Big Milestones {Preschool}

Today my favorite little boy in the entire world started preschool. He didn't cry when I dropped him off, however we was feeling so anxious and apprehensive. He held his head down as the teachers walked him into his classroom, and didn't look back.

Two and a half hours later I went to pick him up. I was so excited to see him, and I knew he'd be so excited to see me.

The teacher walked him out and I could see he had been crying. She said that he watched the class from the corner, not wanting to participate it even playing on the playground or having a snack.

My sweet tender boy needs time to warm up to new things. And a new environment without me? He might need a lot of time.

But that's ok. He is sweet and wonderful and perfect just the way he is. And once he decides that he loves preschool (because that day will come) I will know, as I have always known, that he will do great things.

We each drew a heart on our inner wrist, so that when we were missing each other we could look at it. James told me after I picked him up that he spent most of the time looking out the door for me, or looking at his heart on his arm. Thankfully he seems excited to try again next week.

Living room remodel

It's been a long time coming. We've been in our home for five years, and we've never liked our living room. Why'd it take five years to change something we've never liked, you ask?

We moved in in 2008 and started "trying". I got pregnant early 2009, had a baby late 2009 and since then I've either had a young kid (or two!) and/or nursing/pregnant.

Our living room shortly after we moved in. We had yet to buy a rug, new lamps, or even hang art above the couch.

It's crazy that five years ago it was just E and I and the kitties. We felt like our house was huge. Now with a family of four (and kitties) the house is filled to the top with love and joy and so many damn toys.

So, our living room. We wanted some color. Before it was beige, and I really detest beige. Plus, our fireplace was simple and ugly, and needed some major TLC.

Over the last five years I've been cataloguing ideas of what I wanted in our living room. E and I both decided that we'd love to have board and batten, where the top half of the room is a color and the bottom is white with a horizontal board and vertical boards under it.

We decided after a year of thinking that we'd tackle it ourselves.

We are so happy we did. It was crazy easy and the room is so so so much better.

And the paint color we chose? One that we've LOVED for years. Back in our condo days our bedroom was painted Behr Skipper. We adored it. It was gray and moody on dark days and light and dreamy on sunny days. Purplish in some lights, gray in others, and just stunning like the sea.

Here are some before and afters.

Beige and blah.

After.

I told the kiddos to stay out of the living room for a couple of minutes so I could take some photos. Of course they couldn't wait to run in all while Daddy was on hot pursuit.

We didn't remember to take any before shots, so this wide angle one from Juliet's first birthday will have to do.

After.

Our fireplace now. We gave the beige mantle a fresh coat of bright white paint, added some more crown moulding, and fished off the fireplace opening too. 

Looks so much better than it did before.

Two of my favorite belongings are housed in the living room. Once it was apparent that my Grandma was not moving back home again after her stroke, she decided to give some of her most treasured possessions to her grandchildren. I was lucky enough to receive the antique clock (above, on the mantle) and this snowy scene drawing that was done by my grandfather. I adore it.

James thought trying to run into each and every shot was hilarious.

We changed out the art above the couch, now there are four of our favorite woodblock prints by Japanese master Hasui Kawase.

Newish rug. When we first purchased a rug for the house we got this one. It never seemed to fit our style, so, we upgraded last year.

And while we adored our canvas wrapped family photos behind the front door, the fact that they didn't include Juliet made them feel outdated.

So the night after I took this photo (still my favorite photo of the two of them of all time), I ordered it on canvas. I ordered as big as I could afford, and it's perfection! I love those two sweet kiddos of mine.

And notice our desk and computer now in the living room? Since James moved to his big boy room almost two years ago, we've had the desk in the living room instead of the library (which is now his room).

Zoo on a Sunday

Going to the zoo on a cloudy Sunday morning has its perks: we had the entire place to ourselves.

This morning was cool and pleasant and all the animals were active and awake. Over the last week we've been remodeling our living room (photos to come) so the day out felt like a special treat. Plus, we didn't go to Home Depot once today, which is the first time this week.

Juliet wore my new favorite outfit to date, and her hair has been amazing lately. Also, James starts preschool this week, so I decided to bring my big camera. Milestones are just around the corner. James starting preschool is so incredibly bittersweet, sometimes I wish I could rewind time. More on that coming once he starts, because it's going to be emotional for all of us.

Elephants were active, but seriously, look at baby girl's hair! I die! Thick blond curls. Sometimes I catch my breath looking at her and seeing how beautiful she is.

This kid is sensitive. He doesn't want to leave my side. Preschool will be good for him, but man on man will he be missed. It's amazing, in his almost four years since I had him, he's been my shadow every single moment. I've only missed putting him to bed under ten times, which is the way I like it. We are like glue, he and I.

Trying to splash me, of course. The zoo now has a small tide-pool themed splash pad which both kiddos adore.

Rizzo the polar bear was swimming in loops and we were the only ones there to enjoy the show.

Pretty dang spectacular.

We always finish off a zoo trip with a carousel ride, and almost always we choose the tigers.

And one final shot of her dress. I seriously love it so much. Best eBay find in awhile!

August at the Farmhouse

Over the last three days the weather has been lovely. It was such a hot miserable week. Thursday I took the kids for a walk up the street (less than 200 feet) and they were both flushed and crying by the end. It was just so hot.

But back to the fact that it cooled. It cooled, and it was the best weather we've had since June.

Not only was it cloudy with a breeze, but it was cool enough to actually enjoy being outside.

It was also a special occasion due to the fact that Chelsea and Joe had brought Emilia to enjoy the farmhouse for the very first time. Farmhouse first trips are a big deal. This home has been in E's family for 250 years, and one day it will be James, Juliet, Emilia and any other cousins that will own it. (See James's first farmhouse trip and Juliet's first farmhouse visit too!)

We took a mid day walk to the ice cream shop and picked flowers all along the way.

We take the wagon out daily back at home, but because it is just me, I don't have many photos of what it looks like pulling two heavy kids.

I love love love this one. James's face kills me.

The ice cream shop is a short walk, and not only does it serve ice cream, but traditional Hawaiian shaved ice too. It's amazing.

On the way back home James and E made up a hilarious game. It involves E pretending to be asleep while James steered. Of course they bumped into fences, rocks, and me.

All the silliness meant I got some awesome genuine big smiles from James. This photo below is my new all time favorite of these two.

Not only was Chelsea and Joe with us, E's entire family joined us. We did a lot of playing on the lawn and relaxing.

Baby Emilia is four months old and as darling as ever.

James was seriously in love. Giving lots of nice touches, smiles and kisses.

And just in case you think our family is perfect and we never have meltdowns, I assure you, we are far from perfect, and meltdowns are part of life.

Then & Now {farmhouse}

I love Then & Now posts. I love taking photos in the same spot or in the same outfit over time and watch how so many things change, and so many things stay the same.

One of my favorite Then & Now spots is down near E's family's farmhouse. I've been having my photo taken in the same spot since I was pregnant the first time.

Oh what a difference a few years makes.

October 2009. Nine months pregnant with James.

July 2010. James is seven months old.

January 2012, James is two and I am nine months pregnant with Juliet.

October 2012, James is almost three and Juliet is 9 months.

Today. August 2013. James is three a half and Juliet is one and a half. 

More farmhouse photos to come. I'm off to bed, I'm exhausted. 

xoxo

Summertime IG style

Summer has been treating us kindly. We've been up to the mountains for dinner more times than I can count, have been continuing our weekly hiking tradition, and have been playing hard in the sun all day every day. 

Here are a few favorite moments captured in Instagram. 

And not that I want to dwell on our 24 hour hospital stay, but the fact that I had Instagram as a lifeline, people hoping and praying for Juliet all day and night (as well updates throughout the day) was really so wonderful. Here are four photos that showed on IG that never made it to my blog. Scary stuff, but as you remember, the doctors believe no pills were ingested and she was totally fine (which of course it the best news possible).