back in the day bakery

one of my favorite spots that we visited while we were in savannah was the back in the day bakery. it took us a while to walk there, but was it worth it (and necessary). i've become twitter friends with cheryl, the wife in the super-cute-in-love duo that owns the bakery. she was so warm and lovely and greeted us like we were family when we walked in (even though she was being filmed!). i can't say enough good things about the vintage charm that oozes out of this off-the-beaten-path gem. if you go to savannah it's a must and if you're lucky you'll go on a saturday and get to try the made from scratch cinnamon rolls (i got mine with cream cheese frosting, hence why the walk was necessary).

tad carpenter's holiday game

when i spotted this board game created by tad carpenter, it was seconds before i was draining my paypal account. tad is one of my favorite illustrators (atlantans will recognize his genius illustrations from yeah! burger). his work makes me happy.

i love that:
it looks like it plays like candy land.
the colors are gold + turquoise.
we can play it Christmas morning.

a gift for the whole family.

surviving the holidays part 2: stress

//lululemon

a mile long to-do list + a booked calendar = stress. the holidays are my absolute very favorite time of year, but sometimes i can get so swept up in the hurriedness that i miss what i love the most: spending time with family and friends, cheesy Christmas music, the magic of the lights at night, the mystery of the birth of Christ and the joy of dear old santa.

here are some ways to make the most of the season without losing your mind:
1. start shopping early. if you get your list knocked out you'll be less stressed and spend less. waiting til the last minute equals spending more money on most likely a gift that you aren't in love with.
2. MAKE time for exercise. getting out those endorphins is crucial. whether it's a long walk, a hike, riding your bike, running, practicing yoga, etc. make it fun!
3. eat well and your body will feel happier.
4. order cards early and get them mailed. this makes me feel ultra accomplished knowing that we're sending joy to people we love. i ADORE getting cards in the mail.
5. try not to overcommit. this can be tricky. i hate to say no or to hurt anyone's feelings, but we can't do it all.
6. consider a gift exchange if you have a big family or just sharing a meal together instead of exchanging gifts. quality time is the best present, right?
7. having quiet time to rest the soul.
8. make time to celebrate as a family. we are using the advent calendar to do something special each day.

side note: i tend to feel really guilty about overindulging during the holidays. as simple as i try to make it, i feel like we are constantly fighting to eat healthy. it's so hard sometimes.

how do you deal with the stress of the holidays?

create your own advent pocket calendar

for the past five years it has been a goal of mine to make an advent calendar. i wanted to make one with pockets that i could fill will little notes, ornaments, and treats. as you can see right now this calendar is being occupied by our house elf, ook. hopefully you'll have some down time this week to make your own!
you will need:
cut two 24x24 inch pieces of fabric
cut four 6x25 inch pieces in an assortment of festive fabrics
dowel rods
baker's twine
felt
hot glue gun

sew 24" squares, right sides facing leaving a 3" inch hole for turning out. i used a heavy canvas for the front which i would recommend and i used the tree fabric for the backing. trim excess after sewing and snip ends for nice, sharp corners. turn inside out. poke out corners. press. topstitch all the way around catching the opening in the top stitch.

knot ribbon, string, or twill tape to hang calendar with. i used some baker's twine. place the knot under the fold in the middle. place dowel rod at top of calendar and roll the fabric just until it is covering the rod and the string. pin on edges. then sew closed the loop on both sides of the rod and across the calendar. repeat for the bottom of the calendar. (*note: you may want to sew the bottom dowel in last, having it in makes it difficult to sew the bottom row pockets, which i learned the hard way)

cut out four assorted strips of 6x25" pieces of fabric. fold and iron on all sides. sew down fold at top of fabric pocket, repeat for each piece of fabric. then place fabric and pin about an inch apart starting at the bottom and working your way up (make sure to account for bottom dowel). once fabric pockets are all in place, sew down sides and across the bottom so that the pocket is attached to the calendar. then mark pocket divisions with pins leaving equal space for six pockets, or you can vary the sizes to allow for different sized goodies in your calendar. then simply sew down to make each pocket.

for the dates, i hand-cut the numbers out of felt and then hot glued them on. for finishing touches i glued some vintage buttons on various pockets for a little sparkle.

have a lovely time with your favorite people, stuffing yourself with your favorite holiday treats. i for one am very thankful for YOU!

day four

we just took a trip down to savannah to celebrate my dad's birthday. let me tell you, if we could sell our house right now i'd be tempted to move there. i just love it.

today i'm thankful for:
-people that read my blog even after days without posting.
-if you've seen our house you'll know i have a thing for vines. they make me happy and savannah is covered in them.
-the ocean.
-family bonding.
-yummy recipes. excited about what i'm bringing to the thanksgiving table this year.
-running into friends in unexpected places.
-november thunderstorms.
-south georgia.
-moss that hangs from trees.
-seeing old friends.

day three

neverhome maker's autumn stew and spelt cornbread

today i'm thankful for:
-the above treat. perfect fall dinner. sam and i loved that cornbread so much that we made it two nights in a row.
-a show that sam and i can agree on. he is actually letting me watch a show that is teen centric. vampire diaries is our latest time waster. all of the people who know i hate on vampire dramas can milk it up. honestly, i've needed some good down time.
-for new days. matilda and i had one of the hardest days i have ever had as a mom. she basically had one meltdown after another with no nap from 8 am til bedtime. she even went to bed crying. it was awful and i felt like such a loser mom for not being able to make her behave. she's already started back talking. she's three!
-for a weekend getaway.

more gratitudes.

day two (countdown to thanksgiving)

today i am thankful for:
-finished projects! these two tiny fete dresses were a custom order by a friend's boyfriend. that's right. how thoughtful is he? he had such cute ideas: an austin inspired dress for the little girl of a friend who lives in austin. an apron dress with detachable apron for a co-worker who's having a little girl and loves to cook. i mean, come on. makes me happy just thinking about these little ladies wearing their dresses.
-warby parker's home try-on. we had just a little fun trying on all of the glasses. exhibit a. exhibit b. i think i narrowed it down.
-starting new family traditions. my cousin kathy told me that she keeps a thanksgiving journal and each year every family member writes down what they're thankful for and then they read over the past years. love this idea. little ones can just draw something!
-the she and him christmas album. isn't zooey everyone's girl crush?! sam has a rule about no christmas music until after thanksgiving. when he's at work matilda and i watch things like elf ("bbuuuuurrrrrrrppppppppppppp" "did you hear that?") and blast the jingly christmas tunes!
-healthy babies and new mamas and daddys. i was so thrilled to be able to catch up with karina and hear all about her new baby boy. babies... what little life changers.

i wanna hear what you're thankful for!

countdown to thanksgiving...

photo: our labor of love

with thanksgiving happening next thursday (what?) i am inspired to share what i am thankful for leading up to the big day.

today i am thankful for:
-this man and child i call my family. i feel very loved and at peace that i've found the perfect partner to raise a family with. this little girl has me simultaneously smitten and bewildered. sometimes i look at her and still can't believe she's real.
-chai lattes that i make out of chai tea, almond milk, and a smidge of raw honey. about as close as i'll get to my beloved cafe. got any favorite teas you want to share with me? working on creating a new ritual.
-running. i love the experience of just going, going, going and how it makes me feel after. it's been really helping me work through some stress in my life. i really love this c25k app that helps me get there. would also love runner expertise on fitting it in with it getting dark so early.
-this gratitude journal to fill with happy thoughts to look at when i'm feeling extra grumpy. (also available here.)

need an energy boost?

my friend kelly tweeted this link to me. pretty appropriate, huh? i especially love the psa (heehee). i'm happy to report that my headaches are gone (yay!), my stomach however has been on the fritz. crazy withdrawal symptoms, i feel like a crack addict. ok, so i won't torture all of you coffee lovers any more with my updates. just wanted to share this fun site visual.ly with you guys. hope you have a great weekend! xo

via

cutting out coffee

FOUND HERE

here's the deal. i like love coffee. even when i felt absolutely and totally convicted that i should give it up, i prayed that God would send me a different answer. i've known for months that it had to go. i just kept putting it off. yesterday i said "enough!" and decided to cold turkey call it quits. at first i felt nothing and then around noon i got a dull headache which turned it to a full on "ouch" headache in the afternoon. i didn't take anything for it because i try not to use any medicine at all. i drank lots and lots of water and then ate my favorite comfort food: chili. matilda helped me make it, which was the cutest thing ever. she loves to help do anything. she's so awesome. anyways, it was raining and i went to bed early for the second night in a row. don't judge me, it's really 9 even if the clock says 8. oh, 9 is still early you say?

the main reason i wanted to cut out coffee is that i think it triggers my anxiety. i've been struggling with anxiety for as long as i can remember. it's a part of my code, but when i drink coffee it makes me feel like my heart is coming out of my chest and on tuesday i felt like i was having a panic attack. hello. something had to change. i know that coffee can't be good for me if this is what the withdrawal feels like. i want to be able to eventually have a casual cup. i don't like being addicted to anything.

have you ever given up something you love because you knew it was bad for you?

i hope to not be so crabby and uncomfortable as the week goes on. wish.me.luck.

surviving the holidays part one: food

beautiful crocheted vegetables spotted on ginny branch's pinterest.

with the holidays upon us (as well as the egg nog, pumpkin pie, let's not even mention peppermint milkshakes, etc) our unhealthy food intake is certainly bound to rise. even though i think indulging is absolutely necessary (once in a while), this is how sam and i lost weight during the holidays last year.

when sam and i started our healthy food journey (a year from last august) we were purely doing it to lose weight. i gained a lot of pregnancy weight and sam was eating right along with me. then we started eating better because we felt better. something interesting to me that i heard from a friend was that the holidays are the time of year when most people get sick. part of the reason for this is that everyone's immune systems have been lowered due to the amount of sugar they are consuming. makes sense right? your body is focusing on how to process and break down all of that pumpkin pie instead of tending to and fighting off whatever germs are making their way in.

so, here are some things that we do to feel our best without sacrificing the pleasures that come with the holidays:

1. try and eat clean every day. this means lots of organic vegetables, some fruit, some meat, little to no dairy.
2. save your "cheat meals" for holiday parties. you don't want to be the lame-o that's turning down cocktail wieners and the cheese plate.
3. limit your treats to the main affairs: thanksgiving, christmas eve, and christmas day. by all means treat.yo.self.
4. if you want a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake (warning the nutritional info is terrifying on this one, better not to look), have one! ONE. get it out of your system because otherwise you'll be grumpy and fixated.
5. the main thing is not to spiral out of control. with cookies showing up at the office and neighbors bringing over chocolate covered pretzels, it can be hard to do. sometimes you just have to have some self-control. the more you practice this, the easier it gets.
6. avoid drinking a lot of alcohol. when you drink it lowers your inhibitions, thus making you an easier target. again, save the merry making for the big days.
7. eat before you go to parties. if you are full when you get there, you're less likely to make bad choices.

i wanna hear your tips for dealing with pushy people, this can be one of the hardest parts of the holidays. i call them feeders. the bottom-line is you want to treat your body good and they don't live in your body. it's ok to politely say no.

side note: i am so not perfect. these are things i try to do. i definitely have my weak moments, but they usually come when i'm hungry. snacking throughout the day really helps, as well as keeping crap out of your house.

the bakery at cakes & ale

i finally got to sink my teeth into some of david sweeny's food. matilda and i met some of my best friends for an impromptu lunch at the bakery at cakes and ale where david is currently serving up some of the best lunch in the city. after hearing a steady flow of rave reviews of dynamic dish (sweeny's former home which i sadly didn't get a chance to visit before it closed), i couldn't wait to try his food. i ended up getting the corn chowder and one of the best salads i've ever had. seriously. there was also a gluten-free grain bowl on the menu which was spicy and delicious. the atmosphere of the bakery is polished but laid-back and i love a menu with only a few items. makes it much easier on my indecisive brain. the pastry case was also inviting. i must say. a truly lovely spot to meet friends or a loved one for lunch.

eighty

this past sunday we surprised my grandfather for his 80th birthday. what an incredible milestone. the party was held at my aunt and uncle's beautiful riddermark farm. gorgeous, huh? the weather was so amazing that we stayed outside most of the time. it was a really special party. i am so blessed to have all of my grandparents in my life. they are all so precious to me. happy birthday granddaddy!

creative mornings

photo by tyler ward/ design by matchstic

this past friday i was able to squeeze in to the sold-out second event for creative mornings atlanta. creative mornings is "a monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types. each event is free of charge, and includes a 20 minute talk, plus coffee!". rick anwyl was speaking at matchstic following a tasty breakfast of octane coffee and little tart bakery pastries sponsored by mailchimp.

rick has been in the design industry for 35 years and as someone whose paved the way, he had a lot of great advice. he helped launch cnn, worked with ralph lauren, coke, and many other brands. currently works for son and sons. some of my favorite quotes from the lecture:

"design is a business about business - graphics are how we express ourselves."
"curiosity is like spinach for creatives - keeps us going."
"manage creatives with soft hands. give direction but give them freedom."

this series is a great way to meet other creatives. i left feeling totally inspired and very caffeinated.

the lecture is moving to magnolia hall in piedmont park on december 9th and will feature ben chestnut of mailchimp. follow @Atlanta_CM for the ticket link. tickets go fast!

hope you're inspired this weekend to do something great. xo

aprons for seed factory

ten aprons.
each one of a kind.
all available at seed factory!

100 years from now...

L: spotted on designlovefest R: photo by sam graham

when i stumbled upon this quote it literally shook me to the core. over the last few weeks i've been feeling so detached from myself and feeling really unsure of who i am. what i want out of life. as a mother, our whole days tend to revolve around our children and then every so often we pull back and feel hungry to regain ourselves. to put on something pretty, to have an adult conversation. lately i've been so jealous of my single friends (by single, i mean without children) that get to roll out of bed leisurely and have fancy dinners out on a whim. i've been jealous of women who have "people," jealous of moms who actually have time to shop for themselves (hello closet full of clothes from 2005). i've been feelin' a little sorry for maself and boy have i felt guilty for it. isn't that how it goes? then i read the quote above and it was like God shaking me telling me to snap out of this selfish stooper. it was a big, bold slap of reality and what's really important. in a hundred years from now it won't matter if i have the latest cashmere cardigan from jcrew. it won't matter if i missed one fun night out with friends. what will matter is that i read an extra story at bedtime, that i played with matilda at the park, that we danced in the kitchen until we were sore, that we make each other laugh ridiculously hard, that my daughter knows how much her i love her.

not to say that i don't think it's important for moms to be able to share these sorts of feelings because i think we all have these "moments." i started slowing down, taking in the time that matilda and i have together and savoring it. sam had a bunch of shows last weekend so til and i had a lot of one-on-one and SHOOOOT do i love that girl. it hurts how much and sometimes i just need to be reminded of her smallness, how temporary it is that we'll be housebound, how fast she's growing up, how fast the meltdowns will come and go, how freaking lucky we are to be blessed with this little ball of magic. i think so often the fantasy of being able to do whatever we want is so much greater than that reality. even if i get woken up at 5:30 in the morning and touch something unidentifiable once a day, i sure as heck wouldn't change being the mother of my blondeheaded girl with a strawberry mustache* for anything.

*matilda calls anything that gets on her face a mustache. today it was strawberry jelly.

lovebugs 4.0

just had to share a few of my favorite photos from this year's lovebugs (a collaboration between seed factory and our labor of love). this is the fourth year of the series. you can see the rest here. i love how our labor of love perfectly captured matilda's hilarious expressions. no shortage of personality.

for previous lovebugs click here!

a big thanks to whitney, jesse, and heidi for making magic!

pumpkin smoothie

pumpkin smoothie
only slightly adapted from oh she glow's pumpkin gingerbread smoothie
serves one (i always double this recipe)

1 cup organic whole milk, plus a bit more if necessary
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1 tbsp grade b maple syrup
1 small frozen banana
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
pinch nutmeg
handful of ice

blend to creamy perfection! works best if you soak the seeds and oats in milk for a minimum of an hour before blending.

have i mentioned how much i love oh she glows? it's such a great, healthy food blog. angela is funny, smart, and knows food. she's vegan but she doesn't cook with much soy (if any) and her recipes are good. the latest one that i've tried is this pumpkin gingerbread smoothie. i've been craving pumpkin and wanted a treat that wouldn't make my insulin spike through the roof. this smoothie has me wanting to make it every morning and matilda loves it. hope you enjoy it as much as i do!

ps wanna hear a funny story? when i grabbed my camera to take a picture of this smoothie i thought it would look extra pretty to sprinkle some cinnamon on top. when i went to take a sip i almost choked to death. turns out i grabbed the chipotle powder instead...