Date Night : Pontoon in iPhone pics

Please excuse the blurry pics and the late post this week. I haven't felt the best to be honest with you so I have tried to stay relaxed. Plus I have been adding daily exercise into my schedule which leaves me exhausted. It is pretty pathetic how a couple walks around the park puts me in to a 3-4 hour sleep coma when I get home. I am starting to feel the uncomfortable pains of pregnancy I guess and trying to get ready for labor. 

This was probably the best date night I have ever had. It was last minute and involved my two younger sisters. We enjoyed an afternoon on a pontoon! We went swimming, fishing and rode around the lake. The end of the night was spent on a cove roasting hot dogs on a campfire and playing with sparklers. It really couldn't get any better than that!

32 weeks! 

I have so much going on during the end of my pregnancy. A camp in less than 3 weeks to plan and prepare for, a surprise for my sisters birthday, still have to set up and finish the babies room, and prepare myself for labor.  

How is your week going?

SPRING BUCKET LIST: PLANT SOMETHING

If you really know me... you know that I think a lot. It's kind of a family curse. The pregnancy has only made it worse because when I wanted to settle my thoughts before a glass a wine always seemed to do the trick, now that's not possible. However it has been a good thing because I am understanding my thoughts a lot better.

Now that I have a child to consider my dreams seem like they need to change. I struggle with that a lot wondering if everything I wanted before is still possible with her in the picture. I always come back to the same conclusion which is that my new babe can only make my dreams bigger and stronger. That's what I have to believe. If I back down from my dreams now did they really mean anything in the first place?

I guess now that I know this for sure I feel like it's time to make a big move. I know a big move means a big risk but what do I have to lose? I feel it deep in my bones I am ready for a risk. Of course I still have my baby to consider but she is the one who has made me want to take a leap of faith and dive into my dreams. I don't think she is going to hold me back, if anything she will drive me forward. With all the struggles of pregnancy I really believe that it really does the soul good because it strips you of what if's and puts you into super hero mode.

Truth is I am not 100% what that big move is yet. I do know that you have to start it by claiming it.  Big moves don't just take a week or day to manifest they take longer. I will enjoy my babes first year and hopefully during that year I can take the time to draw out the route of my big move.It scares me but sometimes I need to blog it out and convince myself that I know what I am thinking.

As random as this post may seem I look at planting something as claiming something in life. It takes putting the seed in the ground before it will grow and growth takes time.

PS... I am on a roll with my spring bucket list. I planted this three tiered flower basket for my mom. I love her more than anything in this world.


Happy Friday loves! Enjoy your weekend and I will see you Monday with a giveaway winner!

DIY GEOMETRIC KICKS

I got these kicks which look so similar to expensive Toms at the doller store for $6 dollars. I also found the tulip fabric paint in matte white on sale at Micheals for $4 dollars. So this project literally cost me 10 dollars with fabric paint to spare!!

It's always a little nerve wrecking trying to begin a project on a blank canvas but once I got over the fear it seemed to go smoothly. I also recommend watering down your paint a little so it applies smoothly and doing a few coats. :)

Date night: Camp Out in iPhone pics

So I think the date night posts are here to stay for a while at least and most likely will always be captured by the Iphone. So wabammmm welcome to a new series of posts that will hopefully...

A. Keep the date nights for me interesting

and

B. Inspire you to try something different for date night

Yesterday my sister invited Justin and I to her boyfriend Cody's farm/backyard to fish and have a little campfire cookout. I have been dying to camp out but afraid to because it's hard enough sleeping in a bed with this big belly. However this afternoon of fishing, exploring, 4 wheeling, and campfire food was the perfect fix for that camp craving I was having. It was literally one of the best days I have had in a long time. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious and the view was literally like heaven. 

Plus the company was super sweet. Nicky and Cody had hot dogs ready to cook, smores, a cooler of drinks, a radio, wood for the campfire, and even a canopy. They really didn't miss a note on this sweet melody of a afternoon. I was very impressed. My Phoenix had a ball exploring and running free it was sooo cute. He even disappeared for a bit and came back with a rib bone he found in the forest.

I don't know about you but it is already feeling like summer. I am so excited!

Baby Shower in Photos

I am 31 weeks today! Time is flying now! My baby shower was held on mother's day and it turned out incredible. It was a complete surprise which is what I loved about it. Honestly I hate being the center of attention I would rather be the planner so it was nice to be surprised for a change that way I couldn't try to change everything. I am obsessed with doing things a certain way soo which can stress me out so the surprise was a nice relief.

My mother and sisters did a fantastic job pulling it all together with the most perfect touches. I also got some wonderful special gifts I will share with you later. I was extremely happy to see my friends and have my cousins at the shower. It was difficult not to cry... because everything is going to be so different. My sister got pictures taken by a photograper named Skylar which turned out great even though I was hesitant at first because of my weight. I really love the pictures. Maybe I will be more open now about letting someone else outside of my family take professional pictures.

Now that the shower is over I am feeling good! Now I feel like its time to start getting her room together and get the last few little items we need. Plus I have a lot of special items I want to make for her room. So you will be seeing that on the blog in the next weeks.

Oh... and for the name reveal. Miss Juniper Ray Chasteen was named after my late grandparents the Rays. As for Juniper it was my grandmas favorite scent and it was something that just really clicked for me.

I am sooo excited!

Advice on surviving Pregnancy

Like everyone tells you pregnancy is really different for every single lady however I figured I would let you know things that have worked for me to make my pregnancy run smoothly and some of the experiences I have encountered thus far.

I am a little over 7 months now and I haven't had any morning sickness or any severe pain as of yet. My experiences have included the following...

The bad...

swollen ankles and painful feet
feeling a stretch of my belly on certain days
In the very beginning feeling slightly queezy
Days where I just lay around all day but never sleep like I am exhausted
Days where I eat all day and never feel satisfied
craving different tastes... like foods I have never ate
Near the End feeling easily aggravated at a PMS level if not worse
NIGHTMARES, FREAKY DREAMS ALL THE TIME
little acne bumps on my back, shoulders and on top of my belly
In the beginning I felt like I had a hard time breathing
My nose was stopped up a lot during the first and second trimester
low platelet count (which means lots of blood work)

Some good experiences...

Feeling the baby move and seeing her move inside my stomach
Extreme energy boosts at certain times mostly in the 2nd trimester
my face has been acne free!
Feeling more confident to meet with people and stepping out of my comfort zone
A burst in the creative flow of ideas, goals and dreams
planning and dreaming for when she arrives
learning a whole lot about life
Detoxing your body

Here is what I found that made a big difference in getting through pregnancy happy and healthy...

1. Make sure you eat when you get hungry 
2. Sleep when your grouchy or tired
3. buy a new pair of comfly shoes for around the house and everywhere else, moccasins and flat flip flops even slippers won't work
4. Hang out with family and talk about the baby
5. take time away from your partner
6. ask for back rubs and foot massages... don't wait for them
7. Prop your feet up high and get a foot bath when your ankles are swollen
8. Go on lots of dates and do things you haven't done
9. Work on projects for your baby 
10. Sit in a quiet room touch and watch your belly 
11. Spend alone time thinking of your baby
12. Smoothies make wonderful snacks when you don't feel satisfied
13. Wash your blankets weekly if not more often
14. Take a shower more often
15. buy lots of stretchy dresses 
16. buy new bras that will fit your new boobs
17. Take lots of pictures throughout your pregnancy
18. Ask for help... always
19. keep yourself occupied with other stuff that has nothing to do with the baby
20. trust yourself to make the right decisions

Also for those of you who have to see the doctor more often like me, every other week or more be sure to make those appointments exciting by treating yourself with an Ice Cream or a small fun purchase. That way you don't dread it.

I hope this helps I wanted to type out everything while I remember for next time. :)

Those of you who have been through it can you add anything to this list?

Sweet Gifts and Good Friends

I have had some many gifts given to me in the past couple weeks it's really made me sooo happy!! :) I always love a surprise, something handmade, or a vintage treasure! I really love snail mail it's pretty much like being a kid on Christmas morning!

I just want to take a moment to share how much I appreciate these gifts! I have made some wonderful friends this past year through blogging, craft shows, and family. This past couple of weeks I have been getting surprises in the mail. I also have had nice things given to me it's really made the whole scared, excited, nervous, pregnancy feelings a lot easier to deal with.

In the top you will see my baby girls new friends a rhino name cheeno and a giraffe named Tilly. I found them at the Mushroom Festival a week or so ago. They are handmade and perfect. My older sister got me the rhino :) I also got to swap with a lovely lady by the name of Casey for the adorable bear newborn hat sitting on her bears head. I just love that hat! Casey also made me the cute little wash cloth for craft it forward.

I received some beautiful scrap booking supplies that will work great for my baby book from a good internet pal, Hayley. Plus she threw in some other vintage goodies. I also got the cool vintage trims from my sisters boyfriends mom. She is so nice to me!

I also have had a huge surge of baby stuff enter my life, used and new. It's definitely overwhelming but wonderful. I am very thankful for all of it. It is hard to keep up with everything lately and I am still trying to understand why. I just figured the easiest way for me to show my appreciation to all of you lovely gals is by writing this post.

Only 3 days till my baby shower and I am sooo nervous. I hate to open presents in front of people because of the attention. I would rather have everyone open the presents and me watch. I just have to face my fears, get through it and hope that my emotions don't go to the extreme. The emotion part of pregnancy is probably the hardest to deal with because it is so uncontrollable. If I start to cry... it's not just a couple tears its a freaking moaning out of control baby cry. It is embarrassing!

Well that's it for now! Thanks again to all the lovelies who have made my day these past weeks. Even if I don't have a picture of what you sent or your name in the post... you know who you are and I love ya!