A day at the zoo...

This past Tuesday, my nephews came back to Tulsa to hang out with Aunt FaFa and spend a fabulous day at the zoo. My youngest nephew, Hunter, kept telling Grammie that he hadn't been to the zoo yet, so of course we have to make it happen! The day was overcast in the morning, but by the afternoon it was definitely warmer...regardless, we had a blast...

All three of the buddies had these cute little hats they wore at the zoo...this is Huntie strutting his zoo look.

She's Coming!

The date is set! We will be meeting Miss Ryan Elizabeth on Thursday, August 6th unless she decides to show her beautiful face before then! We are so thrilled and can hardly wait! What a great time this past 39 weeks has been and to think the final portion is about to unfold! What a celebration!

Here are a few pictures of us over the last few weeks...

Here we are at 33 weeks....

And here we are at 39 weeks...

From Study to Nursery...

Yippee! We can officially say that Ryan Elizabeth's nursery is completely finished! What once was a study is now transformed into a "royal" nursery for baby Ryan, who could be here any day now! In my mind the goal was to have a room that was not completely "baby" with pink everywhere (not that I'm against pink, but I wanted it to be a little more traditional in its look).

Before: This room was really a catch-all room with two desks, a sleeper sofa, bookshelves, etc. With living in a 1275 square foot home, we tend to run out of room quickly, so this room was our overflow...very attractive, we know.

Along the way: There were so many things that I wanted to accomplish in this room. We started by adding a chair rail and a beautiful chandelier and medallion. The wall color was a milk chocolate, which we changed to a dark brown on the lower half and a gold on the upper portion of the wall.

Final Outcome: The basic theme of the room is "royalty". Since Ryan means "young royalty" I desired her room to match the meaning of her name...so the details and overall inspiration for this nursery centered around this idea. It is by far our favorite room in the house...we find ourselves going in there to sit and enjoy this transformed room! I'm sure Ryan will love it too!

Bedding & Drapes: There is no way I could have done all this myself. If it weren't for my dear friend Alissa and her amazing talent (sewing the drapes, helping me paint, and custom making all the bedding) this room would not look as amazing! Aunt Lissy, Ryan says "Thank you"! The bedding is a monkey fabric and coordinating chocolate and green/brown hounds tooth. There is a splash of golden yellow fabric to match the wall color.

Hosier Cabinet & Toy Chest: My father-in-law (soon to be grandpa) poured hours into refinishing and refurbishing an antique hosier cabinet into a baby changing table! It is magnificent. Grandpa also built a toy chest for all Ryan's toys and is currently being used for extra storage.

Rocker: For months I searched and searched for a rocker that would be comfortable and perfect for the overall theme of this room. One day as I was driving home from work, I saw a beautiful antique rocker sitting outside of a neighborhood antique store...I rushed in and claimed it for Ryan's nursery...it dates back to 1895-1920. I love it!

Dresser: This dresser was a piece that Kris has had for years...I'm not sure if it is a family heirloom or if it was purchased at a garage sale long ago...either way, it was perfect for the room and was something we already had!

Rocking Horse: Kris and I purchased this 9 years ago at an auction here in town..finally it has found its perfect spot!

Wall Decal: Meaning of names means a lot to Kris and I, so when we

were deciding on a baby name the meaning of the name is just as significant to us as the name itself. Ryan Elizabeth Jantzen means "Young Royalty, Set Apart for God, Whom Jehovah has Favored". Above her crib we placed this phrase.

"Teeth Tickling"

It sounds strange, but that is what my friend Alissa described what a teeth cleaning was to my 6 year old nephew...he understood and consented to this "teeth tickling". While "the buddies" were in town, we decided to drop by my work and have my dear friend Alissa do a quick cleaning. After the cleaning they each got to spin the wheel for a prize and then we headed out to get snow cones...clean teeth and then a yummy sugary drink...perfect!

The Buddies Invade T-Town!

One of my favorite things to do is spend time with my sweet nephews! Tyler (6), Cooper (4), and Hunter (3) all came to Tulsa with Grammie and Paw Paw to spend a day with Aunt FaFa and Uncle B...we went to a splash pad and had a picnic at the park, enjoyed snow-cones, an evening at the Riverwalk with food and yummy ice cream. It was a fabulous day and I'm ever so thankful they came to Tulsa (since I'm on "town-arrest" waiting for the arrival of baby Ryan Elizabeth). Of course we captured some fabulous memories on camera and want to share with ya'll.

Showers Galore!

This past weekend, Ryan Elizabeth had yet another shower with wonderful friends and family! She received more gifts for her and her nursery...we are more and more ready for her sweet arrival. Thanks so much to my sweet friends who hosted the shower along with those who were able to be a part! We love ya'll so much!

One of my favorite memories of this particular shower is being able to share it with my sister who lives in Tennessee! What a sweet memory! Ryan loves her Aunt Janette! :)

Showered with Blessings!

Lately on several occasions I have been taken away by all that God is doing in our lives as we prepare for Ryan Elizabeth! We truly have amazing friends and family who continue to go above and beyond to pour into our lives with love, support, and gifts! Thank you so much for your friendships and love! We are truly grateful!

My dear friends from "Girl's Night" hosted me a wonderful shower with all my favorites (bruschetta, Shirley Temples, cream stuffed cupcakes, and decorations galore)! Here are a few pictures from this fabulous shower!

(Photos taken by Erin Conrad)

Stay-cation

This summer with all the anticipation and excitement of Miss Ryan Elizabeth joining us, Kris and I decided to have a "stay-cation" and celebrate our 9 years of marriage, life, and what God has on the horizon for our family with this new little addition! Each day for a week, we had a plan for where to eat, play, nap, etc. It was so relaxing simply slowing down and enjoying each other and all the many blessings God has lavishly poured into our lives...

Kris and I started out our week with breakfast at one of our favorites, First Watch. Later that day we visited my favorite bakery, Merritts, which fortunately is right down the street from our house!! So, we consumed a delicious sugar cookie...words can't describe the magnificent flavor...yummy!

Since this week also was a time to celebrate our 9 year wedding anniversary, we treated ourselves to a romantic dinner at Flemings and a peaceful stroll around Utica Square...delightful!

One of the days, we went to OKC to visit Kris' family and eat dinner with the folks...overall between relaxing at the pool, taking naps whenever we wanted, grilling out, eating like royalty, and just enjoying each other we truly savored our time together and I'm forever thankful for my wonderful husband and am so grateful for all God has blessed us with!

Maternity Pictures!

At 31 weeks, our dear friend and photographer Erin Conrad captured a few photos of us and our little one Miss Ryan Elizabeth! So, here are a few of our favorites...enjoy!