Bump Day: Baby things worth registering for or gifting

I've been a mom for seven months now.  I've learned a lot and know that I have a ton more to learn.

Colton - 7 Months

As Colton has gotten older, and busier, I've discovered a few things that are handy to have.  I wish I had thought to register for these things.  Lucky for my friends who are having babies in the near future they will more than likely receive a few of these goodies from  me.

Hand and Face Wipes | I use these ALL THE TIME!  They are especially handy to have when you are feeding them baby food in a public place and need to clean up their face and hands when they are done.

Grass | I love this for drying bottles, spoons, food bowls.

Diaper Pail Refills | I go through these more often that I thought I ever would.  If you see a diaper pail on a registry, buy these. You can never have too many and they don't outgrow them like diapers.

Baby Jumper | There will come a time when you need to contain your baby - even if it's just to run to the bathroom.  Colton is crawling now so to get him to stay in one place for more than a second is a pretty tall order.  A toy to "contain" him has been really helpful.  Plus this type of exercise toy really helped his overall strength.

Baby Spoons | I got baby spoons for my baby shower.  It was nice to already have some when Colton started eating - one less thing to have to run out and purchase.

Play Mat | Get a big play mat.  They work great as a carpet protector, until they start crawling. I wish I had asked for a big play mat.

A few more things to consider gifting or registering for:
Extra crib sheets & mattress protectors
Toys & books
Waterproof bibs
Baby Wipes

Things to try to avoid registering for or giving:
Clothes with snaps, especially pajamas. (These are a nightmare at night or if you have a busy child like mine.)
Lotion and body wash. There is a such thing as too much.  Colton will still be using all of the lotion and body wash we were given until he is 5 years old.

Client e-design

This weekend I was getting a sponsorship & giveaway post ready for an ad spot that I will be running on Natasha's blog - Hello Happiness - and I came across an e-design I did for a client a few months ago.  I can't believe I forgot about this design - it's one of my favorites!

I really like the play on colors and the idea of a barn wood feature wall to bring contrast and texture to the space.  Nancy's house is a farmhouse in the eastern US that is filled with natural light - she has an eclectic style that made this design so fun!

High five for Friday

One | I spent some time in San Antonio, TX for work this week. The warm weather was nice and it was neat to see a different city.  I also considered this a mini vacation.

Two | We have two new babies on the farm - both healthy heifer calves!

Three | Colton has been busy - crawling plus two teeth - all in a very short seven months.

Four | I have, in a way, given my wardrobe an overhaul since Christmas due to gift cards, coupons and great deals.  Should I share some fashion-type posts??

Five | When I got back to the office yesterday I received the nicest note from a gal that works on my team.  It was an awesome way to come back to work!

A working vacation...literally

When you have a family, traveling for work is not fun.

This week marks the first time I've traveled for work since Adam and I were married over a year ago which also means that this week is the first time I've left Colton for more than one night.  I tell you what - I miss my boys like crazy and now realize the anxiety that people feel when they have to travel for work.

By anxiety I don't mean that I think my husband can't handle everything on his own because there is no doubt in my mind that he can. I refer to anxiety as a sort of sadness or fear of missing out on what might be happening at home.

However, I giving up the feeling of anxiety and am soaking up these three nights away for home as a mini-vacation.

1.  I'm in a warm, sunny climate. 
It's been 70-80 degrees here in San Antonio! That's compared to 30-40 degrees in Iowa.

2. I get to sleep all night long.
Colton is teething which keeps me from sleeping through the night. 

3. I take my time getting ready for the day.
I can get up at the same time as a I do at home, get in a quick workout and get myself ready for the day and I'm not responsible for anyone else.

4. I get to eat out a great restaurants.
I always try to eat somewhere local to the place I'm at which generally results in some pretty good food.

5. Someone else makes my bed every day.
I love this and am thankful for hotel housekeeping.

6. I'm visiting tourist attractions.
There is no reason I should just go back to my hotel room and sit after my meetings are over. This week I headed to the River Walk in San Antonio - total tourist attraction!

The only reason that it's been easy to consider my work trip as a mini vacation is because of my husband.  He's a wonderful  man that is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and fantastic dad who takes excellent care of Colton which leaves me no reason to worry about things back home.

House tour: living room

Our house tour continues!  

It's taken me a long time to decide how I wanted to decorate our living room.  We had the basics because we needed them - couches, lamps, side table, tv stand.  It was the decor that I still needed to decide on to make the space feel put together and home-y.  Ok - so it was mostly the pillow covers I was looking for.  Finally, between Christmas and New Years I found them and could finish up the space.

Here is the design board I put together to help me see the items I wanted in my space all together.

Overall, I've come to like the space.  It feels causal, livable, and trendy.

Our living room is not big, instead of small I prefer to use the word "cozy." 

I found these great pillow covers at H&M.  They are just what I was looking for and SO affordable!

One thing I always try to incorporate into a space is something unexpected.  I liked this tin sign because it was unexpected and has since generated conversation and a few smiles.

I am a big fan of Anna Riflebond's work but instead of spending the money on a large print, I found this calendar page and fit it into a frame.  The "K" is from a local vintage decor store.

Before you start complimenting me on how nice the space is, I have to share a bit of reality.  With a 6-month-old boy who is now on the move, this is what our living room looks like most days. :)  

To see more of our home visit my home tour page!

In addition to decorating my own home, I also offer interior styling services.  The spaces I style are comfortable, liveable, and affordable.  Find more information here.

New year, new look for my living room

Actually, my living room has never really had a "look" because I have never had an idea of how I've wanted it to look. I decided just to live in the space for awhile until I got a feel for it - one that was versatile, comfortable and could still look put together with toys scattered across the floor.

The basics are already in place - couch, love seat, side table, tv stand, and paint color.  It's the accessories that I've needed to decide on. So, after a whole lot of sitting in our living room, I finally got a feel for the accessories I was looking for.

New York Print | Hippies Sign | Lamp Base | Pouf | Blue Pillow | Beige Pillow

Accessories make a space fun because they add energy, comfort, and an element of surprise.  Not to mention, they are interchangeable at any time.

Simplify

I'm not much of a new years resolution type of gal, no particular reason besides that I'm just not.

But, with a new year comes new ideas and goals and this year I feel as though I want to simplify my life.  It would be a lie if I said I had a complicated life because I don't but I've created what feels to me like a cluttered, busy lifestyle.  Instead of having a million thought running through my head at the end of the day of all of things I could or should be doing I want to be present with my family, not be too busy to spend time with my friends, or feel rushed to complete a project I could have done months ago.  This (hopefully) also means giving up over-thinking things.

So what does this look?

It looks like...
Keeping my priorities in check
Not over thinking things, I'll let them happen, it will work out, it always does
Getting rid of things I don't need and don't use 
Doing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen right after each meal
Only running errands during lunch 1 day/week
Meal planning
Putting away my phone after supper time
Avoiding the use of credit cards
Focusing on only one side business at a time (blogging + interior styling)
Not feeling pressure to write consistent blog posts
Keeping up with a cleaning schedule
Taking advantage of opportunities as they arise
and a few other things I'll think of along the way...

This will be simple...

Happy 2015!