Balance

I recently heard that balance isn't everything in your life being equal, it's the right amount of time being spent where it needs to be.  This really hit me. As I'm preparing to go back to work on Thursday, I find myself wondering how I'll be able to juggle everything. Seriously, I have no idea how I'll do it.  I'm not sure how I'll fit in devotions, as I currently do them during Hannah's morning nap, and as long as she is still waking up at night I don't think it's feasible to get up at 5:30 like I did before. I also don't know how I'll have time for blogging, as it definitely falls low on the priority totem pole. These are really the two things I do for myself, and I'm just not sure how I'll in the whole scheme of balance there is time . My priorities will need to go to getting the kids ready in the morning, being "present at work," getting the kids after school, making dinner, and then spending time together in the evening. 

I feel like we go through waves in our life where what we really want has to go on the back burner. However, I also believe that God makes a way for us to #momlikeaboss, even if it is fueled by a pot a coffee each day, of which I am currently guilty. It occurs to me that I could do my Bible Study while I'm pumping at work, I have that time and I know it could be easily filled with my devotions. I also still have Grant go to his room for quiet time on the weekends while Hannah is taking an afternoon nap. That will give me an hour or so to spend on blogging, if I wish. I do have some outfit pictures in my drafts to still share, so at least for the time being I can simply work on the writing aspect of blogging, which I really like.  When the drafts run out, we'll see how much time I have to take new pictures. 

Life as I know it is changing...again. I love being a mom and I know that right now balance in my life means focusing on my family.

I wore this cozy outfit about a week ago, but plan to wear it when I'm back to work too. Temps are rising though, so I might swap out my boots for my new lace-up flats, which I can't stop wearing. I have another tan cardigan, but it is looking worse for wear, so I was excited to find this cardigan for $8 in stores and this tee for $4. Cozy and feeling put together is a pretty good combination, if you ask me!

Date Night

I wore this dress on Valentine's Day for Brian and my first date since Hannah's arrival. I scored it for $20 at Loft when I was there shopping for pants, which I found but didn't buy that day because they weren't on sale. I have since bought them (thank you for sales) and will share them with you all soon. As for the dress, I quietly thanked whoever returned it, because my size is never available at that good of a price. It's sold out, but they do have a lot of other lace dress options, which I love. I kept it simple by adding my Stella and Dot necklace and my leopard heels.

Getting a night out with Brian was great, we went to a steak house and had a great time. Of course we talked about the kids, but it seems like every time we go out I get to learn something new about Brian as he shares stories about growing up. You think I'd know everything by now, but there's always more to learn!  It definitely makes me want to do a better job or hanging out at home without the tv on in the evening.  We can be pretty good about going out on the deck when it's nice out, but during winter that's not the case. I get tired and lazy, I really want to do a better job of spending quality time together at home once the kids are asleep.

How do you ladies work to spend quality time at home? Teach me your ways!

Everything You Do

I've been a big Steven Curtis Chapman fan since I was I high school, I even got to sing in the choir at my church back up to him about a year ago when he came to town for a Christmas concert. My new favorite song by him is Do Anything, the message of the song is clear, whatever you do, big or small matters and to do everything to give glory to God. The song is super catchy and easy to sing along to, but when you stop and think about the lyrics, there is a lot of power in those words. I'd love for you to take a few minutes to watch the video, email subscribers can watch it here.

            

So often I have my own agenda during the day and my own plans. I spend time in his word pretty much everyday, but I don't think I make dinner, pick up the house, or change Hannah's diaper ever with the purpose behind it to give glory to God. It can get so easy to get caught up on the chores of the day and I've gotten very used to staying home these last few months. I'm around so few people regularly and it seems like my zone of influence is nearly nonexistent, but the people that God put closest in my life- my family are there each day. My influence is great and my attitude is definitely impactful. What if I began to do EVERYTHING to the glory of God? The laundry, cleaning the kitchen, playing with the kids, and spending time with Brian. I know it would impact my attitude and their lives as well. It's something I'm really working to do, and I encourage you to do as well. I bet it will make the menial daily tasks better and the parts that are already good even better!

I got back to work a week from tomorrow and having been kind of chomping at the bit to wear my dressy clothes again! This outfit is set aside to wear then, as it doesn't really make since for staying at home with Hannah. ; ) A few years ago I had a white and navy striped blazer, but it did not wear well and looking worn out very quickly, so I was excited when I was shopping with credits on thredUp (Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase). It's from Gap and looks brand new, I really like this similar one too.

2 Months

It is seriously hard to believe that Hannah is two months old. I'm not going to lie, the first month was rough! Trying to adjust to being a mom of two, having Grant home over Christmas break, and trying to figure out Hannah was not easy. It really took awhile to learn what Hannah needed and wanted and for her to figure out what this world is all about too.

Right now Hannah wakes up once at night to eat, I'm really hoping she'll be sleeping through the night soon, because it will be a bit rough to go back to work with her still up at night. I am happy to say that going to sleep and down for naps is something she does pretty well. It was so hard at first, now she seems to be really happy in her crib and will even be awake in their sometimes and I don't know because she's just quietly entertaining herself. I feel like this is such a blessing.

Hannah is eating well too, but if you want to see her ugly cry just see her react to having to burp. She unlatches and starts wailing. Then the second she burps, she's content and starts eating again. Other than when she's tired, this is the pretty much the only time she cries. I didn't know having to burp was so dramatic!

The first time around with Grant I was so set on sticking to a specific time schedule on the clock, now I know I'm more laid back. Depending on the time of day Hannah might take a two hour nap, or just a one hour nap. Getting off schedule made me insane with Grant, with Hannah we just adjust. If it's been less than 2 1/2 house since she's eaten, I'll stick her in the swing until she's hungry. Sometimes she'll even fall back to sleep in there, which Grant never did.

I love seeing the relationship between Grant and Hannah growing too. She is fascinated with him and he recently told her they would be best friends forever. My heart melts.

I feel like Hannah is pretty easy to read too, she's wanting be awake for about an hour at a time and she'll pretty clearly fuss when she's done playing. I often try a change of scenery first, but if she fusses there, it's time for nap.

When she's up she loves laying and kicking her legs on the floor or play mat. She also enjoys sitting in her bouncy and looking out the window. I tend to leave the swing to when she's woken up early, as she gets pretty sleepy in it. I'm loving all the smiles from her too, I don't remember so many from Grant when he was so little. I'll tell you though, this little girl's smile lights ups the room. She also smiles at me when I got to get her from her crib. It's like she's saying, "Oh, hi Mom!"

Hannah starts at daycare next week and I can't believe it. We love the lady in the infant room and I'm hoping she connects with Hannah and can read her quickly. The thought of only seeing Hannah for such a short time each day is kind of the worst. I'm really hoping I can get in quality time with both her and Grant and that we can get adjusted to ur new normal.

People saying having one boy and me girl is the best, I'll say that just having two kiddos is pretty amazing-boy or girl. I can't wait to see Hannah grow and the kids' relationship grow too.

Ask Me Anything

Last year I did an "Ask Me Anything" post, and I thought it would be a good idea to try it again.  Whether fashion, family, faith, teaching, I'd love to have you comment below or email me with your questions and I'll put together a post answering them the best I can. I can't wait to hear from you!

As for today's outfit, these pictures aren't great- it was like five degrees when I wore this about a week ago, but I love the outfit, so I'm posting it anyway. : )  I got this Lou and Grey tunic sweater, similar to this one in white from thredUp recently.  I love the shape and length and am a big fan of Lou and Grey from Loft, but it's rarely on sale, so I don't ever buy it.  What better way then with credits from thredUP! Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase. This vest has been worn like crazy too. Finding one that wasn't super expensive was really hard last year, but this year our dear friends at Target have this one for under $30. Yes, you need it. ; )

Relevant

I've been blogging now for three years, which seems kind of crazy. Admittedly, it's my favorite outlet and "me time." I mentioned recently that clothes and creating outfits takes up a lot less time in my head than it used to, and I count that as a good thing. I enjoy writing and hey, if I feel good in an outfit, I don't mind taking a couple of minutes to take pictures of it to share too.

I never aspired to be the next "Kendi," but I did have a pretty steady climb in readership up until this last summer, when my outfits really became maternity OOTDs and I know not a lot of people can gain inspiration from that. I get it. My monthly page view began to dip and have been stagnant for awhile, although, my social media following has continued to grow steadily. Like I said, I didn't start this to make it a business, but stagnant page views makes me begin to second guess if what I'm putting out into the world through this space is relevant and meaningful.  I'm so grateful to friends take the time to read each day and long-time readers who still stop by. Seriously, it means a lot.

I'm really not planning to stop blogging anytime soon, like I said, this is really a great outlet for me, but I want to make reading worth your time.  What would you like to see here that you feel is missing? What can I do better?

Ok, so I know I wore almost the same outfit on the blog just a while ago, but honestly, I wanted to get the pregnant outfit image out of my head (and yours).  It's funny how you don't feel that big when you're pregnant, then afterwards you have a whole bunch of "holy smokes" moments looking at pictures of yourself pregnant.  I really do love this sweater though. I'm wondering how long the "big cardigan" trend will be in, but I'm going to take full advantage while I can!

Worry

This week in our Bible Study over The Armor of God we talking about peace, something I think we all want to have in our lives. It's something that can impact our thoughts, feelings, actions, and emotions, and one thing the author said was that if we are feeling a lack of this in our lives, we can be pretty sure that Satan has his hands in the mix.

For me, a lack of peace means an excess of anxiety and worry. Philippians 4:6 says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by pray and petition, present your requests to God." 

I wouldn't normally call myself a worrier, however, with only about two weeks left at home with Hannah I have been feeling myself worrying about the transition back to work. I feel like we are doing pretty good with this SAHM thing. I have time to clean, do laundry, and generally get dinner ready while Hannah naps, but once I go back to work that time is gone.

With Grant I remember having to rush out of school to pick him up, as the ladies were trying to hold him off from eating so I could nurse him.  I'm not sure what that will look like with Hannah and having to pick up Grant. I'm hoping I can feed her and put her down for a nap while I make dinner, but I'm not sure.

Hannah also isn't waking up at a consistent time each day yet.  She's been waking up pretty consistently one time at night, but every once in a while it's two time and once she slept through the night.  I'm really feeling anxious about how I'm going to get Hannah, myself, and Grant fed and out the door once I'm back to work, especially if she's waking up at inconsistent times. Grant can do most things on his own, he just needs some prompting, and Brian will take the kids, but I have visions of myself showing up to school without deodorant, makeup, or my teeth brushed because I needed to feed Hannah and my whole normal routine gets thrown off.

I'm also not sure what my devotional time will look like.  Previously, I got up at 5:30 and did devotions before showering, but once again, I'm not sure that'll work with Hannah quite yet.

See- worry and anxiety. And where these are present there is a lack of peace.  The logical side of myself knows everything will work out and we will get adjusted to our new back-to-work normal, but I'm letting a lack of peace take up too much space in my head and it's keeping me from fully enjoying the last few weeks at home.

I'm not sure if you would describe yourself as at peace, but I know that true peace and contentment only comes from God, and we only need to ask for his help to have it in our lives.  I"m currently praying for peace as well as being specific with my request that Hannah begin to wake up at a consistent time and that our morning will lack chaos.  I believe God hears our prayers, what can you start praying for today?

Even though I'm anxious about returning to work, I'll admit, getting dressed up feels good. I got this cardigan and this top from thredUp with credits lately. Use this link for $10 off your first purchase. The cardigan was new with tags, here is a similar one and the top was too. My old lace top has seen better days, so I really needed a replacement. I love this one,  here's a similar one in a tank version.  I wore this to church, but will definitely need to repeat it once I'm back to school.

Life Lately

Here's a look at what's been going on, via some pictures I shared on Instagram!

Hannah has started to really smile, which I love. Sometimes though, I think she's smiling at me, and she's just getting ready to spit up out the side of her mouth....and sometimes it's the real deal and it melts my heart!

Clothes Lately

I wore this outfit last year, but didn't blog it, so when it came up on my Timehop from Instagram, I thought, hey, I should wear that again!  I really am not putting a lot of thought into clothes right now, so it's nice when I can take inspiration from what I've worn before and repeat it.  This scarf is old but I love this option, which is on sale. The others are all fairly basic pieces, which I find the easiest to create outfits around. I'm a huge fan of these t-shirts by Merona.  Recently the were two for $10 and a scooped a few up.  They are thick and fit great! And, as far a basics go, this necklace is my absolute go-to. If you're looking for a great everyday one, I'd recommend for sure!

I recently talked with one of my good friends about my blog a bit and I told her how little time I spent putting together cute outfits and thinking about what I'm going to wear.  I'm not sure if it's staying home with Hannah and keeping it super casual and only wearing real clothes a few times a week, or if I'm turning a new page in my life where putting together cute outfits has lost it's charm.  Don't get me wrong, I still like to shop (although it's mostly online now) and I still want to look nice, but it's kind of freeing to not have clothes taking up so much space in my head.

I will admit that I'm excited to wear my work clothes that have been unworn for almost a year, but I think I'll be doing a lot of outfit repeating there too, and there's nothing wrong with that.  It an be so easy to get on the want, want, want kick when looking at blogs or social media, but when I look in my closet, I almost always have something similar to the piece I see that I "want." It's only when it's really unique or fills a gap in my closet that it's really worth my time and purchase.

I did recently get this sweater after crushing on it for quite awhile.  It is so unique and nursing friendly. I also filled a couple of gaps by replacing an old cream and black cardigan with this in both colors, they were on sale for $8 each, plus, the sweetest lady gave me a $10 off $25 coupon, so I got them plus a cozy tee for only $15! You can see them here on Instagram.

On my wish list right now are these ankle pants in red and black. I went through my old pants and got rid of a bunch that were unflattering and worn out and really need to find a few replacements.  Last week my mom came to visit Hannah and I ran to Loft to try the ankle pants on, as pants are really tricky for me to fit. If you're straight up and down like me, these are the pants for you.  I also wore my normal size in them.  Now, I'm patiently waiting for Loft's next 40% off sale. I just can't bear to buy them at full price!

What about you, what's on your spring wish list?

Let's Pray

We built our home about seven years ago, and it was a process. For real. We did a lot of the work on our own and built a lot of equity into the house in the process. I love our home, I love our neighborhood, I'm content.  My husband on the other hand, is not. He wants a bigger yard and a "do over" on some of the things he doesn't love about our house. Now, selling a house with kids and finding or building a new one seems to be a logistical nightmare to me, but I support my husband's desire.  We've had a couple of agents come look and based our our house and neighborhood they think selling will be a piece of cake...it's what we'll do next that's tricky. We want to stay in the area, I want to avoid having to rent while we build, Brian doesn't want to build or buy until our house is sold. See, logistical nightmare. Then he called me one morning and said, "You know Ginny, we really need to just start praying about it." 

And you know what, he's exactly right. So often we try to do everything- big and small on our own.  We trust our gut, our instincts, and our past experiences....but I'm not sure that's the right way to go about it.  Philippians 4:6 says: "Do not worry about anything, but pray about everything." Yes, that sounds pretty good to me, but I don't always think that way. But I want to. I know the whole house situation will go much more smoothly if we ask for God's help and trust his hand it in and the timing too. 

I'll keep you updated on what we do, but I know God has us covered, we only need to ask for his help.

I haven't done this in a while, but this outfit is basically a knock off of this outfit Kendi wore.  There was something about it I really loved, and had very similar pieces in my closet, so here you go.  I really do love it and I'm going to admit breaking out the flares again feels good.  I'm so used to a skinny jean, but this pair I'm wearing fits me like a glove.

I got this cardigan this fall from thredUP (Use this link for $20 off your first purchase), and the top is old from Shein, although I really like this option. I'm also showing my Christmas gift my Better Life Bag for the first time on here too. I loved the bag I got from them this fall and really wanted a bigger one for everyday. I've been carrying this non-stop and it happens to match my outfit, so you get to see it today. : )  I really can't say enough about this company. I know sometimes bloggers show things as c/o an it can be hard to know if they really like the product or not, but this is one company I'm all about!

The Belt of Truth

I've mentioned on her the Bible Study, The Armor of God and told you all I would try to share what I was learning each week with you all on here.  Ephesians 6: 10-24 says:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

The first part we talked about was the belt of truth, which is the truth that comes from God.  In the book this belt of truth was likened to strengthening your core when you exercise.  If you a have a weak core, it impacts the entire rest of your body.  Coincidently, my husband has been at the gym working with a personal trainer because he's had some back issues.  The trainer is working with him about different arm and leg exercises to help strengthen his core, because a strong core can take aways the pain we feel each day.

The same thing is true about putting on the belt of truth.  We strengthen our understanding of the truth of God by exercising our faith. We do this when we chose to spend time in His word each day, when we pray, and when we show love to others. All of these not only show God that He is important to us, but it strengthens our relationship with Him and our ability to live out the lives He's intended for us too.

Understanding how the belt of truth impacts my life and faith daily. I encourage you to put it on too and let your life be changed for the better.

I haven't gotten to dress up in quite a while, but am going to parent teacher conferences with my long-term sub on Thursday, so I was excited that Shien just sent over this dress, which is only $18! I haven't gotten a new dress since last spring, so I thought it would be fun.  At this price, I thought it was kind of a crap-shoot as to the quality, but honestly, it did not disappoint.  The stripes line up on the sides, it has pockets and a zipper in the back.  The length is also great. I will mention I got a large and I usually wear a size 8, for reference, so if you tend buy a larger size than that, I wouldn't recommend this dress. However, if wear an 8 or smaller, I'd definitely recommend this dress!

Currently Craving

One thing that has surprised me about being home with Hannah is how little I've been reading. I had some pretty big goals to plow through some great titles, but I'm not sure it it's the fact that the last two books I read were not good or if I'm just too tired, but I just haven't been reading. I do however, have some books I really want to dive into, and I thought I'd share them with you all today.

After You A Novel by JoJo Moyers- I read Me Before You and cried like a little girl. It was really good, so I was excited to see that Moyers has written a sequel! Here's the premise:

"How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?
Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.
Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future. . . .
For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await."

 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I haven't read this yet. If you haven't, here's the scoop:

"The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic."

The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike) by Robert Galbriath (aka J.K. Rowling) When word got out that J.K. Rowling was writing again, and that it was a totally different, but awesome read, this series got added to my list. I'm excited to check it out!  Three books in the series are out, here's a look at the first one:

"After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.
Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, thelegendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.
You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this."

 Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah I just recently read The Nightingale and it was amazing, I've heard this one is really great too. Here's a synopsis:

"Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time―and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are."

What about you, what's on your must-read list?

Have I Told You...

Have I told you that my maternity leave is going crazy-fast, it is?

Have I told you that I actually wore this same outfit last year, but didn't blog it?  When it came up on my Timehop I decided to wear it again, and thus not have to think about what I was going to wear that day.

Have I told you I'm amazed at the fact that I've been so content staying home most of the time? Last week we had a few snow days and I saw friends on social media commenting about how they were climbing the walls.  I was very content until about 6:30 when I'd had my fill and left Brian with the kids to run and get Hannah some more pajamas. She's already grown out of a few!

Have I told you that I can't believe how much Hannah looks like Grant? I'm anxious to see how she grows into her face as she gets older.

Have I told you I'm drinking way more coffee than one person possibly should. I can't wait until Hannah is sleeping through the night because I really need to cut back!

Have I told you how hard it is for me to make dinner with both kids?  I don't remember it being so hard with Grant. Hannah always takes a nap from around 5-7 and trying to get her down and make dinner is awful. I'm really anxious about that we'll do once I go back to work. And before you say leaving the crockpot on for the day isn't an option as we're gone too long....

Have I told you I'm more of a perfectionist than I'd like to admit?  I almost trashed these photos because the coloring is so off.  It was still pretty dark when I took them, and when I lightened them they ended up more "drained out" than I'd like. Then I remembered, no one is perfect, this is just an outfit I wore one day, and this is a hobby. So, post, I did!

 This caridgan from Target it one of my favorites and although this buffalo check shirt is old,  this option is just like it and a great price! I ended up getting these shoes on clearance at Target last year, and I'll admit they haven't gotten much wear.  I bought them when it was sandal season, then they didn't fit while I was pregnant this fall, so I'm finally getting to wear them! These are really similar and a great price too.

How to Feel Like Yourself After Having a Baby:

Hannah is officially seven weeks old tomorrow and like I said, we've getting adjusted to our new normal at home. Today I thought I'd share some tips for how to feel like yourself again after having a baby.  

1. Get ready each day. The first priority I made was to shower and do my hair and make-up each day during Hannah's first nap. Even if you don't leave the house, I swear you'll feel better!  

2.  Do something for yourself each day, like read a book, work on a hobby you love, find an outlet other then mindlessly scrolling though Facebook and Instagram each day. Time for yourself is essential!

3.  Try to leave the house each day, even if it's just for a short time. A quick trip to Target or the store can really help break up a long day, and some days will feel really long!

4.  Prioritize things around the house.  The first thing you'll realize about being home all day is that the house is ALWAYS needing cleaned. Seriously. I try to stay on top of dishes and laundry, but everything else gets done as needed. The days of cleaning the whole house on Saturday morning are gone. Pick one priority each day, and know you always have tomorrow.

5. Make quality time with your husband a priority. I know for me once the kids are in bed for the evening I really just want to go to bed too, but try to stay connected with your hubby. There's no way this can happen nightly for me, but a movie night or just spending some time talking, even if it's about the kids, is worth it.  We're planning for first date night in a few weeks and I know we're really looking forward to it!

6. See your girlfriends. You made time for them before, now you might not be able to see them as often now, but a coffee date or a play date could bring some much needed sanity to your life.  In my experience, other mommas are the most encouraging, just when you need it!

7. Remember, no one is perfect. You weren't perfect before the baby came, so why would you be now. Just like you had bad days before, they will happen again, and it's ok. You and your baby get to start fresh tomorrow!

8.  Lastly, get your butt to the gym. I had my doctor's appointment have been cleared to do normal activity. Getting back to the gym will get us out of the house, and it'll give me a bit of time to myself while Hannah is in the gym daycare.  Plus, I know it'll help my energy level!

As for my outfit today, I also love to wear "cute" clothes to the gym and this top, these shoes, and these capris from Tulip Boutique in Kansas city make working out even better! I'm in love with these capris Tulip sent over, they are really high quality and so fun! 

This month I'm taking part in Tulip's "Tulip with a Twist," please take a minute to stop by Tulip Boutique's Facebook page and vote for me! Thanks!!

Perspective

I've talked on here about how I'm doing The Armor of God Bible study, and really loving it. I will tell you those, prior to starting it I was feeling like the "problems" I was facing were other peoples' fault and I kind of had a "poor me" attitude. Through doing this study for a few weeks, my attitude and prayer life have changed.  I also found this post about 10 Powerful Verses for Your War Room that are amazing, and I've been working to pray them daily.

A change in attitude is also do to some pretty awful situations I've witnessed. The superintendent of my school district's son committed suicide.  He was only 15, and believe me when I say that no one saw it coming.  I didn't have him in class, but saw him in the hallways and in all the sports and activities he took part in. My "problems" were really anything but a problem. Seriously. I had gotten some perspective. I can't even imagine what that family and those who were truly part of Reid's life are going through right now.

Then, there was a fatal car crash in my hometown killing a couple who had just gotten engaged. A man ran a red light, and two people's lived ended. Again, perspective. 

We can have such a tendency to play "poor me" and be so focused on ourselves.  However, what I thought were problems were really nothing in comparison. I also realized that my desire for control was the real problem, not anything anyone else was doing.  These situations have caused to thank God that I actually have a family, even when they drive me crazy. It's made me thankful for boy noise, baby cries, scattered shoes, and a dirty kitchen. All of these things are proof of a family I love and who loves me. 

I encourage you to take a look at your own "problems" and see if you can think about them differently. I know it has for me. 

As for my outfit, I got this cardigan from Pink Blush and it's is my favorite thing. Seriously. It's sold out, but they have a ton of cute options here. Also, about a week ago I went through my clothes and got rid of a ton of stuff, including about 20 pair of pants and jeans. Now, I am well aware how crazy that is to be able to get rid of that many and still have a few left, but it needed to be done. I had a bunch of dress pants that were not longer in stye, some capris (yes, I still had some in my closet, oops), some khakis (again, yes, some of these left) and a few pair of jeans that just didn't fit well. I was however, excited when I found these jeans. Since I literally hadn't worn any of my pants or jeans for nearly I year I totally forgot about these. They are Banana Republic and I (kind of) remember getting them at Goodwill last year.  They fit perfectly and feel new! Score!

Life Lately

Here's a look at life lately with some pictures I shared on Instagram!

I actually left the house a few times last week, it's a miracle! I wore this to Bible Study last Thursday. This cardigan is sold out, but from Pink Blush and I found these jeans in my closet when I was cleaning. It's funny what you forget about when you can't wear them for a year!

Getting Real: #momfails

I recently saw another (very successful) blogger post about how she felt like a failure when compared to other moms as she scrolled through Social Media.  I immediately encouraged her that some Instagrams are purely a business and super staged pictures, and many bloggers also do it as a business too, and sometimes only wear the clothes for the pictures and the money.  This "staged perfection" is anything but that.  Social Media lets people show what they want to show and in a sense become who they wish they were.

It got me thinking, I know I'm anything but perfect, but I have had quite a few people comment since I've had Hannah that I look like I have it all together. Yes, there are days that are great. However, there are also days that are anything but great. Days when I feel like I've failed or when I totally lose my cool with Grant.

It's true that things are going pretty well with Hannah, and I feel like we are getting to know her as a baby, but that really took some time. We had a few really rough weeks in there!  I think it all started with her being a Christmas baby and having her first week of life be kind of chaotic with people in and out of our house like crazy. I also became super sensitive to the noise of our house-specially the fact that Grant hasn't had to practice being quiet at home-ever. The noise made me angry, especially when I was trying to put Hannah down to sleep.

On top of that Hannah did not seem to be happy, ever. Brian even commented that there aren't a lot of "happy snuggles" with her. Putting her down for a nap, especially in the evening when everyone was home was horrific. I was doing what I thought I should, cuddling with her, and putting her in her crib when she was almost asleep.  Only to have her wail the second her body hit the crib. I'd then pick her up and repeat the process-sometimes for an hour. Brian tried to help, but it was exhausting. Hannah would get so worked up she'd want to nurse again, then over eat and wail louder.

One night Brian left for the gym, as he had an appointment with a personal trainer. Hannah was crying when he left and continued for pretty much the entire time he was gone. After about an hour I put her down in her crib and walked away. I came out to the living room and cuddled with Grant for the next ten minutes while Hannah cried.  Then, when I was calmed down, I went back in. I barely patted her to reassure her and she was asleep.

I. Was. So. Surprised. In the coming days I found out that when Hannah wanted to sleep, she wanted to be left alone, not snuggled with like Grant had. Suddenly Hannah's disposition improved. She was no longer over-eating and wailing, she was getting more sleep, and was just happier. I was so relieved, but I felt like I had been such a failure for the past few weeks. I was doing what I thought was right, only to realize I didn't know what my baby really needed or wanted.

So, the moral of the story, we all fail, but it's what we do after the failure that matters. This situation has caused me to be more of an observer, than someone who swoops in with the right answer. I know I'm not perfect, and that's ok. It's also reminded me that God is good. I had been praying like crazy for peace in our home and for Hannah to feel safe and loved. I know he heard my cry for help. I'm so thankful for that!

As for my outfit, last week my mom was nice enough to come watch Hannah so I could go get a pedicure.  It was such a treat. I got to wear real clothes and leave the house alone! I haven't worn my vests much, since I don't leave the house often, so it was fun to break it out. This sweater was a thredUp find last year and I love it! Use this link for $20 off your first purchase.