Sweet as Pie: A Baby Shower for Baby Pavao

It's so much fun to dream up a shower to celebrate a sweet friend due with her first baby.

What's even more fun is have the help of great friends and to get to do it all together. 

And the icing on the cake is getting to host it in a killer space like Toolry in downtown Lynchburg.

We opted to have a dessert spread and what better dessert than pie?

Like, every kind of pie you could want.

Black and white with touches of green and metallic made for a great palate in this space.

   

And leftover pie to double as favors. Yes.

We had the best time celebrating this beautiful mama-to-be!

All photos courtesy of the fabulous Adam Mullins Photography.

Some easy DIY projects from this shower:

Tissue Paper Tassel Banner

DIY Pie Boxes

Photo Booth Chalkboard Talk Bubbles

Balloon Fringe

Book Review & Giveaway: Enough: 10 Things We Should Be Telling Teenage Girls by Kate Conner

My RA and friend from college, Kate Conner, is now a published author. And I totally saw this coming. She's thoughtful, witty, and a phenomenal writer. She's been writing a blog for years and her stories and writings about life and motherhood/parenthood always keep me coming back for more. I have several of her posts bookmarked in my reading list that I come back to and reread on the hard days. 

About two years ago, she wrote a blog post called, "10 Things I Want to Tell Teenage Girls." Well, this post blew up and rightfully so! In a matter of weeks, this post got millions of views. And thus created a launching pad for her to write books where she could fully delve into these 10 things we should be telling teenage girls and reach and even broader audience. 

On August 1, two of her books were released: one for the adult audience and one directed to teenage girls.  She breaks down these 10 things from her original post, chapter by chapter, and talks about relevant subjects like modesty, social media, and boys. The way she writes makes you connect with what she's saying. She speaks language and about subjects that people relate to and understand. Like about watching The Bachelor, and caring about what other people think of you, and writing Facebook statuses.
And she's not afraid to tell it like it is:

"Facebook doesn't cause drama, people cause drama. Facebook doesn't isolate you, you isolate you. Twitter doesn't waste your time, you waste your time. Twitter doesn't make anyone narcissistic, it gives people an outlet for displaying their previously existing narcissism." 

But most importantly, she incorporates the relevant, living Word of God throughout her book and reminds the reader of what God says and the truths we can stand on. 

And while I am no longer a teenage girl, I loved this book and found that the truths scattered throughout it stand the test of time and age. 

"Just because a thing is true, doesn't mean it's necessary. Not all truths are kind or loving or anybody's business." 

"Smoking is not cool." 

"The opinions of friends matter for one big, gigantic reason: relationships matter."

"Love people well - and know that in doing so, there is no room for manipulation." 

And maybe the perfect mantra for the book and also a truth I need to solidify in my own heart over and over:
 "We are enough because God declares us so. This is the great scandal of the gospel."

So, make sure you read Kate's original 10 Things post, and then go get your own copy!!

Or better yet, win one here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here are ways you can follow Kate Conner and her writings:  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  instagram  

Quit Your Day Job

I did it. I quit my day job.

For the past 5 years I've worked part-time outside of the home.

But I've traded that in for a higher calling: stay-at-home mama of two boys.

I cried when I put in my notice. Honestly, I'm terrified.

It's that fear of the unknown. The uncomfortable feeling of leaving something safe and familiar.

The discipline of having to stick to a new (and much smaller) budget.

The anxiety of losing bits of my sanity and my creativity as I fill my days with the needs of my little boys.
It all scares me.

Even scarier is my hope/dream of being a stay-at-home/work-at-home mama.

Is this really possible with kids so young? I keep asking myself.

I've worked hard over the past 5 years to also build my business, Honeysuckle {designs & things}.

I do freelance graphic design work (logos,  branding, advertisements, custom invitations, etc.) and I also have a line of art prints and vintage items in Pastiche at Main in Downtown Lynchburg (also available through my etsy shop and Pastiche at Main online).

I'm struggling with worrying how to juggle doing both. And do both well. But if you never try, then you'll never know, right?

I'm either on the verge of something great, or a mental breakdown.

I'll report back on that one.


Dear seasoned stay-at-home/work-at-home mamas, 
do you have any advice?