friends that are family

A few weeks ago my cousin and partner-in-crime, Kristen, came to visit with her husband Ed.

  We had the best time!  Josh and I have never had so much fun with another couple... they're the best.  It suuuucks so much that they live all the way in Nashville.  Our adventures while they were in town range from a nice day at the zoo, to a crazy night on the town where I may or may not have led a person or two to believe that Ed was in fact Dierks Bentley's drummer earning us free adult bevs all night.  

Even though we had some crazy adventures, the best times we had with them were just hanging out at home and doing nothing.  Jayden adores his Uncle Ed and Auntie Kristen.  I took this video while we were all just hanging out one night, Ed is super musical and a drummer (just not Dierks Bentley's) and can basically play any instrument he picks up...

Did you check out my little man's moves?!  Too funny!

  It breaks my heart that they live so far away, come back you guys!!

Do you have family or friends that live far away?  How do you deal?  I guess if nothing else, it makes the time that we do get to spend together even more special... and praise sweet baby Jesus in heaven for Skype!!

*WARNING: Picture overhaul from Ed & Kristen's trip still to come... 

I'm currently sorting through the hundreds of pictures of their trip* 

A day in the life of a toddler

Today I am linking up for "Tips and Tricks Tuesday" for moms with my blog friend Meagan.

{source}

Before I had children, when I’d go to the grocery store and see a little kid in the cereal aisle screaming and crying, I’d shake my head. Why was it that every time I saw a toddler, he or she was throwing some kind of fit? What could be so difficult about spending the day playing, napping, and eating? Now, after living among their kind, I should apologize. Not to you, but to them. Here’s the sad truth: for toddlers, the world is a rough place full of squelched mysteries, restrained freedoms, and nonsensical commands. I think I’d rather be fourteen again than be a toddler.

What does an old, forgotten Goldfish cracker from the bottom of a car seat taste like? What kind of pattern does yogurt make when it splatters onto the floor? What sound do cookbook pages make as they are torn in half? These and many other great discoveries are often stopped by us, the big people in our toddlers’ lives.

How frustrating! What must it be like to get stopped by a security guard time and time again? To be constantly redirected and rerouted as you tried to go about your day, without an understanding of what you had done wrong? What if you sat down to read the newspaper and drink your coffee when suddenly — out of nowhere — some giant swooped down and plopped you in front of a pile of plastic blocks? You bet you’d protest. You’d holler your tush off.

So what’s the reward for a toddler’s natural curiosity? A little freedom and encouragement? No, just the opposite. Oppression! We pin them to furniture all day long: the stroller, the car seat, the high chair. All of the straps! All of the restraints! How maddening it must be to sit, captive, in front of a tray covered with food you can’t identify or don’t remember liking. No wonder it’s so often tossed to the floor.

And does anyone like being forced to perform for strangers? “Blow a kiss. Clap your hands. Wave ‘bye bye.’ Give Aunt Lisa a high five. Touch your nose. No, not your toes … your nose. Okay, now touch your toes. Blow another kiss. Let’s turn on some music. Dance. Dance!”

Do I need to even mention the language barrier? How much can these chubby-cheeked kids actually understand? Twenty percent? Thirty percent? Two percent? They don’t really understand us. We don’t really understand them. Every day must feel like an endless, torturous game of The $100,000 Pyramid. Anyone can see how badly toddlers want to communicate with the outside world. Does a day go by without a toddler picking up some object and holding it to his or her ear like a telephone? “Lo! Lo! Lo!” my son used to yell into a toy truck. Who was he calling? Was he trying to get help?

Of course, in the end, we parents still have to be the bad cop again and again — and again. Toddlers have to eat. They have to sleep. They can’t run into the street every time they notice an open door or scribble with indelible green marker all over the sofa. But I just want the record to reflect that I feel for them. And, in about fifty or so years, I want the toddlers of today to remember my solidarity with their cause and please treat me with care.

 {source}

So moms and dads of tantrum throwing toddlers, I hope this has given you some insight into the mind of your little one...  If nothing more, I hope this gives you just that much more patience and understanding when you're having "one of those days!"

Getting to know ME

 

1. What's your favorite rainy day activity?

Well, I live in the Seattle area so rainy days aren't all too uncommon...  these boots may be necessary. 

But I do love when Josh has a rainy day off when we have nothing to do and we can take a family nap together and get all snuggled up.

2. What time do you go to bed?

My bed time really depends if I'm on shift or not... aka I have no steady bedtime :)

3. How many magazines do you subscribe to?

I started receiving InStyle and ELLE in the mail addressed to my maiden name.  I didn't sign up for either and am not really sure how I'm getting free magazines, but I'm definitely NOT complaining!!

4. Did you sell all your belongings because you thought the world was ending yesterday?

Nope!  I posted this on twitter earlier and then saw that my blog friend Melissa had used this too... I can't resist!

 5. What's your beauty obsession?

Two words... 

Lip Sauce

I always have my lip balm or gloss/stick/butter with me.  I'm obsessed.  I have separate stashes for my purse, EMS uniform, bed side, car... you never know when you're gonna need it!

6. If you could only wear one designer/brand for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Honestly, I have no clue.  

If you look at my closet you'd understand...  Nike yoga pants, Jordan basketball shorts, clothes from high school, F21 dresses & tops, THE NORTH FACE jackets, Target v-necks/tanks, seven jeans, EMS fireproof pants... I'm all over the place.

7. What's your summer must-have?

Sunglasses! F21 is my go to for stylish shades on the cheap but I also love my trusty Juicy Couture Bunny pair.

8. Do you make weekly dinner menus?

No, Josh and I usually make it up that morning or on the fly.  If I'm home alone I'll just pop in a Kashi meal.  Speaking of, have you tried these things?! 

Fa-Bu-Lous! 2 snaps in a z formation (In living color anyone?!)

My fav so far is the Tuscan Veggie Bake.  It's delish and totally doesn't taste like microwave food...  Go buy some!

I cannot believe that the weekend is almost over... boo!  

Happy Sunday friends! 

Animal-ipstick

Ok friends, my mind is officially blown.   

Last week I was looking for a little makeup inspiration, the little sister's bff is getting hitched in June and has asked moi to help get her and her girls ready for the big day.  While on the hunt for the perfect mid-day/outdoor look for said wedding I came across something that was honestly kind of freaky, but at the same time pretty cool...

These lips:

After spotting these kissers I was intrigued and wanted to see more and after a little hunting I hit the jackpot:

How crazy are those lips?! 

Definitely not wedding makeup material or something I would ever rock myself, but still super creative.  I mean seriously, that's got to take a lot of talent and patience!

 What are your thoughts?  I'd say they're more art than make-up but a very cool idea!

Busy Bee

 That's been me these days. Busy, busy busy!!

My sweet cousin Kristen came to visit, then I got cleared off to drive for the ambulance and my sweet little man is getting into everything & growing so fast!  Between work, play, family and chores there hasn't hardly been time to sit, let alone blog.  

So, please forgive me.  

Today, while driving home this song came on the radio and I started singing along and  by the end I was BAWLING!  

Tace Adkins - You're Gonna Miss This

Sometimes life gets crazy... I'll be on call for 12hrs for the ambulance, Josh works tons, Jay's crying and grumpy because he won't nap, there is more dirty laundry than clean and life is bananas!  But this is the good stuff!  Someday my sweet little man will asking for gas money and thinking about girls other than his mama and I'll be begging for these years back. 

I know that for me, it's easy to get bogged down in the mundane day to day stuff and then I'll have one of those moments.  You know, those moments that just take your breath away... the ones that make you absolutely positive that the things your life are right and you're just where you're meant to be?  I love those.

So friends, I'm sorry that I've been a little MIA on the blogging front...  Life has been busy and I'm still trying to find balance with the new job and being a mommy and wife.  


Hope you're all doing well!! Happy Friday Eve!
xoxo  

I cannot believe it...

 Today is the day!  

My cousin/sister-from-another-mister/bff/partner-in-crime is coming to town!!  

Even though I grew up on the best west coast and she grew up on the other side of the country... we get each other.  We have a bond that is unexplainable and whenever we get together, it's madness.   We have each others backs.  We can go weeks, months, years without seeing each other and when we do, it's like no time has passed and we still finish each others sentences. I'm very thankful that the men in our lives get along so well because honestly, that could've been awkward!  

 

{photobooth 2003}

{Pike Place Pig 2003}

{family reunion 2006}

{clowning}

{when my grandma saw this picture I believe her exact words were: "geez, there are the booby triplets!"}

  

{Ed and Kristen visiting in Seattle 2010}

{The Hardin's and the Beahan's 2010}

 {gorgeous picture of K and I on a long road trip to a family reunion ;) }

 {Kristen and I with our Aunt Cheryl @ the family reunion}

 {Kristen chowing down before her wedding 2010}

{Claire, Kristen and I before my wedding 2008}

{Ed, Kristen, Josh, Jay and I in Pike's Place Market}

 {Kristen and I at her wedding rehearsal}

 {chowing down}

Here is a typical day in the life of Kristen and I:

The day before my wedding Kristen, my sister Claire and I were running errands when the tire in the car went flat, we had to pull over and wait for AAA.  We had been running around all day and were starving we waited and waited and could not wait anymore so we did the next logical thing... we ordered a pizza.  Explaining to the delivery guy to just drive and that he would see our black suv on the side of the road was hilarious, but not as hilarious as we must have looked flagging him down, or how ridiculous we felt when the tow truck came and we were eating pizza and then as we sat in the car eating pizza being hauled down the road to the nearest tire shop.  We kill me.  We can do anything or nothing and always have a blast, I cannot wait to see that girl!!

Hope you have a fantastic Friday!! 

It is currently 1:15am PST and yes, I am watching the royal wedding... 

I'm loving all of the fascinators the women are donning!  

 What are your thoughts on the the hair bling aka "fascinators"?! 

 I think they are such a fun and unexpected accessory!  

Challenge Week 4

{i looove this etsy print}

This week I didn't gain any weight, I also didn't lose any.  

I'm definitely not happy about it, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it.  I mean, it was Easter weekend, I did make good eating choices and had small portions BUT I also had a few Easter basket goodies.  I also was sick on Easter and stayed in bed all day on Monday with a horrible sore throat, today is the first day since Saturday that I can even think about working out.  My throat was seriously raw so working out aka breathing hard was not an option.  I still legitimately sound like a man. {sexy, I know!}

Today is a new day and I'm back at it.  

I love the way my body feels when I'm eating healthy.  More than that, I love seeing results and watching my body change. 

If you're participating in The Challenge, I hope your week was more productive than mine!  Hope you have a great Thursday :)

"Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything."

 -Marilyn Monroe

Also, I want to remind everyone to keep those affected by the horrible storms down south in your thoughts and prayers.  I'm beyond relieved to report that friends and family of mine are safe and unharmed but that isn't the case for everyone.  My heart goes out to all of those who were affected, dozens of people and students are still missing and unaccounted for.  There is so much hurt and so much devastation, please pray for healing, pray for Tuscaloosa and pray for the rest of the severely damaged south.