story of my life

Week Three: Doodle-a-Day

15:Hunter 16:Sara 17:Hunter 18:Sara 19:Hunter 20:Hunter 21:Hunter

Aslan

My Husband "M" with Aslan in Helmand Province, Afghanistan

 

These two guys are coming home to America soon.  One of them needs help getting here and I am completely overwhelmed by the generousity of my friends and their friends and even strangers who have donated to the Saving Aslan fund.

THANK YOU is not big enough but it is what I find myself saying over and over.  Thank you.

I promise I will be updating here and over at the chipin blog, too, so stay tuned!

Much love, Sara

 

Meet "Q"

For the past few weeks Hunter and I have been reading "The Secret Series" books.  We're on book two which happens to feature a little creature called a homunculus.  The heroine of the story, Cass, made her own little rag doll version out of old clothes and tennis shoe tongues which inspired Hunter to come up with a version all his own.  Sunday afternoon I was presented with this:

And then the request: "Make it, Mommy."

So I did.

He reminds me of a cross between a blue meanie and Plankton from Spongebob but the boy is happy.

Which always means that I am happy. :)

Today Hunter turned 8 years old.  In all that time we've been apart for a sum total of less than one week and it seems like yesterday that he was born.  It goes by so fast.  I know everyone says that but they say it because it is TRUE. 

Hunter, I love you with all of my heart.  I am so lucky God chose me for your momma.  Happy Birthday my beautiful, sweet, funny, charming, nutball of a son.  I love you infinity of infinities. 

Always, Momma

Week Two: Doodle a Day

 

8:Sara 9:Hunter 10:Hunter 11:Hunter 12:Hunter 13: Hunter 14:Sara

Week One is here.

It's a good thing

Oh, Martha.  My love of all things label-ish plus your simple aesthetic has made me a bit grumpy over the fact that there is not a Staples in Virginia Beach.  I mean, seriously, there are about 70 Office Max/Office Depots but not one Staples?  Anyway, because I'm trying to be *good* and use what I've got around here I realized that I could just make my own cute little chalkboard labels!

I found some Wallies chalkboard peel and stick sheets in one of my stash drawers and realized that I could just run those suckers through my ancient sizzix using a scalloped label die.  (I almost feel like I need to explain what a sizzix is...kind of like the first time Hunter saw a corded telephone.)  Anyway, instant sticky chalkboard labels!  I bet you could use the chalkboard contact paper, too!  Now I've just got to figure out how to recreate those file folder labels before I cave to the 'free shipping' offer...

 

 

 

 

2012 in Doodles

 

Pages from Taro Gomi's Daily Doodle Calendar.

1:Hunter, 2:Sara, 3:Hunter, 4:Hunter, 5:Sara, 6:Hunter, 7:Hunter

 

Back to school tomorrow...

He's not looking forward to it.  Honestly, neither am I.  It's been fun to spend each day together and travel and play.  I'm always a little sad when school starts back but this break went by so quickly!

Tomorrow we get back to the routine, whether we want to or not.  :)

(Instax mini of H with the Animal muppet Santa brought.)

 

More

Welcome to 2012. 

Usually, I’m not much for making resolutions or waxing poetic about how much better the new year is going to be than the old one.  This year, however, I found myself thinking about all of the things that 2012 will bring and getting so excited for it to begin.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that I get my husband back from Afghanistan in a few weeks after nearly a year apart.  I can’t help but feel butterflies in my stomach when I let my mind think about him here and what that means.  I’ll have my partner back!  It is going to be so much fun to have a husband again...and I can’t even list the ways that it is going to make Hunter happy--there are just too many. 

Last year I never picked a one-little-word word.  This year I can’t stop hearing the word more.  Not “more” as in, more stuff or more money.  More as in being more deliberate, being more thoughtful, reading more good books, listening to more good music, doing more things that I love and less things that I don’t, spending more time with the ones I love, eating more good food, cooking more, running more...you get the idea.  So many times in 2011 I found myself just getting by, powering through the days and not really making sure that I lived each one to the fullest.  Don’t get me wrong, Hunter and I did a lot in 2011.  If you don’t believe me you can scroll through my iphotos folder and see for yourself.  It’s just the time in between the time we were doing things that I feel like I let slip away.  This year I want to do more and be more and think more and feel more.  More.

Happy New Year to you and yours.  I hope it is all you hope for and even more!

Much love,
Sara

*drawing by Hunter, Daily Doodle 2012 calendar by Taro Gomi

Required Reading - Sew La Tea Do: 25 Favourite Things To Sew

Sew La Tea Do: 25 Favourite Things to Sew by Pip Lincolne

In a word, this book is adorable.  Between its cute covers you will find instructions and patterns to make 25 things.  Included are projects for kids, for adults, and for the home.  Pip Lincolne writes the super-duper popular blog, Meet Me at Mikes, and lives above her store which, aptly enough, is named the same thing.  

This is Pip's second how-to book and I honestly want to make everything in it!  The instructions are clear with plenty of diagrams for those of us who are visual learners (ahem, me).  Some of my favorite projects have to be the tunic dress, the pajama bags, and the foxy quilt.  Just look:

Tunic dress.

Pajama bags!  My sis had one of these when we were growing up and these brought an immediate smile to my face when I saw them.

Foxy quilt...Hello cute.

Not only is this book full of useful projects (must make pajama pants) but the book itself is beautifully designed and the photography is ace.  I love that it includes full sized patterns and that the book is spiral bound so that it lays open while I'm working.

There are 18 huge pattern pages made from sturdy paper so they'll withstand repeated use.

I was so impressed with this book that I immediately ordered Pip's other book, Meet Me at Mikes, and I can't wait for it to arrive!

You can find out all about Pip at her blog and there is also a flickr group here where people can post their projects from Sew La Tea Do.

Have you acquired any new craft books lately?  If so, and you want to share, please link them in the comments!

xo

Sara

Good Mornings

With school starting (we're in week 2 now) mornings are quickly becoming a favorite time of day for me.  I like getting up earlier than the kiddo and catching up on what's going on in the world:

It's nice to have some quiet coffee and computer time.

I try to plan our our meals for the week, including breakfasts, so that I'm not scrambling to feed Hunter while he's doing his best to wake up and be pleasant.  It helps that I write things down where I can find it. 

We study history at breakfast now that H is at school all day.  I love that he's already got his head full of crazy Babylonians and Assyrians when he walks into his classroom.  He's such a fun kid and I love learning with him because I get a do-over of all my favorite stuff from when I was in school. :)

And finally:  running.  Outdoors.  Although, this morning it was a bit smokey and hazy due to the never ending swamp fire.  As for training, I have no near-future race plans so I'm doing my best to be consistent and not lose my fitness base.  It's so easy for me to just skip a run when there's no race in the future but I am determined not to do that this fall/winter!

The soundtrack for the morning has been this album.  It's been just right for today.

What about you?  Do you like mornings best?

How do you spend your mornings?

xo, S