Alex and I wanted some pictures together with my baby bump before little Miss Avery decides to make her debut! Luckily, I have an amazing friend that takes good pictures, so I asked her if she would mind coming over one day and take some for us. Thank you Amanda!! (PS I had someone ask me today if you did it as a side job…just something to think about!) She did an awesome job directing us into poses and everything! So before you go out and spend a fortune on a maternity shoot, get on Pinterest for ideas of what you want and find a friend that likes to take pictures! I am so pleased with the way they turned out!
Love this one! Minus my chubby swollen feet it is perfect!The bendy trail really makes this picture. Have I mentioned how much I love this trail by my house?Heart on tummy! Gotta love Pinterest!This heart one is fun too.I wish you could see my bump in this shadow more, but it still turned out cute.Had to bring the pups in on the fun!This one was inspired on Pinterest. I think it turned out cute!Family shot!I found this pose on Pinterest as well. I love it!This one might be my all time favorite.We happened to hit the bridge at perfect sunlight here. Amanda knows how to work that camera!Love this one!Love the bridge pictures.We had a few of these, but I was bummed that I was holding the sono upside down. I still had to share though! She is head down as of know so oh well!A little flirting on the bridge!Smooches!Giving Avery some daddy kisses!Vans on the belly!Love this one!I just cut out some letters on my Silhouette for these. Love this!Both of us in this one!So much fun!Love this one!This one might be one of my other favorites! LOVE!So cute!
I am so happy we took these. They will be fun to share with Avery when she is older! Check back for pictures of her soon! She is due in about 2.5 weeks, but this mama wouldn’t mind meeting her a little early!!
I have been pinning hot air balloon decorations like crazy and am officially obsessed!! There are so many good tutorials out there on how to make a hot air balloon from paper lanterns. Originally, I planned on using the left over fabrics from my hot air balloon mobile to just make 8 full panels around the lantern, but the lantern was pretty big and when I tried to trace a pattern for it, I didn’t have enough fabric left. Instead of going out and buying more fabric, I thought I would try something a little more outside the box!
I grabbed my pinking shears and started cutting out squares, rectangles, and triangles with all the left over coral, mint, and gray fabrics I have incorporated into the room. Then I grabbed my handy dandy ModPodge and went to town! It was pretty easy but very messy!
DIY Patchwork Hot Air Balloon
Materials:
Fabric lantern (I got a big one from Ikea)
Scrap fabric cut into squares, rectangles, and triangles using pinking shears
ModPodge
Sponge brush
A bucket or basket
Coordinating ribbon or cord
Hot glue gun
Instructions:
Here is what you need to get started. Cut scrap fabric into squares, rectangles, and triangles.Layer your pieces on top of ModPodge and put a layer of ModPodge on top as well to seal it.Add a bucket with cord or ribbon using hot glue to secure everything together. I added some washi tape bunting because I am obsessed with bunting!!
I just finished making the most adorable hot air balloon art to hang up in Avery’s nursery! It was so easy and too fun not to share! I have been picking up buttons here and there in coral and mint to match. Other than that, this project was just materials that I had on hand!
DIY Hot Air Balloon Art
Materials:
buttons
scrap burlap
fabric ModPodge
sponge brush
string, cord, or ribbon
white paper
frame
hot glue
washi tape
Instructions:
Cut out a basket out of burlap. I just grabbed the scissors and started cutting. Then I used fabric ModPodge to keep it from fraying. Put it to the side and let it dry.Grab a variety of buttons and a glue gun!This was so simple to make! I glued the buttons around in a hot air balloon shape. When it looked full enough, I just added some cord and some pennants made from washi tape!
My baby shower in Ulysses was over Easter weekend and I cannot imagine a better turnout! Everything was perfect and I am so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life! We had the shower at the Celebration Church in Ulysses.
4 Generations…only one is still cooking!!Laura, Kelley, and me before the shower.
There were so many people that helped put the party together. A huge thank you to all the ladies that had a part in putting it on! Thank you mom, Laura, Kelley, Heather, Shalie, Grandma Bloesser, Grandma Underhill, and Alex’s mom JoAnn. They all did such a wonderful job putting it together! Also a huge thank you to Shalie for handing me gifts and My cousin Charly for recording gifts for me!!
I love my invitations! Kelly always does a great job with those details! Thanks lady!
My favorite part of the shower was the headband station. I am not a fan of games at showers. As many of you know, I am a HUGE Pinterester, I came across a few pins on headband stations. Kelley and Laura set me up with the best headband station! They had a frame with sizes the guests could measure the elastic at to fit Avery at different ages. There were even little tags that people could write their names and sizes on so I knew who made what! I am sure we will not have to buy headbands anytime soon! My cousin Melanie made a TON of them! She even finished them off after the shower until we were out of materials!
Headband Station!My cousins Melanie and Charly at the headband station.Avery is loaded up with all kinds of headbands!
My mom, Grandma Bloesser, Heather, and Britney made the most adorable cake pops! They looked like little babies in bonnets and were super yummy! The green ones were covered in sprinkles and were lime flavored, which was a surprise when you took a bite.
Gotta love Pinterest! These turned out super cute!
Alex’s mom made the most amazing mints! She used to make wedding cakes and stuff for people, so I knew she would make some good ones. She had a few tricks up her sleeve. She had three flavors and cute little hot air balloon and cloud molds. The white clouds were buttercream, the mint hot air balloons were a traditional mint, and the coral hot air balloons were cinnamon. The cinnamon were my favorite! She did such a great job.
Alex’s mom and me before the shower.The mints and cookie display. So yummy!
My Grandma Underhill made her famous punch! I usually like mine spiked with a little Bacardi O, but not until after the baby is born! Everyone loved it and were gushing about how delicious it was!
My Grandma Underhill and me before the shower started.
I am planning on doing a digital baby book that I can have printed, so I wanted a sign in that I could sign. After browsing Pinterest, I was set on a hot air balloon fingerprint guest book. It turned out really cute!
Guest BookClose up of the guest book. Love this!
I was overwhelmed by the turnout! It was such a beautiful shower and we could not have asked for a better day! Avery is already spoiled and she isn’t even here yet! Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us and showered us with gifts and love!
A few more pics from the day…
Alex’s cousin Stephane, Alex’s goddaughter Karly and me after the shower.Ashlee and her adorable daughter Lennyn! Her face is priceless!! My lil ginger!!Besties!!!
