Friday, August 31, 2012

This Moment


{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.







Inspired by SouleMama

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Cousins

When I was a kid I remember family gatherings as one of the most wonderful occasions. I know that sometimes there was tension and drama that I for the most part didn't pick up on, but I loved being surrounded by my big family. Cousins were by far the best part of these gatherings.

I always felt (and still feel) a special bond with my cousins, (and my cousin Brian in particular, we were very close in age and I think temperament which for the most part was great, and sometimes towards the end of a visit was not so great...) Even my best friends who I love dearly don't quite pull at my heart strings the way my cousins do. I don't know if it is just because we are from the same blood, or can bond over our crazy family, or because we have known eachother before, (if you believe or think about that sort of thing) maybe we were tied together in lives before this one.

Whatever it is cousins are special.

 I am thinking about this because my in-laws just visited.   Rowan and Zo's cousin Sean was at our house for two days. The joy these cousins have to be with each other is so awesome.  Even Zo wants to be with big cousin.  Watching them play really brought me back. As they played "family" I remembered the games of make-believe that Brian and I used to orchestrate and our younger siblings would play along, like Zo, just happy to be there.


The kids playing family, a.k.a. house.

As we have all grown we see each other less and less, but when we do see one another it is always special and reminds me how important family is.  I am so glad to see my kids with their cousin and be witness to another generation of cousins that will grow up together and hopefully feel as strong of a bond with each other as I do with my cousins.

Do any of you feel similarly about cousins?   Do you feel that your connection with your cousins is different than what you have with your friends?

Monday, August 27, 2012

What's New at Pippi's Now?!

More new Socks!
What?!
I know!
Yes it's true more socks at Pippi's.
Well any how:

More Socks Smith.
If you missed them, because we sold out in a week or something...




New Foot Traffic, new colors in toe socks, and novelty crews.




More Cape socks.





New Biella. The first of the cashmere and light weight wool for fall, love it!





New animal hats, these are super cute and going fast!  (Yes they are in grown up sizes.)




In these boxes...more K-Bell basics and novelties, Ozone socks and Hue leggings! Lost of great colors and styles (yes ladies more corduroy leggings are here!)



And on the way:
New Sock it to Me (the Sock it to me order arrived before I left the shop this afternoon but it will probably not get on the wall till Tuesday or Wednesday!  Great new styles in that order, Also Bungalow 360 bags and wallets should arrive later this week.
So Hopefully we will see you at Pippi's soon.  Get some sweet new socks for yourself or get ahead on your holiday shopping before it gets crazy in here!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Gratitude Sunday

Inspired by:  Wooly Moss Roots -Simply Joys of a Soulful Life Gratitude Sunday


G r a t i t u d e  *  S u n d a y

Our Grass was getting a bit long, so Ro said "hide me!" 
What fun, I think it was better than being buried in sand!


{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.

This week I am thankful for:

Our yard, I love spending hours outside with the kids in the afternoon.

Rowan loving preschool!

Quality one on one time with my little Zo (made possible by Rowan loving preschool.)

Daddy loving his job, and having a great first week back.

Remembering, I have a slow cooker and my mom helping me put it to use this week.

Friends giving us plums from their trees and pear apples, both so yummy! Soon we will have apples to share too.

My in-laws coming to visit, it is always so nice to see the kids playing with their cousin and getting some quality time with Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie and Uncle.

A lovely playful moment with the whole family (after a not so relaxing dinner out) running in the grass and climbing in the tree.

Grown-ups forgeting to be grown-ups.

A productive week at work and home.

The Headlands Coffeehouse right across from Pippi's (love their drinks and being able to work on my blog today while siting here having lunch...this is the life.)

My parents (they are just so awesome and do so much to help me.)

A week of busy days at the shop, and great customers.

Some sunny days between the fog.

Love.  For my little family and from them.

and last on my list this week (but not least),
My dear husband.  He tries so hard to be so many things, he works so hard and he takes such good care of us.

What are you thankful for?



Friday, August 24, 2012

this moment



{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.







Inspired by SouleMama

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Back to School



Well it is that time again, Marshall is back to work.  After a too short summer of having daddy home us kids are really gonna miss having him around during the day.
Daddy does a lot of things differently than mommy (which Rowan loves to point out) but it is a good balance.  Of course we barely made a dent in our summer project list, but we did finish our sprinkler system, and we had a big yard sale, and a lot of family time.  Marshall wrote some, (check out his blog) and started to work on his novel again; honestly I can't wait for this novel to be complete, every time he shares some with me it leaves me hungry for more, so I hope he continues to work on it this school year as well.

Being married to a teacher I find myself measuring the years in school years again.   I stopped doing that when I finished school, but here we are starting a new school year and here I am taking an inventory of myself.  A self evaluation.  What I have done, what I want to do, how I can do more, what I need to do etc.  I enjoy this type of thinking and planing and dreaming.  And I feel good about my plans.  I am bringing my kids to work with me two of the four days I am at Pippi's.  Sometimes it is challenging but on top of not having to dish out money for child care I get to spend more time with my sweethearts.  And I get to be at Pippi's more then I have been since Zo was born.  It is good to be more present and I so enjoy my work.

The kids eating lunch at Pippi's.


I have also decided to make time for myself to get fit.  Since having my kids I have really not worked at carving time out for me to do anything alone just for me.  Gardening is one thing that I do for me, but I usually have my babies with me.  But now at 5am before Zo and Ro wake up, I am sneaking out of bed and downstairs to work out.  (It kind of sucks to wake up that early but the harder part for me is going to bed early so I have enough sleep to function and be a good mommy.)  I do love those quite moments when I am the only one awake, I get to get ready for the day make my coffee and maybe sit with it for a few moments before my mommy day begins.

As usual the list includes more gardening! I have to study up on somethings but I really want to start being able to grow more or even most of our own produce and I have a long way to go to get to that point, but it's a good goal.

And maybe during this school year we will check some of those summer projects off of our list, if not there is always next summer.

How do you measure your years?  By birthday? January 1st? Do you do "self evaluations"?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Days getting shorter, socks geting longer...cozy socks are here!

There is so much new goodness at Pippi's.  This time of year is my favorite at Pippi's.  We are starting to get in our new fall inventory, new socks, new colors, new styles woohoo!
Here is a taste of some of the new stuff:

Yes, let's start with the cuteness:
My helpers have been doing some modeling in addition to selling socks this week they are digging the new San Diego Hat Company's fall kid's hats.  We just got a bunch in they are adorable and perfect for Fort Bragg windy days.  That super cute sock monkey hat has an attached scarf with pockets!


New SockSmith.
Hipster kitty, Little Red Riding hood, elephants, apples, and artichokes, Oh My! And so much more, I want one of each, restraint... is not my thing.




New Hot Sox.
Yummy apple pie, cherry, tea or fast food socks.  For those of us who get crafty; sewing socks, buttons, and scissors on socks, love them! 
(In my opinion, Hot Sox and SockSmith are rocking the novelty sock world this fall so come and get them while you can!)


New Me Moi body wear.
It shapes and smooths and guess what? You can still breath, and it doesn't dig in.
I love them. 
What? Something that will hold my mommy belly in, yes please!


Me Moi basics.
Bamboo soft and lovely, cozy wool blend knee high and over the knee knits.


 MeMoi tights and leggings.
Bright corduroy leggings and beautiful crocheted and open knit tights.




Davco basics.
Or if Organic is your thing in addition to our usual organics we have a new line:
Davco organic cotton novelties and some more bamboo basics.  Bamboo socks are soft, comfortable and naturally anti microbial!




Also Davco basic tights, (these are not organic):




And Last but not least, many of you sock lovers have been waiting for our new
Life is Good Snuggle socks! 





So lot's of great new stuff, and this is not all! We have more coming all the time.
(Like our first fall cashmere order Wednesday...)  With all this new stuff you know what that means, we need to make room! So, our 50% off Sale Baskets are very full of l lots of great tights and socks.  Summer sun hats are also going for 25% off!



Sunday, August 19, 2012

Gratitude Sunday

Inspired by:  Wooly Moss Roots -Simply Joys of a Soulful Life Gratitude Sunday

G r a t i t u d e  *  S u n d a y



{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.


This week (truth be told this lists spans two weeks, I am finally getting back to the blog after our week away) I am thankful for:

The week we spent with my parents at a cabin, in the woods by the river. No electricity. It was excellent.

Being home.

Getting back into a new, but nice routine.

Taking time to slow down in between the hectic-ness of ... life.

Coming into Pippi's after a week away to find the shop looking lovely and cared for, the Pippsters did a great job.

Finally, making the decision to bring the kids to work with me and put Ro in pre-school just two mornings a week.

Listening to my heart, and doing what is right for my family.

Marshall getting his classroom ready and seeing him get excited to see his students again.

Realizing that I can make some time for me...even if it is at 5 am.

Watching my kids play with each other.

Rowan's beautiful butterfly drawing.

My dear husband helping so much during Zo's restless nights, molars are no fun...

Zo getting more interested in reading with Ro and I.

A lovely lunch out with my folks and the kids.

and good books.