Celebrating Advent

This was the very first year either Danny or I celebrated advent. Some of you may think we are crazy, but let me explain.

We both grew up in homes where Father was loved and served. We participated in Christmas plays, services, etc... and deeply loved it. We always understood the Reason for the Season and were thrilled about celebrating with our families every year! But we never went through the Advent ideas and traditions. I decided that it was something I wanted our family to participate in together. I can't tell you how EXCITED I am for this next month of teaching Sitora all about the True Meaning of Christmas and celebrating together as a family several times every week!

I've decided to use a 12 day approach and do it every other day or so until Christmas arrives. That way we won't be doing something every single night (many nights we are doing youth group activities). I had so much fun planning our first night's activities and I thought I'd share them with you all!

We colored pictures of angels and The Baby born in Bethlehem. The website I used followed a plan spelling out the Alphabet, so this lesson was A and B (angels and baby).

We lit the first candle to celebrate the start of Advent- there are four weeks before Christmas so we'll light another candle once a week for four weeks. Danny read scriptures and then we prayed together.

We sang "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" since it went with the "Angel" theme for the day.

Next came the Advent Calendar! We let Sitora find her first present in the door marked with a "1". We started a little early (we should have waited until December 1st) but I could hardly wait to let her try it for the first time! We'll skip a few days so that we get back on track.

She got a piece of chocolate for her first gift and wanted to share it with Daddy. We explained that The Baby was the best gift in the whole world Father could give to us! Giving gifts for the Christmas season is a way to show how wonderful gifts can be. 

Sitora loved trying to open all the doors, although there weren't any more gifts behind the other doors :) 

Unto us a Child is born!

I can't wait to go through all the planned lessons with Sitora this Advent. It is so incredibly fun to teach Sitora about the True Meaning of Christmas as a family, as apposed to just waiting until the Christmas Eve Service. That way, the season is more special as we learn about The Baby and His gift of life given to us, instead of focusing on presents and wrapping all season.

I'm going to touch on another subject now. I will not be telling Sitora that Santa Clause is real. We have many Christmas books about Santa and stuffed animals and decorations with Santa on them, which is fine with me. I have before and will continue to let her sit on Santa's lap.  But I will explain to her that Santa Clause is an idea originated from St. Nicholas, and I will happily tell her the story of the generosity and love St. Nick bestowed in times past. But I will not lie to my daughter and tell her Santa Clause us real. I'm not judging anyone else who does this- it is just Danny and my decision as parents. If I'm teaching Sitora stories from the bible about Father one day, then telling her tales of Santa Clause the next, how is she supposed to comprehend if what comes out of my mouth is true or not in the years to come? The line between truth and fantasy can become blurred amidst tales and stories. I want Sitora to trust every word that comes from my mouth. When I tell her about Father who loves her deeply and how He sent His Son for her, I want her to believe me. If she finds out Santa isn't real, she may become confused as to what is true or fiction in the stories we tell her in life.

When I was a small child, I sat on Santa's lap at the mall. I was so excited that my heart was bursting with joy! I had been hoping for this one special doll that drank water, cried real tears, and filled her diaper. Santa's rolly-polly body was warm and snuggly as I sat upon His comfy lap. I looked up at his sparkly eyes as He asked, "Ho Ho Ho little girl, what do you want for Christmas this year?" I smiled dreamily and told him about the special doll. He remarked, "Sorry kid. The elves said there are no more of those dolls in the workshop." He then put me down and sent me on my merry little way. Tears streamed down my face as I walked away in disappointment and bewilderment. I really don't want Sitora to experience something like this. I will tell her to be careful and not spoil it for other children who do believe in Santa, but I will tell her the truth.

In conclusion, I am absolutely elated for the rest of Advent! Of course we will buy presents for our family and friends- I am a huge gift giver and am crazy about finding presents for the ones I love!!! But more importantly, I am deeply concerned about instilling the truth in Sitora's heart about Christmas, amidst the carols, bells, presents, and mistletoe.  As the years go by I pray Sitora remembers everything we've taught her and comprehends the wonderful love of Father.

Life lessons 101 with Casey

Alright folks, I hereby declare myself the unofficial instructor in the Life Lessons Class today.

There are many things I've learned on my own through trial and error, other times by watching others, and sometimes by reading and studying. I am a studier of people in general, you could say. I have always been fascinated by psychology and counseling. I am intrigued by people's personalities, how they click, what makes them come alive, what breaks their heart.

I was actually planning on getting my masters degree in counseling after college, but a certain Prince Charming decided to sweep my off my feet and marry me instead. Maybe someday I'll get to that masters degree :)

In the meantime, I've been thinking a lot about these "life lessons" I've learned over the years and thought I'd share some nuggets of truth residing in this brain of mine. I hope you enjoy them and are challenged somewhat in your approach to loving others.

1. Don't talk about yourself all the time

I'm pretty passionate about this life lesson because, in my opinion, it's ridiculously obvious. But, for some reason, some people don't quite get it. I've gathered that possibly people are nervous and don't know what to talk about in certain situations, so they just talk about themselves to break the silence. Other times when I've been in small group settings and someone never gives anyone else a chance to share, I scratch my head wondering where their social skills have run off to.

Let me give it to you straight. People don't want to be friends with someone who only talks about themself all the time. It's actually quite rude, in my book. It's basically saying, "I really don't care about what's going on in your life." Someone may or may not be directly thinking that, but it gives off that impression.

If you are in a crowd, nervous, and not sure what to talk about, here's my advice. Ask other people questions about themselves! Then they will hopefully ask you questions in return. Genius, I know, right? It sounds so simple, but yet it's so profound. I'll give you a few scenarios:

A. You walk into a room full of people. You sit next to a 15 year old boy looking down at his ipod. You ask, "Hey buddy what's up? What are you listening to?" Then after you have his attention and he's answered that question,  you can continue by saying something like, "So how is school? Do you play any sports or have any favorite classes? I heard you are really good at chess from Jo Smoe over there. Maybe you could teach me a few moves sometime so I can finally beat my Uncle Jimmy at our family reunion this year!" - Not only did you ask the teenager many questions about himself, but you made him feel important and cared for. You didn't flatter him, you genuinely complimented him and made him feel like he had something to offer. And hopefully you made him chuckle a bit :)

B. You walk into a small group study and hardly know any of the adults there. You sit down next to a middle-aged lady and say, "Hello, my name is ______, what's your name?" Once you have her attention and she responds you can then ask, "Are you new to this study as well? Have you studied many books like the one in this group? I see you are holding a book by So and So author, I've heard he is an amazing writer. Do you recommend any other books by him?" If you are pretty sure this lady has a family (not assuming and therefore possibly hurting her feelings if she is still single) you could ask, "How old are your children? What activities are they involved in at school? Where does your husband work? I see you have a badge on your purse from the local hospital, do you work there? I have been really impressed with the staff there- what do you think?"

C. You are on the phone with your parents. "Hi Mom! How are you? How was your week? I remember you told me about that problem at work, did it get resolved? I've been thinking about you ever since you told me about it." Or you could start the conversation like this, "I was thinking today how much I appreciate you, and then I got a sweet letter from you in the mail just minutes after thinking that about you. It was perfect timing and I just had  to call and thank you! You are always asking me what you can pray for in my life, so what about you? Do you still need prayer for what we talked about last month?"

These are just a few examples of how we can be kind, considerate, and genuinely inquisitive people taking an interest in the lives of others around us. Again, my goal has never been to flatter someone, but rather, to find genuine reasons to applaud them and also learn more about their personalities.

2. Be optimistic

Who wants to hang around a pessimist all the time? I sure don't! Have you ever wondered why "popular people" are so popular? Whether or not these people are good examples or not, I think a lot of it has to do with charisma, and making others feel like they are having fun with you.

When I was 16 I was told by a leader to make it a habit of continually reading books that will help mold and shape my personality for Father. So I went to the local believing bookstore and bought a book by John Maxwell titled, "Be A People Person". It was an amazing book! I learned so many truths that I wouldn't have figured out easily on my own. One of the chapters talked about charisma. I had never thought about charisma before, to be honest. But the basic gist of the chapter was, if you want to be a leader, you have to be a charismatic person. Be someone who is genuinely joyful, full of expression, caring, and able to "crack open the shells" of people who would otherwise be too shy or intimidated to allow someone into their hearts. When people have fun with you, they want to be around you again and again. The goal isn't to make sure someone is always having a good time, the goal is simply to be the kind of person others want to be around!

When I worked in a telephone service before moving to college, I was trained by the company to "smile when talking on the phone." Ever since then, I can't help but continue this tradition! But not only when I'm on the phone, but also when I'm talking to someone one on one. I'm not talking about a fake smile. Just a genuine, caring smile. It brightens your countenance and can be quite contagious. (Note of caution: When talking to someone who is in mourning or deep depression, a bubbly smile may not be the best way to approach the situation. But that is something entirely different. For the most part I am just touching on the area of being a charismatic person in general.) One night after my SuperDan finished praying in a small group, a young woman remarked, "I can always sense the smile in your voice when you pray. I can't see your face during the fact, but I just know you are smiling. I love it."

Seeing life through the glass half full vs. empty is easier said than done. But like anything, a habit can be formed if done consistently. I'll admit, life isn't always a box of chocolates (but if it were, I'd choose caramel mocha flavor...) Sometimes I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel and I want to give up. But if I choose to look for the good, if I choose to remain hopeful and trust in Father's goodness, then I can start to see the glass half full! My youth pastor in high school used to say, "Discipline leads to desire." That is so true, my friends. Practice the art of optimism, even if it's difficult at first. It may always be a challenge, but it's a challenge worth fighting for.

Well, that concludes my first issue of "Life Lessons 101". Don't worry class, there won't be a test... just live your life! :)

Four boys and a camera

I love taking pictures.

I love our youth students and their families.

Add those together and presto- perfection!

Taking photos of four very active, spunky, fun-lovin' boys is no easy task my friends, but it IS a challenge I am happy to take on! This family has been a huge blessing to Danny, Sitora, and I in so many ways. I can't even begin tell you what a privilege it is for me to spend time with them. Their older boys are in our youth group and we are absolutely crazy about them! I can't wait to see how Father uses every single member of this family in the years to come. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with those you love dearly. We celebrated with close friends, enjoyed yummy American food, and shared what we were thankful for and what we were looking forward to this next year.

This Thanksgiving for me personally was a very sentimental holiday. For some reason, something snapped inside my heart and I was suddenly filled with Mother-like instinct to make crafts, decorations, and gifts for the holiday! Never before have I been like that. Maybe it's because now that we are really on our own without family near, I feel more responsibility to make the holidays special and meaningful for my husband and daughter.

I made these stand-up decorations for all of the ladies in the group at Thanksgiving dinner. I  printed out the picture template from this gal's amazingly creative blog (she has lots of great ideas, you should check it out) then colored in the bird and leaves (my printer was out of color ink, sadly). I then glued the picture onto a small piece of cardboard (recycled package we got from America!), and also glued ribbon on the sides. I tied a hemp bow and glued that on top. You can't see the back, but I just glued a smaller piece of cardboard on the back to make it stand up.

I printed out this template from the same blog here and made covers for candy bars as gifts for the men and children. It was a total hit- I was surprised how much the kids loved them!

Here's a beautiful shot of fall leaves in front of some apartments by our house. I've got to find beauty where I can, folks, even if its difficult.

I printed out these letters spelling "Give Thanks" from this website here (the Give Thanks Bunting and Acorn Appeal free-bees) and made a banner to hang. It was SO EASY because all I had to do was print them out, punch out holes on top, string some hemp through, and tada! All done :)

Isn't the art on these banner letters intricately delightful?!

This letter was by far my favorite! This squirrel just makes me giggle :)

This is my entrance display when you first walk into our home. There are two little scarecrows, a few candles, a gourd from the local market, and some pine cones I've collected over the week! My favorite is the "Give Thanks" cloth underneath.

Gotta love this pumpkin candle! The fake autumn leaves add such a nice touch.

The gang's all here!!! I'm so thankful we have amazing friends to spend Thanksgiving with. 

Sitora's best buddy made her a turkey- isn't it cute? I asked Sitora what a turkey says and she replied, "Bock bock! Bobble bobble! Goggle goggle!" Poor girl, so many animal noises to learn and so little time.

Our best attempt at a family shot, oh well :)

Let's just say we had an AMAZING team of ladies who really know how to cook and decorate!

Everyone had a place card and gift. The ladies all received my homemade November stand-up craft, and someone else provided the pretty towels as well (tying it with a ribbon gave such a nice touch!)

When I was asked what I am thankful for at dinner, I said:

I am thankful for Father who loves me passionately despite my weaknesses, for my prince charming Danny, and for my strong-willed/leadership potential Princess Sitora. 

May you remember this season that Father is the only one who can satisfy our hungry hearts. Nothing in this world will bring you total fulfillment except Him and Him alone.

Matthew 5:6- The Message Bible

"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat."

More toddler talk

Sitora's latest "sayings"... just couldn't help but share some more with everyone.

"Oh goodness I boke it." (aka: broke)

"Oh mommy, cute hair!"

"Gimme dat."

"Oh, sorry momma. Welcome."

"Wha happen?"

"Coffee yummy."

"Leggo!" (aka: let go)

"Playing Daddy?" (aka: I want to play with Daddy)

"Oooo, pretty fowers." (aka: flowers)

"Baby princess? Ya! Daddy princess? Ya!"

"Casey, come here!" (Yes, somehow she knows my name.)

After falling down Sitora says, "MOMMA! Baby bonka da head!"

Mommy- "Sitora, what's your name?"
Sitora- "Name!"
Mommy- "No, I mean, who are you?
Sitora- "You!"
Mommy- "No, you are Sitora. Say, 'Sitora'."
Sitora- "Tora!"

The toddler talk is rapidly increasing around this house! :)

Language learning

Learning a new language is not the easiest thing in the world.

Especially when you are raising a toddler.

On top of a team-effort job.

I gotta admit though, I love the challenge. I've always been intrigued by languages, how they work, how to master them. In high school I took Spanish for two years and breezed through it. I lived in Costa Rica for two months after graduating high school and that certainly cemented espanol into my brain. Then I left for college and decided to hop on a jet plane to Cambodia, where I spent nine months cramming the Khmer language into my head. And now, here we are, learning Azeri, and I have another language to conquer, yet again.

On one hand I feel proud and confident, excited and able. And yet on the other hand, I feel scared and humiliated, overwhelmed and discouraged. Some days I feel on top of the world, and other days I feel like a failure in the language department.

But the important thing is that I'm learning. I'm getting somewhere.

I can't tell you how amazing it feels to be able to express yourself in another language to a friend you've been longing to communicate with on a deeper level. I remember about 7 months ago when I learned how to say, "I think _____". Oh how glorious that was to finally say what was on my mind! Even simple words like "because, why, about" can really jumpstart the conversations further.

Think of it this way. Say you made a friend who had moved to your country from a different country. One week they say, "You know where red book is?" Of course you know the gist of what they are saying, but it's obvious they are at a beginner level. Now image the next week they say, "Do you know where the red book is?" You'd be impressed, right? Just simple words like "do" and "the" can really make the speaker sound more intelligent. This is what I'm talking about here. I can do the bare minimum and give my friends the nouns and verbs in our conversations, but I want to go beyond that and say everything with excellence and clarity.

My friends, this is no small task.

Alas, I must be off to rest my weary brain for yet another grueling day of language study in the morning. Any parts of my brain left over will be used to manage my life in general.

Confessions of a potty-training mom

Potty training. Seems easy enough, right?

Wrong.

For some reason I guess I always figured this stage in Sitora's life wouldn't be so bad. After all, my child is a genius! (Oh wait, you think that about your kid too? Hmmm a mommy trend?)

It's not rocket science. You put your kid on the potty and they go. Simple.

Ya, not so much.

Let's just say Sitora will sit on her little potty for up to 30 minutes while we read books or play, and she still won't go. When her poor little bum is sore from sitting so long, she gets up to run around for a bit. And that's when she decides to, well, you know... go.

I can't tell you how many puddles of pee I've stumbled across in our little apartment. I'm actually quite paranoid now... the faintest hint of anything damp on the floor immediately invokes a *eeeek* from this momma.

The other night while Sitora was taking a bath I saw her playing with a toy I didn't recognize. "Oh," I thought, "what's that?" Sitora then handed it to me, "Here mamma!" It was brown and squishy. You do the math.

On top of my incredibly insane life, raising my adorable toddler in general, plus potty training is seriously sapping all sanity in this brain of mine. "Earth to Casey, Earth to Casey..."

The other day I said to Danny, "I need a break. Please, take our child!!!!" He raised an eyebrow and gave a slight grin, implying that he understood. I rushed to the kitchen, poured myself some tea with honey, then stared at the wall. It was glorious.

Later that night Sitora and I just threw ourselves on pillows and giggled uncontrollably. I started to pretend like I was getting electrocuted and that did the trick- she could hardly breath she was laughing so hard. It's all I could do to lighten the mood of the hour, my friends! 

Yesterday I left Sitora to play with Daddy in the living room, ran to my room, then started taking ridiculous pictures of myself to bring some laughs. Sometimes folks, we just have to lighten up and laugh at ourselves. It really does help! There's a verse in Psalms about how a merry heart is like medicine to the soul. It's true.

And who says you can't teach piano lessons and potty train at the same time?

Sincerely Yours,

Soggy Socks

Thanksgiving crafts, toddler style

I've been meeting regularly with a dear friend to pray for our children, ourselves, and talk about everything "mommy". I've been challenged and inspired to spend more quality time planning focused craft/lesson times for Sitora. When we do crafts together, her eyes light up and the sparkle I see infuses my inspiration even more! I guess I kept thinking she was a bit "too young" for that, but the more I try, the more I realize she can comprehend it.

So this past week we started some Thanksgiving crafts. I searched online for free printable coloring pages, and settled on a Pilgrim and Indian picture, and a pumpkin picture. I picked these for two reasons...

1. I could teach her about the Pilgrims and Indians, and explain in very easy English what happened on the first Thanksgiving (AKA: The Pilgrims were sad and needed help. The Indians helped the Pilgrims make food. They became friends and were happy and thankful! What are we thankful for? We are thankful for ________...)

2. The pumpkin was cute and simple. I love all things pumpkin anyways, so why not? And it was an easy way to teach her another vegetable word!

Then I drew and cut out a Turkey on plain white paper. I did this off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are printable turkey pictures on the internet for anyone who doesn't want to draw one themselves. Then I cut out feathers on different colored paper. Together we taped the feathers on the turkey, then colored it.

After seeing this post on my friend's blog here, I was inspired to create a space in our living room to "show off" Sitora's artwork. Not only can she be reminded of the lesson and things learned, but she's reminded how proud of her we are, and the fond memories we made together are relived. So I took some hemp I brought from the States, tied loopholes on each end, then hung them on the nails already holding 2 pictures up on our wall (our walls are concrete in our apartment so I can't just make a new hole easily).

Sitora's Thanksgiving crafts are hanging above her play space for her to see every day! She often asks me to take them down so she can color them some more. I love it! I can't wait for every season and holiday, and the memories we can make this way.

Check out this awesome video of me quizzing her on our lesson. She got an A+ in my book! :)

Your hair questions answered!

I'm lovin' me some quality hair convo's, let me tell you. This is great stuff folks.

Now the answers you've been waiting for!

1.  I was wondering two things-- Do you have any ideas for a casual school day hair look? And do you use protective spray on your hair when you curl it or is that not necessary? Again- some GREAT ideas you have! 

    My first question is are you asking for school day hair tips for your daughter, or yourself? I can answer this one once I know who the hairdo is for :)


    Secondly, YES YES and YEESSSSS I use protective spray on my hair when I curl or straighten it! I am the hair protectant freak. I have all the random hair care products you can think of that pertain to keeping your hair healthy. This is a great, great question and I am thrilled it was brought up. If you apply heat to your hair in any way (blow drying, curling, straightening) you have to use some kind of protective spray or gel (espeeeecially if you always dye your hair). If you don't, you are basically signing a death warrant for your poor hair, not to mention speeding up the split-end process. We wouldn't think twice about applying sunscreen on a hot, summer day... why not think of your hair in the same regards? These are my secrets to having long, healthy hair...

     * After using shampoo and conditioner, apply a leave-in conditioner. I prefer the Garnier Fructis leave-in conditioning cream sleek and shine (for frizzy, dry, unmanageable hair). Not only does this stuff make your hair feel a.ma.zing. but it smells delightful! (I also occasionally use Pantene Pro-V strengthening fortifiant leave-in spray instead.) You only need a small amount to cover the ENDS of your hair. You don't need to apply conditioner or leave-in conditioner at the base of your head. That will make your hair greasy and yucky. Focus shampooing the top of your head, and conditioner towards the ends.

     * If you are going to straighten or curl your hair, apply some kind of heat protectant serum. I use Matrix Essentials sleek-look sealing serum. My mom bought it for me from a salon-ish type store and I'm hooked for life. You can find similar items in Walmart or Target for cheap. Just read the labels and make sure it says something about protecting your hair from heat damage. Make sure only to put a small amount in your fingers (if you use a serum) and apply only to the bottom half of your hair, or else it will look to greasy. I also occasionally use a heat-protective spray- Matrix Essentials sleek-look iron smoother. This sprays on easily and quickly, and isn't as greasy as the serum. You can find loads and loads of heat protective sprays and gels for cheap at Walmart and Target!

     * Don't always use heat on you hair every day, day after day. You will kill your hair (well hair is already dead cells... but that's another topic). Find other cute ideas that don't require heat, like my earlier post. One idea is scrunching your hair with gel to get the wavy look. I use Garnier Fructis sculpting styling gel- extra strong hold, non sticky. It smells incredible and I always want to eat my hair after using it! (It literally smells like FRUIT!)

    * Whenever possible (maybe twice a month or so) put conditioner in your hair and don't wash it out. Braid your hair or put it in a bun and sleep overnight with the conditioner in. When you wake up in the morning, wash and style your hair as usual. This is an intense conditioning treatment you can do yourself at home for way cheap :) You can also buy special conditioning masks from Walmart or Target- Pantene Pro-V and Garnier Fructis brands have them.

    *If you want your hair to grow longer and you're having difficulty, try taking prenatal vitamins on top of following the hair care steps above! I am not even kidding you, I know a guy who took them for this very reason. I know you are dying to know who, but I'll never tell... I'm too nice :)
       
2. Do you recommend any brand of hairspray? I never know what makes a good hair spray. Does hair spraying your hair before you straighten or curl prevent static? 

     A couple of factors come into play with choosing the right kind of hairspray. When I was in the states this past summer, I was given some free hairspray that I'd never tried before. I'm basically hooked for life now. It's called Bed Head maxxed-out massive hold hairspray. I like this kind because it is really strong and it only takes a few sprays to work. The last thing I want is spraying my whole house down with hairspray!

    When choosing hairspray you have to ask yourself a few questions. What kind of a "hold" do I want? Do you need super intense hold for a fancy up-do? Or do you just want a light hold so your hair will still bounce and flow normally? If you buy the opposite kind of what you need, you will become very frustrated.

    Also you need to ask yourself if you want a normal spray, or the aerosol spray. Personally I like the normal spray better because I can control the intensity of the spray coming out. It seems with the aerosol cans I tend to blow my hairstyle away with the pressure. Plus the aerosol kinds tend to make me cough. The only problem with normal hairspray tops is they can become clogged. To fix this you can take the top off, place it in a sink full of hot water, and start pumping (as if you were spraying) until the tube becomes unclogged and sprays out hot water. Then take the top out of the water, spray out the remaining water, then place back into the bottle. If all else fails, just buy another bottle :)

   Next, do you want a hairspray that smells nice? I sure do. The last thing I want to smell all day is, well, of course, yucky hairspray! I used to buy Suave hairspray with flower scents. It seemed like I was spraying perfume on my hair- it was delightful :) And might I add that Suave products are ridiculously cheap?

    Lastly, I think hairspraying your hair before styling can definitely help control static. But so many other factors come into play as well. If you use leave-in conditioner (especially for frizzy hair), and some sort of heat-protective spray or serum, you might be able to skip the whole hairspray business. I sometimes even apply a teen-tiny bit of serum after I straightened my hair to get the extra frizzies. The majority of the time this is what I do! I only use hairspray when I am doing spiral curls.

***

Keep the questions coming my dear friends! I'm lovin' this :)

Hair Q&A with Casey!

Alright girls, here I am, at your service, comb in hand and hairspray ready.

After the suggestion by my good friend Elisa, I've decided to regularly dedicate posts to your hair questions!

I've had three hair questions since the beginning of my blog. I will answer those three now, and feel free to comment with YOUR hair questions on this blog entry and I will answer every single question!

1. Ok, so usually I shower, wash my hair and then I just want to style my hair without blow drying it. Usually I just put it in a bun but then it dries funny and my hair is always super frizzy. So I was thinking of doing the loose messy braid side of the head thingy so my hair could dry like that and then maybe it would look decent when I took it out.

     

 I have a couple ideas for you. One idea is after showering, put your hair in two loose braids (if you can french braid them, even better). If you have some gel, scrunch a tiny bit into your hair before braiding. Wait a few hours and let it dry. Even if your hair isn't completely dry in a few hours, that's ok. When you take out the braids you will have beautiful relaxed waves in your hair - tada! 

My other idea would be to scrunch your hair with gel and let it dry. Don't comb your hair after the shower, just gently pull the snarls apart with your fingers. That way you will have wavy hair that won't look frizzy when dried. You can then pin a section of your hair back with bobbypins. In the picture below I had curled my hair- not scrunched it, but you can see how I pulled the top section back with bobbypins (just to give you an idea how to pin it back).

After pinning your hair back, you can either leave the rest down, or then pull it back into a ponytail. This is an easy way to spice up the typical ponytail. You can do this hairstyle even if you have bangs, just pin them back!

Or instead of pinning your hair back, you can do a small french braid across your forehead. You can secure the french braid between your eyebrow and ear with bobbypins, or a clear colored elastic. In the picture below I added a cute flower clip to give it some zazz. (My hair is scrunched with gel in the picture below.)

   

You can also do this hairstyle that I posted previously on my blog. After french braiding a small section of hair along your forehead, pull all your hair together in a side messy bun.

 

Or if you don't want to pull it into a messybun, just make it into a side ponytail. Then take a small section of hair from the ponytail and wrap it around the elastic. After the hair is completely wrapped around and covers the elastic, pin it with a bobbypin. 

2. All of these styles look cute on you two, but my little girl has a very high forehead with a thick swatch of bangs. Any suggestions besides the normal or piggy french braids?

My suggestion to you would be maybe you could start growing out your daughter's bangs. You can pull her bangs to the side and secure with a cute clip during the growing-out phase. Then slowly as her bangs grow out you can start french braiding them into the rest of the hair. 

If you don't want to grow out her bangs, you can still do the side french braid idea I posted previously with this picture below. Just start the side french braid behind her bangs. It actually might look really cute to have the bangs in the front of the braid!

This idea is also really fun for little girls. Even if your daughter has bangs, you can still do two cute little french braids behind the bangs, then bring the braids together in the back. Secure them together with an elastic and then add a bow or ribbon to match the outfit. Perfecto!

To spice up the usual piggytails or french braids, you could do a zig-zag part down the middle of your daughter's hair instead of a straight-line part. 

3. How do you do your hair with those big pretty curls? Do you use a curling iron or curlers? It looks awesome! 

 In order to get the big curl effect, I find it easier to use a curling iron. First, make sure your hair is completely dry. Then spray with hairspray (clip your hair up in sections while you hairspray in order to get every part covered). Wait for the hairspray to dry, then brush it out completely. Use a small to medium sized curling iron barrel (don't use a big barrel, or else the curls won't stay). Clip your hair up in sections once again and start from the bottom layer. Take a small section of hair and spiral curl it, starting from your roots, and work your way down to the ends of your hair. Don't hold the curling iron on the hair for very long, just slowly make your way down the hair shaft. Unclip each section of hair and continue. When curling around your face, i'ts very important to curl away from your face. This will help frame your face and keep the curls springing back, instead of towards your head. After curling your hair, gently shake your head from side to side and turn your head over and throw your head forward and back (imagine the Hokey Pokey - put your head in, your head out, you get the picture). This is to break apart the curls softly (as apposed to using a comb or your fingers). Gently spritz your hair with hairspray, but don't use too much! Afterward, you can pin a small section back with bobbypins, put a headband in, or just leave your hair down.

Well, this concludes my first Hair Q&A blog post. Comment below with your hair questions and I'll dedicate my next post to answering them all! 

Live life to the fullest, love Father and others well, and look cute while you're at it!