Personal.

I don't like it here.

I feel alone.
I feel like I have no purpose.
I have no clients, no work to do, nothing to keep myself busy.
I'm awkward, I suck at making friends, and I miss mine.

I miss home.
I miss my friends. I miss walks to the park.
I miss Nebraska "traffic."
I miss the familiarity of things.

I want to go home.

Tonight I Cried

Tonight... I cried.

I sat in Elsie's room, I held her, and I cried.
I cried because she's no longer a little baby.
I cried because we're leaving the house that I brought her home to.
I cried because my days with just her are numbered.
I cried because she won't always let me hold her this way.
I cried because I'm scared.

I'm scared that I won't love my little boy as much as I love my little girl.
I'm scared because we're leaving home.
I'm scared of what the future holds.
I'm scared because I worry.

I worry that my kids will grow up and grow apart.
I worry that things won't be okay.
I worry that I won't be the mom my kids need.
I worry about what the world is becoming.
I worry because I'm human.

photo by Cleo Creative Photography and Design

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Hey guys! 

Long time, no blog. I've been at a standstill with blogging lately because, well, I have felt like I have absolutely nothing to blog about. As much as I love Elsie, I don't want this blog to just be about her. I'm not super crafty, so that's out. I don't like cooking. I don't get the chance to travel as much as I used to. My life centers around a number of things.
1. God - I have no intentions of blogging about religion. It's something that is very near and dear to my heart, and I'd like to keep it that way.
2. My family - while they are my whole life and posts may still occasionally focus on them, I don't want this blog to be all about us.
3. Photography - I have a blog just for my photography, so I'll keep that out of here, unless it's a simple tutorial or something.
4. Health & Fitness - when I'm not taking care of any of the previously mentioned things, I'm probably exercising or working on my Beachbody Business.

As many of you know, I'm pregnant with our second child & due in March. I really let myself go when I was pregnant with Elsie, and I DON'T want to do that again. So... I'm changing the focus of this blog. It's still going to be a lifestyle blog with a little bit of everything, but my primary focus will be on health and fitness. For now, I'm going to schedule out the time to blog once a week. If I can make it more often than that, great! If not... oh, well.

I miss you guys and this community, I really do. But blogging is not a priority right now. I've got a lot going on, and I've had to change my priorities around. Anyway, I'll be seeing you more often. Love you guys, and thanks for sticking around!

Of Course I'm Late.

Elsie turned one on Saturday!

I didn't want to do a big party or presents, so we just kept it small with only family and a few small gifts. Of course I had to do photos, so I'll just let those speak for themselves and give a little update at the end.

Stats: 18lbs 9oz, 30.75" tall

Dear Elsie,

Holy cow, I can't believe you're one already! The past year has just flown by. Since the last time I've written, there's not a whole lot that's different. You've got quite the vocabulary - it never ceases to amaze us.

You love dogs - I think it's safe to say they're your favorite animal, and I think I almost have your dad sold - you'll get your "doddy" soon enough.

You're crawling everywhere and into EVERYTHING! You want to walk so badly, but you're too afraid of falling (which is hilarious, by the way). You hate your veggies unless mom's eating them, then you want ALL THE FOOD!

I don't really have a whole lot to say - it's been so much fun for me to stay home with you for the past month. It has really just made me that much more confident in my decision to stay at home with you permanently, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that we have the means for me to do so. I love you more than anything, sweet monster baby!

Love,
Mommy

Swimsuit Season

... it's coming, you guys.

And I, for one, am excited!!! No, I haven't been taking crazy pills. Or doing drugs. And I didn't hit my head really hard. Nope - I've been working my butt off. Do you guys remember these results?

Well, a small chunk of that was from 30 Day Shred, but a major part of that was from T25. I got really, really bored with Jillian Michaels and her 30  Day Shred workouts, so I decided to find out what the fuss was all about with T25. I'm so glad I did. It changed my life - for real. These results are from a while back, maybe November? I'm about the same size as I was in the "after 10 weeks" group now, maybe a little skinnier from all the running I've been doing.

I've decided lately, though, that I want to get stronger. I want to build muscle and bulk up a little bit. So... I decided to order Body Beast. It's a 90 day program that will help me focus on bulking up and getting stronger. I decided, though, to not just go with the program, but to order an entire Challenge Pack. I'm not just going to focus on my workouts, nope! I'm going to work on nutrition, since that's my biggest struggle. I suck at meal planning, and I have a wicked sweet tooth. I'm excited to start this journey and see where it takes me. I'm supposed to get my Shakeology and challenge pack in the mail either tomorrow or Monday, then my Challenge Group starts on May 12 (although I'm totally going to start this thing sooner... just because I'm a little too excited about it).

Guys. I have had so much success with T25 and also Insanity that I am super pumped to see what Body Beast can do for me!!! My challenge group is open to anyone who wants to get fit or lead a healthier lifestyle, so if you are interested in having a great support group while you get healthy, let me know! I would love to help you out.

I'm A...

Hi guys!!!! 

So I've been thinking lately... what do we mean when we say we're a _________? When can we call ourselves _______________? What qualifies us as ______________?

Don't get what I mean?

I'm a photographer.  I didn't know when to start calling myself a photographer. I've had a "fancy camera" for years, but I didn't figure out how to really use it until about a year ago. Then, I took pictures of family and friends for free to practice. I did my first paid shoot in August of 2013. I still didn't feel comfortable calling myself a photographer, and I'm not sure why. I have poured hours of my life into studying photography, learning about light, learning all the tips and tricks of my camera, studying posing and composition, etc. etc. I've poured thousands of dollars into equipment and lenses. I've come a very long way, but I know I have a long way to go. I'm a photographer, but am I really? Do I really qualify as one?

I'm a runner.  I have a problem calling myself a runner. Nevermind the fact that I can run 8+ miles without stopping - I just don't feel like a runner. I'm not fast, I don't live to run, I don't really even care for it all that much, but does that mean I'm not a runner? Do I qualify as a runner even though it's not my favorite thing in the world? How do I make that distinction?

I'm sure there are plenty more __________s that I could fill, but those are the two I've been thinking of lately. What about you? What are your _________s that you question? What are you? 

Mama + Baby Style

Happy Hump Day!!! 

And thank you to those of you who texted, emailed, and facebook messaged me after yesterday's post. It obviously helped me get out of my funk because I had a fabulous run yesterday. A little over five miles at about a 9:30/mile pace, which is great for me. That may seem slow to some people, but for me... it's a friggin' miracle. Ha! So anyway... thanks to all of you guys who continually support me!

So... Elsie and I brand reps/models for Trendy Tree House, and last week in the mail, we received this super fun shirts! They are just perfect and we love them so much. I've never really had any clothes that coordinated with Elsie's, so I was super excited about getting these shirts! You can find them here. 

Feeling Discouraged.

Hey guys! 

So really this post is for me to get some feelings out in the hopes that I'll be better able to overcome them. I'm not allowing comments on this post, but if you feel the need to say something, you know how to reach me.

The half marathon is about 3 weeks away. On Saturday, I was supposed to run a 10K for time. Great, no problem. I got my workout gear on, filled my water bottles, grabbed my phone and headed for the door. As soon as I got to the trailhead, I started to run. About thirty seconds in, I had a lot of pain in my calves and my knees. A little bit of pain when I'm first starting out isn't unusual for me - I generally just run through it and it stops after about mile 2. This was different, though - this hurt. Like, really hurt. It was to the point where I didn't want to risk injuries by running, so I stopped. I stretched, walked a bit, then started jogging again. Things still hurt, so I walked until I reached the part of the trail where it turns to gravel (about 1.25 miles in). I started running again, and I felt a little bit better.

As soon as my knees started feeling better, though, my sinus issues came into play. I had snot running down my face and a major sinus headache. Running made my head feel like it was going to explode. I was so annoyed! I used all 5 tissues that I had with me and went through one of my water bottles. By this time, I was about 3 miles in and had probably walked a total of a mile. I was pissed. I got to the turnaround point and decided that I was going to try to run again. At this point, it's 85 degrees and humid, I'm having sinus and asthma issues, I have to pee, I'm almost out of water, and I'm angry. This was supposed to be a great run for me. I was supposed to be feeling freaking awesome. WHY DIDN'T I, THEN?!? I started to jog, and, of course, my left knee starts screaming at me. I had to stop. Had to. As I slowed down to start walking, my knee almost gave out on me. I had to walk the last 2.75 miles home.

I felt (feel) like a total and complete failure. I know we all have bad runs, I do. I know that every run can't be super amazing. But you know what?! I also know that I'm not a runner. I don't love running. Running is not enjoyable for me, so at this point, I'm incredibly discouraged. I have been eating my feelings the past two days (in the form of sour cream and cheddar potato chips and cheese balls), and I'm mad at myself for that. I skipped the gym today because I'm afraid. I'm afraid that, if I were to try to run five miles today, I would fail. So instead of running, I slept, telling myself that I'd go tomorrow. I'm scared. I have invested so much time (and money!!!) into this stupid half marathon, and now I feel like I will never be able to do it.

So that's that. That's what's going on over here. Hopefully tomorrow I can overcome this feeling and just get out there and run.

Sometimes.

Sometimes... 

I get frustrated with that beautiful, squishy baby of mine. Whether it's when she's constantly whining, throwing her food all over my nice, clean outfit, or taking sips of milk only to spit them all over herself, I get frustrated. I tell her to "JUST STOP!" in a slightly louder than usual voice. I like to think I'm not the only mom who has done this, but sometimes... 

I wonder. I wonder if I AM the only one, because no one ever talks about this part of being a mother. They only talk about the lovey dovey things, the things that perfect moms do. Sometimes... 

I wish we could all be real. I wish that, instead of sharing how awesome we all are, we could share how human we all are. We could share that sometimes... 

We snap at other people. Not just our kids or our husbands, either. We all have bad days, we all have those times where we wish we could just hide under the covers all day while someone else took over our responsibilities. If we could all just cut the crap and be real with each other, we would know that sometimes...

(okay, 99% of the time) my house is an absolute disaster. There are laundry piles on the couch, toys strewn throughout the house, piles of dishes in the sink, cereal on the kitchen floor, and unmade beds. I'm not a dirty person, I promise. It's just that sometimes... 

I get overwhelmed. I go to work, I come home, I take care of Elsie and play with her, I wash and fold the laundry, I do a couple dishes, and then Mike gets home. The house looks like an absolute disaster when, in reality, I feel like I've accomplished so much. If I have, though, why is it so difficult for me to see the results of my hard work? Instead of seeing the piles of clean, folded laundry (that were once piles of dirty laundry), I see clutter. I see a mess. I see myself, failing as a wife and mother because the house isn't spotless and dinner isn't cooked and on a perfectly set table. I think that sometimes.... 

We are our own worst critics. I don't know how other people see me, but I like to think that maybe they don't judge me as harshly as I judge myself. How many of us have this problem? How many of us beat ourselves up day after day, thinking that we aren't _____________ enough? Probably a lot of us. Maybe even all of us.

My Workout Essentials

Hola!!! 

Okay, so. Most of you know that I'm torturing myself by training to run a half marathon in about 3.5 weeks. In addition to running 3 days a week for my training, I've been spending time lifting weights and cross training 3-4 times a week. Over the past few months of workouts, I've found that there are a few things that I just have to have.

1. Dixie cups. Yes, you read that right - dixie cups. Fill those puppies up with ice and pop em in the freezer. Use them when you get joint pain or shin splints - take them out of the freezer and massage your sore areas with the cups until the ice runs out. This has worked wonders for me. I can thank my little brother's girlfriend for this idea!

2. Polar FT7. I seriously cannot work out without this thing. I love that it monitors my heart rate and tells me how many calories I'm burning during a work out.

3. Good shoes. This is of the utmost importance, especially if you're running. Go to a specialty running store and get fitted for some good shoes. If you aren't running and are just lifting weights, make sure you've got shoes that fit well and offer support.

4. Hydration belt. Again, this is more for running long distances (or hiking, if you live near mountains), but it's been a lifesaver. Total necessity. Mine holds tissues, 20 oz of water, my stun gun, snacks, and my cell phone.

5. C9 Champion Tech Tee. This shirt is great - before I found it, I couldn't wear shirts with sleeves while working out. This shirt changed it all, though - it keeps me cool and dry and wicks sweat like no other.

6. C9 Sports bra. Again, AMAZING! Look, I know I've gone from a D cup to a B cup in a matter of months, BUT either way, this bra holds the girls in nice and tight, and... if I get chilly, no one knows, if you know what I mean.

7. Good socks. I like these ones (I promise this is not a sponsored post for Target). When you're wearing them, it feels like you're walking on a cloud. Basically, you want your feet to be taken care of.

8. Headband. I need to keep my hair out of my face while working out, and a headband never fails.

9. Protein. I'm just getting into this, but you can't go wrong mixing a scoop of this whey protein shake with almond milk, ice, and a banana. BOOM. Delicious - thank me later.

10. MOTIVATION!!!! This can come in the form of awesome music, a workout buddy, or a goal that you're trying to meet. You won't work out if you're not motivated to do so, so download an awesome playlist, find a friend, or sign up for a race or competition. Nothing can be done without it.

What are your workout must-haves? Anything I missed? 

10 Months!

This post is so late it's not even funny, but since I know I'm just not going to get around to taking Elsie's pictures for month ten, I'll just post it now.

Dear Elsie, 

You are getting so big and starting to look more like a toddler and less like a baby every day. You've also started to show off (and assert) your huge personality. You can throw temper tantrums like no other (not looking forward to the terrible two's), love to hear your own voice, and are a huge "people person." You're still long and skinny, wearing 12 month pants and leggings and 9-12 month onesies.

You crawl, stand with support, and "cruise" if you see something that you want. You're super talkative - you point to things and say, "dat," say, "dada," "ba-ba," "WOW," and occasionally "up" (although I think you go through phases with words - saying one all the time, then forgetting about it for a week or two and eventually coming back to it). You've said "mama" once or twice, but I haven't heard it since. We also JUST figured out that you've been saying, "uh-oh" for a couple of months now. We knew you were saying something, but we just didn't know what it was!

Anyway, you still LOVE to clap and sing, and you've started to wave. You "read" your books and love to drink from a straw. You hate veggies (it's like pulling teeth trying to get you to eat them), love smoothies, and freak out if we don't share our pizza with you. You need a haircut in the worst way, but I just can't bring myself to cut your cute little wispy hairs!!

There are days that you make me want to rip my hair out, but even at the end of one of those long, crappy days, I miss you once you're in bed for the night. I love you more and more with each passing day and am so happy that you're mine. You're the best, kiddo.

Love, 

Mom

Sunday confessions

Happy Sunday! 

... and happy General Conference weekend, too! Hope you all are getting some rest and enjoying time spent with family and friends.

1. I messed up on the no treats thing on Friday... and so I went alllllll the way. Mike brought me a donut for breakfast, so I ate it without thinking, then realized it was probably considered a treat. So... I ate a delicious slice of cake (770 calories of pure deliciousness) and a TON of candy. So much, in fact, that I will not be needing another cheat day anytime soon.

2. Umm... I peed on the side of the running trail yesterday. I probably should've gone to the bathroom before I left for an hour and a half of running, but let's just ignore that fact. Good thing I always bring tissues on my long runs. Anyway... don't worry - I don't think anyone saw me. I'm sure you're all busy clicking the "unfollow" button now. HA!

3. In the past two weeks, I have watched more television than any human ever should. Like, really. It's bad. Really bad. Recent favorites have been every season of Drop Dead Diva, the one season of Emily Owens, MD that's on Netflix, Call the Midwives, and, of course, Psych. 

4. I cried when Elsie figured out how to crawl. I know, it's pathetic. She's 10 months and most babies start to crawl between 5-7 months... so I had plenty of time to prepare for this, but I still was not ready to come to terms with the fact that she's growing up!

5. I hate doing dishes. With a passion. But then again, who likes doing them? No one sane, that's who!!!

What do you have to confess? 

Confess.

Happy Sunday. 

Look, I realize that I'm super late posting a blog post, but... I don't care. I just decided that I wanted to write a post, and just because it's not 8:00 in the morning doesn't mean I'm not going to hit the "publish" button. Who cares if less people see this?

1. After this fitness challenge is over, I'm going to eat an entire gallon of ice cream. BY MYSELF. So part of this challenge is that you can't have "treats." I really like ice cream, so to me, that's considered a treat. It also means that I haven't had ice cream in about two weeks. I think I'm going insane.

2. My poor Girl Scout Cookies. Also treats. Sure, I could eat them, but then I wouldn't be as close to winning $200. This means those poor things will be neglected till June 1st. And then? I'm going to dip my Girl Scout Cookies in ice cream for hours on end.

3. I've lost 2 cup sizes since Elsie weaned herself and I've been working out 5+ days/week. I guess my boobs just happen to be where all my fat stores itself? Still waiting on my love handles to disappear, but now that my boobs have made their exit, those pesky things are the last to go. And... I have to admit -  I won't be sad to see them leave.

4. I am mad that Avicii doesn't credit the people who sing on his tracks. Like the song "Hey Brother?" Yeah, I love that song. And when I discovered that Avicii is also the artist behind "Wake Me Up," I realized that it's not him who's doing the singing, and the people who actually DO sing? Well, they're not given any credit. All that being said, the dude puts together some songs with fabulous beats that are great for accompanying workouts.

5. I think yoga is hard. Yep, call me a wuss or whatever you want - that crap is not easy!!

Any confessions on your end? 

Better late than never, right?

Happy Hump Day!!! 

I am really bummed that it's already Wednesday, mostly because that means that spring break is more than halfway over, and we all know I'm not ready to go back to the huge ball of stress that is school.

Anyway. I turned 25 in November. Before I turned 25, I had this awesome list of all these things I wanted to do by the time I joined the quarter century club. I have decided to revise that list to be a list of 25 things I want to do before I am done being 25. That counts, right?!

So I figure I'll give you all a little update on the progress that I've made since that list was created.

#3. Run a 5k in less than 28:00. I actually did that this weekend! According to my RunKeeper app, my 5K time was 27:41. I'll take it! I'm really proud of myself, because when I was running, I was so flipping cold I had snot running down my face (and... not gonna lie, I definitely blew my nose into my sweatshirt sleeve because I got so fed up. Yeah, I know... I'm disgusting).

#24. Be debt free. I was not counting student or home loans in this equation. All consumer debt was paid off a few weeks ago when we FINALLY paid the last bill for Elsie's birth. I don't care what anyone says, hospital bills are friggin expensive!! The c-section probably multiplied the cost of Elsie's birth by 10. Actually... I know it did. Tens of thousands of dollars spent on a procedure that I never in a million years thought I would need. Thank goodness for insurance and payment plans.

So. There we go - a couple more things checked off the list. I'm hoping to be able to cross off some of the other 17 things soon! ;)

Also... I'm FINALLY getting to that post on how to take a better picture... so stay tuned for that. 

Pinned it. Tried it. Totally didn't fail at life with it.

Happy Monday!!! 

So... last week I may have promised you a post that never came. Oops. Well, it's coming now, anyway, so you aren't allowed to complain. Here are five things that I have pinned, tried, and totally didn't fail at life with.

1. Headboard for less than $40. I am so glad  that I pinned this eons and eons ago. I wasn't sure if I'd ever actually get around to doing it, but I did. and I did it all by myself. Note: I did a King size headboard, so that's why mine cost more than the OP's.

2. Crockpot chicken pot pie. Maybe not the most healthy thing ever, but who cares?! It's easy and it's delicious. Win/win. NOTE: You DO need your oven for this, so I guess it's not a completely crockpot meal, but it's easy enough that it doesn't really matter.

3. DIY baby leggings. Guys, I am no seamstress. These took me about a half hour per pair. BONUS: they did not fall apart once they were on Elsie's cute little tushy.

4. Using dry shampoo correctly. Okay, so this isn't really something that can really be messed up, but if you ever use dry shampoo, you should read up on this. It's great advice.

5. DIY baby tutus. Or adult tutus... you know, whatever you want. These are super easy and super cheap. I made Elsie's last summer. And please don't laugh at this horrible photo - let's just say that my photography has definitely improved over the last 6 months.

What are some things that you have pinned and had success with? 

MONEY!!! EXERCISE!!! MONEY!!!

Heyyyy guys!! 

Happy Hump Day!! I'm so stoked that this week is halfway over. I seriously can't wait till the end of this semester.

So. As many of you know, I'm sort of addicted to exercise and working out. I've always been the type of person who would rather spend time at the gym than go out and get crazy (yes, even in my partying days). So when Deidre came up with the idea of a My Fitness Pal Challenge with a $10 buy in where winner takes all, I decided I wanted in.

Because, you know, it's money. Money that I can WIN for doing something I already do anyway. And we all know how competitive I am (or maybe you don't since many of you have never seen me play Settlers of Catan or throw my cards down during a heated game of Hand and Foot, but I digress)... Sooo my question to you is this:

ARE YOU WITH US?!?!?! 

If you've been trying to work out more regularly, if you've been watching what you eat, if you've just had a kid and want your body back, if you want to be happier, healthier, and schmexier, if you want to WIN MONEY - whatever your reasons may be, you should join us. The more people there are in on the challenge, the richer I'll be when I win the winner will be.

If you think $10 is a lot, think about the last time you ate Chipotle or Noodles and Company and quit complaining - it's nothing.

If I've got you interested, here are the nitty gritty details (stolen from Deidre's blog):

Everything will be based on a point system. 1 Point for Tracking in MyFitnessPal, 1 Point for staying within calories decided with accountability partner, 1 Point for 45 minutes amount of working out, 1 Point for no treats, and 1 Point for drinking 8 glasses of water + reward points based on how you do throughout the week.

The challenge will run March 17th through June 1st and the winner will be announced on June 2nd! So what are you waiting for? Join in. Sign up. And let's all do this together!

Sunday Confessions

Happy Sunday!! 

Hope you all have survived that lost hour of sleep (except you lame-os in AZ who don't have to suffer like the rest of us)! Anyway, here are this week's confessions.

1. I went through and started working a little more on my photography blog. I just added three or four posts (almost all of which are back-dated). I still have about 40 sessions to add if I decide to add all the sessions I've done, but ain't nobody got time fo' dat!

2. I've made my bed every day since I made our headboard! This is pretty much a miracle, since I generally suck at making the bed when I wake up. And yes, I will be sharing this tutorial with you all (in a Pinterest favorites post this coming week - I have to do a couple more projects/recipes). And... I will also add a non-cell phone picture to that post. ;)

3. I really, really have to pee. But I don't want to get up until this post is finished. I blame you all if I pee my pants.

4. I want a little boy someday so that I can sing this song to him. Too bad I'm convinced that I'm going to have all girls. I've thought about writing a girl version.
5. I cut Mike's hair on Friday and didn't mess up AT ALL! Not even around the ears (that's the hardest part for me)!!

How do YOU do it?!

Hello hello! 

It's Thursday. Duh, you know this. Or maybe you didn't, in which case - you're welcome. The first thought that comes to my mind is, thank goodness tomorrow is Friday and this week will be over. 

I've been kind of (okay, REALLY) bad at blogging this week, mostly because I have so many ideas, so many things I want to talk about, but I just haven't had the desire. I have had the desire instead to lay in bed and never leave. I'm not depressed, no - I'm stressed. 

Stressed to the flipping max. There's a lot going on, most of which I feel would be inappropriate to mention in a public forum such as this blog, but let's just say that life has been chasing me for a while, this week I finally got exhausted, and let it catch up to me, where it proceeded to attempt to swallow me whole (which - RUDE, life! What are you, some sort of crazy man-eating python?). In light of recent events, my diet has been less-than-stellar (I forget to eat one day, then overcompensate the next), my sleep has been poor, and my back is so knotty it probably resembles a 500-year-old tree.

I deal with low levels of stress or anger through exercise. However, when things get this stressful, it is difficult for me to not just shut down completely and wallow in a state of constant worry. So... my question to you is this:

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF STRESS?! Seriously. Any and all advice is appreciated.

Also... thank you thank you for all of your support of Elsie and I! Elsie didn't win, but I did, so that's awesome! Maybe I can convince them that Elsie's cute enough to be a brand rep regardless of the fact that she didn't get the popular vote? We'll see.

9 Months Out!!

Howdy! 

Before I get into things, if you aren't already, could you please follow me on Instagram? Elsie is a finalist in a modeling contest, and I could really use you guys' help for her to win! AKA I'm begging for votes. Voting starts today (Monday).  

So Elsie turned 9 months last Monday, and, as usual, I've slacked on getting her update up. I meant to take her pictures on her 9 month bday, but, ya know, life got in the way.

So here's her little update and some mediocre photos (she wasn't being the most cooperative baby ever).

Dear Elsie, 

I say this all the time, but seriously - where the heck has the time gone? You are so fun, and your little personality grows and changes each and every day. You roll around and crawl backwards, and you have mommy pull you to standing up so that you can "walk" any chance you get. You can almost sit up from a laying position, but you need something to pull yourself up (I don't blame you - I can barely sit up from laying down).

You talk soooo much. Sure, it might be more incoherent than a drunk redneck, but you love to tell me all about your day. You still say, "Da-da," and you are really close to saying, "Mama." You say, "Ooh!" and you love to scream. We sometimes scream and squeal back and forth, and you really love that.

I know this is an old video, but you still love this game:
You throw temper tantrums when I take away your toys, you can drink out of a cup with minimal spillage, and you love to feed yourself crackers and baby cheese puffs. I've tried to let you feed yourself with a spoon, but you end up throwing the bowl and chewing on the spoon instead of eating the pureed food.

You've got 6 little teeth - the four top middle teeth just came in all at once, and that was no fun. They've all finally broken through, though, so hopefully you get a little bit of a break before your next teeth come in.

You fell off the couch for the first time this past month (I say first time because I know it probably won't be the last... sorry about that), and you slammed your head into a table leg last week. Personally, I think that's a pretty good ratio of number of accidents to time spent out of the womb. We should make a sign that says, "____ days accident free!" 

Anyway, you're still in size 2 diapers, 6 month Carters onesies and 9 month everyone else onesies. You wear 9-12 month leggings and pants, and those are getting too short, so I'd better get my sewing pants on and make you some stuff! You are still just as smiley and giggly as can be, and we love you more than anything!

Love, 

Mom. 

Sunday Confessions

Happy Sunday!!! 

No witty intros today, so let the confessing begin!

1. We have entered home reno mode. Sort of. Like, weekend-only-after-1pm-because-we-value-our-sleep-home-reno-mode. We ordered nice white doors about a week ago and they came in on Friday night. Mike went out and bought all the trim for around the doors, and it's my job to paint the other trim this week. I'm also on a mission to pick out all the different wall colors, so that's fun.

We've got 10 or so doors to replace and 2 bedrooms and the living room and hallway to paint. Just yesterday we (and by we I obviously mean Mike) replaced the vanity in our master bedroom's half bath. We (and by we I obviously mean Mike) are probably going to be sinners and replace the toilet that's in there today (yes, a Sunday - GASP!). I'm making a note to start taking all the "before" pictures today or tomorrow before things get too serious!

2. I skipped two runs this past week. And.... I'm going to try to make up my 5 mile run today.

3. We have stopped ze house hunt. After talking about it, we have realized that we might not want to settle in Lincoln (holy property taxes, Batman!), so we have decided to renovate our current house to make it what WE want for the next couple of years, then when Mike is done with school in 2015 (can't come soon enough), we'll see where life takes us. I'm kind of bummed that we'll be bound to 960 sq ft for the next couple of years, but I'm kind of excited to have a house where I can be all, "LOOK WHAT WE DID!!! WE TURNED A HIDEOUS HOUSE INTO SOMETHING LOVELY!!"

4. I keep wearing cute outfits and wanting to do outfit posts (because that's part of the fun of being a vain blogger)... but then I realize I have no one to take my picture. And I think Elsie would try to eat my camera if I asked her to do it.

5. I hate bras. And if it was socially acceptable, I would NEVER wear them (except when running, because let's be real - running without a bra would NOT be comfortable).

We are Family!

Happy Thursday!! 

Get through today and there's one more day in the work week - you can do it! I'm so sick of being in school; my heart just isn't in it. I honestly don't know how I'm going to finish this semester out when all I want to do is focus on Elsie and photography. But I digress.

Really the point of this post is to show off our family pictures, because I am so happy with the way they turned out! Stephanie did a fabulous job!

All photos are copyright Cleo Creative Photography and Design. 

Get to know other bloggers - Q&A Link Up

Hey there, hi there, ho there! 

In case you missed it, here are the questions for today's "get to know you" link up! You can answer some, none, or all of the questions in vlog or written format - just link them on up and meet some other bloggers, too!

Where do you like to shop?

How do you plan your meals?

Have you ever had a garden?

Do you love getting the mail?

Any fitness app recommendations?

What is the worst book you ever read?

What food would you never ever eat?

How many children do you want?

Name one item on your 'bucket list' or 'life to-do list' that you are eager to accomplish!?

So, without further ado... here is me looking like an idiot (again, only this time with bad hair) and answering your questions!

Link up your Q&A!!

I like talkin' bout you, you, you, you, usually... but occasionally, I wanna talk about...

ME!!!! 

Eh. Who am I kidding? We all know that the only reason people have blogs is so that they can talk about themselves all day erry day. Anyway, I'm gonna keep on keepin' on with this talking about myself thing and answer the questions you guys presented. In vlog form. Because I'm lazy. And because... well, why not?

At the end of the post, there is a list of questions for you guys to answer! You can answer them however you dang well please (vlog or written format). I'll make a link up for... Tuesday (tomorrow) and you guys can link up your awesome answers and meet other bloggers! YAY!! At that time, I will have part 2 of my q&a session up, as well.
Big shout out to Brittany, Mariah, and Kaity for this first set of questions! Thanks for making me think, ladies.

Now here are some questions for YOU! Feel free to answer whichever ones you want, or ALL of them! I'm so excited to get to know my readers better. If you don't want to dedicate a whole post, feel free to answer some of them in the comments.

If you could move anywhere in the world where would you go? (cost and language not a problem)

Where do you like to shop?

How do you plan your meals?

Have you ever had a garden?

Do you love getting the mail?

Any fitness app recommendations?

What is the worst book you ever read?

What food would you never ever eat?

How many children do you want?

Name one item on your 'bucket list' or 'life to-do list' that you are eager to accomplish!?

Confessions

Happy Sunday, all!! 

I'm just going to get right down to business.

1. I was supposed to run 5 miles yesterday, but I didn't give myself enough time. Oops. I really didn't want to run on the treadmill (again), so I decided to run outside. The only problem? I only gave myself about 45 minutes. Lately I've been running at a pace between 10:30-11:00/mile, so there was no way I was going to make 5 miles in that time frame. I ended up doing 4, which gives me a total of about 11.5 miles for the week, plus half a mile of swimming.

2. I am really beginning to hate winter. Okay, so this isn't as much a confession as it is a complaint. But seriously?!? EFF OFF, WINTER!!! 

3. Mike and I have been re-watching Psych. At least 2 episodes per day. I forgot how much I love this show!!!

4. We spent way too much money yesterday. Being an adult is expensive, yo.

5. I have had a piece of cheesecake every day for the past five days. And I don't even care. OM NOM NOM!!!!

What do you have to confess? 

Whatever whatever... I do what I want.

Happy Thursday!!! 

I'm going to be honest, guys. This is probably the 20th time in the past two days that I've opened this blogger window and had a stare-down. Like, I've been having some serious writer's block! I want to write - I just have no. idea. what to write about. I've started (and deleted) about ten different posts.

I want to write something funny, but nothing funny happens to me. Seriously. I haven't fallen on the ice in front of some super suave fancy person, I haven't dropped my underwear on a crowded bus, and I haven't made a fool out of myself lately. So there's that.

I also have no desire to write out a super serious post because, well, I just don't feel like being deep right now.

That all being said, I feel like it's been a looongggg time since I've done one of those coffee date or Q&A posts. So... here's the dealio - I want you guys to come up with a question to ask me, and I'll answer all the questions I get. It can be about ANYTHING!

Babies, being a Mormon, what I believe, what my favorite food is, where I'd like to travel, how to get your body back post-baby, my favorite place out of all the places I have been, travel tips, how to be the most awkward person ever, how I manage to take such amazing selfies (see example below), etc. etc.

AND THEN... In a few days, I'll take some of my favorite questions that could apply to any and all of you and ask them right back so that you can blog about them. And then next week, we'll have a link up where we can all share our answers and get to know other bloggers and make new friends.