As you read this, I am packing up our bags and saying so long to Florida.  The hardest part of packing for me is finding room for my sneakers.  Confession: I have big feet.  But these little duds would not only be pretty, but also super light weight for my travels.  Yes please!

Nike Free Run +2

Yes, I wrote scary. You see, Behr has a bit of an aversion to the feel of grass. He doesn't seem to mind concrete, sand, or carpet. {I keep reminding myself, at least he likes sand, at least he likes sand. Otherwise, this little Florida vacation we are on would be brutal.} But grass makes him cry. every. single. time.  Strangely enough that is how I reacted to grass when I was his age.

Outfit:

Kelly Green Striped Shirt - H&M

Jean Overall Shorts - OldNavy

Barefoot

I have been lusting over the super sleek lines of Eames rocking chairs.  There is no space in our apartment for another chair, but a girl can look right?

retro green

bright blue

or maybe even a pair!

And then my swooning got even worse after seeing how Making it Lovely documented the milestones of her babe in this fabulous piece of art.  Everything gets cuter with a baby right?

We are on vacation, have you heard?  The sun, sand, ocean, pool, dining out, books to {try to} read, and a slower pace are all gladly welcomed.  But my absolute favorite part of vacation is having a week full of quality time.  A whole lot of this:

Are the color palates that draw you in?  Bright and cheery have the ticket for me.  So here are a few spaces I could look at all day {and confession: might repost on during the dreary soggy winter} but now why would I go and talk about a thing like that?  Heres to dreaming of some sunshine all year round!



I could totally get ready in front of this dresser...


...after stepping out of that tub...

...before hosting dinner here...

...prepared in this kitchen...

We are off to Florida.  Yes, we are the crazies that go South when it is already sweltering.  But guess what?  We love it anyway.  Alright, enough blabbing...this is how my feet hope to be for most of the next week:

{photo taken two weeks ago when I went kayaking on the Connecticut River}

pin

It has been months since I first realized I was in a bit of an identity crisis.  How do you fill the many roles?  I promised to blog about it, but couldn't find the right words.  Then Sunday at church, a guest pastor struck a cord and my hand couldn't stop moving.

What does rest look like in your life?  Is reading blogs, catching up on twitter, or perusing pinterest "restful" or is there a sense of busyness about that?  I am goal oriented and often set quotas for myself {yes, even my down time} defeating the purpose of rest.

Can you find rest amidst the busyness?  I am not sure that I can truly rest living in a city.  Living here, I am now certain that I wouldn't choose another city for a vacation.  The hustle and bustle is now where I unwind.

I pack and schedule and fill my moments of quiet perhaps because I have a fear of stillness that true rest might bring.  A fear of wasting time that has proven even more precious and recently also quite scarce.  My thoughts often start with a twinge of worry. But what about... What will happen if... How can I rest when...

And then flip the coin.  Am I able to find rest or joy in the things that fill my day?  Do I find cooking for my family, playing with my son, walking to church times of joy or a responsibility/chore/task to which I begrudgingly oblige?  Perhaps if I took the time to truly rest then I would be able to find deeper joy in my many blessings.  I have a family to cook for, a son to play with, and legs to carry me through this incredible city, a place I get to call home.

That is where my heart has been recently.

"We need Jesus to give us a spiritual assessment of whether we rest with soul rest.  Or whether we're still on the treadmill of trying to prove our very existence."   -- Rev. John Hutchinson  

Great nursing bra:  After trying what felt like hundreds, my favorite came from A Pea in the Pod.   Although it was a splurge, but literally the only way I made it out of the house.

Sturdy bottle brush: This tool gets a lot of use in our household, and the Skip Hop Bottle Brush stands up to the challenge

Basic burp cloths: Hands down the most used gift we received was a 12 pack of Gerber prefolds.  These absorb everything, and are nothing fancy, so you don't mind the inevitable baby stains.  Let's face it, breastfeeding is messy business in the beginning.  I recommend having at least one of these near by at all times.

Washable nursing pads: Again, I tried many different kinds, but these were my favorite.

Disposable nursing pads: A worthy investment for the leaky days, as they are much more discrete for leaving the house.  The most absorbent brand I found were Lansinoh.

Basic bra: The classic Gap racerback bra was my go-to for the evenings.  They wash well, are relatively affordable, and useful both before and after baby.  Best of all, they are easy to yank up or down for nighttime feedings.

Bottles: My advice is figure out what works and stick with one brand.  No need to worry about interchangeable parts, finding the right pieces, etc. We chose the Dr. Brown wide neck as they are said to reduce nipple confusion when you need to introduce a bottle early.  I went back to work after three months, so we introduced one bottle a day early to ease the transition.

Electric double pump (not pictured): Because I was going back to work - translation: needing to pump 3-4x/day - we knew we needed a power horse.  I opted for the Medela Pump In Style and couldn't be happier.

Nursing cover: Behr and I both struggled with nursing covers until we tried a basic swaddle blanket.  The fabric is lightweight and breathable so he didn't get overheated and it was plenty big enough to keep us modest.

Milk saver: If you are blessed with an abundance of milk, this little accessory will be your friend.  It cleverly collects leaking/letdown from one side while you nurse on the other.  I highly recommend the milk saver.

We look forward to blueberry season in our home.  This year, we were up to our knees so I sought the guidance of my southern friend and excellent baker Beth.  Here is a recipe from her friend's great-grandmother.  When a recipe has been passed around for that long, you know it is good!


cream together 1.5 cups sugar and 1 cup shortening (or half butter half lard). 
mix together 4 cups flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt
beat 1 egg together with 1 1/3 cups milk
alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture to the sugar
mix in 1 qt blueberries
bake in a 9x13 pan for 50 min in 350 oven

Well, it is high time we learned that not everything in life goes as planned.  Life isn't perfect.  We skipped a few weekly pictures.  But the good news is we are finally catching up on this little craft inspired by fellow bloggers.  Here are a few weeks and the top highlight.

Our First Family Photo my favorite

I get to break my shoe fast for one very important occasion, my best friend's wedding!  We are wearing navy cocktail length sweetheart neck dresses and gold shoes.

Bill Levkoff

I need a pair of gold heals.  I have been out of the shoe shopping world!  The pressure is on.  I need your help.  Send suggestions please!

Last week my dear friend Diane and I headed out to suburbia for a mega warehouse baby sale.  The sale started at 7, but to beat rush hour we packed our little ones and hit the road before rush hour.  What do you do in an unfamiliar suburban town on a blazing hot day {hint: parks were out of the question due to the heat}?  Well, you have a picnic at Panera!  What else?

We ordered food, found a nice spot in front of the fireplace, laid out a big blanket, kicked off our shoes and let the babes crawl, or in Behr's case sit, and enjoy some wiggle time.  It was a great way to pass the time and we hardly got any weird looks.  I highly recommend having a Panera picnic if you haven't done so already.





Oh and before I forget, here are the goods I got for Behr this winter and next spring:

Two weekends back we were inspired by Wimbledon and ventured to some nearby tennis courts.  Behr was not in the mood for us to play tennis.  He wanted to be part of all the action.  Only a few sets in, we threw in the towel due to Mr. Fussy Pants.  {I have been calling Behr that recently.  Bad mother, no?  Must stop before he can remember this loving name...} Fortunately, the tennis courts are near the only baby swings in DC.  Remember when I said there were no swings?  Well, the real truth is that they just aren't super convenient for me.