2011

Thoughts for 2011


This will be my focus this next year...
Let's see what happens!
xo

images from here and here

30/30 Challenge

Welcome to the 30/30 Challenge ladies!!!

Starting January 1, 2011 I will be mixing and matching 30 items from my closet
for 30 days, and documenting my outfits right here for your viewing pleasure!

Things I hope to accomplish from all of this nonsense:

*Appreciate my clothes
*Recognize that I do have "something" to wear
*Think outside the box
*Get dressed everyday in something other than yoga pants
(You know you do it too.....)
*Have fun and connect with my friends!

So over the next week or two I will be pulling together my 30
and I will photograph them to hold myself accountable.
All other closet items will be shoved aside
and wrapped in CAUTION tape for the month of January.

If you want to play along on your blog,
feel free to let me know and I will link to your blog with my weekly wrap-up.

2011 is going to be full of goodness, and why not start with our clothes.

I will also be doing a photo-a-day on my family blog

So stay tuned....

xoxo

image by teenvogue
30/30 inspired by her

Take Two

Here is the not-so-drugstore
version of my Dec favorites!

Gotta love this still face! Oh my!

Hi there, how is your hair today?

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

Show and Tell- Beauty Edition

You know you want to watch me talk about my skin...
Happy Wednesday!
xoxo

shoe envy

I wish the shoe fairy would come and leave these under my pillow...
I have been a good Mom, I promise!





All shoes can be found at Urban Outfitters
xo

Disney Family Fun

I stumbled across this website that I have never been on before, but it has so many great ideas for you and your kids, and tons of cute printables!

I particularly like this bird mobile....very cute, and Miss P loves it too!


Do you have any favorite go-to websites for ideas or fun things for your kids to do?

We are always up for a new, quick and easy craft project around here!

xo

Toothbrushes

One of my oldest friends just got her RN and was able to journey to Uganda to help and work at a clinic there for a month (The Engeye Clinic). She needed to collect as many toothbrushes as she could to take with with her to distribute to the children and teach them about proper dental care, and asked for help in collecting the toothbrushes. My Mom and I took on the task and between the ladies here on base and my Mom's ward back home, we were able to contribute something like 700+ toothbrushes...crazy right?! Here are a few photos to share of the kids receiving their toothbrushes! I am so grateful to have been able to help in such a small way...and to be surrounded by amazing women so eager to help!

confession

Dearest Mod Podge,

You know I love you.

You know if I were to ever got a tattoo, it may have to be something like this:



I will always love you....but I have a teeny tiny confession....

I met your younger sister today....Mod Podge Sparkle...and I must say,
while you are loyal, trustworthy, and my best friend..

Sparkle is cooler, shinier, and WAY more fun.


We aren't breaking up, but I think we need some time apart....
I want to hang with Sparkle some more!

I am sparlking up some picture frames in the basement right now!!!!!
If you Mod Podge....you must try the Sparkle version....so much fun!


And yes, I know I am a nerd!
~xo

Riv...

A Nutrigrain Bar is a good way to get your kids to sit still for a minute so you can take a picture or two....don't mind the messy mouths! Doesn't Riv look huge next to his sister??? And Paige is not a petite flower herself....I got me some BIG kids!





Their teeth are SO different too....Paige has always had "Sponge Bob" teeth...super spaced out and kind of tiny (the Dentist loves her teeth)...and then there is Riv with his HUGE choppers that are so tight I fear for our Dental future with him! Between my dental rituals and the two kids, it is such a chore!

Riv is growing increasingly difficult to shoot lately....so now I must get more creative in catching him being him.






I got under the kitchen table to get those last few. He thought it was so funny!

Ahhhh....Spring is finally here...I think?

I wish our "Spring" in Washington looked more like this....instead it just rains/snows and and we have 50 mph winds. The poor blossoms don't stand a chance around here....

(image found on http://abbytrysagain.typepad.com )

April 2009

What a difference a year makes...can't begin to image how sickeningly old my children seem next year!

I want, I need...

Don't you love this???? I want one...I need one!!! I LOVE rules...no surprise to those of you that know me! What are your family rules???

Priscilla Ahn

My oldest friend Lindsay is BFF's with an amazing girl named Tiffany...she is really the coolest, and she is among other things a photographer. I was checking out her website, and fell hard for the song that she has playing on her site. Paige would not stop dancing around the room with her best ballerina moves. I had to know who sang the song, and Tiff was kind enough to clue me in to Priscilla Ahn. She has the most beautiful, angelic and yet haunting voice I have heard in forever...and so I had to share.
If you live in the Salt Lake area, please don't hesitate to let Tiffany take your picture! I wish I lived closer....

conversation

I have never really heard Paige talk to kids she doesn't know...especially older ones that she can have a conversation with (she is good at talking to babies)....we have had the same circle of friends up here for the last 3 years...
BUT, yesterday we went to the park for a bit and an older boy came running up to play. I listened in as I watched River piddling around in the tanbark.

Paige: HI (very enthusiastic!!!)
Older Boy: Hey, do you want to play?
P: Sure....I'm Paige
OB: I am Christopher
P: Like my shiny boots....see, they're PINK!
OB: (Kind of rolling his eyes) yeah....let's pretend we are on a boat, ok?
P: (squeals) Ok...this is FUN!!!
P: Do you remember my Daddy...he is Justin.
OB: Do I know you? Have we played before?
P: Yeah (nodding her head and clearly lying as we have never seen this boy before)
OB: Oh, let's go to the other playground and it can be the other boat.
P: Mommy, look at us!!!
OB: (losing interest) Ok, you play on this boat and I will play on the other boat.
P: (beaming) MOM, we are playing!!!


I couldn't help but smile for a few reasons....
#1 Paige was not shy, which has been a big hurdle for us this last year especially with BOYS, ewwww!
#2 Paige was trying to have a real conversation with this new older boy
#3 This sweet boy was actually entertaining this quasi-conversation with some girl much younger than he was....he was 5!
#4 It was nice to stand back and be privy to this small moment in my child's life. Making friends can be so painfully hard when you get a little older...so many social rules, and mean girls....I do not look forward to those days.

So for now...Paige and her shiny boots will be brave and make friends with boys, and I can be proud for ONCE she did not come running to me crying that some BOY was trying to talk to her!

Happy Love Day

LOVE this....LOVE life....Love all of you! Happy LOVE Day...on Sunday!

image from HERE

Spring Ruche Looks

Dear Birthday Fairy,

Can you please make these two outfits from Ruche magically appear in my closet next month? Thanks in advance!

Sincerely Yours,
Patiently Waiting for Spring!

Happy Sunday!

Good Morning to me...this was my breakfast this morning after a LATE night with some lovely ladies. When J is gone, I love having the "girls" over for some chit-chat and snacks. We have been doing clothing swaps on those nights usually, but last night was all visiting and a lot of crazy kids!

Here is a project I have been working on for WAY TOO LONG and finally finished 2 months late...



The whole alphabet is in the bag ( I just made it from some scrap canvas I had laying around)...I just pulled out the letters of my baby sisters name since that is who I was sending it to. She turned 2 and needed some fabric letters...or, at least I thought so! I made them from THIS tutorial! I think she has a lowercase one available now too....great idea. I want to make another set backed in felt to make them more sturdy....someday soon!
xoxo
P.S. In case you were curious (not that you are...) I made the pdbumbum label from an iron-on transfer sheet made for fabric and some large twill tape. In Microsoft Word I just created the tag, reversed it, and copied it till it filled the page, then printed it on the transfer paper. I cut them out and ironed them on the twill tape and ta-da! Something that could be customized for anything...I have some ideas. Not sure how they wash yet....hmmmmm.....

One year ago....I was hanging out with this handsome bebe....how the time flies!

Looking forward to this year, and to start it off right, here are some kind suggestions (received from a friend today):

Life's HANDBOOK for 2010

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours..(ha ha ha)
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13.. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need...realizing that is true wealth
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade
away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time with/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Last but not the least:
40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about, I just did.