buy the rainboots

shopping for flowers.  as soon as she saw these she got so excited and yelled "tulips mommy!"

it's all clouds, rain & storms here these past couple of days.  but i honesty don't mind too much, it's been clearing up by late afternoon so we still manage to get out and enjoy the rest of the day.  Our rain boots are in constant rotation and zo couldn't be happier about that given all of the puddle splashing she's been able to do.  i think every toddler ( okay adults too) needs a pair of rain boots just for the sake of getting to splash in puddles.  Seriously- it's free (excluding the purchase of said rain boots), it tires them out and it's adorable to watch.  try to ignore how messy they get, just remember all of the mud and dirt will wash off, but the memories won't.  days like this make it so easy to give in to negativity, anger and impatience (raising my hand cause I am so guilty of this!).  that's when i watch the weather like a hawk, waiting for the clouds to part so we can throw on our boots and get to splashing all those feelings away.  so in the midst of any gloom or funk you might be in, i just want to encourage you to do the hard thing and try to find the brightness and light in your life that's being overcast or hidden by the clouds, metaphorically & physically.  and if you're in need of a stress reliever i highly recommend buying the rain boots and doing some hardcore puddle jumping, cause getting messy & dirty isn't just fun for kids ;)

and now-- some photos from this past week to add some sunshine to your day!

one of her fave puddles to date!

watercolor painting is one of our new go-to indoor activities that happens multiple times a day.  it 

keeps zo entertained for quite a while and i forgot how therapeutic it can be.  you'll never guess which side is mine ;)

look at those wrangler baby jeans!  this kid is growing up waaaay top fast, i can't believe he'll be a year old in a month!

like I said, adults need rain boots too.  These super cute lace up ones are from target!

I don't know where she gets her Starbucks addiction from... 

home goods was killing me with their beautiful pastel spring inspired displays all over the store, how gorgeous are those floral plates?! 

like I said, splashing in puddles is therapeutic....

I told you, the rain boots are on serious repeat over here.  also--is it okay that i'm ridiculously jealous of her natural highlights?... 

i mean, i had to get her the tulips after i saw how excited she was to see them! :) 

happy tuesday all!  hope you have a wonderful start to the new week, here's to making the best of it!

~Amy

early to bed early to rise

top: Francesca's similar, similar, similar, similar|| jeans: Francesca's || moccasins: Minnetonka || bracelet: Bela bracelets

fun little story to go with this weeks fashion post:  the other day i took my car in to get the oil changed.  took both kids with me and got there around 3:30, didn't end up leaving till about 4:45... yikes.  but, this car shop is nice y'all.  it has a cute little coffee station set up, iPads you can play on while you wait and the absolute best part?  they have a whole separate toy room that's closed off from the rest of the shop!  genius, right?!  why doesn't every store have one of those?? the kids LOVED it!  who ever thought that going to the auto shop would be fun for anyone, especially with kids?!  zo loved it so much she actually didn't want to leave once the car was finally done...  but back to my story-- as we're waiting one of the mechanics came in just to chat and as we got to talking about the kids he starts telling a story that has to do with his children.  he started it off with "so my wife and i are getting ready for bed it's like 10:30ish, oh and this is what happens by the way, you turn into an old person who can't stay up late anymore due to kids."  that's when i stopped him and was like "um don't wanna brag or anything but i was in bed by 9:30 last night..."  sooo basically if we were having a competition for who feels older/is in bed the earliest, clearly I won ;) #whatshappenedtome  #upallnight #notbychoice 

so anyways, enough bragging about my early bedtimes--On to this outfit!  i've clearly been on a Francesca's kick lately cause i feel like the only outfits i post these days are pieces from there...  

i love these grey washed destroyed jeans and guess what?  They're on sale for $14.99 right now!  highly recommend them.  i bought this top pretty recently but it must've been a hot seller cause it's unavailable now, I've linked a few similar options though. all of them would be perfect for valentines outfits, just sayin ;)  and these deerskin moccasins are seriously the most comfortable shoes ever.  i bought them years ago (like pre-kid, pre-married years ago) and they are still in great shape!  if you've been on the hunt for stylish & comfy moccasins i highly recommend this brand.  

happy Friday y'all!  Hope everyone has had a good week so far!  don't forget to subscribe (in the upper right hand corner!) to stay up to date on all of our recent posts & happenings! 

glasses: oliver peoples

I think the kids will happily go back to the car shop at any moment now....

~amy 

life lately

hello!  merry Christmas! happy new year!  happy almost (yikes!) valentine's day! and yes-- i am still alive. i don't know what it's been lately that's made me feel so busy/tired all of the time (hmm, might have something to do with taking care of a 10 month old & almost 3 year old all day and night...) but it's sadly caused me to put this little blog of mine on the back burner.  i've missed it so much though so i finally decided to make some time to just sit down and write a post out!  annnnnd even in that long leave of absence there really isn't much new with us...  so instead of boring you with my endless, and most likely pointless, writing i'll spam you with some pictures instead and promise to be spamming you with much more blog content soon!! 

oh ya know, just enjoying a nice winter day outside in the 75• weather... 

she takes after her mama for sure 

and he takes after his dad who is more than excited to have a future rock climbing buddy 

this kid is everywhere! he turned 10 months on January 29th and uses just about anything and everything to stand and walk with!  i can tell walking is right around the corner for him...yikes. he's also got 7 teeth now and working hard on cutting another one soon...double yikes. he's also entered one of my favorite phases which is bouncing/dancing anytime he hears music, it's seriously the cutest!  he still has yet to sleep through the night but we are working & praying hard that it's, also, right around the corner! 

and this girl is a princess through and through! we cannot believe how much she's grown in just the past few months.  you can have an entire conversation with her now and you'll be lucky if she ever  stops talking haha.  but really, the talking is allll day long.. endless questions, endless bossing her brother around and my personal favorite -- endless singing. yep she's still just as obsessed with singing & dancing and it's so sweet to see and hear.  being quite the fan of all things musical myself this makes me so happy and also gives me hope that someday i'll actually have someone that wants to go to, and watch,  musicals with me!  cause for some reason my husband just isn't that into it...

also, how cute is this dress!? it's the one from the live action Cinderella movie (also something i'm super excited to watch with her someday!) and to say zo is obsessed with it would be an understatement... grandma hit the jackpot sending this one! 

i hope you all have been having a wonderful 2017 so far!  things sure are changing and i'm still trying to make sense of, and keep up,  with all of it without going insane.  i'll let you decide if that's in reference to politics or just every day life ;)  happy monday all!

~amy 

DIY toddler apron

if you're on the hunt for a last minute gift for a child or toddler you may not need to look any further than your kitchen!  did you know that kitchen towels make perfect kid/toddler sized aprons?!  i didn't, but when i found tutorials for them on Pinterest i knew i had to make one for zo since she is obsessed with playing "make dinner". i actually have more in the works for my little nieces as well!  all you need to do is search "DIY kitchen towel apron" and you'll find countless tutorials available.  i used this one  from the adorable blog One Little Minute.  these are seriously so easy to make and if you have a sewing machine it'll probably take like 20min tops. I don't have one though so this took me a bit longer since I had to hand sew it all. 

i happened to have a pack of new towels i got on clearance from target like a year ago and they worked perfectly for this project! then i just used some extra ribbon I had laying around for the waist & neck ties.

and for the pocket i actually used the pocket from one of my husbands old shirts that had a stain on it.  i added a stitched heart into it as a way of saying he'll always be close to zo' heart.  he is her favorite after all... 

 It definitely isn't perfect but it was made with lots of love and i don't think zo will notice any of the many mistakes for years to come... 

i hope this helps if you've been looking for a creative gift for your little bakers! 

Merry (almost) Christmas!!

~amy 

a lesson on staying humble

shirt: francesca's|| tank: target|| leggings: target|| shoes: keds

the day after thanksgiving we broke out the Christmas boxes and began the task of decking the halls, helllooo all things Christmassy!!  we have almost all of our decor up excluding the outside lights, we'll see if those ever make it up...  and it has actually been chilly this week! Our high tomorrow is only 56!  oh yes, we're gonna freeze ;) i did make it out black friday shopping with my sister and scored some pretty sweet deals, this shirt being one of my favorite items.  but first a little back story to give you a laugh-- 

the conversation I had with my sister thanksgiving night:

me- "so i'm thinking we'll get up around 6am and then leave shortly after we're done getting ready." 

sis- "okay sounds good!"

me- "sooo, are you gonna need me to wake you up or will you set an alarm?" 

sis- "oh no, i think i'll be fine just using my alarm.  no need to wake me up"

me-  "are you sure?..."

Sis- "haha yeah, i think i'll be okay"

Me- (thinking to myself, she wont be up that early;) "alright if you say so..."

fast forward to friday morning-- most of the night was spent dealing with both kids horrible sleep schedules (or lack thereof), woke up at one point and realized my phone was on my chest.  odd, put it on the nightstand and fell back asleep.  woke up a few hours later and checked my phone thinking it was super early-- nope, almost 7:00am!  kinda freaked out but then thought "eh, no big deal, sis probably isn't awake anyways." got up to go check, made it out to the living room and there she was-- almost 9 month pregnant woman all dressed and ready to go, passed out asleep on the couch.  i felt horrible.  especially because i was giving her such a hard time about getting up on time the night before.  it suddenly made sense why i woke up with my phone on my chest that night, i fell asleep as i was setting an alarm... sigh.  thanks for keeping me humble, Lord. ;)   

so, there's your daily dose of humor for the day.  on to better/comfier things! 

this shirt!  it is sooo soft and comfortable!  i could live in it, and i totally would if i didn't get food, drool and other such lovely things on my clothes on a daily basis (those are due to my kiddos, by the way, just wanted to clarify that.).  my absolute favorite part about this shirt is that it's totally nursing appropriate!  I love when i find normal & cute pieces that'll work for all of the different stages in my life.  my only complaint is that i couldn't find any other colors in my size, if i had i probably would've bought one of each... 

 i got these stirrup leggings from target a couple weeks ago and they're so fun!  my husband says it looks like i'm wearing two pairs of pants or leg warmers over my leggings but i don't care, i still like them!  they fit really well, have a fold down option around the waist and are perfect for working out or just everyday use.  

the shoes: I scored these keds for around $17.00 at our Stridrite due to the store closing, everything was 60% off!  i'm not sure if it's a nationwide thing or if it was just ours but if you have one near you it's worth checking out for sure!   i got zo some of the cutest litte Sperry duck boots, I figured with how much it rains out here she'll (hopefully!) get some good use out of them.  back to my shoes though-- these are super comfy and i wear them basically all day every day.  obvious moral of this post, the comfier the better.  

i hope everyone had a wonderful start to their December & the holiday season!  it's time for me to go change into pjs, make myself a Moscow mule and get to work on Christmas crafts/gifts. 

cheers! 

~amy

p.s
don't forget to subscribe (in the upper right hand corner) to stay up to date on all of our latest posts & happenings! 

what i'm thankful for

•quietish weekend mornings alone with peter while zo sleeps in with daddy.

•almond milk lattes with a splash of mocha kahlua.  why haven't i been starting my day like this every day?! #justkidding #orami 

•chilly fall like weather 

•sweaters, cardigans & layering.  but not for the reason you think.  peter's latest way to fall asleep is by gnawing on my shoulder with his newly debuted top & bottom teeth, all while yelling at the same time.  so i'm thankful for the protection the layers offer cause let me tell you, those teeth are sharp and they hurt! it also means i always have wet/stained spots on my shoulder sleeves too.  oh well, at least he's sleeping! 

•at home date nights.  sushi delivery & wine, while watching a movie (or the office for the 9th-ish time) is our go-to.  a new sushi place just opened up down the street from our neighborhood and we're big fans.  like gone 2 times in the span of 3 days fans. 

•wine 

•tissues.  cause both kiddos are sick and the runny noses are in full swing over here.  

•seeing the kids start to actually play together.  it's one of my new favorite things, catching these sweet moments of them bonding and starting a friendship together are memories i'll always treasure and be thankful for. 

•coffee.  lots of it. 

•getting a morning workout in while peter, surprisingly, slept in.  also-getting to eat a slow breakfast with just zo since he was still sleeping. 

•my sweet sister who took these adorable photos for us.

•all of our family members & friends.  we are so thankful for each and every one of you.

•my amazing husband who shows me every day how much he loves and cares for all of us.  i can't imagine this life without him, i'm so thankful i married my best friend.

•peter & zoey and the love i never knew was possible until i became their mother. 

•. i am so thankful for all that we have been blessed with in our lives, especially the mundane and every day moments that i all too often take for granted.  

•all of the above wouldn't be possible without my faith.  i am most thankful to Our Lord for His ever lasting love and for showing me that love on earth every day, especially through my little family. 

wishing you all the most wonderful thanksgiving. i pray that it is full of family, love, friends, togetherness and, of course, delicious food.  

happy thanksgiving!

~amy

dance it out

dress: Bonnie Jean similar||flats: target

this picture perfectly captures zoey's personality right now. this girl is obsessed with all things dancing & musical. she walks around singing to herself allll day long and is constantly making up a new song/dance routine. notice her right foot- she even makes sure to point her toes every time she dances!  it is seriously the most adorable thing ever. and don't even get me started on those shoes!  she calls these her "dancing slippers" and would wear them all day (and all night!) long if I let her.  she comes into the bedroom during the middle of the night, crawls up into the bed, gets under the covers, and that's when I realize she's gone and found her "dancing shoes" and is trying to go back to sleep wearing them.  we rented a book from the library a couple months ago that was about a cat who loved to dance and ohhh my goodness, zo was obsessed with it. she walks around saying lines from it like "jeté through the day" and "pirouette back into bed". needless to say she was not happy when we had to return it. the only way i was finally able to bring it back was when i told her we'd find another dancing book at the library. i've been looking into dance classes for her cause i know she'd absolutely love it. also--picturing her in a little ballerina outfit is almost too much cuteness to handle!

when greg captured this photo of her the other day we were all just hanging out on the front porch, playing with cars, watching the rain and sippin' coffee. such a simple but perfect way to spend the afternoon. 

i don't really let her drink coffee, she just loves "mixing (stirring) coffee" and trying to sneak some cause she thinks it's funny

oh, and peter is in all out crawling mode now so that's why he's on a sheet (now accepting recommendations on your fave picnic blankets!).  he no longer wants to be held, but instead has to be down exploring everything. it's exhausting but also very exciting watching him grow and discover the world around him.

i hope everyone has a great weekend.  this week has been so confusing & disheartening to me so i hope that just by reading this little post about a toddlers love of dancing it will help to brighten your day, even just for a few minutes.  if nothing else, maybe just take a page from the "zoey hand-book" and dance it out. it really seems to help her when she's having a bad day so maybe it will help the rest of us.


xo,
amy