Running in Circles: March 2014

Brice and I spent the last weekend in Dallas together without our little buddy! Our mission was to find an apartment and hopefully commit to a lease and to figure out if we're going to need a second car or not. We enjoyed our flights back and forth not having to wrangle a little one on our laps, but we sure missed her!

My parents watched Hazelbug here in Provo and she had a great time!

She even got to go to a BYU volleyball game!

Well we spent several hours on both Friday and Saturday looking for an apartment. We nailed two down that we both liked and applied to one. I really really love the other apartment St. Andrews, but the The Village Apartments had the most perfect environment for Hazel and I during the day PLUS it's 1/2 mile from grocery stores, Target, and the NorthPark Center Mall -which has an Anthropologie :) -

St. Andrews

The Lakes at the Village

We should hear today if we were approved which were pretty certain we will be since its something we can afford and we have never been evicted from a landlord- but if not then I will be on the phone tomorrow hopefully getting the St. Andrews apartment.

P.S. do people really get evicted? I guess they probably do- but not much around our little married housing neighborhood in Provo.

While in Dallas we looked up some popular places to eat on Yelp and started eating. I'm a salad & sandwhiches (and chocolate) kind of girl but Brice was loving the BBQ and the hole in the wall places. We ate a burger joint that reminded us a lot of the pizza place in Toy Story.

As far as moving goes- we sold our contract for our apartment in Provo so we will be out of it by May 1st...don't mind as a I start to panic that that is only a month away... we're starting to sell a few furniture pieces that were over and aren't really worth moving.

I've got to figure out our actual move process- anyone have experience using a POD or company like it?

That's our best bet because we can't really drive a U-haul with Hazel. Also playing around with the idea of selling the Jetta since we're not really sure if it will get us safety to Texas. It runs great but on previous long distance trips we always run into some problems.

We're getting really excited after being in Dallas for a few days but I'm getting nervous too!

Change is good right?

It feels like Spring has sprung and I am in a major cleaning and "new" mode. Brice and I kind of made a pact not to buy pretty much anything new before our move to Dallas but that hasn't stopped either one of us from doing some online "window shopping." Everything clean, new, and brightly colored is catching my eye!

1. Such a feminine swimsuit

2. www.nordstrom.com

3. These wooden colored pencils!

4. Thinking of making Hazel a little reading nook but will probably make a stool or two for the area. I just love neutrals with pops of color.

5. I really want a new bathing suit or two for our trip to Costa Rica.. the one tankini I wore while pregnant is stretched out to its max :)

6. Fresh flowers are so beautiful! I'll take some in every room please :)

I read this blog post this week and it has really hit home. I've thought a lot lately about the role of women and especially moms in my own little environment. I am so thankful for my friends here in Provo that are also moms...I'm grateful for their conversation during a dull afternoon, for their insight at parenting, for their willingness to help, and especially for sharing their many talents, hobbies, successes, as well as fears, failures, and imperfections. I am so grateful for mom friends to sit out on the lawn with and watch our kids play and I sincerely hope that I will always be the mom & friend that lifts others up and celebrates others.

"We teach our kids that different is good, that life would be boring if everyone were the same. But when people are different than we are, or, more pointedly, better than we are at something, it makes us feel insecure...like them being great all of a sudden makes us less good. That feeling makes us scramble or insult or dismiss or excuse just to put ourselves back on higher ground.

But instead we sink, and we bring other women down with us.

I don't want people to dial things down so I can feel secure. My friends don't need to hide their talents so I can feel better about myself. I want to live in a community where women can showcase their strengths and pursue their talents at home and in the workforce without the fear of being or looking "too good."

When women excel, at anything, it is good for all of us. I love that my kids get to be part of crazy creative class parties and caring playgroups. I'm grateful for intuitive physicians and gentle dentists that keep my boys healthy. And I like bringing what I have to the table too. I like helping with essay writing and reading. I like sharing book lists, favorite museums, and a few good recipes. I like pulling a little extra weight in the school or classroom or driving to soccer practice while another mom is out on the police force or nursing a newborn.

I spent most of my college years studying literature from a feminist perspective, and in hindsight, I may have had it all wrong. Feminism is different for me now. To me, a real feminist allows all women to discover what their best self is, and then lets them be that best in a world, nation, and community that refuses to cut down what is painstakingly being built inside the home or outside of it. We should celebrate the opportunity that women can be anything, from a corporate leader to a killer room mom. There is a seat for everyone at the table and we all benefit when everyone gives their best to make things work."

You can read the whole article HERE

In the last few weeks it seems like Hazel has really turned into a typical little girl- she insists on accessories, loves trying on my necklaces, picks out her clothes with me, and loves getting her hair done. (and lets be honest- I am not complaining at all.) I really need to learn more than pigtails and a ponytail by the way.

Enjoy a few pictures I snapped of her and her accessories.

^Hazel is really getting into her hairbands finally :) ^

^ For the first 16 months of her life she never really wore shoes- we didn't buy them knowing she'd outgrow them, or she wouldn't keep them on- but in the last 2 weeks she has become obsessed with wearing her shoes so she can go outside. ^

^those cute Toms^

^bibs-a major accessory needed for spaghetti eating ^

^ best friends and morning playdates ^

^ She insists on wearing BOTH bows not just one- even if they're barely hanging on ^

Well...she kinda learns how to use a camera.

I finally got her this cute wooden camera and she has been loving it! (Believe it or not this is the very first toy we have bought Hazel)

We practice saying things like "smile" , "say cheese", "look at the camera" and apparently when I take pictures it looks like I am eating something yummy!

So I found these letters off a cute Etsy shop and fell in love!

I wanted to grab them for Hazel but they were charging $50.00. umm not going to happen when were poor college kids or ever for that matter.

I showed them to two of my cute momma friends and we decided to take on the project together.

Total cost was $4.00 because we got all the fabric for free. I'm so happy with how they turned out and Hazel has loved playing with them. They are definitely a little quirky ( that darn "s" was sooo hard to sew) but I was glad to get to practice my sewing skills again.

I think in a year or so they'll be perfect to start doing letter sounds and names!

Welcome to the world baby Savannah Sorensen.

We have really enjoyed the last few days visiting this cute new baby! Hazel is obsessed and Brice and I are awestruck. How do we forget so quickly how little these babies come!??

^Those little baby burritos...^

^I hadn't realized how RED our little bugs' hair looks^

Hazel sure loves having a cousin already! Good luck this week Melanie + Kris!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful father!

Today is a big birthday and we're all sad we aren't around to visit and celebrate!

When I think of my dad i think of him reading his scriptures every night, making piles out of the newspapers, BLTs, salt and pepper hair, helping me figure out how to break up with boyfriends and then telling me it will be okay, singing me to sleep, staying up until I got home on Friday nights, mutual activities,church basketball, and nights playing racquetball, huge biceps, a stickler for the rules and their consequences, soft spoken kindness, saying "bozo" ,Scout Leader, camping, a dirty truck, friend, a great teacher, and a pruner of a beautiful backyard and garden.

I hope I can develop more of your kindness for others and fierce testimony of the gospel.

Thank you for being a wonderful Father, Papa, and friend.

We love you!

Hazel is really excited for a new baby...NOT ours, my sister Melanies!

Savannah was born just a few hours after we took this video. We are so excited to have a new baby in the family!

Hazel has turned into a really good eater these days. I'm pretty sure she eats more food than I do in a day- and she just started loving green juice and fruit smoothies too!

But she has become a bit obsessed with using her own fork or spoon.... she even insisted on using a fork to eat her dry cheerios this morning.