Bluebirdbaby

our weekend.

our weekend started with friday night breakfast for dinner! we had all four burners going making omelettes filled with greens and goat cheese. we light our candles every night, say our blessing, and dig in. then we have our family movie night. this week it was "the sandlot" which is a personal favorite of mine!

saturday morning started with typing some letters, taking some pictures, a bath before her ballet recital!

then it was off to the theater. she looked so amazing up there and enjoyed herself so much. she's already looking forward to next year.

then it was back for a backyard cookout. we ate smores too!

sunday was full of birthday party fun, gardening, and another cookout at a friend's house this time.

 

it was a full and busy weekend. we collapsed into bed sunday night absolutely exhausted, but i told mark it was the best weekend ever.

what did you do over the weekend?

stay tuned for a giveaway tomorrow!

xoxo

20/52

this week you:

• had your very first ballet recital in a big theater with hundreds of people watching. you were so spectacular! you ran off the stage into my arms and said, "oh mama! i didn't want it to end! i can't wait for next year!" we were SO proud of you!
• tried grilled eggplant for the first time. you didn't like it...
• watched one of my favorite kid movies "The Sandlot"
• dressed up as a flower fairy for your friends birthday party. you looked pretty sweet :)

mother's day weekend

this weekend was so special. we celebrate my sister's birthday and mother's day at the same time every year and have a simple gathering full of good food, wine, and music.

this year we hosted and it was just so much fun!

we started the weekend with going next door (yes...next door!) to a fabulous greenhouse and got a bunch of annuals to plant in pots for gifts.

on sunday morning i awoke to a choice of either breakfast in bed, or breakfast upon return from a run. so i chose to run! i ran 6 miles in the pouring rain and returned to my two loves waiting at the door with a towel to dry me off. they had the table all set with a fabulous breakfast (bacon, eggs, and kale) with espresso AND some champagne (wow!). they had the most fabulous gifts for me (how did i get so lucky?!) and both told me i was the best mother ever. aw!

we celebrated all day and into the night...mostly just celebrating being together, because as mark says..."it's what we do best!"

how was your mother's day?

19/52

this week you:

• had your first gallery opening. you were shy and proud and a little embarassed by all the attention, but you had a fantastic evening!
• had more desserts than i think i've ever let you have before. so much celebrating!
• had some real, honest, heartfelt conversations with me before bed. it's different talking to you now that you are older. you have so much to say, and you feel everything so greatly.
• told me you wished your "Baba" lived next door.
• went on secret mother's day errands with mark and had a blast
• told me i was the best mama in the world and you never wanted to let me go. aw.

her big night

the little one was so excited to have her very first official "opening" at a gallery space south of us. she painted a 4 foot long horse (that she drew and mark cut out for her) for the show called "Heads or Tails" and it was a total hit!

they hung it in a superb spot and she was so thrilled about the whole thing. we made a special night out of it and some of our very best friends joined us and my mom, and we wined and dined and then went out for gelato after to complete our night of celebrating!

we crawled into bed at a later hour than usual, completely content and a wee bit exhausted with our special night all thanks to the little one!

we are so proud of you my little e!

p.s.  for you locals, the show is here! her piece is for sale too (i hate to see it go though! i may buy it myself!)

home.

our lives have been very full lately. full of this and that, good and bad, easy and hard, fun and work, laughs and tears...all things that remind us that we are human. life is a mix of everything, because it's, well...life. and really, who would want it any other way?

we're so very busy at the moment, and finding a time to just breathe and relax can be challenging. tonight we're working in the studio before a very long day tomorrow (the little one has her first opening at a gallery!) and looking forward to a rainy weekend that may just slow us down a bit.

i captured these images from around the house earlier in the week. somehow just looking at them makes me slow down, take a deep breath, and relax.

what are you up to this weekend, friends?

18/52

this week you:

• grew an inch...i think
• learned a duet on the piano that my mother taught me when i was your age
• fell asleep in my arms one night because you wanted "extra cuddles." i saw the baby in you that night.
• enjoyed our family movie night and requested bacon, watermelon, carrots, and popcorn as your movie buffet dinner.
• were so excited about our new fruit and lilac trees that you spent all afternoon watering them and caring for them.
  
• had your ballet pictures done before the big recital and you did so great. i'm very proud of you.
• started writing a new book. i can't wait to see the finished product!

a busy weekend

don't forget!!! the next creative photography e-course starts TOMORROW! sign up here now!!

 

we had a very busy weekend! planting fruits trees, hauling alpaca manure for the raised beds, going out to our favorite little spot to grab a drink, ballet pictures before the big recital, writing books, movie night with a buffet of our favorites, planting our first greens, and ending it all with smores before starting our very busy week.

what did you do?!

the beach

we had our first spring beach visit this past weekend. we went down to a favorite little beach of ours and met some friends. despite the cold, wind, and frigid atlantic ocean temperatures, the girls promptly requested their swimsuits and headed for the water.

we all said they were nuts, but it didn't matter. they found a warm tidepool and hopped right in.

they ran in the sand, explored a driftwood fort, and made a sand cafe where they served us all kinds of yummy creations!

the car is still filled with sand, as it will be all summer long. it's a nice little reminder that the warmth is returning and the short, cold days are coming to an end. we are so ready...

 

how was your weekend? what adventures did you go on?

17/52

this week you:

• watched "The Swiss Family Robinson" for our family movie night and loved it
• made mark buy a coconut because of the above movie, which he had to drill and then hammer open. after all that work, you wouldn't even try it!
• had your first trip to the beach in your bathing suit. we thought you were crazy, but you and your friend were actually swimming in the ocean. you didn't want to leave!
• found a spotted salamander under a pot on the side of the house. it was black with yellow spots. we had never seen something like that in maine before!
• played the piano for hours, making up your own songs and putting on concerts. you also made me play so you could sing all kinds of funny songs.

16/52

a week late...again....

this week you:

• learned "etude" on your violin. you are so excited about the Bach minuets next!
• got four postcards from mama and mark when we were in california
• helped mama shovel loam into our new gardens
• picked out some lovely nasturtiums to plant in our pots for the front steps
• ate loads of fresh pineapple and berries
• had your first dunk in the galvanized tub with hose water. brrr!
• played in the pile of dirt with your horses for hours

somebody had enough...

of the camera :) she's been dealing with me practicing my new camera for too long now, i think...

15/52

this week you:

• were so settled. it was lovely to see you be yourself again.
• played all the time. for hours. mark and i disappeared upstairs to work for a bit and you were completely fine playing downstairs. normally you won't let us leave your sight!
• ate so much food. maybe it was due to all the physical activity we had?
• biked 3.5 miles while i ran. you really made me run fast! i was so proud of you.
• made funny faces every time the camera was pointed at you.
• cleaned up all your toys every day, made your bed, and put away your clothes without being asked.
• got roller skates. it took you a little while to get used to them, and you are still practicing, but you think they are the best ever!
• painted a huge horse for an art show next month. it looks so good.
• learned more about banking and saving money and spending and wise choices. i was proud of you.
• kicked mark's butt at monopoly. park place AND boardwalk?! no way...

winner and a weekend.

thanks for all of your sweet comments on the barnaby bright giveaway! i'm so glad i could introduce you to two wonderful musicians! random.org chose #26 and #40!

Sophia said...

Beautiful!
Its a win all around because I have been introduced to lovely new music!

 

Shari said...

Wow! My new favorite! You find the best music.

so sophia and shari...please send me an e-mail at erinlittlephoto(@)gmail(.)com and we'll get you all set up! congrats!

.......................................................................................................................

boy, i've been absent. from everything. have you noticed? it's been a whirlwind of a week and weekend. so much stuff going on. but despite everything, we did manage to enjoy a little bit of relaxation.

 

we made some raised beds for the side yard. super easy and super quick. i can't wait to fill them and get planting. i've so missed gardening. i have plans for expanding the perennial beds, adding lots of fruit trees and berries, a stone patio with pergola and grape vines. the little one is remembering all the gardening we used to do and is just as excited!

we ended the weekend with our sunday roasted chicken and i made a 1-2-3-4 cake for them. now we start vacation week!

we are also gearing up to fly to California on thursday to shoot a wedding, but we'll be gone for about five days, so we're scrambling to tie up loose ends and get everything ready. so much to do!

how was your weekend? are you gardening yet?

14/52

this week you:

• had a sore throat :( you drank lots of hot honey tea and ate honey sticks
• made a horse barn out of a cardboard box
• told me you are so very tired. i hope you get your energy back soon
• rode your bike for the first time this spring
• told me "mama, everyone gives you their shrunken clothes because you are tiny. like me." ha!
• and right after that looked in the mirror after your bath and said, "mama, i find it so funny how when my hair is wet it looks all stringy and departed." i told you that you're a funny little girl and that made you smile.
• fell asleep petting the cat who the night before got stuck in your room and left you a surprise on the carpet
• did such a fabulous job practicing your violin

 

saturday

what a busy weekend!

this is what our saturday looked like... (sunday to follow!)

he leaves me love notes. and i always put a note in his lunch. everyday.

gherkin enjoys the sun. these poor cats are now indoor cats and they are struggling...

baked apple pancake. i bake so much for them and i adore it so. recipe here.

and espresso for us.

creative play in the morning.

she loved it. she really requested "pie" upon waking. so this is what i gave her. she approved.
and he can't be more grateful for my baking. he's always so excited when something comes out of the oven!

 

what did your saturday look like? xoxo

our weekend and celebrations.

we had the most fabulous weekend, complete with sun and warmth and open doors and laundry on the new line and painting outside and drinks on the patio.

we talked about garden plans and wedding plans and played baseball in the yard and went for walks and smiled in the sunshine. i think all of us in maine have been awaiting a day just like that. we just didn't want to go in.

here is what it all looked like:

what did you do this past weekend?

xoxo

e&m&e

12/52

we're a little behind on the 52 project! what a busy week! so here is last week:

this week you:

• played baseball outside. a lot. you are becoming a very good catcher and have always had a great arm.
  
• did such a fabulous job in ballet. i love how athletic you are.
• started reading a new chapter book.
• were told that an alligator named artie lives in the cookie jar. you think it's really funny. he guards our cookies.
• requested shrimp in your lunchbox, which mama thought was pretty neat. you almost ate them all, too!
  

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9/52

a thursday.

a simple thursday. this is how it goes...

espresso. making lunches for my loves. drop the little one off at school. come back home. kiss m goodbye for the day. go for a run. tea.

work for six hours. clean the house. bake cookies. chat with the cats. go pick up the little one from school. errands in town, then violin lesson. she learned a new song.

back home. the sun is finally out. we are excited. it's warm. i text mark and tell him to come home soon! we are enjoying the sun in the front. i sip a glass of wine sent by a dear blog reader, thinking about how lucky we are to have people who love us from so far away. she reads to me from her new chapter book. we play catch and run around in the sun, dreaming of summer gardens and all the things we will create with our new yard.

his truck pulls in the driveway. i run and jump into his arms. there are kisses and hugs and smiles all around. another glass of wine is poured. we settle into our evening. i make dinner, she runs around and draws pictures, he helps us both.

there are games before bed. she is read to from a book she as been longing for. then it's upstairs to the studio. mark studies his new camera and now he is typing on his type writer. a love letter, i presume. i just checked...i was right. he's typing how much he loves me.

then it's bed. and tomorrow it's friday. and we all love fridays.

what did you do this thursday?

 

 

11/52

this week you:

• went on your first plane ride
• journaled...every single day while we were away
• impressed everyone with your awesome style and wonderful behavior
• got really really reeeeaaally bored at the Hirshhorn museum and traveled from couch to couch to lay down
• ate SO.MUCH.FOOD while on vacation. seriously! why can't you do that at home?!
• started a new chapter book called "Twig"
• got to ride on a merry go round twice while in DC
• made fast friends with the musicians from barnaby bright and didn't want becky to leave! she thought you were pretty awesome yourself.
• decided that walking is really tiring and even if it gets you someplace cool, you still wanted a piggyback.
• decided the cheetah's at the national zoo were your favorite. they reminded you of our cats.
• promptly made your own zoo upon returning home, which you made us tour for $1 each...

(Above photo is from the Hirshhorn Museum, and taken with my iPhone!)

10/52

somehow i got a week behind (?) on the 52 project! so i'm doubling up weeks...

this week you:

• ate an entire fritatta by yourself. we were proud.
• found a bunch of your old 3T clothing that STILL fits. yes, you are quite petite!
• ran 3 miles in your new shoes
• finished up reading Mary Poppins
• watched Oliver as a treat. you really loved it. and we enjoy our monthly family movie nights.
• recorded a new music trio with mark and i. i also interviewed you which was hilarious!

and just for all you camera lovers out there...this photo was shot at an ISO of 16,000...yes...SIXTEEN THOUSAND! no noise reduction either. amazing, eh?!

9/52

this week you:

• fell at a friend's house and cut your upper lip
• could NOT stop saying how much you loved us (that is so nice)
• had a fabulous violin lesson
  
• had a playdate with a friend and painted your nails, then had a sword fight (wet nails and sword fights don't go well together!)
  
• got really serious while at ballet...you were so focused!
• smiled. a lot.

i'm really enjoying her 52 weeks...who are you loving?

 

8/52

this week you:

• were in a fabulous mood. happy, bubbly, your old self. it was wonderful.
• giggled with your whole body so much it made us erupt in laughter constantly.
• had your first ballet class after a long break. you were so good, despite not knowing what the others were doing. so focused and concentrated and you were so excited. you looked beautiful.
• started walking on your heels to crack us up when we were out on our adventures. you had mark and i almost in tears it was so funny!
• enjoyed many treats while out and about...maple syrup steamers, smoothies, hot chocolates. you enjoyed all of them.
• made your own leather bracelet complete with your own stamp designs.
• decided you wanted to start selling your artwork and paintings online.
• seemed to express complete joy and love at being here with us.
  
• fell asleep in the car which hasn't happened in years.

7/52

this week you:

• had a really tough time transitioning from being in school to being on vacation. lots of moments were just no fun at all, but we made it through.
  
• i think finally understood that you have a choice. in everything. but most of all how you react to life.
• insisted on using your last $10 to buy "jeggings"...yes, i kid you not. jeggings. and you love them.
• took your little stuffed mouse on a hike through the woods and dropped him. we looked everywhere and raced miles back to find him along the path. but he was gone. then, miraculously, we found him at the head of the trail. someone was looking out for you that day.
• made mark chase you around the house with a broom, pretending to be a mouse all night.
• had a lovely dinner with aunt carrie and uncle bryan. you love them so.
• wanted me to curl your hair with my new curlers. we did and you looked so beautiful.
  
• had me bowling outside using our recyclables (olive oil cans are perfect as pins). it was so warm! we were hula hooping and dancing and racing and laughing.
• drew me the most fantastic picture which i am going to frame and hang on the wall. i hope you always draw like this.
• worked out with me one morning. you on the treadmill, me with weights. then you did push ups. you love being active, just like your mama.

 

 

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5/52

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6/52

this week you:

• played the horse in a school play. you were great. then you switched to your totem animal (the bear) and were great again!
• were "bored" more than i've ever seen you before. you weren't really content with your toys, art supplies, or anything. you just wanted to watch movies, which mama doesn't really let you do all that much. 
• are completely and totally obsessed with the beatles. you rush in the door and immediately put on one of their albums. we dance and sing. your favorite is "dizzy miss lizzy" because that's your nickname.
• woke us up at 6:30 a.m. because you were reading so loudly in your little bed in the bell tower. you love to read.
• wrote me the sweetest little note and stuck it in my bag before i went off to work. it made me cry.
• declared you wanted to have your very first sleepover at a friend's house...we're working on it.
• were a little off. your mood was a bit down, and your appetite just didn't exist much. you had us worried, but i think it was just a passing phase. possibily fighting something off.
• celebrated your first valentine's day at the church. we made a heart shaped pizza, a flourless chocolate torte, and you got a special gift from mama.

 

5/52

This week you:

• woke us up at 7 a.m. with running shoes in hand, begging us to tie them so you could run on the treadmill
• got sick of asking us to continually tie your running shoes, so you learned to tie them yourself
• learned how to do push ups and crunches and thought they were all pretty awesome. you want to run in a 5k with me this summer
• wrote m and i the sweetest little note saying how much you'll miss us and drew a cute picture of you thinking about us
• worked on a book about a horse. you walked around with the little notebook m gave you and a pencil for two days straight. and you read it to us over and over again.
• found the most beautiful flower girl dress when we went shopping on sunday. you are so excited to be our little flower girl and you are asking us so many questions about love and getting married. you are quite thrilled about the whole thing.
• witnessed the biggest snowstorm you have ever seen. you made two caves and a giant snow slide.
• you were constantly hungry and i swear all we did was cook for you, even though you only ate a quarter of whatever it was you asked for.
• wanted to hang one of your paintings you did for m. you tried it out all over the house. we still haven't settled on a spot.
• you finally had a playdate with one of your bestest friends (and now our neighbor) and loved it. you look up to her so much and she's the best role model ever.
• started knitting me a scarf. so sweet.

 

the storm

well, i refuse to refer to this storm as "nemo" because all it reminds me of is a cute little fish, and this was anything but a cute little fish. we woke up to 4 feet of snow in most places. the wind was so intense that it made huge snowdrifts around the church. our front door was partially covered this morning. what fun!

we shoveled for about three hours. we mostly felt house-bound and decided to make the best of it. more bacon (always) and tea. sewing for me, painting for him (he painted the stair doors black!), a movie for her. we are almost out of food so dinner was interesting (hello kale and all the ways i never thought i could cook you!) and luckily i made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies yesterday. i bake a lot for those two.

luckily the snow was light and fluffy, which made shoveling not such a complete horror. she made a snow cave (and i was such a mom not letting her go all the way in...she had to have her head sticking out at ALL times) and we made snow mountain slides. there's a pile next to the car that's at least 9 feet high. and the subaru was buried. the snow was all too deep for her to walk in. it was rather hilarious! poor wee thing.

so yea...nemo?! really?! i would have called it something more like "king kong" but that's just me...

 

a blizzard

well, the blizzard started today. it's hitting us pretty slowly, but school was canceled and mark stayed home from work. so we had a day all together, and we have nothing to complain about a three day weekend!

the winds are picking up (hurricane force, really?!) and we're preparing for the bulk of the snow tonight. tomorrow we will have to shovel out so we can eventually leave the house, and there will likely be snow fort making and snowball fights. then mark and i are headed out someplace fancy for a special night out on the town.

but here's a little glimpse at our snow day...

morning puzzles. she started this before we had the bacon going. she also had her running shoes on. she brought them to our bed, woke us up, and said, "I'm ready to run on the treadmill!" (and she ran...for about 30 minutes...)

morning grinding of the beans. every morning. sometimes i hear it from upstairs and i swear i can smell it too.

morning reads. she still loves some of the same books i read her over and over again as a wee toddler.

it's a blizzard out there. snowy and windy. very pretty. i love watching the snow fall outside of our tall windows. i feel like we're in a snowglobe.

bacon and eggs. he made bacon this morning. i made a "toad in the hole" for her. i had my tea, he had his coffee, she had her tea. we feasted on the best snowday breakfast ever.

him. cutest kitty ever. he also likes to pose for the camera. he likes to sit in my seat in front of the heater and get warm.

horse play in her room.

she learned how to knit in school. she's knitting me a scarf (love!).

we had one of her very best friends over for afternoon play. they filled the living room with toys and adventures. i fed them crackers and cheese and hummus and hot chocolate.

he wore a vest his mama knit him. i told him he looked like charlie brown and was wicked cute. then i kissed him. the little one thinks it's absolutely hilarious when we kiss.

we hung his latest piece. he painted me.

dinner was moose chili (seriously) and a glass of wine. we ate by candlelight and talked about our day.

then, inevitably it's cleanup. sometimes we battle each other over who does the dishes. it's comical. he always says, "you cooked! let me clean!" and i always say, "who cares! i love to cook! go paint! i'll clean up." but he tells me to get lost and cleans up. then i take pictures of him doing it....

now we're painting up in the studio. he's working on a huge piece. i'm finishing up a small one. we'll soon head to bed knowing we'll wake up to even more of a winter wonderland outside. there will be bacon (again) and coffee and tea, and we will settle into another mellow day.

happy weekend, friends! what are your plans?!

4/52

this week you:

• made the most amazing "pegasus" drawings. i put one on the fridge that you drew me that says "love for mama" on it. it makes my heart smile everytime i see it.
• you decided that my make up is really awesome. you wanted to wear some glittery eye shadow and you tried to straighten your hair just for fun. you are already beautiful and i told that. i said make up is like wearing fancy clothes...it's just fun.
• i was sneaky and recorded you dancing to a hip-hop song. you caught me and had a fit. so i had to delete it. but it was really, really good. you have some amazing moves.
• because of your amazing moves, i've decided i really need to hook you back up with ballet and tap. so mama is looking around...
• you made mark and i stand at the door and wave and blow kisses goodbye until you and your papa were out of sight. we did, then we turned to each other and said how much we missed you.

 

sunday.

 

our sunday was full of

good food,

breakfast in bed,

lots of photos from lots of different cameras,

a really cold walk,

swinging in the snow,

more picture hanging,

and a really lovely evening with candle light, a yummy dinner, and a nice bottle of wine.

 

how was your weekend?!

xoxo

e, m, and e

3/52

this week you:

• had yet another tummy upset and stayed home from school. you felt better by dinner and helped me make a fritatta. you were not excited about the spinach i made you put in yours.
• you finished one of my large paintings. you've been painting for the last three days straight. you got up at 6 a.m. today to paint. you finished three before we even opened our eyes.
• you practiced your violin quite seriously. you made me make three videos of different songs you played, but had to make sure you made no mistakes. if you did, you made me start over.
• you suffered through a dinner of homemade mac and cheese, bacon, and pureed squash with lots of butter and maple syrup. it took you an hour. it was hilarious. a simple, delicious meal, but my little picky eater couldn't handle it. you eventually finished after you realized we wouldn't budge, and yes...you eventually did get that frosted oatmeal cookie.
• i realized just how beautiful and grown up you are this week. your long hair, your big blue eyes, your tiny, petite little body...you are so wonderful. mark thinks you look just like me, and move like me, and sound like me. sorry about that :)
• you woke up at 4 a.m. this morning. and stayed awake. you were in our room at 6:45, but we told you to go back to sleep. you didn't. so we got up, made pancakes, bacon, eggs, coffee, and tea and crawled back into bed (after you insisted on BREAKFAST IN BED!) and ate and lounged. it was a good sunday morning afterall...
• this was the week mark realized JUST how much energy you have. it's limitless. and rather nuts. but i'm used to it.

happy weekend, friends...xoxo

52 Week Project: Week 2

Second week of 52

this week you:

• got really excited about cooking. you made your own fried rice and marinated tofu. then you asked to know how to make a salad for mark and i, so you could surprise us some night. so i taught you my favorite dressing recipe and how to mix and cut everything up.
• you got the stomach bug and stayed home from school on friday. by saturday you were better and acting fine. you have always had such a strong immune system.
• we watched one of my favorite childhood movie together as we snuggled in bed, both sick. you cuddled with me and thanked me for being such a good mama.
• you stayed in your jammies longer than you ever have before and suddenly exclaimed "why on EARTH am i the only one still in my jammies?!" and then you went and changed. it was cute.
• your second grown up tooth is growing in, but you don't have any other loose ones yet

52 Week Project: Week 2

i stumbled across the 52 week project and really thought about it. i do try to protect the little one's privacy, and she has control over what goes on here and what doesn't when it comes to her. i showed her this project and she immediately said "yes mama! let's do it!"

and i couldn't think of a better way to document her growth over the next year, and the little tidbits about her that change so quickly.

so we are jumping in a week late, but here we go:

 

this week you:

• learned a new song on your voilin (Andantino) and you got really focused when you practiced
• you asked for a baby sister and when i said they don't just get dropped off on the doorstep, you put your hands on your hips and said, "well, NO mama! you grow them in your belly!"
• you said the best part of your saturday was wandering around the flea market
• you spent two whole hours pretending to answer business calls from clients on your pretend phone because you are a photographer and do a lot of food styling too
• you slept one whole night in your bed (let's try for more of that, okay?!)
• your hair keeps getting darker and darker. now it reaches down to your lower back. i really love it that long.

a weekend

"it begins with an unmistakable thump, or is that a bump? no, rather the thunderous stomping of a child heading towards our bedroom. OMG! cover up, nah, too late for that. on the stroke of eight, e heads our way. full steam ahead.

our weekends are filled with art making. not the crafty stuff but rather full-blown, certifiable art making. mostly we steal each other's ideas. painting, yep, that's the thing for us. we have wonderful meals during our days fueling not only our bodies but our minds, crowded with new ideas.

we dance, we listen to not only the music of our hearts but also a myriad of recorded stuff.

evening comes far too soon. stories, puppetry, odd behavior on everyone's part ushers in e's sleep.

after her sleep is assured it is now the adult entertainment zone. studio time and creative dialogue between us ensues. we anticipate our time together in bed. the end of some things. the beginning of others.

then, without a sense of time, the thundering steps are heard again." -Mark's words on our weekends together.

man, we live for our weekends. time together. no rushing, no plans. we wake up late, eat lots of good food, make art, take photographs, go on adventures. it's all very lovely.

we've made it a habit to do a meal plan for the week every saturday morning, then we all head to town for a big shop. it makes the week so much easier. we also visit the laundromat (which is always an adventure in itself) and often stop for a cup of coffee and some baked goods at our favorite place.

this weekend we enjoyed lots...here's a peek!

saturday morning play. for some reason she insists on dragging all her toys out into the dining room. it creates quite the mess, but she certainly enjoys herself!

we picked up the fedco catalog yesterday at the co-op. i've been dreaming about the gardens we will put in this spring. lots of raised beds, a lot of crazy giant unique perennials, fruit trees, chickens, and more! i am so excited!

one of my favorite views is looking from the dining room table into her room. she has the most magical room ever.

the little one is learning to read and it's so much fun hearing her sound out words.

while i cooked dinner on saturday night, these two were busy at the table doing projects.

dinner. shrimp (the little one's favorite) with pesto and pasta and chard.

saturday morning pre-breakfast.

we always have sunday morning pancakes. my secret ingredient? cinnamon. they are always a hit.

sunday morning play.

hanging the little one and mark's collaborative work in the dining room.

snowman making and cutting homosote for more paintings.

 

and now, i've got a chicken to roast in the oven and brussel sprouts to fry and a glass of wine waiting for me and two people i love more than i could possibly say ready to play a game.

happy weekend, friends.

xoxo

 

 

scenes from december

images i shot in december and never had a change to upload until now.

enjoy!

 

have a happy weekend and i'll be back with this year's challenge early next week! xo

our christmas

our first christmas here in the church.

it was perfect. the little one was with her papa this christmas, so we celebrated together a bit early.

that meant that we had all the gifts and celebrating over and done with by christmas eve, so mark and i spent all of christmas day sleeping late, drinking champagne, painting in the studio, taking photos, and generally just relaxing and laughing.

it was marvelous. we both decided it was the best christmas ever!

i hope you had a fabulous holiday too! what was your favorite part?

 

an evening

a cold, wintry evening.

we have a rhythm now. warm food, candlelight, singing and playing, dancing.

the evenings are my favorite.

tonight he and i are in the studio. he finished a painting, now he's working on another. i'm designing new cards and working on a new site.

then i'll sit down and work on my painting and varnish another i just finished.

we are sipping on wine and later, much later, we'll go downstairs and reheat some leftover soup i made last night and sit at the table and chat about our day.

we're feeling thankful for everything we have and everything we have to look forward to.

how is your evening?

 

 

little bits

 

saturday night and sunday morning...

a little bit of nothing

it's not often that we don't have more things to do in a day than time allows.

but the little one and i have been battling two separate intestinal infections, and now i seem to have a pretty intense ulcer (any advice?!), so with two of us not feeling so great, we've been hanging around home and doing a little bit of nothing.

i've been baking a lot these days, even though our kitchen does not have running water yet, or even a stove for that matter. but i've mastered the art of baking in a toaster oven and cooking on a hot plate from our old place, so it's not much of a challange. there have been breads and pies and cookies and muffins.

the little one has been adding so many leaves to our gratitude tree. our lives are full of things to be thankful for. top of her list? cats and horses. mine? a home.

mark has been making a countertop for the kitchen, the sink will be hooked up monday, and i bought a new stove. i haven't had a real kitchen in 10 months. i'm really looking forward to it!

we strung up some christmas lights outside too. we found ourselves humming along to holiday tunes while breaking out the decorations. i think it's safe to say we are all very excited for this holiday season.

tonight we are upstairs organizing the studio. i'm anxious for mark to start painting again and i am working on the e-course which has two weeks left.

well, i guess after writing this it doesn't seem like we're doing nothing at all. but not having committments and places to go always seems like a bit of a break.

hope you are enjoying your weekend too! xoxo

a weekend

a hodge podge of photos from our weekend.

there were many, many trips back and forth to town. picking up this, moving that, forgetting this, remembering that.

there were meals to be cooked and enjoyed. the table seems to be our favorite spot.

there were books unpacked and hours of reading by someone who has just learned how to put letters together to form words.

there was coffee in bed and then more at breakfast.

the garden got its first pruning for the winter ahead while a giggly little butterfly kept us company.

violins were practiced.

kitties finally started venturing downstairs.

and we got really creative with all of the empty boxes lying around.

 

what did you do this weekend?

 

the orchard

So, um  yea...I suppose I forgot to mention earlier that the property i'm buying is a church. a unique church...a church that doesn't really look like a church on the inside. it's really amazing. i can't wait to show you! i'm closing on friday! then we will have a home. so incredibly happy about that...

Well, we finally got out apple picking this year. I wanted to do it as close to the end of the month as possible because I have no storage for bags of apples! But soon we will have a home, so I decided we could make do for now with 3 full bags of apples in the bedroom.

As I have the past four years, here's a picture of the first bite!

And then it was back to make pie! And there will be batches and batches of applesauce, I'm sure.

My other weekend favorite? Carving pumpkins! They came out so cute...

 

More soon, friends...xoxo

The Fair

We had such a blast. I look forward to this every year. Here are some images from our time there...

6

she's 6 now.

her first tooth is loose. (why is this such a big thing for mama?)

she's bright and happy and smart and loving.

she loves animals and the outdoors. she loves art and reading.

she's excited about having a home. her own space. her toys back from storage.

her gifts were minimal this year. mostly due to money and space. but i like to think i got her a house for her birthday. i wouldn't have done it for myself. but she deserves it.

there are still some hurdles to get past, but it seems as though we will have a home come late October.

i should do a tour of our space now before we leave. our wee two rooms. my hot plate and mini fridge. our shared bedroom. the beautiful view. this space that has allowed us to discover ourselves and figure out what it is we want. this space that has given me the opportunity to work hard and save save save, knowing something bigger was in our future. this space where friends have cared for us, where we've learned we are never alone, and where a love blossomed. i will always be grateful for it. forever. it has made me stronger, wiser, and more capable.

yes, i think i will do a tour.

so many things: being 6, loose teeth, full weeks of school, cooler weather, working hard for a house, the ups and downs of good news and bad, and finally in the end...a place to call our own.

xoxo

a windy day

it was a windy day yesterday. really windy. we were supposedly experiencing the tail end of a tropical storm, which resulted in some clouds and a whole lot of wind.

so what did we do? we headed right for the hills for some kite flying. the little one made a kite at summer camp this year, and although we couldn't really get it to fly properly, she was still proud of it. we brought an extra, just in case.

we ran through the fields, giggling at the kites going up and promptly zooming towards the ground. then we finally got one of them flying, and we clapped and cheered and watched it fly through the sky.

a good afternoon. definitely.

what did you do this weekend?

berry pie

we made a homemade berry galette over the weekend. three different kinds of local berries and a very tastey crust! and, of course, there was homemade whipped cream.

it's hard baking in this wee little kitchen of ours. it's something we have not done much of, and boy do i miss it. this galette was just the thing i needed to make as the days get shorter and the nights cooler.

what have you been making lately?

around here

it's almost the end of august. how is that even possible?

the beach days are slowly coming to an end. the light is changing noticeably each evening. the days are turning drier and cooler. it seems like summer just started and without our traditional ways of marking the summer (berry picking, preserving, gardening, etc.) it seems like we never really had it at all.

but we've been busy. doing new and exciting things this summer. the little one went off to her first overnight with my mom to a camp in western maine. she adored it! what a big milestone.

i've been working hard on wedding stuff, personal portfolio work, painting, gearing up for another e-course, and of course being a mama. and the biggest news of all is i'm trying to buy a house. all on my own, which feels really great. so there's a lot of things happening right now, and i certainly don't want to neglect this space here...

so here are some shots from our days. today is rainy and dark. mark is making me an omelette right now while i sip my tea and munch on bacon. i've got a long day of work ahead and a couple of houses to visit.

i miss you all and this space here. what are you up to today?

a tradition

sorry to be MIA...i've been battling several migraines over the course of a week (too much on my plate, maybe?! a day off would be great...!)

this has become one of my favorite yearly traditions with the little one. it's one of my favorite spots to go in the summer.

we packed sandwiches, berries, chips, and drinks and headed up the coast for a short hike and a beautiful view.

the little one (who, well...is not so little anymore) loved it as much as previous years and it's fun to mark her growth with a place we only visit once every year.

these kids just keep growing, don't they? somehow i keep thinking it will stop, or reverse itself and my little toddler will once again climb into my lap for a snuggle and story. instead, she's off to her first summer camp next month, i kissed her goodbye for a full week to go with her Papa, and she's sailing boats. oh yes, little no more. but i'm loving every moment of this stage. she's so bright, happy, easy going, and getting oh so smart.

so much fun, this adventure...

what are your summer traditions?

Candle Making

We were running low on candles (we are always burning candles!), so the little one spent some time making more! We love this beeswax candle kit.

I love that she is old enough to do it all herself now. She takes such pride in doing it alone too!

Our days often start at the table in the mornings where we sketch, journal, paint, or bake. It's my favorite time of the day. Me with my eggs and coffee or tea, she with her orange juice and pancakes. We enjoy our lazy mornings full of creating.

What are you making?

ready, set, RACE!

The Eyes Open e-course is up and running and I'm LOVING it! I hope you are too! Read a wonderful review here from a participant and there's still ONE more day to sign up!!

Each year I try to run a local 5k that happens after the 4th of July. Usually I have a wedding on that Saturday and I can't make it, but this year...maybe, just maybe.

The little one has her running shoes, shorts, and shirt at the ready. She races everywhere. She's been practicing multiple times a day, having me time her with a stopwatch.

I have to say, she's getting really fast. Really. She can't wait to run the race.

This is my 10th year running and I try to get out as much as I can. It's literally my only me time. Just me. Nobody else. No other thoughts but breathing, putting one foot in front of the other and just GOING. It saves me. Almost daily.

I'm glad the little one notices this. She knows how much I love it and how it centers me. So, naturally, she loves running too. I can't wait for the race!

A Recital!

Well, the little one played in her third violin recital (how is it possible?!) and did a marvelous job! For all of you who are familiar with the Suzuki method, she chose to play "Go Tell Aunt Rody" which is a very comfortable song for her. She just looked so cute! And she was just fantasic. I was so proud!

And after, I came back to celebrate having accompanied all the children in the recital on the piano...so much practicing and it was all over, so now I can focus on getting back to work! (Big sigh of relief!) We had some Salty Dogs from the recipe in 3191. My new favorite summer drink.

Happy Wednesday friends! xo