Before vacation I was searching for a swimsuit which is my version of hell.  Well the most shallow one I've experienced anyway.  I know there's the camp of women who are all "look at my stretch marks in this rad bikini" but that is not me friends.  I have figure flaws and I'd prefer to hide them. People often think I'm being modest when I say I have a belly but I promise I'm not lying. The only reason it's not always obvious is because I dress around it.  While a swim dress might be in my future (sigh) I'm not there yet.  All of these styles are flattering, modest, and pretty.

My dear friend was having a girl after THREE boys.  With a 4th baby and a different gender a sprinkle was a must, so a few friends and I put one on. She loves purple and named her sweetheart Violet, so a floral theme just seemed appropriate.  We added lavender, mint, and kraft, did a few DIYs, and called it a sprinkle.  Enjoy!

I am no marriage expert and could very easily rattle off things Joe and I could improve upon (communication for instance) and that I, as a wife could improve upon (keeping score for instance). That said, I love learning about how to make a marriage work, I'm not afraid to ask for advice from those with more experience under their belts than me, and I consider our willingness to meet each other halfway a strength of Joe's and mine. Not to mention, we're going on 11 years of marriage during which we've endured 3 moves, buying a house, a job loss, a miscarriage, 3 pregnancies & newborns, and cancer and we still like each other so that counts for something right?!

A friend recently asked my opinion on this topic and after a lengthy text conversation encouraged me to write this post, so that gives me a tiny bit of confidence to 'go there.' But bear with me as I honestly and openly share my thoughts.  Also these thoughts are based solely on my own marriage/experience.  There are extenuating circumstances in every relationship that can make this topic tricky. And I'm well aware that there are some marriages that have years of baggage and hurt that can't be remedied with a few tips in a blog post. Lastly I can't share our experience without outing myself and Joe (just a little), so please be kind!

This barely qualifies as a blog post but when I'm searching for something I feel the need to share my finds.  This is what makes me a blogger I suppose. Ha!  Last year I scored the sun hat above at Gymboree for only $7. I never found Nadia one and as any mama (or sister) knows, you can't get one baby a pretty hat without getting one for the other.  Hence my search for a hat for Nadia.  Here are my favorite affordable finds--all under $15 (plus special offers)!