I went to a dear friend's baby shower this past weekend and LJ had to accompany me since Cody had to work (on a Saturday. Bleh). While there, LJ got her first celebrity look-alike comment: Shiloh Jolie-Pitt. So I looked her up and I couldn't resist:
Kinda weird.
I don't know… here I thought she was just the spitting image of her dad… who is apparently the new Brad Pitt look-alike! Only without the wife-cheating and seventeen out-of-wedlock children.
{UPDATE}
We have a winner! I was away from my computer yesterday, so my apologies for not announcing sooner. But many congrats to comment #1- Julie! Julie said:
"I'm
LOVING the Beach Street Lamp – SO cute! But then again, all her designs
are awesome and unique! Thanks for doing a giveaway!!! Keep doing what
you're doing – both of you! 😉 I tweeted, facebooked and now I'm tired.
– xoxo Julie"
I will contact you and connect you with Sam so you can customize and claim your prize!
Thanks to everyone who participated and I can't wait to share my next giveaway with you!
{Winner chosen using the Random Integer Generator at random.org.}
~~~
I'm so excited to share my first giveaway with you, courtesy of a sweet new decal design company called 3rd Ave. Shore. I'd like to to meet my new friend, Sam:
Sam and I share a couple of mutual friends, and while I was surfing Facebook one day I came across her profile, totally intrigued by (and jealous of! Ha!) this Arizona native's new Hawaiian life. I saw that she had started a fun new business and loved her Hawaiian-inspired designs. I get so excited when I see someone follow what they love and turn it into a business, and I love to help get the word out when I can! So as soon as I saw her "Sunshine" decal, I knew that I had to connect with her! That is still one of my favorite lullabies and I have fond childhood memories of its melody, and I sing it to LJ all the time. Turns out that Sam's inspiration for this decal comes from her own childhood memories of her dad singing it to her when she was a wee one. We both agree that it is a song that brings so much joy- and it is the perfect addition to a room for someone you love!
I just put this lovely up in LJ's room and I love it! It's right
above her crib- we took down the tree mobile and replaced it with this.
It was easy to install and leaves no mess!
There's my little sunshine modeling in her crib. As if I was going to post anything without her mug in a shot or two.
When I received my decal, there was a sweet little surprise in there: a Personalized Paisley initial with a Plumeria! It inspired me to decorate LJ's bathroom with beach decor and I plan to put this in a frame and hang on the wall. That's a work in progress, but here it is so you can see what to expect when you order:
And a detail of the Plumeria:
I LOVE PLUMERIAS.
3rd Ave. Shore is a company that strives to be original and unique. One of the most striking things about Sam is that she is so genuine and kind and that reflects in her designs as well as in her business practice! She is very intentional about staying true to her passion and not conforming to what everyone else is doing- or what everyone would expect of a shop like hers. Charming, inspirational quotes and hand-drawn designs are among the many offerings at her Etsy shop. The possibilities are endless and you can't help but feel the aloha when you surf through her shop! Be sure to visit and show her some love!
That being said, ABOUT THAT GIVEAWAY.
We want to share the sunshine with you!
Sam will send our winner the Sunshine decal in his or her choice of colors- a $65 value!
So… how do you win?
You have three opportunities to enter:
1. Visit her Etsy shop and comment back with your favorite item. Also, share your favorite lullaby just for kicks! (No, saying "You Are My Sunshine" will NOT up your chances of winning… ha!)
2. Tweet about this giveaway using my Twitter handle, @babystepstomom, and link back to this post. Comment here saying that you tweeted.
3. Like 3rd Ave. Shore on Facebook and come back and comment to let me know!
Got it? Three separate comments, three separate entries!
Contest will close on Wednesday, August 25th at midnight. Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be posted on Thursday, August 26th!
In case you were dying to know what my next purchase will be: This lovely here in gray with a yellow plumeria for above our bed- perfect to reminisce about our honeymoon in Kauai! I also love the bike decal… and the Paisley Chair… and, and, and… I could seriously go on all day so I'll stop for now 🙂
Thank you, Sam, for sharing your talent with my readers!
{Interested in having Baby Steps to Mom host a giveaway? Click the "Email me" link at the top of the page- right above my Bird Calls- and let me know!}
Ahhh… yes. The loner in me got to breathe a big sigh of relief on Monday when I got my very first "Mommy's solo day out." OMG… how I needed that. My mom and dad were kind enough to take LJ off my hands for the day so I could go out and do… WHATEVER I WANTED. I've forgotten what that felt like! Here's what I did:
Visited Last Chance. What a madhouse. This article sums up the experience nicely. I got two rad pairs of shoes for a fraction of their original price- SCORE!
Went to Macy's where I fell in love with and purchased a new backpack that we will be using as a diaper bag. It's perfect! Waterproof, lightweight, and SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE. Is it back to school season or something? I wasn't super nuts about the pattern initially, but it quickly grew on me. It's by Le Sport Sac, and in my humble opinion, with all the cloth diapers we have to carry around, it works so much better for us than the Petunia Pickle Bottom bag I was eyeing earlier this week… even though I love that pattern with an everlasting love.
I enjoyed my new favorite treat, fresh mint frozen yogurt with thin mint cookies, at Mojo Yogurt at the Biltmore. I'm slightly obsessed with this combo and think I might die if they ever stop carrying that flavor.
I ended my day by going to see this all by my solo:
And now… all I want to do is eat pizza and drink red wine. Therefore, to feed this craving, Cody and I will be visiting Pizzeria Bianco for the very first time like… right now. We will need a babysitter for this outing. Any takers?
I kind of can't stand the thought of waiting another second to eat their world-famous pizza… heck, if I can't go to Naples for my pizza like Julia Roberts did, this is no doubt a close second!
{Pizzeria Bianco photos via The Girl Who Ate Everything}
The hubby called and texted during the movie wondering where I was and I got back to him after the movie got out. He was in a tremendously good mood, considering the fact that I had been out having fun doing things like shopping and watching movies all day long while he was at work slaving away. Then I caught on that perhaps HE was enjoying his solo time too. And he was. So I took my time getting home so he could savor it while he could.
Needless to say, as much as I enjoyed my day, I couldn't wait to get back to this face and get home to her daddy.
(Of course, in light of this photo, maybe the caption should be obvious…
We drink too much beer?)
Ready… set… GO!
As I'm gearing up to post my first giveaway EVER (so excited!), I wanted to share the spoils of our last giveaway over at the TomKat Studio. One VERY lucky winner walked away with a $100 credit for Blush Envy, where she sells amazing jewelry made out of paper.
You heard me right. PAPER.
I didn't believe it when I read that she made her pieces from such a fragile textile, BUT THEN. I went over to Kim's house last week and got this lovely PINK surprise that I haven't been able to take off my finger since!
Check out that packaging- gorgeous! Many thanks to Brandy for thinking of me when she sent the lovely goodies over to Kim!
Hop on over to her shop and show her some love by purchasing one of her handmade treasures! Or feel free to pick a fave and put it on your wish list. Wouldn't these rings make lovely bridesmaid's gifts or a fun gift for a mom-to-be to make her feel pretty? No doubt my dainty and timeless piece will be handed down to LJ when she's old enough to know not to put it in her mouth or play with it in the mud. In other words, she can wear it on her wedding day 🙂
Earlier this week I got to visit with my dear friend from college, Iku, who lives in Japan and visits the states every couple of years. We went to La Grande Orange for breakfast where we spied the cutest little stuffed hippo! After we ate, LJ decided to be a fussy monkey, so I picked her up and walked her around the grocer to check out all the fun and original items they have for sale there. I picked up the hippo and made silly voices and she immediately started giggling, she loved it so much. Well, Iku, being as sweet as can be, observed this from our table, and when I went outside with LJ, Iku snatched up the hippo and sneakily bought it for her. She came out with it and was like, "I got this for the baby!" and it was just the sweetest thing!
Iku is such a joy to spend time with and I love that whenever she comes to town she always lets me know so we can get together and catch up. And she always brings me the yummiest Japanese candy! I last saw her two years ago right after Cody and I got married… and I was so happy she got to meet LJ while she's still a wee one. Here's a couple of photos of the two of them together:
Yesterday, LJ had tea time with Hippo.
Cute…
Cute…
CUTE!
This morning there was a feature on the Today Show about a couple in Portland (with a very fun and interesting blog) who gave up all but 100 possessions, downsized to a 400 square foot apartment, and got rid of their car. See below:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Of course it got me thinking. We live in such a materialistic society… would we really be happier with less?
My husband has always said that he wants to live simply. And I love the idea, but to be honest, I also love stuff. How shallow am I? Ha! But for a while I have been wanting to clean house. So here's my top ten list of things that I absolutely would not give up if I were forced to get rid of everything else besides the bare essentials (which includes at least one car- we live in the most sprawling city in the country- not to mention the hottest!- so a car is a must- even more so with a baby!):
1. My iMac. I make my living by this thing- not to mention it houses all of our music and photographs!
2. My camera.
3. My sewing machine.
4. My Amma's china set. She bought it one piece at a time while she was working hard and living in Iceland. Priceless!
5. These two Bibles (yes, I'm cheating): the first I carried down the aisle on our wedding day. The second belonged to Mum Mum.
6. The artwork that our friend Trish painted that was displayed at our wedding.
7. My Hummell music box… it's beaten up and cracked and worth nothing to anyone but me, but I used to fall asleep to its music every night when I was a kid. It's now in LJ's room.
8. This photo of Mum Mum and me.
9. Henry.
10. This silhouette of Linnea:
I'll tell you what, this exercise sure does make you realize how much crap is sitting around in your house that is completely ignored and also makes you realize that perhaps you don't need all this stuff after all. But then again, even though we could get rid of so many things and never miss them, it's hard to imagine a virtually empty house… my head might explode. Is that wrong? Maybe we need a smaller house so it will feel more full with only the things we need… hmmm… I don't know. Either way, I prefer to live in a home that has character because of its decor. Do I need the decor? Nope. But because it's something I personally love- to be surrounded by beauty- it's meaningful enough to me to warrant staying in my home. Cody and I also love entertaining- so that requires a fair amount of kitchen ware and enough place settings for everyone. It's all a matter of what your priorities are- and that's different for everyone.
It's the things sitting in my closet that I haven't seen in ages that I question. And lots of other things.
Stuff isn't what makes me happy ultimately… it isn't what makes anyone happy. My family and friends and the experiences we share together are what bring me joy, and I'm sure you would say the same of your own. I think it's about time to start cleaning out our closets, organizing, and passing along the things we don't really need to others who would appreciate and have a need for them.
So what are your thoughts on this? What are some of the things you would never give up?
p.s. I think I would die without a car in Portland. Have you BEEN there? SO MUCH TO DO AND EXPLORE.
Whew… what a week! Alex and I threw Jessica's baby shower today and it was so much fun! We went with a Vintage Circus theme a la TomKat Studio, complete with frilly and feathery hairpieces for the mom-to-be and smaller ones for ourselves. Our friends Rachel and Joy were so helpful in pulling everything together- not to mention it was held at Joy's AMAZING new home!
We hosted an open house as opposed to a formal shower with games, etc. None of us are big on baby shower games, haha. We had all kinds of food and drinks that you would find at a circus- popcorn, mixed nuts, candy, peanuts in the shell, Mexican Coke, and lots more. It was incredibly relaxed and good to gather with dear friends and Jess's family.
Here are some pictures… enjoy!
Welcome to your shower!
Jess LOVES Coke, so of course that had to be our featured drink!
An old-fashioned popcorn maker… so fun and SO vintage circus!
Joy and her adorable little peanut zippin' up the stairs!
Alex and me hostessing it up.
Jess and Joy.
Lots of fun presents… including a so-ugly-you-can't-help-but-adore-him, yellow, googly-eyed monster. Can you spot him? (I mean, seriously… how could you not?)
Another one of THESE? I'm not sure I can handle it… the cuteness, that is.
All of us girls after the festivities- Rachel, Joy, Jess, Alex and me.
Jess with her sweet mom and sisters and Cruzer.
Love this girl like a sister! Happy shower day, Jess!
We can't wait to meet the newest addition to the Williams family!
Love this song and think this is such a cute video! Some fans of JJ Heller made it and I found it on her site today. I adore her music and think her daughter, Lucy, is the sweetest little peanut! I love her blog because she loves to sew and so do I, and she shares the cutest projects for little girls as well as home decor ideas. Music, sewing and decorating… it's the ultimate trifecta for this fellow mama.
Can I just be real for a second? Like… really, really transparent with you?
Today has been A DAY. The kind of day where I feel like I matter so little that I ask myself why I even bother. The kind of day where I want nothing other than to be understood and yet I feel like nothing I say will make anyone understand me. The kind of day where I seriously wonder sometimes if I am completely invisible unless someone wants something from me. The kind of day where one little thing happens and it brings back EVERYTHING that has ever made me feel the same way and makes me feel an inch tall, not to mention like I'm still stuck in high school. The kind of day where I just. don't. feel. GOOD ENOUGH.
Ugh. I hate days like this. This is not who I am… but it brings out the worst of my insecurities. What's my age again? Thank you Blink 182 for that profound question. I wonder that myself sometimes. One would think at 30 that this kind of crap would be behind me already.
When I was in elementary school all the way up to when I was 20, I had this friend who I considered my best friend. And repeatedly throughout those years, she would bail on our friendship and on me to go be BFFs with someone else. And then when that person bailed on her, she would come back to me and I would forgive her and be her best friend all over again- as long as she decided to keep me around, anyway. My parents and my grandma warned me over and over again to be cautious
with this person because they saw how hurt I was every time I would get
left behind. Maybe I was just obnoxious but I would rather lose a friend permanently knowing that I was obnoxious so I could change rather than wonder what is so wrong with me that someone can desert me temporarily, but keep me around for convenience. This went on many times until she completely wrote off our friendship when we were in college with a handwritten, mailed letter saying she didn't want me in her life anymore. At that point, while I was confused and once again hurt and wondered where she got off being so self-righteous and condescending, I felt as if I were much better off without this so-called friend, and I never responded and moved on with my life.
It really sucks being used. The very meaning of that word in the
context of relationships implies that, eventually, you get thrown
away-discarded- without any regard for the fact that it really, really
hurts.
Fast forward six years when she tracked me down on MySpace and asked for my forgiveness and for a restored friendship. And I forgave this person, truly, and we are again friends. But what I never made peace with is the effect that friendship had on me through the 12 years I endured never being good enough to be her friend after someone better came along.
Growing up as an only child (my brother and sister were grown and out of the house when I was born), I placed a high value on friendships. I still do, but as an adult I now have more solid boundaries. And I suppose the problem is that this hurt that I never truly processed has made me hyper-sensitive to unbalanced friendships and relationships and the rejection that accompanies them. Being treated like I don't matter to someone I hold in high regard is something I have a really hard time dealing with. Sometimes it's outright shocking and other times it's just like, "OK… but… seriously?" I don't blame my friend for the fact that I haven't dealt with things completely- that is my responsibility. It's just what happened. What I am learning in light of this is that balanced friendships are rare, valuable and definitely to be cherished. The rest deserve respect and kindness but in the end don't really matter, because they won't be there for you when you need them.
OK… enough with the pity party. This is also the kind of day where I totally need to get over myself. I
know this all sounds incredibly narcissistic- half the time the things
that hurt me aren't even about me- they're about the other person.
That's another thing I've learned as I grow older. When all is said and
done, I'm fine… I just need a hug from my husband when he gets home
from work tonight. Tomorrow is a new day.
I know that Linnea will mostly learn from her own mistakes. Now that I'm a mom, I understand that as much as I want to teach her the things I have learned and protect her sweet little heart, experience is going to be the best teacher. I can only pray that she is guarded from being too hurt and that she is wise in her decisions. I can guide her and teach by example. But that will require first that I make peace with my own past, and make the most of the days I am blessed to have. God willing, I will someday fully experience where my true worth lies- not in the opinions and insecurity of others, but in Christ alone. I have searched and searched and no matter who I encounter, another person will never value me as much as my God does. The same is true for all of us.
Are there things in your life that you haven't made peace with yet? Would you be willing to share? If you're a mom, or soon-to-be, are there things you want your children to know based on your experiences? Sometimes, even if the situations are completely different, it's good to know that other people are human and have things they have to deal with too. I normally don't do this, but… today, I just had to get this out.
On another note, I am really thankful for these people:
Bri, Brett, Cassie, and Matt! These are the folks in our small group… and they are simply wonderful.
I am also thankful for this person, my BFF through thick and thin, through all my highs and lows:
This girl is the real deal- God has shown me his love, friendship and loyalty through her in big ways. I would not have kept my sanity all these years without her listening ear and no-nonsense advice. If she wasn't on a ten-day camping trip with her hubby this week, I probably would have unloaded all of this on her and you wouldn't have had to read any of this long-winded nonsense. Ha!
Baby Steps to Mom 