here are just a few of my favorites of the little guy.

Those little itty bitty toes!!

Jessie had the great idea of using fabric to create the look that Jack was wrapped up in one of his dad’s shirts. I LOVE how it turned out!

i think we caught a smile!

jessie’s mom made little jack’s beanbag from scratch. sorry everyone, can’t get this gem at pottery barn

and the newsboy hat. too cute. really…it shouldn’t be allowed.

ugh – too cute. just too cute!

brian and jessie – thank you so much for having me capture jack’s first photos! i don’t think anyone can doubt how adorable he is! 

i hope you’re prepared to love sports, because you may not get much of an option with your dad and his sports-thusiasm. in the past few years, i’ve learned more about the nuggets, rockies, broncos, and other sports and teams than i could have ever dreamed.

you may get sloppy kisses from charli and luna, but they mean well, even if they’re complete slobs when it comes to showing their affection.

i sincerely apologize for taking your picture every day. really. i do.

i’ll probably dress you in some pretty ridiculous garb, too. again…sorry.

your great-grandma sent me a hand-made card today for mother’s (to be) day.
she’ll probably make them for you, too, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll keep every one of them.

i promise not to give you a name that people make wonky faces at.
i may joke about naming you rory lyon, harry lyon, dandi lyon, and simba lyon, but i swear, it’s only a joke.

that whole labor and delivery thing? ya..about that..feel free to help in any way with
just getting that over with as fast and as easily possible.

we’re far from perfect, but we’ll love you and help you to become the absolute best person you can be.
so when you get to be 16 and all hormonal, don’t hate on us too much.

and lastly…

little lyon can actually hear noises now, and is learning our voices more and more each day. so, listen up, little one! it’s also the size of a sweet potato – over 5.5 inches from head to bum! i’ll post a new bump photo next week, and more frequently starting next week as well! i’m finally having something that you can actually see, and next week, we should be in business!

how far along? 18 weeks
maternity clothes? somehow, i’m still making my normal clothes work. don’t ask how. it’s pretty pathetic.
weight gain? officially gaining, which sucks. even if it’s healthy, and natural, and part of pregnancy, seeing the number go up on the scale…sucks.
stretch marks? nope!
sleep? good!
best moment of the week? nate felt the baby move for the first time while we were on a surprise trip celebrating our anniversary he or she kicked his hand with an aggressive kick that was like saying, “Hey! Dude! I’m over here!” so cute!
movement? it’s getting more and more frequent. especially after i eat!
gender? who knows! we’ll see in 2 weeks.
symptoms: headaches. blerg…
milestones: nate feeling the baby move!
emotions: nothing too crazy out of the ordinary this week.
miss anything? not this week.
food cravings: mac and cheese!
belly button in or out? in…but it’s looking suspicious.
wedding rings on or off? on
looking forward to: the next ultrasound!

while having the time flying by is great, the biggest thing on my mind right now (or maybe just my random thought for the week!) is that there just are so many decisions to make while you’re pregnant. it’s a lot. especially for me, as i’ve earned the “most indecisive person ever” award a loooooong time ago.

will we find out the gender?

what will we name the baby?

do we keep the name a secret?

how will we decorate the nursery?

cloth diapers? disposable diapers?

birth plans? epidurals?

childcare?

you get the point.

i guess we’ll just have to see how everything pans out! until then, we’re digging through baby name books, taking all the advice we can get, and picking away at the many decisions ahead of us. good thing we still have 5 months left!

my only conclusion out of utter indecisiveness (yep, just made that a word!) is that they need to make magic 8 balls for pregnant women. i can see it now… millions if round-bellied women all over the globe asking their $10 decision maker what to name their baby. if only it were that easy!

if you’ve been through the pregnancy ringer before, how did you make all the decisions?

in other news, the baby is the size of an onion and is 5 inches from head to bum! ya, that’s a lot. ooh, and something big happened this week — details below in my weekly survey

how far along? 17 weeks
maternity clothes? nope. looking quite awkward in my normal clothes? yes.
weight gain? back to my pre-pregnancy weight, so i’ll call it even.
stretch marks? nope!
sleep? i have mastered the sleeping techniques..for now. sure, i may have 20 pillows of every shape and size by my side of the bed, but it works!
best moment of the week? one of my awesome brides and her mom sent me a congratulatory card in the mail. seriously, so sweet. i’m not kidding when i say my brides are the best.
movement? i felt the baby move!!! well, i think i felt the baby move. a few times. i’ll have to wait and see if that’s really what it was as they get more frequent!
gender? this week, i had a dream it was a girl, so now i’m back to just being confused, hehe.
symptoms: nada this week – hooray!
milestones: if it really was the baby i was feeling, i call that a milestone!
emotions: getting more and more impatient to find out the gender!
miss anything? still missing subway…oh subway…
food cravings: more mexican! perhaps we should give the baby a spanish middle name…
belly button in or out? in!
wedding rings on or off? on
looking forward to: a baby!

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

first of all, i will accept no judgement of my pajama pants and flip flops. it’s after 6pm on a weeknight after all – what do you expect? also, i will accept no judgement for the poor background of our fun photos our house is swimming in baby supplies and dog toys, so it turns out this really was the best spot!

charli was quite the proud little model!

well, she was a good model, until she decided that her toy must also be a part of the photo. spoiled rotten? no way. . .

Little lyon is now 4.5 inches from head to bum – about the size of an avocado! his/her heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood per day, and he/she even has toenails!

i was going to use the tasty avocado to make a salad, or some delicious guacamole, until charli decided it was hers to get slobbery! now, i’m stuck with a chewed up, slimey mess that used to be an avocado. good thing she was cute about it!

How Far Along? 16 weeks
Maternity Clothes? not officially, but i’m modifying my regular clothes in a pretty pathetic way.
Weight Gain? back to my pre-pregnancy weight! it’s so, so weird to be ok with gaining weight.
Stretch Marks? Nope!
Sleep? still a bit rough, but i’m hoping it will get better before i get huge and can’t sleep at all!
Best Moment of the Week? hearing the heartbeat at the doctor’s office, and actually hearing the little nugget move around with the doppler!
Movement? Nope, but doc says within a month! yipes!
Gender? i’m still think boy, but i really have no good reason for it.
Symptoms: headaches and some growth cramps, thank goodness i can sitll take tylenol!
Milestones: hearing the baby move with the doppler was pretty amazing. he/she is so active in there!
Emotions: impatient to find out the gender!
Miss Anything? hmmm… my jeans fitting? hehe.
Food cravings: wetzel’s pretzels! and the hubs even went to get me one without one complaint!
Belly Button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Looking forward to: getting to the point where i’m obviously pregnant and not mistaken for just gaining a few pounds

i’m addicted.

fully, totally, undeniably addicted. as if my 1,865 pins didn’t give that away. yep, i have pinterest fever. or as nate would say, i’m a pinhead.

waiting in line at the store? pin! commercial break? pin! can’t sleep? pin! you get the point.

sure, there are lots of fun things on pinterest. how to turn a shower rod into an under-the-sink organizer, hilarious photos of dogs, not to mention anything and everything diy. but what i luuuurve about pinterest is the amazing ability to share ideas – particularly (you guessed it) wedding ideas!

so, in true fashion of my wedding day here on my blog, i give you my 5 tips to using pinterest to plan your wedding!

1. fill those boards, baby!

when i see one of my brides fill their pinterest boards with their inspiration for their wedding, it’s like giving me an inside view into their dream day, which is just sooo great! now, before the day is even here, i know what they love, i know what inspires them, and i know exactly what their dream day looks like. i always love getting to know my couples and what their wedding is going to be like before the day arrives, but pinterest is like taking that to a whole new level! so, make sure you are connected with your wedding photographer on pinterest! maybe even let them contribute to your board!

2. Let your maids help!

besides your almost-hubs, no one knows you better than your bridesmaids. make a collaborative board so when they see ideas they love and that inspire them, they can share them with you. you’ll be amazed at the ideas they come up with, and they’ll love feeling like they’re even more of a part of the big day!

3. be realistic!

i’ve pinned 20 things to my “someday i will sew” board. how many of those projects have i even attempted? zero. zilch. total goose egg. but it’s inspiring still. most of the wedding ideas on pinterest are from someone else’s wedding! a different day with different circumstances, different weather, different lighting, different…well…everything. take it, and put your twist on it. make it you! the best inspirations are just that – inspirations. but a true creative person takes the idea to a new level and makes it their own! and hey, when the ideas are all yours, you’re bound to love them a gazillion times more. promise.

4. pin original content!

when i was planning my wedding, i had a wedding binder. it was my life. that binder held every idea i had ripped out of a magazine and every idea i had scratched down on a napkin. now, you can do that all on pinterest. (seriously, where was this a year ago?) don’t forget to venture outside of the walls of pinterest and pin ideas you’ve found elsewhere – this way you’ll have all your ideas and inspirations in one spot (and your “wedding binder” will be a heck of a lot less heavy than mine was).

5. go crazy!

obvious, right? well, not always. weddings are stressful! so go crazy, have fun, and pin until your heart’s content! even if you don’t end up using all of your ideas, they may spark new ideas you haven’t thought of before! and really, is there ever such thing as too much inspiration?

ooooh, and bonus tip #6 – follow me on pinterest! because really, i pin all the time, and my wedding board is getting bigger by the day.

in the meantime, since my first trimester is definitely over, i decided to play oprah this week. oh ya, that’s right, it’s the pregnant-lady’s first trimester favorite things! anyone who’s been pregnant can probably relate with some of these, and if you will be pregnant sometime in the future – take my advice and jot these down. it’ll save you bunches of time later on

1. morning sickness, or as i like to call it “every second of the day sickness”, mixed with the crazy fatigue that hits in the first 12 weeks literally made me spend more time in bed than i ever have before! entertainment was definitely a must, and what’s better than some chandler, monica, joey, rachel, ross, and phoebe to entertain? i mean, they’re pretty much the best 6 people ever. (and no, that’s not up for debate).

2. slippers are a plus. cute slippers are a must. cuz when you feel nasty, at least there’s always one cute thing you got goin’ on.

3. one of the most genius inventions ever…prenatal vitamins in gummy form! um, ya, hello amazing!

4. oh the deliciousness of oyster crackers…i’ve overlooked their potential in my pantry for so long.

5. ultrasound time! best thing ever! the first time we saw the little lyon, it made it all so worth it – and i know it’s only going to get better. and yep, that’s r2d2. because am i the only one that sees a really weird resemblance between the two?

6. it was pretty difficult to get my imac into bed with me when i wasn’t at my best, but my macbook did the job! oh apple, how i love thee….

7. who’d a thunk? lemon drops help your stomach feel better! and they’re super delish, so i ate a billion of them. no judgements, people, no judgements…

between these 7 wonderful things, knowing that the second trimester would bring better days (and it has!) along with some quality cuddles from the hubs and my pup charli, i survived and am loving being well into my 2nd trimester! also, i’ve decided that there should definitely be a how-to-survive-the-first-trimester guide right there in the box with pregnancy tests. by the time i got all this figured out, the first trimester was over!

How Far Along? 15 weeks
Maternity Clothes? nope, although i’m using my belly-band quite a bit!
Weight Gain? Still inching towards my pre-pregnancy weight but getting closer!
Stretch Marks? Nope!
Sleep? this week has been a little rough. the change from totally exhausted to having extra energy is leaving me awake at 4am!
Best Moment of the Week? do the 2 butterfinger blizzards from dairy queen count? because those were both pretty amazing moments
Movement? Not for awhile still
Gender? girl, boy? this week, i think boy!
Symptoms: evergy! a positive symptom! woohoo!
Milestones: hmmm – this one is tough this week. does getting a more comfy couch count? because i am loving it!
Emotions: so relieved to be feeling better, and getting super excited for wedding season to begin
Miss Anything? moscato. oh, moscato. . .
Food cravings: a really, really cold, good cesear salad. which is proving difficult to find.
Belly Button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Looking forward to: Finding out the gender, even though we have to wait another 4 and a half weeks!

while they’re obviously not very reliable in accuracy, gender prediction quizzes online are pretty fun .  nate and i had a little fun answering all sorts of questions from how severe my morning sickness was, to how i grab a mug. ya – one quiz asked if i pick up a mug by the handle or not! if you can tell me how that’s related to the gender of the little lyon, you will officially be the smartest person i know.

with no further adieu, i present to you, the results!

Well, the results are final!! we are either having a boy or a girl!!!

nate and i both have a feeling that it’s a boy. when we saw the ultrasounds, the way the little one was kicking with such energy, it just looked like a little boy playing soccer! (i can only hope those kicks aren’t so violent as he/she gets bigger!) i always thought i would have a little girl first, though, and my g-pa, who is the self-proclaimed master at guessing babies’ genders, is convinced it’s a girl. for now, we’ll just have to wait and keep guessing – at least speculating is fun! we weren’t sure if we would find out the gender or not, but i can’t imagine waiting any longer than the 6 weeks we have to wait and enjoy the mystery!

ps – baby is the size of a large lemon this week, and can wiggle his/her toes and suck his/her thumb!!

How Far Along? 14 weeks
Maternity Clothes? Do my sweatpants count? Because they are currently my best friend
Weight Gain? Inching towards my pre-pregnancy weight. It’s pretty weird to step on the scale and be ok with gaining weight!
Stretch Marks? Nope!
Sleep? A little better this week!
Best Moment of the Week? My belly has made an appearance! Sure, it looks like I have a beer belly to the naked eye, but I swear, it’s the little lyon (pic to update next week!)
Movement? Not for a couple of months at least
Gender? girl, boy? who knows! anyone have a guess?
Symptoms: I’m starting to feel like a human again, which is flippin-fan-tastic! my biggest symptom now are headaches
Milestones: this is the first week i can actually feel my bump!
Emotions: still doing well, and we’re getting more and more excited!
Miss Anything? the comfort of a good pair of jeans, hehe.
Food cravings: i could still eat mexican food every day of the week. burrito…taco…nacos…queso…mmmmmm
Belly Button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Looking forward to: Getting past the stage where you can’t tell if i’ve just gained a few pounds, or if i’m actually pregnant!

Long. Short. Casual. Dressy. Matching. Not matching. Strapless. Straps. Chiffon. Satin. Taffeta.

Has your blood pressure risen yet? Time to break it down.

First things first – Length!

Just think, once you determine long or short, you’ve eliminated half of the dresses out there! Traditionally, longer styles are better suited for more formal weddings, or indoor weddings. Short dresses are great for outdoor ceremonies, or weddings smack dab in the middle of the summer, when your bridesmaids might be roasting in a long dress. Don’t forget shoes, either! If you want your girls to wear some adorable cowboy boots or super-sexy-stilettos, don’t cover them up with a long dress! But hey, if you know your maids will end up in flip-flops by the time you cut the cake, you may want to consider a longer dress!

Vanessa and Brady had a more-formal ceremony and a more-relaxed reception, but long dresses still fit the day perfectly – especially in October with the risk of some chill in the air!

Ok, so you’ve decided if you want long or short, now the next decision – Will all the bridesmaids wear the same dress?

The biggest thing to remember here is body shapes!! If you have a group of ladies with similar body types, a dress will look similar on all of them, but if you have a handful of different body types, one dress will look different on every girl! One may love it, and one may feel uncomfortable. If you’re up for the challenge of finding a dress that fits a handful of different shapes and sizes, go for it! But don’t say I didn’t warn you about the challenge you may be facing! A great compromise if you still want some sense of cohesion, but don’t want everyone in the same dress is to choose a designer, and have your girls pick their dress from the designer’s line!

Kilee did an amazing job finding the perfect dress for all of her bridesmaids to match in!

Length? Check! Matching? Check! Now, what about the fabric?

One of the most surprising things about shopping for bridesmaid dresses is the crazy amount of options for fabrics! You name it, you can make a dress out of it. The most important choice here is satin, or no satin? You see, satin appears to have a sheen in photos – just as it does in person! Put that next to a chiffon dress, and in your photos, you have one bridesmaid looking absolutely nothing like the other! Keep in mind the weather on your big day, and choose a fabric that will keep your girls comfortable!

How about color?

Think of your bridesmaids as your frame. Yes, they are there to support you, create memories with you, help you throughout the day. But let’s admit it – we all want them to make us look good, too, right? Make sure whatever color you choose, your bridesmaids enhance the overall look and feel of your ensemble, and the look and feel of your entire day!

Maybe flowers are a big part of your day. Big, bright, over the top flowers! Let the girls’ dresses serve as a canvas for the flowers and pick a neutral tone. On the other hand, if you’re going for a big “pop” with the dresses, and letting other details be a bit subdued, go crazy with the color!

Sarah’s wedding was soft, romantic, and with a hint of vintage. These soft-pinkish-peach dresses from Forever 21 made for the perfect look.

My last little tid bit of advice – don’t forget that bridal shops (while they are great for options, styles, and professional advice) are not your only option!! Department stores like Nordstrom and Macy’s and even stores like J.Crew, Ann Taylor, Ruche, and H&M have some fabulous dresses that can be worn by your bridesmaids!

And finally…here’s what I had my lovely ladies in the day of our wedding! We had a modern wedding at a downtown art gallery, so we chose bold colors, and a short dress. It was a challenge, but I found a dress that worked for all four of my girls – including my pregnant sister! To add a little spice to the consistency of the dresses, we decided instead of all 4 girls matching, they should alternate, which added for a fun little twist

see you next monday!

10 years ago, Nic’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, and she didn’t take it lightly. She wanted to know why. Yes, we live in a world with all sorts of un-natural things – from the pesticides on food, to pollution outside, and even to what we put on our skin. That’s where Nic’s mom, Ann, made a discovery. The skincare products she had been using for years had known cancer-causing chemicals in them. Something had to change. . .

Nic and his mom dreamed up +Plus Modern Skin based on her story, and the frustration with the limited availability of pure, natural skin care products – And then they made it a reality.

Taking such a negative situation and turning it into a life-long opportunity isn’t something most people have it in them to do. It takes serious guts to start from the ground up, with nothing to pad you if you fall. And it takes passion – which Mark and Nic have plenty of.

I’m proud to call myself a friend of both Mark and Nic, and to be one of their many cheerleaders as they introduce their products to the world. Check out their website, blog, or be the first to order their products and support their capital-raise by purchasing items on indiegogo.

To celebrate the launch of their business, and because photos with people in love are just plain fun, we spent an afternoon in Downtown Denver for a photo session with Nic and Mark!

Yes, they really are that adorable.

My favorite way to find amazing locations is to wander – just plain wander around. It pays off, especially when you find fun walls like this one, on a random street downtown.

Absolute favorite.

Let this proof as evidence that I’m funny. I swear! Or maybe I’m just really, really good at making fun of myself…but hey, it gets a giggle – and how stinking cute is this series?

You know two people are meant for each other when all it takes is for one of them to look at the other one, and BAM – instant grin.

Love!!!

It seriously makes me sick how cute they are together.

Mark and Nic – thank you so much for trusting me to capture the start of your business! I have nothing but complete faith in you both and know that +plus will be a total hit!