Sleeping Beauty.

I like little more than ballet. I adore, my family, Lord and friends. But right under the people in my life, comes ballet. So when a dress makes me feel like I belong dancing aurora in sleeping beauty or as a flower in other ballets, well, let's just say... I never want to take this dress off. I was hoping to sleep in it, shower in it, cook, workout, dance and really just live in it. But, I think it's best I hang it up and save it for another special night.

Dear,

How is your weekend?
I hope you are feeling loved today!

I love hearing from you, so I just want to know. How are you?

Send me links to your blog, an email or just a little comment with your words.

Summer Hair on a Saturday - Head Wraps

Head Wrap 4 ways:

1) Place center of wrap on the back of your head and bring each end around to the front.

Cross ends over each other and then bring them back to the original side.

Tie in back.

2) Place center of wrap on the back of your head and bring each end around to the front.

Tie ends together on your forehead once, then bring each end back to the original side.

Tie in back.

3) Place center of wrap in the middle of your forehead and bring each end around to the back of your head

Tie in bow in back.

4) With head wrap wide place center of wrap in the middle of your forehead and bring each end around to the back of your head

Tie in bow in back.

It's really more like two ways, with a variation of each.. 

Head wraps, are a great way to style if your hair is dirty or just messy from the day. It's like a little blanket covering up my not-so-pretty look. Try it, you might feel better, even with a little extra grease!

P.S. For past styles:

1. Saltwater Spray

2. Knotty Braids

3. Maiden Braids 

4. Messy Ponytail

5. Hair Wrapped Headband

Friday Senses.

Making: Cucumber Mint Lime Aqua Fresca

Ingredients:

2 Large cucumbers ends trimmed, but peel still on, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup lime juice

1 1/4 cup mint 

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup of water

Recipe:

Put ingredients in blender, add enough water to fill 3/4 of blender. Hold the lid on the blender and purée until smooth. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the purée through it, pressing against the sieve with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid out as possible.

Fill a large pitcher halfway with ice cubes. Add the juice. Serve with sprigs of mint and slices of lime.

Seeing: Jamie sewing skirts!

Hearing: Baby sleeping sweetly.

Smelling: Basil, making lots of pesto over here.

Tasting:  Grilled peaches!

Feeling: Relieved - just waiting to hear back about my audition.

Loving: Jux - do you have one? I'm obsessed! https://dearfamily.jux.com/

Reading: Radical - life changing!

Wishing: To go back to Landmark Resort and relaxing with my family (vacations are always too short)

Happy Birthday Mama!

 

 I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always.

As long as I'm living,

your baby I'll be.

P.S. I hope you don't get mad at me for posting these pictures!

Today.

 

Dress: c/o Modcloth, Shoes: Old Navy, Floral Crown: DIY, Bracelet: Thrifted

This day was spent:

(A day from our vacation last week)

Kayaking

Lighthouse Climbing

Biking

Swimming

Shopping

Movie Watching

Knitting 

Eating

and Bonding.

What a great day!

What is your day like

How to begin again

5 years ago, I quit. I took off my pointe shoes, folded up my tights and leotard, and thought I would never look back. When I had started ballet, 8 years earlier, I thought this would be my career path - I would dance until I could dance no more. At age 15, I decided that I would no longer pursue becoming a principle dancer. I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me to join in work in other countries and pursue missionary work with my life. So I gave up, what I thought was selfish, laying down my talent to race after Jesus.

Source

I am a ballerina, not by profession, but by personality. In everything, I try to be graceful, strong, confident and passionate. I am kinesthetic and almost always moving. 

Many days I am sad that I quit, always wondering "what if" I had continued? What if I danced professionally for a few years? What if?

I have shed a few tears thinking about this. 

Just today, as I'm writing this, the Lord reminded me of what the past five years have looked like. Reminding me of things that I would not have done, had I continued in dance. Experiences living in New York, sacrificing sleep, comfort and space to create a change in the city. I moved there with a few other people, with one goal, to show love and hope to the children of God. He reminded me of my wonderful marriage and my husband's love for serving and Jesus. He reminded me of Africa, and my sweet little ones, who's names are written on my heart forever. 

Now I have rekindled my relationship with dance. We are together yet again. The Lord reminded me of my talent and passion and that I can use it for his glory, even in missions! We have a new goal in mind: A missionary dance school! I have been training really diligently for 6 months to audition for this school and just sent in my audition tape.. eek! And will continue training even harder. 

After my first recital in 5 years!

What are you pursuing right now? A dream? Something like me that doesn't seem attainable? 

What things can you change to get there?

I blog over at Dear Family, if you would like to say hi!

DIY Flower Crown

I have seen some really darling ladies wearing this flower crowns around, and for my mom's birthday, we decided to make some in celebration (sure does beat the old pointy party hats).

I took some help from the lovely bridget and miss james and of course, used a few of my own ideas.

You will need:

Floral Wire thick and thin

Floral Tape

Silk Flowers

Scissors

Pliers

I started out with thicker floral wire, so I just wrapped it around once and twisted the ends together and secured with floral tape.

Then I created little blooms and taped them with floral tape. 

After I built a few blooms of flowers, I started to wrap them with thin floral wire tightly around the crown. Then I began building upon each one as I went.

Sometimes I would just add one flower or sometimes 5, and then I add a few leaves in the back and taped the back in floral tape.

  

Here we celebrate by matching and eating soup.

Summer Wear.

I wanted to share some of my favorite looks for this summer. This doesn't necessarily mean they are "on-trend" or what every closet needs - these pieces are quite impractical. Here are looks that I love, because everyone could use some playful things to wear.

Here is what I am loving this summer:

My tutu:

Chiffon Skirt:

Corset Top:

DIY Toms Sandals:

 

Yellow & Simple Sandals:

Old Navy, Links no longer available

White Dress:

H&M, link no longer available

Your turn! What is one thing you own that is just for fun?

P.S. I posted this on Elease's Blog while she was in Italy. She's back now - so say hi!

Summer Hair on a Saturday

I was so excited that some of you asked about my hair in this post because I was unsure of sharing this beloved summer style of mine. I thought maybe it was too easy, but that's the great part about summer styles - effortless looking and creating.

A few tips for this style:

1) Use a thin, stretchy headband - you hair will stay put better

2) Clean and brush your hair beforehand for a more polished look (I guess that's a no-brainer, but the hair looks and wraps nicer with a good comb-through)

3) This style is equally cute without flowers

P.S. For past styles:

1. Saltwater Spray

2. Knotty Braids

3. Maiden Braids 

4. Messy Ponytail

Friday Senses.

 
Making Made: Rue Mouffetard bag (I call it my farmer's market bag, it's a grocery/shopping bag)

Seeing: Dance Academy, Netflix has a few addicting shows.

Hearing: Stories of Jamie's flight today.

Smelling: German chocolate cake baking.

Tasting:  Leek and red kale frittata. 

Feeling: Relaxed, no work for a few days.

Loving: Celebrating my mom's birthday! She is so special.

Reading: An Everlasting Meal I'm working my way through my reading list!

Wishing: For real coffee.

Risky Business.

  

Floral Crown: Element Style, Top&belt: f21, Skirt: AE, Shoes: Target

I'm in the business of taking risks lately, remember my mantra:

"Do one thing everyday that scare you."

 -Eleanor Roosevelt 

In most areas I have been feeling vulnerable, ill-prepared or not confident. I have been knitting difficult patterns, cooking new foods, eating very healthy/various "dancers" workouts to strengthen my body, taking on many families(to nanny for) and dancing many, many hours. With all these great changes I have been making, some areas are not open to risks. My heart is pretty closed to relationships, it's difficult to open up and my "free" time, is spent doing "comfortable" things, blog-hopping, and t.v. Lastly, I haven't been taking risks with sweet Holy Spirit. Somedays, I'm just scared to obey, somedays I don't listen. 

I'm trying to be brave.

What are you doing that scares you? What brave thing should you do?