HOW ABOUT A SALE?!

This springy weather is making my heart jump & I'm feelin' pretty generous (especially to share some warmth to those not in a springy place right now)! Use code SPRINGTREAT for 25% off your entire purchase in the shop! Perfect timing to pick up something pretty for your mama just in time for Mother's Day! 

Go >> Head to the shop!

SB2K13

This past week has been AWESOME! I remember looking forward to Spring Break as a student, but I honestly don't think that anticipation can even remotely compare to what I feel now as a stay at home mom & wife to a teacher. Staying home with kiddos (while being the best job ever) can be incredibly difficult. I really needed some help & some time with the hubs. While we weren't able to get away, we vowed not to waste this time. I don't know if we could have packed anymore into this week. 

We were up early every morning & out the door:

yard sales

flea market

lunched (everywhere possible in NKy)

visited every park (multiple times) 

spent time at multiple libraries

rode bikes

blew about a million bubbles

dinner out (every single night) 

lived my dream while Dusty had dad-day with the kids

super full day date

visited with friends

I'm sure this week is going to be extra difficult, but I do feel refreshed to push on. 

This week will be filled with:

filling our almost empty refrigerator & pantry

healthier eating

regular bible studies & YL activities

mass laundry & house cleaning

dealing with some stinky, super hard parenting stuff (more on this later)

enjoying time at home with the littles

RLF: DREAM COME TRUE

My besties & I have had a dream for over 10 years...we have always dreamed of opening up a shop together. In high school this dream was ridiculous. We imagined a crazy (slightly trashy) shop filled with crap that we hung out at all day. Welp, as we got older we just laughed & reminisced about our shop dream. 

But, then something happened. About a year & a half ago we started talking. Maybe this dream wasn't so crazy & in some way it could actually happen. Maybe we could throw together our resources, plans, creativity, time & love of vintage & create something wonderful. We had some planning sessions & started collecting.

A bit into our planning & collecting Jen Jen got preggo. So we took a little break to regroup & figure out if this dream could work with all our kiddos & our crazy-as-they-already-are lives. 

Then, something different than originally planned came about. We found the perfect little place to sell our treasures. We were put on a wait list & finally this week we were granted a space of our own. Just a sweet little bookcase for now, but the perfect beginning to our dream. 

So, there we are...sweaty & exhausted & living our dream.

If you find yourself in Lexington, Ky visit RLF (that's what we call ourselves) at Feather Your Nest & hunt for some treasures.

RANDOM

So many thoughts & ramblings are rushing around my head & I really like lists, so here goes:

1. I'm reading Cold Tangerines. It's incredible. I want to celebrate life. Every moment, everyday, I want to see God in each second. I want to travel & laugh & cry & eat food that is real & delicious.

2. I'm forcing myself to love cooking. I've never liked it. I'm surrounded by women that are wonderful cooks, so I've never really wanted/needed to cook since they're so great. But, since we don't really eat out for financial & crazy children reasons, I figured it was time. I've tried a few new recipes that have turned out really well & excited me a bit. I made this. Not healthy, but pretty much the best meal I've ever made.

3. I'm attempting to redesign my blog some ON MY OWN. (Well...kind of on my own...I had to ask for help with some things.) It will be simple. You will probably laugh & say, "really? That's what she was doing? I could do that in minutes." I just love my little blog space & I know a new design will excite me & make me want to record our lives more.

4. Today, James chucked Evie's cup across the living room. The lid, of course, popped off & juice exploded everywhere. I was cleaning it up while explaining to James that it was wrong & he was going to be punished. He shrugged his shoulders & TOLD ME TO "CHILLAX." I think something in my brain might have burst. Parenting is hard. Hardest thing I've ever done.

5. Dusty's grandma passed away early yesterday morning. I'm still in a weird processing/numb mode. I keep trying to put thoughts in order, but my mind is a jumbled mess of sweet memories of her, sadness, heaviness, hurt, thankfulness & rejoicing that she is with Jesus.

LONG WINTER

I know I always have a hard time during the winter. Days that seem to go on forever. Just waiting for the freshness of Spring. But, since having kids these winters seem even longer. Days stuck inside with little ones that are dying to be in the fresh air, running, exploring. It's tough. 

I was thankful for a heavy snow a couple weeks ago. It's so much brighter than the dark & wet Kentucky winter days. It also brought a snow day for Dusty, which is always a treat. A sweet break in the middle of the week. Cold cheeks, hot chocolate & soup. It was great.

We have had a couple little precious peeks of spring. Just warm enough for bike rides, a picnic at the park & bubbles on the deck. Sweet glimpses of things to come. 

THREE

Happy 3rd Birthday to our sweet James Wesley!

We chose to keep planning to a minimum & let him decide how to spend the weekend. 

(At first he told me he wanted to eat mexican food, go to the bookstore to read books & play with the train table & then go to Target...he is definitely MY son.)

We ate all his favorite things, visited with lots of family & played hard. 

We have had the most wonderful weekend celebrating our little man as he turned three. 

MORNING GIRL

It's about 10am before the thumb leaves her lips.

>><<

Also. I'm going to Hope Spoken...Are you?!