Home & Family

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    A Box of Happy

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Here's an investment with guaranteed returns.

    For $1.00, make a child's day with a box of colorful chalk. Leave the box on her bed with a love note. And that child's charming artwork will bring you far more than $1.00 of happiness. Take photos and your returns will double in the years to come when you both reflect on those sunny days of childhood.

    ChalkFamily4_470wWe haven't been able to fit in a family portait in years. At this point, I'm counting on Charlotte's artwork to catalog our family make-up. In fact, I dream of assembling a coffee table book of her artwork to help me endure an empty nest. I thought of naming the book 'I Love You, Mama' as this is the tag line on most of her drawings. My latest thought, however, is to name the book 'A Spoonful of Charlotte' as this mighty book is bound to help the medicine go down—the fleeting of time, a deterioration in health, vision issues—whatever is in store for me should I be fortunate enough to make it to a beautiful old age.

    I'm planning out my happiness.

    In fact, I've been giving a lot of thought to mindful happiness the last few years. I've been assembling my children's traditional keepsakes (artwork, report cards, photos, etc.) into files for their easy retrieval as adults. When I started, it struck me to include more meaningful things as well—bits of wisdom when they come to me, a love note for my far-off descendants—and my take on happiness and how to foster it. The more I move on it, the more convinced I am that everyone should leave such a guidebook for their kiddos. What to do, what NOT to do. I mean, isn't happiness the thing?

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    So far, I have a handful of essays. Gosh, 'essays' sounds so—so what? Collegy? So far, I have a handful of studies. What's the word here? Though some stories are typed up, not everything is written out yet. I scribble down notes and test out my theories regularly. Some experiments are spiritual, some are physical, some are silly. Really, these are all excuses to be mindful about happiness because I believe mindfulness can make for powerful results.

    Code name: Hello Happiness.

    I made a list the other night of some of my sillier experiments with happiness and I realized that I should be including you guys in this. For instance, why have I not posted about my Cleaning Crown? Or video-taped a Family Dance-Break for you to laugh at? Though I did post about taking a Clogging Class with my friend, Sarah, and learning to Make Yogurt, I did not revealed my intent nor my impressions. 

    The colored chalk was a simple plan to make the lessons I teach at my church a smidgeon more fun for the ladies. I wish I had thought to get an extra $1.00 box for Charlotte and leave it on her bed with a love note. That idea didn't crystallize till after we divied up my teaching supply and enjoyed a few minutes of scribbling on the driveway together.

    I'll have to surprise Charlotte with a new box of chalk in a couple of weeks when these others are worn to nubs.



  • Where in the World!? Part 1

    ByHeather Bailey

    Thank you to those of you who have written to see if I was okay. The truth is, I have been overwhelmed the last while and I decided to cut myself some slack. I’m sorry I haven’t chimed in with an update. There have certainly been blog-worthy things going on.

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    The baby has tripled in size and he is guzzling down food like it’s in short supply. Charlotte is dancing a whirlwind through the house and filling my walls and my heart with “I love you, mama” artwork. Elijah is stretching toward the moon and getting closer every day. He is a giant at over 6’1” and growing. Right now, he’s enjoying a break from marching band—we all are—and getting charged up to go at it again in a few months.

    My home dec fabric collection, Garden District™, is out. I have two new sewing patterns as well. There is also new Nicey Jane™ microfleece, which is irresistibly delicious. Yes, fleece! Think hats, scarves, mittens, blankets, toys. I’m dreaming up some fun projects.

    I could just proceed from here with new news, but there have been some wonderful things that warrant indexing, and some tough things too: naming the baby and why I haven’t announced his moniker, getting by with no assistant (it’s just a stinky time to train someone fresh when you have a new baby at home), teaching myself to run (go me!), creating a custom dance costume for Charlotte for Christmas, drawing and painting like mad in order to catch up from a brain-fuzzing pregnancy. The list goes on.

    Some of this stuff I imagine could be published in a tell-all book one day. There are always bits you don’t want everyone to know, but you so DO want everyone to know; you know? Life is a roller coaster. I try to sing the pretty songs in my blog, but throwing in a croaker now and then should keep it real. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m anxious to get back to this and be in touch. Thanks for hanging in there for me.

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    Let the Feast Begin

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Wow, is it Thanksgiving week already!? I thought life was moving by quickly as it was, but add a new baby to the mix and whoo-ee! Hold onto your hat.

    HB_Holiday_04w2I’m going to offer to take my sister’s family photo for her Christmas cards. She has been helping me a ton with Charlotte this fall, having her over for playdates and making sure she’s not missing out on any fun while I’m tied up at home with the baby. Today, she and my sister-in-law took Charlotte to the zoo so I could finish up some work in time to have a break for Thanksgiving Day. Julia has two boys, one of which is six, Charlotte’s age. And Rachel has one boy who is also six. One tribe of monkeys goggling at another. I imagine the kids are having a blast.

    I probably should work on my own cards too, huh? If for no reason but to capture a snapshot of our funny little family as it currently stands: mom, dad, lanky teenage boy, toothless 1st-grade girl, and a newborn bobble-headed baby.

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    It’s funny, I don’t ever get too stressed about getting holiday cards out on time, but now that Julia’s cards are on my mind, I’m hearing a soft tick, tick, tick behind my right ear. Time to get to it.

    HB_Holiday_02final…which train of thought reminds me I better announce my new Holiday stationery things — cuz it’s high time. If you’re looking for bright, stylish photo cards or party invitations that haven’t been gooped up with long, sappy greetings, I have the solution. Check out my holiday collection. There are also great paper plates, napkins and cups. We only have about 6-12 of each item in stock, so go get ’em. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to replenish before Christmas hits, but I’ll find out and let you know.

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    And the winner of the Little Bits Quilting Bee book is Shannon from Mastering the Art of Being Me. Thank you, Random Number Generator, for your impartial input. Shannon, email me your address & such : )

  • Fabulous.

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Watch for my friend, Kristin Alber, in the new issue of Where Women Create. Kristin is the owner of Found, the most amazing boutique this side of the Mississippi. For this issue, Isaac photographed Kristin’s space, along with several gorgeous studios from within her same building, including an interior design studio, a graphic design firm, and a photography studio, all women-owned businesses. Kristin’s kitchen will be featured in Where Women Cook as well—she’s that fantastic. This girl can decorate. I can't leak out all of the photos, but trust me, these spaces are crazy-cool. And so is Kristin. (Here's a peek at her home.) In fact, Isaac is up at Kristin's house today, working a shoot for Gold Canyon Candles.

    If you're piecing this all together, it was at Kristin's other store, Domestic Bliss, that I held a strawberry pincushion class a while back.

    WhereWomenCreate2011Sadly, I missed Kristin's private launch party for the magazine. I went out for a weekend on the town with a gaggle of girlfriends last Friday and Saturday. Isaac had to juggle the kids, the party, and a busy Saturday on his own. I just had to juggle my overnight bag, lots of chocolate and diet coke (to stay up), and a ride to Elijah's State Band Festival the following night. It all worked out perfectly—except for missing the hoopla over at Kristin's. She does what she does so beautifully. Even a 'casual' dinner at her house is styled to the nines.

  • Muggle-Born Madness

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Ex-smelly-armpits!

    About a year ago, I overheard Charlotte and her cousin, Jared, both 5, playing 'Harry Potter' around Charlotte's dollhouse. Their figurines were casting spells at each other through the living room window. Expelliarmus was the spell of choice, however their mistaken version was an enthusiastic — Ex-smelly-armpits! Back and forth, they cursed each other for a good half an hour. It was all I could do to keep from giggling and ruining their play with newfound self-consciousness.

    Come to think of it, smelly armpits can be magical, can't they? As a shield charm. Or for some, as an untraceable weapon.

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    Around here, Halloween has transformed from one magical night of dress-up and free candy to a series of events. Is this the case where you live? I'm still trying to decide if this trend is wonderful or worrysome. (Last year's series of four parties resulted in too much candy and too much fatigue to shuffle into one school week.) This year, we narrowed down our festivities to just two events — Halloween itself — and the best block party ever.

    HalloweenLove_470pxCostume-wise, I was magically off the hook this year. Charlotte discovered the Harry Potter robe I made for Elijah years back and opted to be Hermione Granger for Halloween. My workload? I ordered an improved patch for the cloak and a new tie, then hunted down a hair crimper to frizz out her glossy locks — far from my standard Halloween effort (as evidenced here, here, here & here). To top things off, our neighbor turned Charlotte a custom wand on his wood lathe.

    Perhaps I could have addressed the shoe situation better. When it came time to head out, Charlotte had to pick from pink ballet flats, white church shoes or a wide selection of summer flip flops. I didn't realize she was down to so few shoes. Fortunately, it's still rather warm in Arizona. At least the flip flops weren't lavendar and glittery — though that would have made for a good laugh.

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    Onto the best block party ever…

    This year we met up with my sister, Julia, and her two red ninjas, Adam and John, for a trek through her neighborhood party. Straight out of the movies, this party had pony rides, a merry-go-round of swings, train rides, a rock-climbing wall, a mechanical bull, and at least three or four other simliar attractions. Elijah spent a good part of the night in a tug of war game against a mob of small children.

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    Not only was the entertainment off the charts, but this soiree offered the speediest trick-or-treating I have ever seen. Folding chairs were arranged, shoulder-to-shoulder around the block. When trick-or-treat time came around, the chairs filled with generous witches, zombies, werewolves, and rag dolls. The kids lined up to make their laps for candy — so incredibly efficient and plentiful. No running from house to house, no wasted time waiting at the doorsteps of empty homes. I was mesmerized. So were the children, I’m sure.

    I'm still sorting out how I feel about the lack of effort involved. Shouldn't the ratio of effort to candy be higher?

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    Charlotte's not too troubled over it, whatever my conclusion may be. She can always cast a spell on me for compliance. "You will let me eat all the candy I want, whenever I want to."

    Truth is, that little girl cast a spell on me long before she received a wand to whip around.

  • Le-Purrty Please?

    ByHeather Bailey

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    We’ve decided to dress up the turret. Even if it only serves as a temporary nursery for the baby, this playroom space will surely be improved with color, curtains, and a little bit of magic dust known as attention. Once bub starts sleeping through the night, we can address how to best fit his masculine self into the lavender girlapalooza that is Charlotte’s bedroom—or sort out some other solution.

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    The older kids were skipping to get involved. All in all, painting took only 3x longer than it would have had Isaac manned the roller the entire time. I reassured him that it was a worthy trade off for good memories and sweet feelings. Besides, who could resist this petitioning kitty cat?

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    The Champions, My Friends

    ByHeather Bailey

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    How about I announce some winners? Has it been long enough? Har, har.

    As always, you’ve made picking giveaway winners extremely difficult for me. That’s a good thing. Thanks for the great comments! It took a bit of effort not to fret over this decision disproportionately. I love you all. (I might need a Decision Therapist.)

    Jen from Backwoods Wife, give me a holler, along with Naomi from Nome’s Brag-a-Long. Come on down! You can each have your pick of travel mugs and Pocket Posh books. Thanks for making my birthday bright.

    Jen: “Our 4-year-old daughter asked her Grandma to go to the park with her, to which Grandma replied, "Not right now, Grandma's pooped." Wide-eyed, Riley replied incredulously, "In your underwear?!"”

    Naomi: You’ll have to navigate to Naomi’s hilarious story. I’ve chickened out of posting it on the main page. It involves a diaper change. (comments, p.6—at the bottom)

    And because I’m a total softee—and I’m moved that hundreds of you took the time to add your thoughts to the birthday soup—I’m also handing out a gaggle of gift certificates to the following (I wish I could send every one of you a gift):

    Becky W. – for expanding my vocabulary with the term, “The Skoots.” (p.1)
    Megan – for her awesome banana slug / turtle joke (p.3)
    Mary Beth – for having TWO 14-year-old boys at home & enduring it (p.3)
    Liz Mouse – for weathering a baby’s birth the same week as selling one home and buying another (p.3)
    Brittanie – for this fantastic quote: “Cleaning and sorting while you and kids are growing is like shoveling snow while it’s still snowing.” (p.5)
    Julie – for a kind, gushing compliment that made me smile (p.6)
    Carrie McW. – for not knowing she was pregnant till 24 weeks into it (p.4)
    Marcy Mahle – for her ‘winning store display’—go read this one! (p.5)
    Seanna Lee – for helping her mom deliver a baby on the couch when she was only three (p.4)
    GG – by mistaking my remark about shaving my legs to read,“It is far easier to HAVE swollen ankles”—and her disappointment at not learning more (p.5)
    Julie B. – for needing cheering up after being called an “Old Fogie Mama” for having a baby at 38. (p.5)
    Chanel – for needing cheering up after shoulder surgery and enduring the hairiness that accompanies having your shaving arm in a sling for many weeks (p.5)

    And to the following new mamas, all with babies that were due about the same time as my little guy. I am your Mid-Night Commiserator; we are sisters is sleep deprivation.

    Kim (ChefMessy)
    Ashley (love that green bunk bed, btw!)
    Celeste
    Bianca G.
    Elizabeth Jeanne
    Shannon
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    Thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes, stories, laughs, etc. (Have a look—great stories!) As I have said before, I wish we all lived in one, weird, modern town where we could get together for sewing bees on Sundays and dance parties every Friday night. Thank you for your friendship.

    Winners, I will email each of you with instructions. If you don’t hear from me in the next two days or so, assume my email got lost in the VooDoo Net and send me an email (link in sidebar).

    * The collage shown above was made by the lovely Lynette Carroll using HB papers & such.

  • The BEST Excuse…

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I'm back from 'maternity leave.' I didn't intend to be away for a couple of weeks, but with family in town, my assistant moving into a new job, some replaced stitches, and the usual ruckus that accompanies a third baby, I needed the break. I'm a little behind on big announcements, so watch for new fabric, new patterns, and more.

    I might need an iPad so I can blog with one hand while I feed the baby. He's a full-time job by himself these days. Of course, I take smooching his feathery head and peachy cheeks rather seriously. Has anyone tried an iPad for typing up posts? I'm excited to get back to it.

  • Teensy Little Bird

    ByHeather Bailey

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    When the hospital called on August 17th to schedule a C-section for September 3rd, I got off my computer, and walked and walked and walked. Every day, for days. My best shot at avoiding surgery was to go into labor naturally. (My oldest was born by C-section, so the doctor didn’t want me to go full-term at the risk of uterine rupture.) It was over 110º each of those days, so I would head out at 8pm after the sun went down and make laps around the neighborhood in my fluorescent-orange shirt — the Great Pumpkin.

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    I did it! With four blisters on my left foot and three on my right, our new little bub was born at 1:59pm on Thursday, August 25th. No C-section required — phew. My feet only stopped aching this week.

    I had never gone into labor before on my own, so I stayed in bed that morning longer than some might have, timing my contractions on my iPhone (standard clock app, lap function – awesome). Once I could no longer sleep, I started posting my progress on Twitter; it was a fantastic distraction. We got the kids ready for school and called in my mom to make the rounds, then headed out to the hospital. Of course, we had to make a stop at the store for an SD card for our camera. (I wanted photos!) At that point, my contractions were a minute long and three minutes apart, from start to start.

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    At the hospital, when I walked from triage to the delivery room, my doctor announced that I was at a 7 or 8 and everyone at the nursing station stood and clapped, saying “Wow, you’re still walking!?” I wonder if that’s such a big deal or if they stand and clap for everyone. “You’re dilated to a 1? And you’re still walking!?” “You’re dilated to a 3? And you’re still walking!?” Might be a good protocol.

    I had a big, goofy smile on my face — between contractions. The staff was baffled by me. Sure, it hurt. Of course! I was just ecstatic that I beat the scheduled surgery and that I’d get to meet my new kiddo. Good thing I was in an excited stupor too, because my doctor had to attend to three emergency situations in the course of my labor. She held off on me a little bit so she could help the other mothers get through their ordeals. After she broke my water, everything went very quickly and the baby was born within the hour.

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    And here he is! The inventory is complete. He’s all here, with all his teensy parts. And everything appears to work as it should: cooing, gooing, squeaking, squawking, spitting, squirting, grinning, grunting. He’s so new and tiny that all of these functions still have us mesmerized.

    I’m saving his name for another post — as that’s it’s own story. When it comes to names, I’m a waffler. Why can’t we all go by three for four different names — that would be so much easier! (Well, maybe not.)

    Two days after the baby was born, Isaac and our talented friend, Jared Platt, met up to take pictures. These lovely shots were snapped by Jared. Jared is a professional photographer who travels the U.S. teaching photography workflow and file management to other professionals.

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    Isaac has typed up his thoughts on little bub’s birthday as well — more revealing perhaps than my polite assessment. Here’s his take…


    Read More “Teensy Little Bird”

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    Blah, Blah, Boom!

    ByHeather Bailey

    Is it seriously my birthday today? The day might come and go without this sinking in – at – all. There is so much going on around here. Not only are we adjusting to the back-to-school schedule (yesterday, between us, Isaac and I made 6 trips total to and from the kids’ schools — 30-45 mins each trip!), but Elijah chipped a major chunk off his front tooth Wednesday night (emergency dental appointment), all of my licensing partners are asking for new artwork by the end of the month, and I still haven’t figured out where we are going to put this baby — who could come at any time — but will be here by the end of the month no matter what.

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    We have two kids’ rooms, one office, one open office, a loft, a turret-like play room… a closet. Do you bunk a newborn boy up with his 14-year-old brother who sleeps like a log, or with his 6-year old sister who doesn’t? Neither is the obvious choice. Or do you turn the teensy turret into an adorable nursery — that may only fit a crib and a nightstand. Nevermind the room is right over the front door (doorbell, barking dogs), it’s insanely bright in there, and there’s no sound barrier (such as a door). Or do you move the teenager into the office and the baby into the teenager’s room? Isaac is convinced no teenage boy should have a downstairs room by himself — much more a reflection of Isaac’s teenage years than a concern over Elijah as a mischief-maker. Besides, we kind of need the office. 

    PocketPosh_PeoniesI don’t know. I’ve been telling myself that we’ll just set up a bunk for the baby in our room for a while till we know what he’s like and see how he does with sleeping & such. This is still ‘the plan.’ But, what I realize now is that his STUFF still needs a place. So, where do we put the clothes, the diapers, the blankets, the toys? My room, C’s room, E’s room, the loft, the office — same contenders.

    These are things a mother should probably address in the 2nd trimester before her energy is thoroughly drained. Alas, I spent all of my nesting energy on meeting deadlines and getting my business obligations squared away so I could focus on the baby when he gets here. Not a bad plan, really. But his baby stuff? I have to wash things and put them away — well, somewhere.

    So, here I am. Tick, tick, tick, tick… the timer is about to chime. He’s coming out of the oven.

    I should probably forget all of this for one more day and just go do something fun, huh? Antique-shopping would fit the bill.

    Before I do, I have a birthday obligation to meet — my annual birthday giveaway! I have four new Pocket Posh books out with Andrews McMeel Publishing that – are – stinking – fabulous. I’ve got two prizes for the guy or gal who can cheer me up / calm me down / get me jazzed / sooth my swollen legs with a funny birth or baby story, a great joke, amazing advice, etc.** Your call.

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    Each winner can have his or her pick of one of my new travel mugs and one of our new Pocket Posh books. (Which I have learned are the PERFECT things to keep in the car for school-pick-up-line boredom. PERFECT.) They don’t just have clinical definitions and such — they have history, and interesting facts, and smart stuff. They’re really cool.

    • 120 Words To Make You Sound Intelligent
    • 120 Words You Should Know
    • 120 Words That are Fun to Say
    • 120 Job Interview Words You Should Know

    ** I reserve the right to be completely befuddled by all of your fabulous comments and to resort to the Random Number Generator for help if picking a winner is too stressful for my rotund self.

    And, before I forget, can I say it is FAR easier to shave swollen ankles!? This fascinates me.