pretty sleeping quarters

today is foggy... dreary... i'm tired. so i'm browsing pretty bedroom spaces. oh, to have oodles of $ to make our bedroom as dreamy as some of these. some are cool, some are comfy, but each one has something that i like. you can draw inspiration from almost anything nowadays. see if you'd feel at home in any of these spaces:

one of those days...

it's just been one of those days. the girls are fighting, literally, non stop. i feel like all i do is yell at them to stop. i have a pounding headache. baby is taking a while to fall asleep. the girls are being too loud. M isn't home for lunch (for that much needed break that i need). it's gloomy and cold outside. i just feel blah. down. defeated. motherhood has it's ups and down... and if i'm being honest, today is one of those down days. reading other mom blogs can be a wonderful thing b/c you know you are not alone. there are hundreds of thousands of moms out there, blogging about this exact same thing. now, i only read a precious few but one that i read today gave me a great quote that i want to share here:

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
M. Robinson

it might just give me that extra little push to get through to bedtime tonight. thanks alyssa!

this is what is staring me in the face every time i walk into my kitchen.

is it ok that each moment i attempt to scurry by the pan, i snag a little sliver? many, many teeny tiny pieces couldn't possibly add up to one enormously large serving, right?

mmmmm... chocolate... pecans... melted marshmallows... gooey goodness!

here's the recipe. don't tell me i didn't warn you!

power of a moment

What am I gonna be when I grow up?
How am I gonna make my mark in history?
And what are they gonna write about me when I'm gone?
These are the questions that shape the way I think about what matters
Well I have no guarantee of my next heartbeat
My world's too big to make a name for myself
And what if no one wants to read about me when I'm gone?
It seems to me that
Right now's the only moment that matters

You know the number of my days
So come paint Your pictures on the canvas of my head and
Come write Your wisdom on my heart
Teach me the power of a moment
The power of a moment
The power of a moment

In Your kingdom where the least is greatest
The weak are given strength and fools confound the wise
And forever brushed up against a moment's time
leaving impressions and drawing me into what really matters

You know the number of my days
So come paint Your pictures on the canvas of my head and
Come write Your wisdom on my heart
Teach me the power of a moment
The power of a moment
The power of a moment

I get so distracted by my bigger schemes
Show me the importance of the simple things
Like a word, a seed, a thorn, a nail and a cup of cold water

You know the number of my days
So come paint Your pictures on the canvas of my head and
Come write Your wisdom on my heart
Teach me the power of a moment
The power of a moment
The power of a moment

chris rice

traditions

so, i may be cheesy but i happen to love traditions within the family sector. i really do. and the annual family trip to the lake is no exception. my little family unit of 5 with a fabulous aunt and uncle and a wonderful nana and papa... staying at a great little cabin with all the amenities... enjoying the hot weather... eating well... it can't be beat. we go to clear lake every august long weekend and we always have a fun time. here are just a few snapshots from this past weekend.

at some point during the weekend, we always take the girls to throw stones into the lake.

they absolutely LOVE it!

just the five of us... check out little K's face?! priceless!

big K and me!!! i love this little girl to bits and pieces!!

another tradition... eating ice cream, every darn evening!

this is baby H's first taste of real ice cream! mmmmm! she LOVED it!!

mmmmm... shrimp boil. like i said, we eat VERY well out there!!!

running

running, running... running is an interesting thing. i've had conversations with my friend for a while about what constitutes a 'runner'. so, what does? i guess it's different for every person. my opinion used to be (key word being USED) that a runner was someone who was kinda hard core. you know... runs like 10 miles a day, for fun. or maybe it was just someone who ran consistently. like 5 times a week every week, without fail. did i ever consider myself a runner? i've run off and on for the past 8-9 years. taking 6 month breaks here and there. maybe even more b/c i never ran when i was pregnant. too paranoid, although i do know that it is perfectly safe. i will be honest when i say that i've never loved running. i always heard of people saying, "oh i NEED to go for a run!" or "oh, running is so therapeutic for me." i didn't understand. maybe b/c i had the wrong outlook. i don't know. (yes, i'm rambling here... but i'm good at it, don't stop me) a few weeks ago something changed in me. this is not something i'm telling everyone. certainly not. but here i am putting it up on cyberspace. i guess it's kinda safe b/c really? who honestly reads this? ha ha! it's just me putting my thoughts to paper, errr, i mean putting thoughts to the keyboard? but i think i'm a runner. i do. like i was saying before, my friend and i discussed this at length. and we decided that anyone who runs, is a runner. be it 1 mile once a week, or 26 miles on a regular basis. and i'm kinda liking this new thought. i am a runner. i run. no one can dispute that. but i think the key to my success at running, is making it a consistent thing. i have a schedule. i schedule my runs in every day. and it feels good. seriously! i'm really, fully enjoying it. what will come of this? who knows? i have that little birdie on my shoulder saying that i can continue this training for a 1/2 marathon in about 10 weeks. but on that other shoulder is that little devil telling me that i can't accomplish that goal. so... we'll see. just getting out there and pounding the pavement is enough for me right now. enough for me to say that i truly am a runner.

here's a quote i read in the last running room magazine that inspired me:

"Runners come in all shapes, sizes and speeds. Even though I'm a curvy 36 year old, I'm still an athlete. I'm faster than some and slower than others, but my speed doesn't make me any more or less of a runner..."

interiors...

i love design. i really do. i may not be a professional or have everyone's idea of the best taste, but i just know what i like. and isn't that the thing that really matters? yes, i do have my own personal decor style. can i name it? i'm not sure. i adore anything mid century modern. i like the 50's minimalist and 60's eclectic style. i like figuring out how to decorate well ON A BUDGET. i like funky fabrics. bright colors, mixed with easy on the eyes neutrals. i like coordinating stuff... however i'm trying to stray away from being too matchy matchy. i'm a wannabe DIY'er, always have high aspirations to turn something junky into something magical. most of those dreams die when i realize i'd rather sleep myself during the kids' naptime. ha ha! but, in saying that, i still love to dream about interior decorating. so, from time to time, i need to put up pictures of interiors that i salivate over. the building days are gone and over for us (we've built 3 houses and are now planning to stay put) but that doesn't mean i can't still imagine another dream kitchen, right? today i'll focus on kitchens.

here's a couple images that i'm currently in love with: