What I Wore Wednesday.

Purple Tee- Target

Teal Pants- Target

B&W Flats- Target ($5!)

Are you seeing a pattern here?

White Tee- Down East

Orange Striped Top- Marshalls

Jeans- TJ Maxx

Leopard Print Belt- Target

Black Flats- Target

This Necklace (new! I love my monogram!)

White tee- Down East

Zig Zag Top- Kohls

Pink Flower Pin- Target

Boyfriend Jeans- Target

Brown Sandals- Marshalls

Dottie Peplum Top- Target

Black Pants- Target (too tight, eck!)

Red Pumps- TJ Maxx

White Tee- Down East

Purple Cardy with belt- Marshalls

Gray Striped Skirt (pockets!)- Down East

Gray Shoes- Target

Plaid Shirt- Target (new!)

White Flower Belt- Down East

Boyfriend Jeans- Target

Yellow Sandals- Kohls (10 bucks!)

Blue Tee- Kohls

Blue Flower Pin- Michaels :)

B&W Striped Jacket- Marshalls

Polka Dot Jeans- Kohls

Pink Heels- Target

 

I totally copied that last outfit from this:

I saw this picture on the Kohls website a while back. I fell in love with the polka dot jeans. I already had a blue tee, a blue flower, a striped jacket, AND pink shoes. So, I splurged and bought the jeans. I LOVE them. Now I need to go ride my bike... haha. :)

Back To School BBQ.

Sonnet's school had a family BBQ at the park last week. They had tons of food, carnival games, a round of tug-o-war between the students and the faculty, and a bounce house. It was nice to get to know some of the other kids and parents better and Sonnet had a ball running around with her buddies. :)

God Bless America.

Sonnet's school held a "Constitution Night" last Friday. During the first couple weeks of school, all the students learned about the Constitution of the United States and the principal of self-government. Then each class wrote their own "classroom constitution" and after a nice program, each student went up on the stage and signed their name on the document (with a pen that had a plume!). It was a special night! :)

 

Sonnet's kindergarten class decided on tenants like "take care of my body and eat healthy" and "be nice to others" and "say prayers every morning." (I should have taken a picture of their constitution. It was really cute). Now they're all hanging up in the main hallway at school and they will stay there all year.

 

All of the students recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the preamble of the Constitution and sang The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America. I LOVE that those are the things she spent her time learning during her first days of school.

 

Incidentally, the Constitution was adopted 225 years ago TODAY by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. And it is now the oldest written national constitution in continuous use! I believe it was an inspired document and that our government (a Republic, not a democracy! with seperation of powers) is the best type of government in effect on the planet. I believe in the America originally created by our Founders and I am so happy Sonnet is learning to love and respect them and our country.

Buddies.



He's half her weight and two thirds her height and she hauls him around like a rag doll... and he just laughs.

I love my Little Buddies!

Me.

So, I know it’s kind of funny that this post is about being authentic and not doing things just because other people do them, yet I am copying the idea for this post from my friend, but it was a great post and I had to share.

Go read Janssen’s post here because it is well written and then you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Basically… people spend a lot of time on Pinterest and blogs and they see all these ideas for crafts, home décor, fashion, beauty, entertaining, and cooking and they start to feel like they have to do everything and that they’re not creative enough or good enough if they don’t mimic what they see on the internet.

There is nothing wrong with getting inspiration from others, but we can’t compare ourselves to others and we can’t try to do what others do unless it’s something that really matters to us.

I’ve always been kind of stubborn and I don’t really care about doing what is “cool”—I just do what I like—and I don’t really care what others think of me. I respect people who are authentic and who are comfortable in their own skin. I’m not saying we should never grow or progress or try new things… I’m just saying that we can’t do everything. So, pick and choose and then be at peace with yourself.

Off the top of my head, here are some things I like/will do…

Home

I will decorate my house any way I want. I will continue to try DIY projects and not worry when they don’t turn out perfectly. I like color. I won’t be made to feel that I have to paint my house in neutral colors because it’s more appealing to the masses and I refuse to consider “resale value.” If it’s my house and I’m living in it, then I’m going to do it up the way I want and just enjoy it. I will put as many holes in the walls as I want and repaint my bedroom 16 times if I feel like it. I’m not a minimalist. I don’t like clutter, but I don’t have a problem with knick knacks that mean something to me. I will always be more “Ballard Designs” than “West Elm.”

I will not feel bad that I don’t like to decorate for holidays. Other than putting up a Christmas tree and maybe changing the wreath on my front door, putting lots of other stuff around my house {and messing with my usual décor that I’ve worked hard to perfect} is just not something I enjoy. My kids will still know that a holiday is coming and we will still celebrate and have fun even if I don’t put fake spider webs and loads of jack-o-lanterns all around my yard every October.

Creativity

I like crafts, but I only make something if it is something I need or really want or if I can make it cheaper than I can buy it {which usually you can’t}. There are tons of cute ideas out there, but there’s no point in making something just to make it. If I don’t have a spot for it in my house or a person to give it to for Christmas, then I’m not going to make it.

I just don’t understand photography. I am a smart person and I have a good eye {and a pretty nice camera}, but despite taking 3 photography classes and doing lots of experimenting, I just don’t really know how to take great photos. I believe in having photographic and written records of my life so I will continue to take photos and write on my blog religiously so that everything stays organized and in order, but when I want some really amazing family pictures taken, I will just hire someone else to do it.

I will use decorating, writing, and reading as my creative outlets. If I get a hankering to try something new at some point, I will not be afraid to give it a fair shake. If it turns out I’m good at it or that I enjoy it, I will incorporate it into my life. If not, I’ll move on.

Fashion and Beauty

I will take the time to get dressed {most} mornings even if I have nowhere to go because it makes me feel so much better about myself. I will wear cute clothes, but I will not spend a lot of money on them. I have no problem buying pieces at Target and TJMaxx. I have never set foot in Nordstrom’s or Anthropology and that doesn’t bother me one bit. I will not try to sew or alter my own clothes. In theory, I would love to design and make my own clothes because I think I could do so much better than what is already out there, but I have come to terms with the fact that I HATE sewing. I will read fashion magazines because I like them, but I will not feel bad that I don’t own any designer clothes or that I don't look like a supermodel. I will be aware of the latest trends because it interests me, but I will not feel pressured to try them in my own life unless something really appeals to me. I will continue to wear high heels even though they are not practical because I just really love them.

I will wear my hair in a bun pretty much every day or I will wear a wig. I have finally come to terms with the fact that my natural hair will never look like my dream hair. I’m never going to have long, thick, curly red hair, so I’ll settle for dying it brown every four weeks to hide the grays and otherwise stop fighting with it.

I will wear makeup. I used to feel bad that I didn’t really like the way I look “au natural”—but you know what? I don’t have good skin and I like makeup and it takes me all of 5 minutes to put it on so I might as well do it and feel good about myself and stop worrying about it. And I will wear crazy, bright lipstick if I feel like.

Social Life

I will not throw dinner parties or host games nights. Neither of those are fun for me. I do enjoy making invitations, decorating for a party, and preparing the food, but I don’t like to actually attend parties. So, I will not feel like I have to throw them. And I won’t feel bad declining invitations from others either. I don’t have to go to everything. The party will go on without me and I will feel much happier at home. J

When I do throw a birthday party {or tea party} for my kids, I will not feel bad that my party is not Martha Stewart approved. Some paper goods from Party City and a few rounds of Musical Chairs is good enough for me.

My Time

I will continue to read the books I enjoy and watch the few TV shows that I really like. I will not feel bad that I spend most of my free time on media. If I want to read fiction, I will, even though it has very little value beyond entertainment. If I want to read "Rebecca" or "Atlas Shrugged" for the millionth time, I will because those books give meaning to my life.

I don't like to cook. I love to bake and I make lots of cookies, cakes, and breads, but I don't like making fancy dinners every night. I have no interest in buying only organic food or making my own baby food or going on a vegetarian, or dairy free, or gluten free diet. I will not feel bad about feeding my family cereal for dinner on occasion. I hate to clip coupons and I don't understand "extreme couponing" at all. I will buy my groceries at Wal-Mart and pay full price for 1 box of Grape Nuts and be done with it.

I will be proud of the fact that I am a stay at home mom. I know many women feel that they have no worth if they don’t work outside the home. I believe being a full time mom is noble and a privilege. I love that I spend my days reading stories, playing dress up, building block towers, snuggling babies, making meals, cleaning the house, and driving back and forth to Sonnet’s school. My house is [usually] clean and organized. My kids know I am always there when they need me. I hear every laugh, listen to every story, and get every cuddle they have to share. My husband gets attention and our marriage is strong. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

And that is all... for now.

Word.

This has been on my mind (probably because of all the political jabbering I hear lately) so I decided to share. It's from one of my favorite books "Atlas Shrugged" (which I highly recommend to anyone who understands the TRUE American dream)...

"So you think that money is the root of all evil? Have you ever asked, “What is the root of money?” Money is a tool of exchange, which can’t exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is that what you consider evil?

You say that money is made by the strong at the expense of the weak. What strength do you mean? It is not the strength of guns or muscles. Wealth is the product of ma...

n’s capacity to think. Then is money made by the man who invents a motor at the expense of those who did not invent it? Is money made by the intelligent at the expense of the fools? By the able at the expense of the incompetent? By the ambitious at the expense of the lazy? Money is made—before it can ever be looted or mooched—made by the effort of every honest man, each to the extent of his ability. An honest man is one who knows that he cannot consume more than he has produced.

Watch money. Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see that money is flowing to those who deal not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that is does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot.

When you have made evil the means of survival, do not expect men to remain good. Do not expect them to produce, when production is punished and lootings rewarded. Do not ask, “Who is destroying the world?” You are."

-Ayn Rand, 1957
Atlas Shrugged

7 Months!

 

  Stetson is 7 months old today.

He is so cute and so sweet and so full of energy. I just love the little guy to pieces.

I may or may not have cried yesterday because he is getting so big so fast. Everyone knows babies scare me and I don’t want another baby (not for a while anyway), but I still get sad when my babies get big. I started thinking about how pretty soon he won’t have such a warm, fuzzy, bald head and such pudgy, little fingers and I just want to stop time and soak up every little kiss and squeeze and laugh. Waaaa.

Seriously, his little head may be my favorite thing on the planet. I rub it and kiss it all day long. And those little hands. Oh! They’re so grabby and he’s so curious, but then he rubs his eyes when he’s sleepy and holds my finger while I feed him and it’s just so darn sweet.

He learned how to crawl this month. It’s so fascinating to watch his brain connect all the dots and coordinate the legs and the arms and make decisions about where to go… I tell you, babies are just amazing little creatures.

It took him about 2 seconds to go from crawling to pulling up on things. He’s super strong, but he doesn’t have great balance so he falls over a lot, but the stubborn little guy just keeps on trying. He’s quite happy with his newfound freedom. And it's so fun to have him "come find me" when I go into another room. He looks so pleased with himself.

He scrunches up his nose when he laughs and he kinda snorts a little. He's super ticklish and sometimes he laughs so hard he can't even breathe. It's the best sound ever. Baby's giggles are magic.

He’s been sleeping a little better and he’s been happier lately. He’s always babbling about something. I swear he says the word “hi” in the proper context and everything. When he is sleepy, he closes his eyes and basically “hums” for about 5 minutes while he relaxes and falls asleep. It’s soooooo cute.

He eats pretty well. Sonnet hated baby food and would only eat a few finger foods, so I never really learned how to feed a baby. The fact that Stetson will actually sit in a high chair and open his mouth is still kind of surprising to me. J I’m trying to learn to just feed him what we’re eating, so I pretty much let him try anything he wants. I even gave him ice cream the other day. He yelled at me if I didn’t get the next bite ready fast enough. He knows the good stuff when he tastes it. J

He loves Sonnet, he loves the dog... He loves to explore, stick everything in his mouth, and bounce in his bouncer... He loves to be held and he always wants to be right in the action. As long as he is getting some attention and has something to keep him busy and interested, he is happy. He’s so cute and funny… I like 7 months. J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sonnet Sings.

Check out Sonnet sing her new favorite song "God Bless America." It's pretty entertaining! :) She's got some serious moves and she loves to perform. I'm afraid she may have inherited my musical abilities though. Haha. :)

On The Move!

Well, it's official... Stetson is mobile! He's a week shy of 7 months old (already!) and even though he's not very graceful, he is crawling!

 

This little guy has always been in a hurry. I get the feeling from him that his spirit is very frustrated at being stuck in a baby's body. It's like he knows he's got a lot to do in life and he just wants to get on with it! Every once in a while, he coils up and lets out a huge yell/grunt and his face turns red and his whole body shakes... as if he just can't contain his emotions... his spirit is trying to get out, or tell me something, or take off and do something productive, but his body won't cooperate and he gets mad. It's kinda cute. Patience, my sweet boy. I have to have a baby to snuggle on for at least a little while. :)

 

But for him, crawling is a step in the right direction. It just adds a whole new level of craziness for me (hello, child-proofing the house!), but I love that he can go where he wants and that he has a little more freedom. He sure is a cute little ball of T.R.O.U.B.L.E. :)

 

Check out his moves...

(and please mute your audio so you don't have to listen to my voice- haha.)

 

Sonnet the Poet.

Sonnet's kindergarten class has to memorize a bunch of poems throughout the school year. Little Miss Know-It-All memorized the first one in like two seconds. And you know she looooooves to be the center of attention! :) Check her out...

 

Random Thoughts.

It’s early morning and Nate is downstairs watching the kids. I am still in my pajamas, in my bed, having a moment of peace. I tell you what, as much as I love waking up to the faces of my gorgeous kids yelling about how they want breakfast and attention, I much prefer waking up to quiet and having a minute to gather my wits before I face the day. I know, I should probably wake up before my kids and get ready for the day, but I have a hard time getting up any earlier than I absolutely have to. I just do not like mornings. I never have.

I once read that the average person’s most creative period of the day occurs in the early morning--- about a half hour after waking and lasts for 2-3 hours. Apparently, I am not average. For sure, I do my best work around midnight. I remember once in college staying up late to write a research paper and I was still up at 4:30am. My roommate got up to go to work and she couldn’t believe I had gotten up so early. I didn’t bother telling her I hadn’t even been to bed yet. In college, I worked as a home health aide and I worked the 4pm-midnight shift because I had no problem staying up late to administer meds or help a patient get to the bathroom. I'm an owl.

So… even though I’m exhausted all the time because my baby doesn’t sleep well, I still find myself staying up late at night. I just really like to have an hour or so all to myself after everyone else is asleep. I can read a book, work on a project, or sit on the couch with my feet up and watch a show. No one is bugging me and I don’t have to worry about anything or be anywhere. The rest of the world is asleep and I love the solitude. I crave it.

BUT, I will have you know, we survived the first week of school! Both kids were in bed between 8:30 and 9:00pm every night this week. That is seriously early for us. :) I got up at 6:30am, Sonnet got up at 6:50am and Stetson got woken up to ride to school with us at 7:30am. It wasn't as awful as I thought. I'm not saying I like it, but we can get used to it.

Speaking of putting the kids to bed… I always feel bad when I try to sing my kids to sleep. Honestly, I am almost completely tone deaf. I cannot sing a note. I can’t even hum. But sometimes, when I’m snuggling a warm baby in the rocking chair before bed, I feel the need to sing a lullaby. But then I think, “I’m probably just irritating the kid, not soothing them.” So I usually stick to quietly reciting poetry.

Here’s a secret: Every night after I tuck my kids in bed, I touch their head and say a quick prayer in my mind. “Sleep well. Be safe. Have peace. Have joy. Choose the right. Know that you are loved.” I’ve done it since Sonnet was little and now I do it to Stetson too. They’ll never know, but it makes me feel better.

Here's a confession: I didn't watch one minute of the Olympics. The thing is, I am super patriotic, but I am not into sports at all. I love a good (live) hockey game and I used to go to all the BYU football games when I was a student there, because hey, that’s what you do. I played volleyball and basketball in high school. I admire athletes who are dedicated to their training and I like to watch the Superbowl because my dad makes yummy chicken wings, but other than that, I just couldn’t care less about sports. Which means, what little time I did spend watching TV over the last couple weeks was devoted to Project Runway and White Collar, not the Olympics. Does that make me totally un-American?

This will come as no shock: I am a super neat freak. I’m not OCD. I CAN function if things are out of order. I can shake your hand or touch a shopping cart without freaking out about the germs. But really, I am not much fun to be around unless my house is clean and I have a roll of antibacterial wipes within arms reach. The neatness trait is part of my genetics and upbringing. My parents are both very orderly and organized. Everything has a certain place... picture frames should be straight, cans should all be turned the same direction in the pantry… you get the idea. I was raised that way and I like it. I feel so much more calm in a clean, organized, pretty space. The germ thing is just me. Maybe working in the microbiology lab in college ruined me. But I think about germs and cleanliness in a way that most people don’t. There are certain things that I just won’t touch. I will literally avoid church or play dates or meetings where I know someone who is sick or is just getting over a sickness will be. I hate doctors' offices, garbage cans, and doorknobs. I Lysol everything on a very regular basis. Now, I don’t mind getting dirty. I can let Sonnet play in the mud at grandma’s house or get flour all over the place when I’m baking or go hike in the mountains and get sweaty and dusty. Dirt is different than germs. And mostly, I'm OK with my own germs. But other people's germs? Being out in public? Eeeewwww.This is one of the reasons I have a hard time being with big groups. More people equals more germs. Mostly, to keep myself from going all Howard Hughes, I just try not to think about germs. I had a really hard time taking Sonnet to nursery at church because I would look at the toys and think about how many other little kids had played with them and licked them before her and how infrequently they were cleaned. I had to just stop thinking about it. But once in a while, I start focusing on how dirty I think everything is and I go crazy washing  and wiping stuff (or throwing stuff away and replacing it). I mean, I get that some germs are good. I get that it's actually not healthy to be TOO sterile. I get that some germs are endogenous and that there are literally millions of germs on every surface and that no matter what I do, I will never escape them and actually, that is OK. I'm just saying that if I have the opportunity to wash my hands, I will take it!

Speaking of my issues... I hate talking on the phone. I really hate it. I CAN make a phone call, but I will do everything I can not to have to. I don’t even really like to talk to Nate or my parents on the phone. Phones are just awkward to me. I don’t know why. Face to face conversation doesn’t bother me [much] and I have no problem with email or texts or facebook. But phones? Gah! Freak. Me. Out. I even order pizza online to avoid having to make that phone call.

I am not spontaneous. I like things organized. I like plans. I don’t like things sprung on me. I don’t really like surprises, not even “fun” ones. I don't like to be left out of the loop. I don't like to be unprepared. I am much happier when I know what is coming next. Basically, I like control. Have I mentioned that I really struggle with flexibility? Haha. :)

I love to swing. I have a swing in my backyard and I spend time out there every morning and every evening, just snuggling with the kids or reading a book while I swing back and forth. The movement is so soothing to me. I get why babies like baby swings so much. If I was a billionaire, I would have someone make me a king size bed that swings like a huge cradle. Yes I would.

I really like my house. It’s cheap, and everything in it is cheap, and heaven knows I am the world's crappiest painter and I am sure we will never be able to sell this place because (1) the market tanked and (2) no one besides me is going to want a red kitchen and a teal laundry room and wallpaper on their stair treads, but… I love this house. I feel safe and comfortable here. The house is cute and organized and cozy. The rooms are spacious and we fit comfortably. I like my ward and I have two Walmarts, two Targets, and a fabulous Mexican restaurant within a 5 mile radius. Sonnet's school and both of our extended families live on the other end of town, but really, once you hop on the freeway, it's not that big of a deal. I'm just grateful for my "box."

And now, I must go play Mom again...

Cuteness.

Baby Faces.

Somebody looooooves bath time! :)