Pitter Patter

photo outtake

2012-02-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

oops :)

6 weeks

2012-02-06T21:11:00.000-08:00

beautiful baths

2012-02-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

These baths are so beautiful! While our bathroom could never look like these, I can take a few tips from the images- like fresh flowers, crisp white, unique piece of furniture...

{brabournefarm}

crazy times with daddy

2012-01-31T12:44:00.000-08:00

all this fun with daddy wears the little boy out :)

2011 in review

2012-01-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

January:

We enjoyed the beautiful Texas weather & special days at Grapevine Lake.

February:

There was a crazy snow and ice storm... we received our diplomas in the mail... and I started my job as a nanny for a precious 6 week old :)

March:

We had a special vacation with the Davidsons! We bought our first home and moved in on my 22nd birthday and Patrick's parents came to visit. (...and we got pregnant!)

April:

I started a garden... Reagan caught a possum... We found out we were pregnant the day before my parents came in town (weekend before Easter)

May:

We had some fun dates... a trip to Destin with Patrick's family where we shared the big news!

June:

Sadie came to visit for a week and my dad stopped in towards the end of her trip...

and Patrick and I celebrated 3 years of marriage!

July:

Our friends came to visit... fun times at the Stockyards...

a little belly growing... and special Starbucks dates

August:

Nursery decorating began... best friends came to visit... and some fun at a Rangers game

September:

We had our first baby shower at church... a cute little boy shows us his profile...

and my mom came to visit Louisville & had some more showers :)

October:

more baby planning... and a Babymoon trip

November:

a special Thanksgiving and a Rodeo... a fun time when Brad came to visit

and my mom came one last time before John Ryman's birth :)

December:

John Ryman kept growing... we waited for Christmas and the due date...

My family arrived just in time... and John Ryman arrived and came home by Christmas...

What a WONDERFUL year!

spring peplum

2012-01-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

I'm loving the Peplum trend for this Spring- perfect blend of femininity and boldness.
While some of the runway versions can look a little extreme, there are so many options from wide and dramatic skirts to simple peplum jacket...

{giorgio armani}

{jason wu}

{anthro}

{macys}

{modcloth}

and on another fashion note... I'm also loving gap's new spring line:

ElisaMichelene Photography/Design

2012-01-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

Our sweet friend Elisa took John Ryman's newborn pictures and she did Amazing!!!
Check out her {website} for some beautiful photography and design. Also, her {Etsy} shop has some super cute Valentine cards your kids will love!
Thanks Elisa for capturing such special images of our little boy...

1 month old!

2012-01-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

Happy 1 Month John Ryman! What a crazy amazing month it has been :)

top 5

2012-01-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

{aden + anais} swaddle blankets- so many uses for these large, soft and breathable wraps

John Ryman loves this {Fisher Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper} perfect daytime nap spot that can easily move around the house & great for alert time after eating because the seat is at an angle.

This adorable {Sleep Sheep} is great for a little background noise while he is trying to fall asleep & it has a timer shut off.

I'm pretty sure this {SwaddleMe Fleece Wrap} is to thank for any sleep we have had :) I only use it at night and he sleeps a lot longer when swaddled up in this cozy wrap.

And for those times when John Ryman is fussy and not hungry, this {WubbaNub Monkey Pacifier} is his favorite! It is adorable- especially when he falls asleep holding onto the monkey's legs. I need to buy another one (maybe the puppy or giraffe?)

Now, of course, there are tons of other items that have been extremely helpful over the past month (miss medela, starbucks... alan jackson hymns- john ryman's fav) these are just the key ones that this foggy-brained momma can remember at the moment :)

23 days

2012-01-17T12:07:00.000-08:00

now I have to pick my favorite ones to print for his nursery...

birth announcement

2012-01-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

so many faces

2012-01-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

Okay mom, that's enough for now...

(photos edited using Pioneer Woman Action- "Seventies" with opacity at 75%)

Mimi, Pop & Uncle Daniel come to visit!

2012-01-11T15:03:00.000-08:00

We were so glad they were able to come down and meet John Ryman... and have a little fun around town while they were here :) This was Daniel's first time to Texas, so on their last day in town, we had to take Daniel and John Ryman to the Stockyards:

Thank you so much for visiting- Come back soon!!!

First Bath!

2012-01-08T16:51:00.000-08:00

John Ryman had his first bath last week (well other than the hospital)- he didn't like it all that much, but loved getting warm and cuddling in the lamb towel afterwards :)

2 weeks Iphone pics

2012-01-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

It has been two weeks since we brought our little reindeer home... TWO weeks! We have already had a lot of adventures and fun these first two weeks :) Here are some phone snapshots:

The furballs have adjusted well to the newest furball... actually they don't really notice him at all.
(Yes, we have taken down all of our Christmas decorations except for the tree- I just love having those cozy lights on every evening!)

John Ryman had his first visit to Starbucks!

We had some extra special time with Nana B.

Lots of quality cuddle time & John Ryman's first Jack Bauer experience! He loves sleeping through 24.

First time to church last Saturday- He slept through the whole service :)

First photo shoot! Can't wait to see the wonderful pictures from {Elisa}.

We cheered on the CARDS several times- most games not ending too well :(

John Ryman's first movie- We Bought a Zoo!

Fun times with Mimi and Pop & Uncle Daniel- John Ryman's first time to the Stockyards in Ft. Worth.

tiny fingers & toes

2011-12-31T08:45:00.000-08:00

I took some pictures a few days ago for our ~~LATE~~ Christmas/New Years/Birth Announcement cards and I just loved these two of his wrinkly fingers and toes :) Can't wait to show you the rest of the pictures, but I should probably mail some cards out first.
Hope you all have a Happy New Year..... and GO CARDS!!!

pictures from day 3

2011-12-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

Twas the Night Before Christmas

2011-12-26T13:57:00.000-08:00

Looks like this book was quite appropriate for our little Christmas Eve blessing. We are all doing good- just resting, learning and snuggling. I will have my version of Twas the Night Before Christmas for you all eventually. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and are enjoying time with family and friends.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T20:44:00.000-08:00

John Ryman Garcia

December 24, 2011 at 5:37 p.m.

7 lbs 14 oz and 20 inches

We received the most precious gift this Christmas. So thankful I was able to hold our little boy by Christmas Eve and even make it home from the hospital Christmas night. Thank you Lord!

due date (come and gone)

2011-12-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

Well... the due date has come & gone and still no sign of John Ryman :) I am feeling great- other than added pressure and weight growing by the day! Hope this boy isn't too big!!

My family was able to drive down yesterday and they will be waiting with us until he is born!

What a special treat to have them here over Christmas and even get to attend Christmas Eve Eve service tonight at Compass with my entire family.

So John Ryman you can come anytime now :) The family is here and ready, we've attended Christmas service and all your gifts are under the tree! Until then, I will be taking advantage of my last moments of pregnancy:

Any guesses on when he will arrive? Will my next post be of a precious baby boy or of my family opening presents Christmas morning?

Merry Christmas from the Garcias!

2011-12-16T13:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a little pre-Christmas/New Year's Card- we are waiting to send out a real one until we have a picture of John Ryman :) and who knows when that will be!?!

waiting...

2011-12-15T07:05:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will be 39 weeks pregnant!! I truly can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by. We are trying to enjoy these last moments before John Ryman arrives, but MAN is it hard to wait to hold this little boy in our arms! I read this wonderful post from Ann Voskamp a little while ago and it spoke to me in this busy anxious season... thought you might enjoy it during the holiday rush, if you haven't already read {How the wait till Christmas can be Weightless}.

pinterest night

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Our first girls Pinterest night!! Everyone brought a project they had pinned or liked on Pinterest and we worked through the evening making gifts and crafts :) Some of the crafts included: scrapbook/picture coasters, ornaments, anthropologie-inspired snow globes, flower hair bands, snowman from hand sanitizers

Hannah wins for the most detailed project- They turned out super cute!

oh and the guys had fun by the firepit while we were inside:

John Ryman's Nursery

2011-12-08T09:13:00.001-08:00

Furniture:
*changing table- $35 at Goodwill (already painted brown but needed a $5 spray paint touch up)= $40
*white glider- $20 at a yard sale but didn't have any cushions or pillows
*Crib from Target- gift from my sweet parents!
*Hard carved side table from Mexico- yard sale $20
*wooden piece of furniture with wire doors- $12 from Goodwill
*round leather ottoman with lid- $20 at TJMaxx
*3 bookshelves made from {Ikea} spice racks $3.99 each and leftover wall paint {pinterest idea}

Art/walls:
*4 frames over bed & changing table from major sale at Pottery Barn for $17 each (Can't wait to put pictures of our baby in the frames!)
*fawn photograph from my favorite Sharon Montrose {The Animal Prints}
*entry scripture art made by best friend Chelsea
*$8 for two canvases over the glider- Ephesians 1:5-7 and a powerful sermon by Matt Chandler
*Mirror over changing table from {Ikea} $10
*"JR" left over shower decorations
*chalkboard shelf- revamped from an old TJMaxx purchase- would you believe it used to have a rooster on it?!

Accessories:
*Table lamp- $40 at TJMaxx (kinda felt like I splurged on this one but I love it!)
*Orgel floor lamp from {Ikea} $19.99
*little wooden animals on shelves from my Nana Stone's Noah's ark set
*mobile- gift from my mom- Pottery Barn
*2 pillows with elephants from Clearance Pottery Barn & gift card :)
*Kvarnvik containers on changing table from {Ikea} Love these! The inside is navy & white check!
*green hounds tooth fabric, curtain fabric with blackout liner and cushion fabric on glider all came from {Home Fabrics & Rugs} which has an awesome inexpensive fabric selection!
*beautiful knit blanket on the crib made by my Nana Stone

John Ryman's first Christmas tree

2011-12-08T07:45:00.001-08:00

I love these little animal ornaments my family gave us from Africa last Christmas... not sure which one is my favorite :)

Miss Grinch

2011-12-07T14:45:00.001-08:00

We have a little lady in our house who thinks she should style her paws to look like the Grinch.

I think she is a little embarrassed that we call her Miss Grinchy, but seriously those paws are crazy!

nursery preview

2011-12-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

The nursery is finished! Hope to be back with detailed pictures later this week.

37 weeks

2011-12-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

Today, I am 37 weeks and 3 days! John Ryman is now officially full term...

Parade of Lights

2011-12-04T14:24:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a festive night in Grapevine at the Parade of Lights to start the Christmas season! Grapevine sure is the Christmas Capitol of Texas!!

Happy December!

2011-12-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

December is here! The month when our son will be born... and more importantly, the time we celebrate our Savior's birth! Through all the hustle and bustle (especially for me right now!) it can be so easy to miss the still, quiet voice of the Lord this season. Yesterday, I read a powerful post {Here} on A Holy Experience. May we all be praying for a heart that is weightless in the waiting.

Today we start our family Advent countdown, but I won't be doing the blog advent this year- I barely even made it through every day last December and I'm very sure I would fail if I tried this year :)
{Here} is the link from 2010 if you want to go back through the scriptures. (You will have to scroll to the bottom of the page and work backwards.)

My favorite Pregnancy Items

2011-11-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

Shark Steam mop & Shark Pet Perfect Handheld Vacuum: It is getting more and more difficult to get down on the floor and clean! Instead of dragging out the heavy vacuum for a few crumbs or getting on my knees to scrub paw prints off our light tile floors, I can simply grab one of these two items! I'm sure they will also come in handy when our little boy is crawling or feeding himself ;)

Tons of pillows: I never purchased a body pillow, wedge, or those crazy large pregnancy pillows- I don't think it would fit on our queen bed! But I have slept just fine by adding in a couple extra pillows as I've grown.

The Belly Band: This little accessory has made it possible for me to wear my regular pants throughout my pregnancy (I wear them completely unbuttoned and put the belly band over the zipper/button- great but not as comfortable as true maternity pants) and some shorter tops without showing my growing belly!

Maternity jeans: I had heard from everyone that I needed to invest in at least one pair of maternity jeans, but I kept putting it off. I had several sizes of jeans that I could stretch to fit me at different stages of my pregnancy or unbutton and use the belly band, but they were never very comfortable. Finally I caved in a week or so ago and bought a pair from Target. Why did I wait so long!?! They are amazing! So much more comfortable without have a zipper or button sticking into your belly or having to hold on to your pants every time you move! Wish I would have purchased a pair of good jeans by the second trimester... (Liz Lange Target Flare Jeans- dark wash)

Detergent for sensitive skin and any other lotion/product that was fragrance free: For some reason my skin became really sensitive early on in my pregnancy. I would feel itchy all day long and at night I would drive myself crazy thinking spiders were crawling on me! haha After trying different things, I decided to wash all my clothes and sheets in a dye/fragrance free detergent and see if that helped. The itching stopped and I felt so much better!

Patrick: my supportive and encouraging husband. He has been so loving and prayerful throughout this whole pregnancy, even when I'm sure he thought I was out of my mind :) From putting together a crib, painting the nursery, listening to my ramblings about everything baby, breastfeeding, cravings, and much more... Patrick has been an encourager and I'm sure that will not change as we reach delivery time and parenting. This pregnancy would not have been nearly as enjoyable and fun without him laughing and preparing for it all with me! I can't wait for the day he gets to hold his son in his arms instead of just feel him kick through my belly!

Here are some other great lists that I have found: (its funny how different some opinions can be!)
Must-have maternity pieces {babycenter}
12 pregnancy must-haves {parenting}
15 pregnancy must-haves {babble}

Mesquite Championship Rodeo

2011-11-26T20:21:00.001-08:00

All the kids were called down for a game: they chased four calves with ribbons on their tails... whoever grabbed the ribbons first won $25!! It was hilarious!

Give Thanks

2011-11-26T20:09:00.001-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for this year- every new change has brought about new blessings. We spent Thanksgiving day with dear friends and families! While we missed seeing our Stone/Garcia families, we are so thankful for the people God has brought into our life over the past year. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for our little boy who is growing (a lot!) each day. With every kick and movement, I am amazed... and can only imagine how much more our love for him will be when we hold him in our arms for the first time. Thank you Lord for all you have blessed us with- may we continually praise you!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas & Baby time!!

2011-11-22T10:52:00.001-08:00

Our friend Brad came to visit for the weekend and my mom surprised me and came in town too! She said she had to see me one more time while I was still pregnant :) We had a great time with both of them- the guys built fires and cut down trees... the girls shopped and decorated! So thankful they could come in town. The only pictures I took were at Joe T. Garcias...

Then, this past weekend, Patrick's parents came in town to visit! It was such a treat getting to see them since we won't be in town for Thanksgiving or Christmas. We had an incredible opportunity to hear President George Bush speak about his presidency and his support for the sanctity of life at the Real Choices Pregnancy Banquet. It was such a special evening with a great interview by Drew Sherman!!

After everyone flew back home :( We decided it was time to decorate for Christmas!! I know it is still a little early, but we wanted to have it all ready for John Ryman. I had a great check-up on Friday- Less than 5 weeks until the estimated due date! He is growing and looking right on schedule. Thanks for the advice about the hospital bag- I made my list and have a stack in my closet I can throw in a bag at any minute. Thankfully, I am still feeling great! I'm just having to sit up a little straighter and stretch out as he grows and his movements are becoming a little more forceful under my ribs :) I love feeling him move and kick - even throw a few direct punches at Patrick's hand!

A little overwhelming... SO much stuff.

I'll post some Christmas decorations soon, but until then look at these cute cuddling furs enjoying the fire and cozy decor:

furry ornaments

2011-11-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

Last year for Christmas, my parents gave us the cutest handmade animal ornaments from Africa (to match the nativity shown above) I knew whenever we had a baby I would be using those precious animals for the nursery tree, just didn't know it would be the next Christmas! Hope to get out the Christmas decor soon!!
Patrick and I went out on a little Christmas date last weekend- complete with red Starbucks cups and a stroll through Pottery Barn to see the Christmas decorations. I'm loving all the animal ornaments in every shop. Here are some of my favorites:

{anthro}

{potterybarn}

and my top pick from {Macy's}

Babymoon Part 6- Bed & Breakfast

2011-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

What a special trip we will always remember! May have to make this bed & breakfast a tradition each fall. We highly recommend this beautiful Inn for a getaway!

So we've gone on a babymoon, organized the nursery, washed sweet newborn clothes... now we are just waiting and enjoying the next 6 (ish) weeks. I think the main items still left on the list are: pregnancy photos, installing the car seat, packing hospital bag. Boy, I can't tell you how many blog posts I've seen about packing that silly hospital bag! I'm not sure there is a suitcase big enough for what some people recommend and either way I'll be sure to forget something! I think I'd rather pack on the light side :) Any tips from the mommas out there??

Babymoon Part 5- The Inn Above Onion Creek

2011-11-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

On our way home from San Antonio, we stopped just before Austin at a Bed & Breakfast- {The Inn Above Onion Creek}. I don't think we will ever make it to San Antonio again because we will be staying here from now on. Wow. Absolutely breathtaking. It was not your typical Bed & Breakfast, even though it had the warmth and hospitality of one, and we were even upgraded to a nicer suite when we arrived-probably thanks to John Ryman and my growing belly! The gardens and 88 acres of land were beautiful (a buck ran in front of us as we pulled up the drive) food was delicious (dinner and breakfast included- my favorite was the rosemary chicken followed by homemade persimmon gelato at dinner and the best bacon EVER with breakfast) and the decor and architecture was so charming. While the Inn was built less than ten years ago, they did a great job bringing in vintage aspects, but still keeping it clean and updated. Yes, we were there during the final World Series game :( not sure if it was good or bad that we were able to watch the Rangers lose the game on TV (hidden in the dresser below)...

I wanted to take those old Texas maps home with me :)

Flowers picked from the garden just for our arrival:

The hiking trails were gorgeous and this little guy followed us all around:

More pictures to come.

Babymoon Part 4- Remember the Alamo

2011-11-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

Babymoon Part 3- Beautiful Scenery

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Babymoon Part 2- San Antonio

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

We stayed on the Riverwalk in San Antonio at Hotel Valencia! Loved the decor (wanted to steal that leather chair in our room) and yummy breakfasts on the patio of Citrus. We did a lot of walking and sightseeing around the Riverwalk. The weather was beautiful and the food was delicious! I would definitely recommend {Boudros} for dinner & incredible guacamole... {Citrus} at Hotel Valencia for Breakfast or any meal... oh and a tasty fudge shop next to Boudros :)

Me and Baby John Ryman at 32 weeks!

Okay, I have tons more pictures... probably should spread them out over a few more posts haha!

Babymoon Part 1- Crawford

2011-10-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

Patrick and I headed out last Tuesday after work for a little adventure! So many people had recommended that we take a "Babymoon" or a final getaway before John Ryman is born :) We hadn't taken a vacation with just the two of us since, well, our honeymoon so it was nice to get away for several days and see Texas. Our first two nights we stayed in San Antonio, but we had to stop at a special town on our way...

Okay... maybe nothing too special, but a few miles outside of the town of Crawford is President George Bush's Ranch- Prairie Chapel Ranch. One of Patrick's life goals was to drive through Crawford :) Definitely beautiful countryside. I can see why President Bush would purchase land here:

Next stop- San Antonio...

Louisville Shower Blessings!

2011-10-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the our other shower in Louisville. Thanks to Carmel for taking these pictures and sharing! You should check out her blog and her precious little girl (below) {here} and thank you to Cara and Mary Julia for hosting the shower. SO many fun games and laughs :) and special gifts for John Ryman. Next time we are in town, He will be with us! Love you all

lots of washing and folding

2011-10-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

The best kind of laundry= precious new little outfits for our boy. I spent the afternoon washing and folding all of his new clothes and putting them away in his closet and storage containers on his changing table. (LOVE my new containers from Ikea. I bought some circular ones too!) I can't wait until he arrives, but I'm pretty sure laundry won't be as enjoyable when there are actual stains and a baby to attend to :)

Patrick and I are leaving for our BABYMOON tomorrow!! We can't wait!

Pinterest Recipes

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have so many pins on my Food Cravings Board, so I've committed to trying at least two new recipes a week. My favorites so far have been:
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins (shown above) from Annie's Eats {here} only change was I used whole wheat flour
Pumpkin Cornbread from {here} just switch out the sweet potato puree for pumpkin :) so moist!!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles also from Annie's Eats {here} again I used wheat flour and Sugar in the Raw, which actually gave it a sparkly crunch on the outside!

Pumpkin Carving Party

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, our small group had a pumpkin carving Halloween party! We are so blessed with a wonderful group and great friends! (we missed those who couldn't be there!) It was so fun to add some Halloween decorations to my fall stuff :)

and I love my fall colored furballs :)

Our pumpkins weren't the most intricate or unique ones ever- we pretty much just went for the simple pumpkin face since it was getting dark out and we still needed to do our bible study! But we did have the cutest little princess (and future friend of John Ryman!) carving with us:

*Party Details and Ideas*

Food: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip {similar recipe here}with graham crackers/apples/ginger snaps, Halloween Candy, Oreo Cake Balls topped with a candy corn {here}, and of course you have to roast those pumpkin seeds after you are done carving! (sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper- or your favorite spice like Jane's Crazy Salt)

Drinks: Hot Apple Cider, Cider Floats recipe {here} (I just used a caramel swirl ice cream), Sunkist or another orange drink in a pitcher (I threw in some rubber spiders too!)

Music: Pandora- Halloween Party Station

Warning!! If you put fake spiders around the house to scare your guests, it will come back to bite you :) This morning I saw a huge spider on the floor and it scared me to death! It must have fallen off the table of decorations:

{Here} is my post from last year's Halloween Party and look at the post a year before that in 2009: {here} Man, I miss Mariemont in the fall!!

dream home

2011-10-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

Patrick and I passed this home one evening in Louisville... I can't even imagine what this would look like on a snowy Christmas morning :)

loving fall

2011-10-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

My family is obsessed with a restaurant called {Sake Blue} in Louisville. It's delicious!- but the wait was a little long, so my sister Sadie, best friend Chelsea and I passed the time in the field across the street with the beautiful fall colors!

Love you girls!!

Baby Shower Blessings

2011-10-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

While we were in Louisville, we had two baby showers!! It was such a blessing to see dear friends and family and everyone was so sweet to shower John Ryman with their love. I hardly took any pictures while in Louisville and at our first shower in town, but thankfully a friend took my camera for this one and she captured some of the beautiful details of this Sunday Shower...

Thank you to the talented hostess and dear friend Tammy Holbrook and my amazing Aunt Jill who traveled in from Chicago for hosting a beautiful shower! It was covered in prayer, special little details and thoughtful gifts from friends. (Don't you think Tammy should start a business!! Her decor was incredible!)

The Grandma and Aunt even got special gifts :)

and I have no idea what was so funny about this book?

stone family time

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time visiting with family the past week in Louisville. One morning (during a misty rain) we took some Christmas family photos- here are a few we snapped after the main Christmas card :)

JRG

2011-10-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

John Ryman, your dad and I love you already and can't wait for you to arrive!

He is named after his daddy John Patrick Paul, John meaning God is gracious, and we just loved the unique addition of Ryman to John for the double name :) Now we look forward to putting a sweet face to his name!

-thanks Sadie for taking these pics :)

Cravings, Cravings

2011-09-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I have not had too many wild cravings so far in this pregnancy. The first few weeks I ate those cuties/clementines all day long and over the past 26 weeks I always seem to recommend a BBQ restaurant, but no pickles and ice cream here :) The only true cravings I have had are for a few restaurants back in Louisville/Cinci that we don't have down here. I'm pretty sure Patrick's cravings for these places are even stronger than mine, so I can't blame it on the pregnancy.
We are packing up and heading to Louisville later this week and I've already made my list of places we HAVE to visit:

(Skyline Chili 3-way with a Sweet Tea and crackers)

(a cup of coffee at Java, one of our favorite highschool date spots)

(we got spoiled in Mariemont living across the street from Graeters!!)

and of course the Garcia Family Favorite- Havana Rumba

and if there is time...

I can't pass up the perfect fall treat (caramel apple pie) at Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen

Grapefest 2011 & 26 weeks

2011-09-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

We met some friends over in Grapevine for Grapefest this past weekend! The streets were packed with people, booths, and fried foods- small version of the state fair. And of course we found our way to the petting zoo...

This silly calf wouldn't look at me for a picture, but here is another Scottish Highland Calf I found on google:

Is that not the CUTEST fluffy calf you have EVER seen!?!
It was hilarious to watch all the animals run around together while toddlers chased after them inside the petting zoo.

My favorites were the two baby goats cuddled up with the HUGE rabbit:

In other news....

We had a doctor visit today and got to see our little boy! He is healthy and weighs 1 lb 15 oz- right on schedule for 26 weeks and 3 days. It is always so amazing to hear his heartbeat and see so many details, from the four chambers of his heart to his tiny feet! I am starting to feel those tiny feet a LOT more. For awhile he had been laying across by belly and moving tons, so I could feel arms on one side of my belly and legs kicking on the other, but in the past couple days he moved around into breech position and my bladder is feeling a little bit more of the little boy haha!
I am growing too :) and loving it! I'm sure that will change as my belly continues to grow and my feet begin to swell, but until then I am loving every second of being pregnant. My sewing machine has come out from hiding and I have opened up my {Simple Sewing for Baby} book again. The patterns are pretty easy and they leave room for your own creativity or style. We have a pretty busy week planned before driving to Louisville for much needed time with family and friends :) I haven't been home since Christmas! So hope to have some more posts soon. Have a great week!

special fur naptime

2011-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

On the rare occasion we leave the nursery door open or allow the furs to join us while admiring cute baby clothes, they immediately cuddle up and enjoy a calm nap in the nursery- Precious! It's like they know they are waiting on someone to move in here and that it's a treat for them to nap in his room :)

I am a little worried about Sophie and the growing toy collection... The furs sit and stare at the caged animals, hoping to see one of them move. We all will have a lot to learn when our little boy arrives!

Missoni Craze

2011-09-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

Not so sure how the Missoni pattern will look over a pregnant belly, but I love that home throw and baby quilt. Too bad everything is pretty much Sold Out already! Crazy.

nursery progress and big thanks to my mom!

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Before my mom arrived, Patrick painted the walls, I made cushions, pillows and curtains, and got a few things set up in the nursery... but there was still lots to be done :)

My mom was such a big help! Having an extra set of decorating eyes and a shopping buddy was perfect!

Me on the phone AGAIN with Target... first they sent the wrong hardware set for the crib :( then we bought a lamp and none of the holes lined up correctly. Of course it was the last lamp that the surrounding 10 Target stores had! Still on the hunt for a floor lamp, a few pieces of artwork and a little dresser that will work as a changing table, but other than that the nursery is really coming together!

Thank you so much mom for coming to visit and for working so hard while you were here :) I had such a special time with you. I'm making you relax on your next trip to TX and maybe you'll be rocking a baby in that nursery with me!

Our First Baby Shower

2011-09-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

We are so thankful for our dear friends and sweet church family that joined with us on Saturday for our little boy's first baby shower!! We feel so blessed that we will be able to raise our son surrounded by such great families and encouraged by godly friends. AND it was extra special because my mom was able to be there for the shower! We had so much fun while she was in town and we loved coming home after the shower and folding all the precious tiny clothes :)
The food was delicious and the decorations were adorable:

(Patrick is so excited about his stylish diaper backpack!)

how my brain works.

2011-09-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

A peek at the nursery fabrics:

(not the correct paint swatches... after sampling they looked too yellow)

Below was the original room inspiration picture *thanks to pinterest*:

but it needed a little softer, more "nursery" look

which will hopefully be created by using hanging art like this:

and the style of these nurseries:

while the two above have great vintage touches and clean lines there is not enough color...

So I'm trying to combine all the nursery pictures that I like and create my little boy's nursery into a peaceful and creative space that the whole family can enjoy :)

..........................................................................................................

I found this picture on pinterest as well (you can find me {here}) and realized I liked it so much because it was similar coloring as to what I was looking for in the nursery. Transfer this girl to a farm by a lake and I think it would be the perfect picture :)

Nursery Chair Revamp

2011-09-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

I found this chair down the street waiting for trash pick up. It had a twin, but the other one was pretty wobbly, so I picked this one up and put it in the back of my car for a little makeover:

After removing 4 screws from the seat base and cleaning that nasty chair cushion, I simply used leftover fabric from the nursery glider cushions (coming soon!) and staple-gunned the fabric tightly around the base.

After several coats of White Semi-gloss spray paint over the sturdy body of the chair, I screwed the new seat cushion back to the chair and had a Brand New Chair for FREE!!!

(See those yellow walls :) Patrick is currently painting over them!! I'm so ready to have another room that isn't covered floor to ceiling in yellow. The Nursery paint is called Light Raffia- a light cream/tan. Boring? Maybe, but hopefully will create a calm, clean feel for our little boy's nursery.)

--after looking at these pictures, I think the back of the chair could use another coat... almost done!--

the animal print shop

2011-08-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

Have you seen The Animal Print Shop by Sharon Montrose?!?!
Beautiful and simple photography with the cutest animals = dream nursery art!

Her limited edition prints are pretty pricey, but the 8x10 size isn't too bad... now if I could just decide on which animals I want! The baby Zebu, Lamb and White Tiger are my favorites, but I also love the sheep profile, fox, and bear. I'll have to decide eventually or else I'll be spending my money to fill the walls with beautiful photography and not furniture in the nursery. Head over to the website and let me know which ones are your favorites? {here}

and {here} is a link to her blog

and so it begins...

2011-08-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

My goal was to have the nursery cleared out and ready by the time we found out if baby g was a boy or girl. The next step was to order the crib and start my search for fabrics and furniture :) Yard sales have turned out to be quite successful and I'll have some posts soon showing diy projects. The crib arrived last week (the day the girls left) and Patrick got to working on putting it together... unfortunately silly Target left out a few screws in the hardware set and one was too stripped to use, so while the majority of the crib is up, we are waiting on a replacement hardware set! The nursery decorating has begun and we are getting so excited!

The furs love when we let them in the nursery and they kept a close eye on Patrick as he worked on the crib.

girls weekend

2011-08-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun time with Lindsey and Chelsea when they came to visit! And of course the time went by WAY too quick! Thank you girls for an awesome weekend :) Miss ya already!

The furs moped around for days after the girls left... Reagan was especially sad :(

(and there's the baby bump- 23 weeks!)

feathers!

2011-08-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

While the girls were in town we decided to get some Feathers!!! I am always to nervous to change my hair style in any way, but a little feather can't hurt :) and I can tuck it under my hair and all 3 feathers are completely hidden. Lindsey and Chelsea's feathers are so cute! We are so glad we did it:

Day at the Stockyards

2011-08-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

safari

2011-08-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

My family had the opportunity to go to Africa this summer on a mission trip! I wish I could have gone :) My sister uploaded some of the group's photos onto my computer when she was in town. After searching through some and editing a few... maybe they will look cute in the nursery? especially the precious baby elephant and its momma :)

cloudy and cool

2011-08-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would be so excited for a cloudy day! Last week, we woke up to raindrops and cloud coverage- wonderful even if just for a morning :) The other hot days we have been staying indoors and treating the furs to late night swims with our friends and their new puppy!

I'm getting ready for a weekend with friends!!!! Lots to come- including nursery fabrics and sewing projects :)

Refreshing Recipes

2011-08-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

It's HOT here- like record-breaking- HOT. While I work indoors enjoying the A/C and thanking the Lord I'm not 9 months pregnant... it's still hard to turn on the oven or eat anything remotely warm. Here are a couple recipes I'm going to try and make. They all look so cool and refreshing!

yummy salsa from {here}

Avocado toast from {here}

Pioneer Woman's Cowboy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork {here}

Perfect Iced Coffee {here}

BLT Panzanella {here}

Joyfully Blue!

2011-08-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I let the dogs outside and noticed a bright blue feather on the patio. It was beautiful! We were scheduled to find out the sex of baby g next Tuesday, so I thought this might be a little sign that my feeling of having a boy might just be true :)

Little did I know that we would actually be finding out a little sooner... like this morning!!!!!!! My appointment was changed and it was a rare weekend that their sonogram technicians were in on a Saturday! With all the kicking baby g has been doing, I figured we would be able to tell boy or girl... but I didn't know it would be this obvious:

It's a BOY!!!!!!!!!

He moved around a lot, but mostly stayed with his head facing out towards the camera :) Love these next few pictures... it is amazing all the details you can see:

and here is a really tacky phone pic of my growing belly at 20 weeks! Half way there!!!

We are so excited to be having a little boy! I just knew it was a boy all along :)

If you have tissues handy, watch this video of Brad Paisley singing Anything Like Me:

Special Delivery

2011-08-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

Look what Patrick had shipped down last week:

Patrick's vintage car is finally with us at home! Now we don't have to wait for Louisville visits to have a special date in this '57! Hope to have some photos of his car coming in the next week and maybe a few baby bump pictures too :)

2 weeks

2011-07-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

2 weeks until the big ultrasound!!

Hope to find out if its a boy or girl :)

but I will have to keep myself from buying every cute baby item I see.

all images from {bodenbaby}

coffee

2011-07-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

Our first date was at Starbucks.
With almost every date following, coffee was somehow involved. Late nights at Heine Brothers on Bardstown Road, a surprise cup of Java coffee waiting in my locker in high school, afternoon study breaks and sermon writing on the Starbucks patio in Mariemont.
It began full of milk, froth, extra whipped cream and caramel. Slowly, we moved to cappuccinos and lattes with a few packets of sugar. And now a mug full of black french pressed coffee on a Saturday morning is more our style.
Yesterday, Patrick and I spent the afternoon in Sundance Square sipping on an Iced Caramel Macchiato (a dessert treat compared to our morning choice but a necessity in this weather!)- what a sweet time together. Miles from Mariemont and Bardstown Road, we share our goals for the next year, 5 years. We encourage, dream, and laugh. While our preference for coffee shifted throughout our relationship from flavored milk with coffee to a rich, dark roast, may we always encourage, dream and laugh together... over a cup of coffee.

Baby Wipes Recipe

2011-07-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend works for Arbonne and sent me this awesome recipe to make chemical free baby wipes for cheap! I have recently started using their skincare line and I love all of it! Ever since I got pregnant, my skin has been super sensitive. I changed my laundry detergent to Seventh Generation (I was itching like CRAZY until I washed my entire wardrobe) and skincare products to Arbonne, which has helped a ton. Needless to say, if I don't want to put unwanted chemicals into my skin, I need to be extra careful with that precious newborn skin! I already bought some items from the baby line- so wonderful- and now all I need are some Viva paper towels to make this simple, chemical-free baby wipes:

1 Old baby wipe container
1 roll of Viva paper towels
1 tbsp ABC oil (Arbonne baby care)
1 tbsp ABC wash
2 cups water

"Mix all liquids in a bowl. Take the center cardboard out of the paper towels. Cut paper towels in 1/2 (width-wise) Soak towels in liquids and place in old baby wipe container. Voila!"

inspiration/dreaming

2011-07-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

I love {Pinterest}. I'm obsessed. I think it is going to be a major help once I start this whole nursery decorating thing. My mind is running wild with ideas, but I have yet to make one purchase or do anything to the room because we are waiting to find out the sex of baby g hopefully next month :) I'm thankful I have a few weeks before we find out, so I can keep myself from buying baby things for a little bit longer. I MUST stop myself from looking at the {Stokke} website. Why do they have to have so many beautiful and classy and $$$ baby items to tempt me with?!! Anyone have a secret to finding them discounted? I'm searching Craigslist!

So here are my top inspiration images for the nursery (one girl and one boy) and their are links on my {pinterest page} with even more of my favorite pictures:

(I know this isn't a nursery, but I love the color scheme and textures of the room)

(for a boy nursery I want: clean rustic vintage. yea, it makes sense in my head haha
but this room creates just that... rustic wooden textures with vintage accessories and clean white lines)

16 weeks (and 3 days)

2011-07-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

Right now, baby g is the size of an avocado! Thats about 4 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 ounces.

My belly is definitely growing, but I'm still not sure if it's actually the baby or just bloating- haha- it changes throughout the day :)

A little recap on the first trimester:

I had a feeling I was pregnant, so after work I picked up a cheap package of pregnancy tests to take the next morning. It was really early when I woke up for work and I didn't want to wake up Patrick. The test showed a very faint second line, but what was that supposed to mean!?!? I jumped in the car to rush for Walgreens before work to pick up a digital pregnancy test- something that could give me a real answer and not a faint line :) The words "Pregnant" popped up on the screen and I spent all day super excited... dying to tell Patrick, but clearly a phone call or text wasn't appropriate :)

I picked up some red & green wrapping paper (since this would be an early Christmas gift!), a little baby book, and placed the test inside the gift. Patrick new before he even saw the test that I was pregnant! We celebrated all evening and it still felt a little surreal! This was right at 4 weeks- and the only symptoms I had was frequent trips to the bathroom :) It wasn't until about 6 weeks that I started to feel a little nauseous in the mornings. I'm so thankful that my morning sickness was not bad at all compared to the stories I have heard! And once I learned to eat a little snack in the middle of the night (so I wouldn't wake up with an empty stomach) I was pretty much back to normal. Even now, I haven't had any food aversions or wild cravings... well not any different than what I had before getting pregnant!

Here's what babycenter says about how the baby g is growing these days...

"Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, you baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. His (or her) legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks are recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop."

4th celebration!

2011-07-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

Patrick and I spent the day together and then met up with some friends to watch the fireworks on a rooftop! What a beautiful day celebrating the 4th of July!!

cute little car we saw on the road...

Jake & Susie come for the weekend!

2011-07-09T14:56:00.001-07:00

(yummy H3 ranch restaurant- BEST bacon ever)

They were so happy to have a friend for the weekend :)

Thanks for coming in town Niven Family! We love you!

Let Freedom Ring!

2011-07-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

printable from {pinterest}

guest bathroom

2011-06-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Shower curtain, shelves, clock, towels, and little table from Target
Old jars and candlestick from my Nana Stone
Green candle on table from Pottery Barn

I'll probably move the wood table into the nursery :) I actually bought it on clearance with that in mind before we were pregnant, but it went well in the bathroom so that was my excuse to buy it!

Unfortunately the sea horses are still in the bathtub...

3 years

2011-06-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today is our 3 year anniversary! It kinda makes me want to watch our wedding video again :) We celebrated our anniversary (and cancer-free 2 years!!!) on friday at a delicious Hawaiian steakhouse {Roys} in Plano. It was delicious!! Then Patrick treated me to a walk around Ikea- isn't that sweet! We brainstormed and took measurements for some new furniture and ideas for the nursery and finishing up the guest room.

This has been a whirlwind of a year. In our third year of marriage, we have had many changes...
Moved across country, Patrick started a new job, we both graduated from college, Patrick was ordained into the ministry, I started a new job, we bought a "new" car, purchased our first home, oh and now we're pregnant :)

I don't think that there are too many other changes that could have occurred this year- haha! But we have never felt closer or experienced more joy in our marriage than in the midst of all of these. Now we are looking forward to the years ahead and what the Lord has in store.

Joe T's with Sadie and Dad

2011-06-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

(Warning: Creeper shown in the following pictures :) Patrick had a goatee and I jokingly said he should try a mustache before shaving it all off. I didn't realize he was going to actually do it! To work, hospital calls, meetings, dinner and all! hahahah Thankfully It's gone now, but we got some funny pics!)

The gardens were BEAUTIFUL!!!!

(and yes, she got those boots at a thrift store in Nashville for $2!!! jealous.)

Sadie's First Visit to Ft. Worth

2011-06-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

My sister, Sadie, flew in town on Friday evening and we tried to do it all since it was her first time to visit!!
Downtown Ft. Worth- West 7th street, of course
Laying out at Grapevine Lake
Shopping at Southlake Town Center (major sales!) and Grapevine
Night in Dallas with wonderful Desserts
Compass and celebrating Father's Day!!
Rita's Ice and grilling out at the house
Joe T's and a drive through Sundance Square, Stockyards and TONS more!

We hated to see her go yesterday and already miss her. My dad actually came in town too for some meetings from Monday to Thursday and we got to spend some fun times with him as well!

-trying to look pregnant :)

(Happy Father's Day!)

telling my parents...

2011-06-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

Remember when my parents came to visit a few months ago... {here}
Well we had found out the day before that we were pregnant! While it was a little earlier than we had planned to tell them, there was NO way I could go a weekend without telling my parents and I didn't know the next time we would see them in person. After we picked them up at the airport and dinner, we took them back to our new home to give them a tour. The final room was "locked" and Patrick came to open it for us and as they walked in I said, "and here is the Nursery!"

how the furs shared the news

2011-06-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

Patrick and I tried our best to keep our little secret until I was at least 10 weeks because we were meeting the entire Garcia Fam in Florida for vacation. What a perfect opportunity to share with all of them, face to face! My parents already knew, but I had to tell Sadie and Sam :) I mailed a package of goodies to my mom who hid them until the night we told the Garcias on vacation. Sam opened a package labeled "a costume for Uncle Sam" complete with an American Flag hat and tacky red, white and blue sunglasses. Sadie's gift included an adorable onesie that said "Auntie and Ice Cream, my favorite combo" and a frame that read: Aunt Sadie! After all of the Garcias arrived in Florida, we couldn't wait any longer to share the news... so the second night after dinner, we passed around the following pictures to all the kids saying the furs had a message for them:

Dec. 23rd!

2011-06-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, We are having a baby!!! This picture is from our sonogram on Friday at 13 weeks exactly. I am due on December 23rd- a little Christmas baby :)
There is so much more to catch you up on and I hope I don't overwhelm you with pictures, ideas, info, and all the excitement that is rushing through my mind! Until then, I'll share a wonderful article that I saw on someone's facebook. Hope it will encourage you mothers out there and make you see your mission a little differently.
Click {here}

Growing Garcia Garden

2011-06-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

Everything in the garden is growing!!! (except for a few squirrel/tomato and odd-shaped pepper incidences)

Now here is my favorite little thing growing around our home that I've been dying to share with you:

Corn Salad

2011-06-16T06:45:00.000-07:00

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 package of frozen white corn (I made it the first time with white corn and then the second time-shown above- with yellow... both were great, but I prefer sweet white corn)

1/2 red onion (chopped)
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and oil. Saute the corn until roasted. In a medium bowl, combine the onion, vinegar, olive oil, basil and roasted corn. Mix well. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

-from Vera Bradley Cooking with Friends

(I posted the corn salad recipe awhile ago but I never got around to trying it until now... it is delicious! Check out some more 4th of July recipes {here} especially my favorite Summertime Salsa}

summer recipes

2011-06-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

I have a list of recipes that I want to try out this summer and I'm hoping to use some of the things in my garden :) All of the links below are wonderful websites if you are interested in more recipes!
Here are a few of my favorites:

pasta salad from {bunsinmyoven}

strawberry summer cake from {smittenkitchen}

barbecued chicken kebabs from {pinkparsley}

and in honor of our trip to Israel a year ago... some falafel and mediterranean pepper salad
{here} and {here}