fill in the blank friday

via The Little Things We Do

1. I wish I could clean my house like Mary Poppins, much more efficient for me and infinitely more amusing for Miss K and the pup.

2. Yesterday I and Miss K bummed around the house and played on our heated carpet...what!! you don't have one? well if you have hardwood or laminate floors but love lounging about on the carpet this will change your life...and your dogs

3. Today I will have a gym date with Mr. Awesome which will conclude with a dip in the hot tub...which if you know me is a big deal considering I am anti-public swimming holes (and typically public showers as well)...I'm starting to break out in hives just thinking about it .

4. Tomorrow I will wake-up dark and early and probably go work on my December Daily with the bestie...who is due in just over a week, YAY!!!!

5. Maybe we'll go and do some window shopping and christmas light gawking in Seattle.

6. Someday SUPER CHEESY but I would love to take Miss K and my nieces and nephews to Disneyworld at Christmas to see all the lights and parades, their faces would be priceless.

7. I love hot tea in the morning, my super hot husband, my super cute puppy and of course this lady

introducing stella

So Stella is about 5'6 with a great figure, she also smells amazing and while a minimalist at heart she does have a penchant for random gaudy pieces of jewelry:) However, that does nothing to diminish her sparkle!!!

Yay!! We have a tree and yes I did take the liberty of naming it!! She was also handpicked and inspected by Miss K...

Loaded onto our awesome Subaru by Mr. Awesome...

and unfortunately decorated at 4am when Miss K decided that that was as good a time as any to wake-up for the day and since we don't have any gifts for under the tree here is a peek of my December Daily cover...

hope you're having a glorious wednesday:)

holiday limbo

It is officially December 6th and we have yet to get our Christmas tree, so I officially feel like I'm missing a little twinkle in my life. Our intention had been to get one this weekend but...well let's be honest, it's football season and we're lazy. On a side note I could have saved myself some tears had I just ran screaming after the first half of the Civil War game (for those who are unaware that's the Oregon State/Oregon rivalry). My poor Beavs!!! Sore subject, moving back to the tree. Hopefully we will find our perfect tree tonight along with the perfect photos for this wall which is incredibly depressing in it's current state, exhibit A

Sad...I know!!

However, all is not lost. I decided to whip up a little treat with my friends garland and high-gauge flower wire...

because who couldn't use a little more joy in their life...

Now to find a place to hang it:)

we're feeling a little dramatic today

fill in the blank friday

the little things we do

1.   Holiday spirit       is warm and fuzzy.

2.  The holidays are incomplete without   cheesy Christmas movies, Candy Cane JoJos, mistletoe and a tour of the Christmas lights.

3.  My favorite things to do around the holidays is      I really enjoy wrapping presents, drinking a short eggnog chai (just one a week:), finding the perfect gifts for my family, spending time with friends keeping warm.

4.  A holiday tradition my family and I have is   my mom always makes a big Christmas breakfast with brioche french toast.

5.  Holiday music is     kind of lovely, dependent on who's doing the singing, a miley cyrus christmas cd wouldn't float my boat

6.  This year, I'll be spending the holidays       running Miss K around, Mr. Awesome and I knew we'd be playing second fiddle once she came along:)

7.  Holiday wish list       1. Canon EOS 5D Mark II (which, if I'm being honest is way too much camera for me at this point) soooo I think the Canon Digital Rebel XTi would work:) 2. I would love to have family photos taken by this lady, not unlike these photos she took of her own fam,SOOOO AWESOME  3. a great christmas outfit, with flawless Christmas make-up and Victoria Secret runway hair (hey, it's a wish list right)...maybe something like this,

4. that Miss K has the best first Christmas ever...even though she won't remember it 5. Some wonderful holiday themed date nights with my Mr.

even i can tie a knot

So remember this...

the fabric, not Miss K. Well I got this for 50% off and then stumbled upon this tutorial by the lovely Elise Blaha on the just as lovely site A Beautiful Mess by Elsie (yeah I do alot of stumbling). 

so with that lovely fabric and a solid green too, a wire hanger ("No wire hangers!!!" pardon me), some scissors, and two nap times for the lady and I got this awesomeness...

and it was soooo easy that I was feeling ambitious and did this...

WHAT!!! Not to pat my own back but...I'm kind of on a roll (assuming  you ignore that completely blank wall). Yay for easy holiday craftiness and napping babies!!

*added tip*

Do not do this on the living room carpet right after your husband has vacuumed 

he may not be amused 

even if you have finally both started and finished a project

he still not may not be amused

tell him you'll make it up to him...and let him just run with that:)

let the madness begin

Happy December 1st!! My goal for the month is to try to remain calm (stop skipping yoga), limit the sweets (so as not to feel guilty about skipping yoga), and to try and be super organized. I feel like I'm starting on the right foot by getting a head start on my holiday shopping with a little help from these babies...

You see I'm the type of person who has to have a list in order to be remotely productive otherwise I come home with a million things I don't need but minus the one thing that I actually went to find (before I do anything Mr. Awesome asks if I've written out my plan)...I'm like a cat distracted by shiny things, therefore I need a taskmaster along for the ride. You can print out your own copies of these nifty lists over here at A Typical Type A.

There's also a whole array of craftiness going on all over the web including my friend Monica doing 18 (ambitious) days of Christmas Crafts, Ali Edwards annual December Daily awesomeness (which I'm a little behind on already) and tons of free printables like this...

from Eighteen25.

Also, if you couldn't tell, Miss K is very into this whole Santa thing:) Check back tomorrow to see what I did with that awesome fabric she's lounging on.

because i love a good dance sequence

I have made it quite clear that I am a huge fan of movies with blatantly choreographed dance numbers and subpar acting, they genuinely make me happy. With the release of Burlesque I've been inspired me to come up with my top ten dance movies (in no particular order of awesomeness):

Burlesque

phenomenal vocals, pretty costumes, acting that was surprisingly adequate...I loved it

Breakin' and Breakin' 2

while I find Breakin' 2 to be infinitely better than the first both are leaders in the genre and I stand by the idea that all wars in the world should be settled in a breakin' battle. 

Dirty Dancing

when I was little I wore this VHS out from watching it so much and when I was done my step-dad would get down on his knees and let me run up to him just like Baby did in the finale. He'd lift me in the air and spin me around and I would be practically beside myself with excitement. Also let's not forget the best dance movie line ever, "nobody puts Baby in the corner."

You Got Served

the acting in this movie is absolutely horrendous thank God for B2K and the battle royale

Center Stage

before I saw this movie ballet wasn't even on my radar (I actually fell asleep in The Nutcracker, twice). This movie has the best dance to teen angst ratio.

Drumline

although not technically a dance movie the choreography in this is awesome and probably one of the few things that Nick Cannon has ever done right.

Stomp the Yard

if you can't make it to a real life step show here is a great intro with consistent dance action throughout.

Step Up 2: The Streets

much like Breakin' 2 I find this sequel to be infinitely better than it's predecessor due to the fact that I don't think Channing Tatum can dance. I am also particularly fond of the finale because I think that there is only one thing that can make a dance sequence more awesome and that is doing it in the rain.

Flashdance

Even though the majority of the dance numbers in this movie are done by a dance double Jennifer Beals still had a lot of style. I also have a special place in my heart for this movie because she is bi-racial and so am I and as a kid I thought she made it cool.

having looked back through my list it's obvious that I'm not particularly fond of the broadway classics and am clearly more into the battles and rebellion:) I should also note that one of the reasons I knew Mr. Awesome and I were meant to be was because we both owned (and prominently displayed) copies of both Breakin' and Breakin' 2!!

dear black friday shopper,

Uhhh yeah...I don't really get it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging you. When I see you trampling people to get through the doors of Target, Fred Meyer, or Best Buy in order to be one of the first 100 to receive a $200 big screen I think "they must really need that big screen, and are willing to risk their lives and the leg of that fat guy who can't move that fast in order to get it." Is it because you're competitive? are you channeling your high school track star alter ego by wearing your best track pants and sweat bands, getting in the starting blocks and running at the chance to get socks 50% off? You should know that I am mildly amused by your enthusiasm and crazy looting type antics. However, the fact that you actually take yourself seriously is incredibly disturbing. Throwing elbows, cussing people out, accosting young children in order to get the last of the buy one get one free board games; you should be ashamed of yourself!! You know why I avoid Black Friday? Because I would be arrested when someone tried to go all zombieland on me and unfortunately if you are arrested on a Friday there's a chance you won't get out until Monday and let's be honest...the $50 netbook is just not worth it.

everyday but black friday shopper,

Kimiko

fill in the blank friday

via the little things we do

1.   Black Friday is       pure madness, any time an adult bites a child just to get the toy out of their hand is unacceptable.

2.  Christmas shopping this year will include   lots of gift cards and online-ness, I don't have to look for parking when shopping on Amazon.com.

3.  Holiday shopping makes me       nostalgic...when I was younger I worked at the mall where it was pure chaos...old women camping outside of Hallmark for limited edition Beanie Babies. Do they still do that?

4.  This year my Christmas list will include   I pretty much like getting the same things every year...an awesome stocking, white socks, something crafty, and someone cooking for me.

5.  Bargain hunter, or full price shopper?     definitely bargain all the way...I have a mild breakdown when purchasing anything at full price.

6.  The best and worst things about shopping is      the best thing is having a list, having a plan and being efficient, preferably with some tea in hand. The worst is complete aimlessness, that when you get trapped in mall limbo and you start feeling all lethargic and stressed.

7.  Online shopper or in-person shopper?       both...if someone wants a book I can get it cheaper and faster online...if someone wants a cute scarf and glove set I'd prefer to check it out in person, what if it feels like a dish scrubber. 

today i'm thankful for...

Winter Hats!!

it is currently 24 degrees and dropping...it is colder here than it is in Barrow, Alaska which is currently at a balmy 31 degrees. Miss K also had her first snow adventure today when momma decided that it was imperative that she have some tea and a blueberry scone from Starbucks:) It's only a few blocks away so I bundled her in a fleece onesie, a little bear suit with a hood, a hat with ear flaps (in addition to the hood), a blanket and then topped it all off with a waterproof layer. Needless to say Miss K was incredibly amused and was loving catching snow with her tongue.

Yeah for snow!!

fill in the blank friday

the little things we do

1.   My Thanksgiving plans this year will include       relinquishing hosting duties this year in favor of a compilation between my in-laws, my mom, and Mr. Awesome and I. A little work for everyone as opposed to a lot of work for a couple.

2.  My favorite Thanksgiving was   last year when the Mr. and I tackled the whole thing together the prep, the planning, and the shopping were such a fun experience and then that next week we found out we were pregnant.

3.  My signature Thanksgiving dish is       I make a pretty delectable sweet potato cheesecake, last year it was being a little problematic, but the year before that it was magical and it will be once again!!

4.  My favorite Thanksgiving food is    definitely my mom's cornbread dressing it's really the only kind I like and I love cranberry sauce, the kind out of the can with the lines NOT the kind with fresh cranberries in it.

5.  Thanksgiving free association!     martha stewart, cranberry sauce, turkey, gravy, potatoes.

6.  Thansgiving is        so lovely, the eating, the napping, the football...I'm kind of in love .

7.  I am thankful for      my little family and how my life is so full because of it, delicious food, hot tea, hot showers, part-time shifts, good books, fun blogs, answered prayers Dave's Killer Bread, being healthy and that allowing me to take care of Miss K and the hope that one day I will sleep for more than four hours at a time.

spinning plates

Does your life ever feel like this? Like you have all these plates spinning: family, home, friendships, jobs, commitments...dishes and laundry? Is it inevitable that one of those plates will come crashing to the ground? Last night I felt like I might be getting sick, the health plate was looking a little precarious. This morning it had definitely come shattering to the floor: my head was throbbing, my ears were ringing and I felt like I might throw-up. I managed to eat half a piece of toast before Mr. Awesome headed off to work and then I really wanted to just jump back in bed and sleep it off. It is amazing how different my life is these days. I don't know how to be sick with a newborn around who (thankfully) is healthy and bright-eyed. So I threw up a simple prayer that Miss K would go down for a couple naps today and that for the first time since she was born I would "sleep when she slept." It was probably one of the most specific and sincere prayers I've said in a while. 

Well Miss K and I had a lovely two hour nap this morning and slept for over three hours this afternoon and it doesn't stop there: Mr. Awesome came home so I could get a break and take a super hot shower, as of 7:45pm Miss K is down for the night, I found a awesome love note in my tea tin and I am feeling remarkably better. 

I am so very thankful that I serve a God who provides and who answers such specific, sincere prayers. 

today i'm thankful for...

I have a weakness for anything that can be made in a cake pan/casserole dish being that that typically means leftovers! When the next day comes around and Miss K is feeling ornery and not wanting to be put down it's much easier to heat up leftovers one-handed than it is to make a sandwich.

today i'm thankful for... (weekend edition)

Miss K is just starting to move around this quilt and by move I mean shove her face into it while trying to make it from one side to the other. When she's tired she rolls onto her back and looks at me like this.

because Mr. Awesome had mid-terms on his birthday we had a belated celebration dinner on Saturday and it was the lovely;)

What did Mr. Awesome want to do for his birthday? Oh just the six-pound burrito challenge, thankfully he had friends that were up to the challenge too. Unfortunately, 32 minutes is not alot of time to finish off that much awesomeness!!

fill in the blank friday

photo via

1.   The most spontaneous thing I've ever done was       me and the Mr. deciding that we really wanted to go to the zoo but not the one in Washington so we flew down to San Diego instead.

2.  The best gift I've ever received was    my amazing husband and my wonderful daughter there's nothing I could have ever done to deserve such blessings.

3.  A time that I was truly and genuinely surprised was       when i found out we were pregnant...I took the test and went about doing my chores and errands, I actually went back in the bathroom several times in between doing dishes and folding laundry and just looked at it before it settled in.

4.  I can't leave the house without        so many things these days!!

5.  My favorite day of the week is      any day that me and the mr. both have off    because     he's my favorite person to hang out with.

6.  Something that can always make me laugh is      my brother Kyrell, i tend to think that he's the funniest person I know and a great storyteller. He makes up songs to sing to Miss K so she tends to think he's pretty funny too.

7.  My perfect day would include       my mr., hot tea, breakfast at Old Milwaukee Cafe, maybe a Sunday drive...lots of little components:)

today i'm thankful for...

holy smokes these are sweet

I really want to get some pictures taken of Miss K before the holidays and I think these little outfits are more than enough motivation...

ridiculous!!

I don't know about the fur but the jacket is so friggin' cute

don't even get me started...

note to self:

1. sweet talk Mr. Awesome into getting all three, all of which will not fit in a month

2. make sure photographer allows multiple outfit changes AND fits into our holiday budget

3. find a baby that can sit through three outfit changes, flashing lights and goofy faces without having a meltdown

hmmm...

 p.s. clothes are from Zara

today i'm thankful for...

happy birthday to my mr.

Everyday I am blessed by the fact that this man was born and everyday (even when I'm trying to be grumpy) I am so incredibly thankful for him. So thank you Mr. for being the bestest in the land, thank you for the amazing life you've given me, thank you for our beautiful daughter, thank you for your patience and love, thank you for the smiles every single day and thank you for getting me my cool new phone:)

peace out!

your often crazy but always loving wife

today i'm thankful for...

because i love thanksgiving

i think i should get these....today!!

because everyone will need their own personalized napkins of course...

because this whole display is awesome, but mostly because I'm super excited!!

check them out here