Simple joys.
I had to go into Anthropologie just to see the creative art displays.
This one was made out of balloons and cupcake liners, tied together by string in such an artistic way. I love simple things like this. How about you? And how do they come up with these crazy and beautiful ideas?
Tomorrow is a new week. What do you have planned? I hope you have a great week!
xo Adriana
Our cousin Cassie likes to make mandalas out of fallen flowers and gives them new life. She inspired me to play with the fallen blooms as I hung up our fresh, new plant.
It feels good to play and be creative. I loved thinking of her today and enjoyed my sidewalk art. Thank you Cass for the inspiration!! xo
Love this life. Yep, she says that too.
xo
I just got the Thanksgiving box down on Monday. In the box, I found some of our Thanksgiving thankfulness projects. We haven’t done something every year, but I do have a few mementos. In 2003, we made foam trees. I must have been inspired by a preschool project.
In 2004, we were thankful that Charlie survived and didn’t take the time to create another project.
In 2005, we made placemats with each of our homemade trees of thanks. They are sitting around our table now and we are all getting a kick out of what we were thankful for back then.
In 2006, we made bookmarks. I have these hanging on a mirror in another hallway.
We must have been really busy living and were not that creative in the past 8 years!! This year we are settling again and are ready for another thankfulness project.
We looked on Pinterest, and both Juliana and I gravitated independently toward the same 3D tree idea. This morning the aha light went on, and after yoga I went to the craft store to get supplies and came home and began building our Thankful Tree to surprise the kids before they came home.
Later while I was out running errands, Charlie decided to adopt the tree and made it his own. He decided our tree needed birds, and proceeded to find the ones he liked, printed them, cut them out and attached them to our tree before asking what anyone thought of his idea. I loved his creativity and independence, even though this idea was NOT on pinterest and was NOT mine! Juliana was clearly bothered by his creative freedom and wanted them removed. Even though I preferred our simple tree idea, I loved his personal touch and ownership of our family project and I didn’t want to take away from his creativity. The birds stayed.
We are creating our leaves of thanks and adding them as we think of ideas. I can’t wait to see how our tree grows.
We have so much to be thankful for. I hope the tree is overflowing in abundance and I wish you happiness, good health and peace.
What are you thankful for this year?
xo Happy Thanksgiving next week! xo
Juliana and I had a double date to the theater with ML and J to see The Little Princess at the community theater. I loved this for several reasons.
First, it brought back memories of when Juliana performed in Annie with her friend Rain. Rain was a mentor to Juliana and inspired her to perform. I loved that Juliana loved performing and practicing night after night and loved seeing her on stage. I also loved that she admired and loved Rain so much. I think it’s important for girls and women to admire and look up to other women.
Rain’s grandmother was the producer of the show and was the producer of the performance today as well. It was great to see her again too. She has a beautiful, sweet soul that shines and she was so happy to see Juliana. She told Juliana of an upcoming performance and I’m hoping that she’ll choose to tryout again. I love the theater and seeing the kids perform, sharing their talents.
I love sharing the arts with my kids too. Juliana and I got dressed up and brought flowers to give to our friends who were performing. We got to sit up close to center stage with our friends and enjoyed the show. I was in awe by the lead cast member who was only in 4th grade. She was so talented and poised and confident, with great timing!
The last thing I loved about the show was the story line. Kindness and grace and imagination helped the Little Princess deal with adversity and anger. It’s the little things in life…
Loved the day with my little princess… how was your day?
The trees in front of our yard have changed and are filled with leaves and light. I love this view in the morning, and to think they were just bare a couple months ago. I like this change.
Now that we actually have committed to a house in Amstelveen, it feels more real, like now we’re really going. Not that we weren’t going before, but there was a mental shift and awareness that was good and a little uncomfortable. I guess that’s how it goes with any major change. There are layers, right? There was a news article written talking about the new offices in Holland – another layer. And the tax adviser that was hired, as well as the documents stating my husband’s new role and position in Europe – more layers of realness. I think we’re really moving. I know, I’m a little slow…even though I know, I really know.
Maybe that’s why I fill my days to the brim and over the top – so I don’t really have to think about the change. Hmm. There’s a lot to think about and do in just 77 days!!
The good news is that the kids are starting to internalize the change and are preparing on their own too, as evidenced by their conversation and artwork. Like they started arguing over which room they each were going to get and whether they would share or not and get bunk beds. Little C has been the most apprehensive, so seeing his art creation and hearing the story about how he was going to put this up in his room now and bring it with him to the new house made my eyes well up, but at least he didn’t see. I’m so proud of him and happy that he’s accepting the journey.
And my mini-me, I better remember to be a good role model. She likes to mimic me. So this week I’m working on a few things to be a better role model. I feel her watching and learning and growing up. We even went and got haircuts together at my salon today. I love her and all that she is becoming… just slow down time, please?
here i am 