November 9, 2014

The One For a Thankful Mess

20141029_122045



I look around my home—at the chaos left by my 10 month old’s voracious appetite for play, at the pile of forgotten and never-folded laundry, at the disorganized array of papers in my living room-- and I bear the widest grin. A clear evidence, that despite the disorder that currently envelopes me, I am still thankful.

Thankful that life granted me a comfortable, albeit disheveled chaos of a home; to warrant me clean clothing that will keep my family warm, to witness my beautiful girl grow at an alarming rate, but grow so well otherwise.

So my home may look like a ransacked dungeon at times, but don’t be fooled. Because it’s in these messes that we build our life, and it’s in these things that I am thankful.

October 23, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 12)

Heard: Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp-EO5I60KA

Read: Emma Watson’s speech regarding the #heforshe campaign. Powerful words,  a definite read.

Watched: Plenty of new seasons for my favorite shows.  (thank you, fall for signaling good tv once more!)

Made: an attempt to organize my work space. A big sigh of relief for the elimination of clutter :)

And Lastly...




2935c9ffa01348b8aabf1fa18b4dd4e5

Dancing my way to the weekend; hope you do the same.

Happy Friday, folks!

 Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

September 29, 2014

The One About Farfaria {A product review}

Reading is fairly high on our must-do-everyday-with our-daughter list. We believe it is an important skill and, as a family, we promote it early because of its many advantages.

farfaria-logo_gold_high-res


We consider ourselves lucky enough to be approach by Farfaria to try their product. Farfaria is a paid app that gives its users access to children’s books and stories through an Android or Apple device. The genres are wide, ranging from fairytales to bedtime stories, and it’s a great tool to promote the crucial skill of reading.

We’ve been using the app for about a month now and we’ve grown to love its many features. Our findings are below:



Pro.Con


Accessibility—all books are in the palm of your hands. As a parent, we know all too well the value of the saying less is more, so having to do without physical books has been a great time and space saver for us.

Preschool Playground


Tiered reading—stories on Farfaria are tiered in levels: P for pre-readers (pre-school age) all the way up to 4 which are more advance. We loved that option because the app can, essentially, grow with our daughter. She can start with the basics and work her way up to more complex stories.

Auto-Read, Read-Myself, and Read-to-Me options: This is one of the great options of this app. Every story has all three of these choices. Auto-Read means the child just listens to the story and looks at the picture (the app even turns the pages for you!), while Read-Myself means my daughter and I read the whole story ourselves. Read-to-Me, however, is an option to those learning to read. It highlights the words as it is read to the child, so a bit of word and sound recognition is practiced. This is another option that grows with the user. New readers can get practice through the Read-to-Me or Auto-Read options, and as they advanced can choose the Read Myself option. It's quite fantastic!

Mt Make Believe


Genres: Upon opening the app, Farfaria has its stories separated into genre “islands”, among them are fairytale, classics, adventure, etc…. This is a great option to expose children to different vocabulary words, story structures and characters. And the fact that they made it so into islands adds creativity to it. I can already imagine that when my daughter gets older, she'll have a bit of fun selecting which island she wants to explore.

Cons


Attention-getter: Every child is different, but my daughter took a long while to get used to the idea that we’ll be reading from a gadget rather than a book. For at least a week or two, all she wanted to do was grab the screen and play with it; a far cry from her behavior with books. Usually, when my husband or I read to her, she is still and (for the most part) enthralled with the story. However, because of the change of scenery, she thought we were playing a game of some sort. Like I said, it took some time to reign her in, but once we did, all was well. Again, every child is different. I would imagine using the app with much older children will go smoother than with an energetic 9 month old such as my daughter.

BL
 Farfaria is a great tool for reading. And for the price, it’s a worthy investment to have.

Disclosure | This post was sponsored by FarFaria. While I was compensated by the company to write a post about their app, my opinion regarding the product is my own and were made without any outside influences.

September 18, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 11)

Heard: “There’s Gold in Them Hills” Ron Sexmith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGYAB9Rxrtg

Read: This particular cartoon from our local paper a few weeks back now hangs on our refrigerator door. The number is certainly appalling, but we’ve got to find the humor in something, right?

rearingkids_590_447



Watched: About Time. Such a lovely movie, and a great soundtrack too! (See heard section)

About Time trailer - video

Made: A decision for a color scheme instead of a theme for my darling girl’s first birthday celebration. That should make planning and coordinating much easier…right?

And Lastly...

Quote

...if only...
Have a safe and happy weekend!


Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

September 11, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 10)

Heard: On repeat three or four times a day…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xUfCUFPL-8

Read: This poem regarding the fleeting time we spend with our little ones

Watched: I always found Ana Wintour so intimidating, but watching this video, I realize she’s just straightforward and to the point. It’s quite lovely her 73 answers…Also: will make a conscious effort to rid myself of head to toe outfits from now on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhXwO_mkdzQ

Made: Plans for my little girl’s first birthday party (Yikes!!!)

And Lastly...This quote, my favorite about fall, is now framed and perched on our dining room table!

original autumn-chalk


Cheers to a lovely weekend!

Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

September 8, 2014

The One with Usefulness and Beauty

We’ve settled quite nicely into our new house. It’s hard to imagine: just one year ago, we were swimming in boxes, our trips to the hardware store frequent, our expenses never-ending. But, slowly, we made this empty space into a home, defining corners as cozy, designating rooms for play and relaxation. We’re still in the midst of it, of course. And quite honestly, I don’t believe we’ll ever be finished. Perhaps that’s the price (among many) that one pays for being a homeowner: there’s always a knick to fix, a fixture to change, a color to paint.

I was recently in pursuit of finding art work to occupy one of our empty walls, and came across this lovely print.

Print

It’s a basic concept, that at times gets lost to many (including myself). How can a home NOT be filled with anything but functionality and beauty? After all, it is a sanctuary, a place all our own (I mean, we pay enough to inhabit the place, right?).

So as our quest continues to fluff our nest and make it as safe and conducive for us and our little girl, we’ll bear this simple, yet powerful concept in mind. Because aside from love, I’d like to be enclosed in a place of exquisite beauty and wonderful purpose as well.
Linking up with: Share with Me and All About You

September 4, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 9)

Heard: Here’s a little secret: my daughter and I have little dance parties in the morning. After our walk and just before her lunch, we do house chores and dance to a playlist I made. This is one of her favorites; she goes crazy in her walker when she hears it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50GQjUZ4P3M

Read: 10 sweet musings from a father about having a daughter

Watched: Any excuse to watch and hear Adam Levine, I’m there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCbfWGgp9qs

Made: a trip to the store to buy some warmer clothes for my daughter. Colder weather is upon us, and she’s so not ready…

And Lastly...

Planning on slowing down a bit this weekend. I hope you find time do the same!

7439f23fee77ac42b26f8598b70eaaa1
Happy Weekend!

Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

August 29, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 8)

Heard: I’m aware that this is a love song, but it always reminds me of the end of summer, and the beginning of fall. Listen to the words and see for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j82FBbgpUy4

Read: Vogue, Instyle, and other fashion magazines’ fall issues. One of the many reasons I love this season so much!

img-septembercover02_104047321548.jpg_guides_hero

Watched: This perfect rendition of “Smile” by Sara Bareilles during the Emmy’s and Billy Crystal’s tribute to Robin Williams—both endearing and heartfelt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F49iuXbGbM

Made: an effort to welcome fall into my home by switching our summer décor into autumn.

And Lastly...

Labor Day is here! Which means a three day weekend, which means extra hours spent with my husband and my lovely daughter. I fully intend to enjoy each bit of it!
Have a safe and happy weekend.


Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

August 21, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB-RcX5DS5A

Watched: One of my favorite music videos of all time

Read: I’ve always been curious of how Chris Martin managed the song and move backwards. This article finally solves that mystery. It's quite amusing how it was done.

Made: A back-to-school basket for my cousin (whose first day of high school is looming over her lovely summer days—only 2 weeks!). I’ve forgotten how much I love shopping for school supplies!

Heard: On repeat on my Ipod at the moment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjwZAa2EjKA



And Lastly...

17b74c9bbe18500799d9edb72ca678e2

I’m craving colder temperatures and cozy layers. Is it that time yet?
 Enjoy your weekend!

Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

August 14, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 6)

Watched:Warning: tears are bound to flow while viewing this heartfelt video (also subtitles are available, just press the button)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu3iM1azTj4

Heard: Adele "Turning Tables"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx7sLNyIeQk

Read: Still in the middle of "The Fault in our Stars" by John Greene

Wore: My recently purchased workout clothes. A little treat for myself as I try to keep myself healthy

Made:   List upon list upon list...and crossed some items out of them. Small, but a feat nonetheless.

And Lastly: A memorable line from an actor that created such a memorable character.

dead-poets-society-quotes-16
 Enjoy your weekend!


Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

August 7, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 5)

Watched

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Salz7uGp72c

The Theory of Everything trailer. Stephen Hawking and his mind has always been so fascinating to me, but it’s interesting to see the other side of him as well. I can’t wait to watch this!

Heard: My girl call me “mama” for the first time. Who knew a two-syllable word could sound so sweet? 


Read: Max Schierson’s recent blog entry regarding leaving his job to spend more time with family. Many have experienced this from a mother’s perspective, but very few from the father’s. It’s an interesting take, and well worth the read

Wore: Work out clothes. The weather’s been quite nice here this past week, allowing my daily two-mile walks (with my little lady in tow) to be a bit more enjoyable, and a little less sweaty.

Made:

IMG_20140730_125317

This fort for my little lady. Nothing complicated, just a sheet over her newly acquired table. She loves it though.

And Lastly: Such a great message, and a helpful reminder.

tumblr_me3adw2IP61qdqlnso1_400


Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

July 25, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 3)

Heard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7ix6RITXM0

On repeat in my Ipod. Great for my 2 mile walks with my girl every morning.

Read: A great article, with a bit of humor, about the benefits of walking written by one of my mentors from high school (let’s just say he taught me a thing or two about writing).

Watched

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu905oeqrOg

Wore: Heels which was immediately exchanged into flats after my daughter’s christening last Sunday

Made: my home seem somewhat organized and neat; it’s still a work in progress.

And Lastly...When faith my faith in humanity wanes, I turn to this story, to restore it.


Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

July 20, 2014

The One with the Little Things (Volume 2)

Watched & Heard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoZLPSw8U8

Such a powerful message from Colbie Calliat—that artificial beauty popularized by the media isn’t true beauty.

Read: This lovely article by Katie Manley about remembering (and savoring) the good and the bad of parenting.

Wore: nothing but a bathing suit and sunscreen on our recent beach outing

Made: baby food, baby food, and more baby food!

And Lastly...

BBe8e9f278714825ae04bc5b80f761456f
I pledge to be more enthused and go full speed ahead into my passions in life.

Linking up with But Why Mummy Why's Love Little Things

July 10, 2014

The One with the Little Things

Read:

20140709_201110

"Are You a Cow" by Sandra Boynton to my daughter. It’s the first book my husband and I ever read to her, and she loves it so much, we read it to her every night (after reading a mound of others, of course)

Watched:







I watch the previous night’s show while giving my daughter her morning bottle, and she and I have a laugh at his antics every time.

Wore: Sneakers during my (almost) daily 2 mile walk with my daughter.

Made: Favors for my daughter’s upcoming christening.

Heard:







I usually don't favor remakes, unless it's exquisite, and this one certainly is.

And Lastly...

DSCN3046

I’m hoping to soak a bit of rays this weekend, with a drink in one hand and a good book in another of course. Happy Weekend!
butwhymummywhy

May 23, 2014

My Top 5 Moments of the Week {High Five for Friday}

The view from below at our backyard. 

1.Taking advantage of the spring spouting up in our backyard. After the winter we’ve had, I think it’s well-deserved.
2. My week started with my phone completely fritzing on me. I must say, it was interesting to go tech free for 48 hours (more on that later). 
3. My little sis graduated last Friday and I couldn’t be more proud! #mompaidforthat
Proud grad and proud mama

4. Baby girl finally mastered the art of rolling over…which means she does it at the exact 3 seconds mama is not looking.
5. Looking forward to a family-centric weekend. We've been up and away for the past three weeks, I just can't wait to relax at home and not rush anywhere.

Enjoy your long weekend, folks!
 photo H54Fbutton_zps973d26e1.png

May 9, 2014

My Top 5 Moments of the Week {High Five for Friday}



-Took full advantage of this spring weather by reading outside while my sweet girl naps.
-Packing is in full-swing for our first of two graduation ceremonies were attending
 -Took a bunch of walks with my sweet girl. Easiest way to get fit, listen to some good tunes, and spend time with my daughter.

-Took my favorite shot of my two favorite people as of yet. I’m quite proud of myself
-Finally got over that nasty cold/allergy, just in time for the weekend! Woot!

Enjoy your weekend, folks!
 photo H54Fbutton_zps973d26e1.png
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...