my husband is not a sappy guy, so i will not wax on about what a great husband, father, provider, and protector he is.  i’ll just say happy birthday dude.  i love you.

 

this is what we did today.

it was just a routine blood draw – i guess our pediatrician has all 1 year olds do this, which just seems like cruel and unusual punishment – for both baby and mama.  i actually appreciate her thorough approach, but it was still no fun.  thankfully, my (nurse) mom was there to inspect the person who would pull the very blood from my baby, and to provide moral support for me (which i needed)!  the phlebotomist was awesome – she got him on the first stick and was quick.  there was some screaming and crying, but after it was over, beckett made a quick recovery and scored a baby maraca – ole!  all in all he did great, and it was nothing a cupcake and playing in the sink couldn’t fix.

 

 

 

well, it doesn’t exactly feel like fall today (it’s 85!), but we’ve had a few crisp days and the trees are just beginning to change.  football is on tv, soup is on the stove, and pumpkins are on the porch.  it’s the time of year when i get excited about reaching for different clothes in my closet and putting away the sundresses and sandals.  though kansas city hasn’t accepted that it’s really arrived, here are a few things on my wish list this fall.

 

 

wool trench, tote, boots, watch, toms, brass hand, scarf, bear art

besides being drop dead gorgeous and having a killer bod, zoe saldana has style.  she is always looking of-the-moment but somewhat classic at the same time.  rarely over the top (for the exception, see her purple ombre ocscar dress!) and never overtly sexy, she is always a head-turner.  you’ll see her in a lot of looks straight from the runway, but she carries them in a way that appears more approachable.  my favorite is the last look – i just love a surprise back, and that one is awesome.

in college, i was part of a sorority, where i met some of the greatest women you could possibly imagine – smart, fun, spunky, i could go on and on.  we were very involved in all the greek ‘stuff’, and for some reason, we decorated everything we did for rush, skits, etc. with glitter…and we were known for it all over campus.  i saw this the other day, and it brought back such fun memories of that time.  i’m also cooking up a project for our playroom involving glitter, and i’m excited about working with the sparkly stuff again.

i am beyond lucky to have a great group of buddies from college that live here in kc, and more coming back soon!  we took our herd to the deanna rose farmstead last week, and i cannot say enough about it.  it’s filled with all kinds of farm animals – cows, horses, goats, sheep, chickens, and more – some you can pet and feed.  if you live in kc and have kiddos, it’s a must-do.  it’s big, clean, and super interactive for the kids.  just don’t bring your own food if you want to eat in the farmstead – we got in trouble for that.  oops.

{gage and beckett checking out the goats}

{kellen – i can hear him saying ‘cheeeese’}

{rachelle and lynley – you might recognize rachelle from the maternity pics i took}

{allie taking a break}

{parker-man, not too interested in mugging for the camera}

{b-man sat still for approximately 12 seconds, enough time to take one picture}

i can’t help sharing these next two pics.  miller and beckett were having a bonding moment after we got home that afternoon.  bonding = miller licking beckett, and beckett laughing his little buns off.  they are becoming such good buddies.

this chick is cool, that’s all there is to it.  alexa chung caught my eye when i was shopping for hair styles, and she was featured in the september issue of in style, which i read religiously.  i couldn’t pull off half of what she does, but she does inspire me to push the envelope.

i love fall – we begin to get a break from the hot temps, football is in full swing, my wardrobe is transitioning, and the leaves are thinking about changing.  i have always felt that it can be a time for reinvention, and this year i went kinda big.  see that pony tail below?  a few short hours ago, it was attached to my head.  it actually looks kind of creepy, right?  well, i didn’t request to keep it just because.  i’m donating it to beautiful lengths.  i’ve wanted to do it for a long time, but never had hair long enough to where it wouldn’t be a pixie if i cut this much.  so, i’m happy it worked out this time.

i’ve done a drastic cut like this several times, but i was extra anxious today.  i guess because it’s been quite a while since my hair has been short.  i sat in my hairdresser’s seat, and i got her endorsement to make the big chop.  back it went into a ponytail, and then the unmistakable sound of it being cut.  i looked up, and she said ‘don’t give me that look.  there’s no going back now.’  the moment my hair fell, i already loved it.  she cleaned it up, gave me a few curls, and here’s the new look.

it’ll never look this good again – because i am not good with hair – but at least i feel good tonight.