An honest heart

One can never go wrong with an honest heart.

Never.

Honesty has its ups, downs, swirls, valleys and soap boxes.

But honest hearts, they beat gently.

They wait.

I love them.

One of my boys began writing a book yesterday.

Because he can.  

As the moment of inspiration beckoned him into position, he curled up and began with pencil in hand.

A moment.

My other son was inspired to play the drums, at the same time.

The author quietly asked if he

not 

"do that right now". 

"Why?", asked the drummer.

"Because out here is where I have the sensation, right here in this spot."

The drummer got it.

Drummers are deep.

  He put his sticks down and built a star ship destroyer out of Legos, in his room.  

Then the author came in to tell me that "the sensation" was where the sun was shining, and the birds were chirping.

Honest hearts.

xo,

I know it's been a while

 Hi!

I mentioned that I would post when I got inspired.

Something hit this morning while I was reading "my morning paper".

(she did NOT do this to her pillow)

Dignity and respect for the pillow.

Please.

Pillows everywhere thank you, Karianne!

This photo came from Thistlewood Farm and 

her amazing painted floor post. 

I didn't have time to ask for permission.  But I will.

love you gals,

Disclaimer: All photos are from the World Wide Web.


Disclaimer 2:  I did NOT make a single pillow for the PILLOWPALOOZA, but was asked to join the party with this post

Our Thanksgiving Day

EC soaked our free range bird in brine made up of pure cranberry juice, rosemary, sage, thyme and some other things.  I photographed her here as EC is putting a butter concoction underneath her skin BECAUSE SHE'S PURPLE!  I LOVED that she turned purple because of the brine!!! (ok, just so you know, I don't really know what brine is but I can tell you that if you have the countenance for soaking a huge turkey in gallons of cranberry liquid for a day or so and then playing with it - yuk - with your hands in butter - - TOTALLY WORTH IT! - including losing her in the brine bag as she flipped into the cooler that was NOT cleaned out and was loaded with dirt and grass - "who are these people that they don't clean their coolers before putting them in storage?" OH. Well.  Perfect, I am not.)

All of that being said:  It was the most delicious turkey I have ever eaten.  Everyone else enjoyed her too!

I only managed to take a few pictures this year.  Here they are:

Another friends gathering!

 The cards contained words of appreciation and love specific to the person!  I LOVED this part!

 Simple table decor!  Patricia brought the most gorgeous wreath along with a basket of Asian pears and a pineapple!  I wish I had taken a photo of her walking up the patio to the front door!  She was a natural vision of beauty carrying those gifts!

Jeff and Dylan brought the ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream for the many choices of gluten free "traditional" desserts!

The food:  fabulous

The atmosphere:  sweet and warm

The conversation:  kind and lively

The best part:  the love that was expressed throughout the day and evening!

with a grateful heart,

We went on a date today! Dreamy!

Saturday morning, EC and I dropped the boys off at choir practice then went on a date.  Girls, it was a lovely crispy morning.  We grabbed a cup of coffee at TH's and set out to HD and L's.  Be still my heart!  I'm not complicated.  I don't use fancy creams on my face or wear expensive clothing or jewelry (well, except my shoes....darn size 11's...gotta get 'em from Europe....oh and that VB laptop case I bought while shopping with Denise) but I digress.)
The point?  
We went to pick out some goodies for our bathroom remodel that will begin after the holidays!


Here are some of our current choices:


When you open the door to our main bathroom you will be greeted with Allure flooring.  Easy to install (we've read and seen)!  The color is Alpine - which is more like a white washed grey in real life.  I LOVE the name.  And the color.
(these strips are applied right over our 1970's old tile - which means EC won't need to tear up the floor!) We watched a video and found them from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

If you need to wash your hands,  we've chosen a chrome finish for our goose neck faucet (is that what it's called). We were leaning toward the nickel finish, but I'm not convinced that this stuff is scratch free.  Our current faucets are chrome and they clean up so easily without chemicals.  I like that.

Since we are adding a stand up shower to this current powder room, we decided to go with a pedestal sink - open bottom clears up some visual space.  I like that, too.  We'll hang towels on fun hooks and store bathroom items on cute shelves!

Here's the shower!  This will be a nice addition.  Currently, if you remember, we all share a tub/shower through a door that adjoins our master bath with this bath.  Makes life interesting when we have guests and they don't know there's a bathroom on the other side of that door - especially if someone is in there at the same time.  Oh the screams and yelps!!!  Well, with two growing boys PRIVACY is a must!


I haven't begun the creative application yet.  I figured once the bones are in, I'd let my mind wonder (you know, go visit your blogs and see what your bathrooms all look like and give you the highest form of flattery!)


Have a splendid weekend!
love you gals,

You know what I like?

 I like a lot of things...but something rare and wonderful happened to me yesterday.


I sat on my sofa - right in the middle of it.


Relaxation happened over me.  It was a monumental occurrence (well, I really noticed it).  I'm a mother 24/7, not only in heart, but in deed.  Since having our two boys I have become the constant of all constants.  I can NOT NOT be.  When I'm out with a friend I feel like I need to be home with my boys.  Oh, the guilt is not extremely weighty, but it's there.  Being a mother is heavy and serious business especially raising two young boys who will become men.


I mentioned this to EC last night - the relaxation happening. He was glad of it.  
I like him.


So this morning I began thinking about what I like/love....here goes....


kindness - all kinds...from strangers, older folks, children, babies even, animals, the wind, my car, the preacher.  I'll take it all and wrap it up close to my heart and share it and remember it and talk about it for years to come.  That's how much I like it. kindness.


being kind and thoughtful towards people, my family, my home, my clothing, my friends and those new friends that I meet in grocery store parking lots or check out lanes.  I truly love this kindness.  It has a ripple effect that becomes the kindness first mentioned.




love.  I really like love.  I love to be dreamy about love.  I enjoy keeping it alive by making it a part of my day.  It's poetic and lovely and flows and dashes and charms and makes me feel all beautiful inside and out.  It makes me dress up and do my hair and make my bed and eat lightly.  Someone once told me, "Kolein, you live in a dream world, rose colored glasses will get you no where."  You know what?  I believed them.  Until I got my new heart and mind.  It's taken a few years to build up the courage.  But here it is. Nourishment like none other, food for the whole.  I always remember to eat.  With love, it doesn't require great preparation, or planning, and I don't have to sit down at a table.  I just dream about it and there it is, there I am, in it, full of its creation...being adored by it and adoring it. love. (if you ask me how I get there...I will tell you)


water.  I really like water.  The shower spray dancing about massaging my skin and then without a moment's notice my nerves begin to twinkle and I melt; the softness and fierceness as it alters me, heals me, releases me from myself...makes me want to cry. water.


early morning quiet. 


Have a lovely day today!


love you gals,

Color ME-o-MY World!

 Something happened.

I forgot about the other colors

in the box.

One day, one glorious day...

I realized that I wasn't all

taupe

or

cream

or

white

any longer.

No!

I had lost my color.

Seriously?

Like I needed to be just ONE.

I believed that I needed soothing calm

in my home.

I do.

I also NEED something to pop!

It happened a few weeks ago...

...as I pondered the winter months, upstate New York gray skies and traditional decor.

I've never been a traditional

anything.

Ever.

(ask my mother!)

My comfort zone was just interrupted.

I need color.

Now.

Fun.

Happy.

Lively.

Punch you in the eye,

make your nerve endings smile,

color!

Dazzling color!

love you gals,

~K

*photos do not belong to kitchen table productions. all photos are from the web.

Color

We are new.  Everyday.  And some of us are new because we've traveled long distances and gone to different shores.  Some of us grow because we've allowed the out stretched hand of God to alter us by being willing to take a step from where we are in the spirit to where He would like us to follow.  And some of us fly there and back; shaking the universe just a bit for all the rest of us. Yes, some of us fly there and back - while others begin the journey flying and find that soaring suits us best!       kc 2nov2011




love you gals,