a baby is coming....

Things have been busy over this-a-way lately.  I've been finishing up work projects, sewing projects, DIY projects, and hobby stuff.  Finn and I have been getting outside every chance we get, and it feels so good!  Landon and I have been working hard on a financial class we are taking, meaning tweaking our budget, cutting costs and being disciplined, and paying off our remaining loans as quickly as we can. (I can't wait to become debt-free!!!)  Some nights we both just want to veg in front of a movie because it seems like the days are so busy.  But life is good and we are just trying to soak up as much as we can...even if that means watching a movie every now and then. :)

So, about this baby deal.  It's not ours. :)  But my cousin and his gorgeous wife are expecting this fall!  We are so excited for them.  It's so weird (and awesome) to think that my big older cousin who used to rough house around with my other cousins and I is going to be a daddy!  They asked if I would take a few photos to help them document this exciting time, so we got to hang out one afternoon.  They are in a really exciting time not only because of the baby, but because my cousin is graduating with his Master's degree soon and there are new possibilities on the horizon for them.  His wife has been such an amazing gal as she has been working to support her hubby.  I am so excited to see where they will end up!

Anyway, here are a few photos I took of them.  I love getting to hang out with family any chance I get, and it was so fun to be a mini part of their exciting news.

mama style...plus an update...

Wednesdays are my busy days; Finn and I have the car and I go to Bible study then run errands, Finn takes one nap, and we pick up Landon after work.  I try not to look too frazzled on days like today, but it's hard sometimes.  Thankfully, I got some new earrings that really spruce up any look...like roll out of bed, throw my hair in a bun and slap on a little eye makeup look.  I'm getting better at accessorizing, because I'm terrible at it, and things like earrings really help.  I got them at Khol's on sale, plus a coupon...boosh.

This week has been crazy period.  Landon and I decided to stay in Indy for another year, then revisit that decision next year.  We have been contemplating moving out of state for awhile and see ourselves living somewhere else in the future.  However, with timing of a few things, we thought it best to stay a bit longer here and take this next year to really figure out what our future may look like afterwards.  So, we may be staying in our condo, or we might move within the city elsewhere, and these past few weeks have been figuring that out.  Basically, we're waiting on two people to get back with us before we know for sure.  And it's hard to wait.  I love to plan, and I want to know way ahead of time what the plan will be.

Since we may or may not be moving in the next month, and we are busy every weekend in February (best month of the year!!), I will not be posting as frequently...as you have seen already.  But, I'll try to stay in the loop!

November...

I can't believe how fast this year has gone by, and how it's November already!  These last two months of the year are always packed full of gatherings and things to do, which makes them so much fun.  Soon, we will be surrounded by family, enjoying homemade traditional dishes, and talking and laughing and joking with one another.

We are very excited for a week long trip with some of my family and Landon's whole family to the Poconos during Thanksgiving week.  It just seems right to be in a wooded, cool, mountainous area to celebrate with family during the fall.  We are anticipating a lot of hiking and possibly some snow.  Finn will be turning a year old that week, and I'm so thankful he will be surrounded by those who love him on his big day.

He is getting bigger every day it seems.  He is now crawling all over the place, pulling up, and today I let him stand alone and he lasted for a few seconds.  Walking is in the near future I feel.  He is also signing and communicating a lot more.  Oh, and eating like a 5 year old. Seriously, this kid can put away more than me at some meals.  Today for his snack, he ate an entire ripe banana, and a 1/2 cup of greek yogurt....for his snack.  I don't know where he's putting it all.

I started taking some yoga classes and they are intense!  I went last week and the hour and a half class nearly did me in.  And I thought I was flexible....
But it's a great class, very relaxing and challenging, and something I'd like to keep doing.

This time last year, I had all of my Christmas shopping done, wrapped, and put in bags.  I was anticipating Finn's arrival and wanted everything in place.  This year, I have exactly one gift purchased.   Oh well, we aren't doing very many this year, so it shouldn't be too bad.  Landon and I will probably make a date out of the shopping we have left.

Landon is still very busy at work.  He is also a great dad to Finn and gives him his bath every night.  I love listening to them during that time.  Guys' time for sure.  Landon's birthday is next week, and I got him something special this year...an experience!  I can't say yet in case he reads this, but I'm super excited to give it to him!

For now, we are enjoying this beautiful weather.  Landon made hot spiced cider last night and it really topped off the evening.  Hope your evenings are just as nice!

lately...

I am so sorry for not posting in any sort of pattern lately.  A baby on the way has definitely changed up a lot of things around here and I find myself prioritizing things differently.

I thought I'd give a quick update on how things are here in Indianapolis at the Rife household.

Landon continues to work hard at being a structural engineer.  He is so good and so hard working...I know his co-workers appreciate his calm and laid back personality in the office.  We have been praying about what the future holds regarding job and location, and we are looking into some different opportunities...ones that don't include Indiana.  But for right now, especially with the bambino, we are content with being close to family and having an amazing church family.

Speaking of church family, we have been amazed at how our relationships have exploded with the people in our church!  I have never been in a group of such genuine and amazing people who are so loving, and it has been such a blessing to get to know them better.  Landon and I are  now a part of the worship team at church on a regular basis...Landon plays guitar or bass, and I play the violin.  It's so wonderful.

I am working at home doing wedding photo editing and loving it!  The hours are perfect since I make them as I want, and I have an amazing boss who is kind, genuine, passionate, and so very talented.  I have loved getting to know her a whole heck of a lot better.

My belly is getting bigger every day and I can feel a ton of movement and body parts...it's pretty weird sometimes, but at least I know baby is doing ok!  Landon and I are taking a Bradley birthing class since we are opting for a non-medicated, natural birth and it has been helping so much!  I love researching and being informed, and this class has definitely done that for us.  Plus, it focuses on the husband as the coach during labor and birth, and Landon is showing real promise for being a superb coach for me!  He faithfully encourages me to do my exercises and relaxation, and eat well, and he is getting excited about being a dad.  I am not afraid of labor or birth, I am mentally preparing, and it is going to be awesome!  Yes, it will hurt a lot, but I'm learning to embrace the pain and welcome what my body is naturally created to do.  Isn't it amazing that women's bodies are fully equipped to grow and give birth to a baby?  I am constantly wowed by the way my body can adapt and handle this little one.

So, here are a few things lately....

My daily breakfast: homemade honey cinnamon oatmeal, homemade whole wheat toast with butter, and ice cold milk.  mmmmm...

via

My occasional guilty pleasure in the form of a salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks.

I can't believe I'm almost 8 months along!  It's going by fast.  The midwife told us baby is head down though!!  Woo hoo!

From our northern Michigan vacation

He's going to be a great dad. :)

goodbye soy cappuccino

i finally finished my little owl the other day.  i took a couple days break, then started on another creature...a whale this time.  i love learning embroidery.  i'm getting a good amount of projects done for my etsy shop.  my goal is to get one up and running by the end of this year.  i think it can happen and it makes me so happy.

we had fun spending the afternoon and evening with Landon's family yesterday here at our apartment.  we watched football, had good conversation, and ate some tasty food.  Landon and his dad are both die hard Cowboys fans, yes even this season, so it was awesome to watch the Cowboys win a great game and see Landon get so excited.  there's nothing like good football...i seriously love watching it, been watching ever since i was a little girl.  and since i understand the rules and the play of the game, it makes it even more enjoyable.

my plate is getting full of graphics projects, home projects, and christmas projects lately, but i am having so much fun.  if this is what i could do every day for a real job and stay at home making and creating, i'd be set.

today, Landon and i are going to sign up for a gym membership.  we've been talking about it, and went to look at one the other day.  it was a really great looking gym and they even offer free yoga classes which i really want to try.  we decided that we are going to stop going to Starbucks on coffee dates, and that will basically pay for our membership.  so goodbye my delicious drinks, hello healthy body.  it's really bittersweet for me. :)  but Landon said we can go out for Starbucks once a month, so really it's going to be fine.  we have been working on making healthier changes in our lifestyle, and this is just the next step.

have a great monday!

Love,
Leah

update

We are having a great September....I can't believe it's coming to an end this week.  But October has some great things in store as well.

My boss talked with me a couple days ago, and basically said they don't need me for 35 hours each week (which I had kind of gathered since I was working more like 20-25 hours.) She said they were probably going to make it more like 15-20 hours, and the schedule would revolve more around her work schedule since she's an ER pediatrician.  They said they'd love to keep me on, but understood if I wanted to find something with more money and hours.  So Landon and I talked about it, and I talked with my mom, and I prayed about it.  This actually came at a perfect time since I'm wanting to get an Etsy shop and freelance work going.  I decided to stay with the family and work less so that I could be free to do more graphic stuff.  I'm super excited, and I really feel good about the situation.

It's amazing how things work out, and how timing is so crucial.  I have been thinking about finding work with less hours, but I didn't want to say anything quite yet to my boss.  So the fact that she brought it up was just perfect!  God's timing is perfect.

We are getting really excited for next weekend.  It's our 1 year anniversary!!  We're getting our pictures taken by Imagination Photography and staying in a cabin at a cute Bed and Breakfast up in Goshen.  I don't think either of us have ever stayed at a B&B, so we're kind of pumped.  We'll probably check out some orchards and a diner, and just enjoy the fall colors up in northern Indiana which is absolutely gorgeous during the fall.  There are some great fruit hills and a winery nearby too!

So nothing much is going on now, we did errands yesterday, had brunch, went to a movie, and got Steak N' Shake at 10:30pm....I know, I know.  But today we got home from church and are just relaxing now and watching the Cowboys.  I finally lit my apple butter candle and it smells divine.  Maybe I'll put on some Iron & Wine and try making bagels later...found a sweet recipe and it looks like fun!

Enjoy your day my friends!

Love,

Leah

Update

Ah, September is finally here, and with it the realization that Fall is very close!  Today is a gorgeous day...no humidity and absolutely spectacular.  We are definitely looking forward to a nice relaxing Labor Day weekend and home.  I have no idea what we're going to do, but I like it that way.  Wide open...

Landon's work is going well.  He went on a golf outing with his office a few weeks back.  I think he had a lot of fun and he's getting to know the guys a lot better.  I think God put him with some really neat people...talkative, not talkative, weird, kind of different, but cool.  Sometime's I'll take Landon a coffee if I have time before work and it's fun to see him in his work environment.  He has the most neat and precisely kept desk I have ever seen.  Plus, he gets to work on some really cool towers.  One that he worked on a while ago was right on Mt. Hood in Oregon...haha, I looked at the aerial map and realized we had hiked right where the tower was when I lived in Oregon for a few months.  So funny.

My work is going a lot better.  These past few weeks I've been let off early, so I get to come home and spend the evening with Landon...so nice.  We've been trying to go on a long walk every night and it's been so great.  We talk the whole time and get to think about our future and big decisions coming up and just be together.

We have also joined a brand new small group for married couples through our church.  I am so excited about this group.  Everyone is awesome and we all really connect well.  Hopefully work won't interfere with me going because I really want some mature and encouraging relationships in my life here in Indy.

So we have been married for 11 months today!  I am so excited for our 1st anniversary.  God has been so good and faithful to us this past year.  I have been with my best friend and lover almost every day and we've been through some good times and some rough, but it's been amazing.  I can't wait to see what happens next year...some great things I think.

Today I feel so refreshed and blessed.  I realize that there is really nothing I can or should complain about.  God is totally in control and if I am having a rough time, He wants me to draw close to Him...He loves that time where I need Him so desperately.  I want to learn how to bear all things with grace.  I don't want to just live my life and take for granted God's love for me.  I have life, I have an amazing husband, I have family and friends, I have music, art, and beauty all around me, I have talents God wants me to use, I have a home, I have the ability to love...I have so much!

I hope you all have a wonderful day and a great start to this holiday weekend. Take a moment and just relax....don't rush or fret, just be still and drink in this day.

Love,
Leah