Five Things

1. Cha-cha-cha-changes!  We are possibly, maybe, probably, hopefully (?) about to undertake some home renno projects. I don’t know. I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much. Mike is certain it is happening, but until I walk in and see this done and that, I’m not holding my breath. But I’m curious, what kind of life lessons have you learned from your home renovations? Anything worth sharing? Anything you wish you would have done differently or perhaps – not at all? We are specifically looking to make some big changes to our kitchen. Mike likes to think we are Chip and Joanna Gaines (I know, so does evvvvveryone else), but I think we are closer to Ricky and Lucy so I guess we’ll see how this thing goes.

2. Do you have any favorite activities you do every fall? Any special places you visit for the foliage or traditions to help you enjoy this special (and fleeting!) time of year? I’d love to hear from you. I’m compiling my Fall Bucket List for next week and I’m looking for more ideas!

Five Things

1. Yesterday I had a startling realization. With Theo at school, all of the children still a home with me are NAPPERS! I have my nap time back to do whatevvvver I want! Throw ya hands in the air! Hey! Ho!

2. Are you good at small talk? At meeting new people? I try to push myself to be more outgoing than I really am, because I’ve discovered that most people really are nice. If they appear rude, snobbish, or unfriendly, 9 times out of 10 it’s because they are insecure, shy, or having a hard day! You would not believe the amazing conversations I’ve had just because I got over myself and struck up a conversation with someone. It’s not easy, and I’ve had plenty of misfires, but I’ve also made some new friends that way. I recently read this post about how to improve your small talk skills, and I think it’s spot on! Not only will this help you navigate conversations, it will help both you and who you are speaking to be more authentic.

Five Things

1. I keep telling my husband that maybe we just need to sell our house and our belongings, buy an RV, and take this show on the road. He could sell his beautiful woodworking from city to city across the US and it would be one heck of a way to see the country. Imagine the sights! Imagine what the kids would learn! (He says we already have one too-few bedrooms, but still…It would be an adventure!) This couple actually quit their jobs and traveled by VW bus from Alaska to Argentina. Hashtag inspiration!

2. My oldest son had his first night of testing and orientation for kindergarden this week. Whew. Talk about feeling all the feelings and thinking all the thoughts! My friend sent me this fascinating article that talks about how “Young children today continue to learn best by watching the everyday things that grown-ups do, from cleaning the house to fixing a car.” It’s a great read, especially for parents!

Five Things

1. This week, I went to the movie theatre for a girls night with my good friend Sheila. I haven’t seen a movie in the theatre for yeeeeears! It was kind of the best thing ever. Date nights with your bestie are just the best, aren’t they?

2. Next week I’m going to make these delicious looking lavender cupcakes…using my home grown lavender! hashtag, excited.

3. My aunt is having  little get together tonight. I’m looking forward to seeing some family who is coming in from out of town. I plan on making this Roasted Butternut, Kale, and Cranberry Couscous salad. My friend made it for us last weekend and it’s delicious! 

Five Things

1.Ok. I’ll admit it. I’m allll aboard the high waisted jean trend. I can’t help it. I love my low-rise skinnies, but three babies later and I’m just like FOR THE LOVE, will you please just stay up already? I’m in the market for a new pair – one that I can wear on repeat and pair with a variety of styles of tops and shoes (livin that capsule wardrobe life). I’m looking at these jeans and these jeans. Don’t let the name fool you, they are so cute! What do you think? 

Five Things

1. My boys played in the rain last night and it brought so much joy to my heart to watch them run and play and get absolutely soaked and muddy. Some of my best and most vivid memories as a kid are of playing in the rain with my brother. Childhood can be so magical, especially when we don’t put the pressure on kids or ourselves to make it into something specific. Kids are masters at finding the fun.

2. I read this and it just kind of made me cry, especially this part:

“There’s no mirror in your way when you’re laughing and smiling and happiness is leaking out of you. You would know exactly how bright and beautiful you are if you saw yourself in the moments where you are truly yourself.”

Five Things

1. It’s Friday, and it feels like Friday. This week flew by yet carried the weight of a full week. The boys have been a handful and Bea has been fussy. But today, is Friday. We have fun plans for the weekend and I’m hoping it will be the refreshment we all need.

2. With this post nudging me to keep things simple and this post inspiring my wardrobe, I’m *attempting* to pack a small number of interchangeable items for our getaway. Stay tuned. If successful, I’ll share my minimal packing list with you. If unsuccessful, then, I guess it’s back to the drawing board.

Five Things

1. My husband is home on summer break (he is a teacher). Instead of getting a part time job for the summer like he has in the past, though, he is striking out on his own. He created his own business, Basic Elements By Mike, back when Beatrice was born in November, and is taking this summer to give it 100% of his attention to see where it goes. It’s been fun having him work from home, and I’m so excited to see where this new venture takes him. He is truly a talented craftsmen, a creative designer, and all around one of the most talented people I’ve ever met.

2. Oh, you know me. I just love multi-tasking with my food; a little for my body, a little for my face! Seriously though, I once talked to someone who said she wouldn’t put anything on her body that she wouldn’t put in it. The point being that she wanted to be as diligent about keeping her skincare products free of synthetic, harmful ingredients as she was with her food. It makes sense to me. I love the idea of incorporating the items in my cupboard into my beauty routine! It’s simple, good for my body, and inexpensive. I enjoyed reading this article about 8 Ways You can Use Coconut Oil on your body. I’m going to give the hair treatment a try. I will not be using it as a face highlighter, however. Momma has enough shine as it is, thank you very much. 

Five Things

1. I’m not good with the in-betweens of life. I can be spontaneous and impulsive with the best of em, but it usually looks like jumping from one sure thing to the next. Right now, Mike and I are running full throttle into some huge transition, but nothing is settled as of yet which makes me feel craaaazy. I swing wildly from “This is such an awesome adventure!” to “Get me off of this crazy merry-go-round, NOW!!!”

I follow Lysa TerKeurst’s Proverbs 31 Ministry online, and today she had a free downloadable called “Five Things To Remember While You Wait On God.” One that particularly stuck out to me: When we obsess over things out of our control, it makes us act out of control. 

Wow. Such a good reminder!

2. I saw these photos of Will and Kate’s place when they entertained President Obama and the First Lady recently. I loved seeing a glimpse into their home and personal style. How amazing would it be if, instead of your in-laws, you had the president over for Friday dinner? What a life.

Five Things

1.  If you’ve hung around His Girl Friday for awhile, then you know my family loves to travel with Airbnb. (The photo above is from our last Airbnb adventure in Tybee Island!) Airbnb allows you to stay in unique places that you’d never get to experience if you stayed in hotels. I read recently read: “Starting this June, it’s officially possible to Airbnb the adorable little “vacation” cottage in the French countryside where Julia Child used to cook and entertain with her hubby from 1963 to 1992″ (from Purewow.com).  How cool would that be???

2. Have you seen the Vogue 73 Question interviews? I’m obsessed with them. Until recently, my favorite one was with the ever lovely Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodnsen!). But then, I watched the latest one with Taylor Swift and I have to say. Love. It. I was surprised. I’ve never been the biggest T-Swizzle fan, but I was impressed by what I saw in the short interview.

3. One of my favorite youtube yogis is Yoga by Candace. She creates these fantastic yoga graphics that really break down the basics of a pose, so that you don’t just visually see what goes into a pose, but you can also learn more about the alignment and proper technique.

4. My husband and I love going on simple yet unique dates. We’ve had to be super creative in the past; It’s not easy to go on dates when you get married in college (aka you’re super broke). I saw this list of free date ideas and thought of the good old days where our date nights included a trip to the local library and a midnight stroll around town. I find most date night lists to be either cheesy or unoriginal, but this one had a few cute suggestions. I especially liked the idea to go camping in your backyard. We tried that once. But we didn’t have a tent. We woke up the next morning completely soaked with dew. Ahh. Good memories :-).