Christmas Island...

Scurrying around like crazy little mice, trying to get presents finished and wrapped and what not...goodness               gracious.

As a means of procrastinating we decided to learn this ditty...forgive us, we only had about 15 minutes to work on it. (Yup, 15 minutes to learn it and Ms. L figured out that harmony in that amount of time. She is too legit to     quit!!!)

                                                   Merry Christmas and all that jazz!

                                                             Lovies and lyrics,

                                                                      -K

The Strawberry Window

The Etsy Shop name has been chosen...we are not going to be starting up till January but it's really going to happen so keep your eyes and ears open for us!

Meet the other half of The Strawberry Window, Ms. Lauren B.  Very soon we will have trinkets and treasures up for your perusal and ogling! 

In the mean time, enjoy this little ditty from us to you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Lovies and La dee da's,

-K

Oh little advent.

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Finally!  Year after year I have wanted to make an advent calendar and every year I find myself at December 24th without making it happen.

THIS year, I found myself at December 5th and thought, oh well, better a little late than never at all. Besides, The Kidlet was ok with opening up 5 on one day. ;-)

The present are filled with odds and ends...a tiny nativity scene, a spinning top for The Kidlet, pens for The Mr. (one of his favorite things) a yo-yo, pencils, tiny finger flashlights (The Kidlet ADORES flashlights.) and so on Nothing to crazy, lots of things I found in the dollar bin at Michael's Crafts, packs of pocket sized coloring books with erasers and pencils and sharpeners. I was able to divvy them up into little packages so I didn't have to spend $25 on it. I think I spent about $12, all said and done. 

It has turned into quite the learning experience too. We've had to tie in the calendar, learning days of the week and counting. (I've turned into a home school mom!!! Ahahah, my mother turned EVERYTHING into an opportunity to learn, something that was helpful and at times maddening whilst growing up. ;-))

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Other than the advent calendar I've been working like a busy little bee, crafting away to my hearts content with one of the friends I've made since moving here to SLO. We've had loads of fun and have found we actually get a lot more done working together than alone. We've kept each other on task and have started to consider an Etsy Shop together...

I know, I know, this is something I've talked about for YEEEEEEEARS now, but we have actually gone so far as to start writing down our plan for the shop, what 3 products to start with, shop name, prices, supplies to buy, and a work space (she's moving into a new place and is setting up TWO glorious desks in her room so provide sufficient space for us...something I'm sure The Mr. will appreciate as currently our work space has our bedroom floor.)

So we shall see...mid January is the tentative plan for opening so far and we will be sure to have a giveaway!!!! I will let you know when we decide for sure! 

Lovies and loyalty,

-K

A year, come and gone....

So we've lived in this glorious place for a year now, I can't believe it!!! Life hasn't changed much over the last year, as far as routine. Yoga, cooking, biking (well, not much lately as someone stole my glorious darling and The Kidlet has outgrown the bike seat anyway) beaching, farmer's markets, crafts, thrifting, etc.

What has changed.....

The Kidlet is huge, his birthday is in a week and a half. We've made tons of precious and lovely friends, we've found a church we like, and it finally feels like home here. Our old home still feels like home too, but now they are interchangeable. In either place I am comfortable, social, busy as can be, loving the people I am with......and missing the people in the other place. It's saddening but at the same time I guess I should count myself blessed to have so many things in my life that I love.

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Sooooo, the apple season is almost over and I have learned how to can my own apple sauce, make apple chips and a gluten-free, sugar cane-free apple pie. In a last ditch attempt to stock up before the season is over, we scampered out to our favorite "U-pick" orchard and loaded up. If you've never been to Slo Creek Apple Farms and you are in the area, you should head out there immediately. They don't have a lot of varieties left (make a note for next year!!!) but they are the sweetest people and you will have a lovely time. Their fresh pressed apple juice is heavenly!!!

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Hope that you are finding the blessings in your life and overwhelmed with gratitude.

It's a wonderful

Life and lovies,

-K

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARLING, DEAREST, MR. BRADBURY!

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, it's been a long, eventful, tough though blessed, couple of months. The new baby had some health problems, and I had to go stay with my sis for a while to help her with him. He had surgery, he's doing much better and hopefully is on the mend with no further complications, though there is a 40% chance (where do they get these numbers??) that he will continue to have some issues throughout his life. But we will continue to pray and trust and live and love.....

Many other things have happened but too much and not necessarily interesting enough to post blog pictures about...but finally I come out of my hobbity-hole because there is something we need to discuss.

RAY BRADBURY!

It's his birthday, I adore him, I wish I could meet him and hug him and kiss his cheeks and cry on his shoulders and thank him for all the loveliness that he has filled my life with over the years. Sentimental, YES, nerdy, ABSOLUTELY! But seriously, I wish I could go to comic-con (yeah, that's right, I just said it!!!) if for no other reason JUST TO MEET HIM AND THANK HIM!

If you haven't read any of his stuff I suggest you go do so, immediately. He tales of love and sorrow and terror and magic and rockets and martians and murderous skeletons and wonderful ice cream suits and electrical grandmothers and fortune-telling tattoos...and alien mushrooms and dangerous nurseries and criminal pedestrians and shoes that make you fast as a cheetah and heart-beats and tears and blood and sighs and time machines and butterfly wings and that horrible thing chasing you on the stairs............
I could go on and on and on.

I love him. I really, really do.

Dandelion Wine was the first book of his I ever read and it's been a passionate love affair ever since.

Get your mitts on one of his works...the man is 91 years old today and STILL putting out at least one book every year!

You will not be sorry.

Lovies and lovies and lovies and lovies,

-K

ps. you may notice that several of the books are duplicates...because I'm a nerd and I try to pick up extra copies just to lend to people and not have to worry about getting them back. Seriously. I love him.

Miss A. (my cousin)

This is the bedroom/studio/workspace of my cousin, Miss A. (sister to THIS COUSIN that got married a couple summers ago)
She is an artist, remember her name because clearly she will be quite famous one day for her wondrous ways and endearing, charming imagination.
She's like a pixie in the flesh creeping out of the woods to drop some beauty into our laps.
Feast your eyes and enjoy...plus give her credit if you copy any of the photos to your blogs or pinterest board or whatever.






















THIS is some of her work, ink and water color.
Magical, is it not?





















Self portrait.



The dolls, the leaves, the tree branch over her bed, the paper stars...her creativity never ends. Her room is like an Anthropologie display, times 10, plus magic. I've been wanting to blog about it for a while now and I'm so happy I finally got around to snapping some photos whilst I was visiting back at our old home...because...

My Big Sis HAD HER BABY!!! The family would like to keep their privacy so I am quite sad to say that I am not posting pics or details as far as names and such BUT I can tell you that I made it back in time to be there for the birth. It was only about 3 and 1/2 hours of labor at home in a birthing pool, it was beautiful and perfect and no complications and it was a boy. He is wonderful and darling and I want to eat him up. The new midwife was amazing and I was so happy with her care for my sis. The Kidlet's Cousin was there for the last 20-30 minutes and kept rubbing and patting her head saying, "you are having very hard work mama, you can do it, you are so strong, so brave!" And periodically said, "Deeeeep breaths". I spent most of the time bent over the edge of the pool pushing on her lower back
(Thank God it was only 3 hours ish this time, my arms were shaking by the end!!!)

Anywho, thank you all for your prayers for my sister, she was so appreciative of them and everything has come out beautifully!

Lovies and Lyrics,

-K

The Little Prince

Preciousness.

Hope Springs Eternal...

This last week finds us with sunshine, flowers, extremely windy bike rides and hay-fever. :-P

There have been several more developments for loved ones in my life that are pretty big downers....
My older sis is due in 3 weeks and her midwife has become extremely ill and will not be able to do her birth after all....3 weeks to find and form a trusting relationship with a new midwife...yikes!!! Also, a bunch of financial stuff that stinks because they are really frugal and it's not due to them being frivolous or bad stewards with their money, just extenuating circumstances. Bleah.
We also have some other friends dealing with a difficult living situation and are having to scramble to find a new place to live, other friends dealing with some major financial difficulties....all around there is just so much uncertainty and worrisome situations. So much to pray about, so many people hurting, so much peace needed...what a glorious thing to know that He gives more grace, He has peace that passes understanding.
So we are praying and hoping and waiting on the Everlasting Arms.
As our dear friend reminded us a couple days ago, "I cannot be hurt more than I am loved". Somehow it will all work out, somehow things will be provided for. Even if it's hard and things must be given up or some things are lost...He will still provide for the needs.

Hope you have hope!

Lovies and Lyrics,

-K

UPDATE!!! My sis met with a new midwife today and LOVES her, my sis isn't the type to form attachments quickly, (she's the cautious planner type) especially when she feels stressed or trapped but she said it was like they already knew each other and she has total and perfect peace about it. What a massive blessing. Whew! God is good, all the time.