5.30.2014

take a seat...

This week we got some new stools for the kids, for our kitchen counter:
I got to sneak this picture...
 They sat and had snacks while I made dinner.  It felt like they were involved and I didn't feel like I was trying to work around them.  They LOVE them and the height is perfect for my two munches:
The morning is great!
The kitchen feels more and more like a place I want to gather and linger...
I am working on two little projects:
1. a sign for above the window
2. an herb garden for my sink.
It's coming together slowly but surely!

5.29.2014

a new part of our morning routine...

Our blender broke right before we moved, which was very sad, because that sucker got lots of use in our house.  For the last few weeks, Ryder has been asking to make smoothies and we would tell him that we couldn't and then last week, Ryder followed his request for a smoothie with "At our old house, we made smoothies all the time!  I miss them!"  Well, that did it.  Kit ordered one and it just came:
The last few mornings we have been making this smoothie, 
and having a "smoothie party" on our kitchen floor, in our pjs.
 I am excited to go to Pinterest and look up some new recipes!

5.28.2014

entry way art: antlers

A few years ago, Kit's Grandpa Pierce gave him these antlers from a friend's collection.  In our Fullerton house, there hadn't been space for it inside, so we had placed them in our garage. 
When we bought our new house that had lots of space, we decided to make it work, so of course I went to Pinterest for some ideas.  People did really incredible things and had some amazing ideas and painting them just seemed liked the best option.  So here is the before:
my helper:
And here is the after:
I have plans for maybe a pallet table and a lamp and some home made art...

5.27.2014

catching up...

As Kit and I have been realizing, this has been a crazy season for us: with the move just a couple of months ago, Kit traveling, job demands, and raising a two and a four year old that have VERY specific ideas of how the world should be...  We are tired.  We are worn out.  Our cups have felt very empty.  This was a great weekend for getting to catch up and refuel as a family!
It all started on Friday.  It was so sweet. That morning,  Ryder kept saying to Kit, "So you aren't going to work today?  And Mommy is staying here too? So we will all be together?  FOR THE WHOLE DAY!?!? That's awesome!"  It was precious, and really was a good indicator that we needed to slow down and just be together.
So we had to make a big special breakfast:
 Which ended with snuggles for Kit and Ryder:
We then decided to tackle a big project that has been on our list for awhile:
putting our birdhouse from Grandpa Pierce up in our yard:
Kit's Grandpa made this for our yard at our first house. (Don Ray Pierce)
 It's been in our back yard waiting to be "planted"
So here it was:
Picking our spot:
Now from our kitchen 
It makes it feel even more like our home!
We planted an avocado pit from an avocado from the tree from our Fullerton house:
We planted our hydrangeas (my gift from mother's day):
They make the walkway to our front door so much happier!
With all of the yard work, we had worked up quite a big appetite, so we headed to an Italian market that is located in Tustin that is just a few minutes form our house, Claro's.
 They make their own olive oil and special vinegar:
 And yes, I did not leave with out a cannoli:
 The Little Miss definitely enjoyed it...
 So with lots of work together and a large meal, we crashed:
Three hours later, we were all up and ready for dinner and a movie night:
We watched "Meet the Robinsons" and had a few tasty snacks...
The best part was Eden kept running around and saying "Movie Night!!! We get beans and corn!!!"
Doesn't that make it sound like she wanted some nice healthy snacks?  Nope she was talking about JELLY beans and POP corn.
Saturday we tackled a lighting project in the kitchen and an art project for our entry way that I will show you tomorrow.  Here is the kitchen project:
Before:
After:
We have to touch up the ceiling paint but it looks AWESOME!
Kit is just amazing.
Kit had to work Saturday Night and had some work to do, so the day was quiet and calm, words that rarely are used in describing our home.
Sunday, after church, we were able to have a BBQ and more family time:
 When dinner was finished, Kit and I sat and talked and laughed and watched our kids run around the yard, laughing and giggling together, and as the sun was setting, we ate dessert and drank tasty mojitos and I felt my heart burst with fullness and joy...
It was such a wonderful sunday afternoon and evening.
Monday morning was so peaceful.  The kids slept in (7 am is sleeping in around here...) and then we made cinnamon rolls:
 and yes, because it was a vacation day, we made two pans for 4 people...♥
Then we went on a hike on some nearby trails:
It was sunny with a breeze and it was paved for the stroller and the  kids LOVED being outside:
They also liked the option to ride when they were "out of energy..."
 Eden was convinced that mustard flowers did the same thing as dandelions when you blew on them:
She was determined...
Here's a little funny thing about Eden: She tripped while walking down hill on parts of the gravel close to 7 times.  Her little knees where scraped and she nailed her elbow and hands on one of the topples, but this little Rae, did not want to ride in the stroller, she did not want you to hold her hand, and she only cried when I would slow her down to see how bad a scrape was...
This Little Miss is intense!  She is 100% Rae♥.
The holiday weekend ended with slow smoked ribs and a bike ride:
It was a great holiday weekend and we feel recharged and reconnected and ready to tackle whats next...♥