First Trimester? Welcome to Motherhood.

Recently found out you are pregnant? Congrats! Now begins the beautiful trip of motherhood. Many, many things have to be done in the next nine months to prepare you, your partner and for baby. So what first? Eat well, drink lots of water and exercise. Best three tips I have gotten! 

But, there is a few other things to get done in the first trimester. This list from Parents Magazine will help you get organized and feel less stressed.

1. Find OBGYN.

2. Schedule appointment to check on your baby!

3. Figure out finances and budget.

4. Know what is safe and what is not!

5. Get lots of rest!

Enjoy your pregnancy! 

Best Pregnancy Apps

My iPhone is {almost} my everything. I can’t live without it. And finding new and useful Apps is one of my hobbies. This weekend I found a few great pregnancy apps for all you moms-to-be!

Sprout – this app is amazing! It goes into detail each week of your pregnancy and offers great tools like a hospital check list + more!

I’m Expecting-  I like this app because it keeps track of weight gain. That is important to me to stay healthy throughout the pregnancy.

Newsstand apps- I have mixed feelings about this section of the iPhone/iPad. Some of the magazines are only viewable if you pay for the issue, some come with free browsable older editions of the magazine. Anyways if you are up for buying magazines this is a go-to. Fit Pregnancy is one of my favorites!

Capturing the Bump

My first attempt at maternity photography was quite a success. These pictures are amazing and so was my model!

Maternity {Photography}

—-> I am a Pinterest addict. I pin ridiculous things that I will never DIY and when I do they usually are a flop. Lately I have tried to pin only the most necessary items. I even went through my boards and cleaned out the random things that I will never attempt to create. It’s 2013- a year of cleansing. My email account(s) are a different matter. I have over 3,000 emails in each of the email accounts that I hold. I tried this morning to sift through and delete but come on- who has time for that. The real question is why the heck did I let it get that out of control? New Years resolution- delete, delete, delete. Unsubscribe from the newsletters that I keep telling myself- oh I will read that when I get the time. Never happens!!

Tomorrow I am going to pretend to be a photographer capturing my sister’s baby bump. She is five-months pregnant. I want to get a few shots of her and my nephew. My medium- a Canon Rebel film camera. I’ve always loved the way film looks and I can’t wait to see what I can get. The backdrop in St. Augustine is perfect so I really can’t screw it up.  I spent my Saturday night on Pinterest- exciting huh? Browsing maternity pictures and getting lost in different blogs and websites. If my models behave I will post some of my pictures later this week.

My {pin}spiration

I love everything about this photoshoot. The bright green wall, striped dress, and the way she is off-centered.

 

Community

Have you ever seen that show Community? Ok well if you haven’t (and to be truthful- I’ve seen the very first episode on Netflix and gave up after that) but whatever the premise is a lawyer has to go back to a community college to finish up college credits. Funny, right? It’s my life right now. I’m living the ‘Community’ life. And frankly I’m enjoying it. I feel eighteen again. Among the group of young people are your fair share of the random forty year olds still trying to figure it out. I’m totally not the one to judge them. Hell at forty I hope I have the balls enough to go back to school to keep my dream alive.

Ok back the topic. Stay focused! That’s the other thing. This whole new era of being back in the college mind-set at 25 (26 in a month) is making me feel so ADD. I’m loving it. I’m back to myself again. Back to the forty year old in the community college class- they have it all right. They don’t want to let go of their golden years. The days of college were just too damn good for them to let go of. They might have tried the real world for a few years, got married, had children- the whole kit and kaboodle. And BAM. What happened? The realization that the days of sitting in college listening to the professor ramble about history in a chemistry class was actually really awesome. So they enroll in community college. I just figured it all out.

My morning coffee and a realization of what life is really like in community college. This is my last semester (hopefully) before I am in nursing school. It is actually weird saying nursing school. I never imagined I would go to nursing school, it was never a passion for me. But in the last couple of years I just chose it. It’s about time my life revolve around something more than just day-dreaming about lofty entrepreneurial ideas they may never happen or hoping back over to Barcelona to spend the rest of my life. I realized (with the help of unfortunate bank account) that I needed a career path. Nursing seemed fit. The more I am working towards it, the more I am getting excited about it.

Happy Saturday, my friends.

oh and tomorrow- I am taking pictures of my beautiful pregnant sister in St. Augustine. I am going to use a FILM camera. So vintage. Cerca 1995..

New Year

Lately when I sit at the computer my brain freezes. Throughout the day I’ll have so much on my mind unfortunately the only person listening is me. I will end up talking mindlessly to myself. Yes in public. It gets weird. Especially when I catch the glares of random bypassers as I continue to mumble my thoughts outloud as if they weren’t there. New Years Resolution – break this habit. I’m going to get labeled as a lonely cat lady soon.

This year arleady feels tremendously different than 2012. I’m a full time student {yes, again}. I am nannying for my niece and nephew {again}. This time it feels different. I have something I am working for. Nursing school is right around the corner. I can’t wait!

My other New Year’s Resolution is to come back to my business. Appleseed + Sprout needs some TLC. I didn’t give it my all last year. With a refreshed mind I will dive back into it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
xo

Keeping it Local

Countdown to Halloween has begun! Yesterday after picking up the kids from carpool they bombarded me with questions about when they would go trick or treating. It’s almost here! A little less than two weeks. But in the meantime there are plenty of activities to enjoy in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine areas.

25th Spooktacular at the Jacksonville Zoo 

{I went on a date here with Dusty in high school and we went last year. I love it! It isn’t just for little kids }

If you live anywhere near Jacksonville Beach, you have heard the Blue Angels practicing. It is amazing. Or at least I think so. {It might not be if it wakes up your sleeping baby} The Air Show is on Saturday so take a drive to beach and check it out.

Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze? Yes, please. Conner’s A-Maize-Ing Acres will keep your kids occupied for hours. Perfect for a beautiful, Fall day!

Just for the adults {21 + up} Oktoberfest is tomorrow in St. Augustine.

Happy Friday!!

Rambling

This weekend Dusty and I met up with my best friend from college, Anna and her husband. He is on tour with his band, The Canes. They came through town and we were lucky enough to catch their amazing show. Besides our lovely evening with The Canes, Dusty and I spent the weekend together enjoying each other. His mom gave us this awesome pumpkin plant. It is so festive! <3

DIY Photo Canvas

My boyfriend and I have been enjoying our lovely little apartment now for almost three months. The weekends are my DIY time. I’m taking the decorating slow because I want it to be perfect! My latest project was DIY photo canvases. It was the easiest project so far.

Materials:

Photo {I printed 3 (8x 10′s) at Walgreens}

Canvas to fit the photo

Acrylic Paint {I used black, my pictures are B+W}

Sponge Brush

Mod Podge

Step 1:

Paint the outer edge of the canvas with the paint.

Step 2:

When dry, mod podge the front of the canvas. Place your picture directly on the canvas. Using a cloth (I used a soft sock because it is lint-free) smooth out the picture onto the Mod Podge.

Step 3:

Paint the picture with Mod Podge.

Step 4:

Wait until dry! It’ll be an awesome paint brush look and a super easy project.

No-Carve Pumpkins {perfect for toddlers!}

Florida is finally cooling down + I am pulling out the sweaters. Even if the low is only at 66 degrees right now..it feels like heaven. With kids- this is the best time of year. From fall until Christmas it is nonstop fun. Pumpkin carving, Thanksgiving traditions, Christmas lights..the holiday season is in full swing. To really get into the spirit you have to embrace it with everything pumpkin.

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