New Year's Resolution: Read More

Ever since I can remember, I've been a "goal setter." You could blame this on my first born-ness, my Type A-ness, my neuroses. Most likely all of these combined. Which is a deadly combination for a future diagnosis of OCD. And I'm well on my way, my friends. 

Any good goal setter most likely is also a New Year's Resolutions setter, as well. And I hesitate to tell you all that I may or may not have typed out a list of New Year's resolutions for several years, color coded and categorized. See? Well on my way. Upon having kids, and well, a life, my typed out list of resolutions has ceased to exist. In fact, having kids (in my case, three that are three and under) has a funny way of making you forget that other humans on the planet are able to focus on themselves and their ambitions for more than 5 minutes in a row. 

However, I'm hoping this year will be a little different. Anyone who is a mom knows how easy it is to use your kids as an excuse. And I've been guilty of doing this on more than one occasion. But at some point, enough is enough. I've always believed that we make time for what is really important, no matter how "busy" we are. So I suppose my biggest resolution this year would be just that. To make time in my life for the things that are life-giving, uplifting, and fulfilling.

So on the short list of things I hope to improve about myself, I intend for these resolutions to begin with what I put into my mind. I have found that the times in my life where I am most aware, happy, and myself is when I am challenging my mind. And like I told my students a million times a day, that all begins with a book. I'm not sure if I am putting a number on how many books I'd like to read this year, although God knows I am itching to type out some sort of a spreadsheet for this (HELP ME). I think I will just begin with cutting out a few Real Housewives shows and instead commit some time in the evenings to filling my thoughts with things other than wishing my husband was a plastic surgeon or that I had Lisa Vanderpump's bank account. Baby steps.

Am I the only person who loves a stack of books on her nightstand? Even though I have been a serious slacker in the reading department lately, looking at the high pile of reading material makes me feel like even though I may not pick one of them up for a month, if a burglar breaks in, by golly he sure will think I'm some sort of scholar. 

Currently there are two stacks on mine. This stack would be some of the books I've read over the last six months or so. I thoroughly enjoyed Seven and Sparkly Green Earrings. Both of these books made me laugh out loud and were incredibly inspiring. I agree with the basic tenets of Love and Logic, but can one say that they thoroughly enjoy a parenting book (bleh)? The Happiness Project was very thought provoking, but not the greatest book I've ever read. 

And this would be the stack of books I am hoping to read in the next few months. The jury is out on whether or not I will finish One Thousand Gifts. I might be the first person to read this and say that I find it really, really hard to get through, wordy, and hard to wrap my brain around. Ann Voskamp is undoubtedly an insanely gifted writer, I just can't seem to make myself finish it. Am I the only one? I have already started Give Them Grace and really love it so far. Boundaries is a book I've had since college, but it came up recently in one of my bible study discussions and reminded me how much I could use a re-reading of it. Clean is a book about clean living/eating a friend of mine highly recommended, but if we're being honest, it scares the crap out of me to begin it. I'm sincerely afraid I might start neurotically flipping my lid about all of the toxins we are putting in our body, thus greatly decreasing the amount of Sonic grilled cheeses my children consume, and it might convince me to start doing really crazy things like concocting my own laundry detergent and cloth diapering Burke. And these are just things I am not ready to be inconvenienced by. Maybe 2015 can be the year the Nevels go all crazy organic? Doubtful, but we shall see...

So there you have it. I share these with you because I really enjoy getting new book recommendations. I hope to incorporate some good fiction in with these, as well. 

Hope everyone has a fantastic start to 2014!

xoxo

Burke's Room (again)

Oh Burke's room.

This room has been quite the challenge for me to really finish. Yes, he's had the basics and a few things hung on the wall, but for some reason I've just always felt like it wasn't the way I wanted it. And more importantly, I hadn't really felt inspired by anything that wasn't going to be completely impractical for a house we aren't going to be in for more than the next 2-3 years (think an entire birch tree wall paper accent wall, much like this one). Swoon.

So I just kinda tolerated his room, waiting for a practical inspiration, and along came this post by one of my favorite bloggers. I really, really adore her style and this room was right up my alley for what I wanted Burke's room to be. Boyish, masculine, classic with a touch of rustic/campy feel. So off I went scouring Etsy for a few finishing touches.

Now when I walk into his room, I absolutely feel it is complete. And it will definitely keep me happy until I can wallpaper an entire wall in his next room. :)

Burke's room also doubles as our guest room. Kyle's parents live several hours away and we felt like they still needed a place to sleep when they come stay. The bed also doubles as a changing table and will eventually be Burke's big boy bed. I was annoyed with it at first, but now it's great because the girls will jump up and down on it while entertaining Burke during diaper changes. :)

We hung these shelves prior to putting up his curtains and definitely did not account for how they would look with the curtains up. They were actually pretty hard to hang, and when I asked Kyle how he felt about re-hanging them one on top of the other, his eyes turned red and smoke started coming out of his ears. So. Onto plan B. 

I really love the items we have on the shelves now. I found the Major League poster on Etsy while I was pregnant with Burke (Kyle's favorite movie of all time), the picture I've talked about previously is of Mickey Mantle, his son and wife, and my grandpa and dad when he was a baby (he and Mickey Jr. were born a few months apart). Mickey and my Papa were really good friends until his passing and played baseball together when they were young. Definitely a fun claim to fame. :) The baseball card is one of Kyle's good friends from growing up and now our down the street neighbor, Jordy Mercer. He had his first season in the big leagues this year for the Pittsburg Pirates. I know Kyle can't wait to talk about our cool baseball connections someday with Burke. 

The fox print I found on Etsy before having Burke, the chalkboard I had made several years ago for the girls' first birthday and just re-hung it in here. I think the words on it are more a reminder for me than they are Burke, but I think it's a sweet saying to have in a boy's room. 

The arrows I totally copied off my sister, who found them at Hobby Lobby and hung them above her little boy's bed. 

I had really been on the hunt for a monogram pillow for Burke's room, and loved the simplicity of this one I found on Etsy. After seeing a plaid throw in my inspiration room, I knew I wanted one for our glider. The floor lamp I actually found at Target for around $30 (score!).

When Burke started having ear infection/congestion issues, we propped him up on a pillow at night to sleep (I know many of you, my pediatrician included are cringing and scolding me in your mind). I categorize this decision into "things you do for everyone to get some sleep." Sorry I'm not sorry. Ever since then, he's kinda become addicted and now snuggles up to it every night. I found the cute deer pillow on of course, Etsy. I scored the gingham pillow case from Pottery Barn kids on sale for $12. 

I think I've switched up the arrangement of this gallery wall no fewer than 5 times. But now I think I can officially say it's here to stay. The bottom picture I talked about in a previous post, but it's another one that's been in my family for awhile of my Papa and Mickey's baseball team. 

Burke and his books. If he goes missing, most of the time he's wandered in here to dump out and "read" all of his books. He also enjoys following me all over the house and hitting me with them until I sit down, pull him in my lap and read to him. It's incredibly sweet and irritating at the same time. Which, might I add, is pretty much a metaphor for the age of sixteen months. :)

Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend!

xoxo

S + C Big Girl Room

I think I can officially say that the girls' big girl room is finally complete. I think. With my inkling to change and rearrange things, there's a good chance I'll add something here or rearrange something there, but overall, it is finished. Which is a feat in itself considering we've lived in our house for almost 3 years and I'm not sure I can say that about any of the other rooms in our house. It was fun putting it altogether, the girls still love their room, and I think we did it pretty economically.  

Miss Campbell Jane's side of the room. Both girls' sides of the room are basically the same with a few of their "quirks" incorporated onto each shelf. Since Campbell has a favorite dress she loves to wear at all times, I had to have this book for her shelf. I re-framed the ballerina prints from their nursery because I love them so, and am still a sucker for sentimentalism (my mom grew up with these prints in her room). When I think about the fact that the room is really divided pretty evenly down the middle, I'm always reminded of that Full House episode where DJ and Stephanie actually draw a line down the center of their room. I'm quite certain we are only a few months away from this happening in their room.

A friend of mine with a little girl the girls' age put a mirror at her eye level in her new big girl room and I knew I had to do the same! It turned out to be a great call since both girls have loved checking themselves out in it (and maybe Burke too). 

We moved both girls' Pottery Barn chairs into their room to save some space in the living room, and my sister found these darling bins at Marshall's. Campbell keeps all of her dress up duds in hers, Sophie keeps her favorite books in hers (Thomas included). I knew I had wanted to find some cute non-Thomas train print for her side of the room, so I was thrilled when I found a quarter of this pink train fabric on Etsy for just $3! I had a seamstress turn it into a little pillow. It's been a big hit and can usually be found in bed with her at night. And that rocker in the background? Both girls still insist on being rocked for a few minutes before bedtime. The emo mom in me just can't say no.

For Sophie's side, I knew I wanted some type of quote that was a nod to her fiery personality. I fell in love with this Kate Spade quote I saw in a boutique ($50 alone for an 8 X 10 print, no thanks), and then got the idea to use my stamps to re-create it. Be Happy, Be Bright, Be You. I hope my little fire cracker always remembers this. With her love of horses (my father-in-law's pony to be exact), I thought the spotted horse figure was appropriate, as well. 

The bookshelf. Obviously they keep their books and some toys in the bottom, but I also have some of my sisters' and my Dr. Suess collection from when we were little, as well as my collection of American Girl Doll books and my old American Girl doll (Samantha). I have a small, unrealistic fantasy that this might in some way help us postpone the madness that is American Girl dolls (HA).

Don't think Sophie still doesn't wear her dragon costume on a daily basis.

And the TV. Don't get me started. It was our desperate attempt to get the girls to calm down and not turn their room into a crazy college dorm room before naps/bedtime. Which it quickly turned into once their cribs were out of the picture. We limited it to 20-30 min before naps/bedtime and it has helped (but not eliminated entirely) their tendency to run wild instead of sleeping. Will we ever win this battle? Probably not. 

Their dresser/nightstand would not be complete without Millie Fierce. This might hold the place as their most favorite book of all time. I can't believe they haven't gone into shock since we had to return it to the library after maybe setting a record for the longest checked out book in the history of the Edmond Public Library. Maybe if they're really good Santa might bring them their very own copy...

This shot my father-in-law captured of them while they were staying with them one weekend is still one of my faves. They're really growing up too fast. 

A friend found the mirror for me at Home Depot when I was decorating the girls' nursery, and I still love it! Painting on the left found by my sister at where else but Marshall's, and the one on the right she painted. I definitely missed out on the artist gene. 

If you're looking for a great Christmas gift for your little lady, my sweet mother-in-law got them these little jewelry boxes from Pottery Barn Kids for their birthday. They come complete with a key and musical, twirling ballerina. The girls adore them!

Campbell in her favorite dress, Sophie pant-less wearing her "Funder shirt." In case you were wondering, they picked out their outfits themselves. 

So there you have it. I'm definitely no interior decorator, but all three of us girls love hanging out in there. 

Here are a few sources if you're wondering:

Comforter // Monogram Pillow // Roman shades made by Vu in Edmond // Green foo dogs from One Kings Lane (no longer available) // Rug (cut into a sheepskin shape by me) // Sheets from Target (not available online) // Lamp from Target (no longer available) // Dresser from Mockingbird Manor in 2007 // Jenny Lind antique Beds purchased on Craigslist and re-painted // Initials above bed from Hobby Lobby and re-painted // We also have this pillow case from Land of Nod with plain white sheets because I'm cheap :)

xoxo

Fall Fun & Halloween

I've said it once (or twice, or a gazillion times?), and I'll say it again, FALL RULES! There's been a quote floating around that says, "I'm so happy I live in a world with Octobers." Oh how I couldn't agree more with that. Celebrating the birth of our girls, Halloween, pumpkin patches, incredible weather, the anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas, how can this not be one of the most exciting times of the year? 

A few days before Halloween, we finally made it to a pumpkin patch. We had a busy October, but it was lovely to drive just a short 15 minutes to the Wings Pumpkin patch in Edmond (all of the other ones are at least a 30 minute trek!). This pumpkin patch also doubles as a great fund raiser for a great organization supporting special needs young adults, a few of which were so eager and excited to help our kiddos play some of the games and partake in the fun activities they have. It was quick, easy and fun for all. 

Sophie enjoying the hayride

At least I attempted to get a pic with one of my kiddos?

The girls playing with their favorite people on the planet.

Pretty comical watching Kyle try to squeeze into the kiddie sized pumpkin cars.

This picture kills me. Campbell a little leery of how this moving pumpkin thing is going to work out, Kyle obviously super comfy. Oh the things we do for our kids...

Giant pumpkin photo op

My oh-so-squeezable little love, decked out in his fall best.

Sophie the ferocious pink dragon is ready to terrorize the neighborhood on Halloween. Yes, she came up with this costume entirely on her own. Are we shocked? 

Thank goodness for Etsy and this great little shop!

Trick or treating fun with our second cousin and neighbor, Buzz Lightyear.

The dragon needed her baby for our Halloween photo shoot. I pick my battles wisely.

Princess Cinderella twirling.

I could gobble up that puppy booty.

For about an hour on Halloween Sophie thought she might go trick or treating as a princess, too. But being three and all, she of course changed her mind. 

Cutest puppy I ever did see.

And our Sophie girl, yet again being the goofy ham she always is. 

We also had some friends over for some pre-Halloween festivities, but I couldn't get those photos to load for some reason (boo). All in all, the girls had a great time this month celebrating all things pumpkin, birthday, dressing up, and trick or treating. 

Bring on the Turkey and Santa!

xoxo

Family Pictures 2013

I suppose we've officially made it a tradition for us to suck it up and take family pictures in the fall. And ya'll know how much I LOVE family pictures. Other than dealing with a little bit of drizzly weather, I was yet again beyond pleased with the wonderful Christen Foster! It was great seeing her again since we hadn't had the pleasure of working with her since Burke was a newborn and my face was the size of a beach ball from birthing a child 14 days prior, I was sweating extra a lot from postpartum hormones, and my boobs were about to explode. It was definitely time to replace these pictures throughout the house. We took these in the field behind our house and a few in the front yard/porch since the drizzle got pretty heavy. I know it may be taboo to post these prior to us sending out our Christmas cards since these will be the ones we use for those, but they are too cute not to share! So many of you will have the pleasure of getting one of these gems to hang on your fridge this December.
:)

If I may vain for a second, I like this one of me the best. However, none of the kids look too happy and Kyle is hunched over like it's paining him to hold his legs out straight in front of him, 

which it probably was. You win some, you lose some.

This one makes my heart burst. Girls holding hands (without being asked) and actually maybe loving each other for a minute. Burke so excited he's squeezing his chubby little hands. Doesn't get any cuter, my friends.

Brotherly love

I am in love with how much this picture captures their personalities. Sophie, my little ball of fiery love, and sweet Campbell with her shy smile.

I daily have to resist eating up this ball of chub. 

The girls absolutely loved Christen, and told me after she left that she "looked like a princess." 

Sure fire way to get some smiles out of these two!

Your eyes aren't fooling you, folks. This would be a picture with everyone looking at the camera and, dare I say, smiling. Kyle isn't even making his awkward I'm-so-sick-of-taking-pictures face. He actually looks happy that I forced him into taking half an hour out of his day to smile for a camera.

This one pretty much sums up how all three of them feel about their daddy. In love.

Do boys get any more handsome?

The Nevels ladies

Me and my mini-me

Sitting pretty

And just to make me tear up...

This wasn't planned, but it's the same picture, sixteen months apart!

Looking back at the first one makes me forget that I really did have three babies, the bottom one a startling reminder that those babies are not so much babies anymore. 

The days are indeed long, and the years short.

Thank you again, Christen, for some great photos!

xoxo