friday faves.

Happy Friday!  It's raining here and we are having a day at home doing laundry, cleaning and reorganizing a little bit.  Once again, here are some fun finds from my week...

Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God, was one of my most favorite songs growing up.  I remember singing it with as group of LDS Young Women in sacrament meeting.  I have been searching for songs about daughters and I found it the other day sung by this little lady...Kalli Jackson, she has a beautiful voice and in this Album she is accompanied by Marvin Goldstein...

 



 

("Walk Tall" is at the bottom of the playlist)

I'd love to purchase her album.  Absolutely beautiful!
 
Hannah has been showing interest in the potty lately and so, I have had potty training on my mind.  The other day Heather @ the Coterie Blog shared her potty training advice.  I know everyone's potty training experience is different, and I am sure that it's hard work...but I liked that she emphasized being extremely consistent!  Anyway, I stored it away for future reference, I'm not quite sure I'm ready for the potty train quite yet!

Baby Bjorn

I usually don't wear a ton of makeup, I just don't like it all caked on my face, but I do wear a minimum amount and I love to get tips and advice for when I do.  The Dating Divas (you know I love them) shared a guest post tutorial by a make-up guru friend of theirs.  I loved her tips on contouring...interesting, I never knew!

The Dating Divas | Your Guide to a Flawless Face

I ran across Grace is Overrated and love her journal pages that she puts together!  Cute and quirky. Love it!

Grace is Overrated | Journal Pages

My daughter LOVES to read.  She loves to be read to before nap, before bedtime, throughout the day, and she likes to take a book to bed!  I think it's wonderful!  I've been hoping to make or buy some kind of a book display so she can easily choose a favorite or discover a new one!  I loved this idea from Martha Stewart.  It's pretty, simple and I can switch them out every once in a while.  Plus, my husband said he could make it in about an hour!  Love that man and his talents!

Martha Stewart | Children's Bookshelves

One last thing...I have gone through my husband and I's memory boxes and keepsakes and I ended up chucking some things that I have been holding onto forever.  After reading this post from Small Notebook, some of it just didn't have the same nostalgic appeal as it did before!  Of course, I'm extremely sentimental so I still have a large 4 large rubbermaid totes, full of stuff for Connel, Hannah and I, but it's better than the 7 or so we had before!

Small Notebook | Holding on to Sentimental Things

Have a great weekend!

dream home date night.

The other night Connel and I took some down time and had a little date night.  We decided to write down some plans for our dream house.  I've heard some couples say that if they ever built a home together, they would need three people...him, her, and a marriage counselor.  Ha ha!  Everyone has their own style, and Connel and I each fit our own mold for sure, but we were surprised to see some of our tastes were quite similar!

I like the country/cottage/craftsman look quite a bit...and Connel really likes the southern colonial/Georgian look.  We both really like the look of this one...

The House Designers | Highland House Plan

I like the one story look with a basement, but, we agreed on a 2 story with a basement.  The master and children's bedrooms upstairs, the living areas on the main floor and the guest and "extras" in the basement.

It was interesting how the largest "issue" was the entryway and stairway.  Connel would like a grand entry with a large rounded staircase.  Like this:

I told him that I'd like to feel less like Daddy Warbucks (staircase-wise at least ;).  I'm okay with something elegant, but just a little more simple and less formal.  Something like this:

Source: google.com via Laura on Pinterest

or this:

Source: nikinikinine.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

Anyway, we spent way too long talking about just the stairs, and agreed to think about it later!

We dreamed about the yard...this is where we agreed on just about everything.  We are both adamant about having a truly landscaped yard.  More than a just a row of bushes in front of our house.  We want water features, areas of trees and plants, a garden, deck, play area.  You know like you see at the home and garden shows?  Ya.  Like that.

I NEED to have a front porch with a swing.  This is not optional people.  Must. have. porch. with. swing.  Or shall we call it the veranda?  And of course, the best setup would be to have a house somewhere in the country where we could look out and not have huge trees or other houses blocking the view. 

House Beautiful

We talked and dreamed and planned for about 3 hours and we didn't even get to anything else.  We still have to plan the interior layout and the kitchen, office, laundry room, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, etc!

Okay, okay, so this all sounds very greedy doesn't it?  I feel a little silly posting all my worldly desires on my blog, but I guess if you want to get to know the real me...hee hee hee.   It may or may not ever get built, but it is sure fun to dream!

Oh, c'mon!  Don't tell me we're the only ones that dream! :)  What are your dream house plans?

P.S. If your "pinterested" you can head over to my boards and see what other details I have in mind for our future home! :)

friday faves.

 Ran across this song by Cherie Call and loved it!  I'm that one in the family...you know the one... that takes TONS of pictures and pretty soon everyone is trying to hide from the camera...This song just makes me feel a little justified in taking so many pictures...and makes me want to take more!  "We’re only here for a moment, so we take a picture to hold our place in time, as the days go by..."

Ooooh!  This is cool.  Photoshop Actions from Paint the Moon Photography!  I love!  And you can try some out for FREE!  I've already downloaded the freebies from their blog and got the freebie from their Facebook page!  I'm excited to play around with them!

Paint the Moon | First Class Freebies

Found this idea by Lindsey of the Pleated Poppy via Thirty Handmade Days for homemade road trip organizers for your kids and pinned it!

Thirty Handmade Days/Pleated Poppy | Road Trip Organizer

This looks sooo yummy!  So does everything else on this foodie blog...

The Girl Who Ate Everything | Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip

I really like this necklace, it's handmade and best of all it's designed so if needed she will add Pearl(s) in the chain to represent "angel babies" (miscarriage/stillborn/infant loss).

Agape Love Boutique | Custom Made Birds Nest Necklace

If you couldn't already tell, I love road trips!  My latest dream is to "get my kicks on Route 66!"  I don't know if it's my daughter's sudden interest in the movie Cars (the 1st) or just my urge to do something nostalgic and memorable.  But the other day I added "Drive Historic Route 66 in a vintage convertible while wearing white sunglasses and a scarf around my neck!" to my bucket list.  Anyone wanna come with?

via: Smithsonian

Have you ever driven the "mother road"?  Did you have fun?  What cool things did you do/see?

mi-mi.

 Lately I have been thinking about weaning Hannah from her most beloved "mi-mi".  Was your little one attached to their binky?  How did you get rid of it?  When did you get rid of it?

Please, do tell.

friday faves.

This song is a recent discovery at our house, we think it's cute and quirky!

I'm loving everything from this blog.  I especially love their Learning Language Resource Guide, it is a very informative and reliable resource!  While studying Early Childhood Ed in college, we practiced these strategies with toddlers and I have seen them work!  I also try do this with Hannah as often as I can.

Modern Parents, Messy Kids

Tried this play dough recipe from The Idea Room with my munchkin yesterday.  It smells so delicious, I was surprised she didn't try to eat it!  I mean...even I had a little taste of it!

The Idea Room | Home-made Play Dough

I know it's Pioneer Woman again, but I think everything she makes looks soooo yummy!  Take this for example...(and I don't really even like tomatoes.)

Pioneer Woman Cooks | Avocado Egg Salad

I totally want to make the adult-sized version of this bag! (but it's really cool for kids too.)

Chez Beeper Bebe | Nature Explorer Bag

I want this bike, but I just can't seem to justify it as a need, especially for how much it costs!  Darn.

Adeline Adeline: Pashley Britannia

I recently read this article and loved it!

Becoming Minimalist:  The Danger of Neglecting Time Alone

Note to self, add this destination to my dream Hawaii vacation.  If this doesn't make you want to have a tropical adventure, I don't know what else would.

found via: Natalie Norton Photography Blog
video by Devinsupertramp

...and sneak peek at our recent outing and photo op!

friday faves.

Just some things that I've been in love with lately... (click the pics to go to the original source)

Listening to over and over:

Most recent blog crush:

a beautiful journey...

A fun idea for the munchkin:

Creative Summer List Idea (click on pic)

I can't wait to try this yumminess:

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw

Someone's creative idea that is on my to do list:

Saving my money to buy: 

I want one with a white watch face.

I am reading this and learning lots:

click pic for book review

 

I would love to live in this space:

I love the dark beams and the white-washed paneling.

A recent photo that I snapped:

Cute niece and her mega-s'more!

Have a fantastic weekend!  We are looking forward to exploring and taking photos at a lavender farm!

reasons.

When I started blogging, I did it for several reasons.  The first reason was my sister...she could not sleep at night until I had a blog!  She would call me at 3 in the morning wondering why I didn't have a blog yet???  Okay... so not really, but I was under some pressure from her to write that first post!  Two, it was a way to update my long-distance family members on what was going on in our life.  It became an on-line journal of our family's adventures together and a connection to old friends.  As I burrowed deeper into it, I found a new hobby.  One of finding and sharing ideas, recording life, taking pictures, connecting with others in my same situation, and tackling new projects. 

This past month I have been posting about the same subject everyday.  It was a great topic and it was some inspiration that I needed to have.  But, I have to be honest, doing the daily posts on the same subject every day was starting to become an obligation instead of a pleasure.  I can't let my blog to turn into that.  Even more, I can't let my life become a obligation to my blog.

I love to have this little space to escape to.  It helps me feel like I have a way to define part of who I am.  My thoughts, scattered as they may be, are written here for whoever may see, but they are here and they are mine. 

I recently read this article on finding your motivation for blogging.  I realized that, to me, feeling successful about my blog doesn't mean getting so many readers, or making money from my blog.  I mean, it would be a nice perk, but I could care less about that.  I just want to feel success with it.  Does that make any sense?

I have a deep desire to inspire, to share, and to motivate.  When I started my Beyond the Rain blog, I wanted to have an outlet for myself, and inspire hope.  Eventually I created a small network of friends who were also struggling with infertility and miscarriage.  With that blog, I was able to inspire some hope and I was able to make a small group of friends.  My little infertility blog holds a part of my soul within it's posts.  I treasure those writings as a part of myself.

To know that when I am inspiring others, expanding myself, sharing creative endeavors, and glorifying my Heavenly Father...that is what brings me fulfillment.  I hope to let my blog reflect my true self and the things I really love.  I hope it will capture the beautiful (and even the not so beautiful) moments of my family and I as we live our little life.

grateful to live in America.

Last week, I was driving home with Hannah from the store and they started playing the National Anthem by Martina McBride on the radio.  My windows were rolled down and I turned it up loud!  I got thinking about how it may have felt to be there with Francis Scott Key watching the battle from a ship deck and seeing through the smoke and "the dawn's early light" the magnificent American flag waving like a beacon of hope and reassurance.  With my thoughts and the music, I was suddenly struck with emotion and gratefulness to have the blessing of living here in this beautiful, unique, land of liberty.  I'm grateful that I can have the freedom to roll down my car window and play the National Anthem as loud as I want to!  

I grateful that I was born to live in the land of the free.  I'm grateful that I can pursue dreams large and small.  I'm grateful for those who give their lives and and daily comforts to serve our country so willingly.  I am grateful that I can worship God freely and share my beliefs.  I am grateful that I can make my own choices.  I am grateful that I have been able to learn about the history which our country stands on.  I'm grateful for those who have gone before and sacrificed so much to give this country Independence.  

I am grateful and proud to be an American.  

"'Tis the star-spangled banner - O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

friday five.

Simple Kids | Family Stories That Bind

The R House | Understanding and Supporting Pregnancy Loss

Simply Modern Mom | Sand Play Dough

The Idea Room | "Date Your Husband?  Let Me Start the Conversation For You"

Simple Marriage | 24 Keys to Remaining Friends With Your Spouse