STAY YOUNG, GO DANCING.

OKAY. Did y'all miss me? Week one of the new job has officially ended and I have three words to describe my experience.

PROPS. TO. MOMS.

I pretty much knew going in that I was going to feel this way. But still. Its just pure insanity. Let me give you a breakdown of the family:

Mom/Tresa, pediatrician, 8 months pregnant
Dad/Clay, cardiologist
Ben, 4, MLB enthusiast, Mini Georgia Bulldog, Doodleship Captain
Wes, 1.5, "Ball," "Baluga," "Choo-Choo," - pretty decent at putt putt 
Baby Boy, will be joining us on July 5th :)

Right now the boys are still finishing up partial days in daycare, but the family is still paying me for forty hours a week regardless of how many hours they use me... wut. Tresa said she was happy to because I was the right fit for them, and they would definitely be needing me full time once Baby Boy gets here. What a blessing. Its a nice change to have such a generous boss and I think about it everyday as to not take it for granted.

Week High: Every night at bed time, Ben says prayers and five things he is thankful for and I made the list on Tuesday. That was such a sweet feeling for me because things with Ben  have been very high and very low. We have a great time when we're playing baseball. But he is struggling with the transition between Mamma and Miss Kelsey (Yes, he calls me Miss Kelsey). It all comes with time. 

Week Low: On Friday when I was driving Ben threw his Braves hat at me. When I explained to him why it was dangerous, he laughed. So he went to his room and was told he could come out when he was ready to apologize- then he hit Wes because that made it mad. So he went back to his room, cried, then came out and apologized to Wes. And then we all had a happy dinner.

Before I started this job, I sort of had in the back of my mind that I wanted kids soon (soon being relative) --- but now I'm like NO Kelsey listen to Death Cab for Cutie and STAY YOUNG, GO DANCING!!!!!! I just mean, there's no rush. So many more things to do and experiences to have in my twenties. 

Granted every time Wesley looks up at me and says, "More, please!" and hands me his sippy cup, I think to myself, "pretty please let my future child be as cute as this little nugget."

Who knows? I'm sure my thoughts will change a million more times as the weeks go on.



Thanks for reading

DO'S & DONT'S OF WEDDING SEASON.

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1. DO buy one solid colored medium length dress. Make sure its the type of fabric is something you can pair with a blazer, silver statement necklace & heels for a more dressy affair. But also something you can dress down with a light sweater, neon necklace and wedges. This way, one dress can last you three weddings if you play your accessories game right!

2. DO rsvp in a timely fashion. The couple has a lot going on and are putting a lot of time and effort into their wedding day. Don't make them work to figure out whether or not you're coming.

3. DO bring a plus one if you're offered that option! A partner in crime is always fun, especially if you may not know a lot of people.

4. DON'T bring a guest if that option was not extended to you. Furthermore, do not call the couple and say, "I just started dating Johnny and you would love him, he's totally awesome, would you mind if I brought him along to the wedding?" Yes, they mind. Which is why they didn't give you the option of a plus one. Under this same umbrella, if your kids were not included on the invite- they're not invited.

5. DON'T steal the spotlight. This means no wearing white. No showing off your recent wedding pics. No showing off your new engagement ring and talking about your impending nuptials. If people ask, say that being there to celebrate with Mr. & Mrs. Whatsaname has inspired you in so many ways, and mention how beautiful the centerpieces are, to turn the focus back to them. 

6. DON'T call/text the bride or groom with questions about the wedding or for directions. This should seems obvious, but it still happens. All concerns or questions should be communicated to the wedding party or researched on the wedding website.

7. DO turn off your phone during the ceremony. Along with this, if you want to use your phone to take pictures make sure the flash is off. Your photography should not interfere with the professionals photography.

8. DO buy a gift from the registry. This is a list of items handpicked by the couple- you can't go wrong- so why would you risk it.

9. DON'T be late. If you are, don't try to secretly scurry into the ceremony. People will hear you & people will turn around.

10. DO congratulate the couple & their families! 

WEEKEND MISHMASH.

happy weekend :)

I have designer's lust for this clock. Peruse this site. If you haven't been before, it basically takes artwork/a design and puts it on pillows, iPhone cases, mugs and everything else you can imagine.

This Ginger Raspberry Crush Drink recipe looks so yummy for summer. In case y'all didn't know, its HOT in Georgia. Its been "summer" for a month. So I'm ready for this.

Here are 8 TEDtalks that will supposedly change your life. What I like about this collection is that its really diverse and they all seem to have a different theme. I haven't finished watching but when I do I'll let you know what I think and you guys do the same, deal?!

I need this for our future front porch. Why does it not actually exist for purchase? We are moving into a house in August and I can picture it now: sun setting, white wine in my hand, craft IPA in Ben's, Molly sitting on the porch, us just rocking back and forth. HOW FREAKING ROMANTIC. Anyway...

Conscious Commerce [ B E T A ] // A guide to conscious living & shopping put together by Olivia Wilde and Co.

This was posted on Facebook by my friend Kaitlynn: The account of Steve Kandell's experience at the new 9/11 Memorial Museum, to which he was formally invited to attend early after losing his sister in the tragedy thirteen years ago.

Which natural products do you love? I use argan oil on my hair everyday. Here are what science says are some of the best. Click on the links within the descriptions to see the studies that back it up!

And lastly in honor of wedding season (which I'll have more on soon!) - a cute ass picture: 

http://i.imgur.com/Of7DVVi.jpg

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, enjoy your extra day off!!!!

MOTIVATION SITUATION!

Right now I am having serious issues with self motivation. 

Its really easy for me to motivate myself to do something when I consider it "fun" or when I'm not doing it alone. For instance, one of Ben's friends from high school gave me the details for her wedding to design the invitation and I had a draft done in less than 24 hours. Boom. I finished, and I stared at my computer screen all smiley like thinking to myself, "I rock, I rule, I'm the coolest in school." And when I say "thinking to myself," what I really mean is, I sang this aloud to myself and Molly until she started chasing me. 

But I have hit a rut, big time. Its so bad that I keep pushing my shower back another half an hour because Long Island Medium "looks interesting." What. the. hell. This is not good. At least I'm still watering the herbs I wrote about a month ago. 

My main concern right now is exercise. I had a steady routine going. Then I went to New Jersey, and NJ worked it's voodoo magic like it does on all innocent people, and I got thrown off and sick. Now I'm back and healthy and don't care. Right now I'm in the forceful stage. I'm forcing myself to do things in the hopes that I will get back into the swing of my routine. 

www.someecards.com

I'm desperate for help with this. In fact I've got a note in my phone with a list of self help books to illegally download after checking them out at Barnes & Noble. I haven't lost all hope because I'm still actually waking up, doing things, not fast food, etc BUT I have a week and a half left before my new job starts. And I want to have my old self back. 

Do you guys have any helpful advice? What has helped you get back on track in the past?

WEEKEND MISHMASH.

// credit //

Have you guys heard of oil pulling? Its basically the process of swishing around a spoonful of coconut oil in your mouth for twenty minutes and then reaping the supposed benefits of whiter teeth and detoxifying the body. There's no factual evidence to back it up- but people all over the place are claiming amazing results. Here's one person's account. Do more research.


Just an awesome idea.

OK. So you can totally text 911. On one hand its like, how did it take so long for us to get to this point? On the other hand, how will they keep stupid teenagers and emotional drunk people from abusing this constantly (once it becomes widespread)? Read about the program here.

Explore here! P.S. Click on the book cover for a synopsis and reviews.




Obsessing over colorful front doors. 1 // 2 // 3 //

I saw this on Pinterest and it 
reminded me that its something 
I need to keep in mind 
and remember to offer 
grace to others. 







Jimmy Fallon & Kevin Spacey do Jason DeRulo's "Talk Dirty," and its amazing.




Enjoy your weekend, xoxo!

TEN REASONS HAVING A DOG IS THE BEST.

1. It does not matter what position they are asleep in, its always cute. Always!

2. Having a dog in your life promotes exercise. Especially in the puppy stages when they need a lot of exercise, so walks are a must. We take a daily walk with occasional trips to the dog park.

3. Interactions with dogs is a scientifically proven stress reducer. Research actually shows that a few minutes spent petting a dog, lowers blood levels of cortisol which is the stress hormone. Plus a few minutes spent playing with your pooch totally releases endorphins, so you can come home from work and get that happy high before you even start thinking about dinner!

4. I'm sure you could guess this based on number three, but pet owners are less likely to suffer from mental illness; even avoided things like anxiety and depression.

5. Your four-legged companion is the perfect sounding board. I talk to Molly all day- tell her my ideas. Basically a way to think out loud without feeling like I'm crazy talking to myself. She really gives the best advice.

6. As soon as you become a dog-owner you instantly become a member of the club. You can say anything to anyone, if you both have your dogs. When someone apologizes for their dog's behavior, the proper response is, "I've been there," with a sympathetic look. BUT, know that no apology is even necessary in the first place. Basically the club is really cool, and there are a lot unwritten guidelines. Y'all should join.

7. They make a family feel complete. Ben and I have had Molly for a year and we just really can't even remember day to day life without her. She really is our little girl. The idea of, IN MANY YEARS, having kids grow up with her as a companion makes us really really happy. Plus this; which she's been documenting for a long time.

8. A dog's love knows no bounds. It doesn't matter what you do, your dog will always be your biggest fan and its so easy for dogs to forgive. In return your love for your dog should be unconditional, and maybe consider dropping a grudge or two.

9. Dogs keep you grounded. They remind you to appreciate the simple things in life. After you see how happy a five minute belly rub makes them, you can't help but be thankful for all the great things you have.

10. Oh, the cuddling and the snuggling. IT. IS. THE. BEST.

_________________________________________________________________________

If any of you are considering adding a puppy or dog to your family I urge you to adopt. There are so many animals out there that need homes and a lot of them are in overcrowded shelters and will eventually be euthanized. It can be challenging depending on what circumstances landed the dog in the shelter but its definitely worth it. Research the local shelters, SPCAs, etc in your area. Another great tool is petfinder.com. If you enter your location, the type of pet you're looking for (dog, cat, etc.), if you have a breed preference, age preference (adult dogs need love too), and gender preference it will pull your results from all the local places who list with them. If you know you want a dog but you're not sure if you can handle the responsibility or if its something that would work for you right now, you should look into foster programs. Many shelters have programs, where you house a dog until it is adopted in order to free up space- you would be responsible for attended adoption events, which are most likely on Saturdays- think about the the lives you'll be changing!!!

Happy Puppy lovin' !

MAY IS CELIAC AWARENESS MONTH.

udis-glutenfree.tumblr.com

Exactly how gluten affects the body is sort of hard to explain, so I've got this handy dandy info-graphic to explain that. There are different levels of how gluten affects a person's body. When you have NCGS (Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity), also referred to as gluten intolerance, you feel the symptoms of gluten's attack on the body. Some of the symptoms these people feel are abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches, muscle/joint aches & food moves right through you if you know what I mean. There are a few differences between NCGS and Celiac Disease: 
1. Symptoms are usually less severe with NCGS.  2. With Celiac Disease your body's response to gluten damages the part of your small intestine that greatly aids in nutrient absorption  3. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder and NCGS has no autoimmune properties. 

Those are just the basics that answer the questions I get most often! Please comment with any other questions!