bbrrr it's cold in here, there must be...FALL is HERE~

Ok, so I do confess to still loving Bring it On. I mean, who didn't love it way back when? 


but really, it's cold, like didn't even get to 60 today. But I do love it. I am welcoming sweaters and warm socks, pumpkin spice lattes and HOT chocolate. Yummm. 


Our next couple of weeks are going to be action packed! V's brother is getting married next weekend and we are excited also because his Aunt and Uncle from Alaska are coming to town and I will finally get to meet them. When they come back from their honeymoon they are moving with said aunt and uncle to Alaska! How exciting is that for them? 


Shortly thereafter my dear friend Keli is getting married in Iowa and I'll be making the trek and be there as her Maid of Honor for her big day! 


So much love and happiness all whirled up in one of my favoritest seasons. 


I've been working on projects and baking my belly's heart's fill. I am just finishing up our entry way message center this afternoon and will post pictures of the frame revamps soon.


Now, to drink my hot chocolate..:)

Too dark, too white, too critical.

I just watched a preview to a documentary titled "Dark Girls" over on MightGirl's blog. Wow. I knew there was some of this going on from working with a young girl from Africa who desperately wanted lighter skin. But I think that this goes deeper. It affects all of us.

Think about it:

Beautiful white women spend hours a month laying in beds beaming harmful rays into their skin.

Beautiful black women are feeling looked down on by their own mothers and friends because of their skin. Beyonce is accused of lightening her skin in magazine ads. And maybe she is because there is so much pressure on skin tone.

Skin tone. Melanin. We have zero control over how our skin naturally looks.

I'm a pale girl, I joke that I glow in the dark. I burn easily and don't get dark skin, my "tan" is red-toned. But why does this come up so frequently in conversation? Why do I worry that I'm going to look so pale next to the other bridesmaids in October?

I'm pretty sure Keli did not think to herself..."Heather might throw off the beauty of my wedding photos with her pale legs and shoulders." But I did. I did. But I also refuse to tan and risky irritated, dry, peeling skin for a little darker look to my skin.

But what happens when people don't make this self-resolution? How do we teach or youth that they are beautiful the way that they were made? How do we heal the hurts of the women who grew up thinking they can't be confident with themselves because others told them not to, and even more, how do we keep them from passing these insecurities on to their own daughters and sons?

Watch the video. Watch the documentary. Pass it along. Spread the message that "you are beautiful, exactly how you are."