I always like to see how other's spend their days.  While I may not have the most interesting day most days, sometimes it's fun to see what all I accomplished in one day (aside from keeping a toddler alive).

Here's how our Wednesday shaped up:

7:30 a.m.
 8:30 a.m.
 9:30 a.m.
 10:30 a.m.
 11:30 a.m.
 12:30 p.m.
 1:30 p.m.
 2:30 p.m.
 3:30 p.m.
 4:30 p.m.
 5:30 p.m.
 6:30 p.m.
 9:30 p.m.
 10:30 p.m.

One day back in September, I was browsing away on my iPhone when I noticed that I wasn't connected to wifi.  I was at home at the time and my phone always automatically connected to our wifi when I was at home.  I went to double check the connection when I noticed that the wifi button on my phone was "greyed out."  It physically wouldn't let me connect to wifi.  A little while later, I recieved a text message saying I had used up all of my data for the current billing cycle.  No kidding.  I had been unknowingly using up my data for days probably.

Upon further research I learned that a lot of phones like mine had had problems with the wifi chip inside the phone after the phone was updated to the current software.  I read tons of complaints online on the Apple chat boards how phones weren't working properly for no reason and out of the blue.  I also found several videos on how you could temporarily "fix" this wifi problem, most of which seemed a little crazy (putting your phone in the freezer, applying heat using a hair dryer, etc.).

I searched online for answers.  I even went to both my cellphone carrier and the Apple Store, neither of which were helpful.  I will say Apple was the least helpful of all, but that's a whole extra story.

Anyway.

About a month after the wifi stopped working forever, I noticed that my on/off button on my phone was permanently in the "off" position.  Though my phone was on, I could no longer turn my phone off, or restart it.  Anyone who has a smartphone knows that occasionally you have to restart your phone for whatever reason, so not being able to do so led to a whole new set of issues.

Before long, my apps stopped working.  And my voicemails never came through.  And finally (and this one stung the most), my text messages stopped working.  My phone was now just, a phone.  To make calls.

Every possible solution to my phone dilemma that I found online said the same thing:  Step 1 Restart your phone.  

Thanks, but I can't do that.

For a total of five months, my phone wasn't working properly for one reason or another.  I know.  First world problems.  But when you count on your phone for your business, not to mention your daily life, it's a hard pill to swallow when your "smart" phone is no longer that smart.

So, I got into the habit of manually checking my emails and messages and left my phone setting on the kitchen counter.  I found ways to do things online that I used to do from a handheld device.  Did you know you can post to Instagram from a laptop computer?  Well you can.  It doesn't always work and you can't use hashtags in the captions, but you can.

And poor Jason.  I complained a lot.    

Before long, I was getting used to setting my phone down and not looking at it again for hours (but yet the battery still drained super fast....what gives).  It was actually liberating.  I wasn't distracted by it and was able to focus on Katherine and family life.

My phone upgrade finally came due and I took it.  Happily.  I now have a brand new phone.  The latest model.  It's glorious.  I forgot how easy it was do things from your phone instead of hunting down a tablet or logging on to a laptop.

While it would be super easy to go back to my old ways of distraction by iPhone, I'm trying to keep my same habits that I had while my phone wasn't working.  I try to not constantly be checking my phone when I'm supposed to be spending time with my family.  It's hard.  We live in an age where everything is instant.  We want to look up something, or answer a text, or check an email, or browse social media now.

Ironically enough, the hardest part of breaking this smartphone habit is when I want to Google something.  As Katherine and I were watching Sophia The First, I knew one of the characters' voices sounded so familiar.  I wanted to grab my phone and look up who it was.  I refrained until later when Katherine was down for her nap.  It was Bonnie Hunt.  Bonnie Hunt is the voice of "Aunt Tilly."

Who knew my broken phone would actually be teaching me a valuable lesson:  Put your phone down more often and complain less often.

But it's still way better to have a phone that works.  I think I'll post something to Instagram.

Aaaaaaaaand done.

I hope you all had a wonderful and lovely Valentine's Day!  We kept it pretty simple around here (like we do most years).

Saturday morning, Katherine opened her Valentine's (with crazy wild bedhead), and of course did some dancing in the living room.



When Jason got home from work later, we had our family Valentine dinner at Jason's (and Katherine's) favorite restaurant.  It was the perfect Valentine's date.


Valentine's Day was followed by frigid temps and snow, which I was actually excited for since our last snow was back before Thanksgiving.  We spent Monday morning eating cinnamon rolls and watching Frozen, before heading out to play in the snow.




Katherine had so much fun in the snow.  Of course, she danced in the snow.  Because that's what she does.  She dances.

It looks like the cold temps are sticking around this week.  I can't complain too much because it's been a fairly mild winter for us so far.  I mean, last week we were playing outside in 70 degree weather.

We're busy planning our second (second?!) birthday around here and waiting anxiously for spring.  And recovering from a long snowy weekend.

Happy Tuesday friends!

I haven't done a "What I'm Loving" post in a while, and since it's Valentine's week I decided it was the perfect week to share some of my favorite things right now.

I'm loving this candle from Target.  My Bath & Body Works candle was finished and I randomly selected a replacement while on a Target trip last week.  I picked this candle because the jar was pretty and it smelled nice.

Next up, I'm loving Keep It Shut by Karen Ehman.  (This is actually the book I was picking up when all hell broke loose a few weeks ago.  Imagine the irony.)  I'm actually doing an online Bible study with this book right now and it's really helped me to not say things I shouldn't, even when I'm super frustrated.  It's a good read.

I absolutely love Philosophy products, so I was super excited when I got this body wash and body creme to match the perfume I already had.  Another awesome product by Philosophy is the Hands of Hope hand and cuticle cream (not pictured because mine is empty).  I use the hand cream all the time in the winter when my hands get so dry.

Speaking of winter dryness, if your hair gets super dry and frizzy in the winter like mine, you have to try the Macadmia Oil products.  I've been using the shampoo, conditioner, healing oil treatment, and nourishing leave in cream and my hair has never been softer.  I also haven't seen a bit of static in my hair either.  I also recommend the Deep Repair Masque.  

I usually watch more TV in the winter, since I'm stuck inside more.  I started watching Chasing Life on ABC Family after seeing a preview for it during an episode of Pretty Little Liars (yes, I watch PLL and no, I'm not ashamed).  Even though it's about a girl with cancer, it's actually a pretty decent show with all of the unrealistic expectations that ABC Family likes to offer.

And if Chasing Life's cancer story gets you down, hop on over to Branson Famous.  You won't be disappointed.  Actually, you will.  You'll think What am I even looking at? but yet you won't be able to look away.   This is a "musical reality show" about the Baldknobbers show in Branson.  I stumbled upon this little gem of a show a few weeks ago and I watch it every week.  It's literally so horrible that I love it.

And lastly, because it's Valentine's week I'm offering 14% off at my etsy shop through February 14!  Use the coupon code: LOVE14 at checkout for the discount.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The weather has literally been all over the place this week.  On Wednesday we had snow and frigid temperatures and today it was in the 70's.  It was odd playing outside in short sleeves with salt residue still on the road.

Like I said, it was pretty cold early in the week, so we spent a lot of time doing indoor activities.  We did some window art (using Press n' Seal wrap and tissue paper), made Valentine's (and a birthday card for Jason's dad aka "Papaw"), and baked a chocolate cake for Papaw's birthday.




By the time the weekend rolled around, the weather was perfect enough for lots of outside time.  Jason's parents were in town, so we headed to the park to play.


Katherine loves to dance.  Even when there's no music playing, she'll stop, drop, and dance.  When something exciting happens, she dances.  When she's happy, she dances.  When there's no rhyme or reason at all, she dances.  I guess she was super excited to be playing at the park on Saturday, because just after a trip down the slide, she stopped and cut a rug right there in the middle of the playground.


When I picked her up from the church nursery this morning, Katherine informed me that in addition to playing with the toys and the other kids, she danced.
Me: "You danced in the nursery?"
Katherine: "I danced."
Greeeeat.  

I'm not ready for the temps to drop back down to normal (or below normal) for February, but I know that each day that passes means spring is a little closer.  And warm weather means more dance parties on the playground.

I mentioned shortly after Christmas about the abundance of toys we've accumulated lately.  It's hard to believe someone who isn't even 2 yet has so many possessions.

This is what Katherine's room looked like after Christmas:
I felt like our spare bedroom was a waste of a room.  We never went in there.  Jason was the only one who frequented this room because it was where he got dressed for work.  With Katherine's room and our living room overflowing, it was time to make some changes.




As soon as things calmed down after the new year, I started working on turning our spare bedroom into a playroom.  I picked out a new paint color (light grey) and got to work.  We took everything out of the room except for the bed.  I found this fabulous white shag rug for the floor, my dad put a new ceiling fan with overhead light in, and I bought this toy organizer.  The whole project took a couple of days once we got the ball rolling.

 I love this toy organizer from Target because it's light weight, stores a ton of toys. and is easy for Katherine to get to and get her toys out.  It also makes clean-up a snap.


I brought the metal basket that used to hold toys in our living room into the playroom to leave room for Katherine's play kitchen that stays in the living room.






I bought this canvas print at a resale shop a couple of years ago and finally found a place to hang it.




There's really nothing else hanging on the walls yet.  I'm still looking for the perfect pieces to add to this room.  This may eventually be Katherine's bedroom, so I don't want to go to too much trouble to decorate if I'm going to eventually redo this room anyway.  We kept the spare bed in this room because: a) we didn't have another place to put it, b) it gives Jason and I a place to sit when we're in the playroom with Katherine, and c) this is my current "office."



That's right.  My office space is in the playroom on the spare bed.  I work "dorm room" style.   So far, it's working for me and I haven't taken too many naps when I'm supposed to be working.

Needless to say, Katherine loves her new playroom and spends lots of time in there.  It's a disaster area most of the time.  I try to pick up and reorganize this room at least once a week.



I'm glad to finally have a space where Katherine can play or color or do whatever.  It's also a great room to take naps when Katherine is napping.  Not that I ever do that.