The Greatest Show on Earth

Behr's second birthday is right around the corner. If I learned anything from his first birthday it is this: 1. Start planning right after Christmas and 2. Eat cake early. Don't wait until Behr is exhausted from all of the festivities and then expect him to perform. As grateful as I am for these lessons, they didn't help me figure out what to do this year. After racking my brain for potential ideas, under the sea, the jungle, red wagon, among others, I looked at what I had in my party supplies and started perusing pinterest. Some time in early November, I came across the chalkboard from a carnival themed wedding and finally settled on a circus theme!

I started pulling ideas from my own pinterest boards and all over the internet and this is what I came up with to get me started.

• If I Ran The Circus by Dr. Seuss provided my color foundation, and kept me from going crazy.
• Behr is obsessed with straws as well as milk and cookies. These yellow reusable straws will undoubtedly get use in our home for years to come. 
• Anna posted glitter garland and almost jumped in my car to drive to Boston just to see it in person. She gave me a few pointers that saved both time and money. I'll share more about those after the party. For you non-DIYers, you can also purchase the one featured here from etsy.
• Fun fonts! I love a good excuse to explore new fonts and make a new invitation design. You can order your own circus invitations from my etsy shop here.
• My original inspiration. Would you ever consider having a carnival wedding? It looks like a blast.
• I picked up these adorable red and white polka dot favor boxes at The Influence Conference Market in October, well before I had a theme in mind for Behr's birthday. But I couldn't pass them up. They might be perfect for animal crakers to go. 
• These rainbow skewers were one of the first items I ever pinned. I have been dying to use them for a party, so they will definitely be on the menu.

I find it incredibly helpful to create an idea board for any party, event, or project I am working on. It allows me to step back and refocus on my original plan, even if I decide to head another direction, knowing my initial inspiration is key. I cannot wait to share how this all comes together for Behr's party this weekend!

Disclaimer: compensated affiliate links may be used in this post.

A Challenge for the Future

Lately I have been struggling with what it looks like to be a working mom, a blogger, an etsy shop owner, a wife and a friend. It has become glaringly apparent that if I try to do it all, I do nothing well. Some of my favorite bloggers have started movements towards recognizing the best things in life, letting go of the trivial, such as Sarah Tucker's 1000 Gifts, or Jessi and Haley's Giving Up on Good. I love these posts. I have hundreds of things to be thankful for; if I made a list, perhaps even a thousand. There is a lot of good in my life, surely there may be some good things cluttering the way for great things. But what does that look like? How do you decipher the good from the great?

In the midst of it all, sometimes I just feel trapped.
Do you feel trapped?

Stuck doing the things you have to do, not able to do the things you want to do? I feel stuck at work. I have a good job, in fact, it is a great job, but I still feel stuck. Through praying about this over the last few weeks, God has been infinitely clear with me. My attitude, or my focus, needs to shift before I can start making changes, before I can start cutting things away. Let me give you a few examples of where my attitude needs to change.

While working, I have approached money with a sense of entitlement, feeding myself lines such as:

"I deserve this starbucks, because I worked so hard today."

rather than waiting until I got home to make coffee or have a glass of water

"Since I need to look the part, I need a new suit/pumps/blouse/necklace/fill in the blank"

rather than looking to how I can optimize my wardrobe to find new outfits with what I have

You see, I have to work to continue to pay off my student loans and to be able to afford rent or a mortgage some day. But instead of more aggressively preparing for the future, I am throwing away the money I am earning.

When thinking about the reality that Behr spends the majority of his weekdays in daycare, I often sell myself a sob story:

"Behr is stuck inside all day when it is beautiful out."

rather than focus on the fact that he is an extrovert and loves his daycare

"Behr spends his whole day with strangers."

the women who work at Behr's daycare are not strangers, they are wonderful women who I have come to call friends.

I am blessed that Behr is in such a great center, where his teachers love him so much.

So when I say I feel stuck, what I should be saying is that I am building walls around me with my negative attitude. And so, I am beginning to change my focus. As I prayed about what this looks like and how I can motivate myself, some catch phrases bounced around my head. Eventually this one started to resonate, "Invest in tomorrow without sacrificing today." It is inspiring. It is a concept that I can relate to, that I can get behind, that can motivate me to complain less, to save more, to embrace today without feeling guilty. And so, I am kicking off summer with this challenge to myself.

Instead of quitting my day job and having student loans linger over me, I am going to invest in my future. I am also going to allow myself the flexibility to make this truly work. I am going to try to walk the balance. It will not be perfect, and it certainly won't always be pretty, but it will be purposeful. While I am not sure what all of this is going to look like, I do know it will be a theme threaded throughout my blog over the next few months. Even if I am working a full time office job, I am going to cherish this summer with my family and I look forward to sharing it with you. And maybe, I might even start giving up the good along the way.

Life Lessons | My 20's

our rehearsal dinner

21 // As a college senior, studying abroad and feeling invincible, I lost my great-grandmother. I abruptly flew home to be with loved ones and was reminded of the importance of family. This single event changed my interactions with my parents and grandparents, I gift of which I remain grateful to this day.

22 // Completing my final events as a college athlete, graduating, planning a wedding, and job searching, I learned the hard way, the importance of being content.

Once we became content, thanking God for his blessings rather than spending our time looking for something bigger and better, God laid out a plan for new jobs, and new city, and moved everything into place.

23 // Preparing to leave Boston, I realized the importance of seizing the day. I looked at my city with new eyes, and finally explored the hidden gems I had neglected.

24 // New jobs and demanding schedules pulled Mark and I in different directions. The wisdom of friends directed us towards marriage counseling, and only then did we begin to use our words to edify each other first. I learned the importance of loving communication.

25 // I learned to stop worrying. (I am still learning to stop worrying...)

Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strengths. - Corrie Ten Boom

26 // I learned that grieving is a process, a long slow process, and that is okay.

27 // After having Behr and receiving an outpouring of love and support from our friends here in DC, I learned what it looks like to be a resource that serves others.

a hidden gems of our vacation, being able to comfort this little guy when he was under the weather

28 // Juggling work, home, and motherhood, I catch myself constantly looking for the next thing to tackle. I want to slow down, to spend this year living in the moment. I hope that I can look back and see progress, that I can declare with determination that I learned to be present.

Being present.

With that, I turn to you, my friends.

How do you do it? What are your secrets?

How do you stay present at dinner with your husband, over a cup of coffee with a girlfriend, on the phone with your mom, reading books to your kids... In life's most precious moments, how do block out the distractions, ignore your phone, forget your to-do list, and simply be present? How do you decide to enjoy the moment instead of capturing the moment with your camera?


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A tremendous thanks goes out to Sarah of Fairy Tales Are True for continuing this series, and inviting other bloggers to join her. Thinking back over these lessons, and the blessing of God during this course of time, has proved to be a blessing of its own. Thanks for letting me share along with you!

Leading and Chasing

This post was written last week.  Since then, I wrote my yia-yia post and realized that a lot of the emotion of this year is coming to a head as the holiday's approach.  But in an effort to be more open, here we go.

This year has been marked by ups and downs and sudden twists and turns. I have found myself full of confidence, feeling on top of the world and then wallowing in tears no doubt heightened by hormonal imbalances. Disclaimer: In case you haven't noticed, this post is about to get personal.

The times I feel like I am leading are the best. Dinners are made, the house gets cleaned, blog posts are scheduled, Mark and I have time to catch up, Behr and I arrive to daycare and work on time, and my anxiety level is low. Hint: when CSA inspired blog posts reach their peak, I am doing well and my family is eating healthy. When you haven’t seen one in a while it is because I can’t find the time to cook.

When I am leading, things just seem to hum along.

And then, without any warning I slip into chasing mode. Whether it is caused by exhaustion, or grief, or simply life’s challenges, I begin to chase. It is at this point, when I am feeling my lowest, that I begin to question why I blog. I catch glimmers of twitter updates and facebook statuses in fleeting minutes on my blackberry, wishing I had time to contribute, to be part of the conversation. This is when the self doubt slips in and I wonder if my presence isn’t wanted. I begin to chase after friends and other bloggers, begging for their acceptance.  All of this also happens with real life, but it isn't as clear to explain.

I am a people pleaser, yearning for acceptance in all of the wrong places.

I also chase people away.

Chasing makes me want to hurry up and get back on the horse and run away to the beach to spend hours counting sand all at the same time.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a wonderfully supportive family and incredible friends, but everyone seems to be far away with never is time to fully catch up. So often it is me that doesn’t have enough time; that has an overly full schedule and won’t take time to rest.  I hurt the people closest to me when I slip into chasing mode.  And then, I blame them.

I am grateful that throughout this year of so much change, my faith has remained constant. My conversations with God are frequent, time I spend it prayerful reflection is fulfilling, but I am still so prone to stumble.

And so I feel caught in a cycle of leading and chasing.  Do you get caught in cycles too?

I am loving...

...the perfect reading chair

Let's be honest. I have got a thing for big bright chairs. I am not sure what I love more about this chair, its bold pattern, or that if feels like a gateway to autumn. It is back to school time, hurricane Irene brought cooler weather to DC, and September is just a day away. This chair is the perfect spot to grab a blanket, curl up and read a book.

Speaking of books, what is on your reading list these days?

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Sunny with a side of bright

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...

...oh, and the invitations for my guests would have been hand written at this desk...

Yes, please.

1/2/3/4/5

I would love a swing...

...today please.

As a kid, I loved swings.  They were my favorite!  Sadly, DC has a serious lack of swings in their parks because of some blabla liability issue or something boring like that.  Behr has yet to experience his first swing.  But fornow, let's forget about Behr and dream about these swings.

pin

pin

pin

pin

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Yes, these would all be nice.  Especially on a rainy day.  I am torn between the first and second one being my favorite.

Philosophy Majors

Missed my giveaway?  

Didn't win?  

Well, check out the great deals on Philosophy products over at RueLaLa today.

Saturday Shoes didn't happen today.  I am visiting family and having way too much fun with them!  pictures to come next week.  In the mean time, here is something to warm you heart on this chilly spring day.

photo from pinterest

Need an invite to pinterest?  I am your girl!  Leave a comment with your email address and I will hook you up!

Spring Rainbows

In case you missed the weather forecast, Spring has been eluding the East Coast.  It is cold, dreary, and damp.  My mood needed a serious boost of joy, and I thought you might too. Bring on the rainbows!

ana candles from design/story
how do you choose which colors to get?  they are all fabulous!

missoni rug found on modern design
I might be lusting after this rug.

incredible bedroom via design*sponge
sweet dreams happen here, for sure!

kids feet are cute.
kids feet in furry rainbow socks top it all.
found on flickr here.

bridget gets mom of the year for this cake.

Online Mags

Life is not all about the baby...

...it is just mostly about the baby right now.  He requires a lot of time!

Have you taken the jump into online magazines yet?  I have two loves that I thought I would share with you. &

http://matchbookmag.com/

&

http://www.lonnymag.com/

I am in love with both.  Nothing will ever replace Domino.  But these two magazines certainly come close to giving me my decorating/design/shopping/luxury goods fix!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Two More Nurseries

As I have been continuing to put endless final touches on our nursery, I came across two that also incorporated the blue and orange from the Serena and Lily Ben line.  Will I ever stop looking at nurseries?  Nope, probably not.  They might be my new favorite room to decorate!

{seen here}

{seen here}

This second one is my favorite of all nurseries I have seen.  Once we move into a bigger home (likely never) I might bring this punchy approach to nautical into our son's next room.  I love the vintage looking beach toys hanging on the wall!

Baby Bump Christmas Cards

With a due date in early January, Mark and I decided that a baby bump on our Christmas card is a MUST!  Typically we go the homemade card route because I like to get all crafty, but this year presented special circumstances.  Here are a few cards we like...but NOT the card we chose!  To see the final product, you will have to wait for good old snail mail.

Which one is your favorite?  Are you sending snail mail Christmas Cards?  When do you typically send cards?  (are you one of THOSE people that already has them in the mail or ready to go?!?)

I am loving...

...Green!  

The incredibly fresh color, once too closely ties to 60s and 70s mod, has made a revival in a bright cheerful way...and I am loving it!  Here are some of my favorite green inspirations:


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Vacation Home

A few weeks ago Bridget posted this amazing "Swiss Family Robinson" meets dream vacation vacation home here.  Well, I added a bit of "Tarzan meets Jane" to the mix with this inspiration, taking this tree house to a whole new level:

{both images found here}

I wonder who I contact about booking my reservation.  Mark likes to camp.  If this could be considered camping, I am willing to give it a shot!

I am loving...

...this chair!

{seen here}

It is bright, beautiful, incredibly optimistic, and basically I just have to have it! 

Now if only I had room in my apartment for another chair...

I am loving...

...all things Capiz!

It happens to me every year.  In an effort to hang on to every last drop of summer, I crave beach inspired decor.  This year, in my hunt for a baby mobile that didn't have fluffy animals, I turned towards capiz.  In theory in is "all-year" decor, but for me I think it is a last ditch effort to carry the beach into deep Autumn.

Here are a few lookers that have caught my eye recently:

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This number from target is a bit boring...and it breaks the bank at $400+!  Yikes!

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Perhaps a bit too formal for a baby room, but these West Elm lamps might end up in my formal dining room some day...if I ever have a formal dining room...

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Finally, this could work in our Nursery.  And for merely $49 from Urban Outfitters, I like it even more.  Now if only the colors were a bit brighter...

Room Inspiration: Retro Appliances

I am a huge fan of all things blue and turqouise, but this appliance set takes the cake!

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Isn't it fantastic?! I think my love for retro began with my Yia-Yia and Popouli. Their basement has an old school General Electric fridge that is still running! A friend of the family contacted GE and it may be the oldest known model that is still in working condition. Aside from that cool factor was the bonus of the contents.

Before we visited my Popouli would always pick up some Stewart's Root Beer in their iconic brown bottle with an orange label. It was our little tradition. I would run in his house and give him a huge hug. Next, he would send me to grab something random for Yia-yia out of the basement fridge for him. This was his secret code for "Stewart's." I eventually caught on, but the magic never faded and no matter how old I got, he continued to stock the fridge with Stewart't Root Beer, just for me. As a child it never occurred to me that he was doing this for my other three siblings too...!

Suitcases as Decorations

Looking for travel inspiration, I stumbled upon adorable old fashioned suitcases turned into today's decoration. Check these awesome suitcases out!

{from here}

{here also featured on design*sponge}

{and here}

Now I am inspired. If only I had a few beautiful suitcases and a place to put them...

Going to Califronia

I have a work trip next week and Mark gets to join me! We are going to make a mini-vacation of it and swing through Memphis on our way home for a wedding and to visit dear friends.

I am packed, no surprise. But now I am working on a playlist, which explains why my blog now has music!

Check out the songs to the right. Do you have any suggestions? Any other songs you would add? I have refrained from being too cheesy and adding "california" songs to this playlist. But I am wavering. Should I include a few? Here are the appropriately themed songs from my iTunes library:

California - Bob Dylan

California - Kenny Chesney

Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Meet Me in California - Plain White T's

New York to California - Mat Kearney

Save Me, Sanfrancisco - Train

I need suggestions! What are your favorite vaca/road trip songs?

Top 10: Go Green for Earth Day

Top 10 things I have already done to “go green” and why it works:

1. Recycle – space is at a minimum in our tiny apartment, so I didn’t recycle when we first moved to DC. Then one day I hung a reusable shopping bag to stow some bread and realized it would be the perfect way to recycle.

2. Reusable Shopping Bags – greatest invention EVER! I love that rather than 15 small plastic bags (actually 30 because they are double bagged) that feel like they are about to break, I can bring my groceries home in 5 reusable bags that I have gotten for free! It is easier to transport my groceries, easier to sort my groceries, and therefore easier to put my groceries away!

3. CFLs – This was easy, and actually our first go green effort. Before moving to DC, Mark worked for Osram Sylvania, the light bulb company. When you work for a light bulb company it is hard to ignore the benefits of switching to CFLs.

4. CSA – we joined a farm share with Orchard Country Produce. From May-October we enjoy locally grown fruit and vegtables, reduced the carbon foot print of our diet, eat better for you foods (I even started to find edible ways to prepare brussel sprouts – see my recipe from last fall here) . Plus, our grocery bill has gone down. We get an entire cooler of vegtables each week for less than $20! To find a CSA near you, visit Local Harvest.

5. Walk – Mark and I both walk to work. It is a no brainer!

6. CamelBak – I consume at least 48oz of water each day from a reusable, BPA free water bottle. I love my CamelBak. It keeps plastic bottles out of my trash and helps me stay hydrated.

7. Cold Wash – I wash all of our laundry with cold water.

8. Cloth, Not Paper – Rather than reach for a paper towel, I grab a dish rag. And even for casual meals, we try to use cloth napkins instead of paper.

9. Organic Cleaners – We use Seventh Generation for our dish soap and laundry detergent.

10. Red Meat - we have reduced our red meat consumption to only once a week. In addition we make a concerted effort to buy organic meat and farm raised fish.


Top 10 next steps we hope to take:

1. Stop catalogs and unnecessary mail solicitations. I have called many of the companies that send me catalogs and asked to be removed from their list. Click here to learn more about opting out.

2. Smart Power Strips - I have been meaning to buy these power strips which automatically turn off when your appliances are not in use. In doing this, they prevent "ghost power" from being used, and in turn help you save on your electric bill!

3. I have been thinking about composting, but this might have to wait until we have a house.

4. Speaking of houses, when we buy one, if we need new appliances, we will choose Energy Star appliances.

5. And if we can, we will sign up for green electric from our power company. To research if you can sign up for green power, visit the Department of Energy.

6. I hope to rig up a water collection barrel like the one featured in This Young House

7. Buy Glass - Glass is easier to recylce and requires less chemicals. Whenever possible I am going to try to buy items I need in glass containers. (i.e. mustard)

8. Shorter Showers - I LOVE my long showers, but I recognize that this is an area where I need to be more responsible. But I am warning you, it is not going to be easy!

9. Walk MORE - I know I already walk a lot, but I want to continue to make a consious effort to walk or even ride my bike when I need to run an errand in the city.

10. Talk - One of the best ways to help the planted is to talk about ways to save it. So get out there and share with others what you are doing to make a difference! (And while you at it, leave a comment and let me know what else you do to go green.)

For more ideas, read David Bach's "Go Green, Live Rich" or check out Simple Mom’s recent post about Going Green at Home and visit Best Green Blogs.