five fact friday

1.  Quinn is getting closer to crawling each day.  Any suggestions for babyproofing?
2.  Q likes to look at herself in the mirror...such a girl. haha  She has been kissing herself in the mirror and giggling all week.  I hope that means she will have a good self esteem ;)
3.  New fabric came in the mail this week!  Hoping to make some fun fabric pouches with these new patterns.  We don't have any big plans for the holiday weekend, so maybe this would make for a good project.
4.  The blowing raspberries obsession is not just a phase.  I figured I would just let it slide because eventually the fascination with blowing baby food everywhere might go away.  WRONG.  It's getting worse.  Unfortunately, I think this is the stage where I have to begin to teach Q "no."  What is happening to my baby?!  Before I know it she is going to be toddler on the naughty step.  bahhh
5.  This has been my favorite lunch these days.  Amy's Organic GF Vegetable soup.  It's delicious!  I add in cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips to make it more substantial.  Mmmm.

*I should also add that I bought my first two bags of candy corn this week and got bangs!  Can you tell I am ready for fall?

Happy Labor Day weekend!

Linking up with Lauren from H54F and
5 on Friday with the good life blog

birthday bliss for my favorite people

For the past five years, I have attended all of my niece's and nephew's birthday parties.  It was pretty easy to drive a few hours to attend when we lived in Chicago.  When we moved to Florida, it wasn't so simple.  But, my parents sponsored a trip for us last summer so that we could attend. ;) I wasn't quite ready to accept that we might miss their birthday party just because we lived so far away.  You see, all three kids + my sister's birthday are within a few weeks of each other (end of August/beginning of September).  Usually the party consists of close family, maybe some friends, and an amazing cake :) Sadly, this is the first year we won't be there.  Now that we have a baby, we have to plan our trips a little more carefully.  I am looking forward to the trip we are planning for this fall though!

 

Anyhow, I put a lot of heart and soul into this birthday package to help make up for the fact that we won't be there to celebrate. 

These labels were easy and fun to make.  I wrote the letters in glue and poured glitter over them.

The gifts?   For my sister, I bought her a 3-month subscription to Birchbox.  Birchbox is a company that you can subscribe to and receive a variety of beauty products to sample each month.  There is a men's Birchbox too.  You can sign up for yourself or send them as gifts.  Who wouldn't want to get a bright pink box with beauty products in it every month?!

I made these zipper pouches for Natalie (6) and Stratton (4). 

I packed the inside with goodies from Target...sticker earrings for Nat and fake car keys for Strat, price tag stickers for playing store, notepads, fruity tic tacs, glitter crayons...

 

I am working on some zipper pouches like these for the shop.  In the meantime, you can find some new cards (including the birthday card in this post) available for purchase!

I have been on a roll lately, as far as creativity goes.  The inspiration keeps coming to me like a tidal wave.  I can't keep up with it!  I get an idea and feel compelled to make something that second!  It's almost annoying.  I know I am going to crash and burn pretty soon though...probably the day Quinn starts to crawl.  So, for now, I am just going to keep plugging away!

seven months

This past month has been pretty low key.  No major trips or events.  We have had a lot of family time with just of the three of us, and it's been nice.  I can't get over how cute and sweet Quinn is.  Obviously, I am biased.  But, she is the coolest baby ever!

This month has been BIG for milestones.  Sitting up, rolling over both ways, 1st tooth...  Quinn loves to randomly let out a big scream and listen to her own voice.  She doesn't do it often in public because she is usually mesmerized by her surroundings.  She really looks closely at everything, and just takes it in.  But, at home she is much more playful, smiley, and loves it when we tickle her.  If I even put my face slightly near her belly, she starts to giggle because she has gotten so used to me blowing raspberries on her belly.  Speaking of, she is obsessed with blowing raspberries herself.  The girl cannot stop once she starts.  It definitely makes feeding her solids, and even the bottle, interesting.  This stage has been particularly fun because Quinn has fallen in to a fairly predictable and consistent routine.  We can count on a morning nap at 9:00am-10:30ish, and afternoon nap around 1pm-3:00ish.  Quinn loves her crib and has started to put her little rattle blanket over her face when it's time to go to sleep.  Cracks me up.

*Don't worry...the blankie is very light weight and breathable ;)

five fact friday

1.  Beacon and Quinn are becoming buddies.  FINALLY!  Quinn has always been interested in him, and she gets excited and smiley when he enters the room.  And, Beacon is finally mellowing out and seems to be pleasantly entertained by Quinn.  We will see how their relationship changes once she starts crawling!
2.  Quinn turned 7 months this week.  It truly does get better and better.  It's really fun to be able to get out more with her and it not seem like a huge deal.  Q also got her FIRST TOOTH this week!  Who knew it could be so exciting?!  Stay tuned for her 7 month collage :)
3.  Lemon been has been keeping me busy this week.  I just added these fabric flowers to the shop.  I think they go well with the fall season.  I have also been busy making my small fabric flowers, which seem to be the favorite in the shop so far!
4.  I love getting cute items like this in the mail!  Charlie Coco's has really cute and unique hair clips, but now Amber is selling headbands too!  So, we decided to try a headband for a change.  I really love the black and white polka dots.
5.  I ordered some clothes from Gap for our family last week when they had a big sale, and we received them in the mail the other day.  This was a REALLY good week for mail.  haha This sweatshirt is one of my favorites.  If it would just cool down enough to actually wear it.  Might be a while.  But, I am already thinking about buying it another color :)

Linking up with Lauren from H54F and
5 on Friday with the good life blog

bath time favorites for baby

I really did NOT look forward to bath time when Quinn was a newborn.  She did NOT enjoy it, and therefore, neither did we.  I remember asking a nurse in the hospital to show us how to give Quinn a bath before we left, because at the time it seemed like such an overwhelming task!  (Here is a bathing tutorial video that I watched when Quinn was a newborn for you new mommies out there!)  There are many baby bathing products out there, and I am sure that many of them are great.  It really just depends on personal preference.  But, I always appreciate when I know that someone else has used and liked a product before I buy it myself.  These products have been our favorites thus far (newborn-5/6 months).  I am sure we will start incorporating more toys now that Quinn wants to sit up and splash around in the tub more now.

 

1. Threshold Bath Storage Basket Gray (Small) Since you can't take your eye off the baby during a bath, organization is key.  It helps to have a small caddy that you can put all of your bath gear in and leave next to the tub.  I LOVE this one from Target. 

2. Pottery Barn Gingham Washcloth  These towels are the perfect size for washing a little baby and they are great quality.  I also really like our Burt's Bees Baby Organic Towel Set   It is super soft.

3. Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream We bought this lotion later on when we realized Quinn had a little eczema.  It's expensive, but treated the eczema  really well.

4. Johnson's Baby Bath Head to Toe Baby Wash  This stuff is very popular and for good reason.  I tried a variety of bath washes  in the beginning because I was curious about them.  But we ended up deciding that Johnson & Johnson was the best.  It's hypoallergenic, tear free, and has the perfect amount of sweet baby scent to it.

5. Nail Clippers I am sure any baby nail clipper will do.  Regardless, it's not an easy or fun task.  But, after bath time is a good time to check if off the list.

6. Safety 1st Turtle Complete Bath Center Safety 1st We have really liked this tub set.  When Quinn was a newborn we just used the green turtle sponge and sink.  Now, she lays back in the tub on a small incline.  However, if you are looking for a space saving tub, this probably isn't the best pick.

7. Nursery Critter Wraps How cute are these animal towels?!  Not a necessity, but just so stinkin' cute.

 

 

five fact friday

 

1. Grandma Polly visited us this week!  It was such a treat to have her around.  She loved helping with Quinn, and I loved getting some extra help during the day!  Plus, Matt and I were able to go out to dinner without having to arrange for a babysitter. :)

2.  We lowered the pack n' play for Q to play with her toys.  She was beginning to pull herself up, so we took immediate action!  It's cute to look over and see her actually playing with toys in there.

3.  What visit from Grandma is complete without some good old fashioned spoiling?  Thank you, Grandma! 

4.  I know these pictures look strange, but if only you could have smelled the aroma in our kitchen while cooking this meal!  This was my second time caramelizing onions..oh my goodness..it smells like my Grandma Marilyn's kitchen!  I would caramelize onions just for the smell alone!  And, those are sweet potatoes, not carrots ;)

5.  I finished Natalie and Stratton's b-day presents this week.  Hope they like these little zipper pouches (I am working on more for lemon bee too!) to put in their backpacks this year.  I filled them with some fun things like stickers and fruity flavored tic tacs.  I can't believe they will be four and six years old this year!!  (Don't worry, Baby Oliver, I bought you something special too!!)





Linking up with Lauren from H54F and
5 on Friday with the good life blog

why i blog

I started this blog (previously named The Next Chapter) three years ago as an outlet from my very stressful teaching job and as a way to keep in touch with friends and family.  I am not surprised that I have continued to blog since then because it's honestly one of the things I love to do most!  Since Quinn was born I had the urge to really dive deeper into my blog.  I found myself posting a lot more often and my mind was exploding with ideas for fun new posts.  However, I have struggled the past couple of months with this little blog's identity.  My life has changed a lot in the past year (especially since Q was born 6+ months ago), and naturally my blog has too.  So, for a little while I tried to not worry too much about finding my blog's niche, and just experimented until I found my rhythm.

For the past month I have been praying a lot about the purpose of this blog.  I have also had a number of conversations with other bloggers and family members.  It all came down to, "What is my niche here in blog world?  Why am I doing this?"  At one point I almost just gave up the whole thing, because I felt confused and worried that other people would judge this blog thinking it was just a dumb idea.

You see, there is a difference between what other bloggers do well and my blogging niche.  There are a number of blogs out there that I adore, but if I try to do what they do it just feels all wrong.  That reminds me of the sermon from this past Sunday on how there are many members of the body (church), each with a specific gift (1 Corinthians 12).  I feel like my gifts are so lame sometimes (to be totally honest), but God made me with those gifts and they are significant.  Our pastor compared it to a big puzzle.  You can have the whole thing completed but if you are missing just one piece, it is very obvious.  And, usually that one piece just looks like a blob of color...nothing special...you can barely tell what it is!  After he said that, I was a little more convinced that maybe my gifts are important.

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So, I asked my self, "What comes most naturally to me when I blog?"  I have found that writing from my heart, about topics like this, comes the most naturally.  The second most natural thing would be helping other women/mothers with simple things--like finding a good recipe, or sharing about my favorite baby traveling gear, so that maybe even one mother might get through "traveling solo" in the airport a little less stressed.  And, of course, I like to share glimpses of my family and our life together.  They are a big part of who I am.  But, I definitely feel a desire to pull away from just  posting family updates (which is totally fine by the way...I have done that for the past few years, but no longer feel that it is appropriate for a more public blog), and to focus more on encouraging and influencing others.  There have been a number of things in the past few weeks that have really pointed me in that direction, and I believe I will find blogging most fulfilling when I am doing it for purposes that I feel God is calling me to. 

I couldn't have written this post even a few weeks ago.  I was still searching.  But, I am very thankful that God has brought some clarity to this area of my life.  I believe that God can use even what may seem like insignificant gifts/desires/passions to bring him glory.

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So, what can you expect to see on this blog from now on?  Well, pretty much the same stuff that I have been posting about for the past couple of months...my thoughts on motherhood, baby stuff, how to's, fun projects, five fact fridays, and probably more on Lemon Bee.  I simply wanted to share with you what my intentions are for this blog.  Don't plan on seeing a post every single day, 365 days a year.  Some weeks might have more or less posts than others.  The point is that this blog is going to have to work around my life.  I love the quote, "Live your life.  Blog about it later."  So, that means if I don't put God first and my family second, then this blog will greatly suffer, because it flows from my daily life and experiences.

Thank you for following along with me on this journey, and I hope that you will continue to do so!

blog design

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You may have noticed that things look a little different around here.  I have been working with Brielle from Elevenlove to re-design the blog, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  There are a lot of really cute blog designs out there.  I wanted mine to reflect my own personal style and not distract from the actual blog posts.  Brielle was very accommodating and patient as we figured out the perfect design for this blog.  I found Brielle on Etsy.  She definitely knows her stuff and is much more affordable than other designers.  If you aren't especially picky you can also find some really well done, pre-made blog designs on Etsy.  All you have to do is install them, or you can pay to get them installed.

I have always done my own blog design in the past, and if you have the time, it can be really fun.  If you have followed my blog for a while, I am sure that you have noticed that it has gone through several looks.  I was having trouble achieving the look that I wanted for this blog on my own, so I figured it would be worth having a professional do it.  Plus, it saved me time.

For those of you interested in DIY blog design, there are a lot of helpful tools on the internet.  Here are some resources that I have used a lot.

*how to make custom headers and navbars
*edit pictures
*download unique fonts (check the license if you intend to use it for commercial use!)

Also, if you google "DIY blog design," you will be amazed by all the things that will show up.  If you have descent computer skills, DIY blog design is very doable and pretty addicting too.

So, take a look around the blog and I hope you like what you see.  To celebrate the new blog design and etsy shop opening, here is a little giveaway to perk up your Monday.  Enter below to win a $10 gift card to Joann Fabrics!  That can go a long way, especially when you use their coupons :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

five fact friday + etsy shop opening

 

1-We had a couple of fun playdates this week.  We met with one of my teacher friend's and her daughter (Elani, in this picture), and we also had fun at the pool with our playgroup.

2-I am loving my new Urban Decay eyeshadow (Sin).  I was hearing a lot of good things about their line of eye shadows, so I thought I would try it out.  I bought two, but this one I definitely prefer.  Most of their shadows have a lot of shimmer, which is new for me, but it adds some variety to my collection.

3-I started a gluten-free diet this week.  I have had so much pain in my knees for the past six months that I am willing to try almost anything to make it stop (including not eating normal bread).  So far, I have already noticed less pain which is pretty exciting!

4-I have been trying new recipes from Bread & Wine all week.  This nice thing is that most of the recipes are almost 100% GF. 

5-Lemon Bee Studio is officially OPEN!!  I have been looking forward to saying that for WEEKS.  Lemon Bee is an Etsy shop that I have been working on for the past month.  I had been dreaming about it for a while and then finally decided to just go for it.  I hope to write a post eventually on how I went about starting up my own shop.  Make sure to check it out and like lemon bee on facebook! 

 

Enter this coupon code to get a 10% discount this month!

LBnowopen

 

Linking up with Lauren from H54F!
 

how being a mom has changed me

*This was one of our first outings with a newborn...can you see the relief on my face?

I thought it would be interesting to make a list of how being a mom has changed my hair day-to-day life.  So, here it goes...

1.  going to the grocery store

::before baby::
I would take my time and peruse the aisles, and compare prices and nutrition labels.  I would also most likely find myself distracted by any clothing or beauty products, and possibly spend 30 more minutes than planned at the store.

::after baby:: 
I plan the meals for the week ahead and make a detailed shopping list.  I make sure I am ready to go before the baby wakes up from nap, so all I have to do is feed her before we leave.  I stick to my list and buy the generic brand of everything hoping that it will taste good and be cheaper.  I glance at the clothes and beauty products, and then remind myself that I know better.

2.  eating (in general)

::before baby::
I would debate about what I wanted while staring into the refrigerator for about five minutes.  Finally, after I decided, I would make a nice meal to eat off of one of our ceramic plates.

::after baby:: 
I realize I am starving at random points in the day and grab whatever is most convenient.  Although, I am working on getting better at this (referring to my post earlier this week on my favorite snacks).  Handfuls of trail mix usually do the trick.

3.  checking e-mails

::before baby::
I would leisurely sip on coffee and check e-mails as I woke up for the day.

::after baby:: 
I set my alarm before the baby wakes up so I can check e-mails like I used to ("sipping on coffee, yadda yadda...)  But, usually I get ambushed and end up holding the baby with a bottle in one arm and scrolling through e-mails with the other.

4.  my identity

::before baby::
I knew my identity was in Christ, but I didn't feel the need to cling to it because I had others things to define me like being a teacher, and I was proud of it...maybe too proud.

::after baby::
It's hard to feel accomplished by changing dirty diapers and going to the grocery store.  If I allow those things to define me, I end up feeling pretty low about myself.  Motherhood is HUMBLING.  Christ has always been my identity, but now I am actually clinging to that.  He gives me my worth.  I only have Christ, and it should always be that way! 

*I almost didn't post the middle picture (the night before I had Quinn), but it would have seemed a little odd to leave out in this picture sequence. ;)

back to school inspiration

Yes, I am totally on the "back to school" bandwagon, well maybe I'm more of a "tag along" this year.   (I will be staying at home with our baby, which I am very grateful for!)  Since I won't be teaching this year, I made a  Pinterest board  about it because it's one of my favorite times of year,  and I am having some trouble letting it go. To bring us all back down to reality, I thought I would label each of my pins as either "do-able" or "NOT."  Feel free to play along with me!

 

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NOT.  Of course, I am in LOVE with this outfit.  Probably isn't very realistic though.  Kids are picky about what they wear, and you want  them to be happy and comfortable on the first day of school!

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NOT.  This is a well intentioned idea.  However, the probability of this "lunch cabinet" system lasting longer than a week is debatable.  Although, I do love how it allows your kids to be independent and make their own lunch, while filtering what they can put in there.  Maybe I would give it a try.

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DO-ABLE.  I am sure parents feel this way, and I KNOW teachers do.  Just remember to give each other GRACE.

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DO-ABLE.  I would consider myself a more organized person, especially when it comes to loose papers.  I always had my students stick to a very specific binder system.  I did feel a little bad sending home a bazillion papers to get signed by parents on top of what the school already was sending home.  Unfortunately, the madness is somewhat inevitable.  Might as well be a little proactive.  You can find some cheap filing bins at Walmart.  Use one bin for each kid and label the files.  You could use labels like "signed papers, need to sign, sports, graded papers, artwork" or "bring to school, forms to sign, math, science, L.A., etc."  Create  a  system that works for you!

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NOT.  First off, who has a doorway entry this big?!  I love this idea, but we need to be realistic.  Maybe, cubbies would be a little more practical.  Or, a chest where all the kids could plop their backpacks.  Bottom line...find a good place for backpacks so they don't end up all over your living room and kitchen ;)

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DO-ABLE!  While you are at it, buy some pop and chocolate for yourself and stick it in the glove compartment of your car for emergencies!

favorite snacks + weekend recap

Since we didn't have any plans, our weekend turned out to be very laid back and restful.  In fact, making this list of my favorite healthy snacks was definitely one of the more productive things I did.  Yes, "low key" would be an understatement to describe our weekend ;)

ANYHOW....If you are looking for some new and interesting snack ideas, these have been my "go to's" for a while now.

1-Quinoa with chopped tomatoes, avocado, feta cheese, ground pepper and lemon juice (cilantro adds a nice touch too).  I have been toasting my pita pockets and eating them with hummus and the quinoa mix.  I will make a batch of this stuff and eat it all week.  It's so fresh and yummy!  Plus, it fills you up.

2-Greek yogurt (I am a big fan of Stonycreek Farms low fat plain) with slivered almonds, berries and bananas (you can also add some honey if you aren't quite ready for straight up plain yogurt ;)  I often eat this as a late morning snack.

3-Basically, I turned my breakfast yogurt snack into a dessert :) Just substitute the greek yogurt for low fat vanilla frozen yogurt (Publix brand is my favorite), or really any frozen yogurt would be delicious with berries.

4-PW's My Mom's Farmhouse Muffins have continued to be a favorite.  I have made these several times since my friend Mary introduced them to me.  They are perfect to freeze and warm up as needed.

 

Okay, enough about eating...let's talk more about how lazy we were this weekend, shall we?



Lazy/bored enough to actually play Bananagrams.  Why do I even try to beat Matt?  I think I have maybe won once when playing against him.  Although, if you can read upside down you might notice that some of his words were a little questionable.

 I cannot believe how big she is getting!  She sat up with all of the other munchkins on the playmat this week at church nursery.

I FINALLY bought Shauna Niequist's new book, Bread and Wine.  I was too lazy to order it online, and Barnes and Noble finally had it in stock.  So far, it has made me really hungry and want red wine...

 

If you have school aged kiddos, I am guessing you were a lot busier than us this weekend.  I made the mistake of going to Target on Sunday.  It was busy busy with back to school shoppers.  Anyway, whatever the weekend was like for you, I hope were able to rest a little too!

 

five fact friday

1-Beacon has been spotted sleeping in the playard numerous times this week.  (He looks  a little creepy in this picture with the red eye)  Quinn likes to play in there sitting up now, so of course Beacon wants to try it out too.
2-Quinn is super chatty these days.  She loves to babble and then randomly let out a huge girly scream.  Maybe this is her personality coming out?  It's pretty cute.  Did I mention she woke up in the middle of the night a few times this week and would just babble to herself?  No crying, just had some stuff to say.
3-To add to my vitamin regimen, and new found allergies, I now also go to physical therapy for my knee pain.  I tell ya, pregnancy made me fall apart!  It was kind of nice to have the babysitter come over and get out in the morning for a change.  I was able to go to my appointment and run a few errands. 
4-We ate out at one of our new favorite restaurants, Greens and Grille.  It's so fresh and yummy.  I love their bread and hummus!
5-I tried some new make up products (recommended by the small things blog).  I have been using both the cover up and lip gloss every day since I bought them!  The cover up is pretty thin but it works well for summer time (has spf in it).  But, the lip gloss is the BEST!  Almay Nudetrients Liquid Lip Balm <3 p="">

Linking up with Lauren from H54F!
 

building up community isn't easy

We have been learning a lot about the idea of community in our couples bible study this summer.  It sounds amazing but it is difficult to put into practice.  I would love to be part of a group of people who is willing to give up anything and everything for the sake of helping those around me.  This comes a little more naturally when you are with people who you know will do the same for you too.  But, it is a whole lot harder with people who you know may or may not give the same back...those types of relationships can become draining.

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For the past week I have been praying about opportunities to build community.  My prayers have sounded like this, "Lord, please help me to be more aware of opportunities today where I can be an influence and build up community."  I went for a walk later in the morning with Quinn and ran into a woman and her daughter that Matt and I randomly met at his half marathon seven months ago.  When we first met them, I was very pregnant and we made the connection that we actually lived in the same neighborhood.  We had intentions of meeting up but things got crazy and life went on.  It was exciting to meet up with another mom in the neighborhood (and, her other friend from the neighborhood too).  That small amount of convenient adult interaction during the day can make a big difference!

So, big "yay!" for building community, right?!  Yes, well, back to the hard part.  Sometimes I get frustrated with the "breaking through" part in my friendships.  I personally don't do well with much fluff.  Now, obviously there is a time and place for everything, and it's important to be polite.  But, sometimes I have a hard to time connecting with others because I feel like they are not being "real" with me.  Let me give you an example... "Yes, being a mom is amazing.  But, oh my gosh, it is SO HARD sometimes."  You see, some people cut that sentence off after, "Yes, being a mom is amazing."  I am not that person.

Whenever I have interactions like that I start to feel bad about myself and sour about the friendship.  But, isn't that what the devil wants?  To break up the potential for community?!  I realized that I have been looking at relationships from a purely selfish point of view.  What can I get out of this?  How does this person make me feel?  My sister pointed out that maybe those other women don't feel comfortable digging in that quickly.  Hmmm...maybe, I should try praying for the friendship or good conversation that might initiate some honest conversation.

I wish I would have come to that revelation sooner!  I am working on looking at relationships as a way to serve others rather than serve myself.

Mark 10:45 "For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve..."

"Greatness is not measured by achievement but by service for Christ's kingdom"
Excerpt from Our Daily Bread (July 2013)

The most important thing we can do is serve others!  Now, that's a different way of looking at things, isn't it?!

Let me know if you found this post encouraging or helpful.  I still have a lot more to say on this topic, and would love to share if you are interested!