WAITING FOR BEAN

A Sad Farewell. (For Now)

2011-10-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

This isn't something that I wanted to do. I fought it with all of my heart, but after the time quickly slipped away like it always does, I considered the option again.

I have to say farewell to Waiting for Bean for a while.

With school, work and family taking up 99% of my time, I have not been able to find the time to share my life with you all. This is something that makes me so sad, but just know that on the other side of things, I'm having a BLAST in hair school. I'm learning so much and can't wait to someday share it all with you.

I'm not going anywhere for good, just for right now.

See you soon!

Fall DIY Part 1

2011-10-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

I have not had the time to blog lately, but I thought that I would share this little home update I did! I am SO busy with school and work (both are going really well) but unfortunately I haven't had any time to sit down and write!

Remember the fabric magnet board tutorial I posted a while back? Well, said magnet board got a little fall update recently.

We added burlap to it! The greatest thing was that I got a TON of burlap from my work for free! I followed the same procedure as my previous magnet board posting and it came out really great! The only drawback was that my magnets do not hold very well. I'm sure some stronger will do really well with the update. A little texture for fall is just what this little space needed! I'm planning a few more projects with all of the burlap that I received and I can't wait to share them with you. Now if I could just find the time...

Hope everyone is having a great fall so far!

Fall Food Part I

2011-09-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking lately about how fall always come so late in Phoenix and why we all hate that. I'm so eager for the changing of the seasons that I thought that I would usher fall in with a series of fall themed posts. Here is what I am planning:

Fall Food

Fall DIY/Crafts

Fall Fashion

So today I thought that I would bring you Part 1 of Fall Foods! I made this classic clam chowder the other day, and it was way too good not to share with you. Perfect to warm you and your family up on those chilly fall nights!

The recipe goes as follows:

4 slices bacon, diced

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 1/2 cups water

4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Ground black pepper to taste

3 cups half-and-half

3 tablespoons butter

2 (10 ounce) cans of minced clams

Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.

This recipe delivers 8 servings and is SO yummy! Here is to fall foods!

Learning to Knit.

2011-09-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend my Mom and I attended a knitting class at Tempe Yarn and Fiber. It's been something that we have both wanted to learn how to do for a long time, and when Groupon offered a discounted class, my Mom took full advantage of it. The class was really informative, and I left with a new hobby! We learned the basics of knitting; just enough to go home and start something ourselves!

This is the very beginning of a scarf for Josh. How exciting! Speaking of Josh, on Saturday he surprised me with a sweet little package. It was supposed to be here for my first day of school, but it perfectly arrived after my very first week. I opened it, and to my surprise it was my favorite necklace from Mikaela Handmade! I love it dearly!

Busy, busy, BUSY.

2011-09-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have even really sat down in front of the computer in a couple of days.

Sorry for not posting anything lately, but my hair school adventure has started. I'm LOVING it so far, but combining school and work has been pretty difficult. Bean is loving daycare so far and has been coming home with great art and wonderful stories about new friends. I'm missing her and Josh a lot. I am not quite sure what that is going to look like for Waiting for Bean, but I'm hoping now to incorporate a bit more of what I'm doing these days into my posts.

Thank you for your patience and I promise something soon!!

My Girl is in School.

2011-09-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

I just dropped Bean off for her first day of school. She was a bit apprehensive, which I expected. I hope she has the best day and comes home with a lot of new stories. Listening to her share her day is one of my favorite things.

I, on the other hand will be having a strange day. It's going to be really different for me to not have her around. I do start school tomorrow, but just for today I will just be an off-duty Mom. (WHAT?!)

SIDENOTE: I couldn't put any words with that birthday video that I posted yesterday. Every year for Violet's birthday, I compile our favorite photos and videos and make a movie out of it. It was such a hit for her first birthday that I had to do it again for her second. Hope you liked it!

Violet's 2nd Birthday Video

2011-09-19T16:40:00.001-07:00

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New Gifts from B. Toys.

2011-09-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

Violet's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but my cousin Brooke and her sister Chelsea were not able to make it to the party. We had a family hang out yesterday and Brooke gave us a really neat new gift.

B. Toys has come out with this neat little pad that comes with little pens that you fill up with water. You can draw on the pad and the picture fades when it's dry! It's been a lot of fun for Bean and myself so far. We now have been gifted a few B. Toys items from last year's birthday and now this year's birthday and I love them. Not only are they really different, colorful toys, but their branding cracks me up.

I'm loving this new table and can't wait to see what else B. Toys comes up with!

Why I Picked Our Daycare/Preschool.

2011-09-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

The day is coming. I feel like I have been talking/praying/thinking about this for so long, and now it's almost here. Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. I start day 1 of my cosmetology degree. Wednesday morning I also have to take Violet to her first day of preschool/daycare.

Thinking about putting Violet in a daycare started out as a really hard decision for us to make. Being that I had been involved in the public school system for several years, I have been "blessed" to see the inner workings both good and bad. Thinking about having Violet placed somewhere where her needs weren't being met absolutely broke my heart. I knew what to ask and what to look for, so I knew that I would know the right place for her.

Violet has been home for 2 years. I have been incredibly blessed with a husband that has a strong will to provide for his wife and his family, and I got lucky enough to only work a few months here and there (until recently) throughout Violet's first couple years of life. When Josh and I made the decision for me to seriously pursue my cosmetology degree, I was praying that God would carry us in the same way that he carried our decision involving my education. I was not afraid for her to be in school; she is two and she really needs to have peer relationships. Violet has mastered the child/adult relationship, but the simple fact is that we just don't hang out with that many kids her age. She does well with the kids at church, but that has become more inconsistent now that I have gone back to work. Knowing this about her, I was looking for a school that could offer those kinds of relationships while still offering her a challenging and encouraging education.

I can't say that we look through hundreds of schools and found dead ends at every corner. Knowing our daughter well and knowing what our families beliefs and standards were, we knew that we wanted her in a Christian preschool. I can't say that at first we knew this, because it was actually my grandmother who said, "Why don't you look into a church school?" Why didn't I think of that? Our first option was your everyday run-of-the-mill Kindercare. The school was great, the teachers were great, everything was great but something just felt like it wasn't right. As soon as my grandmother had offered her advice, it clicked. I did some serious research, we found the right school, and she starts Wednesday!

A few things that I can offer up for anyone in the same position is:

-Know your child and know what kind of school they will flourish in. If they like art, put them in a daycare/preschool that does really great art, etc. Don't sign your kid up for a fancy schmancy school just because it's prestigious.

-Ask a LOT of questions. Teachers and directors are used to that. You might feel crazy, but trust me, it's better to know that not know.

-Check in. Talk to your kids about how their day was, what they did, etc. If they don't seem to be "getting along," then maybe start looking into different options.

-Think about what means a lot to you and your family when you think about a school. What's important to you? Do you have beliefs or standards that carry in to where you want your child to go? Brainstorm everything. It can be a really exciting process!

Wish me luck on Wednesday, friends. It's going to be a lot harder for me than it is Violet.

Brought to you by Mikaela Handmade.

2011-09-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across the amazingly beautiful little store called Mikaela Handmade the other day and was blown away by their pieces. I'm stepping into an 11 month long all black wardrobe season on Monday (I'm starting cosmetology school, finally!) and I need some jewelry to kick up my look a bit. Mikael Handmade is that little touch of whimsy everyone needs.

These are some of my favorites:

(all images via Mikaela Handmade)

Outfit.

2011-09-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hello! How was your weekend? This morning, I woke up and was able to have a cup of coffee outside for the first time in months. Fall is approaching slowly here in AZ. I can't wait for it! To help usher in it's arrival, I put a bit of fall into my outfit today.

Cardigan: Thrifted

Belt: Forever 21

Shoes: Thrifted

Pants: Forever 21

A New Friend.

2011-09-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the incredible pleasure of having coffee with the lovely Chelsea from Tea Talk and her boyfriend, Scott. We went to The Coffee Shop, a place that I had never been before (I asked her to take me somewhere "new"). We had a great time sharing stories and conversation.

I can't wait to spend some more time with them. There is a lot I think that I can learn and be encouraged in. So looking forward to it!

Labor Day Weekend. (Image Heavy)

2011-09-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

We decided to get out of the heat and take a little drive up to Prescott, Arizona. We visited with my grandparents and my Dad and had the most amazing time. It's incredible how driving a couple hours out of the city can change everything. We ate amazing home-cooked meals, left the windows open at night and thoroughly enjoyed each others presence.

Missoni for Target. Swoon.

2011-09-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

Is anybody as excited as I am for Missoni for Target?! I saw the promo ad this weekend while on "stay-cation" and got a little too excited in front of the family.

...they didn't really get it.

Here are some of my favorites that I cannot wait to get my pattern-lovin' hands on! With over 400 pieces to choose from, I think it's just going to be way too much of a good thing.

Happy Weekend!

2011-09-03T13:53:00.002-07:00

Happy Weekend everyone! Aren't we so lucky to get an extra day to relax and play?! I certainly am feeling lucky.

So, I got tattooed the other day. Let's just say I'm pretty psyched about it... Wanna see?!

Burnt orange and navy blue are going to be my "it" colors for this fall. This is a look that I plan on wearing a LOT.

This is my FAVORITE dress from Elsie's new collection. I think I need to own one...

This pretty little DIY will be hanging from our porch rafters.

I'm wishing that Bean was going to kindergarten so I could use this amazing "What to Wear" guideline.

Hope you all have a great, safe holiday weekend! See you next week!

THE Book Review.

2011-08-28T17:42:00.002-07:00

I've never done this before, but I felt like I absolutely had to being that it involves two of my most favorite people that I've never met.

Meet Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy. Ellis and Meloy are the super-talented husband and wife duo behind many wonderful projects. Ellis is the insanely talented illustrator that has worked with Meloy's band (my favorite of all time) the Decemeberists, and illustrated book covers, cd covers and much more. Her work reminds me of the photos that I would see as a child in my books; images that would take me far away from the regular day to day. Ellis and Meloy have teamed up once again not for a tour poster or album cover, but with their very own book, "Wildwood."

After coming home from seeing the Decemberists only a few weeks ago, I felt like after listening to this band for a solid 10 years I should know more about them. I had known briefly of Carson's work simply from her incredible album covers that she had illustrated for the Decemberists, but knew little else of what she did. The more I "researched" the more my heart fell in love. I came across "Wildwood" and was in awe. The book is a complicated tale of newness and adventure. Not the average children's book that I thought it to be...this was a book that I wanted to read myself. The images are incredible, the words by Meloy are classic Meloy, carrying an understand elegance and sophistication without making you pull out a dictionary every 5 seconds. I can't wait for this to show up in my mailbox.

(image source)

You can find much more out about "Wildwood" and read the first four chapters HERE.

Outfit.

2011-08-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend was all about work here at the Johnson household. But I wasn't at work forever! I had just enough free time to fit in a special outfit for a bit of free time with friends.

Shirt: Thrifted

Skirt: Vintage

Shoes: Target

To the "Working" Moms/Wives Out There...

2011-08-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Instead of my usual Happy Weekend! post, I'm going to tackle something on here that I have been having somewhat of a hard time with. I'm sharing this with you because maybe you have felt this way at one time or another. Strength in numbers, right?

Ever since I officially went back to work, I feel like I have been "falling short" of my wifely duties. Sometimes there are dishes in the sink, the floors are not vacuumed, the kid needs a bath and there is laundry to be done. For most people, this isn't really a big deal to have a few things left undone. For me, being home at two years and having the time to raise a child and keep everything almost freakishly neat has been possible...until now. I think that this time at home has been incredible for both Bean and I, but has honestly tainted my view of what my capacity for running a household is. Our schedule now is not ideal; Josh and I see each other only a couple hours a day on days that I work, dinner has to be planned/prepared before he gets home (which usually doesn't happen that often) and everything needs to be scheduled so that he can help. When I am off "providing" for the family, he is at home painting our daughter's nails and reading bedtime stories. I am not resentful or ungrateful, but this whole concept is just different. How realistic is keeping a clean house, a bathed child and making sure the bills are paid all of the time?

This question has made me want to reach out to other working moms and wives. You can work part time, from home, or whatever else you can classify as work. How do you do it? What does it look like for you? Are my expectations of myself even remotely close to being realistic? I would love some insight because I feel like a crazy person...

(I have to say thank you though to an amazing husband who has enough grace and patience to be Mr. Mom when I am at work. To he who paints Bean's nails, puts extra bubbles in her bath, and reads more than enough stories at bedtime: you are incredible. Thank you for letting me help carry the load. I'll do it any day for you.)

Violet's 2nd Birthday

2011-08-22T10:49:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was Bean's 2nd Birthday. It was such a great day filled with friends, family and a very good reason to celebrate. Here are some of my favorite photos from yesterday's celebration.

Happy second birthday, Violet!

Happy Weekend!

2011-08-19T14:03:00.000-07:00


(source)

Happy weekend everyone! I am trying to complete my jam packed list of to-do's for this weekend, but I thought I'd share some lovelies with you that I enjoyed this week...

This just might be the most incredible dress I've ever seen.

What an awesome cupcake stand. A definite for our DIY list.

I'm waiting not-so-patiently for fall. Even more impatient for this at this place.

Finally, celebrating our big girl's 2nd birthday. There just aren't words.

Hope you have a happy weekend friends!

"Almost 2."

2011-08-18T11:00:00.001-07:00

If you were to ask Violet her name and how old she was, she'd be able to answer you.

She'd say something along the lines of this:

Me: "What's your name?"

Bean: "Dioletttttt."

Me: "How old are you?"

Bean: "Almost two."

Her use of the word almost makes me want to think that she understands that something exciting is approaching, that we are counting down the days until we celebrate her day of birth. The anticipatory almost. Violet's almost.

In light of her almost birthday, my cousin Chelsea at Sofia Brown Photography (previously Green Apple Foto) shot some really amazing pictures of her. Our girl looks so big, so very much like a two year old should look.

What My New Hair Needs.

2011-08-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Ever since I went ombre several weeks ago, my hair hasn't exactly been cooperating with me. I couldn't figure out why, so I decided to ask my best friend/dream stylist how I could "fix" it. She pointed me in the direction of a few products that have worked wonders for me, and lucky you, I'm going to share them with you!

1. Paul Mitchel Super Skinny Serum

I love this serum because unlike most of the many other serums that I have tried, this one does not weigh my hair down or leave it feeling greasy. It also cuts drying time down by 30%! When I had my hair done, my student stylist used the smoothing serum on me and I was hooked. It has controlled my frizz (I have really coarse, thick hair that tends to get frizzy) and adds great shine. I recommend this for anyone looking for a great smoothing product. Oh yeah, it works really well with styling tools for heat protection as well.

2. Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo

This was part of the trio of products that I recently purchased from my local Ulta. When my best friend/dream stylist told me how great this line was, I had to find out for myself. She uses it on her own hair, so I knew that it was great. I got the shampoo, daily treatment conditioner and the moisture mist in a combo pack for a really great price! What I like about this shampoo is that it makes your hair feel really clean. I have been using just your everyday, run of the mill shampoos and my hair felt clean, but always felt dry and damaged. This shampoo totally changes that!

3. Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Treatment

With this conditioner, a little bit goes a LONG way. For my medium length hair, I only use about a nickel size and it leaves my hair feeling so strong. Blondes need a lot of moisture, which my best told me, so a moisture shampoo/conditioner combo is key. After not using a moisturizing shampoo/conditioner after I got my hair lightened, my ends started to split like crazy. From the blow dryer to the flat iron, curling iron, triple barrel waver, etc. I was just damaging without any repair. In the week that I have had this conditioner, I have noticed incredible repair. I've never had that with any conditioner before, so I'm thrilled! Great product for really damaged, dry hair.

4. Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist

This is a great touch up product for my hair. It reactivates any product I already have in my hair, making it really great for a quick touch up if I need one, which I usually do. I use it a few times a day and it gives my hair a quick shot of moisture. It doesn't work or feel like a hairspray; there is no residue left over once you've sprayed it in. Great for a on-the-go girl!

I am LOVING these products for my new hair! Get that moisture, gals!

DIY Birthday Decor

2011-08-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Bean's 2nd birthday is just around the corner. While I still remain in shock of how fast the last year has gone by, I had to snap out of it in time to make some really special birthday decorations for our almost 2 year old.

When thinking about what I (we) wanted for Violet's princess themed birthday party, all I could think of was sparkle. I did some online research, gathering some really cute ideas in a Pinterest folder. Not trying to go over the top, I went to Michael's to try and put together my vision. When we walked up to the store, they had a few sale bins out front. What did I see, but the amazingly cute pre-made award ribbons. I grabbed all that they had (how convenient that they were all pink and gold). While I was there, I also bought some striped card stock, decorative paper, glitter glue; you name it, I bought it. I have to leave some mystery for the party right?

With these pre-made ribbons, the "award" section was what I got to make. Now I had a reason to make paper rosettes, thank goodness. I have seen them all over the internet made for weddings/birthdays/anniversaries/parties making me love them even more. Following some very simple instructions, I crafted some myself. I loved this tutorial brought to you by Paper Source. I would personally explain how I made these myself, but the product will be much more successful if you follow with photos...I promise. Maybe these will help...

(The stamps I used c/o Michael's)

I plan to hang these in front of the dessert table, but we'll see. It's hard planning a party when you have no idea what it looks like inside. I going out on a limb here, but I'm confident that we can make it fun AND beautiful!

Sneak Peek.

2011-08-10T14:30:00.002-07:00

I worked for a few hours yesterday on Violet's "birthday" room makeover. Here is just the first sneak peek...

New Bed for Bean.

2011-08-09T12:07:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I really love Craigslist.

A couple of days ago while browsing through the baby/kids section, I came across this little gem at the top of the screen:

Toddler Bed/ Great Shape $35

Ever since Bean became mostly potty trained, it's been really hard for her to stay in diapers at night. In the morning, she'd take them out and pee in her bed. We started talking about getting her a little toddler bed so that she could get in and out of bed (with permission of course) and go to the bathroom. She might be a little young, but she's a pretty good girl and it's good for her to learn some responsibility, right? So, I emailed the woman and we eventually figured out the details. She came to deliver the sweet little bed yesterday afternoon, right after Bean had fallen asleep in her crib. The teeny little sleigh bed was just perfect for her.

With the addition of a new bed, we had to take her crib out. I'm also thinking of taking the glider chair out as well. I guess that this is the beginning of a total room makeover for her, isn't it? With a few new big birthday gifts coming, she's going to need some room. I'm now in the process of gathering some inspiration via the all helpful Pinterest. Her new bed will be decorated with her already owned Dwell Studio Tulip bedding. I'm thinking something a little more toddler, a little less baby. I've got big plans for Bean's room, which you'll see in the next couple of weeks as we get things moving.

So very sad/happy about our little girl growing up...