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Stephanie Howell

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

Exploring Italy | Piazzola Sul Brenta

This past weekend I went to the one of the largest antique market in Northern Italy…in Piazzola sul Brenta.

It takes place the last Sunday of each month and this was my first time visiting in the 10 months we’ve been here.

AMAZING.

and overwhelming. and MAGICAL.

Vendor after vendor after vendor. And the best hotdogs and chilled red wine I’ve had in a long time.

#PiazzolaSulBrenta #antique market #Italy // via Stephanie Howell

#PiazzolaSulBrenta #antique market #Italy // via Stephanie Howell

#PiazzolaSulBrenta #antique market #Italy // via Stephanie Howell
I came home with this bad boy. I knew that if I didn’t I’d be thinking about it for a LONG time. And that was a mistake I wasn’t willing to make.


I wish I would have had cash left for this, but it wasn’t in the cards. Next time?

This is going to be another future purchase. I can just see it on the wall of a girlie bedroom or playroom.


I  went with my friend who has 9 month old twins. She only had one with her and ended up wearing the baby so that we could use her stroller for our swag. HA! The Italians were molto confusi.

I also scooped up a couple of alarm clocks.

I honestly think we saw mayyyyybe 1/3 of the entire market. It is decided that I must go back every month.

Happy Thursday, y’all!

xoxo

 

Maggio in Italia

roses//herbs//tulips//caprese//jasmine//poppies//sandals//cherries//amazing fruit//peonies

I wish I could describe the way it smells here right now. But there are no words. It’s how I imagine heaven must smell. A combination of jasmine and fresh fruit. Sigh. Can you all come visit?

xoxo

S

 

In Memory.

In memory of all those who laid down their lives. You know by now that I’ll never say “Happy” in front of Memorial Day. It just seems wrong.

You know by now that I get a bit ragey if I see “Memorial Day is about ___________ (parties, BBQs, the beach, shopping, bacon-yes I’ve actually seen this one).”

Today I’m thinking of all of those empty chairs at the dinner table. The sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, husbands and wives that are no longer here. Those that never came home.

My heart is aching for all of those left behind. I’m thinking of all the tears shed and all of the memories that will never be made. Not just today, but every day…it’s our job to remember them and embrace those left behind as well.

I’ve pretty much said it all before, so I’ll just link you to some of my past posts.

2013

2011

2010

2009

Love to you all- I hope you get to spend today surrounded by those you love.

xo

S

Scrapbook Layout | Joy at 3.5

I am so in love with these two. I’ve decided that God makes kids the cutest they will ever be at age 3-4. Also the most stubborn. They make me laugh all day long. And they have given me a few headaches too. At least I’m laughing while my head hurts HA!

I made this layout using my current (and forever) obsession, Market Street by MME.

This was the first page I’ve made in quite some time. And I’m embarrased to say how long it took me to get around to finishing it. Let’s just say that I printed the photos…um…3 weeks ago? EEK!

Hope you all have a beautiful and blessed Monday. I’ll be back tonight with the Stuck on You giveaway winners.

 

xo

I Am That Mom.

 

So you’ve probably seen the article by now. Most likely on Facebook (if you do Facebook) which is where I see it multiple times a day every day.

Dear Mom on the iPhone

It’s been around for a while (years) but for some reason it’s making a resurgence now and being posted again. A lot.

It’s so popular that there have been lots of responses and rebuttals.

This one might be my favorite. I like this one, too.

But y’all. It still irritates the ever-loving spit out of me every single time I see it posted.

So I figured I’d give you my perspective. And maybe it will make me feel a bit better.

source

Yes. I am often on my iPhone at the park. There are many reasons why. And they are probably reasons that not everyone would understand or guess.

Let me fill you in on a little secret. When you are a military wife, and especially one with a deployed husband…phones are your lifeline. Every time that phone rings? You FUMBLE to answer it. Those calls get you from week to week (and sometimes it’s month to month).

You use the phone to email photos of missed birthdays, first steps and lost teeth. You send videos of first words, school plays, and spelling bees. This is not an exaggeration. Jimmy has seen so many firsts (and lasts!) through video and photography.

When a hero is killed that phone is how you connect. You cry together, pray together, sit in silence together. You PRAY that phone will ring after long bouts of silence.

Now add in the working mama piece.

Emails to compose, blog posts to edit, calendars to fill, paychecks to deposit. All on the phone.

Now add in the grocery lists, to do lists, timers, alarm clocks, emails to teachers, etc.

All on the phone.

 

And why do I do this at the park instead of watching my little girl twirl?

Well first off…that doesn’t happen. Magical twirling in the sunshine that is. What really happens is whining

THAT BUG TOUCHED ME!

SADIE POKED ME IN THE EYE!

I’M HUNGRY? DID YOU BRING ME A SNACK?

I’M THIRSTY!

CATE LOOKED AT ME!

and on and on and on.

 

And you know what?

ALL I WANT IS ONE EVERLOVING MINUTE OF SILENCE. I want the four of them to PLAY TOGETHER for a little bit. I am tired. And I miss their daddy terribly.. And I want to take a minute for ME. To get my thoughts in order and breathe.

I want to pin a pretty dress to Pinterest and dream about one day getting to go on a date with J.

I want to write an email to him telling him how much I miss him.

I want to read a chapter of a book or practice an Italian lesson so I can learn to communicate here.

I want to look at photos that my friends (who are SO FAR away) have shared because I miss them terribly.

I have five minutes to get together a grocery list and the park is the perfect place to do it because the girls can entertain themselves.

All.Day.Long. every single day we paint and sing and read and watch YoGabbaGabba and make cookies and take bubble baths. And then we brush hair and clip toenails and brush teeth and do homework. We color, brush MyLittlePony hair, build with Legos. We dance, sing Frozen songs, argue, and laugh. We skip, practice play lines and songs, fall down and have to get BandAids. We drive back and forth and back and forth to post. In the car we sing some more and argue a lot. I have no privacy. No area of our home is sacred and safe from the “MOMMYMOMMYMOMMYMOMMYMOMMMMYYYYY”. Not even the restroom.

 

So YES. I’m on the damn phone at the park. And sometimes during gymnastics and play practice. Because I believe that life will go on and my girls will survive even if I don’t watch them every single second of every single day.

I believe it’s okay to do things for me.

I believe they will be okay (and even flourish) because of this. I believe that encouraging independence and saying “I want to be alone” is OKAY.

I believe that you can experience life fully and embrace meaningful moments. AND that after the fact you can share these moments with an absent spouse via technology. They are not mutually exclusive.

And above all I believe that moms should stop judging other moms. It’s exhausting.

xoxo

S

 

Oh. And P.S…If you would like to encourage my girls to twirl magically in the sunlight feel free. But be forewarned…it will not end well. It will involve flailing limbs and a possible black eye on your end. Because they are, after all, Howells. Magical.