Getting Dressed: Week 1

Some of you seem to be under a false impression that I'm cool.  I'm not.  

Thanks guys

Mini Cards available HERE

Dear Readers,


You guys are really nice.  You make hard days less hard.  And happy days happier.  


I hope you know how much I like you.  (It's a lot.)  


Thanks so much for all the support you give.  You guys are really nice.


(So much) love,
Katie

Getting Motivated, Feeling Better

Doing more good.

I've been thinking about that a lot lately.  And making plans.  Big plans.  It's turning into something I'm super excited about.  Something that I hope hope hope will do good to others and better their lives, even if it's just in some small way.

But it takes courage to do it.  It means getting a little bit out of my comfort zone.  And I find myself in this constant flux between feeling really on top of the world and feeling really timid.  Growing.  Man, it's kind of an emotional roller coaster, you know?

And in the midst of my trying to do good, I found myself feeling kind of discouraged the other day.  Really for almost no reason at all.  And even though I kept plugging away at my little plans, I was definitely in the need of a pick-me-up.

It came in two ways.

Bubble Breaths

Have a sad kid?

Trying to get them to calm down?

Want them to take a deep breath?

Have them blow bubbles.

The end.

Finding Our Groove

Bryan started back to school this week.  I started going back to staying at home and chilling with Olivia full time.  And watching another sweet little girl a few days a week.  And working just in the evenings a couple days a week.  And we finally stared going on some walks again.

I think the walks, more than anything, have made me feel grounded.  In a good way.  Not grounded like, "Go to your room.  You're grounded."  Grounded like you've had your life up in the air for months and you're finally starting to get your feet back on the ground a little bit.

Love. Only.

I think if we could step and see
Into anothers' mind
We would never open our mouths again
Except for words that are kind

by Katie Lewis

First Day Back

Today is our first day back to real life.  Bryan's back to school and I'm back to hanging out at home with the silly little Lala pants.



Plus one.

But not in my belly.  For the next little while Olivia and I have the pleasure of having one of her favorite little friends around to play with us for a few days a week while her mommy and daddy are at work/school.  And today was our first day of that too.

So far, it's been a fun, cozy day.  A little drizzly, but not so bad that it kept us from visiting the polar bears.

Dust on my machine

I haven't been making much lately.  The sewing machine is literally collecting dust.  My shelves of supplies have sat almost untouched for a good week or two at least.  In one way, it's strange and sad to me.  I feel constantly like a part of me is hiding out, waiting to emerge.  I'm not being melodramatic when I say that life doesn't feel as fulfilling to me as it does when I'm busily creating.

But, in another way, there is something calm and refreshing to me about taking a break.  It wasn't as if I sat down one day and decided, "I'm not going to sew for a couple weeks."  It just sort of happened.  Life has gotten the better of me.  And I mean that.  It's gotten the better of me.

Lala Fashion: Tie-dye and Tu-tu

Clippie: Vintage yellow bow clip from my childhood
Shirt: Tie-dye onsie I scored at the local Farmer's Market before Olivia was born
Pants: Jeans from The Children's Place... via the local thrift store
Tu-tu: an adorable birthday present from Grandma
Footwear: nope

For Olivia's 2nd birthday her Grandma (my mom) made her this adorable little tu-tu.  She even glued on a fun little rainbow of mini neon pom-poms.  Olivia loves it, but wasn't a major fan of the crazy texture of the tulle.  So we  paired it with some jeans and this awesome tie-dye onesie.

The result?

Awesome.

Lala Fashion: Red

Yesterday I shared some pictures of Olivia's first day of preschool.
And I mentioned my recent obsession with a certain pair of red shoes.
Truth be told, she has at least three pairs of red shoes in her closet right now.
But these ones are my faves.
By far.

So today I thought I'd share another bit of Lala fashion.

Hair: crazy
Shirt: from her Auntie Kendra
Pants: jeans from The Childrens Place... via the thrift store
Shoes: red

First Day of Preschool

Lala's First Day of Preschool

Today we had our first day of preschool!

One of my good friends and I got to talking a month or so ago about how we wanted to be better about doing preschool activities with our kids.  She has a little boy just older than Olivia, so we got to brainstorming on what we might do for the coming school year.  After throwing some ideas around, we decided that it would be the most fun if we did it together!

9/11 -- Finding Hope

Quickie Toddler Art Apron

In the midst of gearing up for at-home preschool this year, I made this little vinyl apron for Olivia to wear when we do messy art activities.

Choosing

Hopefully in a few weeks we'll finally get into a normal routine and I'll know what to do with myself.  But it hasn't happened yet.  For months now we've been packing up, sorting through, and selling all our possessions.  Only to drive across the country, unpack, and then re-buy new things that we need.  On one end of the country was the ending of an era in our lives.  On this end: a beginning.  But it still hasn't really begun.

So much

These two.  First and foremost, they crack me up.  Don't let their sincerity fool you.  Whitney and Spencer are funny, funny people.  Whitney and I have seldom made it through a conversation without giggles.  And Spencer, growing up with lots of sisters, is keen to share wise advice like, "Don't shave your legs right before you go to the dentist.  It's all cold at the dentist's office and your legs will get all prickly."  It's not that he shaves his legs.  It's just that he's funny.  And so is Whitney.  She does an old man dance that can beat anybody's I've yet seen.

Lala's Happy Birthday

Preschool: ABC's

Alphabet Beanbags tutorial

There's a load of theory and reason behind what preschool teachers do.  There are methods and things worth taking the time to understand.  There's a lot going on under the surface when you start teaching preschool.  But one of the most basic principles in teaching is this:

Literacy--and reading in particular--is the gateway to knowledge.

Preschool: Beginnings

I just had a friend e-mail me with some questions about preschool and I thought I'd go ahead and just write about it for all of you here while I'm at it.


Part 1: My short-lived career as a preschool teacher