Bathroom and hallway renovation

Coat number 2, can't wait til we get all painted and have a nice, clear bathroom!
Originally uploaded by manueb

For the last 3 weeks we've been renovating our bathroom and hallway, giving it a newer, much cleaner and modern look!
I tilled the hallway and the top of the tub, and Shad did all the rest, the cement boards, the face of the tub, tiling the bathroom floor, cutting the tiles (the worst part)...
This was by far one of the hardest jobs weve done ourselves.
Not so easy to do house work with a HUGE belly...
We're getting ready for Gabriel, with a much healthier setting.

First tile yeah!!!

Extremely encouraging and finally getting there... Shad put up the first tiles in the bathroom yesterday night! It's going to look sooooo good!

Lisa's 30th bday

It was Lisa's 30th bday this week and we celebrated with a very good cake from Upper Crust bakery... yuuuum! First time I had a cake from that place!

Here we go again!

We've started house work again. Our goal before the baby's born: tile the hallway floor and bathroom floor, repaint the bathroom, redo the entire kitchen... which means having the dywall taken down and new one put up, and then, big trip to IKEA..
Let's not forget we also need to do the baby's room...

Driver's license part 1

The count down til I can actually drive has started...
We went to DPS this morning and I took the written test that I passed :) and I now have the permit to drive, with Shad, or take driving lessons...
Almost there!

Our new (used) car

We got our new car last thursday at Carmax, it's a white Saturn, L200 model. So far, so good. Personally, I like it a lot... and it's much easier for me to sit in it right now. I have trouble hopping up in the truck! And it's also much more baby-friendly... Can't wait to be able to drive it!


Thank you to my parents who gave us the money to do it :)

Celestial Gabriel

Celestial Gabriel
Originally uploaded by manueb

That's it, it's the name we picked for our little angel! Gabriel :) Perfect!

Galveston, TX - Memorial Day weekend

Galveston, TX - Memorial Day weekend
Originally uploaded by manueb

We were in Galveston for the long Memorial Day weekend. When it was raining (flooding) everywhere else, we actually got pretty good weather there! It's a beautiful little town/island with a lot of history, very colorful too! We stayed at a charming and luxurious b&b, Grace Manor (http://www.gracemanor-galveston.com/), that I'd highly recommend to anyone who wants a nice quiet, relaxing stay. The Manor is held by Barb, who happens to be a great cook, we loved waking up to the smell of breakfast (served with champagne/mimosas...) and the afternoon warm homemade cookies... lovely!!!

I heart Grey Bunny

I heart Grey Bunny
Originally uploaded by manueb

I've been productive lately and been making some funny plushes and decoration items for our house... Since we got our new sewing machine a couple weeks ago!
I started a new blog to post all these crafty things: http://crazeecrafteez.blogspot.com/
So check it out!

Portland Japanese Garden

Portland Japanese Garden
Originally uploaded by manueb

The other beauty of the city! For me who loves asian culture, it was a great weekend!! What a relaxing, soothing park.. Although I strongly recommand going early to avoir tourist buses...

Lan Su Yuan—the Portland Classical Chinese Garden

Lan Su Yuan—the Portland Classical Chinese Garden
Originally uploaded by manueb

One of the beauties of the city. In the middle of Chinatown. Too bad that Portland's Chinatown is not better maintained, it could be a really great area.

Portland, OR

Portland, OR
Originally uploaded by manueb

We were in Portland last week for 4 days. Shad was at a Ruby conference, and I took the opportunity to browse the city! It was great, a real city with public transport, and a lively downtown, shops we can walk to, sidewalks... :)

Ultrasound@ week23 and 3 days

FINALLY!!!

This morning there was no possible doubt! Thanks to our great obgyn we had an extra "gender" ultrasound this month. We couldn't see anything in the previous ultrasound because the baby was moving too much and the cord was right in front of the genitalia.
This time, anyway you look at it, there it is :)

Baby listing at Babies R'Us

I went with Ame on friday to sign up for a baby registry at Babies R'Us.. They also sell maternity clothes, and believe or not, there are no changing rooms!
How am I supposed to try on these BE-AU-TI-FUL breastfeeding bras then...?? Well, inside the store, on top of my clothes, in front of people. Not that I care, mind you :)
Which also shows, btw, how tremendously sexy those bras are...

Back from our Honeymoon in Hawaii

Ok, that was last week, but the weather's been so bad and depressing since that I've slacked and not posted anything..
Our hotel was in Kailua-Kona on the west side. Beautiful luxuous hotel, and beautiful -although touristy- town.
We spent the whole week or so discovering the Big Island, its beaches (green sand, black sand):



its volcanoes, finally! I've been wanting to do that for 15 years! Although we didn't actually get to see any hot red flowing lava, it will be for next time... when we're (at least) 3!
We've watched breathtaking sunsets, saw geckos, sea turtles, lost of tropical fish while snorkeling. Shad got sunburned, I bought lots of hawaiian and japanese fabrics. We had lots of good food and amazing tropical fruits, and much much more... all the pics here http://www.flickr.com/photos/manueb/collections/72157600165799237/

In the mean time well, in May, we've got lots to look forward to, friends visiting next weekend, a trip to Portland mid-May. I will accompany Shad to a conference, which will allow me to visit the city, as I've never been there. And then 3 days to Galveston for Memorial day... relaxing! Hoping to know in the mean time the gender of our baby!!!

Weather forecast for our party!

Weather forecast for our party!
Originally uploaded by manueb.

Well, we can't fight against the weather... we had to do the party inside. so much for that great party tent we got, all the lights, and working so hard on the yard to make it look nice! hehehe

Queens at the spa

Queens at the spa
Originally uploaded by manueb.

Here's what we did the previous afternoon to the party! A nice manucure/pedicure at a vietnamese Spa on South Congress.. Highly recommanded!

All the girls together

All the girls together
Originally uploaded by manueb.

Here we all are in Austin, the same night we went to pick up Cat at the airport, Laure and Sophie were waiting for us at home... Shad had no clue of this, only Manue knew his time. Another well kept surprise!

Surprise, Manue is in Austin!

Surprise, Manue is in Austin!
Originally uploaded by manueb.

My best friend Manue arrived friday and it was a total suprise! We were at the restaurant with Shad, and suddenly, there she was! What a nice surprise, the best possible!

Mini-muffin baking

Mini-muffin baking
Originally uploaded by manueb.

While it's raining, raining, raining :( And then Shad comes home from work with a big smile on his face "You've been baking!" :)
Sure have!

These are:
-lemon
-cocoa and bitterwsweet chocolate chips
-dried cranberries and white chocolate chips

YUMMY!!