Sending you all happy thoughts and big bellies on this very fall-like Monday. Well, just this one big belly:

Our friend Mary came over last night to create this amazing design with henna on my very large canvas of a belly. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do to celebrate this pregnancy and the impending arrival of our little girl. I told her I wanted something on the big side and free-flowing, other than that, she was on her own. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

Most of the henna has crumbled off by now, leaving a light orange stain on my skin. Last night it looked like chocolate, though smelled nothing like chocolate. Good thing too, as I would have eaten it right off my own belly. Classy.

Big shop update today if you care to stop by. Also, on the subject of fun thrifted goods, I have some things to share with you. Things that I’ve found lately for myself that I have questions about. I just know you’re the right people to ask. Tomorrow. I’ll show and tell tomorrow.

Until then…

So I just got my MacBook back after a week or so of having to use Neil’s laptop while he worked on something in Final Cut. Can I just tell you how much better Macs are or do you already know? I love this little white thing. Getting it back was so thrilling. It’s like coming home. It’s like a warm hug.

I’d better stop before I break out in “reunited and it feels so good….” Ooops, too late.

So we voted this morning. Neither of us could wait until late morning (when we agreed we’d go), we were way too excited, so we walked over after breakfast. It was (surprisingly) a pretty quick line and we were entertained by Dash, who was sharing his favorite political cheer with everyone in earshot. It goes like this:

US: Obama!
DASH: Biden.

US: Obama!
DASH: Biden.

I’m not sure it’s legal to be campaigning at the polls, but we had to stick that in there somehow. Besides, who would tell this little critter to stop talking?

And then we voted and signed a few petitions. A fist fight nearly broke out at the same sex marriage table, which I was all too happy to stick around for. This woman seemed hell-bent on making the woman behind the table admit that she herself was gay and that was why she was so interested in the topic. It was truly a very strange moment and none of the lines were moving as we all watched her make an ass of herself. It was really heartwarming to hear several people speak up in defense of the table woman (petition woman?) and to see the few people not in line (us included) sort of huddle around the table woman just in case she needed the support. I think the bitchy lady was just one of those people who can’t seem to say anything nice, or who opens conversations with negative thoughts instead of positive. She ended up saying that basically she thought the table woman was really brave, if she in fact wasn’t gay, to put herself out there for the cause.

It’s unfortunate, because overall she meant no harm, she just didn’t know how to say what she wanted to say and manage to be a pleasant person at the same time.

In summary, because I must wrap this up to take advantage of the fact that Dash is napping, Go Vote.

It’s fun, it feels good, and you just might get to see a fight!

Feeling a little slow and lazy around here these days (read: 32lbs gained so far in this pregnancy = the need to sit down and do nothing for as long as possible- preferably with ice cream nearby) so not much to post about. Also, I really want to take a few pictures to share with you but it’s been dark and rainy for the last several days. Come on sun…

So while I sit around bemoaning my weight gain and to-do list, check out what Meg (who is not pregnant and clearly has a lot more energy than I do) did to her guest room/playroom. There’s a bit of charm to the matching wallpaper and drapes, but certainly not enough to keep it.

This is a really inspiring before and after. Almost as inspiring as the simple idea of the guest room/playroom combo. Not many of us have enough rooms in our homes to have both so it’s a no-brainer to combine where you can. This makes perfect sense and I will absolutely be copying it when we move to our new home in the spring. That’s ok, right?  I mean, at least I’m admitting it publicly.

Welcome to what is a very windy and rainy day here in Portland. A great day to stay inside with a warm beverage (your choice), a good book, and a tasty snack. Typing that just made me hungry, how about you?

I’ve been up since 4am, so I’m not exactly functioning like a normal human being. I owe several of you emails and haven’t yet gotten to it, but please don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. I truly have not, I am just a bit lazy. And overwelmed by my To Do list before baby gets here.

But anyway… Here are a few things that are keeping me going these days.

Tracey’s Haunted House in-the-making over at Paper Dolls For Boys:

I can’t wait to see how this finishes up. Especially loving the rats and their special friend.

On a very different note, this awesome vintage dixie cup dispenser from Sirkus:

I don’t know where I’d put this, but it makes me want to find a spot.

And then there’s this, which I’m having some conflict over. How can something look like a giant doily and yet be so very beautiful? I love this. I really really do.

Find it and more at Ruby Pearl.

What are you all liking these days? Is it a strange mix of goods like what I’ve shown above? Feel free to share.

Ok. Time to break for that snack I mentioned earlier. Maybe a nice slice of buttered toast. Mmmm, yes. See you back here tomorrow.

Folks, I need your help. I’m well into the crazy nesting phase of this pregnancy and I neeeeeeeed to have a baby book for when Pickle is born.

I ended up getting one for Dash at Babies R’ Us that I don’t even really like, I just needed to get one so I picked up the least offensive book I could find. Turns out that some of the pages aren’t really that usable for us. (An entire page devoted to each and every tooth growing in? Is that standard? Call me a bad mother but after the first few, we kind of stopped counting.)

So here’s what I’ve seen out there that interests me:

This cute thing from Tiny Tales, which isn’t a book at all, but a set of cards to prompt you to write down all the milestones. Eventually you’re supposed to add them to a baby book. For me, that means I’d end up with a baby book and this set of cards because I wouldn’t want to throw them out. Does that defeat the purpose or is this maybe exactly what I need?

Or should I be thinking something vintage so I can avoid filling in things like “Favorite TV shows and characters” which just happens to be in Dash’s book:

This one is from Needle Traditions, and features a kind of creepy baby doll cover but it also seems rather sweet. Not for everyone since this 1941 version assumes that baby will be celebrating Christmas and not just the “holidays” that we refer to now. But our baby will celebrate Christmas, so it could work for us. Eh? I don’t know.

I think if I go vintage, I’m more drawn to this one from Whimsy House:

No creepy doll. That says a lot.

I don’t know, I’m kind of at a loss, and bordering on just buying several different books. Is that nuts? Is that the hormones talking? Or maybe the handful of candy corn I just inhaled.

Where did you all get your baby books/memory books? I need some new ideas. Online sources? Good local paper stores?

What I’m looking for:

Low in cheese-factor
Modern feel
or Vintage feel
Not prohibitively expensive

Please send help.