Memorial Day Weekend

Happy Memorial Day!!! 

It has been the BEST having a 5 day weekend with our favorite guy! We spent Thursday to Sunday in Boise with my family and have had a day and a half back at home and have gotten so much done.

The day we arrived in Boise we laid Liam down for his nap and got to work putting together a new kitchen table my mom bought so we could surprise her with it all set up by the time she got home! Liam woke up a few minutes before finishing the last of the chairs and he showed daddy a thing or two about how that drill worked. ;)

We spent most of the weekend living in the moment and enjoying every second of it that I didn't even think to pull out my camera once so the few pictures I do have are from my phone. Friday was one of those days where I didn't take it out at all. We spent the morning hunting for a new pair of shoes to fit those ever growing feet of Liam's. He broke them in during the first 10 minutes by finding the nearest dirt pile and absolutely covering them. Two year olds (eye roll)! Can I just tell you how nice it was though walking from store to store and each one carrying kids shoes! We probably checked 6 different stores in a single block before finding the right pair but we don't even have 6 stores in our entire TOWN that carry kids shoes. haha

My mom took us out to lunch that same day at the Village to celebrate Nic's birthday a few days early. Then Friday evening we had a big surprise retirement party for my step-mom! 44 years with the same company deserves much more than a party, we are so proud of her!!

Saturday we took another trip back to the Village to play with these cute kiddos (Lincoln and Alayna) and their momma (my sweet friend and high school dance coach, Samantha)! She gave me some hand-me-down girl clothes which was so kind and lots of advice about potty training which we will be getting a jump on in the near future.

In the afternoon my mom watched Liam so that Nic and I could go on a date. We wandered around the entire mall just enjoying each others company and I left with the most swollen feet ever! haha I'm pretty sure that won't be the first time it happens this summer. We ended our date at a place called Cinnaholic that we've been wanting to try that last couple of Boise trips. You get a cinnamon roll and choose your flavor of frosting and toppings to go on it. It was incredible but SO rich! We really regretted not splitting one and didn't even finish our own. 

Saturday evening we made homemade pizza with my brother and his friends on my mom's new patio and then left shortly after a yummy breakfast at my dad's house the next morning. 

Liam living his best life (ALL the popsicles you can eat!) ...

And sharing them with Rue. ;) He kept saying "Rue, more!" 

Today we celebrated Memorial Day in the all-American way ... lawn mowing and hot dogs! ;) Liam woke up early so we went for a run before it got too hot out. While Nic and Liam mowed the lawn I dead-headed all of our sad looking tulips that died a few weeks ago and weeded the flower beds. Nic put the final coat of sealant on baby girl's dresser and it looks AMAZING! Can't wait to bring it inside and start filling it with tiny onesies and newborn diapers! We tag teamed cleaning the house and shared the best Memorial Day dinner with Nic's dad (hot dogs, potato salad, and corn on the cob!).

Grateful to all the men and women both past and present who serve our country! I am forever incredibly indebted to you. 

Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day with your families! XO

six years

Yesterday was Nic and I's 6 year anniversary! Definitely the fastest and BEST 6 years of my life!! The celebration started Friday night when he came home from work with this beautiful bouquet of roses with a card that followed later that said: "Yellow because you make me the happiest man alive, Pink because I will never stop being thankful you married me, White because you are the best person I have ever known, Red because I will never stop loving you."

Colds have been going around our house over the last week and half. It started with Nic, then Liam caught it a few days later, and just when I thought I'd escaped it, I found myself coming down with it by Friday too. I was so bummed knowing that this was a special weekend and not feeling well for it was not on the fun meter but that didn't stop us. Saturday mid-day Nic surprised me with a date and we left Liam in the good caring hands of my mother-in-law. His plan was to recreate most of our first date so we started with lunch at Wingers. It felt so serendipitous when the hostess at the restaurant sat us at the EXACT same booth where we shared our first date 8 years ago! We haven't sat there since so it felt so special! Can I tell you just how incredible it is to slowly eat your meal and share a flashback conversation with your spouse without any sticker fingers covering your outfit or leaving your food to grow cold while you cut up and feed your toddlers to them?! It was so nice to just be the two of us for a little while (well, with a growing third wheel in tow who enjoyed that lunch just as much as I did! haha). 

The only pictures we took for our anniversary, still the same old goofballs we've always been ...

We were SO full after eating so we planned to walk around while mini golfing but in true Pocatello fashion, the wind was being outrageous and I couldn't keep my dress from flying up (haha!) so we ditched that plan and went furniture shopping instead! While we have a crib and a rocking chair handed down from Liam for baby girl's nursery, we have been on the hunt for a dresser for her room. I found one I loved at a vintage antique store in downtown last weekend while my mom was here but wanted to show it to Nic first. We wandered through a few more antique/furniture stores (basically all 5 we have in this town) to make sure it was the one before finally going back and buying it before the store closed for the day. Our anniversary gift to each other. It has these adorable scalloped edges and little gold key holes on the front, perfect for a girl's room. I love it so much!

From the beginning, I envisioned this sweet little dresser to be pink so our next stop on our date was to Home Depot. We looked through all the paint samples before deciding on the cutest light blush/coral pink color called "pink elephant". haha We still had about an hour and a half left of our date (it was about 5:00 by this time) but there was no way we were going to be able to have a full meal again after our lunch so we decided since it was a special occasion to just skip straight to dessert. We sat across from each other in a cute little diner setting and had oreo shakes, once again just enjoying each other company talking about both the past and our future together. There is no one in this world who I would rather share both with than you, Nic Williamson. 

Sunday was the day of our actual anniversary and I was up all night long with the worst stuffy nose and sore throat so Sunday was a pretty rough day. We all spent most of it in our jammies watching Disney movies together and taking naps in the afternoon. We went for a short walk through this beautiful cemetery that Nic and I used to live across from. Each time we go back, our lives and our love has grown just a little bit more!

Happy Anniversary to the perfect man for me! I love you even more today than I did 6 beautiful years ago!! There is no one I'd rather adventure with, experience parenthood with, or grow old with than you. I love you!!!

Baby Girl Style

You guys!!! I am having WAY too much fun shopping for baby girl things! They have made big strides in the baby boy fashion industry over the last few years so I've had fun dressing Liam too but every time I'd pass the girl section of any store, I'd catch my eye wandering to all things rompers, dresses, bloomers, and bows! Needless to say, it has been so fun for me over the last few weeks to have a reason to browse the baby girl section of a store now! 

Don't worry, I haven't gone overboard (yet), I've just gotten her a few new little things that were on sale last week and I am DYING over how adorable they are ...

Tutu Dress | Velvet Bow (in dusty rose) | Sweater Dress (sold out from Zara)
Bear Sweater | Ballet Shoes

A lot of what is out right now is very summery and having her due date in September in Idaho, you just can't possibly predict what the weather will look like. If it is anything like last year, we celebrated Thanksgiving with 78 degree weather and it was absolutely beautiful or we could already have 6 snow falls by then!

Here are a few more baby girl things I'm loving ...

Chambray Dress | Blue Dash Bow | Blush Jammies | Eyelit Flutter Onesie 
Floral & Blush Romper Set | Teal Dress | Fringe Sandals | Bloomers

I have also heard wonderful things about knotted gowns during the newborn days. I never did have or use one with Liam but I can see how they make for easy diaper changes in the middle of the night when you don't want to undress baby too much. Candy Kirby Designs, a small shop that I love, shared this new product teaser picture on her Instagram account the other day and I'm in love with the print ...

SO excited to have a baby girl!
p.s. I can't wait to share with you soon what I've already started dreaming up for her nursery!! XO

Mother's Day Weekend 2017

It had been 4 years since I celebrated Mother's Day weekend with my mom so it felt extra special this year having her here to visit!

She came on Saturday morning so we spent the whole afternoon doing what we do best, shopping together! In the evening we met up with Nic's dad and his wife Dee for dinner at Fuji. It is a Japanese hibachi restaurant and Liam was SO entertained the whole time watching the flames consume the grill. haha Everyone got a dipping bowl with yum yum sauce in it (even Liam) but considering he is the pickiest eater in the whole world I never once gave it a second thought that he would try it. I don't know if it was the fun atmosphere, the entertaining chef, or the fact that everyone else was eating it but HE ACTUALLY TRIED IT! Dipped his little finger in it and hesitantly put it to his mouth only to discover he actually liked it!!! Then we couldn't keep him out of the bowl and he ate the whole thing, one finger lick at a time. haha So proud of that cute boy! Although, I think the BEST part of the whole meal was when the chef tossed a piece of broccoli one at a time to everyone sitting around the grill to catch in their mouths and when he got to Liam, it bounced off his shirt onto the table. Liam laughed, picked it up, and chucked it over his shoulder. haha!!

Saturday night Liam slept absolutely terrible. Woke up a few times and then was ready to go for the day by 6:45. Not exactly how I hoped a restful Mother's Day morning would start but I really can't complain because Nic got up with him and took him for a little drive so I could try and get a little more sleep. 

When they got back Liam brought me a homemade Mother's Day card with this poem that Nic wrote on the inside ... "While I may have some competition soon, I would like you to know, I will always love you most mommy, even as I grow. Love, Liam" As you can imagine, tears followed! Sweetest Mother's Day card I've ever been given. I later joked with Nic that I will most definitely be considered a hoarder by the time our kids graduate from high school because I won't be able to part with anything they make for me. 

It is not very often that a child can say this about their parent, but my mom is my very best friend. I consider myself so lucky to share the bond that we have and I hope that I share that same bond with my own daughter. She has always been the biggest example to me of selfless love.

All I've ever wanted to become in my life is my own little someone's mom. Liam makes that dream come true for me each and every day. He fills my days with more love and laughter than I could have hoped for in a lifetime. He challenges me in every way but is the very best piece of myself. I adore everything about who he is and I try every day to be who he needs me to be. I love him so much!!!

I am equally in love with his little sister. I know I've said this a million times by now but I seriously have woken up every morning over the last two weeks completely humbled and in awe that I have the opportunity to also raise a daughter. I can't wait to share that unforgettable moment with her that I shared with Liam when we meet for the first time.

I may be biased as him mom, but isn't he SO handsome!?

Having his picture taken is definitely not Liam's favorite thing in the world but capturing these moments in time and memories together is mine and I am thankful for the sweet, patient, and most thoughtful husband behind the camera who makes those moments possible for me, even when Liam makes them feel like they are impossible. haha It took scouting for squirrels and watching them scurry up the tree to get this happy grin. ;) I'll take it!

We had my mother-in-law over for dinner with us on Sunday evening and Nic cooked all three of us the yummiest pasta dinner. I married such a good man and between him, Liam, and our growing daughter, they make every day feel special like Mother's Day for me.  

Happiest Mother's Day to all the mother's and women in my life. I love each and every one of you! XO

Like Father Like Son

Liam is in the cutest phase right now where he basically wants to imitate everything Nic does. Like father like son. If dad uses a tape measure, Liam begs to measure something too. If dad wears sunglasses, Liam has to wear his sunglasses. And most definitely if it is time for dad to mow the lawn, you better believe Liam is out there squeezing himself between Nic's legs to help him push! Not always the most convenient situation but definitely a good learning opportunity. Thanks to Liam's sweet Papa though, he got his very own lawn mower to help. ;) Just when I think I can't possibly see anything cuter I find this ...

Start 'er up!

So pleased with himself. ;)

At Liam's lawn mowing rate, it would have taken him a week to finish mowing our quarter of an acre because he was so obsessed with pushing it two feet and then stopping to fill the tank with more gas. That little lawn mower certainly has enough gas to run for the next century! ;)

I was seriously dying watching him following in his dad's footsteps. Every time Nic reached the end of mowing a strip of grass he would make the sound, "BOOP!", signaling that he was going to turn the lawn mower around and mow the next strip and Liam would giggle and lift his whole lawn mower to change directions. haha

Speaking of those sunglasses I mentioned earlier, I think he might have needed them here ... haha

Thanks Papa for the new lawn mower! Nic was able to finish in half the time and Liam was more entertained than ever!!

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Hey Friends, hope you are having a happy Tuesday!! :) Mother's Day is this weekend and I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to celebrate it this year with my own mom! She is coming into town on Saturday and Nic is planning to spend some quality time with Liam while we have a girls afternoon just the two of us to go shopping together! I can't wait! This Mother's Day feels even more special knowing that I am celebrating it as a mom of TWO. Knowing this little girl is joining our family soon is all I could really ask for! I have already been spoiled with a couple of shopping trips for a few maternity clothes that I have been needing so I am hoping Nic and Liam keep their promise of just spending time with me on Mother's Day without gifts. We do however have our own moms to spoil so I've rounded up a few ideas if you are in need of a last minute gift idea for Sunday ...     

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

As moms, we tend to have little hands around all the time that easily break or damage anything in sight (haha!) so I tend to always buy pretty cheap sunglasses because they seem to never last me more than one season (if that) but I think every mom should make an exception for these aviators from Diff Eyewear! They are seriously stunning for summer! 

Last Mother's Day Liam gave me this beautiful rose gold bar necklace with his name engraved in it and it one of my most cherished and favorite pieces of jewelry. This would perfect for grandma with all of her grand kids names on it too!

My favorite flower to both give and receive are tulips! I love this idea of wrapping the bouquet in a beautiful new dish towel tied up with twine and plan on doing this for our moms this year.

If you haven't heard of Chatbooks you need to stop what you are doing right this very minute and pop over to their website! They are essentially $8-$14 books that you can create from your Instagram account, Facebook, phone, or computer pictures. We have an entire collection from all the years we've been married that have so many special pictures and memories in them. You can make custom ones as well which have become a tradition for our moms the last few years since they became grandmas of all of the pictures I've taken with them and Liam.

If you have a nursing or pregnant momma in your life these leggings are a lifesaver!

I always dreamt of having a little girl and still can't believe my dream will be coming true but how sweet are these mom and mini goldie bracelets! I'm seriously dying!! They would be so perfect for a mom and baby daughter and are secretly on my future wish list after she is born.

While I know this day is special for many, I also know that for another majority it is a hard day to face. It may serve as a reminder of a child who you've lost, a child you haven't had the opportunity to conceive, a distance that has been created between you and your own mom, or maybe a mother in your life who has passed away. I want you to know that my heart goes out to you as someone who has experienced a form of pain that a woman can face. You are not alone and you are so loved and cherished on this day and every other day! XO 

second baby bump date | 21 weeks

How Far Along ...

21 weeks

Gender ...

GIRL! Looks like those gender predictions were spot on. ;) We had such a fun time sharing the news with friends and family last week and are still pinching ourselves that we are having a daughter!!!

Maternity Clothes ...

Definitely on the bottom but I can still make a handful of non-maternity shirts work for the time being. If I am being totally honest I am already finding myself living in dresses just like I thought I would all summer! They are so much more comfortable! This is my favorite maternity dress so far!

Belly Button & Wedding Ring ...

Belly button in, wedding ring on.

Sleep ...

Not too bad, still wake up several times throughout the night to use the bathroom. I have found myself sleeping on my back more often than not lately with no body pillow in sight which is odd to me given how far along I am. 

Best Moment(s) this Week ...

I'm not sure anything can top getting to see our sweet girl for the first time at our ultrasound last week or when Nic got to feel her kick for the first time at 19 weeks (2 Sundays ago)!!! But coming in at a close second would be hearing her heartbeat at our doctor's appointment this morning and picking out her first outfit!! 

Miss Anything ...

Peanut Butter. I haven't been able to eat it this pregnancy because of the smell and the acid reflux it seems to cause. For someone who eats scrambled eggs and a piece of peanut butter toast for breakfast every morning, it has been a bummer. Seriously, what do you put on bread if you can't have peanut butter?! haha

Movement ...

Still my FAVORITE part of pregnancy!! She is quite the wiggly little thing, every time we go in for an appointment to hear her heartbeat or for the ultrasound she is always in a completely different position/direction. haha She is starting to move more and more throughout the day which I love!

Cravings ...

I haven't really craved anything this pregnancy so far.

Feelings & Emotions ...

My heart is so full! I had this moment a couple nights ago when Liam and Nic were running beside each other across this park field toward the sunset while I sat and watched from the park bench ... I placed my hand on my tummy and suddenly felt baby girl kick and I couldn't help but just feel overcome with joy and gratitude. It was such a surreal moment for me being surrounded by this little family that Nic and I have created together because it is everything I've ever dreamt of. 

Looking Forward to ... 

Mother's Day weekend this weekend! My mom is coming to stay with us and it feels special to celebrate it with her!

pictures from 20 weeks ...

Let's Go Fly a Kite

A couple of Saturdays ago was Earth Day and what better way to spend it than flying a kite! Liam got an airplane kite for Easter but there wasn't enough wind while we were in Boise to have the opportunity to fly it. Well Pocatello is definitely NOT lacking in that department so we took it up to the Wellness Complex here in town to fly it for the first time instead. In fact, the wind was SO strong and crazy that day that the kite was tough to reel back in once it was in the air. haha

Perhaps the most crucial part of this story that needed to be documented happened while Nic was trying to reel the kite back down a bit so Liam could see it up close and help him fly it. While the kite was high in the sky Liam was happily running around underneath and trying to "chase" it. As he often does, he got distracted for a moment by all of his running and stopped dead in his tracks (many yards away from us at this point in this big open field) and saw something he wanted to pick up. He still loves finding sticks to carry around whenever we are at a park so he proudly bends over and picks up a short fat brown object in his hand and starts waving it in the air at us with this big grin on his face. It seemed a little TOO fat and short to be a stick (if you know what I mean!) so I ran over to him as fast as my pregnant body would allow to investigate while Nic was still trying to get the kite under control. I get a few feet away and see several more of those big fat brown sticks in a pile by his feet. Yes, my friends, Liam had in fact picked up a giant piece of dog poop and was carrying it around!!! haha

The silver lining of this first time parent experience is that it was old and hard so it didn't get all over his hands (it could have been SO much worse!) but I still hauled him as quick as I could back to the car to clean his hands. That there is a two year old boy for you, ladies and gentleman!!!

After that, all was right in the world and he got to fly his new kite with daddy for the first time and loved every single minute of it! So thankful to live on this beautiful Earth and to have so many more beautiful sunny days ahead of us to spend time outside!

We are having a ...

little GIRL join our family!!!

And this is how we feel about it ...

Yesterday we had our 20 week ultrasound and right away the ultrasound tech asked us if we wanted to find out the gender of our baby. She didn't waste a second which I loved because then the entire rest of the ultrasound we got to say, "There's HER hand or HER legs." Nic was holding my hand through the entire moment and looking back, it was absolutely surreal the emotions we both felt in that moment. We said all along that because this pregnancy has been so different than my pregnancy with Liam that we were convinced it was a girl but I can tell you that we were both still in shock in that moment when she actually said, "You're having a GIRL"! 

I absolutely love every minute of being a boy mom but tears of joy rolled down my face because there is something so special about the opportunity of having a daughter and the bond I hope we share. We feel so blessed to be able to experience both! As we tried to see her little profile several times she had her hand right up by her face and it was so sweet but then she finally moved it down a bit and my heart melted even more, look at that sweet girl ...

When I got home from the appointment I wrapped Liam up in my arms and pointed to my tummy and said, "Guess what Liam, you are going to have little SISTER and he confidently said "Yes" back as if he already knew. 

Last night Nic took pictures on his phone of her ultrasound pictures so that he could have them with him while he was away at work during the day and my heart absolutely melted. I fall more in love with him every day, especially seeing him as a dad, and even more now to see his little girl wrapped around his finger.

We all are SO excited to meet little sister in September and love her so much already!!! Look out Nic, let the bow and dress shopping begin! ;)