less is more

Anyone else on complete inspiration overload? Between all the blogs I follow, instagram, facebook, pinterest, twitter etc... I am on overload. One of my biggest goals for this year is to learn to live more simply. It's hard to do this when every where I go I am hit in the face with some new trend (and I'm a sucker for trends!), DIY project, paint color I want to paint my house, outfit I want to buy, etc etc etc This is not helping me one bit! To balance, none of these things are bad in themselves but sometimes I find myself defining my value and life around what I have or what I've done and not who I am or striving to be. 

This is when I know it's time to step back and re-evaluate myself. Now that we have Kynlee my days at home with her are very important to me. I take my time with her very seriously and strive to make the most of it. I am sometimes overwhelmed on my days at home because I look around and see all the things I want to get done in my house, projects I want to work on (thank you pinterest) and what not but never find time to do. Or make time to do I should say. But I have to step back and make a conscious decision to spend my time with Kynlee- whether it's playing with her, singing to her, loving on her- whatever I have to do. I want her to know that she is what's important in life, not the things I get done around the house (outside of general upkeep- I can not breathe in a messy space so cleaning my house daily is a must!)

I'm going to challenge myself to live more simply and to learn to be more content with what I already have. I feel it will leave me a much more free and peaceful person.

So here's to my newest motto for 2012:

Anyone else want to join me on this venture?

Live What You Love

Yes, it's that time of year again when people create their lists of things they want to accomplish in the new year, people join or re-join a gym, feel motivated and talk about their resolutions. And I am one of those people. I used to hate new year's resolutions but as I have grown older I have learned to appreciate them. In fact, I think this is one of the MOST important times of the year. I truly believe one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself, which is ultimately a gift to those around you, is to stop, reflect and re-evaluate. I will never forget our wedding anniversary this year. It was one of our first nights out without Kynlee and we went to a nice restaurant for dinner. Dan started reflecting back on positive things in our marriage and then we each said four or five areas we would like to grow in and where we feel we could better love and serve each other. It was so powerful for us to do this. I remember feeling incredibly renewed and refreshed in our relationship.

I encourage you, whether you dread this or not, to at least take the time to reflect on areas of your life you can improve and applaud yourself for things you have accomplished this year. If you don't do it for yourself, do it for your kids, your spouse, your friends/family- whoever is important in your life. We ALL have areas we can grow in- the day you stop being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is a day you lose to grow in them.

reflections/resolutions

I am truly blessed.

God is the ultimate hero and loves us so much more than we can ever grasp.

I have a lot of imperfections.

I want to be more selfless with my time and gifts.

Dan & Kynlee are the greatest things that have ever happened to me- I want them to know it.

I want to make serving Dan more of a priority in my life.

Beauty really does lie on the inside.

I want to laugh more and learn to be more laid back (Dan is way better at this than me!)

Laugh and have more fun.

Get involved in a cause.

Get outside. As much as possible.

Less media in our lives.

Be more crafty and creative.

Don't take myself so seriously.

Buy more made in America.

Make more time for friends.

Let go and let God.

Get on the floor and play, get out and get dirty and be silly with Kynlee.

Be an example and word of encouragement to those around me.

Breastfeed Kynlee until she is at least a year (I'm 1/2 way there!)

Teach Kynlee daily about God's love.

Pray and read God's Word more.

Make more time for worship.

Learn to have more grace and less unrealistic expectations of people.

More love in every area of my life.

I bought this letterpress print and it hangs in our bathroom. I just liked it at first but the more I thought about it, the more I realized the depth in it. It doesn't just mean to live what you love in a career or a job (which is what I always think of when I first read it) but to truly live what you love is different. I love God- I want to live and breathe God. I love my husband and baby girl- I want to live for them. And all the other things I love in life- I want to live them out, not just in what I do but also in who I am.

 

OK people- get to writing up your list of reflections/resolutions! DO IT! =)

Here's to a wonderful 2011 and hopefully an even greater 2012!

Love,

The Hauers

sunporch update

We have this tiny, adorable room off our kitchen that has been a catch-all room for the two years we have lived here. It's been low man on the priority list of rooms to make over since it's seasonal and the door stays shut to it most of the time. But lately it has been driving me crazy! I've been waiting for the perfect rainy Tuesday to tackle it and today was that day. Kynlee took herself a nice little two hour nap and mama got to work. The beautiful thing is that I did not buy ONE thing- I used all things I already had around my house that were not in use.

Here's a before picture from a while ago,

although it looked much worse than this before I cleaned it today

And, here's what it looks like now

I had a tall bookshelf that I didn't like anymore and had no where to put so I turned it on it's side, put pillows on it and made a little window seat

A wicker chair I plucked out of my neighbor's garbage and spray painted now gives me a little reading nook. I still need to add some art or shelves to the wall to the right but I'm not worried about it right now.

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 And since we have an uber tiny kitchen, I had to leave this cart in there with our bigger skillets etc... 

Anyone else done any room makeovers lately?

genes are a funny thing

 My brother and I

Corbin & Kynlee

Crazy!!

fall festivities

I know it's been a while since I've posted! I think all the time of things I want to post about then I just forget or can't/don't find the time. I'm gonna try to get better, mostly for Kynlee's sake. This has been such a beautiful fall and we have definitely taken advantage of the weather and gotten out to do fun things with the families. We went to Minges Pumpkin Festival in Harrison (where I grew up) and it was a good time. I've gone there since I was itty bitty so it doesn't quite seem like fall if we don't go. We managed to get some cute pictures of Kynlee in the pumpkins, ate funnel cakes, pet the cute animals etc... I hope to make it a tradition with our own new little family =) 

Kynlee is getting so big, it's crazy, fun and sad all at the same time. I try to have an intentional moment with Kynlee everyday where I stop and really take in all that she is. One of my biggest goals as a mom is to live in the present and never wish away a stage or age but to enjoy each thing as it comes. God is teaching me so much about living a simple life- it's something I struggle with but I'm glad God keeps trying to teach me!

Here are some pics from the festival. We are VERY, VERY close with both of our families and, thankfully, they get along great so it's twice the fun when we can all get together. We are super obsessed with our nephews and are so blessed to get to see them all the time. I'm glad Kynlee has two, older boy cousins who can protect her and rough her up a little bit too ;)

And then, of course, there was Halloween. I know a lot of Christians who don't celebrate this holiday but I say lighten up! I loved dressing Kynlee up and seeing all of the kids in their costumes running around getting candy and just being all sorts of cute. I was so excited when I found Kynlee's costume- I knew she would be Dumbo since it was Dan's favorite childhood movie. I thought about doing something super creative or making a unique costume but this was just so sentimental and Dan was super excited about it. So was I- I knew she would look hilarious and so cute. We went to our friend's house out in Harrison and did the typical Ohio thing- make a firepit in the driveway, drank Yuengling (whoop!), ate chili and passed out candy. Halloween is WAY more fun when you have a child!

We had to stop and see Honey and Aunt Haley on our way out!

I am sad to see Fall coming to an end but I LOVE Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year I was extremely sick from being preggo and have nothing but memories of throwing up at all of our family functions.....so, needless to say, this year will definitely be better!

Kynlee is 4 months tomorrow (ahh!) so I will be posting some great pics and an update on her 3-4 months sometime this week. Just love that girl.