Posts
All Comments
I'm feeling much better today and I actually got out of bed and took a shower. The thing that is giving major anxiety attacks is that I'm not able to run. My half marathon is in three weeks and I have spent the last four months training. These last few weeks are critical, so I'm hoping this congestion goes away quickly and I'm able to finish out my training strong.
I'll be spending my weekend resting and, hopefully, feeling 100% next week. What will you be doing? Happy Weekend, friends!
Small Style will be back every Thursday starting next week, September 6th. Will you be joining us? For those of you that may not be familiar with Small Style, it is a weekly kids' fashion link up.
To participate, take a photo (or 10) of your cute kid(s) and post them on your blog next Thursday (and every Thursday after that). If you want, include where you got their clothing items, because we all like to know where the cute things are from. We love bargain and thrifted items as much as high end fashion. Then, come back here and add your post to the link-up and visit all the other Small Stylers. You won't be disappointed. I'm always amazed by all the cuteness. Every Saturday the "Featured Small Style" post will be back, so check back to see if your post was featured.
I would also love to have a Small Style guest post here each month. It's so fun having you all on here! So, if that's something you think you might be interested in, email me or leave a comment here. I'll try my best to give everyone who wants to, a chance to guest post.
Here's a few of my favorite Small Style pictures of my own kids:
See you on Thursday!!
I recently asked on the Mama Loves Papa Facebook Page, "Do you make your bed?"
I had no idea what a hot topic it was. I love the idea of making my bed each morning and then having my kids make theirs, too, but we don't. The closest I get is making it before company comes over or straightening it out each night before I go to bed (because messed up covers when I'm going to sleep annoy me). Maybe one day I'll make it each morning.
Tell me, do you make your bed? Why or why not?
I absolutely love photographing weddings!
When I started photography I thought I would never photograph weddings. As much as I love attending weddings, I didn't think I could take the pressure of being the photographer. Then, I thought, I might want to try weddings and I feel so blessed to have second shot several with my sweet friend and talented photographer Katelyn Owens. After shooting with Katelyn I absolutely fell in LOVE with photographing weddings. I'm second shooting several more with Katelyn in September and October (I can't wait!!). (Thank you again, Katelyn, for having me second shoot with you! I appreciate it SO much!)
I would LOVE to promote your blog or shop here on Mama Loves Papa! You can sign up for one month or, if you sign up for two months, get one free! Prices starting at only $9 per month. Visit this post for more information.
Hi, I'm Morgan (mostly known as "Mama" around here) and, yes, I do love Papa/Eric, my husband of nine years.
Eric and I met and fell in love when I was 18 and he 21 and we married at 20 and 23. Motherhood soon followed and we are now parents to three boys and a little girl (Judah is 7, Samuel is 6, Silas is 4, and Finley is 2).
My love of all things fashion started in high school (I was a late bloomer) and has continued ever since. I love documenting my daily outfits, along with whatever styles I'm loving at the moment. My boys have a simple style, like their Papa, and can mostly be found in jeans, t-shirts, and their favorite shoes at the moment.
When my daughter was born I fell in love with dressing up my little doll. After documenting many of Finley's outfits a weekly link-up called Small Style was born. These days I'm not sure which I love more, outfits in her size or mine.
We recently bought a 1950s rancher and are busy with diy projects. We love that our new home has more land with plenty of room for our garden, chickens, pigs, and our children to roam around. We are passionate about organic and whole foods and keeping things local. My husband does most of the work, but I'm always ready with a new idea.
My love of photography started with this blog and in 2012 I launched my photography business. I love capturing seniors, couples, families, and, with my husband weddings.
I also love (and blog about) my other interests thrifting and sewing, cooking, homeschool, parenting, and marriage.
All four of my kids have taken swim lessons since they were babes and during the Summer we spend as much time as possible in the pool. Judah started swim lessons when he was just eight months old and has been a little fish every since. Samuel and Silas were both more cautious around the water and hesitant to really swim and especially go under. Last year was the turning point for Samuel and now he is swimming like a pro. Just in the last few weeks Silas has warmed up to going under and is really enjoying swimming. Finley, on the other hand, must have been born a little mermaid. She is such a water baby!
Last week we went to the local pool in our new small town with some friends. I can't wait until next year, we'll be going all the time! My friend, Katie, has two kids Silas and Finley's age and all of the kids love the water and do great swimming together. There is a kiddie pool that only goes to 3 feet that is perfect for the little ones. I was amazed watching Finley fall under water, float around and kick her legs, and then stand back up. The first several times she did that I pulled her up, thinking she accidentally fell, but after she did it over and over (and over and over and over) I realized she was purposely swimming.
I really wanted Eric to see her, so we brought him the next day to show off everyone's swimming skills. (Judah and Samuel jumped off the diving board over and over, too.) Unfortunately, the little pool was closed and now the pool is closed until next Summer. Instead we took the kids into the big pool and I tried my best to get her to swim for the camera.
(Excuse my annoying instructions and Silas asking me several times, "What's for dinner?" Ha!)
Also, don't forget!
Source: quotehimonthat.tumblr.com via Morgan on Pinterest
We've struggled to find a church to connect in and that we really connect to. In the past three years, since leaving the abusive church, we've gone to three churches for over six months and visited several others.
That bothers me, not because I feel like God is unhappy with me or demands I go every week, but because the people pleaser in me feels like I should. "Where do you go to church?" "Well....uhhhh...."
You see, at our old church, the pastor and many of the leaders (us included, embarrassingly) would constantly put down other Christians and other churches. When people would leave we would say things like, "Oh, they're not going to church? Yeah, figures." Or, the pastor would talk about how other churches were just church goers, but we were actually doing things (so humble, right?). He never came right out and said it, but he would constantly allude to the fact that we were the best church and the best Christians. To leave the church and go anywhere else would be a step down and you would be worse off for it.
Like I mentioned before, when we left we jumped right into another church. The Sunday after we left we visited a home church, the next Sunday we visited another church and we continued to go to that church every week for the next six months until the tragedy happened. Subconciously, we threw ourselves into the next church to prove to the pastor and the church people that no, we weren't like that. See, we WERE going to church. We WERE involved. So, everything you say about us is wrong. (Yes, they were saying a lot of untrue things about us.)
We didn't go to church for a few months after Finley was born. She was born at the end of December, right during the Winter and sickness season. We probably would have stayed home, anyway, but it was also a nice rest. After those few months we went to another church for about six months, then took a few months off again, then went to another church for almost a year. Yes, we are "church hoppers." The way that our old pastor talks about church hoppers you'd think that they were on the same level as the anti-christ.
Again, us going from church to church bothers me, not because I think God doesn't like it or me, but because of what I heard for years and years from that pastor. Because of the fact that I'm still living in the same town and occasionally run into those people and what will they think of me?
Another thing that bothers me about not going to church, not being actively involved in a church as a family, is the idealism in me. I didn't grow up going to church with my parents. I started going every week in junior high on my own. My parents would drop me off and pick me up or my grandparents would give me a ride and when I turned 16 I started driving myself. More than anything I wanted my parents sitting next to me in church, us being that perfect, happy family.
Now I know that perfect, happy family never existed. Those families sitting in church were imperfect, just like my family. I don't know why I'm still holding onto that (it's definitely time for the idealist in me to die). I don't want my kids to grow up in a family that looks perfect from the outside. I want them to grow up loved, healthy, secure, happy, and, most of all, loving Jesus.
(Oh, and a little update. I wrote this post a few weeks ago, but this week we went back to the church we've been going to the past few months. It isn't perfect, but I want to be connected somewhere. Not for anyone else but myself.) Next time I'll be talking about "community."
Thanks for letting me share part of my spiritual journey here. I know we all have different beliefs and experiences, but I appreciate your support, your insight, and hearing your story more than you know. Feel free to join in the conversation and share your point of view, whatever that is. Know that this is a safe place.
If you missed it, you can find Part 1 here. I'll be sharing Part 3 soon!
Camera Bag- c/o Jo Totes, Blouse- For Elyse, Jeans- J Brand, Shoes- Urban Outfitters, Belt, Earrings, and Necklace- Forever 21
I missed the last Everybody, Everywear linkup while Eric and I were in Big Sur, but I couldn't get the monochromatic look out of my mind. I have a feeling this isn't the last time you'll be seeing me in a monochromatic outfit. I'm kind of obsessed.
The sweet people at Jo Totes kindly send me this Georgia bag in the Nautical style to review. I love, love, love it! I have another Jo Totes bag that I've had the last two years and I still use it almost everyday for weddings, shoots, and as an everyday bag to bring my camera along.
The Georgia Bag is a little bit smaller than my other one, so I probably won't use it for weddings, but it's still perfect for regular shoots and outings with my family. It's such a darling bag (I love the stripes!) and, like all of the Jo Totes camera bags, it's sturdy and well-made.
Guess what? I'm going to Alt Summit! I'm SO excited!
This amazing conference is in January 2013, which means I have five months to earn money for my ticket, plane ride, and hotel room!
I would love to have YOU as one of my sponsors! Want to know what you get and how it's done?
There will be three levels of ad sponsors, like always....but, that's not all! In the next week or two I'll be making an "Alt Summit Sponsors" page. I'll link to it at the top of my sidebar and you'll be included in it through February 2012 whether you are a sponsor for one month or all the way through January. I'm also continuing my sponsor deal, so all sizes and rates are at very affordable prices. I would love to promote your blog, shop, or site and work with you to get to Alt!
Featured Sponsor (XL):
-Only one featured sponsor per month, so your 250x250 ad will always be at the top!
-A link to your site will stay at the top section of the "Alt Summit Sponsors" page through February 2013.
-You will have a personal sponsor welcome post.
-Optional giveaway and/or review post.
-Tweets and FB updates on happenings on your blog or shop.
-$30 for one month or $60 for three months.
Large Sponsor Spot:
-Your 250x125 ad will rotate at the top of the page, under the featured sponsor.
-A link to your site will stay on the "Alt Summit Sponsors" page through February 2013.
-You will be included in the monthly Sponsor Love post.
-Optional giveaway and/or review post.
-Tweets and FB updates on happenings on your blog or shop.
-$16 for one month or $32 for three months.
Small Sponsor Spot:
-Your 125x125 ad will rotate through the month under the large ads.
-A link to your site will stay on the "Alt Summit Sponsors" page through February 2013.
-You will be included in the monthly Sponsor Love post.
-Optional giveaway and/or review post. (If there is room, priority given to XL and L sponsors).
-$9 for one month or $18 for three months.
For more information email me at mamalovespapablog@gmail.com
The winner of the Lisa Leonard giveaway is #54!
Congratulations Celeste! We will contact you soon to get you your prize!
Dress- c/o PB&J Boutique, Shoes and Belt- Target, Bracelets- Vintage and Forever 21
I love polka dots and I love pleats. This dress has both, which means it's perfection. It's so swingy and and pretty and fun.
If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking out PB&J Boutique. I met the owner, Erica, many years ago when she was working at one of my favorite local baby boutiques (Kat's Meow). It's so exciting to her her running her own online shop now and, for all of you locals, she has personal shopping available by appointment. I love that!
Eric and I had such a great time in Big Sur. We stayed at a resort called Treebones and our "room" was a human nest. Yep, an actual nest. Treebones is completely off the grid and has it's own organic garden and lots of other earth-friendly amenities. The resort is made up mostly of yurts, but it also has a treehouse, campsites, and, of course, "The Nest."
We peeked in a few of the yurts and they looked lovely. They were spacious with a big bed, tables, a sink and heater. Pretty much what you'd expect a hotel room to look like, except for the thick canvas walls. We decided to do something more "adventurous" (the word used by both the website and the employee who dropped us off) and stay in The Nest.
August, apparently, is Big Sur's cold season. The fog would roll in late in the evening, stay through the night and roll back out in the early afternoon. When there is fog there is also condensation and when you're sleeping in a nest that condensation feels like rain. The first night we had water dripping on our faces all night long! The next night we tied up a blanket on the ceiling and stayed dry and warm. If you ever stay in The Nest they suggested either bringing a tarp to hang up or just putting a small, two person tent inside.
It didn't really bother us much (without the kids we were able to take a nap that afternoon) and we loved staying somewhere a little different.
