Bedroom Mini-Makeover

Our bedroom wasn't a huge decorating priority of mine, after all it was serving its purpose as a nice and comfortable place to relax and sleep. Then I met Organic Bethany Bedding from Pottery Barn and truly fell in LOVE. I knew it was meant to be the minute I came across it, and thankfully it was ON SALE! 


When we moved up here (around 2 yrs. ago) we luckily found a GREAT deal on a KING bed and not too long before that, had our engagement and wedding photos framed as artwork for our walls. After months of searching for a new duvet (are these hard to find or what?!) I found a steal at Downeast Outfitters: an ivory diamond patterned duvet from Pottery Barn. I thought I was happy with some Martha Stewart pillowcases for a bit of pattern and color, but part of me always kept looking....below are some before and after pics of the transformation.

BEFORE

Old view of our room from when you walked in. I guess we thought this was the best way to arrange the furniture since it didn't seem quite right to block the bay window, but as you'll later see, it looks MUCH better to do just that, and as I've read in many design sources, its actually advised for the bed to face you upon entering the room, or as Oprah says..."rise up to meet you."

BEFORE

Old pillows. My sister also made us this top quilt, but as you can see it's just a bit short on the ends since it was back when we had a Queen bed. It has now found a lovely place in our guest bedroom. Notice that desk lamp on one of our nightstands? Hello! We've since switched those out for two of my dusty blue lamps from home. MUCH nicer.


AFTER

Here's the new view when you enter our room. I like our tufted leather bench MUCH better at the foot of the bed and how our velvet curtains serve as a faux headboard to frame our bed. We've yet to invest in actual bedroom furniture since that's something we'd like to get once we've REALLY settled in somewhere....plus, we've yet to decide on the color/type/style of furniture that we want to commit to whereas bedding is so versatile and EASY to change! 

AFTER

I try hard to show respect for my husband by not doing an overkill of flowers or pink (even though that's what I love), but still create a feeling that's soft, relaxing, and romantic. Don't you just love these colors of golden yellow, tan, cornflower blue, along with slight hints of light green and pink? I love how it works so well with our existing pillows and who doesn't dream of a nice plump boudior pillow? I've ALWAYS loved neckroll pillows, especially this one which is down-filled and extra large! 

AFTER

Here's my new use for our coffee table...after baby proofing our living room I didn't want any sharp edges for Benjamin to hit, so it's now re-purposed as a shoe bench!

Here's a close-up of that tray I won on Michele Dunker Interiors blog. It's the perfect place for me to put my jewelry at perfume. Doesn't it look ultra chic?

Irish Drinking Toast

I know that the movie LEAP YEAR came out awhile ago, but I just saw it earlier this month. I thought it was pretty cute and recommend it (I'm a really big Amy Adams fan and loved her wardrobe in this flick. Oh, and the Irish guy who plays the leading man is super cute too!). For those of you who have seen it, perhaps you remember this Irish Drinking Toast....those Irish are so sentimental and sweet. ;)

May you never lie, steal, or cheat. 

But if you must lie, lie in each other's arms. 

If you must steal, steal kisses. 

If you must cheat, cheat death.

Swagger Wagon- this video is HILARIOUS!!!

No. 1 Song

I was talking with my sister, and somehow it came up to find out what the No. 1 song was on my son's birthday. She found this website that tells you what it was simply by entering the birthday, or date of any other special day. It turns out that Benjamin's was I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas, which is funny because that's what I said to Bart on the morning of our son's birthday when he asked me if I thought this was it (it as in labor) and I said, yeah, I've got a feeling it is! I'll be sure to add this fun bit of trivia to Benjamin's baby book along with the newspaper clippings his Grandad saved for him. 


I  also learned that my b-day song was Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes. It seems very fitting since I've always loved this song!

What I love about where we live...

This flyer came in the mail a couple months after we moved here summer of '08. I put it up on our fridge (yes, those are the flower magnets featured at katemarki designs) and almost 2 yrs later it still makes me smile because after both my husband and I attended college here (over 5 yrs. ago), neither one of us EVER imagined ourselves moving back. Well, life has a funny way of working out, and here we are living here again! It's been really good for us though and although very familiar, has surprised me with new things, places, and people. 

Here's a list of things I love about where we live...(listed in no particular order).

1. Gossners Dairy. I've never had cheese/butter/ice cream be so fresh, taste so good, and be so cheap! Aggie Blue Mint ice cream from the campus dairy is a close second. 

2. EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING we need is no more than 15 min. away. I'm talking the mall, grocery store, hospital, restaurants, movie theaters. We really enjoy being so centrally located.

3. Inexpensive rent. We were able to double, yes double our sq. footage and pay A LOT less than what we were paying in SLC for a 1 bedroom.

4. Friendly people. I feel really lucky to have met the great friends that I have here.

5. Scones and Vegetarian Eggs Benedict at Angies. Their motto is "Where the locals eat" and those who've been know why we flock there!

6. Elements restaurant. Beautiful ambiance and reasonably priced. Love their buy one get one free special they sometimes run on desserts!  

7. All the kids. It's fun to see so many little ones and have a good group of other tots for my son to play with.

8. Close proximity to lakes and resevoirs. It's so nice to be able to go to local spots that aren't crowded with people or packed with boats and other noisy water toys. The Riverwalk is hands down the best walking trail I've ever been on.

9. Logan Aquatic Center. I love that the kiddie pool is so huge and that they have swim classes for babies. 

10. The Wind Caves hike is one of my favs. and the Green Canyon is very pleasant too. Bart and I agree that we have a hard time living very far away from those mountains!

So yes, one could say that Cache Valley is a special place.

Gotta love Dolly

I recently caught Dolly Parton on Oprah and as usual, had a great time watching her. There's just something about her that always makes me smile. In terms of appearance, we couldn't be more opposite, but regardless of all that glitz and glamour, she gives off something much more memorable which is her surprisingly down-to-earth and true personality. It's not every day that you get to come in contact with someone who is as likeable, positive, and sincere as she is, and I admire how regardless of show business, she really makes it a point to remember where she came from. 

Here are my favorite Dolly quotes...

"I still close my eyes and go home - I can always draw from that." 


"I'm not going to limit myself just because people won't accept the fact that I can do something else." 

"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb... and I also know that I'm not blonde." 

"If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one." 

"Storms make trees take deeper roots." 

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." 

"We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." 

"You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap! "

"You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try." 

Quick n' Easy Recipes

Here are 2 recipes that I think are great to have on hand for a quick n' easy dinner and dessert. I like this lasagna recipe because you don't have to worry about cooking the noodles, or the step of adding cottage/ricotta cheese. The dessert recipe is from my friend Cherise. I'm not a big chocoholic, but LOVE the homemade chocolate frosting part and the combo of pudding and cream. In my opinion, this cake is BETTER than actual eclairs. E N J O Y !

Fake It Don't Make It Lasagna 
Ingredients:
1 26 oz. jar of pasta sauce
1 30 oz. bag of frozen large cheese pasta ravioli (un-thawed)
1 bag or half a container of fresh spinach
1 8 oz. bag shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan


Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.
Coat a 13x9 dish with 1/3 of sauce. Arrange ravioli on top and scatter spinach over them. Top with half of the cheese. Cover with another layer of ravioli, remaining sauce, (I add in the mushrooms here) and cheese. Cover with foil and bake 25 min. Uncover and bake 5-10 min. until bubbly. Serves: 6

Eclair Cake  
Ingredients:
Box of original graham crackers
about 8 cups of milk (in total)
18 oz. Cool Whip
2 small boxes of French Vanilla JELLO pudding mix
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. cocoa
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp milk


Filling: 2 boxes of pudding, 3 1/2 cups of milk, 18 oz. cool whip
Frosting: 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 5 Tbsp. cocoa, 2 Tbsp. cooking oil, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 Tbsp. milk.


Directions:
In a lg. bowl, make both boxes of JELLO pudding mix as instructed on the side of the box. Once completed, add in 18 oz. of Cool Whip and 3 1/2 cups of milk. This is your filling. Then make the frosting by stirring together all of the ingredients listed above as frosting.  Next line your 9x13 pan with graham crackers (break to fit base of pan). Then spread on a 1/2 layer of filling. One more layer of graham crackers, rest of filling, one more layer of graham crackers, then frost with chocolate (easiest by picking frosting each graham cracker individually, then doing a final layer across the top with what's leftover). Serves 12-15 (depending on how big you cut them!)

I won! I won! I won!

The blogworld must know it's my birthday month or something because so far I've won 2, yes 2 free giveaways this week! 

I am feeling like a pretty lucky duck and super excited to get my new items...here's pics and links to the goods. Once I get them I'll be sure to post more pics of where they end up in our home!

white porcelain lined tray courtesy of Michele Dunker Interiors

36 x 24" print courtesy of Jenn Ski Studio

What to eat?

With my son approaching the 9 mon. mark I decided that it was time to figure out what to do with his diet outside of breast milk, rice cereal, oatmeal, and 2nd stage baby foods. This has been a bit overwhelming for me because my husband and I have both been hearing contradictory information about what to feed them and when. We're also very cautious about processed foods and unnecessary sugars and fats, not to mention choking and allergies- whew! 

I therefore decided to go out and buy a book. So far we've been really impressed with this one: Naturally Healthy First Foods for Baby by Jacqueline Rubin. It's presented in a very easy to understand format and I like how it is divided by baby's age. It also has some simple recipes and tips on how to puree foods ourselves. I really recommend this guide to any parent who is feeling confused or clueless as to what to feed their child. 

Look Alike

Did any one else think that Raina from this season of America's Next Top Model looked JUST LIKE the actress Anna Chlumsky (from the movie MY GIRL)?  Here's their pics side by side...

Can you correctly guess who's who?

It's that time of year...

 for the seasonal farmers market! 
It looks like it started last weekend, May 8th and will go until Sat. Oct. 16th. Looking forward to fresh fruits and veggies....yum yum! ;)

Time: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 

Location: Merlin Olsen Park 100 S. 200 E. 

Loca9AM - 1PM May 8 to October 16

Around the house...

Do you ever find yourself curious about the interior spaces and decor of other people's houses? I do and always have. After reading this article in Salon, Chasing Down A Dream House I realized that I'm not alone. Here's an excerpt from the author Meghan Daum's new book:  "Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House." It made me think of when my sister and I would get out all of our Barbie stuff, but half the time never get to actually playing with the Barbies, just putting together their houses! 


"The person I am is a person obsessed with domestic spaces. Since I was a little girl I've been mesmerized with the endogenous world, with hallways and staircases and fireplace mantels, with the inside of things. Panoramic eggs, with their tiny, sugary scenes inside the peephole, were pure magic. I loved dollhouses (not the dolls, though) and at 5 and 6 built my own mini architecturals out of Saran wrap and record jackets. Any excuse to make a diorama, to turn a shoebox into a miniature re-creation of Valley Forge or grassy mastodon habitat, was seized with the enthusiasm of someone who would grow up to be a set designer, or at least a professional decorator. But I grew up to be neither of these. Instead, the salient feeling of my adult life is that of being pulled in opposite directions by two warring sides of myself: the nester and the transient. I want to settle down, sure, but I want to settle down everywhere."


Here's some peeks of some of the things around our house that make me feel at home....

I put these yellow wooden ducks on our wedding registry even though I knew we didn't really need them. I must say, they were and still are one of my favorite wedding gifts! My friend Lindsey gave us the little chicky (who we call Benjamin) perfect for our current family of 3!  This red chair is a one-of-a kind find from TJ Maxx in Illinois. I didn't have a car while living in Chicago, but a friend of mine was nice enough to drive me to the suburbs to pick up some things for my new apt. Its always stood alone, but its red friendly color really ads that nice pop in the corner of our kitchen/dining area.

Another TJ Maxx find! I love the look of Pierre Deux, but found these for MUCH cheaper (they don't look THIS orange in person...thinking it was the lighting from the camera flash). 

This is one of my treasures from the antique store Emilee Jayne in SLC that I'm ALWAYS raving about. I see lots of scroll iron hangings, but this one is SOLID iron. It was a pain to hang, but has a real authentic look to it.

This vase is also from Emilee Jaynes. I use it to hide the remote controls! This ribbon hanging is also solid iron. I just love little romantic touches here and there. It along with the scroll hook on the right are from anthropologie.

Good Thymes

I had such GOOD THYMES this mother's day. We started the morning by going out to breakfast with my in-laws in Park City at this cute and tasty little bistro in the Newpark Center. The entire staff was very friendly, and I loved the ambiance of bright colors mixed with modern black & white photography and this novel chandelier made out of real forks n' spoons! 


We later met up with my other set of in-laws where we had a delicious lunch of quiche, croissants, and fruit. Every one enjoyed watching our lil' guy walk around (with his arms being held up)....quite impressive at only 8 months!! 


My parents also shared in giving us lots of love~ it's so nice to come home and be surrounded by genuine care and good company. ;)


The BEST part of my whole day was what my husband said to me just as we were about to go to bed...."Benjamin and I are the luckiest guys in the whole word to have you." I smiled and said- "I'm pretty lucky too!" 

m o t h e r h o o d b l i s s

I never knew it was possible to feel so much all in one day...having so many ups and downs is a high price to pay! 


But these feelings of humility, confusion, protectiveness, and exhaustion do have their silver lining, which is that the love in a family is unconditional and always evolving.

I'm lucky to be living a life so abundantly filled, even with a child who's incredibly strong-willed! As I've said before, the job of a mother is never a bore. In fact, its given me joy, pride, and perseverance like I've never experienced before. Yes, there are days that it looks as though nothing got done, but we always make time to do something fun!

As I look into the eyes of our child, I feel an indescribable connection of warmth and happiness. It's that moment there that I know I'm in true motherhood bliss. 

h a p p y  m o t h e r s  d a y !

Why buy...

a Playskool Walk n' Ride

when a laundry basket (turned upside down) works even better?

Our son likes having the wider base of something flat as he scoots around the house, and the wheels on that Walk n' Ride can really take off....even on carpet! But, the cool thing about this toy is that it also converts to this:

and what parent could resist seeing their child cruise around on a cute little car? So even through the box shows the younger kid using the walker, and the older kid using the car, our cool son prefers to ride it first (okay, have us push him around on it), and walk at a more leisurely pace with an upside down laundry basket!

Memory game & artwork all in one!

My friend Rachel told me about the artist Charley Harper last year. Since then I've become a big fan and was thrilled when my sister bought this fun memory game featuring his delightful and modern artwork for me Benjamin. You can find at the lovely anthropologie along with flash cards and floor puzzles. Such joy!

found something that i love today...

This site is so so cute. I love how it allows you to pick everything from the color, font, to the adorable children silhouettes! You can visit by clicking here.