Smile And Wave

Right Now

August is the month of hustle at our house. I have a dream project in the works, the big kids are returning to school, Brett is starting grad school and will be commuting to San Francisco one week a month while working part time here, and all of our routines and schedules are shifting again. It's all exciting and welcome and I'm so thankful for the things that have been lining up as we've needed them to.

It's a little insane, at the same time. My dad once told me the busier you get, the more efficient you become. It's always been true for me as I tend to work better when a fire is lit under my toosh! This summer has been full of eCourse writing, projects for A Beautiful Mess, personal projects such as launching Smile and Wave prints, and sharing all of the chores and responsibilities that comes with running a house and raising three kids. As you can imagine, we're not keeping all the plates spinning without one or two falling off and needing put in the dishwasher because our floors need mopped. 

I'm continuing to give each day the best that I have and making peace that it's not always going to match up with the high expectations I sometimes place upon myself as a human being, wife, mother, friend, etc. We're throwing grace around like candy and being supportive and forgiving as we settle into our new routines, roles, and schedules.

I'm learning that if I'm not happy with something, I've got to do what I can to change it. There's no good that's going to come from sitting down and pouting. Get up and find a way to make it better for yourself. Keep on finding a way if your first attempt, second attempt, third attempt miss the mark. Get someone in your corner to help you get back up when you're tired of trying. 

I hope your week is colorful with at least one little thrill embedded in there somewhere. You deserve it!

-Rachel

Lady Date with Ruby

When your daughter asks to go on a date with just her and no brothers, you make it happen. Lucky for us, we live within walking distance of one of Springfield's finest donut establishments.

I did warn her I was bringing my camera because it's seen a lot of tutorial time and not a lot of memory making time. 

We wandered to the donut place where we thoroughly enjoyed our sugar intake and then wandered around downtown a bit. I found myself wanting to keep things moving along and hurrying to the next thing and realized I've been needing to slow down and just enjoy the moment a little more. Kids are good at that. 

Here's to more daughter dates, saying yes when you'd rather say no, stopping to pause no matter what else needs your attention, and making memories with people we love. 

-Rachel

Going On Walks with Kids

Summer is finally here to stay in Springfield, MO and we've been making the most of those warm summer nights by taking daily walks downtown. I load up all three kids and between the Ergo baby carrier and our jogging stroller, I get plenty of exercise and the older kids get to run off their extra energy. We sometimes sneak out in the morning before it gets too warm, too.

It's been one of my new ways of coping with life in general lately. I've been enjoying the exercise and endorphins and am so thankful we are this close to some fun downtown joints. Not everyone gets to walk three blocks to the library, a cupcake shop, a donut shop, three hole-in-the-wall burger joints, four coffee shops, all while meandering down colorful alleys with plenty of bike riding room without fear of getting run over. It's been such a perk of living here.

Also, when you walk to the donut shop, it almost cancels out the donut.

Have you been rediscovering anything about your town this summer?

-Rachel

 

 

Smile and Weave

I've been working on my May collection of weavings in between writing and scheduling eCourses for the next few weeks and it's been such a great way to experiment with colors and designs. I've always got a loom warped and waiting in my dining room so that I can make a little progress here and there throughout the day as I chase Smith around and pick up kids from school. Summer has officially begun as the big kids are officially out of school. I can't believe I now have a 4th grader and Kindergartener!

Life has been full but in some really great ways. I'm feeling so thankful for the opportunities that have been presenting themselves this year and for the ways I'm growing and stretching my creative edges. Family always comes first but one of the best ways I've been able to take care of them is by spending time focusing on these creative avenues. I feel like I'm learning to apply so many small business attitudes that I casually leaned on in the last few years while we were in Colorado with the Army. I'm so much more motivated to set goals and go after them with every intent to see them come to fruition instead of just doing it for something to blog about.

Unfortunately, I've been so busy working on the behind the scenes that I've not scheduled in as much time to share in this space but I'm hoping that shifts this summer as things settle into another rhythm at home and we have more time to get out and enjoy life while the kids are out of school. 

One of my first goals this month was to finish working on an eCourse I've been letting simmer in my mind all year. It's a little bit different than the eCourses I've written for the last five years as it's not project based but I feel like it's valuable in a different way. I have been able to collaborate with a few different creative friends, both online and in real life, and I can't wait to share more this week!

Another goal I set was to finish another collection of weavings but to include some smaller wall hangings to help with price variations. I've got a few regular sized weavings similar to the ones in last month's group but I'll also have a handful of smaller weavings hung on copper piping that will be priced accordingly.

We've got one week until my family makes their way in shifts to spend some time together in Branson so I'm staying laser focused on my task list to churn out as much as I need to in order to launch this next eCourse and then shift my focus onto riding go carts, swimming, and exploring Branson. I hope you have a lovely Memorial Day if you're in the US and a happy Monday if you're elsewhere.

All the best,

Rachel

P.S. You can always keep up with our day-to-day through @smileandwave on Instagram. 

 

This Week Looked Like...

Experiments in weaving with wire warp. Working out the kinks with this tricky little bugger but loving the way it looks. 

Two sick kids. This guy had a fever but we got on top of things with a flu bomb mix of essential oils (Melaleuca, Oregano, OnGuard in a roller bottle with fractionated coconut oil) and diffused OnGuard in his room and he's as good as new 24 hours later. We kept him home from school due to their policy of staying home 24 hours after a fever but he'll make it in time for the school Valentine exchange this year! Poor kid was sick for the last two years during school Valentine parties so we are finally breaking our streak!

Ruby never got what he had but did share some sort of cold from one of her friends at school. We have made it through all of the sick season with minimal recovery time from anything that has come home from school thanks to knowing how to use essential oils. Life savers, guys.

A plant that I thought was going to die on me that is finally growing in size and will hopefully unroll it's lovely leaves soon. 

One of two of my new favorite candles c/o The Burlap Bag. This one has a musky, snuggle with your guy under the covers kind of scent and the other one I got, La-La Land smells like walking into Anthro.

Also, I've been knocking out a few projects for A Beautiful Mess and InstaThis thanks to great naps from Smith while the big kids were at school but the studio is looking pretty insane. Also, Smith has always been a free range baby which has meant only showering during naps when I was home alone with him. Recently, I've set up our 4Moms play yard in the studio and master bath area and set him in there with some of his favorite toys while I get cleaned up and it's made my days so much more productive. He doesn't always love it but he's figured out that it's more fun to sit and enjoy a toy instead of cry for me for the ten minutes I'm in the shower. Progress for both of us, I'd say!

How's your week been? Can we all sign a petition vetoing the extra six or so weeks of winter? I am ready for more sunshine and getting my hands in the dirt!

-Rachel

Details: Breeze play yard c/o 4Moms. Candle c/o The Burlap Bag.

Collaborative Art with Ruby

Ruby has always been a girl that loves a good art project. With new blank walls in her new room to fill, I decided to repurpose some canvases that I'd been holding on to since Sebastian was the only child on the scene.  

To prepare them, I gave the smaller canvas a few coats of white tempura paint since I had it on hand and then coated the larger canvas with that lovely minty green acrylic paint. I then told her we were going to be working on a fun art project together and that she could choose any of the pre-selected colors to use on her canvas. By pre-selecting enough complimentary colors that I knew would look good in her room, I was able to offer her some freedom to choose her favorites without ending up with an orange, purple, and red explosion. This was a win/win. 

I gave her free reign on the oval canvas but I added some geometric shapes to the smaller one before giving her a turn to see how she wanted to add to it. 

She was happy to fill in some white spaces for me and I was pretty pleased that she was so interested in sharing a project. Her oval piece features a girl holding a tray that carries a snowman made out of caramel to a table at a restaurant. It's complete with a neon pink ceiling, some clouds, and the sun up above. It's finally dry and waiting to find it's spot on the wall in her room. 

This last painting was from a time when I was really into abstract clouds. I think Ruby was just a new little thing when I first started it. Instead of painting over it, I just let it become part of her background. She's finished this one as well but you'll have to wait to see what she added when we find a spot for them in her room. I'll give you a hint, though. It has lop ears.

Have you ever painted over a previously painted canvas? Do you ever feel a little bit guilty about it? I think unfinished projects that sit and sit are hard to let go of but after awhile, if they've got the potential to become something better, I give myself permission to take them apart and start over. 

-Rachel

Playing Catch Up: Father's Day Weekend

It's been quiet over here, hasn't it! So, I meant to blog to let everyone know I wasn't going to be blogging for a few days but things really just got that busy and my sweet Smith started deciding not to go to sleep at night when I usually sit down to work and a girl shouldn't stay up too late or she'll lose her mind over a broken glass or library books (yay, reading!) ALL OVER ALL THE FLOORS. Here's what has happened since we last spoke. 

We had a full Father's Day Weekend that started out with me waking up with the early risers in the family and letting Brett catch up on some much needed rest. We were out of coffee so I packed up the younger two and walked to Fifty Fifty Coffee House to take care of that. Ruby always finds her seat at the bar and chats with the gals making coffee and we always leave thankful for the caffeine and the feeling of community that they've built over there. We got home, picked up Sebastian, and trekked back out in search of the fabulous Airstream that houses The Long I Pie.

I'd heard about Shauna from both Tara, who sold her the Airstream, and our friends up at Fifty Fifty and we are always, always down for some pie. It was so fun getting to meet her and make some new friends while we were there! Ruby and Sebastian both enjoyed their pie on the blankets provided by the shop and we all kind of wished Shauna lived in Colorado Springs so we could do this more often! She's moving to Denver this month so follow her under @thelongipie on Instagram to find out where to get yourself some delicious pie!

We brought this guy some pie and made him coffee and even let him read while he enjoyed his treats while we occupied ourselves around the house. Then we went to make some LED light up cards at a local shop so he could have some more down time. Working 60 + hours a week and getting up at 4:30 every morning sometimes means the best gift is the gift of rest! Well, that and an iTunes gift card to download a few albums being released this summer.

You know what this guy did while we were out giving him some down time? Dishes and laundry. Talk about a keeper! This family doesn't work as well when we don't have him around and I'm so thankful for all he does for us both at his job and at home. We've got a good one.

-Rachel

A Front Porch Picnic

Our Memorial Day weekend was full of projects for me in between baby naps and Brett having little adventures with the kids. They went hiking up Helen Hunt Falls with Sunday and came home filthy and wet which always translates into a good time. They also got out to Territory Days to find the homemade root beer stand and the dancing horse before it started raining on everyone. The weather was moody all weekend in between gorgeous skies full of puffy, white clouds so we weren't sure what we'd be doing on Monday but we knew we were going to celebrate with a picnic. 

I kid you not, five minutes before we were going to start loading the car with our cooler and children it started to rain. I was disappointed until Sebastian pointed out that we were lucky we weren't out in the middle of a big open field having a picnic and getting drenched. With that I changed my attitude and decided a front porch picnic was as good as any other picnic and we moved our stuff into pretty bowls and brought the flowers with us. 

Ruby ate all of the watermelon, I traded in chips for quinoa, and Sunday snagged some leftovers when we weren't looking. We talked to the kids about being thankful for the soldiers and their families that have sacrificied so much. I thought of my grandpa that drove a tank in Germany in WWII, my brother that flew Black Hawks in Iraq, our 60-year-old neighbor that worked as a mechanic in Desert Storm, our friend's husband that is currently in Afghanistan and our other friend's husband serving in S. Korea, as well as the hundreds of families in Colorado Springs alone that do life without their soldiers every other year or so. 

I'm so proud of my own soldier and thankful that the sacrifices we've had to make have been small in comparison to so many. 

I hope you had a relaxing long weekend if you're in the U.S. and enjoyed the unofficial start of summer. We're finishing up with school this week and then we're making up for last year's lost summer months when I was couch bound and nauseous while Brett was deployed. We've got a lot of hiking, swimming, and penny arcading to do!

-Rachel

Photos edited with the Fresh Collection Actions from A Beautiful Mess.

Family Photos with Heather Gray: The Big Kids

When Smith was about four weeks old we were generously gifted a family photo session with the ever so talented Heather Gray. She's a Boulder based photographer that has similar ties to California. We grew up about two hours away from each other and are now living a little less far away. She's not only one of the sweetest women I've met since living in Colorado, she's got that special way of making you feel at ease both in conversation over lunch and in front of the camera. Our kids took to her within minutes and gave her the full room tour, complete with stories for each toy and drawing. 

This isn't even half of the photos she captured of the kids and their shared room but these are most of my favorites. There are a few that just perfectly showcase each of their personalities and I know when we revisit them in ten years or so we'll all appreciate the reminders of what their favorite toys were and how little they looked. I've got at least two more posts with more photos with Smith to share because there are just so many that I love!

I'm so thankful that Heather gifted us with these beautiful photos. If you're in the Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs area and are looking for a photographer you should add her to your list of people to check into. 

I've got more to share soon!

-Rachel

Heart print c/o Gingiber. Best and Mostest print from RBTL.

Motherhood Matters and a Lisa Leonard Giveaway

The other day I was nursing Smith after a morning spent trying to provide him some comfort despite his gassy belly. As I sat there unable to move on the couch, Ruby looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Mama, do you still have enough room in your heart for me now that Smiff is here?"

It was one of those moments where I became painfully aware of my limitations and my heart swelled with compassion wondering how I could reassure her. I patted the couch next to me and felt her lean in as I put my arm around her and told her she'd always be my best girl.

She brought me a book and I read it to her while Smith nursed and I silently hoped she'd always know of her special place in my heart-carved out with long eyelashes and her slightly gap-toothed grin. She's now sandwiched between my two boys who are equally precious in that one made me a mother and one gave me the opportunity to enjoy these early, challenging days in ways I was too tired and overwhelmed to with the first two. 

Lisa Leonard has been creating special jewelry (and more) for as long as I've been a mama. I remember first learning about her work shortly after Sebastian was born. One of the very first necklaces I received from her featured a single tag with his name on it. Those early days of pushing the stroller to the park just to get out of the house and interact with anyone else between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm felt so long. 

There were always cheerios underfoot, towels pulled out of drawers, and Elmo's voice always ringing in my ears. I had no way of seeing beyond the end of the week much less the time when I'd miss him while he was at school all day. Fast forward seven years and two more tags and I'm almost looking forward to a little more Elmo again. 

My Fresh Cut Birthstone Necklace is a beautiful reminder of how special and unique each of the little hearts in our family are and how there's enough room in mine for all of them. 

Lisa Leonard Designs has so many lovely pieces that would make a thoughtful Mother's Day gift and you can take 25% off your order right now with the code 'momlove' at checkout. Or maybe send the father of your children a subtle link to your favorite necklace with the appropriate monogram or gemstones attached? I vote yes.

THE GOOD NEWS is that Lisa is offering a giveaway to one lucky Smile and Wave reader! Leave a comment below sharing which necklace you'd love if you were to win and I'll randomly pick a winner by Sunday, April 27th.

NOTE: Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you don't have a link or active e-mail address attached to your link. 

Have a lovely weekend!

-Rachel