Open to Interpretation

Source

When Erica sent over her inspiration for this round I thought, "Hm..I think I have those exact same pants."

Kohl's pants, Gap flats, Hanes men's v-neck, F21 vest, Michael Kors watch (Christmas/anniversary gift. Woot!)

It was too warm for me to go the blazer route (apologies to all you snowed-in people) but my vest did the trick. Add in some bright flats and done! The inspiration picture had a lot more bracelets going on but since the only thing on my schedule for today is laundry and preschool carpool...eh. I'll just stick with my watch.

Visit Grace and Erica to see their interpretations!

PS this outfit was #4 on my Pinterest challenge board!

PPS  Right now eShakti is offering 20% to Freckles in April readers (code FRECKLESNP) AND there is free customization until 2/28 (TOMORROW). So, if you've had your eye on something, now's a good time to grab it.

Santa Giveth and Santa Taketh Away

There have been whispers in our house. Rumors. Tales of Santa occasionally looking in on boys and girls while they sleep, checking on the toys he so lovingly crafted in his workshop to make sure they've been properly cared for and put away. My wide-eyed boys listened to these stories but, sadly, did not take them to heart. Their room remained a disaster of the highest order; toys strewn about, broken plastic pieces tossed into corners, piles of scribbled papers, bent and torn books.

Santa stopped by our house last night. He did not like what he saw.

My boys handled the news with surprisingly little complaint. Though, when they found a couple toys I had put away under their bed they thanked me for "hiding them from Santa." I do what I can.

Much better!

Pinterest Challenge

Janssen, Merrick, and Landen do a series called Sisters Share it All where every two weeks they all post on a topic that one of them has chosen. Sometimes they invite readers to participate and for this round they're each picking 6 things from their Pinterest boards to do over the next 6 weeks and inviting readers to play along. I am all over that! I'm actually halfway decent at doing recipes that I pin but that's not the case with my other boards. Time to remedy!

Here's my 6 pins-

1. DIY Square Top from Cotton & Curls - It's been on my to-make list for ages. I recently bought a top with a very similar shape and I am wearing it to death so I think it's time to finally have a go at this.

2. Spinach cubes - With my health being what it is right now I am trying really hard to at least eat healthy. I've been doing green smoothies every morning and there are few things that annoy me more than my pricey organic spinach going bad before I've used it all up. Time to make spinach cubes.

3. Magic Tink Tint in Happy Thoughts -  It sounds a lot like the much pricier Dior Addict Lip Glow and other intuitive lip colors that are supposed to react with your body's chemistry to create your own unique shade of pink. I remain skeptical, but this one is at least affordable so I'll give it a shot.

4. An outfit - Thanks to Erica for picking this one for me :)

5. Lumineers Lyrics - The other day Baby 2 and I went on a walk and he turned to me and said, "I belong with you, right Mom?" And when I responded in the affirmative, he said, "And you belong with me? Cause I'm your sweetheart!" We maybe love that song around here. I want to put these lyrics on some kind of art for somewhere in our house. Probably over our bed, since that's just a big blank wall at the moment.

6. Aviator shirt - Hoping this won't look totally lame on an adult.

Are you going to participate in the Pinterest challenge? I'm loving clicking over to the other participants and seeing what they're doing!

Swimsuits!

I mentioned the other day that I'd been doing a little online window shopping for swimsuits. It seems kind of cruel to post about swimwear AGAIN while some of you are still knee deep in snow drifts but you just need to think of it as planning ahead. It's a good thing! I'm helping you out! I'm a giver.

Here are a few I've run across that I would love to try on-

1. Insight Persian One Piece Moulded Bandeau Swimsuit - The hip inserts are a fun detail and I love the pattern. Not quite so in love with the price. 

2. DEB Kennebunk Tankini - At the pool last summer I saw a teenage girl running around in this suit. I literally grabbed her arm as she went by and was like WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SWIMSUIT. It is ridiculously cute in person and I'm stoked that Downeast is carrying it again this year.

3. Tory Burch Lanai - I adore the bright poppy color and bandeau twist. Sadly, the price tag puts it firmly in the realm of "dream on, Sweetiepie."

4. Carmen Marc Valvo Mixed Print Bandeau Swimsuit - Love the mix of patterns.

5. Lime Ricki Seberg tankini top - A lot of swimsuits look the same to me but this one stands out with an interesting pattern and cut. Plus, it fakes an hourglass silhouette.

6. VS Open-back Cover-up Dress - This cover-up is totally genius and so cute (and totally DIYable, if you're inclined).

I am weirdly terrified of online swimsuit shopping. Swimsuits are one of those things that really need to fit you well and I hate not being able to try them on first. However, I did suck it up and order that Old Navy suit last week and I am crossing all extremities that it works out. If not...back to the drawing board.

Where are your go-to places for swimsuit shopping?

Me Elsewhere

Our fav hiking spot

Have you seen Janssen's fantastic Whirlwind Weekend series? Readers submit a handful of their favorite things to do, see and eat in their own city. The posts that have already gone up are total gold and each time I read I find myself browsing plane ticket options.

This weekend it was my turn! Hop over to read about how you should spend a whirlwind weekend in Mesa*!

 (*ok, and the surrounding area)

Where I've Been

Very busy growing out my bangs.

The past year has been a little weird for me. My health was on a slow decline and it took over 10 months for me to even realize it. That probably makes me sound like an unobservant idiot but, as it turns out, that's kind of how it goes with thyroid issues. No one around me noticed either.

It took all kinds of hair and skin problems, weird appetite, 2 surprise pregnancies followed by 2 equally surprising miscarriages, low level depression, exhaustion, apathy toward stuff I normally love (ahem, blogging/sewing/cooking/running/etc.) and daily headaches for me to finally admit I was not at 100%. Actually, I take that back. It took 11 hours of sleep each night plus a nap every afternoon for me to say, "Hm, I think something may possibly be wrong?" And then my doctor connected the other dots for me and did a blood test.

The results came back with hypothyroidism and some pretty significant hormone imbalances. I left with a handful of new prescriptions and a lot of hope.

My new besties.

A month later and I am finally feeling a lot more like myself. I debated about whether I should even write about it- does anyone even want to hear about my thyroid?- then I realized that if I had read about someone having the problems I was having over the past year, maybe the lightbulb would have flickered on a lot sooner. Thyroid symptoms come on so slowly and gradually that I kept chalking it up to a bad day. Week. Month. ...Quarter?

I don't know if feeling better will translate to more blogging (although, with 3 posts in one week, things are certainly looking promising). Either way, it's nice to be feeling better.

Splurge/Save

It has come to my attention that swimsuit season will soon be upon us! My belly flab is less than enthused.

My midsection's feelings aside, I have been enjoying a little online window shopping for a new swimsuit. I have a hard time shelling out very much for swimsuits because my higher quality suits have lasted only marginally longer than my $20 ones. We LIVE in the pool in the summer and between the chlorine and the sun my suits just don't last.

I ran across this ASOS suit this yesterday morning and was sad to see the price tag. Later in the afternoon, though, I discovered the Old Navy version. I love a good B&W print (AND apparently the Old Navy one has something called "control max" that sounds very flab friendly). I might be sold.

Seafolly Neo Tribe Swimsuit from ASOS - $175.40
Old Navy Twisted Bandeau Swimsuit - $39.94

Recipe: Crepes with Cream Cheese Filling

This was my 4th. Just for the record.

Twice a year my church holds a big multi-session conference on a Saturday and Sunday. The morning and afternoon sessions are for everyone but on Saturday night there's a special session just for men.

Back when I was single I lived in Utah for a couple years. There was a family in my ward- I can't even remember who they were or why I was invited to this- who had a tradition. On Saturday night when the men were off at Priesthood session the women would get together and make crepes.

I had never before had a dessert crepe. And I wasn't sure what this Nutella stuff was that they were encouraging me to put on my crepe. We had an Australian exchange student a few years previous and Nutella looked suspiciously like the Vegemite junk Michelle had spread on her toast every morning. The only part of this whole deal I was sure about was the strawberries. I do quite like strawberries.

I've always been a non-adventurous eater but I decided to not embarrass myself and just EAT the dang thing. And sweet merciful heaven, my life changed that day.

At some point after I got married I bought a crepe maker. I knew there were other ways of making crepes but that's what the mother in this family used and so in my brain that made it the One True Way. We used to make crepes with strawberries, Nutella and whipped cream for company on a fairly regular basis.

Sunday treat using my most weirdly specific kitchen tool. vine.co/v/bv5KpLYUrEq
— Kayla (@FrecklesinApril) February 10, 2013

I haven't gotten my crepe maker out for years. But this week I got a hankering and dusted it off. I didn't have any Nutella on hand (for shame) so I improvised a cream cheese based filling instead and there are some in our house that are saying that, in a crepe cage match, the cream cheese one would beat the Nutella. I'm just sayin'.

Crepes

1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 T sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 cups milk, room temperature
2 T butter, melted
1/2 t vanilla
2 large eggs, room temperature

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. If you don't have a crepe maker (does anyone else have one? I'm pretty sure it's just me and that one lady from church) then lightly butter a 6 or 8 inch skillet and heat over medium heat.

Pour a very scant 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet and quickly rotate to coat the bottom. Cook until lightly browned. Use a spatula to loosen sides and flip to quickly cook the other side. Repeat with rest of the batter.

Filling

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c greek yogurt
1/4 c powdered sugar
1 T brown sugar
splash vanilla (if you have a vanilla bean, so much the better)

Use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese and greek yogurt until smooth. Add sugar, beat until combined. Add vanilla and beat one last time until all is smooth and combined. I like my filling less sweet, so add more sugar if you need it.

Top with strawberries and then curse my name after you've eaten your 4th (seriously, blergh).