/ I've always had a love for the Gardiner Sisters on YouTube. Seriously, their voices are beyond anything, and they are seriously the cutest. (They even got 2 seriously's outta me.) Love love LOVE these girls. I have been completely obsessed with this song of theirs. I found it a while ago, but then re-found it recently, and fell in even more sweet love with it. Not to mention that I can't, for the life of me, teach myself how to sing, and play my guitar at the same time. So watching this gives me hope. Anyways, it's a remix of one of my favorite song, Dirty Paws, tied beautifully with Home. SO GOOD. K, I'll let yah listen.



/ WE FOUND OUT WHO 'A' IS. well... the world did. I refuse to read any tweets, statuses, or articles about who it is. Dying. DON'T TELL ME. (unless its Aria. because I swear that girl...) This chick is waiting till this season is on Netflix. 

/ BOBBY IS COMING BACK ON SUPERNATURAL. Okay. Deep breaths. & for hells sake no more caps.  ...do those two even count as an obsession? More like I'm obsessed with the shows, and it's exciting news.

/ But really though you wanna know who's hair I'm truly obsessed with, it's my girl Laura Vandervoort. (Okay, really though, who isn't completely in love with this gal? Or just want to hang out with her?) Can we find someone more perfect, please? I thought not. Been having a girl crush on her since the Smallville & V days. Now falling even more in love with her on Bitten. #packforlife  She truly makes me want to have my hair short again.. or just you know, be as freaking awesome as she is.

/ I'm kinda obsessed with this o u t f i t . It is so beautiful, and looks so comfy! And I am all about comfort. But really, I'm so in love with that shirt. One day technology will advance so far that we'll be able to pull clothes out of our computer. Well.. here's to hoping anyways.

/ But really.. I can hear my mom actually saying this to me...

/ This summer I really want to be adventurous, and play outside. But I just never know what to do.. We always just end up doing the same thing. (Go to the park. Go to the library. Go get ice cream.) Which isn't bad, or not fun. But I need to be more creative. And now that he's getting older, I think he'll find some of these things on this 1 6 0 S u m m e r  L i s t really amusing. Well, here's to hoping anyways!

/ So remember that thing I posted on my last weekly obsessions about the lady who lived to be 104 years old, and credited her long life to Dr. Pepper. Well, here's a l i n k vid of her. And did I mention she's from Texas? Makes me want to be best friends with her even more. #texasforever

/ Whenever I see b r a i d s like this I just get depressed, and wish I could braid my hair like that. I don't know why I have the hardest time with doing braids like this on myself. I can do a side one like no ones bidness, but something like that? Nah. I guess I just stick to staring at them on Pinterest, and dreaming being that cool one day.

/ Also... I've been contemplating going back to mah true roots of a b l o n d e because of that picture. But then I hear my mom saying to me all through out my youth, and even now, "You were born a blonde", "You look better as a blonde.", or my personal favorite, "The dark hair doesn't suit you, because you were meant to be a blonde." Then I remember why I don't really want to become a blonde anymore haha. (Just kidding mama, you're only part of the reason ;)) But then I see t h i s pic, and I'm all.. maybe it would be worth it. 

.


/ I am so in love with this g l o b e from Chapters. Seriously. Not that I'd pay that much for it, but maybe I would paint one. They also have t h i s one that I am equally in love with. But really? Who doesn't love globes?

/ & then this because I want to die some grocery shopping days, and this made me laugh.

as always happy weekend, my obsessive homies.

you rock.

#nationalpuppyday

So, National Pup/Dog Day was over literally an hour ago, but I had to post this.

Roxy is our baby girl. She maybe turning 7 this year, but there is still a puppy spirit in her. There are so many things about her that bring so much love into our home. Like her snorts, and grumbles at things she doesn't like, or disagree with. Or the fact that she sneezes directly on us if we make her mad, or irritated. Or how, whenever I am in pain, she knows, and comes over and snuggles with me. And at night, she has to be touching at least one of when we are sleeping. She will keep stretching out her legs until she is. Everyone who meets her, can't help but fall in love her with sweet, gentle nature.

Here are some of my favorite photos of our Roxy Girl..

She truly does complete this family, and we are so blessed to have her in our life. I love that there is a day to celebrate her, and all of our pups that bring joy, and love into our home.
Happy National Pup/Dog Day to all you dog lovers. 

The 52 Project / week eleven

'A picture of my child once a week, every week for a year' 

{eleven / fifty-two}

Few days ago, I did a fun photo session with Renner. I love the innocence in his play, and laughter. I am dying over these pics, so here are a few of my favorites.

and this one just melts my heart..

Weekly Obsessions.

/ Jacklyn Hill is one of my favorite Makeup Artists! She has awesome videos on YouTube that I am obsessed with. She's just, I don't know, super down to earth, and quirky. I love the quirky. But this vid is about her getting ready, and shows her c l a s s i c m a k e u p look. Love her, guys.


/ This beautiful s w e a t e r. Yep. I'll take one in every color it comes in. Thank you.


/ This awesome mamas b l o g. I was doing my insta creeper thang, when I came across her page, and fell instantly in love. You will too.


/ I just want her s h o e s.. and well, actually, I'll just take all that in my collection.


/ This p h o t o, because we just got about 3 inches of snow, AFTER it all melted, and it's still snowing. I'm ugly crying on the inside.. maybe, on the outside too. & now I am watching Lord of the Rings. Silver lining in somethings I guess.

/ This makeup & hair style. I can never find the time to do my hair this beautiful, and intricately done, so I'll live vicariously through these chicks.


/ My good friend Alyssa over at, Studio Camp Photography Blog, shared t h i s s t o r y with me of this lady living to be 104 years old, and gave her long life credited to Dr. Peppper. All I can say to that is AMEN.


/ This sickeningly, beautiful p i c t u r e of spring flowers. (more ugly crying)

/ Everything about this b e d s i d e  t a b l e. It's amazing, and I need to know how to decorate them.


/ C r e a m C h e e s e C i n n a m o n M o n k e y B r e a d. Nuff said.


/ I've been obsessed with putting lemons and raspberries into my water bottle, so these f r u i t i n f u s e d w a t e r guide is pretty fantastic. Here is another one from B u z z F e e d. (which is another obsession. i love that site)
Speaking of Buzzfeed, Keagan and I are both obsessed with these "W e i r d T h i n g s C o u p l e s D o" videos. We've probably watched like everyone. They're our favorite. // 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 (this last one is me all the time. only when I ask keagan to call it, he goes, "phone!" not even kidding haha. usually though, it's in his pocket. actually always in his pocket.)


/ And finally, t h i s. I'll just leave this here.

Boom. Drop the mic.
Happy weekend, my homies. You dah bestest.

let them create

I love painting with Ren. There is something about watching him paint that brings such a sweetness into our home. The pure raw creativity that shines through is beautiful. Last summer time we started painting outside on our porch, but through out the winter time we've had to bring our painting sesh inside. Which is a bummer, but what can you do during those months besides hibernate (and cry..)? So we brought out our painting sheet, grabbed a couple of my canvases, threw on my painting mix {a lot of florence + the machine, ellie goulding, city & colour, two doors cinema}, and got our artisty on.

Ren loves his cars and trucks, so I had him pick out a couple that had good tire treads, then put some paint on the cardboard, and a little on his canvas, and had him roll the tires through the paint and drive it on his canvas. He thought it was so much fun. He made car sounds through the whole thing.

I've struggled with letting go of the reigns, and just letting him have fun. Letting him go crazy with his painting, or just anything to do with creating in general, and not "helicopter" over him. I have to be conscious with not controlling how he paints, or creates. He needs to develop his creativity on his own without me showing him how something is suppose to look like, or not look like. 

Art is all about expression, and the one beautiful thing that I love about it is that it can be interpreted in such different ways. I want him to create something that is just his. Whether it be something he paints, draws, builds, dances, or anything. I think it's an important part of growing your imagination, and even building up an inner confidence. 

I love the saying, "let them be little". So much. But for me, I think a saying that fits perfectly, is, "let them create". Don't worry about the mess. Don't worry about clutter. About perfect. 

Worry about memories. About masterpieces being created. About skills being honed. About imaginations expanding. About making relationships. About having fun. About feeling and being loved. 

I love these moments with him so deeply, and I want these to continue as he grows older, and maybe, even something he passes along to his own babes. So, here's to keeping them little, growing big imaginations, and creating beautiful things.





I wanna see what you are your babes are creating, or have created. Let's get this trending //

#letthemcreate

two.

 

This kid turned two in February. I still can't even believe that I have a two year old. Ren is a fire pistol. He is loud, adventurous, spirited, gentle, loving, soft spoken, thoughtful, and growing into such a fun personality. It's so amazing watching him grow, learn, experience things, and change all the time. I fall more in love with him everyday.

It's the little things that he does. Like putting his blankie behind his head to give him a cushion to lay on, or calling everything he loves "ba ba" (the sink, his blankie, his toothbrush), or getting overly excited every time he sees a kitty, in person, across the way, or on the paper towel packaging at the store. He puts his arms out, and wiggles his fingers like he is going to tickle them, going "oooohhh ticky ticky ticky ticky". I die every time.

I'm so grateful that he is starting to snuggle again. He went through a phase where he could not be kept down. He just wanted to move all day long. But now he loves to cuddle. And I do not complain.

He is tall though. Most people think he is three. So when they look at him, and ask him his name, he just stares at them all awkward like... Then they look at me like, "uhh what's wrong with your kid?"  He's barely 2, yo, calm down. But really, 95th percentile for height. 85th percentile for weight. 90th percentile for dat big ole head. Kid's big.

Being a mom the last two years has taught me so much about myself. About life, love, and patience. But then when I really think about it, I don't think I've learned enough patience haha. He teaches me everyday how to see life through new eyes, Through child-like eyes. He teaches me to laugh, and to not be so serious all the time. Being a mother to him is seriously the coolest job ever. And watching Keagan be a dad to him brings me overwhelming joy. And not to mention how extremely hot it is. It's like a huge breath of fresh air watching them play together.

Here are some of our favorite things about him being two //


When there is a monster on the TV or he sees one of his dinosaurs he will roar, and growl. But he will keep doing it, until you roar, or growl back at him.

If there is something that goes wrong on a show, or movie, or if the TV turns off, he points to it, and goes, "oh no!" in the cutest worried voice. It kills me.

He still calls cookies, "cook cooks".

He loves the guitar. Whenever I start to jam out on it, he promptly starts dancing.

& speaking of dancing, kid won't stop. He loves it. He hears a beat, and he starts shakin' his bum.

When we lay him down for a nap or bedtime, and he's been handed his ba-ba, and we tell him goodnnight, he promptly puts out his fist, so we can fist bump, then sticks out his index finger so he can "electrocute us". Every single time.

His favorite movies/shows are Despicable Me, Paw Patrol, How To Train Your Dragon, The Croods, Jurassic Park (which my mom has given me straight up hell for, but I grew up on that movie. it's tradition.),  and Fast and Furious (dude loves his cars).

He is obsessed with cars on a whole nother level. It's ridiculous. He's loved them every since he knew what a car really was, but now that he's getting older, his obsession has only grown. He lines up his Hot Wheel cars in perfect lines everyday, and will just stare at them. He has to take at least 2 of them whenever we go somewhere. Whenever we go to a car shop he goes berserk. Even the car people are amazed at how much he loves them. He will go up the the tires, and just touch them, and make car noises. He can even get the gear shifts down while hes making them. That's just talent because even I can't do that right haha.

He loves to paint, and draw.

If one of us is scratching his back, and then stops suddenly, he will shuffle around, and start making noises at you until you start scratching it again.

Whenever he hears our bedroom door open, and he's out in the living room, he goes, "oh daaad!", and bolts it to the room.

Fruit snacks, and arrowroot biscuits are considered a food group.

He's vocabulary consists of / want some, cook cook, ticky ticky, ah-bucka (Iron Man), peepee, beebee (for his friend Bobby, and for a baby), kitty, juju (juice), shoe, bubble, nana, where'd it go, oh no, no, mom, dad, & treat. He use to say car, but he got tired of it. So now he just says vroom vroom.

If all three of us are out grocery shopping, and either I or Keagan goes out of his eye sight, he will keep saying our name until we come back. Across the store I can still hear him going, "Maaaaaam? Maaammm?" Makes it pretty easy to find them again though.

His counting is my favorite. "twooooo, twwwwo, treee!"

He's in the copying phase right now, and we love it. Always has to be wearing a hat if he sees his Dad wearing one. Brush his hair if he sees me brushing mine. It's the best.

He knows on certain days when the sun goes down that his daddy will be home soon. So he will go to the sliding door, and wait patiently for our car to pull into the parking lot. It's the cutest thing of my life.

The fact that he thinks every long brown haired woman is me. Like, when he sees some Victoria Secret models on the TV or while walking through the mall, and goes "ohhh mom! ohhhhh mom!" is pretty flattering though I must say.

Whenever he toots, he open smiles so wide, then pats himself on the bum. And if either one of us toots, he does the same thing, only he smacks us on the bum. It's the most hilarious thing. Just maybe not if we're out in public.

His love for Titus is adorable. He is his best friend.

He loves blowing kisses, but some days will straight up refuse to give me any kisses at all. Rejection at it's finest, y'all.

He can sign a few things. But the sign for more, means - help, please, thank you, and more (really though more just mean food) hahaha.
I've been trying to teach him the proper signs for different things, but he's stuck on that one.

When he does something good like throwing something away without being asked, or putting dirty clothes in the hamper, he'll start clapping, and then he will walk up to you, still clapping, waiting for you to clap with him. He will start slow clappin' you until you clap for him.

He doesn't give high fives. Only fist bumps. We've tried.


There are so many things that Ren Ren does that brightens our day, and everyone around him. He is our favorite kid, and we are so beyond blessed that he is in our life, and that Heavenly Father entrusted his spirit to us.

Happy 2nd Birthday, kid.

 

{photo cred for photos 1-2, 5-9, & 17 ; studio camp photography}