Resuming the blog!

I've decided that instead of slacking on both of my blogs, I'm eventually going to condense the two and actually update it more than once every other month. And I've decided this because my life is actually getting more interesting!

So here's some updates!!

First off, we are obviously back in Utah, to stay. Our "housing situation" has been less than ideal, since it's taken us a YEAR to actually buy a house. We sold our condo in Orem, hoping to close on a house in Lehi, and then found ourselves homeless because the sellers backed out (long story). Every possible thing in the book has gone wrong, and none of it was because of us.

So here's where we've been living the past month... Grandpa's house! Carter really loves his great Grandpa Packard. He's been so great to let us crash with him for this indefinite amount of time.

Since we had time to kill, while waiting for the house situation, we went to Disneyland!!

And me and Aaron have finally gone on some much needed dates

And I happen to still be pregnant. Not my favorite stage in life by any means. I feel huge this 2nd time around but I'm grateful I've been able to at least still work out, and baby boy is healthy and I feel great. So I need not complain! Baby's due the 3rd or 4th week of January.. (not sure because it will most likely be another c-section).

Soooooo. The house. How we love it. We were devastated when it fell through the first time, but things got back on track, and then the closing didn't happen yesterday like it was supposed to (again, not our fault). The latest and most accurate news is that we are closing next Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and moving in the following Monday/Tuesday, after the weekend. I've debated even showing pictures because we seem to get screwed every time we're this close to getting a house, but everything seems legit this time around FINALLY. 

So here's a sneak peek =)  (with the current owners' stuff)

Lovely white kitchen + dark counters. My fav

 Lovely fireplace + built-ins. <3

That's all for now =)

baby

Got some exciting news this week...

Another boy is on the way, and it really wasn't that much of a surprise.. after all, boys run big time on my husband's side. Having one already and knowing how fun it is, I am ecstatic! I'll be planning out a nursery in the near future and digging out my son's {old} cute clothes that I've missed.. good times ahead, my friends!

credits: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine

confessions

I have a slight obsession with Demi Lovato. It's been going on for some time... like all summer.

Give your heart a break.. Yeah that's an entire station on my pandora and I am STILL not sick of it.

Plus I have respect for celebs, especially young ones who can talk about their depression or eating disorders (and her cutting) and their attempts to get better, while there's other young celebs out there who just run amok, getting DUI's and stealing.. 

Rhymes with Bindsey Bohan.

But Demi here is freaking talented, I heart her

So, how stoked am I for X-factor this fall?? I confess I've never watched it, which is weird considering I love Simon.. I think I just got sick of all these talent shows, but I will repent.

This is gonna be good.

Did you hear the news?? Jillian is back on Biggest Loser! Should be interesting, now she's got 2 kids of her own, and they're also incorporating obese kids into the show this season. This needed to happen. I'm excited.

Oh Gossip Girl, I have missed you. Can October please come quicker?

Patch NYC at Target!

Ever since I got an Elle Decor mag in the mail a few weeks ago, I've been obsessing over the Target ad, announcing its fall collection coming on MONDAY. 

Patch NYC, out September 10!

It's masculine and woodsy and quirky and I want everything.

Born this way...?

I'm a big fan of Jamie Eason. Who wouldn't be?

I kind of want to hate her because she looks this good, but I just can't! 

My husband thinks she looks too skinny, which makes me feel a teensy bit better. Just a smidge though.

I follow Jamie Eason Middleton (she just got married!) on facebook, and totally loved this quote that she put up last week....

'Let's address the "genetics" comment. Sure, genetics play a role in the shape of your body. It's pretty obvious to me that at 5'2", I wasn't likely going to be a super model or a basketball player. And, with little to no curves long before weight training, I never imagined a career as a "model" of any kind. Yet, 8 years later, here I am...a model. Pretty crazy! Don't count yourself out because of genetics! I can think of several women in hollywood with less than ideal physiques, yet we love them and they make an amazing living! No matter who you are, proper nutrition and training can improve your body and no matter what your genetics are, there is a large population of people somewhere with the exact same strengths/weaknesses that would love to know how to do what you're doing. If you manage to improve your body/health....people aren't aspiring to look exactly like you, they just want to know how to do it for themselves. Don't use genetics as a crutch. Make the most of yours and show others with the same perceived limitations what you managed to do.'

Go Jamie.

I love the idea of making the best out of what God has given you. It's especially inspiring for me, because also at 5'2" I complain all the time about having short legs and no waist, and big shoulders, and blah blah blah. As I'm sure a tall person might complain about the opposite problems! I guess the cool part of it is that fitness is universal. And whatever "flaws" you might think you have, and think that you're stuck with for life, a lot of those can be fixed with good nutrition and exercise, and if not... then do the best with what you've got! 

at it again

Ya know, I started this blog just as an outlet for my hobbies. All unrelated but still fun. I hate to say fitness is not by focus right now, because I'm still working out and trying to do my best at 17+ weeks pregnancy. I actually took my son for a jog in the stroller last night and wished someone were around to take a picture of that sight! A sweaty mess, pushing a stroller, with my baby bulge hangin out. As much as I hate how my body reacts with pregnancy, I feel good about still being able to run on a treadmill, lift some free weights, and keep up pretty well with my previous workouts. (Of course I can no longer do pull-ups- I haven't even attempted, and I've resorted to "girl" push-ups, but I'm still trucking!)
I figure even if I gain 45 pounds again (fingers crossed that I DON'T), at least I'm planning on working out as long as possible, which is already much longer than my first pregnancy!

I put my decorating obsession on the backburner because we moved out to Texas temporarily for the summer, and it's actually depressing when you're stuck in a white, empty apartment for going on 5 months. BUT there is a light at the end of this tunnel!...

From the looks of things, the husband's job has been going so well out here that he wants to make it permanent in Texas, preferably in Houston. Which means buying a HOUSE! And soon! So of course I'm rekindling that decorating fire and concocting all the things I could do when we finally have the space for it!

I've had random strangers ask for decorating advice on rooms, family members who are remodeling, and then also just an idea or product that I love and I just have to get creative with it. So throughout the summer I've had a few projects.. for others, and just for fun.

My parents' new living room they're remodeling

A bedroom I put together for a reader

A random girl nursery that I wanted to design around that awesome rug...no, I don't know what I'm having yet, so this isn't mine! ;)

 And my future bedroom perhaps? =) I'm rather obsessed with neutrals + orange lately

Old Navy vs. J.Crew

I dunno what it is lately but this summer Old Navy has been awesome. Like crazy cute stuff. I got a J.crew catalog the other day and was so in love with all the polka dots but since I'm pregnant going into fall and winter, I get kind of sad because those cute things just don't work too well with a belly.
Bottom line- I still wanna dress cute but don't wanna pay a lot of $$ on huge sizes I never want to wear again!

Enter Old Navy and their knock-offs!

J.crew dot sweater $268

Old Navy $24.94

J.crew again.. same price, and Old Navy has the same thing, just with black dots, for $25

J.crew leopard flats $258

Old Navy spotted flats $24.50.. And I like these ones better! And thus I bought them last week, love them

J.crew- these comparisons are a little bit of a stretch, but for a striped colorblock shirt, I'd say it's still a pretty good deal.

J.crew $49.50

Old Navy $18

Again, not the same but I still think this is cute

J.crew polka dot pants $158

 Old Navy dotted pants $25.00

J.Crew patterned pants (ok they're dots too) $118

 Old Navy chevron pants $27.94

 J.Crew pink skinnies $98

 Old Navy pink skinnies $34.50

 J.Crew gingham shirt $78

Old Navy $23

Happy Shopping ;)