I heart...

I heart...

hosting a give-a-way

from a lovely shoppe

Simply Worn

please visit this post as there is only two more days to enter

see give-a-way details and enter before midnight January 20th

winner will be announced January 21st to 22nd when I get back from my conference

xo

simply worn

well hello everyone

I have such a special post today

I am so excited to share with you a favorite business of mine
Simply Worn

I met Katie last fall {September} at my home town's fall festival in Liberty, MO

 I knew the moment I walked by her booth

I was in *love* with all she had displayed

I actually stopped in my tracks

and did a happy dance
when I saw her items

I had so much fun picking out flower pins, a necklace, and clips for the girls and I

Madison and Hayley loooove to wear her pretty clips and pins as much as I do
seen here in this post

I started talking with Katie about her business and how she got started

she told me she would hopefully have her online shoppe up and running very soon

*yay*

 because she lives 3 1/2 hours away

I left her my contact info so she could e-mail me when her online shoppe opened
but she said I could e-mail her anytime in between for orders

so without further ado

I'd like you to meet Katie

she's such a sweetheart to meet as well as do business with

and she's sponsoring a give-a-way this week...

I know you will enjoy getting to know her

so I had her write a guest post today
so you could see how wonderful her and her shoppe are
{details of the give-a-way at the end}

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello all!

My name is Katie 

My mom and I created SIMPLY WORN as a way to give new life to old clothing, textiles and vintage fabrics. We find vintage clothing (floral blouses, hot pink polyester pants, men’s dress shirts…that kind of thing) and turn them into one-of-a-kind flower pins and hair accessories.

We started SIMPLY WORN last August and quickly realized how popular our fabric flowers were to friends and coworkers.

We signed up for our first craft show in September {this is where Martha found us :) } and it was a complete success.

Since then SIMPLY WORN has become a part-time job for the both us - we have an online shop and sell our accessories at two stores in Kansas City.

{shop here}

I am a senior at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, majoring in Business & Entrepreneurship, and when I’m not studying or working, my mom and I love going to antique stores, thrift stores, estate sales, or wherever we can find unique and appealing fabrics and give them new life.

---------

today's give-a-way
is a wonderful set of white muslin hair clips

{found here}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Katie ~ thank you so much for so graciously sponsoring
a give-a-way!


I couldn't be more thrilled to share you and your mom's business, Simply Worn
I've linked Katie's blog under her name throughout the post if you'd like to follow her blog
or learn more


To enter the give-a-way
and in light of Valentine's Day
{possibly one of my favorite holidays}
okay it probably is...


1.     please leave a comment to enter
and tell me what "you heart"
{in life, about people, or anything you love}

2.     visit her etsy shoppe
and tell me in the same comment
what your favorite item is in her shoppe
Simply Worn or Simply Worn here
{she has two online shoppes}

3. if you are a follower you can leave a second comment as an extra entry
{if you aren't a follower yet...and you would like to be
leave a second comment if you become one


4.   if you share this give-a-way on fb, your blog post, or tweet it please let me know of that as well
in another comment
{but remember to link this post when doing so}

give-a-way ends Thursday, January 20th at midnight
winner will be announced sometime Friday or early Saturday
when I get back from a conference

Happy week everyone
xo

icouldnotthinkofatitle

okay...

so I thought on Tuesday mid-morning I was out of the woods
with the kids being sick

but

that was a big mistake in thinking

it's now late Thursday evening
and I haven't stopped cleaning up puke
it's one after the other
and sometimes both at the same time
we've gone through all their pajamas in one day
many blankets
used bleach/ 70% alcohol to clean
everything
over and over and over again
blankets are washed and cleaned
again
and again

we are surviving
you better believe it:)

and I'm really hoping

that I just cleaned up the last of the puke for the night
but i doubt it
and I'm hoping that the girls are not up all night again
{I hope none of you are eating as I type this}

me it doesn't really matter

I don't get grossed out too easily

yikes...
yep...
that was one more time

I feel really bad for them
thank goodness I'm better at helping them
than getting sick myself
I don't do *sick* myself very well
I actually refuse to
so morning sickness with the girls was not fun for me

so typically I can sit and eat and watch a surgery on a medical show

Bobby completely gets irritated and bothered at me for that

I don't get queasy easily

I never have

I still wish the video from one of my knee reconstructions
was actually copied like they said they would copy it

when they mentioned the surgery was going to be taped
we asked for a copy
and I was so excited to see it
until I popped it in the VCR {15 years ago} and it was blank...

how did I get on this subject
I think I'm delirious
that's why

my mind is wondering
I can't stop laughing for some weird reason about all this going on
and

I really don't think you care about how I don't get queasy over watching surgeries
so I apologize for my rambling

I guess I'm just typing out loud

I wasn't even going to write but two sentences with this post

but can you tell

I need some interaction?

after being in the hospital for a week with my grandpa and family

to taking care of two pukey kiddos this week

and here I am

needing to get random thoughts out

before I go a little more nuts

and keep saying more of nothing...

so all that to this point...
of showing you snow day pictures
before all this happened


uggghhh... yep ~ I just about jumped out of my pants

because they moved their heads
before they leaned back again
I had the bucket in their lap
with Hayley telling me
"no..mama"
{not this time}

this is pure madness
 I cannot stop laughing
{which is probably wrong}
and we are giving high fives for making it in the puke bucket
because that's a celebration to me

happy weekend everyone

xo

fresh *powder*

bright and early Tuesday morning
2 am

 I was woken up to this little one

getting sick

and I'm just letting you know

I'm a pretty deep sleeper and very non-functional in the middle of the night

*thankfully* I always hear the girls
every.single.time

miracle how that happens...

but I don't think I'm "all there" when I hear them

so it's quite interesting when the kiddos get sick in the middle of the night

and I'm holding their hair

 rubbing their back

 whispering "it's okay"

I have no idea how this process happens or how it all gets cleaned up

because when it is all said and done
it seems like a whirlwind when we all wake up for the morning

and I think to myself...
"did all that really happen?"

and I have to check...

yep...it sure did

yesterday her bed linens were off the bed and done in the wash by 7 am...
and that was 4 loads of laundry because of all the blankets, her sleeping buddies, sheets
you name it

so bright and early yesterday morning

I was holding her hair and rubbing her back
and thinking how thankful I was to be with her
puke or not...

poor thing...
didn't even realize she got sick until she saw it

then she blamed it on Cadence
no joke...

she really did
 she apparently didn't remember it happening

a 3 am shower was in order...
{they always ask for a shower right away}
every.single.time

I don't blame them
I do the exact same

I got her "re-pajama-ed" up

{I know that's not a word}

and

I walked her into my bedroom
and I had her look outside our window with me

so I could show her
what it looked like outside

it was snowing sooo beautifully
there were no footprints in the *powder* yet
no tire tracks
just the streetlight shining on our home and onto the street



 for the moment...the snow looked so perfect and peaceful

 I was hoping to make her smile and relax before she laid back down

I know that telling her she would be one of the first ones to see the snow untouched
would make her smile



 it was by far one of my favorite moments thus far
looking out the window with her

...holding her hand

 and moving her hair behind her ear

just in time
so I could see that smile come across her face

it always seems on the first big snow of each year

she has the stomach flu

I knew it would be only the 1/2 day to 24 hour-thing

{as Hayley had the same thing exactly one week ago}

so I did what *this* mom
{me} 
would do

to brighten both of their days

I bundled them up after lunch 
{and yes I did one last check to make sure she was doing somewhat better}

and took them outside for about 20 minutes so she could have a little fun
even if it was just 20 minutes
I didn't want her to miss out

we weren't out too long

but long enough for them to

laugh,

giggle,

fall in the *powder*
make a couple snow angels

get snow in the their boots/shoes

snow underneath their gloves

 and then they were ready to head back in

the snow was really pretty these past couple of days

which makes the cold more bearable in my world

I accept the cold a *little* bit better when there's snow

{just a little better}

I feel like I can still hear their laughs and giggles as I write this

at one point Hayley said

"Mama I'm sooo cold...I want to go inside..."
 the snow was everywhere
underneath her clothes
in her boots
under her gloves
and in between her shirt layers

so we headed in

 warm cocoa was in order
for these two girls

and we woke up today
to another snow day
and I really was wishing there'd be school today

even though yesterday was fun
I was looking forward to projects, errands, a long run today, and some organizing
*all uninterrupted*

 which thanks to my mom...
all four happened for a couple of hours...
as she watched the kiddos

it was so nice to get out and run in the snow
that is...
until someone plowed by me
going at least 40 in our neighborhood
spewing snow in my face

I didn't have the nicest response
and I often wonder...
what happened to runner's courtesy?
 {especially in neighborhoods}

hope you all are keepin' it warm today
xo

reality

this week I've been very afraid at times

and really discovered the meaning of my inspiration words for 2011

words I literally just wrote about

"love and embrace"

image found here

it's been a long week

a week of uncertainties with health issues

and a week of seeing the heart and soul of our family in the hospital

Grandpa "M"

in all honesty it has just been plain hard

it's been a week of giving and needing

 great big "it's okay" kind of hugs

 Grandpa is doing better and better each day
{in different ways now}

and that's a relief

but in all honesty I'm a bit behind

on things...
and for one I probably won't backtrack with reading blogs

but I honestly couldn't be more grateful for the flexibility I have

with my life so I could be there so much
that part has been really great

this week I've felt...

a great big community with all our family coming together

as well as all my besties checking in with me throughout the week

and that is a tremendous amount of love I'm very, very thankful for

at the moment I'm sitting with another bestie

a glass of "Velvet Moon"

{we were just introduced this evening at Trader Joe's}

along with another fav

 no-brainer trash tele shows

that I plan on watching while I catch up on a few things tonight

what is not on the list

is telling anyone in my household

that I may have flushed a kinda-small toy down the potty

instead of taking the time to fish it out

the girls must have dropped it in there playing

since the bathroom always seems to be a communal area in our home

meaning "no privacy" while in the shower, getting ready, or anything

so I will admit I stood there and comtemplated that decision

for all of three seconds

and the final second
 I thought

"I'll give it a whirl, and I think it'll make it"

down the pipes and out to the wasteland

without causing a call to the plumber

*hopefully*

*hopefully*

yes...

this is all because I was too tired to figure out how to fish the darn plastic rock out

lets hope that was the right decision

because a call to the hubs that a plumber was called this week

may get me into some trouble

that I don't need or want right now

{chuckle}

 just making it clear

that the small grey plastic rock

was not the toy I flushed

I *promise* promise*

that one gets blamed on "ribbit"

and that's all I'm sayin' about that

oh I'm in trouble:)
that was a really really really poor decision
I'm afraid

well...now I'm ready for a refreshed week ahead

xo

btw...the flowers in the picture are yarn flowers

and I love that idea

they are just the "happy" and inspiration I need for the week

{love} and {embrace}

i've been thinking...

and asking myself...

thinking some more...

and then asking myself again...

then putting it aside
frustrated

and then I finally realized to quit asking myself
and just stinkin' talk to you know who about it...
Him
{duh}

because I always learn that the third or fourth time after I've asked myself
realizing that I have gotten nowhere asking myself
{a little late to the start sometimes I am}

so what came about it?

guess I should tell you about what first, right?
I don't do resolutions

okay so I did one time {2009}...because it was really needed
an "about time" kind of one
and that was about dresses

want to know more about that?...
then you may read "this is me" back in February of 2010
but other than that
I don't do resolutions
it's too much
and frankly prefer to have some inspiration words to always refer to instead
you know those constant reminders
in the back of your head

that's what works for me

so the conclusion this year

 two words

and they are:

"loving and embracing"

I'll be honest here...

the embracing one freaks me out a little bit

okay, actually a lot

but I'm taking it in the positive 100%

I looked "embrace" up for a little peace at heart and understanding

 embrace goes quite well with loving in its obvious definition of embracing {hugging} someone

but it also includes

"accepting opportunities and challenges eagerly and willingly"

 that made me smile

a big ole' smile

because I am going to embrace my opportunities and challenges

with a renewed spirit and with love

and know that those I didn't achieve last year

are absolutely achievable this year

and isn't this funny...

as I glanced up from writing right now 

I saw on my dream board

my all-time favorite quote

I mean favorite, favorite

 favorite quotes...

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in a spirit of love. --- H. Drummond

so as I've found what my inspiration words were this year

I remembered the ones last year

they were

{faith}

{hope}

{belief}

the funny thing is...

I could use those same words again this year

I really could
you don't always need to re-invent the wheel, right?

but instead of tossing those three aside

I will use them again
but add to...kind of thing
 a little modification to that wheel

 my focus with it all is

loving

embracing

when I wrote

"the road underneath me"

last year

I had many hopes and dreams for my family

and for myself

although some hopes, goals, and dreams I didn't achieve

I know I still will
for my journey is not the same journey as anyone else

I am not one that gives up easily
if you didn't know that already
but I'm sure most of you do by now
{chuckle}

either because I'm determined or stubborn
most likely both
okay...definitely both

but stubborn can be good too, right?
that's at least what I tell myself
at least I openly admit it
{laughing again now}

I never knew my 2010 inspiration words
{hope, faith, believe}
would be so meaningful for myself and our family's life last year

as I wrote in "sweet serendipity"

a week or so ago

we had a really great year with a lot of great memories in 2010
and that is what I choose to remember
hands down

but in reality 2010 was quite difficult for us too

I didn't realize when I wrote down those three words on January 2nd of last year
that strength would carry me through some really tough times

my words were very relevant last year

so that horse with the head down I referred to last year 
in "the road underneath me"

was how I felt sometimes throughout the year

but

what I didn't realize then but I do now
is that same horse eventually
raised it's head high
with grace and confidence

and looked up to see all the love
and all the wonderful things to embrace before her eyes

and that's what I am going to continue to do this year
because that is not only what I did at the finish of 2010
but also many times throughout the year

we had so much fun with family and friends...

we saw our two little babies blossom and make us laugh some more
a friend got married
we did some quite embarrassing things
but fun things
we laughed a lot
we sure did

we traveled
for my business conference
we went on a free trip with my husband's work
we strengthened friendships throughout the year
and had some lake trips with family and friends

we spent a lot of quality time not just quantity of time with everyone

I got my noise pierced
thank.you.very.much

I am still wearing more dresses
I took even more pictures of the girls for fun
not great at it
but I did it

we swam a lot during the summer
we did a couple more date nights than usual
thanks to my parents for watching the girls
although I'm sure they had fun too

my sister came to visit with my nephews during the summer
and we practically lived at my parents house that week

we came out loving, having a lot of fun, and standing tall
{I know I've forgotten a lot of great things so please don't be offended if I didn't mention something}

"the road underneath me is a constant
but the journey I take is up to me"
{words I wrote last year}

and this year
I'm going to do what I do best

love

and

embrace

love myself
love on my family
and love on those near and dear to me

family and friends
 those in my business
and everyone in between

I'm going to embrace
every.single.situation
whether it is the time of my life
or
a circumstance that just plain stinks
and even though the "plain stink" ones take a little more effort/time to embrace,
I will and eventually carry on
{not saying immediately because I do have a learning curve of honesty here}

the finish line in 2011
is another journey
that my family and I are taking together
five strong
{yes counting Miss Cadence...absolutely not pregnant...nope}
 we do include our pups as family members
even when she gets her "tude" in the "attitude" and decides to tinkle in the house
{ugh}
to make some sort of point
that she never seems to make

okay that's a little tmi and off-base
Happy New Year to you and your families
xo

yes and no pictures this time around
I've had a sick little girl today

{hugs}

hugs
I mean really good hugs

warmth
family
and
friendships

love
peace
faith
and
smiles

celebrations
fun
silliness
and
laughs
{I mean belly laughs}

is what I hope for you all today

Happy New Year to you and your family

ps...the girls picture above was my favorite the other day...

it was one of those hugs where you saw every bit of love the girls have for one another

*hoping everyone has a chance to give a hug like that today*