Breathe.....

I sometimes feel like I need to blog about a project or show noteworthy pictures, but then I realize that only 2 people read my blog....two of my besties and my blog was never intended to be a projects blog. So, today, I am just writing! I am in super good spirits because I woke up to a happy baby who went back down for her morning nap perfectly and the sun is shining. Forget that Amara spilled my freshly brewed cup of coffee all over the coffee table ( barely missing my laptop).... I just don't care!

Yesterday, daddy left and I was feeling a little un-optomistic about facing the day alone with a fussy baby, but that was YESTERDAY, and the Lord makes all things new in the morning huh? I feel like my head is in a MILLION places right now, and my memory is not serving me well these days! Yep, there babe, I said it! I actually had to go buy a little planner to sit on my kitchen counter so I would actually write stuff down, and it is there staring at me DAILY! Isn't she pretty....

 I just need to make better uses of my time and organize myself a little better. We are moving Amara's room into a larger room in our house, trying to set myself up an office ( I am desperate!!), Gabe is traveling a lot, I have a Thanksgiving dinner to host (gladly), a meeting here, a flu shot there, a dog that needs grooming...the list goes on. My list is no different than the next person's, however, I bet the next person can remember their child's flu shot before the morning of :)

All this to say, I just need to focus on one thing at a time instead of trying to create perfection in my everyday! It just isn't possible! I am really trying to learn to let go of the dusty baseboards and blinds, and tell myself that that doesn't have to be taken care of TODAY. A lot of times, I get overwhelmed and then I just shut down and don't do ANYTHING. Not. good.

So, today is my fresh start. I believe there is a balance in managing time better to accomplish more, but not killing myself over every little thing that didn't get done that day. Happy Friday everyone!! Do what makes you happy this weekend so that when Monday rolls around, you feel accomplished AND relaxed!

My most relaxing moment of the day.....mornings with my little love! I cherish them!

Life lately according to MY Iphone.....

I see this post topic on lots of blogs that I love to read, and I thought it might be fun to add it to my blog as well. Not trying to copy, but there is a lot I DON'T post on my Instagram :) Who doesn't love pictures anyway....right?

Happy Monday you guys!!.....It is cooooold, and I don't know if I am totally ready for winter other than in my fashion life ;)

   

DIY elastic hairbands......oooor PASTA!!!

  I love the little elastic hair ties that you see EVERYWHERE, and I will admit, I purchased them when they first came out! However, I am much more conscious with my pennies now, and I look back at how ridiculously priced they are!!!

  I found this website, via Pinterest ( my BFF), and decided to order my own elastic so that I could get much more for my buck! My daughter has quite the head of hair, and these elastic headbands are perfect for her! They stay on, don't cause any "owies" and come in EVERY fun color you can imagine! When I received my package in the mail, I just kept wanting to toss them up in the air and letting them all fall down over me like confetti. You know what? Maybe I did do that......several times.... what?!

  Everyone's measurements will be different depending on the size of the lucky head that gets to wear them. Amara has quite a large head ( daddy), so I just wrapped the elastic around her head and then added about 2 inches for my knot and little tail that hangs at the end. For the hair ties, I like them to wrap around my hair 3 times, I measured from the tip of my middle finger to my palm and added an inch, and it seemed just right for me! I even made little mini ones for Baby A, and some for a BFF of mine!

  I spent about 10 dollars for about 14 yards of elastic people!! Shipping was around 6 for me, but even so.... $16 bucks for 14 headbands, and around 16 hair ties is much better than a pack of 2 headbands at Target for $5 bucks or 5 hair ties for $7.50. I don't want to freak out every time one gets lost, cause THEY WILL GET LOST!

  The best part of it all is when I was in the middle of the project, I tossed the elastic into a mixing bowl and let Amara stir to her little heart's content! She is really into that right now! Throw some little wooden balls in there ( from another toy of hers) and you have some spaghetti and meatballs! It literally occupied her the entire time that I cooked dinner that evening! I have some scraps leftover that I plan to add strips of ribbon to so that we can have that as a constant toy for now!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoy your weekend!!! :)

Autumn

I used to be a Summer lover, yes, even in humid TN, but I think Fall has stolen my heart! Sorry Summer....it was fun while it lasted. Not only do I love the not sweating while hauling around an antsy 1 year old part, but this time last year, we were adjusting to life with a newborn. Gabe was home the most he has ever been during our marriage, and I was falling madly in love for the second time in my life! This season just holds such a special place in my heart now, and it is full of so many fun festivities! Getting your first hot pumpkin spice latte from "Starbizzles" as my husband likes to say, going to pick out pumpkins, baking pumpkin bread for the, making turkey chili and throwing on a scarf with leggings and my brown boots! I look forward to it all! It is so much fun this year because Amara is starting to understand more and find fun in things! We are so blessed beyond comprehension, and although we are missing daddy a lot this season due to his traveling ways, we are making the most of our time together as a family! Hope everyone is enjoying this time of year and appreciating where God has you at the moment! I know I am doing my best!!

(Below) A little fall decor for the abode...

Let's Celebrate!

I normally, do not post on the weekends, however, I am so excited to share photos from Amara's First Birthday Celebration! I find myself at a loss when trying to put into words just how much LOVE Amara was showered with. I actually felt like it was MY birthday because I got to open presents and when people come love on Amara, I got to partake because I held her most of the night .... ;) No, seriously though.....Gabe and I are extremely humbled by the way people love on us through our daughter! Our cup is overflowing!

  We were quite a drive for several families that attended, we had a mom who came sans kiddos and hubby ( youngest baby was sick with a cold), another family practically coming straight from the hospital, friends who did projects for me from their home to take some of the load off of my shoulders when it came to all the itty bitty details, one of our couple friends helped Gabe and me the entire day set up and hang decorations, then ran home to shower and bake brownies for our party only to come right back over, neighbors who offered up their entire swing set to all of the children who attended and we even had friends let us borrow equipment so that we could go the extra mile for our guests ( projector & camera equipment, props for our photo booth, etc.)....I could go on and on!!!

   I LOVE throwing parties soooooo much!!! I have dreamt of this day since I first held Amara in my arms. My husband was such a trooper too! He never complained and hardly ever questioned my ideas.....thank you baby! You were so instrumental in helping make this day so special for us to look back on! You totally cater to us ladies in the family, and I am so grateful!


All in all, it was a great night to celebrate with family and the people who have poured into Amara this year! I put Amara to bed last night while listening to all of our guests downstairs last night, and as I prayed over her, I was thanking God for every single person downstairs. As Gabe and I said our bedtime prayers last night, he asked that God just continue to bless and watch over the people that have done the same to our family! Thank you all so much...from the bottom of our humbled hearts!

The invitation....

We did an ombre peach watercolor envelope that was hand cut to a custom size to fit the chalkboard.

We printed a "birthday photo" I took of Amara out to use as the envelope liner.

I have to admit that I spared everyone, but my sister of the confetti. It just kept getting caught in the creases of the envelope and didn't really present itself like I had hoped when you open the invite. Since we had to send my sister her invite in a bubble mailer to Key West, FL, I decided to put ALLLLLLL the confetti that we had punched for every invite in her bubble mailer :) hehe! We were happy to find out that it spilled out all over her workspace.

   

My friend, Leah, hand wrote each individual invitation!! I thought they were so stunning, and they turned out to be more beautiful than I had imagined they would. 

All the little details....

Homemade Funfetti cake!

Fun gathering out in our yard at the end of the night to watch Amara's 1 year video.....

And some photo booth fun of course.....

 Here is a link to Amara's 1 year video if you want a good laugh and a few tears ;)!
Amara's 1 year video