Sunday, April 24, 2016

The Last Several Months

The last several months have been a whirlwind.  They have been filled with a myriad of small projects, major life changes, and getting ready for all that's next.  

In September, my mom and I finished up some baby projects for two cousins of mine that were expecting babies.  My mom made a blanket and some onesie dresses and I made a tag lovie and a boppy slipcover.  

Blanket my mom made
Onesie dress


Tag Lovie I made
Front of tag lovie

Top of Boppy Cover 

Bottom of Boppy Cover



There were also of course some trips to the lake last fall, which the dogs loved.  Aria is a big fan of fishing and thinks catching fish is just about the best thing ever.

Watching for fish

Best buds in the boat
We also found out our biggest news this fall, that we are pregnant!  Couldn't be more excited and had a wonderful time sharing the news with our loved ones in the fall and making plans for our little one.
How I told Justin
The book we gave my folks to announce baby


In October it was my 30th birthday and my hubby and friends spoiled me.  My wonderful husband got me some custom made yellow chacos, they are one of a kind!  If you, like me, are a chaco fan (and why wouldn't you be, they are the most amazing shoes ever!) and you didn't know you could design your own pair, now you do.  Just go here, if nothing else, it's fun to see what all you can combine and create.  
My friends and I painted together for my birthday at Sip N Paint Studios.  It was a lot of fun, definitely an activity I'd do again!

Check out my awesome new chacos

My finished painting

The ladies and I with our paintings

We also got our first glimpse of baby in an ultrasound in October!

First ultrasound

Aria with her Halloween garb on
In November, we took a quick trip to Missoula for the Montana/Eagles football game.  It was a wonderful trip with dear friends and we won the game!  Can't wait to go again in two years!

Pregame 
We also got to have some of our family up for a few days at Thanksgiving, which was wonderful!  We had good food and company, just too short of a time as always.  Hopefully more of us can get together next year for Thanksgiving.

And in November we shared our wonderful news with the world.

Our announcement

As usual, December found us busy with Christmas projects.  Although this year, we didn't go all out homemade, there just wasn't the time.  So my husband and I just homemade our gifts for one another this year, and we made our cards.  We had a lovely Holiday Season, found out our dear friends who are having a baby in May were having a boy, took a quick trip to Montana for an early Christmas with my brother & sister-in-law, saw some extended family, and had a quiet Christmas morning at home.  

This year's mantle, complete with a baby stocking

The pups loved Christmas Tree hunting!

Front of this year's card

Inside of this year's card

Driving home from Montana

Pajama pants I made for Justin

Snow globe Justin made for me

Another snow globe Justin made for me

In January, my folks took off on a snowbird adventure down south so we took their dog in for a few months and worked on organizing things around our house.  I like things organized anyway, but with a baby on the way going through and thinning things out became an even higher priority.  So, on the weekends, we went through our entire house, reorganizing and thinning things out.  A ton of clutter was purged and everything has a place again, what a relief!

We also found out in January that we were expecting a BOY!!!  Had a small girls night with my closest friends & in town cousins for a gender reveal.  So, for that reveal, we made a pinata.  It was easier to make than I expected and fun to decorate.  

Baby's covering his face

It's a BOY!


Pinata we made for gender reveal

Through February and March we worked on several small projects, got letters for baby's name project in the nursery, worked on putting together his crib & dresser and picked paint colors.  It was a mild winter but went by quickly.  

Letter's for his name in nursery

Crib set up

Dresser set up

I also finished up a couple of Valentine's decor projects that I've had on the back-burner for awhile.  I think they turned out quite well!

Sign I painted

Valentine's Wine Light 

Baby's face at our February ultrasound!

And then there was more organizing.  We are so blessed to have friends who have boys and kept their clothes then passed them on to us.  They gave us an amazing amount of clothes and we are set for quite awhile!  So March saw clothes sorting and placing in totes for easy use later on.

About half the totes of clothes


Brandy & Aria 

Aria's Easter Bunny, it's almost as big as she is!
My folks returned just after Easter with baby things in tow and help for the projects on our list!  First up, my mom helped me finish a basketball blanket for a dear friend and dad jumped in on painting the nursery.  We've been keeping them busy since they got home.


Front of blanket I made for a friend
Back of blanket

Tag on blanket

We are continuing to keep busy with projects both at home and at my folk's to try to get as much as we can wrapped up before Elliot's arrival.  

Next up: Nursery


Library, Library

Last fall we finished up the last couple of projects for our home library and put the finishing touches on it.  This is my new favorite room in the house (Aria's too).

Here's what this room was before.
When we moved in

Office room



Office desk
Then we upgraded to just a sitting area and no desk

And got new chairs

And the steps along the way to make our home library.

New paint 


Starting the shelves

Aria is helping

Shelf progress

View from the library window






Lights up on the bookcase
Art and floating bookshelves
Working on the lights
Aria's bed

Our two projects other than the bookcase and decor were a custom table and lamp that we made.  They are the finishing touches.

The materials for the table

Stain & feet on

Books for the table

Getting there

Thrilled with how it turned out

Starting the book lamp
And putting it together
All done
And love the way it turned out!

And the finished room.

Bookshelf Wall


New reading area by the window

Picture wall

Love how this turned out!

This is Aria's new favorite spot

Next up: The Last Several Months