And the winner is..

Please email me with your contact information so I can send it along to Moheda! 

*For those of you wondering why there are 112 entries and not 114 like it says under the comments, two of them were removed but the number doesn't reflect that*

Last chance to enter!

You know it's been a cold few weeks when its reaches high 40's and it feels like summer! I was just running to the bank and store this morning but felt like throwing on some bright colors to celebrate the end of the super cold streak we had!

Also, I wanted to prove to myself that my new wooden clogs DO in fact go with everything. And the conclusion is that yes, they do! 

Excuse the poor pictures, my photographer had prior engagements today, something about kindergarten? So I had to attempt using my tripod for the first time. First time using tripod, like 2nd time using my brand new camera and maybe my 4th time using my new lens = some awkward pictures!

Tank top: AE

Jeans: Madewell

Sweater:Target

Clogs: C/O Moheda

And today is your last day to enter to win a pair of your own clogs! So go HERE and enter! Winner will be chosen and announced tomorrow morning! 

It's just hair.

Right? That's what I keep telling myself. But really it's more than that. It's been his identity for so long. The boy with the long hair. 

Jasper has been saying for a couple months that he wants to get a hair cut. 'Short like a boy' were his exact words one day. Apparently some kids at school have been telling him his hair looks like a girl. 

But the thing is, he LOVES his long hair. He always has. And I always have. I can't tell you how many compliments we get on his hair. And how many 'DONT EVER CUT IT' comments. But also, a lot of 'She's so adorable' comments and 'She looks just like you's. 

Anytime he would bring up cutting his hair, we would talk about just because one or two kids in his class say something negative doesn't mean we should change something about ourselves. I don't know how many times I've said "If so and so says he doesn't like your favorite blue shirt, does that mean you should just stop wearing it?" And the answer is always something like "No, that would be silly" and it's usually the end of the discussion. 

I don't want him growing up thinking he needs to change something about himself just because someone else doesn't like that about him. But at the same time, I don't want him getting teased either, ya know? It's such a fine line to walk. Teaching them to be themselves, but also trying to keep the bullies at bay. Agh this parenting this just gets SO much harder the older they get!

Lately, the comments about cutting his hair have been more frequent, and it was getting SUPER long, long past due for a trim. So we made an appointment to get a trim. 

On the way there he asked if he could get it short, like daddy! We compromised and we said we could get it cut shorter than usual, but still keeping it longer. Win right? 

Drew made himself an appointment at the same time, and while I was going in between supervising Jasper and Drew's cuts (yes Drew needed his supervised as well) somehow Jasper ended up with about 3 inches shorter than planned. And way way shorter than what I had explained to the hairdresser.

And when I laid eyes on his hair, shorter than it's been since he was 2, I came as close to crying as I possibly could. I was about to freak out on the hairdresser when I looked at Jasper's face. Not just his hair. Staring at himself in the mirror. With the biggest grin possible on his face. 

"Mom, I look so good!" He said. So I choked back my tears and smiled as big as I could. "Wow you sure do Jasper"

All day he kept running to look at himself in the mirror. And each time he came out of the bathroom he had such a huge grin on his face. He was even afraid to shower the next morning because he was afraid his hair would 'get big again.' 

I miss his long hair. I really really do. He looks about three years older with his short hair, and that breaks my heart. I want him to stay my little boy forever. I want other kids opinions Not to matter. I want him to stay innocent and young. And this hair cut is forcing the reality on me that that's just not possible. 

Yes I know it's just hair. And it will grow. And maybe his hair cut will even grow on me, but for now I will keep grinning with him and telling him how much I love his hair, because that's what mammas do.

Have you ever wanted to cry after getting your kids hair cut or am I the only drama queen around? 

What's for dinner?

Quinoa that's what.

This is what we had Monday night for dinner, and it was so delicious and healthy. I'll definitely be making it again soon. Even Tindra liked it!

Ingredients
quinoa
spinach
zucchini
garlic cloves
olive oil
feta cheese

Prepare the quinoa like normal.
In a pan toss in some olive oil, a few handfuls of spinach, a chopped zucchini and some minced garlic. Fry it up for a minute or two.
Add the quinoa when it's nice and tender, throw in some feta and that's it!

Super easy huh?

Your welcome.

We served it with some cantaloup (random, I know but it's what Jasper wanted) but this would be delicious with some baked chicken as well for a heartier meal.

Our week in Iowa

So since I shared that I got an awesome new lens for Christmas right before we headed to Iowa you are expecting so many awesome pictures to be shared right? That would totally be the case if my camera hadn't decided to stop taking pictures the day after I got there. 

I freaked out and ordered a new canon rebel the next day because hello, I can't go with out a camera! Then I called canon and apparently it might just be a simple software needing updated. So I'm sending it to them to see if it's a simple fix. And then I will have two canon rebels, which is probably unnecessary! So I might have one for sale soon if someone is interested! 

Our 8 days in Iowa went way too quickly. I love being at my moms house. Relaxing. Watching Jasper and now Tindra play with their cousins. Spending time with my siblings. And their significant others. Seeing friends. Eating delicious Mexican and Chinese foods (my two favorite restaurants pretty much ever are both in my small home town. Authentic AMAZING Chinese food is hard to find!)

I do have a few pictures to share, some before my camera crapped out, some from my iphone, some  I stole from my sister and some taken by Jasper with the digital camera he got for Christmas! He is quite the photographer already!

Three generation of girls!

Tindra playing with her cousin!

One of my big brothers giving Jasper a cheesy smile

Jasper and all his cousins! It's hard getting a good picture of 5 kids, 5 and under!
The two blondies are my oldest brothers daughters, and the little one with all the crazy hair is my sisters baby.

My mom holding her two youngest grand babies!

 Vacation is exhausting!

 Cousins in cloth!

Tindra is a bit of a bully..

Okay finally all caught up!

I survived two 12 hr train rides with two littles.

I think I deserve a glass, or bottle of wine for that. In all honesty, it went fairly well. Jasper is a pro traveler by now. We have been doing long road trips, international flights, long boat rides and cross country (countries rather) train rides since he was 2 weeks old. And yes, we took a 700 mile road trip (one way!) when he was 15 days old.) He does good. Or great rather. 

I've taken the train with Jasper from Denver to Des Moines (12 hrs) since Jasper was about 7 months. 6-7 times. Each time it's gone fine. The hardest was probably when he 1.5 And I swore after that trip I'd never do it again. Yet I have, many times.

The solution? Snacks. Lots of snacks. And netflix on iphones. And leap pads. And comfy blankets and pillows. For Tindra, apparently the solution is a boob. That was the only thing that kept her satisfied. 

I'm always afraid of having the crying/screaming child and everyone around wanting to kill me, so I try my very hardest while traveling to keep the kiddos happy so everyone around doesn't want to throw us off the boat/train/airplane. 

Jasper slept 85% of the way. He's the easy one now when traveling. Tindra is a creature of habit. She wants to sleep in her crib. In the dark. In her sleeping bag thingy with a fan on for white noise. Works great when we are home, but when traveling? Not so much. She pretty much refuses to fall asleep while being held, so I was super nervous about how she would do.

She did surprisingly well as long as she was nursing all night. Fun huh? I haven't nursed at night in a long time (7-6 sleeper here) but since she wasn't sleeping very well on me, she would startle and wake up every 20-40 minutes. The solution was boob. Luckily it was semi dark in the train and no one right next to us. On the way back we sat across the isle from a 90 yr old world war 2 pilot. He had so many interesting stories, including ones about being a prisoner of war, for at least a year from what I gathered.  He was such a sweet man and I felt so honored to be able to listen to some of his stories.

 Nursing T around 3 AM on the train.

And that's Jasper sleeping on the floor. He insists on sleeping there now for the last few trips. We have blankets, pillows and he gets to spread out pretty comfortably!

Anyone else travel long distances solo with your kiddo? Doable or a complete nightmare?



Don't forget to enter HERE to win a pair of Swedish clogs of your choice! 

A Swedish fashion post + GIVEAWAY!

I've talked so many times on here about how shopping in Sweden is my favorite. I mean, Swedes just have it when it comes to fashion. AND they are always about 2-3 years ahead of the US in terms of fashion. Take stretchy, skinny jeans for instance. I bought some in early 09 when we were there. Came back home, wore them a few times and got comments/looks all the time. And sadly I retired them into the back of my closet. Then about a year later, maybe longer, they were EVERYWHERE. Finally I brought them back out. 

Then the summer of '11, I bought a pair of red skinny jeans and a pair of green skinny jeans in Sweden.  I had seen them on some of my favorite Swedish fashion blogs and was determined to find a pair of each. Wore them here, and actually got compliments on them, along with some, 'red jeans? Really' comments. This time I didn't retire them. I wore them even though I never saw them on anyone else. Then this spring? Colored jeans EVERYWHERE. 

So like I said, Swedes know fashion. And they know it before the rest of us. 

When I came across Moheda, a Swedish family company who have been making shoes for 5 generations, I knew I had to have a pair. Leather, mostly hand made wooden shoes? YES PLEASE. Not only are these shoes adorable, they are also super comfortable! Win!

And one of YOU lucky ladies (or men?) will get to choose your very own pair!

It started snowing as we were taking pictures!

 Sorry for the poor quality pictures! My new canon rebel is on it's way and was supposed to be here yesterday.. It's obviously not here yet. Boo. We pulled this camera out of the desk where it has been for the last 3 years at least. I'm surprised it even turned on.

On Me
Dress: Indiska, Sweden from my Jan 2011 trip
Tights: H&M
Shoes: C/O Moheda

On Tindra
Dress: Vintage
Tights: H&M
Boots: A gift from my mom
Headband: Etsy

Now for the exciting part, win a pair of your own Swedish wooden shoes!

Mandatory:
Visit Moheda and come back here and leave a comment letting me know which pair of shoes you would choose.

Additional entries: Leave a separate comment for each one you do

Like Moheda on Facebook

Follow my blog via GFC (top right corner)

Follow me on twitter

Tweet about the giveaway linking to this post (can do this once a day)

Blog about the giveaway linking back here

Follow me on instagram: Darlenelynn86

Giveaway ends next friday at midnight!

Good luck!



*Winner chosen via random.org*