No Time to Blog

Bonjour! We are spending lots of time with our boy before we go on our cruise. So, for no reason at all, here is an old family photo of little Dan, Noelle, Terra, and Josh, unborn Baby Ben and Dan's parents, Ronn and Janie. Dan is the one with the 50/50 head in the bottom right: 50% hair, 50% face. Adorable!

I have some FUN guest posts lined up for while we're away. Stay tuned! Bon voyage!!

Little Stories

I was telling Dan about some of the funny things BB has done while he is on tour and he was like, "You've got to write this stuff down!" So, here are a few little stories...

BB has seen me do yoga (in our living room) exactly one time. He knows where I keep the mats so he got my 2nd mat out and did it right along with me. How cute is that?! A few times since then he's gotten both mats out and said, "Yohh guhhh! Yohh guhh!!!", so we do yoga. It's awesome.

BB asked to use to the potty so I very excitedly got out his potty seat (which he didnt know existed) and for 30 minutes he tore off little pieces of toilet paper and shoved them into the potty. I think that's what he thinks ya do on a potty. So, we're not doing that again. Not for a while.

Ever since BB turned two and got to have cake he has been asking for cake. So when I made cake pops for my friend Lana's birthday and there was a leftover I let him try it. It was pretty much the best day of his life. He ate the cake pop and as soon as he finished he got up and ran in place with more exuberance than you can imagine. Just pure sugar-induced joy!

BB loves smoked salmon. It's probably his favorite food (besides cake). I was giving him a piece when he grabbed the container and ran off. I tried to stop him but he was fast and persistent and before I knew it the entire container of salmon had been eaten. A minute later a greasy, smiley, fish-smelly little boy emerged like he had just won the lottery.

Speaking of lottery, I think I hit the mommy lottery. He is the best.

Pinup Girl + Soldier | Engagement Shoot

I had the pleasure of photographing Lindsay and Jay on a misty Saturday morning. I met Lindsay when I was shooting an event that her family hired me for. She told me she needed engagement photos and then she told me we'd be shooting in the yard of some family friends. I was blown away by this yard! It was idyllic and totally fit the theme of the classic pinup girl and soldier theme that they so thoughtfully put together.

Jay and Lindsay are smart. They are getting married at a resort in the Bahamas this coming February. Not gonna lie, I wish I could go! So fun. Congratulations, J + L! It was a pleasure to photograph you!

State Fair through a Pinhole Camera

The Washington State Fair (a.k.a. the Puyallup Fair) just ended. We "did the Puyallup" last weekend and took our new camera to capture it. I really like how they turned out. Obviously it's more expensive than digital but I love the surprise of waiting for your film to be returned to you.

The fair is always a great time but it was so much fun with the little kiddos. They loved the rides so much that they cried when they had to get off. BB has been saying "Jack" and "Audrey" every day since. It's so fun to see him making friends and caring for people.

Since the kids weren't even numbers, BB rode the car ride with "Santi" here. He's not shy so he had a blast making a new friend.

Until next time, state fair!

A Vague Status Update

Re: THIS.  Everything is okay! We just have to wait a little longer.

“You have not chosen one another, but I have chosen you for one another.” ― Aslan

C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Summertime Sadness

As LDR would say, I've got that summertime sadness. Because, summer is basically over and I wish it wasn't. So, here is a transitional outfit for a pre-autumn day when it might be cloudy and a balmy 70°. The shirt is a men's T-shirt. I love the cut, especially the neckline. Normally I'm all about showing a little decolletage but this outfit was meant for a lazy Sunday. The maxi skirt is a vintage find and being blue with white polka dots it has endless styling possibilities but I tend to pair it with grey because I heart grey more than anything. The shoes and belt were thrift store goodies. I love a good belt buckle and I rarely show them off so I thought this casual skirt/shirt combo needed something to make a statement. When I asked my mom about Mootsies Tooties and she said she had a pair in the 80s. And that explains why I felt so drawn them. I love nostalgia. Well, I truly hope your fall is dry and crisp and full of pumpkin-flavored-things. Just listen to the song and try not to weep when you realize that it's a good 9 months before you can go swimming again. KBYE!

Skirt/Shoes/Belt: thrifted | T-shirt: H&M (men's) | Nail polish: China GlazeⓇ Evening Seduction and OPIⓇ Germanicure. 

All photos by Sarah Kyle

Snippets

Here are some little snippets of life lately.  We've been super busy and sometimes I like to just take my camera around the house and snap little pictures of everyday life or random objects. The weather is getting cooler and I'm not excited for fall. I like my fall wardrobe and I love warm drinks but what I really love is sitting in my backyard with a glass of lemonade or jumping into cold water. Summer is the best, as far as I'm concerned. As I prepare myself for months indoors, I'm taking inventory of all of the little things which have been neglected. I do like that fall and winter force me inside to sit and be creative. What can we do when the weather gets cold? Painting parties? Dinner parties? Photography parties? 

How We Cut our Expenditures in Half

Dining at Sky City, the Seattle Space Needle.

You may have seen recently (on Instagram or whatever) that Dan and I have been out a on a few fancy dates. And, we are about to go on a Mediterranean cruise.  And, we are saving money to buy a house. And, spoiler alert: we are not rich. So, I feel like I need to explain a few things. The dates can be explained by a few Christmas giftcards, the cruise is a special treat we've been saving up for and we got a great deal through our friend who works for the cruise line. But, let me explain the rest....

A few years ago, with the loss of a steady income from Dan (due to his new music career and the unpredictability of being paid as a musician) we embarked on a quest to cut spending and increase savings. 

1. We started by renting out our house. We eventually sold the house but renting it out was a great option for us. We found a great place to rent (the downtown loft and then the place we are in now) and our pricey mortgage was being paid for by college students. It was is weird renting after being a homeowner but it was better than stressing out about making ends meet.
2. Now that our rent/mortgage had significantly decreased we tried to live off of one income. 
3. Then we started to save. We saved everything Dan made and used my income for paying the bills. But how we saved is key. We had a bank account that we didn't use much. We dont even have debit cards for this account. So, we use that as our savings. We can't get to the money - unless we drive to the bank, go inside, and ask for it. I highly recommend this method of saving. If you have access to your savings, you'll never save. It's so easy to transfer money from savings to checking in a pinch and we wanted to get out of the habit. 
4. Next, we started to eliminate our debt. We paid off credit cards and never used them again and made bigger payments on student loans until they were all gone.
5. Then, we got rid of our "newer" car. The one that wasn't paid for. For a long time we drove around a very old BMW as our primary driver. We paid $1200 cash for that BMW and it was the same cost of up-keep as our '06 Chevy. We saved ourselves $240/month plus another $120 for the insurance (you have to have extra insurance on a car that isn't paid for) by selling the Chevy. We sold it to the dealership and even paid them a little to buy it and wholesale it but it was worth it. We saved ourselves $4000/year by driving the BMW instead of the Chevy. Eventually we saved up enough money to buy another car so that we have 2 again. Totally worth it to buy your cars with cash.
6. What can you live without? We cut out any unnecessary expenses and took a look at EVERYTHING we were paying for. I gave up my gym membership and bought a treadmill on Craigslist. I found a cheaper internet provider.  Can you give up cable for Netflix or Hulu? Do it. You wont miss it.
7. Lastly, I had to stop going out so much. You cannot spend $4 on a coffee every day when you're trying to save money and be responsible. Before I became a mom I was out every night of the week at a concert, a happy hour, tea, coffee, wine bar, dinner, dessert, whatever. It had to stop. It was a huge adjustment and I miss it. But, I think our friends have been happy to come to our house and save money by not meeting up for "half price apps" and just watching a free movie on Netflix. (Maybe our friends are cheaper than your friends?)

It really isn't as hard as it sounds. You do things slowly and you'll never notice the sacrifices you've made. When I look back at how we used to live, I dont see what I'm missing out on now, I see how I was throwing away thousands of dollars without even realizing it. 

It's worth it, for the day to day, but when we put a big downpayment on a house - or even buy a house with cash - it will really be worth it. So, that's the story of how we cut our living expenses in half - even after  a major career-change and becoming first-time parents.  Please feel free to ask me any questions!  

The view from the observation deck on the Space Needle.

Recipe: Chocolate Bark

I have a major sweet tooth but I try not to bake.  When I bake I eat too much.  Plus, I've been avoiding all processed foods, sugar, dairy and grains in order to lose some weight before I hit the Mediterranean in a few weeks with my main squeeze. I also like things fast. 

So, I've invented what's become my go-to Paleo dessert: Chocolate Bark with dried fruit and nuts. I recommend Macadamia nuts and dried cherries. I've also used cranberries and someday, when I'm feeling fancy, I will try dried blueberries. I tell my self this dessert is somewhat healthy because it's full of antioxidants and it's not processed and has little sugar. You can tell yourself the same.

You'll need about 1 handful of nuts, 1 handful of fruit and 2 handfuls of chocolate. I got this from the bulk section of the store. It's all organic and the dried cherries were no sugar added. SWEET!

To melt the chocolate, simply microwave it in 20 second intervals, stirring in between. It doesn't take long.

Mix it together, dump it onto parchment paper, spread it out and throw it in the fridge. I recommend transferring it to a big ol' dinner plate before putting it in the fridge. It will take about 20 minutes to firm up.

During this time, feel free to lick the bowl and utensils clean. Once it's set, break it into pieces and put it on a pretty plate. Or just eat it right off the paper while you watch your favorite reality TV show. Alone.

Yummy!

For those of you who want to "PIN" this in one nice, neat post.... Here ya go!

BB's 2nd 2nd Birthday Party

We pulled off another birthday party for the BeeBs on Sunday. (Dan was out of town the weekend before.) We invited our friends with kids. 8 toddlers and 20 adults in a room full of balloons eating  pizza and cake pops. So fun! These are some of our dearest friends and some of the sweetest kids. It was so fun getting everyone together. BB's list of interests is rather short. He loves balloons and balls. So this was a balloon-themed party! What kid doesn't love balloons?! Party favors were little gift boxes with a harmonica, sheet of stickers and a candy necklace all tied together with, of course, a balloon. 

Making a wish and then blowing the candles out - with his nose!

Daddy and Mama needed to help.

Photo on the bottom left by Sarah Kyle / photos of BB and his cupcake by Jaquilyn Shumate.

Mama's Got Style by Lady Go Lightly

I am honored to be featured (with the Beebs!) on Lady Go Lightly today for her series Mama's Got Style. Go check it out!  HERE!

Photo by Sarah Kyle of LGL Vintage.

Happy Birthday, Parker Penny

Little Miss Parker Penny turned one last week and I photographed her adorable balloon themed party. Read more about it on Discovery Street.