I looked back in my bed and there lay three sleeping babes and my hubby. So what’s a mama to do but yell SNOW!!!! Oh and no we don’t have a family bed. We have sneaky little ones that gradually make their way into our bed when they wake up. Only to snuggle in and fall back asleep.

For all of the days that I stood on my porch, coffee in hand, wishing the drizzle were snow. Thank you God.

The kids school was canceled since we all live on back roads. Hubby is at home too. Today I’m anxiously awaiting a package from FedEx with the lasers of the Craft Hope book. Direct from Hong Kong. Scratch that, as I was typing that sentence the doorbell rang. Aaaack!

Wish I could stay and chat but it’s SNOWING!!!! And it’s supposed to keep coming down all day long. We’ve got our sleds and are ready to rock and roll!

Today I am :: overwhelmed ::

:: grateful ::

:: no longer eating at the kitchen table ::

:: amazed by the kindness of strangers ::

We are wrapping up Craft Hope’s project 3 as the Miracle Foundation comes to pick up all of this handmade goodness on Sunday. This week they travel to the orphanages in India to deliver all of the items for the babies.

Project 4 is right around the corner. A little hint… it’s going to be right in your own backyard.

I’ve got such wonderful news to share with you.  Well a couple of things actually.  Craft Hope Project 2 has launched!  Go on over, check it out, join our cause.  We’d love to have you!

Also, we have big news in our family…  we are expecting baby #3!!!  I’m 16 weeks along and the baby is due at the beginning of October.  We are thrilled beyond belief and can’t wait to meet the newest member of our family.

I feel like this post is bittersweet because it’s the end of one era and the beginning of another.  On one hand, I feel chikaustin phasing out.  On the other, I feel Craft Hope just taking off. I’m excited beyond belief about Craft Hope and have been amazed by the difference we have made already.  I cannot wait to see where this goes and I’m honored to have you along for the ride!

I can’t type too much about this because, well, I’m pregnant and emotional.  I’ll turn into a sobbing mess just thinking about chikaustin and where we are now.  So, we’ll just leave it at that shall we?!?

The best place to follow me for now will be on the Craft Hope blog.  Please spread the word about Project 2.  Thanks to all of you and your wonderful blogs, we were able to connect with women around the globe and come together for our first project.

I would just like to close out this blog with…  you girls rock, keep doing what you do, you inspire me daily.  Can I get an amen?!?

xoxo

Jade

And you know what?  I can’t tell you that I’ve gotten the house all organized, or the laundry all done, or even the dishes done for that matter.  I’m not eactly sure what I’ve been doing.  I’ve got piles around the house of things to be sorted and organized.  I’ve got a list of to-do’s coming out of my ears.  I’ve just being doing the mommy shuffling.  Moving from here to there.  I’ve always liked the theme of the movie Chocolat.  You know that… blowing with the wind… moving with the seasons.  I think that’s where I’ve been.  Just being carried on by the wind and a little bit of rain.

We’ve built lincoln log houses, lego castles, played dress up and baked cupcakes.  We’ve jumped in rain puddles, slid down wet slides and played in the muddy sand box.  Yes…  that’s where I’ve been.

I really need to focus and get this house in order and get ready for the dresses, shirts and shorts coming my way for Craft Hope.  I’ve already received a couple of packages and can’t wait to show you the beautiful work that was handmade by you rock star mamas.

Here is my little pile is of my vintage pillowcases that are soon to become little girl’s dresses.  I must get to sewing my dresses and shorts very soon.  Like now.  So enough chattering.  I just wanted to pop in and tell you that I’m still alive and kicking.  Raising a ruccus as usual.  I hope to catch up with all of you very, very soon!

I’m feeling the seasons changing here in the Texas Hill Country.  I hope you are able to feel those winds of change as well.  Ah, a new day is upon us.

Today I’m quite a bit overwhelmed with emotion.  There was a quote in the Austin American Statesman the put it perfectly, “Martin Luter King, Jr. walked so Obama could run.”

In four days, we’ll be rolling around in the snow, sitting by the fire and possibly thinking twice about the ‘road trip’ idea.  Oh, and making my first visit to Trader Joe’s in Santa Fe.  Woohoo!

These bags aren’t coming with me, but a girl can dream can’t she.  Aren’t they just gorgeous?  And don’t mention the practicality.  I’m sure they are much better suited to store toys or just to sit in a corner and look pretty.  But come on, they are beautiful.

We are officially hitting the road early Saturday morning at 2 am.  And I pray that the kids will transfer to the car and back to sleep.  And sleep until 8 am.  Ha.

And maybe look a little like this?  This was a shot of Keegan sleeping in the carpool line to pick up Makena from her first day at her new preschool.

I feel like a hunter and gatherer this week.  Not in the literal sense, but you catch my drift.  Looking for that one mitten, thrifting for snow boots that the kids will only wear once, driving to the end of the earth to borrow a portable dvd player.  All in the name of a snow filled good time in the mountains.

I’m sorry.

I miss you too.

I’ve been a horrible friend. I promise to do better.

Let’s blog, shall we.

I feel like I should be writing a note and passing it through several classmates just to get to you. Then, abruptly, the teacher gets a hold of it and reads it aloud. And it’s one of those sappy ‘I’m sorry’ notes. The ‘will you be still be my friend’ notes. How embarassing.

I’ve been over the mountain and back. Down through the valley and can see the sunshine again. Life. It just happens.

The holidays have got me reflecting on the past year. The good times and the bad. Things that were left behind. And things that I miss. I miss you all.

So I’m back. Baby steps. And I can’t wait to catch up on all of your lives.

My youngest awoke from his nap, bright eyed and bushy headed. Playing the harmonica like he’s been doing it forever. Bopping up and down. Swaying back and forth. Making the most of the summertime blues.

As he was standing there, moving to his own beat, I looked at him and wondered how he got this big. When did my baby become a full fledged toddler? Next week is his second birthday and I’m starting to get a little sappy and reflective thinking about it. Slowing down to think about who he is. His spirit. And his quirky personality.

He’s now talking, the sing-songy voice much more pronounced and direct. The occasional ‘why’ to my demands. The ‘that’s hot’ to his food. The ‘uh-oh’ when things aren’t going quite as they should.

During the next week I want to slow down. Not the occasional rushing about to plan a party. No, that is not what his big day is about. It is about him. His sweet little life. And the joy he brings to ours.

Disney World. One giant mecca of mouse ears, princess tiaras and pirate hats. Before we left, I planned to do two character dining meals. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s Disney’s way of taking more of your hard earned cash. We had a reservation for a princess dinner, on Mother’s Day mind you, in the Norwegian castle in Norway at Epcot. This was Makena’s opportunity to meet all of the princesses up close and in person. You go in, are overwhelmed and shuffled into line to meet Belle and then moved on to your table. This is where, during your meal, all of the princesses (Snow White, Jasmine, Princess Aurora, Cinderella) come around to sign autographs and take pictures with the toddler princess set.

The look on Makena’s face was priceless when she saw Cinderella. Now mind you that I am not a princess mommy. Not in the least bit. I haven’t encouraged the whole princess thing… until now. It’s the crack. I even, for half a second, considered getting myself a tiara. That’s how addictive it is.

Then we scheduled Keegan his very own Playhouse Disney breakfast at Hollywood Studios. Once again, we were shuffled inside to the madness of Disney. Inside Keegan’s face lit up as he saw the JoJo’s Circus gang and the Little Einsteins. It was crazy, but oh so good.

After two days of meeting characters, without having to wait in long character greeting lines to meet them, we decided to schedule a couple more things. The granddaddy of all character dining meals is the meal in Cinderella’s castle with all of the princesses. We scheduled a breakfast and were able to enter the park early, before the crowds. That was very nice. Then we went into the castle to be greeted by Cinderella herself. In all of her glory. Makena was, of course, dressed like Cinderella herself. And no, I did not have a tiara. Makena was handed a magic wand and Keegan was given a sword. Just the perfect toy for a 1 1/2 year old… to beat his sister with.

As the princesses made their way around, Keegan was whacking Makena with his sword. Makena had had enough of it, so smacked Keegan in the head. In the pictures above, you can see the progression. He was interrupting her with her princess time. Quite funny.

We left that meal feeling all magical and hurried throughout the park to ride the good rides before the crowds made their way around. We probably rode It’s a Small World ten times.

The Dumbo ride was also a hit, although it is a pretty long wait for a two minute ride.

This post has gotten pretty long and I still have more to share. I’ll take a break for now and promise to share more stories and pictures in my next few posts. You’ll need rehab after this. And then we’ll get back to the real world!

Disney World is a place unto itself. There is just so much to see. I’m working on uploading the 500 pictures I took (serious) and am now trying to get back into the groove of being at home by the lake. It’s quiet here. Very quiet. I like that.

I will share my stories of Disney in my next post. It by far exceeded my expectations and I found myself running around like a child.

For now though, I’ve added a few more items to my shop. I’ve been picking up these great vintage Acapulco straw tote bags. Perfect for summertime by the pool, lake or beach.