Etc. Archives | Page 36 of 254

Custom Kimono for Alison’s Cabana Boogie

September 24, 2015~ Etc.

When Alison’s Cabana Boogie tickets went on sale, I bought one immediately and told all my friends to buy one too, she throws the best dance parties! Then a week before the party, Alison asked me if I could design something for her to wear for her party and I was so flattered! She came over and we talked about the concept and came up with some design ideas. The end result looked fabulous on her and she rocked the party! She entered the party in the throne of awesome as she calls it with 6 men carrying her. How awesome is that? Gotta love Alison!

I made her a custom kimono with faux fur around the collar and the sleeves. I also made her a pink sash with two fur pom poms in the end but she didn’t end up wearing it because it made her look too much of a “sex kitten” she said. I told her she can wear it for her husband later. 😉

This kimono wasn’t the initial design but we were worried she wouldn’t be able to get down and dance with the original design. She loved it and I am so glad she did!

pictures from my phone & Alison’s

The party was awesome and it was such a good time! The picture below is the original design concept I came up with after Alison told me the theme of the party and the look she was going for. It’s just the rough draft so it would have looked a lot more polished and better looking of course, with more structured shoulders with the leaves and the leaves sewn on, with light green sparkles all over the leaves. I wanted to make her a high collar with the leaves like a queen since I knew her entrance would be the 6 men carrying her in her throne but then it was quickly dismissed since she wouldn’t have been able to dance in it. Which design do you prefer, the original design or the pink faux fur kimono? I was personally rooting for my original design below. 😉

Girls Night Out Ritual: Farmer’s Market

September 18, 2015~ Etc.

The girls and I’ve been riding our scooters to the Farmer’s Market near our house that’s held every week. I would have liked to go more than we have this Summer but I was so busy, we didn’t go every week like I had wanted to. But I am slowing down and focusing on being a good mother and a wife and we plan on going every week until it closes next month! I haven’t taken any pictures all the past times we went this Summer but I brought my camera along so I could capture what’s become one of our favorite “mother-daughter-daughter-date”(as my girls call it) traditions. And Jay and our boy decided to join us this time!

Yes, he keeps us up in our toes, that’s for sure! Look at Jay’s concerned face as he’s running to grab him! He is such a cute dad.

These two are the best buddies. I love watching them grow older together.

Embroidered Top | Jeans: Seven for All Mankind | Sandals: Target | Glasses; The Loft

Scooters from Micro Kickboard

sampling blueberry kettle corn.

We tend to always buy the same things: BYU creamery ice cream, a bag of kettle corn and veggies or fruit. I bought second hand peaches this time so I can make peach jam!

Thanks Jay for being the camera-man, Aiden’s bodyguard and a delivery boy. 😉

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Do you have anything fun for the weekend?

Lunch with the First Lady of Utah at the Governor’s Mansion

September 17, 2015~ Etc.

Jacket | Purse | Heels

I had the opportunity to eat lunch with the First Lady of Utah, Jeanette Herbert to learn about an organization she started about strengthening family relationships by strengthening parenting skills. Of course my first thought wasn’t what questions I could ask her about the problems we face today as parents or how parents can be active in raising awareness in organizations such as these, the first question I asked myself was, “What am I going to wear?” Priorities people, priorities. I thought, what would I wear if I was meeting Michelle Obama? And dressed accordingly.

It was at their home, the Governor’s Mansion and it was so beautiful! I loved hearing Jeanette Herbert talk passionately about why she started this organization. When she was a young mom, she realized that having kids automatically didn’t prepare to be a mom, no more than “‘Buying a piano no more makes you a pianist than having a child makes you a great parent.” She said she came from a great family so she thought she would find it easier than she had thought. She also said some crimes are relatively low in Utah which creates a sense of false security when we have plenty of things to worry about such as drugs and suicide. Uplift Families offers many resources on how to become a better parent.

The 3-fold purpose of “Uplift Families” is to

1. strengthen parent-child relationships
2. provide tools and resources that improve parenting skills
3. help children make safe and healthy choices

There is a parenting conference tomorrow that is hosted by Uplift Families, I was told it’s very much like TED talks, but with topics of parenting and family. I so wish I could go, I love TED talks and I am passionate about learning more to be a better parent, but we will be at a ward camp! But if you’d like to go, it’s only $20 for a couple that comes with dinner and dessert, it’s such a great deal!

Use code: Beautiful2015 for $5 off your ticket.

Sunday Best

September 17, 2015~ Etc.

I didn’t take these pictures on a Sunday but I wore this dress to church a couple Sundays ago, so that counts, right? I wanted to wear another necklace with this outfit and looked for it everywhere, but the price for having two little miss fashionistas is they want to wear my jewelry all the time and get into all my stuff and misplace them or break them or lose them. Fortunately, my clothes are too big for them(for now anyway) so they don’t get into my clothes! I always tell Jay whenever he chuckles when I find a broken earring or lost jewelry, “Oh, just wait ’till our son grows up and gets into YOUR stuff!” I don’t think he’ll be chuckling then. 😉

Chambray Maxi Dress | Hat: Nordstrom | Wedges: Target

Maxi dresses are a great item to have to transition into Fall. Wear a scarf, hat and ankle boots and for cooler temperatures you can even wear tights underneath the maxi, no one will even know! I love my maxi dress, I’ve been wearing it quiet a bit lately, I need to get a cute scarf to wear with it next time.

And these last pictures, I just can’t! He is totally copying me, even walking slowly down the sidewalk so that Jay could take pictures of him, while swinging his arms like that. I love all of my three little posers!

I Just Can't Get Enough of My Family

September 15, 2015~ Etc.

I posted a similar picture above with just 3 of the kids scooters awhile ago and someone commented on how that picture was her dream one day, to have three children and have the scooters representing their healthy, active, and happy childhood. It made me teary-eyed and I felt a little guilty that I take having children for granted. I don’t know if she was dealing with infertility or finding a spouse or whatever her reason was, I hoped she would be able to get what she wanted one day soon.

I tend to vent a lot about motherhood to my husband. I find it very challenging and one way for me to deal with it is to vent along the way. Once I vent and feel acknowledged, I no longer dwell on it, it’s over and I’ve moved on, and feel completely better. But Jay doesn’t know that and it’s hard to understand from his perspective so I’ve been trying to not vent(or whine according to him haha) as much to him. I think I take raising kids for granted! I am what my husband calls “a fertile myrtle” and it only took us one time for each of our three kids. Was that TMI(too much information)? Well, by now, you must know that’s my middle name, right? When I got pregnant with my second child, my first was only 7 months old and I was breastfeeding her full time, don’t they say breastfeeding is a natural contraception? Anyway, I think those mothers who have dealt with infertility or wanted a baby for a long time and finally got the chance to, their perspective is wiser and they’re more appreciative of even the bad moments. I can imagine them saying to themselves while they haven’t slept a minute all night and their baby is crying nonstop and puking all over them, “I wanted this baby so bad and now she/he is here. So I will take whatever they give me and be grateful that they’re mine and I finally get to be a mother.” I think that is so beautiful and I wish I was more like that. Me on the other hand, my first two children were not planned and came as a surprise so I’m like, “Shoot, I didn’t sign up for all of this! I was not ready to be a mother!” I need to think more like the other mothers who are so grateful for motherhood and do not take it for granted. I love my kids with all of me, but I can have a better attitude with the hardships that come my way. To not take it by a surprise that motherhood is so difficult, but when a challenge arise, to be expecting it to come my way since it’s inevitable and embrace it and think of the bigger picture. I owe that to my wonderful, deserving, perfectly imperfect little kids of mine that I am utterly obsessed with.

Since my kids and I love riding the scooters around, but I didn’t have one for myself, I would take turns riding with my girls, using one of their scooters(weight limit is 110 lbs. for their maxi scooter, yes!) or ride by bike or run along side them instead. But now that Jay and I got one of our own, we have added riding scooters as a family to one of our favorite family activities! The girls and I go to our near by Farmers Market in our scooters once a week as we buy ice cream and kettle corn, it’s become our Summer/early Fall tradition. My scooter is like 1/2 bike, 1/2 scooter and isn’t it pretty cool? The main reason why I got it is because it works out your core! I’ve always wanted a six-pack and you just might see me sporting one next Summer. Haha! Thank you Micro Kickboard for sending it for us to try!

*I was not paid to feature the scooters.