Life Like Kirbi

Two.

2012-04-12T01:48:00.001-05:00

As I sit here tapping my fingers and pondering exactly what words I should try to form to put into some kind of detail, anecdote, or wise sayings of what a gift you are- what a joyful blessing, an undeniable pure love, an immeasurable warmth, a perfect ray of sunshine - I feel overwhelmed. How can I possibly even put into speech...little words strung together, terminology out of thin air, overused phrases turned cliche...that could ever truly allow another to comprehend the infinite love in my heart and soul for one tiny little person that God so graciously chose me to be a Mother of? How?

How do you verbalize the emotions, the tenderness, of the first time you ever laid eyes on the one created inside of you? Counting perfect, tiny fingers and toes and breathing in the most magical smells, breaths, hairs upon one angelic, little face whose eyes meet yours for the first time.

How do you translate the magnitude by which your heart grows despite sleepless nights and total chaos from the innocence of an infant's finger wrapped around yours, the protection they find in only your embrace, to the curious spirit of a toddler unshaken by a few topples over...taking their first steps into an unknown world and never looking back...running, laughing, talking, growing, and learning. Yet all the while, teaching. Teaching more than I thought I would need to know about life, love, and beauty. An entire new realm of the world that was before so incredibly shallow and incomplete. Feelings I had not felt, and still as I sit here, can not explain.

It is something that only you could bring, Kensi girl. Yet something that not even I can explain. And it is perfection.

You are passion and beauty and boundless wonder. My light is your smile, your playful giggle, your deep blue eyes looking back at me like an ocean ready to be filled with the curiosities of this world. You are so much life. I thank God I get to taste it, experience it, and nurture it according to His very perfect plan.

I love everything about you Kensi Grace.

You have a magical spirit, the way you dance and run and move and create your own rhythm to life. You love music so much and every time your favorite songs come on you declare yourself "being an orchestra" as you wave your lanky arms in the air and motion me to join in the band.

You are an explorer and an adventurous dreamer. I can see it in your eyes, the way your unspoken thoughts and experiences in the great outdoors reflect across your face. There is a joyful solitude about it. How perfectly at peace you are in sunshine, fields of wild flowers, rows along a garden, by the trickling of any body of water, at the sight of any fountain, bird, butterfly, fish, worm, or lady bug. Since you could walk, it was all I could do to keep you from sitting in piles of dirt or rocks or leaves at the park - happily scooping up and replacing the earth with your hands - so naturally. Your are your father's daughter undeniably. Daddy can't wait until he can buy you your first fishing rod (pink of course), pistol, bike, and if you can talk him into it - pony. (wink, wink) He's already planning our first camping trip.

You are imaginative and creative. Which is one of my favorite things about who you are because I feel even more connected to you knowing that you are your mother's daughter, too. (Don't let Daddy tell you otherwise! ) I love the way you see the world. I pray that you don't live by cookie cutters and inside the box rules. You prefer to color with chalk not on the ground but on the windows outside. You find shapes and structure in random, chaotic, everyday surroundings whether it's the shape of a cloud or the way a piece of ribbon fell. Your favorite shape to discover elsewhere is the moon. You strategically place stickers on a piece of paper, so carefully and artfully planned. Better yet, you prefer to stick them on your checks and hands. Who am I to give you one square of white paper? The world is your canvas! And I like that better, anyways. I hope God allows me to foster your imagination in the coming years as you start pre school and beyond so you never, ever let anyone or anything stifle it. Dare to discover and never let others confine you to a right way and a wrong way to do something.

You love to figure out the way things in the world work. Whether it's screwing on lids of all kinds, trying to disassemble the wheels on your baby stroller, mastering Mommy's iPhone, turning things on and off, building methodical lego and block towers, or your proud laughter every time you successfully manage to unwind and re-click the tape measurer while mommy is driving. Your current favorite phrase is "What's that?" And you commit to memory like mad to astonish all of us with how much wealth of information that sweet little mind of yours can contain! You never cease to surprise me. And you never cease to teach me along the journey.

You have the sweetest, finest, whispy blond curls that blow so freely in the wind as you run about and you chase your Kensi dreams. I could smell your head every night for the rest of my life. I pray I never forget what you smell like now. Sweet toddler memories.

You are such a chatter box, too! You've long surpassed the undeciphered rambling of speech. You pronounce perfectly clear 8+ word sentences and carry on conversations with yourself. I wonder how fast your brain churns sometimes. You have an amazing memory to go along with it. Not as in remembering words or names of objects. As in when we are 4 blocks away from the grocery store, you start telling me "Almost to Whole Foods Market." Or "Where is the water fountain? Almost there! The fountain is on today!" Or "Almooooost home! There's Daddy's office!" when we barely have turned on our street. Or seeing something in a book that reminds you of a trip to see the grandparents and you go off listing off every detail you can think of. "The fire, the stairs, the rooster, Buck, Lakota, Happy, Dot, trampoline!!!!, swing, bouncy-bouncy, and it be so FUN!" "Pawpaw, Ally, Chrissy, Grandma, trampoline-WEE!, grandma's necklace, I sitting in Ally's chair!, rock-a-bye-baby (her rocker)! "And the stories continue...I am always amazed at your cognition.

One of my favorite times of each day is bedtime. We snuggle in our PJs and read whichever book you're in the mood for. You prefer lots and lots of books. You could read all evening, nestled in my lap with your sweet little head perched right under my chin. Your cheeks so perfectly close for kisses. Those are my favorite kind. You like for your back to be rubbed while you lay in bed and I read to you. Then finally, we say the Lord's prayer over and over until I can convince you it really is the last time. I walk towards the door slowly and slide it shut as you mumble your own memorized rendition. It's in that quiet, quick, simple moment each day as I stand there facing the still house on the other side of your room and realize the day is drawing near to being finished. Most days I might hear the laundry timer sounding letting me know I have folding to do, or the dishes glaring back at me from our tiny kitchen sink, or crushed up pieces of cereal under my toes begging to be swept, or my phone buzzing with yet another email to be checked. But this is instantly swept away from my mind. It's in that tiny, quiet moment that I take a deep breath and I thank our Lord and savior with every ounce of my being for the precious, irreplaceable little girl laying on the other side of that door drifting off to sleep. No matter how the day has gone, no matter how many times we visited time out, how many times I had to bite my tongue and show patience as you tested your independent will upon me, or how many times I felt like I wasn't being the most perfect mother for every second of that day. No matter what, I am forever grateful, thankful, and the most blessed Momma to call you our own darling Kensi girl, to be filled with such grace and mercy as each new day begins and ends, and to have Faith as our foundation for all things life may present to us.

Thank you Kensi Lou for being such sunshine, for your pure, innocent love. For letting me be your Momma in the best way I know how, for never calling out my faults, and never knowing if they even exist. For letting me protect you, nurture you, and love you with everything I have. For being indescribably, perfect. For being you.

Promise me you will just stay little. No matter how old you become, no matter how far away you may be, stay my little girl forever.

We love you in ways and amounts that can not even be put into words or measured. I have written a near novel now, and it still doesn't suffice. You are such a gift and it is a joy to watch you grow.

Happy 2nd Birthday, sweet girl.

Hugs & Kisses,

Momma

Light bulb moment #1,832 and counting.

2012-01-18T22:36:00.002-06:00

Yet, when we permit ourselves the luxury of self-expression,
the world benefits from the spirit of creation. - Sean Low

More Than An Image Photography

Finally. Someone has finally uttered the words that defines and makes sense of everything in my head involving being a creative, and establishing a business based on solely that.

Currently listening to:

2012-01-10T21:31:00.002-06:00

http://elizabethkartchner.com/my-playlist-2/

I'm loving the indie-happy mix, pretty much perfect! And her blog is adorable!

xo,
Kirbi

How to start your day on the right foot.

2012-01-06T19:49:00.000-06:00

Basically, wake up in this:

I mean really though! Any body else completely envious of this as much as I am? :)

{Source}

To do:

2012-01-05T15:55:00.000-06:00

Currently pondering...

2012-01-04T13:49:00.000-06:00

Stumbled upon this small and seemingly-everyday inspirational quote this afternoon and it really just took hold of me, spoke to me, and I'm pretty sure it's going up on my bulletin board for the rest of the year. What better way to look at life instances, dreams, goals, passions, and everyday hopes. Of course, my gracious Lord is the true creator of any of my stories, blessings, and challenges...but I am the one who determines my everyday outlook and choices. What will that outlook be? What will my choices be?

"If it is to be, it is up to me."

Taking three steps back.

2012-01-02T01:57:00.000-06:00

2012 New Year’s, er - I mean l i f e, Resolutions

Let go of the agenda sometimes – it’s ok to be half an hour off ‘schedule’. Hardest

Read more – books, magazines, articles, photo inspiration, children’s books.

Take better care of my skin, teeth, hair, body…aka: it’s ok to put myself first.

Make the bed every day. Every. Day.

Keep my nightstand free of unnecessary clutter and debris. Goodbye magazine pile.

No more caffeine ever. Seriously. The few times I drink it, I feel awful. Make it stop.

Get up early and work out 3 times a week. Even if it means I nap later. Yoga or jog.

Cut out sugar and grains completely, again. I need my energy back and to cleanse.

Enrich and engage Kensi to her utmost potential daily (and mine).

Make sure, above all else, Kensi knows Christ our Savior.

Write more letters, thank you notes, and random kind thoughts.

Draw, sketch, and scribble more.

Try harder at calligraphy.

Write more. Blog more. Cook more – and write down the recipes the first time!

Take more photographs and become a more skilled photographer.

Have more play dates.

Don’t forget to take my vitamins every day – same for Kensi & Jeremy.

Be a better friend, daughter, sister. Call, text, and email more just to see how someone’s doing.

Make sure Jeremy has plenty of free time when he is off work, don’t nag! J

Go to church more. Join a Bible Study and stop feeling so disconnected.

Relish in moments.

Savor each sweet second.

Grow from challenge and welcome it willingly ready to learn and taste life for what it is.

Evolve from experiences. Really evolve. Approach life ready for change and growth!

Be more confident.

Find beauty in everyday occurrences and surroundings – sunlight, shadows, textures, nature.

Accept criticism. Stop being so sensitive.

Accept defeat – then rebound to do bigger, better, brighter things.

Serve others more – in a Christian, wife, and mother role.

Be a better steward of our household income, more economical, a better planner.

Use less plastic. Rid of every toxin in our household.

Be more decisive and less of an overanalyzer. This goes back to confidence, I think.

Don’t waste time worrying. Less worry, more prayer.

Turn off the computer often.

Listen to more music and less reality TV.

Count my blessings.

Be here now.

Do not let my passion for creativity and art and the breath it gives life to ever be dampened or diluted by agenda, obligation, stress, deadlines, repetitiveness, money, or down right creative block. Remind myself that if I go too many days in a row unhappy, find the source and eliminate it. As Jobs so perfectly put it: Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Every time I take one step forward, remind myself to take three steps back to reflect, relish, live in, and learn from life opportunities – be it work or pleasure.

Pursue this life with purpose. And stop trying to act like I am the only creator of my purpose by learning to earnestly partake in daily conversation with God and more importantly – do less speaking and more listening. Be faithful, hopeful, humbled, full of peace, and just be still.

Thank Him daily that I am here.

Happily Ever After: The Second Year

2011-12-30T23:42:00.005-06:00

*The following are links to images for your enjoyment.*

We met in NYC, we fell in love in Texas

We got married on New Year's Eve and it was perfect

See for yourself

A total blast of a celebration!

Later, our hearts were stolen by a blue eyed girl

The sweet Lord has blessed us beyond belief: Our First Christmas - Kensi is ONE. (Almost 2 now!)

Many more wonderful life events in 2011...much busier as you can see with less pictures taken. But it was a pure joy to revisit all of these today.

Happy 2nd Anniversary to the most selfless, sweet, patient, brilliant, handsome husband of mine, Jeremy Knop! I love you always, in ALL ways! To many more years of beautiful memories! xoxo

Enjoy the walk down memory lane over the past two years...

Thanks Lacy Dagerath for telling our story over the years through your art!

Cheers to 2012!
Kirbi

Happily Ever After: The Second Year Past

2011-12-30T23:41:00.000-06:00

We met in NYC, we fell in love in Texas

We got married on New Year's Eve and it was perfect

See for yourself

A total blast of a celebration!

Later, our hearts were stolen by a blue eyed girl

The sweet Lord has blessed us beyond belief: Our First Christmas - Kensi is ONE.

Many more wonderful life events in 2011...much busier as you can see with less pictures taken. But it was a pure joy to revisit all of these today.

Happy 2nd Anniversary to the most selfless, sweet, patient, brilliant, handsome husband of mine, Jeremy Knop! I love you always, in ALL ways! To many more years of beautiful memories! xoxo

Enjoy the walk down memory lane over the past two years...

Thanks Lacy Dagerath for telling our story over the years through your art!

Cheers to 2012!
Kirbi

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!

2011-04-17T11:30:00.001-05:00

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

Help me and my Momma win the David Gardner's styling event!

Simply LIKE the David Garner's Fan Page, then 'Like' our photo in the album!!

The most 'Likes' WINS a Michelle watch!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! :)

And pass it along!!

xo,
Kirbi

I am currently out for lunch...

2011-03-29T11:32:00.001-05:00

But I will be back very soon!!

Pink promise!!

I am working on it!!

:)

I've missed ya,
Kirbi

December 16: Our First Family Christmas Photos

2010-12-16T13:39:00.000-06:00

If I had a genie in a bottle, I would only need ONE wish. To have the talent of Miss Lacy Dagerath!

Seriously, this is our..I don't know...6th?!...session with her, and she never ceases to amaze and inspire me! If only I could capture such beauty and life in every picture I took. Unfortunately I am still failing at remembering to have my camera battery charged. And my Canon officially hates me anyways, so I think either I run into a genie soon, or maybe before Kensi gets married I will be able to take some quality pictures on my own. hehe

Kensi literally would not smile for anything or anyone. She was perfectly content being a curious little monkey playing with grass and leaves and people watching. She has got to be THE most observant and curious child I have ever seen in my life. A speck of dust could fly by ten feet away and she would have her eyes locked on it. No joke.

Without further ado, here is a good peak at the Family session we did a few weeks ago.

Honestly, you have to go over to her blog to see the original sizes she posted. Way bigger and better! :)

Click here!

And you will want to stay a while and look around because every single one of her sessions will have you drooling!! She just did my bestie Emily and her fiance Tim's engagements that were stunning!! I can't wait for the wedding!!

Our Christmas card...

Front:

Back:

What's extra cool is that it really is shaped like that scalloped edge. :) And it's on linen paper!

I wish I could send them to you all, but if I don't...at least you saw it here!

So Happy Holidays everyone!
The Knops

December 14: Why I've Been Missing in Action

2010-12-14T01:07:00.003-06:00

Well, unless some miraculous thing happened and December 9-13 decided to jump of this year's calendar and let me off the hook for skipping my daily blog post, then um...I guess I am guilty as charged.

Very, very guilty. I know.

I am very, very sorry.

BUT, I have been very, very busy.

We had two Christmas parties to attend over the weekend, including one we hosted. Hosting = cleaning and baking and decorating like a mad woman and still not getting everything totally done. Hosting = wondering why the heck you volunteered for this job when you're pretty much on your 8 month old's leash as she tries to discover and eat nearly every glittery thing in sight. Tis' the reason for the season! That's what I keep telling myself as I vacuum every 23 minutes.

So without further ado, take a peek at what we have been up to getting ready for our very first Christmas. It really is a magical time of year for us. We have been blessed by the Lord above with a precious, perfect daughter and an amazing, loving family that will surround us through the New Year as we celebrate Christmas AND our one year anniversary on New Year's Eve. Ah, my heart is in pitter pat mode.

HUGE thanks to my Mom who drove in Thursday with all kinds of goodies to help me decorate for the season. She loves Christmas more than anyone I know. Without her help my house would still have pumpkins and hay bails sitting out and I would be hiding under the covers so I didn't have to face the organizing ghost that haunts me daily.

Apologies for the photo quality. My Canon has been acting VERY odd and I literally had about 10 minutes while Kensi cat napped and the lighting was right. The ornament shots were via iPhone when I gave up on both my Canon and Sony and was suddenly very appreciative for Steve Jobs.

And it began...

The story behind the squirrels is the fact that Jeremy and his college roomates literally had a wild squirrel as a pet. Not sure how or why, but the little creature was as tame as a puppy and would jump on the guys as they walked up the sidewalk to their house. He was super friendly and quirky. I even held him! His name was Woody. But, sadly..Woody mysteriously vanished one day and they all were scarred for life. So these little squirrel ornaments I saw for half off at Macy's had to come home with me.

Doesn't this picture just scream cozy?

The only thing missing here is the second set or mercury vases I went back to get today at Michael's. Picture them on the left of the hurricanes to balance it out. Ok, thanks. :)

$4.50 each at Michael's, I am lovin' them.

Gorgeous plates Jeremy's mom gave us last year for Christmas, from Crate & Barrel.

The stick vases are from Old Bryan Market Place in Bryan, TX.

Isn't this moss reindeer centerpiece unique? Again, Old Bryan Market Place.

Pardon my oversized candle.

I love fresh garland sprays. And I love the natural-ness of the table cloth. It's literally just a few yards of red/ivory ticking striped fabric. No sewing needed, I love the rough edges.

Again, no sewing here. Just used a few feet of natural and red burlap to cut "slip-covers" and sashes. I left the seats free to spare our clothes. hehe

A little antiqued look.

My faithful window pane. I turned it around to the side that is just distressed antique white instead of teal. We don't have a mantle in this small highrise apartment. So I always use our table for the big focal point on the end. Good ol' apartment life!

Simple and elegant and fun all at the same time.

I have a few other ornaments I am making to hand here as well, just haven't had the time yet. My goal is to paint these plain off white ceramic balls with letters to spell our our last name and hang them with jute twine.

Burlap and bells coffee table runner.

Sweet pillows add a cozy touch.

I just found this last weekend in The Heights antique shops for $4.

I want to curl up here with a few home decor mags. :) My secret in this picture is the pillows on the ends are just our everyday pillows turned backwards. On the front, they are embroidered yellow and floral from Pottery Barn...my brilliant Mom had this idea. I'm tempted to run some burlap through the button holes but I stopped myself before I went crazy.

Our Alessandra pillows ended up blending in to the mix nicely. I was a little worried. lol

We moved our couch and put the tree in the highrise 16 ft wide windows. It is beautiful at night when the lights twinkling in the city are the backdrop for the lights twinkling on it. Isn't it a gorgeous tree? Our first REAL fur tree. Smells even better than it looks. The tree skirt is just a few yards of red burlap wrapped and tucked. No need for fancies.

Pardon my craft boxes behind the stockings. What's a mom to do when baby is napping and you HAVE to get the pictures done? ANYWAYS, no mantle in our little apartment on the 18th floor. So I made do with this old distressed black and red trunk for our stockings. Wanna know a secret? This baby has been my chest of shoes since I was a freshman in college. In fact, if you open that lid you will find several pairs in it just dying to be worn.

I love the bird theme. Something about birds just makes everything way more natural, earth, and wiser feeling. I found these three at Jubilee in The Heights. The candle sticks are from Ballard Designs. The bird houses (that light up) are from The Nutcracker Market I shared with you a while back. The stockings were from JoAnns...about $9 each. I love the cable knit look.

My favorite thing has to be these snowball sprays!

I absolutely LOVE the burlap garland. The other garland is red and natural colored rope from Old Bryan Market Place.

Love these.

While I am doing things around the house, Kensi loves to stand and look out at the busy streets through the windows. She loves making music on the windows with her sweet little hands and whispering to the things going on outside. She also just learned how to wave hi and bye. It is adorable. Speaking of adorable, the tutu leggings are from Baby Gap.

Whew! What a post.

And I didn't even get around to showing you my Christmas present wrapping ideas. Think Kraft paper and burlap with red stripes. Fabric and twine bows. Pine cones. Fresh garland sprays. Oh how I love this time of year. It's Kensi's first Christmas and it makes my heart sing.

Well, I hope you forgive my absence the past few days. Once I get things around the house picked up again I will be back. I have kind of enjoyed taking blog breaks and doing what really matters - spending time working on my role as home maker and mommy.

OH...and for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe you will EVER find:

Go here.

They take 36 hours to make, but trust me..it is SO worth it.

Note a few changes I made:

I cooked them for 15 minutes only, let them sit on the hot sheet for 5 minutes ONLY, then immediately moved them to a cooling rack. Two days later, they are still heavenly soft.

MMMMM! Santa will want to stay at our house all night long. hehe

And to all a Goodnight,

Kirbi

PS:

I am linking up to Style Feature Saturday and Christmas Challenge at Perfectly Imperfect!

Head on over to Shaunna's to see even more Christmas cheer!

I am also linking to Funky Junk Interiors!

December 8: What's in my beauty bag?

2010-12-08T10:45:00.000-06:00

I know it's going to be a great day whenever I actually put on a bit of make-up. 6 out of 7 days of the week, this doesn't happen. After all, when you're chasing a monkey, I mean my daughter, around the house and you only get two naps worth of time to yourself...spending ten minutes on getting the perfect eye-lashes isn't exactly at the top of my list. Listen to me when I tell you this. When you are a mom, you will know how to do your make up in under 5 minutes. And you will think it looks just as good as it ever did and wonder why you never saved yourself all those hours standing in front of a crowded girl's bathroom mirror primping to what you thought was perfection. I guess I'm older and wiser now. Ok, well..older for sure. Wiser..well, I'm still trying to convince myself of that.

ANYWAYS.

On that 1 out of 7 days, when I actually might look presentable to my poor husband who probably forgot what I looked like in my so-called college glory days...here is what I manage to whip out of my dusty ol' beauty bag. I snapped a few pictures just for you. After knocking the cobwebs off of it, of course.

Please excuse the awful lighting. Bathroom lighting. No wonder we stand in it for hours thinking something still doesn't look right. Next time, do your make up in natural light and you will be surprised that you look less like Barbie and more like the natural you beauty you are. Amen.

For reading purposes, I will be commenting ABOVE each corresponding picture. :)

It starts with a good set of brushes. My two personal favorites are this Ecotools Foundation Brush and a big Kabuki Brush like the black one in this picture. The foundation brush is crucial, in my opinion, at getting a smooth base when you do wear foundation. I am not a fan of those spongey pad-like things that collect oil and start to break off in pieces. Yuck. They are easy to wash as well.

I found this little brush kit and travel case at TJ Maxx a while back and have loved it! A very inexpensive one that is similar and has your basic brushes is this Ecotools set.

As far as foundation, I honestly don't always wear it. Some days I just do bronzer or a light powder if I am in a hurry. Which is pretty much always. BUT I love my foundation so much that sometimes I will wear a light coat of it without anything else, just to even out my complexion and not scare me so much when I look in the mirror, ya know?

I am a huge fan of Smashbox as you can tell. I use this powder and LOVE its design. It is way better than having to fuss with loose powders. You just crank out as much as you need each time you use it.

See!

The foundation I use, I have to say my mom got me hooked on it. Yep, my mom! It's Jane Iredale Liquid Minerals in Warm Sienna. Not too light, not too dark. The first time I used it was for engagement pictures, when Celebrity Spa & Boutique did my make up. I loved the flawless finish! It gives you great coverage without any extra weight or build up. Putting it on with my foundation brush just lightly and then letting it set, feels similar to having your morning caffeine fix. Very refreshing. And the bottle design is awesome. You just pump it out on your hand and brush away.

A few extras that are always great to have on hand. These aren't your everyday products. Well, at least not for me. But when I am taking pictures or going somewhere extra special and I have the time to put in to primping...then I always grab these.

Can you tell I love Smashbox?

The first thing I'd like to share is this little baby right here. Smashbox Artificial Light in color Glow. This is a powerful, fun tool to have in your arsenal. Just think summer sunkissed skin glowing in natural light. When I want a little extra glow or enhancer on my cheeks or eyes or temples to just brighten up my face, this does the trick. You can sweep it lightly across your cheek bones or eye lids for some pop and shine. I like to mix it with my foundation sometimes and dab it lightly on my cheeks, let it set, then kind of smear it in. Then, when you add a little powder to seal the deal, you are left with a glow that moves with your face. It is lovely. I assure you.

Moving on, let me introduce you to my two little transformers. A dime size amount of either of these applied to your face before foundation is kind of like heaven on your face. It's like taking a very fine piece of silk, rubbing it all over your face, feeling is softness melt on your cheeks, and magically evening out your complexion. It's superb.

Smashbox Photo Finish on the right, is in a Bronze tone so that when you need to smooth AND get a little artificial color to your wintery skin without looking like you're wearing foundation that is two shades too dark on you. On the left, is Smashbox Photo Finish color corrector foundation primer. It works the same way, but the green hue is for helping balance color and correct any imbalances that are creating redness. So remember, green offsets red.

Here is the product description which pretty much says it all about the above products:

"Color correcting, wrinkle reducing, and dark spot defying talk about a miracle product! Create a perfect canvas for foundation application and even out skin tone with this silky, lightweight blend of antioxidants, vitamins A & E, and soothing botanicals like lemongrass, aloe and orchid complex. The totally unique oil-free formula helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for visibly softer, younger-looking skin. Wear under foundation to increase its longevity, or alone for a velvety-smooth finish. In a new square airless pump for freshness to the last drop! BLEND is apricot-toned to even out skin tone and counteract discoloration and dark spots. BALANCE is lavender-toned to brighten dull or sallow skin. ADJUST is green-toned to reduce redness." - Amazon.com

Lastly, this white gooey container of awesomeness is Smashbox Anti-Shine. This is like the best friend of make-up products. (Well, aside from concealer!) If you have oily skin or combination skin like I do, then this is for you. You whip this out before ANY other products, you put it on, and you watch your jaw drop as it literally decreases the shine on your face. I love it. Simply, love it. And the compact is awesome because it stores your sponge underneath the product. So no random brushes floating around getting dirty.

OH! And that little tube to the left is Smashbox Eye Brightener. It works kind of life the Artificial Light above. This was a sample I got, and as you can see, I am still using it. It goes a long way and really gives your eyes some brightness when you need it. On days I am dragging myself out of bed, which is usually everyday, I can smear some under my eyes liberally, let it dry, then blend it in when I do foundation with my brush.

My two go-to blushes. On the right, Benefit's Coralista. On the left, Benefit's HOOLA Bronzer. Seriously, you can NOT go wrong here. These two products are like a steamy, summer fling. Perfect for catching rays of sun and bouncing them off of your glowing cheeks. I am always drawn to coral and bronze tones. It might be my brown eyes and dark hair, but I can't say enough about these two. The Bronzer goes a long way and is a great investment. Who doesn't need bronzer?

The secret to soft lips...Blistex. Yep. I said it. I love love LOVE my Blistex. It is minty and silky on your mouth. It's color is an opaque white, that once is rubbed in, gives your lips just a little enhanced shine and a touch of pink. Very subtle and perfect. I am not a lip color kind of gal. I like simple tones that just add shine and a slight color. I hate stickiness. So I avoid it. My all time favorite lip gloss I can NOT find ANYWHERE anymore...it was Sally Hansen. Yeah, $2.99 Sally Hansen perfection. It was an opaque pink lip plumper that literally made my lips sing. I am sure those of you who are my close friends remember it well...Haley? I know you do! Anyways, the closest I can find to it now is this Smashbox Infinite color. It is kind of sticky though I will warn you. But it is gorgeous.

Eye shadow time...

NYC Sparkle Eye Dust in Champagne. Okay, for $3 bucks...this is freakin' awesome.

Another cheapy but goody: Victoria Secret's Beauty Rush eye colors. They come in these neat containers with eye brushes already dipped in. And the shape of the brush is great for adding dimension to your crease on your eye lid. I love this plum color. Again, jewel tones...brown eyes. :)

Some of my favorite eye colors have to be from Two Faced. Like these two duo shades. They are shimmery, colorful, and great quality. Stay in place and blend so well. Another great eye shadow brand...Urban Decay.

A great basic set. This is the Sephora brand. I love the golds, tans, and muted coral/orange colors. These colors go with everything and can even stand alone. Therefore, an essential.

And the greatest way to finish off your pretty face...

MASCARA! I admit that I use the good ol' Maybelline Colossal Volum. I love it. I also LOVE Dior's mascara. It smells amazing (seriously!), has a great texture, and the extra large wand is the secret to better lashes, in my opinion. Dior Mascara.

My ever so faithful Unstoppable eye liner. This stuff really is unstoppable. I think I could shower three times and it still be on.

Another obsession for extra glam! This is an eye kit by Smashbox. It is PERFECT for doing smudgey, smokey eyes or just using some dark powder, getting it wet with an angled brush, and swiping across the base of your lashes for an alternative to eye liner. Gorgeous. It is a duo kit with Brow Tech products too so you can enhance your brows if you're in to that kind of thing.

My 6 Picks when I just need a fast face:

Works every time...

Just keepin' it real:

How I clean it all off:

My favorite facial regime is this Pumice Cleanser by Clinical Formula. I got hooked on this after discovering at The Knop's household. It is amazing. It exfoliates and deep scrubs without leaving my skin feeling too dry. I have used 3 different kinds of Clinical Formula cleansers including the Facial Shampoo and I have never been disappointed. The Facial Shampoo is a great everyday face wash. I have seen a great improvement in my skin with these products.

And of course, the Almay Moisturizing eye make-up remover pads. They remain in my shower at all times.

My favorite scents:

Betsey Johnson & Dolce & Gabbana The One.

So there ya go folks!!

Any of these products would be amazing stocking stuffers. I was that teenager that LOVED getting eye shadow or lip gloss or nail polish in my stocking. In a way, make up can be artsy and fun. So I love trying new products! Hope you get to try some of these out!

Love,

Kirbs

December 7: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2010-12-07T10:31:00.002-06:00

Without further ado...OUR TREE!!!! It still needs a little love and shaping, but we are working on it. We put up lights last night and gathered our decorations. But we want to do it all together and are using the late evenings when Jeremy gets home and I haven't yet collapsed in bed. So those minutes are short if you get my drift. It will come together soon! I have some Christmas projects I really need to get working on. Like...take all of our fall stuff and pack it away. Yea, I haven't done that yet. Yeah, I know. Guilty.

Kensi boo at the park yesterday for a little stroll!

Frolicking through the Christmas trees. A kind worker helped me take this on my iPhone.

Tomorrow I have another gift idea post based on what I have collected in my beauty bag over the years. It should be fun to dig this stuff out and pretend like I actually make myself look presentable every day. :)

Now, head over to My Kitchen for other great gift ideas for those of us who pretend we know how to cook!

Happy Tuesday!

Kirbi

December 6: WE GOT OUR FIRST REAL CHRISTMAS TREE!

2010-12-06T14:12:00.000-06:00

Can I just tell you how ECSTATIC I am about our first family Christmas?? We got our first REAL tree and I was so excited to tell everyone about it that I haven't even taken a picture yet. BUT I can say, it is perfect. I made sure of it. I mean after picking 2 and abandoning the cashier line to look at others off yonder that I thought looked better, I am sure it is the perfect tree. I think the worker following me around was in the end lying to me about which one he thought looked good just so I would LEAVE. haha Oh well. You can't rain on my Christmas parade fella!!!

Fa la la la la, la la, la LA!

I will post pictures later!

Sorry!

Im too busy walking by the tree and smelling it.

Kirbi

December 5: Another great bargain apparel and accessories website.

2010-12-05T20:49:00.000-06:00

Everyday I am bombarded with emails. The majority of them are from companies I have either bought something from or agreed to have promotions sent to me. I don't think I thought long enough on who in their right mind actually opts IN to allowing places like Pottery Barn, Brooks Brothers, Amazon, Target, Groupon, and mannnyyy more just fill up your inbox with things they know you like to look at just to tempt you! Step away from the Gmail, Kirbi.

And I know so many of you are expert unsubscribers by now. But you want to know a secret, I kind of like getting these emails. It's like getting a great catalog in the mail! Which yes, I'm the nut who signs up for those too. If any of you out there are sick of catalogs, I will give you my address so you can send them my way! Is that a deal?? :)

ANYWAYS.

This one place I especially love to get emails from. Because it's one of those "friends don't let friends pay full price on good fashion and accessories" kind of rules. And I just sit there staring at all the amazing bargains and sales they have each day wondering why the heck anyone even shops at the mall anymore when you seriously get the best deals online. And I do the occasional forwarding of the email to my dear husband just to give the nudge and wink sometimes. I don't think he's really picking up on it yet, but I'm ok with that.

Every day I find gobs of stuff sometimes more than 50% off. Oh happy day. Skippity do da.

Seriously! Really trendy watches, bags, hats, outerware, jeans, childrens items, holiday treats, really amazing art, home decor, BEAUTY products that are really awesome...heck, I even saw KIDS True Religions drastically reduced the other day. I'm not sure I'm ever going to feel justified enough to buy such a thing, but like I always say, window shopping is just as fun. It inspires me. And it's a good work out. Er, I guess you have to get up from your computer technically to window shop, but that is a whole different story.

Juicy, Michael Kors, Dolce Vita, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, just to throw a few out there.

So go sign up for this amazing website and have a new reason to get a little hop in your step when you wake up and check your email.

Hope you all had a grand weekend.

Mine was probably the most unproductive weekend I have ever had. My house is still in shambles, the laundry is still haunting me, and I swear some days I feel like I have 4 invisible children pulling out toys and random things all over the house because, surely, my daughter isn't that much of a tazmanian devil. But who am I kidding here? Have you met my monkey? I mean daughter.

Xoxo,
Kirbs

December 4: When all else fails

2010-12-04T19:54:00.000-06:00

Ladies & Gentlement, I did not forget that I had not posted today. I am determined to get through all of December with a daily post! I am sticking to it!

I have just had a very busy and exciting day because we took our family pictures this afternoon with Lacy Dagerath! Yippee!! Kensi was quite a hard subject! That girl would rather eat leaves and play with grass than look at a camera. But you know what, thats her. So that makes me happy if it makes her happy. And of course Lacy was as flawless as always in being so energetic, patient, and kind throughout the whole shoot. It really was a lot of fun.

Moving on from our day...

I know I am pretty good at digging up good gift ideas, or more like wish ideas for those of us who are sticking to budgets but just love to be inspired and dream a little. There's nothing wrong with shopping, right?

But even I get stumped sometimes. So I wanted to share with you this website that sometimes jump starts your brain waves a bit and helps you find something for just about anyone.

Gifts.com

This website basically lets you search for gifts based on infinite possibilities. Price, Age, Male or Female, Occasion, and my favorite - Personality.

They have a really neat Personality Profile Gift Finder that lets you fill in personal information about a friend or family member and it will give you lists of gift ideas based on their matches. And get this -- you can even do it for a Facebook friend. It channels matches based on what they 'Like' in their profile descriptions. Pretty neat. Kinda creepy, but neat.

So give it a try.

I am all out of brain energy right now after trying for 1,345,783 times to get my daughter to smile for a picture today. haha! Oh, the joys of motherhood.

Love,
Kirbi

December 3: The most adorable baby girl things I have ever seen in my life.

2010-12-03T10:33:00.001-06:00

**Disclaimer: Kirbi is a first time mom to a joyful 7 month old baby girl, Kensi Grace. She has fully admitted to being that mom who occasionally obsesses over matching bows, tutus, tiaras, stockings, and all things ruffle butt. Please ignore her drool and slight heart attacks at the sight of tulle and rhinestoned bows. She realizes this is just a phase and that in all reality, tutus do NOT mix well with sweet potato purees...or car seat straps...or naps...and no, they don't come in adult sizes. She is now fully accepting this.**

I am seriously about to give every single one of you baby fever.

Just for the record, I don't think this adorableness is completely normal. But it is oh-so fun. And who doesn't love the thought of precious baby girls and sweet little things like the ones I am about to show you.

Now I must say, these fancies definitely come with a fancy price. One I'm not really willing to pay. However, sometimes you just want to spend a little bit extra for that sweet little one in your life, so I figured why not introduce you to some incredible gift ideas. Whether you know someone about to have a baby, that just had a baby, has a toddler, or even a gal in elementary school...these ideas are for you.

I can honestly say one of the sweetest gifts I got was an adorable hot pink tutu that we had Kensi's newborn pictures taken in. So if you want to go out on a limb, then go for it. Any momma would thank you.

And lastly, I shall let you in on a little secret. Typically, when I am on the hunt for stuff like this, it is not because I intend to buy it. Are you kidding me with the $50 outfit?? It is usually so I can get inspiration and creative juices flowing on finding ways to do-it-yourself. I mean it. Half the stuff I lay eyes on that I love and think I have never seen anything like...can easily be made. Ribbon, tulle, needles, thread, felt, glue, bow clips....they sell this stuff at any craft store. You just have to have a little creativity and a whole lot of patience for the occasional burn from the glue gun. Life goes on.

ANYWAYS..

On to the most adorable baby girl things I have ever seen in my life.

These tutu dresses trump many that I have seen. Freakin' precious. They are so over the top I can't stand it. Visit

These can be found online at Love Baby J

As well as these girly treats:

That website is like a gold-mine for cuteness.

Next up, the most glamorous bows of all time. To die for. Like, I want one for myself.

Seriously. Shut up. It does not get much prettier than that. Check out Banner Boutique on Etsy for this awesomeness.

The next images are all from Giddy up and Grow on Etsy. There are so many pictures of this shop because it is so STINKIN' perfect. I can't express how rustic, girly, and down right sweet these bows and clips are. This shop inspires me to make some flowers.

Please, spare me. The beauty is killing me.

Holiday perfection.

I have NEVER seen a sunflower hair bow quite like this one. I just makes me smile.

Absolutely sweet.

Ugh. Now I want to own a bow boutique. How fun would that be? I'd never grow up.

And one last little treat: shoes.

I could do a blog post 1000 paragraphs long on shoes. Much less, baby shoes. There is something about a tiny little foot with soft little toesies that miraculously fits into a bundle of cuteness that just gives me the heebie-jeebies. In a good way. :)

Learn how to make your own crochet baby booties with patterns from Mon Petit Violin

Mon Petit Violin, again.

Casanee's on Etsy

And the best for last...LaLa Shoes. Seriously, you just have to go look for yourself on this one.

Too precious for words.

I just giggle when I see these. They make my heart happy.

Other sites to try:
Dimples and Dandelions
Chasing Fireflies
Zulily - LOVE this one. You must sign up to get amazing daily deals. Every day I get the Zulily email I am rushing to get on and look. Stuff sells out fast.
Mud Pie

I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into life raising a little girl. The possibilities are endless when you combine some kind of glitz, glam, ruffle, tulle, buttons, pink, purple, and froo-froo. It is the funnest job in the world being a mom.

And just so you don't think I'm biased. I will do a post for you mommas of little rug rat boys too! I'm nice like that.

Have a joyful weekend! I am so in the mood for dress up now, it's ridiculous.

Kirbi

December 2: All Things Pretty, Girly, Shabby, & Vintage Gift Guide

2010-12-02T00:07:00.000-06:00

I was blog hopping today and stumbled upon Inspire Co. which somehow led me over to Ruche, Anthropology, and somewhere along there, Cath Kidston. This all probably already makes no sense to you. But what I have to share with you today is exactly what happens when I get lost in the world wide web and find really, pretty, pleasureful (is that word?), guilty, girly, shabby, vintage, floral things. It's like they're just calling out my name from dusty shelves and online catalogs just waiting to come home with me.

I just can't help myself. It's like walking into an antique store or a vintage linen company and running around touching and fondling every object within 20 centimeters of my shaking hands. I feel like a little girl, and I have about -1% shame for it.

It's like suddenly the only words in my vocabulary are:
"Get out"
"Shut up."
"SHUT UP!"
"Oh. My. Gosh."
"Jeremy Look at this...look at THIS...no LOOK at THIS!"
"How much?!"
"No way."
"Pleeeeeasseeeee??"

Do any of you ever experience such emotions? Such rampages? Such immaturity and blasphemy? Such desires to return to your doll houses and easy bake ovens while wearing floral hair pieces and paisley dresses? Or the desire to already start planning your daughters Christmas presents for when she is 13?

Ok good. I was hoping I wasn't the only one.

I've said it once, I will say it again. I'm a lunatic.

So here you are my friends...

{The ultimate gift guide for all things Pretty, Girly, Shabby, Floral, Vintage, and down right Precious with a capital P.}

Vintage floral tray. You could get 6 for cheap on Etsy and give them to all of your girlfriends or younger sisters and cousins. Why, you ask? Well every girl needs a place to sit her perfume, everyday jewelry or watch, and hair pieces that is not only functional but also down right adorable when placed on a shabby chic vanity or common dresser. I have my own rendition of this. I found it at an antique store about a year ago. It's teal. Enough said. My perfume and wedding rings and watch and pony tail holder have their safe nesting place on it. They like it there.

Another beautiful tray for extra convincing. If you needed it.

Gorgeous and delicate vintage, floral stand. There are a million uses for this. Bathroom toiletries stand. Jewelry holder. Vanity accessory. Cupcake stand. Cake stand. Pie stand. Petite desserts stand. Bridal shower decor. Spring lunch centerpiece. For the girl who just moved in to her own apartment. The list goes on. The fact that this screams "Tea Party" doesn't really bother me.

I would seriously start getting up an hour early each day if I had such a beautiful mirror awaiting me at my very own dresser or vanity. Right beside my floral jewelry holder, my makeup brushes, and any other delicate and girly trinkets I could assemble together. This speaks for itself.

Ok. Besides the fact that I have an ungodly obsession with antique Ball glass jars (especially the lovely aqua ones like these), these have QUILTED LIDS. How freakin' cute is that? I am picturing them sitting on a white, shabby desk filled with pens, scissors, markers, and other studying materials. Now I am picturing them in a sunlit kitchen window filled with vintage spoons and forks and maybe some fresh roses or herbs. And now I see them in a kid's game room full of marbles, blocks, and dice. Andddd now I've snapped back to reality. Moving on...

Hello sweet, precious, pretty, delicate pink rose necklace that I want around my neck right now.

Be still my heart. Ok. Seriously. If you haven't checked out Ollipop jewelry yet, you NEED to. Need. To.

Another gorgeous trinket box idea from Such Pretty Things. The lid is an added benefit for us clumsy gals. :)

A breathtaking vintage, floral chair. No need to convince anyone to go study or do home work or get off Facebook for that matter when you have one of these. This is just a picture for inspiration from Such Pretty Things. You can find these online, in local thrift stores, redo them yourself, or search on Etsy.

Beautiful knick knacks to adorn home made jewelry, girly picture frames, bags, and more. If you are in to do-it-yourself jewelry then check out this little treasure I heard about from The Pioneer Woman.

Vintage pillows in shabby, pastel, floral patterns. What I love about these is that you can find them just about anywhere, they don't have to match perfectly, they are so utterly girly and delicate, and they give me no trouble napping. The ones above are from Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture. Just looking at her website or her book has my in daydream land.

You could also make your own! Find some pretty, antique linen and either sew or have someone else sew you a pillow. If you are in the Houston area, check out this site for a great antique sale this weekend that specializes in tons of fine linens. Open from 9 to 5. I went by there today and pretty much had to borrow one of their $5 antique tea towels to wipe the drool of my face.

Or get a little more modern version at Pottery Barn like these.

The book I mentioned above:

And you can find inexpensive Rachel Ashwell finds through her line at Target. I get side tracked in that aisle EVERY time I go there.

Next up...

I am jumping for joy that the worlds of vintage & floral have collided with Apple & iPhone. The prettiest iPhone cases I have yet to see. They have a blackberry case too for those of you Apple haters.

Shut up. Just shut up. Is that not gorgeous? I would wear it in a heart beat.

Girly little glasses case. They have matching passport cases, too. Between the two of them I'd say you're ready for London.

I wish I had these pretty plates way back when I was just moved in to my college apartment. Once you're married and share everything and you can't have your way with oober-girly-floral things...you will understand how much you should have appreciated them back then. Otherwise, you just wait until your daughters are old enough for tea parties and then you dust off the plates you have secretly been hoarding away for years. Eh hum, these.

An admirable way to organize pretties in your jewelry collection. Pottery Barn. But I am sure you could find a more authentic one at an antique store.

Another fantastic idea. You could easily make these yourself. I might have to try this soon! :)

Another OlliPop design. I have a major crush on these.

And now that it is quickly approaching my bedtime, I will leave you with an amazingly floral, shabby, vintage, extremely girly, cozy room inspiration from Carolyn Westbrook. You must take a look around her website and peak at her book.

Sigh. Yawn.

Hooray for being female and for all things pretty. You may think I am even more dorkier than you already knew I was. And I'm okay with that.

At least I hope I inspired you for those girly-gals you need to find gifts for.

Next time you see an ANTIQUE sign as you are driving along, (That is, next time you can read past any dust and rust that might be growing on the ANTIQUE sign wavering in the distance) be sure to do a 180 degree, tire-squeeling spin into the nearest parking lot and/or ditch near the store. You are bound to find something mouth watering like those things above.

Night y'all,

Kirbi

December 1st: Stockings & Mantels Inspiration

2010-12-01T13:16:00.001-06:00

{December 1}

Fa La La La La, La La, La La!

Tis' the season!

Say this loudly: WOOHOO!

It is officially December. Let's get started with all the decor, gifts, and holiday food collaborations I have been promising.

I do apologize for the construction on here today, I am updating not only my house decor but also the blogs. :)

To kick off the first day, I thought we would jump right in to the heart of the matter -- stockings. And mantels. Finding these inspirations and great buys made me so bummed we don't have a fire place. I guess that forces me to get creative. But I don't think I have ever had a problem with that. It's what keeps my blood flowing day in and day out. Well, that and chocolate.

Beyond the Screen Door

Piney Flats Style

The Little Things That Make A House A Home

Quirky but cute.

Songbird

Ballard Designs

Living with Punks - A Do-It-Yourself!

A home made burlap stocking from Cozy.Cottage.Cute.

I still love these!

Gorgeous and fun.

All 5 images above are from Pottery Barn and PB Kids.

Cozy Cape in the Burbs

The three above are all from Krista Joy Farrell.

I absolutely love the window and vintage music sheets. I might be copying. :)

August Fields

Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures

Tales From An OC Cottage

Remember these from my post yesterday?

The two rounded edge pictures above are from My House of Giggles.
You have got to see the rest of her decor! I am loving the home made garland.

House of Smiths does it again! Her entire blog makes me drool.

Burlap and wood heaven. This is from Buckets of Burlap.

Also from Buckets of Burlap.

Garnet Hill.

Inspiration from an old post by Southern Aspirations.

Aren't these pretty?

Classic.

Ok, I know these aren't stockings

but how perfect are these stocking holders??

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did! :)

I'm already debating a trip to our local Pottery Barn today just so I can see the loveliness in person.

Toodle-doo,

Kirbi

Gearing up for December

2010-11-30T10:07:00.004-06:00

Can you believe tomorrow is December 1st? That might be the most cliche statement to start a blog post with...but I still keep checking the calendar to make sure I haven't lost my marbles and that it is, in fact, 24 days until Christmas. Time to bust out those advent calendars! I found one for 50% at JoAnn's last week so I am just all anxious to hang it up. I can kind of see myself as the advent calendar Nazi, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing but regardless, I'm excited.

Here are a few pictures we took over Thanksgiving at the Knops. My favorite and dearest Photographer, Lacy Dagerath, is *crossing my fingers* HOPEFULLY going to be able to get some updated family pictures of us for Christmas but the weather and holidays have been working against us and we keep having to post pone. So just in case we don't get to, we will have a few back ups! It is so hard to get babies to smile in pictures!

In honor of these here Holidays, I have got some fun ideas up my sleeve. You all know how much I love to find unique gifts, good bargains, inspiring products, and learning what everyday things make life easier and I can't live without. I think in another life I could be someone's personal shopper. I just love embracing the seasons of life. I love finding inspiration through design, art, fashion, cooking, baking, photography, and magazines. So I will be showcasing that very passion of mine over the next few weeks of December to bring you Holiday gift guides, recipes, and highlights of the coziest Christmas decor ideas I stumble across. Christmas is my favorite holiday! Not a single one of you will be spared from it here in blogland!

Whether it's everyday kitchen essentials that I have grown to love, recipes I have tried or have been passed on to me, gorgeous Christmas trees and mantel ideas, do-it-yourself gifts from the heart, my favorite mom & baby products, or guilty pleasures like trendy bags and watches that make my heart skip a beat...I'm going to find it, and I am going to bring it to ya. Now let me just say, by no means do I think I am all that trendy or fashionable or that I know what's going on all the time. I just know what I like, or what I think I like. And I feel better when I write about it. Ok? Ok. Glad that we had that talk.

And of course, I need YOU to keep me filled in on YOUR Holiday finds as well. Where do you find the best bargains during the holidays? How do you save money or stick to your budget when giving gifts to others? Do you have a guilty pleasure on your Santa's wish list? What products have you been looking for? What would you like to know more about? Tell me, tell me! Leave me a comment on this post and I will love you forever.

As a disclosure, these things will not be in any organized fashion or have any rational order to them. It will basically be me fumbling through a catalog late at night when I should be sleeping, see something really neat and think "I have got to blog about this!", and you all being my victims. But it's ok because I like it that way.

If you don't want to miss any posts, be sure and subscribe to my blog or become a follower! I would so appreciate it.

Ok, before tomorrow comes and this December madness sets in, I have about 3 loads of laundry to fold, floors to sweep and mop, lunch and dinner to prep, things to put away, and about 30 minutes before Kensi wakes from her nap. Dear Lord, please give me a second set of hands and/or a genie in a bottle in the next half hour. Amen.

Love,
Kirbi

P.S. Here is a little teaser to get you in the mood. I found the most adorable stockings online yesterday and I can't stop thinking about them hanging in our house for the next few decades.

Or what about these from Terrapin Knits on Etsy?

And what about this amazing do-it-yourself stocking idea from Living With Punks?

Or this precious wreath I saw on Etsy somewhere? (Sorry I lost the link to this but will try to find it)

I told you this was going to be fun!!

It has come and gone.

2010-11-29T09:50:00.000-06:00

5 days away from home, 4 plates of turkey left overs, 3 hour car trips, 2 tired parents, and 1 wonderful Thanksgiving day later...we are home again in Houston. Did you miss me? (You don't have to answer that.)

We spent Thanksgiving in Austin with the Knop family hosted by Jeremy's parents at their home in Lakeway. There were somewhere near 30 family members there and it was so great seeing everyone and allowing Kensi to be passed around like a hot potato. The food was delicious! I know I said I have eaten Thanksgiving food about 4 times already, but I'd be totally fine eating it 4 more times this week.

I thought I'd drop in and show you a few pictures from Kensi's first Thanksgiving. Jeremy and I made her a Thanksgiving day outfit that was rather funny but at the same time special. I got the bright idea to make my child look like a turkey with a hand-made turkey tutu (feathers and all) and a little turkey onesie made out of Kensi's hand shaped as feathers that we cut out from felt. I let Jeremy handle all the tracing and cutting and gluing of the Turkey. He is the perfectionist extremist in this family so I knew I couldn't go wrong.

I can't believe how quickly the weekend flew by. It was wonderful to see everyone and Jeremy and I even managed to get away by ourselves a few nights. On Thanksgiving day we headed to the A&M vs UT game...um, WHOOOP! :) And Friday, we had a date night of dinner and margaritas at Iron Cactus followed by window shopping.

I'm glad to be home safe and sound and so READY to start decorating for our first family Christmas.

Austin sunset when we arrived Wednesday. This doesn't do it justice.

A touch of fall.

Kensi excited for some fresh air and outside play time after the long car ride.

She immediately finds some colorful leaves.

Kensi and Aspen, one of the 3 wolf dogs.

Kensi and grandpa on the swing set.

Turkey tutu! Seriously so easy to make your own tutu. If you google 'No Sew Tutu' you will find about 1000 tutorials. Rule #1 of raising girls: Do not ever buy a tutu.

Gobble gobble! Wanted to add more feathers but ended up not.

My first Thanksgiving!

Adorable turkey applique we made with her hand print traced.

Our family picture attempts.

Uncle David.

Kensi isn't sure how she feels about him yet.

Friday: Playing outside all bundled up.

Daddy already teaching her how to garden. Typical. :)

Picking tomatoes.

Her favorite spot ever.

This is what happens when you throw a bad tomato at the chickens.

Heading to see the rabbit in the barn.

Daddy showing Kensi the beauty of nature in the fall : acorns.

Sweet girl. She loves the outdoors.

Yay! Finally a picture of Mom and Kensi. She will start to wonder if her mother existed when she looks back through pictures when she is older. Rule #2 of raising girls: Make Dad take pictures more often.

Jeremy's sisters and cousin with us at the game.

Gig 'Em Ags!!! It was RATHER chilly if you can't already tell. But we stayed until the end of course.

Another sunset from the top deck. Gorgeous weather that week.

I hope you all had a very blessed Thanksgiving as well. I can't believe December is quickly approaching. I have some great plans for the blog as we prepare for the holidays with decorating ideas, recipes, and Christmas gift guides. More details to come, but check back often! And please join as a Follower (lower right hand column) or become a subscriber (upper right hand column). That would make me SO happy.

I have to get our house in order and it will take a few days after all the traveling and unpacking. But have no fear, I will still be in and out on here! (I just rhymed.)

Love,

Kirbs

P.S. Remember my post last week about my pretty package? Well definitely check that out today! They are having a big sale! I found out through the Money Saving Mom blog.

30% off all f abric

20% off all sewing patterns

10% off all custom sewn items

I hope Jeremy reads this far down on my post today! I mean Christmas is so close and all...hint hint.

Ok, ok. The End.

How to make money shopping online.

2010-11-27T13:23:00.001-06:00

I apologize for being absent for the past few days. With Thanksgiving and traveling to Austin and keeping up with Kensi here, I haven't had much time to post. Plus, I have honestly just been enjoying a little rest and relaxation. Jeremy and I got to go to A&M game at UT on Thursday (WHOOP!) and we had a dinner date night last night. Thankfully Jeremy's family kept an eye on Kensi for us and that was wonderful.

In between the festivities, I have been trying to look around at all the hype about Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday that is approaching. Everyone knows this is one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year and retailers are slashing prices and offering door busters and major coupons. As a new mom, my ability to be in the line at Kohl's at 4 a.m. is not really an option. So I have taken up shopping online as much as I can. And honestly, I feel like I find better deals as well as miss out on the increased anxiety levels that walking into Target on Black Friday morning gives me. Sheesh.

When I am doing online shopping, I try to find the best bargains and FREE shipping. One thing I have learned recently is that there are online companies that allow you to shop through 1000s of stores via their website and they track your purchases as well as give you CASH BACK on them.

It's called Ebates.

Ebates is an easy to navigate cashback site. Cashback sites work with online retailers to offer you a percentage back as "cash back". So when you’re shopping online, you just go to Ebates, search for the store you’re wanting to buy from, then click through that store’s page on Ebates and make your purchase. After processing, your Ebates account will be credited with your cashback percentage. Even small percentages of purchases can really add up over time. I look at it as...if I'm already going to be making the purchase, I might as well see if Ebates offers cash back for that store and shop through it to get money back. I haven't met anyone that doesn't like free money yet, so I thought I'd share this with you all.

When you sign up and make your first purchase, you get a $5 bonus added to your account. I recently did this an ordered through Ebates to get diapers at Diapers.com when they were having a huge sale and I stacked it with an additional coupon I had. When you're routinely buying stuff like diapers, extra cash back can quickly add up. Especially when you buy bulk. But even small things like a book or shoes can add up over time. Consider Ebates your new Mall and all of its retail partners the stores you want to visit while you're there buying.

So head over to Ebates, sign up, and start earning a little payback for your paying. :)

I hope this helps those of you who plan on shopping online for Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday bargains!

Hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving and safe travels. I made Kensi the most darling turkey day tutu and turkey onesie I will be posting pictures of when I make it back to Houston tomorrow.

XOXO,

Kirbs

A pretty package.

2010-11-23T10:35:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I received a very pretty package in the mail. Well, I take that back...Jeremy received a very pretty package in the mail at work that was addressed to me. Considering its contents, I am sure he was embarrassed. I must have accidentally let our computer auto fill our address, which is very easy to mix up with his work address unless you are paying attention because they are across the street from each other. And I don't really do the whole 'paying attention' thing very well.

I was so anxious all day waiting for him to get home. Like a really bad itch you're not supposed to scratch, but you keep on scratching because it feels so good. I'm weird. But you already knew that. And I'm guessing you're ok with it or else you wouldn't keep venturing over here.

ANYWAYS.

This package.

It was so pretty.

It made my heart happy.

And it also reinforced how badly, how utterly painstakingly I am DYING to get a sewing machine and learn how to sew. I keep reiterating this to Jeremy. As well as Santa.

I used to take lessons from my Grandmother when I was in elementary school. Some days after school I would go over to Grandmother & Grandfathers and she would help me play the piano or sew fun projects. She always let me have cookies and milk too. Those yummy, butter shortbread cookies. Mmmmm...

But back to the pretty package.

As soon as I opened it, I had to rub it, and feel it, and hold it up in all different kinds of light. And ask Jeremy what he thought about it. It was definitely one of my dorkier moments. But I am sure that's why he married me. Is dorkier a word?

Just look at that loveliness. Ok, so the lighting wasn't the best in these pictures I took. It's been pouring rain all morning and I could hardly get any good light in. But that is besides the point.

I got these two fabrics from Marie-Madeline Studio. I stumbled across it in a Money Saving Mom blog post and immediately fell in love with its products. Everything from fabrics to Nana's dishcloths to sewing patterns. I chose these two to coordinate with each other. I don't have any set-in-stone plans for them yet. Other than go into the big pile of crafts and random hobbies that Jeremy keeps asking me to organize into our living room storage closet. Oopsies.

Top Ten Reasons why I am obsessed:

1. My favorite color is yellow.

2. It screams Betsey Johnson to me. The girly, flirtiness of the floral and colors. Do you see it?

3. It is a perfect blend of cotton and very good quality.

4. Again, it reinforces my unearthly obsession with wanting to sew.

5. It gives me inspiration for making adorable baby girl things like skirts, bows, dresses, etc.

6. It gives me inspiration for Kensi's future adorable shabby girl's bedroom. (She's 7 months going on 13 years old.)

7. It reminds me of my college bedroom decor that I let my bestie LeeAnn take under her wing once I got married. Maybe LeeAnn would like a custom matching pillow for her bedspread?

8. It was on sale.

9. Shipping was free.

10. Did I mention I love yellow?

11. It reminds me off my all-time favorite dress I found in a market in Nice, France when I studied abroad that somehow mysteriously vanished two summers ago.

Oh how I miss that dress.

That's me in Nice, France in the Summer of 2008. Notice the curly hair?
Yea, good luck finding a European straightener or blow dryer.

12. It came wrapped up perfectly with a silk, pink ribbon and a hand written thank you card. That was the icing on the cake.

Yes, I can count. Yes, I realize I listed twelve reasons. Yes, this is MY blog. And yes, I make the rules...so therefore I am allowed to break them as necessary.

Other obsessions from the studio:

Probably my favorite.

Oh heavenly fabric. How I love thee.

Stumbling upon an online fabric store is the same as walking into a real-life fabric store. I still get the goosebumps and want to curl up in all the pretty fabrics and take a nap. So what.

Sorry for the random trips down memory lane today. But it's my blog and I can do that. Because I said so.

The end.

Love,
Kirbs