Goodbye, 2017

To celebrate the coming year, I've rounded up my top 10 moments of 2017... Are you ready m'dears?! Buckle up, here we go in chronological order...

ONE... THE HUBS' BIRTHDAY! Hosting 21 friends and family members in our tiny house for the Hubs' belated golden birthday dinner. And don't forget Julia Child's beef bourguignon and Momofuku Milk Bar's Birthday Layer Cake both from scratch!

TWO... JAPAN! Our adventure included the southern islands, Kyoto and Tokyo to boot! Eeek! This little country truly stole our hearts. I promise a write up for Kyoto and Tokyo is in the works.   

THREE... PORTLAND! I gushed about our Portland weekend here, need I say more?!

FOUR... INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTON! Easily our top meal of the year. The price is steep but every morsel pure genius! Perfect for a special occasion like celebrating turning 32. 

FIVE... WE'RE HAVING A BABY! Can you believe it?! This spring we're expecting our first baby and we couldn't be more thrilled!! Get the back story here... 

SIX... WESTPORT! Our annual pilgrimage to the Hubs' family's cottage is always a highlight. Does anything beat lobster and the beach? Especially when pregnant?!

SEVEN... GRAY MALIN! Pinch me! Can you believe our baby's first celebrity was Gray Malin?! The Hubs and I have adored Gray's work for years so getting to meet him almost made me faint.

EIGHT... MEAN GIRLS, THE MUSICAL! Tina Fey's latest work is pure magic, truly a must see!

NINE... IT'S A BOY! Finding out we're having a little dude has us dreaming of all things boy. We're almost ready for the room reveal but here's a sneak peek...

TEN... CHRISTMAS IN MONTANA! This year being home for the holidays was extra special. For the first time in nearly a decade all the cousins were reunited which now includes spouses and kids too. Family time is just what the doctor ordered!

Now... who's ready for 2018?!

Weekend Musings

EATING // Constantly. My appetite is something to reckon with these days. I really need to start keeping healthy snacks on hand, otherwise the potato chips and cookies I've been eating are sure to instigate more heart burn.

HOME*WORK // We're diligently continuing to make progress on Baby Fenn's nursery. With everything but the crib ordered or in hand, we have a good start and just need to finish painting (hopefully this weekend) and get the ceiling light fixture hung - waaahooo! Can't wait to post photos, so keep it here!

CRUSHING ON // All things Christmas. Maybe it's the hormones but I am all about the holidays this year. Our tree and wreath were up the day after Thanksgiving, too soon?! With Christmas tunes constantly blaring nonstop, I do hope the Hubs doesn't tire and follows my enthusiasm.

READING // After taking a walk down memory lane with Katy Tur's Unbelievable about the Trump campaign, I was ready for something a little more fun. I've picked up Megan Miranda's All the Missing Girls and although it was initially off to a slow start, it has quickly become quite the page turner. So what should I read next? Please send me your recs ASAP, dear readers!

THANKFUL FOR // Big Little Lies... Season TWO! Eeek! I'm happy to hear HBO will again be heavily relying on the book's smart writer Liane Moriarty. Reese and Nicole have confirmed their return as well - thank GAHD! Who's ready for the return of big houses, clothes to envy and glam?! I know I am!

THINKING ABOUT // Tomorrow I'm officially 24 weeks pregnant, which means our boy is at least the size of a cantaloupe! Can you believe it?! Baby Fenn is growing fast, big and strong AND continues to be ahead of schedule in the 77th percentile. I hope he remembers his mommy is quite small...!!!

WATCHING // The Crown on Netflix. My goodness, could timing be better for a new season of this beautifully layered show with the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement?! Such excitement for ALL the Brits, my English roots are celebrating!

WEARING // These suede platform slip-ons from Vince on repeat. Preggers swelling is for real and my feet need these sneakers to keep happy. Thankfully they're quite cute and remind me of the Spice Girls but are a bit more muted. Is it time for you to snag a pair and "SPICE UP YOUR LIFE"?! Obviously... duh!!

Holiday Gift Guide 2017

Can you believe it's already the holidays? Here's a few things to ponder for (almost) everyone on your list...

POLAROID CAMERA for the tween or the paparazzi. // BULB WREATH for the holiday crazed. // QUIP ELECTRONIC TOOTHBRUSH for the electronics lover or hygiene obsessed. // MENU BOTTLE GRINDERS for the home chef. // THE FUTURE IS FEMALE POUCH for the Boss B*TCH. // FRESHLY PICKED MOCCASINS for the expecting. // PATRICIA GREENE POMPOM SLIPPERS for the girl who deserves a little pampering. // PENCO PENCIL for the paper pusher. // BRASS MATCH STRIKER for hostess for the mostest. // NEON LEASH for the pooch lover.