"getting to know you, getting to hope you like me"

i'm ________ because....


{first off, who can guess the movie song lyrics my post title is from? winner get's a chicken dinner! ...not really.}

ok so i saw this post on my friend hanna's and a couple other blogs and i thought i would join in on the funny fun fun. i don't normally do this sort of thing but i figured some of you don't know me at all and maybe this will remedy that. 

I am weird because...

i could happily eat chips and salsa for every meal, every day.

i enjoy drinking barley grass.

i only wash my hair once or twice a week.

i hate the sound of silverware hitting teeth.

i blow my nose louder then you can possible imagine.

i love the burst of hot air that comes out of the oven when i open it. 

I am a bad friend because...

i hardly ever call or text. 

i would rather stay home in my pj's.

i back out of plans a lot.

i don't initiate time together enough.

I am a good friend because...

i would be there for any of my friends at the drop of a hat.

i sincerely care about their well being.

i love their kids.

i am loyal. 

i love blessing them  anyway i can.

i am sad because...

{sad's a bad word, i'm not really sad more like bummed.ha.} 

i don't want paisley to grow up too fast. 

i may only have one child.

i know that snow is on the way and summer is long gone.

i'm almost 28 and i still haven't figured out how to keep my skin from breaking out.

i may only have one child. did i already say that?

I am happy because...

i am in love with jesus.

i married the best guy. 

i have been blessed with the most precious little girl.

christmas is coming! 

i have such a supportive family and group of friends.

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I am excited for...

christmas.

paisley learning to talk more and more.

a possible date night in my future? please?

getting back into pilates.

a vacation.

whew. that was fun. and now it's your turn! 

hope you have a lovely wednesday! 

xo 

say cheese

{Follow my blog with Bloglovin}

so i've been in the market for a new camera for a while now. my sad little digital camera is beyond dead and has been sitting in a kitchen cupboard for the past three years. 

would you believe all the photos (excluding any of the professionally taken ones} that show up on this blog are taken by my iphone? 

 yes, you probably would believe it because all my photo's look like poopy! 

anyhooo, i've been looking around quite a bit and thanks to the help of my brother, who works with camera's for a living, i've been steered in a pretty good direction.

the canon would be his first choice for me. don't most photographers choose canon? seems like it to me. and while i'd love to have a canon {specifically the rebel T3} if i purchase one i'd probably have to get it used because i'm not looking to spend $800 over here. hello.

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so my other two options are the nikon 1 J1 and the sony NEX-3. 

i really don't know much about either of these camera's so i'm asking for input! 

help! 

if you use or know about these cameras and want to help a girl out let me know your opinion. 

but remember i don't want to spend a ton 

so don't bother trying to talk me into getting a canon 5d. 

*wink*

thanks for helping my pictures look better then this! 

my daughter is cute, the quality is not.  

xo 

instagram{ed} thanksgiving

1. airplane ride 

2. meeting baby cousin for the first time 

3. sporting our green bay packers garb 

4. paisley skips out on football for mini muffins and the lion king 

5. i learned to knit crochet {whats the difference?} from my mother-in-law

6. pais ate lots of chocolate cake {that's all she wants to eat now}

7. milwaukee zoo

8. milwaukee wind

9. pais being weird at the hotel

10. my little fam

11. paisley's new veggie tales obsession

12. pais telling us how to assemble the tree {she's a genius} 

we had such a fun thanksgiving! milwaukee was a blast and we enjoyed our time with our family so much. hope your thanksgiving was amazing!!! 

xo 

handmade holiday

when it comes to gifts i don't think there is anything more exciting then receiving a handmade present from someone. 

knowing all the time and effort they put into creating something just for you makes it so very special. 

but even better than getting something handmade is giving it! and if you aren't the crafty type who wants to make all your christmas presents this year, there are plenty of places where you can find handmade loveliness.

and just in time for cyber monday! score.

here are a few of my favorite picks . . .

1. orange fingerless gloves 

2. yellow cupcake stand

3. sweet cameo barrettes 

4. silver envelope necklace 

5. blue and cream chevron clutch 

1. rustic reclaimed desk caddy 

2. wool ipad sleeve

3. the flektor celestial white watch 

4. leather wrap bracelet 

5. mustache mug 

  1. custom your neighborhood play mat

2. hug a cloud

3. felt waffle breakfast

4. fabric playhouse 

5. f is for fox onesie

{for all my local's this last artist is from akron! hello!}

isn't that custom play mat adorable! what a clever way for your kiddies to learn about their neighborhood! love it.

so please shop away, support small business's and give some incredible gifts this christmas season!

xo 

see ya real soon! {in my best mickey mouse voice}

today we are headed here.

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to celebrate this . . . {minus the turkey of course}

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and to see some of paisley's {and my} favorite people. her grandma and grandpa and auntie and uncle's on her daddy's side of the fam. 

there will be lot's of talk and watching of these gentleman. 

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but most of all i am excited for paisley to get to meet her little cousin! we all can't wait to meet this precious little peanut! 

will you get to be with family for thanksgiving? are you going anywhere exciting?

happy tuesday!

xo 

mascara fav's

i wanted to share with you my top 5 all time fav mascara's. i shared a couple of them with you in an earlier post but here is the big sha-bang. 

1. bare minerals flawless deffinition

2. diorshow

3. maybelline falsies 

4. benefit badgal lash

5. clinique bottom lash 

i love what every one of these products does for my lashes! 

i am fairly new to the clinique bottom lash mascara

 {my mom recently introduced us} but it is unreal. perfect for getting those bottom lashes and the inner and outer upper lashes. 

you know the ones that you normally end up smearing mascara 

all over your eye trying to get? 

ya, thanks to this beauty that won't be happening anymore. {thanks mom!}

so those are my fav's what are your go-to mascara's? 

dress me up

1. playing stripes handbag

2. congenial cutie dress 

3. the rose garden ring 

4. cambridge cable cardigan 

5. chelsea crew beverly boots 

6. petticoat tall socks 

i may or may not be obsessed with every item pictured above. 

aren't those boot socks uuuuhhhhmazing? 

i think this outfit would be a total smash at any holiday party!  

xo 

garage smoothies

people ask me a lot what "i do" as a vegan. i know they're are just curious so it really never bothers me when they ask. normally they want a play by play of what i eat through the day

 because they just can't understand what i'm ingesting if it isn't meat or dairy. 

that always makes me giggle. 

so here is one thing i try to do every day.  

a vegan protein smoothie. 

what you'll need:

- 8oz of vegan friendly milk

{we prefer coconut in our house but soy, hemp or almond works too.} 

-half a banana

- a handful of frozen blueberries

-a handful of frozen raspberries 

-vegan protein

{i have rice protein pictured here but i've also tried and liked hemp or pea protein. 

pour in your milk and add the fruit.

 i like using some frozen fruit because then you don't have to add in any ice. 

 add in your protein 

and for me here comes the fun part . . . 

blend your smoothie and if you have a toddler who is napping that means put on your slippers and do it in the garage. 

on the boom box. 

yes, we still have a boom box.

{this is where i blend mine almost every day! haha}

finish up by pouring it in your favorite glass and add a straw for fun. 

cause it's always more fun to drink out of a straw! 

do you have a favorite protein smoothie? i'd love to hear your recipe! 

happy blending! 

xo 

circle of moms interview

forever ago love. life. babies. was nominated to be in the running
as one of the top 25 kid's style blogs by circle of moms. 

you all were so awesome and voted me right up to number 11. trust me i never thought that would happen in a million years so thank you!!! 

 i didn't say much about it after we received this special treat but here is the interview i did with them several months ago.  

11Love.Life.Babies. by Stephanie Nickel

What inspired you to start blogging? I have been passionate and excited about fashion for as long as I can remember. Once I had my daughter my love for fashion and design naturally just spilled over into children's clothes, accessories and nursery design. Starting a blog where I could share my inspiring and creative finds seemed like the logical next step and I have loved every minute of it! How do you keep up with the latest kids fashion and being a mom? I'm not going to lie, it is a challenge! Trying to find time to scout out the newest trends while whipping up some mac n' cheese, building a block tower and painting my face for the day isn't the easiest thing in the world. All I have to say is thank God for naps! Amen and amen. What are three things parents should think about when styling their kids? I believe the number one thing to remember is comfort. Children want to be able to move and breathe in their clothes so lets not deny them of that. They can be stylish and not lose their ability to bustle around. Try not to get too caught up in the "it" trends of the moment for they can quickly change. I find it better to purchase timeless pieces that will see your child through a season or two. (But, of course sneak in at least a trendy item or two!) Don't be afraid to thrift. Some of the greatest pieces I've found for my daughter are from rummage sales or resale shops. When you buy something used the chances of someone else having it are pretty slim so you can look at it like you're getting a one of a kind piece. What are your three favorite posts? I am in love with Zara's children's line. It's so light and airy and all the floral patters? Hello! LOVE. Stella McCartney Kids is another brilliant line. With bold prints and detailed embellishments any child would look simply darling in these clothes. Vintage clothing for children doesn't get much cuter then what Belle Heir has to offer. The hand stitching, embroidery and attention to detail is remarkable.

i appreciate all your love and support so much! you all make blogging so much fun. 

xo 

little fashion

{grown up look via h&m}

little look:

1. ruffle shoulder top 

2. quilted puff coat

3. navajo belt

4. ankle boot

5. riding breeches 

i so love this look. any little lady would be just dreamy in it! 

a quick hello from paisley. she helped me bake a vegan chocolate cake a couple days ago. 

who am i kidding all she did was lick the icing up. 

still love her to pieces even though she's no help in the kitchen.

xo

pretty packaging

on friday our little family decided to venture out and do a bit of christmas shopping. i must admit i'm not really the type to get in the "christmas spirit" until a few days after thanksgiving

 {gasp! i know, maybe something's wrong with me?}

but once we were out shopping our little tushies off i was beginning to feel excited about christmas. 

when we got home i pondered about how i could better present our gifts this year.
you know, really put some effort into the wrapping instead of just throwing some rudolf and santa clad paper on them.
{not that there is anything wrong with rudolf and santa it's just not super creative
and come on girls, we can do so much better then that!}

not sure what i'm talking about? check out some of these lovelies . . . 

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i'm such a sucker for pretty packaging!

so, i think i will rack my creative brain and see what fun i can come up with for my christmas wrappings this year.

do you deck out your gifts in a fun way? 

oh and p.s. while we were out shopping paisley got a special treat from her daddy  . . . 

her own personalized 59/50 hat.

now she doesn't have to steal her daddy's anymore!

xo 

little art, leaves & balloons

i have a little thing for cute monsters and woodland creatures. so when i discovered these adorable children's prints from lulu froot it was like christmas morning. 

i'm considering getting something like this for paisley's big girl room. 

there are so many precious prints to choose from!
make sure you stop by lulu froot and check them all out.


yesterday was an absolutely perfect fall day here in ohio.

so pais and i had a party in the yard with the leaves. 

and we finally let paisley's birthday balloons fly to the heavens. they've been sitting in our garage for weeks now because for some reason i couldn't let them go! don't judge me. they were just so pretty! 

ok and maybe just maybe i'm having a slightly hard time with her growing up so fast and i wanted to hold on to them as a symbolism of her still being 1 years old. <----- that's weird i know. 

happy wednesday! 

xo 

3 things

3 things i am really loving right now via pinterest . . .



grandpa sweaters

stacked bracelets 

 lengthy skirts 

have you tried any of these trends? 

one of my favorite things about stacking bracelets is there are no rules! the more mismatched the better. 

{well in my opinion anyways!} 

happy tuesday!  

xo 

the birthday party

first off let me personally apologize for the exuberance of birthday photos that is about to take place. i've just been so excited to share these with you and thanks to our brilliant friend and photographer hollie it was painstakingly hard to choose only a few photos!

i really wanted paisley's party to have a vintage mismatch feel. i decided not to pick out any specific colors to decorate with but to just keep it fun and eclectic with lot's of different patterns and textures. 

so let the birthday overload begin. 

monogramed burlap favor bags filled with candy and handmade fabric garland.

i love these vintage jars and vases i thrifted and my husbands childhood clown bank.

the oversized round balloons made this party feel so special. i found them at the best price here. 

we hung thrifted frames to make a hanging frame "wall" from our tree. 

who doesn't love mason jars? and accompanied by a stripey straw? jackpot. 

i got my straws here. they have every color you can imagine. 

fruit and veggie kabbobs. i thought doing it this way might make the kids want to eat their healthies. 

i made the fabric cake bunting and the super cute fondant cupcake toppers were ordered from here.

pais enjoyed a cupcake, some cake and . . . 

. . .  another cupcake when i wasn't looking! look at that face. can't be mad at it. 

all of our friends were so generous and paisley was super blessed with many wonderful gifts. 

including her first pair of toms! yay!

we tried to take a nice family picture at the end of the day but paisley wasn't having it 

and i decided to stand super awesome awkward. 

all in all it was an amazing celebration! 

xo