beneath this bold and brilliant sun

I took Sloane to the pumpkin patch on Sunday.  It was so fun to see it through her eyes.  She was captivated by two giant Clydesdale's who were pulling a hay rack ride and she waved at them and danced the the clomping of their hooves on the gravel.  We cut our own pumpkins from a giant patch.  We picked a big one for daddy, a pretty white one for me and a funny little one for Sloane.


lima bean at the pumpkin patch

Fall is here.  The weather is crisp and cool and therefore the migraines are here.  I love fall except for the constant change in barometric pressure that is happening every day.  A good hard freeze helps my sinuses and my headaches. 

Busy planning Sloane's Halloween costume and first birthday and still unpacking and arranging the new place.  Of course I do all this planning by pining over projects on Pinterest.  (Blergh I am SO blissfully addicted). 

Anxious for the weekend already and it's only Tuesday! 

I have put myself on a craft/DIY moratorium.  I am not allowed to buy another thing that I will somehow "fix" "alter" "paint" or otherwise change until I finish one of the half dozen projects I already have going...

I have ordered a couple of goodies from Etsy lately...

for Sloane's big day

for our bathroom...order your own here

and in other news inside my mind...


sometimes I still miss our old house...

title courtesy of The Decemberists: Don't Carry It All

i'm so in love with ya honey...

As I fed my daughter breakfast and put my hair up in the prerequisite post-baby up-do (only a bit more chic than rocking a ponytail every day) I remembered that tonight is date night in honor of Keenan and my 5 year anniversary of sorts.  We don't celebrate our real dating anniversary because we don't know when it is.  Our relationship just naturally evolved from a single conversation that occurred the first time he spoke to me on October 5th, late at night at a party we were both attending after the play Seascape by Edward Albee. 

The conversation began with a compliment (he walked up and said to me "Shannon I think you're gorgeous." I was immediately struck speechless and my eyes hit the ground), which whenever I think about the way we met I remember how much impact we have with our words.  I remember that a well-timed compliment can change someones life.  Another time in my life an apology had the same effect on me.  It wasn't something I sought or expected but it came to me in a free and sweet fashion and it changed the way I thought about significant things in my life.   

I find a lot of relationship inspiration in the blog Today's Letters.  I love how unabashedly the couple speaks of working on their relationship and they share what makes their marriage work.  Every time I read the letters they write each other I remember the power of words and I tell myself to be kinder, speak more sweetly and listen harder. 

When I contemplated what type of person I wanted my child to become I kept coming back to the notion that I want her to be kind to others.  I think that there is less and less focus on kindness in our culture, in fact being "nice" can be seen as weakness, or undesirable.  So many times I hear people "apologize" for their words in this way:  "I'm sorry but that's the way I am" or "I am sorry but I am just a bitch."  That isn't an apology it's a rationalization.  And when I apologize during an argument I often find the time to attach my rationale for my comment to the apology.  This isn't the type of apology I'd like to receive "I'm sorry but..."  Usually when we attach a "but" you can throw away everything that came before the but and only listen to what came after. 

So today 5 years after a compliment I want to commit myself to being as kind to Keenan as I am to those whom I work for. 

buy this beauty here

 title courtesy of Anne Murray: Danny's song

a piece of love in your face

lately....

I've moved back to my home town and spent a month here without Keenan as he finishes his job up in Kansas City.  Saturday we will move into our new little place and Sunday he will be here finally.  Sloane cannot wait (she "talks" to him everyday on speakerphone and everytime he greets her with a rumbling "BAMBINA!" she squeals and kicks her legs with delight) it will be a joyful reunion indeed.

Sloane says "Happy fall" I wish you could see her adorable bow with her name on it
made by my fabulous cousin Courtney

I am enjoying being present for all the family events as of late: my dear grandma turned 90, my brother had his 27th birthday dinner last night, my nephew turned 1, we had a party for a "good TV night" when the finale of Big Brother and the premiere of Survivor was on, we watched our beloved Broncos win last week and lose this week together and I've been able to head out to my high school to watch my the dance team my sister coaches during the football games that my step-brother coaches and watch my little brother put on pads and a helmet and play junior high football (so cute).  Sloane is in heaven with all of this activity and love.    

title courtesy of Ingrid Michaelson: breakable

i'm yours

Click here to view this photo book larger

I had a free photo book I had to use. I love the colors. All photos are copyrighted by Jenna Huffman.

title courtesy of Jason Mraz

you and me baby, we're stuck like glue

via

This is definitely the rehearsal dress.  I love it. <3 So soft, delicate and pretty and vintage-ish--and affordable.  One thing checked off the list...now for the other million things-- well maybe I'll start tomorrow.    

title courtesy of Sugarland

made from love

via

I have inherited a few things from my grandparents and an obselete roll top desk with a old stereo system in it is one of them.  My step dad gutted out the old stereo and I found this image which is exactly what I am looking to do with it.  Would love to have a space in my kitchen, or scraproom for it.  Isn't it lovely!? She painted the inside of the drawers that lovely Tiffany blue and the desk black then white and then sanded parts of it.  I adore it.  Can't wait to finally move into a new place and get busy making it home.

title courtesy of Stevie Wonder: Isn't she lovely?

pump the jam

adventures in lactation follow:

It's my last 2 days at my job, which fortunately means...my last 2 days utilizing my pumping spot. It's been so nice that my employer has followed the federal law in providing me a place to take a break during the day to use my awesome "pump in style" (that's really the name of the ugly leather black bag...you can't make this stuff up! as if the bag style matters when you are sitting in the oh-so-sultry position of having your work clothes hiked up and 2 pumps attached to you praying someone respects the lock on the door) Medela.

style in a nutshell black bag

danger in the pump room, I told my work bestie that if I am electrocuted
while pumping to make me look to decent before allowing in one in to the room.

respect the signage

title courtesy of the 90's, I had to do it.