If you could see me now, I’ve smiling from ear to ear with happiness at how well my maternity photos turned out :).  Thanks to my new BFF’s over at Great Romance Photo, they captured our black tie family session picture perfectly!  I tell ya, client satisfaction at its best.  #repeatcustomersforsure.
1. Â How did your 7th month of pregnancy go?
Overall, great!  Family was in town to celebrate Christmas and then we enjoyed a post-Christmas road trip up the coast of California.  Checking out the central coast had been on my 2014 to-do list and I’m glad I got to sneak in the trip just days before the year ended.  Â
Braxton Hicks on the other hand- those are getting more intense; but it’s just another reminder of how close I am to meeting lil man :).
2. Â With two months left, what’s on your baby to-do list?
A few things:Â
-I’ve finally got all the nursery art ordered and delivered so I’ll be tackling hanging up the decor.
-Touring the hospital and filling out admissions forms ahead of time.
-And lastly, admitting that I need help. Â Let the hiring process begin… Â
3. Â Any new fashion update to your wardrobe?
Although I can fit most of my regular tops, I’m starting to notice that their lengths are creeping up on the belly and aren’t as long as I’d like them to be.  So, I’ve snagged from my husband’s closet one of his button up shirts to wear over my leggings, as it’s been providing that much-needed length to cover up this booty ;).  Other than that- the wardrobe has remained the same: sporty-chic.
4. Â What’s the highlight of your 7th month?
For Christmas I received several items off my registry. Â My favorite being this bad boy. Â I’ve mentioned my love for it before, and I truly believe it will make co-sleeping and recovering from a c-section much easier. Â
5. Â How’s the growing baby and how are you doing?
There’s no doubt we are packing on the L-B’s. Â Baby is getting chunkier as the days go by and it’s evident in his movement. Â His kicks…oh man, are they intense! Â Just lay me down and my belly starts moving and shaking. Â It’s an internal house party up in thurr. Â
Me, I’m packing on the L-B’s. Â Specifically all the weight I gained was in a weeks span. Â I’m still not sure how I feel about gaining 6 pounds in one week…
Before the year ends, I’m going to take a minute or 10 (if you read slowly) to reflect at how 2014 unfolded.
(P.S. there is absolutely nothing wrong if you read slow.  It just let’s me know you are totally  letting   each.  and.  every.  single.  word.  I.  write.  sink.  in.  – so for that, thank you!)
How should I summarize 2014? Â Hmm, how about I break it down in accordance to the core of my blog: “A California wife and mom inspired by fashion, family adventures, and coastal living.”
Fashion:  is still very much a part of my life and since getting pregnant in June, I’ve had to become a bit more creative in styling myself.  But hey, it’s  a challenge I welcomed :).
Although my blog has greatly evolved from its initiation in 2011, where it was heavily fashion driven, I still include stylish posts.  This year I incorporated a new series, “Where to?  Where this?” and although I haven’t written one of them lately (been too busy sharing my personal family adventures), the WTWT posts are still one of my favorites to create.
Family Adventures:Â With our feet firmly planted in Santa Barbara, we enjoyed exploring our town at length. Â Living within eye sight of the water, we often ventured to the beach for walks and to search for shells. Â I’ve since built a pretty extensive collection of seashells totally worth a pat on the back for. Â Looking back at the year, we are also fortunate to have made many friends whom we shared weekly playdates with. Â Over the summer I invited our friends to celebrate our son’s 2nd birthday. Â When family came into town to visit, we made sure to introduce them to some of our favorite Santa Barbara hiking spots: a Monarch Butterfly preserve and a local Harbor Seal sanctuary.
Just a short drive away, we explored the famous Bubble Gum Alley in San Luis Obispo and continued to take trips to our old stomping grounds of Orange County– one specific trip being to Disneyland; a first for Harrison.
Several trips outside of California included  Colorado for a ski trip.  I honestly find great irony in wanting to travel to see snow.  I clearly forgot that snow=cold.  Then in the summer we ventured to Moab, Utah to  celebrate my sister’s wedding and to clock in some major hiking mileage per my Strava app.  We capped off our fall with a two-week East Coast trip that left us loving the New England lifestyle.
Coastal Living: Â after years of being admirers of sailing, my husband and I became certified sailors (see Instagram pics here). Â About the same time we signed up for our course, we found out we were pregnant which made it all the more difficult since I suffered from horrible morning sickness. Â With the help of anti-vomitting medicine, I stuck through the course and I’ve gotta say, I do love sailing. Â We have even made it a family affair; Â and our young Harrison has ventured the open waters with us on several occasions.
As my final post of the year, I have to say thank you to my friends, family, bloggers, and brands that have supported Sincerely Kymberly. Â It absolutely brings a smile to my face having followers, receive comments, likes, shares, and emails from supportive people. Â My blog will always be a fun place for me to share my life; and any recognition I get is only topping on the cake :).
Okay, okay; enough sentimental stuff. Â 2014- you rocked. Â Over and out.
Donald Duck doesn’t get enough credit as compared to his counterpart Mickey Mouse. Â But for my son, he’s everything.
Maybe it’s Donald’s silly voice or that he is a sailor (Harrison shares an equal love for all things water related). Â For whatever reason our son loves Donald; and deciding on a Donald Duck Nautical birthday party was the perfect theme for Harrison’s 2nd birthday.
Some highlights of the pool party included the toy station, coloring station, and photo booth. Â One of my major DIY projects was making the boat and all of its nautical props. Â I simply constructed a boat out of a giant cardboard box and painted both the boat and props in coordinating colors.
The food arena is where I got plenty of help from. Â We hired a taco guy to cater the event. Â A dear friend made the home-made pies, and the two-tiered ombre cake was purchased at Vons (can ya believe that?) Â For a killer deal of $35 bucks I had them create the yellow ombre effect and I DIY’d the Donald Duck cake topper.
Gift bags included sailor attire (a sailor hat and nautical bandana), a mini inflatable beach ball, and a yellow rubber ducky.
Overall, the party was a success!  All 15 of his toddler buddies enjoyed themselves and I do believe the parents did too :).  And hey, we even had a little birthday drama that we quickly dusted our shoulders off …but what’s a party without a little flair to it 😉 ?
custom invitations: Owen and Sally
gift bag items: Oriental Trading
It’s not often I dedicate a post solely to one brand unless I’m totally obsessed.  So yes, I’m totally obsessed with Gray Malin’s work.  A Los Angeles based photographer with a love for interior design, travel, and adventure; he’s done a killer job of making his photographs a must-have item in my home.  What’s drawn me to his work are the many coastal series he’s done, including: La Dolce Vita, Art Deco Miami, and A la Plage.  His aerial photographs are insanely breathtaking and his balloon photos are truly cleaver. The photos are inspirational and provide that extra dose of energy into a room.
Although my aesthetic leans towards his coastal prints, I have a special place in my heart for his Prada Marfa and A la Montagne collections. Â With my home decor involving strong notes of blue and white, I’m showcasing a few of his pieces that fit my vibe and totally stand out to me:
Interested in Gray’s work, like I am? Â Check out these photos from both his own home and other’s who incorporated his pieces flawlessly. Â I’ll warn you now, there’s like a 99% chance you’re going to catch the decorating bug after viewing this. Â It’s contagious, I tell ya.
Coveting his work isn’t enough?  He’s got a major sale going on over at One Kings Lane for a limit few days.  Run. Forest, run.
We may be missing Sunday mass a lot more than we should this summer.  I think the good weather and the best-ever hashtag created (#sundayfunday) will be dictating our Sunday affairs.  You see, my family and I thrive on being out in the sun.  It’s sort of our main ingredient to our weekend plans.  Then throw in some horses, a polo match, and a glass of champagne; well, well, well my friends… I’ve got myself the perfect elixir for #sundayfunday.  With my canvas bag in tow, sunscreen, and parasols; we made our way to the polo fields to enjoy opening day.
And so the story goes:  We came.  We saw.  We divot stomped.
sincerely kymberly 