#FridayFavorite

Happy Friday everyone! It’s my last day here at the TRRH and I am so grateful for the time spent. Talking with women, with real people who connect over similar experiences, or even just emotions, this is the kind of stuff that I love.

Today, I want to introduce you to #FridayFavorite. It’s something I started two years ago on my blog because I realized that I was constantly writing about things that stressed me out, or things that I had to learn to overcome, but I wasn’t ever giving straight acknowledgement to those things from the week that made me happy. And the more I thought about it, there is a lot during the week that makes me happy. So, I began blogging about something new each Friday, a song, a moment with my daughter or husband, a movie, a book…you name it. Whatever made me happy, that was my #FridayFavorite for the week.

Well, this might be a week late, because the Golden Globes were two Sundays ago, but I cannot ignore Ryan Gosling and the fact that beyond the downright handsome face, straight-from-the-gods abdominals, and quirky sense of humor, he is also a woman’s man. A man who would stand in front of his peers and the rest of the world, and thank his partner for being the rock that made it possible for him to have it all: a family and a successful career.

"You don’t get to be up here without standing on the shoulders of a mountain of people…While I was singing and dancing and playing piano and having one the best experiences I've ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second, and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer….If she hadn't taken all that on so that I could have this experience, it would surely be someone else up here other than me today…Sweetheart, thank you." 

My. Lawd.

I burst into tears, immediately searched every plaque, meme, quote board with this thank-you speech on it, and have referenced it at least twice a day every day since the actual event. Because…YASSSSS! Thank you, Ryan Gosling, for acknowledging what was important: your life partner; the woman who keeps the homestead running so there is a home, and a family, to come back to. The woman who was NOT at the award ceremony receiving accolades, but at home, nursing a new baby, and reading stories the oldest daughter. The woman whose own career can’t exist the same way as yours when she wants to be the kind of mother she does.

You, Ryan Gosling, are the next several Friday Favorites, not because you made a public show of loving your wife—but because you publicly acknowledged a mother’s work, and just how darn important and life-changing it can be, despite the lack of awards ceremonies for it.

Tell me your #FridayFavorites from the week, beautiful people. I can’t wait to hear about them.
Xoxo

Kristen Kehoe is a wife, mother to a four-year-old girl and four-month-old puppy, teacher, romance author, and captain of the crazy train. Nice to meet you ;-)

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Thanks for being here this week, Kristen, and sharing your insights and advice. It's been awesome getting to know you and learning from your experiences!

Back That Thing Up!

Yesterday was the start of a big day for me. It was the beginning of a 4-day weekend devoted to nothing but writing. I was going to finish the final edits for my book release, launch my cover reveal, and update my websites and other media with the latest book covers and general awesomeness.

So I jumped out of bed at 5:30 AM and was ready to tackle anything... except the Blue Screen of Death.

I was lucky -  I end up working on two different computers frequently so I do 99% of my work off of Dropbox so I always have the latest version of everything no matter where I am. Before I was a cloud girl, though, I worked out of local copies on my desktop which I'd occasionally think to back up to a thumb drive, or maybe email to myself to "back up." If I was still that version of Ashley - that naive, trusting, and gullible girl - I'd have been screwed today. Here's a small taste of what I could have lost had I not made the move to keep everything in a cloud-based storage folder:

1. 4 novel WIPs along with all of the brainstorming notes I've taken and research links I've saved.
2. All of the free stock photos I've slowly stockpiled over the years with my one-a-week accounts. We're talking several gigs worth of great marketing images and videos.
3. All of my old drafts, saved pearls that I've cut from other books, random ideas, short stories, and poems.
4. All of the finance spreadsheets and records I've kept for taxes and other financials. 
5. All of the music I ripped from my old 90s CDs so I could get rid of the physical media finally. I mean really, who wants to still keep those giant CD books anymore?
6. MY MOTHER-FLIPPING WEDDING PHOTOS.

Since I worked out of Dropbox I was able to run to Best Buy, bet the gaming PC I've been eyeing for a few months anyway, and get right back to work. There are still a few mostly image-related items I had stored locally on the laptop that died this morning, so I'll be working on recovery as I have time over the next few weeks. Otherwise instead of calmly buying a new PC this morning, I'd have been in a mad panic - probably still in my pajamas -  begging the Geek Squad to save my books and all of my memories like a crazy woman.

So have you guessed yet that today's tale has a moral? It totally does. And that moral is: Back That Sh*% Up.

Back to School Blues

It’s that time of year again. Social media will be flooded with back to school pictures of kids holding intricate chalkboard signs declaring their grade. Their hair is gelled and bejeweled, their clothes new and some kind of brand name. Moms everywhere load those sparkling kids up in their cars and drive them to school, singing We Are Family.

Probably.

And then there’s me. My kids will eat cereal. Because it’s too early to cook. My daughter and I will fight over her mismatched outfit. One of my children will not be able to find their shoes. The oldest child will need to be woken up at least three times. He will certainly insult me and probably swing blindly at me. Someone will probably spill something. And they will all leave their food out on the table, along with a generous scattering of crumbs on the floor.

There will be lectures. I may or may not forget to take pictures (it totally counts if you take the picture AFTER school. Or the next day. Really, sometime in the first month totally works). There will be strange sounds from upstairs—something that can only be described as a mixture of the intricate mating dance of a male ostrich and the death howls of a pack of hyenas. I decide not to investigate unless there’s smoke or blood.

My oldest child will probably miss the bus, and some way or another, it will be my fault. But they will all get to school. On time. With their teeth brushed, hair combed, and matching shoes on their feet.

Probably.

Amber Argyle graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in English and physical education, a husband and a two-year-old. Since then, she and her husband have added two more children, which they are actively trying to transform from crazy small people into less crazy larger people. Amber is the bestselling author of the Witch Song Series and the Fairy Queen Series. She currently has completed two series and is working on a third. You can receive four of her books for free. Simply tell her where to send them, here's her website.



It was great getting to know Amber better this week! She put several things into perspective and showed us how to figure out what's most important and take care of it. My favorite quote from Amber this week:

"There are three things that are worth our constant efforts: working hard, being happy, and serving others. Everything else is just clutter." - Amber Argyle

Sometimes I get a good feeling - Video Scrapbook tips

Today on Friday Free Day, I'm sharing some advice about digital scrapbooking...

I love making scrapbooks! But I limit myself to special occasions for all the time they take. My oldest son is about to graduate from high school, so you know this is a huge scrapbook opportunity. Unfortunately, scrapping has lost its steam, has anyone else noticed this? Plus, guys don't seem to appreciate them as much as girls... So instead of making a video/slide show AND a scrapbook, I'm making a VIDEO SCRAPBOOK.

And as I put it together, I thought I'd share some BACKGROUND tips to add TEXTURE...
Take pictures (closeups are great!) or Scan items to use for backgrounds. These things make the scrapbook that much more personal than just googling a background (which I also do). Here are my examples:

My guy loves baseball - I also have baseballs, a bat, grass, the baseline, the fence...

and sunflower seeds!

beads are a fun, colorful background - as well as crayons, legos, even post-its!

I love 3-D cards and keep special ones, like this one! (scanned it!)

Felt is svelt! I scanned these too!

Our team is the Grizzlies - so I scanned this shopping bag!

I also took pics of favorite stuffed toys, baby blankets, his trophies, stuff hanging on his walls... Lots of memories, now digitally immortalized to his favorite music!

Have you ever made a video scrapbook? 

Any advice for this weepy mom? *sniff, sniff*

Have a great weekend wherever you may be!

The Truth About Counting Calories

Yep, y’all get to hear from me one more time. If you haven’t seen the previous posts, I’ve been talking weight loss. Today I’m tackling the hardest subject, food.

When I started my first competition I did everything right, but I wasn’t losing weight as quickly as I had in the past. How on earth could I be religious about 1200 calories and only lose .8 of a pound in a week?

That’s when I came across this video.

I quickly learned what I put into my body mattered more than how much I put in, although that part was important, too.  I decided to try adding more fat, a lot more, and it did wonders to help take weight off. Weird, I know.

Here’s a basic overview of my meals on my strict days. I never exceed 1400 calories, even on days I worked out. I did have one cheat day a week where I ate whatever I wanted. You have to give yourself a break sometimes if you’re going to survive.

Breakfast: One Apple (usually a Pink Lady since they’re tart and sweet) and two tablespoons of peanut butter.

Lunch: Salad with one whole avocado on top (also any other veggies I wanted) with a yogurt dressing. I also had a half an ounce of cheese. I couldn’t be that strict.

Afternoon Snack: Usually about three in the afternoon I’d get shaky from my lack of carbs. No matter what other people tell you, some carbs are good for you. They just shouldn’t be your main staple. I’d have sprouted wheat toast or a non-sugary cereal.

Dinner: Anything low-cal that used either olive or coconut oil. Usually it was something with chicken or fish and lots of veggies. Carbs were either rice or potatoes, in moderation.

As promised, I’m going to pass along a few recipes for dinner that are good anytime, but especially while counting calories.

I’ll start with my favorite chicken or fish marinades, all are great for grilling:

Honey Marinade: ¼ cup Honey. ¼ cup Olive Oil. 1Tbs prepared mustard. 1tsp of curry powder or to taste. (Usually about 4 chicken breast halves)

Balsamic: Taken from The Biggest Loser cookbook. ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. ¼ cup low cal balsamic dressing (I use Newman’s Own.) Rosemary and black pepper to taste. Serve with grilled veggies coated in olive oil and salt & pepper

Asian: (not really a low-cal marinade, but not terrible when put on fish. I usually went without carbs when making this. It’s too yummy not to make.) Link here.

Potato Cauliflower Curry (pic from recipe link)

A few favorite all-vegetarian dishes:
Potato Cauliflower Curry
Grilled Chile Rellenos
Sweet Potato Crust Quiche

No matter what, the most important thing is to not give up! It takes a while for everybody to adjust to new eating. It took me three weeks to get over my chocolate cravings! And you know what? I felt so much better when I ate better. That’s more important than any pounds shed.

Thanks so much for coming over this week, Jennie! You inspired us and gave us great advice! I'll definitely try out those recipes and you've given me hope that I can count calories in a good way, I just need to eat more veggies. Come back any time!

Jennie Bennett is a hopeless romantic. Thankfully, her husband is willing to be cheesy now and again. It’s probably the reason they have four kids. When she’s not swooning over her favorite romantic television shows (Kdramas) she’s writing love stories. Well, in between changing poopy diapers. Her family currently resides in Houston, TX.

#American Friday Fun

July is the month that we really hit this America stuff hard. And why not? We love America. So here are a few America thoughts for your Friday.

• Russia and the US are only 4km apart. That’s under 3 miles!
• Ronald Reagan declared the rose to be the national flower in 1986. How romantic of him. Lol!
• Did you know that it cost more to make a penny than it’s worth? Yeah, I think we all knew that.
• E Pluribus Unum (as printed on our money) means ‘out of many, one.’ It was the motto of the United States of America until 1956 when Congress changed it to In God We Trust. In a simple way this Latin motto points out that we had many different states and they were united but I believe on a deeper level we are still very much a country of many (the diversity in America is incredible) that is one (unity!)
• The United States contains nearly every climate found elsewhere in the world.
• The Great Seal of America was designed by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson in 1782. 

If you want to “Make America Great Again” then I think we just have to make Americans great again. I’m not talking about certain politicians, or public figures, or even your neighbor. I’m talking about YOU!

What are the values that you wish to see in America? Honesty? Hard work? Thrift? Kindness? Respect? Work on making these things part of YOU and your family.

You can’t control all of America with legislature but you can make it clear that nothing short of complete honestly will be tolerated in your home and if you personally slip up you can apologize and make it right.

patriotic family

Set an example. How will that make a difference? Great values are contagious. We look around, we always have, we always will. We notice if our neighbors are forthright and respectful. We notice when the gentleman in the grocery store is kind and patient.  We know if our parents worked hard for what they got or if they just expected a hand out. We notice when our teachers and leaders respond with ethics even when it’s hard. They make America great. You make America great.

We might not be perfect but I am proud to be an American.

God Bless the USA!

And God Bless Shelly Brown! Thanks so much for sharing your goodness with us this week!

Shelly Brown is a mother to five crazy kids, caretaker of five crazy chickens, and wears the hat of children’s book writer at least 5 days a week. Her debut children’s book Ghostsitter comes out October 1st  but you can preorder today on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local independent bookseller.

From Smart to Sultry in a Blink...

Sorry for the delay! Technical difficulties!

Today's fun Friday post is a special video demonstrating how to go from business to bodacious with a few eye shadow tips! Lyndsay Johnson has a glorious Facebook page called "Beauty by Lyndsay" to help us look our best - and does the demos herself. Pretty amazing!

LINK TO VIDEO

She has a bunch of videos on her page - check them out!

Lyndsay Johnson is a stay/work/play-at-home-mom to three littles. She is a graphic designer, author, and beauty maven who helps women gain confidence and grow their business through social media. She loves secret naps, watching movies in the dark, and admiring the mountains out her window. She lives in Heber City, UT with her children and filmmaker husband.

Lyndsay’s Blog: www.lyndsayjohnson.com

Lyndsay’s Beauty Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1615220915368450/

It's been great having Lyndsay guest at the Really Real Housewives this week!

Now go out and celebrate a fun-filled Fourth! May your fireworks and cookouts be ooo and ahh worthy!

Don't put your finger in that!

As some of you may know, my geekery extends beyond the fantasy novels I write and goes all the way into my day job. By day I don my cape and work at NASA and try to keep things from falling apart. *Note - please call your senators and beg them to fund us. Space is cool!*

One very notable attribute of the government is that they are somewhat safety-obsessed. Every month we have to enjoy safety presentations in which frequently one of our red-faced co-workers has made an "anonymous" appearance on the safety slide - detailing embarrassingly in what sometimes humorous ways they managed to hurt themselves and how we might avoid that same fate. It's not meant to be humorous, but, well, I have kind of an evil mind.

Queue the flashback to one of the most embarrassing moments of my working career when I almost ended up on one of those slides myself....

It started, as most disasters do, with chocolate. And in this I can blame one of my office mates who for this purpose I will refer to as LAM. LAM has a habit of stocking on her desk the most wonderful dark chocolate stash known to mankind. Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but when you’ve had a week as bad as mine, all chocolate develops a touch of mystical enchantment. In fact, had it not been for the ethereal glow above the bowl and the angel chorus singing Barry White, I might have walked right past her door and my day, and finger, would have ended without misery.

But I didn’t, and it did.

I grabbed that delicious piece of dark chocolate from LAM’s bowl and by the time I got back to my desk I realized that I’d smeared a big brown streak of it right across my front pant leg. And this is especially aggravating considering I only had the one pair of khakis left that fit me (also partially because of LAM’s delicious bowl of chocolate). So for the next several minutes my other officemate, we'll call her Mama J, got to hear a variety of cursing from me that I wouldn’t normally use in the office while fighting with the chocolate napalm stain. The dear heart had a plastic tub of sanitizing hand wipes which we were both hoping might work without leaving my leg a wet, soppy, chocolaty mess... which it almost did. Now my stain looked less like a chocolate smear and more like I dropped a used diaper on my leg. #improvement?

Yes, baby wipes are evil.

Now onto the hand wipes. *this would be a good place to cue the evil music*

This container was similar to most any tub of baby wipes that you might have seen – the cylinder with a cap and a star shaped slit in the top from which you pull the sheets individually. Well, not wanting to be unkind and leave one of the wipes half hanging out to get dried out, I did what anyone would do and what I have done probably a dozen times with baby wipes. I took my finger and shoved the sheet back into the canister.

But, as I learned, this was not your average canister and it certainly wasn’t for babies. Whereas the star slit in baby wipes is a weak, flimsy sheet of plastic, this one was an industrial strength sheet that I’m surprised my finger went through in the first place. And when I realized how insanely tight it was and tried to pull my finger back out, those star shaped wedges of thick plastic became barbs holding my finger in and giving me the choice of continue to let the circulation be cut off and endure that pain, or pull at my finger and say Adios, skin.

By now Mama J is listening to an ever more inventive string of cussing from me as the pain is getting worse and my finger is turning a not unattractive shade of purple in this lilac-scented Chinese finger trap. On one hand I’m angry because I never dreamed that something that simple could hurt so badly, but second to the pain is the thought that there is NO WAY in hell that I’m going to have to go to the medical center on site to have them cut this monster off my finger and end up on a slide in one of our safety presentations.

And this is where my own personal safety lesson comes into play. As I sat there trying to wedge pens, bottle caps, paper clips, ANYTHING that would get the teeth of that star slit to let go of my poor tormented finger, I was struck with the thought of how I wished that I hadn’t left my pocket knife at home. It wasn’t until later that I realized how LUCKY I was that I’d left my knife at home because, in my blinded-by-pain state, I actually thought that it would have been a GOOD idea to take a knife to wedge between my finger and the plastic using I don’t know what as leverage. A vein, maybe?

Since all stories should have a happy ending, yes, I did finally get the evil hand wipe lid off my finger before the actual rot set in but yes, it did still actually hurt for days. So my safety lesson to share for this day is a combination lesson. On the high road, be aware of how pain clouds your judgment – you might be in trouble, but getting out of it quickly can get you into MORE trouble. On the low road, your mother was right. If you stick your finger into puckered holes, you really might not get it back...

Weekend Adventure Power Breakfast!

If you're as lucky as I am and expecting tomorrow to start the most gorgeous weekend of the year, then you might be planning some serious family adventures to celebrate. Whether you're thinking of taking the family hiking, camping, kayaking, or prepping for a massive Easter Egg hunt, here's my favorite energy-packed breakfast to get all the super heroes in your family off to a great start!

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Super-Powered Frittata 

You will need:

You'll thank me. I promise!

• 8 Eggs
• ~6 Red New Potatoes (Diced into 1/2" Pieces)
• 1 Large Yellow Onion (Thinly Sliced)
• 1 Small Bunch Baby Kale (Coarsely Chopped)
• 3-4 Pieces Chopped Bacon (Or 1/4 Cup Fresh Bacon Bits)
• 4 Minced Garlic Cloves
• 6-8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan
• 3 TBS chopped Parsley
• 3 TBS Butter
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1/8 TSP Cayenne or Chili Pepper

Tool: 10" OVENPROOF Non-stick skillet. Ovenproof skillets are typically labeled as such when you purchase them and will likely say something like "ovenproof to 425 degrees" or "safe for broiling." Seasoned cast iron is an excellent choice, but many stainless or aluminum pans without plastic or wooden handles will do.

Steps:

1. In a mid-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, parmesan, chili/cayenne, then add ~1/2 tsp salt and ~1/4 tsp pepper. Set mixture aside after thoroughly blended and egg starts to froth.
2. In the Ovenproof Skillet - melt 2 TBS of the butter on med-high heat and brown the chopped potatoes, salt, and cook until just golden on both sides. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
3. Add the final TBS of butter and saute the sliced yellow onion for about 4 minutes, then add the garlic baby kale to stir-fry for another 3 minutes. 
4. Reduce heat to medium low, then add the egg mixture and potatoes, stirring until thoroughly mixed, then add the shredded cheddar cheese and bacon pieces, then stir until well-blended. Continue to cook on med-low heat about 10 minutes, or until the eggs have almost set. The middle may still be fairly liquid, but the sides should be set.
5. Position the oven rack 6" below the broiler element and set the broiler to High. Move the Frittata to the oven and broil ~2-3 minutes until egg is golden brown. Remove from oven carefully as the pan will be exceedingly hot, and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Once it has rested, you can slide the frittata onto a cutting board and slice into pizza wedges to serve the family. 

Serves 6-8 hungry heroes!

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The best part? If you end up with any leftovers, this dish reheats just as yummy as it was freshly cooked! That also means you can make it the night before and warm up in the morning for the family on the run. 

What kind of adventures are you taking your family on this weekend? Happy Easter, everyone!

If I only had a bigger cup...

HAPPY FRIDAY, Y'ALL! I figure since I'm already late getting this post out to you guys today you at least deserve my biggest possible Alabama welcome.  BTW - "y'all" is pronounced with at least 3 syllables or you're just not doing it right.

I do apologize for being late, but I'm going to blame the fact that I decided to "save time" and skip coffee this morning. I ended up behind schedule and yawning on everything I did all because my caffeine tank was about a quart low.

So in honor of the one thing that could have gotten me in back in high gear this morning, I've written you guys a little poem. Enjoy your weekends and don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Coffee, coffee, how I love thee,
Let me count the ways.

You start my mornings ever brightly
Despite the dismal days.

You give me strength to speak and smile
When I’d rather run away.

You turn monsters into people
In a cup or three a day

You fend off Armageddon
And keep it safe at bay.

But I thank you most of all
For the near impossible way

You help me cope with the masses
Whom otherwise I might flay.

Good Habits - 21 Days to make or break, the #Truth

Some people like to start the new year with a new attitude - to be healthier or have a better outlook on life... But no matter when you choose to make a significant change, it's a tough thing to do!

We've heard this statement before that it takes 21 days to make a habit. So if you do a good thing (like exercise or drink water with your dinner) for 21 days in a row, it will become a habit. Easy, right? Well, it will become part of your routine. And if you feel better because of it, hopefully you'll stick with it and it will become part of your lifestyle.

The problem is, it doesn't work so well for breaking a habit. Trying NOT to do something for 21 days is not the same thing. It's much harder. It takes much more will power. AND even after staying away from a bad habit for years, one slip can cause it to return, very similar to an addiction.

So here I offer some helpful ways to break a bad habit:

• Pick one bad habit and concentrate on it.
• Be specific, have a plan, and write it down.
• Replace the bad behavior with a good one, especially when a craving to be bad strikes.
• Check in with yourself - have checkpoints or goal measurements, or even a chart just to check off that you did good today.
• Reward yourself with something special (NOT a cheat day to do your bad habit just this once - it defeats the purpose!)
• Don't be too hard on yourself if you do slip up - it happens, just keep trying!

Now I need to pick one for myself to work on... so many to choose from!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Research source: How Stuff Works)

Identify the Body Part game

Aloha,

Thanks again to Liz, Tara and Ashley for having me here this week! I’m not used to guest posting on a Really Real Housewives blog, so I’ve been a little outside my comfort zone, but I’ve enjoyed myself, and speaking of fun, here’s a quick story for this Free-for-all Friday.

I was recently hanging with my youngest boy, (he just turned 4 last week) and he was busy playing the “identify the body part” game as we relaxed on a chair. (He’d touch my ears or eyes, say the name and move on to the next item…)

All was well until he rubbed my “Dad bod” belly. He turned to look up at me and I could see he was a bit worried.
“What’s up, buddy?”
“Papa?” (Belly rubbing continues...)
“Yes, son?”
“Papa, are you going to have your baby soon?”

And, to make matters even funnier, he stares at me for a second and then adds, “Papa, why do you have so many hairs up in your nose?”
Out of the mouths of babes….
Sigh.

Mark Koopmans was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. In 1989, he spent the next several years working in Holland, Spain, France and England. In 1994, he won his U.S. "Green Card," and is an American by choice since 2003. Koopmans began his writing career that same year with a feature for a regional magazine in California. Since then, he's worked as a staff writer for newspapers in Florida and Texas. Koopmans is also a proficient blogger and is working on his next book. He lives in Virginia, and is "Papa" to three active boys under the age of nine. He writes at night.



A BIG ROUND of THANKS to Mark for starting our year off right! With great tips and laughter!

What a Wookie!

Confession time -

I could have given you the countdown to the release date of Episode VII at any time in the past several months. The days to Christmas? Not so much. I guess you can see where my priorities lie. (One hint: The answer is always Star Wars)

So as soon as we got our tickets, my most pressing concern has been WHAT DO I WEAR TO THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT OF THE ENTIRE YEAR???? (Only my wedding keeps it from being the most important event of my decade)

Lucky for me, Target helped me make that decision tonight, and I have never been happier. Or furrier, for that matter. I probably won't be the only one, but be on the look out this Wookie at the theater release of The Force Awakens!!

Please ignore my filthy mirrors. Finding the perfect Chewbacca onesie was waaaay more important than cleaning.

Who else is dying for Star Wars?

Tiny Vacation!

Happy Friday, everybody! 6 weeks ago today, we were on our way up to Nashville. Some people go to Nashville for the music. Some people go to Nashville for the shows.

The Nashville Tiny House was so adorable!

We went for the kick-ass Tiny House.

I love tiny spaces. Seriously. I'm a natural nester and have been for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid I always found the tiny forgotten spaces to hide in with a book and a flashlight, whether it was under the coats in a closet or in the hidden space behind the old entertainment center. The more it felt like a cocoon, the better.

Go ahead - call me crazy. (You wouldn't be the first!) But it's no surprise that I jumped right on board when the Tiny House movements started building steam. It's economical (which really speaks to my heart), it's practical, it's low maintenance, and it's friggin' adorable. Be honest, ladies - who here DIDN'T want to live in their dollhouse as a kid?

We found it on Airbnb.com and knew we were going to love it as soon as we saw the fun modern/industrial exterior. Inside, it's about 185 sq feet of cozy awesomeness that made a perfect weekend escape for us.

Chill time in the Sky Palace!

My favorite part was the sky palace - a place of absolute peace and nesting heaven that boring people might refer to as a "loft." Since this weekend was all about R&R, we kicked back with drinks and Netflix and ordered in. (Note the lovely puppy dog pajamas in the pic)

This was more than a vacation for us, though. Since we're planning to build our own Tiny House within the next two years, it was also a test run to see how it really felt living side by side in a space this small. We passed with flying colors! Although, I would strongly recommend to anyone considering it that a powerful bathroom fan is a must-have, marriage-saving addition to a teency living space like this. Seriously. Spare no expense! ;-)

View from the Living Room: Kitchen and Bath  are nestled under the loft bedroom, AKA Sky Palace

When Inspiration Strikes: The hubs working on the design for our own Tiny House.

Think you're up for the experience? Chances are there's a Tiny House rental near you or wherever you're headed for your next vacation. Most of these are managed by individual owners, so a search on Airbnb.com for "Tiny House" is your easiest way to find them. Have fun with your tiny vacation!