With my mind on Shan and her sweet little family this morning I cannot help but be reminded of the power of love – and love they do. Josh and Shan live every single day with their whole heart. It’s simple and absolutely beautiful. Witnessing this family together is witnessing true happiness. They are such a blessing to have in our lives.
This video makes me smile. So sweet, so simple, so perfect. Much like our dear friends.
Shan, Josh, Adelynn and Baby Maxey – You. Are. Loved.
When someone you love is hurting and overwhelmed by worry all you want to do is make things better. Tell them all will be ok. Take on some of their pain so they do not have to feel every ounce of it on their own. When Shan had a miscarriage I felt armed with knowledge and experience. I had been there, several times over, and knew what to ask, what not to ask and when to simply offer a warm hug. This time is different. This time I feel helpless, unable to relate. My words are scattered and harder to form. All I want to do is take some of the fear away. Bear some of the weight that I know she feels buried under.
For now what feels natural is to offer unconditional love, support and some yummy food. I wanted to provide distraction during this waiting game. My first instinct told me to bring dinner over to enjoy together. It could not have been more simple – a casserole, some homemade guacamole and fresh watermelon. Yet it was therapeutic to prepare and share with our dear friends. It means the world that Josh and Shan open their hearts to us so we can be there for them. Hopefully this small offering made the seconds tick by a little faster. As selfish as it sounds I know it helped me a little.
This casserole is healthy without tasting like a “health” dish. The roasting of the vegetables give it a deep smokey flavor that is so incredibly satisfying. It is impossible to make this without everyone in your home asking what smells so good.
It’s my personal believe you must top this with avocado, fresh guacamole or sour cream. The creaminess cuts through the acidic enchilada sauce making every bite perfection.
If you are looking for a mini family celebration this upcoming Cinco De Mayo you cannot go wrong with this dish. It will certainly be added to the go to recipe rotation in our home.
Enjoy!
recipe from Pinch of Yum
One of the few things that remains forever wonderful about the world of social media is the ability for love and prayer to reach you so quickly in times of need. After an ultrasound that has shaken us to our core yesterday, we truly needed and appreciate every single message we have recieved. Right now, when all we can do is wait, those kind words are so moving. We are seeing a specialist on Friday morning, when we will hopefully have more answers. Two days is not much time, I know… but when you feel like 500 pounds are sitting on your chest it certainly feels like an eternity. So thank you, from the bottom of our hearts for your support.
This past Sunday we celebrated Adelynn’s 3rd birthday with a “Pancakes & Pajama’s” party. It was a day of lounging with friends and family, and eating one more bite even when your belly was full. (Who can turn down a plate of donuts? Not this girl.) It was the perfect way to celebrate our sweet girl and we wouldn’t have changed a thing.
This theme was almost too easy, and truly so very “us”. We are lazy-Saturday people. Breakfast for dinner people. Donuts for all occasions people. A giant thank you to our friends and family who never miss a celebration with us! You are the reason for our smiles.
XO,
(This invitation along with many other fun and modern party invites can be found at our etsy shop!)
Pink or blue, pink or blue…
We’re thrilled to be expecting a baby boy!
Sometime’s its really difficult to share the hard stuff. It’s hard to log on and not blow smoke your way, and tell you instead that our hearts are heavy tonight instead of bursting with the glee we were so sure tonight would entale. While I have fought with myself all day over what to say about this I have decided that all I want to be is honest. After all, writing is my outlet and if I can’t be honest than why am I writing at all?
Today we woke up with more excitement than I can even explain. My stomach was bursting with butterflies as I sat down in the waiting room of my doctors office. Our ultrasound seemed to be like any other- fuzzy images that you are told are a profile, legs, toes. It wasn’t until my doctor walked through the doors with worry all over her face that I realised that something was wrong. Wait- whats happening? Words began bouncing off walls and I could feel myself sinking lower and lower until my whole body felt numb. There are concerns that our sweet boy may have a few abnormalties- abnormalties that quite honestly we have no answers for until we see a specialist.
You see, a funny thing happens when you have a baby unexpectedly. Nearly 4 years ago I was told that because of my age and health, pregnancy should be smooth sailing. I truly thought that at every appointment every woman heard, “baby looks great!”. Age and health had me tricked into a false sense of security. Fast forward a few years and a miscarriage later, and my perspective has certainly changed. There are no promises for that tiny baby.
Right now, we are very short on answers. What we do know is that there is a little boy kicking away in there, and have faith that things are going to be okay. A fear I have never before felt has a death grip on me at the moment, but for right now I have to let go. I have to place this in God’s hands and be still. Thank goodness for friends and family, and kind words. We are taking deep breaths and praying that this boy is healthy.
We are super super super excited for today!! It’s ultrasound day and we finally get to hopefully know the gender of this sweet babe growing inside me. I could hardly sleep last night, the anticipation of this sort of thing just eats at me. I remember being really excited for the ultrasound that revealed that Adelynn was indeed a girl- but with her pregnancy I just knew she was a girl. I was painting things for her walls far before that ultrasound and I wasn’t the least bit surprised when the words “it’s a girl” appeared across the screen. This time is so different though. I genuinely have not the slightest clue. We will be equally excited either way- I’m just ready to know! So stay tuned for that news a little later on today…
Until then- some great beauty hacks have been catching my eye and I wanted to share a few that I’ve really been drawn to or even tried! Who doesn’t love a good beauty hack?
1. Do you curl your lashes? I don’t- but I have lots of friends that do. To really see results, hold the curler in front of your blow drier for 3-5 seconds.
2. Need dandruff relief? Add 2 crushed aspirin to your favorite shampoo- the salicylic acid breaks down dead skin cells and product buildup.
3. Glitter nail polish is fabulous- but have you ever tried to remove it? Yikes. Paint a thin layer of Elmers glue as a base coat- and when you are ready to remove your polish peel it off easily without the headache.
4. Don’t waist your money on lip products that are triple the price because they “enhance your pucker”. Instead, add a drop of DoTerra Peppermint essential oil to your favorite gloss for the same effect!
5. Make your mascara last a bit longer by adding a few drops of saline solution when you notice it getting dry. Stir it up- you’ve got fresh mascara, good as new!
6. Use chapstick not only for your dry lips, but also for your dry nose! Rub around the base of your nose to heal and protect dry skin.
7. For DIY falsies add a normal coat of mascara, then dip a q-tip in baby powder and apply it to lashes as well. Add another layer (or two. or three.) of mascara to create a dramatic look, without the hastle of falsies.
8. In a crunch, use your mascara as liner. Simply use an angled brush dipped in mascara- voila! You’ve got liner.
9. Wet hair in a time crunch is my worst enemy. Use paper towels to dry your hair in place of your bath towel- they absorb way more moisture!! (Don’t do this often, it’s not very nice to the environment!)
10. Use dry shampoo not just between washes- it’s also great for styling! Add before curling for extra hold.
We would love to hear your favorite beauty hacks!
