what i wore

i decided to join in the fun this week and post a few "what i wore" pictures! 

except i'm bummed because i had a really cute outfit on on sunday and completely forgot to take a pic...but here's what i've got..

outfit above:

cardi and leggings: target

blouse: kohl's??

flats: marshall's

earrings: michele busch

 blouse and skirt: downeast basics

earrings and bracelet: michele busch

shoes: jcpenney

tights: probably target?

 black tissue tee: target

blouse: anthropologie

skinnies: seven at nordstrom rack

rain boots: target

watch: fossil

 tshirt: target

jacket: kohl's

jeans: sevens at a local boutique

shoes: puma

 don't know what the weird expression on my face is about on this one!

blouse: anthropologie

jeans: sevens

leopard flats: nordstrom

earrings: michele busch

bracelets: dillard's

watch: fossil

linking up with the pleated poppy!

plus and minus

negatives today:

-sadie picked up and spilled my starbucks vanilla latte on my favorite seven jeans and pink top

-she wrote in green crayon all over her wool carpet and beautiful glider and ottoman in her room

-i have two ulcers in my mouth that are so very painful

-i spilled an entire bag of gingerbread man cookies on the kitchen floor (that i just bought yesterday)

-i had to take my car into the shop because i ran into my stepdad's car...in my own driveway!

positives today:

-sadie and i had a fun little snack at starbucks (before the latte incident)

-we checked out some really good books at the library

-we both took an almost 2 hour nap this afternoon

-i'm making yummy king ranch chicken for dinner tonight

-we had the best girls' weekend in plano and left the babies with their daddies!

here we are at paradise bakery getting some lunch...kami, mckinlee, and susanne

 kali and i

 after braving the crowds at the mall for several hours, we took a break to eat a delicious dinner that susanne made, then went to our friend, michele busch's house, who happens to be an amazing jewelry designer, to shop some more! after michele's house, we went to target at 10pm and got snacks and pjs, because by that time, we were hungry again and ready to get comfy...great great weekend!

favorite quote of the day...

(to a random lady behind us at hobby lobby):

"hi i'm sadie isabella. i'm cute."

on my mind and heart

 i grew up with the calmest mother in the world (really i rarely, if ever, remember her raising her voice or losing her temper.) when she got *really* upset, she would whistle. that's it. just whistle to calm down.  so in having that wonderful example of patience, i feel like i have a high standard of mothering to live up to.  not that she or anyone else has told me so, but i just feel like i need to stay calm at all times. which i don't. which leads to guilt.

guilt is not healthy. it's not productive. and it doesn't solve anything.

sadie is a very active, lively, and talkative almost 2 year old. she is precious to me, and i love her so so much! but a lot of days, she wears me out. i start the day calm and patient, but some days (like today),  i end up feeling exhausted and sad that i've raised my voice to her or spatted her leg.

 i wonder if i'm mothering her "correctly"...i wonder if i let her watch one too many cartoons...did i let some naughty behavior go because i'm tired, and then discipline her later out of frustration?

i know that there are real, serious problems out there like not having food or a home for your children, but i take the privilege of being a mama very seriously, and i just want to get it right.  i want her to grow up to love spirtual things and to be an encouragement to others.

i want to be the best mother i can be.

i pray for patience and love daily, and i know it's a constant thing to work on (especially when raising kids!)

and i have finally realized, with the help of my sweet husband, i can't control some things. like if she talks too much when she's needing to be quiet, or she doesn't want to eat certain things at mealtimes, or she doesn't always act the way i think she should.

she's unique.

she's a sweet girl.

and i love her more than my own life.