es~la~verdad

candle find

2012-01-18T18:03:00.000-08:00

Look what I found at HomeGoods :) they are selling the Caldrea line! I have been eyeing them for what feels like forever at target, but couldn't bring my self to buy any. Clearly it is already burned, and it smells amazing!

Mansfield is growing on me, my most favorite thing is having HomeGoods about 5 minutes away

Hazel's first birthday

2012-01-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

I could not believe it was already here when the 14th came. The day before I kept saying things like "this time last year I was at work trying to breathe through contractions...."

Our baby is 1! I am so thankful for my creative sister's awesome idea :) Hazel loves little lambs and my sister Camille came up with the "theme." She even painted an adorable little lamb that will go in her room! (need to find a picture of it) My friend Lizzie was able to be in town and helped me put things together. Which all was perfect because Clay came down with shingles a couple of days before and was out for the count. (Please pray for him, it has been quite a few painful days) It was so fun to have our family and friends there, we all had a blast!

She loved getting hearing the "happy birthday," we sang it several times that day.

Still do here and there. ;)

Happy birthday to our dear little girl! Who as I write this is desperate to go outside, her absolute fav right now....So I must run :)

11 months

2011-12-14T12:53:00.000-08:00

I can not believe how fast these last 11 months have flown by. Our little girl is desperate to walk, a speedy crawler {especially when she hears the word "bath," she drops whatever she is doing and moves as quickly as possible to her bathroom} she doesn't really cry much besides those fussy moments right before bedtime. Talking to herself in her crib, her "alone time," is one of her favorite past times.

Some of her other favorites are, but not limited to:

-cheerios/ yogurt for snack time

-she understands she is not supposed to touch the Christmas tree so she just waves in that direction. She will also come to me and wave to the tree when she wants me to pick her up and show her all the ornaments. {we do this about 45x a day}

-when she finds leaves {dragged in by her furry, puppy sister} she is proud of her findings and lifts it up for us to see. Of course, mischievously, if we don't notice she quickly puts it her mouth.

-high fives

-clapping for herself after she has done anything

-still adores elmo

-turning off light switches

-going with us to get the mail

-singing

-dancing

What an absolute joy she has been in our lives. We both could not love or adore her more.

Beautiful Cause

2011-12-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Friends, just wanted to share with you a link to what has become such an amazing blessing to Clay and I. We were contacted by the folks at Fotolanthropy a few months back. They had heard about our story this last year and that Clay was in remission. (For 5 months and 7 days, now btw!!!) They wanted to celebrate with us and give us such an incredible and special gift. It was a photo-session, a film of our story and so much more.

There are not words to express what a timely gift this was to us. Clay's hair had all grown back, we were finally out of the haze of hospital stays and settling into our new home in Mansfield. If you are interested in seeing the video click here

They are UNbelievably gifted and for them to share their talents with us was so awesome.

We were so humbled that they would ask us to be a part of their efforts that I wanted to share with you, if you are interested, with supporting them. So that they can continue to bless others who are in need, they are selling beautiful ornaments!! You can see the information here, as well as footage from when they debuted the film at our house with our families and friends. Please check it out!!

dresser

2011-11-14T13:05:00.000-08:00

while i prob should apologize for the not so great phone pic, i was excited to show off this dresser. it had been sitting in my parents well house for nearly 20 years, collecting many gross things. inspired by this post i used a gloss smoke gray rust-oleum, and it worked fabulously! i had to work on scraping off the varnish {which for the record, i don't think i'll do ever again! talk about back breaking!} but this paint covers a lot of wrongs. the hardware was covered in rust so i had planned on using new hardware only to discover many of the drawers had different lengths between the holes. since it is not budget friendly to special order hardware or drill all new holes...i just soaked the old hardware in vinegar for a couple of days. it worked awesome!

a little spray paint and it was complete! so happy with this outcome, as well as we finally have a clean home! i had still been keeping my things in boxes until today :/ that is almost 3 months! so now we are box free and no clothes on the floor, my patient hubby is so thankful :)

hazel lately

2011-11-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Our darling little girl continues to change right in front of our eyes. Meet her best friend...

At 4 months I introduced Hazel to who would become my saving grace in the middle of night terrors, teething, difficult feedings and that uncontrollable fussy time. She immediately giggled. Since then she adores Elmo. Elmo songs, elmo dolls, elmo books, and anytime we ask where is elmo? If he is not on, she looks at the tv dissappointed. I have never known a child so young be so interested in a tv character. It makes the both of us laugh a lot.

She and I have been going on what I like to affectionately call "Mother daughter dates." Which is really just an excuse for me to go to girly places with her that her father wouldn't totally appreciate it. Here her titi (auntie) V is joining us for lunch. {btw all of these pictures her titi v took} I love the way our family loves this little girl.

"How big is Hazel?"

"Soooooo BIG!"

This is her response to anytime the word "big" is used. Big bites, big dogs, big girl, etc. I love it! {I also realize she is in her christmas pjs, just wanted her to use them before she out grew them :)}
She has been standing all by herself for a couple of months now but is still a little scared to take a step forward. She will walk all day long if she has something to hold on to. Her first few sounds were "dadada," and I think that sealed the deal for this papa here. We think we may have even heard a "hi, dada." Which only made me a tad jealous. She did start saying "nanana," that I took as mamama. Hazel is learning some signs, the one she has down is "all done," and she even says a-da.

Lastly this little girl can't get enough of books. She loves to open a book, especially the touch and feel books, and touch them and turns all the pages.

kisses

A very rare moment...this little one NEVER stays still. The only time she is cuddly is a little right before she goes to bed.

take in the view

2011-09-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

she is :)

{at my parents house, bathing, watching the dogs bath in the pool/swim}

sup

2011-09-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

hello blog world! i know, again, not a lot of posts... sorry about that. we are just truckin' along here!! super ready for fall, pumpkins, and cooler weather to come around. in the meantime, i get to wake up to this darling little angel :)

also baylor is currently ranked #15

yes, that is right, in the country

boo-yah!!!

baylor vs tcu.....we totally ran the field

yahtzee

2011-09-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

So its not grey brown at all its just grey, and I love it!

Still working on unpacking and decorating, but so far we adore our new place. We are also starting to find some random perks about this city.

chloe sofa

2011-08-15T11:06:00.001-07:00

When clay and I were first married, he had just moved down from Philadelphia and I was living with my parents...ie have little to no furniture of my own. We were so fortunate to have some of his furniture to help us start our lives together. Now 3 years, a puppy, a pregnancy (where i spent almost all 9 months hanging out) and a baby later these leather sofas have seen their better days. This below is one of them in their prime.

Upon our move the hubs and I spent quite a bit of time looking for one that we both liked/were comfortable. I really wanted a velvet sofa in a color that makes sense for our dear black haired, puppy baby, sophie. He wanted something that he can lay across (so easy to please ;) ) and that was within our budget. Since this one was major on sale last weekend, I'm proud to show you our fun new sofa coming to us the first part of Sep.

in the color granite (like a brownish grey). More pictures to come soon!

via

eat cake for breakfast

2011-08-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

maybe you have already seen this, but in case you have not...

how adorable is this video???

no sleep

2011-08-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

its 10 at night...what is your infant doing? mine has been refusing sleep for the last 3 hours :( instead she has figured how to pull herself up. so we had to lower the crib, then she discovered she can see so much if she just lowers the bumper. no sleep heeerrrreeee!

{you will also notice an elmo in the background as well as a pillow we used to keep her wedged in so she would stop rolling over in her sleep and waking herself up...its been a long night, already}

a few things

2011-08-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

-it is too dang hot to do anything
-saved by the bell in the morning cures my hot day blues
-hazel loves and i mean LOVES to see herself in the mirror, finally she is showing signs of being like her mom ;)
-in a week we move to mansfield, have not even began getting things together, shocker
-my roomie from california, who i have not seen in almost 4 years, is back in texas...YEA!!
-screech says, "everything you need to know about girls...talking cool is key," so much wisdom
-i misspell, write things grammatically {when i wrote this i misspelled 'misspell' and grammatically'} incorrect and comma splice the heck out of this blog, thanks for reading anyway
-life is good

so pretty

2011-08-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

via

i would really like to purchase these...if only i could fins them online!

3 years

2011-07-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

In three days, we will celebrate that we did this 3 years ago.....

My how things have changed in 3 years. I thought I loved him then....I feel so crazy blessed to have such a husband in him and a father for her. By God's grace, I get fall more in love with him each day.

new normal

2011-07-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

We have been back in Fort Worth for over a week now, loving every minute of it. Seeing friends, eating at home (and our fav restaurants) date night(s), spending time with family with out the stress of hospitals or illness. It has been so refreshing. We are also trying to soak it all up, b/c come August 17 we will no longer be residents here. Now, I must speak loosely to that b/c we won't be far at all, only about 20 min away. Nonetheless, its a different city. If you know me at all you know how obsessed I am with Fort Worth. I love our little neighborhood, our crazy neighbors, being so close to so many fun things, it is going to be sad/exciting.

Our precious little home, despite its coziness, has many a flaw and very little space, no dishwasher, so many holes there is not chance of staying cool in the summer or warm in the winter. BUT it is where we brought our baby home, it is where I spent many evenings on the wood floors to help my back when I was pregnant, where loved ones redecorated for us when we first came back from Houston. When life was at its craziest, this was home. I am sentimental and don't like change. The first step is admitting it right?

We will be moving to a home built in the last 15 years (not 60) that has been completely updated with many a new cosmetic features. It has 3 bedrooms, a garage, closets (we have barely 1) 2 bathrooms and offers so many exciting things. There is much to look forward to, not to mention learning a new city. (I know again its only 20 minutes away, but shockingly I don't know where much is around them parts of Mansfield) Clay will finally get to practice his calling in ministry and help plant a church and study to finish his masters in divinity. (Considering that I married a man called into the ministry and could be called anywhere, Mansfield, is not too shabby, I realize this but I don't like change remember?)

So life is leveling out for us. A lot of changes in one year, but we are adapting and loving it. Despite all of my sentimentalness (if that's a word), the Lord has given me new perspective in life that I pray will remain forever. All of this, and Jesus? I'll take it!

This photo has nothing to do with anything except that Hazel is the most darling ballerina you will set your eyes on!

walks

2011-07-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

I thought that by leaving super early this morning for a walk I would avoid that awful sun that makes its 100+ degrees in FW. (Which for the record, I must apologize to my Houston friends for always complaining about the humidity in Houston. While there is much humidity, there is also cloud cover, as well as a breeze...not the case for funky town. Here its just still- but I digress) So it wasn't super hot, but I ended up still with a problem with the sun. I was so excited to be home, in our sweet neighborhood I just went. Walked for awhile before I thought that maybe I should turn around b/c Hazel's morning nap was coming soon. As I turned around the sun was directly in my baby's eyes. Now I know most babies are shy about the sun, but I think Hazel is a little more sensitive about it. So instead of torturing her I turned around so the sun would be at my back. Only I didn't have any other options for routes home without the sun being in her eyes. So my only option was to walk backwards and that's what we did. For a mile. Pulling a stroller. Luckily we made it home with only a few weird glances....

my tired and now hot baby

and this one just cause I thought it was precious.

BTW we do have clothes for our child, this is just her its too hot for cotton look :)

aaaannnnnnnddd we are BACK!

2011-07-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

I cant promise we will be consistent, but I will try. Praise God from whom all blessing flow! We are back in FW, we are home, we are healthy, and we are so grateful! Thank you for those who prayed, loved, encouraged, provided, hurt, helped, and all together walked through this journey alongside us. God used you all to make sure along with Him, we were never alone.

This is my now 6 month baby! (only she was 5 months in these pictures) God's provision is perfect.

counting backwards

2011-04-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

this is a beautiful movie made by my dear cousin, who also stars in it. you must check it out and put it on your queue in netflix. it will be available april 26...do it! you can see the trailer here

i have quite the talented friends and family if i do say so myself :)

apt therapy contest

2011-04-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

hello friends! i know it has been sometime since i have been on this blog of mine but i wanted to tell you all about one my dear friends, ellie, has gotten her cute carriage house into apartment therapy teeny tiny contest. its a beautiful place and she has done such a fabulous job decorating! please vote for her here!!

thank you so much!

hope to return when my life is a little more predicatable...in the mean time thanks for your prayers!

fyi

2011-03-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

we also have another website to help raise donations in order to assist us with medical expenses. if you feel led to please check out this website

http://funds.gofundme.com/the-wooten-family

we still have many prayer requests and we so covet those. you can see those again at this website

www.caringbridge.org/visit/claywooten

a new blog

2011-02-26T21:31:00.001-08:00

my dear friend lizzie has assisted us in better communicating with our loved ones by creating this blog/journal--

we will be using this to update everyone as we begin our journey through this messy chapter of our lives.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/claywooten

we continue to covet your prayers

update on our familia

2011-02-25T15:25:00.000-08:00

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God..."

Philippians 4:6

clay my dear husband, hazel my sweet little baby and i have been through quite the whirl wind these last couple of weeks. clay has been diagnosed with an aggressive kind of lymphoma. we are in desperate need of prayers. only before we go there we would like to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and support so many have shown us. we are so thankful for it, b/c the only thing worse than having to go through all of this is having to go through it alone.

the biopsy this week revealed the cancer was lymphoma the non-hodgkins kind. more specifically they think its burkitts lymphoma which is a very rare and very aggressive type of lymphoma. the doc said there are about 12 different types of lymphoma and burkitts makes up about 1 to 2 percent of those types. It is typically found in smaller children and do to its aggressive nature needs just as aggressively. since it is so rare we all decided that going to MD Anderson in Houston is probably our best bet and the treatment plan that Clay will be going through is one week in the hospital of constant chemo and one week off. the time frame of this treatment is unknown. the latest that we will have our appointment at MD is in a little over a week the earliest is early this coming week. our oncologist, Dr. Nugent, spoke to the head of the lymphoma department at MD and i believe he will be our contact over there his name is Dr. Heigemeister. On top of chemo we will need a bone marrow biopsy and maybe another biopsy on my abdomen. If after all the chemo treatment there is a recurrence he will probably need a bone marrow transplant.

Things to be praying for:

-Quickly getting an appointment and first treatment at MD

-Strength and faith to endure the intensity of the treatment

-That everything would work and the cancer would be gone completely from clay's body

-Strength and faith for me during this hard time

-That God would be known more, worshiped and glorified throughout all of this

my love

2011-02-18T19:46:00.000-08:00

does it get any more precious than this boy impressed with this catch but not interested in getting too close to touch it?

ugh this boy has stolen my heart...only i didn't know him then. i met him when i was 14. we went to different high schools. but we had some mutual friends, and i had heard of his name before. my friend actually liked him at the time. she used to call me after school to tell me about the times that she talked to him and how cute he was.

then as many 14 year old relationships do it fizzled. then i was a sophomore and saw him at a party. he was so cute. i had to get a picture with this boy. i sucked up the courage to ask him to get a picture with me. he was sweet and humored me, luckily knew who i was and agreed for the picture.

that night i went to my friends house loving that i had gotten to hang out with him and that he knew who i was! we continued on with our very separate lives until that fall, he still hadn't really left my thoughts...and for some reason i decided that enough was enough i was determined to date this boy. now don't get me wrong as though i was this aggressive teenage girl. quite the opposite. my parents were very adamant in raising me and my sisters to be lady, never calling boys and the boys responsibility in regards to girls.

then he came to one my high school football games, with a mutual friend. i. died. i could not believe it. we talked. even flirted. he invited me to church. i told him to call me and i would come. he said he didn't have me number. i told him it was cause he didn't ask for it. it was only the beginning....

and slowly as the Lord held us in His hand growing us in Him, challenging us in different, hard, unique ways we somehow still ended up together. that was almost 11 years ago...

here we are. the man of my dreams. my soul mate. the man who is not perfect but is perfectly made for me.

i love him so dearly

and now he has become a father. and what an amazing father he is to our little girl.
i know that this maybe late but he is my valentine, my hubby, my love.

she is here!!!

2011-02-17T20:42:00.000-08:00

she is here! she is here! hazel's beautiful cousin charolette bradly wooten!! i. die. and oh my if this picture would only do justice to those lips, you would die too! we are so in love with this new little family--and hazel is just dying for her cousin to play with her :)

1 month

2011-02-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

on feb 14, my baby girl will be 1 month old. i read a quote on a friends blog that continues to resonate with me"the days are long, but the years are short" and although we have not experienced a year...a month sure flown by!

my sister {who is so talented} and i had a little photo shoot with hazel yesterday. we sorta went a little crazy but here are some fabulous ones...

look at that smile! she has grown so much. i am doing my best to take pictures and write things down that she is doing, she is changing everyday. i saw somewhere in the blog world about writing a sentence everyday about her on a calendar, i'm not good at being consistent like that but i may give that whirl. even if i remember to do it here and there i know i cherish to look back on it. i'll let you know how that goes ;)

sweet sleepiness

2011-01-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

absolutely there has been nothing greater than seeing my sweet baby's eyes, faces she makes, hands, and wiggly self. there are times where i just feel like i can never put her down, i don't want to miss anything. as much as i love her, this whole only sleeping a couple hours at a time has been taking its toll. day and night very much blur together for me, i get cabin fever often and am starting to hate tv. i came across this while trying to stay awake during a late night feeding, from the valley of vision

"Thou blessed Spirit, author of all grace and comfort,

Come, work repentance in my soul;

Represent sin to me in its odious colours that I may hate it;

Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God;

Show me my ruined self and the help there is in him;

Teach me to behold my Creator,

his ability to save,

his arms outstretched,

his heart big for me.

May I confide in his power and love,

commit my soul to him without reserve,

bear his image, observe his laws, pursue his service,

and be through time and eternity

a monument to the efficacy of his grace,

a trophy of his victory.

make me willing to be saved in his way,

perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus:

Help me not only to receive him but

to walk in him,

depend upon him,

be conformed to him,

follow him,

imperfect, but still pressing forward,

not complaining of labour, but valuing rest,

not murmuring under trails, but thankful for my state.*

Give me that faith which is the means of salvation,

and the principle and medium of all godliness;

May I be saved by grace through faith,

live by faith,

do the work of faith.

Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find in Christ wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption."

*i don't consider this time at all to be a state of trials, more so i want to simply be thankful for this season of life.

bringing hazel home

2011-01-24T11:15:00.000-08:00

hazel is home. the last week and a half has been such a blur of night and day...i can not even believe its been that long. she has already grown so much. so before i forget some of the details (or before the need for sleep take over) i wanted to write about her birth story :)

the week i went into labor i had been 2 cm dilated. the week before my dr thought we were going to be having this baby two weeks early, but when nothing changed at my dr appt that week they thought i would hold out till my due date. that was on jan 11, then on jan 13, i wasn't feeling great and was feeling pretty huge to be honest. but i went to work and while i was driving was having intense contractions, but honestly nothing i hadn't experienced before. then they started coming about 15 min apart while i was in a session with one of my kids. i wrapped that up and called my husband telling him i was coming home, b/c i needed to lay down for a bit. when i got home they were about 10 min apart, but i was not interested in going to the hospital. i had contractions before and they would eventually pass, so i was just waiting for them to pass. clay kept asking me to go to the hospital and i continued to delay. i honestly just didn't want to be wrong and/or disappointed about going into labor. so after postponing it for almost an hour, i agreed to go to the hospital. clay had promised worst case scenario we will go out to eat and do something fun {such a patient man}.

we got to the hospital and i was walking in telling them i thought i was in labor. the nurses all kinda rolled their eyes since my water had not broken and i didn't seem to be in THAT much pain. moments later they checked me and i was dilated to a 4 1/2 cm. we called our families to let them know the baby was coming that night!

when i dilated to 5 cm, i was having contractions like crazy. super intense. clay was holding my hand as i was squeezing the bajeezes out of him. they came in to break my water, right in the middle of one of the worst contractions. it got crazy really fast. it was about then when my husband, who was recovering from being ill all week was holding my hand, and ran to the corner to throw up. i lost it. was crying. freaking out that my husband was going to be out of commission while i was in labor.

thank the Lord. he recovered. after that i got the epidural, and quickly progressed to 10cm. after a couple of hours of pushing at 1:10 AM hazel kathleen came into this world!

there was concerns of her inhaling her meconium, and potential jaundice, but after 24 hours, she was totally cleared. i know i am totally partial, but i just think she is the prettiest baby. i think she is going to be a carbon copy of her daddy.

hazel with her kiki

my sweet baby girl...oh my goodness i didn't know i could love her so much.

with her lola, this baby has so many people who love her

such a sweet baby

at home :)

hazel kathleen

2011-01-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

welcome to the world sweet baby.... we are so in love with this bundle of joy!

look back at 2010

2011-01-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

its pretty incredible to think of all the fun/crazy/exciting/life changing things that have happened in this last year...

in january...

had a grand ol time at the jewel charity ball with the hubs and some besties. together we have so much fun :)

in february....

got super geared up for our beloved olympics! even got some pretty neat gear to represent.

in may...
{mucho mucho occured}

we celebrated our mothers together as one big family...which was one of my fav dinners we had

all together

i got an incredible job offer and switched companies to be a bilingual speech therapist. it has been the best decision, career wise, i had ever made and it all happened so fast. i love my job and feel ever so fortunate to be working for such a great company.

then, as clay was studying for his finals, i decided to clear my thoughts and go ahead and get a pregnancy test. i was by myself for all of 15 min before he came home...pacing, shocked, and freaking out. we have always wanted kids, but our timing was a little different. now, we wouldn't change this in anyway.

we also went to fredricksburg with the wooten clan, were we enjoyed some good rest and relaxation.

in july....

we celebrated 2 amazing years of marriage in my most favorite place in all the world. puerto rico. after 10 years of being together, he finally got to see what i had been talking about for forever.

in august...

we moved from our precious one bedroom apt, where we had so many fond memories, to make some room for baby. we moved to our cozy little home.

we also enjoyed some more family time finding out that our baby, was going to be a girl! not even a little bit of an idea of what her name was going to be....we were thrilled!

in september...

chi-town. another fav city of mine :) we got to see many sites, shopped till we dropped, watch a cubs game and eat some fantastic food all in great company.

in november....

we were blessed with showers and love in preparation for our sweet hazel kathleen.

in december...

my patient, loving, wise husband got not one but 2 job offers. in a matter of days he will be quitting his security job that he has had for the last couple of years as he was in school and be the interim youth pastor at our church. then in june he will become an apprentice with a church plant here in the area where he can go to school full time and work full time. finally getting to do what he has been called to do his whole life.

wow....2011, i think you are going to be another fantastic year :)

full term

2010-12-29T18:03:00.000-08:00

went to the doc yesterday :) got a great report! i am currently 1 cm dilated and am progressing along well. the dr couldn't speak for sure, as they never can, but didn't think i was going to make it to my due date. so Hazel cold be making her appearance any day now! i am trying to pretend i didn't hear those words though...i just keep trying to think long term, even past my due date. i just work better that way, instead of getting disappointed/super anxious if she is late.

i will say this whole 3rd trimester thing is not my cup of tea. i wish i could say i was one of those women who just loved loved loved being pregnant. but alas, i. do. not. now don't get me wrong i love everything that comes with being pregnant..ie.. a baby. but that's about it.

my life right now...

-clothes just don't' fit. few, very few do.

-i've been asked at least 3 times if i'm going to go into labor and someone is going to have to call an ambulance for me.

-i don't walk... i waddle

-every time i put my shoes on i have acid reflux

-i still love when she moves around

-my most favorite thing is when clay talks to her

Hazel we are so ready to meet you :)

bragging on the boy

2010-12-29T17:58:00.000-08:00

my sweet hubby needs a little attention on this blog, b/c he has done good. for christmas i received this watch (only a little different with some rhinestones and buttons)

such a fun christmas gift!

bradly and hazel

2010-12-07T16:02:00.001-08:00

during our thanksgiving celebration my sweet mother in law had a friend come over and take some pictures for christmas cards. i hadn't realized just how fun it would be to have these pictures when i realized it was bradly and hazel's first photo shoot. i'm anticipating many more to follow after seeing some of these results :)

they are going to be such good buddies

bradly's parents, just presh

hazel's mama and daddy

kiki, pops, and the whole gang....can't wait to meet you girls!

belly touching

2010-12-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

it really has not bothered me. in a weird way i kinda love it. its part of what being pregnant is all about, at least as far as getting to share in it with others. today though has been the strangest to date as far as belly touching goes....

so i guess there needs to be some explination before i launch into my story. first of all i work in home health with kids of low income families with speech problems...IE.. i work in some pretty rough and tough neighborhoods. not having an office to be in most of the day i make efforts to find clean bathrooms, good places for gas and lets be honest the occasional snack here and there.

so now after much time working in this area i guess you could say i am a regular to this particular gas station. i hadn't really realized it but i'll explain more in just a bit....

i walked into my usual gas station today to grab some gas and use the restroom (and with being this far along in pregnancy its true i have stopped a couple of times there in one day.) when one of the three of the gentleman yelled over the counter, "hey, so when are you going to pop?"

me, after a moment of realizing i'm the only one in there that could "pop," was caught a little off guard and stumbled to respond, "oh, um jan 20..."

"ah, you owe me a dollar!!!" says the gentleman to the other guys there. apparently they had all been making bets on when i was going to "pop," and the guy who asked guessed january while the others had there money on december. after which he proceeded to step down and touch my belly, thanking my belly for hanging in there till then and winning him a dollar.

not a clue of how to respond, i said,"uh, your welcome, glad we could help..."

sure i like the touching of my belly, so i have to say that truly it wasn't awkward as it could sound it was more funny, and maybe a little weird.

hazel's nursery

2010-11-08T19:21:00.000-08:00

so we are still very much in the process of setting up our baby girl's nursery. but in the meantime i thought i would share the potential of what we are putting together.

after a couple of trips to lowes to get the right color grey we painted her room. {but i can't find it on the valspar website, its called mountain top} i think it looks wonderful

the jenny lind crib is my favorite. it just is so classic, not too bulky and i think can go either way as far as for boys or girls. {i'm hoping to use this one a few times :)}

via

minus the wheels this is much of what she looks like. clay and i put her together a few weeks ago. don't worry that we put it together in the living room, only to find out it doesn't fit through a single doorway in the house. so now clay and i are pros at taking apart and putting together jenny lind cribs :)

land of nod

i am just realizing this but much of the colors in this image are what her nursery will look like! her bedding is from land of nod. which if you have not been too you must check out, there are so many neat things. its crate and barrel's children section. i have become obsessed with it.

everyday life now in the 3rd trimester

2010-10-28T10:09:00.001-07:00

-all i want is lucky charms and/or cheese. not together ever but i can not get enough of either food group

-if i start crying i can not pull it together to stop.

-if i sit too long my back starts to kill me. {which is what i do all day in therapy with my kids} the only remedy i have found is laying down on our wood floors stretching.

-i can not reach my toes

-hazel has hiccups every night. for at lest 15 min. i love every second of it.

-this sounds crazy but every time i get emotional, mad, sad, happy, or angry {which is daily} our puppy sophie does not leave my side.

-sleeping has been terrible. i can only sleep on my left side with out all of my limbs falling asleep. i surround myself with 6 different pillows and have hit clay every night for the last 2 weeks. i promise its not purposeful.

-i asked my dad to make me a shelf that works as a sofa table behind our couch. it is much easier to reach behind me to put a drink down than it is to reach forward to the coffee table. thanks daddy!

-i'm terrified to go into labor. i'm clearly weeks away from that but in the meantime i have become addicted to baby story/bringing baby home...i have convinced myself that if i see enough deliveries of all kinds whatever happens to me won't be that crazy.

-clay is super sweet and sensitive to me. i don't think i could handle being around me through all of my ups and downs.

pretend maternity wear

2010-10-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

i've complained before about maternity clothes being drab and lame. my friend and i were talking about it the other day. at some point in their lives most women find themselves in need of maternity clothes, right? and they are for sure in need of clothes for at least 4 or more months...why not make some cuter looking clothes? i mean i know you get huge no need to draw more attention, but even large and in charge looking can be fun right?

so here are my pretend maternity clothes from anthro...so lets say these are all larges {or extra larges} and are not super pricey...

see just a change in the neckline makes it a little more fun

i could use either of these for a shower or something

all clothes via

baby bump at 28 weeks

2010-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

i know i am going to kick my self when our sweet baby girl gets here and i have hardly taken any baby bump pics. i know i need to step it up. so here is hoping i am better at documenting this last trimester. {and also so my dear friend lizzie doesn't take my head off for not sharing pictures more, love you sweet liz!} b/c yes i am in my last trimester. eeek!

me at 18 weeks

me with wet hair at 28 weeks!

on another pregnancy note..i failed that glucose test last week so i am having to go in this week for the 3 hour test and drinking double the amount of sugar. i'm a little nervous seeing as last time when i was drinking the stuff i gagged most of the way through it. so if you think about it please pray for me {and hazel} that we make it through the test and pass it

proof

2010-10-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

trying to bring back life to this blog as basically since i have been pregnant i have been pretty MIA. so here is some proof that we are here and kicking and enjoying the freedom we have before our sweet bundle of joy comes to welcome us.

check out that ranger shirt wes has on...i think the hand looks farely creepy...but rangers and the world series is pretty great. esp for my dear hubby who has been a long standing fan with little reward.

i think he is pretty cute

petitnest

2010-10-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

as many of you know i had/have an obsession with saved by the bell. my freshman year of college i spent many an afternoon doing online saved by the bell trivia. yes i admit it. maybe it was a little much....but it was so great. specifically kelly. i mean what girl growing up didn't want to be her? so yes i did. you can imagine my excitement when i realized there was life to tiffani thiessen after sbtb...

she and the great minds at hgtv have created a line for babies called Petitnest and i must say its darling! the bedding, the furniture, its all so beautifully done! please go and check her and all her talent out!

8 questions

2010-10-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

sweet maggie, at The Walton's tagged me for 8 questions :) you must go to her blog and see all her talent. she was even posted about at Young House Love for all of her and husband's endeavors. i mean she is totally legit!

so here are the 8 questions:

1) If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Clay and i love to day dream. so this is a question we like to bounce around...but we both haven't been over seas much but i have had this weird obsession with south america. it has always intrigued me. so specifically Argentina.

2) are you a morning person or evening person?

most def an evening person. my husband rises with the sun and loves to bug me in the morning...it is not pleasant ;)

3) if you could have any job in the world, regardless of how much money made, what would it be?

hmm this is a good question for me, i would really like some sort of teaching...but i am really eager to learn more of the decorating world, not at all on my own though...and then as the days are getting closer and closer i'm getting super eager to be a mom :)

4) how many kids do you want to have and do you have a preference on gender?

in college i would have said a bus load...not a lot has changed since then. i come from a big family and love it :) i would say prob about 5. my husband would prob prefer a few less. i guess we will just take this one first and go from there.

5) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

maybe not be such a reactor. i tend to not think things through and just say my initial reaction, which in some cases is good. however my husband loves to tease me and say outlandish comments that totally get arise out of me, and if i just heard what he said i would know that is exactly what he was trying to do...

6) What is your favorite quote/bible verse?

The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for us...We put ourselves where only God deserves to be; God puts Himself where we deserve to be.

7) What is your single, most favorite decorative item in your house?

this changes daily for me, i change my mind often...some peacock feathers that are in a vase. i love them.

8) Chocolate or Vanilla?

vanilla, most definitely. as a child, when spanish was my first language ( i may or may not use this as my excuse) i used to think it was "vallina" and it was just misspelled on some ice cream. i was waaay too old when i learned how to really say it.

blog love

2010-10-04T15:40:00.001-07:00

found this blog and now i can't get enough....

mila's

enjoy!

baby hippos

2010-09-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

i don't know if i would have said this before i was pregnant, but i don't think i would have seen all of these adorable hippos on etsy had i not been pregnant. hippos are so big and clumsy looking, much like i am hoping this baby to look like :) baby wooten may be in need of a few of these things in her nusery

teething toy

via

burp cloth

via

she's engaged

2010-09-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

when we were wee ones, i used to have two pacifiers with me at all times. one for me, and one in case she cried. later i used to threaten to rip off her bear, spotty, arms off. as we grew up we fought, we hit, we yelled, we talked, we cried, we shared our hearts, and we came to know of His love around the same time. she came to baylor where we learned even more about our sin and His saving grace. we would share in moments often that only a sister can understand. when my world was falling apart she was there to walk through it with me....

and now she is getting married.

married.

he is her soulmate.

and i could not be more happy for her.

congrats veronica and jim! what a joyous time this is.

i love you both dearly :)

btw

2010-09-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

we had the whole fam over to find out the gender of our baby. i had intended it to be just a surprise factor for me (totally selfishly) but as it turns out it was a really special moment to get to share it with everyone :)

the cake says baby wooten. funny aside... i know i'm not the only one who has thought of this...the lady who did the sonogram was totally familiar with what we were doing. despite this when i tried to explain to the bakery what we were trying to do and that i didn't want to know what the cake was--you would have thought i was speaking a different language. i was just thankful we had the doctor write on two envelopes in case they got it wrong...

so in conclusion...

ITS A GIRL!!!!

we are still a little up in the air about girl names...i am about 90 % set on one...just can't commit yet

my sister is a graphic designer and just started a blog. she played with a few of the names we are thinking about that you can check out here

--still don't have Internet at home...this is almost month number 2...hopefully at&t will get their act together quickly...

baby bump

2010-09-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

alright here its is...the baby bump pic! i was actually around 18 weeks here. i don't know how to pose for this so my sweet hubby took quite a few :/

i am currently 20 weeks, and am aiming to be better about picture taking/blogposting it...

on another note i went to a little maternity store that was recommended to me by a friend, and i have a couple of reactions... WHAT! first of all, the options that were all there were all so terrible. i am talking pentecostal here. course i am totally over exaggerating, but my thoughts are i already have a huge belly can i at least look cute with it? or as normal as possible? then those prices?! holy moly...

so i went to one of my more random stops at the mall. JC Pennys. i was getting a little anxious here, we are leaving for chicago this week and with a little cooler weather i needed something to fit over this belly. um wow! first of all they were having a huge sale which was perfect! i got two pairs of jeans and a pair of black cropped pants for $55. i was so happy i could have jumped up and clicked my heels together :)

summer photo dump

2010-08-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

sooooo this last break in between posts was not quite intentional...we moved at the beginning of august and are still without Internet at the casa. its been a little ridiculous and i just haven't made the time to sit somewhere and blog... but i promise it won't happen for quite as long again :)

here is a summary of what has been going on this summer....lots of greatness

many nights cooking out with the family. the moment it get to be remotely warm, is the moment my dad wants to grill out

she likes her steak

a few summer concerts of our friends....

friends (note this was the day before we found out we were expecting :) )

fredricksburg

puerto rico

this is also the beginning of which my clothes started to fit less and less...so you may see a repeat of the same shorts in many pics...i was not interested in purchasing anything maternity until i was at 5 months (which is now)

visiting the sister in austin

its been such a wonderful time...i have more to share but that will come soon, promise!

ah friday

2010-07-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

finally. this week could not have moved any slower, i was running around town like a chicken with its head cut off. although the craziness of this week is all worth it now as all the things on my to do list for work are completed.

now all i have planned for this weekend is relaxing and packing. that's right packing. b/c my sweet hubby has surprised me with a wonderful little vacation for our anniversary. in a couple of days we will be walking the streets here...

puerto rico!!!!!!!!!

arguably my favorite place on earth. rich with history, beaches, beauty, culture and lets be honest, my family. there is so much to puerto rico i don't even know where to begin, but if you haven't been there, it needs to be a must for your next tropical destination.

it is going to be the best 5 days. i am thrilled beyond words!

then we get back to reality. where by looking at this cartoon you may gather what we will be returning to. two days after we come back, we will be packing up the rest of our stuff to move it to our new little house!

{now just to clarify here, my husband is NO wimp. he is all p90x muscles and then some, promise.} this is just how i feel, large and not super helpful. i know tough, i have to miss out lifting anything heavy or large...i somehow will manage.

we are excited though, it makes it feel a little more real when we can actually see the room the baby will be sleeping in! not to worry i fully intend to capture all of these happenings moment by moment :) hope your weekend is great!

I'm back!

2010-07-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

so its been almost 3 months. yes 3. i'm sorry. i had give or take 3 months of sheer un-inspiration. literally could not think or find any energy to do anything. and after 3 months i guess i owe at least a little explanation...

WE ARE PREGNANT!

i must admit that on top of going through the first trimester, there was an element of having to wait some of it out until i informed my boss lady. which actually occurred yesterday...so cats out of the bag and i can finally day dream a little here....

via

also if you have a moment you must congratulate my wonderful sister in law, beth, who is also expecting!!! i know how fun is that?!?!

still here

2010-05-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

via

hello friends...yes i am still alive. i apologize i have been totally MIA for sometime. mucho going on here in this wooten world. we went out of town, for a few days, check out the evidence over at beth's. starting my new job, deciding to move {to another casa here in fort worth} and just not feeling too hot has left this poor little blog here very neglected. I promise to return shortly with fun things that are going on in the between. in the meantime enjoy this cute little chart :)

build your own dream home

2010-05-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

boy was i honored when Nikki, at Que sera sera! tagged me in a "build your own dream home." so basically i just unloaded my inspiration folder in the blog post. i have to say this post will be long...but its full of beautiful pictures so if you can hang with me, i can promise it will be worth it :)

but before i get to that i want to go ahead and tag a few favs..

beth at everyday attic
maggie at The Walton's

enjoy!

"my dream home" may have many faces...

enter and feist your eyes on my beautiful wall paper and my chevron/herringbone floor

or you can just stare at your reflection at my spotless wood floors

you can kick back and relax, only do so gently with my glass table in front

i think i could sit in my living area all day...

did you not find anything on tv in my living area? not a problem, think of a book title, any book title...i have here in my library

let me get you something to eat. have you seen how big my refrigerator is? its unlike any other and works magic on food. this way it keeps food for weeks!

i have to have two islands, one ofr the kids to sit at and another for the food prep

i love white dishes...and all of this blue

lilies

and you can choose any one of my dining areas to sit and enjoy some delicious food

tired after a looooooooong day of work at your new job? i am. i think i'll take a long relaxing bath in my luxurious bath tub

and pluck my eyebrows here, ahhh, so relaxing just thinking about it

our glamorous bedroom

do you see the pom poms i made for out nursery? i have always said we wanted to have lots of kids and this house a rooms for all of them.

oh we also have some older children, this is my little girls room

and my little boys room

and this is their playroom...love those colors

one of our guest bedrooms, its the 7th door on the right...not the 2nd {can you guess what movie that's from??}

my office

lets go outside and get some vitamin D

thanks so much for visiting, i promised it would be long but delightful!

awe

2010-05-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

i'm in awe of the last find i have made. i have been searching for something such as this since before we were married. today was my lucky lucky day!

look even sophie is admiring. its the perfect mirrored coffee table. now before you think i went to a normal furniture place and stumbled across this, please remember who is writing. its not that i am opposed to furniture stores, its just that with our budget i try not to go into them. it would just be frustrating. so this gem was believe it or not found in a thrift store. yes that's right a thrift store.

enter MIL, kitty... i have to give her many thanks as she has heard me talk about mirrored furniture forever. so she had told me that she would purchase it for me :)

now remember these frames?

and these plates?

well i have been at a loss of how to make them work. they have both made their way around the whole apt many many times...

so when kitty helped me get the table up our three flights of stairs, i took advantage of her. and together we created this...

now i sit here in awe of it all

and scene

2010-05-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

mother's day dinner with all of my family in fort worth. wootens/williams united.

may have been my most favorite dinner

{also my knees are bent some, i maybe short but not that short}

dia de las madres

2010-05-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!!

Hope you get to enjoy your family some this weekend! i can't wait for it :) May is the quadruple threat month for my family..mom's birthday, mother's day, dad's birthday and their anniversary... {27 years!} not to mention my dad is returning from six weeks in Germany. lets just say this weekend is going to be filled with williams' craziness, a.m.a.z.i.n.g!

gourmet

2010-05-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

i've mentioned before i'm not the most experienced cooker... i'm always looking for more recipes/easy approaches to cooking. not to mention our little budget we are on, i don't want to burn through all of our food on one meal. :/

enter broke ass gourmet, {pardon the language, if it wasn't the name of the blog, it wouldn't be said...and trust me its a great blog so just overlook the name}

now all of their recipes are created within a $20 budget...did you hear that? $20 for meals that serve 4-6 people! they also recommend inexpensive wines, beers and cocktails....total greatness

i mean just look at these pictures....yummy!

grilled corn with jalapeno-lime butter

sweet potato-chicken mole

black bean turkey chili

clothes to consider

2010-05-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

ah j. crew you have done it again....now will you just open a store closer to me so i can enjoy you with out a screen between us?

can you tell i'm on a shorts kick?

now if only my legs could grow a few more inches so that these don't look like board shorts on me?

that feeling

2010-05-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

gold + the color yellow = a happy moment

this image cheers me up a bit after a rough morning...wanna hear about it?

you know that feeling? the feeling in the pit of your stomach where you are asking yourself, is this really happening to me? please God, wake me up now!? like when you are in 8th grade on a canoe trip down the rio grande when mother nature comes to visit you. and you have to convince your lunch lady {who is a chaperon on the school trip} in front of all the boys in school that really its not a bad cut and that all you have to do is get back on the bus.

or when you trip on some stairs on campus in front of all the burly athletes, and your bag somehow swings over your head spilling all of your books and smacking you in the face giving you a black eye.

well all of the above is true for me so why the events that occurred this morning were any surprise to me, i don't know...

that feeling came... you know the one when you are leaving your job {i am only switching to a different company that has better opportunities for me, still doing the same thing} you have put in your resignation and you are coming to the office for an informal exit interview. this is your chance to stick it to your boss and tell her all your frustrations. well you get the courage to share some of those and leave feeling pretty high and mighty, when the Lord brings you a big slice of humble pie. you go to start your car and the battery is dead. that's. right. dead. oh yes you are now stuck in the parking lot waiting for AAA while your boss sees you in her office with quite the grin on her face. unbelievable right? that's that awful feeling.

so that has been my monday so far, hope yours is going much much better :)

small, cool

2010-04-28T11:31:00.001-07:00

in case you haven't already seen the small, cool 2010, contest going on over at apartment therapy...you must. as apartment dwellers ourselves, i enjoy seeing what unique things people do in these small, limited spaces.

this one below was one of my favs of them all, but there are many other great ones.

the bedroom is what had me at hello. although i say it once i'll say it again, i love that wicker lamp, but how do people sleep with out a fan? maybe the husband and i are just hot sleepers. anyway, the color is great. middle of the road, a sense of masculine but not too much....and did we notice the doggy beds under that bench?

i don't know if i could "live" in this much blue and black...but i like

here was the other selling point for me...the red cabinets are just perfect for this tiny kitchen

go check out more of the lovely little places here

sweet

2010-04-23T22:09:00.000-07:00

"Guard well within yourself that treasure:

kindness.

Know how to give without hesitation,

how to lose without regrets,

how to acquire without meanness."

-George Sand

next on our queue

2010-04-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

via

and you can watch it instantly...done and done!

sleepy

2010-04-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

via

i think in a room such as this i could wake up and dive into a wonderful book or blog, enjoying the beautiful weather that is today. aren't those calla lilies amazing?!

brooklyn rehab

2010-04-21T11:07:00.001-07:00

she is a fashion designer by day and a crafter of things precious, vintage and beautiful by night...she is the artist behind brooklyn rehab on etsy

"have a seat," necklace, oh so cute!

i typically don't like rhinoceroses, but this is just darling!

i mean anything white porcelain, i mean i can't get enough of it!

she also has a blog that is just as great

SBTB

2010-04-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

via

a chart made based on the classic and my most favorite tv show....saved by the bell. the one where jesse spano is under so much pressure between the music video she is recording and her geometry test and getting into Stanford that she becomes addicted to caffeine pills, ah a classic. isn't this awesome?

to this day it stands to be that the best compliment i have ever received was given by my dear friend when i first met her our freshman year of college. she said i reminded her of "kelley from saved by the bell." i know, i died :)

chanel

2010-04-18T13:48:00.001-07:00

Coco Chanel, i mean how much more glamorous of name can a movie get? we watched this movie this weekend and its remarkable. the style alone is impeccable. i was not familiar with her story prior to her successful career and its is such a beautiful one. not to mention a story of passion lived through such class and elegance.

its a little long, i watched it with clay, and well there are some chick flicks that he is totally game for and there are others that i feel bad b/c its just too much. but he was a sweetheart and even found some parts he could appreciate...oh also its almost entirely composed of french actors which i found refreshing as far as french accents go...

the actress that plays Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, is phenomenal...you have to check it out!

"Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance."- Coco Chanel

am not my own

2010-04-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

sandra mccracken, is one of my favorite artists. she not only has a lovely voice, but a lovely heart that is can be heard through her music. sandra's newest album contains many old hymns that she has redone to newer music. her husband, derek webb, sings with her on some of the tracks. its going to be amazing!!! i am dying to get it... you can listen to a sample of it here, and go and purchase it on april 27

this evening

2010-04-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

tonight clay is in dallas with class and a softball game...what am i gonna do??

i may have an idea..,

1. read Lonny, can't believe its been out for almost three days and i still haven't given it a thorough look

2. take a long bath

3. read elle, b/c yes even though i do not like grey's anatomy anymore...i still love ellen pompeo

4. last but most def not least....

LOST!!

who knows i'm sure i'll add some wine to that list too ;)

feeling the blue, bonnets that is

2010-04-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

its tuesday and it has already been a long week at work. i need a summer break. boo reality and being a grown up, working. but ok, since a summer break is not in the works for me i'll take a vaca. i am so thankful we are going on one with the wooten clan, soon, to go here--

look at those texas blue bonnets...my mother in law took these pictures on their latest trip to the lovely fredricksburg tx. can.not.wait.

now that's a horse of a diffferent color

2010-04-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

found these precious images at this cute etsy shop called Penny Wishes
they would be darling in a nursery or really anywhere around a house.

of course she has an owl, i think we are destined to be friends! or at least she can provide me with some artwork for our home sometime :)

3.

and the reason for the title of this post. i saw this and could not resist. i love the wizard of oz. minus the flying monkey debacle, i could have watched it a million times over as a child. unfortunately, i always needed someone there to be with me to fast forward or to embrace during those scenes :/

happy friday!

coincidence?

2010-04-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

caitlin, at caitlin creer just posted about a something that she is working on and featured these pillows. i think they are just delightful. and remind me of something....

the napkins i mentioned in this post.....i think i will have to create the same pillows. i can't wait to see what more she has to show!

2010-04-07T20:23:00.001-07:00

since warmer weather has finally come about and with summer nearing, i couldn't resist in checking out some beautiful welcoming the warm weather shoes. now if only i can get a pedicure before i sport these shoes...

1.
2.
i love some heels. or wedges whatev you want to call them...if i could i wold wear them everyday

but realistically this is something i will wear everyday....

and low rise boots, you better believe i'll be sporting something along these lines this summer. with a cute pair of shorts...ah yes, i can hardly wait...

anyone want to help me achieve my fashionista dreams?

:)

images 1, 2, 3 via

images 4, 5 via

pretty pages

2010-04-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

i was out shopping with my friend this weekend and stumbled across this book. the images are so lovely. the ideas they recommend are totally doable and look really good. check it out here

nests and flowers

2010-04-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

when i saw this image on apartment therapy...my heart skipped a beat...sunlight, white, flowers, lots of color? what more do you need?

via

i had to see more. so i went to tamar's website Nest Decorating, and found these beauties. how about that light blue slip cover on that chair? all of it is so girly and frilly, with so many patterns. this is white done in away that looks totally livable

this lady does her flowers and i like it

not only is she super great at "nesting" in her own home, she has quite the eye for her creations, especially jewelry. its all unique and darling with that vintage look

check out her etsy shop here

all images found at Nest Decorating

sweet sweetness

2010-03-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

this was in my inspiration folder {so i do not know where its from} i think its precious. perfect for a {long time in the future} nursery. only i thought it was so darling so i wanted to share it....check out one of the sweetest recipes i have ever heard or read on Fly Through Our Window

*huge thanks to kristen for helping site this picture, its from this beautiful nursery

green

2010-03-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Caitlin Creer has talked about her color of choice is green. She has recently posted some pretty little things that she has helped in designing that have totally inspired me to bring some more green around these here parts. specifically this kind of graphic green.

via

via

this last image was the one that i was super excited about. she had that green little pillow available online for purchase, only it was around $50....and well i just don't have kind of money, at least not while we are on the plan...

{despite i think against our dinner table they look a little brown, i promise that they are green} and then i stumbled across these at of all places, stein mart! they are napkins that were a little less than $2 each. i went ahead and got four of them. so back up plan if i don't want to make them into pillows we can just have great napkins :)

and then i came across this.....
maybe some chairs too....

sew fun!

2010-03-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

oh my goodness yes i was just that cheesy for the title of this, but i am just so excited about how these pillows turned out! i found this material at a thrift store for $2. so my thoughts were to have a sewing lesson for some potential pillow covers...enter talented mother in law. she sewed them up and also gave me sewing 101 as well.

and for reals i am so happy with the results! only my mother in law may not have realized the door she opened b/c now i can't stop thinking of more sewing projects

sic'em

2010-03-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

i have to give a shout out to my Alma Mater who has made it to the sweet 16 here in march madness for the first time ever!! i mean like ever in the history of march madness/probably the farthest we have ever gone in a tournament. so in honor...

HHHHEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

SIC'EM BEARS!!!!

flowers

2010-03-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

recently Little Green Notebook did a post about flowers on fabric. thinking along those lines accompaning this longing for spring i did a floral painting search on etsy...

here

i know that there has to be a name for what i am about to descibe, {so someone who knows please enlighten me} but i really like it when paintings have texture

here

i think this is my favorite

inspirational workspace

2010-03-22T20:30:00.001-07:00

my mother in law is super duper talented. i don't mean that in a " i know that she reads this blog" kinda way, i mean that in a professional interior designer kinda way. she has phenomenal taste and such an eye for detail. so when she finished decorating her office/workspace i had to share just a glimpse of her talent. to me this is the most perfect room ever,{that's right the most perfect, i know not the best grammar, but you get the point, right?} i feel like the creativity just flows from a room like this.

here is the wall to your right as you first walk in. i love wall galleries like this. and how the tv almost blends in with the art work. also, don't mind the sweet pup in it, i'll introduce him momentarily...

here is another shot if this wall. i mentioned that my mother in law was an interior designer, right? well she is also quite the artist, as you can see her easel up. {please note that i did not claim to be a photographer, these were taken out of excitement that she didn't mind me sharing her home...}

this is the opposite wall where her desk sits. the open shelves look so pretty and all looks so organized, another characteristic that i envy. wait till i show you more of her organization abilities...do you see that quilt up in that basket? yes she made it. i was over at her place so she could teach me how to sew. so what does the list look like now, designer, artist, sewer??? what can she not do you ask? i'll let you know as soon as i do... :)

here is a better view of her actual desk.

and all of her beautiful accessories...awesome. that framed note, is titled "i would pick more daises," i'm pretty sure she doesn't know but it has been up in her house for awhile and it's one of my favorites. i used to read it all the time. its basically about taking life a little slower and less serious.

more pretty accessories

and here is our darling pup, bo. don't let this picture fool you, as he is the most smiley, friendly, and loving puppy i have ever met. i believe this is his throne. or maybe the corner right behind it, but that's just when he gets tired of entertaining.

now here is some serious organization. this is such a unique and beautiful piece of furniture. unfortunately i didn't get better pictures of the labels but anything and everything you can imagine, crafty, you can find them in these drawers.

you have to forgive me as i do not know what animal this but i do like me the print.

and one of my favorite features, a mini refrigerators. {and a coffee maker, for those of you who drink coffee can appreciate this} what brilliance. other than coming out to see my husband, i don't think i could ever leave this room. e.v.e.r.

burlap curtains?? perfection. providing light, softness and texture....pretty great wow factor.

thanks so much kitty for letting me post these pictures of beauty :)

spring has sprung

2010-03-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

i am so happy about warmer weather, the sun, flowers in bloom...everything about it. i was looking through this website and so loved all of their ideas to welcome spring i had to share. esp since i will be doing all of these things..

fresh flowers

and/or some greenery will invade my house for real bringing the outside in :)

tea party

oh man, this sounds like the most delightful event. for no reason, except for bringing in spring. i will for sure do it. besides we got a pretty tea set for our wedding and i haven't gotten enough use of it.

a fresh coat of paint

now this may not go over well in our apt, but some paint on our furniture, absolutely!

back to the barbecue

sweet clay. he got a grill for our wedding, but we needed a dryer. so he gave it up so we could have clean clothes. but i promised him as soon as we could we would get him a grill. so maybe we can enjoy a barbecue elsewhere, just not home cooked.

Let the air in

oh with the sun shining the way it has been, all blinds and curtains will for sure be pulled back

get organized

most definitely. this apt could use some serious organization.

terrific turquoise

adding a touch of turquoise, i would love to set my table with a little tory burch action to my table

lighten up linens

taking out some of the blankets for sure, but gotta keep some. i'm pretty much cold all of the time.

tend to your garden

in other words, maybe start my own garden? don't have to tell me twice...i have been wanting an herb garden

decorate eggs

oh my goodness we are totally going to do this, if not with clay, maybe at my tea party?? ok!

mirror image

2010-03-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

i was flipping around flickr, and found these mirror images. i believe that the gentleman was showing these mirrors for the purposes of selling them, only i thought they were too pretty not to share

all the mirrors are reflecting such pretty images of furniture and scenes from a home. i would love to know enough photography to produce something like this. or really new anything about photography at all...

all images found here

parable

2010-03-10T16:41:00.000-08:00

my friend lisa has a beautiful blog, where she recently was inspired to write some parables for her son Liam to read when he is older. I read this one and asked her if i could share it i just thuoght it was so beautiful, thank lisa!

The Pearl of Great Value

There was a merchant kind and wise

Who searched the markets day and night

He combed the aisles in search of jewels

He hunted baubles bug and bright

Until one day, a tiny pearl

Caught the humble merchant's eye

Though soiled the pearl appeared to be

He thought it still a precious find

The vendor spoke to name his price

Despite the jewel's appearance gray

Many wares the pearl would cost

Most could not afford to pay

He drew the bead up to his chest

And whispered softly to his find

"You're lost no longer, fear no more;

For I am yours and you are mine."

That day the merchant traveled home

Devised a plan along the way

Of how he ought to buy the pearl

It mattered not the price to pay

He looked at everything he owned

Smiled, and with no second thought

He sold his goods, his home, his all

And that is how his pearl was bought

What awe shown from the vendor's face

When he received the payment due

For such a filthy, little pearl

He knew not what the merchant knew

For thought it seemed a hefty price

the value of a precious find

Was greater to the merchant, see

Than all that he would leave behind

That night the merchant took the pearl

Squalid by the ocean's earth

And combed the sands to find a spot

To wash it clean beside the firth

Brushing off the grains of sand

He stroked it with such gentle care

Then cleansed it in the ocean's foam

Until the pearl was white and bare

I asked the Lord the other day,

Who is this man? Who can he be?

That he would buy a muddied pearl

For such a lavish costly fee?

He drew the bead up to his chest

And whispered softly, "Don't you see?

You are lost no longer, fear no more

The pearl is you, the Merchant is me."

lovelies

2010-03-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

as one who does not like getting up early in the morning, despite every bone in my body that wants to....its a rarity that my hair is done for work. i usually leave the house with it thrown up into a pony tail. {if i could braid my hair pretty it would be in that too} this being the case the way i try to change it up is wearing different headbands....

these from Heart of Light are so pretty and dainty i can not wait to buy one from her etsy shop or follow some of her tutorials she has..

all images found at Heart of Light

via Great Full Day

looky looky i got hooky

2010-03-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

i never thought i would say this, as i am a lover of all things rainy and cloudy. i love days of gray. however, i think i have had my fill since we have had over a month of it on and off.... rain, cold, snow, rain, clouds... yesterday was a beautiful day....

sun please come pack and stay

*side note--i've been thinking about changing up some things around here. so i did. i hope you like it.

honorable mentions

2010-03-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

i have to say i was pleasantly surprised that avatar did not win as many awards as everyone predicted. i apologize to those that really enjoyed it, i just could not get over some of the lines i heard in the previews. i sorta think if one could spend billions on new visual affects going into the movie, you could have spend another million or so on the screenwriting.

and i enjoyed hurt locker, so that was another bonus. i will be honest, i didn't see many of the movies nominated but when it comes down to it, i care more about the fashion so lets get back to that....

another angle from my favorite dress of the night. the back is so unique. gray and yellow, perfection

this is something i can't imagine what it looked like on the hanger, but this girl pulled it off beautiful. those soft colors, well done.

everything that i am in love with this spring is in this dress. soft pinks, lace and flowers, good choice

this one may have to be my 2nd favorite. everything about it is sensational.

grecian goddess

2010-03-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

so far the Oscars are not quite yet over, however i have already found my most favorite...sjp, she looks gorgeous

via

love the yellow and grey

and all of those bangles

pretty pretty pretty

gone country

2010-03-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

growing up i never liked country. my parents were not from texas, they did not appreciate it either, unlike ALL of my friends growing up. so after sometime, a few of the country classics, namely country of garth brooks, clint black, even pat green {not to be considered as a classic} rubbed off on me.

however as the years have gone by, with the exception of those few i have gone back to my ways of not enjoying country music. when i saw this video i had to share, as it is how i feel about country music too.

blues

{still don't know how to add a video.}

found via here

hipsters

2010-03-03T21:39:00.000-08:00

please go look at this blog, its super clever and fun to flip through

Unhappy Hipsters

"Rosebud's patience wore thin. Was the door opened or closed? She refused to suffer the humiliation of guessing."

from Dwell, February 2010

via Unhappy Hipsters

tory burch at home

2010-02-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

after my post on tory burch's fashion week , my sweet sister in law beth sent me this from Habitually Chic, it is tory burch's home. which is just as fabulous as her clothes and accessories. go look at it! do it do it do it

this is a place setting she did for House Beautiful

makes me want to have people over and celebrate spring.

U-S-A

2010-02-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

did you enjoy the Olympics? we could not get enough here! how great was eric lysacek? and his vera wang costumes? lindsey vonn and the injured shin, falling, broken finger? bodi miller? shani davis? apollo ohno? 7 medals? i mean the list goes on, but gah, the olympics were amazing! i have to admit its also why there has been a lagging in the posting here. most of my time has been spent watching or catching up on what was going on in Vancouver.

i have to make a huge thank you to my wonderful father in law. he went to Vancouver and saw some of these incredible athletes and enjoyed the splendor that is the Olympics..and he thought of me!

he brought me back this wonderful pin

and he scoured the stores to find this shirt, how awesome is it?

i am going to miss all of the excitement the Olympics brought, but here is to summer 2010 in London!

lovely

2010-02-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

do you like it?

i think it's quite lovely

via

milk glass

2010-02-21T18:18:00.000-08:00

i really like milk glass... here is a flickr round up of some pretty images of all sorts of milk glass

via

via

this one is totally my fav

angela martin

2010-02-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

in a haze of not really being able to sleep recently and with no cable at our apt i have been spending many nights watching office reruns on netflix. i have seen way too many episodes and reference them far too often. recently, i was noticing angela's outfits and although she describes herself as "shopping in children's departments" and "ordering large American girl doll clothes," i kinda like them...

did you know that she went to baylor? she was also a chi-o there. yes yes it may be lame to mention, but its pretty exciting. baylor doesn't have too many stories like that.

i wouldn't be opposed to roast my boss either...

if only i worked in some sort of job where scrubs or sweats were not the the attire. don't hear me complaining here, there are so many perks, but it wouldn't be too bad to get to dress up in regular clothes. only, as long as i am sitting and crawling on floors there is no chance of real clothes.

did you know she was pregnant while filming? i came across this picture and was shocked

she may have a heart of stone as her character but i can at least enjoy most of her outfits.

tory burch at fashion week 2010

2010-02-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

although i am anxiously awaiting for spring to get here, with all of the pictures from fashion week i couldn't help but check out many of the fashion lines for fall of 2010. there were many many beautiful clothes all over the place. can you imagine being there and seeing all these things in person??? no way! however if i had the choice to be in new york during fashion week or be in Vancouver for the Olympics i would definitely choose Olympics. i digress, tory burch's line was full of so many incredible things. all with a touch of very blue and neon orange. i for sure prefer it over many of the models in black lipstick...here are a few of them...

definitely love the red

i am totally into those headbands, and those blue tights in the background

how about those boots?!

this is often how most pants fit me, not models

so i think its safe to say that sequins, feathers, hoodies, headbands, studs, layering, belts and boots are all great investments/perfect choices for this fall. {so maybe go buy some when they go on sale before the spring :)}

tory burch

re-newed love

2010-02-14T21:36:00.000-08:00

when i was in middle school, kate spade was the it thing to carry. it was the most exciting thing to get for your birthday or christmas. they were so much loved that it was easy to find {me included} some kade spates around. but after some time i totally checked out of kate spade. it had become a little boring. {sorry to anyone who has been a forever fan}

well kate is anything but boring now!! look at all these beautiful images of their advertising and their new spring line

love the balloons

love the books

love the hats

if i had to get a purse from her spring collection, this could be the one

or this one....

these shirts are just so fun

i could totally go for these shorts with those shoes

this outfit is so yummmmmm, i love me some pink tights

kate spade

valentine's

2010-02-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

hope everyone has a wonderful, warm, happy, loving valentine's day!

love it

2010-02-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

look at these pretty graphics... i want to print them out and frame them

and just for valentine's

for my love

via cup of jo

at stephanie massa-bidal

vintage

2010-02-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

bryn over at bryn alexandra has mentioned these vintage prints before on her blog, but most recently she used them to decorate a guest bedroom. she did a lovely job if you want to read about it more here

so i just had to go and check them out and these are some of the pretty red beauties i found

color

2010-02-05T14:35:00.001-08:00

i love the way neutrals look. i love textures and earthy tones coming together. blue, gray and white hues are all so pretty and calming. i truly can't get enough of it. in reality however, my eyes and lifestyle do not really accommodate to such combinations. my eyes are always drawn to reds, yellows, even orange. besides, i can't keep things like that looking clean, not with a black haired shedder of a pup, and not with my uncanny ability to spill things.

so when i stumbled across these images at Great Full Day i had to see more...and that is when i went to Canadian House and Home to see more like minded, for my need of color decor....

this is greatness. i love all of the patterns. i love the orange. the lamps. the chandelier {only how do all these people who have pretty light fixtures sleep at night with no fan? i guess this is canada, but please in texas, i need a fan!}. and the white sheets. i love that all of it compliments white as the color that brings it all together.

i think more often than not when i think about painting something my got to color is black. it just always looks so good, and its easy. this blue with it is no exception. not too mention that graphic screen there. maybe i could use that as inspiration to make one of these.

i think this is the other side of that bedroom above... again with some pretty.

what a pretty green corner! pretty and family friendly

this would be one of those cool modern neutral with a pop of color. i approve. its also bamboo, just for beth.

this maybe supposed to be a child's desk, however i'll take it. that map.

now in my heart i really would like to try to paint something this bold. i get nervous that i would get tired of it, but i mean what's paint? not biggie right? i also like seeing such a dark and leather couch be in contrast with much frilly pillows. inspires me do it too
.

this is prob my favorite of them all. from the blue screen, to the black and white pillows/duvet, to the red rug, those lamps, the yellow pillows, the yellow flowers, the yellow throw, and that precious black and white jacket hanging {which in my humble opinion makes the room} all of it is so awesome!

happy happy list

2010-02-04T18:59:00.000-08:00

i am enjoying right now...

-this image, pretty symmetry

-even though its a bit crummy, some chocolate marble banana bread with peanut butter streusel... with a recipe found at the city sage

-new episode of the office

-husband home finally after a very long day in dallas for class

-looking at baby things online for my friends shower next week

-a puppy who is nudging my hand as i type because she wants some attention

-seeing all of my clients today, all of whom were in good spirits, minus one bloody nose--but no day is perfect

-thinking about tomorrow being friday

-thinking about cleaning this crazy apt, since it has been in total neglect all week

i think this is a perfect evening...maybe add some wine...there done!

9 days!

2010-02-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

can you believe its almost here? i am so excited!!!! there are many days i am thankful we finally have tv, {after 9 months of none} but here in 9 days or so i would have been living at other people's houses trying to get my fill. i also wish i had dvr, so i could watch to my hearts content...

can not wait for figure skating, free style skiing, curling {that's right, all of it!} ski jumping, speed skating, bobsleigh {cool runnings anyone? random story, when clay and i were at the airport, on our way to out honeymoon, we saw the Jamaican track team on their way to japan for the summer Olympics...we couldn't stop quoting} luge, snowboarding, alpine skiing.....its gonna be great! i just hope there is enough snow for everything

did i mention my father in law is going? my plan is to stuff myself in one of his bags....