Fashion Friday: Color Block

Spring fashion is majoring in BOLD colors.  Alone this looks like bright yellow jeans paired with navy striped tops and hot pink jewelry.  But one new trend is to put these bold colors together a la 1960s.

Called "COLOR BLOCKS" these combos are shocking yet chic.

Orange, pink, and white

Source: iamkhatu.blogspot.com via melissa on Pinterest

Classic Black, white and red

Source: whatiwore.tumblr.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Blue, red, and yellow

Source: atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com via Christine on Pinterest

If you don't want to buy a signature "color block" piece, DON'T! Look in your closet and pair whatever colors you've got!

 Red pants + Blue top

Source: peoplestylewatch.com via Coral on Pinterest

White shorts+red long sleeved T + blue and white stripes

Source: jcrew.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Denim capris + yellow sweater + orange coat

Source: girlbygibson.blogspot.com via Courtney on Pinterest

Of course you could always do something subtle with your lipstick.

Source: lover-of-makeup.tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Maybe not.

However you do it, enjoy the colors! These bright, bold colors will leave us soon so wear them while you can!

Things I Love: Political Signs

You must go to this article and read through the signs. There are a ton of them.  If you need a laugh then trust me, this is TOTALLY worth it!  Some are naughty. Some use cuss words. Some are offensive.  Some are dead on accurate.  You decided which is which.

The Funniest Protest Signs Ever  <---Click that link!

Here is a preview.  All photos are from the website I linked to.  I do not own, nor claim to own, any of these photos!

My Mother's Daughter

Today I'm linking up with A Holy Experience and celebrating moms while making a difference for mothers in Haiti.  Please check out 1000 Moms Project and join us!  And please click here to see other submissions.

Dear Mom,

This is my first Mother's Day without you.

How surreal this all seems.  Even though I'm a momma now, it's funny how Mother's Day doesn't feel the same without you--without my mom.  I've spent years making this day about you and now, now what do I do?

When I allow myself to really sit long and feel my feelings, I feel so alone.  I've wanted to call you so many times.  To tell you how I messed up so bad and to get your comforting words and advice.  To share the funny things Pax says and to brag about what a good reader M.E. is and how kind she is to her friends at school.

Ballet recitals.  New cars.  Orange fingernail polish.

So many times I catch myself thinking, "My mom would love this" or "I wish my mom was here."

I feel so alone.  A motherless daughter.

Mother's Day is just another reminder that I won't be calling you and I won't send you a card.

I am motherless.

The taste of those words on my lips is bitter gall.  I want this grief to end.  I keep expecting it to get easier but it just gets. more. real.

I am motherless.

Though it hurts and breaks, I refuse to be defeated by this truth.  If I am to move forward, I can only do so holding firm to the truth that all things work together for my good--even this pain and grief.

This Mother's Day I just wanted to say thank you for mothering me.

• Thank you for the sleepless nights you spent feeding me, rocking me, waiting up for me, and fighting for me.
• Thank you for giving me the grace to try on different personas so I could figure out who I am and who I am not (and let's breathe a collective sigh of relief I am not orange-haired, rebellious Reagan).
• Thank you for making our house a home so homey all my friends wanted to be there.
• Thank you for letting me make mistakes and feel the consequences of those mistakes.
• Thank you for NEVER seeing me as the sum total of my mistakes.  Your faith in me was often my strength.
• Thank you for insisting I call my elders Mr./Mrs./Ms.
• Thank you for being there--when I needed to talk, when I needed space, when I needed to vent, when I needed to cry, when I needed a hug, when I needed nothing--thank you for being there.
• Thank you for squeezing my hand as you took your last breath--for that last bit of reassurance that everything was going to be okay ... even me.
• Thank you for showing me how to be a mom.  

Sacrificial.  Hopeful.  Persistent.  Enduring.  Graceful.  Merciful.  Just.  Humorous.  Kind.  Loving.

You displayed all these traits.

On Sunday morning, those sweet children will bound into my room with breakfast and a plan to head to the hills. The will shower me with sticky mouth kisses and jam hand hugs and gifts they made out of stuff they found.  I will smile and delight in the ways they bless me. In this way, I hope you are blessed.    I am the mom and wife and woman I am because of who you were.

I am mother's daughter.

Days of Play: Teacher Appreciation

It's Teacher Appreciation week!

This is a hard time because I never know what to get for my kids' teachers.  On the one hand, I think--a drawing, a card, a batch of cookies ... you can never go wrong with homemade.  But on the other hand, after being a teacher, I know there are only so many homemade cookies I can eat and still fit into the classroom.  And while those drawings are so amazing, most end up in the garbage because I get about 18 a day.

Oh, and a note on school supplies. Yes, teachers need school supplies but giving teachers crayons as a "gift" is sort of like being given a new broom on Mother's Day.  Seriously, celebrate the the teacher as a PERSON not as a profession.  Still give those crayons but do it on some random Tuesday in the middle of November.

Need some ideas?  I navigated through all the hideous Pinterest Spam and found the best of the best of teacher appreciation gifts.

Picture this: A home made, PURPOSEFUL gift.

No gift cards.  No craft supplies.  A gift.  For the teacher.  That the teacher can use.

Still need some ideas?  Lucky for you I've found some :)

How about a re-useable summer cup/straw with a fun saying, like "Thanks for quenching my thirst for knowledge"

Photo and idea from Lisa Storms

If teacher like hot drinks instead of cold drinks, you could always do this idea:

Photo from Skip to My Lou; printable from WITHMIM

Of course you could make an amazing caramel or chocolate dipped apple and send it to school with a note reading "an apple for the teacher."

Photo from Brown Paper Packages

If you simply feel you must give school supplies, here's a cute idea.  "I must ad-mitt you were a great teacher"

Photo and idea from Skip to my Lou

But really, here's the BEST idea for a school supply gift:

From Come Together Kids

I kind of want someone to make this summer relaxation tote bag for me!  "All year you made learning fun, now you can relax in the sun!"  Fill with sunglasses, sunscreen, flipflops, magazines, etc.

From Skip to my Lou

For a teacher who love flowers, I love the idea of a nice planter with seeds, gloves, etc.  Oh, and a cute card.

From Skip to my Lou

Of course you could just pot a nice gerbera Daisy and tell the teacher "thank you for helping NAME grow or bloom"

Source: lucypage189.tumblr.com via Sean on Pinterest

Music Monday: The Lumineers

The Lumineers are a root revival band based out of Denver, Colorado whose music has been described as "heart-swelling stomp-and-clap acoustic rock, classic pop, and front-porch folk."   Of course that's just artsy fartsy talk for awesome.

The Lumineers have been likened to Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers and indeed, if you love those bands then the soulful and raw sounds of The Lumineers will steal your heart.

The Dead Sea

Stubborn Love


 

 Ho Hey (This is the song that's currently putting The Lumineers on the map)