Chelsea Lately:

Conrad and his lady-love at Target yesterday. 

These kids crack me up!

(He's got teeth popping through and has been the worlds saddest teething baby.

We're STILL giving him the binky. Don't ask. It's been a bit frustrating...)

What the heck have I been up to lately you ask? Well first of all, I'm jealous of my sons new kicks. Can I have a pair in my size please?! Grammy, (Dustin's Mom is leaving to Illinois this week to go check out colleges because my brother in law is a freak of nature and was something ridiculous like 60 points away from a perfect SAT score and his brain is about to pop out of his head, it's so big. Anyway. I'm so proud of Tate, I've been bragging about him non-stop. He's been working so hard.) So my mother in law treated Conrad to some new shoes and an afternoon at her pool since she won't see him for a while. (Grand kids are spoiled!) We were laughing so hard at him that we were both crying.

There's something super funny about a naked baby butt being thrown in the air.

And more importantly:

I got to snap a pretty pregnant belly this week.

Go check out part 1 & part 2 of Adam & Sarah's maternity shoot.

Other than that... It's our anniversary this week! We both nearly forgot.
We were standing in the kitchen last night saying to each other "Holy crap! It's been FOUR years!"

Dustin has a job opportunity that we're praying about and nervous about, and I fell off of the diet and marathon training band wagon this week eating not ONE but FOUR cupcakes and more cookies than I care to share with you all. I think the stress of all of these decisions is showing up in my compulsive-eating. One day, I kept opening the fridge looking at that gorgeous little cup cake when I finally said to myself "Just get it over with! Just eat it so you'll stop thinking about eating it!" Then I ate it and said to myself "Why'd you eat that! You didn't have to eat that! You didn't have to eat FOUR either fatty!!"

Anyway.

All is well.

Man-Sandwich:

The water park is a good distraction for the days when I can't peel him off of me, and there isn't enough Orajel or snow cones in the world that could help manage teething.....

this face says "I really want to go run around in that water Mom, but my mouth friggin' hurts..."

"So I'll just enjoy my binky and watch the other kids....

and then crawl-walk over to you so we can snuggle...."

{Sigh} 

Weekly Surf:

I haven't been in the most "fashionable" mood lately. I've been dressing more for comfort, and to stay fairly cool in this Vegas heat than anything. But for a date night I had Dustin help me zip these shorts on and he was all "Where did you get these? I like these!" Which made me feel good of course. The thrift store! Duh! High waisted shorts are probably my fav. summer trend. With daily morning walks, park visits, and splashes in the water with the little man, I've been wearing lots of running shorts and old shirts. For dates though, It's fun to dress up.

Hope you all had a great week.

Here are a few links I loved this week:

DIY Polaroid photo mounting board

a beautiful pregnant mommy in a fabulous 2 piece

is never a bad thing

wall paper lust

Yippee! Look what I'll be getting in the mail!

Being a winner is so fun!

MUST SEE! MUST SEE:

Exclusive Breaking Dawn footage

a fantastic way to serve ice cream

New Moon Party:

Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Nicki & myself                                            Candice & myself

         Vampire wine:                                                    Kristen & myself {rawr!}

Sarah and I wore our totally-awesome Twilight shirts. 

Mine had sparkling jewels on it to symbolize how Edward's skin sparkles in the day light....I wasn't sure if anyone would "get" it but Candice had the same idea with her shirt. Sarah is having a baby and naming her Isabella (not because of twilight, but because it's the only name she likes.) 

Her shirt says 

"I love Isabella"

Mine says

 "Edward's girlfriend"

(Not sure why I kept bulging my eyes out for every picture...)

Candice & I

Kasey, Kelli & Sofia trying to put their fangs in

Kristen & I.

Nicky:

My sister in law and her friend came. They love Twilight too. (they should, they're in middle school...)

we gathered to watch New Moon 

we wore plastic neon fangs 

we drooled all over the placed because of the fangs, which apparently cause you to drool...

we ate too many cupcakes, chocolate covered strawberries, egg rolls, and pizza. 

we made fun of Kristen Stewart during nearly every scene

we drank vampire wine and red punch to symbolize blood-DUH?!

we posed next to the actors or just posters of the actors... 

we taped tags on our faces with the names of the characters from the movie and tried to guess who we were by asking questions. I thought it would be fairly difficult, but didn't realize that people would probably look at the tags around the room and it would be more of a process of elimination game....

We had fun. 

    Eclipse is going to be epic. 

Decor Cravings

I've been on this insane decorating rampage where I want to paint everything in sight and search every design and decor blog known to man. This week I found an amazing couch and the most incredible blue cabinets in the whole wide world.
One day I'll go nuts when we own.... One day! 

To get my fix, I painted some old mirrors! I needed some COLOR in my life! 

Before:

(our old place. This was me 6 months pregnant...)

After:

I toned it down with only 3 instead of five...

These little gems were purchased for less than $15 bucks all together
at various thrift stores and yard sales, you know how we do.
They were once black and gold, and now they are yellow. 

I can't decide. Are they school bus yellow OR macaroni and cheese yellow? 

I can't get over that pink couch and those blue cabinets. 

Every time I look at those cabinets, my mouth waters. 

How can a color do that?! It really does though. 

 images via design sponge 

I really love my:

Black and white crop-sleeved jacket. It's summer and hotter than hades in Vegas, but this jacket is light and perfect to wear for a date night at the movies (why is it always so freezing at the movies?)

This would also be a great outfit for a late night walk on the beach.... 

Oh how wonderful would it be to live near the ocean? 

I am wearing:

Jacket: H&M

Yellow silk tank: ($2.00)

shorts: not sure of the brand

Heels: doll house

Vintagie earrings: f21

Conrad showed his love to his Dad all day yesterday, wearing this shirt.

 (also from H&M)

Public displays of Affection: My mother.

I like you mom, because you're raw. You live your life with your feelings on the outside of yourself, no matter how ugly, pretty, sensible or harmful those feelings may be. You have harmed me. For years, I have mourned the woman that you are, and I am that same woman too. I am broken, I am upset at the past, I am flipping mother f-ers off left and right. But I love you so much that it hurts. I understand.

You are who you are, and YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.  Who you are has made me who I am. The OVERLY-emotional girl, who loves clothes and whose heart aches for those less fortunate (because we were less fortunate at one point). The girl who tells inappropriate racist jokes at "prim and proper" breakfasts' with "prim and proper" Christian girls who don't "get" me (that make me cry when I leave, saying to myself "to HELL with them! They don't get me") When all the while, I am BRAVE, and I am dignified because of YOU! You were the one who grew up with us. You were never the "mother", You were more than that. You never sheltered me from the world. I always saw it for how it was. I tasted it, I bit off a big chunk and decided that the world sucks. It's disgusting. You opened my eyes to reality. The reality that beneath the muck and Meyer of this rotting place, light and love still live. Even if I couldn't see it at first. I was woven from what you were made of, and I have to rejoice in that. Jesus was so real to me because of what I got to experience as a child, and without you, that wouldn't have made much sense. 

It is the child in you that I love. It is the suffering that grew me the thick skin that I hate and love with the same intensity. I hate that we fought for so long when I was growing up. I hate that you had nothing. I hate that you probably cried yourself to sleep at night wanting to give me so much but couldn't. I hate that you had a fucked up childhood and I wish that I could fix it. I wish that I could go back and slap the ass holes who hurt you. But I have peace knowing that Jesus' blood is rich and it covers all of those dirty memories. I know that his love seeps into all of the hurt in your heart and He is BIG. His love seeps into my heart too. I am free now. These weights are falling off of me. I am praying that over you. My love for you is deep and wide and far. I can only say that because of Jesus living in me. 

I am confident that all of the sin is lifted and we are COVERED. There is nothing that can't be healed. There is NOTHING that He cannot change. Even in the darkness, He shines! Jesus is responsible for resurrecting our families unity. Out of the darkness, depravity, and disappointments of life, He has changed us in a mighty way. We have witnessed something special (even if it hurts), there is a bond that cannot be separated.

I'm jazzed watching you as a grandma. (You rock by the way). I have prayed for you, I have shed many tears and I am rejoicing in the truth that God is good and he changes situations. He still is a God of miracles. I'm watching these two AMAZING people grow into these incredible lovers of the Lord and it breaks my heart (in a good way). I can't wait to celebrate with you for eternity.
You guys are such cute grandparents. 

Conrad feeding Grandpa a Cheeto.

I just LOVE who you are. I love that you are seeing the world with new eyes, and you're going at it with full force. You're not afraid. You are beating those addictions that once ruled your heart and mind. You are living for the Lord, even if you don't wear your "Sunday's best" and know all the right answers. 

You own it, and you are victorious in Christ. 

You don't have to be that girl with her legs crossed, raising her hand for the right answer, looking perfect all the time. And neither do I. We can be raw, we can get dirty and be who we are. It's all good. I don't have to be ashamed that I don't fit into any particular "mold". I don't have to impress anyone. 

By the way, I love you Mom. (even if I hold you responsible for the fact that I FART in front of my husband and say really REALLY inappropriate racist jokes, and because of those two facts, I've ostracised myself from society all together and have NO friends......) But in all honesty, I was raised with a brother who thought that I WAS his brother, and so we farted on each others heads a lot, and my sisters  held me down-tickling me until I wet myself (a lot). This happened repeatedly, and NOW I think it's OK to be a complete embarrassment to my husband. 

xoxo. 

Have a "passionate" day. 

(You wouldn't get the "passionate day" part if you weren't my mother. She works for a sex toy company and writes "have a passionate day" At the bottom of ALL of her emails! A very "prestigious" sex toy company actually......it's not a big deal at all really. She does give really awesome stocking stuffers to my husband that make him red in the face and leave me laughing my ass off

You can love Jesus but still work for a sex toy company right?!) 

My Dad & I posing for a photo. 

Fathers Day picnic 2010.

I Love you Mom.  Just thought you should know, I'm your biggest fan. 

Fathers Day:

One of the biggest joys of my life has been watching this man be a  Dad. 

The Circus:

Almost the best part of the circus wasn't really the circus. It was this little girl holding a sign reading 

"Don't keep Dumbo locked in a cage!"

BUT EVEN BETTER THAN THAT, WAS THE GIRL DRESSED IN HER TIGER COSTUME 

IN A CAGE (texting on her phone)

How bad can an elephants life suck though? 

We brought the Bjorn in case he wanted to fall asleep. 

I can't believe his fat little self still fits in it. 

and Dustin with my bro Vinni.

1/2 man, 1/2 woman clown was liking his job a little too much...

And Conrad had his first churro. He was kind of angry at it and yelled at it after each bite. 

I don't think he liked the feeling of the sugar all over his hands. It was quite cute though. 

Conrad did the two handed point when the tigers came out. He kept saying "Dog! Dog!" 

Feast your eyes on this man on man action. This guy is seriously buff to be able to hold the other dude out in mid-air like that with the other guys head resting on his crotch. Serious man power right there.

7 motor cycles in a cage?! WHAT?!

I can't wait til Conrad is a little older and this stuff blows his mind.

Me & my bro. It was a lot of fun to be treated to a night out at the circus. 

My brother is such a great guy. It was fun to watch him play with his nephew and hang out.