My sister’s wedding…

August 14, 2015

My sister Angela got married a few months ago, and it was a wedding that was a gift to everyone who attended. The bride and groom’s joy was tangible. I asked her to write today about what the day was like from her perspective. I have such a deep admiration for Brian and Angela’s focus on each other and the dedication to the great gift of marriage…

MAY 22, 2015 — Profound Joy.

I woke from the deepest sleep just before my alarm clock, my eyes opening to sunbeams piercing through the window where my wedding dress was hanging. My heart fluttered knowing that in just a few hours I would be wearing this gown to meet my groom at the altar. I lied there for a while thinking about the exchange of lifelong vows we were about to make that would bind us and protect us all of our days to come.

Dozens of pivotal moments that helped bring me to this day kept flowing forth. From my dad’s nightly blessings growing up that instilled a deep sense of self-worth, my mom’s homemade dinners that gathered my family to talk about life values, and the unforgettable earthquake that erupted inside of me when Brian looked straight into my eyes as we shook hands to meet.

I ran downstairs to find some of my sisters already buzzing around, as if they hadn’t been up all night picking though hundreds of flower stems to help create centerpieces and bouquets. Coffee mugs and very tight hugs were shared with lots of squeals from each of them. My sisters and I have a unique bond that perhaps only sisters can understand. The paradox of preparing for marriage was that I felt like bursting and breaking at the very same time. The shift that comes with such a big life change was hard, as change always is for me, yet surreal happiness remains.

The morning rapidly passed by, and I got to spend that precious time with my bridesmaids and parents getting ready at my house. I had all of my nieces and youngest sister as flower girls, and it was so wonderful watching their innocent youth taking everything in. I made each of them flower crowns, and then a simple one for myself as a symbolic surprise for Brian. As soon as the I put on the flower crown, I knew I was ready. I had just my mom come up to my bedroom to help put on the gown. Just she and I, the woman I admire and aspire to be most like in my life. My Dad snuck in after that, the man who taught me what it feels like to be truly cherished.

My gorgeous ‘maids all lined up as soon as we got to the church, and the flower girls held hands and giggled behind them. The trumpet began to play and the tears started to flow when I looked to my dad as he said: “you’re not just a bride today, you get to be Brian’s bride every day.” And with that the doors opened to the most joyous moment of my life. Profound joy had consumed me, knowing my life would be forever changed in such a significant way with him as my husband. I will always have that moment seared on my soul.

Our wedding ceremony was just as I had hoped it would be, with a church full of people we admire and love. It took everything in me to keep it together at one point as I looked around and took each of their faces in. I whispered to Brian: “All of them! Here because they support our decision to be together! They believe in us!” As if it had just clicked why we were all there. And it had. It wasn’t until then when I let it sink that it was me all of this goodness was happening to. I loved sitting at Brian’s side as his bride, holding his arm and praying together as newlyweds.

We exited the church with ribbon wands waving and wedding bells ringing as as the new Mr. and Mrs. Hoyer. We loved every minute of our reception, but especially our first dance. Our dear friends performed the same song Brian played for me when he proposed, and we sang together: “Life is ever changing, but I will always find a constant and comfort in your love. With your heart my soul is bound, and as we dance I know that Heaven will be found.” We were completely swept away the rest of the night, and nothing will compare to the joy we felt on the day we began our greatest adventure…

Written in my journal, the night before we got married…
“Meeting him and falling into deep admiration, my heart reawakened to the most beautiful melody it’s ever known. Our love song is the battle cry of defeating sin and choosing each other again and again. It was written by our creator with the most unique arrangement of notes. My only hope for our marriage is that we never stop hearing our song. That through hope and courage we will always choose the battle cry until the day we die.”

*All photos by Photography by Lydia

Florals by Paper Whites and Whimsey and bridesmaids bouquets assembled by the bridesmaids.
Dresses via J.Crew

Double Braided Half Crown Tutorial + welcome to YouTube?!

August 11, 2015

Well certainly a pig sprouted wings and flew today.
You see, I went and started a YouTube channel…and proceeded to blog and tell. I am dying a slow death of humiliation and maybe pride as I surely was never going to do such a thing. However, I have never been afraid to try something new, so here we go!

I needed a place to house some of the content I will be sharing this year and YouTube seems to be the easiest to integrate among other platforms. I shared a step by step Double Braided Half Crown tutorial on eHow and decided to film the process as well. I’ll be sharing videos behind our home makeovers as well, and who knows what else! You can subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss a video, or if you want to be super kind and leave me a thumbs up to soften the digestion of the humble pie that wouldn’t hurt either..

Much love!

Fun fact: We filmed this tutorial a few days before Rocco was born! Oh the crazy things you do when you are waiting for a baby to arrive..

Closed Nena and Co. Tote

August 4, 2015

Mary Poppins has nothing on me! It’s a dreamy tote, yes?

One of my very favorite small businesses Nena and Co. is teaming up with IHOD once again to gift one of you a handmade Lucia Caryall Tote of your choice! Nena & Co. are also advocates of sustainable fashion, and employ many women in Guatemala to make their high quality bags, totes, camera straps, and clothing from woven huipil cloth. Each design is unique!

I put my bag insert organizer right inside this beauty and it holds just about the world inside. So excited to be able to send one of you a tote of your own. Enter below, and head to instagram for one more way to enter! We will draw a winner next Tuesday. Open to international readers. Good luck! **Update: Congrats Coline Touil! Thank you all for entering!**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

P.S. Wearing this dress every day until I fit into pants again;) A few similar ones here, here, and here.

How to Make Wholesome Grain Bowls

August 3, 2015

I stumbled upon Shannon’s instagram handle and immediately felt like I could actually achieve healthier meals in my home. This girl is not only a genius at making clean eating attainable, but she makes it all look incredibly delicious in the process. So excited to introduce her today as I continue to take a break with my new little one. You can check out her site, NutritionSimp.ly for more. Now read on for TWO recipes!

How to Make Wholesome Grain Bowls
Eating wholesome nourishing meals is really important to me. But between keeping up with my two littles and running a nutrition business, there’s just not time (or energy to spare) for elaborate recipes and long days in the kitchen. Not to mention grocery shopping, planning, you know, the works. Who has time for that? (Read: No one.) Which is why I am such a big fan of keeping things simple.

In fact, my dream for you is for you to fling open your fridge, whip out whatever you’ve got on hand, throw together something that surprises everyone (including yourself), and, of course, to look and feel like a total babe while you do it (wink, wink).

I’m thrilled to be sharing my easiest “recipe” with you today, that can be made with whatever seasonal ingredients you’ve got in the house, in no time flat.

FARMER’S MARKET GRAIN BOWL
The Template:

The Grain Base
Choose from: quinoa, farro, wild rice, amaranth, buckwheat, etc.
Portion size: 1 cup cooked or about the size of a baseball

The Veggie Toppings
Choose from: dark leafy greens, crunchy cruciferous veggies, starchy root veggies (you can’t go wrong here)
Portion size: 1 cup cooked or about the size of a baseball

The Fruit Toppings*
Choose from: mangos, cherries, pears, and other soft, sweet fruits
Portion size: ¼ cup or about the size of an egg

The Cheese Toppings
Choose from: soft cheese like feta, goat cheese, and Brie are my favorites, but hard, finely shredded cheese work as well (use nutritional yeast or goat’s cheese for dairy-free option)
Portion size: 1 ounce or about the size of a pair of dice

The Nut Garnish
Choose from: all nuts and seeds, but we tend to go for soft crunchy nuts like walnuts, peanuts, cashews, macadamia nuts and pine nuts
Portion size: 1 ounce or about the size of a pair of dice

*I opt for sweetening my plates with fresh, cut fruit and a little olive oil if necessary versus salad dressings. The natural sweeteners bring out the rich flavors in the plate without overpowering them, and provide all the good-for-you nutrients your body needs without the harmful sweeteners, additives, and preservatives.

CHERRY, FETA & WALNUT GRAIN BOWL

Ingredients:

1 cup white quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup roasted kale
½ cup roasted Brussels sprouts
¼ cup cherries, pitted
1 oz. feta cheese
2 tb. walnuts, chopped

Directions:
This really comes together so simply. Put the quinoa on the stove to simmer while you roughly chop the veggies. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400 while you pit the cherries and chop the walnuts. Drain the quinoa and combine in a bowl with cherries, feta, and walnuts. Remove the veggies from the oven and add to the bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss and serve warm.
Quinoa cooks in about 10 minutes (cook according to package) and the veggies should roast in about the same time, making this a 15-minute or less, truly simple and satisfying meal. Hope you love it!

I’ll be sharing more ideas over on instagram + Nutrition Simply blog!

What I pack in my hospital bag.

July 31, 2015

It’s safe to say I didn’t use half the things I packed in my hospital bag with my first baby boy (yeah you probably won’t have time to read that book…), and wish I had known about half the things I actually needed. Thanks to the experience of a few babies, but also talking with friends, and reading up on recs, I finally got it figured out. You don’t need much, but it sure helps to have a few lifesavers stowed away for the hospital! I’d love to hear your favorites as well.

Hospital bag breakdown:
Socks – they keep rooms pretty cold, and bringing your own blanket probably wouldn’t hurt either..
Phone & charger
Camera Bag – My personal favorite due to all the pockets and padding. (c/0)
Camera & Charger
Robe – You really want to get out of the itchy hospital gown as soon as you are able, so I usually bring a few comfortable pieces to change into when I get back to the recovery room. This robe was so soft and is convenient for nursing.
Blanqi Support tanks and leggings – Fantastic for post partum support. I wear these for weeks after.
Nursing bras
Diffuser & Oils – my friend Christina made me a few mixes that helped with labor contractions, post uterus contractions, milk supply, etc. and I was able to use them in roller bottles and in a diffuser. It filled the room with an incredibly calm aroma and also made a big difference in labor and post delivery. (You can message her to get a hold of some!)
Larabars – I always crave hearty healthy food and those fill you up and give you much needed energy. I also find myself dreaming of ways to take home the hospital ice machine. THE perfect ice pellets.
A bag to fit everything in. – Mine pictured is old, but here is a similar one.
Your own pillow. – Because you guys, hospital pillows…
In addition to your standard toiletries, these are a few things that really come in handy:
Lip balms – you tend to have really dry lips during pregnancy and post birth, so pack your faves!
Lansinoh Gel pads & Lanolin – because holy smokes it’s painful to breastfeed the first few days.
Bottom spray – oh the wonders…and things they don’t tell you about post delivery;)
Disposable nursing pads

For baby:
Swaddle blankets – (The few I brought from here and here. Personalized name blanket from Swell Forever)
Pacifiers – (The hospital provides these! Although my favorites are Natursutton)
Sleepers – I love sleepers and baby caps for those first few days. The white gender neutral outfit is from Flora & Henri.
The hospital takes care of everything else, unless you have preferred products. They really only need diapers, onesies, and a whole lot of skin to skin time with mama!

What were your hospital must haves? 🙂

Rocco Samuel’s Birth Story

July 30, 2015

Meet Rocco Samuel.Already proving he has got his own rhythm on life, he arrived 8 days early, on a hot summer night, July 26th. I now have three sons, and a wildflower. Wait, what?! It’s all quite surreal, and just like the birth stories I have tried to share before, there are no adequate words to be found to describe what meeting your child for the first time is really like. Here is just a summary of one of the best days of my life…

Before it all started…
All three of my children before Rocco were born on their due dates, so I wasn’t expecting much different this time around. It wasn’t until I arrived to Friday night after a long hot week here in Atlanta, I started to think this babe might be a different story. I was a few days short of 39 weeks, and I was beginning to have very strong braxton hicks contractions anytime I attempted beyond a snails pace level of activity. Legs occasionally going numb also might have been a clue? I started to frantically organize my house as would be the bazaar and accurate thing to do when you sense a baby about to arrive. (Someone should really figure out how to bottle that mysterious nesting energy that gives you all kinds of motivation to complete avoidable tasks.) I wrote out directions for my sister who would be caring for our little ones, packed the last details of my hospital bag, went to the store and stocked up on food, tied up some last minute projects, and began to pray for strength to overcome some of the anxiety I was battling. To be honest, barely making it to the hospital and having a fast natural birth with Max made it hard to feel calm about everything. I had an appointment scheduled with my midwife for Monday that we had planned a month prior to see if we could catch pre-labor signs before my due date. I knew that would be my reassurance of timing and when to prepare. However, as I am always quick to forget, God had other plans, and they were much better than my own. My gut instinct was I wouldn’t quite make it to Monday. I really wanted my midwife to deliver this baby since she delivered my first son as well. I was driving 45 minutes just to see her throughout the pregnancy, but we knew though that with my history of fast labors I had to be open minded with no real birth plan but to make it to the hospital on time.

Here he comes…
After a long brunch with family on Sunday and a calm afternoon, I began to think this baby was just fooling me all along, and I would just have to put up with braxton hicks contractions another week. We were all packing up to head out the door to a friend’s going away party when I had my first contraction. I immediately downloaded the full term app and started timing. (Because surely I wouldn’t be able to time them on my own as I had done for the last three!) I half second guessed myself. Was it really a contraction? You think you would know the 4th time around. After just a few they were getting a little stronger. Gabe looked at me and knew it was time. He went into mission mode and started loading the car in between phone calls. Behind teary eyes I took each of my children and held them and kissed them one more time before a new chapter would begin. My contractions were already 5 min. apart and I begin to panic that I wouldn’t make it up to my midwife. When I called her we both agreed it was best to head straight to the nearest hospital….

Fast forward to the delivery room ten minutes later, I made sure the nurses and doctors knew my body doesn’t know how to pace itself very well, and they very well could be catching a baby with a baseball glove momentarily. Luckily this time around, there was more of a steady pace of progression that actually gave us enough time to get me gowned and tubed up before things got really painful. Ladies who have given birth…. it’s that 5-6 cm mark that really does it right?? I needed Gabe’s hand on one side, and my rosary in the other. I felt God near. I knew He was in that room, as with the birth of every new life that He creates. I felt the world pause as I was about to take part in one of the greatest gifts given to a woman…the ability to be a vessel of new life.

The birth…
I held my breath as the doctor asked me to stop pushing. I had only pushed once and the baby was flying out. The cord was wrapped around his neck, and he needed to cut it quick. I was given the go ahead to give my last push. He was out in a flash, and they stole him away to the other side of the room.With my heart racing and begging God to hear that first cry, I waited in anticipation. There was a minor complication they were looking into, and so my heart felt like it was inside of my throat. It wasn’t until I heard that first little wail that my entire body breathed again. I looked at Gabe through teary eyes in a moment of complete gratitude. We had a son, and he had a healthy pair of lungs!

Gabe got to gaze at him first as they made sure he was okay. We kept shouting at each other across the room…He has dark hair! Does he have the signature family birthmark? He has a whole new look! When they finally brought him over to me, a dam of tears broke inside, and I wept uncontrollably as I got to feel my baby’s skin for the first time against mine. He was the smallest of all of my babies so far, and his tiny body felt immediately like he was always meant to be. Psalm 139 came rushing into my mind…

You formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, because I am wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works!
My very self you know.
…Your eyes saw me unformed;
in your book all are written down;
my days were shaped, before one came to be.

I am thankful for this indescribable joy just as much as I am thankful for the pains and aches that paved the way for this reality. It has been a blissful few days of complete exhaustion, and baby snuggling, and lots of feeding and diaper changing and a little noisy chaos in between. Gabe is taking care of our other three little ones as we adjust to life with four. I can’t even describe how much Gabriel and Veronica love their little brother already. They won’t leave his side. Max is somewhat clueless, although we have high hopes for their future bond;) Gabe chose the name Rocco after a catholic saint who spent his life in the service of the poor and sick. We always like to choose names that are role models for our children to turn to as they grow:)

Thank you to each of you who have shared your congratulations, and love. We are so grateful for you!

A little video Gabe and my sister took when the little ones met Rocco for the first time:) Song by Coldplay.

*We didn’t know the gender of the baby so we had two names picked out. Swell Forever so kindly sent the keepsake blanket a few weeks before he was born. You should check out their company and support of adoption and loss!
Rocco’s little bonnet is from Flora and Henri, and striped blanket I found from Little Unicorn.

Our Home Tour on Joss & Main

July 24, 2015

Well I am completely flattered to be sharing our home tour on Joss & Main this week! Joss & Main is an online flash sale site for home goods. Some of the deals you find are unreal! They are featuring different rooms from our home and offering similar decor, furniture, and rug pieces that you can shop at a flash sale price! Head over to see the full tour.

Here are a few examples of what you can get your hands on! You can find all of these pieces, and a slew of others under the In Honor of Design home tour.

Pulling together our house into a home has been a piece by piece, room by room project this past year. We are currently working on our living room, and the little ones room will be next. I don’t feel the need to make our home perfect, just a place where each of us feels at home. It took us years to settle into a place we can call home, and I don’t even know how long we will be here, but it has been so good to watch my children grow here, spend evenings with family, and some backyard bashes with friends. My favorite thing might be Saturday morning coffee and convo with Gabe while the kids dance to music:)

I hope you all have a splendid weekend!