as many of you already know, google reader is going the way of the dodo tomorrow. so if you'd like, please feel free to add Monkey + Squirrel on Bloglovin'. i just made the switch (everything last minute, as always!) and i'm already enjoying the new setup. change is good!
to connecticut with love...
putting into words just how i feel about fridays horrible events hasn't been something i've found easy to do. i can say though that it has gotten to me. right to my insides and shaken me up like i haven't felt since i can remember. maybe it's that the victims were all so very innocent, or perhaps it's that i have i child of my own, but even september 11th didn't jolt me like this, and i was living in new york city at the time.
is anybody there?
well hello there friends, long time no chat! as you may have noticed, lately i just haven't been able to keep up with this little corner of the internet that i've carved out for myself. i feel pretty bad about it, but my days are quite busy, and something had to give. obviously it was this. but good news is that you can keep up with the daily adventures of our little lady HERE. so come on over and say hello if you like!
also, my blog isn't going anywhere and i'll still be posting here when time allows :)
crickets...
there has been some serious silence over here on the ol' blog, and for that i apologize! thing are getting to the home stretch of this pregnancy and i've been taking it easy these past few days. i was actually told that my blood pressure was a bit high at my last check up, so i was given orders to drink water like a camel and kick up my feet whenever possible. so that i did, and at my check up yesterday all was back to normal... thank goodness!
so here are some peeks at what i've been up to in between the water, the resting, and the rewatching of lost from the very first episode...
*a wee bit of decorating for christmas*
*sipping warm beverages from my new santa mug*
*eating delicious noms*
*a little trip with the mr to a local general store*
*baking sweet vegan treats for a christmas gathering*
*lunch with friends and their adorable kids*
*snuggling pups... lots of snuggling to be exact*
*realizing that this is our last christmas with just two stockings. next year we'll have a wee one to share it with*
i can't believe that today is christmas eve eve. i've never had a christmas away from my fam in NY, so it's feeling pretty odd not being with them this year. it just doesn't feel like christmas. thankfully evans family is here, and more are coming into town, so we'll be spending the next few days getting some quality time with them... and waiting for penny's arrival of course!
the big crafty holiday edition
this past sunday evan and i toted all of my handmade goodies over to asheville, nc for the big crafty holiday show. i was so super stoked to be a part of it this year. i've done the summer one a few times, but this was the first year i was accepted to the holiday one, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait!
at 35 weeks pregnant i was a bit apprehensive as to how i would hold up at such a busy craft show, but penny cooperated perfectly and the day went smooth as can be. i took all of your basic preggo precautions, drink lots of water, sit and relax at any down points, and be sure to snack on all the vegan nibbles that were being offered up there. no joke on that last one. we started by having breakfast at the green sage cafe which has my most favorite breakfast burrito on the planet. with a green monster smoothie on the side, it was quite a way to start the day! we then moved on to snacking on goodies from the firestorm cafe. they were actually at the show and were walking around to each vendor with trays of snacks to choose from. so smart... and certainly appreciated guys! we got a brownie and a blueberry muffin and each made for a happy baby belly! as if that wasn't enough, we then celebrated a successful day with some chocolate shakes from the hop. we were happy campers...
the only bummer on the day for me was that i didn't get to walk around the entire venue to see all the vendors. what i did get to see was amazing, and it's probably best that i didn't get to browse. it would have been so very easy to spend all of the days profits in no time. aside from that though, it was a perfect day full of crafty goodness, great nibbles, and fabulous people. i've said it before, and i'll say it again, i love you big crafty!
crochet school
over the years i've discovered one very important trait about myself. i need to learn a new skill at least every year. my body actually craves it, like a drug, or perhaps like a chocolate chip cookie when i'm pregnant. i find myself drooling over crafty blogs, until i settle on the one thing that just MUST be learned. (you may recall, last year it was embroidery)
well i was in one of these moods recently, and i set my target on crocheting. i've lusted after enough snazzy etsy ladies items (namely 1, 2, 3, and 4), to know that i just finally needed to get myself a hook, some yarn, and dive in!
so yesterday i sat myself down in front of this here computer, and started with lesson one of the craftyminx crochet school. if you've ever thought about learning, i definitely recommend this series. it's a video turtorial for each day of the month of october. they're super easy to follow, and they start from the very begininning. for someone who has never even held a crochet hook, this was a must!
here are my very first stitches. one little length of chain stitch, and i was happy as a pig in poo!
and here is my first swatch. i was practicing the single crochet here. my edges are a bit rough, but apparently that is something that just gets better with practice.
i really just want to make granny squares all day long, but i guess i have to crawl before i can walk. any crochet folks out there with some tips and tricks, feel free to leave them here for this newbie. i'm just a beginner, but i'm already in love :)
giveaway score, and stuff...
EEEEEP... i couldn't possibly be more stoked about this giveaway i won last week. this super cozy doily blanket arrived in the mail today, and was awarded to me by the ever fabulous Goodknits who was doing a giveaway over on The Dainty Squids blog. ya enter these things never thinking you'll actually win them, and then surprise surprise... sometimes ya do!
the package also came with the sweetest little goodies inside. two little pins and an adorable mini journal too! i've been pleased as punch all day because of this!
hope y'all have a fantastic weekend! it's supposed to be lovely here in charlotte, and we've got family coming into town, so it's sure to be a fun filled time here. see ya monday!
best buds on ruffled!
if you hop on over to ruffled blog today, you'll see our friends adam & steph gracing the front page! i can't say enough fabulous things about their wedding, and just how honored evan and i were to be a part of it every step of the way.
a glimpse at the adorable couple!
i made this little goodie for them as an engagement present and if fit in perfectly at their wedding!
there were quite a few late craft nights stitching up these for the big day :)
this is my favorite picture of the two of them just as they became mr. and mrs!
we love you guys tons!
good eats!
i gotta say, i'm kinda proud of myself these days. i've been cooking! now, to be clear i love cooking and i do it all the time, but lately i'm actually planning meals out. which never happens! evan and i usually stumble into the kitchen around 8pm to see what we can create out of what's in our cabinets, and while it's always delicious, it's rarely creative. for the past week though i've been prepping in advance and making actual dinners... kudos to me!
you already saw last weeks stuffed pepper night...
then there was zucchini boats and israeli couscous. these rocked my face off!
i even did dessert. warm brownies with cherry ice cream!
and tonights meal... a 10lb lasagna!
this beast is cooking as we speak!
it feels really good to switch things up a bit and add some delicious new vegan goodies to our routine. let's just hope this trend continues, cause it's making my belly happy!
happy friday friends...
here's a few of my favorite pics from the week...
i want to live in this maxi dress all summer!
mirabelle had her first trip to the vet for her rabies shot. oh that face!
so delicious coconut fudge bars are going to be a staple in our home for awhile!
yup, she's one vicious pitbull!
i finally got a frame for my favorite print from This Paper Ship!
barkley is easily the most handsome boy in the puppy world!
tempeh stuffed pepper night at the Pierce's. these were stinking delicious!
oh and ps... our best buds wedding, that evan and i were in a few weeks ago, now has some amazing pics posted on the ever amazing matt miller's website. i've been drooling over them for a few days now. that day was such an incredible one filled with best friends, laughs, lots of crying, dancing, and tons and tons of love! matt's been a friend of ours for awhile (he did our wedding photos too!), so he knew just how to capture ever moment perfectly! hop on over and check out steph & adam on their big day...
other things i've loved this week around this here interweb...
the little birdie is getting so big!
kaylah's craft room cleanup makes me want to get down and dirty in my own!
elsie & jeremy's wedding video is too sweet for words!
somehow i only just discovered this blog the other day, but it's one of my top faves already! she's so stinking adorable and would you ever be able to tell here that she's preggo? so tiny!
a couple weeks ago maru turned 3! here's to another year maru!
i love that this artist took a $39 rocking moose from ikea and turned it into a custom work of art!
i think i know what my dad's getting for fathers day! thankfully he doesn't read this so i can spill secrets all i want :)
this little lady is just too awesome for words!
in honor of les paul, today google is doing something super fun on their home page. go play!
hope everyone has a wonderfully fantastic weekend. i've got a bunch of work to catch up on, and evan is finishing up our new fence that he started last weekend, so it's looking like we'll be pretty domestic around here. just fine by me!
memorial day weekend
what an incredible weekend this past one was! on friday my parents and i drove up to NY for my nephews first birthday party. i was so bummed that evan had to work and couldn't come along, but no way was i missing out on some much needed time with the fam (sorry babe!). so at 3:45am on friday (yup, my dad's nuts and is all about beating that traffic) we hopped in the car and off we went.
here are a few peaks of my days in NY...
arriving in NYC!
avery's first time using swimmies!
kiddos making s'mores
crashing in my nephew's room
my 2 year old niece thought she was a big shot after her cousin straightened her hair
kickin' it poolside in the sweltering heat!
nephews... the sleepy one's the birthday boy :)
driving home...
back home with my bubbies. i missed these dang faces!
the older i get the more i definitely miss hanging out with my brother & sister, and their little families. we make a point to see each other every couple months, but sometimes i just wish they lived right around the block so i could see them everyday. these trips always go way too fast!
this is how our garden grows!
it's official... our garden has been planted! we kinda waited a bit longer then we probably should have, but it's been a busy busy past few weeks. so before i head out of town for the weekend, evan and i decided that this must get done asap! last night evan picked the weeds, turned all of the soil in our garden bed, and then added some of our compost that we're so excited to finally use! so today (after a fabulous lunch with friends) i got to work gettin' dirty! last year was our first garden and i became what you might call OBSESSED! i have a whole collection of what i consider garden porn. ya know, beautiful close ups of my pretty plants from every conceivable angle. i absolutely loved it! so after one year under my belt, i feel like i learned quite a lot and now i'm hoping for a really successful crop this year. finger crossed!
here's what we planted...
cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
banana peppers
red bell peppers
yellow squash
cucumbers
mesclun
butter lettuce
romaine lettuce
and a separate pot of basil
has anyone else got a summer garden going yet? if so here's to hoping we're all successful!
hot fun!
yesterday, with the temperature up around 90, we decided that the pups needed a bit of a cool off. so off i went to purchase them a new kiddie pool! barkley had one last summer and absolutely loved it, but then decided to destroy it once it started creeping into fall weather. so without further adieu, here' s mirabelles first kiddie pool experience.
i must admit, i did roll up my jeans and stick my feet in for a cool off too. before they made a muddy mess of it that is.
here's to pups and summer... two of my favorite things!
smooch that face!
just incase you needed a little cuteness today...
mirabelle, 14 weeks, best mouth ever!
SMILE!
yaaaay... the pics from adam & steph's smilebooth have been posted! hop on over to our labor of love to check them out... and be sure to watch the video, it's a hoot! man, it makes me wanna do some dancing all over again!
the big day...
what an incredible day saturday was! it started off pretty darn grey and rainy, but as fate would have it, the clouds parted and the sun showed its face just long enough for the most beautiful bride ever to walk down the isle and say "i do" to her mr! the ceremony was absolutely lovely, and tears were definitely shed by quite a few. yup, me included :) as for the reception, words cannot express the amount of fun that was had. it took me two days to recover from the serious moves i busted on that dance floor. we laughed, we cried, we danced, and a few folks even jumped in the quarry! it was just such an amazing thing to celebrate all of the work and prep that went into making this day happen.
i didn't get too many photos of the night because i was actually making a conscious effort to simply enjoy every moment. well that and the fact that with our friend matt taking the wedding photos, there was really no need to worry about capturing anything. to put it bluntly, he's amazing!
here's to the new happy couple... we couldn't be happier about having you guys in the married club :)
somebody's getting married!!!
here's to our two best friends, adam & steph! today they're getting hitched and we couldn't possibly be happier for them. we love you guys... now lets do this thing!!!
all trimmed up!
welp, just got back from the salon and i'm super stoked on my new cut & color! it's oh so louise brooks and i couldn't be happier about that :)
big thanks to steph for making me feel lovely again!
where do the days go?
i've gotta say, these have been some very busy, but very very great days! adam & steph's wedding is this saturday and evan & i have been helping them get all of their last minute DIY projects all finished up. the amount of handmade goodness going into their wedding is just amazing. i'm so excited to see how it all comes together. pictures will definitely be shared next week!
also, today i am FINALLY going to get my hair trimmed up! i currently have this weird mullet thing happening and it is not cute! if you've been following along then you know that i'm trying ever so hard to grow out my do. it's a rather tough job growing out a pixie cut, and i've been waiting for as close to the wedding as possible to get my trim up so that it looks all nice and freshy fresh for the big day. the sides of my hair have finally grown over my ears, which is what i was waiting for, so it's looking like i'll be able to do a simple little bob. those hair & nail vitamins have been doing their job!
pictures...
1&2
snuggling my boy * strawberry banana smoothies
3&4
DIY goodies for steph's wedding * working on the seating arrangements
5&6
mother's day cookout with evan's fam * beautiful morning sunshine
7&8
evan on his boys weekend getaway * mirabelle being cute as always
9&10
tempeh tacos * creepy salvage yard finds
11&12
adam & steph's sweet boy * monkey lounging in the window
bark in the park
last weekend evan and i took a lovely drive down a very skinny, very windy little road, to help out the dog rescue i volunteer with, at this years bark in the park. it was such an amazingly beautiful day, and the fact that there were about 1000 dogs there certainly didn't hurt the fun factor...
evan gives betty a little snuggle...
this is one of mirabelle's brothers!
oh, hello sweetness
big and little...
EARS!
oscar is sweet as pie...
kiddos and puppies, a match made in heaven!
hershey, so chubby and my favorite of the day...
hello bart!
and a few non-doggie friends were there too! these are some sort of scottish cow. i forget their names, but they were so adorable with there long frizzy hair and big brown eyes. love 'em!
and a baby one relaxing under a shady tree... heart-melt!
i started working with North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue shortly after evan and i moved down to NC from NY. they used to be located just outside of charlotte and i would go almost every day to help out. then because of zoning issues they had to move about an hour and 45 mins away... sadness indeed! i'm so excited though because they've recently purchased a building back here in charlotte and will be moving back in a couple of months. that means lot of afternoons taking dogs for walks and giving snuggles all around. i can't wait!