Love and Acceptance

www.girlydohairstyles.com/2011/08/ideas-for-short-hair-1.html

 I live in a house with a 7 year old girl and an almost 6 year old girl.  These are impressionable times.  They are starting to take an interest in things like fashion and have more of an opinion about hairstyles and accessories.  I love it.  It has been so much fun to see what their preferences are.  But lately I've noticed that they are watching me as well.  They comment on my hair and my clothes.  I have always been insecure about my looks and so I tend to seek validation from others that I look alright.  My girls have done that a time or two lately.  I don't want them to take after me in that way.  I want them to know and believe that they are beautiful.  So I am working hard to be a better example, trying not to worry so much that every hair is in place, because really it doesn't matter. 

I have been growing my hair out over the past 2 years and it is finally past my shoulders.  I had been looking forward to all the fun things I could do with it once it was long enough.  And now it is, but I have been holding back because I am self conscious about how I look with my hair pulled all the way back.  But lately I have decided that this is silly.  I waited too long for something this trivial to keep me from doing what I want.  I have decided to accept the way I look with my hair pulled back and find something to love about myself when it is.  I have this little freckle on the top of my right ear and I love being able to see it.  I also find that I enjoy wearing earrings more because they can be seen instead of hidden behind a curtain of hair.    

I have been trying to be a good example to my girls in other ways as well, helping them love the things that they can't change and do something about the things they can.  We've been exercising (they laugh at my crazy videos and join along), eating more fruits and veggies, cooking.  I hope that the changes that I am making for myself will also positively affect my children, not just my girls but Porter as well.  

Here are just a few of the hairstyles I have been trying out on myself and some on the girls too.  I am loving being more creative and so are the girls.  At first I was intimated because they looked too hard.  But I have watched a lot of tutorial videos and I am learning that it's ok if I don't get it perfect.  Brinnley, queen of the half-up ponytail, has even let me try new things on her.  She gets excited to look in the mirror after I am done.  I love that we can share this together!

 www.thesmallthingsblog.com/p/hair-styles-tutorials.html

 saralynnpaige.com/style/simple-gibson-tuck/

 www.flickr.com/photos/luxyhair/4770055015/

 www.dearemmie.com/?p=128/

 slhairstyles.com/12/the-return-of-formal-hairstyles-in-the-workplace.html

www.girlydohairstyles.com/2011/08/ideas-for-short-hair-2.html

Language of Love

Sunday I was on Pinterest and saw a quiz to find out what your love language is (from the book The 5 Love Languages).  I took the quiz and my love language was overwhelmingly "Acts of Service."  I hadn't really thought much about it before, but now that it has been pointed out to me I can see it is true.  Chant helping me hang my collection of plates on the wall was much more swoon-worthy for me than getting any bouquet of flowers.  Chant is constantly helping me with my projects, taking care of the yard, helping with the dishes, whatever I ask or he can see needs done.  These things mean more to me than any gift ever could.  He works hard for me and it shows me he loves me.  He's my Mr. Perfect.  What's you language of love?

Smother's Day

Mother's Day has been pretty fabulous so far.  I got breakfast in bed modified (I was getting ready for Church so they brought it to me in the bathroom).  The kids made me some beautiful cards and I got an I-Tunes gift card.  Yay!  I've been smiling all day long, especially when I hear Porter say, "Happy Smother's Day!"  Is he trying to tell me something?

Thanks Mom!

 Decorating on a dime part two- thanks to Mom.  Way back in when we lived in Rexburg when we were first married, Chant worked at BMC West.  They were changing out their displays and Chant was able to get these door knobs and cupboard door.  He created this cool wall hanging.  I've used it in almost every place we've lived, but I've had it in storage the year and a half we've lived here.  I decided to pull it out.  Mom was at Porter's Craft and found these cool glass jars for $1.50 a piece.  Perfect.  I am on the hunt for something to put in the jars, but I think they look pretty cool by themselves.

 I found these Mason jars for 75 cents each at Deseret Industries.  Mom sent me a few limbs cut off of a tree in her yard.  Looks pretty awesome I think!  Especially with our unique, twisted candles.   

 Mom also cut these vinyl letters for me.  The tiny letters say Pablo Picasso.  I love this quote.  We had this green rope and I got a few sheets of scrapbook paper that I mod podged onto clothes pins to hold up the kids' masterpieces.  The girls were so excited about it.  They got drawing right away to have something to hang up.  So fun!

I love all these things that we were able to do for cheap.  It's added a lot of personality and changed things up. 

Only Just Beginning

 May 2 was the one year anniversary of our business.  This year has been one of the hardest of my life, but also one of the most rewarding and testimony building.  We have been so blessed, both personally and in our business.  I know we are being watched over by our loving Heavenly Father.  We wouldn't be where we are without the love and support of our family and friends.  I am so grateful to all of them for all they have done for us. 

We wanted to celebrate, and celebrate we did.  After all, I think it's a pretty big deal.  The guest list included us, Teran, Jess (our massage therapist), Kyndel (our licensed clinical social worker), their families, and our family.  It was quite the party!  We were lucky to have some beautiful weather.  I was grateful for that because our party wouldn't have fit inside the house!  See, that's not even half the crowd and my kitchen is full. 

 We set up all the chairs in the garage and put the BBQ in the driveway.  Worked perfectly!  Then the party migrated out back for some jumping on the trampoline and cupcake eating races.  I didn't get any pictures of that.  I was too busy laughing my head off.  So what they did was set cupcakes up on the sidewalk behind Jen and Kerry's heads (in the picture below).  They started at the house and ran to the sidewalk.  They had to stop and completely eat the cupcakes before racing back to the house.  So funny!  And we had cupcakes aplenty (I made 60+ in strawberry, mint, peanut butter, and coconut frosting).  I was glad they were put to good use!    

 Above:  Jen, Porter, and Kerry
Below:  Kristy, Mike, and Margi

 Jess and Teran

Chant had to show off his flips for everyone.  He's still got it!

The party didn't completely wrap up until 9:15.  Sorry neighbors! 

It was the perfect evening.  The only thing that could have made it better was to have my parents there.  Thank you so much for making this a fabulous year.  And it is only just the beginning.  We are ready for what's to come in the next year! 

Decorating on a Dime

 So I am seriously addicted to Pinterest.  And not just for recipes.  I am getting some great ideas that I have been tweaking to make my own.  Both of these frames we got at Deseret Industries for a couple bucks each.  Then we bought the sample size of paint from Lowe's for a couple bucks each.  The top quote was actually done opposite on Pinterest.  The original idea was to find an old framed picture, put the letters on top, then paint everything white.  Then the letters are peeled off so only the letters are in color.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I thrive on color.  So I chose to do it opposite.  Plus the scrapbook papers was 25 cents a pieces, half off.  Yay!  I love the way it turned out! 

The family photos in this frame where framed in their own individual 8x10 frames.  I like the frames but I had them standing on top of our entertainment center and a shelf in the kitchen.  They took up all my space for decorations, so I needed them to move.  I love the way this turned out.  The original "pin" was to have the pictures still framed in their own frame and then mounted inside the larger frame that has no glass.  I like that idea but this frame wasn't big enough for that.  I still like the way this looks.   

 Last Labor Day weekend my mom, sisters-in-law, and two of my nieces went to Midway for the craft fair.  I found these rosette decorations that I fell in love with.  There were two, one larger than the other and much bigger than these.  I asked how much they were.  $400 for the large one!  I about died!  No way was I going to pay that.  I made up my mind I could do it myself.  I have this extremely crafty friend that knows how to make rosettes, so I asked if she could show me.  So that was back in September and I just finished these beasts Thursday.  Now I understand why the craft fair ones were priced so much.  Totally worth it!  Even though some of them are not perfect, this was my first time making them and I feel pretty proud of them!

And this is my "freed-up" shelf in the kitchen.  I had two Fossil tins and found the other 2 at D.I. for 50 cents each.  Love it.  I am on the hunt for more to add to my collection.