Coffee Date Friday

Another week in the books - goodbye June!

If we were having coffee today, I would tell you....

* That I am going camping next week.  

Time to pack up the tent, fishing poles, bug spray & reserve The Hilton just in case.  Here is a picture of our last camping experience.  No caption needed.

* I am smoothie obsessed.  They are the perfect summer treat.  

My favorite is this pistachio mint one from Dashing Dish.  YUM!

* DC & I accomplished most of the things on our Spring Bucket List..  Time for a summer one!

* Last weekend we thought we were attending the engagement party of Devin's sister.  Psych.  It was really their wedding & I couldn't be happier for them!  Any party that includes skeet shooting, unlimited bbq sandwiches & a tandem bike is a win in my book of love.  Congrats, Meggie!  

* I have a baby shower tomorrow.  I love presents, friends, family & food.  SO excited to celebrate this little baby with people I love.  And it helps make the waiting a little better. 

What 5 things would you tell me if we had coffee?

Summer Snapshots

I was going to write a very thought-provoking post tonight, but then my hands started sweating while watching the man on the tight rope cross the Grand Canyon.  Um, wow.  Even Devin had to get up and walk away during it.  I think the riskiest thing I have ever done was go bungee jumping in Gatlinburg.  Followed by a trip to Dollywood.  Which might have been riskier.

Therefore...enter Summer Snapshots.

porch flowers

summer buddy

easy fudgesicles...recipe here

lunch for two

nap time 

humidity

maxi

special delivery

church softball & my favorite summer snapshot.

Happy last week of June.  Go do something risky.

Men of Steel

DC & I saw Man of Steel Saturday night.  I may or may not have cried through the whole movie.  Devin may or may not have paid $5 for half a box of M&Ms.  I don't know if I was crying tears of joy over Superman's biceps, or for Kevin Costner's performance as his earthy dad, but still.  Tear jerker.

Yesterday was Father's Day & it got me thinking about the Men of Steel in my life.
Namely my brother, my dad & DC.

My Men of Steel.  Dad didn't get the memo that you need to be over 6 feet tall, though.  

My brother was the popular "guy's guy" in high school who went against the norm & took the unpopular girl to prom.  Think Never Been Kissed minus the egg throwing-limo incident.  Otherwise known as the sweetest thing ever.   He has crushed kryptonite-like boulders in his life, & come out on the other side.  Way to go, Goobie.

Then there's my dad.  He has quiet super strength, in which one cross look across the room would make my brother & I stop fighting and pretend to love each other in order to spare a grounding.  He never missed a game when I cheered in high school, filled my car up with gas before every trip back to college, & was always on call when I needed help with my math homework.  Even though he could never quite understand why I didn't inherit his natural ability to solve math problems.  I did inherit his love for jelly on french toast & ketchup on steak, though.  Lots of life talks & advice were given in the form of washing my car with my dad in high school.  It's no wonder that he didn't want anything for Father's Day but for us to help him wash his car.  He would choose family over presents any day.  Except if those presents came in the oatmeal raisin cookie form.  My dad taught us to do the right thing, no matter what the circumstances.  A super power indeed.  Give a girl a great dad, & she can do anything.

And, my DC.  Full of super powers.  I dreamt of marrying a man that would love me until the end of time, be an amazing father, & still do chores.  He has two of those three super powers & I'm pretty sure I will be able to see the third surface soon.  A friend recently asked him what he was most looking forward to when becoming a father.  He said just holding the baby.  Wow.

These three men might not be faster than a speeding bullet, or be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but they are super heros in my comic book.  Who are the Men of Steel in your life?

Coffee Date Friday

Happy Friday!  And, even a happier Friday while on Summer break.  I am enjoying the stillness that comes with summer & being off of school.  5 AM alarms, dress pants & story time have been traded in for coffee at 9am, sweatpants, & finally tackling my book list.  No bunnies in dresses or picture books included on this list, though.

If we were having coffee this Friday, I would tell you...

* That I have been baking up a storm.  Homemade soft pretzels, strawberry shortcake & different kinds of cookies have been on the list.  I have a great taste tester also...who almost always approves.

* My new favorite place to dream read is in the nursery.  There is just something about rocking that is therapeutic.  Now, I am reading World War Z about a zombie apocalypse which I'm sure should not be allowed in a baby's room.  But, I am mainly doing this to be prepared for the movie release in a few weeks.  Hellllllo, Brad Pitt.  You can save me the world from zombies any day!

* Last Sunday was National BFF Day.  I hope you called your BFF or did something special for them.  And if not, then I declare today National BFF Day, too.

* I check my tomato & pepper plants everyday to see if they are growing.  They aren't.  Pretty sure I have faulty plants...which means no BLT as requested by you, Dad!

* A good friend of mine & fellow adoptive mommy recently started a blog called Rene With One E.  If you want to be entertained by pictures of her adorable boys or behold her famous chocolate chip cookie recipe (future post, Rene?!), then click away!

* I did a little DIY project that turned out really cute, I think.  It involves mason jars & spray paint.  It's getting fancy up in herrrr.

What 5 things would you tell me if we met for coffee?  
Feel free to link up to your blog, too!

Um, you know this room is for a baby right?

If I had my way, I would live in a warehouse.  No, but seriously.
Dark, cold, steel...& more darkness.  Kind of like the Bat Cave, I guess.

This would be my dream kitchen.

But, sometimes I don't get my way.  I guess my husband prefers to not sit on metal couches & walk around on concrete floors.  Whatevs.  

I still like my kitchen, though.  It at least fits the dark criteria, I think.  And, I'm pretty sure that we are the only people on the planet that took windows out of our house floor plan.  

When we decided to adopt, I was SUPER excited to decorate the nursery.  But, we were told not to do anything because we would just be sad walking by a finished nursery with no baby.  Well, I don't do things I'm told.  Ok, I do.  Just not with this.  So, the planning started.  However, anything that screams "baby" scares me.  ABC blocks, rubber duckies, goo-goo ga-ga, safari animals, etc = bleh.  I knew I didn't want any of that.  Again...cold, dark, concrete - that's more my style.  I started talking with Devin about my "vision", which usually results in trips to Lowes. And more trips to Lowes.  Talks began of a painted ceiling, a prison-esque plain-as-day crib, & a custom made mustard yellow changing table.  Enter rapid beating heart.  But, luckily I married the most laid-back man ever.  Even though deep down he might have hoped for a "Daddy's Little Slugger" quilt & matching wallpaper border.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  

 After our nursery discussion, he kindly & quietly responded with, "You do know this room is for a baby, right??"  I kindly responded with the words of Stephanie Tanner, "How rude."  Yes, I did know the room was for a baby.  I just didn't want it to have anything baby-like in it.  Is that too much to ask?!?  

Don't answer that.     

Several months & numerous shopping trips later...it is finished.  Diapers stacked, tiny pajamas washed & folded, books waiting to be opened.  All ready for sweet baby Carter.  

My vision came to life.  

crib // Pottery Barn  bedding // Land of Nod

  

artwork // kindergarten class 2013

  

banner fabric // JoAnn's

changing table // grandpa carter

alphabet print // Michael's

rocker // Godby  curtains // painted

fake baby // libby

office shelving // target

artwork // kindergarten student 

Hope you enjoyed Baby Carter's nursery!

me // happy, excited, nervous, scared mama-to-be