tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84377851918518345082024-02-07T04:23:48.197-06:00seanna writessnhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-4739470600875089832018-03-26T11:32:00.000-05:002018-03-26T11:32:59.544-05:00Starting Keto! Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure you've heard of the Keto craze that's going on right now - it's a low carb, high fat way of eating that works to pull energy from ketones instead of glucose. You can Google it and read all about the ins and outs of it, but I'm choosing to begin Keto mostly because I feel like it's a sustainable, easy way for me to try to lose my baby weight.<br />
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BACKGROUND<br />
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Before I became pregnant with Harper my weight was pretty consistently between 150-155 (up about five pounds from before I got pregnant with Hadley #tears). During both of my pregnancies I gained about 50-60 pounds. RIDICULOUS. After I delivered with Harper my natural weight fell to 180, and then over the fall I dropped down to the upper 160's, and I've currently been fluctuating between 166-169. <br />
One of my "issues" is breastfeeding - I am one of the unfortunate few who doesn't lose any weight while breastfeeding, and even more important, my milk supply really drops when I actively try to lose weight. My goal with breastfeeding all along was to just make it another month, especially after our struggle in the beginning, and so the fact that we've made it nearly 10 months is something I'm really proud of. But at this point, I have a good stash of breastmilk from my sister in law, and I feel like I'm ready to start REALLY losing weight. Harper is taking bottles finally, so I'm currently nursing her through the night (this is a huge problem, ugh) and nursing her before bedtime. I'll breastfeed if she's fussy at nap time. My plan is to keep nursing until the milk all dries up, which I expect will happen sooner than later. <br />
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ANYWHO. Back to my weight. I've been sitting at 168 for a while now and man, I'm just over it. Up until now I've just sort of tried to deal with it, but now that I'm giving myself the freedom to jump in, I'm ready to JUMP IN!<br />
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My goal weight is around 145, so I have about 25lbs to lose. It seems like a lot but I think if I'm strict with myself I could try to have it off by the end of the summer. That would be about 5 lbs a month, which seems manageable! <br />
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STARTING KETO<br />
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So today I took some ungodly "before" pictures (those are seriously motivating...or seriously depressing, haha!), browsed through my new "Simply Keto" book by Suzanne Ryan, made a big grocery list and planned out my week. Here's a basic list of what I'm eating:<br />
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B R E A K F A S T<br />
eggs<br />
bacon<br />
protein shake<br />
full fat yogurt with berries<br />
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L U N C H<br />
lettuce wraps<br />
salads topped with bacon or chicken<br />
pickles wrapped in deli meat + cream cheese<br />
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D I N N E R<br />
rotisserie chicken + mashed cauliflower<br />
<a href="https://theflavoursofkitchen.com/slow-cooker-mexican-chicken-soup-keto-low-carb/">mexican soup</a><br />
venison kebabs + zucchini/mushrooms<br />
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S N A C KS<br />
lunch meat<br />
macadamia nuts<br />
cheese<br />
pickles<br />
beef sticks<br />
veggies + ranch dressing<br />
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I find that most of the time I'm pretty filled up from a meal and don't need to snack, which is a nice change for me. However, I really like making Keto "snack plates" and eating those as my meals instead! The desserts are great too - I made Keto brownies tonight, and I've done some whipped cream sweetened with stevia. <br />
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My only concern with Keto is that I'll get bored with eating the same varieties of food, but it's honestly the only way of eating that I find sustainable right now. So far it's been really easy to maintain and I haven't had one cheat all week. I have my first weigh-in in two days and I'm curious to see if I'll have lost anything. I'll update you on Tuesday! <br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-40023504758327310022018-03-20T14:26:00.002-05:002018-03-20T14:30:05.674-05:00My MONAT Thoughts (An Unbiased Review!!) About a year ago I began hearing rumblings on Instagram of a new haircare company called Monat - it seemed like everybody was using it. For the most part I am really unfussy about my hair and don't put a whole lot of thought/effort into it (which many days it looks just like that, ha) so I didn't think too much about trying it. <br />
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However, this past Christmas we were home in Illinois and discovered that a family member was selling it. I was in a bit of a funk with my hair so I decided to give it a try. I went with their VIP membership, which has an up front cost of $19.99 and requires 3 "flex ship" orders (these are auto ship orders of at least $84). After looking over their various systems and hair products I ended up choosing the Renew Shampoo and the Smoothing Conditioner, as well as the Blow Out Cream. I also received the Air Dry Cream as a promotional gift. <br />
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I began following their regimen of washing twice and following with the conditioner, and my immediate thoughts were that my hair felt really nice when washing. The first wash it wouldn't lather/expand much (which is normal for their shampoo) but the second wash the shampoo would really get in there and thicken up, which was nice since I prefer a lather (even though I know they're bad!) The conditioner worked really well on my tangle-prone hair; as soon as I started working it through it would smooth right out. I also saw this happen with my 5 year old's fine, curly (also tangle-prone) hair. A quarter size amount of conditioner would take all of her kinks out. <br />
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The Blow Out Cream was my favorite product - my hair would look shiny and smooth after using it, which was about twice a week. I feel like a lot of blow dry creams can have a sticky, yucky texture, but I really didn't mind the texture of the Monat Blow Out Cream. It was light and spread through my hair very easily. <br />
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I'm not sure what to think of the Air Dry Cream - I used it one day following a shower and I felt like my hair looked really pretty and shiny and had a lot of body. The next time I used it was after a shower at night, and the following morning my hair looked terrible. I used it on Hadley's hair once as well and it didn't do her any favors. <br />
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THOUGHTS AFTER 3 MONTHS OF USE?<br />
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I've been using Monat now for three months and I mostly feel pretty "meh" about it. My hair doesn't look $84-worth-of-shampoo better, not by a long shot. It mostly looks just like it did when I started using it. Judge for yourself:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRc5tUDTjVsNxlb8qOWq2q6b_gnQY-MxO9bYJbidfgW4fM-qC3VAz-xCweM7nS3eUQxSonhYTxJ8z4jOzpmg1QIzBZuBeiDDmddpVB3ZrnnJwrJse32SVivz3wpyqvfiALiPLmU28odqY/s1600/ACS_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRc5tUDTjVsNxlb8qOWq2q6b_gnQY-MxO9bYJbidfgW4fM-qC3VAz-xCweM7nS3eUQxSonhYTxJ8z4jOzpmg1QIzBZuBeiDDmddpVB3ZrnnJwrJse32SVivz3wpyqvfiALiPLmU28odqY/s640/ACS_0004.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEFORE (JAN 8, 2018) + AFTER (MARCH 19TH, 2018)</td></tr>
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I think I kept expecting to suddenly have this amazingly full, shiny hair, and in my opinion that never happened. I did experience hair loss, but that could be blamed on postpartum hormones so I will give Monat the benefit of the doubt. <br />
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WOULD I USE AGAIN?<br />
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I am committed to using the products now since I signed up for the VIP membership, but truthfully I wish I hadn't signed up for that and had instead bought the products at full price. I would've spent an extra 15% on the products...but now I'm tied into two more orders with them, and I'm not sure I loved their products enough to spend $180 on them. My final verdict is that, maybe for some people's hair, it can really transform it - like if your hair was incredibly damaged. But my hair wasn't, so I think for me it didn't "do" much. Once I'm through these Monat products....back to my beloved Aveda! <br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-16460745174147293842018-03-07T10:55:00.001-06:002018-03-07T10:55:35.408-06:00My Breastfeeding Journey - Low Supply, Milk Blisters & Bottle Rejection How's that for a subject line?? Haha. I had to draw you in! Anyway, I've wanted to share about my experience with breastfeeding Harper for some time now - obviously to share about what I've gone through in case it might help others - because I love looking back at how things were with Hadley, and am afraid that I'm dropping the ball in the record-keeping department with Harper. #secondchildsyndrome<br />
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With Hadley, I wasn't able to breastfeed exclusively due to low supply, but I did supplementally nurse her for about three months. Once I got pregnant with Harper, I was so dang determined to breastfeed her, and was certain that my low supply with Hadley was due to having a c-section. I did all the reading about breastfeeding, bought all the supplies and was ready to put that baby to the boob the second she came out (after my successful VBAC!)<br />
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Well, it didn't work quite like that. She came out weighing 8 lbs 2oz, but just two days after her birth she was down almost a whole pound (just like Hadley.) To say I was devastated was an absolute understatement. I remember sitting in the hospital with the sweetest lactation consultant after they had just gotten done weighing her, and hearing that the doctor wanted us to start supplementing with formula right away, and just crying and crying as the nurse prepared the bottle of formula for her. <br />
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So at a few days old, we started supplementing with formula. It was an exhausting month - nursing her, then giving her a bottle of formula, then pumping, and starting it all over again like an hour later. During all of this it did seem as though she wasn't satisfied with just the breast, and I was always so discouraged by how little I would pump (the most I would ever pump was maybe 5 ounces combined after a 3-4 hour stretch?) The formula definitely helped chunk her up, though!<br />
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{For the record, I never minded giving her formula because I thought it was bad for her. I just wanted to be able to feed her all on my own. I mean, the stuff stinks to high heaven but I'm all about just feeding your baby.}<br />
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We spent the summer following this routine, and come early August we went to spend a weekend at Brad's family lake house. Harper was just over 3 months old and for whatever reason, she was an absolute wreck that weekend. I think there was so much commotion with so many people that she was on overload, so I spent a LOT of time in the bedroom nursing her. Once the weekend was over, I realized that I had only given her a tiny bit of formula and that she had seemed pretty content. I contacted the lactation consultant we had worked with and arranged to do some weight checks throughout the next few weeks and just see how she would gain if she was just on my milk.<br />
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Lo and behold, she continued to gain even as we pulled back on the formula. I had tried taking supplements to increase my supply - I had done ALL THE THINGS, actually: supplements, oatmeal, gatorade, essential oils, breast massage....you name it, I tried it - and the only thing I found that made my milk more plentiful was drinking lots of water. <br />
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Within a month, and by 4 months old, Harper was exclusively being breastfed. I was absolutely shocked and elated that for whatever reason, my milk had ended up being enough for her. I have NO idea why my milk is so scant in the first month or so, but it is. I also gave up the pumping/bottles because it was just more work than anything, plus I figured it was best for her to get as much milk from me as she could. This ended up being a bit of a mistake, ha. <br />
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So fast forward to today - she's 9 months old and is obsessed with nursing, which is both a good and bad thing. I have dealt with milk blisters (which....OUCH - it's basically a blister on your nipple. sorry for the #TMI), the low supply and still needing to supplement very, very occasionally (thanks to my sister in law, who is a milk making machine! We've been able to supplement with breast milk, which is a huge blessing) and now we're dealing with the fact that I'm about ready to be done but Harper is just not. And the worst part is that she's really not a fan of bottles. Honestly, if she would take a bottle easily, I would probably start the weaning process.<br />
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I think for me, the hardest part with breastfeeding is that I am not one of those fortunate women that loses tons of weight while nursing. I think because I make just barely enough for her that my body holds onto literally every single calorie it gets. This has been more than a little discouraging, because it turns into this internal battle of "what's more important - baby being fed by me or mama feeling good about herself?" There's no easy answer as both of those things are so important....but for now I keep choosing to feed her. But that's also because she won't take a bottle, lol. <br />
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But even with all of the hard parts - the low supply, blisters, constant attachment, and not losing weight - I wouldn't trade any of it for a second. It has been so rewarding to me to know that I'm her food source, and that there's literally nothing more nutritious on earth than breastmilk. I love that I can soothe her when she's hurt or upset, and that her physical connection with me is the last thing she experiences before she goes to sleep every night. <br />
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That said...if anyone has any tips on weaning a very attached baby - cause I have a feeling she'll be very attached even at a year old - please let me know, haha! And if anyone reading this is struggling with any of these things, please feel free to reach out to me - I LOVE talking breastfeeding and am a completely open book!<br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-39713671560211401152018-02-08T12:15:00.002-06:002018-02-08T12:16:10.166-06:0010 ThingsI've been blogging for years but I figured that, if you were new around here, it might be nice to get a glimpse into who I am, a little bit about my life and why I'm blogging. I love reading these kinds of bullet-point lists cause it gives you a little overhead look into someone's life - so here's mine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7KSeh6OXYKyO1oB4DP1tzggjClMX-yvl-LKIWaNN7dy4QcdPFoDZvkqaByp6akDiZLbfcWnfAoeEnIaiZzcztuGSm8McH6tO1AxumkCdf7bHldjxkl5aEL9zxxHulk8ePLlfPyesE48/s1600/aboutme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7KSeh6OXYKyO1oB4DP1tzggjClMX-yvl-LKIWaNN7dy4QcdPFoDZvkqaByp6akDiZLbfcWnfAoeEnIaiZzcztuGSm8McH6tO1AxumkCdf7bHldjxkl5aEL9zxxHulk8ePLlfPyesE48/s1600/aboutme.jpg" /></a></div>
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Does anybody have anything in common? I can imagine that there's quite a few folks that also hate cold weather this time of year, ha! Share with me! </div>
snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-72460336604179424042018-01-31T08:46:00.002-06:002018-01-31T08:46:59.853-06:00Photo Drop + New Fave Product!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I gotta say that blogging feels so strange to me again! Does anybody else ever feel like they've been ruined for blogs by Instagram? I remember years back when I loved to read blogs about peoples lives...about their families, their friends, social lives, recipes they liked, places they traveled to....now if anybody blogs it's all about their latest purchases and their "obsessions" and things they love. </div>
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If I'm being honest I'll admit that it intimidates me to start blogging again because that just won't be me. I'm a city-girl-turned-small-town-mama and the nearest Nordstrom is 3 hours away and I would die of embarrassment to ask a local photographer to take pictures of me around town in fancy clothes...not to mention that I'd likely see someone I know and die of embarrassment all over again :) </div>
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So now that that's out of the way, I can get on with it all. If you want links to Nordstrom and other fancy stores, you're at the wrong place! But I'm happy to tell you all about my simple little life! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">GOODBYE WRINKLY EYES //</span></div>
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First things first - I'm 36 years old and I suddenly am looking at myself in the mirror like...."Hello, who are you, ya old lady?!?" I have wrinkles and lines! Ick. Young girls...it WILL catch up to you so start now with your eye cream and nightly moisturizing! So I did some browsing on Amazon and found a product that I've been using for about two weeks and I've been really pleased with the results! This is it: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMAVL29qCI7PW69qIino_WSYwwzvWbbb-hhoVt8tRFIp_JKJ-PkZ7pCegVKl_6hX3ZtS5g4pILwtLIM5q_niNCK-7Z6j1gbJhaPXMNETtsobvZA2X4t0M4cS5g_nZPasV5BZEIf8rW4w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-01-30+at+9.04.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="942" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMAVL29qCI7PW69qIino_WSYwwzvWbbb-hhoVt8tRFIp_JKJ-PkZ7pCegVKl_6hX3ZtS5g4pILwtLIM5q_niNCK-7Z6j1gbJhaPXMNETtsobvZA2X4t0M4cS5g_nZPasV5BZEIf8rW4w/s320/Screen+Shot+2018-01-30+at+9.04.43+PM.png" width="285" /></a></div>
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I chose it because it is Retinol free, which is hard to find in many anti-aging skincare products. I didn't want the Retinol in it because studies have shown Retinol to alter DNA and speed the growth of skin tumors. </div>
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Here's my results, just two weeks apart! Obviously there is no magic product that will completely get rid of fine lines and wrinkles (don't let those Rodan + Fields Before & After pics on FB fool you), but I've been impressed with how things have smoothed out a little. Bonus, I've also been using it on my hands cause they were looking wrinkly too, and they've definitely improved! </div>
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Here's the link to the product - <a href="http://amzn.to/2GzyYdo">Baebody Eye Gel </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">NEW HAIR //</span></div>
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Here's the "before" shot - I've actually been using Monat (review for that coming soon!) while I don't think it looked terrible, I really wanted to brighten things up a little bit. </div>
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And after! The natural light outside makes it look a little brighter than it does indoors...I wish I would've went a little lighter on the ombre effect. Maybe next time. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">STROLLERS, SNUGGLES + BABIES //</span></div>
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Last week we had a beautiful 40 degree day and I was able to get outside for a walk with Harper. It was amazing. It was also amazing cause she fell asleep and I wheeled her right into the house in the stroller. As of this week she's now taking naps (ALL THE PRAISE HANDS!) thanks to a very rough week of cry-it-out. It was tough but worth it for both of us. </div>
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Snuggling with Daddy. I took this pic cause seriously this girl fall asleep with anybody else but me. For me, there ain't a chance of her falling asleep unless I'm feeding her. But pretty much anyone else can snuggle her and she'll pass out. It's totally unfair. <br />
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Last week I got to see a girlfriend's baby for the first time! This friend and I go way back and it was so fun to meet her little man and have our babies play together. He's exactly one month older than Harper and they were just so dang cute together. She couldn't quite keep up with him...but she tried and it was adorable. <br />
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There ya go, my first dump in like two years! Here's to many more! snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-13422305345827322522018-01-06T17:34:00.000-06:002018-01-22T08:09:17.608-06:00Hello 2018! Hard to believe it's been over two years since I wrote on my little blog here! Even though blogging appears to have gone by the wayside, I always loved being able to document my daily life. I can't tell you how many times I've gone back to my old blogs (yes, plural - I've had a few over the years!) to read about this or that - mostly looking back at my pregnancy and monthly stats with Hadley! <br />
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Jumping in, we've added a new member to our family! Our second daughter, Harper, was born in May last year. We had quite the journey - and story - to her joining our family, which I can't wait to share about. Otherwise, everything is about the same as it was the last time I wrote, ha! But I'll update anyway. <br />
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Brad is still working in the building industry. He has developed such an amazing style and has a super sharp eye for design. He's recently started building his first "spec" house (a house that we'll sell when it's done) and I can't wait to see it when it's all said and done. It's pretty unique for the area we live in and I think it will sell quickly. Speaking in faith :) <br />
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Hadley is 5 years old and Lord, is she something. I've never met a sweeter child. She started Kindergarten this year and even though she complains pretty often about going, she seems to like it alright once she's there! She's smart as a whip and I'm amazed at how quickly things get pieced together in her mind. She's still our girly girl that loves to play outside, rough house with her daddy, and now hold her sister (and occasionally boss her around, despite it falling on deaf ears, lol). <br />
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Harper just turned 7 months old, I've nicknamed her "bear cub" cause she's just a persistent, temperamental little sweetie pie :) She's not as chunky as Hadley was (I'm breastfeeding Harper whereas Hadley was on formula), but she's still got some sweet chunk to her that makes her so fun to hold and squeeze. She is a total - TOTAL - Mama's girl, hates taking naps and has about a 10 minute tolerance for any activity (besides being held by Mom). Basically she's rocking my world but dang if I don't have this crazy amount of grace and love for her, anyway. <br />
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As for me....I'm totally "at home" with the girls now. I am working a few times a month as a bookkeeper for a local business and am a consultant for Beautycounter, but otherwise my heart and attention is for my girls. We're pretty involved in our church and I recently helped start our women's ministry, which I never thought I'd love doing but here I am. They're the most amazing, supportive women and they've made my cold, church-disliking heart love them :) I volunteer in Hadley's class once a week. Harper and I visit a local nursing home once a week as well (seriously if you have a baby and time on your hands, do it! You would die at how it blesses them). Otherwise, you can find me cleaning my house or nursing the baby, ha! <br />
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I have no clue where this little blog of mine will go, but at any rate, I hope you'll read along! <br />
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snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-61319883340100300452015-03-31T13:39:00.001-05:002018-01-22T08:09:17.704-06:00Current FavesIs anyone else (stupid question already) SO EXCITED that spring is (pretty-much-but-still-debatable-where-I-live) here?!?! I've got my windows open - still no screens on them, ha - and we had our morning snack on the porch today and it was <i>glorious</i>. I'm sure I would take it for granted if I lived in a warm climate, but I can't help but think how amazing it would be to never have to put on winter boots, scrape your windshield (with a CD case, in my experience) of ice and snow, to be able to walk outside in whatever you're wearing with no thought to the temperatures....<br />
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I may not experience that this side of heaven but it sure is nice to dream about :) <br />
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In honor of my fantastic mood I thought I would share some of my favorite things right now...<br />
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//<span style="color: magenta;">Short Hair Don't Care</span>//<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDRJ0bHePchgRQX_ADKLygaRbAVcIRFG1RMaHHjqK2PeOJFPPGXI4Akv3Uzt137HiqLc3aSYQCqre4c4jg5CTupbS9tNoiHOKgRZBLOXrQsmVT6kJRNKez3nu8n96L8Kk0AqxmqB2I8Q/s1600/photo+1+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDRJ0bHePchgRQX_ADKLygaRbAVcIRFG1RMaHHjqK2PeOJFPPGXI4Akv3Uzt137HiqLc3aSYQCqre4c4jg5CTupbS9tNoiHOKgRZBLOXrQsmVT6kJRNKez3nu8n96L8Kk0AqxmqB2I8Q/s1600/photo+1+(10).JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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After yesterday's hideous pictures of my skin situation I figured I would post one where I don't look so atrocious. Anyway, my <i>lob </i>(long bob) as they call it is growing out and I'm actually really loving it. It's so fun to do messy waves, spray in some Kenra 25 and go. I'm torn if I'm going to go shorter now that it's gotten longer...especially because even though Brad never makes me feel badly about my choices, I know he prefers my hair long. BUT after 10+ years of long hair and five years of marriage, I figure it's my prerogative. Right???<br />
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//<span style="color: magenta;">Entry Way</span>//<br />
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This is our mostly-finished entry way and I love it. Love it, love it! I still want to put a few pillows on the bench to shorten the distance between the pictures/mirror and the bench, but other than that it's all done. <br />
I think my favorite piece is the shelf that Brad built using the piping. It's a trendy look that's popping up all over Pinterest and the blogs, and I'm not sure it will look quite so cool in a couple years....but for now I love it and think it looks so fitting in our slightly-modernized entry. <br />
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//<span style="color: magenta;">Hadley Kate</span>//<br />
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I am always lovin' this girl! She's been so fun lately and is blowing me away with how dang smart she is. Disclaimer, I have no idea if it's considered "on milestone" or not, it could be completely normal - but there's something about seeing your own child soaking in and retaining information that is just amazing. But anyway, the girl knows all her colors and shapes, definitely knows her alphabet and we're working on counting to 20 (she's got 1-15 down solid). She's in the cutest phase right now where if I do anything at all, like give her food/a drink, pick something up for her, wipe her bottom (ha), she'll go, "Thank ya, momma!" Tickles me every time. <br />
It does not tickle me when I have to tell her forty-seven times to pick up a toy or come back here or don't ride your bike into the wall. We're working on listening the first time and it's been a little tough on both of us...but I'm believing it will pay off in the end :)<br />
And also...even though that hair gives me grief pretty much on a daily basis, I love it. <br />
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//<span style="color: magenta;">Cookouts + Campfires</span>//<br />
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Once springtime hits, Brad and I are total outdoor people. We grill out as often as we can, and now that we have a big 'ol house, we're planning to have lots of people over for cookouts and campfires! We're starting tonight by having a big group of family over for a cookout since Brad's brother is in town from North Dakota. We're grilling up brats and burgers and I'm making a big batch of Texas Caviar, and everyone's bringing food and drinks....it's gonna be good! snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-60684629570034150932015-03-30T07:00:00.000-05:002018-01-22T08:09:17.681-06:00Rosacea Sucks & An (UNPAID) Review of Rodan + Fields SOOTHESo. This is what my face suddenly looked like one day last month:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCJMCGwa0CIAsWvgozjfUfcLtXh4Evxb5h1eRTvxliP7graQkdPpDLcQHv3Obq2_niAhaI4BQj3mYnicdB3kUKH4PNrhvkEUYqfI_V5UqC4GwXQpUDMzTBp6xhzHacMx190pzpu9cfZ0/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCJMCGwa0CIAsWvgozjfUfcLtXh4Evxb5h1eRTvxliP7graQkdPpDLcQHv3Obq2_niAhaI4BQj3mYnicdB3kUKH4PNrhvkEUYqfI_V5UqC4GwXQpUDMzTBp6xhzHacMx190pzpu9cfZ0/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" height="320" width="229" /></a></div>
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I've always had a naturally redder complexion, but this was way redder and bumpier than anything I had ever experienced. Also, the bumps weren't like acne bumps, they were more like a rash. I tried eliminating a few things from my diet, thinking it was maybe an allergy, but nothing helped. I was SO puzzled and frustrated cause it literally happened overnight and I had no idea what to do about it.<br />
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I did some Googling and saw that Rodan + Fields carried a line called "SOOTHE" that is intended for people dealing with redness. Taken from their website, it is "clinically proven to reduce redness and irritation in as little as five minutes." Plus there's millions of reviews (c/o, I might add) online that say it worked SO well to reduce redness and irritation. <br />
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I bought some immediately. And let me tell ya....this stuff ain't cheap. But I figured it would be worth the cost to try something specially formulated for what I was dealing with. <br />
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The regimen for Rodan + Fields SOOTHE is to use the face wash followed by a Sensitive Skin Treatment, and then a Moisture Replenishing Cream. And finally, in the morning you're supposed to follow up with Step 4, which is a sunscreen. This is the whole line here:<br />
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The upside of using this product is that it didn't ever burn or irritate my skin further; it does seem to be very gentle. It also made my skin softer and made it appear a little healthier in the places it wasn't so red (which was mostly my cheeks).<br />
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But - I tried it for three weeks and the bottom line is that it didn't work at all for me. My skin was just as red and bumpy when I stopped using it as when I started using it. So based on that, I'm not sure I would recommend it for others dealing with redness. <br />
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Since the Rodan + Fields didn't work, I was fortunate enough to be going home to Illinois, which is where my best friend lives. The really great thing is that my best friend is a Physician's Assistant, so if I'm home and I need a diagnosis for something (like an ear infection for Hadley or whatnot) I can usually have her call in a prescription. She looked at my face and immediately said that it was probably Rosacea. <br />
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Rosacea, in case you didn't know, is one giant pain in the butt. It tends to appear in your 30's and there's no cure for it. It also seems to be triggered by certain things, like alcohol, temp changes or the sun. It tends to flare up at different times, as well. I have no clue what triggered mine. <br />
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So, point of the story is that Steph (best friend) saved the day by calling in a prescription for Metronidazole 0.75%. <br />
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Literally with one day my skin was clearing up. After using it for two weeks, I'm happy to report a HUGE difference. Here's a little side-by-side:<br />
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I'll be honest, I'm a little worried because the Metronidazole (as with any rosacea medication) tends to lose effectiveness after a while, but the good news is that I'm really only using it every other day, once a day, and it's still working well, so I suppose I could just increase my usage if it flares up again. Or try a different prescription...but since we don't have prescription coverage (self employed health insurance FTW!) I'm not sure how viable of an option that is, as these scripts all tend to be pretty pricey. <br />
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If anyone else has any great tips and tricks to help deal with rosacea, send them my way!! <br />
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<i>And I should add about the Rodan + Fields: I realize that my facial redness was probably due to something entirely different than what it claims to help. But my opinion is that redness is redness, and it really didn't do anything at all to help with mine, even after reading different accounts online of people with rosacea using it successfully.</i>snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-39544642988984885792015-03-09T17:26:00.000-05:002018-01-22T08:09:17.632-06:00Going HomeSince we began renovating homes in the last year, I've been making quite a few more trips to Illinois to visit my family. Mostly because the name of the game in house-flipping is "Get it done ASAP" and that typically means that Brad is working lots of long hours. A work day for him usually is 7-7pm, Monday through Friday, plus a full day on Saturday. If I'm being really honest, it's super stressful for me because Sunday ends up being the only day we really get to see him. I guess the upside is when you sell the home and make a little money? We're still working out how to make this whole flipping thing sustainable for the long-term. I think finding a balance with Brad's hours is the biggest factor. <br />
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Sooo....all that's to say is that he works a lot so I survive it by taking trips to visit family. Hadley and I stay with my dad and are able to visit with my aunts, uncles, cousins and my best friend, and it's really the best time. I'll take Hadley to the mall to play at the play area, we'll go to some really amazing indoor playgrounds, go to parks and pools when it's nice, and just visit with my favorite folks. <br />
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The one downside for me is that it's a money trap! When you live in a small town whose dining options are limited to McDonalds & Dairy Queen, bar food and a Tex Mex restaurant, it's amazing to get around sushi, Thai food, real Mexican...shoot, even Chilis is exciting. And there's always the shopping - or really just Target :) <br />
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Anyway, I'm at home for a couple weeks and it's really great. There's something about your own family that is so comforting. I love my circle of friends and being near Brad's parents but being in your parent's home, in the town you grew up in, is something really special. <br />
We don't have much planned on this visit except that I'm going to see Eric Church in concert next week. That was a last-minute decision my cousin and I made and I gotta be honest, I'm so, so, SO excited. He's one of my favorite musicians and I've heard that his Outsiders Tour is an amazing live show. I'm really disappointed that I won't get to see him with Brad, but it'll be a fun time with my cousin. <br />
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Hope everyone is having a great Monday! snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-57587391742108111792015-02-09T13:50:00.001-06:002018-01-22T08:09:17.657-06:00Monday Musings<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">// sick days //</span><br />
<br />So our family spent the last week or so knocked out with the flu. Or a really awful cold, not sure what it was. At any rate, it hit Brad on a Thursday night and by Saturday afternoon all three of us were laid up on the couch. Coughing, fever, chills, aches...Brad even had a stomach bug to his, poor guy. I'm just thankful that Hadley really didn't seem to get too sick at all, she just had about a day and a half of being feverish/coughing. And also need to say that there should be some law that moms aren't allowed to get sick, especially if the kids are sick. There is nothing worse than feeling like you want to die....and then having to get up and tend to your fussy, (understandably) whiny 2 year old. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">// essential oils //</span><br />
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Lately I've really gotten into the essential oil fad. Just callin' it what it is :) I definitely believe in their effectiveness and I love that I have an alternative to synthetic drugs/chemicals to treat things now. I mean, I'm still gonna give Ibuprofen when Hadley's running a high fever - mama don't play with those fevers, sorrynotsorry - but when we were all sick I was using DoTerra Breathe and OnGuard (blends that respectively promote chest congestion relief and immune support), putting Lavender in Hadley's bath and diffuser, and wiping surfaces with Lemon and OnGuard. I've also been using Melaleuca (aka Tea Tree Oil) for facial cleansing and putting Lavender on some red spots on my cheeks. <br />
My next project is to make some essential oil-infused body butter (using Shea Butter and Coconut Oil) and lip balm. I've discovered I love making all natural bath products - recently made Lavender Bath Melts and they were amazing!<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">// foodie //</span><br />
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I've always enjoyed cooking but lately I've been on a cooking rampage. I don't know if it's cause we got rid of our microwave (I just don't like the radiation aspect...yes, where's my tin foil hat, ha) but in the last month I feel like I can't get enough of cooking new recipes with fresh ingredients. This recipe for <a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/11/pasta-with-butternut-sauce-spicy.html">Pasta with Butternut Squash, Spicy Sausage and Spinach</a> is a favorite. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">// gratefulness // </span><br />
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If I had to pick a negative word to describe myself, I could easily say "complainy." I am just a complainer. If it's too cold, I'm unhappy. If I want something I can't have, I'm unhappy. If a restaurant gives me the wrong food, I'm unhappy. If someone says something I don't like, I'm defensive and...you guessed it...unhappy. <br />
One of the ways I'm trying to get better about this is by finding things to be grateful for everyday. Even if it's in small things like, the sun is out! Or Hadley didn't ask to watch TV for an hour straight! I'm just trying to find the good in my simple little life. Obviously I'm always so, so thankful for the big things - like our health and a roof over our heads and food, etc - but I'm learning that changing your attitude often means finding contentment in the little tiny things and turning them into big things, you know? <br />
Like right now I'm drinking a Diet Coke after not having one for the last week or so - trying to cut back - and it's really, really making me happy. And for that I'm thankful :) <br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-18623463288528953622015-01-29T14:03:00.003-06:002015-01-29T14:03:27.764-06:00My Fave Daily Beauty ProductsI thought today I would share the beauty products that I use on a daily basis. I'm not a huge makeup user. As I get older I've decided that less is definitely more when it comes to makeup. Too much makeup and it just ages you, in my opinion. So I have my 4-product routine that I love and think works really well for me. (Side note, not long ago a very popular blogger did a post about her "daily makeup" and no lie, it was 13 products. Thirteen! No thank you)<br />
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A few things about my favorite products - one, I pretty much only shop the drugstore/Target makeup. Mostly cause I don't live anywhere near a Sephora or Ulta and I personally believe that you can get the same quality items at Walgreens/WalMart/CVS as you can the high-dollar stores. Secondly, I use a beauty blender that I bought at WalMart and it makes all the difference in the application of the moisturizer. I'm sure the original beauty blender is amazing....but my $5 one works pretty darn well, too!<br />
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So, jumping in!<br />
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<a href="http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-radiant-tinted-moisturizer-with-spf-15/-/A-13681924"><span style="color: #e06666;">Sonia Kashuk Radiant + Tinted Moisturizer </span></a><br />
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This stuff is amazing for a tinted moisturizer. I've used a couple different kinds - most BB creams - but when I tried this one I loved it immediately. It has really great coverage for being a tinted moisturizer but feels really light on your skin. It leaves a bit of a glow, which is a plus for me. You also only need a teeny, tiny bit if you're using a beauty blender. <br />
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<a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6320738#"><span style="color: #e06666;">Revlon Highlighting Palette, Rose Glow</span></a><br />
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After applying the tinted moisturizer I use this stuff on the apples of my cheeks. It basically gives a light rosy glow. I use a fairly large blush brush to apply. On its own it's so pretty but really light. (I also can't wait to use this stuff once I have a tan! Think it would be killer with some color)<br />
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<a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2980145#"><span style="color: #e06666;">Maybelline Fit Me Blush, Medium Pink</span></a><br />
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I follow up the Revlon blush with this Maybelline one. The reason being is that it creates what I think to be a perfect imitation of Nars Orgasm blush. Seriously! It's kinda amazing. I just put a tiny bit on my cheeks and boom, a $27 blush recreated for less than $10 (and you're getting two separate products.) Try it and see! <br />
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<a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod5980006"><span style="color: #e06666;">L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara</span></a><br />
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I discovered this mascara last year and it is crazy good. Mascara is one of those things that I do think spending a little bit extra can get you some amazing mascara (loooove Benefit They're Real! and Dior Show) but if you don't want to spend the extra cash, there's still some really great drugstore options. This is one of them! It separates the lashes, never clumps and lengthens them. I'm sold on it. <br />
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<a href="http://www.sephora.com/sugar-lip-treatment-spf-15-P57002?skuId=683847"><span style="color: #e06666;">Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment</span></a><br />
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So this is my one $$$$ item. My sister gave me a tiny tube of it a couple years ago and I.loved.it and it lasted forevvvvver. It's basically like a clear lip gloss but here's the deal with this stuff - it will make your lips so, so soft. And being that I live in an arctic climate, I have dry and chapped lips pretty often. I can put this stuff on twice in a day and the next day my lips feel great. It spreads super well so you only need a teeny bit. I can justify the price of it because it will seriously last forever, works well on chapped lips and also important, leaves a pretty shine. <br />
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And there you have it! These are my staples....at least until summer and I get in a rut and decide to change it all up ;)<br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-78261957195115584412015-01-27T13:14:00.003-06:002015-01-27T13:15:41.832-06:00Fish Tacos with Avocado Crema I made the fish tacos I talked about yesterday and they turned out pretty dang good! We typically do chicken tacos, which is honestly what I prefer. But it's nice to switch things up every now and then, right? <br />
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I gotta brag on myself and say that I can make some pretty amazing tacos. Sounds dumb, how can you make amazing tacos when they're just meat, shells and toppings? But the <b>kind </b>of meat, shells and toppings you do are the keys to awesome tacos. I used to buy whatever corn taco shells I could find, but now I only buy these:<br />
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La Tortilla Factory Green Chile tortillas. They are uuuhh-mazing. For Brad I will deep-fry the shells (bad, I know...but tastes.so.good) and warm them on a flat pan for myself. They're worth spending the extra dollar. <br />
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And for toppings, I always do the standard lettuce/tomato/cheese, but when we do chicken tacos I'll serve up some cilantro and chopped jalapenos with it. For the fish tacos I added some purple cabbage that had a lime squeezed on it. Trust me, these little additions will make your tacos taste so fresh and like something you'd get at a taco stand!<br />
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So - my fish tacos. I ended up using cod because it was the only wild-caught fish at the store. It wasn't bad but it wasn't my favorite. I marinated it for about 20 minutes in a little bit of lime juice, fresh garlic and cayenne pepper.<br />
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I cooked it in the stove for 20 minutes at 425degrees.<br />
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Then I made the Avocado Crema, which I was super excited for. It did not disappoint! I tossed an avocado, sour cream, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro and salt/pepper into my food processor and blended her all up...<br />
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I chopped up all my toppings....<br />
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And we were ready to eat. I was pretty happy with how it all came together! I had a guilt-free (for me) dinner and something that Brad (and Hadley!) really liked. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Fish Tacos with Avocado Crema</u></span></div>
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1 lb of white fish (any kind will do but preferably tilapia or mahi mahi)</div>
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Juice of 2 limes</div>
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1/2 Crushed garlic clove</div>
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Dash of cayenne pepper</div>
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together lime, garlic and cayenne in a shallow baking dish or large Ziploc bag. Marinate fish for 20 minutes. Transfer to baking pan and cook fish for 20 minutes or until it flakes apart. When fish is done, flake it apart with forks. </div>
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<u>AVOCADO CREMA</u> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(Adapted from the Skinnytaste cookbook)</i></span></div>
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1 Hass Avocado</div>
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Handful of cilantro</div>
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1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced</div>
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1/4C sour cream</div>
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1 Garlic clove</div>
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1T lime juice (or just squeeze half a lime)</div>
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Salt</div>
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Pepper</div>
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Serve fish in soft tortilla shells with variety of toppings and enjoy!</div>
<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-91837499915119970782015-01-26T15:06:00.001-06:002015-01-26T15:06:15.469-06:00This and ThatHope everyone had a good weekend! We had a pretty darn good one. Mostly cause the weather here lately has been SO mild (thank you sweet baby Jesus) that we can actually get out and do things. And even if you're not doing fun things outside, just being out and about is pretty enjoyable. The last two winters up here have been absolutely, completely horrible, weather-wise. So we're taking it!<br />
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Jumping in....I have about 40 pictures on my phone that look like this:<br />
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Yep, we're mattress shopping. Or rather, I am mattress shopping. Brad could sleep on a board and get a full night's rest, no joke. <br />
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All I gotta say is that mattresses are expensive and I could wring the neck of the sales people that make you lay on the really nice, comfortable beds (which equal $$$$). I was telling my best friend that I would have no problem buying a cheaper mattress if I hadn't laid on any of the goods ones. But since I did, I've now been trying to finagle how I can get discounts on the one I want (which happens to be the one in the picture above.) And this bargain online-shopper is having no luck. <br />
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So here's my daughter, sweetly painting a picture with her washable paints....<br />
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....the same washable paints that have left very faint stains on the carpet in her playroom. I honestly have NO CLUE how she got into them. But then on the other hand I can't for the life of me remember where I had put them! So I'm guessing that was a mom fail and I put them somewhere she could access them. <br />
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She also left a drawing on her built-in drawers. Thankfully it came up. Still not sure what to do with the paint stains in the carpet. I've tried Resolve and they ain't budging.<br />
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I took this picture today during our daily morning snuggles...<br />
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Funny story, the girl has been obsessed with rubbing her belly button since she was about a year old. If she's drinking her milk in her sippy cup then she's rubbing her belly button. If she's falling asleep, she's rubbing her belly button. It must be a comfort mechanism. I think it's the cutest darn thing (and when she wears her button down jammies - I feel bad putting her in zip-up jammies cause she can't reach it - we always leave a button undone so she can get to it, ha!)<br />
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And finally....<br />
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My constant companion in the kitchen. I definitely cook more now than ever and this girl loves to help. She was dying to play with the lemon/lime squeezer so I gave her a discarded lime and a baking sheet and she squeezed to her heart's content. <br />
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Speaking of cooking, I've been making some really great recipes lately that I'm hoping to share! I'm thinking tonight's dinner will be fish tacos, which is good but kinda plain. I've got some leftover avocados to use up so I think I'm going to make an avocado and jalapeno crema for them. Sounds so good, doesn't it?? I'll let you know how it turns out!snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-38224012955299069642015-01-19T14:47:00.003-06:002015-01-19T14:49:48.460-06:00Monday MiscellanyHappy Monday! We had a good but laid-back weekend, Hadley spent a lot of time outside since the weather was so mild! We went on a walk on Saturday, she did some "shoveling" with Daddy, got pulled in her little sled. Needless to say, we had some good naps happening around here :) <br />
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She loves my scarves right now and asks to wear them every chance she can get. Looks pretty darn cute in them, too! </div>
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I had to share a picture of her from this weekend tucking into her pea soup like a champ -</div>
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This girl is the very best eater. I give all the credit to doing Baby Led Weaning with her as an infant, though it could very well be her personality ;) </div>
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This past week we had some friends over for dinner and they brought a mixed pack of beer. One of them was by The Left Hand Brewing Co called Milk Stout. I'm not a big beer drinker at ALL - trying to describe what I like is almost impossible and gets Brad frustrated every time, ha - but I liked it so much that I bought a six pack for us for the weekend.</div>
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I also got my hair cut this last week and took a selfie. Shameful, I know. I probably look as awkward as I felt taking it....</div>
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But I have to say that I love having short hair! Brad prefers my hair long (duh, what man doesn't) but it's been so easy to style and I feel so much more "polished" when it's fixed. </div>
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On Sunday mornings I've started the tradition of making cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon rolls from a CAN, thankyouverymuch. And they taste really darn good.</div>
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After church on Sunday we watched the Packers vs. Seattle game and it was obviously a huge disappointment. It's always a little bit of a bummer to see football season end. </div>
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In some other random news, I've become obsessed with DoTerra Essential Oils. I've been taking vitamins of theirs and can see a huge difference in my energy and general "feel good" levels. I also have started cleansing my face with a mixture of Castor Oil and Sunflower Oil and added a couple drops of Melaleuca oil to it, and it's downright amazing. My skin is literally glowing afterwards. After a clean it I apply Coconut Oil with a few drops of Frankincense oil, and it does seem to be making a difference just after a few days. My skin is softer and just looks healthier. Maybe I'll do a separate post on it soon cause there's so many neat DIY things you can do for your skin that don't include tons of chemicals and additives.</div>
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And finally....Brad and I have this album on repeat lately and it's seriously so good. If you like traditional country music with a modern sound you'll love her. </div>
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My favorite song is "Railroads" - check it out on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC_wEw0y9mU">here </a>and thank me later :) </div>
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snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-22551253913067743162015-01-16T16:02:00.004-06:002015-01-16T16:02:59.705-06:00The Prettiest KitchenMaybe one of these days when I'm feeling really brave I'll share the pics of this house from when we first bought it. It was a foreclosure and while we saw great potential in the home, we also freaked out multiple times after the purchase that we had bought a home that would be better off condemned! But thankfully Brad is a visionary AND an achiever when it comes to seeing beautiful things in the midst of giant messes and turned this place completely around. <br />
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If I had to pick a favorite room, it would definitely be the kitchen. That's the room that I most wanted to make an impression while feeling comfortable spending lots of time in there. This kitchen was fun in that it was pretty different from our last home, in my opinion. <br />
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So now I'll shut up and get to the pictures!<br />
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Isn't she pretty??? It was a really tough space to design because 3 of the 4 walls had either windows or doors on them so we had to somehow figure out how to make it work in a way that was pretty <i>and </i>functional. Here's some specs on it all:<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">PAINT </span>// We are firm believers in Benjamin Moore paint. Literally all the white paint in our entire house is Cotton Balls by Benjamin Moore. Brad recently discovered their Advance line, and while it costs a pretty penny, a little goes a long way and has an amazing finish. <br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">CABINETS </span>// Brad built these and I think they are absolutely amazing. Like I mentioned, the layout of the kitchen made designing the cabinets pretty tricky, but I feel like these turned out beautifully. We went with simple knobs and handle pulls in Oil Rubbed Bronze. <br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">COUNTER TOPS</span> // These are Impala Black granite counter tops that were sourced from a builder's material outlet in Minneapolis. Best part? From any store or cabinetry shop you would pay upwards of $2000 for these counter tops. We got them for - wait for it - $700. They were totally new but Brad figures they must've been left over from a job that ended up not using them. <br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">LIGHTING </span>// We purchased the lights over the island from Menards; you can find them <a href="http://www.menards.com/main/p-2357729-c-7498.htm">here</a>. I'm in love with them, and in the evenings when they're on the Edison bulbs are burning, it's too pretty. Perfect environment for a glass of wine :) <br />
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Just a few notes on the rest of the kitchen -- in the corner we had this awkward space that we weren't sure how to use. It wasn't big enough for a breakfast nook with the island in its current place, and yet it was too big to leave empty. So Brad remedied the space by building a little corner shelf and adding spindle legs to give it character. I love it, though I'm still torn about how to decorate it. <br />
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Brad also found the old glass pane door at a past job site and kept it for our house. I love, love, love what it adds. The room it leads to is our tiny little mudroom that is still a work in progress :) <br />
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We're planning to get new stools for the kitchen island but haven't found any that we love just yet. <br />
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So there you have it. Probably the only room in the house that's 95% done! I hope you love it as much as I do! <br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-49438143210312548502015-01-15T14:24:00.001-06:002015-01-15T14:24:23.905-06:00I'm back!Being that it's January 2015 and life is all about fresh starts, new beginnings, setting resolutions....I've decided that now is as good a time as any to start back with blogging! <br />
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Jumping right in. To paraphrase....2014 was The Most Stressful and Exhausting Year of My Life (Not Including Any Times Where We Sold Homes). <br />
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To make a very, very long story short, we jumped headfirst into renovating two homes. Both homes were in really terrible shape and Brad did 95% of the work all by himself. And as we all know from watching HGTV shows, time is money when it comes to flipping. So basically, he worked and worked and worked (like for the whole year) while I was home with Hadley by myself, all the time. Money was really, really tight at times and I felt disconnected and completely without support. Brad was constantly stressed over the houses and the fact that I was so stressed. This awful time went on for about seven months straight and then one day....we sold a house. And it suddenly all felt much, much easier. <br />
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So - that's the short story, and the good news is that 2015 is off to a STELLAR start! We're living in the second home we purchased (we sold the first home we renovated as well as the house we were living in the last two years.) The second house we bought to "flip" was just too good for us to pass up for ourselves, and now that it's been fully renovated, it is the perfect home for us and I can't wait to share pictures of this little Victorian beauty! We've only been in it for two weeks now so there's lots of progress to be made in the decor department. In the meantime, here's a little sneak of the outside (it was the best pic I could get, the lighting is really strange today?!?):<br />
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I'm so excited for summer, when I can decorate the porch and plant flowers and add a little color! <br />
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Some other updates....I cut my hair! I guess you would call it a "lob" though here I had it curled -<br />
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Yes, that is my two and a half year old! Here's a recent pic before church --<br />
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She's so much fun and I still LOVE being home with her. She literally potty trained herself two months ago, knows her ABC's and is counting to 15, knows most of her colors and shapes. She's loving Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and Bubble Guppies, is a total Daddy's girl and is getting into the "change her clothes every hour" stage. She's such a good girl and I am so thankful to call her my daughter.<br />
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As for the year ahead - we initially had plans to leave Wisconsin at the beginning of the year but - as it often does - life changed on us and we found ourselves still here in this great state. If you would've told me six months ago we would still be living here with no plans to move I probably would've shriveled up and died. Seriously. But God always has a plan for our lives - good plans! - and while I never would've imagined it, we're now staying in WI for the time being and I am so, so happy. I love this house and can't see myself moving anytime soon! Brad's still hoping to flip homes, so we'll see what happens.<br />
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Here's to the new year!<br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-47710212420930093642014-04-30T18:47:00.000-05:002014-04-30T18:47:07.165-05:00It's Been A While...I have completely neglected my little blog....shame on me. I've missed it though! We've had a super long winter that unfortunately is STILL going on, so I've been fighting a major case of self-diagnosed seasonal depression (okay, not really - I mean...most days I feel like packing Hadley and myself up and driving as far South as I can while letting out a string of cuss words for the state of Wisconsin. Some might call that seasonal depression, I call it normal, ha!)<br />
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We've mostly been staying really busy with our home renovation projects. One of them is 75% done - we just need to finish off a few things indoors, like flooring and countertops, then paint and fix up the outside and we'll be all done and ready to list. The other house has been the big time-sucker. Basically, we bought this beautiful little Victorian that had all these wonderful things, like lots of bedrooms and room for a playroom and big windows and character and a GARAGE and for about a month or so we were set on selling it. Then we slowly started realizing....it would be perfect for <i>us</i>. When we bought it that thought certainly crossed our mind but as Brad started working on it we came to the realization that we will probably never find another home in the near future that will suit our needs for a growing family (NOT GROWING JUST YET, ha) at the amazing price we paid that offers all the things we need AND want in a home. The garage is even big enough for a wood-working shop! So after some prayer and thought we decided we couldn't pass it up and are now fixing it up for ourselves. Maybe one of these days if I can find some motivation I'll do a post on what we've done :) <br />
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Otherwise....there's really not much else. I have recently jumped on board with a friend's photography business and will be assisting her with weddings this summer, as well as other sessions as needed. I bought my first "fancy" camera - a Canon 60D - used on eBay and it's been a ton of fun learning how to use it a little better. I've also sharpened my skills on Photoshop, which has actually been addicting for me! It's so amazing to see an image go from basic, boring to beautiful with a few small adjustments. <br />
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I'm still loving, loving, loving my time at home with Hadley. It's gotten a little tougher these days with Brad putting in lots of long hours but we've been able to get a way a few times to my hometown, or on a weekend trip with my best friend and her family. The hardest part has been that we've literally been stuck indoors for almost exactly five months now without an indoor play area to take her, or even a mall to let her run around. Believe me when I say, I have many conversations with Brad begging him to move us South (and that is not a joke). <br />
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Hopefully I can jump back on board with updating! Just checking in for right now...can't put too much pressure on myself, ha ;)snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-6613140344163304992014-01-26T13:39:00.002-06:002014-01-26T13:41:00.523-06:00LatelyMy favorite kind of post, the bullets....<br />
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<li>Babies!!! No, not for me :) Yet, ha. Anyway, I recently started watching a girlfriend's 2 month old twice a week, and let me tell ya...you forget how things go after a while! The first day I kept thinking, how much should she be sleeping? Is she eating enough? Etc. She's a super sweet and easy baby, and SO TINY! She's just now moving up to size 1 diapers, which is crazy! And as for the obvious, it does have me thinking about our timeline with #2. I have many thoughts on it that I'm sure most of you don't care about, but suffice it to say that I'm still not ready.</li>
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<li>Vacation!!! This next month Brad and I are taking a little trip down to our favorite of favorite places, Tennessee! We're dropping Hadley off with my family and heading down to Nashville for a few days and then over to Gatlinburg for a couple days. I'm seriously counting the days and maaaaybe hoping and praying that when we're there Brad will want to just pack and move to their fine state. </li>
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<li>So, fitness. I've finally found a "groove" (cheesy, yes?) that works for me. I'm going to the gym most days, sometimes at 6:30am and sometimes at 7pm, but I'm getting there! For many years my MO was to go to the gym, run on the treadmill for 30 minutes and then do a few of the machines. I grew tired of that really quick this time around and ended up meeting with the trainer at our gym. For $25 he put together a complete weight routine for me, discussed the best cardio options and worked out my fitness goals with me. It was well worth the money and now I feel like I have a new motivation for going. As far as cardio, I've started doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on the treadmill and I seriously love it. It's not following any kind of method, I just basically do a short walking warm up, then run for 3 minutes at a fast pace (like 7.3-8mph) and walk at a slower pace, like 3.8. It's a great workout, goes by super quickly and the best part about it is that it encourages a post-workout calorie burn, unlike just getting on the treadmill and running for 30 minutes.</li>
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<li>This could be a post all in itself, but we're in the middle of a new career venture for Brad and it's been really, really exciting - he's "flipping" houses! We recently bought a foreclosure up the street from us and he's doing the work to renovate it. He's got such a great eye for design and the best part is that he's able to do the work himself. The house we bought is pretty cute already and I literally can't wait to see what it will look like when all is said and done. We're going to be keeping a blog to track the progress so when I get that set up I'll make sure to post it here. (Btw, he's not leaving construction! He's still doing that here and there, just adding something new for himself into the mix.)</li>
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<li>I've got a new and exciting venture coming up myself which I'll share about later down the road since it hasn't started quite yet....but as part of it I've been spending a lot of time playing around in Photoshop and seriously, I'm obsessed. I literally don't have a clue what I'm doing but I'm having fun! I designed these little recipe cards yesterday, which has now got my wheels turning about what else I can design - </li>
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Alright, I've got a 17 month old scaling my chair which means "pay attention to me" - better go :) Happy Sunday!</div>
snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-18816927830857337012014-01-14T11:37:00.003-06:002014-01-14T11:37:18.378-06:00Jason Aldean! And other randomnessThis Friday night I'm going to my first concert in a loooong time to see Jason Aldean, and I.am.excited! I love my country music, and he's always been one of my favorites. I saw him in concert about 3 years ago when he was opening for Brooks & Dunn on their farewell tour, and it was so good. I'm going with a girlfriend of mine and we got AWESOME floor seats, which thrills me even more. I'm a total stand-up-and-dance-the-whole-time kind of girl, and when I saw him with B&D we were in a section where everyone was literally sitting the ENTIRE time, like they were at a funeral. It was weird and awkward and made me seriously grouchy cause who wants to be the one person standing up and dancing and singing?? Not me. So anyway, this time should be a lot better. <br />
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On a side note, can we just compare these pictures of him? <br />
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I told Brad recently that he looks as though he's living HARD out on the road. The man just looks haggard and....flat eyed? I don't know. All I know is I love his music - old stuff is the very best - and am counting the days til I see him live. <br />
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I'm also trying to figure out what to wear. What does one wear to a country concert (besides the obvious, boots?!?) I could talk all about how I feel like I've lost any sense of style I once had and thus hate figuring out what to wear for things...but that's another post for another day. Anyway, for a long time I've wanted some booties that were a little more casual than the heeled ones I have, and lookie what I found at Target this last weekend for TEN DOLLAS!!!<br />
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It's the Kodi boot from Target, found <a href="http://www.target.com/p/women-s-mossimo-kodi-ankle-boot-taupe/-/A-14465375">here</a>. I wouldn't have paid full price for these cause I'm not super crazy about the big heel, but I figure for $10 that they're worth it! Plus, you always need a little bit of extra height at a concert :) <br />
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Sooo...I'm thinking skinnies, these boots and some kind of shirt...?!?<br />
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Well, moving on from that...I've been begging Brad to build me a little vanity for our gigantic bedroom, and he got it done this last week!<br />
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It ended up being a little larger than I was expecting, but beggars aren't choosers when it comes to free, custom built furniture :) We still need some hardware on it and to hang the mirror (that may get painted, not quite sure yet?). And I need to figure out a little lamp or light source for it, but that will be tough cause the nearest outlet is pretty far away...headaches of an old home. <br />
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Once I get this done we'll just have to get a mirror for the large stand-up frame that Brad built recently and maybe some runners for either side of our bed and then we'll be done decorating in our room! It's nice to finally have it feel home-y. It only took a year, ha. snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-67827080854775077882014-01-11T12:56:00.000-06:002014-01-11T12:56:28.891-06:00Hey 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not much for resolutions or even goals for a new year, but this year I've decided to just face it all - the things that scare me, the things that are hard, the uncertainties and insecurities. I want to look those things - the big and the little - in the eye and choose to see the good and see the truth. It might sound strange so to give an example, I've had a small insecurity about a friendship recently, and instead of letting things go haywire in my mind or become bitter/cynical towards them, I found the root of the problem - that I'm worried I'm not good enough, or not as good of a mom as her, just that there's things lacking in ME - and claimed every truth I know against that: I'm accepted as a daughter of the King and that's the only security I will ever need, and I can love this friend fully because I have that freedom. It actually really helped my attitude. Now to just apply that to every other little crazy thought in my brain :) <br />
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The other area I'm committing to is that of my health/fitness. I'm kind of in a tough place cause I'm really hoping we get pregnant this year (though we're not yet ready), and I struggle with the idea of being fit and pregnant, ha. With Hadley I gained a TON of weight - and though I'd like to look back and think about how it was all water weight, or I just couldn't help it....I really could, and the bottom line is I gave myself license to eat whatever the heck I wanted. Hence the 60lb weight gain. <br />
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So this year, I've been trying to eat cleaner but I'm still indulging in some of my bad habits, like French Vanilla coffee creamer (as much as I want....I just cannot ration that stuff. I won't drink my coffee then, and it's just not worth it to me to give that up) and the occasional Diet Coke. And of course, my wine :) I've been back at the gym, running on that dreadmill and getting more into the weight machines. I don't have a goal of weight loss, per se, just to drop a pants size so I'm truly back to my pre-pregnancy size. <br />
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Here's been some of my meals -<br />
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Top to Bottom:<br />Black Bean Dip & Low Carb Tortillas cut into chips and baked</div>
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Scrambled eggs, spinach and sweet potatoes w/ Sriracha</div>
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Skinnytaste's Sugar Snap Pea, Chicken and Carrot stir fry</div>
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PB2 Banana Protein smoothie</div>
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Fat Free Greek Yogurt w/ Kashi Go Lean, dried berries and a drizzle of agave</div>
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The tough thing for me is that I'm a Southern girl at heart and will always love foods like mac and cheese, biscuits and gravy, BUTTER, full fat mayo/yogurt/sour cream/etc, but the bottom line is that I just can't eat it the way I want to. I can already tell that my metabolism is slower than it was a few years ago so I recognize that in order to maintain a healthy weight I need to learn good eating habits <i>now</i>. </div>
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Well, I'm off to pick up my house for the 15th time today. That's one of the drawbacks of having a tiny house - it can feel messy within minutes when you don't have a playroom or office! Happy weekend!</div>
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snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-14046359689585333872013-12-27T12:08:00.000-06:002013-12-27T12:08:05.523-06:00Our Little ChristmasThis post is gonna be one big FAIL because I have zero, zilch, nada pictures to share of our holidays. WOMP WOMP. But to be perfectly honest....it was a pretty unremarkable year, celebration-wise. Brad and I didn't exchange gifts, really, I bought myself a vest from Land's End and I think he's buying some jeans or something, and then in a few weeks we're heading out of town for a little getaway that's going to be our "Christmas present." <br />
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As far as Hadley goes, she did alright. Who knows how it will change over the years but Brad and I firmly believe that we don't want to instill in her that Christmas is about "things" - I grew up this way and experience major disappointment each Christmas now, if you want to know the honest truth. We will always buy her gifts, of course, but we won't be spending hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on her (or any of our children). This Christmas we bought her three books, a couple Melissa and Doug toys, bubble bath and bath crayons and that's it. And let me tell you...the girl was MORE THAN HAPPY with just the wrapping paper so that right there is reason enough to not blow all our money on toys. She also got some nice things from her grandparents, like a baby doll and baby stroller (that by the way, she wedged herself into last week and I almost called the fire dept when we nearly couldn't get her out) and a VTech car that converts into a scooter. One of the most thoughtful gifts she received was an antique rocking horse that Brad's aunt restored by hand painting it, adding hair and stamping her name on it. <br />
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Even though I didn't get pictures we did a video of Hadley opening gifts from her Grandma and Grandpa, it was kinda cute cause she got a blanket that her Grandma made for her and all she wanted to do was play "Peek a Boo" with it...girl loves attention! <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uXtFVhbFUx8" width="420"></iframe><br />
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So! That was Christmas. It was a nice couple days but extremely busy (I felt like I was in the kitchen cooking the entire time that we weren't at gatherings or having people over). <br />
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Tonight Brad and I are going on a MUCH NEEDED date - seriously, I can't remember the last time just me and him went out. I am so excited to fix my hair, put on some makeup and a pretty top and hold his hand and flirt and not have to worry about my child screaming at the top of her lungs or throwing toys or trying to climb out of the high chair. Thank ya Jesus!!!<br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-46355646053052787942013-12-24T13:47:00.002-06:002013-12-24T13:47:21.537-06:00Merry Christmas!The holidays catch up to ya, don't they?? I don't have much to say, just hoping that I can get back on the 'ol blogging train next year! <br />
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Here's our Christmas card for the year, and to the friends of mine that didn't receive one...well, I ran out of envelopes and then it got too late. But I love you all and just pretend this came in your mailbox, ha! <br />
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And just cause she's so darn cute, here's a couple shots from our Christmas mini photo session with <a href="http://keenan-ifbphotography.com/">In Full Bloom Photography</a>:<br />
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May we all remember tomorrow that Jesus is why we celebrate, and that He is THE GOOD NEWS! Merry Christmas!snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-13985181279518348922013-11-21T10:42:00.001-06:002013-11-21T10:42:05.447-06:00The 'Ol Bullet Points Post<br />
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<ul>
<li>The baby's sleeping, the dishwasher's going, the laundry is started and I'm sitting down with a hot cup of coffee. These are the moments when I stop and realize that my life is so good, and I'm so thankful for the little things. Mostly thankful that I'm <i>home</i>. <br /></li>
<li>I went to the chiropractor yesterday for the first time. Right after I had Hadley I started feeling this tingling feeling in my right upper back area. It was so weird and I thought it had something to do with my C-section surgery (why I felt that way, I have no clue...this is why I would be an awful doctor). I mentioned it to my doctor and she thought it was a nerve issue, but I never had it addressed until yesterday. The tingling has continued and has started to even spread a little, so I wanted to get it taken care of. Sure enough, the chiropractor said I'm all locked up in that area. Today I'm in a little bit of pain but I'm so happy it's getting fixed (and that I don't have a degenerative disease, which is what I was certain it was...again, terrible doctor).<br /></li>
<li>For Thanksgiving we're going to Brad's parents house and I think I'm going to bring Barefoot Contessa's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe/index.html">Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms</a>. They're stuffed with sweet Italian sausage, mascarpone and parmesan cheese, garlic, scallions, etc. Sounds so good! <br /></li>
<li>This last weekend I was on my own for most of it since Brad was out hunting, so I took Hadley out for a little coffee date....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPslaS9HiARY8uWUloCMAfkr6hreX4F_i88ENnbH1KcNxYUvzgyesyvwGRkXYmJj6KRnk6Fc-yvyq0NUH3AYUeiUTUDbNvTCDOroclnVgk1kAaiCt2aPfBH8M3zKkPQJas07CakpPYC8Y/s1600/hadley+coffee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPslaS9HiARY8uWUloCMAfkr6hreX4F_i88ENnbH1KcNxYUvzgyesyvwGRkXYmJj6KRnk6Fc-yvyq0NUH3AYUeiUTUDbNvTCDOroclnVgk1kAaiCt2aPfBH8M3zKkPQJas07CakpPYC8Y/s400/hadley+coffee.JPG" width="300" /></a></li>
</ul>
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We actually had a good time. I say "actually" because she's not in the easiest age to take out to restaurants, but she sat and ate her grilled cheese while I drank my latte and then we shared a scone :) Sweet girl.</div>
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<ul>
<li>Last Christmas I decided I was tired of my ornaments - I bought them about 4 years ago and they're so pretty but I'm just bored with them. This is why I don't paint colors on my walls or furniture! I get bored with it or end up not liking it after a while. So this year I'm trying to decide how I can decorate my tree without ornaments but still make it pretty. Shoot, with a 15 month old and a puppy I will probably not even want ornaments on my tree, ha. <br /></li>
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Welp, my laundry's done so I need to get crackin'. Here's to Wednesday - which means its almost Thursday, which means it's almost the weekend!!</div>
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snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-31995246470732599762013-11-20T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-20T08:00:02.324-06:00Two of My FavoritesWhen it comes to my in-laws, I count myself super, super blessed. They're honestly some of the most wonderful people I've ever met, and it's really an honor to call them my family. I love them all equally, but I gotta admit that my two brothers-in-law hold a special place in my heart. Before we got pregnant with Hadley, we spent hours upon hours with these two going to bars, concerts, on trips, hanging out at our house...we did SO much with them, and they were seriously my favorite people to hang out with. But then they both moved out West to work and broke mine and Brad's hearts :( <br />
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But anyway! They've been home for the last week and it's been so great having them around. We all went out on Saturday night and I was able to get a (terrible quality, that's bar lighting for you) picture of the 4 of us -<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL7fHWKjMGCh1XMpqhybCEOcIDR7ky0dL_Gq5kR9m5YcPn-JfwpxgyO3b52AOi_MmAf4M-E2HvvOoycSnx11oNAxhuBYcU5FySbrVzSvmoiGh5YSy5i-KZyW1OQf7jlpD18IvfQK12tQ/s1600/photo+1+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL7fHWKjMGCh1XMpqhybCEOcIDR7ky0dL_Gq5kR9m5YcPn-JfwpxgyO3b52AOi_MmAf4M-E2HvvOoycSnx11oNAxhuBYcU5FySbrVzSvmoiGh5YSy5i-KZyW1OQf7jlpD18IvfQK12tQ/s400/photo+1+(7).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And this may be my new favorite picture of all time - Hadley with her uncles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9j-krASlhHHQvSTZXGgEV-P8-iYUqHmkr1zAOnoGtBMRVwP0a7wji6P33EuCVl15WJbTDNRPmo1s2B9SQqZez5K40yAGIB6erWrI_FcPHWK0_9LLiDQa4mBcf4Z3TWvH_qZreae2GkqE/s1600/photo+2+(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9j-krASlhHHQvSTZXGgEV-P8-iYUqHmkr1zAOnoGtBMRVwP0a7wji6P33EuCVl15WJbTDNRPmo1s2B9SQqZez5K40yAGIB6erWrI_FcPHWK0_9LLiDQa4mBcf4Z3TWvH_qZreae2GkqE/s400/photo+2+(9).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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She was sitting on Caleb's lap and so I had the thought to get a quick shot of it. I was saying, "Hadley, look at momma" and seriously out of nowhere she just lights up with that cheesy grin. KILLS ME. Needless to say, they're great with their baby niece and we hate the fact that they're not around more to see her grow up. <br />
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BUT - we're planning our next trip....Nashville!! Be still my heart.snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437785191851834508.post-14888521099376219962013-11-15T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-15T08:00:01.714-06:00Five on Friday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH__BVQbeeOyuOoHzzLCxm72XYrWjpWuXOiAFI4erMvuVRJMzLzrGgdMqGtpzeuzGE-71DiKI8dwpsgNdZ-IwD-8wL0YreF3rPhGB0hOMU2XNQHFPusPDRnZ2GTf5CSVLTROPVLf6T5iM/s1600/5+on+Friday+Logo+-+Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH__BVQbeeOyuOoHzzLCxm72XYrWjpWuXOiAFI4erMvuVRJMzLzrGgdMqGtpzeuzGE-71DiKI8dwpsgNdZ-IwD-8wL0YreF3rPhGB0hOMU2XNQHFPusPDRnZ2GTf5CSVLTROPVLf6T5iM/s1600/5+on+Friday+Logo+-+Final.jpg" /></a></div>
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//ONE//<br />
As a rule, I pretty much hate WalMart. Mostly because I feel like they could be SO much better than Target - I mean, they practically own the world - and they just settle for crap clothes, crap decor, crap EVERYTHING. Seriously, I am there like every other day and I never ever see anything cute there. Now granted, the WalMart in our town is a bare bones, nothing-special WalMart. I've been surprised at other ones to see that occasionally they do carry cute stuff. So imagine my surprise when I found this cute shirt there this week:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMDzJQnVH_jAabE_DseA0RrykOLx0cOkWkEHAYP4borhwNRbUiYJbWhvB_QYvmPGPNknWPEPKggHvIjFOkz6nBUVbJf9XtNw4g6cNVi4zYBq1YQnUUkWas7gIDccISI7ugUkrtBAgQuU/s1600/walmart+shirt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMDzJQnVH_jAabE_DseA0RrykOLx0cOkWkEHAYP4borhwNRbUiYJbWhvB_QYvmPGPNknWPEPKggHvIjFOkz6nBUVbJf9XtNw4g6cNVi4zYBq1YQnUUkWas7gIDccISI7ugUkrtBAgQuU/s1600/walmart+shirt.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-uhffqfp3LJyGZjfWBmmvWruvlyofdRq-Cg2anPYbK_ZkOCtJMdBpJm70eoABEXmTCoC9gscm4dA86aUS1zkyw5zyMZ3SyN9ApL_NwYO_WHxWM37oVcA768vuk-4G0npvVwf8FNgDHs/s1600/photo+1+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-uhffqfp3LJyGZjfWBmmvWruvlyofdRq-Cg2anPYbK_ZkOCtJMdBpJm70eoABEXmTCoC9gscm4dA86aUS1zkyw5zyMZ3SyN9ApL_NwYO_WHxWM37oVcA768vuk-4G0npvVwf8FNgDHs/s320/photo+1+(5).JPG" width="208" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92Hfk3OxLgjrRGz8f0X5c0hMugDeKSEYN4LAc41KqbZJbOgFu_IhnQ3zKgxMEGKCmmwfednAixIoUzSmYywjIGyWfidDD7u9F6wnUsBElG-zFH5fHrGIsqpaWggTTKY0uqP1yBf_5JKs/s1600/photo+2+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92Hfk3OxLgjrRGz8f0X5c0hMugDeKSEYN4LAc41KqbZJbOgFu_IhnQ3zKgxMEGKCmmwfednAixIoUzSmYywjIGyWfidDD7u9F6wnUsBElG-zFH5fHrGIsqpaWggTTKY0uqP1yBf_5JKs/s320/photo+2+(6).JPG" width="263" /></a></div>
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It's basically a dolman tee but I'm calling it a swing tee. It's loose, super soft, covers the hiney, but is fitted in the arms. It also has a wider neckline, which I'm a fan of. I bought it in black and also an emerald green. These kind of shirts are so my style now, mainly because I'm all about hiding that post-baby belly (that I still have, ha). BEST PART - it's $9.94. Here's the link to it: <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Faded-Glory-Women-s-Dolman-Sleeve-Tee/27941783">Women's Dolman Sleeve Tee</a>.<br />
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//TWO//<br />
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This would be my small town version of shopping at Target with a Starbucks drink - that's a McDonald's latte at WalMart. Find joy in the little things, right?!? <br />
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//THREE//<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxoxbtgGax_BBWz0Wl17ql2F9IMtNMS5CNIkqWNoybne3b2b2aZW5QKvztDTAXfakm_ZEumyuQxUol0vQfDzm3e3sy8FEQdvXQOiRFTdfKPmLg0o4eRJjhNJGnSwz1qrNtJUyyVvqp4w/s1600/keurig.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxoxbtgGax_BBWz0Wl17ql2F9IMtNMS5CNIkqWNoybne3b2b2aZW5QKvztDTAXfakm_ZEumyuQxUol0vQfDzm3e3sy8FEQdvXQOiRFTdfKPmLg0o4eRJjhNJGnSwz1qrNtJUyyVvqp4w/s400/keurig.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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I finally bought a Keurig. I felt bad because Brad had actually bought me the Starbucks Verismo last year for Christmas and to be honest, I really like that machine but it's annoying cause you can only buy the coffee pods for it at Macy's or Bed Bath and Beyond (and Starbucks). The closest I am to those stores is at least an hour and a half and inevitably I run out every time without having more on hand (even though every time I go to the big city I spend around $60 on those stupid things). Anyway....that's all to say that I'm ECSTATIC to finally own one of these - I can buy the pods at WalMart, and have a much bigger variety to choose from. On a side note, Starbucks really dropped the ball with their machine, it's pretty pitiful when you go to Bed Bath and Beyond and see the Verismo section - it's like half a shelf. JOKE.<br />
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//FOUR//<br />
I bought a Christmas dress for Hadley from BabyGap on eBay for $10....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy18EwMh4Dg9LFnJ_WSJkJ_bwV9elwwgaX_w2MqglvUPbD9sDLB3VepA4aD9H6TpEjVC8xX6g3mthm7xswAyylbZ6sIX2pUpd1a00pTnJqdR9hMT563aV8D7tsrohUyveTo2A5P0cLQEs/s1600/dress+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy18EwMh4Dg9LFnJ_WSJkJ_bwV9elwwgaX_w2MqglvUPbD9sDLB3VepA4aD9H6TpEjVC8xX6g3mthm7xswAyylbZ6sIX2pUpd1a00pTnJqdR9hMT563aV8D7tsrohUyveTo2A5P0cLQEs/s320/dress+2.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
It's in perfect condition! It's a little bit big though and I have to get a sweater for her to wear with it. I also bought her a little dress from Baby Gap on super sale:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GtdEtJQT2aTdp60E2GmPG0nPiX3XlIcnpPUdRSGjpBxGf6pqF0W2QupdTt2e0vnjaTZcx0b39YitNc_qnk20CoXy13_K-a_Iveegyj7ubIxWFSor6_dGcOAj-LGUGJY2Z7xYwfKNLuw/s1600/dress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GtdEtJQT2aTdp60E2GmPG0nPiX3XlIcnpPUdRSGjpBxGf6pqF0W2QupdTt2e0vnjaTZcx0b39YitNc_qnk20CoXy13_K-a_Iveegyj7ubIxWFSor6_dGcOAj-LGUGJY2Z7xYwfKNLuw/s320/dress.JPG" width="254" /></a></div>
<br />She wore it in some Christmas pictures we took recently that I can't WAIT to share. I love it! <br />
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//FIVE//<br />
We're maybe - MAYBE - thinking about doing a beach vacation without Hadley sometime this spring and are trying to find some places with good deals in Mexico. We're looking for an all-inclusive that isn't too pricey but has decent food....I'm open to suggestions!!! <br />
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<br />snhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265085021789499825noreply@blogger.com0