The Countdown to Her First Birthday

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Ruby is going to turn one on November 7th! I've got some MAJOR house cleaning and party designing to do before then. We're keeping it small but I'm still going to make it special. I'm especially excited about one of her handmade presents, the fancy cupcakes we're ordering, and the doll house on it's way (not the one above, unfortunately)!

Until then I'm playing catch up on e-mails, blog posts, and work for my first e-course! I'm not sure life is going to slow down much for the next few weeks, either. Brett turned on The Innocence Mission after the kids went to bed and it just melted all of that tension away for awhile. If you haven't heard of them they are one of my favorite bands from our college years. We kind of fell in love to their music.

Wednesday is for conquering something. Anything. Do it.

xoxo,
Rachel

Getting Outside

Brett and I took the kids to the Nature Center this weekend like we have done every Fall since we've lived here. It's usually right after the trees have changed and there are five shades of yellow leaves lining the path. Last year I carried Ruby so this year it was Brett's turn.

I found this yellow leaf and couldn't pass up the easy photo op.

The rest of our weekend was spent catching up on laundry, going to a preschool fall festival, getting up early to participate in/watch the MSU homecoming parade, thrifting, grocery shopping, wondering why Ruby is boycotting her naps, and driving around town looking at rentals.

Why, yes, we are relocating!

Brett and I have been talking about finding a place with a little more space for a couple of months and are finally out looking. I've got my eye on one that has a great layout, tons of light, room for a designated studio space, a fire place, a driveway, and a garage! I never knew I could get so excited for those last two! I just have to twist Brett's arm and remind him that the pink subway tiles on the bathroom floor would only be for a year. (They're actually kind of fantastic!)

Posts scheduled for this week include recent Etsy purchases for the kids, a sneak peek at birthday party planning, and some recent vintage finds from the weekend. And the elusive but ever so charming DIY garland...(mwah, ha, ha, ha).

xoxo,
Rachel

Three Weeks Left, Baby

Little girl, you are still so small and dependent. You still need me to pick you up for comfort, follow me around the house in your funny way, and hold tight when we venture out together. You in your sling and me tilted slightly to the left.

You squeal every time you see Sebastian. You miss having him around all day to share his food with you and call you sweetheart but you're not shy about letting him know that YOU WERE PLAYING WITH THAT TOY THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

This time last year I was waddling around the neighborhood through piles of crunchy leaves, wondering if all of my contractions meant you were coming early. I was cleaning like a mad woman, finishing off the granny square afghan that is currently laying beside me, and deciding if we should put the birthing tub up early just in case. This year, right now, my heart is swollen with love and a fierce desire to remember every little thing about this time with you.

I get anxious about forgetting the look of pure joy on your face when your daddy dances to Arcade Fire with you, or the way you pump your little arms in frustration when you get mad, and the size of your precious little fingers that are always pointing at things. Maybe it's because I realize how quickly it went with your brother, now a preschooler spelling his name and doing so many things on his own. I have to think hard about what it was like when it was just me and him and a long stretch of day to ourselves.

In three weeks you will have lived your first 365 days of life and will be surrounded by people that love you and hope for so many good things in the years to come. I'm going to remember these days in my heart long after my memory has let the details grow fuzzy.

You're my favorite thing about fall, little girl.

Love,
Mama

Best Family Weekend In Months!

I wish I had a photo for every memorable moment from the last three plus days but other than Saturday morning at the pumpkin farm, we were either having fun at night or too into the moment to remember a camera! It was refreshing and just what we needed as a family to reconnect after so many weekends full of travel, Reserves drill, obligations, or deadlines with work.

On Friday after a trip to the grocery store and a run to grab some take out we decided on a whim (at 7:30 p.m.) to find a parking spot and have a picnic at Jordan Valley Park. It felt like those late summer nights in high school when the weather is perfectly warm and there are lots of people out enjoying the communal company of each other. The kids both got wet at the fountains and were out like a light when we finally put them to bed.

The next morning we made it to Anton's Coffee Shop and made friends with our waitress. It's still a toss up for us between Gailey's and Anton's for breakfast food but Anton's will be our go to if we're in a hurry. They have the greatest vintage high chairs made out of metal and covered in red and white gingham oil cloth and my omellete was delicious!

After breakfast we drove back to our neighborhood and spent a good hour at the pumpkin farm. Sebastian and Brett walked down rows of broccoli, climbed up piles of bark, and roamed through the pumpkins patiently stopping for photos at my request. Sebastian told me to take one of him on the wood chip pile and then made Brett do what he had done and took the photo below.

Later that evening was when we had invited our friends over to enjoy the fire pit so we got the house cleaned up a bit and decorated the front porch with pumpkins and mums. Our friends brought granny smith apples and caramel sauce and we had apple smoked turkey brats and S'mores with mint chocolate chip chocolate squares. We do weenie roasts extra fancy, ya'll.

The police showed up about thirty minutes after we'd started the fire and the rest of that story can be found in the previous two posts. It was even more sweet to have our friends there to enjoy our good news and get excited with us as we had been talking about it soon after they had arrived!

Sunday was spent enjoying our mostly clean house, playing with the kids, finishing projects, drinking coffee, fabric shopping, and making honey bran muffins among other things. I've gathered all of my supplies for pumpkin pie filled cupcakes and am prepared to make it work this week!

The leaves have just started turning here so it's starting to really feel like autumn despite the 85 degree weather. This week I'm excited to knock out some new sewing projects for my upcoming e-course as well as get some more handmade decorations up. Stay tuned for a fun tutorial!

Don't our kids look like they're having the time of their lives?

How did you spend your weekend?
xoxo,
Rachel

She's In Pieces But She's Back!

Brett's Vespa is back! It's back, it's back, it's back!

Here's how it happened. We had invited our good friends (best man and maid of honor in our wedding) and their kids over for a hot dog and marshmallow roast in our backyard and had a nice fire started when a police man walked around the side of the house quite slowly. I thought he was going to tell us we weren't allowed to have a fire but then he asked for James (Brett's first name) and if we had reported a scooter missing. We all perked up and he told us it was four houses down in the backyard! WHAT!!!! We had driven down so many streets in our surrounding area looking for it and it was in the alley almost behind our house!

Whoever stole it had tried to hot wire it but weren't able to get past the immobilizer and dumped it in the back yard of a house full of post-college guys that have their own bonfires. One of them came home from work and saw it in their yard and called the police to report it and said they thought it was their neighbor's bike. The police went down and got prints but couldn't get the VIN # to register in the system. Thankfully Brett had his MSU parking sticker on it so they were able to confirm our address and just walked a few houses up the street to our backyard! All of the parts that had been taken off were there minus some stuff that was in the seat. It won't start because some wires were cut so we'll have to take it into a shop somewhere in town to get it repaired. They could've just dropped it on it's side when they were done but they put it on it's stand. That was thoughtful of them.

He's so happy. It's really great to see him this happy after such a sad few days. Thank you for your concern. We'll have to see what happens next with insurance but mostly Brett just wanted THIS one back. YAY!!!

xoxo,
Rachel

Third photo C. S.

Backyard Sunshine

We had a rushed afternoon but managed to snag a few moments as a family in the backyard before the sun went down. I know I complain a lot about the snakes, mosquitos, poison ivy, lack of a fence, etc. but I'm going to take so many happy memories from this little plot of land when we move someday. I doubt we'll find such a large, shaded yard so easily again so I'm determined to enjoy everything it has to offer.

Someday, I hope we will have another large oak tree (with a treehouse), a covered patio for summer dining, a large outdoor shed for storing projects that are waiting on me, and strings of outdoor lights near our restored Airstream trailer. Ahh, I've got simple dreams! What is your dream backyard?

xoxo,
Rachel

We're Ready For More Marshmallows

We went out and bought landscaping bricks last weekend and set this up after dark with Sebastian's assistance. We toasted (burned) marshmallows that first night and hot dogs the next. There is no longer an excuse to wait until my house is clean to have friends over!

We're two bricks short of a fire pit, though! Ha! Maybe next weekend we'll get around to that part.

My dad was an Eagle Scout so I know how to build a mean fire. Now all we need are some fantastically large tree stumps to sit on while we're wrapped up in blankets and swap stories from high school. I've got graham crackers and marshmallows stocked!

Fire pit + chilly nights = favorite thing about fall!

xoxo,
Rachel

Conversations With Sebastian

Brett: Sebastian, do you want another baby someday?
Sebastian: Yes!
Brett: A little brother or a little sister?
Sebastian: A little brother.
Brett: What would we name him?

Sebastian: Ruby.

xoxo,
Rachel

p.s. not pregnant.

A Letter To The Editor

Dear Summertime,
You officially have one day left. I suggest you pack your bags and go quietly.

Bring on the chill in the air, the crisp breeze, the floating leaves, the dew on the grass, the colors exploding down the street, and the extra quilt at night.

I'm ready for some cozy.

xoxo,
Rachel

Cider Days: Every Year I Pretend It's Not Hot

After church Sunday morning we walked down to Cider Days like we did last year when I was 8 months pregnant with Ruby to find something good to eat and pretend like the sweat dripping down our backs wasn't sweat at all and that the leaves will be turning colors any moment now. Brett and I have decided Cider Days needs to stop kidding themselves and move the date back at least one more week to give the weather a chance to actually feel like fall.

Despite the way humidity can wipe you out and induce crankiness in the most quiet of hearts, we enjoyed ourselves. We saw the first pumpkins of the season, said hello to the mini horses that are paraded around every year, people watched, found Sebastian's favorite cupcakes with red things on top (sorry, Emma), ran into people we knew...(not those guys below)...

...and had some more pie! I was thrilled when Brett pointed out the Pie Box booth and pretty much dragged Sebastian two tents down to get a slice of pecan. One of the girls working remembered Brett showing up on his scooter to pick up three pies on my birthday and the other knew about RVA so we had a good chat about pie and Pushing Daisies. If you're in or around Springfield you must try The Pie Box for the kind of pies your grandma makes at Thanksgiving. My mouth is literally watering even typing this!

Probably my favorite part was on our way out when we came across the cutest three year old and his little sister selling organic lemonade for $2 a cup. I heard his parents explaining to some friends that he was raising money to buy more Thomas trains. That sign was what got me.

We'll probably forget how miserably hot it felt being out in the mid-day sun with two little ones and go again next year because that's what you do to feel like a part of the community you live in. You go out and do stuff, and bump into each other, exchange stories, observe, enjoy, and sweat together. And then you remember how fun that was last year and want to do it all over again.
Ha! What did you do with yourself this weekend? Oh, and today made vintage dress #3! However, I may have decided not to change clothes before attacking a large spray painting project while everyone napped the afternoon away and may have gotten a little bit of white paint on the bottom and may have rolled my eyes at myself for not having been more careful. I'm not sure it'll come out so it's either a shorter hem to make it more of a tunic or something pretty sewn on to cover it up. We shall see.

xoxo,
Rachel

Oh, and we ran into my midwife and her family on our way to the car and we hugged necks pretty tight. She is such a sweet woman and still so special to our family. I love that so many pregnant friends are using her!

Seasonal Shifts

Ruby and I had the house to ourselves this afternoon for awhile and while she gnawed on a random jar lid I took down the paper airplane garland and changed out a few images on my inspiration board. My mom gave me this copy of a photo of my PawPaw this summer and I suddenly realized who my brother looked like in our family. My PawPaw died over 21 years ago and my memories of our holidays spent together are faint but I remember his smile. My mom tells me I would've really loved him. He's up on the wall until further notice.

Speaking of my brother...we found out he's deploying in a few weeks. I'm hoping to work out some details to see him in a few weeks before his send off and planning my care packages already. Never did I imagine I'd be familiar with military life and now my brother and husband are both under contract. I'm proud of them both.

On a lighter note, I spent an hour in the sunshine plotting, I mean, documenting my plans for fall projects, blog topics, and goals for our family time and feel much more organized in the midst of teaching an online class and planning for the next one. My next project for blog purposes only is to test out making my own leather shoes for Ruby. I went to Tandy Leather last week and snatched up a few scrap pieces on sale and have every intention of coming up with something adorable so stay tuned.

xoxo,
Rachel

In Transit

The kids and I took a last minute trip to OKC to see my parents and both sets of my grandparents for the weekend while Brett had drill and worked on three major projects for school. We're headed back home this afternoon. I stopped at all of my favorite flea markets/thrift shops in all of my favorite places and found some lovelies including ANOTHER vintage globe in excellent condition, tons of pretty little linens for one of the projects I shouldn't be starting, and some sweet vintage jewelry. I'll do a show and tell soon!

My goals for the week are to let myself go to bed an hour early each night, finish up Small Craft tutorials a few days ahead of time, and to schedule some activities for us to do as a family to celebrate the changing seasons. Apple picking is one of them! I've also started thinking about a certain little girls' first birthday party that is suddenly just around the corner. (Wasn't she just born!)

I hope your weekend was swell! I can't wait to hear how Renegade went from Elsie and Katie and I'm looking forward to having coffee with one of my favorite New Yorkers!

xoxo,
Rachel

Front Porch Buffet

I got to spend a lovely afternoon with my kids working in our front yard on Labor Day after a fun lunch/froyo date with the RVA girls. The weather was warm but breezy and everyone kept themselves occupied with something long enough for me to transfer flowers to pots and fertilize and add mulch to the elephant ears.

Our front porch has had some foliage on it all spring and summer but nothing too exciting. The last two years we've been at this house our neighbors have brought mums over from an event that were extra and we've always enjoyed them. This year, however, I've jumped the gun because I want to enjoy these fall flowers as long as the weather allows. I picked up a few new pots on sale that coordinated with what I had and some potting soil and got to work. It didn't take long for Ruby to appear by my side to investigate.

It wasn't long before she'd gotten a hold of some blooms and proceeded to pick the petals off and spread them around the porch. We had a lesson in gently touching the flowers (above) but as soon as I removed my hand her gentle touch turned into an enthusiastic grab and pluck.

And then a taste test before she was removed from the premises.

This is how she felt about her relocation.

As Sebastian would say, "It's fun to try new things!"

I hope your weekend was memorable.
xoxo,
Rachel

EDITED: Thanks to a concerned reader, I am now fully aware that the leaves and stalks of Mums are toxic to children. I'm not sure that the petals are harmful but that was Ruby's last snack on the front porch!