byui graduation

i recently got this letter in the mail.






and this is how i feel about it.

everyday daphne day #1

I got the idea from Nic's cousin Missy who documented her son's outfits for a week. So, I'm going to photograph daphne [probably not] everyday so i can have a record of my favorite outfits on her. In our house, getting dressed is a huge ordeal. Daphne doesn't have a closet anymore but when she did, I would hold her up to her clothes everyday and ask her to pick out her outfit. Most of the time she would pick a dress (usually her brown easter dress) and then I would explain that it wasn't sunday and she could wear a dress a different day (though she often wears dresses on the weekdays too :) I think she could understand the word outfit at about 7 months. You make think I'm crazy, but seriously, she just loves clothes. Now, when you say she looks cute, she'll often start pulling on each part of her outfit. Then, when you say to her "yeah, cute shirt" then she moves on to show you her headband, or pants, or shoes. when I say "new outfit" then she really freaks out! she's lucky to have grandparents, great grandparents and of course us to keep her obsession alive.

But, we don't spend a lot on her clothes (but her grandparents probably do- thank you!)
so, i wanted to show how to thrifty- yet adorable :)
today is a lazy day. daphne and i both have an awful head cold. she probably doesn't know this- but i would be shocked if we get out of the house today :) daph is dressed accordingly. (i on the other hand am unshowered, still wearing my bath robe and slippers :)
gerber t-shirt (3 pack for $9) dyed with RIT dye (RIT is awesome. i use it all the time. It is so cheap (less than $2) and if you get together with some other moms, you can all dye shirts together (the washing machine method is the ONLY way to go!) and then you won't have 7 shirts for your one child in the same color) this shirt is a mix between royal and navy blue dyes with a little black mixed in gray-down the blue a bit.

her leggings were thrifted. fifty cents.

and her chuck taylors are my new favorite wardrobe item of hers.
i got them off ebay for $16. $16 still sounds like a lot- since they were used... but chucks really hold their value i've found! they sell new for more than $25 so it's hard to find them any cheaper. They were very gently worn and completely adorable. I bought them in a size 3 though she is barely in size 2 shoes so they will last for a long time. If she wears the right kind of socks with them (thick and with grippy feet) they stay on all day.
i had to include this picture. this was daphne when a pet smart commercial came on. she FREAKS out (in a good way!) when she says puppies. She asks me multiple times a day to hold her up to see a picture we have of our friend's 2 dogs. So, Blake and Ali- this is also daph's reaction when she looks at Mia and Nacho. It's so funny.

colorado

some days i long to be in colorado so bad it hurts.
there are so many people i want to hang out with on a more permanent basis.
but, today- i'm missing julie especially.



it's hard when you only have one sister and they live a 10-hour drive away.
no one can pluck my gray hairs, commiserate about kid's colds or eat Panera salad with me quite like Julie can. I miss you.

i love the olympics

and while watching them today i designed this new save the date.
i hope you're enjoying and feeling all kinds of national pride (no matter what your nation)

daphne @ 13 months

she has started to give us kisses (though more often she kisses her stuffed animals instead) and we love love love it.

gotta love that cute bum and chunky legs


this is right before she ripped her headband (ok, my headband..) off again and again... like i didn't think that would happen.
i love the look on her face. you know she is thinking she is awesome for standing up on the chair.

weighing in at an itty-bitty (well, just more itty than she was at her one-year appointment) 19.05 pounds and she's just going to be short- that's all- she's 28 inches.

daphne is so incredibly awesome.
she is loving dancing. (she entertained everyone at the post office today)
she is obsessed with clothes and shoes.
she says boo when playing with us.
she runs to the door when we put her coat on.
she is still sleeping 12-14 hours everynight... just like we like it.
she loves the shape sorter (but especially likes the orange circle)
she has 8 lovely teeth and LARGE gap in her 2 front teeth (runs in the fam- sorry daph)
she still loves her binky and a nightly bottle (this won't be fun to change)
she had her first quesadilla and jam sandwich (those are 2 things, not one.. gross) and loved them.
she loves to open drawers and destroy the house. every day.
she is a really good baby and we couldn't ask for more.

we're lucky parents.

now she'll be able to go to shows with us

and let me tell you, she's thrilled.
i think she would wear them all day if we let her.
i hope she keeps them on when there is music on... we'll see next week.

my diet struggles all out in the open.

after nine months of packing on the pounds (and growing a human- little daphne) i gained 28 pounds. while tall girls can gain 28 pounds during pregnancy and look great a couple months later. short girls, cannot. Ok maybe some can... THIS SHORT GIRL CANNOT.
It took me another 9 months to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. But, my weight-loss journey is far from done.
So far through my struggles to loose weight, I've pretty much found things that don't work for me.
my latest.. a 53 hour juice cleanse. i did loose a few pounds (3) but i was kind of thinking the scale would be a bit more kind to me, taking into account all the sacrifices I've made in the past 53 hours!

But, there is a cooking blog i love. ROOKIE COOKIE
though there is isn't a WHOLE lot that is low fat/calories... everything i've tried is SUPER yummy. Plus, I love Rookie. She is such a good writer and she uses a few very mild swears which this girl finds amusing (maybe it's rexburg living?)
A few weeks ago she shared Alton Brown's (from the food network. I LOVE the food network, cannot stand Alton) "diet"
What I like about it, it's not a real diet, just some rules to live by.


Daily
-fruits
-whole grains
-leafy greens
-nuts
-carrots
-green tea

3 times a week
-oily fish
-yogurt
-broccoli
-sweet potato
-avocado

Once a week
-red meat
-pasta
-dessert
-alcohol

Never
-fast food
-soda
-processed meals/frozen dinners
-canned soup
-"diet" anything

Eat breakfast everyday, no matter what.

There are somethings I won't do.. green tea, alcohol, avocados & fish (just don't like the last 2) but the rest of the list I feel like is really doable. I'm going to print the list for my fridge. I feel like if i eat what is on the list then I will have a really good healthy base for the day! (and it doesn't sound awful, i like those things)

Also... (and this is exciting!)
I'm training for a 1/2 marathon! Well, I start my running schedule on Monday. We bought a running stroller yesterday (though I know Rexburg is still icy right now) we have a treadmill in our apt. lounge gym for when i need it. I was inspired by my old roommate. She is doing it also (but the full marathon.. I'm so impressed!!!) and I've ALWAYS wanted to run a 1/2 marathon. Well, I want to do a whole too- maybe this fall. I ran a lot in high school. cross country for 2 years and I loved it. I had many days where I ran 12+ miles. even 15 once or twice... not that that does me much good now. I'm starting with a whopping ONE MILE! But, baby steps. lots and lots and lots of steps. And i'm not walking these steps people, I'm running them!