Nesting: The Little Babe's Nursery

Nesting.  It's real.

One weekend I had an urgent desire to re-do every room on the second floor of our house.  I had ideas and plans and the motivation to do whatever it took to get it complete.  Turns out my big ideas would take more than one weekend, more money that I imagined and more time than we had in one weekend, or even one month.  Ben urged that I do a little at a time and provide a more focused effort, rather than the ENTIRE house all at once. I realized he did have a small point when I was frazzled with lists and overwhelmed with thoughts.  I was taking trips to the store and completely forgetting why I was there.  So, I agreed, and we tackled our most important project first and foremost.  

Our little man's room.

I wanted this room to be a space we could all appreciate.  I wanted a nursery that could grow with a boy or easily transitioned into something else should we need to do some rearranging.  I wanted it to be a nod to Ben, to his experience, creativity and life.  I mean, after all he is going to be a dad of his very first babe, who is going to be a boy!  At the same time, I didn't want it to be like every room we saw, I wanted personal pieces that meant something to us. We wanted to balance the baby vs. adult, we wanted it to be practical, functional and most of all, I wanted it to be beautiful.  

With this list in my mind, my sweet husband let me draw, create and bounce ideas off of him.  If you know him you know he sat silently while I did so and waited for instruction on what ACTUALLY was going to happen.  Finally, we and started with white stripes on the wall and let the rest build from there.  

Before any decor could be decided I spent hours mulling over bedding.  What was needed, what was practical, what did I want??  I decided I wanted something homemade and unique for him.  I had a quilt made with colors we would incorporate. Ben thought I was a little crazy for putting pillows in the crib - probably so, but he patterns and colors... AH!  Eventually I imagine them being moved to the reading nook.

Ben has traveled to Africa twice.  He loves Africa and brought home with him amazing keepsakes and took incredible photos of the animals he has seen.  I wanted to use them so we picked a few of our favorites.  I edited his photos and changed the colors to make them a little more fit for a child's room.  We printed and hung them.  They mean so much more to me knowing they were taken by Ben and that he can tell stories about each photo. 

The chair (glider/recliner) is incredibly comfortable and I expect we'll spend a lot of time hanging out there.  I also has a matching ottoman that currently is in the office.  I prop my feet up on it every day so my feet don't swell.  The glamorous parts of being pregnant.

The Rhino head is one of my personal favorites.  Part of me would like an animal head in every room of the house.

 On the opposite side of the room we have a dresser, which we will use as a changing table.  Changing pad to come and be placed under the mirror.  Above the changing table we hung a mirror for the little babe to check himself out, a pegboard to organize our baby needs and a shelf for all the keepsakes I cherish.  The dresser was in my room growing up.  It used to be a mahogany wood.  Somehow we chose the best blue paint I have ever seen and Ben painted the dresser for a pop of color.

The African tree painting Ben brought back from Africa, purchased from a street vendor.  The little wood animals and wood bowl are also from Africa.  The leaf painting was painted by cousin Linny for Ben (with an eyeliner brush!!), the globe we bought at an antique store on my 28th birthday.  The creel basket is Ben's - did you know he is a fisherman.  Also, he had to teach me the name of the basket.  I love it and have wanted to use it somewhere for so long.  The boomerang is something I brought back from my trip to Australia.

To the left of the dresser we hung book shelves kid-height where the little guy can choose books to read.  The elephant is comfy enough to lay on and perfect for a reading nook.

The "Be Brave" print I found on Pinterest.  I think it speaks to all of us, no matter what age.  Most definitely words I want this little babe to always remember.

I love this little space. I know it will change, and get messy, and it won't always be perfectly put together, but right now I enjoy sitting there and taking in the change that is about to rock our lives.

Also, I would feel ungrateful without giving serious props to my rockstar husband who deserves all credit for measuring, painting and hanging everything securely.  I have lots of fun ideas in my head, but he makes sure they are executed properly!  What a team we are.

chalkboard

Growing up I had a dream.  I wanted to be the person who drew on the windows.  You know, the store front windows that get all festive and glammed up for the holidays?  I wanted that to be my job.

Where is Ben?

Where is Ben you ask?

Home

Handsome husband and flowers met me at the airport.
Beautiful family welcomed me home with lots of hugs, a sign and all smiles.
Best homecoming ever.

T.T.T - Tuesday already?

I woke up this morning by my sweet husband kissing me goodbye and wondered, what day is it?  Tuesday, hum.  This last week has all seemed like a flurry of boxes and beautiful sun, the days seem to blend together.  No complaints here, though. We had a wonderful first week in our new home, we have been able to get a good start on unpacking and getting settled and we had fabulous first house guests {Linny and Jared} who I wish could stay longer.

So now I would like to give you a flurry of our life in the last week in 3 tangents for Tuesday.  Reader beware: this Tuesday post is a bit long.... I can't help it, had a lot to say!

1.Moving. Exactly one week ago today we rented one ginormous Uhaul to move everything we own to our new home.

We invited over friends and family for lunch and snuck the move of our house in the fun somewhere.  We found lots of goodies hiding around the house.  One in particular... Ben's swimming goggles.  Matt couldn't resist giving them a try.

 We {they} spent the whole day lifting and using those strong muscles to get us all moved into our new house. {Goggles and everything!}

Ben made sure to wear his lifting belt.  We don't need any more hurt backs in this house! We couldn't help poking a little fun at his wrestler-esk fashion accessory, but he says it really did help - so win-win for everyone!

Finally we moved in the big stuff, the little stuff and all the hangers of clothes in between. By 9 pm Ben and I were in our new house, surrounded by boxes.  {Yes I am wearing my robe over my clothes... I like to keep it classy in the Walunas home.}

And so excited to spend our first night in our new house!!

I wish I would have been better at getting pictures of everyone who helped us out!  Sometimes the picture lover in me is very forgetful.  Even still - a huge, ginormous, mosterous thank you to everyone who helped us out - especially Greg, Dan, Bethany, Mandy, Matt, Emily and Sweet Baby K.  Love to all! 

2.Unboxed.  You must want to see at least one picture of our unboxed house.   Hopefully someday we will be able to unpack the garage, but in the last week we have at least been able to put our rooms together enough to be able to live.  Most importantly we have food in the pantry and the master closet organized and holding our clothes quite nicely.  We are not anywhere near done, but we are comfortably living and starting to feel right at home.

The light blocking blinds for our bedroom still have another week to arrive.  We knew waking up at 4am with the sun would lead to a miserable life.... so we bit the bullet and hung up a sheet.  I told you we are classy.

3. Quitting.  So you might know my back is hurt again.  Stinking back.  I say this not to complain or talk about the pain, because that is neither here nor there.  However, you may have also known that I was supposed to run the Wasatch Back Relay next weekend.  I couple days before I was supposed to leave I was himming and hawing about how I would be fine understanding that I had made a commitment.  I don't like to back out of commitments, I do not like to quit and typically no amount of pain is going to stop me. Fast forward to the move and Ben watching me like a hawk making sure that nothing I touched was heavy. Even still, wincing every time I had to bend or twist and walking like a hunch back for a good minute after I would stand up from sitting for a period of time.  Then going to lunch with Bethany and using every ounce of strength I had to bend my body, to get in the car, without showing signs of mind numbing pain on my face.  Then watching her sweet kids playing on toys in the mall and finally realizing, I cannot be a mom like this.  I want need to be able to bend over and pick up a child - someday - AND be able to run enjoyable miles.  I may have been a little emotional that afternoon, but the gravity of what 22 miles was going to do to my already aching body was getting to me.  

I contacted my team - who I have run this race with for 4 years.  I admitted to the pain and the severity of how I felt it would affect me. They were so understanding and supportive.  Telling me not to worry and they would find someone to fill my spot.  I knew they would be understanding, we are friends after all, but they were more than that - they were insistent that I be smart and safe with my body.  Something that I think athletes forget.  I think as an athlete you are used to pushing through pain for greater results.  You believe a  there is no gain without pain.  This is true. There is pain of muscles being worked so hard that they are changing and growing.  There is pain of lungs fighting for more air forcing your body to adapt.  There is pain after hard work reminding you that you worked and pushed and are better for it.  It's a good pain.  And then their is pain that makes you shut the door and burst into tears.  Pain that stops you from picking a simple piece of trash off the floor and wishing so badly you could bend down and put your pants on.  That's bad pain.  Pain not worth pushing though.  

I haven't always known the difference. I don't like admitting to the bad pain, feeling like admitting the pain is weak.  So instead I say things like, "No I am fine!" and "It doesn't hurt that bad" Last year at this time I pushed through the above mentioned 22 miles with bad pain.  I blocked it out telling myself I that the pain was temporary and I was doing good for my body, for the team.  It took 5 months and thousands of dollars to get that pain to go away only for it to come back.  I made it worse and now I will fix it and come back better than ever.  I guess the first step is admitting, right?

I will miss these guys like crazy and I wish them luck and lots of good pain! 

Happy Tuesday everyone! It is Tuesday, right?

Changes

As we move closer to our happy move-in day I wanted to be sure I took the chance to compile a few of the pictures of the changes we have made.  That way the mister and I will better remember all the fun we've had with buying our first house!

We feel so lucky to be able to even have the opportunity to make this big step.  I would be lying if I said we haven't gone through the whole gamut of emotions, sometimes all in one day.  There has been some nervousness and fear of getting our hopes too high.  Some frustration and threats of walking into 'the mans' office as a human hurricane and knocking over everything in sight {j/k I didn't really threaten that, but they should have been warned that I can be terribly picky}.  Someday when we look back I think the only part we will actually remember is the excitement and happy anticipation.  We truly have loved seeing this little idea turn into a reality.

When we asked for the backsplash and all the flooring to be replaced we got to go to the design center and make all the new choices.  Well, if we're honest - I went to the design center and texted Ben pictures of everything in sight while he did the responsible thing and worked.  He's a brave man letting me make the decisions all alone!

As soon as all the decisions were made we watched as they quickly got to work.  I had a few nights where I would lie awake with a pit in my stomach hoping that the flooring would go well with the cabinets and that the carpet wasn't too dark.  I debated a putting in a white verses a wood stained mantel probably 20 times {honestly}and don't want to even think about choosing another appliance.  Alas, the time has come - we've done a walk through, we've seen the completed work and I can honest to goodness say I am very pleased with the outcome.  

Never fear, the grout has now been cleaned up and the baseboards successfully installed in the picture above - and - there is now a functioning sink in the picture below.  We don't actually expect you to wash your hands in a hole.  

Now it's time to wrap this baby up and sign some papers to make it official!  I can't wait to move in and start decorating!  If you know me {then you know my mind never turns off} and you won't be surprised that I have already started drawing up the decoration plans I have for this house.  Ben is really excited. :-) The fun never ends!  

Kitchen: Before and (almost) After

My apologies for the lack of the  "three tangent tuesday" post yesterday.  I just wasn't really feeling myself.  I have been completely exhausted for a few days now and my stomach has been super nauseous.  I know what you're thinking... trust me, you're wrong.  Sticks don't lie.

I am feeling much better today although I still don't have the brain power to think up three whitty things that I am dying for the world to know. I would, however, like to show you the transformation that is the kitchen we have purchased.

Before:

I am not sure why the cabinets look so dark here. I blame it on the lighting, or the wonderful sun, or the flash - definitely one of those.

Enter Amber and Ben: "Um, I basically hate that backsplash with every bone in my body.  We will buy this house if you promise to rip it out as quickly as possible, let us pick out tile for a new one and allow me to keep the granite to make a cutting board (correction: a lot of cutting boards)."

Deal.

They had it ripped out in record time.

Enter the sweet men from Russia who spent many days doing beautiful tile work in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room.  They agreed that the previous backsplash was awful and seemed more than happy to send it on it's way.  

(almost)After:

I really wish I could give you an after picture that is beautifully decorated, but we don't move in for a few more weeks. Please don't mind brown the paper hanging from the wall where our new gas range will live. I'm not sure what the story is there.  It must be in effort to not get grout everywhere, let's just call it art.

Doesn't the tile look great though?  I am seriously in L-O-V-E.  You are cordially invited to see it in person when we move in.  Not now though, there are nails all over the floor - it's a danger zone.

TRADING: big news for lots of luck

It's just a simple story.

A couple is searching for somewhere to lay some roots.  They search and search until one day they drive past a neighborhood that looks cozy.  They pull in and see a couple houses for sale.  They see a model home that looks open and let themselves in.  There, they find a sweet lady who appears to be on her way out. She asks if they would like to see the 2 houses for sale.  They hesitate and wonder if they should come back later, they - you see - were on their way to walk through a different house.  A house that they were trying to be interested in, but somehow it wasn't sitting right with them.

Finally, they agree. They walk though a gorgeous one story home that is filled to the brim with options and luxury, but with only 3 bedrooms and no room to grow they wonder how on earth the home will hold the 10 children the man promised the woman when they married.  They move on to the next house, now very late for their previous appointment.

They walk into a 2-story home with open spaces and room to grow.  The woman marvels at the incredible closet and storage space throughout the home.  They smile over the raised counter-tops perfect for the tall man.  They imagined BBQ's under their covered patio and a small vegetable garden on the side of their house.   They thank the sweet lady for showing them around.

Finally, they arrive to their previously scheduled appointment, very late - with much apologies, while visions of closet space and covered patios danced through their heads.

They loved the 2-story house.  They hardly needed to even voice the words to each other.  It seemed to fit, they wanted this to be the home for their 10 kids and the dog the man so badly wishes he had.

They made lists of things they need and requests they had.  They studied every detail of their soon to be home, went to their local church and drove the exact mileage to and from their favorite places.  {28.8 miles from Shannon and Dan.}  The drove by the house morning, noon and night.  They stood at the front door and watched the neighbors, looking back this may have been a little insane. Finally, they presented a list of wishes to the builder. Back and forth they went until everyone was happy.

That, my friends, could only mean one thing...

THIS:

PLUS this:

PLUS this:

EQUALS: 

Our first HOUSE!

We are beyond excited for this big new adventure in our lives.  TECHNICALLY, it's not ours quite yet. We aren't scheduled to close until the end of May since we made above mentioned list asked for some changes to be made inside.  But keeping my big mouth shut was getting WAY too hard.  I mean you should see the closets in this place!!  I could literally live in the hall closet - let alone the master.  My storage prayers have been answered.   Ben's dream of outside BBQ's will come true. I should mention that we do not truly plan on producing 10 children as my age, and patience, would hardly allow for that. Nor can I promise that we will stay in this home forever.  But it's perfect for now, and for growing, and I am crossing my fingers that the end of May comes without any hiccups.   

Wish us lots of luck, luck, luck!