The Latest Vintage Finds

I've had some good luck recently picking up some vintage items that I totally don't need but just couldn't pass up. Know what I mean?

My Mother-In-Law gave me a few aprons that her mother made for her - too sweet! They remind me of Lucy cooking in her little NYC kitchen.

Of course, they would look much better if someone would model them, but I'm not going to humiliate myself (or my belly) and post pictures of me wearing them. It looks hilarious!


I love old books and display some of them on a shelf in my office...


Old sewing notions found at a yard sale...


An antique fan found for a bargain at $1 at an antique store in Walnut Creek, Ohio...


I thought these lamps were so sweet! I bought the bases at a yard sale this summer and just found these adorable shades at Goodwill to replace the broken ones that were on the lamps. This is in Avery's room...


And lastly, I just picked up this little table (I have a THING for little tables!) at Goodwill and thought it would work well with my Christmas decorations on the side porch.

Just some preggers stuff...

Well, we've almost reached the 2 week mile marker! And I must say, because of all the hustle and bustle with the holidays, time is going pretty fast, all things considering.

What is it with pregnancy that puts women in a ferocious cleaning mode??? I mustered up enough energy this week to do a bunch of cleaning that I don't normally get done very often...like cleaning out the fridge (threw away salad dressing from 2001 - I know, I'm horrible at cleaning out the fridge), cleaning the washer & dryer, the stove, the dishwasher, the kitchen cabinets, and even the dreaded and very disgusting recycling bin.

Yes, I've been scrubbing away and now I'm TIRED and trying to keep my girl entertained!

Oh, and I must tell you about my bed. To sleep somewhat comfortably, I surround myself with five different pillows and am literally wedged in between all of them. Hubs has been sleeping on the couch for the last several nights - need I say more?

I'm getting excited about having a new wardrobe after the baby comes! Well, not really new, but at least the clothes won't all be HUGE! I'm at the point where most of my maternity clothes aren't fitting anymore and I'm down to, like, three outfits.

My saving grace has been a belly band that I bought at Motherhood Maternity. Here's what it looks like...
I haven't ever found a pair of maternity pants that fit me comfortably - they always feel like they are falling off. So I've been wearing my normal jeans and pants with this belly band and it works great! It covers the area of the pants that I can't button anymore and it ensures that my belly isn't sticking out underneath my shirts. Love it!

Anyway, I'm rambling, but I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your families! We are looking forward to spending time with my brother Matt and his wife and kids - it's been over a year!

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Sparkle

Some Christmas decorations around our house...




I restrained myself a bit this year, because I didn't want to have to put a ton of decorations away with the new baby coming soon.

And, I learned that I don't need to use EVERY SINGLE piece of Christmas decoration that I have (although it's hard not to!).

Three and a half weeks

and counting till my due date! Over the past few days the little guy has made some major moves and now I'm super-uncomfortable, especially walking and sleeping. However, it means that he is getting ready to finally come out and meet us!

This morning I totally felt like one of "those moms" at the grocery store.

*sigh*

I felt haggard, I moved super-slow, my cart was loaded to the top, my two year old was whining/crying, and I wanted to craw in a hole.

Wow, I never thought that just going grocery shopping would wear me out. But it did.

Someday I will have energy again! Someday.

Cooking with Friends

Several friends and I have been getting together every few months and doing a "make-ahead" meal exchange. If any of you struggle with coming up with a meal every night (like I do!), then you might want to think about trying this too. It's been a life-saver for us - and hubs LOVES it!!


Basically, we each choose either 2 or 3 different recipes that freeze well, and we make enough to share one meal with everyone (there are either 3 or 4 of us who participate). It takes some planning and prep work, but it is so nice having those extra meals in the freezer! And it's fun to have a variety to choose from.

Four of us exchanged meals in November and here are the meals that we made:

1. Chicken Pie
2. Beef Stroganoff
3. Sausage in tomato sauce with mashed potatoes on the side
4. Chicken cutlets with rice and broccoli
5. Hamburger soup with cornbread
6. Chicken a la king casserole
7. Lasagne
8. Chili
9. Ribs with rice and broccoli
10. Chicken corn noodle soup
11. Ham & potato casserole
12. Layered enchilada bake

I literally have all of these meals in the freezer and I can't wait to try them! Doesn't it just make your mouth water??

My Little Happys

As I was getting ready for my weekly "spa night" (this is a gross overstatement, btw), I was thinking about all the "little happys" in my life right now. And I'm sure you have many, too. Things that just bring you little bits of joy throughout your day and week.

So I made a list:

1. As I was saying, I've been giving myself a little "spa night" about once a week. It's not nearly as fancy as it sounds. Basically, I just have about 45 minutes to spend in the bathroom with no interruptions. Which is sometimes unrealistic considering we only have one bathroom in our whole house. But I try.

I turn on some music, take a looong hot shower, slather on lotion (Bath & Body Works Sparkling Peach is a favorite right now), put on some foot cream, do my hair and nails.
I know, it's nothing fancy, but it makes me happy!

By the way, I do take a shower more than once a week. Just sayin'.

2. Hubs has been giving me foot rubs and puts my socks on for me because of the basketball-shaped belly that I have right now that prevents me from putting them on easily myself. Love him!

3. Being able to go to the store of all stores, Goodwill, by myself (no distractions!) and picking up fun and cheap stuff that I love.
I'm telling ya, it's just such a thrill.

4. Putting baby girl to bed for a nap in the afternoon. A quiet house is like a mini-vacation during the day. And a half hour power nap has been working to perk me up and give me the extra energy that I really crave right now.

Oh, and also getting my goodnight "Na-night, seep tight, luh-you, muwah!" from Avery every night always puts a smile on my face!


5. Getting a warm hug from a friend who really loves you. Faults and all.

6. Opening up a brand new crinkly home decor magazine like Country Living or Cottage Living or Better Homes & Gardens. Ah, let the dreaming begin!


7. Anticipating the arrival of our little boy in about a month! Despite all the discomforts of pregnancy, I still can't believe that there is a precious little baby growing inside me! It's a miraculous thing.

8. This blog has been eye candy for me in the past few weeks.

Read it if you need some decorating inspiration!

9. Starting to decorate the house for Christmas. Hubs thinks I shouldn't bother, since a new baby is going to keep me busy enough, but, c'mon! I just can't help myself!

10. And last, but not least, all my Christmas shopping is DONE and the gifts are all WRAPPED!! Considering that I am a bit of a procrastinator, this is a huge accomplishment! Wahooo!

What are some of your happys?

Bulletin Board Makeover

I was asked to decorate the bulletin board for our church's Women's Ministry, and I thought I'd share the results in case any of you need some ideas for a memo/bulletin board.

Here's what the bulletin board looked like - very generic and straight from the office supply store...


And here's what it looks like now...


I painted the frame black, cut out fabric to fit the inside, and adhered the fabric and trim ribbon to the board with decorative tacks (my newest favorite decorating item!).


I made sure that the fabric and trim was easy to remove, since I'll need to update the board according to the seasons.

I pasted the chipboard lettering and snowflakes (from AC Moore) onto the fabric with fabric glue.

And there you go - a brand new bulletin board!

My Girl

Last weekend we took some shots of Avery at a nearby park for our Christmas card...




Oh, and we just got our new camera! It's a cute little thing!

Canon Powershot SD1100

Winter Wreath Idea

Here's an idea on how to make a winter wreath that's fairly easy and costs next to nothing.

I bought rectangular pieces of foam from the craft store, cut them to size to make a square, and hot glued the pieces together (an electric bread knife works great for cutting foam).


Then I hot glued moss and some artificial berries and greenery onto the foam.

Hang it from a pretty ribbon and you are good to go! I usually hang mine on my kitchen/dining room windows.

New Holland Coffee Co.

Ok, so I have a little bragging to do, but don't worry, it's not about me! My sister Sara is the proud new owner of a little coffee shop that she bought a few months ago and I couldn't be more happy for her!

This has been her dream for a few years and considering she is only 22 years old, I think she's achieved a lot so far!


I'll give you a little tour...here's the inside...



Here are some regulars (my cousin Miriam and my Avery)...



I've been her (unofficial) business manager and decorator (of course!). I get paid with free food and drinks, which is a nice arrangement for both of us. If you live in the area, you need to stop in and say hi!

The address is 840 W. Main St., New Holland, Pa.