Thanksgiving Daily

"A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for HIs blessings and to hose around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort--at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude."  -Thomas S. Monson

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 
May we all remember to show gratitude for our many blessings, big and small, not only today but every day throughout the year. 

a grateful heart

Of course being the week of Thanksgiving I have thought a lot about my many blessings. I have tried to cultivate a feeling of gratitude throughout the year. But when times get hard, I don't instinctively think of all the good that is going on; I just allow myself to be miserable and do so by piling on more miserable thoughts through it all including all the things I don't have... 

You guys don't do this right?? I'm just a bad person? 

Anyways, as Thanksgiving approaches I've been reflecting on all the things I'm grateful for in my life and in this past year. I feel like Thanksgiving always comes at a perfect time of the year (well, scheduled) when I need that kick in the rear to spend more time focusing on my blessings instead of the trials from the year. It also is definitely wise to have it before Christmas where we can feel joyful and more satisfied and {hopefully} not get too caught up in what we want. 

So this week for family night we made a little gratitude tree listing some things we are grateful for on each leaf. Adam said he was grateful for teeth (hi, future dentist), Elijah, and books. Elijah said he was grateful for chocolate cake (of course), his big boy bed, Halloween & Christmas, dinner, and crayons. 

At first I was trying to get Elijah to say a little more thoughtful/meaningful things. But Adam encouraged me to let him keep going on with it because even though they are little things they are still things we should be grateful for. I mean, crayons and chocolate cake are important! 

We are all grateful for much more than that (I hope) and after having the lesson I realized how important it was to talk about gratitude more often so Elijah really learns to constantly have a grateful heart, not just the week of Thanksgiving but throughout the year. The first thought I had for teaching this to him was to do so by example. By being more open about my gratitude for the many blessings in my life, including all the little things like dinner & Halloween, I hope Elijah will then see that living a life full of gratitude leads to much greater happiness. 

[A lesson I still have to remind myself.] 

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving tomorrow! 

And I hope we can all remember to have a more grateful heart all year round. 

dots & stripes forever

skirt: eShakti, similar here // top: thrifted // shoes: thrifted

I knew when I got this skirt it was going to be awesome. 

I love the high-waist, the full skirt, and of course the pockets. 

And I knew that it would be a fun mix & match piece since that's pretty much what I'm all about nowadays. 

Also thrifting.

Have I talked about how much I love thrifting??
I feel like I need to say it again. 

Thrifing is awweeesssommmee!! 

Do it. Your wardrobe will be happy. :) 

As a last note: this is the last week to get $30 off your order from eShakti!

And if that's not good enough, they are having a 35% off sale on all their items. 

So you will basically be saving some huge cash by shopping there now. 

[And the sale ends soon so hurry!] 

Use the code ROBINS77ZF at check out to get $30 off. 

This offer expires on Nov. 30th (that's Saturday!) so hurry hurry hurry.

Happy Thanksgiving week!  

[and this concludes Megan's random thoughts on a Tuesday]

Thanksgiving Inspiration

the sweetest boy

Elijah has turned into the sweetest little boy ever!
He melts my heart every single day with his incredibly loving nature
{despite his seemingly abnormal amounts of high energy}

Every morning, {at the crack of dawn...}, he wakes me up by crawling into bed to cuddle for a little bit [before asking for chocolate milk of course]. And if I'm ever sitting on the couch (which is all day really), he comes over and snuggles right up to me and puts my arm around him so we can snuggle.

He never hesitates to give me lots of hugs, kisses, and snuggles whenever I ask
[and even when I don't].

When I get upset he tells me "I just want you to be happy!"
Which is actually frustrating when I really am mad at his behavior...
But he gets sooooo upset and concerned if I'm not happy and smiling.

And on the flip side, when he sees me after school smiling at him he runs to me, gives me a big hug, and says, "Mom, you are happy??"
[I feel like maybe that's a bad sign that it's a surprise that I'm actually happy...?]

The other night in his new big boy bed, I cuddled with him while he tried to fall asleep and he would move his head closer so that both our heads were touching and then started tickling my arm.

He sings me the Daniel Tiger "I Like You" song and then kisses me on the cheek.

Today he told me,
"Mom, we are friends!" 


How did I get so lucky to have this sweet little boy in my life?? 
If I can only have one child in this life, I'm glad it's him. :)

blue, stripes, & leopard

blazer: c/o SheInside // top: Old Navy brand, free from clothes swap :) // pants: DownEast warehouse sale // shoes: Target clearance (just last week! but maybe not on sale anymore?) // belt: from another skirt from Target // necklace: Caroline G. (free from a Facebook sale)  

This outfit is really fun because it mixes a few of my favorite things: stripes, a bright color (blue in particular is a fave), leopard, and of course that small glint of sparkle. A perfect Megan formula. :)
It's a really basic and comfy for running errands with Elijah but still a lot cuter than sweats I think.

I really like mixing and matching blazers in my wardrobe because I feel like it adds some shape to my usually small & {very} shapeless frame. And I really love the look of the boyfriend blazers I see around. But I have to be careful that I don't let them completely drown me out so adding a belt is my go-to fix.

I also love the detail and color of this blazer from SheInside. When I saw it on their website I knew it would be a fun piece to mix and match. I really like the layered lapels, the flared out pleats in the back, and the details on the shoulders [though the shoulder pads were a little unexpected... very 80's like :)].

Adam wasn't actually a fan of the shape of this blazer cause he said it looked too big and the shoulders too padded... but I like it! What do you think? Yes??

become as little children

Back in September, Adam and I were asked to give talks in church. My topic was on "The Lord Forgets Our Sins" which is honestly the hardest, most challenging, and yet most beneficial topic for me to ever have to research and talk about. As I pondered the subject a lot, I had a few ideas and moments of clarification come to me that greatly strengthened my testimony and love of the Savior. 

I wanted to go out of my comfort zone in a way and share a small excerpt of my talk today so that, if anything, I can refer to it again. And also so that it can serve as a reminder for me when I am having a rough day as a mother and whenever doubts creep up into my mind of my true, infinite worth as a Daughter of God. 

----------------------------------------------------

I want to share an experience I had this week that actually will sound like most weeks in our home. Like I said, our son is a pretty energetic little boy. I, however, am not. I can when I want to be, but mostly I tend to be pretty lazy. This week was a lot harder because Elijah got sick and then I got sick. When Elijah gets sick, he gets really whiny. When I get sick, I get really grumpy. So this wasn’t a good combination. And Adam was pretty much in the crossfires of it all. A few times this weekend Elijah would do something that realllllly bothered me. Whether it was jumping on me when I was trying to rest, or kicking me in the face, or just not listening and obeying when I asked him to. Which is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to parenting. I know I did it to my parents and this is just my punishment for ever being a bad child. But it really bothers me when Elijah refuses to listen.

So, trying to be a rather decent parent and teach him to be a better person, I would put Elijah in time out or give him a little scolding. At one point, I was so sick, so grumpy, so frustrated that I just got so mad at him. Adam was gone and I was reaching my limit for the day, and it was only the morning. Elijah cried and came running to me and wanted to be held. Even when I was at my most angry, Eli wanted to be near me. I felt really bad afterwards because of good ol’ mom guilt and apologized to Elijah for getting so upset. He said, “It’s okay, Mom!” and he was fine. He went back to watching whatever cartoon was on at the time and grabbed his blankie to cuddle with me. It was like nothing ever happened. And even though I probably knew I would eventually lose my cool again because I am human, in that moment Elijah forgave and forgot and showed me love nonetheless.

This concept of forgiving and forgetting is hard for me to grasp most times. If someone does something to offend me, I can get over it sure, and not let it hurt me anymore, but I still remember that offense. Adam knows full well how much I can remember past offenses… But not even from others, offenses I made as well. 

Guilt is a word I use a lot to explain how I feel. On any given day, I probably feel guilty about at least 10 things. They can be recent occurrences, or past mistakes that I remembered and allow myself to feel bad about all over again. And because I can’t easily forget them, it’s hard for me to think others could easily forget them as well.

But that is exactly what Heavenly Father does for us and teaches us in the scriptures. In Doctrine & Covenants 58:42 the Lord says, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I the Lord, remember them no more.”

This last part of the scripture, “I the Lord, remember them no more,” has always been hard for me to comprehend or really believe. If I have a full knowledge of my sins, how can the Lord not remember them when He is all knowing? As I thought a lot about this scripture the last couple of weeks and have seen how my son forgives and forgets my weaknesses, I am reminded of the scripture in Matthew that says, “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3) My little boy does not hold grudges, he easily forgives, and he mercifully forgets the trespasses of his parents. I know when he is a teenager that will change… but I guess that’s why Christ says we should be like little children and not teenagers. J

Children have perfect love and faith. Like our Father in Heaven has a perfect love for us. Though it is hard for me to forget past sins, I can have faith in my Heavenly Father’s love for me and that He truly does forgive and forget when we repent and come unto Him.

----------------------------------------------------

I still love Braologie + a sale

Remember when I was all, "I LOVE BRAOLOGIE AND IT CHANGED MY LIFE!" 

And it seriously was an amazing product and I never felt more confident?? 

Yeah, I still feel all those things. And I still am so happy with my Braologie Posture Bra. 

After wearing my Braologie bra and vest I really can tell a difference in my posture. When I wear my old bras, I feel like they hardly make a difference and they are basically crap compared to my Braologie bra. 

And now I'm even happier because Braologie is having a great deal on their Bracie posture vests (used to be called Mini Vests).  From now until November 25th their Bracie posture vests are $25.99 PLUS free shipping! 

Their Bracie vests are really amazing and have helped me tremendously with my back pain and posture. I also love how much they have helped me feel more womanly in my very small frame. I highly recommend trying them out either with a Braologie posture bra or with your regular bra. 

You can check out more information about what the Bracie does here. 

And also order your very own Bracie during this great sale here. 

chevron + floral = extreme pattern mixing

skirt: Target clearance  // top: c/o Persunmall // belt: my mom's // shoes: Target long time ago // necklace: Claire's long time ago

[Elijah was excited to get in on the action when taking pictures this time.
At least he can't tell me my clothes are embarrassing yet. :)]

This outfit is pretty busy and extreme pattern mixing but I kind of like it.
Maybe it's just my craziness showing ;)

I really love this top from Persunmall and was really excited for a cute floral shirt to mix and match with lots of pieces. But even though I had big plans for it I was kind of hesitant to actually follow through. So of course one of my first attempts is a little on the weird side.
{Cause I don't know what I'm doing ever.}
But it might be still kind of fun.

I mean, I already wore it out in public running errands and taking Elijah to school so it's kind of too late now to regret my poor fashion choices.

#YOLO!!!!

What do you think?
How would you mix and match the floral top?

Fall-i-Day Bash + giveaway

{our lovely hostesses :)}

This weekend I had the fun opportunity to attend the Fall-i-Day blog bash put on by the lovely Aubrey Kinch {of The Kinch Life fame} and Crystal Faye {of Crystal Faye shop fame}. It is always fun to get together with local bloggers and make new [in real life] friendships and share the camaraderie that blogging brings. 

{especially cause I'm sure all of our other friends/spouses get sick of hearing about it ;}

They held the party at this cute little coffee shop in downtown Phoenix who made the best, most perfect temperature hot chocolate I have ever tasted. With extra whip cream of course. I loved getting to meet a bunch of Arizona bloggers who I haven't gotten to know yet. We basically just gabbed all night which is what bloggers do and I asked a bunch of people awkward questions about their hair. 

You know, normal things. 

Aubrey and Crystal also put together these amazing gift bags for everyone to take home. And lucky for you they gave me an extra one to give away!! 

Now, I think it would be way more fun to keep this goodie bag a surprise just like it would be if you received it in person. So... I'm not going to show you what is in it. But just know it's full of great things :) 

You can enter to win this surprise gift bag with the widget below. 

[And for another chance to win check out Alyssa's blog]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Elijah-isms

some fun Elijah-isms this week :) 

at dinner the other night: 

"Mom, good dinner! Dad, let's clap for Mom. Yay Mom!!! Good job!" 

glad to have such a happy little cheerleader on my team. 

{the funny thing he hardly even ate dinner...}

he loves Katy Perry's song "Roar" and constantly asks to listen to the "fire" song in the car. and then he sings along with it. and frequently breaks out into that song around the house. it's the best. 

his new manipulation tactic... 

whenever he gets in trouble he says, "Mom, I just want you to be happy!" 

and then he cries and cries until I smile at him. 

I try to explain to him that it doesn't make mommy happy when he doesn't listen and I will smile once he does what I ask. but no. we can't move on until I smile and say I'm happy which basically negates the whole punishment to begin with. 

his other sneaky tactic: 

"Mom, I'm sick. I need chocolate milk to feel better." 

I mean, how do you say no to such cleverness?? 

recently at night he will tell us, "Dad, I want to take my bath for bed, then watch Daniel Tiger, then go to bed. Let's do it." and it's like an hour and a half before bedtime. so that's cool. 

also, on that note, he will say quite often "Mom, let's do it!!" and give me a thumbs up. 

it's hilarious and awesome. 

the other day he was taking forever to take a nap and eventually asked me to come in his room. he then broke down in uncontrollable sobs and said, "my mouth isn't working!!!!"

anything to get out of naptime. 

and one of the sweetest moments of the last week: 

Elijah sat in between Adam and I and said, "Let's all cuddle together!" 

perfect ending to a crazy day. 

love this kid! 

glimmer + glamour

dress: c/o eShakti  // half-tee undershirt: Downeast // shoes: Kohl's while ago, similar here

I was really excited to try out this dress from eShakti and thought it would be perfect for the coming holiday season. {Not that I have many holiday parties to attend but you never know ;)}
I love the color and silhouette of the dress plus the glittery sleeves.
Cause if you know me, you know I love all things sparkly!

I LOVE eShakti and have quite a few items in my closet from their shop.
I love that their clothes are completely customizable to my size plus I can add different design touches like sleeves, length, neckline, etc.
How many shops really give you that option??

[Though I think our sizes for "chest" don't quite match up cause even though I give them my measurements the items still seem too big for me... or my body is just way awkward which is more plausible. Adam just laughs. I kind of cry.]

Besides my obvious body flaws, my clothes from eShakti really are some of my favorite items in my closet. I love their unique designs and retro feel. Plus they are great quality and definitely made to last.

If you haven't ordered from eShakti yet and always wanted to try them out now is your chance!
You can get $30 off your first order with the code ROBINS77ZF.
The discount expires on November 30th so better hurry!
(PLUS eShakti is having a 25% off sale right now. So that combined with the $30 off equals BIIIG savings :))

Also, tip when ordering from eShakti:
if you see a dress you like GET IT!
They always go fast and you never know if they will be in stock again.
Seriously. I've lost many a dress to this problem
[I'm not a quick decision maker.]

Happy shopping and happy Wednesday!
 :)

pumpkin patch

I've always wanted to go to a pumpkin patch and add it to our fall traditions but we just never got around to it. This year I added it to our 13 Days of Halloween list so we had to go. 

And it was all sorts of hilarious. 

Elijah had a blast and it's definitely a magical, fun place for a little boy. 

But for the parents? Disappointment. 

Adam even mentioned how this place was going to look like a lot more fun in pictures than it really was. But Elijah had fun and thought it was one of the coolest things ever so worth it right?? 

We played on the "blob," 

went through the corn maze,

rode the train 

{paid extra, lame}, 

rode the pedal bikes, 

played on the slide, 

saw the animals 

[poor animals!], 

and raced through the giant cow-painted tires 

[after which Elijah tripped and scratched his knee and hasn't stopped talking about it]. 

But besides the skinned knee, I think it was a pretty good trip for the little one. 

We'll how it goes next year...