First Birthday Party | A Winter ONEderland
26 January 2018
Hello Friends!
I've been asked about some of the details of Naomi's party so in this post I've compiled a list of some things that I used to pull the whole look together! I started with a cream, gold and blush color palette and then threw in silver for accents. Most of the common party supplies came from Party City and Amazon and listed below are a few extra special things I found that really brought my idea full circle. I used a bunch of my mom's winter decorations that she puts up in her home for the centerpieces and food table, we served grape jelly meatballs, ham and cheese sliders, broccoli salad, a 'scandal-clad naked cake', french macarons & a hot chocolate bar! Both of our older girls have summer birthdays and those are easy backyard BBQ & slip and slide anyone? I wasn't too thrilled about trying to plan a winter bash but I ended up surprising myself and there are many great options out there for themes. Now, simple birthday's from here on out!
Party Details:
Gold Mix Pattern Paper Straws | Pink & Gold Glitter 'ONE' banner | Winter ONEderland Cake Topper | Rose Gold Number '1' Ballon | Rose Gold 'Happy Birthday' Balloons | Hanging Snowflakes |
Outfit Details:
ONEderful Shirt | Gold Cake Smashing Kit - Bib & Hat | Ivory & Gold Mesh Tutu | Freshly Picked Mary Jane Moccasin
Photography: Campbell Photography
Cake: Flour Child
Macarons: Tara's Treats
Age - Is it really just a number?
23 January 2018
I was reading a few articles on my phone before my kids woke up this morning and the headlines that I was seeing were so intriguing and quite judgemental. I'm typically a fan and watch the Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise but I haven't had time to start this season yet and wasn't up on what the latest show gossip. It seems that this season there is a younger female contestant vying for the rose of an older male contestant (14 years her senior) on the show, it was just revealed to him and people are coming out with their opinions. Articles like-- 'He's More than a Decade Older Than Her..' -- 'Arie to Rob the Cradle with 22 Year -Old Nanny' -- 'Her Age Might Present a Problem' -- and 'The Great Age Debate, How Young is too Young?'.
Ok, here's one of my problems with the situation/ controversy and I'll try and stay off of my soapbox on the issue and we will take the contestant's personality out of the mix for a moment. First, she's over the legal age as an adult to make her own decisions. Second, she's over the age stipulation that the show has in place for a contestant to apply to the show, that age is 21, shes 22. There have been 21-year-olds on this show in the past. Is 22 the new 21? Third, the show personnel interviewed her and place her on live television, not only knowing her age but knowing his age also. So either they felt she was mature enough to be on the show and be a strong contender or they just wanted ratings from the 'age debate'. That is something that I do not know, but nonetheless, she was cast and put out on display in front of the world and now her age and maturely level are up for public debate when it really is none of our business. And, I'm going to go somewhere 'hot button' for a moment-- if she was a man and he was a woman this 'debate' would be half the size it is, because, she would a 'cougar' and that would be cool.
Now, my other problem with this issue is a personal one. People can get pretty hung up on age. I know this from experience because I am, in fact, married to a man who is more than a decade older than I am...(gasp) he is 12 years my senior. When we met and started dating I was age 21 and he was age 33 and when we got married a year later I was 22 and he was 34. He would specifically get asked, "How old is she?". Had our age difference been about 5-8 years apart people would have moved right along but when the number 12 was thrown out there no one ever seems to quite able to move on from the topic. At the time I'm sure a lot of people, well, I know many had very specific things to say behind our backs. Comments such as, "He's too old for her." "He's robbing the cradle." "What do her parents say?" "She's too young with her whole life ahead of her, so it won't last." "He wants a family and to settle down and she probably wants to party." What if I had been 40 and he was 52 at the time? One thing is for sure! With this gap, no one is considered to be robbing the cradle.
But they probably didn't know us, the real us, most likely they only knew us on the surface. No one was privy to our 5-hour conversations that involved everything including that very important topic about our age. Specifically, how we felt about it and what we knew other people would say. I especially remember the moment when he put the question right to me, "What do you want with a 33-year-old anyway? Wouldn't you want someone younger? Don't you think I'm too old for you?" to which I replied, "No, age is just a number and I don't care about your age." It was never brought up again, we went about our relationship, fell in love, got married and after 8 years together, 7 years married, and three children I'd say we made a good choice. We didn't care about the specific age range that society and our peers thought was acceptable, we were just 'us' and it worked. We would often joke that our mental maturity levels were both at age 27. I think that's one of the factors in a relationship that matters the most, if you can both connect on the same maturity level, have the same values and aspirations then anything can work. We celebrated Aaron as he rolled into his 40s and this year I get to celebrate moving into my 30s with him by my side. What remains consistent, however, is that all relationships have their fair share of hurdles, and take their fair share of work, for those young and old. Thank goodness we didn't live out our dating relationship on TV in front of the world for people to pick apart and become a headline for clicks. If other people have a problem with it, let it be their problem.
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” -Mark Twain
Naomi's Birth Story
22 January 2018
There is such bittersweet feeling that surrounds the last child. When you know you are done and your family is complete; you're excited about the future but you just want to hang on to every single second and have them not pass by too quickly. I don't know if it's really the fact that's she's our last or that she still looks at me like I'm her most favorite person in the universe. As I reflect back on the past twelve months with our dear Naomi, the events surrounding her birth are moments I will never forget!
It’s was a cold and windy January day, we had just gotten home from being away all morning and early afternoon at my grandpa’s funeral. We walked away from the burial site at 11:05 am, picked up the girls, grabbed lunch and headed back home. I had a 39-week doctors appointment at 6:00 pm that night and convinced Aaron to come along - I had been having false labor for two weeks and he thought I was bluffing every time. I felt the need to prove to him that things were indeed moving along. A quick checkup with my midwife confirmed that I was dilated to a four and almost at a five but since I had no consistent and timeable contractions I was going back home tonight. Since the girls were with Aaron’s parents we asked them if they minded if we grabbed a bite to eat, we ordered steaks and chit chatted about how this would probably be our last one-on-one time before baby. We drove home, picked up the girls, took them home, bathed them and tucked them in for the night. At 9 pm Aaron told me he was going to bed hoping to get a good nights sleep since he’d been up since 2am that morning and was exhausted. By 9:30pm the dishes were done and a detailed note with instructions for my mother-in-law including the girl's schedule was written down and placed on the counter as a ‘just in case’ measure of peace of mind. I readied myself for bed, laid down, checked my phone one last time-- the screen read 9:35 pm. As soon as I discarded my phone to the nightstand and rolled over my first contraction hit and it was the mother of all contractions. I never felt super strong ones with the first two because I had my beloved epidurals before things got crazy but in that moment I was sure I had just given birth. I squeezed my eyes shut and peeked, nope no baby but I thought I better wake Aaron up. He was sound asleep and nothing woke him until the next contraction hit exactly 5 minutes later and my nails made contact with his arm. I’m sure there are still marks. He didn’t believe me but called his mom anyway and after two more at 4.5 minutes apart I'm sure glad that he did. So you can picture a dark house with only the light from the hallway bathroom shining, I’m breathing through the pain, pacing, packing toiletries, checking off the list, on the phone with triage trying to explain to my midwife that I'm in labor and this is my third so please, believe me. I'm stopping every 4 minutes to try and breathe through them. At 10:15 pm my mother-in-law arrives, I’m carrying bags to the garages and hanging on to the kitchen counter for support. This time it’s his mom who lovingly tells him he better pick a pair of shoes, find his charger and get in the car. Meanwhile, I’m already there- with it started, the garage door opened and yelling that if he doesn't get in now that he's going to be grabbing his chains and delivering this baby himself. We leave our driveway at 10:25 pm, and one uncomfortable ride later we are in the parking lot of Women's and Babies hospital at 10:35 pm. I walk myself back to triage while he grabs the bags. The nice lady behind the window says the midwife said to be expecting me but they are currently in the middle of switching shifts so let’s do paperwork...paperwork? I don't even know what my name is or how to verbally communicate so I'm not sure we are going to get any paperwork done. My contractions were 2 mins apart and after recognizing my discomfort the only thing that receptionist got out of me was a wavy line that was supposed to be a signature. They quickly escorted me to a triage room and confirmed, to everyone’s surprise, that I was at 10 and ready to go. But- here comes the part that turns my little world on its heels.
Midwife: “Alright, you're at 10 Tiffany- it’s time!”
Me: “Ok. What does that mean for an epidural?”
Midwife: “I’m sorry but your not getting one, it’s too late unless you can sit still long enough for them to stick a needle in your spine.”
Me, clearly not happy: “What about Tylenol in my IV?”
Midwife, amused: “We can't, not this close to the birth, the baby could be born drowsy.”
Me, clearly not happy: “I’m sorry but I can’t do this without drugs”
Midwife, chuckling: “Oh yes, you can! And dear you're about to. Has your water broke yet?”
Me, alarmed: “IT JUST DID!
I’ve never seen people move so fast in my entire life. I’m placed in a hospital bed, the sides are flipped up and we are hauling it through the hallways, one nurse pushing a door button and the next one running ahead to grab another. Poor Aaron is trying to keep up, and the last thing I hear him say was "I guess we're running now..." We make it to a delivery room, bright lights, eight people zipping around, wheeling this and wheeling that, and then all of a sudden I have four people surrounding me but I can’t focus on any of their faces. They are shouting directions and what I think are kind and supportive things at me but I went to another place mentally for the next 5 minutes, Aaron claims he was next to me but I can't remember that. Well, after two pushes and the most incredible pain I’ve ever felt in my entire life - at 11:05pm - I had a 7 lb 2 oz baby placed in my arms. It honestly took me a second to register what had just happened, I remember the one nurse giving me a funny look like, hey- here's your baby, but then there was Aaron beside me and there was our precious Naomi.
We did our skin-to-skin, filling out the paperwork that was put on hold earlier and found ourselves in a new room. The night nurse arrived, introduced herself and sent someone in to bathe the baby. Aaron was asleep in the pull-out chair beside me and I was sitting there alone after handing over this fresh babe in my arms to get her bath, I was still trying to play catch up to what had just happened. There’s that bit of time that comes after giving birth that happens for some people that not many people talk about. The part that comes after your body is done doing its job and your mind takes back over. For me, it was like, “Ok, wow - did that just happen? Am I really holding my daughter right now? My last baby. Did I just give birth? It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. That was not my plan. We were just at a funeral, exactly 12 hours ago. Why didn’t anyone believe me that I was in labor? My husband. My midwife. Thank god my mother-in-law did! Maybe if Aaron would have found his phone charger sooner! Maybe he shouldn’t have taken so long to figure what shoes he wanted to wear! Then I could have gotten my epidural... (pipedream, wasn't going to happen) Maybe I shouldn’t have walked from the parking lot into triage. I should have just gone back to the hospital after we had dinner to be double checked because I was starting to have some backache. Why is she here? Didn't she know that she's supposed to wait until next week when things are calmer on the farm? Thank goodness I pushed him to finish her nursery last night because I felt I needed to have it ready-- even though no one else understood my rush. Why? Why is HE sleeping right now? I’m going, is he the one that just gave birth- to a human being. What made him so sleepy? I was the one screaming like a feral cat who was being declawed. Seriously body, what just happened to me?!”
And then the night nurse hands her back to me smelling like the yellow bottle of Johnson and Johnson baby wash, her hair is completely clean and fresh, she’s swaddled in her new cactus and rose swaddle- she’s alert and looking right at me, and it clicks. This is my baby, created perfectly and wonderfully for me. She came at the exact time she was supposed to come, and all of her 10 toes and fingers are mine. No, it’s not my plan because it was His plan. Every single thing happened the way it was supposed to happen because that moment-- at 11:05, that birth was created to prove to me that I cannot control all things and I am made of a lot more than I think I am, I am stronger than I think. My husband is sleeping because he was up for 24 hours straight at the time of her birth and needs to leave to go back to work in 30 minutes - so I let him sleep. I take a deep breath and just let my mind catch up to my body and I hear Him say: 'Now, this is a lesson-- learn from it.' And not only did my heart grow three times its size in that moment with love for my third baby but my faith grew with trust and gratefulness.
I can remember the birth of all three of my precious girls, but Naomi’s is one I will never forget because it's birth story and a life lesson all in one.
Midwife: “Alright, you're at 10 Tiffany- it’s time!”
Me: “Ok. What does that mean for an epidural?”
Midwife: “I’m sorry but your not getting one, it’s too late unless you can sit still long enough for them to stick a needle in your spine.”
Me, clearly not happy: “What about Tylenol in my IV?”
Midwife, amused: “We can't, not this close to the birth, the baby could be born drowsy.”
Me, clearly not happy: “I’m sorry but I can’t do this without drugs”
Midwife, chuckling: “Oh yes, you can! And dear you're about to. Has your water broke yet?”
Me, alarmed: “IT JUST DID!
I’ve never seen people move so fast in my entire life. I’m placed in a hospital bed, the sides are flipped up and we are hauling it through the hallways, one nurse pushing a door button and the next one running ahead to grab another. Poor Aaron is trying to keep up, and the last thing I hear him say was "I guess we're running now..." We make it to a delivery room, bright lights, eight people zipping around, wheeling this and wheeling that, and then all of a sudden I have four people surrounding me but I can’t focus on any of their faces. They are shouting directions and what I think are kind and supportive things at me but I went to another place mentally for the next 5 minutes, Aaron claims he was next to me but I can't remember that. Well, after two pushes and the most incredible pain I’ve ever felt in my entire life - at 11:05pm - I had a 7 lb 2 oz baby placed in my arms. It honestly took me a second to register what had just happened, I remember the one nurse giving me a funny look like, hey- here's your baby, but then there was Aaron beside me and there was our precious Naomi.
We did our skin-to-skin, filling out the paperwork that was put on hold earlier and found ourselves in a new room. The night nurse arrived, introduced herself and sent someone in to bathe the baby. Aaron was asleep in the pull-out chair beside me and I was sitting there alone after handing over this fresh babe in my arms to get her bath, I was still trying to play catch up to what had just happened. There’s that bit of time that comes after giving birth that happens for some people that not many people talk about. The part that comes after your body is done doing its job and your mind takes back over. For me, it was like, “Ok, wow - did that just happen? Am I really holding my daughter right now? My last baby. Did I just give birth? It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. That was not my plan. We were just at a funeral, exactly 12 hours ago. Why didn’t anyone believe me that I was in labor? My husband. My midwife. Thank god my mother-in-law did! Maybe if Aaron would have found his phone charger sooner! Maybe he shouldn’t have taken so long to figure what shoes he wanted to wear! Then I could have gotten my epidural... (pipedream, wasn't going to happen) Maybe I shouldn’t have walked from the parking lot into triage. I should have just gone back to the hospital after we had dinner to be double checked because I was starting to have some backache. Why is she here? Didn't she know that she's supposed to wait until next week when things are calmer on the farm? Thank goodness I pushed him to finish her nursery last night because I felt I needed to have it ready-- even though no one else understood my rush. Why? Why is HE sleeping right now? I’m going, is he the one that just gave birth- to a human being. What made him so sleepy? I was the one screaming like a feral cat who was being declawed. Seriously body, what just happened to me?!”
And then the night nurse hands her back to me smelling like the yellow bottle of Johnson and Johnson baby wash, her hair is completely clean and fresh, she’s swaddled in her new cactus and rose swaddle- she’s alert and looking right at me, and it clicks. This is my baby, created perfectly and wonderfully for me. She came at the exact time she was supposed to come, and all of her 10 toes and fingers are mine. No, it’s not my plan because it was His plan. Every single thing happened the way it was supposed to happen because that moment-- at 11:05, that birth was created to prove to me that I cannot control all things and I am made of a lot more than I think I am, I am stronger than I think. My husband is sleeping because he was up for 24 hours straight at the time of her birth and needs to leave to go back to work in 30 minutes - so I let him sleep. I take a deep breath and just let my mind catch up to my body and I hear Him say: 'Now, this is a lesson-- learn from it.' And not only did my heart grow three times its size in that moment with love for my third baby but my faith grew with trust and gratefulness.
Friday Top Five | My Current Crushes
12 January 2018
It's been awhile since I shared a handful of my favorite things!
So, here they are- my current crushes!
1.| Orzo Taco Skillet
You can find the recipe here!
It was a huge hit with my picky eaters and it makes enough to feed a crowd on Taco Tuesday or save for leftovers! I subbed beef bone broth for the chicken broth and I used green siracha for the hot sauce. It was just as yummy. Vegetable broth would work well also if you don't have chicken or beef.
2.| 1-2-3 Magic
We've been struggling over the past few months with sassy attitudes, teasing, sibling rivalry and a mess of yuck. The current strategies that we had in place just weren't cutting it anymore. Our pediatrician recommended this at our 5 years well check when I expressed my frustrations with the sibling 'stuff' that I just couldn't understand. Well, I finally broke down [read: through my hands in the air] and ordered this book! I'm halfway through it and it's MAGIC!
3.| Herban Essentials
Herban Essentials essential oil towelettes are made with the highest quality pure essential oil, which not only makes them smell amazing but makes them naturally antibacterial and antiseptic as well. The most common use of the towelettes is to clean hands and kill germs, but there are millions of ways to use these wonderful wipes.
Herban Essentials Mini Orange Towelettes - Tuck in your car air conditioner vents for happy rides; wipe down seats and tray tables when flying
Herban Essentials Mini Lavender Towelettes - Rub over skin to repel bugs and relieve itching due to previous bites & place in dryer for last minute of cycle to infuse clothes and linens with lavender aroma
Herban Essentials Mini Lemon Towelettes -Wipe phones, computer keyboards etc., in office or at home to prevent the spread of germs
4.| Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee, Cocoa & Honey with Cream
This can be hard to find in the stores but leave it to amazon prime to sell these 11 oz glass bottles of goodness in a case of 6!! YES!
5.| Meal Planner: Track And Plan Your Meals Weekly
And it's slim enough to fit into your bag! Each weekly spread contains a lined space for every day of the week, as well as a box for breakfast ideas and lunch ideas! Additionally, there is a large area to write down your grocery list for the week! Plan out your week, save time and money, and eat right.
So, here they are- my current crushes!
1.| Orzo Taco Skillet
You can find the recipe here!
It was a huge hit with my picky eaters and it makes enough to feed a crowd on Taco Tuesday or save for leftovers! I subbed beef bone broth for the chicken broth and I used green siracha for the hot sauce. It was just as yummy. Vegetable broth would work well also if you don't have chicken or beef.
2.| 1-2-3 Magic
We've been struggling over the past few months with sassy attitudes, teasing, sibling rivalry and a mess of yuck. The current strategies that we had in place just weren't cutting it anymore. Our pediatrician recommended this at our 5 years well check when I expressed my frustrations with the sibling 'stuff' that I just couldn't understand. Well, I finally broke down [read: through my hands in the air] and ordered this book! I'm halfway through it and it's MAGIC!
3.| Herban Essentials
Herban Essentials essential oil towelettes are made with the highest quality pure essential oil, which not only makes them smell amazing but makes them naturally antibacterial and antiseptic as well. The most common use of the towelettes is to clean hands and kill germs, but there are millions of ways to use these wonderful wipes.
Herban Essentials Mini Orange Towelettes - Tuck in your car air conditioner vents for happy rides; wipe down seats and tray tables when flying
Herban Essentials Mini Lavender Towelettes - Rub over skin to repel bugs and relieve itching due to previous bites & place in dryer for last minute of cycle to infuse clothes and linens with lavender aroma
Herban Essentials Mini Lemon Towelettes -Wipe phones, computer keyboards etc., in office or at home to prevent the spread of germs
4.| Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee, Cocoa & Honey with Cream
This can be hard to find in the stores but leave it to amazon prime to sell these 11 oz glass bottles of goodness in a case of 6!! YES!
5.| Meal Planner: Track And Plan Your Meals Weekly
And it's slim enough to fit into your bag! Each weekly spread contains a lined space for every day of the week, as well as a box for breakfast ideas and lunch ideas! Additionally, there is a large area to write down your grocery list for the week! Plan out your week, save time and money, and eat right.
This Season of Life | My Girls
08 January 2018
Six months ago I dusted off the cobwebs of my old friend and started back up my blog - but with different intentions this time around. This time, I felt like I had a lot to say, and a lot of things were rolling around in my restless mind. I wasn't really concerned if people would read it or not, I just needed a space and a place to put down my thoughts. I've never been good at keeping baby books for the girls - it's just one extra thing that I forget to do. So, in a way, this is my [online] book to them. Excerpts, ramblings, thoughts, messages, real and raw feelings. Maybe one day they can look back on this or I can print it out for them. Until then, this is what I have to offer.
When we first found out we were excepting our first baby, I knew she was a girl from the very beginning. I dreamed about her, tried to imagine what she would look like, prayed she would have Aaron's green eyes. We talked about her, named her, and tried to imagine who in the world she would be. Now, for those of you that have had the privilege of meeting Ava, you will understand me when I say that we could have never in a million years dreamed her up. She's a spitfire, she's free-spirited and carefree. I swear this child has the blood of wild mustangs pulsing through her veins. She's a paradox, literally. She's hot and she's cold, she's outgoing and shy, she quick-tempered and sensitive. She will go toe-to-toe with the best of them and not back down. The child has me so exhausted at the end of the day, mentally and physically. Our connection wasn't instant (gasp! did she just say that?) and at times we still struggle to find our common ground, because we are polar opposites. She craves adventure and I crave comfort. She craves understanding and knowing why and I just trust in the why. We are Yin & Yang. Now, don't get me wrong! I love that little girl with every single fiber of my being - she's half me and half Aaron, and I can not wait to see what wonderful, powerful and important things are in store for her and her life as she grows up and finds her way in this world. If she's not a writer, musician, politician or runs her own small country some day then I know nothing. But I'm not going to lie to you, I hit my knees often and ask God why this wild and beautiful creature was gifted to me. What possible gifts do I possess that she needs, and what can I possibly offer her? I know she was created specifically for me, but its an incredibly hard concept to understand right now because I feel as though I'm failing her most of the time. I know we'll get there, though. It's all part of the dance.
Then came Charlotte, sweet, sweet Charlotte. I remember we talked about the 'idea' of her and the next thing you know she was on her way. We were convinced she was going to be a boy, but boy were we wrong ! Aaron and I battled over her name for months and he finally gave in a let me have my way. Our connection was instant, her birth was the only one that I actually cried during - shhh, don't tell the others! She's super sweet, has a very sensitive nature, possesses an amazing imagination, talks with a Boston accent, loves to eat snacks (not dinner, just snn-acks) and has this super infectious giggle that starts in the belly and just resonates throughout her entire body. I could listen to that sound all day long. She loves to cuddle and she still sleeps with her blanket covering one eye, the other one uncovered to check for lions. She still gives kisses, picks her nose and wants to be like her big sister. She also has a stubborn streak, which I'm sure comes from being pushed around - but she is very clever. I call her my sly fox. She has this uncanny ability to talk you out of just about anything, here's an example: "Charlotte, eat your dinner please." "What color are your eyes mom?" "Charlotte, please- eat." "Are they green or brown?" "Eat, please!" "Mine's are green, like daddy's - you's has brown eyes like Ava... what color are Naomi's?" "Charlotte, eat now." "Hmm...hey dad, what did you do on the farm today, fix things?" "Charlotte!" "Cinderella has blue eyes because she has a blue dress, I'm going to be Cinderella. That's cool, right? That I'm going to be Cinderella? Hey, what color are your eyes dad?" By the end of it, we are usually so confused and don't know what the origin of the conversation was...
Then came baby Naomi, the baby we decided to wait on. We weren't sure about a third and decided that now wasn't the time to add any more to our crew. The test came back positive five days later - so, I guess someone else had other plans for us. Now that she's here, I feel like she's my testimony child. She's taught me so much in her short time with us. Patience is the biggest thing that I've learned in this past year. Also, the realization that I'm not in control of all things. It's not my plan, it's someone else's. Currently, my days are long and somebody always, I mean always needs me. All day long my pant leg is pulled upon, my shoulder is tapped, my name is said repeatedly. Ham and cheese not peanut butter and jelly, crust but no crust..wait, yes crust..no, they said no crust, fork not spoon..wait- both fork and spoon, wash the blanket but no wait, don't wash it because they now can't live without it for even one second, pink shirt not blue..wait, yes blue shirt because C inderella wears blue...no scratch that because Sleeping Beauty wears pink and that's today's favorite, sneakers, not sandals, wait, yes sandals because my toes are sweating and I might melt, no definitely sneakers because, well I have no idea why...
But soon enough they will be all buckling themselves into the car by themselves, getting their own drinks and snacks from the kitchen, tying their own shoes, packing their own bags, reading their own stories and picking their own outfits out..well let's not kid ourselves, I'll always pick those out, ha! I'll miss the craziness and chaos just a tad because I know we will trade in this season for the next and that will present us with more uncharted waters. I'm so very thankful for them and the way that they have caused me to stretch and expand, in more ways than one-- they are each unique and special in their own way and while challenging at times they are teaching me important lessons. Every day in many, many different ways.
When we first found out we were excepting our first baby, I knew she was a girl from the very beginning. I dreamed about her, tried to imagine what she would look like, prayed she would have Aaron's green eyes. We talked about her, named her, and tried to imagine who in the world she would be. Now, for those of you that have had the privilege of meeting Ava, you will understand me when I say that we could have never in a million years dreamed her up. She's a spitfire, she's free-spirited and carefree. I swear this child has the blood of wild mustangs pulsing through her veins. She's a paradox, literally. She's hot and she's cold, she's outgoing and shy, she quick-tempered and sensitive. She will go toe-to-toe with the best of them and not back down. The child has me so exhausted at the end of the day, mentally and physically. Our connection wasn't instant (gasp! did she just say that?) and at times we still struggle to find our common ground, because we are polar opposites. She craves adventure and I crave comfort. She craves understanding and knowing why and I just trust in the why. We are Yin & Yang. Now, don't get me wrong! I love that little girl with every single fiber of my being - she's half me and half Aaron, and I can not wait to see what wonderful, powerful and important things are in store for her and her life as she grows up and finds her way in this world. If she's not a writer, musician, politician or runs her own small country some day then I know nothing. But I'm not going to lie to you, I hit my knees often and ask God why this wild and beautiful creature was gifted to me. What possible gifts do I possess that she needs, and what can I possibly offer her? I know she was created specifically for me, but its an incredibly hard concept to understand right now because I feel as though I'm failing her most of the time. I know we'll get there, though. It's all part of the dance.
Then came Charlotte, sweet, sweet Charlotte. I remember we talked about the 'idea' of her and the next thing you know she was on her way. We were convinced she was going to be a boy, but boy were we wrong ! Aaron and I battled over her name for months and he finally gave in a let me have my way. Our connection was instant, her birth was the only one that I actually cried during - shhh, don't tell the others! She's super sweet, has a very sensitive nature, possesses an amazing imagination, talks with a Boston accent, loves to eat snacks (not dinner, just snn-acks) and has this super infectious giggle that starts in the belly and just resonates throughout her entire body. I could listen to that sound all day long. She loves to cuddle and she still sleeps with her blanket covering one eye, the other one uncovered to check for lions. She still gives kisses, picks her nose and wants to be like her big sister. She also has a stubborn streak, which I'm sure comes from being pushed around - but she is very clever. I call her my sly fox. She has this uncanny ability to talk you out of just about anything, here's an example: "Charlotte, eat your dinner please." "What color are your eyes mom?" "Charlotte, please- eat." "Are they green or brown?" "Eat, please!" "Mine's are green, like daddy's - you's has brown eyes like Ava... what color are Naomi's?" "Charlotte, eat now." "Hmm...hey dad, what did you do on the farm today, fix things?" "Charlotte!" "Cinderella has blue eyes because she has a blue dress, I'm going to be Cinderella. That's cool, right? That I'm going to be Cinderella? Hey, what color are your eyes dad?" By the end of it, we are usually so confused and don't know what the origin of the conversation was...
Then came baby Naomi, the baby we decided to wait on. We weren't sure about a third and decided that now wasn't the time to add any more to our crew. The test came back positive five days later - so, I guess someone else had other plans for us. Now that she's here, I feel like she's my testimony child. She's taught me so much in her short time with us. Patience is the biggest thing that I've learned in this past year. Also, the realization that I'm not in control of all things. It's not my plan, it's someone else's. Currently, my days are long and somebody always, I mean always needs me. All day long my pant leg is pulled upon, my shoulder is tapped, my name is said repeatedly. Ham and cheese not peanut butter and jelly, crust but no crust..wait, yes crust..no, they said no crust, fork not spoon..wait- both fork and spoon, wash the blanket but no wait, don't wash it because they now can't live without it for even one second, pink shirt not blue..wait, yes blue shirt because C inderella wears blue...no scratch that because Sleeping Beauty wears pink and that's today's favorite, sneakers, not sandals, wait, yes sandals because my toes are sweating and I might melt, no definitely sneakers because, well I have no idea why...
But soon enough they will be all buckling themselves into the car by themselves, getting their own drinks and snacks from the kitchen, tying their own shoes, packing their own bags, reading their own stories and picking their own outfits out..well let's not kid ourselves, I'll always pick those out, ha! I'll miss the craziness and chaos just a tad because I know we will trade in this season for the next and that will present us with more uncharted waters. I'm so very thankful for them and the way that they have caused me to stretch and expand, in more ways than one-- they are each unique and special in their own way and while challenging at times they are teaching me important lessons. Every day in many, many different ways.
Guest Blog Post | Building a Garden Wall
05 January 2018
On a recent visit with her cousins - the infamous and ever so adorable Three Hess Girls - Amelia hosted a tea party like most two-year-olds do.
And being the Instagram moms that we are, Tiffany (my soul-sister and sister-in-law) and I snapped and posted about a thousand photos of the whole experience. Still today, months later, they remain some of my favorite photos of all time.
The tea party took place in Amelia’s playroom, in front of a beautiful garden wall that I designed and my husband (read: hero) built. We receive so many compliments and questions about it, so I thought we would give you a little background on how it came to be, and a very easy tutorial on how to make your own.
When Amelia turned two, we threw a party in her honor at our new home in suburban Chicago. The theme was Amelia’s Secret Garden, and the whole house was filled with bright pink roses, fragrant purple hyacinths, and pale blue hydrangeas. Each room was filled with little experiences that were inspired by secret gardens - with little gold butterflies separating each room. A little cottage house in the living room. Mini canvases and paint pallets in the den. A maypole and yard games outside. A grand picnic area in the dining room. And my personal favorite - a garden wall for photo-ops in the sitting room.
You know... the kind of garden wall you see at celebrity weddings. In every California girl’s Instagram post. In every restaurant that serves rose all day. Yes, that one. We made THAT wall. For our 2-year old’s birthday. And it was magical.
The whole day was magical.
After the festivities ended, we couldn’t bring ourselves to tear everything down. We had put so much thought and time into it, and it turned out so much better than we had imagined it could. So we didn’t. Instead, we relocated the decorations into Amelia’s playroom - including the garden wall, which happened to fit perfectly on this one narrow wall in the playroom.
Now, the garden wall is not only a backdrop for photos - it’s a backdrop for camping adventures, playing dress up, and as you already know... the most amazing tea parties!
So if you want your very own garden wall, keep reading, because it’s so simple to make, yet it will provide the perfect backdrop for so many memorable moments, for years to come.
The Supplies
- hammer
- nails
- tape measure
- level
- scissors or a wire cutter
- flowers
- 10x10” faux boxwood squares
- a ladder (if you’re doing floor to ceiling)
- strong glue (optional)
- hero husband (optional but highly recommended)
The Step-by-Step
Step One:
Measure the area where you’re going to build the wall - height and width, to determine how much space you need to cover. And, decide which colors and flowers you want to add to your wall.
Step Two:
Order your supplies accordingly and patiently wait by the door for your Amazon delivery to arrive.
Step Three:
Attach all grass squares together (grass side down). If you’re doing floor to ceiling or wall-to-wall: use scissors or wire cutters to trim any excess off the edges as needed, to ensure a snug fit on your wall.
Step Four:
Lay the grass on the wall, starting at the top. Use a hammer and nails to adhere the grass to the wall - spacing the nails about 6 to 8 inches apart for maximum holding power. This is where a hero husband or a good friend comes in really handy - it’s easiest if you have one person holding the grass and the other person using the hammer and nails. Repeat this until you’ve reached the bottom of the wall, and trim any excess off, as needed to ensure a clean wall-to-wall look.
Step Five:
Add flowers to the wall. You can either press the flowers into the grass or glue them to the grass. I opted for no glue so I could easily swap out colors later if I wanted to, but glue would keep the flowers in place a bit better.
Enjoy!
Time Keeps on Ticking
03 January 2018
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| Campbell Photography |
Time.
How do you put time into perspective? How do you manage the passing days, months and years? Do we take the time to tell the people that we love how much they mean to us? Aaron and I celebrated seven wonderful years of marriage on New Year's Eve. Our anniversary falls right smack in the middle of Christmas and Valentine's Day. As we approached the anniversary of our wedding day this year it had me feeling all kinds of emotions and feelings...maybe it's all of these babies that have done a number on my hormones or maybe I'm just getting wiser with my age and I'm really taking time to truly reflect on everything that I hold dear in my life- like time and what little of it we are given.
Time.
There was a time about eight years ago on a cold winter night when a six-foot-two tall drink of water walked into my life (sent me a facebook message) and everything that I thought I knew changed in an instant. Meeting this man and feeling all of the feelings that I felt right away took me by surprise because during my college years I told myself I didn't want to settle down and have children. I was determined to graduate from college and set the world on fire. I was prepared to get a job in a city and immerse myself in different cultures and experiences. I wanted to be well fed, well read and travel.
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| Campbell Photography |
Time.
Well, sometime later, a few months after graduation... into my life walks Aaron Hess. He basically took my perfectly round and sparkly world as I knew it and turned it on its head. All of a sudden I wanted things I never wanted before. I always wanted to get married eventually; I mean I had my wedding planned down to the very last detail since the time my mom bought me my very first 'Brides' magazine in the Yoder's checkout line at age 9. I had begged for a subscription for weeks after that, and once it started coming monthly in the mail I would clip pictures, make image boards and design endless lines of dresses. I even designed what I thought would be my own gown one day, all five of them; you can never have enough backups, right? But here I was, 21 years old, standing in front a man — and this time I wanted to be his wife, not just his bride. I wanted to actually settle down and share a life with someone. So I put my trust in the unknown and the universe, threw all of my future plans out of the window, and I took a giant leap of faith. My choices did not disappoint and all of the uncertainty surrounding my decisions paid off.
Time.
At the time, Aaron was an over the road truck driver, and he traveled coast to coast every other week. So, I quit my job once we were married and I went on the road with him. And yes, it was traveling and it was fun, but it was not jet-setting, champagne brunches, and room service by any means. In reality, it was trucking through the night, running the white lines, iron skillet salad buffets, and Petro truck stop showers. It ended up being some of the best moments for us on the road together. Because we had a shorter courtship (89 days to be exact), the one-on-one time together really gave us a chance to connect and grow as a couple. I mean, when you are in a 6 x 6 box with someone 24 hours a day you really get to know them, all of them. And for us, those long days and nights together helped us to set a strong foundation. But honestly, the real growth, the real connecting and settling in together as a couple happened after Aaron retired from the road and we were back home on the farm when the babies started arriving, and the normalcy of everyday life started to settle in. While we are still growing and expanding as a couple like we always will, our days ahead and our future has never looked brighter. We take the time to listen to each other or understand each other and we wake up every day choosing to give each other the time that we have here on earth.
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| Campbell Photography |
Now, when it came to selecting something to give Aaron to commemorate our seven years together and the upcoming Valentines holiday I had a hard time deciding. This year was the year of 'desk sets', my farmer doesn't need a desk set and he doesn’t enjoy sweets or chocolates. He's an impossible person to shop for and I always struggle but thanks to JORD watches I'm able to gift him a beautifully crafted wooden Stacked Sandalwood & Olive With Ivory watch. A symbol of the time we have put in and the time that we will continue to put into the life that we are building together. He's not a ‘big accessory guy’ and doesn’t often wear things on his hands and wrists- but he really loves this watch. He’s a big fan of the look and quality so it already became a date night staple. Now, for some really exciting news JORD has partnered with me in a giveaway- ALL entrants will receive a 10% off instant coupon code and ONE lucky person will win a $100 gift code to use on the JORD site!
-To enter the giveaway click here -
And while you're waiting to see if you are the lucky winner and want to use your 10% off code you can check out their men's shop here, and their women's shop here.
Wooden Wrist Watch Goodluck, everyone! Your special someone will love these watches, you can even get them engraved to tell them exactly what they mean to you.
*this post is sponsored by JORD watches and contains an affiliate link*
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