I know... I know.....

Ok So I know I have been MIA lately... I have good reason... really I do... :-) I am so excited about the fact that I am in the process of totally redesigning my blog. Its going to have a new name, new look, more frequent posting, posts on things such as decor, party planning, thrifting, renovating, living a life in ministry, being a working mom, being a stay at home mom. Follow me as I (try) and turn the everyday into something exciting and real with an ounce of glamour in there somewhere. I am really excited and already have some really cool stuff lined up. Hopefully everything will be done here in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned :-) In the meantime does anyone have suggestions for a blog name that involves the before mentioned subjects.  I have a few catchy ones in mind (thanks Autumn) but wanted to see what else you guys had for me :-)

So excited....
Kristen

{remodel}

As you may have seen on Facebook I was selling my beloved couch set. James and I bought that set before we were even married. We saved FOREVER to pay it all off. I was so proud of us for making such an "adult"/ "old married couple" purchase, at the time it was so exciting. On a whim I decided it was time for a change. No real reason other than boredom {i'm learning my boredom can get me into trouble... please see "buggy gets a buzz cut" post for further examples} but now I am so glad I did. As much as I loved those couches I am so excited to see them go to a new home {you rock, Elyse!} and now i LOVE the way our place turned out....

When I decided to redecorate I decided I was going to not spend anymore $$ than what I sold our couch set for. In order to do that I was going to have to look at thrift stores and craigslist (insert gasps of horror from the audience) to really make my living room complete...That is exactly what I did! Let me tell you I will NEVER pay full price for furniture again!! I am addicted to thrift stores and I am going garage sale-ing tomorrow... I am a changed woman...

{After}

{Teal Chair}... Originally $90 at Salvation Army. They said if the date said "April" on the tag it was 75% off... guess what it said.... 4/30 baby... HOLLA!! We got the chair for $20! the guy who sold it to us kept saying how "interesting" (with a creepy eyebrow raise) it was...he OBVIOUSLY didnt have my same vision. (I will admit, however, that after the top layer of dirt was steam cleaned off it was quite a bit BRIGHTER than i was expecting)

{Fricken Rad Couch}... $100 on Craigs List. The brown pillows I already had. The teal and orange pillows $2 at salvation army (all together)

{Accessories}...(please note the chubby little boy with one slipper on who insists on being in these pictures but cries any time i am actually trying to take a picture of him...punk)The rug: $20 from ikea. The curtains $60 from World Market. Miscellaneous decorations from home goods and world market.

{Our Bedroom}...Just for fun

{Cutest Boy Ever}... not for sale!!!

Besties...

{ok side note I KNOW I haven't been blogging lately but in my pitiful excuse defense half of my space bar is stuck. ok way lamer when said out loud...but seriously its enough to drive any blogger crazy when thisishoweverything youwrite turns out unless you FORCE that fricken bar of death DOWN... i digress... on with my story}

Yesterday my best friend Shandra and I took our babies out for a whole day of fun. First we took the kids to the orange groves to shoot some pictures. That ended up in somewhat of a disaster. first,there were no   oranges AT ALL. Then it was hotter that fricken heck out there with horrible shadows everywhere... that makes for grumpy babies and crappy pictures and therefore tired mamas... it truly is like balancing a chemistry equation :-) Anyways I did manage to capture a few cute snapshots:


                                                                                 

 Shandra and I met when we were both first pregnant. Its funny our pastors wife, Ann, introduced us and said "You have to meet Shandra I just know you will be great friends" She was so right. She is one of the girls that not only i connect with purely just in superficial interests (shopping, photography, shopping, going for walks, shopping, party planning, decorating, shopping) but that  I love diving into the mysteries of God with. I always have such a great time with her. We have such a special bond because of going through our first pregnancy together, sharing the joys (and trials) of becoming a mommy, and now to see our babies play and share puffs in the back seat is SO cool... we love spending time with you Shears family... we love you!!

{it's buggy's birthday...and he'll rock if he wants to...}

To say this past year has gone by fast would be an understatement... I seriously cant believe my little buggy has been in our lives for a year already... in order to adequately celebrate my little rock star we had to throw him a rockin' party... so here are the details:
(i'm thinking about uploading these pics to a few party planning websites... what do you think??)

first things first:
The Invites...

we found awesome concert ticket invitations online... they totallylooked like what you would receive from ticketmaster if you were going to a concert...so cute (and totally affordable)

The Star of The Show...

The Staff...

The Attire...

This was so much fun for me... what could be more rock than tattoo sleeves on a one year old?? I found that sweet vest at h&m (new favorite by the way) you cant see it in this picture but he was also wearing his bitchin' flame watch and black converse with skulls on them.

The Decor...

My parents were awesome enough to have the main event at their house... walking up to the front door everyone got the chance to walk to red carpet. They were then met by "security" (aka james) who crossed their name of the VIP list. What kind of party would it be it you didnt have an all access backstage pass...

(the kitchen)

The Dessert...

Some of the cupcakes I made...

The cake I made buggy...

diggin' in

Oh Yea!!

I wish there was an adequate way to truly express how much I love my sweet baby boy...he has truly become the joy of my life... this little boy brings so much light to our family... we love you my sweets...

special shout out to emily: thank you for the amazing pics... you are awesome. shandra: i couldn't have done all of this without you thank you! I love you both...

Also... my parents: they were so willing to help with alot of the cost of the party... they love him so much its amazing!

{a couple of firsts}

After careful consideration, prayer, and a time of fasting (just kidding... kind of) we decided to chop Eli's golden locks... it all started at wal-mart: a lady referred to him as a girl. Ok, i thought, no biggie. It is wal-mart after all. but then lo and behold my little boy was once again referred to as a "she" This time in Lake Elsinore... however the validity of the above mentioned offenses was greatly called into question do to the locations they occurred. it was sort of a spontaneous decision (AKA james and i were bored) so we decided to give him a trim... one thing led to another... and... well... lets just say buggy has a buzz cut. i love it because it makes him look so grown up but at the same time i miss those frizzy curls...

here is his before and after...

Look at how long it was getting...

oh well... this too shall pass --> i mean, it will grow back...

Another first for the bugmeister is this sick accessory (yes my son has accessories...no this has nothing to do with the before mentioned girl incident)

His first watch!!

(a flame watch no less)

Stay tuned next week for an update about the biggest first of all... his birthday!!

when life gives you {oranges...}

on thursday my two loves and i went to a rockin' orange grove in Riverside. The colors were so vivid. the only bummer was that it was high noon so the sun was not ideal. i actually had stumbled across the groves in an ill-fated attempt to get home from a class at CBU. I did finally make it home, not only did i have a great  time rockin out to some (much needed) worship music but i found these orange groves and a tiffany blue house with boarded up windows... pretty much the greatest thing ever! so much fun to learn how to use my new camera. I was so bummed when we finally made it back to riverside i could not, for the life of me, find that awesome house.

with all of that said here are the pictures we did get...

{reflections...}

2009: finished nursing school. took the state boards. got my RN license. had ELIJAH JAMES. hubby got a job at yardhouse. quit claim jumper. hubby's parents separated. interviews up the wahzoo. hubby's parents got back together. left our home church [the most overwhelming decision either of us has ever made... ever]. started at Rancho Community. hubby starts bachelors program. i start working full-time. hubby offered part-time worship-leading positon at rancho... {and those are just the highlights}

I know this past year has been one of difficulty and turmoil for most people in America and I know how immeasurably blessed we are. but man, this has been a tough year... James and I are waiting, waiting, waiting for what the Lord has for us. praying that we are in His will and accomplishing the things He has called us to. I never pictured myself as a working mom and as much as i am in love with my work it doesn't fulfill me the way my family does. i thank god every morning i get up at 4:00 am that he has allowed me to have a job so I can contribute right now... its still hard. ughh... I am so ready for 2010! bring it on baby...  {so glad i got that blubbering out of my system}

ok so i have never been one for resolutions, so lets call these my futile attempt to be productive goals:

1.) love more: i want to serve regularly and be more connected to those  in need. this also carries over to more patience for my patients, seeing as they are the least, last, and the lost when they visit me in the ER.

2.) be a better wife: dont even know where to start with this one. I love my husband so much yet so many times i greet him with my scowly face or give him the eye roll of death the moment he says something that doesn't meet me standard. I want him to come home to the wife he married. the one who had dinner ready for him... and clipped coupons... and always looked nice... and always had some lovin' for him...

3.) put more effort into buggy: i feel like i use the excuse "he doesn't understand yet" to justify my lack of parenting with my sweets. and while he may not be the brightest buld in the box there yet, i can sure be implementing in him the traits i know the Lord would want me to instill in him.

4.) be more proactive/ procastinate less: not off to the world's greatest start considering it is 3:00pm and my son is still in his jammies, teeth and hair not brushed, and he smells like an easter egg on labor day...  

5.) really get to know my camera: i want some flippin sweet shots man

6.) learn to sew: any takers??i have so many ideas and drool over all the different blogs i read I need to get down and dirty and just make something already

7.) go on a REAL vacation: just me and the hubs.get on a jet plane. with luggage (my beautiful louis vuitton luggage that i only used in post-partum at the hospital). someplace exotic. one day.

8.) learn more spanish: 85% of my patients speak spanish. enough said.

9.) be a better nurse: there is so much i have to learn. I never want to grow stagnant in my learning. I want to push myself for new experiences.

10.) get preggo: woop woop! {considering posts 3&4 i'll be surprised if the hubbs will agree with this goal}

happy new year!