0 Planning My Office Space {inspiration board & the 'before'}

Back in May, I shared these plans for Bekah's room. At the time, I was a little over 7 months pregnant. I had no idea how we'd actually use her room. Would we play in there a lot? Would we use the guest bed much? We made some plans and put a bunch of them in place. Bekah is 7 months old now (it's hard to believe!) and we've learned a lot about that space. We put a twin guest bed in there around the time she was born, but we barely used it after the first couple weeks.

A few weeks ago, Luke mentioned that, for not being used much, the guest bed was taking up a lot of space. He got the wheels in my head spinning when he suggested that we turn that space into an office for me instead. I had some funny emotional connection to having a guest bed in our apartment, but once I moved on from that, I was excited! The bed is moved out now (thanks Mom and Dad!) and the space is ready to turn into something pretty and practical.

You can see in the picture that there's a lot of clutter right now. I think some of the possible updates, like putting a kallax shelf on the left wall, will solve that. The desk will probably stay in that spot, and the remaining space, that is currently filled with stuff, will become a pretty area for storage and play time. Want to take a look at my inspiration board for my new office? Here you go!


1. This picture is a big inspiration! I love how fun and creative the office space is, but the white and blue keep it so peaceful and happy feeling. Source
2. I saw this acrylic magazine holder at Target the other day. I like acrylic and glass pieces because they don't take up a lot of visual space... they just have a nice airy feel. Source (Target online doesn't seem to have these - but I found them in store in the office accessories section)
3. This picture melts my heart. I want this to be a baby friendly space where Bekah and I can play together, as well as a space where I can get some work done. Also, aren't those colors pretty? Source
4. This photograph is beautiful, peaceful, soft, and refreshing. Those are such inspiring words for creating a new space. Source 
5. Oh these colors. They are my favorites. Source
6. Infarrantly Creative did the coolest tutorial on making a huge cork board out of IKEA placemats. I don't think I'll do this exact project, but I'm definitely inspired and might pick up a few cork placemats on our next IKEA trip. Source

The budget for my office makeover is $100. Thanks to my very sweet husband for setting aside that money as a gift to me. We have a few of the pieces already and I'm excited to repurpose those things. I think I'll tackle the office part of this makeover first, then work on adding some finishing touches to make it a good play area. So how do I plan to use the $100?

Desk: $0 free from my parents - It was my mom's desk growing up - I plan to refinish it
Lamp: $0 thrifted last summer for around $2
Lamp Shade: $10?
Kallax Shelving: $65 Source - These shelves would be great storage for Bekah stuff and my stuff
Chair: $0 found last summer after it was thrown away, it needs a little work (pictured above)
Acrylic Magazine Bin: $9
Planner: $8 Source - I like this planner so far!
Something to make the chair comfier:  $3 maybe a blanket or little quilt

Estimated Total: about $95 (the extra five dollars might be used for ice cream)

I'm really excited to get working on this project. First up is painting the desk. How do you like to plan for projects? I love gathering inspiration from pinterest, making a budget, and thinking of things I already own that can be repurposed. Hope you're having a great start to the week!

Love,
Bonnie

p.s. The exercise is still going well! If you missed the post where I shared about the health journey I've been on lately, you can read that here. I'd love to hear your story, too. I'll have an update on week two up in the new couple days. 

Detail: Planning My Office Space {inspiration board & the 'before'}

0 Remember to Have Fun {getting rid of worry}

Luke and I were in the living room yesterday afternoon, just talking after a tough morning. I felt like I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed - feeling discouraged, yucky, sad, and like I was dragging my feet everywhere I went. If I can be honest with you, those mornings aren't exactly rare. So there I was, lounging in our comfy tan rocker and Luke stood a few feet across from me by the corner of the couch.

I said something like, "I never expected that it would be this hard to deal with change." It felt good to say it - like I had narrowed down and organized all five hundred little thoughts flying around in my brain. Being a momma is an amazing thing and it has a funny way of showing me what I struggle with. Learning to be flexible and calm in the midst of change is one for me.

I don't say this to be hard on myself, instead I share it to help myself and anyone else who struggles with this to take a big step into freedom. I am an over-thinker. Honestly, sometimes just trying to decide if I should change Bekah one more time before bed stresses me out. I allow myself to overthink this decision and that decision, fully confident that any little choice I make will encourage a bad habit in her or something silly like that. I guess when I say "I am an over thinker".... it's really my way of confessing that I've been allowing myself to worry way. too. much. It comes from fear.

"When I am afraid I will trust in you" - Psalm 56:3

"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" - Matthew 11:28

So yesterday afternoon I needed to make a change in the way I had been thinking. I decided that it's time for me to stop worrying so much about making a mistake. I think there is a place that is full of grace where we just realize that we are humans and we are going to mess things up sometimes. That despite our best efforts, we will never be perfect moms or perfect students or perfect friends. Praise God for the grace that comes through Jesus Christ. We don't need to be perfect and we don't need to worry.

Then another little flower of hope popped up in my soul. It was this reminder...

Remember to have fun. Embrace the messiness 

and the silliness and the unpredictable-ness of life right now and have fun.

I've been encouraging this simple reminder to run through my heart over and over and over again today. It sounds so simple but for me it runs so deep. By choosing to have fun, I'm taking a stand against that very human part of me that wants to worry my life away.

Have you been feeling the weight of worry lately? There's freedom in giving your fears and overthinking-thoughts to Jesus.

Love you friends! And remember to have some fun today. :)

Bonnie

Detail: Remember to Have Fun {getting rid of worry}

0 Choosing Bekah's Costume

Since before I can even remember, I have been excited for the day to come when I would have a baby to plan a trick-or-treat costume for. Babies are cute all by themselves, but trick or treat costumes just add to the cuteness. I'm happy to report, the day is finally here! It's time to plan Bekah's trick or treat costume.

We live in a building that has a ton of sweet families and really wonderful kids. This is the second year in a row that we're having trick-or-treat in the building. Of course, Bekah is way too young to eat candy... or walk door to door... or know what trick-or-treat is... but we'll still be hanging out as a family and passing out candy to all the trick-or-treaters.

I decided to do a few drawings of Bekah in different costumes to help me decide what I should make for her this year. And today, I'm sharing them with you... so now you've got to help me decide. :)

Here's option #1...

And option #2... (the kids I babysit helped me pick this one - they thought her reddish-orange hair made this one a good choice)...

Finally, option #3... (and maybe the silliest of them all...)

Luke works for Texas Roadhouse so it would be really cute to give Bekah a mini version of his uniform. He's cute, she's cute... seems like a good fit to me! Now I want to hear from you, which costume would you pick? And just because I love hearing these stories, what was the best trick-or-treat costume you had growing up?

Thanks for enjoying cute stuff with me! :)

Love,
Bonnie

**Today's post is the second in my fall welcome week series. I'm joining with Jenna and a bunch of other bloggers as we share our 1st week of fall posts. You can read more about it by clicking here, if you'd like!

Detail: Choosing Bekah's Costume

0 Window Shopping {fall as a new momma}

In just a few days, Luke's college classes will start again and we'll officially be finished with summer vacation. I guess it's a little bittersweet - summer has been so, so good but, man, do I love fall!  I did a little bit of window shopping online and made a collage from my finds. Take a look!

1. I love this pretty gray dress from Ruche. This seems like such a good closet staple and comfy for new-mom life.
2. SheReadsTruth is an amazing online/phone app Bible Study program. I've been thinking about ordering one of their study packs sometime in the future. They're so pretty, too!
3. I was all about converse in high school and still wear a pair (with cats on them) every so often. I love the clean, classic look of white Chuck Taylors.
4. This print from 1canoe2 is so fun and perfect for fall.
5. Yesterday I went to Ikea for the very first time and loved it! Luke said I like it so much because it's like a real life Pinterest. I totally get what he means. I love this bright white vanity table we saw in store.
6. This piano play mat and gym from Fisher Price would be so fun for Bekah! I wonder how she would react to the music that all her little kicks would make?
7. This teething necklace from MagazinIL on Etsy is really lovely. Pretty, safe for baby, and helpful in the future teething months - sounds good to me!
8. This honeycomb bracelet from Modcloth reminds me of my Bekah. We called her "baby B" before we knew her gender at 20 weeks (we plan to name our first boy Ben). Since then, bumble bees have become a theme with a lot of her things and I like calling her "little honey".
9. I've been doing some research on exercise bands and I like the Nike Fuelband a lot. So much so that I suggested it as my birthday gift! Do you have a fuel band or a similar bracelet? Is there a different one you would recommend?

I hope you have a great start to the weekend! Have you been window shopping lately? Share some of your favorite finds with me!

Love,
Bonnie

a little word of encouragement for the weekend ahead

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Detail: Window Shopping {fall as a new momma}

0 Momma-hood: What I'm Learning {7 Weeks}

I'm pretty sure that ever since I was three years old and had a new baby brother, I've believed that I was made to be a mom. I've always been very nurturing and dreamt about raising a family. I saw a gift that God gave me in caring for people and I felt so good about that gift. 

Back in October, those life-long dreams of momma-hood were realized when early one morning, I stood in our tiny little apartment bathroom and saw the double positive lines on my pregnancy test. I really enjoyed being pregnant. I loved watching my belly grow and adored hearing Bekah's beautiful and strong heart beat at our monthly appointments. Luke and I loved dreaming about the sweet baby growing inside of me and we loved thanking God for this amazing gift of life.

Then on June 9th, I got to hold my little girl in my arms for the very first time. It was almost like we had been friends for a long, long time rather than two strangers meeting for the first time. She's my girl and I'm her momma and I am crazy about her. She brings out the best in me - helping me give up so much of my selfishness so I can be the mom God made me to be.

I want to be honest and share with you that I was in for a big, big shock in the first few weeks of motherhood. It was really hard. There was a tiredness in those first weeks that just can not be compared to anything else I've experienced. I think moms are often tempted to be too hard on themselves, believing they aren't doing enough. Those thoughts come really early. At times, I didn't handle all of the difficulties very well. I cried a lot. I felt so frustrated with myself and in moments I felt pretty hopeless. Everything was so new and different and I didn't know if I was handling the changes well.  

It was the funniest thing, because I felt all of that confusion at the same time that I was feeling unconditional, sweet, and total love for my girl. That's parenting, I guess. Those first weeks were hard mixed with wonderful. And there are still moments that are really tough - moments that cause me to whimper desperate prayers to God.

One night early this week, Luke was at work and I was home with Bekah. I am so thankful that I get to be a stay at home mom, but I was pretty tired and we had just hit the time that tends to be her fussy time. I just could not figure out what was wrong and I prayed out of sheer desperation that God would give me some insight into how to soothe her. I wondered if I was causing her pain in some way or if there was some need I was totally missing. So I just asked God for help. I don't know what kind of help I was expecting, maybe an audible answer or some kind of sense for what to do. A little time passed and Bekah and I were sitting on the couch, some extra burping helped her fall right asleep. There really wasn't a clear answer I heard from God that night and I wasn't sure what to think about that. I just felt so desperate and I knew He cared - so why didn't He respond in the way I wanted him to?

The next day, my friend Kelly came over to help me figure out a new furniture arrangement for the living room. We actually ended up just putting the room back exactly the way it was (and by "we" I mean Luke - he is so nice!) but God used our get together for so much good. Kelly stayed for a little while and talked with Luke and I. Kelly is also a new mom, and a dear friend to me. I can't stop thanking God for that afternoon, because during our short talk my heart was totally refreshed. It was a simple conversation about life as a new mom and sleep schedules - but it was like God ordered the whole thing to encourage me where I desperately needed encouragement. Kelly shared little things she had learned or heard from her mom-friends. It felt like each piece of wisdom checked off a box on my list of solutions that I needed. I received some great insight about making it through that fussy hour and how to help her (and us!) develop good sleep patterns. Last night Bekah slept six and a half hours total in her crib without us having to stay up for hours upon hours soothing her. That was a record and huge victory for our little family!

I shared all of this with you for a couple reasons. First, because it was really good for my heart to work through those first weeks. Whew! Weight lifted. ;) I also shared this because God taught me a really meaningful lesson this week. I asked God for wisdom and He gave it to me - but in a much better way than I could have anticipated. He used my friendship with Kelly to give me insight into the best ways to help my daughter. With this method came the added bonus of something I really needed, quality time with a good friend. 

God is so good and creative and passionate about getting us to work together. He orchestrated my need and Kelly's abundance and together we figured out some really tough stuff! You know, before Kelly came over that day, I wondered if I should feel badly that I couldn't figure out my own living room arrangement. Looking back, I realize what a shame it would have been if I gave into my pride and self-reliance and missed out on that time with Kelly and our conversation. 

So today I am enormously thankful. Thankful to be a momma. Thankful for a good living room set up ;). Thankful for my friendship with Kelly. And thankful that God cares so deeply for me that He hears my prayers, orchestrates the very best way to answer them, and teaches me through them.

How has God used relationships to answer your prayers?

Love,
Bonnie

Detail: Momma-hood: What I'm Learning {7 Weeks}