Monday, August 30, 2010

Good bye Summer, Hello Fall!


Well, today's the day!  Summer, brief as she was, has ushered herself out of the door.  Fall has come.  Breezily and swiftly but faintly too fall comes in romancing me all the way.  It's a little bit of leaves falling and slight crispness in the air and the children off to school again and taking with them the last glint of summer.  I feel...poetic.  And puzzled at the brevity of the last season but I am so in love with autumn.  I love the warm sweater, light a fire in the hearth kind of feeling!  Sigh...

Sunday, August 22, 2010

YARD SALE!

Well I finally had that Yard Sale I've been mentioning!  It was fun, it was crazy, I made some money & got rid of some stuff so it was worth it!  I sold some old windows & a door, some planters, a vintage dress, a few quilts, some odds & ends & 2 chickens! 

I am still trying to recover (from exhaustion & overstimulation) and figure out what to do with the stuff that didn't sell! 
Who are the little elves that bring in so much stuff when I'm not looking?  And where do they put it all?  It's quite ridiculous I tell you!  Anyway, I'm glad to have it done & over with.   I'm ready to embrace FALL!

Why I need a Cozy Comfy Cottage

I have a confession to make.  I am an introvert and being one is hard.  We all crave friendship and being around other people is supposed to be fun.  Well there are times when it is fun for me to be around other people and I have a few really amazing friends (thank God).  But...there are many times when I just cannot enjoy myself around people, especially new ones.  Being in groups - parties, celebrations, reunions even church are often overwhelming for me.  I find myself overstimulated and anxious and when I am done I feel exhausted an emotionally drained

This entire summer has been one overstimulating flurry.  We have had company over and over, we have been perpetually busy in and out of town, we have been having fun!  Or at least it's supposed to be.  I start to feel though and I've been saying this for weeks, that I'm just standing here and the waves are flowing right over the top of me.  Without time in between things to process what has just happened (for some reason my mind replays every conversation and situation that happens) and prepare for what is coming next I am finding myself going through the motions.  And in the process making blunders (thinking I can't believe I just said that) and feeling even worse because I'm so not rested. I guess I'm saying that I haven't been able to take very good care of myself and as an introvert who craves solitude I need a little extra care (I'm sorry to say). 
So I'm gonna have to start saying no Pairing down.  It's not easy to carve this out - especially with soccer on our plates for THREE kiddos.  But I'm gonna try. And that is why I need a cofy comfy cottage.  When the world is overwhelming I need to shut it out and hibernate in my home. So I put my coziest navy sweats on with my comfyest white tee and my absolutely favorite grey zip up sweater (paid 50cents at a yard sale for it but it's the cutest thing) and I crawl into my soft and fluffy bed until I can once again look in the face of those around me with a smile ready to embrace it all anew. 

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Taking a Little Trip Down Memory Lane...


When I was a little girl my sister & brother and I used to take a special trip on holidays to visit Grandma Bev & Grandpa Odell on Vashon Island.  This was a special treat as they owned a little tiny 100 year old house (then) on 10 acres that we were allowed to explore and enjoy!  The trips always entailed a ferry ride across the Puget Sound.  Well, it's been many years since I've been back and I have wanted to take my own little girls and boys to visit and see a glimpse into my childhood!  They loved it!  We were able to find the house and I talked about easter egg hunts and the Strawberry Festivals I remember from so long ago! 
I'm so nostalgic!  I can't tell you how much fun it was to relive those memories and see it all again through the lifetime of experiences I've had since then!  Isn't the little white house just darling!  No wonder I'm a such a fan of Anne of Green Gables! 
P.S. I just have to include this photo of my husband on the dock!  I love that classic white shirt with his nice tan!  Too bad I couldn't get him to remove the hat!  Oh well, he was so much fun to hang out with on this trip.  Despite the fact the baby was tired and cranky he was patient and so willing to go along with my ideas!  I love you hon!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Anna is 10!

Our oldest, our daughter Anna has entered the double digits and is now 10!  This feels big and in many ways is big!  I cannot believe it has only taken 10 years (and it has felt like less) for our baby girl who we adored and treasured and cuddled in our arms to be big enough to stand only a head shorter than me!  She is still treasured for sure and I wanted to share some of the celebration we had for her birthday!
We celebrated with a "Spa Birthday" at her Grandma & Auntie's Salon with 3 of her friends from school - so fun!  They had their nails done, their hair styled (soooo cute) and relaxing mini-facials!  They also enjoyed sweets & treats & sparkling martinelli's.  I love little girls chatter, I loved to see her carefree and enjoying time with them & it blessed my heart that she had a special birthday!  
 
Thank you to the girls who came and made her day so special and also, thank you so much to her Auntie's Jeneah, Sara, & Tara and Grandma Jill for each contributing and doing your special part for these girls! 

We ended the fun time with a little trip to Claire's and picked out a trinket for each girl! 

In addition, Anna asked for a bedroom makeover for her birthday!  She picked out such darling room and lots of people pitched in to make the changes come to life!  Since she is not a "little girl" anymore she was craving sophistication!  Here is how it turned out!

She says it is "awesome" and amazing and she loves it!  I love it too (even though it departs from my typical faded blues and yellows and beiges)!  A big thank you to Aunt Mary Claire, Nanna, Grammy (with our contribution also) for completing the transformation for our girl! 

I did want to add one thing!  This year has been a very celebratory year for our family!  Carolyn turned 1 and Anna 10 - both special milestones and the boys turned 5 & 7.  We celebrated with real and over the top birthday parties because this is the last year we are celebrating this way!  At this point, we really feel that we can mark birthdays with a special type of family day that gives each child a memory unique to their interests and age.  Birthday parties are fun yes, but also extremely expensive and for me as a mom (the kids though too) they can be stressful!  I for one am really looking forward to a new way of welcoming each new age! So while Anna's "Spa Party", the boys "Pool Parties" and Carolyn's 1 year old Bash were maybe a bit over the top, we are certainly moving into a new tradition of simple abundance.

About Me

My photo
wife & mother of 4 beautiful children, 2 girls & 2 boys. small business co-owner; catering and a restaurant/alehouse, writer, gardener, lover of freedom and humility found in christ, small town enthusiast, book reader, admirer of noble truths, beauty and love

Followers