ta-ta google reader

starting monday google reader will be gone, kaput, sayonara.

for those of you who don't quite know what that means...basically all the blogs that you follow and show up when you sign into blogger won't be there to read anymore!

so how will we keep up with all of our favorite blogs? 

BLOGLOVIN'! 

i have been using it for a couple months now and have loved it. really the only down fall i see is the fact that i have to go to a whole different website to read the blogs i follow, instead of just signing into blogger. 

the best part is that you can easily import all of your google reader blogs on to bloglovin' SO easily when you sign up. and as a bonus is that there is an app for it!

i've noticed {along with other bloggers} that i have quite a few more google reader followers than loglovin' followers and that may be a problem come monday.

SO...

to follow my blog just sign up then click here. then all you have to do is click the blue "follow" button!

Or you can click the button on my left sidebar that says "follow with bloglovin" 

like i said, once you are signed up it is super simple to  import your google reader blogs.

first you click the little arrow on the top bar next to you profile picture. a drop box will appear and then just scroll down and click import from google reader. 

easy peasy. 

so go sign up for bloglovin' before you lose contact with all your favorite blogs!

p.s. you don't have to have a blog to sign up and read other people's blogs : )

{DIY} diaper cake

 this past weekend i was so bummed to miss out on my friend Skye's baby shower. since i wasn't able to attend i decided to make a diaper cake and drop it off on the way to our family reunion! 

there are a couple ways to do it on pinterest but i loved this tutorial the best. i think that it looks a lot nicer and put together than rolling the diapers. plus it is possible to do it without another person involved...which i had to do. 

the decor ideas are endless as well but again, i am into simple and clean.

i was lucky and scored a buy one get one free deal on diapers at walgreens and got two packs of 50 size 1 diapers. i used about 95 of them.

Summer Slump {guest post}

Check out my guest post today over at Curious Sprinkles for ways to beat the "Summer Slump"

gone fishin'

we have had quite a few fishing trips already this summer. emma loves being at the lake and kellen loves being in the lake.  unfortunately not one. single. fish. has been caught but that doesn't keep us from going back out and trying again {usually at a different place}. 

i wouldn't doubt if we try out every fishing spot around by the end of the summer!

so far no luck at harris pond, oakley reservoir{twice}, or 6mile. so if you have any suggestions around the burley area....they would be greatly appreciated : )

 

 

 

 

 

thank goodness for my point and shoot camera that stays in the diaper bag because I always forget my other camera while packing up everything for our little outings!



teaching an "i can" attitude

i have notice lately that emma says "i can't" like 50 times a day. at first it was just annoying and i figured she just didn't want to do what i was asking/telling her to do. then after seeing her reaction to actually doing something she said "i can't" to at first,  i realized that most of the time she actually believes that she can't do something.

after much thought over the past few weeks i have come to realize that most of this is my fault. 

you see, emma is my first born and a girl. that combination=over protective mom.

i have told her way too many times that she can't do things because she is too little, may get hurt, or worse....dirty! all this time i thought i was protecting her but now it seems to have backfired and she has an "i can't" attitude.

it's kind of interesting to me that i am just now figuring this all out and i think it is actually because of kellen. since he is a boy and all i let him pretty much do whatever he wants like play in the dog water, dig in the dirt, climb anything he thinks he can and feed himself messy foods. he is only one and has probably had more bumps and bruises than emma. now the kid thinks he is king of the world, is determined and can master most things he puts his mind to. 

unfortunately i can't take back the 3 1/2 years of over protective parenting with emma but i can help to rebuild her confidence now. i need to teach her that clothes wash and scrapes heal as long as you are trying your best it's all okay. i want her to feel the sense of accomplishment when she does something hard, even if it is just climbing the ladder at the park. i want her to actually believe that she can do anything she sets her mind to. so for now i am going to help her, push her, and believe in her until she can learn for herself that she can do hard things.

via

Brooklyn & Mitchell {wedding}

so i have neglected to post for a while but with good reason. i was able to fly half way across the country to kansas {alone with my two kids....more on that later} for my little sisters wedding!

planning and crafting and vacationing basically took up all my time. and now i am so jealous and wish i would have done my reception in my parents back yard too because it was SO beautiful.

free-hand painting this sign was quite stressful for me.

 sibling love

 my mom made the cake and it was awesome!