Happy birthday to the Merritt Casa!!!

I get a little emotional when i think that just a year ago all our dreams came true and we moved into our first house. I dont think alot of people realized how much we had struggled since i had chosen to get out of the military and be a stay at home Mama. We spent many sundays driving around looking at houses and talking about the day when we would have a yard to play in, and could take on as many projects as we wanted to to make our future house a home. Looking around all i can say is the God is good. I give him all the credit because George and i worked hard, stayed optimistic and He not only blessed us ten fold when George landed a great job that he LOVES, but He also blessed us with a wonderful home.

We had no idea that 5 months after moving in we would find out we would be expecting another baby. Alot of house projects were put on hold as we prioritized other things, specifically getting Noah settled into a big boy room and deciding what we wanted and needed for the new baby. This pregnancy has been different because with Noah we didnt have the luxury to be picky with baby things, we got what we needed and most everything else was just something we figured one day we could get with our next baby. And you know what, Noah turned out just fine, so i have to keep reminding myself that when i tell George i NEED another double stroller now haha.

I thank God we never jumped into mistakes like most couples do with little money and start racking up more debt. We already had a little and thankfully got rid of it when God blessed us with our home. We were going on 4 years of marriage and knew there were more important things then the NOW phase of racking up debt. So the past year we have slowly taken our time getting things for our home, most of which has been for Noah and Belle and i have to say we learned 2 VERY important lessons since moving in.

1. Don't rush. When we first moved in, George and i both had SO many ideas of what we wanted to do and buy and paint and colors and all that jazz, but i thank God other things got in the way and we took the past year to really live in our house to get a feel for it. I cant tell you how many times our minds have already changed since the day we moved in, and i do agree that people should live in their house for at LEAST 6 mos before deciding on what they want to do. Houses that are rushed to be put together end up looking cheap (unless they rack up tons of debt which will be in my point #2), or they end up hating it and wanting to change it by the end of their first year. I think we are FINALLY starting to see and learn what we really want our home to be and i am excited to see it all unfold as we take our time on projects.

2. Dont accumulate ANY new debt for your home. This one i am STRICT about since i started following Dave Ramsey last summer. And this SIMPLE little step has opened a whole new world and hobby that George and i LOVE! Re-furnishing furniture! More into that in a second. Staying debt free in regards to your home kinda go hand in hand with my first point because it gives you time to save up for big ticket items and that time makes you see if you really want it or not. It gives you time to research certain brands and products and make sure you're getting your bang for your buck. These 2 things George and I have pretty much lived by the last year and i couldn't be happier that we did!

As we take on more projects in our home i cant help but DIVE into reading and researching anything and everything on interior design. My all time favorite are DIY blogs. I have a ton that i follow and they inspire me much more than those pricey interior magazines. I've always been OBSESSED with thrift stores, antique stores, and yard sales since i was younger and both my grandmothers would take me. I have a deep appreciation for things that are old and i cant say it enough, that they just don't make things the way they use to! I hate the newer cheap stuff that LOOKS like wood but is the furthest thing from it, and plastics instead of glass and ceramics, it really is terrible. So the last few months alot of blogs have inspired me to get out there and start hunting and anything is possible! i have found some of the BEST deals and with some sanding and painting we're giving Pottery Barn a run for their money because the old pieces we have found are SOLID wood and instead of $100's or $1000's try under $20 for most of it.

So as our house celebrates it's 1 year birthday, George and i celebrate a new hobby that will not only bring us closer and give us joy, but help us build our house into a home that we love and have created ourselves.

Thriftin' and a craftin'

I know i'm one of a kind but my obsession for Thrift Stores and Yard Sales has come to an all time high and I think George is confused. Let's rewind because George didn't know me back in Junior High and High School. From about 8th grade till about 11th grade i would ONLY buy my clothes at Thrift Stores. My best friend Christine and I were obsessed. My mom tells the funniest stories of how she always thought i would never grow up to be "normal". Whatever that may be. So now that i have this beautiful house to fill, and a itching crafting heart the ideas are endless! On top of finding inspiring blogs and DYI sites everyday, i just cant keep up! Here are a few of my treasures i found this week and i'mlooking forward to so many more. How come when you find something unique, different, AND cheap it means more to you then something usual, typical AND expensive? Just something to think think about.

With fall around the corner i'm bringing in some more neutrals and darker colors into my kitchen. I scored these green place mats at the Goodwill for a whopping $1.25! I absolutely love the texture it adds to the table and then i found the cute little wooden circle with engraved flowers at Target on clearance for $4! Changed the look of my kitchen completely! And of course, that is Noah being cute and showing me his breakfast before school in the morning.

This is a little train peg shelf i scored last weekend at a Yard Sale the Navy threw outside of base. I got it for $0.25! I instantly knew it would go amazing in Noah's room with a little paint.

Here it is primed and painted. Ready for fall where it can hang his sweaters!

For now it is hanging the, oh so true, sign that i got Noah in Texas for 50% which came out to be $2. Noah's room is full of little treasures i've been finding for the last few months.

This is a little jar i found just this past weekend at a Yard Sale where the old lady was selling the most amazing antiques. I instantly pictured it on my window sill with some wildflowers in it. For $0.50 i couldn't pass it up. And then one of my friends recommended that when i'm not using it for flowers to use it as a money jar for Dad when he says bad words and then mom can go shopping. More Yard Sales here i come! What a fabulous idea!

Ok so my biggest project has been Belle's nursery. I've been trying to find cheap easy treasures to make her room come together much like i did Noah's, but it's hard when you have no idea which way to go with the nursery. I started off wanting an old fashion hollywood theme but after months and months of looking at inspiring nurseries online i was LOST on what i really wanted. It wasn't until i found an old vintage military poster that i use to have in my barracks room that the ideas started coming together. So here are the curtains i made for her room Labor Day weekend which tie in the colors from the poster perfectly. I followed the post from Young House Love ( which i LOVE) and it turned out SO easy! On top of that i originally had different curtains picked out from Urban Outfitters which would have cost me $120 total but with Joann's Labor Day sale i scored the fabric for these for $50! I saved $70!

So my next project was making Belle's crib skirt which again i followed the lovely Young House Love (their tutorials are SO easy to follow)! I was mostly stumped on the fabric i wanted to use. I KNEW i wanted a dark shade of blue to compliment the curtains and possibly some SMALL detail to not override the flowers on the curtains and stripes on the walls. So at the SAME yard sale that i scored my little mason jar i found THIS fabric. Can we say PERFECT?! It was almost like it was made to go in her room! For $1 i got about 4 yards and only needed 1 1/2 so i will have to find something else to use the yards for. Maybe pillows?

The colors coordinate a LITTLE too perfectly.

Coming along pretty good!

My main source of inspiration at this point :)

And for your viewing pleasure, here i am at 30 weeks pregnant. What would a little thrift store shopping be without some fashion? Like my outfit? I received more compliments on it then anything else in my closet, and it cost me a total of $7! Gotta love the Goodwill. The funny part is that my $40 sandals cost more than my whole outfit! And the BEST part is that i'm still not wearing maternity clothes!!!!!

They've decided to retire.

I spoke too soon like i knew i would. I swore i would run my whole pregnancy and i really did put up a tireless effort. You don't realize how many things you SWEAR you're going to do when you're pregnant and the second the line turns blue and the aches and pains set in you throw in the towel. Well i didn't throw in the towel until now at exactly 7 mos pregnant. I ran the LA Marathon while i was 2 mos pregnant although i hate to even say i even ran it. My time was HORRIBLE and at this point i'm just glad i made it because the sharp pains i had in my lower abdomen would have been enough to scare anyone to stop. But i made it, took a month off, checked in with my doctor that it would be ok to continue running, and then i continued. But at 3 mos pregnant i had to use some very tricky methods in order to get me in those running shoes. All i wanted to do was lay on my couch and eat Top Ramen like i did my whole pregnancy with Noah. So the first thing i did was make a STRICT schedule on when i would run. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday's worked best for my schedule so i literally had to co-erce and make myself go those days. And i did. I have to say i did not miss a beat! And I always felt like a million bucks when i would finish a 30 minute run. I didn't even set mile goals for myself anymore, i told myself 30 min of running and that is it. So whether that amounted to a little over 3 miles or 2.5 depended on what type of day i was having and whether or not Belle wanted to cooperate with me.

So how come now that my running shoes have retired and my body has told me enough is enough do i want to run more than i have ever in my life? Probably because when i started running 2 years ago there was a distinct reason that has stayed with me today. Alot of people don't know why i started running, but i can remember the day like it was yesterday. Noah was 3 mos old and i was sad. Very sad. I spent my days crying all day and i didn't know what was wrong with me?! I was trying to adjust to this new life as a stay at home mom, and after 3 years of being on the go and working in the Air Force it was a big adjustment. Suddenly i started thinking maybe this is what people called post-partum depression. I never once had a bad thought towards my baby, if anything he would make me stop crying when i would see his precious face, but i just had this overwhelming feeling of sadness. I remembered one of my good friends telling me how she was a runner and practically ran everyday. I figured i needed to get out of the house and i really wanted to start exercising again so what a perfect opportunity. I called her up, asked when her next run was, and vowed to meet her there. I can still remember that run as clearly as i am typing. It was at the good ol Savannah Rapids, next to the river, and i told her i didn't think i could go far, but i ran 2 miles that day. I cant describe the feeling i felt all i know is i had to come again. And again, and again. By the end of the week i was on 3 miles and i will never forget as we were doing our cool off walk my friend looking at me and telling me that she could already see a difference in me. That meant the world to me because i felt like a whole new person. After that day i couldn't stop. There was the Georgia marathon, and then the LA marathon, and here i sit 7 mos pregnant dreaming of day when i can race again once this baby is born.

So i've come to realize that i am an emotional runner. I run when i'm sad, when i'm mad, stressed, overwhelmed, you name it. Its a place i can escape to and the miles keep going by and all my thoughts can rearrange themselves. Another run i can remember clear as day was probably about 10 mos ago when i found out my cousin Lucy was about to start chemo treatments. The sadness i felt couldn't be expressed as i laced up my shoes and headed out. Tears fell down my face that entire run. And here i sit wondering how that was just a short 10 mos ago and now my cousin is dead. The pain and sadness makes me want to do one thing, but its something my body wont let me do right now. I want to run. The last 7 mos i've had to manipulate and lie to my body to get those shoes on and right now all i want to do is escape to my running place.

My cousin Lucy was such a beautiful person and i could go on for days on what an amazing mother she was, but all i know is that God wanted her home with Him. So thats where she is at, and i cant wait for the day when i can head out again on my familiar paths because i know now that i will have a guardian angel looking over me. I will no longer be alone with just my thoughts, but she will be there with me also. So maybe my running shoes aren't retiring, but rather taking a leave of absence. They will be back and so will i.

Fall=winding down or starting up?

Every year around this time i feel like a deep breath in is needed as the summer comes to an end and everything winds down. But theolder i get, and more kids i pop out, i realize that the summer IS me winding down for what is yet to come in the fall. Fall semester has officially started for me and i am in my first block of classes in my education program. Not only am i taking my very first FULL load, ever, i also have to do 120 hours in a classroom outside my school work. I'm looking forward to the challenge and the strange looks i have gotten from all my professors when they see my 7 month belly hasn't deterred me!

Noah is talking more and more everyday and George and i just LOVE it. He has also started potty training :/ I have officially refused to change, or put diapers on him while he is at home, so he has basically started his very own nudist colony here with Chloe. He goes easily in the potty at school because he sees the other kids, but here at home he has been very weary. Today was day 3 of no diapers and for the first time he went in his potty. Of course i danced for him and offered him some fruit snacks so i'm hoping he'll start catching on better before Belle makes her grand entrance and then that will mean double diaper duty if he hasn't caught on by then.

I am going to need EXTRA discipline when i am at home and supposed to be studying because not only do i need to maintain my 3.0 gpa but my mind is constantly wandering to the fact that we're still not done with the nursery! Belle will be here in a little less than 3 mos and me being the systematic person that i am, i do not want to dive full force into finishing her room until Noah's is completely done. All we have left are some wall prints to hang and install his ceiling fan, but the ideas keep turning in my head. Do i want to just go the easy way out and buy some cute, fun art or prints or do i want to indulge in my inner Martha and make and or create my own? I think i'm leaning towards the latter.

Here are a few pics of what his room looked like when we first moved into our home last winter.

Here was the beginning of the big boy transformation. Besides moving the crib into the nursery, i was SO excited to find Noah this train table for his room on Craigslist for $50! And it came with the train which has many more pieces than what you see here.

Our little fam took an ikea trip about a month ago to stock up on some big boy items for Noah's room. As you can see, he left the decisions on what will go in his room up to us.

Here is the beginning. We've painted since and i've hung up a few things but you can slowly start to see a lil man room emerge!

Here is my inspiration right now. Noah has a ton of alphabet cards and i found this picture online and i am debating whether or not i want to re-create it somewhere in his room. Will keep you posted on what i decide!

And here is how Belle's room has been left. Until Noah's room is done i am swearing off of it. It shouldn't be but a few weeks and then i can start on all the fun projects i have for this one!

Will post Noah's big boy room fully done hopefully next weekend! :)

Sometimes all you need is a power outage

In this day to day life we all get so caught up in what seems like a million different things. With the current condition of my cousin who has cervical cancer my mind has been turning with so many heavy things. The loss of sleep from staring at the ceiling hasn't hit me yet, but i'm sure the tiredness will kick in any day now. When you're faced with something as heavy as dying, you cant help but analyze the cracks and crevices of your own life. I hate the pace i've been running this life lately, and it makes me sit back and think whose pace am i trying to keep up with? There's not a day that goes by that i don't think "There is just not enough hours in the day!"

Well last night God decided to take matters into his own hands. We had an amazing storm, and i say amazing because we don't have storms like that where i'm from in California. The wind was causing branches to fall all over the neighborhood, big ones, the rain was coming down so fast and strong it looked like a wall. And of course, our power went out. George instantly got nervous and started pacing. He was irritated and you could tell just nervous all together that the power MIGHT not be back on soon. I couldn't help but laugh. I found everything humorous. Noah was having the time of his life watching the storm outside and my first thought was "This is going to be SO fun!" No tv, no computer, no lights, maybe we need this. Just me, George, and Noah. Making memories in our new home. It wasn't minutes later that George and i both sat there on our phones getting online and texting our friends when the big picture suddenly became clear. We as adults get too consumed to enjoy the little things in life. Here was a perfect opportunity to have such a good time creating new memories and George and I were already bored!

I watched my son start to use his imagination while playing with his cars and i thought this is EXACTLY what i need during this difficult time in my family. As my cousin's days are numbered i know she would wish she had more electronic free time with her kids. Why are we doing this to ourselves? Why are we making our lives so busy that we cant even enjoy a few hours of silence with just our family. I know i'm guilty. I'm learning so many new lessons everyday from my cousin's story. Life lessons.

I was planning on letting Noah take a bath in mom and dads big ol tub that night because there was more light in our bathroom due to the window, but wouldn't you know, after 3 hours the electricity came back on right in time for bath time. I thought, well if we didn't get to have a candlelit slumber party i can still at least let Noah enjoy our big tub. So with some toys he splashed around and i'm glad we got to end the night enjoying the small things. Next time i hope it wont take a power outage for me and George to slow down and spend some quiet time as a family.

Extreme Nesting, new sport?

So if it's not bad enough to move into a brand newclean slate of a house, why did i have to get pregnant 4 mos later? Last night as i bombarded George with all my ideas for the nursery, and Noah's room and our room and the kitchen he finally said something that hit home. "You overwhelm me, and this nesting thing has got to stop." Well to be honest, i didn't sleep all night. When i did i dreamed of paint swatches and should we get Noah a tall dresser or a short dresser? Should we get one that matches his new bed or go against the matchy matchy rule. When did all this obsessing start??

I'm big on being frugal, we've had to live on nearly nothing for awhile and really stretch our means so now that we live comfortably my frugalness is even more extreme. I don't want to spend a dollar more than i should, so every morning its off to Craigslist for me. On top of that i want detail. That was the second eye opening statement from George last night. "Stop with all the details!" I love character. I love old things that have character and can almost tell you a story. Yes its nice to graze through a Pottery Barn catalogue, but when i comb through Craigslist and find oldvintage pieces with beautiful woodwork i see a diamond in the rough. So this weekend i have learned 3 things about myself:

1. I love detail. And that will never stop. I'm not going to cut myself short by spending too much on a brand new item that does not make me happy. As i dive into Noah and Belle's room i want to work hands on every piece that we plan on bringing in there.

2. I not only overwhelm George, I overwhelm myself.

And 3. It's called Extreme Nesting. Maybe i should talk to my doctor about this.

Next weekend we're taking an Atlanta trip where we plan on picking up a few more items for the nursery and Noah's room. I cant help but draw inspiration by pictures and blogs. Here are a few that have me drooling and the wheels in my head turning.

Alot of these were taken from Ikea, but there are a few that i saved from blogs. I don't remember which ones in particular, i know they are in my blog list so please if they are your pictures let me know so i can add the appropriate link to your blog.

Weekend lovins

This weekend was SO relaxing, and let's just say these were a few of mine and Belle's favorite things:

I think it's safe to say say Belle LOVES the sweets almost as much i do. But this week we will be loving:

At 23 weeks pregnant i have continued running and this pregnancy has been a CAKE WALK compared to my last. I just cut down to 3 miles 2x a week because i've also been taking an hour long yoga class on Monday's, and the whole family has been taking walks in the evening when it cools down. The running has kept me from having any back pain and overall i just don't feel pregnant. I will write more about my pregnancy running journey soon, but until then i hope everyone had a great, sweet, relaxing weekend!