It's the Little Things

Happy Monday!

Good Monday, y’all! I sure hope some of you are enjoying warmer weather. I can’t complain too much because at least there is plenty of sunshine. Yay! But I either need a snow day or I need it to be summer already. You know what I mean?

Anyways, I thought I would share a little bit of the things that made me smile this past week. So with here you go.

1. My son came home from church Wednesday night and was happy to tell me how they talked about Jonah from the Bible. This was in his take home:

I couldn’t help but laugh at that last line. This, coming from the kid who was sneaking powder sugar and eating it like it was going out of style. Yeah, we now have to hide anything sweet in the house from him. In all seriousness though, I am glad God is working in his heart about that stuff.

2. The Jason Wu for Target Lookbook was released last week and I am so excited! Feburary 5th is the Jason Wu release in stores, and the super bowl. I am already pacing myself. ;) How can you not love this feminine but preppy American girl in Paris look?? Here are a few of my favorites:

3. This weekend was the release of Beauty and the Beast in 3D. Thanks to Disney Movie Rewards we were able to get two tickets free and took the kids. It was a special treat that I know they won’t soon forget. I remember seeing it during its original release in the theater as a child, and felt blessed to share that experience with them. If you collect Disney movies and haven’t registered with DMR I highly recommend that you do! Here’s E enjoying her special 3D glasses before the movie:

4. The Golden Globes was a snooze fest BUT I was so excited that Downton Abbey won Best Mini-Series award!!! If you haven’t hopped on the Downton train, Netflix is streaming season 1 and PBS.org has some episodes from season 2 up for a limited time. If you were watching last night, anyone see Elizabeth McGovern trip in the corner of the shot as she went to accept their award? Poor thing.

5. Besides Downton’s win, I have to give it to Tina Fey for photo-bombing her friend Amy Poehler. So great:

New Year, New Goals

By now I’m sure every blogger has shared their goals for the new year, but this momma has been busy and just yesterday had the time to write down all the thoughts in my head that make up my goals for the year. On a side note, does any one else have an affinity towards even numbers? Cause this girl does. Anyways, I’m gonna put these out there on the internets :) Not so much for affirmation (though who doesn’t love encouragement) but moreso for my own motivation. If, as an effect, it inspires some of you to write yours down and share, well then that’s even more awesome! These aren’t resolutions per se, just ideas that I’m passionate about and want to see played out further. So here’s to being vulnerable and making a difference!

1. Really, for reals learn to sew. In high school I made a dress as well as my infamous quilt that I did, sans pattern, which took up my whole freaking senior year. Both turned out great but I think I broke up with the sewing machine as soon as I was done with that quilt. So needless to say it’s been over 10 years (yikes) and I have forgotten a lot and just need to plain expand what little knowledge I have in that area. Why you ask? Well because not a week goes by where I don’t see something on Pinterest where I wish I could make it myself. Plus, I have a thing for princess sleeves and there isn’t enough in the world, ok?!

2. Start a little side business to help fund some friends needs/projects. This past year I spent trying to figure out how I could financially help with certain things when I’m just a stay at home momma. Then the idea struck. I am looking at, for starters, selling Stella and Dot (I hear your groan) but the big BUT here is ANYTHING I would make will go towards projects like helping fund friends adoptions, hospital bills, charities, or (something very close to my heart) becoming a freedom partner with The International Justice Mission. My thinking is who doesn’t love cute jewelry or know someone who does and wants to help out a great cause? So, if any of you out there are interested or know of a need let me know. Let’s partner together to help make a difference!

3. Redo Eden’s room. My baby isn’t a baby anymore. 2 1/2 going on 6, my little lovey needs a big girl bed and a stylin’ room that fits her adorable fashionista personality. I have been scouring Craigslist but nothing has come up in our price range yet. If you know anyone getting rid of a white twin bed at a cheap price, let me know. I have a bunch of ideas pinned on Pinterest so in the mean time you can check out some of the inspiration that’s driving me for her room here.

4. Put more family pics up around the house. Enough said.

5. Figure out how to take decent pictures. In the age of digital cameras I feel like everyone is a blooming photographer. Everyone except me, lol. My goal is to just be able to be confident with a camera. My sweet husband while an amateur, has an eye for taking pics and whenever I need a picture taken of something I often wait for him to take it because I don’t trust myself. This year I am gonna change that. Hopefully, this means more pictures to share with you all in my learning process!

And that’s it! My goals for 2012. Some are bigger than others, but they are all important to me. The main goal however, is to not let the ‘homemaker’ status ride the excuse wave for why I can’t help “be the Church” and make a difference in the world. Sooo LET’S DO THIS!!

Happy November!!

Of course I gotta start the month off with a post, especially if I’m getting on the blog band wagon again. ;) For me October flew by, with both sets of grandparents coming to visit. It was a month full of fun memories and a little boy’s 5th birthday!!

But here we are November! I awoke to all my feeds full of friends little ones in their costumes, and it seriously brought such joy and laughter to see all your little blessings dressed up!

Here is a little list of the things that are already making November already rock for me!

1. Starbucks Red Cups!!!! Oh the joy this brings to me! My sweet Ben brought one to me this morning and it was an excellent beginning to my day.

2. Today marks the beginning of Christmas commercials! Yeah, I am a sucker for consumerism.

3. The new Florence and the Machine is out today and I am thoroughly enjoying it!

So that is my lil’ list of joy. Hope you are blessed today!

I will leave you with some pics from my phone of my little cuties.

Update.

Some of you may have noticed I have been M.I.A. from blogging this year. I can say I have thought about it almost every day, but I couldnt put words to a blog. The truth is, a miscarriage earlier this summer coupled with feeling like I was losing my unique voice in a massive blogging world drove me to what I might call blogging depression. lol. This might sound strange to some of you, but this is how I have felt. A dear friend recently reminded me that it was my thoughts, not the rest of the blogging world that she missed reading. With that encouragement she gave me that push to start posting again (thanks Laura).

I am excited to again share all the silly things my kids are doing, the ever changing and inspiring world of design and fashion, and just my random thoughts. Hope y’all don’t mind!?

Our chalkboard pumpkin.

Snow in October is just crazy, but this little boy LOVED it!

Got some new glasses. Yes, they are real. I have bad eyesight. I dream of the day when I can have lasik and open my eyes and see perfectly. Till then these glasses and my contacts will do just fine! :)

Can you guess what our costume was for a friends Halloween party? Ha! We had a good laugh all night about it.

Karl Lagerfeld for Macy’s

Yes, THE Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel is doing a line for us middle class folks and I am flipping stoked. He just premiered the looks last night. Here are some of my favorites.

The 45 pieced collection priced between $50-$170 will hit the racks August 31st. What is your favorite look?

(photos via Macy’s)

Hair Inspiration

For almost a year, I have loved having the now ever popular indie loving blunt bangs. Now, all I want my bangs to do is grow, grow, grow. My goal is to be able to rock a middle part by this summer. Here is a peek at my inspiration via {This Is Glamorous}.

(Photos by Simon Emmett)

A Peak Into The Future.

Silly title I know, but here is a little glimpse at what will be gracing the shelves at J Crew this fall. Enjoy!