Saturday, May 31, 2014

Phew!

I think we have all felt a little like this lately...

It's not just the heat

It's being 30 weeks pregnant...

Somehow accidentally taking my first belly picture while strolling at Sea World

A whole lotta work on this...

I've been in a frenzy pinning lights and fans to prep for my trip up Monday and Tuesday.
In one afternoon I shall try to illuminate all of Hipworth.

An 18 month old who is big enough to wash his own dishes now...

Or more accurately, wash the floor with all the water he spills on it.

A Da-da who hit up a much needed fishing trip in WI...

Count 'em.  Not 1...

Not 2...

But 3 Musky!  Makes for a very refreshed and happy Da-da!

Making time to reconnect as a family...

A random stranger surprised us while we were eating yogurt and took our picture.
He said Palmer was giving him too good of face.

And beaming over our Bon Voyage to Bay Hill life photo shoot...











There are so many great memories here and I was so thankful we could capture them.  Monique @ Brown Eyed Girl Images never disappoints.  I was tempted to post every picture on here, but am working on my editing skills.  I'll get there.  



Friday, May 9, 2014

May is My Month

May is my month of birth.  May is Mother's Day.  (Let's not forget we just had our anniversary in April!) May has turned into my month.  Lot's of pressure for Pete which usually works out in my favor.  This happened:

While I was doing my hair and makeup, with no idea what to wear since I had no idea where we were going, Pete pops in the bathroom and says, "You can wear your pajama's if you want to.  Your surprise is here."  I was thrilled to find out we were having a chef prepared dinner at home.  Jay of La Famiglia Foods does not disappoint.  He catered Palmer's baptism at the end of last year and Pete was brilliant to bring him in for my birthday dinner.  

The wizard making lemon and pea risotto.

Do you see those scallops?!
 There was a starter salad with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette dressing (from blueberries he and his wife had picked recently!), the main course of scallops with the lemon and pea risotto and a finale of homemade sweetened ricotta with blueberry compote.  WOW.  I didn't get through much of the dessert as I was filled to the brim with risotto.  Thankfully he left a nice stash of it in our refrigerator. Having dinner relaxed with your hubby in your own home with the entertainment of a great chef was the perfect way to spend our night.  A little Michael Kors bracelet and some new sperry's for our upcoming Seaside 4th of July vacation didn't hurt the evening either :)

4 stars to Pete for the night!
Last night we went out with our gang to our go-to dinner spot, Roy's.  There's always an over abundance of food and laughter when we all get together there.  It was much needed time together and so much fun!  We weren't only celebrating my birthday, but our newest Bay Hill additions Jane and Jim were in the mix for Jim's birthday as well!

Going to miss my BHB's

<3

I took one of the chocolate lava cakes all to myself...it's my birthday and I'll be a fat kid if I want to

And we've still got Mother's Day ahead!  I highly recommend everyone trying to plan anniversary's and other holidays clumped together as it leads to a feeling of never ending fun!

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Hipworth Design Status

It's Sunday!  A day of rest...much needed rest.  At 26ish weeks pregnant I've hit a lull.  A loss of energy I'd picked up recently.  Palmer doesn't seem to be bothered by my lackluster performance as mom.  He just keeps on kicking at full steam whether I'm chasing behind him or playing my new favorite game "Mommy Closes Her Eyes" on the playroom floor...for an hour...or maybe two.  Pete and I took him back to Green Meadows Farm today.  There were lots of new arrivals on the farm.  I think I enjoyed the babies more than Palmer.

If I'd have had a pocketbook I might've taken that little baby home with me
In domestic news, I made palmer his first pillowcase!  I cut down a standard pillowcase and embroidered his initials with a little golf hole.  I should've ironed the pillow case prior to taking a picture, but let's be honest, I'm never going to iron a pillow case. And it got a ketchup stain on it within the first 5 minutes of me handing it over to Palmer.

There's even a little embroidered golf ball next to the hole
Now...the house!  It consumes basically every free thought space in my head.  I'm constantly thinking of new designs, layouts, materials to use.  A friend of ours drove by the house this week and took a picture of it.  It looks very similar to the previous picture, but there has been exterior progress.  The brick has been finished, the columns for the front porch installed and I'm sure some other items I'm not noticing.  

I selected dark grey gutters which are yet to be installed.  You can't see in this pic very well, but there are dark grey metal roofs over the mudroom entrance and over front porch.  The mud room door and two french doors next to front door will all be dark grey. The front door will be a dark grey/blue. I think we nailed it.  

Then there have been a million other material selections which have been rethought a million times.  Here's where we have been lately.

I'm loving quartz counters for bathrooms right now.  And that greyish floor - yum!

Some zebra tile?  I say yes!

Dark oak floors for the whole house, marble counters, white cabinetry (no glaze) with coordinating dark oak island and butler pantry (no glaze) for kitchen.  I mean, slap a big honkin' chunk of white marble on anything and I'm going to love it.  See that little piece of black slate in the upper right corner...that baby will be gracing 3 fireplace fronts.
I know some people are scared of marble and the maintenance.  But to me, that's like saying I'm not going to get a stylish haircut because I don't want to have to do my hair everyday.  I'm not that girl.  I will blow dry my hair everyday of the week if it makes me feel good.  And trust me, I will feel good saying Good Morning to Mr. Carrera day after day. 

Herringbone? Always a yes!!

How about a farmhouse sink? I mean...was there another option?
How else is Baby Doyle Part Deux ever going to take a bath?

Kitchen hardware.  Chrome and fantastic.  

Bathroom hardware.  Master get's high neck in back, other baths get low neck in front.
All get the dial handles.  And everyone is chrome...all chrome...all the time!
Those are the only things I snapped pictures of when at the design center.  The day got long and I got bit overwhelmed.  I went in with huge energy and came out with my head spinning from wood and stone selections.  I think I blacked out when we got down to the basement design...who knows what will end up down there?  I still have closets and pantries and landscaping and who knows what else.  But we are progressing and I have my eyes on the prize...which is hopefully unwrapped in August!  

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