Finding a Taco.

||gah, I hate it when the best pictures are out-of-focus|| tear. 

These kids. Gosh I love them, but this last week has been one for the books. And I mean "theee books." Colds, coughs, and a bad case of the I-will-throw-every-single-toy-away-so-help-me just made for one long week. And to top it all of yesterday I was digging in my purse and I found a taco, yes a taco. A taco that I purchased last week in fact. And it still looked relatively edible, which in itself has me questioning our choice of eateries.

And just so this post has some relationship to the photos above a few weeks ago we took a little drive to one of John's colleagues homes so the kids to see all her baby animals  when the weather was still warm and the snow hadn't yet blanketed the mountains. There really are not words to describe the majestic beauty of her home. It's deep in the canyon and rests high on the mountainside giving her one of the million dollar views. And unfortunately I only had my 50mm lens so catching the beauty of it all was a bit impossible.  bummer.

This occasion, like many others, made us realize that Brecken thrives when he has room to run. He little body has the biggest personality and sometimes letting him explore and figure out the world through his own fingertips seems to somehow sooth his explosive soul. He really was in his mecca of choice. Animals to feed and the prettiest blue and brown eggs to gather made his eyes glow with wonder. Addy on the other hand has always been a bit more reserved, less likely to run away and always looks to us for reassurance before petting an animal or going out on her own. 

Their personalities never seem to clash with one another but seem to compliment each other in the areas they need most--Brecken helps his sister explore and his big caring heart always seems aware of her shyness and need for extra love and gentleness. Addy's personality is more nurturing and she'll often lay next to Brecken on the couch softly caressing his hair, which seems to be one of the only times other than sleeping where he'll remain motionless. Ironic, I think not. And I crave those times where they seem to dote on one another, what mother wouldn't?

It was a good day, and here's to more of them this Fall (which in our case Fall lasted approximately 4.5 days then the snow hit). And here's to no more taco-shenanigans in my purse.  

DIY: Scotch Duct Tape Embellished Book Covers

Today I am so excited to announce a new collaboration with Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape. Over the next few weeks I will be highlighting some fun and creative projects using this amazing product. For those of you that have followed Spunky Junky for awhile you know that I like projects, especially simple and easy projects. With two young babes and piles of breeding laundry my time is limited but my need to create has not diminished so I've had to resort to time-saving projects that still fill the desire. You know what I mean?

Not only is this project easy, but if you're anything like me I like to change me decor often and sometimes it just means a new pop of color. This project is an easy solution for creating a fun change while still remaining easy on the checkbook. Enjoy.

||For this project all you will need are a few books, wrapping paper in different (but coordinating patterns), scissors, and Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape in Hot Pink and Pearl White||

||Create a fun design by off-centering the strips||

This post is a collaboration with Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape. To see more creative projects, visit www.ScotchDuctTape.com.  Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest.

Runny Noses and Fall.

It only seemed fitting that we should welcome in Fall with a round of colds and runny noses. Why didn't anyone fill me in on the runny nose dilemma before I had kids?  It's embarrassing  how many times I've gone into public and only then noticed "Oh hey, snot on my boob. Oh hey, snot in my hair." I'm sure you can imagine how the whole conversation went down when John got to work and realized he had snot in his crotch. We've both succumb to the fact that we'll be living in a perpetual state of runny noses and dirty shirts and pants for the next 18 years. 

But we're on the mend (except for the runny noses) and for the first year in a long time I'm excited for Fall. Nobody does Fall that we do. Maybe the East Coast can compete with their trees, but really when you think about it, it's totally a Montana thing. And really, why can't we have just one thing?

Okay, bare with me. Imagine, a rustic log cabin situated along a slow rushing creek with the sound elk bugling deep on the mountain side, a fire smoldering in corner with burly men adorned in camo tracking muddy boots through the kitchen after an early morning hunt. The honking of Canadian Geese trekking their way south with the slow rustling on pine trees by the crisp morning breeze. Fall is mountain-y, rugged, layered in flannel, and coated in the sweet scent of apple pie and beef stew. I mean come on, it just sounds like Montana. 

But maybe I'm wrong. Come see, we'll give you a taste of our Fall and maybe a runny nose too.

Tiny Prints Inspiration for a Little Boy Room

1//2//3//4//5//6//7//8//9//10//11//12

Recently I was contacted by Tiny Prints to create an inspiration board using one (or in my case two) of their designs as a spring board of creativity for Brecken's room makeover. The quintessential rustic vibe that is now making a comeback is so fresh and inviting (and manly I might add) and seems so natural for my little boy. And maybe I'm a bit biased because I live in Montana and all-thing-rustic are run of the mill around here, but the thought of little boys huddled under a tent scheming about secret adventures while playing wildly with little bows and colorful arrows may hands down be the cutest site ever. 

And at the root of it all I'm a wife to an outdoorsman and a Momma to a boy obsessed with a slingshot so a room with a father's touch and a young boys obsession only seemed fitting for the men of my house, wouldn't you agree?

Now if only I could get John that excited about a space just for me and my over flowing ideas. A girl can wish...

Instagram + Three Things+Winna Winna

So I started the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred about two weeks ago and my arms are still like jell-o. And I mean jell-ooo. Even typing requires effort, and doing dishes, and laundry, and the million other things that Moms use their arms for every single day. And my abs, oh my gosh, don't make me laugh because I may simultaneously cry and pee (which would be horrifying if it hasn't already happened like 10 times...but who's counting).

Yeah, so that's the skinny (no pun intended).

Now for the three things. Let me preface this with saying that I am usually just a Facebook stalker. I don't hash out my life's drama through a keyboard, and I rarely comment on posts, but I like to stalk and occasionally read some of the fun links that get posted by friends. And lucky for you two of them were really cool.

one// This article discusses how our language (as in a global sense) influences everything from our spending to saving habits as well as how we perceive our world. TOTALLY worth the read. promise.

two// This article entitled 12 Steps to Gentle Parenting was so what I needed this week. Especially the section of turning your "no's" into "yes's." I can't believe how many times a day I say "no" to Brecken, it's astounding to say the least. Six months ago or so I started to try a more "re-directive method" that required suggesting other options to bad behaviors versus just saying "no" and it was hard (especially for me). I mean really, really hard, saying "no" is just so easy (and lazy) than the alternative of trying to train my children to other behavioral patterns. 

It was hard to do and I slacked off overtime. So this was the kick in the rear I needed to start being a more positive influence (again). Funny game we play as parents of finding the right balance between teaching and loving while also disciplining with a tender hard. oi'.

three//Okay, I'm sure you've all seen the video of the guy waking up for anesthesia and he totally hits on a lady not aware that she's actually his wife. I mean, come on. Priceless.

And we have a Jamberry winner, congrats #6 Nichole Green. You're one lucky lady. Email at spunkyjunkyblog at gmail.com for the deets. 

Thanks everyone for playing along and even though you may not have won remember you can still purchase three sheets of Jamberry nails and get the fourth free! Enjoy. 

Labor Day

Growing up the first week of September meant the beginning of the end of rodeo season, the wearing of black hats, greasy burgers, and miles on the road. This year I packed this kids into the car and took them home to watch my Dad participate in a local ranch rodeo. I haven't rodeod in years, but it's still like second nature to me. You know what I mean? Maybe not about rodeoing, but having a passion that's so strong that no matter how far you are removed from it you could easily pick it up again as if you never stopped.   And ironically, even though we live in a small ranching community the opportunity for the kids to ride horses is somewhat limited and at times it makes me sad knowing that some of my most cherished experiences may never be experienced by my own babes.

Anyway, John's parents also believe in the literal meaning of being laborious on Labor Day. We (not me, I was chasing kids) spent the better part of a night picking apples from their orchard, dividing the good from the bad, cutting out worm holes, and pressing to making juice. Have you ever made homemade apple juice before? Really, the experience was less about making juice and more about the time we got to spend as family. I feel so blessed to have been born in and married to such amazing families. I mean I really scored in that department. Like won the lottery kind of lucky.

Anyway (again, geeze). So we're not much of the organic eaters. I mean, I'll buy some organic things, but I'm not one of those fanatics (yes, I call them that) that have organic eggs, milk, cheese, cereal, soap, cheese, crackers...underwear (or not). I still feed my kids Kraft Mac n' Cheese and I occasionally pop through McDonald's when I'm in a rush. But I'm a huge fun of locally-grown especially when we've labored to help grow such foods. Being able to then drink apple juice that we had picked and pressed was such a fun lesson to teach Brecken about living off the land. 

And even though my these little babes of mine may not have the same experiences as me I am so thankful that I get to raise them in a place where family comes first and where a love of the land is a way of life.

Come to Montana, you'll see.

And don't forget to enter the Jamberry giveaway!

Jamberry Giveaway

Today I have an extra fun giveaway from Jamberry. Have you heard? They're the newest trend in salon-style nails. Yes, nails! They're a self-adhesive application sticker (on crack) that come without the hassle of booking an appointment or the salon price tag of $50. Each sheet is completely non-toxic, USA made, offering over 300 designs, and at least four different applications with the ability to last two-to-four weeks.

Honestly, I've been so impressed with their quality. This week alone, I've been playing in the dirt, riding horses, painting, sanding a metal locker (the locker from the dump, remember?), and not to mention the day-to-day tasks of dishes, kids, and gobs of laundry and I'm now on Day #8 and my nails still look great. 

 Awesome, eh?!

Earlier this week the Jamberry Fall 2013 Collection premiered and one lucky reader will get to pick out one free nail application from that collection to try for themselves. I mean, the tribal prints alone scream ahh-mazing! 

And to sweeten the pot, right now when you order three sheets of Jamberry nail applications you can get a fourth set for free!

Here's how to win:

*Follow Jamberry Nails-Anna Hone Independent Consultant on Facebook (one entry)

*Visit Jamberry Nails Fall 2013 Collection and leave a comment telling which design is your favorite (one entry)

*Order any set of Jamberry nails in the next week(three entries)

CLOSED.

The ridiculous act of picture taking

When we were little my Mom would make us pose at destinations around the country for our obligatory "I-was-here" picture. doo-zies, I tell ya!  Remind me to show you the one from Copper Mountain, Colorado, sometime, I instantaneously coined the phrase "big hair don't care" in that one. Anyway, my sweet Mom would call the day a success if she could get one of us to smile or at the very least be facing towards the camera.

Annnnd flash forward to our teen years, it was the same scenario but with a resonating I-hate-this-and-why-are-we-in-ridiculously-matching-outfits undertone attached to each family portrait.  Did I mention the pictures still wreak of teenage estrogen and tears of self-pity and loathing to this day? We were a sad and dramatic bunch of girls. My poor little brother had no choice other than to submit himself to years of a tortured existence with three older sisters... 

And then I had kids of my own and now I understand. Holy hell it's hard to photograph kids. And as luck would have it mine are no different than any other baby out there--hyped up on sugar and wired to run as soon as the camera comes out. #gofigure

The point is I end up taking hundred no looking/screaming/zombie gazed/picking the nose pictures for every gem in the rough. It has crossed my mind a few times to start a Tumbler feed dedicated to the awful pictures of my kids. Because lets be real, the awful ones sometimes are way better then the perfect pictures.

Gosh, thank goodness this sort of technology wasn't around twenty years ago or who knows what my parents would have posted...

Lately

Lately we've been living in this perpetual state of chaos. Good chaos, but cha-oooos nonetheless. Actually, I'm not sure if good chaos is even a real "thing" or if it's just a excuse parents use to not pull their hair out, but I use it boldly and with conviction as if it's the only thing keeping me sane these days. Which if you must know my sanity teeters on the brink of insanity most days.

Either way this summer has been one for the books and it's been so.much.fun. The kids blossomed and have finally come into their own and the joy of watching them play together has been worth all the tears, tantrums, and hours spent in the car. And not to mention I wasn't pregnant for the first summer in a looong time. halle-freakin'-lujah. All of our travels have turned us into quite the road rats this summer and with each trip my inner-country star has been singing "On the road again..." which got old after the first trip but I keep racking my brain for another road tripping song, but nothing seems quite as fitting as Willie himself. So it's stuck.

Anyway, we're home, rested, and tackling the breeding pile of laundry and mail. Two trips left to tackle and then we might be ready to dive head on into birthdays and the Holidays. So basically, it's as if life never slows down around here. Which is for the best because the bored Halsey usually resorts to online shopping, unfortunately for John...

Ribbon Organizer 2.0

Can we talk about ribbon for a moment? Bare with me I promise this is going some where. If you were to step into my craft room it would be very apparent that I'm kind of like the old crazy cat lady but I have this hankering for ribbon. It's a weird obsession to say the least.It always seems to be jumbled together into this unfathomable ball that turns me into some sort of scissor-wielding maniac when trying to unravel it. Luckily I've found a few ways to organize the chaos i.e. my five-minute ribbon organizer, but then there's all that crap ribbon that isn't on a spool. what the heck?! seriously, whoever decided that it was a good idea to sell ribbon "spool-less" was just itching for a good time thinking about all the women around the world who would go crazy trying to keep it organized. 

So here's my solution for the huge wad of ribbon you have shoved in your closet, inside your bookshelf, heck, in your underwear drawer (if you're into that sort of thing) and it's totally on the D.L. for how cheap it will cost. 

Seriously, so easy that I don't even think I need to explain it. Thank me later...with cookies preferably. 

Hair and what not

In my next life I may write a book about my hair. Yes, my hair! Why you ask? Oh because my hair has more drama than the girls in a sorority house (no offense to my fun loving sorority sisters (best friend included)). 

The story would be a nail biter. It would be a roller coaster of events full of the ups-and-down of a lonely girl who suffers from abnormally curly/frizzy hair who is in the search of the perfect products and tools to help bring life back to her once wavy and shimmering hair. Naturally, the story would reach a climatic epicenter where I would be at odds with myself, particularly with my hair, and near the cusp of breaking (which in this case would mean chopping). But then out of the blue, or dare I say in the most serendipitous of manner, a hero would swoop in and save the day. 

And just like that or as if my prayers had been answered a real-life hair Fairy Godmother would bring tidings of good joy (and locks of naturally straight hair)! 

Great story, right?

So here's the ditty. I was asked to try the Hana professional hair straightener and it is wonderful. purely wonderful. And I don't say that lightly. Unlike many of the professional straighteners I've owned (which is  five and counting) this one has by far exceeded my expectations. You know how you go into salon and pay really close attention to how your hair stylist does your hair and you even go as far as to by the same products and tools with the hopes of repeating that same blown out affect after you leave. And then it takes you nearly five days to wash the gorgeous locks because you know, and with tears in your eyes, that your hair will never look that luscious and beautiful again (or at least not for another eight weeks).Well that my friends happens to me every time. without fail. Even when I  buy the same products/same straightener/same brush/same ju-ju, it just never looks like the red-carpet hair for days earlier. 

But, and I say this with a "Hallelujah!" this straightener is the closest I have ever gotten to actually getting the perfect look without having to pay the salon price! It has multiple adjustable temperature settings which is a definite bonus for course frizzy hair, because let's face it, curly hair needs some added punch to give it that naturally straight look. It's sleek look and slender feel makes it easy to use and while I am not always the best proponent of safety it has this gargantuan cord so I can simultaneously peer out the bathroom door to yell at Brecken (which never happens, but if it did...) while still managing to curl my hair at the same time. Do I hear amazing multi-tasking? yes.  

So if you are in the market for a straightener that's worth every penny, while also providing stellar straight locks (as well as curly too), this guy is the golden ticket!

Thanks Misikko, you truly are my Hair Fairy Godmother. 

facebook: Misikko (lots of great tutorials and giveaways)

Products were received in exchange for writing this post. All opinions are my own. 

Denver Zoo

We spent the better part of last in Denver for a family wedding. It was called a vacation, but the kids erratic sleeping patterns and a good dose of heat rash/heat exhaustion led to some long days and even loooonger nights, which in my mind completely cancels out the word "vacation" to then be replaced with the more appropriate term of lets-all-make-it-home-alive. But I'm sure all family vacations end with a good threat of never traveling again...

Zoo. The Denver Zoo. where do I begin?

We like the zoo. And we like visiting on 90* degree days. Seems fitting I suppose. And now that we're home I have a inkling suspicion that the heat exhausting/heat rash all stemmed from our little zoo trip. No matter the case, our kids are animal mongers. They thrive on the excitement of any animal they can get their little paws around, I mean really ANY animal. And the zoo has always been a great place to see the animals from a distance and not have to worry about the after effects of Brecken going into a full-on asthma attack. It's kind of like the best dream ever for this Mom. 

And usually when we go to the zoo I am pretty good with the hotness and I can tolerate a good dose of body sweat but, a big BUT, our day at the zoo was bru-tal. No amount of ICEE induced coma could cool our bodies, and the skinny jeans were causing a serious "swaz" issue in all the wrong places. Not to mention the radiating heat coming from the concrete all added to one-hot-motha' of a day. Our only saving grace was the Gorilla observatory and spending the good time staring at the sleeping Hyenas, which if you've never seen one they are surprisingly big (not like the little yappy things in the Lion King), and consuming $50 dollars worth of liquid which I'm sure is the reason that all zoo's stay in business.

Anyway. Denver Zoo, invest in some of those nice water spray fans I promise you will make every Momma happy (this one included).