thursday slurp day.

trader joes.

seven peaks.

homemade bread.

and slurpees.

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how's that for a thursday?

throw in another trip to the wedding dress shop (for kayla's fitting...so exciting!), blueberry pancakes by aunt chelsea, and a nap on your over sized giraffe named norman...

and this thursday could not be topped.

h a p p y  w e e k e n d i n g 

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^that picture was apparently really hard to get. check out these outtakes. am i kidding? wow.

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and without mentioning names, the pregnant one of us may or may not have laughed too hard while reviewing the above pictures and done what happens when you laugh too hard and are pregnant. happy friday everyone.

that's all i wanna do these days...

i want to read and relax. i spent several weeks doing lots of 'projects' around my house, and even though i have a few left to do... i just wannnna be lazy, relax, and read a book.

i have been doing just that. even last week when i was prepping my house for our bbq, i was taking small little slices of time and reading. i read two books last week. each of those books was over 500 pages and boy did it feel good. these books were enchanting and weird and lovely and so hard to put down. but i love using a good book as motivation to shtuff done. it works so well for me. that book reading reward system. 

i spent most of saturday reading as well. i finished book number three tonight (monday) and i am itching to get my hands on another one. all of these books are by the same author. my SIL told me back in january to get my name on the hold list for a book called the secret keeper. i obliged and got on that dang list. i was number two hundred and something. here we are, in late april, and today i reached number one. numero uno. that book should be waiting for me with open arms tomorrow morning. as hard as it's been to wait and be patient for that book... i am ever so glad that i had to wait. it made me read these other books. boy have they been entertaining!

i love falling in love with an author's style of writing and being able to look forward to getting my hands on their next book. i 've done this with josi kilpack, sarah addison allen, elizabeth musser, betty smith, and now kate morton. these authors are all totally and completely different but i love their stories and writing style. and speaking of sarah addison allen, my SIL, who has also read her books, informed me that a movie might be in the workings for one of her books. i would just love that! i really would. after i read all of these awesome books, tell me you do it too, i think, MAAAAN that would be a dang good movie! 

i'll be on a few long flights at the end of may and spending some much needed time at the beach and i am really wanting to take a good book with me. i am taking suggestions! send them my way. all of them. cause even if i can't get my hands on them for that trip, i have a whole summer of hammock-chillin/poolside hangin to read some good books. so let's hear it!

(and while you're thinking... some random pics from our weekend and monday.)

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random lovelies.

1. my summer reading list. it's making me so happy. i love reading you guys! here are a few i finished and dropped off at the library (before i picked up my next 3).

2. my baby in her floppy hat. a.dor.a.ble.

3. the fact that my husband follows up on things. we got this in the mail today.

which resulted in this...

 and this...

and this.

4. and the most lovely of all (k maybe not, but pretty darn close)...

my new vacuum.

p.s. i did NOT finish my whole piece of cheesecake last night. there is still some leftover. 

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.

Random Lovelies

this book. it looks sweet.

honey.fresh flowers.preserves at the farmer's market in San Fran.

Spring blossoms just outside our church.

belVita breakfast biscuits.blueberry.

(thanks for introducing me Lisa)

my baby in her sweet pink Easter dress.

blue mason jars.

this darling necklace.

this red wagon. 

a beautiful spring day.

today i plan to:

get all of our vacation laundry done

clean my kitchen

take Brooklyn for a walk

paint my nails

wear lipstick

and of course...

wear my new apron. i just love her.