’tis the season

November 26, 2013Leave a comment

We’re kind of confusing holidays around here.

Thanksgiving is really my favorite holiday.

I love what it is about.

Being thankful.

Family.

Friends.

Food.

Football.

However, there’s not much fun in the decorating.

I love to decorate for fall, but by the end of November I am ready for Christmas decor!

And, the kids get more excited about Christmas decorations and crafts than they do about turkeys.

So, a couple more days of confusing our holidays and then we will be in the full Christmas swing of things.

Of course, after we are thankful.

No matter what, we will be jolly.

home is…celebrating the season.

share your joy

November 25, 2013April 6, 20204 Comments

Well, hello there…it’s been a while.

Last time I posted I was at the halfway point of a 12 day business trip…Ryan was on the business trip, not me.

The following weekend, and all the days combined had me wiped out.

The kids and I fell asleep together at 6:30 almost every night until Ryan got home.

We crafted, got Christmas decorations out, and snuggled together a lot.

It was good.

When the kids were really young, and Ryan traveled every week it was HARD.

I complained A LOT.

Sent angry text messages to Ryan.

Left him messages where I was crying or screaming because I was so frustrated that he was gone.

It was what we had to do.

The sacrifice we had to make for me to stay home with the kids was for him to be gone for work.

No matter how many times Ryan told me that, or I told myself that…IT WAS HARD.

But we did it.

I did it.

And, you know what?

I am stronger for it.

I know that I can take care of things around here.

I know I can keep my kids safe.

And, now that they are older, it’s easier.

But, man, are we glad that Ryan is home!

My parents are coming to visit us for Thanksgiving. They get here tomorrow. I can’t wait!

Traveling with young kids can be tough.

Traveling with young kids during the holidays is not something I want to do.

I am so thankful that my parents will come out to Oregon to share our new traditions.

We cook fabulous food, enjoy wine, build fires, watch football, the boys go hunting, we cut our Christmas tree.

It’s awesome.

And, this year we will celebrate my dad’s retirement from a 37 year career at Xerox!

On to new adventures.

Oh, and remember what I did with the JOY marquee from Target?

I’ve seen them all over Instagram and asked people to share them with the hashtag #sharejoymarquee.

Here are some of the photos…

Anny (@oakhart) used a frame from Goodwill and rubber cemented atlas pages to the cardboard backing on the frame. She cut a hole in the cardboard behind the J to run the wire through (so the cord runs down the back of the frame against the wall). She used command hooks (but hot glued them to the board) to hang the letters on and used twist ties to keep all the wires together behind the letters. Don’t you love it?

My IG friend, Courtney (@cottagemommy) used a bit of nature, and some vintage touches with her JOY. Courtney had her house featured on Life Made Lovely’s Holiday Home Tour last year…go check it out…it’s gorgeous!!

And, here is a beautiful antique holiday mantle from Kelli (@alongthedirtroad). She has a lovely blog that you should also go check out! Don’t you love the pinecones, burlap, and greenery?

If you are on Instagram and were able to get a JOY marquee from Target (I also hear that Orchard Supply Hardware has something similar), please share your JOY by using the hashtag #sharejoymarquee.

If you are NOT on Instagram you can e-mail me a photo of your JOY marquee and I will share it on the blog! Just send a photo to homeis@stephanytaddeo with the subject “share joy marquee”.

Have fun, and share the JOY!

home is…sharing new traditions, new adventures, and joy.

{inspired} field trips

November 14, 2013April 6, 20201 Comment

My old boss used to take us on field trips…grand adventures to look at fun stuff.

There were usually field trips within field trips and a crazy car ride to go along with it all.

It was always a good time…and usually ended with cocktails.

On Tuesday I took myself on a little field trip to Grand Marketplace in Southeast Portland.

It was fabulous.

Most of it is way out of my price range, but I absolutely love to get inspiration. Someday, I will be able to pick like these “professionals” or afford what they find.

Until then, I will keep visiting for inspiration.

If you live in the Portland area, you should go.

Also, if you live in the Portland area, what are some of your favorite places to go on inspiring field trips?

home is…field trips within field trips.

joy full

November 11, 20135 Comments

Did you see this at Target?

Well, I did NOT and I have walked the Christmas aisles a couple of times already.

However, I did see it on Instagram, and went right to Target.com to see how I could get it.

It was not available for online ordering, but was available for in-store pick up.

PERFECT!

I set everything up to pick it up from my regular Target yesterday.

When I brought it home and opened it I was in love, but I knew it could be better.

So, I painted it.

Then I hung it on a piece of wood that has been outside since we moved into our house almost 6 years ago. It’s nice and weathered.

I thought I would like the “JOY” to be horizontal, but the letters were taller than the board.

So, I went vertical.

And, I love it!

This is definitely something that will stay in our house year round.

I started out styling it in our front entry as a Christmas vignette…then I decided against it.

I’m not ready to have Santa and Christmas trees out quite yet and the front entry already has A LOT going on.

So, I moved it to the family room, and styled it for fall.

PERFECT.

JOY full.

And, I can change some of the items out to style if for Christmas in a couple of weeks!

{FYI…I know a lot of the stores are already out of stock on this item. Best bet is to check online and see if you can do an in-store pick up…they will hold it for you for 2 days!}

Good luck!

home is…spreading joy.

pfamily photo session with pfaus photography

November 10, 20132 Comments

Last month Jenn from Pfaus Photography took some photos of our family out at our favorite pumpkin patch.

Aren’t my boys handsome?!

The kids got muddy, but that’s real life.

These are just a few of the images we chose…they rest will be used for Christmas cards, so you’ll just have to wait to see them.

Thanks, Jenn for another pfabulous mini session!

home is…family photos in the fall.

{thrifting} curating christmas

November 8, 2013Leave a comment

I know, I know.

Thanksgiving is still 3 weeks away.

We are not forgetting to be thankful around here, I promise.

Here’s the thing.

I generally avoid Goodwill and Value Village (where I do the majority of my thrifting) from the end of August until Halloween.

However, once November 1st hits, the Christmas begins to trickle in. You see, they hold all the Christmas stuff that comes in throughout the year and put it ALL out between Halloween and Christmas.

So, I curate.

I gather to add to my collection from years past.

Here is what I have found in the last week or so…

I collect Santa’s and love these handpainted clay molds from the 1970’s.

Thinking about painting this guy…or maybe glitter!

I passed on one of these last year and wished I hadn’t. So, I bought one from Etsy at the end of summer. My friend, Erin, (@tweetpotatopie) told me where to find a star topper (my other one has a hole in the top) and I purchased some extra bulbs…just in case. Well, I found this beauty for $7! She was missing most of the bulbs, but that was OK because I had an entire bag of extras at home!

I can’t pass up a blow mold.

Or, a good santa mug from Japan.

And, this stitchery…well, it practically jumped in my cart!

This little guy is a bank…so cute!

home is…the most wonderful time of the (thrifting) year.

{at the craft table} gobble, gobble

November 6, 20133 Comments

I always love a good craft.

Even better if it is quick and easy.

Our craft table always has something going on…either for me, the kids, or both of us.

I’m not even sure how it happened, but Lorelai and I were sitting at the craft table. I was working on cutting vests out of paper bags for her class Thanksgiving feast, and she said that she wanted to do a craft.

I looked over to our craft cart, which I regularly change out with craft supplies for the kids or myself.

I grabbed…

crayons
pad of scrapbook paper (I buy them on sale or with a Michael’s coupon)
glue stick
paper cutter and/or scissors

I had Lorelai choose a few different patterns of paper that I cut into strips.

I then cut some of the strips into little pieces.

Now, neither the strips or the little pieces need to be perfect…this is supposed to be quick and easy.

Then, I told Lorelai to hold tight while I made an example for her to follow.

Here is what I came up with…

I traced my hand, closed up the bottom, and added legs.

Then, I drew the beak and waddle.

You know the drill.

Then I just put a little glue on the strips and pieces of paper and started to glue them to the tail and body of the turkey.

I was done in less than two minutes.

Lorelai LOVED it!

This was something she could easily do BY HERSELF.

Reece even made a few, but had more fun drawing pictures of him shooting the turkey, or taking pictures of the turkey, etc.

Either way, the kids were being CREATIVE!

I put the scraps in a bowl on the table with some glue sticks nearby.

This way, if they want a craft to do they can make another turkey, or two.

home is…creating with my kids.

{colton+cadence} vintage maps

November 5, 2013April 6, 2020Leave a comment

Sometime in February or March the kids and I drove up to Tacoma to pick up some maps.

I won a bid on Goodwill.com, but it was for local pick up only.

So we drove almost 3 hours one way to get them.

I am so glad we did.

One was a nine map classroom set.

Illustrated American history maps.

Starting in the 1600’s up until the early 1900’s.

My dad remembers this set from elementary school.

That was in the 1950’s.

Although it was a hard decision, I split the set up and decided to sell some in my Instagram shop, @coltoncadence.

Three of them have sold.

There are still two available.

They are gorgeous.

Vibrant colors.

Detailed drawings.

I’m probably going to regret selling them.

I’ve never seen anything like them.

It’s kind of like telling the story of the first Thanksgiving.

One of the maps that is still available has the Lewis and Clarks route on it.

I kept four of them for us.

One is in the playroom.

One is in the little guys room.

If you want one, go check out what’s left (1829 and 1790)!

home is…an illustrated history.

this space

November 4, 20132 Comments

I’ve missed this space.

This space to write and share our adventures.

Like the one I went on with the little guy a couple of weeks ago when he had a day off from school.

We dropped baby girl off at school where he got to visit with all of his former teachers. It was just awesome to see him feel like such a big kid. He was confident, well spoken, and polite.

After that, we ventured high above the fog that was blanketing the valley down below.

He loves to climb and hang from things. His arms are so strong.

He also loves to observe and collect. A bobcat lives in this nature park, so we looked for her. We were talking a lot, so we never saw her, but we saw a lot of other beautiful sites, collected sticks, feathers, and leaves.

I got some awesome, dedicated one-on-one time to talk to him about what he likes, why he likes it, and what is important to him.

That’s important to me.

It was good morning.

Baby girl and I get our time together as well. She likes to go for stroller rides while I run. One of these days, I will miss pushing the double BOB.

We also talk and stop to look at the beauty that is fall.

Ryan got to have a special date night with baby girl when he took her to the school Octoberfest for the first time. The next morning when I took her to school she said, “Mom, last night was the best night ever.”

Halloween happened around here, too. I made all of our costumes…animals of the Pacific Northwest. The little guy and Ryan went as wolves, baby girl was a bat, and I was an owl.

And, now, it is officially the most wonderful time of the year.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday…I love the food, the football, the family. I love slowing down to just be.

My parents will be visiting us for a week over the holiday…I can’t wait. We have much to celebrate and give thanks for.

Stay tuned…I plan to share more in this space.

home is…what is important.

this morning

October 24, 20131 Comment

This morning I have a little more time than usual before we need to get out the door, so I thought I would stop by and say hello!

I’m tempted to say, “life has been crazy, lately,” but it hasn’t.

It has been FULL. Is it full of craziness, sometimes?! Yes, but it’s FULL.

I’m tempted to complain that I haven’t had enough time to get everything done, but I have.

I have had the time to take care of sick kiddos, time to rest when I do not feel well myself, time to volunteer in the little guys classroom, time to go on baby girl’s first field trip, time to spend with my mother-in-law, time to visit pumpkin patches, time to be creative, and time to enjoy the beautiful weather we have had here in the pacific northwest.

I’m tempted to talk about all the things my kids aren’t doing, but I won’t.

They are incredible little beings who are inquisitive, strong willed, loving, fun, and happy. They love to create, climb, imagine, run, ride bikes, and learn. And, they love being with me. I can’t beat that, can I?

I’m tempted to vent about the disagreements that Ryan and I have, but that would be silly.

I have an loving husband who does an amazing job providing for our family. He works hard, spends time away from our family each week, deals with my creative craziness, makes our children laugh, and makes sacrifices (like not going hunting) to make sure he spends enough time with our little family.

I grew up being taught that what you focus on expands.

I have found myself focusing on the don’t/can’t parts of my life a bit lately and I want going to change that.

This morning, I’m focusing on the positive with a can do attitude.

Today, I will make enough time to do what needs to get done.

home is…refocusing.

stephany taddeo

home is what you make it