INNOCENCE

The other day Jordan and I were talking about Adelaide and her penchant for charming strangers when Jordan said that Adelaide is pretty much the definition of naive. She makes friends and freely graces strangers with smiles, because everyone must love her like we do (don't they though? :). She fearlessly reaches out to anything furry, because every animal must be as sweet and friendly as Bowser. She explores everywhere and everything, because she truly believes she is always safe. And it's true. She is so perfectly naive in every single way. 

That got me to thinking about how incredibly lucky we are to have been able to provide Adelaide with a life that has, so far, enabled her to be way. Because it's not a given. This world is full of terrible, scary and bad things, just as it is full of fun, beauty and love. I am so grateful that Adelaide hasn't had to experience anything to ruin that sweet innocence, and I hope we continue to be lucky enough for that to carry on for a long, long time to come.

ONE DOUBLE EAR INFECTION LATER...

Tee: F21, Skirt: Old Navy, Sandals: Target 

P.S. Do you see how freaking full of flowers my rose bush is?!?! I am a classic woman: lover of flowers, and that sight makes my day!

That's what was up with Adelaide last week. I am happy to report that while she still has a slightly runny nose and periodic cough, she's in a much, much better mood, and her appetite and sleep are just about back to normal. And of course she gave me what she had, again. I mean, she did sneeze straight into my glass one day (among many other direct exposures), so I really couldn't have expected anything less than a nice cold of my own. But I'm feeling pretty much better now also. So, back to normal this week? Please?

In apparel news: I went to put on my new favorite uniform (again) today, but since I haven't done an outfit post in so long (because I've been wearing the same favorite uniform 5 out of 7 days), I figured out a way around it. Trade the jeans for a skirt and bingo-bango, different outfit. YESSS! Attagirl Nikki, way to work the system! Yeah, "work the system" might as well be my middle name....

Anyone believe that?

STANDING ROOM ONLY

When your toddler has a cold resulting in less than 45 minutes of crib napping per day, and sporadic coughing fits resulting in painful crying at night, and out of desperation to just help her feel better you bring her to your bed knowing full well that it has never worked before, because it has always turned into a play-jump-roll-around-giggle party, or a fussy-tired-I-want-to-sleep-but-only-in-my-bed-even-though-I-can't-stay-asleep-there fest, and miraculously, it works. For the First. Time. Ever. And even though your bed feels more crowded than a standing room only show, and you yourself are left to sleep at the foot of the bed, either curled at a 90 degree angle or 35% hanging entirely off the end of the bed, you don't care. As long as she's happy :)

It also doesn't hurt when Hubs and Pooch are totally unaffected.

34 YEARS

Happy anniversary to my Mom and Dad! 34 years of marriage and counting. 

I love yall!

THINGS I FINALLY GET - LEFTOVERS

Wet hair, don't {have time to} care...

Shirt: F21, Dress: Ross, Boots: Sears

Since becoming a mom, there have been many moments when I think to myself, "Now I get it..." in regards to things I remember complaining about when I was a kid. Example: eating leftovers. I always hated eating leftovers. Pretty much no matter what it was, even something I liked, I didn't want to eat it two days in a row. As I got older, I got a little better about sometimes eating leftovers for lunch the next day. But really only when I packed it for lunch to take to work, and when lunch came and I didn't want it, I really had no other choice. So I tolerated leftovers. But for dinner? Never. Never, ever, ever. Well, now I get it.

#1, if I'm going to spend 45 minutes making a nice homemade meal, dealing with a whining child who either wants to help stir, be picked up to watch, or drag me away to play or read a book all while putting on very convincing performance of a desperately starving person for the entire duration of the meal preparation, I'm sure as heck gonna squeeze two meals out of it, thus getting avoiding an encore the following night.

and #2, trying to plan for and prepare 5-7 different meals (depending on our eating out situation that week :) every single week gets oooooold. So if eating leftovers means I may only have to plan for and prepare 3-5 meals that week, I am so on board! I might actually even start to enjoy meal planning again when it takes up half as much time!

So Mom, I am here to formally apologize for complaining about leftovers. I now get it completely. 

Another similar thing that I now get: Spaghetti Monday, Taco Tuesday, or whatever version of a recurring weekly meal. We never did that in our house growing up, but I think I'm ready to institute it!

OUR OFFICE

This was our office inspiration (or Pinspiration I suppose :) Our My goal was to do it on the cheap. Because cheap might as well be my middle name. I still need to find chairs and I'm also still leaning towards doors on those last two open shelves, but but otherwise, this is it. Our {mostly} completed office. 

All of the white units came from Ikea and Jordan made the counter top and installed most of it. I installed the floating shelves, thank you very much. I also put all of the pieces together before installation, and anyone who's ever had anything to do with Ikea furniture knows what a big undertaking that can be... But I know I'm not kidding anyone here. None of this would've been done without hubs. He's kinda super handy and awesome with basically everything ;) So, thanks Jordan! 

IN A MOOD

Shirt: Genuine 1981 ELO from my mom :), Pants, Old Navy, Shoes: Target

Today it's me. A little grumpy, a little on edge, a little frustrated, probably a little looking to pick a fight if Jordan were home. Good thing he's not. Normally I let these kinds of days take over. I go on a cleaning binge because that's what I do when I'm mad, upset or "in a mood". I let that clutter that has been sitting on that table not bothering a darn thing suddenly get to me. 

Well, not today. Err... not for the rest of today anyway. These are exactly the kinds of days when I need to stop and realize just how lucky I am. Lucky that I have all of that stuff to clutter up the desk in the first place. Lucky to be home with my sweet baby girl to see it. Lucky to have a husband to try to pick fights with who never takes the bait (however irritated it may make me in the moment ;). Then I probably need to just go have a seat, turn on Gilmore Girls and eat a little of that chocolate cake that's been tempting me all day :)

P.S. This is my Doug outfit. Did anyone else watch that cartoon? I'm always telling Jordan that he's like Doug, with a "uniform" of his green pants or shorts (exactly the same as the pants, only cut off) and a solid t-shirt. But sometimes I envy that. I've been fighting the urge to wear one of 2 or 3 shirts, jeans and these shoes pretty much every day. But I feel good in it, it's easy, it's fast. So why not just wear it every day? Well, because of this blog is why not. I may stop fighting it for a little while though.

OUR EASTER

Because I have no outfit posts, because I haven't really been getting "dressed" very often, because once I put on "workout" clothes and wear them for like half of the day, what's the point in putting on a whole other set of clothes for the other half?  

53 Days til our beach vacation!

SPRING/SUMMER WISH LIST

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13

So, I figured since Spring is a very short lived season around here, I might as well combine it with summer when it comes to a wish list. It's all just stuff that's appropriate for hot. I looked around a bit for a swimsuit to add, but since I know I won't be replacing this one that I bought a few years ago, I skipped it. I wear a swimsuit maybe 3 times a year, so there's really no sense at all in replacing it more than every decade or so :)

Anybody else dying to jump on the Birkenstock band wagon? Dying to, yes. But going to? No. Way too rich for my blood. But that won't stop me from scouring all the discount websites almost daily in hopes that I'll magically find the perfect pair for like, a hundred-million percent off. 

I think I'm seeing a bit of a common theme up there with lacey, flowy and embroidered stuff taking over. I don't think I've ever seen a common theme in my shopping cart before. Weird.

"SOMEBUNNY" IS TAKING OVER MY BLOG THIS WEEK

Is it terrible if I admit that I was laughing, like deep, whole-hearted, belly laughing as these pictures were taken? Let me just clarify though. I wasn't laughing at the fact that she was crying, I was laughing at the "all done"'s that she managed to get out in between screams. I mean, it was funny. And classic. Unusual for Miss I Know No Strangers and loooooove attention and anything furry.

Anyway, Happy Easter Weekend! Hope it's a good one!

Easter 2014

THE WEEKEND

Here are a few bunch of pictures from over the weekend. You better bet we're soaking up every bit of good weather we can before it gets way too hot. So, I hope you don't mind taking in some more of Adelaide's cuteness today while I finish up a Spring/Summer Wish List ;)