Journal
Welcome to my own little corner on the web. Most of this site is dedicated to my photography but this section is where I journal about my life as a wife, momma and how I’m trying to create a beautiful home in a few spare minutes each day…
I’m married to my best friend. He’s funny, the salt of the earth and cute to boot. He’s a man with faith that cannot be shaken. He makes me feel beautiful and also happens to be a rockstar dad (I hit the marriage jackpot people). He is also going blind from a degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. You can read a little about it here. We believe in miracles so we pray for a cure and in the meantime we’re making every visual memory we can. It’s no coincidence that his wife is a photographer (thank you, Jesus), often he can see his children’s faces better in a photograph than when they’re right in front of him.
We’ve made 4 gorgeous little beings, Grace, Jack, Luke and our caboose, Levi. They bring joy and exhaustion in equal abundance. How do we do it? It’s true friends, it takes a village and ours is pretty bad a**. As a matter of fact my dad and stepmom live with us – yep we’re one of THOSE families. We are both from big, beautiful families. BIG.
It’s not always pretty, it’s life. It’s real. And I’m grateful for every second of it.
DIY Instant Magnetic Board
My little girl, she's always creating some piece of art. We have a 'clothesline' of art in our hallway already (have you seen that one on Pinterest?) but when I saw this cookie sheet turned magnetic board I thought she would just love to have one in her room to hang...
DIY Growth Chart
I'm a teensy bit behind in my posting due to being knocked off my feet by a nasty cold but I'm determined! So here goes. This might possibly be one of my favorite projects...a DIY height chart. The beauty of this one is that if you move, it can go with you. We...
Two Minute Mug Brownie (Gluten Free!)
Advantages of taking 3 children ages 4 and under to a Restaurant: Don't have to cook or clean up. I can't think of one more advantage. Not one. Advantages of staying home: No one has to witness the painful and often unappetizing process of teaching 'said children'...
Reflection
I have this stainless steel table that I love. Some might think it's cold, literally and figuratively. But I love it's indestructibility. I love how it gets better with age. The more marks, the more scratches, the better. Like a counter at an old diner that holds...
Life Begins After Coffee
Can I get an Amen? Recently I was scrolling through one of my favorite blogs. It's actually a Tumblr blog. If you're younger and cooler than me you know what that is (if not here's a great article describing it). Basically Tumblr is a blogging platform that makes it...
DIY Backyard Zipline
Zipline. It's one of those things you'll find on most bucket lists and with good reason, it's awesome! For Jared and I it was Costa Rica. For the kiddos, it will be our backyard! We happen to have the perfect set-up in our backyard for this. Although we don't have...
Plug in… and teach your kids how to draw
A couple of weeks ago Jared needed to go to the bank. Where one of us goes usually all of us go (my husband doesn't drive) so we all piled in and headed out. We knew it was going to take awhile so I chose to stay in the car with the kids rather than becoming a public...
Fingerprint Artwork
How sweet is this I was inspired by this photo. She links to a great tutorial on how to scan the prints into Photoshop and make any adjustments you want. I kinda liked the imperfections of the real deal so I just acted as the booking agent for my family and took...
Apple Cinnamon Crock Pot Pork (gluten free and paleo)
Sooooooo good. So good. Even better, it's super easy with just a few ingredients. I found the recipe on Pinterest and followed the link to this site. If you are doing the Paleo diet you will love all of the recipes! Just slice up 3 large or 4 small apples. Cover...
DIY Girls Mirror
Well I officially had my first 'Pinspiration' fail. Big time. I suppose it would be too good to be true if every single project I attempted actually turned out to be something I loved. My idea, inspired by this pin, was to somehow create a piece of artwork with 1...
Baileys with Coffee Ice Cubes
Day 16. I have officially blogged for 16 days straight. I've passed the halfway point. Sweet! It's definitely rewarding and while there's a ton of perks to completing project after project, there are some pitfalls too. Such as... Oh isn't that nice. The laundry is...
Sweater Pillow
I'm a sucker for a good, soft sweater. It just seems natural to me that a pillow would want to wear one too! So when I spied this beauty on Centsational Girl I knew I'd be busting out the sewing machine again. First I headed to the Thrift Store, on 50% off day of...
Birthday Photos
It's been a hard week here in Colorado. Our hearts are all broken for the loss of 10 year old Jessica Ridgeway. We are sad. We are enraged. I feel helpless. So I pray. Then I do the only other thing I know to be right and I love on my children. When I looked at my...
Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes
Oh how I love me some ultra-crispy potatoes. I haven't actually had much luck making them but I do love to eat them when I find them! So when I came across this recipe on Pinterest it was a given. Pinned it. When you read the list of ingredients, don't be afraid. I...
Lil’ Buckaroo sign (Cowboy Room part 2)
If you happened to read my first post about the boys Cowboy Room you'll remember I mentioned that I snuck another 'Pinspiration' in there. So sneaky I am. Here it is: If you're following my 31 Days board on Pinterest you probably guessed it. If not...wait why aren't...
I love you because…
Wow, day 7. This is bananas. Why couldn't I have chosen 'word of the day' for my 31 Days topic? Well that would be boring that's why! I have to tell you that there is NO WAY I could blog for these 31 Days in a row (on Pinterest projects no less) if it weren't for the...
Point of View
Picture this. We picked up Grace from preschool today and the 5 of us headed out to do some shopping. First to the Sprint store, then to Home Depot to pick up some materials for what was intended to be this post. Then we headed to Sam's Cub to do some grocery...
Cowboy Room
This project comes at a price. My boys are growing up and it's time for me to face it (sniff). I know it sounds a bit dramatic but Jared and I have struggled each time we finally decided it was time to move a 'baby' from our room. But Luke is literally out growing the...
Mummy Pops
Okay I have a confession. I had no party, no school event, no nothin' to actually make these for. But I did it anyway. Don't you worry - they will get eaten. I pinned the inspiration photo from Workman Family last year. I was smitten. I've made Oreo Suckers before...
DIY Heart Mobile
We moved a lot when I was younger. What I remember most is that right when we would move in I would have to set up my room immediately. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say I made my mom take me to pick out wallpaper (yes I'm that old) before all of the boxes...
Pumpkin Man & Fall Sweater Wreath
Anyone else the teensiest bit excited that fall is here? My inspiration for this project came from this pumpkin man on countryhome.com that I pinned last year. Given that we had just moved and I was exhausted from pregnancy I felt lucky just to get the kids costumes...
Life’s tough. Here’s why that’s good news…
I've written once or twice before on the topic of 'perspective'. I think it's because it plays such a crucial role in our lives right now. Without it we could SO EASILY wallow in all that makes life difficult for us. Jared's losing his vision to RP Therefore he...
How to Get Rich Quick
You've heard it right? "It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" Mark 10:25 It's a loaded statement. Worthy of pondering. But I believe that what Jesus was trying to say is that when we focus on the...
The Art of Working with Distraction
We all have to deal with it. Whether it's your co-worker in the cubicle next to you whose cell phone ring is named 'cat fight'. Set to LOUD. And it rings all. day. long. The woman in the office across from yours whose perfume assaults your nose for a good 45...
What’s new with the Faris’? Here’s our Top 7
#1 Jared was laid off from his job about 7 weeks ago. It was a bit stunning and somewhat scary but it's all good because... #2 Jared started a new company about 3 weeks ago. Anyone who saw Jared over the last year had to notice how stressed out he was, his job was...
How to build a loft bed and win your daughters heart
It was time. As I tucked Grace into her toddler bed one night and she stretched out I noticed that there was 2, maybe 3 inches left before she would touch top to bottom. My first thought was (obviously): What the??? When did you get so TALL? Stop growing already!!!...
What does a person with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) actually SEE?
When describing Retinitis Pigmentosa to people I have an easy, canned answer. I say that it's a degenerative eye disease and how the first to go is night vision and peripheral vision. Then I say it's like looking through a cone or having tunnel vision. Like this: I...
Easy, Delicious Peanut Butter Dip
I love Peanut Butter. No, I mean I really, really love it. One might say I have a teensy weensy obsession with it. Apparently the addiction is contagious in my house. We put it in our oatmeal, sometimes in cereal (hey, don't judge..you know you're weird too), on...
My Unintended Birthday Present
It was my birthday this past weekend. I will proudly, with no qualms tell you that I am now 31! And then ashamedly admit my lie and confess that I'm actually 36. Sigh. Moving on. My Mother in Law had the 'big kids' for the weekend so Jared and I, with just Luke in...
Grace needs grace
It's one of those days. I'm tired. It makes me vulnerable and I swear Grace can sense it. She's disobedient. Acts like she doesn't hear a word I'm saying and when she finally responds she's as flip as a full blown teenager. But she's 4. My new punishment of choice...
Mango Cucumber Salad
I'm still an old fashioned 'pinner'. In my spare time (chuckle) I tear pictures and recipes out of magazines and 'paste' them in a pretty little notebook. Recently I tore a page out of Real Simple that gave a bunch of yummy ideas of what to do with a mango. This...
And just like that…
The boy eats solids. Two nights ago we finally fed Luke his first solids and he ate like a champ! I don't know why I doubted, perhaps because Jack had this reaction when we first started solids: http://youtu.be/V8nH6rwT0ak He shuddered. He retched. He gagged, for...
Kathy
The other day Grace found a ladybug in the backyard and promptly named her Kathy. She excitedly walked over to show Grandma Jenean and I and immediately we thought uh-oh, I think Kathy has gone to meet her Maker. "Grace, I don't hink Kathy is alive anymore." Without...
Our pretty little Victorian gets a makeover
I'll never forget the first time we 're-painted' this house. We were under contract and the GC remodeling the house told us we could pick out the colors if we wanted. I was thrilled! I headed to Home Depot and hemmed and hawed and used my color coordinating...
Bunny Butt Cupcakes
There is an abundance of Easter treat cuteness on Pinterest (as I'm sure you all know...come on admit your addicted). I stopped cold though when I came across these from Created by Diane: No brainer, these are the winners. This past weekend we threw an early Easter...
Aunt Jann’s Coconut Macaroons (gluten free!)
I happened to marry into a family of amazing cooks (no pressure), one of whom is Jared's Aunt Jann. She recently sent out several of her recipes to the family in order to gain some feedback for a cookbook she intends to write and I was lucky enough to receive a...
How the warm weather saved my last shred of sanity
Last week was an exasperating 'Mommy' week. See this drawer? It's the kids drawer for all of their plates, bowls and cups. So why is it empty you ask? Well, because Jack has a new hobby of throwing things down the stairs. This includes Daddy's shoes, Grace's toy...
Meet Luke
He's our anxiously awaited, easy to smile, sweet sweet boy. He's a cowboy at heart, here he is wrestling his longhorn. Plum wore him out. We think he's thoughtful and full of personality and did I mention how sweet he is? Here he is wrapped in his homemade blanket...
New Baby (oh, and a New Year’s Resolution)
I know it's a bit late for a New Year's resolution but when you hear what it is you'll understand...I'm resolving to not be last minute all the time. Yep, I'm a serial procrastinator (oh for shame). I figure this post was appropriate in demonstrating my issue with...
NEXT time
This is our second trip to Buena Vista to stay in this amazing house (thank you by the way Ken and Diane, we love it up here!). It's probably safe to say that sledding is the highlight however the first time up here I was pregnant with Jack, this time I just gave...
Guppy Love
Grace's preschool is MWF so they had their Valentine's party today (15th). Despite my hectic schedule I couldn't help but to go overboard for this inaugural occasion - just had to get crafty! Between Jack's doc appt and taking Daddy out to a Valentine's Day lunch we...
October 21st
October 21st is a special day for me. It's my 1st wedding day. No, I'm not hiding any extra husbands in the closet...it's just the day that Jared and I were intended to wed in an intimate beachfront wedding in Akumal, Mexico. But despite my willpower (albeit naive)...
Ha ha, very funny
39.5 weeks prego. Thought I would share my thoughts on why I'm convinced God has a sense of humor. #1 - The only 'broken water' around here is the overflowing pipe under the kitchen sink that we discovered last night around 11 pm as the dishwasher drained. Awesome....
Perspective
3 weeks to go...and we get to meet this baby boy. Let me tell you, I could fill pages and pages on the comedy of errors that is this pregnancy. I weeped my way through the summer, contracted one nasty little bug after another, I'm pretty sure my friends have deleted...
“Bye Mom”
One of the things I love most about being a Mom is those 'firsts' that I get to witness. I remember last summer when we took Grace to Elitch Gardens and I sat next to her on her first 'pseudo' roller coasterride. All I wanted to do was watch her face and the shear...
Persistence rather than perfection
Recently, while reading my daily devotional ("Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young - a Mother's Day gift from my Stepmom Jenean) one line JUMPED out at me: "I look for persistence - rather than perfection - in your walk with me". Wow, bopped me right over the head it did....
Are YOU brave enough to mix prints?
I love Grace's unabashed fashion sense. I used to try to control it and put her in the 'perfect' outfit each morning but now it's absolutely one of the favorite parts of my day when I send her upstairs to get dressed only to wait with anticipation to see what she...
Suspicious Grocery List
I thought this might be a fun way to 'publicly' announce our exciting news...I had to laugh at myself when I caught a glimpse of my current grocery list the other day: Baby Faris #3 due January 8th, 2012.
Jack’s 1st Haircut (and first sucker)
I've been anxiously awaiting Jack's 1st haircut ever since it dawned on me how LUCKY we are to have a 'Papa' (my Stepdad Gary) who's an authentic barber. He works in the oldest Barbershop in Colorado, 'Elite Barbershop' in Longmont. Check out these original chairs And...