Getting away....

I am currently on a ferry to one of the most beautiful islands God ever created - Ocracoke. 

I have been looking forward to this small getaway for months now, excited to be with just my first love. 

I know I'll have a great time, and Emma won't even notice I'm gone, but I miss her already. 

All these kindergarten posts have made me realize how short my time is with Emma. 

We almost decided to just take her with us this morning.....what's wrong with me?!?!

God, please let me relax and enjoy being away so that I can be an even better, more patient and loving mother when I return! Amen! And cheers to a fun weekend with my man of 15 years (9 of them legal!)

Weekend recap

Another weekend....another day spent at the lake with my precious family.  Sadly, Brent had to work, so he missed this trip.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous - no humidity, sun, and a slight breeze.

When we pull into the gate at the lake, Emma knows she can get out of her car seat and ride in the front with us.  It's about a mile to the lake on a dirt road, and she just swoons with excitement when we round the corner and see the lake. We took this selfie when we first got there:)

Emma cannot wait to get in the water and play, and she'll be there all day if we let her!

I found this blow up whale toy in the storage shed, and can't believe I haven't gotten out earlier - hours of entertainment!

We started a new tradition with the Rogan's - smores after a day of fun!!

I feel like a broken record here, but I can not believe how grown Emma is.  I say that with a smile and a tear, of course.

This is a short week, as Brent and I are headed to Ocracoke by ourselves later on for a long weekend trip:)  I am super excited, but fear I will be missing Emma and not enjoy it.  What's wrong with me????  Mommy guilt, I guess....  

A lot of friends are sending their kiddos back to school this week - some returning, and some for the first time - and I'm praying for yall!! 

Our Week

Emma and I are both fighting some nasty colds this week, so we have tried to lay low (as much as we can with it being the first week of school!)  Her's isn't really a cold - I have heard her cough a few times and can tell she's a bit stuffy but other than that, she's been fine.  Mine, on the other hand, has been awful.  Like - I can't breathe, my face hurts so bad that my teeth hurt - awful.  I finally turned a corner today, so we ventured out for some fun.  It didn't help that I had to work 10 hour days most of the week trying to get everything ready for students at work.  The first 2 weeks are always crazy, so I was expecting it and tried to rest as much as I could when I the opportunity arrived. Big shout out to my hubs for taking care of me at night:)

I have noticed this week how grown Emma has become.  I blink, and all of a sudden, she's washing dishes and putting silverware in the drawer correctly.  What the what??  I could get used to all this help!  But...where is my baby?!?!?!

 

 

And she can sit through a whole movie now - and understand what's going on.  Our new favorite is 101 Dalmations (the non-animated one).  We watch a little each night before bed.

Thursday night, I really wanted to do something fun with Emma....I had felt guilty about working so hard all week and then I was kind of a brat all day Wednesday with her (sometimes you just have those days where you're pretty much the worst parent ever...right?!?)  So we went to get ice cream after dinner at Maple View.

 



 

And then today, I decided we would go somewhere fun, anywhere.  I wanted something that didn't take up the whole day, and we had done Kidzu before, so I thought we would try Morehead Planetarium.  I hadn't been there since I was a kid, and they happened to have a Big Bird show this morning.  Emma did great, and I loved spending the time with her.

 

 

She wanted to sit with me:)

 

And then we visited the exhibits....which were short, but still fun.

 

 

And we had a blast playing at the sundial.  I remember doing this as a kid, and it made me smile watching Emma here.  It was beautiful outside too - windy and not too hot. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am reminded how fast time is flying, and how quickly the days go by.  I am so fortunate to be able to be with her and watch her grow.  But please, time, slow down!!  Let me enjoy these moments where she thinks I hung the moon and wants to be just like me:)

 

 

Weekend recap

Not much to report on here.  It was a low key weekend.  Brent spent his free time putting the roof on his shop, and Emma and I did small errands and cleaning around the house. 

Saturday afternoon, we had a wedding, so we got dressed up and fancy.

Before we left, I made Emma take a picture with me.  She insisted on bringing her sunglasses and phone (who remembers the Blackberry?!?!? Best phone ever!)

We had a great time, and it was a very tasteful, meaningful wedding and reception.  The food and drink was delicious, and MacGregor Downs Country Club is particularly nice:)

But no matter how fancy we get, we still blared country music on the way home and thought about stopping at the lake for some moonlight tailgating.  I guess you can dress us up, but can't hide the redneck.

Sunday, we skipped church to have some lazy couch time.  I have to give a shout-out to my man for completing the F3 6 pack challenge.  This guy got up at 5am everyday last week (including Saturday) to workout.  I am super proud of him:)

Emma and I went to the grocery store together, and she insisted on bringing baby and her grocery cart.  She actually did awesome shopping with me and we had NO collisions (or ankles taken off!)

I ordered Champps takeout for dinner because I was really craving some fettucini alfredo, and there's is amazing.  It was a perfect, low key Sunday - not too much work, some fun, and family time.

I'm back at work today for our first week of class.  I'm excited for my students, but had to leave the house this morning before Emma awoke.  I hate that.  

But I realize how fortunate I am to have at least a few days a week with her.  Being a stay at home mom this summer gave me such new perspective on how precious that time is.  

I got to be with Emma all day, all week.  We spent so much time doing fun things together, and there are many parents who can't do that.  

I am extremely grateful:)

Fri-Yay!

It's Friday...and it has been a busy week - second week back working, second week missing Emma, and students have officially returned and moved in...classes starting Monday. I am excited for them, and getting more used to the idea of working again (man....being off in the summer totally ruined me!)

I don't have as organized a list as last Friday for my favorites.....but a snippet will do for this week:)

The big news this week....

I finally think I have found the perfect hair color for me.  My hair was getting wayyyyy too blonde on top, so we toned it down, added highlights all over, and added a low light.  

Thank God, yall.  

A friend's daughter asked me why my hair was black underneath a few weeks ago...and that's when I knew I needed to make some changes.  At least 50% of the time, my hair makes it into a ponytail - so just half head highlights weren't cutting it anymore.  I'm super excited and feel so much better about myself:)

Post salon selfie.....

Cooler weather...Emma and I walked to the park and I hardly broke a sweat.  

Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!  

I actually tried driving with my windows down the past few mornings, and got cold!  It was glorious.

Speaking of cooler weather, I tried these 2 new recipes this week...and they will be on repeat quite a bit this fall - delicious!

Pesto chicken - source

Chili-Pasta skillet - source

This pictures makes me crack up.  Can we just pause for a moment and appreciate the sheer terror on Brent's face as Emma waves a knife around?????  You're welcome, B.

Since Emma is back in school, she has started to bring home more art.  I love all of these, and I keep all of them.  Yup - ALL of them.  This month's theme was very fitting, given Brent's constant work on his "castle."  Emma thinks she is somethin else when she straps her tool belt on and pretends to help Daddy:)

And in other news...I finally took the plunge and opened an etsy shop.  I have been making jewelry for years and years now.  I remember going to a bead shop with my mom when I was 10.  So, I have finally mustered up enough courage to sell some things.  I design a lot of my own pieces, but I also take inspiration from others (mostly because I can't afford their versions).  My rule is...if I wouldn't pay that much for it, then I won't charge that.  I love Twine and Twig...but I can't justify it (still waiting for that lotto win!)  I love making things, so it's not really work (yet) for me.  I made a few things to sell to friends at a ski tournament this summer and had great success, so I decided to do a bit more.  I've had numerous compliments from strangers on my pieces, and I can finally give them a legit place to buy it if they feel so inclined.  Don't get me wrong, I'm paranoid doing this.  It's very scary to put yourself out there, which is why etsy is a good start for me.  I don't know these people and probably never will!  I'm not good at criticism, so if you have some, just leave it for yourself:)

This week, I made my first sale:)  Then had 3 more orders sell in the next 2 days!  All of sudden, it became real!

So, Happy Friday friends!!  

May your weekend be filled with smiles, hugs, wine, good food, family, friends, and some time outside!

Friday Favorites - August 7, 2015

My favorites....I hope you find something new to try and LOVE!!

1. Purex Baby Laundry Detergent

It smells just like Dreft Baby...and it costs $3.97.

Yes, you read it right.....

$3.97.

Do I need to say anything else????

2. Belvita snacks

The Golden Oat Breakfast Biscuits are amazing.  They are so delicious and I can't wait to have some with a cup of hot tea for a mid-morning and afternoon pick up.  I'm always weary of trying new, healthy snacks because they can be pricey and may taste like cardboard....not this one...go for it!

3. Rosé wine

(just to clarify, I spent 30 minutes trying to figure out how to add the hyphen...typical blonde moment)

A friend introduced me to rosé wine this summer.  This article outlines some great choices - Espiral is also a good one.  They are light, refreshing, and not sweet.  A perfect alternative to whites for the summer....and a great one to take into fall!

4. Williams Sonoma Fleur de Sel Hand Soap and Lotion

I confess I want to lather my whole body in this scent everyday.  It's the perfect summer fragrance...maybe I can convince them to make a perfum????

5. Gallery Leather Planner

I am a planner snob...and I love this design.  The Academic version works perfect for me - weekly layout, notes page for every week, and comes in a plethora of colors.  But they do have other layouts and sizes.  Barnes and Noble has a great selection if you don't want to order it online, and they are only $20!!!

Happy Friday, folks!!! Here's to making it through my first week back at work!