MIDST

cast off

2012-01-28T14:46:00.000-08:00

I have loved making cowls.....
seriously ~ since I have started making them this fall.... I cant help but have another one started and ready to go. For Christmas I made 5 of them as gifts for family..... overall, I think, I have made 9. They are so comfy to wear, and so pretty!

This time I did the rib stitch, on some size 11/29inch round needles, with a casting on of 180. Knit 2, purl 2. until it was 8 inches wide. I used a worsted weight yarn/ in a soft wool.... and the color is perfect for the person who is to receive it.
My husband was reluctant as a model- but, I distracted him while he was reading.... doesn't he look nice?

of course, short sleeves and a cowl are not quite... hand in hand.... but you get the picture.....right?

Soup Swap.

2012-01-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

I have this friend....

and she always has the greatest ideas.

last year~ it was a Thursday Soup Night...

every Thursday (in winter), she would make a huge pot of AWESOME soup and had a standing invitation to friends and neighbors to share in this soup together. It was great~ I looked forward to Thursdays every week... not just for the soups, but for the time together with all sorts of people.....

I told you, the greatest ideas!!!!

This time she pulled together some ladies for a soup swap.

everyone made 8 quarts (1 quart jars each)of one soup.

and we swapped!

that easy.
that awesome.
and I went home with 8 jars of soup... (not to mention a night out with the girls!)..... each soup was different, full of deliciousness, and done!

you know. you wish. you were me right now!
mmmmmm!
soup.

just look at my happy refrigerator!

FRESH. the movie

2012-01-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

This is a great movie.... about the good food movement~ gardening in small spaces, making a difference in the community, and going back to the grassroots of eating~ transforming the way we look at food! Its encouragement, support and about life.

It is worth an hour of your time to watch this.... and just in time~ there is a free online screening offered for just this week (Jan.26-Feb1).

CLICK the link here~ grab some popcorn, a knitting project... and enjoy!

darn dog.

2012-01-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

I never understood the excuse "My dog ate my homework".... I mean, who's dog eats paper~ that is like the lamest excuse EVER! Come one now, there are some better things to say... like " My brother puked on it" or "I never went home~ and it's called homework. " or even better "what homework?".

that is until.... this!

complete with dog hair still sticking to it... and paw marks!

this is just great!
how I am going to tell the school librarian about this library book we "borrowed".

random skein

2012-01-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

a friend, a few years back... gave me a skein of yarn.
It is a Lion Brand Yarn organic cotton in Mustard Yellow.
I had not done anything with it... because I am not good at gauging how much a project would need... and I would hate to start a project~ and need more yarn.
So, yesterday, I was wanting to make a scarf- a quick and easy project.....
something just to pass a bit of time.....
I started with this random skein....
and now I am second guessing myself.

but I loving how this is turning out!
the yarn is super soft....
and the pattern is beautiful with this bulky yarn!
now I am crossing my fingers~ hoping I have enough (it may be a short scarf)...
if not~ I will be off driving around... searching for a similar dye lot.....

Do you do this too????
I have all these random skeins around~ and I am afraid to use them... for this very reason.

Nathan.

2012-01-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

"hey mommy, I wook wike Nafhan"

Nathan is our 16 year old cousin/nephew in California. We visited him, and his family, over the holiday break.... and Nate wore a beanie, with his bangs and side hair all wispy and peaking out. Now all B needs is some tight slim jeans and an Adams apple.....

but I must say.... he is pretty cute!

Sweet Dream Dust

2012-01-20T08:41:00.001-08:00

little B has been having nightmares....
bad ones.
He already struggles with high sensory issues~ while being awake.... now while he sleeps as well. There have been nights where he has his fingers jammed deep into his ears while sleeping.... The little guy hears things~ that most of us have no idea. But these nightmares are more about sounds, than about dreams. I think his dreams are more in sounds.... than say vivid colors or even stories.

His dreams have been so bad these past weeks that he wont even fall asleep in his room anymore.... he falls asleep in my bed, and then we take him into his room when we are ready to sleep. Usually by 2am he is running in fearful tears and screams, with fingers in his ears, down the hall to our room..... where I scoop him up and attempt to soothe him, calm him, and remove his fingers from his ears.
This soothing can take up to 3 hours....
leaving the two of us (sometimes 3 of us) exhausted and starting a full day.....

last night, after many failed attempts to get him to fall asleep in his room... I had an idea.

"Bjorn, mommy has some very secret, magic dust.... that I have not used in a long time. do you want to know what it is...."
"yes"
"well, its an old secret sweet dream dust that is used for little babies.... to help them sleep. How about mommy sprinkle some in your room and on your pillow, and it will help you fall asleep and bring you sweet dreams"
the tears stopped. and he had the look of anticipation.....
"go find it mommy- go find it!"

I ran to my cabinet and found some Burts Bees baby powder... (some super old stuff from when my littles were tiny littles). I came into his room, and began lightly squeezing the dust from the container... clouds filled the air above his bed....
"oh mommy, sweet dream dust smells good!"
and he laid down. I kissed his forehead and I prayed for a good nights sleep.

I had my first full night's sleep last night, in two weeks.... and we are more refreshed today than we have been in a long time.
Sweet Dream Dust.... is going to become a part of the nightly routine for while!

side note.... keep a handle of your sweet dream stuff... because if they get into little hands~ something like this may happen.... (side note- mommy was sick and in bathroom for a little bit...)

finding a comfy place

2012-01-19T10:39:00.000-08:00

the snow is all gone... and Portland's traditional rains have begun to pour down...
the day seems just right to sit with a cup of tea,
some knitting needles
a wool blanket and
some Lisa Hannigan on Pandora

and possibly some SHERLOCK on Netflix (Season 1 only!)

Season 2 starts in May.... sheesh!
If I lived in London~ I'd of seen it already!

is it bad....

2012-01-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

is it bad that I rushed my kids out the door today...

in the snow....

to get them off to school!

(before they decided to cancel it)

Mom of the Year award.... I think~ I am no longer in the running.... and its only January.

(school is still in session.... but, it is only 9:30)

Sunday Snow day

2012-01-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

well...

it snowed.

not much,

but just enough to taste it!

but just enough to throw a few snowballs!

but just enough to make two of these!

yep... that is Portland snow.

planning for snow.

2012-01-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

now as you read the title... you begin to wonder.....
the weather is saying snow (the first hint of snow this season)...
today's school is all "a buzz" about what to do during that day off....
everyone is waiting with baited breath...

one thing is for sure.....

it is cold enough for snow... but is it wet enough.

you see, in Portland, we have learned that if the weatherman predicts it....

then most likely~ the prediction is wrong.

but, if the weatherman says "don't worry, it will be a slight chance"...

it will dump like no tomorrow!

::this is how the kids prep for this sort of prediction::

~put a white crayon by the window/ or an orange crayon in the freezer

~ sleep with PJ's inside out.

~ flush three cubes of ice down the toilet before bed.
~put a spoon under your pillow.
~ set your right glove, in your left shoe.

::this is how the mom and dad prep for this sort of prediction::
~cut fire wood.
~get out jackets and gloves (set by front door)... and sleds.
~fill the fridge ( with at least one carrot for a snowman's nose)
~fill the car's tank~ with knowing you wont go anywhere!
~find candles and have readily avail.
~have a good book, hot chocolate, and board games.... ready to go!

tonight and tomorrow... it is prep day for what they say is coming on Sunday and Monday....
stay posted....
these days~ you never know!

Rhymes

2012-01-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

so today was my monthly art literacy teaching opportunity in Bjorn's Special Ed class. I love this time....
I not only do what I love...TEACH, but it is art... which is another one of my faves.

so today's artist was the Illustrator Maxfield Parrish and the art work of of stipple... a pen and ink style using quick short strokes or dots to create an image. And everything was going smoothly until I hear my son say

"Nipple Stipple.... those are words that rhyme"

I soon turned beet red. and the lead teacher and I began laughing~ almost to tears!
that's my son~ totally inappropriate!
(but so dang funny!)
I wonder if they will let me come back?!?

is it a beach or a tornado?

2012-01-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

why is it as a mom.... we have these days of simplicity, calm, order, peace....
you know, the days were you walk around with your head attached, your schedules flexible, and everything is ... so.... (dare I say) controllable. you know, the days where its a walk on a beach.

photo credit

and then.... there are days where you feel like your being is non existing, you don't have a handle on anything... and you feel consumed by nothing and yet, everything?!?
you know the days where its like being tossed and turned by a tornado.

photo credit

well, we are in tornado alert this week.
there seems to be a full plan for each day... and only 30 minutes of down time~ which is spent prepping for the next event. Not much of a down time... at all!

I realized I was in tornado alert just this morning (or should I say nearly noon) when I came across my phone and there was a text from my hubby asking where B's glasses were? and that he was "freaking out" just as the bus was coming to pick him up for school. Now, if it were any other child, going to school without glasses wouldn't be a big deal.... but with little B~ this mole hill was much more than a mountain...but more of a glacial event. I can only imagine the coaxing that dad had to do just to get him on the bus....
then there was a second text.....
" Bjorn is waiting for you to bring them to school" (stamp time 8:15am)

it's almost noon- and I am thinking..... SHOOT! I have to find these glasses, AND drive them to his school.
DOG GONE IT!
thus began a frantic search throughout the house for his glasses. Up. Down. Under. Over. Inside. Outside. Everywhere. Finally, I look in the drawer, where they are suppose to be (knowing that dad... would have already looked there)..... I open the drawer. take out the address book (yes, I still own one) and there they are~ right there.
I grab them.
Jump into the car.
Drive them to his school.
Find him at lunch... and put them on his peanut butter sandwiched face.
He exhales, and says "Fanks mommy. I doudn't find them~ I had a rough day"
I look at him,
and I say "Your welcome. I've had a rough day too."

the magic pink bunny

2012-01-05T10:13:00.000-08:00

with all my holiday crafting in December.... I had to rely on a very special ETSY elf to make B's special Christmas request (remember, the magic pink bunny). Not only was I ecstatic about having this handmade for Bjorn, but this gift from Santa was also a gift, found in a new friend, to me....

I began my search for the perfect elf early in November, and my search ended when I met Emily Ivey (she even has a holiday elf -like name) at YARN MIRACLE. When I stated my needs for a magic pink bunny~ she began the mad task of wondering how to get magic into this little guy. She took on this task with great love and sweetness~ as if she were making this for her own daughter~ and she had never even met my Bjorn. I was involved in the whole creation from start to finish.... picking out the perfect "magic" color pink, the heart on the belly, and the white on its paws.... there was even a moment when B wanted it to have blinking red lights for eyes (that crisis was averted when I said "Mrs. Claus is afraid that the batteries wont be able to be replaced".... not to mention the nightmares that poor little guy would have every single night!). When I shared this request~ Emily... without hesitation.... thought about how to add the blinking lights. That is how awesome this girl is! Both of us were so excited about this project~ I think we were beyond giddy, at times!!!

When my box arrived, I opened the package... as if it were for me.....

he was perfect.
I couldn't wait for Christmas morning.

the day came, and the moment they met... it was

absolutely perfect.

(of course my camera battery died the night before..... but, here is a photo of magic bunny later that day... with bunny and mouse... at my sister's house) Since then Bjorn has had the two of them together much of the time..... just like this.
Bjorn has named her MAGIC. And now that we are home she has her own bunny bed and blanket.... awwww~ a new friend to play with (for both of us!)

15.

2012-01-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

so, the hubby always make me laugh..... and every year for our anniversary he gives me a card. It usually is a short worded and silly card~ but that is how he rolls! Not a man of many words but a man of many amazing actions.

This year he gave me a card. And it had more than 10 words on the front ( I got a little hesitant, as I began to read. It was so sweet... so sweet~that I knew something was going to jump out or say "just kidding" as I opened it....)

FRONT
The day we promised for better or worse,
there was no way we could have known what that would mean.
But as the years have gone by, we've come to understand.

INSIDE
It means that whether things are running smoothly around here
or they get a little crazy....
whether I need a best friend in my corner
or just one of your smiles to remind me
everything will be okay....
whether we're sharing a magic moment
or just the day-today of it all....

It means that our love is real,
we're here for each other, and we're in this together~
for better, for worse, for always.

as I put the card down he says "I told him to write that!"( there it is!!!)
and we laughed.... laughed hard!

that, my friends, is the most amazing husband that I married..... Happy anniversary!
I love you.

piles

2012-01-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

you know....
when one comes home from weeks out of town there is always a pile of mail waiting.
This is more than evident in the month of December~ with all the special cards, catalogs and advertisements for unnecessary credit cards or services....
its a love hate thing... I know.

so yesterday I sat down and began to open envelope after envelope, when at the very bottom of the pile appeared a mustard yellow envelope with my name on it.
What is this I pondered, these envelopes are specifically designed to be torn open immediately..... knowing that the contents are fragile and special~so of course~ I did just that!

Inside was the cutest handmade ornament and the most amazing card.... a very special gift indeed!

A local blogger and friend sent me a gift....

and her words were short but beyond sweet.....

making my day, my week, and possibly started my 2012 with a great reminder...
the reminder that life is meant to be full of surprises, sweet words, and moments of encouragement towards others.

Thanks does not express enough how this simple gift lifted my spirits and showed me the value in friendships (even ones that blogs bring together) but thank you Lori~ you are amazing!

Ring in the new year!

2012-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

we are back...
we are online....
but I am still head deep in laundry....
finding spots for the wonderful gifts we brought back....

so, today...
after the parade,
the football game,
and dinner is on the table....

Print this, from THIRTY HANDMADE DAYS for the littles and you to work on together.
Ring in the new year with gratitude,
and some family fun!
I, my friends, will see you tomorrow.....

Happy New Year~ and enjoy living in the midst!
Love, Tif and the boys

if you are here to read my Christmas letter..... click here.

Christmas Letter 2011

2011-12-19T22:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Hellum Homestead.
The year 2011 was one of good memories, great moments and fantastic family times. When thinking back on the whole year~ it was hard to really go month to month.... or even to have one main focal point of the year.... but we did do things. we did learn things. we did have things happen. Bryan and I found that this letter can be summed up in 4 words. SNOW. DECK. PUPPY and CHICKENS.

SNOW.
This past winter we took trips to the mountain~ and the boys learn to ski and snowboard. Both kids loved the slopes.... Bjorn, who is fearless, took skiing on with full force. All you had to do was dress him in his coat, point his ski's downhill.... and he did the rest. He was like a torpedo.... at full speed. Odin, who was focused more on technique, was so skilled at snowboarding~ he spent some time in the halfpipe and considered himself the next Shawn White.... (even if the only air he got was to clear a stick).

DECK.
We are always doing something to our house.... Bryan says my Honey-Do List seems never ending, but I know that if I didn't have a list... he'd be bored out of his mind (at least that I what I tell myself). This year it was working on our backyard.... we tore up a deck that was 20+ years... with dry rot to almost 90% of it. So we saved up for years~ and I drew up the plans.... and Bryan got out his saws, his tape measure and drill. We then began the long process of building an amazing 800 sq ft. deck complete with an awning, full length stairs, and bench seating. When the whole things was finished~ we spent every sunny moment out on it. This summer we even hosted a rehearsal dinner for some friends~ with the deck all lit up with lighting and candles. Click HERE to see pictures.

PUPPY.
Late last year our two dogs, Sergei and Stumpel both died within a month of each other. It was a really sad moment for Odin~ who had loved these two dogs his entire young life..... so after a winter without a dog in the house, and spring rains almost finished we began the hunt for a new member of the family.... We soon found a gorgeous puppy, who had been rescued with 3 other litter mates.... and brought her home when she was 4 months old. We named her Cider and she is a yellow lab, husky, german shepherd mix. Her disposition is amazing.... she is gentle and protective of Bjorn, and is playful and hyper with Odin. She loves long walks on the beach and constant affection. She enjoys fetch, wrestling and running up the neighborhood hills with Bryan. Click HERE to see her.

and finally
CHICKENS.
yes. you read that right.... We got chickens. We got them early in the spring and thus began our experience of raising birds..... the COOP OF GOOD FORTUNE was mostly built out of recycled wood from our deck ~ and we have given all of our birds Chinese food names. Our first dish of birds were named GENERAL(Tso), MANDY (Mandarin), SESAME, and SWEETIE (Sweet and Sour). Mandy passed over to the Stir fry in the sky early on, and General and Sesame were Hes and not Shes... Roosters are not allowed within the urban boundary, and our neighbors wouldn't be so happy either~ so the birds were returned.... and new ones were brought in. These new birds we named KP (KungPao), MUSHU, and KEVIN ( I know, its not a Chinese name... but a female pet named Kevin just makes me smile!) Eggs were in full supply at the end of summer.... and we are loving the experience..... Click HERE to see the girls.

Bjorn~ is in first grade now, and he is loving school. He takes a bus to his SCC classroom and spends half of his schooling mainstreamed with other first graders. He loves reading and writing. His books of choice are the "If You Give...." sets. He spends much of his time building with blocks, playing with his bunny, and playing his guitar or drumset. We have had great progress with his therapies and started him with a natural-path Dr. who has found his allergies to Gluten Casein and Egg. With the dietary changes his little body has started to grow, his brain has developed and he is beginning to build on his cognitive skills. Awesome progress has been moving us forward with him.

Odin~ is in Third grade. He is awesome in school..... he says he is getting and A in recess and in lunch (but I know he likes to read and write as well). He also has an O in class clown. He loves to be silly.... and we dont go a day without a practical joke or some sort of trick being played. He has been involved in swimming and hockey throughout the year, as well as, science classes after school. He likes to build legos, ride his bike, play Wii Resort and play with Cider. He says he want to own a coffee shop when he grows up (so that he can make me coffee) and he wants to be an archaeologist in his spare time.

Bry is working at the same place.... still playing hockey and bass guitar. I am enjoying the homestead here and crafting while the kids are at school. You can always find us here on the blog....

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2012.

We Love You!

::to my readers:: I am on a technology break for the rest of 2011 and will be back in 2012

have a Merry Christmas and see you soon.

All I WANT

2011-12-12T10:49:00.001-08:00

for Christmas is my two front teeth!

(I, as a mom, have always wanted to say this for my children... This year~ I get to!)

his lisp from loosing one "toof" is even cuter, now that both are gone!!!!

I am just waiting for the whistle.....

Winner!

2011-12-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

thank you everyone for entering my giveaway~ you made my blogiversary a special one!

I had so much fun reading everyone's answers.....

it was great!

the winner was chosen by RANDOM GENERATOR~ number 9

and the winner is Kristin Brook of

THE BROOK's ESTABLISHED 2004

Kristin, expect an email from me so that I can get your address and mail this out to you!

may these ornaments be merry and bright on your tree this year, and years to come.

the last day

2011-12-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

today is the last day to enter the third blogiversary ornament giveaway......

leave a comment HERE.... and cross your fingers.....

good luck!!!!

Taste a Rainbow

2011-12-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

okay... so I am posting this via the request of my naturapathic Dr. for Bjorn.... He has asked me to do this because of the ideas that I have for Bjorn and his eating habits (due to his Autism~ SID).

It is a tad bit hard for me to remember how far back we started doing all of this because we had always struggled with his eating..... but also, I have always worked hard to get nutrition into my boys so that their bones and bodies grow.

We ate like a standard family early on. A few crock pot meals, a few home cooked meals, a few take outs, a few prepackaged deals....

and then I was diagnosed with cancer..... my boys were 2 1/2 and 6 months....

Bjorn hadnt started solids yet, but from birth, he struggled with digestive issues with all formulas (I could breast feed him~ seeing as he is adopted)

during my fight with cancer I read this pamphlet..... Rub a Dub... is Cancer in your Tub... and I began thinking about things~ Things we put in our bodies, on our bodies, and surround ourselves with. Yes, I went a little "cookooo"..... yes, I went "off the deep end" at times..... but, a ball got rolling..... towards wellness and awareness. I started reading. I stared researching. I started moving in a direction that I knew was a good thing.

So my boys were young when healthier home cooked foods were introduced.... which may have been a good thing for our family.... I removed everything from our house, and brought things back in..... with each thing that came in I asked the questions Does this benefit wellness? and Does this simplify things? Is this truly good for us (physically, emotionally, and spiritually)?

so, the topic of this post is TASTE A RAINBOW.

Meals became about rainbow foods..... the kids were interested in colors.... so we made foods about colors..... we put a picture of rainbows on the table, on the window near by and on the cloth napkins.... RAINBOWS WERE EVERYWHERE DURING MEAL TIME.

Bjorn's eating at the time was limited to only 5-10 bites a day.... that is it. each bite he took~ I knew had to be one that benefited his body.... so that was where my battle started. Other parents of autistic children have other battles- some only eat white foods. some only eat carbs. some only eat three differing foods (mac and cheese, crackers and hot dogs).

We all have struggles..... but it is how we deal with those struggles that make or break us.... right??? Its when a child is autistic that we, as parents, feel more broken than the other way around.

(stay on track tif... or we'll be here all day!)

so back to the rainbow....

so I took some felt and cut them into strips on the table by Bjorn's chair ..... in the color form of a rainbow.... red orange yellow green blue and purple..... (much like this one)

every bite that Bjorn had~ it had to be the colors of the rainbow..... If for breakfast he had Berries and bread..... Blue, red and yellow were taken away. If for lunch he had apple, banana and cucumber..... red, yellow and green were taken away. Dinners were the time that there was always a salad~ with greens of chopped kale and spinach, and orange with carrots, and purple was for raisins. I also became really great at hiding veggies in things.....

so, if he needed to eat a purple.... he could eat a brownie, or cupcake (with beets hidden in it)

Beets can get hid in everything!!!! spaghetti sauce, brownies, muffins....

squash, apples, sweet potatoes and pumpkins are good hiding foods too.....

yes, we had fits/rages. yes, we had protests. yes, we had food strikes. yes, I was in tears at times. But.... it was a consistent thing we did. Every day.... we did the rainbow.

Every day he battled with it. Every mealtime was unpredictable......

until one day.... we had one bite success. then soon a two bite success. weeks later- three, four, five.....

months later~ he started to get into the habit. it became routine. it became life.

now I am not saying we dont still struggle..... please dont think that I am implying that.....

but, we have choices now.

he eats now. 10 bites per day became 10 bites per meal. He then had to eat 4 bites of each served item.... now he has to eat all colors on his plate.

5 years into this~

the rainbow idea has changed.... and grew into other ideas....

but it all started with a rainbow.... a rainbow that changed my son's life.

other ideas:::

use rainbow colored felt balls (like these ) in a jar~ so as the child eats a color- put a colored ball in the jar. At the end of the day~ they see the colors they ate!

make tissue rainbow flowers on a stick (like this) . as the child eats a color- have then put a flower in a vase on the table.

rainbow decorations::

tablecloth, napkins, banners, window clings..... you can really have fun!

for help on what food work for what colors click here....

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn595w.htm

knit.knit.knit.

2011-12-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

REMINDER:: the giveaway ends this Friday, so visit here... to be added to the hat!

as I have shared... many times before..... I am not a quick knitter... and I throw my stitches (which in the world of knitting is kinda a silly way to knit)....

but, that is me.... the "self taught lover of knitting".

but with that.... comes, what I have self diagnosed as "wool rash" on my thumb.

(secretly I know my mom would lecture me on the picking on my fingers... a habit that I have had since I was 10...but, I am chalking it up to "wool rash")

what is "wool rash" you ask?

well, it is the dryness found on the sides of my thumbs due to the wool yarn rubbing on it. The more I knit, the more rubbing that happens.... and the dryness then gets raw....little raw spots appear on the outsides of my thumbs, and sometimes can bleed (out of no where... mom, really!! out of no where!).

so... what does one do with such an annoyance of sorts.....

we wear band-aids!!!!

I sometimes can have band-aids on at least 5 of my fingers... due to the spread of "wool rash" (mom, it really does spread!) and this month I have gone through three packages of band-aids...

I must pursue on with my knitting for the better good of mankind..... because of the quote "there is no telling how many miles you will have to run to chase a dream"~ Author Unknown

but I must rephrase that to "there is no telling how many band-aids you will have to use to complete a scarf" Author Tif

so today, I bid you many days of happy knitting.... no matter how many band-aids you must wear!

Three.

2011-12-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

Tis the season~

of when I started my blog.

Three years ago, I posted stories of our "big snowfalls" during December for friends and family in California (where snow is a novelty).....

who knew that this blog would grow and become one of my favorite things...

it has encouraged me to start crafting again.

it has given me a place to share my ideas for simple living.

it has shaped some unique friendships ("whoot whoot" to my fellow bloggers!).

it has given me a voice when at times I didnt think I had one.

it has been a saving grace in many ways.

with three being one of my favorite numbers....

although~ who knows why we have favorite numbers?????

I have a giveaway for you.

I have some handmade ornaments.

all in my favorite things....

buttons.

felt.

circles.

red.

and simple.

all you have to do is answer these three questions

1. what is the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word "three"?

2. what are three of your simple favorite things?

and

3. what is your favorite number?

leave your 3 answer to these questions in the comments by Friday the 9th (midnight)...... and the lucky winner will have these on their tree for the holiday.....

three cheers for blogiversaries!

hip-hip-hurray!

simple things

2011-12-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

the simple things make me laugh.

these two commercials are one of them.

PART 1

PART 2

what simple things do you laugh at??????

oh yea... stay posted... MONDAY THERE IS A SURPRISE COMING.... lets just say a give away of sorts!