summer...

is tomorrow really July?

Summer is going by so fast. I can't believe before I know it Isaac will be one! And Colby will be back in school as a second grader! Where is all the time going?

Right now this is taking up a lot of our extra time. But in a good way. We love working on design projects together...just wish it was all we did...so Billy had more energy instead of working on designs after he's put in 50-55 hours at his other, not as fun job... He's been pretty tired lately and it makes me feel bad...the other day Colby asked if Billy got the summer off from work. We wish Colby!

STELLA! STELLLLLLA!

So thanks to Seinfeld...or more specifically, Elaine, whenever I hear the name Stella I can't help but picture Elaine screaming it in the episode where she and Jerry are in Florida and Elaine hurts her back and takes too many muscle relaxers.

I love that show. In fact...I kind of want to watch it right now.

But okay. What I really was going to write about are these Stella McCartney for Gap baby pjs. Originally I just ordered the seafoam blue ones, but then they came and they were so stinkin' cute and the packaging it came in was this big star, I just thought what the heck...so I ordered him the grey pair too.

And in stores, Gap is actually having a really great baby sale..though as I write this maybe it's over and it was just for this weekend? hmmm.

Nonetheless I bought a bunch of cute baby girl clothes. The prices were SO low, I could not resist an extra 30% off of the
clearance sticker! I got the little number below for $9 people...can you even buy clothes at Wallyworld for that cheap?



What did everyone do this weekend? Hopefully you made some good memories..and some good deals!

one day...

one day I'll own an Eames rocker...but for now I'll just admire this one. Something about that color is so calming to me.

*image found on style me pretty

Also picked up a couple good deals over at gilt. Orla Kiely journals for $9 and finally a pair of pedipeds for Isaac for $18!

Lead Me

Lead Me lyrics

Sanctus Real - “Lead Me”

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Happy Dad's Day

so glad I got a good one. Happy Father's Day, Billy! We love you!

sorry for the lack of posts...

life took a different turn after we went to my brother in law's football game the past Saturday and ended up being attacked my gang members. Kid you not. One (the male) was arrested, immediately released, but given a court date. The girl walked right past 3 officers and though we were able to find out her name the police to date do not have her in custody but when I checked Wednesday I was told they would have the DA issue a warrant for her arrest.

Craziness. I don't know how a night of "family fun" turned into all this! I contacted the Pacific Coast Football League and am happy to announce today they wrote me back and said that the California Panther's are no longer apart of their league and that Ramirez (one of their players with the gang affiliations) is banned for life from the league. That was the best news I had heard all week, especially since 3 of the 4 officers we have been dealing with were less than professional and it felt like they weren't going to do a thing.

So. Forgive me for my lack of posts. Hopefully I still have Melissa, my faithful reader. :) Just been busy with a doctors appointment to make sure my eye was not scratched when I was punched in the face and keeping up with checking in on our case so that it isn't forgotten...spending time with my sweet niece and even managing to finally get in our spring turned summer mini turned major shoot with the lovely Josiah Michael.

Now that things are winding down I hope to get back to more normal postings :)

this & that

I know I already posted a blog for today, but I have to post one more to say happy 10 months to my sweet baby Isaac. I can't believe it has been 10 months since I met you with your funny light strawberry blonde hair, squished little nose, and lobster red skin. You have been bossy from day 1 but I wouldn't have you any other way!

Also. Yesterday I went by Raley's to see my mom and while I was over there I decided to walk down to the Goodwill. I hadn't been in a while and I'm so happy I stopped because lots of treasures were to be found! I picked up a couple plastic kitchen storage bowls in a robin's egg blue and minty green. Best part...they were $2 total! Also picked up a ton of pink Japanese lanterns...brand new in the package still (there was still a ton left when I was checking out if anyone is interested). They had giant ones and small ones...they must have been left over from someone's wedding or something.

I even picked up a tiny leopard print baby onesie because it was too cute to leave behind. And maybe one of my favorite finds...a turquoise bead necklace...I almost bought a similar one at Urban Outfitters for $28 but just couldn't bring myself to spend that on costume jewelry. Well the one at the thrift store was even cuter and more so what I was looking for and it was only $2! I love how God takes care of us...even the tiny things that don't seem very important...

And my last find were these mugs. These were in the section of new things that the Goodwill buys or has donated from stores to sell. Blue and green have slowly become my favorite colors and I loved the prints on these mugs.

In fact I googled the designer, Trish Richman, when I got home. Turns out she is a San Francisco based graphic designer and the mugs I bought were designs she did for Bloomingdales! I got each one for $1.50...not too shabby if I do say so myself!

Happy weekend everyone!

Old Faithfuls...

I have been using the same skin care items for years now...I have a hard time switching once I find something I love. So when Sephora quit carrying Cosmedicine's Mega Dose Serum I didn't know what I was going to do. It is the first thing I put on my face and I absolutely love it. I even went to the Cosmedicine web site and they don't even carry it! I was SO happy when I found it over at Beauty.com.

Has anyone else ever shopped there? I just placed my second order and I must say I think I'm starting to like it more than Sephora. I have never been a big make up person but I love skin care items.

I was also very happy to see that they are sending me a free Lela Rose clutch filled with a ton of beauty goodies in it. They offer free shipping and they give you back 5% of all your orders to redeem at any of their web sites (they also run drugstore.com).

So. My old faithfuls: Cosmedicine Mega Dose serum, Murad skin perfecting lotion, and Cosmedicine medi matte oil control lotion, and Cosmedicine Eye Specialist (I bought it for Billy but I use it all the time too).

Pretty much the only stuff that goes on my face every single day. I would love to know what your standby products are! And if you have a good under eye cream I would love to know! The one I bought Billy is okay but its the only item in my bag I'm not 100% in love with.

Camille Allen

Right now I am loving these little babies sculpted out of clay by Camille Allen. Seriously. I know its kind of....weird...but I think they are SO cute! I want a million of them.

This little boy...

is just growing way too fast! I can't believe he is almost 10 months old! So, for my own record:

*he has 6 teeth and loves to bite my shoulders!

*Pulls himself up to stand and will stand holding on with only 1 hand

*crawls like a maniac

*says "dada"

*claps when you say "yay!"

*will take a nap in Micah's crib but never in his own!

*can eat a lemon like its no one business-not even a funny face!

*waves "bye"

On another note: all my party supplies came in from Urban Outfitters and they were almost ALL damaged! So..I only ended up with 1 pinata and 1 banner...I had to return so much they looked at me like I was crazy when we showed up with massive boxes of shiny goods in Roseville!

On a happier note, the bathing suit came and I love it! I thought a 1 piece might make feel 12..but nope...we are good to go! :)

Been having a little bit of rough times over here...but God is always faithful! Hope everyone is having a good week!

celebrate.

I love party supplies. I remember being in awe of the Wishing Well party store when I was little with its bins and bins of tiny treasures. So, its no surprise I fell in love with the Party Party line by Confetti System for Urban Outfitters. They had so many pretty metallic party supplies and I am happy to say now that it all went on sale I went a bit crazy stocking up on items. I can't wait to use it all...maybe I will save it for mine and Billy's 2nd wedding anniversary coming up...I think 2 years of marriage and 7 years of togetherness deserves a little party!

*photo found on Oh Joy

Making memories...

Lately I have been spending a lot of my time thinking about making memories. Having 3 little ones has slowed me down some (also, only having 1 car!) but in the past and sometimes still today when we get bored or just want to get out we go and we spend money we don't really need to spend on stuff we don't really need to be bringing home! Usually we don't even really need anything. Yet its funny how we still find stuff...new plates because they are on sale...new shirts for the boys though they aren't having a t-shirt shortage by any means...mixing bowls because they are cute with polka dots...another nail polish in blue (?) because its pretty... even though I always go back to my old faithful shade of pink and I don't really even want blue toe nails!

Now I am not against shopping...its just that we were shopping out of boredom, so now I have decided to be more mindful of my purchases. I started to notice we didn't always end up even using the stuff we were buying. Or the kids would forget about the new toys they just got and would want the next new thing.

I am actually getting a lot better about paying attention to what I put in the cart and I have this quote inside a notebook in my purse, which sometimes I need to reread for a good reminder:

"Buy only what you love. Really, truly, madly, deeply love! Don't settle for 'like'. Acquire what feels so very right deep down inside-be it fashion or home design. Stick to this credo and you won't have any regretful purchases."-via Lonny Magazine

It sounds silly, but sometimes I even make lists of purchases I have bought that have proven to be very useful and then I list some items we have bought that were just wastes of money. The next time I go to buy something I think about whether I will really end up using the item.

So one of my goals for this summer is to just live and enjoy my boys...I am thinking less trips to Target and more trips to the park. Less drive thru trips and more backyard bbqs. Less time browsing online and more time rolling around the ground and hiding in forts.

As much as I love Target and as much as I do love finding fun, unique and even practical items online I want to start spending less time feeding that desire to acquire and take more time to nourish that part of me that knows less is more.

Here's to making memories!

*Anyone else struggle with finding balance with this one?