oh hey, friday! | my kid screamed at me for an hour last night

Friday, July 31, 2015

oh hey, "it took me over an hour to get my eldest to bed." i heard the following things screamed into the monitor -

-you make kaye sad!
-I! WANT! CUDDLES!!!! (sob sob sob)
-i can't lay down. it's too hard!
-i don't like my pillow. i don't like my pillow. i don't like my pillow.

i'm convinced my kaye is the master of manipulation. she finally won and got my attention when she said, "kaye has to go pee pee."

i went downstairs, walked her to the bathroom, she did her business...and i wound up singing her songs. cuddling her. laying in bed with her. playing with her hair.

30 minutes after the pee break she notified me i could leave.

thanks, kaye.

this is the business i have to deal with if she naps. i do everything i can to keep her from napping during the day so bedtime is easier. we'll call it a #nappingfail today.

so thank god it's friday. fridays erase unfortunate happenings like botched bedtimes.

let's get this link-up party started -

1 | grab this here snazzy summer-themed button and link back to september farm.

2 | link up your post at the bottom of this post.

3 | tell all your friends + have a fantastic friday.

<a border="0" href="http://farmerbell.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c151/karlib83/SUMMER%20oh%20hey%20friday_zpsozsveclw.png"/></a> M Y  F I V E
1 | birthday inspiration

via

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i can't help it. i'm birthday party crazed when it comes to thinking about how to celebrate my two best gals...but more importantly...how i brought them into this world so they better appreciate it or else. know what i mean? 
anyway, i follow tomkat studio on instagram and she's always posting the most glorious inspiration. when i saw her strawberry party i couldn't help myself. i want to purchase all of it. 
2 | kaye's slumber party my kaye! aside from her fit-throwing at bedtime...she's growing up so fast! she had her first slumber party last night with a fellow farm gal. this particular farm gal is seven...and the sweetest seven year old you'll ever meet. she definitely plays the role of big sister, but like a nice big sister. kaye looks up to her so so much and is what some may call obsessed. i'm working on teaching kaye how to stop creeping other kids out.
3 | 4 x feature sale hey gals! i'm looking for three more lovelies to be featured in august's 4 x feature! interested? need an example? check out these write ups here and here. 
want to go for it? use the code 4FEATURE40 for 40% off!
4 | i have a problem...and it's called stressing about most everything. so much so that i stress other people out. 

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well, my sister and her little family arrive tomorrow and then we're headed up to our favorite mountain town for the week. and people...it's a vacation, so...this my motto will be.
5 | creative market obsession
that's right. i'm coming to terms with it. i have a new obsession. does anyone else lose huge chunks of time popping around creative market? i can't help myself. i search one thing and that turns into another, into another, into another. it also makes me want to spend ungodly amounts of mula on fonts and the hottest new watercolor animal silhouettes and stock photos and and it's a problem.
if you haven't checked out creative market and you enjoy making your own graphics for your blog or  this or that...head that way. it doesn't disappoint. 
linky link time! tell your friends!

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SAWYER | NINE MONTHS

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

as much as i'm thrilled that my sawyer-muff is nine months old...i'm quite possibly more excited that i  have less than three months of breast feeding to go. 

you guys...home stretch. 

really wish it was one of those magical experiences i hear so many moms talk about...but it's not. it just isn't. 

it's not that sawyer is a bad nurser or a biter or that it's painful...it's just that i'll be excited to wear a normal bra again. and to not have to nurse in public. and no more pumping. and...i'm going to start researching that breast lift i've been dreaming about for the past three years. 

but what am i doing...this is supposed to be all about my sawyer-muff!!

T H I S  M O N T H . . .

this month you've really started to stretch your legs...as in you want to walk everywhere.

granted...we still have to hold your hands as you walk, but you're really REALLY close.

part of me is somewhat excited to watch you take your first steps, and the other party of me is grateful that we aren't going to have another nine month walker, like your sister. the head injuries that girl sustained were unfortunate.

you can stand unassisted for a bit at a time. your longest stretch was 15 seconds. when you realize you're standing by yourself you get suuuuuper excited, lose your balance and immediately sit down. so...your enthusiasm isn't helping your progress.

your second favorite pastime? crawling. you're a better crawler than your sister, so you have that going for you. your poor knees though. they are all scuffed up...although i'm not sure from what? our hardwood is super smooth, so maybe the carpet?

my favorite part about your crawling is when i'm in the other room and then all of a sudden i see your little head pop through the door with a look as if to say, "hey. hey. what's going on in here? what am i missing?"

this month you've expanded your sound vocab. you're still yelling mama when you wake up from a nap or if you want picked up. but you're also starting to work out other words, although totally not audible.

this month you've really taken a liking to antagonizing your sister. you grab at her CONSTANTLY. sometimes kaye is totally game and thinks it's funny. i think kaye may have more patience than me. but sometimes kaye gets suuuuuper irritated with you and you make her cry. she says through tears, "bitty's getting me! stop bitty!" i can't help but laugh. sisters, they're the best.

this month you've started to give high fives. you looove giving high fives. oh...and you started waving "bye!" who taught you that?

this month you've decided you no longer like posing perfectly for pictures. what gives gal?!

nicknames | bitty-boo-boo, bitty, bittles, sawyer-muff, muffy-muff

height + weight | we'll have an appointment next week, but i wouldn't be surprised if you've grown another inch and gained a pound. your thighs...girl. your thighs.

food | you eat anything and everything. thank you for this. yesterday i blended sweet potato, broccoli, avocado, and zucchini. guess what...you ate it. i tried it. it was disgusting.

sleep | girlfriend...you're my little sleeping champion. you have elongated your naps to two a day for two hours each. looooove that when we're home and sticking to our schedule. but it makes life a little difficult when it comes to travel // vacations. hopefully you'll be more flexible when your auntie, uncle and cousin are visiting next week.

you're typically ready for bed each night around 6:00 pm...can't be mad about that since that's when i'm ready for bed too.

nursing | hey girl hey...with your longer napping schedule it makes it a little more difficult to nurse you five times...so now we're down to four, sometimes three times a day. you don't seem to be too upset about it...or not at all.

looking forward to | what if this next month you worked on some more teeth? you're still sitting solid at two little teeth on the bottom with no signs of any more on their way.

also, if you could bat your beautiful blue eyes at me a little more i wouldn't be mad about that.

oh...and one more thing. stop being so sweet. and stop smiling all the time. and stop being so ticklish.

sawyer-bitty-muffin-mcmuffs...you're pure perfection.

lots of love my love.

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farm food | a healthy dinner for babies + toddlers + adults

Monday, July 27, 2015

happy monday. happy. freaking. monday.

actually, i'm pretty thrilled it's monday because that means i'm no longer recovering from one too many margaritas. 

lemme tell you...that was painful.

but i'm not here to discuss my libations...i'm here to tell you all about a favorite meal of mine that's a win with everyone in our family. and the very very best part? you can prep it in less than 10 minutes and serve it in less than 30. it's so so perfect for the nights when you're running out of time but need to put something in their bellies...and you're feeling too guilty to give them cereal...again.

i stole this recipe from julie, over at the girl in the red shoes, but i've adapted it here and there to fit the way we like it, and the end result is delish.

B E A N - W A   B O W L

ingredients list

-1 can kidney or black beans
-1 can diced tomatoes
-2 chicken breasts shredded (i use kirkland shredded chicken from costco)
-1 zucchini shredded + 1 squash shredded (really, you just need two in any combination)
-1 cup uncooked quinoa
-garlic salt to taste

toppings

-cilantro
-sour cream
-shredded cheese

1 | start by boiling your quinoa. just throw two cups of water + 1 cup of dry quinoa into a saucepan together.

2 | in another pan, throw all other ingredients together on medium heat and give it a good stir so everything is combined well.

i cover the pan for about 10 minutes to give it a good steam.

3 | really, that's it. i place the cooked quinoa in the bottom of a bowl and top it with the squash // chicken // bean mixture.

then top your dish with shredded cheese // sour cream (and cilantro) for a delicious, healthy meal!

however, if you're looking for even healthier, you can top it with greek yogurt and skip the cheese...and you know what? still amazingly flavorful.

and the best part? everyone will like this meal. it's a win all around.

for sawyer, i just throw the quinoa and chicken // squash mixture into the food processor and give it a few pulses and it's the perfect texture for her two teeth. it's not blended so much that it's mush, but blended just enough that there are no choking hazards.

that's it! now go enjoy yourself this super simple, super yummy, super healthy meal!

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oh hey, friday! | time to get motivated

Friday, July 24, 2015

hey friday hey!

if you were around here yesterday you saw that i was in one hell of a funk, and have been for several days...maybe even a week or so. i can't remember.

but i have some bad news and some good news.

the bad news is it rained here. it rained all over my farmer's cut hay, which is a very bad thing. it completely kills the nutritional value of the hay which drives the price down. a total bummer.

the good news - because of the rain it pretty much stopped everything going on on the farm, which means my farmer got to spend the entire day with us.

we had pancakes and a dance party. we hit up costco. we took the girls to a playground. we hit up happy hour. two moscow mules and several appetizer's later...everyone was feeling full and happy on the patio with the misters going on the 92º day...and that was just a thursday.

now it's friday...and everything feels a little nicer and more relaxed on a friday. so buh-bye funky mood. see you next never.

and because it's friday, it's time to get down with our link-up selves -

1 | grab this here snazzy summer-themed button and link back to september farm.

2 | link up your post at the bottom of this post.

3 | tell all your friends + have a fantastic friday.

<a border="0" href="http://farmerbell.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c151/karlib83/SUMMER%20oh%20hey%20friday_zpsozsveclw.png"/></a>
5 THINGS I NEED TO GET MOTIVATED FOR...LIKE...YESTERDAY
1 | next week is the final week of MOVE YOUR BOOTY where the goal was to get 200k steps in the month of july. well...i'm happy to report i've passed up the 200k mark and i think i'm going to go for 300k instead. boom. no big deal.
2 | ever since the tone it up #binkichallenge finished i've been severely slacking in the kitchen. as in...it just seems like we've been on the go go go so much that i haven't been making dinner. so so lame. so, this next week i'm going to map out a meal plan and make dinner five nights. no excuses.   3 | several months ago my farmer put up a beautiful cararra marble backsplash in the kitchen for me. it's totally gorgeous and brightened up the once gray walls. however, we have yet to seal and caulk the 125 square feet of it all. after i finished sealing and caulking it also needs a little touchup paint, so i'll have to hammer that out as well...and THEN i'll feel good about finally getting our cabinet pulls installed. 4 | speaking of house projects...we STILL don't have a design direction for our bathroom downstairs. it is currently in studs...which is how it's been sitting for the better part of three years now. 
really, the only thing picked out is this gorgeous vanity from pottery barn. and when i say picked out i mean it's purchased and has been sitting in our basement for six months. 

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this coming week i'll need to finalize our finish choices as far as lighting, mirrors, and tile are concerned. maybe that will motivate us to get the ball rolling. 
i'm hoping the finished product will be totally classic, clean, with a little bit of glamour. since we're a house of girls, and all. the problem is...i'm leaning each of these ways and the two styles definitely can't be married together. 

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first world problems. 
5 | PARTY PAPER! first things first...i can't thank you all enough for all your kind words and encouragement as i get this little project moving and grooving. secondly...THANK YOU so much to those of you who have reached out for me to design some goodies for you! i'm so SO excited to start working on your projects! a sweet first birthday party, a gender reveal invitation, an anniversary party invitation, a birth announcement...you guys! this is so fun! which brings me toooooo... i have GOT to get that website finished. but who has time?! i'm thiiiiiis close to just hiring someone to finish it up. i think it's probably the smart thing to do. 

okay...enough about my simple goals for my coming week...it's linkup time! happy weekend!

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why so uninspired?

Thursday, July 23, 2015

talk about a downer post. this totally sucks.

i've been in a pretty nasty blogging rut for months now and i just can't seem to get out of it. i've been feeling so uninspired.

guess it's time to get pregnant again so i can post about baby goodies and weekly bump-dates.

(oh...is that not the right reason to get pregnant? for blogging?)

i guess i'm feeling uninspired because it feels like i do three things -

1 - workout

2 - work on my party paper

3 - play with my girls

in addition to that...i haven't been seeing my farmer a whole heck of a lot, you know, what with the farming and all.

and and...i'm just kind of a downer. whomp whomp. i'm sure everyone feels so bad for me.

oh wait...no they don't. and why should they? i just got back from a little mini vay-cay in the mountains.

but you all know what i mean, right? when you just feel in a funk because you're in a funk?

is that where the positive self-talk comes in and i tell myself, "get your sh*t together karli. life is good."

maybe i'll go put some makeup on and eat a healthy lunch. that'll make me feel less funky too.

and then...maybe i'll be able to put pen to paper...errr...fingers to keyboard and write something worthwhile. riiight?

so tell me...what are you magic tricks to pull yourself out of a funky, uninspired mood? help a gal out.

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why i'm a little buzzed on monday night...

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

let's just start things off with admitting that i'm a little buzzed.

but i'm on vacation, so it's okay.

that's right. the girls and i escaped to mccall to beat the heat (and the flies) and escaped to the little oasis that is mccall, idaho.

unfortunately, we left our farmer on the farm to do farm things (ie. work 24 hours a day), so he was unable to join us. but this also explains why i'm buzzed and writing a blog post at 7:30 pm. both girls are in bed. we had a a hell of a busy day. and this mama deserved a little wind-down after both girls were tucked away for the evening. my view for the evening...

so now it's just me and the bachelorette: men tell all. and i'm not ashamed to say it. (oh...and a my beer.)

but that's enough chatter about being buzzed, and leaving our farmer to do all the hard work, and blah blah blah. i'm here to talk about some new, awesome songs to add to your playlist to get your boo-tay moving. trust me...these four songs will pick your spirits up...and your step. you can't help but move a little lighter to these tunes.

no seriously...get these four tunes into your workout rotation. they are must-haves and will put a smile on your face as you sweat it out. they are on my running playlist all day err day.

shut up and dance with me

WALK THE MOON

pretty young thing

MICHAEL JACKSON

uptown funk

MARK RONSON featuring BRUNO MARS

meghan trainor
LIPS ARE MOVIN

you're welcome.

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oh hey, friday! | new hair, new side-bizz, + a funny video

Friday, July 17, 2015

hey hi gals and gals...because i've come to the realization that not even my dad nor my farmer read this blog anymore. strictly gals. gals rule...boys droo...are cute.

so it's friday and it's time to get down. gotta gotta get up to get down. even if it is 6 am.

have i mentioned before that i wake up at 5 am every morning so that i can have alone/quiet time before i have to tend to my children?

does this make me a bad mom, or just a little bit crazy? let's roll with a little bit awesome.

as i was saying, it's time to get down with oh hey, friday!

1 | grab this here snazzy summer-themed button and link back to september farm.

2 | link up your post at the bottom of this post.

3 | tell all your friends + have a fantastic friday.

<a border="0" href="http://farmerbell.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c151/karlib83/SUMMER%20oh%20hey%20friday_zpsozsveclw.png"/></a>

1 | so...my farmer thinks i'm a bit of a diva because i shop at baby gap for all of the clothes for my gals. but people...there's a method to the madness! and i'm here to show you just how good the deals can get! there's just one rule -

NEVER BUY ANYTHING FULL PRICE...

ALWAYS WAIT FOR THE SALE. ALWAYS.

actually, there are two rules...be a cardholder. i have a banana republic card and the reward points you get work interchangeably between BR, old navy, and GAP. the only trick is you have to make sure you have a zero balance at each statement...or having a card is pointless. 

the proof is in the receipt.

that's right. you are seeing than $2.53 for the most expensive item.

i purchased two sets of matching dresses for the girls. a set of matching p.j.'s, some shoes, an outfit for bitty, two night dresses for kaye...and i think that's it. all of that was just over $20. that's a deal, people. that's a deal.

2 | K A Y E  U P D A T E !

i couldn't be more proud of my girl. earlier this week she was acting like an absolute lunatic...like, more-so than usual. i knew she was exhausted and would need a nap so i had her lay down. actually, i made her lay down. she was acting more and more insane and i became frustrated and told her she couldn't have her binkie. (slightly immature, but it made me feel better.) she screamed and fought sleep for a good 30 minutes and then finally passed out. 

then, when we put her down for bed that night she asked for her binkie, but her farmer and i had concocted a story - you see...we have jackrabbits all over the farm. we thought it a brilliant idea to tell her that the bunnies had stolen all her binkies. 

needless to say, kaye hates the bunnies now...but at least she doesn't hate us. the story totally worked and she's been binkie free all week.

in addition to no binkies she's also been waking up completely dry. she also woke up once this week to let me know she had to use the bathroom. this is huge! i couldn't be more proud of my fully potty-trained gal. 

3 | H A I R  U P D A T E !

so...when i went in on monday to get my hairz all cut up i knew i was going to have to go short. i told the gal all my hair woes and she assured me she would help a gal out. she felt my pain. she also told me to not worry when she made the first cut in the back. i was like, "uhhh..." then she made the first cut and i started to sweat. 

it was SO SHORT. the shortest i've had my hair since like, sixth grade.

then she dried and curled it and it wasn't so bad.

then i went to lulu lemon and tried on these running pants. are they too wild?

then i got home and saw the look on my farmer's face and i knew it was bad.

then i worked out the next day, showered and tried to style it myself and knew it was even worse.

then i worked out again today, showered and dried it straight...and it's not so bad! and dare i say it looks the thickest it's looked in a long long time. 

all this to say, i do think i'll enjoy it more when it grows an inch or two, but it's definitely getting the job done and the end result is i'm super happy i gave it the choppy chop.

4 | P A R T Y  P A P E R!

i've been hard at work getting my party paper site up and running, and let me tell you...HTML is no joke. is there a magical coding tool out there i'm missing? i mean...there's no way people memorize all those codes...or maybe they do. 

what i'm saying is...if you have any coding // HTML tools you think i should know about, send them my way!

also, even though i'm still getting party paper all set up, i'd still love to work with anyone who's in need of party paper!

baby shower, birthday, announcement, e-invite? let me know what you're looking for, i'd love to help make your party pop! send me an e-mail!

5 | W A T C H  T H I S

i was reading through some old posts (which is actually pretty funny to do) and i ran across a video i posted long long ago.

a few years back my cousin, woody (the wedding my farmer and i attended in santa barbara), was posting his suvivaler videos on youtube. they are spoofs on people building bunkers and/or preparing for the end of the world...blah blah blah...i'll just let the video do the talking.

this is just one of several he did. all the videos are super funny, but i find this one hysterical...

see, super funny. okay! link up and have a stellar weekend!

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moving your booty is hard

Thursday, July 16, 2015

you guys. we're just over halfway through the move your booty challenge and i hope it's been suuuuper easy for everyone...just like it has been for me.

...oh wait. as it turns out...10,000 steps a day is actually quite the challenge. as in, i was on the treadmill at 9:30 pm last night trying to bust out the remaining 7000 steps i needed. which begs the question...

really? i only took 3000 steps in my normal daily activities? i guess we do sit on the floor a lot to play. 

but seriously...how's it been going?! are you moving your boo-tay more? i obviously am, which means the challenge is working.

however, most days it really is a struggle to talk myself into getting in the last few thousand steps, especially considering most days i've already done a workout. so, i've decided to sweeten the pot for myself. if i hit the goal of 200,000 steps by the end of july i'll snag myself some new lulu lemon running shorts and a new workout shirt...and a new running bra. oh lord i need a new running bra.

nothing gets my booty moving like the idea of being showered with gifts at the end.

and now, my soapbox -

people, friends, gals...why is taking care of yourself so hard? i struggle every single day. i want the junk food. it calls to me. i want to sit and watch chrisley knows best // real housewives // modern family after my girls go to sleep. i just want to change into my comfy clothes...not put on workout clothes and get sweaty.

but guess what...100% of the time i feel better after the fact. especially in the morning knowing i made a healthy choice for my body.

i subscribe to runner's world magazine (which is an awesome read every single month) and i read a long time ago that if you don't feel like working out (which is like 50% of the time for me) just get out for 10 minutes. if after 10 minutes you are still just not feeling it, turn around and head back. be done and try again the next day. but odds are if you've made the effort to throw on all your workout gear AND you've made it out the door AND you've moved for 10 minutes...you're going to keep going.

i use this jedi mind trick often. it literally gets me every time. i've never quit after just 10 minutes.

so friends, throw on your very best jams, put on your short shorts and running shoes and keep moving your booty. it's the right thing to do.

and ps. friends don't let friends NOT move their booty...so move your booty. #bootymove

pps. see you back here for oh hey, friday! tomorrow!

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i'm working on a little project

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

so...for a few days now i've been working on a little project and it's taking FOREVER.

FOR-EEE-VUR.  as in...a lot longer than i thought it would take.

there's a solid chance it has something to do with that new link up in the right hand corner.

and this...

who knew self-taught HTML // coding was actually this time-consuming? and when you have the two kids and all...taking up most of your time and all...hanging on you...crying at you...slapping your laptop until you put it down...well, it's really slowing the process down. but i'm trying.

all this to say, for the next week or so i am going to be cutting back on the posting. i have to if i'm ever going to get this new, little project moving and grooving.

no worries...oh hey, friday! isn't going anywhere. i'll still be doing that for sure.

so wish me luck...and if anyone just happens to be a whiz when it comes to HTML // coding and you want to help a gal out for zero dollars...well...count me in.

happy hump day!

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haircut time...because my hair fell out

Monday, July 13, 2015

here's a true story -

i have suuuuuper thin//fine hair. super super. sometimes i wear something i like to call fancy hair...also known as clip-ins. i love them. they make me feel...fancy. and like i have thickish hair for the first time in my life.

i originally picked up my fancy hair because when i was pregnant with kaye and shortly after she was born my hair broke off in a big way...in chunks.

it was all i could do to not have a panic attack.

i mean, wouldn't you have a panic attack if your hair broke like this? just look at the front of my hair? i certainly didn't cut it that way. (this was between pregnancies with kaye and sawyer.)

...and with the fancy hair. the fancy hair really allowed me to not lock myself inside.

i know it seems silly, but the hair breakage really killed my confidence.

fast forward a few years and the hair had grown back and was back to it's normal thinnish self. then i got pregnant with sawyer and the breaking of the hair began.

here's a view of the fancy hair while i was pregnant with sawyer during round two of hair breakage. here i had had the fancy hair shortened by at least five inches. i think it looked more natural.

then sawyer was born and the falling out of the hair began.

i felt like i and two hairs left. like...not even enough hair for my fancy hair to clip into.

i warded off any panic attacks, again, and waited for the regrowth process to begin...and so it has...with a vengeance. i have short spikes of hair popping up all over my head...in a dark brown color, no less.

all this to say, i need a haircut, like, two months ago. yesterday. right now.

i'm headed to the salon today to get my business together, and hopefully reappear with a style that will help my transitional hair. and with as much as i prefer long-ish hair (as does my farmer), i think we're all going to have to adjust to a sensible bob for the time being.

here's what i'm looking at...

source

source

source

i'm under no illusion that my hair will look as good as the gals pictured here. they have thick, glorious hair with body for days. what i am hoping for is a style that doesn't look like i just lost all my hair.

too much to ask? wish me luck.

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