Roots & Wings

This has been our past week. Recovering. Reviving. Relaxing. We all had fevers, sniffles and sore throats. We stayed at home and laid around feeling yucky until we couldn’t do it anymore. We decided that the sun would probably be a better remedy for us than any medication. So we took our breakfast, the puppy, and ourselves down to the river for some much needed peace.

This is our favorite hideaway. We come here when everything gets so busy that we just need some time to sit.

It’s a quiet little spot and we barely ever see anyone else. 

This is what it’s like to get here…. wake up, pack lunch while dreaming of the water, shuffle all the sleepyheads (including ourselves, because usually we end up here because we’re exhausted) out the door and into the car, drive while singing “miss mary mack, mack, mack,” pull up to the woods, grab all slings, bags, food, and babies and into the woods we go. It’s about a 5 minute walk and of course we have to stop and pick up every leaf and rock. shuffle shuffle shuffle. and all of the sudden…… water, sand, blanket, breakfast, PEACE! About 2 hours later there is typically the looking at the watch, grabbing everything in sight, taking off into the woods (this time no stopping for leaves or rocks), scurrying to see the car, throwing everything in and off we go… to get Joseph to work, of course.

To be honest with you, I love everything about this process. It is very much a reflection of our lives right now. We work really hard most of the time to finally have that little bit of time to be in our favorite places together and gain some peace.

{this is a hat that I made for Scarlet at the beginning of the summer. The result? I am so not a hat maker. This would be the first and only time I’ve let her out of the house in it.}

Everyone should have a secret hideaway!

This is one of my greatest friends, Carrie Lynn. She owns Beloved Inc. Photography and Design, which is very much a reflection of the many gifts she has. She is a seamstress, knitter, photographer, and an artist. Not to mention one of the most amazing girls on the planet. She has been around in my world for almost 10 years now! The whole time I’ve known her she has always been about creating something out of the forgotten, the stuff no one else notices. If you’d like to read more about Carrie and how she began Beloved Inc. hop right on over here and see what she’s about. 

Last month Scarlet received the CUTEST sock monkey in the mail from her Auntie Carrie. It took no time at all for her to bond with this sweet button-eyed monkey how’s name is “Yawn.” Why would she name a monkey yawn? I have no idea. But he has definitely won her heart.

Today she’s offering this adorable stationary set that she has created from vintage children’s books! So cute!

(sorry the photo is so small. it wouldn’t make it bigger )

Just leave a comment here telling me what your favorite thing you played with or what you played with most as a child. Just so we can get to know each other a little better. I mean really. I’m ALWAYS talking. You barely say a word. Common, speak up! Comments will close next Saturday at 9 pm EST. The winner will be announced Sunday afternoon sometime. 

Also, Carrie is offering 10% off of anything from Beloved Inc. through the month of September to anyone who uses the password “Roots&Wings.” Just type it in the comments section when you check out. You can also check out some of her photography  on Flickr. She’s got some great stuff! Go see!

Have you ever woke up one morning and realized life carried you to a totally different place than you were aiming at going? Then realized you didn’t do as much aiming as you thought? Well, that’s where  we are.

Over the past few months we have really learned the importance of having a direction as a family, knowing what we’re accomplishing, working together on one common goal. It’s a good thing Scarlet and Adelai are too young to remember this time of redirection. I want them to grow up knowing how to focus on the same goal and be able to add their talents and abilities to ours. Since they are so small right now, it’s been Joseph and I who have had to learn this hard lesson. As a wife, mother, and homemaker it is easy to fill my life with many things, but I’ve realized that a lot of the things I’ve filled my life with have ended up unimportant in the grand scheme of things. I think I totally blew Joseph out of the water when a few weeks ago we woke up and I asked him, “so, I understand that you are the leader of this little pack of ours, so where are we headed today? What should I be accomplishing?” I believe he thought he’d woken up with a new wife completely. Because I had been so busy thinking about where I’d like to be and he was so busy thinking about where he’d like to be that we lost sight of where we were going. So we got together and wrote down our absolutes. Have you ever done one of those lists? Most people do them when they’re looking for someone to marry. Must be tall, dark, handsome…etc. Well, this list is filled with the non-negotiables of where our family is headed and what we are accomplishing. A beautiful little list of who we are. Now it is so easy to say, “oops, that doesn’t really fit into our plan.” I have become great at living a simple life on the outside, but I needed a little cleaning out on the inside. I feel like I can breathe better already and now I’m heading straight for the goal. 

Even with Joseph working long hours right now, we have become closer as a family. The few hours that we have together have become sacred. Scarlet is talking all the time, dancing, and always entertaining. Adelai is rolling over, pushing up, and smiling all the time. I have been working assembly line style trying to get stuff ready to sell, and Joseph is getting snuggled back into the band at LWFC while working in the studio. Busy Busy Busy! But all in one direction, with one goal.

Resting up for the buzz of the next few days. Today is the beginning of birthday celebrations!! We’ll be spending the day with family. It’s always a celebration when grandparents come to town!

Hope you find something to party about today!

Our laptop charger decided to melt around the wires last week. Crazy, I know. So, here we are again.
I haven’t forgotten about this little space. I should be back next week!

This is an amazing talk from Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat, Pray, Love.” Every creative person should watch!

Joseph and I watched it together and we talk about it a lot. It changed the way we think about creativity. It made us more aware of the pressures that we put on ourselves to create something beautiful.

What did this say to you? I’d love to hear what you think!