A Few Fall Favorites

one | We have several new prints available in the shop, & more coming soon!  With Christmas around the corner, now is a great time to start thinking ahead & ordering prints (including custom prints...tell us what you want!) for your family & friends!

{Let Me Be Singing}

{Travel the World With Me}

{Psalm 107 | Give Thanks}

two | Fall is my favorite time of year.  Especially living where we do...there are so many great places to hike & explore, & that's much more enjoyable with the cooler temperatures (that we're just now starting to see...come on, cool weather!).

three | This.  The cutest little will-you-be-my-bridesmaid gift ever.  April 18, 2015 will be here before we know it!

{P.S. You can find Rachel's perfect Amazing Grace print here.}

four | Have you listened to the Influence Podcast yet?  They've had 3 episodes, & all 3 were great. I love podcasts, & this is my favorite yet.  Any recommendations of ones you love?

five | And of course, fall nail polish.  I got this & this yesterday & am in love.

Now, if we can just get those cool temperatures here to stay so boots, leggings, & scarves can be regular occurrences, I can fully embrace fall!

Catching Up

The last several weeks have been really busy (see #2), so I'm playing catch up!  So three little BIG things that have been going on lately:


O N E  //  My most favorite thing.  Labor Day weekend, my brother finally asked this girl to marry him!  Can't wait to officially have her as part of the family.  Read Rachel's perfect blog post about it here.

T W O // Grayson's parents got to come visit us last week...we made the most of the trip with one weekend in Lake Tahoe & one driving up the northern Cali coast.

T H R E E // Our new fall line is officially out & we're loving shipping new (& old!) prints out to customers!  Check it out here! 

1 Thessalonians 5:24 | Faithful

Oceans | 3 Print Bundle

Tune My Heart

P.S. If you're interested in any custom orders for Christmas, now would be a good time to talk to us about that!  I know several people have mentioned doing custom orders for gifts for their Bible study groups & I think that's a great idea!  If you're interested, you can send a message through Etsy, or email us!

Californiversary

One year ago we packed up & left on our cross-country move to California!  I was dreading that drive, but it was actually pretty fun!  By the time we got in the car, there was nothing else to worry about.  Everything was going to be packed by movers.  We had an apartment lined up.  After months of planning & a very stressful last week in Georgia, we finally just had to get in the car & drive.  

I really can't believe it's been a whole year of adventures already.  It feels like it's just been a few months really.

California Observations:

• Central AC is not just something everyone has like in Georgia, land of humidity.
• Grits are a luxury that California has yet to embrace.  I've only found one store that carries them & a box is about $5!
• I always loved rain.  But when it rains here, I am borderline giddy because I can count the number of times that has happened this year on one hand.
• Most fruits & veggies are in season pretty much year-round!
• Unfortunately, it's pretty typical to get behind someone on the highway who is going at least 10 under the speed limit.  
• Chick-fil-A, also a luxury.  We are lucky to live in the area where there actually are 3.  There are a couple in southern California, but other than that, I think they're just in the Bay Area.  However, not 1 of those 3 is anywhere convenient.  We only go to that area if we're going to Chick.  I'd like to be consulted before the next one is built.
• Good reusable bags are always appreciated, because you pay for bags at any store here.  I get compliments on my big monogrammed chevron one almost every time I shop!
• Laundry rooms, also a luxury.  When we were apartment shopping before we moved, I think we found ONE complex with a washer/dryer in unit.  So at the old apartment we had a shared laundry facility that was 68 steps from my door.  Yes, I counted.  Lugging heavy baskets of laundry up & down stairs & down the sidewalk was not my favorite.  At the new townhouse we also have a shared room, but it's close & only shared between a few people, so it's not bad.
• You can pretty much wear all your favorite clothes year-round.  It's always cool in the morning & at night, but warm during the day.  Seasonal wardrobes are no more!  (However, this also means a lot more clothes to wash in aforementioned shared laundry room.)
• People love Costco.  I mean, really love it.  Every time we go it's like a circus.  Parking spaces are hard to come by & I feel like I enter panic mode just walking through the doors.  We weren't thinking & went on July 3rd...big mistake.  I thought I was going to die.
• Almost every restaurant has outdoor seating (complete with heaters & sometimes blankets!) because the weather is so nice year-round.
• People bring their animals everywhere.  To the point where most downtown stores have water bowls for them out on the sidewalk.  I love my cat.  But I can certainly go to the grocery store without her.  I even saw a woman with her parrot at Target once.  #separationanxiety?
• People say In-N-Out is the Chick-fil-A of the west coast.  I would not go quite that far, but it is really good...definitely not typical fast food.  The first time we went, our conclusion was this: "it's really good, but I wouldn't crave it or anything."  That has proved to be false.  Sometimes I just want an In-N-Out burger & fries.
• Silicon Valley is first in free trials of services.  We love Google Shopping!

• Blueline Pizza - Campbell, CA | Hands down, best pizza I've ever had.  Get the deep dish & put honey on the crust when you get there.
• Sushi Confidential - Campbell, CA | This made me a believer in sushi.
• Boudin SF | Sort of like a Panera or Atlanta Bread Company.  I love their butternut squash soup in a bread bowl.
• Peet's Coffee | I was skeptical at first, but now I love their iced vanilla latte or iced coconut latte.
• Penny Ice Creamery - Santa Cruz, CA | Best ice cream ever.  My favorites: brown butter spiced pecan, strawberry pink peppercorn, peaches & cream.
• Big Basin Cafe - Saratoga, CA | Great homemade pies!  My favorite is strawberry rhubarb.
• Vella Creamery - Sonoma, CA | They let you try any cheese you want & what you buy really isn't any more than you'd pay at the grocery store.  Our favorite is the dry jack.
• Noah's Bagels | Best breakfast bagel sandwiches!

Carters Come to Cali

My parents got to come see us last October, which was great, but they only got to stay for a few days.  With my mom out of school for the summer, this time they got to stay for ten days!

They got here last Thursday night & we left Friday to spend the weekend at Yosemite.  Grayson & I had been wanting to go back every since we went last fall.  I got a new camera lens for my birthday in January & that made me want to go back even more.  And my parents hadn't been & wanted to go, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity!

Five minutes in Yosemite & you feel so small.  In a good way.

I should also mention that ever since a Reader's Digest article about 10 years ago that left my mom scarred, she has been terrified of bears.  An unnatural fear since most of the time she would only ever even see a bear at the zoo.  And I had told her about how when we went, I looked for bears the whole time & didn't see a single one.

And then when we'd been in the park for less than an hour, we run into this guy.

Thanks, bear.  Great start to this trip.  You just had to go for that snack that some not-so-bright campers left for you.

Our initial reactions were funny to me though.

me: With shaky hands I changed to my zoom lens & started taking his picture, of course.

Grayson: Ran back to the car to store the pop tarts he was eating.  Because the real catastrophe would be if the bear got his beloved pop tarts.

Mama: Ran back to the car & got irritated with Grayson for not unlocking it fast enough.

Daddy: Walk closer to the bear.  The apparently hungry bear.  Good idea.

Thankfully there were no more bear encounters after that.  A few almost-encounters when we came to an area that a bear had just left, but we didn't ever see any more.  I asked my mom if she felt like now she'd conquered her fear & was a better person.  Her answer: NO.

My brother got my dad some binoculars for Father's Day, & they were definitely put to good use all weekend.

Squirrel with a view :)  While we're on the topic of squirrels, I should say that it was a squirrel that alerted us of the bear.

Last time, we didn't get to go see the giant sequoias so it was great to get to go to that part of the park this time.

Snow in June!

After we got back from Yosemite, the week was pretty relaxed.  A day in Santa Cruz, a short trip to San Francisco (basically couldn't see anything because of the fog), a lot of trips to the pool & hot tub, a few games, & losing at putt-putt, as always.

Great visit with my family!  Grayson's dad & stepmom come in a week or so & then his mom & stepdad in September.  Then we'll be making the trip home for Christmas this year!

Now we've just got to get these people out here so I can meet Everly before she's grown!  She's 2 months old...about time she sees some of the world.

P.S. Our shop is having a little sale this week to celebrate our one month birthday!  Use the code ONEMONTH for 20% off through Friday!

Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes Me Happy

Last Friday Grayson developed a cough that just got worse & turned into a full-blown bad cold (or maybe flu?).  I managed to not get it until Tuesday, but being sick & living with a sick person will sure wear you out.  I've never been one for fevers & don't even remember the last time I had a fever, but after 3 days with a temperature, we were both glad when the weekend rolled around & we were feeling better.  I told Grayson I needed some sunshine & to see the ocean!  He was happy to oblige.

Highlight of Grayson's weekend life: spotting a whale...while driving down the road.  He's claimed to have done this before, but this is the first time he actually got proof.  He was over-the-top excited.  :)