blue.

after some disappointing news, i am feeling quite blue. when i feel like talking, i'm sure i will. because that is what i do best. for now, i'll be taking a break from blogging. i just feel like being quiet for awhile. thank you for your endless support and awesomeness, it's as though i have a hundred and one friends thanks to this little blog of mine.

p.s. i have a new summer blog series in the works–featuring guest posts from favorite bloggers of mine–so i promise i won't be gone forever.

pretty rain cloud by celine at bonjour.

favorites: storytime

a few favorites from benji's bookshelf

• In A Dark Dark Wood by David A. Carter
• Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
• Annie Bananie by Leah Komaiko
• Curious George Makes Pancakes by H. A. Rey
• The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton
• Sheep Out To Eat by Nancy Shaw
• Who Is Coming To Our House? by Joseph Slate
• Piggies by Audrey Wood
• Babies by Ros Asquith
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• Cowboy Small by Lois Lenski
• Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
• Corduroy by Don Freeman
• The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

giveaway: handmade accessories

today's giveaway is by ilene, the gal behind much love, illy. hers is a cute shop full of whimsical accessories and hair pieces. perfect poppies all year round!

giving :: your choice of headband and accessory (ring, hair clip, earrings, etc.)

please comment by midnight to enter to win. good luck!
tell me your big plans for the weekend.

a bit of a bio :: I am city girl from Chicago, but my heart is in South Carolina where my family currently resides. I love to travel, do anything creative, and spend time with my crazy family. All of the products found in my shop are handmade and created by moi. The shop is stocked with handmade accessories - from beautiful poppy headbands (my most popular item!!!), lovely rings, colorful hair clips and corsages. I am a fan of color - so you'll find lots of bright, happy colors throughout my shop. I have also had a handful of custom requests for headbands - so if you don't see your favorite color combo in the store, I am more than happy to work with you directly.

congratulations to: kim who commented, this weekend i'm selling at my first farmer's market! :)

thank you ilene joyce for sharing your talents.
please visit her shop + blog.

details.

so i attempted this hairstyle for church on sunday. i only twirled up the top section of my hair, leaving the rest down. i threw a flower clip in the mix too. it was a fun change and took hardly any work whatsoever. via real simple. it took me back to high school when i loved to twirl my hair in little knots on a weekly basis.

b and me had benji and mama's day of fun today. (remember janice and joey's day of fun on friends?) it was sunny and beautiful which was a good excuse to hit the park, the zoo, visit papa and a new-to-us bakery downtown. then a long afternoon nap. it was dreamy.

i am trying out google chrome these days and am really liking it. another thing i really liked is hil's five minute jello. i doubt i'll ever make jello the real way again. if you are making jello the old way and waiting 10 hours for it to set up, you must give this a try. it's completely delicious. i feel like i could be sitting on my grandma's barstool while eating it up, like an old-fashioned delight. your kids will love it. be forewarned, hold the blender lid on real tight. we had a bit of a frothy cherry volcano.

we must have a cricket living right outside our window. i cannot see him, but i hear him all day and all night long. i feel like i live on walden pond.

weekend visitors are coming to stay, i can hardly wait. it has been a most compelling motivation to review my recipes, wipe out the fridge, and get the house all ship shape. dan always wonders aloud if our visitors will really inspect the microwave, but i just love a good excuse to get the house in order. am in the process of framing new photos and re-vamping the bookshelves. therefore right now the house is a disaster.

walmart photo lab is having a sale on 4x6 prints when ordered online. they are only 10 cents each. which is 3 cents less than costco, if you're counting. am trying to update the family photo album before benji turns two.

for those of you who inquired about my ribbon collection, i keep it stashed away in a large bottom drawer. get a peek of my office space right here. the ribbon situation is not as organized or color-coded as i would like, but it does the job. i talked about where i purchase ribbon right here. and if you live near an xpedx paper supply store, they sell perfect cellophane bags in a huge assortment of sizes. that place is what dreams are made of.

tune in tomorrow for a chance to win something super cute.

favorites: kid friendly activity

a favorite activity with kids

a kid-friendly museum is always a special outing with kids. this 2007 exhibit featured robert sabuda's amazing pop-up books. my nieces loved paging through the wizard of oz book and his incredible version of alice in wonderland. there was even a table with supplies and instructions to create your own pop-up book. the perfect way to make reading fun.

my sister, amy and her little girls are having all sorts of adventures with their summer passports this season. amy created three homemade booklets jammed with ideas and daily activities for their summer vacation. included are lists of places to go and people to see which the girls can check off throughout the season. read about it here.

what is your favorite kid-friendly activity?

favorites: sweet treats

favorites: the sweets stash

i can't believe i'm even approaching this topic, as it is so varied and vast. i will roll off a few favorites and undoubtedly think of more to add. i have a sweet tooth. which is why we rarely have treats in the house. however, i did laugh at myself the other night when i saw my reflection in the window (still in gym clothes) licking the hot fudge spoon clean. mint ice cream and hot fudge are true bliss and a rare treat. still, my favorite flavor hands down is peanut butter and chocolate from baskin robbins. and oh how i love chocolate chips in a ramekin. so simple; it feels practically wholesome. those we do have on hand, so it is the favorite dessert on the menu. dan freezes his ramekin and therefore is always enjoying his after mine are long gone.

i take my m&m's plain most often. and i will never say no to a gummy bear, a cinnamon bear or a sour patch kid. i even like those individually wrapped red hot fire balls because they remind me of being seven. charleston chews and toblerone bars because they are family favorites. jr. mints and popcorn. cookies and milk. trail mix with gum drops. and when we run into a gas station while on the road, i will usually grab a whatchamacallit for him and a fifth avenue for me.

now tell me, what's your favorite sweet treat?

favorites: kitchen tools

favorite kitchen tools

• small williams-sonoma rubber spatulas (perfect for everything)
• pyrex measuring pitchers (these are a staple around here)
• mini whisks (awesome for brownie and muffin batter)
• lemon squeezer (i use this way more than i ever thought i might)
• garlic crusher (this one is amazing. thank you, david.)
• stainless steel measuring cups (may as well splurge on the good kind so the measurements never rub off; however benji adores my retired plastic ones)
• cookie spatula (sturdy and thin enough for the most fragile sugar cookie)
• vegetable palm peeler by chef'n (way better than my rusty swivel version)
• slotted wooden spoon (this goes without saying)
• three cookie sheets (i hate scrubbing them, but love having more than two for big batches)
• large container of cookie cutters (my mom gave me an assorted collection when i got married. it's such a great gift idea to a young bride who assumes her days will be full of cookie making and frosting and sprinkling)
• hand egg beater (i feel like a legit housewife with this hand-me-down in my drawer)

now you tell me, what's your favorite kitchen tool?

favorites: summer sandals

hands down, my favorite footwear for the summer is the chaco flip flop. they are casual, completely comfy and have lasted several seasons. they go everywhere with me and are my definite go-to when i am headed out on errands. (dan introduced me to them and and we have the same pair. totally matchy-matchy.) i am not alone in flip flop love, there is a flickr group devoted to chacos too. if you want sandals for river running, hiking and other rough and tough activities, i recommend this design of chacos, geared with more strappy support. i've worn them to disneyland, moab, jackson hole and more.

playing favorites & playing footsie.

favorites: simple gift wrap

these next few weeks i'll be playing favorites. i am scooping out photos from my archives and describing a few of my all-time favorites. classic things i love to love. dan and benji will be assisting me with a few posts of their favorite things too. i'll be including topics from kitchen gadgets to shoes to summer activities to treats. if you want to request a favorite you'd like me to cover, i'd love to hear it. feel free to play along, if you have a tip on the subject, please leave a comment. i'll begin this series with a favorite go-to gift wrap idea. because anyone who knows me knows i love cellophane bags and use them for everything. they just add a touch of voila to my vocabulary of little gifts. these babies make my selections of bulk candy seem not so bulky. maybe even dainty.

favorite gift wrap supplies

• small cellophane bags
• pretty ribbons
• simple tags or labels

father and child

happy father's day to you, dan. you make us smile every day. xo.

to dan, the man who makes a perfect pancake, who hikes mountains for pure fun, who sneaks cookie dough from the freezer, he who never complains, who can hold his own in a courtroom, on a shooting range, or an alpine ski slope, who thinks handlebar mustaches are worthwhile - if not, completely awesome, who thinks cozies are cool, who knows every word to every neil diamond song ever (and who sings them in a neil voice that could win contests). who loves with his whole heart. happy father's day to the man whom our little boy idolizes; boiling over with true enthusiasm at my simplest statement, daddy's home.

happy father's day, opa

happy father's day, dad. the man who has always been my north star. the man who gave me my name, the first of many treasured gifts. a dad who remembers the details, writes histories for a living, travels the world collecting stories and stamps, coins and rare books and often visiting the grands who refer to him as opa. he loves repairing worn leather books, collecting artifacts and re-telling their histories, eating cashews and craisins, hosting bubblegum contests with the kids and settling in for a good detective movie. he is the first in line at the farmer's market and a regular at his favorite cafe. the little ones love to find the old fashioned top and make opa spin it on the kitchen floor, again and again and again. and of course, he happily obliges.


I'm crazy about him. I model myself after Father,
and there's no one in the world I love more. - Anne Frank

photographs by my talented shutterbug sister-in-law, christie.

famous quotes about fathers

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.

- John Gregory Brown

I can thank my father for what I am today. He was the person who backed me up when I first started on the bike as a young boy. He did everything for me.

- Bjarne Riis

My father dominated my life as long as he lived, and was the love of my life for many years after he died.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Now in my old age I think of my father and marvel at his great courage. He was my ideal, my teacher and my great inspiration. If only I had a chance to thank him.

- Mike Lipstock

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

- Theodore M. Hesburgh

It's passionately interesting to me that the things I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election... I owe almost everything to my father.

- Margaret Thatcher

My father means everything to me.

- Michael Jordan

The influence of my father also had a great deal to do with my going into the ministry. This is not to say that he ever spoke to me in terms of being a minister, but that my admiration for him was the great moving factor. He set forth a noble example that I didn't mind following.

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.

- Clarence Budington Kelland

I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.

- Harry S. Truman

a pair of owls

ain't it the most adorable pair of owls you ever did see? i found them on the ever darling owl-devoted website, my owl barn. we're off on a mini weekend outing. i may or may not have photos when i return. but i will tell you about the gifts we gave and the fun we had.

feel free to pop in this weekend, i've scheduled a few father's day tributes to post while i'm away. speaking of which, did you see this fabulous napkin origami trick that jess posted in honor of dad's day? i will absolutely be attempting to fold tiny napkin shirts (with all those fancy napkins we never use) for this sunday morning's brunch. on that note, if you are a man and you're reading this, please notice all the silly little details your wife does (like fold napkins into cute little men's shirts) that she hopes will make you happy but really makes her happy. just roll with it and say thanks for all her efforts. i know you don't care what shape your napkin takes, but to her it's just another way, perhaps a new quirky way, to show you she loves you.

tune in next week i'll be featuring favorite things of ours and another thursday giveaway.
hip hooray.

giveaway: nancy jo studio

today's giveaway is from nancy jo studio, a shop full of handsewn handmades. i simply love a clutch or wallet that adds a little punch to the day's ensemble. a pretty pouch like hers is sure to collect compliments with every purchase from here on out. here's to adding a touch of cuteness at the cash register!

giving :: one sweet wallet pouch with wrist strap or key chain. (the winner can choose any color combo they want; stripes or solid. of course, any design in the shop can be made into a wallet size.)

please comment today to enter to win. good luck!
tell me three (materialistic) things you cannot live without.

you only have until midnight, this post will be updated with the winner.

a bit of a bio :: I currently live in Indianapolis after a few years of moving around. I am trained only in the literary arts, and have my undergrad English degree from Loyola and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from a small little school in Boulder, CO, called Naropa. Right now I also work as a waitress and a book editor. I started sewing a few years ago, during my last year at grad school. My favorite color is turquoise and I am soothed by tasks that others may find tedious, such as cutting out flower petals and sewing them on one at a time, hand beading, etc. I am mostly inspired by color and love bright and cheerful things, as well as sparkly things like crystals and rhinestones which I am gradually adding to my items. Aside from sewing I love to read, write, run, watch bad reality tv, and cook (and eat).

I also enjoy creating custom items for my customers. I make baby quilts by custom order, and I love to hear people's wedding colors and inspirations in order to make a special line of bags just for their bridesmaids. I think clutches to use on the wedding day or little custom makeup bags make really good bridesmaids gifts.

congratulations to... cleverly content who commented, can't cope without: mascara, sunglasses and dr. pepper.

thank you nancy for sharing these patchwork pretties!

please visit her shop + blog.

snapshot: wednesday evening

it has been rainy today. finally the clouds are disappearing, the concrete is drying and nighttime in idaho has its usual calming effect on me. the boy is snoozing and the dishwasher is whirring its lullabies to me. the beauty of the nights seem to make up for the stormy summer days. the sunsets are just so pretty. this afternoon i was cursing those clouds i love so much when benj and i landed in a sudden downpour right as we transferred the groceries from our cart to the car. the rain soaked everything in an instant, including the father's day cards i'd just bought (and spent way too long picking out). as if scolding me for not making them from scratch. lesson learned.

but tonight all is well. we end the day with dan making a new mix on itunes for tonight's workout. buying a band of horses song with the last of the itune money. (on that note, the next itune endeavor is to make a summer country mix. i'm a new country fan and am embracing it with a cd mix devoted to cheesy twangy hits, so please send me your favorite picks.)

i'm on the couch, eating one of hilary's brownies and reading dan's latest issue of outside magazine. his secretary gave him a subscription for christmas, so i get to steal it for a little light adventure reading every now and then. i like the layout, the pictures and the contrast from my usual fashion + home mags. last month had a good article about cameras and another featuring bear grylls. which for some reason took me three sittings to finally finish. this one has a little ditty about jack johnson and the new album. flipping through it gives me plenty of good father's day gift ideas. gift ideas to place on the back burner, until we are rich and famous.

i finished the help yesterday and am pining for a new book to fall into.

g'night.

printables: cool cards for dads

i thought it might be fun to whip out some cards with my dad's old sunglasses in mind. i vividly remember him checking on us in the rear view mirror of our classic 80s suburban. these cool cards will easily print on a regular sheet of cardstock; simply trim around their borders to fit inside an A2 envelope.

click, save and print for your favorite fathers.

:: thank you to koloist for featuring last year's edition of my father's day present to dan. now that benji can reach the shelf, he always gets this little album down and flips through the pages while perched on the ottoman.

:: tune in tomorrow for a summer thursday giveaway. i can hardly wait.

quote wall 12

dear diary.

it's finally starting to feel like summer. the weekend was dreamy. relaxed and pretty productive too. a very unplugged type of weekend. my little boy got his haircut and a happy meal. i wish i had a photo to show benji with his proud new army cut. (lately when a truly great snapshot moment comes about, i start singing, if i had a camera... in the same tune as trini lopez's if i had a hammer.. i'm happy to say, the new camera hunt has been narrowed down and i'm closing in on the big purchase. there will be no shortage of photos from my summer vacation.) oh.. i painted on some new pinky nail polish and drove to rexburg for the seasonal trip to my favorite craft store, porter's.

speaking of which, i came home with a boatload of pretty papers for projects; one. something crafty for my dad for father's day and two. the upcoming collection of mini diaries. thanks to so many of you who've requested more! i have an idea in mind for customers who have told me they're giving them to their children or nieces and nephews. i will be creating a new batch of mini diaries with little ones in mind; the covers will feature youthful designs. of course–if you're like me–fluffy owls, tiny hearts & paper dolls are still age appropriate. i hope to create a large assortment, so everyone finds something they like.

saturday night, dan served root beer floats for our readathon. in frosty mugs. he's pretty cute. i am only one hundred pages away from finishing the help. which i love. am savoring every last page of these people. i am so happy to have a book that i like enough to pull me away from the tv and the computer. one that keeps the light on a little longer at nights. when i begin dreaming of my fan mail to the author, i know it's a keeper.

this morning i made applesauce oatmeal muffins in honor of my grandma june. whenever i scoop a teaspoon of cinnamon into a bowl, i think of my grandma. i usually shake a little more in for good luck. she was cinnamon and spice and everything nice. if she were here, we'd be celebrating her 85th birthday today. she passed away when i was only fifteen and i think of her so much still. i wish she could've met dan, i know she would have laughed at his jokes. i wish she were around to talk to about pregnancy and motherhood, i know her wisdom would give me comfort. i wish she was still playing tennis and tending to her flowers and hosting thanksgiving, i'd send her thank you notes. still, all that grandmotherly love and friendship in my fifteen years was enough for me to hold her up on a pedestal and give her a special room in my heart forevermore.

happy flag day.

picnic images via tumblr.
p.s. i'm catching up on formspring. shoot me a question if you have one.

alice in wonderland party, part II

party favors are wrapped up pansies planted in vintage teacups. a sweet tag ties the alice in wonderland theme together. the girls are seated around the table for a tea party, the fancy event about to begin.

of course, sophie planned a few party activities for the girls. i loved her invention of this cute teacup memory game. she divided pairs of candy and hid the pieces underneath the scattered teacups. whoever found the matching candies enjoyed it as their prize.

after the guests had enjoyed their luncheon of tea, scones, berries and cupcakes, sophie led them into the parlor to pick out vintage dress ups. accessories were tucked into antique suitcases and hat boxes. the girls changed into their fancy gowns and accessorized with feathers and lacy gloves for their on-site photo shoot.

portraits by sophie's sister, lucy, were taken on the front porch. they used a few props for styling and even invited their cousin's bunny as a special alice in wonderland party guest. sophie plans to include the individual portraits in the thank you notes to her friends.

when i asked sophie what her favorite part of the party was and what her friends seemed to love about it, she answered, "The best part of the party was running up and down the sunny streets pretending to be in wonderland while wearing beautiful dresses. I think my friends were most delighted with the immature charm that parties often have missing."

the most lovely alice in wonderland tea party i've ever seen. thank you for sharing your event with us, sophie! now onto what you've been waiting for, sophie's seven tips for a successful party. i think you'll agree, she really knows her stuff.

Perfect Party Planning 101 by Sophie

First of all, the planning should begin really early. This way your ideas can fly and all ideas can be possibilities because you have time. Time is key.

1 Party Theme

No one is too old for a theme. No one. But it's harder to find a theme for an adult party. Here's how...

• Relate the Theme to what you like. For example, I love Alice in Wonderland.

• Then, think of what you want the setting to look like and feel like. My Party could have been a darker, Tim Burton feel or a lighter classy vintage feel, which is what I went with.The feel should appeal to the age of the party-goers. The theme can be as immature as wanted, but the feel can balance it out.

2 Go Blogging

Magazines, blogs, and websites are perfect for ideas about your party. I searched "Alice In Wonderland Vintage Tea Party" on Google Images. Then I would find cute pictures and click on the link. This more than often led me to cute blogs and websites. Write down ALL the ideas that pop into your head. Later on down the road you will organize them, but for now go crazy with all the ideas that you want.

3 Organize ideas, find resources

Now limit your ideas down to how long the party is, and how long the planning period is. Once you have your initial events of the party, find resources. Yes, paying 300 dollars for a set of games, plates and the whole package would be easy, but NOT fun. My sister has a good friend who is extremely cute and has a ton of vintage stuff. So, I asked her to lend me her things and help decorate, and she said yes. I couldn't have done it with out her. So, find a good friend who is willing to help out. If this doesn't work out, skip to the next paragraph.

Find out about all the cutest places around town. I went anywhere vintage and thrifty. I even went to the D.I., where I found amazing deals and super cute teacups. Going places just for fun might give you new or better ideas.

4 Be open to change

This was hardest for me. If something doesn't work out, or better ideas arise, it is ok to change a little bit. More often than not, you won't regret it.

5 Be Creative

Show your party-goers that the party will be more special than others. Accomplish this by making handmade invites and playing new and fun games. You don't want this to be just any other party, so get creative and fun.

6 Get Help

Having help from my mom and sister and more was the best. And it is so less stressful. Like me, some people are the do-it-yourself kinda girls. A real party is not one of these things. With people come new ideas. Even if you don't Like these new ideas, be gracious and listen--Just a little manners lesson. :)

7 Hosting

When the day of the party comes ... Just forget everything. If things go differently, Let it happen. A whole section we'd planned for my party was canceled, but it was for the best and turned out so much better. My natural instinct is always to have everything go exactly the way I planned, But that doesn't always happen.

AND ... You have done all you have to make this party yours. You worked hard to see this day come together. So just have FUN !!!! There is nothing more you can do to make this party a party other than being pleasant.

thank you, miss sophie. you are one talented hostess!

all images by lucy, the decoration ideas by sophie & co.

alice in wonderland party, part I

i want to introduce you to my niece, sophie. here she is all dolled up for her thirteenth birthday party. i chatted with her a week before the big event and she told me of her big plans for her alice in wonderland themed party. i saw her growing collection of antique books and teacups in the corner of her room. she told me about pansies in teacups and vintage decor throughout the party. sophie did her research on what a classic tea party consists of. sophie even had details and a to do list written on an oversized chalkboard to prep for the special affair. i was so thoroughly impressed with her party planning skills. this is a girl with the best imagination. thankfully her mom and family helped her with every detail!

pretty antiques and old books created a vintage theme throughout the party. the playing cards are a sweet touch and the perfect tie-in to alice in wonderland. her grandma shanna let her host the party in their beautiful home, so it would be a fun change from the regular scene of playing at sophie's house.

the teacups held blooming pansies, to be given as a favor for the party guests. here, sophie's great-grandmother bernice makes them look party ready.

the table was full of deliciousness. i love the teacups hanging from an array of colorful ribbons. the pretty ceramic birds, mossy nests, and antique pieces really set a nice feel for the luncheon. i like how the centerpiece arrangements wrap in perfectly with the beautiful menu choices. (all of which look dainty and divine.)

speaking of which, sophie tells me, "A tea party consists of 3 courses (we looked it up). 1) brunch with mini quiches and cucumber sandwiches. 2) scones with honey and jams. 3) desserts; chocolate covered strawberries and cupcakes etc. The cupcakes are from a local bakery called MINI'S. really cute. And of course, we served herbal tea."

the girls dined on towers of itty bitty quiches and cupcakes. each cupcake had a long slender birthday candle in it; sophie let everyone make a wish at this birthday party. sophie's mom is shown pouring tea and likely wrapping up and smoothing out all the behind the scene details.

all images come from lucy, sophie's sister. click here for part II; more alice in wonderland party pictures and details, along with sophie's seven party planning tips (not to be missed)!

twenty-one months true

oh the days drift by and i happen to say so little of my benjamin boy. which is ironic since he is the whole of my days. the whole of my existence, really. and i couldn't be more delighted with our circumstance. he is the official twenty-one months now and zooming into life with exuberance, as usual. he has come into his own, in so many ways. i'm sure i'll be using that term his whole life through, but right now–at this twenty-one month stage–he is his very own simple person. i love that the essential parts of his personality are blooming; he is honest to the very core without distraction. truer than true. which is why children are so incredible to spend time with. they teach without trying.

he has come across this sense of humor that has us laughing into oblivion. especially at bedtime when he wants to bonk heads and play tickle monster and point at my nose and ears and come up with new games and prolong the singing with hilarity and clownishness. of course, it gets me every time. when it's papa's turn to put him down, i smile when i hear benji's chuckling at full volume coming from the room. since when did lullabies get so hilarious? i am glad the days of figuring out a routine are long gone. the best thing benji gave us was his regularly scheduled bedtime. when the day has been long, the house is a wreck, the chocolate pudding is smeared across his face and he goes to rip off his bib and toss the spoon on the linoleum, i smile knowing it's only an hour or so to go til this precious little chocolate monkey hits the hay. and now he marches his path to the bathtub, knowing full well not to touch a thing on the way there. such a cheerful little soldier.

i marvel at his love for trucks and rocks and balls and trains. such a little boy. he lets dogs lick his face thoroughly and last weekend, he went nose to nose with a horse. fearless and brave. however a friendly neighbor saying hello still makes him leap into my lap. he likes to lead the music during church and loves story time in our yellow chair. his persona twinkles when a grandparent is around, showing all the latest tricks like jumping and spinning and finding the pots and pans shelf. fruit is his favorite; this season he is spoiled with all the fresh choices. he is still favoring his left hand too. he dances a jig whenever a song comes on and is best friends with curious george. benji gets by using his favorite words; yep, bus, up, down and arrff.

i still see his daddy's eyes when i gaze into his; lightly toasted hazel brown. the hue i will love forever. i like that benji was born with my nose and my light blue eyes. yet over those first few months after our introduction, those peepers changed into that familiar color. the color that runs so deep in dan's side of the family.

how i relish in seeing summer through those eyes. the purple blossoms bending over the gate near the mailbox. the warm sidewalks. the fresh blades of grass. the smooth pebbles in his palm. the birds singing. the cantaloupe and blueberries. the breeze and the budding trees. the shorts and the sandals. the slide and the swings. as any parent will attest, watching them grow is a miracle. but bettter than that, each new season brings about a new adventure. every summer he will conquer something new; be it going down the slide, climbing the monkey bars, riding a two wheeler, his first time up to bat, or his first sparkler in the darkened sky.

i didn't realize all the joy it would be to simply listen and watch and see what he sees. i didn't know how amazing it would be to see my boy learn to explore the great outdoors; lining rocks into a row, leaning down to smell a dandelion and find (and sit in) every puddle in sight. my heart hopes to bring him happiness and love, to teach him all the fine things of this big wide world. and my reward will be watching him view it through his big wide, ever curious eyes.


benji. ready for his close up.

this week i've been reading some wonderful articles about motherhood in the april conference issue of the ensign magazine. i have highlighted paragraphs from each of these listed. they are truly worth reading: mothers & daughters / mothers teaching children... / mother told me. i always come away inspired and ready to become better than before.

“There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation.” - James E. Faust

over the moon.

the mini diaries went like mad yesterday. all thanks to ali edward's post & picture. how lovely it is to gain new customers thanks to good old/new fashioned word of mouth via the internet. thank you, ali. and thanks to every one who purchased diaries; they are in the mail today. if you'd like to be notified when the next collection of diaries will be in stock, please email me and i'll be sure you're the first to know.

soft gingersnaps

these cookies are in my top five. my sister heidi makes them every christmas for our annual cookie exchange. she even mailed a batch to me last december. she makes them bite sized, unbelievably soft and freezes them ahead of time to wrap up in brown paper packages for holiday gifts.

i was feeling homesick a few weeks ago, so i marched myself into the grocery store with molasses on my list. i made stacks of gingersnaps on my own for the first time, texting heidi for backup. the batch was not an exact replica of her ginger sugar drops, but still, they were delicious and all was right in the world.

HEIDI’S GINGERSNAPS

1 1/2 cup Shortening
2 cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Dark Molasses
1/2 tsp. Salt
4 tsp. Baking soda
2 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp. Cloves
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Ginger
4 cups Flour

Cream together all the ingredients except the flour. When dough is creamy, gradually add the flour. Form dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and flatten each cookie with your thumbprint.

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. (The key is to under-bake them a little for truly soft cookies. If you want soft and small cookies, you'll want to only bake them for 7 minutes, so they are set but still soft when you take them out of the oven. I let them sit for a minute on the sheet and then carefully transfer them to the cooling rack for ten to fifteen minutes. Then i'll slip them into a ziplock storage bag or tight tupperware container to ensure soft cookies.)

buried treasure

this weekend i took all my pent-up energy and raided my closet while benji was napping and dan was biking. i gave away everything i never wear. i breathed new life into the stuff that i thought couldn't work. i made breathing space between my hangers. i stumbled upon cute white linen pants that are completely non-practical but maybe perfect for something this summer. and i realize i never wear red. the exception being red shoes. i felt fifteen again with my whole closet contents in categorized heaps on my bed. boy does it feel good to promise myself i'll never be a slob again. and it's wonderful to have nieces to save the oh, this is too cute to get rid of items for. (it helps knowing my best-of-this-decade clothes are going to a good home.) they can even toss it if they want to and i can make-believe they are wearing it to soccer camp; we're all the happier.

i discovered a few pretty pieces of jewelry while unearthing dusty makeup brushes, itty vials of perfume and clinique samples ripped from magazines in a forgotten dresser drawer. i've always been a minimalist for accessories but have a newfound love for the way they can put a fancy twist on my mama wardrobe of jeans and cardigans. i want to revive my jewelry collection. so now i have four or five assorted jewelry boxes spilling their contents on my dining room table ready for serious sorting. do tell, how do you store your jewelry? and what about hair accessories? not that i have many, but my headbands are always just hanging out. i'd love to hear your accessory suggestions.

sweet diy storage solution via apartment therapy.


coming up this week..
my sister's famous soft gingersnap recipe to love.
a few motivation for mothers articles to inspire.
an alice in wonderland birthday party to amaze.

carol hannah just got that much cooler

i love that carol hannah of project runway fame is still cool enough to keep up an etsy shop. how cute is she!? she recently opened another featuring her wedding collection. such lovely eye candy. oh and she blogs too.


happy saturday. am off to make sandwiches for a trip to the zoo.

scrapbook segment: family photos

prepare yourself for pictures, people.

grandma's garden. whenever the sunshine shows up, the patio furniture gets hosed down, the striped tablecloths come out and the watermelon is sliced up into smiles. (benji sits on the little pine bench that his papa built long ago.) we love being so close to the mountains and our families.


horsing around with jason and whitney and bella, the horse. it was a gorgeous morning and dan was in cowboy heaven; riding like a pro. benji couldn't get enough of the wheelbarrows. i wore flipflops and khakis as a sign that i wasn't about to do any riding. but here i am in all my cowgirl glory. funny how my terrified face looks exactly like my super happy face.


gathering for a picnic with the little cousins is about the best thing ever. they always remember how i refer to them as sugar. so many girls in one city, it's hard not to soak up a li'l sugar and spice. (baby miles and benji boy will have to get used to all the tea parties!) a watergun fight broke out just before we left the scene.


b + me. oh how i love this little boy in blue jeans.
hope you have a wonderful weekend.