Make memories

It's going around. The idea of embracing yourself. Loving on how you look and making memories with your children. This blog post was featured on the Huffington Post and has been circling Facebook. It spoke to my heart. It reminded me that others feel the same way. I recommend reading Put on that Swimsuit and letting it speak to you, as a mom or as a woman. Don't forget to make the memories.

Remember that you are their light in this world, they love you unconditionally and there is nothing better then being with them. Experiencing new life with those little people that call us mom and tell us they think we're beautiful. Loving us in only the way our children can because to them we are perfect.

Don't let your insecurities get in the way of life with your children. Embrace Loving You. Look at them and see that love, see you as they see you. Full of grace, understanding, love, joy and lots of kisses. 

I choose to not let judgement get in my way of enjoying the days with my boys. Hoping you do the same today.

Summer Hope List

I have a lot of hopes for this summer.. I don't do a bucket list because really if all these things don't happen it's not the end of the world. But I do plan on making it happen, it's all fun stuff why wouldn't we do work!

What do you have planned for your summer?

Summer nights: Embrace loving you

I caught myself this week. I was frustrated, sad and angry while getting dressed. I got upset with the way I looked in the many different outfits I kept trying on. 

If only I was skinnier,  if only my hips/waist/legs were smaller... If only I looked different, I would look better and be happier. 

I was reminded that that's not what I want for myself. That's why I started this whole thing. I can't talk to myself that way. It's exactly what I don't want my boys to see or hear from their mom. 

Why do we do it? Why is it so easy for us to hate on our own bodies. It's what we see and hear everyday- what women are supposed to look like and the super high expectations that we take on for ourself. We have to look like this, or like that. 

But we don't! All we have to do is take care of ourselves and that goes beyond eating healthy. It also means taking care of our emotions and self confidence. Put it out there and shine! Love yourself proudly, embrace loving you. 

So it's summer and summer in the past has always been something I dreaded. I don't like to be hot and I especially didn't like having to get dressed when it's hot out. Adjusting to my new attitude and having events to go to means I find outfits that flatter and make me feel good while still being "summery". 

A little selfie action. 

And always with the outtake. 

What summer outfits are you loving? Share your faves or yor blog posts in the comments!

Embrace Loving You

Last Wednesday I shared with all of you the fact that I hate being in photos. That I constantly have bad thoughts about myself. It stems way back to how I grew up not liking my body. I have tons of insecurities and am really hard on my body. After lots of thought and some serious conversations with other women I knew that this was a common thing in our society. Women have a hard time saying good things about themselves, I hope to change that!

Please share it- pin it- Do it!

So now here on the blog every Wednesday I'm putting it out there! My favorite outfit of the week, a look I've loved, shoes I've loved, makeup- whatever made me feel beautitful this week! With some insecurities because doing this scares me! But if we don't do what's scary how do we ever change? Join me! Share something you've loved about yourself this week and #embracelovingyou!

Dress Target Watch Pretty for Peanuts 

And another because you should never take yourself too seriously!

I'd love to read your posts and see what you've loved this week. Share your links in the comments so I can stop by!

What I've learned from my children.. So far.

I always knew I wanted to be a mom. I grew up surrounded by a large family. Cousins, aunts and uncles, younger siblings. I knew a family was in my future.

Oldie but goodie, a favorite of my cousins and I

What I didn't know was that children change your life. My two littles have changed me more then I ever would've imagined. Beyond the regular "I'm a mom now, things are different". They've shaped me into a different person and I am forever grateful. 

I find joy where I used to find anxiety. A silly (but big example) I rarely went to the beach. I loathed it, the sand, the half naked people, the fact that I didn't like my body. The beach would be the very last place I would ever want to go. 

I went twice this week. The joy that it brings my boys makes me forget about what I didn't like about it. The peace it now brings me blows me away. The beauty in how wonderful God is and how amazing he is comes to mind whenever I'm sitting in the sand watching my boys play in the water. It's amazing. 

The way I treat strangers has changed. I was never not polite but I wouldn't go out of my way to do something for someone I didn't know. It was just something that made me uncomfortable. Now I take a minute and think about what kind of world I want my boys to grow up in. How do I want strangers to treat them and what kind of impact do I want them to have on their world. I want them to go beyond polite. I want them to be kind to others and to be leaders in this kindness. They can change their world, and I want to help them. 

I am a better friend because of my children. Motherhood can be lonely. It can be scary and it can be overwhelming. I've always been close to my family and happy that I still am but what I've learned is that friends are family that you get to choose. I've shared here how important my village is to me. Being a mom taught me that. Being a mom helped me realize I need to be surrounded by friends who love me and who love my children. People who want to be there for you in the good and the bad. Friends who are more like family then you could ever imagined. Women who you want to share motherhood with. My boys taught me how to be a better friend. 

These little people see us and look up to us. We teach them new things everyday, but take a minute and think about how they really show us how to live life openly. Free to be who they are and love how they want to love. Because those little hearts only know how to love one way, truly and deeply. We can learn a lot from them if we listen.

Be.YOU.tiful

Here's the thing. We, as women, sometimes have a hard time loving our bodies. Maybe not all women but I've sat around a group of ladies before and we did this ice breaker- say one thing you would change about yourself... We all had a running list. We could list which surgeries we would have, we would wish this was bigger, that was smaller, this wasn't wrinkly... It was a super easy thing to do. Then we had to say one thing we loved about ourselves.
*Silence*
We all finally came up with something but it was way harder then listing what we would change. So sad! We should love our bodies, we should EMBRACE what God has given us. I'm not saying don't be healthy because of course that's important, but that's not what I'm talking about here. Let's celebrate what makes all of us, US. 

Now I can feel this way- and speak about it to you all day long. But I don't practice what I preach.
I hate my hips.
Gosh my arms are flabby.
Why are my thighs so big?!
My nose has a huge bump.
I hate getting dressed!

I'm one of the worst offenders of talking bad about myself. I want to change that. I want to be uplifting and encourage others (and myself) to love our bodies. To love things about myself and be able to compliment myself. I don't want my two little boys to grow up hearing mommy talk badly about her own body. I want to help girls embrace their differences, not want to look like this celebrity or that model. We are different, we are all going to look different and that's OK!
So to go with my being brave this year- I've decided to take a personal challenge.

You've probably seen #WIWW (What I Wore Wednesday) or #OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) a way to share your super cute outfit with the world. These ladies put it out there and I love that! I don't usually like pictures of myself- especially full body ones but I'll be embracing that body and sharing my favorite outfit of the week and I'd love to see you all do the same! Real women, real bodies! Love what you got!! Have an outfit that you rock?! Share it! Love the way your makeup looks today? Share it! Found some super cute shoes? Show them off! Take more selfies! Let's love on ourselves and encourage other to do the same. You can find a post from me here every Wednesday (and I'll be sharing throughout the week on Instagram as well @krystaladele) but let's make a movement happen- share your love for your own body with others and encourage other to join you. #embracelovingyou... Encourage women to LOVE OUR BODIES! Because we only live once ladies, let's get out there and rock it!

beYOUtiful.