wallpaper apps

I'm watching Dirty Dancing as I type this, for the second time this week. Drew and I sat in my parents living room last Sunday morning (when we were supposed to be on the road back home) and watched it like we'd never seen it before. And just to tie it all together Drew and I did a little dirty dancing of our own on New Years. The Taylors drove to Roanoke and spent the evening/night/following day with us. I can never get enough of them. They're so much fun.

• I think I mentioned a few posts back that Drew and I joined the Y. I actually surprise myself at how much I enjoy going, and we even get a workout running walking there. However, after being all of like 8 times I don't know why I'm not seeing results. I mean in reality I know how crazy that is but it'd be nice if I did. Granted the Y has to compete with the 30 some sausage balls I consumed over Christmas and the fact that I've had Domino's four times in as many days.

• I always struggle to determine when I should take down Christmas. What is your usual routine? I mean, I have lots of free time right now so it would make sense but it still feels too early. It makes our house so homey. But if I'm being honest the real reason is that my Christmas tree would likely still have to sit in our living room because I have nowhere to store it. So....maybe I'll keep it up a while longer.

• Do I talk about New Girl too much on here?? Well at least I don't speak only in New Girl quotes like I do to my sister.

• And to finish out this random post I started reading A Little History of the World which is written for children but it is so lovely. I just smile every time I pick it up. Also, I started A Year of Biblical Womanhood on my Kindle. It has certainly inspired me to start studying women of the Bible more. Trying to get all of my reading in before I go back to school in a week and a half.

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year complete with dirty dancing (if that's your style). Here's to 2014!

Three-and-a-half-year-old Toby has a bunch of books, but he has read them all so many times that they're literally falling apart. So his #1 wish for Christmas (aside from a motorcycle and a sitar) is books. So I'm really curious: Which books do your children read over and over and over?

Toby's seven most beloved books are:
Knuffle Bunny Free (His all-time favorite; we have read it eight billion times)
Along a Long Road
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
The Adventures of Taxi Dog
In the Town All Year 'Round
Brown Bear, Brown Bear (Toby STILL loves this board book after three years)
One Sunday Morning (Alex made this book come alive!)

These books came highly recommended by my friends with three-year-olds, so they're on our wishlist:
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Little Bear
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild
The Popcorn Book
Singing Away the Dark
Pancakes, Pancakes
Chicken Big
Richard Scarry's Best First Book Ever
Amelia Bedelia (Did you ever read these? I loved them when I was little)

What are your children's favorite books, and how old are your kids? I'd LOVE to hear....

P.S. Our 10 favorite books when Toby was one.

(Photo of Toby's bedroom by Ryan Liebe)

Just added these two babies to my ever growing collection...

Every once and a while I love to feature local artists, entrepreneurs and design savvy people. So today I wanted to feature the home of illustrator Majd Soudi. When I came across her small apartment I was so inspired by how well she utilized the space and made it look and feel not only comfy but beautifully decorated as well. Take a look at her stylish place...

Just some pretty to brighten your day...

Okay I have finished my Christmas shopping, so it's okay that I went and bought myself a few things right?! I am assuming that you are all nodding...good. Then it's also okay to show you some eye candy too right? okay good...