Fashion on the Fifteenth

Simple.

If I had to describe my style in one word, it would be simple.

I don't wear jewelry daily. I do throw on a long necklace a couple times a week, and bracelets every once in a while, but I only put earrings on a couple times a year. I tend to grab the closest clean thing around me to put on in the morning. That is why a couple years ago, I decided to buy more than just simple t-shirts. That way, even with a simple style, I could look slightly more put together...or stylish. That is even why I stopped buying flip flops and started buying comfortable sandals with just a little more polished look than flip flops. Again, I can look more put together without the hassle.

Last year neither pair of sandals I got were neutral. They were fun bursts of color. And, by the beginning of this summer, they were done and I was looking for new sandals. This year I just haven't found fun colored sandals that were calling my name, so I ended up with these brown ones. I really like them. But I would still like a fun colored pair. Unfortunately fall clothes and shoes are hitting stores with a vengeance, so I may have to wait until next year to resume my search. 

Shirt: thrifted

Shorts: Old Navy

Shoes: Target

After I bought this shirt, I realized that it is 100% silk. What?! So fancy! It is also dry clean only. I normally don't touch dry clean only items because within 10 minutes of getting dressed in the morning, someone has either wiped their dirty hands on me, or wiped their nose on me. But, I thrifted this and it was super cheap...plus I didn't check the tag before I bought it. Hopefully I am able to keep it relatively clean so I don't have to dry clean it too often...because we all know that will never happen (the part about me taking it to the dry cleaners...because the part about me keeping it clean, hahaha!).

If you had to describe your style in one word, what would it be? 

I'm linking up with Anna at Two Cent Sparrow. 

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Connor Got His Hair Cut

Connor getting his hair cut isn't necessarily anything monumental. After all, I get my hair cut all the time now that I have short hair and I never seem to mention it. BUT, Connor got his hair cut and did not have a psychotic episode. He sat there like a normal person and let us cut his hair. Sure, he complained. However, he didn't bury his head into his lap, try to slap the clippers out of our hands or run. I call this a victory!!!

Usually I wait as long as possible before tackling Connor's hair because it is just so dramatic and taxing on all of us. But, this time was so much better. Of course, when I told Connor how proud of him I was, he responded, "But I didn't like it." Well kid, I'm still proud! And judging by the look on his face, I would say he was happy with the end result.

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Water Balloons

It's funny how kids have a way of reminding you how fun simple things in life can be. Now, don't get me wrong, I think water balloons are fun. I remember throwing them at the neighbors off our balcony and using a water balloon launcher to launch them one street over, then running in the house to hide. I remember water balloon fights with my brothers and friends. And filling balloons up so much, they were as big as my head.

What I don't remember is the joy of just throwing one up in the air and watching it pop on the ground. Or squeezing it until it pops. Or, in Isla's case, naming it "yellow baby" and carrying it around like a prized possession...then setting it in a bucket of water (that also contained tomatoes she just picked in our backyard) and freaking out if anyone came close to it.

I love the joy of reliving things through the eyes of my kids. I love the lazy afternoons in the backyard that turn out to be a fun adventure of bug catching and water slide creating. I love the laughter squealing that comes from the popping of a water balloon. I really do love this life of mine and the phase I am in.

  

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32/52

Connor: For having short hair, this boy manages to get the craziest bed head. He really could do with a hair cut, but he is so drama about it, I always wait as long as possible. 

 Isla: She was picking all the leaves off my succulents in this picture. And that's her favorite cat "tabby cat" in the background. Definitely two of her favorite things - being outside playing with plants with her trusty (stuffed) cat by her side. 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

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Swimming

The kids and I have gone swimming a lot more this summer compared to years past. I don't know if it's because of friends going swimming more...you know, then other moms have bathing suits on and it becomes one of those "misery requires company" scenarios so I put my suit on...or because the kids are at an easier age.

Neither one of my kids are those kids that will jump into the pool. In fact, Connor is pretty afraid of the pool. If you just leave him be, he will play on the steps happy as can be. Try bringing him in the water, even holding him, and he freaks out. So far, I am taking a hands off approach and figure (or hope) that he will eventually want to be in the water.

 

Isla, on the other hand, loves "swimming" in the baby floating devices. She hated them last year. This year, she loves 'em. She says "Look, I swimming". Not exactly, but whatever. She also loves riding on people's backs while they swim. I have hope that with her my dreams of a child jumping to me in the pool may just happen...in another year.

^^ That smile on Connor's face is from being splashed. The kid loves splashing and being splashed.


With the temperatures being triple digits lately, I will admit that I like being in the pool too. And cannon balls off the diving board are my speciality. They make my kids think I am cool. And I am all about scoring some cool mom points.



On a side topic, I am experimenting with image watermarks. I really don't like how intrusive the one I have been using is. I wish I didn't have to use one at all, but after the experience I have had, also want to feel like I am doing something to protect my family. Thus, a little less in your face watermark. 

 

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A Tip for Tuesday - Coconut Oil as Shaving Cream

I really don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. Years ago I actually bought some overpriced shaving oil and loved it. But it was expensive, so I only bought it that one time. But I had this ginormous tub of coconut oil sitting around. Originally I got it as diaper rash cream for Isla. It didn't work. I used it as lotion for her and sometimes me and loved it. A few times I even tried using it as mouthwash. It's supposedly supposed to make your gums healthy. I couldn't stand it. Then I started using it as shaving cream (or really oil) and feel head over heels in love.

It's not difficult to use. I put it on the edge of the tub and the top usually has melted by the time I am ready to shave in the shower. I put a small amount, like maybe the size of a nickel in my hand and rub it on my leg, then shave. After I get out of the shower, I add some more on my freshly shaven legs as lotion. It makes my legs so smooth. I love it. And, this may be all in my head, but I swear that after using it for a couple months, my leg hair grows slower. Or I don't care as much. One of the two!

The moral of the story is, if you have coconut oil sitting around your house, which it seems that many do these days, you should try it out instead of shaving cream. You never know, you may fall in love with it just like me.

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Potty Training Isla

I realized that a few weeks ago, I threw out that I was potty training Isla and never followed up on that. All you really need to know is Isla has been an absolute dream with the whole potty training thing. I chalk it all up to my amazing parenting skills. Enough said.

But seriously, if we as parents get blamed for the areas our children struggle in, we should also be blamed for the things they are awesome at, right?! Of course, my potty training experience with Connor would then bring my overall parenting potty training score back down and I would end up with a "C" or something.

As my mom said, Isla has to have been the easiest child ever to potty train. Day one didn't go so well. She went through nine pairs of underwear. Yep, I counted. By the end of the day, she had only gone pee on the toilet twice. Day two was better. And, day three there was NOT ONE ACCIDENT. Maybe I should preface this by saying I literally thought potty training was going to be this easy with Connor and it wasn't. I bought him a big toy and told him when he went a week without accidents, he got it. Let's just say, after a couple weeks, we gave him the toy when he went a day without an accident. But back to Isla.

Once she got it, she got it. I didn't even have to bribe her. SAY WHAT?! Who's child is this anyway?! That's not to say that she still doesn't have an accident every once in a while still. They usually involve her peeing after she has gotten her pants down, but before she gets on the toilet. And, here's the real kicker...she tries to clean up her accidents all by herself. She will go find a towel (or even the quilt from her bed...awesome) and clean it up. Then she puts her dirty undies in the dirty clothes hamper and gets out new ones. Again, who's child is this?! I do have to say though, when I walked into the bathroom and found her cleaning out her little froggy potty, only to discover she had pooped in it, I was a little grossed out because, well, there was now poop in my sink. But, it's all good. Nothing a little bleach couldn't fix.

I need to focus on my amazing parenting skills for a minute longer because guaranteed I will be ripped back to reality very quickly by some crazy thing one of my children will have done. And it will happen in public. Because, I swear, my children save their crazy for public places. They must love seeing mom get nasty looks from total strangers.

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