A Few Good Things...

The morning's first cup of tea

The last patch of sunlight


Lunch with my best girl


Road trip daydreaming



A new family member

And one more good thing that I have yet to document in photos: I am leaving this morning to spend a weekend at the Jersey shore with 8 fantastic ladies. I'm looking forward to good friends, good food, good spirits, and lots of laughs. Our house sits right on the beach, I can hardly wait. We've been planning this trip for months, but I am definitely going to miss Chad and my girls.

And this face:

See you all on the other side, have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

Making Time...

Most mornings, I feel like a crazy chicken. In between the "Eat-your-breakfast's" and "Hurry!-The-bus-is-coming!'s", I don't really have time to wake up properly and consider the day ahead. It doesn't help that I am the exact opposite of a morning person and better left alone until my second cup of coffee is in my hand.

During the holiday season when I was at my busiest, I gave myself an extra hour or two to work on orders and wake up way before the regularly scheduled morning insanity began. It was hard at first, but then I realized that I really needed that quiet time to allow my thoughts to unfold naturally, instead of abruptly slamming the door on them while making breakfasts, preparing lunches, and hustling people out the door. My day got off to a much better start, and I was not rushed, nor did I rush my kids or become exasperated with my husband (who is very much a morning person). Taking the time to welcome the morning more slowly (and alone), made me 100% nicer to be around.

After Christmas break I decided to stick to my early morning schedule and use that extra hour to take Rock for a walk. We walk down into the center of our little town, taking a route we have taken many times before, but never before the town is awake.

Being alone is something I had taken for granted until we started a family, and then that liberating sensation of having time to myself was a distant memory for several years. The girls are older now and I can spare an hour of sleep a few nights a week. Taking the dog for a 3-mile walk sounds like a silly, simple thing, maybe even a chore, but that quiet time alone helps to feed my soul. When I return home I feel like a new person and I greet my family with the love they deserve. My whole day is better. I am more patient. I can tackle new designs with additional clarity and enthusiasm. I have more fun with my kids. What it boils down to is this: If I make the time to take better care of myself, then I will be a better woman, mother, wife, daughter, friend, etc.

Duh.

It's a simple, semmingly obvious concept, but I had become stuck in a rut, dragging myself through every day by the collar of my pajamas. It wasn't until I opened my shop that I started to un-stick myself and realize that I have the power to wrap my hands around my life and make it what I want it to be. Towards the end of 2010 I really started to get it together, and now I can't wait to see what lies ahead in 2011.

Less talking. More doing.

More living. Less worrying.


Every morning as I head back to my home the sun rises, lifting the curtain between.

Now is the time.

This is the year.

Let us begin.

Just in Case You Were Wondering...

This is the look I get when I am being The Most Boring Human in The World.

This over-abundance of wintery weather has cramped our style, and Bubba Jones is a little bored.

Hope you all are having a wonderful night!

XOXO

Snow day!

Schools were closed yesterday after our area received several inches of snow. We lounged around until mid-afternoon, then bundled the kids up and headed to my Mom and Dad's to go sledding. My parents just happen to live on one of the best sledding hills in my little hometown.

See that Thundertube in the above photo? It is 24 years old, and still going strong!

When I thought no one was looking I zoomed down the hill on my trusty Thundertube, hit the Ramp of Death, and almost catapulted into a pine tree. My 6-year-old saw the whole thing and laughed about it the rest of night.

How do you spend your snow days?

It's About Time...

Hello, everyone, I'm back! It has been way too long since my last post. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying the New Year. I had a fantastic holiday rush, thanks to all of you! I was so very busy that I hardly had time to eat, sleep, or bathe my children (just kidding).

Here's a brief summation of the last week of my year:

2010 was quite possibly the best year of my life. I'll explain further in future posts.

In spite of my frantic state, I managed to add 3 new designs to my shop in December.

The Kodiak Thermal

I LOVE this piece. This is what you want when it is 20 degrees out and bitter (like today). It is reversible, weighty, and keeps even the nastiest winter wind out. One side drapes beautifully, the other is ribbed horizontally, adding texture and thickness.

Berry Frappé Scarf

Despite its lacy appearance, this scarf is very warm. It's a whopping 97 inches long and can be wrapped multiple times. Perfect for tall ladies, or girls like me who like an accessorythat offers multiple looks. A statement piece, to say the least!

Checkerboard Cowl

This is what I'm wearing the most these days. I wear it indoors on days when I can't seem to keep warm, and it layers very nicely under my coat while running errands. I'll be adding more of these to the shop in some beautiful jewel tones and neutrals.

That's all for now, it's time I dragged myself and my mini Princess Aurora out into the freezing cold. Stay warm everyone!

xoxo

G