She Reads Truth

Top: f21, Pants: Gap, Shoes: Thrifted, Necklace: local coffee shop

If you haven't joined this community on twitter and instagram, please do! It is such a loving group of women caring for each other and caring for Jesus. We are all committing to a life of passion, accountability, and community. We started by reading Soul Detox (a bible reading plan from you version and we are now on Day 15) and will continue with other plans, tweeting, and blogging along the way. Not only is a community forming within this giant blog land, but it's all about Jesus. Nothing will ever be more important than that!

Dance Recital

 This weekend marked my first dance recital in over 6 years! I felt a little "out of the loop" with all the backstage lingo...which one is stage left again? Is this enough "stage makeup" - to which I was replied a "definitely not!

It was a lot of fun though, being able to perform again! I was happy to be backstage, perform the number we had worked so hard on and take a final bow! This was the first time I had 5 people in the audience to watch me! And it was my husband's first time really seeing me dance. Which was exciting for both of us. Despite my overwhelming momentum in the beginning of the dance, almost causing me to fall, it went really well and I was greeted afterwards by three bouquets of roses (all pink)! Which definitely was the highlight of my night!
I've been trying to live out this motto this year: "Do one brave thing a day." (I'm not sure where I heard this, but I've seen a few pictures on the internet). This was definitely my brave thing for today.

Resting

Today I'm sick.

I'm just sleeping and consuming warm liquids in the form of my new yogi tea and chicken noodle soup, made by my husband! I've been seeing on twitter that some of your kids are sick, or yourselves as well, I hope we all feel better really soon!

Memorial Day

 

Ours will be spent grilling, fruit-salad-chopping, croquet/lawndarts-playing, icing(dance injuries), knitting, praying, remembering, laughing and loving family and friends!

I hope yours is lovely too! 

Friday Senses

Making: Parmesan and Leek Frittata

Ingredients:

1 large leek

1/2c milk

6 eggs

salt

pepper

freshly grated parmesan cheese

olive oil

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375, heat oil in a cast-iron skillet and add thinly sliced leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes. Whisk together milk and eggs and pour over the leeks. Top with cheese. Cook for 5 minutes, and then transfer to the oven for 8-10 minutes.

Seeing:  Rows, and rows, and rows, being ripped out, to start knitting again.

Hearing: My husband vacuuming (yay!)

Smelling: Leeks, yummy, salty leeks.

Tasting:  Brunch! Leek Frittata, Blueberry muffins, Iced coffee, Sorbet with sparkling juice (and of course, Jamie made maple-candied bacon)

Feeling: Soft, lace yarn.

Reading: The bible, I will never get enough.

Loving: All my dance classes, but right now, lyrical is at the top!

Wishing: For new pointe shoes

Secret Starbucks

Dress: Francesca's, Shoes: Aerie, Necklace: DIY

source

One of Jamie's co-workers sent this to him the other day. You have probably seen this before but it's still awesome. I ordered a super cream frappucino with a biscotti blended in. Oh yes, it was amazing.

Let me know if you have tried the captain crunch! You are my hero.

Repeat

Hat: Aerie, Top: f21, Necklace: AE, Pants: Gap, Shoes: Old navy

Well, I am basically posting the same outfit as yesterday..okay, not quite but it's the same top. Let's just pretend that I am showing you two ways to wear this top. 1) When it is sunny and warm and 2) When in is a cooler summer night with storms coming soon.

I found myself in both situations the other day, so here you go...two ways to wear this.  (actually there are about a million ways to wear it, I didn't take that many pictures though..)

Now it's May

Top: f21, Skirt: Target, Shoes: Aldo, Necklace: AE


Since May has arrived:
1) I have had 2 sunburns. boo!
2) I've taken 22 long walks around the neighborhood (1 a day)
3) I've had 22 iced coffees
4) I've seen countless wedding photos (I always thought June was the month everyone wanted to marry in)
5) I've watched two stage performances (1 more to watch and 1 to dance in!)
6) I've started planning my birthday (June comes so quickly!)


What does May look like for you?

On not giving up...

Top: Bella Mia, Skirt: Aerie, Shoes: Bakers, Bracelet: Thrifted

I started knitting a project a few weeks ago, I have put so many hours into, knitting tiny stitches, hoping it turns out right. I have had so much trouble with this pattern. No matter what I do, I never have the right amount of stitches.. I've had to rip out hours of work because of one dropped stitch. (I really hope that it is worth it in the end!) As I have been re-knitting large portions of this shawl, I keep telling myself not to give up. Keep trying, even though it's a silly project, you are becoming more disciplined. It reminded me of other times I wanted to give up, in ballet, at finding a job, in this blog. I am still trying my hardest at all of these things, but, truly there have been many times where I just wanted to "throw in the towel". But I didn't! And I'm so glad, because I've met truly lovely ladies through my blog, I'm close to finding a job, I am improving in ballet class and I WILL knit this shawl - even if I lose a finger (or my mind) doing it!

What are you not giving up on this week?

Friday Senses

Making: Lemonade Mojitos
Ingredients: 
2 lemons
1 lime
1/2-3/4c of sugar
2c of water
several sprigs of mint
ice
Recipe:
Heat water and sugar over medium heat. After sugar is dissolved, squeeze lemon and lime juice into pan.
Chop mint and stir in. Pour lemonade over glasses filled with (crushed) ice. Serve with a spring of mint in each glass and of course, a straw.  

Seeing:  Peter Pan, the Milwaukee ballet's rendition. It was incredible!

Hearing: Lovely, whimsical, classical music.

Smelling: Pink roses, a gift from my husband.

Tasting:  Endive and gorgozola.

Feeling: Soft, lace yarn.

Reading: All Wound Up By: Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee (still reading)

Loving: Worship time with my family.

Wishing: Just for a job.

My own Tutu

Top: AE, Skirt: Shabby Apple, Shoes: Francesca's, Bracelet: Thrifted


I love this outfit so much I wore it twice in one week! I wore it to an event at BHLDN in chicago with the lovely Kirstin. Then, I wore it to the Peter Pan ballet performed by the milwaukee ballet . 
Both events were lovely and it was nice to spend some time in the city.
What do you get dressed up for?

DIY necklace

Top: AE, Sweater: Target, Skirt: Thrifted, Shoes: Francesa's.

I made this necklace last week from Jenni's book I Spy - DIY. It's made from gold painted straws.. can you believe it?!

We had a DIY day at my house a few days ago and we made this necklace and another really pretty necklace and my sister and I taught my husband and mom to knit. My heart was so full that day. Family time full of knitting and crafting. Perfect.

Wedding Week: TheEverygirl

A few weeks ago, I was chosen to model in a photo shoot for TheEverygirl. It was so much fun! I met some really lovely ladies and my bridesmaid, Zoe, had me laughing the entire time!
Check out the rest of the shoot here. Thanks Alaina and Danielle for letting me a part of this.
While I'm posting a bunch of links.. check here for smilebooth photos from TheEverygirl event at BHLDN.

Sawhorse Desk DIY

Tools:

Sawhorse (we bought a metal one at home depot)

4 1x6 pine boards (they cut ours at the store for free!)

3 1x4 pine boards

Wood Screws and small screws

1" metal braces and washers

Brown Stain

Teal Paint

Sandpaper

Chisel/hammer (to distress)

Rags (for stain)

How to:

After we finally left the home depot, we brought everything home and had to sit for a few minutes. Home Depot is exhausting!

First, my husband made a "mock-up" He is convinced you have to do this before every project...I am not convinced.

This is our mock-up.

Then we got started on the boards. We hammered, chiseled and sanded the boards down to create a distressed look.

Next we applied the brown stain using rags and let them dry.

In the meantime, we painted the 3 small boards teal - we didn't stain them brown because they are just going underneath the desk for support and you can't really see them.

After the four larger boards dried, we applied the teal paint in a thin coat with rags to get an uneven look. We wanted it to look like the teal paint was chipping off, so we left some spots more brown then others.

After everything dried, we pieced together all of the wood.

We started by attaching the 3 cross braces (small boards) to the sawhorse. We used wood screws, large washers, and 1 inch metal brackets to attach the 1 x 4's to the sawhorse, we used three boards equally spaced apart with small blocks screwed in between to help with stability. We then drilled 8 holes in each board (4 per side). To attach the top boards we laid the desk boards out and lined them up, and then flipped the sawhorse upside down and screwed the support boards into the "tabletop." After we were finished we tested it out and added a few more screws on the underside of the sawhorse, but it was still a little wobbly, so we drilled into the metal and through one side of each leg and attached small bolts with washers and nuts to make it more sturdy. (this sounds more complicated than it is!) Basically, you screw it all together. 

Here is my desk with all my pretty things on it:

I'm really happy with how it turned out! It's still girlie but has a bit of an industrial feel to it.