create, love, wear, kiss | 03

{i switched up this week's want, need, wear, read for valentine's day, for love-related reasons. and because i can.}

create: a valentine's day garland. two dozen spray roses, a needle, and thread. and a few photos from your grandma's old photo album from 1945, if you happen to be lucky enough to have that. instant romance for your walls.

love: this old, slightly rusty cookie cutter, because i've used it to make ryan heart-shaped toast every valentine's day since we've been married. and this year i got to use it for my tiny valentine, too.



wear: rose-scented soap. because if there were ever a perfect time for rose-scented anything, today's the day.



kiss: the soft, pillow-y cheeks of this cherub, who'd rather eat the crayons and stickers than use them for his dad's valentine's day card. oh well.

here's to hoping you have a happy, love-filled day. ryan and i are celebrating tomorrow, with our first, real, booked a babysitter and everything date since ralph has been around. i could not be more excited! happy valentines day!

want, need, wear, read | 02

want: a hot bath. it's been so long since i've taken one, but the colder it gets outside, the better a good soak sounds to me every night. with some lavender soap, and this candle burning, please. (i guess i have my friday night planned.)


need: {or, needed} i said i had to have more green in the house, and one trip to home depot got me everything i was looking for. when i returned home i realized that two of the plants didn't have tags inside the pots, so i'm not sure what they're called. but the little guy in front is a peperomia. i hope i don't kill you, peperomia, you're my favorite one!


wear: this turtleneck sweater from gap is keeping warm at least twice a week these days. it has just enough wooly scratch to it that you need to layer a shirt underneath, which keeps me even warmer. and of course, i'm not actually wearing a mug of something hot, but i guess i'd consider that an accessory, since my coffee/tea/cocoa cup doesn't go too far from my side lately.


read: we went to the library last weekend and both ryan and i walked out pretty pleased with what we found. and it's been a nice change to sit down at night with a book in our laps, instead of a phone in our hands.
oh! and a read for all of you: an interview in the Journal Sentinel with my sister and her husband, along with photos of the pretty home they fixed up together. it's exciting to see all their hard work get a bit of praise. i'm so proud of them!

want, need, wear, read | 01

end of the week round-up posts are some of my favorites to read on other blogs. i like the idea of closing up shop by gathering a few things that made the week better, or maybe just a bit more bearable. here are some items that made up my week, in the form of the want, need, wear, read rule.

 
want: chocolate chip cookies. the christmas goodies are all gone, and we can only last so long without a little something sweet to eat after supper in this house. cookies had to be made. everyone has their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, and mine comes straight off the back of the ghirardelli chocolate chip bag. they're salty-sweet, with a crispy edge and a chewy center. the perfect combination. the best part about them is that they keep their texture for days, instead of drying out within 24 hours. but, they might not last longer than that anyway. 

 
need: more green. january blues and the polar vortex and dead brown grass underneath dirty snow, man. major bummers. we have only one plant in the house right now, and it hangs out in our bedroom. a trip to the nursery is planned for next week, and i am so excited.

 
wear: a new white robe. i already own 2 other robes, but they're short and thin and not nearly as luxurious as this one. (well, as luxurious as the clearance rack at target will give you.) this one is thick and pretty, and keeps me warm during the 1am feedings that we're (still) waking up for.

read: i loved this post on self-care by rachael. a bolstering read for tuckered-out moms.

until next week, friends. happy weekend!