Top

Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

Miscellaneous Monday

Miscellaneous Monday
Happy Monday y’all!

How was your weekend? Mine was um…interesting? We’ve got a sick J in the house and most of the weekend was spent laying low while he tried to feel better. And he still feels yucky today, poor thing.

I know that people talk about hating Mondays and I totally get it…but I love Mondays. Don’t kill me. I can’t help it. I love the weekends and I love being all together. But Mondays bring routine and I love a good routine. I thrive on a good routine.

So now that I’ve revealed myself to be a COMPLETE loser I’ll move on.

6a00e551ef15fe883401bb079bcdad970d-800wi

1. I finally got started on my Paris mini. I’m using a WeRMemoryKeepers 4×4 Instagram Album and lots of MME Market Street. I knew there was a good reason I was hoarding this collection. It’s absolutely perfect for Paris.

Lately I’m just not really feeling layouts. But I’m really wanting to make more minis. Not sure what’s happening but I think that’s the direction my creativity wants to take. Which is good b/c I have  TON of trips to scrap!

 

6a00e551ef15fe883401bb079bcde3970d-800wi

2. Finding myself serously sucked into this book. I can’t put it down! I love a good family saga.

 

3. I loved this post by Cathy’s daughter Aidan. I love everything about it. What an awesome girl and what a testament to her awesome parents.

 

6a00e551ef15fe883401b8d080ae0d970c-800wi

4. Who says Pinterest is a waste of time? Not ME! I pinned this photo at least a year ago and had it in the back of my mind when I went shopping last week. Love that I was able to use the inspiration after all this time to create the outfit above!

 

5.  I want to cry every time I think of Parenthood being over. I know all good things must come to an end (ahem-Breaking Bad) but I will really mourn this show.

 

What’s on your mind? Hope you have a wonderful day!

xoxo

S

 

15 Confessions on the 15th | October Edition

15confessions


1. I am so over the diet portion of the Whole Life challenge. I’m struggling through but man, I’m uninspired.

 

2. I finally crave exercise every day. This is a VERY foreign feeling to me. But I’m grumpy if I don’t fit a workout in. I love it but it’s so weird!

 

3. I think I’m done with Scandal. The.way.they.all.talk.like.this. has officially driven me nuts.

 

4. I don’t get manicures. Seriously. I’ve gotten once since I got married 11 years ago.

 

5. I’ve lived in Italy for over a year and I haven’t visited Rome yet. We are planning to spend Christmas there, though, so this one will be remedied soon.

 

6. FB really brings out people’s hidden racism, close-mindedness, and ugliness, doesn’t it? I’m so discouraged over some things I read there today. Also- do people even verify news sources before they post stories as fact? It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

 

7. I got my first calluses from CrossFit! I was so excited I sent a friend a picture. She said I was funny, I think she meant weird. HA!

 

8. Every morning I set my alarm clock to get up an hour before the girls. Most mornings I hit snooze and actually get up at the same time as them. Which means that mornings are always chaotic.

 

9. Have you seen the Jimmy Fallon “EW!” sketches? This weekend (after listening to ‘My Favorite Things’ from the Sound of Music for the 29184082304th time) Jimmy taught the girls to say “Schnitzel with noodles? EW.” And I can’t.stop.laughing about it. Every time they say it I laugh until I cry.

 

10. I have the weakest arms ever. I mean honestly. No upper body strength. My arms are almost completely worthless. Like noodles. I did TWO pushups last weekend and was really excited. I am fairly certain that I will NEVEREVEREVER get a pull up. And I’m totally okay with that. I just won’t ever be a hardcore CrossFitter. I’m like the worlds okay-est CFer ever.

 

11. I love rap. I have since I was about 14 years old. By far my favorite genre of music. I know all of the words to almost every rap song from the 90s.

 

12. Sometimes I completely tune the girls out and go into some weird mom zone/survival mode. And then they will ask me a question and I’ll say something like “cool!!!” and Sadie will yell “THAT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE AS AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION!” uhhhh.

 

13. I have a major scar between my eyes. In college, in the parking lot outside of a bar, a boy threw me over his shoulder, trying to flirt, and dropped me right on the concrete. FROM HIS SHOULDERS. Yep. Cut all the way to the bone.

 

14. I go in my craft room at least twice a day and look at my stuff and then leave.

 

15. Today I was shopping and gave someone the side eye for getting too close to me. It was a mannequin. Then I started laughing so hard I snorted. I am stuck between praying no one witnessed this and really hoping someone did.

 

xoxo

S

Today Was Awesome | Scrapbook Layout

I’m sharing a super quick+easy+simple layout today. Ever since I first saw Liz Tamanaha’s On My Desk collection for Gossamer Blue…I’ve been in love.

I finally found a moment to play with the collection and I came up with this layout.

I love the sweet embellishments and phrases but I kind of used them in a non-traditional way. Yeah, this layout is slightly snarky. 🙂 I couldn’t help it!

 

Today Was Awesome // via Stephanie Howell

Journaling reads: Just kidding. Today wasn’t awesome or magical. I mainly stepped over 3 year olds throwing tantrums on the floor. It was pretty much just a regular day. But they’re still cute as heck.

Those faces. HA!

Hope y’all have a wonderful Tuesday!

xo

Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

I fell in love with Salzburg. I really did. I loved everything about it. The food (oh the schnitzel and the sweets!), the people, and oh my Lord the views. It’s absolutely stunning.

Two days was simply NOT enough for this trip.

We had to cut our trip a day short and there was SO much more we wanted to do. The famous coffee houses, shopping, Eagle’s Nest, salt mines, a marionette show (they were not performing in October!- the things I want to see are endless.

I have no doubt in my mind that Salzburg warrants another trip. Next time we’ll add Hallstatt to the itinerary. And DEFINITELY a Christmas trip.

Here’s what we did manage to fit in.

Day 1– Window shopping, exploring Old Town Salzburg, and eating. oh the eating!

6a00e551ef15fe883401b8d07c0cda970c-800wi

6a00e551ef15fe883401b8d07c0ceb970c-800wi

I’m so mad we didn’t make it back to purchase these outfits I photographed. We got back too late from the tour on Saturday and of course everything was closed on Sunday.

6a00e551ef15fe883401b8d07c48b6970c-800wi

6a00e551ef15fe883401bb07977073970d-800wi

6a00e551ef15fe883401b7c6f211cc970b-800wi

6a00e551ef15fe883401b7c6f211d0970b-800wi

6a00e551ef15fe883401b8d07c0cf7970c-800wi

This toy store was incredible. German + Austrian toy stores are my absolute favorite.

6a00e551ef15fe883401bb0797707f970d-800wi

Walking, walking, and more walking. Salzburg is easily manageable by foot.

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Day 2- Sound of Music tour from Bob’s Tours. I would have preferred to do the bike tour but that’s obviously not a good fit for our family right now, ha!

My thoughts- It was really fun and as a fan of the movie I thought it was pretty cool. It was long for the kids, I’d recommend it as an adults trip. They did love listening to the soundtrack in the van (they know most of the words) but the tour guide talked too much for Sadie. HA!

I totally get the disdain that Austrians have for the movie but if the tour guide talked about how “schmaltzy” it was one more time I was going to scream. Obvi I know it’s cheesy and I’m a freaking American. WE LOVE CHEESE and musicals!

That said, I did really enjoy learning the history of the real Von Trapp family and hearing about the discrepancies between reality and the film. I learned lots of interesting tidbits.

The church where Maria and Captain Von Trapp were married in the film:

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Mirabell – Yes, The girls sang “Doe a Deer” the entire time we were here.


Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Schloss Leopoldskron– the lake/exterior. This is where the REAL “Uncle Max” lived. His summer home if you can believe it!

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Yes. They climbed the trees. No- they didn’t have magical damask curtain play clothes!

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

The hills are alive!!!

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell
And of course- the gazebo!

Salzburg // via Stephanie Howell

Hope y’all have a beautiful Monday!

xo

Just Write

6a00e551ef15fe883401b7c6f08dc2970b-800wi

I’ve had this tab open in my browser for two days. The cursor keeps blinking at me and the publish button is mocking me. And still I can’t write anything.

I’ve thought about it. I could write a book post or a fall fashion post. I could write about Sadie losing her first tooth or Venice or the live chess match we went to.

I could write about lots of things but when I try to type the words out I just end up…not doing it.

I’m sitting here tonight staring at this screen yet again. There are a million things I should be doing but I really want to blog. I want to write something, put it out there, talk to myself, and connect with others all at the same time.

As I sat here pondering what to write about for the zillionth time this week, it hit me. Just write.

So that’s what I’m doing tonight. No rhyme or reason, no topic, no agenda. I’m not going to think about it first or edit myself. No hemming and hawwing. No backspacing. I just feel like getting something down and hitting publish.

This world is so scary right now. I mean, rationally I realize that the world is always scary. But between the sad horrible things that humans are doing to one another, the horrendous diseases ravaging and taking lives, and the other stuff. Terrifying people and things and groups. Things that have me changing the name of my blog and wondering what I can talk about. And again- rationally I realize that terrorists depend on scaring us. And that we simply cannot let them win. But dammit, it’s enough to make me want to crawl into a bubble with my babies and never come out.

What helps? Prayer. Exercise. Being with my friends and my precious family. Just living.

But it can be paralyzing if you let it. The what-ifs can stop you right in your tracks if you let them.

Whew. Feels good just typing that.

What else?

Life is crazy busy (You know I HATE that word and the glorification of it-but it’s true) right now. I feel like the days are passing in a blur and I can barely catch my breath. Volunteering and exploring and traveling and exercising and running a taxi for four little girls. The best kind of crazy but oh it’s crazy. I long for a day in yoga pants and no bra! That sounds like heaven to me right now. To all of you working moms, I wish I could hug and high five each one of you right now. You are my heroes. I realize that I truly don’t have anything on my plate compared to each of you and I just want to tell you you rock.

 

But life is good. We are all healthy and that is such a gift. I am grateful for each and every day with my girls and J. Even in the midst of the dish washing and endless driving and spill wiping and ponytail tying…even when I’m breaking up fights and yelling too much and pulling my hair out- life is beautiful.

 

Thanks for listening to my ramblings today. Back to regularly scheduled programming soon. 🙂

xoxo

S