Baby had her first strawberry.
And she flipped her lid when it was gone. So I had to give her more, not just because I wanted to satiate her strawberry-lovin’ heart, but because I was enjoying watching her eat it so much, I had tears in my eyes.
Love for these little beings that belong to me hits me unexpectedly sometimes…in swells that knock me off my feet. And I get up, starry-eyed, and thank the heavens that they are mine.
It is the most grounding, centering love I know. And that unsure thing I was talking about? Those not-so-confident feelings seem to crumble to non-existence when I am fully present with my other hearts…the ones that beat outside my chest. When I am with them, when I am fulfilling their needs and performing even the simplest of tasks in the greatest role of my life, I am so very sure.
We had a girls’ date to the produce market.
I was craving fresh tomotoes and corn but more so a nice dose of color, an opportunity to be outside in this magical climate and something fun to do with the girls.
And shopping among the colors of peppers and tomotoes and ripe corn makes me more excited for the coming months for they will be drenched in even more vivid colors…from the blues of Spring sky and pool water to rainbow-colored kayaks at Isle of Capri.
Today, it was fruits and veggies.
Best beefsteak tomatoes ever.
And many strawberries for Nella who devoured them Thoreau style…sucking the marrow, Baby.
Have a fabulous weekend.
And Congratulations to the winner of the Shabby Apple dress, Commenter #17, Team Lando:
Oh, oh, I am lusting after that dress for my little girl who is being born TOMORROW! Induction tonight! So I very much get the “unfinished” feeling. I’ve been sort of in a daze all day. That being said, I finally got myself a DSLR camera thanks to a) your website and b) little Ellie’s inspiration.
Team Lando, e-mail your contact info to kellehamptonblog@comcast.net and a pretty dress wil be on the way! And pretty please, attach a picture of your new little love…welcome to the world!
Love those strawberries! And, what an amazing market you have there!
Adorable! I love how thrilled Nella looks with that berry 🙂
Kelle – you make potatoes look so photogenic & colorful! Luv the pictures. Nella’s messy strawberry fav is unbelievable! Luv it. Happy weekend.
I am so jealous of your market….what beautiful produce! Nothing like that in Iowa – especially this time of year:((
Your love for your girls is blinding and beautiful. It’s amazing to see you put it into words because I know it’s about 100 times brighter in real life. I know my own mother feels like that about us, too. Through the good and bad we have been her little stars. I can’t wait to have my own little stars someday too.
Also, I’m so very jealous of nella! I want some strawberries, too! The mess she’s making is adorable, good luck getting that out Mommy!! (: Have a good weekend!
just love the smile on Nella’s face when she’s eating her strawberry!!!
You have completely and utterly kicked my weekend off right. First, Nella is beyond adorable eating her strawberries with her two pearly white front teeth peeking out. And, that plated of tomatoes made me salivate.
My 80 year old mother in law arrives today from NJ to celebrate my son’s 4th birthday so it will be a grand weekend indeed.
http://itiswhatitisorisit.net/
Watching Nella devour a strawberry just made my day.
I love the photo with Nella and Lainey where Nella has her hand on Lainey’s arm and she’s looking up at her. So precious!
Reading with my newly turned 2 year old on my lap, she laughed outloud as she saw Nella’s face. I had to giggle as she said “oh messy baby”. However yesterday she had a chocolate nose, beard and mustache ALL day!
So fun! I could smell that produce just by looking at your photos!!!
such beautiful pictures! your love inspires me.
Nella’s got the perfect shoes for her first strawberry. Here’s to many more! And Lainey is rocking that funky dress at the market. I loved the shots of the fruit and veggies. Happy weekend to you too!
Seriously so sweet. Her face after eating the strawberry!
Priceless! Wishing you a sun drenched weekend!
Nela baby knows what’s up….strawberries definitely taste better in the buff.
Nella and Lainey are both so beautiful. I can’t get enough of your photos of them!
She makes that strawberry look good! I can’t get enough of your girls cuteness, Happy Weekend!
WATERMELON. I’m so jealous. I could eat watermelon every day of my life. I could eat a WHOLE watermelon. Thanks for the gorgeous pics. Babies eating fruit that is messy is beautiful.
So cute! Gorgeous photos. As always, very inspiring, too. 🙂
~Starr
I know exactly what you’re talking about related to the gush of love that knocks your over when you look at your children. It’s breathtaking and exhilarating like the best amusement ride in the world ever. And makes my eyes well daily with gratitude and love and “pinch-me-is-she-mine” amazement. And I’m so very thankful to God. Some books I still cannot read to her (On the Night You Were Born) without having to hold back the tears.
I love the strawberry shots. I’m loving the produce shots. And my mouth watered at the site of those tomatoes. OMG, I miss deep, rich, tasty (summer for us) tomatoes.
Have a rocking weekend.
Jennifer from Annapolis
I was just thinking how amazing that market looks! No where near us is there such a place. The strawberries just look delightful 🙂
Oh my now I have every desire to go peruse the farmer’s market and fill my own bags with fruits and veggies.
I wish so much I could enjoy those beautiful strawberries, but my silly allergy to them stops me short…maybe cherries will be in season soon 😉
Biz
Cannot wait for our farmer’s market! I love Nella’s super happy joyful face.
Sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper, best way to eat a tomato.
i think i might just copy sweet nella and enjoy a strawberry like THAT next time i eat one! 🙂 precious, precious, pictures…
have a great weekend…:)
I love the pictures of Nella with her strawberries. They are one of my kiddos favorites too. I’m so completely jealous that you have such beautiful produce already. It’ll be months before we have anything where we live.
Oh my goodness, those pictures of your sweet little girls bring a big smile to your face. And the picture of Nella with her star wand? I’m might just have to bookmark this page and come back to it on a bad day. She is so perfectly sweet!
Those fresh colours are gonna have to keep me happy for now. It’s still so so cold here and I’m going a little bit crazy from it!
Happy weekend!
Love Nella’s strawberry covered face! And that far off, contemplative look she has in the photo in front of the Produce sign, so cute! I love that you take Lainey’s shopping cart with you when you go to the produce market, to Target, and other places.
Sarah almost knocked my laptop over grabbing at it when she saw Nella’s smiling face. She get’s so excited when I open you’r blog, waving frantically and calling out loud to you all. Now, I think we’ll head to the park with friends to enjoy some of this spring like weather before the rain comes in.
You described a mother’s love for her children beautifully. I have 5 that make my heart swell. And, my youngest, 1-year-old Gracie, loves your Nella. She runs to the computer and points to baby. Adorable pics of your little lovelies.
Amazingly joyful photographs again. I love your blog and it is a bright spot in my day when you post. You inspire me to rock it! Thank you.
Yummm! With mine it’s blueberries. Holy moly my little dark-eyed monkey can devour them! So happy-making to watch him pop them into his mouth at warp speed. 🙂 Gotta say…little jealous of the farmer’s market and those gorgeous blue skies right now!
adorable as always! i am soooo jealous of that market and all the freshness it brings! I just ate a strawberry from an Ohio grocery store and it tasted like water.
ugh, it was probably engineered in a basement somewhere 🙁 we used to live in Tampa, I miss that gooood stuff 🙂 have a great day!
I’m so jealous of your fresh fruit and veggie choices! I think your blog is preparing me to be much more thankful and present this summer!
I was just feeling stressed, checked my blog and saw on my sidebar that you had just updated.
Deep Breath**
I get some calm inspiration today. Thank you thank you. It is such a good day when you update.
…and I have 5 baskets of strawberries in my fridge. Thank you for the idea Nella. I think I will go enjoy.
Simple post but so full of love!
Love the pics!!! Both girls are sooo beautiful but Nella’s smile makes my heart melt…..
Happy Weekend!
From the more subtle colours of the Scottish coast, I love this post. I love the passion, the clean joy, and the simplicity. Thanks, Kelle, Lainey, and Nella!
Gosh I don’t like fruit very well, but sweet Nella makes me want to!! ha ha
yea that was cute!
The love that you describe is addictive, isn’t it? I had to have our third little girl (at the ripe old age of 45!) because I just can’t get enough of that love that knocks me off my feet and has me wasting half the day away (the state of my house reflects this, haha) just observing them and appreciating the moment.
Lovely photos as always! Have a great weekend!
Oh, and it’s very cool that you let Nella get the Strawberry juice all over herself and her clothes without interrupting her explorations to clean her up.
I love that your readers (including me) are also so eager and excited to read a new post from you. You have a way about you girl!! Love the photos. Strawberry goodness!
Oh my goodness Nella looks like such a big girl in all these pics. What a wonder seeing them enjoy those little things. I love the pic with the fairy wand! You must have been casting some magical spells.
I love that pic of them sitting in front of the tree. They look like they are gossiping about something and Nella is saying “Girl, please…” with her lips poked out and her hand on Lainie’s arm. Adorable!
OMgosh, we have to wait until mid-June for our Berries here in WI. You’re killin’ me! LOL
Thanks for the awesome pics! Sweet, adorable girls!
Happy Weekend, Kelle!
Thanks for a great start to the weekend! Enjoy!
This makes me so happy! First off, enjoying a strawberry for the first time should be captured on film for everybody. I’m sure of it. Second, those tomatoes look off the hook! I hate fresh tomatoes because here they don’t EVER look like that! Ever. If they did, I’d probably eat them!
So precious! Love the photos of Nella “sucking the marrow” out of those strawberries! Her smile is contagious. 🙂
LOVE IT!! ANd why does the food always look so good in someone elses plate… hmmmm love it!
nella is the cutest human being i have ever seen eating a strawberry. so sweet! she makes me want to have one, and i have been a life-long anti-strawberry kind of gal.
maybe i should go try to suck the marrow from one, nella-style. 🙂
I just love your pictures. I like Team Lando want a DSLR to take better pictures but I am not sure which one. Little Nella’s face is priceless as she devours her strawberries and Lainey is so adorable with her shopping cart. Thanks for the smiles! Happy weekend.
The picture of Lainey with her broken sunglasses and Nella eating a strawberry looking at her big sis and touching her arm(above the watermelon pictures) just screams “Lainey – did you know about these heavenly things called strawberries? WHY didn’t you tell me about them?”
fresh beefsteaks seem so far away for this CT resident! at least you and your girls are able to enjoy such fresh fruits 🙂
So jealous! I’d commit about any crime right now for fresh produce like that. We are still months away from that kind of abundance. Please enjoy so for me!
sooooooooo loving the messy strawberry face!!!
Nella’s strawberry face kills me!!!
mmmm….strawberries!
Beautifully said, describing the way you love your children. You have a way of expressing what I’m feeling in a much more poetic way. THANK YOU from all the challenged writers out there!
Little Nella and her strawberries made my heart smile! 🙂
I love this blog. I even got teary eyed seeing Nella eat the strawberry. Those blue eyes she has are amazing!! what a doll 🙂
love love… beautiful!
So so cute of Nella and the strawberries!
The one of her smiling so big with her eyes shut looks like Lainey! Love their sister love!
I don’t usually comment on any of the blogs I read but I’ve just gotta say, I love yours! You have the most adorable children! 🙂 Just love the faces Nella makes as she is enjoying that strawberry! What precious children!
I wonder if the American strawbeeries are as good as the Norwegian ones..??
Cutest photos!
What beautiful, fresh colors! How I long for FRESH produce. It’s almost time to start planting seeds under the grow lights!
I love the pic of Lainy pushing the shopping cart and Nella seems to have turned eating a strawberry into an artform!
😉
Love the look of sympathy on Nella’s face as she looks at her big sister and her broken sunglasses. They are too precious.
I not a mom yet, just a mom-in-wanting 🙂 and reading your posts make my uterus want to burst. It is so beautiful to see so much love expressed and to see a person be so passionate about their role as a parent. Your girls are adorable and I love watching them grow. Nella is too cute with that red juice all over her face 🙂
Wow what a beautiful pictures, tommorrow I’am going to Amterdam, I hope that I can take nice pictures too.
What a great market you have there.
I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful weekend.
Hugs from Holland
Mirella
I am a first time commentor…and I look forward to your blog everyday! I totally relate to a lot of your posts. I have a 3 yr old girl and a 23 month old girl. I have a baby boy due in 5 weeks 🙂
My younger daughter…Natalie looks so much like Nella it is unbelievable. The first time I read your story and her story…I cried when I saw her picture. She reminds me so much of my daughter. Thank you for encouraging me and for keeping me focused on the important things in life. I am totally jealous of where you live…I am craving warm weather, swimsuits and popsicles. Here in Oklahoma you never know what the weather will do from one day to the next. I will send a pic of my girlie to you if you want to see her. 🙂
Absolutely in love with the last picture where big sister is watching the strawberry being devoured. Gave me the giggles!
holy fresh produce envy, batman. grumble grumble.
Priceless!
From Silas: “The messy. A’happen, Mama? I no no? The messy. The baby. The baby messy.”
From Me: Could Nella come and teach Silas to like strawberries? And would Lainey loan me her dress?
sooo cute, love the look on Nella’s face while she’s eating her strawberry!!! Can’t wait to go to our farmers markets this summer once it gets warm.
Such beautiful colors and such beautiful girls! I see Lainey is well versed at breaking sunglasses like my little ones too!
Yum! I’m so jealous of your market! Everything looks so vuvid and delicious!
Wow, What a produce market!! Got me craving watermelon now!!
OMG, love the colors of the market!!
I am way too jealous of your gorgeous weather! Did you guys ever have winter weather??
Oh happy strawberry girl!
After being stuck indoors with two sick kids for the past three days, this is just the color I needed to crack a smile. My littles are on the mend… I just might survive this winter snot-fest after all.
🙂
kate
those strawberry pics are beyond amazing!
a girl after my own heart-stawberrites 🙂
enjoy your weekend with your loveies!
Cutest pictures ever. Looking at Lainey’s broken sunglasses makes me laugh, hysterically. Went to a church picnic, not too long ago, and my little was sitting on the big beach towel with her other church friends. She broke her sunglasses and out of her 5 year old mouth came…”son of a bitch!” OOOPS. Mom was totally busted, but I know God forgives her. :))))
Ahhh, I’ve got tears in my eyes admiring your littles because I love my little so much, sometimes it breaks my heart.
The picture of Nella with the squinted eyes and smile with the strawberry half eaten in her hand is simply perfection. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cuter picture!
Love Lainey’s cart! Very cute.
Strawberries are good, you can’t eat just one! Nella’s a smart one.
Love her juicy face!
Love those strawberries! My little one loves them so much to. Cracks me up how their little faces get all red from the juice. We even had it in our hair last night. Total enjoyment! Thats what that is.
super adorable and colorful! Your sweet girls make me grin wide! thanks for sharing.
love your blog! super happy I found it last week! xoxo
Aww – look at Nella! How cute is she?!?! 🙂 The picture of the beefsteak tomatoes had my mouth watering! Mmm! I can’t wait for spring/summer here in Ohio! Aah! I get to venture to SC for a wedding in early May, so I’ll get a little warm fix. lol. 🙂 Happy Friday!
awww so sweet to watch her eat like that! It IS the small things that matter, as you say.
hoooray! we did the same thing this morning. those tomatoes look so dang delicious that I want to jump through the screen and eat them up!
Absolutely ADORABLE!!
First time commenter:
Your photos today made my sad heart smile.
Oh my word those strawberry pics are DELICIOUSLY cute!!!
Love your newly discovered blog.
Your girls are gorgeous, your love for them inspiring and your photos are just divine!
Those strawberry eating shots are too too cute.
Btw your girls are always dressed so beautifully.
Nella’s book is going to need a whole chapter so absorb these adorable ‘first strawberry’ photos!
Love the pics at the produce stand too – and could Lainey be any cuter in that sweet dress, I think not!
Ooooooh, I MUST find me some beefsteak tomatoes!!! LURVE them sliced up with salt and pepper!!!
I think I am going to start a new tradition of everytime I read one of your incredible posts I am going to read all of the You Might Also Like posts included so I can slowly but surely overtime get caught up on all I missed pre-Nella Bean.
Love her strawberry faces 🙂 and LOVE Lainey Bug with her own shopping cart 🙂
Oh my! That picture with Nella’s grinning strawberry mouth? Be still my heart. My puppy and I enjoyed our first Springtime walk and oh it was delicious. Next step, fruit. Thanks for the inspiration!
Rock it out, girls!! You put the biggest smile on my face today with the pictures of your sweet babies!! Lainey is just beautiful and, as I have posted before, Miss Nella MELTS my heart!!! Have a wonderful warm weekend!!
Oh my gosh, the photo of Lainey and Nella sitting together just broke my heart, how in love are they!!! My two are the same but I never seem able to capture the moment the way you do but I am learning!! Love love love your blog.
I just told my hubby we are going to suck the marrow out of this weekend and he looked at me like I needed to be locked up, thanks for the expression 🙂
I LOVE strawberries too! but that’s not the only reason why I think this is my favorite post yet! I just love the way you describe the centering love of/for your daughters.. in combination with the simple beauty and color of providing for them and yourself at the market.
lovely.
happy friday!
Oh I can’t wait for it to be tomato season in CA…seeing those beautiful bright red ripe tomatoes all sliced up was a little a little like torture! 🙂
Nella is just as sweet as those strawberries and gets cuter by the day!
So cute that Lainey takes her own cart to the market. When my kids were little, Meijer had them up here made of metal just like the “big people carts.” The kids loved them, but they soon disappeared. Too many ankle injuries on the grown-ups, as I recall! Strawberry Nella pics. are fantastic! And…jealous of your “corn on the rocks” down there. Up here, it’s just tossed into a big bin ~ husks and all…not so pretty! Happy Friday ~
It will be months before we get those farmers’ market treats here. Strawberries in March?! Oh, to live in Florida – yum!
one of my favorites of your blogs so far! 🙂
Oh! That is so sweet. Nella is just a sweety.
We also love going to our local fresh produce markets. They sure love it; don’t they? I love to teach my kids about healthy foods and this is one way to do just that.
nothing better than a perfectly ripened tomato with a bit o salt and pepper!
I am just oober curious what the BLUE stuff is at the right of the market near the back? What veg/fruit on earth is that BLUE??!!
Oh please oh please someone tell me?
ohmyyum.
that is all.
When my son had his first strawberry, he ate it so thoroughly I had to take the leaves out of his mouth, at which point he was sure I was stealing his strawberry from him, and broke down in tears. Luckily, we had more to give him (leaves removed), and he was happy again.
So nice to see kids eating fresh fruit instead of candy!
Love those strawberry pics. Melt!
Man oh man…that strawberry-lovin’ baby brought a smile to my face. She is so expressive!!!
Mmmmm…berries! Your awe with your daughter’s first bite into a strawberry was pretty much the same reaction I had to my firstborn’s reaction to her first watermelon wedge. Pure, slurpy, sticky, messy love.
I can’t wait to repeat this summer with my Avie! 🙂
She is the sweetest! Love your photos of all the yummy goodness!
I hope you have a good stain remover! :o)
I’m lovin’ little Betty Draper and her shopping cart. And all of the First Strawberry pics. And the tears in your eyes. Never saw anything so precious, myself.
We are wasting away up here waiting for the start of Famer’s Market season ourselves. Just got the notes on facebook … May it is.
Beautiful, as always. Cheers.
So very jealous of your strawberries. We bought a whole whack when we were in Florida last week and our wintery Ontario selection just doesn’t compare to the sweetness of the ones there.
Your very own Strawberry Shortcake! Her smile is contagious!! What a beautiful weekend you will have! Enjoy!!
This post is making yearn for spring! We’re still muddling through cold and snow! Love your little Nella lovin’ the strawberries!♥
Ahhh a girl after my own heart…Mmmm *drool* strawberries! I can’t wait for our season of yummy to open!
Is it weird to say those pics made me misty eyed as well…strawberry love and about how much I miss living close to a fruit and veggie market….sighhhhh
Have a great weekend, thank you for this blog…life is beautiful. We are going to Naples for a vacation next month and I’m going to go to some of the places mentioned in your blog!!
Looks like little miss Nella REALLY likes strawberries! So, so, so adorable!
Every single picture of Nella devouring her strawberries gave me huge smiles and heart swelling… that is to enjoy the small things.
have a gr8 weekend yourself!
This post makes me excited for summer. ‘Nuff said 🙂
5th photo up from the bottom- totally looks like Lainey-
What must it be like to live life with such zesty colour?!
it is white and brown here with minus twenty…yay.
Nella is starting to look like Lainey!
i am actually obsessed with your blog! the pictures! the babies! the gorgeous photos! this life you have which seems so perfect… thanks for the post about your messy house which brought some much needed reality to my fantasy about this blog (cause I am the exact same, messy home but open heart).
have a great weekend!
beautiful photos, beautiful thoughts & beautiful girls!
Every fiber of my being is aching for just a taste of anything at your market. And those tomatoes…with salt and pepper, just how I like ’em! And to feel the warm sunshine on my back…we are expecting 6 more inches of snow and I could just cry! This winter has been an exercise in patience, that’s for sure!
And now, I thought after getting those words out of the way, something wonderful would pop up to describe my feelings about Nella and the strawberries…the one where she is smiling all squinty holding the strawberry. Girl, you nailed it! Utter perfection…LOVE IT!!!!!
That’s the way everyone should eat a strawberry. Way to go, Nella!
dangit i should have bought strawberries at the store! we are not even close to farmer’s market weather hear yet, so the steroid injected, red-dyed ones will have to do for now…. lol!
So adorable. My daughter loves strawberries!
Oh no! Lainey broke her cute little sunglasses 🙁 lol
babes in happy sunshine colors, happy-skippy feet in open air markets. :::sigh::: loving this colorful cornucopia of awesomeness.
happy weekend to you, groovy girl.
big love.
I am just completely JEALOUS! I want some garden fresh Tomatoes! And the fruit also looked divine. And the corn. Okay, I just want it all.
Your pictures have my mouth watering and my Michigan Mind CRAVING summer!!! I can’t wait!!
What beautiful pictures. You captivate me with your words. I was reading and my two year old son Vincent peeked over, saw Nella and said “She’s having fun?” I just giggled. 🙂
Oh Nella’s FACE, that strawberry-stained smile!
I am in love with your daughters, Kelle.
Give them a big hug from this Hawaiian mama!
🙂
I am so jealous of you in a good way! There is still snow on the ground here (WA state) and that farmers market makes me want to fly to FL right now! Enjoy:)
oh my! Being in Missoula Montana I never thought I would want to live in Florida..but oh! those colors. So fantastic. I’m truly envious. My son seems to only eat fruit…oh and canned green beans. I guess it could be worse!
6 1/2 month old Oscar is munching on an apple and making eyes at sweet Nella. Beautiful photos
You just gave me an idea for this week. We’re gonna go strawberry pickin’. Love the Nella/strawberry pics. Sooo cute 🙂
Congrats Team Lando on your new baby! (and the dress)
Love strawberries, they are the theme for my little’s 2nd bday.
Love tomatoes myself, I could turn into one.
Love this time of year.
tata!
OMG those babies are gorgeous. That is all.
Awww! LOVE the little Nella with the berries photos. Such great shots you took!
So sweet!! =) my one year 15 month old little boy is in love with Nella… he LOVES looking at her pictures. It is too cute!!
…lol… ok so I mean to erase one year… i had one year old before I put 15 month old… it’s been a long day!
Ok- your post “hit the nail on the head” today. When love for your kids hit you so unexpecetdly and you can’t help but to cry tears of joy for all the blessings…this week has been a hard one for me. School, work, full-time mom and wife…yes, I complain. Then something so unexpecedtly happens and it makes me to be thankful that I’m able to go back to school, work and be a full time mom. We had a friend whose daughter passed away at the age of 2 months- unsure why, but that really doesn’t matter. That mother had her baby for 2 months and God took her back to be with Him. It just breaks my heart and I have often cried this week because I am SO lucky that my heart is still with me and that I am blessed to have a wonderful husband to take care of me and my heart while I’m at school 2 nights a week, and I’m so blessed that I can go watch her sleep when I get in from class- she is still with me. I know you posted about something similar earlier- but this post really hit home tonight! Please say many prayers for this family- they need them! And THANK YOU GOD for allowing my heart to live, outside of my chest!
Oh my goodness, is that market for real!! Why am I living here in the middle of the U.S.? Why just today I sorted through at least 9 bins of blueberries just to find one that had no mold on it…ugh. Love the pics of Nella and the strawberries. Love that little Nella smile, I am pretty sure it melts all of our hearts. Happy weekend to you!!
Fist, to Kate (KWQR) – glad your kids are on the mend and I love your term “snotfest”. hee..KELLE< love the pics, what a great market! Oh YES, the first strawberries. Always momentous, since one has to wait before introducing to the diet. Congrats to the winner; it is just great that you have so many giveaways! Love from the Blog mama
Love the pictures of Nella eating a strawberry. I love to watch their passion for new foods. Stella does the same thing. The pictures of the farmers market remind me of traveling to the Outer Banks with my family when we were younger. Brings back happy memories 🙂
I, too, am addicted to tomatoes!!! Must be something about being from Michigan!! The colors from the market are vibrant and beautiful, but nothing compared to your girlies!!
“Love for these little beings that belong to me hits me unexpectedly sometimes…in swells that knock me off my feet. And I get up, starry-eyed, and thank the heavens that they are mine.”
Yes!! I think that same thought so often yet you say it so beautifully.
ps..corn and watermelon already? You’re killing me!
I can’t even stand how much cuteness I see in those pictures of Nella eating the juicy strawberries. Your girls are GORGEOUS!! (Wishing I too could move from Michigan to a warmer climate!! Loving that market you were at!)
Just so ya know, rubbing alcohol gets out the strawberry. Dump it on. Just dump it. Works on wine, too. You know, just in case you ever might happen to spill some on the carpet. Not that it’s ever happened to me. 😉 But seriously, just dump it on. You won’t even know it’s been there. I have a LARGE bottle (and still only a buck something I think) just for laundry. And for the carpet, it dries really quickly.
You have the cutest little girls and you just take the most beautiful photos ever. I look forward to reading your blog every time I see there’s a new entry.
Have a great weekend 🙂
Both your girls are beautiful, but that little Nella eating her strawberries is just touching!! My little man is 11 months tomorrow (AH!!) and we’re just starting to think about trying some table food. I can’t wait to see those food faces!! :0)
http://www.kansaspeaks.blogspot.com
hooray for spring/summer produce!!! love lainey’s dress and her style!! love nella’s delight and love for the strawberries and the scrumptious stains on her sweet mouth! and i love your descriptions of your love for your girls.. of being knocked off your feet, heart swelling, teary eyed…i relate, oh i relate and do the same thing.
haha, i just realized i’m signed in under my husband’s email address…he’s not actually the commenter but i, sarah. pahaha…i do the same thing on his facebook sometimes. he really loves when i do things like this. 🙂
seriously…could Nella be any cuter?! I think not. That picture of her eating that strawberry warms my heart…Man your a lucky lady
Seriously seriously adorable that Nella Bean and her strawberry! I never noticed the beautiful “birth mark” coloring in one of her eyes. My sister has a fleck of yellow/hazel in one of her blue eyes…love it! Is that what I see? SOOO beautiful and even MORE unique is your littlest 🙂
Being almost 15 weeks pregnant and living in California it has been hard to find delicious ripe, red juicy strawberries that I have been craving. Seeing Nella enjoy her’s make me long for one of my own =)
Gobble down the goodness little one!
oh my…sweet-juicy-love!!! Kelle, you captured it!! You captured the magic!! Beautiful pictures of Nella loving on those strawberries…she makes me smile that Nellabean of yours…BIG-happy-smiles!!
Thanks for that!!
Monique
and a Happy weekend to you and your gorgeous family
oh, your posts so make me miss the summers in florida! when i was growing up we spent many of summers in florida with my mom and dad! my dad has now passed away and my parents no longer spend the winters in florida, but we I have so many memories of them there!! The last time the whole family was there, my parents flew us all done for their 50th anniversary, we spend the week together at Anna Maria Island. It was great and I so treasure those memories!! Thank you so much for your pictures because they remind me of the flea market we went to called the Big Red Barn Flea Market that had tons of fresh produce and oodle’s and oodles of treasures for my boys!!! Thank you so much for allowing so many people to relive cherished memories through your blog!!! 🙂
There’s so much I feel, seeing these pics, reading these lines…
Your blog is actually life changing for me. Does that sound pretentious? Well, it’s true!
I get even more “present” than before – and I was known for having the ability to be so present!!
Your colours here hepled me grasp the courage to put more colours into our living room, I was inspired and charged via this blog.
Today I was totally happy when my Blogger told me there was a new post.
Thank you ever so much!
<3
We’ll have a great weekend here with meeting new friends (the youngest son’s new best friend’s family are coming over for coffee soon) and then painting two hallways and a cloakroom 🙂
(no, won’t be able to finish today…)
Wish you the best thinkable weekend in your wonderful climate and that fab family of yours!
Hooray for tomatoes that taste like tomatoes- worth an extra trip just for those I say- also your girls look gorgeous (particularly love those outfits) but also so HAPPY- I love drops of juice dripping onto bellies from dirty food faces!
your girls are just precious! and that market – to die for! have a great weekend:)
Love the strawberry photos! What a sweetie 🙂 It’s 22 here right now, so jealous of your warm weather!
Two thoughts run through my mind:
1-Tide Stain Sticks!!! If they’re not already, they’ll become your best friend!
2-Tomatoes are lovely. Just today in our local newspaper there’s a blurb about the freezes in Fla and Mexico will make nice, red tomatoes in short supply.
Enjoy.
I have to wait 2 more months for a farmers’ market. Almost counting down the days. Your munchkins, their pictures, are amazing. Much love for a wonderful weekend.
fabulous. the colors, their clothing, the produce…just fabulous. but the ultimate photo? the one of nella in front of the produce sign:) it’s outstanding!
mary
Nella looks adorable eating that strawberry! She could have all the strawberries in the world with that face! 🙂 Those tomatoes made me drool. Nothing like a good beefsteak and some salt. YUMMY!
Kelle….I see all this beautiful fruit and veggies and I get the bug to can! Hard for me to hold the bug as I see nothing but snow and more on the way….SO I think you should start putting up your jams, pears, peaches, tomatoes….and I will live vicariously through you until the big thaw here! What do you think?
xoxo, Bug & Ruby’s Gram
Thank you for documenting the first strawberry. How I wished I just would have said the heck with the clothes…where’s my camera? Yesterday at Ikea I saw a mom pushing 6 kids on a flat cart(she was with a girlfriend). As I smiled at the scene I mentioned to the mom that she should take a picture with her camera phone. She sighed the exhausted mother sigh that we all have. She was missing the moment caught up in the work. I have done this many times. As I went down another aisle I heard her say…smile kids and say Ikea! Yes, she documented that precious moment that will never repeat itself. susan
I am super jealous of your fruits and veggies. I want to jump through the computer!
Also, are your plates Pottery Barn? I have always wanted that pattern, I think it’s Emma, right?
Oh my gahhhh…. I don’t even know what I would do for a tasty tomato right now… but I would do a lot for one. Instead I will pay the ridiculous prices at the grocery store for the not beefy, delicious ones and wait (somewhat) patiently for it to be garden season here.
Love the market, Nella loving the strawberry and Laineys dress!
Love the pics! Mentioned you on my blog post today!
As usual, your pictures are out-of-this-world!!! Especially that first one!
I think those may be the best first strawberry pictures EVER!!!!!!
Beautiful post! The last picture of Lainey looking at Nella enjoying the strawberry is precious!
Loved your “Raise your hand” post. I love your honesty and your integrity. Love your voice and your words. Love to hear what you have to say and “your way” of doing things. Love the “Milestones” video and the Mary Anne Radmacher’s quote. :)))
Thank you so much for sharing your gifts, my friend!
Have a wonderful weekend ~ xox
“You are an unfolding of endless possibilities, and each day of your life you discover something new about how you look at the world because every day you are viewing a completely new world. The goal, if such a thing can even be said, is to perceive life as congruently as you can. And by that I mean that you come to know what it is you believe to be true about life and about truth itself.” ~Caroline Myss
So beautiful!!
I watched a great documentary the other day bout a down syndrome couple getting married. IT’s SO beautiful and made me think of you and your family!! I promise it’s worth watching, even in your busy life!
Scroll down on this link until you get to Monica and David’s wedding!! !
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/passionateeyeshowcase/video.html
Take care,
Jessica
You made me miss California! Some of my best memories as a kid are going to the awesome roadside produce stands that line the roads in the agricultural parts of Cali!
Your girls are the cutest!! There’s one picture that is precious of Nella..the 4th one up from the bottom. Darling.
Your girlies are edible!! My guy is 3 months now and he looks up at me with his big blue peepers that say “yeah, I was in your belly, and you’re totally awesome”. The love, oh it’s fierce.
OMG ~ Love, love, love the pictures in this posting!!! There are so many favorites I could never pick just one.
I am totally going to our produce market this week! I need some tomatoes!
Too cute! I can’t wait for strawberry season here – we planted some in our backyard garden and they were completely amazing last year!
Have you heard the song “Live High” by Jason Mraz? Seems like one you might like! 🙂
Best. Pictures. Ever. Your girls just look so happy!
Absolutely precious!!! And the pictures of the market are just what I needed. It is cold and dreary here today so those pictures helped remind me of what is soon to come for us: SPRING!
Strawberry grins are the best!
…traigo
sangre
de
la
tarde
herida
en
la
mano
y
una
vela
de
mi
corazón
para
invitarte
y
darte
este
alma
que
viene
para
compartir
contigo
tu
bello
blog
con
un
ramillete
de
oro
y
claveles
dentro…
desde mis
HORAS ROTAS
Y AULA DE PAZ
COMPARTIENDO ILUSION
KELLE
CON saludos de la luna al
reflejarse en el mar de la
poesía…
ESPERO SEAN DE VUESTRO AGRADO EL POST POETIZADO DE MONOCULO NOMBRE DE LA ROSA, ALBATROS GLADIATOR, ACEBO CUMBRES BORRASCOSAS, ENEMIGO A LAS PUERTAS, CACHORRO, FANTASMA DE LA OPERA, BLADE RUUNER ,CHOCOLATE Y CREPUSCULO 1 Y2.
José
Ramón…
If only Nebraska had a market like you have 🙂 You have the cutest little girls! As for strawberries well those happen to be a favorite at our household…. Enjoy your market fresh goodies 🙂
love the photos of Nella enjoying strawberries! I’m sure if we are truthful we’d all like to eat strawberries like that! 😉
I love, love, love the colors in this post.
Seriously, these photos are just stunning.
You truly know how to love… I began reading your blog just because of it’s title… My friends are constantly asking me, “How do you really enjoy the simple things in life Gen? These days, it’s rare to find simplicity!”… And each time,I remind them that the simple things to enjoy are right there in front of them every single moment. And here you are writing about those beautiful, precious, simple moments. This post is a clear reflection of just that. Warm wishes for the rest of your week!
Oh the love of strawberries! Took my girls to the strawberry patch to pick our own this year, followed by my first ever attempts at making jam….what a hoot!!
Just goes to show that no matter where you live in the world that we are following the same path, with the same zest for life!! How gorgeous are those first few bites to watch?? Awww….
I love that you love motherhood. Thank you always for your words of inspiration and your great ideas. When I feel blah I read your blog and I get up from a couple of minutes at the computer feeling refreshed and loving my kiddos even more. Thanks.
are you aware that you have had just over 3 million more visitor than the website Postsecret.com? That’ a world-wide known site — wow you’re like famous and stuff! 🙂
Can I just say, that I love you guys, and your amazing market????
What a beautiful day! Wish we had a market so nice! 🙂
You little one with the strawberry is so precious!
Today when I saw strawberries I thought of Nella’s beautiful face & smile.
I just had our 3rd child last week, and this post knocked my socks off as I sit here feeling the same way about my own children..totally and utterly in love with them. It’s been 10 years since I had my 2nd child, and our new baby was a surprise gift from above 🙂 I read your blog every single day and truly appreciate the photos, funny stories, and heartfelt emotions that you share, so willingly, with us each day. May God continue to bless you and your beautiful family 🙂
My fav is one toward the bottom. Of Nella, eyes like sweet quarter moons, mouth puckered into the most adorable smile one could imagine. This one, it brought tears to my eyes. It touched a nerve, joyous to see such happiness on the face of wee one.
Love the picture of them by the tree. Sisters unite. Perfect moment caught.
Cannot stand how cute the strawberry pictures!
my sis is over with her herd of animals (4 kids) and just read your To Market entry and recommends a great read for your little market goers…”To Market to Market” by Anne Miranda. Happy reading and happy Market trips…
Monique & Jenn
thanks for sharing your color with those leaving in grey, bleak and dreary … Making me want to pack up and head to the airport now and wait until my flight leaves — but as I still have four days to wait, I will fight the urge and just count the days =) Can’t wait!
Where is this market? I have big plans to live off my favorite salad that I make and cabarent sauvignon while in Naples… I’m sure Publix or Targets veggies would do – but these veggies would just bring my good salad right over into exceptional!!
The third picture down of Nella enjoying her strawberry is making me long for one too 🙂
I love how Nella is looking at Lainey at the picture of them under the tree! So sweet!!
~Beth
oppss – first line – supposed to be living not leaving :/
You have no idea how much you spread love and hope with your sweet girls and honest words…..thanks for getting me through alot of tough days Kelle.
Strawberries look 10 times more yummy when you’re taking the pictures! Love the girls and I REALLY love how cute Lainey looks in that Matilda Jane Summertime dress! I was debating on buying it for my daughter as I’ve already spent so much but after seeing her in it….I have to get it!! xoxo
That Nella is one gorgeous baby and I love your photography! You make me want to take more photos of everything! I luv your blog!
Thank you for sharing it with us.
the strawberry pictures melt my heart.
how does nella look? absolutely gorgeous. i always read your posts though i don’t always comment. i don’t think you can read them all. but if you can read this, know that i am an avid follower and i love your girls too! your posts are heartwarming and real. kudos! i wish we had a produce market that clean here in the philippines. ours just look awful! not that i’m complaining. the produce are just as good, i think.
Oh my…I want to hop on the next plane just to eat those beefsteak tomatoes….and strawberries…and corn! Looks delicious! Can’t wait until our markets open here.
Jill B (Overland Park, KS)
They should be on billboards….those babies of yours! Beautiful! And you should be payed for advertisements 🙂
Much love of strawberry babies,
Kelly
Adore this post, there is nothing sweeter or as tasty as a fresh, in season strawberry. Love it 🙂
Oh, my mouth is watering for a slice (or many slices) of that tomato!
Question: The little pink star “want” that Nella is holding. WHERE can I get that?? thanks!
,,,seriously the child looks like she is drunk on strawberries,,,she’s all that a bag of chips and strawberries!,,,(smile)
Congrats on an awesome blog. I have awarded you the Stylish Blogger Award. Check it out at http://www.calamitykitchen.com/2011/03/barefoot-pork.html
I need to get my hands on some of those amazing fruits and veggies … waiting through the continuous snow until I can! Love your post this weekend (as I love them all!) … As we expect our first little one this summer, reading how they change your life in so many wonderful ways always makes my heart happy. Happy weekend!
A-MAZING photos!
Kelle, your girls are looking more and more alike everyday♥
The pictures of Nella enjoying her first strawberries are just so gorgeous!
Lainey is beautiful with her hair in pig-tails and her groovy sunglasses.
xo
Amazing. Stunning. Beautiful.
I just love your blog! Beautiful girls- great pictures!
Hey Linda…when the blog mama wants something, we find it. Ha. I think it was Target dollar aisle awhile back…or maybe one of Lainey’s friends got it for her. Wish I could remember! Good luck.
Hello. I just wanted to say I read your wonderful blog all the time. You have such a great way of capturing the special moments of your life and it makes me smile.
You have such talent it amazes me. Thank you for sharing that talent with us.
I was wondering if you might share what lens you use most of the time when photographing your girls? I am in the process of looking for a new lens and would really like some input on what would be best for my needs. I have a beautiful daughter who is 17 mths and I try my best to get that right look with my pictures and think the lens I have is just not going to capture what I am looking for. If you could lend any advice I would so greatly appreciate it.
Thank you for your time and I look forward reading more blogs soon.
Take care. Have a great day
Tracy
I’m ready for corn to be back in season again! Can’t wait to go to the Farmer’s Market and get some heavenly “peaches and cream”. Baby had corn on the cob tonight and she thoroughly enjoyed it.
Oh my heck I love it! I have a little guy a few weeks older then Nella and I think it is so great to watch them experience something for the first time! Oh your girls are so darling…
Oh my! Nella with the strawberry is the cutest! I can’t wait to give my Calder one when they come in season. Thank you thank you for sharing.
heehee! Love the pics of Nella eating the strawberries and Lainey and her shopping cart! 🙂 Good moments…
oh my goodness, incredible, makes my mouth water with strawberry sweetness. nella is such a dolly! and lainey, so sweet taking her baby sis all in with that last pic. so jealous of your fantastic market and summery weather!
so hilarious, that girls a strawberry addict now! I love when she is clearly trying to tell big sis all about how delicious it was.
I love the pictures, and the weather looks so gorgeous! I am jealous. I have to say, Nella’s smile melts my heart!
How perfect!!
Okay I live in Naples and have been to my fair share of farmers markets but if you don’t mind where is this market you visited today I’d love to visit it.
Thank you
Hahahaha…… Lainey cracks me up with her grocery cart. Too cute!
I have major produce envy now! I walked through the produce aisle at the grocery store yesterday and was so bummed! Nothing looked anywhere near ripe and everything is so stinkin’ small! Yuk! Can’t wait for summer so we can eat some home-grown veggies!
Who knew eating a strawberry could be so stinkin’ adorable! I wish I looked that cute eating fruit;)
Happy Monday!
How do you get the stains out? I would have my daughter decked in a bib and wipes at the ready… it is so fun to just let them at it, but the after effects of getting the stains out is so not fun!
Headed to Naples in a month and I can’t wait for my once a year daily dose of fresh squeezed orange juice in the morning from that very market!
I love that little Nella. She reminds me of my little one who is almost 15 months. Her smile kills me. Still wishing you’d be my best friend 😉
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so gray here! thanks for the dose of color…
Ohhh, I now want a fresh BLT sandwich after seeing these pictures! Your girls are precious and I LOVE seeing Nella eating that strawberry! And Congrats to the winner…on your new dress and new baby girl!!
To get strawberrie stains out of clothing, pour boiling hot water through stretched fabric with the stain on it. The stains will disappear.
I signed up to do my own blog after reading yours for over two years now and I just wanted to say thank you! I think your amazing in every sense of the word and adore looking at the photos of Nella and Lainey with my own daughter who is 10months old(She REALLY likes them) I love their unique style so much that when we go shopping for clothes I ask myself “What would Nella and Lainey wear?”. I love love LOVE the strawberry photos, as a girl from Plant City I have a deep appreciation for all things berry and Nella looked adorable in that jammy mess!
Please, please do another post Kelle!!! I have been craving one… just think about it. Don’t leave your readers hanging!
I’ve loved your blog for months now, but I reckon this is just about my favourite post ever. Perfect shots, gorgeous words, totally relatable sentiment. You rock, lady. xxx
I know how you feel when you say that the love you have for your littles sometimes knocks you off your feet. Mine are 28, 24, 20, and 16 and I still feel that way. Sometimes it stops me dead in my tracks and I just have to take an extra breath. May you always feel that way — it is heaven on earth 🙂
I just want you to know, that I enjoy your blog very much! I have been a stalker for a while now.:) I love your playlist music – very much to my taste – and I love the beautiful pictures of your children. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Laurie
Oh my gosh, those strawberry-eating pictures are just too sweet!
dear Berry Sweet,
Nella’s smile while eating that strawberry is JUST how I am going to feel when Spring~Summer hits my Prairie.
love,
The little things are big things to me
in
NE
I can’t wait until our Farmers Market opens here. My daughters love Watermelon and Strawberries too. Like always beautiful pics.