Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!



We are in countdown mode... only 11 days until our due date. This time next year we will have an almost-one-year old that we can take trick-or-treating. This will mean some big changes for us – normally we either go out to eat OR turn off all of our lights and hide in our bonus room watching movies.

Greeting Cards: Halloween

 
I hope you had a fun Halloween. 
Carving pumpkins. Eating candy. Dressing up. 
It is the perfect kids holiday. 
I can't wait until our little one is here and we get better at joining in on the festivities.

*This is the tenth in my series of twelve "I Love You More" cards   
that I have designed and will be posting throughout the year.
 
© Cheree Moore

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Overwhelmed


When I get stressed or overwhelmed I get cranky. It's how I function. I think it has something to do with not feeling in control of my life. It's why I rarely cry. I feel out of control if I cry, so mostly I don't do it. I also try not to allow myself to get to a point of being stressed or overwhelmed – a big reason why I exercise {and have continued to do so throughout this pregnancy}.

Saturday I had a moment of cranky, out of control, overwhelmed crying. It started building on Friday. I got to hang out with my sister and we went and got pedicures – something that should have been totally relaxing and fun. And it was. Except for the fact that it wasn't what I expected – the place we went didn't have us soak our feet or massage our feet/legs for very long. I hate that something as silly as my expectations not being met can start me in a tail spin.

That afternoon, following my OB appointment, Daniel and I went to Starbucks. My order was messed up and it made me cranky {they forgot to add vanilla to my vanilla latte and when I went back to complain, I ended up with sugar-free vanilla}. Totally stupid, I know. But I wasn't in control and my hormones must have been in overdrive to make me upset.

Saturday we worked on putting together our baby swag. We are actually fairly prepared at this point, but for some reason I just started feeling really overwhelmed. I think it is freaking me out that I don't have any control over when Jack is going to make his appearance {and I have no intention of inducing if we can avoid it}. So after lunch I had a moment or two of crying and telling Daniel how overwhelmed I have been feeling. 

As a guy he just wants to fix it {which he can't}. But at least after almost 9 years of marriage he knows when to just listen and let me vent. We spent some time just hanging out in the hammock and I felt much better. 

I'm going to chalk this experience up to hormones and be thankful that these moments have been almost non existent for me. I think we would both be going a bit crazy if I had been super hormonal for the entirety of the last 9 months!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

52 Books: Book 45


Earlier this week I wrapped up The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. The writing style of this book reminded me of the movie Valentine's Day. Each chapter follows various characters who work for an Italian newspaper. Each character's story is short and somewhat incomplete. Some of the characters show up in each other's plots, but mostly the stories are about the individuals who make up the paper. 

I am not a fan of this style of writing. It comes across as choppy and incomplete. I felt like I never really got to know any of the characters. At the very end, condensed into one short chapter, we learn what happens to each character. For me, it just wasn't enough.

Monday, October 24, 2011

52 Books: Book 44


Back in March I started reading What to Expect When You're Expecting by


Saturday, October 22, 2011

Cloudland Canyon: West Rim Trail Revisited


About this time last year Daniel and I went out to Cloudland Canyon for a day hike. Unfortunately we were short on time and were only able to hike 2.5 miles. Today we had a bit more time and were able to complete the entire West Rim Trail – approximately 5 miles.


It was the perfect day for a hike – 60ºF and sunny. The trees are just starting to change color. This hike will offer some spectacular views in a couple of weeks when the colors really start to peak.


The first 3+ miles were along the rim with awesome views. The end of the hike was in the woods. Hiking in the woods has its own charm, providing lots of time to think. 


Being 37 weeks pregnant I am a bit slow, but we managed to complete the hike {with stops for photo ops} in about 2 hours. We can't wait to be able to take our little boy hiking with us. Even better is the fact that Daniel can carry him instead of me lugging him around in my belly.


bittersweet.

Yesterday around lunch time, I received a text message that I had been waiting for. One of my closest friends from high school had finally had her baby {she was four days overdue}. I was in Baby's R Us and very ecstatic to learn the news. I can't wait to go meet her baby boy in person.

The rest of the day Daniel and I went about running errands in Chattanooga and then hanging out at home.

After a long afternoon nap, I checked into Facebook and learned that a friend from college was facing the passing of her own baby boy. Five month old Ian has been at Vanderbilt fighting for his life since his birth. Sadly, Ian went to be with the angels last night. The finality of the news is heartbreaking.

I have no words. 

I pray that God will give comfort and strength to Ashley and Bob and their families during this incredibly difficult time.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

52 Books: Book 43


For the last several years I have been reading the blog Mabel's House by Elizabeth Owen. It is witty and funny and very real to life. Better yet, I know Liz and her husband, Matt, personally from college and somehow that makes her stories even better.

Her posts about dissatisfaction with life and the need to grow up resonated with me. As did her thoughts on not being ready to become a mom {which she finally plunged into last year after almost a decade of marriage}. I relate all too well.

When I found out she was writing a book, I jumped on board and pre-ordered my copy as soon as I could. A few weeks ago that book arrived on my door step and I couldn't wait to dive in. As usual, Liz's style of writing did not disappoint.

My (not so) Storybook Life is broken into 14 chapters that take us into the world of marital bliss {that prove to not always be so blissful, as is often the case}. The book also shares Liz's personal journey of the loss of a friend to cancer. While Liz could have chosen to run away from her problems or write her story in a cynical way, she chooses instead to be grateful for all of the moments that make up her life, even when things don't turn out the way she thinks they should.

One unexpected twist in this book is Liz's introduction to each chapter. She takes literary characters that we grew up with and weaves modern-day scenarios of what those characters would be up to in their ever after {the parts that don't always go so happily}. If you are a lover of literature and are curious about what Anne and Gilbert; Scarlett and Rhett; Marianne and Colonel Brandon or the March Sisters are up, you cannot miss out on this book. Just be prepared to both laugh and to cry.

Excerpts from the book: 
It's often said that people resemble their pets, or vice versa. If I were a vain woman I would deny this fact to the death since Mabel desperately needs a diet for her rotund backside and a daily regime of anti-anxiety medication. But denying our similarities would do no good in light of the fact that she and I are doggy-human soul mates.

As long as I didn't pray about the big things, I avoided being disappointed in God... When you kneel before God and pray, you admit your helplessness. You admit that there's nothing you can do about a situation. And in praying, you admit that God is really up there. You concede He's really listening. And that, my friends, is no small revelation.

I relayed my frustration to my mother.
"Do you know what I did yesterday? I'll tell you. I worked eight hours, got stuck behind a wreck on the river bridges, got home an hour and a half later, threw sticks with Mabel and got a splinter, changed the sheets on the bed because they feel gritty, ate a bowl of cereal, balanced the checkbook, cried, weighed myself, cried again, and finally passed out on the couch. Of course my toilets are dirty! Of course we eat takeout! Of course my baseboards are dusty! How can I possibly be expected to do all this?"
Mother watched me placidly, paintbrush in hand. Slowly she began to shake her head. "Who cares? I raised my daughters to be creative and happy, not disinfecting, baseboard washing experts..."

"I had so much time before, so many possibilities stretching endlessly ahead of me. But it's not endless. This all has an expiration date."

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Nursery: Crib and Blanket


A few months ago I had my heart set on a crib from IKEA and then IKEA pulled all of its cribs out of US stores due to recent laws that had passed concerning drop sides on cribs. I was disappointed, but held out hope that IKEA would modify the designs and bring their cribs back to the US.

Luckily that is exactly what happened and we were able to get a crib we loved without spending an arm and a leg.

Daniel and I decided on the white SUNDVIK crib {above}. Once we had it home we hacked it to make it fit in with our nursery look. We painted the end gray to match the dresser and then I stenciled bicycles on it.

I created the stencil from a piece of fabric I scanned into my computer. I love technology!

The Michael Miller Bicycle Haze fabric has been the basis for the theme in this room. I purchased the fabric off the internet and had every intention of buying a custom blanket from an Etsy shop owner. Unfortunately the Etsy owner decided to pull out of working with me and I decided I would take a stab at making my own blanket.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Before and After


We have finally made some headway on our nursery and while it is by no means finished, I thought I would go ahead and share a glimpse of one of our recent projects.


When Daniel and I were first married, we both had old dressers that came with us from our days of being single. These two dressers have been relegated to our guest rooms as they function well and we have been too cheap to replace them. Daniel's dresser is a remnant of the 80s. It has wood veneer and brass pulls. I have never been fond of this dresser. 


In my mind I have always wanted to paint it. I even tried to convince Daniel of painting the wood several years ago, but for some reason he put me off {I was under the impression that it was a relic from his boyhood that he didn't want to change... which turned out not to be the case}. 


Once we started the nursery decorating, I was able to finally persuade him that painting was the way to go. The argument that painting was much cheaper than buying a new piece of furniture was all I needed to persuade my frugal husband.


Playing off the theme I had established {in this post}, we decided to paint the dresser white with gray panels and add new hardware. I will also be adding a stencil to the gray panels. Once we were finished, Daniel wanted to know why we hadn't painted the dresser before. I guess I should have tried harder to persuade him in the past!


More pictures of the nursery to come once we get artwork hung and things where we want them. 


Monday, October 10, 2011

52 Books: Book 42


I did it! It took me almost four months but I finally finished reading the classic novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. This may be a record for the length of time it took me to complete a book {not a record I am exactly proud of though}.

I don't even know what to say about this book. The beginning was interesting. Starting with the famous line, "Call me Ishmael," it tells a first hand account of how Ishmael ends up on the ship, the Pequod, sailing with Captain Ahab. But about a quarter of the way in, the book gets really heavy on details. Everything you could possibly want to know about whales and then some. 

Melville goes on to write very graphic descriptions of how they hunted the great whales and then gutted them. It was almost too much. 

Mostly I felt like I was trying to read the book of Leviticus {if Leviticus was 500+ pages long}... the details go on and on and and on and on. The end of the book transitioned to reading more like a play. Overall it never really engaged me like the book Ahab's Wife that I read earlier this year {hence the four months of reading} .

My husband asked if I was glad I finished it. I told him that it was kind of like running a half marathon – it was not that enjoyable but since I chose to read it I am glad that I finished in a "I'm not a quitter" sense.

Saturday, October 08, 2011

Nursery Progress

We had an exhausting, but productive day in Atlanta yesterday. Before we headed to Georgia we really debated whether to take Sophie with us. The upside is that she isn't stuck in a house alone all day long – for possibly 12 hours {eek}. The downside is that she is stuck in a car all day – but she is with us and we take breaks and let her roam around when we can. Plus the outside temperature was perfect. In the end, we took her with us.

This was a good thing since we were gone for close to 12 hours {we try not to leave her alone for more than 8 hours at a time, with a max of 10}.

Anyway, we left Hollywood and made a few stops in Chattanooga first – errands that really needed to be taken care of. When we finally arrived in Atlanta, our first stop was the La-Z-Boy Furniture Gallery in Kennesaw. 

We had already been to the Chattanooga AND Huntsville stores and gotten the whole spiel from the salespeople. We were hoping to avoid the sales pitch again, but those guys are good at making you listen to them. The positive was that we knew exactly what we wanted to look and our sales guy, Ed, was actually really helpful. If they had had our rocker in stock in the color we wanted we would have bought it from them in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, the fabric we want {graphite} is a special order. 

After much debate we decided to order from Chattanooga to save us some drive time. Thankfully we know what we are getting. Unfortunately it won't be here for 6-8 weeks, so Jack should be here before our La-Z-Boy is. Such is life in the world of habitual procrastinators.


After La-Z-Boy, we made our way to the Target at Midtown to pick up a Fisher-Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper. We have been looking for this item for a while. Unfortunately Amazon sells it for double the price of Target, but none of the Targets that are close to us had any in stock. Thank goodness for living close to a variety of major cities.

Post Target we hit up IKEA. Our IKEA plan is always to know what we are there for BEFORE we arrive. We were on a mission and were able to get in and out in about an hour and a half. 

There were two dressers that I was interested in – one for an upstairs changing table and one to be used in our foyer area {that could also double as a downstairs changing area if needed}.
 
We may eventually paint it another color to match our downstairs furniture better.

We also found a chair we both liked for our bedroom. This is our solution for the first few weeks when Jack sleeps in our room. It will also come in handy until our La-Z-Boy arrives.
We chose a black frame with the Dala Natural cushion.
 
And finally the crib for the nursery. The plan is to paint the end panels a dark gray – pictures to come. You can see what we have in mind from my nursery mood board.


I would call our shopping day long but very productive. We were home by 10PM and very tired. Today we are painting an old dresser and the crib. We hope to have most of our pieces assembled by the end of the weekend. That pretty much covers the big items. As soon as we have it all pulled together I will post pictures of the nursery. 

We still have plenty of little things to pick up, but we are all about a minimalistic approach to having a newborn... Jack isn't going to need a whole lot right away and we have the important items covered. We will get the rest as we go. No need to rush out and buy a bunch of products we aren't even sure that we want.

As for Sophie... we managed to fit everything INSIDE the Subaru. This left a small area for her to ride home in. But she was a trooper. I think she would rather be driving around with us {even surrounded by boxes of furniture} than to be left at home alone... That's what we tell ourselves anyway!

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Mood Board for Our Nursery

 
Sad to say that I am about 5 weeks from my due date and almost zero progress has been made on our nursery. We are planning on remedying that this weekend with a trip to Atlanta.

Above is a mood board I have created of some of the pieces we are considering for the nursery – mind you that seeing this stuff in person will determine whether or not we get it.

The artwork {seen here – we used it as decorations at out baby shower} is completed and framed, waiting to be hung {which requires furniture for placement}. 

We also have an old chest of drawers that we are painting white – possibly with gray panels and bicycles stenciled on to match the crib.

The crib we are considering is the SUNDVIK from Ikea. I plan on painting the outside panel and stencilling bicycles to match the Bicycle Haze fabric by Michael Miller.

The rocker recliner is the gray Cole Reclina-Rocker® Recliner by La-Z-Boy.

The blanket was found on Etsy with the Bicycle Haze fabric.

And the locker chest is from Ikea – I am thinking it would make a good window seat.

We will get it finished, we are just hoping that it will happen before baby boy arrives.
 

Sunday, October 02, 2011

Do You Pinterest?

Pinterest. An addicting world of collective inspiration. I save all the inspiring things I come across on the blogs I read and I get to be inspired by what my friends find inspiring.

The only problem is I have yet to really put any of this inspiration to use.

While I adore the site and enjoy seeing my friends pins, I am feeling the urge to do something besides just troll the internet. With this in mind, I have decided to set a monthly goal of putting this inspiration to use. At least once a month I want to be creating something based on one of these images that I find so inspiring.

Maybe I try a new recipe...


Maybe I make something for our nursery...


Maybe I make something for myself...


The point is I am going to try to do more than just be inspired.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

Life in the Slow Lane

People in the south take things a little slower. Especially if you happen to live in a small town. Sometimes this can be a source of frustration. Other times it can truly be a blessing.

 {image via} 

Friday night, Daniel's dad came for a quick overnight visit. He wanted to go eat at The Docks. I have mixed feelings about The Docks. The atmosphere is amazing – you can sit on a deck overlooking the lake at sunset. But the service is incredibly slow. If you eat here, you need to plan on staying for at least an hour, probably 1.5 hours. The food is good, but a little pricey for a small town, after all you are paying for the lake experience. Last night was a great time to go. We arrived just before sunset and the temperature was perfect. It did get a little cool as we sat there {thankfully I had grabbed a sweater}. As usual it was a drawn-out meal, but we enjoyed our visit with Wesley.

Daniel had the Sea Bass with Rice and Asparagus, I had the Petite Sirloin with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Veggies and Wesley had the Fettuccine Alfredo. We all had a starter of soup and bread.

The Docks on Urbanspoon

Today we took Wesley on a mini tour of the Hollywood/Scottsboro area. Showing him the sites... like downtown Hollywood {hah}. Then on to Scottsboro to see Unclaimed Baggage. I didn't find any books today, but Daniel and I did find a used BabyBjorn for $8 and plan to go back to get it later.


After driving around the court square we decided to have lunch at Geno's Pizza. This is one of a handful of places that Daniel and I frequent. The pizza is decent, but again you pretty much better be prepared to wait. We were one of two tables in the ENTIRE restaurant and it took over 10 minutes to place our order. Like I said, things are slower in these parts. Our pizza was good – typical pizza sports bar fare. And we waited for our check while watching the Arkansas/Texas A&M game.

We split a large Meaty pizza.

Geno's Pizza & Grill on Urbanspoon

Word for the Year: Reframe

For fifteen years now, I have been starting my year with intention. Last year I hoped to find contentment in my life, and I believe I did. T...