spring fling

spring fling by meljul featuring stamped jewelry

daydreaming about a spring fling date night with the hubs (jamie)

birthday book

if you remember my blog post here, i told you about the birthday book i ordered from elise.

it arrived on friday, and you guys: it's awesome.

the perfect little treat.

it's 4x6 and 30-some odd pages of goodness.

i love elise's style combination with her papers, transparencies, envelopes and even a post card.

super rad.

i can't wait to get started on this, i'm not quite sure what direction i will go in with my 30's theme, but it will be my own little treasure.

thanks elise!!

xo, melissa

mama needs a new pair of shoes....

or do i?

xo, melissa

happy birthday and how i've had the most random week...

above: birthday present from my friend martina...i love owls!

so, my 30th birthday flew right by, celebrations were at a minimum because we had plans to do dinner on saturday. jamie picked up an ice cream cake (my fav!) and the three of us enjoyed that.

jamie and i had also planned a little mini getaway to the city for a night. an impending storm changed our plans again so we left on thursday night instead of friday

just as my luck would have it (i'm telling you there year is starting out great...not!), on friday i wasn't feeling well and on saturday i was full fledge sick. which meant we had to drive home while i was sick (it wasn't pretty)

avery was at my parents place so i went there to get him, but ended up staying there so they could take care of avery while i rested.

i had to cancel my birthday plans (huge boo!!)

and then, to top off my horrible week/end avery snapped my glasses in two.

a great start to my thirties, no?

xo, melissa

on keeping a record...

this being one of the most personally stressful weeks i've had in a long time,

my head is spinning and spinning.

most of it focused on just life right now, on the brink of my 30th year

and what that means to me.

some of focused on things that just run loops in my head....

i'm having a hard time slowing down and concentrating.

really focusing and zeroing in on what matters now, who am i and who i want to be.

i feel like i want to write it all down, yet my blog isn't the right place for it all.

today's post from elise was just what i needed.

a place for my thoughts.

like a twelve year old with a diary again.

on today's post about her custom book design, elise posted a link to her custom birthday books she started making a few years ago.

perfect.

a birthday book for my biggest birthday yet.

i could use it to write down 30 goals for my 30th year, or just my whole decade of 30's in general.

something that i want to accomplish, or something that i am proud of right now.

am i crazy? i have just being doing so much reflection lately, it's almost scary.

And having it all jumbled in my head is even more so.

am i happy with life right now? if yes, why?

am i unhappy with life right now? if no, why?

this is the year for me, guys and gals.

as much as i'm scared to tuesday to come: i can't freaking wait.

i hope it brings good things.

and it will all be recorded in my book....

xo, melissa

checkout now...

i can't stop hitting the 'check out' now button in my online shopping carts.

it's a serious addiction.

but with seriously awesome results.

i came across these wedges (on sale) when i was shopping for shoes for my 30th birthday party outfit.

i just couldn't resist.

xo, melissa

1,2,3,4....

4 needles is what my bubs received today--

it was vaccination time in the maritimes.

one year old vaccinations, that meant four needles consisting of countless vaccinations.

varicella (chicken pox), 13 strains of pneumococcal, 7 strains of meningitis, plus measles, mumps and rubella.

that seems like a lot for a tiny body all at once

but he will be protected from all of those things (hopefully)

sidenote: funny how they never check to see if you are immune to the diseases you are vaccinated for. when i was pregnant they found out that i was not immune to measles.

sidenote 2: like a wimp, i still haven't asked to receive the vaccine.

yes, my one year old got four needles today, yes his 29 year old mama stayed hush on the fact that she also needs to be vaccinated (oh, for shame!)

avery handled his needles like a rockstar

one lip pout after the first, barely a notice after the second

crying after the third (apparently it burns, and i also think this is the one i need, yikes!)

and some whimpering after the 4th and final one.

today was one of the days where i hate being a mama. i hate putting my baby through pain.

i sweat, i cry (on the inside), i get my heart broken.

it's no fun at all.

but i love that when he cries and whimpers, he reaches out for his mama.

and that makes my heart warm.

xo, mama

out

before parenthood going out was a split second decision.

even if it was a planned outing, it was decided. dotted in black on a calendar, not much thought about the details. just that fact that we were going to do something.

now, a simple 5 minute task takes 20 minutes.

making plans to go out takes about two days of finalizing details and working out schedules.

which is a drop in the bucket if we are successful and find ourselves outside of the house, sans kiddo ready to kick up our heels.

or sit on our butts somewhere.

i spent the better part of friday trying to work out a plan for us to go out tonight.

who will watch the baby?

first hump to climb. usually that falls on my mom, but avery spent the night there last weekend while we celebrated NYE so i did not want to suck up another one of her nights with grandma duty. even if we wanted her to watch him for a few hours, that means driving there (20 mins), driving to go out (45 mins) driving back to get him (45 mins) and then another 20 mins back home. too much work, even for a frosty brew.

but, sometimes you need to sacrifice time doing menial tasks in order to spend some good quality time out socializing.

as spouses and parents: we need it.

however, all of our thinking and scheduling was promptly thwarted when we woke up this morning to snow and this annoying cold is still here kicking my butt.

here's to another adventure where hopefully the two days of planning, will be well worth the trouble!

xo, melissa

new outfit...

dress, stockings, boots

new outfit, bad iphone photo

a credit and coupon was well spent at ruche and waiting for me after work were my goodies in the mail. ruche is my favorite online store to shop at by far, although sometimes there are misses amongst the hits.

i wasn't sure about this dress, but after pairing it with ivory crochet stockings and boots that jamie got me for christmas, i think it's a winning outfit indeed. definitely wearable to work (with the addition of a grey cardi).

also in my goodie bag was this belt and this dress (which i will post of picture of next week)

xo, melissa

my pretties...

christmas is over.

i shouldn't be thinking about shopping, but i can't help it when i look in my closet and i am underwhelmed.

online window shopping helps.

(a little)

i need this

love the pink/black combo

too bad i already got a party dress for my birthday: hot

hells ya

love

i couldn't pull it off but whatever

need

xo, melissa

2011 goals

-xmas day outfit-full length mirror xmas gift-

i hate to make resolutions. mainly because i never keep them. last new years, i was way to distracted (nine days post baby) to even think of making a resolution. this year, on the brink of my 30th birthday, i am trying to be more conscious of what i would like to accomplish or obtain in the upcoming year.

1. get new runners

2. quit chewing my nails and grow them longer

3. stay organized (at home)

4. be more attentive

5. get caught up on printing pictures

6. get curtain rods for dining room

7. break my 4k record and run a full 5k, maybe more?

8. say i love u more

9. complete avery's baby book

10. take more everyday pics

11. do more girly things

12. frame prints for bathroom

here's to staying on track!

xo, melissa

top ten of twenty ten

10 randoms that i enjoyed in 2010:

10. eleven months of maternity leave filled with lots of visiting, spending time with family & friends.

9. camping by the bay

8. getting back to post baby weight (and more)

7. avery learning to crawl

6. getting to know my soul mama

5. getting our property landscaped

4. trip to halifax

3. getting an iPhone

2. taking 6000+ pics

1. get-a-way with jamie

xo, melissa