Kelle, Author at Enjoying the Small Things

A Treat from Lisa Leonard

March 14, 2012 By Kelle

A quick little post to share a special discount with you.

I am a keepsake girl at heart. I like both giving and receiving gifts with meaning–things that tell stories, hold memories, evoke emotions. Which is why I adore Lisa Leonard Designs. All jewelry and gifts are handmade in Lisa’s San Luis Obispo workshop, and her shop offers a variety of handcrafted pewter and silver goods that make meaningful gifts. I’ve come to know Lisa through both her blog and her business, and I tell you, she is a delight.

From now until March 15, use code connect20 to receive 20% off anything in her store.

Might I suggest the sterling connected necklace, a whimsical personalized bubble wand (perfect for spring, and it really works!)…

…or my new favorite, the anything toppers. Okay, it’s really a cake topper, but I love having these pewter toothpicks on hand to sneak into a treat for Lainey, to turn simple cupcakes into something special or, for now, to add some love to my plant.

Happy Shopping. Happy Day.

Alive.

March 12, 2012 By Kelle

I’ve missed this space the past several days, and in skipping a post last week–as silly and insignificant as that may be–I’ve realized how much this blogging thing, however it may be defined, has become such an important habit of mine. It isn’t a published post so much as it is the process of unraveling bits of inspiration I’ve picked up and need to put away.

It is a way of tidying corners of my mind–sweeping fleeting thoughts, ideas and images into piles of random words that become a bit more real, more permanent when I take the time to braid them together into sentences. And sometimes, it is the simplest of days when I have nothing amazing about which to write that the need to do it–to unite fingers to keyboard and mutter things under my breath as I type and reread, delete and recompose–seems even more important. I want to be inspired. Always. I want to feel that spark that makes me come alive. And while I think most of us feel fulfilled to wake up every morning, pour a cup of coffee and go about our day loving on our kids, I think we feel more alive when we take the time to be inspired. To read blogs, buy flowers, book trips, pin pretty wallpaper pictures to our Pinterest boards, search for new talented Etsy artists, hit repeat on songs that make us get up and dance, read good books, take walks, connect with others, dream about the future and–I’ll be damned, write about whatever it is that makes us come alive.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~ Dr. Howard Thurman

What makes me come alive this week?

Yellow.

I scored an old wooden high chair at Goodwill this weekend for $20. I’ve been wanting one of these for a while now, and as I turned my cart past a rack with a hawt pair of double velcro beauts…

(Insert pictoral evidence):

…I saw it hidden in the back corner of Goodwill, highlighted against the drab linoleum floor. The high chair. And it sang to me: “I’m yours. Take me home. Paint me yellow.” I obliged.

Lainey helped.

Moral of the story: Want to come alive? Paint something yellow.

Brett has since worked out a safety strap situation because dads are very good with these sorts of things. Safety things.

More Goodwill scores:

We came alive at sunset the other night when, last minute, we decided to jump in the car and head up to a local soccer field.

The grass was soft–different from our front yard’s tough turf. We kicked the ball, read books, and ran from one end of the field to the other for no better reason than because we could.

Want to come alive? Do something spontaneous. Get in the car. Drive. Stop at an open field and run with your kids until you all fall into a heap on the grass.

My mom and George arrived yesterday and will be staying with us for at least a week. I am delighted by the sight of my kids being entertained by grandparents. I am thrilled with the sight of my mom and someone she loves. I am reminded of how different things were for all of us just a few years ago. More people to love now. That makes me smile.

We explored the woods this morning, walking far past the fallen tree where we usually end our adventures. A line of scattered cypress knees traced out our path and we zig-zagged between them, stopping for a pinecone juggling act, courtesy of George.

Want to come alive? Explore the unexplored. Invite friends to come with you. Make note of what you see.

Lainey’s ric rac dress, The Measure

What makes you come alive this week?

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Late Friday Photo Dump from last week:

Friday Phone Dump photos are taken on the Instagram iPhone app (free) and dropped into a 12×12 collage using a photo editing software (Photoshop Elements works). I am @etst (enjoying the small things) on Instagram if you want to follow the feed.

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Bubblewish, the whimsical felt twinkle light shop, is back to sponsor this month. Both my girls have Bubblewish lights in their room, we enjoyed our holiday Bubblewish lights this past Christmas, and our shower curtain is currently draped with one of Bubblewish’s felt garland strands.

Available in a variety of shapes (circles, stars, birds, Pac man, your child’s name), Bubblewish twinkle lights are the perfect accessory to add an enchanting touch to any room in your house. Use code ENJOY20 for 20% off your order. 5% of all sales will be donated to the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas.

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I’m going to go out on a limb here and say, you know what? I think tonight’s gonna be a good, good night. And this week, I shall write. I shall write until my heart’s content because that, my friends, is what makes me come alive.

Happy Monday.
(P.S. Speaking of writing, I know I’ve sung Mamalode’s praises in the past, but it really is a wonderful magazine. Their spring issue is headed to mailboxes next month. I wrote a piece about the power of writing and how the process of writing Bloom changed me. It’s included in this issue along with some great essays from talented writers I admire! Subscribe and get yours now.)

Take Joy

March 8, 2012 By Kelle

I love when I end Monday posts with this sort of “Woo hoo, it’s going to be a great week!” declaration, and then things go to the crapper (Sorry, Dad. Crapper. I know.). And while we’re on it, every time I listen to “I Gotta Feeling,” I get so excited about tonight being such a good good night that when it isn’t, I personally want to hold the Black Eyed Peas responsible. This isn’t to say I’ll stop declaring, stop singing or, as Journey would say, stop believing. I’ll hold on to that feeling, thank you very much.

Insert random picture of happy thing.

Alright, another happy thing.

She can push it. By herself. Yes, she can.

Brett’s been gone to Miami for work since Tuesday morning, and minutes after he left, I got a wicked cold. This is bad for multiple reasons. Namely, two friends had babies this week and there are two newborns I can’t hold right now.

Insert third very happy thing, Heidi’s baby girl, Ivy Lynn.

Parenting is challenging when you are both sick and alone. I had planned to write tonight about how I crashed in bed early last night and almost cried with exhaustion, how I lost my cool this morning with Lainey, how I failed to welcome Brett like he deserved tonight because all I wanted to do was pass him the kids and head out for a solitary walk in peace. But I try to always write what I feel and, at this moment, it does not amuse me to talk about the struggles of the past few days. I’m kind of over it.

Hello, Sunshine.

This is part of life, and not every night is going to be a good good night, no matter what the song says.

This afternoon I hugged Lainey and sat across from her at our counter bar stools, her little hands folded inside mine. I told her I didn’t feel good and that I was sorry I got upset this morning, sorry I yelled and made her not feel so great. We talked about things that make us both upset, and she was thrilled to elaborate. She was eager to forgive me, and in that moment, I felt redeemed for all the ways things didn’t go so swimmingly this week. Striving to be a good mom, a loving mom, a mom who’s always trying her best is so much more fulfilling than striving to be a perfect mom.

My friend sent me a quote today, appropriately timed.

“The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take joy.” ~Fra Giovanni Giocondo

There will be days where it will feel good to expound on the ick of the moment, days where leaving the lights off will be needful. But tonight, I’m flipping the switch back on.

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On to more amusing things of the moment. Behold, my current spring obsessions: flowery things, yellow things, things that tie into bows, mint green things, pastel polka dot things, things that grow. You know…spring things.

And Nella got her first pair of Saltwaters. Appropriately yellow. It is officially time to go run through a field of daisies.

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As unbalanced as the past few days have seemed, we made efforts as best we could to balance lazy indoors with rejuvinating outdoors.

We colored in bed the other night, and I finally had to turn out the lights after I realized I had spent 45 minutes obsessively shading a Strawberry Shortcake scene to perfection (this isn’t the first time). We had a system too. I called out crayon colors like a surgeon requesting tools, and Lainey made them quickly available, passing them to me in scrub nurse fashion.

“Green.”

Pass.

“Light Blue.”

Pass.

“Reddish Brownish.”

Pass.

And there was no bypassing the scrub nurse. I once reached for Midnight Blue, and Sister snatched it with a fiery glare. “I’M THE PASSER!”

Nella loves to watch Lainey play phone games.

Just as I lunged toward the front door for a walk when Brett returned tonight, I have found the most peaceful, assuring environment lately is outside.

Our driveway is decorated with an array of colorful yard toys and trikes and outlined by sidewalk chalk sketches. Sunshine, wind, and gardenia scents happen to work as Nature’s cough drop.

cookies and milk in the woods

I have better thoughts which might lend themselves to a more put together post tomorrow. But for now, there’s a husband I haven’t seen in a while and a bag of lemon menthol drops calling my name.

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Sponsor Dashing Bee is back this month with almost 800 new spring/summer items added to their online consignment shop with more to come. For those who haven’t discovered Dashing Bee, head on over to find an impressive selection of baby and toddler clothes and shoes, baby gear, toys, maternity clothes and more–gently used, great brands, and affordable!

All above items, currently available at Dashing Bee

Use Code DASHING10 for 10% off your order.

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Tomorrow morning, I’ll be doing a fun giveaway for an advanced signed copy of Bloom on Enjoying the Small Things Facebook page at 10 a.m. EST. Stop by!

Also, if you’ve pre-ordered your copy of Bloom for pre-order incentives, please remember that receipts must be mailed to bloompreorder@comcast.net and not the blog address. All pre-order incentives will be honored through April 2, so there’s still time. So many of you have purchased 10 copies with your book club, and I’m so excited about the Skype chats! If you’ve e-mailed your 10 copy receipt, I will be scheduling these soon.

Pre-order Incentive reminder:

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The week’s almost over. I’m feeling good about that.