2012

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2012 was a pretty great year for us, but even so, I'm rather glad to see it go.  2013 will be a BIG year for our family, and quite frankly, I can't wait.  

I did not intend to slip away from this blog.  I did not intend to desert my blog friends or shy away from sharing amazing internet finds.  It just sort of feels right to spend less and less time in this corner of the internet of mine.  For that I apologize, and for that I thank you for understanding.

2012 brought a lot of pretty cool things.  We got a doggie! And as of tomorrow, we've officially had her for an entire year!  She has changed our lives (maybe not Gus) for the better, even if her breath smells like the garbage.  We had so many awesome visitors!  We traveled to Jamaica where I celebrated my 29th birthday!  We gardened! We replaced our expired septic system.  Please note, that one does not deserve an exclamation point, but I am relieved that it a) works properly and b) won't need replacing for a long, long time.  And last but not least of the highlights of 2012 - we got PREGNANT!  

And for your curiosity...

We found out two weeks ago, but honestly, we already knew.  I had a feeling from the moment I knew I was pregnant - and so did a majority of our friends and family.  My mom wouldn't even step foot in the girls section and bought us plenty of boy stuff long before the ultrasound confirmed it.  We're very excited, needless to say, and have started to go a little bonkers with the registry and setting up the nursery.  Christmas was good to our son, so project organizethenurseryasapbeforethecatgetstrappedundercopiousamountsofclothes needs to start now.

We have no big plans for NYE this year.  I'm okay with that.  Being pregnant for me means I can't enjoy things the way I used to.  However, I found some alcohol-removed champagne and I may paint my nails something festive.  It'll have to do :)

I'm happy, healthy and ready for the new year.  So welcome, 2013!

Friday's Fancies + Have a Jolly Weekend!

dress // earrings // clutch // pumps // lipstick

Happy Friday! Hooray for the weekend's arrival, hooray for holiday plans right around the corner and hooray for continued birthday celebrations.  The theme of Friday's Fancies this week seems only appropriate!  What are you all up to this weekend?  We're celebrating husband's birthday with family tomorrow night and Sunday we leave for a week long trip to Kansas.

I couldn't resist the urge to use the Free People Shimmy Shimmy Party dress since the theme of Friday's Fancies was Serious Sparkle.  Seriously, I want to own this dress and pretend to wear it (maybe I could next year?).  I'd love to pair it with navy pumps and red lipstick and whatever accessories tickled my fancy on that particular day/occasion.  Wouldn't it be fun to spin around in it?  Have you guys checked out Free People's dress selection lately? Holy shopping spree!

Whatever you get up to this weekend, I hope you have a wonderful and jolly one.  Can you believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away? Yowzas!

Thursday Loves + A Special Birthday

Need a blast of winter....fast?  These instant winter scenes from Etsy shop Kate's Cottage Shop will have you feeling cheery in no time.  

I need some snow in my life, can you tell? Isn't this winter barn absolutely gorgeous?  Via

The perfect snuggly sweater to wear while visiting the wintery barn, above?  I do declare.  And I love the price tag - $32.74!  Via She Inside

This hallway feels so cozy and I really wish that I could copy it into my own home.  Sadly we do not have a hallway of these proportions so mimicking it is merely a pipe dream.  I guess I'll just continue to stare at its beauty while pretending it was all mine.  Via

Last but certainly not least, today is my husband's birthday.  He is most deserving of the best slice of life there is and I want to wish him a very happy birthday in every way I can think of.  He's pampered me to no end throughout this pregnancy (happy halfway mark to me on Sunday!), rubbed my feet every night, cooked me dinner, taken the pooch out most every time, let me have the remote when I've had enough football, bought me flowers and he never forgets to tell me I'm beautiful.  David, you're the absolute best.  Via

Thursday Loves

I have a complaint to voice and it might not merit any sympathy.  It's been really warm here, like, 74 degrees.  In December.  And it has only felt like winter one day.  I'm not happy with it, even though most people probably are.  I just want it to feel like Christmas is coming, in terms of weather.  Would it kill mother nature to just do me a solid with this one?!  The wildlife in our neighborhood is acting confused - it sounds like early spring every morning.  Dang it, global warming!  Photo via

If handmade holidays are your thing, consider checking out Carnivale Clay on Etsy.  The artist and I share a mutual fondness for a certain friend, not to mention she makes gorgeous stoneware for the home and garden.

Oh Free People.  You've done it again.  You've wooed me with your holiday sparkle.  Too bad my every expanding belly couldn't even begin to fit into this without busting the thread that holds every last sequin on to this beautiful dress.

I'm not sure if this house could be any cooler.  Via

Can I have this strawberry, basil and goat cheese panini for lunch, please? Oh my!  Via Cookie + Kate

Hope your weeks have been swell!

Friday's Fancies + Have a Merry Weekend!

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Happy Friday!  I'm so happy for the weekend - it's been a long week.  Hubs was out of town but he's back now, so it's nice to have a companion to talk to again.  I've felt like the crazy cat (and dog) lady just talking to the pets non-stop like they actually care about what I'm saying.  Baby sure has been getting an earful of my neurosis these last few days too, so I'm especially sure it's glad that dad is back home.  

What are you all up to this weekend?  We'll be getting our Christmas tree (hooray!) hopefully tomorrow.   I already have wrapped presents to put under it, too!  We're also going to see Jersey Boys thanks to my father-in-law.  Other than that, we'll see where it takes us.

Friday's Fancies this week is a true reflection of "me".  I practically wear this ensemble every day - just make a few changes, like really old Blowfish boots, maternity skinny jeans, a jacket from H&M, well, you get it.  But this really is my style to a t.  Tee?  Whatever.  What about you? What would your friends say is "so totally you?"

Whatever you get up to this weekend, I hope it's fantastic and full of merriment.  Until next week!

Thursday Loves

Whoa.  The baker inside of me is infatuated with these toys!  I haven't been baking too much lately (although that really should change) but these are the kinds of toys that make my eyes light up!  Via  Thanks for pinning, Krystal!

I love everything about this coat, mainly the color.  And funny enough, I bought a camel-colored coat from H&M this year that is so similar in looks, size and shape.  The price isn't so bad, either! Via

This image has been making the blog rounds but I really wanted to share it too.  I love how the sheepskin makes it look like snow at the bottom of the tree.  There's no way it would work well in my house with the dog and cat around though :) Via

Another step towards baby Badger's nursery is complete! Thanks to a sale which basically knocked off shipping, these Oh Deer - Retro decals are going up on the walls.  Everything is coming together a little faster than expected but it's so nice to have the decorations coming together early so we can focus on all the expensive items we have to have when it matters most.  Via

Erin of Reading My Tea Leaves put together a stocking stuffer gift guide roundup that is featured on Etsy today!  It features some of the coolest finds around, and I would love to have them all in my stocking come Christmas morning!

Hope you're all having a lovely week - and that you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.  We played host to some amazing friends, followed by a visit from my parents.  It was a great time and definitely left me in the Christmas spirit.  Happy almost Friday, friends!

Friday's Fancies + Have a Wonderful Weekend!

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Happy Friday, everyone!  Today is my first Friday's Fancies post in a long time, so I figured I'd start back up with them with an outfit I've been longing to wear ever since the weather turned cold.  Alas, my growing belly will not accommodate the jeans or the sweater, but that's the whole point of Friday's Fancies, yeah?  Instead, I'll probably sport some leggings and one of the husband's sweaters as I'm in the "in between" phase where I just look more like I have a really big beer gut as opposed to a growing baby.  But I swear it's doubled in size since last week!

What have you planned this weekend?  We'll be doing lots of cleaning and grocery shopping.  Hopefully we'll add some fun in there somewhere.  We have company arriving Monday (hooray!) and our guest bedroom has been more of a giant closet/pet playroom than a room for guests, so we have our work cut out for us :)  

I hope your weeks have been fantastic and that your weekends ahead are even better.  Until next week...have a great one!

Thursday Loves

Here's a beautiful photo to freshen up your Thursday.  The colors are so pleasing to the eye, don't you think?  Be sure to check out the rest of this post!

I love this oversized sweater with two handsome bucks adorning the front.  But the part I love the most is the fact that it's only $32!  Via SheInside Via Krystal's Pinterest.

It really is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas around my neck of the woods.  Sure, there may not be decorations outside of stores or anything that really signals Christmas being here but the feeling is definitely in the air.  As I drove to work yesterday morning, a herd of deer crossed the road ahead, the ground was covered in frost and a new Bob Dylan tune (let's face it, I thought I was hearing Louis Armstrong for a minute) graced the radio.  It just felt so very Christmasy.  And this year I have kraft paper, bakers twine and high hopes of wrapping some gifts from this inspiration!  Via

Dear husband, this one's especially for you.  Especially now that I'm eating for two....please forgive anything negative that might come out of my mouth.  The lil' chief inside me is awfully demanding!  Look at me, already blaming my unborn child for mean things I might say, haha.  Poor thing.  Via

Mo pie, please!  With Thanksgiving being right around the corner (hello, one week!) it's time to start dreaming of pie again.  Recently, we attended a lovely wedding with copious amounts of pie for dessert in lieue of the traditional cake.  One of the pies was persimmon pie, and let me tell you, husband is 100% on board the persimmon pie train.  What will you be having come turkey day? I'd love to hear!

Happy Thursday, everyone!  It feels good to be posting again, even if it's not on a regular basis.  Thanks for sticking around with me and making my day brighter with your sweet comments.  Hope your weeks have been treating you well!

Hello + An Announcement!

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Hey, everyone!  I'm so sorry it's been so long since I last popped in to say hello, but I promise it was for the best.   You see, I took the last few months off from blogging because something major was happening around here.  I couldn't bear the thought of spending time on the computer, in fact,  it made me nauseous just thinking about it.  And here's why (in case you haven't already guessed)...

I'm pregnant.

There!  Now you all know!  I'm 14 weeks and 5 days pregnant, in fact.  I'm over the roughest part.  And I will gladly shout AMEN from the rooftops for that one.  Whew.  That was rough.

Yesterday, I felt movement for the first time.  It was amazeballs.  We've been able to see our lil' chief a few times but feeling that movement definitely helped with that whole "connection" thing people always talk about.  

My due date is May 7, 2013.  At the rate this lil thing is growing though it might be sooner.  I swear its limbs are 8 feet long, judging by the ultrasound.  Let's keep in mind, its father is 6'4" and I am only 5'2" and there is not much room in there for such long limbs.  So this should definitely be an interesting journey, for the next 6 months.  Oh God, only 6 more months?  Only 6 more months!

And as every good blogger usually says, I promise not to turn this into a baby blog.  After all, I do still love all things I posted about before.  But you have to admit that from time to time, seeing some babeh stuffs is always fun, right?!

Thank you for being so kind during my much needed hiatus.  I promise to return to more regular programming, but please be understanding if I just don't have it in me as often as I did before.

I've missed you all! I do hope you're all doing well.  Oh, and please, do let me know what kind of content you've missed the most while I've been gone (if at all?).  That way I can use my time wisely :)

You're the best.  All of you.

Happy Friday!

xoxo,
Mo

Weekend Recap

Monday, Monday.  Not happy to see you, I do declare.  Even though I didn't utilize my free time as I might have wished, a boring weekend of doing nothing is still 100 times better than Monday.  Can I get an 'amen'?!  Some highlights of the weekend include ::

• It rained cats and dogs on Friday night (tee hee) but we dodged some pretty high winds, thankfully.  
• Mexican food + errands equaled in a pretty decent Saturday afternoon.  Not to mention the weather was in the low 70s and it felt glorious!
• Husband did a fine job, a fine job indeed, at finishing up the surround sound/TV move situation. Who needs a professional when you've got a handy husbadge?  No more exposed TV cords - he hid those babies in the wall.  Awesome.
• Parks and Recreation marathon, thanks Netflix!
• Brunch with family at Toast - we celebrated a birthday, ate lemon souffle pancakes and had a lovely time.
• Da Bears!  'Twas nice to watch a Bears game in which a) Cutler did very well (if you can forgive those first few downs) and b) they kicked ass! Woo!

Not much this weekend but it was nice.  How were your weekends? I'd love to hear!

I'm thinking some time away from this blog of mine might be necessary over the coming weeks.  I've lost some inspiration, the discipline and the ambition.  I plan to test the waters of not blogging as much and hope that you guys can stick with me as I do.  Keep checking back though, you never know when a post might pop up!

Last, happy birthday, Hadley!! Here's a little birthday dance for you.

Friday's Fancies

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Happy Friday, everyone!  The short week seemed to fly by for me but I am ever so thankful for the weekend being here.  We don't have much planned other than some finishing touches on a home project and some brunch with my mother-in-law on Sunday.  Other than that, the weekend is wide open and I'm so thankful for that.  

This week's Friday's Fancies is, in case you couldn't tell, back to school.  Now I'm long since out of school but I couldn't help but join in on the fun as it's always a good time to shop for "back to school" outfits.  Am I right, or am I right?  My husband told me that it still makes him nervous to think of back to school shopping and I can totally relate to that.  How does it make you feel?  If I were heading back to school this year, I'd gladly sport all of this Madewell stuff (exception being the jeans of course) all school year long.  

What are you up to this weekend? Whatever it is, I hope you have a fantastic time!

Fab Fall Looks

Holy me oh my.  This look is layered perfection!  Via

The colors + stripes = swoon!  Via

The cozy navy sweater and the mustard bag is such a perfect fall combination.  Via

Ok, I'm starting to see a theme here.  Obviously I plan to layer chunky sweaters over denim shirts and throw in some oxfords or booties here and there :)  Via

What are you planning to sport this fall? Can you believe it's only a tad over 2 weeks away?!

Weekend Recap

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Happy Tuesday, friends! It's not every week I get to say that - it's kind of nice.  How were your weekends? Mine was...rainy.  And...kind of lonely.  And now that I've bummed you out considerably, here are some highlights ::

• Reading Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer - I know I'm pretty late to this party but any time is a good time to read some Krakauer.  I'm not quite done but I've reached the climax and it's all downhill (literally, sorry about that pun) from there.  I do appreciate being able to read for hours on the couch on a rainy day, don't you?
• Watching movies - another pastime that I truly appreciate on a rainy day/weekend. I watched Friends with Kids (all-star cast but it was very surprising to see Kristin Wiig in a role where she wasn't funny) and The Romantics, both of which were pretty decent, especially when you're home alone for the weekend with nothing much to do.
• Shopping - I hit up the sales but sadly only scored some half-price underthings from Gap Body.  
• Birthday party - Saturday night I joined some friends at Danny Macs for some pizza and "crack sticks" with good friends.  It was an awkward start (*ahem*, random tweaker, I'm talking about you) with a strong finish.  Happy birthday, Billy!

Other than that I did some bathroom cleaning, took walks in the park with Stevie and listened to some great music at full blast.  But I must admit, I'm extremely happy to have the husbadge home and to not feel so lonely anymore.  How were your weekends? Awesome, I hope :)  

Here's to a great short week ahead! 

Friday's Fancies + Have an Enjoyable Weekend!

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dress // bag // sandals // sunglasses 

 Happy Friday + Long Weekend, everyone!  The holiday is finally upon us and I'm sure many of you are hightailing it out of town for a weekend of fun aplenty.  While I have no big plans for the weekend, I'm so excited for the extra day off to catch up on life.  I'm anxious to spend some time cooped up with Stevie and Gus, reading a book and listening the rain we're expecting.  Sounds pretty nice, right?  Husband is off having a guys trip with his dad and grandpa (pretty cute, right?) down at the lake so it's just us ladies (and chief!) to hold down the fort.  What exciting plans do you have?

This week's Friday's Fancies is a true representative of what I'd love to be wearing all weekend long.  Comfort + style all in one!  If it weren't the end of summer I might consider purchasing both the dress and the sandals - I can't stop staring at that bright pop of yellow!  What is your ideal Labor Day look? I'd love to hear!

Here's to a fantastic long weekend, my friends! Safe travels to those of you with awesome adventures scheduled and all of you be safe and try to stay dry!  xoxo

Thursday Loves

I am pretty hungry right now and the thought of eating this is making me mad! Mad for eggs, that is. Via

Last night we caught the opening monologue of Conan for the first time in ages and I am still laughing about this. Nick Offerman (the beloved Ron Swanson) read young female celebrity tweets while working in his shop.  That was all it was and it was awesome.  Definitely the only rewarding bit of Conan last night, in our opinion.

You may have seen this floating around the interwebs lately, but I find it to be NUTS!  Artist Bryan Saunders Lewis took every drug known to man (though most of these seem to be medications than street drugs) and drew a self portrait while under the influence.  It's fascinating, I tell you, and definitely worrisome.  We as a nation are prescribed these medications every day...and these are the portrayals! Yikes!  Source

I desperately wish this was me this weekend.  Alas, I'll be home alone with no plans of putting my feet in water and letting the waves crash over them.  Alas.  Via

I literally love everything about this image.  Seriously.  That is all.  Via

Hope you all have are having a lovely Thursday (and week).  Only one more day until the long weekend!

Oh Deer!

nail art // sweater // ring // figurine // linens // photograph // cardboard antler // pin

We see so much deer around our neck of the woods and they really are as adorable as they are portrayed (except when they frantically run in front of your moving car or when they munch on your plants and flowers).  Don't you just kind of wish you could keep a deer as a pet and snuggle with it at night?  Or maybe the allure of seeing a deer in the flesh would be lost if you were always around it.  Either way, a deer could never replace the love in my heart for my Stevie and Gus!

Weekend Recap

Hey, everybody! Hope you guys all had a great weekend.  We sure did and I tried to capture some of the best moments.  Stevie really hammed it up for the camera this weekend and I couldn't resist sharing her adorableness with you all.  Some highlights of the weekend include ::

• Friday night birthday celebration with family - we ate delicious dinner, cooed at baby Ava and re-watched Bridesmaids (it gets me every time).  
• Lunch at Salsarita's (I recommend this place when you're in the Qdoba/Chipotle kind of mood)
• It took us all weekend but we (and by we I mean my awesome husband) rearranged our living room in anticipation of the furniture we're still planning to order.  This included rerouting the speaker wire, cable/internet and rehanging the tv.  Oof, what a chore! But it was SO worth it!
• We may or may not have gone on an online shopping spree for said living room project.  Hello West Elm frames and accessories!  
• Sunday morning walk on the trail with the pooch
• New porch swing! Husband's grandpa crafted us a beautiful swing that you can see above.  Hanging it up wasn't easy, and husband and his dad cursed the builders of this house for inconsistent studs galore.  It's up and in studs though, just on the wrong side.  But that's cool.  It looks BEAUTIFUL!
• Playing with Stevie in the front yard is so much more enjoyable for some reason.  Maybe it's because of the porch that I can sit comfortably on?  Yeah, that's probably it.
• Video chat with two of our favorite people :)
• Breaking Bad - seriously, if you don't watch this show by now there is something wrong.  Something seriously wrong.

So I kind of caught up on sleep, had some laid back fun, tried not to think about work and enjoyed myself thoroughly.  What did you get up to this weekend? I'd love to hear!  

Here's to a great week ahead!

Friday's Fancies + Have a Happy Weekend!

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Hello, Friday! You're looking REAL good today, let me tell you.  I've waited so long for it to be this special day, for the work week to end and for sleeping in to commence.  Lord knows I need it.  That and some good old fashioned r n' r.  

Today's Friday's Fancies is channeling my favorite kind of outfit.  The casual, laid-back look I love.  Aviators, an adorable weekender, comfy worn-in jeans, a chic sweater and fun slip-on shoes.  It makes me want to take a road trip just looking at it!  What's your road trip style?

What have you got planned for the weekend?  We're celebrating a family member's birthday tonight (happy 19th, Sara!), I'm definitely going to do some sleeping this weekend and maybe some other fun stuff will commence.  But for now, no big plans after tonight.  Just the way I like it :)

Happy weekend, everyone! 

Thursday Loves

My stomach is growling just looking at this. I used to not consider myself a fan of beets but that has all changed.  Our homegrown beets were superb, especially paired with goat cheese.  So honestly, this sandwich looks pretty much perfect.  Via

Oh J.Crew sweater, I need you in my closet!  You are the epitome of my style - especially paired with those jeans and messy side pony.  I definitely wish I had $95 lying around to spend on a sweater.  Maybe I'll do some extra chores around the house ;)

Oh. My. God. I looooove these illustrations!  Tutti Confetti, you make my heart flutter!

This is random, but I'm totes diggin' this chick's effortless hair.  It looks part ratty (like mine usually does) but with the perfect amount of wave in the perfect places.  Rarely does my hair do this but when it does I feel like I should go out and paint the town red.

Last but not least, I thought I'd leave you with a drool-worthy image of amazing barstools.  That's all.  Via