Week End

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Saturday, May 28, 2011


Hi there!


I apologize for the time lapse. I haven't had access to internet over the past week, so this post is brought to you by the free wi-fi at the local library.


The picture above was taken last Friday in Ludington.... the day before we moved to Kansas. It's hard to believe it's the same lake from a few months ago. It's also hard to believe it was alredy time to say goodbye. Goodbyes are always the hardest part.


So instead we said, "See you later."


See you later, Ludington.


Thankfully, the move went smoothly and we all made it to Kansas safely. Safe and together. It's been quite hectic since settling in our new (temporary) home, starting my new job, and getting into the grove of a new schedule. But I will be posting regularly again starting next week.


And I have so much to share. About our move, the traveling garden, about my transition as a working mother. But for now, for this weekend, we're adjusting and laying low. Taking some time to take it all in.


Have a wonderful holiday weekend.


So It Begins, The Traveling Garden

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Friday, May 20, 2011


We joke that this is grandma's garden. Her field of well-maintained dandelions.


I like them. Better than snow in the backyard that's for sure.


Over the past week, I've been back and forth during the move out of our house on whether or not I would go forward with The Traveling Garden. I'm going to go for it. Well, that is if it fits in the the moving truck that we're packing today...

Farewell, Little Red House

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011



Farewell, little red house.



We shared a lot over the year.



New beginnings. Joy, anticipation, tears and laughter.


Lots of laughter.


I brought my baby home to you.


This was our living room.




It was where my baby learned how to sit up. How to walk. How to crawl. How to smile.


And does she smile.



Always smiling.



It's where we would read away the afternoon.



It's where we played. And played. And played. And played.



Birthdays. Holidays. Family. Friends. They came and went.



Our first family Christmas tree was so big, it barely fit under your ceiling. It illuminated the entire room. We never turned a lamp on during the month of December.


This was LBD's first room. The baby room.



We painted it "Malibu Peach". I've never liked the color pink, but I do now. Guess it's inevitable when you have a girl. Peach for a peach.


When we first brought her home, I use to come downstairs one, two, three times a night to check her. Carefully, down the creaky stairs. Carefully open the creaky door. To rest my palm on her back. It would softly rise and fall. She was so tiny. So real.



A lot of sleeping took place in this room.



And not a lot of sleeping took place.


This was Will and I's bedroom.



It was my favorite room in the house.



We didn't have much money to decorate, but it's amazing what a coat of paint can do.




This bedroom is where I learned to sew. Where I grew my first seedlings.


Where I would take ritual afternoon naps when I was pregnant. Dreaming and waiting.


Waiting and dreaming.



This was on New Years Eve. LBD didn't want to go to bed. We listened to the fireworks at midnight. A slumber party of three.


Our bedroom was where LBD had her accident. I cried. Oh, I cried. I'll never forget that day.


It's where Will and I stayed up late, discussing our future.


It's where the evening light would fade into the night.



This was our kitchen.



Blueberry pie, Pad Thai, Black Forrest, Cake, Sicilian Toast, baby food, Spinach Ravioli,


Homemade Guacamole...




One day, I was washing dishes here and decided to grow my first garden.



My garden was my peace.


This was our backyard.



Where my sunflowers lived.





Among other flowers.



Where we had countless barbecues.


Where Will threw me a surprise birthday party.




Well, it was almost a surprise. I found out the night before.



Bluegrass was playing on the radio. The summer night was warm. The food was good.


The company, the best.



I use to watch the snow fall here while the baby napped. It snowed and snowed....


A winter in Michigan.




This house was where I became a mother. Where Will and I spent our first year of marriage. It's where I came into my own. Where plans were made, and lessons learned.


It's where one September evening , I had a passing thought to write a blog. About family and growing, And common things.



At The Inlaws

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Sunday, May 15, 2011


As of today, we're completely moved out of our little red house. The keys have been handed over. Nomads for the next couple of months. Currently, we are living with the in-laws. They live outside of town. At night, you can listen to the wind rock the trees. It's peaceful here. Next weekend we move to Kansas. But today we napped, Grandma and Papa played with the baby, I did some reading... a day of rest.


The face farthest to the right is Will's 5th grade self portrait.



Keeping watch.



First flower bloomed on of my cucumbers.



LBD's new friend. They have a lot in common.


Reading Together: Agate: What Good Is A Moose?

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Friday, May 13, 2011


LBD and I picked this book up at the library last week. Feeling sorry for himself, Agate the moose feels all the other animals are far more unique than he. Each animal symbolizing a different gemstone, we learn of their shining traits, and the the reveal of Agates's own extraordinary characteristics.


A clever little story with absolutely breathtaking illustrations.


Absolutely breathtaking...



Window Exit

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Thursday, May 12, 2011


This is exactly what it looks like. And yes, this is how we got the mattress in the house in the first place. And yes, I didn't breathe the entire time out of sheer fear. And yes, we know exactly what we're doing. Well.... sorta.


When I was pregnant last summer, the more my tummy grew, the more uncomfortable Will and I's full bed became. So, Will's parent's offered us an extra queen bed they had in their home. The only problem was (as you can see) that it didn't fit through the door.


Can't go through the door? Try the window. The second story window.



These pictures are from a couple days ago of my husband and our good friend Jamie and the bed removal operation. I've mentioned Jamie before here. Everyone should have a friend Jamie. She has a habit of starting a conversation with: "I've got an idea..." When that happens, you're in for it.


So Long For Now, Jolene

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011


Jolene the Sewing Machine will be vacationing in a storage unit over the summer. I thought about it and it just wasn't practical or realistic to continue on throughout all the moving. I bid her adieu over the weekend....my lessons in sewing to be continued this fall.


Picking Pride

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Friday, May 6, 2011


My absolute favorite day of the year in Ludington is not July 4th, like the vast majority of people who live here, it's not Gus Macker, the annual outdoor basketball tournament on the beach...... No, my absolute favorite day of the year is the last Saturday of April, Ludington's annual Spring Clean Up.


I first learned of this local phenomenon last year, when the move from New York City was still very fresh. I was 7 months pregnant and out for my daily walk when I noticed obscene amounts of trash piled up all over town. Almost every house had a trash pile out front. I noticed people driving or walking around going from pile to pile, inspecting and selecting items to take. Trucks and vans packed with collected street trash. Ludington is a pretty quiet town, but on that day there were people all over the place... driving or walking. Kinda like an annual sidewalk sale, but nothing is for sale. It's all free... because it's all trash. My friend Jamie, who grew up in Ludington, told me the locals refer to this as, "Going picking."


I have never seen anything like it in my life.


This year, the day was marked on my calendar.

Baby Steps

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Thursday, May 5, 2011



My baby girl started walking yesterday evening. When it happened we didn't quite comprehend what had occurred.. so we had her do it over and over and over again. Back and forth between us. After the 4th or 5th time, it's safe to say, LBD is walking. Baby steps for her, leaps and bounds for mom and dad. Or maybe it's the other way around? Nonetheless, we are so proud.

Maybe I'm suppose to feel a bit of remorse, lamenting over her fast-fading baby days, but I don't. I feel pure joy. I can't help but celebrate the independence gained, each facet of personality revealed, each step she takes towards becoming her own little person.

When did you grow up, baby girl? So eager and willing to take on the world?

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Children's Book Week

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Monday, May 2, 2011



Happy Children's Book Week!

If you couldn't tell... I'm kinda a fan of reading. Especially, when it involves inspiring kids to read.

What was your favorite book to read as a child?

If you have kids, do you have a favorite you read to them?

I have too many. A few favorites include My Garden by Kevin Henkes, An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton, Corduroy by Don Freeman, Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (which I didn't fully appreciate until I was much older), and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. The list goes on and on and on....

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Decisions

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Sunday, May 1, 2011


This painting has nothing to do with this blog post. But I like it. I like Jermy Miranda's work. It's dreamy.


In the upcoming weeks my posting will be more irregular with the impending move. Bear with me here.


Decisions were made last week.


A couple days ago I was offered a job as a part-time youth librarian in Kansas. An incredible opportunity that I'm *really* excited about. Not only will it allow us a small extra income while Will is in school, but it's a job I've always wanted to persue. The decision was made that I would accept the job and we would all move to Kansas at the end of May.


Which leads us to decisions that still need to be made.


We have to be out of our house in the middle of May but can't move into our new house until August. Where do we live in the interim? How are we going to move down there? Who...? What..? Where.? When? How?! It's a process.


“My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are easy; you don't make them because they are cheap; you don't make them because they're popular; you make them because they're right.” -Theodore Hesburgh





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