silent films.

This summer as the kids and I were staying in the little 3 bedroom apartment, with no yard to play in and the heat and humidity too much to go out in, we started reading books.  Each afternoon after we had gone to the pool or in the morning before going to the pool we would lay on my bed and I would read to them.  I will always love this summer just for that reason.  Having all of my kids laying on the bed with me completely enrapt in a book is a wonderful feeling and a great time.  Every time I would say, "Okay that's it for the day.  We'll pick up there tomorrow."  The would always beg. "No Mom!  Read some more.  Just one more chapter.  Please!"  Not only did I love having their imaginations caught up in a book I also loved the worlds that reading together opened up for them.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret opened up the world of silent films to them. If it weren't for this book they wouldn't have loved silent films as much as they do now.  I think if, before Hugo, I would have said, "Hey, let's watch this George Melies film...or this Charlie Chaplin film"  They would have thought I was crazy to watch a show with no dialogue.

The way Hugo Cabret is written is so imaginative and completely different from any other book I've every read or seen.  It's written like it IS a silent film.  In the introduction of the story it asks you to 'imagine that the curtain is being lifted to reveal a giant screen.  In the first few pages you will see the sun coming up over the city, it will zoom into the city, then to a train station in the city, then to a boy, follow him...'

What a great beginning to a book!  It had us hooked right from the start!  The illustrations of Brian Selznick draw you in as though you are watching a movie.  We couldn't put the book down!  This is a book the kids didn't want to have end.  After the last page we immediately got on the internet and found films by George Melies, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin.  The kids couldn't stop laughing as they watched Charlie Chapin in the boxing ring and George Melies's The Black Imp. 

The illustration below is a film still from one of George Melies's films.  They were amazed to see the film 'Le Voyage dans la Lune' with the picture in the book below.

Now when we see a black and white movie on TV they want to stop and watch it.  I love that they are interested in the classic beginnings of film.  Thank you Brian Selznick!

new. LOVE.

Make sure to check out the video of George Melies's 'Le Voyage dans la Lune' below (After the picture from the book that goes with the video link):

safe.

Beds are a safe place in our family.  Every night we read to our kids there, sing, and talk about the things in their lives that are important, exciting, or scary.  They are the safe place to spill your guts,cry, be comforted, be listened to, and be heard.

I know it sounds a little crazy.

This sweet moment with Mike and Gracie happened just as the day was getting started.  Gracie felt that she was being left out of the play and the kids were wanting to do some grown up playing that they didn't think exactly worked with Gracie involved.  Sometimes it's tough to only be four years old-- wishing you could be older.  I love though, that she knows that she can come to us and we'll have the time to talk to her, hear her sadness, and get a sweet and understanding hug. 

Don't wait to make a safe place in your home.  A place where anything can be said and heard.  A place where your toughest secrets can be shared and a place where you know you'll be loved no matter what the rest of the world may think.

One night when I was laying in bed with Emma talking about how scary school had been, how much she didn't like going, and how much she missed Gracie and I every day..the truest reason school was so scary finally came out.  Emma was scared of lunch time.  She would stress out as she stood there looking at all the choices knowing she had to decide with all of the class standing behind her telling her to hurry up.  She couldn't take the pressure.  Right then and there we decided to look at the lunch menu every night so that she could decide if she wanted to eat lunch at school and, if she did, what specifically, she was going to eat or if she was going to take a lunch.  Since that day school has been wonderful for her.  World Problem Solved.  There's something about the sleepy time just before bed, talking about the way the day went, the lights being off, and wanting to make sure everything in the world is just right before falling off to dream land. 

No matter when or where -make sure there are safety places in your life and home.  You'll have wonderful moments that will open your eyes to the depth of you and the sweet people you live with. 

love. LIFE.

declutter.

I try to declutter my house about twice a year.  I don't know about you but with 4 kids it seems that we are a magnet for STUFF...alot of it.  One of my girls' room needs to be decluttered about every other month (from the pictures here I'm sure you'll be able to figure out which room that would be!).  I love getting all of the stuff we've acquired but don't really need out of my house.  We give things to D.I., The Goodwill, or Salvation Army.  It helps other people and makes my life feel more clean and much simpler.  Even though my kids fight me tooth and nail when I'm trying to get rid of everything (that has suddenly become their favorite, most dear things in all of the world) they love to come into their room when I'm done and have all of the clutter gone.  They love the clean space and the simplicity.

If you're feeling like you have no idea where to start in your house here are some ideas. 

**Get a garbage bag and start walking through your house and just putting everything in it that you need to throw away.  You'll be surprised at how quickly your bag fills up.  A lot of things sit around our homes that we just get used to having around and don't realize that you really don't need it anymore.  Take a second bag and walk around your house and look for all of the things that someone else could use that you don't use and put them in the bag. 

Usually, this is enough for me to do to get the bug for cleaning out everything else.  Remember to take things in little bite sized chunks and in no time you'll be living simpler and fresher.

**The process you see in these pictures is not my usual way of decluttering.  My son decided to help my girls get their rooms cleaned out since he'd heard me talking about how badly it need to be done.  He took everything out of the little hideways, shelves, and crevices and made a huge pile in the middle of their rooms. This method works also...anything to just get it all out of your life and help you to live with more simplicity.

NOTE:  This round of decuttering I can't take credit for...it was pretty much Mike and the kids who did it while I was at a meeting....I'm pretty blessed...

Gracie was so excited to have her room clean again.  She was jumping on the beds and feeling so good to have all of the stuff out of her little space in the world.   The little series is of Grace working out a karate chop move she came up with....

simple. LIFE.

Date Night. Every Week.

Every week I go on a date with my all time favorite person...my husband.  Tonight is the night of the week that I look forward to every time my Friday night ends.

We're always glad to get a way for some fun and good times together.  A chance to be somewhere without the kids, away from the cares of the world, and to just get to be us.  We love this time and absolutely feel that our week is not complete if we miss it.  It fills up our hearts and our buckets...especially after a long week.

We've done all kinds of things.  Tonight we'll be getting something to eat (and I'll be leaving a little on my plate...), go for a walk, and then later maybe the movies. 

Other times we've gone to Barnes and Noble, gotten a steamed milk, and played a game in the cafe.  We've also gone ice skating at the ice sheet, hiking, to the movies, a picnic, to the theatre, dinner theatre, walked around downtown, gone the gallery stroll, and so much more.

If you're not dating your fave person...start.

If you are dating your fave person but are stuck in a rut, plan ahead.  Occassionally, we end up doing the same thing every week (especially in the middle of the winter) so we take turns planning the date.  If you want to spice things up you definitely have to try this.  Whatever the person for the week plans, you both do.

We've considered getting twenty $1 bills and just going to the mall and giving one out out to anyone we see...just to do a little study on everyone's reactions.  We've also given ourselves each $1 and we go to the dollar store and see if we can find something the other person would like.

Whatever you do...usually the cheaper it is...the more fun it is.  Find your true love and sweep them off on a date...tonight!!!

love. LIFE.

save. your. life.

When you have your own business, it's easy to take every aspect of it on yourself and think that only you can do everything...only you can do the perfect job. 

So many people want to know how I make it all work.  I have a family, four kids, a husband, and a life.  I want everything to be perfect for my clients.

One of the things that I want to have perfect is the album.  I want to have gorgeous albums for my wonderful clients and pink penny has made that happen for me.  I love working with them, they take care of the entire design process and work so closely with my clients.  It's a gift when you find someone who values and appreciates the investment you have in your clients and business and wants success for you and your clients.  I found Pink Penny and they do just that.  Shelly helps my clients every step of the way to get the beautiful album that they want...which is, of course, 100% important to me.  It's been a dream to have them as a partner.  I love that Shelly gives my clients the attention, help, and beautiful album that I want them to have.

better. life.