Two Years of Wedded Bliss

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Pictures by She Designs Photography
 
Happy Anniversary, Darren. Thank you for loving me just the way I am, making me laugh every day, and for giving me more than I could ever need. I'm so lucky to be your wife. I still can't believe I am the girl that gets to spend the rest of her life by your side!
 
Hannah

I Heart StickyGrams

Friday, May 24, 2013

Have you heard of StickyGram?! I stumbled across their site a couple weeks ago and couldn't resist giving it a try. So what is it? StickyGram turns your Instagram images into lovely little magnets. Each StickyGram is 50mm x 50mm which is approximately the same size as they appear on your iPhone. Stick them on your fridge, locker or any magnet loving surface. They are only $14.99 for a pack of 9 pictures and shipping is always free! My first pack just arrived yesterday and I am in love!
 
 
They are so stinkin' cute! I can't believe how clear they are too. They look just as good on the magnets as they do on my phone. The pictures I took don't really show how clear they are in person.
 
You NEED to try this... and I have a coupon code to share with you! Use the FRIENDMOLP to get $2 off your first purchase! StickyGrams are great for kids or teens, dads (Father's Day is coming up soon), and grandparents! Really anyone who puts pictures on their fridge will love them... I think that's probably 99% of America. By the way, this is not a sponsored post. I just really love StickyGrams.
 
Hannah

Things I'm Loving Thursday : Memorial Day Picnics

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Memorial Day weekend is upon us! That means picnics and BBQ season! Yippee! I love it! Here are some of my favorite picnic ideas for this weekend.

Hannah

Painted Birdhouse Makeover


Most of the projects that I do instantly inspire me the moment I see them. I'm a visionary like that. I can literally look at a piece of junk and know how I want to make it new again right away. This birdhouse... not so much. At first I thought it was the color that I didn't like, but maybe it was the vines that were wrapped around the bottom? Regardless, for reasons I can't be sure of, it didn't grab me and beg for a makeover at first like most of my projects do. It was my mom's and when she moved it went in the yard sale pile. As a joke, my father-in-law put it out in front of my house to see if I would notice (I'm a woman, so of course I noticed). I left it there out of pure laziness, but after awhile it started to grow on me and eventually it called my name.

Those of you that subscribe to HGTV Magazine may have noticed the coupons for free Valspar paint from Lowes that have been in the last two issues. When the hubs and I picked up our free paint we chose a bright coral. When we got home from the store... bazinga! It hit me! The birdhouse would be PERFECT in that shade! And the rest is history...


Don't. You. Just. LOVE. It?! I think it's totes adorbs and it was just the color pop that I needed in front of our otherwise neutral home exterior! So thanks, father-in-law. Your attempt to be annoying turned into something I now adore!

Hannah

My Infertility Journey : Recap & Diagnosis

Monday, May 20, 2013


Today's post will serve a couple of purposes. I would like to give a short summary of what has transpired over the past year for those of you that may not have read my blog from the beginnning. I also want to share what my diagnosis is and explain the details of what I am dealing with so that you will understand the process.

Exactly a year ago (May 2012), Darren and I decided we were ready to start trying to expand our family. To be honest, I was ready the day we said "I Do", but our comprimise was to wait until our 1 year wedding anniversary. We conceived fairly quickly... it was July which was only our third month of trying. We were obviously thrilled and immediately told our parents and siblings. It was all I could do not to tell EVERYONE I knew, but we had already agreed we would wait until the 2nd trimester "just in case" we were to miscarry. I never really imagined that would happen. We got our BFP (big fat positive) on August 8th. I was 5 1/2 weeks along. On August 11th the miscarriage began and on August 12th I lost my baby. I was exactly 6 weeks into the pregnancy.

Losing our baby was the hardest thing that both Darren and myself have ever went through. We held onto the hope that we would be able to conceive again quickly. My period came like the doctor predicted about 5 1/2 weeks after the miscarriage. The next cycle was longer though... it took 6 weeks to come. The next was even longer. I knew something was wrong, but my OBGYN just kept telling me to be patient, but after that month my cycles completely stopped. The doctor tested for thyroid issues, but that came back negative. She then prescribed medicine to induce a cycle and additional drugs to kick start ovulation. It didn't work. She said that she was highly doubtful that I had it, but thought she should test for PCOS just in case. PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Most women with this condition are overweight and have had irregular periods. I fit neither of those criteria, but she tested anyway. Meanwhile I went on another round of the same hormone drugs as the previous cycle.

When the results came back, they were somewhat inconclusive, but my OBGYN was leaning towards the belief that I did indeed have PCOS. A couple weeks later when we found out the second round of medicine didn't work we called a specialist. He was also doubtful that I had PCOS, but ordered an ultrasound to check my ovaries as confirmation. I was in Walmart (of all places) when the nurse called with the results and confirmed that I did indeed have the condition. In her words... "Your ovaries are covered with cysts".  Fabulous. So now what?

I'm sure you're thinking "Ok, so they can remove the cysts, right?". Nope. Not these kind. They are so tiny that they are impossible to remove. Basically what they are doing is keeping my eggs from maturing and being released (ovulation) which is what normal ovaries do each month. There are some medications that help fight the cysts and induce ovulation, but they don't always work for everyone. Clomid is one of these drugs, but unfortunately it didn't have an affect on me. This next cycle we will be trying Femara.

So goes my life! I never imagined that this would happen. The biggest dream I ever had was to be a mother and knowing that I may never be able to bear my own children is crushing. I am trying to remain hopeful, but when you are in the middle of something like this it's hard to rest assured that it's all going to work out fine. I am thankful that God has given me the grace that He has thus far. Without Him I don't know how I would have been able make it past what I have already been through. 

Darren and I appreciate all of your prayers! I know there are so many of you that are lifting our names up to God on a daily basis and I am so grateful for that. I want you all to know that I'm not writing any of this to gain pity, but rather so you can know how to pray and so you can gain some insight on what goes on with women who face infertility. I want to try to be a voice for the millions of ladies that face this horrible situation. Thanks for hanging in there with me! I can't wait until the day I get to announce that God has given us a baby! That may be a miracle that He performs in me or via the institution of adoption. Regardless, I can't wait to rejoice and I hope you'll be there to celebrate with me!
Hannah

Freebie Friday : Bahana Splits Boutique Giveaway

Thursday, May 16, 2013

It has been forever since we had a giveaway here at Lovely Little Life! Ok... it's really only been 3 weeks, but it seems like ages!

Enter below to win a pack of 25 Red & White Horizontal Stripe Treat Bags from Bahana Splits Boutique! These food safe bags are perfect for Memorial Day which is coming up next week. Use the for cookies & treats, as party invitation envelopes, or as favor bags. Oh, and how cute would it be to put sparklers in them for the kids to celebrate Memorial Day?! Actually, don't just give them to the kids... let the adults have some fun too! No one is too old for a sparkler.

Good luck and happy weekend!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hannah

Things I'm Loving Thursday : Leopard Fashion

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

I love leopard print in fashion! Leopard can be used as an accent, as a print, or believe it or not as a neutral. It's true! Leopard goes with anything! Here are some of the leopard looks I'm drooling over for Spring/Summer 2013.

Source

Hannah

DIY Chalkboard Menu

Tuesday, May 14, 2013


The moment I saw this wooden frame at Goodwill I knew what I wanted to do with it. It was the perfect chalkboard menu waiting to happen! I'm not sure what it was used for before I snatched it up... it is an odd shape to be a frame so maybe it was some sort of calendar holder. Here is what it looked like when I pulled it out of a pile of other "junky" treasures. 


As you can see it was rough. The backing had a hole in the middle of it so my husband had to cut a new piece of wood for that. We just bought a piece of thin birch wood from Lowe's that only cost about $4.00. The backing was stapled to the frame so to remove it we pulled out the staples with a screwdriver and then used our staple gun to attach the new board. We used chalkboard spray paint on the backing and gave it about 4 coats to make sure my chalkboard was nice and thick. We used regular spray paint on the frame. The hubby chose the avocado green and I love it! I was skeptical at first, but he was right on with that color. 


I love this piece because it's not only great as a menu, but also as a "to do" list, a grocery list, and as a place to write notes to each other. The total cost of this project was around $12. That includes the frame, the board for the backing, the chalkboard paint, and spray paint. My favorite things about this project is that it's an upcycle, it was cheap, and it was super easy to do. It doesn't get better than that!

Hannah

My Infertility Journey : Why I'm Talking

Monday, May 13, 2013


Where to begin?! So much has happened in the last few months. So many doctor's appointments, so many emotions, so many tears... this is why I have decided to start a "series" of sorts. These blog posts will probably be uncomfortable for most people. Society is so hush hush about this subject. I suppose it's because no one really wants to talk about something so painful. It is an extremely sad topic and believe me, I remember thinking to myself in the past "Oh, I feel so sorry for that lady who can't have a baby. That would be so horrible. I can't imagine not being able to have children." I never knew what to say to those women. That's why I think we need to talk about it. I think it is important for people to try to understand and be informed about this topic so that they will know what to say and how they can help someone who is trying to cope with infertility.

The second reason for these posts will be purely therapuetic for me. I need to talk about it. I don't want to be secretive about what I'm going through and I don't want to have to put on a brave face 100% of the time. I don't want to try to hide the fact that I'm hurting and I need all the prayer and support I can get. If you can handle it I would love for you to join me on my journey and be there to cheer me on! Moral support is so much more helpful than you can imagine.

I have already been so blessed to have some amazing women in my life that understand exactly what I am feeling. God has used them to help me stay strong throughout the past year. I am so thankful for them... you know who you are, ladies!

Don't worry, I won't overwhelm you with depressing "infertile myrtle" posts! Right now I plan to talk about it once a week. I still want this to be a happy, crafty blog so don't worry about it being all gloomy from here on out! Infertility is just something I am going through... it's not going to define my life or steal my joy. I would love to hear what you think about this new series of posts. If you have any questions or topics you would like to see please let me know! Tata for now!
 
Hannah

New Blog Design

Friday, May 10, 2013


Source

How amazing is this new blog design?! My insanely talented graphic designer is Kim at 733 Design and I think she did such a fabulous job! Thank you, Kim for being patient with me and for giving me exactly what I was looking for! Make sure you take a look around and explore all the new pages!

Hannah

Under Construction... be back soon!

Monday, May 6, 2013


Lovely Little Life is getting a design makeover and will be under construction this week. I will be back in a few days to reveal the new design. Tata for now!

Hannah

DIY Fabric Softener Dryer Balls

Thursday, May 2, 2013


I am a huge fan of anything that will save me money. Who isn't?! I'm always on the lookout on Pinterest of ways that I can do it myself or cut costs especially when it comes to household products. When I saw this idea on my favorite "make your own" website, One Good Thing by Jillee, I immediately knew I had to make them! Without further ado let me tell you how you can save time, money, and electricity all at once by making your own fabric softener dryer balls!

According to Jillee, when you use dryer balls it can entirely eliminate the need for fabric softener as well as cut your drying time in half. As if that wasn't enough they can last for 7+ years, reduce static cling, and are 100% chemical free! Now that I've tried it I can tell you that Jillee wasn't kidding. These things are phenomenal!

Check out Jillee's tutorial HERE for instructions on how to construct your dryer balls. It is so easy to do! The only thing you need to purchase is a skein of 100% wool yarn. This can be found at any craft store. Also if you want to add a little scent to them just drop a bit of essential oil on them. I used Lavender oil from Fabulous Frannie on Etsy. 

Have fun saving tons of money! You're welcome.  :)


Things I'm Loving Thursday : DIY Mother's Day Gifts

 
What sweeter way to say thank you to Mom than with a handmade gift on Mother's Day? Here are some of my favorite DIY gift ideas to celebrate that special lady on her day.
 

DIY Cosmetic Bag
 DIY Beeswax Candles
 DIY Coasters







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