The Life

A New Beginning

Posted on December 31, 2014

I’m noticing that as the years pass me by not only do they seem to be going faster, they seem to be more full. More friends getting married, careers being chosen, babies being born. The last few years have felt so filling. So much has happened and there is so much to still look forward to.

2014 feels like a gigantic roller coaster ride. If it was a book the seams would be bursting. Pages bent from where they were read and re-read. Felt tip markings covering the chapters with words of encouragement, inspiration and deep dark thoughts. I gave birth to my son this year. I lost my father this year. My husband got the promotion of his career this year. We moved cross states this year. Eventful hardly seems a fitting word to describe the year. Perhaps exhausting would be better…

I am not one for New Year’s resolutions. However, I will be 30 in 2015 and I think there are some things in my life I really need to work on before the big 3-0. So here goes…

Get dressed everyday.

Ok, I know this sounds like common sense but for me it’s not. I will literally have a 72 hour pajama party. Almost every week. Between being pregnant, giving birth to Joey, and moving to freezing cold Alabama getting dressed really wasn’t in the cards this year. Especially when I work from home and the only place I really have to go is drop Mini and pick her up from pre-K. Oh, and it’s a carpool, where I don’t have to get out of the car. Pretty sure I drove up more than once in my fuzzy polka dot robe. It needs to end. Clothing will be mandatory in 2015.

Purge

I realized during this move that I actually moved a few boxes that haven’t been opened since the last time we moved. If it’s been 2 years and I haven’t needed it, it’s probably trash. Now, let’s not get crazy. I am not one to clean and organize. So I assume this “purge” goal will take most of the year. Slow and steady. Hey, the other day my shirt had a little hole in it and I tossed it. Not a bad start if I say so myself…

Move more

The older I get the more I notice how if I don’t eat right and stay active how awful my body feels. I hate it. I miss the days of McDonalds + my couch + my size 4 jeans. WTF 29. 2 babies later and I literally feel like a sloth. It’s time to start eating more fruits and veggies and moving my body more. Getting old sucks.

Empty the sink before bed

Again, this may be common sense. I usually don’t cook dinner until 9 when Mike is getting home from work. So by the time we eat, talk, drink etc…it’s 10:30. Well I don’t want to be doing dishes at 10:30. So I am in the habit of loading the dishwasher and leaving pots and pans to soak in the sink. Fast forward to the morning when I wake up and feel like I am already behind that damn 8 ball. I go to make the coffee and my sink is still full. So, I am going to try to wash those pots and pans before bed. I have to set myself up for success. Or at least free the sink up to make room for breakfast dishes…

Stop sleeping in my clothes

So on the rare days that I do have to get dressed, (publix run, dr apt, date night), I usually end up falling asleep in whatever clothing I wore that day. So that’s fun. Go to get the mail at 4pm in leggings and a tunic and wave to the neighbor. Then in the morning stumble out of bed and take Mini to school wearing the same outfit. And wave to the same neighbor. 2015 is the year for wearing pajamas at night, when they are supposed to be worn. PJs at night. Clothes during the day. I repeat. PJs at night. Clothes during the day.

Learn how to fold a fitted sheet

Ok, so my confession is that this goal makes the list every year. For the life of me I cannot fold a fitted sheet. I have asked my mother, I have watched old ladies do it on youtube, I have tried my own approach, and still nothing. My folded sheets look like I took them out of the dryer and balled them up and then shoved them in the linen closet. When in reality I took them out of the dryer, shook the pillow cases out of it. Laid it flat. Folded this side to that side. This corner into that corner. Smoothed. Flattened. Rolled. And still ended up in a ball. Well 2015 is my year for the folded sheet. Just watch me.

So those are my goals. Not looking to go crazy. Not making any crazy demands on myself to lose the 20 lbs. Just want to figure out how to wear the right clothes at the right time… I don’t think that’s a lot to ask of myself. But then again…we shall see.

So, Happy New Year. I wish you peace and happiness in 2015.

XOXO

Danielle

Credit for the quote above goes to my good friend Ashley at Ocean Avenue Boutique! Check her out on IG @oceanaveboutique

Little black dress

Posted on December 12, 2014

I’ve been waiting for this day daddy. You have been sick for such a long time. I hope you are resting peacefully. In a place with no heartache. No horrible, tormenting childhoods. No drugs to abuse. No cancer. I pray for that for you.

I wore a black dress. I’ve been planning my outfit for years. Since I was old enough to learn that it was addiction that took you from us. And after that, when the cancer came. And came back again. I’ve been scared. Almost expecting this to come. So I wondered what I would wear. Because I couldn’t bear the thought of you actually being gone. I thought about the dress instead.

I pictured the dress to be from fitting. Black of course. Knee length. Statement jewelry and big sunglasses to hide my ruined makeup. When the phone rang and I heard mommy say you had passed, I lost it. The phone actually fell out of my hands daddy. I thought that only happens in the movies but I was wrong.

I miss you. I miss what our family could have been if life’s twists and turns didn’t lead us to where we were. I wish my husband got to know you. The real you. The smart one. So naturally intelligent that conversations would last hours. I wish my children got to know you. Got to know that daddy I remember. Who took me to the corner store for candies. Who watched my dance recitals and nicknamed me puppet after a silly routine. A nickname that stuck with me for over 20 years. I will never hear you call me puppet again. Never hear you sing that silly song over the phone. I will miss that. I will miss you.

It was not like I imagined. I forgot to put my sunglasses on to hide my tears. My dress was cotton. An ill fitting maternity sweater dress. I didn’t bring my earrings. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was you. And I know you looked down and thought I looked beautiful. I know how much you like my hair curly. How god made it. You hate how I blow it straight all the time. So thanks. Thanks for the rain dad. My hair was curly; curly as could be. And I didn’t care. Because it didn’t matter anymore.

I know you are watching over us now. In a place free of pain and heartache. I hope you found peace. I will always cherish the letters you wrote to me, the pictures I have of us, my memories, you walking me down the aisle. I will hold that all close to my heart as I remember you.

So I will try not to be sad. But it won’t be easy. I can say I wont cry but you know as well as anyone that I’ve never been good at holding tears back. So I will pray. I pray that you will forever rest in peace. I love you daddy. You will be missed.

DIY

Plaid & Burlap Wall Hanging — DIY

Posted on December 2, 2014

I am absolutely in love with my latest $20 DIY project. You may have read about the first wall hanging DIY I created in our last home.

Well this time I wanted to go for something a little more rustic to hang in our dining room. I have been obsessing over burlap since last Christmas and I just can’t seem to shake it. And well, we all know how popular lumberjack and buffalo plaid are this season. So wah lah. My latest project was born.

TIME: 30 minutes

COST: $20.00

MATERIALS:

Foam board

Plaid fabric

Burlap fabric (cut into 3 in strips)

Hot glue gun

Staple gun

First things first. Lay out the plaid fabric on a large flat surface (my dining room table). Place the foam board on top of it (already cut to size). Trim around the foam board leaving an approx. 3 in border. Pull the fabric around the foam board and use the staple gun to secure it in place.

Flip your newly covered foam board over and lay the burlap strips where you want them. I chose to do 3 rows of 2 layers with room for the plain to stick out between each row. I was originally contemplating leaving 10 in of plaid on top and just making burlap ruffles on the bottom half. There are plenty of options, so do whatever you think will look best.

Using your glue gun, slowly and carefully glue the burlap down to the plaid fabric. Every 3 in bunch a piece and place glue to make it appear ruffled. I cannot stress enough that your fingers will get burned if you are not careful. The burlap fabric naturally has holes in it so as you press down the hot glue will seep through those holes and burn your fingers. Please be careful. I have been nursing burns ever since hanging this project.

Once you have glued all of the burlap in place, wrap the remaining burlap strip around the back of the foam and staple gun it to the back. Then trim the burlap if any of the layers started to shed.

I hung my hanging with 1 command strip. Easy peasy. I love the color it adds to the wall. I love the fabric. I love that it only cost about $20 (I had a leftover foam scrap) so if I decide in a couple of years I don’t like it I can always take it down or change it without feeling too badly about it.

All in all it’s a great project. Play around with different fabrics. Move the burlap around. Experiment. I love that I created this. It is nothing you would find in a store. Be creative. Go for it. XO

The Life

Thankful

Posted on November 29, 2014

I survived Thanksgiving 2014. I say that for two reasons.

1.) It was my first time ever being the Thanksgiving Hostess

2.) It was my first ever Thanksgiving without my Mom.

Luckily for us, Nana, Pop Pop and Gigi came to visit for the holiday so we were in fabulous company.

My father in law took over half of the kitchen and I semi-willingly let him. I really had to push back my inner control freak because face it, I was the first timer and he is a turkey cooking pro. I mixed up a pitcher of my signature cocktail, the ruby red cosmo, and after a couple of those I was happy to take a backseat.

Between the delicious food, yummy cocktails, secret closet phone calls to my mom, and good company, my first Thanksgiving as a hostess was a success.

And I am thankful.

For the family I come from. My mom and my sisters. Everyone else in my crazy bunch. I only wish everyone could have what we have.

For the family I have created. My husband. My children. I work hard everyday for what I have and I am so thankful for them.

For friends that have become family. Old friends. New friends. Best friends. I am so lucky to have every single one of you. You were all put into my life for a reason and I am grateful for you all.

I am thankful for this life I live. I am a lucky girl and it I will never take that for granted.

We finished out my in-laws visit with a trip to the Christmas Tree Farm. The guy handed my husband a saw and I knew we were in trouble. Unfortunately we didn’t find “the perfect tree” so Mike put the saw down. 20 minutes into a trip to Home Depot and my father in law had a 10 footer strapped to the top of my car. Welcome December. I have been waiting for you.

{ Oh, and there is a picture below of Nana and I doing a Turkey Trot. I love when I can walk for 30 minutes as an excuse to eat 7000 calories. I wish it could be Thanksgiving every day. XO }

The Life

When In Rome…

Posted on October 31, 2014

My memories of pumpkin picking are simple. Park at the pumpkin patch. Get out. Walk to grassy area where pumpkins are laid out. Pick a pumpkin. Take a photo. Pay. Bring that sucker home and carve it.

My children are going to have different memories. The weekend my mom was visiting we decided to take a ride out to the popular farm to get our pumpkins. It was about 45 minutes away so we ate lunch, dressed Mini in her best pumpkin picking outfit and set out for the afternoon.

What we didn’t expect was an actual farm. A hayride that took you half a mile to a field full of pumpkins. Pumpkins still attached to vines. Not big, orange beauties. Strange looking, warty, fungus type pumpkins. Still attached to the Earth. Nowhere on the flyer did it say to bring a switchblade. But it was an adventure. Joey got to go on his first hayride. Unfortunately we couldn’t bring the stroller all the way to the patch, so mom and I fought over who had to lug the 3 pumpkins and who had to hold Joey the whole time. I got the pumpkins and honestly I don’t know who got the better end of that deal.

It was still muddy from the morning rain. Our shoes kept sinking inches into the ground with each step we took. But Mini kept on. Screaming that she was going to find the “perfect pumpkin!”. I don’t know if she ever found the perfect one, but she did run around that field like she was having the time of her life. Squealing and shouting. Jumping in puddles and tripping over vines. Never complaining, just having a blast.

She had fun at the petting zoo and spent some time checking out the chickens. She even went for a pony ride all by herself, which of course had me a little panicked but she did great. I still don’t know why the kid leading the horse said “y’all aren’t from around here are ya?” Wonder if it was Mini’s outfit…hmm, guess tutus aren’t big in farm life.

My favorite part of the whole day, besides the fresh squeezed lemonade, was the real, live Western that was acted out every hour, on the hour. Seriously. I’m talking gun fire. Old men acting. Arguing. Shoot outs. And those same old men laying “dead” on the floor after taking a bullet. Laying on the floor until the show was over of course. Can’t get out of character.

The day was definitely unlike any day of pumpkin picking that I had ever experienced. I was so glad to be able to give my mom a real taste of Alabama. I don’t know if she ever thought she would see her granddaughter climb huge bales of hay, but she did. And by the end of the day Mini was filthy, muddy and exhausted. But it was so worth it to see her have fun. Like I say..When in Rome… 🙂