Cibolo Creek

Back in August we drove up to Boerne, Texas to attend a family wedding. We actually missed the ceremony due to faulty GPS instructions...but we all had a blast at the reception afterwards! The next morning after breakfast we visited an antique shop and then decided to spend some time at Cibolo Creek on our way out of town. The boys had a lot of fun seeing a bunch of geese and ducks (and a few turtles!) up close, although Connor kept trying to run off on his own! He is becoming quite the independent little boy! Here are a million some pictures we took of our morning by the banks of the creek.

Going Out In Pajamas...

Dress & Sandals (TJMAXX) Plaid Shirt (Target) Purse (Ross)

...is a no no, but a sweater dress that is as comfortable as pajamas is perfectly fine! I found this one on clearance at TJMAXX recently and know I'll get a lot of use out of it this fall and winter. The above pics are from last Saturday for some errands and park time with the family, and the one below is from Sunday before church. It was a lovely weekend, despite all of us still having the sniffles. We got groceries after church, picked up lunch, and then settled in to watch the latest Doctor Who episode. (Still waiting for this season to pick up a bit...) Sean's allowed to play games on the weekend so Ryan got him set up on the computer and I got Connor down for a nap and then we enjoyed our mini date together. With iced coffee and snacks of course! Oh and speaking of snacks, I'm still trying to get back into better eating habits, I've made some progress but I'm not where I'd like to be yet. I'm not going to beat myself up about it though and even decided to hold off on weighing myself for a while. (The daily weight fluctuations were driving me crazy.) Instead I'm just going to focus on the positive things going on in our lives right now, (choir practice for me, karate class for Sean and Ryan, a fun game we're all enjoying playing together, progress in Sean's homeschooling, new cute things Connor does and says each day, and sweet time spent with friends and family) and just keep trying to be healthier every day! Onwards and upwards my friends, by the Grace of God! 

Dress (Target) Sweater (Old Navy) Flats (Gift) Necklace (James Avery)

(Linking up to the Stylish Housewife and the Pleated Poppy!)

Shortcomings

 Shirt & Shorts (Old Navy) Boots (Marshalls) Watch (Fossil)

I've been feeling pretty frazzled lately, especially after a weekend spent at home with a sick baby (just a cold thankfully), and then getting sick myself. Lack of sleep and falling back into poor eating habits don't help either. (Like that scone pictured above!) I've gained some weight back and that sends me into a cycle of feeling bad about myself and then eating sweets to feel better, and then feeling like a failure for not having better self-control. I need to pray for strength to do what's right for my health instead of giving into the momentary pleasure of junk food. I know I feel better and have more energy when I follow a paleo diet, but I keep slipping up and vowing to "do better tomorrow." Last week I made cookies and strawberry cobbler for the family, and today it was a toddler on a nap strike that drove me to sweets. Ryan rescued us from cabin fever after work and we went for a drive and picked up coffee and dessert. We eventually wound up at a dead end street in a neighborhood nearby and stopped to watch the deer we saw in the surrounding field. It was nice to see a bit of nature in the middle of the city. We also did some window shopping and let the kids burn off some energy running around before heading back home. I thought for sure Connor would nap after that but NOPE! Still flat-out refused to fall asleep. It would be fine if he wasn't tired and didn't need to sleep, (when he's well-rested he's a joy to be around!) but he was delirious with exhaustion and acting out because of it. He finally passed out at 7:30, which means an early morning is in store for me tomorrow... Oh well, at least Sean went to bed early as well and I've had some time to get my feelings out here. It's true what everyone says, blogging is therapeutic y'all! Here's to making better choices tomorrow and God bless husbands for treating tired mommies well!

Anticipating Flashback Fashion Fridays: Four years ago I was blogging about this fall outfit I put together:

I still like it and how appropriate are the deer earrings considering my little encounter today! :)

(Linking up to the Stylish Housewife!)

(Also linking up again with the lovely Adri and Jessica from Adri Lately and Jeans and a Teacup with Flashback Fashion Fridays.)

Autumn Colors

Dress (Target) Bag (Target) Sandals (Ross) Watch (Fossil)

I bought this dress a few months ago and finally got around to wearing it last Sunday to church with the family and then out to lunch afterwards. We put Connor down for a nap when we got home and Sean had already changed into his "soft shorts" (what he calls his comfy exercise shorts) so it was just me for the pics. I think I'll like this outfit more when it's cooler out and I can do some layering with it. Anyway, obligatory mention of fall...my DIY autumn wreath is up again. I did wait until September 1st to put it up, even if fall doesn't officially start until the 23rd (according to google).  Fall in south Texas comes even later, but when you're inside (with the a/c on!) you can fake the feeling of fall with nice scented candles, hot chocolate for the boys and maybe a pumpkin here or there. 

Linking up again with the lovely Adri and Jessica from Adri Lately and Jeans and a Teacup with Flashback Fashion Fridays. Exactly four years ago (tomorrow) I posted this outfit:





(Linking up to The Stylish Housewife too!)

What I Wore: 96 Degrees

Tee and Shorts (Old Navy) Sandals (Target) Bag (Gift) Watch (Fossil) Sunglasses (Kohl's)

You know it's been hot lately when you step out into 96 degree weather and think it feels cool! The Texan temps lately have been at least 10 degrees higher than that so today was a nice reprieve. I didn't bother with any extra layers though! A soft tee and my trusty four year old denim shorts were just the thing to stay cool and comfortable while grabbing lunch with the family and running some errands. Next on the agenda is to hit up the pool when the baby wakes up! Enjoy your weekend y'all!

Oh and I'm linking up to Adri Lately and Jeans and a Teacup with Flashback Fashion Fridays (a day late, oops)! Around this time four years ago I posted this outfit! It's certainly a lot more feminine than today's sporty look!

(Linking up to The Stylish Housewife and The Pleated Poppy)

Sean's Fifth! A Lego Robot Party

Robot Lego Party Commence!

I made Mr. Robot Man from tissue paper and wrapping paper. The kids had fun posing with him!

For the robot containers I just covered cylindrical tissue holders with tape and then decorated them with pom poms for eyes, pipe cleaners for arms, and card stock designs for the front panels. I used a few rubber bands as well to separate the different parts of the robot. Sean helped and now they're being used to hold his paint brushes. Waste not, want not!

We had a variety of snacks available, (junk food and healthy options) and a bunch of pizza, plus favor bags filled with an assortment of twizzlers for the kids to take home. I made the banner and Ryan, Sean and I worked on the big lego robots.

And to continue in the tradition of last year's birthday post, here are some of Sean's favorite things at age 5:

Favorite color: "Uh, black. Actually I think I don't like black, I like blue."

Favorite number: "5."

Favorite letter: "Well, J."

Favorite food: "Mac and cheese."

Fave drink: "Dr Pepper." (Treat on his birthday!)

Favorite animal: "Elephant."

Favorite song: "The VBS songs."

Favorite baby: "Connor!"

Favorite toy: "I like my plane and my Millennium falcon."

Favorite Robot: "The one you made on the table at my party because the lip goes up."

Favorite game: "Jenga."

Favorite plant: "Connorbee." *With a laugh*

Favorite show: "Reading Rainbow and Space Racers."

Favorite book: The big and the little Dr. Seuss books."

Favorite part of Kindergarten: I like when  you color and cut out papers and cutting out the fruit today."

Favorite place to go: Restaurants and stores.

Love you buddy! Never change!!

(Linking up to Friday Finds at Salt and Pepper Moms!)

Easy Master Bedroom Improvements: Part Two

After looking at the last post I just wasn't satisfied with the layout of the room...so I went back to the drawing board! I've been liking the look of desks next to the bed lately, so I thought I would try it out in my own space. Tried it, loved it!! I know it's silly to get so excited about moving a piece of furniture...but something about this arrangement just feels right. I already used it for devotions and to do my makeup yesterday. I foresee myself getting lots of use out of it in this location. Plus I get to watch Sean playing outside! Removing the clunky old computer from the desk freed up the space for writing, drawing, etc, and when we get a laptop soon it will fit just fine. (Anyone have any good laptop recommendations?)

I saw a picture of this room from almost two years ago and got inspired to bring the same artwork and bedspread back in. The blue comforter from the last post got the boot! Next Sean and I got to work painting an abstract piece for that old frame I had. We just used the board that was inside the frame and grabbed some blue, green, white and yellow tempera paints and played around with the colors until we liked it! Sean had so much fun and I think the final product ties in well with the other abstract art in the room. Below is the beginning of a (dare I say it?) gallery wall! A picture from our wedding day and Connor and Sean as little babies went up as well. It's on the wall that the desk used to be on and there's plenty of room to grow over time!

Ok, last shot of my new fave spot in the house, complete with the face of a rascal trying to steal my pencils! Adios!

(Linking up to Friday Finds over at Salt and Pepper Moms!)

Easy Master Bedroom Improvements

I recently made a few small changes to our master bedroom to spruce things up a bit without spending any money. We have yet to buy a new bed frame after our last one broke, and I was tired of looking at our mattresses sitting directly on the floor. They're still on the floor, but with the addition of a bedskirt and a larger comforter (that we already owned), it's not quite as obvious! I also pulled out the leather part of our old headboard and propped it up behind the mattress. It's comfortable to lean back on, but it's just a temporary fix since they're not attached to anything. Eventually we'll buy a nice new bed, but in the meantime this will do the trick! I swapped out the two tree pictures for an old frame full of my son's artwork too. It's nice to add a personal touch to the space, even though I'd prefer one large piece of his work rather than several small papers in the frame. That's something I can switch out later after I find the right size paper for him to create with.

I made some quick feather art using my charcoal set and three blank canvases I already had to dress up the top of my bookcase. I rearranged the shelves while I was at it and threw out the dust jackets of my Chronicles of Narnia set. The black and gold binding was a lovely surprise and it adds just the right touch to the styling of the shelf! 

It felt good being able to freshen up our space by utilizing things we already owned, and down the line I look forward to working on our wishlist! New floors, new paint and some new furniture!

-Val

What We Wore: Nautical Blues

V: Dress (TJMAXX) Sandals (Ross) Bracelets (Loft)

S: Top (Gift) Pants (Target) Shoes (Target)

C: Romper (Carter's) Shoes (Marshalls)

Last Sunday was Sean's 5th birthday! We celebrated with family and friends on Saturday and had lots of fun! I'll put up a post soon with pics from his party. If you want mediocre ideas for a robot lego party...check back later this week! Hah!

We wore these outfits to church on Sunday. Well, Sean and I did, Connor was still napping when it was time to leave so Ryan stayed home with him. Sean's been staying in the service since children's church is out for the summer, but we survived with plenty of crayons and activity books. After church we ran to Target to spend Sean's birthday money! He picked this lego set (his first big kid set) and we've been enjoying putting the different creatures together. I broke a nail trying to get two pieces apart though! A lego brick separator has already been ordered to prevent that happening again.

I'm happy I fit into this dress again! The last time I wore it was to my cousin's wedding in 2012! (Here) This time I tied it in the back and added a "pop of color" with the shoes. (Sorry I know that term is overused in the fashion/decorating world!) Anyway, I hear the boys making a huge mess in my closet so I'll stop here! Have a good week!

(Linking up to WIWW at the Pleated Poppy and the Stylish Housewife)