giveaway just in time for Christmas

It is a small world, dude. So you know my obsession with Karen Le Billon's piece. Well, one of our readers (and college friend) happens to be a children's editor with Harper Collins, and she just helped publish the most beautiful Christmas story written by Nora Buck and illustrated by Sara Jane Wright.

Who illustrated French Kids Eat Everything.

Source: amazon.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

And lo and behold, Molly O'Neill, the editor, kindly surprised me with a copy of A Christmas Goodnight to give away to our lovely readers!

Comment on this post to win your own copy and answer one of these questions: What is your favorite children's book? What do you look for when choosing a children's book? For me, the illustrations are key as they add as much to the imagination as the text itself!

Extra entries: 
1. Tweet the giveaway and comment with the url.
2. Pin the photo above and comment with the url.
3. Facebook it, and comment.

Giveaway closes Friday, December 21st, 11:59pm.


Good luck!

icj,
~j

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gift idea : for that crafty friend

Source: acmepartybox.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Wow, isn't this fabulous? You can give a subscription of craft projects for 3 months, 6 months, or 12 with Acme Party Box. There were a few months I wasn't as fond of (like the fabric garland, which really wouldn't be hard to do oneself) but most of the months like January June August & September are pretty fun. The diorama for January makes me think back to 3rd grade.

Happy Wednesday!

icj,
~j

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Christmas cards : pinhole press

It's the best, getting Christmas (or holiday) cards from family and friends. As you may have read, I have two preferences when it comes to photo cards. First, I like to see the whole family, not merely the children or pets. Second, I appreciate receiving personalized messages -- even a simple, "Merry Christmas, dudes!" written on the back shows that the sender thinks about the receiver.

I can't believe I still say dude. I digress.

Pinhole Press is a quality printer, so I wanted to get quality cards this year. In the past I've been very happy with our cards. We used Vistaprint in 2009 with a terribly cheesy photo I don't dare print here (we were trying to be funny but I think we just looked awkward), tinyprints in 2010 to announce Ace's arrival, Vistaprint in 2011 with a professionally shot photo I gave text to and uploaded.

We took the photos ourselves (can't you tell?) which means Hawk and I look terrible awkward but at least the kids aren't blurry. I wanted to have more than one photo this year since it was so hard to get one of all of us looking semi-normal, and I knew I wanted to choose a card from their ultrathick pinstripe collection for grandparents, aunts and uncles who would keep the card for years. This is our actual pile, pictured above.

And we got the same card in regular stock for the friends who probably won't want to hang on to our faces for the next 20 years ;)

It takes a a few days to print them and the turn around is appropriate. Since we ordered Memory Cards with the Christmas card order we had to account for the extra custom printing. All in all we received them, with no rush and with Thanksgiving weekend in between, in about 10 days.

Want to hear the crazy part? I'm most pleased with the envelope. We used brown kraft envelopes for our wedding invitations, and I think envelopes in general set the tone for the what's in side. These envelopes, for both sets, are plush and textured.

We're sending the out this week. I've never been so early so I'm pumped!

What are you doing for your cards this year?

icj,
~j

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$20 gift idea : memory cards from pinhole press

I'm SO excited. Our Pinhole Press order arrived, and we're just loving the Memory Card Game.

Do you remember the game of Memory? (Here's a newer Hasbro version.) Well I loved playing as a kid because it was such a simple activity but we couldn't play it the same way twice.

Pinhole Press came up with the brilliant idea of doing a custom version in which you use photos of your family and friends, for only $20!!! For each game you choose 12 photos and Pinhole doubles them, prints them onto quality cards, and send them to your front door in a cute little package. The right size for under the tree, in a stocking, and travel--so you can take it anywhere!

We chose to fill our 12 with family photos. Some of our family members live out of city, state, or country (they're crazy adventurous) and this allows us keep family members at the forefront of the kids' minds, in a fun way. I'm hoping to keep adding to this collection, maybe every year, so we can have multiple versions and show people as we age, gracefully, of course. But we may diverge from the family photos in the future and try out something else, still interchanging them with the previous memory cards.

Here are a few ideas for how you could personalize the Memory Card Game.

1. Kids' art, and then you definitely don't have to keep it around for decades.
2. Wedding anniversary. Choose your favorite photos, maybe the less formal ones, and give it as a first anniversary present.
3. Graduation gift. Twelve years of academics pre-college, right? Perfect! Choose a fun photo from each year and present it at their summer party.
4. Favorite recipes. For the cook or baker in your family, some photos of their favorite dishes would make a cute game that could be brought out during dinner parties. You could put 1-2 photos of dishes they haven't tried and include the recipes with your gift for an added touch.
5. Work projects. Say your spouse is an architect. It'd be visually interesting as well as a pleasant reminder of the great work he or she has done.
6. Monthly snapshot. I hear a lot of people do this. Take a photo on the same day of the month to capture where the family is at that point in time. If you did this every year, it would be a sweet timeline!

We love that this is an affordable, quality, custom gift we can enjoy as a family. Ace takes it out every day and names the faces he sees. And I like actually playing the game. Not as easy with a 2-year-old, but more fun than solitaire!

Check out Pinhole Press for some more great holiday ideas! Tomorrow we'll show you our Christmas cards. See you then, friends.

icj,

~j

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Christmas 25 Day Photo Challenge

Happy Saturday, December 1st!

Source: flickr.com via Ioanna on Pinterest

(I couldn't be happier as this is my favorite month.)

I stumbled upon this this morning which means you could totally jump on board too. I won't be posting to Flickr because, while I have an account, I've never browsed it enough to make my own uploads worthwhile. But I'm excited to document this Christmas with a simple 25-photo series.

What do you think? Are you in? If I'm really organized (I'm not), I'll post the photos to the blog.

Oh happy day!  December is here!!!


yours,
~jen

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big families and giving gifts

Source: alisaburke.blogspot.com via Kessanee on Pinterest

Coming from a family of two kids, I was a really excited to give gifts to Hawk's family of four kids when we first started dating because I love creating and giving gifts! But over the years we realized how expensive that gets, especially for the sisters recently out of college and grad school, and brother who just got married, and us with our two wee ones.

So last year we instituted a Secret Santa of sorts and chose to pair up, buying more for one person instead of less for many. We set a $ limit, used Elfster to pick names, and bought each other as much as we could up to that limit, but everyone knew who had everyone else.

I'm in charge this year, and I got everyone to agree to keep it secret, for reals, folks. Which is exciting. I love surprises like this (most party surprises, I loathe) and I'm already looking forward to giving my gifts! I just have to come up with a creative way to do so...

If you're looking for something similar, let me tell you what I love about Elfster.

1. It's free. 
2. You can pick names anonymously or publicly.
3. You can create a Wish List so your gift-giver can get great ideas about what you like, if not get it exactly.
4. You can message each other and send things like, Jordan and Rebecca, you're terrible at creating your Wish Lists in time for Cyber Monday. Hypothetically, of course.

Have you guys tried it? Is there another method you like to use? Or are you of the old school and you'd be aghast to do so?

icj,
~j


p.s. Not perked or paid to promote Elfster:) But who needs it when it's a free service?

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gift idea : for someone who loathes the cold

If it isn't you, I know you have at least one friend who just hates cold weather and how it chills the bone. This has always intrigued me. Where does this hatred begin? You never see a kid say, I don't want to go outside, it's too cold but plenty of adults do. I think it's because someone dresses the kids for the weather and then when they're outside they give themselves entirely over to fun and warm themselves up, whereas adults (me included) tend to dress for style and ease. At least here in Wisconsin adults don't wear snowpants everywhere, so we're bound to feel the chill.

I have two gift ideas for your friend. The first I learned from my old roommate, Sarah. She had two fo them and I would watch her go through this little winter ritual of filling the bottle, wrapping it in it's cozy cover, and placing it in her bed to warm her place. Then I saw these coal-filled pans in shows like Downton Abbey and the movie Emma, and I thought that these women must be on to something.

Hot Water Bottle: 
to keep cozy & warm through the night

Source: warmtradition.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

I use my hot water bottle, purchased from Walgreens a couple years ago, every winter night. If I forget to fill it fresh, I will crawl out of bed, mosy on downstairs, and boil the water in the kettle it's that wonderful. All through the night my feet are kept toasty and warm, which warms my whole body. Best $11 I ever spent!
Warm Traditions, Pearl, $21
Warm Traditions, Kid Sized $9
Walgreens, $11 It looks orange-brown but it's really magenta. I love it. Ignore the word enema and just discard those parts;)

Thermal Leggings: 

to keep cozy & warm through the day

My college roommate, Maggie, never left the house for class without putting on thermal underwear. I thought she was nuts, but she never got cold walking in the dead of Milwaukee January. I don't have these but I sure want them. I do know that you want a material that isn't cotton. Cotton just gets caught on the inside of your pants and makes for an uncomfortable warmth.

Source: amazon.com via

Duofold Women's Expedition, $30

I bet if you wrapped these in a swab of plaid flannel or in a small blanket with some hot cocoa packets you'd be the hit of the year.

Enjoy!

icj,
~j

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5 holiday diys ornaments you could today

And in fact, I hope you do. I want to live vicariously through you and your craftiness. I have so many things I want to accomplish, things like making ornaments and floor pillows for the kids, but since I can't even make the time to hang the shelves I made for Ace's room. . . .Please, you must!

No pressure.

So here are

Felt Snowballs via The Purl Bee

Source: purlbee.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

House Key & Address via In My Own Style

Source: inmyownstyle.com via Natalie on Pinterest

Ruffled Felt Snowball via Beautiful Nest

Source: beautifulnest.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

>

Felt Swirls via Betz White

Source: blog.betzwhite.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Mini Canvas Photo via By Steph Lynn

Source: bystephanielynn.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

And if you accomplish even one, here's how you can treat yourself in holiday style:

Pomegranate Lime Margarita

Source: howsweeteats.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Have a lovely Tuesday, friends. Do let us know if you make any of these work!!!

icj,
~j

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pinhole press : a holiday peek!

When I first came across Pinhole Press's Signature Photo Book on Joanna Goddard's blog, Cup of Jo, I was enthralled. REAL paper. Simple. Clean. Stunning. I knew just by looking at it that it smelled like a book and that when I passed my fingers over the pages they would have texture, not gloss.

Then I came across their Memory Game, their Wedding Album*, their Big Book of Names & Faces, their Puzzle...I couldn't stop clicking. I want everything. I'm ordering the Desk Blotter for myself for January because I still like the paper-style of family calendar recording. And I want it to look good hanging in our house.

So when Pinhole Press joined thishawksnest as a sponsor, I was giddy. I threw Ace in the air leading to the inevitable one more time, mama fourteen more times. I'm honored to partner with this bespoke company, and I hope to fill my house with their offerings!

thn: Tell us a bit about the origins of Pinhole Press; how did you begin?

PP: Founded in 2010, Pinhole Press is a lifestyle brand for personalized, inspirational photo gifts. Sensing a void in the marketplace for high quality photo gifts, Pinhole Press was born by merging fine paper with chic design and impressive printing to create beautifully simple products that are memorable and stand the test of time.

thn: I've noticed Pinhole's commitment to simplicity of design. Can you give us a little insight into how your teams determine what designs represent the brand?

PP: We have a team of designers who create the templates for the photo products on PinholePress.com. The idea centers around creating a clean canvas for the photo to “do the talking” instead of drawing the attention away with obtrusive designs and formats. Our templates are beautifully simple and the goal is to inspire the recipient.

thn: My favorite item is the Signature Photo Book. In terms of quality and design, I think it is heads above other photo books out there. How did the book come about?

PP: Sometimes you may find photo book templates are over-designed – there is simply too much and the design takes away from the photography. With the Signature Photo Book design and the other photo book designs available at Pinhole Press, the photos are the main attraction and the clean, simple templates help tell the visual story at-hand.

Source: pinholepress.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

thn: What item are you most excited about right now and why? 

PP: With the holidays we have a lot to be excited about, but we’re really loving our line of educational gifts for little ones. The Memory Game and Mini Book of Names & Faces will help kids sharpen their focus and learn the faces of friends and family. There are also the Flash Cards to help children learn their ABCs and 123s by simply changing any letter to represent favorite friends, pets or beloved objects.

thn: The holidays are almost upon us. What perfect gifts can our readers find at Pinhole this year? 

PP: We have our lineup of classic gifts such as the Portrait Notepad, Wall Calendar, Signature Photo Book and the Accordion Brag Book, but we also have several fun new gifts this year! The Wall Decal sets and Puzzle are great for all ages and the Boxed Prints are perfect for grandma who has been asking for printed photos – not digital! – of your kids for some time now!

We also have our line of Ultrathick Pinstripes cards with a bright red candy-colored stripe in the stock of each card. These will certainly impress loved ones and stand out from the rest on the mantle!


Thank you, Pinhole Press! I'm pretty excited to start on our holiday cards and memory game so we can have them in time for Thanksgiving. And then there's the photo book I want to use as our not-done-yet wedding album... 

Check them out for some great holiday gifts this year. Enjoy, friends!


icj,
~j

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local yokal : Nellie Design

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

This week is all about holiday gift ideas and what better way to start than with a classy lady who makes it all happen in celebrated style.

Nellie Leis of NellieDesign specializes in making parties look put together. I've had the pleasure of attending one recently for her son's 3rd birthday, and I was impressed with every detai--from the goodie bags for each child (by name!) which included a train whistle, crayons, and playdoh--to the ease with which she decorates the entire space. She thinks of everything from water bottles to string ties to non-labeled decor, and it all comes together for the most cohesive, celebratory style.

If you're looking for added oomp this holiday season, NellieDesign is the place to start!

thn: Tell us about your aesthetic. 

ND: Nellie*Design's aesthetic is very simple, clean & nautical-inspired. I move with the trends and {hope to} stay contemporary, but have always loved the classic simplicity that nautical / coastal design embodies. Not all of my designs are nautical though! I provide many custom designs for client's seeking different styles, like a rustic-chíc "camping party" or a retro 80's birthday party! 

thn: If we were to walk through your front door today, what would we see that would be unmistakably Nellie Design?

ND: Stripes, Chevron, Polkadots, a simple serif font and a single motif/graphic. 

thn: Ah, I love stripes, too! So where do you draw your creative inspiration?

ND: I find inspiration from fashion and interior design {for things like patterns & color trends}, pinterest and etsy {for scoping out the competition and to be ever blown away by other's creativity}, martha-freaking-stewart and other inspirational DIY women like her {to motivate myself to be like them}, and from other designers and artists that I admire. 

thn: What role does your husband play in your creative work? And your children?

ND: My husband is really great with marketing! He's a salesman, so helps me a lot when I'm doing freelance projects for the business world. Sometimes I can get caught in my boutique-style {okay, you can call it "cutesy"}, so he helps redirect me when I'm working on corporate design. His ideas sometimes surprise me and a LOT of them have been the ideas that end up getting chosen. The role my children play{ed} in my creative work has actually been a game changer for me… I began nellie*design because of them! I became a stay-at-home-mom when I had my first child, but knew that I couldn't be "just a mom" {even though that is a full time job in itself!} and that I had to continue being creative. So, I started my at-home design business. It initially started with wedding invitations, personalized stationery, moving announcements, holiday cards, etc. But, once that big, beautiful, baby boy arrived {and my world changed} my designs shifted. I began my printable party designs, birth announcements and onesie stickers! Having children influences what kind of product I now make! Basically, now, I'm always creating designs that I think would be great for my own children!

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

thn: Do you have a favorite project, and if so, what was it? 

ND: I really enjoyed working on my sis-in-law's wedding stationery items. From her save the date postcard and invitation suite, to favor tags and ceremony programs, I designed, printed and assembled {with the help of a family assembly party!} everything! This isn't something offered in my Etsy Shop, but is a service I offer. Outside of my boutique Etsy Shop, I provide custom designs, such as wedding stationery or corporate branding!

thn: How did you start your online business?

ND: I opened up an Etsy Shop page first and then started my blog to help promote it. I wouldn't consider myself a "blogger", but find that having a blog has been a great way to bring traffic to my business.

thn: How did you learn your graphic art?

ND: I had my first encounter with graphic designers as a young girl visiting my dad's art studio. My dad was a freelance illustrator, and in the same studio he worked, was a graphic design firm. I truly had no idea what they did, but I could just tell that they were cool! ;) I later went to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee to receive my bachelor degree in Graphic Design. 

thn: Where would you like to see Nellie Design in five years? Ten years? What would be your big dream for the business?

ND: In 5 years, I see my business staying steady. I'm doing this as a side gig to my full time job as a stay-at-home-mama, so my first priority are my kiddos. I mean, who doesn't want their business to explode and "hit it big", but honestly, I just want my business to stay manageable and enjoyable. In this amazing period of my life, with very young children, I want to stay present in their lives and enjoy every minute of it. I am blessed to be able to do that, while still being able to be creative "on the side" for a while. BUT… in 10 years… I hope to be doing my business full time from home, making a steady and supporting income from it, blogging full time, and creating many more items to sell in my shop! 

thn: How do you balance working from home and living there?

ND: This is an extremely hard balance for me, that I work on daily! But, on a good day, I try to do all my work while the kids are napping and after they go to sleep. {I try my hardest to NOT answer emails or do design work while I'm with the kids!}. I have made it known in my shop's policies that my turn-around is 48+ hours, and that I don't work regular business hours. The line gets crossed often between home & home-office. I catch myself on the computer looking up "Betty Brinn Children Museum Hours" and then 30 minutes later realize I've been responding to Etsy Orders the entire time. So, I am constantly working on making being a mama my number 1 priority, while maintaining a quality business at the same time!

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

thn: If you could purchase 3 things from your shop today, what would they be and why?

ND: 1. Chevron "we've dropped anchor" Moving Announcement - I love everything about it; chevron pattern, red anchor, navy serif font… all my favorite things in one little package. 
2. Seersucker Alligator Onesie Sticker & Stationery - I think this is a design that screams nellie*design; everything about it embodies my aesthetic.
3. Burlap & Fushia Camping Party Invite & Decor Printables - Man, do I love the combo of the bright fushia on a rustic burlap background! Gone are the days of pretty pretty princesses! Bring on the rustic, self-sufficient, not scared of a little dirt, Camping Girls! ;)

thn: How do you make your house a home?

ND: There's no place like home. And I definitely feel that way toward my home. To make my house a home, I have decorated it to my style {nautical, pottery-barn-on-the-cheap, cozy}, I don't keep things too stuffy {big comfy couch that swallows you up, not so clean you're scared to spill, etc} and I display lots of family photos and family art pieces {my dad's paintings & now Fin's art!}.  Living in an OLD English Cottage style home, I think, automatically makes for a charming, cozy, comfortable home! 

thn: Say I'm preparing for an event and I want to contract with Nellie Design. What should I know before I approach you?

ND: Know what you want! You give me your direction and I'll run with it! If you're ordering a "printable" {pre-made} design, have all of your customized information ready. If you're working with me to create a custom design, let me know your style, colors you'd like, custom information and general "vision" for the design. From there, we'll work on completing the design through proofing to get exactly what you want!

thn: What would you suggest are the 3 most important steps in preparing a great event?

ND: First, I think choosing one thing {theme, color, etc} to tie in to all the paper pieces for the event. If you're having a nautical event, for example, use a nautical knot motif and have it on everything from the invite to the favor tags, menus, etc! This will tie everything in and make it feel consistent and planned. 

Second, have a budget. If you know how much you can spend, you will feel more in control {yes, even if it is a really small budget!}. Using your budget, begin to evaluate what is most important to YOU to prioritize where you want to spend more of your budget. {A little shameless self promotion here…} A great way to save money when preparing for an event, is to go the DIY route, and order "printable" party decor from designers like me! This is an entirely customizable option {rather than choosing decor from a party supply store, where thousands of others are using the same design} so you can have gorgeous paper pieces for your event, for a much more affordable price, at the cost of your time/energy to print/assemble everything on your own! 

And finally, make your guests feel special! Whether it's sending them off with a unique favor {a GOOD one, not a cheap bottle of plastic wedding bubbles!}, or having a "candy bar" where guest's can make a bag of goodies, of their choice, to go home with, or even, just having place cards at each place setting can make your guest's feel special! 




Thanks, Nellie! I can't wait until my kids are old enough to have a camping party so we can use those fabulous invitations!

Check out her shop here to get ready for the holidays (and you may catch a glimpse of her sweet kids).

icj,
~j 

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recipe week : carrot & brown sugar souffle

Source: allrecipes.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

This recipe is serendipitous. I have no idea how I even found it, but I did, and it is now my favorite autumn dish. No kidding. And I'm not the kind of person to go crazy over veggie dishes typical at Thanksgiving. But this one? This is what I'm bringing to our Thanksgiving table this year. And the next.

The recipe as given below is what our family adjusted and prepared from the original allrecipes.com recipe. 

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lb whole carrots
optional: substitute 1/2 lb carrot with sweet potato, peeled & chopped
1/2 cup butter, softened over an hour
3 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda


METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).

Bring a stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cook carrots until tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain well.

Place all the ingredients in a food processor* and pulse to puree. Outcome should be smooth with no chunks.

Pour carrot mixture into a 1 quart, round baking dish. Place the dish inside a larger dish with 1 inch of water to prevent burning the bottom of the souffle.

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 hour** or until firm.

Sprinkle brown sugar over the top and serve immediately.

NOTES
*You can also mash up the cooked carrots with a potato masher and then mix the ingredients in a large bowl using a mixer, as I did (we don't have a food processor)

**I set my timer for 50 minutes to ensure I don't burn the dish. If it jiggles a bit or looks wet in the center, I put it in for the final 10 minutes.


Seriously, folks, I almost didn't share this one because I want to be associated with it whenever I need to bring food, but since I didn't create it in the first place, I thought that level of selfishness best reserved for a future recipe. Ha!


THUS, I'm not offering three additional recipes of interest today because I think this one must stand alone.

Yes. It is that good. Are you making it yet???


icj,
~j


P.S. Alright now, SO MANY PEOPLE stopped me, called me, emailed me to tell me they are loving this recipe week and they especially want to try the One-Dish. Friends, comment. Let others be encouraged by your brilliance:) Let's get this community gabbing!

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25 handmade gifts under $5.00

Update: The link was broken and for some reason, I can't connect to it, but that may be a problem with my server, so I'm including the link both in the photo and below. Let me know if it still doesn't work!


I came across this list just this morning from The 36th Avenue blog. It is fantastic--pretty to look at and pretty easy to follow the tutorials. I hope you check it out! Let me know if you use anything for Christmas...


icj,
~j

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etsy friday :: ahh, beer

in honor of a sweet summer afternoon, say, fourth of july weekend. It took me a while to find really tasteful, interesting items under this theme. Hope you enjoy!

popchartlab

nestahome

chippewafive

gwendelicious

mustacheglass

synergybrewing

handamade

oakstreetcandles

michaelprior

realartisbetter

mudpie2

We're really excited for this weekend. Our little village treats the Fourth the way other cities handle St. Paddy's Day or New Year's. We can't wait to see what Ace makes of the parade, fireworks, and plethora of little tykes running around everywhere.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend! I'll be back on Tuesday.
icj,
~j

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daddy day art :: paint that town

Yesterday, I gave you a sneak preview into our neighborly playdate. For Callan and I, this date was a first! We live on the most wonderful block---dare I say it---in the world. This is quite possibly no exaggeration. There are half a dozen couples with children just a bit older than Callan and one iconic couple who take bike rides and wear fedoras and make the rest of us look very midwestern. And here's the best part: we like them all. Every last one. I'm happy when they stop us on the sidewalk, I run out to catch a few minutes of convo with them, and I am so grateful that Callan gets to watch their children and learn from them. And the iconic couple makes me want to be a stylish mom because they're so dang good-looking and sweet.

So we invited the ladies and their spawn over for the lunch hour to make some finger-paintings for Daddy's Day. I was so pleased when the ladies said yes. Everyone brought something extra for each other---cookies, paints, canvases, and a newborn. 

While the kiddos painted away, I snapped photos. Here are my favorites from the day.

C-man:

Callan making his masterpiece (and drooling).

Big smiles from Daisy* and Patty:

Rose* and Carmen:

Baby love and C-man's mama, Virginia; can you believe she came on a playdate with a newborn and a 2-year-old? How cool is that?

The girls tried to play with Callan, but half the time he wasn't sitting up so they just made faces and let him giggle.

And one of my favorite photos of the little guy, propped up by Virginia.

I also had a shot of all their finished work, but the lighting was so bright I couldn't even adjust it to make out the paint. Sorry!

Thank you, ladies, for a wonderful day. We had a blast, and Hawk loved the personal touch. Literally.

*I changed their names because you just never know...

icj,

~j

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