The Pursuit of Happiness

Ok, it has been a while since I have done anything with this blog. Ok more than a while...A LONG TIME!!! About 10 months to be exact.

No, this post is not about the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness" (great movie though). And No, it's not about me being unhappy. I am very happy. I love the stage of my life right now. My family. My baby. My friends. But over the past few years I have developed a passion. A passion for design. I love to design and decorate...my house, parties, design "art", and so forth. So, this blog is going to not only be about the Haringsma's but also my way to share what my passion is. 

I have thought long and hard about doing this and I am not the greatest at keeping up with this stuff (the past being a good example) but I want to share with the world what I have so much fun doing. 

I LOVE DIY-ing. I LOVE the thrill of picking through what some people may think as junk and making it into something new and beautiful. I LOVE antiques and shopping at antique swap meets. I LOVE throw pillows (actually you can call that one an obsession...just ask my hubby and friends). I LOVE planning parties. I LOVE to search design blogs. I LOVE to be creative!

So, there it is...my new attempt at this blog thing. Stay tuned for what is to come!!!

New Year. New Recipes.

So since being on my maternity I have felt that it is my wifey duty to have good dinners prepared at night for the Hubby. Lets just say he is really liking me being at home!

I always feel that we eat the same things every other week...they just somehow get rotated. Like Chicken Enchiladas and Cajun Chicken Pasta one week and then next is Tacos and...oh...wait...Cajun Chicken Pasta...again! Well, being that I LOVE Pinterest and have a pretty good amount of pins to my "Yummy" board; I thought I would put some of them to use and try them out.

This week we have tried three new recipes from my Pinterest board! Woot! Woot! I'm saying this because I  honestly don't remember the last time I have tried that many new recipes in one week...usually it is just one thrown in with the "rotating" ones. We tend to rate the dinners on a "Make Again" or "Throw Away the Recipe" scale.

So, we tried this week:

Pizza Casserole - This one was good. Hubby LOVED it, but he loves anything that is like a pizza. Plus, he pinned this one for me and has been asking me to make it. It was super super easy, but I didn't find it that great. I think it needed more cheese inside and needed to be "spiced" up a bit. Once you got past the top layer (which is like a pizza) the rest is like spaghetti. But, I will make it again (with some tweaks) because the Hubby liked it so much and it is super easy and would be great for a family with kiddos in the house. This is a "Make Again."

Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce and Bowtie Pasta - I liked this one alot! The crispy chicken was delicious and the pasta was really good with lots of flavor. The Hubby liked it, but he isn't too much for creamy pasta sauces. The sauce is rich in flavor, so only a little is needed on the pasta, but it has good flavor. It is definitely a "Make Again."

Queso Chicken Pasta - This one was ok. Yup. Just ok. Nothing like I was hoping for. Something was missing in the recipe and I couldn't put my finger on it. It has decent flavor, but not my favorite by any means. I would put this in the "Throw Away the Recipe" category, even though the Hubby said it was good and was a "Make Again." I'm not saying it was terrible, but not my favorite. And if I am going to stand by the stove for 30 minutes and then bake it for 30 minutes...I want to really like it. But, if you decide to try it and love it...let me know if you did anything different than what the recipe says...I like the concept of it, but like I said it needs something that I couldn't figure out.

There you have it...our week of new recipes. Wow...think we got enough in the department of starches?! But, for the most part they were a success...yippee!

Now to get shopping for next weeks recipes:

Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks (appetizer for Sunday)
Crock Pot BBQ Beer Chicken Sandwiches
Beef and Broccoli
Homemade Mac n' Cheese

Yumm...Yumm...My mouth is already watering!

*This is of course if Little Miss H doesn't make her arrival before then. If she does, then we will be eating out and I will be becoming the Dairy Maid Cow...haha...yet I can't wait!

Oh Pinterest...How I love You

Pinterest...Obsession...enough said.

So I feel my "nesting" has taken on a more crafty way about it. I have been wanting to do so many different crafts and basically living at JoAnn's that they almost know me by name now.

This is where Pinterest comes in...my new FAVORITE website! I have gotten so many ideas off of this website that it is crazy. From how to decorate my home, how to decorate my dream home, how to dress, how to dress my Little Miss, recipes and of course my favorite...the DIY stuff! I have done about 10 of my "DIY Craftiness" pins thus far. Now this doesn't mean that they all turned out...trust me, some were thrown in the trash. But at least I attempted them.

I have done...

DIY Candlesticks

Twine Wrapped Vase

Burp Cloths

Door Wreath (No picture yet)

Yarn Wrapped Letters For Nursery (No picture yet)

Lampshade Chandelier (not really a Pinterest craft, but I was inspired by Pinterest)

Distressed Nursery Sign

Chalkboard Organization

And a few others...those being the ones that ended up in the trash (ex: chalkboard wine glasses and mugs..didn't go very well).

BUT not only is this website ahh-mazing for crafts, but it has been great for recipes. The Hubby has loved trying new things and I finally feel like we aren't eating the same thing every week. Again, not all of them were great but you can't win them all...right?! I am also loving all the organizational ideas and cleaning ideas that are on there...basically I just love everything about the website! It is Ahh-Mazing!

So, thank you Pinterest for being there for my "nesting" craze. You have taught me so much and my hubby loves you too (well most of the time)...especially for all the good food.

If you haven't gotten the Pinterest bug yet...I highly recommend it. But be prepared to be addicted!

38 Weeks and Counting

So tomorrow officially marks 38 weeks...so she could come any time she feels from here on out. Lets just say I am ready...I am ready to meet her, ready to start our life with her and ready to kiss that little face and see that cute little booty!

Im feeling ok...I am having some sharp pains under the belly which seem to be round ligament pains, but other than that (and of course just being tired) I am doing fine. I am already on a schedule of waking up in the middle of the night (3 to 4 times to be exact) to pee. Granted I stumble my way to the restroom and stumble my way back to bed never fully waking up...so it will obviously be different when I have to actually wake up to feed but we will adjust to that when it comes.

I am officially on maternity leave and it feels great! I have been enjoying my time getting the house ready and all the last minute things for her debut. I am loving that I can wake up and go for walks with my sis-in-law and nieces, enjoy lunch outside on the patio, spend time being "crafty" (thank you Pinterest!) and just hanging out. I have been working a lot on her nursery which will be done by this weekend and pictures are soon to come. I am ecstatic on how it has turned out so far!

Tomorrow I have my weekly Dr's appointment so we will see if I have made any progress. Last week I was 1cm and some effacement...not much going on...but I am on my "Walking This Baby Out" regimen so we will see if it has made a difference since last week.

Anywho...that's all for now! Will keep you posted!

I've gotten this a few times..."I thought you were calling to tell me you were on your way to the hospital!" Haha!

Totally feel this right now! I think I know where every restroom is in every store or location I go to! ;)

Almost There...

Well, we are at 36 weeks and 4 days! It is right around the corner that we get to meet our baby girl...I think excitement, anxiousness and all of the above would be an understatement right now. I CAN'T WAIT!!!! It seems that when I hit 32 weeks it felt like it was right around the corner, but these last four weeks seem sooooo long and so far away! I want them to go by fast, but yet I don't. I want to soak up the time that Darin and I have together before she makes her arrival and I still feel like I have so much left to do (being the nursery). But she will come when she feels like it...we are now on her time clock!

Everything has been going good...I can say that I am starting to get uncomfortable a little. Tennis shoes, baggier jeans and tshirts seems to be what I am living in...I will most likely be saying sayonara to the heels and tight jeans in these last few weeks...but then again I am a girl so who knows! I am ready to wear normal clothes though. I go into the stores and the regular clothes are sooo cute! The pregnancy clothes aren't quite as appealing anymore....

Christmas was great..we spent our Christmas Eve going to church with my parents, Darin's parents, Robin, Doug and Darin's cousins. We then had a delicious Chinese dinner (our yearly tradition after church) at the In-laws with the whole group. Christmas morning was very relaxing hanging out at home and then going to his parents for Christmas breakfast...It was so much fun to watch my nieces open presents and get so excited to give me presents for the Baby...our Little Miss got so many cute things and she hasn't even made her debut yet! She is already spoiled! I got my Keurig...which I LOVE!! Lets just say I am addicted to the hot apple cider. I have had two cups of it already this morning!

All in all, it was a great relaxing Christmas spending the day with Darin's side of the family and my side as well.

We have a lot going on around here at the house. We got our cabinets in our laundry room (so exciting!) so I was able to get organized with all my stuff around the house. Ya for storage space!!! We are also getting new windows (today actually as we speak) so we will no longer be thinking that all the windows are open when they are actually closed! We would lay in bed and I would always double check to see if the window was open because we could hear the wind or what was going on outside so clearly and I swear we would get a breeze through there as well.

Windows going in...Ya!

Two in so far...

Our cabinets...minus the doors...Those are soon to come. And yes, that is all my craft supplies which takes up a LOT of room (which is why we needed storage). 

So many changes to our little house. It is awesome to see this house over the past two and a half years go from a house to truly being a home where we get to welcome our little lady and make it even more of a home!

Well that is all for now! Here is a picture or two or three...ok four...of our Maternity Session with the talented Rachel Lee Photography!

32 Weeks

Well, we have 8 weeks left and 5 weeks until our Little Miss is considered full term! Wow!

Things are going great, however the anxiousness has began to set in. I am not hating pregnancy and it hasn't been difficult, but I am just ready to meet our precious daughter! I cannot wait to hold her in my arms and fall in love with her. I don't believe that these next 8 weeks can go by fast enough....but Im sure the holidays will help! (oh and the food too)

Not much new other than I graze past people and objects with my belly more and more each day...today being one of them when my belly grazed past my boss as we were trying to pass by each other (obviously it was a tighter fit than normal but the belly didn't help).

Sleeping (or lack there of) is getting interesting with up to 3 bathroom runs in the middle of the night and some pretty funny and crazy dreams! Apparently my Little Miss came out a boy and was already a toddler when born...lets just say I woke up a little out of sorts after that one! So Im guessing that is what is making me more fatigued during the day...all in preparation of my future to come ;)

My niece, Sam, likes to poke my baby (aka. poking my belly)...her exact words being "I just poked your baby!" And she also says "Auntie Missy you are getting BIG!!!" Haha! Well from her point of view (she is only 3 and stands under my belly) it would definitely look huge and no wonder she told me that Im going to be as big as a house! She also drew a picture of our family and I apparently took up one whole page...I just love that kid! She makes me laugh...

Other than that our Little Miss is growing and moving like crazy...sometimes I think she is doing gymnastics in there (just like her mama!).

So with Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I am thankful for our little bundle of joy growing in my belly! And of course my family and friends too....soooo much to be thankful for this year!

Here's an updated bump pic...

Have a great Thanksgiving!!! Eat lots of turkey!!! 

Gobble! Gobble!

So Much To Be Thankful For - Friendsgiving

So this year marked the 4th Annual Friendsgiving.

My hubby and his two roomies started it 4 years ago when they lived at our house and we have carried it on since we have been married. It is a great night filled with food, games, relaxation and of course great friends! Each year it seems to grow and this year we had around 34 of our friends come and join in on the fun. Everyone brings a side dish of some sort and Todd makes his wonderful turkeys each year.

This year was a fun year and it seems to just get better each year. With it supposed to have rained that day, we decided to do most of the setup inside. Normally we set it up in our backyard considering that we don't have the biggest house for an indoor party, but it was really nice inside and super cozy! And of course, the rain didn't amount to much...oh well, you can never be too prepared..right?

We had soooo much yummy food from tri-tip (ahh-mazing! Thanks Greg!) to mac-n-cheese to an amazing queso dip made on a dutch oven in our fire pit! It is always fun to see what people come up with to bring.

Each year we walk away with so many great memories and realize what great friends we have. Each one of them holds a special place in my heart and I am so thankful to have friends to be able to do such fun things with and such a tight-knit group to go to. Our friends are like a big family...we may not all see each other regularly, but when we do we can always be guaranteed a good time with great memories. I love you all!

So here are some fun pics of our amazing Friendsgiving!

The Dessert Table

 Smores Pops, Cherry Pie Pops and...

Snickerdoodles...Yumm!

 The Drink and Appetizer Table

 The Table Setup...
Had so much fun with the wood pieces from my Father-in-law

Daryl making his YUMMY potatoes in the Dutch Oven

A good game of Cornhole

Some of the Men Chillaxin'

Some of us girls at Friendsgiving 

Can't wait till next year!!!