Style: Mini Boden Fall

A couple things happened this week at just the same time... the kiddos received a REALLY fun package from Mini Boden, and my at-home-try-on glasses arrived (because the last pair of glasses I ordered was from 2008, and it's time!!). 

Boden's spring line just so happens to have the most adorable adventure / superhero / to-the-rescue theme... and the girls just so happened to love trying my glasses to pretend they were in disguise. (They also appreciated having solidarity with Jack, because he recently got his own real pair!). 

The Boden outfits plus the glasses gave gave us an idea: we will write a mystery book! The story is inspired by their cute Boden clothes, and they are the detectives trying to solve the mystery in their book, using glasses as their disguises.

Copyright 2017

The girls BLEW ME AWAY. We haven't finished our story yet (it may take a month, to be honest!!), but it has been so much fun to brainstorm and write and illustrate together!! Sophie is in charge of the story, and I am her editor. Maggie is in charge of illustrations, and Sophie and I are her assistants.

The story stems from a concept on Maggie's new sweater: a picture of a kitty ... saying WOOF! We decided that just like the picture, the culprit is a dog disguised as a kitty so he can sneak ingredients from the ice cream shop.

So our story's setting begins in the shop (inspired by Powder shaved snow, which we got this weekend and WILL get again!): 

Sneak Peek: Copyright 2017 ;)

We're drafting the whole story together, and then we'll do a final copy. We're loving the project. We have so much SF inspiration to pull from, so we're using it! I'm enjoying watching the skills they are learning at school applied in their storytelling. :) Kids are just amazing and are far more capable than I give them credit for.

Here's a little info on the outfits we put together from Boden, and in case you'd like to shop them for yourselves, be sure to use our 15% off coupon: 2E9T on any full-priced items, and also includes free shipping and returns on items over $49 (expires 1/29/17).

Denim Jacket . Naomi Sweater . Jersey Ballerina Dress . Applique High Tops . 7-Pack Socks

Sunglasses . Lucinda Jacket . Vintage Dress . Leather Boots

I also promised a giveaway, and it's a good one!!! 

We've teamed up with a few of our favorite blogs to celebrate the new Mini Boden line and to host this fun giveaway. Be sure to visit their sites for more cute styles and heroic fun. The Chirping Moms have a DIY cardboard rescue boat and superhero accessories. To go along with the accessories, Lay Baby Lay and Hello Baby Brown have DIY superhero capes. Hello Happiness visited local heroes to say thank you, and I Love You More Than Carrots has a yummy rescue themed snack and hero masks. Seven Graces is sharing why her kids are her heroes. For more spring style inspiration, visit Jordan & Co, Fancy Ashley, and Walking in Memphis in Heels. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#minibodentotherescue 

*Product was provided in exchange for post. All opinions are our own.

Health: I joined a gym

I've joined a gym.

The shoes pictured above are mine and are about 6 years old when neon pink was a big thing (believe me, I have no clue what is big these days), and they're almost as shiny and new today as the day I got them.

I am not a workout person, clearly.

Gyms are accountability, and historically, I don't like them. I want that blissful "don't weigh in, don't worry about it" mentality to carry me through life. WHY would I want to go and feel like an inadequate athlete watching responsible people take care of their health and well-being when I can stay home and eat warmed tortillas on rainy days?

(Context to that: yes, I did just warm a tortilla for a 10:30am snack, and no I don't regret it, and yes, I want seconds).

So why did I join a gym when I have such an aversion to them? Well, I'm turning 35 in 2017 (cue tears and a grand goodbye to my youth). Granted, my birthday is not until October, but let's be straight here: I don't have much longer to fit in that 20-35 target market bracket, and my metabolism will likely break in the next couple years. All the wise people out there say "build healthy habits while you're young!" and... well..., "young's" expiration date is looming far too close for comfort for me. 

SO. I've set child care for today as a sure way to get my unmotivated self to the gym, and I'll be off. I'm looking forward to seeing many New Year's resolution athletes like myself, but unlike all of them, I'm going to keep my membership past March this year. I'm going to use it. Yes. I am. 

Thanks in advance, 2017, for being the year I become as agile and fit as I was in 1997. 

Hello 2017

My dad has been telling people I've retired from blogging. Don't believe him... I haven't! 

It's time that I either give this blog a bit of my time, or truly retire it. In 2017, I've decided I'll give a little heart and attention to this space of mine and see if I can get into a rhythm. I truly started both of the last two years thinking this would be the case, but when real life gets crazy, I just cannot pretend this space is more important than taking care of what's directly in front of me. I'm here and ready now! Hi!

First of all-- a look back. For everyone who has been talking about how terrible 2016 was: be encouraged! Statistically, it actually WASN'T quite so terrible as it felt at times. Perhaps for you, personally, it was, so I will not devalue that, but it is definitely a lot of the media influencing perspectives (and politics. politics were bad this year, but no need to address that here).

Our little (/not that little) family had a really good year, honestly. We were able to travel for the first time in awhile so we took advantage of every single opportunity. We learned to balance three children (it takes a LOT of energy), and our general health was on the upswing for most of the year. We had a couple trips to Urgent Care/ ER because, well... it seems we wouldn't be "us" if we didn't. Our children are not inclined to live those safe, sheltered lives, for better or worse. Adventure and risk seems to run in their blood (like, literally I don't take my girls to playgrounds much anymore because they climb on TOP of structures and outside all the boundaries and cause stress and anxiety for all parents watching).

We had a setback in November with a couple horrid weeks where Maggie's general health was in question-- I've had so many questions about it, so I'll summarize: She is completely cleared for now. She had a bad fever lasting about five days, and a lymph node on her neck that grew to 6cm in diameter, and became infected, so she couldn't move her head, and was in massive pain. She narrowly avoided surgery, and antibiotics and prayers managed to shrink the node to the point where she was totally mobile mid-December, and the swell in her nodes are basically nonexistent at this point. We are so thankful.

We ended our year with a trip to Tahoe, which was PERFECT. Sophie spent a day learning to snowboard, and both girls did some sledding. Tahoe waited until we got home before getting a TON of new fresh snow, but hey- just an excuse to get back over there now that we have all the snow gear in the right sizes!

I'm super excited about this new year. I know it's going to have a ton of ups and downs like any other year, but I'm choosing to be optimistic. I've also already started the most massive spring clean this week, and I'm hopeful that by the end of the year, there will be no more mystery boxes at the top back corners of our closets to clean out. ;) 

'Til next time (soon!),

xx