Song: We Own The Sky

" Secrets from the winds

Burnt stars crying. "

Around The Web

Instagram photos @ beforeverlovely

Happy Friday hope everyone has a great weekend!

Here are some links I have been loving this week.

:: Kierrin, from the blog A Wednesday Child. wrote this great post about her experience cloth diapering her one year old daughter. If you want to learn more about cloth diapering her post is a great place to start!

:: I love this article in the Huffington Post about a sit in protest in Bristol, England to support Mothers who breastfeed. Its always so inspiring to me to hear stories like this about woman coming together to support one another!

:: This video about natural sunscreen from YouTube Mom CandidMommy is incredibly informative and helpful.

:: I'm constantly checking EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to find the safest products for me and my family to use. 

:: Ashley, from the blog The Stork and the Beanstalk wrote a beautiful and touching post on her blog that you should definitely check out!

:: I found this illustration below on my Facebook page that in my opinion speaks a lot of truth for breastfeeding Moms.

Firsts: Her First Doll

Instagram photos @ beforeverlovely

A few days ago Mike and I took Chloe to Toys R Us to use a gift card Chloe received from her Great Aunt for her birthday. We got a few beautiful wooden toys, crayons to use in the bathtub, and a pretty blue eyed doll Chloe picked out all by herself! My heart melts when I look at these pictures of of my sweet Chloe cuddling with her very first baby doll. You can just tell she knows this toy is different from the rest, the way she looks at it with loving eyes, the way she wraps her arms around it for a hug. It's all way to much sweetness for me to take sometimes!

Do you remember your first doll?

Good Music: What I'm Listening To Now

Happy Monday, hope everyone has had a fun and relaxing weekend!

Here is what I have been listening to lately.

Summer Nights

It still amazes me to see Chloe walking everywhere she goes now, cant believe how much she has learned is just a years time!

The weather in Chicago has been extremely hot lately, so hot that we spend most of our time indoors instead of playing outside in the sunshine. Saturday evening we finally got a break from the heat and after dinner was finished we spent some much needed time outside. Mike and my brother played frisbee in the street while Chloe and I played happily together in the grass. I absolutely love moments like these, spending time as a family on a warm summer night. 

Oh and don't you just love that last picture of my husband, such a goof he is!

Our 4th of July

Yesterday we celebrated the 4th of July in Chicago as a family of three for the first time. There is something so incredibly special and magical about raising your child in the same exact town that both your husband and you grew up in. I will say this over and over again, I am so happy we moved back home, and am so happy we get to celebrate holiday's like this with my family.

Every year my Uncle Greg and Aunt Theresa throw a huge 4th of July party for all their friends and family. It's been years since I have been able to go to one of their party's so I was excited to finally be able to make it this year with Mike and Chloe.

After the party we went home to rest for a bit and then ventured out into the night to see the fireworks. Every street, park, and grocery store parking lot was packed with people excitedly waiting for the show to start. After we found a spot among the crowd I strapped Chloe into our baby carrier and together as a family of three we watched the night sky light up with bright beautiful colors. It was truly the perfect ending to a beautiful day! 

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July

We hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July full of family, friends, sun, good food, and beautiful fireworks!