Winter,
I have been orchestrating these thoughts since the day that I had found out that you were getting a baby brother or sister. I vividly remember the moments before I discovered that we were expecting. I was sitting at the dinner table with you and your Dad and I said out loud, "We are enough." I grabbed your hand, you smiled at me, and your father nodded in agreement.
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The other day, our neighbor notified us that a man tried to open the front door while their daughter was sleeping in the living room. They immediately informed the police and shared an image of the man who attempted to break in. Thanks to the Logitech Circle 2 Camera they had just installed earlier in the week, they were able to capture an image of the trespasser. Talk about excellent timing!
We thought our neighborhood was relatively safe, but this particular incident got us thinking about more ways we can protect our house and family, both at home and online.
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It was incredibly easy for us to get pregnant the first time (which we feel so blessed about), so our original thinking that it would be the same with baby #2.
Nine months of waiting for that positive test doesn't seem like an eternity now, but if you have ever wanted something so badly, then you know how discouraging it can be to get that negative test several months in a row.
Because I have been open about our journey, I have been introduced to so many beautiful souls who are also trying to conceive, and many of them have been trying a lot longer, have experienced miscarriages, and failed rounds of IVF. These women have been etched into my nightly prayers, and before I go any further, I want to acknowledge their strength, and hope that their baby comes soon. It breaks my heart to hear about all the families that struggle with infertility. It just doesn't seem fair.
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This is a story that is incredibly special to me, and I am so excited that I get the chance to partner with Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group and share it with you. This is our proposal story, the beginning of our lives together, and one of the most blissful days in my entire life.
I have always had a love for the Spanish language and culture. I learned Spanish while volunteering as an art teacher in an orphanage in Guatemala in my early twenties. Since that experience, it's been a lifelong mission of mine to keep up my Spanish in hopes of raising my children bilingual. Perry, my very thoughtful boyfriend at that time, knew that it had been several years since I had the opportunity to be completely immersed in the Spanish language and culture and booked me a month-long trip to Oaxaca, Mexico as a present for finishing graduate school. Little did I know what he really had planned for us during this time in Mexico.
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We are swinging into the weekend and I realize that I have totally dropped the ball on this series. I am so behind on posts. I must have 10 half-written blog posts, but I am trying so hard to take the pressure off myself and listen to what I need right now in life, which is a lot of rest.
Remember that in these Weekend Links posts, there will always be a 'Question of the Week'. If you respond to it in the comments below you will be in the running to win something from me that I will mail to you as a token of my appreciation for reading the blog.
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A few weeks ago, we had the honor of being the guests of Tempe Tourism in Tempe, a hip little town located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix. I grew up in Arizona, and a lot of my family still lives there. But even though I am familiar with the state, there is something magical about getting to play tourist and seeing it through the lens of our two-year-old daughter.
Arizona holds an extraordinary place in my heart and my fondness for Tempe, in particular, grew so much over the duration of this trip. We hope you get the chance to visit soon!
Below is a family-friendly tour guide on everything you need to see and do in Tempe, Arizona. Enjoy!
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Goodbye dark kitchen! We are so excited to get started on our kitchen refresh and wanted to make sure that we brought you along with us. We bought our house in August 2016 and have been slowly adding/changing little bits to the home to make it ours. While this kitchen is completely functional and quite beautiful, we have always felt that it doesn't entirely match our aesthetic. We are hoping to go for more of a bohemian zen vibe to match the rest of the house. Think layered textures, earthly materials and artistry!
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The last time I posted was on February 18th. I cannot believe it's been that long since I have said hello to you. These last few weeks have been particularly rough on my family.
Winter was hit back to back with two viruses, and after caring for her for eight days straight, I got the same plague and Perry was left to fend for himself.
I feel like I haven't seen the sky in weeks and to be honest, I am starting to lose myself.
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I know how hard it can be to hear about your friends and family members becoming pregnant when you are trying to conceive. There is a constant tug-of-war between the joy that you feel for those who are pregnant coupled with the disappointment that you feel for yourself. This dichotomy of emotions can be difficult to navigate and to be honest, there is no perfect way to navigate it gracefully.
In an effort to help those who are going through the waiting game of trying for a baby, I've put together a list of ten ways to cope when others are getting pregnant and you're trying to conceive.
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While I love a good basic thermal and a pair of jeans, I am really trying to incorporate pops of color and texture into my wardrobe.
I recently slipped on this pleaded metallic skirt and felt like a million bucks.
I love how versatile it is. I could comfortably wear this to a bridal shower or dress it down as I did in these pictures for a fun mid-mod inspired outing (aka. a lunch date with friends!).
Keep scrolling for outfit details plus a little round-up that I did of some other pleated skirts that I have been eyeing.
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Perry,
Winter keeps saying that you hung the moon (referring to the actual moon mirror that you hung in our living room). But even though she isn't talking figuratively when she says this, I couldn't think of a better way than to open this letter than to say, babe, in our life, you most definitely hung the moon.
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We shoot in the master bedroom so often and it dawned on me that I have never done a full tour.
Our room isn't super big, but it has plenty of character complete with unique ledges and an on-suite bathroom.
We kept this room as simple as possible, filling the space with timeless pieces that we hope to have for forever. We wanted our room to feel inviting and minimal. I love how it came together and am excited to be sharing it with you.
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Happy Friday, Everyone. I am really looking forward to this weekend. I have a girl's night planned to celebrate a few of our birthdays. I feel really lucky because so many of college friends from Arizona live in Colorado, and although we are spread across the state, when we do get together, we have the best time.
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This swift dress from Nordstrom is the perfect mix of retro and elegance. I like how it's not too formal, and I can't get enough of the hints of romance with the open back and bishop selves. It is a wee bit short when you put your arms up, so I think it would look great with some black tights and ankle boots.
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Love is in the air! I am such a sap for anything romance related so I thought I would round up a few items that Perry and I have been eyeing lately. We are spending Valentine's Day in Arizona, and we can't wait to escape the cold. Almost every year Perry and a handful of high school friends, together with wives and children (every year another child or 2), have gathered together to reunite and be silly. This great get together has traditionally fallen on President's Day weekend, and since we're adding on extra days this year, we will also get to spend Valentine's Day with family! We can't wait to slip into our swimsuits and hit up the heated pools and hot tubs.
Happy almost Valentine's Day, everyone!
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Another month passes, and as I get closer and closer to the nine-month mark of trying for baby #2, I can't help but imagine what it would be like to be almost due and nearly 40 weeks pregnant. We have now been trying as long as it would have taken to carry a baby to term.
I spend so many moments imagining my sweet Winter no longer being my only child and at the same time, being fully present. I fear if I spend too much time daydreaming about the future that may or may not be, I am inadvertently wishing her to grow up a little quicker than fate intends, and God knows that I don't want to do that.
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Although we have had a mild winter in Colorado so far, there have been a few stretches of days where we haven't seen the sun and it's been too cold to go outside.
Right around the time that February makes its way onto the front page of our calendar, I notice myself forward thinking about and craving spring; and instead of resisting it, I let the excitement set in as we start to plan out our backyard garden.
The first step in the process is to always visit our favorite greenhouse to talk to the employees and owner about design plans and soak in the beautiful sights of greenery.
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Happy February, everyone! I can't stop thinking about how I felt in February three years ago as it was the month that we found out that we were pregnant with Winter. It's such a unique memory for us.
I have always loved to celebrate love, and while I don't always get caught up in the commercialism of Valentine's Day, I really love any excuse to decorate with hearts and do things with my family that is all things LOVE related.
Winter is getting to the age where she is enjoying arts and crafts and helping me when I create fun things. Below is a little round-up of the Valentine's Day crafts that we intend to try together as a family.
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There is a new technique that I have been trying in the mornings with Winter that I wanted to share with you. It's called 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and it's as simple as the name!
Sometime during the day take two minutes to tap into all five senses and observe what is going on around you. I find the most simple moments for this meditation technique is when I am getting my daughter ready for the day, heating up my morning coffee or when I am doing the laundry. Here's how it works:
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Well, due to the recent events that took place with our little one (you can read it about it, here), I am way behind on the blog, including Weekend Links.
Remember that in these Weekend Links posts, there will always be a 'Question of the Week'. If you respond to it in the comments below, you will be in the running to win something from me that I will mail to you as a token of my appreciation for reading the blog. Last week, I sent everyone who commented and gave me their address a small package :)
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