First Comes Love...

We're pregnant!! 12 week ultrasound Today marks 18 weeks, 2 days and I'm feeling really good.  It was a hard going first trimester (more morning sickness than with Abigail), but I think being pregnant while watching over a toddler all day makes things totally different. Either way, we're excited and thrilled about our growing family- Baby is due September 10th! We told our parents back in January and both we're beyond happy, then we started telling some friends in late February / March.  It was nice to wait a bit and keep this exciting secret to ourselves! Kevin's parents started spreading the word last month;  Amy was the first to start... ;) but my Mom really wanted us to tell my relatives in person, so we waited until Easter and I showed up looking all kinds of pregnant! At first I wasn't a fan of the idea, but it ended up being such a fun, unique experience. Here's a picture of my Easter bump! (we forgot to take an official picture tha...

My Dad loves sports cars. As a young adult in the Service, he raced stock cars, and in the mid-nineties, my Mom surprised him with a Porsche 911.  It was love at first sight (for both of us), and so began my love for all things fast, loud, and beautiful too. Through the years we've shared a mutual joy: sunny days on roller coaster road, talking shop (chips, shocks, tires, exhaust), and getting on the highway to open it up; nothing beats the feeling of being sucked to your seat! And like any good Dad / Teen relationship, there were moment I'm sure he'd rather forget: when they left for Rome and I took the car out to test the 0-60.  Just shy of 4 seconds (around 3.9).  Not bad for a kid, but the blown piston gave me away... Getting permission to take the car to the store.  He figured I meant to the bottom of the hill.  I should have clarified; I meant the downtown Bellevue QFC  (about 8 miles away)  ;) More speeding tickets than I ca...

Kevin and I had a great time in Walla Walla this past weekend. It was just what we needed: alone time, sans baby, mixed with good wine, great food, and some much needed R&R. We set out Friday morning, headed straight for our favorite place: Three Rivers! It's the perfect Kevin / Tanya winery: great wine that I enjoy, and a free, par 2 golf course for Kevin to enjoy! In the spirit of responsibility (and not wanting to overdo it on Day 1), we called it quits after Three Rivers and headed to Areus to check in. The reviews for Areus are mixed, but it was the perfect fit for us: low key, not overly fussy, great views, and a beautiful pool (that we never used...) Dave, our host, was gracious, informative, and friendly- getting us reservations at Whitehouse Crawford  on Friday night and driving us to town, complete with an adorable Walla Walla neighborhood tour.  He was trying to sell us on the move- we were biting... Walla Walla...

Who doesn't love a baby mullet?!  Fast forward 15 years, I'm sure Abigail won't-- but for now, it's too cute not to share! Kevin suggested we cut it, but I said no way!  We'll just cover it with something like this: Oh the life of a baby :) Wishing you a weekend full of great hair days.  Happy Friday!

I'm super late to the game on this... Have you heard of Pinterest?  If not, head over to their website and check 'em out. If you know me, you know I'm an image board maniac ...I had an image board designated JUST for hair styles in the time leading up to our wedding.  So imagine my enthusiasm when I headed over to Pinterest and found a whole website designed around "pinning" inspiring images.  Ahhh...I'm in love. Here are a few organization images inspiring me right now... This would put an end to me unplugging our clock for the millionth time... HELLO!  Where has  this been my entire kitchen-organizing life?! Can't wait to start pinning and get inspired!

My new, and most favorite thing to date: the  Angelcare  baby monitor! I tend to "obsess" (as Kevin would say) over Abigail when she's sleeping.  It's probably due to the scare of SIDS, mixed with first time Mommy worries, but hey, it is what it is... However, we were recently visiting friends who had a this monitor and I knew I had to have it.  Essentially, it's the same as a normal monitor but with the ability to tell if the baby stops breathing.  And I have to say, while a bit nerutoic, it's amazing peace of mind! And yes, I risked waking a perfectly sleeping baby all for the sake of a blog post.... :)

They are my new obsession!  They make my heart sing. And for only 15 calories and 4 carbs, where have they been my whole adult life?! Not only are they great during pregnancy, but they're a dieters dream.  I must remember this once "get fit Tanya" shows up post pregnancy....at least I think she's planning to come save me?!? What are some of your favorite, low cal, sweet tooth fixes?  Happy Wednesday....we're half way there!

How cute is this bohemian romper?  It's like someone took a wedding sari and made a baby outfit with it!  Maybe I should learn to sew.... maybe. Have I mentioned Zulily before?  It's an amazing website for kids clothes, and where I found this adorable little number! Happy Friday everyone!  Enjoy the weekend

Maybe it was our trip this weekend and seeing all the pretty sail boats, or maybe it's pure nostalgia, but I'm obsessing over this little sailor outfit!  I had one when I was little and am dying to find one for Abigail.  I found one at Grammies Attic (great place for classic children's clothing), and might just make the purchase...once I get a green light from The National Bank of Kevin, of course  :) What were some of your most memorable outfits as a child?

Okay, that's a lie. Popular? not really... Published? yes! I submitted an article to SMARTS last week. Created by Kevin's talented cousin, SMARTS is an online magazine chalked full of fun and useful "smarts". This article was intended as my next " favorite things" post, but why not share it with a further reaching audience. Enjoy! SMARTS Magazine: travelSMARTS : Trip Out : "A lot of people spend tremendous time and money with travel agents before booking a trip. Not to say they’re not a valuable resource, but f..."

I was blog stalking the other day and came across a blog whose owner had a "favorite things" section; what a great idea! So I thought this would be a fun thing to add.  And maybe all of you who have blogs might think about adding this as well....it's a great way to spread news on preferred products, hotels, websites, ect!  With that said, here's the first of my favorite things!!  (I feel like Oprah!  haha!) The Kindle I got this bad boy for Christmas last year.  It was one of those gifts you didn't ask for, but couldn't be happier to receive (those are the best!)  At first I was apprehensive...I'm not a techy.... I love dog eared pages, folded back spines, and roaming aimlessly through book stores, but I quickly fell in love with the Kindle!  I still read paperbacks at home (there's just something about them!) but my Kindle quickly became a MUST HAVE in my gym bag and on vacations.  It's hard to rea...