H54F

Every week, I like to link up with Jeanette and Lauren for my week in review! We have had a great week here at the Cass home. 

Last weekend, we had a two day garage sale with our neighbors/friends! The kids sold some cookies and lemonade! They drank majority of it but had a blast! They meant business! The garage sale wasn't about making money. It was about purging. Going through things. Letting go. Having fun with the kids and making mems.

The weather was crazy. Hail. Rain. Snow for a second. Sunscreen. Wind. But we prevailed!

I didn't get a chance to do a Lock Love Wed post.......So in honor of it here is a shot of my hair! I put my hair up on Mothers day. We had a lovely day. Zion and Zakiyah spoiled their mama. Purple flowers. a heart felt card and homemade gifts. Lunch. Coffee. and let this mama get a pedi! I am blessed. 

Every year, I have the opportunity to go up to our summer camp spot for a 24 hour retreat for pastor wives/women in ministry. (my hus is a Youth Pastor) So 3 of us headed up with our babies. We missed the rest of our staff but had a good time. The theme was "The Power of ONE" they had everything numbers. quotes. decorations. chocolate. Everything was plastered with the great theme. I love this retreat. It was so lovely. We had breakfast delivered to us even (above pix). 

Kiyah kept me busy at the retreat. She is out of control with those eyebrows. I love it.

Retreat highlights. We had 3 teas/coffee time completely decorated. I felt like I was on a 24 hour cruise. 

I came home to spend some qt with my girls yesterday. Lots of sun. 

I got this lovely chevron Crate N Barrel tray from two of my clients/friends. They surprised me with a picnic themed gift as a simple thank you. I got emotional. It was so sweet. Yellow is my favorite color to decorate with. I love chevron/ it is everywhere in my studio. Thanks Steph and Katie for being so thoughtful. I put the tray on my kitchen table. I love it. I am also learning that I can have pretty things in my home and they are still pretty next to chaos. piles. toys. children playing. So this picture above looks presh, but what you don't see is there are markers and coloring pages all around it. It makes it more pretty. More special. More me. 

I am embracing. 

embracing chaos. 

embracing my girls + hus.

embracing the sunshine.

Have a great friday.

xoxoxo

Cass Life

Minnesota is weird. Seriously. A week ago we were bundled up watching 14" + of snow fall. Now, we are putting on sunscreen and wearing shorts. So crazy. I am taking it though. Enjoying the heat. the rain verses snow. The sunscreen instead of wool socks. The windows open verses the fire on. The iced tea verses hot cocoa. PRAISE.

 We are known for Cass dance parties in our living room. Our daughters love kids music and having a dance party. It is sooooo fun! Here are some of the kids with their daddies.  Note:  The packer cheerleader.

I have been really overwhelmed as of late.
Life.
Balance.
Mamahood.
Mothering in general.
Discipline.
Work.
Ministry.
Relationships.
Chores.
Errands.
It is so overwhelming to strive for a healthy-life. Emotionally. Physically. Spiritually.
Sometimes I feel like if I am doing really well in one area, I am failing in another.
I have been making the conscience effort to choose to play with my girls.
Build the lego tower.
make the Mr. Potato head family.
Write and color with Zion.
Hold Kiyah til she conks out.
Sit and enjoy our meals, which take an hour for Zion to accomplish. :)
have dance parties in our living room.

To Let GO.....

Yes, keeping the home is important. But, it is also important to be there for my daughters. Engaged. Captivated. and PRESENT.

 My baby is teething. This girl gets no break. Currently, we have hives on the neck. A cough that doesn't stop. fevers. runny nose. I just pray for her to be able to rock out those teeth and get better quickly. It is funny when kids are sick, how it affects the whole family. the routines. the schedules. I am  letting go.

Zion's heart is overflowing. She knows when to hug this mama. When to say I love you. When to look in my eyes and say, "you are the best." I love her heart. I love her zest for life. I love her sensitivity. I love how she sings to Kiyah. I can't get over how kids are so intuitive with their surroundings. I love hearing Zion pray for Kiyah's cold.

I am loving how Kiyah now puts her head on my shoulder when I am holding her. She knows I need it. I love how she holds my fingers or rests her hand on mine all the time when I am holding her. I love how she looks up at me when I am feeding her. I love how she claps and waves. She is now putting her hand over her mouth to blow kisses. She is so special.

Yesterday, instead of cleaning. organizing and doing my Christy thing..... we played. We retreated to the backyard for swings and slide. It was refreshing.....until the 3 yo got stuck in mud. The sister had a melt down. crying. I had to carry her up our hill and attempt to clean her "fip-fops". I couldn't get the water faucet on.......been shut off for 9 months. I then retrieved to using a beach bucket and old t shirt to wash zion's feet and throw on the rain boots. Good grief. I love those moments. sigh.

Kiyah loves the swing. It is her happy place.

Zion loves pushing her.

A picture of the mud. during the melt down. It was in the GLORY.

After some sun.....the girls did nap. At the same time! I went back to my cleaning. organizing......but was so thankful that I stopped and soaked up my daughters.

Prepping for garage sale stuff today.
Have a great day.
Stop. Breathe in the day.

Loves.

LLW

I started Lock Lock Wednesday to get myself motivated to style my hair everyday. It is so easy, for even hair stylists to get in a rut with their hair. I am hoping to inspire you along the way with simple and fun techniques to help you look fabulous! Join me along the way. It will be fun! All you have to do is take snapshots of your hair during the week and link up with me below! 

I am sharing with you two styles I did this week! I am loving the braids in all the styles right now. So fun. I had the privilege of styling Hope and Mackenzie's hair for their PROM. It was a blast.

I had a boring week for my hair. Sometimes we fail. I will have lots next week.... I promise. 

Have a great week. 

Link up with me below and share your hair pix! or Follow me on Instagram at talahairlife. Post a pix and use #locklovewed or #locklovewednesday

Happy LLW!

A MUST HAVE HAIR PRODUCT!

I get asked all the time about hair products and hair care. It can be really overwhelming for people to figure out what products work for their hair and what don't. 

There are few products that are considered "universal" for everyone. I have shared with you before my Daily Routine for Hair HERE. There are some products that I haven't shared with you that I use more randomly. I thought it would be fun to share with you today one of them! 

CLARIFYING SHAMPOO! I have been using a detox/clarifying shampoo for a decade now. I can not tell you how much a difference it can make with your hair texture and abililty to style. It is like SPRING CLEANING your hair.

I tell people usually to wash with this 1/wk if you wash daily or every other day. I wash every 3-4 days; so I wash with clarifying shampoo 2/month. You wash your hair just like using any other shampoo. 

Apply to scalp/mid shaft and ends. Use your finger tips (not nails) and rub your scalp for 30 seconds. i massage it into my ends as well. 

When I clarify, I like to use my deep conditioner that same day to moisture it. I feel like my hair receives the moisture better being so clean.

I have used many clarifying shampoos over the years. I like a lot of them. I have used Aveda, B&B, Kenra, Tigi etc. My favorite right now is Paul Mitchell. Why?

Smells like lemons

Suds up really well

affordable

removes build up from product or hard water

adds shine

I sell this at Tala; if you are ever interested.

Do you have a favorite clarifying shampoo? Or a must have product? Any tips that you would like to share with us? 

Happy Monday! 

H54F

Every Friday, I like to show you my week in review through my iphone pix. I have had quite the contrast this week. We went from this....

to this.....

What in the world-- people? It is May. Our fam had the blessing to going to Florida to hit up Disney for a week. It was a blast. I wrote about it here and here. 

Dumbo ride

When we got home on Monday, It was high 70's in southern MN and then this came! 13 + inches of snow. No school. Winter Storm Warning. I had to cancel my whole work day. My 3 year old is in DENIAL.

The above photo is my fav! Ha ha ha ha. She had a meltdown to me regarding wanting to go on a bike ride. ha.

Keeping it real.....I have piles in my house everywhere right now...... Laundry. Garage sale piles for next wknd. never ending. 

 Happy Friday~

Linking up with Lauren and Jeanette. 

Loves.