the hodak family

on sunday evening i met the hodak family at yates mill county park for a family photo shoot. 

  

the girls were so sweet in their little princess dresses!

and ella is anything but shy for the camera :)

nursery finds

i have registered for most of our nursery decor here and was excited that i have a place to list all the etsy and amazon finds we are wanting. 


surprisingly, i also found a lot of great things at urban outfitters.  there are some really cool items for a boy or a girl but i wanted to share with you a few things i am hoping to include in mister's room. 

{click on the pictures to shop}

cardboard taxidermy $30

5 x 7 stamped scallop rug $89

zigzag curtain in blue - $39

mustache wall clock $16

wooden owl frame $18

antler hook $12

all of the above items are included in our online registry.  below are the items i would love to include but decided against it because of pricing or it lost out for a greater need.  

madeline chair $379

orange quilted velvet pillow $24

mustache knob $6

elephant bank $12

high five for insta-friday

hello loves and happy friday to you!  


i am taking some time to link up with lauren and jeannett to share with you five of my favorite things from this past week.  so here they are in no particular order ... 

1) finally started painting mister's crib.  like i mentioned in my 24 week update, its a slow process but i think its going to turn out great!  

2)  after entering data into a spreadsheet for 2 days straight, i finally decided to step out of the office for a nice walkabout wednesday afternoon.  it was just what i needed to get warm (because the ac was pumping hard) and refocus. 

3)  its been a while since i broke out the juicer but husband and i decided we really wanted a boost of vitamins this week.  i have to say that i wasnt too impressed with the green apple/carrot combo.  it was pretty good but i prefer the red apples to make it a bit sweeter.  

 4)  one reason i was wanting to juice is because i have been feeling super tired lately and i thought it might help ... like first trimester kind of tired.  we have been cutting back on our budget which means we have been eating a little more sandwiches and chips.  anywho, i spent 2 nights this week on the couch cuddling with a pup and getting a little shut eye before husband came home from school.  it was refreshing and i always enjoy a good cuddle with my mailey!
  

5)  finally finished up 2/3rds of my pregnancy.  time has been flying by.  it seems like just yesterday i was announcing our joyous news and now its almost time to meet mister.  im getting more and more excited but also a little nervous about getting everything ready.  


have a great weekend!

24 weeks - baby bump & update

updates:

• 24 weeks = 6 months
• excited to start my 3rd trimester
• feeling a little overwhelmed with all that needs to be done ... also feeling very blessed!  
• i did finally start painting the crib but its coming along very slowly.  
• the internet tells me that mister has started to plump up a bit and that his brain and taste buds are developing quickly.  also, i read that, if he has hair, it does not have pigment yet so its just white at the moment.
• not a whole lot of movement this week.  he has been pretty calm with just a few nudges midday and a bit more in the evening. 
• sadly, i had to remove my wedding band and engagement ring.  i feel so naked because i wear mine all the time.  i even have a hard time leaving them for an hour or overnight for cleaning.  i cant imagine not wearing them for months.  luckily, i have a gold band that used to be my grandmothers.  it fits my middle finger now, but after a little more fattening/swelling, im sure it will fit my ring finger just fine. 

choosing joy

with mister's arrival only three months away, my list of things to do and prepare for is getting longer.  its easy to get overwhelmed and loose focus on all the blessings and goodness in my life right now.  i will admit that i tend to be a very anxious person and usually decide that i have a plan that will fix everything.  i forget that God's plan is much better than mine.  i am so glad that i live in community with other Christ followers that remind me to breathe and have faith.


last week, i mentioned what best.day.ever. means to me and how i want to try and make every day my favorite.  i thought i would share with you some bible verses that, at this moment in my life, help me be content and joyful about where i am right now ... even if i am feeling overwhelmed and a little scared.  these verses inspire me to live daily for God and trust that he has a plan for me.   

nehemiah 6:9 - for they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "their hands will drop for the work, and it will not be done."  but now, o God, strengthen my hands. 

matthew 6:33 - but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

psalm 37: 3-5 - trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.  delight yourself in the Lord, and will give you the desires of your heart.  commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.  

isaiah 41:10 - so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

i hope that if any of you are feeling overwhelmed today, that these words stir something inside you.  i pray you are able to choose joy and contentment over fear and doubt.  how, you might ask.  how can one just choose to be something they are not?  i do not have all the answers, but here are a few suggestions that have helped me change my heart:

• do something for someone else today instead of focusing on how your needs/wants will be met.
• make a list of needs/wants that have been met in the past year. 
• make a list of people in your life that are most encouraging to you ... call or text one of those people to thank them. 
• make a list of people that you want to encourage ... call or text one of them and do just that. 
• pray :)

source

wise wednesday

via

etsy ecstasy - summer scarf

with temperatures easily reaching 95 here on a daily basis, its hard for people to even think about wrapping up their neck.  the truth is, when the outside temperatures get that high, people pump their air conditioners to ridiculousnessly low temps so i end up freezing when indoors.  to remedy this change in temps i usually have a summer scarf close by.  

here a few summer scarves i am loving from etsy 

{click on the picture to shop}

gauze infinity summer scarf from CThandmade

spring scarf silk and cotton flower scarf from Dassi

gray turquoise floral lightweight infinity scarf from sweeney boutique

handwoven ikat silk summer scarf from sukan

silk kantha dots & dash scarf from leah lerner

and if you need a little help with different ways to wear your scarves, check out this great video.  

delta rae

i heard delta rae on the morning show i listen to.  i think they have a really cool sound so i wanted to share.  almost the entire group is from durham, nc which is about 30 minutes from here.    enjoy! 

useless box

just for funsies!!!

high five for friday

linking up with lauren to share my five favorite things from this past week:

1)  my first harvest.  so its a little small but so is my garden.  while my tomato plant is not too happy with me, my peppers are ripe for the picking.  

2)  husband and i went to a dinner party saturday night.  good food + good company = a pretty great night. 

3)  spending a weekend with these two makes for a very good weekend!  we stayed up til 2:30am on friday night playing catchphrase, had a great lunch outside on saturday.  after church on sunday, we were able to introduce them to two of my favorite things ever ... our church family and beasley's chicken and honey. 

4)  mailey was able to feel her little brother for the first time the other night. she laid there for about 20 minutes getting kicked in the face and wagging her tail.  

5)  date night with tara!!!  we met up at nofo to look around their cute little shop and then headed to hayes barton cafe for a salad and dessert.  they serve slices of cake the size of toddlers.  

have a great weekend!

23 weeks

updates:

• translation: 23 weeks = 5.75 months 
• i just had a small "we only have 3.25 months to go" panic attack.
• mister could have reached a foot long by the end of this week (if not, then next week) ... this blows my mind.  
• eyebrows and eyelashes are growing this week.  i wonder if he will have his daddy's long lashes. 
• i am looking forward to signing up for our birthing class.  i cant thank you all enough for your comments and advice.  its helped me to look forward to it a little more then just another expensive item to check off our to do list.  
• we had an appointment yesterday and the doctors says everything looks great.  they were using the little doppler thingy to hear mister's heartbeat and twice they pressed down a little, he punched the instrument.  ha!
• my feet are officially starting to swell on a regular basis, fun :)
• WARNING tmi:  until this past week, i had not yet experienced the dreaded pregnancy constipation, so i had not really been taking any precautions.  lets just say that after last friday, i will make sure to increase my fiber and water intake ... nuf said!
• i read somewhere that if mister hears things like dogs barking or a door bell, then he will be less likely to startle by these noises once he is born.  im pretty sure this is a load, but mailey is giving it all she's got these days so im kinda hoping its true.
• since mister is hearing everything more clearly each day, i have decided to be a little more intentional about what i say and how i say it.  luckily, husband and i decided a long time ago that we would never scream at each other during an argument.  so far, we have kept this agreement and usually talk things out calmly or wait to cool off before discussing an issue.  its crazy to think about how much of an impact a screaming match with anyone could have on our growing mister.  not only would it put stress on my body from being stressed, but he can also hear me and other people.  what i really want is to make sure he hears husband and i laughing as much as possible ... that he hears me singing (as horrible as i might sound) and the sounds of us enjoying life.  

wise wednesday

today is my favorite

this past sunday, a friend gave the message at church about finding contentment and joy where you are right now.  of course i have heard messages on this topic before but something she said really resonated with me.  she said that every day should be our favorite.  


examples she gave, paraphrased by me: 

• birth - "hello world, this is my favorite time."
• learning to walk - "im mobile!  woo hoo, this is my favorite"
• i got my license - "freedom!  this is my favorite"
• loosing a job - "thank you God for the opportunity to learn something new.  this is my favorite."
• failing marriage - "this is a great trial in my life that will teach me to  lean on you, Lord.  this, is my favorite"
• 5.75 months pregnant, 98 degrees outside, no air condition in either vehicle, 35 minute commute to and from work - "Lord, thank you for the summertime and 2 vehicles that get us from point a to point b.  today is hot, but its my favorite!" 

ok, so that last one is my own, but you get the point :)

i was thinking about this yesterday and it hit me ... this is what best.day.ever. is all about.  this blog is my journey of trying to make the most of every day and make it my favorite.  whats sad is, i dont think i ever really explained this to my readers because i couldnt find an easy way to explain it.  this blog started out with me seeking to be a better ... well, everything.  but it turned into me loving where i am and who i am right now. 

today is my favorite ... today is the best.day.ever.

birthing class

via

we plan to have mister at rex hospital and i was looking into their birthing classes.  i might have even waited too late but i thought about calling this week to sign up for one.  then i got to thinking about all the information that is out there via the internet and also our friends and family that have recently had children.  do we really need to pay $85 to learn things we can learn for free over the internet?  i would like to ask you mothers out there what your thoughts are about birthing classes.  did you sign up for one?  if so, was it helpful?  if not, did you regret it?  keep in mind that i have not yet witnessed a childbirth in real life so my own will be my first :)


note:  if you would like to leave a comment that answers the questions above and is helpful, please do.  it is not my intention to open this up to a hospital vs. birthing center/home birth discussion.  i do not judge anyone that decides to have their child outside of a hospital and i am not opening this up for your opinions on what people might think is best for me and my family.  thank you in advance for being respectful!  

flea market find

like most bloggers, i do enjoy a good thrift or flea market adventure. well, a few months ago i found this large "e" at our local flea market.  i forgot exactly how much i paid for it but i remember it was less than $10.  in fact, it might have been $10 for both mine and my sister's ... she picked out this "n" (which i guess could also be a "u").
  

sadly, it has taken me way too long to clean it up and find a place for it.  i think i may hang it later, but until then, it now has a home in my closet room. leaned up against the wall under my scarves.  

i really need to get back into the flea market swing.  there are a few projects that will take some time to get together ... like this one. 


have you found any awesome flea market finds recently?