Lately

I love my Canon & try my hardest to bring it with me everywhere, but sometimes your phone is just so much easier to capture the quick little moments of daily life. Luckily with all of the photo app & effect options these days, you can still get really awesome pictures. Here are a few of my favorites from this week:

1st row- Rowan looking like a 50s housewife in her adorable thrifted dress

2nd row- Rowan ready for the pool in her vintage bikini I bought on ebay before I was even pregnant

3rd row- Rowan ready to watch the fireworks in her sound protective ear muffs & playing a maraca

4th & 5th row- Rowan photosesh while playing on the floor

♥

Papa Post

A guest post by yours truly

Ro's pop..

At the moment it's closing in on 9pm, which happens to be what time I got home from work. Luckily it's not too often that I have to stumble in at 9pm from the "office" but this past year I've been homeward bound no earlier than 7 o' clock many times. Seeing as my day starts at 5:30am getting home so late means I miss pretty much all but maybe two hours if I'm lucky of my little one's daily life. Two hours to catch up to mama, who's been in her line of sight 24/7 since she was born. That's impossible. Now factor in I'm usually gone these hours six days a week, factor in band practices, and other after work activities and that equals even more impossible. How do working dad's do it? Where does the quality time for your main squeeze come from? Where does the time for your own self come from? After a long day I can muster up just enough to grab a cold one from the fridge, shovel some food down and then end the day watching a little tv with my girls. I know for centuries this is how it has been to be a man with a family, but why? Why do we as people choose to create such unrealistic deadlines, why is everything rush rush, money money? I wish it was easy to walk away from things, but I'm one of those people that's been sucked in to this type of deal, no work no money, so it's off to work I go. Finding a balance between work and family time I think has to be one of the toughest parts of fatherhood, knowing that you will not be there for so many of their firsts is saddening. The worst part of it all is I'm a quick step away from a decade of this madness and its been like this since I can remember. I've talked to Jess about quitting my job and moving to a farm where we can be self sustaining and enjoy all the time in the world together but I know I'd never actually do it. Having a baby means certain needs to be met and it's off to work I go.
So ladies, appreciate your man for what he's doing and let him know he's appreciated.
We don't go to work to get away from home, we go to work to have a home. 

Strike A Pose

Gah! I love this kid so much & these pictures are my new favorites!

♥

Mama/Baby Style

Here's what we wore today:

Skirt worn as a dress: Thrifted

Belt: Thrifted

Flats: Charlotte Russe

Dress & Bloomers: Ralph Lauren

♥

Nifty Thrifty

Yesterday, Rowan and I went thrifting and came home from Salvation Army with a huge bag full of clothing & nik naks. Guess how much it all was?

21 buckaroos!

I love cheap finds..

♥

Family Portrait

I recently had Chelsey Andrews, a long time blogger friend and someone I've worked with in the past (she designed one of my previous blog headers) draw us a family portrait and I am head over heels in love.

I knew she was talented but somehow had no clue that she had these mad drawing skills until I saw Mandy's blog header and then Danielle's family portrait. Almost immediately after seeing Dani's I ordered this! I love Chelsey's style of drawing and I only told her to add a banner and maybe a bird or two and the rest was all her. She obviously knows us really well with all of the personalization, but check out our tattoo detail! That is some serious business right there. 

So click on over to:

Her blog

Her etsy shop

Her shop blog

..and order to your heart's content! She offers many other services in her shop too (like adding tattoos to your baby?!?! STILL GOTTA HAVE THAT ONE DONE).. happy browsing!

Thanks again Chels! You're one talented mama!

♥

Our Easter

Rowan woke up & we greeted her with a "Happy Easter!" and showed her the presents that the Easter Bunny brought.

A book, bunny, eggs, bubbles & a new dress!

Rowan was so excited to explore and play with her new things.

She especially loved her new bunny so we brought him with us everywhere. First stop was Mama & Papa's bed for some breakfast and cuddling.

Then I went downstairs to make some Easter morning coffee..

Ro and D came downstairs to play.

Then we got ready and headed out for a picnic!

Rowan watched the trees sway in the breeze..

We ate plate lunches..

Then went on the hunt for some more eggs..

Rowan found them all and couldn't wait to play with them..

.. and then she tried to eat them..

We ate some caramel filled chocolate.

Then took a few more family pictures before heading home.

We spent the rest of our evening watching Instant Netflix and snuggling in bed. It was the perfect way to spend our Easter Sunday.

♥