Well, here I am, celebrating another birthday. I would say it isn't special, but my friend Lacy is a firm believer that they are all special...so, YAY 28! Now that I am older and wiser (HAHAHA) I thought it would be appropriate to write down some advice that I would have for my younger self. So, here are few things that I have learned over the years!

1. Don't Conform: You spent a greater part of your early adulthood trying to conform to the norms. Go to college, get a degree, find a job, get married, start a family. I wouldn't change my path if I could, but I would change the fact that I constantly worried about fitting into a mold. 

2. Be Yourself: Don't change who you are...not for anyone. You are exactly who God designed you to be. Your skills, your talents, & your quirks all make you unique and special. Don't try to be someone you are not. 

3. Love Recklessly: People are going to come into your life...love them! When they build you up, love them. When they hurt you, love them. When they don't show love themselves, love them anyways. When they love you, LOVE THEM! We are here to love, don't waste time with hate...or even dislike. Investing in people and relationships is the greatest thing you can do. Choose love all the time! 

4. Take Advice: You are 18 and you don't know everything. There are so many people in your life that have so much knowledge to share. Take advice and corrective criticism and grow from it. 

5. Forgive: Life is too short to harbor anger towards others. There are going to come days when people hurt you, but there is beauty in the hurt. Those people who hurt you will also teach you valuable lessons and let you see strengths you didn't know you had. AND grace is a beautiful thing.

6. Embrace Life's Curve Balls: That five year plan that you have (heck that 10 year plan that you have)...don't be disappointed when it doesn't go the way you thought it would. I know what your goals are; I know what you are envisioning for yourself. Things don't always go as planned, and that is okay. It is going to hurt when some of your plans fall apart, but the end is going to be beautiful. The plans you have for yourself are so tiny compared to the plans He has written for you. You are going to meet people, go on adventures, and discover things about yourself that you would never get to do if your plan went exactly the way you hoped. Embrace life. Cry when it hurts, but look for the blessings and remember that it all going to work out.

7. Have Fun: Sometimes you take life way to seriously! Your older self knows a little bit about having a good time and embracing fun when it is needed! Go find a new hobby, spend time with your friends, and have fun with these precious days that God has given you. You won't regret it!

In 10 years you will be in awe of the season that God has you in. It is beautifully messy & filled with love. You have an amazing husband, the sweetest little boy, a wonderful family, and the most incredible friends. You are a lucky one! 

It is no secret that since having Rowan, I have been reading more children's books than anything else! I love the pretty illustrations and snuggling up with my boy to read about how The Little Blue Truck is going to save the day (yeah, we are back on that kick since our dear friend picked this up for us)! But I have added a few books to my "grown-up" book collection that I thought I would share with you guys! 

Wild and Free: I found out about this book on Instagram & decided that I needed it! It is great! If you are looking for some reassurance and clear idea of what it means to rest freely in the work that Jesus did for you, this book is a must! It was so great for my soul. In fact, I finished it about a month ago, and I will be reading it again soon.

The Whole-Brain Child: I haven't had a chance to read this one yet, but it was highly recommended. The book discusses topics of discipline, child development, and parenting. Plus, it includes some helpful graphics. Have any of you read this? I would love to hear your thoughts! 

The Nesting Place: I have read The Nesting Place blog for a long time, and I was so excited to receive this book for Christmas. It is filled with some great ideas on making your house feel like home & and loving it even when it isn't perfect.

Loving My Actual Life: I effortlessly zipped through this one! I couldn't seem to put it down. The pages are filled with helpful tips and insight on living a more intentional life. The author Alex, goes over her 9 month experiment where she focuses on something she wants to improve or fine tune. It made me really think about specific parts of my life that I would like to focus more on.

You are a Badass: I will be honest, I wasn't sure about this book when it was recommended to me. BUT I LOVED IT! It is easily one of my favorite books. If you are looking for some inspiration to go for your dreams, you need to read this book. It is encouraging and informative and SO FUNNY!

Uninvitied: I actually just started this one, but I can already tell that I will recommend it to so many of my friends. I have been digging in deep and taking notes and feeling all the feels. I will give you a full report when I finish it. (I am only 40 pages deep!)

That is all I have for now...short list, I know! There is a long list of books that I would like to read in the future, but I am still finding it hard to squeeze reading into my schedule. Have you read any great books lately? 

This summer has sure gone by quickly. It has been a while since I have done a little Rowan update & he has grown so much over the last few months. His little personality cracks me up. He is always surprising me with something new that he has learned, or silly that he does. This age is easily one of my favorites so far! He absolutely loves bath time, reading, & visiting the farm to help Daddy with the goats. He is also pretty much obsessed with all things Curious George. Group hugs (or squeezes) are really common around our house...sometimes we get to enjoy twenty or so at a time & and each one is as enthusiastic as the first. He is pretty independent at times, but he also loves to snuggle is mommy & and you know that I am a fan of that! He has recently learned so many words. He pronounces most of them incorrectly, but that might be the cutest part (he calls milk "mooo-k"...pretty fitting!) And all of his sorries are accompanied with some sweet patting. I am not sure where he learned that. This boy is the sweetest thing with the kindest heart. I hope that he always know how very special he is to me. 

I used to love store bought scent boosters. However, over the years we have been trying to eliminate toxins from our laundry routine. We switched to a natural laundry detergent, tossed our dryer sheets, and I just thought I would live without the little smelly goods that I tossed in the washer. Then I found a recipe for DIY scent boosters, and my chore has been made slightly more enjoyable! 

It is super simple to make! Just add 30 drops of your favorite essential oils to 2 cups of epsom salt. Mix it together in a bowl and let it dry for a couple of hours before storing it in a glass container. When it is time to do laundry, just add a tablespoon to the washer with your detergent. Young Living's Purification Essential Oil is always a good choice when it comes to laundry. I have also used lavender and a combination of Northern Lights Black Spruce + Cedarwood (we pretty much just smelled like lumberjacks...in a good way, of course)!