Here and Now

Hello, Monday.

Happy September!  I forgot to say the last time a I posted.  So, Happy September, All.  We had a nice low key Labor day a week ago and since then I've collected little tid-bits of Life to share here, on this Blog of mine.  This Blog which I realized a few days after my last entry that my declarations of "Hey, my life is really great, look at these pictures of my kids, but sometimes I have meltdowns" might come across as completely shit-head like and ungrateful.  By just stating that I am grateful that doesn't make it so, it surely doesn't hurt to take stock every opportunity that arises.

I don't know much, but I know this much:  My kids are healthy.  I am healthy.  My husband is healthy.  We live in a relatively peaceful society.  We have clean water, and lots of delicious food.  Everything that is real and important to me in my life is right here, right now.  I've never wanted anything more than to be a happy human, and being a Mother of two little happy humans takes whatever joy I've ever experienced in my life and multiplies that joy exponentially.  To the nth degree.  Exponentially.  Nth/exponential sandwich.

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So. Photos.  Of life.  This Past Week.

On Labor Day, I participated in a little fashion photo shoot for a local shop, Four Legged Bird, which is this really hip little store that sells a lot of fun handmade and vintage items.  The shoot took place at the home of one of the shop vendors, Sarah Nunn who designs and sells a fun line of upcycled clothing and handbags, called Cuckoo.  I got to get all dolled up and head out to Sarah's house which is a little homestead on the top of a mountain, about 20 minutes from Fayetteville.

The fella's arm you see here, he spent his weekend doing hair and make up at New York Fashion Week this past weekend!  So, That's pretty fancy.  His partner is one of the owners of Four Legged Bird, who I had the privilege of sharing a car ride out to the shoot last Monday.  Great guys, it was nice chatting- if you are reading here, guys- so nice to make Friends.  xo

There were many a pretty thing to look at.  Sarah is an avid thrifter and has a kindred eye for beauty.  

most of these are my shoes, ps.

I loved seeing where she lives and admiring her style up close.

And her collection?  There are several pieces I'd like to snatch up!

For five-ish hours I was a girl in many different outfits and shoes and no one used me as a napkin.  Glorious, I tell you.  And it was just enough time away to really want to squeeze my sons upon return home.

Oh.  And there were PONIES! 

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Later that day, we drove North to Grandma's (my husband's mother's).  And every time we do (at least the last few times we have) Loukas falls asleep.  

Such a sweet moment, waking at your Grandma's house.  That photo on the
nightstand, there, is a of Jerrmy and His mom around Jasper's age now.  

There were cold beverages.

And Bubbles.

I feel like Labor Day is a Last call for summer.  It's floating away, y'all.  Bye Bye Bubbles and sidewalk chalk...

Bye Bye Sandals and Sundresses

And Spring Wedding Bouquets...

my mother in law was married in May!

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Hello glowy Fall-feel shaded picnics with friends:

(I love seeing my kids in the woods.  This little place is right in the middle of town but feels pretty woodsy.  It feels so great to be amongst the trees, the green, the pretty shadows, the bird sounds and wild flowers.  I love it.  Oh, and I like when my baby gets into a mess of micro-ticks and I have to strip him down real quick and frantically-ish brush off the little buggers!!  Downside- finding the leftover guys you missed later that day, Upside- cute naked baby toosh for the duration of the woods stay. So, That happened.) 

 When we arrived for our little late morning playdate on Wednesday, our little friends had arranged a picnic for the woodland faeries.

And then Jasper ate it. 

Sweet Loukas tried to comfort one of the girls who was pretty miffed about the pilfered faerie meal.   Proud mama moment.

That's a sweet glass of pride right there. 

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There was a make a break for it moment on Thursday, when we were running late to a friend's art show- a meatloaf I prepared for dinner took about an hour longer to bake than I had expected- we waffled, to go or not go, and finally jammied our kids up and set out for a little pre-bed soiree.  It turned out to be a great little bedtime routine mix-up.  Those little last minute adventures are one of my favorite indulgences.

This is a new one:
 Loukas has to hide for the first while when we enter into a social setting.
It's cute.  And he warms up.   

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Saturday night found us At The Drive In Movie!  It was also a last minute 'go for it' moment and it turned out to be really sweet and special.  

A couple nights of carrying heavy musty sleepy baby bodies to bed with out a bath- those are some good memories we are making.

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And then there was Sunday.  Quiet moments drinking coffee while the boys played in their little upstairs playroom.  Happily, we took the gate away from the bottom of the stairwell which leads to their little Toy Loft as Jasper can now easily go up and down the stairs without assistance!

 We are fans of the lower key Sunday Farmer's market this time of year.

We're getting to the bottom of the summer barrel.

Enjoying getting to know this little camera.  Hoping to join some kind of camera course this Fall/Winter.
For now, just playing around and happy to get lucky here and there with a good shot.

Night is falling faster, that slow glow of summer's end is promising slower days, cooler breezes, and a changing color scape.  We will soon be seeking warmth and avoiding the cold.  There will be ice on the ground, instead of in our glasses before we know it.  Soak up these last days of bare shoulders and sticky naked babies.  Stroll out to your gardens to pluck your dinner fixin's, and breathe it in.

Last call, Y'all.

Good Choice

Hello, Blog.

It's been a couple weeks.  I've missed you, but Man I've been all kinds of scattered!  My husband's sweet music festival took place last weekend, and it was a whirl wind of a great time- what I was able to see, anyway.  We had babysitters here and there and I did a lot of back and forth from the venue to home for naps and bedtime and all my Mommy duties.  My favorite part was getting dressed up.  Well, and the food.. and the cocktails.. and seeing people I love!  I did not, however, take a single photo with my fancy new camera, but it was a grand ole time.  Really great- the festival was classy and beautiful and I couldn't be a more proud wife.

Okay- and to be completely honest,  I had a couple meltdowns.  As the weekend ramped up and the anxiety of organizing family time around the events of the festival, arranging babysitters, trying to keep the kids somewhat involved, and lamenting my absence in the late-night scenes, and feeling on my own while my husband was 'The Guy' (one of The Guys) my first half hour of complaining commenced.  Exhausting, I tell you.  Then, a sequel to my brat attack ensued as we exited Roots Festival Fast Lane, slowly descending the off-ramp without a pause, proceeding into the work week- the husband back to running a restaurant that he'd been absent from for a week, needing his attention just as we needed his attention.

We are a close family (not by comparison) but we do most things as unit.  We've never spent a night away from our kids.  I probably rely far too much on my husband to care for our kids when I am pursuing my hobbies, especially considering all that he's got going.  We don't have a lot of family member support, but we always seem to get by and make the best of things!  And this last week was a bit of a doozy.  With lots of ups and downs.  And there's always that moment when we make the choice to take what's before us that is causing strife and choose to surrender- let go of that moment's discomfort and move toward the next moment.  Hold onto each other and laugh and find a new way to look at things.  Cause it's all good.

There's always something, and there'll always be something that might arise and cause momentary discomfort.  I'm just working on finding Grace in remaining flexible and supportive and working hard at being a good example for my children.  But sometimes I succumb to what I perceive as 'discomfort', and turn into a 13 year old version of myself.  I start several projects and add extra challenges for myself (like selling things on Instagram- which I totally love) when I should be focused on our household chores, laundry, home cooked meals, our garden and coordinating stimulating activities to enrich my bright children.  Hey- a gal's got to do what a gal's got to do and sometimes all my ambitions and ideas get all jumbled up in a scattered moment of freak out that the house is a wreck, we're out of groceries and the baby keeps climbing the cabinets while his brother asks for another starchy sugary treat and I shift my frustrations onto my partner, and he is very gracious and patient and kind and we state our truths and we try harder to get in the Flow.  That happened a couple times this past week.  It'll probably happen again, and I won't beat myself up about it.  It's always good to own your, eh-hem, shit and my hope is that the awareness lends to lesser degrees of 13 year old regressions as time passes.  We'll see.

So, It's back to life, and Fall is around the corner.  There will be menu changes for the Restaurant, a Fall Garden to plot, a vacation to plan and meals and diapers and bonked heads and crazy toddlers climbing the cabinets and lots and lots of why's and how's and what's this mean's.  A little sample of that last mention:  last night I scribbled these four sentences on a post-it note.  The rapid fire succession happened in about 60 seconds, from Loukas' little voice:

"I'm very thirsty for some almond milk."
"Mommy? What's a back up plan?"
"You're a Flower."
"You're a Poop."

I have a theory that if at all you are possibly border-line any kind of attention deficit challenge in your life (points to self), if you find yourself spending hours upon hours with a talkative, curious three year old- adding to that sleep deprivation and an inconsistent life schedule (non traditional work schedules, here)- you might find yourself wondering if you've crossed that diagnosable line.

A little bit of a tangent, there, I know- I'm famous for tangents- But! it's not always a bad thing:  I knew that I wanted to spend our last evening of a long run of busy weeks doing something fun with my boys last night before bed while we were solo- Jerrmy cooked dinner at his restaurant last night. So, after some dinner time toddler drama, we distracted ourselves with a little jaunt up the hill to watch the sun set (and get eaten up by mosquitos) from The Cross look-out point atop Mt. Sequoia, which boasts a lovely western view our little town and beyond, and I remembered to bring my camera!  The Soft rays of late day sun beckoned our praise...

A scowl I love

*** Hey- I'm looking forward to the Fall.  For two reasons:  1- We will be on a Beach of Lake Michigan for the Autumnal Equinox (preceded by a few days in Chicago, and followed by a few days in Nashville) and 2- that first freeze, y'all.  Sure sure sure, Fall means pretty leaves and boots and winter squash family fanaticism, but it also means bye bye mosquitos and I for one will be happy like a lark for that one!  We were ATTACKED while watching the sunset last night; I was sweating like crazy snapping these photos and slapping the little suckers away from my legs and babies' faces!  SHEESH*** (totally worth it)

Proud of this one.

That quick ride up the hill was a Good Choice.  A happy little evening Tangent.  

xo, 

N