10 reason's to go drastically red this fall

I have been considering dying my hair this color for about 9 months now. But at the time I was pregnant with Sage and didn't want to take any chances (like so many other things in pregnancy their is controversy over wether or not you can dye your hair.) I swore if I still felt that way after she was born I would do it. I think it would be the perfect color for fall and here are my top ten reasons/inspirations behind wanting to go red.

A Fine Frenzy - pretty pretty

Victoria - I love that scene where she is swimming under the water and you can see her fire red hair so vividly approaching.

Molly Ringwald - I love 16 candles.

Julianne Moore - so classic

Gustav Klimt's painting's

Joan Harris from Mad Men

Ariel - She is my favorite!

Claire Danes on My So Called Life - I was in love with this show.

Anne Shirley - Gotta Love her!

Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine - I love her music and style so much and she was the catalyst for my desire to go red.

One day we will be besties and I will call her Flo because we're cool like that :)

1st Day of School

Lyla started her first day of school this morning and of course in true fashion I was snapping photos all morning. She looked so cute and all grown up!

Here is a sketch of the backpack I decided to make her.

I decided to make the pencil part out of felt to cut cut down of having to sew seam. Here are all the pieces cut out before they were sewn together.

I used an old dress I got from a thrift store and wore once for a costume party. I Used the straps for the backpack straps, some of the material for the backpack lining and the zipper.

I designed it so that the pencil is actually a front pouch. Here is Lyla sporting her smart backpack at her new school. Eeek - It is so quite here this morning without her, what am I going to do with all my free time? maybe....Get stuff DONE!!!

Cherry Pie in the sky

I recently saw this lattice pie pocket mold on the williams-sonoma site and had to grab it to make some pretty little pies with Lyla. This mold is so easy to use you just cut out the dough using one side of the mold and then seal the pocket together using the other side. Then bake on a cookie sheet for 25 minutes. It's as easy as Pie!

I wanted to use fresh cherries since it is cherry season, but I figured that would be too much work for Lyla. She thoroughly enjoyed the canned stuff anyways.

I love her face when she is concentrating - Aaron makes the same face when he is concentrating.

Oh so Yummy!!!!

felt flower headband

I made this felt flower headband using this tutorial from the purl bee to make the flowers.

Then applying hot glue to the bottom side of the headband and wrapping yarn around it.

Then I left the excess thread attached to the flower and simply sewed it to the yarn that was glued on the headband. P.S. I love my new macro lens!

Pretty Little Lyla! I'd like to make these in a few colors - maybe using blues and greens. I really like girly stuff life flowered headbands but in more masculine colors, I guess it's my tom-boy roots that keep springing out.

Toddler Music

I have recently discovered Laurie Berkner and Lyla loves her so much. It's so cute she runs around the house singing her songs - I love the sound of Lyla's sweet voice when she sings. I recommend The Best of Laurie Berkner if you are looking for fun music for your kids to sing along to.

july 4th photos

I made this little flag banner for july decoration to hang under my mantel, which has become my seasonal decoration spot. I used this tutorial and I love how vintage all american cute it came out.

Then of course I had to take 4th of july photos of my girls in front of my homemade banner in their very cute matchy but not too matchy jean dresses. I would like to make this a yearly tradition. Can't wait to scrap these!

Beautiful Sage's first 4th of July!

7 years of Love

Today marks seven years since Aaron and I committed our lives to each other. Marriage has truly been one of the most amazing things that has happened in my life. Not that it hasn't had it's trying times but when I sit and think over the past 7 years I can truly say it has been an adventure beyond my wildest dreams and I am more in love with Aaron today then I was on the day I said I would spend the rest of my life with him.

So to my love - I have truly loved the past 7 years being your wife, best friend and mother to your children and I still look forward to growing old with you!

- Pokey

Aaron did a photo journey for our anniversary last year so I wanted to do one this year. Here is our story (the short version) in picture form. I'm also including my favorite songs that remind me of us.

On our DTS outreach in Laos

Vietnam at Angkor Wat

Saying goodbye at the airport before we came back on staff with YWAM

Our crazy hair stage

Engaged

Married

Our honeymoon to the Florida Key

Kunming, China

Adventuring in China

You and me plus baby Lyla makes 3

Our trip to Savannah this year

Our family of 4