BIG NEWS!

This news comes with some mixed emotions....

WE HAVE DECIDED TO STAY IN SAN DIEGO for the time being. 

Only 3 months away from our move, with hearts and minds set on Portland, God revealed to us that He wants us to stick around a little longer. He has opened up many doors and avenues for us here recently and has made it possible for us to afford to stay here. After much reluctance from us, He really started hammering into us that this is where we are needed at the moment. He has made it clear that this will be for only a season, however long that might be. And that our dreams of moving to Portland will someday come true, just not in the timing we were hoping. It has really helped James and I put in perspective that we need to be living in His time, not our own. We will not be putting a future "move by" date because we will be waiting for God to let us know when it is time to move. Until that time, San Diego will be our home and we will spread His love on the people of this city.



♥ Michelle

30 day post challenge {Day 7}

 DAY 7: a picture of your most treasured item. 

This question can be tricky. I guess it depends on how you view what "most treasured" really means. There are a lot of things that we own that I would not want to live without, but I don't think it really goes into the "treasured" category. For instance, our car. Not even just our particular car, but just having an automobile in general. There was a time when both James and my cars were in the shop and it was probably one of the most challenging 2 weeks of our life together. Another one would be my photo albums. We have about 5 albums FULL of photos and there was a lot of time spent creating scrapbooks to place them in. However, I know I can always buy a new car if something happen to the one we have and I have put all of our photos on website picture hosting accounts, so if I ever lost my photo albums, I could reprint them and make new ones.

 I don't really think that Items/Material things are necessarily all that important to me. I guess it's because I  know that they can always be replaced.  I am not someone who holds onto things for very long and I don't find very many "things" to be of sentimental value. Unlike, my darling husband who seems to link a memory with everything and loves to hold on to it. We have tons of boxes of just "stuff." Which, btw, he is working on that.
I find value mainly in people, places and events.  But if I had to choose just one actual ITEM, it would be my wedding ring. The meaning of my ring is so special, it shows the commitment James and I have made to one another and the never ending bond that we share. It serves as a promise to one another and to God. I mean, I know my ring can be replaced if it was lost or stolen (James lost his wedding ring within the first 6 months of our marriage and we had to replace it) so it is not so much the actual ring itself, but what it represents.
I don't have an actual good picture of my wedding ring, but here is a picture of us exchanging our rings at our wedding. 

Edit:

 Here is a picture of our rings

day 01 - a picture of yourself with ten facts
day 02 - a picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
day 03 - a picture of the cast from your favorite show
day 04 - a picture of your night
day 05 - a picture of your favorite memory
day 06 - a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
day 07 - a picture of your most treasured item
day 08 - a picture that makes you laugh
day 09 - a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
day 10 - a picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
day 11 - a picture of something you hate
day 12 - a picture of something you love
day 13 - a picture of your favorite band or artist
day 14 - a picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
day 15 - a picture of something you want to do before you die
day 16 - a picture of someone who inspires you
day 17 - a picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
day 18 - a picture of your biggest insecurity
day 19 - a picture and a letter
day 20 - a picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
day 21 - a picture of something you wish you could forget
day 22 - a picture of something you wish you were better at
day 23 - a picture of your favorite book
day 24 - a picture of something you wish you could change
day 25 - a picture of your day
day 26 - a picture of something that means a lot to you
day 27 - a picture of yourself and a family member
day 28 - a picture of something you're afraid of
day 29 - a picture that can always make you smile
day 30 - a picture of someone you miss



BTW, DON'T FORGET TO ENTER INTO MY GIVEAWAY! You have until April 20th to Enter!


♥ Michelle

30 day challenge {day 6}

Day 6 - a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day: To be honest, I really don't know who I would trade places with. I don't necessarily have a particular person in mind, but it would be with someone in another country just to see what the culture was like there. I want to travel to Northern & Western Europe. So I would choose to trade places with someone in the Netherlands. Since I don't have a particular person in mind, I  decided to post a picture of the place where I would want them to live instead. The Netherlands! It is just so beautiful there and they have tulips galore!

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day 01 - a picture of yourself with ten facts
day 02 - a picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
day 03 - a picture of the cast from your favorite show
day 04 - a picture of your night
day 05 - a picture of your favorite memory
day 06 - a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
day 07 - a picture of your most treasured item
day 08 - a picture that makes you laugh
day 09 - a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
day 10 - a picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
day 11 - a picture of something you hate
day 12 - a picture of something you love
day 13 - a picture of your favorite band or artist
day 14 - a picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
day 15 - a picture of something you want to do before you die
day 16 - a picture of someone who inspires you
day 17 - a picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
day 18 - a picture of your biggest insecurity
day 19 - a picture and a letter
day 20 - a picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
day 21 - a picture of something you wish you could forget
day 22 - a picture of something you wish you were better at
day 23 - a picture of your favorite book
day 24 - a picture of something you wish you could change
day 25 - a picture of your day
day 26 - a picture of something that means a lot to you
day 27 - a picture of yourself and a family member
day 28 - a picture of something you're afraid of
day 29 - a picture that can always make you smile
day 30 - a picture of someone you miss




♥ Michelle

Felling Crafty - Giveaway!!!

Last night, James and I finally got the little one to bed and were able to focus on playing around with some things we have been wanting to do for a while.

James received the Bamboo pen for the computer from my parents for Christmas and still had yet been able to get it out of the box and draw with it. So last night, he was able to pull it out, start it up, go through the intro and practices and made some pretty neat little drawings with it.

I finally got to play around with my sewing machine. I dragged out all my left over/extra materials that I keep from various other projects and decided to make some more bows to put on some onesies for Chloe.

I had previously made a bunch of bow tie onesies for my soon to be nephew's baby shower a couple weeks ago:

 I had so much fun making it that I wanted to do some more fun random sewing projects.
Then I saw all this extra felt that I had lying around:

And I decided to make some fun flowers to go on headbands for myself and Chloe.

which lead to this GIVEAWAY! 

One lucky winner will get to pick one of the 4 flowers below to keep as there own!
If you win, you will get the choice of  flower and if you want it made into an adult headband, a baby headband, a brooch and hair clip combo.

ways to enter:

1.Comment on which flower (1-4) that you would like to win and include your email address.

2. Follow my blog and add a comment telling me something about yourself.

3. Spread the love. Blog about this giveaway and come back with a link to the post.  

Contest will end next Wednesday, April 20th. 

P.S. If you are extra nice, I might do another giveaway soon with a bow tie onesie, since I love making them so much.

♥ Michelle

Chomping (teething) Necklace!

I won the wooden chomping necklace giveaway on Deanna's blog, Delirious Rhapsody. The necklace is from Tweet Baby Designs . I choose the butterscotch necklace and I absolutely love it! Chloe really likes it too. She has chewed on in a little, but loves grabbing it with her hands and playing with it. Definitely check out the Tweet Baby Designs shop, she has some super cute stuff that is practical to boot!

Thank you so much Deanna!
 (Chloe says thank you too!)

I know she looks sad, but I swear she's not. She just hates daddy always pointing  the camera in her face.

♥ Michelle

30 day challenge {day 5}

DAY 5 - a picture of your favorite memory

 This is a random picture from the night James and I had our first "date". (We considered it just "hanging out" back then.) We went and had dinner a Mexican food place (of course, and b.t.w. we still go there on our first date anniversary every year.) then we met up with some of our friends for some downtown fun. Afterward just the two of us went to the top of this mountain in Santee and sat there looking at the stars, sipping hot chocolate and getting to know each other better.We didn't end the night until around 3:00 in the morning. 

I knew from that first night that he was something special.

day 01 - a picture of yourself with ten facts
day 02 - a picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
day 03 - a picture of the cast from your favorite show
day 04 - a picture of your night
day 05 - a picture of your favorite memory
day 06 - a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
day 07 - a picture of your most treasured item
day 08 - a picture that makes you laugh
day 09 - a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
day 10 - a picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
day 11 - a picture of something you hate
day 12 - a picture of something you love
day 13 - a picture of your favorite band or artist
day 14 - a picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
day 15 - a picture of something you want to do before you die
day 16 - a picture of someone who inspires you
day 17 - a picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
day 18 - a picture of your biggest insecurity
day 19 - a picture and a letter
day 20 - a picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
day 21 - a picture of something you wish you could forget
day 22 - a picture of something you wish you were better at
day 23 - a picture of your favorite book
day 24 - a picture of something you wish you could change
day 25 - a picture of your day
day 26 - a picture of something that means a lot to you
day 27 - a picture of yourself and a family member
day 28 - a picture of something you're afraid of
day 29 - a picture that can always make you smile
day 30 - a picture of someone you miss



♥ Michelle

Guess who has the Sophie!

Chloe finally got a Sophie Giraffe. As soon as I gave it to her (after huge smiles and staring) she instantly put it in her mouth. Glad she figured that one out on her own. I hope it is worth every penny. That's what everyone keeps telling me.

Did any of you Splurge on something like this for your little one? What was it and was it worth it????

♥ Michelle

30 day challenge - {day 4}

DAY 4 of the 30 day challenge - a picture(s) of your night

So I cheated and put a couple pictures up from our date night. As I mentioned in my last post, we went down by the bay to the Embarcadero, walked around Seaport Village and then took the ferry across the bay to Coronado Island. It was a very sweet date and I loved my alone time with my hubby! 

day 01 - a picture of yourself with ten facts
day 02 - a picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
day 03 - a picture of the cast from your favorite show
day 04 - a picture of your night
day 05 - a picture of your favorite memory
day 06 - a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
day 07 - a picture of your most treasured item
day 08 - a picture that makes you laugh
day 09 - a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
day 10 - a picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
day 11 - a picture of something you hate
day 12 - a picture of something you love
day 13 - a picture of your favorite band or artist
day 14 - a picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
day 15 - a picture of something you want to do before you die
day 16 - a picture of someone who inspires you
day 17 - a picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
day 18 - a picture of your biggest insecurity
day 19 - a picture and a letter
day 20 - a picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
day 21 - a picture of something you wish you could forget
day 22 - a picture of something you wish you were better at
day 23 - a picture of your favorite book
day 24 - a picture of something you wish you could change
day 25 - a picture of your day
day 26 - a picture of something that means a lot to you
day 27 - a picture of yourself and a family member
day 28 - a picture of something you're afraid of
day 29 - a picture that can always make you smile
day 30 - a picture of someone you miss

♥ Michelle

S.O.S. {4.10.11}

This weekend sure was eventful and much needed!

Saturday we met up with my parents, one of my sisters and some family friends to go play paintball. My sister and I didn't actually play, we watched Chloe the whole time and talked, but we watched everyone else have a last. Then we decided to go into Historic town of Ramona for some late lunch and antique shopping. It was fun, we found tons of stuff we fell in love with. Chloe was so great the whole time and never fussed. She must love vintage items too, just like her parents.

Sunday we went to church and listened to a guest speaker from the San Diego Dream Center. I am so glad our small group has committed to once a month helping out there.God is doing so much with that church and the people who run it. I was so inspired by the pastor there. They put on Sunday services as well as minister to the homeless and needy. They are such a blessing to San Diego.
After church a bunch of us (about 20) took over the Chipotle. It was a blast and of course the food was super yummy. James and I really enjoying connecting with the young adults at our church. We have been trying to get to know the people in our young adults life group a little better by doing outings like this and we seem to learn something new about someone every time.

Sunday Evening was our first date night since becoming parents! We were originally planning on getting sushi, but the late lunch from Chipotle still left us stuffed, so we opted to walk around the Embarcadero taking pictures and laughing a bunch. We ended up walking to Seaport Village and then took the ferry to Coronado. It was a sweet night that was much needed. Even though Chloe really isn't bad to take out into public, that alone time without her was really nice. We got to actually hold hands the entire night!  (since one of us is always holder the baby carrier or the stroller, we never get to anymore.) It was freezing down by the bay, but that just gave us a reason to snuggle closer. ;) More pics on our date night later with the 30 post challenge.

Anyway, hope your weekend was as great as mine. I hear the sunshine and warm weather is everywhere these days! Yay for spring!

oh ya, what I wore:

♥ Michelle

30 day challenge {day 3}

DAY 3 of the 30 day challenge. Today's challenge: a picture of the cast from your favorite show

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Friends has got to be my ultimate favorite show of all time. Yes, I know it's old school. Every episode made me laugh out loud. My friends and I would go around quoting this show on a daily basis. They just don't make them like this anymore. I still have yet to own all the episodes... some day, some day...

The Office - It seriously reminds me of my office. Just a bunch of laughs and shenanigans all the time. Since we don't have cable at home, we watch them on the internet with all the extra bonus clips and deleted scenes. We also quote the show pretty much on a daily basis. I am very sad to see Michael go this next week. :(



30 DAY/POST CHALLENGE
day 01 - a picture of yourself with ten facts
day 02 - a picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
day 03 - a picture of the cast from your favorite show
day 04 - a picture of your night
day 05 - a picture of your favorite memory
day 06 - a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
day 07 - a picture of your most treasured item
day 08 - a picture that makes you laugh
day 09 - a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
day 10 - a picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
day 11 - a picture of something you hate
day 12 - a picture of something you love
day 13 - a picture of your favorite band or artist
day 14 - a picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
day 15 - a picture of something you want to do before you die
day 16 - a picture of someone who inspires you
day 17 - a picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
day 18 - a picture of your biggest insecurity
day 19 - a picture and a letter
day 20 - a picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
day 21 - a picture of something you wish you could forget
day 22 - a picture of something you wish you were better at
day 23 - a picture of your favorite book
day 24 - a picture of something you wish you could change
day 25 - a picture of your day
day 26 - a picture of something that means a lot to you
day 27 - a picture of yourself and a family member
day 28 - a picture of something you're afraid of
day 29 - a picture that can always make you smile
day 30 - a picture of someone you miss

♥ Michelle