mama, love + style

equals

2012-02-23T09:44:00.003-06:00

an ear infection

[plus]

hand, foot and mouth

[plus]

several nights of interrupted sleep

[plus]

incredible amounts of fussiness

[plus]

oh so many doses of medication

[plus]

mastering the art of "deep breaths" to relax

[plus]

nap time?

[equals]

"whew"

this mama is praying it lasts, and that the afternoon brings more laughter than tears, more giggles than screams, more eating than refusing, and more comfort than pain.

because, my goodness, seeing your sweet baby in pain is no fun.
no fun at all.

happy birthday!

2012-02-22T09:36:00.002-06:00

happy birthday to my grandpa mel.
we are the only two february birthdays in the family.
it's an exclusive club you know, the february birthday club, and we have an executive membership.

we're just cool like that.

hope your special day is great!

ps--hope to see y'all soon. xoxo leni kate

what i wore wednesday

2012-02-22T05:22:00.000-06:00

saturdays are lovely.

rise and shine before the sun

(thanks to a certain sweet missy who loves to wake up early...as in during the 5 o'clock hour, early).

coffee, play, coffee, breakfast, play, ymca, nap, chick-fil-a, target, golf store, home.

play, snack, play, afternoon tea, play, dinner, bath, snuggle, books, songs, prayers, bed.

movie, snacks & wine for mama and daddy.

oh how i love you sweet, sweet saturdays

*shoes: converse, jeans: macys: white shirt: target, ombre wrap: anthropologie, scarf: target, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

room into an outfit

2012-02-21T06:21:00.001-06:00

:: kelly green + leopard ::

the room

the outfit

*shoes: payless, skirt: macys, green cardigan: forever21, white shirt: target, blazer: forever21, sunglasses: rayban, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

friends

2012-02-20T06:39:00.003-06:00

sunday evenings brandon and i meet with our small group from church to have dinner, catch-up on each other's lives and dig deeper into the message that was preached that morning. the first sunday everyone in our group (along with their kiddos) meets, the next sunday it's girls only, next it is adults only and the last sunday is guys only.

last night happened to be "adults only" and our friends josh and mindy graciously offered to watch leni kate. when i dropped her off that evening, i discovered that they were watching our group leaders, karen and bj's daughter, eleanor as well. with three girlies all around the same age it was bound to be a par-tay! ha

party or not, it was definitely a girls' night over at the rives' and from the looks of it they all had a great time.

i mean....

eleanor rector :: lucy kate rives :: leni kate litzner

just look at how adorable they were on their walk last night!

swooning for saturday

2012-02-18T06:54:00.004-06:00

i'm having a major purple + kelly wearstler moment currently.

i mean, just look at what this woman can do with the shade....

perfection.

mrs. wearstler, i think i love you.

image via

fabulous & for real

2012-02-17T06:15:00.000-06:00

fabulous.
*leni kate is pretty much trying to repeat every word we say. she is such a little missy i can hardly stand it.

*speaking of talking. lk has learned the names of two other kiddos in her kindermusik class, "hayes" and "lucy." so all day long (and first thing this morning) i hear "hayes, hayes, hayes, hayes....luc?" like, am i going to see hayes? no hayes. okay...what about lucy? it is hilarious.

*i went to marshall's the other day because i needed to get out of the house (it was one of those dreary days) plus i had an eight dollar gift card. as leni kate and i were searching through the racks in the "clearance" section i spotted it...a fabulous sixties inspired swing dress. you know, with three-quarter sleeves, a boat neck and an A-line bodice that hits a few inches above the knee--very Twiggy, or Kate Spade, or Tory Burch looking...on the clearance isle! what's even better? it was black with gold sequins, in perfect condition and it still had the $258 price tag attached. even better than that? the clearance price was $39.99 and i had an $8 gift card. um....yes, i now own it. next step? finding a fabulous reason to wear it.

*the valentine inspired arm warmers my mom made. i know, you are thinking...."arm warmers?" but trust me, they are fabulous, and cozy. i will take a picture of them soon. maybe i can even get my mom to make a tutorial to go with it (hint, hint).

for real.
*i rented several dvds from our public library (um...why have i not been doing this all along? they are free! goodbye redbox.) and in the stack of rentals was a baby einstein "neighborhood animals." i didn't think much of it at the time, but after watching it once leni kate was hooked. you see, it has a bunch of dogs (woo, woo, woos!) in it and she can't get enough. anyway, girlfriend wakes up saying "woo woo woo!" and pretty much doesn't stop all day. i love it. however, i am on my second week in a row of checking out the dvd and the library only allows for two weeks in a row, so...it seems we will be making an amazon purchase today. because i would hate to see what happens if leni kate's woo woo woos! were gone...for real.

ah, the life...

2012-02-16T06:42:00.004-06:00

oh, to be sixteen months old...

and wear huge pink bows in your hair.

without a care in the world except when your next "sn-ak" is being served or how many kisses you can give your babies.

that, and weather or not mama lets you watch your favorite "wooo, wooo, woo!" baby einstein video about dogs.

plus, you get to wear fabulous ruffled and polka dotted outfits that a grown-up could only pull off at halloween. and only then if that grown-up added black ears and changed her name to "minnie."

nope, being sixteen months old is pretty great.

i mean, when else in your life can you purposely make a mess by crumbling chips up on the floor...

only to "vacuum" them up like mama does?

furthermore, when else is it appropriate to bend down and take a bite of said "mess?"

"mmmm! tasty."

oh, little missy, you have it pretty good...

and your mama and daddy wouldn't want it any other way.

*lk's adorable outfit was a gift from her grams and gramps. it was purchased off of etsy. i love, love, love it!

what i wore wednesday

2012-02-15T06:35:00.001-06:00

happy day after valentine's day.

i hope you had a wonderful day, filled with all things pink, red, flowered and covered in chocolate...or diamonds. hey, a girl can dream, right?

ours was spent doing a little of this....

swoon

and this....

then, we ended our night with indian take-out (yum!) and the boy's favorite....

carrot cake cupcakes. valentine's addition, of course.

it was a perfect valentine's day.

hope yours was too!

*shoes: target (my mama calls them my "lady gaga" shoes. i sorta think that makes me love them more. ha), jeans: target, chambray shirt: urban outfitters, sweater: dillards, scarf: marshalls, watch: michael kors, earrings: express, bracelets: david yurman

sixteen months

2012-02-14T05:33:00.004-06:00

leni kate is sixteen months old today.

it is bittersweet for me because she is just the most delightful little girl a mama could ask for, but still....she's a little girl, no longer a baby.

a running, jumping, dancing, playing, helping, talking, signing, clapping, happy, happy little girl.

which, i absolutely love.

still.....

it makes me wonder where the time has gone.

i feel like i'm going to blink and she'll be two. then, i'll blink again and she'll be going to kindergarten.

*sigh*

it just goes by so quickly.

so today, we are making sure to savor every baby squish and kiss.....

which, are in abundance around here.

oh, leni kate, we just love you so much, little missy.

all sixteen months of you.

equals...

2012-02-12T21:43:00.001-06:00

a visit from grammie...

plus

quality time with good girlfriends.....

plus

the notebook...

equals

one pretty amazing weekend, in my opinion.

valentine's day :: 3 ways

2012-02-10T21:37:00.003-06:00

with valentine's day just around the corner, everyone seems to be in the spirit. myself included.

so, with that in mind, i give you....

valentine's day :: 3 ways
(a pretend version of places i would wear certain valentine's day looks. i haven't actually gone to any of these places this year....oh, and sorry for the super dark pics. between b working late and my horrible attempts at the camera timer, we opted to take them at night.)

::little missy's school valentine's day party::

*shoes: wet seal (from like, 10 years ago when wet seal was still somewhat cool), jeans: victoria's secret, belt: gap, shirt: a hand-me-down from my sister, blazer: belk, earrings: express, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

:: drinks with the girls ::

*booties: ebay, faux leather pants: urban outfitters, blouse: anthropologie, blazer: anthropologie, earrings: forever 21, clutch: goodwill, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

:: fancy dinner with the boy::

*shoes: wet seal, skirt: pink saloon, blouse: hand-me-down from my sister, belt: anthropologie, fur coat: hand-me-down from my mom (my dad gave it to her about 30 years ago), earrings: nordstrom, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

hope you have a happy valentine's day!

fabulous & for real friday

2012-02-10T05:56:00.003-06:00

fabulous.

*leni kate busted out with several new words this week :: "waffle", "water", "hush" (to sadie when she barks), "nice", "happy", "bear" and "turtle." i love it. especially "turtle," or how she says it "tur-tul." it was her first animal word and i'm not sure why, but i expected it to be "cow" or "dog" (which she still says "woo, woo, woo! for when we ask her to identify it), not turtle, so it cracks me up every time she says it (which is a lot). i can't help but love how randomly fabulous it was of her!

*naps this week have been much better. she still only sleeps for about an hour total but instead of trying to lay her down at 10:30 AM, i have been holding her off until closer to one. it isn't the easiest task to try to keep a sort of tired baby awake for an extra two - two and a half hours, but the reward is worth it....one whole hour to myself. it's fabulous.

*speaking of sleep. girlfriend slept in until 7AM yesterday. two whole hours longer than normal. she must have been growing as this morning she was wide awake at 5, like normal. still, yesterday was quite fabulous.

for real.

*leni kate doesn't love her veggies. oh, she'll eat peas occasionally, sometimes potatoes and carrots, and if she's in the right mood, she can down almost an entire can of black beans. she used to eat those veggie squeezie thingies every day but now the only time i can get her to eat a squeezie is when we leave the gym(and even then she'll only eat it if it's the applesauce one)....anyway, since the squeezies are out of rotation, i have discovered (with some help from lk's grams and gramps who purchased the product for brandon and i to begin with) other ways to get her to eat her veggies. enter beanitos.

they are organic chips made out of foods like beans and flax seeds and organic-y goodness. and apparently, they are a "complete protein" so they are really good for you. i'm not sure all of the reasons why but lk loves them. especially when they are smeared with hummus.....

she is her mama's daughter. for real.

*leni kate also loves her babies. she kisses them, hugs them, feeds them, and rocks them. but it seems her favorite way to play with them is to take all of them, stack them in a chair (clapping with glee after each baby gets placed), and then sit on top of them relishing in her glory.

oh, girlfriend. you crack me up. for real.

have a wonderful friday!!

french braids

2012-02-09T09:06:00.002-06:00

this little missy wore her first ever french braid yesterday.

i'm not gonna lie...it was not the easiest/fastest/ most fuss-free way to do her hair, but she was such a good girl throughout the entire process!

this mama is hopeful for many more braided hair days our future.

what i wore wednesday

2012-02-08T06:40:00.001-06:00

yesterday was much better on the sleeping front.

in fact, it was a lot better on all fronts as there were no "hot messes" to be seen.

well, unless you count the moment i almost teared up because i took one look at my daughter who was holding her baby doll, rocking it and feeding it and realized.....

"holy cow! my daughter is holding a baby and playing appropriately with said baby. that means the only real 'baby' in the house is the one purchased from target!? ahhhh!"

so, i was a little bit of a hot mess for a few minutes.

i'm over it now, though.

at least for a while....

happy wednesday, y'all!

*boots: coach, boot socks: target? i'm not entirely sure. i have had them forever, skirt: forever 21, shirt: walmart (i purchased it too big so i could wear it over leggings/skirts/etc), jean jacket: my old stand-by from old navy, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

battle of wills

2012-02-07T06:49:00.003-06:00

yesterday was a hot mess made up of equal parts toddler tantrums, moments of peaceful playing, and hours of fighting sleep. both at nap time and in the middle of the night.

as in....

"leni kate, it's time for your nap. mama loves you so much. night night"

and then closing her door and listening to her scream her head off like freddy crougar is standing over her crib ready to pouce for at least 40 minutes before finally falling asleep for oh, about 20 minutes, upon which time she begins screaming again. awesome

and....

"oh hello there,1-3 AM. we meet again. we really need to stop doing this. mmmmk?"
then going back into leni kate's room after waiting 5 minutes. screaming. waiting 10 more minutes. more screaming. waiting 20 more minutes. tylenol and milk....more screaming. waiting 40 more minutes. sleep. whew.

so, i've decided to put on my big-girl pants and prepare to wage a war on this whole "20 minute nap and up 1-2 hours in the middle of the night" situation we've got going on here in the litzner household.

because, well....fighting nicely just hasn't worked out for me thus far and something must be done because girlfriend was cr-A-nky last night.

we begin today.

think of us, won't you?

rock chalk

2012-02-06T12:16:00.000-06:00

leni kate rocked her university of kansas cheerleading uniform on saturday in hopes of helping them win the last ever (probably) border war against mizzou.

too bad the jayhawks missed the memo and lost.

oh well....lk looked adorable and that is a win in my book.

swooning for....

2012-02-04T06:27:00.002-06:00

these pieces of art.

i just adore this lady and her colorful bangs.

and, i sort of wish i could be this chick for a night. headdress and all. because, i mean, if you have the chance to rock an amazing feather headdress you embrace it, right?

i totally would.

plus, i think they would both look right at home in our dream house.

although, the mister may have other ideas.

but, hey....

go bold or go home, right?

images via

fabulous & for real friday

2012-02-03T04:51:00.001-06:00

fabulous.

*leni kate and i were playing with her bear the other morning and i said, "aw! is bear your friend?" to which she looked at me, then looked at bear, then smiled and (completely out of the blue) did the sign for "friend." i mean...really? i was blown away because i had certainly not taught her that and i'm positive b hadn't either. still, girlfriend knew it! she is fabulous!

*the weather lately in dallas has been amazing. leni kate, sadie and i have been spending every afternoon from about 2:30-5:30 outside. i know, i know...you're probably thinking "don't most kiddos her age nap during that time?" and the answer to your question would be, "yes." however, lk isn't one of them (ha. more on that later). so, during "nap time" we take a 45 minute walk with sadie around our neighborhood and then come back and play on her swing set. actually, lately, she has been playing really well independently so she has been playing and i have gotten to sit outside and do my bible study or read a magazine. wa hoo! it has been absolutely fabulous!

*the salted-caramel, chocolate pretzel toffee bark my friend samantha introduced me to. it is ridiculously easy to make and tastes fabulous! seriously. i am not a huge sweet loving person but this stuff has my number, and i fear it is becoming as much of a part of my "after leni kate goes to bed" snack routine as pistachios already are. this may or may not bode well for my current wardrobe. emphasis on the 'may not.'

for real.
*yesterday leni kate woke up at 5:45 (after having gone to sleep at 7:30 the night before) and played all.day.long until she went to bed at 7:45 PM! girlfriend only paused to 'nap' for about 25 minutes from 2:00-2:25. it blows my mind how our sweet and always happy little girl can just go, go, go....but she can. and lately she has been extremely helpful around the house-carrying laundry for me, "folding" clothes with me, cleaning up her toys, bringing groceries in from the car. still, i would be lying if i wasn't slightly looking forward to the day when she understands enough for me to say "it is rest time. please play quietly, read your books, or go to sleep until i come back and get you." because 5:45 AM to 7:45 PM is quite a long day. for real.

*currently, it is 4:40 in the morning. i have been wide awake since oh, about 1:30. nice. and while i have gotten quite a bit of cleaning, organizing, showering and blogging done, i'm fairly certain that in about 10 hours i will be thinking that tonight's bed time can't come quick enough. oh well, i guess that's what coffee is for. wait...i think that's what got me into this mess in the first place. oops! for real.

happy friday, y'all!

i love you

2012-02-02T06:38:00.000-06:00

leni kate loves to do baby sign. and lately, it seems like she is picking up a new sign (or two) every single day! i mean..."stop" and "go"? when did i teach her those? hmmm....i'm not so sure i did. it must have been the sign language baby einstein dvd. best $14.99 ever for those of you who are wondering.

one sign i did teach her?

i'm fairly certain it's my favorite sign yet. er, probably ever.

i love you too, baby girl!!

what i wore wednesday

2012-02-01T08:03:00.000-06:00

with the craziness that was last weekend over and done with, i felt like combat boots were the obvious choice for my first outing (breakfast at crackerbarrel with grams and gramps. yum!) post stomach flu.

wearing them was sort of my own little message to all other flu-like monsters out there, waiting to pounce.

"come near me again and i'll....kick you?"

eh....whatever. i know you can't actually kick the flu.

but hey, it never hurts to let it be known that you mean business....

and i do (in my most serious "i mean business" face, of course).

because life is much better without you and your shenanigans.

no offense.

*boots: calvin klein, jeans: forever 21, black shirt: target, cardigan: forever 21, headwrap: a gift from my sister-in-law, earrings: express, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

daily dose of cuteness

2012-01-31T06:35:00.000-06:00

i just adore this girlie's big, droopy baby blue eyes and her full pouty lips.

adore, i say!

i mean...gah! i could just eat them up.

and don't even get me started on her wild mane of toddler hair that has just the right amount of curl and bounce....

girlfriend, you are one cu-ute little lady.

in your mama's humble opinion, of course.

full completion

2012-01-30T07:44:00.008-06:00

yesterday evening, our friends blake and libby cradled their sweet baby girl one last time as she took her final breath here on earth. resting in her parent's arms, she completed her journey and healing all at once by going home to be with her Maker.

in my head i know that she is now pain free and resting safely, comfortably, and happily in the arms of her ever-loving Savior. arms whose abundant mercy, grace, and love had a plan for her from before she was born. arms whose hands knit her in her mother's womb and whose fingers counted every hair on her precious head. arms whose love for her is even greater than the love even her own parents could have ever felt for her.

in my head, i know that she is in a better place.

but in my heart....

oh, in my heart, i am broken. even trying to imagine what a bittersweet journey this family has been on since paxten's diagnosis until God called her home last night is just too overwhelming. the fear, the pain, the hurt, the searing loss and utter sorrow i feel just thinking about what it would be like "if we were in that situation" is too much to bare.

and in my head, i know that God had a plan and i know that his plan was perfect.

still, in my heart it is overwhelming.

i ache for this family and for the journey they will now embark on-rebuilding their lives-without their child. their only child. really, there are no words.

in the short time paxten reede pearson was alive, she brought more glory to God than most people ever will. and although she never knew the lives of many of the people she touched while she was here with us, her memory and legacy will continue be a testimony to the greatness of God.

in my head, i know that her story was perfect...is perfect, for it was God's will. and what a greater blessing than to be remembered for bringing so many to Christ? for showing the world God's love, even in the midst of pain and devastating loss.

in my head, i know that God's plan for this family is just beginning.... "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." philippians 1:6

still, in my heart, i'm struggling with trying to come to terms with their loss and the impossible task of moving on.....

prayers for this family are needed now in such a new way.

please join me in praying for them and their journey.

to the rescue

2012-01-29T15:14:00.001-06:00

brandon and i had quite the weekend.

it involved....

stomach flu (yes, for both of us) + 15 collective lbs lost in a day and a half + not getting out of bed because you can't move except when you can somehow find the strength to crawl (literally) into a hot shower -and hello, thank goodness for hot water!- + a wild and happy fifteen and a half month old baby girl = grams and gramps drove down from kansas to come to our rescue

and boy, oh boy, are we glad!

thankfully, we seem to be on the road to recovery. whew!

here's hoping your weekend was much less eventful.

fabulous & for real

2012-01-27T05:28:00.001-06:00

fabulous!
*listening to leni kate "roar" like a bear while putting her little hands by her face. it is the cutest thing!
*oh, really fabulous? we have been puke free since yesterday in the early, early morning. woo hoo!
*leni kate has mastered saying "no ma'am!" it is hilarious. especially since it sounds more like "no mmmmwaaaay!" and...she uses it in the correct context. thankfully, her "no mmmmwaaaays" have thus far only been addressed to sadie. i love that she is communicating more and more. sadie? i'm not so sure.

for real?
*leni kate has 3 lovies. 2 big ones and 1 little one. the little one was given as a gift when i was pregnant and when she was about 9 months old, we lost it for a month or two (thus, the two big ones--we couldn't find another little one anywhere so we bought the next best things. or so we thought). she didn't seem to mind that it was missing at the time. then, one day we randomly found little lovie in the storage container of our stroller. long story short. little lovie is now the only lovie this girl wants. she cuddles with it at night, and picks it out of her crib every morning to snuggle with while she eats breakfast. she very willingly leaves both big lovies "night-night" in her bed, and well, she could pretty much care less if they ever see the light of day. i think it is fabulous that she loves her little lovie so much. however, after having to take little lovie away from leni kate to wash it the other night, we have decided that we need a back-up. so, this little girl will have 4 lovies? yep. for real.

"versus"

2012-01-26T06:46:00.004-06:00

have you ever made a 'versus' list? you know, like 'good versus evil' or 'apples versus oranges'? i'm sure you have. everyone has, right?

although, now that i think about it....i'm pretty sure 'versus' itself is incorrect english. it must be just plain 'verse.' still, that just doesn't sound right in my head...'black verse white'? eh...who knows.

anyway, if i were making a 'versus' list for past twenty-four hours it would look something like this....

awesome! // and, not so much.

awesome: my friend mindy watched leni kate for me while i ran errands yesterday morning. it was wonderful. she even sent me picture updates of her playing and what mom doesn't love that? also, i got a text from mindy saying, "she may not be the best sleeper (as mindy is fully aware of our sleep--er, lack of sleep around this house), but this girl plays and eats like a champ!" to which i replied, "yes! yes she does!" sleep or not, leni kate is such a fun little girlie and she makes this mama's heart so, so happy. and, not so much:right before we were scheduled to arrive at mindy's house, i changed leni kate's poopy diaper and forgot to put it in the trash. oops. especially when we have a lovely dog who happens to think that poopy diapers are a delicious meal. disgusting. and cleaning it up off the floor and out of her awesome chevron rug was equal parts frustrating, disgusting, and laughable (i mean...it was my fault after all and sometimes you just gotta laugh, right?). awesome: after we got home from play-date/mama errand time #1, we played and cleaned until we hosted play-date #2 at our house. two play-dates in one day? yes, sir. it was so much fun and we can't wait to do it again. especially since we did it late in the afternoon during the dreaded "hour and a half until daddy gets home" time we all fear once and again. and, not so much:as awesome as two play-dates in one day was for us, i think leni kate must have enjoyed herself a little too much. er, that is she must have enjoyed her new love of babybel cheese too much as she woke up in the middle of the night throwing up. poor girl. a bath, two jammie changes, three loads of laundry, and several cups of coffee later, i think we are on the mend. awesome: despite the abundance of bodily fluids and (ewww) cheese that was spewn about last night, the snuggle time was so sweet and the fact that she did not (and is not) running a fever made it so much easier not to fret that something was really wrong or that she could have gotten anyone else sick. whew! thankfully, i'm fairly certain it was just a tummy ache. and as much as the chick loves her some babybel, she will be on restriction from it for a while....a long while.

all in all, i wouldn't have traded the past 24 hours (or any hours, minutes or seconds) since we welcomed leni kate into the world for anything.

plus, isn't getting thrown up on while cradling your baby girl some sort of rite of passage?

if not, it should be.

what i wore wednesday

2012-01-25T05:10:00.003-06:00

it was overcast last sunday morning.

one of those mornings where you would really like to just huddle in bed, so to wake yourself up you put on a bright velvet blazer and a polka-dot shirt.

and it helped....sorta

but, you still couldn't bring yourself to "do" your hair....

so a ponytail it was.

it's a good thing you had your new velvet TOMS wedges to help perk you up even more (as it was a little chilly for open toes).....

otherwise, your bright velvet blazer and polka-dot shirt would have been no match for the dreary 'stay-in-bed' monster that tends to come out on overcast mornings.

thankfully, on that particular morning: blazer+polka-dots+wedges =1 & 'stay-in-bed' monster =0

take that.

*shoes: TOMS (a gift from my mother-in-law), jeans: anlo, shirt: anthropologie, blazer: tjmaxx, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon, watch: michael kors, earrings: forever 21*

we took a walk

2012-01-24T06:11:00.000-06:00

a beautiful texas day + leni kate + grams + mama = one fine walk

play

2012-01-23T06:43:00.000-06:00

leni kate loves to play outside.

and now thanks to her grams and gramps, she has a fabulous new play set and a fully landscaped area to play in. *sans new grass....that will come in march*

brandon's dad worked tirelessly throughout the weekend to extend our patio, lay the tarp and brick edging, and create a lawn mower platform. he is awesome!

leni kate helped too. she especially liked "leveling" the area where we will put sod down.

after a while, she needed to take a rest and supervise. she is her mother's daughter after all.

"looks good, boys!"

she was so happy with the progress she decided to celebrate by swinging with grams.

on saturday, daddy joined in on the action and put in the mulch. when that was finished he re-stained the adirondack chairs my grandpa made for us years ago.

with a little help from leni kate, of course.

after two days of work....

it's finished!

thanks so much for your help gramps, grams and daddy!!

fabulous & for real friday

2012-01-20T05:37:00.002-06:00

fabulous::
*in three days, leni kate she learned how to :: act out "itsy bitsy spider", sign (and say) "help", sign (and say) "baby" and say the sound for sheep as well as the sound (and claw motion) for bear. it is fabulous how much she is learning and growing and i am so enjoying her sweet little personality and her voice. gah...there is just nothing sweeter than hearing your baby speak. my heart is so full of love for that little missy!
*brandon's parents are coming into town this weekend and we have several outdoor projects planned plus, brandon and i have two date nights scheduled. wa hoo!
*my new clarisonic mia face wash scrubber thingy from sephora. my little sister introduced me and i'm not sure i want to live without it.

for real ::
*yesterday i dropped a carton of freshly purchased eggs-breaking all but 5. awesome.
*i think i could eat my weight in pistachios. can someone tell me why those little containers of amazingness are so tasty? and have you experienced the salt and pepper ones? best.snack.ever.
*remember how i said that lk could do the motions to "itsy bitsy spider?" well, i tried to get it on video and it didn't exaclty go as planned...

in fact, you might say it was an "itsy bitsy fail." and don't even get me started on my voice...ewww. haha.

happy friday!

impossible

2012-01-19T06:49:00.000-06:00

as i write this, leni kate is happily playing with her babies. she has already given me about 20 kisses and an equal number of hugs. we have read books, made coffee, watched einstein and have eaten breakfast.you know, our normal 5:15 -6:15 AM routine.

i'm reflecting about this today because i know not every family's mornings are as such.

brandon and i have friends from high school whose morning routine is done in a hospital icu and the kisses and hugs from their daughter are given not received. well, at least for now. you see, their daughter is in the middle of the fight of her life, for her life. as she battles to become healthy again after undergoing a cancer diagnosis at 9 months old, remission, a relapse, and now a bone marrow transplant. so much for a little girl who is just a few months shy of her second birthday.

she is currently fighting an infection and her day to day life is very touch and go.

this morning in her daily update, paxten's mama, libby described how it feels to watch her child go through this difficult journey.

".... it feels like we are perpetually standing on the very edge of a very steep cliff, and we are just waiting to be pushed off the cliff or pulled back to safety. But in the meantime you are somewhat in a constant state of anxiety. I am always telling myself to "not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication present my requests to God" as God's word says. God's word brings me peace, but as soon as I let my mind wander I go back to that anxious place, boy what a battle it is."

it breaks my heart to imagine their situation and how desperate they must be to have their baby girl back. they are crying out to God for peace, comfort and healing.

won't you please do the same?

"for with God nothing will be impossible." Luke 1:37

what i wore wednesday

2012-01-18T05:50:00.001-06:00

sometimes it just feels right to wear funky tights and a ribbon in your hair.

last saturday was one of those days.

*boots: coach, tights: anthropologie, shorts: forever 21, white shirt: target, blazer: walmart, necklace: anthropologie, hair ribbon: banana republic, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon, sunglasses: rayban

fifteen months

2012-01-17T06:03:00.001-06:00

leni kate is fifteen months old. fifteen months.

lately, brandon and i find ourselves looking at her and then saying things like, "my goodness! it was only 10 months ago that she was just learning to sit up on her own and now look at her--she's running, jumping, spinning, dancing, etc, etc." it just blows our minds how much she has changed.

this month she learned how to:

*pucker when she gives kisses

*"roll" her arms and "throw" them in the air when we sing patty-cake

*say the sounds for dog, cat (although sometimes this comes out as a spitting sound with her tongue-lovely), and cow

*she is just starting to try to repeat words or sounds that we say and she jabbers all day long.

*rock her baby like she is real

*climb up the ladder and slide down the slide in our back yard all.by.herself! such a big girl.

*open doors. she especially loves to open the door to the snacks. girlfriend loves her some snacks.

*sign "thank you" and "mama" in addition to the signs she already knows (all done, please, and more)

*say "hayes" (a friend in kindermusik class), "papa" (for my dad), and just yesterday she started trying to repeat "no, ma'am!" too funny. i really feel like she is on the verge of just talking, talking, talking.
*she has four teeth on top, four on bottom, plus all four molars and she is currently cutting the four teeth in between. it looks like this chick with have all of her teeth (besides those two-year-old molars) by the time she is sixteen months old. whew.
*her favorite thing to do is "cook." she gets out all of my pots and pans, puts items in them and uses a big spoon to stir and then "eat." it is darling to watch.
*she is still a good eater (hence the "cooking" and the opening of the pantry door up-teen times a day) and some of her favorite foods this month have been :: hummus, organic fruit breakfast bars, organic "chicken nuggets", black beans, and cheese. however, lately she has really started to love dry cereal. special k with red berries to be exact. organic? no. the best thing she can eat? hmmm...probably not. but, it was around and well, she loves it so once it is gone we will buy her the more "kid friendly" version. until then, enjoy it little lady. ;)

we had her 15 month doctor's visit on friday and our pediatrician said she looked great! he commented that she was a very sweet and independent girl.

that she is! she is the first born of two first borns, after all.

he said her growth looks right on track. she weighed 24 pounds even (69th percentile) and was 31 and 1/2 inches long (76th percentile).

she's amazing.

(sidenote: lk totally looks like my little sister here!)

we love her and her silliness so much!

happy fifteen months, baby girl.

q.a. design

2012-01-16T13:56:00.001-06:00

as i mentioned before, mrs. jenna rammell from q.a. design lent her amazing design prowess to my lovely little blog and turned it from drab to fab for lack of a better comparison and i adore it!

plus, i loved working with her!

if you have any blog or design needs i highly recommend her services! she was so nice and she even made time for my many emails saying things like "oh, i really like it this way." then ten minutes later...."maybe we could change...." then an hour later "oh, i just remembered...." on and on. you get the idea.

plus, beyond being a fabulous web designer (is that the correct title?) she is a very stylish mama raising two handsome little boys. plus, she has some killer bangs.

i'm not gonna lie, it was pretty much the bangs that got me. i love myself some bangs.

anyway. i follow her design blog and this afternoon when i signed on to my google-reader i noticed that she had posted these words about me and my little blog.

thank you so much, jenna. you made my day!!

judgemental eyes

2012-01-16T09:32:00.002-06:00

i had high hopes to do a review of the golden globes fashion but, let's face it, with a playoff football game and our sweet baby girl's bedtime coinciding with the red carpet and the start of the show, i just didn't get it done.
however, if i had, i think it would look a little something like this.

i totally think this chick made some good points....right down to angelina's "judgemental eyes." i have never heard them described that way before and i think it's pretty perfect-although, perhaps a bit harsh. but c'mon...have you seen her icy glares? she kind of asks for it, right?

anyway...

did any of y'all watch the globes? if so, what did you think of the fashion?

northpark mall

2012-01-16T05:26:00.002-06:00

b and i took leni kate to the north park mall in dallas two weekends ago.

we window shopped and pretended like we could afford to purchase items in stores like louis vuitton, barneys, kate spade, and carolina herrera. and leni kate rode along like the good little shopper she is.

then, we went outside to the courtyard (yes, in the mall!) to play.

when we went back inside to make our way home leni kate decided she would much rather push her stroller than ride in it, so we let her.

it was slow moving for a while, but it was worth it.

she felt like such a big girl!

family weekends are the best.

especially when said weekends involve admiring fashion.

*faux leather pants-urban outfitters, booties-anthropologie, shirt-anthropologie, blazer-anthropologie, watch-michael kors, bracelets-david yurman and pink saloon

in light

2012-01-15T11:57:00.004-06:00

in light of recent events, i have been thinking a lot about prayer. specifically, how to pray. that may sound silly but i have, nonetheless, been a little perplexed by it. i mean, praying for something holds a lot of weight and as my friend lindsey pointed out, sometimes it isn't that easy.

her words have given me a lot to ponder today.

Philippians 2:13 “It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (NIV)

swooning for saturday

2012-01-14T07:00:00.002-06:00

today i'm swooning for this amazing entryway.

the bold pink, the unique needlepoint chair, the pop of blue and the use of bronze.

i adore it!

however, my although my husband pretty much lets me have control of the decorating (good man, he is), i'm not sure he would be too happy if he came home to a hot pink wall.

husbands. they just don't understand a girl's need for fuchsia in her life.

soooo....

i made this room into an outfit instead.

it's pretty close, right?

plus, who doesn't love a hot pink wedge? husbands included.

all images via

fabulous and for real friday

2012-01-13T06:37:00.005-06:00

fabulous!
*leni kate has taken really, i mean really good naps this week. i don't want to jinx it, but i just had to brag. i mean...one day she slept from 10:10-12:45. what? my child? i know. it was amazing.

*leni kate has learned to "pucker" when she gives a kiss. it is so adorable i can't even stand it. even though, "pucker up" has officially become my new go-to phrase. maybe i should add the "buttercup" to it to spice things up.

*leni kate can now say the sounds for a dog and cat. i mean....when did that start? i have a feeling she's got several more words//animal sounds in her repertoire as well. in fact, i'm beginning to think she's holding out on me. silly girl.

*our friend's baby girl, paxten is holding steady in the hospital. that is such a praise. and it is beyond fabulous news from where they were just a few days ago. oh, don't get me wrong, they still have a long way to go. so, if you feel moved by their story, please take a few minutes and lift this sweet baby up in prayer.

yesterday, libby was even able to paint paxten's fingernails and toenails and put a sweet bow in her hair. they are praising God for small victories! oh, and for painted nails. because as libby put it, "a girl's gotta look her best!" you can read all about their story and follow their journey by clicking here.

for real?
*we have leni kate's fifteen month appointment this morning. fifteen months? craziness.

*b's schedule is jam-packed and he has been waking up at 3 AM to make sure he has time to study and work out so when he gets home from work he can spend time with lk and me. he is fabulous but 3 AM wake-up calls are not. for real.

i promise

2012-01-12T06:03:00.001-06:00

i promise we did not feed our child sugar and//or baby crack last night.

however, after looking at these videos you might think otherwise.

that was round one.....

and that was round two.

silly, silly girl.

*oh, and yes...that's a quilt on our sofa.
velvet sofa + grimy toddler hands = we cover our sofa just in case.
i'm thinking you would, too. *

happy times three

2012-01-11T05:38:00.002-06:00

if december 12th can be deemed "happy times two" then january 11th is for sure happy times three!

why, you ask?

well, because friends, it is the day of birth for three pretty fabulous people...

my husband (and the most amazing father!), my brother,
and....

my brother's girlfriend.

yep, all three of them were born today.

in honor of them and their birthdays, i have officially deemed january 11th as "happy times three day."

do i sense a national holiday in the making?

hmm....probably not.

still, national holiday or not, the celebrations commence this evening.

happy birthday, brandon, landon and casey!

what i wore wednesday

2012-01-11T05:34:00.000-06:00

i busted out my high-waisted jeans again this past sunday.

i mean, church is an appropriate place to wear them...right?

sure, it is.

plus, when i wear them i feel very hippie mama-ish.

and i love that.

*jeans-victoria's secret, shoes-forever 21, shirt-target (i actually bought it several sizes too big on purpose so i could wear it more like a tunic/dress), blazer-bcbg, watch-michael kors, bracelets-david yurman and pink saloon.

come boldly

2012-01-10T05:50:00.003-06:00

life is all about perspective. sometimes we lose ours.

i have on many occasions.

i know i am not alone in this as my friend samantha wrote a beautiful post about recognizing what is important in our lives. you can read it if you click here.

i think it says it all.

in life we can so easily be so consumed by the things that effect us, both big and small, that we forget what really matters.

we forget that there are others walking through this world fighting much bigger battles than we could ever imagine.

we forget that it's not all about us....

brandon and i have friends from high school whose young daughter is sick.

she has been fighting leukemia for over a year. she went into remission for a few months but then was told she had cancer again.

devastating news.

however, she recently underwent a bone marrow transplant and is in the process of trying to recover and regain her little 22 month old life back.

we have been following her story since the beginning and lately, she has been really struggling.

this was her mama's update from last night:

Day +25
I am going to try to keep this fairly short. They took Pax down to draw some fluid from the pocket in her lungs, they were only able to get out about a teaspoon. It has been sent off for testing and we will get those results at the earliest by tomorrow evening. The Drs are still pretty convinced this is pnemonia and are treating her for it. Hopefully, if it is pnemonia we should see some improvements in the next 48 hours. But the drs did warn us it can get worse before it gets better, and I'd say they are right. Also with the bacteria in her blood we aren't quite sure what that is capable of. Pax is requiring nearly the max amount of oxygen support she can get in this room and she's continuing to spike very high fevers. The most recent one being 104.3 about 45 minutes ago. If her oxygen detereorates anymore over night we may be transferred to the ICU. For now we stay here and watch her extremely closely.

unfortunately, i have since learned things have taken a turn for the worse. here is what her aunt posted in the wee hours of this morning:

Paxten coded tonight, but the doctors & nurses were able to resuscitate her, she is in the ICU on a ventilator. Join me in praying like Charles Spurgeon challenged us to pray "ask for great things, for you are before a great throne. Oh, that we always felt this when we come before the throne of grace, for then He would do for us "exceedingly abundantly above all that we as or (even) think" (Eph. 3:20). Lord please bring healing to this precious little girl!

i challenge you. all of you, to please, please come boldly before God (my friend sarah has been doing just this and wrote a beautiful prayer on her blog. you can read it here) and pray for healing for this sweet, sweet baby girl.

our hearts are broken for this family.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" Heb. 4:16

i'm a sucker for

2012-01-09T06:19:00.000-06:00

high-waisted jeans.

i know, i know. they have a bad rap.

you can blame jessica simpson

who, for the record, i didn't think looked as bad as the critics said. she just picked the wrong style (all of those pockets-yipes!), the wrong size, and maybe the wrong belt....

and/or half of the moms who raised kids in the 80s.

wowza.

however, with the right cut and style you can totally rock this look!

really, i'm serious. you just have to know what to look for.

enter victoria's secret.

what? they have clothes, too....and i was foutunate enough to get a gift card to vs as a christmas gift thanks aunt dee! and while perusing their online sales, i found these amazing high-waisted 70s inspired ~~mom~~ jeans.

i was sold.

so, thank you victoria's secret for your comfy, stylish, and affordable (especially with a gift card) high-waisted jeans.

someone should give the memo to j. simp's former? stylist. you know, just in case.

*shirt: target, belt: vintage (used to be my mama's), clutch: goodwill, jeans: victoria's secret, shoes: target, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman and pink saloon

rest

2012-01-08T20:13:00.000-06:00

it is still hard for me to comprehend the enormity that is Jesus, and i'm not sure i ever will. well, here on earth that is.

thankfully, i don't have to.

and until the day comes when all is revealed i will rest in this...

Ephesians 2:4-6

New International Version (NIV)

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

and for that, i am truly grateful.

swooning for saturday

2012-01-07T05:46:00.001-06:00

it's an early morning a really early morning around the litzner household today. well, at least it is for me. you see, saturday morning is my day to wake up with leni kate while b sleeps in. this works well because he takes sunday morning which, just makes sunday the best day...like all week.

however, it seems that saturday morning comes early most weekends. as in, this morning it started around 3:30 with a crying/teething almost 15 month old girly. like i said before, early.

so that's why i'm swooning for coffee. lots of it. and fun coffee mugs because, you know, drinking coffee from a fun mug just makes the fact that you are holding your eyeballs open at 5 AM after having been awake since 3 just a little better.

oh, and also, because no matter what time of day or night (and especially when a baby is involved)....

and it's even better when paired with a stylish (or ridiculously huge) mug.

images via

fabulous & for real

2012-01-06T07:52:00.000-06:00

fabulous!

-the weather. it has been absolutely delightful in dallas lately and i love it. although, i do sorta wish the boot, leather jacket, scarf, and hat weather would stick around a little longer, i have outfits to wear!

-leni kate's swing set. she loves, loves, loves it. and it has really helped fill our afternoons with fun.

-leni kate dancing. just turn on the music and watch her groove. i especially love the "stomp" move she has perfected.

for real?

-last night for dinner, leni kate ate 4 (pretty big) organic "chicken" nuggets and several hand fulls of shredded cheese. she left the peas for sadie-ha. can someone say growth spurt? holy moly.

happy friday, everyone!

dallas zoo

2012-01-05T06:49:00.000-06:00

b and i took leni kate to the dallas zoo last weekend.

we saw an albino alligator, rode some horses, pushed the stroller...

busted out our sweet dance moves in the african safari, played in the fountain, and were amazed by the life-like pictures of the lions lining the tunnel on the way to see the elephants.

of course leni kate's bear wanted to ride a long (hey, people...it was packed and well, i'm overprotective. deal with it.) and they had a great time feeling the tall grass, peeking through the fence at the rhinos and just walking around waving at everyone and everything. little miss had so much fun and was extremely worn out that the minute we strapped her into her car seat she was asleep.

trip one to the dallas zoo = a success. we can't wait to go back!

what megan wore wednesday

2012-01-04T06:57:00.002-06:00

just because i was a downer on nye doesn't mean i can't show you someone who wasn't, right? enter my beautiful (and sparkly) friend megan. you may remember her. i mean, she is a fellow lover of style and well, she shares my desire to ~~force~~ have her husband take pictures of her wearing various outfits. you know, just in case she ever needs to have a fabulous look at a moment's notice.

so, i pretty much love to feature her.

here she is, along with her dapper hubby, george.

i'm not sure exactly what party m & g attended on new years but i have a feeling they were some of the best dressed people there! and i'm almost certain they were two of the most fun.

oh, how i miss them. if only philly and dallas were closer....

megan and george's style in her words:

on meg....

Top and necklace- Jcrew via gift card from Christmas.

Cigarette pants- Jcrew Factory a few years ago.

Shoes-black velvet sling backs with a tiny gold piping-vintage

Lipstick- Loreal Colour Riche True Red #315

Watch-movado wedding present from George

on george...

Herringbone Blazer-Old Navy clearance

Shirt- Brooks Brothers Outlet

Pants- Levi's

Shoes- Bass outlet

oh, and remember, if you would like to be featured on a 'what i wore wednesday' email me at mamalovestyle@gmail.com.

lame no more?

2012-01-03T07:16:00.003-06:00

let's be real. i've never been a good new year's eve girl. oh, it's not the outfit that gets me. that's the fun part. the dress, the accessories, the hair and make-up. i love that stuff. so what's the problem you ask? well, it's the staying up past midnight part.

i know, lame.

and it's gotten significantly worse since having a baby. to the point of not even remembering new years 2011...like, at all! and not for the "i drank too much reason" (did we even have champagne that year?). that's what you call sleep deprivation at it's finest.

so, this year i was determined to enjoy it. b and i put leni kate to bed, made a fabulous dinner and had a carpet picnic with plans of a movie marathon night (i know--crazy stuff, people). it was great! well, until i fell asleep at 9:15. seriously!

ugh, i'm officially 80 years old.

i would love to say that my making of new year's resolutions is better. that i somehow find a way to turn my lameness into awesomeness when it comes to making a list of ways to better myself and my life. however, that would be a lie.

what's even more ironic is that i love to make lists. love. so what is it about making a "new year's resolution" list that gets me?

whatever the reason it has eluded me in the past, i a determined to not be a nye downer this year and make a list of resolutions. oh, hey! maybe that can be my first one! whoot. one down....who knows how many to go. i mean, i am going to be turning 30 this year after all.

so...here goes nothing.

2012 resolutions.

faith: spend more time growing in the Word each day. live a life evident of your faith in Jesus.

family: be present. be present even in the face of cleaning, laundry, ironing and the dreaded internet. things can wait.

friends: keep ties old and new. write more "just because" cards instead of silly fb messages. have a phone conversation. you are never sad when you take the time to connect on a personal level rather than through email or text.

love: support your husband. in everything. yes....i said everything. you know he wouldn't ask for support if it wasn't needed.

adventure: be more spontaneous. yes, even with a one year old. she will go with the flow of a changing schedule as long as you will.

health: continue to workout each day. it makes you feel better about yourself and your husband and daughter will thank you for it.

relax. reflect. be more in the moment.

here's to an amazing 2012. oh, and to turning 30.

hope your new years was amazing!

duck pond days

2012-01-01T12:18:00.000-06:00

last thursday was a beautiful day. we seem to be having a lot of those lately and i can't get enough. b had some time off from work and studying (yay!) so we headed down the street to the duck pond park by our house. a little running, a little ball chasing, a little duck watching and a little bubble catching later and we were headed back home.

we all are looking forward to many, many more duck pond days in our future.

swooning for saturday

2011-12-31T08:20:00.002-06:00

today i am swooning for....an umbrella? yep. you read that correctly. who cares that it's bright and sunny weather in dallas this morning? i mean, you can never be too prepared, in my opinion. and, trust me, once you lay your eyes on these lovlies, you will be swooning for one too. just reading their motto gets me all giddy...."stylish outfit meets stylish umbrella." um hello, stylish umbrella from http://www.pareumbrella.com/? yes, you. i think i may love you.

it sorta makes you want to live in seattle, doesn't it?

oh, and happy, happy new year's eve!

fabulous & for real

2011-12-30T10:08:00.000-06:00

fabulous!
*we made the 5 hour drive home from kansas yesterday, without stopping, and leni kate slept the entire time. whoot. so who cares that we had to leave at 2 am for that to happen? not this mama.

*leni kate's grammie came over last night and babysat while b and i went to dinner. plus she is currently in the kitchen playing with lk while i clean, organize, and blog. ah, i love grammies!

*the "hot and dirty" martini i had at dinner last night. let's just say it lived up to it's name and i now think i have a new drink recipe. banana pepper juice + olive juice + vodka + blue cheese stuffed olives = amazing.

*the weather was SO nice in texas yesterday so b and i took lk and sadie to the duck pond park down the street from our house. pics to come....

for real?
*leni kate slept until almost 7 am this morning! i still can't believe it. usually my wake-up time is somewhere in the 4-5 o'clock hour. i think i could get used to this.

happy friday!!

in pictures

2011-12-29T09:38:00.005-06:00

christmas 2011 in pictures.

listen up, 2012...you have a lot to live up to. just sayin'.

what i wore wednesday

2011-12-28T14:42:00.004-06:00

it's a beautiful day in kansas today.

bright, and sunny and warm.

in fact, it is the perfect last day at home before well, heading home....

you know how that goes.

happy wednesday y'all!

*ankle booties: anthropologie, tights: target, shorts: forever 21, turtleneck: express, leather motorcycle jacket: free people, cocktail ring: goodwill, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman, sunglasses: rayban

vespa challenge

2011-12-27T08:47:00.000-06:00

my mama's new vespa + me, my sister and my mama + mama's old head warmer = our fam's first ever vespa riding challenge....

lauren wins for speed and form

i win for not crashing. seriously. my driving skills need some improvement.

my mama wins for style and finesse.

oh, and she also wins the pose-off. now you see why we call our go-to picture pose the "plumer head tilt."

we had a great time!

but watch out, next christmas...we're already planning to step up our vespa riding game. don't say you weren't warned.

day after

2011-12-26T21:11:00.001-06:00

happy, happy, happy day after christmas.

also, ask me how much i am loving my new blog design....

i mean. LOVE.

thanks so much mrs. jenna rammell at q.a. design.

you are amazing.

fabulous & for real friday

2011-12-24T07:30:00.000-06:00

fabulous!
*my sister flew in last night. my brother is in town. the plumer three are united again. fun times ahead. so watch out wichita because the vespa riding contest commences this evening.

*tomorrow is christmas! family, games, making memories....oh, and the remembrance of why we celebrate in the first place. who we celebrate in the first place. ah, yes...it makes it all that much more special.

for real?
*so far i have realized that we only forgot one important item at home. for real? i'd say that's pretty amazing considering the amount of gifts, luggage, sadie items and leni kate items we packed into our car.

hope you all have an amazing day!

a little and a lot

2011-12-22T07:01:00.002-06:00

so far, today has consisted of...

a little of this,

and quite a lot of this.

par for the course when your sweet baby girl decides to wake up at 4 AM and you are planning on making the 5 and 1/2 hour drive home for christmas in, oh...about 15 hours.

oh well. we laugh in the face of long days around this household.

did you hear that? "bwah ha ha!"

especially because if all goes as planned, at this time tomorrow we will be ~~joyfully sleeping while leni kate's nana gets up with her~~ basking in the joy of family

here's hoping for safe travels for ourselves and everyone else

oh, and....

merry almost christmas!

what megan wore wednesday

2011-12-21T06:49:00.002-06:00

remember my friend and inspiration for this post, megan?

well, not only is she a fabulous person, she has amazing style.

just check her out....

rocking the chambray shirt

and showcasing her fabulous style as well as her lovely christmas tree.

i mean, watch out martha, oh, you know who you are because megan is on your trail.

plus....

she already has you beat in the style department.

so it's megan 1, martha 0.

sorry, martha. maybe next time.

*megan's style in her own words*
Shirt- JCrew Factory, jeans- JCrew Factory, shoes-Target a few years ago, scarf-Hudson News from the Nashville Airport. Got it one time I was traveling to see G when we were dating. I left my sweater at his house so grabbed a pashmina for the flight home. Watch-Movado. It was a wedding present from G. Knock off David Yurman Bracelet. I got it about three years ago from a costume jewelry shop for $15. Everyone thinks its DY and I let them believe it!!

meg, you look fabulous!!

oh, and...
hey, hey! if you would like to be featured on "what i wore wednesday" email me at mamalovestyle@gmail.com.

have a fabulous wednesday, y'all!

sequins

2011-12-20T06:17:00.002-06:00

today, we're talking about sparkle.

i mean, with the holidays and subsequent holiday parties right around the corner i thought it would only be appropriate.

no, not that sparkle....

this sparkle.

you know, sequins.

adding sparkle to your outfit is not only fun, it can be really fabulous.

how fabulous, you ask?

well...

let's start with one of the biggest mistakes to avoid in your quest to become a holiday party fashion 'do' rather than a 'don't' : "stacking your sequins."

as in,

avoid wearing a sequin dress...

with sparkle nails,

a sequin bag,

and sequin shoes.

trust me. it will be too, too much.

well, that is unless your shoes are louboutin. if that is the case, rock those bad boys with your sweats for all i care. i mean, you have to get your cost-per-wear down on them somehow.

instead, pick one sparkling item to showcase. be it a bag, shoes, or a fabulous dress like the ones below.

oh, don't worry! the rest of your outfit doesn't have to be boring. just look at how this chick rocked leopard heels with her sequin pants. love!

leopard's not your thing? go with some other element of surprise.

check out the feathers on this dress.

amazing. simply amazing.

so, if you're planning on adding a little sparkle to your life this holiday season be sure to think about what item of clothing (shoes and/or accessories) you would like to showcase and get ready to shine.

because, you know....

who can resist a little sequins?

images via

better

2011-12-19T06:43:00.001-06:00

i am glad to say that after fighting a fever for three whole days,

this little girl....

is finally back to her silly little self, and it seems that we're not the only ones who are happy about it.

just ask bear. apparently she was missing leni kate and her silliness as well.

"oh, hi there bear. would you like some water? you look thirsty."

i think it's safe to say that bear and the rest of the litzner household are SO glad this little missy seems to be on the mend.

because....

even wearing mama's sunglasses can't make you feel better when you are sick.

well, not completely better at least. :)

kindermusik

2011-12-18T08:45:00.003-06:00

we love our kindermusik class. not only is it loads of fun, it is also educational. plus, the other mamas and babies who attend have become fantastic friends!

all of that aside, in my opinion, the absolute best part of kindermusik is watching our babies dance, learn, and play.

so, i thought i would give you a snip-it into one of leni kate's classes.

oh, i should say....i am not a great videographer so these videos are in three sets. my apologies.

plus, my camera died right as the actual class began so...

despite my lack of showing an actual "class" i promise kindermusik is totally worth your time and money. we love it and are so excited to go back after the holidays.

ps--thanks to leni kate's grams for helping me keep my eye on her so i could video the babies!

swooning for saturday

2011-12-17T05:23:00.001-06:00

oh, free people

er, as my mama calls it "free the people" hee hee

yes, you with your flowy skirts...

and your fabulous jackets and shoes,

you get me every time.

all images via

fabulous and for real friday

2011-12-16T11:14:00.001-06:00

fabulous!
*leni kate slept for 12 and a half hours last night. it was amazing. simply wonderful.

*sweet potato chips. especially the curly ones at the bottom of the bag.

*snuggles

*tabatta workouts that are so gloriously hard they make you question your ability to carry your baby from the ymca daycare out to the car.

*prayers. our friends from high school's little girl received a (hopefully) life-saving stem cell and bone marrow transplant last night to (once again, hopefully) rid her little one year old body once and for all from the leukemia that has been plaguing it for over a year. paxten and her parents are such fighters. please continue to pray for them and for her recovery. if you would like, you may follow their story if you click here.

for real?
*ahhhh! i just opened the fridge to discover that we are out of york peppermint patties. this situation must be rectified. for real.

silhouette love

2011-12-15T06:17:00.001-06:00

when my sister, brother and i were little, each year my mom took us to the mall to get our silhouettes done. i don't remember much about the experience except that you had to sit really, really still and that the lady who made them was amazing. i mean, i had never seen anyone cut so quickly and accurately with scissors so small.

however, now that i am an adult i am so thankful for (what i'm sure weren't easy trips with three kiddos each year) my silhouettes. most of them still hang on my mom's wall and will eventually be handed down to me.

i hope to do the same for leni kate.

especially if we can play at the mall beforehand like we did this year.

leni kate had a ball running around nordstrom. i think she must have danced, waved, or shyly smiled at almost everyone in the store.

well, that is when she wasn't constantly asking "this?" or "that?"

once it was time for her silhouette she wasn't quite ready to stop playing so it took some work to keep her still. i'm sure any of you who have toddlers can relate. which is why i am so amazed that her silhouette turned out so well....

it looks just like her! wild hair and all.

and it looks right at home on our picture wall where it will stay, until one day....

when she is older and is a mother herself.

14 months

2011-12-14T07:29:00.008-06:00

baby girl. today you are 14 months old.

right now you are peacefully sleeping and, i'm sure, holding your lovie. she is your absolute favorite thing. you take her everywhere.

it makes my heart happy.

this month lovie and you have learned to do so many new things....

*you point to: your hair, your eyes (and try to say "eyes"), your ears, your mouth, your teeth, your tongue, your hands, your feet, and your belly button.

*you know how to: jump (although it's really more of a bend at the knees :), dance, spin, hug, high five, wave bye-bye, "rock" your baby, show "touchdown" (by lifting both arms over your head) blow kisses and give real kisses and you will do these things whenever asked. well, as long as you are in the right mood.

*you point to everything and ask "this?" and "that?" all day long. i love it!

*you are also saying: mama, dadda, nana, sadie, night-night. and have recently added: up, uh-oh, dog, and light to your vocabulary!

*you also have learned to say "awww" whenever you hug something or whenever you see a baby or any kind of animal. you love to hug everything--sadie, mama, dadda, your books, the computer, your reflection in the mirror....

*you use babysign to say: all done, more, and please.

*you love to eat and eat well. you are really loving greek yogurt, veggie "sausage" patties, graham crackers, grapefruit (i know!) and milk.

*you are going to sleep very well lately! however, staying asleep is not your strong suit. i think you may be getting another tooth. at least, that's what i am hoping as you have been waking in the night several days in a row now.

*you wore pig-tails for the first time last sunday. you didn't love them or the "putting them in" process. at all. hopefully you will get over it.

hair and sleep issues aside....

leni kate, you are just the sweetest little girly. we love you SO much! happy 14 months, ~~baby~~ big girl!

what i wore wednesday

2011-12-14T05:03:00.004-06:00

i love sweaters. i sort of wish i could wear them all year round. dallas weather usually prevents that. however, last saturday was a beautiful day in the big d and the sweater weather didn't disappoint.

b, lk and i went to the mall to meet one of the most talented people i've seen (the lady who does silhouettes) and have her make leni kate's first silhouette. the experience was wonderful.

but more on that later.

after a little christmas shopping, the three of us went out for lunch. something we rarely ever do. then, we went to the golf store to indulge brandon's ~~obsession~~ love of the game, before heading back home.

it was a wonderful, family-filled and mostly study free weekend and it was very much needed.

i love how that happens.

hope yours was just as amazing!

boots: dillards, over-the-knee socks: target, dress: old navy, sweater: anthropologie, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman

happy wednesday, y'all!

chambray shirt : 3 ways

2011-12-13T06:22:00.002-06:00

so, a while back a friend asked me to give her some suggestions for new ways to wear her chambray shirt. of course i jumped at the idea! i think i'm weird, but i often take an item of clothing and imagine all of the ways it can be worn before purchasing it. and sometimes i do it even after it's been at home in my closet. you know, just for fun. so this little project was right up my alley.

i give you.....

chambray shirt : 3 ways.

jacket: express, trousers: anthropologie, shoes: charlotte russe, chambray shirt: urban outfitters

boots: sam edleman, jeans: forever 21, vest: walmart (no joke), chambray shirt: urban outfitters

shoes: payless, tights: target, skirt: french connection, belt: anthropologie, chambray shirt: urban outfitters

thanks for the inspiration, meg! for one more super stylish way to rock the chambray shirt, check out my blogger friend lauren. adorbs!

happy times two

2011-12-12T08:09:00.000-06:00

happy birthday to leni kate's grams and gramps!

besides being awesome grandparents, they are pretty cool people.

also, it's hard to be much cooler when you and your spouse share the same birthday. i mean, how often does that happen?

we hope that you both have a happy, happy birthday!

swooning for saturday

2011-12-10T06:26:00.003-06:00

today, i am swooning for a gift card to anthropologie. eh, who am i kidding? i pretty much swoon for that every day, as it is my absolute favorite store. anyway, here are some items that caught my eye while i was perusing through their most recent catalog and on their website.

this dress: i mean, what's not to love? the romantic arm cutouts, the pleatedness of the bottom, the soft camel color, the overall hippie vibe. plus, this little number would look equally as fabulous if worn with a fun heel and understated gold jewelery, or with a leather jacket and leather motorcycle ankle booties.

these shorts: tartan plaid gets me every time. plus, wearing shorts in the winter just feels fun.

this sweater: the tribal print, the tie waist, the batwing-ish arms, the fact that it is long enough to cover my booty when wearing leggings or, if i'm feeling really funky--leather leggings. plus, this can be worn so many ways....as a dress with chunky tights and ankle booties (or over-the-knee boots), as a winter tunic over leggings, i could even see this over some wide-leg dark denim jeans. of course if that is the case, you would need some high platform heels and a felted wide brimmed floppy hat. ah yes, i think i love you, tribal sweater.

this book: manners are so important. period. and, what a fun way to help teach them to our daughter.

this chair: speaking of our daughter...how amazing would this look in her room? i envision putting a white sheepskin in the bottom as a pillow and having her spend countless hours snuggled inside reading her favorite books.

this settee: i have a thing for settes. i'm not sure why, but i do. i think its the fact that they are too big for one person and not big enough for more than two or three. yep, it's the coziness that i love. however, with this little gem, it's not the promise of thisclose seating that gets me; it's the needlework. not only is it beautiful, it is unique and the colors are amazing. this would be a conversation piece for sure. i envision using this in a grand entry (you know, because sometimes you like to sit down right when you enter someones home ;) with a big mirror above it and an equally fabulous side table and lamp beside it. or, it could be used in a "big girl" room to bring a bit of a funky and unexpected flair.

this candle: c'mon, who doesn't love a candle? plus, anthro carries some with really unique scents. i imagine this one smelling like a campfire. if that is really the case, i'll take two.

what are y'all swooning for today?

fabulous and for real friday

2011-12-09T06:12:00.000-06:00

fabulous!
*red wine, pistachios, and baby bell cheese. if those things are wrong....i don't want to be right.
*leni kate learned how to blow kisses this past week. cutest.thing.ever.
*play dates. aka...mama needs sanity breaks. oh, don't worry. the kids have fun too.
*cooler weather. i know it has been pretty chilly around here (at least for dallas) but i happen to love it. and i have to say that i am sort of looking forward to the really cold weather i'm sure we will have when we head back to kansas for christmas. there's something about cold weather, christmas trees, hot cocoa, and family that just feels right to me. well, this time of year at least.
*listening to b put leni kate to bed....singing to her and praying with her. i love that man. and, i love that little squishy girly to bits.
*typing in all lowercase. i'm weird but for some reason typing capital letters gets on my nerves. and well, i guess when you have a blog you can write in all lowercase or, all uppercase for that matter, if you would like. take that, college english professors. ha.
*leni kate. because, well, she is just about the most fabulous person i know.

for real?
*yesterday and today leni kate woke up around 4 am and was starving. i mean, starving. this morning, the chick ate an entire banana and an entire individual size (but enough for an adult) container of greek yogurt while snuggling with me on the couch. i have to admit, while it is sort of crazy that she wakes up, eats and then goes back to sleep for another hour or so, i adore our snuggle time. there is nothing like feeling your baby girl's chubby arms wrap around your shoulders as she lays her head on your chest. nothing. so, i'll take those snuggles at 4 am...or whenever i can get them, for as long as i can get them. however, i do think that i may need to find a way to get little miss to eat more for dinner so we can push the snuggle time back a little bit....i mean, for real.

free

2011-12-08T12:32:00.003-06:00

Last night I met with some lovely ladies to discuss the Bible study we are all in. Our discussions centered around the idea that we need to give up whatever we are being a "slave" to (be it, stress, worry, money, selfishness, what we eat, what we wear, etc, etc, etc) and instead focus on the fact that we are free from all of that junk in the first place. Galations 5:1, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

I don't know about you, but sometimes that's easier said than done. I mean, we live in a fallen world and let me tell you, it is easy...really, really easy to get swept up in the chaos of it all and loose sight of what really matters. Who really matters.

So, today, I am slowing down (something my mama often reminds me to do. see...i'm listening.). Today I am focusing on my walk with God. Today I am praying I will do my best to rest in His freedom. In my freedom through Him.

Today I am working hard to try not to be like who I sometimes feel that I am....the seed sown among the thorns. You know, "...the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful." Matthew 13:22.

Yep, today I am giving it all over to God, and I am focusing on appreciating my life, my forgiveness, and my freedom more than ever.

oh, santa...

2011-12-08T07:59:00.002-06:00

yesterday, leni kate and i traveled to the bass pro shops for a play group with some fabulous mamas and their sweet ~~big kiddos~~ babies.

will, leni kate and lucy had a great time checking out the christmas decorations.

did you know bass pro shops has a santa you can visit for free? yes, i said free! plus, you get a free 4X6 picture to keep. how nice is that? we hope to go back next year as well.

maybe next year leni kate will be a little more fond of santa.

as you can see, round two with santa didn't go quite as well as round one.

oh well, all was right with the world again once she got some distance from the big guy.

and could run around with her friends again.

i think it's safe to say that....

mindy and lucy kate,

kate and will,

and leni kate and i all had a great time!

santa melt-downs included.

what i wore wednesday

2011-12-07T06:33:00.001-06:00

as i mentioned, b and i had an eventful weekend planned. thankfully, our our plans worked out and both of our date nights were amazing. we are so appreciative to leni kate's grams and gramps for babysitting!

here are some pics b's dad took of us before we headed out in the (really, really) rainy weather to attend dr. yantzee's christmas party.

pre-party dance moves? i think not.

dress: bcbg, earrings: nieman marcus (a free gift b got when he purchased my david yurman bracelet-whoot!), shoes: tj maxx, fishtail braid (inspired by pinterest)

b's outfit: pants: jos a bank, sweater: tj maxx, collared shirt: brooks brothers, shoes: cole haan

we had a blast. plus....we didn't come home until after midnight. i'm almost embarrassed to admit how long it's been since that has happened.

i hope your weekend was just as amazing!

happy wednesday, y'all!

swing set

2011-12-06T07:56:00.000-06:00

brandon's parents gave leni kate a fabulous new wooden swing set for her first birthday gift

and they traveled to dallas last weekend to set it up....

in the rain.

they are fabulous.

pops

2011-12-04T19:12:00.000-06:00

happy birthday, pops!

i can't wait to give you a squeeze when we come home for christmas.

loves, lk

visiting santa

2011-12-04T13:01:00.002-06:00

leni kate's grams (b's mom, karen) and i took her to visit santa at the galleria mall.

as you can tell, leni kate was really excited to have been woken up from her nap in the car.

but once she got a look at the huge christmas tree, she perked up.

soon, she was in full on dance mode. she put on quite the show outside of nordstrom.

after a quick costume change (yes, i am ridiculous and kept her "santa" dress on a hanger until right before her picture so it wouldn't get wrinkled)

we were ready to see the big guy himself. she greeted him with a high-five and a really cute little jig. i think it is safe to say that he was smitten.

leni kate on the other hand, wasn't quite sure.

um...who are you again? santa? wait....

i'm outta here.

and even though little missy didn't smile, we got a pretty good picture.

i mean, at least she didn't cry. in fact, i would venture to say that this year's picture is almost as cute as her picture from last year.....almost. that picture was pretty priceless.

swooning for saturday

2011-12-03T06:14:00.003-06:00

searching for the perfect gift for me this christmas? guess what? i just saved you some time because...i have found it in the gorgeous designs of miss helen ficalora.

i mean, the gold chain, the stamped charms, the love with which it would be given....

swoon! i'm totally smitten.

fabulous and for real friday

2011-12-02T06:12:00.006-06:00

fabulous!

*it's beginning to look a lot like christmas around here thanks to my super woman efforts yesterday.

yes, i just called myself superwoman, and yes, i know how annoying that is....

but, if you would have gotten done everything i was somehow able to get done yesterday coupled with a sweet baby girl who decided that sleeping for only 20 minutes all day long is not only absolutely normal, it's expected, you would be amazed at yourself too. i promise.

*leni kate has finally gotten the hang of signing (and trying to say) "please." it is so cute to see her little chubby hands tap her chest. egh, i could watch her sign it all day long. which, consequently she pretty much does. yay for me...and for please!

*the feeling of almost having all of my christmas shopping finished. take that, santa.

*b and i are hoping to have two, yes...two date nights this weekend! whoot!! b's parents are coming into town as we speak to build leni kate's wooden swing set (more on that later) and to babysit while we live it up. well, "live it up" is a relative term, but you get the idea. our agenda includes errand running, dinner and a movie tonight and a dress-up christmas party thrown by one of the doctors b works for on saturday night. i'm not gonna lie...i'm excited about our dates but i'm really excited about the crushed velvet dress i am planning on wearing to the doctor party. fashion, it gets me every time.

*our dslr camera. even though i am still a novice at using it, it makes me feel like a professional. i love things like that.

for real?

*um...so leni kate has recently decided that naps are the worst thing in the entire world. this is not breaking news to anyone who has met our darling little girly. naps, well sleep, just isn't her thing. i like to think it's because she is so smart that her mind has to be constantly entertained by thinking and doing. what? if that is the case, she didn't get it from me. you see, her daddy graduated valedictorian from high school, summa cum laude from college and was the top person in his graduating class from vanderbilt medical school. smarty pants. so i feel like i'm validated in believing that she constantly wants to be awake and "learning" because she thinks like him. i mean, let's face it....it's either that, or that i totally screwed up her sleep habits by letting her nurse whenever and for however long she wanted for almost the entire first year of her life. so yeah, i like to think it's because she's smart. can you blame me?

*our giant, horse-like, and crazy black standard poodle, sadie has really been such a good dog. she is so sweet with leni kate and has never once tried to mess with her toys. however, she is the worst vacuum cleaner. the dog won't eat anything off the floor unless it is basically handed to her. what is that about? for real.

*the 2 huge zits that decided to appear on my face last night. nothing like walking into a room with a bunch of dermatologists and feeling like they are evaluating you for treatment. awesome. oh well...bring it, saturday night. i'm ready.

what i wore wednesday

2011-11-30T06:39:00.003-06:00

It was a gorgeous day yesterday and Leni Kate and I took full advantage.

We had a fabulous trip to the mailbox to mail some letters, cards, bills and thank you notes.

Who knew running to the mailbox could be so fun? Go, Leni Kate! Go!

We also took some time out to inspect the trees along the way. This one seems to be doing quite well. At least according to Leni Kate.

We then headed back to Fort Worth for a quick meeting with a dear friend and her sweet baby and an appointment for mama.

It was a great day, complete with a stop at Anthropologie, sleeping car rides both ways, and light traffic. Yep, I can handle more days like that.

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

leni kate: shoes: costco (i know! can you believe it??), tights: walmart, smocked romper: consignment store, bow: walmart

mama: boots: bandolino (dillards), jeans: page, belt: gap, black shirt: target, cape: gap, scarf: marshalls, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman, pearl earrings: borrowed from my mama

woah baby

2011-11-28T10:28:00.004-06:00

we had the best thanksgiving.

seriously.

the only ~~things~~ people missing were my fabulous sister, lauren and brandon's equally fabulous sister, lana. lauren stayed in denver and apparently had an amazing thanksgiving with all her friends.

a thanksgiving complete with a fully cooked dinner that she, yep...she helped prepare.

aunt lana also had an amazing thanksgiving. she stayed in kansas city with her boyfriend and she too helped cook a scrumptious thanksgiving dinner .

their domestic prowess only makes me that much more anxious for christmas!

casseroles, desserts and fun new drink combinations...i'm looking at you.

i'm so ready for christmas music, lights and good smelling trees. no offense, thanksgiving.

especially if, like thanksgiving, christmas is filled with out of control bedhead and sweet snuggly baby girls.

yep, the christmas countdown has officially begun!

Christmas Cards

2011-11-24T10:53:00.002-06:00

It's strange what happens when you become a parent. Besides the obvious changes in responsibility (greatly increases), selfishness (greatly decreases), and sleep (um..you know), you begin to take notice of all things "grown up." You know, like Christmas cards. I never really thought about or really even cared about Christmas cards when I was single, dating, or even when it was just Brandon and I married. Blame it on being thrifty, we just didn't think it was a priority at that time in our lives. My how things have changed! Now, I find myself thinking about our Christmas cards several months in advance. I look forward to designing them, addressing them, and oh the feeling you get when all of that is accomplished and your fabulous cards are in the mail...priceless!

The problem for me is finding just the right cards. I mean, there are SO many to choose from! Enter Tiny Prints. When I heard that just blogging about their fabulous cards could allow us to get 50 free I was pumped. However, when I started to look at their website my excitement only grew. Who knew they had so many amazing cards to choose from?

After perusing for a while, I think I have designed the perfect cards for our family. My advice? You should totally check them out for all of your Christmas card needs. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

what i wore wednesday

2011-11-23T05:36:00.005-06:00

happy almost thanksgiving!

getting in the spirit, here are a few things i am thankful for this year (in no particular order)....

cameras

flowy purple pleated skirts

dinners out with friends

snuggles

coffee

bedhead

family

our sweet baby girl and her banana breath

dancing
church

bows

baby girl tights

squeezies

costco

happy car rides

sunshine

skype

sadie

sidewalks
hot showers

dvr

friends

grace

love
date nights

what are y'all thankful for?

*skirt: yardley (purchased from the pink saloon in wichita, ks), shoes: tj maxx, shirt: target, vest: forever 21, broach: my mom's, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman, hair: inspired by lily aldridge

on leni kate
*tights: kid 2 kid consignment shop, dress: baby gap, turtleneck: old navy, bow: walmart, shoes: target (purchased from a consignment store as well), hair: inspired by lloyd christmas (i promise her bangs don't look *that* bad now, but still...)

d.i.y "studded" heels

2011-11-20T21:00:00.005-06:00

I love trends. I just don't love paying big bucks for something that may or may not be around in 5 years, or...even in 5 months. Nope, I usually reserve my moola for items that are more classic. Still, sometimes trends are fun.

I am especially loving the new "studded" look I am seeing everywhere.

um...this jacket? adore! will someone please, please purchase this for me? pretty please?

a twist on the usual black flats. and i love that they could work at a pta meeting or out at a dive bar.

i'm in love with this bag. in fact, if i owned it i would carry it everywhere. plus, it's big enough for leni kate's wipes, fruit squeezie, and diapers! see? even trends can be practical!

these boots are a little 80s for my taste. then again, i think that's what i love about them. well, that and the studds.

So, the other day when I was taking stock of my current shoe collection (what? no one else periodically tries on all of their shoes and imagines outfits in their head to match so that when the time comes to get dressed you know what to wear. no? just me? okay. won't be the first time.) and I noticed that my pair of trusty plain black heels

were (gasp) ruined....

I immediately knew what to do.

I went to Michael's and picked up some "studds" and some glue.

And got to work.

Presto! My "ruined" heels are now rocker chic!

Complete with studded toes, too!

A complete and trendy shoe make-over for less than $15? I'll take it!

swooning for saturday

2011-11-19T06:33:00.007-06:00

i love listening to music. in fact, b just made several new play lists on our ipod and leni kate and i have been rocking out to the likes of florence and the machine and group love all week. it's been lovely. there is one thing, however, that makes listening to our ipod a little less ~~ascetically pleasing~~ enjoyable....

our ipod dock. while it is very functional, let's face it, it's just not that stylish. not only that, it's pretty much one style for all. it's like the designers said, "who cares if this thing has no design qualities beyond looking "techy," people will buy it anyway." and well, they would be right. that is, until recently.

enter anthropologie.

i could totally see this ipod dock in our living room.

to be fair...i'm not entirely sure this one is actually from anthro. i just loved it so much that i had to include it.

and this one would be perfect for leni kate's room!

and this little number? i think it would just look smashing in b's office.

ah, anthropologie, i love you!

now, if someone would just design one out of something like this...

i would be a really happy girl.

fabulous & for real friday

2011-11-18T06:43:00.003-06:00

fabulous!
*our new church. seriously, i don't think we could have picked a better place for our family if we looked at a thousand churches. also, i think it is totally fabulous that finding our way there involved a run, the duck pond in our town, an invite to a play-group, and some girls being really nice to a new chick and her daughter. i already cherish the friendships i have formed. i feel blessed to have such fun, unique, talented, stylish and amazing women who love God walking with me through life. as always, the Bible says it best; "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:10. yep, having friends who can encourage you spiritually is pretty fabulous!

*one other benefit to having friends you trust who live close by (also, a baby who is done nursing)? babysitting! that's right. b and i have a date (of sorts) tonight and we are really excited do get dressed up (okay, so maybe i'm the only one who is excited to dress up, but still...) and have some adult conversation over a dinner where wine is actually paired with the food, as opposed to what i normally do which is pour from whatever bottle is open regardless if it complements the food i'm eating or not. i mean, wine can go with cheetos, right?

*on wednesday, leni kate took a 2 hour and 45 minute nap. it was amazing! and it totally made yesterday's 20 minute-er okay.

*watching my daughter play happily with her toys while holding her lovie and pausing to hug sadie as i type this. my heart is so full with love for that little miss. something about fuzzy jammies and bedhead gets me every single time.

for real?
*the other night while getting to bed in the pitch dark, i happened to lay down at the exact time brandon decided to "hand me the covers" and well, let's just say that his fist made direct (and speedy) contact with my face. yep, i got punched in the face. of course he felt terrible and made sure that my muffled groans (did i mention that lk's room is connected to ours by french doors?) were coupled with laughs. i mean, if we replayed that scene a thousand times that wouldn't happen again. geeze. for real?

*i cut leni kate's bangs for a second time last week and it's safe to say that i did not miss my calling as a hair dresser because not only did i cut them too short, i also cut them crooked. as in, i made my daughter look like lloyd christmas!

however, i'm pretty sure that in that instance i would qualify as the "dumb" and the "dumber." for real.

what I wore wednesday

2011-11-16T06:40:00.004-06:00

I busted out my fabulous hippie pants last Saturday to wear to my hair appointment and I have to say that I am so glad I did.

I mean, how can you not love these? Besides the fact that they are handmade by my amazing seamstress of a mama (my sister has a pair just like these except she is way cooler than me and made her pair herself! show off.), they are really comfortable and unique.

Plus, I guarantee that everywhere you wear them someone will stop you to ask where you purchased them. However, be prepared, because they will then look really disappointed when you tell them "my mom made them for me" instead of "from Nordstrom."

Oh, don't worry, you can find pants very similar to this if you look. The only catch is that you will be spending about $150 per pair. Yep, cha-ching. Thus why I commissioned my mama.

hippie pants: homemade by my mama, black shirt/dress: forever 21, jean jacket: old navy, shoes: the same ones from last week-forever 21, earrings: a gift from my step-mom for christmas last year, watch: michael kors, bracelets: david yurman, bag: a gift from my mother-in-law-anthropologie

That's one thing I've learned. If you love to shop and you love fashion, you'd also better be thrifty.

Happy Wednesday, Y'all!!

woah, sister!

2011-11-15T07:23:00.002-06:00

Leni Kate has learned to do a few new tricks lately.

just to clarify...that is a blanket on our couch. we do not have a leopard sofa. not that it's a bad thing.

She can now crawl up onto the sofa all by herself. Um...way to go, chicka! (?)

Also, last night while I was cooking dinner, I looked away from her for a second and when I turned back around this is what I saw. Apparently, preparing her "dinner" is much more fun while sitting on our ottoman.

In addition to her new climbing adventures, Leni Kate learned how much fun watching football can be while watching a little bit of the game with B and me last night. See for yourself....

Sorry. The video posted twice and I'm not sure how to delete the second one. Can someone say "novice?" Um...yep, that's me.