life in the igloo

Summer Begins.

The afternoon weather was divine today so we played in the yard and celebrated. I picked up Poppi's new-to-her beachy summer romper at the consignment store this morning for $2, and her pink chucks too. I was a bit worn out after two days going it alone with three, but I managed just fine and we had a lot of fun. Good to have their daddy home tonight, though. 

Poppi and the Screen Door...

Calliope has trouble saying her whole name, so she has decided to call herself Poppi. We think it is the best nickname ever, and love that she came up with it all by herself. This girl is just the most precious thing. 

 

May Days.

 

A few peeks into the past couple of chaotic weeks at our house, as the kids adjust to their new sister and their new sister Aria adjusts to all of us(and I adjust to having three!). She is finally starting to wake up after a bit of colic, and she is such a smiley happy thing! I'm taking bets that she'll have her father's blue eyes. 

Sno-White Drive In-Riverbank, Ca

(Taken by Themba)

grinny pants.

little chucks.

father/son

siblings.

Sunshine and Awkwardness.

Well, I've been busy these past few months settling in to our new life here, and working on making new life. 

Calliope arrived on the 30th of November and she is everything I thought she'd be and so much more. She fits right in and she is the sweetest little thing I've ever seen. She sleeps a lot and keeps me more sane than I thought I could be with a newborn and a 4 year old at home. Emmett is a stellar helper and loves his little sister unconditionally-it is beautiful to see.

This year is shaping itself up to be a good one, with weddings and travel and a more solid base to call home and a business that is finally beginning to feel like it will make it. We shall see, but we all have our fingers crossed. 

It is sunny and sometimes snowy here in this California Winter. You can drive up the mountain and play in the snow, and still have beautiful warm days to play outside. This still boggles my midwestern mind, but I'll take it. 

So, here's to good things and new things and old friends and new friends. 

Etsy-wise, my shops are waiting to take off as I slowly work to redo them, hoping they will really come into their own as I devote more time to them this year.

The love in our funny little rental house, it is palpable. Even on days when we are grumpy or sad, it is still with us. Money is very tight and the stress isn't hiding, but the love keeps it from eating us. There is warmth here where love lives.

Some more recent outtakes:

 

<3 <3 <3

Three Months.

Here's what happened...

 

We went to The Easter Party (Marshall, NC)

 

 

 

Then, we drove south to Savannah, Ga for a quick tool-fetching trip and to see old friends. 

 

 

 

 

Then, we drove West.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived. (finally)

 

 

We resumed life, and spent time with family.

 

 

 

 

We witnessed a solar eclipse. 

 

 

 

We went hiking. (Pinecrest Lake, Ca)

 

 

 

 

 

We found Home.

 

 

 

That's about it. 

April-July has been a huge blur of uncertainty and stress and love and excitement and awesome and life.  We now have a western home in the pines, and although it may not be ours in name, we are growing to love it.  I am 20 weeks pregnant and feeling good, Emmett is becoming an even more amazing little boy day by day, and my husband is creating a great little business and loving working from home.  

I have been struggling to keep from drowning in the long list of to-dos, and the blog has suffered. This week I have finally hit my procrastination overload and decided to attack everything, you know, do ALL the things.

So here I am.  On Sunday I leave for Indiana, where I go to fix up an old home and finish packing its contents, and then bring them here to us.  I miss the cats.  

I'm thinking I might be getting rid of more than I thought.

Living with the bare necessities but being well fed and happy is a pretty amazing and freeing thing.  I will be very VERY happy to sleep in our own bed and not on an air mattress.  However, so much of our 'stuff' just seems burdensome to me.  I am so ready to let go of so much.  

It's all new, it's happening, etc. etc. e.

Let's enjoy it.

<3

 

all images © Kerri R. Klein 2012, all rights reserved