This morning started out badly.

The precious redhead bent down, touched JJ's hair and told her "no, but I am friends with Ariel."

JJ's face lit up, and she scampered back to report her findings.  

She went back a half dozen more times to ask her things about Flounder, Ursula, and such, and each time not-Ariel indulged my little blondie's interrogation.

I wasn't brave enough to talk to Lauren, but I did thank not-Ariel for being so kind.  I also totally And not-Ariel's swimsuit?  Bought it. From Walmart. (Not-Ariel had the anchor one.  I bought black polka dots.)

 {Shane, stand here and let me pretend to take a picture of you, when actually I am going to text it to Drew because LAUREN CONRAD IS IN THE FEDORA ON THE LEFT!!!}

{What?  No, I'm not stalker.  I am just taking pictures of my baby, see, he's in the frame of one of them.  That totally counts.}

Oh, and took some stealthy paparazzi pics.  With Shane as a ruse, of course.

Thank you Lauren Conrad for having such nice friends.  JJ will always remember this year's 4th of July as the one in which she met Ariel's friend.

I will remember it because of this:

I might have cried a little.

Because, I mean look.

How could I not?

Funny thing, I am actually wearing another Lauren Conrad top as I write and there is this pretty button on the back that keeps getting trapped in my hair, messing up the curls that I destroyed my wrist getting, and giving me crazy tangles.  That is what I could have told her.  Because I am sure that there is nothing one would like better when enjoying a holiday at the beach with their friends, than a random customer complaining about button placement....  But really, the button is awful.  She would totally feel my pain, being her hair is always lovely, and she would not like a button getting in the way.

Next time Lauren.  Next time.

Currently obsessed with silhouette photos.
Counting down the minutes until naptime so we can sneak in a few episodes of Arrested Development.
While eating homemade chocolate chip cookies that were a grand baby shower favor.
Wishing that I made extra salted caramel cupcakes, because I forgot how evil good those are.
Thankful that it is a long weekend.  Needing some sunshine and sleeping in and bbq.
Surprisingly at peace with the chaos that should be our life as our church/ school/ everything/ is in flux.
Still in disbelief how much I miss everyone who came to Camp Mom*tog.
Wearing my favorite grey (or gray?) dress AGAIN because Jen Hatmaker is messing up my life.
Thinking I should totally wash my hair because ewwwww.  But this spray is my new best friend and I am obsessed.
Freaking out that my Halley girl turned nine. NINE.  Like almost a teenager nine.
Working on a new linky deal because my Instagram feed does not line up with my REAL reality.
Counting down the days until school is out slash freaking out that all of them will be in my grill ALL DAY every day.
Looking forward to redeeming my Mother's Day gift of one night at a hotel with no other humans talking to, or needing things from me.
Wishing I could see Fast Six again.  And again.
Feeling that it is time for another Favorite Things Party.
Wishing I had a jar of this salsa.  A big jar.
The end.

I don't think that I am the only one who wants these to exist.  Nor do I think it is a just a boy mom request.  I know quite the number of super hero loving girls.  Three happen to live in my house.

It shouldn't be that complicated either.  Fisher Price already has licensing deals with DC Comics.  Case in point, the Little People Super Friends that are always within reach of this little beast.

Given I am more a Marvel Comics girl, I wish that a baby Wolverine would somehow exist.  I don't want to get too greedy and I suppose I can settle for Batman.

Know anyone at Fisher Price?  BEG THEM.  Please.  I will be first in line.

(Spoiler alert... if you haven't watched the season three finale of Downton Abbey, stop what you are doing and run along to it.  I watched it on my phone in the mountains with buffering and spotty 3G reception.  What is your excuse?  If you don't watch Downton Abbey, well, I don't really know what to say except that you should.  Or you shouldn't. Because it will break your heart and mess up your mascara.  Moving on.)

Dan Stevens, I have a bone to pick with you.  I do not approve of you deciding to end your contract.  Matthew Crawley does not approve of you ending your contract.  Most certainly, the Dowager Countess DOES NOT approve of you ending your contract.

You wanted freedom to pursue other acting jobs.  REALLY????  Because your character on Downton Abbey was brilliantly written with feeling and depth and had so very much room to grow.  Couldn't you pursue other jobs during the hiatus? Or was nine episode season just too grueling?  NINE EPISODE SEASON!!!!!

(Can we have a side conversation about how the season is WAY TOO SHORT????  I mean really.  TOO SHORT.)

Or was it you didn't want to be typecast?  REALLY???? Remember the richness, and depth of your character?  You could really go anywhere with that so called "typecasting".  Romance?  Comedy?  Drama?  Action?  Yes, yes, yes, and yes.  Because as Matthew Crawley you displayed all of those facets with depth and richness.

We have a family motto Mr. Stevens.  It is simply this:
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.

Don't want to do something you committed to?
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.
Don't want to show up somewhere you committed to being?
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.
Don't want to finish a job you committed to finishing?
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.

Keep your committments.  Show up for people.  Even when you don't want to.  Even when it is hard.  Even if it isn't what you thought or hoped it would be.  Even when you think there is something better out there (chances are THERE ISN'T.)

Quitting is for quitters.


Sticking it out isn't always easy, but there are far greater rewards in the end.

Now you will always be the guy who quit Downton Abbey.
Lets see how that works out for you.

You were all that was good in Lady Mary.  You made me like her.  I fear what your leaving will do.  I hate that I have to wait nearly a year to find out.

Goodbye Matthew Crawley.  Downton will not be the same without you and your blue eyes.  Nor will you be the same without Downton.

Ohmygoodness.  What a full few days.  Too full to forget.  Too full to properly take photos.  Just full enough to remember....
Where to begin?  Indulge me as I make a giant, random, stream of consciousness list.  Because that is how my brain works.
Thought I had a faker, sent her to school.  (She wasn't faking.)  My biggest girl was Martha Washington for grandparent's day chapel.  I painted my nails for the first time in a decade (not joking.)  Colored my own roots (bad idea.)  Spent too much at the gas station.  Got asked at said gas station if I was pregnant.  (I am NOT.)  Can we all sign some sort of pact to NEVER EVER EVER ask anyone that?  Even if they are doing Lamaze breathing as they walk into the labor & delivery floor of the local hospital.  I mean COME ON.  Picked Jessica up at the airport (happy).  Went to Pedro's.  Got my hair blown out.  Went shopping while my wallet stayed home.  Ate crepes.  Discovered Aleve-D.  (SO LEGIT.)  Ate garlic bread with the Choose Joy speakers.  Garlic bread that was detected by my sensitive to smells husband as soon as I walked in the front door.  Made tissue tassels (hot mess.)  Stayed up too late.  Woke up too early.  Fought a nasty cold (it is winning.)  Listened to this song over and over.  Sobbing.  Made final preparations for my Choose Joy talk.  Prayed.  Had the most heartbreakingly beautiful day at Choose Joy (more on that later).  Ate Coca Cola cake.  Ate spicy Chinese food in a effort to burn the germs out of my body.  Ate my favorite cupcake with some rad friends.  Laughed until I cried.  Stayed up too late again.  Watched Duck Dynasty (favorite show right now.)  Went to church.  Sang with a scratchy voice.  Ate a good burger.  Took Jessica to the airport (so sad.)  Celebrated my favorite five year old.  Lost my voice.  Sent myself to bed at 4pm.  Watched October Baby (cried.)  Watched Downton Abbey (Bates!).  Chatted with no voice with one of my favorite couples.  Thanked baby Jesus for Nyquil.  Ran a few ugly miles trying to sweat the germs out.  Tried a honey face mask.  And some other stuff that my cold medicine fuzzy brain can't remember.

So that is a bit more than ten on ten.
I'm okay with that.

2012 was so hard and so beautiful.
Are not all the best parts of life like that?

Walking into the unknown of 2013, we are trusting The One to which there is no unknown.
There is so much peace in that.

As well as kicking the year off with a little family road trip to visit some of our favorite people, and adventure in some of their favorite places.

So far I really like 2013.  A lot a lot a a lot.  Then some more.

Today I celebrate another journey around the sun on this beautiful, broken, planet.
Today I celebrate what was one of the hardest years of our life, yet one of my most favorite.
When we are weak, our God is strong.
He makes beautiful things out of us.
These are the moments that make it all worth it.  These are the moments that I hold on to.
My savior.  My husband.  My family.  My friends.
Undone thinking about the beauty that is this little life that we live each and every day.
Happy.  So very happy.

1.  I am boycotting Fall.  It's too hot.  All of the pumpkin spice latte love is making me crazy.  Summer forever.

2.  I also will not divulge how much our electric bill was last month.  Because I am curled in a corner sobbing about it.  Guess what we just found out a year too late?  Happen to have six people living in your house?  They give you a discount.  Yep.  So thinking about having a fourth kid?  Not only a tax deduction, but it will save you 20% on your electric bill.  Get busy.

3.  The only redeeming thing about this fraudulent fall are these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that Jaime brought to Kyla's pinterest party.  Bake them.  But go to the store to buy shortening first.  Unless you have some.  Which is weird.  Because it is creepy.  But so is Velveeta, and you all know how I get over my aversion to it for Santa Fe Soup.  Of which it is still to hot to eat.

4.  My husband just upgraded his phone, and I got his old one.  Yayyyyy.  No more cutting my fingers on the shattered screen, or choosing between music or photos, as I battle the STORAGE IS FULL warnings for dayzzzzz.  Plus I have the front facing camera again.  Hello selfies.

5.  One more thing that is decent about fall-  Apple Crisp.

6.  September is trying to ruin me.  I have only five days and twenty miles to reach the 44 mile goal.  Grossssss.  I woke up crazy early this morning to get a few in.  The new Mumford & Sons came with me.  WOWWWWW.  It is amazing.  Fastest, happiest 4 miles yet.  I think I will have a date with them in the darkness tomorrow too.
(I may or may not have spent the entire naptime laying on the ground listening to the album over and over again.)

7.  We are watching Friday Night Lights from the beginning again.  SO GOOD.

8.  If you want to watch Downton Abbey before January, Rage Against the Minivan has a great hack.  I am tempted, but I have to resist.  There is no room in my days for a rabid marathon.  Nor is there any way I could ration out my viewings.  A Downton Abbey bender sounds amazing.  But I must use self control.

9.  Is it weird to put a font on your birthday list?  Or to start a birthday list months out?

10.   Back to Friday Night Lights- repeat repeat repeat this song from the soundtrack.



11.  I don't have germ issues.  I have stain issues.  Bag of Lays (which you totally give to the baby because if you are the grown up and you get Lays you are sad, wishing they were not Lays) on the blacktop at lunch with his sisters?  No biggie.  But if it was a bag of Cheetos?  OVER THE EDGE with stress.
That concludes our Tuesday nonsense. 
I have a date with some Englishmen.
This might just be my favorite song from the album.  At least today.
Keep my eyes to serve and my hands to learn...

Hi.
How are you?  I have had a lovely, full, happy, nonstop few days.
A sweet baby mermaid turned one, a beautiful couple said their vows, a darling niece was celebrated over lunch at American Girl, Crumbs cupcakes were consumed, our family woke up before the sunrise to visit Cars Land for the very first time, the big girls filled up their marble jars and are on a date with their dad.

It's all just too great.
I am so overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving.

With that I bring you some entertainment...

New Mumford & Sons.
Yes please.


Because I love me a good mockery of Twilight...
because it just deserves a good mocking.

These feet, in their unmatching socks, covered not just 40 miles in June, but 47.93 miles.
I somehow did not quit.

Like a sweaty boss.

From a grand total of zero miles in May.

Did I love it? NO.
Did I hate it a little bit less each day?  A TEENY LITTLE BIT.

The main motivation?
Hello, what else is there? Food!!!

June was also the month of MyFitnessPal, which is so rad if you are someone who needs structure and accountability in the-stuffing-of-your-pie-hole-department.
If you don't move, and move a lot, for a lot of minutes and a lot of sweatyness, you are TOTALLY STARVING.

When I am starving, I am so, so, so, so, mean.
Meeting your calorie goal without some sort of daily cardio is dang near impossible.

To avoid the mean wife/ mom/ friend, I had to get my miles in.  When you get your miles in, you get to add calories.  When you add calories, you get TO EAT MORE FOOD.

My knees may hurt.  I may feel old and broken.  I'd rather be home in the air conditioning baking (and eating, obvs) cupcakes.

Instead I am going to keep moving.  Like it or not.

So here is to covering ground.  Here is to eating food.

Here is to 45 gross sweaty miles in July.

Because sometimes you need more than writing to tell a story.
(Read part one here.)

Now (a little too late...)  I learned that the Ultra Shea line is made for African American hair.
I'm not exactly their target market.

Somehow Clear failed to convey that in the packaging.  Or I'm just clueless.  Or both.

It might be a great product.  Just not great for me.
The biggest bummer is they never called me back, or gave me any good solutions via email.

Not cool Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy.  Not cool.

Thank you baby Jesus for Diet Pepsi.

 So she took her case to the real human problem solver, Instagram.
Lots of ideas were thrown around.  Lots involving trips to the store to buy things like WD-40 and GooGone.
But one safer, ingredient is already in the pantry, solution caught her eye.
Crystal suggested a paste of baking soda, then a cold water wash.

Baking soda commenced.
Washing machine spin concluded.

The verdict?
Gone.  All of the spots magically, brilliantly, gloriously, disappeared.
All but the ones that the stupid iron set in. Those however, faded enough for me to live with.

 It is now back in it's rightful home, awaiting guests.  Guests who don't come armed with cheap crayons.

My Fitness Pal.  I fought it forever.  Then gave in.  If you need an easy way to track your food and exercise, it's pretty amazing.  (I use the app on my phone.) I don't follow people, or let anyone follow me.  But it does for sure keep me on track better than anything that I have ever tried.  It also ruins my life when I type in Pork Salad from Cafe Rio.  Jerk.

Three more days of school.

Worth mentioning again- three more days of school!!!!!!!!!

Date night tomorrow.  Yessssssssssssss.

This skirt from Old Navy.  I do not love that it wasn't on sale.  It didn't come home with me.  Sad face.

I do not like how this little beastly creature, thinks it is okay to go slithering on his tummy ALL OVER THE HOUSE.  Like a crazed, danger and destruction seeking, viper.  We have never had to baby proof before.  Are all boys like this?  It is stressing me out. Oh, and he is a bottomless pit at meal times too...

I want everything in this shop.  Boots N Gus you are KILLING ME.

This one too.  Fancy That Design House, I love your guts.

This mustard seed necklace from Little Bird Creations speaks to my heart in this season.

I had to get this print.  Obviously.  I want one of every other one too.  Pen & Paint is rad.

The viper has a birthday coming up.  WHAT THE HECK???????  Starting to plan a little beach bash.  How cute are these invites?  It makes the trauma of him turning one a little easier.  Not really.


Cannot handle how these people pull off this song.  Skillz and genius.  Nor can I handle how many hours they had to stand in such close proximity to each other while perfecting it.  Stressing.

THREE MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL.
We are going to Jr. High and High School camp as a family this year.  That should be an adventure.

Pinterest is TORTURE to this no-sugar June.  So bad.  Like I might need to have a no-Pinterest June to go along with it.  Torture.  Pretty rude how I posted a dessert in the middle of my torture.  I am adding to the problem that I hate.  Vicious circle I tell you.

I still have a super simple blueberry monkey bread recipe in the works.  But I have to make it to post it, and I don't think that I can make it without eating it.

What are you loving and not so much?

Three more days, yo!

A bit of this and that... words, links, things to watch, random pictures, drama.  That's me today.

Sooooo, my hair is still not okay.  NO, the lovely people at Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy are not helping make it right.  A vlog chronicling the saga is in the works.  Yep.

School gets out next week and I AM SO READY.
Just took my Lucy shopping for a kindergarten graduation dress.  What in the world???
I am so dang emo about it.  How is she graduating????

Thinking of what to put on our summer bucket list.
Pretty much have a huge crush on this printable from Funky Polka Dot Giraffe.  She sweetly made a blank version so you can personalize your own.  Boom.

I want to run away to Destin, Florida.  Thanks Beth for torturing us with your beach vacay instagrams.

I saw the Avengers.  Loved it.  Cannot wait for Spiderman or Batman.
Fangirl much?

Nor can I wait for these two movies.
Seriously.  Chills and tears when I watch the previews.


Have you read both of the books?


I revised the Awesomesauce recipe.  Mainly because I realized that my level of comfort with spicy foods puts me in the mutant category.  Please don't sue me if you made it the original way.  Just chill out on the Chipotle peppers.  Please and thank you.

Did I mention that I WANT SCHOOL TO BE DONE WITH yet?
DONE!!!!



Somehow I decided to commit to 40 miles in June with Haus of girls.  It's pretty rad to have a goal and work towards it.  It's not rad how much I hate being hot and exercising.  Nor is it rad that MyFitnessPal does not have a cardio choice for pushing an eleventy billion pound double stroller up a one mile hill from Hades.  Because it should.

I feel like this today.
Being a girl is so awesome.
Dumb tears and emotions.  If only it was acceptable to have a meltdown on a blanket in the backyard.

Destin, Florida.  I need you.

That is all.