One Off the Bucket List

I'm celebrating my 36th birthday this weekend by participating in a flash mob in Seattle.  I haven't had to learn a dance routine since high school and am really loving it!  :)

When was the last time you crossed something off your bucket list?  :)

Have a great weekend!

Catching Up!

via here

Well... I'm *almost* ready to come out of my 2 month hiatus.  I feel like life really threw us for a loop the last several months.  In a nutshell... here's what I've been up to in my non-blogging life:

• HOMESCHOOLING:  Knee deep in trying to figure out this homeschooling business.  Few things are quite as humbling as starting something new and feeling like you have no idea what you're doing.  :P  Despite my 10 years of experience teaching in the public schools, little of it prepared me for how to do it at home.  Through a series of trial and many errors, I feel like we're coming around the bend and *most* of my days are enjoyable and manageable.  I've even gotten back to reading blogs, being consistent about my bible studies and catching up on a few shows from time to time.  :)

• OH BABY!  In November, we found out that we are expecting our 4th child in June!  We always left the door open for God, with little to no expectation.  Needlesstosay, He had a clear plan and after a couple weeks of shock, and several months later, we are now excited to welcome a baby brother into our brood of 3.  (I'll post a baby bump photo when I get around to it.  Who has the time?) 

I've been mentally collecting ideas of new things that I'd love to write about and share with you.  Many of them of course include home decorating ideas and ways to help us all live more simply and beautifully, but I'd also love to share more about the way God is moving in our lives and the things He has impressed upon me about life and parenthood. 

I hope to get back into the regular rhythm of blogging and the first step of anything is always the hardest... so here we go again.  Back in the saddle!  :)  Thanks for your patience.

Still Here!



On a cool fall hike.  The kids' extra energy is forcing me to get out and explore
our local trails.  I didn't know there was so much here! 



Hey gang!

Just wanted to write a quick post tonight to let you all know, "I'm still here!".  I've really slowed down on my posts this month and I kinda knew this would happen.  When I started homeschooling in September, I wasn't sure how blogging was going to fit into our new schedule.  Needlesstosay... as much as I LOVE looking for  awesome design ideas, tackling a home project and sharing them with you... sleep, cleaning, and prepping for school has now taken the front seat.

I'm beginning to realize that homeschooling isn't just something we do for an hour or 2 every day, it's more of a lifestyle.  We've chosen to have our kids with us the majority of the time so that we can capture their hearts and shape their characters.  This means... not alot of down time for mom.  :)  It's hardwork, but I really relish being able to be the one to guide their learning and teach them so many amazing things about the world God has created.

I'm not giving up on blogging all together, but will allow myself to write and share when I have the time and when inspiration hits.  I've let go of the expectation that I have to post a certain number of times per week and I've also stopped incessantly checking my stats.  :)  I will continue to share new and inspiring things that I come across and would love to share about our homeschooling journey.  (which means I have to find the time to take some more pictures)  :)

We had a productive long weekend.  Our bellies were stuffed, caught up on some sleep, the Christmas tree is up (almost), got some good deals and I've made progress on our Christmas card.  

What's on your plate this season?

Brave, Tough and Inspiring

Did you catch this interview?  Before signing off for the weekend, I just wanted to encourage you to watch it if you missed it.  Diane Sawyer interviewed Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark on 20/20.  It aired on Monday night, and I'm still thinking about it.  I was moved.  The way they were able to document her progress from just days after the shooting to now was humbling, heartbreaking, inspiring and showed true courage and the amazing capacity of the human spirit to do the impossible.  It is true that bad things happen to good people.  Gabby is a great example that those circumstances don't have to overcome us, but rather shape us.

If you have a moment this weekend, check it out here.  You won't regret it.

Naps and Schedules

I have to admit, before I had my own kids, I did not get the big idea about naps.  So, I totally understand if you tune out right now if you don't have kids.  Just scroll to the bottom for a link to some great planners and organizers.

For the last 5 years, naps and bedtimes have certainly played a big part in dictacting our family schedule.  Here are some of our battles:

• can't go out because we have an infant who takes 2 naps
• need to head home quick to catch someone's afternoon naps
• we're coming late because they napped longer than we thought
• kids can't sleep at night because they're napping too long
• Dah!  They just fell asleep in the car!
• should we drop a nap?
• should we just shorten the nap?
• Lastly... what about MY naps!  :)

Well, in the past 2 weeks, we've had an admittedly small change in our family schedule, but to me, it has been a change of epic proportions.  My #2 has stopped napping in the afternoon, which caused us to change our bedtime routine... long story short... All 3 of my little ones are out by 8:30 and I've found 2 extra hours in the evening that I've been missing for the last 5 years!!  :D 

So, needlesstosay, I've been enjoying my evenings and have been a little lazy.  I can hang out with the hubby, catch a show, even do some work on the computer, tidy up AND be in bed by 12:00!  No more 1 or 2am for me!  Is this the way the rest of you have been doing it all this time? 

Ok... I admit, this is probably revolutionary to only me, but boy, I feel like I've won the lottery and have been given a true gift of time. 

Lastly, I do have something helpful to share.  I came across this site with some great family schedules and checklists that you can download for free.  LOTS of good stuff.  Check it out!

The Best Thing...

I bought this a few years back and just the love the message!  This one will be going in my daughter's room.  I'm taking a little breather this week from blogging to try to live this out.  :)

My World in Pictures

As I've mentioned before, we're in a crazy season of adjustment.  Homeschooling is going well, but man is it a lot of work!  I was telling a friend, "Homeschooling is great, I just need to get a cook, a cleaner, and a personal assistant!"  :)

I still try to squeeze in an hour or so from time to time to write my posts, read blogs, catch up on my Nate's and soak in some interior loveliness.  It's funny... I really wasn't sure how blogging was going to fit into our new routine.  And honestly, most days I'm thinking, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.  But I keep coming back to it.  For me it's a creative outlet, it's personal and I really relish in doing something just for me at the end of the day.  God clearly has me wired for this and I'm still drawn it no matter how tired I am.

Here are some pictures that helps to sum up my world the last few weeks.

 A field of gorgeous orangeness.  I have to admit, the cold of the fall is not my favorite time of year, but this is beautiful and oh so sweet.

Me and my gang. 

Off on a leaf hunt.  We just discovered these awesome trails by our house.  A few minutes into these trails and you really feel like you're in a forest!  The best part... this was part of our school day!  Science - learning about the changing of the seasons and trying to identify leaves.

One of the gifts of homeschooling... seeing our kids growing closer together.  The olders helping and teaching the youngers. 

We're usually dressed in Husky purple every Saturday for game day!  Go Dawgs!

And the boys have started soccer.  Our Saturdays are packed.

Have a great weekend!  We've been blessed with a few warm, sunny fall days this week.  Get outside if you can!  There are few things more beautiful than a sea of orange and brown against a clear, blue sky.  Me... well, I have to admit, I've already busted open a can of spray paint before the weekend has officially started.  You know what I'll be doing.  :)

See you Monday!

Another Weekend Project *almost*

So this weekend, I tackled another project in Evie's room.  I was finally going to make some window treatments for the 2 small windows in her room.  I wanted to make something that coordinated this wildflower pillow I got on sale from PBTeen.  This pillow was the inspiration for the whole room. 



(image via pbteen.com)



So I bought a fitted crib sheet from Pottery Barn Kids.  It was the only way for me to get additional fabric in that print to work with.



(image via potterybarnkids.com)


I was holding up the sheet trying to get a feel for how I could make a simple valance with it.  When I had an epiphany!  I thought the billowy shape at the bottom (from the elastic) made for a perfect balloon valance.  I had something like this in mind.



(image via target.com)



What I got was this:



(ACK!  Don't do this!)



Nooo!  Clearly not what I had envisioned.  I even tried to make it work by adding 2 bands of ribbon, but I think the problem is that it's just too small.. The way it comes in on each side just does NOT work!

To be honest, I really wanted it to work.  My husband was the first to say... "ummm honey... I'm not sure this looks right."  And defensively and jokingly, I said something like... "who's the designer here?"  However, I quickly realized this really was not going to be ok.  Then I thought, "There is no way I'm going to post this project on Monday!"  But..."maybe I should." 

I decided to humbly write this post because I want you all to know that even people who dive head first into DIYs, have their share of mistakes.  This shouldn't prevent you from trying them.  As with most things in life, there's only one way to get better .. do it and learn from your mistakes.  My guess is that for every beautifully decorated room or home that you see on a blog or wherever, there's a story of something didn't  go exactly right.  At least I can speak for myself!  :)

So, here's my Plan B.  I just order this fabric from fabric.com.



(via fabric.com)



I plan to do something simple like add some ribbon trim like this:



(via potterybarnkids.com)



 OK... regrouping and getting ready to have another go at this.  I'll keep you posted.  :)

Rhythm & Routine - Family Schedules



(A little rhythm from my #2 )

Well, we're almost 1 month into homeschooling and overall, its going well.  I'm tweaking things every week, moving things around and following the classic teacher mantra of "monitor and adjust".  What I'm enjoying most is the structure and rhythm our new schedule has given our family.  Generally speaking, I tend to shy away from schedules only because if I make one, I make myself crazy trying to stick to it to a tee.  But for now, a schedule is a necessity and it has worked out really well. 

It is completely true what they say about kids... that they crave structure and routine.  And so do grown ups I'll add!  :)  My kids like knowing that there's a predictabiliy to each day and week.  We have preschool days, library days, bible study and coop days, soccer practice...  We're so much more intentional and productive with our time.  Before this, I felt like somedays we were all wandering the house (a house full of toys mind you) trying to find something to do.  Now, we have so many projects and things that need to be done, that idle tv time decreased dramatically.  When we do watch tv or want some downtime, we can do it guilt-free.

So... if a schedule sounds like something that might help your family, I rounded up a few resources with templates that you can download and customize (some for free).   

• iheartorganizing is a fabulous blog!  Tons of practical posts and many great lists, schedules, and templates for free and for purchase through Jen's etsy shop.  I'm sure you'll find something that will make your life easier here! 

• jonesdesigncompany.  I've written a lot about the beautiful work that Emily does through JDC.  She now has a monthly subscription program with new schedules, lists and templates every month.  How great it is to be organized and do it so beautifully! 

• lisawhelchel.com.  If the name sounds familiar, yes she was the 80s star in Facts of Life, but since then has been a great advocate for homeschooling moms and Christian families.

• familieswithapurpose.  I just discovered this site and it seems to have a large selection of templates and schedules that you can download for free. 

Grace Bonney - Love Her

To say my plate is full lately would be an understatement.  I'm probably no different from many of you out there with your days packed and your evenings are filled running around with kids or with friends.  This week has been filled with activity every night so I've had little time to write, let alone sleep and keep up with the on-going to do list at home. 

(via latimes.com)

Nonetheless, I was able to sneak out this evening and go to the Design Sponge at Home Book Signing Event at my local Anthropologie.  My 30 second chat with Grace Bonney was inspiring.  She, like other "big bloggers" I've met was so gracious and unassuming.  She's just like the girl next door who you'd love to gab with and go shopping with. It's amazing that she started the #1 design blog in the world!  I was telling my husband she's like the Steve Jobs of the design blog world.  ( I tried to put it in terms he could understand.)  :)

Sitting in bed and reading her blogging story in her book was so inspiring.  Her story is no different from mine or maybe many of yours.  You're drawn to blogs or write a blog because you simply want an outlet for your passion and you probably don't even care if people read it, it's gravy if they do.  That's what I love about the blog world.  It's so organic how it comes together and it's accessible to everyone.  You just have real people, doing and seeing fabulous things, and at the end of the day... it's really just someone sharing their heart and joy as they tap away on their computer (most of the times in the wee hours of the night). 

Read more about Grace here through an article on Houzz. 

Hope you find some time this weekend

to do something that makes your heart sing.  :)

See you Monday!

Did you go to Target?

If you went today in hopes of snatching up some of the fabulous items from the Missoni line, then you probably saw something like this:

I was surprised to see that in just a few hours, most of the shelves were bare!  I knew the Missoni line was going to popular, but I had no idea the store would practically be cleaned out in just a few hours.  I happen to have some time this morning and I was just curious to see the items in person. 

Target's website has been down all day too.  Amazing.  Here's an article about it from the New York Times. 

I managed to grab just a couple of items for my little girl.  Were you able to get anything you've been eyeing?

Let School Begin

the door to our classrom/playroom

Tomorrow will be the first day of school for my 2 boys, Micah and Ryan.  One will be back at preschool and I will be starting our very first day of Kindergarten at home with Micah.  Yes, we're diving into homeschooling!  (I may share later about our journey in making this decision to homeschool.) I write this post with excitement and trepidation.  It's a privilege to be able to start this new season of teaching my own kids after 10 years of teaching other kids.   I look forward to all the aha moments and special times of guiding their learning and shaping their character.  Will this be hard?  YES!  Is it hard not doing what everyone else is doing?  YES.  I'm not sure as to how this will all pan out.  I have a feeling this will be a year filled with many lessons on trust, humbleness, grace and patience and seeking wisdom beyond my own understanding... I wonder who's going to be learning more this year?  :) 

My reading material for the past week has been more this:

than this:

I hope to be able to continue to share this new adventure with you as part of this blog AND continue to carve out time for my love of interior design too.  God's wired me a certain way and I hope to be able to continue to live out the passions that's He's given me.  I truly find joy and purpose in sharing my musings and inspirations with you and it's so rewarding to know that I might be inspiring a few of you out there to live a bit more beautifully.   However... don't be suprised if my posts this week are a bit sparse.  :)

So tomorrow morning, we'll start our day off with a robust breakfast of green eggs and ham and then we're off!  Wish us luck!  :)

Progress...

Another day and I'm done.  Here's what I spent the last few hours doing.  It's not perfect or catalog worthy, but it works.  Bottom 2 shelves are toys in rotations, middle 2 shelves are books/crafts/school supplies.  Top shelves are gifts/games/holiday stuff.

Here'a  big aha I had while organizing.  I thought of my closet like a grocery store where shelf space is at a premium.  Where is my prime self real estate and what do I have there?  I need my most used, most important items there.  I don't want the things that I don't use as often taking up valuable real estate.  Simple, but a little light bulb moment for me.  :)



After



Remember this sad picture from yesterday?



AND...

The counter is cleared!  It seriously has not been that cleared off since we moved in 4 years ago!

 

The cluttered "before"



Lastly, here are bags of small goodies that I've been collecting all year for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child.  I love putting together the shoeboxes each Christmas and I feel good about passing along all those little toys we don't play with anymore.

Thanks for all the tips and encouragement from yesterday's post.  It is so nice to know that I'm not alone as I'm grumbling to myself, it's past midnight and feel like the end is no where in sight.  I look forward to listening to the message and the book you guys recommended. 

Going through a Serious Reorg...

This is our playroom closet.  Oy.. it looks scarier in pictures.
This is embarassing!


Sorry for the lack of regular posts lately, I am knee deep in a whole house reorganization project.  When we got back from vacation a few weeks ago, I looked around our house and felt like I needed to do a major purge and organize.  I think it was a combination of 2 things...

1.  Being away long enough to come home and see your home with fresh eyes.  It's amazing how after a while, we don't even notice some of the clutter we've live with because it's been there for so long.  Like the pile of "stuff" kind of just becomes part of the decor.  I can't believe we've lived with our dining room as a "storage" room for the past 4 years. 



(Dining room buffett.  This is actually 1/2 way cleaned off.  It was worse.
Still chipping away at this one.)



2.  Being away made me realize how little we really need.  For example, life was simple when all we had was 3-4 outfits to rotate through.  No clothes strewn all over place, piles of laundry to be folded, or even time wasted thinking about what to wear.  Ahh... simple bliss.



(This is one part of the kitchen that never seems to stay clutter free.
Mail, cups, coupons, oh my!)



So... here I am, staying up very late after the kids go to sleep editing, tossing, categorizing, moving, donating, selling, sorting, all of our stuff.  It's a humbling and slow process.  How did we end up with all of "this"?  And do I donate it or try to recoop some of the cost by selling it?  I don't think there's any easy way around this.  Happy to hear tips if you have them.

I'm hopeful to be able to post some beautiful "after" pics in the near future.  In the meantime, ohdeedoh is running a fun 7-Day Toy Cure, a step by step process to pare down and edit our toys.  There are 6 assignments over the course of 7 days and hopefully by day 7, the toys that remain will be the ones that are the most loved and cherished.  I'm jumping into Day 1, Creating an Outbox. 

Let me know if you're in the midst of your own reorganization or following the 7 Day Toy Cure.  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Aloha! Finds and Grinds from Hawaii

Hello!  We got back from Hawaii a couple of weeks ago and I am just feeling like I'm just getting caught up on things.  It doesn't help that the second I got home, I started a few new design projects... :P  Ahh.. can't help it when inspiration strikes!  I often think about how many other crazy people are out there painting or moving furniture in the wee hours of the night.  Anyone ?  :)  Decorators are quite an impatient bunch wouldn't  you say?  Isn't that how DIY got started?  ("I'll just do it myself."  :)

Ok... so here are some great things I discovered while in Hawaii this time.  First, I found this awesome blog, Oahu Mom.  If you are looking for great ideas for family outings that you won't find in any guide book, you're in luck!  Lisa writes from personal experience and does such a good job of sharing some of the lil' gems of Oahu, especially if you have kids.  Thanks Lisa for making our trip so much MORE fun!

2nd thing... food or grinds as they say.  Man... we LOVE the food in Hawaii.  I could go on and on, but for now, I'll just share about a new discovery from this trip.  We found one of the best combinations out there... peanut butter and coconut!  North Shore Goodies makes these amazing little jars of Coconut Peanut Butter.  So yummy!  You can find them at farmners markets in Hawaii or order online.  I love supporting local businesses too!

(This is as brave as I'm going to get in posting a bathing suit pic) :)

Lastly, here's a funny transition from food to bathing suits.  :)  Not a new discovery, but I wanted to give a plug for Athleta's amazing bathing suits.  I love them and pretty much lived in them during our trip.  They look as good as they feel.  They have some great patterns and what I love most is the construction.  You can move, stretch, reach and swim without the fear of anything falling out that you don't want to.  (so important if you're chasing lil' ones)  :)    The best part is... they have great sales and are having one right now!  You can find suits on sale for just about the same as you'd pay at Target or Old Navy.  Seriously, love Athleta!

We love going to Hawaii and seeing old friends and making new ones.  They always show us the true meaning of aloha and ohana (love and family). 

9 Years Ago Today

I started the most amazing adventure ever.  Here I was when it all started:

(via theknot.com)

We were tickled to have our wedding photos submitted to the Knot and they actually featured our wedding in one of their issues!  Click here to see the whole story.

I can't find the words to fully describe how marriage has been the last 9 years.  What I do know is that marriage is no joke and I often say that no anniversary should go by without being celebrated.  Marriage is hard work and each year together deserves a celebration.  Marriage goes through so many seasons.  If you're in a great season right now, enjoy it and cherish it.  And if you're in a rough, dry season, persevere, and pursue unity, there's another season just around the bend. 

To quote the card I gave my husband:

"There's no such thing as "perfect,"  but I know this much is true,

Nothing feels more right than sharing life and love with you." 

Pixie Houses and Other Camping Thoughts

So my friend introduced me to Pixie Houses last weekend while we were camping and I think they are the most adorable things!  Do you know about these?  It's like building and interior decorating with twigs and leaves!  This is my kind of camping activity.

It really is a sweet little project for grown ups and kids.  In fact I think we had more fun with this than the kids this time.  You can make little houses (finding 4 Y shaped branches in creating the support beams is KEY), bridges, paths, gardens, tents, a fire pit, furniture, anything you can imagine your little pixies might enjoy!  This really provides hours of entertainment and so good for little ones to use their hands and imaginations to create something special. 

Other random thoughts on camping from last weekend:

• Foil wrapped meals tossed on the fire is a good thing!
• A doormat in front of your tent is a genius idea.
• Having kids use squirt guns to put out the fire will keep them occupied while you're trying to pack up.
• What did we ever do before baby wipes?
• Will man ever win the war against mosquito bites?  (scratch scratch)

Camping... An All American Tradition

My family and I enjoyed a great 3 day camping trip last weekend.  I'm not naturally a camper and most of the time I dread all the work it involves.  So for me to say it was a great trip is saying alot!  :)

One of the reasons I've come to enjoy camping over the past 2 years is because I see how much my kids love it.  It is precious to see how much fun they have with the simplest of things... rocks, branches, water and dirt!  They could play for HOURS!  It is a great reminder of the joy of living simply, ie... turn off the tv and stop buying stuff!  :)

Teaching our kids to enjoy and appreciate nature, animals, and all of God's creation is a gift.  A gift that I wish I had more of when I was growing up.  It inspires respect, humility and gratitude.

Hopefully you'll be able to find time this summer to get your family "out in the woods" and away from so many of our daily distractions.  It'll be a gift to all of you!     

Happy 4th - A Run to Remember

(all images from wearblueruntoremember.org)

I never got a chance to share about the Seattle Rock n Roll Half Marathon that I ran a couple of weeks ago.  Well, it must be divine timing because today is the perfect day for me to share about it!

It was a great race and I felt awesome!  But beyond finish times, I saw one of the most moving things I've ever seen in my 6+ years of running.  It was a section of the course at about mile 7 that was lined with American flags, pictures of fallen soldiers and people wearing blue to honor those who have served us.  It almost brought me to tears and I know moved many others.  In fact I'm humbled again, just looking at these photos as I write this post.  There are no words to describe the sacrifices made by our service men and women.  These are real people with real families.

You can read more about the organization, Run To Remember, by clicking here.  It was started last year by a small group of military wives from Fort Lewis, WA.  Here's a quote from their website describing Lisa's story.

Lisa Hallett had given birth to her third child, her first daughter, just three weeks before men in uniform informed her that her husband had been killed in action. At the home she made with her husband in DuPont, WA, she was left with 3 small children and a grief that threatened to swallow her whole. Lisa, a runner, refused to give in to that grief and vowed to honor her husband by living life with passion. She took her first healing steps two days after John was killed. She found some peace in the life-affirming action of running. Several other wives began to join her. In February 2010, wear blue: run to remember was born.

So as we celebrate our nation's birthday today, let's take moment to lift up a prayer of protection, mercy and thankfulness for all who have served and who are currently serving in our military.  Most of us will never understand the full depth of their sacrifice AND the sacrifices of their families that allow us to enjoy the freedoms of living in one of the greatest and most beautiful places on earth.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 

1john 3:16

Oh Joy in Portland

On Saturday, the whole family boarded a train in Seattle and spent the weekend in Portland.  The main purpose was for me to attend a blogging workshop taught by a blogger I really admire, Joy, from the blog, Oh Joy!  My dear husband took the kids to the Oregon Zoo on Father's Day while I attended my class Sunday morning.  If you attended that class and are visiting me for the first time,  WELCOME!  :)

Joy was so great in person and shared many wonderful nuggets of information and inspiration.  It's always refreshing to meet bloggers in person, especially more established bloggers.  It really is true that every blogger is simply a regular person sitting in front of their computer sharing what they are passionate about.  Granted, some have AMAZING style, like Joy.  I now want to revamp my whole blog!  :P  I have to admit, it is humbling to be a small fish in a big pond, but no better way to learn how to swim, than from the big fish, right?  :)

If you are an aspiring bloggers yourself, here are a few more great resources I've come across this year.

Here's a link to a really useful post by Nicole of Making It Lovely.  She gave great pointers on how to get beautiful interior shots of your home.

I've taken 2 classes from Nicole's classes, one on Photoshop and the other on Illustrator.  They are great!  The instructors teach in a way that is is very hands on and helps you dive into your own projects right away.   I hope to take some mini courses this summer.

Lastly, this spring, I took the e-course, Blogging Your Way, taught by Holly Becker of Decor8 and Leslie Shewring of  A Creative Mint.   BYW is a jam packed 4 week class that teaches you everything you'd want to know about blogging.  I'd totally recommend it!

The blogging community has been great and many seasoned bloggers like Joy, Holly and Leslie are so good about helping newbies get started.  It's all about encouraging people to find their voice and passion and giving people a platform to share their gifts and talents with the world.  How awesome is that?

I'll be back with our usual WHY IT WORKS post tomorrow.