it's a great day to get more fingernail polish

today's agenda: cook, clean, go to target and buy a new shade of nail polish (because why not), play games/watch movies with anthony and his sisters (they're hanging out today and tomorrow with us), babysit for a family i used to nanny for (i haven't seen the kids for awhile so i'm really looking forward to that!) and just...chill.  i'm good with that plan.

how about you? anything crazy happening over your weekend?

monday's memory: the one with february's 366 photos

another month has gone by already -- CRAZY.  here are the photos that (somewhat) tell the story of my february. 

what i'm loving wednesday (2.1)

it's been awhile since i've participated, but not for lack of things to be loving!

so here's a very short list of what is making my heart full at the moment :-)

i'm loving my cell group girls...what an AMAZING group of God-seekers who daily inspire and uplift me. 

i'm loving my amazing husband who cleans the kitchen to surprise me on regular occasions, who won't let me touch the vacuum, who changes the litter box in rotation without complaint, and who will look at me at times and say "let's just watch big bang theory instead of organizing that room tonight".  balance, people.  we have it.

i'm loving intentional time spent with friends.  in my new year's post i mentioned that i wanted to let my yes be yes.  anthony is doing the same...i don't even know if he's meant for it to end up that way, but in looking back over january, we have had 12 separate occasions where friends have come over, shared a meal or conversation, and just enjoyed being with each other.  february is shaping up to be similar and we LOVE that.

(can i also just say i'm loving the creativity of those God lets me call "mine"?  cooking in my kitchen with my husband and/or my girlfriends makes my heart sing in a way i never noticed before.  and that's just one facet of the creativity surrounding me!)

i'm loving the warmer weather lately.  i mean, 64 and sunny yesterday.  come ON.


i'm loving opportunities to make some extra cash while loving on people's kids.  i'm so thankful for the opportunities to invest in their lives while at the same time put a few extra dollars towards non-necessities and paying off debt.

i'm loving being healthier and happier...i'm still slowly progressing in weight loss, but it's not necessarily about that.  i'm moving more, even if it isn't "true" exercise...staying active and having fully nutritious food 90% of the time makes those nights that i need to be a slug and consume chili cheese fries perfectly ok.

i'm loving great changes on the horizon...SO excited about what God is doing right now.

it's a short list, yes...but my heart overflows.

it's a great day to basically be a slug

we had friends over until late last night and slept in this morning
which was a nice change of pace

in 2 hours i'll be leaving to spend the night at the house of the family i nanny for.  they're going to a hockey game, but he's surprising her with a fancy dinner before and a hotel downtown after.  i get to hang out with the kids while they have their getaway. :-)

tomorrow will be another lazy day once i get home...which i'm very much looking forward to.  hope you're able to relax and have a wonderful weekend wherever you find yourself as well :-)


much love!

thursday's ten: about 2012

ten things i desire to do (or do more of) in 2012





1. drink more cups of coffee at home


this is deeper than it sounds...i have a collection of beautiful coffee mugs that i've collected or been given, and they are rarely used.  instead, i'm usually running out the door with one of my travel mugs, racing to the next thing.  the "coffee at home" is an invitation to be in the moment more.  better sleeping patterns, which i'm establishing slowly but surely, will lead to more rest, getting up earlier, and being able to savor those early morning cups of coffee in the beautiful mugs.


2.  go on more hikes


i ended 2011 with two in the month of december.  i've begun 2012 with one on monday.  these aren't just any hikes though.  these are intentional gatherings with Godly girls...conversation is good, uplifting and inspiring.  nature around us is breathtaking.  movement is made, bodies are healthier.  and there's never a limit -- 2, 3 or 10 can join in!


3. do the 365...er 6... photo thing


i pretty much did it last year, but didn't share.  this year i'll be posting it here and possibly on facebook.  i'm hoping to bring more meaning to the mundane in this way...seeing beauty even on a tuesday in sweatpants!


4. use my technology for good


and by that i mean, not getting as sucked in to facebook, pinterest, twitter, etc.  multi-tasking is great, but once in awhile it's ok to close the laptop and read a book...made of paper :-)  a and i make a habit of playing board games fairly often, but i seldom make time to keep electronics off and actually read.


also, if i'm not completely sucked into a tv show i'm more likely to keep a clean house, stay on top of the laundry, and make it to places on time.  so while tv is GOOD, i need to make sure priorities are in place.


5. take advantage of opportunities to open our home


we've had one (well, two if you count my bachelorette party) big events in our home so far, besides having friends over for dinner, cooking with girlfriends, and having halo/poker nights (that's obviously more a than me).  2012 has the opportunity for many more.  next week i'm hosting a fashion swap, we'll have a superbowl gathering, we ALWAYS have an oscar party, and i'm planning a st patrick's day bash as well.


we want to be very intentional about opening up our home and sharing in hospitality.  we truly feel that we are called to this, and we've been given a wonderful platform for it!


6.  find some good EASY & wholesome recipes


we've changed our grocery habits (mainly because i do the shopping) and are probably 80% whole foods and trader joe's, while staying in the same price range as we were when we were less than 50%.  buying from these grocery stores don't mean we're automatically eating healthy--or that they are all low-cal, low fat foods, but it DOES mean that our ingredients are for the most part more wholesome and that at least *i* feel better cooking with them.


and i love, love, love cooking.  however, i also love spending time with my husband, so i'm trying to find wholesome and delicious crock-pot meals to add to my arsenal and have at least once a month.  i'm also expanding my soup recipes a bit.  i'm definitely open to quick/one-pot/crock pot meals if you have them to share (and i haven't already stolen them from you!)


yes, we still have a stockpile (no, really) of hamburger helper.  but having processed crap (that tastes pretty good actually) a couple of times a month isn't going to kill us.  and having really.good stuff with fresh ingredients the rest of the month is helping at least me feel better.


7.  "no.  cuddles."


the little girl i nanny for two days a week climbed on my lap earlier today asking for cuddles.  after she's been there for a few minutes i asked her if she wanted to get down and play since she seemed restless.  she thought less than a second before saying "no.  cuddles." and snuggling in.  it was precious...and a reminder that i need to press in to the cuddles too...literally and not.


sweet moments spent with friends, settling into the couch with my husband to watch a movie, emi jumping onto the bed or couch with me, enjoying hugs and high fives from the children in my life...all these things i need to appreciate more!  and when asked if i'm ready to move onto the next "thing" even if it's a good or necessary thing...sometimes i need to just say "no" and enjoy the "cuddle".


8. continue using financial wisdom God's way


which means giving it away and THEN paying our bills...i love God-math.  i've certainly experienced it over and over and over and over again -- that when you tithe and give you are blessed in ways that just don't make sense to the average person.  or to me, really.  i've often looked at my finances at the end of a month and said "that shouldn't work..." but it DOES.  i'm not saying you'll be richer than your wildest imagination or never experience financial hardship...but i AM saying that you'll be taken care of by your heavenly Daddy.


9.  let my "yes" be yes


instead of agreeing to things that i don't necessarily WANT to do but feel i should, or feeling like i have to cancel plans because a family thing came up...i'm going to be authentic with my answers.  not in a "um, i'd rather do anything BUT that" way, but in a "you know, that's a great invitation, but i already had plans to ___ tonight" or a "not this time, thanks anyway!" way.


it's harder than it sounds.  but actually sticking to boundaries and saying only authentic "YES's" will not only allow my calendar to have some relief, but will make the time spent with friends both more plentiful AND more meaningful.


we started this with new year's eve.  we had two invitations (two states apart) that were both fantastic...and craved the time spent with both the couples who had invited us.  but since Christmas had been (wonderfully) spent with family, and sort of a whirlwind, we elected to spend NYE at our own house with just each other.  we don't expect it to be tradition -- but for this year it was the authentic yes and the right choice.


10. continue to live in awe


i've mentioned the small pillow that has now hung at my last three residences at the bottom stair banister.  it reads "delight in the unexpected" and it has become a multi-daily reminder that those unexpected gifts and surprises are FUN.  


sometimes i think i'm continually in awe of what God is doing in me, through me, and around me.  and then i catch myself...because i don't EVER want to NOT live in that awe.  He is amazing, unexpected, extravagant and FUN.


that seems like a reasonable list to me...how about you?  what are your desires for the year?

what i'm loving wednesday (11.9)

i'm loving that i got to spend the weekend with two sweet boys, 4 and 2

(my standard "respecting privacy" explanation for the backs of heads and through mesh photography)


i'm loving that i'm HOME now


i'm loving that my husband joined us for part of the weekend...and i'm loving that he had the kitchen SPOTLESS when i walked in the house last night for the first time in 4 days.

said husband carrying one child into church while walking next to the oldest. p.r.e.c.i.o.u.s.

i'm loving that our team was the winner for most money raised at the hike for the homeless that i wrote about last week.  i'm SUCH a fan of this organization and i'm grateful that they exist to serve the families who desperately need them.


i'm loving our house, as it comes together slowly but surely.  hopefully i can take you guys on a virtual tour of it soon!


i'm loving "friend dates" that i get to have with my amazing girlfriends!


i'm loving that i have an appointment at the apple store tonight to pick up something else i'll soon be loving!


i'm loving that emi was so happy when i got home last night that she snuggled for a full 5 minutes :-)

it seems like a short list this week, but most assuredly, i'm loving my life and the rich blessings my Papa continues to pour out on us!

it's a great day to hike (with a stroller) for a great cause!

today i join friends and hike up a trail
double stroller in front of me

it'll be a fun event for the kids i'm staying with this weekend
there are games, inflatables, and food available after the hike
so i'm sure they'll be nicely worn out just in time to go down for a nap :-)

i think we'll ALL take a nap this afternoon

and then my husband will join us for dinner

a movie night will ensue (it's something they do with their parents on friday or saturday night, so the familiarity will be nice for them)

and then we'll go to bed early, since the boys (2 and 4) will really have no concept of an "extra" hour of sleep.  hopefully putting them to bed a bit late both last night and tonight will result in a somewhat later awakening...

wishful thinking, right?

i hope you all have a wonderful day!  i'll post pictures of our hike if any turn out well...
xoxo

it's a great day to learn to dance

or, at least learn how to dance better ;-)

our friend brittany is coming for lunch and to show us a few moves other than swaying and shuffling our feet.  which is good.  maybe we'll actually retain some of the knowledge for a week.

(holycrapaweek)

besides that both anthony and i are logging in extra hours at our respective offices, i'm babysitting for sweet finn, and hopefully i'll have time to do a bit of cleaning and straightening up around the house.

hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

it's a great day to...probably do more wedding stuff :D

yeah.
wedding stuff is eating my life these days
but it's ALL good :-)

in the next couple of weeks i'll show you some of the stuff we've come up with for the ceremony, reception, and gifts for the wedding party.

i can't wait to share it all with you...but i promise to not go into overkill wedding mode.  there will be other posts too :-)

hope you have a great weekend!  i'm off to try on our wedding bands and have lunch with a new friend...babysitting tonight...shower at church on sunday.

exciting and quite busy times!

much love,

thursday's ten: the helpful hints edition

ten things i've learned about spending time in other people's houses.  granted most of this time is spent in a nanny/babysitter role, so most of my tips are specific to that.







1.  it's ok to steal ideas
like the way their cabinets are organized?  see a great use for a piece that you have as well?  um, why not?  i've even asked questions of "hey, how did you..."
think of it as a living pinterest ;-)


2.  there are ranch dressing people and (*gasp*) non-ranch dressing people.  
or, always check available condiments before fixing a particular meal


3.  a little clean-up is always appreciated
i go in with the motto of "leave the house a little better than i found it".  whether that means wiping down the counters, or picking up the toys scattered all over the couch...doing something that takes me 10 minutes means that they get 10 minutes of free(er) time when they get home


4.  always bring your own caffeine (or other vice)
because...they won't always have your drink of choice.  and sometimes...you just NEED another coffee.  trust me.
(uh...it goes without saying, hopefully, that if your vice is an actual vice you should leave it at home.  you don't need a glass of wine* or a cigarette or...whatever to get through a few hours with kids.  if you do, you shouldn't be there)


5.  if you want to eat your food of choice, bring it
most of my clients are amazing at literally opening up their fridge, freezer or pantry to me.  but i always have something in my computer bag that i can fix and be happy about if their choices for me don't sound good!


6.  be early, if possible
in nashville traffic with my tight schedule this is nearly impossible for me...but i find that if i PLAN to be early i'm rarely late.  and on time is good :-) 


7.  know the area
if there's construction, crazy traffic, or an accident on your normal path, you don't want to have to rely on a gps to get to a place you've been several times.  know alternate ways in and out, just in case


8.  don't believe everything the children say, no matter how cute and sweet they seem.  also, enforce the rules you ARE sure about.
most likely they AREN'T allowed to watch 3 hours of tv, jump on the couch, or stay up reading for an hour after bedtime.  i always err on the side of strictness...because one night of not getting to do something that seems abnormal to you isn't going to hurt anything, whereas if you let them get away with something it may (a) cause problems for the parents or (b) cause you not to get a call back.


9.  actually PLAY with the kids
they'll love it (and you!).  there are always those kids who'd rather you not play with them (because they're too busy), but they still like attention, so find other ways to interact.  asking them about a particular toy, suggesting play-doh, making a necklace with plastic beads...something to engage them.  you're not there to be their constant companion (unless the parents are delusional) but you ARE there to be the adult presence.  and since you likely don't have a huge list of household chores to get done (unless, again, the parents are delusional OR are paying you extra) you may as well kick back and enjoy the children :-)


10. enjoy the conversations
i LOVE talking with children, particularly those under 5.  you'll be completely entertained if you just listen and interact for awhile!  i have all sorts of gems written down...that's a thursday's ten list all it's own.

*it should be noted that i often babysit for friends or people i know well who say "hey, feel free to have a glass of wine when the kids are in bed!".  i DO sometimes take them up on that, but that's a complete trust issue (they trust me to not be drunk or drink when the kids are up).  i never bring my OWN alcohol, or drink theirs without explicitly being told to help myself.

what i'm loving wednesday (9.21)

i'm loving that i got to spend last friday night with some of my best girlfriends.  my maid of honor and bridesmaids threw my bachelorette/lingerie shower and it.was.a.blast!  truly, i was just happy to spend time with some of my favorite people...the rest was a nice bonus!
i'm loving that my future husband makes a mean lasagna, and that we have leftovers to last us quite awhile!  can we say comfort food?
i'm loving that baby g's favorite thing right now is to grab the nearest soft blanket or stuffed animal and call for "snuggles?"
i'm loving the flex hours with my office job.  i get to take babysitting jobs, which means more income, and work from home, and pretty much waltz into the office when i feel like it.  i try to the majority of my hours in AT the office, but it does mean that most of the time i can go into work at 10 am and miss the craaaazy traffic.  and feeling professional 3 out of 5 workdays a week is A-MAZING.
i'm loving that pumpkin delights are back.  ahhh, and that the stores near me carry them! (last year i only found them in one store!)
i'm loving fitting comfortably into (most of) my size 6 wardrobe.  there are some outfits that just won't work yet, but i'm so happy to say hello again to some of my professional clothes...
i'm loving thrift store finds.  i have bought a gazillion glass pieces for the reception for less than $50.  bonus is that i don't have any sentimental "hold" if something gets damaged or lost!

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .14

hey, it's ok

...to not hover constantly over the children in your care at an indoor playplace with security including coordinating wristbands. *cough*grandma following a 2 year old*cough*
(i am keeping eyes on the little one. and blogging. :-)
...to use baseball caps for their intended purpose: covering up the fact you didn't have time to wash your hair this morning
...to consider going for a jog armed with a tennis racquet to combat the cicada swarms
...to be slightly confused by this car sticker. i get the rainbow people, rainbow hearts and just plain rainbows. but are they in support of their gay cat? i suppose that's a good thing ;-)




...to refuse to live in fear
...to think that tennessee lawmakers have really gone off the deep end lately
...to have an irresistible urge to tossle cute little heads of hair like this one

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .13

hey, it's ok

...to have thought the local air show was a cool idea until you were just praying that the 2 children under the age of two you were with would sleep through all the noise
...to not really want to pay for an eye exam just to get new contacts.  grumble, grumble
...to kind of want to go to mt vernon and see if there really is a secret passageway after watching national treasure 2
...to occasionally (often?) have children's songs running through your head when there are no children present
...to pretty much be on a first name basis with folks at the cable company
...to really, really hope that the issues that the cable company and i have had the past year don't follow me to the next residence.  i'm hopeful -- after all, i had the same exact service at my old place with nary a problem  other than a rare service outage.
...to be considering doing the women's half marathon in september.  except that (a) i have never done that sort of distance before and (b) it's like 2 weeks before the wedding.  is that insane?!
...to be plotting the quickest route from the house to car and other destinations when the cicadas invade full-force
...to want a do-over for the night's sleep that didn't.happen because of all the coughing you did
...to be shocked that gas stations still exist where you don't have to pay at the pump first.  or even with cash first!

(amber has the original -- go visit her!)

it's a great day to babysit, well, all day!

so i've picked up a regular (every 3rd week) job to squirrel away some wedding cash
meaning that i spend every third saturday and sunday caring for 2 adorable children under the age of 2.

i'm gonna be busy!
and i'm totally taking a change of clothes. because nannying for 2 under 2 sometimes requires a hazmat suit.

right after i work 11 hours today, we're getting together with a's parents to give his mom our gift since i won't be around for actual mother's day.

hope your weekend is just as exciting as mine promises to be!

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .12

 hey, it's ok

...to eat doritos with your low-fat cottage cheese.  it's balanced, right?

...to sometimes watch silly tv shows

...to love wrapping paper and wrapping gifts in a nearly unhealthy way :-)

...to consider trading free babysitting for my clients with elipticals.  i used one of them the other day and it was a fantastic workout!

...to really, really, really be tired of the rain.

...to be thrilled that not only do you have a summer job lined up but that when the mother called to tell you she used the words "we are so happy and excited that we've found the perfect person for our family!"

...to be over-run with laundry.  all of it clean, none of it in it's proper home.  yikes!

...to be a hockey fan even if your knowledge of the game is a bit sketchy.  but hey, the fights are kinda fun.  (go preds!)

...to get excited about goodwill shopping.  no reason to spend big money on a wardrobe as i'm moving between sizes and losing the weight.  and finding actual quality pieces there makes me even more excited.

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .10

hey, it's ok

...to stay in your pj's past noon on your day off

...to play your babysitting client's xbox kinect for nearly 2 hours

...to have possibly injured your foot while playing xbox kinect and jumping

...to still kind of be in love with trader joe

...to look forward to couponing trips. unfortunately, not to trader joe's.

...to have enjoyed the marriage prep session on finances much more than you thought you would.

...to wonder how on earth you're going to pay for a wedding

...to remember that God has provided every need i've had for the past year...why would i expect anything less for a wedding?

...to ask you to weigh in on my decision. which toms should i get?

(this isn't happening tomorrow, but i've decided to take a few bucks from the next few babysitting jobs and set it aside for them)

red canvas

picnic

red twill

it's a great day to try an authentic indian restaurant

my friend natasha and i like to eat
mmm, a lot
and this week she told me that she's discovered a new authentic indian restaurant a few miles away
so, to the lunch buffet we shall head :)

tonight i shall babysit for some regular clients
and then collapse into bed
(if the last couple of nights are any indication, that is!)

may you all have a wonderful weekend...
especially brooke as she kicks her husband's butt in their race ;)
(go #teambrooke!)

may you have many adventures to tell us on monday
if that's what you desire
or many moments of peace and calm
if that's what you crave
and many moments to live in awe
of the life you've been given.

blessings,

thursday's ten: in your car

i don't know about you, but i totally struggle with either not having what i need in my car...or it looking like a tornado has swirled around the interior.
please tell me you have these issues!
however, i'm determined to spend a little time this weekend organizing the space
and making it functional.
(i'll be back to post pictures if it works out well!)





so.  based on what i already know as well as a couple of tips i've seen on the rachael ray show this week, here's my list of 10 things that will stay in my car. (note * for items already in the car)

1.  first aid kit*  (my car actually has shelf space in the trunk for this.  nope, not kidding.)
2.  a blanket* (i'm a good indiana girl, and know to keep a blanket in the car in case of stalling in winter weather.  plus it comes in handy for the impromptu picnic)
3.  a catch-all basket, small* (in this i keep an extra pair of sunglasses, my coupon book for nashville, an umbrella, extra feminine products, ipod charger when not in use, packing tape for trips to the PO,  sleeves for coffee, baby wipes for cleaning spills or people ;-) and a few other random things)
4.  yoga mat* and workout clothes (the first is a given.  the second is something i've meant to do several times, but after seeing it on the RR show the other day am determined to do.  i'll just keep my tennis shoes in the trunk and have a bag with extra clothes in it for a quick hike, run, etc.)
5.  an emergency toiletries kit (i saw this on the show and LOVED the idea.  deoderant, makeup, tweezers, razors, maybe even shampoo/conditioner and an extra toothbrush. if i ever find myself spending the night at a friends house i'm good to go!  plus i have TONS of random cosmetic bags.  it would be nice to put some of them to use!)
6.  my green bags* (i do keep them in the car when i think about it, but i need to make more of an effort to make sure i have a few before i go shopping anywhere!)
7.  cds.  (i have a few in the car now, and i love listening to pandora on my phone while driving.  however, i have these great cd books that need to be put to good use!)
8.  a sigg bottle* (for those extra runs, or just to keep hydrated.  the only problem with this is summer heat in tn...gotta figure out a way to keep a bottle in the car and keep it from boiling, ha.)
9.  a kid-friendly tote (i love to do random art projects or baking with kids when i babysit, so it would be nice to carry a few extra beads for necklace making, cookie cutters, or other things that parents wouldn't necessarily have on hand)
10.  some sort of (very small) trash/recycling system. (currently i use plastic shopping bags...but i can't STAND how trashy that looks.  even getting a couple of those cheap little "cubes" you use for storage would be better!)

so.  what would you add in your car?  or subtract for that matter?