my week with Marisol.

It always feels like the day after Christmas whenever I have to say bye to my family again for a little while. We had the most amazing time at my brother Marco & Christina's house - my stomach hurt from laughing so much (baby girl probably thought she was on a roller coaster) and I felt like my heart grew twice in size holding my beautiful niece Marisol. 

I am so in love with her that missing her right now hurts {I can't even begin to fathom what it will be like when I meet my own daughter in September}. She is perfect. 

It was love at first sight when we arrived in Arizona. We didn't care that we were tired/hot from the drive over. (also? there's nothing like seeing your parents with their grandchild)

 my brother's mini me

I hope i'm the Mama Christina is (she is everything we prayed for when it came to Marco). I'm so thankful for the practice I got holding/feeding/changing Sollie.

 now that we live in different cities, i can't get enough of seester time when we're together

the Lechuga girls (who couldn't stop "fighting" to hold Marisol - look we all have to touch her even in this photo-- cracks me up auntie Maddie is holding her foot!)

I've never had a surprise party... until now. My favorite (that's what I call Christina) planned a surprise baby shower for me with my family and lovies, I was COMPLETELY surprised! I couldn't stop crying of happiness and love for all they did for me and Felix. They completely spoiled me! Felix has a matching stroller/carrier set, pack 'n play, and a cove swing to name a few gifts. 

i think my expression says it all! ♥ BEST. SURPRISE. EVER! 

and because you can't really see my nearly 31 week baby bump in my baby shower pic, here it is in all it's glory above. i think felix was happy with all the good eating, thanks to Christina & her family, plus my Momma. 

Marco & Christina, thank-you for sharing your beautiful family and home with us! (too bad older sissy BriBri doesn't like taking photos) I already can't wait to see you guys again when Felix arrives. I pray she's just as beautiful and sweet as your Sollie girl. love you all xoxo 

(marianne's post on our family trip- including more photos of our beautiful girl)

happy things to end the week with.

♥ my brother marco and his beautiful girlfriend Christina found out their baby is a girl! we got the exciting news Monday and i sent the above Tuesday. :) i am beyond thrilled for them!!! her name is Marisol Luz (which means "light" in spanish) Lechuga and i'm in love with her already. 

i had to show you two gifts that made its way to Arizona. Christina is a huge Gwen Stefani fan so of course i had to get her baby something from target's Harajuku Mini line. How adorable is this sailor romper? & already proud aunties, me and marianne couldn't resist getting Marisol the bff onsie. We can't wait to meet her in June! 

♥ scored thrifting find (currently listening to Sounds of Silence on my record player)

via

♥ there's no place like home... and thanks to my sweet brother-in-law, twinkie's husband Philip surprised us with the best birthday gift! he bought me a plane ticket to come home so we can spend our 28th birthday together!!! it was all his planning and yesterday i got my flight confirmation for feb. 29th - march 10th. I can't wait!!! isn't her husband the greatest?!

♥ Grey's Anatomy is back on (it's the little things in life)

Happy Friday Lovies! what happy things are you ending the week with?

+please leave a link below if you do post-- i'd love to share in your happiness xo

Sharing Sundays... etsy purchases from smiling tree toys & soap much love.

i wanted to share two things i ordered off etsy as a thank-you gift for Christina for everything she has done for me so far (including being the mastermind behind the BEST SURPRISE family baby shower ever). She has definitely been my go-to in this first pregnancy. 

i loved the products so much, i had to share! {so many talented and kind artists out there}

Many of you who have been reading my blog know that my brother Marco and Christina met during his third year deployment in Iraq. I wanted to get my niece Marisol something that would remind her of her parent's beautiful love story. 

I was so excited when i came across this handmade wooden toy helicopter from Smiling Tree Toys (a wife+husband duo) with the option of personalizing it. My photos don't do the wood justice - it's beautifully made and perfect for Christina & Marco's daughter (i'll tell her how her daddy always loved helicopters since he was a little boy and later as a helicopter crew chief in Iraq, he met her mommy). 

I also included this ice cream cone soap from Soap Much Love as a cute inside joke we have with my family where we always say "ice cream cones" to each other as a way of saying "hearts" or "love you." 

I just love Ada's soaps! (in fact, i'm a returning customer after i purchased this cupcake soap for Kary's birthday last year) 

Putting together thank-you gifts are my favorite and i always find the best things from Etsy. What things have you purchased off Etsy and loved? do share with a link if you can (i'm always on the lookout for great etsy shops)

The babe with the power.

One of my favorite movies growing up was Labyrinth. My sisters and I watched Bowie in tights countless times, memorizing Sarah's lines. I remember we finally knew what the title meant after our Papa explained it to us.

Here's our favorite scene:

Even then, we were hopeless romantics and wanted Sarah to love the Goblin King (missing the point of the movie entirely).

My little sister Madeline lives in Austin and emailed Marianne and I about a local drive-in theater there that's showing our childhood favorite. They're also showing another one of our faves, Adventures in Babysitting! How I wish El Paso had something similar. I could even take my Felix girl on a date.

I can't wait to share the magical world Jim Henson created with my baby girl. 

Obviously, she'll need these for the occasion.

shirt by WittyBitty // Ludo fur goblin peludos sa 

obviously. ;)

*PS. please help wish my beautiful niece Marisol a Happy first Birthday on her Mama's blog! hearts xo

much needed family time.

MY PARENTS ARE HERE!!!

I'm so excited to have them and even better-- tomorrow we'll drive over to Phoenix to my brother Marco & Christina's house where we'll stay a week all together (twinkie & maddie will fly in on Wednesday). 

We can't wait to meet their beautiful baby girl Marisol, who I'm already so in love with! 

i'll post photos when i get back xoxo

happy things with which to end the week.

♥ celebrating birthdays are my favorite. gift for my crafty friend sarah (a reminder via one of her etsy favorites -i played detective- + a giftcard to help her do what she loves)

♥ my beautiful niece Marisol turned a month on the 4th - i love daily photos of this sweet beauty but even better than that? knowing that next week i'll finally get to meet her with my family in Phoenix!!! seriously, can't wait!!!

♥ lunch date with Molly (& Jennifer, not pictured) to finally see Magic Mike. Can't wait to share my own personal male stripper experience on the blog soon *wink

♥ woke up to this notification that i was tagged on facebook by my dear friend Carrie. i have the best girlfriends, hands down. 

♥ there's nothing that will melt my heart quicker than husband buying gifts for our little girl. He said you hardly see "Papa" (which is so true) and the Dale... She's Dale to his Chip. 

♥ speaking of that husband of mine, making me breakfast before i head off to work - it's the little things.

♥ 29 week + 2 days baby bump {hi felix!}

♥ i made "thank you" cupcakes to bring to work today on my LAST DAY. let the nesting begin! 

♥ the rain pouring outside this morning adds to the enjoyment of my morning coffee

Happy Friday Lovies! what happy things are you ending the week with?

+please leave a link below if you do post-- i'd love to share in your happiness xo

happy things with which to end the week.

♥ Hands down the happiest part of my past week was the birth of this beautiful little girl, my darling niece Marisol Luz Lechuga. Solie was born June 4th (same day as her Auntie Luisa's birthday!) and i can't get enough of her. She's my brother Marco and his girlfriend Christina's perfect baby girl and she's my favorite. I love that my daughter will be born only months apart from Solie because they are going to be bff cousins. :) *see more adorable photos on twinkie's happy list

♥Speaking of Solie's Mommy, look what she sent me! How did I ever live without the body pillow? now i don't even want to get out of bed. Thanks to my sis-in-law, i am adding this to the top of my pregnancy musts and i can't wait to do the belly bust. Most thoughtful/useful pregnancy gifts ever.

♥ A little pouch of celebration with instructions from Alyssa to throw in the air and dance, dance, dance!

♥ my friend Manny made me a Dexter inspired keychain

♥ A customer came into work with jewelry i fell in love with (i love religious pieces). I asked her where she got her bracelet because i wanted to buy one for myself and she told me her daughter made them-- even better for me, i love handmade! lovies, meet my new pieces of handmade jewelry (the top one is crochet with trinkets woven in) 

the front of my 2nd bracelet and below is what's on the reverse side

♥ i stayed up late last night baking these cookies as a little party favor to bring to my work baby shower. i can't wait to share a few instagrams later! i am overwhelmed with kindness. 

Happy Friday Lovies! what happy things are you ending the week with?

+please leave a link below if you do post-- i'd love to share in your happiness xo

What I got Husband For Father's Day.

Remember when i blogged about the Who's Your Daddy doll from Duke & June? Even though it may not officially be his first Father's Day, I told him I couldn't resist this being our daughter's first doll. 

(he's wearing the suit/tie from when we got married)

Mandi is amazing-- another one of those etsy sellers i wish i could hug. In fact, I loved how my custom order turned out, me and twinkie are surprising my brother with one of him for our niece Marisol.


+ on a related note, i pray Max is the kind of Papa mine continues to be. I reread this post from a few Father's Days past, and it hurt my heart bittersweetly.