ENCOURAGE

A recent purchase of mine is the "Busy Mom's Bible".  In search of a devotional geared towards moms I stumbled across this Bible.  I thought, "I am busy & I am a mom" so I checked it out.  It's a regular NIV translation Bible with 52 "thought starters", much like a devotional, that are based on a specific scripture verse.  It has a "reflect & pray" section & a "study" section with additional scripture verses.  What I like about it so far is the actual "thought starters" & topics. The 52 "thought starters" are actually subcategories of 13 different topics.  I like it because you can gear your entire week of reading towards specific topics like "relationships" or "God is...". It is definitely geared towards a mother which is nice.  There is also a "word to take with you for the day". When Addison is older it's actually a great way to teach her verses & lessons.  So far I really like it. I decided to start with relationships & my word today was ENCOURAGE.  

I TOOK THE PLUNGE

{i love her fuzzy blonde hair & striking blue eyes}

For years...literally YEARS, I have said I wanted to dye my hair brown but I have never had enough courage.  I always felt like my skin was too light & I LOVED my hair super light. I am in the process of growing my hair out & have vowed to just getting it trimmed & thinned out.  I have had this itch for change lately & since my house is already undergoing little overhauls due to the urge, the next logical thing was to change me. A couple of weeks ago my hair stylist put low lights in & did a darker color glaze but it was still pretty blonde & faded pretty fast so today I took the plunge & dyed my hair brown.  It's definitely different but I LOVE that it's different.

It's actually a little darker in person.   Addison didn't really know what to think when I got home. She kept looking at me & smiling with this look of "i know that's my mom's smell & voice but it doesn't look like her" expression.  Philip loves it which was a huge sigh of relief because he has always had a "the blonder the better" philosophy. I've never been brunette before. I've played around with different shades of blonde & gotten low lights but this is by far the darkest I've ever been.  I think seeing the darker eyebrows is more shocking to me then the hair.

BOHO BABY

By far one of the best things about having a little girl is dressing her.  She doesn't realize it right now but she has a pretty great wardrobe.  Her closet is packed to the max right now. I honestly don't think I can squeeze another article of clothing in.  It's partially because she isn't outgrowing clothes as fast as I anticipated & also because I am slightly addicted to the mini versions of the latest trends.  Our friend Emilee gave Addison this cute little slouchy hat which was the perfect Addition to her coral skinny jeans from H&M & slouchy cropped (only not so cropped on this itty bitty) sweater from H&M. On a side note Diane Von Furstenberg partnered with the GAP for a kids line & I got a sneak peak the other day.  I wasn't thrilled with the options for Addison's current size but I love some of the styles for the 18 months+ age range.

SUMMER VACATION

{taken by our friend Dexter}

Excited is an understatement!?!  We are booking our tickets to Kailua, Hawaii this week! Kailua is located 12 miles northeast of Honolulu. It's best known for Kailua Beach (voted one of the World's best beaches), Mount Olomana, huge saltwater wetlands, quaint shops & fantastic food.  The Obamas, Adam Sandler & a long list of other celebrities have vacation homes in Kailua. 

 We've been planning this trip since before Addison was born & it's finally 2 months around the corner !?!  No, we didn't choose Kailua because it's where the Obama's & many other celebrities vacation ( but how cool would it be to run into one on the street?!).  In fact, it's not where we originally planned to go.  Originally we had our eyes set on either Maui or Waikiki based on resort ratings; I actually had never even heard of Kailua.  Lucky for us that in the beginning of this year our friends Dexter & Amy moved to Kailua. I am even more excited about trip now than I was before! Dexter & Amy are a TON of fun & no doubt make sure we have a good time.  An added bonus is they have a little girl 3 weeks younger than Addison & a 3 year old little girl.  The count down is officially on!

{taken by our friend Dexter}

JUST PICTURES

{enjoying the UNC vs. NCSU game @ the Carolina Ale House}

LITTLE VIRGO

 My cousin Alyson bought Addison an adorable little romper before she was born (actually before we even knew her gender) that has Virgo on the front & a few characteristics/traits on the back.  Three of the traits listed are CREATIVE, ENERGETIC & ORGANIZED.  After watching her play all day yesterday & do things to make me laugh, I decided to read a little bit about Virgo personality traits.  I literally laughed out loud at some of the things I read.  After googling characteristics of Virgo & traits of Virgo here is what I found:

"For those with a Virgo child, you have an energetic, talkative, analytic kid who may show maturity beyond his years starting at an early age.  These kids are constantly seeking out new activities, and require a constant stream of books and projects to keep them from becoming bored.  Your Virgo child will actually appreciate it when you give him household tasks to complete, and will generally do a good job with them, asking many questions along the way so he can do the best job possible.  Be sure not to criticize if his job does not turn out just right, however, as this will deflate his ego and he will not likely want to try again any time soon.  It's better with a Virgo to just talk about the nuts and bolts of how you accomplish the same task.  Virgo children are somewhat shy when confronted with new situations, so providing them with opportunities to socialize with other kids is an important part of their upbringing.  Virgos will do well in school due to their industrious nature and determination.  This is a willing little worker who should be supported fully in any direction in which he shows interest, such as music or science.   The Virgo child should do well as far as relationships within the family, unless there is a sibling with traits that he just cannot abide, such as a critical, pushy, or messy brother or sister.  In cases like this, giving the Virgo child a place of his own that he can retreat to is always a good idea."  

  {Source}

A few famous Virgos include: Mother Teresa, Michael Jackson, Arnold Palmer, Barry White, Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, Ivan Pavlov.  The list was packed with scientists, actors & musicians.

I know there isn't much validity into any of this but it was fun reading & comparing her nonetheless.  She is most definitely energetic, talkative, smart, loves music & books....maybe she will be the next Fiona Apple or Mother Teresa?!?

CLOSET CRAFT SPACE

We finished my "creative space" in the office closet over the weekend. Here is how it turned out.

{1) Cork board tile that came in 4 pack from Target

{2} Cafe rods from Walmart for wrapping ribbon organization

{3} Cafe rods from Walmart & metal pale from $1 Target bin to store pencils, markers, & misc items

{4} Freezer basket from Walmart & 2 removable 3m hooks with adhesive backing & burlap ribbon to store wrapping paper

{5} Rubbermaid bin with handles storing tissue paper & bags

{6} shelf Philip built with scrap wood that we stained & mod podged wrapping paper to back of used to store fabric, paint, etc. 

excuse the tape on the sewing machine; i haven't used my new one yet

{1} Rubbermaid bins to store craft ribbon
{2} plastic corbel I picked up at Goodwill for $1.50 (2 of them) & spray painted we mounted underneath a black floating shelf we had lying around.  Used for misc. storage
{3} Old shelves from my college apartment that we had in the garage that I spray painted & I am using for thread & misc storage
{4} Rubbermaid container that I decorated with chevron stripes from black contact paper I made. Used to store misc. sewing things
{5} Table from Craig's List made from reclaimed barn wood. Philip sanded it, spray painted the bottom  & put a sealer on top.
{6} old basket with misc. sewing things

I am so happy with how it turned out.  Now I have a dedicated space for my "projects" & don't have to drag tubs & my sewing machine up & down stairs.  The space all together probably only cost about $75.00.  The paint is left over from the kitchen & I had most of the tubs/baskets. We purchased the desk, the desk lamp, & most of the items that are secured to the doors.  The best part is when I am done all I have to do is shut the door.