and then the store manager offered to help us to our car

Melissa 13 Comments

Today I took the three kids out to run a few errands.  This turned out to be one of the worse ideas I've had in quite some time.

We started out in Target, where we were picking up spring shoes for the kids. The girls did fine, but Colin decided to pull a bunch of shoes off the shelves and throw them around the aisle. Then when I was cleaning them up, he decided to run away. Then when I found him (in the toy section), he decided that he needed to throw himself on the floor and scream.

So we left Target as quickly as possible and had a stern talking to in the car.

Then we ran over to the Gap, since Ellie has once again outgrown most of her clothes. They did a good job of staying with me… for about 2 minutes. Then Colin ran away. Then Gracie knocked over an entire display. Then Colin broke a sign. Then he got mad that I told him not to touch a second sign that he wanted to break. Then he decided that he needed to throw himself on the floor and scream. Then he dumped his snack all over the floor. Then he knocked over one of those poles that show you where to stand while checking out.

So we left Gap as quickly as possible and had a stern talking to in the car.

Then (I know, right? DUH, MELISSA!) we stopped at the grocery store. Before we went in to the store, we had a stern talking to in the car. Because that was going to make a difference in their behavior. 

Colin was tied down screaming sat in the shopping cart. Then we zoomed through the store, picking up everything we needed for dinner. Then we started waiting in line to check out. Then I noticed Colin had wiggled out of the shopping cart strap and was standing in the seat of the shopping cart. Then I took him out, since I was afraid he would get hurt. Then he decided that he needed to throw himself on the floor and scream. Then while I was unloading the cart, trying to ignore his fit, he tripped over his own feet and slammed his face into the metal shopping cart. Then he screamed some more. Then we noticed his face was red, bruised and bleeding. Then two employees rushed over to make sure he was okay and offer ice and bandages. Then the STORE MANAGER came over to make sure he was okay and offer to help me to the car.

Then we paid for our groceries and we left the store as quickly as possible.

Its a good thing I live in another state. Because I will not be going back to these stores any time soon. And probably will avoid going out in public with my son, who looks like he got  punched in the face.


inspiration 3/28

Melissa 1 Comment

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.


"The Power of the Cross"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

fashion friday: i got the blues

Melissa 2 Comments

This spring, my color of choice is blue. Last year I bought everything in coral. Last fall, plum. What can I say… I have an obsessive personality.

1. The blue bag. I am just a little bit in love with this bag by Melie Bianco:
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Seriously, you could fit a small child in this thing! The studs are so trendy, but they're still subtle enough that the bag won't be outdated next season. AND it has a polka dot lining *eep!* And I would be remiss not to point your attention to this little beauty.But, we could talk about purses all day. So lets move on.

 2. Bright Blue. Don't wimp out and go navy! Go bright – it is spring after all!! I'm loving this bright blue. Try it in a maxi dress like this one, or try it in a sweater or sleeveless shell paired with some white pants. This wrap top from Talbots would look gorgeous on just about anyone or layer on a button down tunic. The navy/tourquoise combination looks great too – love this skirt from Shade!

3. What says "beach" more than a blue swimsuit? I love this tourquoise one-piece! And paired with this gorgeous cotton crepe tunic cover-up, it sure doesn't look like its just from Old Navy! I love this navy polkadot bikini from J Crew. And this striped suit is too cute. 

4. Brighten up your comfies. Just add a little pop of color to your gray capris with a tank or a tunic.

At-otf-out18626odv01 This crane hoodie from Ibex is so adorable – great with a little yoga skirt or capris! And I love this funnel neck zip-up hoodie from Shade.

5. The blue dress. Head straight over to Shabby Apple. Do not pass go. They have several totally gorgeous, totally stylish, totally blue dresses. By the way, I'm so glad that the maxi dress is still around.  I positively live in them during the smmer! They're so comfy and can be dressed down with a ponytail and flip flops or dressed up with some cute sandals and accessories. (How gorgeous is that necklace! And from Target!) Speaking of accessories…

5.  Blue accessories!! I love this twisted seed bead necklace – and its only $12. I. LOVE. THIS! I'm about 99% sure I will be buying these Inverted Color Bangles from Forever 21. What a subtle way to add a splash of color!
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For more fashion posts, check out JoLynne and Big Mama. Wardrobe 911 also tackled blue this week!


try this: fruit cobbler

Melissa 2 Comments

You can really use any fruit to make this cobbler – blueberries or blackberries are my favorite or apples are always yummy! I made this up by combining two recipes, so sorry for how imprecise it is!

DSC_0822-1 Fruit Cobbler

topping:

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup heavy cream

fruit:
2 cups blueberries, blackberries, other fruit
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

Make the topping: Whisk together dry ingredients, then add heavy cream and mix until moist.
Make the fruit: In an 8×8 baking pan (or equivalent – I use a 12-inch oval baking dish), toss fruit with sugar and flour. (Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon if using apples. And adjust sugar based on tartness of the fruit you are using.) Use your fingers to crumble topping on top of fruit. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and juices have thickened slightly.

i can do this

Melissa 10 Comments

I have such a crazy week here. I’m just bracing for it!

  • LOTS of design work to finish by Friday. (Not that I’m complaining about that.)
  • Phone calls to make and emails to return.
  • I need to go to the store, but I’m not sure when I’ll manage to go…
  • Unexpected car repairs (AGAIN) so we’re trying to figure out transportation.
  • The house is a disaster (I’m not just saying that. ) and I have a mountain of laundry.
  • Ellie has half days Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. That helps. (SIGH)
  • We have lots of unusual extra things, like a birthday, parent/teacher conferences, a mortgage refinancing and doctors appointments.
  • We’re leaving for Ohio on Friday for a week.

Anyway, posting will be light this week!
As will sleep.
Starbucks gift cards are welcome, if you have one you want to share 🙂

 

In other news, Gracie, Colin and I were on TV this morning:

Gracie now thinks she is a TV star. She asked if I wanted her autograph. We’ve created a monster!!

fashion friday: bathing suits

Melissa 3 Comments

The phrase "Bathing Suit Season" drives fear in the hearts of women everywhere. And its almost here. *collective sigh* Well, regardless of how ready we are, the swimsuits have hit the stores and we need to snatch them up now because if we wait to June all that we'll find are XXS bottoms, XL tops and Halloween costumes.

So let us begin.

Gp706065-02vliv01 The best swimsuit investment I ever made was buying a bunch of pieces from the same collection to mix and match. Mine is from Gap. I have a variety of pieces in black that I mix and match according to how skinny I feel, including the essential tankini top, essential halter bikini top, essential bikini bottom and swim skirt. I also have the essential one-piece halter suit.
I purchased them over about 3 years, both from the store and from the outlet, I didn't pay full price for a single piece. I remember I picked up the one-piece at the outlet for about $12 last year. The skirt? $3. Awesome. Because they're all from Gap, the pieces are totally interchangeable.
I know it seems like a lot, but if you purchase classics like these over a year or two, you'll be set for years!

Budget suits:

I've had good luck over the years with suits from Old Navy and Target.

I love this Navy Paisley tankini from Old Navy, if you're looking to liven things up with patterns.

If your tummy is your problem area, I highly recommend a tankini with a swing top, like this from J Crew. I bought a similar tankini from Target for my post-baby summer and it was so comfy, was easy to nurse in and hid my postpartum tummy nicely.

Perhaps you'd like to swim in a diaper? (Can I get a WHAT??!!) 

513IUEET+pL._AA260_ I bought this dotted tankini for the summer. I wanted something strapless, so I wouldn't have tan lines to worry about for my sister's wedding this summer. And, while I always wear bikinis at the beach, I feel weird wearing a bikini to the little kiddie pool at the Y 🙂 So I almost always go with a tankini. I bought both pieces on sale, so for under $30, I got a super cute suit!

These Bandeau Shirred One-Pieces are adorable! And since
they're from Target, buy two! Ooo – it comes in a tankini! And polka dots! And this one is so cute – it looks like a dress! I love it!

Investment suits:
Unless you swim every single day, your swimsuit will probably last several years with proper care. So it might be worth investing in a really nice, classic suit that will last you awhile instead of buying a new suit every year.

Spanx has a line of swimwear now that not only is really cute, but slim you as well! I would get this Bandeau One Piece, since the ruffles would provide some interest in an area where I was not abundantly blessed:
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There are some really, really cute ones at Anthropologie, if you want a more unique look (since is it me or does every other mom at the pool have the Lands End Tankini?). This Mariana one-piece is fabulous! The polka dot pattern is fun and the shape mimics the wrap dress with its draping ruffle, which looks great on so many body types. For a similar look without the ruffle and polka dots, try this suit from J Crew. Athleta has gorgeous swimsuits that will last for years. The Batik flower swim series is really pretty, but I think the Indian Swirl Bowback Tankini is my favorite!

Lands End is always a great bet as well. They also have a line of slimming suits (try the Carmela Slender Swimsuit – absolutely classic). I love their mix and match collection – the swim skirts have tummy control as well. The Faille Empire Tankini is my absolute favorite. If it came in my size, I would be all over this!


leaving is hard too

Melissa 2 Comments

Please don't ever think that husbands who travel for work a lot have it easy. It’s so tempting. As we talked about earlier this week, its hard to feel sorry for him while he’s
jetting around Europe, going to amazing restaurants, not to mention
getting to sleep in a hotel room alone, getting a full night sleep while I'm stuck
at home with the kids, eating cereal for dinner. 

But he's not on vacation. Not only is he super busy on his trips, usually coming home
exhausted and  jet lagged, but he has to also deal with this while he's gone…

Byedad-2

…they have to leave a lot behind. How would you like finding that someone snuck that into your suitcase? Or listening to your daughter's tears on the phone because she wants you to tuck her in and you're not there?

"We miss you Dad but I will see you soon and I love you"
And that's me, Colin, Ellie and Gracie crying at the closed front door.

Its hard for them as well. They miss us too.

sisterhood of the traveling husbands: coming home

Melissa 2 Comments

Today we’re tackling the fourth installment in our sisterhood of the traveling husbands series, where I’m sharing some key tips to keeping your sanity when you’re on your own at home.

PART FOUR: Coming home

Think about this: what do you want your traveling husband to come home to?

Do I want him to come home to a messy house, to be greeted by a long list of chores and complaints from a cranky wife?

Or do I want him to walk in to a peaceful, comfortable place full of people who are thrilled to see him?

Do I want him to have to pause at the door and brace himself for the chaos he’s about to face?

Or do I want him to walk in the door to our home and want to be nowhere else in the world?

I try hard to make sure my husband does not come home to a disaster. I clean the house during the afternoon on the day he is coming home. My kids like to “help” me, by dusting or cleaning up their room. I usually go grocery shopping that day as well and make sure I have a good meal planned – after eating out for a few days he’s usually dying for a home cooked meal. Then, if I can, I’ll even get the kids bathed and dressed in their pajamas. 

So what feels casual is actually quite deliberate: house is clean, the lights are on, dinner is simmering on the stove, the kids are bathed, ready for the night and playing quietly, maybe I’ll have music playing… when he walks into a house, everything is done. We can eat dinner and just relax and be together.

(Of course, there’s been a few times that Husband has surprised us and come home early before we’ve prepared for his arrival. He finds it hilarious how we really live when he’s gone 😉

I highly recommend the book Heaven at Home: Establishing and Enjoying a Peaceful Home. It helped me create a vision of what I want our home to be – a place of refuge from the world, a place of love and acceptance and a place of refreshment – both for our family and for everyone who enters our home. There are fabulous chapters about encouraging your spouse, cultivating peace between siblings and structuring your day.

After all, home is where the heart is. And there’s nothing like coming home.

sisterhood of the traveling husbands: planning is key

Melissa 2 Comments

Today we’re tackling installment three in our sisterhood of the traveling husbands series, where I’m sharing some key tips to keeping your sanity when you’re on your own at home.

PART THREE: Planning is key

Planning can drastically reduce your stress. Afternoons and evenings can drag like you would not believe. Actually, if you’re a parent, you probably can believe it. (For me, evenings are when I totally start to lose it.) Planning ahead will save your sanity. Trust me.

Plan some activities: The first night Husband is gone on a long trip, we go to the library to get new books and movies. We have Popcorn Pajama Parties, where the kids and I pile up on the couch in our pjs and watch a movie, we’ll snuggle up in bed and read books all evening, we draw pictures for relatives and write letters, we make a Lego town, or we bake cookies or banana bread for breakfast.  Just be sure to plan something so you don’t end up sitting on the floor with your kids crawling all over you telling you they’re bored. Which never happens to me. Ahem.

Plan some outings: Some nights I need to get out of the house. Especially if I’ve been home all day with just the kids, getting out of the house for an hour or two is so therapeutic. You know the feeling. So we:

  • Head to Barnes and Noble and look at books (and pick up an nice skinny caramel latte for mama).
  • We’re lucky enough to leave 15 minutes from Ikea and the kids LOVE to go there. We can all eat dinner in the bistro for around $5. The older kids play in Smaland while I walk around dreaming of a perfectly organized house.
  • The library, as I mentioned above. Ours even has evening story times once a week.
  • Walk around the mall – you get to window shop and they get to run around, play on the kids play areas and throw pennies in the fountain.

Plan a backup plan: Pick up a movie or toy on sale and save it for when you really, really need it. If your kids love stickers, have a stash of stickers handy. My kids love to color, so I pick up new
coloring books at the Dollar Store to pull out on a particularly long night.

Plan together: Send out an SOS email – there is probably another mom who has a traveling husband too! Get together! One mom brings the nuggets, the other brings the french fries, the kids get entertained and you get some adult conversation! If you’re parents live nearby, head over there for dinner. I can’t tell you what a lifesaver this can be!!

What are your family’s favorite after dinner/before bedtime activities?