our road trip adventures

Sorry things have been pretty quiet around here.  We recently got back from a road trip, and then took on a house project.  Needless to say, I've been wishing for more hours in the day to get things accomplished!

We accomplished our first road trip with a baby and we would both call it a huge success!  One of Daniel's friends from college got married in Northern California so we decided to make a whole trip out of it and visit Napa, my best friend, and my college town.  I won't lie, I was having some mad anxiety about being on the road for so long with Nathan.  He generally does pretty well in his car seat, but I was nervous it would take us so long to get up there from all our stops to feed and change him.  Well, we made do and I have some tips I'll share in just a bit that helped.  To say Nathan was amazing is a HUGE understatement, he deserves "baby of the year" award for how well he did on our trip!  In 6 nights we slept in 4 different places, he adapted to wherever we went, and didn't cause too much of a fuss albeit his schedule (used very loosely) was totally off.  He was the life of the party wherever we went, and made many new friends thanks to his adorable smile and happy demeanor.

We've decided that Northern California is truly gorgeous!  Everything was so green and lush, a far cry from our very dry and brown mountains in San Diego.  Napa was just splendid.  I had some great recommendations of where to go from some friends.  We visited the Oxbow Market twice, and one trip included picking up some of the most delicious fresh cheese and baguette to take with us on a picnic.  We visited Frog's Leap, Hagafen, Mumm Napa, and Clos de Val wineries.  We had the most phenomenal dinner at Farmstead, and are still dreaming of our meal.  Nathan went wherever we went, enjoyed stretching on the grass lawn while we picnicked, and tried to get a sip of wine on multiple occasions.

After Napa we went south just a bit to visit my best friend who moved up there last summer.  It felt so good to sleep in a house versus a hotel for a night, and we were just so relaxed.  From there we visited Daniel's cousin on our morning as we headed south to the central coast and went to my "happy place", San Luis Obispo.  That town just gets me every time. The charm and quaintness of it all made me reminisce of college days and miss how simple life was back then.

Along the way we had a few hiccups, but soon figured out how to do things differently.  Daniel and I never argued once, and we worked really hard to be as flexible as possible (which is a huge necessity with a baby).  I don't have the most cohesive list, but here are some of the things that worked really well for us to have a happy baby and enjoyable trip.

• I sat in the back seat of the car for the long stretches on our drives up the coast.  This kept Nathan entertained and happy.  I also took my pump, which came with a battery charger, and pumped him a bottle and gave it to him while in his car seat to avoid having to stop one more time.  This worked out really well!!!
• The ergo was my very best friend!  Nathan went wherever we went, and being able to strap him in and go was a breeze.  This is what we used at wineries or even just walking around.  He is able to fall asleep in it, and I've also mastered how to nurse him while in it as well.  Since we couldn't always be at our hotel for him to take a nap, the ergo really helped him get the sleep he needed. 
• Since we stayed in four different places, it was crucial to be organized when packing up and knowing how to load the car efficiently.  I would typically make sure everything was in the proper bag, and Daniel would load the car up in the mornings.  Mine and Nathan's clothes were together in the same suitcase, which helped a ton in the mornings when deciding what to wear.  
• Having a stash of plastic bags is essential!  When we pulled up to our dinner one day, we quickly realized we had a very big diaper situation on our hands and I will definitely spare you the details because it was just awful.  Anyways, the plastic bags were our life savers!  They also were great to quickly throw trash away in and keep the car clean as we went along. 
• Babies eventually sleep.  Nathan's schedule was totally thrown off.  Normally he goes to bed at 7pm, and we wouldn't get back to our room until 9pm most nights and he would still be wide away.  He adapted and eventually fell asleep, and also slept in till 8:30am (which was much needed for me).  I couldn't stress about his naps so I just tried to listen to his cues, and when I noticed he was tired I'd put him in the ergo to ensure he got some sleep throughout the day.  

We still are so surprised how great Nathan did, and now we are crossing our fingers he is just as wonderful when we embark on another new adventure for us...beach camping!!

high five for friday

Can I just gush for a moment on how adorable our little Nathan is getting?  I mean, he smiles!!! And I was able to capture it before it faded away.  I'm pretty sure his smiles are still either gas induced or sleep reflexes, but I'll take what I can get.  Plus, it puts THE biggest smile on my face which is all that matters.  

We have had another beautiful week, and the days just seem to be flying by!  Nathan is now three weeks old and I'd really like a time machine to make him stop growing so fast.  Our days are packed, and there have been so many times that I've been dying to sit down and blog, and then someone (who will go unnamed) wakes up from a nap, needs a diaper change, or is screaming for some food.  Anyways, lets dive into some things this week that were pretty awesome. 

1) Target just got a whole lot better.  How might you ask?  Well, add a baby…a baby sleeping…a baby sound asleep on you.  That's how!  Nathan LOVES the Ergo, and I love it just as much.  I'm pretty sure this will be our main mode of getting around once Daniel goes back to work.  

2) I cooked!  In my defense, the Crock Pot had to be used, but it was amazingly and delicious and wonderful all at the same time.  We have been just beyond blessed by our family, friends, coworkers, and church family and the past three weeks we have had so many meals brought to us.  It's the most wonderful gift.  Well, we still get our CSA box and I decided it was about time to finally start cooking with those veggies in the fridge.  I made a beef stew recipe from Cooking Light and it was phenomenal! 

3) Nathan's first photo book arrived!  I decided to be on top of the game plan and put together a birth story photo book for him.  We love looking back through all of the pictures of his arrival and first week, so this was a fun project to do.  It arrived yesterday, and I almost ran into the house to open it up and check it out.  PS: It wasn't until recently that I realized how amazing photo books are.  They are perfect for showcasing all of the pictures you take without having to print pictures and put them in a photo book.  

4) The hair got chopped yesterday and I LOVE it!  I'm planning on sharing some details about why/doubts/embracing the stereotypical "mom" chop, etc. on the blog soon!  I feel a million pounds lighter and love the cut. 

5) I'm all signed up for Bobbi's shred next month and couldn't be more excited!  I'm a huge fan of Bobbi and everything she does.  I love her philosophy on eating and working out, and have been waiting to reach the point postpartum when I could actually participate in her shred.  Even though I know I will need to still take it a bit easy with the workouts, I'm excited for an eating plan and accountability! 

when "thank you" doesn't even come close

Over the last two weeks, I've experienced something I never had before.  

I realized when "thank you" doesn't even come close to how extremely grateful you are for so many people.

My heart has been turned upside down, flipped about, and filled to the brim where I think it can't have any more feelings.  

We were showered with amazing love at our baby shower.  Then, my birthday was just a few days away.  That night in bed, I curled up into Daniel's arms and just started crying.  They were tears of "I don't know how to say thank you to so many people, we have been shown more love than I ever would have imagined, and right now I'm utterly in shock at the outpouring of love and generosity everyone has bestowed upon us".  Sadly, it didn't come out that way.  Instead, I just lay there blubbering away leaving my poor husband with a crying wife who couldn't say what she was crying about.  (It wouldn't be the first time!)  But truly, words can't fully express how immensely grateful we are for everyone in our lives, who are so happy and excited for us to have this baby, and have showered us with more love and gifts than we ever could've imagined.  

The shower was beautiful, and perfect, and flew by faster than our wedding.  There were so many people I wanted to talk to, hug, and catch up with.  Between my mom, my amazing friends Lindsay and Andrea, and my family that all came into town, it was adorable.  

After opening presents, I went to thank everyone for coming and was immediately overcome with emotions.  As I looked about the packed room, there standing before me were people from every walk of life who were overjoyed for us to welcome a baby boy.  This baby who we prayed for daily, who we thought would never come, who isn't even here yet-is loved by so many.  And for that, our hearts are just completely overcome with gratitude and humbleness and "thank you" just isn't enough.  

My grandma has some mad crocheting skills and made us the most beautiful blanket I have ever seen! 

today, I am thankful

Originally, this post was going to begin my prayers for our sweet son that is going to bless and change our lives forever this December.  As I sit here typing, I'm surrounded by blankets, tissues, tea, and E-mergency.  My eyes are watering, and that's just from the cold.  When I started thinking about our prayers, the tears immediately started gushing, so a change of direction was needed.  So today, I'm sharing the little things in life that are filling my soul with joy and gratitude:

+Panera Bread chicken noodle soup...I crave this soup every single time I'm sick 

+The sweetest students who have been bringing me tissues in the middle of my lessons.  This has never happened before, and I don't know how I got so lucky to be blessed by students who are so loving and giving.  They sure are taking care of me! 

+The coziest of blankets we picked up at Costco for only $15 this past weekend! 

+Parenthood and Grey's Anatomy, oh and New Girl and Revenge...TV is back!  But watching Parenthood and Grey's Anatomy back to back this past Sunday was a bad idea, way too many tissues were needed! 

+Trader Joe's harvest tea..I love you!  

+I came home Monday night from a long work day and an amazing women's event to the prettiest bouquet sitting on my kitchen counter.  I love this man who catches me off gaurd with "just because" flowers.  

+Last night at 7pm it was dark outside, there was a chill in the air, and I breathed in the first real feeling of fall.  

+We were talking about ways we are unique in my class a couple weeks ago and one student wrote "I'm God's little princess".  Oh, how I pray that our son will forever know he is God's little prince, that he is loved more than he can imagine, and is as bold as my sweet student. 

+Saturday night we went to my in-laws to celebrate my mother in laws birthday.  The Mr. and I decided to give the gift of dinner, so we cooked dinner for the entire family.  I love knowing my gifts, and cooking for others is definitely one of them.  But the sweetest moment was when my 3-year old niece said the prayer for dinner.  There are no words to describe hearing her tiny voice blessing our family.  

80's & fondue

Go check out my sweet friend's blog to see my modeling debut!  She provides some amazing fall fashion tips (hello blazers & boyfriend jeans) and her blog is a must read.  Check it out here!!

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I'm sure that the title of this post surely has you thrown off just a bit, but it sums up the two most amazing things my mom and I took part in this past weekend.  

I am one very blessed girl to have the mom that I have.  We go way back to the days of just the two of us living in a one bedroom apartment, making forts between both of our beds.  I still vividly remember those experiences.  And I don't take this lightly when I say my mom is my best friend.  We share joy and laughter, learn from one another, and also boundaries. 

I've been craving some mommy-and-me time lately, so we packed our bags and did a little staycation Groupon style in downtown San Diego.  And boy, did we luck out using Priceline, because we got an amazing deal at the Westin.  (And can I just for a moment confess my love for this hotel.  They have snacks.  Yes, snacks.  Including dried apricots AND gummy bears.  And they have flavored water.  And I've also heard their gym is phenomenal, including a gear sharing program in case you forgot yours.) 

Once we checked into our hotel and got settled, we made our way to the theatre to see "Mixtape".  This is an 80's tribute musical, featuring every 80's song imaginable in a very fun way.  Let's just say that Tiffany and Madonna were definitely there, as well as an amazing Top Gun mix.  The show did not disappoint and left you wanting to pull on your scrunchie socks and neon spandex, and tease that hair into a side-pony.  

Our night ended as we gorged ourselves at The Melting Pot.  Oh, fondue, where have you been all my life?  This was a first experience for both of us, and I think we are still recovering from the amount of food we ate.  Everything was excellent, including the desserts.  Basically anything dipped in chocolate is amazing, am I right?  

It was bittersweet at the end knowing that this would probably be the last mommy-and-me staycation with no interruptions.  I fully intend to pass along that adorable baby to the Mr. so we can continue to spend quality time together, but while he isn't here I'm going to cherish these moments with my mom! 

life lately according to my iPhone

Life lately has been beautiful.  Sometimes I have to go back and look at my pictures to remind myself of all the amazing things that are going on in our lives.  How do I forget things so quickly?  

My dear friend Lindsay is due in just a week!  Ahhh, I still can't believe it.  What a joy it has been watching baby Sophia grow.  It still seems so surreal that Lindsay will be a mom very soon, holding her perfect daughter, and all I can say is that I have been blessed to be a part of this experience so far. 

We were able to get out on a date night...on a Monday night!?!?!  I'm telling you, Mondays are the best days for date nights.  It sets your whole week in the right direction.  We used a gift card to Karl Strauss, so we felt like winners.  

My procrastination has two loves: Pinterest and Target.  Both joined together to help me make place mats for our fridge.  A quick trip to Target for $10 (that was just for the mats, I had to spend more than that!) and 30 minutes later, and I had spiffy new mats for our fridge.  I feel like this will be much easier to clean!  Here is the tutorial I used! 

This week Daniel and I went to SDSU to pick up my cap, gown, and tassel for my graduation. YES, I am finally graduating in May with my Masters!!!!  I want to shout it from the rooftops.  Picking up these goodies definitely made me feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel, like all of this hard work is paying off, and this three year endeavor will be over soon. 

I just crack up at Daniel's text messages sometimes.  This was his description of our CSA box goodies. Those "non normal things" included beets, radishes, kale, and asparagus.  

Minnie is a big fan that I'm on Spring Break.  The other night we spent a good amount of time together catching up on our favorite shows.  And the way she sleeps sometimes cracks me up.  Sometimes I wish I could get in the positions she can, I feel as though my back would crack beautifully and feel much better.  

Babysitting my niece and nephew feels like a treat every time.  While Cam napped, Calli and I cut up paper (which ended up all over the floor in little pieces...so we had a "cleaning party" before Cam woke up).  We ate lunch outside, drew pictures, and watched Tangled until we both fell asleep.  I just love those littles! 

hope

Easter is becoming my new favorite holiday.  Growing up my brother, sister, and I would spend hours decorating our Easter baskets, picking out our new outfits and shoes, and compete over who could decorate the prettiest eggs.  And somewhere in the mix of these traditions, I missed the real reason for the holiday.  Each year I seem to learn a little nugget more about what Easter is really about.  After a beautiful church service Saturday evening I came home baffled at how nieve I am as a Christian, saddened that I didn't know growing up what I know now. 

This beautiful holiday, centered around the most innocent taking the burden for our sins, and it has always felt like any other day.  As we planned our Easter meal and decided what we would wear, I forgot the beauty of this day. 

Hope.  Each service I went to and everything I read centered around HOPE.  The apostles were left broken, and three days later HOPE came.  The fact that we have a savior that carries our burdens and cleanses our sins leaves my heart heavy and light at the same time.  It makes my heart skip a beat, little butterflies emerge.  And how quickly this passes away when the day to day work takes over.  This Easter I was filled with HOPE.  This past week my heart was heavy.  I had cried for days over my exam, and then remained in a funk.  Work was hectic, our home was hectic, life seemed hard, and I felt hopeless.  The beautiful part of Jesus is that he is always there, when my heart is heavy and I forget to bring these burdens to him-he is there.  And as I sang my heart out on Saturday evening at church, my hope was restored.  It may not seem like all of our problems are solved, but I am a savior that is there to listen to my cries, forgive me of my sins, and make me complete again.  He makes this mess I feel like sometime into something beautiful.  

"We like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

-Isaiah 53:6

We did enjoy our Easter!  A LaFuze family tradition is the easter egg hunt the entire family participates in.  My mother-in-law puts puzzle pieces inside of plastic eggs, and we divide up into teams.  We all run around the backyard frantic to find our colored eggs, crack open the eggs on the table, and help our caption put together our puzzle.  This was the first year that my team couldn't find all of our eggs, as evidenced by the missing 4 pieces from our puzzle.  Without fail we will find it next year!  My niece ran around in her pretty dress, my nephew began walking all over the place, cousins surrounded the living room watching the basketball game, and mothers talked around the kitchen.  My soul was happy and my heart was full.  I hope you and your family had a beautiful Easter! 

Lovely Little Things

Welcome to round two of lovely little things.  My heart has been very full this past week with all of the amazing people I've been able to see, fun things I've done, and projects I've created!  

One major blessing that the Mr. and I have is that we live very close to our family.  Both of our parents live 30 minutes away, and his brother and his adorable family are just 3 miles away!  With that, we are able to see our adorable niece and nephew very often.  I'm always amazed when little Calli shows me something knew she has learned, and I was in pure shock that at the ripe age of 2 she knows so many of her letter names and sounds.  The kindergarten teacher inside of me had her jaw on the ground.  Cameron is growing so much in just 3 short months.  I love that my sister in law is so in tune to all of the developments taking place, like rolling over, lifting up his head, and grasping for objects.  Most importantly, I love all the snuggle time I get with the both of them.  

 I finally made accent pillows for our little home!  You have no idea how long I've been wanting/planning/stressing over this.  Now that I'm finally feeling more comfortable with my sewing machine I decided that the pillows were the next step.  I pursued through my pinterest board, figured out which ones I wanted to make, made a little trip to JoAnn's with coupons in tow, and got busy.  I just love how they turned out.  When I finished the first one, the flower one, I literally was jumping up and down with excitement.  The bow one took me a bit of time because I had to pay close attention to where each part went, but now I think I could make the next one much faster.  

I have to give a lot of credit to little miss Lindsay.  She came over and helped me with the pillows.  This included patiently watching me measure not once, not twice, but three times (sometimes four), ironing flower petals, pinning material, and keeping me sane.  Lindsay has always called my hair "pageant hair" ever since her wedding day.  Basically, once you curl it, it will do whatever you want with it and stay in place.  She decided to see how big she could get my hair, so we grabbed the comb and get to work.  I sat on the floor of my living room while she teased my hair like crazy.  I was laughing so hard afterwards, then we smoothed it out, and it was definitely pageant hair.

This past Saturday the Mr. and I attended the SD Brew Fest with a good friend of his from college and his girlfriend.  It was pour first ever brew fest and it was quite a treat.  The weather couldn't have been better, and there was a huge selection of breweries from SD to OC.  My favorite part was the mini beer mugs that you used for your tastings.  

On Sunday my heart was overflowing with joy as I joined up with Meg, Katie, and Kasey.  These girls are true gems.  I was thinking on my way home how lucky it is to find other girls, that have a heart for God, and are full of grace.  They are such an encouragement, and to get to spend the day with them was a true treat.  

Source: thebeautydepartment.com via Jamie on Pinterest

I've been trying to give my hair a little bit of a break since it's summer and have been just blowdrying it, then throwing it back into a ponytail.  The bangs always make the simple ponytail look so polished, I love them.  Well, I came across this cute little hair style and tried it out this morning.  I thought my hair would be too layered for it but it totally worked.  The only exception was I didn't have a whole lot of time this morning so I wasn't able to do it as well as I would hope-hence no pictures.  So I'm going to give it a go later this week and show you how it turned out!  

What is something that has been making your heart full lately?