Our Fiesta of Five

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Maternity Pictures

My talented friend Sarah Hames of Rhone Studios came down to take pictures of my bump and our little family. I was not expecting much as I feel unattractive 90% of the time but Sarah did a fantastic job as always! We took most of the shots at home in our bedroom and headed to the beach to get a few family ones in our favorite place.
Enjoy!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Harper's Nursery Part 4 DONE!!

And I couldn't be happier with it! I love to just go in there and sit. It is so peaceful and comfortable, I think it is my favorite place in the house right now. I can't wait for her to see it!
There are a few little things I still would like to get/make for the room: a rug, a pouf for my feet, a crib skirt...but they are not that important and I LOVE it as it is!
Enjoy the pictures!

Glider from JC Penny, hand-made crib bedding by my mom

Shelves from Urban Outfitters (spray painted ivory); decorative knick knacks and basket from Michaels; letters from Craft Cuts; frame made by Daddy

Adorable growth chart from friends/Etsy, Harper hanger from Etsy

Found this bookcase on Craigslist for $40, gave it a new coat of

ecru paint and painted the bead board backing the same pink as the walls.

I changed the popular quote a bit and mod podged it onto a painted canvas and found a picture stand at Michaels and spray painted that ivory as well.

Super easy and cheap paper lace doily banner

One of the first things I made when we decided on the name

My mom and I made this mobile out of wooden bird ornaments,

an embroidery hoop, lace ribbon and scrapbook paper

Happy Easter, 2012

Easter is one of those fun holidays for kids that, now as a mom, I really look forward to. My brother and I always got an Easter basket the morning of easter with little goodies in it (I still do, thanks momma!!), and I was excited to put one together for Avery this year. I stayed away from candy and just gathered little toys and books and bubbles for her basket, and we filled eggs with Goldfish and raisins for her to find in the backyard. She got to participate in 3 separate egg hunts this year, starting with one at the park near our house. Avery had a great time putting eggs in her basket, dumping them out and then putting them back in again. She also cared more about opening each egg as she found it to see what was inside, rather than gathering them all first. On Easter morning, Dada hid a bunch of the eggs we stuffed in the backyard and she opened and ate the contents of each one before going on to the next...kinda boring for mom and dad, lol! Finally, we went to Yaya and Papa's house for Easter dinner and they had a little hunt for her as well. Again, she wanted each egg opened as she found them so it took awhile!
It was a wonderful weekend with lots of fun things for Avery to do and the weather was beautiful.
Can't wait for Harper to join in the fun next Easter!
Enjoy the pictures.

We visited the Easter Bunny at the mall, and Avery was scared at first but Itsy Bitsy Spider will always put a smile on this kid's face no matter what is going on!

Ready for the hunt at Poinsettia Park

Posing with daddy

"Hunting" for eggs (they put them in little piles on the grass, haha)

Hello, I am SO CUTE!

Monkeying around

Me and my girl

Family Easter shot

Loves the bouncy house!

Backyard egg hung (she insisted on wearing the hat with her mismatched PJ's)

Third hunt at Yaya's house

And the highlight of her weekend: swimming in the hot tub!

With this floatie vest thing, she could actually swim all by herself!

She did NOT want to get out, after almost 2 hours!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Harper's Nursery PART 3 (of 4, almost done!)

We have made some great progress on the nursery since I last wrote about it. I know pictures are worth 1,000 words, so here you go!

We hung Harper's wall letters and framed them with painted crown moulding (thanks honey!!) and it turned out great! We also switched out the knobs on her changing table/dresser with some cute glass pink ones. My mom made the changing pad cover out of the same fabric used for the bumpers.

I made a few crafty things for the room as well: a doily banner and hung it above her closet, some tissue paper poms I hung from the ceiling where the glider will be and an H for her door, like the A I made for Avery's door almost 2 years ago. My mom and I also made the bird mobile that hangs above the crib. Alex and I found the bookcase on Craigslist and gave it some fresh paint and a rustic sanding treatment.

I got these corner shelves from Urban Outfitters, and gave them a coat of ecru paint as well. They are perfect for holding the video monitor camera and a few decorative elements.

My mom HAND MADE the bumpers for the crib out of the fabric I ordered from Annette Tatum and a complimentary fabric that we searched high and low for, from Joann's. They turned out AMAZING, thanks Momma!!

So that is the latest! We still have a few things left to add: glider with pillow and possibly a pouf ottoman, a rug and curtains. The next post will be of the nursery completely FINISHED!
Thanks for reading :)

"Sprinkle" for Harper

Today, 2 of my best friends threw a baby "sprinkle" for Harper and me at our house. Court arrived early to set up the house and Hailey and Christine came soon after, while I was kicked upstairs to get ready. When I came back down my house was transformed into an elegant and casual space honoring my next little bundle of joy, Harper! Nikki made an adorable and delicious cake and cupcakes spelling her name, Court made a yummy pasta salad, a banner, and put together the CUTEST shower activity ever: an ABC book for Harper in which each guest (and even some who weren't able to make it!) decorated a letter of the alphabet to put into a book for us to read together later! Hailey made the cutest flower arrangements with the sweetest "sister" quotes and a delish fruit salad.

It was so nice to be able to talk to my favorite ladies and catch up with those I don't see often enough. Everyone was SO generous and we received some very thoughtful and useful gifts for my sweet baby girl (and a few things for the Big Sis!). All in all, it was a WONDERFUL afternoon and I was reminded yet again, how lucky I am to have so many people in my life and my children's lives that genuinely care for us.
Enjoy the pictures!

The preggo line-up (minus Marcy)!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Avery's Animal Sounds

Cute video of our smart girl being extra cute :)
Enjoy!

Monday, February 27, 2012

Kelly's Baby Shower

My good friend Kelly from college is pregnant with her first child, a boy to be named Johnny Austin Neubauer. She is due 2 weeks after me on May 29th, and even though she lives with her husband Dan in Beufort, South Carolina, they were able to make it home to Yorba Linda this past weekend for her baby shower! I hadn't seen Kelly in months and I was so glad to have been able to visit with her and rub her cute little belly. She won't be back in town until the late summer with her new son, and I am looking forward to meeting him then!
The shower was beautiful, her mother and sister Shelly did a fantastic job arranging everything. We had a delicious sit-down lunch, played a few really fun games, and watched her "ooh and ahh" over all the little baby clothes and gear she will need when little Johnny arrives.
Kelly and Dan both come from 2 of the most wonderful and loving families around, and without a doubt, they will be the absolute best parents. Even though Dan is leaving in 2 weeks for a 7 month deployment, Kelly has the most supportive family to help her through delivery and the first few months of being a new mom. I wish I was closer to help her however I can, but since we will both be up late at night nursing newborns in the spring, I will make myself available for round-the-clock text messages and phone calls whenever she needs, haha!

Congrats to Kelly and Dan!! Enjoy the pictures.