Beach bum.

I was so excited when we pulled up to the house the Langs rented out for the weekend because it was only a 30 second walk from the beach. Every morning we were there we'd walk down to the lifeguard tower and look for dolphins, it was a dream! Ivy finally discovered her love for the ocean, she loved running from the freezing waves and even acquired a taste for sand... she loved eating that sand. So glad she's finally a beach-goer, can't wait to take her back when it's warmer! Now a picture overload.

 

Newport Weekend

This past weekend we were able to visit Newport with the Langs. Disneyland, dolphin-watching, paddle surfing, cousin-time, shopping, fun, and most importantly; beignets and churros were had. We lasted at Disneyland until feet were blistered, cheeks were sunburnt, and Ivy was grumpily walking around barefoot and pant-less (she did really good until her breaking point though!). I can't wait to take her back one day when she's tall enough for the good rides/when I'm not pregnant and can ride the good rides myself. Regardless of our little setbacks, the 'Lang' in her couldn't deny her love for Disneyland! Thanks for everything Langs.

The Lion the Witch and the Winner.

Happy weekend! 

image via 
Congrats to the winner of this weeks giveaway from The Lion the Witch and My Wardrobe! Thank you to all those who entered, and my apologies to all those who lost. Either way, be sure to continue checking out Bronwyns blog for fashion help in the future. (Please send me your email address Becca!)

Girls only.

     Over the weekend Geoff went on a day-trip snowboarding. While usually I prefer Saturdays spent together as an entire family, I couldn't have enjoyed my little Satur-date spent with just Ivy any more. (No offense Geoff!) For one, It hit me that before long I'll have two little girls to chase around and laugh with. As excited as I am for that, I can't help but feel a little bit sad about my last days of one-on-one time with V. Secondly, Ivy is an A+ date. She cracks me up, keeps me on my toes, and asked me to dance with her on the "stage" at the park. What else could a girl ask for in a date?

The Lion the Witch and My Wardrobe// CLOSED.

I'm so excited to announce a new sponsor and giveaway this morning from Bronwyn, of 'The Lion the Witch and My Wardrobe'. Bronwyn has been a personal shopper for years and has worked closely with celebrities, athletes, politicians, and most importantly; new Moms and college grads looking to revamp their everyday style! Bronwyn is a darling single Mother from San Fransisco who loves fashion, working under a tight budget, and helping people feel their best about themselves. She has such a quirky yet classic style and has a great sense of what will work on every body type.

You ready for the giveaway details?

Bronwyn has agreed to give away a FULL DAY spent with her; sifting through and breaking down your current wardrobe, shopping and rebuilding your closet (fit to your style and budget of course), and giving away invaluable tips on how to always look your best. (Yes, she will fly TO YOU!) Bronwyn is truly gifted at bringing out the most happy and confident side of people, and is willing to do the same for one lucky winner! To enter, check out and follow her blog and simply leave a comment below stating why you'd like to win. Ideally, the winner should either be someone looking to spruce up what they already have, someone who has recently had a life change (new job, new baby, etc.), or someone looking for fresh new pieces for a special day or event! Giveaway ends Friday morning at 8:00 am. Tell your friends and good luck! ;)

PS- I'm jealous of whoever gets to shop with this girl all day!

24 hour makeover.

Yesterday I got to indulge in one of my favorite things; a hair appointment! As much as I love the feeling of a fresh and healthy cut, I love going to see Krystle at Salon Intrigue just as much. She is the easiest person to talk to and I can almost guarantee you'll walk out wanting to be her best friend. Not only is the girl hilarious, but she knows what she's doing, too. Krystle has been cutting & coloring hair for 10 years and I always leave so happy with what she does. I'm always trying to talk people into going to her, and this blog is no exception. Book an appointment with Krystle and save 15% by telling her I sent-cha! You will love her and that's a promise.

Krystle Johnson @ Krystlejohnson@me.com

The fun did not stop there (hence the moody closeup of my lashes). One of my best friends and old roommates moved down to Arizona a couple weeks ago, and I could not be more thrilled about it! For one, she is the funnest, sweetest girl and I love spending time with her. For two, she is a master at eyelash extensions and gave me a full-set yesterday! (I know, I know...the latter reason is purely selfish, I'll admit it.)

Disclaimer: I've never considered myself too high-maintenance of a girl. I don't like wearing that much makeup nor do I like buying it (that might have something to do with Ivy giving me a very interrupted 60ish seconds in the morning to apply it). So I'll be honest; at first I was a little bit skeptical of lash extensions, but then when I realized this meant I could forgo my whole morning makeup routine (or lack thereof) and not look like a total wreck I was all for it! I absolutely love them and I know it's silly, but I feel like such a woman with them on! Leaving the house sans makeup isn't so scary anymore (for myself or onlookers). This February only, Kelsey is charging an itty-bitty $50 for a full-set session (which takes about an hour) and she does an impeccable job.

To book an appointment with Kelsey, email her at [Kelseyjensen3@gmail.com]  or give her a text/call at (435) 632-7068.

VD: told two days later.

I've already admitted that one of the main reasons I love Valentines Day is because I'm a sucker for all that commercial stuff; the pink, the gifts, the candy, the decor, etc. But I think another reason I love it, is because we never really set too high of expectations for the day (Phil Dunphy said it best last year in regard to his Birthday). We didn't really make any concrete plans; possibly a family picnic somewhere pretty, however when it was rainy and cold out we quite literally rain-checked that idea. We ended up having a relaxing day inside; opening our presents, eating our chocolates, and learning all about Ivys new squinkie toys. The day was just right, however when we scored a last-minute babysitter AND a dinner reservation hookup we couldn't deny the good Valentine-vibes that were being sent our way! (Thanks Johnny the sitter and Brandon the server!) We jumped on the opportunity and headed out to Tia Rosas for our que romantico date (although Geoff most likely felt like a third wheel once the basket of chips and salsa came out).

When we got home Ivy was still awake, and thank goodness for that because it turns out all she wanted was a few more VD kisses and tickles. I'd say overall it was a sublime Valetines Day.

monterey : day two

The second morning in Monterey, we hit up the local donut bakery to give us the energy we needed to explore Big Sur and Pfeiffer Beach to its full capacity. We got on the road and began the beautiful scenic drive and it wasn't long before we were pulling over every 3 minutes for a photo-op at a lookout point. I can easily say that those were the prettiest views I have ever seen, I really wish pictures could do it justice. Pfeiffer Beach was amazing, I love how you can stare out at the ocean and then turn around and look directly into a forest. (Who says you have to choose a habitat?) The beach was super cold for my Arizona blood, so I was beyond grateful that Shanna lent me her puffer coat for the day, because the winds of Big Sur were just that, big and surious. After that adventure, we headed back to Carmel for some lunch and more shopping (the best kind too, fudge shopping at the Cottage of Sweets).

Shanna is the best Sister because everywhere we went she would pack snacks for me and then pretend to be out of breath as well whenever we were walking up-hill, she sure knows how to make a pregnant person feel better about themselves! After a chilly afternoon we cozied up in their adorable house and watched some ep's of Felicity to warm up. (Brad seemed to really like that.) The night ended with a delicious vietnamese dinner and some Valentine shopping for Geoff, which Brad was especially helpful with- thanks Brad. The next morning came and sadly it was time to head to the airport. I actually considered calling Geoff and just having him pack our bags and head up for good, but then remembered that would probably be pretty impulsive. 

Thank you Keslers, for treating me to such a memorable weekend! I've said it a million times, but you two are the best hosts ever. I love you guys to death and sadly this trip didn't give me the Kesler-fix like I had hoped, it just made me miss you more! Guess that means more trips in the future, next time I'll pack Geoff and Ivy! ;)

Valentines Day Eve & Valentines Day Day.

'Valentines Day Eve' fell on the day after I came home from my trip, so it seemed appropriate- necessary even, that instead of unpacking or doing laundry, we stay in our pajamas till 2 pm and make sugar cookies. Ivy was a dynamite helper, I don't know if the cookies would have turned out had she not taste-tested multiple cookies. I guess in that way I was a dynamite helper as well, that probably explains my 'sugar cookie hangover' I'm feeling today. I'm not gonna let it stand in my way though, bring on the candy and the  gifts and the smooches! Ooh La La!

monterey : day one

This last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Monterey, California to have some sister time with the Keslers. (Brad I consider you a Sister too, take it as a compliment!) As hard as it was to leave Geoff and Ives over the weekend, I'm so glad I went because it was hands down one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to! Shanna and Brad were world class hosts and showed me so much in such little time, I am officially jealous of their whereabouts! I went a little picture crazy so I may have to break the trip down into a few different posts, please forgive me.

The first morning spent there Shan surprised me with delicous pancakes and then proceeded to drive me around town while I "ooh'd" and "ahhh'd" over every square inch of Monterey and Carmel. We then walked down to the beach and tried to spy on any celebs golfing at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am that was happening. (Sadly, I didn't spot or get a picture with Bill Murray like I had wanted, but I got a lot of cute pictures of Shanna, so it's okay.) After a dramatic encounter with a high-tide and dripping wet jeans, we decided to walk inland and tag team the Anthropologie in Carmel (after all, it's one of the largest stores I have ever been to, one of us just couldn't have tackled it alone). After that, the day filled up much too quickly with a yummy lunch at Wild Plum Cafe, an evening stroll down Pacific Grove, a nostalgic episode or so of 'Wonder Years', pizza dinner washed down with some frozen coconut yogurt, and of course, FaceTime breaks with my Ivy girl and her Super-Dad.

Now that I've shared just about every detail of the day, pictures don't really seem necessary (nor will they do the place justice), but what's a vacation re-cap without a picture overload?

(Excuse all the super 'original' feet pictures, I just couldn't believe all that green stuff growing right out of the ground! ;)

****************************

PS- Congrats to Allison for winning the Stem&Leaf giveaway this morning, send me your e-mail address and start picking out a spot on your wall! 

We built this Schmidt-y on tootsie roooolllls.

Judging by my awkward maternity pose, it's clear that I have never really taken a maternity picture before, and it's definitely for good reason. I am not one of those girls who rock being pregnant, and I've never really understood how they do it. (I wish I was fishing for compliments rather than just stating the obvious, but sadly...I'm not.) In fact, if I had to pick three things off the top of my head that keep me up at night (besides getting up to pee every 2 hours of course) they would be:

1. Why Mason Kardashian wears band-aids on his face

2. Why men have nipples

3. And how some girls can look so awesome while pregnant

Anyway, I wish I was one of those women with the cute soccer-ball-bellies who you look at and say, "Aww, you're all baby, I couldn't even tell you were pregnant from behind!" However, I'm more like all baby, plus all booty, plus a whoooole-lotta pie-face wrapped in wrinkly jersey-knit fabric. It's really too bad, but I figure my kids might want to see me in this state regardless, so I better suck up my insecurities and take a quick picture every few weeks. I also thought it'd be fun (for lack of a better word) to jot down a few things to remember about this stage in my pregnancy, so here we go:

1. My belly got so much bigger so much faster this time around. I tell myself I'm about halfway through so how much bigger can I get? But then I quickly remember that I'm only halfway through, and I can get a whole lot bigger. Ruh-oh!

2. I'm almost out of the clear of sick mornings and nights, taking Zofran this pregnancy was a slam-dunk!

3. I am a freaking carnivore. When Geoff asked me for gift ideas for Valentines Day, I legitimately told him that all I wanted was a steak from Flemings. I've never even had a steak from Flemings. In fact, I've never really ordered any type of red meat from any restaurant up until now. Pregnancy, man!

4. I am quickly remembering how hard it is to dress when you have an 'old-man-gut' to work with. I am still at the point where wearing shamelessly tight and hideous outfits seem better than surrendering to maternity clothes, cause I just can't bring myself to pull out that plastic bag of panel jeans out from the depths of my closet. 

5. This pregnancy is seriously flying by. I never thought I'd say that, but I feel like with your 2nd you're just more... distracted? When women have their 3rd/4th/5th child, do they even have time to realize they're pregnant until they're due? Maybe that's a stupid question.

Either way, I forget how much you can fall in love with something whose heartbeat you've only heard and who you can only compare to the size of a ______ (insert fruit). But you do. And it's crazy! And it makes all those red-meat craving, toilet-hugging, back-aching, teenage-acne-filled days worth it and more.

We love you so much, little baby.

I love Valentines Day and I don't care who knows it!

I know it gets a lot of guff, but Valentines day is and always has been one of my favorite holidays. (I know I say that about every holiday, but I especially mean it this time!) What's not to love about a day dedicated to eating sugar and being all mushy with your loved ones? If that doesn't do it for you, three words: seasonal Reeses hearts!

One of my least favorite Valentines Days that I can remember though was in elementary school. I had been asked on my very first date by my Valentine, who happened to be my at-time "boyfriend". I was pretty nervous so of course I brought along my two best friends, who additionally kept me company on the mile-long walk to Fazolis. Once we got there, we realized we were all pretty nervous (including him), and we ended up not acknowledging each other and eating our kids-meal fettuccines at separate tables. (Good thing I thought ahead to bring my friends so I wasn't the sucker dining alone.) If that's the worst Valentines Day I've experienced to date, I'm going to consider myself pretty lucky. What's your worst Valentines day memory? I hope you at least got all-you-can-eat breadsticks out of it too.

Now I've got sugar cookies to bake, gifts to shop for, and heart garlands to make, it's time to get out of memory lane and let the festivities begin! Hope you all have a very pink, very sweet, and very glittery February.

1. homeade valentine cards // 2. apple of my eye stickers // 3. valentine decor // 4. strawberry heart cookies // 5. strawberry fudge // 6. sherbet outfit for your day date // 7. heart throb dress

Mini mini-van update.

Like I said, everyone told me that 24 hours in that thing and I'd fall in love. I also said I'd keep you posted. Well, I'm sad to say that they were wrong.





It only took 10 minutes. (Gotcha!)

I took a deep breath and got in the car for the first time to take a little joyride to Target by myself. I was having some serious anxiety about the whole thing. For one, I'm not used to driving a car that huge, and for two, well...I was driving a mini-van. I may have even had to call my mini-van driving Sister for some words of encouragement along the way. I kept my sunglasses on and quietly played Ryan Adams to calm my nerves. By mile 3 or 4; the sunglasses had come off, the windows and sunroof had been rolled down, and I had some type of awful 'top 20' hit blasting throughout. Things got crazy to say the least. Aside from learning how to park, you just can't beat 16 cup holders, those side doors, the stow-and-go, seat heaters, and that trunk! Oh, that trunk! I could fit 4 strollers back there! (Please bless I never have to). Anyway, the verdict is in: I am team mini-van for life.

I mean, have you ever seen a kid so happy to be in their carseat?

We roll hard in the streets of the cul-de-sacs

Ever since Geoff and I got married he had been begging for a mini-van (up until yesterday I thought he had been joking). I told him there was no way we were going to be childless mini-van owners, but then we had a baby. I then went with, "You can't have a mini-van with only one kid!"

I then got pregnant again. Since I was clearly running out of reasons why we couldn't be miniature-van people, I could feel the time was coming near (I just didn't think it was this near). End of story, last night Geoff pulled up dancing in a mini-van driver seat happy as a clam.

Geoff is now living his version of the American Dream, and I'm happy if he's happy. I'm also happy if Ivy's happy, which is a lot more likely with a DVD player on long drives. All you mini-vanners out there have promised that 24 hours in that thing and it'll change my life, something about side doors or something? I'll keep you posted. Until then, I'll have to keep watching this video to convince me that vans can have swagger too. (I may not have to be convinced at all though, Geoff drove his pride-ride to work this morning...)

What 7:27 am looked like today.