Baseball tee love

baseball tee: old navy    jeans: old navy   necklace: c/o curated by kelly   shoes: asos 

I posted about my love for this tee on instagram and turns out others were a big fan too.  I shared that I got it for $7, which I guess is slightly deceiving since I used a 50% off one item coupon.  But without the coupon it's $13, which is cheap enough for me to consider buying it in another color.

I want to wear it just about as often as I want to wear yoga pants, which is saying a lot.

And yay or nay for the necklace?

Eat Cake

 

tee: old navy   skirt: target   sandals: loft   necklace: kohls

The last few days have been a little rough in the Vale household.  Addilyn got her first cold which has turned into some very restless nights and fussy days. I'm hoping it is the cold and not just a new stage.  Combine that with some stress from Chris' work and continuing new mom hormones, and I have had an emotional few days.  

In the past one of the things that has helped me relieve some stress was working out.  I would feel so much better going for a run or doing a kick boxing video.  Now that seems like an option way down on the list of things that would help relieve some stress.  Taking a nap or calling my sister definitely beat it out.  

Unfortunately the thing that I tend to choose lately is to eat whatever dessert we have in the house.  Which today is this banana cake.  You see I can't take a nap with a crying baby, or have a good conversation on the phone.  I definitely can't work out with a crying baby.  But eating a cake right out of the pan.  That I've managed to do.  And yes.  It does help a little bit.

Dear Lauren,

tee, necklace and flip flops: old navy      pants: target

Besides my pants, everything I am wearing is from Old Navy.  I really wish I could find away for them to pay me to advertise their clothes.  

These pants are extremely comfortable but there is a major problem in that they have to tie under my belly and I felt like they were going to fall down all day long.  

Today is this sweet boy's 4th birthday.  I can't believe it was four years ago I heard his little cry on the phone right after he was born, and anxiously awaited until I could meet him a few weeks later.  I remember feeling like I couldn't imagine loving him any more, and I still feel the same way. 
You have done such an amazing job raising a tender, compassionate, smart and adorable little boy Lauren! I'm so thankful to have you as an example as I enter motherhood.  
Happy birthday to the sweetest, funniest and cutest little boy I know.  I love you more than you know Travis James!

Speaking of Travis, the other night he prayed "Thank you for the baby in Katie's belly and for the baby in Chris' belly.  We love their family."  
So while he really is smart, maybe you need to remind him only girls can have babies. 
I love you Lauren and am so happy I get to see you in a week.  

High Five for Friday

shirt & skirt: old navy    bracelet: francesca's    sandals: charming charlie


1.  I found this necklace at Target for $2 and my aunt was with me when I bought it. When she saw me carrying it around she said, "Are you buying that because you like it?"
I had to convince her that I actually liked it and thought it was cute.

2.  I bet you thought I was going to be wearing these orange sandals that I resort to just about everyday.  I actually put those on first, and then decided that I should probably give some of my other shoes a chance.

3. And this is as close as I can get to the "blogger bun" or the top knot bun.
It's quite the pitiful attempt, but I think my hair is just too thin.

4.  Last week I posted a picture of the delicious Chocolate Chip Banana Bread that I made and was probably responsible for eating one of the loaves myself.  Here is the easy recipe for it:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2-3 cups mashed  bananas

chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Cream together butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs and bananas to creamed mixture.  Add four mixture and chocolate chips.  Bate at 350 for about an hour. 

Easy and SO delicious!

5. Saturday I leave for a week of camping with my family.  I am SO excited to see my sister and her family and am looking forward to lots of quality time with my family, a break from the internet, time to read some books, and of course eat lots of s'mores.
We may even have to recreate this masterpiece we made when we were little.

I'm super excited to have some awesome ladies guest post for me while I am gone.
I do know that I will be anxious to catch up on lots of blog reading when I return!

Have a great weekend!

Two Thirty Five Designs   High Five for Friday
Just Because

Regardless

 

shirt: old navy  dress: tjmaxx  shoes: kohls

A few weeks ago when I was having a rough week, a good friend dropped off a package with this beautifully framed poem in it.
The words were perfect and comforting and I've read it over and over again.  

Regardless of the circumstance, 

Regardless of the fear.

Regardless of the pain we bear, 

Regardless of the tear. 

Our God is in control 

Performing as he should, 

and he has promised in His word

to work things out for our good. 

But as a loving Father would, 

He sometimes let's us cry,

To cleanse the hurt from our heart, 

To wash it from our eye. 

Yet he gently gathers our tears, 

within His hands to stay, 

Until he turns them into jewels, 

and gives them back someday.  

I realized what a huge impact this small gift had on how I felt.  It made me feel comforted, loved and encouraged.  It has encouraged me to look for opportunities to make someone else feel the same way.   One of the blessings of the trials from this year is that I'm learning how to better love and encourage those who may be suffering.  

After reading this post, I love the idea about having goals for the week regarding how to make those around you feel loved.  This week I want to make it my goal to go out of my way to make someone feel loved and special, like my friend did for me.  

Cup Half Full   On your heart Tuesday
call me blessed   life on a mission

claim to fame

 shirt & belt: old navy  pants: gap  shoes: ?

 I've been meaning to write about this since I started blogging but somehow kept forgetting. 

I may just be a little famous. 

See I am pretty much related to the inventor of blogger.  

This may sound a little removed but it's kind of a big deal.

My grandma's sister's  husband's cousin is the inventor of blogger and twitter - Evan Williams.

I should include the small detail that my grandma is actually my step grandma so while we aren't officially blood related,
I'm still going to count it.

And I'd happily take any kind of inheritance in the future for being an extended relative.

And maybe that means I should join twitter too. 

Linking up to:

  Rolled up Pretty  momma go round

Rae Gun Ramblings
pleated poppy  the letter 4

Dear Lauren,

shirt: Old Navy  skirt: Target  boots: dsw  

I am glad you convinced me to buy this shirt many months ago, even though it wasn't on clearance.  I definitely got my money's worth.  Worn here, here and here.  

I wore the bracelet that we bought in Mexico two summers ago.  I so badly wish we were going back this summer!

(I think this is my brother's first appearance on my blog)

I think I need some serious psychology work done in my classroom.  I may just have some of the weirdest students this year that ever existed.  Here's an example:

After many times of me asking these two girls to put away a piece of red string that they were always playing with, I told them they needed to leave it at home.  This string had a name and was treated like a pet. 

Not too long ago the string came back.  I told the girls they could not bring it back and one of them asked in all seriousness, 

"What if it is invisible?" 

To which I raised my eyebrows and widened my eyes and she replied, 

"I mean what if I put an invisibility cloak over it?" 

Invisible or not.  Leave it at home. 

You may be thinking that these girls just have a good imagination.  If you interacted with them daily you would think it was way past a good imagination and into incredibly weird.  

Want another really weird story?  Read this post.  Same girls.  

They also have secret codes and half the time I'm convinced they are saying and writing mean things about me.  

I think I'm turning into a crabby paranoid teacher. 

Maybe I'm the one that needs the therapy. 

Either way Lauren, come do some work in my classroom with your mad counseling skills.  

I'm starting to feel like the end of the year is far away.  

I love you and miss you and can't wait to see you in less than 4 weeks!

P.S. Want to win this headband from my shop?  Check out Melanie's blog. 

Linking up to:

  Rolled up Pretty  momma go round

Rae Gun Ramblings
pleated poppy  the letter 4

Bean Bag Tutorial

 jacket: Kohls   tank top: Old Navy  jeans: Rue 21  wedges: some shoe outlet I can't remember :)

I kind of felt like a watermelon in this outfit.  At least that means it is almost summer right? 

I made these bean bags a few weeks ago for a friend's son, and decided to make them for our friend's twin girls' 1st birthday.  I took some more picture this time in case you want to make them!

And I made some owls to go with them: 

First cut out your squares for the bean bags.  I cut mine 6 inches by 6 inches.  

 

Then cut out your letters from iron on/transfer paper. 

 (Make sure to cut your letters backwards. Luckily that didn't matter with the name Ava.)

Follow the directions on the transfer paper.  For mine I ironed it onto the black fabric, peeled off the paper and then ironed it on to the bean bag square.  

Do this for all your letters: 

Lay your fabric pieces facing in.  Then sew around the edges, leaving about 3 inches on one side open to fill it with beans.  

Turn your bean bag inside out.  And fill it with beans. 

Fold in the extra few inches and pin down. 

 I did a zig zag stitch around all four edges. 

Do this for all of your bean bags. 

 I also made these little owls.  I just used felt and hand sewed them. 

 I found these cute buckets at Target. 

Added a book, the bean bags and owls and love how it turned out! 

live laugh rowe   the sasse life

  Sunday Social  so creative

craft o maniac    c.r.a.f.t.    ask anna