up and away

Without further adieu I present my etsy shop, Simple & Sweet. Here you will find a collection of childhood trinkets and vintage baby clothing. I think the crown jewel are my party hats. Take a gander and let me know what you like. 

ready, set, go!

We got up early this morning to brave the frigid temps to run the first annual East High 5k. I think Winston enjoyed it more than any of us since he got to be the one bundled up and people watching. And it reminded me there are few reasons worth getting up early for, and in my book, running is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, it was plenty of fun, but oh so cold!

You guessed it

 

So a couple of you hit the nail on the head when you guessed about my new venture, an etsy shop. I have actually had one set up for the past year but a new baby and two moves left little time for crafting. I am just putting the finishing touches on it and it should be ready to launch at the end of the week. However, since I know there are many curious cats out there I thought I would give you a little sneak peak! 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Ball

Winston was excited to meet his newest little buddy yesterday, Benjamin Ball. Dan's sister Laura had him early that morning and he is cute as can be with a head full of dark dark hair. I'd forgotten how tiny new little babies are, it is so hard to imagine Winston was ever that small. Congrats to Laura and Brad we are excited to get to know little Ben and have another friend for Winston.

Just to dispel any rumors

We are quite happy with the child we have and are not seeking another baby any time soon, I think I liked Molly's comment the best:

"and a new baby sister?? amateurs... is that the only think they think you know how to do?"

But thanks for all the phone calls and emails anyway. I'm not giving any hints just yet, but it is going to be delightful!

p.s. Don't you just love Spring? 

stay tuned

Exciting new things are happening here, and you don't want to miss it! Let's just say I have been a busy little bee getting everything ready for the big debut! 

p.s. Isn't this radio bike awesome? 

reincarnation

There are lots of things I strongly believe in; reading to your children, eating your vegetables, and restoring furniture. I love finding old pieces and breathing new life into them. If you know me well then you know I can take on way too many of these projects. when we moved to San Deigo I started collecting like a magpie and I was so excited about some of my finds. Most of the stuff we ended up selling (including the dining set) but I wanted to share my two favorite projects. We brought the grey dresser home and I can't tell you how much I love it! These pictures are awful, but they are all I have.Here is the dresser before (excuse the mess):

and after:

I scored this faux bamboo dining set on craigslist for only $40. 

The caning was in perfect condition. Before:

After:

Don't worry, I'm already taking on way too many projects again.

I guess this is a lesson I will never learn.

my boys = love

One of our last days in La Jolla we spent at our favorite beach. It is really one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and on cloudy days like this rarely crowded. Dan and Winston were playing and my camera and I tagged along.

Happiness is a handful of gumballs

I spotted this at a thrift store a couple months back. She was sitting on the shelf screaming, "take me home, I belong to you!" So without objection I did just that. She is the friendly kind of gumball machine, the kind that doesn't require pennies, just the turn of the wrist. Perhaps the thing I love about her best of all is how she reminds me of childhood. She is sitting on our bookshelf now and every time I catch a glimpse the her rainbow it makes me smile.

there's no place like home

I guess the great thing about "Home" is that is never changes. However, this is leaving me feeling a little like Dorothy when she wakes up from her dream and is trying to tell everyone about Oz. We've only been back in Salt Lake for two weeks and I already feel like our experiences living away we're just a dream and that they never really even happened. Don't get me wrong, It is wonderful to have so many family in friends here, it is wonderful to have a life, and friends to be able to jump right into, but it just feels a little weird to be here, to be Home. It is weird to run into people I know pretty much everywhere,  and weird to have people around me that have known me all my life. 

I guess the strangest thing for me is how quickly all the memories and feeling from my old life are fading away. Why does this happen? Sometimes I think it must be your memory's way of helping you move on, helping you move forward. I feel like now that we are here life is speeding ahead a million miles an hour, but I keep looking back to see if I can still see where we've been. 

image via

sentimental

With all the moving we've been doing lately I have had a plenty of opportunities to go through my belongings and assess all the junk and treasures I have, although sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. One of the items I stumbled across the other week while unpacking just might be one of my most precious belongings. 

This copy of Etiquette by Miss Emily Post herself belonged to my grandmother Wilma, or Gammy as we called her. She took etiquette very seriously and as a I child I remember her also hosting and going to "luncheons" with her friends. My Grandmother was that kind of lady, she didn't just go to lunch, she had "luncheons". I am sure this copy of Emily Post got lots of use throughout the years and I love flipping through it and imaging my grandmother doing the same. But my favorite thing about this book has to be the smell. My Gammy's basement had the smell of old things, old leather chairs, old books, and old wooden toys. I just inhaling the scent of these pages makes me feel like a three year old playing with vintage barbies in my Gammy's basement once again. I miss her terribly, but at least I have a treasure like this to remember her by. 

I will have to tell you about her penmanship another time, that deserves a post all of it's own.

Things to love this week

We're here, and happy to be here. Thanks to everyone who left such kind comments and sent sweet emails after my last post. It helps to realize what wonderful friends we have and that you are thinking of us. Leaving California was hard, but we've been so busy since we arrived in Utah that we haven't really had too much time to think about it. It is great to be home with our families and home=happy, at least most of the time. 

On that happy note, here are some things I am loving this week:

Freshly fallen snow=a reason to break out my wellies

Cafe Rio

Thrift store gems

Gluten free pretzels

Tree lined streets of Harvard-Yale

Winston's silly giggle's

Jill's post about her mother's amazing quilt

Inchmark's similar post

this darling (and modest) swimsuit

The Wasatch mountains