High five for Friday

I'm back for another edition of High Five For Friday. These weeks seem to be flying by.  I guess that's what happens when things get busy and life is good.

One. Colton had a big week this week.  He turned 4 months old, had his 4-month check up, and got his first taste of rice cereal.  He likes this "eating from a spoon thing!"

Two. The University of Minnesota celebrated their 100th year of homecoming last weekend.  The football game was awesome, and they walked away from the game with a "W" over Purdue!  I wish I could have been at the game.

Three. There was a rain day this week.  It was fun to have Adam home early to hang out with us.

Four. I started reading "Gone Girl." I want to see the movie but someone recommended I read the book first.  It's really good so far.

Five. Our daycare provider is pretty awesome.  Colton made a Halloween project this week. I never knew how special things that kids make were! I love it!

4 things I am (surprisingly) better at as a mom

Sometimes I surprise myself.

I heard plenty of pre-mommy-hood stories about how... 

"you will never have time" 

"your house will be a disaster"

"your going to have spit-up on you wherever you go"

"you'll never sleep"

"your life is over"

This scared me and I was convinced that I was going to fall apart as human-being.

Then I remembered how good my mom was at holding it all together, getting everything done, and looking like a million bucks every time she left the house.  I began to pray that those traits, somehow, had made it into my DNA.  Some did. (Thank you God!)

I've found there are four things that I am surprisingly better at now that I'm a mom...

Washing dishes. I hate doing dishes. Since Colton came along there are never dirty dishes in our sink anymore. I wash bottles once a day and since the sink is already full of hot, soapy water I was dirty dishes too.

Picking up the house. We don't have a big house so a little clutter (baby stuff) basically makes our house look like it's a disaster. I pick up the house once a day and sweep/dust/vacuum our floors regularly.  I never had a messy house, I just make more of an effort now. (p.s. That's just my camera bag on the table in the picture...)

Being more timely. I have my dad's genes when it comes to timeliness. I always think I can "just do one more thing."  That's changed. When I have to go, I (99% of the time) stop what I'm doing and leave.

Getting fully ready first thing in the morning. Pre-Colton days I used to wait to shower on my home office days and weekends until after I went to the gym.  Then I would only dry my hair. Now, most mornings (not all) I get fully ready (hair, make up, etc...). I think it's about feeling human and confident for me. Plus, I never know how my day is going to go anymore.

Who would have thought I'd be better at these things?? Definitely not my husband.  Probably not my mom either...

Don't worry, there have been things I've gotten worse at too.  I'll save that post for another time. :)

Ocotober Citrus Lane Box Review

I'm a sucker for monthly subscriptions that send a box in the mail.  I'm also a sucker for my baby so when I came across the sponsored post for Citrus Lane in my Facebook feed I took a look and decided on a 3-month subscription to give it a try!

Citrus Lane finds new kids products for ages newborn through 5.  Each month you get a box with 4 or more items that relate to your child's age. Sorta like Birchbox for kids.

I opted for a 3-month subscription at a price of $24/month.  I did save 50% on my first box with the code SAVEHALF.

Here is what I got:

Bake N Shake Donut Rattle by North American Bear Co. I like it. It's soft and squeaks but doesn't rattle.  Maybe we got one that was faulty. Colton isn't overly interested in it yet, but it's hard for him to get his hands around.  The set of 6 is sold for $30.

Cage Bell from Hohner Kids. Colton is just starting to get into toys that make noise.  He likes toys that play music more than rattles.  This one is light weight and easy for him to get hand around to hold and shake.  It retails for $7.50. 

Where Do I Live Soft Book by Tiny Love. This book is awesome! By far our favorite item.  It is such a fun, creative, activity book. It's soft, makes a crinkly noise, is full of bright colors and things to grab and touch.  Plus, like it's description says, it's good for tummy time. It comes with a $14.99 price tag. Worth it!

Calendula Baby Care from Weleda. We haven't used the samples yet.  I'll probably throw them in the diaper bag and use them sometime.

Colton really enjoyed the book!

Then he got tired...

So, was it worth it?  In terms of money spent, the three products alone add up to around $27.50 - that doesn't include shipping.  I definitely got my money's worth! And, we got some good things which leaves me looking forward to next month.

If you want to know more, here is the Citrus Lane Facebook page.

High five for Friday

Happy Friday to you all. I'm glad to be working from home today, enjoying the sunshine through my house and a cup of coffee.

One | I started a new leg workout. Truth be told, I've never been happy with my legs.  So, I enlisted the help of the employee fitness center at my office.  Alex set me up with a great workout plan that I'm really excited to dive into for the next few weeks.  It's challenging and fun.

Two | Colton's Citrus Lane Box Arrived. Citrus lane is a monthly subscription that sends us new products for kids related to their age.  We got 3 nice toys and some lotion samples.  I'll post a review on my blog.  

Three | Conversations with Colton. Oh my this boy can chat.  We had a great little talk after his bath last night. 

Four | FaceTime with Grandma and Grandpa. I hate to admit this but I never used FaceTime until Monday.  We tried it out with my mom and dad so they could see Colton.  He thought it was more cool to see himself in the phone before my mom answered. Ha!

Five | Great Food. Last Saturday I was invited to an afternoon lunch, with my teammates, at one of our company Vice President's homes.  His family is so nice and the food was so delicious.

Boho chic inspired e-design

I love the Boho look but I've always been scared to try it.  First, it's out of my comfort zone and second, it's WAY out of my husband's comfort zone.  

Fortunately a recent e-design client loved this style too and asked me to help her to design a boho-chic bedroom with a sophisticated twist.

My favorite thing about this style is that nothing matches and at the same time, everything matches.  The eclectic mix of colors, patterns, and textures will make this room so visually appealing.

If you have a space you'd like to have styled, I'd love to help you. Check out my e-design page for more information.

High five for Friday

This high five for Friday post is long overdue!  Do you not do something only to realize how important it really is?  That's how I feel about my high five for Friday posts...

Hot yoga/barre. I've been taking these classes for the past month or so.  I feel SO good afterward because I feel like I sweat out all of the icky stuff my body has been collecting over the week. I never knew I could sweat so much...

Harvest has begun. Finally, a break in the rain has allowed us to get in the field.  This needed to happen.  A bored husband is no good.

Trunk show. My friend, Julie, invited me to a trunk show at a local boutique shop.  It was so fun to shop with friends over some snacks and drinks.

DIY projects. I've finally gotten a few DIY projects done that I've been thinking about for a long time - painted a lamp, changed out artwork, and finished up a wedding shower gift.

Playtime. Colton is rolling over, reaching for toys, and starting to giggle.  All while fighting off a cold.  He's a champ. 

I really need to start taking more pictures...

Cheers to the weekend ahead!

My two favorite treats

Every once in awhile I need to treat myself to something yummy.  Even if it means a little bit of a price splurge (Folder's coffee and a Hershey's candy bar are a little more in my every day price range.)

My two favorite treats as of lately...

1 | Gevalia Coffee.  So yummy. So smooth.

2 | Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Caramel.  My mouth waters thinking about it.

Give 'em a try.  Treat yourself today just for being you!

P.S. If you like my table runner, it's from World Market. 

Deciding on a direction

Holy smokes - it's been awhile since I've written! Let's just say I let myself be distracted being a mom to a really fun 3 1/2 month old baby boy who loves to play, talk, and hang out with his dad and I.  Seriously, being his mom is the best (and most tiring) job in the world - along with being a wife to a pretty awesome husband.

That being said, when I have a few quite moments, or I'm sitting at my desk, I'm thinking about all of the things I could (and want to) write a blog post about. 

This is causing me to decide on the (possibly new) direction I want to take my blog.  I want to combine all of the things I love and am passionate about... 

My family

Styling spaces

Leadership

Inspiration

Fashion

DIY projects

Farm life

Health and Fitness
Cooking

Up until now I've been trying to establish myself as a home decor-type blogger but I'm leaning toward wanting to write a more lifestyle-focused blog so that you get to know me and not just how nice my house might look. I see my "dwelling" to be more than our home, instead I recognize my dwelling as my mind, body, soul, home, and all that encompasses.  Make sense?

As I step into this new direction, I can't promise consistency but I will promise quality.  And, whatever direction I go, please join me to offer your thoughts, advice and insight.

By the way, no matter how long I may go without a blog post my e-design business and shop are ALWAYS open and my email is always on! :)

Cheers!