Christmas.

I feel as if I've been living in a dream over the past few weeks.  One of those really good, I never want to  wake up kind of dreams.  And the best part is I can vividly remember every detail in my memory. 

The sound.  There was music.  Joyful music.  Silent Night, Frosty the Snowman...you name it, I heard it!

The lighting. There were lights, beautiful lights decorating everything in sight.  Houses, stores, streets, and trees.

The smell.  It was the most glorious combination of fresh pine, cinnamon, gingerbread, and home cooked ham.

The setting.  Here, there, and everywhere good.  The homes of our families, Frederick Meijer Gardens, the mall, the ballpark, and perhaps the best spot- our cozy, little apartment. 

The people.  This is where the heart of the dream was.  I was surrounded by friends and family. 

The expressions.  Love, laughter, smiles, and joy!  There was a little bit of stress and chaos mixed in there too but we don't go there.  ;]

As I slowly wake up from this dream that I like to call Christmas, I realize how truly blessed I am.  My heart is overflowing.  These past few weeks have been magical for me.  Thank you heavenly Father for this beautiful gift.

Sincerely,
A Mama trying to find her way back to reality.

My love for hair clippies!

I originally saw these nifty little things on Etsy (you know- that glorious place where every woman can lose herself for hours, and have a "favorites" list a mile long- yes, that's the one).  I was in L.O.V.E.  

You see I have a 3 year old who for some reason unknown to me hates to wear hair bows or keep her hair pulled back in a pony tail.  You would think my living room was a battlefield if you witnessed the scene of me trying to do her hair unfolding.  Yikes!

So yes, when I saw these beauties in every color imaginable and decked out in glitter and rhinestones, I knew I had to try them.  One quick motion and voila- you're done. I waited very impatiently for their arrival over the next few days.  But it was worth every second (and penny)!

Clippies, as I like to refer to them, are the perfect accessory for any girl's wardrobe.  They are cute, fashionable, and are very effective at keeping the bangs out of my little one's eyes (which is in absolute must for this Mama here- I can't stand hair in the eyes).  They are also the perfect size to stash in the diaper bag, your purse, or even a coat pocket.  I have even found myself on occasion wearing one (yes ladies, they work to tame our lovely locks too).

However like every other toddler item out there (socks, pacifiers, sippy cups, etc...) they too seem to disappear into the deep, dark, black abyss, never to be found again.  So I knew a stockpile was necessary.  In order to cut down on cost (hello- shipping costs these days?!), with the help of my sisters, I decided to try my hand at making these myself.  Boy am I sure glad I did.  Super easy, and I now have a stockpile of every color imaginable.  

No more hiding those pretty blues over here, thanks to these awesome clippies!  Now I know you are probably thinking I'm insane for writing a blog post this long about a hair accessory.  Perhaps I am, but any Mama out there with little girls should understand! 

They are available to purchase at facebook.com/sorellasbowtique.  And the best news is we've made them affordable for you too (they sell for $1 with only $1 for shipping) -you're welcome.  :] 

Meet Tessa!

Tessa is 3 years old & always ready for an adventure!
She is our family's encourager & harmonizer.  She always has something sweet to say & keeps us in check by not allowing any arguments to take place. 

She is fun, loving, & witty.

She has a smile that will melt your heart & a hug that will capture it.

Her favorite activities include practicing her artist skills, watching Nick Jr, playing with her friends, & she loves to learn (definitely her Mama's girl).

She loves the outdoors.  Some of her favorite places include the beach, park, & zoo.

Her humor will amaze you.  She leaves her father & I laughing on a daily basis.

Her intuition is remarkable for a child her age.  She is very aware of others feelings & is always wanting to make everything better.

I love this little girl.  There is never a dull moment with her around.

The beginning of it all.

my life the past 3 months:  school 4 days of the week (with an INSANE amount of homework, & studying involved), and working every other weekend.  I was very welcoming of a relaxing day off at home with the kiddos. 

my life right now: no school (or schoolwork), only working when they need the help, and endless days sitting at home.  I am very welcoming right now of any task to keep me busy!

never satisfied- I know!  I should be relaxing, but unfortunately it just isn't my forte any more. so as I thought to myself of ways to keep me busy and off of my bottom (we try to avoid the use of the word butt around this household as it is now occupied by a 3 year old with an ever expanding vocabulary). I came up with a few...

1. CLEAN MY APARTMENT- duh!  why didn't I think of this idea sooner?!  well I can tell you why...because it is overrated.  I've been there, done that already.  and by already, I mean every day of my life.  moving on (sorry honey, I know you were rather supportive of that idea).

2. get in shape.  and no, in this case round does not classify as a shape.  I have my weights that are collecting dust over in the corner of the living room, and my newly purchased Wii Zumba calling my name.  okay this could work.  no excuses, right?  wrong- I can tell you a few. umm, I'm tired and I don't want to!  (in all seriousness though I have been working on this- there may be a blog post about my amazing new abs of steel in the future here).

3. create a blog!  this was the obvious answer of choice!  why hadn't I thought of this sooner?!  they looked so cute and fun, I wanted one.  however I am no english major.  heck, my writing is usually what one may classify as "boring" almost.  but hey, I wanted a blog. 

when I originally shared my brilliant idea with my fiancee he laughed.  you see- I never had any intention of sharing this with the general public.  I know I'm not a fancy writer, so why try to be.  however he pointed out the obvious that I was in denial about...a blog with no followers is just a journal or diary of some sorts, not a blog.  so here we are.  my blog.  it's nothing super creative or fancy, but it is a place for me to share my memories, thoughts, projects, and ideas!  so if you choose to share in these posts with me, thank you & I hope you enjoy!

-me