Mamma Mia...

this might come as news to most, but i hold a very special place in my heart for the 70's Swedish pop group, ABBA (i have my parents to thank for this).  now you know.  Mamma Mia is one of my favorite musicals (the movie ain't too shabby either).  Ace and i listen to the soundtrack when daddy's not riding with us.  it's simply impossible to sit still and not sing along for these tunes! this being said, my children are unfortunately in for a lot of embarrassing mama moments.  not yet though...

today, as my little prince and i strolled up and down the aisles of a local antique warehouse, i was happy to have the lyrics to ABBA's "super trouper" repeating in my head (one of their best).  Asa started to get a bit fussy and singing seemed to be the only solution.  very soon after, he was puttin' his own little spin on the song... 

i like to think we might just have a little musical prodigy on our hands... who knows?!  his favorite is singing along during Sunday mornin' worship, he stands up to tickle the ivories every time he passes our piano, and he can tap the drums and clap on beat.  proud mama bear!  

so, in that moment of shameless public song with my sweet boy, i thought... i hope my kids will never be embarrassed of me or their dad.  i hope we can always be as goofy as we wish and they'll join right in.  i hope those moments will shape up to be some of their favorite memories.  so, here's to hopin'!

and here's Asa sangin'

and, this table runner is the result of our little antique run 

  

Remember When Monday...

remember when you spent the night at grandma's house?

things that might bore you at home were suddenly so wonderful when you were there.

i have SO many vivid memories of  these magical sleepovers growing up, and this chair is present in many of them.

it was always such a treat to be in grandma's room.  i remember thinking it was like a different world... 

grandpa's binaca sat on the side table to the right of the chair, and if we were lucky, we'd get a minty 'binaca blast'!  so good!

this photo seems like a lifetime ago, but it's crazy how quickly these years have past.

i can't wait for my little ones to be making memories of their own just like this one.

i'm watching Asa crawl around me now, stopping to become enthralled by the simplest things... making the most hysterical faces and sweet little grunts... i want this time to creep by, but it won't... and that's why we have cameras, folks!  take pictures!  lots of them!

i myself hope to be purchasing this one

find it here

of course, purchases for mama bear are on hold 'til baby Belle's got everything she needs.  and that's alright with me.

guilty...

i'm ashamed to admit that one of these shopping cart stragglers is mine (the one on the right). 

this is usually on my list of pet peeves.

but, today on a Sunday evenin' trip to Trader Joe's, it was all i could do to park it just a few feet away from my car.

falling to peer pressure... the other carts were screaming, "everyone else is doing it, come on!"

also, i blame it on the cold!  stop with the sunshiny teasers already... just give me spring!  

while i'm typing, the guilt is building up in me thinking that some innocent employee is going to have to go out in that same biting cold to gather all the carts of lazy customers. 

never again.  at least not on my account. 

on a brighter note, we've just arrived back at home after filling our bellies with delicious chicken tacos at my parents place.  Asa got to see his Uncles and one Aunt (you should see the way his face lights up for them... priceless).

now it's bathtime and beddy boops for little man... can't wait to get a few snuggles in.

Saturday Swagga...

on any other Saturday, my boys and i might have looked something like this

pretty decent

we might have gone to the park, out to lunch, run a couple errands...

but not today.  today was sweats, sweats, and more sweats!

which just so happens to be the best <3

the little stud and his mama goofed off, read books, and snuggled up with some vintage Disney toons while big papa slaved away on baby Belle's nursery.  

i'm so proud of my man... he can do EVERYTHING!

(i really don't think he's ever called a 'mr. fixit' or taken on a project that he didn't do most of on his own)

anyway, here's a couple blurry iPhone shots from the day

Asa's trying to get stickers off of his hands... right after this shot, he went into a mad clapping rage... he was probably wondering why i was laughing hysterically while he struggled so.  

i'll leave you with this as far as swagga is concerned

fabulously cute photo cuff bracelets...

find them here

i guess you could say...

i'm nesting?
this concept didn't even seem real to me before i was ever pregnant.  i actually thought it sounded completely ridiculous... aren't laundry, cleaning, organizing, decorating, etc. on the list of normal every day activities??
but, no, this is different... it's like a chemical thing... and it happens.
i didn't think i had quite reached this stage until a girlfriend called me out recently.  she's right.  i've had the sudden urge (over the past week or so) to change everything in my house!  (this could be do to the mindless browsing of pinterest for hours after Asa's nestled in bed)  now, obviously that's not happening, but on an unnecessary trip to Homegoods (a treasure trove for all things wonderful) yesterday, i picked up a few knick knacks for our digs... just to spice things up a bit.  
Justin came down for breakfast this morning and the coversation went something like this,


Justin: "oh, that's new.  when'd you do that?"


me: "yesterday"


5 min later


Justin: "oh. that's new too (a little more surprise in his voice). did you do that yesterday?"


me: "yup" (hoping he doesn't start to get annoyed when he notices yet a third and possibly a fourth)


5 min later


(i can tell my hopes are soon to be dashed)


Justin: "okay, seriously?! how many more surprises are there, and why the shopping spree???"


me: "i needed a change... something"


what i should have said was, "i'm nesting... don't you get it??... this sorta stuff just happens sometimes!"
he totally would have understood and then my redecoration of the whole house would soon have been underway.  in my dreams.


anyway, we plan on making some major headway in Bellamy's nursery this weekend so that should satisfy a bit of my craving, hopefully.


oh, and i'll be making a couple returns tomorrow... no argurment here... he's right. and, he's the one makin' all the dough - to pay for necessary things, like electricity and groceries and water.  i think i might like those a little better than a new cupcake stand or a funky picture frame.




in other news, 
i'm dying for one of these right now

in case you're wondering, that's guacamole... on a burger.  a taste of heaven.

Wishful Wednesday...

lately, my hearts been after this beauty.

pretty amazing, right?!
go here

and i wish this was on my agenda sometime in the next lifetime... just maybe.

but mostly, i wish this pea pie would finally listen to mommy when she says, "gentle, Asa!"

this shot was taken just before Lady leapt from the chair in complete terror.

she may not like him much, but i sure do.

all good things...

gosh, what a gorgeous day!  got to spend the first half of it with the mister at the Statesville car auction, then a scrumptious lunch at local hotspot, Toast..... nothing too glamorous, but sweet time spent nonetheless!  granny kept the babe... such a treat!  

the second half was spent running errands, straightening toys, playing with the dog, trying to cook something decent for dinner, and soothing my teething little monster--this is what he's turned into for parts of the past few days... one year molars... ouch! :(

as i type, Asa and his daddy are upstairs brushing teeth and puttin' on the jammies... i'm supposed to be preparing the half milk half soy, comforting, can't go to bed without it (cause mommy doesn't have the heart to make him just yet) bottle... no busting of the chops please.

read my inaugural post here!

who and why...

i'm a simple girl, really..... sorta... well, no.  but, i do live in an old two-story white cottage with black shutters with my dreamy husband Justin, our dear baby boy Asa, one large lovable buffoon of a lab named Blue, and our siamese cat Lady.  adding one more to the mix, a girl, in early July.

Justin and I got married Saturday May 21, 2005 in a small town, in a big church, at the top of a grassy hill.  definitely one of the best decisions i've ever made... that, and deciding to make babies with him.  i said it.

marriage is no cake walk, but you truly do live and learn and what better way than to do it together!

in our first 4 years of marriage, we experienced the heartache of losing 3 babies.  two within the first 8 weeks and one at 20 weeks to a birth defect known as Turner's Syndrome.  with each loss, i recovered in different ways, but always with the encouragement of my awesome Heavenly Father.  now, i'm on to my second healthy pregnancy (not without a fair share of irrational freak outs), and it's still just as miraculous.  

i'll never take this role for granted.  such sweet blessings babies are.

i want to savor every last crumb in this homemade, fresh outta the oven, baked to chocolate perfection brownie kinda life.

wow, i'm definitely pregnant. 


why "LaLaLu"?
most of my days center around somewhat of a routine with a little chaos thrown in the mix from time to time... for good measure, of course.  but still almost nothing happens the same way twice.  however, the one thing that never changes and always happens at the same time is singing my baby to sleep... and this is what he hears.

i decided to start this blog for two reasons.  

they are :

1} mostly, i want to notice each minute of every day.  easier said than done, i know.  the simplest things are so many times the most significant and they always seem to sneak by me.  i like to think that making a commitment to write about these sweet little morsels will help me to stop, look, and remember more often.

and,

2} marriagedom and mommyhood are two of the most privileged, complicated, confusing, hysterical, and altogether wonderful commitments a young lady like myself could possibly get herself into.  

and, sometimes... just sometimes... you might like to share in all the nonsense.

so,

Mondays are for memories

Wednesdays are for wishes

Saturday's for swagga

and there's always in between.