Pallet Sign

At Jennie's wedding reception she had a pallet sign that I couldn't stop looking at.  I don't know exactly why but I became obsessed with it.  I eventually decided that there was only one thing to be done:  I needed to learn how to make one!  So that's what I did.  

I'm one of those people that loves crafts but they usually turn out poorly.  (like, ever since Kindergarten you could always tell which one was mine. ) The same is true for which seat is mine during dinner.  Just look for the area with the most crumbs. I even try to be clean!  It just happens :)  But I was determined and I knew I wanted it to turn out well.  So thus the pinterest researching and planning began!

I began this process by looking for pallet boards I could break apart for wood.  (I had an awkward experience when I found a pallet board left for the dead against a fence at a playground.  I went to examine the board and realized I was basically staring right toward the kids as they played.  Ummm creeper, right?  Except the creepy one was ME!  (ahhhh!!!)  I went to ask the ladies in charge if they knew anything about the board and they were so unfriendly!   (I can't blame them--I'm glad they were being careful, and what weirdo drives around looking for pallet boards?)  Anyway, now I know what it feels like when people think you're a child predator.  needless to say I also left the pallet board for dead.

I kept looking but visited a neighborhood market and finally got a pallet board!!  Insert Hallelujah chorus!!!!

.... but then decided it wasn't worth it to break apart.  Too many tools needed/once it's apart I would need to cut the wood/etc.  So off to Home Depot I went to buy wood.  

Using my handy dandy measuring tape from nursing school :)

I bought the wood, had it cut the right size, then stained it.  I ended up using Miniwax Special Walnut 224 stain, but it turned out too dark so I sanded some of it to give it the look I wanted.  Looking back Provincial 211 would have been the right stain color.  

Sanding to get the color just right

My little cheerleader

After that I  researched which font I wanted to use.  I know there are stencils you can buy, but I loved the idea of being able to use any font I wanted.  After lots and lots and lots of free font shopping, I  printed the letters then cut them out using a knife.  (This took forever, but I did it to a movie so it wasn't bad.)

Then it was time to use my stencils to paint on the letters!  I had some acrylic paints on hand so I just used those to paint.  I wanted a cream color (and only have red, yellow, blue, white, black), so it took a little bit of playing with to get it right.

I painted and then, ta-da!  I was done!  Finally!  I was so proud, relieved, ahhhh!!  I did it.  I did a craft and I loved it.

I was so happy with how this all turned out!  I got the flowered plate at Goodwill for $2, the bottles and flowers for half off at Hobby Lobby, and then printed a couple wedding pictures off. 

Before shot

After shot

I learned SO much.  To be honest in many ways it maybe wasn't worth the hassle, but the adventure and experience and finished product made it totally worth it!

And I have a new hobby now.  I'm working on some Christmas signs and it's been about a bajillion times easier.  Yay for learning and beautiful things to look at :)

Wedding Reception (and a little about a wedding too)

*Life is Beautiful: 
 Our bodies are amazing.  As I've watched Kennedy begin to develop motor skills, I've been reminded about how much we have all learned and are able to do.  We have learned how to move our arms and legs, pick up objects and move them around, coordinate movements, walk, run--not to mention dancing, playing sports, playing instruments, creating.  My favorite thing is the way Kennedy watches as I workout to music in the living room.  She smiles in awe as I kick and squat and run in place.  Her face seems to say "wow.  Look at the amazing things mom knows how to do with her body.  I'm so glad I came to earth so I could have one too."


My mom is a master researcher and planner.  Also she has wonderful friends and was able to procure so many beautiful things from my aunts and ladies in the ward.  But that being said, she knows how to pull off a beautiful reception. 

We had only been living in Alabama for a couple weeks, but this last August Derek, Kennedy, and I were so blessed to be able to fly out to Utah for the day where Jennie and Matt were sealed. 

Kennedy:  The champion flyer.

It was so great to be back in Utah!  People out here have no idea what they're missing without mountains. :)

We had a lot of fun hanging out with family and then took some time the day before the wedding to start setting up the reception.  This is us hanging

lights in the trees. 

Kennedy was a champ waiting happily on the grass.

The sealing was beautiful and so happy.   If you want to see true joy and love, look at these two.  They are just adorable and are just good people.

We took a few family pictures together (including a shot of our little family in front of the temple!) , hung out at home with cousins and family, then worked on getting our beautiful Von's Park ready for a reception!

Here's Kennedy in her cute dress for the wedding.  

Joseph and Derek hanging out and being handsome

Getting a little family picture in front of the temple

It was so much fun setting up!  I managed to get a few pictures to show what it was like.  

I became obsessed with this sign from lovetoodesign.  Obsessed.

How fun is this!  We put the wedding pictures of parents, grandparents, great-grandparents onto the tree.

We loved being with family and spending time together!  It was all pretty busy but so worth everything!

Our Favorite Baby Gear

*Life is beautiful:  Every once in a while I'm on a run and I smell something familiar.  Once I remember smelling  a sweet plastic-y smell that reminded me of the Cupcake Dolls we had growing up.  A few weeks ago I smelled something in the air that reminded me of being in Ghana.  Today something in the air reminded me of hiking with my family in Utah.   With our sense of sight and hearing, (and the ability to taste ice cream.  I mean really.), smell is often ignored.  But I love its power to pull us back into memories.

When I was pregnant with Kennedy it was so hard to know what to buy.  I heard people say "you need to buy this!" or "this isn't helpful at all!" and sometimes messages were really conflicting.  For us, here are some of the purchases we have made (or gifts we received--thank you!!) that we LOVE.

1.  Baby Carrier:  Affectionately called the "baby backpack" at our house. The one we bought (we found it at Target) can be worn four ways.  Kennedy can be on our front or back, and she can face in or out.  We love this style because it looks good on both moms and dads.  Derek loves carrying Kennedy in it.

2.  Car mirror:  I hadn't really heard of these until a friend at work told me about them.  So I registered for it thinking I might as well.  Oh my heavens.  We LOVE it!  (And if we're ever in a car without it, we feel like something is missing.  Even my mom got pretty attached to it when she helped me out the first several days.)  This mirror allows us to see Kennedy's face while we drive.  It's a little thing, but it makes a huge difference to be able to glance back to check on her.  (and it makes helping her at red lights a whole lot easier.

3.  Jogging stroller:  This obviously isn't a must for everyone, but since I like to run I wanted something that I was excited to use every day.  And this stroller has been awesome.  I love how easy it is to fold up and then open, the storage space, cup holders, a place for my phone and pepper spray (don't judge.  I just...like being prepared.).  This stroller holds Kennedy in her carseat now but converts to a big-kid seat once she's out of a rear facing seat.  It has shocks to protect against bumps in the road and the steering is amazing!  I love my stroller!

4.  Saline drops:  We don't use these a lot lately, but when Kennedy was first born she was so congested!!  (haha, so was I.  I was blowing my nose on the operating table during the c-section.)  These drops were so helpful to moisten things up--sorry for the use of that word, mom ;)--so we could use our suction from the hospital easily.

5.  Pacifier wipes--The older and older Kennedy gets the less germaphobic I have become.  But early on, and even now, I love having these pacifier wipes available.  I just keep them in the diaper bag and if our pacifier falls onto the parking lot or ground anywhere, I can easily clean it off.

6.  Baby bath:  This is something I wasn't planning on buying because kitchen sinks work great.  But a friend at work (I LOVED MY FRIENDS AT UV PEDS!) gave me one her kids had used.  I'm so grateful because I love this tub and so does Kennedy.  (also she completely sobbed during the two tub baths we gave her, and doesn't ever cry here)  I've used it on the floor and also set it in the bathtub once more splashing happened.

I can't believe she was this tiny!!  Our sweet 7 lb baby has already doubled in weight!

7.  Bouncer:  this is a new toy and oh it makes us so happy :)  She's still getting the hang of it, but it's been awesome so far.  It switches easily from one door to the next so depending on the work I'm doing I can put her in there right by me.  Usually Kennedy's only in for about ten minutes at a time, but that's been a great way for me to shower and not worry about her crying.

a little jumping.  mostly singing though.

lately she just likes chilling in there.  hopefully soon she remembers how fun it is to bounce

Art walk and Christmas Store

*Life is Beautiful: Some days I get caught up in the need-to-do's, and the wish-I-could-do's and find myself frustrated that things that used to be so simple become so much more of an affair with a baby.  But I had a thought the other day that has stuck with me.  There's a scene in Hook where Peter is feeling pretty low and can't find a single happy thought.  But then he remembers...He is a dad!  He is living the ultimate dream.  And that's so true!  I'm a wife to an amazing husband and I have the most beautiful baby in the world. There's nothing I want more than this.   I just want to remember this is what I have dreamed of my whole life and to soak it all up with gratitude. 

Derek and I had a really fun date last month  The friend I go walking with told me about Fairhope Art Walk and I knew I wanted to try it.  There wasn't a lot of information online, so Derek and I didn't really know what to expect.

But it was so cute.

When we got to downtown Fairhope we knew that we must be in the right place.  Every single block was filled with cars and everywhere we looked we saw people walking around.  As we wandered, we discovered that downtown is absolutely filled with all sorts of little boutique stores. And during the first Friday of the month the stores stay open into the evenings, there are live performers throughout the streets, and most of the shops offered free wine tasting  (We declined.)

I wandered around feeling like I was in Disneyland.  The pictures I took really don't do justice.  Like at all. But here are some pictures I took through the night.

We went into a homemade soap store. The woman who owns it studied chemistry and decided to make soaps for a living.  So she runs a cute little soap shop.  They all smelled amazing.

We decided to buy this manly soap for Derek.  It's the most yummy smelling thing.  We decided it smelled like a mix between woods and lemon.  Mmmm.

someday I'll get a better picture of this alley.  It was absolutely magical.

We left the art walk just in time to watch the US national team. play.  (Best of both worlds, right?) And we got Zaxbys!!  If you go, get a combo so you can get the fries, and  GET THE PEACH LEMONADE.  Derek and I cannot recommend the lemonade more highly. 

On another day we visited a  couple places in Mobile we wanted to visit.  The first place we went was the state's biggest flea market.    I was so excited, even giddy when we arrived.  Buuut, it was not our favorite thing.  It was pretty dirty and all you could smell was cigarette smoke.  We still got some fun pictures though.

We left the flea market then headed over to a store called Everything Christmas.  

 It's a huge Christmas store, open all year round, and we knew we had to see what it was like.  It was so cute!  We walked around the store, loving the decorations, trees, nativities.  We had a fun time teaching Kennedy why we celebrate Christmas.