Thursday, October 30, 2014

What to do on a Rainy day?


 
I am someone who loves a rainy day especially if I can spend it at home, cozy, inside...listing to  the rain fall.

So on those lovely rainy, stormy days when I can be home I love to:

Get a big cozy blanket,  cuddle in and read books with the family.

These are some of our current favorites.

Bake cookies, and breads.

Make hot chocolate and watch a classic movie.  (Some of my favorites are Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Shirley Temple's: The Little Princess or Heidi ).

Bring home a big box from Pippi's and let the kids make and decorate box forts.

Do a fall craft, something simple like, cutting out leaf shapes and painting them with the kids, or making owls, bats or ghosts for our Halloween window.

Paint with water colors.

Have a tea party.

And when we have had enough of being cooped up we put on our rain gear and go out to play.

We make mud pies.


Dance in the rain.

and our ultimate favorite is puddle jumping!

Rowan is the puddle jumping queen!

 I hope we get lots of rain this year!




Sunday, October 26, 2014

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 I am thankful for:

A nice visit to the pumpkin patch.

A great family day.

Fall and fall's bounty.


Rain.

Walks in the rain.

The smell of rain.


The stormy night we just had.  I love laying in bed listening to the wind howl.

Our fun little town full of great locally owned businesses.  This weekend I was able to finally check out a new spot called A Sweet Affair.  It's a great bakery and she had a Harry Potter themed day on Saturday. It was so fun to see what she did with it!

A few extra days with this little cutie at work this week.


My husband participating in a gaming marathon to help raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (check out http://www.extra-life.org for info on the event). And also getting some of his students and friends involved.

For getting a start on our Halloween costumes!

For sunshine after rain.

For the gifts of art that the kids surprise me with nearly daily.

For grassy hills.

For books and morning snuggles.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

10 Fall Family Activities.


Okay here I go again...fall, fall,fall.
This is the time of year I like to nest, and get my home all cozy and lovely for the coming winter months.  But there are also a lot of fun fall-ish things to do with the kids outdoors and indoors.
So here are a few of my favorite fall family activities:

1) Go on a long walk. Bring baskets and hunt with the kids for leaves, pine cones, and whatever other natural wonders they find.  Then use all the lovely treasures for fall crafts.

2) Make pine cone bird feeders.
So, easy, fun and a bit messy, so you know the kids will like it.  I just slather a pine cone in peanut butter and cover it in seeds for birds and hang it in the yard!

3) Make leaf art.
If you live somewhere where you are lucky enough to have thousands of beautiful colored leaves everywhere then I envy you! We get some leaves falling here but nothing like the east coast and mid-west. So sometimes we cut out or paint our own leaves and hang them in our windows.

4) Woodland toys.
These are so fun and easy, you can pretty much do whatever you like and let the kids go wild with it, but I put a link to a tutorial I found too.

Here is a tutorial


5) Go to a pumpkin patch.
Let your kids pick out their favorite pumpkin, it can take a while to find the "perfect" pumpkin but it's so much fun.
We went to Gowan's farm in Philo.  To get to the pumpkin patch we got to ride a tractor which was very exciting.  We also took a picnic and walked in their apple orchard.



6) Paint Pumpkins.
I always like to paint pumpkins earlier in the month before we carve, that way nothing rots before Halloween.

7) Decorate the front porch for fall. 
I love to plant some seasonal fall flowers in pots on the porch and get extra pumpkins to add more color to the stoop.  The kids love getting in the dirt but,  their favorite part is putting up the spider webs and spooky things for Halloween.

8) Carve pumpkins.
I love getting all slimy from getting all the seeds out, then we roast the pumpkin seeds ... yum.


9) Get your kids involved in making their costumes.
I used to help make mine and I was always so proud of my creations.
The kiss had lots of fun making their robot costumes last year.


But, with toddlers be ready for last minute changes.
When Zo saw me dressed as a clown she wanted to be my clown baby,  so... ten minutes before we went trick or treating I had to clown-ify them.


10) Popcorn movie night with a Halloween movie.  We like to do "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".


What are some of your favorite things to do with your family in fall?

Sunday, October 19, 2014

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 I am thankful for:

When the whole family has the week off except mom, sometimes it's hard to leave them at home and head to the shop.  But, when I get there in the early morning I remember...it's my happy place.  So I am thankful that where I work is one of my happy places.

Heading to the pumpkin patch later today!

Some quality family time.

Getting something checked off my to do list that waited three years!

A great dinner with friends.

My brother and his fiance stopping by unexpectedly for a little visit.  So nice to see them outside of work. Also I am so excited and grateful that we are gonna have a new baby in the family! My first niece!!!

A family lunch & movie date.

Busy days at Pippi's, and coming home to dinner with my family.


Creative kids who make amazing drawings and stories.

Cool entries in Pippi's Socktober Instagram contest.

Having a husband who really does so much for us.

A new haircut.

That Marsh has the same weeks off as the kids, they get lot's of quality time with him during the breaks.

Reading piles of books to end our days.

Living in this lovely little town.  It's slower and quieter than others and I love that.

Rain on my roof while I fell asleep.


Sunday, October 12, 2014

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 I am thankful for:

Rowan loosing her first tooth! I can't believe it but the cuteness is killing me, I will just look at this picture forever.  I am looking forward to many toothy smiles.


My sweet little Zo always giving me hugs and cuddles.


The grass in my yard turning green again.

My husband and kids getting the week off from school.  They are all very excited.  I wont be off all week with them, but I will get an extra day of family time.

Family time.

Fall projects and art.

My dear Ro who was inspired this week to make gifts for some of the adults that she adores at her school. It was so sweet to go with her while she gave her precious gifts.

Having kids that love to give to others (and each other).

Happy customers.

Happy kids.


Silly Kids.

Also those cute little bat dolls, they are my new favorite at the shop.

The freedom to bring my kids to work with me.

Evenings at home with my husband.

The nights that I close the shop and my dear Marshall not only saves me a plate of dinner but he saves his too, so we can eat together. <3

And so thankful of all the love in my life.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

11 weeks Untill...

Christmas! What the what!?!
My neighbor just said that (well she said 12 weeks but I didn't sit down to write this until...later) And, yes I had to count it too.  Go ahead check...

October
November
December
 SuMoTuWeThFrSa
1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031

SuMoTuWeThFrSa
1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30

SuMoTuWeThFrSa
123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031

Okay, so no wonder my shop is getting stuffed with cozy goodness! It's almost holiday shopping time.  In fact many of my customers have begun.  How does it happen so fast? Wasn't it just summer?  Haven't I just begun to soak in fall and delight in pumpkin goodness?  I'm not ready for the holidays.  And I am no where near close to thinking about gifts...give me until Thanksgiving please.  But for those of you who plan ahead, Pippi's has you covered, Pippi's is full of awesomeness.  Here is a peek at some of our new stuff.

Fall and Halloween fun.
Cozy scarves and hats.
New lines, new socks, new sweetness.

New Latico leather wallets and bags.

Later (like after Halloween) I will put out Holiday socks.  And later, (like in November) I will do a "gift guide" post.

And not to worry, I will be delighting in pumpkin...everything at least through December.  We can all dress cozy until at least March right? I hope so, cause hats, scarves, sweaters, leggings, legwarmers and boots I've been waiting, I am ready for it...here I come.



 
Also, if you need more coziness in your life you know where to get it!



Sunday, October 5, 2014

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 I am thankful for:

For my kids being so amazing.

For motherhood and the ever changing challenges. Every time I think... I've got this...they switch it up on me.

My afternoons with Rowan at the shop.

And my mornings with Zo.

My husband working hard at his job and, enjoying helping students and on top of that, following his heart writing his novel.

An afternoon of movies and art with my kids.

A little fall cleaning and organizing at home.

Good talks with friends.

Inspiration.

Fall, October, Socktober...I am enjoying the contest entries that we have gotten so far.

Loyal customers locals and visitors alike.  I love catching up with Pippi Sock lovers and this week has been full of them.  I am so grateful to my customers for their support and for letting me be a part of their day.

Walks and bike rides.

Books and reading cuddles.

And overhearing the crazy stories the kids make up while playing doll house....Really, it's hilarious.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Happy Socktober!



Well Socktober is here! If you have been following Pippi's for a while you know that we always do something fun for our customers during Socktober.
This year we are doing a fun Instagram contest, and giving away $50 Pippi Bucks!
All you have to do is:
1) Take a picture of your awesome socks.
2) Post it to Instagram.
And
3) #socktober #pippisocks and @pippisocks
A winner will be randomly selected Socktober 31st.

Guess what? You can enter once a day!
Also if you don't follow our Instagram check us out!