look. I just wanted to dance. Gangnam Style

How awesome is that!!  LOL tell me you don't want to get down, too!? Rhett did!   and Tristen did!!  Click here and join the dance party!!   It's super easy.  :) 
[mother.  Click T's name to see T. for some reason, I couldn't post all the videos in one post]

source: a beautiful mess blog

:::Advent Tree:::

I am OBSESSED.  And over the moon and back over coming across this perfect made-from-pallets Advent Tree.  Finalllly!!  I have been searching high and low and Finally found Exactly what I wanted.  Thursday night, Rhett and I will take apart a pallet and nail it back together, and there's a good chance that as you read this, I am canvasing the mall for fun  little presents to hang.  I can't wait!!

via

:::Routine::: 

Our Thanksgiving weekend was the best.  I loved my time off, loved spending time with my family, and Rhett and I had the best time in our little get away Bungalow; but man, it feels soo good to be back in the routine.  I love routine. I need it.  I'm one of those that does best with schedule, having a time I need to get up, knowing what I need to get done, and being on task for "what comes next".  If I don't, I'm apt to sit on the couch all.day.long, and it does not do this girl good.  I used to think it was a weakness of mine, my inability to be productive or feel good about me and my day if I'm not on routine.  Frankly, I don't even care what "it" is anymore...  I just know I need routine and it's up to me to keep me in one. 

:::Burlap:::

I don't even really like Burlap.  Eeeek!  I admitted it!  Never have I liked burlap!  But lately ~ lately I can't stop thinking about Burlap.  Well, I really can't stop thinking about a Ruffled, perhaps with Lace, Burlap Christmas Tree Skirt.  Why?? Why oh why.  I don't even like it!  And now, all I want a dang burlap tree skirt.  A word of advice though ~ Don't wait till the last minute to get that item you've had your eye on.. the one I really wanted on Etsy, is gone.  :( 

what the what is THIS?!

Tristen returns from holiday with his dad,
with This.

I went to grab my face wash this morning, and my hand picked up a big fat tube of something that was NOT my face wash.  I looked down and found in my hand, a bottle of Neutrogena ~ for Men.   For Men, concerned with Acne.  Since when are Eleven year old boys, MEN??! And since when has Tristen become concerned with Acne? This whole tween thing throws this mama for a loop every other day.  

I'm now in a dumbfounded loss of words this fine Monday morning, so I will leave you with photos of our drive from Portland, over the Grand Mt. Hood, to my "Hometown", Bend Oregon, this past Thanksgiving weekend..

Those gorgeous, endless, bright blue skies... Whether it snows, pours, is 12 degrees, or 88 degrees, that blue vibrant sky peeks through almost every day it seems ~ for as far as your eye can see, until your eye runs smack into Mountain Range upon Mountain Range. I might be biased, but ooooh, it's just beautiful. 

tutorial, randomness, jewelry display giveaway!

I love a good knotted scarf!  You can knot it and wear it hanging straight down, or you can wear it off to the side.  You can knot it tight, or knot it loose.  You can make one side really long, or have each side perfectly aligned.  You can create so many looks!  And what's super cool?  Once it's knotted up, you can just slip it on and off your head, keeping it all knotted up, so it's ready to go for the next time you get the urge to rock a knotted scarf!  
Since I, obviously, wear this look quite often, I've had a couple questions on how I do it.  It's sooo.. simple! 

1. Throw a scarf over your shoulders.  It can be perfectly even, or with one side longer- however you want to wear it! // 2. Tie a Knot // 3.  Keep tying knots!  4.  Knot it tell you reach the bottom of having two sides of the scarf able to knot together [you could also not knot it to the very bottom and leave a "tail"] // 5. Tuck the remaining loose ends into the knots in the scarf // 6. Blouse it up around the neck // 
And the rest is up to your own personal style!  Twist it sideways, decide you like the knots tighter, decide you want them looser - whatever tickles your fancy! If you decide to give it a whirl and post a pic on instagram or twitter, tag it #distinctlym , I'd loove to see it!  And it'll pop up on my #distinctlym feed over there on the sidebar so we can all see the ingenious ways each person rocks it!  
___________________
::2:: You know how it is everything I do I do it big.
Monday night I attended Tristen's teacher parent conferences and launched a big ol text out on our family GroupMe to brag about all the A's, all the positive reviews from his teachers about how pleased they are with his performance, and to share what a good citizen he is.  I wanted him to know how proud I am, and for him to see those messages, and read those words, and to know that all his aunts and uncles and Nana read them too, and I wanted him to feel proud and accomplished.  And he did get my messages.  I'm still not quite sure if he got my message though, based on his response:  

"you know how it is everything i do i do it big" 

Tristen, 6th Grade

Who's claiming this kid!!? 

XOXO

-m-