Yellow Finch Designs

a picture here. a picture there.

2012-01-28T23:23:00.002-05:00

Our Weekend

breakfast. with a spoon. without a spoon.
books before school
fresh snow. happy smiles
art time. dance time.
a baby with a bucket
good food for lunch
hide and seek at the restaurant
building. bedtime. mom time.

happy weekend.

2012-01-27T17:09:00.011-05:00

Happy Weekend Friends!

Thought I would share some lovely links with you. I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend with the family. Tonight I'm having Jon's mom over for dinner then it's some serious fort making in the living room for our movie night. And of course, popcorn and hot chocolates. I'm not sure what Saturday will bring besides laundry but Sunday we have an open house and dinner with friends.

My friend Kacie wrote a great article on Positive Parenting and featured some lovely parents. Thank you Kacie for including me...what an honor!

re:frame is a collaborative project between Krystin Griffith, Oana Befort, Rebecca Caridad, and Inge van Geem. The images are absolutely stunning and catch my breath for a moment. Make sure to stop by and visit.

The thought of moving in the near future makes me so excited to remodel, paint and decorate. I love these living room inspirations. one. two. three.

This gallery is one of my favorites and it's right here in my home town!

Speaking of local, here are some more favorite local links:
I'm very active in this organization. I can't even begin to describe the passion I feel for this organization. Seeing how many families and individuals we have helps speaks louder than any words I can offer.

I'm also involved with Indigo Ink, a small non profit literary publisher. We have proudly published two books and continue on our adventure to seek out new talent. If you have an interest in art or poetry you would enjoy flipping through our books.

And last but not least, some blogs that I am enjoying. Amanda, Sarah, Danielle , and Katie

I snapped this photo the other day when I woke up to let the dog out. The sun was just rising over the dark sky on a winter's morning. It was a wonderful start to my day.

she danced. in the sunlight.

2012-01-25T21:23:00.011-05:00

we sat by the window in afternoon light. the record player softly playing in background. a distant beat under our talk. as moments passed talk became silent and music filled our room. slivers of sunlight danced across the glass. she moved her feet, slow at first, stepping on hints of light. spreading across rustic wooden floors like drops of water on hot pavement. she moved under the notes like a graceful dancer on opening night.

she danced to the sunlight.
arms twirling in open air.
a smile gently on her face
and golden rays brushing her cheek
a new canvas waiting for life.

i want to take this moment. tuck it in my pocket and save it for a rainy day. save it forever.

Scarlet Begonias by Grateful Dead on Grooveshark

Yesterday our music classes started back up and Jessica was beyond thrilled. In fact, we came home to experiment with her new materials (here she's holding a shaker) and listen to music. At first I put on some tunes so the kids could dance and play and I planned on cleaning up the kitchen. But when I caught Jess dancing out of the corner of my eye I had to put down my work and join in. This girl loves to dance and she loves her music. She takes after her mom and dad! So on a Wednesday afternoon we danced by the window to the Dead and forgot about our chores. We embraced the light of the day and it was good moment.

linking up with just write and small style

natural face cleaner

2012-01-25T11:15:00.006-05:00

Last month I was on the search for a good oil to use as a moisturizer for my face. I have very sensitive skin and the winter months tend to take a toll on it, especially my face and hands. I was looking for a natural moisturizer that would do the trick but also leave my face feeling fresh and rejuvenated. My friend Erica quickly jumped in and recommended the oil cleaning method. I've used oils on my body before but I'm always been a bit nervous about trying something new on my face.

It's been over a month since I've been using this method and I couldn't be happier with the results! I do my routine every night and it does remove all traces of makeup. The skin on my face is clean and soft. Most times I don't use extra moisturizer but sometimes I use this at night and this during the day. I still use this eye cream everyday in an attempt to prevent those wrinkles.

Simply follow these instructions from Simple Mom blog. I found a glass container with an eye dropper at my local health food store and I use this to mix my oils.

1. Make your cleaner

Simply mix the oils together in a small bottle, give it a little shake, and you’ve got yourself a homemade, frugal facial cleanser. The most popular blend of oils for this cleansing method is castor oil and extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The castor oil draws out dirt and other gunk from your pores. The EVOO is a brilliant moisturizer, helping heal and nourish the skin.

• For those with normal skin, you could start off with a one-to-one ratio of castor oil and EVOO.

• For those with acne-prone or oily skin, reduce the proportion of EVOO, and try three parts castor oil to one part EVOO.

• For those with drier skin, start off with one part castor oil to three parts EVOO. This is what I use.

Experiment, and find what ratio works for you. Just start off with a little bit, and then try it for a few days.

2. Gently rub it in

Pour a quarter-sized amount into your palm, rub your hands together, and slowly massage your skin with your fingertips. Don’t splash your face with water first — apply it dry. Work the oil into your skin for about a minute, and enjoy the peaceful massage at work. Don’t scrub — just rub.

3. Steam your face

Next, wet a washcloth with hot water (but not scalding!), and put it over your face until it’s about room temperature. This is steaming out your pores, removing the impurities and the dead skin cells. It’ll take about a minute — enjoy the nearly-free facial.

4. Wipe off the oil

Take the washcloth, rinse and wring it, then gently wipe off the oil. Your skin will probably feel softer immediately.

That's it! I follow this method every night. In the morning I wake up and splash my face with water and pat dry.
I then add a small amount of moisturizer, make up if I choose and I'm all set for the day.

If you decide to try this let me know. I would love to hear your thoughts and results.

recently.

2012-01-24T08:46:00.003-05:00

A thursday night date while Julie babysat the kids.
Dinner at a local restaurant and home for a movie.

I love Jon's face in this picture ;)

A picnic on the living room floor.

Stealing blueberries from brother.

Lounging after school with some good books.

Errands and such with my little lady.

Cuddles and laughs.

Delicious vegan oreo cupcakes that were devoured with friends on friday night.

Saturday pizza night and crafts with the kids.

Tiny hands working hard.

Sunday brunch followed by a day with my loved ones.
And a successful open house! I think we're getting closer to selling. I just have a feeling.

I meant to post this yesterday but the day slipped away and the night turned into a disaster. Bailey ran away around the kid's bedtime so I had to pack everyone up and we drove around for an hour with no luck. It was cold, wet and dark and I was devastated. At one point a saw a huge lump on the side of the road and gasped so loudly Jonas sensed my tension. Thankfully it was only a pile of dirty snow. We finally headed home when Josh announced he was exhausted. I got the kids in bed and sat by the door calling for him. Jon, being the wonderful husband and father that he is, left work and drove around until he found him. And of course he was wet and muddy because he goes swimming every time he runs away so Jon put on all his rain gear and wellies and gave him a bath. I have the best husband ever! We ended our night with small talk on the couch over a glass of wine and an episode of Battlestar Galactica.

hello sunday.

2012-01-22T09:47:00.005-05:00

Finally, Sunday! It has been a long and busy week my friends, hence the lack of posts. With Joshua being sick with the flu I struggled to catch up all week. I'm still finishing up loads of laundry and as I finish those new piles are accumulating. Jonas missed two days of school this week and Jess has the signs of a winter cold. It has been a long week.

Friday the kids spent the night at my parent's while I hosted a meeting at my house. Even though we worked I had a great time sitting around the fire with friends, food and wine! My intentions were to wake up early on Saturday and workout but I slept until ten. I can't tell you the last time I slept in that late! I guess my body needed that rest. And it's so weird waking up with no kids in your bed and a quite house. Saturday was spent with the kids, Chipolte for lunch, sled riding, homemade pizzas, crafts, baths and cuddles in mom's bed. Jon came home from work to all of us snuggled in bed. The kids sleeping and me reading my book, which I can't seem to put down Catching Fire part two of the Hunger Games series.

And now it's Sunday, my favorite day of the week. As I type away I have sausage from the Italian store slowly cooking and my waffle batter resting. I'm sipping my coffee while Jonas plays a little of his Star Wars video game, Joshua makes a pipe cleaner craft, Jess plays in her kitchen and Jon reads the newspaper and checks Mr. Miner's blog. It's a good start to a sunday. We have an open house this afternoon and that means a clean house. Instant good mood for me! Although, these open houses are starting to get old. I'm ready. Let's sell and move on. I'm really really ready. I'm not a very patient person and the slow process of selling and buying a house is starting to get to me. So, wish us luck for today's open house.

Tonight we're making Thai chicken coconut soup, steamed dumplings and lettuce wraps for dinner. With all this food I should workout, but I'll save that for tomorrow. Hopefully Monday will bring a fresh start to our week and we'll be back on track with our schedule.

What does your Sunday bring for you?
Drop me a not, say hello. I would love to know.

a boy and his guitar.

2012-01-18T19:39:00.004-05:00

Joshua has been practicing with his new guitar and I though I would share this original piece with you.
I just love his performances. They always put a smile on my face.
Take special note of his bow.
It makes me laugh every time!

i filmed this with my iphone and used the 8mm and imovie apps

i ran.

2012-01-17T13:22:00.005-05:00

yesterday i ran. between the cool raindrops and dark sky.
i let the wet pavement carry my feet. my mind traveling alone.

yesterday i ran. to the sound of music and beat of my heart.
the winter day wrapped around my body. taking me further with each step.
i waited for rain to become snow. for soft flakes to kiss my skin.

i ran.

Since Jess was born I've lost my focus when it comes to running. I still run every week, but I'm lucky to get in three runs. Perhaps it's a lack in motivation, perhaps it's the weather but I've decided this is one of my main goals for 2012.

Get out and run. Run more, run longer, run harder.

That being said... I'm always looking for new music to run to so if you have any suggestions or favorites please share!
My current list includes Phish (duh, I'm sure you knew that), MGMT, Pretty Lights, Florence and the Machine, Black Keys, STS9 and I always have a little Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix on hand.

No running for me today though and probably not tomorrow. We have two sick little boys on our hands. Joshua woke up last night around midnight and got sick in bed and that continued every hour all night. I hate seeing the little ones so sick, It breaks my heart when you are powerless. No matter how many kisses and hugs I could give Joshua wasn't getting better. After a day of rest, soup and lots of fluids (thanks Nana for bringing them over) Joshua is tucked into bed right now and feeling better. Jonas is feeling much better too although I think he had a slight case of the sympathy sickness. He did have a cough and cold but seemed extra sick today since Josh was so down. Sounds suspicious to me ;)

sunday favorite.

2012-01-16T10:32:00.003-05:00

Sundays have become my favorite day of the week.

lazy mornings filled with warmth from the fire.
bedroom cuddles with the family. coffee in pajamas.
french toast and fruit. the sweet smell of Ohio maple syrup.
a stolen moment with my book while a baby naps.
magical forts built under the darkness of bedrooms.
secrets whispered behind giggles.

It was a good weekend. I'm sticking to my goal of focusing less on the things around me and more on my family. I'll take a night of fort building and books over any meeting or social event.

We laughed. A lot.
Under the covers of our fort. In the dark of the room.

On Sunday we had an open house which meant a clean home and a clean home always puts me in a good mood. While Jon showed the house we hung out with my parents and Julie and sipped coffee and hot chocolates. We came home to play and relax. Jon's mom joined us for dinner and family movie night. And, I had no idea that Dolphin Tale would make me so emotional! I'm not normally a crier but this movie was waterworks for me, but it made for a great family movie. I was concerned it may be too "old" for the boys but Jonas got and Josh kinda got it. And that little Josh. He asks so many questions through ANY movie you just have to laugh at his cuteness.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Today is a Holiday for us. No school for the boys which means lunch at the restaurant, a trip to the museum, home to cook and bake a dessert and a family dinner for us since Jon is off tonight.

painting with watercolor.

2012-01-13T12:43:00.004-05:00

When the boys are both in school Jess and I have a small window of "just us" time. Now that she no longer naps in the morning it means outings and activities for mother and daughter.

Since today is such a snowy day and I didn't feel like going out, we sat by the window and experimented with watercolors. She was more intrigued by sticking her brush in the water and playing and poking her fingers in the paint! So, we decided to forget the brushes and paint with our fingers. The result was a fingerprint masterpiece that I'll put in a little frame for the office.

I hope you enjoy your weekend. Tonight I'm going down to the restaurant for a late dinner with Jon, tomorrow we'll run errands, hangout with my sister and parents and clean for an open house we're having on Sunday.

lost in dreams.

2012-01-11T20:26:00.007-05:00

i once touched an orange blossom
in the palm of my hand
the sweet fragrance filled air
bringing back memories of childhood

like the coiled peel of delicate citrus
i remembered
running in an open field
weightless and free
surrounded by endless summer
a young girl lost in dreams
hair blowing in a calm breeze

waiting
anticipating

this life

linking up with just write mama loves papa and embrace the camera

harvest cake with grapes and sangiovese syrup

2012-01-11T11:11:00.005-05:00

Harvest Cake with Grapes and Sangiovese Syrup

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup milk (I used almond)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (Earth's Balance)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 small orange
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups seedless red grapes
1 quart unsweetened grape juice
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar until pale yellow. Whisk in the milk, olive oil, melted butter, lemon zest, orange zest and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture, followed by 1 1/2 cups of the grapes. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cake for 15 minutes. Dot the top of the cake with the remaining 1/2 cup of grapes and bake for about 40 minutes longer, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack, carefully remove the ring and let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, boil the grape juice over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 25 minutes. Let the grape syrup cool to room temperature.
Remove the cake from the base and transfer to a serving platter. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut the cake into wedges and serve, passing the grape syrup at the table.

MAKE AHEAD The grape syrup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Serve the syrup chilled or at room temperature.

I do have a confession to make...I ruined the syrup not ONCE but TWO times. I have made a simple reduction plenty of times and I should know better by now than to step away from your syrup. The first time I became distracted with the kids and my syrup became a candied carmel. The second time around I was in deep conversation with friends and smoked us out of the kitchen with my burnt mess. Thank goodness I married a man who can cook. He made a simple sauce with a little sparkling grape juice that was hidden in the refrigerator and fresh blackberries.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's easy to make vegan or keep it vegetarian.
And don't forget, keep your eyes on your syrup and bon appétit!

little helpers.

2012-01-10T15:55:00.006-05:00

There is one thing to be said about selling your house ... it's the cleanest it's been in years! I am embracing this time of limited toys, cleared clutter, washed floors and somewhat put away laundry. At the end of the day I am relaxed and stress free. I know that clutter causes me anxiety and from there the stress builds. As we move locations I hope that I can take this new outlook on the home with me. I hope that I can simplify my belongings and find organization in life.

I have also found that if I clean here and there everyday it's not so bad when we have to show the house. Since Jonas is in school Joshua and Jessica have become my "little helpers." Give them a rag, a spray bottle with water and they are entertained for hours.

I'll take this kind of help any day!

oh, and remember that giveaway I had weeks ago? Congratulations to Ani for winning.
I will contact you soon ;)

celebrating friends.

2012-01-08T09:58:00.011-05:00

Have you met my best friend Julie? She's amazing. Truly amazing. We have been friends since that first day of kindergarten so many years ago. We have been through ups and we have been through downs. In high school our friendship only grew stronger when she moved to South Carolina. We made the effort to visit each other several times a year. Over these many years our relationship has grown and developed into what is is today. She is my family.

Thursday I had a bit of an emotional day and that is why I abandoned the blog until now. I made the very difficult decision to let go of a friendship that I have had for over 15 years. It truly was one of the hardest choices I have ever made, but in my heart I believe I made the right decision. I am at a point in my life where I cannot surround myself with negative people. When I look at Julie I know the true meaning of friendship. It carries qualities of a marriage. You share, you give, you receive. You open your heart knowing that it WILL NOT get hurt. You are selfless because you think of your "Julie" first. You learn to become each other's anchor and eventually you know that nothing can break that bond.

Since Julie was in South Carolina for her birthday we celebrated on Friday night. I was ready for a much needed night out after Thursday's emotions and Julie was ready to celebrate. Before heading to Benders we walked around downtown for First Friday and mingled with friends that we saw. Since the kids were at my parents we could take our time and hang out and that's exactly what happened. An evening filled with good food, wine and lots of conversation. Late night coffees, music and hanging out at a friends house until the wee hours of the evening. I could use one of those nights more often!

Since the kids where at my parents I even got a run in before dinner. I was planning on writing a blog post but decided that I needed a run. I never run at night and I think I may start. The dark cool sky was peaceful and serene which made for a great run. And to come home and take a shower with no interruptions? That's unheard of. And if that wasn't enough Jon and I enjoyed breakfast and coffee followed by looking at houses.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend and took a moment to embrace your friendships. Take time from your day and celebrate friends. They are your anchor in life.

when winter arrived.

2012-01-04T17:57:00.004-05:00

winter danced over my day.
gray clouds rolling over sky
spreading a dark blanket on horizon.
i've been waiting
perhaps hoping
for this moment.
when the cool air would kiss our cheeks
like a harmless wasp on a summer eve.
white flakes dusting wind
slowly whipping through my hair.
a short period in time
when i could feel the season in my bones.

linking up with just write

i've been tagged.

2012-01-03T09:17:00.008-05:00

Since I was tagged by this lovely lady I decided to jump on board for this fun little game.

Rules:

1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
6. No tag backs.
7. No stuff in the tagging section about ‘you are tagged if you are reading this.’ You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

Eleven Things About Me:

1. I have two nicknames. Most of my friends and family call me Liz but my college friends call me Libby. I'm not sure exactly how that started but freshman year the name caught on.
2. I once set off an alarm at the Louvre. Yep, that's right. I was peering over a rope to look in a mirror (this would be in high school so I'm sure I was checking my hair) and it triggered the alarm. A handful of french guards came running towards me and I couldn't understand a thing they were saying. It was kinda scary in a funny kinda way.
3. I have never broken a bone in my body.
4. Without my glasses or contacts I am legally blind. I've worn glasses since fifth grade and these days prefer contacts. I feel like I see better out of them although every once in awhile you'll see me in glasses.
5. Joshua was born so fast that everyone missed it! We had to call the family and let them know that he had arrived. He came into this world less than forty minutes after arriving at the hospital.
6. I cannot sing. Like, at all. It's really scary. Breaking glass scary.
7. While I can't sing I did practice piano (Suzuki) for several years. Unfortunately, I pretty much haven't played the piano since high school. I can still read music though (sort of).
8. I'm really really excited to move. I think I'm most excited about designing and arranging the inside of my new home. I dream about it at night. Think lots and lots of white.
9. When I was 7 months pregnant with Jonas I went for a walk and our dog freaked out and jumped on the door and accidentally (or so I hope) locked me out. I had no key, no phone and no neighbors were home so I lifted myself up to a raised window and climbed in over the kitchen sink. I really hope no one saw me....I'm sure it was quite a sight.
10. Another great pregnant moment was when I rocked it out 8 months pregnant in Telluride for two nights of Phish. I played the pregnancy to my advantage and we actually got pretty close AND I was able to take my camera in.
11.My favorite color is turquoise (and yellow) and my favorite stone is also turquoise. It reminds me of my grandparents. Every year they spent half their time in New Mexico and our family would occasionally visit. I have inherited some great turquoise over the years and I also inherited my grandfather's passion for jewelry making. When my grandmother passed away last year I inherited his collection of tools and metal. Now I just need to take a class to tackle the metalsmithing end of things.

Questions from Caitlin:

1. If you had to be any cartoon character, which would it be? I would love to be Buzz Light Year.
2. Are you a dog, cat, gerbil, or no-pet person? Dog, all the way.
3. Imagine that at 12 years old, you had to decide all the tattoos you were ever going to get in your life. What would you have wanted to get tattooed at that time? If you don't like tattoos just suspend belief and tell me what you were really into at age 12. Geez, 12. That seems so long ago. Although by then my brother had become a huge influence especially musically. I was very very into the Doors, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the Dead. I probably would have had a Doors one, a dancing bear, a VW Beetle and probably a sun or something astrological.
4. What is your favorite breakfast food? Huevos Rancheros
5. If you could have any animal as a pet, with no concerns for personal danger or money, what would it be? probably a dog. I think keeping "wild" animals as pets is inhumane. They belong in the wild.
6. What TV show could you watch over and over again? Dexter, Law and Order, SG1, Battle Star Galactic (new version)
7. What movie did you watch over and over again? Last of the Mohicans
8. What are your top 3 favorite blogs to read? this is hard because I love way more than three! Right now my top reads are To Make Love Stay, Here's Looking at Me Kid, Bleubird, Sometimes Sweet, Oh Dear Drea, TART, Katie's Pencil Box, The Fairest
9. Who is your least favorite actor/actress? Keanu Reeves, except in Point Break. I liked him in that.
10. What's the furthest distance you've ever driven on one trip? North Carolina. I've done it a few times just me and the kids. A fun challenge. We almost drove to Maine (yep, just me and the boys and six months pregnant) but last minute I decided to fly into Boston and drive up. Equally challenging with kids ;)
11. If you had no concerns about what you looked like or how people would judge you when you walked out the door, what would you wear? um, jammies of course! and maybe my wedding dress one day. i feel bad that i'll never wear it again. i loved that dress!

My Questions:
1. What is your favorite place you have visited?
2. If you could name only one favorite band who would it be?
3. What's sitting on your nightstand right now?
4. Name one tv show you love and one you can't stand.
5. What's the most adventuresome thing you've done on your own?
6. If you had the chance to rename yourself what name would you choose and why?
7. What is your dream job?
8. What's your favorite workout? If you don't workout what would your favorite workout be?
9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
10. What do you picture yourself doing 20 years from now?
11. What is your favorite style of art (contemporary, surrealism, cubism, impressionism, ect.)

And I tag Megan, Ivana, Morgan, Steph, Antoinette, Cindy, Jessica, Abra, Stephanie, Chellsea, Erica

I hope I didn't tag anyone who's already been tagged ;)

greetings 2012.

2012-01-02T14:26:00.006-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!

I hope you enjoyed your evening and welcomed the new year with joy. I was lucky enough to get a sitter this year so I joined Jon at the restaurant. We had a large table in the bar filled with friends, myself and my sister and brother in law. Unfortunately it's a big work night for Jon so he didn't really get to join us for dinner. Just a quick sitting down to say an occasional hello.

As the night rolled on we enjoyed cocktails, appetizers, dinner and wine followed by dessert and espresso. Some years Benders is packed until past midnight and other years it clears out quickly. This year it was a small crowd that gathered in the bar to toast to the new year. And of course all while Phish played in the background (we hooked the laptop up to the tv for our live stream performance). As the new year entered we danced to Down with Disease, sipped champagne and enjoyed the company of friends. Not a bad New Years in my book (although one of these new years I'll make it to Madison Square Garden for that Phish show).

And, I am absolutely in love with my dress that I wore for the evening. I stopped over to my friend Amanda's apartment to try on some clothes from her shop Fine & Dandy and it was love at first sight with this dress!

We only had two bumps in our road this evening. I was SO excited to take tons of pictures. I carefully packed my camera bag before I left the house and set my camera on the table as soon as I arrived. And when I went to take that first picture....there was no battery. It was left in the office charging. I almost went home but Jon talked me out of it. I had my phone and my sister had her camera. Thanks Becky for snapping some photos!

The other bump was a little bigger. I came home to realize that Bailey got out while the babysitter was there. When Jon got home he drove around until 1:30 with no luck. I layered on the winter cloths and headed out for a forty five minute walk but still no luck. Jon gave one more drive around the neighborhood and still no Bailey. He decided to take a catnap on the couch while I sat and drank tea and watched out the window and called for him. Around four in the morning I decided to head up to bed but couldn't sleep. All I could think about was Bailey and the main road that we live close to and the cars zooming by. At the thought of this my stomach tossed and turned so I came downstairs at 4:45 to go drive around. As I walked out into the garage I found one wet, muddy, smelly dog! Needless to say, New Years day was a lazy one for us.

linking up with Mandy for Steppin Out Saturday

thank you 2011.

2011-12-31T13:09:00.003-05:00

2011.
brought us joy. laughter. pride.
it brought us dreams that turned into memories i could quietly tuck into my pocket. so when i needed these memories they were clenched tightly in the palm of my hand.

i watched a baby blossom
a toddler step into boyhood
a child become a leader
and a man take on fatherhood with passion.

we traveled.
Pittsburgh for trey. Raleigh for friends. Wilmington for beach.
Chicago and Cincinnati for phish. Columbus for family.

we learned.
to walk. to swim. to read. to ride a bike.
to coast the ocean waves without fear.

we worked.
long restaurant hours and late into the night.
jewelry shows. art shows.
a new kitchen put in by hand. painted walls. bathroom tile.
a blog that became a place i rarely visited to a daily journal of my life.
words and photographs. thoughts and moments.

we built memories in our home.
a home we decided to leave. a search for new foundation. a new start.

2012
we eagerly await your kindness.
we anticipate what you will share.
a new hope.
good health.
love
family
friends

new memories.

some of my favorite posts from 2011 are:
begging jon to follow the blog, Jessica turning six months old, the Lobster Clam Bake at the restaurant, trip number one to Chicago, Josh's birthday, my birthday, our beach vacation, July 4th, Jonas' birthday and what he woke up to, Chicago again day one, two, three, little sailor girl waiting for her dad, to the fair we went, Jessica's first birthday, this year was also about lots and lots of baking and good food, walking into december with warm weather, decorating for the holidays and finally Christmas Eve and day.

Happy New Year friends. I hope it's been a good one for you.
May you celebrate the new year with joy and love.
Cheers!
Liz

we danced the night away.

2011-12-30T22:43:00.008-05:00

There's nothing like grabbing a coffee, jumping in the car with the family and heading off for a road trip. Our drive took us straight to the North Market in Columbus which is no surprise since Jon and I always make it our mission to seek out the best markets and local grocery stores. We filled our bellies with Pho, Jeni's ice cream and Americanos and then headed to my brothers house. While cousins played and giggles streamed from the basement Jon and I prepared dinner with my brother Mike and his wife Liz.

We sampled wines. We sampled breads. We devoured some delicious artichoke and carmel onion spreads that we picked up at the market. Once the little ones were tucked in tight underneath their sleeping bags we enjoyed a late night dinner of braised short ribs, egg noodles and a strawberry and candied pecan salad accompanied by a trio of wines. Dessert brought us a platter of truffles and crépes suzette. The only thing missing was an espresso but it was well into the night at this point and I certainly didn't need caffeine to keep the night going. We finished our evening off by watching the second set of live Phish on their New Years run at Madison Square Garden. Secretly while I danced I wished I was there (I have yet to see a New Years show) but couldn't be more happy with my family dancing the night away by the Christmas tree.

house hunt.

2011-12-28T22:54:00.010-05:00

great tile, awesome light fixtures but the crazy metallic wall paper would go.

It's official. Our home is on the market and we're on a house hunt. When it comes to our future home Jon and I are similar minded. We love split levels and ranches, we love older homes and we love a neighborhood with an old school feel. We're looking for character and charm and something that we can stay in for the rest of our lives. This means a home that can accommodate small children that will grow into teenagers. Jon and I both agree that we would love for our house to be the hang out house, I would rather my children spend time with their friends under my roof than someone else's. I look forward to a home filled with children, running and playing, music and movies. I look forward to cooking and baking and filling our home with memories.

i love love this living room space

The first house is one we really have our eye on. It's in a great older neighborhood, close to the school and right down the street from my sister. The downfall about this house is it needs serious (serious) work. In fact, every single room needs works which means lots of time and money. I certainly know there will be work in any house but I don't want to still be working on our house ten years down the road. And unfortunately, we are working with a small budget so that means no huge projects and this house needs them. But I still have my eye on it. I have my hopes that it would sell for the right price,

The second set of pictures are from a home we saw yesterday. Again, older neighborhood older home. While this house needed some work it is very livable. Any updates would simply be cosmetic. Take the carpets out and pray there is hardwood underneath and paint (white of course). I think that kitchen is waiting to become an all white kitchen! The layout was a traditional split level, which appeals to us, and it had a spacious backyard.

So, my friends, wish us luck as we continue on this journey. It's a stressful one that has pulled me away from many activities (blogging, trying out the new computer, reading, working out, crafts and my jewelry). Yesterday we showed the house two times and I have to be honest, I can't do this for a year. We stayed up until three am getting ready and then I woke up early and finished the cleaning, washed down walls, touched up paint and swept. My car was filled and I mean FILLED with stuff that had to go, not to mention three kids and a eighty pound dog. The kids sensed my tension, I was tired and cranky. So today we're taking off. We're going to visit my brother in Columbus to enjoy family and good food, hit the North Market, and of course watch some live Phish tonight since Jon and I can't be at the Madison Square Garden shows (insert sad face).

Enjoy your day friends.
I feel like this holiday season has been a bit stressful... I hope yours has been stress free.

and, this is my first official post on the new mac ;)
it only took me seven hours! slowly but surely i'll figure this baby out.

christmas eve and day.

2011-12-27T21:19:00.005-05:00

Our Christmas Eve is filled with family, food and friends.
Every year it is tradition to eat a late lunch at the restaurant. If you can believe it this is actually our busiest day of the year. We gathered around with close family to enjoy the tradition of lobster rolls, Jerry fries and bloody Mary's. After lunch I always head to mass with the kids and this year my family joined me for the "children's" mass. Once church lets out everyone heads over to our house for more tradition: tappas, wine and baccalà (a salted cod fish) which my dad makes with tomatoes, olives, potatoes and a cream broth (olive oil for me). My mother has passed along this Spanish tradition and I can't wait to pass it along to my family. Sometimes we also have octopus, but my dad is still mastering his technique with that one.
This year Jon got home in time to tuck the boys in and say good night.

And while we slept Santa came and ate our cookies, drank our wine and left a few presents along the way.

After morning at our home we head to Jon's dad's house for a late breakfast and presents.
And maybe champagne and bloody mary's ;)

I spy a Josh...

And for dinner we celebrate with my family.

I have to say that I have never EVER been so surprised by Santa. When I opened my gift I cried. Not out happiness for what I received but because my husband was so generous and loving. We had talked about this gift but we both knew now was not the time. Things are a little tight on our end and with an upcoming move we have lots to budget for.
Thank you Jon from the bottom of my heart.

I am SO excited to start playing with my new toy. I haven't even had the chance because we were so busy with family and now we are showing our house this week!! Yikes. We're also looking at some houses too. We found one we really like but you'll hear more about the tomorrow.

truth.

2011-12-20T22:13:00.008-05:00

possible poopy diaper? It looks like Jonas is inspecting. Gross.

I've talked a lot about the magic and tradition during this time of the year. I've shared our beautiful family photos, I've shared my words and our daily routines. The one thing I haven't shared about this time of the year are the emotions and trials that we go through. Being in the restaurant industry may have it's perks but it also has the downfalls, and for us we usually see it this time of the year. This is the busiest month we will ever see. Holiday parties, families get together, company outings and long long hours for Jon. I am so proud of my husband for the time and dedication he puts into his restaurant. During the holidays it's common for him to go in around 10:00am and stay throughout the day and come home after we're in bed, usually around midnight depending on the night. Weekends are a lot later these days. Even though I try to wait up I don't always make it because Jon working harder means that I'm working harder. Three kids makes for a long day. Lunch, naps, play, pick up Jonas, library, play, read, laundry, clean, nap, workout, play, dinner, clean, baths, laundry, snacks, clean, bedtime, laundry, clean, bake, wrap, blog, work, write, laundry, sleep. That pretty much describes my day. For awhile I wasn't working out as much because I just couldn't find time and I found that I HAVE to work out. It's good for the mind.

And I don't know if you go through this, but I always question myself and what I do with my children. Am I doing enough. Did we read enough today. Why do I let them watch tv? Why does Jonas play video games? Do those things make me a bad mom? Do I spend enough time with them. Did I say I love you enough today. Should I work more with Jonas on reading. Should I lay with him till he falls asleep (Jonas asks every night). Please say other parents have these questions because I ask myself them all the time.

So while we love this time of year Jon and I always joke that we're relieved when it's over. I try to embrace every moment. I try to cherish each second spent with the kids. But honestly, it goes so fast and it's so crazy that I feel like I miss moments. I tried to make it a point to be done with all the "hustle and bustle" earlier this year so I could actually sit and enjoy these moments. The presents are almost wrapped, this year I've decided to bake WITH the kids and I don't care if they don't turn out because it's the memories I want to create, and Jonas' last day of school is today. I plan to spend Thursday and Friday soaking in every single second with Jonas, Joshua and Jessica. I have lots of fun activities lined up and Jon will be home Thursday night. Friday and Saturday will most likely be insane for him. Christmas Eve we'll go down to the restaurant for a late lunch and a quick visit with dad before the kids and I head to church.
Then Christmas.
And that special morning with my family.
I can't wait.
I'll try and pop in for one more post but only if time will allow.
Merry Christmas friends.
I know I don't say this enough but I appreciate every single one of my readers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

santa and a party.

2011-12-20T20:43:00.004-05:00

Over the weekend we finally saw Santa. As you can tell by Jess' reaction she was not as excited as the boys over this joyous moment, but she certainly had a death grip on those candy canes and wasn't about to give them up.

Joshua managed to ramble off a list of about five pages while Jonas, on the other hand, named his few items, the price, the store where they are located, and the lego item number. In Jesica's cries and screams I believe I heard her say "kitchen" as her Christmas wish. Just perhaps.

I love this picture.

I've never linked up for style, but thought I would give it a whirl since I actually dressed up. Linking up with Mandy for Steppin Out.
I'm wearing very old Limited red velvet pants, Gap sweater, Missoni for Target shoes, vintage necklace

And yes, I am the cheesy mom whose kids are sometimes matching ;) I have a feeling this is the last year I can pull this one off.

I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas week!
Don't forget to enter my giveaway.

edge of urge giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-18T16:28:00.009-05:00

To celebrate the week of Christmas I thought I would give one of my readers a little present. I've been meaning to offer these awesome earrings as a giveaway for awhile, but to be honest I don't really host giveaways. I picked these up over the summer at one of my favorite stores Edge Of Urge. If you're ever in the Wilmington, North Carolina area make to sure to stop here!! Every summer I make a date with myself, grab a coffee and head downtown to my favorite store.
You can also check them out online here.

To enter this giveaway you must be a follower of Yellow Finch Designs blog.
Simply leave a comment below and make sure to include your email.
That's all you have to do!

But for extra entries you can:
Follow me on twitter
Like Yellow Finch Designs on Facebook
Tweet about this giveaway

>>> make sure to leave an extra comment for each entry <<<
Giveaway ends Friday, December 23rd

I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas week. I am sure it will be filled with hustle and bustle....I know mine will be pretty crazy.

Oh, and this giveaway has no affiliation with edge of urge. Items for this giveaway were purchased by myself to be offered to one of my readers. I did not receive goods or money in exchange for hosting this giveaway.

happy weekend

2011-12-16T13:18:00.002-05:00

Happy Weekend Friends!
The kids and I are off for a little road trip tonight. One of my dearest friends had a baby so we're packing up and heading to visit her for a night. Movies, hot chocolates, pizza and conversation sound like a great friday night to me. Saturday we'll bum around the Short North district in Columbus and I hope to visit my brother and his family.

Hope you enjoy your weekend.
Can you believe only one more week until Christmas!
Santa will be here soon to fill these little stockings...

christmas decorations.

2011-12-14T21:34:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays Friends!
I think I can finally say that I have finished decorating for the season although I am sure I will add some touches here and there.
There is something magical about decorating for Christmas.
Retrieving the boxes from the attic, reaching in for old memories and dusting them off to share. And the excitement that fills the children. My favorite part.
The look in their eyes.
The grin on their faces.
This is what is Christmas is about for me.
Sharing memories, creating new ones and embracing time with my family.

Every single year we have light problems.

This is a special time of the year when I buy candy, but it's only for decoration. I never EVER buy candy. Dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) only. And that's for mama :)

Joshua's Manager scene makes me smile everyday.

And now we enter to the kid's rooms....

Um...of course I had to include Star Wars somewhere!!
We have a few ornaments and I thought we could add to this collection every year.

A teeny tiny manager scene watches over Jess while she sleeps.

One tired little helper.

A colorful tree on a late winter night

Embrace the season.
Create memories.
Gather them close
close your eyes
and always remember....

little gingerbread men.

2011-12-13T20:24:00.005-05:00

Is this normal? The face, the look, a child playing with a knife?
This is my Joshua bursting at the seams with personality ready for acting class.

It just wouldn't be Christmas without cutout cookies, icing and sprinkles. I try to steer clear of these sweet treats but there is always a time to cave....and the holidays are a perfect time. This is also a perfect activity for a cold afternoon. We enjoyed ours with hot cocoa and some Christmas stories.

My official holiday bake off begins this weekend. Jon thinks I get a little "crazy" when it comes to the baking of the cookies but I have some big shoes to fill. A part of the holidays that I will always remember are all the cookies and treats that my grandmothers made. On one side we had a heavy Spanish influence and on the other Slovenian flare. I try to find a medium point with tradition and my heritage and I have found that baking is a great resource.
So let the baking begin!

a toast to the holidays.

2011-12-12T15:36:00.004-05:00

Since Jessica was feeling better yesterday Jon and I decided to continue with our date night, although we hung around town rather than venture up to Cleveland. We decided we should wrap up some of that Christmas shopping for the kids and enjoy a relaxing dinner together.
Before we headed out we kicked off the holiday season with a toast.

We toasted to us, our family and the holiday season.
We toasted to our home.
That we may begin a new journey together finding our next home and that we can finalize the steps as we get ready to sell this one.
Here's to the Holidays.
Here's to our home and here's to our future.
Cheers everyone!

saturday blues.

2011-12-10T21:09:00.003-05:00

Saturday mornings in our home are usually focused on food. The weekdays are so crazy and rushed with the kids and school that we don't have time for a big sit down breakfast. So when the weekend rolls around I try and make up for it.

The Apple Coffee Cake was prepared the night before (from the Joy of Cooking with some changes to avoid dairy) and I woke up early to make the granola. I added some fresh bananas, blueberries and papaya and breakfast was served.

Unfortunately, as the day unfolded we were hit with a case of the Saturday blues. Jon came home from an errand to report that he found our dog a couple streets over and I didn't even know he was out. Watch out for little boys who let the dog out and don't tell anyone (it could also have been my fault. perhaps i left the door open or perhaps i left him out and forgot). At this point Jess had been a handful which is not like her so I got her down for her first nap. Less than hour later she was up, crying, sleepy and covered in vomit. That right. A nasty little bug invaded our home and Jess is the only one (so far) who got it. She actually slept from noon till around 4:30 and the boys went to lunch and to see Santa with Nana. While everyone was out (Jon was at the restaurant) I did yoga, cleaned, laundry and took some pictures of the home.

This evening has been filled with pizza, vomit, watered down juice, cuddles, books, a show, more vomit and lots and lots of laundry for mama. I had plans to be productive and wrap and sew some gifts but I think I'll enjoy a hot bath, a glass of wine and my book.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend. I really hope Jess is better tomorrow. Jon and I are supposed to have date night but I'll only go if she's completely better. Cross your fingers. It breaks my heart seeing her sick. Actually, this is the first time I've seen her this sick.

and this winner is.

2011-12-09T17:32:00.003-05:00

Our photo cards and the photo session have become a yearly ritual.
And each year they become a little sillier and a little harder to capture that "perfect" image. But what I have learned over these past few years is that I'm not really searching for the perfect picture. I'm searching for the picture that tells a story.
Or in our house, the multitude of photos that tell OUR story.
The pictures that allow their personalities to shine.
So that any stranger can look and say those children are bursting with character.

That Jonas. That Joshua. That Jessica.

the christmas card.

2011-12-08T08:09:00.004-05:00

I originally had captions under each photo but I decided that they speak for themselves.
These are my children. My little loves.
Our silly moments bring me so much joy. So much laughter.
My heart grows everyday because of these little loves.

Can you tell Josh is just the silliest of them all?
Can you see the seriousness in Jonas' eye. He is my strength. He focuses on life. He strives to lead. He wants to please and succeed.
Oh and sweet Jessica.
Smile to frown.
Happy to mad.
I love the emotions of a one year old.
And when she giggles my heart melts.

I'm working on my card today and it will probably be a collage with all these pictures, but I do like to focus on one main picture.
Tomorrow I will share.

Linking up with my friend Morgan from Mama Loves Papa for Small Style.
The boys are wearing shirts from target and Gap bottoms.
Jessica is wearing a thrifted dress (two bucks) and a flower clip made my myself.

wordless (ish) wednesday.

2011-12-07T22:11:00.003-05:00

this photo needs no caption.
no words.

these boys

capture my soul
my heart
my love.

everyday
i am mesmerized.

>>> this is a sneak peak of tomorrow's post. i have several (and i mean several) more photos to share<<<

Linking up with The Paper Mama, Project Alicia, and then she snapped, live and love out loud, jenni from the blog

tradition.

2011-12-07T15:55:00.003-05:00

Recently I feel like I've been putting a lot of focus on tradition. Perhaps by sharing our family traditions it may start new ones for you. Perhaps by my sharing and writing I may think of a new one to start with my own children. Perhaps I will start a tradition that I learn from one of you.

These rituals that happen year after year time after time become a part of who we are.
They define those special moments.
They become something to look forward to.
An anticipation for new memories.

The other day we helped Jon's dad, his wife and their daughter decorate their tree. Another small tradition that we participate in year after year. Memories are made over good food and fine wine while Christmas music softly plays in the background. These days the rooms are filled with laughter and children's voices as they run and play.

Oysters with spinach and bacon and a cream sauce (mine only had spinach and bacon) and fine wine. We always start off the evening with a champagne toast to celebrate the holiday season.

By the end of the night we had one baby who feel asleep and two tired boys, but we will always have this tradition and the memories.

light up downtown.

2011-12-06T16:55:00.003-05:00

Every year we celebrate the lighting of downtown on the first week of December. We have a tradition of going to Bender's (our restaurant) first for an early dinner, bundling up and walking around, enjoying the fireworks and the lighting of the streets.
Afterwards we head back to the restaurant for hot chocolates and dessert.

My parents and Jon's mom always join us for this yearly tradition.

Since we had the back room to ourselves the kids could run and play while the adults sat around and talked.

All bundled up for fireworks and an evening stroll.

Does your town celebrate the lighting of the streets?
Do you have any special traditions that you participate in year after year?
Feel free to share your traditions.

all aboard.

2011-12-05T15:38:00.006-05:00

Last week we took the boys on the Polar Express. We had an extra little surprise because Jon had to work, but as a last minute decision he took off and was able to come with us.
The boys were so excited and it was truly a magical night.
We started off with dinner at a drive in, which the boys have never experienced before. Of course they picked sloppy joes. Why wouldn't they pick the messiest item on the menu to eat in the car!

Together we boarded the train and munched on popcorn. As we pulled out of the station the boy's faces lit up with curiosity and anticipation. We were heading to the North Pole. Our evening was filled with cookies, hot chocolates, story time, Christmas carols and even Santa Claus.
It was an evening to remember.

a hot chocolate coma

When we arrived home we had two little boys fast asleep. Jon and I got to sit around by the fire and enjoy a glass of wine. And, to add to the surprises, not only did my best friend babysit Jess but she also swept, picked up all the toys AND unloaded the dishwasher.
She's a keeper :)

my jedi masters.

2011-12-03T12:36:00.008-05:00

I just had to share this little video. It pretty much captures the essence of my children. Even when I glance out the corner of my eye I can spot Jessica playing with chewbacca and yoda. I can hear her giggle at the sound of the x wing fighter as it crashes to the ground. All day my ears ring with vroooms and beeps and the clashing of light sabers. At bedtime I am only allowed to read the Star Wars Encyclopedia of Characters. Night after night after night.
But seeing the excitement in the boy's eyes and watching them act out scenes makes my heart melt and I can't help but giggle to myself.

Welcome to my Star Wars world.

Did you know that Jessica now sings the Star Wars theme?
That may have to be my next video.

I made this video with my iPhone, iMovie app and 8mm app

it's the weekend.

2011-12-02T23:11:00.003-05:00

Happy Weekend Friends.

I normally don't do a "links to love" post but I'm feeling in the mood for some sharing and thought I would share these links with you.

I love Megan's advent calendar. So creative and family friendly and I just adore her blog and beautiful family.

I just bought tickets to Trey's orchestral tour. I'll be making a solo trip to the Pittsburgh show because Jon will be at the restaurant since it's Valentine's Day. Sorry honey, at least I'm not leaving you behind and going to this.

I've decided I need to visit England just so Ivana and cook for me. She has some amazing recipes on her blog.

I just bought this book and am so excited for it to arrive.

Here are a few things on my Christmas wish list:
boots, sweater, poem on canvas, knit cowl, mixing bowls, and this one too, and i would love this for my farm fresh eggs

And if money were no issue I would want this, this, and this

How cute is this little shop.

Here are some blogs I am enjoying: one, two and three.

Tomorrow night my best friend is coming over for a movie night. Here are some movies I picked out: Rabbit Hole, Biutiful, and Cold Weather. Jon and I just watched Wrecked the other night and gave it two thumbs up. And of course Sunday we will be watching Dexter and Homeland. Which, we are really enjoying Homeland.

Danielle and Liz both have some great links on their blogs. Make sure to check them out.

Hope the weekend is good to you. I have lots of posts lined up for next week. This past week was a busy one and I have lots of photos to share from our events.

december is here.

2011-11-30T23:09:00.007-05:00

autumn ends
with a cool wind
walking away

empty streets
once dressed
in colorful trees
branches danced
over our home

silence fills day
a snowflake gently
touches our cheek

december is here
with her open arms
gray skies
white kisses

she takes our hands
walks away
into a distance
an opaque haze

magical dreams
joy
within reach

autumn ends
into december's stillness

linking up with morgan from mama loves papa for small style.

sparkle. shine. share.

2011-11-30T21:15:00.004-05:00

The tree is up and December is here tomorrow. The holiday season is upon us and I'm ready. I'm ready to stop, slow down and enjoy this season with the kids and my family. I don't see much of Jon this month because it's the restaurant's busy season but I capture happiness in the time we do share.

Speaking of sharing....the kids and I have been busy reaching out to those in need. For Thanksgiving we baked three large casseroles of green beans that were served to local families. For Christmas Joshua is filling a stocking for a child of a similar age who is in foster care. Jonas is picking out items for a boy his age that will go to the Domestic Violence Program. I choose a little boy who is from the same program. We also spend the next week going through toys and cloths that we can pass along to those in need. It's very important to me as a parent and role model to teach my children to share and give a helping hand when needed. I only hope they take this gift and pass it along.

May your days be filled with joy.
Take this joy.
Pass it along.
Give a hand.
Reach to those in need.

linking up with Chelsey today for Wordless (ish) Wednesday

o christmas tree.

2011-11-28T17:17:00.005-05:00

Growing up it was a tradition to load the family in the station wagon and drive down south to a tree farm to cut our own. These days we have simplified the tree process and head over to our friend's house to pick one (or two) out for our house. Very close friends of ours own a tree farm so we have made a tradition out of this yearly ritual of packing up the car and driving to their house. The boys play with their girls while the adults chat and pick out trees. This year little Jessica ran around in the backyard and loved hanging out with the dogs.
Poor Jonas was still sick and took a nap during this festive event.

I'm so excited to decorate the tree and the house this week. I can't believe December is right around the corner. There is something magical about this time of the year and now that I have children it's like experiencing the magic for the first time. A child's joy can touch the heart in so many ways.
I hope to be touched every day this season by the joy of my children.

Thanks Chris and Leslie for having us over. Good time as always and thanks Leslie for snapping some photos!

tradition with a twist.

2011-11-25T11:28:00.004-05:00

Every year our Thanksgiving is filled with tradition. Typically, I wake up early and run the 5K Turkey Trot and when I get home Jon golfs with the guys. My day is spent hagning out with the kids and baking and when Jon comes home we head over to his dad's house.
This year we celebrated with tradition but we also had a twist.

I woke up in the morning to one sick little boy. Poor Jonas had a high temperature and headache which stuck with him all day. Jon was still feeling under the weather from his surgery and decided to take it easy. No race. No golf. Instead we hung out around the house and were lazy. I did get a run in though and it was much needed with all the food that I would be eating.

I baked my vegan pumpkin pie, a fabulous sweet potato casserole that I made with coconut milk and Jon made his famous mashed potatoes. We may have even enjoyed a bloody mary during all this baking. Around 3:30 we packed up and headed to his dad's house for our first dinner. At 6:30 we headed to my parents for our second dinner.

All the packing up and moving gets to be hard but I suppose it's part of the tradition. It's nice to be able to spend the holiday with all of our parents, even if it gets a little crazy. We had one sick boy and my poor dad had a broken arm and injured back but we made it work. Here's to tradition and the holidays. I hope you enjoyed yours! Today is for lounging around the house, working out, eating yummy leftovers with my parents, decorating for Christmas, and spending time with my brother and his family.

please excuse the not so great photos.

grateful for family.

2011-11-23T08:52:00.007-05:00

Yesterday Joshua and I had a wonderful day at his school for the Thanksgiving Feast. They had the cutest performance from all the grades followed by a feast with handpicked items from the children. Let's just say the menu was interesting! And what did my little Joshua choose to bring? Why, Pirate Booty of course. I've never had it because it has dairy but the boys love it.

Joshua's amazing Thanksgiving book was the centerpiece for our table. This little book is so beautiful and made my heart melt while I read through the pages.
These are the memories that I look forward to bringing out when he is older.
Reminiscing on old times. Laughing. Talking.
Sharing moments as family.

I am grateful for the time we share now.
I am grateful for the memories we are building.
I am grateful for family.
They carry me and guide me in the right direction.
They make me smile when thoughts walk my mind.
They make me laugh with each day.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving week.
Is there anything in particular that you are grateful for?
Share below. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Today I am off to Jonas' Thanksgiving Feast then home to bake my pies for tomorrow. I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening tonight. Jon is still home recovering. Which, it's kinda weird having him around for the week. I'm not used to hanging out after the kids go to bed. I've really enjoyed our time together this week. This weekend we have my brother, his wife and their boys staying with us AND we put up the tree!!

shakes here and shakes there.

2011-11-21T07:52:00.002-05:00

I'm feeling a bit more like myself after a refreshing weekend. I caught up on lots of housework, enjoyed time with Jon and played and played with the kids. I probably should have mentioned that the other reason I've been a little off these days is because I'm trying to cut back on the coffee. This is a challenge for me but one I really want to work on.

To seek the extra energy that I need to get me through my day I've turned to shakes. When I was pregnant with Jess I made a banana shake every single day. I looked forward to those afternoons when I could sit and enjoy my drink as if it were a steaming hot latte. These days I've been making a banana cocoa cashew shake which I adapted from here.

Below are both recipes.
I don't use measurements so you'll have to taste and adjust.

Banana Cocoa Cashew Shake:
1 banana
handful of raw cashews
1 to 2 tsp cocoa powder
1.5 cups coconut milk (or any other milk on hand)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 tbsp wheat germ or flax seed
handful of ice

blend ingredients until smooth

Banana Spice Shake:
1 banana
handful of raw almonds (or other nuts)
1.5 cups almond milk
1 tsp honey (or agave syrup)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp wheat germ or flax seed
handful of ice

blend ingredients until smooth

Other activities from the weekend include:

Painting the garage white. Always a fun time.

Jess must have got a hold of the phone at some point because she dialed 911. I would like to note their rapid response time on calling back. We should all be very impressed with this service. My apologies for my one year old and her fine motor skills. Seriously, where were the parents?

I almost finished painting the bathroom.

My pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls were a success.

I managed to fall asleep by midnight on Friday night. A true success.

In addition to my normal role (mother, wife, master laundress, painter) I will also be playing the part of a nurse this week. Jon goes in for a minor surgery tomorrow and will be home most of the week. Nothing serious. Let's just say the Jacob's won't be having any more kids. Three is our magical number.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend friends. If you try my shake recipes let me know. I would love to hear how they turned out.

enjoy
♥

recently in life.

2011-11-18T18:59:00.002-05:00

It's been a crazy busy week and I'm ready to welcome the weekend. I apologize for my lack of posts and I know my recent posts have not reflected me and my personality. Once again I am overloaded in life and need to breathe. Slow down.
Enjoy the little things.
I'm spending the weekend relaxing and catching up. The kids are actually with my parent's for the night so I can work on the house. We're still hoping to list the house in two weeks....but naturally we're behind schedule.
So much to do. So little time.
Working tonight will help. A hot bath and a late dinner with Jon.
Tomorrow and Sunday are dedicated to the kids.
I'll be back on Monday.
Refreshed and ready to write.
Ready to share.
In the meantime, enjoy your weekend friends.

wordless (ish) wednesday.

2011-11-16T20:36:00.005-05:00

well friends, i'm overwhelmed.
it's a busy busy week on my end. so i've decided to post this amazing photo from our last trip to telluride. i wish i was there now. relaxing. taking it easy. enjoying nature and the little moments.

Linking up with The Paper Mama, Project Alicia, and then she snapped, live and love out loud, jenni from the blog

as autumn ends.

2011-11-15T21:32:00.009-05:00

as autumn ends
the sun settles over day
like a warm blanket
masking our souls

we laugh. we run. we play.

and when day sleeps
our blanket wraps around
small bodies
as they slowly make their way
into the unguarded night

we embraced these moments
as autumn ends
our laughter thrown to wind
dancing in sky
floating
away

as autumn ends.

Yesterday the sun decided to visit for a brief moment. We took advantage of that time and played, and ran, and laughed. Little did I know there was a tornado warning but maybe it's better I didn't know. We enjoyed the last of these autumn days under the warm sun.

Please note Jonas's awesome nerf gun strap handmade by dad out of duct tape. And Josh.....what a ham. I used to make fun of Jon for calling our old lab a ham. Bella was a ham and so is Josh.
He can ALWAYS put a smile on my face.

linking up with mama loves papa today.

weekends are for...

2011-11-14T15:52:00.005-05:00

pumpkin pancakes
the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg
dancing in my kitchen

a warm fire to fill our house
lazy moments
lost in books
entangled together on the couch

baby laughs and silly giggles
tired eyes
open dreams

hope you enjoyed your weekend
♥

run baby run.

2011-11-11T11:13:00.005-05:00

These days I just can't get enough of the beautiful November sun and the cool autumn breeze. We have been spending so much time outside that I'm trying to savor every moment. I know these days of autumn weather are limited. Soon the snow will come, the gray sky will spread across the days and we will spend more and more time inside.

These days little Jessica has learned to run. She runs after a ball. She runs after the dog. She runs after her brothers. I'm thankful that we can spend time running outside in the grass and in our yard because soon we'll be running in the snow.

I'm looking forward to a weekend spent around the home. I have a long "to do" list that I need to tackle and will be staying in Friday night to start my chores. At the top of the list is painting the bathroom. I'm looking forward to a late dinner on Saturday night with Jon at the restaurant and a casual Sunday spent with the family. And working on the house of course. Our goal is to have the house up for sale in one week.....I still can't believe we're doing this!

What are your weekend plans?
Whatever they may be I hope you enjoy every moment of these November days.

the leaves danced.

2011-11-10T07:24:00.001-05:00

the leaves
they danced and played
in november air
like little children
skipping down sidewalks
holding hands

little children

reaching for something in the distance
a thought
a moment
a mothers touch
a story

they sat and waited
patient
listening for the sound of home

today is small style over on mama loves papa. make sure to swing over and visit my friend morgan.
♥
jess is wearing:
a vintage dress, target tights and target shoes

josh is wearing:
nordstrom shirt and tie, gap pants and target shoes

doesn't josh look like such a little scientist? he was so excited and concerned about gathering the right leaves. i just love this kid so much! and jessica has a whole new look here.
her smile, her eyes, her laughter.

linking my first photo up here

baby in a sink.

2011-11-09T09:21:00.006-05:00

I guess we just can't say no to home projects. We've decided to finally redo the upstairs bathroom. It's been on our "to do" list for some time, but after a kitchen makeover, having a baby and painting the living room and hall ways we needed a break. It's back to work for us. We have officially decided to sell our home so it's time to wrap up some of those daunting projects that have sat unfinished.

Jon ripped up the old tile and took out the plastic shower. He's been working hard on re-tiling the floor and shower for a clean neutral look. When he's done with his part I get to come in and paint. Oh joy. More painting ;)

So for now we have a baby in a sink.
linking up here. wordless (ish) wednesday.

in the kitchen. on our plates.

2011-11-07T15:50:00.005-05:00

It's no secret that we like food in this house.
Good food. Organic food. Local food. Sustainable food.
I tend to spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen prepping, baking and cooking this food. I await patiently the anticipation of plating all this goodness up and sharing it with friends and family.
I thought I would share with you a glimpse of the kitchen and what's on our plates.
These photos are from last week.

swiss chard, tomatoes, carrots and radish. apple carrot soup with sunflower seed bread. fresh beets. a breakfast omelet. sweet potato and black bean empanadas. chipolte (the only fast food i eat). pumpkin bread and whole wheat waffles. kiwi berries.

Here are some more food related reads for you. Enjoy!
oh dear drea, miss igs, Post Punk Kitchen, eat sleep cuddle, simply breakfast, Nectar

Do you have a food related link to share? Please let me know.
I love anything food and spirits related.

Welcome new readers! I love hearing your comments and reading your emails. Thank you
♥

just another day.

2011-11-04T12:30:00.002-04:00

Awhile back a lovely reader asked if I could post about my "typical day" and I feel horrible that I am just getting around to this. My apologies. So, here you have it. This is an example of my day...well this past wednesday to be exact.

7:00am
rise and shine. wake up jonas, head downstairs with jess and make coffee. make jess and jonas breakfast and help him get dressed and ready for school.
7:40
leave to take jonas to school.
sometimes i take jess with me and sometimes she stays with jon if he's up.
8:10
arrive back home. get joshua breakfast and dressed for school. eat myself and drink coffee.
must drink coffee.
8:50
take joshua to school.
9:10
quickly stop at home to grab my sunglasses and coffee. then off to music class with jess.
9:30 to 10:15
kindermusik with jess
10:25
home. nap for jess and laundry for mama. also cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast.
11:20
leave to pick up josh from school.
11:40
arrive home. make lunch and clean up after lunch. quickly check email if i have a chance. unload dishwasher if needed or switch out laundry.
12:20
today jon's mom came over so i could take a car load to salvation army. while there i quickly browsed and picked up some vintage dresses for jess. and stopped at starbucks afterwards.
2:15
head over to the school to pick up jonas.
3:00
get home. snacks for the kids. normally jess takes her nap now, but today she only took one nap. jess and i played while the boys watched a show. jonas is allowed to watch tv for a half hour after school. jess and i snapped some photos and played on the swing set. the boys joined us and jonas and i had a mean game of nerf gun war.
5:00
i intended on making sweet potatoe and black bean empanadas for dinner but realized i forgot to pick up some ingredients. in a pinch, we ordered carry out from the restaurant. daddy to the rescue :)
5:30
jon came home for fifteen minutes. normally he comes home for about an hour, but since it was so beautiful he got a game of golf in. fine with me because thursday night is dinner with the girls and he hangs out with the kiddos.
6:00
ate dinner. mom cleaned the kitchen while the kids played.
7:00
bath time for everyone. well, not me just the kids. and yes, i put them all in the tub at once. it's easier for me and everyone plays.
7:30
bed time snacks. crackers, cheese and apples (organic).
7:45
jess and i read two books then she goes in her bed.
8:00
books for the boys. potty and brush teeth. i tuck them in and chat for a moment then leave.
8:30
make a quick run through of the house and pick up. toss a load of laundry in and make a pot of coffee.
8:50
computer time while i drink my coffee. i catch up on emails, edit photos and write my blog posts. i also look at my calendar and plan the week. sometimes i have school papers to go through. sometimes i have work for one of the organizations i'm involved with. i sit on a fundraising committee for jonas' school so i have been busy working on school projects and i'm on the board for the foundation for community betterment which keeps me active. i'm in the process of planning an event for the holidays. i sit on a couple other boards as well but these take up most of my time.
9:30
while i continue computer work i usually indulge in a beer or glass of wine around this time. and music of course.
11:00
switch out laundry, clean up, make jonas' lunch and take a shower.
11:30
jump in bed with my book or try and watch a show. on some weekdays jon will get home around this time. i'll usually hang out with him and chat and catch up
12:00 ish
bedtime. sometimes it's later sometimes it's earlier. just depends.

..........
so, this is my typical day. of course it depends on whats going on and if jon is home or not. i'm not going to lie, our schedule is challenging. jon works long hard hours and that means i work long hard hours too. but we make it work. we find the balance. you have to if you want it to work. we have a great babysitter and that makes the difference. i'm able to go down and have late night dinners with jon and i'm able to attend my meetings and be involved in the community and arts. we are also blessed with great parents who help out and love to hang out with the kids.

you'll notice i didn't workout today, but most days i do. i either run in the morning while jon is home, run or do yoga while jess naps later in the day or worst case scenario i run on the treadmill after the kids are in bed.

jon IS off on monday nights, thursdays and sundays. although he always goes in on his days off. we make sure to to make the best of those days as a family and as a couple. now that november is here it means the holiday season has arrived, a time i have a love hate relationship with. the holidays mean longer work hours for jon because it's the restaurants busiest time of the year.

wow, i feel exhausted just typing this out.
i'm ready to relax a bit this weekend.
have a great weekend everyone
♥

thank you november.

2011-11-03T08:28:00.000-04:00

thank you november. thank you for sharing your sun. the gentle breeze. the open sky.

today
we played and laughed beneath the empty trees.
we gathered leaves. between our fingers. under our feet. in our hair.
we softly listened to crisp sounds and giggled with a silent breathe.

today was a good day.

today
I stopped for a moment and embraced my children.
i played. i ran. i laughed.
thank you november.
thank you for sharing your sun.
gentle breeze.
open sky.

how was your november day
did you run
did you play
did you laugh

today is small style over on mama loves papa. make sure to swing over and visit my friend morgan.
♥

jess is wearing:
gap sweater, thrifted pants, moccasins from the shop on squirrel island in maine

this moment. this baby.

2011-11-02T21:50:00.003-04:00

everyday.
she captures my heart.

linking up with the paper mama photo challenge.

also linking up here: a little king and i, 5 minutes for mom, parenting by dummies, project alicia, Supermom, and then she snapped, jenni from the blog and live and love out loud.

thanks chelsey for sharing these wonderful blogs. i can't wait to check them out.

hello november. goodbye october.

2011-11-01T21:49:00.004-04:00

suddenly the colors surround me
turning slowly
around and around
like autumn leaves
that dance across this brisk day

the sound of the breeze
whispers in my ear
morning air
gently touching the window
as we drive in silence

november has arrived
with her open arms
empty trees reaching for more
she waits
waits patiently
until we finally smile
and embrace this time.

hello november.
goodbye october.

>>> These photos are from today. Around our yard and in the neighborhood. <<<

trick or treat and star wars.

2011-10-31T16:05:00.005-04:00

Last night we tromped and strolled through our neighborhood for an evening trick or treat. The original plan was to dress the entire family in Star Wars attire (nerds, I know) but by the time trick or treat rolled around Jon and I were feeling pretty tired so we held off on our costumes.

If you can't tell Jonas is Commander Cody and Joshua is Cad Bane. And Jessica is our little Yoda, a costume that Jonas wore when he was one.

Thank you to my parents for coming over and passing out treats and a huge thank you to my mother in law for bringing over the best autumn roast AND apple caramel pie.

Happy Halloween Friends.
How was your trick or treat?
If you posted about your Halloween feel free to share.

a baby sunflower.

2011-10-30T09:28:00.004-04:00

Who can't resist a baby with sunflowers in her hair and a ridiculous amount of tulle? On Friday night I took the kids to our annual Children's Halloween party and it was a blast. Exhausting, but a blast. I couldn't seem to get this little sunflower off the dance flower.
She was on the go the entire night.

For the boys there was a hula hoop contest, laser tag, a haunted house (which Jonas went through) and a reptile show with lots and lots of snakes.

The only thing that was missing was Daddy, but we'll make up for that today. We have family coming over for dinner, trick or treat and a beautiful day to go outside and play.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Oh, and I simplified things a bit with the blog. I would love your honest feedback. I love the white and the simple look, but hope it's functional. Most tabs are now on the bottom.

Don't mind the "noisy" pictures. Still trying to figure this manual mode thing out. I struggle a bit in low lighting. It's a work in progress.

a baby in a barn.

2011-10-27T20:47:00.004-04:00

I just love these little photos of Jessica. I snapped these when I was on Jonas' field trip at the pumpkin patch on Tuesday. She's a bit thrown together because I was running behind and couldn't seem to get out the door (surprise surprise) but she pulls it off.
Just look at her eyes and you'll become lost.
That's all the matters to me.
Her captivating soul.
Her individualism.
My Jessica.

Well friends, enjoy your weekend. We have a super cool Halloween party lined up for tonight and lots of baking, reading and playing for Saturday. And perhaps a little Nightmare Before Christmas movie night. Oh, and a little trick or treat and dinner at our house on Sunday.
Do you have any special plans for this spooky weekend?

passing the needle.

2011-10-26T20:09:00.006-04:00

the back porch was always my favorite spot in the house
the scent of water that traveled across the street
and luminous clouds that ran over the roof.

the open green grass was my favorite place to dance
somewhere i could whirl and twirl in the summer breeze.

and my favorite voice i always heard was that of my mother
the voice that guided me around the cliffs
the challenges i built myself.

she gave me love
she gave me a new needle to sew my own future
and now i give this needle and thread to you.

I'm linking this photo up for The Paper Mama's Photo Challenge

Today I am also linked up with Small Style Show Off Your Shot and Just Write

Jessica's beautiful dress is a vintage Lord & Taylor from the 1960's.
My mother held onto this beauty that once belonged to my sister.

a birthday surprise.

2011-10-26T17:03:00.003-04:00

In our house we like to celebrate birthdays for a week. Sunday we celebrated Jon's special day with his dad and his wife, Monday we celebrated with his mom and Tuesday we celebrated with the kids. And as a little birthday surprise I lined up a sitter and joined Jon at the restaurant last night. I loved the look on his face when I walked through the door. When he left our house around 6:00pm I was in jeans and a sweatshirt racing around making dinner and stressing out.
He thought it was a normal Tuesday.

Monday night we sampled some of Jon's brew and can I just say it's pretty tasty!
You nailed this one honey.

The kids created some homemade birthday gifts.

Celebrating on Monday with his mom and our family.

A birthday surprise at the restaurant and some oysters on the half shell and cocktails to start off our night.

So why was I stressing out? Well, even though yesterday turned out wonderful, it was a challenging day. From the minute I woke up it was nonstop. Before I even took Jonas to school Jess opened a huge container of vinegar and dumped it everywhere....so it was laundry and running late for me. I took Jonas to school, came home got Josh ready for school pictures and took him to school. Then Jess and I went back to Jonas' school to go on his field trip. We left this early, around 11:30, and came back home where my parents were waiting with Josh. Naturally, I was running late and dropped off Jonas and picked up Josh. We headed to the hospital for his appointment with a pediatric cardiologist.

At his four year old checkup our doctor detected a heart murmur that he wanted looked at by a cardiologist. We heard good news yesterday. It is a normal heart murmur that we shouldn't be concerned about. He can continue to run and play and participate in any sports. I debated about sharing this information. To be honest, I never realized how common heart murmurs are in children. So many of my readers are moms so I thought it would be important to share. Since August I have had this in the back of my mind and it was driving me crazy. At least I can relax a little now.

So the kids had pizza night last night and I quickly got ready after Jon left. When our awesome sitter came at 7:30 I finished Jon's present...a scrap book of all our Phish concerts from 2009 to 20011...and ran out the door. It felt good to sit down and relax with the hubby over a nice dinner and drinks.

Happy Birthday Jon
♥

moments of our weekend.

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a great day. It was a beautiful fall day with sun shining and a cool breeze in the air. We started our morning off with pumpkin pancakes, coffee and family time. Jon headed down to the restaurant afterwards and the kids and I packed up and went to the library. We all met at home for lunch and then playtime in the yard. Jon has been so busy working in the yard splitting wood from a couple trees we had cut down last year. We've had the wood stacked along our back fence but it's time to get rid off it and use it this winter for fires.

While Jon worked on this all day I cleaned my garage....which I have to tell you I have not parked my car in the garage in five months. Yes, my friends, FIVE months. Instead, parked inside were kids bikes and toys. It was time to put a stop to that nonsense. After this task I vacuumed out my car and proudly pulled it in to the garage. I also started the job of cleaning my work space. My decluttering continues and I have lots of jewelry supplies to list in my shop. I even managed to get in a run. I struggled with my run but at least I did it.

Saturday night I hung out with my best friend Julie over at my sister's housed for a Wicked Wine tasting. It was nice to hang out with friends and family and enjoy some down time. I have to admit though, I was beat from my hardcore cleaning I did during the day. I planned on staying up until Jon got home to have a glass of wine together, but I fell asleep as soon as he got home.

So, I feel like we have nothing going on yet so much going on right now. First, I am kinda excited because I have been working so hard on figuring out my camera. I have talked about how I love photography but don't really know what I'm doing. Well, something clicked this weekend and I've been shooting in manual all weekend. I became so dependent on the programmed and aperture priority modes that I never explored the manual mode. Wow, was I missing out! So please bare with me and my photos and any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

On a bit of a bigger note....we have decided to move. We have just begun the process of house hunting and we have a long list of things that need done to our house before we sell. We won't put our house on the market until after the holidays, but we need to start the preparations now. The holidays are a crazy time for us because that's Jon's busiest season at the restaurant. I pretty much don't see him the month of November and December. If you can believe it Christmas Eve is our busiest day of the year!

So our Sunday was spent looking at houses and starting some early birthday celebrations for Jon. His birthday is on Tuesday.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.
♥

date night and a wine tasting.

2011-10-21T12:56:00.007-04:00

Jon and I are on a roll for the month of October...three date nights! On Wednesday I was supposed to help out with a wine tasting at the restaurant but as a last minute decision I was not needed. SO, I kept the babysitter and headed to the library and off for some quick thrifting. Afterwards I joined Jon at Benders and we sat by ourselves in the bar and did the wine tasting. I certainly indulged in food and wine, but it was worth it and I loved the time with my hubby.

Argentine Wine Dinner

Start
2008 Reginato Blanc de Blanc
Smoked Salmon Mousse with Apple Crisps & Pickled Apples

First Course
2009 Anoro Chardonnay & 2008 Luca Chardonnay
Scallop Ceviche
Grilled Cod in Banana Leaves with Plantains & Coconut Salsa

Second Course
2009 Graffito Malbec & 2008 Luca Malbec
Roast Quail with Chorizo & Figs, Leek Risotto
Slow Roasted Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Aji Gnocchi with Amarillo & Parmesan Sauce

Third Course
A Special Tasting of the
2006 Luca "Nico"
Churros Con Chocolate
Manchego Cheese

I'm linking up with Aisle to Aloha today.
Make sure to check out her "it's the little things" Friday list.

I'm also over on Pamplemousse with a Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Recipe. Check that out here.

happy weekend
♥

october day and a pumpkin patch.

2011-10-19T17:49:00.007-04:00

the october day
walked away briskly
into the night
leaving us silent
with dreams on the mind.

a sudden smile on your face
brought light over the fields

leaves danced in air
swaying back and forth
to the sound of wind

running feet echoed
and childrens laughter
hung in the breeze

a glimpse of love
when i caught your gaze
as you watched me
skip through the patch

we held hands tightly
i whispered softly
thank you
october day.

So, I haven't been able to figure out why my photos have been a little on the grainy side. Well, last night I realized that I never changed my ISO setting or white balance from the other week. I love taking photos but it is definitely a trial and error experience.
I'm learning. Slowly but surely.
After our pumpkin patch adventure we went out to dinner with the kids. I was dressed for dinner in these photos. Jon was dressed to run and play in the fields. We ended up all running and playing.

Linking up here today:

And with Gussy because my favorite accessories are my children.

fall style.

2011-10-18T18:27:00.003-04:00

Today I have a fun little post to share with you. Morgan, from Mama Loves Papa, and I decided to do a guest post swap. She's posting over here about some fabulous fall fashion for the mamas (and non mamas) on the go and I posted about kid's fall trends over on her blog. Make sure to check 'em out and let us know what you think!

Happy Wednesday everyone! I'm Morgan and I blog at Mama Loves Papa. During the Fall months I love drinking hot apple cider, visiting the pumpkin patch, pulling out my cool weather wardrobe, and watching the leaves change color.

Today I want to share two outfits that I love and are perfect for Moms (or anyone) for the Fall. Similar versions will be in heavy rotation in my wardrobe as soon as the weather cools down here in Northern California. To see some adorable kids Fall outfits headover to my blog where Liz is guest posting today.

Dress - Modcloth
Scarf - Forever 21
Cardigan - Urban Outfitters
Earrings - Yellow Finch Designs
Sweater tights - Target
Boots - Anthropologie

Trouser Jeans - Gap
Blazer - J. Crew
Blouse - Banana Republic
Belt - Forever 21
Necklace - Lisa Leonard
Oxfords - Chelsea Crew via Lulus.com

lost in our books.

2011-10-17T17:41:00.005-04:00

I have always had a passion for reading.
The scent of a hardback book draws out memories and emotions from the past.
The feel of crisp pages as they flutter through your hands.
The small stacks and piles that can be found in every room.
The various subjects encompassed by endless words and taunting information.

I look forward to my Fridays because it's library day with the kids.
Our afternoons are spent strolling the aisles looking for the perfect book.
We race home to lay on our tummies, our legs gently touching each other and we dive into our books only to become lost in the words.

Do you have a favorite book? A favorite poem? A favorite children's book?
Please share. I'm always looking for a new read!

fall is for baking.

2011-10-17T14:00:00.003-04:00

It was a wonderful weekend. It was a simple weekend.
No plans and no babysitter, just me and the kids, which was exactly what I needed. Friday night cuddles in my bed while diving into our books, an early morning Farmer's Market and a hot chocolate date with Jon. Dinner with my parents and a much needed movie and relaxation time for me on Saturday night. Jon golfed on Sunday and we hung around the house catching up on laundry and play. We tackled the recycle bin and came up with some cool ships for our Star Wars characters and Joshua created his own Halloween statues. Sunday night brought a fabulous family dinner, bath time with Dad, Homeland and Dexter once the little ones were in bed.

And with the feel of autumn in the air comes the scent of cinnamon, spice, pumpkin and apples from my kitchen. It was a perfect October weekend to spend baking and cooking.

Stuffed acorn squash, beet salad, honey wheat bread (that failed), rosemary focaccia, spiced apple pancakes, basil focaccia and apple peanut butter caramel bars.

You could say I was busy, but I enjoyed every single moment of it. I love a peaceful moment in the kitchen while the music softly plays in the background.

a simple little list.

2011-10-14T16:47:00.006-04:00

It's no secret that I struggle with balancing the everyday tasks that consume my life. Recently, I came across another blogger, James over at bleubird, who asked her readers how they stay on schedule AND keep sane. These questions really made me think because, like James, I have yet to find the perfect schedule that works for my household. Over the past week I have been dwelling on this concept as I continue to stress myself out by piling chores and tasks onto my plate. I finally concluded that.... I do not have an answer.....but I may have an idea and I'm going to give it a whirl.

First, I made a list of the things that are important to me and the activities that I do. As you can imagine this list was extremely long so I narrowed it down to ten (yes only ten) items.

They included:
family, staying healthy and working out, volunteering in my community, the house, writing and photos (the blog), the jewelry business, the vintage business, thrifting, running races, gardening and the list goes on.

Then, I decided to cut this list in half.
The new list includes:
1.family
2. home
3. working out and eating healthy
4. volunteering
5. writing and photos

So there you have it. I have simplified my life. This was not easy. Let me repeat, this was not easy. I love making jewelry, attending art shows and selling on etsy. I'm not giving this passion up I'm just setting it aside for now. I have one more art event in November and then I'll be on break. I'll keep the shop open a bit longer (everything is still 50% off) but will go into vacation mode soon. I will not be listing anything new until I create a new line. As for the vintage, well, I have boxes and boxes of items to be photographed and listed. For now, they'll stay there, but perhaps I'll narrow down my inventory and focus on the bundles and bundles of vintage baby cloths I have collected.

By simplifying my list I am able to fully focus on all five items. And, I enjoy each task even more. I get more quality time with Jon and the kids, I'm more relaxed with the house work because I actually have time to do it and I love my workouts that I try to squeeze in every day. I continue to volunteer and play an active role in the arts within my community, but I have stepped away from a couple positions. I would rather choose one or two and have more time to participate.

How do you simplify your life? How do you clear the clutter in life and focus on the important things? Head over to James' blog and read her post here and view what her readers had to say.

In the meantime, here's to a happy stress free weekend!

Oh, and in case you missed it, I'm over on Sometimes Sweet with Danielle. Click here to read the article. Thanks Danielle for the wonderful feature.

jessica's first birthday party.

2011-10-12T21:36:00.007-04:00

a little birthday girl
wrapped herself in ribbons
squealed in delight
and captured the crowd
with her stillness.

the gaze of her eyes
(a subtle blue )
touched every soul present
a flutter of the heart
a sly grin
a soft appreciation
that consumed our thoughts

the room became silent
suspended in the moment
until the echo of laughter
bounced off her lips
into our ears.

when the stillness was broken
we laughed
together as family
over this sweet angel
who spread her wings
onto our hearts.

happy birthday sweet jessica.
you will always be my little angel.

Sunday we celebrated Jessica's birthday. It was a wonderful party filled with family, friends and good food....which was much needed. Her actual birthday was Saturday and I feel like I failed this precious little girl. I had signed up for an art show and carried such guilt because that is what I did all day. I made sure to pick up Jess from my parents at four and spend the rest of the night with her and we had a great time, but as a parent I made a bad decision. I should have been home with her on her special day.

I should have seen the signs! The first thing I did when I got to the show was spill coffee all over my new grey suede shoes.

As parents we learn I suppose. I also know that we can't carry guilt with us, so this is my way of leaving this in the past. I have learned. I have moved on and Jessica had a wonderful Sunday with family and friends, which is all that matters.

Today I'm linking up with:

our wedding anniversary.

2011-10-11T09:21:00.003-04:00

Eight years ago today I walked down the aisle to meet the man I would spend the rest of my life with. Eight years ago today we began our journey together. Over these years we have grown together and formed a stronger relationship than I ever imagined. We have brought three amazing children into this world and work every day to guide them in the best direction possible. We built a home out of memories, love and desire. We may not say it enough, but every moment is cherished and tucked away into our hearts. We may not show it enough, but every little action is appreciated and contributes to what we have created.

Here’s to growing together and continuing on the best adventure I have ever been on. We have been given joy, surprises, trials, laughter and love over these eight years. I will always be here to hold your hand through every bump in the road and every joyous occasion. Here’s to several years of soccer games, swim meets, phish concerts, beach vacations, lobster bakes and every other little activity that fills our home and makes us who we are.

Jon and I celebrated our anniversary on Thursday night by going out to eat at The Green House Tavern and then heading over to House of Blues to see Sound Tribe Sector 9. We had an amazing night. We ate fabulous food and danced the night away. I'm looking forward to a late dinner tonight down at the restaurant.

little birthday treasures.

2011-10-07T21:26:00.003-04:00

as evening approaches and you sleep in your love nest
i create small treasures for my jessica.
a ribbon for your hair
a colorful banner for your room
the scent of freshly cut flowers.

i am enchanted by the moment of celebration

the moment we celebrate who you are
who you will become.
inside i burst with joy at the thought of your laughter
your smile
your happiness
in life.

close to my heart.

2011-10-06T07:28:00.002-04:00

the autumn sun glistened over our heads.
i beacame saturated in the colors that bloomed
over your laughter and
over your captivating eyes.
i held onto this moment
like a childhood secret that i tucked away in my pocket.
the day settled over our smiles
and shadows danced like leaves across the smooth grass.
the air tightened it's grip on our skin
and we headed to our home
with this moment stitched into our hearts.

thank you jessica for sharing this moment with me.
i will always keep it
close to my heart.

♥

a waterpark adventure.

2011-10-04T22:47:00.005-04:00

A food convention for Jon. A waterpark adventure for the boys and myself.
To be honest, I'm not really one for amusement parks so I didn't know what to expect. I can, however, tell you what I found. Fun, laughter, two silly boys, and lots and lots of water! We had an amazing time. I am so glad that we seized this opportunity and tagged along with Jon. I think it's exactly what the boys needed....some time just for them. They had my full undivided attention for two days and it was fabulous. We had an indoor waterpark to experience, pizza in bed and a late night movie. I loved every moment. Ok, well, maybe the water part got a little old after four hours, but how do I say no to those faces.

I will say that Josh is such a little guy and we were so limited with the slides he could go on. It broke my heart a bit to see his face when Jonas went on the big slides and he couldn't. He got some extra cuddles that night. And maybe a piece of candy.

organizing the toy room.

2011-10-01T20:49:00.008-04:00

I can't take it anymore, the toys have overtaken our house and I want it back. So awhile back we banished them to the basement. Well, they took control of that too. It's time to get down to business and take charge and organize the toy room. And let me tell you, this is a serious task. It dawned on me last week that something needed to change when I actually lost Jessica in the toy room. No joke. The kids and I were playing amongst the massive amount of "stuff" when I looked around and couldn't see Jess. Naturally, I freaked out and scurried around looking for her until Jonas cracked up laughing and said "Mom, she's playing under the art center." First, who has an art center in their toy room, and second it was time to clear the clutter!

Here is the result.

The tent inspiration came from here. I must say, Drea's looks much prettier, but as long as it's fun it doesn't matter how it's assembled. As long as it's safe of course. Since we're on a tight budget around this house we used what we could find. Left over pieces of molding, an old curtain rod and scrap material I sewed together to fit for a total cost of $0. Now that fits in our budget!

As for the toys, I organized and grouped them together and they each have a bin or container. Books are housed in the bookcase, Jonas keeps all Legos on his desk in plastic bins with lids. We make sure to keep all the instruction booklets in his drawer. Joshua uses his little table and chairs as his art center and we hold paintbrushes and markers in vintage containers and jars. The large toy box holds odds and ends. Jessica has the tent all to herself and her precious belongings.

Now comes the big question....how did I clear the clutter? One night when the boys went to sleep I pulled any and all toys that don't get played with too often. I put these into several large Rubbermaid bins and held onto them for a good week. Sadly, we actually had that many toys! Throughout the week only one or two major toys were missed and they made their way back to the toy room. The others were sent on to find new homes. I also went through the puzzles and games and sent those to new homes too. Seriously, who needs 27 puzzles? The end result is a toy room where I can actually see my kids play and they don't get lost among the clutter.

I also should state that ninety percent of the toys were gifted to us or handed down from friends and family. It's amazing how these things accumulate.

a fall day and little things.

2011-09-30T12:35:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a beautiful Ohio fall day. Jon took advantage of the weather and brewed beer all day. After school, the kids and I attempted our first off site (meaning not in the backyard) photo shoot. I picked this location because I couldn't resist the bold fall colors. Afterwards we walked across the street to the library and loaded up on books and a couple shows.

There are so many little things that have been going on I thought I would share:

Next week Jessica turns the big O.N.E. so I'll be busy this week preparing for her party.
Without realizing it, I also booked an art show for next Saturday
so this week is going to be a bit crazy.
We're taking the kids to an indoor waterslide park. We've never experienced the waterparks so this should be interesting. I'm excited but a little nervous.
I always get a little nervous with the kids and water.
STS9 is playing next Thursday and I think Jon and I are planning on going. An early celebration for our anniversary and his birthday.

And...on a larger note....Benders Tavern (my husbands' family restaurant) won the local Taste of the NFL! We'll be attending the 2013 Super Bowl! Read more here. AND a few weeks back celebrity chef Robert Irvine was in our town filming a local school for "Restaurant Impossible" and happened to eat at Benders. One thing led to another and Robert and his filming crew filmed Benders chef and kitchen for an episode that will air in the near future!
Read here for more details.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend
♥

a jungle themed babyshower and a girls weekend.

2011-09-29T08:31:00.004-04:00

Last weekend the girls and I hosted a baby shower for our dear friend Shannon. Let me tell you, Shannon is such an amazing woman. I am honored to have her in my life. In fact, I'm honored to have each and every one of these ladies in my life. We have know each other since the first days of college and have been on endless adventures and travels together. Over the many many years we have grown together, grown apart and grown back together again.

I think we have an amazing story. We all have amazing stories of our friendships. These four woman have influenced my life in so many ways. These woman are not just my friends they are my inspiration and I know I don't tell them enough. I only hope to grow together and continue on our journey for the rest of our lives. Here's to making that beach trip work ladies!

Emily, Carrie, Shannon, Amy and myself

We all pitched in and helped with the shower. Shannon's mother in law made the beautiful cake, we purchased jungle themed cookies as a treat to take home, we served small sandwiches, fruit salad, various dips, an olive and cheese tray and plenty of sweets. For the decorations, I sewed a banner which could be used later in the nursery. I found my inspiration here. I also made tissue paper pompoms from this tutorial. For the centerpieces I used vintage milk glass vases filled with greens and placed them on a piece of zebra or giraffe print scrapbook paper.

camping with kids. part two.

2011-09-27T20:57:00.003-04:00

These moments that we create, these moments that create who we become, are tightly tucked away in a special place in my heart. I will never let them go. I will never forget. The smile on Jonas' face when he actually caught a fish (his first ever), the echoing laughter that danced from Joshua, a hushed giggle from a small baby. The evening stars that mesmerized our eyes because surely this couldn't be an Ohio sky. The sounds of nature that drifted into silence.
The moment when we held hands while our children soundly slept and agreed
life is good.

Other highlights of our trip include:
reading by flashlight in the tent while Jessica slept
hiking through the woods as the sun began to set
making sausage sandwiches with sautéed onions and peppers
eating yummy gooey s'mores
enjoying a bottle of Soda Canyon Cabernet with Jon
hanging out around the fire after the little ones were asleep
cuddling with my loves all night long
Bailey not running away (although we did slip him an extra anti-anxiety pill before we left)

Do you like to camp? What are some of your special moments with camping?

And, just in case you missed Part One of our trip click here.

camping with kids. part one.

2011-09-26T11:06:00.005-04:00

There's something about nature that makes my heart tingle.
The smell of evergreens and the open woods. The crisp feeling of autumn as it softly floats by you in a gust of wind.
The subtle sounds of running water and rustling leaves in the distant wind.

I meant to share our little adventure with you last week, but things are extremely busy over here and I'm about a week behind on posts. Two Sundays ago we had the best camping trip with the kids. Since it was our first time camping with the little ones we decided to go for one night to Wolf Run State Park, but I was ready for more. Jon picked up this humongous tent because our old tent looked like it went through some wear and tear from the pre children era. We had so much room to move it was great. And even Bailey enjoyed sleeping with us. In fact, Bailey was so well behaved I was amazed. It was also his first camping trip.

Oh, and if you've never danced in a tent, I highly recommend it. As you can see this was Joshua's idea and it was a wonderful idea.

And in case you are wondering, Jonas wore his Star Wars costume ninety percent of the time.

a baby and a harmonica.

2011-09-23T11:20:00.003-04:00

We love music in this house. Everyday you can hear the sweet sounds of the stereo spilling into our ears. Our feet move, our hips sway and we dance. On most days you will find an instrument in every room. Daddy's guitar, a baby's piano, a little boys drum set, bells, spanish maracas, or a tambourine.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched Jessica pick up this harmonica and play. I quickly captured the moment (hence the blurred photo) before it was gone. The sun was gently shining through the window casting a light on my sweet girl. She laughed and smiled at her accomplishment. She played music while her laughter was the music that filled my heart.

Oh, and her little laugh. I have never heard such a laugh. It it the most precious sound I have ever heard.

living room equals play room.

2011-09-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

Remember awhile back when I talked about living room inspiration and then I talked about the long nights we spent painting our living room? Well, we are finally finished and I love the white walls and white trim, which is a good thing because I don't think Jon will ever pick up a paintbrush again. I was hoping to post my before and after shots, but to be honest, I'm just not ready. I'm still searching for a canvas to hang above the couch. Speaking of couches, we finally got a new one! It was a joyous day. I have lived with holes, stains and rips long enough. Unfortunately, we won't receive this beauty for seventy days.

So, as you can tell, this is not a glamorous remodeling post. Instead, I decided to share what really makes our living room. I was in the kitchen cooking and peeped around the corner to check on the kids. Jonas was reading downstairs and Jessica and Joshua were in the living room. I sat silent for several minutes watching their interactions and play. I observed Joshua's creativity and role playing. I'm not sure exactly what or who he was playing, but it put a smile on my heart.

These pictures are the moments I captured. I don't need a fancy canvas painting, I don't need a cozy microfiber couch and I certainly don't need costly decorations to make my living room beautiful. I need my children, my family, their imagination, their voices.

Today I'm linking up with Morgan and Gussy.
Check em out!

wine tastings and good food.

2011-09-20T11:01:00.003-04:00

These are the shoes that I wore to the event.

But these are the shoes I changed into when working behind our booth.

Every year our restaurant, Bender's Tavern, participates in a downtown event that offers wine tastings, local gourmet foods, live music and unique art. I have worked this event every year, with the exception of last because I was so pregnant. It's such a fun night to drink wine, eat good food and mingle with friends.

We served Georges Bank scallops with a sun-dried tomato beurre blanc, roasted beets with skorthalia and pickled onions, and a lobster bisque in an artisan bread bowl.

After we wrapped up downtown, Jon and I headed back to Benders for a late dinner with friends. This was one of those nights when I love what we do.

little things.

2011-09-16T15:30:00.003-04:00

I thought this week was going to slow down, but I think I'm coming to terms with the fact that every week is just busy these days. Between three children, the husband, the jewelry, the blog, the restaurant and everything else I'm forever indebted to a busy schedule. Oh, and speaking of the jewelry, I've decided to continue the 50% off sale through the month of September. I still have a few more pieces to add to my shop, and just haven't had the time to get it done. They will be up this weekend....hopefully.
Use the code summersale2011 when checking out.

Even though this life of mine is nonstop it's so important to stop and enjoy the little things. If you don't take that moment, if you don't slow down, if you don't just breathe then you're missing out on moments of happiness. You're letting that stress creep into your mind and take over your thoughts.
So stop. breathe. and enjoy the little things.

These little things made my week:
riding bikes with the boys, listening to music on the back porch, taking a hot bubble bath with my Vogue and glass of wine, baking pumpkin spice cookies, watching Jess take her first steps, driving around looking at old homes with Jon, an afternoon coffee date, shopping for an hour by myself, watching a live webcast of Phish with friends, hanging out with my sister, and hopefully a movie (Nowhere Boy) tonight while Jon works.

What are the little things that made your week?

Lindsay over at from the aile to aloha inspired this post. Make sure to stop by and check out her "it's the little things" friday post.

farmers market. kids art. pizza dinner.

2011-09-15T10:23:00.004-04:00

A brother's love makes my heart melt. Jonas is the sweetest most caring little boy I know. Jess was feeling a bit grumpy after her nap.

Jessica, dazed and confused.

Last night was a wonderful night for a trip to the local vineyard for a farmer's market, children's art and a pizza dinner. The cool September weather and few raindrops didn't stop my mother in law and I from packing up the kids. After we finished, we made it home in time for our bedtime routine. Baths, books and snacks and off to bed we went. After everyone was tucked in for the night Jon came home early and we watched, with friends, the live Phish webcast of their Benefit for Vermont Flood Recovery.

Again, I probably stayed up too late but we had a great evening. I love that I can hang out with the kids and do special activities with them and when Jon gets home we have our time. We're taking the kids camping this weekend and I'm really looking forward to quality family time. We haven't camped in awhile....and we haven't camped with the kids yet so it should be interesting.

Jess is wearing: vintage dress, thrifted
Jonas: Oshkosh shirt (thrifted) and gap shorts
Josh: Old Navy button down, Gap shorts

the A to Z of me.

2011-09-13T12:36:00.005-04:00

A couple lovely blogs that I follow did this fun little questionnaire and I thought I would join along. Thank you Liz, Caitlin and Katie for the inspiration.

A. Age: 32
B. Bed size: king and so necessary with a husband, three kids and a dog. it's sad, but we could use a bigger bed.
C. Chore that you hate: toilets. i live with three boys....need i say more.
D. Dogs: must have. we have Bailey now, a dog i rescued on the highway. a couple years ago we had to put down our amazing yellow lab of ten years. still hard.
E. Essential start to your day: COFFEE. and then some more coffee. breakfast too.
F. Favorite color: turquoise and yellow.
G. Gold or Silver: these days i love gold but i wear both. even together. why not.
H. Height: 5’7" my mom and i are the shortest in the family.
I. Instruments you play: i played the piano for many many years in my childhood. i have not played since, although i still have a piano. it's currently stored at my parents. we may be starting joshua soon with piano lessons.
J. Job title: super mom, office manager, maid, jewelry designer, certified laundry master, lawn care giver, small business owner, community volunteer....to name a few.
K. Kids: three. we have decided three is good for us.
L. Live: ohio.
M. Mother’s name: maryann. her middle it pura, which means "pure" in spanish.
N. Nicknames: liz but my college friends call me libby
O. Overnight hospital stays: for me, only with childbirth. joshua was admitted to the hospital for five days when he was seven weeks old. i didn't leave his side.
P. Pet peeves: texting while driving. oh, and the sounds of nails being clipped. ask jon, it drives me crazy. styrofoam too.
Q. Quote from a movie: "hold fast to the human inside of you, and you will survive." it's from the diving bell and the butterfly. i don't know why, but when i heard that quote i ran and wrote it down in my journal.
R. Right or left handed: righty tighty.
S. Siblings: older sister and older brother.
U. Underwear: these days i'm about comfort since i'm running around all day with three kids. but i have to admit, there is something about pretty underwear and bras that make you feel good. so i splurge every once in awhile. if i'm having a rough day i put those on, even if it's under sweatpants and my favorite shirt, and i feel confident.
V. Vegetable you hate: honestly, i don't think there is one that i hate!
W. What makes you run late: umm... a house full of kids. i swear i used to be on time. now, i feel like i'm "that mom" who's running behind, rushed and half dressed carrying a kid under her arm and a coffee in her hand.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: teeth. for routine checkups and to check my two front teeth. i had a bad pool accident when i was little and my adult teeth were pushed back up into the gums.
Y. Yummy food that you make: i love to bake and cook, but i will admit that not everything turns out to my liking. i do make a killer vegan chocolate cake with chocolate icing. and before the no dairy i made a fabulous strawberry tiramisu
Z. Zoo animal: ocelots and antelopes. it's a phish thing.

If you decide to post your own a to z of me make sure to link up in the comments.

a day with art. painting with the kids.

2011-09-12T15:33:00.005-04:00

Remember a few weeks back when Jon and I visited the Chicago Art Institute(click here)? Well, while we were there I made sure to take lots of pictures of all the art so I could incorporate them into an activity for the kids. The other day it was so beautiful outside so we decided to pack up our supplies and enjoy the weather. It worked out even better because Jessica was napping and I was able to give my full attention to the boys.

I spread out the pictures that I developed and we talked about what we saw in each painting. It was fun to hear what they came up with! According to Jonas there is a Storm Trooper in Pollock's Grey Rainbow and Joshua saw a fox and a man in a Matisse print. We then decided to make our own abstract paintings. First, we used a sharpie marker to draw some outlines. I told the boys they could make whatever they wanted, whether it was an abtract image or a concrete one. After this part was finished we painted in the lines, or at least that was my plan. They boys pretty much just painted Star Wars pictures, but they had fun doing it and maybe retained a small portion of my little art lesson.

late date nights.

2011-09-11T08:53:00.002-04:00

We don' have many nights together. Sometimes we get caught up in the schedule of life and the kid's routines that we forget to set aside time for ourselves. Our "late night dates" used to happen more often, but as our days became busier we became tired. Friday we decided to go back to this special tradition. Jon got out of the restaurant early (around 10:15pm) and brought home a delicious treat: short ribs spring rolls with a hoisin dipping sauce, roasted beets with skorthalia, a fresh field greens salad and lobster accompanied by a tasty Chardonnay to go with those lobsters and a Cab.

We stayed up late, we listened to music, we held hands and sipped our wine. It felt like the old times when dates came before soccer and house chores. It's been decided, we're making this old tradition part of our busy routine.

a september luau party.

2011-09-09T20:30:00.002-04:00

Every Labor Day weekend my sister and brother in law host a Luau Party. As the years continue we have added children....and then more children to this celebration, a pinata, candy, dancing, a margarita machine and crafts. It's a great night filled with fun for adults and the little ones. Plus, in my eyes, it doesn't get better than hanging out with my kids, family and friends.

How's your weekend going so far?
♥

eleven months old.

2011-09-07T23:24:00.003-04:00

Today Jessica is eleven months old. I can't even think about what happens next month because I'm not ready for my baby to be o.n.e. Jessica has blossomed into an individual with an amazing personality. I love this little girl so much!

Jessica enjoys reading, listening to music, dancing and singing. She loves bath time, playing with her brothers, putting little toys into a basket and then taking them out again, stacking blocks and playing peek a boo. She loves to jump and roll around on mommy's bed and she loves cuddles. She carries her "bunny" with her everywhere and has to have her for naps and bedtime. Jess still naps two times a day, at 10:00am and 3:00pm and goes to bed around 7:30pm. This girl LOVES to eat and will eat anything and everything. She points to something she wants, she points to an animal in a picture and has a few animals that she knows. She says "uh oh" when she drops a toy or food off her highchair....which then becomes a game. While she loves Bailey, our dog, she does NOT like small dogs, cats or bunnies. She stands without help but has not taken her first step yet. I can tell she wants to but is a little unsure about this new walking adventure. And, like her mom, she loves shoes and playing in her closet. I wonder where she got that from....

Jessica is wearing: Matilda Jane dress, The Little Dress Up Box headband, Stepping Stones Shoes via Marshalls

feeling overwhelmed.

2011-09-07T20:27:00.006-04:00

Today has been one of those days. Wednesdays are our "busy" days, but I was feeling particularly overwhelmed today. After I dropped Jonas off at school I came home to get Joshua ready for his first day of school. Jess and I took him into his classroom, snapped a couple pictures (more to come later) and off we went to her music class. All morning Jess was a bit off and actually cried during her class. If you know Jess, you know she's really not a crier. In fact, she is the happiest baby and always smiles....except for today. Could be all the new teeth that are coming in at once.

The happiest preschooler ever.

To celebrate Joshua's big day we went to lunch and ordered hot chocolates afterwards. Then homeward bound so I could clean up from breakfast, make the beds and do a load of laundry....which reminds me....it's still sitting in the wash. Oops. Normally I get these chores done in the morning, but I was rushed to get everyone to school and music. Once these were done it was already time to pick up Jonas at 2:35, even though he's in school all day it still seems to go so fast. A Starbucks trip was in order since mama was feeling a bit off today. Oh, and I have encountered a new problem with these afternoon latte runs. Now the boys want smoothies and how do I say no when I'm getting a fancy drink? This is NOT good for the wallet.

afternoon crafts

tea time anyone
After school Jonas is allowed to play video games or watch tv for half hour and I put Jess down for her nap and checked a couple emails. Then luckily the boys played while I started dinner. I really didn't feel like cooking but we ended up having veggie tacos with guacamole, chips and salsa. As usual, everyone runs away from the dinner table and mom is stuck cleaning. Again, kids played (thank goodness) while I cleaned up. We had about a half hour before the bedtime routine so we decided to play some games. Of course the boys couldn't agree so I divided my time between puzzles and a game of Trouble. Jess had her own agenda so I played peek a boo with her under the table, slapped a couple puzzle pieces together and rolled the dice all at the same time. Sometimes I truly feel like super mom when I balance my time between three children who all need me at the SAME time. And of course sometimes I just want to run into the closet and cry.....just kidding!

showing little sister his legos

puzzle challenge

silly boy
Naturally, when I said it was time for bed Joshua threw himself on the ground and cried while flailing his body all around. I think Jonas saw the look on my face because he ran up stairs and hid..... I mean got his jammies on. Once Joshua cooled off he joined his brother. I may have distracted him with a little bedtime snack and made a game out of choosing a book. So we cuddled on the floor and read our books and ate our snacks. Potty, brushed teeth, chatted for a few minutes and to my own disbelief the boys were in bed at 7:55pm!

I've learned that, as moms, we all get overwhelmed at times. I actually give myself credit because I do think that patience is one of my attributes, be we all have days where we are just off and today was one of them. Tonight I'll focus, drink some green tea, listen to music and get my work done and get caught up. That's all I really want....to get caught up.... on laundry, yard work, jewelry, photo editing, thank you cards, work at Benders....well, caught up in life I suppose.

it's time to use this organizer! i have too many meetings, doctor's appointments, school dates, birthday parties, blog posts, art shows, you name it going on.

Oh, and I should note that Jonas only came downstairs twice. Once at 8:22 to tell me he wasn't asleep yet and again at 8:40 to inform me that Joshua fell out of bed. Indeed, Joshua did fall out of bed and he never woke up! Amazing.

**Jonas was showing Jessica his legos under my supervision. We have a no mom no lego rule with Jessica because they are tiny tiny and a choking hazard **

to the fair we go.

2011-09-06T21:37:00.006-04:00

To start our Labor Day weekend the kids and I decided to go to the fair on Friday. Luckily we grabbed my parents and they joined us for this little adventure. I didn't realize it was going to be such a hot day here in Ohio and poor little Jess was so tired and warm! She hung out with my dad in the shade and indoors while my mom, the boys and myself rode the rides and walked around. The boys loved the animals, the rides and the dippin dots. I loved watching the look on their faces while they went down the huge slide and that first picture of Jonas and Joshua sharing a lemonade....makes my heart melt.

It was a good Friday. The boys hung out with their babysitter that night and I got to go out with friends to our downtown's First Friday event and to a late dinner. After Jon closed up the restaurant we had some friends back to our house for a little late night Phish show. They played in Denver all weekend and we purchased the stream so we watched them live in our own living room.

How was your long weekend?

I should probably tell you that it was seriously so hot and sticky! Notice how red Joshua's cheeks are and his hair is a bit on the crazy side. It was so hot I think he lost his curls.

hello september.

2011-09-03T11:54:00.003-04:00

as i glance around i see pieces of september in our days.
a fallen leave that walks across our porch. hints of red and orange that trickle over the trees. a slow cool breeze that gently kisses our faces while we play.

There's something about the fall that makes my heart flutter. The smells of nature, cinnamon and spice, the bright hues of red, yellow and orange, baking on a weekend afternoon, listening to children play and laugh in a pile of leaves. I love fall and I love fall in Ohio. I feel like this weekend has officially began the autumn season and I couldn't be happier. We'll be spending it with friends and family, enjoying the last day of the pool, listening to music, and of course enjoying good food and wine. What are your plans for Labor Day weekend?

Whatever they may be....enjoy ♥