Maternity Photos

Had a fun maternity photoshoot with the talented LeeYen of LobLee Photography. We feel so blessed to have beautiful photos to remember this special time when our little one is growing in my belly. These photos were taken a few weeks ago and now that I'm 39 weeks along I feel like my belly looks so small here! We are ready for baby to show up any time, though I have a feeling he will take after his mom and decide to be fashionably late.

Christmas in California

 

Our trip to California was beautiful and filled with family. We danced at weddings, ate at our favorite restaurants, watched old Christmas movies, opened presents, took naps and spent time with old friends. It was everything you could want out of a Christmas vacation.

I've been having fun playing with Instagram on my new phone. These are some shots of California on the Newport Ferry, the Newport Pier and a trip to Crumbs Bake Shop in LA with some girlfriends.

We're back in Hawaii now (after a couple of airline fiascos). I am doing graphic design from home now and obsessively nesting around the house. Tyler is going to school and working, but we are enjoying the time we have for breakfast together each morning before he runs off for the day. 

Our baby is due in a little more than 3 weeks. We are trying to enjoy these last moments with just the two of us, but can't help but be excited to welcome our 3rd family member!

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

 (SleepyDreamer Tote Bag Designs)

I have one more week left until I finish my reliable full time job. Since we're going to California for a few weeks, the baby comes shortly after our return and then we move to the mainland 4 months later, quitting made sense. It also didn't make any sense at all since my job is currently the sole source of income for our growing family while Tyler goes to school.

I've been pondering this upcoming change a lot lately. One day I feel extreme excitement for a future full of motherhood and my own creative pursuits and the next day I’m absorbed with fear that my family may starve to death.

That’s why the saying “Necessity is the Mother of Invention” has been my mantra lately. I think Tyler and I are pretty smart people (at least Tyler is) and I know we can use our skills to make something work for us. But what are my skills? Definitely a passion for creativity (is that a skill?), as well as graphic and accessory design. I’m excited to spend the month or so before the baby arrives working on my business and growing my brand full time. Maybe even having a few accessory designs of mine manufactured? (see above designs)

I have a lot to learn about being a business owner and even more to learn about being a mother. Everything is new a scary and the future is unknown. However, I feel that with the combination of our faith and determination to make it work, things will turn out for the best. I’m sure there will be many road blocks along the way, but nothing we can’t handle....right? Gulp.

Here is an encouraging articles on diving into a business and making it work.

Below are some sketches from my little journal. Also check out my Pinterest for some cool accessory inspiration!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This video is from our beautiful Thanksgiving last year. I especially enjoy the shot of Tyler at the very end. We are blessed to have friends as talented as Nate & Katie of Kinfolk Magazine and Jane & Conor of Jane Reaction, who coordinated and decorated the event. The beautiful video was created by Spencer of Kylie & Spencer at The Flybird. I am grateful for talented friends who inspire me to pursue my creative dreams.

This Thanksgiving will be a little less fancy, but we did cook our turkey wrapped in tea leaves in the imu at the farm behind our house. I can't wait to eat it with a few good friends during our Thanksgiving celebration today.

Today, I give thanks for:
- My handsome husband who works so hard, yet still makes time to be silly with me.
- Our little baby boy on the way who loves to kick all the time!
- Living in beautiful Hawaii near so many great people from all over the world.
- Our plans to go home for Christmas and see our family! (ridiculously excited for this one)
- Being the author of my future and the many possibilities it holds.

What are you thankful for?

...and we're back!

Hey World,

So you may or may not have noticed that I've been m.i.a. in the blogosphere lately and I have two completely valid excuses for that:

1) I didn't feel like it.
2) I'm pregnant.

So I feel pretty good about those reasons. Hope you didn't miss me too much. And if you didn't already know I was pregnant then...SURPRISE! Also, its a boy. He's going to be awesome! We are now accepting name suggestions (that aren't ridiculous like Buckminster or something).

Otherwise, life has been the same as usual. I finished teaching the fashion design class which was a blast. I'll post about that later. Tyler is busier than ever with school, working in the athletic training room and now volunteering at the local hospital. Does this man ever slow down? He also turned in his first round of applications for med school and responses are slowly trickling in from each school as to whether or not they are interested in having him submit his secondary application. Fingers crossed!

I've been busy too; working in the BYU-Hawaii University Communications department full-time, working on my etsy shop and graphic design biz at night and also growing a baby. Most of the time though I'm day dreaming about the baby and who he'll look and act like and then forgetting what I'm supposed to be doing or why I walked in the other room.

I'm not going to make any grand promises that I will update this blog everyday, but I will try to make more frequent appearances to update you on baby news, SleepyDreamer news and life in Hawaii.

Fashion Design Class

I'm so excited to announce that I will be teaching a Fashion Design class starting next Wednesday, June 15.

I will share my experience in fashion design in the action sports industry where I worked previously as a men's and women's accessory designer for La Jolla Group.

Students will learn the process of taking your designs from trend concept to actual design to physical product within each season. Students will choose their favorite brand (or create their own) and design a small line of clothing/accessories. In the process we will learn all the terms and other important details. We will touch on other aspects of the action sports industry including graphic design, sales, marketing and production and what steps you need to take to get jobs like these.

This class is great for high school ages and up. No experience necessary.

Four weeks long. Wednesday nights from 6-9 PM at BYU-Hawaii in Laie. Contact Educational Outreach for details.

Mahalo!

Memorial Day Picnic

Hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Day weekend! Tyler and I enjoyed a picnic by Kawela Bay. We're trying to explore new beaches every week.