that time my daughter snuck in half a year on me...


...such a little sweetie! our sunshine is 6 months old, hoorah! i can't believe we are here, i could cry. when they say there is nothing like your first baby, "they" aren't lying. abel's life has flown by so far too, but lucy's is like whoosh, wait what? i wish i could press pause somedays. she's such a sweet spirit, she LOVES her brother, always smiling, baby got back, happy + easy, brings joy wherever she goes! i couldn't have dreamed up a more precious being. thanks for making the past six months the very sweetest possible, i love you little bit!

||  fun facts  ||
she's a sitter upper
loves to try new foods
wants to crawl badly, probably won't be too long (Heaven help me)
is still not shy about telling you any and everything, such a chatty child :)
is currently working through stranger danger + wants to warm up a bit before she goes to anyone other than me or chris
she loves splashing in her bath
seems to have teeth comin' in, but i feel like i've been sayin that for atleast two months so who knows!
she loves waking up at the crack of dawn (yawn)
loves to dance
loves when abel dances (or looks in her direction or does anything at all)


g r o c e r y s h o p p i n g


this post should really be called, "Abel Takes King Soopers"
If you read my blog a million years ago, then you might remember that we LOVE grocery shopping. It really is one of our favorite activities to do as a couple, and now as a family. The older Abel gets, the more chaotic it is for sure, there is riding in the car on front of the cart (part time), the cart (rarely), holding hands (for two seconds) and simply running free + us chasing him down (the other 50% of the time). We know that one day, probably not far in the future, when we hopefully have a boat load of kids, that grocery shopping as an entire family might not be our best idea, but we are all in for now + trying to stretch it out as long as we can. Call me crazy, but it's quality time for us. 
i love my little family, and am so thankful for chris' calm + collected nature! it balances out my easily overwhelmed + nervous sweat-er tendencies + allows us to still go on family grocery outings for the time being! he managed to dodge every picture on this trip, but he truly is my rock.
i'd also like to make mention of the penny horse riding... up until the past two visits, this resulted in shrieking and terror from abel, and after three times of feeling like i scarred him for life trying it out, i called it good. he suddenly sees it in a new light + wants to ride it every time, multiple times. 
cheers for all those unwanted pennies being put to good use! 

^^^look at who has started riding shotgun! she's pretty over the moon about it, and i'm happy to leave that 20 ton carseat in the car where it belongs!

thoughts on thursday + some cute pictures of my children (surprise!)


Why is overgramming a thing? Why does a certain number of likes or comments or followers make us feel special or not? Why do we gram at all? 

I heard someone say today that instagram is just a place to show off what you've got. Whether it's things or your kids or your breakfast... & it got me thinking. Show off? That's certainly not what I'm ever going for. I love photos, moments captured. I choose to post our happy parts, not because every day is a walk in the park, our life is far from perfect, but I love it + choose to see it with a positive perspective, and share that side. I post pictures of my kids because I love them + think they're stinkin cute, I post pictures of my breakfast because it was as pleasing to my eyes as it was my belly. I see beauty all around me. When I share on Instagram, this blog, or any social media channel, it's because I love and enjoy my life + want to shout it from the rooftops! It's sad to think that anyone would consider that showing off or even worse, look at my life and see theirs as less than.
Why do we compare? Why do we get sucked into "the numbers"? I know i've allowed myself to fall victim to this thought process. I think it's definitely important to search our hearts and check ourselves for the reasons behind our posts, our words and otherwise, but i also think it's okay to share bits and pieces of our lives that bring us joy. God gave each and every one of us a purpose, yours is probably different than mine in a lot of ways, but I know one thing that we are all called to do and that is to love. Love God, love others, & love yourself.

When you're scrolling today, be inspired by others + encouraging to them as well! & when you're posting, authentically "overgram" the heck out of whatever it is that makes your days happy! Your life is beautiful, you are fearfully + wonderfully made. It's okay to share it.


sidenote: these pictures have nothing to do with this post really, aside from just loving them a whole lot. i saw this idea through pinterest for "entertaining toddlers indoors during the winter"...+ i thought, "ball pit! how fun!" abel actually thought it was fun for about two seconds + then he began throwing the balls one by one onto the floor + moved onto the next thing haha! lucy laughed at him per usual + otherwise didn't quite get it. maybe next year when they're 1 + 3 we will try again or on a rainy day this summer. until then, we will continue using these balls to learn our colors, throw around, cover the entire living room floor, and find in every corner of the house even though i swore i got them all picked up :) 

a Freshly Picked Review... Bring on the Moccs!

I am a such a fan of well made products, and an even bigger fan of advocating for them + spreading the word about my favorite brands, people, tips, etc. 
That being said, baby moccasins...
Whether you're a mom, aunt, friend, grandma or simply a person on this earth, you probably know that they are all the rage when it comes to baby shoes. 
They're cute, easy, comfortable + honestly go with   e v e r y t h i n g  . 
That my friends is especially true when it comes to Freshly Picked moccasins. They are darling as pie + i wish they made them in my size... although it's probably better that they don't, as i'd look ridiculous. 

Lucy is 6 months this week + getting your first pair of FP moccs is like a Salvaggione right of passage. She obviously had to have yellow ("Golden Rod" in the shop) because she loves yellow (or i do). We are very practical when it comes to buying things + the quality of these moccs makes them worth every penny. With littler babies who's feet never touch the ground, it's like buying shoes AND a teething toy... two for one! (haha, kidding... sort of). On top of that, they have "give" and can be worn for longer than a regular shoe. As fast as infants grow, this is a HUGE win in my book!


What about for Toddlers/Walkers?
Abel is borderline OBSESSED with his Freshly Picked moccs! When he got his first pair, he would NOT take them off. Which was perfect because he was a new walker + they were lightweight + easy for him to run around in while he was still learning his feet. He wore them inside AND outside. I wouldn't send him out in the snow in them, but during Spring + Summer they are perfect. His first pair fit for an entire YEAR, while he outgrew all of his other shoes. The red ones ("Cherry" in the shop), are officially snug now + we chose these neutral colored ones ("Beehive State" in the shop) to go with his usually bright colored wardrobe. 

Are they worth it?
Freshly Picked moccasins are WELL MADE + well worth their price.  They are 100% genuine leather, they hold up outside on an adventurous toddler, stretch with your child's foot making them last longer, are precious as can be + come in a zillion different colors. We usually wait until our littles aren't growing at super speed and are doing more than just laying around before we invest in ours so that they can wear them longer, but they offer Crib Moccs for tiny ones (0-3 mos) for a reduced price that are just as cute. Freshly Picked has wonderful customer service, the founder Susan is the sweetest, and they don't waste any time getting your order processed!
We LOVE this brand + the team behind it. 
^^^These are our WELL LOVED + still in GREAT condition first pair...one of my favorite things about them is the tiny footprint that takes up it's home on the sole. Go and getcha some!
**This post is sponsored by Freshly Picked, however all opinions are my own!**

Detailed information directly from Freshly Picked website:
100% Genuine Leather Moccasins
Freshly Picked moccasins feature a unique design with elastic at the opening. Our shoes are easy to put on, easy to take off, and most importantly: stay on your child’s foot. Our soft-soled shoes are made with durable leather and are suitable for infants and toddlers alike. Moccasins fit true to size and are available in children sizes 1 - 9.
These gorgeous moccs have been featured in Parenting Magazine, IN TOUCH, US weekly, People.com, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Kourtney and Kim Take New York.
Each item in my shop is hand made in the U.S.A. and ready to ship. Please allow at least 48 hours for your order to be processed and ready to ship.

@freshlypicked on Instagram + Twitter 

happy birthday brother!


happy birthday to a very special person!
my little (except not really) brother tristan!
he is talented, kind, a great uncle, used to be my mini me but since he's 6' 4" now i think those roles are probably reversed. he's an incredible dancer and choreographer & i'm so proud of him for following his dreams + living in california to pursue a career in dance, however i miss him a whole lot! cheers to your last teenage year! i love you so much t!

+ here is a video of his choreography because wow!