Wintertime Beach Day

On days like this, I almost cannot comprehend the beauty of this place we live in. Today by the seaside, blue sky with  gentle whispy clouds, the beach full of golden grasses, moss, lichen and gnarly pine trees.  The beach rocks in every color of the rainbow.  The freezing, churning ocean waters, and beyond that, mountains. And islands.  It was too windy along the coast today to be truly considered warm, even in the sunshine.  But it certainly wasn't winter cold.  It felt amazing, as it always does, to go to the beach on a sunny day in the wintertime.

Today we were at Deception Pass, which is probably our favorite spot when we can't think of anywhere new to have an adventure, or just want to be spontaneous.  There are so many beaches and trails to be seen within this state park. We were at West Beach today, which we have never really explored before.  We met up with good friends there as well, which always makes for a nice time! The light was incredible, and so we stayed until sundown.

It was on a beach at the edge of this coast of the Pacific, where I sat for the first time at age 19, and knew beyond all doubt that here was where I belonged.  Of all places I had ever traveled to, been to, lived, this was the place for me.  I sometimes lose sight of my surroundings, and that deep connection I feel to this place.  But I always find it again by the water.

begin again

i'm finally, really starting my Etsy shop, after meaning to do so for literally a year.  i had kept so busy with custom orders, things i made as gifts for friends and family, etc (not to mention life with a baby who doesn't love to sleep!), that the idea of building up enough inventory for a shop seemed just plain daunting.  but my husband was gently persistent that i take the time to get things going, even sitting by my side on the couch with the laptop so that i didn't feel intimidated.  i looked in on my empty shop, chose a photo to use as my banner, updated some information, and re-published the munchimodi Facebook page.  and i am already overwhelmed by the response from folks, and thinking i can actually make a go of it.  it has gone from being a little bit scary, to sort of exciting, watching this thing materialize.  i know i will be most excited once i have my shop filled and i get that first order.  but i can't even let myself imagine that just yet.  there's too much work to do!

as it is late and i don't have natural light for taking any pictures of what i'm working on at the moment, but hate to make a post without any pictures (blogs are all about the pictures, really, right?!), i will share a photo from my 6 year old's "tiny" birthday part last week.

november sunshine

the sunlight in the pacific northwest is different from anywhere else i have ever been.  i know i've said it before, but it's so true.  there is some kind of beautiful warmth to it i can't describe.

anyway, we've enjoyed many sunny days this november, and today was as gorgeous as the past week or more of them.  here are some photos from today.

knitting baby booties in the sunshine with my baby on my lap.

the chickens follow amalie wherever she goes with the cracked corn.

our cochin bantams - featherton, whisky, custard, cleopatra, and speckled marilla hanging out there in the back.  love these little ladies!

these days

i've been horrible at keeping up, it's march already!!  time is flying by.  we've had new things going on, the kids are in swim lessons, amalie has started taking ukelele, papa has a new schedule at school which allows us to eat dinner together as a family again.  i'm stripping wallpaper, planning paint colors, trying to figure out when i am going to lazure the walls in the school room.  and then the every day stuff, keeping dishes and clothing clean, making sure food is in the house, taking the kids to classes and lessons.

recently though, through the generosity of a friend, we acquired 4 sweet laying hens and a very nice coop.  we've wanted chickens for several years, but in nashville we were renting for the last year and a half we were there as part of our plan to move here.  and once we were here, we rented for over 2 years while we searched for the right house to buy.  now we finally have a home that we own and has plenty of wonderful space for having chickens, and everything just fell into place!

luckily the move to new surroundings didn't seem to spook the ladies too much, and they have been laying for us every day so far.  fresh eggs every morning.  the kids spend hours just observing the hens and talking about their interactions.  we bought them the organic feed they are accustomed to, as well as some cracked corn for a treat, and meal worms which they will eat right out of the kids hands.

for now we have some chicken wire set up around their coop temporarily, papa has some plans for what he wants to build for them permanently, and we picked a new spot where they will have more sunshine.  it's been a great excuse for school, as we haven't touched the actual school books in a few weeks.  we checked out books on backyard chickens from the library at each kid's reading level, so they can learn about their new pets.

other than that big bit of excitement, there are the milestones like losing both front teeth, as amalie just did this week.  she is so proud, she has been showing everyone.  and she looks completely adorable.

and then there's the pregnancy, 11 weeks left.  even though most times i feel so excited i can hardly wait, 11 weeks is sounding not that far off.  that's 11 more weeks of my family as i've known it for the last 4 years.  once this new little person joins us, we are forever changed, a new dynamic will emerge.  i know it will be wonderful, as it has been many times before, but it's still a feeling i get each time.  i want to be present and in the moment to enjoy my sweet family just as it is, and recognize this as a special time for all of us.

this new year

at midnight paul and i rang in the new year, just us, on the couch, enjoying the peace and quiet (aside from the occasional fireworks), reminiscing about how far we've come with (and for) our family since ringing in our first new year as brand new parents in 2002.

we are so very happy with where we are.  we live in what is, to us, the most beautiful place imaginable, this little tiny spot on the planet, which is so unique and incredible.  we have worked really hard to bring our family here, to be able to raise them here, as we felt they deserved.  since moving back here we have worked hard at finding a home to finally put down roots in, a place that will accommodate our growing family, with plenty of space both inside and out.  a home to be ours, with the intention of not moving our family anymore.  and we found it.  and we have it.  and i can't imagine wanting or needing anything more.

so this new year, i'm not making resolutions in the sense that i have in the past.  i'm not going to create challenges for myself to meet, which i inevitably end up dreading.  i have goals, which i am happy to walk towards, and they are simple, and attainable.  i'm going to continue to settle into our new home, with the many projects we have lined up, which i really look forward to working on.  and in may, i'm going to let go of those projects when it's time to welcome our new baby into the world, and put everything i have into that new little person's arrival.  i will continue to enjoy every single day i have with my family - love my children and my husband, and to enjoy this life we have worked so hard to build.  we have put years worth of resolutions into getting to this place, and now that we're here, i'm going to enjoy it.  :)

here's to the new year and all the new adventures it will bring!

parent's room

this is our bedroom, it is a cozy attic room. i bought the quilt from my friend leia, who had purchased it for her new bedroom, but decided on something different. i love it because it resembles a quilt in one of my favorite childhood books, "sleepy time" by gyo fujikawa. in it, it shows japanese children going to bed on their tatami mats, covering up with pretty quilts with hexagons on them, and i always wanted a quilt like that! now i have one, and it makes me happy. :) in talking about moving and things we will keep and things we will get rid of, this is at the top of my keep list! the chair in the corner i bought at one of my favorite stores in nashville, wonders on woodland, which carries a really nice selection of antique/vintage furniture for really low prices. i got this chair for only $40. it's also at the top of my keep list!

this week the kids are on spring break and we are going to use this time to get the house in order so that we can begin going through and sorting things for yard sale, donation, to give to friends, and to keep. i'm also planning on purchasing a new bookshelf to help me organize our "multi purpose room", which is i guess a den. right now it's just the catch-all room, and it seems silly to buy a piece of furniture when we are currently trying to get rid of things. but i'm hoping it will help us keep organized for the remainder of our time here, and be helpful for getting us re-organized in WA.