House Peeks

 
I've been spending much of my time at the new house priming and painting lately.  I love documenting the process, because it's so much fun to look back on.  I'm hoping to be done painting in the next week or two, and then I plan to move onto more weeding and landscaping while the weather is nice.  We don't officially move in until November, so it's nice to be able to take these projects on at my own pace.  I'll have more updates in the coming weeks!  xo.

**Moccasins from Minnetonka.

We Made it to the Apple Orchard!

Now that fall is officially here, a visit to the apple orchard was a must!  We accidentally missed it last year and I was not going to let that happen again.  Here are some photos from our afternoon on the farm:


As per usual, Poesy chomped apples the entire time we were out there.  It was a really fun time and I love this fall tradition we have.  Now, let's see if we can make it to the pumpkin patch this year and we'll be golden.  Happy Monday, friends!

My Invisalign Journey

**Photo by Allison Marshall (aka: Wonderlass)

As I mentioned some months back, I spent the end of last year and most of this year with Invisalign.  Having my teeth corrected has always been something I've wanted, but we were never really in a position to drop fat cash on something that wasn't a NEED.  Fast forward a few years to a time of more self care and less guilt (why do we feel so guilty taking care of, or doing things for ourselves?  I could rant all day about how important it is to do things for YOU), and it was time for me to finally take that plunge.  For me, Invisalign was a GREAT experience. Sure your teeth get sore because they're being moved around, but the more months I had my trays in, the easier switching became. Many of you have emailed or commented asking about my experience, so I figured I'd answer the most commonly asked questions here on the blog.

1. How long did you have Invisalign?  I had Invisalign from November 2014-May 2015.  My top teeth were pretty straight except for a few on the sides, but my bottom teeth needed quite a bit of shifting.  I was a by-the-book kind of patient and did everything I was supposed to religiously.  That way, I could be done the shortest amount of time possible.  

2. How does Invisalign work?  After you go in for your initial scan and your trays come in, the dentist applies little enamel colored bumps or "buttons" to some of your teeth so the plastic retainers will stay in place.  When I first got my buttons, they felt huge, they cut my mouth, and I was pretty embarrassed to talk.  I adjusted to them after a couple of weeks and it got way better.  They also wear down over time, so even though my buttons felt crazy-huge at first, popping your trays in and out kind of takes care of that.
Approximately every two weeks you just pull a new set of plastic trays out of the package and replace the ones you were wearing.  I had 15 sets in all, but everyone is different.

3. Are they hard to keep track of?  Firstly, I am a VERY forgetful person.  I write everything down in notebooks and constantly lose said notebooks.  I was pretty certain I'd be calling the dentist at least once a month to apologize, but it was actually very easy to keep track of them.  You get a special storage case to hold them when they're out, and honestly, while your teeth are moving, you are completely aware of whether you have them in or out.  I only had one major scare, and it was when we were trying to leave town for the weekend and I couldn't find my brand new trays that I had put in the night before.  Always save the previous ones just in case this happens!

4. Can you eat or drink with them in?  Well... no.  You can drink water, but that's it.  I thought popping them out in public and brushing my teeth every single time I was done having coffee or eating or whatever would be a hassle, but I got used to it super fast.  Plus, you always have fresh breath, so there's that.  ;)

5. Would you recommend Invisalign based off of your experience?  100% YES.  I had a really great experience with Invisalign and found myself excited every time my next dentist appointment rolled around.  Since my bottom teeth actually align with my top teeth now, I find myself grinding less, actually chewing on my right side (my molars didn't line up well on that side), and smiling with my teeth way more.  I still wear my retainers at night (EVERY NIGHT.  I probably won't ever stop) and it's basically second nature at this point.

The only things I had a bit of a time with (and these were very minor things) were giving up gum-- because I was a chronic gum chewer, and not being able to whistle-- which was my annoying nervous tick.  I mean all-in-all, those were things I probably needed to part with anyway.  I did talk kinda funny for the first month or so, but you get it back.  Honestly, the only real hurdle I ever had was investing the money, and I don't think I'll ever regret it.

If you have any questions about Invisalign, you can leave them in the comments here and I promise to answer each one.  I wanted to post some before and after photos here, but as it turns out, I never really smiled in pictures without my teeth properly covered before this.  When I get my before/after pics from the dentist, I'll show you how they shifted (even thought it's kinda gross and probably a little embarrassing).  xo.   

Little Bits of Happy

I've been looking for fun new things for our home as we've been gearing up for our move.  One of the things I've acquired is this adorable coloring book.  I plan to use it as a coffee table book, so when friends come over and we're hanging or whatever, they can contribute to making this a colorful masterpiece.  Being the sentimental so-and-so that I am, having my friends signing and dating (and maybe even leaving little notes) as they go sounds like a sweet way to bottle memories.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share a small bit of happy on this Monday.  Have a great one, friends!

Weekly Wears: Quirky Collections

I'm really into thrifting again... which is kinda funny considering the giant closet clean-out I'm in the middle of.  Thrifted skirts are just so great for our fall and spring transitional seasons.  If it's chilly, you can just throw a comfy cardigan over your tank or tee and you're golden.

Bodysuit: c/o ModCloth;  Skirt: thrifted;  Hat: old (similar);  Sunglasses: c/o BonLook;  Tote: CultureFlock Clothing;  E.T. jewelry: eBay;  Boots: Seychelles

I already shared my new favorite shirt with you guys-- well, I also have the tote because E.T. accessories are one of the best things ever.  I have unopened necklaces and rings from the 80's that I can't bear to tear into because they look so perfect in their original packaging.  What can I say?  It's a thing.

I hope you all had a great week!  We've got a weekend full of shows ahead of us (again), but I plan on some serious brunch and nap time thrown in there.  Happy Friday, friends!  xo.

Snapshots: Life Lately

**Rollerskating dates on Wednesdays
**Fancy press-on nails from best friends
**Lunch dates and school time at our favorite local spot
**Taste-testing the new Askinosie x Target flavors
**Having magical days with magical friends
**A new (more appropriately sized) accordion
**My new favorite Culture Flock shirt BECAUSE E.T. (!!!!)
**Taking a Monday off even though you probably shouldn't

Life in our house has been pretty a-typical lately.  As I've mentioned, we're planning to move in the next month, Hope has just started back up with school, and this is our band's busiest month of the year.  Routines don't really exist right now, and that is perfectly fine with all of us.  We've been peppering in as many dates and fun things to off-set all the packing.  I'm definitely not complaining, though-- this great purge that has been happening in our house is making me 20 levels of happy.

I have a homeschool post coming for you guys this week (for real this time).  I'm excited to share what's working for us this year!  In the meantime, have a wonderful Tuesday, friends!  xo.

**Dress in first photo from ModCloth.

We're Moving!

We're moving!  For those of you wondering if we're making the move to Nashville with our group of friends, the answer is nope.  We are staying in Springfield because, gosh darn, we love it here.  Our family has called this particular house "home" for the past 3 years, but as I mentioned in my New Year's Resolution post, we are ready for something a little more updated.

In celebration of new things on the horizon, let's take a walk down memory lane!


It's been a great 3 years here, but I'm SO EXCITED for things like central a/c and a dishwasher!  Typically Johnny and Hope have a pretty hard time with change, but everyone in our house is totally pumped.  Hope has decided she's ready for a "cool room" (meaning, not littered with toys and toys and toys) and I'm looking forward to helping her put that together.  The next 2 months will be dedicated to packing up and getting things out of here.  I can't wait for the serious purging that will come with this move.  We are planning a huge garage sale at the end of October.  We have hoarded so much furniture and other stuff in our basement-- it's going to feel SO GOOD to get rid of the majority of it.

Anyway, that's where we Sheltons are right now.  I can't wait to share more of our new home with you in the coming months!  Happy Wednesday, friends!