preview

more to come

organizing craft junk

I say junk, because that's what E would call it.

I would call it treasures.

Since we started on Parkers' room, we've been storing (hoarding) all of the stuff we don't know what to do with upstairs. 
Well, the time has come for us to clean out the upstairs  ... especially since our family will likely be staying at our house while we're at the hospital.


So we're trying to organize and clean. 
One thing I really need to organize is my craft & jewelry supplies.
I love the idea of using these old suitcases to store fabrics, scrapbook paper, and any other supplies you have!
Now all I need is a stack of old suitcases - for free.

nursery love (not Parkers)

I love everything about this nursery.

Seriously, I don't think there is one thing that I am not in love with.

Take a look for yourself ...

in the oven for 35 weeks and counting

Baby Parker has been in the oven for 35 weeks now. 

We're getting so close - I can feel it. 

As I write this, I am reminded of how pregnant I am by the pain in the right side of my back.

A couple random things ...

1.

We go back to the dr. on Wednesday & my amazing and talented friend Jenna is doing a maternity session for us on Monday. I'm really excited about both of the those things.

2.

I still have a feeling that he will come early. 

But I don't want to get my hopes up.

My guess is May 1st - E's guess is May 9th

3.

The nursery is almost finished.

 Only 2 things left on the to-do list. 

1. Frame and mat airplane photos. 

I think I'm going to use graph paper as the matting. 

I haven't told E that yet. It will be interested to see his reaction.

My amazing friend Jen used graph paper on Parker's baby shower invites and I love them.

2. Paint the existing chandelier red.

oh wait there is actually three things -

3. Organize closets.

Three is not bad though when we started with a list a mile long.

4.

I'm starting to get stretch marks ( on my butt and thighs). It sucks. I swear that out of all the places on my that have grown, my butt and thighs have grown the least. Weird huh?

Everything I read said that creams and oils did nothing, and that it was all up to your genes. HOWEVER, since the beginning I have been breaking open vitamin E capsules a couple times a week and putting the oil on my belly and boobs and I have NO MARKS. I never thought to put the oil on my butt or thighs & that's where I have the stretch marks.

Coincidence or not?

Now that I have them,

I am obsessively using sugar scrub, vitamin E, and cocoa butter in hopes of preventing more and lightening the ones that I have.

5. 

Tonight I went shopping for a lingerie shower for one of the girls in my bible study.

As I walked around the mall, I missed being able to wear normal clothes.

But surprisingly, I was overwhelmed by gratefulness for this baby growing inside of me.

I am excited for the day when I can buy a normal outfit, but I am REALLY excited for the day when I get to meet this little boy inside of me.

Plus, I think wearing maternity clothes for months will make shopping in normal stores all the more fun.

6.

I bought Parker an outfit to wear home from the hospital.

Sorry the quality is absolutely terrible. I got an urge to blog - so I took this picture on my iphone with no natural light.

Here's a close up of the print.

It's from the dwell studio line at Target.

I want to buy all the clothes that dwell studio makes for little boys.

7.

I have a question for moms out there -

what do you pack in your bag for the hospital?

Well, I think that's about all my random thoughts for now ...

maps

I am desperately trying to think of ways to incorporate this map in Parker's room

It's big and takes up a large wall space.

And you can scratch off the places that you've been.

The only thing I don't like about it is the states are not outlined. 

That's a big set back for me. 

Either way, I like to gold color and I love the concept.

You can find it here.

it's been so long

Hello there bloggers.

It has been way too long.

I have missed blogging.

I'm not sure how I fell off the wagon.

I have lots to share - about pregnancy, travels, Parker's nursery, and other random things.

A few new things going on here:

1.

 As of this week I am officially a part-time worker! 

Yep, this week I will only be working 28 hrs vs. 40. 

I hope it helps me feel less stressed. 

I'm hoping I can finish all the little details in Parker's nursery on my days off. 

I'm also hoping to hang out with friends on my days off.

2. 

Baby hormones are making me emotional. 

E is currently on a mission trip with the high school students. 

I am really sad that I'm not there 

(I didn't think I'd make it being this preggo and sleeping on an air mattress)

I am sad that he is gone.

Usually I am ok when he is gone, this time I feel really sad. 

It sucks.

3.

E and I went to the dr. last week.

Baby Parker is going to be a big baby.

This doesn't really surprise me since my belly is HUGE.

He already weighs 5 lbs 4 oz at 33 weeks.

Our dr. is going to do another ultrasound at 38 weeks and see how big he is at that point.

I'm going to be honest - this freaks me out. 

I know I can't control things, but I don't want to be induced and I don't want a c-section.

But, I do want him to be here.

I think I'd rather have the shock and surprise of going into labor vs. everything being planned with induction.

4.

I'm ready to have my body back. 

I miss my old body.

I miss being able to bend over, sleep well, hold my bladder, and breathe.

I guess this is just the beginning of motherhood and letting go of my selfish nature.

I keep wondering what I will feel like after delivery.

How different will my body feel?

I would love to hear your experiences ...

5.

I have so many things that I want to get finished, but then I start and get tired so quickly! 

6.

I can't wait to meet baby Parker.

7.

I know it's been awhile, but here are a few random pictures from our babymoom to Charleston, SC

resting

carriage ride

shopping for Parker

I love the front porch on this one:

fro-yo treats

our first baby shower

This past weekend, my aunt and cousin threw me a fabulous baby shower.

Everything was gorgeous and it was obvious that they paid attention to every detail. 

It was great catching up and spending time with my family.

Here are a few snapshots from the shower ...

team libby shirts

Hey friends! 

I just want to let you know of an amazing opportunity to support my friend Libby.

You can read all about her story here.

Libby is an amazing woman of Christ. 

She has battled cancer over the past 6 months ... and on

APRIL 30, 2011

a group of our friends will be running the Nashville 1/2 Marathon

to 

SUPPORT

& 

CELEBRATE 

LIBBY.

Over the past 6 months she has used her blog to proclaim who God is, how He's working in her life, and how He's healed her cancer.

You can also help support the Ryder's by purchasing a Team Libby t-shirt.

GO HERE for all the details on ordering a shirt.

The deadline to order your shirt is MARCH 21st!

more new pieces for Spring

green for St. Patty's Day

find all three here.

use your words

That's a phrase I use a lot at work.


When your two and screaming, kicking, and maybe even hitting people - they call it the terrible twos.


When you're nine and still doing those things -they bring you to see a therapist like me.


"They" meaning the parents bring their kids in and want you (the therapist) to fix them.
Usually it's so much more about "fixing" the parents. 
And then the parents are confused about why I want to see them more than the kids.
Working in community mental health is never dull to say the least.


But anyways, when I work with the kids I teach them ways to talk about their feelings and use their words instead of - kicking, screaming, cussing, hitting, throwing things, ect.


So there's a tiny little bit about my job - which I just realized I hardly ever write about. 
Maybe I'll start writing about it more - leaving out identifying info of course.


All that to say ... I've been using my words at home ... in a different way.
I guess you could view it as a way of taking my work home with me.

A little while ago, the grandfather of a friend of ours passed away. When the family was getting his house ready to sell, they called about asked if we wanted to go through and see if there was anything I could use.


It was my dream. Pretty much an estate sale where everything was free.

I loaded up on doilies, vintage linens, a pair of brass deer that I'm going to spray paint white and use on our mantel for Christmas, vintage playing cards, vintage pyrex dishes, candles, a chair, and a scrabble game.


On a side note, the spider mums in the picture above are the best flowers ever! 
I bought them for $4.00 and they've lasted over 3 weeks. 


That's about all I have for now!
Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday :)

parker's nursery: part 4

Hello Bloggers!

I'm back with more progress on the nursery.

I think I should be on part 7 or something because I've shared a bunch of nursery things in other random posts. 

Oh well! 

For today, I'm going to stick with the theme lately of sharing small snapshots.

I'll keep showing snapshots and close ups until it all evolves and comes together ... and then I'll do a big before and after.

After the reveal, I'm thinking that I'll go back and post a couple diy's on the individual projects. That may be a little ambitious of me, but that's the plan. 

If you've ever curious about something you see, feel free to email or message me! 

So here ya go - a couple snapshots of what's new in baby Parker's room ...

this little lady (my $5 brass lamp) has been transformed...

spray painting a couple $4 hooks from home depot instead of spending $14 on them here.

repainting this vintage window that was once green

can you tell I have a thing for the color red?

It's going to be hung above the cube unit

who does love eric carle?

I'll leave you guessing with this one...

Right now the door is off and I'm literally wearing a mask as E paints the door with a magnetic primer.

Also, on the to-do list is find a new home for all of my clothes. Yes, my closet is that small ... and even crazier is that once baby Parker comes E and I will be sharing the closet in our bedroom - WHICH IS ALSO THIS SIZE.

I bought these vintage wooden puzzle pieces on etsy and am going to use them as magnets.

This little guy might be my favorite thing in his room.

We call him Mr. Watson.

I hope Parker loves him as much as we do.

So there ya go! A few more snapshots. 

I am getting really excited about his room and how it is coming together.

Still to do:

1. Hang painted window, hooks, and door.

2. Make some decision about bedding

3. Buy or make an ottoman 

4. Buy a small side table - I'm thinking about a white ceramic garden stool, but I haven't seen any out this year. I saw them everywhere last year, and this year I haven't seen any. If you see one let me know!

5. Mat and frame pictures of vintage airplanes from a vintage book my friend Jen spotted for $5. And to think I thought was only option was paying $40 a piece from PB.

6. Make decisions about any other artwork in the room