Happiest 2nd birthday, Carter! We love you.
Carter's 2nd Birthday Party!
Yesterday was Carter's 2nd birthday party, and Autumn threw him the cutest Sesame Street themed birthday ever! All of the details were amazing and all of the kids had so much fun. Henry had a great time with one of his favorite dudes Kyler and it was so adorable to see them romping around together. It was a wonderful day spent with great friends. We left a little early when Henry hit his wall (nap skipping is serious stuff, people) so we elected to head home when he didn't even want to sit on mama's lap anymore. He had fun while he lasted though and his favorite part was probably the bubble lawnmower! Also- I've left out most of the photos including the other partyogers- there were many guests but since I don't know them personally I elected to not post them here on the blog. Just a little p.s. :)
Happiest 2nd birthday, Carter! We love you.
Happiest 2nd birthday, Carter! We love you.
Love Stories: Brian & Sharlim
Over the past week I've been sharing super sweet love stories from around the internet, and I hope you've enjoyed reading them! Today I am featuring one final couple, Brian and Sharlim. Brian and I actually met way back in middle school, continued our friendship through high school, and have kept in touch ever since. Brian is quite simply, amazing. He's an incredible designer with more talent in his pinky than anyone I know, and the clothing and costuming he creates are nothing short of brilliant. Brian and his handsome partner Sharlim lead a beautiful life together, and I'm so excited to feature them here. Enjoy!
How did you and your partner meet? How long have you been together? When did you know he/she was "the one?"
Sharlim: Brian and I met online. We spent several weeks and several email and text messages before we went out on our first date. At first I did not know if he was the one. We are so different in terms of personality. He is more quiet and I am, as a typical Puerto Rican, louder and hyper. I think I realize that he was the one when I noticed that he was able to deal with me and that I felt more relaxed and peaceful when I was around him. I felt that I complimenting his life in someway I cannot explain and he was complimenting mine.
Brian: I knew he was "the one" when my dog and family approved. I know it's really a silly answer but we all can be blinded in the beginning and it was nice to see that I didn't have to convince them that he was a great guy.
Everybody loves him for their own different reasons and often times my own parents will call just to talk to him and forget about me! He finds a way to relate to all my friends, family and clients. He's very charming and relatable.
My dog's introduction was quite comical. She behaved in a way as if "be nice to Brian or else you'll have to answer to me." She took an instant liking to him, so much so that she demanded and got his attention more than I did.
I also knew he was "the one" when I realized just how selfless he is. By nature he is very much like his mother and loves to provide and care for everybody. Early on in our relationship, at my request he canceled long standing plans with his friends who were visiting from out of state. A relative of mine was dying and it was my last opportunity to visit them in the hospital. This was also Sharlim's first time meeting several of my family members. It really showed me on many levels that not only was he willing to put my needs before his and his friends, but also that he was willing to endure any awkwardness of meeting family in a hospital setting for the first time.
What's a typical weekend like for the two of you? How about a date night?
Brian- We are such a boring couple. Our "quality time" is generally very low key, relaxing and traditional. Part of Sharlim's Puerto Rican culture is showing affection through food. So if we have had a long week, a nice dinner is the first idea that always comes to his mind. Either he likes to cook for us, or find a new restaurant to try out. We spend way too much money on dinners out, but it really is our only indulgence. Aside from that, Sharlim loves movies and entertainment so we often get comfy with some Netflix or a new movie in theaters.
I like to try to introduce new ideas when things feel like they are getting boring. Sharlim is always willing to try new things. If we're being adventurous we will take a day trip to places within the state, or if we can get away for a long weekend we will go to my family's cabin in Payson. If we only have a few hours, we will swing by the art museum or a drag show where my costume designs might be shown.
Because I'm trying to grow my own business, and Sharlim is always on call for work we have placed focus on a date night in order to keep a balanced life. Both of our works can demand so much of our time that 2 weeks can fly by without even realizing it. For us we have set aside Friday nights because we tend to have money and are not super busy with everything else. I think it's really important to dedicate uninterrupted time for each other. It is helping me create a boundary to shut off business and turn on relationship time easier.
What makes your relationship work? Or in other words, what's your secret to a long-term, loving relationship? Any advice?
Brian- We work because we are quite opposites. Sharlim is very left brain and I'm very right brain. He is very smart with the facts, accounting, and logistics of life and I'm better skilled at creativity, creating our comfort, planning our future, focusing on health, etc. He easily manages our finances where I have very little patience or skills for paying bills, customer service calls, comparative shopping, cooking and household responsibilities.
We also handle stress very differently. If I have an emotion, I show it to my closest loved one. Sharlim endures me venting any frustrations, fears and concerns I have. He is always wonderful at listening and chilling me out and being supportive. He focuses on resolving the problems and getting us back to a calm state. He validates my perspective when he agrees with it, and reminds me when I may be having unrealistic expectations. On the flip side, Sharlim has one emotion "normal." Even in moments when he should lose his mind, he's very patient and calm. I remind him it's okay to be angry, sad, disappointed etc. He is learning to be emotionally vulnerable all around and I'm learning to change my thinking and behaviors to get my desired results. This is an example of one of the many ways we compliment each other.
Being very different can be a barrier at times as well. We just have to remind ourselves that we are two different people. We don't have the same opinions, perspectives, upbringing and some values. There is no need to change each other, it's just important to accept each other the way we are and push each other to be open minded.
My biggest advice is just being accepting of the person as they are. Of course nobody is perfect and everybody has qualities that are undesirable. I think it is important that the other person's positive qualities outweigh their negative qualities. Sharlim does not try to change me and I do not try to change him. I cannot stand how messy Sharlim is. Somehow he collects junk mail paper and empty boxes. Our office is a mess every time I step in there. I can never use my own desk. He's also the type of cook that uses every utensil and bowl we have to create a simple dinner. But I'm at peace with it. It's far less confrontational to accept the fact that Sharlim has some weird quirk about paper, boxes and dishes. If it bugs me enough either I clean it up or tell him "hey…this is a disaster, lets take 10 minutes and fix it." We both are pretty aware of our own short comings and willing to admit that they are there. So when I say "this kitchen is a mess" Sharlim says "yeah you're right. Let's clean it or I'll clean it after dinner."
Sharlim: Many of our issues have been because of lack of communication which lead to many misunderstandings. We have improved communication a lot and that has made us stronger. We express clearly stuff that we like about each other and things that bother as well. I think that is the main ingredient on having a long term loving relationship. Also, I give Brian several hugs and kisses a day I always like to express how much I love him. It is always good not only for your partner, but also to yourself to be reminded that you care and love someone a lot.
How did you and your partner meet? How long have you been together? When did you know he/she was "the one?"
Sharlim: Brian and I met online. We spent several weeks and several email and text messages before we went out on our first date. At first I did not know if he was the one. We are so different in terms of personality. He is more quiet and I am, as a typical Puerto Rican, louder and hyper. I think I realize that he was the one when I noticed that he was able to deal with me and that I felt more relaxed and peaceful when I was around him. I felt that I complimenting his life in someway I cannot explain and he was complimenting mine.
Brian: I knew he was "the one" when my dog and family approved. I know it's really a silly answer but we all can be blinded in the beginning and it was nice to see that I didn't have to convince them that he was a great guy.
Everybody loves him for their own different reasons and often times my own parents will call just to talk to him and forget about me! He finds a way to relate to all my friends, family and clients. He's very charming and relatable.
My dog's introduction was quite comical. She behaved in a way as if "be nice to Brian or else you'll have to answer to me." She took an instant liking to him, so much so that she demanded and got his attention more than I did.
I also knew he was "the one" when I realized just how selfless he is. By nature he is very much like his mother and loves to provide and care for everybody. Early on in our relationship, at my request he canceled long standing plans with his friends who were visiting from out of state. A relative of mine was dying and it was my last opportunity to visit them in the hospital. This was also Sharlim's first time meeting several of my family members. It really showed me on many levels that not only was he willing to put my needs before his and his friends, but also that he was willing to endure any awkwardness of meeting family in a hospital setting for the first time.
What's a typical weekend like for the two of you? How about a date night?
Brian- We are such a boring couple. Our "quality time" is generally very low key, relaxing and traditional. Part of Sharlim's Puerto Rican culture is showing affection through food. So if we have had a long week, a nice dinner is the first idea that always comes to his mind. Either he likes to cook for us, or find a new restaurant to try out. We spend way too much money on dinners out, but it really is our only indulgence. Aside from that, Sharlim loves movies and entertainment so we often get comfy with some Netflix or a new movie in theaters.
I like to try to introduce new ideas when things feel like they are getting boring. Sharlim is always willing to try new things. If we're being adventurous we will take a day trip to places within the state, or if we can get away for a long weekend we will go to my family's cabin in Payson. If we only have a few hours, we will swing by the art museum or a drag show where my costume designs might be shown.
Because I'm trying to grow my own business, and Sharlim is always on call for work we have placed focus on a date night in order to keep a balanced life. Both of our works can demand so much of our time that 2 weeks can fly by without even realizing it. For us we have set aside Friday nights because we tend to have money and are not super busy with everything else. I think it's really important to dedicate uninterrupted time for each other. It is helping me create a boundary to shut off business and turn on relationship time easier.
What makes your relationship work? Or in other words, what's your secret to a long-term, loving relationship? Any advice?
Brian- We work because we are quite opposites. Sharlim is very left brain and I'm very right brain. He is very smart with the facts, accounting, and logistics of life and I'm better skilled at creativity, creating our comfort, planning our future, focusing on health, etc. He easily manages our finances where I have very little patience or skills for paying bills, customer service calls, comparative shopping, cooking and household responsibilities.
We also handle stress very differently. If I have an emotion, I show it to my closest loved one. Sharlim endures me venting any frustrations, fears and concerns I have. He is always wonderful at listening and chilling me out and being supportive. He focuses on resolving the problems and getting us back to a calm state. He validates my perspective when he agrees with it, and reminds me when I may be having unrealistic expectations. On the flip side, Sharlim has one emotion "normal." Even in moments when he should lose his mind, he's very patient and calm. I remind him it's okay to be angry, sad, disappointed etc. He is learning to be emotionally vulnerable all around and I'm learning to change my thinking and behaviors to get my desired results. This is an example of one of the many ways we compliment each other.
Being very different can be a barrier at times as well. We just have to remind ourselves that we are two different people. We don't have the same opinions, perspectives, upbringing and some values. There is no need to change each other, it's just important to accept each other the way we are and push each other to be open minded.
My biggest advice is just being accepting of the person as they are. Of course nobody is perfect and everybody has qualities that are undesirable. I think it is important that the other person's positive qualities outweigh their negative qualities. Sharlim does not try to change me and I do not try to change him. I cannot stand how messy Sharlim is. Somehow he collects junk mail paper and empty boxes. Our office is a mess every time I step in there. I can never use my own desk. He's also the type of cook that uses every utensil and bowl we have to create a simple dinner. But I'm at peace with it. It's far less confrontational to accept the fact that Sharlim has some weird quirk about paper, boxes and dishes. If it bugs me enough either I clean it up or tell him "hey…this is a disaster, lets take 10 minutes and fix it." We both are pretty aware of our own short comings and willing to admit that they are there. So when I say "this kitchen is a mess" Sharlim says "yeah you're right. Let's clean it or I'll clean it after dinner."
Sharlim: Many of our issues have been because of lack of communication which lead to many misunderstandings. We have improved communication a lot and that has made us stronger. We express clearly stuff that we like about each other and things that bother as well. I think that is the main ingredient on having a long term loving relationship. Also, I give Brian several hugs and kisses a day I always like to express how much I love him. It is always good not only for your partner, but also to yourself to be reminded that you care and love someone a lot.
Weekend links // Odds & Ends
enjoying a lazy morning with Henry - we put a huge blanket on the living room floor and got nice and cozy
Heeey weekend! I already wrote about my big plans yesterday in my Currently post, but tonight I'm getting tattooed and I'm really excited. And dreading it...but more so excited. My friend Natalie is going to come hang out too, so that makes it even better. Thank you Nat! It's kind of like a fun girl date without our kiddos, except I'll be getting continuously poked by a needle for a few hours. Luckily I'm just getting the top of my thigh tattooed so it won't be too horrible.
In other news, Henry's development is skyrocketing and he is changing every single day. He is SUCH a ham and the biggest chatterbox ever. He's basically running all over the house and getting into everything. It's pretty insane. On the shopping list for this weekend? Baby gates! I'm finishing up a Henry post so I'll talk more about all of this next week, and include some videos too.
Anyway, here are some links for you to check out. Happy weekend!
Take a minute to check out Vanny's gorgeous redesign. Love it, Vanessa!
Congratulations to Mandy from Harper's Happenings for her fantastic Levis commerical! Awesome, right?! I absolutely love it. Yay, Mandy!
How to store fresh produce. Very helpful and I definitely learned a few things.
25 fonts for font snobs. I'm by no means a font snob, but I do enjoy a good font or two. This is a great list!
This would be an amazing and unique wedding gift (from one of my favorite Etsy artists).
Angela's baby shower was perfection. But really, did I expect anything else?
I loved Sara's round up of her Instagram photos.
Make your own bowtie for you own little gentleman.
10 things not to say to a pregnant woman. Vanessa nailed it!
I'm pretty into this DIY rotating goals list. So simple yet so genius.
Loving Jen's "Weekly Parenting Ups & Downs."
Krista did a fun A-Z love post the day after Valentine's.
I'm so excited to try this product out post-tattoo. Ink Butter is a new sponsor of mine and I've heard such good things about them from friends- looking forward to seeing for myself!
Little lemon souffles! YUM.
5 honest tips about growing your blog.
I just love Kristine's unique style- it may sound funny but visiting her site is such a treat!
Really enjoyed these 10 inspiring images of famous couples.
I'm such a sucker for a love story (I have one more to share later today!) and Aileen's is super sweet.
And finally, a new favorite and an old favorite.
Currently.
my current favorite photo of Henry
Obsessing over: printing out all of the photos I've taken of Henry over the past 15 months. I was looking through an old photo album at my parents' the other day and realized that I have nothing physical like that to have as a keepsake. I doubt that one day in future Henry will sit and peruse my Flickr account when he wants to see baby photos. So my plan is to go through all of my photos month by month and print out 3 copies of each. I'll make 2 photo albums (one for him, one for us) and then have an extra copy for any projects, etc. he may want them for. I'm not a scrapbooker, so these are just going to be old-fashioned albums. I'm excited, even though the task seems completely daunting considering the amount of photos I've taken!
Working on: This is just my hobby (NOT a job), but for some reason, I catch myself feeling weird- like I'm not "keeping up with the Jones'" once in a blue moon. And that is too often for me. By the way, I have no idea who the Jones' even are. It's weird though, and I started thinking about this when I caught myself apologizing for an Instagram collage in a recent post. Who am I apologizing to? And why? This blog has a large readership, yes, but why in the world would I apologize to people for sharing photos of my happiness- albeit not the best quality photos, but still, why? I share a little of everything- beautiful photos from my DSLR, some from my point and shoot, some from my phone, so I'm just trying to shake off this idea that I have to measure up to some weird ideal I've gotten stuck in my head from who knows where. All of the blogs I love are a mix of everything, yet all of a sudden I had a strange guilt for not producing posts with great photos, all the time; like I was copping out using Instagram photos. Over it now though, and I don't expect to feel that way for oh, about another 6 or 7 months! ;)
Thinking about: how excited I am to get tattooed tomorrow! It's been awhile, and I couldn't be happier about adding something really, really special to my thigh. Let's be clear though- I am not excited about the pain- I hate hate hate getting tattooed, and it only gets harder the older I get...but I love the outcome so in the end it's worth it. I'll wait and share what I'm getting via a post later on, but just know that it officially brings me fully over to the literature-nerd side, as if I wasn't already there. Excited!
Anticipating: a fun weekend. Tomorrow night is tattoo night, Saturday is Carter's 2nd birthday party, and Sunday Hank, Henry and I have a fun family day planned.
Listening to: Lately I can't stop listening to Neko Case. Do any of you listen to her? I've loved her for a long, long time and have fully enjoyed all of her amazing projects she's partaken in with that incredible voice of hers. My most favorite album of hers though is Blacklisted, but oddly enough I'd never gave her newest album, Middle Cyclone, a listen. While in San Francisco Alex mentioned that one of his all-time favorite songs was "This Tornado Loves You" and now I can't stop listening to it. Neko Case is amazing and and I firmly believe she is one of the great voices of our time.
Eating: sweet potatoes. So many sweet potatoes! I always love them, but lately I've been on a one-a-day kick. I usually like to throw a couple in the oven for dinner- Henry loves them too! I prefer mine with butter and sea salt, but adding cheese and broccoli is delicious too. Fun fact: sweet potatoes have been said to increase the chances of having twins or multiples! Seeing that my Dad is a twin I better lay off once we start thinking about baby #2...unless we want #2 and #3 at the same time! ha.
Wishing: that air travel was free. There are far too many faraway friends I'd like to visit.
How about you? What are you up to today? Feel free to do your own "currently" post on your blog and link back in the comments! And thanks again to my dear friend Megan for providing the original inspiration for these posts.
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