Mod Memento: The Blog

five on friday

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:22:00 +0000

{five photos from our week}

Loving some new prints I got framed for the family room this week. Thank you Jessica!

My little Valentines and I made Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

My son is the messiest child I have ever known. So.... I taught him how to vacuum. It's only fair.

Working on getting rid of aforementioned son's favorite thing in the entire world. It's time.

Loving my refrigerator covered in handwritten notes from AF. Makes me smile when I'm filling up the sippy cups 874 times a day.

Happy Weekend!

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DIY Leg warmers

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:01:00 +0000

I wear boots a lot in the winter. And I've been loving the look of layering them with long socks or leg warmers underneath. So when I saw this idea on Pinterest, orginally posted here, I decided to give it a try. Super easy.

I found two old sweaters in my closet that I haven't worn in years, one gray and one navy.

Cut the sleeves off...

And turned them into leg warmers.

Yep, it's that easy. Love it.

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Photos speak louder than words

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:03:00 +0000

Wow, I am really struggling with putting my thoughts into words lately. I have so much going on in my head right now but feel at a complete loss as to how to express it all. These are the days when I wish I was a writer. I wish putting my thoughts into words was as natural as breathing. Instead, I find that everything gets all jumbled up inside and I have no way of organizing it all. Does anyone else have this problem?

Sometimes I wish this blog were full of lovely words and essays and thought provoking posts that would make you smile, or think, or laugh, or feel called to action about something. I've been thinking so much lately about what I want this blog to be. What is the purpose? The vision? Where do I want to go with this? What do I want people to know when they read this blog?

Somedays I absolutely love blogging. Other days I ask myself, "what's the point?" Somedays I'm bursting with ideas and thoughts to share. Other days, I got nothing.

All I know is that my biggest passion is documenting our lives through photography. I get a thrill from that little click, click, click sound. I crave spending time at night editing photos and remembering little parts of our day. I thrive on sharing these precious moments with others.

So despite not having the ability to adequately communicate my thoughts in written word, I can try and share with you what I see when I put my eye behind that lens and click away. And that's my little offering to you.

Besides, they say a picture can speak a thousand words, right?

And today my lens was capturing a very important tea party.

Important enough that it required star shaped PB&J sandwiches....

By "tea" party, I really mean milk. We started with real tea but she decided it wasn't her favorite.

Various Royalty was invited, so it had to be perfect.

She was an excellent host.

And after the party, it was requested of me to paint a Princess castle.

It's often hard for me to set aside my to-do list and just be present in the moment. But oh boy...once I do, it's not all that hard to get in touch with my inner princess-loving heart.

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The decrescendo of January

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The end of January usually brings a decrescendo of activity for us.

The hustle of the holidays and birthdays have passed. Bitter cold temperatures move in and entice me to begin my winter hibernation. You can find me bundled up in socks, sweatpants, and blankets at all times. I make endless amounts of Chili and Soup. We have a fire in the fireplace at least 5 nights a week. And the sun doesn't rise until after 7am each morning, which tempts me to linger in the coziness of my warm bed just a few minutes longer than I should. And I am able to reason that my general laziness is the direct result of the inevitable winter blues.

But this weekend delivered something different.

Instead of the usual chill-me-to-the-bone ice & snow like last weekend, we had nothing but sunny skies, mild temps, and the opportunity to breathe in all the fresh air we wanted.

It was such a nice surprise here at the end of what is usually a very looong January cooped up inside.

Little man even had a chance to pull his car out of the garage and look under the hood.

Apparently, a few things needed fixin.

Sometimes a breath of fresh January air can do a world of good for little ones full of pent-up energy to burn.

And for Mommas who thrive on sunshine...

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five on friday

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:49:00 +0000

Feeling short on words this week so I'll just do another "five on friday".

{1} Having fun working on some sweet new Mod Love Story Prints just in time for V-day! Order yours here.

{2} The daily construction of "Pillow Mountain".

{3} Taking my little Belle to see Beauty & The Beast at the movie theater.

{4} Making homemade Bacon, Egg & Cheese sandwiches for breakfast.

{5} Mid-afternoon baths, just for fun.

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A Beautiful Friend { Molly's House Tour & Interview }

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:23:00 +0000

I've decided to start a new monthly series called "A Beautiful Friend". Because well.... I have extraordinarily talented and beautiful friends and I want to brag on them! Each of these friends have inspired me with their unique gifts and talents so I am looking forward to sharing more about each of them with you throughout the year.

First up is Molly. I just asked Molly out of the blue one day if I could come over and take pictures of her house and feature her on my blog. She was gracious enough to agree (with her usual humble and humorous wit).

Not only is Molly a beautiful person inside and out, but she is also a wife & mother of two, a bible study leader, community volunteer, writer, and budding interior designer. Okay.....she would probably disagree with that last one. But one of the things I really love about Molly is her style. Her home is so lovely and stylish and really reflects her fun personality. But more than that, it's inviting, hospitable and comfortable. It's the kind of place where she'll offer my kids lunch and if my son smears his sticky peanut butter hands all over her kitchen table, she won't blink an eye. I love spending time there. So I asked Molly if I could showcase a few photos of my favorite spots in her home.

First up is the Living Room.

I love how she used various Maps to create an asymmetrical Art Wall.

In her family room is this creative piece of art that she made herself using a branch from a friend's yard, and handmade fabric birds. Quick, someone pin this!

Her recently renovated kitchen is so light and inviting.

This little sitting area in her breakfast nook is so fun and colorful.

She also has one of the most beautiful plate collections I've ever seen. These colorful plates are displayed along her formal dining room wall.

Daughter Sylvie's bedroom is so much fun. I love the soft aqua walls and bright pink accents.

And don't you think piano's add so much character to a room? This one is just gorgeous in Molly's Living Room.

In addition to taking a house tour, I asked Molly to answer a few questions so you can get to know her better. I love that you can get a flavor of her fun personality in her answers.

1. How would you describe your decorating style?
If there is a term that encompasses using what you have, looking for clearance I items at TJ Maxx and trying to copy or improve what other people do, then that sums up my style. I just decorate with things I like to look at and that make me happy. I am drawn to color and pattern and a mix of timeless meets funky and artsy. But frugality is always a theme—let’s face it: anyone can have great style and great stuff if they spend a lot of money. I like to see what I can do with items from Big Lots.

2. Where do you shop for home decor?
Anywhere that has something I’m drawn to and that’s relatively inexpensive.
I think my house is equal parts HomeGoods, Target, Ikea, and my neighbors’ trash.

3. What are you reading right now?
I just finished Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder and generally have several things in the rotation: The Bible, The New Yorker, Saveur magazine and the occasional US Weekly. I can’t lie.

4. What talent or strength are you most thankful for?
I think I’m a compassionate person. I can’t stand to see people or animals suffering or sad. This can be particularly crippling when I encounter a moving patch of fur along the side of a busy highway.

5. What is your favorite website or blog?
I love Etsy, although it is a tremendous time-waster; I don’t even allow myself on a site like Pinterest or my children would never be fed. I also love frugal living websites like Hip2Save.com (despite the cheesy name) where I’m alerted to free Martha Stewart magazine subscriptions or coupons for $1 off ricotta cheese. I don’t like to shop, so I abuse my Amazon Prime subscription and order everything from walnut oil to Pull-ups with the quick click of my mouse. I often read Sand in the Gears, which satisfies some of my more weighty interests. And I hesitate to include my sister’s blog, only because she updates it with maddening infrequency. But she’s a really good writer and my nieces are awfully cute.

6. What is one goal or dream that you have not yet accomplished but hope to in the future?
I’m not much of a dreamer, unfortunately. My biggest goal is to honor God with my life and to raise children who love Him. On a more specific scale, I guess I’d like to write something of substance some day. I don’t know quite what that means--A blog? A short story? A book? I’m not sure it would ever happen, but I have the desire. I’d also like to be able to run a mile without going into cardiac arrest.

7. What is your family's most favorite recipe?
I’ve ceased trying to please both the children and the adults in the household, as our tastes are so wildly different. My kids are big on super boring meals like black beans, cheese, veggies, and fruit. I like 57 different ingredients at a time, one of which has to be sriracha sauce. The meal that is most representative of what I love to eat is one my friend Erin turned me on to several years ago.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous Salad with Harissa-style Dressing

Photo found here.

It doesn’t look that interesting, and it has a terribly cumbersome name, but it’s incredibly delicious. Here’s a recipe(ish)

--Roasted or Grilled Vegetables (summer squash, zucchini, onions, red peppers)
--Couscous, cooked
--4 oz. goat cheese or feta
--Salad greens, preferably with lots of herbs in them
--Harissa Dressing (I increase this by half or so because it’s what makes the whole dish):
~1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
~1 tsp. cayenne pepper
~2 T cumin (don’t skimp!)
~3-4 T fresh tomato puree
~4 T lime juice
~salt & pepper

Get a big serving and assemble in this order: couscous, veggies, greens, goat cheese, dressing.

9. Tell us about the community organization you volunteer at, The Garage, and why you think it's an imperative part of the community.
The Garage is an after-school program for middle and high schoolers in the Kennett Square, PA area—our mission is to empower students to reach their potential. The Garage serves some of the most at-risk teenagers in the community and gives them constructive opportunities during critical after-school hours. It offers the substantial population of Mexican immigrants in Kennett resources that they might otherwise not have access to. Students are tutored, mentored, and encouraged in every area.

10. You also volunteer with a local program called YoungMoms. Tell us more about what this program is and how can we as members of the community help out?
YoungMoms is another local initiative that provides academic, parenting, and spiritual support to teen moms. We have more than 40 moms who face some of the toughest challenges I’ve ever seen: single parenthood, domestic violence, poverty, incomplete education, etc. These are girls who don’t naturally have very many options or opportunities, but through their involvement with YoungMoms are completing their education, getting jobs, learning how to parent effectively, meeting their goals, etc. The program is doing tremendous things. One of our goals is for every single teen mom to have a one-on-one mentor who invests in them—we could use more volunteers and more donations to make that happen!

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Thank you Molly, for allowing me to feature you today! She needs a blog doesn't she?? It's crazy that she doesn't have one. Molly are you reading this??

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And I thought it was cold before.

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:48:00 +0000

PERFECT snowball snow.

Little man lives for helping Daddy with, well..... anything and everything.

fyi....sand toys work just as well in the snow...

Someone tell them to stop looking so grown up. Seriously, quit it you two.

As you can see, I had no time to help shovel. I was taking pictures you know.

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And because I'm a graphic designer, sometimes I like to take a photo and pull out the colorways. Just for fun & inspiration.

Shall we?

Love these shades together! DR had no idea he was bringing me such design inspiration. Thanks buddy.

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five things from my week

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:35:00 +0000

I love how Sydney does this so I thought I would try it too...

{1} Got my Home Organization Binder all set up for 2012 and I'm loving it so far. I am a "hand write my to-do list on paper" kind of person. Keeping my life on my phone or computer alone just doesn't work for me.

{2} Still trying to kick my Diet Coke addiction. This is an alternative I've been liking this week.

{3} During the winter months, Cover Girl Bronzing Powder in Translucent Honey helps me to achieve a look that is at least one shade darker than "ghostly white".

{4} My bible study group just started this study of the book of James by Beth Moore. I am so excited that a huge component of this study is scripture memorization. As in... the.entire.book.of.James. This could quite literally take a miracle folks. More on that later.

{5} Nothing better than a roaring fire on a cold January night.

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Also linking up with Lindsay!

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GUEST POST: A Dream Deferred

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:31:00 +0000

Does your family unit look a bit different than you always thought it would? Are there more children than you thought? Less? Did it take longer than you expected to conceive? Shorter than expected? Were the genders of your children different than you had secretly hoped for? Have you ever dreamed about adding an addition to your family through adoption? These are all questions that come up while deciding how to expand a family. This is why I am thrilled to share something with you today.

My dear friend and creative confidante, Jamye Shelleby Doerfler, recently wrote an amazing and refreshingly honest essay on her unexpected third pregnancy and how she has dealt with an adoption dream deferred. I simply had to share this with you. Her words are raw and real and I love that about her. Thank you, Jamye, for giving me permission to publish this as a guest post on my blog. And also for simply being a light in my life.

Jamye, with her third son, Eli.

A Dream Deferred

I’m not living with the family I would have chosen.
It pains me to write this. I wince when I think of my youngest son reading these words in twenty years. But if I’m here to honestly collect the stories of my family, it would be a cover-up if I didn’t share this part of the history.

When I found out I was pregnant with my third child, I cried for three days. Given the two years it had taken me to get pregnant with my second, Isaac, it should seem that any spontaneous pregnancy would have been reason to celebrate. But Isaac was only 8 months old when I realized I was already four weeks along, and I’d already decided that I was “done” after he was born.

“Done” with pregnancy and birth, but not necessarily done with raising children. For 12 years I’d wanted to one day adopt internationally. I had always asked, what had I done to deserve being born into a loving, stable family in a country where I could accomplish anything I wanted? Nothing. And what had these children done to deserve being born to mothers who couldn’t—or didn’t want to—care for them, in countries where orphans have little chance of living past 30? Nothing. So even though I wanted to have children biologically, I always expected that my third would be adopted. It would satisfy Peter’s desire for three children, and my desire to adopt. Perfect.

Within weeks of Isaac’s birth, I was already planning it: when he was about 2, we would start the application process, which would take 2 more years to complete. That would give me 4 years of bonding time before we added another child who could potentially have medical or emotional issues. (Mind you, this was all in my head. Peter wasn’t on board yet with adoption, but we still had years before that would need to change.) But this pregnancy threw my plan out the door.

Four children? That was out of my comfort zone. And adopting a fourth after having two babies 16 months apart? That sounded like a recipe for disaster, or at the very least, utter exhaustion.

This baby had derailed my dream.

And then, to add insult to injury, we found out he was a(nother) boy. Now I’m really getting uncomfortable about admitting this to every single person who reads this. This reveals exactly how shallow I am.

We didn’t find out the gender of either of our first two children. Though each time I had hoped that one of them would be the daughter I’ve always envisioned, when we looked a few minutes after they were born, I truly didn’t care that they were boys. They were the children I’d wanted, and they were here, and they were healthy. This time around, we decided that we would find out the gender. If it was a boy, I reasoned, I would need those five months to adjust my attitude, and if it was a girl, then this disruption of my plan would be redeemed. I’m quite sure the ultrasound technician knew exactly what was going on when she announced, early in the appointment, “It’s a boy,” and none of us—not me, not Peter, not my mom—said anything besides, “Okay.”

As I drove back home in my car, crying, I dreaded facing the babysitter when I walked in the door. My friend Lucy has been trying to conceive for years. I knew how insensitive it would be for me to walk in bawling over the fact that my third, healthy child was a boy. I knew this, and I hated it.

I hated myself for being such an ungrateful snot. I hated that Lucy, whom I love dearly and know would make a stellar mother, didn’t have children of her own. I hated that she had to be the one to see me at this moment.

But she was. And when I couldn’t stop myself from crying as I told her, and when she said exactly what I didn’t want her to, I was miserable. But not miserable enough to be snapped out of my self-pity.

As I had grieved the child I’d always wanted to bring home from another world, I now grieved the little girl I would never give birth to. Because I knew that even if you could guarantee me a girl the next time, I couldn’t do pregnancy and birth again. This was it for me.

I discussed my sadness with no one, which is the way I always deal with sadness. And I was not gracious when people tried to cheer me up. My cousin—my poor cousin, who has such a sympathetic heart and loves me and wanted to help me—called on the phone and said, “A boy! That’s exciting.” I snapped back, “You think so? You want him?”

I stewed, I grieved, and I got rid of a particularly painful box. That box contained leftover scraps of material from when I’d made skirts or dresses. I had put this surplus in the box, imagining that someday I would make some things for my daughter—maybe skirts or aprons. Or little patchwork quilts for a doll’s bed. Or mismatched fabric banners to string up on her bedroom walls. That box was a tangible representation of my hopes for the future. Every time I saw it, it pained me, so one afternoon I unceremoniously dumped it into the outside trash. I didn’t even want it in the indoor trash. I just wanted it out.

I realize that some readers find my attitude offensive. I realize that I was being ungrateful. I realize that I was a whiny baby. But I’m just recording the truth, unflattering as it is. Here is where my theology gets a little self-serving and myopic. When we’d finally conceived our second, Isaac, after a struggle, I reasoned that the child we’d finally been given was the perfect one for us. That the unique set of DNA in that baby was the one we were supposed to have, not the ones that could have been over the years prior.

Yet when the shoe was on the other foot—when I had conceived a baby I didn’t plan for—I lost that perspective. There had been a mistake. This was the wrong one. In my adult version of a temper tantrum, I pouted. I was ungrateful for all the good things in my life and focused only on my disappointment at not getting this one thing that I wanted. I was consumed with self-pity. Nothing else mattered, except that I was being denied what I thought I deserved. After a couple of weeks, I got a grip on myself. I forced myself to stop looking longingly backward at the child I had dreamed of, and to look forward instead to the child I was given. I knew that when I finally met this baby face-to-face, it would be okay.

And it was. This boy, Eli, gave me the most perfect labor and birth I could have asked for. As soon as he was born and we were settled, he nursed for an hour. An hour! My first two had struggled to latch on, but within minutes of being born, Eli was bonding with me, was imprinting me on himself, and himself on me. In his infant days, even while the memory of my disappointment still close, I would sometimes look at Eli and think, “I wouldn’t love him any more if he were a girl.” I get a little sad when I hear of a friend bringing home a child they’ve adopted, or feel my breath tighten a bit when I see a photo of a little girl who looks like what I imagined my own looking like. But I’ve also broadened my dreams a bit. Maybe I’ll never adopt but will be able to help someone else realize that dream. Maybe I’ll never raise a daughter but will be a mentor and safe haven to a girl who needs it. Or, who knows, maybe I will someday be the mother of four.

As for today, right now, I am the mother of three boys. Three bright, joyful boys. My cup runneth over. The other night, as I was giving Eli a bath, he threw a rubber ducky out of the tub at me. When I jumped and made a surprised sound, he laughed hard. So of course we did it again. Back and forth we went; him throwing the ducky at me, me jumping back in mock surprise, him laughing. He laughed as hard as a baby can, and I, addicted to that sound, wanted to hear it forever. I felt tears prick my eyes as I watched him.

One minute later, he pooped in the tub. The magic was lost. I swiftly pulled him out of the tub and got to work cleaning it out. Back to the everyday work of being a mother. As I wrestled him still to towel him dry, I realized that I’m still getting to know this one-year-old. We may be imprinted on one another, but we have years ahead of us of actually learning about one another. I have yet to see who he will be, or why he was given to me to mother. But I trust that someday that Why will be answered.
And then, I will write that story.

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If you'd like to read more of Jamye's essays, please visit (m)othervoices.com. Currently she is at work on a novel. I can't wait for that one!

A Mermaid Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:46:00 +0000

As I mentioned recently, AF just turned 4 years old. We had a {belated} birthday party for her on Saturday and it was so much fun!

She wanted a Mermaid/Ariel theme so despite that being a tough one to pull off in the month of January, we went with it and I'm so glad we did.

This simple centerpiece was just a tray of sand and seashells. Did you know you can get a small bag of sand at your local pet store? Well I found this out after deciding I didn't need a 50 pound bag of sand from home depot thankyouverymuch.

With the help of my mother-in-law, I made these streamers for the ceiling out of tissue paper and yarn. They were our "bubbles & seaweed".

All I did was cut out circles of tissue paper and staple them to yarn. EASY & CHEAP!

Place mats were made from pink card stock and I personalized each one with the guest's name.

We served goldfish of course....

And fruit skewers...

There was Mermaid Juice (a.k.a. Hawaiian Punch).

And Mermaids love sushi of course! These were made with peanut butter and bananas. This idea was inspired by this post and I just added my own spin on it.

And I saw this idea here and wanted to try it. It's a Swedish Fish "swimming" in blue jello. They were pretty fun but I would recommend making these on the day of the party instead of the night before. The fish were pretty mushy by the time the girls got to eat them.

And of course....the cake!

We had a Mermaid Manicure station setup with lots of color choices and also little stickers for their nails.

Each guest got a Mermaid Hair clip and a blingy ring! Hair clips were made by this cute etsy shop. All I did was create a cardboard square for the clips to cling to, added their name in decorative writing, slipped it into a clear baggie and then tied with yarn. Fun and simple. I got the blingy rings from the dollar store.

The shop owner even offered to make both blonde and brunette mermaids to match each of the girls own hair color. She was so sweet to work with and had a super fast turnaround time. Definitely check out Could You Be Any Cuter for all kinds of fun hair accessories!

My little mermaid had a blast!

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A few things to note...

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Just a few things to note...

1. It's cold in Pennsylvania. In fact, I am sitting here typing this with my coat on. Inside my house. I would also have gloves on if it were possible to type that way.

2. Many of you know that Google Friend Connect is going away soon. If you are a follower of this blog, I love you very much and don't want to lose you. :)

Therefore, if you're so inclined, you can continue to follow my blog via an RSS subscription by clicking here.

OR

You can follow me over at Bloglovin by clicking here.

Did I mention I love you?

3. And in case you haven't liked Mod Memento on Facebook yet, you can do so here. I am going to post a coupon code soon which is exclusive only to my facebook readers. Hint hint.

4. And while we're at it, I am madly in love with Pinterest, and if you are too, please head over to follow my pinboards and I would love to follow you back!

5. There are still a few slots left to order a custom Mod Love Story Print. It makes a great Valentines gift! Order yours here.

Have a *warm* weekend guys.
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2-year-old boys

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:02:00 +0000

I've seen a few blogs recommend self-portraits as part of their Project 52 so I thought I would give it a try. {insert nervous laughter}

Hello. I'm 32 years old and I already have wrinkles around my eyes.

I also have a zit, but I photoshopped that out for you because I'm just vain like that.

But I will show you my wrinkles!

Why, you ask?

This little man.

He's testing me big time. As in, causing me to cry actual tears of frustration and defeat sometimes.

He's trying to see how much disobedience I will allow. You know, the usual 2-year-old stuff. Except that I've never had a two year old BOY before. My daughter at this age was a dream. Easy-peasy. So this all feels so new to me. This testing of wills. This direct disobedience. This battle to show who is the boss.

Well guess what, mr. poopsalot? I'M THE BOSS.

And saying this makes me feel really triumphant. But then he'll do really cute things right in the middle of my stern discipline sessions, like blow me a kiss, or pronounce bananas as, "nah-mahs" and then I sort of melt and remember how much I love him.

This child is messy and hilarious and weird and loud and mischievous. I'm pretty convinced that raising a two year old BOY is equal parts joy and chaos.

But he's still causing me wrinkles. Okay okay.......most of them are laugh lines I suppose.

Having a pouty moment after he got in trouble for scribbling over his sister's sidewalk chalk art.

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One Little Word and a New Print in the shop!

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:42:00 +0000

Who has chosen their "One Little Word" for the new year? For those of you who have never heard of this concept, it's the idea that you choose just one word to sort of shape and define your whole year. It's better than resolutions in my opinion because it's more of a theme or specific intention that all other goals can then fall in line with.

I've never chosen one before despite having a lot of friends who have done it for years. But for the past few weeks, I've been giving it some thought. A lot of thought in fact. And I've had this pesky little word keep popping up in my mind and pressing on my heart. I have to be honest, I wanted to choose a different one. This one sounds so daunting. But I couldn't shake that this is the year that I've got to step it up in this department.

Okay, once I say this out loud and publish it on this blog, I really have to follow through don't I?

...My one little word for 2012 is...

And I'm not just talking about the day-to-day ways I serve my kids and husband. Because I do consider my role in life right now to be a servant to my family. I'm talking about servanthood that goes above and beyond my comfort zone. Serving people I don't even know. Thinking of ways to give beyond what is easy. Serving with my time, knowledge, and money. Scary!

Now for some of you amazingly generous people, this might seem really easy. Perhaps serving others comes naturally to you. Maybe you serve people all the time without having the need to write it down as an actual goal. Maybe your full time job involves serving others on a regular basis. I commend you. And I thank you for inspiring me. Because my tendency is to live inside my comfortable little world of friends and loved ones and not think too far outside that zone.

My selfless mother felt a strong and specific calling on her life in recent years. She serves at the local homeless shelter by doing laundry for the homeless. Can you believe that? Of all the worthwhile causes....of all the ones that would bring her more accolades...of all the ways that she could be spending her time....she has chosen to transport dirty, smelly, and ragged clothes to and from the laundromat so that a few more of God's people can have clean clothes to put on their back.

That's the kind of service I'm talking about pursuing.

And I know it might take on different forms as I still have two young children in tow. But I want 2012 to be a year where I focus less on myself and more on others. In big ways and in small, but most definitely in ways that challenge me.

If you've already chosen your one little word, please do let me know in the comments. Or, if you're still contemplating the idea, here's a list on Ali Edwards site with tons of words to choose from. You can pick the one that best represents your goal for the year.

You can read about Lisa Leonard's word here. And here's Casey Wiegand's. And here's Leslie's from Top of the Page. And here's my friend Jessi's, who has done this for years and always inspires me.

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And for those of us who need lots of visual reminders of our goals, I designed a new print for the shop.....

These come in 8x10 inch or 5x7 inch and you get to choose the word and color! Order here!

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Web Favs of the Week 1.9.12

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:03:00 +0000

Whoops, I meant to do this once a week but it's been quite a while. But here are a few links I'm loving this week...

Totally in love with this song and this song and this song.

My always insightful friend, Kitty, posed a very challenging question this week on her blog.... What is the one thing that rules your heart?

One of my biggest goals for 2012 is to cut out {virtually} all of the processed foods from my family's diet. I was so excited to find this website for lots of help with that including menu ideas and grocery lists!

Do you think it's okay to praise little girls at a very young age about how pretty they look or do you think it's better to comment on their hearts & minds? It's interesting to think about both sides. Here's one viewpoint and here's another. It comes very natural to me to praise my daughter on all aspects of both her appearance and character. I feel confident that she'll have a healthy and well rounded self-esteem!

I thought this was such a fun list of 38 Random Acts of Kindness. I so want to do this!

A great list of books for 2012. I wish I had time for them ALL.

This is the time of year when I hibernate from the cold and look for indoor activities for the kiddos. Here's a great list of ideas for toddlers & preschoolers.

Can't wait to try this recipe.

Loved this post on the Practices of Mothering.

Planning to buy this print for AF's room. It reminds me so much of her.

Check out my girl Jessi's, new handmade shop! All the items are inspired by families in the process of adoption or foster parenting. I love her compassionate heart...

One way I'm keeping myself organized this year is keeping a Home Binder. Here's the Printable Daily To-Do Sheet that I'm using. It cracks me up that there are 8 little glasses of water pictured at the top to remind you to drink water during the day. This will never happen for me but at least I'll have the reminder staring at me all day long. Too bad it's not 8 Diet Cokes. I would totally have that one in the bag.

I'm still stuck in 2011....

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Confession: I am off to a slow start this year.

My procrastinating ways have bogged me down this week. I sort of thought the New Year would be this reset button and I'd be off running...chasing down my to-do list with renewed energy.

I'd be jotting down my 2012 goals with confidence and optimism.
I'd be tackling projects that needed attention.
I'd be blogging like a rock star.

Well.... it ain't happening.

I don't feel like doing any of these things. And I'm not exactly sure why. I feel like I'm moving in slow motion this week. I need some motivation that's for sure.

But that's sort of the way I work.

I'm the world's worst housekeeper until I get the unexpected burst of energy, and I'm suddenly on my hands and knees scrubbing the baseboards at midnight because I got the motivation at that exact moment.

I'll have creative block for weeks and then all the sudden, the ideas hit me like a ton of bricks and I'll hardly have the chance to write them all down because they're coming into my head so fast.

I'll rattle off a long list of excuses why I can't make time for exercise, but then one day, out of the blue, I'll decide it's imperative that I run 3 miles and do 100 crunches.

I crave that burst of motivation. That moment when I'm so focused, I can accomplish anything. I wish I had it 24 hours a day, but that's just not me. It comes and goes. And I never know when it's going to hit.

I'm confident I'll start feeling it at some point soon, but until then... I'm content doing some other things. Like cuddling on the couch with my baby watching Thomas the Train. Or coloring in Princess coloring books. Or ~~pinning everything on Pinterest~~ reading my bible. :)

Dear 2012... I will catch up to you eventually.

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I need iPad advice

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:22:00 +0000

So I really really want an iPad. Especially after seeing my friend demonstrate recently how Facetime works. How wonderful it would be to actually hear and SEE a special someone in Texas whenever I wanted....

But I wonder, for those of you who have both an iPhone and an iPad...are they redundant? Do I really need both? I currently have a Droid (which is why I currently don't have Facetime) but plan on switching to an iPhone very soon. I would love advice on if an iPad is worth the investment.

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Mod Love Story: Back for a limited time!

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:32:00 +0000

In anticipation of Valentine's Day being only six weeks away, I am offering my *most popular* Print again for a limited time (and quantity)!

The Mod Love Story Print is a great Valentine's or Anniversary gift for the one you love. It's your personal love story turned into art!

For the month of January, I am opening a "Love Story Queue" with 6 slots for design work. It's first come, first serve so once those six slots fill up, that's it until later this spring!

Go here to reserve your slot by ordering at my etsy shop. You'll receive a confirmation email once your order has been received.

Each print features the ever important "to be continued" at the bottom to signify that love stories are never ending.

Available in many different color combinations!

Artwork is printed on white, acid free, fine art paper (300 lb) and are shipped in a cellophane sleeve and sturdy mailer for added support.

This item is 100% made-to-order and I enjoy working together to make sure all the important details are included.

Email me with any further questions!

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20 Questions with a 4-year-old

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:30:00 +0000

My firstborn turned 4 years old today....and we've been celebrating!

Photo by Kairos Photography

I decided to do these photos for each of the kids on their birthday each year. Someday I'll put them all in one photo album.

Her special day started out with some presents...

Then she wanted me to curl her hair for our big dinner out...

We went out to her favorite restaurant for dinner and a special dessert!

She's having a little party with her girlfriends next weekend. We decided to schedule that for a bit farther out given all the holiday festivities have most people worn out by now (including myself).

Another tradition I started this year was doing a "20 Questions Birthday Interview". I'm going to ask her these same 20 questions each year on her birthday. It will be so fun to see how they change/evolve over the years. This idea was inspired by this post. Nicole does really beautiful photo albums for her own kids and also offers some fun albums and memory making items in her etsy shop called Prompt.

I just modified some of the questions to suit our family.

1. What is your favorite color? Pink
2. What is your favorite toy? Ariel doll
3. What is your favorite thing about your brother? his silly laugh
4. What is your favorite tv show or movie? Tinkerbell: The Great Fairy Rescue
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? cheese sandwiches with no crust
6. What is your favorite outfit? my fancy purple dress
7. What is your favorite game? UNO Moo
8. What is your favorite snack? chips...the salty kind that's sort of yellowish
9. What is your favorite animal? hippos and zebras
10. What is your favorite song? Love Story by Taylor Swift
11. What is your favorite book? Princess Storybook - the one with Belle, Ariel & Jasmine
12. Who is your best friend? Kate McKinnon
13. Where is your favorite place to go? Pittsburgh to see Gia
14. What would you like to learn more about now that you're 4? Why is God in Heaven the whole time while I'm still on Earth?
15. What do you love about yourself? That I'm in this family.
16. What does Daddy do at work? call people, email people, eats a bagel
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Blankie
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Strawberry Pancakes
19. What do you pray about? I love you Jesus and I hope I get to go up to Heaven someday.
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Dentist so I can brush people's teeth with a silly toothbrush.

So there you have it. A glimpse into my sweet little 4-year-old's mind.

I'll spare you all the emotion that went with the day. I have a love/hate relationship with her getting older. Any mother knows this. But I do love that her birthday falls at the start of the new year. It brings with it so much excitement, anticipation and expectation for all that God has in store for her this year. I am blessed to have her as my own.

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2011 In Review

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:26:00 +0000

Oh 2011, you've been good to me.

It's been year of fun, and also a year of challenges. There were times when I cried out to God in total praise, and then other times when I cried out to God in complete surrender and exhaustion. I love that each year brings me closer to the woman I was created to be. Some months felt like a few beautiful steps forward in this pursuit. And still others felt like huge leaps backward. But oh, the amazing grace that abounds.

I've spent a lot of time this year allowing God to reveal the parts of me that need refining. It's been a wonderful {and scary} thing.

These are the books and bible studies that I've completed this year. I'm recording this list here so that I can look back one day and remember how these studies stretched and challenged my faith.

Sacred Echo - by Margaret Feinberg

Crazy Love - by Francis Chan

An in depth study of the book of Romans - by Tim Keller

He Speaks To Me - by Priscilla Shirer

Faithful, Abundant and True - by Kay Arther, Priscilla Shirer and Beth Moore

Sacred Marriage - by Gary Thomas

I highly recommend each and every one of these studies!!

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It was also fun to look back over this past year in posts. Here are some of my favorites:

AF realized her love for Taylor Swift and put on a little show.

AF turned 3 and she had a Pink Tea Party theme for her birthday.

I took on the challenge of taking one photo an hour for an entire day. I hope to do this again pretty soon.

I put together 8 beginner's tips for indoor photography.

The hubs and I had a blast at our little Vegas getaway.

I celebrated selling my 200th print on Etsy!

I did a review of my Top 10 Most Cherished Family Photos of all time. These photos span my 32 years of life.

I went on a really fun Girls Getaway to Ft. Lauderdale in June. Here is Part 1 and Part 2 in photos.

We found a fun new summer spot for the family to enjoy. I can already tell this will be a summer weekend tradition for our family.

I emotionally prepared myself for my first born to start preschool.

We renovated our kitchen....woohoo!

I talked about how much I loooooooove being alone sometimes.

I talked about how much better my 30's are than my 20's.

We had our first ever family photo shoot.

I wrote about what a typical week looks like for us.

My little man turned Two.

After two years of living here, I finally realized that Pennsylvania feels like home.

I wrote about how I would really love to be a woman of strength & dignity.

I admitted by biggest character flaw.

I talked about how I want to be intentional about creating memories for my children.

I figured out a way to get my preschooler to take a quiet time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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One photo a week for an entire year

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I completed my 2011 "Project 52" where I set aside one photo a week for the entire year. I now have 52 photos that illustrate our year as a Family. You can check them all out here!

And if I had to choose ONE favorite of the whole year, it would be this one....

M had no idea I even took this. And it's just so representative of them both. M always includes his little buddy when he needs to do outside work on the house or yard. DR feels so important when he's "helping". They have so much fun doing projects together....even if it takes twice as long to complete because of tiny hands and feet trying to keep up. I cherish this photo because my son is only 2 years old for such a short amount of time. Someday, he won't want to spend every waking moment with his Daddy, watching his every move, wanting to learn and emulate. Someday, HE will be the one mowing the lawn.

I got this green photo album for $4 at Target to match my orange one from 2010. Someday I will have a pile of 20 of them!

It takes a lot of thought and effort to do this throughout the year but it's SO worth it. If you're interested in doing a Project 52 of your own (starting next week!), you can read some tips for staying organized and motivated from a post that I wrote earlier this year.

Best wishes if you're planning to start in 2012! Please let me know if you are, I would love to know who else is taking on the challenge with me.

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Christmas 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:07:00 +0000

Well hey there blog. Long time, no update.

I haven't sat down at my computer since early on Christmas Eve. And it's been glorious. I've been stuffing myself with amazing food, watching my children tear open gifts, relaxing in front of the fireplace, watching movies, and visiting family. GLORIOUS.

I bet you were expecting a bunch of photos a la "crazy picture lady goes bonkers at Christmastime" right? Well, guess what.... I didn't.take.one.single.photo. Can you believe it? All photos documenting the past few days have been taken by my hubs with his iPhone. I decided to soak in every moment, and take in every detail without having to squint one eye and see everything through my camera lens. GLORIOUS.

1. At the Christmas Eve service at our church; every child got to dress as Mary or Joseph.
2. Brother was so fun this year and really got it. 3. Sister was just as excited. 4. New Princess books from Nonni. 5. Opening gifts with Daddy. 6. They stood still for approximately 2 seconds. 7. Brother had enough excitement and dove onto his blankie for a reprieve. 8. Hugs for Mommy after I made breakfast casserole & cinnamon buns. 9. The aftermath. We are blessed. 10. Me & the hubs. 11. Hanging out by the firepit to end the evening. 12. Princess Belle dress and Princess Belle Barbie in hand. 13. A trip to Virginia to visit my Mom the day after Christmas. 14. And visit my Daddy. 15. The wide open country sky in my hometown of Broadway, Virginia.

I was really happy with the important balance we struck between the true meaning of Christmas and all the Santa hoopla. There was a lot of JESUS and a little Santa. :) We kept the budget in check, and really concentrated on quality time rather than gift giving. It was just the four of us all day and I LOVED that. I completely unplugged from the internet. Our Christmas dinner was one of the best of all time and included marinated London Broil, Creamed Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. M and I got to talk about our family and personal goals for the new year. I was able to take some serious time to reflect on 2011 and all that God has given me. I had a beautiful visit to Virginia and got to spend time with not only my parents, but also some dear childhood friends. It was probably one of my favorite Christmases of all time.

But now.... I am MORE than ready to get on with the New Year. I have a million things floating around in my head and I will try and share bits and pieces as I am able to organize my thoughts and get them written down.

There are some fun new things I'm planning for this blog and for Mod Memento in 2012. I've got a list of both personal and professional goals to work toward and I'll probably share many of them with you soon.

Happy New Year everyone! And thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog this past year (or years, for some of you!). It truly means the world to me that I have a place to share my heart and my creativity.

Stay tuned for a recap of 2011 with all my fav photos from the year.

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Merriest Christmas to you!

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:43:00 +0000

A few updates, but mostly more random.

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:47:00 +0000

I made these fruit & yogurt parfaits for the kids for breakfast this morning. With candy canes, oh yea! Major mom points.

Thanks to everyone who donated to Project 320!! The $5,000 goal was surpassed and a clean water well will be built!!! We have helped to save lives and fight disease! What a beautiful way to serve the world this Christmas.

And did you enter this huge giveaway over at Royal Daughter Designs? I am giving away a free ad space on my blog for January! Be sure to take a look at the long list of other blogs and shops being featured as well. The big winner will be announced on Christmas day!

And did you guys see this kid-friendly version of the Christmas story? AF and I love it so much!

In other news, I have been drinking waaaaay, way too much hot chocolate this week. Seriously, someone stop me.

And did you notice my purple bow? It's got a picture of Sleeping Beauty on it and I wore it all day today because AF asked me to. Yep, I rocked it at Target..and..Preschool pickup...and the post office. It's the little things that make my girl happy.

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Random

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:23:00 +0000

I am feeling random today. Here is a catch all summary of life in recent days...

Santa rode through our neighborhood on a Firetruck this weekend.

The firemen gave out candy canes. They turned on the siren and everything. It was really fun.

Want to entertain your kids for 30 minutes?...

Give them mini marshmallows and toothpicks.

The kiddos are loving bubble baths this week.

I die over these eyelashes. I told you this post was random.

A small number of you know about my obsession with eggo waffles. I've been taking it to a whole new level lately... I now do whole wheat eggo waffles topped with peanut butter, walnuts, fruit and powdered sugar. Easy and yum.

Check out this new recipe I just tried for Roasted Chicken with Feta and Artichokes.... the whole fam loved it so I'm adding it to the monthly lineup.

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Can y'all believe it's less than a week until Christmas?? I am pulling a late nighter tonight to wrap presents. Who's already done?

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Crazy Picture Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Bri @ Mod Memento) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:23:00 +0000

Source: amanda-reedblog.com via Brianna on Pinterest

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Happy Weekend.

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