{Life these days…}

by 16 Comments

Oh for goodness, would you look at that sweet baby bum + squishy lips? Sorry Maxwell. Actually, sorry I’m not sorry! ;) Maxwell is such a dream baby. Even our friends tell me that, even our neighbor friends that come over at random and sit for tea for just a quick minute. It’s true: he is such a gift, such a dream baby. We’re slowly working on napping in the crib instead of the swing. [Maxwell is working on that, not me.]

maxwell-gussy-sews

But overall, everything is moving along just beautifully. Bauer has really calmed down a lot. He’s still very curious about Max although most of the time he just ignores him. The other day I caught Bauer laying on Max’s activity mat, chewing his bone ;)

I’m slowly realizing I have a problem with stripes. It’s a s l o w realization. Who can argue with stripes? They’re fun, they’re colorful, they are the most common print inside my closet. And I see I’ve passed this down to my son… oops! The other day I was chatting with Max while sewing up a sample and the next time I peeked over he was taking a little snooze. SO CUTE! As you can see Maxwell and Mr. Bunny are still the best of pals :)

maxwell-gussy-sews

My mom has been requesting more photos of Bauer, so I better deliver! Her last visit here, which was actually just a week ago, she said she wasn’t sure if we still had Bauer since I never talk about him. That made me so sad! Bauer has been so so good with Max. His very favorite thing to do is observe what’s going on. He likes to give Max’s toes a few good licks, he’s always quick to run to the kitchen when I make a “darn, I dropped something on the floor” sound. Clearly Bauer’s memory is great; mine is still terrible. He remembers plain as day that while I was pregnant that he became my substitute vacuum anytime I dropped a treat on the floor.

Please note the dramatic paw poses…

bauer-gussy-sews

[Bauer, we love you so much!!!!! Remember when we brought you home?]

Life around the Whitley home has been super steady. Lots of play time with Max, walks with the boys, flower gazing in our neighborhood. We have the best neighbors and we have the loveliest chats with them. Earlier this week I took my first nap since our families left after helping out for 5 weeks. Oh my goodness, it was basically the best nap of my life. The weather has been simply gorgeous and there have been these exotic sounding birds singing all day + night, they are the best white noise when you’re trying to fall asleep. Max has been helping me package up some Gussy goodies to friends and pick out fabric for Gussy Club shipments.

Here I am wearing stripes again…

maxwell-gussy-sews

Ohhhhh, and I almost forgot. I’m working on a special project and just to tease you here’s a photo of what I’m working on:

ruffles-gussy-sews

;D more details coming soon!

So, that’s my recap of life these days. How about you? What’s going on? What are your weekend plans? Anything in the works for the Forth of July? And tell me, when is the last time you took a nap? Please say it was recently, naps really should be mandatory. xo

 

{Just do the next thing. And then do the next thing.}

by 21 Comments

^ wooden sign from Barn Owl Primitives | family heirloom handmade cradle + gifts for our baby

The entire month of October was a mess for me. We entered in to our second month of California living and veeeery slowly our apartment transformed into our home. In our small, I’m-really-not-sure-how-many-square-feet home I find myself repeating the same phrase:

“Just do the next thing. And then do the next thing.“

My friend Dee shared that with me while we were having breakfast at an airport in Pennsylvania — isn’t it perfect? It didn’t take long for me to confess to her all the ways California has changed things; I knew she would understand. And today I’m sitting here in our dining room, typing on this MacBook, still processing it all. Oh my word yes, still. Our kitchen is to my left, our living room/Gussy studio is straight ahead, and the bathroom + bedroom are to the left of my view. And I know most of you are waiting for that promised home tour, but do you wanna know the truth? I have been waiting for “Finished” to show up, but Finished never really comes, does she? Oh, what a rambling this post is going to be… I can feel it now :) Many things are scribbled on my to-do list: just a couple more hours of sewing; an amazingly abundant amount of grace from you to be thankful for; a printer to set up; fabric to pair; a project to compose. And a dozen more things.

Last month I wrote for 31 days straight. It was the hardest, most challenging, most rewarding commitment I’ve made so far with this blog. I was brave a couple of times during that series and wrote about topics I had never written about before. I spent hours each week putting those posts together and after publishing them, silently prayed to our God that my words would not only make sense to this community but they would be beneficial to more people than myself. October passed and after 31 days of breaths held I exhaled a quiet, YEOWWWW.

One thing this move has reminded me is there is no real schedule to life. What God has planned for us, what He wills to us, will be. Not what I try, or want, or work really hard to plan. His plans will be. And that messy life I have been living? He planned for that, too.

When an area of my life feels unfinished it’s a grace-filled reminder that God isn’t done ironing out the creases.

And then I repeat, “Just do the next thing. And then do the next thing.”

 

{10 silly things on my mind – wink!}

by 24 Comments

nutella pear tart, via the lovely cupboard

i thought it would be fun to share 10 silly things that are on my mind ~ to take a little break from the normal business-y thoughts/ideas/prompts that are consistently on my mind and focus on some more personal things :] i hope you had a lovely weekend and are ready for a new week to begin!

* all weekend i’ve been confused on what day it actually is. i guess that’s what happens when zack takes a day off of work. but… i kinda like it! more time with my hubby is always a good thing. tee hehe.

* as i write this i’m sitting on the couch, looking at an oversized mirror that leans against the living room wall, and do you know what i see? little smears left by the wet nose of a little doggie that lives here, who looks at his reflection in the mirror [often]… hah! someone really should clear that off…

* so that “not feeling well” i mentioned yesterday?! it’s given me the best man voice ever. i think zack may be a wee jealous. it’s pretty raspy + crackly + deep ;]

* raisin brain crunch = the best cereal, ever!

* it’s february 20th and minneapolis still hasn’t seen a “normal” winter. in fact, the high for today is 44º. feels so strange! but… it makes me a little nervous, will winter ever come? don’t throw a snowball at me, but i’m secretly hoping it does!

* this blog is amazing, such lovely photography + content. you must check out heather’s blog!!!

* and this video on how to look like ryan gosling? hilarious.

* sometimes when i’m home alone {OK, every time} i like to hide when the doorbell rings. and then when bauer barks, i get really grumpy at him and rush over to hush him. and then the doorbell rings again and i get nervous that they can see me hiding on the inside. and/or giggling. and then they leave and i carry on. except one time recently i had a friend over and the doorbell rang, and i forgot she was over, and she totally caught me running off to hide. HA HA… busted ;]

* mascara is my favorite, favorite, favorite. give me a fat mascara wand + a jet black shade and i’m a happy gus. {currently loving this mascara!}

* zack and i started dating about 8 years ago… ♥ college sweethearts ♥

OK, your turn! share a few fun things with me below in the comments??? wishing you a happy monday! xo