DresseStylist, Bridesmaid Edition

DresseStylist is back for the last post on Dear Family,. It has been so fun looking at all of their beautiful bridesmaid and Wedding Dresses 2015 (can you believe this year is almost over?).

In case you missed my last post, my sister is now engaged to an awesome guy that lives in New Zealand. Which means my husband, baby and I will be taking a trip pretty soon! I am excited because I love traveling and New Zealand looks like an incredible place! Who can give me tips for traveling with a newborn? Are there any places we need to visit near Auckland? There is a place there called Sheep World that is very intriguing to me as my love for fiber, knitting and crafting have only increased as the years wear on. I am also hearing about incredible coffee shops, and shopping will certainly be on my list of to-dos. 

Now that I am officially the matron of honor and baby girl is one of the flower girls, it is time to start thinking about dresses. My sister has chosen for her bridesmaids to wear ivory and baby Dear will be wearing a white dress! My sister is planning on having floral headpieces made for the bridal party and I can't imagine anything cuter than our pretty baby with a crown of flowers on her head! 

It will be very interesting for me to purchase a bridesmaids dress now because I am six and a half months pregnant and our baby will be born one month before the wedding. I am sure I won't be back to my pre-baby weight by the time May rolls around so I am looking for options that offer a little more room in the stomach area without making me look pregnant. That should be easy right?!

Here are some of the beautiful options on DresseStylist that would be great options for my sister's special day! These dresses come in a variety of colors so I could easily choose one of these and select the ivory color that my sister wants.

This chiffon dress is so pretty and elegant. I think the sheer sleeves make this calf-length gown look sophisticated. 

 This pretty dress is perfect for dancing the night away after a fun and special wedding ceremony. I love the flowing skirt and fitted top.

 This dress is so lovely and elegant. It looks classic and simple but still young and fresh. I think it would look gorgeous with a pretty necklace and colorful shoes. 

Thanks again to DresseStylist for the opportunity to feature your dresses on my blog. I have enjoyed looking at all the different options you offer and the unique wedding dresses you sell. 

*This post is sponsored by DresseStylist but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.

It feels impossible to describe how excited I am to carry my little girl. She is already changing so much in my life as I am looking to parent and care for her in the best way I know.

I begin my third trimester this week and I am gratefully holding on to these brief moments where she is growing inside my womb. I could never understand a bond that could occur in this way, but my daughter is already so loved by her father and I, I can't even imagine what it will be like when she is born. I have enjoyed feeling and watching her grow, her kicks and rolls get stronger everyday. I love the way she responds to Jamie's voice and playfully kicks his hand when he touches my stomach. 

Life has already changed since I found out I was pregnant. I decided to quit my job with CPS earlier than I expected because of the stress that was placed on my body and my mind. This was a very difficult choice for me because I thought I was on a good path for my career. I am often self-conscious about my lack of education and jobs that I have held because of that reason (I feel embarrassed every time I take a job as a nanny or have to work the dreaded retail position.)

I thought this job gave me validation and purpose, so now I am at home and my days spent seeking truth and worth about my season of life. 

I am so honored to carry this little life inside of my body and cannot wait to meet her!

Resolutions

Jamie and I have been inspired by Bridget, to chose a word to motivate us in this next year instead of listing resolutions. We chose the word pursue.

Pursue

: to strive to gain; seek to attain or accomplish (an end, object, purpose, etc.).

: to proceed in accordance with (a method, plan, etc.).

: to carry on or continue (a course of action, a train of thought, an inquiry, studies, etc.).

: to practice (an occupation, pastime, etc.).

Our goal is to pursue Jesus, pursue each other, pursue relationships, pursue godly parenting, pursue health and pursue simplicity.

DresseStylist and an engagement story

DresseStylist is back with Dear Family, for another week and this is the perfect time to look at more wedding dresses because I have some exciting news! My sister just accepted a marriage proposal from her long-distance boyfriend from New Zealand. My sister flew to New Zealand a few weeks ago and he proposed a few days after she got there. 

It looks like my husband, baby and I will be taking a trip pretty soon! I am excited because I love traveling and New Zealand looks like an incredible place. Have you been to New Zealand before? Are you from there? I would love some travel tips!

Now to the exciting part - first I will give you a few details about the proposal and then we are going to look at some Wedding Dresses UK. 

My sister and her (now) fiancé started the morning at a cupcake place in Tauranga and ordered cupcakes and lattes. Rhys bought my sister flowers then drove her to the grocery store to purchase picnic supplies and they then drove to a really pretty waterfall park. They had a nice little picnic and then Rhys stood up to go "feel the temperature of the water" and asked my sister to come with him and when she turned around she saw a friend of Rhy's taking pictures and she said "ah who's this?" Then Rhys handed her a little note that said "will you marry me?" And he got down on one knee and she said yes!

How romantic?!

Now, of course, let's look at some gorgeous dresses! Maybe one of these will be the dress my sister chooses! 

They are considering an outdoor wedding and I think this dress would be stunning for a garden wedding. I love the sheer sleeves, scooping neckline and the short tulle skirt. 

This dress is strikingly beautiful and so different from any other wedding dress I have seen before. The asymmetrical neckline with the flowers and the ribbon are whimsical and romantic.

This dress is also one of my favorites! I love the simple classic lines with the sheer back. This dress is so classic and makes me want to get married again (to the same guy)!

 

I think planning a wedding is such a fun and special time. I know many people feel stressed about the deadlines and the amount of work that is put into making the bride and groom's day special but I can't help but enjoy the process. What do you think? Do/did you enjoy planning your wedding?

*This post is sponsored by DresseStylist but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.

SweetQuinceaneraDress

Today I have the exciting opportunity to introduce to you the wonderful company that is sponsoring Dear Family, for this post. SweetQuinceaneraDress is an online shopping boutique that offers beautiful, formal dresses for special occasions like a Quinceanera party! I will be highlighting a few of their lovely options as well as share an awkward story from a few days ago. I hope you get the chance to check out all the awesome Blue Quinceanera Dresses that are available in their online store. 

I have chosen a few dresses to feature today that I think would be beautiful for an upcoming party (of course they would be beautiful at any time). Winter parties can be so stunning with twinkly lights, fresh green garland and bright white flowers. It's also nice if the snow begins to fall as well. 

I did not ever have a Quinceanera thrown for me when I turned 15 but I imagine that it is a very special party for a girl of that age. Here are some of the dresses I would have chosen for my imaginary Quinceanera.

I love this skirt that almost looks like feathers! I am so into feathery dresses.

This dress is beautiful because of its sheer, changing colors! It reminds me of a prism I used to play with as a child and I think practically everyone would look beautiful in this dress!

 

Who doesn't love a sparkly dress! This dress doesn't even need jewelry it is so shiny and gorgeous.

 

I love the idea of a Quinceanera party because the entire night involves food, dancing and partying! Who wouldn't love that at any age?

Well, here's my story, I wish I could pretend that this happened years ago, perhaps at the age of 15?! Alas, just a few weeks ago I was peering into our neighbor's kitchen window (as I often do) while walking past to get to the car. We live in a very large house that was converted into apartments so each unit is different and I am always curious what the other units look like! Well, I must have been staring a little too long because our neighbor walked up to the window and stared back at me for a few minutes. I instantly ran down the steps but I must have made an impression because a few days later, he hung curtains to ensure that I would not be looking in his window again. 

Thanks again to SweetQuinceaneraDress for the opportunity to feature your dresses on my blog. I have enjoyed looking at all the different options you offer and the unique dresses you sell. 

*This post is sponsored by SweetQuinceaneraDress but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.

DresseStylist

DressesStylist is back with Dear Family, for another week and we are going to look at some holiday dresses that would be perfect for company parties, or any fancy events coming up in this most, wonderful time of the year.

I just attended a Christmas party with my husband last week, hosted by the company that he just started working for. Pushpay is an online mobile app payment platform and my husband works with their echurchgiving division which facilitates donations to churches and not-for profit organizations. The company is based out of New Zealand and has just recently opened their American offices. 

The party was a lot of fun and I ate a lot of (read: too much) delicious food. There was a hot chocolate bar with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, marshmallows and peppermint candy, a pie and christmas cookie bar and a holiday feast featuring cranberry, walnut stuffed chicken breast, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, rolls and stuffing. Like I said, I ate way too much. 

The party included a live band, many speeches and ended with the start-up company's employees singing christmas carols together. It was a fabulous and cozy evening. 

This was my first time meeting my husband's co-workers so I wanted to look nice but the invitation suggested the party was causal. I am not one that understands causal dress at parties so even though many people wore jeans and cardigans. The question looming in my mind for weeks was "what do I wear?" I opted for a long black dress shift dress and open-toed boots. 

I wish the party has been a touch fancier as I would have chosen one of these gorgeous dresses from DresseStylist. It may not have been obvious to you from my last post but along with all of the beautiful Wedding Dresses, DressesStylist also offers fantastic bridesmaid and formal dresses for many occasions.

This emerald beauty is a beautiful shape, and gorgeous for holiday parties. I imagine wearing this with sparkly jewelry and black heels.

This dress is gorgeous because of the shape and the drape of the chiffon. I adore chiffon and think it makes any dress look so romantic and beautiful. I love this color for the holidays because it is slightly unexpected but absolutely stunning.

 

This dress just looks so classic. Who wouldn't want to stand out in a red, satin dress during a Christmas celebration? I would probably wear a bold red lipstick and my hair in an up-do to add even more drama. 

 

What do you think? What are you wearing to all the holiday events you have planned?

*This post is sponsored by DresseStylist but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.

Introducing: DresseStylist

Today I have the exciting opportunity to introduce to you the wonderful company that is sponsoring Dear Family, for the month of December. You will get to see a few different posts from me about their website and I hope you get the chance to check out all the awesome Wedding Dresses that are available in their online store. 

I have chosen a few dresses to feature today that I think would be beautiful for a wedding during the holidays (of course they would be beautiful at any time). I have been to a few weddings during the holiday season and I think a winter wedding can be so stunning. I am picturing twinkly lights, fresh green garland and bright white flowers. I remember one wedding that I attended that had large windows and the snow began to fall at the reception. It was so gorgeous. 

Here are a few of my favorite dresses from the store. There are so many options though that you should probably check them out for yourself! 

This thin-strapped vintage lace gown would look beautiful with a fur shawl or collar. I love the romantic shape and the lovely way it lays.

 How cute is this dress? You can select from a few different colors and I think the sheer sleeves are perfect a for winter wedding.

I love this strapless dress with the appliqué at the bottom. It’s so classy and beautiful with the belt detail.

 

For my wedding, (4 years ago!) my dress was one of the first design elements I considered as I created the decorations and planned the rest of the details. One of my first priorities was to design and hire a seamstress to create my dress. I wanted a unique dress that fit nicely and made me feel beautiful. I think it is important for brides to feel beautiful and comfortable in their dresses. 

If you are planning on getting married soon, it is getting easier and easier to find beautiful, unique Wedding Dresses online. And if you are anything like me, online shopping is bliss. Most of my Christmas shopping is accomplished from my comfortable couch, under a cozy blanket with a cup of cocoa in hand. I also have had the Christmas tree decorated for a few weeks now and the glow of those lights makes online shopping heavenly. Do you shop online? What are some of your favorite websites?

Next week, I will be back with DresseStylist to look at some holiday dresses that would be perfect for company parties, or any fancy events coming up in this most, wonderful time of the year. 

*This post is sponsored by DresseStylist but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.

Date Night

Filled with Mirror Mirror, have you seen it? Special popcorn, they have more flavors than you can imagine. We went with vanilla almond and parmesan garlic. Personally, I want to grab the dill pickle, it sounds gross but great right?

Would you try it? What flavor would you like?

America

hat: macy's, dress: sewn by my grandmother, shoes: old navy

While in Africa, the Mozambicans would often us where we were from. I always responded I live in America. They would continue to ask, "no but where is it you are from?" and every time I replied "America" they would become more frustrated. I asked our host why this was upsetting to them.  I thought it was because they couldn't speak english very well. You have no idea how many people would say "Hi, how are you?" and when I responded "good, how are you?" They would repeat "Hi, how are you?" (they didn't know what it meant, just that it was an english greeting)

The host explained that to them America, is the Americas, as in North and South, not the USA. They only know it as the United States (other cultures can make you realize just how little you really know). Anyway, however you call it, America, the US, USA or home, Happy Independence Day! 

One foot, then another

maxi: aerie, shoes: old navy, shawl: knit, bracelet: thrifted

This has been my uniform for walks in the evening after my ballet class. A maxi dress, and my lace shawl. The dress code for summer walks: easy, fast, comfortable. Which is exactly how our walks are. A little stroll around the block, easy, fast, comfortable. Just the way we like it.

goodbye. hello.

Top: Eddie Bauer, Skirt: H&M, Belt: f21, Shoes: Francesca's, Bracelet: Thrifted

Elease always has a cute list at the beginning of a month to say farewell to the previous and hello to the new. She is in italy now, but I still want to remember June and welcome July.

goodbye june. hello july. 

goodbye birthday month (you will be missed). hello mom's birthday!. 

goodbye freedom. hello routine. 

goodbye blog classes. hello better blog. 

goodbye cooking. hello (raw) salads. 

goodbye planting. hello harvesting.

goodbye sleeping in on saturdays. hello farmer's markets.

goodbye lattes. hello anything iced.

goodbye to one knitting project. hello to another. 

goodbye pasty white. hello sun kissed skin. 

goodbye to sitting. hello to working out.

goodbye toenails. hello blisters and callouses.

goodbye stainless steel. hello cast iron. 

goodbye pants. hello anything else. 

goodbye coffe shop dates. hello beach dates.

goodbye distraction. hello focus.

goodbye old. hello new.

goodbye june. hello july. 

New Glasses

Top&Shoes: AE, Skirt: Nordstom, Bracelet: Thrifted

I got these babies in the mail last week! I pretty much haven't taken them off since. Husband loves them. He begs me to wear them everyday (like I need to be asked!). They are from bonlook and if you need glasses, I'd snag them from bonlook. They are fantastic! 

P.S. I am writing over here today about courage while the lovely Courtney rests her hands. Feel better soon!

Knit.Knit.

Top: AE, Belt: H&M, Dress: Heritage, Head Scarf: For Love, Shoes: AE

I made this. 

I am really shocked to type this.. but I did, I actually knit up this lovely lace. 

Are you surprised too? I know, I promise this was NO easy task. I cried a few times, each little section had to be restarted at least 3 times. For every row that I knit, I had to pull out four. But I wanted it to be perfect, and 3 weeks later, I wear her proudly. This pattern is by far the most complicated thing I have ever knit/read. For other knitters, it's not really that bad, I have just only followed one other pattern in my life and it was primarily garter stitch. 

I had help though! Kirstin (not only inspired my outfit) helped me tremendously by explaining the pattern step by step and empathizing with me whenever my needles had a mind of their own, or my husband knocked stitched off my needle. My sister, helped me count during the entire project, too many stitches! 

And my husband, he caused me to restart about 4 different times, but he is the only reason this is blocked (proper knitting term for stretch it to the maximum, making the pattern stretch and look pretty!) so nicely. 

Thanks guys!

This Weekend

 

Dress&Top: AE, Necklace: C&C etsy, Shoes: Target

This weekend was filled with:

road trips

smoked salmon (my favorite)

also, vegan diners!

dirt - soil

grilling

creating

chicago - friends

coffee

last ballet class - summer classes soon

baby-loving

& accepting a job! (thank you friends who prayed with me!)

How was your weekend?

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.