be together

And here we have my children playing together on my bed one morning after I had just finished folding and putting away the laundry. Just a moment of our day-to-day life captured as I was contemplating whether or not we should sand and re-stain the eaves outside our house or perhaps paint them for a similar look to this. I wasn't totally engrossed in this moment watching my children interact, it was just a snapshot, but sometimes seemingly unexceptional photos can end up speaking to your heart. 

We spent the morning doing nothing in particular besides being together which I thought was quite lovely, so during nap time I posted this picture to Instagram (find me @stacyhartsew) to document my thoughts - 

"My favorite mornings are the ones when we stay home and don't do a whole lot other than be together."

And then I thought about it some more. And then I mulled over it all during nap time and while I was falling asleep that night, and suddenly this ordinary snapshot was absolutely beautiful to me. More than just documenting how we spent a lovely low-key morning together, but capturing life exactly how I want to live it.

Simple and uncluttered, being present with my loved ones, keeping up with the inevitable household chores with a happy attitude and a grateful heart. Watching my children play, answering their many questions, listening to them sing or cry, and kissing their bumps and bruises. Reading books, making and cleaning up creative messes, teaching love and forgiveness, and preparing nourishing food to eat - all the simple small things we did that morning could be rolled up into one big beautiful life.

Our mornings are not always this lovely, and my mind set about household chores is not always grateful, and sometimes we need our space from each other, but man, that life is there ready to be lived.

  

6/52 + 26 weeks

I haven't been feeling well all week. I am SO done being sick but I don't really feel like there is an end in sight quite yet. It seems like I always get sick more often and for longer periods of time when I am pregnant. Because of this I didn't get my big camera out much at all this week (these are iphone shots) and I don't have a picture of myself to include. That's okay though, my bump pretty much looks the same as last week ;)

1 - When we were little my mom used to dress my sisters and I in matching capelets for church (I think she crocheted them herself? I'll have to ask.). This week I looked at the girls and realized, though they aren't matching, that I am continuing the Sunday cape tradition.

2 - They fight every day, but they sure know how to love each other too. Watching their relationship grow is the best gift. 

3 - I know this shot is blurry, but there is something about Lark's expression that I love. She is almost three and is really growing up in her vocabulary, sense of humor, and contribution to the family. I think I am getting sentimental that we only have a few more months of her being the youngest and I am trying to soak in all of her remaining littleness before she looks so big next to the baby.

heart face hair clip valentines

For Valentine's Day this year I decided to give the girls a gift handmade with love. I found these felt heart shapes that we used a few years back for a Valentine's tic tac toe game and thought they could use a little more personality, so I embroidered some cute quirky faces on them and turned them into hair clips. They loved them! I had so much fun making them a little token of love l that I think a small handmade Valentine gift tradition has been started.

I am thinking about making a little different version of these for the shop, so you might see these and other quirky heart-faced characters again sometime soon. They were just too much fun, I am not done with them yet! :)

5/52 + 25 weeks

I meant to post this at the end of last week, but with a busy Valentines Day and then getting hit with a sick bug over the weekend I find myself playing catch up...

1 - I have pretty much given up any kind of control when it comes to what LM wears. She picks out her own outfits these days and on this particular day even did her hair herself. She was so proud! I didn't count, but I think there were about 5-6 clips throughout her hair. So, that is how she went to school, fancy vintage dress and all.

2 - Lark will often dress herself too. Her uniform of choice always involves one of her sister's skirts. This polka dot skirt is her favorite. It may as well just be hers because she wears it more than LM. I love that it is almost always on backwards.

3 - As far as my wardrobe goes, I am having to get creative. Layering a dress with a shorter shirt I sort of bunch up with a belt is my latest comfy outfit that still feels put together.

You're Sweet, Valentine! Free Printable

If you are like me and tend to wait until the last minute to put together Valentine's this free bag topper printable may help! 

I found these darling Japanese ice cream puzzle erasers at my local party store (you can find them online too) and knew it would be the perfect way to give LM's Kindergarten class a fun 'treat' without being a treat at all! Since they pull apart and put back together like puzzles my girls have been playing with them almost non-stop, so I think they will be a hit with the younger age group. 

I like to give candy-free Valentine's, but with this printable you can fill the bag up with any little 'sweet' thing you can think of so it's totally versatile. It is the perfect size for 3"x4" treat bags which are big enough to hold 1-3 little treats. Just print the toppers on cardstock or other heavy paper, cut them out, have your little one fill up the bags and write their name after the xoxo, then help them staple on the bag toppers. Super easy!

You can download/print the bag toppers 9 to a page here. For personal use only, please.

Have a sweet Valentine's Day!

4/52 + 24 weeks

1 - Going...

2 - Going...

3 - Gone! They played on the couch like this for most of the afternoon one day.

4 - The view looking down at 24 weeks. Feeling really good at this point. The baby was kicking the heart rate monitor like crazy at my midwife appointment this week. I am so grateful for every one of those kicks.