thoughts

I had a few ideas swirling for what I might write about today, but then I started reading this blog, and now my heart just hurts. Everything else just seems too fluffy now.

What I really want to do is shut off my computer, go pick up my bunnies from daycare, take them home and hug and kiss and hold them tight. And I want my husband there with us. He's been working late the last few nights, you see, and I miss him.



Life is so, so precious.
I hate that it takes tragic stories like Anna's to remind me of that.

Pinky-swear that you'll go home tonight and tell those special people in your life how much you love them, K?

xo, Kristin

(Image via here.)

wednesday inspiration

Images like this inspire the heck out of me...






(Via here.)

beach beauty

A little slice of heaven...


If I concentrate hard enough, I can almost hear the waves rolling in.

(Image via here.)

living inspiration: chic trio

I want to dress like them...



Each outfit is perfection.
And I can't stop staring at those pink shoes.


(Image via Pretty Stuff who I found via the adorable Mary.)

"me" time

I had the most wonderful afternoon yesterday. With a babysitter coming for the afternoon and a bright sun high in the sky, I decided to play "hooky" from my to-do list. Four hours disappear in a blink when you're having fun.




An afternoon in the life of a mommy with some free time...

She leaves the house on a dazzling, sunshiney day for a trip to Bucktown for some shopping and lunch. Stopping in first at The Painted Lady, she spies a gorgeous vintage milkglass vase half-hidden on the lowest shelf of an accessory-laden bookcase. Leaving the shop, that vase is tucked safely under her arm, just where it belongs. She pops into Robin Richman to ogle some designer duds and peek at the sparklies in the cases, and at Virtu, she finds the perfect Mother's Day gift. There's a lightness to her step as she strolls down to The Goddess & Grocer, a favorite lunching spot. Grilled chicken, crispy bacon and buttery avocado on ciabatta are perfect. Eating them, uninterrupted, while reading a tabloid magazine is bliss. In her world, no meal is complete without a little something sweet. She savors every sticky bite of gooey marshmallow, crispies, tart raspberry jelly and dark chocolate chunks. And as she licks her fingers clean, she can't help but smile. With a full belly and the afternoon winding down, she has only time to make a few more stops. She samples the eco-friendly hand lotions at Grasshopper 510 and gets a lovely "woven" ceramic bowl at Crosell & Co.. A few Mother's Day gifts from Paper & Print, and she's on the road again. This time, to home.

Now, over 24 hours later, the contentment from a peaceful afternoon stays with her like a hangover as she cuddles her two loves and waits for "Papa" to return home.


(I loved this post when I read it a few days back and wanted to give her writing style a try. I hope Robyn knows that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!)

some random tidbits

I don't know what to say today.

The words are up there, but they're just not coming out. (At least not in a way that would make sense to anyone but me.) So instead I'll leave you with a few photos that I've saved for a while in my inspiration folders. Because a picture is worth quite a lot of words, right?


I would like to wear this...




I would like to devour this...




I would like to curl up in this...




I really want my hair to look like this...




And I want to drink my tea out of this...



Hopefully by tomorrow I'll get some of my thoughts together.
'Til then, sleep tight!

an idea

Due to the amazingly, unbelievable unseasonably warm weather we've been blessed with today, I have an idea, my Darlings. How about you all play hooky from work this afternoon and instead come on over to my house. We can laze the afternoon away under the bright sunshine.

Flip-flops optional. (but strongly encouraged!)



(Via girlhula on Flickr)

PS - I'll bake you some cookies, too.

better late than never...

Hello, Dear Friends. Happy Holidays. Happy New Year.

Sorry for not dropping by for so long. I was quite busy tree trimming, hall decking and figgy pudding making. All the other minutes were spent tending to my wildebeasts (thanks Karey!), which didn't leave much for blogging.

Now the holidays are behind us, with the only evidence of our merry-making being the specks of glitter and fir needles that keep showing up no matter how hard I try to get rid of them.

I always look forward to ringing in a new year because it's a time to reflect on the past and look forward to what's to come. It's a time to think about how we might like to adjust what we're doing to make life a little better, a time to gather up the courage to try something new and a time to escape into the memories of last year.

I have a little tradition of reading last year's planner before I replace it. It's a journal of activities. It was especially fun to read last year's planner because I was pregnant for most of it, and I can totally remember the excitement of each doctor's visit simply by seeing "Dr. C - 3:00 PM." I recommend you do the same. It's really fun to see how you kept busy for the past 12 months.

Anyway, I've been doing a bit of reflecting and refreshing and for 2010 I've a few things I'd like to try. Call them resolutions if you'd like.

1. Practice patience. For my children. For my husband. For myself.
2. My 2010 mantra - never let what matters most give way to what matters least.
3. Eat fresh, balanced meals to fuel my body with what it needs to stay strong and healthy.
4. Nurture my creative side - reading, writing, crafting.
5. Live in the present. Cherish the moments.
6. Get back into a regular yoga practice. More than anything, yoga builds confidence.
7. Cut myself some slack, for I know that perfect doesn't equal happy.
8. Take more pictures. (And learn how to use my super-cool new camera!)
9. A carry-over from last year: perfect the headstand. I wasn't able to stick with it last year since I was pregnant, and so I have to work on this one again.

So there's my list, up there for the whole world to see. It feels good to share it with you, my lovely readers, because I know that your being here will help me stay on track. And for that, I thank you. I probably don't tell you enough how much an inspiration you are to me. I read all of your blogs and am continually awed by the amazing thoughts, ideas and photos you thrill me with each day. The fact that you take time to come here and read me is really very humbling. Thank you for being here, supporting me, without even knowing me.

Let's welcome in 2010 together. I think it's going to be a great year.
xo, Kristin

you are going to love this

Some people are just so darn clever...



I could watch it over and over!

Thanks, Megan!

(via Thoughtful Day)

spotlight: berta's photography

wow. i'm swooning over here.
check out her photography.

(Fragile)

(One for Eve & One for SnowWhite)

(A New Beginning)

(Dreamplace)

Via Mary Ruffle. thank you thank you thank you, mary!

i'm happy today because...

The lovely Michelle over at Oh Mishka! tagged me and now I'm tagging these six ladies to name the six things that made them happy today: Dionne, Emily, Anne, Joslyn, Mary and Suann.

So now, in no particular order, the six things that make me happy:

1. It's Friday! I know it sounds cliche, but I have been looking forward to this weekend for months. My dear friend is getting married tomorrow, and I can't wait to celebrate with her!

2. I'm 19 weeks pregnant this week. Almost half way there!

3. Enjoying ice cream treats with my co-workers. I don't know whose idea it was, but boy was it a good one! I haven't had a Good Humor strawberry shortcake bar in ages. And I confess that this was actually from yesterday... but that ice cream bar was so darn good, I can't stop thinking about it!

4. Looking at inspiring photos of nurseries to get my mind rolling on how to decorate ours. And I think I found our crib!

5. Knowing that tonight is going to be a quiet night at home after a sort of busy week. Take out is a must.

6. Looking at pictures of Lulu from when she was a puppy. She was the cutest little furball I've ever seen. Seriously.


Even though my list is sure to be different from yours... I do hope that you take a minute today to think about what makes you happy.

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I'm hoping all of your weekend wishes come true.

See you next week!
xo, Kristin

(Everyone Needs a Wish Jar 5 x 7 print, $8, by Beth Retro)

I first saw Beth's work on Creature Comforts.

See the rest of her collection here.

my resolutions

Joslyn inspired me. I haven’t thought much about resolutions for the New Year, but I decided I should make at least a few. Even if I’m a little late, it’s better than never, right?

These are the things I want to do this year…

Stop procrastinating. (This is a very tall order. I couldn’t even come up with my resolution list on time. From now on - Do it now. Do it now. Do it now.)

Keep bouquets of fresh flowers. (Flowers make me happy. Trader Joe’s has a great selection – for cheap – and in a few months it’ll be farmer’s market time again. This should be an easy one.)

Try a new recipe once a week. (Time to put that stack of cookbooks to use.)

Take more pictures. (What good is a camera sitting in a drawer? Get it out, get out there and snap up as many photos of this life as you can before it passes by. Capture the beauty of the every day.)

Stop swearing. (I don’t look like a truck-driver, so why should I sound like one? Besides, "shut the front door" sounds so much more clever than the alternative.)

Perfect the Ashtanga headstand in yoga class. (Hold it for 20 counts, drop your legs to look like an L for 5 and then raise your legs back up for a count before exiting the pose. Do this with grace. 20 counts feels like an eternity, but I swear I will get this by the end of ’09.)

in grief

I've had a hard time getting back into the swing of things. I was already feeling a little out of it coming back from Mexico, but then on my first day back at work, I got the call. A call in the middle of the day from my dad (neither of which ever happen). I knew from the second I saw the caller ID that something was wrong. He told me that my grandmother died, that my mom was up at the hospital with her when she passed away and that the funeral would be in the next few days. He'd keep me posted on all the rest and my mom would call me that night. We hung up, and I was heartbroken. I knew she was sick. I knew this was coming... she was 83, after all, and lived a full life. But no matter how ready you may think you are, when that call comes, you're left feeling stunned.

And sad. Oh so sad. Sad that this woman who has always been in my life - greeting me every time I walked in the door with giant bear hugs and kisses on the cheek, talking with me about whatever was on my mind no matter how busy she was, teaching me about birds and animals and flowers - was now gone. Sad that my mom has now lost both of her parents in a little over a year, and even though she's nearly sixty is left feeling like an orphan. And so sad that I wasn't able to get right over there at that second to see her, and hug her and tell her how much I love her.

In the days leading up to the funeral services, we talked a lot about my grandma and the influence she had on all of us. We shared stories and special memories and looked at stacks and stacks of pictures. I learned so much about the woman she was... besides just the Grandma I knew. She was a farmer's wife who believed her greatest accomplishment was her family. She was a community leader and advocate for women's rights with a voice that left a brighter future for many. She received many awards for her hard work.

Sharing these stories reminded us to celebrate my grandma and cherish the lessons she taught. Devotion to family. Fighting for what you believe in. Living each day to the fullest. I know that I'll never have her back, but she is in my heart and in my mom's, and the love we share as a family will keep her spirit alive.

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Even though it's well into August and the stores have already stocked the shelves with back-to-school and halloween, we've still got a few more weeks of summer. Enjoy every minute of it!

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time." ~John Lubbock

(Running Ahead of Oneself by OrangeAcid on Flickr.)

Have a lovely weekend. See you Monday!

on friendship

I’m a little blue. I should be full of happy, but actually I’m a little sad. I was away last weekend – spending a blissful three days with my dearest high-school girlfriends – and it was, as it always is, a perfect weekend. But now it’s over. And oh how I hate to say goodbye. I adore these girls. Ahem, women. We are all grown up now, after all. But each year we trek back to Wisconsin from wherever life has led us just to be with each other. That’s all the weekend is about… simply being with each other. There are no special events to attend or formal dinners to put on. It’s a-ok to stay in your pajamas all weekend. There is no judging. We’re each loved and accepted for exactly who we are. And always have been. We laugh. We cry. A few laugh so hard they end up crying. Together we look back and smile on our pasts and look forward to our futures. Friendship really is life’s dearest gift.

So here's to you, my dear ones - Aimee, Jill, Jody, Sarah, Tera, and Tori – your friendship is priceless, and I love you with all my heart.

(What Happiness Feels Like by DazeyChic on Etsy.)

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"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." ~James Dent

(Summer Fun by Living the American Dream on Flickr.)

I hope your summer weekend is perfect!

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"Summer is Back" on Hele's Flickr photostream.

"Summer afternoon... to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Laugh with friends * Sleep in * Relax in the sunshine* Be merry * Share your love

Enjoy every moment of your weekend!

Photo from girlhula.

this makes me happy

I could watch it over and over and over.

Thanks, Megan for passing this along.

You can also watch it here.