More Wedding Pictures

Here are a few more pictures of our friends' wedding that Josh was a groomsman in.
One of the many things I love about Portland is that there is so much nature so close to the city. This farm is about 10 minutes away from our house! Hey, Starr: I thought of you as soon as I got here! So many cute little places for you to make lovely films at! I love the hills in the distance, and the cute old school bus that people ended up bunking in that night! And how cute are the bride and groom? Their pictures were all shot on an old Polaroid with instant film. I'll show you those later.




I really love when there's a wedding, because- aside from the love- I get to see my friends all dressed up!








I think my husband is so cute!

Week 18

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Ours was filled with friends, seeing Prarie Home Companion at the zoo, relaxing, having to buy and install a new toilet (on of the joys of remodeling an old house: plumbing emergencies!) and more relaxing.

I hadn't realized how much my body had grown until I saw these pictures. Oh, my! This past week, I really started to feel hungry. ALL. THE. TIME. I'll eat a little snack, feel full, then starving again in an hour. My purse is always full of fruit, nuts, granola bars, and veggies now.

I recently bought an old Polaroid Land 103 camera. I have some instant film I can shoot with it, and was super excited to try it out. I know I still have a few packs of the normal 600 Polaroid film SOMEwhere, but with moving five times in the last two years, I have misplaced it. I'll be thrilled the day I unpack that box that has the film in it. Unfortunately the shutter on this camera isn't working properly. It's always a gamble when you buy cameras this old. I'm going to purchase another one, and hopefully it'll work out!

Trying to frame a shot...


(my tomato plants have gotten out of control! They are so tall and are producing so much fruit. I keep staking them up, but in the mornings they're on the ground again. I suspect squirrels, cats, and raccoons are the culprits)



Dear Baby:
We are having so much fun with you already! I can feel your movements more and more each day, and can sense where you are. You're getting pretty big, and you're demanding lots more food lately. I hope you like the healthy snacks we've been having. You dance around a lot right after I eat, you must be so happy and full! Your dad has been poking and rubbing my belly, and you respond by moving around a lot. He's not entirely positive that what he has felt you yet, but you definitely love when he hangs out with you. You are also pretty into Bob Dylan, as it turns out! We laid in bed listening to him, and you tumbled along the entire time. We'll be playing you lots of good music from now on.
Love you,
Momny and Daddy

secret gnome meeting

Wow, everyone! It was so great to hear your responses to the last post! Thanks to everyone that shared their opinions, whether we share the same views or not, I thoroughly enjoyed reading and re-reading each comment.

The wedding we went to this weekend took place on Pendarvis Farm, just outside of Portland. This is where the music festival Pick-a-Thon takes place, and the farm is just full of magic. Sherry, the woman that owns it, used to work as a float maker for parades! There are so many magical little creatures strewn about and hidden in the forests of this 80 acre farm.


My favorite find was this group of gnomes, animals, and Strawberry Shortcakes having a little secret meeting in a clearing in the woods. I stumbled upon them while we were hiking up as a group, I got very distracted spying on them, and lost my friends.






I'll be back with more wedding pictures soon, I have to take some film to get developed. I took my cheap Lomography fish-eye camera to the reception, hopefully those pictures turned out fun!

Happy weekend, everyone!

week 17

My, what a busy week! Ever since last Saturday, we've had some sort of party, show, or event to go to every night. Each day has been packed full, too. Today is the first day in a week and a half that I get to relax!
This week's baby picture was taken at our friends' wedding. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever been to, and I'll definitely be sharing more pictures in the next couple of days. Let's just say, it took place on a gorgeous farm complete with groups of gnomes hiding out in trees, Strawberry Shortcakes having meetings in the forest, and camping afterwards!



Dear Baby:
You've had quite an adventurous week! I think all the activity has been stirring you up, because you've been an active little baby. On Thursday, we went to see our friends' band play, and you were dancing so much inside my belly! They are really fantastic, so it seems like you're developing a good taste in music early on.
This past week, we went to see the midwife, and to listen to your little heart beat. When she pushed down on you to try and listen, you kicked back so hard that the microphone moved and she felt it! We were laughing at your giant kicks, they were so loud over the microphone. I love feeling you, and hopefully your Daddy will be able to soon.
This week, your little skeleton is starting to grow from cartilage to bone, so I'll be sure to eat lots of extra calcium so you can grow so strong! Everyone is so excited about you, I wonder if you can feel all the loving hands that touch my belly? You are already surrounded by friends and family that are excited to meet you, so keep growing in there, little love.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Getting Motivated at Rachel Red Lips!

Good morning! Today I have written a blog post for Rachel's blog, Rachel Red Lips. It's about getting over my fear being sucky at things, and finally getting motivated to learn to sew! Maybe you have something you've been wanting to learn, but have been putting it off? Well, let's all get motivated to get creative! Take a peak, will ya?

What a House!

How amazing is this house? I love how inviting it looks, even in pictures. I absolutely love the worn chevron floors and the white walls. I plan to paint the walls of the living room and main areas of our house white. It can look really boring, but they're also so bright, and go with every decor.







(all pictures found here)

Week 16

First off, thank you so so much for all of your comments on my last post. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone in feeling the pressure and competitiveness of "style bloggers," and encouraging to hear that you're interested in what else I have to share! I am excited to see change in my blog, and I'm happy you're sticking around.

Just a quick baby post today. This past week was the first time I've worn a fitted shirt in public since being pregnant, and I was a little unsure of how I felt about it. I painted our closet on Friday, and forgot to put my wedding ring back on before heading out to run some errands. Let me tell you, if you ever want to get the most condescending, judgmental looks, take a pregnant belly and no ring on your finger to the nearest fabric store. Those ladies made no attempt to look at my belly, then my ring finger, then at my face with both disgust and sadness. Even though I'm married, they made me feel absolutely awful. My heart goes out to any pregnant woman not wearing a ring, and a giant slap in the face to anyone that can make another person feel so judged with just a look.
On to happier things! I am feeling very pregnant this week, and I'm glad I am starting to look obviously pregnant. Even the guy at the paint store made a comment about me finishing the painting before my "deadline"! Physically, I feel really great and energetic. I hope this continues for many more months.
A couple of weeks ago, I received a very sweet email from Indiana, who is also pregnant. Forever21 sent her two starter packs from their maternity line, and she wanted to share one of them with me! What a sweet, generous girl! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the girls I've "met" through blogging are some of the nicest, most supportive girls. I'm trying not to buy very much clothing for my bump, and so far I've only purchased things from a thrift store. I also made a choice last year to no longer shop at Forever21, and was very tempted by their maternity line. Getting this package as a gift was just perfect. It included a belly band, a tank, and leggings, all for ladies with bellies. Thanks so much, Indiana!



Dear Baby,
Guess what!? This week, I felt you move for the first time!! I thought I had felt you before, but was never sure. The other day, your daddy was kissing my belly and talking to you. His beard was tickling me, and I was trying to squirm away. As I was giggling, I felt you fluttering inside of me! Maybe you were feeling a little silly, too? It was an amazing feeling that made me stop and stay absolutely still. Of course, your daddy kept tickling me, thinking you'd like that. Sometimes at nights, or when I stop to rest, I can feel your tiny little movements. It shouldn't surprise me to feel you this early on, as you made everyone smile at your ultrasound and our first midwife appointment with your huge movements.
We're going back to the midwife tomorrow to make sure everything is still well, and to listen to your little heart beat again. I can't wait to hear it, it's a very soothing sound for Mommy.
Keep kicking away, my little love.
Mommy and Daddy

Moving Forward

Ok, I think I finally figured out why I've been having a hard time blogging in the past couple of months, so here goes:
As my readership here grows (hi new friends!), I've been thinking lots about my blog, and what direction I want to take it in. Yesterday, my friend Starr posted pretty much what's been on my mind for a couple of weeks. Let me try to articulate my thoughts somewhat.
I really really enjoy fashion, looking at style blogs, and putting outfits together. I don't spend much money at all on clothing, so I love coming up with new combinations with what I already own. However, as Starr mentioned, in the world of style blogs, it's very easy to get caught up in trends and wanting to own a particular item that's popping up on blogs, and style it up as your own. I know it's not the intention of bloggers, but this makes me feel a little competitive, and like I have to "keep up" in order to enjoy blogging. I've also started to feel a little uncomfortable, because all I seem to think about is what outfit I can come up with next to show you. Because I was purely focusing on style posts, I didn't always post, even if I had something non-fashion related I wanted to share with you.
I still absolutely want to keep documenting my style, because I do enjoy that, but I want to do it in a more natural way. Instead of always shooting my own pictures in the backyard, I'll just try to get shots while I'm out and about, showing you more of my "everyday" life. This will also help me get out of the house more, and enjoy the amazing city that is Portland.
I want this blog to move forward as a lifestyle and self style blog, rather than just a style blog. I am always excited to share recipe and food posts, but I used to worry that it would bore those here for just style. Well, guess what? I love to cook, and I love to share my cooking adventures with people, so expect more of that! With the help and encouragement of Rachel, I've started to sew. As I work on a project, no matter how amateur it may be, I'll be documenting on the blog.
Sorry to get all heavy on a Friday, I just wanted to get my thoughts out of my head and on the blog. I hope you'll stick around!

I'm also excited to post more random articles and photos I come across that interest me. They won't always be fashion related, but they'll always be something I love. Here is something I find absolutely amazing! My sister shared this yesterday, and I couldn't stop admiring it.
Dalton Ghetti carves these breathtaking sculptures out of the tips of pencils. They are so intricate and perfect. Can you imagine all the work that goes into carving something so delicate and tiny!? The amazing thing is he's never sold one, although I am sure people would pay big bucks for one of these pieces. He prefers to give them to friends and family as gifts. How can we become friends, Dalton Ghetti? These are some of my favorites, you can check out the rest here.




Now I'm off to lunch with one of my closest friends, then later to an open sewing night at Modern Domestic with Rachel. Happy weekend, friends!

Sunday Cooking

I spent my last Sunday where I used to spend most Sundays: in the kitchen. I haven't been cooking as much as I'd like to, so I'm trying to change that. I like to get a lot of cooking, baking, and prep work on Sundays to make cooking throughout the week easier. I'd also like to get back into making extra food and freezing it, so it's handy when I don't feel like cooking but we still want to eat healthy foods. Since starting to feel better, I've been trying to get up while Josh gets ready for work to make us breakfast and to pack Josh his lunch. Yes, I pack my husband lunch. He's a well-fed, healthy man!
Breakfast consisted of waffles topped with cottage cheese and fresh fruit, with a side of bacon (of course).




Then, on to the salsa making! I love fresh salsa so much, and it's such a cinch to make. One jar for me and Josh, one jar for Rachel and Alex!



Zucchini bread was next on my list. I like having these types of breads around for a quick breakfast or snack, and this is a great way to use up all the zucchinis from our garden. I use my mother-in-law's recipe, and subbed applesauce for the eggs so I could share a loaf with Rachel, who is vegan. I thought I had a bag of walnuts, but couldn't find any. I didn't feel like running to the store, so I emptied out a bag of trail mix and picked out all the walnuts and pecans to use in the bread. Yeah, I wanted that crunch that badly. Oh, if you have a KitchenAid mixer, I highly reccommend gettting the grating/slicing attchement. It is amazing and saves so much time, especially if you want to grate cheese!




I love these little cooking charts on the oven door that vintage stoves all seem to have.


By the time the zucchini bread was in the oven, it was time for lunch! A quick sandwich with sauteed garden spinach and a salad was just right!


Oh, and here is a very sad picture: Josh in our ruined pool that leaked out overnight last week. Look at the little face. Poor guy.

Week 15

I kind of keep forgetting that I'm pregnant. I know that sounds silly, but I will go go go all day long, and get confused when I start to get tired quicker than before, or when my legs and feet start to hurt. I've also began to sweat a lot more, and my heartbeat goes crazy when I go up one flight of stairs. As I told Rachel when I arrived at her third story apartment, "I feel like a fat kid." I keep having to remind myself that my body is making a tiny little person right now, which takes up a lot of energy. Josh has told me to stop apologizing when I can't get everything done that I wanted to do, and to get enough rest! Just when I start to forget, though, I look down at my growing midsection and remember.

For this week's baby post, we ventured off to a Wildlife Refuge that's about one mile from our house. It's our first time visiting it, and I wonder if I'll go back. You see, it looks so nice and peaceful, but looks can be deceiving.
Here I am picking wildflowers, loving nature...



...when a SNAKE starts slithering around, being a jerk! Josh didn't believe me at first, but I saw it's scary, green-striped body with my own eyes! I had to re-enact the snake's motion just so Josh would believe me.



Being the gentleman that he is, Josh picked some Queen Anne's Lace for me (roots, dirt, and all).




I swear I heard snakes in the trees by this bridge, but Josh tells me I'm making stuff up.


(dress: from Starr; shoes, necklace, and purse: vintage, thrifted)
I love this dress so much! It's from the 1940's,from Starr's shop, Action is the Fruit. I'm definitely testing the strength of the seams around the belly, but I just couldn't wait till next year to wear it! You should check out her shop, because it's full of gorgeous vintage, all beautifully photographed by Starr herself!
I think these next pictures sum up me and Josh perfectly: I like to wear pretty vintage flowery dresses and pick flowers and berries...




...and Josh is thrilled when he finds gross boy things, like a dried up dead snake. He enjoys putting things in his mouth to look silly, making his own "nature's bluetooth", and torturing his wife.



We don't know if Baby is a boy or a girl yet, but I bet you that if we have a little boy, Josh and him will be teaming up to pull pranks on me! I have no doubt that will happen (but it's kind of cute to think about).


Dear Baby:
You have a couple of new nicknames this week, and I'll explain why. You've started to grow really fine, white hair all over your body. It's there to keep your skin protected and to keep you warm, but it makes your daddy and I giggle to think about. I've started to call you my Little Polar Bear, and your daddy likes to call you Fuzzy Little Man-Peach (but we don't know if you're a boy or girl yet!). I hope you don't mind your nicknames, it's out of love, I promise! Also, I apologize for not eating enough food the last few weeks. It's hard to remember to eat so often, but I promise I'll get better at it, and I'll be feeding you lots of yummy snacks so you won't go hungry! You're about 4 inches long now, and even though you're still so tiny, you've grown so so much since we found out about you! Keep up the good work, little one.
We love you so much,
Mommy and Daddy