Mondays over here often seem to be of the happy variety, or at least it's been true of this year. Most Mondays have been Jordan's day off, a new day after a long work weekend, or a start to a lighter rotation. I'm sure we will join the rest of the world and go back to hating on Mondays soon, as his schedule eases up a bit. And, oh, do I look forward to the day I can write about Monday woes after a long fun weekend. And you may just see that next week.

For now, we're soaking up our time at the cottage in the mountains.

To celebrate one of our last happy Mondays for now, I have some adorable photos of Ruby and a giveaway. I capture these sweet photos of Ruby before we left in her cute Miss Giggle Buns headbands. 

Ruby in South Carolina last October, exactly 5 months old. 

It doesn't feel quite real yet, but today we are in South Carolina. We got in late last night after driving all day. I woke up this morning, drank a cup of coffee, and we all headed straight to the lake. And I already learned how to surf on the wake. And the best thing is we get to do it all again this afternoon and the rest of the week. 

I'm truly sorry for all the complaining you've hear over here this summer. It really has been a tough season and I am so ready for a new one to begin. As you all know, it's been a long time since we've had a real weekend. Jordan calculated on our way down, that in the past 60 days he's had only 6 days off, majority of them not falling on weekend days. The idea of having time with my sweet husband seems so foreign. So, I will surely be soaking in every single moment. 

We also get some good time with Jordan's family. All of his siblings and their kiddos are here. Ruby loves time with her cousins and as she keeps growing it's fun to see her play with them. I brought some fun crafts for them and I even made family tshirts, they're awesome.

I'll remember to take my camera to the boat with me next time to get an updated photos of Ruby in her lifejacket! She's just a little bigger now, I miss those sweet cheeks! 

Have a lovely weekend! 

one other thing,

because it doesn't feel quite right sharing about all of the fun we're having while my heart is aching for a little one's life and her family. i hesitated to share this, because it's not mine to share. i'm finding it hard to write words that are vague, but also meaningful. if you think about it, pray. pray for restoration, for courage, and hope. 

In January of this year I started writing this post. I can remember excitedly writing in the evening about the process of sorting though every single piece of clothing I own. And my future plans of decluttering. 

It was quickly forgotten with the business of this year, along with fifty other drafted blog posts (I wish I was kidding). 

I always feel a little uncomfortable talking about something so foreign, and a little out of place for me. Especially with many others talking about simplicity, capsule wardrobes, and minimalism, I look like a slob. 

I prefer to wait until I feel more confident in a subject. I've quickly learned that this is an area that I will never perfect, and may take a long time for me to excel in. So, here I am humbly sharing with you my progress in decluttering and simplifying.

So, back in January,

my sister-in-law, Chelsey, the best visitor anyone could ask for, helped me sort through all my clothing. Along with decluttering and cleaning up most of our house. 

I think Ruby is also a fan of Jen

Could these two be any more adorable??

Thanks for sharing Denver with us, Jen! and for being an awesome host. I can't wait to share my photos from the rest of our trip. It may have been short, but we fit in quite a lot.

I love being outdoors. However, last summer I was hardly outside, mostly due to the mosquitos, which are quite abundant here. (And maybe a little that I had a newborn baby) I would step outside and immediately be covered in itchy swollen bites. This summer, I am determined to not let that happen again. So far I've tried all sorts of bug sprays, natural, full of deet, organic. Some worked ok, but ultimately I find myself not wanting to use them. 

I bought this set of essential oils at the end of last summer, excited to jump in on the essential oil world. I was probably most excited about the pest defy included. I happily got it out this spring as the mosquitos first started to come around, but had no idea how to really use it. I would dab a little on my ankles, which wan't really efficient, so I set out to find a better way.

About a month ago, I picked up a small spray bottle at a local store and decided to try my hand at making my own bug spray. I used the first recipe I found, which was much easier than I anticipated, and the results far exceeded my expectations. 

This concoction is light, smells great, doesn't leave your skin feeling icky or smelling completely like the typical bug spray.  The first day I tried it out, Jordan even picked up on the lavender scent. I was quite proud. I now wear it all the time. Because there are mosquitos in our house at this moment, like, seriously how are they everywhere?



30 drops of pest defy essential oil (can be switched out with citronella or lemongrass)
30 drops of lavender essential oil
1 oz. Water
1 oz. Witch Hazel

Pour each item into a small spray bottle that holds at least 3 oz. look for PET plastic or a glass bottle. I was unable to find the one i have, but here's a great option on amazon, you could probably find what you need at a local store too.

Make sure to reapply every couple hours as the scent starts to fade.

I found this diy here and adapted it to suit what essentials oils I have. These essential oils were all in the original kit that I mentioned. There are a variety of essential oils you can use as a bug repellent spray. I switched out a few drops for peppermint and eucalyptus in my last batch just to play around with what scent I like best.