random friday action

this is a crazy cute party idea (especially for a rainy day!)

have you ever taken a personality test? what about this one? it's fast and accurate my friends...what number did you get? (i'm a two)

my friend jana sent me this and all i can think of is a. who are these parents that have 8 million hours a day to do things like this? b. why didn't i think of this? c. that family must own a warehouse of tape. d. awesome. so awesome.

my children's room doesn't look like this. but i kind of wish it did- what a sweet little space!

i love this times 100- do you have any idea how many spaces there are in my city that could be transformed this way? 

jimmy kimmel vs. jimmy fallon i don't know- i kind of love them both. 

my friend becky, whose son is in m's kindergarten class has an etsy shop and makes super cute custom invites! take a peek! she's transitioning back to work after being home with her bambino for the last year, so ready for new orders! i especially love this one and this one!

we had some dear friends in town last weekend 

and they bought some paintings from me, including this oil on panel that i love: 

(i know it will have a happy home)

grateful for the rainy day outside! we need more (and more) rain, so bring it on!

need a little magic today?

i love the preschool co-op where we've been the last few years.

it's this magical place where kids can play all morning

getting sandy, wet, dirty, and painty,

and where emotions range from 

anger, frustration, and anxiety to determination, silliness, and joy

(...but never boredom!)

this post is photo heavy, 

but lots of pictures felt like the truest way to experience being a preschooler. 

i don't know about you, but sometimes being a grown up gets pretty exhausting, 

and i could use a day to play at a preschool like this myself!

scroll all the way through (i promise you'll be in a good mood when you are done!)

step inside...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and back outside...

 

 (do you spy little m below? this shot i took last year)

 

 

i love that this school gives our kids a safe space to 

explore, adventure, build, destroy, pretend, rebuild, create, undo, problem solve, play, get messy, learn, listen, share, 

and 

play some more! 

(i just always have to remind myself that it's ok for my kids 

to be just as imaginative, messy and silly at home too)

happy thursday!
(don't forget to play!)

sick day

today.

me, in bed.

and i'm posting this picture of my view because it sure looks more attractive than a photo of me sick.

also, i'm not a good sick person.

it feels like such a waste to be in bed all day,

when i could be doing 8 million other awesome things.

time to go back to sleep.

xo

five? yes, five!

this happened five years ago today. 

(that is the recap) and this post was real time.

i can hardly believe what a daily miracle m's cochlear implants have been.

(waiting)

(the anesthesiologist) 

 (post surgery by a few hours)

(the next day)

i can say without a shadow of a doubt that one of my least expected, 

(for a season most grieved) and ultimately

greatest gifts has been to have a deaf daughter.

i cannot imagine m being born with typical hearing,

and i can't imagine her without her implants.

every day we are blessed to have the sound of her voice filling our home and our hearts with songs, shouts, protests, stories, tantrums, and laughter.

so, so grateful for the surgery that changed her life and ours.