fresh picked whimsy

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 
{your first peek at new holiday art, available now in the shop!}

...at least it is, over at whimsy studios!  I know, i know...the leaves have only just begun to turn and fall and i'm blogging about Christmas?!?  Well, I've been embracing my inner elf and working on Christmassy things!  Pandora has been playing Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Harry Connick, Jr. holiday faves, putting me in the mood for all things yuletide! {you should see my kids faces when they get home from school and hear Christmas songs blasting throughout the house in September!} And, did you know that there are only...

88 days until Christmas!

No worries...i've got your holiday shopping woes taken care of!  Very soon i'll be announcing the dates for my Holiday Open Studio and other local holiday shows where you can find me.  And, have no fear, if you are not from the Indy area, i will of course, have special deals in my etsy shop to coincide with my events!  So, start making your lists and check them twice!  I will have art that's very, very nice!  xo

Now, i suppose i better get to changing my blog banner from the dog days of summer to fabulous fall!  Back to the drawing board!

{Christmas countdown website available here}

hometown USA

 
If you were ever a fan of the TV show Friday Night Lights, you know that is the team mantra recited by Coach Taylor and his football team just before heading out on the playing field every Friday night.  I love it, so i just had to make that piece above.  I'm going to hang it in Riley's room.

We are deep in football season and this past week was Homecoming.  I thought i would share some of the sights and fun.  Last week I was at one of Griffin's soccer games and two of the moms sitting next to me, who are originally from India and England, were asking me what exactly "Homecoming" is.  I know i have a lot of international readers, so i thought i would explain it to you, too!  Homecoming is technically about welcoming home the alumni, but it's really about building school spirit and community spirit.  Here in Carmel, there is a weeklong celebration at the high school, full of spirit days and decorations, pep rallies, contests, a parade and finally culminating with the crowning of the Homecoming queen {a student voted on by her classmates}, the Friday night Homecoming football game and the Homecoming dance on Saturday night.  It's all a lot of fun.

My kids all participated in the spirit days at school.  One day was "dress like a favorite movie character".  So the kids went to goodwill to piece together their costumes and this is what they came up with...Katie is Pocohontas, Riley is Will Ferrell's character from Kicking & Screaming and Griffin is Paul Blart, Mall Cop.  Hilarious. 

   

 There was no way they were going to pass up the opportunity to decorate the BEAST {kate & riley's truck} for the decorated car contest at the high school.  Anyone could decorate their car, and then the school would choose the top 3 to be in the parade on Friday afternoon.  Katie and Riley worked on it until midnight the night before...we made the greyhound out of newspaper and painted it.  Then, they attached it to the truck with painter's tape!

 

leaving for school the next day...

 
She texted me early that morning to tell me that she won 3rd place and a couple of free car washes, too!  She was so excited when they announced it!  Here's the Beast in the parade!...

 
 
Riley and the team walked in the parade...

 

Back in my day at Carmel High School, we made floats for the parade.  A few years back they decided that too much money was being spent on the floats, which were destroyed the next day.  So, these days, the students at CHS build and paint children's playhouses to be auctioned off for different charities.  It's a worthy cause and the kids have a lot of fun, too.

 

The tailgating for high school football is crazy here.  You would swear you were on a college campus.  We have so much fun with our friends. 

 

the kids love it, too...

 

When the team arrives at the stadium before the game, everyone tailgating cheers them on.  Here's my smiley Riley after he spots his brother and friends shouting his name out!

 
The game is just sensory overload...so much going on.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ending with a WIN and the team singing the fight song for the fans...

 

and finally, a player-lead, team prayer...which chokes me up everytime.

 

So, that's a little slice of Americana, right there.  Community, hometown, family, team.  We love being a part of all of it.  Thanks for letting me share it with you!

GO GREYHOUNDS!!!

next time won't you sing with me?...

 

This has been sitting in my sketchbook for almost a year.  Finally got it done and it feels so good to let it out!  New alphabet print in the shop today!

Happy Friday, friends!

a perfect pair

 
 

This brand new print originated as a doodle of Griffin and his bff, who both ADORE Legos.  I know my little Lego lover is not alone, so i thought i would share it in the shop!  It's available in lots of different color combos and with or without lettering underneath. 

Have a great day, friends!

i love margaritas, but they don't love me back

 
Aaaah, summer.  I do love you so.  But, i admit, i let you get the best of me.  Too little exercise in the heat and a little too much indulging on summertime cocktails (hello, summer beer, no offense, but i wish i had never met you).  Thankfully, i didn't slide too far backwards and gain a lot of the weight back, but i certainly haven't moved forward, either. 

Ok.  that's over now.  not going to dwell on it.  not gonna beat myself up over it.  i'm moving on. 

Woulda.  Coulda.  Shoulda. 

So, now what?

BEGIN TODAY.  Don't say i'll start tomorrow.  or Monday.  START TODAY.  You don't have to go out right now and buy special food or join a gym.  Just committ to eating less and moving more.  Make what you had planned on making for dinner tonight.  Just eat less of it.  Then, make the time to go for a walk, or ride your bike or blow the dust off that workout DVD you have and just do it. 

I went to a free fitness class yesterday at my church.  We did "Turbo Jam" together in the gym.  Whoa!  Evidently, i used muscles yesterday that i didn't know i even had.  Because today they are screaming at me.  I hurt.  Seriously...ouch.  But it feels so good, at the same time, to be moving again. 

 
I know that many of you had been following my fitness progress and working along with me.  I apologize for letting things slide over the summer.  But, i'm back on track.  To date, i have lost 20 pounds and am down two sizes in clothes.  Just last week, i was at Old Navy and was so excited to have to say to the fitting room attendant "this is too big...could you get me the next size down?"!!!!  That is THE BEST!  If you are still on this journey with me, i'm proud of you.  If you've had a set back, too, let's move forward together.  Keep me posted on your progress!  We can do this!  We'll motivate each other!

 

{image via www.theentertaininghouse.com}

If you need a refresher of what i am doing to get fit and happy for life, visit my posts here.  I needed to revisit them, myself! 

Where were you?

 

I was at home, folding laundry on the couch, watching the Today Show.  Griffin was 14 months old and down for his morning nap.  Riley was in kindergarten and Katie was in 2nd grade; both were at school.  Mark called me from his cell phone on his way to work and asked if i had heard anything about a small commuter plane hitting the world trade center.  I hadn't.  But, a mere minute later, Matt Lauer & Katie Couric interrupted their broadcast with the breaking news.  I watched in horror, first believing it was a freak accident.  Then, minutes later, watched in complete disbelief as the second plane hit during the live broadcast.  I had called my mom to make sure she was watching and then quickly called Mark and pleaded for him to come home.  I feared for him, for my father who was working in a tall building downtown Indy, and for my children, who were at school.  I remember calling up to school and asking if i should come get them.  The receptionist told me that the schools were in lock down.  She said i was welcome to come get them but that they were safe, and unaware of all that was going on.  Later that afternoon, the children would be told by their teachers, a very brief explanation of the day's events, before they left for home.  They sent home a memo to parents letting us know how and what the children were told.  I kept that memo and have it tucked in their baby books...a small piece of American history.  The remainder of that day was a blur of emotions, prayer and deep sadness. 

I will never forget the horrific images, the feeling of helplessness, anger, fear and the 24/7 news coverage.  I will also never forget the feeling of fierce patriotism, of unity and of love for our country.  We lit candles, we prayed at candlelight vigils and gave blood.  We displayed flags on our home, our car, and our clothing. My heart aches for all that we lost on that terrible, fateful day.  I pray for peace for all those who lost loved ones on 9/11 and since then, fighting for our freedom.  As difficult as it has been to re-watch the videos and re-live the events of that day leading up to this 10th anniversary, it's imperative that we never forget the worth of our freedom and those who have died, or are willing to die protecting it.  I am forever grateful.

God bless the United States of America

♥

 

it's in the air...

fall is coming.  No doubt about it.  We went from 100 degrees to the 50's & 60's in a matter of days.  Summer is preparing for her long hibernation and signs of autumn are everywhere...like in the pool...

 
I do love the change of seasons.  Fall is a really beautiful time of year.  I love Halloween, the colors of the leaves changing, bonfires, pumpkins, wrapping up in a warm sweater, and football. Oh, football....how you have become so important to me, now that my Riley is playing. 

 
We are LOVING our hometown friday night lights...seeing our son down there on the field with his teammates.  We are so proud! 

 
I made my first pot of chili of the season this week and it was so yummy!  The kids have already requested homemade chicken noodle soup and broccoli cheddar soup for dinner soon. 

Griffin brought home the first cold of the season during the first week of school!  It quickly spread through the family and we all made it through thanks to Vicks Vapo Rub and Sudafed. 

 
I put my sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, runny nose and stuffy head to bed early each night last week, hunkered down under the covers and read this "chick flick" book.  Have you read it yet?

 
I thought it was great.  I was seriously casting the movie in my head as i read it.  Jen Garner & Scarlet Johansson?  Or Liv Tyler & Gwynneth Paltrow?  Not sure if it is destined for Hollywood, but it would be an awesome movie!

this weekend, i'm planning on getting my first of many of these...

pumpkin spice latte...mmmm....my very favorite!  Of course, i will be a good girl and get the skinny ps latte...more on that next week!  Go ahead and splurge a little this weekend, then plan on getting back on track with me next week!   In the meantime...have a great weekend!  ♥

I'm that girl...

 

a new print in the shop today inspired by my LOVE for stopping at garage sales, thrift stores and antique malls...the rush of finding a great piece that simply needs a little love, paint or elbow grease...collecting even more blue Ball jars, daydreaming about learning how to sew...and gifting something handmade.  I am in awe of the massive creativity out there in the world, and thrilled that Pinterest has made it so easy to see so much of it, all in one place!  To all you DIYers and fellow treasure hunters...this one's for you!