Bluebirdbaby

firsts

we went for our first dip in not only a pond, but the ocean too.

it was chilly, but so wonderful. the sun on our faces, the cool water reminding us that the summer is yet to begin, and we have months of this to enjoy.

then we headed to a big BBQ at a friend's house. their first BBQ there. and it was just perfect.

oh yes, we are most certainly ready for summer.

i've been working so hard...trying to make ends meet. every second of my days are nights are taken up by some kind of work. i like to think of it as a creative challenge.

but it means there really are no rest days; no weekends. just days mixed with fun and play and work and a wee bit of sleep thrown in there too.

it's all worth it-this life we're living. we are happy and having fun and hard workers and able to enjoy all of it. that's all that really matters.

happy monday, friends. hope you're enjoying this long, lovely weekend. xoxo

An "it's almost Friday" potluck

We went to a friend's potluck last night. So much fun.

I roller skated. Ate lots of food. Drank some wine. Chatted with friends. Enjoyed the sun (finally!) and sat back after a long day of work.

The little one ran around with friends in between bites of dinner, giggling and skateboarding.

It really was the perfect evening...

What are your weekend plans?!

through town

I wanted to mention that I am accepting new sponsors and offering a 10% discount for the month of June! Contact me at ewallacephoto@gmail.com for more info!

Late last week there was another break in the rain. We got out for a scooter ride through town after dinner. The weekend was gorgeous, although right now it looks like we are right back to rainy weather again. I'm trying to stay motivated, despite the gray skies.

I've been sitting here at my desk, feeling rather chilled from the lack of sun. I'm on my fourth cup of PG Tips (5 is my max...or at least, I try to tell myself that...). The little one was up at an early hour this morning, battling a headache and feeling not so great. I served her breakfast on the couch, curled up under her blanket. And now she's off to her Papa's house for a part of the week. Such a funny thing letting her go...being in Mama mode for so long, then suddenly switching it "off" and putting on my other hat...the business one, the kid-less one where I get to stay out late with friends, and sleep in, and work as much as I can fit into a day. Somehow it all seems rather perfect, even when it's hard. A balance somewhat.

 

Happy Monday everyone! xo

gathering

We've been talking a lot about strengthening our social community for a year now. 2011 was the year of big bashes, lots of music and dancing, BBQs, bonfires, karaoke, and potlucks. This year, we have grand plans for simple entertaining; shifting the focus from large gatherings to intimate dinners and quiet evenings. I think we're all ready for this shift, and I'm excited to see what this year will bring.

To start, I've spent the week so far painting the new dining room. I'm almost done, which is very exciting...I've never painted for 4 days straight before. It's tough work! After the walls are finally done, the floor is next. Then the table will hopefully be finished and in the house, we'll be on the hunt for mismatched wooden chairs, although ideally I'd love folding chairs like these.

With the new dining room, we can gather with a few other couples, have a simple meal, and maybe follow that with some music making or game playing. We're so excited for this simple shift.

 

For the past couple of months, we've been starting this trend with various friends. Mostly to lighten the load of cooking everyday of the week...we've been spontaneously gathering at various houses to enjoy a meal prepared by everyone, with a single ingredient brought to use. It helps our budgets and we also end up having a good conversation, or delving into some kind of art project. It's always fun, and so mellow with no expectations or grand plans. I love that.

I'm looking forward to a mellow 2012, full of good food, good people, and good conversations! And I can't wait to show you all the finished dining room! I'm off to paint another coat...

xoxo

pumpkins

We went on our annual pumpkin hunt this weekend. We take our wagon up the street to the local farm stand and choose three big pumpkins to take home and carve.

This year we added a little something extra...the little one and Sasa made homemade pumpkin pie using pumpkins from our garden! It was so sweet watching them cooking all afternoon in the kitchen. The little one has been wanting to bake and cook and do anything and everything she can in the kitchen. She even requested to wash the dishes the other night. Um, okay...!

Our trip up to the farm stand was shot all on film and Polaroids, but I did manage to capture some of the carving fun with my digital camera! The little one wanted me to carve a horse in mine, she made a funny face (a super cute one I think!), and Sasa wanted to make a gnome house.

We finished the evening with pie, ice cream, and our favorite pumpkin book!

I finally finished her costume yesterday and she is very pleased. Looks like the real deal, if I do say so myself. Pictures to follow...

What are you or your wee ones being for Halloween?!

Morning, Noon, and Night

This morning was spent in the kitchen and the garden. It's funny how with all our dietary restrictions going on we have three separate breakfasts most mornings. Sasa sticks with quinoa and greens, the little one loves her eggs and toast, and I'm on a goat yogurt kick. After the dishes were cleaned and the laundry was hung, we headed out into the garden before the sun got too hot to do some weeding. I'm enjoying checking on the strawberries daily, and the bee balm (my favorite) bloomed late last week.

Mid-day found us walking to the library to return some books. I grabbed my outting essentials (back pack and sunglasses) and we set off for new books and to pick up Sasa for lunch. On the way back, we stopped in the garden to pick some chard for lunch and basil for pesto. During the lunch prep, the little one kept running outside to feed the chickens some veggie scraps.

The evening approached quickly after an afternoon full of reading and games in front of the fans. We kept checking on the popscicles we made earlier, drank almost all the cold beverages in the house and used up all the ice. As I was prepping dinner, I grabbed the only cold beverage left. The little one helped wash the potatoes while I picked squash from the garden. I made a summer squash and potato torte roughly based on this recipe (except I use rosemary, ommitted the flour, and added minced garlic instead of green onions). It was delicious. We ate outside on the porch, watching the sun slowly going down, and ended the evening with a final game.

And that, my friends, makes a day. It's fun to look back on it all. How the ordinary things can go by without notice, but when you really stop to make notice of them, you realize exactly how marvelous they all are!

So...what was your "morning, noon, and night" like?!

happy weekend!

It's Sunday night, we just got back from a date on the town (food and wine on the patio at a local restraurant, then the new Woody Allen film at the local theater which was fantastic!). We rode on our vintage bikes, me with my new chiffon dress and Sasa as his handsome self. It was kind of a magical evening, complete with snagging the movie poster and taping it on a friend's door, who loved the movie so much it was her second time seeing it!

But this picture of the little one this morning is my favorite thing about this weekend. We are out there drawing on the sidewalks every day that is sunny. This early morning it was already sweltering...the heat has been incredible here. This morning as we were drawing hearts side by side, I looked at her and just completely marveled at how much she's grown. Such a big difference between the 3's and 4's. She's growing up and it's funny that I'll never see anything but my little baby. She always jokes and says, "Mama...even when I'm a big grown up, you will still want to hold me, won't you?" And I answer with, "Of course! I will always try." And to that, she gives me a big hug and a kiss, snuggles in my arms for a minute, then runs off to play. What sweet thing this parenting journey is.

What was your favorite part of the weekend?!

 

Happy 4th!

I've been slowly turning our backyard into more of a gathering space in anticipation of summer parties, so after building a fire pit (Sasa rocks!) on Friday, we decided to have a spontaneous 4th celebration! Spontaneous or not, Sasa said at the peak we had about 35 people show. It was awesome! So much fun!

There were sparklers, smores (I made some gluten-free graham crackers for the little one and they turned out great!), hula hooping, scootering, dancing, singing, bocce ball, roasting hot dogs and burgers over the fire, and lots of chatter and fun! Oh, and the food...it was unbelievable!

We've already been asked when the next one will be...!

Happy 4th to you! I hope your holiday is fabulous!!

on thursday

On Thursday,

We hung loads of laundry outside in the breeze.

We went for so many bike rides I lost count.

We discovered just how important our daily rhythm is, and how thankful we all are for it.

We had eight people stop by.

We put 4 tomato plants in the ground and a bunch of basil.

We went on a late night ice cream walk.

We made our sidewalk pretty.

We checked on the growing pie pumpkins and wondered where to put the watermelon.

We found some beautiful light close to bedtime in the little one's room.

And we are settling in for a quiet evening.

 

Hope your Thursday was fabulous too!

 

an evening walk

We often go out walking in the evenings.

With the warmer weather it has been even more lovely. We've been fighting off a thunderstorm all day. The winds were whipping through the trees and tall grasses, so much so that the bugs were not out.

The little one has been riding her bike everywhere these days. Such a big, independent girl she is.

 

These are my favorite moments. The ones where we are all together, all laughing and giggling, racing down the fields and breathing the fresh air. There is just so much love here. So much gratitude, respect, kindness, and peace. It's lucky if you find that in your life, and to be surrounded by it day after day with the ones you love is so very special.

Getting Ready

Lettuce. Kale. Chard. Beets. Carrots. Peas. Beans. Tomatillos. Tomatoes. Leeks. Winter squash. Pie pumpkins. Basil. Basil. Basil. Nasturtiums. Zinnias. Sunflowers...

Those are just some of the things we are planting this year. We're expanding the garden this year to accomodate more winter storage veggies to last us further through the winter season. And our chicken fence will be the support for tons of pole beans. And then there are the sunflower forts we hope to plant. And the climbing vines and flowers all over her tree house. And the potted herb garden for the front steps. And the flowers for the window boxes. And the extra pear tree so our lonely one will start to bear fruit. And hopefully a couple of apple trees. And the extra medicinal herbs for the herb garden.

Boy, do we have plans. We have plans and plans and more plans. And I'm started to wonder with all the traveling and work I'm doing this summer if I can make it all fit in! But there's nothing that I love more than being out in the sunshine with my hands in the dirt, growing our own food. I'm hoping we can freeze more, can more, and store more to last us longer this next winter.

The little one and I started some seedlings. I won't lie...our budget is extremely tight right now. Trying to stay home with a little one with a mostly seasonal job means winter is tight. Even purchasing seedling containers seemed a little extravagant. We had a stack of egg cartons and it gave me an idea. We always plant a bunch of seedlings in egg shell halves that we save that the little one is in charge of, but why not use some of our millions of egg cartons for the rest?! So we did. And it is working! I only planted things like lettuce, kale, chard, and basil in them because they are so shallow and I know don't need to grow that big before we can transplant outdoors. For the the tomatillos, I purchased deeper containers. (I think I started about 30 plants...we do love our salsa verde!).

The little one is in charge of the flowers and her basil on the windowsill. She checks them daily and waters them. It's the cutest! It's exciting to watch them grow. We spent a day earlier in the week turning the soil in our raised beds and talking about planting the beets and carrots and beans and sunflowers. The little one ended up rolling for hours in the dirt...she clearly missed that feeling after this long winter! I know I did.

So yea...we are super excited about gardening season here. Super excited. I think I may just spend every spare second outside digging in the dirt. It's a nice thing having this little urban homestead. We can do so much on our land, yet still walk to everything we need. What a sweet little life!

What are you planting this year??! I would love to see pictures of your gardens!! Leave some in the comments...

How to Have a Mad Men Party

I've been MIA lately and for good reason...our "Mad Men Themed" party was this weekend and I spent most of the week prepping for it. I've been wanting to host monthly theme parties (an excuse to wear fancy dresses, I suppose) for a couple of years now, and we finally pulled one off! It was a lot of work, but it was just so much fun! So if you think you'd like to throw one too, I'll give you the 411 on how to do it...

First we started out with decorations...handmade pom poms (this tutorial was good and made us laugh), advertisements from the late 50's/early 60's , streamers, Christmas lights (maybe not so period appropriate, but nice nonetheless!), and vintage Life Magazines and books strewn around the coffee table and side tables. I also purchased vintage cocktail invitations off of Etsy and sent them with a hand stamped recipe card with a period appropriate hors d'oeuvre.

Next is one of the most crucial steps to creating an authentic "Mad Men" atmosphere...the booze. Yes, you need lots and the corresponding glasses to each fancy cocktail. We served four cocktails, all out of a vintage bartending book found here. My friend made cocktail stirrers out of wooden sticks and sparkly pom poms. And another friend was the designated bartender for the evening. Poor guy...he hardly had a chance to sit down! (Thanks Mark!!)

Next up...cigarettes! In this case, we chain smoked candy. I found a box of individual packs here. Everyone got their own pack and the rest were on coffee tables, the buffet table, and well...just about everywhere else.

We also wanted to be fabulous hosts, so we spent some time the past week hunting around for quirky books published in the late 50's. I took some old advertisements from the era and created a card for each guest. Then we wrapped them up with a pack of cigarettes. Everyone loved them!

The food was all hors d'oeuvres from recipes from the era, complete with two fondues (one cheese and one chocolate), a "jello" mold made by Sasa with agar-agar, and cocktail wieners wrapped in bacon (YUM). It was all delicious!

I had Pandora playing all night...we started out with "Sally's Tomato" station, then moved on to "Wives and Lovers", and as the party got really hoppin' we broke out "The Twist" (boy, was that fun!). For games we had Twister going, charades, and a slogan game. For the slogan game I took all the 50's and early 60's slogans from here and everyone had to pick one and try to guess which company or product the slogan was for.

And probably the most fun of the evening was this super simple photo booth I set up upstairs. Elisabeth and I made the backdrop...just a white sheet, a cardboard cut out of a city scape spray painted black with aluminum foil windows, and yellow stars above. Then I set up a camera on a tripod with my flash and we were in business. People kept disappearing upstairs throughout the night to be silly (and boy...there are hundreds of pictures to show for it) and it was just a super fun addition to the night!

By the end of the night (or maybe I should say morning?), we felt pretty authentic in our vintage clothes surrounded by all this Mad Men goodness. It really was just what we all needed in the midst of this long Maine winter.

So next party is either 80's or 70's. We're not sure yet, but I know it will be full of fun!

St. Nicholas and Winter

Happy St. Nicholas Day!! St. Nicholas paid a visit to the little one recently. She was so excited. The night before we polish our shoes, write a letter to St. Nicholas, bake a special treat to leave him, get some hay and a carrot for his horse (apparently his horse's name is Snowflake! Who knew?!), and we leave it outside her bedroom door. In the morning, the little one finds her shoes filled with gold covered chocolate coins, a candy cane, and a special gift with a note left by St. Nicholas.

This year she awoke to find a special horse harness for play made by one of St. Nicholas' elves. Wow. St. Nicholas even told her that the bells on the reins were from his very own horse. She was so excited.

We also began celebrating the first week of Advent on Sunday. We got out our birthday ring which also doubles as an Advent wreath. We sang our candle lighting song for Advent:

"I light the night my candle burns,

I light the night my candle burns.

First one, then two, then three, then four,

my heart is shining like a star."

Next we read the words for the first week of Advent:

"The first light of Advent is the light of stones.

Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones."

We placed some special crystals the little one got for her birthday, some seashells we found on the beach this summer, and some beachstones as well.

And there wasn't really a better day to celebrate, because we got our very first winter snowstorm today! It was SO much fun. I was very satisfied with our snow activities...we made chili (for a chilly day!), cornbread, apple crisp, shoveled the driveway and the porch, went grocery shopping, took out the fall plantings in our window boxes and put in a variety of winter greens, went sledding, I made a wreath (my first one!!), had three delicious homemade meals, and got some knitting done. Such a good day.

I love that we live in this little town. The little one calls it "our cozy town." It was slippery out there and so very snowy, but we could walk everywhere we needed to go. We trek through our backyard to get to the co-op and I bring this amazing basket Sasa got me for my birthday. It fits all our groceries, usually ends up weighing more than I do, but is so nice to be able to carry our food home on foot.

The wreath making was so exciting and super successful. I cut some berries and vines out back and added them to the greens we got at Sasa's sister's house over the weekend. I think the wreath turned out pretty great and it now hangs on our front door!

So yay for winter and St. Nicholas, and Advent! Tis the season for sure!

Happy Monday y'all! xoxo. Oh, and stay tuned for another awesome giveaway on Wednesday, and more to come next week!!

What We've Been Up To...

It's been HOT here. Really hot. The temperature has been in the 90's and humid. We're trying to stay cool every way we can, which means sprinklers, long days at the beach, and swimming in the lake. Oh, and popsicles and ice cream. Can't forget those. But in the midst of the heat, we've managed to do some other things too...

We worked on the porch. (Gotta love the skirt tucked into the undies...!)

Had puppet shows. (Based on this story. Such a sweet and simple tale.) 

Ran through the sprinkler and swam in the kiddie pool for hours.

Made gazpacho for dinner.

Had lots of fun outside in the shade.

And dressed like a kitty!

That's what we've been up to, how about you?!

Cookie Delivery Day (and more sneak peeks!)

Every so often the little one and I bake an extra special treat. But with two of us not eating processed grains, and all three not really eating sugar, we have a hard time making two dozen cookies and leaving them on the counter to spoil. So we do a special cookie delivery!

This morning the little one and I set out to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever, and boy...did we succeed! I used honey instead of cane sugar, but did opt to use brown sugar as called for. It always tastes better that way.

The little one had a blast measuring, mixing, and stirring. And, of course, the best part is taste testing. There was plenty of that too. When gluten-free batter tastes good, you know the finished product is going to be amazing.

So the cookies were finally finished, cooled, and packed up in her delivery basket to head into town. She wanted a ride in the sling on the way down, and with our big umbrella we headed out in the pouring rain to deliver the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Everyone was very excited. Just what was needed on a rainy day!

And here's another glimpse of a corner of our kitchen. I can't reveal the whole thing yet (even though you all are incessant with your pleads!) because it's not quite finished. Trust me, you want to wait until it's done. Which hopefully will be by Saturday. So there. For now, check out my pyrex collection. I have yet to organize it, but it's fun seeing it out.

And lastly, I had to snap this picture of the little one's lunch. It's her favorite. And I think it looks so darn pretty. Those strawberries were such a treat! Sasa said they were better than candy, and I certainly agree!

What are you up to this week? We're hoping for sun tomorrow...!

Happy May Day!!

My parents had this sweet little tradition with me on May Day when I was little. My dad would ring the doorbell during breakfast and my mother and I would rush to the door to find two little baskets filled with goodies. We'd have to go find him and give him a kiss and say, "Happy May Day!" I told this story to the little one and she was so excited for May Day. So this morning I snuck out the back door while the little one and Sasa were playing and left my goodies for them on the front steps. I rang the bell and quickly hid in our rhododendron bush. They eventually found me, but it did take a couple of fake sneezes!

We followed the surprise with a special breakfast. I've been off eggs since this raw diet thing, but enjoyed an omelet made with fresh chives and basil, tomatoes, and ricotta salata. Oh my. The little one enjoyed the fruit salad made by Sasa. We just love eating in our new kitchen!!

The rest of the day was spent at home gardening, running inside to read and get out of the hot sun, and plenty of walks. My legs are going to enjoy a good rest on the couch tonight.

And the day ended with a surprise picnic from Sasa at our favorite little spot. The sushi was amazing...even Doggie Fly enjoyed some. And to top it all off, Sasa had a raw chocolate cake hiding behind a tree for me. Aw, he just rocks!! The little one was in on it too! They are something special.

What did you do for May Day? I think May Day has to be one of my new favorite celebrations ever!

Favorites

Favorite moment :: the little one coloring while waiting for friends.

Favorite guy :: Sasa :)

Favorite activity :: gardening

Favorite picture :: See Belina? The one in the middle with her head turned? She's saying "cheeeeese!"

Favorite part of the day :: dinner at the kitchen table.

Other favorites ::

Favorite surprise :: a postcard in the mail from Sasa and the little one asking me out on a date tomorrow. So sweet!

Favorite phrase :: "Mama, I'm gonna play polka-dot on your freckles. Okay?!"

Favorite food :: cucumbers with hummus...mmmm!

Favorite song :: A Well Respected Man

What are your favorites today?? Happy Weekend!

Maple Syrup Season

I took these photos early last month, and am just now getting around to posting them! The maple syrup season this year was so short...the sap started and stopped within a week it seemed. We like to go up to our favorite little spot down the street to see the jugs tied to the maple trees. Our friend taps these trees each year and the sap seems to be plentiful in these big old maples.

The little one loves the taste of sap. It's good for making tea, or just drinking straight. It has a slightly sweet taste and is full of minerals.

We took a few tastes of the sap, said thank you to the trees for sharing, then basked in the March sun. It was such a lovely, warm spring day.

When it's time for maple syrup season, we pull out a few of our favorite books about the subject ::

• Sugarbush Spring
• Maple Syrup Season
• Sugar Snow
• At Grandpa's Sugar Bush

Yay for spring and maple syrup!!

Happy Eggs for Sale

You are what you eat, right? So if you eat an egg from a sad chicken, you will be sad too. But if you eat an egg from a happy chicken, well...ya know. Maybe that's why we're all so happy?! The little one is learning a bit about running a business. An egg business, that is. Let me introduce "Happy Eggs." A little side business the little one and I are diving into to help make extra money for our chicken feed. Plus, our fridge is just loaded with eggs. We can't keep up!

First thing we did was make a sign. A big one. Then we made a money jar. And then we decided our egg cartons needed a little sprucing up, so handmade labels were designed. Oh yes, these little eggs go out in style!

We talked about setting up a roadside stand in our front yard, but remembering my failed lemonade stands as a kid, we opted to go to the people instead of waiting for the people to come to us. So we loaded up the wagon, hitched on our sign, got a basket for our eggs, and went to town. Nothing beats bringing food to people, especially when a cute little dinoasaur is delivering it. We were quite a sight...me, the wagon, a little dinosaur, Doggy Fly trailing behind us, and along the way we picked up three more friends who followed us into town.

And guess what? We were sold out in the first FIVE minutes. Our money jar is full and we have standing orders. Oh my. It's a good thing we have happy chickens who lay happy eggs daily!

seven :: 30 Days of Beauty

It's been warm here. Much warmer than usual. I'm trying not to be freaked out by the climate change, complete lack of new snow in Maine in February, and green grass and bulbs surfacing. So we're making the most of it. We took two long walks today, played outside all day, and spent a morning at our favorite little place. The little one has so much fun here. Everything was so beautiful :: the bare maple trees against the gray sky. The wheat colored grass and dried leaves. And when the sun came out we just soaked in all the beauty we could! 

Here's a little story about how our morning went...

The little one loves to walk. She walks and walks (sometimes gets a shoulder ride) and commands Doggy Fly to go this way and that. She requests "races" with me and Fly until we finally reach our destination. Ever so often, she stops me for a photo op. This was one of those moments. Ah, the cuteness is just too much!

Close to our destination, we had to collect leaf pets. They were put in our bag we brought along and later came home with us.

She can hardly wait for the gate and ends up climbing the fence. Mama decided to enter the proper way through the gate, despite the disapproving look from the little one. Then it was off to play chase.

A good game of chase is always followed by some ice cream. She picked this ice cream spot out when she was a bit over two years old and it's remained her spot ever since. How she can tell the difference, I have no clue. So this is her store and today she was offering "rainbow drip and vanilla chip." I ordered the rainbow drip. I highly recommend it.

Then it was off to gather sticks for our fire in the zoo. The zoo has a fence around it and the animals were getting cold, particularly the giraffe. So we gathered sticks for a good twenty minutes.

We built the most enormous fire that was sure to keep all the animals nice and toasty. She had to use some grass to get it started and seemed to have the entire thing under control, so I just sat back and supervised.

She ran and ran and ran some more. Mama chased and chased and chased some more.

We said hello to our friend the maple tree and asked when it would be tapped for maple syrup. Then we hugged the tree and thanked it for being so beautiful.

And before I knew it, in mid-chase, she announces, "Mama, let's go home and see Sasa! Okay?!" So we walked all the way home, pretty sure we were the luckiest gals to have such a beautiful little spot to come play.

That's how our morning was. How was yours?!

Snowstorm and Shoe Gnomes

We finally got a snowstorm! We waited all December for King Winter to send several inches of snow our way, but instead we got freak 60 degree days, rain storms, and a light dusting of that powdery white stuff the little one loves so much. But not this weekend. We were hit not once, not twice, but for three straight days. Sasa thinks there's about 18 inches of that magical white stuff covering our yard. The little one was in heaven catching snowflakes on her tongue (most tasted like chocolate she claimed), making snowmen in the yard, and heading to town for errands on her sled. The streets were perfect for pulling a toddler around in a sled, and from the amount of sleds leaning against the sides of store doors, I guess the other parents around town agreed!

And just a little something the little one and I were up to back in November that I am just now writing about :: shoe gnomes! After seeing Amy's shoe gnomes, I remembered that the little one and I had made a jar full for our mudroom. There's enough for her shoes (and yes...she has quite the collection!) and for other tiny footed guests. They keep all her little shoes together and add the right amount of magic to one of the dirtiest rooms in the house! And they are just so darn cute...

I finally got around to adding a winter banner to this space. Yay for snow! I'll be sick of it soon enough, but right now I'm really enjoying it. And the excuse to get all cozy and curl up with some knitting or a book on the couch is nothing to complain about!! Until tomorrow...

The Pumpkin Festival

Over the weekend our little town was flooded with guests for our annual Pumpkin Festival. Gigantic pumpkins are rolled in, which are then carved, painted, and made into all kinds of different things. There's a parade, games, face painting, special treats, and so many fun things to celebrate the arrival of fall. So our weekend was full of celebrating!

I hope to have some wedding photos to share with you soon! It was a fabulous wedding, with an extra fabulous couple, on a pretty darn fabulous farm. Doesn't get any better than that!!

Enjoy the start to your week!

A Morning Walk

The little one and I headed out on an early morning walk today to collect some fall treasures. There were chestnuts, money plants, acorns by the handful, pretty leaves of all colors, sticks for magic wands, and the last of the dandelions. The little one got to make a wish.
We raced through the cemetery (one of our favorite spots), running up and down hills for a good 30 minutes, watching geese fly by and leaves fall around us. We gathered everything we could to fit inside her tiny little basket that has accompanied us on so many adventures in the past.
We smiled and giggled and rolled down hills. We had so much fun neither of us wanted it to end. So we stayed out in the cool morning air for quite a while, soaking up the beauty that autumn brings us.

These are the days I hope to remember forever. The days where we giggle and cuddle and say, "I love you" so many times it could make my heart burst. The days where the simplest things brought the greatest joys. These are the things that little ones bring to our lives. And we, as the adults who know them, are so very lucky to have that pleasure. And I will never take it for granted. I will forever be grateful for every single moment. I am so lucky. Thanks, little one. You bring more joy than you'll ever know.

We are heading to the big city for some fun! Have a great weekend!

30 Days of Happiness :: Making

We all spent the day making. It was a wonderful, wonderful making day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the air was warm with a tinge of fall, and we started the day with a great breakfast on the porch complete with a latte delivered by my two loves. How perfect!

We started the morning with a stone for Roxanne. We wanted to paint a special rock for her for the spot she was buried. Sasa found this nice flat rock in our backyard, and the little one and I painted it this morning. I really like the finished result and it was a great way to add something special to our goodbye.

I've been working on pants for the little one. She's grown a good two or three inches since last fall and all of her pants are much too short. So she helped me pick out fabric, told me what she wanted, and I set to work. Her favorite color is purple (as of this summer), so now everything has to not only have stripes or polka dots, but it also has to be purple! So that kind of narrows down our choices. She gladly opted for purple elephants when I told her no purple polka dots could be found, and I turned out these "jammy pants" in about an hour. I drafted my own pattern and was pretty pleased with how it turned out. I made a test pair and altered the rise from the original, but finally worked out a great pattern I think will last until next spring! Yay!

While we were working away on pants and rocks, Sasa was making a sweet little tea table for our yard. He had this put together in no time at all, and it was perfect for play, snack, and dinner! Add some buckwheat cushions, a couple of yards of oil cloth, and it is just the perfect little dining spot! I foresee many tea parties in our future...

And the final "making" of the day was some homemade pizza. Sasa (the baker of the household) has finally perfected his gluten-free pizza crust. And oh my...was it delicious!!! The best pizza I've had in my entire life! And the little one (who can be pretty picky) ate two pieces! It was amazing and we are so thankful for such a fabulous baker in our household.

We hope you're enjoying the weekend!

Surrounded By Nature

Before our move to town, I wondered what it would be like to leave the woods behind. I wanted the little one to grow up surrounded with the natural world around her. I wanted her to hear birds, see wildlife, dip her toes in ponds and rivers, and roll around in the grass.

We're in our first summer season in our new home, and I can honestly say I had absolutely nothing to worry about! Our home is surrounded by beautiful fields of buttercups and lupines. Our 3/4 acre yard is full of amazing flowers that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and all sorts of wildlife. There are chipmunks and squirrels who visit daily.

We wake up to the sound of birds in the morning and go to sleep listening to mourning doves and owls. We take a daily morning walk and evening walk; both full of nature and a little bit of town life too. It's the perfect balance. We can walk five minutes and we're at the river, which is home to horseshoe crabs, oysters, and jellyfish. We walk five minutes in the other direction and we're in fields of flowers, listening to birds and crickets sing their songs.

I've never quite seen anything like this little town; so full of typical town busyness, but bursting with the wild things of nature. We are so fortunate to be here. I wake up every morning feeling so lucky, smiling as I lay in bed listening to the robins and finches. I'm so thrilled the little one can be a part of it all.

All In a Weekend

The first lawn mowing, flowers blooming everywhere, a high of 70 degrees, tank tops, shorts, bare feet in the grass, playing the guitar on the back porch while soaking in the sun, swinging and sandbox playing after dinner, long walks, a bit of sewing, lots of spring cleaning, writing some new tunes, taking lots of pictures, another trip to the big city for a great concert, homemade coconut milk ice cream, the first sunburn of the season, waking up early to get to work, pumping up the bike tires for the seasons first ride, smelling that freshly-cut-grass smell, creating a new c.d. mix perfect for summer days, and just enjoying every little bit of sun and warmth this weekend had to offer.

Scenes From Outside

It's definitely warming up around here. There's seeds to be planted (we're planting the seeds to coincide with the lunar cycle), a new yard to be explored, a play area to set up, and a deck to be enjoyed. Dare I say I even got a bit of a sunburn yesterday while lounging outside?! Oh, how my body was aching to be at the beach. The windows were opened, spring cleaning was underway, and everything seemed so alive.

But today we're faced with another cold front, forcing us to drag back out the scarves, hats, and mittens. While the finishing touches were put on the new sandbox, the Easter eggs were boiling away inside. And now I'm off to make a special Easter skirt for the little one.

You'll notice a bit of spring cleaning here too. A new banner to celebrate the sun and warmth, and a relatively new menu underneath for easier navigation.

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. Happy Easter to all of you!

A Lazy Day

It seems as though most of the week is spent running here and there, rushing around getting meals prepared and the house cleaned up, squeezing in nap time and getting to bed at a reasonable hour, and all the things in between. It can be exhausting and it's not until Thursday comes around that I remember to breathe and slow down.

Thursday is our wide-open day: no plans, no play dates, no story time at the library. We simply do whatever we feel like. It may entail a trip to the big city, a lazy day at home, or hanging out in our little town. There's no telling what activity the little one will want to partake in, but it always starts at the bookshop cafe for some whip cream and hot chocolate.

With all the previous rushing about, we both seem to really appreciate the slowness of Thursdays. Falling into a rhythm of play and housework; of helping one another side by side or breaking off into our own activities. There's lots of dancing, music (we are loving this group lately), cooking and baking, and eating. And whatever we tend to do, it is much enjoyed.

We always end the day with a special meal and homemade ice cream for dessert. The little one gets extra cuddles and stories at night (she's really loving this book right now), and I sing songs while she settles into bed. Her favorite songs? Well, that would be "Lobsterman's Wife" and "Red Robin", of course!

I hope you are all enjoying this Thursday too!

Settled

I'm pleased to announce that we are all settled, the house is completely unpacked, we have found our new rhythm (yay!), and painting begins this weekend! We didn't buy anything new for the house, except for some essentials in the kitchen, and found some amazing vintage items. You'll catch a glimpse of them in the pictures above. It seemed like the universe was totally working with us on finding the perfect items to fill the house with. The little one's play area is filled with all thrifted items (I scored the wooden doll carriage and Waldorf doll, both practically brand new, for an amazing $38 at a junk shop. What it was doing there is beyond me...) except for her new train set. I took a few big pieces from the old house (a couch, dressers, and a bed), but mostly the house is filled with secondhand items. It feels so good buying used.

The little one adores this house. Living in town within walking distance to everything is beyond amazing. The best thing about finally being settled is that our rhythm is back. Bedtime is a piece of cake again, naps are going well, there's a lot less crankiness and more playing happening, and there's more time and energy for everything.

It was so fun to read through your house comments! I'm thrilled to hear that you are just as excited as I am to see the redecorating/painting process. Anyone in the area that would like to come over and help??! Stop by anytime this weekend!

The New Digs

So, the closing was today. The home is ours! We spent a couple of hours in the house tonight, just soaking it all in and unpacking the few boxes that my friend's parents had brought over while we were at work. It's the quirkiest little house ever and I'm so in love with it. I've never felt more at home than in this house. Even when it's empty, it feels remarkably similar to the home I grew up in. With the large windows overlooking town and the high ceilings, it brought back many memories of my childhood.
So much of this house was left untouched over the years. It was built in the 1850's. It has no light switches, so we need to fill it with lights. Unpacking in the dark was rather challenging! And it doesn't even have a shower...just a big clawfoot tub! The wallpaper and vinyl flooring will be all ripped up. The first thing I did was take down all the curtains.
The entire back yard will be converted to a veggie garden, with a small play area for the little one and a fenced in area for the chickens, goats, and ducks.
My friend and I spent three days last week traveling from thrift shop to flea market to antique store to Goodwill to Salvation Army, and found some absolutely amazing vintage finds that I can't wait to share with you! So stay tuned for redecorating and house updating info and some sewing too! I can't wait to get my machine out again...

Click on the photos for more information.

And thank you all so much for your continued support and sweet comments. I've never been so at peace before. I feel like my entire life has been spent in a tense state, and all of a sudden I am sighing a big sigh. And I think I will forever continue to do that. I am so content and so happy and so in love with my life. And I have a tremendous amount of faith in the universe and all the goodness in the world. I feel incredibly lucky. So thank you for joining me on this journey. I'm glad I can share it all with you!