Do you think you're pretty?

Honestly this video just made me feel so good (and slightly mad that companies are allowed to be so deceptive). As a girl it's hard not to look at the images on billboards and magazines and not feel inadequate. This video puts it all in perspective! Just had to share!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway from yesterdays post.

Xo

Monday Giveaway

✿✿✿✿✿✿THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED-PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR WINNER ✿✿✿✿✿✿

I am going to be doing a giveaway today for one of my handmade Crochet Coffee Cozys!  I think I may just have to start doing giveaways of items from my store once a month or so, so be sure to keep checking back.

 In order to enter you must:

• Visit the Suite 4E Etsy Shop and come back here to leave a comment to tell me which item you like best (this shouldn't be a hard task because I only have 9 items).  In your comment please be sure to leave an email address I can contact you at if you win.
• Be a follower of Suite 4E on Google Friends Connect.  You can do so by clicking here.

Thats it! For extra entries you can also do one or all of the following.  Be sure to leave a comment for each one you do:

•  Follow Suite 4E on twitter.  You can do so by clicking here.
• Tweet or post on facebook about this giveaway.
• Do a blog post about this giveaway.

Good luck to everyone, the winner will be selected at random on Friday morning!

____________________________________

✿Congrats to the luck winner, Melissa!✿

New News

So first of all,  I am really excited because I stared an ETSY shop.  The Suite 4E Shop to be exact! I only have a few items added so far but have some great ideas for more items that I will be making and adding to the shop very soon.  I hope you all stop by and check it out, you can do so by clicking HERE.  I have been seriously slacking in the craft department lately so I think this is what I need to get back into craftin' action.

In other news (because I know how much you all like hearing about my super exciting family life)... You may remember this post from the other week about my handful of a son.  After beating my brains out about my misbehaving child (and taking him to the doctor to make sure nothing is medically wrong with him-yes, I'm crazy like that!) I decided to STOP CARING.  I don't mean I'm going to stop being a good parent and putting my best efforts forward, because I will certainly continue to do that.  But what I mean is, when I get calls from his school about his bad behaviors, and about how he showed a poor little girl on the playground his pee pee, and how he threw his shoe at the teacher, and when he drives me nuts at home, or embarrasses me in the store, etc etc... I'm just going to remind my self that HE'S ONLY THREE and it's not the end of the world!  Me getting bent out of shape because he isn't this perfect mold of an angel child at all time gets us nowhere.  It probably just makes things worse.   And since I have been "not caring", he has had several consecutive good days in a row which is a huge improvement.  I think this rough spot is something he will grow out of. My husband and I just have to stay consistent in punishments and make sure we do our part in teaching him how to be a well mannered young gentleman and teach him right from wrong and hopefully it will resonate with him soon enough. So... that's that and all I have left to say about this whole situation is... '"TERRIBLE TWO'S" ain't got nuthin' on the THREES!

Hope you all have a fun safe weekend! 

XO

Balloons

When taking the kids to preschool in the morning we see a big hot air balloon in the sky...in the same place practically every day.   I love when we see it because the expression on the kids faces (particularly my 3 year old) is priceless.  Its a moment when he experiences complete amazement.  It's in these moment that I am reminded how beautiful life is and I take a step out of my hectic-crazy-mom-on-the-go-stressed-out-woman state of mind (and it feels so good to be able to do that, even if only for a moment).  EVEN when it feels like the world is a tough ugly place and life isn't where you want it to be,  you have to remember how beautiful life really is, ego and all that aside.  Kids look at everything through new eyes.  They stare at these big bright objects in the sky thinking "wow that is awesome".  If we (us adults) could just remember to be more childlike from time to time and enjoy these beautiful things in life that for some reason we forget to enjoy and don't notice are there...it could do us a world of good. 

I also wanted to share with you guys this amazing website that has panoramic view of all kinds of places.  This one in particular is my favorite because it ties into my balloon topic.  Do you self a favor and check this website out... not to sound cheesy but its like taking a mini vacation at your desk! No joke. Am I the only one that thinks the website is so amazing?  I do tend to get overly excited about things.

Xo

Friday is here and...

I'm going use this day to reflect.

Xo

Cassy

Thursday Giveaway {via} Sometimes Sweet

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Thursday morning!  I'm just enjoying my coffee and catching up on some blogs... getting ready to begin my work day. Blahhhh.

I Came across this great giveaway on one of my favorite blogs Sometimes Sweet.  These shoes are amazing!!  Head on over to her blog to enter to win.  Good luck and hope you all enjoy your day.  Xo

DIY Home Decor & More

I love this simple idea for fabric wall hangings.  I also had a modification idea for this project to save a bit more money.  I though maybe instead of using the embroidery hoops you could take plastic plates and cover them with fabric using a hot glue gun  to secure the fabric in the back.  I think it would look just as appealing and nobody would notice!

 This ceiling fan chandelier is a great way to dress up your drab and dreary ceiling fan.  I know sometimes when you are living in a rented space you cant always rip the fan out and put in a new one so this is a good way to spruce up an old outdated fan.

This one I have made and did a post on (see below for my cheaper version of this project).  This is a great way to organize your kids art and I'm sure your little one will feel proud with his work on display for all to see.

My Crazy Kiddo

My son Austin is such an amazing kid, honestly.  He is sooo smart and so sweet when he wants to be.  I love this kid so much it literally hurts.  I feel like I have such an amazing bond with him but lately I feel like parenting him is such a challenge.  If you know me I'm sure I have talked your ear off about this already but here is my dilemma...

He is so hyper active and high strung, he has a very hard time paying attention or focusing on anything for a long period of time.  He is very disobedient and it seems like he ENJOYS being mean.  If I have anybody over and they say "Hi Austin!", instead of him saying hi, he will make this spit noise thing with his tongue and pout.  I get so frustrated because I want everyone to see this sweet side of him that it seems like only I know exists.  I want him to make friends at school and be able to interact with everyone in a "normal" way.  I focus a lot on my parenting and disciple methods and I literally feel like I have tried everything.  I love spending time with my children, but in all honesty sometimes it's hard to enjoy my time with my son because it feels like every minute is a struggle.  I hate feeling like this and I hate to think that maybe he isn't enjoying his child hood. Do any of the other moms out there ever feel like this?  Because, really,  it makes me feel like a bad mom sometime. It feels like I am the only one having these issues.

This is my first child.  I have no other three year olds to compare him to other then the children at school who seem a lot more mild then my son.  Is this typical three year old behavior?  I feel like I could be completely content and fine having a child who is hard to handle if I knew that this was normal and it should pass.  What bothers me is thinking, what if this isn't normal? Is he going to have to struggle throughout his entire life?  I always am wondering things like, does he have ADHD, and if he did would I even be willing to medicate?  Which leads me to my next dilemma...

I have been considering the fact that maybe he does have ADHD (which they wont test for until 5 I hear) and have been reading up on diets to help.  I recently read that a food allergen can cause hyperactivity or trigger ADHD, and that sometimes a good indication a child is allergic to something is if they are addicted to it.  Austin has this type of relationship with milk.  I mean literally, the kid drinks at least six cups of milk a day.  So, I thought it would be worth a try to eliminate milk from his diet (started that on Thursday).  This has been a challenge in itself but I think I notice a slight difference.  I think I will give it until the end of the week to really gauge his behavior.  I think the next step if I don't see improvement will be to eliminate all precessed food and added sugars, and anything with food dyes, which I read can all be triggers of ADHD as well. So that's where I stand, and I feel a little silly and obsessive/crazy about it but I figure even if this is just typical three year old behavior, a good diet can't hurt.  SO... please share with me your experience with your toddler because I could really use some words of advise.  Or even just to know that what I'm dealing with is normal!

Hope everyone is having a great Monday!

XO

Visual Inspiration

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Here is a little visual inspiration!

{click the photos to link to the source}  

Marathon & Fundraising Progress

I'm a little ashamed to say that I haven't been running as routinely as I should.  This can partly be blamed on a hurt hip but most because I haven't had my usual ambition.  But as of yesterday I'm back into the swing of things.  It's silly to me how sometimes I dread my runs and look at it as a chore but in reality I feel so amazing when I run like I can't get enough of it and end up wondering why I put it off in the first place.

Coming from someone who has never been athletic, I can tell I'm really starting to get into shape and it's such a good feeling.  I feel like I could run the half marathon now but obviously don't want to because I don't want to get injured. It's also exciting to look at my legs and see some definition... one of the definite perks of running!  Another big plus of getting out there and pounding the pavement (or treadmill) is... it's so therapeutic!  I can't stress that enough.  I am a mom of two kids who I love dearly, but lets be honest, sometimes by the end of the day I want to pull my hair our and lock myself in a room to just get a moment to myself.  Running lets me get out my emotions, my thoughts, my anxieties, and actually have a moment of peace to myself.  It gives me a chance to reflect and mediate on how I can be a better person. I always end my run feeling so refreshed and feeling like I can take on two crazy babies the world! I need running in my life to help me be balanced. 

Now as far as the fund raising goes, it's kind of slowed down a lot.  My list of people to ask for donations has dwindled.  I am at a total of $645 which is not too far away from my goal of $1000, BUT I know I can do better then that!  And I have some time.  If you or anyone you know is interested in sponsoring me in the Rock-N-Roll Las Vegas Marathon please let me know.  All money raised is going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Please contact me a suite4e.blog@gmail.com for information and sponsorship forms.

DIY Home Decor & More

I'm really loving this idea for upcycling cardboard tubes.  Where can you find cardboard tubes one might ask?  I think the best place to try and find some are home repair stores and fabric store. Ask them if they have any that they are getting rid of and they probably will gladly give them to you.  These wall tube shelves might also look really cool painted, what do you think?

 I like this clock re-do idea.  I think its an easy way to tie in some color schemes of a room are maybe just to add some extra color.

 And my personal favorite find of today are these DIY upside down planters!  How cute are these?  And you can also do them in the kitchen with herbs and cut fresh herbs as you cook. Love love love it!

My 4th in Photos

My holiday weekend involved a lot of just lazing around the house and putting off doing chores and laundry so much that its still not done...  Eeeek.  This 4th was actually the best one for my family to date.  It was the first year that my son was actually able to enjoy the fireworks and it seemed like the baby loved watching them, too.  I made a homemade cherry pie which I was quite proud of.  We ate hot dogs and hamburgers till our hearts content.  We watched Gangs of New York while the little ones napped, which is becoming somewhat of a family tradition. And... we also took advantage of the of the uncommonly nice Las Vegas July weather and let the kids ride bikes.  All-in-all it was a great holiday!  Hope you all had a great 4th of July too!