spreading the news.

it was a sunday afternoon (september 16th to be exact) when we returned home from camping for the weekend and went straight to baby-test-taking-time! and that quickly turned to a second annnnddd third test and then to tears of joy and well, shock too! it had been less than a month since joey returned home from deployment; i swear he stepped off the plane, waved, and BAM! i had a baby in my belly! truth be told, we had planned to wait it out another year. but we all know how easily those "life-type" plans get rearranged. and truly, what an amazing blessing to rearrange those silly flimsy plans for.

after the tears died down and the shock wore off (scratch that! i'm still in shock EVERY DAY at the miracle growing inside me) we thought about how to share the special news with our family, after all they had been patiently waiting for years for this particular kind of news. 

first we told our henry. and since he is learning to read, we made him a little story, sat him down and had him read it to us. those sweet moments of anticipation as he realized what we were telling him... and the verdict?! a big thumbs up and then right back to a sword fight with daddy. ha! boys. :)

we invited joey's parents over for dinner and we surprised them with the news when joey prayed for our baby during grace. something extra sweet hearing your husband pray for the most precious gift.

for my mom, since she lives outta state, we mailed a picture of our positive test with a note saying we work extra fast ;) and congrats to being a grammy again! when she got it in the post, we had quite the cry-fest over the phone. 

for my parents we made a little onesie, put it in an unmarked bag and told them we brought them back something from vacation, hehe. 

we really enjoyed spreading the news, talking baby names, admitting fears and just sharing in the wonder to come.  

ode to husband.

i am floored by how much this man loves me. the lengths he goes to take care of me. and how absolutely blinded he must be when he tells me how beautiful i am with my hair sticking out all ten times of crazy, sans make-up and bundled up in over-sized sweat pants. but there's no denying that glint in his eye even when i'm feeling beat and looking like a fresh train wreck.

*sigh* that man.

he literally saves me on the daily.

pregnancy has not been kind to me. and when the nausea and fatigue came thundering through, he came to my rescue. cooking dinners (yak! chicken!), tackling laundry (every woman's dream), putting me to bed even before henry, keeping the kitchen stocked with foods that don't make me gag and flashing that reassuring smile any time i randomly burst into tears.

i've been suffering from migraines this last week. skull-splitting and relentless pounding pain day in and day out. and he is by far my saving grace - these nasty suckers incapacitate me. my mr mom / nurse of a husband sets me up with a bath, massages my aches for far beyond when his hands tire, and he's at my bedside rotating ice packs for heat packs while i'm desperately trying to catch z's. he's at 6 different stores looking for menthol sticks to rub on my temples. he even gave up his cuddle time to let me toss and turn in a bed to myself.

i thank my lucky stars for the way he so lovingly and faithfully cares for me. growing a baby really takes the umph outta you (i had sooo many mis-conceptions!) and i'm overwhelmed with grateful appreciation for my very best friend and all the thoughtful efforts he makes to keep me comfortable, healthy and happy.

he spoils me, he pampers me, he adores me.

it's really something sweet.  

extra extra thankful.

i'm extra over joyed. my family starts arriving in town today! eep! i've been acting like a weirdo all day - it's the form my excitement takes on, the anticipation makes me kooky.

my mama, my brother, my sissy and my nephew are almost here from utah. and then tomorrow, turkey day, my oldest brother and my niece and nephew (who i haven't seen since they were waist high) fly in from kansas. you know what this means?! i get to have my whole family under one roof, MY ROOF! my brothers, my sister, my (many many sets of) parents, plus all the significant others and offspring in tow. add husband and henry and it's a pretty big deal, as it rarely (if ever) happens. there's upwards of twenty-five of us, equally awesome and nutty, and i'm beaming to host us all at my very first thanksgiving feast.

let the belly rubbing, rough housing, extra hugging, food stuffing, finger pointing, story telling, crazy dysfunctional happiness begin!

extra extra thankful and beyond blessed for my dear family.

'tis the start of a beautiful & grateful holiday season.

back-bone.

me "lately", is not me "always". *noted*

as of late, i've been moody, tired, boarder-line antagonistic, but mostly matter-of-fact. some would say i've grown a back-bone in the midst of those not so positive qualities. actually, some have said it. 

looky here, i'm standing up for... for, things i use to feel pressured to budge on! a rare occasion in the face of a people-pleaser. 

as of late, i care less of how my words may be interpreted and more that they finally just make it out of my mouth. i have a voice! i have an objecting opinion! i, no longer, have a problem sharing it (my huge life-long feat). 

as of late, i'm looking less outwardly, and more at the balance inside my home; the most important balancing act in my bubble of a world. 

as of late, i just don't gave (as much) a damn. there. i said it. mind you, these are things i never should have put much weight into from the get go.

these feelings are new to me. i'm a huge softy! i suspect when this cool exterior has a seat at the foot of a warm winter fire, my "as of late's" will most likely melt and morph into a new "lately" (and possibly another blog?? something with a mushy-gushy feel??).

it's a surge. it's probably also a mixture composed partly with pride (darn you pride). i might look back and say, "wow, that was some soap box i was standing on." i might. or i might finally be seeing straight, with my own two eyes. it's too early to tell.

what i am certain of, is my wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve self is having a very healthy, over due growth spurt at the ripe age of thirty-one.

flashback friday ya'll.

here's a little flash-back friday for ya, halloween style. BOO!

2011

2010

2009

2008

trick or treat. smell my feet.

a cleanse.

oh september, why are you still reaching heights of 100+ degrees? not that i entirely mind really, as summer will always be my most favorite season. if only my closet contained an endless supply of dresses...

where was i going with this? oh, yes.

i notice with every autumn, i spring clean. this fall is no exception, if anything i'm bringing out extra dust busters this season. there are cupboards to be organized and closets to be re-vamped and SPACE! there is space to be found! so help me holy God of this Earth please let me find ample space for our endless supply of stuff, pretty pretty please.

it's sort of the best part of spring fall cleaning; to simplify, to un-clutter, to reevaluate my hoarding tenancies - do i really need this?? it's a game i play with myself, my justification game. it can get sorta sick, as my best friend has witnessed first hand when i begged and pleaded for her not to toss out my 7th grade sneakers with the cherished writing of "i love Brad Pitt" scribbled all over them. keepsakes, helllllllooo?! i think of those shoes often. they were hideous and i wore them with skirts. blowing 7th grade fashion minds i tell you. bah, i got side tracked, i get my hoarding from my mothers, it's hereditary they say. do they really say that??

but after all the "what-if's" and "but maybe's", after i apply the husband's wise old rule: if i haven't touched, used, or worn it in in the last year, it's out. i find space, glorious open-wide space! which is always my end goal. well that, and that everything have its "place". sort of a freak about that last one.

it will take time of here and there. weeknight spurts and weekend power urges. last night was a start! and we started in henry's room and already it feels bright and new-ish again.

the nester in me loves a good nitty-gritty deep clean, it contributes to my everyday happiness to have things in order... at least once a year ;) ha!

tackling one room at a time as my energy sees fit.

garage sale to come!! october 6th! mark your calendars and come buy our war-waging-mind-twisting-i-no-longer-need-this-stuff stuff... i bet you'll need it.

vacation photo blog.

a photo blog! husband and i took a mini vay-cay trip to pismo last weekend to celebrate all kinds of things:

• third wedding anniversary.
• his birthday.
  
• my birthday.
  
• home-coming.
  

we're driving up the 101 and i come to find husband has never been to solvang?! hello! necessary pit-stop! it's just the most adorable little danish town with so much quirk and beauty.

we suited up upon arrival.

ice cream kisses. cheese for days! novelty shops. horse rides. windmills. wine tasting.

ring ring! oh, hellllooooooo.

giddy.

our quick excursion ended up lasting several hours - there was so much to be seen! by the time we made it to our destination night had fallen and bellies were grumbling. turns out, a quaint little sushi place was in walking distance and our taste buds were ready to indulge!

the effects of sake.

with saturday came our trip to chamisal vineyards in san luis obispo for their fall release tasting. it was such a lovely just-warm-enough day of sipping glass after glass after glass ;) we're a couple of winos!

photo op.

husband.

myself.

on our way home we stopped in dt pisimo to check out the antique stores and do some window shopping. we also found our selves in another wine store, sipping more yumminess and snacking on olive pate & pita.

testing out a banjo.

is there such thing as too much wine?! probably not, but we had certainly had our fill - as more glasses were had at dinner, but hey! we're in wine country and felt it necessary, even dutiful (he he) to taste many of the local brands. sunday was full of RELAXATION. ahhhh, waking up to coffee and climbing back into bed for some reading in the early day light.

his & hers.

once we mosied outta bed we made plans to see the sealions and do some hiking up at avila beach. seriously the sea lions are so much fun to watch. you can literally stand just feet from them - minding the sign that says they'll bite - but goodness, their "arfs" and bouncing around have the same affect on my heart that fireworks do - happiness!

avila beach fishing pier.

sea lions!

making faces with the wildlife. paddle boarding. view.

we had every intention of hiking pirates cove (the hiking book guide said it was a clothing optional beach - hubba hubba) but that was before we saw the signs for paddle boarding! paddle boarding has been on my summer bucket list since last year and i was sure that's where it would remain until next summer. but nope! we totally fulfilled it, i was literally BEAMING the whole hour. and even better, while out exploring the harbor sealions would pop up next to us as though to say hello. seriously, i was in hog heaven happiness - paddling alongside husband & sealions on the open water. we never did make that hike.

instead we headed back to the condo, picked up an array of delicious meats & cheeses & fruits. salami! prosciutto! cracked pepper! brie! goat! feta! raspberries! strawberries! olives! bread! wine! it was quite the spread. and hunkered down for several competitive games of rummie-o. we've been keeping score for five years now, it's our go-to game on date nights.

a night in.

it was a perfectly quiet weekend of reconnecting, filled with mini adventures and hand-in-hand strolls through the cities. it was a lovely holiday indeed.