Blessed, we are.

Do you want to know what makes my heart go thump, thump? This right here- a fresh fall day with my lovies, bundled in wool, surrounded in a mosaic of jewel-toned colors. This, this is my seventh heaven.














I’ve been patiently waiting all year for this, for autumn to arrive. And now, here it is, in all its glory. The pumpkins have ripened to the perfect shade of orange, the leaves have transitioned from green to gold, from amber to brown, and the geese have aligned themselves in a V-shape formation in their journey down south.















I want to tell you all the ways that the changing of the seasons excites me in one blabbering rushing line. I want to be swept off my feet by an array of colorful confetti leaves, to feel the crisp air rush through my hair, to be intoxicated by the smell of burnt cedar, to lay in a blanket of fallen leaves while looking up a piercing blue sky. These ARE my favorite of days and it’s even better when you add family into the mix. There’s not much that gets better than this. Not. much. at. all.












I’m reminded of something Nana told me when I first got married. She said, “When you think things can’t get any worse, it can. BUT, when you think things can’t get any better, it does.”

This is definitely one of those times when life keeps getting better and better.














In the prime of the fall season, I tend to reflect on the past year- the trials and tribulations, love and loss. We’ve been through a lot this year, more than past years it seems. We’ve grieved with the loss of loved ones passing and rejoiced with the birth of our second child. Through it all, the good and the bad, I can’t help but to feel blessed. Blessed to be living. Blessed to have loved ones close at heart, both physical and in spirit.









Over the past 8+ years that we’ve been married, my husband has changed so much, as have I. We’ve both changed, and grown together. And together we’ve made a little family. I’m the happiest girl in the world to be married to my best friend. He has always been my best friend- we’ve stood by each other, fought for each other, supported each other, loved each other. Now, together, we’re raising our two beautiful children who have the best parts from each of us.












Blessed, we are.

It's magic

The magic is beginning. Golden leaves are fluttering from the tops of birch trees onto the ground below, crisp air is rolling off of the mountain tops with the combined scent of cinnamon and fresh linen, and my red wool pea-coat is making another debut. *squeal*





It truly is a wonderful, home-bodying, family snuggling, heart-swelling, over-joyous, love spreading time of year. A time when all things materialized take the backburner and we bring forth what really matters- family.















During the Fall and Winter months, Ron and I tend to gravitate towards McGinley’s Irish Pub, in downtown Anchorage. So it was no surprise that we ended up there for lunch this week. We spent a lot of time talking and catching up and laughing over Baby Will, while eating hot homemade Sheppard’s Pie and real Reubens. It seriously warms our core and brings us to a temporarily slower pace of life.






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Here’s a clip of my girl waving around her red, white, and blue pom-poms.



My heart swells every time I seeing her loving life. She lives so carefree and so optimistic, with the world at her feet.















This guy is full of smiles these days. It’s so good to finally get a tiny break in the teething process. The dude already has four teeth!
I’m enjoying these moments when my guy’s face lights up and grins from ear to ear. Priceless.









And when these two get together, let’s just say we’re going to have our hands full. Already they’re pushing the limits with each other. It reminds me of my two younger brothers and I growing up. We would raise hell and aggravate one another to no end, just for kicks. We drove each other crazy, and it drove my mom even crazier.

I got a small taste of the near future last night:







In the spirit of turning an ordinary happens-to-everyone event into something that excites us to no end, is the losing of a tooth. Yes, Krysta Jean has lost yet another tooth, and since she takes such good care of her pearly whites, the Tooth Fairy graced her with $2 instead on the usual $1. She was pretty stoked about that!



Tooth Fairy pillow was mine as a child, now passed down to my Love for her to enjoy the magic.


We have alot of home-bodying planned for this weekend. I'm working on a fabulous painting of my lovies, Ron's going to finish staining my sewing/art table, Krysta is cheering at her last football game of the season, and we're all going to enjoy the fresh Autumn air.









Get out and enjoy this amazing color changing time of year.
Embrace it. Live it. See it. Do it.


Happy Friday,
Em

Autumn kick-off.

September 1, 2010
Krysta excitedly woke up saying, “MOM, TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SEPTEMBER! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” Yes it is! Autumn is knocking at our front door and I’m ecstatically letting it in. This is OUR season. Our favorite season. And we’re soaking up every moment of it.













To kick things off, Ron and I met for a breakfast date at Kaladi Brothers, because nothing says “autumn” like Alaskan-Style Chai Tea and poppy-seed and almond muffins.
*Photos brought to you by my blackberry*






Our lives can get so hectic sometimes. I love it when we can kick back and catch-up on the latest comings and goings, especially before the day really begins. It’s like getting that little note in your lunchbox from your mom saying, “I love you”, it puts an extra pep in your step. When days begin like that, you know it’s going to be a good one. And a good one it was- my typical Wednesday felt like a Friday, and that is something to smile about.
*Photos brought to you by my blackberry*








With autumn here, I’m nostalgically reminiscing through old pictures of Krysta pumpkin picking, navigating through corn mazes, with chrysanthemums, in a huge pile of golden leaves, you name it. I’m over-joyed that this bountiful season is back and I can’t wait to experience it this time with double the love of my two babies.






Since this is Will’s first Fall Season, I want to show him everything, for him to experience all that this glorious time of year has to offer; to breathe in the crisp autumn air, to crush amber-colored leaves in the palms of his hands, to savor the taste of pumpkin, to smell hearty homemade foods, such as roast beef with sage, yeast rolls, and apple cider.
















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September 2, 2010
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an artsy type of girl. Seriously. My mom has drawings I did of Angels at the age of three to prove it. I also took college art classes in high school and loved every minute of it; this creating and making images come to life. Art has always been in my blood, running through my veins, and that can’t be ignored. You see, I took a break from painting during my pregnancy and for William’s first six months of life. Now, the urge to paint is coming on stronger and stronger, and it’s time that I give it the attention it longs for. I’m back and I’m ready to feed my addiction.

Tonight I pulled out my brushes, tubes of buttery oil paints, and a smooth piece of linen canvas, and I sat. I sat and I stared at those tubes of paint for over an hour- analyzing color combinations and skin tones. It was a magical feeling.







Oh, and remember awhile back when I said that I’m working on something fabulous? I actually started working on it two years ago, but something wasn’t quite right and I couldn’t put my finger on it, so I stopped until I could sort it out. Now- now I’m finally finished with it!

Here it is. My daughter, Krysta Jean, at the age of five:







I’m ending today with these photos of a moose. Yes, a real live moose. I saw this bad boy grazing on the side of the road while driving to the post office. It excites me to no end when turning an ordinary event into something amazing, something so wild and untamed. How often can you say, “I saw a moose while driving to the post office”? I mean, really!