LiFe {unscripted}

9 & 10

from the 34 list

9. Craving a trip back to Seattle with Adam. 

Last year around this time, we were planning our first trip together to Seattle.  I had been once - a long time ago - what feels like another life - in the fall with some pretty amazing women.  But Adam had never been.  I had always wanted us to go together, in the fall.  Last year, for our anniversary, he made that happen. 

When we arrived, it was a picturesque rainy evening. We stayed at Willows Lodge in Woodinville, a small town about 30 minutes from downtown Seattle.  On the drive over we had time to see a bit of the city at night.  We walked into the lodge and were greeted with wine tasting and a live band whose lead singer sounded like Amy Whinehouse and Adele.  Perfect.  

I made this photo with words overlay right after we came home so I would have these memories to scrapbook...yeah...never got around to scrapbooking it. 

We definitely would recommend this place and hope to stay here again!

The next morning we woke up to this lovely view outside our window. 

 

We ate lunch at Lowell's down at the market.

Bought a gorgeous bouquet - cause I just could not resist! 

Adam humored me as I shot photos of most everything. 

The very first Starbucks.  Cause, duh, Starbucks. 

The pig at Pikes Place Market.

This shot - I could try all day long and still not feel like I can capture the beautiful feeling of being there. 

The next day, we spent driving around looking at houses and day-dreaming. We had an early dinner at a Patxi's Pizza - as it was one of few places that was open early for dinner.  It was delicious deep dish.  Again, Adam humored me with a hundred photos - smile.

Our last day there, we had the most delicious breakfast at the Commons in Woodinville. 

And one last stop for a photo of the fall trees on the way to the airport.  It's not everyday, us Texans get to see streets and streets full of magnificent changing color trees.  I adore fall.  I adore Seattle.  If/when we go back, I'm not sure we would do anything differently.  It was perfect. 

So yeah, I am ready to go back!

10. When I turned 33, I decided to try out Stitchfix.  On my 34th birthday, it was my Stitchfix-iversary.  Twelve fixes in, and I could not be more happy with the service or my fixes.  My stylist, Eleanor, has been on point the past five months.  Like literally have not sent anything back kind of on point.  She has gotten me to wear more pattern - even my sister noticed and remarked that she is proud that I am being brave and wearing more pattern in tops.  We both know I love a basic black or solid top.  I would love to say that I have a photo of myself in each piece, but yeah, that's not happening with my life. 

It never fails, though, I almost always get compliments on a piece if it's from Stitch Fix.  If you have not tried the service, I think you should.  It's a time-saver, for sure - especially for moms who don't have much time or want to go out and shop for themselves.  I fall in both categories.  Trying on clothing in a hot dressing room with awful overhead lighting and a toddler opening the door on me is not my idea of a fun Saturday.  I'm laughing, but if you've ever been there before, you know.  It's a freaking circus.

Also another plus - who does not love getting a box of goodies all their own?  My heart beats a little faster when I see the brown box with light blue graphics on the doorstep.  Trust me, opening the box of amazingly tissue wrapped beautiful new clothing/jewelry while drinking a glass of wine and listening to itunes radio = my idea of a perfect shopping experience.  And if you are like me - talking to yourself saying things like, "Oh Eleanor, you nailed it this time - AGAIN!"  "Oh, Ellie, how ever did you know I needed a new pair of black skinnies!" I wish I was kidding.  I'm not.

I do have this one IG of myself and my lovely friends in a Stitch Fix outfit I am wearing last winter.  The pants/sweater - love them both - still wear them a lot. 

If you need a referral link, you are welcome to use mine :) 

Get your Stitch Fix ON!

Also - HELLO, OCTOBER!!! :)

 

7 & 8

from the 34 list

7.  Since I wrote about scrapbooking yesterday, it's fitting that number 7 today is about printing out photos. 

Back when Ellis turned 2, I created a number two out of photos for her party.  I had the photos printed at 3X3 size from Persnickety Prints.  It was my first time using them, but since I have had lots more printed!  Three things about Persnickety:

1. You can print directly from your Instagram feed - and even directly from a hashtag (if you have one for your child/family/wedding).  Instructions here. 
2. The quality is superb.  I print my 3X3 (press printed with 1/8 inch border) photos on Matte Card Stock.  They feel like playing cards and the color is spot on.
3. They are pretty speedy as far as processing and delivery.  Generally, if I place an order on Monday or Tuesday, they arrive by the weekend.  That has been solely my experience  - I'm not sure if it's true for everyone.  But has worked great for me since I like to scrapbook on Saturdays. 

 

And one last thing, the packaging the photos arrive in is always cute :)  I adore cute packaging!  The fresh stack in the above picture actually arrived just the day before my 34th birthday.  Happy Birthday to me :)

8.  Absolutely happy that fall is here.  Does it feel like fall today?  Not really, but the cooler morning temps have been nice lately.  And the sight of pumpkins, mums, and hay make me happy.  I am looking forward to repainting our front door this weekend and then the pumpkins and mums will appear on our doorstep. 

(shameless excuse to post this photo of that sweet 18 month-ish baby from last year).

Sigh...where has the time gone?!

 

5 & 6

from the 34 List

5. I have been purposely making time to scrapbook again.  The kits have been coming monthly, and sometimes they stack up (sadly).  But when I finally make time to go through them and play - it just feels so good to my soul.

You see, I lost my creative footing after I became a mom.  I had other priorities - some obvious and so worth it (like being a mom, duh!)  and some not so obvious but still worth it and important to me (like gym time and instructing classes) -  scrapbooking regularly got put on the back burner.  Mommyhood is teaching me that "someday" is not an actual day on the calendar, and if I want/need/crave creative time, I must be creative to obtain it.  So if it means sacrificing a lovely Saturday nap, or possibly losing just 20 minutes of sleep before bedtime, it just feels good to get in there, push some paper and photos around on pretty paper. 

6. I've also been enjoying playing with Reverie Actions from Paint The Moon  in Photoshop on my laptop.  Sometimes being creative only means having to have my laptop in bed with me at bedtime :)  I have several of the sets of Paint the Moon actions that I use pretty regularly, but getting a new one makes me excited to play again - even with older photos. 

Here's one from this past August (I love this photo!)

Unedited - straight out of the camera

Edited with Reverie Actions

 

3 & 4

From the 34 List

3. There was a brief period after Ellis turned one that she didn't want to "rock-a-baby" (as we call it) before bed.  She just wanted me to put her in her bed and sing a song or two.  At first I was glad - yay! Extra time, I thought!  And then I realized I really was not ready and my heart broke.  A few months past, and she started asking to be rocked again - YIPPEEE!  I took full advantage, and decided that I would make a playlist on my phone just for our time at bedtime.  It looks like this.

Most every night, we start at the bottom of the list with Grandpa, and then Sara sings us to sleep.  I sing along of course, but it's nice to have the back up in case my mind drifts and I can't remember all the words. 

There have been nights when I start to sit down with her and she says, "Mommy, sone! (phone)"  She reminds me not to forget it and I smile and say, "thank you, baby, I almost forgot!"  It's our bedtime ritual.  Her and Adam have their own ritual, but most nights she asks for me - cause I play the good music (grin). 

4. I hit a golf ball for the first time in nearly 15 years a few weeks ago.  We signed up with friends to play in a couples scramble tournament. 

With Adam's help (he's truly a great coach!) I actually was able to hit the ball pretty far (much farther than I expected!) and fairly straight.  Secretly, I just loved watching him do his thing - he is a natural at most sports he tries/plays. 

For my birthday a few days later, he got me my very own set of clubs!  15 years was quite the break to take, but I definitely foresee a lot more golf in our future. 

 

So yeah, I turned 34 last week...

I started my list of 34 things like these past few posts, and then life stepped on the accelerator and the list got left in my laptop bag.  And I'm okay with that. 

Because it stayed in my bag, I was able to stew on it a bit more.  And an idea emerged: What if, instead of writing a super-long list that creates a very wordy blog post, what if I were to break it down into maybe 2 things per blog?!  

Honestly, simple, shorter, quicker, is better in LOTS of areas of my life these days.  Long are the days when I have more than a few minutes to do much.  And I'm okay with that for now - it's how life goes, right?!

So with that idea (and in no particular order from the handwritten-long-lost-list).

1. My favorite color is red, but I've been wearing a lot of blue, navy blue, and green lately.  In fact, my most favorite nail polish color since May has been China Glaze Too Yacht to Handle.

photo credit: The Daily Varnish

2. Just a few days before my birthday I had a former student/now photography friend, Marshal McIntosh,  take photos of our little family.  It was super hot out - meaning I immediately began sweating profusely.  Ellis was all set to take photos in the car ride there.  Upon arriving at our location, however, decided she would rather play "run in the opposite direction as the camera" and "I'm not gonna sit still, but instead be a super wiggle worm" games.  Sigh.  Toddler life.  Henry, having missed his scheduled appointment at the groomer picked up each and every kind of sticker and grass burr his poor coat could grab.  Ahh, real life, right?  But a few days later, Marshal sent me this picture. 

And all I could do was smile.  I was speechless as the rest followed. 

Marshal captured us perfectly.  A mama sweating, a toddler running, a fur-baby roaming, and a trying-to-stay calm papa, just being a real family.  He caught "those" moments I had imagined and then some. 

Completely worth the thirty minutes of  sweat, stickers, and giggles.