So.  It is one of those days.  Those days where you knock over a bottle of chili sauce in the pantry, the kind that isn't ketchup, but TOTALLY smells like ketchup, and now the whole house smells like ketchup, which is maybe the most horrible smell in the world.  Or in my world at least.  And your baby won't nap.  Like the screaming mad dramatic kind of won't nap.  SO LOUD.  And all you want to do is eat your feelings, but you are back in a committed relationship with MyFitnessPal, and you are no cheater.
So, what is a girl to do?
Grab her headphones, revert to her angsty teenage years, and blast Morrissey.  Mind you this girl had NO REASON to ever be a sullen teenager.  Even for a single minute of a single day.  I wish I could go back and tell her how dang easy she had it.  SO EASY.
So with the animal rights loving Morrissey drowning out the nap hating protests of Shane, I am breathing through my mouth to not smell the chili-ketchup wafting my way, and am going to list some of happy things right now.
Happy things are way better than cleaning up chili-ketchup.
Any day.

1.  Instagram + Shauna Niequist
I have so much more to say about this topic, but this article has really stirred something in my heart.  Such tough truth in it.

7.  Taco + Tuesday
We spend most Tuesday dinners at Jason's parents' house for his mom's famous tacos.  I am the resident guacamole maker (and perhaps eater).  There is nothing like a fresh bowl of guacamole. His dad doesn't like onions or garlic, so I just throw in a chopped tomato, lots of fresh ground pepper, sea salt, Mexican lime juice (from his tree), and a whole lot of Cholula.  Simple, fresh, delicious.   We just planted two avocado trees in our back yard, and I simply cannot wait until we can just go in the back yard to pick fresh ones.  Cannot stinking wait.

8.  Me + him
We ditched town and everyone and everything for twenty four hours.
A mental health break, if you will.
Favorite.  FAVORITE.
I also love how he indulges me when I find an aqua wall and make him walk across the entire hotel in the wrong direction, just so we can take a picture in front of it.

9.  Camp Mom*tog + scholarship
When I read through the entries for the Camp Mom*tog scholarship spot, I sobbed my three coats of mascara off.  All of them so wonderful, beautiful, heartfelt, deserving.  Please read through them and cast your vote.  I am so excited to see who the spot is given to and to hug them when they arrive.

10.  Drew + radness.
We spent Saturday with Drew for our annual family photos and it was all kinds of rad.  Except the part where Shane attacked her with a huge stick, nearly breaking her camera and stabbing her in the eyeball.  Or when the teenage zombies came down the trail. (Not kidding.  Teenagers.  Zombie makeup.  So much zombie makeup.  What is with the zombie fascination?)  There are some sneak peeks on Drew's FB page.  Feel free to hate my guts.  I would.  They are sooooo good.  Drew is ridiculously talented.  I cannot even handle it.

11.  Polka dots + sunglasses
Okay.  So I have issue with Target's Dollar Spot taking liberties with the definition of DOLLAR.  Have you noticed how many things are $3???  It is not the Three Dollar Spot, right?  So when I found these sunnies in the $3 section, I almost passed them over on mere principle alone.  Then I came to my senses and realized that THEY ARE $3 SUNGLASSES YO!!!  and promptly bought three pairs.  Wishing I bought three more.

1.  I made this list old school style in my cute new notebook while sitting in the cafe at Ikea, drinking free coffee, alone, waiting for the showroom to open.  Friday is normally date day, but Jason was at Catalyst so I had a much overdue by yo'self day.  Best.  I also showed extraordinary restraint in once again not buying this turquoise cart that is taunting me.

2.  Drew has reserved a special spot at Camp Mom*tog for a deserving mama.  We are so excited to be able to extend a scholarship.  For details on how to apply, click here.

3.  My friend Heather is heading to South Africa this summer and she is rad.  What is not rad, is me standing on a bed filled with mountains of laundry, in a room too small for my lens, trying to take a picture for her support letter.  I don't know how Drew makes it seem so effortless.  I was a hot mess, and we resorted to taking the picture with an iphone instead.

4.  Lulu took this sweet picture.  "Look mama- they make a heart."  That girl.

5.  I spent last week off the grid social media wise.  It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.  I missed texting, but I enjoyed the quiet.  I think it is good for your mind and soul to take a break once and a while.

6.  We are in a season of great change.  This print, so beautiful, this quote, so true, so wise.  Uncertainty and change is not my favorite, but I know that nothing is surprising to God, and He is in all of it, even when we have no idea what it is.  I am leaning into that.  And freaking out a little.  But still leaning.

7.  This sweet girl.  My clone.  She just won the speech meet at her school.  This is such a big deal in so many ways.  She had significant developmental and speech delays as a baby, and toddler, and received speech, occupational, and physical therapy.  She is a testament that early intervention is beneficial, and works.  If you are wondering if your little one could benefit from early therapy, the answer is yes.  Seek an assessment to see if they qualify through your state's early intervention programs.  Do it.  Today.  You won't regret it.

9.  The lashes.  Are you kidding me?????  It is so unfair.

10.  I know that people looooooove red velvet.  I can't deal.  Since I am sort of off sugar (again) I needed to make a dessert and chose to make these cookies so I wouldn't be tempted one little bit.  Fun fact:  mesh tea strainers make amazing powdered sugar sifters.  Another fun fact:  if your baby eats one of the red velvet cookies, and perhaps is spending the next day with his grandparents, perhaps mention to them that he consumed a heck of a lot of food coloring, so they aren't stressed and traumatized when they change his diaper.  RED DYE.  So much red dye.

11.  I picked up this beauty at the flea market and my big girls are obsessed.  They are writing story after story.  I just have to figure out where in the world one purchases replacement ribbon...

1.  Still undone thinking about Easter, and the empty tomb, and how it is absolutely everything in my life.  I am so unworthy.  So grateful.

2.  Loving French Press Mornings Encouraging Wednesday prints.  Love her whole shop in fact.

3.  If you haven't made Trader Joe's coffee cake, you need to.  If you don't live near a Trader Joe's, my condolences.  It is replacing blueberry monkey bread in our brinner rotation.  Lately, I'm also into making a spicy breakfast bake with sausage and a can of jalapenos.  However, I am the only family member that seems to think that combo is delicious.  More for me.  More crying for everyone else.

4.  Mustard is blooming all over the hills.  It is my favorite.  The extra Claritin that it requires is totally worth it.
5.  I enlisted an assistant to help me with the signs.  He has no idea what he is in for.

6.  Drew and I are so excited about planning all kinds of awesome for Camp Mom*Tog.  Awesome I say.  Seriously counting down the days.

7.  When are the relentless germs going to leave?  This winter has been BRUTAL with the seemingly never ending sickness.  NEVER ENDING. This little bunny is the latest one down.  I hate when they are sick and I can't fix it.

8.  This Star Wars family tree.
9.  This book.  It grabbed a hold of me and didn't let me go.  I can't describe it, nor can I shake the beauty of it.  I didn't want it to end, and I am really sad that I finished it.
10. I am giving away this little print over at Keeping Up With The Johnsons as part of Pintertest Kitchen.  Don't tell Jessica, but everyone who links up gets one.

11.  It's spring break and we are taking a break from life with some of our favorite people in our favorite place.  It's going to be so good.