Spring Give-away!

 I'm pushing warm weather with this give-away.  I am feeling the itch to get my hands dirty in the wet ground. Who knows how much I will be able to do season with this semi-large bump in front, but I will give it a shot.  So in honor of warm weather, sunshine, dirt and spring, I am giving away this necklace with the word "Bloom" stamped on it.  It's a good reminder to "bloom" where you're planted no matter what comes your way.

Here's how to win this necklace...

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Do all of the above or just one.  The more entries you do, the better chance of winning!

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 Give-away ends on Friday at midnight, so HURRY!  Winner will be announced on Monday using random.org. Giveaway is open WORLDWIDE.

pizza and jenga

It's been a whirlwind of a week, with many up's and down's but I can certainly find a few things to be thankful for!

• Game night with friends.

• Family and friends who have been praying for the baby.

• A lazy Saturday for me and the pup while papa was busy.

• A hubby who let me order my favorite pizza even though he gags when he eats it.

white pizza with pesto and ricotta cheese. yumm-o!

What have you been thankful for lately?

on the hunt.

There was no agenda for Saturday, which was a new thing for us lately.  So I came up with the idea of going antiquing, specifically to find a vintage treasure for the baby's room.  I wanted to find a "trinket", as my hubby calls it, that would remind us of this time in our lives as we prepare for the little one.  The trinket would be displayed in the baby's room until they officially hate it and want to hang tacky posters on their walls. 

Nothing struck our fancy that day unfortunately, which means more antiquing trips for us in the future!  Some other trinkets did catch my eye though, so I thought I would share them with you. 

Did you buy a 'little something something' for your

baby's room before they were born? 

Please share!

need a good laugh?

I am too embarrassed to tell you how many times I've watched this. Enjoy!

Iris' and invite

I can think of a few things lately that made me smile and reminded me to slow down and be thankful.

• A sister who knows me so well.  She searched high and low for the perfect baby shower invitation and I think she did pretty darn good!  I would've been content with invitations on 3X5 index cards but she desires to make me happy. I also love that she went to etsy to support artists like myself.  I can hardly wait for the shower!

Invitation from this etsy shop

• Iris buds popping up. However, looks like they will be smothered with 4-6" of snow tomorrow.  Trying not to cry as I type that....

• A growing belly means a growing baby!  Thankful for friends who share their maternity clothes with me.

March blues

I hate March.  It's my least favorite month for many reasons.  One, there are NO holidays to look forward too, or days off make it a four day week.  Two, you get days like Friday that totally tease you with the warm and sunshiny weather.  I get my flats out, roll my jeans up and feel like I can take over the world.  Then Monday comes, three days later with snow, rain and sleet. Gloom. Pure gloom again. 

Maybe because today is officially the first Day of Spring and it's snowing outside makes me feel gloomy.  You can see in the picture that it doesn't look anything like Spring.

 I know this unpredictable weather is typical of New England. I shouldn't be surprised, but every year I find myself in this situation. Stupid me. Can I blame it on the hormones this time?

Good news though.... March is almost over!

Anyways, to get me out of the gloom, I made more cupcakes. Yep, that's right, another two dozen. I think this shirt explains it all. 

Happy Monday friends. Hope the sun is shining brighter where you are!  What helps you with the seasonal blues and glooms?

new obsession

Well, actually I have two new obsessions, to be honest.  One, yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. I can't control the impulse right now. Two, Instagram photo app for the iphone.

I have been snapping away testing the different filters on this app for a week now. If you have access to it, download it. It's free and beware, it's addicting.

yes please.

and then there was one...

Maisey being pathetic, her specialty.

pushing spring.

the porch swing is calling my name today.

worship practice at church.

yet, another collection.

Off to work for a bit in the studio, then to that porch swing which is calling me and my bump. 

Happy Friday, friends!

Thankful Tuesday

• A girls night last night watching my guilty pleasure.  Yes, I am referring to the Bachelor finale!  Some may think it's shallow or a waste of time, but who cares what they think.

• a gradual warm-up here in CT which means I can start wearing some of my favorite flats again!

•  The to-do list getting smaller and smaller due to my husbands desire to make me happy.

• Yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting (the newest craving these days).

•  A reminder from a friend about a verse which is specifically helpful today:   "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."  James 1:19

What are you thankful for this week? 

my baby's 8....

The baby I am referring to is my precious pup Maisey (also responds to Lou Lou, Rooster, Tooters, Tati-Noo, Boonie....). Yes we are those crazy people that have 10 million nicknames for our dog.  This is why when choosing a name for our actual baby, the nickname is also something to consider since he/she will rarely be called by their full name.  Anyways, yesterday was Lou Lou's 8th birthday.  I caught myself saying "where did the time go", "she has grown up too fast", "it was just yesterday that we got her"....

It has gone faster for us because we did miss a year and half of her life, which was not a pleasant one due to abuse from the previous owner. She came to us with a grateful heart ready to love. The only disadvantage to adopting a dog as an adult is missing those beginning years but I would have it no other way.  I would skip those puppy days every day, if it means we are providing a home for a dog that needs love.

I will stop preaching about adoption, most of you know where I stand. ADOPT, DON'T SHOP! Okay, now I will really stop. 

We celebrated Maisey's birthday with her favorite treat of all time, peanut butter.  Then we finished up the day with her favorite activity, a car ride.  Unfortunately it was a bit too chilly to open the sun roof for her to peak her little head out. Come on spring, we are ready for ya!

Happy 8th Birthday Rooster, we love you more everyday!

desperately trying to get every last bit of peanut butter.

Get 10% off...

...for being a Facebook fan!!  Yep, that's right...go here and "like" my page.  You will find the discount code in Notes.  It's that easy!

The Facebook promo is for a limited time only, so take advantage of it now!  Remember that Mother's Day is right around the corner on May 9th.  Deadline for Mother's Day orders is April 18th.

Thankful Tuesday

•  Melting snow with no leaks or floods from it, so far. Cross your fingers!

•  Friends who have written and called to check in on me while I come to the reality of becoming a mother.

•  The quality time in bed with the hubs playing games on our new iphones- it's the little things, I know.

•   Target cable knit leggings that are so comfy on my growing belly.

• The discovery of a new shipping program which allows me NOT to stand in line for 30 minutes to ship packages. 

What are you thankful for this week?

Owl fetish

I have always loved owls, even before they showed up on your bed sheets or your kids underpants.  Since I was a wee little one, I have vacationed in Owls Head, Maine.  It's a quaint town with a friendly general store that I maybe sorta visit several times a day. I can't resist the homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, the delicious apple chicken salad sandwich for lunch and the slice of strawberry rhubarb pie for my after dinner dessert.   As you wait for your food to be lovingly made, you take a leisurely stroll among the owl souvenirs spread throughout.  I can't help but think this is where my owl fetish began, in this general store that feels like home.

I seem to be collecting more and more owl trinkets as the years go on-sorry hubs. The owls that decorate my house have a job. They're not just clutter to collect dust but they remind me of my summers in Maine and immediately take me to a place that will always have my heart.

I love this garden owl that now finds it home on my mantle.

My sister got my these owl salt and pepper shakers for Christmas to add to my growing S & P collection.

This baby has no chance. His/her favorite birds will be magpies and owls! 

This stuffed owl can be used as a book end for all those classic children's books that my husband has hoarded kept since he was little.

I would love to see my lil' one in this upcycled owl hat!

How adorable is this owl fused night light?


I don't believe the owl collecting will stop anytime soon. I predict an intervention in my near future.  

Do you collect something that reminds you of a happy place?

Just what I needed...

was a phone call from a good friend. 

This is a friend who I traveled across the world with to Italy for two weeks last year (I think our hubby's tagged along too ;). She most likely learned more about me then she really wanted to know during this time, but she still loves me anyways.  We made this "last hurrah" trip before both of us jumped into motherhood.  They got preggo a month after we got back from our trip, and had their baby girl Eden last July.  Here I am am, a year later, amidst the same emotions she went through. 

She encouraged me to live in the moment instead of looking ahead at what life was or could be.  She went through the same "grieving" process that I've been experiencing recently.  Lately, she catches herself thinking ahead of when life should get easier, but she often forgets about the special moments she has now with Eden.  I can so relate. I am too busy looking ahead or panicking about what I will be losing, instead of enjoying this CA-RAZY miracle of pregnancy.  I don't want to spend my 9 months focused on negative thoughts, but rather on the positive aspects that life holds for me. 

Thank you my dear friend, for showing me that it's okay to understand the reality of motherhood, but for also reminding me to not worry about tomorrow and live for today.

Another HUGE thank you is due to my readers and friends for your kinds words, messages and comments.  I love reading them and appreciate each of you!

Of course these emotions will most likely linger on and relapse, but I can rest assured that I have friends and family that love me and who constantly encourage me to be a better person.  I am so blessed!

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

honest thoughts

I would like to be here right now, rocking my fears away...

looking at this view....

Lately, the fears of motherhood have swept over me.  The numbness of this pregnancy has disappeared. I was going with the motions...doctor appointments, ultrasounds, registering, nursery decor, etc.  Now I find myself thinking of the future and the reality that is ahead. 

I like my quiet and clean house. 

I like my morning routine in bed with my dog.

  I love that the hubs and I can just get up and go get a  Friendly's peanut butter cup sundae at any given time. 

I like my leisurely trips to Target just to "window shop" (or maybe spend $100 on nothing).

I love my long and hot showers where I come out with my body red and burnt. 

I could go on and on. I know, I sound selfish, but these are specific moments that I am soaking up lately.  I am trying to enjoy those moments without crying, as if I am in grief but I can't help it.  I blame it on the hormones.

So I take these anxious thoughts and pray....and pray some more. Then I picture myself in that rocker staring at the sailboats with not a care in the world. I know I will get over this but these are my honest thoughts at this moment right now. 

Now, off to take that burning hot shower until my skin peels off.