Today:

the house was messy.
I didn't get outside today.
I made babies laugh by dancing.
I took a test and I slept in.

Today:

Rosie woke up early.
I drank four cups of coffee.
my new clogs arrived in the mail.
I painted my nails, while listening to a podcast.
I babysat a friend's baby, it was busy.

Today:

we played in the sand.
my baby learned how to kiss me.
I cried because there are some major changes coming soon.
I almost ran out of gas.
the sun was shining.

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.

This week I've been...

munching: thai slaw, kale-kefir-berry smoothies, homemade toffee, kimchi rice, roasted cabbage and rice cakes with almond cocoa butter-banana-almonds.

creating: pallet furniture, a bed frame (finger's crossed), knitted socks and a floral sweater.

 

reading: Homeward Bound, any thoughts?

dreaming: of city-life and also farming, which is probably accredited to that book. And to go back to camp.

trying: to learn to sew. I haven't actually touched the machine but I am mentally gearing up for it, that's the first step right? Isn't this one so cute!

Hana Air Hair Dryer Review

The lovely people at Misikko contacted me and sent me this wonderful hair dryer! Because my last hair dryer was on the fritz, you know how they start smelling like burnt hair? eck! Anyway, I happily accepted and they sent it right out. They have a great selection of hair dryers, flat irons, and curling irons.



I was so surprised when I opened the box as they sent a long a darling little packages with much more than just a hair dryer. What a sweet idea, chocolate, a teddy, hair brush, eyelash curler, hand sanitizer, soap roses, nail files and a cool heat proof bag that you can stick a warm curling iron in without burning anything.

I started using it a couple of weeks ago, I don't blow dry my hair every day so I wanted to use it a few times before writing this post. My first impression was that it was really sturdy and it had a very long cord, which is ALWAYS nice. It has two fan settings and 3 heat settings with a cold burst as well. It took only about 15 minutes to completely dry my hair which was taking me about 45 minutes. So worth it! I am overall quite impressed and would highly suggest this hair dryer to anyone looks for one. Check them out at misikko.com.You can also find them on facebook if you want to follow along.

Knitted: Beatnik

Sweater: hand made, Belt: Forever21, Dress: sugar lips apparel, Tights: Aerie, Shoes: Francesca's, Bracelet: Thrifted

I made my first pullover for myself! I loved every second of it. The cables were a blast and as you can see the color is beautiful! I used this pattern, it's free! My sister knit one for herself at the same time, it was so fun to create together!

Giveaway: SweetSpot Bags

Sweet Spot Bags is a darling little shop on etsy. They sell little pouches that are printed by the sun to display the longitude and latitude of specific spots in the world. They have spots such as Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Woodstock, Paris and many more. And also print custom bags for people who have a specific location in the world and want to remember it throughout their day. 

She made this sweet little bag for me that marks my one of my favorite spots - Johannesburg! I want to go back right now... but now I have this cute pouch to remind me of that beautiful place and beautiful people. 

Sweet Spot Bags is giving one lucky winner a bag of their spot and color of their choice!

To Enter:

-You must be a GFC or bloglovin follower of my blog

- Like Sweet Spot Bags on facebook

Extra Entries:

- Comment with your favorite spot in the world

-Tweet about the giveaway

Good Luck!

Update: congratulations Mackenzie! Email me elisemdean@gmail.com!

Featured Blogger: Forever Faithful

I talked to a friend on the phone today. She asked me how married life with Caleb was going. She asked me if we have had any fights, and if we've gotten tired of each other yet. I answered her by saying that married life was absolutely wonderful! It is such a blessing and I am so thankful for this man who the Lord created specifically for me. And to her question about fighting...well, I told her, we don't really fight! Sure we have our moments where we get frustrated with one another, but its usually just over something little and insignificant. We realize we aren't perfect. We eventually talk through it, forgive one another, and don't stay mad at each other for long. And we never go to bed angry! (Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger" Ephesians 4:26.) But then tonight, I got to thinking...why is it that Caleb and I have such a wonderful relationship? How is it that our marriage is so thriving and so enjoyable? And why don't we ever fight?

Well, the key to a thriving marriage relationship is laying yourself down for your spouse. It's about daily laying your own desires, needs, and wants down for the good of the other. It's about laying our lives down for our spouse like the Lord Jesus Christ laid His very life down for us. 

Let me just say that my time spent packing Caleb's lunch this evening became a teachable moment for me. I started thinking to myself, "Ugh, I don't want to do this right now. I am really tired and cold and all I want to do is go to bed." I was not thinking happy thoughts. But I soon found myself rebuking my own lazy and selfish heart. I felt the Lord say to my heart: "This is what marriage is all about." And then I realized it! Doing things I don't necessarily want to do all the time...laying my life down...this is what marriage is all about! Laying my life down minute by minute for my husband. This is the reason that our marriage is so sweet. This why we have such sweet fellowship with one another. This is why we enjoy each other. This is one of the greatest reasons why we are more in love with each other than on the day of our wedding five months ago.

Marriage is not all about passionate romance every night (although sometimes it is), it's not about getting what I want from Caleb, it's not about making myself comfortable or happy. It's all about laying my own self down and loving Caleb like Christ has loved me. And its the same for him--its about loving me and laying his life like Christ laid his own life down. It's the picture of what Christ did for the church (believers everywhere). "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." John 15:12-13 So that our sinful souls might be saved, our perfect Lord and Savior Christ Jesus lived amongst sinners, died as a criminal, and took the full wrath of God all for us. He laid down His very life and shed His own blood for our good. He loved us so much that He gave everything for us. And that is what spouses in a marriage relationship are supposed to do for one another. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her" Ephesians 5:22-27. (This verse applies to both husbands and wives). 

If Caleb and I are to love each other as Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for her, then we must realize we are both sinners. Our sinful flesh is warring against at every moment. It's fighting against Christ's Spirit within us. We have to die daily to our sinful flesh that Christ might live in us to will and to work for His great glory and His good pleasure. We have to purposefully lay down our sinful desires in order to truly love one another. And this doesn't just mean laying your life down for the other in a life or death circumstance! This is an everyday, every moment deal. We must lay down our lives for one another daily. Yep! That might sound scary and to you it might even sound awful...but its completely the opposite! It's freeing. When we love each other as Christ loved us, then we meet each other's needs. We are looking out for one another. It is how we were created to be before the fall! It is God's design for marriage. It's a heavenly kind of love!When we are both so consumed with loving and giving ourselves for the other person, then the relationship is so beautiful. It's free from the strain and struggle that our selfishness causes. 

There are times that I really don't want to do things. Like wash the dishes or stay up making Caleb's lunch for the next day or say that I'm sorry. But every time I remind myself that I am laying myself down for his good and for the good of our marriage. It's something he needs and he appreciates. It's showing him Christ's love. And ultimately it is all for the glory of God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I can lay down my own desire for sleep, for comfort, etc. for the one I love. And the reason that we do this for one another is  because Christ first loved us! "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers...Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:16 & 18. Because of all that Christ has done for us, we want to be like Him. We want to live in Christ's freedom, and we love when we get to experience it here on earth! We strive to live by His example because it brings so much blessing and so much good.  And by doing this, you are ultimately laying yourself down at the feet of Jesus and saying, "Not my will but Yours be done, O Lord" Luke 22:42.

We are by no means perfect. I fail and fall everyday...I did today many times in fact. There are so many times that I let my sinful self get the best of me. And its so frustrating when that happens. But I want to encourage you to try and try again! If you are striving to please the Lord and follow His commands, He will bless it. He loves His children and leads them by the hand. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Psalm 37:24

Love, Kasey

Giveaway: WhoopTee (Closed)

WhoopTee is a company in St. Louis, MO that creates custom shirts with your design on them at great prices. Also, there is free shipping until January 28!

They are bringing you a giveaway today for three lucky readers to win this shirt I designed!

To enter:

-You must be a GFC or bloglovin follower of my blog

Extra Entries:

- Visit WhoopTee's website

-Tweet about the giveaway

Good luck! Winners will be announced next monday!
Congratulations Chloe, Brisedy, and Rusty!
Email me ladies!

Big Sky

Top&Hat: Target, Necklace&Shoes: AE, Tights: Aerie, Skirt: Thrifted

We have arrived in Montana. While we felt like we may have died on the 24 hour straight car ride - we are shockingly in love with this darn city. During our quick drive to the "big" city, I found a yarn shop, a REAL coffee shop, giant thrift store, a clothing boutique and a fantastic church! We are excited for the next phase of life. 

My school starts tomorrow, so for now I will drink tea, knit socks and pray.

GlassesUSA

This post is sponsored by GlassesUSA.com

GlassesUSA offers online eyeglasses, available in prescription glasses, sunglasses and also glasses to wear just for fun!

I have been wearing glasses since I was 8 years old, and as you may imagine, I was pretty embarrassed by them for many years. I only wore contacts for all those years! This year I ordered trendier frames online and now I hardly take them off.

They have a HUGE selection of eyeglasses in all types of colors and styles! It’s fun to try on even if you aren’t looking for glasses right now. They have a great 365 day return policy and superb customer service! Don’t forget to grab your coupon code below, or check out the virtual glasses mirror. I tried on the iSee Red glasses and I really like them!

Next time you need to buy glasses look to GlassesUSA!

Besides their high quality frames and lenses they offer:

110% lowest price guarantee and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

A generous refer-a-friend program (you can get $30 for each first purchase a referred friend makes and use the $30 towards your next pair of glasses).

Coupon Code: Blog10 for 10% off any order

You can try on some of the glasses below, have fun!

Pumpkin Doughtnuts

These, in our opinion were better than the pumpkin doughnuts at Dunkin (which just moved in about a block from our house, an exciting day for us, let me tell you). We tried these two ways, with a glaze and with the cinnamon sugar coating. The cinnamon sugar always takes the cake, or in this case the cake doughnut.

Ingredients
1/2T apple cidar vinegar
6T almond milk
1/2c fresh pureed pumpkin
1/4c organic cane sugar
3T unsweetened applesauce
2T lightly packed brown sugar
2T butter, melted
2t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
2t pumpkin pie spice
1/2t salt
1c all-purpose flour
1/2c whole wheat pastry flour

Recipe
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease doughnuts pans with butter.
 In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, milk, pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix in the dry ingredients (baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and flours). Stir until just combined. Using a ‘zip-lock’, spoon the batter into the bag and then secure it with the zip lock. Twist the bag slightly and then cut off a hole at the corner to pipe out the batter. Pipe the dough around the circle and gently flatten down with slightly wet fingers to smooth. Repeat.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F or until they gently spring back when touched. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully using a butter knife to remove. Place on cooling rack for another 10-15 minutes.
Cinnamon Sugar: Melt more butter in a small bowl and dip the cooled doughnuts into butter one at a time. Transfer the dipped doughnut into a bag with the cinnamon sugar and shake until coated thoroughly. Doughnuts keep for 2-3 days.