just some thoughts

1. brooklyn is my little girly-girl. this was her reward for being good in another store. she got to try on four different lipsticks all by herself. she was in heaven.

2. it makes me wonder what baby girl #2 will be like. total opposite? similar? i can't wait to find out!

3. i am so grateful for the rain we got today. the wind, not so much. but the rain made me totally happy. while james was at class tonight, brooklyn and i ventured out in it and got completely soaked just running in and out of one store. brooklyn loved it. when we got home she begged to stay out and play in the rain while i put the groceries away. she came in giggling because she was soaked. i loved seeing her so happy. hopefully, she won't get sick.

4. james came home for a half hour between work and class tonight. brooklyn talked him into taking her outside (in a new sunday dress), holding her, and jumping ten times on the tramp. she loved it. and she loves her daddy.

5. i got some reading in today. a half hour when brooklyn went down for her nap (and then i took a little nap myself), and then an hour this evening. i finished my book! i'm always a little sad to finish, but i am definitely looking forward to my next book on hold at the library. 

6. i did a toy purge in our family room tonight. it felt good. brooklyn has a lot of toys, but she plays with all of them. i bought a basket to keep in the corner and toys that can't fit in the basket will be stored upstairs in a bigger container. i plan on rotating them out occasionally, but seriously couldn't get rid of too many. she loves them all. 

7. on thursday, it will be exactly two months until baby girl is born. it definitely doesn't feel real. i remember feeling the same with brooklyn up until our drive to the hospital the morning she was born. oh the excitement! i can hardly take it! we can't wait to welcome this bundle of pink with lots of kisses and snuggles.

h a p p y  w e d n e s d a y 

little inspirations.

don't you love little simple things that inspire you...

(this one's going on my wall)

this is definitely one of those things for me. little inspirations like this are things i want to put in my happy pocket and remember forever. and ever.

i really need to live by this. i'd be so much happier. way less stressed out. and a much better wife and mommy to the two i love most. 

annnnnd, how 'bout a bathtub shot to end this teeny little post? 

p.s. a simple joy that i'm for sure going to delight in... the reunion of 'nsync! on stage! this sunday! oh i'm going to delight.  A LOT.  :)

p.s.s. also, i've been doing a detox all week, so another simply joy to delight in will be the cinnamon roll i devour saturday morning when my detox is OVER.

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and lastly, i swear i'm almost done, a HUGE thank you to those that left sweet comments yesterday. i appreciate them so much. i love knowing that sharing my 'true' feelings is ok and that people out there can relate to them. so thank you thank you.

Random thoughts and lovelies...

Ever since junior high, let's say, every time I watch a movie I enjoy or read a book I love, I have always said, "I have to have that for my future children." I really have been thinking about it for many years, as I'm sure a lot of girls do. We dream about our future children and  hope that they'll love all of the same things we do. Luckily, I have kept somewhat of a list of these books and movies. However, I have not been as diligent at updating it as I should be. But I definitely have a good start. Some of the books on that list, are from the clothbound Penguin classic collection. These books are charming. I want all of them. They're more pricey than I can afford so it'll be over time that I will collect them. It thrills me. I can't wait to read these classics to my children.

(source)

I like to think that my children will all love books and reading. I really really do hope this is the case. I want them to love to be read to, beg for it even, before bedtime. It's something I really almost pray for. Would that be crazy? I want my children to be healthy and love to read. Sounds good to me. The other thing I want more than anything is for them to be kind to EVERYONE. I want them to reach out to those without a friend or be the person to smile at someone sad and make their day. James and I have talked about having a family motto or theme that we live by and stand by. Something simple that we can teach our children from a young age that they can easily remember. This is what we came up with: Be happy. Be kind. It's simple and powerful. I really feel strongly that if our kids are both happy and kind, they can do great things. It's so important to me that they ARE happy and that they ARE kind. Almost nothing else matters. 

(cute little mug covered in ice cream) 

I love the gentle reminders I get every day that help me to appreciate the things in my life. Being a stay at home mom, having a healthy baby, a husband that loves me, good health, a home, all of these things are things I take for granted. I can easily become frustrated or sad about things and I completely forget how blessed I am. I constantly have to take a step back and remember just how good I have it. I get to be what I've wanted to be my whole life. A wife and a mother. What a precious precious thing that is. Oh my goodness how precious. I need to be constantly on my knees pouring out my thankful heart. I need the gentle reminders in my life. The small things.

(thanks for dinner and ice cream Gary and Lisa)

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p.s. I'm also dreaming about these bed spreads #1 and #2. James says someday. Ooh I can't wait.

Holding onto Summer...

I couldn't wait for Summer to come this year:

Brooklyn would be here at the end of it,

swimming,

fireworks,

BBQ's,

and lots of family time.

I cant believe it's almost over (I count Labor Day as the end).

Time is passing so quickly! I just want it to freeze. I'm holing onto the last bits of Summer,

but,

at the same time...

I'm getting giddy for Fall.

Autumn.

My favorite season:

the colors

football

the smells

the holidays

the clothes

I almost can't hardly wait!

But I'm going to miss Summer. My heart is torn. I'll embrace each day I guess. That's the best solution. Enjoy it all. All of it.

Until it's time to pull out the flannel sheets and switch out my t-shirts for hoodies.

Happy Thoughts on Monday

1. my sister is coming down to play today

2. I get to be home with my little sweetie

3. I am healthy, and so is my family

4. my little sister starts 'college'!---at my Alma Mater

5. I don't have to wash my hair

*I typed this one handed while feeding my baby. Took awhile.

family filled weekends + Happy Thoughts

Brooklyn and I went school clothes shopping with Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Googs, and Aunt Haley.

Once again, she did so well in her car seat and loved being pushed around the mall in her stroller by Grandpa.

It was nice for me to be able to get out and walk around a little bit while enjoying some good family shopping time.

We even extended the trip and had lunch at Olive Garden...

once again, she was so good!

I really think she knows when she has an audience. Really.

(nap with Grandpa - she was asleep until I took the picture darn it)

Afterwards, we rounded up Daddy and we headed up to Coalville to celebrate Chandler's birthday.

That night, Brooklyn had her first sleepover. She slept right between Grandma and Grandpa and only got up once to be fed. What a good baby! I think Grandma and Grandpa were a little more excited about the sleepover than she was.

Tonight it was our turn to host James' family for Family Home Evening. I served Lemon Basil - Grilled Corn Pasta. It turned out pretty yummy. I paired it with rolls, baked beans, raspberry jello, and cantaloupe.

(source)

Chelsea added a delicious banana cake as dessert. So good. She left some extra for us to enjoy and right now I have 3 pieces starin me down.

A little while before everyone headed home, Brooklyn had a bit of a melt down. I fed her, she screamed, I rocked her, she screamed. She was tired, hungry, and mad.

So...

I put her in the shower with her daddy.

She lOVED it.

She was so relaxed and mellow...

Until I took her towel off to put her diaper, lotion, and jammies on.

Darn those jammies.

It was a great weekend. I only wish they lasted longer. It's nice to have James around all day. I miss him when he's at work. He's working hard for our little family and we love him for it!

Happy Thoughts on Monday

1. my house is vacuumed...ahh...bliss

2. I get to spend all day with my little miss

3. James starting the dishwasher = clean dishes!

4. my new lip gloss!

5. a full tank-a-gas

thoughts

Happy Thoughts on Monday

1. Brooklyn giggling in her sleep this morning (and sleeping from 12 to 5:30 AM)

2. waking up to a clean kitchen - thanks hun

3. a muffin for breakfast

4. deep conditioned hair

5. e-mail from my brother

*Monday has this stereotype - a negative one... so these are happy things going on today in my world. What about in yours?