Christmas.

Today I got 2 packages in the mail and 2 shipments from UPS. Being that I forgot about some of the items I ordered, it felt really nice...almost like Christmas again even though 99% of the items were for the boys, it was still really fun opening everything.

My new boots also arrived and I am in love all over again...I had the sand colored boots 4 years ago and I took them on our vacation to Laguna Beach and when we came back home I never got them out of the back of the car and so one day I just told Billy to throw them out instead of bringing them in! In my defense I was pregnant with Micah at the time and i am telling you I make horrible decisions when I am pregnant! BUT I am happy to announce my feet can go back to being as comfortable as ever. Colbs and Billy think they are so ugly..but they don't understand how comfy they are! And it just goes to show what a good husband I have because it was Billy who tried to surprise me with a new pair for Christmas but he didn't know which pair I wanted and since we never made it into Don's Shoes together with our crazy schedules, he finally just ordered them for me...and my feet and I are both very thankful for that :)

The boys' new clothes also came in and I never thought I'd say this, but I think I almost enjoy shopping for them more than myself...and they aren't even girls! Good thing J.Crew makes such cute boy things and in all of their sizes because I love for them to all match!

And speaking of J.Crew I am loving their new look book online (where I found the above image) and I can't wait for the catalog to hit my mailbox!

Other than being overly joyous about my mail this week, we've been busy with lots of projects...I'm looking forward to making some big announcements (God willing!) soon!

Happy weekend everyone!

Getting ready to make some waves!

So proud of these ladies! And men! :) When Amy first contacted me with some questions when Mommy Tsunami was first starting out I knew I wanted to do something to help with their cause. Because Billy and I know the value of good design and how it can help legitimize a business (or in their case, an organization), can help with communicating a message, and how a logo specifically puts a "face" onto something that makes it easy for people to remember..well....we decided to help by donating our design services!

We met with Amy (a respite worker) and Mary (a grandmother who is the primary caregiver for her grandson who has developmental disabilities) and from that meeting designed the Mommy Tsunami logo and later a flier to promote their walk from Yuba City to the state capitol to remind officials of the Lanterman Act: an act to keep those with disabilities out of institutions and in their own homes and communities.

The letters in the Mommy Tsunami logo are all hand drawn by Billy and we incorporated the wave (which they hope their movement will make) into the wording. We included a rendering of the state capitol to help explain their cause and mission.

They want to see a shift in the way the politicians are handling the budget cuts. They are calling out for accountability....and so I had to share this video they recently posted online.

So proud to see them pushing forward for a great cause and must say, I'm pretty proud of that handbill you will see Amy holding in the beginning, and of course the logo at the end. :)

Great job everyone!

Make sure to find Mommy Tsunami on facebook and join the walk...any part of it...if you can!

Friend.

Today I got to visit my good friend Sarah. I've known her since I was a freshman in high school and she was a "youth leader" at church! I LOVE her! We always have the best time when we are together...she is always encouraging, supportive, and she is wonderfully crafty and makes amazing things so we get to talk about all that too!

Right as I pulled up to her house little Isaac fell asleep. I thought for sure he'd wake up and forget all about his nap but he happily dozed right back to sleep on my lap while we sat talking on the couch.

I love this picture Sarah took and was so sweet to post it to my facebook. He looks so peaceful here but trust me...he makes some really grumpy faces in his sleep too. Can't believe how fast he is growing up!

Colbs.

Yesterday Colby turned 8 years old! I can't believe it! On the way home from my mom's last night, he said, "Mom. In 2 years I'll be 10! That's weird to think about." Um...yes! That's VERY weird to think about so I think I'd rather not!

I only brought our instax camera to my mom's house so I'll have to wait to scan in the pictures to post any.

I just wanted to make sure I documented the day and what Colby is like at 8 years old.

Right now...

*Colby is missing both of his top two front teeth :)

*is obsessed with Little Big Planet and calls it "LBP" and he creates levels and writes in the description for them things like "heart this"...kills me!

*still wants to be a fighter pilot. This has literally been his dream since he was 2. Not even kidding.

*has excellent penmanship (no idea where he got it from)

*is a big help and can handle many responsibilities

*is quite the lego brick master if I do say so myself

*wakes up entirely way too early on every single day of the week

Happy Birthday son. I love you and love watching the man you are becoming. I am so proud of you.

a week in...

So. Here we are...first week of the New Year has come and gone...We are pretty excited over here because we went down and got our 2011 business license! We have set financial goals we need to make in order to be able to design full time and open a design studio...and I am so happy to announce that even though we are only doing this part time with NO advertising, for the first week we have succeeded our FULL time financial goal! I hope this is just the start to a great year and I really have to give all the glory to God.

Also, at the end of December I shipped out an order of couture headbands I made especially for Meg Fish. I'm sure you've heard me rave all about her work right on here on my blog!

Looks like they arrived just in time because she was using them as gifts for all her newborn baby girl clients (how sweet is that?) and today I was tagged in this sweet photo! This adorable little girl is the daughter of the wedding photographers over here.

Also excited to announce that the full page ad we designed for Moments To Remember Photography studio (we also designed their logo too :)) is now circulating in this month's issue of Me and Mine.

I should really be in bed right now but my husband is up watching Tombstone and so I figured I'd catch up on my blog reading while the movie is on :)

2011: let the journey begin!

I love New Years and making (and even more so keeping) resolutions. What a great idea to set aside time to think about how to better yourself. I am always up for the challenge!

This year we have some pretty exciting goals. As individuals, as a family, and as business partners (Billy and I).

One resolution we have as a family is being more proactive in our goal towards minimalism. This year, maybe more so than any years past, we have a strong desire to DO more and BUY less. I am not opposed to owning things...I just want to own fewer, better things. We do not want our children to think that one's goal in life is to own anything and everything or that happiness can be bought off a shelf. We don't want them to think that a person's worth is in the car they drive or the house they live in. I am really looking forward to implementing a minimalist approach this year...I think only good things can come from it!

A personal goal I have is to spend more time with my kids. Ha. Sounds silly for a "stay at home" mother, right? But I have found sometimes it is easy to lose your way. You mean well but it doesn't turn out well. This year I refuse to let hobbies (like making hair pretties) become my life. It only stays fun and something I want to do when it it simply something I enjoy doing at night while my husband has some quiet time of his own. When it turns into pulling all nighters to complete orders or looking at my kids as a "bother" when they ask me a question because I am trying to complete orders, well then its time to get my butt in check. Hair pretties aren't going anywhere...but my kids are only little now. My first priority will always be to be a wife and a mother and this year I am cutting back in other areas to make sure that my husband and children know that they are second to none.

A business goal we have this year is opening a design studio. My husband is awesome at what he does. And I'm not just saying that because I married him. Trust me! I am his biggest fan but also his biggest critic...I know how hard he works and how creative he is because I am blessed to get to work right alongside him. There is nowhere in this town that you can go and get the expertise and talent that he has to offer. We think this area deserves that kind of excellence and so we are working to have our studio open this spring...I'm not the kind of girl who likes to say things before they happen so I'm not going to say too much more on this one!

But really, we have SO much to look forward to this year...these are just a few resolutions! We know we can make all the plans we want, but we know that ultimately it is God who has the say....and we are a-ok with that idea!

Happy New Year's everyone!!!! Anyone brave enough to share any of their resolutions? I'd love to hear how you are going to be a better you in 2011!

feels like Christmas...

When I was pregnant with Isaac almost 2 years ago, I was on a google search looking for baby shower inspiration when somehow I came across the breathtaking work of Meg Fish Photography.

Flash forward and now Meg is not only still an amazing photographer but also the mother to an equally beautiful little girl. Today she posted TWO sets of pictures featuring not only a hair pretty I'd sent for her cute baby as a gift, but also a custom piece she commissioned that I am in love with!

Looking at her beautiful photographs really feels just like Christmas. I get SO excited to see all the pretty, dream-like images. Be sure to visit her site for more information on how you can book a session with Meg :)

this little piggy went to roseville.

The other week I bravely bundled up all 3 of my boys. I packed a diaper bag with everything I might possibly need to use in any given emergency situation. I sat in traffic in the rain unaware that Marysville was having a Christmas parade. I drove over an hour to get there and when we made our first stop I went to reach for my checks (I lost my debit card and have yet to replace it) and realized it was gone!

I called Billy who was working and he told me he borrowed it out of my purse when we had picked him up earlier on his lunch break and he forgot to put it back inside when he was done. We had NO way to pay for anything. I was so upset but I took the boys over to the mall anyways, just so they could stretch their legs and be out of the car for a bit before turning around to drive all the way back home.



SO. Flash forward to today, Billy took me down to Roseville with Isaac so I could actually get my errands done. We did some grocery shopping at Whole Foods and Billy took me over to Anthropologie to get a little gift for the family we will (God willingly) be leasing our studio from next year! While we browsed around these little piggy salt and pepper shakers caught my eye and Billy was thoughtful enough to sneak them up to the register where our other items were waiting.

So now they are all mine and they make me smile every time I look at them. Sometimes it really is just the simple things!

We also went over to Galleria but for some reason nothing really caught my eye. Not sure what it is but lately I have not been into "mall" shopping...this year I'm feeling handmade...sustainable..vintage...and purposeful gifts...and well, I just don't find too many of those in the mall!

What are you feeling for Christmas this year?

home love.

When I first saw this home tour I was instantly in love. Specifically with this picture of the rug with the aqua and brown colored dots. I have been wanting it since last year and I am happy to say that Dwell Studio had a fabulous black Friday sale and I am now the proud owner of my dream rug! I bought it in the biggest size possible and I can't wait to use it! I never thought we'd be able to afford it but I guess good things come to those who wait :)

The only problem is I haven't even unrolled the rug yet and it arrived 2 days ago...I love it so much I don't want to use it. Hate when the happens! I'm sure I'll get over it soon enough! :)

Other than admiring my rolled up rug, I think I am just about finished with my Christmas shopping. I can't wait to see my little kiddos' faces on Christmas morning!

2010

I can't believe its already December and 2010 is coming to an end. I secretly like when the New Year comes. I always make resolutions and have been putting a lot of thought into what I want to change for 2011. I once read to learn to be "content with what you have but never with who you are." I thought that was a nice challenge!



We don't do "santa" in our household, but I took the boys over to the studio to get a "santa" picture...minus the santa! :) I recently designed an ad for Moments To Remember Photography that my husband flawlessly executed...God must have known what He was doing when He paired us up! The ad was featured in a local magazine.


In other news I was really happy to see another hair pretty picture over at one of my favorite photographer's sites. The beauty in the simplicity of her work never fails to inspire me!