House Hunter's International

If you weren't already aware, my husband, boys and I are going to be on House Hunter's International on HGTV.  I wasn't sure if I should share the time and date of the show with everyone because honestly, I am embarrassed.  I know that it is television and they can make you out to look however they want to.  But when it comes down to it, my family and my friends know me and know who I am.  I guess it worries me a bit because most of the people I have met online through this lovely world of blogging, don't know me.  And if they don't know me personally and I am portrayed a certain way, it could be easy to believe it.

Yes, I got my makeup professionally done. My cousin happens to own a makeup company. It pays to know people!

So I am here today to set a few things straight.  I just wanted to clear the air just in case there are a few things misinterpreted through television.  Hopefully this will all be for nothing and I won't look like a crazy woman on the show, but you know, just in case.

For one, I do not run my husband.  I don't think there is an ounce in my body that could manipulate that man even if I wanted to.  Don't get me wrong, he loves me and respects me and my opinions, and we make most of our decisions together.  However he is the ultimate authority in our house and I like it that way.

Filming me talking to Lavar on Skype.

Second of all, sorry House Hunters, but I have to clear the air.  My husband NEVER travels with the boys by himself.  That is me every time.  The reason I feel the need to clear this one up is not because I want to make my husband look like he does nothing, he works very hard for our family.  But because it is hard to travel internationally by myself with two kids.  So I think I deserve credit for that! Can I get an amen??  And I have a slight feeling the show might make me look like I stay in the states to go shopping while my husband takes the kids overseas.  I cannot tell you how far that is from the truth.

I was asked to add a little drama to the show by emphasizing, we'll say, whether or not I could live in France.  If you know me and my family, you know the truth there.  I have lived here for 3 1/2 years now over a 5 year period and I think I'm okay.

The film crew was awesome, I had so much fun with them in LA and in France. 

Okay, I think that is about it.  The hardest part about all this, I can't watch the show when it airs!  I have to wait until it is sent to me on DVD.  So I will be relying on Twitter, Facebook, and e-mails to see how much of a dork I look like!

Oh, did you want to know when it airs?  If you follow us on Facebook (which you should), you already know.  If not.... fine I'll tell.  It's...

Tonight 7:30 & 10:30 PST on HGTV

I would love to know if you get a chance to tune in!  And if you do and I do look like a dork, just know it's not all true.  Actually, I am a total dork in real life, so that might be true, just not some other stuff.

Yikes, it's here!!

Avoiding Maternity Clothes

So my main clothing concern in the first trimester was being comfortable. I don't know why, but I can't stand anything heavy or tight when I am newly pregnant. I know it's weird since I was not showing yet so everything should feel the same, but it didn't. Tight clothes made me more nauseous :) The second clothing concern I had was coming up with  outfits from my "non maternity" closet. I will be honest, I feel much cuter while pregnant if I can rework my own closet instead of wearing maternity clothes. I do have a couple items that I love, (like my True Religion Maternity Jeans) but other than that I am pretty comfortable wearing my normal clothes.

So here I have a couple outfits that I wore in my first trimester (very early on) that I am confident I will be wearing again in my third trimester. I will make sure I get pics just to prove I am not full of crap!

I love this combination of an elastic waist skirt, long top (I will be switching out this particular top for a longer tank) and a cropped cardigan. This will transfer to the summer easily AND it will fit me no matter how large I get!

Cardigan- Anthropologie, Top- Kohls, Skirt- Ruche, Legging and Leg Warmers- Kohls, Boots- Steve Madden

I love me some long dresses! Nothing and I mean NOTHING is as easy to make work for maternity like a nice, long, stretchy dress! I also am LOVING cropped tops right now for layering. Best part? My stomach will not stretch the top out! 

Dress- Target, Cropped Top- Anthropologie, Sandals- Steve Madden, Necklace- Gift

What do you like to wear while pregnant? Or if you have never been pregnant, do you like the look of maternity clothes? Would love to hear your thoughts! XOXO Christie

And so I am in California...

And I thought I wouldn't be writing any more traveling posts for a while  Well, as it turns out I must be crazy and I decided to do it again.  With both boys.  By myself.  International flight.  Why don't we back up a bit, it's kinda a cool story...

So it's Tuesday evening in France which is Tuesday morning in LA.  I decided to call my dear, dear cousin to wish her well on her wedding this weekend.  This is kind of a bittersweet situation because I love her so much and cannot wait for her to marry her man.  And yet on the flip side I am here in France and only get to see pictures when they are loaded on Facebook.  Talk about a bummer.

So as Marissa and I are chatting, I texted my husband, "Oh, man. I really wish I could have gone to this wedding."  I think subconsciously I was hoping he would text me back saying, "There's still time, Babe. Let's get you a ticket!!" However, my husband, being the ever-so-practical man that he is texted back saying, "I told you we could have tried if you wanted to."  Past tense.  Dang it.  It looks like my chance has passed.  So I wished Marissa well trying to accurately express how much I wanted to be there without making her feel bad that I wasn't.  I think she was doing the same thing.

I hung up the phone and tried to get a hold of myself.  I have a very large, very close-knit family and it physically hurts when I have to miss important things like weddings and babies being born.  (I missed my niece being born a few weeks ago.)  However, I didn't want to express this emotion to my husband because, one, he already knows the way I feel.  There is no reason to rub it in.  And, two, I don't want him to feel bad that I didn't make it.  After all, it isn't his fault.

I walked out of our room where I was talking to Marissa and into the living room where he sat on his computer.  I plopped down next to him with a big sigh.  He already knew what I was feeling.  He repeated his text, "I told you we could have tried to go.  You wait until now to want to try?"

"No, we don't have to try.  I understand.  I waited too long and it's too expensive."  I picked up my computer thinking 'I am just gonna check if there are cheap flights.  What if by some bizarre chance we could do it?  Crazy, but worth a try.'  As I was picking it up I glanced over to Var's computer to see what he was doing.  Expedia.com.  What?  He was already checking flights for me!  Now I might have a husband who is adamantly against celebrating Valentine's Day and rarely (if ever) brings home flowers, but that man loves me practically.  And I couldn't ask for a better way to be loved.

So we started our search.  We checked airline miles, Travelocity, Expedia, CheapTickets, Air France and for some reason Var checked out Lufthsana.  Now remember, this was Tuesday night.  I closed my eyes and said a little prayer.  Lord, if this is from you, make it a reasonable, doable price.  If not, please give me peace about not going and settle my heart.  

He found tickets for all three of us leaving Thursday (now just a day away) for about $1500.  Now, I don't know if you know much about international flights, but that is an incredible price.  While he was checking all the ins and outs of the ticket and confirming everything I was having a freak-out session via Twitter DM's with my dear friend Gina.  Honestly, I feel like God put here there to talk through things with me at that very specific point in time.  And it was a blessing.

the happy couple

So here I am.  In California.  Surrounded by friends and family and loved ones to celebrate my cousin's marriage and to rejuvenate my soul with the blessings that are these people to me.  God is so good and this is a gift from Him.  The wedding was a beautiful day and I can't wait to show you some pictures of the day.  As you can see, the bride was radiant and oh-so-happy to marry her man.

me and the bride

And, needless to say, Christie and I are going to have so much fun actually working together, like in person, getting ready for April re-launch!!  Oh, so much fun!

Have a great day and God bless!!

Oversized Rustic Paper Flower Tutorial

Ok guys, here it is! Just as promised. If you missed my previous post about the baby shower I hosted, go check it out so you can see how amazing these flowers can look as a backdrop! 

So the first step is to go to Trader Joe's a million times and start collecting brown paper bags! (or you could always use butcher paper) You will want to make a couple different sizes of semi circles (see step 4) since the petals should get a little bit smaller towards the middle of the flower.

It is easiest to just knock this step out of the way and make a million petals at once. These petals SHOULD feel very rustic. In fact I had made a huge pile of them and my husband threw them all away because he though they were trash! 

You will be using a lot of hot glue! The great thing is you can manipulate each petal as you glue it in to form the shape you like best. It will all start making sense once the petals are layered on each other. Use the largest petals for the base and then add the smaller sized petals as you layer.

You're almost done! Just time for the finishing touch....

And here a  couple of pictures of how they were displayed. I personally LOVE the rustic brown because it grounds any colors you decide to use for other decorations. 

Go ahead and comment if you have any questions and I will be sure to answer them!.

XOXO- Christie

 

St Patrick's Day Recipe

I'm thrilled that once again Natalia invited me to share a recipe.  My name is Tracy and I love to cook!  On Tracy Cooks it Right, I share quick, light, and easy recipes, hoping to convince people that it is not hard to eat healthy.

With the ever-popular St. Patrick's Day "holiday" approaching, I created a soup with just the right color.  When I begin to think about a new recipe, I ask myself: will it be delicious?  Will it be simple to make?  Do I have most of the ingredients on hand, and if not, will they be easy to find in a local store?  Will my husband approve?  Well, this soup is a yes, yes, yes, and yes! 

This ol' blog world has many green beverages, green snacks, and green desserts this time of year.  I wanted to give you something out of the norm but still delicious.  Please warm up with this soup, come visit my blog sometime, and have a fantastic St. Patrick's Day!

Green Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 quart vegetable broth or stock
1 large (about 9-ounce) russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 pounds any mixed greens, like spinach, Swiss chard, bok choy, etc., torn into pieces
2 tablespoons dry sherry or dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Packaged crispy onions for garnish, optional

In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Increase temperature to high, add vegetable broth and potato, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir beans and greens into pot.  Continue to simmer 5 to 10 minutes more, until potato is fork-tender and greens are wilted.  Pour soup into blender container, in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth.  Return soup to pot and stir in sherry, salt, and pepper, and warm through.  Serve in bowls with parsley and/or crispy onions sprinkled on top, if desired.  Makes 8 (1-cup) servings, 2 points plus for Weight Watchers or 125 calories each.

Note:  Like many soups and stews, if you have the time to make it a day ahead, the flavors will meld together and the soup will be even tastier.

Thank you Tracy!  Now go check out the rest of her awesome, easy, and healthy recipes over at Tracy Cooks it Right!



 

Spring Trends I'm Looking Forward To

Well the sun finally showed her beautiful face this last week in beautiful France and I was so excited.  It is funny something as small as the weather can change your attitude so drastically!  I would be a complete wreck if I had to live in Alaska.  Oh goodness, that wouldn't be pretty...

So needless to say, I am looking forward to spring and summer.  Probably most likely for the clothes.  It's hard to try and look cute when you have to wear huge jackets over every outfit.  Most of my clothes are for spring and summer anyway, so it works out perfectly!  Here are some of my favorite trends coming up this season.

Orange and Blue.  I saw this a ton when I was in Sweden and I love it.  It is a florescent or bright orange with a navy blue.  It's a fun combo and a bit different and apparently it is all the rage this season.  I am definitely gonna give this one a try.  (Both images from kendieveryday.com so if you're gonna pin them, pin them from her site!)

Floral.  Isn't this just the definition of spring?  Flowers in bloom, beauty and colors everywhere?  Yes, yes it is.  And I have a beautiful flowery top that will work just fine.  Try a floral dress or top paired with some skinny jeans.  Beautiful way to brighten up your outfit!

source

Pastels and Brights.  Now I am not a huge fan of pastels, I'd rather have bright orange or pink, but this spring it's trendy.  Think Easter on your clothes.  Brights work for spring as well and are a perfect transition to summer.  You can go full out color blocking with orange, pink, and purple or if you are a bit nervous about being too bright item with a neutral or pastel for a perfect transition.

Bust out the skirts!  It's time ladies.  It's time.  We can start wearing our skirts and dresses that have been stuffed away for these cold winter months.  If you're like me you might need to start with some nylons, you know, to not scare people and all.  Or start with tea length-ish skirts, showing just a little leg at a time! Either way, it is nice to be able to switch it up a bit.

How beautiful is this skirt and top?

That's it folks!  Of course there are more trends this spring, but these are the ones I am most looking forward to.  In fact, next week I am sharing some spring trend 'how-to' over at The Sits Girls.  Be sure to check it out.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!!

Pregnancy Update and WIW End of First Trimester

OH.MY.GOSH......I am done with the first trimester!! Happy Dance...Hallelujah chorus..."ahhhhhhh" sigh of relief! Now that I have done the first trimester thing 3 times, I am pretty sure I can say it is my least favorite part of pregnancy! I will be doing more pregnancy updates now that I am through the first 12 weeks. Trust me, you would have been bored to death if I had been updating you thus far. It would have looked something like this: "Still feeling queazy, my boobs are a little bigger, I am bloated but not showing yet, wish I could sleep all day, etc etc etc."

I am currently 13 weeks

Here is a brief recap of my first trimester:

What I ate- Fruit, Panera Bread French Toast Bagels, Turkey Burgers, Snicker Bars and Pepsi

Fitness- Kickboxing, Corebar, StairMaster and Spin

What is different about this pregnancy so far?

1) With Elinor I was VERY sick, with Charley I only got Migraines and this time I have both but not as bad....boy or girl!??

2) I have been feeling the baby kick since 11 weeks (maybe even sooner but I can't be sure). Last night the baby kicked so hard I could see my tummy move! I didn't feel Elinor until 20 weeks  and Charley at 18.

3) I am MUCH less focused on being pregnant this time around, mainly due to my other two children and their high demand of my attention. (no worries, I am remembering to take my prenatal Vitamins and not drink wine)

4) I have not "popped" yet! I was definitely showing by now (and not in a little way) with my second pregnancy. So I am pretty excited to be holding that off for a little bit.

And to celebrate being done with my first trimester, I would like to draw special attention to my What I Wore outfit this week and and the fact that I am still in my normal jeans!! (Don't worry, I will explode here soon, and you cuties out there will all be laughing!)

Outfit: Jeans- Kohl's Elle Brand, Tank- Kohls, Shoes, Kohls, Sweater, TJ Maxx, Cowl- Avery's Loft

I know my I look angry in this picture but I posted it anyways because I am loving my hair right now!

I am STOKED about these shoes because they are stretchy in the back and I know they will continue to fit if my feet grow during pregnancy (yes a strange side effect of pregnancy is temporary foot growth!?)

Xoxo- Christie

Linking up at The Pleated Poppy and The Letter 4.

Every Day is a New Adventure!

Hey there, readers of Ma Nouvelle Mode! My name is Alyx, and I blog over here. I'm just tickled pink to get to know all of you and tell you a little bit about myself and my little corner of the internet. Let me start of by showing you who I am, okay? Okay. This is me: 

Some things you need to know: I'm married to a totally awesome guy. We're both abnormally tall. We live in Europe (beautiful Germany, to be exact). We don't have any little rugrats [yet]. I love to blog. 
This might have gotten you to wondering what it is that I blog about. 
Well.... life. I'm not amazingly crafty [I somehow manage to botch the simplest of crafts]. I'm not the best cook in the world, or the most creative [I turn to Pinterest or Hamburger Helper for most dinners]. I don't have super cute kids that I post pictures of [again, yet]. I'm not a super newlywed [anymore]. I'm not a:               race car driver               skydiver               fashionista               supermodel               photographer               or anything else exciting. 
I am simply a 23-year-old girl wandering around Europe with her husband.

I teach English to Germans [which results in some funny anecdotes]. I share my feelings on Europe [like what's up with them not having Wal-Mart?]. I like to think I'm funny [ha ha]. I try to come up with a new way to greet my readers each and every day [this has resulted in some rather... interesting greetings].Sometimes I can attempt to drag a cute outfit out of my closet [generally this happens on Wednesdays]. 

Basically, I'm a big believer in keeping it real. I don't sugar coat my life. I share who I am with my readers, and this has resulted in some amazing friendships. I like to think that I have the best readers in all of Blogland, so here's where I say to you: 

Thanks for sharing Alyx!  Seriously, one of our favorites to read!  You can read her blog here, 'like' her on Facebook here, and follow her on Twitter here!  Have fun!

A Belated Valentines Day Post

Well,  I will be honest, we are still kind of in a fog after Charley's surgery. It seems the more he heals the more miserable he is getting! So I am sitting here still in my pajamas watching Disney's Enchanted (what can I say, my son likes musicals!) and writing this post. 

Seems like and eternity ago that Joe and I enjoyed our Valentine's dinner! 

Do you remember voting on these?:

Well, the winning look was: Ensemble #3 with Hair and Makeup from #2. So that is what I wore on our Romantic night out!

We went to The Melting Pot, which is a fondu restaurant and it is REALLY yummy! 

We didn't get any full body shots because I forgot, and quite frankly I looked way better in this dress in the earlier photos I took. I had to stuff my pregnant body in this little size 4 and my ta-ta's were screaming to be let out! 

See what I mean!? I was risking total humiliation every time I moved my arm....Joe didn't seem to mind.

I am looking at these pictures and I am jealous of myself! This food was so delicious! 

So let this post be proof that I followed through with my Valentine's day "get out of my funk" challenge! And I thank you for participating in it!