amazing art...

While in Michigan visiting Mark's family I was lucky enough to have the help of Mark's grandma. She did an AMAZING job sewing Gavin's Halloween costume. I was in awe of her talent. I would love to learn to sew well, but can only make pillows with crooked edges. She is an accomplished seamstress who once owned her own store and had a complete work room in her basement with, I think, a total of five sewing machines. She had more than 1 machine called a surger (I think that is the spelling) that binds a seam together just like you have on store bought clothes AND trims the edges WHILE it surgers. Incredible!!

I always love watching people who are masters of their craft. I did go to art school, have a degree in art education and a minor in art history so I have studied all the greatest artists. But I truly see art in the form of what could be called domestic crafts such as sewing. It amazed me how his grandma took a sewing pattern (one that I bought that was really complicated. whoops) that was made out of tissue paper and turned it into the most perfectly sewed piece of handmade clothing I think I have ever saw.

So I guess this post is to all those people out there that may not have their work hanging in the Louvre, but their creative craftiness is just as artistic as any of those paintings.

...and... check out the beginning of his costume. Can you guess what he is going to be?

town and country...

We just got back from our trip to Michigan and Chicago late Monday night. What a trip!! We had a great time, but I think we wore the little boy out! After a busy vacation our flight was delayed in Atlanta. We didn't get home until midnight Monday night and have been trying to re-coop every since. Gavin has been sleeping in until about 9:45 the last two mornings and still taking a 3 hour nap in the afternoon. I wish I could join him in his crib. I could use the rest too! Poor Mark! I know he is tired too and he had to re-pack and left for a conference in Louisville, Kentucky this morning. Hopefully he will get some rest in his hotel tonight.

We spent the first part of our trip in Flushing Michigan with Mark's grandparents, Aunts, Uncle and cousins. His family there farms so it was so peaceful to stay with them in the country on the farm. I really like going to visit them and enjoying there life for a few days. The land is beautiful. His grandpa loves to watch for deer. I also love the feeling of a big family all living close by each other. Everyone gathers together in the evenings at his grandparents house around their kitchen table and usually spills into the dining room as well. His grandma makes milkshakes and everyone just visits, or sometimes plays cards. No TV, just family. I like that. Gavin also got to enjoy his great-grandpa's toys in the barn. He got to see all the tractors and even the combine. He even got a tractor ride from Mark's cousin Ryan. Mark's grandma and I (...well all her truthfully!) made Gavin's Halloween costume. I'll have to post about that later! We also went to an apple orchard and a church dinner, but most of all enjoyed family. Here are some of my favorite shots.

notice the tractor in his hand that he got from great-grandma and great-grandpa. it looks just like great-grandpa's. it hasn't left his side since. :)

on the combine with daddy

he looks a little worried here, but i think more enthralled with it all. the sheep and turkeys ba-ed and gobbled back and forth at each other. it was hilarious!

...looking for reindeer...

mmm... apples. we got cider and fresh cider donuts.

After a wonderful visit we left the country for the big city...sweet Chicago. I laughed to Mark that I never thought in my life I would spend so much time in that town, but since my very close friend Meredith and her husband live there we try to make a visit at least once a year. This visit was just as good as all the rest. We ate, saw the city, ate some more, Mark and Andrew (Meredith's husband) went to a Bears game, and ate some more. I swear I gained almost 10 pounds on this trip!! But my favorite thing to do was just to be with Meredith. She is probably my one friend who I can talk to the most without ever running out of things to say. When I tell Mark that I am going to make a quick call to Meredith he always rolls his eyes and laughs because it is usually over an hour. We talked and laughed, shared things we are going through and caught up like talking on the phone just can't do. Oh yeah, and watched "Keeping up with the Kardashians" too! :) I always feel so much better after talking with her and being able to see and talk face to face is so much better. She is an amazing friend. I got teary saying goodbye and miss her already. :( Unfortunately I have no photos to share!! I was too busy having fun and never remembered to lug the camera around. Oh well... next visit... sooner rather than later!!

my little pumpkin...

Ah... fall! I love it...even though we are back in Florida and the weather has warmed up. Over the weekend we took Gavin to a local farm to pick out his pumpkin for Halloween. He had a ball! His favorite thing was the petting zoo. Here are some shots!

(I know mom... you think he needs his hair cut!!)

Even though we are still unpacking and trying to get settled we are on the move again! We are leaving today to go to Michigan to visit Mark's grandparents and hopefully enjoy some more fall. We are looking forward to going to a farm there and enjoying some apple cider and cider doughnuts. YUM!! I also bought the fabirc for Gavin's Halloween costume yesterday and am hoping Mark's grandma can help me sew it. I definitely need the help! After Michigan we are headed to Chicago to see my our friends Meredith and Andrew. I can't wait!! It has bee way too long since I have seen Meredith. She is a very special friend. Have a good rest of your week!

busy busy...

With all the unpacking we also have been busy trying to get some work done. I am excited about these baskets I put together for the major property management companies in town. One of the biggest challenges we have had is trying to get commercial work. I did similar baskets like this for our business in Colorado so we are going to try them here. I got the baskets in the dollar bins at Target and the candy was on sale! I stuck a bunch of business cards in each one and attached this card.

If you have any ideas of marketing that have worked in your company or office that have made you choose a company, product or service or brought you business I would love any other ideas!!

the boys...

I know this post is now out of order, but oh well!

On our way to Florida we stopped and visited our good friends Kelly and Adamo in Atlanta. They have a boy just a couple months older than Gavin. I thought I would share a few shots of the boys. I actually didn't get any pictures once they REALLY started going. By the end of the night they were running around chasing each other through a play tunnel and tent, rough housing and laughing their heads off! I am quickly learning what it is like to have a little boy!!

it is always something...

"It is always something" is a phrase that seems to be repeated in our family a lot. Something is always coming up, going wrong or causing stress in our household. I have been keeping you updated about our pest situation, which I have to say is getting better. We haven't seen any ticks in days!! Yay!!!  But the tick situation is just one "something" that is happening in our life. A friend of mine told me recently that I sound like I really have it together. I had to laugh because that is about as far from the truth from how I feel! This move has made me feel so discombobulated! We have been living and trying to run businesses out of boxes and bags for too long now.  I actually FINALLY found my cell phone charger tonight so I can FINALLY charge my phone now and use it!

A few days ago Mark and I took all the babies to the beach on the north side of the Ringling Bridge for dinner and to play. We were hoping for a relaxing, fun time, but of course... it is always something! Fisher cut his foot very badly while playing in the water on an oyster shell. It was bleeding so badly and we spent the majority of our time tending to his foot because we could not get it to stop bleeding. Once we got home we cleaned the cut and bandaged it up. We couldn't help but laugh at his little peg leg.

We were trying to get him to say "argh" like a pirate. The next morning Fisher jumped onto our bed, somehow aggravated his foot and bled all over our sheets and comforter. It is ALWAYS something!!

These two silly examples are nothing in comparison to what can really happen in life. Something that I have learned as I have matured is that NOBODY'S life is simple, easy, or definitely perfect. Everyone has stress in their lives from the millionaire flying in his jet to the man flipping hamburgers at McDonald's. Even if someone on the outside looks so put together and seems to be handling life's challenges with grace and ease, on the inside they still have struggles they battle with. Two of my closest friends have been courageously fighting their own battles recently. They DO have grace and inspire me through their challenges. One of these friends is one of my closets friends, Anne, who is battling cancer. I saw her today and it felt soooo good to hug her. I didn't want to let go. I wanted her to feel how much I had missed her while in Colorado, how much I had been thinking of her, and how much I loved her. But I think I was also feeling the strength and will of her spirit (that has always been so beautiful) and I felt such warmth in that.

Life is so unpredictable. Its challenges teach me that through it all we somehow find inner strength to carry on. I reflect on what lessons I have learned and am thankful for the friends and family in my life that give me the support, love, or recently, the inspiration to manage the "somethings".