Mama Profile: Kate

I write here all the time, so you definitely get tidbits of life here and there, but here's all sorts of info you never really knew you wanted to know about me- all in one place! It's the kickstart to a new Mama Style & Profiles series I'm starting here on Mondays. Here goes:

1. What are your favorite personality traits of your kids?

Sophie is in her element when she's helping or being creative, and I love the things that come out of her mouth when we have conversation... it's so fun to have chats throughout the day... and she's a big ham. She'll just pose in the craziest way or do "funny dances" at the drop of a hat. Amazing. 

Maggie is one of those kids that lights up a room with her smile. She just giggles her way joyfully through life and I cannot get enough of her. The laughing is nuts in a good way. Crawling after her saying "I'm gonna get you" creates such squeals of excitement I can't even handle it. ADORABLE.  

2. What do you like to make in the kitchen? 

The things I like to cook are the things I want to eat. Generally that means Mexican food. My dad is  Mexican, so we made a family recipe for the red enchiladas ages ago, and it took all.day.long. I mean, they were definitely really authentic and so so good, but I stick with my green (chile verde), American style enchiladas. One of these days, I'll take pics and share the recipe here. They're sooo good. My favorite dessert to make also has to do with my ethnicity, but the other side of the family: Swedish pancakes, aka crepes. My mom is the sweets girl because she's thoroughly Scandinavian, so we grew up eating the BEST desserts. My favorite to eat is Danish aeblaskivers but the Swedish pancakes are way easier, so I generally stick with those. 

3. What's your favorite & least favorite part of blogging?

This blogging thing has been so good for me. It motivates me to come up with interesting things to do with my kids, it motivates me to make my time in the kitchen more fun, and keeps my mind fresh and challenged all the time. My least favorite part is that it is so much more work than I knew. I don't have all the programs that the pros do... no photoshop or illustrator or anything, so I have to figure out how to make things look clean and pretty-ish without and it's seriously trying sometimes! It's also been tricky figuring out how to incorporate posts into everyday life, so I don't have to spend too much extra time working on a post or how-to. It's starting becoming more of a natural flow these days. It's also helped to have the goal of posting every weekday, but not at any certain time of the day so that I don't need to be dictated by a blogging schedule. We let things happen the way they happen. :)

4. Favorite beauty brands & shops:

Almost all my makeup is from Benefit, which I absolutely LOVE. It never looks like the makeup is caked on, it feels refreshing, and the packaging is pretty. I have dry hair that I wash every other day or every third day. I use Neutrogena shampoo, and it really does take away the dryness. My favorite face lotion is Hope in a Jar by Philosophy because it's such a nice, soothing lotion, and not greasy at all. Burberry Brit is my scent; I haven't deviated in years! I wash my face with bar soap... don't judge. :) My favorite lip product is the Honest organic lip balm that feels just right, and doesn't dry out the lips. When I do something with my hair, I use the Bumble & bumble styling creme (the $8 container has lasted a year if that's any indication of my low-maintenance hair regimen), and a very cheap curling iron. It may be time to invest in something better, but eh...

5. Style Uniform:

Always color, always earrings. During the week I do jeans and a cozy sweater and "park shoes," which are usually my basic flats tinged with a sandy colored tint. Evenings and weekends... actually anytime out except to the park, I always wear my suede heeled beige booties (pictured below... I got mine last year; these are similar). I need to find more exactly the same because mine are beat up from all the love they get. For date nights I'm almost always wearing a dress or skirt because I need an excuse to get fancy at least once per month. When I worked daily, it was the total opposite. Dressy daily for work, and total dress-down every date.

There you have it! A glance at my life and favorites, photographed by pretty Kristy from Volatile. Thanks Kristy!

Also, happy Monday! Monday wasn't so bad, right? The workday is basically over at this point, so congrats on making it through. I had some technical difficulties today, so that's why this post is so very late.

XO,

Kate

PS. If you'd like to be a part of our mama profile series, please email me stylesmaller@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you about being a mom, balancing, and style/beauty tips! 

Life & Links

The holidays are gone and the new year is here and I'm so pleased with things right now. There's just something about fresh starts that gets me every time. It seems as though taking the tree to the sidewalk for pickup should have been done in a spirit of sadness, but instead- it excites me. Christmas has its magic and allure, but when it ends, there's a peacefulness that comes. Gone is the hustle & bustle of parties and movement, and here is a quiet calm of blank days on a calendar for the first time in a long time.

This week was full of family festivities, karaoke, a date (finally!!!), and some beautiful sunshine. Here are some highlights:

OUT & ABOUT:

We made a stop at our favorite taqueria (El Toro), where- more often than not- talented musicians walk through and serenade the patrons with beautiful songs sung in Spanish, perfect for little girls to dance their hearts out. Their agua fresca is the best, and every time I'm there, I sip it contentedly while watching my girls & and reflect on my childhood moments frequenting that same taqueria with my family. Quality moments, I tell you.

AROUND HOME:

 I finally got some little things projects done around here, which is my favorite thing to do... most notable is that our patio is blissfully cleared of oversized (free) patio furniture, and has been replaced with (free) perfect-sized furniture. It's the ideal spot for a coffee break, or a little dinner on nice evenings, and I'm beyond excited.

LIFE:

Spending the days with these two is always an adventure. They have an aversion to naps and they are always hungry. Today, Sophie got into her dad's hair products, and spilled smoothie all over the couch. Maggie unintentionally hit me in the lip with a book, and overturned the cereal box completely... and yet... they smile and laugh and have endless joy, and all is forgiven. Ahhh to have the mentality of a child. It's such a beautiful mess we have going here.

LINK LOVE:

I'm loving my giraffe necklace I was gifted for Christmas, and now I know what to do if I need to make myself a hippo version of the necklace (so, so cute)!

If you're the DIY type, you'll understand how amazing it is that someone can make all these things over the course of a year... this inspired me...

San Francisco decided that they will charge us for grocery bags, so I'm motivated to find cute reusable bags for myself and my little girls.

Ahh to have organization in my kitchen that looks like this... dreamy!

This home is already so beautiful... then you find out it has a secret passage to a speakeasy room. I mean, seriously. My favorite home tour in ages!

Finally: pistachio ice cream that looks divine! I don't use that word much, but it's all I could think would really describe how it looks in pictures. Makes me want to take a little field trip to get ice cream in 50 degree weather.

Happy Weekending!

Love,

Kate

Finishing 2012

The last day of 2012.

I always have high hopes of creating beautiful lists and resolutions that are reasonable enough for follow-through, but too often, the holiday season is rushed and chaotic and I find myself on January 1st- thoroughly swamped and bombarded with to-do's... and I never get back to retrospection and evaluations of the previous year.

This year I've had a little time to think through things. 2012 is really a year that has made me incredibly grateful. It's been GOOD. Not perfect... there have been lots of ups and downs- especially some downs lately, but it's a year of growth and learning... and the realization that turning 30 is not the demise of my youth after all.

The year started with a move to our current home, so this point last year was full of blank walls & floors, and piles of boxes to unpack. My dear husband had an excess of work for the first six months, and I realized that I am capable (with God's help) of managing two children from 7a-7:30p on my own four days per week after all. Some may think that's cake {wives of coaches and investment bankers, I'm talking to you...}, and others may think that's insane, but for me- it felt like an accomplishment. While I hope not to repeat such full days absent of my husband, I definitely took far more advantage of the minutes and hours he was home and I learned to adjust my mentality to be grateful, rather than bitter about the time alone.

The parenting aspect of life has adjusted itself remarkably in '12 as well. I spent the first months of the year nursing Maggie & hoping that Sophie didn't get into mischief as she snuck out of the room to explore while I was "locked down." These days, I can trust Sophie enough to keep an eye on M as I run downstairs to do laundry. It's incredible what progress children make in just a few months time! They've also become such bonded little friends. I'll catch Sophie leaning over to kiss Maggie's head just because, and Maggie shrieks with joy when Sophie wakes up & comes in the room.... their camaraderie  and affections just melt me!

There are days I would like to forget in 2012, but I know for a fact that I will look back on this year with a satisfaction and appreciation. It was good. I'm reluctant to say goodbye to it; in fact, because there will be ever so many beautiful memories to recall from these days. That said... I've heard the best is yet to come, so I refuse to live in the past... I have resolutions this year, and I plan to keep them.

• Give More. Such a general statement, but to make it tangible, my goal is to have one intentional activity to give to other people monthly... things like making a meal for a friend in need, giving to homeless, getting toys for children without- that sort of thing. 
• Be Joyful. Things aren't going to be perfect next year. There will be ups and downs, but I resolve to approach my days with joyful gratefulness. God has given us so much, these days of my kids being little are so short, and I plan to smile and be bright & grateful as much as possible through them. 
• Follow-Through. In '12, I followed through with a diet for the first time ever (those pesky last 5 lbs of pregnancy weight were finally shed!), and I managed to blog daily for 4.5 months after starting a blog a year and quitting after a month or two. These things were done primarily because my husband lovingly pointed out that I've been the type to start things and don't really follow through... not a good trait! I love the accomplished feeling from "finishing," so my tangible goal is to follow through blogging every weekday the entire year of 2013. Hopefully you'll be reading! :) 

There you have them. Resolutions!

XOXO,

Kate

A Little Cheer

There's a lot to buy this season... a lot to give. There are people who receive a lot, and people who receive very little. We did a little craft/project this week to give a little gift to two people in need. We haven't met them yet, but we have little gifts ready for when we do.

We saved two oatmeal canisters. Sophie painted paper and we covered one container with that, (gluing with mod-podge) and the other I wrapped with basic wrapping paper. We always take the little extra samples of soaps and lotions from traveling, so we put those inside, and a pair of socks, some bandaids, and any little gifts we could find around. Added a bow and a little note that said Merry Christmas!

Today we are going to give these basic little gifts to homeless neighbors to bring a little smile to them this Christmas. Such a simple way to give.

XO,

Kate

Baby Baby

It's been a really rainy couple weeks around here. We tried to get out and explore the city whenever there were breaks in the rain- even when there weren't- because two kids + rain + indoors all day = three bad temperaments. Sometimes I think I'm a bit crazy with what I try to tackle on my own, but it's the moments when I'm lugging two heavy grocery bags, one girl in a stroller and one holding an umbrella next to me, going across the city on a bus... thirty minutes away from nap time- that I feel as though something is really being accomplished here. Yes, maybe the kids are hungry, maybe they're even whining, but we're having adventures, you know? We're making memories! Beats a day in a stuffy house watching Curious George anytime... but don't get me wrong- that's definitely been happening too.

Christmas is about here and we got our gift early... well technically late, but early for Christmas: my sister gave birth to a darling little perfect baby yesterday!! I mean, she is gorgeous. I will be sharing pictures here, but we want all the family to see her in real life before plastering her prettiness all over the www, so you get to just see a pic of me holding her instead. I'm in LOVE... again (and I have baby fever that's going to have to cure itself...)!

XO,

Kate

Peaceful Hearts

There are some times where something hits so close to home that it stays with you for a long, long time.

Friday felt like that for me. I'm so far removed from anything in Connecticut. I've never been there. I don't know anyone who lives near the travesty.

BUT, it feels so close to home. It feels close to my heart. These darlings were children only slightly older than my own. What happened is the nightmare of any parent who ever existed. I spent Friday holding back tears every time I looked at my daughters who are so sweet, warm and full of life.

We sat that evening cuddling on the couch watching Rudolph, and I lost it. I couldn't stop the tears. How can I be sitting warm and cozy with my beautiful, sweet children while there are very real people spending the same evening with a gaping hole in their hearts that will never be completely healed... looking at their Christmas trees that they may have decorated together with their darlings in such joyful anticipation... canceling their plans to attend lighthearted holiday parties... looking at the gifts they've wrapped for their babies that won't be opened...

There are no words. We try. We try to give our condolences and gift donations and teddies and anything wonderful that we can think will help, but there remains the anguish for those dear people.

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." Romans 12:15

It's what I've been doing. I've done my fair share of weeping with those who are weeping this weekend... my husband can vouch for that. Somehow, I feel like it's all I can do. It's not saying that I understand their pain. It's not saying I somehow relate because I cannot. I can only weep at the loss of sweet lives, and weep for the pain of the brokenhearted. And I pray. I pray for peaceful hearts for those families... that they would be able to move forward... that they would not live in fear. That God would grant them peaceful hearts.

Let's be kind to one another. Let's pay attention to cries for attention, rather than ignore those hurting around us. Problems do not dissipate by blame & discord... people who hurt are helped with attentive love and support. And lots and lots of prayers.

Love,
Kate