I’m a mayo, yellow mustard, dill relish, and celery fan.
What do you put in your egg salad?
home is…just curious.
Category: being a perpetual student of life
happy paper flowers
Lorelai’s room has been going through a transformation, again.
I’ve moved the bed three different times, hung and rehung artwork, and changed the placement of the tissue paper puffs that were originally decoration for her first birthday party.
I pinned this photo months ago planning to add these flowers to the tissue paper puffs that were on the wall above her bed…
Source: aplaceforusblog.com via stephany @ on Pinterest
I saved paper bags over and over the last few months, only to put them in the recycle bin or in the compost.
The other day I came home from Trader Joes with a bunch of paper bags and decided I needed to finally make the flowers.
Here is the awesome tutorial from A Place for Us.
I got to work on them Sunday morning. The tutorial was easy to follow and the results turned out perfect!
I secretly wish this room was mine. I love the handmade flowers and vintage goodness in her room.
home is…happy paper flowers.
{2013} beginning
So, here it is. My first post of 2013.
Just as 2012 is completed, 2013 has just begun.
be·gin
/biˈgin/
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Verb
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Synonyms
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Unlike last year, our house is no longer a “blank slate”. Don’t get me wrong, there are still projects to be done, but most of them are out of my scope of expertise.
I have the designs for a new kitchen drawn up in my head.
I know what kind of wood/laminate flooring I want in our main floor.
I have great ideas for our master bath.
And, our second floor pop-up over the living room and dining room is all planned…just need an design/build group to work with to finish the details.
None of those have to get done for us to be happy in our home, though.
So, we’ll wait until the time is right.
For now, I will begin by picking a white to paint over the red walls in our kitchen and the blue sponge paint in the kids bathroom.
And, I have a fun idea from Pinterest for Lorelai’s room…
There will be more projects, more thrifting, and more fun adventures with the kids.
This is just the beginning.
home is…to begin is half the work.
{2012} completed
Yesterday I tried a new yoga class at our health club.
It was tough.
It was relaxing.
It was thoughtful.
My muscles are sore today, but more than that, I came away with a clear mind.
The instructor talked about COMPLETION.
com·ple·tion
/kəmˈplēSHən/
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Noun
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She talked about looking back on everything that happened in 2012…good, bad, or indifferent…and consider it completed.
Shake hands with it, give it a high five, a hug, or whatever you need to do…and move forward.
I usually say, “Let it go,” but I really like this idea of COMPLETION.
We cannot change the past…it is completed.
Good, bad, or indifferent.
We CAN focus on NOW and look forward to the future.
I’m looking back at 2012 with COMPLETION.
Moving forward with ANTICIPATION.
Enjoying the NOW.
Happy 2013 to all of my friends, family, and those of you who are neither, but choose to read this blog because it offers some inspiration to you.
I hope to be more INSPIRING in 2013.
home is…2012 almost completed.
simplifying christmas
We are blessed that the kids school teaches them the real meaning of Christmas. It’s just something I can’t teach them. Not that I don’t want to, I just don’t know the true story well enough.
I grew up going to church for Easter and Christmas, maybe.
Or, I would go with Honey and Pop-pop when they were taking care of us {again, very rarely}.
However, I married Ryan in Catholic church and vowed to teach my children about God…so I am. With help from Ryan and their wonderful teachers at school.
What I can teach them is that Christmas is not about presents.
It an experience.
Santa.
Family.
The tree.
Lights.
Elves.
Friends.
Tradition.
Giving.
This year we are simplifying the gifts.
In the past, we have gone overboard. I buy gifts. Ryan buys gifts. We buy gifts from their aunts. They get gifts from Meme and Topher. They get gifts from Nana and Bops.
LOTS.
OF.
STUFF.
This year we are taking the money that my parents are sending and signing the kids up for swimming lessons, climbing camp, and gymnastics.
They received gifts from Nana and Bops that they will be able to open.
Beyond that {and a few small things in their stockings} they will receive four gifts.
{image from jones design company}
I have changed it up a bit and they will receive something to WEAR, something to READ, something for PLAY, and something they NEED.
I am hoping that something to wear, read, or need may also be something they want, so I changed “want” to something for PLAY.
Not only will it cut down on the “stuff” they get, but it has also cut down on my shopping.
I narrowed down the list and have stuck with it.
I am done…except for Lorelai’s “something for PLAY”.
She has so much, and has such a great imagination, that it has been hard to come up with something.
Of course, if I had been stealth and sewn the doll when she was sleeping or at school, I could have given her that for her “something for PLAY”.
Any great ideas for a three year old girl?
Otherwise, I am able to spend the next couple of weeks crafting, driving around to look at Christmas lights, playing with friends and family, reading Christmas books, watching Christmas movies, coming up with more surprises from the elves {this may take another post…we don’t do elf on the shelf, but we surprise the kids with things, every once in a while, that the elves leave for them}, and enjoying the real magic, joy, and reason for the season.
home is…remembering what is important.
odds and ends
First…
I promised my Instagram and Facebook followers a recipe for the Pumpkin Spice Playdough we made yesterday.
Here is is:
It’s not mine…came from the kids school newsletter.
Second…
Been adding a few things to colton+cadence this week.
Third…
I also had a little fun with flash cards around home tonight.
It was soooo easy.
You need:
- flash cards
- background paper (I chose a paper bag)
- frame
- scissors
- glue
- sharpie or pencil
Cut paper to fit frame.
Arrange flash cards.
Glue into place.
Place into frame.
Hang on your wall.
I also made this one where I added the year we were married, the year Reece was born, and the year Lorelai was born.
home is…fun with flash cards.
they should make an app for that
Are you on Instagram?
I’m addicted and have been for almost 1-1/2 years.
You should download the app and follow me (@homeiswhatyoumakeit).
If not, you can still view my instagram photos on my new Instagram web profile!
You can click the link in the sidebar on the right to see any of my new Instagram photos on the good old inter web!
Also, have you heard about the new Afterglow app? It’s also addicting.
Download it.
Did you vote today?
They should make an app for that.
home is…cool apps.
joy to the…
It wasn’t supposed to rain yesterday and we didn’t have any big plans so I proposed that we take some Christmas card photos in the backyard.
Easy enough.
Gather branches that have fallen from the Douglas Firs, write a little something on the outdoor chalkboard, and throw in a little vintage red.
Oh, and how about some globes?! Yes, perfect!
Joy to the world!
Get on the trikes.
Move a little closer.
Lorelai, stop looking at your brother.
Reece, stop making funny faces.
Fine.
Everybody look at somebody else and make a funny face.
We look happy, but I had just stepped in the middle of his parenting. It’s all starting to go downhill.
The kids wanted to take more photos…meaning, they wanted to use the camera.
Lorelai took some of the boys.
Reece took some of the girls.
And, then the joy was gone.
It lasted all of five minutes.
We may have gotten one good family shot.
home is…a gold star for effort.
happy…
Friday.
Weekend.
November.
I’ve been trying to write this post for the last couple of days, but for one reason or another got sidetracked.
An awesome workout got in my way.
Then my computer did not want to work.
Lorelai got snuggly.
She fell asleep on the way to pick up Reece.
Errands had to be run.
Dinner had to be made.
Furniture had to be moved for carpets to get cleaned.
You know, normal stuff.
I went wine tasting with girlfriends last weekend.
The Willamette Valley was beautiful.
The wine was good.
The company was unbeatable!
I’m happy Halloween is over. I just didn’t get into it this year.
I love the pumpkin patches and fall, but Halloween just wasn’t a big deal to me this year.
However, I was thrilled that the kids decided to go with classic costumes…all their own idea!
The downpour that had been going on for two days stopped right after dinner and the skies cleared for a beautiful evening. Trick or treating was short lived as our ghost had trouble seeing and walking, but he was a trooper and decided that handing out candy (and eating candy) at home was a lot of fun, too!
The witch collection is put away and I will do a bit more rearranging and organizing before I get the Santa collection out.
I’ve started running again and it feels good.
Nothing crazy, but I am following the “Ease into 10K” app on my phone and it gives me a goal to reach for each run.
When the weather is nice I have been running outside and pushing Lorelai in the BOB. When Reece was her age I was still doing Stroller Strides 3 times a week and pushing BOTH of them! She is so happy sitting in the stroller, taking in the sights, and talking to whatever stuffed animal friend she brings along.
When I’m not wearing my running shoes I’ve got my boots on. It is definitely boot weather around here. My Frye’s and Hunter’s are my favorites. Lorelai loves the red cowboy boots I found at the Farm Chicks Show in 2011!
This is what November looks like in our backyard. It’s a little neglected, but still beautiful. My happy place.
When we are inside we are spending time learning, playing and growing.
Both kids love writing and drawing.
Our vintage books are always fun to look at and read.
I think I need to sign Reece up for more climbing classes.
Lorelai is my snuggle bug.
In Oregon, everybody votes by mail.
It makes it easy.
I voted.
I have added some fun vintage items to the shop.
Some of them are perfect for Thanksgiving.
Go check them out!
And, last, but not least…
I’m having fun with the vintage flash cards I have found and will be adding some flash card items to colton+cadence soon!
home is…finally getting this post done.
{pieces of me} october 2008
If you have read a couple of my posts this month (yesterday’s and this one) you know I care a lot about Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Did you also know that it is Infant and Pregnancy Loss month?
If you’ve been around my blog for a while (or know me personally) you may know that I had my first miscarriage in 2003…one month after my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.
What I haven’t written about is the second miscarriage I had in October 2008.
Ironically, Infant and Pregnancy Loss month.
We had been in Maui.
I was 13 weeks pregnant.
We flew direct from Maui on a red-eye to Colorado to spend a weekend at The Broadmoor.
Both were reward trips that Ryan had earned at work.
We dropped Reece off at my parents house in Genesee and drove down to Colorado Springs.
I was hanging in there, but feeling a little off.
And, then I started bleeding.
We had to leave The Broadmoor early.
We stopped at an Urgent Care on the way to my parents house, but they couldn’t help me.
Honestly, after that I can’t remember exactly what order things happened in, but I do know that we went to the ER where they confirmed that there was no longer a heartbeat. For some reason, we went back to my parents house…maybe to wait until the next day for a D&C?!
I was in a lot of pain and bleeding, so we went back that night.
I had gone through a miscarriage at home before.
I couldn’t fly on a plane to go home to Portland in my condition.
On Saturday, October 25th, 2008 we lost our second baby.
I’m sharing this with you because I think we all need to share our struggles. Our hard times.
I’ve had some. I continue to have some. And, I will have some in the future.
It is Infant and Pregnancy Loss month.
If you have lost a pregnancy, I have been there with you.
home is…sharing pieces of me.
stephany taddeo 