ice, ice, baby……..

our first frost

my southern people get a little crazy at the sign of snow, frost, and dragon breath

isn't this cool mama?

now the collection of items to be brought into the hotel each night include two succulent house plants

things get crazy when you drive seven or eight or ten hours a day

sanity saving measures include:

previously mentioned audiobooks

music, lots of really really good music

a basket of snacks

all four of you trying to learn all the words to ice, ice, baby

all right stop collaborate and listen, ice is back with a brand new invention…….

things are getting silly…. good thing we pull into ny tonight!

road signs

we’re halfway through our adventure

things are going much better on this road trip than the house showings (thank goodness, right?!?!)

all photos courtesy of my sweet co-pilot, who has been making sandwiches, handing out snacks, spinning tunes, playing stories and keeping her cool with squabbling siblings

also, a thank you to my mama, who sent the kiddos early easter gifts. audiobooks y’all! she’s the best. the girls and i are loving little mo in this tale and luke is smitten with these.

just wanted to pop in and say hello!

xo,

heading out…..

It wasn't my intention to be gone from this space for so long.
But our closing date got bumped up by ten days and we had a heap of things to do. So much packing and paper and boxes. Can you believe Joe and I managed to move a washer and dryer and enormous toolbox all on our own? It's been wild.

I'm finding myself looking around an empty house this morning with a heavy heart. In under an hour, we'll be on the road and off on a new adventure.

But really, truly….. all the way there I will think of these wonderful people who have filled my last few days here. Who have made the four years down here simply amazing. I am such a lucky woman to have so many good people to call my friends.

And like I've been saying in tearful hugs for the last few days, this is not a goodbye. Just see a see you later.

I'll be back soon.

xo,

the oakley plantation

We had to stop at the Oakley Plantation on the way home from our trip last week. We almost didn't…. everyone was so tired and I was really worried about that combined with a tour through a house where you weren't allowed to touch anything. You've been there, right?

But we did it anyway….. and all I can say is wow. The tour guide was fantastic, the house was truly amazing, the kids asked tons of questions and truly enjoyed every bit of it. Plus it was a bargain to get in. Just $4 for adults, kids 12 and under are free! I tried to capture a few images to share with you.

The first few photos are the self guided walking tours. We saw the barn, slave quarters, kitchen, kitchen garden, all set up as they might have been in the 1800's.

Saint Francisville was home to John James Audubon, he tutored the daughter in this house before he was well known and we got to walk through his room in the basement of the home. Did you know Audubon drew all the birds in his artwork, but his thirteen year old apprentice did the background for them? There is only one known piece that Audubon did all on his own. (my favorite book about Audubon)

I found a link to some more details about the house if you're interested…..

But really, such an amazing step back in time for the kids, and the mama too.

That last picture is my favorite. We're in the second to last room of the house, the kids are still hanging on the tour guide's every word, and they've both got their hands in positions so as not to touch a thing. It makes me laugh, really. They did so good…. and I was worried!?!

What a sweet adventure……

~mindful monday~

he did it…..

————————————————————————————————————————————

mind.ful = conscious or aware of something

Something that speaks to your heart and leaves you feeling beautifully grounded right where you are. If you'd like to share yours…. please leave a link in your comment below for others to discover.

happy monday friends,

~stephinie

psssssst~ if you haven't enetered the lovely seed giveaway, please do. i'm drawing a winner this evening!

so much….. but for now, just this…..

i'm back!

time is zipping by these days

i'm finding myself filling it with packing and getting in as much time with friends here as i can fit, and playing support team to joe who calls/texts me several times a day for property stats as he wanders towns just outside the providence area to find a house…. a new home… without me, yes

the logistics of family and life just worked better that way…. so i'm getting a verbal walk through as i look at tiny photos online to picture it in my mind. it's crazy really, the whole thing. especially because he might be making an offer on a house that i will not see until i drive up to it sometime in the next month or so, without him, having never seen it in real life…. oh my

everything is just so full… overflowing in fact. and i've decided the younger kids must spend easter with cousins…. don't you agree? so we're leaving here in just over a week.

oh it's busy……

i have more to say and tell… but for now, just this. images from three of us mamas who loaded minivans full of kids this week and trekked a few hours north to hike in the woods, overnight in the cutest little place, eat wonderful food, laugh, cry, make memories…. i cannot tell you how i love these people, how i love their little ones… it is all bigger than words…..

see you in the morning~~

xo,

stephinie

a little getaway…..

three of the kids & i are headed out on a little road trip….

meeting up with two of my favorite mamas and their little tribes.

i'll be back on thursday…..

~mindful monday~

just this…..

————————————————————————————————————————————

mind.ful = conscious or aware of something

Something that speaks to your heart and leaves you feeling beautifully grounded right where you are. If you’d like to share yours…. please leave a link in your comment below for others to discover.

happy monday friends,

~stephinie

the dog, camellias, + weekend link love….

All that's really going on here, is this……

Sid guarding the boxes. Always. If I'm packing, he's laying right there next to them. When we took a load of furniture to the storage unit last night, he got into the back of the minivan and refused to get out. Joe had to physically remove him. He is one stubborn old pooch….. and he knows exactly what's about to happen. He's always been such a good loyal dog…. never running away or even leaving the yard without one of us. We joke that he's afraid we'll move if he ever wandered off…

And now that I think of it. I want to show you this too. Camellias are blooming. I love them. I mean l-o-v-e them. Spring is truly the best time of year here in Louisiana. The flowers are just so incredible. We wandered the park with friends and the girls collected these by the handful, by the armful….. arranging them into little fairy houses and such……

Did I mention I love them? When I come back to visit, it will be in the springtime. For sure.

It's been awhile since I've done a link love list…. so there are quite a few:

these plus these would make for some epic fort building

my big boy would laugh at this

dangly beauties

some food for thought, really

rachel is just always so darn good with words

mad skills, for reals

also, it seems some words and photos of mine will be printed in the next issue of kindred…. my first time in real life paper print (insert squeal of excitement!!) you can pre-order a copy here and also enter to win a set of my notecards here

So, I guess that's all. Unless you want to see what was under the cabinets in the music room when we took them apart. So much dust and critter fuzz. And game pieces. And legos. I've started a random kid item bag. A ziploc bag to keep all the things I find under and behind other things. Things that are part of something already packed into a box. Most of which belongs to the youngest member of the household. ahem~

Happy weekending to you.

xo,

squeezing in some work time……

On sunday (even though we’re waist high in piles of stuff, boxes, and packing tape) I spent the entire afternoon working. I dyed nearly a hundred play-silks and got a tiny speck of sewing done. At first I declined Joe’s suggestion to spend the afternoon doing this. There is just so much going on right now, you know? But he was rather insistent….. and it turns out that it was really a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. Creativity always fills me up, and I always forget that when things get busy. I find a million things to do other than write, sew, knit, create….. and it always leaves me feeling cranky and sort of empty. Do you ever just want to kick yourself for doing the same thing over and over…. when you know it’s not what you need?

And perhaps most of all, when things get busy it is important to take a few moments to nourish one’s creative being. Whether through work or knitting or writing. It’s amazing what five minutes can do to soothe my soul…..

{ps ~ if you’re interested in anything above, the photos will take you to the shop links for more details}