"Very Christmas!"

"Miller,what are you going to say when you see Santa?"
"Trick or treat!"
"Well, what else might you say?"
"Very Christmas!"
Close enough.

I'll be enjoying family, gifting and frequent trips for hot chocolate the rest of this week and next. Computer dieting is mandatory.

I wish you and yours many enjoyable moments as well!
See you next year!

Barky Bark

Confession- I'm not a good baker.
In fact I'm a pretty lousy, lazy and very impatient baker.
Which is why come holiday season (or any and all seasons I find justifiable for eating and sharing sweets), I always stick with my go to chocolate barks.  (No peppermint bark recipes here since my pregnancy with Miller permanently turned me off.  My stomach is literally knotting up as I type this.  YUCK!)

My photos may not as pretty as these ones from Poppytalk.  (Honestly?!  With toffee too?!  I wish I would have thought of that!)

But it is just as simple.
And it takes less than 5 minutes.
And I promise you just as delicious.

5 Easy Steps, Endless Possibilities
Melt good quality chocolate (double boiler or microwave for 30 second increments)
Stir in fixings
Spread out on parchment lined cookie sheet
Cool in fridge
Break into bite size pieces 

{The stand by crowd pleasers: semi sweet chocolate chips with crushed pretzels, white chocolate chips with crushed oreos}

What's your favorite holiday treat to share?

Monday Motivators

That last stretch of a triathlon is much nicer when there's someone eager to cross the finish line with you. 

Clarity

One year ago this week we were told we were pregnant with Ivy.  She was so new that coupled with a painful ovarian cyst and low low hormone levels after an empty ultrasound we were told the pregnancy was ectopic.

Even though I didn't think I was ready for a second child, the heartbreak came immediately.

I knew I loved her.
Tons.
I knew I would miss her.
Tons.

Two days later I sat on the cool crisp paper in the doctor's office. Again vulnerable. Again with an emptyness. Again with a loss.

"Before we give you this, let's just double check some things."

Deep breath and a faint faint faint glimmer of hope...

...
...
...

THERE! SHE! WAS! Tiny and waiting to be known.


We sat in a doctor's office today. Parents' instinct led us there.

"There's trouble with her eye."
"A malformed optic nerve."

Surprisingly, I wasn't sick with the news. I was calm. Proud of the questions I knew to ask. Proud of the big life I know she'll still get to have despite a difference. Grateful that it's a minute difference.

"Different, not less."


I get sickening chills when I think "what ifs".  What if a day earlier?  What if a different doctor?  What if?...

Instead I have what was.
And now this lovely, amazing what is.

Science is a fantastic, magical thing.

Monday Motivators (on a Tuesday)

I'm thankful that this is my largest mountain this week.  (That is, of course, if you don't count my laundry pile.)

I hope your mountains are small this week. 
And if your mountains are big, then I hope you know they are never bigger than you.

Evan just made a batch of cookies for me. Too bad I can't smell them.

I'm sick.  Evan's sick too.
Fever, chills, congestion.
Oh, and I have pinkeye.
I feel awesome. 

We now have super plans this weekend.
Plans that involve couch naps and movie watching.
And eating cookies.
And blowing our noses a lot.

Speaking of couch naps and movie watching... we started Christmas decorating this week.  Now our fevered (and my pink) eyes can lazily glance up from the couch and dream of far off wintry villages. 

{Thrifted ceramic holiday houses}

{Houses now painted white}

{What Miller lovingly refers to as "Christmastown".  Tree forest from Ikea, ceramic houses and glass church thrifted.}

Monday Motivators (on a Tuesday)

"Look, Mommy.  I fistbump Ivy."

Miller's been using the word special a lot.  Anything with sparkle, glitter, or glass is met with "Tat's spacial, Mommy."

I'm tempted to gold leaf the two of them so he can see just how "spacial" they are to me.

"Treat Yo Self 2011" (AKA this year's advent calendar)

I'm proud to be ahead of the advent game this year.
And by "ahead" I mean finishing just before midnight last night.
That counts enough in my book.

Taking inspiration from this pin, I had an 11x14 white canvas lounging around so I covered it in 24 squares of felt- gluing only along the vertical sides and bottoms to make tiny pockets, cut out and glued on some numbers (this was the most tedious part.  thank goodness for small scissors and entertaining shows on my dvr.), and finally tucked in some teeny chocolate santas.  (The pockets are pretty small, so if you'd like bigger treats, I would suggest starting out with a larger canvas.)

Once the kids are older and more heartily involved in the holidays, I'd love to tuck notes and poems and other holiday acts of kindness into the pockets.  Until then, chocolates will just have to do.  Darn.  :)

**Update: Wondering where to place our new advent calendar, I remembered I had some strips of magnets. They easily attached to the back of the canvas and now we have a great holiday reminder greeting us on our refrigerator.

Dear Santa... (Kids' edition)

It will still be a few years before these kids really understand Christmas and gifting and wishlists of their own, so I'm glad Evan and I still have a bit of control over what toys or special gifts we want them to play with.  (Even though it never fails that Miller's favorites are often the dollar bin extras at target.)

Until our two little ones start asking for the trend of the moment toy, I'm hoping Santa's filling their stockings with some of these classic and handcrafted goodies this year.

{Pirate Ship Wood Pull Toy by Armadillo Dreams}

{Custom Fancie Heroes and Villains by Fancie Fannies}

{The Car Kit by Fidoodle}

{Giraffe Pillow by Kate Durkin}

{Transportation Matching Game by Little Sapling Toys}

{Heirloom Growth Chart by Miss Natalie}

{Cupcake Cutie Embroidered Onesie by Posh Plums}

Santa should probably also get on top of making sure her own children have felt books too...

{Custom Felt Name Book by To Be the Bird}

Monday Motivators

A long week of work and missing my usual daily routine stretched me SUPER thin last week.  I was infinitely thankful for family and family feasts to re-ignite my sagging spirit. 

I hope your feastings refreshed you as well.

Monday Motivators

Feeling blessed because you've just realized that discovering your voice is a lifelong adventure...

What I'd rather be wearing...

On mornings when we don't need to be anywhere, it's not unusual for me to wear pajamas until the early afternoon (once the kids are both napping and I can attempt a real shower).

Today has been one of those mornings.  The music on my itunes is inspiring a day filled with plans.
And a couple of great (non pajama, but just as effortless) outfits to match.

Bike riding through the woods.  Listening to Ben Howard: Every Kingdom

Girls' Night Out.  Listening to Robyn: Body Talk

Tell me, dear readers, what are you listening to that's opening your eyes to a closet filled with action?


*to see further outfit details visit me at polyvore

(Monday) Motivators

I've been a little "off" this week.
Instead of turning this space into a place I vent and complain, I decided to take a break from here until my head was a little clearer.  Luckily, thankfully, peacefully, it only took a few days and I'm back to my old self. 
The old self that sure does enjoy a comment (or two), so please tell me what's motivating you this week. 
That means you, family, friends, interneters...

As for me, right now I'm inspired by watching little eyes soak in the magic of the everyday. 

Halloweening

Miller hated his hat.  And his train box.  And the idea of dressing in a costume.
But then he remembered he loves candy.
He quickly forgot about his troubles. 

 

 Ivy didn't seem to mind her costume.  She knows a cute outfit when she sees one.

Little, Big Me

There's bigness in this longing to be far from little.
A whole world of big.
Whole bits of little me.

There's tenderness in this longing to be far from little.
A whole rooted tree.
Whole limbs of longing me.

There's hope in this longing to be far from little.
A whole wide road.
Maps laid out in front of me.

Some days I wonder why I blog.
Here's this tiny space for me.
Here's this tiny voice for me.
I share my life.
Pictures of my family.
Words.
Recipes.
Ideas.
My heart.

But why?

Today it's because I feel very small. Sometimes that makes me feel an emptiness. An unsatisfied wanderlust. A list of goals so far from reach.
Instead, today it's making me crave bigness in goals I can meet-

Read one book a month.
Weekend trips somewhere new each year.
Volunteer- my hands and my heart.
Learn to garden.
Share somewhere bigger than this tiny space.
Finish a quilt.
Enjoy more picnics.
Learn to rollerskate.
Learn how to properly blow dry my hair.
Learn how to not feel awkward at parties.
Conquer yoga classes.
Drink more water.

It's just a start.
But that little start sure helps me feel much bigger.

Why do you blog, read blogs, read my blog? And what is on your little list today?
If you are reading this, then please answer.  Don't be quiet.  I love hearing what you have to say.

Monday Motivators

Toys shine so much brighter when they are shared. 
Or napped in.

Let's hope he has a little more enthusiasm about his costume when it's all together...

Just a little pre-Halloween costume teaser.
Just a little pre-Halloween "I don't want to wear this" costume meltdown.
Maybe a trial run at a local festival tomorrow will cheer his spirits.
Or at least the candy will.

{Coloring the outside of a covered diaper box...}

{He'll be less defiant when the straps are on his train box and his engineer outfit is on.  Right?!?}

Monday Motivators

Sometimes I think Ivy doesn't like us.
Do I play with my iphone too much when she nurses?
Is running after Miller taking away quality facetime with her?
Are my hormones still wonky and do I take it personally when she fusses?

These answers are probably all yes.
But...

She melts those doubts away the second she does this

Recognize this room?

{It is not even close to being this clean right now...}

Yesterday our little home was featured on Apartment Therapy with a mini tour.  If you have a minute and you find it worthy, I'd love for you to comment on the post.  Check it out here.

Also, on Apartment Therapy this week- "How's a new mom supposed to get a shower?"  It looks like I'm not the only one who can't remember the last time she washed her hair.  Just doing my part to help the environment.  

And I'm already excited for next year...

Five years we've made this trip.
Five years of gorging ourselves on delicious food, apple hoarding, late night giggles, and dreaming of our futures.
Moments. 
Memories.
A history.
I can't wait to keep on building.

Monday Motivators

Walking beside a great friend

Autumn, Autumn, where for art thou, Autumn

Los Angeles lacks seasons.
Los Angeles also has amazing taco stands.
Priorities.

{It's a hundred degrees outside.  So we stayed inside and made a tree.}

{Miller helped me pick out orange pages from a magazine. I drew some leaf like shapes and quickly cut them out.}

{Miller colored a simple tree picture while I cut the leaves.}

{Gluing leaves.}

{Proudly displayed on the fridge.}