in love with those socks!

All images from bobochoses.com

This week has been filled with emotions from both ends of the spectrum for me.
Today marks the second anniversary of the birth and death of our second son, our little boy Ben, who was born when I was 23 weeks pregnant. In the weeks leading up to today I felt a little anxious about this day because I never know how I'll feel. But then today arrived and really it hasn't been bad at all. Aside from feeling incredibly sad for having lost him, on this day I mostly feel blessed for having had him in our lives for 23 whole weeks and in our hearts forever after. Our family is also so sweet and never forget to call us or send a post card, which we appreciate immensely.

photo courtesy of Ellebellecreative

Love him!

Now that spring has arrived, so has the wedding season. We've got a couple of weddings coming up in May -don't you love going to weddings?- so I'm in full swing wedding mode at the moment. I've liked weddings even more since my husband and I tied the knot almost two years ago in what has got to be one of my favorite days of all time. We had a backyard wedding in August with about 100 people attending and we have such fond memories of that day. It has left me with a soft spot for outdoor weddings and to this day I love looking at wedding sites and inspiration boards.
Here are some pictures that leave me inspired and wishing I could get married (to the same guy of course...) all over again every year.

We are still working on the nursery, although it is mainly decoration by now, and I think I've found just the thing I want to add the finishing touch. It is Inke's wallpaper tree and birds:

Notice that bird at the bottom of the tree? Here's a close-up:

It has been a little more than a year since we moved into our new home, and though we love it, I can't claim it to be anywhere near finished. All the major things (new bathroom, new kitchen etcetera) were done right when we moved in, but the part that makes a new house a home, i.e. the decorating bit, is still a work in progress. So far, I had been looking to magazines for inspiration, but since hiking up my blogging frequency, I've found a wealth of inspiration on other people's blogs as well.
My latest find is one that has particularly inspired me. It is Sherry and John Petersik's blog Young House Love.

The blog is dedicated to the first house they bought and fixed up together. And boy did they fix it up! You really shoudn't miss their house tour, which is full of before and after shots that will leave you inspired and amazed. I especially love it because they used furniture and accessories that are available to and affordable for most, as opposed to buying only expensive design items. And have a look at this photo, isn't that just the most adorable house? Makes me wanna pack up my things and move to Virginia! Are you the fixer-upper type or do you prefer a turn-key home?

Tomorrow, after five years of sleeping in our double bed, we are upgrading to a King Size. Turns out the double bed was fine for the early stages of courtship, but as our family expanded, we've been getting a little cramped. Cosy, but cramped. So I am absolutely thrilled about this new arrival and have been thinking about what other pieces in our bedroom could use an upgrade. I already got new night lights, and I can't wait to add a touch of paint to the wall directly behind the bed, which is currently a warm, dark gray. I'll hold off on the painting part until the new bed is in place, though, so I don't mismatch the colors. I also found these wall graphics online that I really like:

Now that I'm getting bigger and bigger (see my Whale post), it is becoming quite the challenge to continue to dress nicely. I'm constantly looking for great maternity wear, even in the final two months of pregnancy. (Whoever said you can wear the same maternity clothes all through your pregnancy is wrong! This is only true if you belong to the lucky few who only add the pregnancy pounds to their bellies and boobies.)
Luckily, all the major brands have been debuting their spring and summer collections, so there is plenty to choose from. I really like these pieces from Fragile, a small Belgian brand that creates high quality maternity clothing.

They usually feature dreamy, ultra-feminine looks that are really gorgeous, but these are great as well. I think the hippie pregnant girl look is very cute, and love the bell-bottom jeans paired with those heels. I have to be honest here and say I've not worn heels for about four months now, but seeing this look, maybe I'll give it another go! What do you like to wear when you're pregnant?

Note: Pictures taken from Fragile

I just couldn't keep these images to myself! This is exactly what my perfect spring/summer scene looks like.

You know how you can be drawn to the same things over and over while shopping for your home? Even when looking for something completely unrelated? This is what happens to me with trays (and lanterns. And to be completely honest here, with throws too). I might be looking for new knives or mugs or chairs or even a soap dish for the bathroom, when I spot a good tray, I have to have it.
The thing about trays: they are so versatile! You can use them to get your food things from the kitchen to the dining room, which is probably what their original purpose in life is (though not what I mostly use them for). However, just as easily they convert into decorative little tables (when placed on a stool) and gorgeous gathering places for candles/rocks/picture frames/memorabilia. The really nice ones even do well by themselves. I especially love trays with an ethnic look. Most of the time I find those in smaller stores that import their things from Asia or Africa, but these two I came across at Crate and Barrel:

I wonder what the Mr. would have to say about me bringing home some more trays...

I got them from popje.co.uk and their entire site is filled with adorableness like this. Aside from birth announcements, they also make greeting cards and wedding announcements, and you can even have them make you a unique design. My birth announcements quest is far from over, but I'll be keeping these in mind!