karen and piero

karen is one of my best friends from high school.

she is sweet, brilliantly smart, and comes up with the BEST halloween costumes.

we played volleyball together, planned college, craved the same candy, and traveled europe together the summer after our senior year.

it's been a long time since we've seen each other, so i was ecstatic when she and her husband stopped by for an quick visit on their way down the coast.

she is still the same adorable karen.

except with a degree, a real job in LA, married, and even more well traveled!

*warning*: i am seriously triple karen's size in these photos.

lesson learned: do not take pictures next to really thin people when you are 9 months pregnant.

her husband piero is from italy and they make the perfecto couple!

thanks for catching up with me and my crazy brood you two.

39 weeks

i'm still here.

AND

she's still in there.

seriously, any second now.

meanwhile, nana flew into town and is spoiling us all rotten.

shopping, walking, eating, playing, napping, bliss:)

and finally, my final project while waiting this little misses arrival:

a small halloween quilt in the works

WIP-quilt tops

my stack of quilt tops is increasing with each day of this pregnancy.

if only i had the money to have them all quilted at once!

a couple of them are waiting for backing, but mostly just for the $funds$.

i started this quilt with the intention of it being for paisley, 

but i'm not really feeling it for her.

it's not that i don't like it, i just pictured the end result differently. 

so, who knows where it will end up?

this quilt is for my favorite 7 year old in the world, 

who is getting baptized in a couple months.

and it has a surprise ending after it's quilted. whoa!

i just finished this one today for baby #3.

might be my favorite one yet...

i love the feet in this picture.

not to mention that i'm still binding this one for the boy:

almost done!

and here's the view from my fabulous photographer:

38 weeks and counting

38 weeks.

3 centimeters dilated.

can't sleep.

luckily prilosec has cured my heartburn.

stretchmarks galore.

2 pounds away from reaching the mister's weight.

please come baby girl. 

now?!

an orange party

so, this was my first real birthday party i've thrown as a mother.

turned out great, but i couldn't help but be flustered the whole time.

just entertaining 10-four years olds, ya know?

the boy was in heaven. i guess that's all that matters.

here's proof it happened:

i copied the pinata from here, with some revisions of course.

the end.

the next generation

when the boy went to get dressed this morning, 

he coincidently picked out his "american flag" shirt.

this prompted a family discussion about September 11, 2001.

so after the girl and the mister got dressed in their matching flag shirts,

david sat the children down and explained the whole thing.

luckily, we have an amazing book about this historic, tragic event.

the pictures really helped the boy understand what happened.

he asked so many questions and was really interested.

i love these opportunites to teach my children.

whether it's about manners, spiritual truths, life, or our nation.

i feel so honored to be responsible for raising these souls and teaching them about life.

and it's because of our freedom that i can do this.

freedom that comes from our fighting military.

i'm so grateful.

to them and all who sacrifice.

the families affected by 9/11 are no exception.

my view.

my belly in the way of taking this photo.

baby boy quilt- post edit

if only i was having a baby boy...

i would totally keep this quilt; but it is going to a great home.

i enjoyed mixing these blues and greens into yet another zig zag quilt.

can you tell i love that chevron pattern?

sorry about the creases in the quilt, i had just unfolded it, and apparantly i'm not 

getting any better at my photography skills.

ahhhh, feels so good to complete something that takes a lot of work, and a lot of love. 

i'm addicted to quilting for life.

if you're one of those women who think you can't do it, think again and get started!

it's easier than you think.

i promise.

****post edit:
baby colin was born to my best friend/ monterey neighbor, sheryl on dec 18, 2009.
this quilt went to him.