New Year's Eve- 2016

Today is New Year's Eve.  I am looking forward to the 'clean slate' that 2017 brings.  This year wasn't great personally and the blog suffered for it.  I am thankful that you kept on coming to read my posts, encourage and support me. 

I started this blog because I love to write.  I wanted to have a little space of my own where I could express myself and this blog has allowed me to do that.  I never could have imagined the friendships that would grow out of blogging.  This has been the most rewarding part of this blog. 

I wish you all a safe and happy New Year's Eve.  I also wish you a wonderful New Year.  I hope that 2017 holds many happy moments for you.  

Thank you for reading.  I will be back in the New Year with my 2017 Goals/Resolutions.

2016 Recap

2016 is winding down.  I wish I could say that it was such a stellar year, but it really wasn't.  It most certainly had beautiful moments and happy times.  It also held heartbreak and challenges that took a lot of prayer and trust to get through.  

I looked back at my 2016 resolutions to see how I did with my goals for the year.  Things went well goal-wise and I managed to keep to most of them.  Here is a closer look:

Personal Resolutions:

-Finish the KonMari Method.  I did this.  It helped lighten the load for our move.  I didn't find it to be "life-changing" but it definitely gave me a different method to minimize my belongings.  This method was helpful and I look forward to continuing to pare down our possessions.

-Continue to develop a personal relationship with God through my prayer life.  My personal relationship with God is ever evolving.  I relied heavily on my faith this year and sought out different ways to further my relationship with God.  I feel that I achieved this goal and I will continue to work on this relationship.

Family:

-Go on a family trip.  We did this at the end of summer.  We went on a family trip to Red Deer, Alberta and Calgary, Alberta.  We visited a farm, the Zoo and Telus Spark.  Elizabeth had an absolute blast.  Hubby and I enjoyed ourselves, as well.  It was great and I am looking forward to the next trip!

-Build up our savings.  This happened.  It wasn't super easy with Hubby's job loss this year, but we managed to add to our savings.

Blog:

-Post on the blog 2 times a week.  This goal didn't work out.  With everything going on in my personal life, the blog really got put on the back burner.  I am okay with this goal being unmet.  My priorities have to be my own health and my family.  Perhaps next year will be more conducive to blogging.

-Post to Instagram 3 times a week.  This also was placed on the back burner.  Perhaps next year will work our better.

Relationship

-Go on a date night once a month.  We went on a date every month this year.  Not all of our dates were on "date nights", but we managed to date every month.  It was a great resolution and we really enjoyed having time together as a couple.

My word of the year was PEACEFUL.  My knee-jerk reaction to this is to scoff at my word choice.  This year felt anything but peaceful.  It felt chaotic and overwhelming.  The word choice wasn't meant to magically make my year peaceful.  I wish simply choosing a word could do that.  Thankfully, there was peace among the chaos.  My faith provided a sense of peace that I could never find anywhere else.  I am not saying that my peace never wavered, but I trusted God and He always brought me back to a deeper sense of peace.  I tried to help others find peace, or at least support, in their lives.  I tried to look for ways to help when I could.  It was a challenging year, but it made my faith deeper.

I am so looking forward to 2017 and a fresh start.  I love the New Year.  It always feels hopeful and untarnished.  I am excited to make new resolutions and new memories.  I will share my resolutions with you in January.

How was your 2016?  Did you keep your resolutions?  Are you looking forward to 2017?

Simple Christmas

Christmas is a beautiful and sentimental time of year.  It can be filled with joy, laughter and the company of family and friends.  For some, however, Christmas becomes stressful, overwhelming and difficult.  To be honest, I have spent some time feeling stressed and overwhelmed at the holidays and it wasn't fun.  I think that I truly have my Christmas spirit back in recent years.  Here is how I found it.

1.)  Cut Back.  We quit doing Christmas gifts on my side of the family and we have greatly reduced the gifts that we do on Hubby's side.  We are always looking to simplify our lives and gifts (however thoughtful or well-intended) were really making this goal difficult.  Our shopping list is extremely short and we always follow a similar gift thread.  Most of our gifts are either food or sentimental items.  Elizabeth makes gifts for the family members and they enjoy receiving something that she has worked on.

We have also cut back on the food that we prepare for our Christmas meal.  Growing up, I remember there was always 6 salads, 3 desserts and a crazy amount of baking.  I am sure it was stressful for those who prepared it and I honestly didn't like most of it.  At Christmas, I crave turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries and buns.  We don't often eat turkey so it is a treat all on its own!  My Mom prepares our favourite Christmas treats and we forgo dessert so that we can enjoy the baking.  When I host Christmas I make a basic turkey meal.  Everyone is generally satisfied with that.  I usually bake one item.  If anyone offers to bring something, I ask for baking.  Dessert is taken care of and we can enjoy a variety of treats.

2.)  Focus on Faith and Family.  We try to be careful when making holiday plans.  I don't like to overbook our family with festivities.  It is a lot for everyone to handle.  We know that we like to see each family at some point during the holiday season.  We also value having time to enjoy Christmas festivities with just the 3 of us.  I try to figure out our plans well in advance and only book a few events.  Sometimes this means saying no to a Christmas party or other social event, but we find that guarding our family time is key to our enjoyment of the holidays.

We also work hard to keep the focus of the season on the birth of Jesus.  We do special prayers as a family during Advent and read books focused on the first Christmas.  We attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and try to keep our focus on the amazing gift that God bestowed on us.  A Child that was born to save us from sin.  It is a powerful display of love and one that I am eternally grateful for.

3.)  Be organized.  Even though we celebrate a rather simple Christmas, we still have things to do.  I enjoy sending out Christmas cards to our family and friends.  We are hosting Christmas this year and I will be preparing a holiday meal for the family.  We make Christmas gifts and purchase a few gifts.  All of this requires some planning.  The more organized you can be, the more peaceful your holiday season will be.  Emily at Queen of The Household has an awesome printable to help you stay organized this holiday season! I enjoy making lists and breaking down the tasks.  I then write each item that needs to be completed on my calendar to ensure that everything gets done on time.

How do you enjoy a peaceful holiday season?  I would love to hear your ideas!

Fall Capsule Wrap-Up

I am really quite done with Capsule wardrobes for now.  Which is kind of strange because this Capsule was by far my favourite.  I like all of the clothes in the Capsule and they truly worked in my lifestyle.  I like finding new outfits within a small set of clothes and I like having less options.  My shopping in the Spring and Summer got out of hand and the Capsule really reigned that in.  

Although I quite like the Capsule Wardrobes, I feel that they have served their purpose for me.  I really don't have an urge to shop right now.  I also don't have the same access to shopping that I did in the Spring/Summer.  I am living in my small town again where it is simple to avoid shopping for clothes.

I plan to move forward in the Winter with access to all of my clothes again.  I also have a few items that I would like to purchase, but the list is quite short and won't blow the budget.  I highly recommend Capsule Wardrobes to people who wish to be more creative with their clothes and to people who need to restrict their shopping habits.  There are great lessons to be learned in these types of wardrobes.

I will leave you with my favourite Capsule outfits!  

Thankful Friday- 11.11.16

It is November 11.  The day that we, as Canadians, pause to reflect on the sacrifice of service men and women.  It is the day that we remember and thank our veterans for defending our freedom and rights.  I am so proud to be Canadian and I have immense gratitude for those who gave their lives so that we could live in this amazing country.  Thank you to who have served, are serving and will serve.  I truly owe you everything and I will always remember your sacrifice, honour and valour.  Thank you.

This week has felt like a hurricane and honestly, I am still trying to recover.  Today I want to share with you why I am so thankful to all those who have served this country.  Here are 5 things that sacrifice has allowed us to have.  I am so grateful I get to call myself Canadian.  

1.) Healthcare -  I love our healthcare system.  Is it perfect? No.  Is it awesome?  Yes.  Money is never a factor.  No one is denied proper health care in Canada.  I get the same treatment as the Prime Minister and that is how it should be.  We truly value our health care system and I am thankful that I have access to such an amazing system.  

2.)  Multiculturaism-  I get to practice my beliefs in my country.  I can freely attend church without repercussion.  My friends are free to do the same.  We are all free to speak the language of our choice and not suffer consequences.  We embrace our differences.  I am thankful for a country that accepts all of its people, regardless of race, religion or culture.

3.)  We Take Care of One Another-  Do we always get along?  No.  BUT, when push comes to shove we stand up for one another and help each other out.  When Fort McMurray suffered a horrible forest fire, the rest of the country pitched in money and supplies to people who had been displaced.  People opened their homes to strangers who had no where to go.  I love that about our country.  Caring for each other is one of our greatest assets.

4.)  Education-  This one is huge for me.  I have always loved learning and attending school.  I have always been a voracious reader and I passionately believe that education is a right that everyone should have.  I am thankful for an education system that is universal and accessible to everyone.  In many countries I would have been denied the right to go to school simply because I am female.  This is deplorable.  I am so thankful for my right to education, afforded to me by many brave men and women.

5.  Democracy-  I have a voice in my country.  I can vote.  I can run for office.  I don't think people realize how amazing this is.  In fact, voter apathy proves that people don't appreciate this right the way that they should.  Remember what is at stake.  People died so that we could have a voice.  People laid down their lives so that we could steer our country in the direction that we choose.  Excercise that right or someone else will make decisions for you.

I love my country and I will be forever indebted to people who sacrificed their lives so I could live in freedom.  Thank you.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

I leave you with this song.  It is a wonderful expression of sacrifice and a reminder of what has has been given for us.   

 

The Trews- Highway of Heroes

Minimizing Screen Time

I have decided to give vlogging another go.  I tried it last year when I participated in Vlogtober with Whitney from Come Home For Comfort.  I have not done any vlogging since.  I really love YouTube.  I enjoy watching certain channels and I feel that it adds a dimension that blogging can't.  I plan to talk about simple living and how to apply it to your home life.  I hope you will follow along!

This week I am talking about minimizing screen time.  I used to be a T.V. addict.  We no longer have satellite or cable in our house and I am loving it!  My evenings seem to run more smoothly and I get a lot more done.  I also have cut back on my social media time significantly and it is also saving me a lot of time.

How do you control screen time in your home?  Do you find freedom in limiting your screen time?  I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Fall Capsule Wardrobe- 02.11.16

We are supposed to have some warm days coming this week.  It has been a really cold Fall and I am looking forward to some sunshine!

I really like this top.  It is pretty and feminine.  Unfortunately, it really hasn't made it out of the closet due to the weather demanding a sweater (and winter coat).  I love the hat, as well.  I have seen them online quite a bit and I wasn't sure I could pull it off.  I found a black hat (black goes with everything!) and the brim isn't super wide.  I felt like the narrower brim and neutral colour made this accessory easier to wear.  

Happy Wednesday!

High Five For Friday- 28.10.16

I didn't take any photos this week.  Oops!  So this post will be void of pictures.  Here are the five highlights from my week:

1.)  I attended my professional association's conference this weekend.  I learned a lot and the food was fantastic.

2.)  Miss. E was under the weather this week so she stayed home with Hubby on Monday and with me on Tuesday.  She is doing much better, now!

3.)  Work went well this week.  I had a little extra time and so I was able to get a lot of paperwork done.  It was nice to have a catch up day!

4.)  I made brownies this week with Miss. E and they were delicious!  I used my Mother-In-Law's recipe which always turns out great!

5.)  We had a beautiful Fall day yesterday, which is something that we have been lacking this season.  It was nice to be out and enjoy some warmth and sunshine.

I hope you all had a great week!  I am linking up with High Five For Friday.  To read more or join in, click the link below!

Striped Shirt, 3 Ways- Fall Capsule Wardrobe- 26.10.16

There is nothing quite as versatile and a striped shirt.  I like a traditional black and white stripe (as you know from this Capsule) and I love wearing it with different items.  It can be dressed up or down.  A stripe is basically a fashion "neutral", so you really can't go wrong.  Here are 3 ways that I style my striped shirt:

This outfit could be dressed up with some nicer hair (not my strong suit!) and a nice pair of heels.  It is cold right now so my adorable heels haven't got to go out of the house.

This outfit screams "Fall!" to me.  I love, love, love my plaid scarf and boots.  I also love the cozy socks and faux leather jacket (which I got on sale for $25!).  This outfit is both cozy and stylish.  I love it!

I wanted to try a denim vest so bad, but I wasn't willing to pay full price for an item that I wasn't sure I would like.  I bought it on sale for $30 and I am really happy with it.  I really enjoy wearing vests.  They seem to complete an outfit, without adding bulky layers.  I am wearing a leopard scarf with my striped top.  Leopard is a fashion "neutral", just like stripes and I really love the way they look together!

Happy Wednesday!

High Five For Friday- 21.10.16

There was a day this week (Tuesday) that was one of those days.  A lot of little irritating things and one thing that could have been terrible, but ended up okay.  Oh boy.  Tuesday required some recovery time!  Here are five things that a great from my week (none of them happened on Tuesday, ha ha!):

1.)  Miss. E and I made the five hour trek for Hubby's Godmother's surprise birthday bash.  It was a long drive, but we had a lot of fun and we were glad we could make it!  Hubby had to work so he stayed home.  He was disappointed that he had to miss it, but happy that Miss. E and I were there.

2.)  I made some homemade sweet potato soup and I was really pleased with how it turned out!  I will definitely make it again.

3.)  I also tweaked a muffin recipe because I didn't have one of the ingredients and they turned out pretty good, too!  Yay for a good week in the kitchen.

4.)  Miss. E told me that I was her best friend.  It was sweet and unexpected.  She then found a box to sit in because apparently she is a cat.

5.)  I picked out our family photos with the photographer this week and I am really happy with how they turned out.

How was your week?  Link up with the lovely ladies below and tell us all about it!

Fall Capsule Wardrobe- 19.10.16

When planning a capsule wardrobe it is important to consider what kind of clothes you require for your day to day life.  I wish that I required pretty dresses and fancy shoes for my day to day, but that is not my reality.  I love the look of lots of outfits that I see on my favourite fashion blogs, but if something requires hand-washing or dry-cleaning then it does not fit my life.  I need clothes that allow me to move, chase a toddler and that can stand up to the sticky stains that come with being toddler mom.

This outfit fits the bill.  I love these "boyfriend" jeans.  They are super comfortable and easy to move in.  The t-shirt is also comfy and the cardigan keeps me warm.  It appears that winter is starting a month early in Saskatchewan.  Ugh.  The bag is from Indigo Books and I use it for our trips to the library.

These sneakers are cute and perfect for running errands.

Happy Wednesday!

High Five For Friday- 14.10.16

I feel like Friday came out of nowhere this week.  It was an odd week with the holiday and I had extra time off.  I am, however, happy that it is the weekend.  Here are my five:

1.)  We celebrated Thanksgiving over the past weekend.  It was so nice to spend time with family, especially my brother who I don't get to see as much.  We had a fun time!

2.)  Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are putting out a Christmas Album!  I am so excited.  I love Garth Brooks' Christmas album and I would think this one will be great, as well!

3.)  We had a lot of snow over the past couple weeks.  Miss. E has loved playing outside when it isn't too cold.  She thinks the snow is grand, which is nice because pretty much no one else over the age of 5 is very happy about it!  Ha ha!

4.)  We got our ducts cleaned this week.  It is important for us to do this because of our daughter's asthma.  I am glad we got it checked off the list.

5.)  I had some extra time off this week and got to spend it with Miss. E.  We had a lot of fun.  She is at a stage where she like to make 'jokes' and do silly things for laughs.  At one point, she had dressed herself in 4 skirts.  She thought it was funny.  I really enjoy getting to spend extra time with my little one.

I hope you all had a fabulous week!  If you want to join in the link up, please do so below.  Have a great weekend!

Wardrobe Wednesday- 12.10.16

Whew!  What a weekend!  Potty training was not great.  Day 1 was fabulous.  Almost perfect.  Day 2 happened and BAM!  Suddenly, the potty was the enemy and she was NOT going to use it.  Day 3 was much of the same as Day 2 so we gave up.  You can lead a horse to water...

I was completely exhausted after this weekend.  I wanted Hubby to take my outfit pic before we left for my parent's house (round 2 of visiting, as potty training sort of took all my time at our family Thanksgiving).  Of course, we were running behind and I totally forgot, so the pics you are getting are of a very tired Mama.  Right before bed.  I actually had to go find the vest to put back on because it came off for the bedtime routine with Miss. E.

This outfit is sooooo super comfortable.  Leggings, a soft flannel shirt and a long vest.  What's not to love?  I do wish the shirt was a touch longer but the feel of it is perfect so I am not going to complain.  Comfort comes first these days.

I hope you all had a great weekend!  Happy Wednesday!

High Five For Friday- 7.10.16

Wooo!  It is Friday! **Happy dance!**  It is a long weekend in Canada this weekend, so I am going to attempt potty training!  Eek!  It is also Thanksgiving this weekend.  (Nothing like potty training on your favourite holiday!  I love Thanksgiving.)  It should be an interesting weekend, to say the least.  Here are my five for the week:

1.)  Hubby and I celebrated 6 years of marriage over the weekend.  He really is a great Hubby and I am so thankful that God brought us together.

2.)  This week was so busy, but I also got to see three different friends.  It is always nice to visit and catch up with people that you enjoy.  Miss. E also enjoyed the playdates.

3.)  It was so beautiful and warm on Sunday.  We actually had lunch on the deck!  It was really nice, especially since it snowed this week.  Yuck.

4.)  I have implemented a new cleaning schedule in this house.  It is really working well and I hope to share it with you on the blog!

5.)  Miss. E has been doing really well at Daycare and brought home the cutest craft this week!  She really loves going to see her friends and enjoys her day there.

I am sending love and prayers to all of you who may be affected by Hurricane Matthew.  Take care!

I am looking forward to time at home this weekend and catching up with you!  Have a great weekend!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Capsule 2016 -5.10.16

I woke up to snow on the ground this morning.  Yuck.  It isn't supposed to stick around, but I still don't like to see it.  Miss. E, however, will be ecstatic!

I have two outfits for you today.  The first I wore to a church function and the second I wore for my family pictures.  Both feature leopard print.  Leopard is beautiful, versatile and perfect for Fall.  Here are the outfits!

Black dress pants, Leopard top, Black Booties

Leopard scarf, Chambray dress with brown belt, Brown Boots

I hope you all are having a great Wednesday!  Stay warm!

High Five For Friday- 30.09.16

It is Friday!  Woot woot!  This week has felt long for some reason so I am looking forward to some time off.  Here are the five highlights from my week:

1.)  Birthday parties galore!  We have attended 2 birthday celebrations this week and have one more tonight.  I like birthday celebrations and have really enjoyed seeing friends and family at the gatherings this week.  Miss. E is having a lot of fun, too.  She especially enjoys the cake!  (She takes after her Mama, it would seem.)

2.)  We had our first adoption meeting this week.  It was basically an information meeting.  We appreciated all of the information and the answers to our questions.  We are excited to get the ball rolling on the next step to expanding our family.  It sounds like it will be a long road (years), but we are happy to be on the path towards welcoming another child into our family.

3.)  I dyed my hair and got new glasses.  I am like a brand new woman, ha ha!  I am really happy with how it all turned out.  My glasses are extremely different than the style I have worn for years so they will take some getting used to!

4.)  Miss. E and I baked cookies together this week.  She did really well and enjoyed helping me measure and stir.  It was a lot of fun!

5.)  I had a great mail week!  I received a prize pack from Kenton de Jong.  I had entered one of his contests on Instagram and won!  Kenton writes a travel blog, with a lot of great posts about Saskatchewan.  You should check it out!

Selfie stick!  Woot woot!

I also received 2 new pairs of jeans for my Fall Capsule Wardrobe (click the link to read all about it!).

I love dressing for Fall!

My Amazon order also arrived which had some awesome stuff in it, including Miss. E's Halloween costume and some great Fall themed books for us to read to her.


I hope you are all having a great week, as well!  Have an awesome weekend!  If you want to join the link up or read some great posts, click the link below.

Fall Capsule Wardrobe Reveal

I am totally late putting up my Fall Capsule Wardrobe!  Fall started last week, but I only received the last of my Fall pieces on Tuesday (the 27th).  I had birthday money (thanks, Mom and Dad!) and I bought 2 pairs of jeans for the wardrobe.

I love dressing for Fall.  It is my favourite season.  We get a "true" Fall in Canada, so bring on the cozy sweaters and boots!

My Fall Capsule comprises of 36 total pieces.  I didn't count my outerwear in this, as I will have to swap out my Fall coat for my Winter coat when the weather gets colder.  I also did not include accessories in my Fall capsule.  I will be free to draw from whatever I like for accessories.  I have stashed away my other clothes and have made my Fall capsule accessible in my closet.

TOPS

I have a total of 24 tops.  This includes my sweaters, blazers/jackets, t-shirts and vests.

 7 Sweaters

Blazer, Kimono, 2 Vests

11 Shirts

2 (Faux) Leather Jackets

PANTS

I have 5 pairs of pants.  3 are jeans, 1 is a thick legging and 1 is a dress pant.

DRESSES

I only have 2 dresses in my capsule wardrobe.  I basically wear dresses to church on Sunday and to the occasional event (which are always casual).  I included my long sleeve striped dress and my chambray dress.

SHOES

I have 5 pairs of shoes in my capsule.  I have 3 pairs of boots, my leopard heels (which I am still in love with) and my bright coloured sneakers.  I wasn't going to include my runners in the wardrobe, but I wear them all the time and they are cute.  They ended up making the cut.

I am so excited to get back into my capsule wardrobe!  I enjoy having a limited number of choices and it is always nice to have parameters on my shopping.  I tend to like to shop, so the capsule wardrobe helps me to limit and carefully choose my purchases.  

Thanks for reading!  Happy Wednesday!

4 Things I Have Learned About Getting Settled In

My house is finally looking like a home.  Miss. E and I went shopping over the weekend to find a few touches to help our home look a little more put together.  She loved shopping with her Mom, which I am so thankful for.  I just have a few little tweaks here and there (and an area rug to find) before I am ready to show you my home.  I am pleased with how it is turning out, though.

A few things I have learned:

1.)  It will look a lot worse before it looks better.  Ugh.  My Type A personality had trouble with this one.  It takes a bit of time before you can really decide where things need to live in your home.  Give yourself permission to have a bit of a mess while you sort things out.

2.)  Unpack all the boxes.  Hubby's friend told me that he still has unpacked boxes from when he moved into his house 5 years ago!!!!!  He laughed when I told him that those unpacked boxes would feel like a nightmare to me!  Seriously, folks.  Unpack those boxes.  It is good to see everything you have and decide where to put it.  It is also good to decide if you need it all or if need to let go of some items.

3.)  Tackle 1 room at a time.  This is how I like to approach cleaning, as well.  I find it far too easy to get distracted from a task if I don't have a solid plan.  Unpack the rooms that you need most and then work your way around the rest of the house.

4.)  Give it time.  Moving is a huge transition.  I hated not feeling settled, but I had to accept that I am not a superhero.  I am a working toddler-Mom who has a busy life!  The house might be out of order for a bit.  Breathe, pray and let it go.  It is definitely a first-world problem.

How do you handle moving?  Do you have any tips for getting settled into a new home?

High Five For Friday- 23.09.16

Hello friends!  Long time, no see!  Ha ha!  I have dug my way out from under all the boxes and I feel like life can start to be a little more "normal" now. I guess we will find out!  Here are five highlights from my week:

1.)  Hubby surprised me for my birthday.  The day before my birthday we went to a nearby city for brunch.  I knew that this part was happening.  What I didn't know was that my Mom, Dad and younger brother were going to be there!  It was such a wonderful surprise.  I actually teared up when I saw my brother because he lives several hours away and it was so nice of him to make the trip!

2.)  On my actual birthday we had a pizza lunch (I love pizza!), a very nice roast chicken dinner (made by Hubby) and then we had a few people over for cheesecake.   Mmmmmm......  Can you tell I love to eat?  Ha ha!  Hubby planned a delicious day!

3.)  I spent most of my birthday and the next day unpacking.  I really dislike unpacking, but our house finally looks like a home!  I have a few boxes to get to downstairs, but our upstairs is completely unpacked and put away.  It feels so good.

4.)  We attended a birthday party for my friend's son on Saturday.  He and Miss E are about the same age.  We had such fun!  She enjoyed playing with all the kids and I enjoyed chatting with the Moms.  It was a great time!

5.)  I got some Christmas shopping done.  We really don't have much shopping to do anymore, so I am over half done!  I was spending some time on Amazon, trying to find a few items (like Miss. E's Halloween costume) and shipping is always cheaper if you hit a certain dollar amount.  I am not usually an early shopper so it feels good to have the majority of it done!

How was your week?  Link up with the lovely ladies below to join in H54F!  Have a lovely weekend!

****P.S.  I tried to get my photos to load but it isn't working for some reason.  I will try again later.  I am really not very tech savvy... ****

It's In A Box Somewhere...

I was so hoping to have my Fall Capsule together by now.  With the move, I haven't been able to complete it.  We have been staying in the house for just over a week and we were away for 3 days in that time.  Unfortunately, that means that we still have boxes to be unpacked.  Some of these boxes have clothes that I need in order to finish building my capsule.  I have a few days off in addition to my weekend so I hope that I will be able to do a capsule reveal next week.  In the meantime, here are some posts on wardrobes that I think you will really enjoy!

How To Create A Capsule Like A Mother from His Girl Friday

3 Steps To A Fall-Ready Closet from Un-Fancy

Style Series: Fall 2016 from Un-Fancy

Happy Wednesday!

High Five For Friday

Hello everyone!  It has been quite a whirlwind week!  Here are my five highlights:

1.)  Thank you for your kind words and support yesterday.  It means the world to Hubby and I.  Thank you.

2.)  We moved!  We are in our rental and we love it!  Miss. E likes to run around in all the space.  Our brothers and my parents helped with the move.  We are so grateful to have family that can help out when we need it!

3.)  Hubby got a job.  He starts back with his old company on Monday.  They are quite busy at the moment so he is excited to work.

4.)  Miss. E started Daycare this week (which she calls school).  She LOVES it.  She didn't want to leave when I went to pick her up and she keeps asking to go back.  I am glad she loves it.  It just makes life easier.

5.)  I got my hair cut!  I took off quite a few inches and it feels so much better!  I was getting frequent headaches when I wore ponytails (which I have to wear for work), so I am hoping this will be the solution.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends!  If you want to join in the link up, please click on the button below.

Dear Baby- A Miscarriage Post

Hello Baby.  Today is your due date.  Today is the day that was supposed to mark your arrival (or soon to be arrival, if you took after your sister) into this world.  I should be rubbing my large belly, waiting for a sign that you are ready to make your entrance.  Today should be joyful and if not that, at least filled with happy anticipation.  Instead, I feel heartbroken.  I feel as awful as I did the day that the ultrasound tech couldn’t find your tiny heartbeat.  I miss you desperately and I feel cheated that I never got to meet you.

I wonder if you would have had my eyes or your Daddy’s.  I wonder if you would be long and thin like your sister, or if you would be short and chubby.  I want so badly to hear you cry and coo.  I want to hold you close and stroke your tiny little cheek.  I want to feel your soft breath and have your tiny hand wrapped around my finger.  I want to feel the heartbeat that I never got to hear.

I wrote your due date on the calendar as soon as it was given to me.  I wrote it in pencil in case they bumped it forward or back.  After you were gone, I couldn’t bring myself to erase it.  I didn’t want to erase it.  It was one of the few little reminders that I had of you.  Erasing it felt like denying that you existed and you most certainly existed.  I loved you fiercely from the moment I saw two pink lines.  You were always my baby.  Nothing will ever change that. 

I couldn’t let today go by without saying something.  I know that everyone else has moved on and forgotten, but you already meant the world to me so I can’t let the date pass by without recognition.  I pray for you daily.  I know that you are in far better Hands than mine and I pray for the peace that should come with that.  I know that someday I will get to hold you and your siblings close and tell you all how much I love you.  For now, I carry your memory.

I love you, dear Baby.  I miss you every day, but today is especially hard.  I wish today was different.  I wish I was holding you in my arms, but I know you are safe in the arms of Jesus.  I also know that I will get to hold you in my arms someday.  Until then, I pray that you know how much I love you and how desperately I wanted you.  Happy birthday, my Little One.

All my love,

Mommy

High Five For Friday- 02.09.16

Wow!  It is September already!  Where did the time go?  We still aren't in our new place yet, so this week has been a bit strange.  We went on a quick family trip last weekend.  Here are my five favourite photos from last weekend:

1.)

Miss. E is obsessed with tractors.  She wants to be a farmer!

 2.)

She liked the pigs but was a little freaked out by their snouts.

 3.)

She loved the giant blocks at the science center.

4.)

5.)  

Miss. E loved the dinosaurs at Drumheller!

Have a lovely Friday!  Linking up with the ladies below!

Working On The Fall Capsule Wardrobe

We are currently staying with my parents as we wait for our rental to be available this weekend.  All of our stuff is boxed up and it feels strange to go about our "regular" lives while not having our own home.  I have been working on my fall capsule and I currently have all of the pieces purchased.  I am just waiting until we are in our own home to make my final decisions.

I love "traditional" fall wear.  Cozy sweaters, plaid, jeans, boots and jackets are right up my alley.  Fall is by far my favourite season and I love dressing for the cooler weather (which has already begun!).

When I design a capsule wardrobe, I start by making a Pinterest board.  I include anything that I like on the board.  I try not to censor what I put on the board, I simply choose items that I am drawn to.  After I have built my Pinterest board, I look through it to find any obvious indications of what appeals to me.  I am pretty predictable, as it turns out.  I like a lot of denim, green, and red.  Once I know what I am drawn to, I can choose pieces out of my current wardrobe that will fit into the capsule.  I do like to try new things, so I allow myself to shop for a few items to round out the capsule.  This year I picked up a plaid top and a few other things.

I like the planning of my wardrobe the best.  Pinterest gives great inspiration and I often find new ways to use the items that I already own.  It is always smart to pick a budget to stick to and to only shop off of your list.  This can help prevent excessive shopping (the whole point of a capsule) and the purchase of items that don't really fit your capsule.

Are you excited for Fall?  How do you choose what goes into your wardrobe?

A Little Change and More of the Same

Our house officially belongs to someone else.  We were able to get everything moved out by last Friday (with a huge amount of help from our family!).  It is nice to have the house sold!  However, we were thrown a slight curve ball.  Instead of moving across the province, we are now just moving across town.

Hubby got laid off right around the time that we accepted the offer on our house.  It didn't seem like great timing but we knew it would be best to just get the house sold, especially in this market.  Houses are not selling quickly in our area.

With Hubby being off work, I was able to apply for my old position at the health center.  Within 3 days of our house selling, I accepted my position back at the health center and we found a rental across town.  It was a stressful few weeks, but with the help of family and friends everything seems to be falling into place.

I was feeling overwhelmed when we knew that Hubby was laid off.  I made the conscious decision not to try to control everything.  I spent time in prayer and said "Show us where You want us to go.  We will follow the path that You want us to."  It was an enormous weight lifted.  Things seem to have worked out and we truly believe that we are supposed to remain in our small town.  We made the decision for me to apply for my old job and found out that 2 other people had been planning to apply for the job in the near future.  When applying for my job back, my boss mentioned a really nice rental that was going to be available soon.  I phoned immediately and we were fortunate enough to get the rental.  This rental is nicer than the house we owned and the owners are going to allow our golden retriever to live there, as well.  Huge win!  The people in our town have been excited to hear that we are staying and we appreciate all the love and support we have been shown.  We have even had a few good suggestions for Hubby to find work and we hope that something will work out.

So here we are.  A lot is changing, but a lot is staying the same.  We are happy to be on this path and are content to follow wherever it goes.  I hope you are all having a fabulous Monday and I plan to catch up with you soon!

Bloggy Break- We are Moving

Hello!

My family and are in the process of moving.  I will be back to my regular posting next week.

Thanks!
Ashley

High Five For Friday- 19.08.16

Whew!  It is Friday, which for me means more work!  Ha Ha!  We have a lot going on this weekend and I am ready to dive in.  Here are the five highlights from my week:

1.)  Our house sold.  This actually set a bunch of craziness in motion, but it is definitely a good thing!  We are packing and getting ready to move.

2.)  Miss. E is in swimming lessons this week.  She only likes shallow water and we wanted to get her feeling more comfortable at the pool.  I got to go along to the first lesson.  She wasn't too keen at first, but by the end of the lesson she was having fun!

3.)  I have been on a bit of a braid kick this week.  They were turning out pretty well!

4.)  I have been really enjoying the Olympics.  Miss. E has learned how to cheer like crazy.  We scream and yell and jump around.  It is loads of fun!

5.)  I ordered my last fall wardrobe piece.  I had promised myself not to buy it unless it went on sale.  Well, it went on sale this week!  Yay!  I am excited to put my fall wardrobe together.

I hope to be back with a life update next week.  Have a lovely weekend!  If you want to link up, please join the lovely ladies below: