Come on Over!!!!

Hello dearest friend! I've been missing you! Please come on over here to my new home! I would love to have you stay for awhile! 

Ramblings

I have been restless lately. Restless and forgetful. What a pair! Restless as in I have been very conscious lately about making my life the biggest fullest life I can possibly lead- and am I doing all that I can to get there...and where exactly is there? And forgetful like would I remember that I was there or how I got there? (Really its more like wandering around the kitchen trying to think of what I came in there for, or neglecting to take off my hideously ugly but very warm brown and orange argyle socks whilst wearing ridiculous gold sparkle flats to drop Ezra off at school this morning.)  Aside from the socks, do you sometimes feel this way too? 

I started a new book.  Lately, I've noticed that it has been more difficult for me to love a book immediately.  Or to even be friendly with it.  It has been taking ever so many chapters to develop a friendship with my recent reads.  Then half way through (at least most of them) I realize that I do love them and they are kindred spirits and then I hate to put them down, or say goodbye when I'm finished.  (I usually re-read everything that I really love, so its always with a promise for another visit.) My bookishenss I'm certain has some tie to both my antsy ways and my forgetfulness of late.  I'm just not exactly sure how.  (Or maybe I did and I just forgot?!)

While still trying to get acquainted with my current  book, I began cheating on her with an old chum... the ENTIRE Anne of Green Gables collection.  Is there any set of stories you would rather climb into and be apart of then LM Montgomery's tales?  I haven't read them for ever so long, and guess I was due for a visit- I downloaded the entire series (for free!) and just dug in.  I didn't realize how many Anne-isms I use daily.  Its funny how certain things stay with you always. 

"There is so much in the world for us all if we only have the eyes to see it, and the heart to love it, and the hand to gather it to ourselves- so much in men and women, so much in art and literature, so much everywhere in which to delight, and for which to be thankful."  (Anne of the Island...LM Montgomery.)  It seemed like I was just supposed to read that passage today, and pass it along to you.

Up the Walls

I have been dreaming of wallpaper. I have no idea why. I want some wallpaper. (I can't decide if that is said in kind of a whiny foot stamping "I want some wallpaper" or a hell yes, "I want some wallpaper!" with the exclamation point. Either way....) I have never been terribly attracted to gold, but for some reason, (I prefer silver or hey, platinum!) I am completely taken with these. 
Granny chic?   This print is Garden by Karla Pruitt.  

Modern fat flowers by Oh Joy!  The print is called Petal Pusher. 

Bohemian by Lisa Congdon.  (Is it too much? Nah....)

I really don't see any of these going into my house (and I'm sure Jay doesn't) but they sure are fun to look at. Aside from the gold, they all are...wait for it...flowers.  Go figure.  If not these, I'm sure there is a print out there just waiting for me.  I really do want some wallpaper.  
See these and more non-gold prints at Hygge & West. 

Winged Things

While raking leaves the other day, two moths popped out from the mound I was creating and performed a winding waltz around my head. One landed on my hand and visited with me for quite some time while the other flew off- most likely in search of an equally amazing pile of dried leaves to cozy himself into. 

These prints (featured on Design Sponge today...thank you!) by Zoe Tilley make me so happy.  (Its not hard, I'll admit- I am a sucker for a bug almost every time...but these prints are magically sweet.)

I think if I would have inspected my little friends wings closer, I'm certain this is what they would have looked like.  

See more of Zoe Tilley's work here.

Ezra Charles 7 Years

 The boys have asked why only Iris gets her "birthday" pictures done on the pink chair.  Its a fair question.  So today to celebrate Ezra's birthday, he gets his inaugural (how fitting) pink chair time.

 

I told Za (a handle his brother gave him before he could say Ezra...we would say "Baby Avery" and Avery would reply, "No! Za baby!" So now we still call him Za. Often its Za Baby....) this morning that today was one of the best days of my life.  The day that gave me him.  I have mentioned it before,  it took me some time to become used to having someone totally depend on me- but what an amazing journey-  what an incredible transformation motherhood has led me on, has made of me.  

Ezra is wise beyond his years.  He is so soulful. He understands and questions almost everything.  He is obsessed with dinosaurs.  He is constantly building and destroying and rebuilding Lego empires.  He has a diverse taste in music.  If he could eat guacamole everyday for the rest of his life he would be happy.  He has a vocabulary that can rival an adults. (And he uses it...to the point of ear bleeds.)  He is kind.  He is gentle.  He thinks puns are really funny.  (A family trait, I'm afraid....)  He is imaginative.  He is amazing. He is my little boy.  

Thank you for making me a better person.  A better listener.  A better mother to those who came after you.  This day is one of the best days of my life Ezra Charles, and it has everything to do with you.  
Happy birthday dearest boy.  Happy birthday to you. 

These Days....

 

 It's me.  Knock knock.  Can I come over?  Share a cup of tea with you?  Hot spiced cider?  Just to talk...just to be together for a few moments? 

 October is gone.  I held so tightly onto his hand.  I held on so tightly as the warm strong hand held on to mine faded to a withered and wizened one cold and boney, and then disintegrated into a cloud of sparkling dust- leaving my hand empty as my friend quietly slipped away into the darkness. Then Novemember was at my door.

 I'm getting ahead of myself.  Lets relive a little October, you and me.  We went on leaf hunts.  Who could find the biggest.  The smallest. The reddest.  The most unusual.  The overall best. 

 Plans were made for costumes.  (Ezra has known what he wanted to be since October 31, 2011.  I, of course wait until October 29th, 2012 to start any of their costumes.  Ah me....)

 And pumpkins.  We have been supplementing our breakfast (and snack) diets with pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes. Every chance we get.  Too much of a good thing?  Never. (Don't even get me started on pumpkin lattes...or pumpkin gelato...or pumpkin doughnuts....) Pumpkins.

 

  There are fewer places I love more in the world than a pumpkin patch, full of friends just waiting to be picked.

Hello, beautifuls. 

Our wagon.  

 

Or should I say wagons? (I told you, I love me some pumpkins.)  

 

 The word gluttony may come to mind.  I think of it more as fulfilling a pumpkins dream to become a jack 'o lantern.  (Really, I do.) 

 Ezra is the Headless Horseman.  Avery is Toothless the Night Fury (from "How to Train Your Dragon") and baby bird there...well she refused to look at the camera, or wear her hat (that had the beak and all) for even a millisecond.  Oh well.  

My man carves a mean pumpkin(s).

 We trick-or-treated till we were cold and tired, kept a watchful eye out for The Great Pumpkin, read stories, watched stories, made up stories of our own.  Played in leaves, collected leaves, watched leaves fall from our trees.  Had an anniversary, turned another year wiser (I hope), celebrated life with family here- celebrated life for those who are no longer here- but always are in my heart.

 It was a good month.  A good visit. 

As the candle light started to fade from our jack 'o lanterns, I could feel it.  The restlessness of my friend.  Him starting to pull from my grasp.  Him starting to fade.  Him readying his journey, to go wherever it is the months go, while they sleep or dream or travel as someone else until they are ready to come back to us.  He promised me he would be back.  Maybe as a she next time?  You never know what kind of costume October is going to wear. 

Flowers (and Faeries) for Friday

A couple of pictures from a couple I got to make flowers for....
 

If you know me, you know why I LOVE this second picture! (Hint: its not the flowers, its the faerie!)

Happy weekend faerie friends!