Life Lately

(Before and after of our family room and fireplace. Wall color is SW Popular Gray and white wash on the fireplace is 2 parts water, 1 part primer)

So sorry to be MIA from the blog last week. It was a crazy week with the painters here and of course, Camden came down with a double ear infection and an awful cold the day they started. Luckily, my parents were in town (Bill was out of town for work most of the week) to help during the chaos. He is slowly on the mend now, but still has a lingering runny nose and cough. I on the other hand, caught whatever he had over the weekend and have been feeling miserable ever since. I swear, I have been sick more times this pregnancy than I have in my entire life! I guess that's what I get for having a toddler in daycare and having a low immune system while pregnant. I feel like whatever he gets, I get it twice as bad. I finally went to the doctor yesterday and found out I have a sinus infection...ugh! So, I was prescribed a safe antibiotic to help clear the infection. Hopefully, I will be back to normal soon!

On the bright side, the weather has been so nice the past few days! We've even been able to play outside and take walks at night! Hallelujah! We had some visitors over the weekend and it was so nice to be able to enjoy the nice weather with them. (Thanks for the pictures below Aunt Angie! :) 

And this week marks my 29th week of pregnancy! Hello third trimester! I finally ordered some things for baby #2's nursery last week. We just had this dresser delivered and I ordered these adorable animal prints (that are waaay less expensive than these). We've also decided to move Camden's glider to the baby's room and get him a big comfy reading chair in it's place. I still need to order the black out curtains and the crib I have in mind, but we are getting there!

I'm catching up on work and life this week, but have some fun posts scheduled for the blog. I know I owe you guys "A Day in My Life - SAHM style" and hoping to get it posted soon!

Hope you all are having a great week!

Plans for the Playroom

We have lived in our new home here in IL for about a month now and I'm slowly starting to scheme decor and organization ideas for each room. I have prioritized them by order of how much they are used each day (besides the kitchen, that one we will work on next year). The first on my list is the playroom in the basement. When we were house shopping, I knew I wanted a home with a designated playroom for Cam. Whether that be a finished basement, loft or bonus room. I was so happy to find that this house had a nice sized finished basement with a full bathroom attached. So, we set up all his toys in the basement with a small tv and the easy chair we had in our old basement. We blocked off a large area by stretching out our old play pen across the wall. There's still a nice sized area right when you come down the stairs that will be eventually an adult TV area. 

Here's what it looks like now:

It's kind of a long and narrow shape that curves in the back to a little 'nook.' I think the back area would be a perfect little reading or craft area. I'm hoping to get Camden a little toddler table and maybe one of those teepees for reading at some point.

First things first... we desperately need some toy organization! I'm still using some of our plastic bins we used for moving to hold his toys. And now he has figured out how to climb into them! I think these ikea shelving units and different colored bins would be perfect for toy storage and organization. I would move the small tv to sit on the top of the shelving unit and get rid of the small tv stand. 

The lighting in the basement is not ideal (I hate over head lighting) and the fact that there's really no windows doesn't help either. I'd like to add a few more lamps to the room to add to the ambiance and lighting situation. 

We would also like to add a kid friendly couch for better seating along the side wall facing the shelving units/tv. Of course, I'd love to add a fun rug and some wall decor at some point as well. 

Here are a few photos I've pinned for inspiration:

sources: 1 | 2 | 3&4

Here is my current wishlist for the playroom:

ikea shelves | grey and white stripe bins | number bins | bookshelf | map poster | bean bag chair | map rug | play teepee | toddler table

I'm really hoping we can get most of it done before baby #2 arrives!
I will post progress as we go!

*I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday.

Christmas Recap

Hello! Thank you all who commented on yesterday's post! I actually (knock on wood) felt ok for most of the day today, so I'm hoping this pesky 'morning sickness' is going away...

I wanted to post a little recap of our Christmas. We still have Bill's extended family Christmas on the 2nd, but here's what we were up to during Christmas week...

I was happy enough to get our tree and our stockings up this year. I did buy some new Christmas decor for our dining room, but never got it to the point where I felt it was photo worthy. I do love our white stockings against our brick fireplace though! We will have to make room for another one for next year! The little "C" one is for our dog, Charlie :)

My mom got Camden the cutest little monogrammed 'Merry Christmas' bib! He wore it all day on Christmas eve and helped me finish wrapping our presents. 

We went over to my parents' house for Christmas Eve. Every year, my mom serves the best cheddar potato soup with all the toppings and there is just a spread of finger foods like shrimp cocktail, cocktail weenies, cheese and crackers, etc. I always make home made chex mix to add to the spread. 

(sorry, this picture isn't the best quality... I forgot to bring over my good camera!)

After dinner, we typically open gifts on Christmas Eve. We've been doing this ever since I was in college just because there were no other kids in our family and my brother and I wanted to sleep in Christmas morning ha! I think maybe next year when Cam is a bit older and understands a little better, we may switch this tradition. 

We spent our Christmas morning at home and we had a few presents for Cam to open. This vtech smart shots sports center was the big gift. I also got him some clothes and bath toys. We didn't go over board on his gifts because he got so much for his birthday last month!

My parents, brother and his girlfriend came over to our house for Christmas brunch. I set a very festive table! I had an idea of getting flannel, plaid fabric and making a table runner, but I ran out of time. So, instead I used one of my plaid blanket scarves as the runner! It actually worked out great! Use what you have people! The holiday plates and glasses were both gifted to us from our wedding and they had yet to be used! So, I was happy to break them in. 

After Christmas brunch, we all got ready to head to Bill's hometown (about 2 hours from Columbus) to celebrate with his family. We had Christmas dinner with the Rumples and enjoyed a leisurely evening of watching Christmas movies and drinking egg nog! Cam was so excited he had a bit of trouble going to sleep at his grandparents, but he finally settled down around 9pm. 

The next morning we all stayed in our PJs for a while and just spent some quality time together. We opened some gifts for the kids as well. Cam's aunt and uncle got him this awesome tunnel and tent from Ikea! He had the best time crawling through it! He also got some clothes and sound books from his grandma and grandpa and a toy bulldozer from his other aunt and uncle. 

I'd say, Cam had a very successful Christmas! And the best gift of all... He is going to be a big brother! :) 

How was your holiday week?

Camden's Nursery Reveal!

I know you all have been waiting anxiously on the edge of your seats for the reveal of Camden's nursery. Well, I finally got to a point where I felt as though it was 'complete' and picture worthy. There was one more item I was waiting for (the hamper), but decided that we could do without just for pictures' sake. 

This room has been a labor of love (emphasis on the labor... get it?). We started about 2 months ago with painting the room. It started out a grey-ish color that I thought might work, but later decided I wanted to lighten it up. I chose 2 paint colors, both Sherwin Williams. One wall where the crib would go, is Snowbound (SW 7004) the other 3 are Hinting Blue (SW 6519).

Once the paint was done, the fun began... I ordered these star decals from Urban Walls. My inspiration was this photo that I had pinned a while ago. I just loved how serene it felt. Instead of putting the stars on the ceiling, I decided to put them all over the white wall as a back drop for the crib. Let me tell you, putting up those stars was no easy task. A lot of mathematical skills and patience were involved!

This is by far my favorite corner of the room. I have already enjoyed many hours in that glider just envisioning rocking baby Camden to sleep or reading him a story.

You may have noticed that there is no crib bumper. I have heard from several sources that crib bumpers are actually dangerous for infants. They can roll over onto the bumper and not be able to breathe. I do have a mesh/breathable crib bumper that I am planning to put on once baby starts using the crib.

 I love these grey striped linen baskets for extra toy and book storage. I have another basket for swaddle blankets and burp cloths by the glider for easy access. The burp cloths were hand made by my friend's mom. Aren't they adorable? I just love the fabrics she chose.

The room is not very big, so I knew I had to be very creative about the space. The room is just big enough for the crib, dresser and glider (we have an older home that has been renovated, so that means small rooms and closets, but I do love our original hardwood floors!). We saved some space by doubling the dresser for the changing table. The top 2 drawers are filled with diapers, wipes and onsies for easy changing access.

The closet is also not very large (it also is home to my wedding dress...), so I added this hanging closet organizer to use for extra clothes, toys, stuffed animals, blankets, etc. I found the closet dividers from this shop on etsy.

Sources:

crib & dresser | Target

dresser knobs | Hobby Lobby

glider | Babies R Us

rug | At Home

star decals | Urban Walls

wood letters above crib (I painted them) | Hobby Lobby

black out curtains | Pottery Barn Kids

grey pouf | Land of Nod

wall book shelves | Target

pewter side table | Target

small globe | Home Goods

grey striped linen baskets | Target

lamps | Target

typography prints | Etsy

changing pad cover | Target

monogrammed burp cloth and bib | Etsy

crib sheet | Babies R Us

crib skirt | Buy Buy Baby

dark grey cable knit blanket | Babies R Us

personalized boppy cover | Pottery Barn Kids

monogrammed baby gown and hat | Ann Everett Rae 

'coming soon' frame | Babies R Us

diaper bag | Pottery Barn Kids

closet dividers | Etsy

hanging closet organizer | Target

The tassel garland on the window is from the balloon from our maternity shoot! You can get the balloons or just tassel garland from this etsy shop.

The multicolored knit blanket on the glider was handmade by my grandmother. She started 7 years ago! It is definitely something we will treasure!

All ready for baby's arrival!

Now, all that's left to do is wait...

I'm back with my 34 week bumpdate tomorrow!

Our Home | Fall Decor

I always love to see glimpses of other bloggers' homes. 

Maybe I'm nosy, but I just love to see how other people live and how the decorate.

There are a lot of aspects of our house that I would like to change or update, but I'm getting to a point where I am happy and comfortable in our little ranch style home. 

I've added a few Fall decor touches here and there that are quite simple and easy to do!

 I found the perfect red berry wreath a few years ago and am always excited to put it up around this time. I added a burlap bow to make it feel more "Fall" like. Great thing about this wreath is that it can be carried into Winter and Christmas.

Bill bought our home a little over 3 years ago and one of the deciding factors was the great character of the fireplace in the family room. I just love it! It really makes our home feel more cozy in the cooler seasons. I added some Fall flare to the mantel from Hobby Lobby. 

{The gold "R" is from our wedding.}

Bill's parents gave us a bucket full of gords and mini pumpkins from their garden. I've been having fun decorating with them! 

I found some mason jar candles from Hobby Lobby along with the flameless candles and decorative leaves and branches.  

I just love this Lindsay Letters print I found at Hobby Lobby. It goes perfectly over the mantel. I was struggling for a while trying to decide what to put there. I had a wreath there for a bit, but didn't love it. 

On our dining room table, I added some of the mini pumpkins and gords around my favorite Bath & Body Works Fall candle. I got our ivory burlap table runner from etsy. 

 Over the weekend, Bill and I picked up some mums for the front porch. I love decorating the porch with colorful mums in the Fall. They are so easy to maintain! 

Can't wait to add some pumpkins to the porch as well. 

We got a few smaller potted red mums to place around the iron bench for our front porch (I still need to find a good bench cushion). I just love the deep red color of these!

Have you done any decorating for Fall?

I'm linking up with Annie and Natalie for Thoughts for Thursday. 

Home Office Makeover Update #1

We are in the very beginning stages of the home office (aka my girl cave) makeover. These photos are not the prettiest, but I wanted to show a few "before" photos and share with you a few items I picked up recently. 

I picked up this furry rug from HomeGoods recently and I love it! 

It adds a little warmth to the room and makes for a great backdrop for instagram photos :)

Again, please excuse the mess... 

I am trying to figure out what I want to display on my desk and what I need to hang. 

I am planning on painting this wall white as an accent wall (the other walls are light grey). 

I purchased this desk from Target early last year. 

I decided to spray the desk handle gold to match the color scheme of the room :)

I used Krylon 18kt gold plate spray paint, my favorite.

I purchased a few prints for my desk and to hang on the wall:

Make It Happen

Whatever Is Lovely 

LOVE print (pictured below)

I'm hoping to find some frames from Goodwill or thrift store to spray gold 

to hang the last 2 prints :)

(Again, sorry for the bad lighting. This was taken at night... 

note the glass of wine on the desk!)

Last, but not least, my ghost chair! I have wanted one for so long!

It's surprisingly comfortable!

Next steps are:

-paint accent wall white

-organize and clean up (on-going project)

-assemble my file cabinet and paint handles gold :)

-plan out gallery wall above desk

Unfortunately, this week I will not make much progress because I am in CO for a work trip.

I am hoping to pick up and get the ball rolling next week.

Of course, I will have a full reveal when it's finished! Stay tuned!

xoxo, Lindsay

4 Favorites // Winter Cozy...

Yes, every post this month will be Christmas related :) 

I'm linking up with my girls Ashlyn of Let It Be Beautiful and Kristin of Fancy Things for this week's 4 Favorites. The theme this week is Winter Inspiration. I decided to go more towards the Holiday Inspiration theme bc it's been on my mind! :)

It's been pretty chilly around these parts and lately, all I've wanted to do after a long day of work is curl up by the fire, sip hot cocoa and watch a Christmas flick... Anyone else with me?

ONE // ok, ok... You've seen these mugs all over the blog-o-sphere... But, they are perfect for a festive cup of hot chocolate!

TWO // I purchased these socks from Old Navy last weekend when they were having their sale and now they are not on the website anymore :/ Must have been a popular item! I am all about the cozy socks while bumming it around the house. For more cozy sock options click here. 

THREE // I mean... This movie is an obvious choice around this time of year... I just love Will Farrell!

FOUR // My new favorite holiday decor accessory is the flameless candle! They even have scented ones. I decorated our mantel with these. 

Hop on over to the link up by clicking the button below:

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Speaking of the holiday spirit, here are some snapshots of our Christmas decor around the house:

This banner was left over from our Holiday Cocktail Party last year. I decided to put it on the tree. 

This ornament was given to us as a wedding gift! Something to cherish for the rest of our lives :)

Of course, we need to have a Brutus ornament to represent our Buckeyes. I got the gold pineapple on our honeymoon in Hawaii. 

Our mantel! I used the gold "R" from our wedding in place of a wreath. I like it for now. I just purchased a boxwood wreath that I may be decorating to replace it... we'll see!

I just love these stockings and stocking hangers form Target!

The photo on the mantel is the one we took right after we got engaged almost 1 year ago on Christmas day :)

Happy holiday decorating!

xoxo, L