6th month anniversary

all photos by OneLovePhoto

Dear Tommy,

6 months in...

the best, most exciting 6 months

of my life.

You are my sunshine.

I love you.

Here's to a million more anniversaries.

- Jes

my figure

One Love Photo

I have never been a skinny girl...ever.  I was a normal kiddo with chub on my bones which developed into some voluptuous hips...like whoa hips actually.  Aaaaaaand I pack a lot of junk in the trunk. *grin*  But, there is nothing quite like being pregnant to help you realize how great your figure once was.  Ha!

Granted, I LOVE being pregnant...especially now with no more nausea!  I'm constantly amazed by the way my body works, how it knows how to nurture this new life...and how it all feels.  Beautiful stuff really...even if some of it is kinda scary (like an outie belly button....hasn't happened yet though!)  It's also given me an appreciation of my shapely pre-pregnancy bod.   Curves and all.  I'm hoping to see it again someday. Perhaps, I won't be so hard on myself. 

As for the here and now, I'm enjoying my baby belly - it's so darn cute! (even if one of the boys at work told me I look "fat in the face."  People make me smile.

I actually bought my first article of maternity clothing at a baby consignment shop...the jeans in that picture...they were 10 bucks...which is about all the money I've got to spend on such things.   I've been wearing lots of dresses and skirts...but it's freezing here now and I needed a pair of jeans.  We'll see how long I can go without having to buy anything else, I'd rather spend money on something we need for baby than for clothes for myself - doesn't that just define motherhood already!?  (it was snowing outside when we snapped this picture this weekend!)

love words weekend

such a pretty fall day for a wedding (great dress too!) ...by Julie Harris Photography

Brief is life 
but love is long.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

best guest "book" ever

All photography via A Sophisticated View

I had to post this sweet Flagstaff wedding - perhaps I'm feeling a teeny tiny bit homesick and images of Northern Arizona help.  What can I say?  I haven't been home in 6 months and it doesn't look like we'll be going back before NEXT Christmas...wowza...that just seems like soooo far away.

Anyway.

I had to share with you this couple's amazing GUEST TABLE.  Instead of having loved ones sign a book at their wedding, they literally busted out a gorgeous wooden table.  The guests used wood burning tools to add their well wishes, draw pictures, and sign their names onto their kitchen table!  I've never seen this done before and I think it's such a charming idea. So unique, and what a treasure.

thankful for...

This is me very very tired...long medicine days wear me out.  I need to start taking these baby bump pictures in the morning when I'm fresh-faced instead of 10pm at night when I stumble home ready to pass out!

This Thanksgiving is very unique...my blessings have never been so full.  I'm married, blissfully, to the most wonderful man I know...who loves me with his whole being.  I'm carrying my first child, a daughter.  Motherhood was a dream I've wished for forever, and I am so happy to be experiencing this.  Also, after 10 years of a grinding education, I'm actually a doctor and have my first "real" job.   My personal and professional dreams are coming true...it's amazing.

I'm thankful.  For it all.

Happy Thanksgiving to you - I hope you realize how full your blessings are too.

real life: montana's big sky

All photography by Julie Harris Photography

I don't really make it a habit of browsing wedding sites anymore - I've had my mind on a few other things (obvs.)  BUT - when I do - and I find pictures like this, it makes me fall in love with weddings allllll over again.

This wedding was shot by Julie Harris Photography.  It's the kind of wedding that guests remember, that they talk about...more than just noting that the bride looked pretty and the drinks were delish.  This strikes me as one of those weddings where every word spoken in the ceremony was intentional, meaningful, and highly personal - where the bride's cheeks never got sore because her smiles were genuine - where every guest felt like an integral part of their spiritual union.

Just seems bigger and brighter and more beautiful, in its simplicity and in its joy.  *Sigh*  I just love how some people choose to enter marriage...so lovely.   

greatest shot ever!!!

the bridal bustier that wasn't

OneLovePhoto

I bought a bustier for my wedding.  Personally, I thought it was sexy as hell.  It sorta sucked me in a little bit - made me stand up straighter...and it made my boobs look just a teeny bit bigger...all things I thought I needed in order to pull off my dress. 

The day of the wedding came and the bustier didn't work.  I tried it on at the bridal boutique, and it fit flawlessly...yet in "real" life it kept showing when I would walk and move.  AND it actually gave me back cleavage... yuck.  So...I took it off moments before the ceremony.  Doing so instantly removed my back fat...and helped me breath a bit better...which was priceless. I didn't even end up feeling self conscious without it :-)   I felt pretty!

That was the biggest waste of money in our whole wedding event - my damn bustier.  I think it even got left behind at the venue.

Did you spend money on a major fail for your wedding?

hip green deals is BACK!

I bought these EXACT EarthLust stainless steal water bottles from HipGreenDeals last spring for around $9 bucks a piece for bridal shower gifts - and THAT was a screaming deal from their retail value of around $25!  TODAY they are only $3.15.  OMG.

So excited!!!  My fave deal-a-day website is back for the holiday season and boy have they slashed their prices!  That's right my friends, be sure to bookmark HipGreenDeals - an eco-friendly Earth loving shop that sells one rad item everyday for CRAZY AFFORDABLE prices!!  They will be selling their merchandise at 80 - 90% off retail!!  WHAT?!?  Clearly...this is the best thing ever, and a super rad way to stock up on holiday gifts!

bloom 'n jars

Throughout our wedding planning process I was so attracted to mason jars filled with blooms (borderline obsessed??).  And when it came time to our big day, I just loved the centerpieces that the women in our families created - better than what I had envisioned!!   I guess my love for sweet and simple vessels brimming with blooms will never fade...just spotted these GORGEOUS flowers at Shiny Pretty Bits.  Stunning!!!

shutterfly christmas cards

 Do you guys send Christmas cards?  Do you ever include your family picture on them?  My mom started sending a photo in our Christmas cards when I was in high school.  It's become a tradition that we all get a kick out of now (except last year my mom selected a photo that NONE of us wanted to be sent...she thought we looked beautiful...we thought we looked drunk...because we were....but I digress. 

I usually send Christmas cards...I have sent out a few every year for the past few years.   Obviously, I've never included a pictures of ME in them (that would be awkward).    Except, now that Tommy and I are our own lil family, I'm so freaking tempted to send cards with our wedding picture!  Some designs are wicked cute!  It will be really precious when we have our little girl next year - that's what folks are really interested in seeing - CUTE KIDDOS! Am I right?

I purchased a photo book from Shutterfly (and love it!) so I checked out their collection of holiday paper products....talk about fun and festive!  Clearly I'm attracted to using black and white photos with colorful (yet simple!) holiday words or embellishment.  I'm o-so-tempted to order some right this moment!!  I just had to share my finds with you folks...Shutterfly's Christmas photo cards, and Shutterfly's Christmas invitations.

 

 

 I wish I had a Christmas party planned so I could send out festive invitations.  SOMEDAY I will host a Christmas party...probably not while I am battling residency...but someday.  Are you hosting a holiday get together??

love words weekend

found at Whispering Pines Rustic Wedding Blog

"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction."
-Saint-Exupery

ENTER TO WIN FREE VIDEO save-the-dates OR baby announcements HERE!

marcella's babyface

I love this sweet image so much that I recently had it made onto a canvas for my little girl's room.  I love that you can see my great-grandfathers farm in the background...and I love her little bonnet!!

My maternal grandmother, Marcella, was born in 1918 in North Dakota to a hard working farming family.  She and I had a special relationship, and I miss her everyday.  Though she lived in South Dakota, and I lived in Arizona, we were close while I grew up.  I wrote her letters nearly every week - and she always wrote me back...I really loved that.  When we would live with her every summer is was the highlight of our year!  Her house was always filled with fresh flowers and sunlight, the fruit jar was brimming with dried fruits, and everything always felt so special.  She was a truly lovely woman and I think about her all the time. 

How blessed am I to have these photos of her as an infant!?  Well, I don't "physically" have these photos...but the last time I was in South Dakota, I scanned as many pictures as I could of my grandmother, grandfather, their parents and siblings, and my aunts/uncles and mom.  I downloaded them to CD's.  I then made TONS of copies of these CD's and sent them to every aunt/uncle/cousin/sister in my family as Christmas gifts last year - I wanted everyone to have them.  They are treasures.

Don't you love the buggie wheels in the background!

With her grandfather (so that would be my great-great grandfather!)

Awwww...little girls and their dolls.

Love the pose!  And those CHEEKS!!

Here she is with her parents, Albert and Jessie.  Her mother, Jessie, tragically died when Marcella was little, so this is one of the only pictures of them together.   I'm sure my grandma held this picture close to her heart.  Here's an interesting thing, my grandma grew up speaking Czech - she had to learn English in order to go to school!

I hope my lil one has cheeks that chubby and cute!

GO ENTER TO WIN VIDEO save-the-dates AND birth announcements HERE!

it's gonna pop

My belly button....oh holy shit...it's dissapearing.  Today, I looked down and literally yelped a little bit.  It's gonna pop out any day now.  I sorta didn't think that it would happen to me.  Ha!  It's gonna.

:-)

I like being pregnant though.  I really do!

etherial flagstaff bride

Claire Eliza, one of  Flagstaff's newest/hottest/freshest photographers, recently sent me these gorgeous bridal portraits and I went straight ga-ga over them.  They were shot at Buffalo Park - a location so near and dear to my heart - and to so many Flagstaff dwellers (it's a gorgeous park with panoramic views of the San Francisco Peaks, with a superb running trail that is soooo perfect)!  I'm in love with the way she captured the warm Arizona light...and I'm so impressed with this bride's romantic selections!

Beautiful beautiful beautiful!! 

Did you get bridal portraits?  I got them done a year before our wedding because a friend of mine was starting a photography business (and I totally lucked out!).  I love the pictures she took of me. 

ENTER TO WIN FREE VIDEO save-the-dates AND birth announcements HERE!

fetal echocardiogram (and I'm at 22!)

this is randomly Tommy's fave preggo picture of me - perhaps it's because I'm wearing the H&M top he picked out :-)

Today my belly will get slathered up in blue jelly for another ultrasound.  But this ultrasound makes me a little nervous...we will be examining the chambers, valves and vessels of our little girl's heart via a miraculous test called a fetal echocardiogram.  As I sit here and write this my eyes are getting a teeny bit watery, and I am nervous.

My hubby's little brother was born with serious congenital heart malformations and has undergone numerous open heart surgeries, many while he was a baby and small kiddo.  Thankfully, his brother is doing well and hasn't had complications in years.  Yet, because of this family history, we have decided to investigate the heart of our lil one....just in case we need to make arrangements for a delivery at a specialty hospital. 



Wish our little family blessings of good health friends.  We appreciate it.

i wanted a baby ella

The great baby name debate is so fun!  But it really is quite a debate.  Do you prefer popular "top 10" name charts, or vintage names, or family names, or quirky names, or creative unique names that are likely to be one of a kind?

My personal favorite names are classically recognizable, pronounceable, and easy to spell. My favorites are old fashioned names...yet may have fallen slightly out of main stream favor.

I knew that I wanted to name my baby Ella since forever (no no...like FOREVER...before it was a Top 10 phenomenon...before there were Ella's everywhere...I swear.)   I have a grandmother Marcella, and a grandmother Eleanor and a little sister Ellen.  I knew Ella was the perfect way to honor these women and give my little one the sweetest name imaginable.   Obviously, Tommy approved -  with the addition of Jane as a middle name.  (Jane is a family name in both of our families...so it was going to be perfect....Ella Jane.)

However, the name Ella took off in popularity in recent years.  I  lit-er-ally know 24 little Ella's.  Twentyfour.  Or twentyfive...after so many I sorta lose track. The popularity of the name made me rethink the choice.  AND to be totally honest, Ella never ever broke the top 5 most popular name category - just think of alllll the Emma's out there, and Isabella's, and Sophia's...such sweet names of course everyone would want to use them!! 

As much as I adore Ella...I know that if that's the name I give our girl, she will be in class with multiple Ella's (my name is Jessica, remember, a crazy popular name in the early 80's so there were always 2 or 3 other Jessica's in every class I was ever in!!) Therefore, we will not be naming our little one Ella - but it will be a name I'll always love.

Has this happened to you or anyone you know?  Where you loved a name, but found that it had exploded all over the place?  Did you care?  I know a couple friends who didn't care that it was intensly popular, they loved it and went with it anyway - so that's something to think about too.  Am I thinking too much about this!?

ENTER HERE TO WIN video save-the-dates OR baby announcements!

strollers? yep...i'm going there.

While traipsing around a baby superstore this weekend, Tommy and I were initially overwhelmed with the inventory, the selection, and the gender specific aisles....we grew rather silent.  Then, thankfully, we couldn't help but crack up.  There are roughly a million different choices when it comes to things like strollers....or cribs....or breast bumps.  I mean seriously.

We decided to tackle one element at a time when we came home.  I busted out my fave go-to site for speedy comparison shopping - where anything from the perfect briefcase to the best stroller can be found - of course I'm talking about CSN, that online shopping mecca  (I also did some serious Consumer Search review reading - I love that site!)

loved the bright yellow of this BOB - but it was soooo super pricey (and had the hinged front wheel which is great for jogging, but impractical for using in grocery stores or around town as it doesn't "turn" very easily.)

I swooned over a "pram" for a hot minute - sooo sweet and proper looking!  But so impractical for our lifestyle (plus it was around $1200.  Doy.)

You know, buying a stroller isn't necessarily as easy as picking out the coolest looking ride.  Nope.  There were loads that were awesome looking...in bright funky colors that made me swoooooon...but some cost more than I make in a month...and some didn't have good reviews...or couldn't be used for specific activities (like jogging or power walking).   Who knew this was soooo tricky??

 

Our wish list included a stroller that was an all terrain, jogging-type stroller, as we will be taking our lil girl out and about, to the park, on gravel trails, lil jogs, and the like.  We also hope to have this one stroller (so we wanted one that we could mount an infant care seat in - to last from infancy to toddler age), and it needed to have sweet maneuverability for places like the grocery store.  Oh yea - and it couldn't cost an arm and a leg.   And it had to be crazy safe with fantastic ratings of course.  After reading all about them and then "playing" with them at Babies R Us,  we decided on a Jeep Libery Limited!  

We kinda laughed at ourselves for getting all excited about a stroller :-)  Can't help it.  It was one of the top rated strollers in all the reviews we read...score!  AND not only do we have some friends who SWEAR by this stroller, it has sweet perks...like a hook up for an iPod, an included cup holder for the parent, roomy storage underneath, and a play deck for baby...dude...doesn't get better!