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Two months with baby Declan

Having a baby has a way of attracting attention while I'm out and about. Every one wants to know if I've been sleeping, while also guaranteeing me that it will all get easier soon. The truth is that it is a bit hard at times, which

One month with Baby Declan

Being pregnant for 9 months felt like a really long time to me, but as soon as our baby arrived, time seems to be flying by rather quickly. Perhaps it's the limited sleep that has made these past days feel like one. But as much as

Declan's Birth Story

I've always wondered what labor would feel like. People have described it as intense or something similar to painful menstrual cramps. During my 39th week of pregnancy, I remained in  a state of anticipation for the arrival of our

Anticipating the arrival of our first baby boy

When I first caught a glimpse of my baby on the ultrasound screen, I was 14 weeks along. I had those feelings of unbelief rush through me that there was a human moving around in me. It was so incredible, and now I get so

A morning ferry ride from Seattle to Bainbridge and a short video

My husband asked to sleep in, but I asked for moody ocean views, so instead, we woke up at 5:30am, and headed down to the ferry landing for an early boarding time. We made our way onto the top deck to enjoy the ocean wind

Weekend getaway guide to Seattle, WA

Prior to this trip, I had only been to Seattle for a couple of hours, which my husband (my boyfriend at the time) and I mainly spent wandering around Pike Place Market. This time around, I knew I wanted to do some prior research to

Gardens and Green Spaces in Portland

There are several green spaces in Portland that allow for exploration, long walks, and the enjoyment of being surrounded by nature. All are child friendly as well, which I appreciate, especially as we anticipate the arrival of our

Thoughts on connecting to a new city

It was only two years ago when my husband and I loaded a u-haul with all of our belongings, no less during a morning in which it was both humid and pouring outside. The elevator in our building also decided to stop

Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle, WA

If you're looking for somewhere to go to escape the unexpected rain or drizzle that can be all too familiar in the Pacific Northwest, the Conservatory, at Volunteer Park in Seattle, is a perfect place to go. With a low admission

Japanese Garden in Seattle

Tucked away in the Madison Park Neighborhood of Seattle is the 3.5 acre Japanese garden. It is surrounded by luscious and looming trees creating that feeling of separation from the outside world, and providing the opportunity

Oregon Lavender Farm and a 31 Week Baby Bump

About a 40 minute drive east of Portland is an expansive field of purple. Every year the public is invited to the Oregon Lavender Farm to take home bundles of fresh lavender that they can pick themselves. It is $3 for a single

Books I'm reading this summer

Images of summer always spark those golden hues of sun rays breaking over a field, or a strand of sand and glistening water. It's when staying indoors isn't as exciting as heading outdoors, unless of course you live

Spring thoughts and exciting news!

Spring has been full of surprises – finding out our baby is a boy(!), experiencing the tiny kicks and movements of the baby, spending a last minute weekend trip in Austin, Texas, and hearing the news that we will be moving to

Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, TX

This past April my husband and I took a somewhat spur of the moment weekend trip to Austin, Texas. It was our second time there, so we revisited the places we really enjoyed eating at (Dolce Neve, Seventh Flag Coffee, Figure 8

A Year of Experiences: My 2017 Bucket List (with Eventbrite)

For someone who is a perpetual daydreamer, I am always making notes about places to visit and experiences to have. Especially since focusing on a simple and minimalist lifestyle over the past two years, I have become much

Recipe: Braised short rib, mushroom, goat cheese, and truffle pizza

Every now and then, my husband or I like to make braised short ribs. He tends to go for the Asian flavors of lemon grass, ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar, while I tend to go for more traditional flavors with carrots, thyme, and

My favorite baby/children stores

Prior to finding out I was pregnant, I kept a secret pinterest board of clothing styles for babies and young children. I quickly noticed that many of the items I was pinning all came from European brands, which tend to have that

Styling the baby bump: What I wore at 22 weeks

Lately my belly has become a natural magnet for my hands to rest on, especially with the many tiny kicks and movements I've been feeling from this tiny babe. I've also noticed a change in my cravings to include a lot more

A Day Guide to Downtown San Diego, CA: Things to do

San Diego may be a beach town, but it also hosts several cities within the city that each have their own personal character. For this day guide, I focus primarily on a list of things to do and restaurants and coffee shops to enjoy in

Styling the baby bump: 19 weeks...It's a boy!

Twenty weeks has arrived, and just like that I am half way there! Up until this past Monday, I was fairly certain that we were going to have a baby girl. I'll blame it on the old wive's tales, even though I always scored 50/50 on those.

A Day Guide to Houston, Texas: Things to do

I realize that living in Houston for a little over a year does not make me an expert on the local scene. But if you just so happen to be visiting Houston for the day and are the type of person who loves coffee, books, art, and good food,

Styling the baby bump: What I wore at 18 weeks

Every day my husband keeps telling me, in a sweet way, that my belly is getting bigger. Since I've always been insecure about my weight, it doesn't always sound so sweet to my ears, but I'm trying to appreciate that a growing

Styling the baby bump: What I wore at 17 weeks

Another week has gone by and my baby, at 18 weeks, is now the size of a croissant. Yum! In addition, my days of sickness have officially been over for almost two weeks now, which makes me so happy! I finally feel like I have an

Books I'm reading this spring

I've realized that upon entering any used bookstore, I seem to have the inclination that I must walk out with a book or two, or perhaps three. There is always some sort of justification for the books I want. I tend to think it will

Styling the baby bump: What I wore at 16 weeks

I have just entered seventeen weeks and am officially counting down to the half way mark. Some days I feel this is going by quickly and other days I still can't believe I haven't hit 20 weeks yet. With this being my third pregnancy

A Day Guide to San Antonio, Texas: Things to do

In early January, my husband and I decided to hit the road early on a Saturday morning for a three hour drive to San Antonio, home of the Alamo and the famous Riverwalk. Although we had both been to San Antonio once, it

Styling the baby bump: What I wore at 14 weeks

I can't believe another week has gone by! Today I am officially 15 weeks, so here is a look at week 14. The day before hitting 14 weeks we had a doctor's appointment and it was the first time I got to see the baby. It was an

Styling the baby bump: What I wore at 13 weeks

One of my biggest concerns when I found out I was pregnant was how to incorporate my minimalist wardrobe alongside a growing belly, and how to do so without relying on maternity clothes. The truth is, I know there is a

My top ten favorite books from my 2016 reading lists

Although I make resolutions every year, I usually never manage to keep them. By the end of January, it's likely I have forgotten most of them. But somehow, through this medium of blogging, I've completed one resolution from

A "little" announcement

For the past couple of months, we've been keeping a "little" secret to ourselves, which is also why I've been absent from this blog and haven't been posting frequently on my Instagram account. It all began a week before Christmas