Road Trip

As we speak I am on the road with my amazing friend Anna (The Colorful Living Project)! We are headed to the beach for a baby free weekend! Two of my other favorite girls, Lauren and Kate will be joining us later this afternoon! I am SO excited. Anna is doing a photography shoot over in Hilton Head and we are all kind of tagging along, making a girls trip out of it! Thanks Anna! We get to stay for the first night at an AMAZING 4 star resort, then on to Charleston!  I'm so looking forward to relaxing, soaking up calmness, laughs and good talks.

It might rain for part of our time, but heck, we are all gonna be baby free, we can run around on the beach in the rain if we feel like it. haha. 

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Here are some links and treats that I've been enjoying!

THE most moving birth story I have seen probably ever. The emotion the photographer captured made me bawl my eyes out. CLICK HERE. 

Sweet little wooden toys that I am loving. HERE. HERE and HERE.

A fun Peter Pan birthday by one of my favorite bloggers, Mer Mag. CLICK HERE. 

LOVE her jewelry! CLICK HERE.

A sweet blog that has lots of eye candy. CLICK HERE. 

20 Months

Oh Kael, you steal my heart away every single day. You love being chased more than anything, especially by your daddy. You run EVERYWHERE. Forget walking. Your happy screams are my favorite sounds in the world. My heart can't take it.  The kisses that you've started giving us, unannounced with complete spontaneity have made our hearts explode. Instead of puckering your lips for a kiss, you just stick your bottom lip out and close your little eyes, it's precious.

 I realize more and more every day how affectionate you really are and I'm soaking every second of you up. I find myself getting less work done because I can't get over the wonder of you and your growing little soul. Snuggles on the couch, your sweet smiles that are meant just for me in the morning...this is heaven.

You're obsessed with clocks. Oh good lord. You can spot one on a billboard, in the car, in a grocery store on a tv show, anywhere. It's your favorite word in the world to say. (I'm glad I'm not the only one in the family that is obsessed with them.) You also are in love with rocks, which makes my heart happy. You don't hesitate to run outside, barefooted, onto the gravel driveway to pick out just the right little stones. When you bring them to me, as if they were diamonds, with sparkles in your eyes, it's the world 10 times brighter in my heart. Can I tell you something? I've kept every single one you've given me. I have them all in a little jar. Yeah, I know it will overflow one day but, they are my treasures from your first adventures in life. Building towers in your specific way is a hoot to watch. You wear your thoughts on your face. Your daddy and I have all the entertainment we need just watching you figure things out, processing your thoughts or trying to tell us something.

We've started telling you about your little brother in my tummy. When I ask you where "momma's baby" is,  half the time you point to my belly and the other half you point to yourself with a big grin on your sweet face. You'll always be my baby. Sigh. You are truly Mr. Copycat lately. I realized that when you started grunting and moaning when you get up from sitting down or try to pick something up. You're copying your groaning, achy pregnant momma. haha. It just started getting more difficult to spring off the couch or play on the floor with you and you've noticed, sound effects and all. haha. You little ham.

Little handsome, I love you. We're going to have so much fun this summer. Keep growing in love, calmness and adventure.

Love,
Momma

My jar full of treasures. 

Fun DIY! Sponsor: Kaylan Buteyn Photography

One of my lovely sponsors this month is a beauty and photographer named Kaylan. She has a fabulous blog where she features her photography and writes sweet and simple posts on her and her husband's day-to-day life. (Which includes their first journey into the world of parenthood! Eee!) I simply love her! They JUST found out if they are having a boy or girl and did a super sweet post on it. You should check out her blog, it will be a treat for your heart! 

I love these fun DIY projects! 

 This is a post she recently did that I love! I'm going to do this for my little boys! I can't wait, I've got so many ideas now! CLICK HERE to see it.

How cute is this origami crane mobile she made!? Ah! So sweet! CLICK HERE to see this post. 

Cravings: Snow Cones

I've been craving snow cones like a crazy woman lately. What do I do when this urge hits me? I pintrest and google search recipes and places. I couldn't NOT share these links and treats that I found! Enjoy! 

I found this from my new FAV food blog! Ah! Beware, when you venture onto The Kitchy Kitchen your stomach will start to talk to you! 

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1 pint strawberries, quartered
2 tablespoons basil, torn (about 4 large leaves)
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pint coconut water (from a box is fine)

For instructions on how to make this yummy treat go to THE KITCHY KITCHEN!

Fresher Than Fresh 

Snow Cones

Ah! This little gem of a sweet spot has me envious of every soul that lives in Kansas City. They make 100% natural gourmet snow cone syrups and have the yummiest sounding flavors. I'm hosting a baby shower for one of my dearest friends this summer and what I would give to have them cater it. Wouldn't that be the coolest? Kate, doesn't this look freaking amazing? Sigh.  ;)

source

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Some of their yummy flavors from their website! I love the art!

source from the above illustrated flavor art

Charlie and Nell

I love to sew. It was a fabulous friendship that started when I was 11, the year my great-grandma moved in with us. With her came the most amazing stories, sweet smiles, memories and TONS of sewing goodies. Fabrics, needles, hundreds of buttons, old patterns and tomato pin cushions, asked to be my friend that year. Nellie, my "Nama" sewed all my mom and aunt's clothes for them growing up.  She also made every grand and great grandchild a quilt or two and you could rest assured you were getting a hand stitched something for christmas. She was the coolest. From then on, I would find myself  in my room for hours, figuring out how to stitch bonnet sue's onto old muslin and piecing together the doll patterns my Nama had used and saved. That's where my love for it all began and so it seemed fitting to name my little shop venture after her and my great-grandpa Charlie.

Say hello to a few of my "Charlie & Nell" dollies! ( 2 more little ladies will be added to the store in the morning. ) Kael has a couple of the bearded lads and LOOOOOVES them. They are almost his size so he always tries to make them walk beside him which is the cutest. We call his "Mr. Bow-tie" because of a mustard bow tie I added to it for him. So, they are great for guys or gals. :)

I've decided to just sell what I have as I make them instead of waiting for myself to finish a huge bulk stock. I quickly realized that if I waited til then, it would never really happen. :)

I created the pattern, and lovingly create each one uniquely from vintage fabrics,  trims and recycled materials! I will continue to add more as I make them. :) I'm starting off on Goodsie, but might switch to Etsy later. I've never sold anything online before, just to friends and from word of mouth so, this is all new to me. I'm learning as I go! Thanks for encouraging me!

Enjoy!

Charlie & Nell store CLICK HERE

Not Just Coffee: Boy? Girl?

Our favorite coffee bar is an AMAZING place called, "Not Just Coffee" and it is seriously the best coffee in Charlotte with a handcrafted espresso and pour over coffee menu! Makes me weak in my knees! haha. Today, it really was "not" just coffee for us!  Samuel called me on his way to our appointment with this idea of revealing the gender at NJC, instead of finding out in the sonogram room. (They don't let you film in there and Sam really wanted to get our reaction on tape to have for our little family's life story.) I was thinking we'd just go old school and tweet it, but Sam was pretty stoked about this idea. So, I was like, "Why the heck not? I'm married to a film maker, I'm gonna embrace it." I called James, the owner of the coffee bar, and he was down for it! It was a treat and a precious memory for my heart! Ah! I can't tell you how excited we are, we got our heart's desire! I'm so in love.

My soul is soaring with happiness and bursting with smiles at the memories I'm anticipating for the future!

If you live or are visiting the Charlotte area, your life experience is not complete until you go visit Not Just Coffee! Go have one of their oh so amazing cappuccinos, teas or latte's and enjoy the flavor. They are located on east 7th street in the Uptown area. Here is their page, NJC!

Dear Forest Boy

My Dear Forest Boy, 

I feel like the most privileged girl in the world to be your momma. Watching you learn and grow, these past months, has been the most magical, new and emotional adventure my heart has ever taken. All of a sudden, the mantra of countless moms, dads and grandparents saying: "Enjoy it, they grow so fast..." has become the beginning of a new reality for me. I feel like I want to press the pause button, weeks at a time, so I can soak up the new pages of your exploding personality. Now that you're going to be a big brother, I find myself living in slow motion more than I used to. I know that in just a few months, we'll have a new friend and adventurer to share our time with. It' won't be just you, me and daddy anymore. That thought excites my heart and it makes me kinda sad at the same time. Not a real sad, but just a realization that things will be kind of different; a good different but different just the same. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to watch you be a big brother and have a new friend for life. I can't wait to watch you two play and come in from outside covered in, Lord knows what, with big grins on your face. But, back to us. You are our best little buddy. You make me and your daddy laugh and love like no other human on earth can. I love you. You have been sunshine to me, and have been the source of so much growth in my own heart and life. The last 5 months, when my heart was the most broken it's ever been, you were the greatest source of comfort and light in such a dark time. You were literally the heart of Jesus to me in my most vulnerable moments. Thank you for that sweetheart. You are such a joy. There are so many new happy memories to be made and places to be explored!  Your daddy and I adore you!

It's going to be a fun day today! We all will get to find out if you're going to have a little brother or sister. You, me and your Daddy, we're getting ready for another extravaganza of love, aren't we!? Let's go, full speed ahead! 

All the love in my heart, 

Momma

Some of my most precious memories being made lately have been taking Káel to his favorite park on sunny days. Sam captured a few of these memories for me a couple of weeks ago. I love having a film guy as my husband. Can't wait to watch all of our videos with our kids when they are older! ;) <3