our long & glorious weekend.

i have mixed feelings about long weekends... they totally play with my emotions.  sam had four days off this weekend & i got real used to having him home, real fast.  boo for being back to real life.

our long weekend started off with a surprise visit from my niece jessica & her fiance brandon.  she called me wednesday night to let me know they were gonna drive up from utah on thursday & hang out all day friday.  it was good times.  we hadn't met brandon & he had never been to the pacific northwest so it was good getting to know him & introducing him to the best coast.

the day consisted of a walk through the farmer's market {where we totally had to buy pepperoni sticks & roasted nuts... it's tradition}, lunch at lemongrass, & a tour of the capitol building.

parker & sam enjoyed testing the echo-y acoustics of the capitol.

every tour of the capitol has to end with a rub of george washington's nose.  it's good luck.  so to jessica & brandon: if all goes well with the wedding planning & such, you'll know why.  if not?  don't say i didn't try.

it was a pretty good day.

jessica & brandon took off early afternoon so p-ray, sam & i did some outlet shopping & may or may not have found a dive serving the BEST milkshakes ever.  you know it's good because i used all caps & i never do that.  also, there are no pictures of that part because there was no time for messing around with a camera when there were things to do like shove chocolate oreo milkshake into my belly.  i'm sure you understand.

and that was just friday.  saturday was pretty epic too... it involved mini-goats, baby ducks, & pink pigs.  but that'll all be posted tomorrow.

how was your weekend?

my weekend could only get better if ya clicked twice to vote. thanks!

steppin' out {sunday} - dressin' up.

yesterday p-ray & i got all dressed up in our sunday best & stepped out to churchy-church.  and why yes, i did cut my hair & dye it darker... thank you for noticing.

{linkin' up with steppin' out saturday at harper's happenings.  per the uge.}

today's steppin' out post is brought to you courtesy of the folks at Shabby Apple.  they sent me this super cute dress to review & no, i'm no fashion blogger but i do happen to be a mom who likes to clean up from time to time & try to look her best... so i think that qualifies me for this review, yeah?

i was in love with so many dresses on their site, but i eventually picked out this one.  i'm so happy with it.  i wore it today belted (f21) with a sweater (old navy) but totally want to wear it all vintage style like the model on their website.  i just need to find me one of those sweet hats.  when i do?  you better believe i'll be posting about it.  {and galavanting around the city in it just like the model, too.}

i love that the skirt is fitted from the hips down & doesn't hike up when i walk.  i love that the neckline is a little bit high so when i bend over & oversee p-ray's shenanigans i'm not giving any onlookers a show.  one thing i'm not so in love with?  it's pretty wrinkle-prone.  but i'll get over it.

you should definitely check out Shabby Apple.  i'm pretty sure you'll be dying at the vintage-inspired adorableness.  and don't get me started on how much i love their swimsuits.  but also?  don't expect me to pose in one on the blog anytime soon, either.

one thing you can expect soon is a giveaway from Shabby Apple right here on this very blog.  look for it later this week... it's a-gonna-happen.

in the meantime, enjoy 10% off all things Shabby Apple if you enter the code "agoodlife10off" when checking out.  

you're welcome.

and thank you for voting for us.  and for not making fun of me trying to look cool in a dress.

weekday recap - {in iPhone pics} w.28

happy last full week of may slash memorial weekend!

monday marked a milestone for p-ray.  it was our official first-in-store meltdown & it happened in target of all places.  actually, not ironic.  when you go to a store three times a week i guess your odds of something crazy happening there are increased, yeah?

so these pictures mark pre-tantrum, during tantrum, & post-tantrum.  i can't blame him too much... it was lunch time, he was starving, & i was pushing my luck.  it was nothing a little squeezy pouch off the shelf couldn't quickly fix.

the reason for the tantrum?  that little red belt wrapped around his waist in the middle picture.  it really hinders his twisting around & checking out the scenery abilities.  and also, his standing up & stomping on the seat abilities.

auntie jodi came up tuesday morning to hang out with parker all day while i went to work.  that smile in the first picture pretty much captures how much he loves his auntie & how excited he was to see her that morning.  i'm pretty sure he didn't even notice i was gone.

the smiles continued that night when we discovered parker's favorite food:  lasagna.

wednesday.  i enjoyed a couple quiet hours during naptime & thought about being productive, but wasn't.  after parker woke up we hung out, played with toys, & skyped with sam... who was gone monday thru thursday again for work.  boo.

thursday started off with a run around the capitol grounds which apparently was much more exciting to me than parker {stink face}.  after our run, we hit up the grocery store where parker just played it cool.

that night sam got home (yay!) and my niece jessica & her fiance brandon got into town from an impromptu rode trip up here from utah.  apparently we were having too much fun to take pictures.

friday we showed jessica & brandon a good time around the city which obviously includes lunch at lemongrass.  we also hit up the farmer's market, some shops, & a tour of the capitol building.

parker was pretty into the stairs.  he's easy to please.

did you take your "week in camera phone" pictures?  link up!

there's only one rule to linking up:
1.  your pictures have to be taken by your camera phone. that's it!  you don't even have to have a picture for every day.  got one camera phone pic of something fun from this week?  link up!

optional:
grab the code below & put it in your post to have the linky with all the thumbnails show up on your blog .  if you wanna be really cool, post a link to my blog so others can come here to grab the code, too.  the more kids who come out to play, the more fun it will be, right?

Grab the code here:

<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=90390" type="text/javascript"></script>

...and get on the linky here:



start the holiday off right with a couple clicks to vote!

thirteen months.

was anyone wondering if i'd keep up the monthly updates now that p-ray's turned one?  well, if you were {and i'm sure i'm talking to approximately one of you} the answer is yes.  i am.  because this is parker's baby book of sorts & he is changing so much month to month that i gotta stay on it.

so here we go.  thirteen months.

no sock monkey this year.  we've upgraded to the sock zebra.  and no messing around with laying flat down on a blanket either... we sit on a couch now.  because we're one.

parker has changed like crazy in the last month.  every day he learns a new word & becomes so much more boy like.  he has the sweetest little voice & i love our conversations.  i have no idea what he's saying, but it sure is sweet.  the words he does say are dada, mama, ball, duck, wow, uh oh, night-night, no, & nana (banana).  he gives big wet kisses & the best hugs.  he loves to read books & watch picture slideshow on the apple tv.  he is super ticklish around his armpits & thighs & if you tickle him with your toes he loses it.  he still hates diaper changes more than anything & has even told me "no no no no" when i lay him down to change him.  he knows that his socks & shoes go on his feet & he's been found with my tennis shoes on more than once.

when he sees something cool he points, usually with his middle finger, & says "whooooa" with a loud gasp of amazement.  he does this with our ceiling fan multiple times a day.  he loves playing chase & being chased.  he is walking while holding on with one hand & will hopefully take off on his own this coming month.  who knows.

he has learned to complain & fuss & has thrown a couple legit temper tantrums this month.  he even screamed at the top of his lungs with a red face when i dared to buckle him in to the cart at target.  this is all very new to me.

he loves his blanket like nobody's business & takes it with him everywhere he goes.  he grabs onto it when i pull him out of his crib in the morning & reaches for it during story time at night.  it's his bff.

he still takes a bottle first thing in the morning & last thing at night {mostly because i want to burn through the last of our formula supply} & is on whole milk with meals.  his diet is worthy of a post all in itself but so far his favorite foods are lasagna, squeezy pouches {anything from a squeezy pouch}, yogurt, toast, & cheese.  he prefers to drink everything from a straw.

he's wearing all twelve to eighteen month clothes, size four diapers, size four or five shoes, & sleeps about twelve hours a night {eight to eight... most days}.  he has eight teeth.

and he is still so dang cute.

love this kid.

love your votes too. fer reals.

wordless{ish} wednesday: whiney mc-whinester.

we've been seein' a lot of this scrunchy little face lately, accompanied with a fake little whine.  apparently parker has turned one & has decided to go straight into the terrible twos.  anyone else go through this?  my sweet little baby has turned into quite the complainer.  maybe it's teething.  but small tasks often turn into little battles.  and?  he even threw his first in-store tantrum at : : gasp : : target.  i guess this is part of my little baby turning into a little boy, yeah?

he's lucky he's so darn cute throughout all of it.  and the fact that he has learned how to give big wet kisses helps a bit too.

turn p-ray's frown upside down & click twice to vote!

now accepting June sponsors!

hey friends!

this little bliggity blog is changing the way we do sponsors around here.  from now on we'll be doing sponsors on a month-to-month basis & welcome awesome new lovlies {that's you} to sponsor us every month.  that also means your shop/blog/etsy store/etc. will get some consistent love every month from me on the blog through either a review/giveaway/highlight post & my readers will get fresh new shops & blogs to check out & love every month too.

that's a whole lot of love.

our traffic is consistently climbing.  here's a snapshot:

500+ unique visitors/day
650+ followers through google friend connect
230+ likes on facebook
450+ followers on twitter
100+ followers on pinterest

think you might be interested?  you totally should be.  here's what you do:

1.  pick out your ad size:

2.  email me to reserve your spot:

3.  send me your ad to display.  don't have one or do you need it resized?  no big deal.  we'll get it figured out.
4.  wait for june to roll around so you can see your pretty button on my little sidebar & your blog/shop/website featured in my posts!

i look forward to working with you & getting your shop/blog/website some more traffic!  let's do this.

how about a way to sponsor us that is free? click twice.  and now you're my fave.

a zoo post... minus animals.

last week parker & i got to meet up with some of our favorite blogger moms {again!} & head to the point defiance zoo & aquarium... so you'd think this post would be filled up with amazing animal pictures, yeah?  well, you'd be wrong.  this trip to the zoo consisted mostly of thousands of kiddos on school field trips & animal exhibits that were closed off to the public, resulting in lots of crowds & very little animal sightings.  zoo fail.

so instead, we sat on the grass & ate lunch.  and it was awesome.  mostly because there isn't much in this world that is cuter than babies hanging out on a blanket eating lunch.

because things like this happen:

yup.  we've officially entered the "i like you so i push you & pick on you" stage.  but apparently this coincides with the "i'll sit here & act cool & maybe you'll come give me a kiss & if you do i'll even take off my hat" stage.

watch out p-ray... they're sisters.

the kiddos had a good time.  they saw a couple animals, they played on toys, & they were fed all the crackers their bellies could handle.  us moms had a pretty good time too... we got to get out in the 70+ degree weather, have some adult conversation, & eat a bunch of melissa's amazing peanut-butter-filled-chocolate-dipped-pretzels.  win-win.

and p-ray totally dug the animals he did get to see.  his mind was pretty much blown when he saw the monkeys.  he kept pointing & gasping & then looking around to make sure everyone else was seeing what he was seeing.  it was pretty much one of my proudest moments as an animal freak a mom.

here are some of the mamas {& babies} we met up with... not everyone is pictured because there was a group of like 20+ and believe me when i say it was a bit chaotic.  but mostly awesome.

pictured:
{emily & poppy} {mandy & bennett}  {mandy & harper}
{austin, kiranda & bella}  {stella & melissa}  {rachel & charlie}

not pictured:
{jill & corbin} ... and more!

love all these ladies.  just like i love your votes.  lots & lots.

weekday recap - {in iPhone pics} w.27

happy saturday everyone!  it's that time again, where i photo-dump camera pics from our week.  it's amy & parker picture overload since sam was gone monday thru thursday for work.  we missed him lots.

monday.  sometimes eating toast is pretty hilarious.  p-ray:  extreme couponer.  snuggled up on the couch watching toy story.

tuesday.  we started the day off right with a post-breakfast run, & i started day one of using crest whitestrips.

that evening i got parker some new kicks... check out his sweet new dc's!  i love 'em.  he did too.  i could tell because he insisted in walking all over the mall while pushing the stroller in them.  and he thanked me by giving me lots of big wet kisses.

wednesday.  it was a gorgeous sunny day but i had to go to work.  at least i got to eat my lunch outside & soak up some sun.

parker stayed at home & played with auntie jodi all day.  they played so hard he passed out on the floor after she left.  he was super groggy & clingy after he woke up, so i just put him to bed an hour early.  he passed out for the night at seven.  that never happens.

thursday.  parker woke up hungry at 5:30am, so when i got up to make him a bottle i caught this gorgeous sunrise.  one perk to having an early riser i suppose.  although, i can't complain... he went back to sleep until 8:30.  that afternoon we had a lunch date at subway & parker gulped down some chocolate milk in his sippy.

then sam got home & the world was right again.

friday.  hit up some stroller strides on a super sunny, super gorgeous day.  sam {who had the day off} rode his bike to the park & met us.  we hit up olive garden where sam & parker did some coloring & parker stuffed his face with breadsticks.  they are incredible.

we finished the week off with some dvr'ed shows in our pj's & hit the hay super early.  i was out by eleven.  and that never happens.

hope you guys had a great week.  i can't wait to see them... link up below so we can all check 'em out.  happy rapture day, friends!

did you take your "week in camera phone" pictures?  link up!

there's only one rule to linking up:
1.  your pictures have to be taken by your camera phone. that's it!  you don't even have to have a picture for every day.  got one camera phone pic of something fun from this week?  link up!

optional:
grab the code below & put it in your post to have the linky with all the thumbnails show up on your blog .  if you wanna be really cool, post a link to my blog so others can come here to grab the code, too.  the more kids who come out to play, the more fun it will be, right?

Grab the code here:

<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=89689" type="text/javascript"></script>

...and get on the linky here:



if the world ends today, you can take some joy in the fact that you went out voting.  right?

this happened.

...and if you followed me on twitter, facebook, or instagram {@amy_agoodlife} you'd already know it.
: : winks & nudges : :

it's never happened before.  just when you think you know your kid's routine, he goes & does something like this.  plops down on his blanket, mumbles to himself for about ten minutes, & then passes right out.

he eventually woke up to the sound of my camera in his face.  oops.  he was still super groggy & after showing no interest in food, i gave him a bottle & put him to bed.  at seven.  maybe he's growing?  maybe my little p-ray is trying to bust out of that twentieth percentile?

who knows.  but he sure was beat.  he even let me rock him for ten minutes after downing his bottle.  maybe my little boy still has a bit of baby in him after all.

two clicks for sleeping babies?  yes please!

wordless{ish} wednesday: frustration.

trying to stick a square block into a circle hole.  this is what frustration looks like.

voting for our little blog helps ease p-ray's frustration.  i promise.

another thing i swore i wouldn't do... done.

you know those parents who think every little thing their kid does is super cute?  and you know how you swore you wouldn't be one of those annoying parents?  yeah ummmm... oops.  i'm guilty.  and i totally didn't think that would be me.  but seriously?  this kid kills me.

i caught him reading a book yesterday.  he was flipping through the pages, saying the words in parker-talk, pointing to the pictures, & acting surprised with every single new page.

{this is when the book got really good.}

and he's so advanced he can read upside down.  no big deal.

when sam comes home & asks what we did today, i feel kinda weird saying, "well... i watched parker read a book for about fifteen minutes.  that was cool."  but no, seriously.  that was cool, right?

{linking up with sweet shot tuesday & the happiness project.  check 'em out.}

how about a vote for a reading baby?