Snowed In... (my view of the outside)

In one month, we had a week of sunshine and 70's, laying out in the yard. Two weeks of blizzards, and this week it is back in the 70's. This Oklahoma weather is so unpredictable, but I am always happy for the quick change when life starts to feel stale.
The two weeks of snow that we had, I got so much done around the house. And even though my motherly instincts told me to stay inside in my warm, cozy house with a cup a tea, the adventurer in me needed a bit of a break from staring at four walls.

Here are a few photos from our days in the snow.






I always appreciate Petey (our Honda Element) on snow days. When everyone else is stuck in snow drifts on the side of the road, we're cruising by. He has also saved quite a few stranded motorists in his day, pulling them to safety.



We've put over 50,000 miles on him, exploring a few states and heading on lots of little road trips over the last 3 years that we've had him.



















Here are a few photos I snapped on my phone on the day that Michael built an igloo. My husband is a builder of everything. I threw the ball with H and kept him entertained so he wouldn't remember how cold his paws were. In the end, I could barely crawl inside because of my huge belly. We stayed out there in the freezing cold, proud of our igloo until it was almost dark. Only after Michael asked (half-jokingly) "Do you want to sleep out here, tonight?" I really did marry adventure when I said "I do." And no, I didn't sleep in the igloo in the freezing cold, 8 months pregnant.


...

This break away from the internet has been just what I needed. I've been taking pictures, working on the nursery, sending off packages, and working on stock products for the shop. My computer is actually broken at the moment, and I've been in no rush to figure out how to fix it. The moment to breathe without distraction has been wonderful, and I am going to keep up with only getting online for a couple hours a week here and there.
I can't imagine how busy our new lives will be, come April. But it is a kind of busy that I can not wait to experience.

A few questions I've been asked, lately:

What camera/lenses do you use?
I have probably been asked this question 10,000 times in my life :) Not only that, but it is the very first question on my FAQ page. You can find my response, there.

What's your skincare routine?
Not much of one at all, actually! I wash my face at night with a natural soap. Actually I wash everything with it. Michael even washes his hair with it. We buy it in bulk when we visit Austin a couple times a year. This time we came back with 28 bars :) There are tons, and tons of different companies out there that make natural soap. Here is our favorite.
Other than that, nothing. I eat really well, and that's normally the very first thing I tell people to do if they want to have good skin. You are what you eat. Here is a list of 20 good foods for good skin. Those are all huge staples in my diet, and the best skin care routine you can come up with.
I use natural exfoliating sponges, and I think that helps a lot, as well.

Do you use a tripod?
Yes, and yes. I hardly ever used to use it, but now I wonder how I ever lived without one. Especially for photos around the house.

Your toe nails are always so white! What do you use on them?
HA! I got a little laugh out of that one. Thank you! I used to never have naked toes, but over the last 2 years I have just given up on all polish. I really love short, healthy, clean nails. I think it is the best look of all. I just buff them with a regular nail buffer, and that's it. It gives them a smooth surface and shine, with no chipping or maintenance. Not to mention reaching my toes isn't as easy, anymore :)

Because you are so down to earth, would you ever consider not wearing makeup because it is so bad for your skin?
I honestly hate make up. My least favorite part of my day is putting it on. I agree that it is terrible for your skin, so I just try to keep it minimal with a loose powder that I dust on. You will never catch me wearing foundation, or anything heavy on my face.
With that being said, I think all little girls are a piece of their Mothers. Growing up, I would sit on my Mom's bed and watch her paint on all of her beautiful Lancome makeup. I feel like I have adapted a lot of my Mom's theory on style, and how we look. To me, I think it's important (but not the most important thing) to look as beautiful on the outside as we do on the inside. I don't use my makeup as a mask, and just like to accent with it. As much as I'd love to give it up, I just think I look much more polished and put together with it on. But on the weekends nothing touches my face :) Those are free days.

Where did you get the birds in the nursery? I purchased them at a local boutique. I get asked a lot of questions about where I buy things, and to be honest, I will probably be no help. I hardly ever shop online, and try to just stay around here in my favorite little local stores. And a lot of the things in our house have been here for years.

What color is the green paint on your walls? It's Ryegrass by Behr. It's the color in our kitchen, and dining room. I love it! It's more yellow during the day, and takes on an olive hint at night. I've used just about every brand of paint, and Behr hasn't been my favorite as far as quality goes, but I love the color. When we move, I think I will try to match this swatch to another brand I like, just to keep the color around.

Where did your sister get the bird pendant?
I couldn't tell you, I'm sorry. I would ask her but she bought it years ago, so I know it's long gone. I have had a bird obsession since I was a little girl, so the little bird trinkets in our house could be years and years old.
Creepy side note: When I was young, I had a fascination with dead things. Birds in particular. I found a dead one at the zoo, and my Mom let me bring it home in a cup to observe and play with for the day before I had to throw it away. Who knew that I would turn out so normal, with only a slight obsession with birds. All early signs pointed to serial killer :)

Will you be selling your prints?
I would love to. I have always wanted to, but feel overwhelmed when it comes to decisions about it. I will hopefully find a company soon that I can get my prints done through.