Flowered Boots for Baby Girl

 

A couple months ago, I pulled out my dusty sewing machine and made a fun pair of booties for Evie. I wanted her to have something special to wear for her dedication at church, and this pattern was the perfect thing.

 

 

I did make a couple of changes to the pattern- I used fleece on the inside instead of terry cloth, and I ended up having to reattach the elastic because it kept falling out. But all in all, I was really happy with the pattern and I plan to make a few more pairs to give away! I would definitely recommend this pattern, I think the fabric could easily be changed up to make it boy-appropiate as well. 

 

Sadly, these will have to be packed away soon for future kiddos since Evie is growing so fast! =(

Stylin' (at Home)

Well, these days my "fashion" sense is all about what is easiest, quickest, most comfortable, and washable. Don't get me wrong- I definitely don't live in sweats! Thank goodness. =) There's nothing bad about that, I just know that for myself, I feel so much better when I actually get dressed and feel at least semi-cute!

Also, I seem to have lost that little thing that goes on top of the tripod and attaches your camera to the tripod. I knew that would happen, and it finally did. So for now, my outfit posts may look a little wonky as I probably balance a child on my hip and the camera in one hand.

I was super excited to put this outfit together, because I got 2 of the pieces half off at Goodwill! The yellow striped shirt at the teal blue leather handbag were 50% off because of the President's Day sale. I think I paid $4 for them together. I wore it with dark-wash skinny jeans and bare feet because, alas, all I did today was stay home with Evie and do laundry.

That brings me to one of my points: Don't you hate it when you waste a cute outfit by staying home? Ah well. As I said before, it helps me feel better and more productive when I look nice. Plus, I can always put a picture up on the blog...

Outfit details: Sweater- Loft/Shirt- Thrifted (Report brand)/Bag- Loft/Necklace- From my Sis

Simplify

Life has really been feeling cluttered lately. I walk into my closet and feel overwhelmed by all the clothes, our china cabinet is so full of vases that I can barely shut it, our pantry is in dire need of a cleaning. Not only that, but I feel like I'm constantly busy. Not a good kind of busy, just needless busy. Even some relationships in my life have become more of a burden (don't worry, if you are reading this, you are NOT one of them!). My body is also feeling the effects of a diet that is cluttered with unhealthy food. 

In an effort to regain some sense of peace and tranquility, I've slowly started clearing away the unnecessary things of life. A couple trips to Goodwill has made my closet lighter, and I can finally see the clothes that I really love to wear, which makes getting dressed in the morning all the more easy. I've said "no" to some social events that I really don't need to attend in favor of spending time with my family, and it feels really good.

I used to feel more dissatisfied with our townhome- I viewed it as a "temporary" home for us. Well, we've been here almost four years now and God has really been teaching me what it means to be satisfied. Instead of thinking "I need a bigger house for all the things" I'm starting to realize that I just need less things and more contentment with where we are now. It's something that's been ruminating in my mind for about a year now, and I've found such peace with this realization.

So here's to learning how to live a contented, peaceful, less cluttered life. Heaven knows we could all use a little more of that! 

Glasses + Tea

For the first time in 4 years, I bought some new glasses. I am still getting used to them, but so far I think I like them a lot. I may even wear them out and about once in a while instead of just at home! 

Evie likes them too- they're like another toy for her to grab at and attempt to eat. She's at that stage now where everything goes in her mouth- it's really keeping me on my toes!

On a completely unrelated note- I really love my family. We got together last week for an impromptu dinner, and this is what the kitchen looked like afterwards. We chatted for an hour like this, holding warm mugs of tea and sipping while we conversed. What a perfect evening it was.

Baby Fashion

I love putting cute clothes on my baby, even though she seldom makes it more than 10 minutes before covering herself in drool and/or spit up. I must confess, many days she stays in her PJs, but when we go out I try to put her in some of the ADORABLE clothes we were given. Like the sweet little sweater/hat combo above, made by my mother-in-law, Evie's doting Grandma. 

This little white dress was made by my mother-in-law's friend. She has a lot of friends who knit and crochet like she does, so we got a ton of beautiful hand made clothes for Evie. 

This super sweet pink skirt is one of my favorites too. I love the little pom-pom trim. Paired with some fur boots (her feet look huge here I know, it's the camera angle, oops!) it's perfection. She'll probably be wearing this little ensemble for Valentines Day today!

Speaking of Valentines- we are going out to dinner with my Grandma. What are you going to do this Valentines? Happy Heart Day!

Simple Valentines

This year, our only Valentine's decoration is a simple bouquet of carnations. I really love the way they brighten up our table. One bloom fell off, and I couldn't bear to let it go to waste, so I put it in a mini vase. 

This year for Valentines, we will probably go out for dinner as a family. How are you celebrating heart day this year?

Snow is...

A white blanket to cover the earth while it rests...

A moment of peace in a hectic day...

A chance to slow down, to breathe, to let beauty fall softly onto your heart...

An excuse to stay inside, to experience the true meaning of refuge...



A sign that every part of life is just a season. Within all of life's difficulties, there is always something beautiful to be found.

A Living Room Facelift

I'm super happy to announce that our living room is going to get a much-needed facelift. We aren't really the kind of people who go out and buy furniture on a whim, but last week Josh and I (in a moment of insanity) ordered two of these chairs from World Market online.

Mwahahaha (that's an evil laugh). Our tired, baby-toy-strewn living space isn't going to know what hit it.

Of course, it won't end there. It never does. I plan to whip up some new pillow covers and change up some accessories for a fun "new" space, using things we already have of course! So please stay tuned...

Mini Succulent Garden

I've been wanting to buy some succulent plants for a while, and finally got around to doing it a couple weeks ago! I went to Linders Garden Center and found that they had a great variety of them, in the perfect little containers. I didn't even have to replant them, they fit so well into this little vintage cheesebox. 

I love seeing this little "garden" on our coffee table- it's definitely a day brightener (especially here in the midst of winter). Plus, I've heard that these plants are practically impossible to kill. I'm really hoping that's true...

Each plant was only $2.99- so I got all three for around $10. A fun, easy, cheap project! I'm all about those kinds of projects these days.

Do you have any succulents around your home?

Sweet Potato Fries

Yum. That's all I have to say about these. Ok, maybe not all. I thought  that sweet potatoes were disgusting for most of my life, then I tried sweet potato fries and instantly fell in love with this vegetable from down under (under the ground, that is, not the Australian Outback...). 

These fries are just the perfect amount of crispy and salty on the outside, with a chewy gooey texture and sweet flavor inside. Plus, sweet potatoes are super good for you, or so I am told.

We've been making these on a weekly basis! The recipe is pretty easy and straightforward, adapted from The Art of Doing Stuff. They also have a good recipe for sriracha mayo dipping sauce that I'm sure brings the health factor down a bit (but of course the yumminess factor skyrockets).

Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, cornstarch, olive oil, salt. Oven @ 400. 

Here's the basic idea: cut potatoes into fry slices (how big or small they are depends on how crispy you want them to be. I like mine a little bigger so the inside stays gooey!). Let them soak in some warm water for a few minutes (I usually can only do five or so because I'm so impatient). After drying off the slices a wee bit with a paper towel, plop them into a gallon sized ziploc with a few spoonfuls of cornstarch. Shake until the fries are coated. Then, lay them on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt (I use seasoned salt- yum!). You can mix them up with your fingertips, I've found that works the best. The olive oil should be enough to make the cornstarch "disappear" on the fries. Arrange the fries on the cookie sheet so they are not touching one another. Then, bake them for about 15 minutes. Flip them over, and bake for another 5-10 minutes or according to your crispiness quota. I like mine super crispy, almost burnt.

Enjoy!

Little Things I'm Loving

Just for fun, here's a few things that are making winter more bearable this year...

1. New sunglasses from Anthropologie (similar here), and a crocheted cowl made my mother-in-law.

2. Homemade candles, my sister Elsie and I have been doing this lately as a new hobby and it is really fun!

3. Starbucks Spiced Vanilla Lattes- kind of like chai with coffee mixed in. Amazingly delicious and life-altering.

What are you loving these days?

A Day Out

Going on dates is even more fun now that Josh and I are parents! The giddy feeling that precedes each date (all four of them that we've had since Evie was born) just can't be compared. We get to dress up without fear of being spit upon, and venture into the world without the shackles of a diaper bag. It is, to put it succinctly, glorious.

On this particular day, we went all around the city for the simple reason that we could. The weather was frigid, at -13 degrees with the windchill, but we didn't care. We went to lunch at a wonderful place called Moscow on the Hill. Pure Russian comfort food. And coffee. What more could you ask for on a wintry day? 

We made a pit stop at a Chocolate shop, a few boutiques, and then made our way to the Como Conservatory. Stepping into a misty, 80 degree garden on a winter day is pretty amazing. And, as Josh can testify, it really fogs up the glasses for quite a while. 

It was so wonderful to smell the freshness of the plants and admire their beauty. I saw a few people sitting on benches and reading, what a great way to fight the winter doldrums!

 So to sum up, dates without the baby are the best, winter in Minnesota is cold, Russian food is good, Conservatories are amazing, and my husband rocks my world.