Happy Halloween 2012

Let me start off by saying I am a little disappointed that we didn't try trick or treating a little bit...other than that I sure got my $5 out of the little dinosaur costume I bought on Black Friday last year. Not only did Zack wear it trick or treating in downtown Apex and two Halloween parties but he wore it around the house several afternoons.
Downtown Apex was a lot of fun

TOUCHDOWN!

What were you for Halloween?

I was a paleontologist with my dinosaur sidekick:

Market Ready

You saw the before and the almost after...here we are all moved in! The only rooms I am still working on are the boys rooms.  I love how I can showcase all our paintings and pictures from our travels.

Dining room complete with a bowl of mints and booklets for potential buyers. The paintings were painted from photos I took on a trip to Yangshou and the long pictures are a series of pictures from Hanoi that tell the history of Vietnam.  I found them for $1 and had them framed.

the rug in the hallway is like putting lipstick on a pig...but it's better than nothing

The kitchen

The living room...the painting above the mantle is from China and the family picture is of us at the Big Buddha in Hong Kong

The Bonus Room.  This room is a total mix of Adam, Zack and I, the furniture was a mix of our pre-married furniture and the toys are all Zack's...who would have thought our "young adult" furniture would almost work together...that doesn't mean the Futon will stay when we move and buy "grown-up" furniture.  The dragon wall hanging is for "protection"

Zack's bathroom...I found pictures and had my painter friend use them to make our bathroom art...I miss the art village most of all.  I had to post a picture of the whale soap dispenser...perfect.

I thought with the mustard color in the bedding I would have to use some sort of yellow wall paint , but I love how this turned out.  I am so glad the yellow scared me off while I was buying paint and I quick picked up the light gray.  Above our dresser is a Romeo & Juliet silhouette I fell in love with in Bali, and the wooden piece above the bed is from China.  I LOVE how this room looks...cool, romantic, soothing and fun.

As much as I hate still being in limbo...after 3 years I am used to it.  It is kind of nice to be ALMOST settled.  It is a great house...if it wasn't so far from Adam's work we might have decided to replace the carpet and stay a little longer.  Silly us, Zack and I like seeing Adam on weekdays.

Fall Photo Shoot

I have wanted to get some professional photos taken of our family for a LONG time...first problem: Zack is a runner, Adam doesn't smile or pose and I make awkward faces 19 times out of 20.  I don't want to pay for that...especially since I was not happy with our wedding photos because I don't feel like the photographer knew us enough to know what pictures to take.  I never know what to tell a professional, and  I don't want to pay for something I don't like....second problem (goes with my last statement) I am super cheap!  I hate paying for things when I can do it myself.  We did buy a super nice camera for a reason.
My friends and I decided to take some fall photos ourselves...several of us with DSLR's are bound to get a great shot or two at one of the toddlers.  Friday it looked like rain, some kids took extra long naps (why is it that they take long naps when you have to go somewhere), and some kids weren't feeling well.  It just ended up being 3 of us and I took over 350 pictures...here are my favorites:

This is how the posed shots went

priceless Zack faces...tell me a professional would have understood that this is my boy

non posed on the chair and fence

who knew you could have this much fun while mommy was trying to take pictures

I told you he was a runner

Here are some of the best for my grandmas and mom who hate when I make a collage because they like to print out the pictures: 

I LOVE this picture

How much fun is this kid?

the only time his feet were still

the cover of his country music album?

...and the back of the album

A little late but worth the wait!

Here are some video's from this summer at the lake...

Chasing ducks...this went on for about 20 min.  Adam and I think it is hilarious and adorable but we are a little biased.  Meanwhile several strangers stopped to watch our little boy in his shortalls chasing the poor ducks.

Adam taught Zack to jump...sort of.  Either way Zack is amused. 

27 weeks

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Maternity Clothes: yes...and I have actually purchased a few things for fall.

Best Moment This Week: hearing all the positive feedback about Hunters name...and hearing people call him Hunter

Weight Gain/Loss: +3

Gender: BOY...Hunter (still working on it) Milton

Movement: Even more than last week and pretty forceful. He hasn't picked a favorite kick spot so it always catches me off guard.

Food Craving: all things beef

What I miss: I would say summer but the weather is making Zack and I look ridiculous in summer clothes that don't fit.

Sleep: pretty good

What I am looking Forward to: finishing my nursery projects. I have a few in process that are almost done!

Symptoms: huge belly, fatigue, sore back (although I think big brother has a little to do with the fatigue and sore back)

Same/different: around this time in my last pregnancy we celebrated Christmas in Australia on the beach...this pregnancy I am looking forward to not going anywhere for Christmas.

Tummy Shot:

Nursery Projects

This may be my second kid but this is the first nursery that I (almost) get to decorate however I want. The almost is because I would love to do some sort of decorative pattern or have a bright accent wall, but didn't want to do that in a house we (hopefully) wont be in long.
The nursery colors are aqua and orange...people usually give me strange looks and say "oh" when I tell them...but trust me it will be cute!  I have pinned several examples of aqua/orange nurseries and they are all really cool!  I am anti-theme so colors and patterns need to pop.  I am also super cheap so DIY it is!
I sort of see this nursery as a staging room. Nonetheless I am super excited to have American craft stores around the corner (and I mean lots...6 within a 10 min. drive) that offer a 40% off one item coupon each week...and yes I go buy 1 item use the coupon and go back and buy another supply item with a new coupon...unless they do a 20% off all items even sale items coupon...then I go crazy with the stuff on sale.  Don't worry I don't waste gas...I stop off before a trip to the grocery store in the same shopping center.
Anyway...(sorry but I live my coupons) here are some projects I am working on:
The mobile: When I was pregnant with Zack I searched the Internet for a mobile that was boyish and didn't have sports/transportation/critters etc...I wanted something that would be simple (no mental stimulation in bed) and match my color scheme (who would have thought lime green and navy would be hard to find?).  Zack is 18 months old and still doesn't have a mobile...basically I have given up on a mobile for Zack and I searched pinterest for a DIY mobile for Hunter.

I saw this:

and decided to try it out...

 I am almost done with the first one.  The only thing I changed from the tutorial is I used foam balls thinking it would be a little more sturdy than a paper lantern.  The other two are different sizes and shades of orange...or at least they will be...when I finish...in 10 years.  (the lady on the tutorial said long weekend...um maybe if you don't eat, sleep or have any distractions)

The pegboard:
I love that we picked out a changing table that had shelves to fit the fabric drawers allowing me to add color to the table rather than having drawers...I quickly found out that I would rather not keep wipes and creams in the drawers and I considered hanging a shelf for butt care items but I ran across this:

I had to do it!  I bought a pegboard and painted it orange.  Now I just need the hooks and baskets.  I went back and forth on what color to paint the board and I figured I'll keep the accessories neutral and when Hunter is too big for a changing table I see this as a cool headboard...now to hang it...

The lampshade:
The lamp in the nursery was an old lamp that I in my bachelorette pad.  I considered painting the lamp but then I saw this:

I loved that it was my nursery colors and decided I needed a cool shade for my little dude:

The H:
My vision is to have a 3 foot tall h in an old typewriter font above the crib...however we are trying to sell the house and I figured the new owners wouldn't appreciate a big orange H painted on the wall and silly me I don't want to spend $50 on a wooden one.  I considered having Adam help me cut one with a jigsaw but I decided to try a more economical (50% off sale on foam board and a 20% off sale items coupon) option to make sure I really liked the look.  I searched pinterest just to make sure someone else already did this project and it worked.  Well I didn't find anything but I tried anyway...

FAIL!  The H is a little jagged and the paint made it bow.  I am considering trying this method of making my own decal to complete my vision...if it works...WOW...imagine the possibilities!

The "art":
I had to save the best for last...and I really can't take credit for the cuteness.  My goal when decorating is to have unique and personal touches with neutral furniture.  I figured you couldn't get more personal than a hand print and I really wanted Zack to contribute something for his little brothers bedroom.  I found several giraffe and lion hand prints (chosen because the colors of the animals fit the colors of the nursery).  I mixed a couple ideas and ended up with this:

The wooden plaque will have Hunters footprint in the rust orange...but I have to wait until January to finish that project.
I still have a lot to do but I am so excited to see things come together.
Can I just take a moment to thank my new obsession...pinterest? THANK YOU! (Adam just loves coming home every night to another project all over the living room floor)

6 month screening

No this isn't about my pregnancy. One year ago I had a basil cell carcinoma removed. I got yelled at by my dermatologist (in a respectful...I'm doing this for your own good sort of way). Apparently even though I thought I took care of my skin an protected it from the sun my "skin told him a different story". My shoulders and back are covered in sun spots. I was annoyed. I use sunscreen (SPF 50 or above...and don't tell me it's the same as SPF 30), I don't go to tanning beds, I don't lay out at the pool for more than 30 min...I even did my high school senior exit project on the suns damaging effects on skin. Who was this Indian doctor with his dark skin who didn't know my skin care history to tell me with my Norwegian skin and my sunscreen addiction that I had skin cancer because I didn't take care of my skin. He couldn't possibly understand that if I skip make up (which contains SPF) I get red cheeks walking across a parking lot! He couldn't possibly understand that while my friends went to tanning beds and laid out at the pool with no sunscreen I would lecture them with my blindingly bright white skin. I was the girl that came home from a snow ski trip with major sunburn on my face in the shape of my sunglasses even with sunscreen. I was the girl who spent summers in upstate new york where although we spent all day outside the sun wasn't horrible and I had aunts, grandmas and my mom putting sunscreen on me all day. Its rough when the sun singles you out over your brother, parents, friends, cousins etc...on every vacation. I had come to grips with the reality that no matter what I did (short of hiding inside) I would have at least one severe sunburn a summer. I was the only girl on the plane to St. Lucia with sunburn already; I had already gotten red during my 30 min (short and sweet) wedding ceremony. How could someone with naturally dark skin understand?
I realized though, that his job is to scare patients into taking care of themselves so that they don't get cancer. I respect that, but I was so nervous that he would find something I missed or give me a hard time because I had some (very little) color on my skin...I thought how much luckier patients with spring appointments were.
Of course I over think everything and my short appointment was very uneventful. The doctor found nothing to be concerned about and the nurse complimented my hair. Dr. Patel said I need to come back once a year for the rest of my life. I am very blessed that my skin cancer was the kind that could easily be burned and scraped off (do you need a little scare...think about smelling your own flesh being burned off)...I may not be so lucky next time but thankfully it's up to me and how much I take care of my skin.

Pumpkin Painting

Call me overprotective but I didn't really want to give my toddler a sharp knife to carve a pumpkin...but I did want him to be a part of decorating our pumpkins.  I gave my extremely active toddler who can't even color with crayons without throwing them, eating them and or breaking them...ok, it had the potential to be a really BAD idea.  My hubby didn't want any part in it, and watched from afar.
I knew it could be a total disaster, ending in a major mess in the kitchen, but...

How is it that he knew what to do?

He really was careful and took his time...who is this kid?

Only a little paint in the hair...none on the floor, shirt or chair

So maybe the paints ended up in a mess (and these are now Zack's paints so no need to freak out at the mixed colors)

A true artist concentrates

...and holds one hand in the air

maybe it's because I'm his mother, but I think this pumpkin looks wonderful!