First day of September brings a new first here...

With the first day of September, came a new first here...

The babe is finally taking some steps on her own.  Still very cautious, she is beginning to take more steps alone without the help of Momma's hand.  And, yes, our big boy was right there to offer some congratulatory licks on the cheek.

That special place I know...

There is only one place I know,

where I'll let my babe walk up the street barefoot while pushing the stroller she should be riding in.

There is only one place I know,

where my big girl runs wildly down the side of the road while the cool wind pushes against her small body.

There is only one place I know,

where vibrant red berries hang from trees like weeds in late August.

There is only one place I know,

where the wild daisies beg to be picked by eager little hands.

There is only one place I know,

where I can't wait to get up in the morning (no matter how little the kids slept last night).

There is only one place I know,

where 3 cousins happily entertain themselves for hours on the floor of a tiny mudroom.

There is only one place I know,

where walking lessons with Momma, barefoot up the road, fill our evening hours.

There is only one place I know,

where we visit the local candy kitchen twice daily.

There is only one place I know,

where your aunt lets your girl pick as many apples as she wants (even though they aren't quite ripe enough yet).

There is only one place I know,

where magical woodsy mushrooms grow wild in the pine needles of the forest floor.

There is only one place I know,

where it is ok to walk a great distance ahead of Momma...alone.

There is only one place I know,

where my babe is happy playing with (not eating) the yellow flowers that grow along the road.

 

There is only one place I know,

where watching the dog fetch sticks from the water delights babies and adults alike.

There is only one place I know,

where sticking a set of play keys in an old lock hole excites the imagination of a preschooler for days.

Unfortunately, getting there with 3 kids, 3 car seats, a stroller, a Pack n' Play, a baby backpack and 6 pieces of luggage required the biggest car you can rent, 4 adults, 2 flights and lots of patience. 

 Nevertheless, I was overjoyed to spent time with my children at the place I enjoyed as a child.

New use for old bridesmaid dresses...

We have recently begun digging in Momma's closet for fun dress-up clothes.  Momma's assortment of once-worn bridesmaids dresses have fit the dress-up bill perfectly!

The Summertime Lake

Is there anything better than the lake in the summertime?
The humming of motor boats,
The gentle splash of water as it laps ashore,
The sun's glittery reflection on the water,
The jovial sounds of laughter and splashing.

Monthly Organization: Project 3 "Laundry Hamper/Laundry Room" continued...

I have found some nice pictures of neat and tidy laundry rooms.  I am hoping with the right inspiration, I will be able to transform our laundry room to an efficient, yet pleasant, room.

This one is from a Real Simple article on creating and efficient laundry room:

And another from Martha Stewart's website:

I love this one from Decorati (who has that much space in a laundry room?):

I even spy that cute little French wire laundry hamper from PB in the corner!

I like the use of the clothing hamper on wheels and the fresh and clean feel these rooms evoke. 

I forgot to mention in my previous post that I am also in need of some type of shoe collector.  My husband and I tend to dump our shoes off as we come in the door.  Our shoes have just sort of ended up in the laundry room.  I really like this tray for storing shoes.  It is slim and streamline and won't take up too much space.

I found a boot tray I like at Williams Sonoma, of course (they think of everything!):

And another from GrandinRoad:

Copper is nice but might be a bit too traditional for this laundry room.

Then, there is this super inexpensive option from The Container Store:

At only 6.99 it would be a great super affordable option.

And I just love this idea from none other than Martha Stewart (we share a love-hate relationship):

The pebbles inside the tray look so nice and give an added element of texture in an unexpected place.

I strayed a bit off topic on this post BUT I really hope that I can transform our untidy "catch all" laundry room into a great space...on an affordable budget!

I'll keep you posted.  Do you have any great ideas for great laundry room organization and efficient flow?

Monthly Organization: Project 3 "Laundry Hamper/Laundry Room"

Ok, so I have completely slacked off on my Monthly Organization projects.  This summer has been a busy one.

One area that does not run so smoothly in my house is the laundry room.  The washer is constantly running because I hate the stacks of clothes that pile up on the floor.  I don't have a hamper in our laundry room to collect dirty clothes that get thrown in after a messy supper with 2 kids.  This was never a problem with 1 kid because I could easily keep up with the small stack that mounted on top of  the washer.  But now with 2 little ones and my husband, I desperately need a place to collect dirty clothes.

I have always longed for a neat, tidy and stylish laundry room.  I spend so much time in there.  It should be lovely!

I love the vintage and industrial look of a rolling laundry hamper with heavy duty stainless steel casters.  I have found a couple I like but many are pretty pricey (especially for a dirty clothes collector!).  I am still on the hunt for that perfect  hamper that marries bright shiny stainless, quality and a canvas collection liner. These are the latest contenders:

From Pottery Barn:

This one has all the right pieces but might be a little too vintage for me.

This one is from BedBathStore.com:

This one has the modern stainless but doesn't have the nice stainless caster wheels.  I know, too picky!

From KitchenSource.com:

This one is nice but lacks the wheels!

And from The Container Store:

So far, this one is the best yet.  I like the heavier duty look of the wheels.  I am not a fan of the black plastic casters.

I will keep you posted when I get this project done.  

How do you organize your laundry room?  Are you a once-a-week washer or is you machine constantly running like mine?  I am going to find a way out of all the laundry woes!

Morning Balloons over the Lake

We recently got up earlier than the sun and madly rushed out of the house (with 2 groggy kids) to see a spectacular sight.  We saw hot air balloons launching over the lake.  Each year, this hot air balloon group gets together to launch their balloons over the quiet morning lake.  It was so quiet.  I never remember how quiet the morning is until I experience it.

The majestic balloons prepared to launch by filling their colorful balloons with air.  We enjoyed watching them prepare for their magical ascent into the peaceful morning sky.  

As they ascended and the morning sun rose, the colors of the balloons popped out vividly against the soft blue sky.  It was beautiful!

I can only imagine that this must be as wonderful as the famous Hot Air Balloon Festival in New Mexico.
After the ascent, many balloons floated down to touch the water.  It was as if we were watching toys play a game together on the lake.

I highly recommend finding some to watch!  Here is a link to US Balloon Festivals.  It is so much fun.