I Confess...

....Happy 5 years blogging to me!! (yesterday)  My very first post back on 9/28/11

...I love back to school; I do not love back to school germs!!  Seriously, my Time Hop shows me each year we are dealing with little colds this time of year. BOO!

...I am legit obsessed with tea.  Currently sipping on some Throat Comfort Yogi tea.  It's definitely got a little different taste to it and I'm not sure if I love it, but I do think it helps the ick. Plus I'm already dreaming of my Matcha latte OR trying a pumpkin vanilla chai. I saw someone post that and I never thought about that! I miss my pumpkin spice latte, but man everything coffee makes my reflux no fun.

...I had no idea what I was getting into signing up for the craft committee for Brooke's pre-school.  I just cut out 18 haunted houses, 18 black cat tails and 18 orange cat whiskers.  Luckily Joe helped me on that last batch because it was a lot!

...It's cold and rainy today and other than grabbing miss Brooke from preschool I have no plans other than to play, cuddle and maybe do some painting with the kids.

...I feel like I'm really starting to find my voice, be comfortable in my own skin, and truly own how I feel.  So much has happened in the last few years and maybe it's just what happens as we age.  Most of the time when I was young I was super shy and very quiet in school.  I kept my thoughts and opinions to myself.  Now with social media, I have found that for the most part I do the same, but lately I feel like if I have something to say, I will just say it.  I don't ever "go after" anyone or attack, but sometimes (especially lately with all of the presidential debate media) I find myself not deleting my comments, but rather hitting publish.  It's kind of freeing, really.

...I'm not quite ready to be a hunting widow this Fall, but I do hope hubby gets a deer this year.  He's been working hard setting up all of his tree stands and I know it's the ONE activity that he truly loves.  

...Speaking of loving a hobby, I really miss ballet. I loved Zumba and other dance classes but I may try to figure out a way to go an adult dance class. Even if it's just once or twice a month. I'd have to hire a sitter because it's on a late night Joe works and we basically have no family around to help us out.

...I had the best time last weekend with my girlfriend Kristin. We did this "Remote Rochester" thing and wore headphones and did this tour like event, which I cannot even put into words, but it was really really cool!

...this mom thing hasn't really gotten any easier.  There are real raw moments where I just tear up and think, am I doing anything right? Am I good mom? Should I be doing more?  I question myself all of the time, and certainly wish I had my mom here in person.  I was joking around the other day and said I should start a "grandma service" so that we could match moms like me with older women who would just LOVE to be of help to me and my kids.  I'm not even talking about a grandma to just watch the kids, though that would be nice, but I'm talking about just being with an older mom/grandma to talk about how it was when she raised kids.  To sip tea and chat while the kids run around.  It's not something I've published a lot here, but it's on my heart and mind all of the time.  I long for a mentor and an older woman to bond with.  Kind of weird to some people I guess, but when I don't have that, it makes life harder.  Maybe because I want it so badly? It takes a village to raise a child, and like I said before, Joe and I are the village, unless we hire out.  Tough stuff, but we are doing our best and I do truly believe our kids are thriving, happy, and well.  Make that lemonade my friends, life is better with the glass half full.

...My son eats more food than I have ever seen one child eat.  I feel like I am always wiping him up and cleaning a food mess, only to just turn around and start feeding him again! He's a beast. I love it.

...Las Vegas is around the corner and I am SUPER pumped about it.  We just can't decide to stay at the Bellagio or Aria?! We'll be staying at the Red Rock Casino for Joe's AFG convention, but we learned from last year to take an extra few days and enjoy!

...I have been having so much fun with Stella & Dot.  I can honestly say out of the companies I have dabbled in, this is by far the most rewarding.  I feel like the goals I set I can achieve and the payout is in jewels & cash---which is amazing!! I am hoping to keep growing at my own little pace and with the holidays coming, I can hopefully get into some vendor events and share a little more.  It's funny how it all started, but I am happy and to me that's what is most important!

...My tinnitus hasn't been annoying me so much since I STOPPED THINKING about it.  Crazy how much your mind controls things.  What you focus on increases and man, the less I think about my ear buzzing, the better off I am.

...I read a book last weekend and it was good! Think Gone Girl/ Girl on the train.  It was The Couple Next Door.  I think it ended a bit abruptly, but I believe that was the way the author intended it.

...I swear I'm going to get myself back onto a blogging schedule; I miss you guys!

...Bring on pumpkin everything and bring on October!

...I'm thinking of giving these Crock Pot Ranch Tacos a whirl tonight. I'll let ya know how they go!

Perspective

Oh Tuesdays.  

I remember when I taught, I often felt that Tuesdays were a little harder than Mondays.

Not sure why.

Maybe it was that I came off the weekend, two days of rest, and had lots of energy--only to run face first into a ton of issues at work.

I literally had a "Tuesday Mug" which held the most coffee and kept it warm the longest.

Either way, I thought that today would be a simple day; Joe has off because he has to work Friday.

Life has a funny way of throwing things at us, making us roll with the punches.

I miss my little space on the web and am hoping to get into a better groove--until then, here's what happened this morning!

Enjoy!

Mommy Monday {on a Tuesday!}

Whoa nelly!! September has come in like a hurricane.  I'm trying to juggle my many hats over here chez Delle Fave, and although I'm triple booking myself here and there (whoops!) I am having so much fun with all of the "new" that's happening in our lives.

I hired a sitter to come and watch the kids so I could go to a yoga class Monday night.  I have been telling myself for years I would go to one. Still hasn't happened yet! LOL

I also made plans with my good friend Alison to meet up at a pumpkin patch.

I then had Keep Collective Social online at 8pm.

Needless to say, I cancelled everything but the social and was glad to just be home and be mommy.  I had been away a lot of the weekend and honestly?  As much as I love getting out here and there, it was a little TOO much time away! It makes me very grateful that I can stay home with my babes.

Our rental properties are all running fairly smoothly, and all of the school taxes came in so I'm a little busy with that.

I also have had quite a few Trunk Shows & Socials, so that's keeping me going.

Today I just received my first "craft" for the preschool to start cutting out.  LOL I may be a little nutty, but I am actually really enjoying all of this "stuff" that's keeping me busy.

I had to share some of our fun moments, so I can look back and remember this crazy time!  I busted out the big girl camera to practice some shots before the first day of school.

Cheese~

This one is just getting SO big.

I swear he looks like neither of us at times...but he's so darn cute!!

And miss b?  Oh my.  Her faces say it all.  She was SO excited to go to school.

New kicks, owl shirt, skort and backpack.  She's the real deal!

Of course bubs wanted some attention too.

 She's such a little goof.

We made a healthy zucchini bread {recipe here} snuggled on the couch watching some good old fashioned Road Runner cartoons, took a nice evening walk and had a nice day.

Since I wasn't getting to Yoga, I at least juiced a bunch of goodness.

Kale. Apple. Lemon. Ginger. Parsley.



On a random note, I jammed my finger...really freaking hurts!! Do you know how much you use your middle finger? A lot.  It's a little bruised and swollen and I probably should try to not use it...

This morning (Tuesday) was our first run to the grocery store without Brookie.

Her first "full" preschool day.  She just stays for 2 hours, and was NOT happy that I picked her up.  She was hoping for Daddy!  It was quite the sight trying to drag both kids crying out of there, (Bradley wanted to stay and play with toys.)

I know it's all new and we'll get into the swing of things...I'm confident!

It always works out the way it is supposed to, doesn't it?

Thursday I go in for a "Helper Day" and bring the snacks! I am excited to see what her time there is like.  Thursday night I was lucky enough to grab the sitter I cancelled on, so Joe and I can sneak out for a little one-on-one date night.

Last night we had fun watching half of the niners game--it's been awhile since we have actually high-fived each other over a play or two!  Maybe this season will be good boys?  As for the whole Kaepernick ordeal--whatever.  I don't have much to say other than I think he's being an idiot.  He's not even actually playing so....yeah. There's that!!

Hope your Tuesday is as beautiful as ours!!

It's grilled pork chops tonight too---loving this warm weather.

A Letter to my Brookie

My sweet Brooke Lynn,

    I cannot believe you're going to school.  I think you've been talking about this day since you learned what school was.  You're still quite upset that the school bus will not pick you up tomorrow, but you're happy to ride with Daddy on his way to work.

   I think a little part of me will be gone when you go off; I told you I will miss you, but I saw you were starting to doubt that school would be fun if mommy was sad, so I told you I'd only miss you a little bit.  I'm sorry that I lied, because mommy will actually miss you a lot. A LOT.  More than I probably even know yet; I know it's only 2 days a week, 2 hours each day, but when you've been with mommy since January 11, 2013, I almost can't envision you not being with me 24/7.

   You're such a good big sister to brudder; I hope you always have a close bond with him.  You are really trying to teach him things, watch over him and always getting him to play with you.  I'm most excited for you to be able to make new friends your age and to play with them as much as you possibly can.

   The day your father and I found out you were a girl, I sobbed the whole way home.  Daddy thought it was because I was afraid he'd be upset you were a girl and not a boy, but that's not the case.  I knew Daddy would love you no matter what sex you were.  I knew I'd married a good man and that he'd be a better father than anyone in the entire world.  I cried that day because being a girl is tough.  I don't know what it is like to be a boy, but I do know that being a girl means that you must be stronger, smarter, kinder, and better each and every day.  Even when it feels like the world is against you, you must wake up and show up in this big, big world. Being a girl means you'll feel more than you want to, some days, and that is okay.  But you need to learn to let things roll off your back and not stress you out.

Do not carry the weight of the world on your beautiful little shoulders.

Stay light and love unconditionally. 

Do not grow up too fast and try to be an adult.  

Stay young and silly.

Do not make other people's problems your problems.

Stay quiet and find your inner peace.

Do not be scared.

Walk straight ahead and face your fears head on.

You will never be too old and it will never be too late.

Do it now.  Whatever is in your pretty little heart follow it and make it happen.

Dream big.

Keep flying.

Never settle.

Be you, Brooke Lynn.  

Be the very best you, because there is no one else in this entire world for you to be.

I love you, baby love.

You are my sunshine.

Have a beautiful first, of many firsts, day of school.

Love,

Mommy

Goodbye Summer

Labor Day weekend was always one of my favorites.  We'd go down to our cottage, the whole family! Usually it was just us kids that spent time at the cottage, but for Labor Day, even my mom and dad would come down.  We'd go on the boat, ski, tube, swim in the water.

We'd stuff our faces with grilled deliciousness and lots of yummy sweets and sides.  We'd husk corn until our fingers were numb and we'd stay up real late on Saturday night, to watch the ring of fire.  Everyone would light flares on their beach and it looked like the whole lake was glowing, if you were lucky enough to get on a boat and sit in the middle of the water.

So much has changed since those memories; and though part of me is sad that the lake is no longer part of our lives, I have such a beautiful outlook on all of the amazing memories that we will get to create with our children.   I'm sure they won't remember much about this weekend, since they're only 3.5 and 1.5  We didn't do anything crazy, extreme or really that exciting; but we spent lots of time together and in the end of our days, isn't that what matters most?

We headed out to the land Sunday for a bit.  It's hard to navigate the trails still, since there was so much brush, tree roots etc.  We attempt to plow the stroller through, and the kids do pretty well!

I love this tree. It's so funky.

Stopped for a little snack.

Here's an apple tree that is actually producing!

Walking the woods with the kids.

After our land excursion, we had a 4 year old's Paw Patrol Birthday party to attend!

Monday we needed to get a little more back to school shopping done.  I had to laugh, because the whole point of Joe going was so he could help me with the kids.  However, he snuck off and did some shopping and I was still trying to juggle them both and look for clothes. Marshall's was awesome and we hit the jackpot there for some cute clothes.

The kids and Joe also found these as some entertainment!

We came home, relaxed a little and had lobster & lemon risotto for dinner.  I just kept looking to the sky and feeling so grateful for the time together.

Mr Bubs thinks he's a big boy now.  He's sitting at the table with us now; we have successfully filled our kitchen table. Oh my word, how my heart has been exploding over and over again this week.

We tucked Brooke into bed, laid Bradley in his crib and went out by the fire pit and may have shed a few tears.  Tears of joy. Tears of disbelief.  Tears that I can barely describe the feelings of.  It's hitting this momma hard this week; my baby girl, who was just born yesterday, no?  Is off to pre-school in two more days.

This Summer was full of so much.  From one end of the spectrum, to another, our worlds were rocked, shaken and carefully set back down.  I feel so small, in this huge world.  We wake up, go about our days and lay our head down at night, and if we are lucky? We get to go at it again another day.

My husband was worried how we'd have a fire, as we were out of wood, and had no way of transporting wood from the land (in the woods) out to the clearing.  But I asked and the universe delivered.  We drove by some wood for sale,  $3 a bundle on the home from that birthday party.

We got our Labor Day S'mores.  They never tasted so good!

Cheers to you, Summer 2016.  The Summer of Rio (no, not even the Olympics, the silly bird movie!) I bought it on a $4 whim at Target and it became our theme all Summer long.  I swear I must have listened to the movie in the car over 50 times.  All of the trips to the hospital to drop my mom off and and pick her up, while the kids quietly watched.  All of our walks around the neighborhoods, blasting the soundtrack, of "Let me take you to Rio, Rio."  The most adorable three and one year old singing voices.

It was the Summer of late night Abbott's drive through ice cream; the number one reason why my shorts are a tad tight.

It was Summer weather like we had when we were kids, kind of Summer.

It was a Summer of belief, strength, and love.

It was a Summer of truth, sadness and misunderstandings.

It was long walks to the park, playing just the three of us.

It was simply filling up a kiddie pool and watching them splash around.

It was random Tuesday night date nights, where we both woke up Wednesday wondering, what we were thinking?!

It was truly a beautiful, wonderful, wouldn't change things for the world type of Summer.  Every step along the way continues to help me grow, change and shape who I want to become.  Who I am.

Which in turn, helps me teach these beautiful souls we brought into this world.

So Fall?  I feel you right around the corner; your cooler weather sneaking up on us in the middle of the night.  The leaves starting to turn a bit here and there.  The smell of the air is different, and I'm ready.   All the feels these last few Summer days...onward and upward we go.

Fashion Friday (Fall)

I'm LOVING this month already!!  I feel energized, alive, organized, refreshed and ready to take on the world! Seriously, as I'm typing we are getting brand new carpeting up the stairs, hallway and into our bedroom. It's going to feel like a brand new home!   Just what we needed,

So, I have a few cold shoulder tops I cannot wait to wear.  For Fall, this deep blue will be everywhere!! Look how beautifully it pairs with this Brio Tassel necklace.  I should be getting mine shortly!

Here is a white cold shoulder top with our gold fringe, tassel and tote!!  Note the distressed denim and strappy black shoes.  All on trend ladies!

Looking for more of a rocker chic?  Here is our Reese Sparkle necklace shown as a choker ---remember those? I think I was in middle school/early high school when they were popular.  The Pave horn earrings are also super fun with this edgy leather moto jacket.  Also note the leopard watch & bangles. 

Oversized white shirt with a tie at the waist & distressed denim. Simple chic. Arm party is on point, especially with our Every Mother Counts, Illuminate cuff.

I have a few in home trunk shows and a few online!! Shop any of our items, spend $50 and get one of these half off!  I'd love to hook you up with some FREE Stella and you can host right on Facebook.

I adore the New Moon necklace (and it was actually a new moon!) as well as the Aida chandeliers.

The arc pendant is also an easy piece to throw on and go! (loving my Target tees)

A fellow stylist, Alicia is set for Fall with her oxblood mani and gold arm party!

Next week I'll share some items on my wish list and some current finds.  I am also sharing a lot more on my instagram Story-- Styled_by_Jenn

It's starting to feel like Fall.  It's 72 and a bit breezy.  I'm sipping on some red wine and making a Chicken Bruschetta Bake.  I hope it tastes as good as it smells! 

Have a lovely weekend friends. 

Setting Intentions

It's a New Moon and a new month, so that means a fresh start!

This month I have a few things I am going to focus on and really try to make progress with.  Brooke starting school will give me a little one on one time with bubs which I have never really had before!

It's been tricky with the whole Mercury Retrograde, so I want to make sure I am ENJOYING more. LOVING more. LIVING in the present moment more.

I read or heard some place that when making intentions, speak them as if they're already true. Here goes...


I am a loving and patient wife and mother who spends quality time with her husband and children.

I am a lover of nature and seek pleasure in the outside world.

I am an avid reader and find joy in literature.

I am a teacher and learner in life.

I love taking care of my home and all that resides within it.

I'm an incredible cook and love creating delicious dishes for us to enjoy.

I'm an associate stylist with Stella & Dot and have a passion for Fall fashion!! (had to throw a cheesy and fun one in there!)

What are your intentions for the new month?