Sheila and Josh

Yesterday evening, Sam and I met our friends, Josh and Sheila at a nearby park to take some pictures of them together. Even though the sun had pretty much gone down, it was still 91 degrees outside, making it pretty yucky to be outside. We had fun just the same. Sheila told me that she realized out of all the maternity pics she had, Josh had always been out of town so he wasn't in any of them. So, before their little girl, Elloise arrives, they wanted to make sure they had a least a few shots together. When she asked if we could, I was like "heck yes!" Here are some of my favorites. They are SUCH an incredibly beautiful couple and Sheila has one of the prettiest, piercing serious smiles I've ever seen. We are so excited to meet their little princess!  Sheila has a blog if you'd like to check it out and get to know her a little better. Click HERE. 

Tomorrow, I'll post more with some black and white shots from our little photo sesh. Have a pretty day!

Thanks for voting for our blog and keeping us on the front page of Top Baby Blogs. :) 

 

5 Minute Makeover

Side note: This gray (non-materntiy) top was also my favorite top to wear during my last 2 trimesters or pregnancy. 

 Top: American Apparel
 Skirt: Urban Outfitters
 Sandals: a shop in Jerusalem
 Head wrap: a random jersey knit scarf
 Stone locket: Little bedouin shop in Israel

Lately with packing, the move and then the unpacking, my wardrobe of choice has been limited to a pair of board shorts, my favorite green tank top and flip flops. I'm not gonna lie. My hair is usually twisted up with my hair wrap in a messy bun and I'm lucky if I stop to put on lip gloss. Soon, my cute outfits will all be unpacked and I can get back to styling myself once again. But in the meantime, I have a few pieces of simple threads that I can quickly mix and match for a 5 minute makeover, when I need to go somewhere in a hurry. 

Last week was one of those days. I was a semi-sweaty mess and I had a chance to go hang with some girls and do some crafty knitting. I waited until the last minute (of course) to decide if I could make the time to go. That meant, either going in my grungies (aka, the moving uniform of attire, previously stated above...the shorts I'd worn for 4 days in a row, etc.) OR I could try and throw myself together in 5 minutes. I thought you might enjoy seeing that rushed, thrown together me. These pictures are the result of my comfiest items that pass as cute, a scarf to hide my dirty hair, a couple of accessories, and a touch of mascara. Who says you need hours to get ready? Bam! 5 minutes later and a good dose of deodorant, emerged  a simple, understated bit of  boho-casual goodness. 

I found this metal and stone locket in a bedouin market in Jerusalem...I like to put little leaves or other treasures I might find in there while I'm out on walks and such. 

I wear these sandals  more than any other shoe that I own. Next time I'm in Israel, I'm buying 5 pairs. 

I did a simple, half-turban wrap with my scarf and found some feathers for my ears.

10 Months (Late)

My beautiful boho boy has been changing and growing so fast these past couple of months that I can't keep up. Here are some pictures I took of him when he was 10 months old, before we moved.  Last month is when he became obsessed with standing all the time and walking with just holding on to one of our fingers. Oh Lord, here it comes. It's going to be non-stop from here. I can feel it. His smile started looking more "big boy" as 2 new teeth poked through, one on the bottom and one on the top. Each month he proves more and more that he is a total ham, and full of personality. The fact that he has increasingly become more snuggly the past couple of months instead of less, makes me feel like the most blessed momma on the planet. Yes, I'll take some Forest boy cuddles please. ;) Seriously, I can't stop giving him kisses. One of my favorite things he started doing at 9-10 months is pretending like he's feeding me or sharing his food when I give him his meals. It's so dang cute!

Oh Káel, you are my little dream catcher. You are opening my heart more and more every day. Being your momma is the most magical, unexplainable experience. I never thought I could feel this kind of love. You just amaze me everyday with your smiles that are meant just for me, the way you giggle when your daddy kisses you and your expression when you are trying to figure a new something out. You are the sweetest, most glorious dream, my little love. You make life more incredible than I or your daddy can describe. Everyone who knows and loves you has an extra smile on their face because of who you are. Happy adventuring my small sir. I love you. -Momma

This head wrap was sent to me by one of my amazing readers, Kevan Christine. You can check out more of her goodies here or her blog here.

He tries to copy his daddy and push the foot pedals while he plays the piano.

He started crawling down stairs at 10 months...only supervised. ;)

We tie-dyed these cotton pants at his baby shower and they have been the best knee saver, when he crawls on concrete. 

I prayed that he would have his daddy's eyebrows and eyelashes.... my wish was granted. ;) Eeeeee! I can't get enough of his little face!

Favorite Moment

I took this picture at Becca's baby shower and I am in love with this moment. They have an old piano in a back room that the kids discovered pretty quick. I ran and grabbed my camera before they realized they were being adored. ;)

This morning I'm thinking of taking my little boy on a nice long walk at the park and then diving into some more settling and nesting in my little home. I hope you guys have an inspiring day!

I'M BACK!

I'M BACK!!!! Gah, I've missed connecting with you all. The internet has been connected at our house finally! This past week has been THE craziest, but one of the most fun! The baby shower was a total success yesterday! A ton of people were able to make it out, even though I got the invites sent out kind of last minute. It was a BLAST!  Note to self, do not plan a baby shower the week you move. Looking back, I should have thrown it a couple weeks before we moved, but of course I didn't. Oh Jess... Seriously though, it was so much fun and perfect! Becca got so many wonderful goodies for her little boy, it made my heart smile so big! We invited all of their friends, girls, guys and families. So, it felt like a big get together more than a baby shower. In between everyone eating chili in a jar and opening presents, the guys all went out and "played" with their shot guns on Jesse and Rebecca's firing range that they made on their farm. It was hilarious. It was the ultimate testosterone bonding time for the men, while we gals stayed cool from the heat. (Although, I have to say, I really wanted to try my hand at shooting those round clay things they throw up in the sky.) 

I'm editing the pictures today from the shower and Sam is going to start working on the video that he shot of it too. I can't wait to show you guys! I LOVE throwing parties for my friends. Oh my goodness. The next party on the calendar for me to plan is little Forest boy's birthday party, the last weekend of this month! Eeee! My folks are coming up and everything! It's going to be so sweet! I can't believe he's going to be one. By the way, today was my official due date with Káel last year. It's bringing back the early baby day memories. Sniff, sniff...this year has gone by more quickly than any year of my entire life. 

I'm going to try and unpack a few more boxes before little sir stirs from his dreamland. ;) Have a lovely evening dears. 

Headed To The Shower

Hey Guys!  Well, I am heading out the door to the baby shower that I am helping give for my dear friend, Rebecca. Sam and Forest boy are going with me and we are expecting a large group of peeps.  Should be so much fun!  We are having it outdoors on the momma-to-be's farm.  I am pretty pleased with how things turned out, including my first try at "Cornbread & Chili in a Jar".  I plan on doing a super fun post on the entire baby shower, (maybe even a video) to share all the goodness and details with you.

Just wanted to say a quick hello, wish you guys a wonderful weekend and tell you that my internet should be hooked up sometime tomorrow. Yay!  So, excited!  Hopefully, I will be back in full swing with my blogging, next week.  It feels like I have so much I want to tell you guys about.  Until then, y'all have a fantastic weekend! Jess xo

First attempt at Cornbread and Chili in a jar.

The lovely Rebecca and me while on our baby registry shopping trip. (You can read about it on a previous post, HERE. )

Loving My Neighbor-hood!

So, we are beginning to settle in our new home and I am in the process of "setting up house".  There's just something so exciting about moving into a new home and making it your own. And,  I have to tell you guys again that, I adore our new house and absolutely LOVE our new neighborhood!

Our house has so much potential and character!

The first night here, our dear friends and neighbors, Jason and Kate dropped by.  It was wonderful to see them pull up in our driveway and knowing that they lived so close by.  We enjoyed a cup of chai tea and spent a couple of hours visiting.  Kate and I were giggling about how wonderful it is going to be being neighbors.  Kate also has a lovely new blog that you guys can check out HERE.

Then the next day, I met my sweet new elderly neighbor, Miss Edna.  She was SO precious!  She is in her 70's and is just as sweet as she can be.  She wanted to introduce herself and brought me over some homegrown tomatoes, telling me to help myself to some whenever I wanted. :)

I still have TONS of unpacking to do and I am also deep in the throws of preparing for my friend's baby shower that we are having tomorrow.  Yesterday, I painted bottles and did all sorts of creative fun stuff to get ready for it.  I can't wait to take pics and share the funness of it all with you. It's been hectic, but awesome.

Well, better get back to my super long "to do" list.   You loves have the loveliest of days!

 Hanging with Kate & Jason!

Forest boy helping daddy set up the entertainment center.

Vintage teapot from our wedding, now our spoon and spatula holder.

Miss Edna's fresh homegrown tomatoes.

Creating for the baby shower.

View of backyard from my kitchen window....loving my trees!

Thank you guys so much for helping us in the rankings on TopBabyBlogs with your votes! I really, really appreciate it! If you could please keep it up by clicking the link below, me and my little fam would be super grateful. You guys are the best! xo Jess

Tunes & Such: Matrimony

Lovely dears, I would like to share a local band with you that I love. They are friends of mine and just plain amazing, meet Matrimony. Ashlee and her husband James are an amazing duo who have some of the most catchy, inspiring lyrics and melodies. Ashlee is the biggest sweetheart ever, seriously. The way they blend and make music together is magically perfect. The music video below "Obey Your Guns" is their new single they are offering for free download right now! Click HERE for the download and more music that will stir your heart and make you want to dance down a hillside. I am inspired by every one of their songs and get so excited when I hear they've released a new one! Listen, watch, download and enjoy! 

Matrimony | Obey Your Guns from Crown Alley Films on Vimeo.

iPhone Blogging And A Crazy Schedule

Ok you guys, here goes my first try at blogging from my iPhone...

Our internet won't be hooked up until Sunday and there is no way I can wait THAT long to blog! But hey, I am so loving my new house, my new neighborhood and I so want to share...Hurry up Sunday!!!  In the meanwhile, here is a run down of these past few days, in a nut shell:

Wednesday: Officially moved, loaded up the truck and slept in our new house.

Thursday: Woke up, went back to our old house to clean and gathered up the "few" remaining items that were scattered throughout the house. HA! Those "few" items turned out to be six more, completely cram-packed, SUV loads of stuff!

Friday: Back over to our old house to mop the floors and finish cleaning the kitchen. It was a huuuuge house!  Can you say cleaning marathon! Ha!  And, keep in mind, we were doing all of this with a teething baby. The piano movers came to the old house late in the afternoon to bring our treasured upright piano over to the new place. Sam stayed cleaning, while I brought Káel back with me and the piano movers to the new house.  After the delivery,  I came back to the old house (with Káel) to help Sam.  After we finally finished cleaning, we all three headed back to our new home. When we got there, we unpacked a few kitchen boxes, then hit the hay. (Whew! Am I making you tired yet?) ;)

Saturday: Sam cleans out the garage, back at the old house and takes a few loads to Goodwill. (Stuff be gone!) Finally!  Completely done at our old house! Now, on to more unpacking! 

Sunday: On a super fun and mega enjoyable note, yesterday I had a blast at my friend Caitlyn's baby shower! It was a pool party, with a frozen drink machine and the most awesome food ever! We drifted around in the pool, sipping our preggo, virgin pina coladas, enjoying sheer bliss for the day! It was so refreshing and was a much appreciated break after all the moving, packing and unpacking.

My hot, amazing moving man!

The dining room became a depot for the "undetermined" stuff and was part of the last to go.

As we cleaned, Forest boy discovered a new found friend...the vacuum. Ha!

Little man was so good at entertaining himself, while momma & daddy finished cleaning up. =)

Even though we purged like crazy before the move, we had an unbelievable amount of boxes!

Now to create some pathways as the unpacking continues!

My lovely mermaid beauties at the baby shower for Caitlyn on Saturday.

Precious and beautiful Caitlyn at her baby shower.

Today:  I am back to more unpacking and getting ready for a crazy full schedule for the month of August! Besides setting up my new home, my calendar includes preparing for a baby shower that I am throwing next Saturday, for a beautiful friend on their amazing farm! Two weeks later is Sparrow's birthday party. And, to finish off the month, the following week is Forest boy's one year birthday party! Ah! I told you it was crazy full! Ha! We've got lots going on and lots to do...and lots of joy and celebration!

Well, I think I have pretty much caught you up with my world. And even though my recap may sound rather choppy and repetitive,  that's what we've been up to. :)  And with the last few days behind us now, it feels so good to be able to focus on our new home! It is THE perfect amount of space for us and just a dreamy little nook of a neighborhood.

I'll be doing my best to get posts up, as soon as possible to keep you guys in the loop. Hope you have a great week and try and stay cool in this crazy heat wave that we are having!

Hey guys! One more thing.  If my blog makes you smile, would you mind taking a moment to click the link below?  It will take you to another link that will ask you to click one more time to give us a vote.  Top Baby Blogs has been a great place to connect with so many wonderful people and I can't tell you just how much I really appreciate you helping to keep us ranked. Thanks so much! xo Jess

Moving Day

How many times have you ever moved? Geeez Louise, this is exciting! I have moved a TON in my lifetime. So, I'm no stranger to moving vans or packing tape. We were out at our new place until around 10 last night.  We were whipping out the mops, all purpose cleaner (the safe kind) and a yummy candle or two. Sam and I had so much fun! You know how old houses can smell, like your great-grandpa's sock drawer or old coin collection? Yep, kinda stinky. So, we brightened it up a bit with some cleaning sunshine. Káel LOVED exploring and playing as we started to transform the place. 

We are about to go pick up the van this morning.  After that I will be dropping little boho boy off at at my dear friend Lauren's house. That way, I can help move boxes and tie up some loose ends after all the big stuff has been loaded up. (We have some friends of ours who are coming over to help us.) Lauren has 2 boys, Oliver is 3 and Dashel is 1. They all love playing with each other so much so it's like a play day for sweet boy! Thank you girl so SO much! <3  You can check out Lauren's blog HERE.

I wanted to share some more instagram pics with you guys. The first two are of me and my boys right after we had a play session in a summer rain shower a couple days ago. Oh my goodness! It definitely went into my treasure chest of favorite memories. Káel loved it, squealing and giggling, as we acted all crazy together. We all 3 were totally drenched afterwards, but so happy! 

I've got to go round up Forest boy's diaper bag for the day and then go with Sam to pick up the moving van! BUTTERFLIES! See ya'll on the other side! :) Have a happy, peaceful day! 

Oh, by the way, thank you guys for being so sweet and flooding us with sweet comments yesterday. I had so much fun reading them :) Y'all are the sweetest!

Rain soaked 

Yes, Baby Einstein once again. 

Meet "Puppy" Káel's ultimate love, from Ikea. He sleeps with it ever night now and drags it through the house. He gets just as excited to see this as he does me. ;) 

We stopped for a treat at one of my all time fav restaurants, Pei Wei after taking the first wagon of things over to the new place, oh yum! I love fortune cookies and when I opened this, I decided to keep it and put it in my "sweet memories" box. 

The Forest boy playing in our new living room while we unload some dishes and clean.