• #1 rule: Have fun and be creative 
• Go find out what she said. Check out the other blogs linked up and show them some love.
• Don’t hold back! We want to read what you are writing.
• Okay, we do ask you to hold back ONLY if you are NOT following the rules. This link-up is for those who are inspired by the quote of the week. Get inspired!
• Not a rule but a suggestion… please share That’s What She Said on your social media. Example: Join @Mrs_AOK & @Courtneynoel Tuesday’s for #TWSS a weekly link-up inspired by women’s words.

Thanks for sharing your quotes with us last week, I felt so inspired reading all of the quotes you picked and reading why they held significance to you.  It was awesome. THANK YOU!

Maybe it is because I just tucked these two happy faces into bed for the night, yet I can still hear them talking in their own brother language to each other as they drift off to sleep.  Maybe it is because I spend my days reading story after story.  Maybe it is from creating adventures and then cleaning up after my two little whirlwinds.  Maybe it is because they are my everything, my whole world, but this quote has me thinking about them.   Particularly the bittersweetness of it all. Particularly that this photo below was taken one year ago.  How is it possible? How did my babies go from these little nuggets barely able to hold up their heads, to these big boys sitting outside drinking their big boy milk sharing a chair with each other? HOW?And why? Why does it have to go so quickly? Why does it seem like *pouf* a year has passed but it feels like a hot minute.

Sometimes I forget how big they are.  How capable they are.  

Last week for the first time I let them both walk to the car for the first time when leaving the house.  They have been walking for two months! Why didn’t I let them do this sooner? I mean truthfully, them walking to the car is WAAAAY easier than me carrying them to the car.  The fact that all three of us can walk out to the car together, at the same time, is AMAZING. So why did it take me TWO months to do it? Because I wasn’t ready to let go.  I wasn’t ready to admit that the baby shuffle (AKA leaving one baby inside unattended to load the other baby, and then leaving that baby alone to grab the baby previously left alone inside) had come to an end and was no longer necessary. 

Sometimes I forget how much they don’t need me.

Don’t get me wrong, they still need me for just about everything.  But their ability to problem solve with each other astounds me.  Sometimes I rush in too quickly to help, and while I am blabbing away, “Give that back to your brother.  Ask him for a turn when he is done. Yada, yada, yada.” (PS: their language is no where NEAR that, but I believe in modeling appropriate behavior from an early age).  The two of them are figuring it out and looking at me like I am the crazy one.  Just today, they were sitting together on the back of their play boat my husband made them for their play room, and Colin took a toy from Liam, and I saw Liam lean in (for what I assumed was going to be a bite).  But as I started to say his name, I realized he was just giving his brother a kiss.  See how big they are? See how capable they are?

I need to remind myself of this.  All of this.

But it is hard.  It is hard to let go of my itty, bitty babies.  It is hard to realize that they are growing and capable.  But I need to.  I need to recognize their strengths and their abilities.  I need to help them become who they are meant to be. Isn’t that what motherhood is all about?? 

ANNOUNCEMENT
It’s not you, it’s me… That’s What She Said. Okay, but seriously… Dean and I have a few adventures coming up, and since we want to give our full attention to TWSS we are taking a break. Dean is moving across the country with her family, and with that, she is not sure when she will be settled in.

We hope you will keep writing! The two of us cannot wait to get back into a groove with you #TWSS. We will return in September and Julia Child is our muse!
​

The post Becoming Them #TWSS #linkup appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

A little over two months ago, we had the last photos in our “grow up” series taken.  To say I am behind in sharing these photos is the understatement of the century! But at least I am sharing them before the boys are two *wink*  

Matt and I took photos with the boys as well as having some individual shots of the boys. They turned out perfectly, as always! The boys (all three of them) were such troopers.  It was HOT, HOT, HOT but they kept on working the camera.  I am so excited to share them with you!

The post One Year Old Family Pictures appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

Join us each week as we provide you with a quote (by a woman); and you let that quote inspire your written word! Allow it to lead your writing in whatever way works for you. And we mean that! Literally, wherever it leads you to write is wonderful, and perfect, and worthy of sharing! Share, share, share! Let yourself be inspired each week at That’s What She Said! Write on!!

• #1 rule: Have fun and be creative 
• Go find out what she said. Check out the other blogs linked up and show them some love.
• Don’t hold back! We want to read what you are writing.
• Okay, we do ask you to hold back ONLY if you are NOT following the rules. This link-up is for those who are inspired by the quote of the week. Get inspired!
• Not a rule but a suggestion… please share That’s What She Said on your social media. Example: Join @Mrs_AOK & @Courtneynoel Tuesday’s for #TWSS a weekly link-up inspired by women’s words.

Thanks for sharing your “fun” with us two weeks ago! Did you miss us while we took a mini vacation?? We missed you, and we are happy to have you back! This week we asked you to choose your own quote, we cannot wait to see everyone’s quote!  

I am optimistic; a glass half full kind of person.
I am a believer in love; a hopeless romantic kind of person.
I am always looking for the best in those around be; a rose colored glasses wearing kind of person.
I am positive; a looking for the silver lining kind of person.
I am a hard worker; an early bird gets the worm kind of person.
I am a believer in a can-do attitude; a make lemonade out of lemons kind of person.
I am happy; a stop and smell the roses kind of person.

(Source)

This Lilly Pulitzer quote really spoke to me this week, but I think it would speak to me any week throughout my life.  If you have been reading and following What’s Up with the Wilhelms long enough, my words above come as no surprise to you.  I am all of those cliches (and probably  a million more) and I am proud of it.  

I know life isn’t always easy.  I know that life is filled with hardships and frustrations and many curve balls.  I know that being happy isn’t always the first emotion you want to feel.  But why not? Why not choose happiness? Why not look for that silver lining? Why not make that lemonade?

(Source)

I think for me, when I am feeling overwhelmed or defeated (and trust me, I have those moments, and thoughts), it helps if I stop and think about the sunshine, the rainbows, the flowers, the lemonade so to speak that I have in my life.  Because while, every day may not be sunshine and rainbows for the full 24 hours, I can always find at least one part of my day that was.

And Lilly is right, being happy, choosing happiness is something that will never go out of style!

The post Rainbows and Sunshine #TWSS #linkup appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

Join us each week as we provide you with a quote (by a woman); and you let that quote inspire your written word! Allow it to lead your writing in whatever way works for you. And we mean that! Literally, wherever it leads you to write is wonderful, and perfect, and worthy of sharing! Share, share, share! Let yourself be inspired each week at That’s What She Said! Write on!!

• #1 rule: Have fun and be creative 
• Go find out what she said. Check out the other blogs linked up and show them some love.
• Don’t hold back! We want to read what you are writing.
• Okay, we do ask you to hold back ONLY if you are NOT following the rules. This link-up is for those who are inspired by the quote of the week. Get inspired!
• Not a rule but a suggestion… please share That’s What She Said on your social media. Example: Join @Mrs_AOK & @Courtneynoel Tuesday’s for #TWSS a weekly link-up inspired by women’s words.

Thanks for sharing your creativity with us last week! We enjoyed reading your posts, ladies. xo

I had a different idea in mind for todays post, but as I sit down to write I am exhausted both physically and mentally, and the last thing I feel like I can write about is FUN.  Because today, was the opposite of fun.

What is the opposite of fun?

Watching your helpless one-year old throw up for the first time.  Yes, I am officially writing a blog post about throwing up.  But I keep in real around here, and today I was up to my eyeballs in throw up.

And not only did my poor baby get sick for the first time, but we were out when it happened, which just made me want to cry.  Because when I don’t feel well, the last place I want to be is out and about.  Plus, I gave the boys coconut for the first time at lunch, so then I was panicking that perhaps he was having a serious allergic reaction to a tree nut.  He does have an allergy to gluten already.  So not only am I panicking about having a possible allergic reaction on my hands, but I was completely unprepared!!! Which is so not me; I predict everything and am always prepared for all possibilities.  

Apparently all possibilities, except throwing up. 

Our days of spit up our long behind us, so I no longer carry a change of clothes in my diaper bag. Mistake number one.  I also no longer carry those little bags that can hold clothes, burp clothes, or anything else that may have spit up on them.  Mistake number two!

My poor baby walked back to the car without a shirt on to make our trip home. And sadly the throwing up did not end there.  Each of use wore several different outfits today.  I did many loads of wash, carpets were cleaned, carseats were cleaned; it felt like everything under the sun needed to be cleaned.  Not to mention the most important thing; my precious one year old needed  a couple baths along the way too!

So I was tired, cranky, so over doing wash, and completely worried about my baby. But as I watch him play, I can’t help but smile.  As he runs around chasing the dogs, as he walks up to his brother and gives him pat on the head, as he comes to give me a cuddle, as he plays with his favorite toy.  

A photo posted by Courtney (@courtneynoel12) on Jul 13, 2015 at 4:43pm PDT

Here I am feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, and I’m not even the sick one! Yet the one who is sick, is happy.  So darn happy!! His giggles, and babbles of, “Mama, bubba, ball.” reminded me that Mary Poppins is right…. in every job that must be done… even the yucky ones involving a sick, throwing up baby…. there is an element of fun!

Also a spoonful of sugar wine (or really a glass) doesn’t hurt either!!! That Mary Poppins really knows her stuff!

Announcement: There will not be a link-up next week, we won’t be back until August 3rd. When we get back we cannot wait to see what quotes you will share! Keep writing!! XO

The post Mary Poppins #TWSS appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

Join us each week as we provide you with a quote (by a woman); and you let that quote inspire your written word! Allow it to lead your writing in whatever way works for you. And we mean that! Literally, wherever it leads you to write is wonderful, and perfect, and worthy of sharing! Share, share, share! Let yourself be inspired each week at That’s What She Said! Write on!!

• #1 rule: Have fun and be creative 
• Go find out what she said. Check out the other blogs linked up and show them some love.
• Don’t hold back! We want to read what you are writing.
• Okay, we do ask you to hold back ONLY if you are NOT following the rules. This link-up is for those who are inspired by the quote of the week. Get inspired!
• Not a rule but a suggestion… please share That’s What She Said on your social media. Example: Join @Mrs_AOK & @Courtneynoel Tuesday’s for #TWSS a weekly link-up inspired by women’s words.

Thanks for saying what you had to last week! We enjoyed reading your posts, ladies. xo

Before I was a mama to a set of adorable twin boys, I lived for a good DIY project.  It was a great way for me to express myself, and allow my creative juices to flow.  I made precious wire bow rings, chic pearl and ribbon bracelets, I even spent time making a little something special for the birds in our backyard!  Heck even when I was pregnant I was able to make time for DIY’s; my favorite being my pregnancy calendar shirt.  

But now that I am a mama, I am struggling.  Struggling to find the time and the energy to be creative.  To make something with my hands.  Instead of actually doing, I find myself pinning.  Because after a crazy-long day as a stay-at-home mom, sometimes I just want to sit on my butt and drink a glass of wine.

But you know what goes great with a glass of wine? An easy DIY project.

I decided that I needed to focus on easy, small, manageable DIY projects.  I have a looooong list, but I wanted to share a couple with you today.  Here are 10 easy DIY’s for the busy mama, or just the busy DIY diva!

Sugar Scrub Bars

Painted Mugs (or Wine Glasses)

No Sew Double Infinity Scarf

Finger Puppets

Jewelry Tray

DIY Workout Shirt

ISpy Bottles

DIY Paint Chip Calendar

Dish Soap Stand

Bottle Bud Vases

Do you love DIY projects? Feel like trying a couple of these? I would love to hear! Okay, well I shared mine, now it’s time to share yours! (That’s What She Said)

How do you make work fun? Is your job fun? How do Mary’s words inspire you? We want to see what you come up with next week!

Also, if you have an empowering quote by a woman you’d like to see featured on TWSS, please send us an email!

Write On!

The post 10 Easy DIY’s for the Busy Mama appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

Blue Hawaiian Shark Attack

Mad Mako

Shark Tooth Twister

Sharktini

The Shark Fin

Shark Bite

Kid Friendly, Alcohol Free, Shark Glacier Punch

Do you watch Shark Week? Do you think you will make one of these tasty Shark Week cocktails?? I would love to hear!

The post Shark Week Cocktails appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

Join us each week as we provide you with a quote (by a woman); and you let that quote inspire your written word! Allow it to lead your writing in whatever way works for you. And we mean that! Literally, wherever it leads you to write is wonderful, and perfect, and worthy of sharing! Share, share, share! Let yourself be inspired each week at That’s What She Said! Write on!!

• #1 rule: Have fun and be creative 
• Go find out what she said. Check out the other blogs linked up and show them some love.
• Don’t hold back! We want to read what you are writing.
• Okay, we do ask you to hold back ONLY if you are NOT following the rules. This link-up is for those who are inspired by the quote of the week. Get inspired!
• Not a rule but a suggestion… please share That’s What She Said on your social media. Example: Join @Mrs_AOK & @Courtneynoel Tuesday’s for #TWSS a weekly link-up inspired by women’s words.

Say what you mean to say.

That is what comes to mind when I read Madonna’s words. And you know what comes to mind next?? This song by John Mayer….

I know, I know, he is not a woman and this link up is all about our sheroes, but I just couldn’t help it!! I think I may still have songs on the brain after last weeks Fight Song post, but as I began writing this post, I couldn’t help but hum along to John Mayer singing in my head.

So today I’m going to continue to jam to this John Mayer song (and maybe a couple others too) and I am going to remind myself just how important it is to say what you need to say. 

And really who doesn’t need a reminder to get thing off your chest, no matter how big or how small or seemingly indifferent. It is important to get things, whatever they are, out there. Otherwise it builds up inside of you and then one day you will explode like a volcano; maybe not literally but definitely figuratively. Easier said than done, I know.  

{Source: Pinterest}

It can be hard, and scary to say what you need to.  You may fear hurting others or perhaps risk alienating yourself by saying what you need to say.  But the truth of the matter is this… those who matter most, already know what is in your heart. 

So what is in your heart?

Share some creativity with us next week!

The post What Is In Your Heart #TWSS #linkup appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

 Today I thought I would share some super cute and very festive no bake 4th of July desserts with you.  Now you can bring a festive Americana dessert to your 4th of July celebration without ever turning on the oven! You can thank me later!!

4th of July Oreo Pops

4th of July Dipped Pretzels

4th of July Oreo Petit Fours

4th of July American Flag Rice Krispie Treats

Fire Cracker Popcorn

4th of July Push Pop Cake(using Sara Lee Pound Cake)

4th of July Chocolate Dipped Marshmallow Pops

4th of July Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What are your go-to no bake desserts?? I would love to hear, leave me a comment and let me know what no bake 4th of July desserts you want to make!

The post No Bake 4th of July Desserts {Recipe Round Up} appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

Join us each week as we provide you with a quote (by a woman); and you let that quote inspire your written word! Allow it to lead your writing in whatever way works for you. And we mean that! Literally, wherever it leads you to write is wonderful, and perfect, and worthy of sharing! Share, share, share! Let yourself be inspired each week at That’s What She Said! Write on!!

• #1 rule: Have fun and be creative 
• Go find out what she said. Check out the other blogs linked up and show them some love.
• Don’t hold back! We want to read what you are writing.
• Okay, we do ask you to hold back ONLY if you are NOT following the rules. This link-up is for those who are inspired by the quote of the week. Get inspired!
• Not a rule but a suggestion… please share That’s What She Said on your social media. Example: Join @Mrs_AOK & @Courtneynoel Tuesday’s for #TWSS a weekly link-up inspired by women’s words.

Thanks for sharing your life in one sentence with us last week!

When I was younger I loved and lived to dance; ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe; they were all my favorite.  I spent many hours, several days a week at the dance studio taking any and every class I could.  And when I wasn’t taking a dance class, I had dance on the brain.  I would choreograph dances with my sister or friends; I would dance down the aisles of the grocery store with my mom.  

I was a dancer.  Being a dancer defined me and was such an integral part of my life. I would have never believed you, if you told me there would come a day that I would stop dancing.  

{Source}

But that day, that day I never though would come, the day I stopped dancing did in fact come.  I packed up my dance shoes, put away my tutus, and said, “See ya later” to my drawers and drawers filled with tights, leotards, and leg warmers. I remembering being sad, I remember feeling numb, I remember feeling like I was giving up on my dream.

But I also remember knowing in my heart, that while I loved dance with all of mybeing, and all of my soul, I knew that it would never be more than a hobby.  I wasn’t going to dance for New York City Ballet.  I wasn’t going to be on Broadway.  I wasn’t going to open my own dance studio.  When I stopped dancing at 15 I promised myself I would dance again.

And last week, I finally made the promise happen as I dusted off (both literally and figuratively) my old ballet and tap shoes.  For the first time in over 10 years I took both a ballet and tap class (go big or go home).  I was amazed at just how much my feet remembered!! My brain was a little rusty with terminology, but my feet remembered it all.

And as I changed out of my ballet shoes, and laced up my tap shoes I couldn’t help but feel inspired.  I felt like I was becoming me again! I was remembering my love and my passion for something; something I could not believe I had let slip out of my life for so long. I felt strong, and empowered, and more than alright! As I danced across the floor, I was becoming a better version of me!

And would you like to guess what our first song was as we began our tap floor work? Fight Song! Can you believe it?? You all know I believe in a good sign, and if this wasn’t a big ole slap in the face sign, then I don’t know what is!!!

Tell me all about your fight song!! I would love to hear; leave me a comment or link up and join the fun!

What is it you need to ask for? We cannot wait to see what you share next week!

The post A Better Version of Me appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.

Join us each week as we provide you with a quote (by a woman); and you let that quote inspire your written word! Allow it to lead your writing in whatever way works for you. And we mean that! Literally, wherever it leads you to write is wonderful, and perfect, and worthy of sharing! Share, share, share! Let yourself be inspired each week at That’s What She Said! Write on!!

• #1 rule: Have fun and be creative 
• Go find out what she said. Check out the other blogs linked up and show them some love.
• Don’t hold back! We want to read what you are writing.
• Okay, we do ask you to hold back ONLY if you are NOT following the rules. This link-up is for those who are inspired by the quote of the week. Get inspired!
• Not a rule but a suggestion… please share That’s What She Said on your social media. Example: Join @Mrs_AOK & @Courtneynoel Tuesday’s for #TWSS a weekly link-up inspired by women’s words.

Thanks for sharing your “home” with us last week!

I have been thinking about this post all week.  I mean *really* thinking.  When Dean and I pick the quotes, I often have a vague sense of what I will write.  But not with this one.  This quote had me stumped.  This quote put a lot of pressure on me; to come up with one sentence, that is pressure.  I mean,  would I even be able to describe my life in a paragraph, let alone ONE single, solitary sentence?? All week I kept repeating this quote to myself; “My entire life can be described in one sentence: It didn’t go as planned and that’s ok.” I mulled it over, and over, and over.  As I washed sippy cups, as I folded laundry, as I played bunco with friends, as I cooked breakfast, and lunch, and dinner; I kept asking myself, “How would I describe my life in one sentence?” And then suddenly it came to me; while I was showering (I swear that is where I do my best thinking. TMI? Oh well, it’s the truth!).  I had been overthinking it.  I was trying to come up with something that could encompass my life… from my childhood days filled with ballet, mud pies, and lazy beach bays. To my adolescence; filled with a move across the country and making new friends.  To my teenage years; learning to drive, going to concerts, having friends who become your family.  To adulthood; going to college and leaving home, falling in love and getting married, finding my passion and landing my dream job. To motherhood; getting pregnant, staying pregnant, becoming a mama.  And everything in between. So what sentence could encompass all of that and more??

While life has thrown me curve balls, while months have been weathered by storms, while days have had their fair share of clouds; I have always believed I could hit the ball out of the park, I knew a rainbow would come after the storm, and I always looked for the silver lining. 

  So, how would you describe your life in just one sentence? Leave me a comment to let me know.  Better yet, if you have a blog share in a post and link up with Dean and I. XO

Next week we’re letting Rachel Platten inspire us with her song “Fight Song“. We want you to share your fight song or create one for yourself. While you’re at it check out Holley Kitchen’s take on this song in regards to her fight with breast cancer. Get writing! We cannot wait to see what you’ll share!

The post My Life in One Sentence #TWSS #linkup appeared first on What's Up With the Wilhelms.