She'll Be Here Soon

Baby's due date is just around the corner...

And I'm delighted to announce that we've finished the nursery!

I decided to go with the "Welcome to the World" theme from my shower. I asked a friend to create this sign as the centerpiece for the gallery wall, and then I attached some silk flowers to a gold frame and hung the piece above the crib.  

I also printed out pictures from our travels around the world. Of course, I had to include a few of baby's future travel buddy. 

London, England

Teddy in Athens, Greece

Zermatt, Switzerland

Teddy in Venice, Italy

New Orleans, Louisiana

Another friend made this Paris collage for me years ago. It goes perfect with the room! 

I've always had a love of exploration and adventure, and I hope my little girl will too.

We're building up her library. I loved this little bookshelf and its compartments for stuffed animals. 

This is Raggedy Ann, my absolute favorite toy when I was a little girl. My mom found this miniature Raggedy for the baby, and now my doll has a daughter of her own. 

Baby will need plenty of warm blankets for the cold winter months here in Georgia. My co-worker knit this sweet quilt.

And my mom found this cute hot air balloon blanket. It's so soft!  

My travel map has pins of all the places we've been to, and we're looking forward to adding many more with baby. 

And that's the nursery. There's just one little thing missing...but she'll be here soon... ( :

~Nel 

Oh, the Places She'll Go

Welcome to the world, Baby!

Well, not just yet...but soon. 

Nel's baby girl will be here before we know it! 

Her sister-in-law and I worked together to plan a very special baby shower with a wordly theme.

Nel's in-laws designed the beautiful centerpieces and the hot air balloons. I hand sewed these clouds using felt and cotton. 

I found these adorable board books on Amazon (under the vase) that are based on literature classics. It was perfectly fitting since Nel has a background in literature and teaches English. 

A taco truck catered the event, and the "Momosa" bar was a fun touch for the guests. 

The dessert table featured delicious sweets from around the world.

Guests wrote clever notes on diapers for the new parents to read in the wee hours of the night.

Nel's sister-in-law even reserved a caricature artist. It was a hit! Here is my family's caricature drawing. It was a co-ed shower so my husband joined us, and of course Francesca was there to celebrate her future best friend ;-)

Nel had a fabulous time celebrating with friends and family and preparing for the little one. I know she will be an amazing mother, and I can't wait to share this complex journey of motherhood with her. 
Adventure Awaits

~Jess

It's Nice To Be Back

It's been awhile since I posted, but it sure is nice to be here again.  I think the girls did a pretty good job filling in, don't you think?  I want to thank you for all the e-mails you sent me while I was away.  It kept me connected with you, and I appreciate that very much.  Even though I was taking a break, I still took lots of pictures.  And now, I'll share with you some of the happenings that went on during the year.

 

January

Cold foggy Winter days.  There is a stray cat that always hangs around at the Rose Garden.  She has the prettiest eyes.  I often lit the white candle that my son-in-law gave me on those dreary Winter days and nights.  I love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

February

This was a cold month - so cold that frost appeared on the plants and lawn making it look like a thin blanket of snow.  This little white flower was the first sign of Spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March

Rain!  After the rain, the skies looked beautiful, and the white fluffy clouds were so lovely.  My son made another pot of Jambalaya.  It's his third time making it, and it seems to taste better each time.  The geese always make their way to the pond at the library, which is a pleasant sight.  And Francesca caught the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  : )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April

More rain!  The roses started to bloom at the rose garden this month.   I had fun making an Easter basket for Francesca.  Jess tells me that bunny ball  is her favorite stuffed animal.  Do you know that I made Easter baskets for my kids until they were in their 30's?  So, you can imagine how much fun it was creating one for this precious baby.  Nel baked some bunny cinnamon rolls, which I thought were very clever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May

May is always a busy month, and this one especially.....my birthday month, a fundraiser for children, a baby get together for Nel with the family, Francesca's Baptism.  I met my friend, Mea, on my birthday, and it always feels like we are still in grade school when we get together....
good friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June

Not a lot of happenings in June.  It starts to get warm in California, even at the beginning of Summer, and much of it is trying to stay cool inside.   I went to a purse/jewelry party at my friend, Vickie's house.  The purse I bought was handmade with a soft material, and the strap was sewn with pearls.  It's an evening bag, and I may or may not give it to one of the girls. ; )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for bearing with me on this long post.  It's so nice to be back here again with all of you.

~Sheri