knocked up! {baby B #2}

(Just keeping up with the theme of our first announcement, ha ha!)

Coming October 2015...

We are feeling so ecstatic, blessed, nervous and excited that we have this opportunity to grow our family and promote Mia to the roll of big sister! Happy and thankful doesn't even begin to describe it! Brinkerhoff family of 4... bring it on!

until next year... {Easter 2015}

Oh Easter weekend, I am sad to see you go! We had such a wonderful weekend celebrating Christ's resurrection and listening to LDS General Conference. Our bellies and hearts have never been more full as this was the perfect mix of being spiritually fed... as well as indulging in all the sugars ;)
Saturday was a good day as we accomplished a lot at home, worked out and played together as a family. My favorite part was getting together with our favorite friends and going to the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple that night. I definitely hope to go each year!

Easter morning was super exciting for Mia when we gave her her basket! Of course the first thing she discovered was her very own EOS chapstick (a last minute decision to buy and throw it in!) and she instantly start putting it on :) Then she moved on to her little princess tea party set and snacks that kept her busy all morning! Eric made us the most delicious breakfast of bacon, egg and spinach scramble and blueberry breakfast cake complete with milk and orange juice! Heaven, I tell ya! We enjoyed our food and Mia's new toys all while watching the morning session of conference and it was perfect. But do you know what made it even better?! Mia crashed by 11am! I can't remember the last time she went down for a nap that early!

This is as good as we could get with Mia's mouth full of candy, ha ha! Bless that man of mine for cheesing it big time, instead of scowling like normal!

We spent our Easter afternoon in Mesa being spoiled by my cousins and it was the BEST time! We had a delicious meal followed by the best Easter egg hunt, pictures and tons of playing! I am so happy we were able to spend this holiday with family and Mia could play with kids (with hardly any fighting- score!) We have felt so loved and blessed this Easter holiday! I am already looking forward to this time next year :)

rockin' a new look {Rocksbox + free promo code}

Have you ever heard of Rocksbox? I hadn't until very recently and this was one monthly subscription box I couldn't pass up! You see, I am SO "plain Jane" when it comes to jewelery and I basically wear my wedding ring and bands. If I'm feelin' real crazy I'll throw on a pair of earrings. That's it! But the thing is, I've been itching to get out of my comfort zone and wear more jewelery... I just didn't want to spend all the money on stuff I may or may not wear. Plus, I never know what pieces to pair together and the excuses could go on forever. This is why I said YES to a trial run with Rocksbox!

There is a stylist that sends me a pretty little box full of jewelery according to my specifications from the survey on their website, I can wear it (or choose not to) and send it back for a new set of jewelery. The best part? I can do this an unlimited number of times through the month!

I just received my first box and at first glance, I was instantly uncomfortable with all the gold. Totally out of my comfort zone! This stuff looks gorgeous on everyone else... but me? I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Then I remembered why I signed up for this, put my big girl panties jewelry on and I rocked the gold! I've already sent these back and can't WAIT to see what I'll get in the mail next!

If you're interested in giving Rocksbox a try, then today is your lucky day because I have a special promo code for you that will give you your first month FREE! Free is the best excuse to give something a try, right?! Use the code "courtbrinkxoxo" to soak up all the unlimited designer jewelery possible :)

this screams SPRING

Yesterday we were invited to a playgroup Easter egg hunt and I was so happy to take Mia! Have I mentioned lately how wonderful this community is that we moved to? It's seriously been perfect for our little family! Anyway, it was a perfectly hot morning but we had the best time with our "fwiends" :) Mia was such a pro at finding the eggs, and she didn't even pop one open until the hunt was over (as opposed to the little egg hunt we threw for her in our backyard when she opened every single egg before putting it in her basket!)

Screaming "Easter eggs!" while jumping up and down. So much happiness :)

After taking a break to stuff at least 7 hundred jelly beans in her mouth at once, Mia discovered the sprinklers at the park. Running through the sprinklers was one of life's simple joys when I was a kid, so I didn't stop Mia from enjoying it for the first time since our yard is all rock (bummer!) To say she loved it is an understatement! She was completely soaked and happier than ever! These are the things that spring time is made of and I'm so glad I get to share it all with my little bestie :) Next up- painting hard boiled eggs (because I'm lazy and don't want to deal with the mess of dying them... as if painting is any less messy, ha ha!) Happy Easter spring time to Mia!

s i m p l e

The best moments in life are usually quite simple. Which is why I'm taking a moment to write down all the simple things that truly are the best, and all to fleeting. Time just isn't fair and these are the little things I always want to remember.

Like...

... the times that Mia rarely sleeps with us, she has to be touching me in some way. Whether it's her hand, or her knees ;) She's always making physical contact with me even though she doesn't realize it!

... the feel of Eric's hand in mine. I've noticed that we are becoming that couple who is too busy to hold hands, etc while out in public. Let's be real here, one of us is constantly chasing after Mia while the other is catching up with our bags and everything else in tow, ha ha! So sneaking in a little PDA when we get the chance gives me the butterflies (cheesy alert)!

... rompers. Dressing Mia in general is the best, I live vicariously through her mini sized items ;) But I am especially in love with her rompers and I'm quickly realizing that they will be 100% impractical when the days of potty training begin. So I'm soaking up the cuteness now and trying to have her wear them down to threads that are barely hanging on by the time we have to ditch them!

... the way Mia tries to prolong me tucking her in after we sing our songs and say our prayers for bed by pointing out all the pictures in her room as if she's never seen them before. She gets SO excited when she sees "mommy!" "daddy?!" "BABY!" (baby Mia) and has to point us out in every single picture. She thinks I'm clueless as to what she's trying to avoid... HA!

... watching a movie. Watching movies or shows with my people is definitely one of my favorite things as it ensures quality cuddle time with Eric and/or Mia. We really monitor how much the TV is on for Mia, so we soak up all the cuddles when it is family movie time! But goodness, how I miss watching shows/movies together with Eric. We have not watched one movie since our move, and maybe a total of 4 shows together? Life is just so busy that these quiet, lazy moments of leisure are few and far between.

... listening to Mia as she excitedly throws her arms in the air and yells "DA!!!" (ta-da) or "I DID IT!" It's the littlest things that make her so proud of herself... and of course my heart can barely hold it together while trying to burst with pride, ha ha.

... hearing her sweet voice tell us "luh yoooooou!" That will never get old. Oh how we LOVE love in this house :)

Nothing like missing the mouth and planting one on the nose ;) Bracelets c/o Poppy Lane and Co

P.S. If I'm absent from blog land today it's only because I'm incredibly naive and I always fall for everyone's April Fool's jokes :) Happy first day of April... and happy pranking ;)