plum tree studio

a little early..

2012-01-25T05:45:00.000-05:00

{since we are on the topic of books...i thought i'd share with you a book i picked up for Valentine's Day. i know it's a little early but i thought i'd give you all a little heads up...could be a potential Valentine's gift for your little one. so i was shopping at target a week or two ago and spotted this book...i could not resist getting this sweet book. i really have been telling everyone about it...

it's so adorable!}

{...it's a super easy read...i just know little ones will love it...}

{do you see the texture on the page? ...super cute right? told ya so. ;)}

for a boy who loves books

2012-01-25T05:11:00.003-05:00

{a couple weeks ago, we received a belated Christmas gift for Oliver. since b and i went home for the holidays, Oliver's G.A.S (we chuckle every time at this...it's his Great Aunt Susie) couldn't give us his gift until we got back home (she lives a half an hour away from us). Oliver received three wonderful books from his g.a.s....the first book is now one of my favorite alphabet books. it's adorable and what i love about it is that it's all boy...take a look...}

{aren't the graphics great? wait...there is a bonus to this awesome book...the cover is an actual poster showcasing the whole alphabet...trust me if Oliver had an open wall space..this would be framed and hung in his room...}

{the other two books were Christmas related which now that i think about it...Oliver doesn't have any Christmas books..so these are his first! the second Christmas book brought me and b back to our childhood...wanna know how?}

{see the green sticker on the pine illustration? it's a scratch and sniff book! seriously...could it get any better? do you remember all the stickers that were scratch and sniff? mmmm...we do. i can't wait to share this book with Oliver and see his reaction. he-he...makes me smile thinking about it.}

{the last part of the gift was the icing on the cake...book plates with Oliver's name on them! they did not stay on the sheets long...as soon as i had a free moment, all of Oliver's special books got stickered.}

{thank you GAS!! we love you!!}

the loveliest collar

2012-01-24T17:33:00.000-05:00

{thought it was appropriate to share this lovely diy collar considering i heard today that collars are in this year...get your collared shirts out peeps!}

number 9

2012-01-23T05:13:00.004-05:00

{we honestly did not think that we would be sending a care package this month...we thought for sure we would be getting an EP and our son would be coming home in February so why send one right? well after we found out that he would not be getting one this month (or anyone else to that matter), we knew we needed to send one. i have to admit, it's getting very hard to put together these care packages. you would think it would be easy but not knowing Oliver's likes and dislikes or his actual size makes it a little difficult. the clothes that we send are always a guess as to what he's actually wearing. after looking through his closet, i decided to pull this striped one-piece. it's a 12-18m piece and Oliver is probably closer to the 12m mark then he is to the 18m...but it's a warm outfit which is pretty fitting for Korea's weather right now. this piece is actually a little bitter sweet for us, it's one of the very first pieces of clothes we bought for Oliver back in April. i remember we purchased a larger size because we thought he'd for sure be home during the colder months. hopefully he'll get some use out of it in while he's still in Korea.

i have noticed that Oliver's foster mom really likes hoodies, so i added a blue hoodie that was in his closet and also decided to send him a Ferris the Fish tee. b and i picked out the three piece outfit that has the lion and giraffe on it. i'm not a fan of the pants but oh well. the other pieces are cute.

the video that we received in November hinted that Oliver loves the puffs we sent him in a couple of his earlier packages. b and i thought it would be fun to send him some other foods like the smoothies and the veggie snacks. we tried the smoothies out on his friend, Addie and she l-o-v-e-d them so we are hoping Oliver will too.

we had to add a small toy (or two) to the package! we didn't realize it until we got everything home, but we bought the Cookie Monster character which was also featured on Oliver's snacks. i wonder if they will make that connection. we also added two books, "The Little Blue Truck" (which is a favorite!) and the classic, "I Love You Through and Through". something else that we found out from the video was that one of the foster sisters can read and write English. yahoo! it was explained that she reads the books we send to him in his packages and he loves them. so why not send two more? both of these books are copies of what Oliver has already in his future room. oh and i had to send a picture attached to one of the books. it's something that i've been doing when ever we send a book in his package and it just made sense to give him an updated picture of us from Christmas. i like to know that when our books are read to him, we are there with him. smile.

we hoping and praying that this is one of the last packages we will have to send....

we just have to be patient and wait to see what's going to happen next month.}

something i pinned

2012-01-20T09:09:00.000-05:00

{happy friday! phew..this week went pretty darn fast. anyone else feel that way?

i have lots of thoughts going into to this weekend. b and i have been discussing how we should handle this unexpected waiting period and how to really deal with our emotions during it all. i will admit, it's been super hard to handle the unknown of when Oliver will be coming home...but after our long talk this week...i'm going into the weekend feeling pretty good about life right now. i'm looking forward and feel good about a plan i have to help me focus on more positive things. the number one focus is what we have here at home...b, me and the pups. it's our family and i will admit...i think we have a pretty good little family. i have a few more but that is defiantly my number one. something that i would like to do while our house is still on the market (come on new year buyer!)...and i can't really paint like i'd like to....i do plan to spruce up some things...maybe this weekend b and i will be able to do a couple things i have in mind. we'll see. hope you all have a great weekend!}

{source: a great tumblr site that i could look at all day...enjoy!}

just a dog

2012-01-19T05:51:00.001-05:00

{our vet's office posted a quote similar to this (i added "wo" to the front of the "man" part)

on facebook yesterday...

From time to time, people tell me,
"lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog."
They don't understand the distance traveled,
the time spent, or the costs involved for
... "just a dog."
Some of my proudest moments have come about with
"just a dog."
Many hours have passed and my only company was
"just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.
Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by
"just a dog,"
and in those days of darkness,
the gentle touch of "just a dog"
gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it's "just a dog,"
then you will probably understand phases
like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or
"just a promise."
"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence
of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.
"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and
patience that make me a better person.
I hope that someday they can understand that
it's not "just a dog"
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps
me from being "just a woman."
So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog."
just smile, because they "just don't understand."

...it got me thinking...my sweet Noah turns 13 this June and just the thought of it brings tears to my eyes. my youngest, Arden will be 8 in September. my dogs mean the world to me. through thick and thin...they have been there for me to lift me up with their wagging tails and sweet smooches...more so now then ever. i feel blessed to have not only my true love, but two loving creatures that God created and i feel honored to be able to take care of them and give them my love back.}

{to me, they are not "just a dog"...they are my family.}

{first image}

rebag

2012-01-17T05:44:00.000-05:00

{i've become a little bag obsessed on pinterest these days...i would really like to get a new purse but there are so many great choices...it's hard to choose. have you gotten a new bag this year? did you go with big or little? i'm stuck between downsizing to a small bag or staying with my standard big bag size....did you go with a safe color or a fun print?}

{all bags can be found pinned on my "for me" board}

{p.s. wish me luck..i'm going in for a root canal this morning. eek!}

get it

2012-01-16T05:32:00.002-05:00

{so how was your weekend? ours went by pretty fast but it was a lot of fun.

we pretty much surrounded ourselves with friends both friday and saturday and then had a really relaxing easy day on sunday.

i love weekends like these.}

{so on saturday, my friend Bridgette and i were talking about all sorts of fun random things (don't you love conversations like that?) and she asked me if i was specific about the tea i drink. i told her that i do have favorites but i'm not one of those types of "tea" people that have to have the same tea over and over again. i'm always open to trying new ones. i do however have some teas that i like to buy and have on hand. i was telling her about this line of tea that b bought me last year for Valentines Day. i can't believe i haven't posted about it before...

it's called Be Well by The Red Tea Republic. it's an organic rooibos-based tea blend that is caffeine free (yay for me...for health reasons, i had to give up caffeine almost three years ago). there are 17 different teas to choose from in this collection, i've tried three (get happy, get passionate and get gorgeous) and i have to say..i love all three of them. they are really tasty. i usually drink them at night with a little agave nectar mixed in. yum-me! i would like to try some of the other ones like the get clean and get wellness..but i should probably finish the three tins i have right now.

so do you like tea and if so...do you have a favorite one?}

{some like it hot}

willow grace

2012-01-14T12:16:00.000-05:00

{one year has gone by since this little bundle arrived. since then we've been graced with her contagious smile. happy first birthday sweet girl!}

{we've been graced with her precious smile that seems to be contagious

forward thinking

2012-01-12T05:56:00.000-05:00

{lots of thinking going on these days...don't worry this is not a "poor me" post...i've just been thinking about my boy and what life will be like as a mother of a son. both of my sisters have girls...my older sister has three and my younger sister has two. they won't be able to relate in a "boy stuff" way...and that's okay. i know i'll still be able to lean on them for parenting advice...but i'm excited for the unknown. like this image above, i look forward to witnessing the serious side of Oliver, the goofy side, the explorer side and all the other sides. i look forward to the world of trucks, trains, super heroes and heavens to Betsy...bugs. i think i've embraced the fact that i will be a mother to a little boy. i've really gotten into all things boys as you can see from this post..i have no problem shopping for boy clothes. i know there will be ups and downs...but i am excited about learning who our little guy is.}

{cute things}

the 12th of every month

2012-01-12T05:32:00.002-05:00

{i think of you even more...it also means you turn another month older...i wish you could hear me say...Happy 17th month my sweet boy!}

{source}

no cutting here..

2012-01-10T05:49:00.001-05:00

{i've had in the back of my mind an idea...i've been "growing" out my hair for the past 6 or so months and only going in to see my hair stylist for a mild trim or adding some layers so that it's not so long on my face. the idea i've had is that i will keep letting it grow until we get Oliver's travel call. once we have that date, i will set up an appointment to get my hair cut to a less time consuming do. especially since my little guy will be over a year and a half and probably running, climbing, jumping all over the place. the one thing that i haven't decided is just how short i will go...the other night i had a dream that my hair was this short..}

{i adore this pixie cute. i've actually had my hair this short (maybe not as cute as above) before back in college and i loved it but the growing out part was the worst...then i thought about how much i love having my hair in a layered bob but maybe going a little shorter then what i've had in the past...something like this...were i can wear it straight or with a little curl...}

{i don't know how much hair i will have to cut by the time we get a travel call because i'm praying it's by march...but what ever i do have, i'd like to donate it. i've never done this before so it will be fun to know i'm not only getting my hair cut in celebration of my son coming home but also i'm growing out my hair for a good cause. let's see how long my hair will get shall we....}

{images via my pinterest page..for me.}

unexpected

2012-01-09T05:23:00.002-05:00

{when our friend, Mary Lou went to Korea in November, she not only brought us back the most precious gift any waiting parent could ask for (a video of our sweet son) but she also gave us these two stuffed bears with traditional Korean hanboks. she had bought them after visiting with Oliver and was so touched by him that she wanted him to have something special from her trip to Korea.}

{she also gave us the rest of her won (Korean money). b and i decided that we would put it away until he was old enough to understand what it was. we decided to use this new owl tin that we both picked out when b got a new watch (one of his Christmas presents). as i was looking through the won, i spotted a couple coins that i were pretty significant in our life...}

{such sweet unexpected gifts...}

room crush

2012-01-09T05:06:00.000-05:00

{i had to share this big boy room that Kirsten from 6th Street Design School created for her friend. it's such a cheery space with a little pop of color. i adore the mix of patterns and look at all the sweet details that went into this little boy's room. speaking of detail...

how cute are these adorable whale bookends??}

{to see more...click here. enjoy!}

an award...for me?

2012-01-08T12:39:00.001-05:00

so here it goes...

three rules apply to this award:

1. thank the person(s) who gave this award to you.
2. list 7 things that people may not know about you.
3. pass it on to 15 other bloggers. (i passed it on to 7)

first things first...thank you to my sweet friend Christine for the award!! :)

AND my friend Jacklyn who just awarded me today! yay!

7 things people may not know about me....

hmmm..i think this might be a little hard. due to fun fact #1...

1. i've been blogging since november of 2005...crazy right? i've said a lot over the last 6 + years so i apologize if any of these are redundant but if you'd like a good laugh...
check out my first post.

2. i have really cold feet. i do wear socks (most of the time) but they still stay cold. there have been times where i will get into bed with a pair of socks on and b will immediately tell me to put another pair on. i guess the saying is true...
cold feet..warm heart. he-he.

3. you will rarely see me with my hair up. i do wear it up but it's only when i'm either working out or if i'm lounging around the house. i almost never wear it up to go meet friends, or to work and i will almost never pose for pictures with my hair up. i guess i think i look funny...can't really pin point the problem...

4. i can not stand for my clothes to be wrinkly. really it's pretty bad...i will even iron my work out clothes before i go to the gym. i've seen people with wrinkly clothes and i can't help but wonder if they pulled them out of the clothes hamper...maybe it's an ocd thing?

5. i am obsessed with beauty products...shampoos, lotions, makeup and everything else in between. i guess it all stems from my childhood. i grew up in a house with 4 other women (my poor dad). you used the products that were bought...there wasn't a specific shampoo or moose you wanted unless you bought it. once i was old enough to work, i used my pay checks to either buy clothes or to get my very own products (that i would lock up in my room). i know i went crazy...still kind of do. i like to have at least three to four shampoos available. i just like knowing that i have variety. i think my younger sister and i share this fun fact.

6. unlike my friend Jacklyn, i loved my twenties..i graduated college, married my high school sweetheart, moved to st. louis, found our sweet noah, had my first and best design job, moved to atlanta, bought our first house and found our sweet arden.
i can honestly say...i have not fully embraced my thirties. before my thirtieth birthday, my uncle bob (ub) said to me that he loved his thirties and he thought i would too. so on my thirtieth birthday, i thought to myself...these are going to be the best years yet. sorry ub...still not feeling my thirties. boo. i'm hoping the next half of my thirties will be so much better then the first half.

7. to be honest, i'm going a little crazy right now. i like to change up my environment (hence...my blog header has changed again). i'm not one of those people who keeps things looking the same for too long. when i was younger and had my own bedroom, i would move my furniture around...a lot. i did the same in college. it helped that i had a different space each year. i also changed my hair style each year...i've gotten a little lax on that aspect though i'm not afraid to wake off my hair at any given time. b knows that i have to change something from time to time. at the beginning of each year, i get the itch to change something. a new wall color, a new piece of furniture...something. with our house being on the market, i can't really change any wall colors right now...and moving furniture around has become quite boring. after living in our house for 7 years...i've moved the furniture around enough to know what works and what doesn't. i guess that is why i'm ready to move to a new house. it's a new change...and a new challenge. until then...i'm thinking new throw pillows?

okay so now that you've learned some interesting facts about me..i would like to nominate the following friends...

1. rachel
2. bridgette
3. karen
3. lindsay
4. lula
5. april
6. grace
7. travis

green monster

2012-01-05T05:44:00.000-05:00

{curious aren't you? i am! so what makes this muffin green?}

{spinach! yum! i do like spinach. the name cracks me up....it's a green monster muffin!

i really want to try this now...move over popeye!}

lets talk clothes..

2012-01-04T05:02:00.001-05:00

{boys clothes. too many times..boys clothes are overlooked and girls clothes get all the attention. i know..because there are dresses and bows and tights and glitter and well you can easily get swept away in little girls clothes. i admit it..i did...before we decided to adopt. at the time, we were buying for our four nieces and had loads of friends who had daughters. it was easy to get sucked into all the pink and frilly-ness. i thought back then that buying for boys was boring...shirt and pants or shirt and shorts...borrrring. once b and i started our adoption process and knew that our chances of having a son where great...my outlook on boy's clothes changed. it even changed my vision for plum.tree. i started to see boys clothes differently. they weren't boring anymore. matter of fact...i felt that buying for boys was/is just as fun as buying for little girls. fast forward to this year...b and i have been buying for Oliver since the day we found out about him...and we haven't stopped. actually it's become quite addicting....

{and just to prove my point...these are the clothes that b and i picked

up for Oliver in November/December alone:

10 pairs of pants

3 puffy vests

2 hooded sweatshirts (this was me only...couldn't help myself)

2 long sleeved shirts and 1 striped tee}

{Ollie will have three pairs of cords to choose from...of course these are in different sizes so they can't be worn at once. we decided we'd spread them out...12-18m, 18-24m and 2t...

our little guy is...well little.}

{we admitted that we went a little crazy on the puffy vests....we bought the two pictured above while we were in Seattle (holla!)...they are different sizes so once he grows out of one...he will have a new one in a different color. the striped vest was something we could not resist. it says 80's all over it...being that we grew up in the 80's...we had to pick it up.}

{no little boy is complete without a cool pair of jeans...Oliver has a couple pairs already but who has just one pair of jeans? so we picked up more. oh and you are probably eyeing my solo purchase...the striped hoodie with some seriously awesome stitching. is it sad that i am super excited to see Ollie in this? the only thing we really have not bought for our son is...shoes! we have no idea how big or small his feet are and pictures are so deceiving...so we will wait until he's home. something that b and i love to buy but isn't pictured is...pjs. i think we both realized this past year just how cute and fun it was to shop for little pjs. so do you find shopping for boys fun or boring?}

9 months waiting

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

{we were told three days before Christmas that we were not one of the two families being submitted for an EP this month...we are hoping and praying we are in the next batch of EPs! our little guy will be 17 months next week...so over this whole waiting part...feeling so frustrated and sad...}

a few Holiday snaps

2012-01-02T15:49:00.000-05:00

{me and my sweet Noah...}

{my grandma who happens to be 94 playing with one of our newest family members..more on that later..}

{my favorite picture...my pups all wiped out from Christmas activities.}

{my sister in law (left) with her beautiful daughters..}

{nothing like some Christmas carols from b's dad and our talented nephew!}

{driving home...}

{new years eve...}

{our friends who just so happen to have a last name that is very similar to ours...they also happen to be our neighbors!}

{a wish for the four adults...}

{me with oliver's girlfriend...she's already got me and b wrapped around her little finger..}

Happy 2012!!

2012-01-01T15:00:00.001-05:00

{i have never been so excited to welcome in the new year.}

{source}

it's that time...

2011-12-22T05:53:00.001-05:00

i had so many posts planned to share before Christmas...but with three showings in one week, packing, wrapping, stamping and decorating..i ran out of time. i know there is still a couple days but i am feeling less and less inspired as the days get closer so let's wait until after Christmas..okay? i think this is a good time for me to wish you all a....very....

Merry Christmas!

tis is is

2011-12-20T14:49:00.000-05:00

{i need to get one of these towels...i have been really trying to focus on the positives in life and not focus on the negatives. there are days where the negative will get to me...but the next day, i shrug them off and move on. today...IS a good day.}

{it's the week of Christmas and in the process of trying to get ready for the big day, we've had two showings on our house since friday and will have another tomorrow night. i'm not sure what to make of it all but i believe if we are meant to move..then something will come out of all these showings..and if not..then oh well. we will just have a very clean house. ;)}

{p.s. i got an early Christmas present from b...i'm addicted to it..the flipbook app is Awe-some!}

{p.s.s. as i was typing this post...my sweet Arden was having a good dream..her little tail was wagging. smile.}

a very tj breakfast

2011-12-19T05:39:00.001-05:00

{we are not big breakfast people but once in a while b and i will get a craving...and when we get a craving we usually end up making pancakes from a trader joe's mix. b and i love us some trader joe's especially when they have holiday exclusives. we picked up their pumpkin butter at our last visit and it is D-licious. we also love hot chocolate so we had to try out their new peppermint hot chocolate mix...oh my it's divine!}

better get a move on...

2011-12-16T05:51:00.007-05:00

{there are only 9 more days until Christmas! isn't that crazy? ugh! b and i need to finish up some last minute shopping...and uh..some wrapping too! we are so excited though...we get to have brunch with this new family tomorrow! have a great weekend!}

{source}

diy for Oliver

2011-12-15T05:27:00.022-05:00

{here is the post i promised...just a prewarning...it's a long one. let's not wait any longer shall we?? okay...so last week i showed you Oliver's new Christmas tree. i have to admit...it looked pretty sad with very minimal ornaments and ugh...no lights...BUT i had an idea or two on how to spruce the tree up a bit...let me show you what i did.}

{when b and i went shopping for Christmas gifts one weekend, we found the new Richard Scarry toys and if you know me or have been reading my blog for a while..you will know that i am a big fan of RS...so we HAD to get Oliver this popular duo...Lowly and Pig Will. when we unpacked Oliver's tree, a light went off in my head...this is what i did next.}

{that's right...i turned them into ornaments...but i didn't stop there...}

{i had purchased a small bag of bitty dinos when i was shopping a couple months ago. i knew Oliver was too young to play with them but i was going to put them aside for when he got older...well i "borrowed" a couple from the bag. can you guess what i did?}

{that's right...i turned those into mini dino ornaments...}

{here is one of the dinos "in action"...}

{and here is Pig Will and Lowly.}

{i purchased a tiny strand of lights when i was out getting supplies. as a kid...you've got to have the multi-colored lights...cause white lights just don't cut it right? i didn't really have a tree topper for his tree so i made the stuffed santa ornament the topper. the tree is now lite and full of ornaments...all the way around the tree. here are some other ornaments hanging from his tree...}

{three stuffed ornaments we bought last year, wooden snowmen b and i bought about 9-10 years ago in St. Louis, bunnies and bears in Hanboks from Oliver's new friend Mary Lou (who brought him back a set of 8 for his tree!), and vintage tin ornaments b and i bought 4 years ago. so now that the tree is lite and full of ornaments..you would think i'm done right....wrong!}

{i've had a couple packets of felted balls for some time. so i'm currently making him garland from the felted balls also i've been eyeing some of the dinos that i made into ornaments...i'm thinking i might need to paint them some fun vibrant colors...to help give the branches a little pop of color.....i have a feeling this tree will be a fun never ending project.}

a little peek

2011-12-14T05:57:00.000-05:00

{i completed a little diy project for Oliver's Christmas tree and well i planned on showing you what i did in today's post...but since i'm actually writing this post on tuesday night...i'm letting you know that i'm too tired to go through all my pictures and figure out which ones i want to share...i promise to show you all tomorrow (thursday). sorry...some times sleep wins over blogging...

here is a little peek...more to come!}

ollie by app

2011-12-14T05:30:00.002-05:00

{last week, my co-worker asked for me to e-mail her a picture of Ollie...so i did. with in a minute or so she showed me these...they were created by this new app she had recently downloaded on her phone! pretty cool huh? my favorite is the top one..i'm thinking i might just print it out and frame it for my nightstand.}

showered

2011-12-13T05:09:00.001-05:00

{we are so very fortunate to have such amazing friends. i feel like i say that a lot but it's true...some times i need to stop and pinch myself. there is a fantastic group of gals that have been so amazing to have as friends and have a special place in my heart. i could go on and on about them...but i will keep it at that. since we are not traveling and will be having Oliver escorted, many of our friends have offered to pick items up for us while they visit Korea. i've pretty much taken most of them up on the offer. the one aspect that has always bothered me was not being able to bring beautiful reminders of Korea home for Oliver. i want Oliver to see things in each room that he can look at and know it came from his birth country. my friends have made that possible!}

{i have a plan for some of the items we will be getting. i am going to put them in a secret location hidden from Oliver. sounds so mean right? well keep reading...it gets better. so on special days (like our finalization day or his birthday etc.), b and i will select an item out of the hidden treasures and we will give it to Oliver on that specific special day. it will be a sweet surprise all the way from Korea. my older sister, Cara started this years ago. her oldest daughter, V was born in Russia and when Cara was there she picked up small items that she knew she could give to V one day in the future. she also had friends who would go back to Russia each year and Cara would give them money to pick up more gifts so that she could continue giving Russian treasures on special days. i've always liked the idea so i am going to use it for Oliver. i want to document what we get from Korea so let me show you what we've received so far....this first post is from my friend Kris. she recently went to Korea to bring back her second son and during her trip...she and her husband, Jason picked out these beautiful treasures for us....take a look.}

{thank you again kris (and jason)!!!!}

sixteen months

2011-12-12T06:28:00.003-05:00

{today, our son turns 16 months old. it's still hard to believe. i remember the day we first saw his picture, it feels like it was just a month ago. man has this year has flown by! it's both good and bad. The good part is that hopefully the time until we see him is growing closer and closer. The bad is that each day we spend apart he is growing and learning and doing things that we will miss.

one day, we will have this wait behind us and of course i look forward to that but what i really look forward to is taking my own pictures of my son and giving all of you my own updates on his progress and growth. until then...Happy 16th Oliver Yu-hyeon!}

o christmas tree

2011-12-12T05:45:00.000-05:00

{Happy Monday!}

{there are only 12 more days left until Christmas! eek! we are slowly checking things off our list.

there are only two more people left to buy gifts for and then we are done shopping!! we finished the Christmas cards yesterday and bought the ingredients to make Christmas cookies over the weekend. we hope to get those made this week....the last thing to do will be wrapping all the gifts.

so how are you doing with your to do list? }

so fresh

2011-12-08T05:46:00.001-05:00

{this is my new favorite Christmas candle. it's smells just like a crisp pine tree.}

warm hands

2011-12-08T05:23:00.000-05:00

{room6}

the last care package...

2011-12-07T05:58:00.002-05:00

the last care package of the year...that sounds so bizarre. really the last package of the year? i'm so very thankful that this year has flown by and hopefully we will only be sending one more care package or none at all come next year. there were so many other things we wanted to add to Oliver's Christmas care package but we didn't want to over do it and we had to be mindful of our limited space. this care package is different then the other seven that we've sent. this one was hand delivered by a very special neighbor and friend of ours who just happened to be traveling to Seoul last week on business. we selected everything with care...

a large designer purse and super soft scarf for Oliver's sweet foster mother...

yummy salted caramels from t.joes for the whole family to enjoy...

a flirty clutch for each of his foster sisters which included three burts bee's lipsticks and a fun red wallet....

a chocolate bar from w. foods and a set of mini note cards to the Holt employee who helped arrange

our friend's delivery....

as for Oliver

we sent him (and his family) an advent calender...

an easy to use tooth brush and tooth paste for his 8 tiny little teeth...

car keys that make all sorts of fun sounds...i'm sure his foster mother will love us for sending these....

sippy cups for our big boy who is drinking from his own cup...

a plush and cuddly reindeer (to add to the collection of stuffed animals we've sent)...

a couple pairs of animal socks which i also ended up buying a size up so that he would have a set here at home...they were too cute to not have at home too!

warm clothes like a new fleece outfit and long sleeve shirt...

a comfy hat with ear flaps and a cozy plum.tree.studio scarf....

two pairs of Christmas pjs..again how could i not get these for next year too?

and lastly...our second recordable book. you may remember we did one for his birthday back in August. the picture we included in this book is from our Seattle trip.

Merry Christmas to the most amazing Foster Family we could ask for!

and

a very special Merry Christmas to our most precious gift of all....

Oliver Yu-hyeon. We love you so much!!!

like candy

2011-12-07T05:46:00.000-05:00

{a sweet holiday bow tie....called Beau.}

stockings are hung by the....

2011-12-06T05:51:00.000-05:00

{wait...where is the chimney? well in this household..there is no chimney...no fireplace...no mantel. the shelf in the kitchen has become our make shift mantel. does the job right? you might notice there are three stockings hanging...we got Oliver's stocking in the mail on Friday. i actually squealed with joy when i opened the box. it's adorable and so colorful. i love how it coordinates with mine and b's striped socks. i don't think we will be stuffing it full of goodies this year...we might wait until next year to do that when Oliver is home. for now, it's nice to see a stocking that will one day become apart of so many Christmas memories.}

decorating with newspaper

2011-12-06T05:49:00.000-05:00

{tuck and bonte}

greetings

2011-12-05T05:03:00.000-05:00

{left to right from top: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o.}

the first

2011-12-01T05:18:00.001-05:00

{from our newest Christmas member..rodney the reindeer.}

adding cheer

2011-11-30T05:50:00.002-05:00

{when we got our Christmas decorations down over the weekend, we decided to decorate Oliver's room too. even though he's not here to enjoy it, it's still so nice to walk by his room and

see some Christmas cheer.}

{the moment i saw this book, i wanted it. we bought it earlier this year and i'm so glad i remembered it when we were decorating. i can't wait to read it to Oliver next year.

it's such a sweet story.}

{what kid wouldn't want a tree in their room? i know me and b both said we never had one and would have wanted one...so we got one for Oliver. b fluffed the mini tree while he was putting our living room tree up. i felt it was a little sad to put an empty tree in Ollie's room so i rounded up some of our old ornaments and a few tin ones i've been keeping for Oliver's room. then i remembered the three stuffed ornaments we bought him last year....it's still a little sad looking with no lights and few ornaments...but i have some ideas up my sleeve. i'll show you in a little bit. do you decorate your child's room for Christmas?}

everbloom

2011-11-30T05:11:00.000-05:00

{i wish i would have found this shop before i finished shopping for all my nieces. such sweet gifts any little girl would love to have. everbloom studio.}

our seattle trip

2011-11-29T05:39:00.003-05:00

from pumpkins to pinecones

2011-11-28T05:42:00.004-05:00

{Thanksgiving is over...just like that and now it's time to start focusing on Christmas...that's just how it works right? so how was your holiday? we had a really low key Thanksgiving which i'm a-ok with because i ended up getting a really fun head cold from work. i got it last weekend and it ended up taking a turn for the worst. luckily i got to the doctor the day before Thanksgiving to get some medicine. i did however manage to whip up this pumpkin bread (in my favorite bundt pan) for b.

i will admit, once Thanksgiving day was over, we did not waste time...our tree went up, the stockings were hung and we managed to get some gift shopping done. to be honest, i'm ready for Christmas to be here..not just because i adore this holiday, which i do, but it means that we are that much closer to the new year. you know..2012...and you know what 2012 means don't you? eeee...Oliver can hopefully come home! am i eager...you betcha i am! December will mark 8 months waiting for our son to come home and we are beyond anxious to have him in our arms finally. to be able to watch our son grow in front of our eyes instead of through a monthly picture is beyond exciting to me and b. i am however going to try and focus on all the fun activities that comes with the Christmas season. the first thing i did after all the decorations and shopping was order Oliver's stocking. i know he won't be home this year to use it but it was a stocking that i fell in love with earlier this month and had to have it this year. plus i was worried the store might not have it again next year. it's super cute, hopefully we get it next week so i can show it off! next up is b's Christmas party and uh...Christmas cards...what to do this year...hmmm.}

happy black friday

2011-11-25T05:18:00.001-05:00

{have fun today shopping for bargains! enjoy your weekend!}

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:49:00.000-05:00

{source}

thankful

2011-11-23T12:49:00.000-05:00

so very much to be thankful for this year....

my incredible husband who shows me each and every day how special i am to him...love you so much b...

our beautiful boy who has the most amazing foster family taking excellent care of him...

my two precious pups who make my heart swell each and every day...

my close friends who have shown me what friendship really is...and it's such a wonderful feeling...

my loving and supportive family...

a very sweet and special neighbor who has become our saving grace this year by volunteering to take Oliver his Christmas care package this week while she's on business in South Korea.
we can't thank you enough Mary Lou!

but most of all...i'm thankful for my faith in the lord above who has never left my side...

{source}

craving

2011-11-22T08:27:00.000-05:00

{warm apple pie...i love the ideal of this non-traditional apple pie...do you have any cravings going into the Thanksgiving holiday?}

getting a little wild

2011-11-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

{over the weekend, b and i went shopping. we had to get a couple more items for Oliver's Christmas package (which leaves this week...eee) so we headed to the mall. while we were there we started to talk about what i would wear to b's office Christmas party. it's like in two weekends. b reminded me that i tend to wait until the last minute and never feel completely happy with my dress selection. this is true, but i quickly reminded him (in a joking manner) that it's not my fault the dresses are not made to my proportions. anyone who is a petite 5'-2" will understand that most stylish dresses are either too long or too big. trust me, it's not fun to go dress shopping with me. i love dresses and love to try on dresses...but they don't love me back. b is very patient with me and understands my frustrations with clothes so we decided to try out a couple of my favorite stores. we ended at zara where i tend to have a little more luck in the dress department. i ended up trying on three different dresses. the first one i tried on was a grey lace dress (above). it was really pretty on. the only problem was the back.}

{the back was a little too open for me. it was pretty but the way it was constructed, you would have to wear a strapless bra which was not a problem at all. i think it was more of the way it sat on my shoulders, i felt the whole dress would fall off if i bent over. not a good thing when you are attending your husband's company party right? so it was a no.}

{then i tried on this dress which was a pretty shimmery green design. kind of festive right? it was nice and felt good on but in the end we both agreed it wasn't festive on me. really...it did nothing for me. next. the last dress i tried on was something i had just decided to grab and try on. i would never in a million years run up to this dress and say..it's me! there was something about it that i felt i needed to at least try and if anything..have a good laugh.}

{well i didn't laugh when i put this dress on. i smiled...pretty...big. i liked how it fit...every where. i even liked the snake skin print. i walked out of the dressing room with a smile and i think b could see i liked this dress. so we bought it. i'm still surprised that i like this dress because i tend to shy away from prints...especially animal prints. i'm thinking i'll be wearing some black tights and black heels with this dress...or maybe i should do nude on the bottom...hmmmm....we will see.}

{do you have a Christmas party to go to? if so...what are you wearing??}

get your wallet ready...

2011-11-18T05:05:00.000-05:00

{this weekend is the ICE show! i have to admit..i'm a little sad that i am not participating in the show this year..it's always so.much.fun. with our house on the market it would have made it extremely hard to prepare for this type of show...i tend to take over my whole house when preparing for shows like this...uh..so it was kind of out of the question. BUT...i am going this weekend and look forward to looking at all the booths and hopefully picking up some unique Christmas gifts. hope you can check it out! Happy Friday!}

the best gift guide

2011-11-17T05:44:00.000-05:00

{have you seen Creature Comforts Holiday Gift Guide? you are so missing out if you haven't...i personally think it's the best gift guide around. it's chalked full of A-mazing ideas for everyone and i mean everyone...i'm even eyeing things for my own wish list! here are a few of my favorites...}

{besides all the great gift ideas..there are also some beautiful FREE gift tag downloads and wrapping ideas....have fun browsing!}

let's ride

2011-11-16T08:13:00.000-05:00

{super fun rides...the holidays are coming....}

one big mess

2011-11-16T05:52:00.000-05:00

{a seriously cool (and very messy) kids party...}

tiny treasures

2011-11-16T05:37:00.000-05:00

{just a couple treasures we found on our trip to Seattle this past week.}

peace

2011-11-15T05:14:00.000-05:00

{is what i felt this past week while on our mini vacation...more on that later this week.

i'm still going through all the pictures but wanted to share this one...it's a favorite so far. i took it while we were visiting the space needle.}

m.i.a a little longer...

2011-11-09T05:17:00.001-05:00

{the last five days have added a lot of extra stress to my day to day...and the last two have been the worst. between getting ready for my trip, taking care of our house (yup..it's still on the market), taking care of my ear/face and my sweet ardie's ear...i'm ready to hop on a plane! so i will be gone the rest of the week...but it's for a good reason. i'm flying to Seattle this afternoon and i can not wait to see my man waiting for me at the airport!! i also get to see two very lovely ladies..one of which i have never met in person. it's going to be a great time! b and i plan to visit Portland too while we are out there. i'm super excited about this trip and can't wait to share it all when i get back! have a great week!}

(big bean photos)

a pretty pin

2011-11-04T08:41:00.000-04:00

{so yesterday got away from me...sorry! life has defiantly picked up it's pace. i'm not complaining just trying to fit it all in. i'm ready for the weekend though...and a little eager for next week.

hope you all have a great friday and enjoy your weekend!}

{one of my many pins}

our monkey

2011-11-02T05:32:00.000-04:00

{i meant to share this with you on monday...but totally forgot...sorry, i guess i was keeping it all to myself. well not really. Ollie is pictured here with his halloween package that we sent. i love that he is holding the monkey i picked out for him. our little guy is growing up so fast. in this picture he is almost 14 months...in just 10 days...he will be 15 months. trust me, if i think about it too much i get sad...so i don't. i am just focusing on the upcoming new year and thinking how sweet it will be to hold my little guy who has stolen my heart.}

it's starting...

2011-11-02T05:27:00.000-04:00

{my excitement that is...i'm getting excited about buying things for Oliver's Christmas package. i was at target two weeks ago and as i always do...i walked into the little boy's area to look around. there were four of these pajama pairs...four! i got so giddy looking at them. luckily out of the four, they had Oliver's size so i snagged them. i was bummed though because i really wanted to get another pair for next year but they didn't have the size i needed. this past weekend, b and i were back in the boy's section and this time there was a whole rack of them!! you better believe it...i ran over and snagged a larger pair for next year!

my boy is getting two pairs of (adorable) Christmas pjs in his package.}

cakes + portland = trip

2011-11-01T05:25:00.000-04:00

{i can't remember where i stumbled upon this site...but mrobin cakes are amazing. i love their style...like this one they call vintage. they are so unique. i'm not a big icing fan. i love to look at all the ways you can be creative with frosting but if i had to choose between cake or frosting..i'd say cake. based on their photos, mrobin looks like they are all about the cake. love. they are out of Portland, Oregon...surprise...i seem to love everything that comes from that beatiful city. which i just so happen to be going to next week! yay!}

{so b and i decided it was high time to take a little mini vacation. we've been going full steam these last couple months with the house on the market, looking for our second home and all the other stuff in between. we really just need a little time to recoup. we've booked it so that we will fly into Seattle first. we will spend some time site seeing (of course) and visiting with some amazing friends. we will get to visit with the Hammers, who will have just brought their second son home from Korea (and he is one cute kid!) and we will finally get to meet in person...the Cole family!! i can't tell you how excited i am! since we will only be 3 hours from Portland, i told b that i would like to take a day or two and explore. i need to make a list of places i want to see in both cities but if you have any recommendations..please feel free to leave me a note.}

eleven.one.eleven

2011-11-01T05:12:00.007-04:00

{can you believe October is over? it's amazing how fast that month went. i already know that november will go pretty fast for us. the leaves are falling and so are the temps...it finally feels like fall to me. the trees this year look extra beautiful for some reason. the colors are so vibrant. i think it's because my eyes are finally open. i feel so content right now. something i haven't felt in a long time. i know it's because it's getting closer to the end of the year and i'm eager for january 1st to be here. i have a good feeling about early next year and i hope my feelings are correct. i'm praying this month brings us good things...like maybe a new home. we will see. happy november 1st!}

{source}

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:04:00.000-04:00

{enjoy the tricks and treats!}

{adorable edible cake toppers...}

adding some greenery

2011-10-28T08:25:00.000-04:00

{with our house on the market, i like to have fresh flowers in a couple vases through out the house. i think it helps to soften some of the rooms like our kitchen. i've been going to our local whole foods for my flowers. they always stock a variety to choose from unlike our local grocery stores where i've noticed the selection is slim and the colors are very fluorescent. is yours like that?}

{the last showing we had, i picked up this bundle of green. i'm not sure what it is called but i love it. it was so soft to the touch and the deep green color was begging me to take it home. i knew it would add a little pop of color to our living room. today i get to go pick up some new flowers since we have a showing tonight and an open house on sunday. i have to admit, i do like having our house on the market for this reason.}

{have a great weekend!}

a pretty pin

2011-10-27T05:54:00.000-04:00

{as you know from tuesday's post..i've been working on a lot of cabinetry drawings and so love to search pinterest for inspiration. this picture has been one of my favorites so far. i love this pin.}

oma and ollie

2011-10-26T06:01:00.000-04:00

{i've seen a couple blogs before where they feature mother/daughter outfits..you know items that look similar just different sizes. i've always thought it was so sweet to see..but i've never seen mother/son outfits. is it because of the obvious...gender? is it harder? well...we will see. i thought i would try to find things that ollie and i could have that were similar starting with these toggle coats...}

oma: j.crew's new toggle coat that you have to preorder...it's that wonderful.

ollie: gap plaid toggle coat in true navy

duck...duck...

2011-10-26T05:58:00.001-04:00

{b went to utah on a business trip and came home with presents for me and ollie. yippe! he picked up this tee for our son in park city. it makes me laugh. i'm thinking when ollie is home and b goes on a business trip...he's going to have to bring a little something home for him....and me. wink.}

care package #7

2011-10-26T05:50:00.000-04:00

{i just mailed our 7th care package to Oliver. it's crazy to think by the end of this year, we will have sent him 8 care packages. each time we put a package together for Oliver, i have mixed emotions. i'm excited yet unsure. i'm excited about the idea of buying things for our son. i love the fact that i get to think of him when i'm shopping. yet there is that same feeling each month...i'm unsure. unsure if it's something that he likes or if his foster mother will use it. each time i put clothing into his monthly box, i wonder if it's the right size..is it too big or too small..not the right type of clothes for the weather there....will his foster mother even put it on him? does she shake her head when the item is too small or big? then there is that fear that we are sending the same things every month. he's young but i still wonder if he will he grow bored of our packages? don't get me wrong, we do love sending him packages and we are so grateful for the care package picture we get each month. i just wish i knew what he was into, doing, seeing so that i could send him items that relate to his daily experiences. send items that his foster mother might need. some times i feel like i should be sending items like food, diapers, shampoos..you know necessities. ugh..so many thoughts go into a package each month. i also can't help but wonder how many more packages we will be sending

after the new year...2...3...4? hopefully...one.}

{this package pictured is his november package. we sent some warmer clothes hopefully in a size he can wear. a new book even though it's english the illustrations are so sweet. some snacks for him and sweets for his foster mother. some lotion for his cheeks for the upcoming winter months, hopefully she knows what it is. he's still teething so we decided to send the last of the teething rings. hopefully it will help with any discomfort he might be having. we found the stuffed lion one night while we were browsing a toy store. every time i see a little lion..my heart leaps a little. makes me think of our sweet Ollie. i hope he gives this little lion a lot of hugs because i gave it a big hug before i put it in the box.}

{oh and i had to slip in a hooded towel that says it all....we so very much love you Oliver.

so much it makes our hearts hurt.}

keeping me busy

2011-10-25T08:43:00.001-04:00

{i've been working with a new client these past three weeks, helping them with cabinetry design and function. i didn't realize how much i had missed drafting up elevations and floor plans until i started working on their plans. it's kept me pretty busy..in a good way. after the cabinetry design is completed, we will get started on the finishes..another area that i used to love to work on. hopefully one day i will be able to share a photo or two of the complete project.}

time has flown by

2011-10-24T05:16:00.000-04:00

{18 years ago, you asked me to be your girlfriend under a moonlit playground. i said yes with a large smile on my face. we were only 16 years old but i knew back then there was something special about you. little did i know that it was my heart telling me that you were my soul mate. my one true love. happy anniversary b.}

in need of a little R&R..

2011-10-18T10:27:00.000-04:00

{this thursday i will be having surgery on the left side of my neck/ear. i've had a problem for a little more then two years now but with in the last two months, it's gotten much worse. b and i think it's the result of extreme stress. a body can only take so much right? well i've seen my ENT doctor over the past two years regarding this problem and last week he recommended that we finally do something about it. so i'm going "under the knife". something that i'm dreading and to be honest...makes me a little ill to really think about but i'm looking forward to not having this problem any more so the knife it is. i'm not sure how long it will take me to recover, the doctor said 10-12 days but i'm praying for a quick recovery. i have a big project that i need to finish up before thursday so i am going to take the rest of the week off. i hope you all have a great week...and weekend!}

{p.s. i'm in love with this picture...the colors are soft and restful. via bohemian wornest}

shopping in africa

2011-10-17T08:54:00.000-04:00

{i did a little browsing over the weekend and found this shop that made me want to buy one of every item. the shop is called deep dark africa. it's loaded with eye catching gifts for everyone including yourself. the best part is that all the items in this shop are handmade.}

color collage

2011-10-14T05:37:00.001-04:00

{i love color collages...especially when they incorporate fun vintage items like these.

see more on hilda grahnat's website.}

{happy friday...}

dreaming of a white...

2011-10-13T05:40:00.000-04:00

{and grey kitchen...}

{with subway tile and lots of natural daylight...}

{oh and a kick butt floor like this herringbone one...now that is my dream kitchen.}

{images via my pinterest}

before and after part 5

2011-10-13T05:14:00.000-04:00

{after our house was put on the market, b and i decided to revisit the first ever pictures we took of our home. it was a crazy journey back to the past. as we were going through the pictures, i really wanted to see the side by side comparisons of each space. so after we were done, i pulled all of our old and new pictures together and created before and after shots for b to see. i realized i had quite a few. so i thought it would be fun to share them here on my blog. since i have a handful of before and afters...i'll drag it out a little (he-he) and show you a new one each thursday. i'm not going in any particular order...so this week...i'll show you the kitchen.}

{so i don't think i've ever shown you all my kitchen. to be honest, i wasn't going to show you...until we started remodeling it. the kitchen/dining was going to be the last project. we knew that in order to have our "dream" kitchen (and dining), everything (and i mean everything..ceiling, walls, flooring...) would have to be gutted. this obviously was going to be the most expensive project so why not wait until the end right? well since our house is on the market, that will not be happening now. so i figured i would go ahead and show you what we did do to it in order to make it feel...um...presentable. as you can see from the before picture, we bought a house that had a kitchen filled with a lot of brown and floral. b and i quickly changed that. we first had the really nasty brown (and black) appliances removed. i shutter just thinking of those gross appliances. then we took the lovely floral paper down, replaced the only lighting with two pendants and added an island that just so happened to match the existing cabinetry style. of course while we were subtracting and adding things, we just could not live with the brown cabinets so we painted them green. i have to say that they actually look lighter in the picture above then they do in real life. so all of that is what i considered "phase 1". this was going to be the only phase until we started the big remodel. then this year, we decided we were going to change the old stainless steel double bowl sink out for a single bowl. it was worn and the drain was old...it needed to be replaced like pronto. well replacing it didn't turn out to be an easy task like we thought it would be. we ended up cracking the countertop...beyond repair in the process of removing the old sink. so...we had to buy a new countertop which in the end worked out great. we bought our new stainless steel single bowl sink and picked up a pretty bridge faucet to finish it all off. this is what i considered "the phase 2"...which turned out to be the final phase. one day i'll have my "dream" kitchen...just not in this house. what is your dream kitchen?}

october's wbc

2011-10-12T05:55:00.013-04:00

{our boy is growing up...quickly. we got Oliver's wbc for this month...yahoo!

side note: now that he's over 12 months, he will have a wbc every other month.

so the next one will be in december.

let's see...what did we learn about our son this month...

he's got 4 teeth on top and 4 on the bottom.

he is now 21.6 lbs and 30.4 inches tall which means he's grown almost an inch since august

but he hasn't gained much weight.

b and i both agreed it is from all the activities he's been doing this past month.

where should we start...let's see...

he is walking which we already knew but now he is....

...oh..

....a....

...RUNNING!!

can you believe it? i've joked before to some of my friends that when Oliver comes home his escort will not be carrying him because he will be running up the escalator! ha!

i really was just joking. let's hope that doesn't happen.

he waves goodbye now which i think is so sweet. he throws a ball, takes his socks off, drinks from a cup (mental note..add sippy cups to care package list), bows (adorable!), helps get dress, tries to use a spoon and needs by pointing. he says umma and abba which mean momma and daddy. he also says three other words, eeboo, ubda and amen. i'd like to find out what they mean so that i understand them when he comes home.

one thing that i noticed right away was that the report listed his developmental age as....

15 months. today he turned 14 months old.

i think we might have a little over achiever? maybe...maybe not.

either way, he is so perfect for us.}

{source}

creating peace

2011-10-11T06:16:00.000-04:00

{my friend kris took this beautiful photo back in august and posted it on her facebook page. i adored the colors and how it instantly made me feel so calm and at peace. i pretty much told her that i wanted a copy of this even though she was not offering...

actually these were the words i used..

" i seriously would love to blow this up and have it hanging in my house...we'll talk."}

{so kris being the giving person that she is...sent me a copy! i can't tell you how excited i am to get this framed...but i'm holding off until we get our new house. i'd like for it to be the first piece of art for our new home. a calming piece for a new beginning.}

{thank you kris!!!}

fall craving

2011-10-11T05:58:00.000-04:00

{when it's a cool crisp fall day...i crave something warm to drink. typically i crave tea in the morning and at night. i have several teas that i like to pick from but some times i like to change it up and go with a spiced cider or a hot cocoa and if it's a good day....i'll get whip cream on top of the cocoa. so what is your favorite drink in the fall?}

{marley & me}

looking forward

2011-10-10T05:37:00.000-04:00

{to...this year's Country Living Fair! it's the weekend of the 21st thru the 23rd. soooo mark your calenders...i'm super excited! what a weekend that will be...not only will b and i be going to the fair..but we will be running in our 2nd 5k race and celebrating a whopping 18 years together. it should be a pretty exciting weekend. oh...if you missed my recap from last year's fair..take a hop on over here to check it out.}

what to stuff

2011-10-07T23:03:00.001-04:00

{so i need some help...b and i will be putting together Oliver's Christmas package early next month. this package will be a little different...not only because it's going to be his Christmas package but this package will be hand delivered by our church friend and neighbor, ML. who just so happens to be the sweetest person ever. ML is going to South Korea around thanksgiving week and asked if there was anything she could do for us or Oliver while she was there. we told her she could deliver his Christmas package for us and she so sweetly said she would be honored to! so i need some help. i want to make this package a little more special then our typical monthly package...after all it's his second Christmas. oh and since this will be our 8th care package...we've sent so many different items...i'm kind of running out of things to send besides the typical clothes, socks, snacks and a toy or stuffed animal. you can see what we've sent in the past here. also...we have to be mindful of the limited luggage space that ML will have. lots to think about huh? that's how i feel... so do you have any ideas? i'd love to hear them. we have all month to think about it so i thought i would ask now....thanks a bunch!}

{p.s. i want to get this stocking for him for when he's home next Christmas...i hope.}

lighting lust

2011-10-06T08:21:00.000-04:00

{i'm working on a project where we needed to spec island lights for a large 10' island. i am in love with this pendant from Circa...it would be perfect but unfortunately it's not in the project's budget so i'll just be admiring it from afar.}

before and after part 4

2011-10-06T05:14:00.000-04:00

{as you can see in the before picture, there was no personalty...actually it was pretty sad. i really wanted to add some architectural details to our front door area, the thought was to add the charm that it should have originally had. so in 2008, we had a contractor remove all the old aluminum...which included pretty much everything...the door trim, the porch ceiling and the ugly dented column. it was nice to see it all gone. our contractor added a new wood door surround with some sweet details, a bead board ceiling, a column with molding and a custom decorative railing. after we added all these we realized we could not keep the old door. we actually hated the old door so we were happy to pick out a new door. we found one that would let the sunshine in. after it was all completed, we couldn't have been more happy with how the front door looked. it finally looked like a cottage.}

6 months

2011-10-05T05:59:00.001-04:00

{it's been 6 months since b and i first laid eyes on our son, Oliver Yu-hyeon. i still remember the call we got on April 4th and i still get tears when i see his sweet sleeping referral picture. he looks like such an angel in this picture. i remember b and i would just stare at him and wonder what he looked like with his eyes open. gushing over his long lashes and wispy hair. thinking of how wonderful it would be to hold him, kiss that precious nose of his and rock him to sleep.}

{then we got an updated picture a month later....he was "awake". it was like seeing him for the first time all over again. he was older looking but still that sweet boy we fell in love with a month prior. we talked about his room and what we wanted to do to it. we finally started to buy items for...our son. something we were so proud to say...so excited to tell everyone that we had a son. we even told the starbucks drive thru people. they quickly learned his name and asked each time we saw them for updates. it was a fun month. finally being able to think about our family and a son that would come home to us. being able to start on his room was like a dream come true. i was in decorating heaven.}

{a month later, everything changed. the EP mess started and we just had to wait to find out what was going to happen. we were told we would know in july if we were submitted for an EP...july came and went. we received no new news...only that we still needed to wait. life seemed to stand still. the excitement of our son coming home went away and worry set in. we stopped working on his room in july. we didn't want to continue until we knew Oliver was coming home. then in august we were told that there were only 4 spots left and we had a small chance of being one of them. that's when the sadness stepped in. our hearts sank. we felt like we had been hit by a mac truck. after 21 months of waiting to see our child's picture, we thought for sure he would come home this year. we didn't think it was at all possible that we would have to wait almost a year later to bring him home. in september we were officially told that we would not bring him home this year. that was the worst day of the year. i think i broke a million blood vessels from crying. we had to face reality. our lives would continue as b and d and not as a family of three...at least not this year.}

{it's still hard for me to believe that we've known about our son for 6 months now. each month has been harder then the last. at the beginning of each month, i grow anxious waiting for a well baby check up or an updated picture of Oliver. something to grasp on to...something to help us feel like we are still connected to him. we've sent Oliver a care package every month since May. it's our only way of feeling like we are apart of his life. we know that some day he will be in our home and in our arms but for now this all we have.}

{it feels like good news is rare these days. the pace at which things are moving in the adoption world seems to have grown to a crawl or as i like to say...a snail's pace. there are no answers as to why or how or when. last month when we asked our agency to give us an idea on when they think Oliver will be submitted for an EP, the only thing they said was that we would have to wait until early next year when the EPs reset. then they might have an idea as to how the system will run. that is when b and i knew that putting our house on the market was the best thing for us to do. we both felt so emotionally drained. getting a new house, one that would be bigger and better for Oliver to grow up in was what we wanted to focus on. a fresh start after almost three years of having our lives on hold. the process of selling our house has kept me busy but i still have to take each day as it comes. i'm still processing the fact that our son will be 18-20 months old by the time he comes home. it still makes my heart hurt to know that we missed his baby time. it has also taken me time to overcome the feeling that i need to do something to help get him home. there is absolutely nothing i can do but pray.}

{i think about our son every day. i wonder what he's doing, what his voice sounds like, is he being a good boy...i daydream about him being in the car with me or giving him a good morning kiss. i don't know why this has happened but i trust that this is God's plan. he feels that b and i are strong enough to go through something so emotional and raw like this. we now know what the word "wait" means. it's not easy, it's harder then anything we've ever gone through but we will do this all for our son. we will continue to live each day and try to enjoy the small things that life brings us as we wait for four simple but amazingly wonderful words.......

"Oliver is coming home."}

set the table

2011-10-04T05:53:00.000-04:00

{need some party inspiration? well have you seen the table themes over at bhldn?}

{lovely.}

fox hall

2011-10-04T05:49:00.000-04:00

{just wanted to share a project that Stanton Home Furnishings participated in (the main kitchen shown above)....typically Jimmy signs up for one room in a showhouse but this time around it was a whole house. it was quite a lot of work but it turned out beautifully. take a look here...}

it's your day

2011-10-03T05:52:00.000-04:00

{to an amazing sister who just so happens to be one of my very best friends. i'm so incredibly grateful to have you in my life. happy thirty-third birthday! life would be so dull without you! love you jen!}

october is here!

2011-10-03T05:42:00.000-04:00

{which means the color Orange is all the rage again. i'm down with that...i love me some orange. so how was your weekend? ours was fantastic...who says that anymore? uh...me. b came home on friday from a week long trip so i was more then ready to get the weekend started. we had a pretty low key friday night..just me and him time. love that. on saturday, we prepared for our big adventure. one that i told you about last week, our first ever race. all i have to say is i wish you were there. we couldn't bring a camera because b and i didn't want to have to run with it so i got NO pictures. that part did stink but the actual race and seeing all the people with their blinking arm bands on....was pretty cool. the first mile was super easy. we stayed with the pack and i didn't even feel like we were running. the second mile went pretty easy until we started to hit hill after hill. i was determined to finish the race without having to walk at all. on the third mile, i knew we were getting close and my legs were a little tired but i was excited to finish. the final quarter mile was all up hill...talk about a burn! once we rounded the corner and i heard all the people cheering...my energy shot up and my legs whipped into action. b told me later that he's never seen me run so fast. he joked and said it was like a foaming rabie infested dog was chasing me. ha! i think it was just pure adrenaline. finishing our first race together was such an awesome feeling. i was so very proud of b and i for sticking it out and completing it. we had so much fun that we signed up for this race as soon as we got home. the rest of the weekend was about relaxing and just enjoying the awesome fall weather.}

{Happy October!}

{images via pinterest}

run forest run

2011-09-30T05:41:00.000-04:00

{this weekend, b and i will run our first ever race together. we signed up (at the last minute) to do the firefly which is a night race that looks like it will be a ton of fun. it's a 5k and i know i have some readers that are runners...but trust me i am not. so i am hoping that i can channel forest gump and not be the last one to cross the finish line. the reason i signed up knowing that i don't particularly like to run...i wanted b and i to experience something we hadn't. i did it on the fly knowing that if i really thought about it, i would probably chicken out. so wish us (uh...i mean me) luck!}

{source}

a locket with a twist

2011-09-29T05:09:00.000-04:00

{i've always been a fan of the locket but have never really liked the "typical" locket designs...until i saw beklina's french enameled lockets. i would stick sweet pictures of my boys in them. i love the idea of being able to wear them layered together or separate. such a fun and simple way to add a pop of color to your wardrobe.}

let's play

2011-09-28T05:51:00.000-04:00

{after looking through quite a few houses in hopes of finding our new home, i've fallen in love with the idea of a playroom that has a lot of functions. so i started collecting some inspirational photos from pinterest.}

{i'm thinking of a place for imagination...}

{one that is cozy..}

{and has plenty of wall space to hang our artwork...}

{an area that we can create a reading knook...}

{as well as a craft area...}

{a place we can appreciate color...}

{and just have fun being a family.}

coin collector

2011-09-28T05:29:00.000-04:00

{a sweet gift idea for a little girl i know...}

{misala}

busy

2011-09-27T05:19:00.001-04:00

{oops...did not mean to miss monday. oh well. we've been super busy. lots going on...but i won't bore you with my "to do" list. so how was your weekend? on saturday, b and i went house hunting with our realtor. this time b got to see the houses as well as the interiors. it was interesting to hear what he had to say about each house. i know that we have similar opinions on a lot of things but i never realized how insync we were. as we visited each house, our opinions were almost always the same. that has got to be good when looking for a house right? the final house was one that we had driven by last weekend and we were really excited to see the interior. we fell in love with the lot, the exterior, the driveway, the backyard...but not so much with the interior layout...most of you may know by now (after seeing our before and afters) that i can overlook cosmetic details...but when a room has weird window or wall placements..forget it. so after 12 houses..we are still looking. i know our next home is out there..we just have to find it.}

a very happy day

2011-09-23T05:24:00.001-04:00

{for one...it's friday! happy friday all! it's also a happy day because my good friend Rachel is celebrating her (online) store's 4th year being open! yahoo! Happy 4th cREaTe!! to celebrate this birthday...she is having a giveaway over on her blog this week/weekend! so what do you win?? well you get to pick ANY item from her shop! wanna see what i "wished" for???}

{i already have four of her paintings....but i would love to add this one to my collection. it's a new design that she just came out with this month..isn't it beautiful? so am i tempting you? wouldn't you love to win a piece of her artwork? well what are you waiting for? hop on over there and leave a comment...

oh and don't forget to wish her a happy 4th!

have a great weekend!}

before and after part 3

2011-09-22T05:46:00.000-04:00

{some of you may recognize this room...we actually just finished this project last year. well to be honest we did paint the walls before we moved in...so there was some difference but we did a little more then that last year...

you can read all about it here...here and here...so much better don't you think?}

small

2011-09-21T08:34:00.000-04:00

{small magazine is out....}

rosie

2011-09-20T07:56:00.000-04:00

{meet rosie...barb from knack created her..isn't she pretty? if you know me...i love just about anything with stripes....i can see rosie in an entry way or a child's room or just about anywhere. you can purchase her over here...along with this handsome guy.}

melissa wilson home

2011-09-20T05:47:00.000-04:00

{shop}

unexpected

2011-09-19T05:15:00.001-04:00

{on friday, my sweet 12 year old lab was rushed to the vet's office. he had symptoms that i had not experienced with him before. i called our vet and explained what was going on and they asked me to come in as soon as possible. this made me panic. to say i was scared would be an understatement. my heart was pounding and i was fighting back the tears as i put noah in the car and proceded to put my hands at 12 and 2 and ride like the wind. the whole ride there all i could think about was my noah. my sweet sweet noah.}

{once we got to the vet, noah got a full body scan. he was poked and probed all over all the while keeping his eye on me. the first thing the vet told me was that he detected a new heart murmur. my own heart dropped. then they took him to the back to take some blood and do other tests. the vet couldn't determine what was going on but he told me he was very concerned with noah's symptoms. this time my heart was in my throat. i mentioned that noah was also having trouble with his back right leg and showed some discomfort when he walked. the doctor said he'd look at him while they were bringing him out front to me. tears were building up in my eyes and i was able to "maintain" my composure until the vet opened the side door and said to me...without taking an x-ray i'd say noah has spinal arthritis. forget maintaining my composure...the flood gates opened. i was told that the results from all the tests would be back in the morning and it could be anything...from something easy to fix to something very serious. he just didn't know. so as i rode home, the past 12 years of noah's life with us flashed in my mind. tears just rolled down my face. i said a quiet prayer for noah and his health,

praying that he had more time with us.}

{ on saturday, the vet called to let me know that noah has a kidney infection, it's serious but treatable. so the good lord heard my prayer and my sweet boy will hopefully be feeling much better very soon...but something that has stuck with me the last two days is after i got home, i texted my family a picture of noah, asking them to say a prayer for his health. later that day, my sister told me that noah looked so old in his picture. this made my heart hurt. i see noah differently, he still runs and jumps and is so silly. i feel like he hasn't "changed", he hasn't really slowed down. he loves to take a running leap up the deck stairs and wants to chase arden around the yard. i know noah is 12 years old and he's not getting any younger but it's hard for me to think of him as old. to hear someone say he looks old makes me realize that we may only have a couple more years (or less) left with our sweet boy. i have always given him tons of hugs and pats and love through out these past 12 years. he has a very very special place in my heart and i hope he knows that.}

{i am grateful for the news and that it's something we can easily help with a little medicine. it's just been a huge eye opener for me. i now know that my time with him is limited and i need to give noah a little extra love each day while he's still here with me and b. the lord heard my prayer and answered it.

thank you so very much lord.}

welcome...come on in.

2011-09-16T05:59:00.002-04:00

{the weekend is upon us...this week went quickly just like all the previous summer weeks have. this weekend is a pretty busy one for b and i. we have our open house this weekend. in the past week we've had two showings which were complete opposites...meaning one i knew a day in advance and the other i knew an hour in advance. the great part is that both feedbacks came back stating our house was very well kept and very clean. um...i'll take that. i'm not sure what else we will squeeze into our weekend but i'm sure there will be some small activities. i hope you all have a great one!}

before and after part 2

2011-09-15T05:44:00.001-04:00

{this was the oddest bedroom b and i had ever seen. we actually felt sorry for the son who had to grow up in this room (along side the washer and dryer). after buying the house, we knew this room would not be used as a bedroom....or a guest suite (how cruel would that be?). so b and i decided to make it interesting. the first month we owned the house, we applied a wood paneling to the walls, added new baseboards and crown moulding and then finished it off with a fresh coat of paint. since then we've used this room as a laundry room but i also use it as my studio. it's not much of a studio...trust me i have had to come up with some very creative storage solutions for all my supplies...and luckily i live with a handy man who will carry out those ideas...but i will say...this room has the best views out of the whole house. the two windows give a clear view of our back yard and deck. it is always relaxing to sit at my desk and see all the birds, butterflies and squirrels that visit our yard.

i hope my next studio will be...bigger (that's obvious right?) and have some peaceful views.}

care package #6

2011-09-14T05:44:00.000-04:00

{it's hard to believe that we are sending Oliver his 6th care package and we already have to start thinking of the Holidays. this one was a mixture of items. since Oliver is now probably in 12 month clothing, we had to start pulling items from his closet that we had bought earlier this year. it was bittersweet because i remember b and i being so excited to finally by for our son. we bought items thinking WE would to see him in them and now i'm packing them in his box. i only hope his foster mom will use them. with Halloween being next month, we HAD to include some Halloween "treats". this was not an easy task. there are some choices out there in the stores but not a whole lot of selection (for boys). i hate to admit that b and i picked up an outfit and brought it home without thinking. after i took the tags off of it i realized that it was NOT Oliver's 1st Halloween....in fact it is his second. there was no way i was going to send the outfit to him. so it's going to his "girl-friend" who will be celebrating her 1st Halloween this year. since we no longer had anything for Halloween in his package...back to the stores i went. i did manage to pick up some other Halloween-ish items like the pumpkin monkey, bib and book....but after the package was together, i didn't like that he had nothing to wear for Halloween. so i decided that i needed to whip up a tee for my son. i created a simple ghost and used one of my new favorite grey fabrics for the applique. i am pretty pleased with how it turned out...simple and sweet. next package will be interesting. ha.}

olive juice

2011-09-14T05:41:00.003-04:00

{shop}

to pieces

2011-09-13T05:31:00.000-04:00

{i love these two....to pieces. they bring smiles to my every day and one day they will do the same for a special little boy...who hopefully will love them just as much as i do.}

plum tree studio

*a little early..*

*for a boy who loves books*

*the loveliest collar*

*number 9*

*something i pinned*

*just a dog*

*rebag*

*get it*

*willow grace*

*forward thinking*

*the 12th of every month*

*no cutting here..*

*unexpected*

*room crush*

*an award...for me?*

*green monster*

*lets talk clothes..*

*9 months waiting*

*a few Holiday snaps*

*Happy 2012!!*

*it's that time...*

*tis is is*

*a very tj breakfast*

*better get a move on...*

*diy for Oliver*

*a little peek*

*ollie by app*

*showered*

*sixteen months*

*o christmas tree*

*so fresh*

*warm hands*

*the last care package...*

*like candy*

*stockings are hung by the....*

*decorating with newspaper*

*greetings*

*the first*

*adding cheer*

*everbloom*

*our seattle trip*

*from pumpkins to pinecones*

*happy black friday*

*Happy Thanksgiving!*

*thankful*

*craving*

*getting a little wild*

*get your wallet ready...*

*the best gift guide*

*let's ride*

*one big mess*

*tiny treasures*

*peace*

*m.i.a a little longer...*

*a pretty pin*

*our monkey*

*it's starting...*

*cakes + portland = trip*

*eleven.one.eleven*

*Happy Halloween!*

*adding some greenery*

*a pretty pin*

*oma and ollie*

*duck...duck...*

*care package #7*

*keeping me busy*

*time has flown by*

*in need of a little R&R..*

*shopping in africa*

*color collage*

*dreaming of a white...*

*before and after part 5*

*october's wbc*

*creating peace*

*fall craving*

*looking forward*

*what to stuff*

*lighting lust*

*before and after part 4*

a little early..

for a boy who loves books

the loveliest collar

number 9

something i pinned

just a dog

rebag

get it

willow grace

forward thinking

the 12th of every month

no cutting here..

unexpected

room crush

an award...for me?

green monster

lets talk clothes..

9 months waiting

a few Holiday snaps

Happy 2012!!

it's that time...

tis is is

a very tj breakfast

better get a move on...

diy for Oliver

a little peek

ollie by app

showered

sixteen months

o christmas tree

so fresh

warm hands

the last care package...

like candy

stockings are hung by the....

decorating with newspaper

greetings

the first

adding cheer

everbloom

our seattle trip

from pumpkins to pinecones

happy black friday

Happy Thanksgiving!

thankful

craving

getting a little wild

get your wallet ready...

the best gift guide

let's ride

one big mess

tiny treasures

peace

m.i.a a little longer...

a pretty pin

our monkey

it's starting...

cakes + portland = trip

eleven.one.eleven

Happy Halloween!

adding some greenery

a pretty pin

oma and ollie

duck...duck...

care package #7

keeping me busy

time has flown by

in need of a little R&R..

shopping in africa

color collage

dreaming of a white...

before and after part 5

october's wbc

creating peace

fall craving

looking forward

what to stuff

lighting lust

before and after part 4

6 months