my happy little life

on halloween beware of things that go bump in the night...

hope your weekend is as spooky scary as a

werewolf bat mitzvah. happy halloween!

today i'm cooking for our annual halloween dinner party

i like to be the hostess and feed people, like monica.

and i also have really funny friends.

it always makes for a good time.

phoebe: ah, catwoman. we meet again.

monica: yes we do, supergirl.

phoebe: it’s me- phoebe.

on our way to the church halloween party

grant thinks i should change up my costume, as every year i am a witch. and i also try to get my family to follow suit. but i say...

i'm off to watch hocus pocus again....

more spooky posts to come.

my favorite book

the first time i read the book of mormon my life changed. i was just 18 and attempting to piece back together my life after a rough adolescent period. in the depths of my despair i opened this book and found hope and strength. each day as i read i became more convicted with the right way to live and the belief in the healing power of jesus. this incredible change i felt in my life, and the concurrent burning in my heart that the book, like the bible, really did come from god has guided my life and led me to happiness ever since.

i have a beautiful grey leather bound set of the bible and book of mormon together that i used as a missionary. i like keep it nice and take it with me to my sunday meetings. i also need an inexpensive "working" copy because i love to read in the bath (and i have been known to drop books in the bath), throw it in my purse to read when waiting places, and mark it up with any thoughts or impressions i get while studying. so i buy one at the thrift store to keep with me and beat up a little bit. i've also found that if i keep re-reading the same copy i don't pay attention to new ideas and impressions, but rather just read my old thoughts in the margin, so i get new copies frequently. i'm starting to amass quite a collection of books of mormon!

the other morning, i finished a heavily marked up and water-logged copy, the margins containing much of my desires and insights over the last year. as i closed the cover and thought about how much the book meant to me, i didn't want to just put it on the shelf to collect dust. i wondered, rather, if there was someone out there who i could send it to...someone who may need a buoying up, or has been curious about mormon beliefs, or who has been wanting to get some spirituality in their life.

please, if you feel like that could be you, i'd love to send off my beloved copy, with my heartfelt margin writings, to you. email me your address and i will send it to you. really, email me: kellymccaleb[at]hotmail.com.

ETA- the response in my inbox has been overwhelming and touching. i will contact each of you soon. i will send this copy to the first email i received, but of course, no one will be left out. please still email me if you'd like a copy. i am over the moon to share my favorite book with as many people as would like one. and i'd love to write some thoughts in each. thank you.

a new week, a happy thought

"the power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely." -louisa may alcott

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happy autumn

i only had time to knit one sweet baby pumpkin hat this october. this soft wool yummy thing will fit a newborn through about 9 months. i just put it in the etsy shop. first one there will score it!

buy it here

excitement

my friend liz, one of the talented spark ladies, was on studio 5 (a tv show in utah) this week to show techniques to make at home some of the trendy and gorgeous (and really pricey) j.crew embellished shirts. in my class at the spark event we are going to be playing around with that idea even more, and make some new designs using my entire vintage fabric collection! and- my class will be held in the pioneer quilt museum! i. can't. wait. i must admit, though, i am kind of the most excited to hear all of the artists and designers that are coming talk about their design processes. it will be amazing and inspiring.

be. still. my. heart.

i love: this girl, rock music, and that shirt.

had to HAD TO have this shirt the second i saw it- a childhood play on one of my fave old school bands.

had to HAD TO take pictures of her today because she just looked so scrumptious, and the sun was shining in the crispy weather.

good times.

you can buy this and other rad shirts or onesies here.

it's my sort-of sis-in-laws shop. it rocks.

there's a vw bus baby onesie. for real, check it out.

calm + clean = create

i can't get down to business unless everything is organized and inviting. today the craft room looked so light and clean.

so i spent all day in it.

start your own etsy shop

this morning i began compiling my thoughts and notes for the up-coming slc art weekend i'll be teaching an etsy sellers' workshop at. if you've been wanting to start a shop and don't know how to begin, or you have a shop that you'd like to see sell more- please come! it will be informative, fun, and motivating. and while you're at it, there are SO many great classes to take- photography, photoshop, illustrator, art classes, etc. (each of which will help you in your effort to run an etsy shop).

go here for all the info, classes offered, and to sign up.

this morning i woke up to this

it made me happy.

also making me happy? the new moon soundtrack- death cab, bon iver, thom yorke, more...it's really good.

listen to it here.

a good day

first off, i must thank you from the bottom of my heart for the sweet and encouraging comments on the last post. you really gave me a boost of cheerfulness and brought some tears to my eyes. and that was a good thing because today was a very, very important day for a girl i know...cate had her long-awaited first piano lesson this afternoon. she has been begging for them for awhile. i took a long time deciding what to do because i felt guilty about not wanting to teach her myself (especially considering the cost). but miracle! a neighborhood friend wanted to trade teaching piano to cate for me helping her to learn how to work her computer and camera. yes!

little cakies was so excited that she wanted to bring her new teacher a present. we spent hours yesterday canning applesauce, so she decided to write a note and tie it to a jar of what she had worked so hard making. so sweet.

i also had a good time at the lesson. besides taking notes on what i'll need to help cate with when she practices, i played on the floor with the funniest kitten on planet earth. yes, it is sitting in a straddle stretch. haha. oh, and i did one other thing during the lesson: i looked at cate with complete pride at her obvious music genius (wink) while thinking about how it was just yesterday that i was in first grade going to piano. it was a good day.

egg envy

i really love these ladies. one of them has started laying, and consistently leaves us a beautiful brown egg every morning for the gathering. the first day i found the eggs sweetly sitting in a nested bowl in the coop, i was overwhelmed with emotion. i laid on the grass for a minute and wiped tears from my eyes. at first i was confused at my strong reaction. and then i realized...i wasn't just proud...i was super jealous.

why was it so easy for my young little hen to produce an egg? why was it so hard for me? i sifted through emotions that i usually bury deep- a sadness that i'm broken. an embarrassment for my failure at being a woman. that, i decided, is the pain that infertility brings me. that is why i avoid the subject of adoption when grant mentions it. because i want to work. i want to produce my own egg in my own nest proudly. i am someone who spends her life finding joy in creating, yet in the most basic way we are destined to create, i am utterly powerless. it hurts.

i'm glad i finally admitted these insecurities to myself, as painful as it was to feel the full force of them. it helped me to see how much my own pride has hindered the process of bringing more children into our home. i'm not sure how to go about finding peace with myself and my womanly weaknesses, but i have a sneaking suspicion that it will require a lot of time on my knees.

favorite season, favorite quote

"delicious autumn! my very soul is wedded to it, and if i were a bird i would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." ~george eliot

images from here (check out her beautiful party invites!) + here + here. saving all the autumn goodness i see here.

me + you quilt revisited

i sell the pattern to make this quilt in my etsy shop. i'm quite proud of it- the technique i used to make it wastes not one inch of fabric- seriously, you'll have NO scraps.

cute beckie emailed me say how easy the pattern was to adapt for her crib bumper. how cute right? love those nursery colors!

it really is a great pattern, king down to baby size instructions are included- then you are left to your imagination for more things you can make.

purchase the pattern here.

my autumn project to-do list

sweet fuzzy pumpkins by martha, spotted by and making with mandee 

i NEED a quilt working wall for my craft room this winter. this one is denyse schmidt's.

 

cate starts lessons on tuesday. finally have to find/ restore a piano. this one is design mom's.

for the cars/ purses/ backpacks as it gets colder and noses get runny. again, martha.

what are your cool weather crafting to-dos?

around my neck

my lisa leonard jewelry collection is ever growing. i get so many compliments on my sterling silver stamped pieces, handmade with love by miss lisa.

my latest favorite is her "laundry line" necklace. i never take it off! when lisa sent me this necklace she said, "here's to hoping we can add another charm very soon!" what a sweetheart. i would like nothing more.

i think lisa's is a great website to introduce to husbands so they can start buying you meaningful presents you really want on special occasions! (it will also reduce their present buying stress by making it a tradition to add to your beloved collection). the custom possibilities are endless! and of course, oh so charming...

shop lisa leonard designs. laundry line necklace here.

everyday is a fresh start

dear cate,

i know i have been being kind of hard on you lately. i'm writing to say i'm sorry. that is one of the bummers of being an only child. yes, you get lots of treats and love and attention, but when you are an only child you also get parents who aren't ever distracted and can watch and correct you more often. that stinks! i'm going to work really hard on just letting you be a kid. and i'm going to work really hard on making sure we both get enough sleep so mornings aren't so grumpy! i never ever want to be mean to you- there is already too much meanness out there to deal with in life. i want your home, and your mother, to be a safe haven from the cruel world. please forgive me! let's go on a bike ride after school, ok? i love you!

love, mom

uplifted and edified

i'm always a little sad at the close of my church's general conference weekend. it only comes every six months, and for me, it's always just in the nick of time. it always seems that just before a conference weekend, in which we hear the leaders of our faith give inspiring and timely messages about living christian lives and having hope, i find myself dragging a little spiritually and greatly needing to feel a boost of optimism and determination. i am never disappointed. listening to this past weekend's speakers, pains in my heart were bound up. i now feel ready to be a little better, serve and love more, and pray with more desire. several messages from this conference particularly touched my heart. if you are so inclined, you can watch all of the sessions here.

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uniform

so i saw this picture of k. stewart a bit ago and it did something to me. i ripped it out and stuck it on the inspo board. i look at it a lot. and since then i've noticed that everyday i wear a version of it. except i am SO into tight rolling jeans. and no, you can't talk me out if it.

free ticket!

i'm so excited to be a part of the spark event in salt lake city, november 6-7. the idea is to come and have your spark of creativity ignited- to leave completely inspired! there will be an amazing speaker, a crafty little market, catered meals and awesome classes- including one i am teaching! i am going to give some peekies next week of what we'll be doing and talking about in my workshop. other classes include photography, jewlery making, and multi-media scrapbooking projects, taught by amazing women with a lot of creative courage. we'll all be sharing our process and how we turn inspiration into doing.

want to come? today there is a giveaway for a free ticket over on the spark blog! go enter and come craft with us!! leave a comment to be in the giveaway here. details of the event schedule is on the spark blog sidebar.

i'm so grumpy

i left grant's ipod touch in the cup holder on the treadmill at the gym. someone took it and didn't turn it in. my stomach hurts with disgust for the sleezebags at gold's, and anger at myself for being so dumb. i need to lay in bed with a diet coke and watch the rachel zoe project. guilty pleasures always make me feel better.

happy birthday coco

me and my little sister, 1986ish

i'm off to idaho to celebrate 27 years of coco-dependence. too bad we won't be in so cal at the beach, but i'm pretty sure we can still manange to have some fun...

the wallpaper quilt

that i love florals is not new news. i've been collecting vintage floral fabrics for forever. i decided to finally allow them to be cut up once i got the picture of this quilt in my head. vintage wallpapers were the inspiration, hence the name. cate was so happy when i made her bed up with the wallpaper quilt. and she adores the butterflies who are flying off with her dreams.(i bought them at the craft store and used poster putty to attach them).

want to make one too? i will share my fabric with you! i've made up a few kits that are now for sale in the shop- the quilt is twin or large throw sized. included in the kit are 165 pre-cut squares and the binding using over 25 different delightfully girly fabrics for you to sew up. the skill level is very very easy. you could easily adapt the baby quilt instructions from my sidebar.

purchase your kit here: kelly mccaleb handmade.

the bobbie winner is...

comment #64:

Is it wrong that at 24 I will seriously wear these?!?

Posted by: Maggie

email me your address maggie and i will send them off!

kellymccaleb[at]hotmail[dot]com

this is my favorite salad dressing

i don't make it a lot because of the high sugar content but sometimes i just have to have it. it is so delicious over a bed of baby spinach, mushrooms, and crumbled bacon. and, of course, some strong italian cheeses. enjoy!

red onion and poppy seed dressing

slice a medium red onion and put in a jar.

mix 1 c. sugar, 1/4 c. white vinegar, 1/2 c. canola oil, 1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seeds, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. dry mustard. pour over onion and close lid. (it will be very thick and may take some prodding).

refrigerate overnight. shake the jar to mix completely and toss with salad just before serving.

a sweet little giveaway

my friend ashley makes the cutest little bobbies. i love the little feminine touch they add to my cute, freckled, cate. ash was kind enough to donate some flower bobbies (three to be exact) to be sent to one of you! if you'd like one, just leave a little comment and i'll pick a winner in a couple of days, and send them off. good luck!

oh, and go visit ashley on her blog, or in her etsy shop.

*comments now closed. thanks for playing!*

today's needs

my house plants need a day of full sun.

i need a full day of sewing. among other things, there's a beautiful quilt waiting to be bound. i can't wait to share when it's done! (kits will be available next week).

see you monday!

i love wallpaper a lot

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home canning recipe for

ingredients

4 1/2 pounds very ripe peaches (about 20 medium), washed, blanched, peeled/ pitted, and cut into slices

4 cups of sugar + 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

directions

puree peach slices in a food processor till they are pulpy (not liquid). combine peach pulp, sugar, and cinnamon in a large pot. cook until thickened, stirring frequently (approx. 30 minutes- will vary).
 
ladle hot peach butter into hot jars (follow proper canning procedures), remove air bubbles, adjust lids. process for 10 minutes (higher elevation 15) in a boiling water canner. yields about 5 pints.

warning/good thing, depending on your view of it: eating massive amounts of peach butter on costco's honey walnut wheat bread will result in a cleansing of the bowels.

sunday dinners with grant's fam are my favorite

 

a few personal letters

dear lindsey, i am just over the moon!!! congratulations!

dear melissa, you made my weekend! was the cupcake good?

dear toast with peach butter i am eating right now, you are rocking my world. thank you thank you thank you. peach butter you turned out just right, i'm glad i made a million jars of you.

dear mccaleb family, i'm sorry i'm so lame getting pictures to you. i'm on it, i promise.

dear coco (and anyone else whose favorite show is AFV), watch this. you're welcome. then watch this, i'm thinking it's the twilight special effects crew's previous work. (did you know there are youtube clips called funny cats 1 through like 32?). looks like you weren't the only one watching animal home videos on the couch with their dad every night. (guess how hard i'm laughing right now).

dear john denver, i was listening to your beautiful music yesterday and was touched (as always). this sums up how i feel in life, thank you for writing it: 

and i'm looking for space
and to find out who i am
and i'm looking to know and understand
it's a sweet sweet dream
sometimes i'm almost there
sometimes i fly like an eagle and
sometimes i'm deep in despair

all alone in the universe
sometimes that's how it seems
i get lost in the sadness and the screams
then i look in the center
suddenly everything's clear
i find myself in the sunshine and my dreams

dear lauren d, you changed my life with the harry potter audio books. my night time anxiety no longer exists, i just put on the head phones and peacefully fall asleep in my hogwarts dormitory. a million thanks!

dear house, can you please become self-cleaning?

dear spark girls, i am really excited. i was crafting last night, finishing up the project when a bolt of lightning hit of how to make it waaay cooler! i'm so excited. i love when that happens.

dear fall and sytycd, i am so happy about both of you.

dear weekend, let's make it a good one.

love to all, km

(dear pic of the typewriter, you've been floating around on tumblr, but who is your owner? sorry, i don't know).

good overexposed day to you

documentation of triumph: at 8:30 a.m. i had gotten cate off to school after a good breakfast and kneeling prayers, exercised, scriptured, tidied, dressed, make-uped even, and was ready to face the world. i probably just described what you do every morning with no congratulations, but alas, these simple tasks at that early hour launch me into a paralytic tailspin of self-doubt and defeat most days. the force was strong with me this morning. most unusual...

and now i am free to finish up my sample project for the class i am teaching at spark, knit other goodies i'm working on, finish canning peaches, and go to the thrift store. it's going to be a good day.

what are you up to?

i have so many other things i need to get done,

but ripe fruit waits for no man.

checked off: ketchup, peach/citrus marmalade, raspberry/blackberry jam. still need to do: peach slices, jalepeno salsa, tomatillo salsa, basil/tomato sauce, peach preserves, pesto.

i don't know what i'm doing, but i follow the instructions in the ball preserving book. except for i put about half the sugar it says to! do you have any good recipes or tips for me? (especially for salsa?)

ps- i find great happiness in the preserving process, much like how i feel while baking. who knew? another hobby. (just what i needed).

ETA!- ok HELP! i'm super scared now that i ruined the jam because of not putting enough sugar, as commenters mentioned. i did it to taste, and in truth probably added 2/3 of the required amount, and cooked it a little longer to the gelling point. so am i ok, or do i chuck it? and the low sugar pectin stuff- is it just an artificial sweetner? because i'd rather have sugar. is pectin a natural product? i've read i can make my own from apples, but then there are no recipes that take natural homemade pectin into account. argh!

sunday best

jenn, of ambrosia girl awesomeness, started a great flickr group called sunday best that i am just loving. it's for all of us modest girls to give and get ideas for what to wear to church, mixing stuff up, handmade/thrifted (or not), etc. there are some super fashionable girls over there that i dare not call myself equal too, since my idea of a perfect church outfit is one in which i feel like i'm still in pajamas (see above). so if i can participate, anyone can. join us, won't you? as jenn says, "modestly fashionable is not a contradiction." and she proves it.

hey local girls! introducing...

knitting 101, taught by me!

when: thursday, october 1st, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

where: dear lizzie bistro, highland, ut (closed to the public, we're having a private party baby!)

why: you've been saying you're going to learn to knit for a long, long time.

cost: $65- includes instruction, all supplies (yarn, needles, etc.), and dessert and drinks- have you had a dear lizzie cupcake???

discount: sign up with a friend and the price drops to $55 each, 3 or more just $50. and because i believe in teaching your girls these dying arts: bring a daughter (at least 12 years old) for just $35.

what you leave with: a new confidence, a knowledge of knitting, the cutest scarf you've ever seen, new needles, and a desire to come next time and learn more!

how to sign up: class space is very, very limited. email me quickly if you want a spot or two or three and i will send you a payment request from paypal that will secure your spot! easy peasy.

kellymccaleb[at]hotmail[dot]com.

is dear lizzie cool?: um, yes.





hurry and get your spot-
it will be a girls' night out to remember!

ps- more exciting classes coming- i'm teaching an etsy workshop at slc art weekend and a vintage fabric crafting class at spark the event, both in november. more information on these events coming real soon!

life's a beach

we enjoyed a lovely whirlwind weekend through newport beach, la, malibu, and bakersfield. we love california. it is our happy place, it feels like home (because it is).

thinking more and more about autumn

i'm still in california, but felt like stealing a quiet moment on the laptop. what a great trip (pics to come)! 

today i found a perfect cardigan and an amazing shirt at a thrift store and it gave me the bug for fall clothes and weather and cleaning out my closet and getting out the scarves. because my clothing budget is very close to zero, and because i really prefer vintage anyway, i love to plan out all the "dream pieces" i want to add to my closet and then go hunting for them or make them. i love to clean out my closet (i'm ruthless) and keep the few things that have proved faithful and then go looking for what i am lacking. i prefer a small but reliable wardrobe.

i turned to some of my favorite flickr contacts for inspiration as to what "dream pieces" i want to hunt for/ make as the summer fades to fall. i must say, darling dexter is my most favorite. she gives me such great ideas to mix up the basic things i already have, or cute ways to wear thrifted clothes. i seem to have the exact same shoe wardrobe as her: various colors of saltwater sandals, various pretty and simple flats, a couple of vintage pairs of boots, and some chucks. she makes me feel like if i add to that a couple of great skirts and pairs of jeans (check), and then mix and match my vintage tops and sweaters, it really would be worth my time to get dressed!

here's a few a lot of darling dexter looks that inspired:



i seriously already have a good percentage of those clothes. and her outfits gave me fresh inspiration for what to look for to fill the holes in my wardrobe. goodwill industries, here i come! i recommend checking out more from darling dexter's photostream and her blog.

a sweet and juicy day

i'll let you know how it turns out.

other things to do today:

pack up and get the family ready to leave for southern cal! we have a wedding to attend in LA, family to see, and the beach to lay at.

see you next week.

she always looks worried but she's not.

penny lane has taken quite a liking to this newly thrifted chair (bought with its mate for $15). i had quite the happy and fruitful garage sale season- so sad to feel it winding down.

i have every intention of showing some of my amazing vintage spoils soon. i also have great intentions of posting my menu plans again. and my intentions to show you some quilts i've been working on couldn't be greater!

but penny lane and grant are cozy in our bed watching star wars right now, so i'm needed elsewhere. i just love that dog's triangle ears! rubbing them while watching clone wars would be a perfect end to this pretty great day.

seven years

this picture was taken on our hawaiian honeymoon seven years ago. it feels like that was a different lifetime. and also like it has just been a blink of an eye since that day. how does that work? anyway.

this morning, as grant brought me in some beautiful orange flowers and breakfast, and i laid in bed with the fan blowing on me, i felt like i was still in our hotel room on the big island- feeling relaxed and excited for the future. it was a nice moment.

and then it was time to get up and make cate's lunch and get her off to school and kiss grant goodbye for the day. and i thought, this day is so much better than a honeymoon. i like life. and my husband.

no itch here.

the first day of first grade was a success

however, we have reached the point in our mother/daughter career where i embarrass her and she tries to get me to put the camera away and keep a distance.

 

unfortunately for cate, i'm still at the point in our mother/daughter career that i can't do that. and really, she wants me there, i just know it.

thoughts

this is cate and her cousin charlie.

they love each other.

charlie (and his brother jack) look like what i imagine our future sons will look like. i wish those future boys would come on into the present.

i have collected lots of garage sale finds for them.

(i have found baby saltwaters two garage sale weekends in a row for a buck!) and you should see the hats and sweaters...

other random thoughts today:

i am getting extremely anxious for fall. i can always tell when i'm ready for my favorite time of year because i want to knit again. (also i pick up a harry potter). both of these things are happening.

after a long summer of relaxing, i am feeling a rush of creative energy. i'm ready to make make make!!

oh ya! check out the lovely list, a great blog about inspiring women who blog. and thanks for the feature, brandy!

school is starting and cate's on the early track. she said: "this is gonna hurt." we are very, very afraid of the mornings.

i have a lot to do. but i think hogwarts and some bubbles in the bath are calling my name...

what's on your mind today?

note to self: remember this, be like this

i really wanted to hike the y with nie, but had a previous engagement i couldn't change, and that made me sad in no small measure. friday i felt like i should go see her and express my love and friendship. i only stayed and chatted for a few minutes- her home was full of family- but i left feeling cared for and uplifted, and i have thought of little else since then. how did she do it? how did someone going through so much, living with so much pain and so many adjustments, manage to take the focus off her and rather attend to me in just a few minutes time? her kindness and grace is astonishing. and inspiring.

i want to remember this: i want to remember what she said and the way she made me feel as a life lesson- as an example of how i want to treat others and how i want to learn to be gracious and how i want to focus outward instead of inward. we hugged. she asked after cate and grant. she inquired about my health and life. she tried to feed me. she complimented me. she smiled and smiled and hugged and hugged and told me she loved me. i felt the love of our Savior, for her and for me, thick in my heart as i walked away. i left changed.

i feel humbled to the dust to know such a woman.
and happy! very happy.

celebrating grant

this weekend we celebrated the husband's 30th birthday. i have been thinking a lot about how incredibly proud i am of him. he has made such good choices and has worked so hard in his thirty years. he is so dedicated to his family and the best dad i could ever imagine. i am incredibly blessed to have him as my husband.

when we got married grant had just decided that he would give up his former life as a fire fighter in favor of going back to college. the same month (the first month of our marriage) that he started school, we found out we were going to have a baby. i was incredibly sick for months and was trying to finish my last semester of school. i couldn't even make myself something to eat, let alone work/ get to school, or contribute in any way to the running of our life. grant, on the other hand, went to school full-time, worked every night, and helped me when he was home. this pattern continued for the next four years. and still, he continues to work so hard for his family. his work ethic and personality are such that i know at any job he has he will be respected and liked. that gives me great peace and security in our roles as man and wife, and i love him for it. and he does it all while making everyone around him laugh all the time.

i am so amazed at the things he creates and can care for. he really loves growing things and fixing things and planning things. he's a man's man and a renaissance man and a family man. that sounds like a lot of men, but really what i mean to say is- he's everything. to me and to cate, he's absolutely everything.

i love you, grant. happy birthday.

(slowly) learning to leave their nest

our chickens just looove their double decker coop. they don't ever want to come out. but we want them to

free-range.

so we coax them out...

that's it girls, very brave!

here, come a little further...

that's it, run! eat some bugs!

but despite our encouragement, they stay reaaaal close to the door. i leave it open for them all day and they stay within 3 feet of its opening, going back in often.

that's ok.

 but we want them to hang out in the garden and eat the bugs. however, when one is deposited over there, she runs back to the coop area just as fast as those little legs can run!

they like to stay together.

phew! back safe at home. i can't blame them, grant made them such a great little house. and they get a little braver each day. i guess they are just chicken....

ba dum bomp.

ps- want some chickens?

i received some emails about how to get started with the chickens- but i don't know how to answer because grant does everything for them (i change their water). but i did find this website that looks like all you could ever need to know:

backyardchickens.com.

have fun!

when it's dinner time,

and i want to make a salad and some sides, i say,

"grant, will you and cate go get me some...

from the garden?"

and they do.

 

it makes me happy.

you want to know what's good? mashed potatoes made from baby yukon golds that were just dug up. simple with just butter, coarse salt, and cracked pepper. BIG hit.

AND

come back tomorrow for an update on the girls...

can you believe how big they are?

i seriously love them.

berry good

you know how there's always a little extra smoothie in the blender after you pour your glass full? don't pour it down the drain! instead keep popsicle molds at the ready to fill with the leftover goodness.

(then get ready for happy smiles on a hot day).

"can you believe how good these are?"

to make a big batch at once of creamy fruit-sickles: blend equal parts fresh and/or frozen berries with plain yogurt (i love brown cow) and freeze.

yummmmmy!

dear coco and dottie,

you are both very, very pretty.

and we miss you.

love, kelly and penny

grant's old school bday invite

i was just about to hop on the computer to design a little party invite for grant's 30th birthday, when i thought to myself, "i'm so sick of the computer." so i reverted to the high school days when i was a professional note writer. every class period (well, the ones i attended anyway) meant it was time to make a friend a collage note of all our inside jokes and draw funny pictures. did you do that too? ahh, those were the days. anyway, five minutes with a sharpie or two and the result was an invite that looked like it was done by a 14 year old. but i love it, plus it's perfect for grant and his maturity level!

i sent it out via email to our local peeps- but i feel like i forgot someone or two because i'm scatter brained like that lately. if you are tight with grant and want to come celebrate and i forgot you, email me! (and sorry!)

i love you grant! it's the last week of your 20s, enjoy!