Small Things Are Big Things

Have you been wondering where I have been?
Of course I’ve been working on all sorts of goodies for Eli’s Lids.
(Exciting!!)
But mostly I have been starving.
Yes, starving.
It’s no secret I haven’t lost my baby weight from my last two littles.
People who meet me in person, usually do a double take, because I only post skinny pictures of myself on the blog (It’s my blog, I’ll do what I want to) it’s kinda funny.
Anyway, I started logging calories on an AWESOME app called My Fitness Pal. It’s FREE and very eye opening about what I was actually eating.
Who knew almonds were 640 calories per cup??
Not this gal who was snacking on about 2 cups a day… that’s 3/4 of what I should be eating the whole day!!!
I’ve been doing it for 30 days and I’ve lost 6.5 pounds.
See…

I can now button my fatty fat fat jeans with minimal muffin top.
A Mini Muffin Top!
I’m not perfect and I cheat. A lot. See today’s entry below. (Guess it’s salad and air for dinner.) But I’m still losing because I’m eating less than I was before. A lot less.

One of the best parts about My Fitness Pal is that you can friend other peeps who are suffering doing it too and chat/encourage each other.
If you get it, find me! My username is KNBLawson
But don’t follow me if you don’t want to hear LOTS and LOTS of complaining about how starving and cranky I am.
Because that’s all I ever post about.

(And a bit of a review of The Hunger Games)

(pic of me at 3 am after the show)

Last night I survived the 74th Annual Hunger Games.

Midnight:O-1.

Me, a few friends and a few hundred teens.

The movie was good but there were a few lil’ things that had me bugged (more on that in a sec), which just confirms how much I like to see the movie BEFORE I read the book.

Here’s why:

When I read the book first…

The movie can be really disappointing. (Ya Ya Sisterhood, Shopaholic… the list goes on and on) Not because the movie is bad, but because my expectations are… different.

If there are any differences or if the movie folks cut a scene in the book that I really love, I may whisper, “inaccurate” somewhat loudly to no one in particular in the theater. It’s pretty annoying for everyone else but I just can’t help it.

If I disagree with who they cast for certain parts I can’t stop thinking about how stinky the actor is for this role.

Basically I walk out of the theater un satisfied and angry about spending so much money. (First World Problem, I know)

When I see the movie first…

I’m never disappointed by a fun flick.

After the movie, when I’ve read the book, it’s ALWAYS better. Even though I know the ending of the story already, the book always has so much more perspectives, insight and narratives, it usually feels like a whole new story.

I love visualizing characters on my own but if I see the move first, I can easily build off the movie visual in my mind. It makes for less rereading of descriptions, especially when in a sci-fi or fantasy book when everything is new. (Hello, the first time I read Lord of the Rings way before the movies came out!)

It’s a win-win! I love the movie then I love love love the book.

Now for my take The Hunger Games…

It was really good… not great. I think they did a great job of cramming what they could of the book into the movie. But, of course, there is SO MUCH MORE in the book. I really missed the scenes with the mayor’s daughter. I’m not sure they really captured why Peeta is so important to Katniss or Katniss’ mom’s mental breakdown or Katniss’ constant struggle of putting on a show, very well. And I couldn’t stand the jumpy camera scenes. Headache central. You’ll understand 10 minutes into the movie as Katniss is going into the woods and you have to look away from the screen before your brain explodes. All in all, it’s worth seeing and I’m looking forward to the next film!

What did you think of The Hunger Games? Do you prefer to read a book first or see a movie first?

I know you know our Fedorable are a-dorable, but there’s more!!

A Fedorable + any hair clip = Even more A-dorable!
There is a handy little opening in the sewn on ribbon that works perfectly with any alligator clip or pin!
See… 

   
Want to change the whole look of your Fedorable without buying another Fedorable?
(Can I get a ‘what what’ practical moms?!?!)
Just get one of our awesome Interchangeables!
Match your Fedorable to any outfit or for photos, or family holiday outfits!
(Can I get a ‘woo woo’ fellow matching moms?!?!)
Right now we have red, white, navy and brown/tan houndstooth…

   

   
How awesome is that???
Now check it out with the black Fedorable…

    

  

Same Fedorable different look… (cute kids)

Now, Fedorable + clip + Interchangeable = A-dorable times a million!!

 

Interchangeables are only $4! Get them here.

(Holla!!)

Happy Monday.
Today has gone by so darn fast and I haven’t gotten anything done.
That’s the worst.
Just so I feel like I’ve finished something, I’m going to link up Life Rearranged’s InstaFriday for a quick update of our week.
Even though it’s Monday.
Whatever.
This week I’ve been thinking about how lucky I am to live where I live (as in the USA), and to have the friends I have (this includes you), and that I’m blessed with 4 great kiddos (though I would be more blessed if they slept in), and a husband who adores me (even though the junk in my trunk needs to go on Hoarders).
Since it’s around Saint Paddy’s Day I’ll reflect on my lucky-ness…

I had a lil’ craft day at my house to make more of those Saint Patrick’s Day banners with my friends Lori, Kyla and Jaime.
Kyla brought me a little rainbow garland giftie she made. I love it.
I’m a pretty lucky gal to have awesome crafty friends!

 

My hubby doesn’t like it when I sneak pix of him. But I do it anyway.
I met some friends at Rutabegorz in Downtown Fullerton (such a yummy place) and saw this mural at the park next door. I love the colors.
I’m a pretty lucky gal to have a fun hubby and longtime friends to meet for lunch.

I devoured The Hunger Games. Have you?
You should rent a hotel room and lock yourself away for 3 days.
Now, whenever I watch Hollywood stuff I can’t help but compare it to the Capitol.
Isn’t life so much more than our little worlds?
I’ve been contemplating my little place in this big world and I’m thinking my whole vision for the biz is changing.
It’s crazy.
More to come.
P.S. The above PEOPLE magazine was good but not worth the $6 I paid for it. If you want it let me know and I’ll send it to you. REALLY!

I can’t lie.
Life as a mother of 4 is rocking me.
Everyone who said, “anything after 3 is easy,” are liars.
Big. Fat. Liars.
I’m 6 months in and Tess is starting to feel part of the mix now. Cora Jane calls the above game, Super Baby. Tess calls it, “What the flying frick is going on here???”
I’m so lucky my kiddos get along well.

I stopped drinking coffee while I was preggers with Tess.
I’m back on it. And I’m starting to become human again.
The moment the coffee touches my lips life flows into my veins.
My coffee maker is in storage while we live in our hip NY City apartment but my mom discovered some fair trade instant coffee and I love it!
I’m so lucky that I get exhausted staying home with my kiddos and not picking coffee beans for pennies.

 

Hot Hubby got to play softball with his old team and it was so much fun! We totally miss going to his weekly games so this was a real treat. Especially because the kiddos’ God parents were there too. They are cool and we love them.
I’m so lucky to have an active family and beyond blessed to have close friends to do life with.

 

I was on zulily and found the cutest new clothing store – DownEast Basics. I bought the perfect Easter outfit for a steal, and low and behold they have a store at the Spectrum!! Yay!
We had a family date day to the in the rain to check the store out.
A-mazing deals. I got 2 tees for $5 each!! 
The kiddos looked adorable in their Lids. Get a Fedorable now. Seriously.
It’s a showstopper!
I’m so lucky to have a biz that I truly love.
I really can’t wait to share more about my vision for the biz as we grow.
I think you’ll love it.
I hope you love it.
If you like that we donate to Surfers Healing and to help Bring Henry Home you will.
I hope hope hope…

So many people have been asking me about the amazing pictures from our Fedorable shoot and I’ve shared a bit, but I think the Lovely Chela from Marisela Photography deserves a post all her own!!

I met Chela when my kiddos were at VBS at her church and Cora Jane fell in love with her. Since we live in the same town I would bump into Chela every once in awhile, then we became Instagram friends. Since I seem to be too stupid for FB, (how am I the only person on the planet who doesn’t get it???) IG is my favorite addiction. Anyway, I mentioned the Fedorables and she offered to shoot them. I called her within 5 minutes of her comment and roped her in before she could change her mind it!

I love her style and she is AMAZING with kiddos. We had a giant group of littles and she was able to wrangle them and get awesome shots to boot…

  

I snipped a few of my favorites from her site. Which was pretty tough because they are all my favorites. After I lose 25 lbs my reward is family pics with Chela. Only 21 more to go… ug.

 

  

    

Check out…

the Marisela Photography site here

Chela’s blog for Marisela Photography here

and like Marisela Photography on facebook here!

What will you do with the extra hour of daylight??
Here are 3 ideas…

1 – How about making a family video?

Hot Hubby got the iMovie app for $4.99 and it is so much fun!! We can’t wait to make more!

2 – Maybe do some dancing to one of our favorite bands?

My favorite pare of this video is when Cora Jane says “I want to do that again” at the end. I think we danced to this song like 20 times!
Isn’t being a mom the best?
The OC Supertones are making a new album and they released this new song called On the Downbeat and you can get it for FREE! (Click here to get the song for free) And since I know you will LOVE the song, pop on over to Kickstarter and donate $15 for the whole album.
You should donate at least $5 to get some stickers!
The stickers are made of gold… not really. (Then you should bookmark Kickstarter because we have been thinking of partnering up with them forever and we might get to do it this Summer!!)

3 – Or go to my post over at OC Family and enter to win an amazing Craft Pack from RoseArt!!

There will be 3 winners and the Craft Pack is chalk filled with… well… chalk… and other fun crafty things. Click here to enter the giveaway!

Happy Monday!
I can’t wait to share all sorts of fun things with you this week!
And I’m feeling so thankful for all the Fedorable orders. You ARE making a real difference for Henry!

Happy Friday!

I’m posting all my phone pix and linking up with Life Rearranged’s InstaFriday for a quick update of all our business. And because phone pictures rock.

Have you heard of the phrase “First World Problem?” It refers to problems only people in industrialized countries have. Like, “I had to walk into the bank to get my money because the branch didn’t have a drive thru.” Or “I’m so tired from eating so much food.” Or “I didn’t have internet for like 3 hours.” I’m realizing more and more that my “problems” are absolutely ridiculous in a world perspective. Do you ever have those moments when you realize that life is so much bigger than our little world?

               

Lent started.
My hubby and I gave up soda and candy. So at lunch Hot Hubby gets lemonade and I have to walk past these babies for only $.98 and not buy them.
This is harder then I thought it would be. I’m pretty surprised at how much candy I was eating. Each time I pass up on sweets I’m reminded of how lucky we are to be able to afford extras.
Eating too much sugar is such a First World Problem.

We are in the process of buying a house.
Such. A. LONG. Process. I love the house. I want it now.
First World Problem.

I forgot my sunglasses while doing errands. It drives me crazy. C-ra-azzzzzzy.
First World Problem.

  

Tess is growing up. I hate it. Hate.
But I wish she would start sleeping through the night again. Or that there was a drive thru Starbucks close by. I love my McDonalds Frappe but I think the Starbucks one has more kick.
First World Problem

Cyrus is growing up. I hate it.
He almost always insists on wearing a Fedorable and it makes him look adorably old.
Like little old man playing chess on a porch in the deep south, old.

Cora Jane is growing up. I hate it.
She loves wearing make-up (thank you Auntie Sarah) and after applying that little ditty above she announced it was “purrrrrfect” in a Za Za Gabor accent.

Eli is growing up. I hate it. (Wearing the heather brown snowboarder Lid)
He goes to school everyday. It’s hard for me to get out the door on time because of nursing Tess and the business that goes along with keeping 4 littles alive every morning. I’m late at least 50% of the week (though I was on time everyday this week for drop off AND pick up). Every 3ish times you are late they send a little letter home with your child that says what a loser you are for being late and not setting a good example for your children. And that by being late you disrupt the learning for the whole class. I would love to write a little letter back saying, “I’m so sorry that we were 3 minutes late today and that my son had to walk in and disrupt the first 15 minutes of singing time in his class. I’ll leave my contact info so all his classmates’ parents can sue me when their child mixes up the days of the week with the months of the year. This is Preppy K folks!!!! And it’s not like your public schools are turning out geniuses. I’m paying you!  Get some perspective. Warmly, Mrs Lawson (the mother of 4 under 5 who is also the owner of a business that is actually doing something to try to make a difference in this world.) 
First World Problem.  

 

My brother-in-law was on the front page of the Register. It was a great article about his documentary, Drunk in Public. He speaks all over about it and helps a lot of people. You should watch it.
Not a First World Problem. 

I’m always pretty proud of my biz but when I see Henry’s smiling face on my homepage slide show, I’m especially proud!!
At least 10% of our sales are going to Henry’s adoption fund. I’m hoping we’ll get to do 25%!!
Our Fedorables are on sale now. And I have posts coming soon about all their awesomeness!

 

I did my hair. I haven’t done that in awhile.
First World Problem.

                  

We had our Fedorable photo shoot and I got to be inspired again and hang out with some awesome people.
Post coming soon about the awesome venue we shot at, Gypsy Den, and our amazing photographer, Chela from Marisela Photography.
The shoot, the place and the photographer are so NOT a First World Problem. They are awesome and I’m so thankful that I get to work with them!

Happy Weekend!!

(so much more coming soon!!!)

A few years ago I was selling Eli’s Lids in a boutique. Since doing a boutique makes for a long day, you get to know the people at the booths next to you really well. At this one, the gal next to me had older children and I was asking her if she had any advice for me. Don’t you just love to glean things from people who are one stage ahead of you? Anyway, she was saying that her and her siblings don’t get along with each other as adults so it is a huge priority for her to encourage her children to be friends. One of the ways she does this is to verbally tell her children that the reason behind their kind actions is love. So if one of her children brings the other one a glass of water she says something like this, “Eli, that was so kind of you. Cora Jane, Eli brought you a glass of water because he loves you.”

I didn’t really think much of her advice at the time but in the months to follow, her words would pop up in my mind. It’s easy for my children to see that I love them when I’m reading them books or building blocks, but I wanted them to realize that love was also the motivation for me cooking dinner and cleaning and all the other non-fun-mom-job things.

Then I got it. My kiddos need to find love in the little things.

Because isn’t life just made up of lots of little moments?

I’m watching my children grow in body and mind and I get to watch their friendship grow as well.

After that boutique, I started being intentional about phrases like this:

“Daddy goes to work everyday because he is showing us love by providing for our family.”

“Cora Jane is showing you love by clearing your place after dinner.”

“Eli is showing you love by reaching your cup on the top shelf.”

I’m never really sure if things stick in those precious little heads. (Moms, Do you ever wonder if all our work is making any kind of difference??)

Then one day I made some chocolate dipped oreos (dip any cookie into melted chocolate chips and add some sprinkles), and gave one to each kiddo after lunch. As I was cleaning up, I overheard Eli telling Cora Jane, “Mommy added these sprinkles because she loves us. She is showing us love. Sometimes people who love each other do extra little things for the people they love.”

Mission accomplished. 

I found this necklace tutorial on Pinterest and thought it would be just perfect to make. (I’m having technical issues with Pinterest right now so I can’t find the link… I’ll try again later.)

Here’s what you need:
~ Necklace with a round charm/pennant (I got mine at the 99 Cent Store and it had a little heart charm on it which made it perfect for Valentines Day which is when I made it… they still have them right now!)
~ Small piece of knit red fabric, mine was about 3×5” (You can buy a tee shirt at the dollar store and have enough fabric for like 100 necklaces)
~ Toothpick
~ Hot glue gun
~ Pen
~ Scissors

1. Use the charm to trace about 8-12 circles on the knit fabric. Cut out the circles on the inside of your tracing line. The circles don’t have to be perfect!
I traced 6 circles then folded my fabric in half so the cutting would take half the time. EASY!

2. Fold the circle around a toothpick to make a nice point for gluing.

3. Use a small dab (is that a word?) on the fabric and glue it near the center of the charm. Work your way from the center to the ends.

4. Shape the pom pom with scissors by cutting off any areas that stick out.

Now wasn’t that simple? I think it turned out just peachy too. This is another fun one to do in a group. Easy, inexpensive and the outcome is super fun! A lot of my friends made them for their daughters for Valentines Day. They would be great to do in green for St Paddy’s Day… maybe even a teacher giftie!

Happy Monday!