learned I am anemic which has been the cause of my dizzy spells, headaches & complete lack of energy. should be back to normal in a week or so with help of iron supplements and a special diet. until then, these fluffy pillows and warm blanket will be my best friends.

its calm and cold and snowy and slow around here. lots of snuggles and tea and blankets and baths. 

i could sleep forever it feels like. just sleep until all the days melt into one. baby kicks and moves constantly. if i don't feel her for fifteen minutes it's odd. i have been preparing mentally for birth and for motherhood, not that you can ever fully prepare for these things, and my excitement is getting hard to contain. every time i think about holding her in my arms for the first time i can't help but feel like i am bursting into little pieces of love. life is a beautiful thing. i never thought in a million years my life would be like this right now. it is perfect. our tiny little apartment, our lazy cat, our loud boiler heater, our overflowing laundry baskets and our always practically empty fridge. 

we have started to put together the nursery for baby girl. so far so good. cameron is slowly but surely choosing more pink. i never thought the day would come where we would have pink in our apartment. but, it is kind of precious too. last week i feel like cameron became a father. he finally had all of it hit him that we will soon have a baby here with us to love and care for. he is so excited now and kisses my belly everyday. who knew some newborn size onesies could do such a thing to a man. 

obsessed // pinterest

1. creating a dollhouse for our daughter just whirls into a fit of happiness.
2. this bedroom is my dream bedroom. this week i did a little tweaking around the house and made our bedroom feel much larger. this photo will forever stand as my inspiration. simple, clean, beautiful.
3. her hair. all of it. i can't stop dreaming of it.
4. all things macrame, woven, and hanging. i need to give a try at something like this.

all photos come from my pinterest

Narrowing down ideas for the nursery and getting so excited about them!

Glider & Ottoman: gifted

Crib: Walmart

Faux Sheepskin Rug: Ikea

Gold, Sheer Curtains: Ikea

Basket: Ikea

Pillow: Ikea

Storage Box: Ikea

OH NO. I don't like pink but I am falling in love with these nursery ideas. Maybe I can settle for peach and gold and white.

5 n u r s e r i e s i l o v e

I'm finding out I am mostly drawn towards the idea of a simple, little colored nursery. That way it can be personalized with colored toys, art and books as they grow. I am getting excited to get started on our little nursery. The room has no closet and is more like a "half-room" but it's going to be perfect. My eye is on the lookout for a dresser that can be used to hold all the baby clothes, baby shoes and diaper changing stuff and hold a changing pad on top. Wish me luck!

one //  two // three // four // five

Cameron, Pizza and I moved into a new apartment this last week. We were lucky to find something close to Cameron's school, bigger than our last place, has separate rooms (we were in a studio before), and at a cheaper price. We're still living out of boxes pretty much and sadly I don't feel motivated to unpack. Our first place together I was so antsy to get unpacked and decorate. This time around, not so much. Kinda hoping some fairy will show up and do it for me. Pizza seems to like it here, especially the balcony. Cameron starts school soon, his sister Lauren gets married soon and we get to go to California soon. Lots to look forward to!

S a m p s o n

t i m e   s p e n t   w i t h   c a t s   i s   n e v e r   w a s t e d   

-   s i g m u n d   f r e u d 

Today was our last day with Sampson. He was diagnosed with FIP which is an incurable disease. I cannot explain the heartbreak I feel over not having him around anymore, but I know that he is no longer suffering. He was a joy in my life and I cherish every memory I have of him. I am grateful for a husband who got him for me, giving me the chance to love him for all of his short life and for consoling me throughout today's tears. We love you Sampson, you are in our hearts forever. Can't wait to be with you again. Rest peacefully in kitty heaven. 

BARGAIN BUYS

 We don't have a lot of money. So, I love a bargain. I wanted to share some examples of things I've loved online at ridiculous prices and then found the cheaper alternative! (I'm really proud)

 Urban Outfitters Dreamcatcher: $29 // Our Dollar Tree Dreamcatcher: $1

 Urban Outfitters Record Storage Shelf: $69 // Our Record Storage Shelf from the D.I. Thrift store: $5

 Urban Outfitters Woven Wire Trash Can: $29 // Our Dollare Tree Woven Wire Trash Can: $1

Urban Outfitters Mexican Fiesta Blanket: $24 // Our blanket from Old Town San Diego: $15

The key is to study things you like and always keep your eye out for something similar. It doesn't happen right away. I've been wanting a record storage shelf for... forever, like years and I barely found it this week. So, give it time. It's worth the wait when it saves you money!

HOME

Our home is not finished. It's not even close to being done. I mean, we don't even have a bed right now--don't worry though, it's been shipped.  I still have more organizing and decorating and re-arranging to do.  But it's getting there. My next exciting project is to get all of our art up on the walls! For now, I will share a few details from around the house. I will share the whole house when it is finished.

These are just a few details of things I love around our home. I love the vintage pillows sewn together by a friend, the thrifted yellow doily another friend gave to us, the beautiful succulents, the piece of wood Pizza uses for his food, the gold "date" turner I begged Cameron's grandma for and the hand-painted ends on leftover bonfire wood. I can look around our home and see our friends and families faces, memories and lots of love. Each item seems to have a story and I love inviting them to be a part of our home.

HOME: IN PROGRESS

Yesterday, just like I had hoped-- Cameron bought me a desk. We got it at the D.I. It is the perfect size and in great shape. Once we bought it and began carrying it to a lovely friends car (Thanks, Jake! No way it was fitting in mine.) we realized it actually is an art desk too! The top can be brought up and locked in different angles-- just like an easel. It was a match made in heaven for me. Once we got it in the perfect place, I immediately went through all of my art things, organized them and put them away in the drawers and cubbies.  I love it!

In general, I think I rearrange things in the house a few times a week. I'm trying to get it just right. The hard part is that right now I just have my twin bed but once Cameron and I are married we will be getting a larger bed, as well as gifts and things that will be given as wedding gifts. It's driving me crazy there is no rug, but we figure we will wait until we have gift cards from our wedding to purchase one. Also, there's nothing on the walls which makes me feel like I actually do live in a box. But just like the rug, we're waiting a little while to buy all of the art for the walls and get it hung up. So as you see there isn't much I can actually do, but I am still driving myself crazy over it. Sounds about right. 

But I love this little (no seriously, little) place and once it is all put together I will post pictures! 

A NEW CHAIR

We bought a chair today. It reclines. You should know now that I love things that are throw up yellow, pea soup green and dried up mustard color. This chair falls under the dried up mustard category. It was $15 from the thrift store. A drunk guy there told us it was the ugliest thing he has ever seen and couldn't believe we were getting it. But he also told me I should be in Vegas or Wyoming as long as it was far away from "that guy" meaning Cameron. So obviously he knows nothing. It made me want it even more. It was an adventure getting it into the car and getting up the flight of stairs to our place. But once we did it looked perfect in the corner with a pillow on it. We left again for a few minutes to buy me some shampoo and conditioner and we came home to Pizza claiming it as his own. Since then he has not left the chair. He is napping on it right now. I love him. I love my new chair. I love Cameron for hauling it up the stairs and allowing me to get the ugly stuff I like. 

Before you look at this picture I want to warn you that following this blog means a lot of Pizza pictures. Sorry. 

AND SO IT BEGINS

With the start of a new life together I decided--we need a blog. A journal of our life from here on out. 

We get married in 25 days *gasp* and we literally cannot wait. With that being said, most all of the planning is done and so we are just waiting around.

 I moved into our future home a week or two ago and it's becoming a home little by little. Cameron has his music making studio as he likes to call it. I, nor Pizza, are allowed in that area. By "area" I mean a desk he found on the side of the road for free and hauled into the place. Pizza has his area too. He sits on top of the bookshelf under the window most of each day or napping on the bed. Right now he is staring in complete awe at the rain hitting the window. It's his first time ever seeing this. Tender moment for a mother *tear*. I will have my area soon, we just need to find another desk and then I can have my arts & crafts area. 

Cameron and I talk about how one day we will look back and laugh at our small little studio that we lived in together when we first got married. But for now, it's perfect.