July flew by and August is almost a distant memory. Lately, I’ve been:
…coordinating evaluations and therapy sessions for Olivia. I’ll write more about this personal adventure in the future. I’m still digesting all the lessons I’ve learned about advocating for your child and some of the new insights we’ve gained into fostering speech development for toddlers. Olivia has a huge gap right now between her receptive and expressive language abilities. Naturally, this reality fuels daily frustrations for her and escalates tantrums quickly. I am amazed at Olivia’s intelligence, curiosity, and independence- she experiences life so fully! I am so grateful that we have some services in place now to help facilitate her journey.
… reflecting on some awesome blog posts focused on motherhood, life, and finding your own voice:
- Baseball, Mom, and Staying the Course: This article was written by my friend, Tammy, who is also on the Design Team for the Snap Click Supply Company. I just love her beautiful perspective on motherhood… some days are so tough and everything seems to go wrong at once. Simply continuing to meet each challenge with an open heart and love is enough.
- Redefining What I Want: Love this list about crafting a life you love. How do you want your life to feel?
- Give Me Gratitude or Give Me Debt: Awesome post challenging our constant need to upgrade and “fix” our life. Love her focus on gratitude and staying in the present moment. I hope Olivia remembers our kitchen as the site of many impromptu dance parties.
- A Code for Living: This thoughtful quote from Tara Mohr is a true gem: “Do not give anyone an experience that you are not eager to receive, tenfold, at the end of your journey.”
… working on projects for The Dating Divas. I posted this photo to Instagram in July with the caption: “Real life… What our kitchen table has looked like for the past week and half. A growing and increasingly random assortment of materials for taking staged photos of upcoming blogging projects. Yes, those would be balloons, Skittles, ping pong balls, and sprinkles on the table! #wannabephotographer”
I am so excited about the products our team is creating and feel so blessed to be in charge of leading the process. Our graphic designer, Courtney of All Things Bright and Beautiful, is AMAZING! She consistently transforms our design requests into a gorgeous, visual reality. To top it off, her designs are modern and fun! If you are hosting a group date night, you will want to check out our Couples Win It in a Minute Party Pack. It has EVERYTHING you need for a successful and FUN night with your favorite people.
We also recently launched our DIY Birthday Card Pack for Him. These gorgeous cards are print ready and perfect for telling your hubby how much he is adored. Wait until you see the embellishments on these cards- Hallmark has nothing on these! This pack is a STEAL! 10 birthday cards and coordinating embellishments for less than 1 typical store-bought card!
… finishing this book: Dying to Be Me. Additional thoughts and review COMING SOON!
… participating in Big Picture Classes Phone Photography Project 2 on Instagram. Click to see all my summer photos related to this challenge!
…writing a little bit about essential oils. I’ve been using them for the past year and loving our experiences. They are definitely part of our daily routine and a first line of defense for anything that life throws our way. For instance, on our last trip down to the lake, James was working in my parent’s yard and got into what we think was Stinging Nettle. Almost immediately, he felt intense stinging and little white bumps appeared on his finger. I immediately applied Lavender, Melaleuca, and Purify. Within about 10 minutes, his irritation was eased and the bumps were gone! If you are curious about essential oils and what they can do for your family, check out The Essential Oils Archives.
…PINCHING myself because I was featured on Kara’s Party Ideas! I’m beyond thrilled that Kara decided to feature my dear friend Ashley’s Coco Chanel Inspired Baby Shower. HERE’S THE FEATURE! I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone in terms of submitting this party to a major blog… and checked off one more item on my 30 During My 30th Year!
…noticing that the seasons are beginning to shift. This hydrangea’s beautiful white flowers always turn a gorgeous shade of blush announcing Fall’s arrival.
… dumping a cold bucket of water/ice on my head. Yes, my good friend Kim nominated me to take the ALS ice bucket challenge. It was COLD! Brrr…. Read how this challenge started HERE. It truly just takes a few people with open hearts, an idea, and a desire to make a difference.
… and, just this past week, catching some unexpected inspiration from the radio. I was driving over to my mom’s house and happened to tune into Oprah’s channel on Sirius where she was interviewing Pastor Rick. This quote really resonated with me:
“You can waste your life. You can spend your life. Or you can invest your life. The best use of your life is to invest it in that which will outlast it. Invest it in serving others. And that’s what it means to live a purpose-driven life.”- Pastor Rick
Looking forward to all that September will bring!
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