Yes, I'm Pregnant

I know, I know...I've been gone. For a long, loooooonngg time. I'll tell ya why: all things that were once important to me fell by the wayside with the onset of THE ALL DAY PREGNANCY SICKNESS.

That's right, I'm with child. I've got a bun in the oven. I've got a twinkle in my eye. I've got my head over the toilet. O wait, that last one is probably not something you want to hear, huh? Sorry, it's just that, well, that image has basically defined this pregnancy for me. Sure, I thought I might get a little nauseas. But I had no idea that I would spend six weeks (so far) being so constantly, unabatingly sick.

Even before I got pregnant I had it in my mind that I didn't want to announce until 12 weeks. I know a lot of people do it that way, and I also know that a lot of people end up giving in. But I am stubborn, just ask the grandparents (yes, we told them earlier than 12 weeks. Family and a few people got to be in the know). But I sure am glad I made that decision. Because it just wouldn't have been fun to have people being excited about it when I was feeling so bad. Plus, I knew that if I announced it on the interwebs it would have given me an excuse to complain about being sick all the time via facebook and twitter. And I didn't want to be complaining all the time over something that was supposed to be so exciting. And I AM excited, but the temptation to complain would have been too much so I'm glad I waited. I mean, not to say that I'm feeling totally better, but I am feeling better than I was and I've gotten my appetite back (for a few weeks all I could eat was saltines and popsicles. Glad THAT'S over!).

So now you know, internet. And for those who care, here is a few quick facts:

• Due date= December 28 (Christmas baby!)(I'm praying for an early delivery:) )
• Weight gain so far: negative 2 lbs
• Belly: nonexistant
• Symptoms: morning (read: all day) sickness (have I mentioned that?), aversion to chicken (getting better), some headaches and some tiredness
• 2 prenatal checkups with 2 ultrasounds. The first one looked like a cheeto, the second looked like an actual baby and it was moving around like CRAZY.
• 1 time getting blood drawn (I was terrified but I did better than I thought)

Look Whoooo's Turning 1 {A Party}

In March my little niece turned one. I can't believe it's been a year since we met her! My sister-in-law pulled off a great (and adorable!) first birthday party for her with an owl theme. It was too cute not to share. Enjoy!

The Birthday Girl!

Owl cupcake toppers (handmade!)

Also good as little lapel pins!

Some table details

Some owl goodies

The to-die-for smash cake (which I ended up eating some of ;) )

It's her party, and she'll cry if she wants to!

Green and pink baloons

Goody bags

Outfit (tutu, onsie, hair clip)  made by her mommy. So talented!

With mommy and daddy

Loved the photobooth idea.  Will definitely be remembering that one.

Happy 1st Birthday, Princess!

All pictures via my sister-in-law's Facebook except for the one of the "lapel pin." That one was taken with my cell phone;)

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I'm thankful for family in Atlanta.




Because sometimes it's fun to get away, even if "away" isn't very far.

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In This Marriage

It's my anniversary this month! It will be two years since me and hubs tied the knot. There is no possible way that I can believe that it has been two years already. Anyhow, is it bragging to say that I have an awesome marriage? If it is, then this is me bragging. Here are a few things that I've learned on the go that I thought would be fun to share.

My top 10 secrets to an awesome marriage:

1. Marry someone you have fun with

Do I have to explain this? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with someone who bores you to death? Think of your best friend. I'm guessing you have fun with this person. Your hubby is your new best friend. Have fun with him.

2. Never take yourself too seriously.

This is really an overall life rule for me. Let's face it: when you are with someone so much, weird things are going to come up, weird things are going to happen. Learn how to laugh at yourself. Honestly, it just makes life more fun.

3. Let things go.

Don't hold on to past grievances. Deal with issues as they arise, and then leave them where they belong: in the past. Everyone makes mistakes, you wouldn't want the husband pulling out your fault list every time you made one, so don't do it to him either.

4. Pick your battles

Some things are worth going to battle over. Some things are not. If you don't want to be fighting all the time, then choose to only "discuss" the things that are major issues. You've heard the phrase "making a mountain out of a mole hill," if everything is a mountain then you will never be able to cross them all and you will never move forward. So knock over those mole hills without causing an incident and move on.

5. Prioritize

I'm just going to say it: your marriage is a big deal. Your spouse is a big deal. Look, your husband is your partner in life. You need to invest in him. And you need to make time for each other. Date night is not something that should fall by the wayside once you get married. In fact, it is even more important. There are so many little things that demand our attention everyday, make sure you remember to shut them all out once in a while and focus on each other.

6. Don't keep secrets

There is no place for secrets in a marriage. I'm telling you: either they WILL come out, or they will eat you alive. Why did you marry this guy if you don't want to share your life with him? I'm not saying you have to share every unimportant detail with each other. I honestly don't want to hear what my husband did every second of every day (and I'm nosy!). If it's an issue/important/dangerous to you or your marriage, spill the beans.

7. Try new things

There are no two people who are exactly alike. We are all unique and we all have different interests, including your spouse! Maybe you hate museums but he loves them, hit up a local one some weekend. Maybe the thought of sushi freaks you out but he has been craving it since you got married, (barring allergies) try it out! Not only will this allow you to experience new things (and maybe surprise you), it will also get you out of a dating rut (not that YOU ever get in one) and, most importantly, it will show your man that you care about him and the things that he cares about.

8. Make time for yourself

I know you love your husband. And if you're a newly wed, you probably want to spend all your time together. That's great! But make sure you also make time for you. Read a book, go for a walk. Don't get into the vortex of "us" so much that you forget about "me."

9. Speak up

Something bothering you but you're too afraid to say anything? Is there something you've always wanted to try? Bring it up (in a loving and open minded way). What's the worse that could happen, really? I said it before and I'll say it again: you want to spend the rest of your life with this person. Might as well get things out on the table now rather than holding on to them for the next 20 years. Your husband can't read your mind (or so I've been told).

10. Get dirty, a lot

And have fun with it. You know what I'm talkin' about. That's all I'm gonna say.

I'm Positive

If you haven't been able to pick up on this so far, I am a very introspective type of person. One of the things I've been introspecting about lately is negativity. Earlier this year I started to notice that I had a bad attitude about a lot of things. And, more recently, I've noticed that I've let my bad attitude spill over into my online life. I really don't need to be tweeting, updating facebook and blogging negatively. Sure, I could argue that these are my personal outlets and I should be able to vent. I could also bring up the argument that neglecting to post negative things (i.e. when I'm upset/frustrated/sad ect.) leaves out the whole picture of my life and makes me fake. And I DO think there is a place for being honest about how you feel. STILL, I don't think that gives me a free-for-all pass to be spewing negative things about the internets. So if you've been noticing, that's why I've been gone lately. I've been taking some self inventory and really trying to decide how to curb this bad habit of mine. I don't want to be fake (and God knows I'm not a perky, happy-all-the time person), but I DO want to be a positive and uplifting person. I don't want to let my emotions control my life and what I present to others. 

And this doesn't just apply to my online life. I really desire to be a more positive person in all areas. I want to smile more, and have lighthearted interactions with people more. I want to be (and feel!) happy (yes I think they can be different things).

Anyway, that's what's going on in these parts. Cross your fingers for more posting soon:)

P.S. I know I've made a few changes to the blog again, including the name. Not sure that's what I'm going to go with yet, but we'll see. I just really enjoy changing small things and I can't, for the life of me, seem to land on a name I want to stick with yet. Sorry if that's confusing and/or annoying. Le sigh.

Eat, Pray, Love

I meantioned a little while ago that I really wanted to re-ignite my love of reading. I was a little afraid that this would be a hard task. And there have been times when it has been, especially when I can't seem to find anything I want to read. But lately things have been going really well and I have been devouring books in a way reminisant of my childhood. I even added a link to my sidebar in order to keep reading at the forefront of my mind. On it I listed many books I would like to read, as well as a list of books I have read so far this year. It's over there if you want to take a look. ----->

Anyway, the last book I read was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

For a long time I was hesitant to read this book (or see the movie!) because I knew it contained beliefs that I don't share or endorse. However, after reading The Happiness Project, I was really interested in the whole "taking a year to find yourself" concept as well as interested in reading another memoir-type book. I'm so glad I did. I loooovvveeedd this book. Yes, the parts I don't agree with were still in there, but I was able to look into them and see truths that the author probably didn't even realize she was writing. And I was able to pick out the things that I don't believe and put them to the side. My faith is solid and will not be shaken by a book.

Anyway, for anyone who doesn't know, this book is about a women who, after a rough divorce and a patch of depression, decides to take a year and travel to Italy, India and Indonesia to pursue pleasure, devotion and balance and find out who she is. The book is fascinating and I found myself wondering how someone could really have a life like this: one that sounded so much like a story. I was able to pull a lot from it and enjoyed it (pretty much) the whole way through. Probably what I liked the most was her writing style. Elizabeth Gilbert is (apparently) amazing at creating word pictures. This is my favorite quote from the book:

"We sit on the beach and watch the dangerous waves, watch the lean brown and white Indonesian and Western surf-cats slice across the water like zippers ripping open the backs of the ocean's blue party dress."

Looking forward to seeing the movie now!

Ignite Recap

***Every time I go on a retreat at my church I keep the little notebook for a while and then I end up throwing it away. I really want to keep the notes but I hate having stuff around my house that I have no idea what to do with. The other day I realized that I could post the notes on my blog! That way I always have them AND other people can possibly benefit from them too! These are from the marriage conference that we went to in February.***

"When two of you are just alike, one of you is not needed." -Joe McGee

Jimmy Evans-Session 1-God's Indestructible Plan for Marriage

Ephesians 5:21-33-Standard for marriage.
-This is God's plan, there is no plan B

1. The roles in Eph. 5 make us attractive to our spouse

• you're not the boss, Jesus is
• 1 Peter 3- chaste & respectful behavior
• Honor is the key to a man's heart
• You're either your spouses dream-maker or dream-breaker 

2. The roles in Eph. 5 release our potential

• 1 Corinthians 11:7
• Men are the glory of God, women are the glory of their husbands
• Proverbs 31- she turned a non-elder into an elder. Treat him like he is one before he is.
• A husband is a greenhouse, a wife is a good cheerleader
• celebrate everything he does right
• say negative things in a positive way

3. The roles in Eph. 5 disable our sin nature

• Eve's sin was not talking to Adam and not waiting on God
• Women's sin nature is independence
• Men's is irresponsibility
• (Adam was standing right there and didn't say anything)
• The way Jesus treats the church is the standard

4. The roles in Ephesians 5 make us sensitive to each other's needs

• Men:
• Honor (where you want him to be, not where he is)
• Sex
• Be buddies and have fun
• Supportive home
• Women:
• Security
• Soft, non-sensual affection
• Open and honest communication
• Leadership

"Without sex and fun, your marriage is a business, and a bad one."

"In a good marriage you just understand how much we need each other."

"The atmosphere women need for sex is the same as men need for opening up."

"You're at your best when you're having fun."

Jimmy Evans-Session 2-Disarming Destructive Fear-4 Features of Marriage in the Garden

1. Intimacy with God- Identity, Security, Purpose

• People love you based on what they don't know, God loves you knowing everything
• When you set your spouse up to be Jesus, you curse your marriage

2. Equal Partnership
3. Common Purpose-Genesis 1:27-28 "them"

• God wont give you different purposes
• "Why did God put us together?"

4. Total nakedness without fear or shame- Genesis 2:25, 2 Timothy 1:7

• 4 Curses of Fear
• It makes us selfish-1 John 4:18
• It makes us sinful
• It makes us say negative and damaging words- Proverbs 18:21
• It makes us stupid
• Fear dance: hurt, want, fear, react
• Fear is a prophet spirit from hell
• Fear is a Godless future

• Sources of Fear
• Desires-greatest fear matches greatest need
• Design-priority of marriage (jealousy)
• Damage from past
• Demonic spirits

• Disarm destructive fear:
• Take off your fig leaves (be honest about your fear)
• Take responsibility for your behavior
• Put faith in God
• Treat fear as an enemy and don't let it control you (expect fear and then inspect fear, and then reject it)

Jimmy Evans-Session 3-Striking Your Sexual Match

 Sex is for:
1. Reproduction
2. Comfort
3. Pleasure
4. Didn't get this one...
5. Confidence
6. Intamacy
7. Protection from outward temptation

Genesis 2:24-The key to sexual fulfillment is serving each other

3 Steps to Striking Your Sexual Match

• Strike your Spiritual Match
• Matthew 19:6- Marriage is spiritual and sacred
• Strike your Emotional Match
• Care about your spouses feelings
• work, money, children, sex
• "Just because I'm saying it doesn't make it right, it just makes it real."
• Allow each other to complain without shaming

How to create Sexual Intamacy:

• Commit to meeting your spouses needs faithfully and energetically
• 1 Corinthians 7:7-license of use
• Understand and respect your spouses different needs and desires:
• Men:
• Mutual satisfaction
• Connection
• Responsiveness of wives
• Initiation of wife
• Affirmation
• Women:
• Affirmation
• Connection
• Non-sexual touch
• Spiritual intimacy 
• Romance ("I'm thinking about you when I don't have to.")

"If one person only initiates sex, the other is suffering self esteem"

Joe McGee-Session 4

"A spouse is anointed by God to point out character flaws in your life."

"Marriage is nothing but two doofuses growing up together."

• 3 Jobs for a Man:
• Ephesians 5:25-Lover
• 1 Corinthians 11:3-Leader
• 1 Timothy 4:8-Provider
• 3 Jobs for a Woman:
• Genesis 2:18-Helper
• 1 Timothy 5:14-Home Manager

• Proverbs 29:18-Not knowing where you're going frustrates you
• Habakkuk 2:2
• If I don't move, God can't move. It's not legal.
• Psalm 139:15

• Who are you?
• What are you doing here?
• Where are you going?

• Proverbs 15:2-Just because a thought hits your brain does not mean it's from God.
• Be careful when you judge someone else, because it takes one to know one.
• The devil doesn't steal junk, he steals stuff that's good.
• You can't steer a boat that's not moving. Start moving.

1. Learn how to talk
2. Whatever you talk about is gonna need money
1. You're blessed or broke for your attitude
2. You're supposed to leave money behind
3. You are what you think
4. Order precedes increase

How to be a great lover:

1. Have the right motive
2. Didn't get this one again... (he talks fast!)
3. Avoid societies expectations
4. Eliminate routeins
5. Practice tenderness
6. Set perimaters
7. Comfort zones
8. Never criticize response
9. Practice hygene
10. It's ok to laugh

•  Boys like things, girls like people.
• Women know when you're lying.
• God is not moved by pity, He's moved by faith. He's not human.

***That's it. Sorry it's so long. :)***

Psalm 73

I've been reading the One Year Bible and I have a confession: I haven't really been enjoying the Psalms. Doesn't that sound horrible? I know that sometimes different parts of the Bible speak to you in different times and in different ways, but this has really been bothering me. Today, however, was Psalm 73 and it really spoke to me. I especially  like it in the NLT version, so I thought I would post it here:

A psalm of Asaph.

 ¹ Truly God is good to Israel,
      to those whose hearts are pure.
 ² But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
      My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
 ³ For I envied the proud
      when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
 ⁴ They seem to live such painless lives;
      their bodies are so healthy and strong.
 ⁵ They don’t have troubles like other people;
      they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
 ⁶ They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
      and clothe themselves with cruelty.
 ⁷ These fat cats have everything
      their hearts could ever wish for!
 ⁸ They scoff and speak only evil;
      in their pride they seek to crush others.
 ⁹ They boast against the very heavens,
      and their words strut throughout the earth.
 ¹⁰ And so the people are dismayed and confused,
      drinking in all their words.
 ¹¹ “What does God know?” they ask.
      “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
 ¹² Look at these wicked people—
      enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

 ¹³ Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
      Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
 ¹⁴ I get nothing but trouble all day long;
      every morning brings me pain.

 ¹⁵ If I had really spoken this way to others,
      I would have been a traitor to your people.
 ¹⁶ So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
      But what a difficult task it is!
 ¹⁷ Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
      and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
 ¹⁸ Truly, you put them on a slippery path
      and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
 ¹⁹ In an instant they are destroyed,
      completely swept away by terrors.
 ²⁰ When you arise, O Lord,
      you will laugh at their silly ideas
      as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

 ²¹ Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
      and I was all torn up inside.
 ²² I was so foolish and ignorant—
      I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
 ²³ Yet I still belong to you;
      you hold my right hand.
 ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
      leading me to a glorious destiny.
 ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
      I desire you more than anything on earth.
 ²⁶ My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
      but God remains the strength of my heart;
      he is mine forever.

 ²⁷ Those who desert him will perish,
      for you destroy those who abandon you.
 ²⁸ But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
      I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
      and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Hope you have a happy weekend!

Springfield Castle {A Vacation}

Did you know you can rent an Irish castle?! Let's daydream for a minute, shall we?

Let's go here.

I think I'll start my day with some quite, alone time in this meadow.

Then I'll enjoy some breakfast at this stately table with the morning light coming in.

In the afternoon I think I'll take a leisurely stroll with my husband down this lovely lane.

After we have gone out on the town and hit a local pub (just for the food and the company, of course), I'd love to grab a book and snuggle up to read in front of this fire.

And at the end of my perfectly relaxing day, I'll crash on this beautiful bed. Don't worry, there are many more rooms. I just thought I'd indulge in a bit of pink since I don't get to decorate with it at home. :)

This is the Springfield Castle. To find out more information, and for all photo credits go here.

I think I have forgotten how to blog. Tonight I started typing a post and it came out all...wrong. I don't know. I'm really sorry I haven't been blogging much (Kaitlin;) ). My head has not been in it. Where has my head been? you might ask. It's been all on me. 

Ya, ya, I know that sounds vain. I'm sorry. What I mean is this: over the past few years I've done a lot of thinking about my life and what I want to do and who I am and all that stuff. I guess that comes with the territory when you're in your early 20's (and slowly approaching your mid-20's, eep!) I feel like all of that is finally beginning to come to a head. I feel like I'm holding my breath and the things I've been looking for are just around the corner. I don't know if that corner is in next week, or next year, but I do feel like I'm finally moving towards it. 

I'm getting to a point where I am learning how to take actual steps towards answering these questions for myself, where before I had no idea where to even start. I know I've mentioned my love of (obsession with?) goals and lists, so I've been doing a lot of that (haha). I've also been realizing that I need to let go of some things that I want to be interested in, but am not. For that reason, I'm going to be shutting the other blog I started. It was a fun experiment, and a variation of something I've always wanted to try. However, I realized (as I was dreading working on it) that I didn't really enjoy it at all. It was fun at first, but it had become a chore. So I'm shutting it down. Maybe I will still do some of the posts I was doing there, here, but we'll just see!

The way I live my life has really been on my mind lately.

I don't want to get to the end of my life and find I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well. -Diane Ackerman

That quote has really been bugging me lately. And even more, the life of Billy Hornsby, a pastor and great leader at my church. I watched his memorial service online the other night and bawled like a baby. He left such a great legacy. I really admire him and join with many others all over the nation (and the world!) in saying that he has touched my life. His legacy has left behind a challenge to live life fully and to live life well. 

When my life comes to a close, I want to look back and be happy with the what I've lived, instead of wishing that I had done more. I don't want to wish I had more time. I want to have something I could write memoirs about if I wanted to. And so the challenge begins now: what can I do to make sure that I am not wasting my life? How can I squeeze everything out of my short time here? That is what has been consuming my mind lately and that is my new focus.

What do you do to make sure you're living your life to the fullest?

Leap Year {An Outfit}

When I started this blog, I thought it might be fun to have a regular style post. "How hard could it be to style and outfit once a month?" I asked myself. Little did I know that either a.) it is actually not as easy as it looks/sounds or b.) I do NOT have the gift for it.

Regardless of the obstacles, I was still pretty determined to make this styling thing work for me so I decided to give myself a little boost: styling an outfit off of an already existing picture. Even more in particular, I thought it would be fun to do a picture from a movie soooooo....

{via}

Being March, I thought it would be fun to choose an Irish centered movie. (Are you sensing a theme?) This is a still from the movie "Leap Year." I went through a pretty intense Amy Adams phase, which was the main reason I saw this movie when it came out. It's pretty cute. Nothing extravagant, but pretty cute.

Of course, anything set in Ireland has got to have lots of green and I quite love the intense greens along the road in this picture. Stunning.

Here is something I would probably wear on a day out with my husband: comfy and casual.

1. A floral shirt from Forever 21 to start us off
   
2. A jewel green cardi from Urban Outfitters, worn open (don't wanna get pinched on St. Patty's Day now, do we?)
   
3. Some gray skinny jeans from J. Crew
   
4. Red peep toe heels also from J. Crew, for a little pop of color down by the toes
   
5. A brown hobo bag from (surprise!) J. Crew again (at this point, I was just on a J. Crew binge)
   
6. A lovely daisy brooch from Etsy
   
7. The Rainkissed Leaves scent from Bath and Body Works (I love this scent but B&B doesn't sell it any more =( You can still find it online other places though.)
8. And some red hair dye from Loreal to top it off! (just kidding)

Be gentle, this is my first time. For all I know, this outfit would look terrible actually put on!

Read

One of my resolutions this year was to read more. I decided, in order for that resolution to be measurable, I would read a minimum of one book a month. (That actually makes me laugh because "one book a month" would have been ridiculously easy for me once upon a time.) (And it actually makes me cringe because now it is a challenge. Sigh.) Anyway, January I did really awesome with it. I think I read 7 books. Of course, that was probably because I gave up TV for almost the whole month. Curse you evil TV! Feburary I didn't read one single book. Oops.

This month, however, I am on my second book. The first book I read was It Sucked and then I Cried by blogger Heather Armstrong.

It chronicles her journey through pregnancy and post partum depression. I may have mentioned this before, but reading about pregnancy fascinates me. Both my brother and I were adopted so, although I knew where babies come from, I never really learned that much about pregnancy. It is so interesting to me get different perspectives on it. Also, since depression is something I have struggled with, I was highly interested to read the account of someone who has struggled with depression as well, especially in that context.

  

But the book I really want to talk about is the book I'm reading now: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

It was suggested to me by a friend and is right up my ally. The basic premise of the book is a woman who takes a year to increase the happiness in her life. Each month she focus on a different area (Marriage, Finances, Work ect.) and sets daily goals for herself. This book is a good fit for me for two reasons: I love goal setting (have I mentioned that before?) and I want to change my life. The only thing I don't like about this book is that it is a little clinical for me. I was expecting more of a lighthearted, fun approach to changing ones life. Instead, she is very methodical with lots of research and (sometimes) boring (my opinion) approaches to improving her happiness. Still, I think I might try out a Happiness Project of my own and do it my own way.

All for now. What are you reading lately?

Lucky You

• This Lucky Elephant necklace is adorable.
• A crocheted St. Patrick's Day top hat and tie? Of course!
• Make a little wish with this bronze wishbone necklace.
• That is actually a real four leaf clover in that vial necklace. Love.
• The leprechaun bookmark was a must add.
• I would actually totally wear that amazing leprechaun robot necklace.
• What's your lucky number? You can get this ring customized with it!
• Too cute: vintage St. Patty's Day cards you can print yourself!
• This iPad lucky horse shoe vinyl sticker just made me laugh.

**All these items were found at Etsy.com. Go there to search for more amazing treasures!**

Ye Olde Irish Ballad

When I was young, my dad used to sing me traditional Irish ballads from a little paper songbook. Nope, still not Irish, that's just the way my dad is. My favorite was "Molly Malone" and that, coupled with March being the month of St. Patrick's Day (of course) is what inspired this playlist. Hit play, do a little jig and let your inner "Irish" out!

Sly Little Fox {A Baby Shower}

I'm guessing you're expecting me to feature a St. Patrick's Day party. Sorry to disappoint. I will admit that was my original plan. I will even admit to searching the heck outa google to find one that I liked. Alas, no such party caught my fancy. So instead, I choose to feature one of my favorite parties I have stumbled upon in my internet wanderings.

Sly Little Fox {A Baby Shower}

Let's start with a few of my favorite pictures:

Love the mask, and this picture of it over the belly is just perfect.

These little mushrooms are made out of cheese and tomatoes. I hate it when there is nothing but sweets at a party, I need something non-sweet thrown into the mix. Plus isn't the little fox just adorable wandering through his mushroom forest?

I love the bunting. The little fox picture is actually what first drew me to this party. 

I am loving all ginger cookies lately and these look like they would be quite tasty with some tea.

Adorable (and quite easy looking) DIY lapel pins as favors.

There are several things I like about this party:

• It is unique
• I have a thing for forest animals (especially foxes!)
• It would work for a boy or a girl (or a surprise baby!)

I just love it. If you'd like to see the rest of the party go here.

Party via asubtlerevelry.com

Lucky {Some Ideas}

Just a few ideas for you to make your own luck this month:

1. Stand up for yourself.
2. Ask questions.
3. Understand your personal core values, and don't compromise them.
4. Love yourself.
5. Think positive
6. Be prepared to make changes and be flexible.
7. Celebrate small victories.
8. Look for the best in every situation.
9. Follow your instincts.
10. Search for a mentor.
11. Do your best, and don't make excuses.
12. Choose friends who are confident in themselves and make you feel good about yourself too.
13. Evaluate, so you can make improvements next time.
14. Smile. Even when you don't feel like it.
15. Focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t.
16. Relax. Take a deep breath.
17. Play to your strengths.
18. Stay active, Exercise.
19. Help others.
20. Stop looking back.
21. Dress the part.
22. Make goals. (Goals should be attainable, and measurable.)
23. Compliment other people.
24. Implement good habits.
25. Care less about what others think of you.
26. Look people in the eye.
27. Speak up. Be heard.
28. When sitting, sit up straight.
29. Own a confident walk.
30. Take risks.
31. Drink water. A lot.
    
32. Make a decision, stick with it.
33. Don't waste opportunities.
34. Make connections. Get to know as many people as you can.
35. Don't leave things open-ended: conversations, projects, relationships--tie 'em up.
36. Finish well.
37. Drop friends who make you feel less about yourself.
38. Always try to see all sides.
39. Have a budget.
40. Let things go.

***I actually found the bones of this list at little chief honeybee but changed a lot of things and made it my own. Still, I like to give credit where credit is due.

A Garden

I've been obsessed with gardens lately. I blame this:

There were some FANTASTIC photos from March's issue of Martha Stewart Living (yes, I have a subscription) that were so inspiring!

 

 

The photos above are from the garden shown below (please excuse the below picture as I had to take a picture of it since our scanner is not working).

O this plan inspires me so much. Someday...

The two pictures here are from a community garden. What a great idea!

I got sick of feeling like I had to wait for a house to have a garden of my own so I made one on our back porch!

Tulips and Hyacinthe.

Herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano and mint)

Strawberries

 

 

Who says you have to wait to make your dreams come true? Don't wait.