pumpkin decor

check out her website for more treat ideas and some more great photos of the ideas she's gathered up;
i'm totally loving these pumpkin ideas from celebrations at home...

thought we saw the pot o' gold!

there's a huge rainbow in our front yard tonight. its a sight you essentially never see here. i am more in disbelief that it was raining here in september than the fact that there was a huge rainbow. it was beautiful and exciting - mom was getting petey ready for bed post-bath and i hollered at her to bring him out to see it....so the poor kid was almost naked in the front yard and we were pointing at the rainbow. he had no idea. was not impressed. but he was entertained by our antics, as usual.

if you give a kid a box.....

he'll pretend he's driving a boat....
or maybe a locomotive?
but he'll definitely have fun!

first birthday party ideas brewing

here are some things i am looking into copying/creating. thanks for the inspiration!!!

birthday shirt

birthday hat

birthday party theme

birthday banner

i get to be in pictures!

harbor fish cafe in carlsbad is one of my most favorite places for lunch. lucky my mom agrees with me! he spent most of lunch watching the birds in the shrubs eat crumbs behind us.
reading grandma a book on the grass looking out over the ocean after lunch.
checking out the surf....and watching a squirrel rummage for food amongst the rocks. he was fascinated.
posing with momma

a good day

this apple dumpling made with love by the ladies in julian....was.....amazing. and ice cream on the side. this may have been my personal favorite part of today!
we had a lovely lunch in a cute little cottage. spinach salad and a reuben sandwich shared unequally between us and petey stole my pickle. i didn't think he'd like it, but he'd crunch his cute little top teeth down until they hit the hard skin on the bottom and then pull the soft stuff into his mouth. he ate almost the entire thing!
grandmas can make everything a giggly game. she's playing the spoon on his knee and he thought it was the greatest game he'd' ever played. way to go saving the day while waiting for the check. :)
after lunch pete cruised the grassy area out front of the restaurant for awhile. it was 93 and hot in the sun, but a beautiful comfortable temperature in the shade. a good place to slip into a food coma after what may have been the best reuben i've ever eaten!
enjoying our apple dumpling - pete especially loved the ice cream. and thank goodness i am in the picture with the cutest kid every - was anyone going to mention how absolutely terrible my hair is looking these days? gotta get on that...not sure i can blame the lighting or the bad angle on this one.
playing in the backyard started out in the swing and then grandma was turned into a climbing gym.

Grandma Simpson is here!

grandma took me to a mexican restaurant in old town that had mexican cowboys singing songs. i was totally mesmerized. i couldn't look away. not for a second. i was also pretty interested in the nice guy sitting behind me with the sunglasses on. i kept pointing at him. and at everyone else. the refried beans and guacamole weren't too bad either! but i did not like the pork from grandmas carnitas.
we stopped in the shade to hear a band play. i wanted to crawl but the grass was wet so mommy said i couldn't.
wish my daddy could have been here today. and my grandpa simpson too!
grandma and aunt ellyn bought me this new coat. grandma and grandpa had a bet going that it wouldn't fit me, but it does! yippee! now the weather just needs to cool off.
we're heading to julian today for applies and pie and hopefully some cooler weather. yum!

good morning

he goes straight to his dog in the morning. baxter isn't always ready for his good morning greeting.

hey - wake up and play with me! lick my ears. get up, lazy!

mom. the dog is broken! he's just laying here...

fine, i'll watch the news instead.

inspiration in the detour

change is swirling and twirling around the house. i can feel it between my toes...in the good way that you dredge your toes in the sand with your first steps at the beach. there's a lot going on in my life, in reid's life and certainly change is everywhere in my baby boy's every-single-day. its funny how just when you start getting in your groove, think you know where your trip is taking you and have it all mapped out - even bought the appropriate snacks for the adventure....and then things change in a big way and you are suddenly heading to a totally different destination and you are mentally checking your suitcase to see if you brought the appropriate shoes. change used to be much harder for me to accept. now i am starting to like it.

change in the seasons (i know in my heart that the seasons are changing every where else in the world except where i live so i am doing my best to imagine i can see it happening here too) always brings me so much inspiration. and when the seasonal change happens to coincide with the ushering in of a big swoop of holiday goodness......that REALLY gets me excited to create and craft up all kinds of goodies and gifts for giving. i have a long list of plans. but honestly, there are some remaining items from my last-years-holiday-gift-list that i really need to finish. ang - your scarf will be done before halloween. i swear it!

change in the direction your life heads is the biggest kind of change. the kind that takes your mind and bends its will a little bit. gently whispers for you to let go a little bit. just take the ride instead of trying to plan all the stops along the way. that's a hard lesson i'm enjoying to learn. its easier to do when the hand you are holding is dimpled and chubby and sweetly sticky with leftover lunch bits. the changes in the last 5 months of my life have been monumental and life-altering and i'm thankful for them all. i've learned so many life lessons in such a short time and they keep on coming and i'm trying to be ready for them.

embrace the change. that detour sign is a gift, don't be afraid to find the beauty and grace and wonderfulness in the challenge of change.

with that comes a change of priority. a change of your focus in your day. letting some things go and ensuring other things are part of a moment in your life each day. my focus during this opening scene of change - seasonal and otherwise, is getting organized, decluttering a bit, and making a space that is comfortable and homey and functional for the things we do most around here - relax and play. i want to be better at getting to the things when they need to be gotten to so there is more time to do the relaxing and playing when the time is right. but i want to be positive that getting to those things that need to be gotten to does not take away one single minute of my time with my boy. better efficiency and use of time is in order. and a bit more focused organization. and for heaven's sake, getting rid of some clutter that is making me a teensy bit nuts. i love our friend isaac's perspective on this "i don't need a bigger house, i just need less stuff." YES. that is IT!

and then the advice from my top-favorite-ever-mama-blogger, Amanda Blake Soule in a blog interview she just did here:

5. Your home is so lovely and yet still kid-friendly. I love how you make spaces that both appeal to kids and adults. Do you have any advice for people wanting to do the same in their own homes?

Thank you! I think my one piece of advice for that would be to choose carefully the toys you bring into your home. For lots of reasons, ‘less’ is more. It’s better for children’s imaginations, better for creating a peaceful family environment, and it’s much easier on the space in a house. I also think ‘beauty’ is an important factor to consider when bringing a toy into your home. Shouldn’t children’s toys and surroundings be beautiful, too? I think so.

Her home really IS lovely and charming and a wonderful place for her 4 children to grow and learn and imagine and be themselves. am aspiring to create a place more like this and less like a pottery barn ad. i want to have an art cabinet for my children to drag out elements that allow them to produce the inspiration in their heart. i want to have some whimsical elements to our house that give them the freedom to explore and express whatever they find along the way.

forgive me this post is random. its what came flying out of my fingertips at 6 am. its all that is floating around in my head and my heart today. horray for today! have a lovely one.

getting away

pete has started doing the same little chinese-smile that aj used to make. what a cutie pie. this is breakfast in our cabin in front of the sweet little fireplace.
he was a trooper - 3 hours in the hiking backpack and he held in there til the very end. the kid was pooped! such a sweet boy. he loved watching the scenery pass by-
liked it when daddy pulled over so he could touch the rocks and the leaves and the pinecones...
taking a break halfway. it was a nice little hike, but i could feel the altitude makin it harder.
this kid is happy, no matter where you are. he had a great time exploring our cabin and loved looking out the screen door, just like he does at home.
his first taste of shaved ice - i couldn't decide if he puckered up at the watermelon flavor or the cold of the ice. either way, it was cute!
this is where we were parked in idyllwild "main street" eating our shaved ice. its the only thing we bought the whole time we were there (except syrup, we forgot that for our french toast on sunday am - it is not a cheap thing to buy in a tiny super market in a mountain town!).
playing on grandpa simpson's ancient coleman cooler. this cooler has been along on a lot of great trips in my life.

my tummy loves tradition!

ok. in my family, both sides, tradition = food. there's no way around it. every event, every memory, it is all tied to some special food or another. well i decided this family of mine is going to be no different - we're heading to the mountains today and i decided that for this family, heading to the mountains for hiking and/or camping forever and ever, amen shall mean we are whipping up chili and monster cookies.
because i love you - here's the recipe, courtesy of reid's mom (hope its ok to share with "millions" of readers, Mary Ann).....you can doctor it up with extra mixin's but beware, if you try to sneak some healthy raisins in, your man may throw a fit. you are much safer with an impromptu bag of butter scotch chips than trying to add craisins. they'll taste delicious, but these cookies were meant to be the soul of comfort food. and they are BIG - hence, the name.

-6 eggs
-1 lb brown sugar
-2 cups granulated sugar
-1/2 tablespoon vanille
-1/2 tablespoon karo syrup
-4 teaspoons baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 lb butter
-1 1/2 lb creamy peanut butter
-8 cups quick oatmeal
-1/2 lb M&M's
-3/4 lb chocolate chips

mix in a HUGE bowl. drop 6 onto a cookie sheet at a time (remember, these are big guys). bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, depending on the size. don't overbake - leave 'em on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes to finish and stick together then transfer to cool on a baking rack.

what a cute trio

running away for the weekend

we're off to idyllwild this weekend......can't wait - check out where we're headed here!
this will be our home for 2 nights this weekend....peace and quiet, crisp fall weather, mountain hikes and views, endless starry nights.....here we come!
photo from Quiet Creek Inn website

astronaut pj's

i have such a weak spot in my heart for little boys' pajamas!

NINE months?!?

my goodness, our boy is 9 months old today! its gone so quick, in the blink of an eye, really. how lucky we are to see him change and grow and learn every day. it seems he's turned into a toddler overnight. he's eating smushy bits of real food fed to him on a fork now. he's cruising along furniture. exploring his surroundings; around the corner and down the hall - thank heavens he still turns around and waits to see me appear right behind him, then shoots me his big silly grin, spins around and crawls off again in search of baxter's water bowl to splash in. he's starting to get chattery, surely soon he'll be saying real words. it all blows my mind and fills my heart with joy. he's such a blessing, that one. he loves hugs and kisses even more. he loves his puppy, more interested in greeting him in the morning than momma. so much goodness wrapped in that little one, along with lots of curiosity, a whole bunch of giggly fun - oh so much love, so much joy. we're so thankful he's our boy!

homework: you wear your life on your face

From Travelin Oma~Think about an old person you love or admire. Write a detailed description of the character and experience reflected in their face. What do you hope to look like when you're old?

wisdom in every wrinkle. concern for future generations furrowed in his brow. love of life sparkling in his eyes. sacrifice for his country etched on his heart. hard work engraved in his hands, his shoulders, his back. and unending, joyous true love in that smile. my grandpa simpson had so many opportunities to declare himself a victim of circumstance from a young age. he had so many reasons to accept what life dealt him, and roll over and give in. the family he was born into did him no favors but the family life gave him started him on his path. he worked hard. he believed in himself. he believed in the good of the world - he gave back to it. and he got there. the man who began his life with nothing had everything in the end. the town he built his family farm in was so positively affected by his actions and words. he invested himself in it and those that called it home. his eyes flirted with life every day - he was full of love and more full of joy, even in the most difficult times. he was selfless and found true pleasure, even glee, in making those around him feel loved, empowered, encouraged. he was good at everything, not because he was born into it - but because he worked to get there, refused to accept the cards he was dealt and scrapped and struggled and labored and trudged and forgave and loved his way into the life he wanted. he was a good man who really truly lived his life and created his own, wonderful, circumstance.

when i'm old? i want to have beautiful gray hair - it will tell part of my story. i hope my story is long and full of twists and turns and adventures-just like my hair, wavy and a little bit less manageable than i am always wishing it to be. my blue eyes will still shine bright in my wrinkled face, they'll twinkle and wink at you when we first make eye contact; its because my husband has always kept me laughing, you know? that beautiful man who loves me so. my big just-a-little-crooked grin will tell those grandchildren their granny thinks the world of them. i'll stand straight and tall, even with lots of birthdays under my belt from being active my whole life, from darting here and there, from seeing the world and roaming the earth and seeking out truth. i hope my face will tell my story, the story that i was blessed to have collected up with each passing day-the story of hiking the mountain, crying the tears, harvesting the garden, growing those children, giving to those without, loving that man of mine til the end, laughing with girlfriends, stargazing in a hammock, walking barefoot in that mountain stream, fighting the fight, kneeding the bread, trying my best to honor those before me who gave me everything. i want to be just a little bit weathered. the kind that is somehow glamorous in a denim shirt and hiking sandals. the kind that is adorned with some jewelry that has come from far away lands, made with the hands of those who live it. i want my face to radiate joy, despite trials along the way which only add a bit of wisdom and knowing to the creases in my face. i hope, beyond all hope, that my face will be filled with contentment, with knowing i've really truly lived....and with everything everything everything invested into my babies who will be old too, old and beautiful and whose faces will surely tell their own, beautiful tales. i can't wait to see those faces when my face is old and flawlessly wrinkled.

the handel tongue

my mom says her teachers always used to comment on her "handle tongue"...(her maiden name is handel)...because she and her sisters always had their tongue out when they were concentrating - i'm pretty sure they grew out of it. anyway, now that there are teeth in that tiny mouth, his tongue is always ALWAYS busy making sure they are still there. :)
and i'm pretty sure that is, in fact, crusted on sweet potato leftover on his face (between his eyes???). we took this pic right before bath time, it seems silly to clean up before taking a bath.

can you believe he'll be 9 months old in a couple of days?

ruffled pillow tutorial on etsy

this pillow from The Storque on etsy.com is ridiculously cute (thank you to how about orange for finding it first) and probably needs to live on my guest bed (eventually)....i'm going to need to hire a personal assistant to get to all these projects!




image from The Storque - thanks!

more homework: books

more from travelin oma's schoolhouse prompts: ~Describe the perfect bookstore.


that smell. that beautiful, musty, ancient and all-knowing smell of dusty books on shelves. they've been there for ages, all their collective wisdom and inspiration patiently waiting for me. the aging colors of their mix-matched book sleeves, fading a little more as the sun dutifully arcs its way across the shop window day after day, make up the most brilliant display as you stroll through the aisles. wooden shelves, hand crafted a long time ago when they really made things out of real wood and sweat. the wood is a little rough, you can see the grooves and the rings-those shelves alone tell you a story about life.
that perfect bookstore is just like a library, but much cuter and with a really spunky librarian who loves chatting to you about her favorite books. forget that no talking rule, and yes please bring a cup of tea! its homey and comfortable, a few chairs inviting you to get lost in the pages if you dare, if you can make time in your schedule. you should do it. just sit down in the cozy chair over by the window and lose an hour of your day. there's nothing better.
the shelf labels are faded or missing which is perfect, requiring you to wander and saunter, slowly, glancing from side to side, cocking your head to read their spines. your eyes dart about, desperately trying to ensure they don't miss a single important book.
nothing better than going in just to smell that smell. to smell that smell and breathe in the hundreds of thousands of hours of lives and souls being poured onto pages. its not unrealistic to say its somewhat of a spiritual and yet childlike experience. you wander, not sure what you're looking for but you'll know it when it finds you. you can literally drink in the power of the place , the air is saturated with a gentle, comforting, all-knowing ambiance you can't get enough of. empowerment. inspiration. wonder. lore. wisdom. life. death. battles. creations. fairies and pixies. dragons and giants. its all there. in those pages, in the air. this perfect bookstore is the place you'll never pass by without stopping in. you have to. something about the bells on the shop door make your day better. and then there is that smell. heavenly books. right there, waiting for you to thumb quickly through the pages and release some more of that smell into the air. for others to breathe in and become addicted to. and keep coming back for more.

project #2 is finished!

the valance for petey's room turned out great! am really excited about this little handmade project, especially because i was extremely nervous and skeptical of my ability to pull it off. without a pattern. and without my mom next to me to tell me how to do it. somehow, thanks to the crazy-idea fairy (and reid taking petey duty and letting me ignore him while he slept on the couch), i pulled it off. the trouble with cute projects that turn out better than you expected is you get filled up with this crazy new desire....lust....to do more and make more and see what you can come up with. my idea meter is off the charts right now, there are so many little projects brewing in my mind. i'm trying to slow down and take it one project at a time. the guest bedroom is getting a little work done next. so fun! here are the before and after pics - what do you think?before ...after

still going

i was hoping to have project number 2 done by bedtime tonight, but bedtime came first. i've been staring at this all day.....can't wait to see it finished tomorrow am!

project #1

what do you think of the new blue color? i LOVE it! :)