jennrocket & willthethrill...the photojournalized pursuits.

photo a day.

2012-02-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

i've been taking part in the february photo a day challenge.
are you? i'd love to see yours if you are.
follow me on instagram: @goldfeathers

today's photo (feb. 7th): button.

ballerina.

2012-02-07T23:03:00.000-08:00

last week i went back to ballet, after a very long hiatus.

i'm super excited about it!

antique baby blessing gown.

2012-01-31T19:32:00.000-08:00

this gown is over 100 years old and is handmade.
it was given to violet by her nana's best friend, marsha.
i cried when i opened it at the baby shower.
so special! i just love the lace detailing!
it didn't quite fit violet when we were ready to bless her,
but it will forever be a family heirloom.

i just realized,

i never shared photos from the baby shower that will's mom's friends threw.

it was gorgeous! every little detail was so special.

it was pink & white themed, and we had asian food :)

loved the cute pink lemonade bottles.

the candy bar was adorable!

here i am opening the blessing gown gift!

the wonderful ladies who hosted the shower.

me and violet's nanas.

they really spoiled violet and me!

2011 in review.

2012-01-31T11:50:00.000-08:00

fun happenings of last year to remember...

in january i started teaching full-time. busy busy!
our sweet nephew baby kaleb was born.

in march we took a trip with our siblings to the channel islands.
we took a ferry, hiked, and it was gorgeous!

the day we got home from our trip, we found out we were preggo!
we announced it to our families on will's birthday.

in the summer we got to go to australia & new zealand for 2 weeks!

i never blogged this trip! sad! i hereby promise to!

we got to visit with my lovely sis in brisbane.

baby blake was born in june! my cute little aussie nephew!

we moved to our new place in august.

we love it! lots of space and it feels like a real house.

we've been so happy here!

the day before we moved,

we shot TWO weddings in one day...while i was 7 months pregnant!

it was insanely awesome! i hurt so badly after! (wedding #1 & #2)

i started a new semester of full-time teaching,

and in september i did a lot of nesting in prep for baby girl.

this pretty baby shower really helped me get ready!

october...lots more nesting...

a beautiful crafty-vintage baby shower thrown by violet's aunties.

the hubby & i celebrated our 3 year anniversary!

took some super fun maternity photos with my giant bump.

i was a pregnant ballerina for halloween (no photos for a reason)

and will made a cute samurai.

in november i started my maternity leave from teaching & photography.

celebrated my 28th b-day! old.

and then, on 11-13-11...violet came!!!!

the 2nd best day of my life! (the 1st is our wedding day!)

in december we had lots of visitors.

baby girl turned 1 month old.

and we celebrated violet's 1st christmas!

she met santa!

wow! we feel truly blessed to have had so many good experiences,

and have so many memories to cherish from the past year!

i'm also remembering 2010. life is good :)

we are wishing you all an amazing 2012!!!

around the house.

2012-01-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

some fun home decor pins off my pinterest boards.
it's fun to dream up how i'd like to decorate our space.
i'm loving greens, blues & yellows.

organized.

2012-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

my maternity leave ends on monday.
10 weeks, not too shabby.
it's been a wonderful break.
this semester i'll only be teaching 2 nights a week, and will is going to watch violet.

i'm hoping i can stay organized this year with baby on the brain!!!
photo via pinterest

two months!

2012-01-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

oh my goodness.

two months old!

violet is so much fun now.

instead of fussing, she loves to talk and look at her mommy & daddy.

she is as smiley as can be.

she is sleeping so much better at night! 11 hours, and only waking up twice to eat!

she is starting to nap better during the day too!

and she is so much fun to dress up and tote around town like my little doll.

we love hanging out with her so much!

things i love.

2012-01-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

some things i have been loving lately:

baby shoes by gracious may.

i'm obsessed with the moccasin boots,

and i adore the embelished yellow mary janes!

tofu edamame nuggets from trader joe's.

just recently discovered these, and i crave them daily!

remote app on my iphone.

to control my apple tv (netflix) and itunes when i'm stuck on the couch nursing.

we keep losing those tiny little silver remotes anyway.

violet's nursery.

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

we moved in august so luckily our future baby's room was a blank canvas.
i had so much fun decorating it.
somehow i got it all finished before she came.
when i was pregnant, i'd sit in the rocking chair,
and think about our little baby girl.
it was such a calm and peaceful place.

now i get to rock my little baby in there,

and put her down in her sweet little crib.

i love it!

here is a tour of violet's nursery.

this is what you see when you first walk in...

(i need to make some curtains!)

main colors are yellow & blue,

but there is also a rainbow theme going on.

the chevron rug is from urban outfitters.

by her door i hung a sunburst clock,

and installed a baroque switchplate.

two-tone modern crib.

will and i made the yarn-wrapped letters together.
cardboard letters, yarn, & a little glue-gunning.

i planned on making her bedding, but found some good deals & this just came together.

vintage afghan, vintage crib bumper, floral crib sheet, & yellow gingham crib skirt.

her stuffed animals were all gifts.
owl. elephant. the monster was handmade by my friend carly!

on the right of her crib is her changing table.

changing table. baskets. the picture is vintage.

i love her yellow ottoman.
it doubles as a roomy storage bench for her blankets & sheets.

here is my favorite little corner of her room.

we bought the chair at an estate sale in our neighborhood.

i couldn't believe how perfectly it matched her room!

the pillow is from urban outfitters.

the little yellow shelves are vintage.

the bird cage is from michael's ($1) and spray painted.

the bird was thrifted ($1).

dresser.

owl lamp.

the headband tree is from ross (it's for hanging jewelry).

the gold-framed mirror is vintage.

the 3 vintage harlequin doll paintings are vintage.

the other 2 frames are thrifted but the art is by nan lawson.

another one of my favorite parts of her room...

the closet! this little lady has already collected quite the wardrobe.

and there you have it.

it's probably my favorite room of the house :)

violet's baby blessing.

2012-01-10T10:51:00.000-08:00

sunday january 1st was a special day at our church.

violet was given her baby blessing by her daddy!

she had a special dress given to her that was handmade,

and over 100 years old, but it was too small for her.

i'll have to take some photographs of it!

instead she wore this dress from babygap.

proud parents

i made her headband just for her blessing day

her sweet little ballerina flats

i love knowing that this precious little gal will be part of our family forever!

bun in the oven.

2012-01-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

awhile back i shared a preview of our maternity photos.
we received so many lovely ones.
what a special time to remember!
i think i actually loved being pregnant!

i tried to pick a few more photos to share.
thank you so much lyndzee & cindel, i love you girls :)
all photos by eplove.

merry christmas!

2011-12-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

christmas details!

2011-12-24T09:30:00.000-08:00

here are some of my favorite christmas details from around our home!

we have 3 stockings now!

i had so much fun buying stocking stuffers for baby violet.

my crafted snowman & trees are out of course.

(my instructions are here)

love this little gingerbread house set.

our tree. it's huge!

i started violet's ornament collection this year!

i bought her the cutest blue robot ornament but it shipped broken :(

this one cost 10 cents at a thrift store!

and this one was 25 cents!

i LOVE everyone's holiday cards!

and they are still coming in!

this is my favorite :)

thank you baby girl for humoring me!

redhead.

2011-12-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

on monday my hair was this red.

then we toned it down :)
i secretly miss it.

santa time.

2011-12-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

we braved the mall today!

baby shower #1.

2011-12-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

violet had 3 baby showers. crazy, right?
we felt so loved.
here is the shower that was thrown by violet's aunties: emily, kelly, laura & sara.
thank you danielle for the lovely photos!

i loved the mixed flowers and the birdie decor.

craft station! make a headband, hairclip, or a onesie for baby violet.
lots of fun vintage craft supplies to use.
i wish i had some pictures of the finished goods! they're amazing!

my friends are so creative. they made the cutest things for violet!

there were lots of yummy treats. coconut cupcakes!

emma's baby wearing a headband i made! she's so pretty!

everyone spoiled violet! what a lucky girl!

some handmade goods from sewnclever - baby leg warmers and a baby turban!

violet's baby cousin kate...they are going to be the best of friends!
look how photogenic she is :) it was cracking us up.

some of my fun friends! so happy to see everyone :)

and here i am with violet's aunts:

laura, sara, emily, and kelly :)

thank you ladies for a beautiful baby shower!!!

1 month.

2011-12-11T10:31:00.001-08:00

can't believe our little doll is already a whole month old!

violet's birth!

2011-11-29T16:04:00.001-08:00

on sunday our little newborn turned 2 weeks old!

we have been cherishing her so much.

and i still can't think about her birth without tearing up.

i had a really great experience with her labor & delivery,

and i thought i'd share it here.

starting on thursday 11/10, i had contractions for a few hours in the evening.

they were irregular but they were quite uncomfortable.

the same thing happened on friday night,

but in the morning they would be gone.

saturday night it was even worse so we suspected the baby might come the next day.

we went to bed and i woke up around 9:30am with contractions 5 minutes apart!

that morning i took my time showering and packing some last minute things.

we didn't want to be at the hospital for longer than we needed to be.

i tried to eat a big meal but the contractions were so painful i didn't have an appetite.

we got to the hospital around 12:30pm.

we were stuck in an assessment room for awhile.

i was almost dilated to a 3, and the contractions were getting stronger.

yes, they were the worst pain i have ever felt.

will was such a good husband and did everything he could to help.

the nurse had us walk around for an hour to see if i would progress.

at this point i could hardly walk - i had bad pelvic pain for the last 2 weeks,

and adding contractions into the mix, i was quite disabled.

but we did what we could. i knew i was NOT going home without a baby.

the pain was just too bad!

when she checked me again, i was a 5!

they finally admitted me and we were moved into a nice LDR suite with a view.

around 4:30, i was given my epidural, and i was at a 7.

the epidural was much quicker and less awful than i expected.

immediately i felt relief. loved it!

the nurses got the room all set for delivery.

around 8pm i was dilated to a 9, then a 10, and i got to push a little.

we stopped and waited for the on-call doctor.

i actually enjoyed pushing.

it was exhilarating, knowing our baby was just a few minutes away.

i had such a great team cheering me on,

the epidural was amazing, and i was full of energy and anticipation.

i even used the mirror so i could see my progress. it really helped.

after about 45 minutes of pushing,

violet joined our family at 9:37pm on 11-13-11.

i thought i would totally lose it and start crying.

but instead, when they handed me my little girl,

i was shocked. amazed. in disbelief.

she was here? already? so soon? was it that easy? we were done?

i was just stuck in a state of astonishment. i couldn't believe it!

she was here!!!

will got to cut her umbilical cord.

the first thing i did was give her my finger,

and i'll never forget how it felt when she held on to it.

i'll never forget her big white swollen face,

and her big dark eyes and lovely dark hair.

i will never ever forget how she stared up at me,

her brand new mommy. i melted.

and here is proud daddy holding his daughter for the first time!

other sweet hospital moments...

her first visitors...

nana

grandpa

uncle ben

aunt kelly

nana

violet gets dressed to go home!!!

putting her in our car and saying a little prayer before we drove off

was the most special moment we have had as a family so far!

we are madly in love with this sweet little angel!

awe.

2011-11-22T13:23:00.001-08:00

we're still stuck in a state of amazement that this little girl is our daughter.

here are some quick instagrams of violet:

first doctor's appt.
she and i have different blood types so she had jaundice for the first week.
every morning we had to go to the doctor's and get bloodwork done.
she was so good and wouldn't even cry when they would take her blood.
so happy to report that on her 8th day she was given the "all clear" :)

daddy daughter naptime. i just love it :)

cute when she's mad. she just wants to be swaddled.

love her sleepy little smiles. she looks like a chubby buddha here.

so sweet in her carseat.

and i got my real camera out for a minute the other day:

will took lots of photos just after she was born, which are really special.
i can't look at them without crying.
i promise to share some of them, and a little of her birth story, later.

violet is here.

2011-11-16T15:02:00.001-08:00

she came on sunday night, 11-13-11 at 9:37pm.
7 lb 12 oz, and 20 inches long!

here is her first photo - she's just a few minutes old.

she has super dark brown hair and big blue-gray eyes, for now.

she is perfect!!!

we'll definitely be sharing more photos when we find the time :)

twenty eight. hurry up baby!

2011-11-10T10:34:00.001-08:00

so, I turned 28 yesterday, and it was quite a day.
manis & pedis, a stop at the bakery,
a special delivery sent from Australia,
our last baby-free date night, and a birthday wish.
to top it all off, we were quite convinced that baby girl was beginning to make her debut.
after about 2 hours of this early labor we hit the sack.
i woke up so surprised it ended up being a false alarm...
especially when the doctor was very sure baby was going to join us last week!
still playing the waiting game and we're giddy with excitement!
we're crossing our fingers labor starts tonight and our baby comes on 11-11-11.

maternities.

2011-11-06T06:33:00.000-08:00

yes, this baby's impending arrival has taken over this blog.
she'll be here any day now - it's all we can think about!
hope you don't mind.

we were so lucky to get some maternity photos done with the one and only eplove.
here's a little preview of them that i snagged off facebook.

aren't they sweet?

lately.

2011-11-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

crib is ready.

my view of my 9 month bump.

my garden makes me happy.

crush on this guy.

mini halloween cupcakes.

a gift from a student.

big and round and ready to go.

the prettiest abcs.

2011-10-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

our baby girl's nursery is pretty much done,

but i am still wishing i had one of these to hang on the wall!

via rosylittlethings.typepad.com

via bleubirdvintage.typepad.com

my aussie nephew.

2011-10-18T15:08:00.000-07:00

i have to brag and share these cute photos of my sister's little son.
he is ridiculously cute...his button nose, big blue eyes, and his rooster hair!!!

they live in australia, and i can't believe i have a little aussie nephew!
i can't wait to hear his little accent when he learns to talk!

i am SO looking forward to their visit in february!!!!

it will make my heart melt to see our little ones play together :)

i love him and miss him so much!

here are photos of when we got to meet him.

it's so sad that i still haven't had a chance to share photos

from our trip to new zealand & australia. someday i will, i promise!!!

she is getting BIG!

2011-10-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

35 weeks!
starting this week, i will go to the doctor for my weekly visits.
time to get everything ready! ahhhhh!

"my back hurts"

"is that your toe in my ribs?"

she is huge!!!!!

three years.

2011-10-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

[photo by amelia lyon - wedding slideshow here!]

three years!

we have been married for three whole years,

since 10.10.08.

how rad is it that we are still in the honeymoon stage?!

i never dreamed it would last so long :)

usually we like to take vacations to celebrate our anniversaries.

we couldn't go on a fun trip this year,

mostly due to my huge bump,

but we did get to go out on a fun date!

i love spending time with this man!

i think my belly resembles a pumpkin here.

(35 weeks)

flowers...a fun surprise!

and the best gift of all is really this little baby girl on the way :)

i just love being married to william!

more memories:

2 year anniversary in SF

1 year anniversary in cabo

one of my favorite verbs/nouns.

2011-10-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

via pinterest

baby update.

2011-09-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

1) we got a lot done in the baby room this week.

it actually looks like a baby room now!

2) the ultrasound tech said our baby girl

will have angelina jolie lips!

these big beautiful lips are definitely from her daddy.

either that or she was just pouty that day.

3) just found out she has turned head down.

what a good girl!!!

4) she is measuring 8 days bigger than her due date.

scary but exciting...

that would put her smack on my birthday!

either way i'm excited to share our birthday month :)

some to do's...

1) assemble the car seat

2) make crib bedding!

3) maternity photos with the famous eplove!

4) childbirth classes

5) pack the hospital bag of course!

retro refrigerators.

2011-09-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

these smeg fridges make me so excited!

wish i could own one.

i definitely wouldn't mind a colorful oven while we're at it!

woman body.

2011-09-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

some pregnancy gripes...

1) none of my clothes fit me!

my maternity clothes seem to be too small now.

it's really hard to find things that fit me and aren't ugly or ridiculously expensive.

i've bought the basics from a few inexpensive places that carry maternity

(f21, h&m, target, old navy, motherhood)

but selection is either small, or most of their stuff is totally not my style.

it really is getting harder and harder to find a decent outfit each morning.

2) not sleeping very well!
i have ONE sleeping position to choose from that doesn't hurt.
i have to sleep on my left side each night.
sometimes it's hard to breathe,
and my left arm falls asleep every night because i'm smushing it.
i'm up to about 4 bathroom trips per night.
it's pretty hard to do the roll to get up and out of bed!

3) lower back pain and the bottom of my feet always feel bruised!
it doesn't matter if i spent most of the day either sitting or standing.
i still feel the same toward the end of the day...achey.
i wish i had more time to take care of my body - exercise, naps & walks.
but i am still teaching full time and trying to keep up with photography...busy!

but there are lots of pregnancy bonuses too!

1) my mother-in-law's best friends threw me an amazing baby shower last night!
it was beautiful, and so thoughtful and sweet. i was just so overwhelmed.
will and i feel so loved and it is so nice to feel so much support.
i am slowly but surely getting ready for this baby to come into our home.

2) friendly strangers!
if everyone treated everyone like they were pregnant,
this world would be a better place!
yes, carry my groceries please, because they are big reusable bags,
and you filled them up with heavy milk, orange juice, and cans.
and thank you for all the smiles and friendly chit chat everyone!
always keeps me in a good mood when i have to run errands.

3) maternity leave in 7 weeks, if i can make it that far!
subs will take over my classes and i won't be responsible for them anymore,
and i should be done with all my photo editing by then.
i can just relax, hopefully make some baby bedding,
and get baby girl's nursery & all her clothes ready.
i am so looking forward to it!
then, to spend all my time with our little girl will be heaven!!!

first day of fall!

2011-09-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

we made it!!!
i've been wearing boots & scarves already :)

what i've been pinning on pinterest lately...

DIY fall & halloween decor!
like these vintage fabric pumpkins. MUST make!

cozy-comfy outfits!

new pumpkin recipes!

this pumpkin ice cream looks perfect.

sweet strawberry summer salad.

2011-09-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

it's the last week of summer! as the season comes to an end,
i was so excited to squeeze in a yummy late summer meal last week.
i love making salad as a main dish because it's easy, but you get to be creative.

what i put in my strawberry summer salad:
romaine lettuce
shredded rotisserie chicken
sliced cucumbers
chopped red onions
sliced strawberries
cubed mango
candied pecans
we used poppyseed dressing.
also good with a balsamic or sweet onion dressing.

other ideas:
avocado, mandarin oranges, peaches, sweet corn,
feta cheese, bacon bits, or alfalfa sprouts. no rules right?

we had it with warm spinach & artichoke dip,
tortilla chips, sweet corn on the cob, & lemonade.

what are your favorite easy summer meals?

i'm getting super excited for warm fall meals too!
soups & chilis, crockpots & roasted veggies!

ipad pics.

2011-09-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

my fun little nephew kaleb!

me and cindee -
after we devoured cheeseburgers, fries, & cookies,
and she let me show her my vintage baby clothes collection!

my 5-year-old niece charlie walked around the house and took tons of photos...

mostly of our ceiling...but here's my fave!

and more bump - sorry if you're tired of it :)

my little bowling ball.

2011-09-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

thank you hubby for documenting my growing bump.
here i am at 31 weeks.

next week i will be 8 months preggo!
and our carseat came in the mail today...so exciting!

knitting mess.

2011-09-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

i saw this photo on etsy.com's error page, and it made me laugh!

here is an old photo of a scarf i made in 2004...

sad huh? i've gotten a little better since then.

my knitting has straight edges now, but usually still has holes here & there :)

so i'm not a huge knitter, but i still have a love affair with yarn!

look at these pretty colors i bought for my next project!

do you know how to knit? crochet?

today.

2011-09-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

my sweet niece charlie spent the night last night.

we went to beach pit for dinner and then made chocolate chip cookies.

then we watched princess movies until bedtime.

bright & early this morning we went to the donut shop!

i love donuts early in the morning when they're fresh!

it was gloomy, but we took a walk and picked some flowers along the way.

really loud thunder turned into lightning, which led to HAIL!

i don't think i recall it ever hailing where i've lived.

it was quite exciting!

had to capture a photo of it!

i've fallen in love...

2011-09-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

this dorothy perkins ruffle coat seriously melts my heart!

so super excited for fall!

layers, scarves, tights, boots, baking, leaves!!!

just when we were settled...

2011-08-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

just when we had everything moved in and settled in our new place,
we found out we were getting new carpet!
the elderly lady who lived here before us loved 2 things:
roses and cats.

the roses...i am dealing with a million rose bushes.
i'm not a huge fan of roses but i appreciate the blooms i've been able to bring around.

the cats...her cats basically ruined the carpet here.
it looks just fine, but it is a little stinky in the master bedroom.
a good cleaning and even switching out the padding wasn't going to be enough.
so, all our furniture is stuffed into 2 rooms while we await the new carpet.

stuff from the bookshelves stuffed onto the fireplace.

this is our living room. furniture everywhere...yikes!

i feel like we're moving in all over again!
hopefully we'll be back to normal in the next few days. wish us luck :)

3rd trimester!

2011-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

i am officially in my 3rd trimester now!

here's a photo of the bump (and sneak peek of the new kitchen)!

sorry for the distortion, i just put the camera on a chair real quick.

wide angle lens...my head looks bigger than my bump, haha.

so excited for this baby girl to come in 12 weeks!

i have definitely been nesting.

just a few more things to order for the baby room,

and then we have some furniture to put together and organize.

i started the new semester yesterday,

and it was bittersweet telling my students i would be leaving them early.

but of course it is going to be for the best reason ever :)

i just hope i can handle all i have on my plate until i reach maternity leave!

new & old.

2011-08-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

i usually don't share my vintage & thrifted finds on the blog,
because let's face it, there is a constant stream of them coming in to my home.
but check this out!
white & gold leather purse from the thrift store, $5
i'm in love!

on an opposite note,

look at this pretty vintage mint green ceiling fan

that was in our new home when we moved in!

i was immediately attached to it,

but the electrician couldn't get it working.

sad!!!! it was removed, and they put in a white one to replace it.

i have a few more things to do around the house,

and then maybe i'll share some more photos of our new place!

farmer's market.

2011-08-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

i love that i can roll out of bed, drive around the corner, and see these guys...
(my adorable niece & nephew)

how cute are the in their pj's with their messy hair?!

we went to the farmer's market together for some produce.

why do i always feel like i shouldn't buy myself flowers?
i want to so bad!

me and charlie :)

this summer's been a fun one!

6 month bump.

2011-08-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

it's hard to believe i'm almost 27 weeks pregnant now.
i look at my belly and can't imagine it 3 months from now.
it seems like it's quite big enough already!

here i am at 24 weeks. i've rounded out!

i bought this dress (non-maternity) on etsy and was surprised that it fits my bump!

i LOVE the back of this dress!!!

25 weeks...we had a pool party with nana :)

i can't wait for baby girl to meet her great grandmother!

we're so lucky to have her!!!!

and some more bump...

new home.

2011-08-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

we've been unpacking and organizing a bunch,
and we couldn't be happier in our new place!

our first home-cooked meal in our new kitchen: pad thai.

first trip to our new jacuzzi.

this weekend i'm going to tackle the garden.

wish me luck!

packing up.

2011-08-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

today was a good day.

i shopped a little for our new home.

i also packed up some boxes.

after packing just a few boxes, my poor little back started aching.
but i am super motivated!!!

our new place [google maps photo]

i also saw my new doctor, and i love her about a thousand times more than my last.
my last one was pretty awful, and my new one is so sweet.
i asked her what i can do to prevent charlie horses in my legs & feet...
her suggested remedy: a cup of milk with a cookie every night before bed. uh oh!!!
that's pretty much my favorite treat!

then she did a quick little ultrasound.
i got to watch baby girl hiccup via ultrasound,
and i got to hear her little hiccups with the doppler!
that was so much fun!
the doctor said baby girl is long. maybe she'll be tall like her daddy!

i'm 5'2...he's 6'1 :)

photo from the oc fair last year

little lemon tree.

2011-08-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

just found a lemon tree in our new little backyard!
what a dream come true...a little garden :)

we're moving this weekend, can't wait!

channel islands trip.

2011-07-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

some more blogging catch up...

awhile back, will and i visited the channel islands,

with his brother & wife, and his sister & husband.

we took a ferry to one of the islands,

and hiked around it all day long.

it was super beautiful...

totally uninhabited except for a few campgrounds.

everywhere we turned were blue skies,

picture-perfect coasts, and endless rolling green hills.

we'd love to go back with camping gear and stay a few days.

this was almost 5 months ago.

i found out i was pregnant right when we got home from this trip :)

the next day we did a few touristy things around ventura,
including renting one of these bad boys!

rainbow spools.

2011-07-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

i must say,
i have been having a really great week.
i've gotten so caught up on work,
that i found some time to sew today.

i sat down to sew some things,
and i got carried away organizing a bunch of my craft stuff.
it felt so good!
look how pretty...

a lot of this thread is straight from the 70's, which is fun!

our independence day.

2011-07-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

today i actually took a little time for myself,

and edited some personal photos!

it really has been FOREVER since i had a chance to do that!
it's true that i still haven't gotten to my new zealand & australia photos,
and lots of other fun events we've had this year. so busy!

good thing it's still july!
here are a few photos from independence day,
when we took the nieces & nephews out front with some sparklers!

pretty much the extent of the firework action we created.

cute nephews!

henry was a little scared...

how creepy does will look here?!

i just love holidays.

a whole day & night to relax with family!

we have a lot of fun together :)

very pretty things.

2011-07-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

charming double rocker from james design (uk).

such a dream!

vintage sour cream glasses from martha stewart living magazine.

so adorable and colorful!

would love to fill one up with orange juice every morning!

perfect little vintage-inspired dresses

for cute little carefree girls!

by philip lim

these very pretty things were found via pinterest,

where i take my little breaks from editing photos and creating lectures.

you can view my pinboards here. eye candy heaven!

proud mama-to-be.

2011-07-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

today was my favorite doctor's appointment EVER.
i had another ultrasound (23 weeks).

i got to see my little baby girl suck on her fingers!
wow! it was the cutest thing i've ever seen in my life!

here she is waving "hi"!

i also had a very very awkward moment today.

i slipped and fell in front of some of my students!

might be time to stop wearing heels :(

they were so worried about my belly, but i only hit my knee.

i guess i'm a classic pregnant lady now...

i've totally lost my center of gravity,

i have stains on my shirt where my belly sticks out,

i can barely reach my feet,

and i really just want to wear pajamas all day.

i love it!!!

vintage-inspired rocker.

2011-07-18T17:17:00.000-07:00

how amazing is this chair?

it would be so fun in baby girl's room.
too bad we aren't rich!

kids.

2011-07-18T07:20:00.000-07:00

came across these photos this morning and they made me smile!

photo one: me and my siblings, performing.
(we were all adopted, in case you were wondering)
photo two: my aunt, brother, cousins, dad, me.

i just love old family photos.

zooey + ben + the jerk

2011-07-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

so random,

but so sweet!

zooey deschanel & ben schwartz (from parks & rec)

cover the song "tonight you belong to me" from the 1979 film "the jerk"...

found via hellogiggles.com

moving along.

2011-07-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

exciting news!

we are moving into a condo at the end of the month.

very very exciting!

i won't pretend that between paying more each month,

and plans to teach less in the future (to be with baby girl),

we will have money to blow to make our new home as grand as i wish.

but of course this new adventure has me dreaming and scheming...

summer weather has me plotting out our new little backyard!
we are in need of some fun patio furniture:

and we need one of these too!

target

bigger and bigger.

2011-07-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

baby girl is growing fast, and so am i!
about 22 weeks pregnant now!

i'll have to post another picture in a maternity shirt. i look WAY bigger than this.
today i kept bumping the bump into things while grocery shopping.
it's hard to get used to when it's bigger everyday!

pretty colors.

2011-07-06T23:05:00.000-07:00

love this charming color swatch by pugly pixel.

it would make for such fun nursery decor!

vintage-inspired one pieces.

2011-07-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

happy 4th!
our country rocks,
thanks to all the men & women who made it so.
we really are so lucky to have the freedoms that we do!

will you be swimming in the sun all day like us?

check out some of my favorite
vintage-inspired one pieces.
i'm addicted to swimsuits with retro flair,
especially when they're as flattering as these!

i want them all!

but let's be honest...

i'll be in one of these maternity swimsuits all summer...

asos.com

oldnavy.com

have a fun holiday today :)

summer tunes.

2011-07-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

we have been totally lagging on posting over at golden scans,
but here's a fun summer tune i can't stop repeating.

more fun music here.
enjoy your long weekend!

halfway point.

2011-06-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

me at 17 weeks - new zealand.

guess what? i'm 20 weeks preggo now!

halfway done!!!

so exciting!

and the best part is, my morning sickness is over!

i still have to eat every 2 hours though or i feel like i'm gonna die.

i have to admit, it's fun having a bump!

it's much bigger now than it is in this picture.

lately, i've been editing photos,

pinning pretty pictures,

swimming,

and baking fruity things...any recipes to share?

i <3 summer!

ain't that the truth.

2011-06-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

two for joy paper studio

mod japanese baby slippers.

2011-06-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

i have butterflies in my tummy from excitement,
because i just bought these little cuties!

little baby slippers made from antique kimonos!
i want to make some from a pattern i have,
but i just couldn't resist these :)

from artloveslula on etsy

flops & frills.

2011-06-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

love this shot from one of tina haagensen's past summer collections.

baby blake.

2011-06-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

so, the reason we went to australia was because
my sister was having her first little baby boy!

i haven't seen her since her wedding in LA (a year and a half ago)!
we totally cried in the airport when we saw each other :)

our bumps!

introducing baby blake!
he let me snap some hospital photos of him for about 2 minutes :)

just before a cute baby sneeze...

and here is blakey with auntie jenn & uncle will :)

i miss him already!

you can read jenessa's birth story here.

sunshine.

2011-06-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

yay for the first day of summer!

images via theswingingsixties.tumblr.com

oh boy!

2011-06-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

so cute...
she & him covering buddy holly.

= "oh boy"

favorite kiwi & aussie treats

2011-06-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

here are our favorite treats we discovered while in new zealand & australia:

tim tam CRUSH...made with honeycomb.
they just melt in your mouth!

image via chocablog.com

the classic aussie drink...australian ginger beer.
like a cross between root beer & ginger ale.
i averaged one burp per sip...probably wouldn't drink this in public.

image via a-chau.net

and my FAVORITE thing...

hokey pokey ice cream from new zealand...

white chocolate ice cream with swirls of caramel & honeycomb!

image via frim-fram-sauce.blogspot.com

we definitely ate well while abroad :)

finally popped.

2011-06-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

home from our trip and ran a million errands today.

lots of photos to edit too and still getting ready to teach my summer class.

look at that!

i finally have a sizable bump.

i think i've passed the awkward potbelly phase :)

and guess what?

i felt baby girl move for the first time on the beach in australia!

she is a super active little thing.

she kept me entertained on the plane ride home,

and i've been feeling her throughout the day & night.

i think she is even trying to say hi as i type.

so fun!

time to go home.

2011-06-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

today is our last day in queensland, australia.

we're going to spend it at noosa beach...

then it's back to the real world.

on our way home we get to travel through time.

we get home earlier in the morning on sunday than when we left!

this trip reminded me of the importance of taking time for myself...

although i have SO much to do when i get home!

will share lots of pics of our trip (and my new aussie nephew!) when i get a chance.

kiss every comma - feather earring giveaway winner!

2011-06-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

look how cute these green vintage suitcases are...

even though we are going out of town in a few days,

i gotta say i'm proud of myself for NOT buying them.

1) i already have a suitcase.

2) i already have a GREEN suitcase.

3) we have NO room for anymore suitcases in our apartment!

if you're in orange county,

email me and i'll tell you which thrift store you can pick these up from!

i did buy a mid-centruy vintage side table for 7 bucks though :)

okay, on to more exciting things...

sooo happy to announce the winner of the feather earrings giveaway tonight!

there were 20 comments and random.org chose #8!

the winner is...

veronika from GIRL AND CLOSET!

so excited for you my dear!

i will be emailing you with details!

thank you to everyone who entered!

and big thank you to sarah at kiss every comma.

your jewelry pieces are truly gorgeous,

and i can't wait to get my hands on the indian princess earring!!!

when i was foofa.

2011-06-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

oh man....this makes me laugh!
remember when i played foofa for a vans commercial?
(i know, i'm so random!)

just saw the behind the scenes footage. fun!

now you can see how i pulled off some of those fancy bike tricks!
part ballerina skills, along with fancy rigs and camera trickery :)

you can watch the final commercial here.
yo gabba gabba days...such fun days!

buy ygg vans here.

team davy.

2011-06-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

my friend ruth has 4 adorable children.

one of her kiddos has quite a few medical challenges.

read ruth's sweet and touching story here.

davy's family & friends are throwing a big benefit fundraiser,

because little davy's bills are outta control.

here is your chance to help.

click on the images to see them larger,

or visit teamdavy.org to buy tickets or to donate.

found out what we're having...

2011-05-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

so, i didn't want to wait another month.
we went to an ultrasound place that verifies your baby's gender for only $25.
everyone told me to go and i'm so glad i did!

first, some baby photos of us...

baby william

baby jennifer

not the best photos, just what i had on hand.

we're so excited to share....

we're having a BABY GIRL!!!

i have to admit, i already have a small collection of vintage baby clothes & shoes :)
can't wait to play dress up!

kiss every comma: handmade jewelry GIVEAWAY!

2011-05-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

i am so excited to finally share this giveaway!
sarah from kiss every comma makes the
sweetest indie hand-crafted nature-inspired jewelry!!
and you can win a free pair of her feather earrings!

i discovered her adorable yet edgy goods at a craft fair awhile back.
since then we have stayed in touch and i'm a frequent visitor of her etsy shop.
i love seeing all the mystical pieces she dreams up...feathers & leaves are my fave!
i almost always wear my long dark hair down, so i like earrings that dangle and pop!

we met up a little while back to snap some pics of these stylish beauties,
that you can WIN for YOURSELF!
she is gorgeous in these pictures, and these pieces are truly one of a kind!

woodland nymph feather earrings.

real pheasant feather earrings with copper chain.

indian princess single long feather earring.

silver chain and leaf charms, natural, native & soulful.

winter wonderland white feather earrings.

lady amherst pheasant tippet feathers with antique silver chain.

this amazing lady even makes CUSTOM pieces!
whatever colors/sizes of feathers, leather, charms, or chain your little heart desires!
she made me these amazing earrings...but she is a much better model than me...
here she is wearing my custom earrings! i absolutely love them!
leather teardrop earrings with tan, black, and cream leather and gold chain.

the winner of this giveaway can choose from

the woodland nymph earrings, the indian princess earring, or the winter wonderland earrings!

if you win, the item will be made especially for you...
you get to choose from different color chain!

silver, antique silver, gunmetal, antique bronze, copper, or gold.

how to enter:
1) leave a comment on this blogpost telling me
which of these three earrings you'd like to win,
or visit the shop and tell me your favorite piece of jewelry in her shop.
2) for a second chance to win,
follow my blog and leave an additional comment saying you are a follower.
if you already follow, just leave a comment saying so.

winner will be chosen by random.org on thursday, june 2nd!
you must live in the U.S. to win.

cheers and enjoy your weekend!

some likes.

2011-05-28T01:31:00.000-07:00

pretty prints by nan lawson. (more here)

a homemade lunch sack i need to make to take to work.

an amazing handmade skirt.

some more fun fabric.

will is camping and i can't sleep.

hope that explains my random 2am blogging!

nursery design.

2011-05-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

i've totally gone mommy on you, and i apologize.
but i have a new favorite website.

lay baby lay.

don't know the baby's gender yet,
but i do know i'm drawn to bright but gender neutral color palettes.
and i can't stop thinking about creating a nursery!

check out their amazing style boards.
they're to die for!
here are my favorites!
brights & whites...

and orange & green!

getting used to the bump.

2011-05-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

14 weeks.

i have the body of the grinch who stole christmas.

15 weeks. awkward phase. "preggo or pot belly?"

hope you don't mind the belly photos.

it sure is weird growing so fast.

my pregnancy survival kit consists of:

triscuits

leggings

constant mini backrubs from the hubby.

looking forward to the end of morning sickness,

and our "babymoon" down under in 2 weeks!

can't wait to meet my sister's new little boy!

he's due in about 3 weeks.

such an exciting time :)

ps - don't worry,

i'm getting my hair done today.

it's pretty sad looking!

new zooey.

2011-05-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

what do you think?

pretty fabrics

2011-05-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

these pretty fabrics from duralee make me excited.

my fabric stash is pretty out of hand.
i can't wait to find some time to craft!!

today is good...made out like a bandit at the early anthro sale,
bought my first MOM jeans (maternity), and now i'm grading papers like crazy!
it's finals week and course grades are due next week.
looking forward to the end of semester,
so i can focus on getting caught up on photography.
then it's vacation time!!!

can't help myself.

2011-05-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

here is my first TMI mommy blog post.

check out our darling little "shrimp"!
at 13 weeks, he/she is about the size of a shrimp...
i love that babycenter.com compares babies to food items each week.

didn't find out the gender yet...
the tech had a guess, but i am waiting until the next ultrasound,
when will can be there with me.
we have our guesses...
what are yours??? i'd love to hear :)

marriage advice.

2011-05-09T18:35:00.000-07:00

thanks for all your well wishes about our new addition on the way :)

speaking of families...you can read my marriage advice over at

the honeypie archives.

i did a guestpost for sweet little mj,
who just recently became a newlywed!
i gave her all my secrets about how to stay that way!

check out her cute blog!
and one of my favorite posts by her here (how to change up a casual black dress!)

can't hold it in any longer!

2011-05-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

letting my belly loose...
we are expecting a little one in november!

i am 13 weeks, and we couldn't be more excited!

mother's day was extra special for me :)

the hubby surprised me with a sweet card, flowers, and my favorite ice cream.

i got to hear the heartbeat last week, which was super special.

looking forward to my second ultrasound this week.

i'll keep you posted!

springtime.

2011-05-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

i just wanted to pop in and say hi.
i haven't posted in ages.
lots of good reasons, including being a crazy lady professor.
hundreds of papers to grade.
also, april was my busiest month for photography ever.
4 weddings and some other fun shoots too.

but, i am happy...things are good!
and i am so happy it is spring.

aja trier

hope to be back around and posting more soon!

zoo time.

2011-04-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

took my little bro to the zoo last week.

i love watching the monkeys swing and hang.

and the owls were TOO cute.

here is davin with the emu.

and me riding a turtle.

such a relaxing day!

bss tonight.

2011-04-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

we're going to see my favorite band tonight.

broken social scene! yayyyy

all i need now is a photo pass.

pretty elaine.

2011-04-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

when i found out elaine from clothed much was moving to LA,
i knew we'd have to get together.

we finally planned a little date at the veggie grill.
i had my camera with me,
because i had just finished up shooting a maternity session in manhattan beach.

i LOVE veggie grill.
i always get the same thing...bali bliss (indonesian-style tempeh) > on the right.

here's elaine...

we asked a sweet little lady to take our picture...
interesting framing.

then we had a major sweet tooth. and we found gelato!

i could REALLY go for some mango and raspberry sorbetto right about now!!!

it was so fun! we found out we have a TON in common. and so do our hubbies.
can't wait to do a double date.

check out elaine's cute website: clothed much.
you will LOVE all of the fun outfits she puts together!
she's so creative! and adorable.

cute things.

2011-04-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

modcloth sale.

cute dresses i heart (and don't need):

craft market maven dress

cocoa cozy dress

the kirwan dress (by dear creatures)

baking lately.

2011-04-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

chocolate chip cookies...

pretty much my favorite thing to eat in the world!

and these blueberry muffins from scratch came out perfectly!

we had them for dinner tonight with homemade potato soup.

i can't wait to have some leftovers tomorrow :)

pretty pieces.

2011-03-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

i love the detail in these pretty pieces from thief & bandit.

how i'd love to wear this feather headband:

and i just love the killer color and print combo in this woven bracelet!

peter pan collars.

2011-03-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

i dream of peter pan collars.

left to right: asos, nasty gal, pins and needles, asos

too cute!

left to right: all from asos (floral, orange), except bottom right, forever 21.

birthday dinner.

2011-03-21T23:21:00.000-07:00

last night we celebrated will's birthday with his family,

with the traditional birthday dinner, cake & presents.

it was a co-party with our sister-in-law emily.

i love when everyone gets together,

which is harder and harder to accomplish these days.

tried a new recipe for raspberry cake with raspberry frosting.

i didn't know it would turn out such bright pink.

but it was good!

also check out my new vintage cake stand :)

my newest niece kate and nephew kaleb. i'm lucky!

fun night!

perfect pumps.

2011-03-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

i just can't get enough of beso!
have you tried it? do you love it too?

beso is a useful shopping site...and i'm hooked.
they spotlight clothing, accessories, and even stuff for the home!

so, basically, beso is like a free personal shopper!

i LOVE that you can add products to your favorites list.

i like to watch for the pricey brand name items to go on sale ;)

even better, you can save brands or stores to your favorites list.

(some of mine: asos, mango, topshop, banana republic, marc jacobs, loft, seychelles)

and let's face it. sometimes it's just fun to "fantasy shop".

at beso.com you can search for a unique type of clothing,
without having to waste time sifting through a ton of different websites.
in one place, you can see all your options across the web, as well as prices.
you can even narrow down your selection by brand, which is really useful.

one thing i am always on the lookout for is comfortable heels.
i teach...yes, i am a professor, i look like i'm 18 years old, and i'm 5'2".
so, i pretty much HAVE to wear heels.
sometimes i am on campus for 12 hours. it's pretty ridiculous.
and by the time i get home, my feet HATE me.
also i like variety, so just because i have one pair of comfy black pumps,
doesn't mean i want to plan my outfit around those same shoes every time i teach.

with beso, you can search for a specific type of shoes...
maybe you need 2-inch pumps (good height for me to wear all day)...
maybe you like peep toe pumps so you can show off your pretty painted toenails.
beso can point you in the direction of TONS of cute leather pumps.
i'm super fond of straps and ties lately. look at all these cute finds!

i found so many cute ones...i'm still deciding. help me???
one thing's for sure...i'm addicted to beso.

csn stores giveaway winner!

2011-03-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

thank you for all your comments on the csn stores giveaway post!

it was fun to read all the comments about what you would buy if you won.

the lucky winner of the $50 csn stores gift code is shannon!

shannon left 3 comments, and random.org chose comment 15!

shannon, i hope this feels like a nice late birthday present!

i will contact you with the gift code.

thanks for entering friends!

ps: i have another giveaway in the works that i'm really excited about!

perfect circle.

2011-03-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

this week my friend and i went to the
perfect circle cupcakery in old town orange.
neither of us had tried their cupcakes before.

we split a pumpkin cupcake,
and polished it off with half a lemon cupcake each.

aren't they adorable? they were so perfect tasting!

if you are cupcake obsessed,

check out the cupcake activist for tons of cupcake reviews.

after our treat we browsed some antique stores.

i got an amazing green glass cake stand,

a cute vintage pillow, and some really cheap clothes.

it was a fun little girl date!

so glad it's saturday. the hubby and i are just sitting in our pj's,

trying to figure out what fun things we should do today.

it's supposed to rain which kind of puts a damper

on the outdoor activities i had in mind,

but i'm sure we'll think of something.

just wanted to remind you that TODAY is the

LAST DAY to enter the CSN stores giveaway!

click here to enter, if you haven't yet.

really wish i could win it for myself!

there are so many amazing products you could use it for!

the winner will be picked this afternoon :)

looks i love.

2011-03-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

inspiring layers, colors & contrasts.

hold the phone.

2011-03-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

wouldn't you love to own a restored vintage rotary telephone?

they remind me of my cute grandma. miss her.

while i wouldn't pay $200 for it at anthro,
i'm surprised i haven't stumbled upon one,
somewhere along one of my many thrifting trips.
if it wasn't restored, it would at least make a great toy for kids.
maybe i should buy one on ebay, like this one here, here and here.

$50 CSN giveaway!

2011-03-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

wow!
CSN has generously offered to give a $50 gift code to one lucky blog reader!

so awesome! i just love online shopping.
you could use the $50 towards about a million different things...
at any of the 220+ CSN websites!

i especially love their...

pendant lighting

normann copenhagen large lamp; lights up meridian medium pendant;
trend lighting sixteen light pendant in brushed nickel; trend lighting rizado pendant in polished chrome.

retro clocks

bai design cubist retro modern wall clock in chartreuse; infinity instruments retro round metal wall clock in orange;

infinity instruments 70's retro alarm clock in red; ashton sutton retro wall clock in turquoise.

and modern throw pillows!

jiti moroccan decorative pillow in blue; jiti maze neckroll decorative pillow in green & yellow;

dwell studio diamond ikat square pillow in citrine; thomas paul roses pillow;

thomas paul mod mex accent pillow banner; dwell studio gate pillow in citrine;

thomas paul lion pillow in gold; thomas paul goldfish pillow in mandarin; thomas paul perch pillow in grass.

csn stores also offers furniture, cookware, home decor, bedding, luggage, and more!

there are 3 ways to enter:

1) leave a comment on this post telling me what you would buy with the gift code.

2) for a second chance to win, follow this blog,
and leave a second comment letting me know you are following.

3) for a third chance to win, share this post on your blog, facebook, or twitter,
and leave an additional comment with a link to where you shared it.

you can enter all 3 ways and receive 3 entries!

if you are outside of the US/canada, international shipping fees will apply.

the giveaway is open for entries until saturday, march 19th!
the winner will be chosen by random.org and announced that afternoon.
good luck!

close your eyes.

2011-03-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

"close your eyes and imagine yourself running through the woods howling at the moon."

these images make me feel super nostalgic. i love them.

found via designmom.
you can read about spirithoods here.

channel islands.

2011-03-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

sneak peek of our amazing hiking trip in the channel islands.

still playing catch up since we got back in town yesterday.
i have lots of photos to edit, and some fun giveaways in the works.

also, tomorrow is the hubby's birthday :)
can't wait to celebrate him!!!

broken social scene's music recommendations.

2011-03-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

image from lifetimecollective.com

check out a captivating playlist handcrafted by sam goldberg
(guitarist of broken social scene).
includes interesting stuff like t. rex, the radio dept., daft punk, and the kinks.
i like this little peek into his genius mind.

you can download the whole playlist for free here.