A Year In Review

January

• Brought in the New Year with Nate's family!
• My parents came to visit the grand ole' city of San Antonio.
• I quit my job (actually in December of '07) and enjoyed some very much needed "me" time.

February

• I got a part time job. Way better than my old job!

March

• My niece, Makena, was born!
  
  
  
• Nate and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary.
• I flew home to Oregon to meet Makena and help celebrate Drew's 2nd and Luke's 4th birthdays.
• Nate and I went to Seattle for Nate's cousin's wedding. It was a Hindu wedding and was so gorgeous (and the food was awesome). Nate was a groomsman and made an awesome speech at the Sangeet (which he wrote minutes before on a napkin).

April

• I attended my first Fiesta celebration here in San Antonio. 
• Cooper had his toe amputated. Sad!

May

• Nate turned 28!
• My parents came to visit.
• We decided we wanted a baby!

June

• We went to San Francisco with Nate's work team (they won a regional contest). We were able to see Nate's sisters (Suzanne and Jessica) and Brent. We saw my forever friend, Becky (seriously we've been friends for 28 years)! And we got to go to Alcatraz. My favorite place ever!
• I got knocked up.

July

• We celebrated 4th of July with our Texas friends.
• Morning sickness kicked in (and is sadly still sticking around- although better- in December).
• We told the families we are having a baby!
• I turned 28 on the 28th!

August

• I traveled home to Portland and we took a family trip to my parents' cabin in Black Butte. Sadly Nate couldn't take the time off and join us but he will be there in 2009!




• We found out we are (almost certainly) having a boy. I was shocked!

September

• Nate and I flew to Boulder, CO for a friend's wedding. It was so gorgeous! 
• I went to a few very fun baby showers!

October

• I went back to Oregon to see the family and hang out with my dad after his surgery. 
• I had a big scare on the flight back to San Antonio and had to go to the ER in Denver. By myself mind you. The people at the hospital were so nice to me!
• We found out we are definitely having a boy! He's quite the show off!

November

• My mom came to visit and we worked on the nursery. We went shopping and had a great time!
• I found out I have PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) and was sentenced to bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy.
• We had our very first "grown up" Thanksgiving with Rob and Christine!

December

• My parents came to visit for Christmas! It was an awesome time!
• My baby is still cooking!

My Favorite Things: December

I've decide to make my (short) list today and recap the year tomorrow! I really am loving life right now. It's just a little lacking in the excitement area. In no particular order....

1. Christmas decorations are everywhere! Nate decorated our house this year (while I advised him from the couch). He put all the decorations in the great room so I could enjoy them all while I bed rest it. It definitely makes bed rest more enjoyable when you have a bunch of Christmas reminders to look at!

2. I continue to receive many wonderful things from friends and family to keep me occupied! I've read so many books and magazines, spent hours on the phone and played endless games of catch with Cooper.

3. I bought myself a photography book and am kind of starting to understand my camera. Thanks to sister-in-law, Suzanne, I now also have a photography DVD to watch. I will be an awesome photographer before this baby is born!

4. I got to see the little (big) man twice on the big screen. 

5. My absolute favorite thing was having my parents here for Christmas (more on Christmas to come, I promise). I always knew I was their favorite, but the fact that they drove to Sacramento just to fly out here (due to snow and airport problems in P-town) to see us solidified that fact. My parents are the best! We made an awesome Christmas Eve dinner, spent a leisurely day opening gifts and spending time together. It was hard to be away from my sisters and their families, but having my parents here made it awesome!

6. Christmas ('nuff said).

I promise I will update with some highlights of Christmas (and my very unique gifts courtesy of Nate) and nursery pictures (courtesy of my parents' hard work) asap. It's hard to get myself off the couch to take pictures! 

What did you all love about December? 

 

A Rock and Roll Nursery

I need some advice! We are looking for some artwork for Cletus's nursery and have found a few options on Etsy. If you need a reminder, here is our nursery idea board. We ended up painting 2/3's of the wall light blue and the top 1/3 is white (see the bottom picture).

Nate and I love these prints from Etsy seller johnwgolden.

The problem with them is they are only 5x7 (and $32 for the set). We would frame them with a much larger frame but I'm worried they will look too small on a whole wall (above the crib).

We can buy each print individually in 8x12. Nate would like to substitute the following picture for the amp.

The 8x12 prints are $30 each (so $90 for all three) and are an odd shape to frame with store bought frames (not custom frames). 

Do you think the small pictures are a better choice or are they too small? We know these aren't typical baby pictures, but then again, Cletus is not your typical baby! Thanks for your insight!

A Doggone Good Gift

I have to admit I originally got this idea from Domino a few years ago. It is a great idea for any pet lover (or someone with kids). 

The best gifts always have a story with them. I bought this picture for Nate in 2006. I, of course, was very excited about it. Nate absolutely is in love with Cooper. He may, in fact, love Cooper more than he loves me. I knew this was the perfect gift!

I took a profile picture of the Coops (with the help of a treat), emailed the picture off and received the picture in the mail. 

One December day close to Christmas, my dad and I were watching The Today Show. There was a quick segment about unique gifts. We were both watching half-heartedly while talking. All of a sudden I noticed my Cooper on TV! They had the very picture I had ordered, complete with his name and all. My dad and I were very excited to see Cooper appearing on daytime TV! 

Not only was Cooper on TV but his mug still graces the allpopart website (the robin's egg blue option was my idea)! It's strange to think other people out there may have a picture of our dog in their homes!

And if you would rather help out a totally cute couple, Sheri and John, over at This Young House  have set up shop. They will make a very similar silhouette for a mere thirty five bones.

I love Nate!

And this time I don't mean my husband.

Nate Berkus is one of the top people I would love to show up at my front door (Knock, Knock, it's Nate!). Not only is he yummy but he loves to decorate. Sometimes when I'm decorating my own home, I think about how much Nate would love it!



For those of you to the west of me, watch Oprah today! You won't be disappointed.

BTW, our nursery is WAY cuter than the one on the show! Thanks again Bryn and my mom!

10 things Nate tells us how to do:

1. Mix expensive things with inexpensive (read cheap) things.
   
2. Use unique items. Who wants to hit the flea markets with me? If only I could get off the couch!
   
3. Use pictures from books for artwork.
   
4. Art doesn't have to be two dimensional. 
   
5. The lack of color can be very calming (obviously not an idea I subscribe to).
   
6. No themes (amen to that)!
   
7. Mix the old (or old looking) with the new.
   
8. Fake people out with window treatments. 
   
9. Use things in unexpected ways.
   
10. Ask for a better deal!
    

If you love Nate as much as I do, check out his book! It has great pictures (including some of him) and great ideas!



Nate- if you want to come knock on my door I know you won't be disappointed!