Celebrate

What do you get when a group of 13 year old girls get together? 

An impromptu dance party of course!

I don't know which they enjoyed more. 
Dancing or having me take their pictures. Non-stop.

Friends.Food.Footloose. {and never-ending cupcakes}

A perfect combination.

And happily for this mama, boys were still NOT ALLOWED.

I'm hoping we can keep it that way. Forever.

Love these girls.


Happy Halloween to all of you.

I have one Harry Potter.one Little Red Riding Hood. and one cute Little Witch to get ready.

Rainy Days and Mondays

So, here's a little known fact.

I LOVE the Carpenters.
Even more so on rainy days. and Mondays.

A good thing since it has been raining non.stop in these parts. 


We stole a few moments at best  in the backyard. 

Giving cute they will not fit by the Spring rain boots a trial run.

Hangin' around.
Nothin' to do but frown.
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.


On Ava:
Fleece Hoodie - BabyGap
Denim jeggings - H & M
Rain Boots - Gifted

What I Wore : Dresses over Pants

It's been all about layering around here.

Dresses over skinny jeans? Yes please.
I love navy. Especially with emerald and plum piping. So perfect for the fall.

So perfect, it's been in my closet for at least five years. maybe more. 

Dress - Akiko | Skinny Jeans - Forever XXI | Boots - Miss Sixty | Necklace with Medallion - Vintage

Here's to changing things up ~~

And that's what I'm wearing on Wednesday.

Monday Lovelies

I have a few more fabulous ladies I want to introduce you to this week ~
I "met" Katie while blog hopping one day, quite by accident. She was in Palm Springs on a girl's trip if I recall...I was jealous I also recall.
I haven't stopped reading since ~

Hi lovely friends of Susan. I'm Katie from the Minivan Diva.

The catalyst for my blog was my diagnosis of lupus, my son's diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, and my husband's melanoma diagnosis. I share thoughts on the journey of motherhood including raising our 3 wild boys, faith, projects, and occasional recipes. You get the real deal with me--the good, the bad, and the ugly all wrapped up with sincerity and a sense of humor. 
I would love for you stop by and say "hi".

Blog :: Bloglovin :: Facebook

Next up is sweet Ashlyn from My Unrehearsed Life ~

My name is Ashlyn Williams. I am a daughter, sister, girlfriend, momma {to a boxer named Rufus}, & full-time student studying to be a Physician’s Assistant.

 I originally started blogging as a personal outlet that was for my eyes alone, but it has grown into something life changing. At my blog you can find a little bit of everything from love&faith to fashion&health…along with a little inspiration to get you through the day. 
I hope you can stop by & join this little ‘unrehearsed’ life I live.

Blog :: Twitter :: Pinterest :: Facebook :: Bloglovin

And lastly, the lovely Jessi from This Camera Tells My Story ~

I am a 26 year old wife, mother, daughter and sister. I love all things crafted, thrifted and vintage. My blog began as my photo diary and has slowly become a place where I share my thrifted finds, the projects I'm working on, daily photos, the going-on's of my adorable family and my thoughts about life and culture.

Blog :: Twitter

Happy Monday!

What that baby Wore : The Reader

I was that kid reading a book while watching t.v.

The one you could find at the library. Alone. All the time.

It's funny that someone as loud as me spent most of her formative years in such a quiet place.

I still love a good book.

Can get lost in them. And still prefer sometimes to be alone with a good book to being anywhere else.

I began reading to each of my children early on.

Isabella always demanded a bedtime story. Or two. Or three.

She could recite every page of Madeline before she could read. I would turn the pages, she would know them by memory. 

I'm hoping her baby sister is following in her footsteps ::

I wonder when she's too quiet, what she may be up to.
Sometimes I'm lucky and find her catching up on some reading in her room.
I try, but she hasn't quite grasped the concept of my reading to her just yet.
But she'll get there. 

Back on the lookout for trouble ::
Quiet moments never last long around here.

On Ava:

Sweater - Zara Kids

Jeans - Old Navy

A Star is Born

It's someone's birthday today.

And she's 13. A teenager. I have no idea when that happened.


I was only 107 lbs when I got pregnant for the first time and was only a few months into my marriage.

I was so, so sick. 

We had just moved into our very first home a few weeks before. Extreme nausea kept me from staying there. I needed my mama.

We moved back in with my folks while I prayed for it to get better.

I took diclectin {for me a miracle drug} for almost 8 weeks before it started to finally subside.

And I started to eat. A lot.

Especially during the night.

My husband would often turn to find me sitting up eating a sandwich. 

We still laugh about it all these years later.

This girl would go on to gain almost 70 lbs.

I would stare at my naked self in the mirror and ask my husband...whose butt IS that? 

My pregnancy progressed normally.

My due date came. And went.

I was told they would induce eight days later.

Nursery ready. Bag packed. Check.

We were to be at the hospital at 6am. 

They used prostaglandin. Yes there. And we were told to walk around for an hour. I was checked again and told to go home.

There was some cramping. Nothing crazy.

I napped. Didn't feel like eating. for once.

We went back for noon.

There were a number of girls there. I remember each getting checked and told to go back home.

I remember getting checked and told I wasn't going home.

I remember knitting needles. Or what looked like them.

I remember feeling like I peed myself. A lot.

I remember being told I would be moved across the hall.

I remember barely being able to make it from having to stop to breathe through contractions. 

And then, I remember Tracy.

Do you want an epidural?

Duh. I'm the one with the t-shirt. I want it NOW.

I swear it was like a minute later that the anesthesiologist was there.

He asked my husband to leave.

I crouched. Well sort of.

And a few minutes later I was lying down happy.

Truth be told, I often say I never felt a labor pain with Isabella.

I never really felt anything.
Except some nausea for like a minute. And then chills. Teeth chattering.
All that stopped and it took all day for me to progress. It was a Saturday.

I remember saying she will be born on Saturday night. A party girl. 

I was young. 

You're ready to go.

I am? incredulously.

Bright lights on. Nurses everywhere. It was warm. The room.

The obgyn. Not my obgyn.

push.push.slowly.

And out she came.

I will never forget that feeling. ever.

It's a girl!

I cried a little. I think. I said I knew it. Because I did.

They wrapped her up and placed her on my chest.

I stared at her. My own eyes stared back at me.

I felt an instant bond. I did.

I had never been happier in my life than at that moment.

And for a long time afterward.

Elated. 
Completely and utterly in love.

Happy Birthday to our sweet Isabella.
xo

My Hero

My first guest post shared earlier this week at My Unrehearsed Life :: the month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This message is too important not to share. twice.


It is hard to find the right words to say when a friend calls you to tell you they found something on a recent mammogram. 

Do you make light? I'm sure it's nothing. Speculate? Could be just  a cyst. I had another girlfriend that had a cyst. It was nothing.

I chose to do neither. Truthfully, I didn't know what to say.

Call me the moment you know.

My friend is so beautiful. 

She is stylish.funny.sweet.kind. Full of Life.

The kind of person who everyone wants to be around. The life of the party one might call her.

The diagnosis came back.

It was a tumor. 

Further testing would confirm that it was indeed cancerous. Even further testing would confirm that it was the kind of breast cancer that has a high probability of spreading.

I tried to learn everything I could. I learned jargon I had never heard of before.

The internet is both a blessing and a curse in times like these. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Information overload scared me. I am sure that it scared her as well although she never said a word.

But she did her homework. And then some.

She changed her diet.her lifestyle.her way of thinking almost altogether.

This was cancer after all.

It didn't seem fair to me. This vivacious woman who had everything. The same woman who suffered the loss of her very best friend not so many years ago to...cancer.

Why did it choose her? Why?

We have all heard the statistics. I don't claim to be an expert but I know that in my lifetime, many of the women I know will be diagnosed.

Some will have tougher battles than others.

Some will win. And some may lose.

it.is.awful.

My beautiful friend opted for radical surgery.

She tried to make me understand although I didn't need to.

I knew she should and would do what was right for her. For her body. For her healing.

She underwent a double-mastectomy and it went amazingly well.

It is incredible really how someone so tiny could be so strong.

We had lunch sometime afterwards. Talked. Walked. Shopped.

It was almost like everything was back to normal.

Although for her, it never will be.

I am sure that cancer changes you in ways I hope to never understand.

Outside she is still the very same beautiful.outgoing.funny girl.

I don't know how she feels inside.

She had reconstructive surgery a few short weeks ago.

It went perfectly. She is healing.resting.happy with the results.
I check in on her often.
At times, I still don't know what to say. Too much. Too little.

I reached out to her to ask if it was o.k. to write this post.
She said she had no secrets. And would tell. Should tell. Everyone she knows.
She doesn't know it.
But she is my hero.

What that baby Wore : Some Days

There are days I get through because of her.

It's been a bit of a rough week.

Some days felt like they would never end.

Changing up how we normally do things, adjusting to being home again and helping our Donna get settled with a new employer.

I can't wait for things to just be back.to.normal

Kinda like before I ever went back to work. And messed everything up.

I'm finding that I'm over-ambitious some days. Just trying to get too much done and putting unnecessary pressure on myself.

And then learning remembering that it's hard to get anything done with an active 18 month old.

Some days it bothers me. Others not so much.

I am hoping for more of the latter.

On Ava:

Sweater Coat - Obaibi

Shirt - H + M

Polka Dot Leggings - Joe Fresh

Shoes - Robeez

Change isn't always easy.
But it's always good. 

The Best Little Photographer in Canada ~ A Guest Post

Yes, that's two guest posts in one day. 

But whose keeping track? 

If you're so inclined 
{read: want to see a pic of this girl's pregnant belly} 
and want to meet the best little photographer in Canada 
{read: see some adorable pics of my older kiddos} 
please visit Shelly's blog today.

We love her. and her cookies.

xo

Happy Thanksgiving ~ A Recipe

It's Thanksgiving Day 'round these parts ~

I saw this here and gave it a try. The candy corn will not last long around here. 

I would still prefer a cream candle I think. But this will do.

Not a fan of the turkey so I am roasting one big 'ole chicken right now.

Serving a creamy soup to start.

So simple and tasty. Perfect for this time of year.
Well...for the fall. We'll pretend it's not 25 degrees today.

Cream of squash soup

2 lbs of butternut squash (seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces)

1 1/2 cups of diced onion

2 carrots (peeled and diced)

3 cans (13 3/4 ounce x 3) of chicken stock

2 tbsp. of butter

1/2 tsp. of salt

1/2 cup of cream (either light or heavy)

Sour cream for garnish

Combine squash, onions, carrots, broth and salt.

Simmer uncovered for 40-50 minutes. 

Puree adding butter.

Whisk in cream.

Before serving, add a dollop of sour cream. (or in my case, a bay leaf)

Seriously easy peasy.

And will totally impress your mother-in-law. 

The Red Box

Little miss has figured out that the door adjoining our family room leads to a sunshine-filled (full of things she cannot touch)  sun room.

The room was an addition to the original house and not a very well thought out space.

It's not used as often as we would like ~ for now, it has become the older kids' hangout.

Imagine her joy when she came across this ~

The elusive red box is always up high.

Julian must have left it out.

The joy.

The silly bands.

The learning that little miss knows red.(ed)blue(boo).yellow(elo)

And how to appear innocent.
Even when she's guilty as charged.

"if she breaks one, she's paying for it" 
Sigh.

Nothing like brotherly love.

What I Wore : Faux Fur

It got really cold. Really fast.

Bare foot one day. Socks AND BOOTS the next.

The sun is in full-shine mode so it is deceiving.

Brrr.

Sweater - Winners | Jeggings - Forever XXI Faux Fur Reversible Vest - The Gap
Scarf - Esprit | Boots - Asos

I am staring at my new boots in the above picture.

Just in case you were wondering. 

They finally came in from Asos. Weeks later.

Don't even ask about the duty.hst.handling fees.

Still worth it.

And that's what I'm wearing on Wednesday.