1.

Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

2.

Charlie’s Baptismal Rosary

Hand-crafted by the kind-hearted and talented Ruth Tucker of Loreto Rosaries. Thank you so much for this incredibly special gift, Ruth!

3.

Dan’s interview with Peter Herbeck on The Choices We Face

Dan was invited to appear on The Choices We Face to discuss his reversion and book, Choosing Joy. Good stuff. Peter Herbeck is a fantastic interviewer and you all already know how I feel about the interviewee. ;)

4.

Charlie’s Personalized Blanket from Personal Creations

Sarah from Personal Creations was sweet enough to send this cable knit blanket to Charlie. Though I admit that I’m a sucker for personalized baby blankets (all of my kids have had one), this one was especially great. The cable knit is thick enough to keep him warm, soft enough to keep him cozy, and stretchy enough to make the perfect swaddle. Highly, highly recommend.

5.

Anna’s Charleston Getaway Recap

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I had the good fortune of meeting Anna and her husband, Gabe this past weekend. Today she posted a recap of their trip to Charleston. Her photographs are so charming that I think I just fell even more deeply in love with this sweet city of mine.

Or you could just click through to see a 37+ week pregnant woman looking graceful on a bike. She’s something else, that Anna “Mermaid” Liesemeyer.

Favorite away, cutie pies!

i

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Dan and I have been through a lot together. This coming fall it will have been twelve years since that cool October night we were married. Twelve years! That’s just crazy talk. And yet when I look at our wedding photographs I think thoughts that I previously assumed were reserved for people who had long passed their twenty-fifth anniversary.

Thoughts like: We were so young!

In a sense, life has matured us to a far greater degree over the past decade than I ever could have imagined. Life poured six babies into our hearts; Life asked us to trust him (and each other) as we wrestled with a decade of financial hardship; Life asked us to travel from state to state as we sought the place in which the earth would invite us to put down roots; and Life said, “I know this is hard, love each other anyway.”

And we did.

Imperfectly, of course. I cringe when I think of the things I’ve said and the damage I’ve caused, but my sweet husband has remained emphatic that forgiveness and love rule our home. He has taught me how to leave the pain behind and march forward with him, hand in hand.

There are moments in life when God lifts you up and gives you a moment of ecstatic clarity. These are the moments that give all those crosses meaning and reveal their goodness. Moments of reprieve.

This past Friday night reminded me that we are smack dab in the middle of one those moments.

Beautiful Charleston has treated us very well and has brought so many selfless, good-hearted people into our lives. People who, when I leave my kids when them to spend time with Dan, make me think, “This isn’t just good for Dan and I, this is good for the kids. These people enrich our children’s lives.”

People like:

Hannah, who hatches plans to teach my girls the “dramatic mermaid” move at the pool and take them on girlfriend dates.

Valerie, who goes all vogue and strikes many a pose with Lucy Jean.

Chris, who shares his rich heritage with my boys. You see, Chris is the great, great, great, great, great grandson of Redbeard, the infamously cruel pirate. Did you know that if Chris grew out his beard you could see traces of red? It’s true, my boys told me so.

And Therese, who…well, she loves my kids with such tenderness that it makes me want to be a better mother.

These people. I mean, there are no words. My kids are lucky ducks. And blessed, too.

Friday night Hannah and Chris came and took over as Dan and I hit the road and headed to Basil Thai.

Oh. My. Yum.

Just look at these drinks! Mine is the Margarita on the right, and his is the Bourbon and Ginger Beer on the left. Oh-so so so good.

The food was also delicious (hello, Neua Nam Tok, you lover you), and the ambiance so warm, that I went back the next night with Anna of In Honor of Design and her husband, Gabe, who were visiting Charleston for their upcoming anniversary.

If you’ll indulge me a tangent, can I just say that I think Anna might be a mermaid? She has that naturally beachy hair that the rest of us are always striving to achieve, was absolutely luminous (even at 37 weeks pregnant!), is as sweet as pie, and loves the water.

You do the math.

Her husband is awesome, too (though I can’t say that I got a merman vibe from him). Such a cute couple. It was a treat to spend time with them.

After a dinner that may or may not have included a few “get a room” gazes, Dan and I went to Isle of Palms and took a walk on the beach. The wind was up just a bit from the last remaining bands of the tropical storm and the shore was dotted with couples kissin’ and children chasing sea life with flashlights. I could walk that stretch of beach every night and never get tired of it.

We chatted and held hands and as I dipped my toes in the water and gazed at the stars above I couldn’t help but to get a bit choked up as I thought, “We made it.”

We made it through all those trials I listed above, through seasons where date nights like this would have been an impossibility, and we still love each other. So, so much. This man is my rock, my true love, and my dear, dear friend. Plus, he just looks so cute in a suit. I’m ridiculously unworthy of him.

And what do you know but we’ve finally found our home, our little slice of heaven on earth. Right here in Charleston, South Carolina.

Since life is still chaotic and this season isn’t without it’s own little crosses, it would be easy to miss this moment of restorative grace. So I won’t. I’ll soak it up and savor it all and prepare myself to continue to fight the next good fight. After all…

There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every affair under the heavens.

A time to give birth, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

What a gift it is, this time.

After an hour or so we walked back up the unfinished, sandy pier, over the beach grass, and back to our car. And do you know what we did on the way home?

We went grocery shopping. Which was really kind of perfect.

I’m a Sephora girl through and through, ’tis true, but I’m also fond of the I’m in Walgreens anyway, why not just grab a little bit of love from the makeup aisle? maneuver. Because some days (okay, a lot of days) simply demand a little lagniappe of the beauty variety. And though it’s also true that most of my favorite beauty products are of the higher end variety, I have discovered a few drugstore makeup brand treasures over the years that I’ve come to love and depend on when it’s penny pinching time. And honestly, some of them give their departments store brand counterparts a serious run for their money.

Anyway, since a couple of people have asked me to share, I thought I’d devote my Five (plus one) Favorites this week to reviewing a few of those lovelies…

1.

Lipstick

In the product description, Revlon’s Lip Butter is described as a “buttery balm” and that’s exactly what it is. It’s soft, it’s sweet, it’s pretty, and I am quite smitten with it.

Revlon’s Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick is my favorite of the long lasting lipsticks because though it may not condition as well as Lip Butter, it’s not nearly as drying as the other long lasting lipsticks I’ve tried. It lasts all day and that is something this busy mom is oh-so grateful for.

2.

Mascara

So, we had a little conversation recently about our favorite drugstore mascaras over on Instagram. The top 4 recommended varieties ended up being Maybelline Lash Discovery, L’Oreal Paris Voluminous, Covergirl Clump Crusher, and Maybelline Great Lash. I myself have long been a Lash Discovery devotee because it miraculously manages to add quite a bit of length to my incredibly stubby eyelashes. In fact, I love it so much that I don’t even ever splurge on department store brand mascaras anymore. How about that?

Even though I’ve always been perfectly happy with Lash Discovery, I did decide to try Clump Crusher recently because of all the rave reviews I kept running into online. It’s pretty great, girls. As I mentioned, Lash Discovery adds a lot of length, but if you’ve already been blessed with nice long lashes (lucky ducks) Clump Crusher adds a yummy va-va-voomish thickness.

3.

Concealer

I’ve tried quite a few concealers over the years and Maybelline’s New York Fit Me! is the only drugstore brand that I’ve ever been happy with. It gives great coverage while still maintaining a lovely natural look. I love it.

4.

Eyeshadow

I have yet to try a Rimmel eyeshadow that I wasn’t happy with, but their Glam’Eyes Quad line is my favorite. I just love having a collection of coordinating colors in one compact set. Easy breezy beautiful. (Sorry, Covergirl.)

5.

Blush

This may just be due to my unique skin type, but now that I’ve discovered cream blush I will never go back to the powdered stuff. Maybelline’s Dream Mousse Blush is fantastic. It offers a subtle soft glow and is super easy to apply. Win/win.

6.

Loving the cat eye look like I do, I’ve tried many a gel eyeliner. My absolute favorite is Bobbi Brown’s Long Wear Gel Eyeliner. If you’re looking for a drugstore substitute, though, Maybelline’s Lasting Drama is pretty great.

For a slightly softer eyeliner look CoverGirl Perfect Point has yet to let me down. It doesn’t smudge, the color is strong, and the soft blending tip is a nice added bonus. Good stuff.

So, there you have it! My absolute favorite drugstore beauty products. Have I missed any must-haves?

Happy gussying, cutie pies!

i

Edited to add: For more makeup tips, check out Jen’s awesome guest post. :)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I had a close friend in high school who was beautiful, talented, kind-hearted, and smart. The first time I met her I was mesmerized. She had a laugh that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. It was infectious. Our lives have gone in very different directions but I miss her.

The sad thing was that she couldn’t see how luminous she was. At least not back then. I hope that’s changed. At first, when she’d mercilessly tear herself apart, I’d simply roll my eyes at her silliness and try to open her eyes to the beauty that was everything about her. Eventually I grew tired of the seeming futility of the whole thing so I simply silently sat and listened.

Only in retrospect can I see how little by little my own perception of her started to shift. Never did I sit back and analyze whether or not her criticisms had merit. It was more of an innocent, gentle brainwashing that occurred. Over and over again I listened as she gave voice to the insecurities that ate away at her and before I knew it, I, too, was seeing a bit of what she saw.

It was all a lie, of course – she was (and I presume still is) beautiful, talented, kind-hearted, and smart. But I lost sight of that because the narrative she offered was one of unflagging criticism. The message was stuck on repeat and after a while I bought into it.

This morning as I watched my two-year-old spill chocolate milk on the front of her shirt I thought about how I might as well toss the shirt into the trash bin because in my forgetful sleep-deprived state, and considering the heaps of laundry already waiting to be washed, the shirt was a goner for sure. I can’t even remember to turn off the water in the sink before I leave the kitchen (three times this week already, girls). How was I ever going to remember to attack that potential stain before it was too late?

I’d only been awake for thirty minutes and already my knuckles were getting white and my jaw tense.

Somewhere in the middle of this pity party it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, I was kind of doing the same thing my high school friend had done. I mean, she was so fixated on the myriad things that she perceived to be less than ideal about herself that she missed her own charm entirely. Is that what I’d been doing with my daily life?

When I took another look at Zelie I realized that a two-year-old with golden, spring-y ringlets surrounding her head, and her fair share of toddler chub, gulping chocolate milk (aka: “chokit malk”) out of an owl cup is a pretty darn cute sight. One that a whole lot of people would give their right arm to see every morning.

And that shirt? Three dollars from Target. If I were smart I would just toss it into the wastebasket and save myself the grief.

That’s just one example out of stream of negative thoughts that I’d been allowing to color my perception of this delightful life I lead. Thoughts which, should I allow them to remain on repeat, would no doubt eventually convince me that things really are terrible (which is just silly).

Is cynicism easier, less of an energy expenditure, than hopefulness and appreciation? Because I am really tired. Or is it just that I’d nurtured the bad habit of discontent for so long that I’d lost sight of what I was doing?

And even in that last paragraph I’m kind of nurturing another bad habit (the habit of being just a little bit melodramatic) because it’s not true that I’ve been wandering around perpetually dissatisfied with my life. I love my life. I always have. It’s just that I think I could love it even more, and savor it better, if I put a little effort into re-framing my thoughts.

For example: I’m not trapped in a bed with a ravenous nursing infant while the rest my children destroy the house all around me, I’m resting in my bed with a delicious baby while my other little ones nurture their creative sides.

That last part might be a little bit of a stretch, but you get the idea.

A slice of positivity pie am I.

All this is not to say that finding humor in the indisputable difficulties of life with lots of small people is not a brilliant move (if only I were that funny), or that the daily you-know-what fest with your best friend isn’t an invaluable way to release pressure. Might it be, though, that if I could just hush that pessimistic voice inside my head from time to time (and instead seek out the charm) that I’d feel a little less burdened by the trials of daily life?

I think maybe so.

Hey, cutie pies!

I’m afraid I’ll have to skip posting my Five Favorites this week. Oh-so sadly, I have a house full of sicklings to care for. I can’t wait to read about all of your favorites as I snuggle with my little loves, though!

xoxoxo,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

1.

Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life

I just finished Strange Gods by the always smart and often sassy Elizabeth Scalia (AKA: The Anchoress) and was blown away by its goodness. Some spiritual works offer delicious food for thought but aren’t necessarily fun to read, and some are amusing but aren’t terribly edifying, but Elizabeth manages to gift us with both in her new book.

Her words entertained me, challenged me, and left me wanting to email her and insist that she give me a sneak peek of her next work (which she’d better be working on!). I already knew that Elizabeth was incredibly wise and a phenomenal writer but it can be hard to transition from writing short articles to penning full-length books. She nailed it, though. This book is a triumph and a must-read. I am better for having read it, which is the test of a truly good book, don’t you think?

2.

Writing

In the year since Style, Sex, and Substance was released I’ve received several lovely offers to write another book from editors that I would love to work with and publishers I admire. Although I was seriously tempted (and do hope to create another book one day soon) the man upstairs made it abundantly clear that it wasn’t quite the right time. Instead I’ve spent the last year simply getting ready for sweet Charlie, enjoying my husband, spending quality time our kids, and settling into our new home. No regrets.

Last week I was invited to contribute a chapter to a new book that is in the works, though, and that feels just right. I don’t think I realized just how much I’ve missed writing. It makes me surprisingly happy to think about spending time this summer penning something new.

3.

Curl Easy Pro Brush

I’m so hopeless as a doer of hair. I don’t think my little girls have ever sported so much as a braid. Which is heartbreakingly sad because I so love cute hair-dos!

I finally mastered the sock bun late last year (after much trial and toil) but Victory Rolls (my absolute fave) have remained elusive.

Until recently!

In my quest to master those cute as pie rolls I consulted with Ms. Pinterest who led me to this post over on the Bobbi Pin blog which recommended using the Curl Easy Pro Brush. Since it was only $6 I went ahead and ordered it but didn’t dare hope. Much to my surprise it actually worked! It may look like a torture device (see link above), and I may be all thumbs, but together we make magic.

4.

Vibrams

My pride has taken a hit (just look at them), but I have a new lease on life thanks to my Vibrams. Up until my third child was born I could easily pull off three miles during the week and six miles on the weekend. After Sophia was born, though, I just could never quite work back up to more than a run/walk and repeat. For some reason (let’s not speculate), I would always end up with knee and hip pain within days of starting to train.

Jen has been singing the praises of Vibrams for over a year now so despite my husband referring to them as monkey shoes and my daughter calling them bunny shoes, I bit the bullet and bought a pair.

Life. Changing.

No aches, no pain, I can run farther than I have in a long time, and with more ease. I know. It’s a hard sell. Need more convincing? I highly recommend reading Born to Run (such a great book). It gives more detail on why so many people are finding Vibrams to be such a Godsend.

5.

The 5K Runner App

So many people rave about the Couch to 5K program but I could never get into it because I just couldn’t imagine messing with a stopwatch (or even just keeping an eye on my watch) while I tried to coax my body out of couch mode and into 5K mode. When I heard there was an app (many, actually) I decided to give it a whirl.

I can now join the chorus of people singing “C25K is the best 5K Training Program EVER!!!” I love it.

There are a bunch of apps to choose from and I had no idea which one was best so I just chose one that had a lot of positive reviews. There aren’t any bells and whistles really, just an encouraging voice that interrupts my music to tell me to “start running” and “slow down to a walk.” Oh, and badges! I get badges for being a good little runner. I never would have imagined that a virtual badge that tells me that I have a “Lion’s Heart” could delight me so but there you go.

Kisses!

i

P.S. If you missed my Father’s Day giveaway post you can find it right here! It will be open through Sunday. :)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This contest is closed. Congratulations, Serena!

My husband Dan’s book, Choosing Joy, came out back in November and though I meant to do a holiday-inspired giveaway back then, life in a new town, pregnancy, and the normal Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s craziness all thwarted my best efforts. But I’m finally getting my groove back (cheesy, I know) so I thought I’d do a fun Father’s Day giveaway!

What’s up for grabs?

• A $100 Amazon gift card!
• and a signed copy of Dan’s book, Choosing Joy!

(Here is the Introduction in full if you’d like to get a taste for the tone and read Dan’s thoughts on why he wrote this book.)

Call me biased, but I think Choosing Joy would make the perfect Father’s Day gift for any and all of the guys in your life. I know a lot of men are wary of spiritually-themed books (and often rightly so) but this one truly is written in a way that makes it accessible to all. It’s not loaded with platitudes or chock full o’ saccharine and it doesn’t give easy answers or pretend that life is all sunshine and roses.

So, what is his book all about?

I think Jen Fulwiler summed it up best in her review:

“It seems like a lot of folks I know are struggling right now. Some are having financial problems, others family problems; some are dealing with physical or mental health issues; others are just bummed out about the state of the world. Many of them report that the worst of it is the impact it’s had on their spiritual lives. “It’s one thing to face this endless stream of one problem after another,” someone I know said recently, “but by far the hardest part is that all of this has made my spiritual life like a barren wasteland.” She seemed to feel guilty as she lowered her voice and added, “My relationship with God doesn’t bring me happiness anymore.”

If you feel like this, or even close to it, read this book. It doesn’t offer quick-fix solutions (Dan points out that Christian joy isn’t an instantaneous thing that happens the moment we believe: “Joy is not a flag Jesus plants in us; it is a fruit Jesus grows in us”). There are no promises that it will make all your problems go away and leave you in a peppy mood for the rest of your life. It’s better than that. It’s a field guide for wading through the thorny trails of earthly life, and finding the only thing that is real and true underneath it all. It’s a detailed instruction manual for making your soul fertile soil for the seeds of the Holy Spirit, from whom all true joy springs.

This is one of the most needed books to have come along in years. It answers just the right questions, in just the right way, at just the right time. You won’t be sorry you read it.”

(More of Jen’s thoughts on Choosing Joy here.)

I hope you all get a chance to read it. I just know you’ll love it.

To enter, simply help us spread the word about Choosing Joy on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.

Ms. Rafflecopter has all the details below.

Thanks, sweet friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We moved to Charleston during my first trimester, my second trimester hit right in the middle of the crazy holiday season, and my third trimester found me melodramatically lying on my couch.

Why am I sharing this with you? Simply to explain why it took me no less than nine months to feather my new nest. Our home was so spartan that visitors couldn’t help but comment. In a nice way, of course, but still. They noticed. And though Jen’s fantastic post tried to assure me that this was not a result of my laziness, I have to admit to being pretty relieved when the home decorating bug finally hit me last week.

My Dad happened to be visiting from California and wanted to buy me a birthday present (so sweet!) so we headed to my favorite thrift store while my awesome husband watched the kids. To say that we hit the jackpot might be a little bit of an understatement.

Here, take a peek at my five favorite thrift store finds:

1.

My Dad and I didn’t end up buying this one when we went shopping but I did send Dan a picture and then wouldn’t stop talking about it so he took it upon himself to pick it up, bring it home, and give it to me for Mother’s Day (along with those gorgeous tulips).

He’s the sweetest.

And an amazing writer. (Excerpt here! Awesome review here!)

I just love him to pieces.

2.

This one was a birthday gift from my Dad and brings me such joy for the promise it holds. Can’t you just hear it crying out, “Your children will never lose their coats or shoes again!!!”? Or is that just my imagination? (Shhhhh! Don’t break the spell!)

3.

Another gift from my Dad! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this dinette set. Sitting in front of that big picture window in the morning with sweet Charlie, a book, and a cup of coffee has filled my mornings with such sweetness.

4.

Wish me luck (or pray your little hearts out) as I attempt to turn this into a chalkboard! I’m not exactly the crafty type. I just hope I make up for it in enthusiasm because I’ve got buckets of that.

5.

This picture doesn’t do this shelf justice. The color is simply gorgeous in real life. It currently sits to the right of my new dinette set and opposite the mirror above. I’m thinking of perching chalk on the top of it but if you have any other ideas for what it could hold please let me know!

Happy favorite-ing, friends!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I have family in town so gorgeous Grace has sweetly agreed to play hostess this week. Head over to her place tonight (or tomorrow or the next day or the day after that) to link-up your Five Favorites posts! See you all next Wednesday!

(And one of these days I might even post a non-5 Faves post! I just need to sniff Charlie’s delicious newborn neck and chrism-covered head one or one million more times first. He’s just so yummy!)

1.

Lancome Mousse Radiance Clarifying Self-Foaming Cleanser

Lancome’s Mousse Radiance is everything I’ve ever dreamed a face cleanser could be. I’ve been searching for my ideal face wash for the longest time and have never been perfectly satisfied until now. This deliciousness feels like foamy velvet (which sounds weird, I know, but trust me – it’s so very good), smells incredible, rinses off easily without leaving a bit of residue behind, and keeps my skin clean, healthy, and not the least bit dry. I love this product. If they ever discontinue it I will cry.

2.

Overcoming Anxiety in Marriage by Elizabeth Duffy

You wrote in chapter 4 of the book Style Sex and Substance: “I hung my life on my husband’s fidelity, but I knew he would go to work and see prettier, more outgoing women than I.”  This is exactly my case!  I stay at home with my two young children while my husband travels for work.

On top of that, my husband told me he is attracted to a woman he works with.  I was very glad that he felt he could share that with me.  But at the same time, it made my fear take hold of me, and I have been very, very anxious about it.  I pray a rosary every day, but when issues come up, I just have these moments of sickening fear.

How did you overcome this?

Elizabeth’s response is fantastic. A must-read.

3.

Folex Instant Carpet Stain Remover

Does everyone and their mother already know of the miracle that is Folex? Why didn’t anyone tell me??? I know it claims on the bottle that it’s a no-rinse formula and that stains will simply disappear into thin air, but who actually believes those back of the bottle sales pitches? I guess I do now. I pretty much wasted $50 on renting a Rug Doctor this week because after pre-treating our carpet every single spot is gone. I wish I had before and after pictures to show you because this stuff is crazy.

Mothers of the world, do yourself a favor and buy a lifetime supply. (And if you do pick some up for yourself, make sure you saturate the stains and let them sit overnight. A couple of my really bad stains needed to be sprayed twice but they all came out eventually.)

4.

My new Le Creuset Salt and Pepper Shakers

I discovered the cutest little kitchen store around the corner from my house this past weekend. I wanted to buy all the Le Creuset things (they had a million!) but my pocketbook would only approve the purchase of this sweet salt and pepper set. Aren’t they darling, though? As Rachel said on Instagram, “every kitchen needs a signature S&P.” How very right she is. :)

5.

Blue Tile Backsplash

Isn’t that the most gorgeous shade of blue? I can just picture myself happily cooking for hours in a kitchen like that.

Take care, cuties!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥