strike back like the empire.

Once upon a time my husband was a drummer.

The night after our first date he left for tour.

Much of the first two years of our marriage were spent on a tour bus.

Happy, happy memories.

{Spirit West Coast 5/29/10}

This summer he has picked up his drum sticks and joined his best friends on the road again for a reunion tour.

Everyone is grown up.

There are now 14 little Supertones kids.

They are heading out to preach the gospel,

reach your heart,

and 

ska ska ska.

{Saddleback Church 5/30/10}

Go see them live,

friend them on Facebook,

follow them on Twitter,

visit their blog,

track their adventures.

For your entertainment, here is some old school awesomeness.

If you are quick you might catch a glimpse of vintage me.

Don't be jealous of my acting skills, hair dye or overalls.

It will be really hard.  But do your best.  It was cute at the time...

Happy Sunday.

yay or nay?

At Dollar Tree the other day while I was shopping for party supplies, I got distracted by these silver metal trays and crystal-esque candle holders.
A five dollar tiered tray was destined to come live with me.
For what?
Not sure,  but I do love me quick cheap crafts and I also love me tiered trays.

But I am thinking that it is a bit too...
shiny?
cheapy?
fakey?
granny?
cheesy?

Do I spray paint it, like I have been seeming to do to everything else?
Or embrace the shiny granny-ness?

Key Lime?
Sunshine?
White?
Aqua?

Because it is made out of things from Dollar Tree.
Did I mention how shiny it is?
Maybe I could throw it in the ocean for a few days.  That would antique it nicely.  But then again, $1.00 trays.  They would probably disintegrate.

Thoughts?

news flash.

Bald

Baby

is

walking!

Yay!!!

for reals.

106,456,367,669

What is this ginormous number?

It is the estimated number of people who have ever walked the earth.

{Thanks for the epic lesson Jacob!}

Guess what?

Out of the 106,456,367,669 people there has only been, will ever be, only one

YOU.

You are amazing.

You are astonishing.

You are phenomenal.

So please, pretty please, stop comparing yourself to others.

To other people's lives,

other people's possessions,

other people's talents.

Because when you compare, everyone loses.

Either you will decide that you are better.

Which is prideful, and makes what is special in them, less than you.

Or, you will envy what they have and make what is special in yourself, less than it is.

Chances are, for each person that you look at and think

"I wish that I had...

or 

I wish that I could do..."

There is someone who is looking at you and thinking the exact same thing.

Ponder that for a moment.

Because there is only one you,

please, pretty, pretty, please, take care of that you.

Be the best you that only you can.

Live the beautiful life that only you can live.

You are one in 106,456,367,669.

You are the only

incredible, 

marvelous,

stunning,

brilliant,

surprising,

unbelieveable,

awesome,

wonderful,

you.

Plus, I think that you are pretty rad.

Happy Sunday.

The newest member of our family.

Today was Halley's Superbowl.
She has been counting down the days for two years..
May 22nd.
We made a deal when she was only four.  For her sixth birthday we would go to American Girl Place.
This kid does not forget a thing.

She borrowed my phone to text her daddy on the way up.

Yes, she texts.  I didn't teach her.  She freaks me out.  She takes pictures and sends them along with the texts too.  Seriously.  Is that normal?

We went to The Grove which is basically a shopping wonderland.  Celebrities, Anthropologie, happiness.  But all of that was lost on Halley.

She had a single minded focus.

Kit Kittredge.

I am partial to Julie.  {Wonder why...}

Amy loves Rebecca.

But there was no way to sway her.

It has always been Kit.  It will always be Kit.

She pours over the each catalog.  Dreaming about Kit.  Picking out which outfits she will wear.  The things that they will do together.  How could I argue with that? 

My bestie,

Aunt Amy treated her to sweet Kit.

She used her birthday money to buy Kit an ice skating and a sailor outfit.

Because every girl needs a proper wardrobe.

This place is a little girl's dream come true.

The hair salon, cafe, picture studio, reading nook, hospital, nursery.  

It is beyond magical.

We could come here every single day.

I think that I loved it as much as she did.

Of course, no girlie day can be complete without a yummy lunch.

Nordstrom Cafe, obviously, as if there was any other option!

She had her first taste of creme brulee.  In fact she ate way more than her fair share.  I think she has found her new favorite restaurant.  Good thing I know how to raise her right!

Now she is sleeping soundly with Kit snuggled up right beside her. 

Ice skates and all. 

It was such a special day.  It takes the sting out of her growing up so fast, if only just a little bit.

Thanks Aunt Amy.

You are simply the best!
Today was for sure the best day of her young life.

Advertising works.

It only took one viewing of this WEIRD ad to win the heart and adoration of Halley.
Just one.
Did I mention that it is super WEIRD?



Every time she is asked what she wants for her birthday this is her direct quote:

"I want the Relly Kelly pretty shoes with the makeup cell phone."

For reals.
Sorry kid.
The birthday fairy is not bringing you $75 blinged out shoes or a makeup cell phone.
Mean mom gave her the wrong address.

I don't get it.
She is cool enough without them and she certainly does not need a makeup cell phone.
WEIRD!!!

dumb dr. house.

Last night was an average night.
Quiet.
My oldest wanted to go in the baby swing, so I picked her up an plopped her down in it.
Everything was totally normal.  Until it wasn't.
Suddenly,
BOOM!!!!

Crazy pain, swelling and burning took over my foot.

What was my first thought?
Was it:
 "I sprained/ strained/ broke my foot."?

Or was it:
"I. Am. Going. To. Die!!!"

Thanks to watching one too many medical shows, my default always goes straight to dropping dead.

I self diagnosed myself with a deadly blood clot.  Because after so many episodes, apparently I have an honorary medical degree.

Off to urgent care I went.
Like always, if someone is sick or hurt in our family it is always after office hours or on the weekends.  It's all about paying tons of money to our not so awesome insurance.

But guess what?
My honorary medical degree is bunk.

I have a minor stress fracture.
How did it happen?
If only I knew.
But what I do know is that I did not die.

Hooray!

I have to stay off of it for five days.
Which is
HILARIOUS!!!!

This is my little perch on the couch.
Pillows, ice pack, a full DVR...
I'm trying.  But I can't sit still.
Didn't my foot look at what I have on the calendar this week?
Not cool.

Thanks a lot Dr. House.
I stressed out for nothing.

sitting on my nightstand.

I have always been a reader.
Before kids, I would curl up with a new book and read it straight through until the sun came up.
Then I would sleep until noon.
Oh, the leisurely days of being a stay at home wife.
Now I am more likely to sew late into the night, but I still crave the peace and quiet that reading brings me.

Long extended periods of page turning have been replaced with little pockets of time.

It works out well for my A.D.D.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that.

A little bit here, a little bit there.

I am currently juggling five books, all vastly different, but all brilliant in their own way.

Jesus Calling

This is a great daily devotional that was recommended by a friend.  It is the perfect way to start your mornings and has verses for each day for additional study.  It seems to be exactly what I need every time I read it.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Total torture.  I picked it for book club (why?  I have no idea.) and I am struggling through it.  Part of me wants to go ahead and buy my entire book club The Help as an apology for my horrible choice.

Stuff Christians Like

I love this book.  I have been a fan of the blog for some time and the book does not disappoint.  It is so true and real and holds a mirror up to the crazy, weird things that we as Christians all do.  I am sure to laugh, squirm and smile each time I pick it up.

I Will Carry You

This beautiful book was just sent to me by sweet Shelly.  It is written by Angie Smith after the loss of their beautiful daughter, Audrey.  I can hardly get through an entire page without crying.  It is so beautiful, real, encouraging, hopeful.

Adopted for Life

Our family is embarking on a new journey and this is one of the many books I plan to read in the upcoming months.  It is stretching me, teaching me, scaring me, all the while confirming what is growing in our hearts.

  

How do I keep track of where I am in all of these books?
So glad you asked.
I am loving Picnik right now and made a batch of bookmarks using their collage feature.
They take just minutes to create and make great gifts too.
Just print them on to photo paper using the 10cm x 15cm size, glue to colorful cardstock, then top off the cuteness with a brad and ribbon.  Done and done.

Read anything good latley?
Do I need to add it to my pile?

To whom it may concern...

Dear World,

Just because I do not have hair, it does not mean I am a boy.

Especially when I am wearing a dress.

Especially a pink dress.

I also am aware that you are concerned that I am not walking yet.

Would you walk if you had people to carry you?

Or big sisters to bring you everything you needed?

No? 

I didn't think so.

See, I've got some things figured out.

I will walk when I decide it is time to walk.

Stop trying to stress me out.

I'm a baby.

Besides, I have got this killer PC keyboard that isn't even attached to a computer to play with.

Check out my mad typing skillz.

Jealous?

Love,

The Bald, Non-walking, Baby Girl-Not a Boy

Happy Sunday.

Oh my delicious.

Hey you.

Mrs. McKay.

Thanks a lot for my newest addiction.

How have I survived all of these years without knowing the power and wonder that is Nutella?

I am in love.

Dangerous love.

Right up there with my dangerous love for 

Matilda Jane.

It's bad.

Really bad.

Halley was born to wear this.

Lulu.  Whole outfit.  So her.

  This.  On chunky, bald Janey.  Seriously.  Edible.

Me.  The cozy cuteness will be the end of me.

Way better than my janky wannabe pants.

The Trunk Show is open.

Want in on the cuteness?

Click here for the deets.

It's all so pretty I could cry.

Consider yourself invited.

How fun would it be to have all of my favorite friends over

to shop from my favorite clothing line?

I'd serve lots of coffee,

cupcakes,

and toffee crack.

Tomorrow I am hosting a virtual

Matilda Jane 

trunk show.

Can you even stand the cuteness?

Grab a cup of coffee, something sweet, and shop away.

I will take care of the ordering for you, while my sweet trunk keeper ships the happiness your way.

Clicky click HERE for all of the details.

I'll send you an imaginary cupcake!

P.S. Each purchase will be entered into a drawing for a rad prize!  

never say never.

I need to stop making sweeping generalizations.

Prideful statements of things I will never do as a parent.

Things my kids will never do.

Because the more I learn, the less I know.

This parenthood adventure is humbling.

All too often I realize how wrong my thinking was.

How unfair my judgements have been.

This week has taught me a few lessons.

Over and over again I swore we would never have a baby gate.

Which is really easy to say when you live in a one story.

But then we moved.

To a house with crazy stairs.

Add in one shady baby who is scary fast and super sneaky.

We are now one of those people that I used to mock.

One of those baby gate people.

It is annoying.

I hate it.

But I am pretty sure I would hate an ER trip more.

Just a few days ago, on Twitter, I bragged about my never fail garlic remedy for ear infections.

I literally tweeted: 

"My kids have never been on an antibiotic."

Ha ha ha ha ha.

Which meant that for sure my 100% garlic success rate was destined to fail.

In the form of an miserable child.

Days of high fevers.

A nearly ruptured eardrum.

A first ever trip to the pharmacy.

A serious talking to from the pediatrician.  Legit antibiotics.

So, I am trying to be flexible.  Knowing that even if I have 100 kids, what works for one, may not work for the others.  The baby gate will eventually come down.  The antibiotics will not ruin my kid's life.  I will work on ceasing to say never.

Wish me luck.

mother's day brunch.

The day before Mother's Day is one of my favorite days of the year.

I get to spend the morning with my besties and our mamas,

eating great food and just being together.

This was our eighth year celebrating what has become a beautiful tradition.

Richelle's house is full of eye candy from top to bottom.

Greeting us at the door was a

Coffee filter garland

&

I love mom banner.

Teacups and girlieness galore.

Happy printable toppers from 

TomKat Studio.

On the menu:

Breakfast bake.

French Toast Crack.

(Which was gobbled up before I could take a picture.)

Puffs.

Monkey Bread.

Bagels.

Fruit.

Lots and lots of coffee.

My mom is gorgeous and amazing.

My friends are more than a girl could ever hope for.

I am counting down the days until next year's brunch.

I heart the Aqua Apron Sisters.

BFF's forever and ever.