Lesley Graham

I NEED TO HEAR THE OCEAN

2012-02-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

top:photo bottom: left/right

I mentioned earlier that we are planning a family beach trip with some friends (in September!) and even though it's months away we are already in the planning stages and it's kind of all I want to think about. I love looking at beach houses. I don't have a lot of requirements but these houses above certainly fit the bill. One requirement we do have is a private pool because we will have some new babies on board and new moms certainly deserve to relax! We are looking at the South Walton Beach area. If you know of any great houses that sleep around 10 with a pool, I'm all ears!

Also, I am so flattered to be in such good company over at the Homies Awards for best family blog on apartment therapy! It would obviously make my day if you wanted to vote for me. <3

HEALTHY DINNER CLUB 01

2012-02-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Last night was the first night of a healthy dinner club that I joined, led by my friend Paul. He sends out a couple of different healthy recipes to a small group of people, everyone brings the dish and then we all share. It was really cool to see different people's versions of the same dishes. They were all a little different. This week's "special ingredient" was curry. Listen, I love curry so I was a happy girl. It's a powerful spice full of antioxidants and these dishes are vegetable and protein rich and so, so yummy. I'm so excited to share these new-to-me recipes with you. We will be meeting one to two times a month. When preparing fresh food I find that it saves a lot of time to do a lot of the prep up front, that way when dinner time rolls around you can get a healthy, warm meal on the table in a flash.

Curry Chicken:

-Mix the ginger root, garlic, curry powder, sea salt and black pepper in a large bowl.
-Chop the chicken breasts into 1" pieces and put in the bowl with the ginger, garlic and spices.
-Coat the chicken with the spice mixture and set aside.
-Wash and prepare the mushrooms, zucchini and bell pepper. Set aside.
-Over medium heat, add 2 Tbs coconut oil to a large skillet.When hot, add the chicken, mushrooms, coconut milk and lemon juice to the pan. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
-Add the zucchini and bell pepper, and continue to cook until chicken is done (about 5-10 minutes).
-Garnish with chopped cilantro, cucumber and red onion.
*tip: marinate the chicken and chop all of the veggies in advance. i also added one can of coconut milk in the beginning and then the second can after I added in the peppers and zucchini.

Curry Cauliflower Rice:

-Wash and rough chop the cauliflower.
-Place it in a large skillet with coconut or olive oil and cook over medium high heat until slightly softened.
-Place the cauliflower, curry powder, green onion and cayenne into a food processor and pulse until it has a grainy rice-like consistency.
-Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The trick to the cauliflower rice really is a food processor. The people that used one really achieved a "rice-like" texture and it was so satisfying mixed with the Chicken Curry. So awesome. Enjoy!

WEEK 4

2012-02-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

photo: whole living

This week's focus is on exercise. Exercise and I have certainly not always been friends. I tend to go in and out of workout phases. The outs usually end up making me feel flabby and lethargic. After celebrating for the last few months (eek) I've gained ten pounds. Happens fast, but after all of the hard work I've done I'm determined to work it off (and fast). I'll be starting week one this week to jump start my metabolism. Too bad my fridge is full of yummy cheese and bubbly wine. Sigh.

My Fitness Plan:

Monday: Download My Fitness Pal (although not entirely accurate, I enjoy the accountability and it helps me to see what I'm putting in my body). My username is homemadegrits if you want to play along with me.

Mon/Tues/Thurs: My go-to workout video is 30-day shred. I sort of loathe it, but it works!

Wednesday/Friday: Yoga keeps me relaxed and is amazing for stretching and elongating muscles. I love long and lean muscles. Not so into really buff arms.

Saturday/Sunday: Family hikes and running with the help of this app.

Notes: When it comes to protein powders for after workouts it's important to look for all natural ingredients. Avoid powders with high fructose corn syrup and sucrulose. This whey protein from Vitacost (sign up through the vitacost link and you get $10 towards your first purchase) looks like a good one.

We are in the process of planning a beach trip with friends in September. Extra motivation to get in shape! I'll be using the Getting Healthy Log to track my weekly progress. I like visuals. The more the better!

I would love to hear your thoughts on fitness. What works for you?

FIVE DOLLAR FLOWERS

2012-02-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

When Matilda and I went to the store to stock up on a few party supplies we discovered that the roses (leftover from Valentine's most likely) were only $5 for two dozen?! I was so excited that I picked up a bunch of pale pink and a bunch of cream. I also threw in some inexpensive pink carnations. I like to mix flowers with herbs from my garden, makes them look fuller and a little messier. I used thyme, rosemary, and parsley. I love having flowers in the house. It makes me feel so happy. I was able to make FIVE arrangements out of all of those gorgeous roses. It was such a fun night with a small group of some of my favorite girl friends that I've known at least 10+ years. Everyone brought wine and cheese and we had olives and spinach dip. My expert dessert friend brought this which is always a hit. She used real whipped cream and Pamela's cookies. Yum. I made a tomato salad out of heirloom tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil, and salt + pepper. I also made roasted chickpeas with chipotle pepper and cayenne pepper. So easy and fun to snack on. It was a truly special night missing a few of my dear friends that are scattered across the country.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

2012-02-24T09:31:00.000-05:00

It's friday! The last couple of days have been a whirlwind but I wanted to share with you what a special day I had with my sister and family on my birthday. I started the day with my beautiful co-workers and then Rachel picked me up and we headed to Empire State South which has been on my restaurant list since it opened. I was not disappointed! It was such a beautiful space. We had lunch at the bar: I had the cauliflower soup and brussel sprouts (insane brussel sprouts) and Rachel had the croque monsieur. The show stopper however was the dessert: cake + ice cream in a pie crust with homemade vanilla bean whipped cream and candied kumquats. Seriously, if you live in Atlanta or are visiting, this one is a must!

Then we headed to the W (where I took this picture of Rachel in front of the living wall) to get our nails done at Bliss (thank you mama for the gift card!). I got my toes shellaced (sp?). Have you heard of this? Apparently it lasts forever (and will probably be murder on my nails).

We followed that up with some shopping and dinner with my family at Miso. Go here, get the the soft boiled egg on a rice cake, and thank me later. Then, we had my favorite cake (lemon cheese) at my Mama's. Such a sweet day, perfect really. So many thoughtful calls and notes and fabulous gifts! Thank you all for your sweet comments. I felt so loved on my birthday. I'm really thankful. I'm not usually a big fan of my birthday (love other people's) so it was really nice to soak up the day this year.

Hope you all get to indulge in something fantastic this weekend. I am so excited to have some of my oldest friends over for wine and snacks tonight. Any fun plans?

A YEAR AGO TODAY...

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

I was celebrating my 30th birthday in Costa Rica with my man and our good friends. These pictures gave me serious wanderlust. No tropical locale this year, but I am however looking forward to a day of pampering and shopping with my sister, getting sung to by my favorite little singer, and eating my favorite cake: Lemon Cheese.

PENDANT LAMP DIY

2012-02-21T09:36:00.000-05:00

Inspiration photo from Martha Stewart

I've been wanting to switch out the builder-beige light fixture that has been in Matilda's room since we moved in. Keeping our budget in mind we purchased this pendant lamp from Ikea. Although I like it just fine, I wanted to give it a little more whimsy. I was so inspired by these copper dots as seen here and here. I appreciate modern design, but it has to be softened to live in our house.

You'll need:

poster board
circle cutter
gold spray paint
paint thinner

I used the 2 3/8 hole to make my circle in the middle of a rectangular-shaped piece of poster board, about the size of a standard shoe box. You may need a helper for the second part. Sam held the lamp and sprayed inside the circle while I flattened the poster board on to the lamp to create the circles. Contact paper would also be a really easy way to do this. Simply cut out all of your circles and stick them accordingly on the lamp. I wanted the circles to be big and spread out to keep them looking a little more sophisticated. We finished the lamp by spraying lightly in a straight line at the bottom. Any smudges or overspray we removed with a cloth and a little paint thinner. That's it!

WEEK THREE

2012-02-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

beautiful berries photo from cannelle et vanille

You've made it! Week one and week two are the hardest weeks to get through. Now comes the fun, you can now introduce a cheat meal into your week. Enjoy planning out exactly what you want to splurge on and within an hour eat as much of whatever you want as possible. Most likely you'll be ready and willing to go back to eating healthy afterwards. Cheat meals usually leave you feeling uncomfortably satisfied. Ha.

Make sure to add in healthy fruits, specifically berries. They are lower in sugar than a lot of other fruits and they have loads of vitamins and antioxidants in them. Also feel free to add in sprouted grains like ezekial bread, but avoid eating fruits and grains together and stick to either food groups in the morning so that you have all day to use up their energy. You can also add in a glass of red wine, just not every day. I also forgot to mention that you should try to wait 12 hours between dinner and breakfast to help your body properly digest your food at night.

Feel free to ask any questions, basically from here on you'll be adding in around 5 more carbohydrates per day each week. Hope you are feeling healthy and energized. Your immune system will thank you too. Ever since changing the way I eat I get sick way less than I used to. I don't want to say how long its been so that I don't jinx myself.

MATILDA'S NEW ROOM

2012-02-20T14:40:00.003-05:00

Here is Matilda's little corner of the world. It makes me incredibly happy and I kind of want to sleep in here with her. As much as I love creamy pastels and sherberty colors, Matilda is so vivacious and fun that red always makes me think of her. When we went to Ikea I wasn't exactly planning on getting a duvet but these stripes called to me. I wanted bedding for her that she could grow with and well it doesn't get much more classic than stripes. Sam moved the keep calm poster over her bed and hung up her dream ring for sweet dreams! We also switched out the Shabby Chic balloon curtain for some more sophisticated linen ones. I tied the tie backs in knots to keep it a little fresher. I also switched out the shade on her mirrored lamp for a fun striped one courtesy of my Mama. Lastly, we changed out the ceiling lamp for a fun polka dot pendant which we created. Tutorial coming soon... We moved the birdie wall cards over her kitchen and I dressed up the bookshelves for Easter. We have a lot of bunnies and a lot of books on bunnies. That vintage Babar print was a gift from my sweet friend, Brittany. We love it and always get a lot of compliments on it. There are also a lot of handmade stuffed animals from friends like Lindsey and Jordan on display. While I can't say the bookshelves have maintained their color coding (get real) I did manage to organize the baskets. All of her cloth diapers went up to the attic (tear) and I put all of her kitchen supplies, puzzles, tiny pieces in plastic bags, in corresponding baskets. The biggest change we made was Sam installing these shelves complete with dog hooks and polka boxes for art supplies and dress up clothes. A place to display some of her prettiest things that she may not be quite old enough for yet. The hooks will be used for her accessories, back pack, etc. I wanted them to be in reach so she could hang things as well. The whole idea was to go vertical so that not everything was on the floor. We cleaned off her dresser and used my old mirror from when I was a kid. I left a few fun dress up books like Shoe-La-La from my sweet extended family and I had a Favorite Dress gifted to Matilda by my Mom as well as my dear friend Claire. If you read it you will know why. Such great, girly reads. We also left up her piggy bank (she loves to save money) and doll I made her, as well as an adorable valentine that I taped up with washi tape. The end.

OH, HI.

2012-02-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

taken from Sam's instagram

Hello! We had a seriously busy weekend. We finished Matilda's room. I am SO happy and I think she likes it. We spent all weekend fixing, cleaning, shopping at Ikea. Why is it that a project always takes multiple runs?! Sunday was spent cleaning out my Mom's garage. We found so many gems like this and this and this. So, in other words I am pooped and my sweet little fish is sick for only the second time in her life. Thankful she's so healthy.

Can't wait to show you pictures of Matilda's room. It was so dark and stormy that I'll have to wait on that mysterious sun to come out. Oh, and my amazingly thoughtful husband installed dimmers! I love them so much I want them in every room.

How was your weekend?

HAPPY FRIDAY!

2012-02-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

We are finally conquering this mess this weekend. I'm hoping to inspire Matilda to help me with this book. It's my one true birthday wish to get our house organized. I'm talkin' major purging happening. I don't want to have anything that I don't just LOVE in the house. That's the goal anyway. Some spring cleaning. We also have plans to do a little celebrating, which I like to keep low-key. Read: hot dogs and hanging out at the high with my man.

What are your plans?!

I ASPIRE TO BE...

2012-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

This week I've been really thinking about the kind of person I want to be. About what people would say about me at my funeral. Morbid, huh? I just want to be a person of substance. Someone that does more than instagram or make things. I want to make a difference. There are a lot of moments in my life that I wish I could do differently. I think a lot about my relationships with people. I want the people in my circle to know how much I love them. As ridiculous as this sounds I've been thinking a lot about Tammy Taylor. She's not a real person, she's a character on Friday Night Lights. Sam and I just started watching it and well, she's my new hero. I love the grace that she possesses under fire, her calm demeanor. She's a really good listener. She handles things so well. I want to be like her. She's a great wife and mother. In the end that's what really matters. What matters is how well we love people, how we glorify God, how we put ourselves last. It's kind of the opposite of that the world tells us to do, I think that's why it seems so unnatural. I'm working on growing up.

FOUR

2012-02-15T08:58:00.000-05:00

tee/ jeans/ booties /trench/

My birthday is next week and well I've got a wish list. Too bad I broke my sewing machine and my new beauty will be my birthday/ Christmas present for the next five years. A girl can still dream about the perfect spring wardrobe. Right? I've been obsessed with colored denim for a while, making regular jeans seem boring. I'm also on the hunt for the perfect trench. This one is pretty darn close.

Sam and I had such a great time last night. A cheat night fo sho. We drank sparkling rose while we made filet mignon with a creamy brandy peppercorn sauce, dreamy mashed potatoes, peas, and chocolate pots de creme with fresh whipped cream for dessert. I was so nervous while I was making the dessert that I was sweating. Happy to report they turned out perfect! Phew. Cooking side by side is such a fun thing to do together, especially while listening to Van Morrison on Pandora. Sam got me the most beautiful orchid that I hope I don't kill.

How was your night? Got anything on your wish list?

MY FUNNY VALENTINES

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

photos from my instagram

I love these two people. I've had these moments recently where it is so heart breakingly clear how much I love them. I took Matilda to the park the other day and her hair was shining in the sun and she was running towards me. It was the most beautiful sight I think I've ever seen. She chased me and then we rode down the slide, holding hands and she said, "I love you. You are my Mama." I could cry just thinking about it. The most tender of words. Everything she says comes from a pure place, so when she says things like that I know she means it. I love being her Mom.

Then there's Sam. I couldn't ask for a better husband. He forces me to go to Barnes and Noble and read magazines when he knows I need it, he's an amazing cook, he takes incredible care of his girls. He's creative and funny (don't tell him I said that), he's brilliant - after my computer crashed last week he had it up and running within 24 hours. Take that apple. He's just this guy that I really like a. lot. I'm so grateful. I never thought he existed before we met and the longer we're married the more I appreciate him. Hopefully I'm not making anyone nauseous with all of my sappiness. Ha! My friend Laura posted that she would be doing this for her husband for Valentine's and I love this idea.

I'm so excited about the dinner menu I have planned for tonight. We would much rather stay in on a holiday and I'm going to try to make it really special. What are your plans?

NEW ITEMS IN SHOP

2012-02-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

Last week when I was sewing up a carryall I broke my sewing machine. I've been wanting to upgrade for a while and well, I sure did. I've been sewing up a storm ever since. I recently added the Lilly dress in this color wave. I also created a custom Grey Arrow Print carryall. I really love the contrast of the gray with the gold satin fabric. I had a dear friend request a custom baby blanket for her little one's car seat. I made this one out of super soft flannel and then organic cotton fleece on the underside. I finished it off with some quilting to make it extra cozy. I can make this in a variety of prints, so just convo me if you are interested. I also created a carryall in a hot pink/ chevron combo. Valentine's Day has me feeling pink! I also added a fun chevron pocket for a little pop of fun on the inside.

WEEK TWO

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Red pepper recipe here/ Christy Turlington for Madame Le Figaro

Here we are... week two! Read about week one to get all caught up. Week two is exactly the same as week one if your goal is serious overhaul on your health and you need to lose weight. If you are just wanting to incorporate more healthy foods and to change your lifestyle then you can now start adding in berries to the rotation. The goal is to restart your metabolism. When your body is used to constantly burning carbohydrates, it can never really burn fat. Once your body can start burning fat, then you'll really start to see changes. Continue to avoid all alcohol. Don't forget to print off your health log so that you can visually see the changes that are happening!

Would love to hear from anyone who is playing along with us. How are you feeling?

GETTIN' HEALTHY LOG

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! I created a free print out to use with the 12-week program that I'll be sharing with you guys. I tried to design it in an easy-to-use way. Not one less thing to mess with, but an inspiring way to track your progress. If you're participating... how are you feeling? I'm not gonna lie. Sometimes when I'm withdrawing from sugar I find that I get a little down in the dumps. You just have to get past that. Food and emotions go so hand in hand, because we are SO conditioned. I try to be mindful of this with Matilda, because I don't want her to seek comfort from food.

Hope you guys have a great weekend. I also wanted to tell you about a great greens mix that my friend Paul told me about for those that struggle with getting the veggies down. It's called Delicious Greens and it's available on Vitacost which is a terrific website that can save you lots on supplements, etc.

KID LUNCHES BY BLEUBIRD

2012-02-09T09:26:00.000-05:00

Wanna hear a not-so-funny story? The other day when I dropped Matilda off at Parent's Morning Out, I came back to pick her up and all of the kids were sitting nicely at the tables and Matilda was in the corner crying. Lady at PPO: "She's a little upset." Me: "Oh no. Why are you upset Matilda?" Lady: "Well, she wanted a lunch." Me: "Oh, well how does that work." Lady: "Well, you have to bring her one." Yeah. Mother of the year. I had no idea that they served lunch. Now I do!

So, after that notsofun experience I've been on the hunt for a cool lunchbox and I remembered seeing this series on the Bleubird blog. James is one of those superwomen that home schools and cooks perfect meals for her adorable family and runs a megablog. She is always perfectly put together, etc. I love these creative lunches that incorporate fun and healthy elements. I also remember thinking these bento boxes were amazing. So, I ordered Matilda her very own Goodbyn in strawberry. Here's to healthy lunches and kids not crying in corners.

WHAT IS KOMBUCHA?

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

After watching this video and this video, I was all "What is Kombucha?!"

Kombucha is a tea-based beverage created by fermenting tea and sugar with the kombucha culture. Huh?! Basically you take this culture that looks like a rubbery pancake called "the mother", put it in some sweet tea and it creates all of these acids and probiotics that do wonders for your health. It sounds a little freaky deaky, but it is so great. I love it and although they isn't a lot of evidence that there are health benefits from drinking this "living beverage," it certainly has tons of claims. If nothing else it is a delicious drink that has an all-natural fizz that is a great pick me up for those trying to wean themselves off carbonated beverages. It tastes to me like sparking apple cider with a little hint of vinegar. Read more here.

I'm curious if any of you have tried making your own. Are you a fan?

FINDING INSPIRATION

2012-02-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Woohoo! So happy to hear that a few of you are on board with making some lifestyle changes. Educating people on the importance of what you put in your body is something I've been extremely passionate about ever since Sam and I decided to change our lives through eating healthy and exercising. I've been much more laid back lately because I got tired of other people's resistance to wanting to eat whole foods. I just got discouraged from fighting for change and really the best way to inspire people is not by being a know-it-all (ugh I don't want to come across that way) but by just living your life in a way that makes people interested in what you're doing.

So, along with trying to inspire anyone who reads this blog, I'm also working to re-inspire myself. I have been taking on a lot of negativity recently and am embarrassed to admit that I let other people really shake my confidence. I don't think people realize how their words and actions can affect me. I try to be really strong, but I'm sensitive. I wish I wasn't. It's a pain in the butt sometimes and I'm working on not caring what other people think. I've also noticed that "unwinding" at night without a glass of wine gives me more time to think and worry. Pushin' through that.

Back to inspiration! Boy-ee. I think people who are passionate about nutrition and wellness are so inspiring. There are lots of great blogs that focus on a holistic approach to living. Adrienne Eats is one that I really like. Adrienne's participating in The Food Matters project which I think is really cool. If you haven't seen Food Matters or Forks over Knives, I recommend watching them both. They are usually streaming on Netflix.

I am still having a morning cup of coffee. I decided that I still really enjoy having my coffee in the morning and one cup seems to treat me alright. I am snacking on nuts and I'm not hungry. Protein is so much more filling than carbs and when you eat the right balance of veggies and proteins it sustains you. Also, when you start the day with grains, it makes you crave them all day. If you have any questions I'll try and answer them and I'd love to hear what you're eating, what recipes are working for you and how you're feeling!

Pictured Above: Bryce Dallas Howard for Kate Spade

WEEK ONE

2012-02-06T09:01:00.001-05:00

This week marks week one of 12-week Biggest Loser competition that Sam has started at his work. They are doing a team-based weight loss challenge that will extend to their spouses as well if they want to participate (this goes for YOU too). The winter months start to take their toll on your fitness level and overall health, so this will be a great way to invigorate your body and to work towards showin' off a little skin in the warmer months (who am I kidding, it was 70 here yesterday - not complaining).

Week One
-Cut out all processed foods and sugars.
-Cut out grains.
-Cut out fruit minus a handful of berries a day.
-Cut out drinks other than water (this includes alcohol - sorry).
-Cut out diet anything. Diet drinks or sweeteners actually make you gain weight and are full of harmful chemicals.

-Add in lots of green vegetables. Avoid the starchy ones.
-Eat healthy proteins like grass-fed beef, free range chicken, turkey, etc.
-Drinks lots of water with lemon. Drinking lemon in your water actually speeds up your metabolism.
-Cook with coconut oil and avoid all other oils over high heat. Olive oil is great for salads! -Try my favorite breakfast: Greek yogurt with nuts, tiny amount of preserves, cinnamon, and a little pinch of organic shredded, unsweetened coconut.
-Exercise should include: walking, yoga, light cardio. Nothing too strenuous. We'll ease in to all of that.

This is a quick way to drop up to 5 lbs. We'll be re-introducing fruit after the next two weeks. Wanna join us? Leave me a comment and I'll be sure to help keep you motivated.

Girl on a bike shot by Alexi Lubomirski for Bazaar Magazine

FEBRUARY GOALS

2012-02-02T08:48:00.000-05:00

It's so hard to believe that its been a month since I set up my monthly goal calendar and did my January goals. I was so terrified a month ago and I am so thankful to say that I met some of my goals. Yahoo! We survived! Although there were several goals that I fell short on, I'm learning! Thank you all for your incredible support, encouragement, comments, etc. Made the first month of working from home way less scary. Thinking of February and what I would love to accomplish, there are a few goals on my list that involve RESTING. I have been going a mile a minute around here and I want to make sure that I'm taking time to enjoy Matilda and the little things. Stopping to smell the roses, if you will. I also want to make room for quiet time in the mornings which is a bit of a challenge right now. I recognize that nothing is more important. Realigning my priorities. I listed a few of this month's goals above, including finally finishing Creative Inc and The Handmade Marketplace (two excellent resources).

You can print your own February Goal Calendar here. Need a little inspiration? Check out Ben Silbermann's (founder of Pinterest) keynote speech for Alt Summit.

Pencils/ Carryall/ Flowers

ORGANIZING MATILDA'S ROOM

2012-02-01T08:15:00.000-05:00

Ok, holler if you hear me. The toy/book/clothing situation at my house is outtacontrol. I basically just keep Matilda's room in a state of constant chaos because as soon as I clean it, it looks exactly the same as it did before. My little one is a vivacious, curious soul. Wouldn't change that for the world. Just trying to figure out how to make her room work for her. This weekend we are planning on gutting and reorganizing her room with shelving + hooks and fun storage bins specific to different things like: art supplies, dress-up clothes, instruments, etc. I want to be able to bring a basket down, have her play her heart out and then be able to clean up the aftermath in a hurry. The main dilemma right now are the books. They are everywhere! I love them so much, I just don't want to see them (and their jackets that are always removed) on the floor. Matilda's room is such a happy place when it's clean. Solutions welcomed!

top left/ bottom right

WIN!

2012-01-31T07:54:00.001-05:00

The lovely and hilarious Bridget is hosting a Tiny Fete giveaway today over on her blog. Tales of Me and the Husband is one of my all-time favorite reads and an obvious choice for me to advertise with. Hope you'll enter to win a $40 shop credit. I would love it!

In other news... did anyone else watch The Bachelor last night?! Please discuss.

A WEEKEND IN THE WOODS

2012-01-30T09:20:00.001-05:00

Hello! We just got back from the woods of Alabama and I'm feeling so rejuvenated. We had an incredible time at my Grandparents' beautiful woodland home. It is one of our favorite places to escape to. Sam especially gets completely lost in nature and goes on these long hikes and Guinness wears himself completely out. I usually end up reading and chatting with my Grammy and Lynndaddy and Matilda is obsessed with taking rides on the gator (which she's done since she could hold her head up). We even got to spend a night with Jake which was awesome. He's such a fun uncle.
We ate a lot of amazing food so I'll be sticking to proteins and veggies this week. Ha. No one makes better pancakes than Grammy. We also had some incredible margaritas here when we went in to town. Before we left we rolled all of Matilda's piggy bank money and picking out a toy was on the agenda. We have never done this before, so I didn't know how it would play out. She was so decisive (unlike her Mama). She went straight to a doll and said "This is it." Amazing! I was so proud and it made me realize how much she is maturing and that I should really give her more chances to make decisions and choices. She has great taste.

I felt so inspired while I was there with some downtime to draw and read. I feel ready to conquer the week. Speaking of this week... I have something fun to share tomorrow so stay tuned!