tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55141652939199538942024-03-14T06:42:19.019-04:00Living the Good LifeA little snapshot into our first years of married life...The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.comBlogger424125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-82587647699711231582013-12-05T09:11:00.001-05:002013-12-05T09:11:26.588-05:00Family Photos- Fall 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Apparently, since I can't do anything legitimate to keep my children small, I've decided to quell my urge to stop time by taking a rather unnecessary and grossly inappropriate number of photos of them. </div>
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Enter our Fall 2013 photo shoot with my wonderful long-time friend, Michelle from <a href="http://www.michellecphoto.com/site/#/home/" target="_blank">Michelle C Photography</a>. </div>
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Michelle and I went to high school and college together and were even in the same sorority. She is an absolute gem and we loved the time we got to spend with her in this beautiful Florida park over Thanksgiving.</div>
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No, I cannot believe how big my crazies look in these pictures. But I love them. I especially love that she so accurately captured who they are right now. </div>
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This smirk is <i>so </i>Davis. Always giving us a little attitude but in the most adorable way. </div>
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And I cannot even take Madelyn in those boots.</div>
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This is what they are like 1/3 of the time- loving and sweet. But the rest of the time they're more like this- perfecting the fine art of snuggle wrestling...</div>
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I'm so grateful for this little reminder of where we are right now and I cannot wait to fill our house with these beautiful images!The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-7478545258667990922013-11-20T20:54:00.003-05:002013-11-20T20:54:43.559-05:00And then they grow...Life has been so good and so sweet lately.<br />
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I am just loving the kid's ages- they are becoming best buds and it is the most precious thing to watch. I love to spy on them and catch little bits of their conversations. Sometimes I hear Madelyn tell Davis something like "Davis, we need to be kind to each other" and I really feel like I'm killing this parenting thing. The next sentence she yells something like "holy smokes!" and I humbly step down off my pedestal.<br />
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I don't know if I'm just more conscious of it now because I see how fast they're growing or if I just have more time to reflect as they become increasingly independent, but it is so so bittersweet this parenting thing.<br />
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I absolutely crave the smell of their sweet baby heads. I want to rock them to sleep. I want to kiss baby rolls and put them in footed jammies forever.<br />
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I want to rub their tiny toes while I feed them and then hold them curled up on my chest, marveling over their perfect little features.<br />
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They are definitely not my babies anymore. They are rowdy, hilarious, loving, little crazies. And as quickly as my heart starts to break at the loss of what was, it swells with the goodness of where we are now.<br />
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There are so many wonderful things about this season, so many reasons I love where we are and the adventure of our every day together.<br />
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Life truly is so so good. The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-63664745629201851952013-11-07T17:30:00.000-05:002013-11-07T17:30:00.227-05:00The freedom to say noAs you can tell from my last few posts, I've kind of been going through some <i>stuff </i>lately. Mucking through the everyday rigor of being a working mom. Finally winning the battle of feeling content and settled in our current home instead of incessantly wanting to be somewhere else. Constantly trying to suppress my type-A personality that is at this point doing more harm than good. <div>
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A few weeks ago I had a little moment. A bit of a pity party about being a working mother. I guess I hit my breaking point and just got plain overwhelmed. It happens. I declared there would be no more intricate meals, just heated convenience foods. That we'd have house cleaners every two weeks like clock work. That I was taking a major break.</div>
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But something funny happened when I said those things out loud.</div>
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Somehow, giving myself the freedom <i>not </i>to do them, made them seem less daunting. Once I gave myself permission not to clean, I actually felt myself having the urge to do it myself. After taking a full 7-10 days off of cooking, I wanted nothing more than to get into my kitchen and whip up a good meal. </div>
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I suppose sometimes we just need to feel like we don't have to do these things. Once it becomes our choice, it's somehow less overwhelming. </div>
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The same thing happened a few weeks ago when Matt and I were discussing Christmas. For a year now I've wanted a new fridge. Ours is really old, it's not well organized, and the freezer just doesn't have enough capacity for us at this point in our Costco-shopping lives. We've had a less than ideal year financially, with a lot of house issues needing attention, and I decided with complete certainty that we were going to make this one completely unnecessary and over the top purchase for ourselves. We earned it, after all. We work hard. We rarely splurge on anything. We were going for it.</div>
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And in the past few weeks, something changed. The thought of spending that money when we could use it to replenish our savings started to seem ridiculous. There are things that <i>need </i>financial attention now--like our vehicles --that are much better suited for those funds. It was like I'd only wanted the fridge so badly because it had been an impossibility for so long. Once I gave us permission to buy it, I realized we didn't need it. I cleaned our current fridge from top to bottom and now it sparkles like new. And to take care of the needed freezer space, we're getting a small chest freezer for the garage. That will cost a whopping $150. </div>
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Maybe I'm the last person to learn this lesson, but it's been a valuable and humbling one for me personally. As someone who strives to practice gratitude daily, and who is truly living the life they always dreamed of, I sure do carry around a long list of "wants". I want more time with my kids/I want a bigger kitchen/I want new boots for Fall/etc etc etc. It's not pretty, but it's honest, I'm working on it. </div>
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I'm looking forward to a holiday season of LESS. Small, thoughtful gifts. Big time spent together doing fun things. Less wanting, more gratitude for what we have, and doing as much as we can to help others. I think it will be good for all of us. </div>
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The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-21204283808254897062013-10-20T12:21:00.000-04:002013-10-20T12:21:24.435-04:00Heart ChangeA few years ago, one year ago even, I would have sworn all I wanted was to move to a new house. I (we) really needed more space, a bigger kitchen, the better school, something newer than this 1982 house that was merely a place I was stuck in as a side effect of the housing market crisis.<div>
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It was unnerving. We had our house listed for two years with only a handful of showings. We knew where we wanted to move- we even had a floor plan picked out for our new build. I had a plan. </div>
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I had a plan, and I could not understand why things weren't going my way.</div>
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Here we are now and I've spent the last year praying, really praying, about God's will for our family. And somehow, somewhere along the way, something changed. My heart changed.</div>
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We got more involved in our church and started to build a community. We put Madelyn in soccer and made new friends. We continued to work on the house with not one room left untouched. I started to notice the charm in this small town- the little farmer's market on the corner, the way they decorate the town square every holiday, the lake with the walking path and huge playground. The quiet. Our big yard with gorgeous old trees that literally rain leaves in the fall. And suddenly, I feel like this is exactly where we're supposed to be. Where we were supposed to be all along. And I'm grateful <i>my </i>plan didn't work out. </div>
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I don't think it was financially the right time for us to move, but we would have done it anyway. I don't think the place we were moving to was right for us, but we would have built that new house with no hesitation. Because I was so convinced <i>I </i>knew what was right for our family.</div>
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I'm grateful for heart change. I'm grateful that I was wrong, and we were saved from a string of poor decisions. It's been humbling, for sure. But the way I feel content, settled, and happy here, is an incredible blessing that far outweighs the damage to my ego. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
This house is all we need. And honestly, the older I get, somehow the less I want. Would I like a larger kitchen? Absolutely. And seriously, I'd pay ten fold for an extra guest bedroom. But I know we'll have those things one day. When it's the right time, and we <i>know </i>it's the right thing for our family, we will.</div>
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And when we do, it will be all the much sweeter. </div>
</div>
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-62575735077662174182013-09-30T09:57:00.002-04:002013-09-30T09:57:46.210-04:00My Lazy Mama's Guide to Couponing<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOSj5r8owvTFDDI5GS-KTEj5_inaXf0F6zcwa67vNMEWU2kXtJS8s1DGiyMDe6wkxqnYoLnhnRn-FmGeHYeZFxnJxhXNDno2Wm_3CCbyH3r6kvXJiPz3avItrKpGA_2XAFvCU9LX4lIUw/s1600/menu+planning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOSj5r8owvTFDDI5GS-KTEj5_inaXf0F6zcwa67vNMEWU2kXtJS8s1DGiyMDe6wkxqnYoLnhnRn-FmGeHYeZFxnJxhXNDno2Wm_3CCbyH3r6kvXJiPz3avItrKpGA_2XAFvCU9LX4lIUw/s320/menu+planning.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My recipe binder, and where the week begins</td></tr>
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Meal planning is one of those things that seems really overwhelming to a lot of people. For me, it's like a comfortable anchor in my week that I've come to look forward to. A few months ago I added some subtle couponing to the mix and have been really surprised at the difference it has made.<br />
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Once a week I put on my comfy pants, make a cup of coffee, and go to town. It makes the daily hustle a little less painful and avoids the 5 p.m. dance of screaming hungry children. (Note: it's less of a dance and more of an unbridled meltdown, just in the essence of full disclosure).<br />
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Here's my method.<br />
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1. First I go to <a href="http://www.iheartpublix.com/" target="_blank">this website</a> and see what is on sale at Publix, our local grocery store, for that given week. We only shop at Publix and Costco. While I'd love (LOVE) to have a closer Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, it's just too difficult for me to get there right now. I base my list fully off of what's on sale that week. And here's the real shocker- I only do printable coupons. I don't get the newspaper and spend hours cutting and storing them. I print what I need for the week and that is it. This site makes it incredibly easy, and I always save <i>at least </i>$25.<br />
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2. After making a list of what's on sale that I'd like to buy, I take a look in my freezer/pantry and see what else we need to make meals for the week. I browse Pinterest, my cookbooks (favorites: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Contessa-Foolproof-Recipes-Trust/dp/0307464873/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380548167&sr=8-1&keywords=barefoot+contessa" target="_blank">1</a>,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Contessa-How-Easy-That/dp/0307238768/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1380548167&sr=8-6&keywords=barefoot+contessa" target="_blank">2</a>,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Daughter-Delicious-Celebrating-Togetherness/dp/0446557315/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380548204&sr=8-2&keywords=gweneth+paltrow+cookbooks" target="_blank">3</a>,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Pioneer-Woman-Cooks-Frontier/dp/0061997188/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1380548220&sr=8-3&keywords=pioneer+woman" target="_blank">4</a>), and a list I keep in my recipe binder of our favorite go-to meals. I try to cook really simple things with few ingredients and I always take our schedule into account. Wednesdays and Fridays are busy for us, so these days are always leftovers or a crock pot meal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH79OTN2XZdXGaMF_NGzH3oUZ9IrfvDlTpClyyike1Bj6a1PPR3ue_PgmQWa6NhiswsypfilUL6IsFxgfUKYGipuA3El0BnrwudoBd_5BpcLWqTK7uwasEC9mIhzlPR2hBfJVOZ3oDRQT/s1600/binder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH79OTN2XZdXGaMF_NGzH3oUZ9IrfvDlTpClyyike1Bj6a1PPR3ue_PgmQWa6NhiswsypfilUL6IsFxgfUKYGipuA3El0BnrwudoBd_5BpcLWqTK7uwasEC9mIhzlPR2hBfJVOZ3oDRQT/s320/binder.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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3. I try to buy the majority of our produce at the farmer's market either on Friday or Monday. I find the cost just slightly lower than at the store, but since we eat very few processed foods I like knowing the produce we consume isn't coated in waxes and nasty chemicals.<br />
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4. I also check these sites for coupons. One offers a good variety of natural and organic options and the other focuses on Amazon, which I love so much I would marry if given the chance.<br />
<a href="http://thegreenbacksgal.com/">http://thegreenbacksgal.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://jungledealsandsteals.com/">http://jungledealsandsteals.com/</a><br />
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5. I also check Costco's coupons. Our goal is to make one trip there a month and stock up on gluten-free granola, organic chicken, organic eggs, cheese, frozen organic berries, fish, and other dry goods (paper towels, Lara bars, stuff like that).<br />
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I then post our menu both in a weekly calendar on the fridge and in my planner.<br />
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For me, it's worth the hour of work in cost savings. But as you know, my time is incredibly important to me and if it took any more than that, I'd likely stop. I'm never going to be the person that can only spend $60 a week at the store. I have to growing children who both eat more than I do, and eating organic is extremely important to me. <i>But</i>, any little bit I can save is a win for us.<br />
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I am far from perfecting this process, but I've definitely found what works for us. We still eat out once a week, and there is always one night a month that gets too crazy and we wind up eating pizza, and that's ok. It's about <a href="http://www.emilyley.com/blog" target="_blank">Grace Not Perfection</a>, ladies.The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-21634488653574429652013-09-22T20:55:00.002-04:002013-09-22T21:02:16.958-04:00My Thoughts on Children's Birthday PartiesI think it's time we address how completely out of control we've all gotten with children's birthday parties.<br />
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At what point did ordering pizza, having cake and celebrating with your immediate family become totally unacceptable? Here we are, us moms, complaining that we have too much on our plates, and all we do is continue to add to them.<br />
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I did not grow up having a big to do on my birthday, and thus, I am perfectly content with a very small acknowledgement and perhaps a solo trip to Target.<br />
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My husband on the other hand, comes from the land of big birthdays. His birthday is his personal equivalent to Hanukkah and requires a minimum of seven day of celebratory activities and fan fare.<br />
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For our kids, we've had moderately-sized, casual, and fairly easy birthday parties. Family and closest friends, some coordinated decor and fun food, and always, always cupcakes.<br />
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But the more I put it all together, the more it stresses me out. I want our kids to feel special on that day, but they don't need a big party feel that. I want them to know that there are a lot of people who love and pray for them, and that their birthday is as much for us to celebrate as parents as it is for them as growing kids. They certainly do not need a buffet of fancy food made from scratch and 50 presents to open. That is so not the message I want to send.<br />
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Yesterday, we celebrated our little <a href="http://mardenfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/28-days-in-hospital.html" target="_blank">miracle boy</a> turning two. We had a small group of people to the house, ate hot dogs and fruit skewers, and the only thing I did to decorate was put out some pretty fall flowers and nice ribbon on the utensils and vases. When anyone asked them what to bring him I said nothing, and I meant it. I wanted everyone to celebrate <i>him</i>, and what a blessing he is to us. And honestly, it was the best birthday yet.<br />
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We spent a whopping $30 on decor, we ate easy, simple food, and we spent the afternoon talking and visiting and it was wonderful.<br />
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And you know what I was doing two hours before everyone arrived?<br />
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This.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CYZtkZmTAvFbcuB4-I5eN9EpiDVbzFvOd7rHeAEodx8aTsMw-lJHUopUWdoVKV_Slcd18dJw8JmsE35GH0gzhRh-28uZlj-sFlcWZOklI-nHWGknTDnhb3WTA16yUdPq1HHWti08CjmT/s1600/nap+with+mommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CYZtkZmTAvFbcuB4-I5eN9EpiDVbzFvOd7rHeAEodx8aTsMw-lJHUopUWdoVKV_Slcd18dJw8JmsE35GH0gzhRh-28uZlj-sFlcWZOklI-nHWGknTDnhb3WTA16yUdPq1HHWti08CjmT/s320/nap+with+mommy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wasn't prepping food, or hand stamping thank you cards. I was smelling his sweet breath and rubbing his soft little head while he napped. It was my favorite memory of the day. I was relaxed, and had I been a manic party planning mess, I would have missed it.<br />
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I think going forward, and as they get older, I'd like to let our kids pick an activity to do as a family on their big day, and get back to the special family meal and small celebration. In my quest to simplify every other area of my life, this seems like an easy next step.<br />
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Here are a few pictures from our day. This first one makes me melt into a puddle on the floor.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A9XX1EMS2nV8pHvzntwR4qCXE8tynm9p6U6D2ibtYPA6PcpeBOfLilneqbMmIp5Q2a2AqzjwqBzHgBrI6-t6hjHumceSM3GfpYKWsEJTq7y3imb1GXiqrkJf3ZXk8hgbkOK679j8kJKC/s1600/IMG_6257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A9XX1EMS2nV8pHvzntwR4qCXE8tynm9p6U6D2ibtYPA6PcpeBOfLilneqbMmIp5Q2a2AqzjwqBzHgBrI6-t6hjHumceSM3GfpYKWsEJTq7y3imb1GXiqrkJf3ZXk8hgbkOK679j8kJKC/s320/IMG_6257.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly, he enjoyed himself :)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0tqHFyBv_-EbBkY5TG-GcyNEyk7M74XqINTqpZEocwkOPboFB89AdLL0-ZfhxjlIa_5Ww8K9D_NMaNIbn5ER6e3F1HL8GPYPxDHYA3nWwb35_R1hTuxpzenMiqgtvl_LrG8aN7AE76aJ/s1600/IMG_6265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0tqHFyBv_-EbBkY5TG-GcyNEyk7M74XqINTqpZEocwkOPboFB89AdLL0-ZfhxjlIa_5Ww8K9D_NMaNIbn5ER6e3F1HL8GPYPxDHYA3nWwb35_R1hTuxpzenMiqgtvl_LrG8aN7AE76aJ/s320/IMG_6265.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He had his eye on cupcakes. I don't blame him. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUm5oLrCb4JOu__Dz_72W_3OMoHrFpeX1RpLYXcUc4nQDcTzvUEcFHaZbKenw5QBSvPZO89Eey3YbOz1Z8uEKeJ2eWXq65bSufWLI8_PDxLwhYp0EtiFmfFUN545-1WZvDnwOzd0AX9o-p/s1600/decor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUm5oLrCb4JOu__Dz_72W_3OMoHrFpeX1RpLYXcUc4nQDcTzvUEcFHaZbKenw5QBSvPZO89Eey3YbOz1Z8uEKeJ2eWXq65bSufWLI8_PDxLwhYp0EtiFmfFUN545-1WZvDnwOzd0AX9o-p/s320/decor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lazy mom's decor. Take that, Pinterest. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMt2zPWBIIon3y3QQMwFH-tX5ruPFwWMUdrX84wbWY1KhHs6NC3IbPYqmpbg0NsPV-EZxXuYn3_xZPUQcDBa90QY7abd6NmEetWM2BymOtuszpYKVW6yg2-rv2A03MW66Nh4y9iGAVIFZ/s1600/IMG_6299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMt2zPWBIIon3y3QQMwFH-tX5ruPFwWMUdrX84wbWY1KhHs6NC3IbPYqmpbg0NsPV-EZxXuYn3_xZPUQcDBa90QY7abd6NmEetWM2BymOtuszpYKVW6yg2-rv2A03MW66Nh4y9iGAVIFZ/s320/IMG_6299.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Davis, you may not play football. But please pick any other non-combative sport you'd wish. Preferably, golf of swimming. Love, your mommy.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Moms- let's give ourselves a break here. If you want to do the big party, if you enjoy it, then by all means please take joy in that. But if you find it stressful, borderline excessive, and if you spend the day running around like a crazy person, take a step back. I've seen the other side, and it is nice :)</span></div>
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The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-86366923437686280722013-09-10T20:56:00.000-04:002013-09-10T20:56:21.505-04:00Defeat and Margin<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Girls, I am having <i>a week</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And it's Tuesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TUESDAY.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The good news is, I'm not a stress eater. The bad news is, I <i>am </i>a stress drinker, and three nights in the past week my dinner consisted of wine and chocolate chips. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, there's that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am just feeling plain overwhelmed. A feeling not foreign to working moms, or probably any moms for that matter. But honestly, I just feel like working moms get the worst of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The constant juggling. Constant feeling like you aren't doing enough at home/at work/with your kids/for yourself/for your husband/etc etc etc. Constant cleaning yet still never feeling like the house is clean. Never having enough time for anything (or so it feels). It feels like trying to squeeze 48 hours of activity into a 24 hour day every.single.day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And this week, I broke. I hit my threshold. It's mostly my own fault, and I realize that, so I've decided to make some changes. I'm simplifying. My kids are going to be this little for like six seconds in the scheme of our life, and I absolutely refuse to be stressed and stretched anymore. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm creating some margin and taking some of the pressure off of myself. As a self-professed control freak, type A perfectionist, you can understand this does not come easy. But when mama's happy, everyone's happy, right? RIGHT?!</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For starters, I'm giving myself a break from this self-imposed pressure to cook fresh, healthy, balanced, instagram-worth meals every single night of the week. I'm sick of rushing to get dinner ready, doing dishes every night, all of it. So, the two days of the week I'm in the office I'm going to pick up a ready-to-heat meal from Whole Foods on my way home. I'm also going to commit to one crock pot meal a week. The rest, I'll deal with as it comes. And ya'll, I'm buying paper plates (as the hippie in me shudders with disdain). </span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And two, I'm re-instating the monthly house cleaner and strongly considering asking them to come every two weeks. I put them on "hold" this month knowing we had some extra expenses in the hopper (don't we always) but spent a good part of our home time this past weekend cleaning, which meant I wasn't playing with the kids, reading to them, practicing soccer with Madelyn, hanging with Matt, you get the picture. I'm over it. </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the worst thing my kids eat all week is an organic rotisserie chicken or Applegate nuggets, and I have to shell out more money so I can have more time with them, so be it. I can't be freakin Ina Garten in the 20 minutes I have to get dinner ready each day. I just can't. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Everything comes with a price, or a compromise rather. I love to work, but it does affect my ability to be the "homemaker" and mother I see myself as. It just does. I love my job and I think the benefits to our family outweigh the negative aspects, but I also have to admit I can't do it all. None of us can. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And with that, I'm off to pour myself another glass of stress wine. Cheers, ladies. Here's to a new day and a fresh perspective. And maybe even a little more time and a little less crazy. </span>The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-56611244887536945752013-09-06T07:00:00.000-04:002013-09-06T07:00:06.190-04:00Five on Friday<span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'didact gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><div class="THE-GOOD-LIFE-BLOG-FIVE-ON-FRIDAY-button" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 275px;">
<a href="http://www.the-good-life-blog.com/search/label/FIVE%20on%20Friday" rel="nofollow"> <img alt="THE GOOD LIFE BLOG" height="275" src="http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p782/thegoodlifeblog/5onFridayLogo-Final-forblogsidemenu_edited-1_zps7fcf6068.jpg" width="275" /> </a> </div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's time for Five on Friday again, girls!! Here's what's been happening at the homestead this week.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDhGuO1TD8oFOs4WFyj8_Ms6b8WogsvoPtX5iWUFYTAL2NJuH9rR2QIF6bFqzkfxg2rKta2T5NsQAWT51jG-sfC108YSDND-R1CNnrt-10QLVBnOQkukeRChdu2FuJBCUbjwuYgZjRFSL/s1600/wreath.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDhGuO1TD8oFOs4WFyj8_Ms6b8WogsvoPtX5iWUFYTAL2NJuH9rR2QIF6bFqzkfxg2rKta2T5NsQAWT51jG-sfC108YSDND-R1CNnrt-10QLVBnOQkukeRChdu2FuJBCUbjwuYgZjRFSL/s320/wreath.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. I've been making a few updates around the house, include sprucing up my front door wreath for Fall. After gushing over expensive wreaths on Etsy I walked my cheap self up to Hobby Lobby and make one myself. Is it a little crooked? Yes. Did it cost less than $15? Yes. Am I dying to paint my hunter green door and shutters? Yes Yes Yes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. I'm working on a big post about how I meal plan as well as about how I coupon. A quick teaser? I'm the laziest couponer ever and have still managed to save at least $30 every week at Publix. Stay tuned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. I've searched for years (<i>years</i>) for the right chambray shirt. I wanted something that was medium weight, with a tiny bit of stretch, and long enough for my long torso. And where did I finally find The One? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Target. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Duh. Why am I even surprised?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nlUMpLur0BP4J91778kCoEpUWj5DFjjp35Lle2IG5paCrN4O6yMfywuMVcCZUJbS_c9opr4UhkvHkk6h82bLzd-cYiaiW1hs5TqEJXtwuntAggHxgmu6nxD_TB6noV0NTu3cYHc8ttWy/s1600/chambray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nlUMpLur0BP4J91778kCoEpUWj5DFjjp35Lle2IG5paCrN4O6yMfywuMVcCZUJbS_c9opr4UhkvHkk6h82bLzd-cYiaiW1hs5TqEJXtwuntAggHxgmu6nxD_TB6noV0NTu3cYHc8ttWy/s320/chambray.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't be jealous of my wrinkles. Or my 1982 bathroom counter tops with BLUE veining. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. We made <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/06/summer-stir-fry/" target="_blank">this</a> for dinner last week and it was super delicious and healthy. I highly recommend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. And lastly, I painted my nails last Friday using an Essie color and Revlon's gel top coat and they are still chipless! This top coat is a dream. Don't tell me what wonder chemicals are in it, I don't want to know. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy weekend, ya'll!! Bring on the wine and football!!</span></div>
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The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-38654566103559512142013-09-03T08:39:00.001-04:002013-09-03T08:45:24.776-04:00GameDay, BabyIn marriage, we all make compromises.<div>
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We compromise our tastes in food, decorating, vehicle preference, to better suit the one we're with. We go to Nascar races, camp in the woods, and watch the kids so our husbands can attend their fantasy draft party. </div>
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I'm like to think I'm a pretty accommodating wife, but one area where I will not compromise is College Football.</div>
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Anyone who's known me for more than four minutes probably knows that I went to the University of Florida, that I am a true and true Gator fan, and that I fully intend to brainwash both of my children into sharing my love of this beautiful establishment.</div>
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But my husband, bless his heart, has been a Georgia fan since he was in utero. He grew up in Athens where the school is located, his grandfather worked at the dairy factory on campus, and he shames our family by barking at the TV every time they do that God-forsaken cheer. </div>
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So what are two people who share a love of conference rivals to do? </div>
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They choose a neutral ground, a safe place so to speak. For us, this place is Clemson.</div>
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I have cousins who went to Clemson, they are an ACC school, they have a beautiful campus, and we've been season ticket holders for the past five years along with a group of our friends who love this school the same way I love Florida. </div>
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This past Saturday we left the kiddos with the grandparents and spent the entire day tailgating and watching the game with a big group of friends. It was an insanely long day, I am still (<b>still</b>) exhausted, but it was an great day. </div>
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Here are a few pictures of our adventures. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvPiuk7SFXxoxfdUua7pKNoVZQZGjTwGI2H9RIW4nRkryNezcIfCbNjTPmw54BkM8HTDbs9wWJzsM7ogJeusMBJdpKzFO7m7MJyrLmAopP29DuePpYTwumQYknCH1behqxb3RLDWgrXY0/s1600/August+2013+Clemson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvPiuk7SFXxoxfdUua7pKNoVZQZGjTwGI2H9RIW4nRkryNezcIfCbNjTPmw54BkM8HTDbs9wWJzsM7ogJeusMBJdpKzFO7m7MJyrLmAopP29DuePpYTwumQYknCH1behqxb3RLDWgrXY0/s320/August+2013+Clemson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We hung out in front of the stadium to watch the players run in onto the field from the buses. This is a Clemson-specific tradition and one I'm glad I got to see/Matt and I at the tailgate (did I mention Clemson played Georgia? And they won? I was trying to contain myself but I was pretty excited)/Our group in front of GameDay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtH2R2zuwBaZuWJhANTXQzCxPj8avYnlulUoglPLm3IDUTxAZaq1gXIAqGtJAcM3QGaakoGmcNIrMJ6pB7rbIU1qrZV1BHoxw0nyAqkx_2oUysfE7XPgophfDI7zu1P7H-KJFvH62uS2SF/s1600/August+2013+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtH2R2zuwBaZuWJhANTXQzCxPj8avYnlulUoglPLm3IDUTxAZaq1gXIAqGtJAcM3QGaakoGmcNIrMJ6pB7rbIU1qrZV1BHoxw0nyAqkx_2oUysfE7XPgophfDI7zu1P7H-KJFvH62uS2SF/s320/August+2013+collage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A few of us heard that there were nice (read: non porta potty) bathrooms at the baseball stadium and walked right into the press box which I'm confident was supposed to be locked. It felt very collegiate and sneaky and fun. Here are the boys calling directions down the dugout, naturally./ Matt and his brother Luke. Brothers can still dress alike when they're grown up. It's cool. </div>
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It was a super fun day. Not one I'll be dying to replicate anytime soon seeing as how we didn't get home until 3 a.m. but fun nonetheless :)</div>
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-84347031073838652102013-08-30T07:00:00.000-04:002013-09-05T17:21:41.051-04:00Five on Friday!<span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'didact gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><div class="THE-GOOD-LIFE-BLOG-FIVE-ON-FRIDAY-button" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 275px;">
<a href="http://www.the-good-life-blog.com/search/label/FIVE%20on%20Friday" rel="nofollow"> <img alt="THE GOOD LIFE BLOG" height="275" src="http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p782/thegoodlifeblog/5onFridayLogo-Final-forblogsidemenu_edited-1_zps7fcf6068.jpg" width="275" /> </a> </div>
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Since I can't seem to get it together enough to actually write a legitimate blog post, I thought I'd link up with adorable <a href="http://www.the-good-life-blog.com/" target="_blank">Darci </a>for her Five on Friday series. I can handle a post in bullets. In fact I swear that's how my brain is organized most of the time.<br />
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1. Ya'll, I started making my own coffee creamer. I feel like such a Martha. I used <a href="http://hip2save.com/2013/04/16/video-how-to-make-homemade-coffee-creamer-with-only-2-ingredients/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> and can vouch that it's easy, cheap, and delicious. I only did this because I couldn't ever find a yummy flavor that didn't have tons of artificial flavors and chemicals and it's been a very welcome change to our morning. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTlFJBHqSihi0XZQ72Y01IsIMKN2oytMEq_B9SLz-oiyTU4UZh4uoKAX0Rl8CQNw160rM20sFO2U6uSNDszXsIlQH4nMk2vh-TCS52DQy_HY3z35rW0Bc5EPZwlvQrd7oE5EZCZA3MzSl/s1600/August+2013+soccer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTlFJBHqSihi0XZQ72Y01IsIMKN2oytMEq_B9SLz-oiyTU4UZh4uoKAX0Rl8CQNw160rM20sFO2U6uSNDszXsIlQH4nMk2vh-TCS52DQy_HY3z35rW0Bc5EPZwlvQrd7oE5EZCZA3MzSl/s320/August+2013+soccer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. Madelyn started soccer this week. Watching someone try to teach four year olds soccer is like watching them try to herd cats but it's freaking adorable. And I'm so proud of her. She worked really hard and did so so well.</div>
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3. I realize I'm late to the party here (just like I was with chevron prints and twitter) but I am Ob-Sessed with the Mindy Project. It's funny. Watch it.</div>
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4. Three words: PUMPKIN FLAVORED COFFEE.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPutwGJ17u4hF-MngVU6cl8m6mOriDSaBZ6aMRFyeS0WUe67X8yR9T3jpNxqMi2UnhtynhKp54FxFw1OI0wcLXThPBD8XUPjkruAgCV-lresjLbwwKjh92mIsc0a8oGl8gMfMTbmldYqT8/s1600/August+2013+anniversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPutwGJ17u4hF-MngVU6cl8m6mOriDSaBZ6aMRFyeS0WUe67X8yR9T3jpNxqMi2UnhtynhKp54FxFw1OI0wcLXThPBD8XUPjkruAgCV-lresjLbwwKjh92mIsc0a8oGl8gMfMTbmldYqT8/s320/August+2013+anniversary.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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5. And last (but certainly not least), I got to celebrate six years of marriage to this guy a few weeks ago. We went to an amazing restaurant that serves Krispy Kreme bread pudding for dessert, which means it got an instant approval from me. I of course had a cold and couldn't taste said amazing food, but can assure you we'll be returning for round two. </div>
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Hope everyone has a great Labor Day/first-college-football weekend! Gooooooo Gators!!!</div>
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-70403539863767194492013-08-07T17:30:00.000-04:002013-09-03T08:45:36.262-04:00The Sweet Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyjtZwcpajpLJAwM4V7ZyuXQQmYboyWdOOEylYz90aJQRjWLjrPOTZ52040XGrIa3zDeiQuHBPbIyNl3Kdm86uYbqNNtzxHugOf-VvHNY7lGqy_bALpl2UeFlKTtLtaZhiJVY3Exfe4wy/s1600/July+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyjtZwcpajpLJAwM4V7ZyuXQQmYboyWdOOEylYz90aJQRjWLjrPOTZ52040XGrIa3zDeiQuHBPbIyNl3Kdm86uYbqNNtzxHugOf-VvHNY7lGqy_bALpl2UeFlKTtLtaZhiJVY3Exfe4wy/s320/July+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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I feel like we've ventured in to the sweet spot of parenting
littles. It's this happy place where the kids are getting a little bit more
independent and their personalities are just exploding, and while our life is
loud and chaotic (did I mention loud?) our job as parents is feeling a little bit
easier. In some ways I feel like we've hit our stride.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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We've done the sleep training. We know how we want to
discipline. We are the proud parents of two very good, very healthy eaters. And
there probably hasn't been a single time in our lives when we've laughed so
much on a daily basis. Those two crazies bring an unthinkable amount of joy to
our life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, there are tantrums. There are constantly messes to
clean. My kitchen floor is literally always dirty. Someone always needs me and
I've come to think that it's Davis' personal mission to see how many times he
can call "mama!" in any given day. The laundry and dishes never end. <i>Ever</i>. But I know this time is precious. And I know it's limited.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With every bit of independence that they gain my heart
breaks just a little. In the span of your life, the time you get to spend with little,
squishy, loving babies is so so short. Now on the other side, while our life may be a little bit easier, I grieve for that time with them and I'll never get it back. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Matt always jokes that I panic when I have to be away from
them, and that's partly true. But it's because I see them changing so quickly
and I know my time with "babies" is coming to an end. Let's be
honest, it's probably been over for a while now. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I will appreciate this stage while it lasts, knowing that every
stage is a phase that eventually passes. But it's bittersweet to say the least. </div>
<o:p></o:p>The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-54429038938158380432013-05-30T17:30:00.000-04:002013-05-30T17:30:00.915-04:00Friday Fun List<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you're wondering what we'll be up to this weekend, this
is it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">No cleaning, no laundry, just FUN. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">W</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ant to join?! </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=xBfq-NxJh210yM&tbnid=LMcJrVkmML5N8M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iloveyoumorethancarrots.com%2F2013%2F05%2Fmake-your-own-watermelon-slushie-shakes.html&ei=8ZunUZDiMoyY9QS0_IDoDw&bvm=bv.47244034,d.eWU&psig=AFQjCNHEeRfRilASLLzlW7bBg-o2FNDA5w&ust=1370025320183695" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img height="320" id="irc_mi" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTDv_i3GHmdbSOD4yP9Pkg47SNGxeb6RIwbCiQHfewz03j7_TI0" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.iloveyoumorethancarrots.com%20-/" target="_blank">recipe here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Make watermelon slushies</span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Plant flowers for the back deck<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Run through the sprinklers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Go to church<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Watch Charlotte's Web </span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Go to the farmer's market and strawberry patch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">GET MY NAILS DONE. <em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(justalittle excited about this one)</span></em></span></div>
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The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-13560194593097475232013-05-23T21:30:00.000-04:002013-05-24T10:00:50.056-04:00...and then my heart explodedWhile on vacation in South Carolina earlier this month (more on that later) we hired a sweet <a href="http://sweetteaimagery.com/" target="_blank">photographer</a> to attempt to capture family pictures. My mom and sister were in town and it's rare that we're all together since we live in three different states, so we took advantage.<br />
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I had low expectations. I mean, low. The only way I can get Davis to sit still is if I'm feeding him and I wasn't dying to have his lunch included as the fifth family member. It was unusually windy outside, so much so that we had to change locations at the last minute. I was wearing white jeans, a questionable choice, and I hadn't even had a glass of wine yet (#FAIL). <br />
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And then the pictures came back. <br />
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And my heart exploded. <br />
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I'll spare you from having to look through everysingleone and force myself to just include the favorites. But really, I could have shown them all. For your sake, I'm trying not to be that mom. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9O5Fu6EyrqdR0jE_83KfRXIOvPV0KkOaqsqHKcVcRG4W4R676F5nPuC2vGOHV8Wkc1zC3Aj9YDBwfNWTSriPZ9IjYyNRRjjHz4DyJi72x8PkAf08pwhFrDHnhZHStlm5Kc7z6TYIri0x/s1600/marden4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9O5Fu6EyrqdR0jE_83KfRXIOvPV0KkOaqsqHKcVcRG4W4R676F5nPuC2vGOHV8Wkc1zC3Aj9YDBwfNWTSriPZ9IjYyNRRjjHz4DyJi72x8PkAf08pwhFrDHnhZHStlm5Kc7z6TYIri0x/s320/marden4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYliyO3igp_o4O_8bDjSieoIE0Q-8XzjJYUkeKbRHbSbitRF1_WZuWRq9EO8hRwNdUDu43GO3YfXaGFNztS62djJTpukqf9w6gE6TbTo_O6pcuFb6IdlTrAIfyjG7CemhfAPZFlcEfW8JI/s1600/marden13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYliyO3igp_o4O_8bDjSieoIE0Q-8XzjJYUkeKbRHbSbitRF1_WZuWRq9EO8hRwNdUDu43GO3YfXaGFNztS62djJTpukqf9w6gE6TbTo_O6pcuFb6IdlTrAIfyjG7CemhfAPZFlcEfW8JI/s320/marden13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gigi and her girls</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFRj4M_nPAdQbyNTmlfiLf7G_eqR_n69dfgxhyQqbeVAdWFsPKlhnASX8EslTD8Q4bBeshXB6qkWnml5S87hY0MPG8euNz-BcVVMEW3WneyPPaz24VdRigIFSruCaSXhn1wxEE5Q8RC82/s1600/marden21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFRj4M_nPAdQbyNTmlfiLf7G_eqR_n69dfgxhyQqbeVAdWFsPKlhnASX8EslTD8Q4bBeshXB6qkWnml5S87hY0MPG8euNz-BcVVMEW3WneyPPaz24VdRigIFSruCaSXhn1wxEE5Q8RC82/s320/marden21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8Aw_GmAXC_ChJ5MZX0o_DUn0vmWZ5Us7U9m4xyCHet1VeMUsJbKTVqBDIO0t8cU7hHi3_pK4SjLKlxOYXcmCMwP-ghsKICbo5Pw4IeDpClrfA6ci2G7cDwEBSRY2Ngwh3D_msY8lKfbY/s1600/marden25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8Aw_GmAXC_ChJ5MZX0o_DUn0vmWZ5Us7U9m4xyCHet1VeMUsJbKTVqBDIO0t8cU7hHi3_pK4SjLKlxOYXcmCMwP-ghsKICbo5Pw4IeDpClrfA6ci2G7cDwEBSRY2Ngwh3D_msY8lKfbY/s320/marden25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NQmWHfxPcTich1EQxx8HEhH6sDglZkLYNwrXkDqnf2PeDjPxFo8-K8gw28pj9JveIfzWPOJANN3Q2iD7mp_3OYZKyop4TJ74dG3miI5NpuOQDhA0i87nT6h-YsVlUOwq33F3wHq5ZlD3/s1600/marden23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NQmWHfxPcTich1EQxx8HEhH6sDglZkLYNwrXkDqnf2PeDjPxFo8-K8gw28pj9JveIfzWPOJANN3Q2iD7mp_3OYZKyop4TJ74dG3miI5NpuOQDhA0i87nT6h-YsVlUOwq33F3wHq5ZlD3/s320/marden23.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I die. I am literally dead. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGoAnCt7YZuZVTxeEUnmWuA4nNOCj1HI3k2BQZY-8wTMMxEqhsAl-7Gtcn-ByYSTZuG3cpMTEZfQqxUnJrbVIbowO6OboAjAvDgHr47vf78RgDivOQzMaQE9nUyVCEa_Ut-8LUUETXOFv/s1600/marden42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGoAnCt7YZuZVTxeEUnmWuA4nNOCj1HI3k2BQZY-8wTMMxEqhsAl-7Gtcn-ByYSTZuG3cpMTEZfQqxUnJrbVIbowO6OboAjAvDgHr47vf78RgDivOQzMaQE9nUyVCEa_Ut-8LUUETXOFv/s320/marden42.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I swear she gets prettier every day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0CbO6sQbXstwXIrEEqUUbMVaOl93eN8D3Wh65EF6KLFgBYY5ZiW2jqXfZ5HZLeuhGNVnVkro419ZhwI_NM5GL3G3R2YFUjbdTkHd-tpUOqB9vFlrS7UkKTmeazb1VKviVgsd5j0J2Nh9/s1600/marden43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0CbO6sQbXstwXIrEEqUUbMVaOl93eN8D3Wh65EF6KLFgBYY5ZiW2jqXfZ5HZLeuhGNVnVkro419ZhwI_NM5GL3G3R2YFUjbdTkHd-tpUOqB9vFlrS7UkKTmeazb1VKviVgsd5j0J2Nh9/s320/marden43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcGXCTwX0bNLNjYgCsuvLg4WEenA92aFGUHxNWv-9hgskhn-Pks_nF6piEYRE6MKsagnQnAhtZf0i9-cJOLf9zj8LJ5Pq1hdfgBA30gJ0YrHUNe8PCqkcJ9Sr4PiZjRwspnW_NflecXJy/s1600/marden45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcGXCTwX0bNLNjYgCsuvLg4WEenA92aFGUHxNWv-9hgskhn-Pks_nF6piEYRE6MKsagnQnAhtZf0i9-cJOLf9zj8LJ5Pq1hdfgBA30gJ0YrHUNe8PCqkcJ9Sr4PiZjRwspnW_NflecXJy/s320/marden45.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love his little expression</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6OKCreCAhIbg3nTqaZA-0E5AwkLOAkTZRbdQ12afOBLg3bPLGrQsFbXijRChCxy9yo_PTZ6ON-eqcF0TyafEnIaJdcX7gkhIibgOZqogHpWrBPSa2mMHD3_6ygEtj3xuU_QHeoG5sDt7/s1600/marden47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6OKCreCAhIbg3nTqaZA-0E5AwkLOAkTZRbdQ12afOBLg3bPLGrQsFbXijRChCxy9yo_PTZ6ON-eqcF0TyafEnIaJdcX7gkhIibgOZqogHpWrBPSa2mMHD3_6ygEtj3xuU_QHeoG5sDt7/s320/marden47.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy's girl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Few things will make a girl feel <em>just plain lucky</em> like looking through pictures of the beautiful family you helped create. This world would never be complete without those two little smiles and I dare you to convince me otherwise. <br />
<br />
When I was younger and dreamed about having children I could have never imagined this joy and I'm so <em>so</em> grateful to have it documented. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are ever in the Charleston area I highly recommend using <a href="http://www.sweetteaimagery.com/" target="_blank">Amy </a>for your photos. She was an absolute doll to work with and as you can see, knows her way around a camera :)</span>The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-45381268642639726362013-05-23T08:54:00.004-04:002013-09-03T08:45:44.639-04:00This Week's Menu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVS8tsDYEloZt1YFfm0syJ29bHkzC4A9m3sUP7vPyYQzZoOg4AHQUTiyE_578O2K2klVaGr72GsXDDiSXiT4i4-95NVf0a-7NLaa7n18I-dFSD7IdZBGen3LWI7nTRZluidt39iy21Qd9/s1600/5.20+menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVS8tsDYEloZt1YFfm0syJ29bHkzC4A9m3sUP7vPyYQzZoOg4AHQUTiyE_578O2K2klVaGr72GsXDDiSXiT4i4-95NVf0a-7NLaa7n18I-dFSD7IdZBGen3LWI7nTRZluidt39iy21Qd9/s640/5.20+menu.jpg" width="444" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://weelicious.com/2010/07/19/crock-pot-bbq-chicken/" target="_blank">barbecue chicken</a>/<a href="http://bakedbree.com/corn-pesto-and-tomato-pizza" target="_blank">pizza</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-81730222879648559472013-05-15T17:00:00.000-04:002013-05-15T17:00:00.601-04:00Adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhIwKxuN8wOHUpF9Dqeg6sTWB-nYIaD30Y1Dq3LfjCFZ0QUOEOqDbexFtUk_b9q_MB7zpKhpgns8jlDD8PszMMrwbkAB2QLS0GQfrluH9wHmjENk-3Ev3d3wnEzuF0dFkpQ-3odV9zxmk/s1600/May+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhIwKxuN8wOHUpF9Dqeg6sTWB-nYIaD30Y1Dq3LfjCFZ0QUOEOqDbexFtUk_b9q_MB7zpKhpgns8jlDD8PszMMrwbkAB2QLS0GQfrluH9wHmjENk-3Ev3d3wnEzuF0dFkpQ-3odV9zxmk/s320/May+2013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
I am having a mad mad love affair with an app. You may think it's Instagram, my usual drug of choice, but there is a new girl in town whom I can't help but think may be aptly named after my life.<br />
<br />
Please do yourself a favor and go download BeautifulMess right.this.minute.<br />
<br />
And when you're done, come back and enjoy the above picture taken in a field of wildflowers on Sullivans Island, South Carolina- where sounds of the ocean filter in from just beyond the trees and where my crazies found great joy. Thanks to Bob Goff I'm learning to embrace adventure at every opportunity and this little spot provided the perfect backdrop :)<br />
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-812986593470521222013-05-02T08:48:00.000-04:002013-05-02T08:48:43.999-04:00May Goals...and beyond<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been working through <a href="http://www.laracasey.com/" target="_blank">Lara Casey's</a> power sheets,
approaching my plan for the year in a different way. Rather than looking at one
week or one month, I'm spending time thinking on what I want to do this <i>year</i>. When I look back on 2013 at Christmas
time, what do I want to be able to say that I accomplished? What activities
make me the most happy and how did I infuse them into my every day routine?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't even tell you the clarity that has come from working
through these goals in such depth. I'll definitely elaborate on that process
another day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For now, I want to clearly state my goals for May so that I
am fully accountable for them. I'm also listing a few of the goals I'd made and
completed for the year, purely so I can have the satisfaction of crossing them
off :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>May Goals</i></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Plan and book our trip to Walt Disney World for later this
year. I want to plan this far in advance to ensure we have meal reservations at all of the fanciest princess-approved venues. This trip is going to be EPIC for Madelyn
and I definitely don't want to wing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Finish <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Does-Discover-Secretly-Incredible/dp/1400203759/ref=sr_1_1_ha?ie=UTF8&qid=1367498723&sr=8-1&keywords=Love+Does" target="_blank">Love Does</a> by Bob Goff. Ya'll, this book is
incredible. It's a quick entertaining read but it will change your life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Update the picture frames in our house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Finish painting the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Send cards with updated pictures of the kids to
grandparents, great-grand parents, and other extended family members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Sell our baby stroller, car seat, and bases. Yes, I know
what you are thinking. And yes, this is the official "we are done"
battle cry of two parents who have decided we are elated to have two incredible
children and that is enough for us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And lastly, a few things I have crossed off my list for the
year:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. <strike>Paint the master bedroom and bathroom</strike><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. <strike>Open 529 accounts for the kids and fund
monthly</strike><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. <strike>Book a family beach vacation</strike></span><o:p></o:p></div>
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-7869542929741117822013-04-30T17:15:00.000-04:002013-04-30T17:15:00.135-04:00Little Miss turns four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5Um3HKdpn3d73tzgjdQtS5UeUVG5CrhNCguWKDBl6SRIVpCIQSQiTKzEZ6BWiGpBYiZ5TAYkIScZTthfr3rt2M5YRR12JrmBhSjE1d8YxCYFF6ryxyOarca4zOvgCd_RGdey58-3ORE-/s1600/IMG_6138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5Um3HKdpn3d73tzgjdQtS5UeUVG5CrhNCguWKDBl6SRIVpCIQSQiTKzEZ6BWiGpBYiZ5TAYkIScZTthfr3rt2M5YRR12JrmBhSjE1d8YxCYFF6ryxyOarca4zOvgCd_RGdey58-3ORE-/s320/IMG_6138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Last weekend we celebrated the fourth birthday of our sweet baby girl.</div>
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And let me tell you folks, four feels <i>old</i>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqq8smhBR8cUjWJ0g3aCHwiaEgkJetskNJ37YRPOd-FOBGGr4BSqXDehzgxeQ2UMD2ApylJ1v7dwsjemt-vIw7bVYLloE-VFihLMN0be0PutWZxbN5ah1zOsOJOBvPdgxHtjuNsvMAn0iJ/s1600/IMG_6173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqq8smhBR8cUjWJ0g3aCHwiaEgkJetskNJ37YRPOd-FOBGGr4BSqXDehzgxeQ2UMD2ApylJ1v7dwsjemt-vIw7bVYLloE-VFihLMN0be0PutWZxbN5ah1zOsOJOBvPdgxHtjuNsvMAn0iJ/s320/IMG_6173.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
It is uncharted territory- parenting this little person with strong opinions that she can articulate</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in long detailed sentences.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhls4UazO6FSt7lF8M94LYn-5ZiKlWOBhoOjrN2JkQcnaY1kMwdW617cYOPgvSLMeEjT8O7v3U2kJB8LfNw95NXD2A-gHYfb6FR4y8XRVG8_ecfxewoxQoCzEPLw_nY5TVCoFJhaKcY44Ce/s1600/IMG_6158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhls4UazO6FSt7lF8M94LYn-5ZiKlWOBhoOjrN2JkQcnaY1kMwdW617cYOPgvSLMeEjT8O7v3U2kJB8LfNw95NXD2A-gHYfb6FR4y8XRVG8_ecfxewoxQoCzEPLw_nY5TVCoFJhaKcY44Ce/s320/IMG_6158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beware- sassy girls on the loose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One minute you're stressed over sleep training your infant and the next your baby can get themselves fully ready for bed and put them self to sleep without much more than a hug from you. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
It's bittersweet to say the least.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR60pRO4Xns8mv-iRtKV_C4Fd-7RXO7zxYv5gcCKfIFG_WQp0la0qRUhySGrGgqdm4wtYM5ol_qGLz-vDw6vT_Rkz0mtftlvDQVKwS6e4p8pzvPZVVuaP7py1DonAqdJ6ixs1lpilLmVmx/s1600/IMG_6147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR60pRO4Xns8mv-iRtKV_C4Fd-7RXO7zxYv5gcCKfIFG_WQp0la0qRUhySGrGgqdm4wtYM5ol_qGLz-vDw6vT_Rkz0mtftlvDQVKwS6e4p8pzvPZVVuaP7py1DonAqdJ6ixs1lpilLmVmx/s320/IMG_6147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh, but how she just light us up with joy everyday. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She loves pink. She wants to be a Disney Princess. She insists on wearing dresses as often as possible and will scowl should I suggest she don anything other than a glittery shoe on her foot. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwv3JQD30As5M0R7nf7k1VKonzMhnzsAVIrMNNW9u2UXKV5ql9fjJJ_AS9e5ckeivcirBhRxV-Ghnn9NIWwql15Sp0kaBoxALHERg-cAFmwwA6ZaJdKcfKcmLlJflr_7xQShwtk7KAf8j/s1600/IMG_6171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwv3JQD30As5M0R7nf7k1VKonzMhnzsAVIrMNNW9u2UXKV5ql9fjJJ_AS9e5ckeivcirBhRxV-Ghnn9NIWwql15Sp0kaBoxALHERg-cAFmwwA6ZaJdKcfKcmLlJflr_7xQShwtk7KAf8j/s320/IMG_6171.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A princess pinata. Naturally.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7GtMvhu1x8gMTMK84OlBDogoHTT_STD1Ql0Ug1utU34iPTF5PT8Nkcfg5qR6ms7vg_p54_4r_M0hVJCwelIg32qOAaPb810GktyYq0Hxe1GcVa-lx0-cuOK6KMJaHpEsCpT0LzUbXNdW/s1600/IMG_6132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7GtMvhu1x8gMTMK84OlBDogoHTT_STD1Ql0Ug1utU34iPTF5PT8Nkcfg5qR6ms7vg_p54_4r_M0hVJCwelIg32qOAaPb810GktyYq0Hxe1GcVa-lx0-cuOK6KMJaHpEsCpT0LzUbXNdW/s320/IMG_6132.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
She loves to take care of her baby dolls and knows just how to turn her daddy to mush. She likes to tell him he's handsome and say the prayer every night before dinner. And she's just dying for her little brother to get a little bit bigger so he can stop pestering her, though I tell her that's not likely to happen soon. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVdqp-on5-j9hZY1mkqijD-uzbM7D6vlSHP84SKgU3j6D_x1VAsJrmO73kyjFwe7_jt0Rf_qHEJwNKRXpjZAEa_O3C-V4oe2FDgsvyXdprJtfqKUUy_Qc3iLCJHw8momLzyplRekpP2Ke/s1600/IMG_6177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVdqp-on5-j9hZY1mkqijD-uzbM7D6vlSHP84SKgU3j6D_x1VAsJrmO73kyjFwe7_jt0Rf_qHEJwNKRXpjZAEa_O3C-V4oe2FDgsvyXdprJtfqKUUy_Qc3iLCJHw8momLzyplRekpP2Ke/s320/IMG_6177.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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If what they say is true- that God lets us pick our parents- consider me forever indebted to her. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Special thanks to Heidi and Beverly from Sweet Birdie's Nest for the insanely cute invites and door decor. </span></div>
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-2732185719611081972013-04-23T09:26:00.000-04:002013-04-23T09:26:51.659-04:00Worthy Reads<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4U8MTZB-d_AfPQMPawLmIX-u30V2b4jdGDfArQv8uJe2RQFMp5UtF8G9n9QikU7o49e28-VK27IhGKAp9IHx7lZXoO0Azgxo7BG2CR6J9-Ft5sb0EuKNVTdCr6pgGpEvkQc7LUnwsN0p/s1600/background+option.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4U8MTZB-d_AfPQMPawLmIX-u30V2b4jdGDfArQv8uJe2RQFMp5UtF8G9n9QikU7o49e28-VK27IhGKAp9IHx7lZXoO0Azgxo7BG2CR6J9-Ft5sb0EuKNVTdCr6pgGpEvkQc7LUnwsN0p/s320/background+option.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful verse courtesy of <a href="http://www.emilyley.com/" target="_blank">Emily Ley</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lately I'm really seeking wisdom from those around me- on the interwebs and elsewhere. Trying to focus less on the daily chaos and more on being a better person while I'm in it.<br />
<br />
Every once in a while I stumble upon a post that feels like something that everyone should read. Here are a few of them.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://paigeknudsen.com/stand-by-your-man-the-anniversary-edition/" target="_blank">This post</a> is by Paige Knudsen who lives locally here in Atlanta and is the mom to four beautiful girls. This woman has a story to tell, and she recalls the challenges she has faced with incredible grace and wisdom (there's that word again). She wrote this post on her anniversary to her second husband and it has really stuck with me. If you are married- read it. You won't regret it. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mothering.com/community/a/the-benefits-of-ignoring-children-sometimes" target="_blank">This post</a> was one of those articles that showed up on my Facebook feed because another mom I know (and highly respect) had commented on it. It discusses why sometimes it's good to let your children play alone---GASP! I know. A shocking revelation in a society where we often feel like we need to cater to our child's every need and provide their main source of entertainment, all the while forgetting that the ability to learn to do these things for themselves can lead to incredible character development. Obviously more applicable as your children get a little bit older, but a good dose of perspective no matter how old your kids are.<br />
<br />
And lastly, a post that spoke right to my gut. Emily Ley is a designer, entrepreneur, mother, among other things, who's blog (and products) I have really enjoyed. <a href="http://emilyley.com/blog/2013/03/filling-the-well-and-the-best-six-minutes/" target="_blank">She wrote</a> a post about why you <i>have </i>to take time to nurture the things <i>you </i>love, in the midst of mothering, working, and everything else we manage as women. Taking time for yourself will always make you a better mother in the end. <a href="http://mardenfamily.blogspot.com/2013/01/five-things-im-doing-for-me.html" target="_blank">I've talked about this before</a> and I've really seen the benefits. Let the guilt go, moms. Your kids don't want you to be stressed and harried. They want you to be happy and relaxed. Make that happen.The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-11579289965163822952013-04-06T20:59:00.003-04:002013-04-06T20:59:39.194-04:00In this seasonI am learning more and more, that every phase of life is just a short season. Whether good or bad, it will eventually pass and you'll move on to the next one.<br />
<br />
Sick baby, healthy baby, busy schedule, quiet days, feeling like my house was ransacked by a pack of wild monkeys-- all just a season.<br />
<br />
One of the ways I struggle with this is in how I feed our family. I love to cook and making sure that we eat 90% healthy is a top priority of mine. But how to do this while working and with two constantly-hungry children still something I haven't figured out. I use my slow cooker, I try to bulk cook early in the week, but more and more I'm finding myself resorting to healthy convenience foods which while still somewhat nourishing, make me feel like a total mom slacker.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipe-SC6R6tDpF-pHpS69zAtxMSw0Zh2aETKOohnwlA63ur-DgGuB9yRb3CuAXerD7KvaafqZD-8bbxboE8ahWRlYeyBG97wsQGia21lSC2wDMfEvcA8hbnKiZljMqSLDapjhWsod7qg5-q/s1600/dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipe-SC6R6tDpF-pHpS69zAtxMSw0Zh2aETKOohnwlA63ur-DgGuB9yRb3CuAXerD7KvaafqZD-8bbxboE8ahWRlYeyBG97wsQGia21lSC2wDMfEvcA8hbnKiZljMqSLDapjhWsod7qg5-q/s320/dinner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I want to cook big, delicious meals every night. I enjoy that. And I like to sit down and enjoy a good meal after a long day. But this just isn't the season for that.<br />
<br />
The kids want to eat the second they walk in the door. And more than that, they want ME the second they walk in the door. They want my attention, and I want them to feel loved and valued. I certainly can't be gone from them all day only to spend an hour facing the stove while they pull at my legs crying.<br />
<br />
I know a day will come that they entertain themselves or can help me in the kitchen and things will be different. Until then, bring on the organic chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries. I've decided I'm going to give myself some grace on this one.The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-24098412047515571312013-04-05T08:52:00.000-04:002013-04-05T08:52:54.570-04:00Oh, the irony<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been praying a lot about contentment lately. At my base
I feel very very happy with my life, overjoyed even. But I struggle with really
silly things like our house not being what I want, the urge to buy new clothes,
new furnishings, things like that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I stumbled upon Nancy Ray's <a href="http://nancyrayphotography.com/blog/" target="_blank">blog</a> a few weeks ago and was so
moved by her and her husband's financial <a href="http://nancyrayphotography.com/2013/01/financial-freedom-%E2%80%A2-part-5/" target="_blank">journey </a>I began reading about a <a href="http://nancyrayphotography.com/2013/03/i-am-content/" target="_blank">contentment challenge</a> she was planning to conduct. No buying extra unnecessary stuff from
April-June. No clothes, no house things, nothing, in order to focus back on
what really matters and learn to practice gratitude for what I think we'd all
admit is a life of abundance. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I committed on Monday, April 1st. And on Thursday, April 4th
we encountered our third major house repair in THIRTY days. Trust me people,
the irony is not lost on me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We're spent enough money the past month making repairs to
this house that we <i>don't even want to
live in</i> that we could have bought a small car. We've been frustrated to see
the money we worked so hard to save dwindle away. We've been so frustrated that
<i>we</i> had <i>other</i> plans. WE thought we were in control. WE wanted to save a lot
of money this year. We We We. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the reality of having to write another large check set in
last night, Matt and I sat down and started wondering if we're missing a bigger
message in all of this. Here I am trying to focus on all of the blessings God
has given us, and at the same time God is testing my sense of security (which
is often wrongly set in that savings account). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Obviously my security shouldn't be in things. Or in money.
Or the ability to control our life. if anyone should know by now that WE are
not in control, it should be us. But clearly it's having a difficult time
sinking in. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So even though it feels like we're financially treading
water, like we really just can't get a break, and like we truly are going to live
in this house for the rest of our lives I'm going to choose to be grateful.
Grateful that we live a simple lifestyle and have the money in savings to cover
the unexpected, grateful that we have TWO HEALTHY CHILDREN, and grateful that
we can trust that there is a bigger reason for this. We may not be able to see
it, but we can feel it. <o:p></o:p></div>
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-15695424773477049892013-03-26T17:30:00.000-04:002013-03-26T17:30:02.580-04:00Life right now<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, sweet blog. You are the first thing to get neglected
when life gets busy. And I think that's ok. Better that I not blog than not
shower. Am I right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We've had our fair share of unexpected house-related
emergencies this past month. You know- the kind that make you cringe to pay for
but so grateful that you have an emergency fund to pull from. First we had to
take down a bunch of trees that were dying because we live on a very wooded lot
and tend to get very windy, sometimes tornadic, weather this time of year. And
then came the doozie- having to replace 25 feet of underground plumbing pipe. We
could have waited, but we were essentially playing Russian roulette with
outgoing sewage. NO thank you. I can't even tell you the amount of crap-related puns we've
used in our conversation these past few weeks. <i>Our house is going to crap. The *^#* just hit the fan/I mean yard/I
mean our bank account. </i>We have no shame. I also told the plumber I would
need him to sit down and explain to my children why they couldn't go to
college. He did not find me nearly as funny as I did.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTq4s4oXCBpeZi0f9ENht_bjAsgIRFoHfO0JFRfBIPj2ld2tJEKvL73BdnAM6DeUbjqZTkI4eFuQ7_CJM6OtCDccm33eABA6dKN27fz0mzihXYX57srw-dn-Lh8h1XJgHiwne6fyOOmM1/s1600/the+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTq4s4oXCBpeZi0f9ENht_bjAsgIRFoHfO0JFRfBIPj2ld2tJEKvL73BdnAM6DeUbjqZTkI4eFuQ7_CJM6OtCDccm33eABA6dKN27fz0mzihXYX57srw-dn-Lh8h1XJgHiwne6fyOOmM1/s320/the+hole.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the crap hole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anywhoo---In good news, April brings the celebration of our
sweet angel's fourth birthday!! Don't even ask me how that is possible. She's
also making her society debut as a flower girl in a wedding on Saturday. And
Davis is wearing a blue gingham tie. I am already dying from the anticipated
cuteness. Dying. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARqFpBizg2hyphenhyphenWgTiCzMI6zylT0RiGDP-8OKC9OVNf5nzV03Vjp4nZft24oWktfyV04ePYRKGAYcUPdHKnFwUcKLK5mUpAWhvxDsv-_7J36PXdaAlloPBe-ruvR009JGbAuyt0UlgnTJXQ/s1600/IMG_5856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARqFpBizg2hyphenhyphenWgTiCzMI6zylT0RiGDP-8OKC9OVNf5nzV03Vjp4nZft24oWktfyV04ePYRKGAYcUPdHKnFwUcKLK5mUpAWhvxDsv-_7J36PXdaAlloPBe-ruvR009JGbAuyt0UlgnTJXQ/s320/IMG_5856.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also worth noting- I am now fully reliant on my iPhone for
any family pictures, I am obsessed with Instagram and the new Hazelnut latte
from Starbucks, oh, and one more little thing---I finally get to meet my little
<a href="http://sepia-tone-lovin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">God-given miracle niece</a> Greer Elizabeth on Thursday!! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's an incredible gift to watch your best friends become
mothers when you're already in on the secret of how wonderful it is. You can't
explain it to them, but you know how much their life is about to change and how
absolutely incredible it's about to become. It's truly such a blessing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsgpMMXkquGwUmVJ8edVWl5ER4BqXzQMHz0qYrc6JRz2TgAfi1iossjZPLiTBb0pu0bVdI_YHhq3V0GjuI75rodI1rYbDat9zSUZxxZmxDoqldRY1bzwRWguJrNMD0Ft1VvRrT2rQcPqo/s1600/sweet+Davis+March+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsgpMMXkquGwUmVJ8edVWl5ER4BqXzQMHz0qYrc6JRz2TgAfi1iossjZPLiTBb0pu0bVdI_YHhq3V0GjuI75rodI1rYbDat9zSUZxxZmxDoqldRY1bzwRWguJrNMD0Ft1VvRrT2rQcPqo/s320/sweet+Davis+March+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ok. Brain dump complete. Wishing you all a wonderful week!<o:p></o:p></div>
The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-61792624275089112922013-03-12T13:57:00.002-04:002013-10-06T18:44:49.143-04:00Big Victories Yesterday was a big day for our family.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
At a routine cardiologist appointment for Davis yesterday (he
goes every three months) the doctor gave us the green light to drop his last
heart medicine. This means that as of last night we have a healthy 18 month old
with a healthy heart who is now 100% MEDICINE FREE!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj2Yn8CXgYVYMWn5UNJAdsP1_fpKX9jRz5xrOaHzzgM9IHko4QPLSMcsqcBIyOJoULICSTIOVcSzI1VnQGgOZ1au0A2FatVV4485lyblq0v6MUs3G62tz1aebLu4-1dQYA_sbvfLA_hHW/s1600/D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj2Yn8CXgYVYMWn5UNJAdsP1_fpKX9jRz5xrOaHzzgM9IHko4QPLSMcsqcBIyOJoULICSTIOVcSzI1VnQGgOZ1au0A2FatVV4485lyblq0v6MUs3G62tz1aebLu4-1dQYA_sbvfLA_hHW/s200/D.JPG" width="148" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you had asked me 18 months ago when I thought this day
would come I would have said <i>never</i>. It certainly wasn't a guarantee. It wasn't even
a discussion doctors would entertain- there was far too much uncertainty. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JkJ_vtQRqgks5PmRqsc69FbT-kF_IIkgO1tbY5PhOKvIrkU_4JuYa-_wsFjFmSsNtEB6QhRCZ7-b2T0-OCl-A8b7M8cEb-NaWbXKZdJVhPrC2WNUJK7y_dbq_3Q8Q_1A9jXFVx9s5hYN/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JkJ_vtQRqgks5PmRqsc69FbT-kF_IIkgO1tbY5PhOKvIrkU_4JuYa-_wsFjFmSsNtEB6QhRCZ7-b2T0-OCl-A8b7M8cEb-NaWbXKZdJVhPrC2WNUJK7y_dbq_3Q8Q_1A9jXFVx9s5hYN/s200/photo.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And for the past year and a half we've watched our child who
began as a very sick little baby grow into a thriving, wild, insanely loving
little boy. We held our breath every time he spiked a high fever (which
happened often), knowing all too well exactly what viruses can be capable of. We
traveled everywhere with a little cooler so his medicines could stay cold. We
thanked God for our incredible insurance every time we filled his monthly
prescriptions. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WI7OBTCUPC9II3WR4N2yHVb-osRv-ZYLlBl-5gRDnDxGtl6BPf4qMvnXBOEp9a1gnyliha-jff9JCfSzgi9CQu4pnZi2p3L8z1bu0u4SDjjeZWrkXCmNMc652H8Ib1ihhOidUR_6AYzo/s1600/zoo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WI7OBTCUPC9II3WR4N2yHVb-osRv-ZYLlBl-5gRDnDxGtl6BPf4qMvnXBOEp9a1gnyliha-jff9JCfSzgi9CQu4pnZi2p3L8z1bu0u4SDjjeZWrkXCmNMc652H8Ib1ihhOidUR_6AYzo/s200/zoo.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And ironically, last week I ended up in the ER with him
after he picked up a kitchen aid blade at our in law's house and cut his
finger. Of <i>all</i> the rooms they could
have taken us to in that massive emergency room they took us back to room
number 19. The room where they did his spinal tap when he was six days old on
the night our world literally came crashing down. Full circle, I suppose. Maybe
that was God's way of giving me closure, a chance to see how far we've come. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we were in the hospital, somewhere in the third week,
the specialist told us this would be the longest marathon we would ever run.
And she was right. But we made it. There are still no guarantees, but there
never are. We've truly been given a gift, and all we can do is pray every day for those
out there waiting on their own miracles. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-37268008192592915992013-02-20T18:00:00.000-05:002013-02-20T18:00:01.492-05:00What I've been up toWe've been busy here at the Marden house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9AqU_8_4aIXNzNlSq-wK5YUxZVNDqF_hjzhHdaj30seRw-bLVKH2xiNS5yAmtaGtlO0FYVmrO0LMk_oO7D7ED-YSCmUm_I-Ss9yS_ieNpZEu-yDOPhSUEmeJO9qw3xzFQcorGTzP_-0H/s1600/Papa+Dave+and+Kiki_Feb2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9AqU_8_4aIXNzNlSq-wK5YUxZVNDqF_hjzhHdaj30seRw-bLVKH2xiNS5yAmtaGtlO0FYVmrO0LMk_oO7D7ED-YSCmUm_I-Ss9yS_ieNpZEu-yDOPhSUEmeJO9qw3xzFQcorGTzP_-0H/s320/Papa+Dave+and+Kiki_Feb2013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We've had visits from grandparents and birthday parties with friends. We've nursed stomach viruses, ear infections, and every other typical ailment that tends to arrive in the Winter. Spring---come on over whenever you're ready--we'll be eagerly greeting you with open arms and runny noses. </div>
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We've been working on the house- painting our master bedroom, experimenting with <a href="http://anniesloan.com/acatalog/paints.html" target="_blank">Annie Sloan chalk paint</a> (the rumors are true. It's a-mazing), and adding some decorative touches to our favorite spaces. </div>
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We've tried a <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/05/bbq-pot-roast-over-cheddar-ranch-grits.html" target="_blank">few</a> <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-chicken-breasts-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">new</a> recipes, started buying things for our <u>first ever</u> family vacation planned for this May at Isle of Palms in South Carolina, and just enjoyed all the fun that comes with having two little crazies running around. </div>
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Life is good. It's non-stop, exhausting, happy chaos, and I couldn't love it more :)The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-51288702934224358822013-01-24T18:00:00.000-05:002013-01-24T18:00:03.348-05:00My boys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>I'm sorry, but can we please just stop and die over this picture for a minute??</em></div>
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Seriously. I can't even take it. </div>
<span id="goog_2133497712"></span><span id="goog_2133497713"></span>The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514165293919953894.post-2114336384725492722013-01-23T18:00:00.000-05:002013-01-23T18:00:09.774-05:00Five things I'm doing for ME<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Let's be honest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We all know I'm not one for only showing the "pretty" side of parenthood. Being a parent to two kids is extremely demanding and the incredible rewards of joy, love, and sheer delight are often matched with exhaustion, emotional duress, and goldfish crumbs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Like, everywhere. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There is <em>nothing</em> I love more than mothering Madelyn and Davis. But I have let it take a toll on loving myself and I'm hoping to put a stop to that in 2013.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So I started doing five things that don't benefit anyone but me. They are selfish, time consuming, and for the most part not at all productive. But I think they are important, so here they are.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. <strong>Exercising</strong>. I'm setting aside 20 minutes at least three times a week to exercise. I have Matt watch Davis and Madelyn comes and does the workout with me. Usually she just twirls around in her tutu but sometimes she tries the moves. It's fun, and I think it's important for her to learn that we need to take care of our bodies so that we can be "strong and healthy" as she likes to say. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. <strong>My mom's group</strong>. For years I have wanted to join some sort of mom's community but as a working mother there just are not many opportunities available that don't take place during the daytime. Our church has blessed me beyond measure with a mom's bible study every other Wednesday night. It's an amazing group of sweet, smart, and hilarious Christian moms and joining has been invaluable for me, especially since most of my best friends don't just live down the road. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. <strong>Personal care</strong>. This will sound ridiculous (because it is), but sometimes I don't even take the time to put on lipstick because I'm running around like a crazy person (exhibit a: the above picture). And really, it's amazing what doing this one things will do for your confidence. Aside from that I'm making time to do my nails, lighting a candle at night while I do my face/teeth routine to make it a bit more enjoyable, and instituting a once-weekly bubble bath night. Oh, and I got a haircut. I'm calling it my chic mom do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4. <strong>Making the spaces where I spend the most time pretty</strong>. I used some birthday money I received to buy <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/search/21188859.jsp?cm_vc=SEARCH_RESULTS" target="_blank">some</a> <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/search/973328.jsp?cm_vc=SEARCH_RESULTS" target="_blank">pretties</a> for our kitchen that I had been lusting after for way too long and they make me happy every time I see them. Money well spent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5. <strong>I schedule our cleaning people on the same day I get paid</strong>. It's a bit Pavlovian but it develops a very conscious work/reward mental connection. </span>The Marden Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050282507806144187noreply@blogger.com0