30 Days of Summer :: Day 27 :: Signs of Fall

The air has begun to cool here.  It may be temporary, but I am really enjoying it.

With the chill in the air, we have also welcomed:

• The reappearance of long pants
• Hot Chocolate (Just once, yesterday at the diner.  For the kids.  With whipped cream!)
• Oatmeal for dinner (yes, tonight, so easy!)
• Pajamas and blankets at bedtime

It's really coming, isn't it?

In a way I hope we get one more short hot spell - just a day?  We had the last two of our three new ceiling fans installed today and would really like to use them. 

I know, silly...  But really?  We spent all summer looking forward to them, saying "Oh I can't wait until the fans are installed.  Then it will be so much cooler in here!"

Oh, the irony.

30 Days of Summer :: Day 26 :: Attempting to shoot the Storybook Skirt

To re-open my shop, I need to get some pictures done.  Which means I need some cooperation - both from the weather and from the kids.

Usually, I attempt some pictures on a sunny day when the children are playing quietly.  Although this usually ends the playing quietly piece.

So today I thought I would try to incorporate them into the shoot.

I may just have to wait until school starts...

And the Winner Is...

For the Back-To-School Giveaway:

 

Comment #1 from Andrea.

Thanks so much for playing!  This was fun.

Let's do it again soon.

30 Days of Summer :: Day 25 :: A Productive Day

I love it when a day actually feels productive.  Weekends seem to have been a wash around here lately so we were pretty ecstatic to finally get some things done yesterday.

A new pillow for the new couch.

 

Finally getting this bookcase (do you love or hate the wood paneling background?) up into O's room.

We salvaged this one from a friend's curb as we arrived for a BBQ at their house this summer.  I know, classy...

Thanks Andrea!

 And the replacement of the first floor toilet!

Check three things off of our never ending list...

Next up, finally backing E's curtains...  that have actually been hanging in her room for a year now, unbacked and unhemmed.  Then I'll get some pictures of her room up here, too.

 

 **Reminder that the Back to School Giveaway ends tonight.  Remember to leave a comment!  I know some people had trouble earlier.  I changed some of the settings so please try again.  Check back tomorrow to see if you won!**

 

30 Days of Summer :: Day 24

This morning was a screaming, crying, can't-leave-the-room-for-5-minutes morning where in the end I just needed to call The Dad down and take 5 minutes out on the front steps.

 

So, this picture is more for me than for you - a reminder that they really do love each other and are good buddies, despite all the drama.

30 Days of Summer :: Day 23 :: My 100th Post and a Little Back To School Giveaway

 

To Celebrate my 100th Post here on Teaparties and Playdates, I'm offering a little Back to School Giveaway.

Included in the giveaway are:

• A Funky Monkey Lunchbox Napkin
• A Sock Monkey deck of cards (in cool metal tin)
• A fun monkey pencil
• 3 organic Yummy Earth lollipops

 We've been doing a lot around here to get ready for school (less than three weeks away now!) - counting down with a paper chain, preparing Schultuten for the first day, buying uniforms, stocking up on pencils (and our first electric pencil sharpener!) and other school supplies, and talking constantly about what it will be like to be in Kindergarten, so:

To enter, just leave a note in the comments letting me know either

1. Something you are doing or have done to prepare a child for the start of school or
2. Something you remember doing when you were a kid to get ready for the first day of school

Leave the note by bedtime Sunday evening (say, 10pm EST) and I'll use the handy Random Number Generator to pick a winner.  Then just check back here Monday to see if you won.

Thanks for Playing!!

30 Days of Summer :: Day 22

 

One of the things I'll miss about Summer:

The plethora of Farmstands and a Fridge always filled with Fresh Fruit.

I've been having some glitches with my blog template and am trying to make adjustments - Thanks for bearing with me!

30 Days of Summer :: Day 21

Some of the materials taunting me from the table in my studio.

Some fun, fresh Metro Market fabric I received in a swap with Julie of Jaybird Quilts. She was one of two people I met at Art Star who bought dresses for kids they didn't have yet (with husbands they didn't have yet) because they loved the fabric. I love that!

So this fabric, combined with some red Michael Miller checked bias tape and ruffle rac, hasn't decided what it wants to be yet. It's coming, though! I had first thought of another pillow case dress (which needs another name, by the way) but maybe a fun little skirt with a trimmed pocket... Or something from my Japanese pattern book... It's so hard to decide!
I will though. Maybe tonight...

30 Days of Summer :: Day 20

I had the good fortune this weekend of being able to hang out in a coffee shop for a bit all by myself.

A great iced mocha, a good book (that makes me feel like a much better mom in comparison), and an amazing almond croissant.

I have picked up numerous habits and lessons from my husband over the last decade. One of my favorites being how to order in a restaurant when you're not really sure what you want.

I eyed the bakery case - scone? chocolate croissant? It all looked good, although I wasn't sure what everything was.

So I asked, "Is there one thing in there that is better than everything else?"

"The almond croissant is amazing."

"I'll take it."

And it was.

Sometimes, the waitress or counter staff isn't quite so opinionated. Or accommodating. Maybe they are worried about admitting that some items just aren't as good. They'll give me the "Oh, everything here is good." That doesn't really help.

But most of the time, when they do recommend something, they are spot on. And I greatly appreciate it.

30 Days of Summer :: Day 19 :: Summer is Still in Full Swing

Can I do it? Can I really finish the 30 Days of Summer before Summer is over?

For us, Summer is still in full swing. The kids don't start school until September 15th, so we still have a good couple of weeks left.

Thanks for taking this journey with me. These 30 Days, which were meant to get me posting more regularly, have been... rejuvenating? inspiring? A fresh start, of sorts...

While I had originally meant to post every day of the 30, I will at least try to have this all wrapped up by Labor Day.

Between now and then, I'll also be celebrating my 100th post with a special little Back to School Giveaway.

Stay Tuned!