My Blog

Today I'm Lovin'...

being inside with the heat on...under the covers...with my funny looking fleece booties on...

talking and writing about winter traditions with the little people...

celery and peanut butter (since everyone thinks I'm so thin)...

seeing the beautiful images of the little pea growing and moving...heart beating ever so strong...

the wide-waistband leggings I made (and finally wore today)...so comfy I can't wait to make more...

frozen kiwi-strawberry Propel (just can't do plain water these days)...

finding THE baby bedding set I wanted on sale at IKEA for less than $5...

listening to Jade read the Christmas list that keeps growing and growing as the days go on...

that it's Thursday night and basketball on TNT night...

watching the kids play lovingly with each other when they don't know I'm watching...

preparing a (long) list of all the baby things I plan to make myself...

sitting in bed crocheting until I fall asleep...

life and all of its simple pleasures...

 

Lovin' this version of "Single Ladies"!

In Case You Missed Seeing My Face...

...here are a few recent pictures of moi. 

Can you believe I spent most of last year growing out and dyeing my hair just to cut it all off again?

Yep...you can...because that's SO me!

The next pictures you see of me will more than likey be little baby bump shots. Stay tuned!

Peace*Love*Life

Nina
 

It's About Time

Wow! I can't believe it has been so long ( almost a year I believe) since I have posted here on Typepad.

I originally moved over to Tumblrbecause I wanted a change and I felt like it reflected where I was at and the type of blogging I was doing at the time. Well, I'm still very much a Tumblr fan and will keep my blogs over there, but I also have missed Typepad a lot and think that its time that I come back home :)

What should you expect this time around?

Oh...same old me as far as personality wise...interests (motherhood, creating, sewing, baking, fashion, music, positivity, goodwill, etc.)...crazy antics....and so on...

but in regards to my personal life/lifestyle, things have changed so much...

I am now 30 (my birthday was on Thanksgiving)...living on the East Coast...married to my 2nd best-friend (Ki being my first..duh!), nearly 3 months pregnant and still a stay-at-home mommy to my wonderful (now 7 and 4 year old) kiddos.

Crazy huh?!?

It is amazing how life can change so fast. What's even more amazing is how much those changes can be for the better.  I am at such a wonderful place in my life--emotionally, spiritually, mentally--just all around. Most importantly, the people that I love and care for most are as well...no greater feeling than to see and know that they are all truly happy.

So, continue along with me on my journey through life, creating, motherhood, marriage, sharing, loving, giving, growing and just becoming a bigger, better, bolder, stronger, wiser, more funkdified version of myself.

Be back soon.

Peace*Love*Life

Nina

P.S. Your girl is back!!!! LOL

P.S.S. As you can see there are quite a few missing posts and/or pictures from before (not sure where they went), but who cares...im starting a new anyway :)

Guess who's back?!?

She's Sooo Good!

Tina Fey did it again. Absolutely hilarious!

Sorry McCain. Good try...but it just ain't working.

Because I Can't Stop....

 

"You see these Cocoas?!?!?"

 

EDITED: 

Thanks to another late night convo that I had with Ki (I'm convinced that we are delirious and the wildest then), I had been saying the above phrase ALL day--to the kids...at the store...to the people cutting me off while driving...and for no reason what so ever just because I find it so darn funny.

It's an old inside joke---circa 2005--that came from a comment "Princess" made on the Tommy Hilfiger reality show called "The Cut"---which she and I were glued to.  The show kind of sucked--mostly due to Tommy and his lack of acting skills and corny catchphrases.  But it did make for some entertaining telelvision--some designers I liked--Rob, Deanna and Chris....and few others who were way too confident for their own good--Tommy and Princess were just a MESS...each thinking they were the best thing since sliced bread. 

"You see these Cocoas?!?"  was her way of saying "do you not know who I am...you see these pretty brown eyes...I'm bangin!"  LOL 

Oh, how I wished I could find the clip to share.  All I could find were pictures:

"Princess"

Check out the others here.

The show was short-lived...and apparently so was her career (I couldn't find anything on her)...but I'm certain we will never let that phrase go.

Peace*Love*Life

Nina

Dare To Win

I finally sold something!

Two of the items that I sent off to D.C.--the "Beautiful Flower" tunic/mini dress and a "Woman's Worth" tee--were purchased last weekend.  

Here are pictures of what I ended up sending in the package:

 

 

 

..."It's a Wrap" skirt/dress...

 

..."Killing Them Softly" tube top...

 

 

..."Woman's Worth" t-shirt in Avocado...

   

 

...."Beautiful Flower" tunic/mini dress in red...

..."Hips Don't Lie" belt in African Wax-green...

 I got a lot of positive feedback. I was told that I..or my clothing was a hit...and that I need to make sizes for the thicker ladies--people loved the denim wrap skirt but some had a little too much junk in the trunk for it to fit comfortably.

So I spent last night re-drafting the skirt pattern--- while having fun chatting with Ki into the wee hours of the morning.  We are such nuts!  There was so much joke cracking and laughter.  I know we were getting on E 's (Ki's husband who was trying to sleep) nerves.

Be on the lookout for the wrap skirts.... t-shirts in new colors...new variations of the "Beautiful Flower" tunic...as well as some new designs for fall popping up.

slowly but surely...newness is on the way.

I heard this quote yesterday:

“To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.”

        ~Soren Kierkegaard

It really struck a cord with me.  Initially I applied it to my clothing...talking risk...just doing whatever in the freaknik ( I don't cuss--I use that sometimes instead) I feel like...knowing that it may not be  a hit right off...but I''ll eventually get to where I need to be.  

Then I took it as sign that I was supposed to buy the LG Dare...

Yeah, so sad...I tend to think almost everything is some sort of sign. LOL  Everything DOES happen for a reason...

OK, I need to go start on my homework now.  I'd really prefer to sew though. 

"Work first... play later, Nina"  is what I'm telling myself. Easier said then done.

Peace*Love*Life

Nina

Long Day...Even Longer Week

What my table looks like right now...(notice all the Jade WAS HERE signs) just a small part of the reason I haven't been keeping up my end of the bargain on this here blog.

I've been:

• spending countless hours at the schoolhouse (I keep calling it that because I think it's hilarious) trying to get my school stuff straight
  
• working on a (small) fall collection
  
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  trying to keep Myles from hurting himself any worse (those little bow-legs move too fast for his little big headed body).  He's sporting a Batman shaped tattoo like scar across his forehead to prove it--see pic below

  
  
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  creating a new website/blog home

  
  
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  working on some beginning phonic lessons with Myles

  
  
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  binging on trail mix and granola bars

  
  
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  at the park with Myles every morning

  
  
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  reading countless geek/tech blogs/sites trying to decide if I want a Blackberry Curve or the LG Dare. Still haven't decided...anybody have either? anybody on Verizon? got any suggestions?

  
  
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  re-decorating the kids bedroom. Nothing too big. Making new curtains...pillow covers...putting up wall art

  
  
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  doing my best to keep up will all the sewing request Jade is throwing my way

  
  
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  transporting kids back and forth to school. I'm officially a carpool mom...just don't count on my trading the Accord in for a van anytime soon.  One extra kid is all I can handle right now.

  
  
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  Knifty Knitting while in the carpool line.  At the rate I'm going, I'll have my arm warmers finished by spring

  
  
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  wishing I could get rid of my car and get a bakfietsen...the biking scene in Portland is unreal!

  
  
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  trying to get my borderline OCD child to not obsess over things like perfectly matching up the velcro on her mary janes or the placement of her bun on her head

  
  
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  singing Eric Benet's "You're the Only One" all-day....everyday

  
  
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  enjoying the last little bit of warmth and sunshine. Street fairs...water sprinklers... long walks...

  
  
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  breaking up fights over EVERYTHING

  
  
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  sewing up lots of random stuff

  
  
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  looking for money in all the wrong places

  
  
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  getting pretty good with the clippers...Myles has a not so fresh cut

  
  
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  sleeping everywhere but in my bed

  
  
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  cooking more frequently than I had been (back to the Nina I know and love)

  
  
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  daydreaming about these shoes from Chie Mihari (these too..if only they were vegan friendly AND affordable--see more about her here)...a new serger...fabric and dye

  
  
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  putting everything down to cuddle with kids a lot more often

  
  
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  noticing that I'm a creature of habit...I took an extended break about the same time last year...interesting

And just in case you're like me and the words just aren't enough....I've got picture...

See:

 

 

 

 

Alberta street fair...kids enjoying Capoeira...the boy drumming the kids gave money to...fair attractions...interesting Obama, Ghandi and McCain t-shirts...

I can't seem to add any more pictures without this shutting down, so I will save the other pictures for the next post.

so happy my days with Typepad are numbered...this is really starting to bother me.

Be lovely.

Peace*Love*Life

Nina 

Since Typepad Keeps Stealing My Posts...

... I will post a video instead.

Today is just one of those days I guess. 

I spent the morning composing a long catch-up post...got all excited...and then went to add pictures and the computer froze.Luckily I saved it this time.

So I tried again....it disappeared again!

I decided to leave it alone and just go pick up my book for class...way out in Timbuktu.I thought I knew where I was going.

Ummm...NOPE! 

I went the wrong way (like 30 minutes out of the way) not one-- but two times...in totally different directions.

Hilarious!

You would think I know the area being I've  lived here most of my life.  But apparently not.  I also came to the realization that I am horrible with directions. I need to hurry up and get a new phone so that I can utilize GPS...it must have been made for people like me.

I get there... search for parking for about 15 minutes (you can only park with a permit--which I do not have)..find the book...and learn that the line to pay for it was all the way outside and stretched around the outside of the building!   I stood in the line for nearly an hour with Myles asleep on my shoulder before I made it to the checkout.

Four hours later I was back home...tried to post again...and no go...boo hoo.

I'm on my way to parent meeting now, so I'll have to problem solve about the post later.

 

For now I'm going to leave you with a video of us rollin'...in honor of all the time I spent in the car today. 

See ya soon.

Peace*Love*Life

Nina