More tricks up my sleeve

I've complained before and I know I'm not the only parent that struggles, pleads and prays that her kid will eat a well balanced diet, but why is it so hard to be hopeful that the kid in question requests more than chicken fingers, string cheese and bananas for each and every meal? 

I have started to take notice that (although his diet of choice is rather limited) Miller does enjoy the act of eating.  (He is related to me afterall.)  He especially enjoys "dipping".  Chicken, chips, sweet potato fries, even strawberries all get equal action in hummus, ketchup, ranch, guac, etc.

The other day I took that into consideration and processed some steamed (and cooled) broccoli, a light dollop of mayo, one squirt of yellow mustard and one squirt of ranch and VOILA! Miller has a new (and lovable!!) afternoon snack to dip crackers or tortilla chips in.

Just please PLEASE don't remind him that it's green.

{Dip}

{Eat}

{Enjoy}

Monday Motivators

"that outfit's cute but you have v.p.o.b.b.l" (translation: "visible popped out belly button line")
anticipation to celebrate a good (and very talented) friend and her newest addition
anticipation for another great gals "weekend" ahead
guess who has a new phone she's geeking over ?!?  :)
coming home to hear "yeah, those twilight movies aren't so bad."
greeted with an enthusiastic "mama! mama! mama!" and a big hug while at work
date night dodger game
watching your toddler try to wear his teeny tiny newborn onesie as a hat

i'd love to know what treats are motivating you this week?

For the Fans

Everything tastes better with ketchup.

Have a wonderful weekend!

How to feel glamorous after you've just picked up dog poop in your living room for the second time in 24 hours

Take a shower.  It has been 3 days afterall.

Order this print you've been drooling over the last 2 months.

Drink another glass of milk.  This time accompanied by 5 oreos.  Not just 3.

Pretend you have tickets to an Outstanding In The Field dinner.  Look at the pretty pictures instead.  Continue dipping oreos into your milk glass.

Practice your speech you continue to plead to your husband about his need to switch your cell phone upgrade eligibility so you can get a new iphone and he can wait until summertime.  

Ignore the stinky grunts coming from your 20 month old who's hiding behind the couch.

Pretend you are a honey badger.


{Honey badger video found via The Bloggess.}

More New (to You) Vintage Stuff in the Shop!

Get 'em while they're hot!

{Starburst Cut Glass Creamer, Ceramic Bird Coin Bank, Cut Glass Creamer}

{Butterfly & Tulip Mug, Cut Glass Sugar Bowl, Green Daisy Glasses, Retro Dot Mug}

Monday Motivators

warm cups, sweet tunes and cuddles on the couch, dog included, to take comfort from the hailing rainstorm outside
"i love the rain the most... when it stops."
hmm, joni too
taking my old teddy bears out of a box and watching miller immediately fall in love
rainy day weekend equals rainy day get stuff done around the house that's been in sad, lonely piles
why yes, i do own a new pair of shoes
hmm, ol' blue eyes too
jolts in my spirit to help me remember to soak in how much i love and cherish my life and the people who surround it

In case you forgot to wear green today...

...These peeps have enough to cover you too.

{Breathtaking green dress from ATONEMENT}

{Beautiful & clever green costuming in GREAT EXPECTATIONS}

{Perfectly and simply titled "Girl in a Green Dress" by Tamera de Lempika}

{Repurposing at its finest from THE SOUND OF MUSIC}

 May the road rise to meet you and all that other stuff.  :)

P.S. Drink an extra Irish coffee for me today!

More Nesting

I've been on a hunt for months for another side chair or pair to add to our living room.

Yesterday the perfect new additions from one of my favorite thrift haunts in Pasadena finally found us!

{They quickly made friends with the new to us side table from last week}

{The big chair was originally where the new pair sits, leaving a wide empty space to the dining area}

Evan walked in the door and surprised me by not immediately hating the change. Not immediately hating something is a great start for the creature of habit that he is. :)

{I love you, babe!  Thanks for allowing me the freedom to constantly rearrange pretty much all aspects of my (our) life.}

Spring Reads

It's hard not to curl up with the remote and some junk food reality t.v. once the sun goes down and the dinner dishes are put away (or at least in a semi stable pile waiting for the dishwasher).  I'm hoping to find some good reads instead. 

Anything you've read lately or are reading that you'd recommend?

Miller's board books just aren't cutting it for me anymore.

Again

Again, things happen with unyeilding force.

Again, I watch it unfold from the comfort of a warm blanket, a cup of hot tea and the power to simply hit a remote button to make it stop.  There's a piece of my brain that worries about what I'm wearing tomorrow as the rest of me fights off tears watching a desperate truck attempt to reach a safe distance.  Why am I so numb sometimes?

I plan my work outfit.  The truck gets swallowed up in the mighty mess.

I'm at a loss for words.  I'm at a loss for feelings too.
I'm protected.  I'm protecting.  I am powerless I think.

Again, there's too much happening.  Again, my little hands feel soft.

I hug my fluttering belly tight and send up a simple whisper.



(soft hands can help here too)

Monday Motivators

picnics in the warm, warm sun
trips to the zoo (even if i wasn't there to watch)
fresh sheets to snuggle and sleep in in
listening to miller play when he first wakes up in the morning
dinners with grandparents
miller blaming his stinky diaper on his woody doll every morning ("woody poop, mama.")
running to give hugs

"To market, to market..."

It was nothing like a real Parisian Flea Market (swoon!), but I did manage to find some sweet, sweet treasures this past weekend. 

{New to me goodies-  side table, necklaces, earrings, brooches, little red locker, SHOES!}

{details on table legs}

{Most of these earrings and brooches I plan on using to make hairpieces similar to the one I made for Erin's wedding.}

{How amazing are these!?!  They were brand new when I bought them 4 days ago.  Since then they have been significantly worn in.}

What new treasures have you bargained for lately?

Monday Motivators

flea market treasures
a new word added to miller's vocabulary almost every day (his latest- "cupcake".  a boy after my own heart.)
jalapenos! pepperoncinis!  frank's red hot sauce!  with pretty much everything i eat!
getting creative with my "what fits me now" outfits
wondering which flutter is a flailing arm and which one is gas from too many spicy foods
tom hanks
bar trashing in las palmas
moustaches (or is it "mustaches"?)

Hey look!

Erin's talented wedding photographer, Adrienne Gunde, posted wedding pictures to her blog as well as highlighted the toast I gave!

{Source- Adrienne Gunde Photography}

 What a lovely day to be captured by such a lovely photographer!

Nesting- a lifelong effort

I've been itching for spring.
For growth.  For change.  For newness.

The first step for me to scratch is at home.
Just a few movements here, a little rearranging there.
A little change in my nest definitely helps to inspire a warm, brightness in me.

{Hutch collections in need of dusting, simplifying and grounding.}

{Hutch dusted, pared down and cookbooks displayed and centered with pops of red.}

One spring task down.  Only a few hundred more to go.

 

I'd love to find a piece to hang on the wall above the pitchers.  Something long and horizontal?  Words maybe?  Anyone seen anything lately I should know about?

What's been on your spring to do list?

Who's been your lunch date this week?

Woody's been making a regular appearance around these parts.  He's a light eater, so I don't mind.

{Miller always requests a cup for "juze" and often gives him one of whatever's on his own plate.}