Here are just a sampling of photos from the marvelous junk heap in the Shabby Mamas tent.

Standing: Andrea, Kimber, Becki / Seated: Carrie and I.

Name tags, aprons, friends, and shabby chic home decor – a nice day all around.

Cheers for trying something new!

Love,

Jess

Don’t bears eat a lot, then go sleep for a good long while, say, all winter long? That is a bit of a reflection of my current lifestyle.

I try to grin despite all the sickness and the fatigue of this pregnancy but really I don’t hide it very well. I try not to be a bear with my attitude — my pregnancies have been been an emotional blessing — stable hormones I guess.

Hiding in a cave only lasts for so long, so through the muck, I still try to get out…

• The Macy’s Flower show was a nice way to get excited about Spring. My favorite part was eating soup and salad in a restaurant with a sky view of downtown.

• I gathered with my small group ladies to discuss the novel, The Shack (which I didn’t actually read because I have been under a rock for 9 weeks). Surprise, surprise my favorite part was the meal we shared…everything was lovingly prepared (by my friend) from the Barefoot Contessa.

• I finally checked out a little bakery with some MOPS friends. It was delightful. Good food, good talk. I am just a little cross about losing my French truffle due to a queasy tummy. But, this too shall pass!

Now I must log off to eat and sleep some more…then get up and do it all over again.

Thanksgiving kicked off an attitude of gratitude in my heart. I had no grand plan, daily read or assignment.

I am just keeping my eyes open and more importantly my heart open to contentment, peace and thankfulness.

Here are some of the little things that have helped make my season merry.

1. A handmade set knit by a friend just for my little guy that Ry absolutely adores.
2. A trip to Ikea that offered a close parking spot on a very bitter cold and dreary day followed by a kind woman in the Ikea cafeteria that cleared my tray for me because she’s “been there” and Molly discovering the free cookies while Ry played in Smal-land (Ikea’s play place). All of which led to the purchase of new bins and an organizing frenzy that suited my needs quite nicely.
3. Lunch and story time with a friend. Ry, Lucy, Becki and Molly.
4. Sharing the wonder of Advent season with Ryan. Every step of Christmas (Jesus’ birth) and Christmastime (snowmen, candy canes, etc.) seems to bring him overflowing joy for which I am very grateful.

Renovation blues draggin’ ya down? Why not have a drop off birthday party with 7 kids under the age of 5.

Shake off the sawdust and cover those outlets! Be sure to remove all table saws and 10″ screwdrivers from the play area. Or if you are like me you do this as guest arrive.

Plan to get behind on your scheduled projects and try to have fun. I really believe hospitality is an attitude not a state or condition of my home.

Here are some highlights from Ryan’s 4th birthday super hero party.

We used cardboard and pipe cleaners (yes I know they are chenille stems but I just can’t convert) to create a party sign for the front door. Placing a sign at the door before company is expected is a welcoming tradition that Ry has established.

Pre-party happy jitters.

I keep a stack of white lunch sacks on hand for parties. By decorating them myself I always have the ‘theme’ I need.

Contents: mini play-doh cans (purchased at 50% off in the Halloween area), candy and batman fruit snacks.

I bought only a few commercial items. The balloons were a gift from Ry's party helper Grammy Lu.

We made a Bat Cave from a washing machine box, Spider-Man and Friends Memory game pieces and tempera paint. We kept the top open a bit and cut out two eye spy holes on one side and a secret mail slot on the other side.

For this super hero party I gathered all the toys in the house that would work as party props. Featured here is singing Spider-man with steamers.

Each guest wore a custom painted Super shirt. They each used fabric markers to decorate their own capes (white flour sacks). The little guests 2 and under had capes (1/2 a flour sack) with Velcro tabs on their shoulders. The doorway shown in the upper left of this photo was draped in red streamers for decoration and fun!

Super Molly snacked on pretzels.

Super Colin goes for a ride without his cape!

My baker Sam made this cake for Ryan. You know Sam don't you? He has his own club and everything. Sam put in extra Spider-Man details since we were having a multi-hero party.

This picture speaks for itself.

Who wants a photo? We want CAKE!

Of course the nice part about not having any furnishings in the party area was freedom! We ran, played Spider-Man Hoops, Spider-Man Clothes Pin Drop and Super-Man Jump.

Of course you can't beat an after party, "I love you Mom!"

]]> http://justablink.com/2008/11/party-time-during-home-projects/feed/ 7 http://justablink.com/2008/11/photo-shoot-with-the-becketts/ http://justablink.com/2008/11/photo-shoot-with-the-becketts/#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:20:21 +0000 Jessica http://themcwilliams.info/?p=1245 I was recently blessed with a job opportunity to capture my friends on film digital media. Darn, film sounds so much better. My trigger finger was in full frenzy as it grazed the shutter release button for an hour during a recent photo shoot.

I worked as an independant photographer for about 3 years but “closed” shop right before Molly was born to focus more inwardly on my family. A few people close to me have coaxed me out for a few jobs in the last year and a half. The family below is one such family.

They are such little treasures. Plus a little red wagon, how could I resist?

Making caramel apples was more fun than eating them. Time with friends and candy corn was time well spent.

Ryan and his friend Jack. Really, two peas in a pod.

We used mini yogurt pretzels, sunflower seeds and candy corn to embellish our caramel apples.

Nora and my daughter Molly. Two peas in a basket.

Nora making apples with her Papa Chris and Mama Dawn.

Bin-style candy corn vs. Brach's bagged candy corn. It was a draw! Both types were yummy. Which do you prefer? Could you tell them apart in a blind taste test?

]]> http://justablink.com/2008/10/applicious-i/feed/ 0 http://justablink.com/2008/10/apple-orchard/ http://justablink.com/2008/10/apple-orchard/#comments Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:39:06 +0000 Jessica http://themcwilliams.info/?p=945

Apple picking.

Bee swatting.

Cider drinking.

Doughnut hogging.

Extra money spending.

Fresh air breathing.

Goat watching.

Hay jumping.

Spending time with good friends over cider and doughnuts in the windy sunshine was superb. We already miss our TX crew. I loved looking at my home state with a fresh pair of eyes. Kristin pointed out to me how green everything looked. I was so busy looking for reds and yellows I forgot how pretty just green can be!

Here are a few images from our time together with the Donovans. For a full look check out our flickr set.

Ryan follows Jaimes up Goat Hill.

Jaimes with a Honey Crisp apple.

Gracie at snack-time.

Molly in stripes.

Penny for your thoughts. Ryan in a wooden train play set.

We got our doughnuts right away--a perk of a mid-day mid-week vacation.

Matt, Jaimes, Kristin and Gracie - Safe travels home. I hope you enjoyed the "cold".

Mom and Molly on the Lake Superior Shore in Duluth's Sandy Beach

Please stop over here to see an entire blog entry by the Kobies about our lovely afternoon on the North Shore.

The food was delicious and brought me very much back to my days living in Japan where my apartment was 1/2 block from a noodle shop. Remember the louder you slurp your noodles the bigger the compliment to the chef!

We ran ‘the little bake sale that could’ with homemade brownies, bakery doughnuts and water bottles to raise funds for Dawn’s sister Sarah. Sarah is going on a missions trip to Africa to help dig a well for clean water.

Both of our husbands get awards for doing non-stop Daddy duty (park, food, baths, everything) all Friday night and Saturday while we priced and ran the sale. [note: In general I don't think Dad's should always get awards for watching their own kids. Watching the kids under certain tough or busy times I think they should at least be thanked.]

I love to purge material things several times a year. In the winter months I usually just donate stuff to the Goodwill but in the spring I do a garage sale. A pleasant ahhhhhhhhhhh! is resounding in my mind now that the stuff has gone on to other homes or day-cares.

The following Bible verse inspires me to put my heart into important things not just my stuff,

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [Matt. 6:19-21].

Though I parted with several baby items like the Jumperoo, exer-saucer and baby swing. I still couldn’t part with all of my newborn baby clothes, a whole topic for another blog entry. We sold a lot and will be taking the rest of the unsold items to my Mom’s church, Friendship Church, for their fund raising garage sale.

I like collecting too. I did purchase 2 coats, 10 shirts and 1 handbag. I just happened to be sharing garage space with Dawn’s sister a Banana Republic store manager. So you can imagine the racks that were hanging there. Can you blame me? I am thrilled to have a few new pieces in my wardrobe. All day today was literally wearing a tee shirt that I wore in high school so yea, it was time to update. I refrained from wondering the streets to the other garage sales in her neighborhood so that is a huge star for me.

I equally love to do things that are complete opposites. I love quiet reading just as much I love yakking it up with my girlfriends. I love eating sensibly equally as much as I love eating chocolate flour-less cake or oh…the fruit cheesecake tart from Cafe Latte in St. Paul. Point being I love to collect and I love to give away.

It was a great day overall and we are already dreaming up ideas for a sale next year.