Girls

This weekend is going to be both blog post-less AND full of awesomeness since my
Mom & sisters are flying in town to throw me a baby shower (aren't they just the best?) And since the England taxi to/from the airport begins in about an hour and I still have mucho cleaning to do I only have time to leave you a quick video. It's about girls being able to the world, which I thought was fitting since it's going to basically be an all-girls weekend. And I don't know why but I kinda just love it. Especially the lion just chillin' there in the first part.

PS - I promise to post pictures of all the festivities next week.

Shark Week

I've never been a huge fan of sharks. In fact, I am really quite terrified of them. But I am not terrified of cupcakes. Especially cute ones with a shark fin sticking out. And although taste-wise these weren't the best I've ever done - I mean...it's a white cupcake with strawberry filling & buttercream frosting - they were still fun to make. And don't worry, I made sure to watch a few nights of Shark Week with the hubby to adequately prepare myself for living in LA where the chance of a shark attack is slim, but still a chance. And seeing how my hubby loves to surf AND there was a recent Great White attack in Malibu where he's planning on surfing, it was a great. My nerves are now officially on overdrive.

PS - Don't mind the messy pic of when I cut it open, I used a sharp knife and everything but that sucker didn't want to work with me.

 

I used a white cupcake mix with 1c sour cream added  to the batter. Then I baked them as usual, cooled them completely and then cut out the center with an apple corer and filled it with strawberry preserves for the "blood". I added blue food coloring to this recipe for the frosting since I love how stiff it is without sacrificing taste, but cut it in half since it makes a ton. For the fins, I used black cardstock and this technique to get the right fin angle. Since I'm no artist I was super stoked I didn't need to free hand those suckers. 

Pinstrostiy

"pin·stros·i·ty \pin-ˈsträ-sə-tē\: a pin of great and often frightening size, force, or complexity."

 

    The Original}                                     {The Pinstosity}

So I've had my fair share of "oh that looks so easy, I'm going to do it and it'll look better!" moments while trying things out from Pinterest - (I'm sure you all remember my 4th of July cake & fruit flag platter). Well most of my other failures I choose not to share....because...well.....I'm embarrassed. And secretly I hope you all think I'm a rockstar 99% of the time....not 50%. But it turns out I'm not alone. Phew. And this little site not only makes me feel better about my "pinstrosities" but also kept me giggling for the better part of half an hour. Mostly because I've been there more times than I'll ever admit. Enjoy!

This baby has already taken over my life

 

{Fabric "swatches"}

{The method to control the madness}

So it seems I must always make things 1000% harder than they need to be. What do normal people do when they want to decorate their baby room? Go to the store and pick out bedding they like, then build around it. Or they buy all the coordinating crap at the store. What do I do? Come up with an idea I can't let go of that (and I quote....myself) "should be easy" and then drive myself mad trying to accomplish what is realistically a very hard idea. Awhile ago I came up with the idea of Orange Seeds nursery theme being various textures/patterns of orange and grey. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. I swear I've been to every fabric store in the state and couldn't find any modern prints. Also, I am a novice at pattern mixing. Probably not smart to attempt it on a large scale. Then I entered the vortex that is online fabric shopping. And I found way TOO much. If you follow me on Pinterest you're probably sick of seeing all my little fabric swatches being pinned. 69 different fabric swatches to choose from to be exact. I tried organizing them on my OneNote (which is an awesome program btw), but I just couldn't visualize it how I needed in order for my brain to accept it. I still felt overwhelmed. I've learned that for me, some things need to be done hands on. So I printed all the fabric swatches out and cut them into little squares. Then I wrote the online company on the back so I could make sure I wasn't buying just one piece of fabric from five different companies and paying five different shipping fees. Cuz that's just nonsense. Then I started taping the swatches I was sure of on paper under the correct category so I could begin to see how everything would come together. Then I roped my hubby into the madness. Lucky him. But he was super duper helpful. Mostly just reiterating what I thought and making decisions since I hate making decisions and this is like 20 different decisions all at once. Not good for my nerves. Anyway. The most frustrating part of this whole ordeal has been picking a fabric and being stoked about how it comes together with everything else and then finding out it is no longer available. Imagine me hitting my head against the table. BUT I am happy to say that by the end of the day today my fabric will (hopefully) be ordered and there will be no turning back. And then my poor mother will have about 10 different projects to sew when she comes to visit next week and I will have my sanity back. Until the next decision about the baby comes along. Most likely tomorrow.

Some random thoughts and a funny from Pinterest

{Pinned here}

• Orange Seed is officially in the correct head down position (wahoo!) But this means I must consciously remind myself not to waddle. Caught THAT beautiful image on my way into the store yesterday. I'm pretty sure I let out an audible "oh crap". Hello, most awkward phase of pregnancy, thanks for stopping by. You can be on your way now. okthanks.
• The Dr. (who we are SO sad to leave because she's pretty much the best ever) also told us where his feet and little bum are. Which means that whenever something usually starts to push out I now know it is his bum. It's like he's saying "Look at my bum mom!" That Orange Seed is kinda cute.
• Turns out I'm measuring exactly at 29 weeks today, which is exactly where I'm supposed to be. So I'm going to try to stop worrying when people tell me I look so small. Wish me luck, knowing me I'll worry anyway.
• Does anyone else quote Princess Bride and Friends on a daily basis? Just me? Crap.
• I'm wondering if the overly sappyness will go away after Orange Seed is born. Or if it will just get worse. Because I swear more movie trailers/commercials make me cry than usual.
• There was this super awkward moment a few weeks ago when my hubby and I went to lunch with his dad and a couple co-workers to a Mexican restaurant and the waitress thought I ordered a plain (as in no sauce or anything) enchilada, when really I asked for a plain quesadilla. What was more awkward was actually pretending that's what I ordered. Yes, I'd like a rolled corn tortilla with cheese in it. Thank you.
• My Camelbak water bottle with a straw/bit valve is the best thing ever. It's like an adult appropriate sippy cup. 
• Dancing in my bedroom to Britney Spears is becoming way less attractive now that I've got a big ol' belly bouncing around. Good thing no one is around because that is a sight I wouldn't even want my hubby to see.
• I recently found a note I kept from my favorite teacher in HS who defined me as: "Lauraology: The busy study of nothing and everything." Though I'm still not sure whether this is description is a positive one.
• If you're in Utah or Scottsdale, AZ, you've gotta check out Sweet Tooth Fairy. For a girl who bakes, I'm usually a pretty harsh critic of bakeries and this one takes the cake (pun intended). My favorites are the Red Velvet & Strawberry Shortcake. Although the Chocolate w/Salted Caramel frosting can rock your world too.
• My belly is now the perfect size for resting things. Like a bowl of Captain Crunch. 

Say goodbye to this balcony

{Skirt: N. Rack; Sandals: Ross (3 yrs ago); Hat: Target 2011; Tshirt: F21; Necklace: Thrifted}

Because the hubby and I are leaving Utah's cold winters for sunnier ones in LA!!!!!! Woo hoo!!! You see, that's where we met, fell in love, got married and it's only fitting that's where we'll have little Orange Seed. Utah was only meant to be a quick stint and we've been here for three years. For a girl who does not like the cold one teeny bit, it's been a bit rough. And my hubby is an amazing screen writer so LA is really where he needs to be. But that means a few crazy things will be going down before we get settled into routines of warm walks on the beach with our babe. 

First - Within a week of my family flying into town for my baby shower (you guys are awesome, btw) we're moving out of our apartment and into the hubby's dad's warehouse. Uh huh - you heard right. I lived in this nice little bedroom at the back of the office/warehouse for a year straight before marrying my hubby. After we were married he lived there with me for three months before deciding he couldn't take it anymore so we got an apartment. But this time it's only for a month, so we're hoping we can handle it.

Next - We've got to travel down and find an apt in LA. No easy feat, let me tell you. Especially since I know none of them will have a washer/dryer which means its to the laundry mat we go. And most likely it will look real nice and old on the outside. For some reason the 70s "modern" architecture was a big hit in Southern Cali. Oh the price of the sunshine tax.

Then - We move down exactly one month from my due date and hope for the entire 10 hour drive that I don't go into labor. (Don't worry, mom, I'll have mapped out hospitals about an hour from each other the whole way down, and I already have a stellar doctor & hospital secured for when we get there).

Finally - I become a crazy 8-months-pregnant decorating, nesting, painting and unpacking superwoman. Complete with DIY projects for the baby's room. Because I'm just that nuts. And my lucky hubby gets to help with it all. I'm sure he's already looking forward to all the mental breakdowns I'll be having. But I'm pretty certain the house needs to be perfect before we bring Orange Seed home. Otherwise it'll never get done and I'll feel like a failure as a mother. So Orange Seed and I are going to have a serious talk about all this so he doesn't get any crazy ideas to come earlier than I'm ready. And he'll listen because I'm his mama right? Good.

Seriously - wish us luck. And if you're in the LA area, I'd prepare your excuses now or else you might just get roped into all the craziness.

Oh Love

Just another song I'm playing on repeat. Amazing. 

(Pardon the video - I don't know any other way to share a song on a blog and I used to use lala.com, until  Apple bought it and shut it down. So until I find an alternative, YouTube will have to do).

Let's put it to a vote!

Before I begin I need to make a confession: I put this outfit on for the sole purpose of taking pics for the blog. Immediately after I changed into jeggings and a tshirt to clean the house. I know. I'll give you some time. And some pictures.

(Cooper decided to get in my shot)

(So I decided to ignore him)

{Blazer: Target 2011; Boyfriend Jeans: F21; Tshirt: H&M; Mary Janes: N. Rack; Necklace: Thrifted}

Phew. Glad that's over with. Now we can move on to more important matters - like my shoes. So I picked these Mary Janes up last week and it seemed like an easy decision. They were on sale (at Nordstrom Rack, mind you so basically free), and I put them in my cart pretty much immediately. But I've had them at home for the past week and I don't seem excited to wear them. And I don't know why, which is driving me nuts. Do I keep them or do I return them and find something else basically free at the Rack that I'm more antsy to wear???? What's a girl to do?? Well if she has a blog, she asks for a vote. Which I do, so I am.

PS - As a side note, let's all have  moment of silence for these boyfriend jeans that just so happen to be my favorite and will no longer be worn. Turns out pregoness makes even your most comfy loose jeans seem like they're trying to strangle you. 

For a girl who doesn't like chicken, chick-fil-a is becoming a fast favorite

Turns out when you're the 100th customer of the day, your meal is free and you get a flower. And they ring enough cow bells to make Will Ferrell proud. Talk about awesome.

A dance video

Since the last two posts have been fairly word heavy mind dumps, I'm going to keep today's short and sweet. I saw this on a blog I follow and it is SO beautiful. It reminds me why I love to dance. Because there can be something so magical when the right music and the right movement meet. After watching this I made a goal to dance more regularly after Orange Seed is born. And maybe dabble in more than just ballroom. Because ballroom is fun, but contemporary pieces like these can bring you to tears.

EMBRACE from Ashley Rae Pearsall on Vimeo.

The night we found out our lives would change forever

When you're trying for babies you dont want to let yourself hope that a little pee on a stick could tell you something so positive and really mean what you think it means. The day I decided to take the infamous pregnancy test, I nervously waited for the hubby to get home. He's just lucky I waited. But honestly, I didn't want it to come back positive and NOT have him there to share it with. So when I came out of the bathroom with tears in my eyes, I barely said a word and he knew. An excited: "What?!" was shouted, followed by a "No way" before I confirmed what he knew. The test was positive. But then of course neither of us really believed it. It couldn't be true - we wanted it too much, and we had expected it to take much longer to happen. So we read the fine print on the test box and learned of the chance of a false positive and all that. But we took pictures anyway, just in case it really was true. The next day I called around a few doctors to find out how accurate those tests were. And.....I took another one. Positive again. One doctors office told me that they offered a free pregnancy test so I hurried down before they closed and they told me that I was 100% prego. I still questioned the nurse a few dozen more times - "Now are you SURE??" I just couldn't believe the news, it was too good to be true. So I called the hubby and babbled through tears that it really was positive. There was no more doubting that I had a bun in the oven. But, still it was SO hard to believe! I was fortunate enough to be one of the rare exceptions of women who don't have a bit of morning sickness. But that meant I didn't feel any different!! Sure, I was tired but I credited that more to the 6am dance practices and full school load. (Note to future self: Dancing 9-12 hrs a week & going to school full time while coping with the exhaustion and crazy hunger pains that the first trimester brings is crazy. You should not attempt this again. Especially since you can't tell anyone that you're not a pansy, you're just pregnant. Plus all the spinning makes you feel pretty sick.) But when we had our first official dr appt and got to see little Orange Seed for the first time and hear that magical hummingbird-like heartbeat, we both started believing it was actually true. I made a goal to write in a special pregnancy journal weekly with my cravings, stats, emotions, etc. But you know what? I never even finished my first entry. I stink at journals. So I'd like to jot down a few things here that I want to make sure and remember for years to come about this little guy. And maybe (but most likely not) write about them in an actual journal later. Then I promise to show more pictures.

Dear Orange Seed,

• At almost exactly 16 weeks I felt you move right after our dr appt to find out you were a he. It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced and I cried pretty much instantly.
• About around week 25 you decided my right rib was a great spot to hang out. And moving around there tickled enough to make me squeak out a little giggle. Which made your dad (who is pretty much the greatest ever) laugh too.
• About around week 28, that tickling turned into real jabs that I'm sure will just hurt more and more the bigger you get. Also - you've rarely moved from that cozy spot in my right rib. Maybe it was because when you had the tendency to push out REALLY hard - which hurt!- I would push you right back in. You must have learned I can't get you there. Already outsmarting me = not good.
• I knew from the get go you were a boy.
• I learned the hard way what heartburn is and apparently that means you'll have a good head of hair. I'll take the heartburn if you promise to have a cute little 'fro, deal?
• Sometimes when I'm thinking about you I start crying, because I already love you that much. Just remember that when I say no to you jumping off the roof in your superman cape.
• On that note - I'm very nervous that you'll be your father's son. Not because he isn't amazing (he is, btw - you'll love him), but because he was apparently pretty reckless and crazy as a child. Remind me not to let him tell you any of his stories, in case you think they sound like a good idea and you forget that he got hurt in the end.
• One of the most amazing moments was when we saw you in our 2nd or 3rd ultrasound and you were throwing both your hands and feet about, almost like you liked dancing with me every day. That's good, because I'm going to make you dance with me whether you like it or not when you're older. But you can also do whatever YOU want to do, so it's a fair trade off. 
• I still remember you mooning the ultrasound tech at one of our appts. You're definitely your fathers son. And don't worry, we have the picture to prove it to all your girlfriends.
• Just so you know, I hate bugs. So I'd rather you always keep them out of the house when you want to play with them. I will, however, always pretend to like them so you don't get any ideas about terrorizing your poor mother. 
• Cooper will love you instantly - probably too much. You'll get lots of slobbery kisses from that one. But London might take a bit to warm up. Don't worry, once she decides you belong to her, she'll be the best little friend/protector you'll ever have. 
• You decided around week 20 that sweets were the best thing ever and can't seem to get enough. I'm hoping that this doesn't indicate that you have diabetes. It runs in the family, you know. So I'm trying to be careful and I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't crave them so much.
• You also seem to love mangoes. I eat one almost every day. I wonder if you'll like them just as much when you start eating solid food. Oh and you can't get enough of Coke slurpees - proof again that you will be your father's son in more ways than one.
• I'm constantly worried I'm not getting the right amount of nutrition eaten for you. I made a spreadsheet and everything, but it's pretty overwhelming to eat everything they say you're supposed to every single day. Especially since I'm the world's pickiest eater. But just know I'm trying my best.
• Sometimes when you kick, I move my hand to a different spot in on my growing belly and I swear you follow it. Even if this isn't the case, I'm going to believe it is.
• You usually move around a lot whenever we watch an action movie. Which is perfect, because those are my favorite. So even if we don't have bugs, we have action movies.
• You should know that I worry about being your mom every day. Worried that I won't be the mom I want to be. But I will try my darndest, and I'll love you like crazy. So maybe that'll make it all okay.

The Nitty Gritty

I think I'd like to go on record by saying I don't intend this to be a style blog, baking blog, or anything else that could fit into a neat little category. Although, my OCD is having a hard time with that idea. I simply would like this blog to be a snapshot of my life that I can look back on, a little journal of sorts, if you will. Not the intimate details you'd include by starting off "Dear Diary," but since I'm so terribly inept at keeping a regular journal, this will have to do. Just a random record of life and {almost} everything it includes. I'd love to post outfits daily like some of the great geniuses of the blogosphere can do....but to be quite honest I am in sweats more often that not. At least when I'm home. And when I'm not at home most recently I've been wearing a slew of boyfriend tees and shorts, since that's about all that fits and sounds comfortable in this 100 degree heat Utah is bringing on. And that's not very inspiring to anyone, including me. But I also don't want this blog to turn into something that's not real. So I'm trying to shove down the feelings of inadequacy when I reach for the 5th straight tshirt to wear, and I'm making a personal goal not to NOT post something because it's not perfect, or you because you wouldn't see it in a magazine or on any of those famous amazing blogs. BTW - Let me also go on record by saying I LOVE those blogs. They are where I turn to for inspiration and I am usually pinning something from them every. single. day. And they're usually pretty real and whatnot too. I've also found that I tend NOT to follow blogs who are more focused on the real & sometimes hard details of life than they are on anything else. We all have our struggles and it's nice to know that we're not alone so a post of that nature is refreshing when it comes every once in awhile....but 9 times out of 10, I want an upbeat positive experience when I turn to my google reader, and not a reminder of the daily grind. Okay, enough rambling. Just thought I should put it out there that this is meant to be a blog of my life that tends to include fashion, outfits, baking, and anything else that tickles my fancy. Just so there are no false expectations. And just as I like to have optimism dashed with a sprinkle of the nitty gritty when I read other blogs...that's exactly what I'll try to do here too. And now an outfit, because I couldn't bear to leave you empty handed.

PS - Don't mind the naturally curly mane that I decided not to tame the other day when I wore this.

{Shoes, Necklace & Leggings: Target; Tank: F21, Cardigan: N Rack}

Dresses Galore

I'm pretty sure that the majority of my pins on Pinterest are of gorgeous dresses I will never wear. But in my head, it's a different story, so let's not tell me any different.

Don't you LOVE the peplum?! And the little swallow print.

{Dorothy Perkins dress}

Holy red fabric and ruffles! I would DIE to wear this anytime, anywhere. Even to the grocery store. 

{Pinned here}

This dress is pretty much perfect. So of course Kate Middleton would wear it. I would pay millions to shop in her closet.

{Kate's Amazing Dress}

I just love a dress you could almost see your reflection in. Okay, so not really, but this dress is pretty amazing.

{Zuhair Murad Dress}

I don't usually want my hips to look bigger, but this dress wants me to make an exception because it is ah-mazing.

{Pinned here}

This girl RENTED this beautiful dress for her wedding. Why did I not think of that??

{Find more pics of the dress on her blog}

31 Flavors

I've had a bit of an unhealthy obsession with ice cream since....well...forever. At one point a few not too many years ago I went through 2 half gallons a week. I'm not proud people, but it happened. So I present to you the best 31 flavors of ice cream for the month of August. And I'm not talking plain ol' strawberry. We're gonna get into the good stuff, the specialty flavors that you've gotta try.

1) Daiquiri Ice (Baskin Robbins) - My ALL TIME fave, but they've discontinued it at most stores so finding it presents a wee bit of a challenge.
2) Mocha Almond Fudge (Dreyer's)
3) Imagine Whirled Peace (Ben & Jerry's)
4) Gingerbread Cookie (Safeway/Vons store brand)
5) Girls Scouts Thin Mint (Dreyer's)
6) Mint Oreo (Breyers)
7) Pistachio Pistachio (Ben & Jerry's)
8) Strawberry Cheesecake (Ben & Jerry's)
9) Pralines N' Cream (Baskin Robbins) - So much better without pecans.
10) Pumpkin Soft Serve (Dairy Queen) - They don't sell this anymore but growing up it was THE best....so maybe we could all start a petition to get it back??
11) Pumpkin (Safeway/Vons store brand) - A close second to the soft serve.
12)  Sweet Cream (Coldstone)
13) Vanilla Health Bar Crunch (Ben & Jerry's)
14) Cookie Dough (Ben & Jerry's)
15) Snicker's (Breyers)
16) Egg Nog (Dreyer's)
17) Triple Cookie Fudge Sundae (Dreyer's)  - I've never tried this one, but I'm pretty sure they can't go wrong with brownie & cookie dough pieces.
18) Cheesecake Brownie (Ben & Jerry's)
19) Creme Brulee (Ben & Jerry's)
20) Reese's PB Cup (Baskin Robbins)
21) Oreo Cookies & Cream (Breyers)
22) Pistachio Almond (Baskin Robbins)
23) Kirkland Vanilla (Costco) - I don't know why, but this is the best vanilla out there and makes me change my normally overloaded ice cream for plain vanilla.
24) Toffee Caramel Crunch (Schwans) - My Grandma used to order from Schwans and whenever I was over she would let me choose the flavor. For a 5 year old it was like winning the lottery.
25) Cake Batter (Coldstone)
26) Vanilla Caramel Fudge (Ben & Jerry's)
27) Peach Cobbler (Ben & Jerry's)
28) Chocolate PB Swirl (Ben & Jerry's)
29) Rocky Road (Breyers) - Trust me on this one. I've been on a lifetime hunt for the best rocky road. And you can't beat chocolate covered almonds.
30) Volun-Tiramisu (Ben & Jerry's exclusive flavor at Target)
31) Brownie Chew Gooder (Ben & Jerry's exclusive flavor at Target)