the weekly{vol 2.}

the podcast that ignited a frenzy is back for season 2. to listen week by week or to save a few episodes and binge listen. decisions. decisions. 

another week, another mass shooting(or two). sunday is the anniversary of sandy hook. moms demand action for gun safety in america are hosting orange walks across the country. we'll be at the cincinnati walk. you can find one in your community here

binge watching jessica jones and master of none (netflix is killing it this year!)

like every other person on the planet listening to adele

reading the heart-breaking, brutal and very necessary the new jim crow:mass incarceration in age of colorblindness

this viral video that every instagrammer/blogger husband can relate to gave me much needed LOLZ 

a little christmas joy

how do you christmas? i wasn't sure what christmas our way meant until i sat down to write this post. after reflecting for a long time i would have to say that christmas our way is slow and filled with lots of inappropriate humor!

last year was the first christmas with rowan and the first year that all of the big kids were home for the holidays. may favorite part was watching them interact with their little brother, having all of their friends over to hang out and visit and sitting around the table laughing at all the wrong things!  i become overwhelmed around the holidays and experience depression. having a slow and smaller celebrations helps me maintain my focus. i only wish i'd figured that out sooner! 

top three memories of last year are taking rowan to see santa, having all 5 of kids together for a photo and our family of 7 all gathered around the tree watching rowan take everything in on christmas morning.

 

last year was so joyful that we've created our own december bucket list. i think that it will certainly change a bit from year to year but it's nice to do the things that have meaning for you and your family and forget about everything else!

i love seeing all the ways others are celebrating!

take a look at these wonderful posts by some of my blogger friends.

Sara Lafountain http://cookwith5kids.com

Erin Cox http://www.lifeabundantlyblog.com

Katie Mullis Crenshaw http://twelveandsix.com

Clarissa Laskey http://www.clarissaexplainsitall.net

Marcia Denise http://www.ciasays.com

Gillian Nicholl http://www.indulgingmum.com

Lauren Shoffner http://crunchandchill.com

Elizabeth Edgar http://mommygonetropical.com

Elanor Brammer http://tiggypoesandflutterbys.blogspot.co.uk

Jennifer Crowther http://www.jennyscrayoncollection.blogspot.co.uk

Kate Walton http://www.akreativewhim.com%2F&h=lAQFx3Niz

Marilyn Arriaga http://www.tiltamom.com

Cindylynn Calzone http://hometownqueenbee.blogspot.co.uk/…/what-will-our-chil…

Courtnee Garr Frimming http://www.ohmyheartblog.com

Kam Kay http://www.thewomentalk.com

Kelley Farrell Ferreira http://www.chicagonow.com/canny-nanny

Samantha Lamb http://mommawantsjava.com

Chanel Cumberbatch http://www.crunchychronicles.com

Rachel Newcombe http://smartmomsmartideas.com

Karen Marie Patten https://www.facebook.com/spoilmyfamily/?pnref=lhc

Brittany Lass Schwan http://www.beckyandbrittany.com

Rebecca West http://www.craftcreatecalm.com

Esther Steinfield Freedman http://blog.cuteheads.com

Kimberley Mazzarolo http://talesfromthecrib.ca

Liz Jean http://www.cheekydays.com

Julie McCorkle http://julesandco.net

Shannon Hughes Gauger http://dailymomtivity.com

Kristen Marie http://gentleparentingwny.com

Janella Panchamsingh http://www.mabellevie.ca

Kim Robertson http://1200milesaway.com

Lynzy Carey Coughlin http://www.sparklingfootsteps.com

Jannel Alisha http://thevanessachronicles.com

Jennifer Vleira McCullar http://lifewith3boys1girl.com

worn{10.30}

 the weather in ohio is...the weather in ohio! mornings are downright cold, days are rainy and windy, then sunny, then cool again. this makes getting dressed complicated.  add in the fact that i only have two body temperatures freezing or burning up and it's a miracle i ever leave the house!

these black jeans i thrifted a few weeks ago have become a wardrobe staple. best money i've spent in a long time! i wear them at least twice a week. since the top is short sleeved i added this cute jacket. i must have an old lady spirit because i ADORE brocade! this little topper was found on the same thrift trip where i scored the jeans. i've been playing a bit with proportions and i really like the look of the cropped jacket over the longer blouse. this proved to be a perfect outfit for cool/warm/cool/rainy fall day.      

 

  

071_1.jpg

nesting{living room makeover}

you know how before you have a baby you say ridiculous things like, "i'm sure our living room will stay neat, organized, and kid friendly rather than kid focused" so many LOLS! 18 months into this new kid gig and our living room looks like romper room. and, i am ready to reclaim the space.

step 1 is moving some of rowan's activities up to his room. i'm attempting to add more structure to our days. i'd like to have morning unstructured play time in his room while using some living room storage for toddler busy boxes, craft supplies and books. 

before rowan's birthday party last march my husband painted our living and dining room(connected spaces)a very pretty pale gray and it did so much to lighten up everything! it had been a shade of green that made the  room seem really dark and heavy especially in the winter. pillows and lighter curtains brightened things up even more. as of now our living room is perfectly adequate but i don't think it feels like us.

since my husband prefers visuals when we're discussing changing anything i put together this mood board to lay out the master plan.

   

i've been looking for a velvet tufted sofa. i have a vintage settee in the basement that i considered having reupholstered but it's a bit too small for the living room. i've been a fan of bob and cortney novogratz since their design show aired on bravo. i kept seeing this sofa pop up on their facebook page but i never clicked on link because i assumed it would be $$$$. i finally went in search of it and discovered that the novogratz9 vintage tufted sofa sleeper is selling at wal-mart! yes, that wal-mart and it costs less than $350. seriously! i've read through all of the reviews and the quality appears to be excellent for the price. 

with that, the rest of the room came together quickly. i'd love two modern chairs to balance out the traditional look of the sofa. we have a really nice hutch in our basement. it's currently bright white which is lovely but i'd like to paint it either pink or green. the most difficult thing in my search has been a pair curtains in a bright floral pattern  to tie everything together. i'm excited to see how it all comes together!      

bookshelf {october}

there's a slight chill in the air.the leaves are beginning to change. the days are getting shorter. pumpkin spice is everywhere! it's officially fall and it's the perfect time to grab a book, a mug of tea, coffee, hot chocolate....burboun(no judgement!) and sit in a cozy nook and read.

i'm reading these three among others. 

house of thieves by charles belfoure

the cruelest month by louise penny

the unchangeable spots of leopards by kristopher jansma

the cruelest month is the third book in a series by louise penny which features chief inspector gamache. i'm really enjoying this series. they focus on a small town, three pines, in a canadian province. the characters are interesting and the mysteries are thoughtfully plotted and unfold slowly. they're kind of a throwback to agatha christie novels. a welcome change of pace to the graphic thrillers that occupy the bestseller list.     

i'm several chapters into the unchangeable spots of leopards. i really, really like it! it's the kind of book that i usually want to read in one sitting but i'm forcing myself to read at a slower pace to take in all the little details.

 

what's on your reading list this month?

 

worn{10.7}

i've really been taking the idea of building a conscious closet and the concept of a capsule wardrobe to heart. i'm slowly making my way through my closet. purging as i go. to be completely honest i'm at my heaviest non pregnant weight and it's tough. my self esteem has taken a huge hit so the thought of clearing my closet of all of the beautiful things that not only no longer suit my lifestyle but are several sizes too small is a bitter pill to swallow!

but, life moves on. i don't want to miss out on making memories with Rowan or going out with my husband because i feel like i have nothing to wear or i look terrible in the things i do have. the past few months i've been shopping and thrifting. putting together a fall wardrobe that is not only functional but also makes me feel good when i go out. 

i made a drastic change when i colored my hair gray! the new color has also affected my style choices. i've been drawn to a more subdued color palette{gray,navy,army green,black}  as well as more modern and sporty styles. i feel like my past affinity for embellishment and frill would age me a little and compete with the gray. instead of the "wow" pieces i've been searching for basics in nice fabrics with interesting details. also, i thrifted these jeans for $1.95 !!WHAT!!

these days my errand running style is more sporty spice than lady beckham and i'm actually ok with it.