced tomato

easy and light potato salad (and easy on the mayo) :)

The burger recipe is from one of my favorite Food Network chefs, Giada de Laurentiis and this recipe definitely delivered great flavor! The potato salad was a recipe I saved on my Pinterest Recipe Board and was light and easy to make and was a great pairing with the sliders. This dinner was a perfect way to celebrate Father's Day and would be great at any summer get together. Enjoy!

Linguine with Shrimp, Artichokes, and Crispy Bread Crumbs

Each time my Dad visits for the weekend, we spend time together cooking and making a new recipe. Tonight's dinner was a super easy and quick recipe and tasted delicious! I found this recipe while reading Real Simple magazine a few months ago and knew I needed to save it for my Dad... he loves artichokes and anything with shrimp! 

 

The recipe can be found on Real Simple's website and is an easy one to add to your must make list for your family. Enjoy!

Sweet Tooth

My pregnancy cravings have definitely set in and sweets is what I have been craving. I still have several food aversions including most meat, anything too starchy, and most veggies. I have instead been indulging in dairy and sweets... hey, at least some of them are healthy options! :)

Here are just a few of my favorite sweets:

• Haagen Dazs Vanilla Raspberry Swirl - this is by far my favorite frozen treat at the grocery store and when they are sale, stock up cause I have learned that these little pints are not cheap!

• Dreyer's Strawberry Fruit Bars - these popsicles are perfect for cooling down on hot days and I love that they taste like real strawberries. I also love the Pomegranate flavor!

• Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Kettle Corn - this light and sweet treat is perfect for watching my favorite shows and satisfying both the crunch I love and the sweet I crave!

• Coconut Macaroons - this is my favorite cookie and the best ones ever come from a bakery in Salt Lake called Granite Bakery... and even better, my dad is bringing me a dozen tonight!

I am loving sweets right now and hope to find the balance between indulging in all the treats and maintaining a balanced diet... but hey, I am preggers and going to enjoy this while the craving lasts! :)

18 Weeks

Another week has flown by and we are only two weeks away from finding out the gender of our little bundle of joy! It seems like the days go by so fast and I am starting to think about all the things that need to be done before little baby arrives this Fall. I am also trying to enjoy each day that goes by and cherish the memories along the way. Here are my updates for this week and a picture of my belly from a few days ago:

How far along? 18 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 2 pounds

Maternity Clothes? Of course! I wear maternity clothes to work, pajamas on the weekend, and can still fit in my pre pregnancy jeans for at least another week.

Stretch Marks? No

Sleep? Not great... I can't seem to get comfortable at night and I am considering getting myself a Boppy prenatal pillow to help with my sleep.

Best Moment this Week? I am starting to really bond with my belly and thinking of the little baby inside. I like the quiet time at night when I can just hold my belly and say a prayer for our little one. 

Miss Anything? Missing wine at times and still craving sushi for some crazy reason!

Movement? Nothing yet, hoping to feel some movement soon.

Food Cravings? I have had a little bit of a sweet tooth lately and have been indulging in frozen yogurt and fruit popsicles.

Anything Making you Queasy? Not really, but still don't have much of an appetite.

Gender Prediction? Totally a girl, I feel pretty certain about it.

Labor Signs? Not yet and better not be for awhile!

Belly Button In or Out? In

General Mood? I have been kind of moody lately and somewhat emotional. I find that when I am not sleeping well that I get cranky...

Looking Forward To: My Dad is visiting this weekend and we are going to hang out and work on some projects. I am also in countdown mode till June 18th when we have the next ultrasound and then sharing the gender with all of our family and friends!

I sometimes still pinch myself that we are having a baby in about 22 weeks and feel so blessed to bring this baby into our lives and into our families! This baby is already so loved and blessed!

Apple Crisp

I have had a major sweet tooth all day and just happened to have all of the ingredients in the house to make homemade apple crisp! This recipe has been made in my family for years and is so easy and so delicious. It reminds me of a comforting fall dessert, but I am making it while it is 90 degrees outside! Hey, when the baby is craving sweets, sometimes you just have to make something to satisfy the craving :)

Here is the easy and oh so delicious recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts sliced peeled apples
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cup brown sugar (well packed)

Topping:

• 1 cup of butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup uncooked oatmeal
• 1/2 cup flour 
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

• Place sliced apples in a buttered 9 by 13 inch glass oven safe pan. 
• Combine cinnamon, brown sugar, and flour. (from first list of ingredients)
• Sprinkle mixture over apple slices and lightly toss.
• In a separate bowl, melt the butter and then add oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. (from second list of ingredients)
• Sprinkle topping mixture over the apple slices.
• Bake with foil on for 15 minutes and then uncovered for another 25 minutes in a 325 degree oven until the apples are cooked and the crisp is warmed through.

This dessert is so yummy served hot from the oven and topped with vanilla ice cream... I am in sweet tooth heaven tonight! :)