how many months? and joey is two???

yep, it's that time again - my monthly shed shots and update. where has the last month gone?? OH that's right... i have been overcommitted! i always thought that fell to those who just don't know how to say "no" or just don't know themselves well enough to know what their strengths are and what fuels them... but every opportunity i committed to and came to a head during this time was something that totally corresponds to what God has been doing and developing in me - all things i have been so excited about. looking through the list, even after living through october & november, i can't really bring myself to discount any one of them:

1) Uptown WHBC decor (updated for fall with branchy trees, fall leaves, thanks stuff, new colors)

2)Light of Christmas Boutique - the thing i probably enjoyed MOST - just get so energized playing with art & jewelry-making - even though i only sold 3 things ;)

3) three weddings and two receptions as one of my sister's bridesmaids in the midst of an 8-day trip across el salvador and honduras

4) handmade name tags and gift bags for the 120 attendees of our church women's retreat

5)joey's (veggietales-themed) 2nd birthday party

and

6)one more wedding reception, this time in california

plus all the daily weekly "stuff" of life. it was too much. but not. it was for a season, and as of today, that season is over (and i have decided never to have a party again ;)

so you may have guessed that i've had a hard time sticking with any type of "healthy habits" in this season. i haven't even exercised since before we left for honduras AT ALL (2 weeks+), and have been eating the local cuisine (pupusas? fried corn tortilla-ish things stuffed with refrieds beans & cheese - heck yes - and joey will eat them, too)

so it's recovery day today, and as i've been able to rest, reconnect with people and God and my own soul, i find the desire re-emerging. i did cook some last week, but have no beautiful documentary evidence so you'll have to wait till next time! ;)

the outfit: month shorts (yes, a few days ago when we shot these, it was warm enough to wear this - not so much now ;): thrifted; red top: thrifted; ruffly top: styles 4 less (or some other outlet shop of it's kind - i can't remember); belt: thrifted; jean jacket: thrifted; wrist cuff: handmade; hair flower, light of christmas boutique, made by my friend Teri Jo :)

joey's one love in life is veggietales, so we did a themed 2nd birthday party, complete with bob & larry cake pops and balloons, and bob pinata (of course made by me ;) - which was indestructible, even after my husband followed up the kids' attempts by beating it to a pulp, until he finally grabbed it & ripped it apart. oops ;)
below, you'll see my adorably tired little birthday boy. he refused to take a nap this day... he's TWO! unbelievable.

three months in... and spotlight three: found wood necklace

 attention: 

those of you who only read this blog for pictures of the cutest kid in the world, please scroll to the bottom immediately.

now, for anyone who stuck around for the outfit and jewelry... the outfit: top, thrifted; shorts, thrifted (seen here and here and here in the past "month shots with the shed"); boots, gift from jason; necklace, handmade from cord and a found piece of wood; earrings, bought at the Light of Christmas boutique last year, made by the lovely Becca Nevius (both of us will be selling jewelry there this year!)

isn't this little piece of wood amazing?? it's like a miniature tree! love it :)

                                                                closeup of the earrings by becca

now for the "three months in" update... there is no update. i weigh exactly the same as last month (190 lbs), and have continued to struggle with eating healthy.
this month i blame:
a) jason for buying me ten pounds of bulk chai latte powder (the best in the world.) to celebrate the arrival of fall (and i have yet to celebrate or really even acknowledge its subsequent departure, with the temperatures still in the 80s this week). you have to try it to understand, but this chai sweetness is truly irresistible. and something about allowing myself to have it every day seems to undermine my healthy aspirations... 
and/or 
b) joey. this is probably an even bigger one. i got all inspired to cook and make healthy meals, and the ones i was trying were delicious! but my almost-2-year-old refuses to eat pretty much every single one. so it makes me less motivated to cook this way when i'm going to either have to cook a separate meal for him, or send him to bed hungry. i've tried to find healthy, toddler-friendly meals, but almost everything seems to be either/or. of course he'll eat macaroni and cheese, burgers, fried chicken, and sweets. but not anything I cook, oh no. he does eat vegetables pretty well... he'll ask for broccoli, peas, and edamame until their supply is exhausted! but nothing that really fills him up, and i try to fill him up in the hopes that maybe THIS will be the week he sleeps through the night...

but i haven't given up! my sister gave me this book about toddlers and it had some fun snacky ideas in there (also a constant drama in our house - he'll eat something up every day one week, and then have nothing to do with it the following one, so i'm constantly problem-solving. guess that's the life of a mother ;) 

he has not been eating bananas for me this week, so i thought i'd try a different version...

i changed the recipe a little bit on this, since i had a package of Jell-O graham cracker crust in my cupboard, and called them a different name (she called them no-bake banana cookies)

"special bananas"

1. slice up banana

2. shake in ziploc bag of graham cracker crust

3. serve.

;)

joey, do you like them? 

"yeah! spetta bananas!" ;)

after two months

so it hasn't been perfect, with some ebbing and flowing in both my desire and choices to move toward health and wholeness. but oh so much closer than before. enjoying cooking healthy and lovely. jason keeps telling me i look "more toned" ;) and my soul just feels nearer to its own self as far as being who i truly am and am meant to be. two months into this blog, and i'm now at 190lbs even (7 down!). which seems pretty much right on to me. i'm not about starving myself or striving physically or emotionally to stick to some drastic external plan (though i do see good in discipline). just generally day to day leaning in closer to wholeness. to truth and rest and beauty. 

 some closeups

so, did you notice the cues that this is the monthly update? i mean, before you read all that above? ;) the shed, the shorts... (what am i gonna do when the temperatures start falling?? hadn't thought about that... good thing i live in southern california, and it pretty much never goes below 40! :)

so besides the aforementioned cutoff jean shorts, we have:

yellow floral top: cozy (maternity), ross

green vesty thing: ross

belt: thrifted (isn't it awesomely detailed??)

necklace: f21

and the best part, my new bracelet that just arrived via UPS: InPink (due to a gift card won on adored austin!)