guests welcome (#17)

It gives me great, great pleasure to say that we are done with remodels.  Done.  Finished.  No more.  I love a good remodel as much as the next person but they are always inconvenient, especially now that we are a family of there (plus two dogs).

Our town puts on a tour of homes every Christmas to benefit a local family or charity.  There are usually four to five homes on the tour.  It's always lots of fun to see how different people decorate and to get to be a little nosey.

This year, we were asked to be on the tour.  I said no but after a family dropped out, I decided that there is no time like the present which brought us to our final remodel.  The guest room.

This is actually the second time our guest room as been remodeled.  When I first moved in, Daniel let me paint and we put down new carpet.  It is amazing to see how your style transforms over the year.  I don't know what I was smoking when I chose tar heel blue but it was definitely not fitting in with our decor.  Working with Jennifer has also given me confidence in my style and I decided to tackle the decorating alone.  It's really scary especially when you know half the town will be judging it.

We decided to keep the remodel simple since we didn't have much time.  We painted the walls a shade of white which meant we had to repaint the trim because the old color looked a little yellow.  We covered holes and really just tidied up.

The biggest job really was decorating.  I decided to go light and bright.  I chose a color palette of blues and greens since they were already being used in other rooms.  But my starting point really was my maps.  If you read my blog, it's obvious that we love to travel.  I had the idea to get maps of all the places we had travelled and to frame them.  I found maps that fit our color scheme and took it from there.

What's even more surprising is that I did the decorating on a budget.  Let me say that again.  I stuck to a budget.  My sister-in-law found the bed frame on clearance at World Market.  I bought the side tables from One Kings Lane and the lamps were on sale at Kirklands.  The credenza was a scratch and dent that I got half off but you can't even see the scratches.  The frames were on sale at Hobby Lobby and I painted them using paint that we already had.  I felt so thrifty!  I did get the bedding from Pottery Barn so that was a little expensive but you can't have it all.

So without further ado, here is our new guest room!

The bed and maps of France, NYC, Spain, Italy, and Paris

The credenza and a map of London (I have two more maps for this wall)

The view from the door

Since the tour of homes is Christmas-centric, I decided to do two trees.  We collect ornaments from our travels (if we can find one) and I thought a travel tree would be perfect in a room full of maps.

The travel tree

That is our room!  I love it and am so proud of it.  You would think I made a world-altering discovery.  I am really that proud and often find myself just standing in the room checking out my hard work.  Our guest room is officially open to the public!

the 30th birthday trip (#2)

I am a traveller. It's something I really love to do and if I could ever get Samantha Brown's job, I would snatch it up in a second (especially since she gets to stay at the really nice hotels and not the low budge ones).

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to go to Greece. More recently I've wanted to go to Greece for my 30th birthday, which is a little over seven months away.   Ew.

Well, pack your bags because we are going to Greece. Daniel and I are actually going but I'll post day by day blogs so it will be like we are all going. 

We are leaving the end of April and will be there for about 10 days. We have Mykonos, Santorini, and Athens on the agenda so if you've ever been to any of these places and have recommendations, don't be shy. 

I am so excited to cross Greece of my 30 before 30 bucket list!

Here's a couple pictures of what to expect.

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Beckett's birth story (#1)

A fitting subtitle for this post would be: Hey idiot, you're in labor. I'm not kidding. Maybe it was shock but I didn't quite believe that I was going into labor four weeks early.  Or maybe I like to keep it interesting.

I woke up that Tuesday morning and had a feeling that something was not quite right. I quickly realized that I was in the process of losing my mucus plug. This should have caused some panic but I knew that it could be days before I went into labor but that it was probably approaching. I also started having some cramping but I knew that some people had contractions for weeks before the big show.

I called my doctor and they didn't seem overly excited, which is odd because they usually have you come in for any and everything. They told me that I needed to stay put and put me on bed rest. Since I was a day away from being 36 weeks, they wouldn't do anything to stop me from going into labor but wanted me to take it easy.

I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon having sporadic contractions and watching Dateline on Investigation Discovery. I even got two hour-long naps in.  I talked to my mom and she decided that she would fly in the next day, just in case.  This would prove to be a wise decision.

When I continued to have contractions, I decided to call my doctor again. They moved my appointment to 11:30 the next day and told me that they would see me then.

I decided that maybe I should so some last minute preparations just in case. We labeled bins in the closet, hung artwork, and had some extra furniture moved out of the house. I also double checked my hospital bag, which I just finished getting ready a few days earlier. I also had Daniel pack his bag too.

Around this time I started thinking that maybe we should go to Amarillo but my contractions weren't very organized and I still didn't think I was progressing as quickly as I was.  I had also heard that you can't talk through real contractions and I was talking away. We decided to get some sleep which was impossible for me but seemed to make my husband happy.

At about 1 am, I had the strongest contraction yet and I decided that we needed to go. We were out of the house in 30 minutes and on our way. However, during the ride I started to doubt that I was really in labor because I could still talk through my contractions and I didn't want to go to the hospital just to be sent home.  We decided to go to Daniel's brother's house which is close to the hospital.

Daniel went to sleep when we got there and I paced. I couldn't get comfortable and I couldn't sleep, so I paced and timed contractions.  They never really became organized but every once in a while I would have a contraction that made me feel like I was splitting in half.  All I wanted to do was cry.

I thought maybe I could try to lay down but at this point I realized that I was having a hard time sitting because the baby felt so low.  I had a feeling this wasn't good.  I woke Daniel up and told him that we were going to the hospital.  The problem was that we had no idea where to go.  We had tried to pre-admit two weeks earlier but the L&D floor wouldn't allow me to complete their paperwork until I was 36 weeks.  I was actually scheduled to pre-admit that day.  I called the hospital and talked to the L&D floor.  They told me to come straight to their floor.

We left immediately and then proceeded to hit every light on the way.  Then we valet parked at the hospital and it took forever.  Next, the greeter decided to walk us to the L&D floor but didn't offer me a wheelchair.  We were at the elevator before she asked if I needed one and that point I wanted to keep moving forward.  She tried to stop and talk to me several times and I have a feeling that I wasn't very nice.  I was starting to feel like it was not my day.

The admissions clerk had me fill out some paperwork and I quickly realized that I had made a huge mistake.  We got to the hospital at 7, also known as shift change.  I waited for about thirty minutes before a nurse came to triage me.  I probably had about four or more contractions during that time and I am pretty sure I scared the couple waiting to be induced.  I was pretty sure that it was not my day.

All that changed when I finally got taken back to be triaged.  The nurse informed me that my doctor was in the hospital and he would do my exam.  Then I noticed that my pediatrician was in the room next to ours because her sister was having a baby.  It was like everything was coming together.

My doctor arrived to check me and this is when I realized that I came dangerously close to having my baby in a toilet.  I was an 8.  I repeat an 8.  My actual words when he told me were, "Son of a bitch.  I'm a what?" and my next question was when could I get my epidural.

After that things started happening really fast.  I was wheeled into a room and four nurses came in to start IVs, collect blood, and admit me.  They all commended me on my high pain tolerance.  I think I started to panic at this point because my contractions started feeling much worse.  The nurses told me that there were two c-sections happening and I wouldn't be able to get my epidural until they were done.  I was not happy.  Daniel didn't help by looking at my monitor and stating that my contractions were closer together than anyone else they had hooked up.

My doctor came back to check me and break my water.  At this point, I was a 9 and my water had broken.  And I still had no epidural.  My doctor told me that I could do it without one, but I kindly informed him that this would be my first and last child if that happened.  Thankfully,  one of the anesthesiologists got done in his c-section and I got my juice.  It was the best hour of my life.

After an hour, my epidural started to wear off.  They didn't put me on a pump because they thought that   I would go fast and I did.  My mom got there right before I started pushing and after half an hour of pushing, Beckett Oliver arrived at 11:28am.  He weighed 6 pounds even and was 19.5 inches long and was perfect.
   

Swollen but still pretty cute

Dad and lad

Under the oxygen hood

I am ending this blog here but this is not where the excitement ended.  I'll post about Beckett's stint in the NICU on my next blog.  Us Browns like to keep it interesting.

30 before 30 update (#3)

I thought it was time for a 30 before 30 update since I only have two more years to take care of business.  

As of today, I was officially able to cross one more thing off my list.  I completed my bachelor's degree program and now have my BSRT.  When I started my BSRT, I had no idea how much my life would change.  I mean, I'm not even working full-time at this point.  However, I am glad I stuck with it and completed the degree program. Now we'll see if I can muster the strength to pursue becoming a Physician Assistant.

In November I will be able to cross list item #1 off the list.  I have been documenting my progress weekly and we are so excited for our family to grow.  That excitement may come from ignorance, but it will be interesting to say the least.

Before my 29th birthday I plan on crossing some more items off the list.  They include: making tortillas, finishing up my goal to read 30 books (I am so close), making a gourmet meal (I have all the tools, I just need to do it), finishing up all our remodeling projects (the back porch and an exterior rejuvenation are all that stand in my way), and learning how to make some cocktails (to celebrate the end of my baby-enforced sobriety).  

So that is where I stand with the list.  I better get on it because 30 is knocking at my door.

30 Things I Want To Do Before I Turn 30

1. Expand our family
2. Go to Greece
3. Get my bachelor's degree in Resipratory Therapy
4. Take golf lessons
5. Learn how to make homemade tortillas
6. Read 30 books
7. Go to New York at Christmas
8. Learn how to knit
9. Drive Highway 1 along California's coast
10. Brush up on my spanish
11. Make a gourmet meal
12. Run a half marathon
13. Take things a little less seriously
14. Learn how to sew well enough to fix loose buttons and broken seams
15. Find a recipe for the perfect pizza crust
16. Go on a picnic
17. Finish remodeling the house
18. Ride in a hot air balloon
19. Go antiquing
20. Learn how to use a DSLR camera
21. Volunteer
22. Go to ACL or some other music festival
23. Go camping for reals, like in a tent
24. Plant a vegetable garden and grow things
25. Take surfing lessons
26. Learn Photoshop/Lightroom
27. Make something that I pinned on Pinterest
28. Learn how to make a couple different cocktails
29. Trace my family's roots
30. Get scuba certified

A belated Christmas craft (#27)

I started this project two months ago but you cannot rush greatness. I saw this idea on Pinterest, shocker I know, and I thought that it was the perfect way to make a keepsake out of all the Christmas cards we get. I always feel awful throwing away Christmas cards because I know how much money people spend on them. This is a perfect and super easy solution.

Begin by punching two holes in all of the cards. I did horizontal cards first and then the vertical cards, but it doesn't really matter. I am super OCD but even I didn't get too crazy about punching the holes symmetrically. Honestly, you can't really tell if they are perfectly straight so calm down.



After you get holes punched in all of your cards, stack them so that the holes line up. I didn't place my cards in any real order but you can. You could do family and then friends. You could even do favorite to least favorite friends but I guess that wouldn't be keeping with the holiday spirit.

So after you've finished ranking your friends, place a binder ring through each hole. It is seriously that easy. I made a cover for our little book with the year on it and then laminated it so it wouldn't tear. The plan is to the set the books out every year at the holidays. This is such a fun way to look back on how your friends and family have changed over the years and save some trees in the process.


The finished product


Ta da!

Papa-paparazzi (#20)

I went to Lubbock last weekend to have some fun and more importantly take a photography class. I posted that I got a new camera for Christmas and I admit that I was super intimidated. I have never had a DSLR and my trusty point and shoot seemed so simple compared to my new camera. My husband was very thoughtful in buying me that camera and I wanted to get his money's worth.


My first fancy camera

That is when I found the wonderful Melanie Pittman. Melanie is a photographer in Lubbock and she teaches a one-on-one camera class that teaches you all about aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The best part is that since the class is one-on-one, she uses your camera. I left the class feeling excited and not intimidated at all! I am so thankful that I took her class.

I am definitely still figuring things out, but my hope is that by the time we have kids, I will have this camera down. I want to be able to take photographer-quality compositions so I can really capture our lives. That brings me to the photo a day challenge.



I thought that doing the photo a day challenge would be the perfect way to practice my new skillz. It would push me to take pictures of things other than my dogs (don't judge) and really learn my camera. Here are my first 10 days of pictures:


Up - the light fixture in our living room


Fruit - the fruits (and a veg) in my morning smoothie


Your neighborhood - Overexposed but I like it


Bedside - the pretty mirror was my grandma's


A smile - Designer handbags put a smile on my face


5pm - This is around the time the dogs start begging for dinner


Something you wore - my engagement and wedding ring


Window - The windows on our garage (which is being replaced soon!)


Red - and black! The new t-shirt I designed and had custom made.


Loud - The very loud painting in our purple office
The next step in my photography adventure is to practice with Lightroom. I think editing pictures is half the battle and I am even more ready to learn now that I have a better idea of how to use my camera.

Christmas in the City (#7)

I get to cross my first official item off my 30 before 30 list! We fulfilled a life long dream and got to experience New York City at Christmas. We both like going to New York, but I probably like it more. I love everything about the city. All the people, all the shopping, all the restaurants, and the fast pace.

We left town right before a blizzard and arrived in New York where it was a glorious 50 degrees. The weather was in the high 40s to low 50s the entire time we were there, which was amazing. A lot of people asked if we were upset that it didn't snow while we were there, but I can see snow at home and it hinders my shopping experience.

We stayed at the Hotel Plaza Athenee, which is on the Upper East Side (or Blair Waldorf adjacent). It is my favorite hotel that we have stayed at so far. By city standards the rooms were HUGE plus it was pretty fancy and I love fancy.


The hotel - picture from orbitz.com


Our room

As soon as we got to our hotel, Daniel got called by work. He had installed some new computer equipment at a feedlot and the touchscreen went down and of course he was the only one who knew how to fix it. So I spent my first three hours in the city drinking in the hotel room. I'm not going to complain too much because if it wasn't for his job I would be working full time and we wouldn't be able to travel. I'm also not going to complain because I got a new Burberry purse compliments of his guilt.

I plan pretty much everything around food and there are so many amazing places to eat that it is super overwhelming. The first night we ate at Bistro Chat Noir, which was like two blocks from hotel. It was cozy and the food was great. We had truffle mac'n'cheese (which was almost as good at the Cowboys) to start and Daniel ordered the Black Cat Burger and I got Pappardelle BLT. Supposedly Christina Aguilera ate there the week after us. I'm sad I missed her because I feel like she could use a good pep talk.


Food at Bistro Chat Noir

The next day we went and explored Rockefeller Center and shopped. We went to Top of the Rock, which was pretty cool but also very cold and windy.


The Rockefeller Center tree


The postage stamp-sized skating rink


Radio City


Central Park from the Top of the Rock


The Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock

That night we ate dinner at Il Mulino and we are still talking about how good it was. I read that it was hard to get reservations but we got in and it was amazing. Everyone is Italian and as soon as you sit down they bring you food. I liked the appetizers more than the meal. They gave you fresh parmigiano reggiano, bruschetta, fried zucchini, bread, and salami. We also were sitting next to a group of Jersey boys, which made the experience more authentic.


Getting ready to experience Il Mulino

We finally got to eat at the Clinton St. Baking Company. I got their cookbook for Christmas two years ago and everything looked amazing. There was an hour wait, but we took that as a good sign. Everything was delicious and I would definitely go back. Their jam was almost as good as Mama's in San Francisco and that jam changed my life.


The front entrance


The Farmer's Plate, how fitting


City lights at night


This picture does not even capture how crowded Times Square was

On a side note, if you are ever planning a trip to New York for New Years and are thinking about inviting us, don't. I'm going to save you time and say there are a 101 things I would rather do. I can't handle that many people in such a small area.


I love me some Mary


The theatre


Waiting for the show to start


It's starting!

I give Mary Poppins a 6 out of 10. I am a traditionalist and I really loved the movie growing up and the musical is not the movie. There are new songs and different characters, and all I wanted was some Mary and Burt. The other thing that made me sad was that people do not dress up for anything anymore. It was crazy to see kids in sweatpants. Dear America, I love a yoga pant as much as the next person but it will not kill you to dress up and make certain events a little more special.

So that was our trip in a nutshell. I'm glad I put it on my 30 before 30 list and I already want to go back this summer.

Happy Frawlidays!

We went to New York City (post to come) and then Houston for Christmas. We actually drove to Houston, which was miserable and it will be many many moons before that happens again. Jack is not a good traveller, so we got a prescription from our vet for sedatives. It was a little too strong, so this is what I got to look at for 12 hours:



I honestly thought that I was going to have perform dog CPR. Then, to make things even more fun, he fell in my parents pool as soon as we got to Houston. Not the best start to our trip.

I love giving gifts and getting gifts, so Christmas makes me very happy. I especially like when you find the perfect gift for someone. This year I gave my sister a Harry Potter snuggie that looks like the Gryffindor robes. Amazing. It was the best gift and I kind of want one for myself.



I got lots of great gifts, but my favorite has to be the new camera Daniel got for me. He obviously paid attention to my 30 before 30 list. I am so excited to learn how to use it and am hopefully going to go to Lubbock and take some lessons from a professional. Hopefully by the time we have kids I'll be able to take some high-quality photos so we don't end up spending a fortune on professional pictures.

My other favorite gift was the custom pair of Toms that my sister got for me. I love Texas Tech and cannot wait to wear these to a football game. They turned out super cute!

Hopefully next year I have my camera figured out so I can take lots and lots of fun holiday pictures.