Give me all the sweaters

Along with everyone else this time of year, I love big comfy sweaters.  Like most years it feels like it jumped from summer to winter, and it's so cold outside.  Which for now I am loving it and helps make me even more excited and ready for the holidays.  I got this sweater last year and I still love it. Here are some other cute, cozy looking sweaters I love: 

one  //  two

 three  //  four

five  //  six
One more day and then I can't wait for four days together with my family!  Happy Thanksgiving week!

High 5 for Friday

 top: c/o shein   jeans: jcpenney  shoes: dsw

ONE.  I just got this top and it's only $14 and really cute.  I'm a big supporter of comfy clothes that can be worn with jeans or yoga pants and feel like an acceptable outfit!

TWO.  I'll say it over and over again that I couldn't be more thankful for cousins that live close by. Saturday we met my sister, her kids and mom for ice cream.  It's just so nice we can meet up for an hour last minute and that our kids love each other so much.  It makes my heart so happy.

THREE.  I can't get over how old Isaac looks lately.  Still this tiny little body, but this big boy haircut and face.  He's talking so much, definitely has plenty of opinions and couldn't be more snuggly or sweet. He will be two in just three months! I cannot believe it! 

FOUR.  This last week has been a really good week.  I guess after days with Chris gone, getting my tooth pulled and being up a few days before five with Isaac, it doesn't take much right? But really I am just thankful for a really good week! 
FIVE.  I've already put up most of our Christmas decorations and I couldn't feel better about it.  It makes me happy and I can't wait to get our tree next Friday.  Bring on the holiday cheer! 
  

Pulling teeth, comfy sweaters and looking forward to a Monday

 sweater: c/o shein   jeans: old navy   boots: justfab

I normally don't look forward to Mondays, but Chris has been out of town for the last four days, and gets home late tonight.  So Monday will be a happy welcoming.  I never like when he's out of town, but this time started with a last minute need for a dentist appointment, where I spent TWO hours there and ended up getting my wisdom tooth pulled.  Have I not shared enough about how much I hate the dentist?

When I got home, this sweater was in the mail, which slightly improved my terrible mood.  It really is so huge, and comfy and I love it.  It's really long so would be completely appropriate with leggings, not the most flattering, but that is not on my agenda many days.  I got a medium, because normally things run small, but a small would've been fine.

Here's to a good start to our week, right??

Three mermaids, a crab and a ninja

Holidays just keep getting more and more fun, and I love them all.  Addi was so excited about Halloween this year, and started practicing her trick-or-treating weeks ago, and taught Isaac, who kept walking around saying "treat?"  I will try every year as long as I can to get them to coordinate costumes.  Thankfully it wasn't too hard this year, since Isaac has no say yet.  Addi wanted to be a mermaid, and a friend gave us their baby crab costume so they were a perfect pair!

Sunday before Halloween our town has a Main Street trick-or-treating.  Thankfully the weather was great, and although we stayed less than an hour, it was really fun.  Clearly Isaac is enjoying the candy.

Her wig was the best.  She didn't want to wear it at first (even though she of course picked it out), but once she put it on was fine keeping it on.  I loved it.  Give Isaac a sucker and he'll basically do whatever you want, so he was happy to keep his costume on too!

This picture is blurry but it makes me so happy.  Addi's school had a little Halloween thing, where they sang a few songs and she was so excited and cute.  She couldn't stop smiling and it just about made me cry.  Isaac kept saying her name and trying to run up there, so I let him at the end and he ran up and gave her a huge hug.  It was adorable.

Tuesday we went trick-or-treating with my sister and her kids.  My parents came and they live right down the street from my brother so we got to go to their house too.  I can't say it enough, I am so so thankful we live this close to our family.  Such a blessing!  All the girl were mermaids and they were the cutest.  I'm determined to come up with costumes next year so all five of them match, but I probably shouldn't hold my breath.

Aren't they just the cutest??  Hope you all had a fun Halloween!

33 things on my 33rd birthday . . . . .

Today I turn THIRTY THREE!  Here are 33 random facts about me you may not know . . .

ONE.  I am not a hoarder, but I’m not even close to a minimalist. I like the idea of it but I like things.  Clothes. House decor. Stuff.  I like all of it.  

TWO. I used to not care about good food or take out but now nights we eat out (sans kids) or get take out are a highlight of my week. 

THREE. I also used to not like red wine or dark chocolate and now don’t know what I was thinking. 

FOUR. I think I was a really good teacher and I have days I really miss using those skills but then other days I don’t think I’ll ever go back to teaching. 

FIVE. With that being said, I can't imagine not being a stay at home mom and am so thankful that I get to do that.  

SIX.  I thought newborn and baby phase would be my favorite age but now I think it’s age four and maybe a few years after that. 

SEVEN. I text my sister so many times a day. And she lives only four miles from me. I don’t know what I’d do without her. 

EIGHT.  There were days when I'd get so annoyed at group texts, and feel stressed when my texting limit was about to be reached.  It's funny now because I don’t know what I’d do without texting at all. I often feel that is my main connection for relationships these days. 

NINE. I could eat avocados everyday and never get tired of them. 

TEN. I really hope in the next many years there is some cheaper option available for fake teeth. I’m tired of my current ones and the amount of time and money I’ve spent on them. 

ELEVEN. I’m 33 years old and still don’t feel equipped to apply makeup and take care of my skin. Help. 

THIRTEEN.  I recently got rid of bags of clothing and would like my closet to consist of loose fitting shirts and sweaters I can tuck in and jeans, leggings and booties.  It's ridiculous how many clothes I get rid of and how many clothes I still have.  It makes me feel both happy and embarrassed. 

FOURTEEN. I love when I sweat when I’m working out. 

FIFTEEN. I’ve recently caught up and am staying in much better touch with my girlfriends from high school thanks to the Marco Polo app and it makes me so happy. 

SIXTEEN.  I have a hard time accepting change and am happy when things stay just as they are.

SEVENTEEN. I think those “let’s cuddle” sweatshirts and ones like them are so cute. But I could never buy one because it’d be a total line. Poor Chris. 

EIGHTEEN.  Making my bed every morning makes me feel happy and more put together. 

NINETEEN. I have run three Chicago marathons and one other and would love to do it again someday but not sure my knees (or husband) could handle it again.  Minus childbirth, I've never felt more proud or strong in my life. 

TWENTY. I do not mind doing and folding laundry.  But you could count the amount of times I’ve dusted in the last year. 😳

TWENTY ONE.  I love traditions. We have a million of them; especially this time of year and I want to add even more. 

TWENTY TWO.  I feel confident we’re done having kids but I think I’ll forever miss the tiny newborn stage of babies. 

TWENTY THREE. I love teen dramas and romantic comedies. Sometimes I think the genre of shows and movies I like makes me unintelligent but it is what it is. 😉

TWENTY FOUR. I really like creative things. Sewing, painting, baking, drawing. Someday I want to find a way to use some of those things to do something meaningful. 

TWENTY FIVE.  Little things that make me happy: coffee, mugs, graphic tees, workout clothes, cute tennis shoes. 

TWENTY SIX. My favorite cheaper take out choices are Jimmy Johns and Panera. 

TWENTY SEVEN. A dream job would be to get $100 from someone to either buy them new clothes or new decorations for their house. I feel like I could make their money go way farther than most people. 

TWENTY EIGHT. Sometimes I hear people talk about turning 40 and finally feeling confident in their skin and not worrying about so many things they did when they were younger. I want to get to that place before then! 

TWENTY NINE. I love making and having plans during the days with the kids, but am totally content being home in the evenings once they go to bed. 

THIRTY. Chris is the only boyfriend I’ve ever had, boy I’ve ever held hands with or kissed. And I feel so thankful that is my love story. 

THIRTY ONE.  I wish I liked drinking tea. I’ve tried multiple kinds and adding in different things, but every time think it tastes gross. 

THIRTY TWO. I got married when I was 20. A baby. I definitely grew up into adulthood as a married women and think I missed out on a chunk of college and growing up most people have. But I am so grateful for Chris and the so many years we had together, from teenagers to adults.  

THIRTY THREE.  I don’t mind turning another year older.  Life keeps getting better and better and I am so thankful for all God’s given me. Here’s to year 33! 

Girls' weekend!!!

Last weekend we had a girls' weekend in Holland, Michigan and it was wonderful.  It was the first time I left Isaac overnight, and actually the longest I'd been away from Addilyn aside from when I was in the hospital when Isaac was born.  I was a little nervous about leaving, but mostly excited to get away and spend time with the girls in my family.  The kids of course did great, and Chris was happy to spend the weekend with them.  He did text me one time saying that keeping the house clean was a full time job and he's even more appreciative of how much I do, so that's an extra win of the whole weekend. 

My mom, sister and aunt (who was visiting from California) left earlier on Friday and my sister in law and I drove up later in the afternoon.  It was kind of a long drive, especially with traffic on the way up there but I was happy to spend some hours in the car, talking with my sister in law and did not mind that it took awhile.  We spent Saturday having a slow morning, eating a nice breakfast, visiting with one of my sister's friends from college and then walking around this cute town.

We got to meet a family friend for coffee and it was so nice.  Sandy used to have me for sleepovers when I was little and I remember thinking she was the best thing ever.  Then years and years later when we went through all our fertility struggles, she was such a huge source of encouragement and prayer.  We'd talk on the phone, I'd text with all kinds of updates and she was just such a person of support and love and I am so thankful for her.  I hadn't seen her since Addi's baby shower so it was so nice to visit for a little bit.

We did some wine tasting, had a nice dinner and then hung out at the little house we rented.  We played cards and ate chocolate and it was wonderful.  I feel so thankful that I love the women in my family so much and that we all get along so well.  I don't know what I'd do without them!  I am so thankful for such a great weekend away.