My world

- “how do you do it with three so close in age!?” 

- “Wow you have your hands full, you must be exhausted!” 

- “I don’t know how you do it?!”

-“wow you’ve been busy!”

-“do you ever sleep??”

The list goes on...

I’ve heard all of these and more from random (and hopefully well meaning:) people! 

And while there are plenty of days where I honestly don’t know how I “do it” and I am SO beyond exhausted, those are the days that I have to remind myself just how blessed I really am.  How do I do it?!  With help from my super awesome husband, coffee (so much coffee) but most of all, I remind myself that my “tough days” are someone else’s dream days 💕 and this girl in the picture above, she’s so worth it.  

They all are.  

I’m trying to get back in the groove of blogging wayyy more often but as stated above, I’m pretty tired these days ;) here’s to hoping for more sleep so I can get back at it again soon! 

Happy weekend! 

-A

picking pumpkins

well it's finally starting to feel like fall here in Houston, TX.  took long enough ;) and even though it's that awkward fall weather where you can wear sweaters for the beginning of the day and then need to change into a t-shirt & shorts come 12:00pm, I don't mind.  hey at least it's below 85 outside!
in honor of the "cooler"'weather i took the kiddos to the pumpkin patch and let them both pick out there own little pumpkin.  now these kids are obsessed with pumpkins so seeing their faces light up at the sight of it all was adorable and so special!

 also, how cute are their little outfits?! these are from a small Etsy shop that's run by a fabulous mama who we met through our local Hike it Baby group.  she is so talented and these clothes are seriously so soft & comfy feeling!  be sure to check out her shop Little Wild Sprouts   and you can also use code: KLING4LWS1 for a 15% discount on your order! :)

I just love that in the end, Peter picked a bigger pumpkin than Zo...  she didn't want to have to carry anything that was heavier than the teeny tiny one she chose.  Meanwhile, Peter wanted a bigger one but finally accepted defeat after failing to lift the monster size ones and went with one that was small but still bigger than his sister's. 

happy fall y'all!  baby sister is coming on the 31st so this might be our last little post for a while!  wishing you all a wonderful rest of your week and happy Halloween! 

-A 

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

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

parking it up

getting some outside time with the kids every day is a huge priority for me.  the sunshine & fresh air just do wonders for us.  we've been trying to hit up a lot of our local parks lately and we've found some pretty cool ones.  watching your kids explore & discover new things is so neat. we like to try and head to a park in the early morning, before it gets too warm later in the day.  

this is usually how i survive staying awake for playing ;)

watching a toddler play is like seeing the world in a different way.  they are discovering so much!  things you never really thought were a big deal are suddenly so amazing.  you find yourself being your child's own personal cheerleader when they (finally!) go down the slide by themselves, crawl through a tunnel or bring you a handful of random crap items they've found. 

if she can't find acorns, wood chips will do

 half of the time we go to a park Zo doesn't even play on the equipment--she collects acorns & rocks like they're going out of style.  she gets that from her dad for sure, haha.  We now have a jar in the guest bathroom (since that's where she goes to wash up after getting home) that holds all of her acorns; someday I'll get around to doing some nifty DIY craft with them... 

baby peter is also a huge fan of being outside.  as long as the weather isn't too warm, it's a win-win for all of us! i can't wait to see if he'll be the one with no fears or if he'll end up just like zo and want to spend the whole time finding "treasures" as she likes to call them.  he had his first swing ride a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it!  we're hoping the park that's near our house will someday put in swings.  until then he'll just hang out in the stroller with his personal fan, what's not to love about that?!   

 we can't wait for it to finally cool off around here so we can spend more time outside in the fresh air.  for now, we'll stick with mornings and just hope that it doesn't reach 90 degrees by 11am. 

 having to walk home is the hardest part for all of us.

i hope you're all having a wonderful week.  if not, step outside for just a few minutes and breathe in the fresh air.  its a real game changer.

~amy 

from playground to date night

after having kids your style is bound to change (unless you were all about leggings & t-shirts before. if so, good on you for always being comfortable).  i didn't realize how much mine would change till my daughter hit toddlerhood.  suddenly i went from strappy heels & cute dresses to tennis shoes & yoga pants as my daily go-to outfit.  not that i'm complaining, 'cause one style just so happens to be waaaaay more comfortable than the other and practicality is key for me nowadays.  trying to chase after my 2yr old while holding my 6 month old & wearing heels is like begging for a trip to the ER.  i can just imagine tripping and breaking my ankle.  although i'd probably be given orders to lay down & rest if that actually happened... hmmm.. #mamastired 

where was i going with all of this?  Oh yeah.  even though my style has changed i still try to keep my daily outfits to more than just a t-shit & leggings (who am i kidding, that's my usual look).  oh and in my opinion, as long as my top covers my bum, leggings count as pants.  so for this post i thought i'd share a simple way i took this outfit from "mom mode" to "date night mode" without having to change too much about it.  cause trying to pick out a whole new outfit at the end of the day is just too exhausting #mamastiredforreal 

i started with a casual look--black leggings, a summer sweater (cause it's still waaaay too hot for actual sweaters around here) over a gray tank & vans. this is a perfect playground outfit (where we spend most of our days) but also still stylish. 

sweater, loft(similar)  | tank top, target| leggings, target| shoes (well used haha), vans|

for our "family date night" (meaning we went to dinner with both kids in tow, which is still lots of fun!) i simply rolled my leggings a bit, changed my shoes from vans to cute ankle boots, teased & pinned my hair and added a wrap around watch to dress it up just a bit.  (I would've added a necklace as well but who am i kidding, peter would've ripped it off within a matter of seconds).  and that's it!  isn't it crazy how changing just a few small things can make such a difference?!  now i know that these booties do have a heel but since we were spending the majority of our time sitting in a restaurant i wasn't too worried about the possibility of an ER trip...  also, i'm really trying to pretend it's cold enough to wear boots around here!  

boots, top moda (similar) | watch, La Mer|

do you have any tips for taking your look from "mom mode" to "date mode"?  be sure to comment if you do & don't forget to subscribe by email to stay up to date on all of our recent happenings! 

happy friday!

~amy

always worth it

last night was rough. like really really rough.  peter was up literally every 5mins after going to bed for the night.  the poor little guy just needed to burp but sometimes we have the hardest time making that happen no matter what we try. and it didn't help that he was half-asleep most of the time, it's even more difficult getting him to burp when he's sleeping.  i was exhausted, upset & just plain done for the night. he already barely naps as it is during the day so at night i'm always praying for just one hour of relaxation--aka, wine & netflix.  needless to say a few tears may have been shed last night due to my frustrations... but, we made it through the night, just like we always do. i woke up next to peter's smiling face, cause to be honest, I just get too tired going back and forth from his crib to the bed and end up bringing him into bed with me.  and now since zo has transitioned to a toddler bed (and super well! may need to write a post about that topic...) she likes to come in and cuddle with us in the morning and it just about makes me cry all over again but for different reasons.  I love waking up next to my babies, seeing them cuddling with each other is just icing on the cake!  and it makes me so incredibly thankful to have these two precious people in my life and to have the honor of being their mother. so yes, last night was hard.  and I know we'll have many nights just like it. but waking up next to those smiling faces makes it all worth it.  always.

i just looked at the time and realized that peter has been asleep for over an hour now(!), praise the

 Lord & knock on wood!  now to finish this glass of wine before i jinx anything.  I'll leave you with a picture of this adorable smile, oh and i found Waldo... 

and I believe this is what the cool kids are calling #squadgoals 

~~amy  

rough days. happy pictures.

these past few days have been rough.  little man has been sick and wants to be held all day & all night, i can feel myself getting sick (seriously, there should be some kind of natural law that doesn't allow moms to get sick) and zo was sick two weeks ago.  it's not even winter time yet!  "building our immune systems" is what i have to keep telling myself as i wipe snot off of peter's face for the 50th time today.  hopefully by the time cold & flu season is upon us we'll have already paid our fair share of sleepless nights, runny noses & sore throats to not get sick anymore *fingers crossed*. so while i sit here in the rocking chair trying to get peter to stay asleep, i thought i'd post a few photos that make me smile and help to remind myself of how lucky & blessed i really am. i hope you all had a great wednesday! wait is it already thursday? someone please pass the wine coffee... 

~~amy

my little "helper" in the kitchen 

our fav grocery store & fresh flowers make every day better  

sunflowers as big as your face! 

oh target, why do you steal all of my money with your random cute items? 

Um how adorable are these elephant booties my sis made?!  i'm dying over the cuteness  

kids in bed. 

pj's on. wine in hand. catalog browsing.  I'm not the only one who does this, right? p.s. I need the whole garden section in here 

I found my new fav 

shirt at kohls the other day #cheers

annnd more baby feet because they are so tiny & adorable and I can't get over how cute those little fox pants are

she was insistent she had to wear her boots, which are too small, to the store this morning... #pickyourbattles