overwhelmed.

pic courtesy of clint. did i mention he's taking a photography class? awesome.
so, i must admit that the lack of blogging has been mostly due to my feeling completely overwhelmed in the past few weeks. between a new baby, a new business, a half marathon coming up much too quickly, a busy toddler, and trying to sleep train henry, i have been a mess. it seems my plate is a little full. overflowing in fact. add to that the woes of a starving student, and i was halfway on my way to meltdown mode.
then came yesterday.
last minute i decided to send owen off to grandma and grandpa's in evanston for a few days so i could catch up on orders, sleep, housecleaning, and just breathe. not that i don't love the kid, but he requires a lot of attention and energy - both of which i was seriously lacking after 4 nights of letting henry cry it out. i feel so lucky to have inlaws who are willing to help out when i really need them.
i spoke to both my mom and sister was again filled with gratitude for their generosity, support, and for being the answer to my humblest prayers.
and the giveaway? oh my. i literally broke down in tears when i checked my email last night to find 5 items sold, 2 custom orders placed, and 119 comments - all beautifully praising my blood, sweat and tears. i could never have hoped for better results. thank you marta. i seriously owe you.
and so, i am still busy, and still a little stressed. but man, i feel good. overwhelmed, yes - but in a completely different way. i am so overwhelmed by the love and support that is all around me. and when i am feeling the lowest of lows and like i alone can not do any more - i am buoyed up by friends and family who have become God's instruments to help me know that He is there.
thank you.

don't miss out!

am featured here today for a giveaway.
it ends tonight, so don't miss out!!

so much cuter as a boy....

great pic taken by clint (can you see him in henry's eyes? i loooooove that!)

my little henry.
i'm sorry i put girly headbands on you.
i'll make it up to you when mama makes lotsa money.

at 4 months old you:

• have the most beautifully expressive soul-blue eyes i've ever seen
• love to smile and giggle
• look at your mama with admiration and awe (which then makes me feel a little inadequate and nervous to live up to your expectations of me!)
• are a little rollie pollie and spin 360s on the ground
• loooove your big brother and your dada
• have the happiest disposition - unless you're hungry - then watch out!!
• want to be sitting up all the time
• are discovering how good your fingers taste
• are a total cuddle bug and snuggle up to your blankie (mostly over your face) to sleep
• still wake up every 3 hours at night (curses!!)
• are very ticklish and think getting dressed or getting your diaper changed is just about the funniest thing ever
• go anywhere and everywhere without complaint
• camp like a champ
• have the softest pale-est skin (that i don't know what to do with in the summer! sunburn-able skin is new to me!!)
• have won over many hearts as the best behaved baby around
• have super strong legs and love to stand up (with help of course)
  
• have managed to get us all wrapped around your chubby little fingers!

we love you and are so glad you are part of our family:)

i finally gave in.

after much debate and years of insisting i wouldn't do it, i finally gave in.

introducing:




today marks the grand opening of allora handmade on etsy! i have been a busy little bee trying to get things together and have had so much fun designing and creating things that i really love.
i always thought that making things for strangers or to get paid would stifle my creativity and would take the love out of it - but ironically i have felt more inspired and excited about allora than i could have ever imagined. i have more ideas than my little hands can keep up with, and am really pumped to get them out into the big bad world.
this week, my sister will be hosting a giveaway on 30 handmade days for allora. be sure to check it out and get in on the action! (look for a discount code as well.)
as scary as it is to put myself out there and hope that people like my products enough to buy them, i am excited for this new challenging adventure.
i will be updating the shop all throughout the week and i am also accepting custom orders. here's a little sneak peek:


i look forward to your feedback!
p.s. - you might recognize one of the models.... please don't tease him when he's 15!

i'm famous.... somewhere...?!

anyone have any idea what language this is??



kinda weird, but kinda cool...
and on that note - be sure to be tuned in on monday for a big surprise!