My black swan

Faithy starts ballet next week.  When we went to pick out all of her required attire, this is what she wanted.  ALL BLACK.  I was hoping for a pink skirt, or pink tights, or pink leotard.  But nope. 

What color tights do you want Faith, white, black or pink?  "black"

What color leotard do you want Faith, pink, white or black?  "black"

etc.  etc. etc.

So here she is - looking as beautiful and ballet-ish as ever.  She works it :)

Instagram Fun - Mug Swap!!

Almost two years ago I deleted my Facebook account (you can read about that here and here) and a couple of months ago I downgraded my extra appendage known as an iPhone and exchanged it for a phone that is: 1. hard to text with and 2. cannot check email or the internet.  It was kind of my "if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out" moment.  It was affecting my true presence with my family, so I got rid of it.  (I will post about that at another time)

Anyhow, before trading in my iPhone, I was faithfully on Instagram.   When I got rid of it, I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep up with my IG peeps.

Then I discovered that if I took pictures with my camera (that I had to buy of course, because I no longer had a camera phone) I could put them up using our family iPad :)    Yippee!

And because of that, I was able to participate in a super fun exchange sponsored by acuppakim.com!  

Kim, from acuppakim.com held a "mugswap"- a type of secret santa but with coffee/tea mugs.  I was so excited to participate I went right out and purchased a mug before I even got the name of the lovely woman I was to send it to!  In hindsight, I probably should have waited.  I sent a lovely mug, but after seeing what an artistic and creative woman this was, I would have likely sent her something altogether different and more suited to her personality.  I love your love of JOY happymamalisa!  

Next year I will have to up my game a lot.  Come to find out a lot of these swapping ladies are super crafty and artistic!  I sent a mug and some chocolates, they are sending things like "mug rugs" and "mug cozies" and notecards, etc.   ALL HANDMADE.  It was incredible!  So of course I was looking forward to getting my mug - I even took a picture of the box when it arrived -

And then the big reveal!!  This was a mug I had seen before on IG and LOVED.  I love the color, I love the size, I love the owl and I love the little flowers that peek at me as I sip my coffee.

**note how amazing instagram makes my photos look compared to straight from the camera!**

It also came with hot chocolate and homemade sugar cookies :)  You can't go wrong with that!  Thanks  so much thechattymommy.com!

I'm definitely signing up next year :)

Kim