Mini Messages

Our first picture together. This was about 4 years ago. When phone camera's were lame and the pictures turned out really small.

But I love it nontheless.

Dear Job,
I love you. Seriously. Why did it take you so long to come into my life?

Dear Husband,
I think it's so cute that you're a little student once more. I'm totally relieved I don't have to worry about writing papers or taking tests, but I will always, always be in your life to plan out and organize your schedule. It's a twisted joy of mine.

Dear Sleep,
I don't know what I've done to make you leave me, but please come back. I miss you. I need you.

Dear Motivation,
I finally found you again. New, healthier, Lauren...here I come!

Dear Week,
You are FULL of funtimes. Friends, Family, Food. Love. Love. Love.

Don't forget! Tomorrow is our next gtkY!



DIY: Sweatshirt Makeover

I have loved crafting and cutting up clothes since...forever. But I get an idea and run with it before stopping to document! But, looking at my 24 before 24, I made sure to slow down this time and grab a camera (aka phone.)

This is a very simple DIY. I feel silly even giving it directions, BUT nonetheless, I'm counting it as my first official DIY!

This sweatshirt was given to me when I was in seventh grade. (Woah, 10 years ago!) My family just moved to North Carolina and I missed cheerleading try-outs (devastating!) BUT, they let me try out late and I made the team (woohoo!)
I thought this thing was THE coolest article of clothing I owned. I mean, it had my name in the front and "Cheerleader" written on the back. Awesome.

But, as I got older, I formed more of a love for hooded sweatshirts and never had the heart to throw this one out. The memories! (And bleach stains from cleaning my cheer shoes-gone bad.)

Well, I woke up today wanting to wear it and decided to spruce it up a bit!

What you need:
Sweatshirt (obviously!)
Scissors
Chalk, pencil, washable marker (optional)
Puppies, Husband, or Roommate (not optional)

1 Here she is in all her glory! The neck line is the biggest thing that keeps me from wearing it nowadays. It's so high up! I'm in love with slouchy, v-neck, type shirts. 2 Lay your sweatshirt flat on the ground/table. 3 Since my sweater is black, I used chalk to draw my lines out. You may be a pro at cutting free-handed...but not me! 4 I drew a line from the bottom of the collar and up to the shoulders. If you have a hood, it can be done the same way! (FYI: If you're nervous about cutting too low, start with just taking the collar off. Then try it on, see how you like it, and go from there.)

5 Make sure your "shoulder seam" (that's what I call the seam that goes across your shoulders) is even and cut through both the front and back. 6 Clean cut! (Olive just HAD to be in the pictures!) 7 and 8 are very important to the process. Put the collar around your puppies and laugh. Take pictures if possible. If you have no pets, try your Husband/Roomate! It's fun. Promise.

9 This is optional. (Along with everything else! It depends on how you like it!) I didn't like how the bottom of my sweatshirt was so cinched in by the band around it. So, I drew a line and cut across (leaving the hem in-tact to keep from fraying majorly.) 10 Also important, tie band around said puppies/Husband/roomates. 11 The result! An off the shoulder, slouchy, sweatshirt! (Being home alone is the only excuse I have for the "myspace-y/dirty bathroom mirror" picture.) 12 My "collar" on Olive. She kept it on the entire morning! Such a good girl.

Well, as I said, easy-peasy. But, I hope you enjoyed it! Next DIY will be a wall hanging of sorts for the new house. So stay tuned!

sick day(s)

doctor says:

"getting over the flu. sinus infection. double ear infection."

lauren says:

"just shoot me."

i'm the best at this game i like to call,

see-how-long-you-can-stay-sick-throughout-a-year.

really.

i at least deserve a trophy.

or a ribbon.

but i do have a pretty impressive stash of antibiotics and pain killers.

yay.

so i've been home.

not doing anything.

including blogging.

so our gtkY

and hopefully my health

WILL be back to normal next week.

until then

enjoy some lifelately pictures.

:date night with husband!

 :our little house is coming together! ("I Spy" pictures coming!)    : and everyone's favorite lunch!

:Bible study at the college. spiritual deodorant.      :helping someone's day.

 :pre-doctor visit meds.         :sweet babygirls snuggling with their sick mama.

:how to have a successful "sick day." a) take over couch with pillows and comfy blankets. b) meds, meds, meds. c) have an awesome brother to come bring you lunch. d)happy movies. (some of husband's got into my happy stack...those aren't my kind of happy.)

:the highlight of my week! receiving a letter and precious picture from our little boy Maycol. he's our sponsor child from Ecuador. 

have a happy, happy weekend!

gtkY: elle keeps moving.

Our second gtkY is Elle from elle keeps moving. I found her blog through another blogger and I have never regretted that click! Elle is the mother and wife of a beautiful family. I mean it. Her blog is full of funny and sweet "mom moments" and I am totally keeping notes for future reference! Plus, some love to her husband and her own baby line. Enjoy getting to know my friend, Elle!

Why did you start your blog?

It sounds cliché, but I was pregnant with my first baby and thought it was a nice way to keep in touch with family far away.

What is your name? (Or what do you wish you were named?)

Elle Rowley. Actually, my name is Ellen, which I like, but Elle has been a nickname for years and it’s a name that people remember, for some reason, so I go by it professionally now.

When is your birthday?

May 22

Name 3 jobs you’ve had in your life.

Oh boy, I posted on this a few years ago because I’ve had so many that I felt it needed to be recorded.  It took TWO posts. I’ll give you my worst 3: janitor assigned to a room of cadavers (didn’t last long), envelope opener (job title and description all in two words), and assistant to the owner of a cookie factory (smell of cookies baking all day long and yet I was never given even one cookie - torture).  

If you could have ANY job, what would you do?

I have 2 of the 3! I’m a stay-at-home-mom and I have my own business making and selling Lulu Wraps (fabric baby carriers). The third dream job is writing books. It’s in the some day pile.

What are you most afraid of?

Not becoming the person God wants me to be.

What was your favorite item as a child?

Do you remember the brand Yaga? It was a Rastafarian brand that was cool for a day (or less). My brother and sister gave a Yaga t-shirt when I was about eight and I was just waiting for a photographer to put me in a magazine wearing that shirt, I thought it was that cool.

What are 3 movies you could watch over and over?

Jane Austen adaptations and any season of The Cosby Show

Your dream vacation would be…

We will hopefully be living in London for a semester next year, which would be a dream vacation and then some.

What are 3 websites you visit daily?

Facebook, my blog, and etsy.

Must have snacks?

fruit

Go-to outfit and hair?

High-waisted jeans and a boyfriend cardigan with a high, messy bun.

Do you eat the stems of broccoli?

Too personal. Just joking. Yes, I do.

Favorite ice-cream?

Ice cream I can trade for cookies.

Favorite day of the week?

It’s Friday, it’s Friday.

What do you do most often when you are bored?

Look at my phone. It’s almost like a nervous twitch now.

What is your favorite board game?

Scrabble, but I’m up for a good discussion (politics, religion, parenting, education, fashion, whateves) way before a board game.

Favorite smell?

Cookies baking

What’s under your bed?

I don’t even want to know.

Which useless superhero power do you wish you possessed?

The power to do more than one thing at once. Oh wait, I already have that one. It’s called being a mom.

If you could meet one person dead or alive, who would it be?

The maker of The Bachelor so I could smack him in the head and thank him at the same time. 

I hope you've fallen in love with this sweet family! Thank you so much for participating, Elle!

Once again, check her out: elle keeps moving.

Don't forget to "follow" her, too!

when i'm home alone, my life becomes a musical...

...but when there's company
I keep it inside.
Not just because they'd give me funny looks,
but they don't know
all the words and dance moves.
They'd totally ruin everything Olive, Bailee, I create.

OhButHey!
It's Monday!
I don't know about yours,
but this Monday was fantabulous
for me and mine.
Husband started school (again)
We're shooting for finishing this year!
I had funtimes at work.


And now pictures....

Our first real dinner in the new house?

Steaks on the Foreman.

With Mac and Cheese.

Velveeta of course.

And Ranch.

For me.

Of course.

Tomorrow is our next gtkY! Check back and see who's next!