Baby Girl...

I can't believe how quickly time is going and how Unprepared I am for this little lady to come.  Part of it is the fact that we will be moving right after she is born...but the other part (probably the bigger part) is that I have been especially lazy!   Just because I haven't put my ideas in to action yet, doesn't mean I don't have ideas.  I am SO excited to actually be able to decorate a nursery... so far this is what I've got!

First, I want to make her crib bedding...at least the bumper and skirt!  I have been searching aimlessly for the right fabric and I think I just may have found a place to start.....

Uh, hello Moda Sugar Pop!!  I love this line and already plan on purchasing a many yardage of it!  I think the colors are perfect.  Not too bright, but not too mellow (and not too traditional either).  

Paired with this beautiful piece by Maria Carluccio.  

I think I am in love....(now if I can only find a print for LESS than $100 I will be happy).

And since my little brother does vinyl...maybe one of these too....

No, I am not announcing her name...but isn't this perfect?  I love it! 

Lastly, I saw the idea for this mobile on this website and fell in love!  I will definitely include one of these too (in the correct color scheme, of course). 

I can't wait to actually put all my ideas to action.  Wish me luck, and give me suggestions if you have them....this could be dangerous! 

Ready For Fall

I love fall, I could live in Fall weather for ages.  Its perfect.  I am especially looking forward to it this year, seen as though MO summers are wretched!  So yesterday I went and snagged myself a Mulled Cider candle from Walmart (yes, their $5 candles actually smell up the whole room!!) and made this pretty little thing to hang on my door.

It will be hanging on the inside of my door though, I don't want it to get ruined in the MO rain!  It's made out of coffee filters and only cost me a mere $1.28 to make.  Awesome right???  I found the idea on this blog.  Go check it out and find out how to make one for yourself!  I love her ideas. 

Now I just have to dig out/locate the rest of my fall decorations - somewhere in my garage!  It may be easier to get new ones, which I certainly wouldn't complain about! :)  Hope you are all having as much fun getting ready for Fall as I am!! 

PS.  I know this song isn't new...but I am loving it right now.  Enjoy.

Voyage to Missouri

Andy and I are sitting here watching She's All That.  You know...that movie with Freddie Prince Jr? Yeah, awesome.  It's surreal actually, sitting in my own home...with my husband.  It's wonderful, and I am certainly not taking it for granted (I am sure many of you can relate). 

Our journey here was long...and by long I really mean long.  Andy returned home from Afghanistan, spent a week in Kentucky for out processing and then made the trek to MO a day later with his dad.  Lots of traveling.  Originally we had planned on living on post...but due to housing management changes it didn't work out.  Needless to say, Andy and his dad found us a great place to live- all in one day!  Noah and I were supposed to fly directly onto post - but after one cancelled flight and another delayed...we finally made it a day later then expected.   Even with all the bumps, its been great being together again. 

So obviously there has been A LOT of unpacking going on.  We still have to tackle some of the garage...but overall the progress has been good.  Noah has LOVED exploring the new place and loves to hide himself in the cupboard.  I think that's his favorite place in the house actually.  It's quite adorable. 

 

Some exciting/eventful things that have happened since we got here??

1) Our neighbor (since we live in a duplex/townhouse) decided to wash her car IN her garage.  Since our garages are connected the water leaked over into our garage.  It was awesome (not really)...thankfully only a rug was seriously ruined. 

2)  Andy came down with a bug...and spent all Sunday in bed.  He was miserable and I am so glad it only lasted a day.  Poor guy.

3)  Andy's brother Greg and his wife Allice (who just happens to be my BFF) had baby number two yesterday!  Little Gary Finn Stockhoff (G.Finn for short).  And we couldn't be happier for them!! 

4)  Andy's youngest sister MacKenzie graduated high school.  Just wanted to say CONGRATs to Kenz and tell her how proud we are of her!!

Getting Inspired

My girlfriend Brittany recently posted something on her facebook that read- '14 Things You Never Say to a Military Wife'  the following are my favorite from the list....

2. "I don't know how you manage. I don't think I could do it."

-This is intended to be a compliment. Though, its just a little annoying. Here's why: it's not like all of us military wives have been dreaming since childhood of the day we'd get to be anxious single moms who carry cell phones with us to the bathroom and in the shower. We're not made of some mysterious matter that makes us more capable, we just got asked to take on a challenging job. So we rose to the challenge and found the strength to make sacrifices.

8. "My husband had to go to Europe for business once for three weeks. I totally know what you're going through."
-This one is similar to number two. Do not equate your husband's three week trip to London/Omaha/Tokyo/etc. with a 12-15 month or more deployment to a war zone. Aside from the obvious time difference, nobody shot at your husband or tried to blow him up with an I.E.D., your husband could call home pretty much any time he wanted to, he flew comfortably on a commercial plane, slept between crisp white sheets and ate well, paying for everything with an expense account. There is no comparison. We do not feel bonded to you in the slightest because of this comment and, if anything, we probably resent you a bit for it. Comparing a 12 month combat deployment to a few weeks business trip is like comparing a Ford Taurus with a Mercedes convertible. 

There were others (12 others, that all rang true in some way)- you can find the link HERE. One of my favorite points made was... We learn to appreciate the important things, like simply hearing their voices, seeing their faces, being able to have dinner together every night.


Ain't that the truth?!  This morning I was talking to Andy about how excited I am to just be able to decorate our home...to dust my lamps, and vacuum my floor, to cook my family dinner, to sleep next to my husband, to watch TV late at night with Andy, or go out to dinner.  I am excited to buy new furniture and hang curtains.  I can't wait to have a BBQ and go play tennis.  Does that sound silly?  I have realized that what I appreciate the most are the little things that we can do as a family.  Living with my parents has been WONDERFUL, and life saving.  They have given me support that I could not have found anywhere else, but I am SO excited for this phase in our lives to be over.  I am ready for the end of this deployment. 


We will hit our year mark next week, and then it will still be at least another 3 weeks until we get to see Andy...but the end is in sight...and in the mean time I have become inspired by these...

... And those are just a few of the pictures I have saved.  I mean really, doesn't this just make you want to go paint your bedroom?  I've already warned Andy that he may have to lot me a portion of our savings to turn our home into the place I hope it will be...unfortunately military housing won't allow me to paint...so I will have to make up for it in other ways!  Here's to finding way's to be inspired...what inspires you?