I Don't Know What To Title This Post So I'm Just Gonna Leave It At That

Hey Peeps,

Happy Tuesday! We three Candidos are having a quiet day at home (aside from a bit of grocery shopping) after a busy weekend/Monday. I'm cleaning, doing laundry, making lists, crossing things off of them, and just kinda getting things back in order. While listening to Christmas Music, of course. Frank Sinatra Christmas station on Pandora to be exact :)

If you have a minute, please take a look at this Merry Christmas card. Mostly because, hello, it's so friggin' cool. Maybe we will make Christmas cards this year… You could also read this amazing story of a Christmas Miracle. If you're reading this post while you take a break from online Christmas shopping for your brother's girlfriend's roommate who's name you drew for gift exchange, this might help. And if you're a mama like me, on the clock 24/7, please read this sweet post by a wonderful woman who gets it (and after you read it, bookmark her blog because it's always that sweet, caring, and has just the right words to encourage me through the rest of my day). Oh, and lastly, read this post about making space for your future because it has some really awesome points.

xoxo
Joy

That Time Everything Worked Out Perfectly // part 2

Brooke and I clicked right away. We talked on the phone for probably an hour and then made plans to meet up later that week. I could tell right away that she was crazy about her girls, and I loved that she was whispering through our whole convo while her 5 month old slept in her arms. 

They live half way up Queen Anne hill, a quiet part of the neighborhood with lots of sidewalks and a playground nearby. I was greeted by a mommy and a baby, and could hear a big sister playing in her bedroom. It took a few minutes before she felt like coming out to meet me but, when she did, I heard all about her teacher at school and the artwork she’d made that day. She showed me her favorite books while her sister kicked and cooed on the floor next to where we sat. I think we were buddies from that point on. Baby sis was such a cutie! Totally calm and happy. I just wanted to snuggle and cuddle her but refrained just a bit so as not to seem too excited. Ha! 

This felt perfect. The hours were exactly what I needed, I felt at home right away in their space, the girls and I got off to a great start, and like I said, Brooke and I really hit it off. But I had competition! Brooke let me know that she’d already interviewed a couple other nannies and that she had a couple more later that week. We parted ways, happy to have met, and with promises to be in touch soon. 

Two days before Christmas, Brooke gave me a call. I could hear that her house was full of company - her family was visiting for Christmas! She told me that the other interviews had gone okay but when she asked Shelby which nanny she liked the best, Shelby said ‘Joy! I liked Joy the best!’ Oh my. Talk about heart melt. It meant so much to me that Shelby could tell we’d make a good pair from just that first little while together. Turns out, Brooke agreed with the girls and asked if I’d like to be Paige and Shelby’s nanny. Yes! I’d love to! 

This was it! What a relief to find a family that you just fit into right away! God had this all planned out for me and I was so thankful! Not only was it evident by how well we all hit it off in the beginning, but a few weeks later there was another big surprise that God knew was coming, even though I didn’t! I’m so glad He can see the big picture ;)

...To Be Continued...

Tell me about a time something just clicked together perfectly for you. A new job? A new friendship? 

xoxo

Joy

That Time Everything Worked Out Perfectly // part 1

That Time Everything Worked Out Perfectly // part 1

Uniformed Nanny, 1967 via Pinterest

It was about this time, 2 years ago, that I started looking for my first nanny gig. I talked on the phone to quite a few families but all of those conversations turned out to be practice calls until I met Teresa. Her voice was sweet and I could hear her two boys playing in the background. We made plans to meet. 

I met Teresa and her 2 sons, Henry and Jack, a couple days later. We had a nice evening together, playing with trains, reading books, making snacks. Teresa and I had good conversation about what she needed in a nanny and my experience with kids. Looking back, I can’t say that I felt uneasy at all. The boys were rambunctious but sweet. Teresa was kind and welcoming. The evening ended on a good note and I felt excited that this might be my new ‘nanny family’. 

Over the next few days we talked about more details - schedules, transportation arrangements, hourly wage. It seemed like this was it! By the end of the week though, I started to feel unsettled with the idea of working for them. I tried to figure out what was making me feel differently than when I’d first met Teresa and the boys, but I couldn’t put a finger on it. I just didn’t have a peace about it. Camillo and I prayed and I finally just felt God say to me that this wasn’t what He had for me. Plain and simple. 

This is not where I’m taking you. 

I made the decision to decline Teresa’s offer to be Henry and Jack’s nanny. It was really weird. I hate feeling like I’m disappointing people. I’d gotten this far in the interview process, only to turn her down. On the phone, she kept asking if something was wrong, why didn’t I want to work for them? I was a little shy to talk to tell her my real reason, so I had a couple lame explanations at first. Finally, when none of them satisfied her, I told her the truth. I told her that I am a person who trusts God to lead me where He wants me to be. There was nothing wrong with her family, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to work with them, I just felt like this wasn’t the direction I was supposed to go. 

I could tell she thought I was a little nutty but, by being real and honest with her like that, I was able to hang up the phone, confident that I’d said what needed to be said. Had I beat around the bush, I probably would have wondered ‘did I say the right thing?’ or ‘did I sound rude or immature?’. I’m glad I was honest with her about my faith. Sometimes I worry that people will just blow me off if I start talking about Jesus. Especially in Seattle. But I'm learning to be bolder and not worry so much what people think about me. 

Even though I didn’t know what God had for me next, I was at peace with continuing my job search. Over the next few days, I met a couple really sweet girls. Maybe this was it? My new ‘nanny family’?

...To Be Continued…

Have you ever been given an opportunity that seemed like a good idea in every aspect..except for that uneasy gut feeling? What did you do? Join the conversation in the comments below!

xoxo
Joy

That Time Everything Worked Out Perfectly // part 2

Good Evening From The Candido Couch

Today has been a snuggle-on-the-couch-and-munch-on-an-apple-while-watching-curious-george kind of day. The babe is one big snot bubble, with a wicked cough and sneeze to go along. Oh, buddy. He goes from running through the house hollering and laughing to melting in my arms, out of breath and exhausted. I hope he can fight this bug off soon. It makes my mama heart so sad!

This week is going to be super low key. A reboot of sorts. I feel like the last few weeks have been a little crazy and I need to tune in to our family's needs and redefine our schedule accordingly. We're going to figure out O's napping schedule if it kills me. It's already killing me the way it's been so cattywampus. He's been waking up 3-4 times a night for about a month now, too, and I'm pretty frazzled. So! Mama is making an executive decision and we are taking a week off. Off of extracurricular activities and off of blogging. Much needed. Much appreciated.

My goals for this week away:

• Find O's new nap rhythm
• Inventory of pantry/fridge and refocus meal planning
• Brainstorm for HappyCandido content/design
• Plan a date night
• Have a family business meeting about next quarter
• Get some friggin sleep

Also, hopefully there will be a lot more snuggling and hanging out with Hugsy the Penguin.
See you soon, friends…

xoxo
Joy

Late Night Wit

It seems like I come up with really clever, witty things to say at the most inopportune times. Like, after that confrontation with the mean girl in yoga class, I form a perfectly smart retort. Too bad I thought of it 20 minutes too late. Or, I send an email and, immediately after hearing the little swoosh of my electronic letter, realize I totally shouldn't have said it that way. Irretrievable, lost in the abyss of gmail.com.

Most frequently I find myself in this now-is-not-a-good-time-to-be-clever scenario at about 11:24pm. I've finally fallen into bed. My eyes are closed, I'm perfectly comfortable and fading into a deep sleep…and that's when it hits me. In this half awake/half asleep state, my mind just starts going and I am hilarious! Oh, how clever I am! What a witty thing to think! The trouble is, if I open my eyes to write down any of these brilliant little quips, I lose them. They're gone! I go back to my open-eyed-not-too-funny self. Laying there in the dark and trying, for the life of me, to retrieve anything remotely comical that was just so casually floating through my thoughts. It's a desperate feeling. Why can't I be witty when I'm awake? When anybody else in this house is awake? Who is going to believe that really, deep down I am quite the sharp shooting comedienne!?

Do me a favor, just take my word for it.

xoxo
Joy

From Where I Write // Twirl Cafe

Today I'm writing from a small table right outside the jungle ;) Me and Ollie are with Lanissa and Aria at Twirl Cafe! It's the perfect place to let the kids explore and play while us mommies get a little business done. Lanissa and I are taking the Blog (Design) Love e-course from A Beautiful Mess. We're really excited to learn new ways to design our blog and website, making them reflect more of who we are! I'm having a great time brainstorming and learning new tricks. Keep on the look out for new things here on HappyCandido!

More about Twirl Cafe. It's a super cute place with a custom built 'tree house', slide, cave, and awesome paintings on the walls. The play area is full of creative toys I love watching Ollie play. There is an excellent menu of healthy, mostly organic, local food. Oh man, so good. Also, there are goldfish for your pet kitties to eat while you play…

If you're in the area, check it out! Maybe take a kid with you, otherwise you might look suspicious. ha!

xoxo

Joy

Sorting Through the Week and a Reminder

Hello, hello! I can't believe today is already Tuesday..November 5th?! The last couple weeks have seemed to fly by and I'm sitting here at my computer trying to sort through what just happened. ha! After having out-of-country family here with us, Ollie and I packed up and drove south to spend the weekend with my mom for her 50th birthday. I can hardly remember anything that happened yesterday but I think I'm getting back into the swing of things today. I've got notebooks and binders and pens spread out across the dining table and I'm brainstorming for this here blog. This is my favorite season and I want to make sure I fill it with lots of good things. I'm thinking about cookies, breads, candies, garlands, and cards. Oh geez. Somebody throw a holiday party so I can give away all the calories I feel like baking up. I'll even make your invites! And decor! It's a good feeling to be so inspired. Thanks, November.

Okay, really quick, some business! You guys, there has only been one person who has correctly entered the giveaway for this cookbook (hi, heather!). Just leave a comment on the blog post, peeps. That's it. I know every one of you could stand another cookbook in your collection. I mean, it's a good one!

Enjoy your Tuesday and don't forget to vote!!
xoxo
Joy

Checking In

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Hey All! Happy Monday. Did you have a good weekend? We were very busy and had a lot of fun. Saturday we went to a Fall Festival at church. The kids dressed up and had a blast..more to come! And then yesterday we had a crazy long day at the mall. Oh geez. It was cray cray. I haven't been to a mall in ages, let alone with Ollie. But we all found some new shirts so Yay! 

Anyways, tomorrow our company leaves for home so today was low key. Ollie has been a little nutty lately. I started to get a little overwhelmed but then read a couple pages in this book and felt better. Once again, the book was spot on and helped me realize Ollie is just going through a new leap in his development. Poor guy is just trying to figure everything out so he needs Mama a little extra. Okay, buddy. Let's snuggle. ;)

Tonight we had pizza so nothing special there. But tomorrow I have something exciting so see you then!!

xoxo

Joy

How To Enter a {Blog} Giveaway

It's recently come to my attention that not everybody knows how to enter a blog giveaway. When I first found this world of bloggers and giveaways, I had a lot of questions. I followed the example of other readers as to how to enter different giveaways but always figured I was missing an important piece. Well, I think I've figured it out. And I'd like to share some of what I've learned with you! 

Let's start with the basics. There are some bloggers who make it easy to enter the giveaways they host. All they ask is that you 'leave a comment below'. Pretty self explanatory, right? Sometimes, though, in order to leave a comment on a blog, you have to sign in. Usually this just means leaving some contact info like your name, email address, etc. Each blogger chooses how to let readers leave comments, so just follow the prompts and you'll be set! 

Now some bloggers host giveaways from a third party. For instance, Little Chief Honeybee could host a giveaway sponsored by ShoeMint. This means that the prize will be from ShoeMint and LCH is spreading the word. In cases like this, you might be asked to click over to the sponsors website, look around and find something you love, then come back to the host (important!) and leave a comment about what you found. This is just one more quick, easy step in order to enter and it gives both blogs some traffic. Plus, you get to window shop for a good cause - winning free stuff! :)

Have you ever seen a giveaway that says you can enter by sharing on Facebook? Yeah! Here's the best way to do that: First, click on the title of that blog post. You'll see the web address change but you'll stay on the same post. This is the direct address to the giveaway post. With this little trick, you're sharing just the giveaway, not every post on that blog. Now copy that link and share in onto Facebook. Got it? Good. Now, go back to the blog that's hosting and leave a comment there. If you only share on Facebook but don't leave a comment on the blog saying you did so, the writer won't know you did and won't be able to include that entry into the running!! Another Facebook entry might be to ‘Like’ that blogger’s FB page. Follow the links to their page and click ‘Like’, then head back over to the blog and leave another comment! 

Pinterest. It’s a great place to find pretty things but also a hot spot to be found! If a blogger asks you to ‘Pin This Giveaway’, it’s a chance for them to gain exposure. So help them out by clicking on the title of the giveaway post (just like you read above) and click you ‘Pin It’ button up there near your browser. Done! Now go back to the blog and comment, letting them know you did so. A blogger might also ask you to follow them on Pinterest as a giveaway entry. Just click over to their Pinterest account and then click the ‘follow all’ button. That’s it, you’re following! Now guess what? Go back and leave a comment on the blog! Are you seeing a pattern? ;) 

So we’ve covered the basic ‘leave a comment’ entry. Easy peasy! I told you about third party giveaways, Facebook sharing and liking, and Pinterest pinning and following. The biggest thing is to go back to the blog after browsing, sharing, liking, pinning, or following and leave a comment! 

Let's practice these new tricks! Here's a short list of blogs I follow that are having giveaways this week. If there's a blogger you read who's hosting a giveaway, share their website in the comments and we can all join in on the fun! 

ShoeMint Giveaway host by Little Chief Honeybee

Coppola Winery Giveaway hosted by A Beautiful Mess

Canon Printer Giveaway hosted by ABeautiful Mess

ScoutMob Giveaway hosted by Sometimes Sweet

Good Luck!!

xoxo

Joy

A Random Roundup

Ever have those days (weeks?!) where there are 143 (times 16) things swirling around in your head and you can't seem to catch just one of them to figure out what it is? Gosh, I've been feeling so discombobulated the last couple days!! Maybe it's because Ollie has been sleeping terribly and that means I have been, too. We're talking maybe 4 consecutive hours a night. Maybe it's because my to-do list is getting longer by the minute. Or maybe because Fall is on the way and it always seems to be the most inspiring season for me. I've got lots of ideas but I can't focus! I guess I'm telling you these things as a disclaimer for the rest of this post. It's a random one...I finished up the photos of this happy face. Oakley turned one in July and I got to chase him around the playground with my camera! It was a very wet, rainy day and he was such a trooper! More from that day soon...I can hardly stand this pic of my boy. Look at his face! He'd been sleeping in the car through most of Oakley's photo shoot. When he woke up, he was such a grumpy pants! It looks like Grammy had to drag him to the playground. Ha! Oh, man.

     

Quiche. If you get to Al A Mode early enough, there will be a big piece waiting for you. It's so delicious. Ollie and I have shared a couple slices over the last few weeks. Don't tell Jordan, but it's one of the main reasons we visit him at work ;)

My photo album is so full, I can't take any more pictures! But I'm so OCD about how I organize them into my computer that I keep procrastinating on getting them out of my phone. Am I the only one with this problem?! 

These pics were taken at the Bellevue Square kid's place. I don't even know what it's called but it is a really awesome spot! There are all sorts of rubbery climbing toys like ferries, a lighthouse, a bridge. The place was swarming with kids and Ollie felt like such a big boy climbing around with them. Pictures of the two of us don't happen often, so these are really special to me (thanks, Laniss)!  

I cut my hair again and this time it's perfect. My last cut reminded me of the bowl cuts my brothers used to get (see above) and I wasn't happy with it after the first couple days. Now it's perfectly short and sassy. I'm so glad I got brave and cut it all off!! Thanks, Amanda :) (side note: I think this is a really weird photo but it's the only one I have of my short hair. And Jordan's glasses. So..)

Well, that's that. Thanks for letting me get out some of my random thoughts. I've also been filling pages with brainstorming notes for this here blog. It's something I really enjoy and I hope to have more time for it come Fall. Will you help me? What are some things you like to read about here? What do you get tired of me writing about? Is there something you wish I'd talk about more? Be kind but be honest, I want to know!

xoxo

Joy

Oh, September

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday! Happy September! This is only the 4th day of the month and I'm already in love with it. Oh, September.

On the first day, I got to sleep in! Then we laid low the rest of the day and it was lovely. Even Ollie was chill. I seriously can't remember anything else about that day. Ha! Maybe I was sleep walking through all of it..

On the second day, Ollie and I spent the morning with Uncle Jordy at the pie shop. Miss Laniss and Aria met us there and then took Ollie to the playground across the street while I stayed to work on some photo editing. Then we came home so baby could sleep and I spent two hours cutting and sewing! I haven't had that much creativity time since..well, since Ollie was born! I felt amazing. Like, seriously.

On the third day, we went back to the pie shop and this time met Miss Kelsey and Norah. It was a very rainy day but that didn't stop those crazy kids from jumping puddles and going down the water slides Oliver was soaking wet by the end of it all and fell fast asleep on the 10 minute drive home. He didn't even wake up when I took him out of his car seat - and then slept for two hours!! (I can't say this out loud but..I think this 2 hour thing might stick around. Shh! Also, hallelujah!!)

Now, I'm putting on my running shoes and heading out into the cool, overcast morning for a run. Best weather for a run if you ask me. It's gonna be a great day.

What is your favorite month? Does it have anything to do with changing seasons?

xoxo
Joy

I'm In The Woods

Well, compared to the busy city I live in, my small hometown feels like I'm in the middle of nowhere. And it's glorious. As I'm writing, I can hear the rain falling, birds chattering, and a train off in the distance. But no traffic. No neighbors, no sirens. Just the woods. It's Thursday and my time away on this mini vacay is coming to an end. It's been so peaceful and relaxing. How wonderful to be able to step outside the back door and be greeted by grass!! And a garden! These few days out of the big city were just what I needed to regroup. It's amazing what a little more space and a little less concrete can do for your soul. Ollie and I have had a really great week and now we're excited to drive home to see Daddy!! By the time you read this, it will be Friday and we'll be back to our cozy home, all together again. That sounds pretty wonderful, too. Happy weekend, friends!

Where's your getaway? 

xoxo
Joy

Another Birthday Celebration and a Musical

           

For my birthday in June, my mom got us tickets to see the August showing of Sister Act at the Paramount!! Sister Act (1&2!) was my favorite movie growing up. Seriously, all time. Ever since then, I've had a thing for Lauryn Hill, too. I mean. Just listen to her voice! It was the perfect gift, what a fun night! Doesn't my mama look so happy in that top photo?

We parked a few blocks from the theater and started walking. Since we had a little bit of time before the show, we ducked into a little pizza place for a slice and a soda. We kept saying 'this is so nice!' and just relaxed without anybody else needing us to do something for them. It was so amazing. The photo above has a beautiful chandelier in the background. Oops. Missed it. But in my defense, it was 7:28 and we were rushing in. So, quick photo! 

The show was a blast. The characters were just like the ones in the movie, and the songs were exciting. I might have wanted to jump up and dance for one or two. But I did not. My mom probably would have been super embarrassed ;) 

It was a much needed night out and I enjoyed time with my mama very much. Thanks, Mom and Happy Birthday to me!! ha!

Have you ever been to a musical? What did you see? 

xo

Joy

Tasty Treats

On Thursday, we took Ollie for his first taste of FroYo. The sample cups are the perfect size for a tiny tot. He tried a little bit of mango and a little bit of raspberry. He loved it. Duh. But then he got a little bit greedy...

Ha! Happy weekend, friends. Go get some frozen yogurt!

xoxo

Joy

There's A Tea Kettle In My Bathroom // And A Few More Random Thoughts

(totally random photo for an equally random post)

The drain in our tub has been one of my pet peeves for the last 2.5 years. It gets clogged if I look at it wrong. So imagine what happens when, I don't know, I wash my hair?! Camillo shaves his face? I use anything to clean it? Yeah, I can't even clean the tub without the drain clogging. Geez, I'm going further with this than I planned to...Anyways, I googled 'homemade drano' and found out I wasn't crazy to think there was such a thing. Drano is expensive and using it multiple times a month probably isn't helping the pipe problem. Am I right? I followed these directions this morning, hoping for the best. I poured the baking soda down the drain, added the vinegar, and plugged it up so the potion would go down not come up. I waited 15 minutes and poured a kettle of boiling water into the tub. And guess what?! It worked! For like a minute. But a minute was long enough to scrub the tub with baking soda, rinse it out, and take a shower. I'll try the experiment again once I can get more baking soda and vinegar. I may or may not have gone a little nutty with it the first time, using a whole box/bottle. Think: mad scientist. So that's why there's a tea kettle in my bathroom.

Next on my random thought post: I've been trying to do more free writing this week. Do you remember doing that in school? It was, like, my favorite thing. I also googled 'writing prompts' to help get my brain going. I've started a new file on my computer and hope to fill it with pages of free writing. Just for me, or maybe to share. I've always loved to write and am excited to get connected with pen and paper (or, the keyboard) again. This blog is fun for me but sometimes I have things to write that maybe I wouldn't want to tell you. Or that don't really make sense to anyone else. I'm hoping that free writing will help me find my writing voice! See? Maybe that's one of those things that doesn't make sense...

I go through weird cycles of feeling claustrophobic in my house. Like, everything-has-to-go-or-I-might-suffocate-and-die. We have too much stuff! Not in the same way hoarders have too much stuff. I just tend to collect things and then am determined that I'll need it someday. Well, no more!! I'm ruthlessly purging our closets and drawers. While Camillo's gone. Don't tell him I said so but he keeps a lot of stuff, too. I guess he's kinda sentimental. But dang it, those frayed headphones are going in the trash if I have anything to say about it! Right next to the Goodwill box full of shoes I've sworn I'd wear. Since 2008.

A bunch of my friends are having babies. This is not an announcement. I'm just thinking about my pregnancy with Oliver and reminiscing a lot lately about his first weeks home. He's almost a year old, you guys. ONE YEAR OLD. 52 weeks. 365 days. And for those about to ask, he won't be getting a sibling 'til he's like, 6. So find someone else to bug about that. He would make a really good big brother though...

Speaking of brothers, one of mine had a birthday last month. Well, two of them did. Josiah turned 11 and Jordan turned 21! That makes me feel old. But I'm not. (notnotnot) I couldn't write a special post for Jordy on the 26th because we weren't connected to the internet. I owe you some dorky little kid pics and some mushy thoughts about how I'm glad you're my brother and blah blah, Jordan. So, wait for that.

Along the 'no internet' topic. We're hooked back up. Because God is good and my mom's best friend works at Comcast (hi, Rhonda)! We didn't get any special treatment or family discounts, but she was able to rework our (years) old package so that it can be cheaper while still getting the services we need really enjoy having. Plus, we cut out some extra stuff we didn't even know we were paying for. That made me feel a little irresponsible. But whatever, super long story. I'm thanking God for lightening a really heavy burden that came along in a little white Comcast envelope.

I have a lot more things I'd like to share in regards to how God is taking care of us through this season. But I'll save that for another post because this one is already long and awkward.

Happy Hump Day! (dude, watch the camel video I posted this morning)
xoxo
Joy

Hump Day, Yeeeeah!!

For your viewing pleasure.. Happy Wednesday. You're welcome.

Seafoam Green..Or Whatever You Wanna Call It

I'm totally in love with the seafoam green phenomena. There are so many shades, it's one of those colors that is open for interpretation. Like 'caramel'. Ask a group of people to grab a sample of 'seafoam green' and you'll get 20 different color swatches! 

Anyways, my seafoam interpretation is called 'Minty Shake'. Mmm..it's so dreamy! I picked up a little sample size (perfect for small projects!) and plan to paint a small accent wall in my kitchen. Wish me luck, photos to come!!

Also, I painted my nails with 'Gargantuan Green Grape' by OPI. Another shade for seafoam that I love!

What's your favorite color right now?

xo

Joy

Quiet Time

While Ollie slept I could have scrubbed the pots and pans piled on the stove. Or cleared the dining table. Or finished the project I want to post. Or done a load of laundry. Or purged the coat closet. Or..

But mama's a little bit tired. And I just need some sit-on-the-couch-and-scan-through-pinterest-while-watching-a-show time. So I took it. I'm trying to take a little bit of time to rest and decompress everyday. Just for 30 minutes or so. It's good for me, my bambino, and my hubby. Now, chores! 

Well, I didn't mean to take such a long hiatus! It's been a great month + couple weeks. I've missed writing, though, and I'm happy to be back. Thanks for waiting for me :)
xo
Joy

TGIF

Did you have a good week? It's been dark and rainy here but the weather fit perfectly into our sleepy week. Oliver has been teething (seriously. again. 5th tooth already.) and when that happens, he wakes up reeeally early. Like 430am he's up in his crib, talking to Francis (the Hippo), singing, laughing at his own jokes, knocking on the wall looking for someone to come play with him. There's no ignoring him when he's ready to get up so this mama has been soo sleeepy.

Now, it's Friday and we're heading out of town. It will be a fun couple days with the fam, three photo shoots, and hopefully a little rest for me! What are your plans for the weekend? I know! You want to enter this giveaway right away so you don't miss out! It closes tonight at midnight and I'll randomly draw the winner on Monday. At this point, you guys, there's one entry (thank you, Katie ;). I noticed on FB that a few of you shared the link - thank you! But don't forget to leave a comment below to say 'I shared on FB' or something like that so that you're in the running. Because I only draw from the comments on this page, not Facebook or Pinterest. Get it? Thanks guys :)

Happy Weekend!!
xo
Joy