pack your bags...and then forget them;)

on Sunday, September 8, Jacob and I celebrated 2 years of marriage! Sometimes the concept of MARRIAGE still blows my mind. 2 years ago I told him I'd never leave him. I'd always be there for him. Make as many babies as he could stand, with him;) And really...just love him all the days of my life. 

still makes me giddy to think I somehow tricked him into loving me forever;)

as cliche as it sounds...I do love Jacob more than the day I married him. And the day I married him...I sure felt like I loved him a whole hell of a lot;) But as time passes and we grow closer and live life together and have babies...my heart has somehow found even more happiness than I could have ever imagined. We sometimes sit around after Homer's gone to bed and just talk and talk about how happy we are. How can we be MORE happy than we were 2 years ago? And can you imagine that someday soon we're going to be having this sameeeee conversation and saying that we're even MORE happy than that previous happy?!?!

following?!?!?;)

POINT: i love him. He makes my world go round. I enjoy holding his hand more than anything. boom;)

for our anniversary we decided to take an overnight trip to the Cities. We've definitely had day trips to ourselves but this was the first time leaving Homer so we could go somewhere, JUST the 2 of us. Pretty exciting stuff!!! 

we had planned on heading to Chicago but seeing as we only had about 24hours to spare, we figured we'd save that for a time when we can give it more attention:)

first, we did the whole IKEA thing!:) We grabbed a few essentials for the house and did some day-dreaming about things that we hope to add someday - like cowhide rugs, obviously;).

and of course we couldn't leave without this horse shaped cake-pan. I mean...it's a horse shaped cake-pan. My new goal in life is to learn how to make horse shaped cakes;)

next up: West Elm. We went here because I've been obsessed with a few of their couches for quite some time and we've been told it's a great idea to nap on them take a seat on them prior to ever purchasing! This WAS a great idea because I was able to cross a few off my wish list that actually didn't deliver in person! BUT Jacob also fell in love with a few spendy pieces (super awesome because now I know he won't need convincing when we actually have the money to get something from that store:), which I also loved - like this rocking chair and ottoman AND this sectional:) Somedayyyyyyy.

after lunch and some shopping, we headed downtown to our hotel: The Hotel Minneapolis. Great hotel. Awesome location. I give it 2 thumbs up:) Thanks to my friend, Carrie - who lives in the Cities - for making this suggestion! We got a great deal through Livingsocial!

so the hotel was great. The not being able to find the hotel and having to deal with a million one-way streets and somewhere in there realizing neither of us put our bag (yep, the one with all our clothes, chargers, undies, tooth paste...ESSENTIALS FOR AN OVERNIGHT TRIP!!!!) in the car before leaving...that wasn't too super.

forgetting your luggage can be a bit stressful. Luckily, after getting up to the room and realizing it was lovely and had cable (which we haven't had in years!!) and that we still loved each other and no one was reallyyyyyy to blame...we napped:)

after I cried slash napped for a bit pulling our shit together we did still realize we needed some decent clothes to finish out the rest of our trip and a charger for our dying phones. We ended up taking a walk to a local Target and spending too much there but also being happy things worked out that way because the walk was great and so was seeing some places downtown!

once we were out walking and feeling so much better, Jacob told me that we had dinner plans. Plans that he had put together all by himself!!!! - again...how did I just get naked?!?!;) So I got all dolled up in my newwww dress and we headed out on the town!

after getting lost...AGAIN...we managed to find Wilde Roast Cafe. And I'm SO glad we did because it was adorable and the food was so tasty! I really did feel like we were back on our honeymoon in Spain for the night. Cobblestone streets. Lite up bridge through the trees, next to a river. Gelato and wine:) Ah, it was perfection:) Another great suggestion from my friend, Carrie:):)

still smitten as a kitten:)

the next day we packed our...Target bags - gahhhhhh!!!!;) - and headed over to MOA for a quick stop before heading home to see our main squeeze, Homer!!!:)

MOA was more for wandering this time than shopping. But we did overindulge on Cinnabons. Jacob wanted to wait until right before we left to buy the Cinnabons because he felt like people were judging us because we had so many;) 

I may have just polished off another one...I thinkkkkk I've managed to shove at least 3 in me since Sunday...ew;) My ass and thighs are not impressed;)

it was a fantastic weekend and even forgetting our bags and getting a little turned around didn't put a damper at all on the amazing time we had. Jacob and I have found that we do well no matter where we go. We mostly just love going! So we can handle anything that gets thrown at us in-between:)

after picking up Homer and giving him all our attention till bed time...I may have cuddled up to Jacob and told him that I missed him. I just can't get enough of him. No amount of time that we spend together is ever enough for me:( And I mean that in the best way possible! Jacob makes so much time for me - I'm pretty spoiled people!!! - but he always leaves me wanting a million minutes more!:)

ma-na-ma-naaaaa:)

yay for Road Trips!! Double YAY for a night with the ladiessssss:)

me and a few of my best of friends went to the Cities for a 24hr visit to see another bestest friend! And it was...awesommmmeeee:) SO needed wanted;)

And these girlies are SO much fun! I pretty much laughed the entire time:)

UP i found the black flops I've been looking for at Old Navy and wisely bought 2 pair right away. They're a BIT uncomfortable...regarding the straps. BUT for $3 each, you really can't go wrong.

we started our trip with some shopping. Naturally;)

UP option from Charlotte Russe. Jacob's not fond of it. Was thinking this for the April Wedding:)

i've been on the hunt for something to wear for my baby shower and/or a wedding we have in April.

UP a dress I did purchase at Old Navy...thinking Baby Shower for sure!? And possibly the April Wedding. The April Wedding is still 5 weeks away, which means that could be a taddddd too short by then if the belly grows...which I'm told...will;)

i'd really like to pair the dress above with some Toms:

not sure the red dress, red Toms combo is working for me...Too much red?!

UP the baby likes shopping:)

UP another April Wedding option from JCPenney. SO pretty and loved all the color but the fit wasn't quite right:(

after all that shopping, we got ready and headed downtown to Howl at the Moon. A great new piano bar:) Needless to say...things didn't get too crazy...we were DD tightttttt. Three out of the 7 of us there are expecting. Eeeeek!

UP/DOWN my HUGE drink getting in every shot;)

UP after, quickly, going through 3 cups of Kitty Cocktails...we decided to cut the waiter some slack and order a 'Large':) This came back to haunt me at 2AM, 330AM and 630AM. Lots of pee breaks but totally worth it!!

UP/DOWN amazing food. A LOT of amazing food. Lordy. And the largest/longest fish sandwich we'd ever seen:)

UP me and Friend. I edited the photo a bit...which didn't entirely help but we were against a plain wall. Yuck. And right above our heads, on this plain wall, was a neon 'RESTROOMS' sign. Again, YUCK. Not the greatest for photo fun!

around midnight we called it a night. A super time was had:)

UP love the song on that sign. Thought about how cute it'd be in the baby room but the rustic look wasn't working for me.

on Saturday we did a bit more shopping. OPPS. And had THE best pizza in all the land. I can't remember what the place was called...but 1/2 of that pizza made it into my belly...with no regrets;)

a successful trip was had by all and I'm already excited for the next one! Our Annual MOA trip is coming up in 46 daysssss! YAY!!!!!:)

Thanks again to my good friend, Carrie, for being our hostess and letting us crash at her house and eat her good food. ALWAYS a treat and seriously becoming my home away from home:)

daily happenings:)

LOTS of little things have been going on lately. Mostly online shopping. BUT a lot of other little things too...as you shall see:)

i ordered my Rosebud Salve (which is Smith's...random:) and it's really great. I've been chewing on my lips lately! Seriously, where do I pick up these sudden habits?! So this has been a lifesaver:)

ANDddddd now I'm hungry for lifesavers. Have I mentioned that this baby (ME) has been craving nothing but goodies!? And by goodies...I mean anything that will double my weight by the next appointment. FRICK!

our little Rosco chillin'. Just the way he's holding his paws...too cute. Had to get out the camera:)

mal and the boys talked me into doing some swimming on Thursday night! YAY! So nice to get into a bathing suit...oh, wait. Not really;) BUT it was a great time and was just the thing I needed to get me excited about my Water Aerobics, that start TOMORROW:)

the pool was unusually warm. And the sauna (which I just stood in...no cooking of fetus happening here:) was unusually cool. Hmmm.

hellooooo baby bump...:) My breasts are getting bigger and my feet are getting smaller. Pregnancy is such an amazing process;)

friday morning I packed up the bump and took off for the Cities to visit my girl friend and shop for an area rug! I had found one on West Elm that I had planned on getting but then found this one at IKEA for $100 less. SO we went IKEA.

* i couldn't find a link to the area rug I bought. I'm guessing because it was on 'last chance' super sale...it won't be online anymore.

i wish I had a photo of us carrying this rug through the isles of IKEA. We looked like lovers moving into our first apartment together. Very special;)

HOLY HELL. Ignore the insane busy/mess/crazy that is currently my home!

- and doesn't the blue/gray rug look kinda good with the kitchen color and painting on the wall!?:)

- take note of the little white sheep skin rug also. Grabbed that at IKEA and really thought it was adorable and SO cozy:)

the rug was a 5x7. We were planning on going with an 8x10 but once you're in store...it's SO hard to really envision what things are going to look like. SO now I'm thinking we needed the 8x10...so that we can scoot it under the couch a bit. BUT I like the rug we got and I plan to keep it. BUT we have a new plan...I just have to figure out what I want.

what we're going to do:

go get an 8x10 (which shouldn't be TOO bad because we were able to save a lot on the 5x7) and then layer the 2 rugs. I love the idea of something with some pattern and color. SO above is some inspiration. Although, in our case, we'll have the solid color on top:)

SO I've found this one below that fits what we're looking for. It's lacking color but it's thin and has some pattern, although simple. And it's well within our price range. HUGE.

and if we absolutely don't like it under our current rug...it fits the colors of our baby room perfectlyyyyyy. So we'll cross that off our list. We really can't lose in this situation;)

UP Hand-woven Grey Leather Chindi Rug (8x10) - Overstock

my lady friend and I also hit up a store that she really likes and thought I would enjoy too, so I grabbed a couple shots. I WISH I remembered what it was called. I will get back to you on that. But it was SO great and had so many things I wanted and I will surely be going back:)

SIDE NOTE: lovinggggg those rugs in the last shot. Man. I'm really obsessing about rugs lately:( They were a bit pricey...probably 3x5's or so for about $200. BOO. But eventually I'll be going back for one:)

SIDE NOTE(S): they had some Minnetonka boots there and that only re-reminded me of how much I've been wanting those for the last year or more. SO yeah. How does one get everything she wants;)

nasher-man in a basket, jamming out on the iPhone. This kid has some moves and I'm making it my mission to get that recorded this week!!;)

the bumble bee and spider man. Hardcore characters here! And nope, not a flashback of Halloween...just another day in January;)

i finally got Jax his gift from Christmas. Forgot about it and stumbled upon it in a bag in the corner of my room the other day.

WOW. This post is starting to make it sound like I shop daily and can't even keep up with the growing piles of shit that I'm purchasing...not the case. For real. Not the case!

this mask and cape cost a whopping $5. Worth every penny:)

that is that for now folks. We did have a bit more happening this weekend: A Christmas Party for Jacob's Family Business. We got a few fun shots from that and I can't wait to share:) Soon my pretties. Soon:)