tales of me and the husband

a boy in love with his baby brother.

2012-02-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

William is a lover. We always knew this about him. He's a nurturer, a comforter. He's the one who runs outside to help you in with the groceries (every single time). He's Steve's right-hand man when he's working outside in the yard, or cleaning the attic. He's happy to help you find your keys or run upstairs and grab your slippers for you (we try not to take advantage of this fact!). He says goodnight about four times each night just as an opportunity to get one more hug. He's one of the sweetest boys I know. He's got a good soul. So, it was only natural, that when Parker came along, the nurturing would extend to him as well. He's always jumped at the opportunity to change his diaper, grab his pajamas. He hears him on the monitor and begs to go up and get him. He wants desperately for Parker to sit still long enough for them to really cuddle (we tell him that day will come!). He will play with him while I cook dinner, and when we joked (after some poor night's sleep) that William was going to take the night-shift with Parker he says happily, "OK!". The kid is a dream. And, it's pretty evident, Parker loves him too. He reserves some seriously wide-mouth grins for his brother William.

It's really pretty sweet to see.

And, we're talking far into the future here, but some woman is going to be really lucky to have him (and he's handsome too).

then & now.

2012-02-08T05:43:00.000-08:00

then.

a wee little girl!

now.

a mama of five pushing a stroller through the aisles of costco: bulk food at its best.

then.
google: cheap plane ticket to florida
now.
google: post-pregnancy constipation.

then.
at the barnes & noble, i peruse the magazine stacks and grab an us weekly, in style, and vogue.
now.
the no-cry sleep solution, barefoot contessa's how easy is that?, and pride and prejudice.

then.
start a movie at 10:00.
now.
end the movie by 10:00. get in bed.

then.
changing the sheets when they're the least bit dirty.
now.
just a little bit of spit up? that's ok. a little baby poop? well, did it leak through to the mattress pad? what is the circumference of the yellow spot? how much are we talking? 3 inches? the sheets stay on!

then.
lingerie.
now.
nursing bras.

then.
madonna.
now.
disney's lullabies.

it would appear that life got more... boring? but, i quite like it this way. there's a lot of sweetness happening all around, even with early bed times and baby-poo sheets. it's life and it's good stuff, say i!

sponsor giveaway: gussy!

2012-02-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

by now you've all seen the beautiful things in the gussy sews shop.

if you haven't, then get over there and check it out.

she's a pretty popular one (seriously! read the press!).

she makes a new glam tote--nice and big to fit all your belongings.

camera straps, ipad cases, and the prettiest baby blankets.

i've only scratched the surface.

there's so much lovely color going on in that shop.

so enter to win a

$40 gift certificate to the shop!

to enter:

{u.s. residents only}

+ leave a comment below and include your address!

additional entries:

{separate comments, please!}

+ follow gussy on twitter

+ like gussy on facebook

+ follow gussy's blog

+ tweet, blog, or FB about the giveaway (and provide URL)

giveaway closes friday.

good luck!

the first food!

2012-02-06T04:02:00.000-08:00

superbowl sunday? who cares! the big news is that parker tried his first food! i bought some avocados the other day and they were ripe for the eatin' by sunday morning. alas, the time had come. this mama had to stop dragging her feet and let her baby grow up! a diet of breastmilk alone would not suffice forever (but, there's a part of me that wants it to. don't judge.). so, i cut an avocado in half, and mushed some of it up for my little man. did he like it? i'm not sure. he made some funny faces, mostly played with the spoon, and got maaaaybe a half a bite in. but, since i've heard lots of times that before one year food is mostly fun, i didn't have high expectations.

and, by the way, gracie is totally delighted with the newest chapter in the life of parker.

memory lane.

2012-02-02T03:59:00.000-08:00

some of you have asked who parker resembles most out of the kids. you never saw them as babes, it's a legit question! since steve's looks are so clearly in the little dude, there's a good chance he'll end up looking like his siblings even though they've got different moms, which is nice. on that note, i bet you're wondering what shannon looked like. as you can imagine, she's where william and nathaniel get their dark hair and eyes. they look a lot like her (and a lot like each other--you'll see). so, i went through the photo albums (i did it a lot when we first got married, but haven't done so in quite some time) last night to grab some pictures to put up. it's pretty remarkable, and sometimes shocking, how much life these guys all lived before i ever knew them. trips here and there... moves from sheffield to vancouver to minnesota to new hampshire... birthdays and broken bones. who could have known how life would end up? who would've known that steve's wife would get sick? who would've known that i'd end up babysitting for my professor who was also a widower? who would have known we would end up falling in love, i'd raise his kids as my own, and we'd add our own to the mix? it's crazy how intimately mine and shannon's lives intersect... yet we met only once. life. a lot of unknowns. so, here's what we should do: be grateful for every day. hug our loved ones. decide that happiness is a choice. ready, go!

william + jordan // jordan + shannon // nathaniel

nathaniel // jordan // jordan

william + shannon // lindsey + steve // lindsey + william

shannon + lindsey // william // jordan

lindsey // nathaniel // william + lindsey

valentine's day fashion.

2012-02-01T05:10:00.000-08:00

well, it's safe to say valentine's day with a baby who'll be almost seven months old will be... low-key. i promised william and lindsey we'd make chocolate covered strawberries and i might take a crack at this crock-pot chocolate lava cake (sugar-overload!) but beyond that, i think we'll be chilling out here, perhaps opening a bottle of prosecco (martinelli's sparkling cider for the kids!), and cuddling up together. i'm still not really into leaving parker. i've only done so to go to the grocery store three times in his life. you might be thinking i'm crazy and even i keep wondering if this is unusual, but nevertheless, i know myself and, with that, i know that i won't totally let loose and have fun on a date with steve. i'll be missing my little bud. eventually, i'll have to, but since i don't want to now, why force it?

nevertheless, i can imagine what i would wear if i were going out for valentine's day. i think the 5th dress would have to be mine. i'd wear my hair down and sort of wavy, perhaps do a nude pump (or those teal pumps below!) like the model, a smoky eye, and some thin gold bangles on my wrist. we'd go out dancing, drink margaritas, and eat mexican. i know mexican doesn't really scream romantic, but we love it. and then we'd come home and, well, i'll stop there because that part of the date might actually happen.

get your mind out of the gutter! i meant we'd eat the chocolate covered strawberries we made earlier in the day!

1. asos textured dress with cut out | 2. modcloth flame of love skirt | 3. free people new delhi dress | 4. forever 21 colorblock pleats skirt | 5. asos off-white dress with sheer panel

6. mossimo peep-toe wedge | 7. jcrew mona leather pumps | 8. forever 21 striped flats | 9. shop ruche astoria strappy heels | 10. poetic licence velvet heel

what are your valentine's day plans? can i live vicariously through you, sexy-beasts?

sponsor giveaway: tiny fete!

2012-01-31T04:45:00.000-08:00

lesley has been a blog friend of mine for some time.

she's got a great blog, great aesthetic, and

girlfriend's got some awesome nutritional info too (my favorite!).

oh, and did i mention her daughter matilda is the cutest?

her aesthetic definitely extends to her etsy shop: tiny fete.

check it out and enter to win

a $40 shop credit!

she's got awesome carryall bags complete with beautiful leather straps,

custom fabrics, little girl dresses, tulle skirts...

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i suggest you check it out.

to enter:

{u.s. residents only!}

+ leave a comment below with your email!

additional entries:

{separate comments, please!}

+ favorite the shop on etsy

+ follow her blog

+ follow her on twitter
+ follow her on facebook
+ blog / fb / tweet the giveaway

giveaway closed.
lora is the winner!

it's been awhile since i posted a song...

2012-01-30T16:29:00.001-08:00

...and i like boppin' around to this one as of late.

maybe you will too?

our weekend.

2012-01-30T04:30:00.000-08:00

ikea.

veni, vidi, vici. honestly, that's how i feel about ikea. i mean, i love it, as long as i don't go more often than once per year. it's overwhelming. and i make a list for days before i actually go god forbid i forget anything and have to make my way through the endless maze of aisle this! and bin that! and lingonberry-flavored foods! and words with umlauts! and stacks and stacks of really good priced stuff i don't really need! so, for 2012, our ikea trip is complete. and it was a success. and my outfit matched the rugs too!

chicken enchilada casserole.

2012-01-26T04:36:00.000-08:00

so guys. i've been hearing that the chicken parm has been making its way into kitchens everywhere (and everywhere indeed! you guys are all over the place! i loved reading where ya'll are from in last friday's post! readers from athens! vancouver! cuba!). anyway, glad it's been a successful dinner! and here's another that i think will be a hit--at least it was (twice so far) in this house.

chicken enchilada casserole

serves 6

like most of my recipes, there's lee-way.

do as much or as little of the following as you please.

i should add that you could totally do this vegetarian (add more veggies!)

or ground beef in place of the chicken.

| ingredients |

chicken (i used 3-4 breasts), cooked and cut up (i "pulled" mine cause i like that texture)

red, orange, or yellow peppers (i used three), chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

sour cream

creole seasoning (or a chili powder / mexican seasoning)

monterey jack cheese (cheddar would be fine too)

black beans, drained

corn (i used frozen)

rotel tomatoes (OR any type of salsa really. this is just to keep it moist.)

corn tortillas

enchilada sauce (i used this kind because i'm pretty sure the canned variety has high fructose corn syrup in it and that just pisses me off)

spinach, if you want (i put some in and it was delish)

| the how to |

sautee your onion and red pepper in olive oil a few minutes till its just a little bit soft. add some seasoning: creole, taco, cumin...anything you like. here's where i boil my chicken, let it cool, then pull it apart. you can cook yours on the stovetop and cut it up though. whatever works. before your peppers and onions are done, if you're using frozen corn, add it so it heats up. put cooked chicken, peppers/onions, drained black beans, corn, spinach in a big bowl. add the tomatoes or salsa, some shredded cheese, a couple scoops of sour cream and mix it all up. meanwhile, heat up your enchilada sauce. there's no real measurement to the beans/meat/veggies mixture, but you don't want it to be super dry so add enough salsa and sour cream. then take your corn tortillas, coat them in enchilada sauce on both sides and lay them across the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. they can overlap, it doesn't matter. on top of it, add your meat/veg mixture. coat a few more corn tortillas and lay it across the top of the mixture. again, they can overlap. then shred cheese over the top of it and put it in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. top with cilantro! YUM.

those may be the most vague directions ever but it's that kind of recipe -- you can't mess up.

enjoy!

sponsor giveaway (& review): pink lemonade!

2012-01-25T04:34:00.000-08:00

i was psyched to have pink lemonade contact me for

sponsor and review cause i like their stuff, yes i do.

this bib necklace is so simple, pretty, feminine.

the muted colors go really nicely with most outfits and

it makes a plain outfit much more fun. indeed!

plus, the shop is full of pretty rings, cute hair bands (with felt bows!), and more.

so who wants to win something from the shop!?

up for grabs is a

$25 shop credit to the shop!

| to enter: |

{u.s. residents only!}

+ leave a comment below and include your email!

| additional entries: |

{separate comments, please!}

+ visit the shop and tell me what you'd get!

+ follow the shop on twitter

+ follow the shop on facebook

+ blog / tweet / FB the giveaway and provide URL

giveaway closed.
stacey is the winner!

our snowy weekend.

2012-01-24T05:38:00.000-08:00

the first snow! we stayed mostly around our neighborhood, taking parker out to show him: your first snow! that white stuff! it's snow! and then cozied up inside. it was a lay-low sort of weekend. and how funny is that picture of william with lindsey laying in the snow behind him? it makes me giggle. she hurt her butt sledding (says she). the aftermath was pretty dramatic. i almost gave her an oscar. i think her butt healed up pretty good, not to worry.

and now most of us are sportin' some mean colds and drinking tea and broth. hurrah!

ps. if you sent me an email friday and i haven't responded, write me back please! my email was wonky and i think deleted a bunch.

6 months.

2012-01-23T04:46:00.000-08:00

the best way out

is always through

{robert frost}

Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder on Grooveshark

i loved this song before i knew parker was a boy.

so now, i still love it, but substitute she for he.

go with it.

6 months. woah. ready for the cliches? cause they're about to be thrown at you. here we go! where does the time go? i sit here in total disbelief that i have a six-month old. i mean, i know it's true. he's chunky, he rolls this way and that way, he can almost sit up by himself, and he is strong and can arch his back at a moment's notice if he doesn't want to be in a certain position anymore. but how'd we get here so fast? i wrote it here awhile back but it's worth writing again: the days are long, but the years are short. i am doing my best to soak it all in, savor every last morsel of the sweetness that is a new life in the house. and so much sweetness there is. parker has brightened our days. not just mine and steve's, but everyone's. when he comes down in the morning, sitting on my hip (something he couldn't do fresh out of the womb--more evidence that, indeed, he is growing!) everyone greets him with a genuinely happy, "good morning parker!!" and he reciprocates with an enormous open mouth smile. like he is equally happy to see the same bright faces every morning. you can't help but be happy with that looking at you! he is a really happy guy, more credit to his nature than anything we're doing right but still, i hope that we're doing things right. or close to it anyway.

i could go on and on. and on and on and on. i won't! it'd take too long. there's too much to say. i journal... my dear parker journal... a means of expressing the overwhelming feelings i have as his mama. especially since he can't yet understand it. one day. so, i will end it with this: parker, we're so glad you are here. i'm so glad you are here.

{other months with parker}

ten little hunt things.

2012-01-20T05:31:00.000-08:00

numero uno.

in keeping with my super-crunchy ways this week, i made my own almond milk. it was sooooo easy and way cheaper than buying it. take that, store-bought almond milk! here are the deets: take a cup of raw almonds. soak them for 24 hours (the water just covering the almonds). they plump up and the next day dump the water, put the almonds in your blender with five cups of filtered water. blend! then pour through a coffee filter to get all the almond meal leaving you with... almond milk! add vanilla or a sweetener if you'd like?

question: what do you guys do with your leftover almond meal? i don't see myself doing the dehydrating-to-get-flour thing.

numero dos.
my sweet friend candis started an etsy shop with her husband drew jones. his name is drew, but we all call him by his full name, drew jones. anyway, the two of them have skillz in the art-department and are making prints of some special quotes from friends' blog posts... mine included. i think it's really special and here's mine. that quote means a heckuva lot to me so seeing it in print like that melts my little heart. also, i already own one of those cool necklaces they're making--stay tuned cause it'll be showing up around these parts! also, they're good people. so, shop small business and shop good people, duh!

numero tres.

i have wanted the LBD (little black dress, ya'll!) from emerson made for like ever. it's perhaps the most perfect black dress of all time (oh, and the jeans, and the bag 'o leggings...). the price tag is a little less perfect but still, it's on my list. i spotted this one on modcloth and thought it looked quite a bit like my fave one. that sexy neckline! a little cleav! the skinny belt! it gets me every time.

numero cuatro.

with a bit of prompting, lindsey started this project with that book whose praises i keep singing. she wanted to make herself a farm (on poster board) using details she found in the book. it was a cute project and kept her busy for many hours. that's the ticket! here she is doing her thang, and here's a page of the book--those details! every page, people! every page is full of them!

numero cinco.

i'm ready for summer. but not for parker to be approaching his first birthday. any way we could get the summer weather minus the him-growing-up-thing?

numero seis.

i'm open to another vlog. what?! did i just say that out loud? and now that i broke the vlog-ice, it won't take me three months to do it (you're skeptical. you have every right to be.). what should i do this one on?

numero siete.

in keeping with my 'i'm going to read the classics in 2012' i'm working my way through pride and prejudice happily. and loving it, people! the key is bringing the book with me to nurse and not the iphone. anyway, i imagine jane austen giggling to herself as she writes some of the dialogue in it--particularly mrs. bennet's. such moxie, that jane austen! i love it! and mr. bennet might be my favorite. the way he gets mrs. bennet all hot and bothered just for the fun of it. he's a clever one, that mr. bennet.

numero ocho.

boston's had some killer weather lately. a few weeks ago it was 60! 60, folks! in january! in boston! we walked around the city (mostly beacon hill) all day and ate at the paramount. it was the best day. and today we had our first (maybe second, but the first was only 1 inch and melted in a few hours) snow. our first! towards the end of january! i do love the snow, but once it's dirty and gross, i'm over it. right now, it's looking quite beautiful out. anyway, all that to say, boston's winter has been good to us this year.

numero nueve.

this is something i wonder from time to time, but haven't yet really asked. readers: where do you live? how old are you? can i come visit? the third was sort of a joke but not really. if you tell me paris or spain, i'll be looking you up. anyway, i often wonder where you guys are as you read my blog, but haven't asked. so here it is. where are you?

numero diez.

how about some songs we like up in heeeah lately? music makes the day better, say i. parker agrees!

i never tire of paul simon. like never. throw any one of his cds at me and i will declare it listen worthy! the other day i had his new cd on and steve was all, "CAN WE LISTEN TO ANYTHING BESIDES JAMES TAYLOR AND PAUL SIMON IN THIS HOUSE?" i yelled back, "kiss my a**!" that being said, i loooove his newest cd.

and for you to have a taste of the greatness, click play!

Rewrite by Paul Simon on Grooveshark

The Afterlife by Paul Simon on Grooveshark

bam! ten things! and i'm linking with my friend elizabeth today. she needs no more introduction than that, i'm pretty sure you all know her! and if you don't, you need to fool!

map prints on zulily.

2012-01-19T06:21:00.000-08:00

sometimes the zulily deals are hit or miss.

i thought this was a good one.

(and svan highchairs are on there today too!).

turkey stock + soup. yum.

2012-01-19T04:58:00.000-08:00

so, if you recall our thanksgiving, i had a 23-lb. turkey from a local farm ordered. there was turkey, turkey, and more turkey off that baby. i saved the carcass and my mom patiently walked me through the stock steps (it was my first time! homemade stock virgin here!). so, the other day i got the bird (well, its carcass) out of the freezer and began thawing it.

let the stock begin!

i have been super excited about making my own broth after reading all about 'perpetual bone broth' on the nourished kitchen blog. amino acids! glucosamin chondroitin! i wanted me some bone broth real bad, dern right! i mean, health benefits out the wazoo people! nutrients galore! i covered the meaty bones with water, threw in some onions, celery (leaves and all), garlic cloves, peppercorns, salt, and fresh thyme. put that baby on the lowest heat, and let 'er heat! i turned it off overnight, then started it again the next day. all in all, i'd say it was simmering for like 15 hours or so? maybe a little more (i read in nourishing traditions that you can do it up to 24 and keep reapin' the nutritional benefits!).

first of all, the house smelled downright glorious while all this was taking place. the kids walked in the door from school saying, "WHAT IS THAT?" (i love when your house smells good as people enter it). slow-cooking turkey broth and veggies filled the air. yum. then came the semi-labor intensive part. i had me a lot of turkey / bones. so i removed all the big hunks and bit by bit pulled off the turkey and reserved it to the side (and pulled it apart in manageable chunks for the soup). the meat fell right off the bone. and i could not believe how much meat there was! this 23-lb. turkey was a thanksgiving feast for many, leftovers afterwards, and now was gonna be many, many bowls of turkey soup. that's getting your money's worth, people! so, i had all the turkey set aside. but then there was some more stuff at the bottom i couldn't see (and your people won't love you as much if you choke them with a missed bone). oh! and i skimmed some of the fat off the top before all this though there wasn't much of it. free-range, baby! as i was saying, all the stuff at the bottom i pored through a sieve catching the peppercorns, garlic cloves, a few more chunks, celery, etc. all the veggies get thrown away as well as the skin, the seasonings, etc. so you've just got your broth and your meat.

now, cut the veggies up that will go in your soup. carrots! onions! garlic! celery! i went all organic for this soup cause i wanted it to really pack a nutritional punch this winter (and we have leftovers for days!). sauteed those, added them to the broth with the meat. seasoned it up with some sea salt and pepper. cooked up some thin egg noodles and added that... chopped up some parsley, garlic, added that, and bam! turkey soup was made! a loaf of crusty italian bread and butter and dinner was on the table. it was delicious and i was all, "i'm the best ever." now i think i'm going to go have another bowl.

i realize i have no actual measurements here but it so depends on the size of your turkey, the amount of broth you make, etc. i actually had too much broth for the amount of "stuff" i had: veggies and meat, so i put some of the broth in the freezer for another day / soup (better yet, get yourself a mug 'o broth and just drink it plain to fight those winter blues!). variations: add some kale! spinach! barley! quinoa! peas! corn! i wanted the real basic turkey soup for my first time. next time, i may change it up!

make it and love it! tell me how it goes!

kids! they do the darndest things!

2012-01-18T05:13:00.000-08:00

kids! doing the darndest things! ain't it the truth?! the cast of characters here at the hunt abode has been dishing out material ripe for the blog world. ripe for the blog world, people! i mean seriously! just keep reading!

and these are only two of 'em! only two hunt hooligans!

william comes home the other day from school and hands steve a $20.
we ask where it came from.
"i brought our fruit leathers to school and sold them. so-and-so bought 12 of them for $1.75 each."
what??
there are so many things wrong with this.
fruit leathers. i'm talking non-sweet, non-fluorescent snacks from the kid (william) who's most likely labeled "the kid who brings the crappy, tree-bark snacks to school." how did he pull this one over on said boy?
and what is said boy doing with $20 when clearly he's an idiot?
and, perhaps i should be impressed here, when did my william become such a saavy salesman?

william and jordan. they're always going at it. the latest below.
jordan smacks william in the face with his sock (what?).
william steals some of jordan's ritz crackers.
jordan puts his hands on william's cheese and crackers.
william says, "i'm not eating it now that you touched it!"
jordan says (happily), "fine," and throws it away.
i yell, "GO TO YOUR ROOM, EVERYBODYS! EVERYBODYS! GET OUTTA HEEERE NOOOWWW!"

(my verbage doesn't have to make sense all the time.).

you got some crazy kid stories? share 'em! we've got to stick together!

let's go to the farmer's market after class!

2012-01-17T18:09:00.000-08:00

you've all seen the sh*t girls say at this point, yes?

if you haven't, well, you're under a rock and i can't help you.

my sister just showed me this gem.

hilarious.

(and i want to be friends with this girl. she's awesome.)

our weekend.

2012-01-17T04:49:00.000-08:00

it was a low-key weekend.

it got cold here in boston.

us fools went to a big bonfire on saturday.

wind chill had to have made it in the teens!

parker was a trooper (and was ridiculously bundled up).

we read together.

we drank tea together.

we took goofy pictures.

we napped.

we went to whole foods.

blah blah blah.

the end.

the loss of the classics.

2012-01-13T06:52:00.000-08:00

i don't hear much about the long-standing classics anymore. books like a tale of two cities, crime and punishment, david copperfield, anna karenina... and the one pictured, of course, pride and prejudice. i tend to skip right over them and go for what's on the new york times best sellers list, what people are bringing up in book clubs, what's featured on the big table in the front of barnes and noble, popping up on the homepage of amazon. you know... the hunger games trilogy (and twilight, who could forget the twilight series?), the help, the other boleyn girl. these books have brought me great entertainment. still, i feel like i'm missing out. outside of a 19th century british lit. class, i haven't read any of these books that i should be reading. why do i say should? well, they're of a simpler time (i think we all want things that remind us of a simpler time. am i right?). add to that, they're beautifully written--i mean, they have stood the test of time. not to mention, so often, they're beautiful. i mean, just the book itself (if they're an old edition, anyway). steve's over my shoulder pulling one off the shelf right now--leather!--and he's adding: the character development in them! (his three all-time favorites are pride and prejudice, les miserables, and brothers karamazov). why don't i (or we, if you're guilty too) read these more? i know there are a handful of you who do read these classics... who pick up hemingway for fun, and peruse the shelves of used book stores as a hobby. good for you, and i really mean that. the rest of us? pathetic!

i'm going to start. beginning with pride and prejudice. i am seriously ashamed to say i haven't yet read it. steve's ashamed of me too! and i'm reading it from a book. a book that you can hold. not a screen! look at me go! what's next? some dickens perhaps! or a little thomas hardy! bronte even!

it's gonna be good.

what classics have you read for fun? none of that i-had-to-for-class stuff!

a hand-print do-it-yourself.

2012-01-12T08:59:00.000-08:00

since parker was born, i've been half excited to see his milestones come and go and half totally weepy over it all. i was looking through his hospital stuff when he was about a month old and realized i didn't have his hand and foot print from birth. i didn't have his hand and foot print?! the hormonal mother i was freaked out and made steve call the hospital right away to see why it wasn't with the file and where was it and how can we get it and it won't be the same now because he's older and his hands and feet have gotten a bit bigger and oh my gosh i'm going to cry. they told us that it's for their records. why?! i'm not sure. but at least it wasn't lost... i guess. so, since then, i've wanted a clever way to record his ridiculously cute, pudgy, knuckle-dimpled hands. i came up with it the other day just shy of him being six months old. i got some fabric out, traced his hand (the hardest part of the task, to be sure), cut it out, and mod-podged it onto these wooden canvases i got. i think i'm going to hang it on the wall in his room and maybe do it again when he's two or something. it's cute and sweet and i like it quite a bit.

and that's that.

a breakfast date. oh! and you'll probably notice i got instagram too.

2012-01-11T04:56:00.000-08:00

i love breakfast out. it might be my favorite meal to eat out. particularly with a baby in tow. parker is a happy guy but he's definitely most predictably happy in the mornings. plus, it's not usually too crowded, and sometimes, in the winter, if you time it just right, you can sit near a window and have the sun pouring in on your face while you drink your coffee. i'm like a cat that way. i love sun coming through winter windows and warming me up despite the outside chill. finally, what meal is less expensive to eat out than breakfast, i ask? thus, breakfast is the best meal to eat out.

since steve is a professor, we get a long winter break to spend together. it's been especially nice this year since he's an extra set of hands for parker when i want to take a long shower or sleep in a bit. now that the kids have gone back to school, most days it's the three of us and it's pretty leisurely around these parts. the other morning, parker was up quite a few times in the night and this mama was exhausted. steve took him out of the room to let me sleep another hour or so (and i slept hard. it's amazing the sleep you get without a baby-in-the-bed.) and returned a while later with coffee and pancakes. what?! (he was totally paying attention to that foreplay bit in my vlog.). needless to say, this quiet break has been really nice.

anyway, enough bragging about steve as you all roll your eyes at me. we went out to breakfast to one of our favorite spots... a super kitschy, retro-themed breakfast place with the best menu ever. last time we went, i got pancakes with fuji apples and granola baked in and fresh whipped cream on top. shut your mouth! they were amazing but i felt like i had to be rolled out of the restaurant so this time, it was an egg, cheese, and bacon sandwich on a croissant. my go-to. steve copied and got the same. meanwhile, parker stared out one of the many wall-coverings wondering why on earth it wouldn't look back at him. how rude!

we ate and enjoyed and then walked around a bit, did a little window-shopping... you know the drill. it was sunny and lovely--but a bit cold. parker was bundled to the max (i always think of the little boy in a christmas story yelling for everyone to wait up because he's so bundled) and i daresay he was warm. oh, and you've probably noticed by now, but i gots the instagram! needless to say, i am loving it. since when does a phone take such good pictures?! i'm itsahuntlife there if you wanna follow along. i'll try not to bore you too much (but i probably will). so, that's it. our breakfast date.

sponsor giveaway: the little illustrator!

2012-01-10T05:43:00.000-08:00

jennifer over at the little illustrator makes the sweetest prints you ever did see.

ones about love... family... appreciating the small things...

the list goes on.

just looking at the shop will get you feeling all hug-somebody-like.

today's giveaway is for

two prints

of your choice!

| to enter: |

+ leave a comment below (include your e-mail!)

| additional entries: |

separate comments please!

+ favorite little illustrator on etsy

+ favorite them on FB

+ follow them on twitter

+ tweet / blog / FB about the giveaway and provide URL

giveaway closed.

renee is the winner!

a really easy chicken parm.

2012-01-06T02:56:00.000-08:00

i've made this at least three times in the last three weeks. so, ya know, once a week.

steve declares, "this is restaurant good" when i make it. what does that say of my other dinners?

we don't go there. but what i do know--it's yummy. and really easy. i skip the breading that chicken parm can sometimes have and that cuts the time a lot. give it a try.

| ingredients |

serves 4

4-6 thin sliced chicken breasts

italian seasonings (i have a mix, but a mixture of salt, pepper, oregano, basil would be fine)

tomato sauce (i loove the three cheese from TJ's)

1 lb. of pasta, any kind

mozzarella cheese

pecorino romano cheese (or parm but i like the first better)

| directions |

sauté your chicken on medium heat in olive oil. as it browns, keep turning it and seasoning both sides. this is where it's good if you have thin chicken breasts because you can trust that they're cooked all the way through without cutting them up. otherwise, cut them up and have chicken pieces instead.

once cooked through, add the tomato sauce right over the chicken and let that simmer on low heat for 10 minutes or so. then add the mozzarella cheese, and the pecorino romano to the top of that and put the whole pan in the oven (we use all-clad so we can but make sure that it's ok for your entire pan to be in the oven). broil it for 10 minutes or so till your cheese is golden brown. serve over pasta!

i'm in my big chair!

2012-01-05T04:24:00.000-08:00

since parker can sort of sit up these days, i wanted to give his high chair a try. it was his first time sitting in it and he totally had this air about him like, "look at me! i'm a big boy!" it was adorable. in a month (or so) he'll be trying real food, so he'll get to know this chair well.

speaking of food, when did you all start feeding solids to your babes? what was their first food? how did it go? did they keep wanting to eat or did they hate the stuff? parker hasn't shown much interest in real food yet, so i'm not sure if i'll start him at 6 months (which is coming up this month. i can hardly believe it.) or wait till a little later. we'll see. i plan on making his food and starting with sweet potato or butternut squash i think. i'm roughly following this book which has been my sister's go-to with my nephew quinn. any other must-see websites or books? gimme the deets!

and, in case i gave the impression that parker is sleeping through the night in my vlog, he ain't... no he ain't. some nights, he surprises us and wants to nurse 2 or 3 (say at midnight and 3ish) times at the most and we both fall right back to sleep while doing so, but other nights (i think teething is the culprit! damn teething!) he'll fuss from 3 am and on for over an hour and nursing doesn't help. fun times!

i finally made good on my promise to vlog.

2012-01-04T04:22:00.000-08:00

i said i'd do a vlog ages ago.
(i thought it was october--
now that i checked mah archives,
i see it was actually september. woops!).
back off, i never said it'd happen quick!
actually, sorry bout that.
i'll do better next time (next time?).

notes to self:
don't do a vlog when the sun is shining in the window.
and chillax with the hand-motions.
and 13 minutes? really bridge?
a brave few of you will sit through all 13 minutes.

sponsor giveaway: little almanac!

2012-01-03T05:11:00.000-08:00

are these little dolls not the cutest thing?

parker says hands off the one on the right. it's his gal pal.

not really, but i love her. and her friends.

when kendra, the maker behind these pretties, contacted me, i was excited

because i'd already been following her blog for a bit and was falling in love

with her storyboards and films. her blog is a goodie. check it out.

but also, check out her shop: each peach boutique.

cutest handmade hair things for girls!

and now, newly added handmade dolls!

so today's giveaway is for

one handmade doll

that you see pictured above.

(and for the rest of you, a 10% off coupon code through friday: BRIDGET12).

stock up on some lovely things!

| to enter |

u.s. residents only!

+ leave a comment below

| additional entries |

separate comments please!

+ follow little almanac

+ favorite each peach boutique

+ tweet / blog / FB about the giveaway and provide URL

giveaway closed.

adventures of a blondie mommie is the winner!

fifth anniversary! christmas! new jersey! new year's eve! presents! food!

2012-01-02T04:04:00.000-08:00

That was a lot of exclamation points. Basically, I'm trying to cover a whole host of events in one mass post. So, pictures it is! Here's what we've been up to lately: anniversary-celebrating, gift-wrapping, house-festooning, gift-opening, food-eating, sleeping, driving (to nj!)... and a bunch of stuff in between. Christmas was really, really nice. It was a chill day in which I didn't get out of my pajamas. Hurrah! Everyone enjoyed their new gifts and I'm speaking for them when I say here are the favorites: Nathaniel--a basketball, or maybe his Aeropostale clothes? Jordan--clothes, he's into clothes these days, or the new Zelda Wii game? William--Legos, duh. Lindsey--her first camera or maybe this book which might be the coolest ever. Parker--why, his Band-in-a-Box of course!

We ate a yummy breakfast and watched movies, had a fire, and relaxed. Two days later we packed up for my parent's house on the Jersey shore (not the Snooki Jersey shore... the classy Jersey shore). We hung out with family, met the newest nephew (my sister Erinn had herself a baby boy!), and relaxed some more. Parker was the bomb in the car and the love I already had for him grew exponentially when I realized he could chill in a car seat for 7 hours and remain a pretty happy guy. You're the sh*t, little man (it doesn't count when you put a star in place of the i!). Now, we're home, 2012 is here, and it's all good.

happy new year!

2011 in review.

2011-12-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

2011! 2011 was a huge year! i'll give you one guess! we had ourselves a baby! that's not all, though. it'll make 2011 particularly memorable though. what else? last january, massachusetts found itself covered in snow. the kids had like 18 straight snow days or something crazy like that, so you'd sometimes found me huddling in a snow bank hoping the plow would accidentally scoop me up as it drove by.

i got brave and did a FAQs post and it was fun. and then i got nostalgic and wrote about my grandparents. and, you didn't know it then, but i was all emo because i was pregnant so the carrie underwood song plus the writing-bout-the-grandparents had me all teary. soon thereafter, i started doing a once-a-week bachelor recap. it was fun. i think i might do it again? finally, almost half-way through my pregnancy, i announced it on my blog! little baby hunt #5 would be making his debut the following july. i got hives (not really) when i announced it, but was glad at the same time to have it out!

about a week later, we found out the babe was a boy and i announced that too. try as i may (to avoid it), the blog became a bit baby-happy as i geared up for the little man by writing in a journal, staring at the ultrasound, reading books, and buying clothes.

my sweet nephew quinn got baptized and i had the lucky role of godmother. and while on that trip, my sister and mom got to feel some early parker-kicks! and then i began the weekly bump series: writing a note to parker and taking some pics of his growth week-by-week. i'm so glad i did this every week. i still look back and think, "that was parker in my belly!"

at the end of march, lindsey turned 9 and i made the rainbow cake! time-consuming, but do-able, it was a sweet surprise. and then i dreamed of warm vacations since it'd been a loooong winter. then, william turned 11 (remember--the spring is hunt-birthday-overload) and soon after nathaniel turned 18! we had an easter brunch with a bunch of delicious food and celebrated the arrival of spring, hurrah!

i started talking more about random healthy tips along the way, including these ones with one of my faves: half your fruit juice with seltzer! it's delish! i got bigger (surprise suprise!) and watched videos that made me cry.

then, mother's day came and the kids treated me to breakfast in bed and we planted seeds in pots! not realizing that we should've done that waaay earlier if we were starting from seeds. oops! after getting emails about health-related questions... some actually addressed to my mom... dr. marianne was born!

then, i had my first baby shower in philadelphia and it was so special. i felt really loved and so did the babe inside me. i got the sweetest email from william and talked honestly about my fears about bringing a fifth (and biological) baby into the family. in june, the summer had finally arrived and i got some great pregnancy photos in a very familiar arch taken by the sweet nina.

nathaniel graduated! i had another shower. and i made pulled pork to feed the entire city of boston. since, like i said, summer was here... we got out the slip-and-slide and william and lindsey had a ball cooling off on it. father's day weekend, we went camping (at like 30-something weeks pregnant. i don't entirely recommend it.) and i did a little happy dance on the boardwalk to celebrate the mack-n-mancos pizza i would be eating.

we reminisced about lake winnipesaukee because we were missing it last summer, and continued prepping for baby. july came (month of baby!) and we celebrated the fourth at tanglewood and then i got all my amazing guest posters lined up for when he'd make his arrival.

i took my last baby bump pictures at 39 weeks cause the little dude made his arrival 2 days shy of week 40! and i was all, "parker, stay in and cook! i love ya in there!" it's true, i did, but i like him out here too.

and then, finally, he came! i made the announcement that on july 23 at 8:05 pm, parker jöran hunt was here. my guest posters took the blog reigns for awhile but i popped in and out for one last bump picture (with parker) and a pic that is one of my favorites ever of steve and parker.

parker smiled at like hour 4 (ok. day 4. but you guys don't probably even believe me then either) but i finally caught it on camera. and us hunts continued falling hard for the newest member. then, at only a wee one month old, parker and family had to get all hurricane-prepped. so we did. irene... remember?

now, into september... back to school! but first, the sweetest pictures of lindsey meeting her little bro. and i finally wrote THE BIRTH STORY, only 5 weeks post-partum!

sometime thereafter, i promised a vlog which i've not yet made nice on, but it really really is on my to-do list. parker and i (and my sweet friend amanda) had our first beach trip on an unseasonably warm day. then, we went to the beach again, and i was falling in love with the state that i sometimes get pissed at.

i finally showed off parker's nursery and we took a mid-october trip to concord. the next weekend i met REAL LIVE BLOGGER FRIENDS and thought they, and this whole bloggin' thing, were pretty awesome. i started taking self-portraits of me and parker, and sometimes steve and the kids too, and i like tucking them away for a one-day photo album of silly shots.

we had halloween (parker was a chili pepper!). and then my birthday came, 27!, and the kids treated me to a really special birthday weekend with lots of breakfast foods (my favorite kinds). i wrote a dear parker letter that had me bawling my eyes out as i typed. we celebrated thanksgiving and it was lovely. and sister kate and family stayed for a couple days thereafter.

phew, i'm feeling the need to wrap it up. do i even still have your attention? december! december, we went on a christmas tree hunt, parker started stealing my blog-posts, i talked about some hopes for 2012, and steve and i celebrated our fifth anniversary with some real talk on marriage.

then we celebrated christmas (pictures to come... still on my camera as i am away from my house right now!) with all FIVE hunt kids. it was a quiet one with a fire and sticky buns and fruit salad and pajamas all day and it was just right. 2012 is upon us and i'm welcoming it with open arms. happy new year to all!

{2010 in review}

speedy spinach quiche.

2011-12-28T05:31:00.000-08:00

hi guys! i am away at the moment so i have a few pre-done posts... our christmas coverage (parker's first!) will be up next week. hope yours was fabulous. love and peace as 2011 wraps up!

xo, b

i love quiche.

like i could eat it morning, noon, and night.

luckily it's the kind of food that can be appropriate at all those times.

pair it with a cup of coffee and some hashbrowns... breakfast!

pair it with a fruit salad or bowl of soup... lunch!

pair it with a fresh green salad... dinner!

unfortunately my family doesn't feel quite so passionately for the egg-magic that is a pie o' quiche.

but sad for them, i do the grocery shopping! suckas!

so here's this one:

speedy spinach quiche

serves 6

| ingredients |

1 T butter

1 onion, chopped

1 10 oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained well

(try for the organic if you can. spinach is one of those highly-sprayed crops!)

1 9-inch pie crust (i used trader joe)

1/2 c monterey jack

1/2 c parmesan

4 eggs (i used more)

1/2 c lowfat cottage cheese (didn't have this so i used heavy cream)

salt + pepper

1/8 t ground nutmeg

1/8 t dried dillweed

| the how-to |

melt butter and sautee onion till translucent. add thawed / drained spinach to dry it up a bit. cool slightly. preheat oven to 375 degrees. transfer pie crust into proper dish or pie pan and press the to conform it to the pan (does that really need to be said?). sprinkle some of the cheese over the pie crust. top with spinach mixture. beat eggs, cottage cheese, spices, in bowl and pour over top. bake until filling sets, about 50 minutes. cut into wedges and enjoy with the proper side (you know, the breakfast, brunch, or dinner side. for us, it was dinner: a green salad!)

i thought it was totally delicious. they were less enthused (but they aren't enthused by any quiche. steve thinks real men don't eat quiche and lindsey was like, "the spinach tastes like seafood." but she's a silly 9-year old girl who thinks she will realistically live as an amish person one day so she's not to be trusted.)

and thanks to sara for directing me to this quiche on pinterest!

5 months.

2011-12-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

people will forget what you said

they will forget what you did

but people will never forget how you made them feel

{maya angelou}

11- A Baby Changes Everything by Faith Hill .::© Www.JiGhil.Com ::. on Grooveshark

{the song... perfect for the season.

plus, it makes me all weepy}

parker's latest and greatest:

rollin' over like a champ and we cheer and cheer!

bit me! we don't cheer for that!

smiling at anyone who looks at ya!

and just being altogether a sweetheart.

merry christmas: our card, 2011.

2011-12-22T18:59:00.000-08:00

they were postcards too.

no envelope-lickin for this gal!

{last year's card}

and yeah, i totally gots a thing for the tape.

it's pugly pixel's (the shipping tag too!).

i'd be remiss to not mention sara's

perfect use of it which has me

wanting to use it all the stinkin' time.

Happy 5th Anniversary, Steve.

2011-12-22T05:17:00.000-08:00

Today is my fifth anniversary. I know I've said this (ad nauseam, no doubt) but I have come a long way. Steve and I together have come a long way. The kids have come a long way. In both maturity and literal growth--I mean, Lindsey was such a little one! Hardly out of nighttime diapers. When I look at pictures from our wedding and see my grinny, red-lipped self, I think, "She had no idea what this was all about." I talk about this in chapter 4 of the love story, but it's worth touching on again. When I say I had no idea what it was all about, it doesn't mean I'd change it. It just means... I had no idea what my future held. What it'd feel like. And yes, how hard it would be.

Blogs (most of them, anyway) show the beautiful side of life. Rarely does a blogger post pictures of herself in her pajamas, with spinach in her teeth, hair a mess, pissed at the world cause she and her husband just got in a fight. We don't always talk about how our kitchen sink is full of soggy food, how a healthy dinner hasn't really been cooked in a week, how we're just plain sick of our kids fighting and sort of wish the school day was longer. We portray what we want. Even though I am a blogger, I am the girl behind this whole thing and very well know that I put what I want out there, I look at other blogs and think, "Damn, she's got it together. How does she do it?" I should realize, seeing as I do this myself, that it can very well all be a ruse. A good one, no doubt, because who wants to look at crappy images? Who wants to be uninspired? But a ruse, nevertheless.

There've been posts on this blog that try to stray from that perfection. To talk about the difficulties of life, raising kids, being in a marriage, getting no sleep (I know I can be all, "It was fun! We went to Wendy's! Parker should always keep me up all night so we can have such fun dates all the time!" But, at 3 am, you can trust that I want my sleep just as much as you do.). Judging by the comments on those real-life posts, it seems we need more of them in the blog-world. More people willing to air their dirty laundry. It makes us all relate on some common level. I can't say I'm hiding too much. I am genuinely content most of the time. I often look at my life and think, "I'm in want of very little and I am grateful." I have the people I love most close to me (or just a phone call away), a roof over my head, and limbs that take me to and fro. But, that's beside the point... as I said, there's enough of that already. So, on anniversary number 5 I thought I'd open a couple cans of worms and talk about marriage: the good, the bad, the ugly.

I seriously like being married (not a promising start to dirty-laundry-airing. Don't worry, the underwears are comin' out!). There are times when a certain song comes on the radio and I pick up the phone to call Steve and tell him, "I love you so much and I love being married to you." And guess what? Sometimes he answers the phone and is all, "I have to go, I have a lot of work to do, stop calling me." Alright, he's only done that a few times, and this is not Steve-bashing time, so we'll cut him some slack (plus, he's never said, "Stop calling me." That'd just be mean.). But, you get the picture. It's not always sunshine-and-roses. When the love song begins, sometimes, it ends. Abruptly. I think there are too many people these days who think marriage is a cake-walk. And then, excuse me, shit hits the fan, and they're wondering what they did, why they did it, how they can get out of it, and oh-my-gosh-I-hate-this-person-I-married. To love someone, Steve told me once (this, too, might have been over a Baja Fresh burrito), is a decision. The feelings come and go. When you're in the middle of a brawl, you're not feeling especially lovey (you don't say!). You're feeling more, oh, like punching someone (Him! Spare the kids! Spare the dog!) in the face. That's when the choice is key. You choose to love. And choose to stay. It's key.

We've had some wicked fights in our five years together. I remember crying in our bathroom once thinking ever-so-dramatically, "NO OTHER MARRIED COUPLE FIGHTS THIS BAD. WE FIGHT MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUPLE IN THE HISTORY OF COUPLES." This particular fight took place on the way to a grocery store. He disciplined the oldest one way, I thought it should go another, he disagreed, I felt undermined, so on and so forth. We reached the grocery store but had reached no conclusion. He got out of the car to go into the store and I sat there. I was not going to go shop with the man! He was horrible! How could he just mosey on into the grocery store like we were pleased as punch to be wed?! I'd be darned to just sit there stewing while he was in the store and then drive home with him. It was raining and we were over a mile from the house. I got out of the car and started walking. I walked all the way home, along major roads, cussing at him in my head the whole way (sad picture, isn't it?). "That'll teach him!" I thought. "Leaving a fight before we've reached a conclusion! Who does he think he is!" I eventually reached home and we eventually got over our fight. But for a long time, I was ashamed to even talk about it... that fight, and all the other fights. Then, when I let my guard down, I found out from a friend that she too had wicked fights with her husband! Yay! That there were times when she wanted to kill him. Double-yay! It was like a breath of fresh air. "Other couples have ugly fights too." I needed to know that. It freed me. So, in case you're in that place right now, let me free you. It's normal. Fighting is good and important. Equally important is making up, apologizing, feeling the love again. Letting your kids see you fight and make up is as important as teaching them to share, to be compassionate, to love one another (of course, some fights are better behind closed doors, but you get the picture.).

So, why am I saying all this? So you know that it's okay to fight, life is not perfect, you've got to choose to love (choose your love and love your choice), choose to stay, and work to keep a healthy marriage. And I'm not saying this works for all marriages. Some marriages shouldn't be in the first place and their endings are good things. But I'm not talking about those. I'm talking about the rest of them. Despite some wretched fights in the past, I am totally into my husband. He's hilarious and sweet and we genuinely enjoy each other. I know his needs better than I used to and he knows mine. We complement one another and encourage each other and... you get it. He's great and I'm glad he's mine. But, it didn't come without its work and difficulties. And it didn't come overnight. But it gets better with age, I think.

Not that you already didn't know all that. But just in case you didn't, I'm glad to have told you.

Love you, Steve. Happy fifth anniversary!

parker would like to say a few things...

2011-12-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

hi guys! i'm taking the blog-reigns again! mama's afraid some of you will think this is cheesy but i told her, "nah mom. i'm the shiz-nit. leave it to me and get outta my face." that's what's up. so, i'm almost five months old and i have a tooth! well, it's just the beginning and you can kinda see it in that picture. when it's bigger, i might bite gracie because sometimes she wacks me in the face with her tail when i'm in my johnny jump-up and it makes me cry. oh! a month ago i weighed 15 lbs. and 6 oz. and now i'm probably closer to 17 lbs. and i'm tall too. 92nd percentile or something? someone held me the other day and said, "woah, he's a moose!" i thought, "watch it lady. i'll backhand you." but she was mostly nice. i just got this cool lion hat from my friend everett (he's a bad-ass baby, didn't you know?) and i wanted to say thanks and show him how slammin' it looks on me. i roar when i have it on and everyone says, "that's so cute! it's like he's roaring!" and i'm all, "duh people. that's exactly what i'm doing." let's see what else. i really like waking between 3:30 and 5 am just to gab... for at least an hour. and i like cuddling with everyone. i like going for walks, showering with my mama, and playing hide-and-go-seek with dad. oh, gracie can be really funny even though she whacks me in the face sometimes with her tail. she's alright for the most part so i think i'll let her stay. but she'd better know she's at the bottom of the totem-pole. well, i think that's it for now. mom says i gotta take a nap. little does she know, i'm in charge. i nap when i want! she's got a lotta moxie tellin' me what to do! i'll leave you with this video of me. catch ya later, folks!

2012 is a-comin' and here's some of what i hope for.

2011-12-20T05:29:00.000-08:00

something about the new year coming makes me think of what i've accomplished, what i've yet to accomplish, what i must accomplish... you get the picture. i certainly am not exactly where i pictured myself at 27 years old but most days, i quite like my life. i'm not sure what i'd be doing had i not met and married steve and became an insta-mom. would i be working a silly, has-nothing-to-do-with-my-major office job? would i be back in school getting my masters? would i be living near home or traveling? who knows. obviously some of my dreams had to be put a bit on the back burner when my life became what it is. that's ok. but, what are those dreams now? to be sure, they've changed in the last five years anyway. i know myself better now. what i'm capable of, what i really enjoy, what i am good at. so, with those things in mind, here are some things i hope for in 2012 (and, the following years):

i really want to get more skilled at graphic design. i have told steve recently, "i should have majored in this." it is so much fun (the very little i do) and i want to do more and more. maybe an intensive saturday class in photoshop?

i want to get more skilled behind the camera. maybe, even, start taking pictures outside of my family (gasp!)! whether for pay or not, it'd make me feel more legit and i think i'd love it. it seems that it'd be a great job for a mom... make your own hours and work as much or as little as you want. speaking of, i'm saving up for a lens and these two are top of my list right now. which do ya'll prefer (and why?)? 24-70 or 24-105?

i want to take that trip with the family.

i want to live elsewhere for a time. whether steve takes a short-term teaching job at another school, or does research elsewhere for a sabbatical project... i really want to truly take up residence in a place other than here for a time. i like it here though and i want to come back. but six months or so in europe? vancouver? southern california? i will take it.

i want to relax more as a mom. i want to take my kids' interests more seriously and not assume it is a fleeting-will-be-gone-tomorrow whim of theirs. i want to be on the computer less during their waking hours (i hate it when they're so tv-computer minded and i realize i'm not setting the best example). i want to read to them more.

i've struggled with prayer and what it means and whether there's any point... but i want to do it nevertheless. when my family gets in a car day after day, there's nothing i can do to keep them safe from some crazy person on the road, i say a little prayer. it seems a little trite and whether it's just lip service or not, it's all i can do and so i do it. and i suppose, if there ends up being a purpose to it, i'll be glad to have done it. thus... prayer's sticking around, i think.

what are yours?

image

the five senses the week before christmas.

2011-12-19T05:38:00.000-08:00

what i'm liking the sound of: parker and i were dancing to stevie wonder's 'uptight' yesterday. no, it's not a christmas song. but regardless, it was fun to dance to. he likes dancing, i do believe. but, as for a christmas song... i'm enjoying chris isaak's rendition of 'have yourself a merry little christmas.' the man can sing (remember 'wicked games'? that song makes me weak in the knees.)

Uptight (Everything's Alright) by Stevie Wonder on Grooveshark

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Chris Isaak on Grooveshark

what i'm liking the smell of: coffee in the morning. whether you like it or not, is there anything better than the smell of coffee in the morning? maybe cinnamon buns? oh! and the smell of this cooking. it was divine to smell... and to eat.

what i'm liking the feel of: parker's soft skin. baby skin is the softest thing ever.

what i'm liking the taste of: this is sad, but i'm sportin' a cold right now so i can't taste much of anything. meh. i will say that while i don't love the taste, i love the D that my cod liver oil is giving me to fight my cold. boring.

what i'm liking the sight of: my kids reading. there is nothing better than seeing kids read. amen? (unfortunately, at times this sight is few and far between. i mean, why would they... tv is so much more fun!!!)

picture credit

post inspiration

christmas do-it-yourself roundup #2 (a book-theme!).

2011-12-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Rachel from Tunes & Spoons.

I am always looking for ways to reuse anything around the house. This year an old Jesus the Christ book from the 70's was my victim. I present to you my...

1. Find an old book you don't mind ripping up. I felt a little guilty ripping up a book about Jesus but at the same time, isn't that what this Holiday is all about anyway?! Now, I feel justified.

2. Tear out several pages.

3. Fold them short ways accordion style.

4. Bend them in half.

5. Put two of them together. Tie string around the middles to hold together and glue seams shut.

After assembling all of the paper ornaments I gave them a pop of color with this paper tape from Anthropologie.

We paired these decorations with some vintage seam binding. We had several colors so we cut them into strips and tied them together to form a colorful garland.

And there you have it! Someone 40 years ago bought a book and you can turn it in to a cheap and easy DIY Holiday decoration!

Merry Christmas!

(You can visit us here and see more DIY projects here)

-----
Bridget again!
and a few more DIY goodies & links!
I got these in my inbox from two different people.
Beautiful book ornaments are in and I had to show 'em both.

book ornament sources #1 and #2

Kids. They are crazy.

2011-12-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

You can routinely find me scratching my head with a look of, "Whaaaaaa??!?" on my face. Sometimes, simultaneously, Steve can be found underneath the kitchen table shaking and banging his head against one of the table legs. Why do we do this? Kids. They say (and do) the darndest things. Darndest things, indeed! I could think of some other words for it. I'll refrain.

Have you ever seen the Bill Cosby skit (the Himself one)? No? If not, give this a watch. It's seven minutes, sure. But it is our life. Almost 24 hours of the day. So, you can handle seven minutes.

Did you get through it? Some of you are probably thinking: It's so true. How'd he get it so spot-on? That Bill Cosby... he's a genius. Right??? I mean, talking to the ceilings! Having one kid take up residence as "the Informer" (that's William in our home). Steve and I laugh our heads off as we watch his whole skit and look at each other like, "YES. YES! YES!!! This is so true!" So, while our household can feel anything but normal, apparently it is quite normal.

I thought I'd share some of the recent crazies with you. The ones that have us scratching our heads and banging them against table legs.

Lindsey's backpack is full to the brim. Which is saying quite a lot because the backpack is about as big as she is. She sneakily puts it away in the coat closet so I rarely get to actually peek inside but when I do the backpack looks at me sadly as if to say, "I am so heavy. Please ask her to clean me out." No rhyme, no reason, just papers haphazardly stuffed inside any which way. At her recent parent-teacher conference her teacher actually said, referring to Lindsey's desk and backpack mess, "I have never seen the likes of it in all my teaching days." So, when I do see this mess, I demand that she clean it. Then, she'll hand me the papers that were sent home with her intended for parents. It's a great little routine we've got going. Some of these papers are timely, as you can imagine. It's December. The paper reads: "September 15, 2011. Someone in your child's class was sent home with a serious case of head lice. This is no ordinary head lice. It is a special breed: one that actually feasts on your child's skin and burrows their way deep into their brains. Please check your child routinely and, if a girl, have them wear their hair up." Two months too late. Thanks, Lindsey!

Nathaniel comes home from college from time to time. He never ceases to bring his laptop with him. Cause here, at the Hunt house, there are time limits on our home computer. On his own HP, no such thing! The big college student can waste his day away playing on his very own computer while his siblings look at him, green with envy, as the home Mac counts down their time: "Parental controls log-out in five, four, three, two, one...". Yes, they would like to kill "parental controls." They would also love to get their hands on Nathaniel's computer--particulary William: "A computer without time limits?!? I could be on that for hours without Mom and Dad noticing! I could order me the entire Lego catalog!" (Not sure how he thinks he could do that without a credit card--clearly he has not thought this all the way through.) But here's the problem: Nathaniel locks his computer. It's some new-fangled security that actually requires Nathaniel's fingerprint to log on. It's just a normal HP computer but has this crazy (and unnecessary) technology. Now, you may know that 11-year old William wakes up early. 6 AM early (always and forever. No matter how many times I tell him, "YOU ARE NOT MISSING ANYTHING. NOTHING IS GOING ON DOWNSTAIRS AT 6 AM!! GO BACK TO SLEEP."). Well, one morning when Nathaniel was home, around 6 AM, there was the locked computer right next to a sleeping Nathaniel, a sleeping Nathaniel that won't be seeing the light of day till around 1 pm, because he very likely went to bed only three hours ago at 3 AM. It's right there! Unused--locked and, yet, unused! Knowing that everyone is still sleeping, William recognizes an opportunity--he could get lots of important Lego-research done during these prime quiet hours. But what to do? With the Mission Impossible soundtrack playing (softly!) in the background, William hatches a plan. Climbing on to his brother's bed (mind you, Nathaniel is 18 and 6'4") and standing over and straddling this sleeping brother's head (yes, this is a bad idea!) with the computer in one hand and his brother's index finger in the other, he gently attempts to swipe it over the fingerprint reader in hopes that it will unlock. Well, despite this valiant effort, suffice it to say, the monster awoke. You can imagine what happened next!

You can't make this stuff up.

my favorite things.

2011-12-14T04:56:00.000-08:00

in the past i've done a favorite things starting december 1st... like oprah's, but better (i think i've used that joke before too.). i posted one thing every day up until christmas. well, this year i just didn't do it. then i got a formspring question about whether i was doing it this year and i didn't realize anyone had even missed it (some of you are shaking your head all, "bridget. we didn't miss it. which is why you only got ONE formspring question about it.). so, to please everyone (maybe) i'm going to consolidate it into one whopping post right here, right now. shazam! here goes:

1. minnetonka double fringe boot (have these, love them) 2. benetint by benefit (like you just ate a red popsicle, thank you very much) 3. asos dress with cut out back (gorgeous, don't even get me started) 4. vitamix (it's pricey but it is a powerhouse when it comes to smoothies) 5. smile embroidery hoop 6. emerson quote print 7. jbrand red skinny jeans 8. it's complicated dvd (love this movie, soundtrack and all) 9. burt's bees royal jelly daily cleanser (smells divine, i love it) 10. canon 24-70 lens 11. asos lace dress (all these dresses and i've got no party fancy enough to go to! dang!) 12. crankypants longies (for parker, that is) 13. modcloth miss mesa verde wedge (they may make me a giant but i love them) 14. burberry brit (my favorite perfume) 15. forever 21 floppy hat 16. adobe lightroom 17. j.r. watkins soap in orange (steve says it smells like orange crush soda... and that's a good thing) 18. anthro glass berry basket (cuuutest) 19. j.crew pajamas

so, that's it. the long and short of it.

sponsor giveaway (& review): little doodahs!

2011-12-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

a packaged arrived last month from little doodahs it was christmas morn come early.

lindsey was loving it... making personalized bracelets (kids love personalized things

don't they? who? meee?? that bracelet says my name on it?!).

pencil toppers, headbands, a leather braided charm bracelet...

the little doodahs package was warmly recieved by the hunt house and

provided some legit entertainment for quite some time.

and that's not all... they have sock monkey hats, art supplies, felt animals...

so, they decided to share that goodness with you.

they're giving away a

$40 credit to their shop!

and a 15% off promo code: HOLIDAYBRIDGET until december 31st.

(and get this, shipping's free! always!)

to enter:

{u.s. addresses only!}

+ leave a comment below

additional entries:

{separate comments!}

+ like them on facebook

+ follow them on twitter

+ blog / tweet / FB about the giveaway

+ tell me what you'll spend your cash on (if you win, that is)

giveaway closed!

shannon is the winner!

the hunt happenings... in polaroid.

2011-12-12T05:39:00.000-08:00

a jumpin' parker // tis the season for pointsettias! // and glittery santas, of course

// a sleepin' parker // the most delicious (+ easiest) creamy tomato soup // a leg-resting gracie

// some front door swag // cutie // william trying his hand at some trapeze // lindsey doing the same

// the beginnings of a gingerbread house // william eating some breakfast

and how was your weekend?

(and polaroid is totally my instagram. now you're not so impressed

with your snazzy instagram, are you? mm hmm.)

christmas do-it-yourself round-up #1.

2011-12-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

I have received some totally lovely do-it-yourself Christmas crafts... it's been a serious party up in my inbox... and while I can't show every single one, here are a few. Get craftin' people! 'Tis the season! Laura is going to kick off this show, but be sure to scroll to the bottom for a few links to some other craft-tutorials. On with it!

Hello Tales readers!

I'm Laura, from Twirl.

That's me and my daughter, Veda Jane,

frolicking in the fake snow of Birmingham, AL,

in honor of this DIY project.

Confetti gift wrap.

It's like snow for your presents.

Once I finished drooling over Bridget's

blog/life/baby/family/pictures/outfits/humor,

oh, and DIY pom garland,

I let her know about my latest DIY Christmas ideas over on my blog,

and she asked me to share her favorite:

The inspiration for this project was found here,

but the technique is as simple and fun as the days of white school glue and glitter.

So without further adieu...

Thanks for letting me stop by!

Feel free to visit me and have a very Merry Christmas!

-----
The confetti... kind of awesome, isn't it?
And now, a few more DIY links!

burlap christmas stocking | hot cocoa bar | tea advent calendar | mason jar snow globe

hey guys, it's me... parker.

2011-12-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

hey guys,

i'm taking over today cause my mom said something about being really tired cause i turned 4 months old and am less predictable and don't nap as easy and something like that? i don't know what she's talking about but i did see her adding books on babies and sleeping to her amazon cart like a crazy person. she's a fool. i don't sleep cause i don't wanna sleep! no books are gonna change me. i gotta keep this mama on her toes... heard her saying i'm all well-behaved and stuff. can't let her get too comfortable. who does she think she is? anyway, i told her i'd take the blog for the day and let her chill. but, as soon as i sign off, ima give her a piece of my mind. i mean, she didn't have me so she could sleep did she? she's got another thing coming.

catch ya on the flip side,

parker

christmas gift guide.

2011-12-07T04:59:00.000-08:00

1. classic vans $45 | 2. nui organic infant booties $18 | 3. farm anatomy book $12 | 4. poppy & butterfly cloche $36 | 5. custom return address stamper $52 | 6. sock monkey wine bottle sleeve $9.95 | 7. iphone alarm dock $39.50 | 8. backpack buddies $48 | 9. sailboat tee $20 | 10. homeseed paper goods baby calendar $25 (i have one and it's such a low maintenance way to record little baby happenings. plus, it's really cute.)

anyway, just a few of my favorite things in and around the web these days... enjoy!

sponsor giveaway: ike & co.!

2011-12-06T05:25:00.000-08:00

angie has been with me for awhile and she's a keeper.

she's got lots of jewelry from funky to classic pieces.

a few of my favorites are pictured above.

so how's about winning a

$25 credit to ike & co.!

(and a 20% discount with the code TALES20 thru friday for the rest of ya)

to enter:

{u.s. residents only}

+ leave a comment below (email, please!)

additional entries:

{separate comments!}

+ visit the shop and tell me your favorite item

+ favorite the shop

+ follow her blog

+ tweet / blog / FB about the giveaway and provide URL

and that's all, folks.

giveaway closed.

leah is the winner!

the hunt christmas extravaganza.

2011-12-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

a veritable christmas extravaganza went down at the hunt abode this past saturday. i kept telling the kids, "the extravaganza! it begins this saturday! it'll be an extravaganza!" basically seeing how often i could use the word extravaganza in one minute. turns out, i used it a lot. with thanksgiving officially behind us, we went full-force into the fa-la-la season with a visit to a tree farm. jordan had bball and nathaniel was at school so it was just the five of us. we started with breakfast at our favorite local bagel shop. they make the best ever french toast bagels. like best ever. then we headed over to a tree farm to pick out the perfect one. we normally do the whole lot-farm thing but goodness gracious, the tree farm was an event! tractors take you out to the fields, you search and search, cut it yourself, carry it to the car (is this all sounding like a lot of work and you'd rather just go to the lot to pick one already-ready christmas tree?). nevertheless, i loved it. i have always loved the christmas season but this year, having a little person who'll be experiencing his first christmas has made me want to bring it even more. hopefully the tree farm becomes a tradition. steve's obsessed with traditions. we'll do something one year and he's like, "let's make this a tradition." truth be told, i find it endearing. anyway, where was i? ah yes, tree farm. so william proudly sawed the tree himself and steve carried it out (hence the whole "mountain man" appearance he's taken on in the pictures. yum... what??) and then we went home to festoon the house with all the christmas decorations that have been collected over the years. with my christmas playlist going in the background of course... the likes of josh groban, faith hill, bing crosby, the nutcracker... you know, the usuals. it was a seriously lovely day.

oh! and thank you all for your christmas d.i.y. emails so far!

and i also wanted to make sure you all knew the parker peanut butter thing was a joke. had steve really fed parker peanut butter already, i'd have CUT HIM.

overheard these days.

2011-12-02T04:43:00.000-08:00

steve (with parker, in a different room than i): ooh, parker! you like that peanut butter i just gave you!?
{fyi: parker has yet to eat anything besides the milk i gots. steve just likes to drive me crazy. that might not have been clear though?}

lindsey: mom, can i try your breastmilk?
me: sure.
william: {aghast} from her boob?!?
lindsey + i simultaneously: no!
{side note: she did try it and thought it wasn't half bad. now william is jealous and totally wants to try it too. serves him right for thinking it strange that she wanted to try some of my glorious milk.}

me: steve, can you change parker?
steve: i have been known to literally snap babies fingers right off when i try to change them.

parker has a blow-out. steve's changing him.
steve: can i just have scissors to cut the onesie off?

while parker's sleeping...
gracie: BARK BARK BARK
me: *$#&@* $#@$$ $#*$*!!!!!!
{truly, the mouth of a sailor... these words strung together with no rhyme or reason.}

and that's just some of it.

{photos, both new and old, from my photo booth}

on the first day of december.... i made a pom-pom garland. and, i have an idea!

2011-12-01T04:56:00.000-08:00

This isn't an original idea of mine. I have to come clean right from the get-go. I saw it here a long time ago (and maybe at Anthro first at some absurd price) and since then was like, "I have to do it." So, I got the felt balls last year (Like how I was all, "wait and see" about them? Glad you didn't hold your breath.). Then I thought about it for, oh, the whole year. Then I got the hemp and needle two weeks ago. And at long last, I did it. That's how crafts work here. I have to think about them for a long, long time. If they stick in my head 365+ days, then I know it's a worthy one.

Finally, I saw this pin... had some beach-wood (is that what you call it?) from our favorite beach, and combined the two. I think I might still like the original pin better, but whatevs.

Oh, and I might keep it up all year long. It makes my kitchen window a bit cheerier.

And now for my idea...

I like do-it-yourself... A LOT. I get giddy pinning things that are DIY. I'm like the Herbal Essences commercial up in Pinterest's grill, "Yes, Yes, YES!" But, as I've already made clear, I'm not the quickest to get 'er done. So, if you have some fantastic Christmasy DIY, directions and pictures, would you send them to me? I'd like to feature some over the next few weeks... between now and Christmas. I won't be posting too many cause maybe you guys aren't as DIY-obsessed as I am. But, like I said, I am. And I run the show here. So send them to me, please!

Oh yes, my e-mail: bridget.c.hunt@gmail.com.

thanksgiving continued... minus the food and plus some sister-love.

2011-11-30T05:11:00.000-08:00

My sister Kate is the best. The bomb! Dot com! My fave! LYLAS (wait a second...)!! Basically, she has a really busy life with an energetic 14-month old, is in the middle of a move, a new job, and making her main man Mike puh-leased (a full-time job alone). But still, she surprised me--the new Mom (kind of... you know what I mean) who was recently feeling all down-and-out (waah, waah) that I didn't have much family close by to share Parker's every moment with--and she and her cute 'lil family drove up for Thanksgiving. She made my heart so happy. Seriously. Best friends that are also sisters are the best kind. Hear hear! Plus, Parker was kind of a bum the last time he and Quinn saw each other and I knew he could do better. When I found out they were coming I was all, "Parker, put your best foot forward this time, dammit! Last time you just laid there!"

We have matching strollers. Cute, I know. And sort of matching sweaters. Cute, I know. Or is it just getting weird and stupid now?

Mah tea. One of my favorites. Get yourself some of that pronto. It's yum cold too.

Catching up on the Occupy Wall Street latest. Duh, what else?

"Steve! There could be dog-poop in those leaves!"

"Bridget, it's natural."

(He's good for my psycho-self.)

Oh, and his hoot hat? Cause I know you're gonna ask. He pretty much wears it EVERY DAY thanks to Sarah who sent it to him. And Joy, who, ya know, made it.

Lindsey is obsessed with Kate and asked me if we could have an unofficial "God-parent" ceremony to which Kate and I replied, "YES." Isn't that sweet? And just so ya'll know, we're not replacing Kate and Mike with already existing God-parents... cause that'd be, um, wrong. I'm pretty sure Lindsey doesn't have any. Every gal needs herself some God-parents!

"Oh haaay Parker. Aren't you lookin' handsome today! Who's yo' Daddy?!"

I did not claim to eat healthy all the time. Onion rings, why you gotta be so dern good?!

And that was our weekend. Wahoo!

thanksgiving at the hunts.

2011-11-29T05:33:00.000-08:00

It was a success. Bellies were full... of turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes (both regular and sweet!), cranberry pear chutney, and rosemary rolls, wine, peanut butter mousse pie and a bumbleberry pie too... yummm. And, as you've already seen, we were able to eat that deliciousness for days. I really enjoyed hosting Thanksgiving, more than I thought I would. Minus the little hiccup when, the night before, I realized my table cloth didn't fit the table when it was extended (as it had to be so everyone could sit comfortably!). It was a typical form over function fight. Me being like, "Steve, we can just make it work!" and Steve saying, "No one will be able to move their elbows cause they'll be sitting so close!" Pinterest came to the rescue. I saw this pin and one quick stop at our local farmer's market, the greens and tangerines were bought and I added the cranberries and swapped out the pillar candles for my silver candle sticks. Shazam, thanks Pinterest.

How was your Thanksgiving?

4 months.

2011-11-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

yesterday is history

tomorrow is a mystery

today is a gift

{eleanor roosevelt}

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel on Grooveshark

{the song... a favorite of mine}

currently protesting any form of napping,

i'm forced to leave out cute details like his fondness for bathtime or mah big boobs...

it's operation get-parker-to-sleep up in this house.

the benefit of having thanksgiving at your house.

2011-11-27T17:18:00.000-08:00

leftovers.

unfortunately, they're just about gone as we've been eating thanksgiving since thursday.

it's been good.

how was yours?

(and i didn't kill anyone with an undercooked turkey. in fact, it came out perfectly. bam!)

i'm thankful for...

2011-11-23T03:50:00.000-08:00

in the spirit of thanksgiving, i thought i'd take a go at some things i'm thankful for...

for lindsey's willingness to help me cook dinner... almost every night. she's becoming quite the little cook and i think is always more eager to eat what's on the table be it brussel sprouts or tacos when she's had a hand in the process.

for my husband with whom i feel like i can do anything. so corny but so true.

for heat that kicks on whenever i want it to.

for nathaniel's smarts. he's doing so well in college and i'm really quite proud of him.

for my body's ability to do what i tell it to whether it's stand up, sit down, go for a walk... limbs that move and work...

for the love of a family... from my kids, from my sisters, my mom and dad... the love of a family. ugh, so good, sooo good.

for william's helpfulness. that kid gets such joy out of making me and steve happy. i hope it lasts!

for jordan's sense of humor. though he can be a bugger at times, when the mood is right, he's still got his sense of humor.

for the eyes that parker gives me. even when i'm chatting away with a friend i look down and see him staring at me like, "you're the best." no parker, YOU're the best.

for tv shows. sad, but true. i'm enjoying pan am this year, you guys? and revenge too. yeah... i do like tv.

for books. and this one is soooo good these days. i'm almost through it and i got it a few days ago which is good consider parker's a demanding little fellow.

for gracie's eagerness to fetch. while it's terribly annoying at times, she really is so stinking cute.

for the 23-lb. turkey i'll be making on thursday. wish me luck.

happy thanksgiving!

{last year's thankful lists}

{image}

if i had to go on a double-date with a celebrity couple (twist my arm!) it would be...

2011-11-22T04:56:00.000-08:00

seriously. how fun would that be. we'd just listen to russell make jokes and we'd say, "YOU SOUND LIKE YOU'RE FROM LONDON!" (name the movie) and katy would be like, "shut up and put your money where your mouth is," and steve and i would just be like, "you guys are so much cooler than us."

who would you pick?

who would you soooo not pick? (for some reason harrison ford and calista flockhart are coming to mind as people i wouldn't pick. i'm not sure why since harrison ford is like INDIANA JONES but i think he's a little boring these days. and calista, a little boring too. sorry guys.)

My snazzy sponsorship guide.

2011-11-21T04:33:00.000-08:00

First things first. Just know that I am not claiming to be the queen of knowing the ins-and-outs of sponsorship. Thus, if you were planning on getting pissy in the comment box, no need! I feel like a cheeseball even doing a "how-to." But, to toot my own horn for one brief second, I have been told by a few of my sponsors that this blog is one of their biggest traffic sources while they're a sponsor. And there is nothing worse than sponsoring a blog and seeing ZERO traffic from it, yes? So what works and what doesn't? I'm not entirely sure but after checking out the blogs that give less versus more, I've come up with a few hypotheses as to what those might be.

1. Don't have your sponsors start halfway (or more) down the page. Your Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest account links shouldn't take precedence over people who are paying to be on your page. Shuffle things around, get rid of things, do whatever you need to do, but sponsors, in my opinion, should start at the top of the page, or very close to the top anyway.

2. Rotate your sponsors! This is one of the craziest to me. You buy a sponsor spot. You get stuck in that sponsor spot and you remain at that very spot for the whole month (or however long) that you sponsor that blog. What??? The amount of traffic you get should not be based upon luck. Rotate that ish so that everyone is getting a spot at the top, the middle, the bottom. I rotate mine every few days so you're always seeing some new ads. It makes sense to me.

3. Don't accept too many. This is hard because, after all, you're hoping to make money doing it, and turning down money is not something any of us are probably good at. But, I think the fewer sponsors you have, the more exposure the ones you have are getting. Sounds obvious. So, when I go to a blog and they have like thirty-plus sponsors, I'd rather sponsor the blog where I'll be one of twenty over one of forty. Duh.

4. Do consider blog swaps. But, look for blogs in your range. It doesn't make sense to be a brand-new-just-out-of-the-gate blogger and be e-mailing a four-year-running-five-thousand-followers-plus blog saying, "Let's swap ads to promote traffic to both our blogs!" Which blog do you think is gonna benefit more from that? I'll give you one guess.

And that's all she wrote.

If you've broken one of these cardinal rules of sponsorship, I'll still love you just the same.

dear parker.

2011-11-17T04:52:00.000-08:00

Gabriel's Oboe by Yo Yo Ma on Grooveshark

dear parker,

you've been in existence for one year now. it was one year ago that i discovered you were growing when i got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. best belated birthday present ever. it was sooo exciting, so surreal... i woke your dad right up and we couldn't go back to sleep, of course. then you grew, and grew, and i finally started taking pictures of myself so i'd always remember what it was like having you inside and what i looked like while you grew. i look back on those pictures and think, "that was parker in there. all along, it was you." i get emotional just thinking about it. you've been with us for three and a half months now and buddy, i love you so much. i cannot imagine my life without you and i feel so blessed when i look at you and think, "you're my son. my son! i get to have you forever!"

we go everywhere together and i just watch you marvel at the world whether it's the sky, the trees, gracie, william's funny faces, me dancing in front of you, daddy making his sound effects, your auntie kate making noises over skype... some days we cuddle in bed for hours, not often enough, and i lay down on my side and you're on your side and we look at each other and i kiss your mouth (about a hundred times a day) and pull the covers up over our head, and back down, and back up... and your eyes get big every time. i love helping you discover the world (buddy... mama's got tears in her eyes right now just writing this). i love seeing things as you see them. i love going everywhere with you... we've been attached at the hip since july 23rd and i like it. today we were at cvs and you were looking up at me in the carrier with this huge smile on your face as if to say, "mom... i love you so much." it melts my heart. you melt my heart. it's so cliche to say but, gosh, sometimes it feels like it's really melting.

i've cried more than i normally do in three months. i cried when you were born, i cried when you had to be under the lights for 24 hours, i cried when you seemed not yourself for a few hours, i cry when i think you're growing up too fast, i cry when i think that your tiny little hands are the same hands that will be holding your baby one day, i cry when i'm writing you this simple letter... mama's can cry pretty easily. you'll see that soon enough. having little babes makes us mamas real vulnerable. i love your little personality. the way you want to be with me all the time and you settle down immediately if i hold you in my arms. i love how happy you are. you smile all the time. in fact tonight daddy put you on the dinner table after we were done eating and you took turns going around the table smiling at everyone so big your whole mouth is wide open while we all just smiled back at you. you have brought so much joy into our lives. we're so lucky to have you. i'm so lucky to have you. i love you forever and ever and ever, sweet baby boy. thanks for being mine. thanks so much.

love, mom

ps. and i realize i'm totally manipulating emotions by having you listen to the song while you read, but it's my blog and i do what i want to do. plus, i was listening to this song while i wrote it (and it was on my birth list, so it's kind of fitting, no?).

our weekend, my birthday, this and that.

2011-11-16T04:28:00.000-08:00

on sunday we celebrated both mine and jordan's birthdays (our birthdays are one day apart... so i must also say, happy birthday jordan!) with a delicious breakfast of, my favorite, egg, cheese, + bacon on an english muffin (some had theirs on bagels... i prefer the english muffin. the bread to filling ratio is off with a bagel... too much bread. clearly i've given this some thought.). william and lindsey made berry muffins all by themselves, oj for the kids, coffee for mom and dad... and we feasted. we used to be really good about having what we called "fiesta breakfast" every saturday morning but we've let that tradition slip away a bit. it needs to come back.

anyway, nathaniel came home for the night which was great. and it gave me a chance to work on our christmas card (which i'll hopefully send out by christmas... that's the idea, isn't it?) then later that day we went out to lunch. i got some mocassins that i'd been coveting, and a gift card to anthro... which brings me to this point... is it just me or do you guys stress out a little over anthro gift cards? it's all, "WHAT DO I GET!? WHAT IS THE BEST THING TO SPEND THIS MONEY ON?" cause, it's not every day i afford anthro clothes. in fact, steve once got me a gift card to there and i was so stressed out with what to buy myself that i bought KITCHEN KNOBS INSTEAD. stupid.

so, that was that. since my birthday actually fell on a monday (which should be illegal), we did most of our celebrating sunday. but i did enjoy a leisurely breakfast with steve and parker at an old diner near us on monday morning. the type of diner that has juke boxes at the booths, waitresses that you know have been there for years and years, and an old-fashioned cash register with an old man sitting at it, drinking coffee, ready to cash you out before you leave. the best kind of diner if you ask me. oh, and here's the birthday girl, that's me... (and the boy who has become like an appendage... with me, always. and i quite like it that way).

sponsor giveaway: lee la la!

2011-11-15T04:44:00.000-08:00

today's giveaway is from the etsy shop lee la la

which has some really cool wrap bracelets that would fancy up

a boring outfit. i, for one, am loving that red wrap bracelet...

and the black and gold one -- good combo.

the shop also has some little girl accessories like hats and headbands!

you want in?

this giveaway is for a

$40 shop credit.

to enter:

{u.s. residents only}

+ leave a comment below (and include email!)

additional entries:

{separate comments}

+ follow the leelala blog or facebook page

+ favorite the shop on etsy

giveaway closed.

k is the winner.

this is all i got today.

2011-11-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

i trust that you all can read that even though photo booth makes it backwards.

oh, and i can give my address out if you want to send me gifts.

catch ya on the flip-side!

my little boy.

2011-11-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

at times, these days, it feels more appropriate to call him a boy... he is growing so fast! newborn days, be gone! he's reading! look... evidence above! anyway, he is seriously such a pleasure. he is happy most all the time and he's always discovering. when i take him for walks, he looks up at the trees like, "mom. have you SEEN THESE THINGS?" full of wonder. all the time. we could all learn a thing or two from our babies. their worlds are so simple and innocent. even the trees fascinate them.

and happy veterans day!

recipe: tamale pie.

2011-11-10T05:16:00.000-08:00

You like comfort food? Who would actually answer no to that question? A fool. Anyway, yes, we all like comfort food and the best kind of comfort food is the kind that's actually decent for you too. Folks, I give you the tamale pie. My dear friend, Jenny, brought me this when Parker was about a week old and I was like, "MARRY ME." It's so good and food for the postpartum Mom is the best thing ever. It feels a bit decadent too because of the corn bread topping. Anyway, my pictures suck (nighttime! no flash!) but trust me when I say it's real good and you should give it a try. It's a highly adaptable recipe so I'm going to tell you how I made it and I'll include variations.

Tamale Pie

serves 5-6

15 oz. corn bread box (or the equivalent of your homemade version)

1 lb. ground beef (you could use more but I always go light on the meat)

2 red peppers, diced (any color and amount would do)

1 onion, diced

half bag of frozen corn (this is just how much I had... a can, a bag, whatever)

salsa (any amount to give it some liquid)

sour cream (a couple spoonfuls, again, to moisten it)

cheddar cheese, grated (however much you want)

1 can black beans (if you don't like beans, skip it... or pinto, kidney... all would do)

optional: 1 can of condensed tomato soup (I didn't have any this time and didn't miss it)

optional: chili powder

Directions:

It's easy. Cook beef. Add peppers + onion and sautee. Add corn to warm it up. Take off heat and add your sour cream, cheese, salsa, beans. Put it all in a 9x12 casserole dish. Take your favorite corn bread (ours is Trader Joes boxed. I will never attempt to make it myself because I'm in love with theirs) mix (already mixed up with the oil + eggs, etc.) and add it right to the top, uncooked, spreading it out evenly. Yeah, it seems weird to add raw corn bread mix to the top of the cooked meat + veggies but that's how it's done, people! Then cook it for 400 degrees for like 20-25 minutes or so. This is probably different than the corn bread baking directions but it still works. Just make sure the corn bread is truly cooked on top or the underside can be really undercooked since it's right on top of the casserole fixings.

Like I said, there are a ton of variations. I did it totally different this time then I did the last (it didn't call for cheese or sour cream or beans... but they work.) and I loved it. The kids all asked for seconds and it made my man go, "Mmmm." Winning!

a really, really fancy date.

2011-11-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

so last night was one for the books. parker awoke around 4:30 am with a big smile on his face like, "hey guys, it's time to get up now." i was not having it. neither was steve. so, while we desperately tried to get some more sleep, he basically kicked and hit us with his flailing limbs repeatedly, all the while cooing at the top of his lungs (did you know babies could coo loudly?) from his center-spot until we shimmied so far to either side that we were basically falling off the bed. then, i feel him. he's wet. diaper change in the dark. two seconds later, we hear the poop. steve feels wetness on his arm. he couldn't have filled his pants that quickly. "i've been shat on!" (he didn't really say that but it sounds funnier than, "do i have poop on me?"). we turn on the light. yes, indeed he did, but not because he had a blow-out. his diaper is empty but the diaper is actually wedged between his butt cheeks giving him a major wedge and letting all the poop out. plus one for mom!

we strip the sheets and mattress cover which are now nastay. back to bed? hardly. parker wanna nurse? please?? the only hope of getting him back to sleep at this point. he tricks us. nurses for like five minutes and then is all, "suckas! you thought that was gonna put me back to sleep? not i! i'm only re-energized now!" so we lay there, getting kicked and shat on and i start dreaming of food. i decide i must have a johnny rockets burger, fries, and milkshake. i tell steve. we'll try to make it happen. he has the day off.

hours later (remember, this was all happening at 4 am) we get in the car. to feed the ravenous woman, that's me. parker promptly falls asleep in his car seat... finally. wake him so soon? no. let's drive around. i'm starving. steve keeps suggesting different places in lieu of going as far as johnny rockets because i was all, "I HAVE BEEN SUSTAINING A LIFE TODAY AND HAVE YET TO EAT A THING," and at this point i'm considering looking for a dirty diaper (there's got to be one in this car somewhere!) and eating that. i can't think straight. we come up with drive-thru to maintain a sleeping parker. my dreams of johnny rockets are dashed and replaced with a wendy's number one and a frosty. sooooo not as cool. nevertheless, i stuff my face and like it. all that talk of health food on this blog? phony. and the number one was good, my friends. did you know wendy's fries are way better now? then we walk around town with a finally awake parker who totally thwarted our plans and was thinking the whole time, "serves you right for not playing with me at 4 am. did you have me so you could get your sleep??? you idiots."

and did i mention the weather was spectacular and it was awesome to have steve all to myself? oh, and that we totally celebrate mediocrity here by taking pictures of a WENDY'S DRIVE-THRU MENU. someone put us out of our misery.

sponsor giveaway: a fresh coat of paint!

2011-11-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

today's giveaway is from a fresh coat of paint!

this shop is full of awesome letters--like those zinc ones from anthro.

but these are made from a paper material and are less expensive than

their anthro twins (and who doesn't love that?).

you can also find some amazing upcycled furniture in the shop.

i'm loving this vintage framed chalkboard, this buffet (and its price!)

and this vintage eames chair... a lot.

i actually have a few of the letters myself and love them!

here's my p... in parker's room of course.

today's giveaway is for

$40 to the shop!

to enter:

{u.s. residents only!}

+ leave a comment and include your email!

additional entries:

+ tweet / blog / FB a link to the giveaway

+ favorite the shop on etsy

giveaway closed.

megan is the winner.

our weekend.

2011-11-07T08:23:00.000-08:00

parker helped me with the laundry. such a big help he was. william and lindsey put on a play for parker who is getting acquainted with his crib (and fell asleep in it all by himself a few days ago! i was all, "go parker!" and then, "wait?! but you still need me, right?!"). anyway, elizabeth's pup plushie had a starring role in the play. then, steve and i took the fam to our fave mexican bistro for nachos and guac. it was deeelicious. then we walked around town until it got sort of dark (darn time change!) and ended the night with some cocoa-to-go. jordan came too. he had to be semi-forced but steve and i are of the minds that teens have to be forced to have family time and that, in the end, it's good for them. we came home and lindsey and i made these delicious donut muffins. really easy too. then, i curled up on the sofa with parker asleep on me and watched hitch with steve and jordan. that is until i fell fast asleep around 9:30. and that, my friends, was our weekend.

How the kids are doing with Parker.

2011-11-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

A few of you have asked how the kids are doing since Parker's arrival. Well, I'm going to answer you. In one word? Great. There have been little to no jealousy issues and he has, quite simply, become part of the family. Sometimes, they'll come home and their first words are, "Where's Parker? Can I hold him?" At which point I promptly make them wash the public school filth and disease off their hands. William loves to change his diaper. If Parker is in the swing while I'm cooking dinner and starts to get sick of it, William will happily sit on the floor in front of him and coo at him which is just the ticket to getting him to chill out just long enough for me to finish making the meal. Parker responds to happy faces with an equally happy smile and, thus far, is totally content having someone, anyone, hold him (this is usually me, but I'm getting better at letting other people hold him since, at twelve months, a kicking, screaming baby begging for his Mom when someone else picks him up isn't the cutest thing). Lindsey is probably a little less interested in Parker, but not in a passive-aggressive way. She's just not majorly into babies, any babies. William has always been more of the sensitive, snuggler type. I expected this because whenever we've been around babies, William has always been more into them than she. She still loves to read to him and, last night while I read to her before bed, she asked to hold Parker on her lap. She will exclaim, "He's the cutest thing ever!" and, "I love him so much!" so she's definitely doting in her own way. I know you don't see much of Jordan on the blog and I worry that some of you think, "Evil stepmom! Doesn't she love Jordan?!" Yes, I do love Jordan. But when I try to take a picture of him, getting him to smile for it is like pulling teeth. I told him the other day, "You're going to look back and be like, 'Where are the pictures of me when I was fifteen through eighteen?'" And I'll tell him, "Son, you didn't smile for them and you tried to hide your face, so it's like three years of your life didn't exist... in pictures, anyway." So, you'll just have to take my word for it: Jordan is great with Parker too. He's definitely into computer games (Damn those computer games. Damn them!) and television more than he is into anything, but he does like the little guy and says so. And Nathaniel! I almost forgot. Well, he's in college now, but we still see him from time to time and, like Jordan, he's got other things on his mind: school, sleep, food, sleep, food. But he's nothing but sweet to him when they do interact (I mean, how else can one be with a little babe anyway?!). A newborn has a way of chilling out the house a bit. There's no better reason for them to stop fighting with each other than saying, "Not around Parker. He shouldn't have to listen to this." It almost always works (for how long?! Yet to be determined.). So anyway, I speak for Steve when I say we're really thrilled with how easily this transition has gone. With virtually no trouble at all, Parker's life has shifted into ours and we are all pretty happy to have him.

If you were to ask how the kids get along with each other? Well, that's a different story altogether. This morning I sat on the stairs and listened to William and Lindsey's conversations before they left for school. I was about to go down but stopped halfway when I heard the energy I'd be walking into.

W: "Your name is dumb."

L: "That's like saying our parents are dumb for naming me that."

L: "I feel bad for you that you have to wear that jacket."

W: "I feel bad for you that you have that face."

W, takes L's Halloween candy: "I'm putting this away because you didn't ask Mom and Dad."

L: "Give it back to me!"

W: "You're annoying."

So on and so forth. Tell me mine aren't the only ones that are evil to each other???

And Jordan most definitely tangles with them too... he had just already left for school this morning.

parker finds his thumb.

2011-11-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

the past week or so, parker has discovered his right thumb.

this brings me all sorts of delight as i was a right-thumb-sucker.

so, despite him being the spitting image of his dad, i'm in there too!

(does thumb-sucking get passed down through genes anyway?)

there'll be times when he's fussing a bit, then gets real quiet...

i look over, and he's happily found his thumb.

it is the cutest.

the hunt happenings, in polaroids.

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

men working | top o' the witch | parker-bear | bottom o' the witch

parker and william chatting guy-chat | lindsey reading to the little man

bathtime parker | sassy parker (even in his sleep!)

sponsor giveaway: casey wiegand!

2011-11-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

today's giveaway is from the totally lovely casey wiegand of casey leigh blog.

you've probably seen her around...

she's got one sweet little family and girlfriend's got slammin' style... in fashion + art. bam.

today's giveaway is for

a $100 large ad space on her blog.

looking for some more blog / shop / etc. exposure?

here's a good opportunity!

to enter:

{anyone! U.S. + beyond!}

+ leave a comment below and include your e-mail address.

additional entries:

{separate comments!}

+ follow casey's blog

+ like her FB page

+ follow her on twitter

+ tweet, blog, FB the giveaway and provide URL

giveaway closed.

caitlin is the winner!

fab.com

2011-10-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

i'm the last to know everything. so, chances are you're already in on this goodness. but, if not, check out fab. it's like gilt groupe but better (in my opinion). more funky unknown stuff. which is great for the hipster in me.

happy halloween!

2011-10-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

happy halloween!

hope it's a spicy one! (get it?)

and i promise he didn't cry the whole time in it.

we'll be back tomorrow with more halloween costumes.

i know, you're so excited.

have you ever tried taking pictures with a newborn?! it ain't easy!

2011-10-28T05:48:00.000-07:00

parker's thoughts: when my legs work better, ima getting the heck away from you two.

books we're reading around here as of late.

2011-10-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

i moved into a house full of books. there's a lot of them, for real. before i even had a baby shower, parker had a bookshelf full of them. lindsey has one in her bedroom, also packed to the brim (and of seriously good kids' books... have you guys heard of these ones? they were a hunt favorite before i came along and now they're my favorites as well), the third floor has multiple built-in shelves, as well as the computer room. not to mention steve's got an office at work where every single wall is covered in shelves from floor to ceiling. we watch more tv then we should given the fact that there's all this good reading to be done, but we do like books quite a lot. i think reading with kids is awesome (and i wish i did more of it). i am trying really hard to commit to reading a chapter book with william and lindsey at least a few nights a week before they go to bed. we're a few chapters into the giver... one of my childhood favorites. i think they'll like it. i remember it blowing my mind when i read it years ago. and i've started reading to parker too. at least a book a day, sometimes more, sometimes less. i think he's enjoying it. he looks intently at the pages back and fourth as i flip them. we've read a few but little blue truck is one of my favorites so far--and the illustrations! love them. and parker will even sit on my lap as i read to william and lindsey. i'm hoping he learns to love reading at an early age and not get sucked into computer and television like so many kids these days (even mine at times... despite, like i said, our crazy amount of books). and finally, we're reading some hemingway in my book club. he's a beautiful writer. and now i want to go to paris.

anyway, what are your favorite books? for your kids? for yourself?

blogger mash-up, yo!

2011-10-26T06:06:00.000-07:00

so, i've been a blogger for a little over two years. it's weird to even say that cause i don't really feel like it's a job. more of a fun hobby. "what do you do?" "ohhhh, you wanna know what i do? i blog." that never feels right. nevertheless, i've been blogging and thus have met some incredibly cool people along the way. a comment here, a comment there (i was gonna say "a comment here, a poke there." this ain't facebook, bridget!). an email exchange, then a few more. and bam! we're tweeting about renting a house and hanging out in real life. well, that's how it went for me anyway. i've been following candis since literally the beginning of time (in blogger time) and elizabeth shortly thereafter. shannon i've known for awhile, and molly is a newer love of mine (but a love nevertheless). it was quite exciting to plan some real face time since i have come to consider them real friends of mine. so that's what we did. it was a little silly how we were almost outnumbered by baby boys... a bit like a brigade of babies coming down newbury street (there may have been a few looks) but parker, everett, westley, + behr had the chance to meet and parker promises to be a more fun playmate next time (when i'm less freaky about germs and he's a bit older).

oh, and the ever-sweet molly got us ironic hipster glasses. cause, like cupcakes, the word swoon, and bangs... hipster glasses are all over the interwebs and it wouldn't really be a proper bloggin' retreat without some. won't it be ironic if i actually get a pair myself for reals one day? cause i might. then you can reference this post and laugh at me.

pink sequin lady so wanted in on this bloggin' thing soooooo badly. she was all, "look how i accessorize! can't i come???"

we also met up with natalie in the city for some pinkberry!

the weekend wiped out parker. we spent the next morning in bed cuddling till like noon. no lie.

and i have to thank molly for all of the pictures. i sucked at taking pictures.

sponsor giveaway: tree + kimball!

2011-10-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

today we have a giveaway from a favorite etsy shop of mine:

tree and kimball!

tree and kimball is full of amazing jewelry

made from deep-colored vintage laces.

you will get compliments like crazy with these unique pieces.

plus, lisa, the shop owner, is an absolute gem.

today's giveaway is from her newest fall colors...

a necklace above!

to enter:

{u.s. residents only}

+ leave a comment below and include your email!

extra entries:

{separate comments!}

+ which one will you choose: 1-6?

+ favorite the etsy shop

+ tweet/blog/FB about it and provide URL (separate comment for each)

+ like tree and kimball's FB page

giveaway closed.

sarah is the winner! congrats!

3 months.

2011-10-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

the only thing we can do is play on the

one string we have, and that is our attitude.

i am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me

and 90% how i react to it.

and so it is with you, we are in charge of our attitudes.

{charles swindoll}

{other once-a-month pictures}

broccoli.

2011-10-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

i'll leave you for the weekend with this: lindsey, looking for a pre-dinner snack, goes in the fridge and grabs this... a raw head of broccoli. SHE DOES HER MAMA PROUD!

i may or may not be going to see + meet (like in person, ya'll) some of my long-time blog friends this weekend. i mean, girls that i feel like i practically know and consider legit friends even though i haven't heard their voices. woah. hopefully we decide we like each other as much in person as we do over emails + blogs. and if we do? goodness, this weekend will be slammin', folks. and hopefully they're really who they have been portraying themselves to be over their blogs for the last few years and not some 55-year old man with greasy hair. eww, can you imagine? that would take a lot of work to actually be someone else on a blog for 2+ years, don't you think? unlikely. so, if i'm not back on monday with a post of our happenings, call the authorities.

i'm pretty sure it's gonna go swimmingly.

and i'm out.

(oh, and that vlog i said i'd do? i will do it. before 2012. promise.)

the best mac 'n cheese ever.

2011-10-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

yeah, i eat healthy a lot of the time. but i definitely indulge in things like mac and cheese and ice cream more often than perhaps i should (read: a lot. today i had some tj's halloween oreos. WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?!). anyway, when i do indulge, i don't want to waste it on mediocrity. breyers? meh. i'm all about haagen dazs these days. kraft mac and cheese? aw, hells no. homemade, baby! (or, if i'm being honest, annie's does a pretty good boxed version). anyway, when i was a wee little girl growing up in nj, my friend's mom used to make this and i'd somehow worm my way to their dinner table if i knew this was on the menu. it's really good. make it.

macaroni + cheese

(from mrs. gold but technically good housekeeping)

8 T butter (nobody said it was low-fat)

1 medium onion, minced really small (secret ingredient, i think)

2 T flour

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard

3 cups milk

16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 lb. pasta (elbow macaroni is best)

melt butter on medium heat. add onions, cook until clear + tender (about 10 minutes). add flour, salt, mustard, a dash of pepper mix until blended. slowly add milk and cook until smooth and slightly thickened, stirring constantly. remove from heat and add cheese. stir until melted.

add 1 lb. of cooked elbow macaroni (cook a minute or two short of tender because it will cook more in oven). put in casserole dish and cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 5 minutes without the lid.

EAT AND BE GLAD.

oh, and to cancel out the goodness that is that mac and cheese?

see below.

also, i'm in two more places today!

here at mackey madness talking about three things that are defining me these days.

and here at what wegan did next talking love story.

how i styled my shabby apple skirt!

2011-10-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

shabby apple sent me this lovely skirt a little while ago and here's what i did with it. a satiny shirt with a funky leather belt (completely changing up the more polished feel to the skirt) and then another more wintry look with a sheer wool sweater and a skinny red belt. how'd i do? cause, ya know, tales of me and the hubs isn't a bona fide fashion blog ya know. even with mah red lips on.

anyway, it's from their academia line and i'm liking a lot of it. here's some of my favorites.

you want some shabby apple goodness?

use the code huntlife10off for your own

10% discount this week.

sponsor giveaway: old try!

2011-10-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

i'm psyched about this next giveaway as letterpress is the bomb.

old try is a southern print shop (but based out of massachusetts, what what!) with

the coolest limited-edition prints full of southern sayings...

some from virginia, mississippi, among others.

their stuff is so unique and their aesthetic is perfect--whether or not you're nostalgic for the south.

they've already been featured on designsponge too!

ya'll (so appropriate) want in on this?

they're giving away a

print of your choice.

{to enter:}

(u.s. residents only)

//leave a comment below with which print you'd choose!

include your e-mail address!

{additional entries:}

(separate comments for each!)

//like them on FB

//follow them on twitter

//tweet, blog, and/or FB the giveaway (leave new comment for each)

giveaway closed.

carla jean is the winner.