Benjamin's Nursery

Wow am I ever late on this post! We were pretty much done with Benjamin's nursery before he was done, but put on some of the final touches while he spent two weeks in the NICU. Before we knew whether we were having a boy or a girl, Ryan and I decided that we wanted our child's bedroom to be light blue. Blue is my favorite color, and I don't find it restrictive to either gender.

 This is Ballpark Bob-- I got him on a flash sale at Gilt with a store credit. Love him! You might remember him from one of Benjamin's first pictures...

We stuck with white furniture since we already had the dresser and bookcase from my college bedroom. The knobs were crystal, so we swapped those out for a more masculine navy gingham to match the crib skirt that my mom made. Instead of purchasing a large bedding set, we picked out 5 different sets of sheets.

All of the sheets are some variation of red/blue and coordinate with the room. This was a huge money saver, and you're not supposed to use the bumpers anyways.

For his gallery wall, we picked some fun art prints that matched the room and had meaning to our family. We also chose two empty frames that we filled with images from his newborn shoot. I knew I wanted a large B, which we purchased at JoAnn unfinished and spray painted red to match the red frame. We also spray painted the mat on one of the frames so we'd have 3 red items to tie things together.

The planes were a last minute find that Ryan picked up at a model home sale. They're adorable, and I love how Ryan hung them from the ceiling. This lamp is super cute because its 3 way, so at night we only have on the tiny light inside the cockpit.

Sources: 

Paint: Benjamin Moore
Dresser & Bookcase: Shabby Chic, Target
Gingham Knobs: Etsy
Crib: Lauren by Graco
Crib Skirt: Made by mom
Drapes: Made by mother in law
Glider: Dutalier, purchased secondhand and reupholstered
Planes & Lamp: Purchased at model home sale
Art: Etsy, message be about specifics if you're interested

Eggs in Purgatory

We were in a pinch for dinner last night, and I didn't want to default to just eating junk. This recipe from Skinny Taste popped into my head and it was a cinch to make. We didn't have harissa, so I used spicy red curry paste instead. Super quick to make and it was ready to eat within 15 minutes from start to finish. Skinny Taste is my go-to website for dinner solutions, and I've been following Gina for years. If you're not a reader already, I recommend you start. And check out her Pinterest-- all the recipes are listed there.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/04/harissa-eggs-in-purgatory.html


The Harissa sauce sounds delicious, but the vendor she recommended charges $8 for shipping on Amazon. And if there's anything I refuse to pay for it's shipping! Does anybody have a good harissa brand to recommend?

Mother's Day: Love Each Other

http://pinterest.com/pin/32862272252644599/

Hug your mom if you’re close to her. Call her if you’re not. Tell her how much she means to you and how much you love her. Apologize for being a brat when you were in high school and tell her that after all this time, she really was right. Whether she carried you for 9 months and brought you into this world. Whether she exhausted emotions, time, and money to adopt you into her own family and give you a life you wouldn’t otherwise have. Thank her, cherish her. She hasn’t had a good night sleep since you were born. She worries about you, but knows you’re strong enough to make it in this world.

Also, don’t forget the women in your life who are like a mother to you. Your grandma, your aunt, neighbor, mentor, sister, or a close friend. Any woman who provides you with inspiration, drive, encouragement, and love should be celebrated this weekend. And on that note, it’s not just women. Some children grow up with the loss of a mother and have a father who takes on the role of both parents. That man deserves to be celebrated on mother’s day as well. Most of all, just love each other.

Sephora VIB Sale

Sephora is having their VIB friends and family sale again. Use code CHIC to receive 15% off your online purchase now through April 21st. Here are some of my favorite products, and some I'll be picking up during the sale.

Nano Eyeliner (sapphire is my favorite)

Phyto Vitamins

Philosophy Dark Spot

And these are products that I get for my husband.

Shaveworks: The Cool Fix

Jack Black Cool Moisture Body Lotion

What are your favorite products from Sephora? Do you have a recommendation for something I should try out? My birthday is May 4th, so I'm eligible for their birthday gift. This year's gift is a pack of favorites from Benefit and I'm really excited about it!

Benjamin 4 Months

Here's Benjamin's 4 month photo. He had his four month pediatrician appointment today and weighed in at 13.12 lbs.

It's hard to believe he was a preemie and born at 4lbs. I added a picture below from the week we brought him home. Glad we took so many photographs because I already can't remember him being that small!

His milestones lately have been smiling and laughing. He's working on supported sitting up, and still needs a little bit of assistance when in his bumbo. Today we're going to try feeding his first vegetable. Wish us luck!

Opening Day 2013

It's opening day! Ryan is super excited about the start of the Braves season, and Benjamin has tons of onesies to match. I'm trying to think of some cute dinner ideas that center around ballpark food. So far I have hot dogs and soft pretzels...you'll find me on Pinterest from now until dinner time!

Outdoor Curtains

I saw a post recently on one of my favorite home blogs, 4 Men 1 Lady, about outdoor curtains. We have a little covered back porch, and I'd love to get some curtains for it. The houses in our neighborhood are pretty close together and it'd be nice to have some privacy for summer nights. The exterior colors of our house are a light and medium olive, and I'd like the drapes to coordinate with the living room, since you can see it right through the windows. Here's some fabrics I like--

PK Lifestyles Pretty Edgy

Robert Allen: Nautical Sand Dune

Richloom Solarium Cruze Summer

Best Coin Ever Spent

I saw this video over the weekend on Facebook and just had to share. How beautiful is this music? I love seeing the wonder in everybody's faces, especially the children. Now that is a flash mob!

Hello, Spring

Happy Spring, friends! Hopefully the weather is springy and lovely where you are. In our neck of the woods, Denver, we're about to get an early spring snowstorm. The estimated accumulation is about 8 inches, so I'm going to pick up a redbox and some provisions for us to have warm, comforting meals over the weekend.

Spring means so much more to me this year than it ever has. I love the idea of fresh buds popping up, and new life taking form. We had a long fall and winter, hunkered down in our house when we weren't at the hospital receiving treatment or surgeries. The change in season is giving me renewed energy for my new, healthy life ahead. I'm almost halfway done with radiation and can see the sunshine ahead!

Cute "Mom" Shoes

Earlier this week I posted about designer collaborations for Sperry and Keds. I had some store credits, so I picked up two of my own. Opting for more classic (and affordable) styles, I wanted some cute, functional "mom shoes". Something that I could get on easily, wear with most of my outfits, and easily go from the grocery store to the park. Here's what I got-- what do you think?

Navy Blue Keds

(best price I found is from DSW)

Audrey by Sperry
(use Ebates for Piperlime)