Smile And Wave

Giveaway: A Little More Color from Crayola

Thanks to the lovely folks at Crayola, I've already got the kids' Easter baskets filled and stashed for Easter morning. We go through a lot of art supplies these days thanks to my little Impressionists and since we're still tripping over new toys received (and thoroughly enjoyed) at Christmas and on Valentine's Day I'm really thankful for the opportunity to give them what my friend, Mindy, calls consumables. The sidewalk chalk and bubbles will surely come out on our next warm afternoon and the Color Wonder pads will help keep boredom at bay until then. 

Along with the Crayola Wonder Pads, Crayola Chalk, Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles Big Wand, and Crayola Crayons, they sent a $25 gift card to Michael's to help me create the ultimate Easter basket. Along with supplies to fill in their baskets I picked up some butterflies to adorn Ruby's handle and some scrapbook paper to make a little banner for Sebastian's. The plastic eggs are full of bubblegum and I also found a few smaller treats I knew they'd like.

I love the way their baskets turned out and how colorful they are. I know the kids are going to flip out when they see all of these goodies waiting for them!

The best part is that Crayola is going to send the same products to one of my lucky readers! One winner will receive all of the items pictured below plus a $25 Michael's gift card to help fill their own basket. 

To enter for a chance to win:

* Leave a comment below sharing what you're most looking forward to once Spring arrives. 

For extra chances feel free to do the following and then comment again letting me know you did.

* Tweet about this giveaway from @Crayola on @RachelDenbow.

* Like Crayola on Facebook.

I'll choose a winner on March 6th so that Crayola can send out your prize in time for Easter. Please be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if a link is not available.

Thanks to Crayola for a chance to enjoy these products!

-Rachel

Note: The Crayola product, gift card, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by Crayola.

Mile A Day Challenge and 2013 Goals

I remembered Elise doing #mileaday on Instagram last year and found myself rooting her on internally. This year when she announced she was doing it again I found myself wondering if I could do it, too. I'm no stranger to working out but my pattern the last six years has been to work out for three months and then get sick or be on single parent duty and either lose motivation or think I don't have time for it. I mean...look at my sink full of dishes!

Right after Thanksgiving I was coming off my single parent duty excuse for not exercising regularly when suddenly a few of my friends started posting their #mileadays. Something about those images made me put my jogging shoes on and decide to try. I didn't want to be that girl that gave up after the first week but I also knew accountability would go a long way so I joined #mileaday on Instagram. 

I think I went a whole nine days without skipping. I hadn't worked out for nine days consistently since...um, never, so just that part felt like an accomplishment. I started out going around our big park loop twice with Ruby in the stroller and sometimes taking Sunday along. She pulled but not always forward so I also got in a bit of an upper body workout-one arm at a time. I always had to stop and walk and stretch out my shins halfway through because they always bother me but my breathing got easier and it didn't feel like such a battle after the first week. I built up to 2 miles and then 2.5 towards the end. I ran outside almost every time which meant cold temps, rain, and even while it was snowing. Each day finished felt so good and the encouragement I got from friends on IG helped me want to get out there again. 

I skipped a handful of days those last two weeks with traveling and Christmas responsibilities but often made up for it with longer jogs or extra time on the eliptical at the gym. The best part about it was that it just got me moving again. It set me up for not feeling so overwhelmed with all of the fitness hype that starts January 1st and got me to a place where I can take it to the next level this month. I'm so thankful for Elise starting this project and sharing her own journey and for buddies both online and in town that joined in. I like having "running buddies". 

My goals for 2013 include continuing jogging but in order to mix it up and keep me interested I'm getting back in the gym and hoping to do the eliptical for 40 minutes along with weights and situps. I've done kettle bell workouts in the past that I like to incorporate as well as a program Brett has used (the name escapes me). We're also trying to eat exclusively at home this month so I'll be focusing on whole foods and simple meals in order to attack from the other side. 

I'm 25 pounds heavier than I was before I had children and wrestle with my body image like many moms do. My goal this year is not to lose 25 pounds but to get to a healthier place so that I like the way I look and feel proud of the hard work I put in to get there. Another one of my hopes for this year is to be on our way to having another baby before the end of the year but I'd really like to be in a better place before that happens again. 

So, here's to putting in some hard work and seeing what happens. If you're in a similar place I hope you have the support you need to be successful. Internet high fives go a long way!

-Rachel

P.S. I have worn Brooks shoes for the last five years because they have great support for my stride type. I recently went in to a local running store and asked about minimus shoes. Brett wears them and swears by them. The gal inside suggested I start with these Brooks Pure Cadence shoes as they're a good middle ground between regular and minimus shoes and are less likely to cause injury. I may switch to minimus shoes in the future but really like these. They're light weight but also have the support I need. If you're looking for shoes I highly suggest going in to a real running store and letting an employee watch you walk and try a few on. Spending some money on a good pair of shoes will not only save you from injury, you'll feel more invested in your new goals!

Sharing Joy Through Doorbell Ditching

It had been on my Christmas decor to do list to cut some greenery from the woods or a local park full of pine trees to turn into wreaths and garlands but a quick trip to Lowe's for some spray paint saved me the trouble. They usually cut the bottom boughs from trees in their lot before bundling them up for customers. An employee pointed me to a special bin full of boughs that she said they'd had to dump twice the day before because it had been full. I gladly took what I could carry in my cart. I mentioned this on Instagram and someone said their local Lowe's had been charging for cuttings so before you head out on a special errand I'd call to double check. 

After bringing home my stash of cuttings I walked past my dining room table still full of collected ornaments, ribbon, lights, etc. that I hadn't decided what to do with. It dawned on me that I could use some of what I had to make little swags and then we'd be able to eat off our dining table again before Christmas!

I gathered things that I was happy to pass along as ornaments for others to enjoy, grabbed the green floral wire I always seem to have lurking in closets, some wire cutters, and other odds and ends. I cut down boughs to different sizes and layered three or four branches before wrapping them together with wire and making the hook in the back. Then I'd add a few shorter, fuller layers up front before tying them down as well. Then it was a cluster of bells (thrifted but probably from Wal-Mart), a vintage ornament, and a ribbon in a coordinating color. Each swag took about ten minutes to make and our front porch smelled divine when I was done.

After making a handful I realized I had enough left to make one for our home so I used some of my vintage bulbs and some satin ribbon. When the branches die I can just remove the trimmings and reuse them next year.

We made sugar cookies (our second try and from a box) and I let the kids decorate them while I made a plan for getting our goodies to our neighbors and friends. We explained to the kids that we were going to surprise our friends with some goodies and that we had to be really sneaky and fast to make it work. They were thrilled at the chance to get out after dark for a secret mission. 

We got a later start than I'd planned but I didn't want to lose momentum on our project. Sometimes that's all the difference between something working out and getting left to the wayside for me. We all walked to the first two houses because they were really close and Sebastian knocked while I snapped photos with my phone. The first neighbor was easy to hide from but I couldn't resist yelling out 'Merry Christmas' from the bushes and then she came out to meet us. The second house we hid around the corner from their porch and then they saw us sneaking away through their window. It was just as fun for us to get caught as it was to drop off treats!

We let Brett and Ruby stay home so they could get to bed while Sebastian and I hit up the third and fourth houses. We managed to sneak the third ones through a gate and not wake their dog (or toddler) before texting that they had a treat and seeing our friend grab them and run out to meet us at the street. The fourth house had an unexpected Craigslist deal going down outside so we outed ourselves and were escorted to the front door to hand them over to a mama with her hands full of a freshly bathed little boy. By the time we were done it was way past Sebastian's bedtime so we had to raincheck our fifth house but we finally managed to deliver it this afternoon with candy canes in place of sugar cookies. Those somehow didn't keep (we ate them). 

I have a very specific memory of my parents doing the same with us. My dad was a pastor at a church with a lot of families with financial needs so one year (or maybe a few in a row) my parents decided to doorbell ditch a Christmas tree to some friends of theirs that went to our church that couldn't afford one that year. We had a station wagon so we tied it to the top and parked around the corner where we could see their front door and I remember sitting in the back of the wagon watching them open the door and finding that tree and us giggling from our car. It was the best feeling to treat someone and I'm so thankful my family taught us how easy that is to do.

Our friends and neighbors weren't in need of pine swags and sugar cookies (well, I think we're all in need of sugar cookies) but it was so fun to be able to surprise them with something we had fun making as a family and I hope Sebastian remembers this when he's older.

It's officially the second of four Sharing Joy projects we're planning for December. Our first was the yarn bombed tree and our next will be caroling with Sebastian's cub scout troop at the local children's hospital. I'm still brainstorming project number four. We'll be in transit or in another state when it's time for that to happen so I'm thinking it'll be another stranger project. 

It's my hope that our family can adopt this project as a lifestyle once December is over and the Christmas spirit has faded into another layer of our memories. It's not hard to put a little joy out there for others and it doesn't even need to cost anything. It gets us out of our own little worlds and opens up room for interaction and maybe even a little more sense of belonging and community. It's also my hope that some of you might join in and share your ideas, executed plans, etc. in the comments!

Have you ever doorbell ditched anyone before? Toilet papering houses doesn't count, either.

-Rachel

Sharing Joy Through A Yarn Bombed Pine Tree

I was at the park on Monday when I noticed it - a real Charlie Brown Christmas tree amidst rows of hundred-year-old pines. It just looked so sad and suddenly I had an idea.

Yarn bombing has been around for awhile. I remember the thrill I got when I saw my first knit-covered establishment in Seattle six years ago and then again when we first explored downtown Colorado Springs. It was a fun surprise. It made me happy that there were people out there who intentionally created something unexpected to make the rest of us smile. It felt like getting snail mail from an old friend or someone dropping by with coffee. It felt thoughtful.

After school I gathered some yarn I haven't touched since Ruby was born, pipe cleaners from the craft stash, and the pine cones we used as name card holders for Thanksgiving. They were collected from our park two weeks ago so I thought it fitting that we wrapped them in yarn, tied the pipe cleaners to them and gave them a new purpose. All the other pine cones still laying on the ground were so jealous.

We headed to the park with a bag full of ornaments and a stool and made a few more while we were there. The kids helped hang a few before heading back to play. I always find it interesting how little kids hang all of the ornaments in one spot. 

After they had their fill I spread them out a bit and used the stool to get a bit higher with the rest. I tightened the pipe cleaners so they wouldn't blow out of the tree and can't wait to see if they're still there in a week. 

I asked Sebastian why he thought we did this project and he said, "To make people feel happy." 

It sure made me happy.

We'll probably go back plenty of times in the next two weeks and then finally take them down because all good installments make a graceful exit. 

Remember that day the kids and I wrote affirming notes and hid them all around downtown Colorado Springs after being inspired by Andrea's own beautiful shenanigans? Afterwards we heard from a friend that her co-worker's friend found one. The fact that someone found one and shared it with someone else who shared it with someone else and it got back to us made me so happy. It also reminded me that it's so easy to share joy and that it can come back to you and be rubbed off on other people on the way.

So, I'm already making a short list of other ways our family can share joy with those around us in fun and surprising ways. If you've got any ideas or stories about your own experiences I'd love to read them in the comments. 

I'm hoping to execute one project a week in the month of December and I'm calling it...duhn, duhn, duhn...Sharing Joy. We'll be sure to report back here after each project in hopes of inspiring other good ideas. Feel free to join us in your own shenanigans!

-Rachel

Book Review: The Book of New Family Traditions by Meg Cox

I was browsing Barnes & Noble for a specific parenting book when I saw this one, liked the illustration on the front, and flipped through it to see if it was worth it's weight in salt.

After reading the Table of Contents and skimming through a handful of pages I knew this book wasn't just another generic rehash of all the stuff we've all heard on all our favorite mommy blogs.

The premise of The Book of New Family Traditions is how fundamental rituals are to a healthy family life. It shares plenty of traditional rituals but also makes a case for how much room there is to create rituals to fit your family's needs and style. Meg Cox, the author, writes how rituals can be as big as the yearly family New Year's dance party or as small as the song you always sing at bedtime. 

One of my favorite sections was the Rites of Passage rituals. Many of them are for kids heading into their mature years but I love how much value is put on these transitions. The Sparklers in the Sand ritual mentioned above stuck out to me the most and not only gave me goosebumps for when I can share that moment with Ruby but got me thinking about all of the milestones ahead for both of our kids. 

I regularly have to remind myself of the saying 'The days are long but the years are short' when I feel like we're all just running on the hamster wheel trying to make it to bedtime without coming untied. Reading books such as this one help shift my focus from just surviving to making the most of these years with a young family. Sometimes all I need is a new perspective, some encouragement through other mama's stories, and a few tools to feel like I can implement some changes that are lasting.

I took notes as I went through each chapter for reference when I felt like something might fit into our lives easily. I'm sure we won't start up with too many new rituals all at once but I am looking forward to seeing how some of these little changes will affect our family life. 

I could probably check this book out at the library but I knew it'd be a great resource to have at home on those long afternoons when I need a little reminder to place value on the little things - as repetitive or as dull as they feel - for they are really the big, lasting things. 

I give this book two chipped nail polish thumbs up. You can find it at your local bookstore, library, or here. What are some of your favorite resources for enriching your family life?

-Rachel

p.s. This is not a sponsored post. 

Modern Ink Mag Feature

The lovely ladies over at Modern Ink Magazine have put out yet another beautiful collection of images and articles meant to inspire! I was honored to be asked to share my top ten must haves with you in their Feb/March issue.

Head on over to see what I've had my eye on lately and then enjoy getting lost in the rest of the eye candy!

Thanks for including me, ladies! 

-Rachel

Sources: 1,2,3

 

Time to Decorate Again

 
sources: one, two, three, four, five, six

The time is drawing near, folks, for my little family to venture West and a bit North and settle for a short while in the great state of Colorado. We still don't have a place picked out but I have never been more sure of what I want/need in a home to make it work for our family.

I've been keeping inspiration boards on Pinterest since I first started my account for different rooms in the house to stay inspired and continue to hone my taste and realize my personal style. I'm still in love with lots of white with clean lines, modern mixed with vintage, a hint of hot pink, a bit of minty blue, a touch of black, and fantastic couches. Chickens...someday.

What's inspiring your home decor daydreams?

-Rachel

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Cindy Hosmer, Part One

 

I'm back with another gorgeous house tour! Janae and I have teamed up to feature a few of the interiors that belong to some special women in our neighborhood. What would you say if I told you this home belongs to the sister from the last home tour? I know, right. Good taste runs in their family!

This is the warm and inviting home of Cindy and Bob Hosmer. It's such a beautiful mix of modern and vintage with nostalgic touches throughout. I about died when I walked into their remodeled kitchen/great room. There's so much space and light! I won't keep you any longer, though. Come on in...

Q: What kind of home do you have and how long have you lived there?

A: Our home is a Colonial Revival house. I have always thought of Colonial Revival as formal but with the addition in the back it seems a bit more casual.

We bought this house almost two years ago. We knew we were going to have to remodel some of the rooms. It seemed overwhelming at the time but I'm so glad we did it. Our family is so blessed to have it. It's perfect for us!

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: This is a hard question considering I don't like to be classified into one category. I just know what I like when I see it. I would say a good mix of modern and old would be my pick. It's easy to do that with this house considering the original house was built in 1939 and the addition was built sometime in the 1950's.

Q. What kinds of changes have you made since you moved in?

A. My dad's great aunts, whom were very close, lived in this home for 40 years before we purchased it. They were 96 and 98 years old when they passed away. They slept in the same room until they passed away which is very sweet. They lived on Walnut Street here in Springfield, Missouri and lived across the street from my dad and his 9 siblings when he was growing up. The city tore down their beautiful home on Walnut to build John Q. Hammons hotel. Our house is the home they moved into. There is one piece of furniture that was left in our home when we bought it. It is a large bookshelf. We heard that it was original to the aunt's Walnut Street home and the only piece they saved. We were pleased they left it for us.

We remodeled a tiny kitchen in the center of the house into one large master bathroom and a powder room. The bathroom and walk-in closet in the back of the house was remodeled into a large kitchen overlooking the backyard and family room which became a "great room" when we tore out the walls separating the two. We also did a major remodel to the first floor master bedroom, while adding a master bath. The great room and master bedroom needed new flooring. My husband put in all new hard wood floors in both these two rooms. He is incredibly handy! (I can't believe I got this far without mentioning that.) You would grow tired of reading if I told you everything he has done.

Q. Favorite room in the house and why?

A. Our living room/kitchen or great room. It just has a warm feeling to it, plus, we love to dine and entertain in these areas!

Q. Proudest DIY?

 A. Again I have to say our kitchen. It was a lot of work. Bob, my husband did a lot of it. He made the concrete countertops, put in the floors and the tile. My husband has a full time job but he enjoys working on the house but finding the time is not always easy, so let's just say, we all had to be very patient! 

 I will have to mention myself on the DIY question so Bob doesn't get all of the credit. I painted like there was no tomorrow. I am still painting. Who knows how long it will go on. 

Q: Has your style changed/evolved over the years?

A. Yes, I think it has. When I was younger I wasn't sure what I liked but now that I've grown up, I know the style I like. However, I am constantly changing things according to my changing taste. I feel more comfortable with my style.

Q. What's one thing on your home decor list?

A. Does it have to be “in” the house? Well, I have to admit, I have fantasized quite frequently about an in ground swimming pool. I think that will have to be in the future. For now, we will be focusing on landscaping in the backyard. It's roomy back there, but plain, so we need some landscaping to liven it up a little. Too many projects and not enough time. So common for people who live in old houses. Although, it brings us much joy!

Janae and I loved getting to hang out with Cindy and hearing stories about her great aunts, her upcoming feature in a local magazine, and where that beautiful old map from Missouri came from. The eye candy doesn't stop here, though! Part Two of their beautiful home tour will feature the upstairs bedrooms of three of their four children.

A big thank you to Cindy for sharing their stunning space with us! Your taste is impeccable, lady.

What was your favorite part about their home?

xo,

Rachel

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Amy Boyd

Our House Tour: Parts One, Two, Three, and Four

House Tour with Rachel Burch

House Tour with Brooke Biette

Day Sixteen and A New Project

Saturday night Elsie, Emma, Mallory, and Jeremy came over and we transformed our side yard into the backdrop for a summer s'mores party. We've been working on this little project for a few weeks now so it was fun to see some ideas come to fruition! Really... this is the best kind of work.

Oh, and I finally finished Elsie and Jeremy's very belated hexagon daisy quilt and gifted it them! I am so proud of how it turned out and hope to have some good shots of it available later this week. EEEK!

Head over here for more details on our little shin dig!

xo,

Rachel

 

Blog Party - Interior Inspiration and Giveaway by Rachel

Source: whimsicalworldoflaurabird.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

I've been enjoying all of the regular interior inspiration on Pinterest. Here are a few that caught my eye this week.

Source: boligmagasinet.dk via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: whimsicalworldoflaurabird.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

Source: freundevonfreunden.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: blackeiffel.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe you're regularly inspired by interior shots online but feel a little overwhelmed when it comes time to pull things together in your own space. Maybe you feel stuck in a rut with your style. My most recent e-course, Style Your Space, was written from a place of 'been there, done that' with the hopes of sharing everything I've learned in the last few years of studying design blogs, figuring out our interior style, and paying attention to those helpful rules that make all the difference.  

Tonight I'm giving away FOUR Style Your Space e-courses! There are three ways you can enter to win. Pick one or do all three!

1. Update your Google Friend Connect to follow Smile and Wave on Typepad instead of the old blog site.

2. Tweet about this giveaway.

3. Share which room in your home needs the most help.

For each entry leave a comment sharing what you did and FOUR winners will be picked tonight and announced tomorrow. Good luck!

xoxo,

Rachel