THANKFUL...

I am thankful for my boys always. In almost 4 years since Keoni was born they have changed me in a way I can't fully explain or even comprehend. They bring innocence and laughter to my life, and they make me more accountable for my actions and daily living. They are smart beyond their years, and challenge my mind each and everyday. They are my best friends, and without them I would be lost.

 

I am so thankful for a day to spend with friends and family, eating, chatting, picking fruit from our friend Howard's farm to enjoy. I am thankful for my hubby and stepson, they have changed me for the better as well. I get deeply saddened that my parents choose not to be a part of my life at this time, or know their amazing grand kids...but everything happens for a reason, usually, and in the end I hold closer to my own family and friends appreciating their kindness and love all that much more.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

 

The Best Things...

Didn't get a chance to post a video this weekend. We were moving and grooving the entire time, except yesterday afternoon the boys and I decided to rest and watch part of Jurassic Park. We drove to Hilo on Saturday at the crack of dawn to see my stepson play in a soccer tournament with his high school soccer team. They did great, and my stepson played really well...so, all is good! My stepson has an older stepbrother with two kids of his own that are close in age to our boys. They were at the games which made it a lot more fun for Keoni and Noa. It is the best feeling to watch your kids run and play and laugh and smile the entire day away. It is also nice to have a family situation that involves divorce, remarriage, half-brothers, step whomever, and everyone can still get along amicably. It benefits the kids so much more to see everyone friendly with each other. My boys call my stepson's mom "Aunty", and it makes me happy to see them feel comfortable with her. I know if I needed it she would always help me out with sitting or anything. Life is too short to have enemies, right?

I hope everyone had a fun weekend too. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and my family is beyond excited to spend it at our good friend Howard's gorgeous farm with some of his family and friends. Saving our stretchy pants for that day!

Happy day!
Mary

Non-Hippie Tie Dye Wearer...

I know it looks suspicious. Tie dye, old beat down truck, head scarf...no under arm hair in these shots luckily...I have always had an infinity for beautiful tie-dye, but for some reason felt guilty to the Grateful Dead and Phish fans that take their love of the tie-dye to a cult phenom. It is a way of life for them. I just love the messy colors. Always reminded me of watercolor gone wrong. I love watercolor, but tend to make a mess when I attempt to paint that medium. I envy great watercolor art. Mine ends up looking like runny colors everywhere...wait.. kind of like tie-dye! Thus, my love for tie-dye began in my early teens until today...

I just recently really learned how to make tie-dye "pop" and "last"...Keoni is my right hand man when I decide to do a batch of shirts.  We make crazy, crazy, crazy messes, but it is all worth it in the end. We have colorful shirts, and so many around town compliment us...they are especially impressed to learn that Keoni really made his own shirts. They are also amazed that I would take on the endeavor with a toddler/young boy, but he feels so happy and proud in witnessing the final result. It is worth the mess, time, and clean up.

Keoni actually took thee shots right before the recent chop of my hair, and I never posted them. Think they must have got lost in the shuffle. He did a great job though! I gifted this shirt to my friend Kelly. She has a similar love for the tie-dye, and this particular shirt reminded me of her.

outfit-t-shirt handmade, jeans-levis via ross years ago for 9.99, yeah! shoes-coverse, headscarf-thrifted...cheap, but fun outfit for a day of exploring at the park and running around with my boys.

I seriously want to get Keoni into photography classes as soon as he is old enough. He takes them better than the hubs or I...

gotta love good sneakers.

 

Happy Friday! and ps-I actually love the Dead and Phish...but I wouldn't consider myself a hippy...but what really is a hippy these days?

 

fuzzy but pretty

a bracelet with Japanese seed pearls that i made, and a few watermelon tourmaline gemstones knotted onto pretty black nylon...simple but elegant. my hubby is the true artist though. look at this cuff. he should be famous for his jewelry creations, but he has always preferred to be the surfer/jeweler on the hill...he lets the local stores take all the credit for the pieces he crafts all alone. kind of infuriates me, but he is happy which matters the most.

amethyst stone to the side of this one...love purple.

fuzzy but pretty (hey it's my title) gorgeous citrine gemstone with sterling silver ring...we have been hoping to get a site online for the hubs set up for 2 years...then we had another baby and life took over. we are both computer illiterate. photo shop? what? how? why? ugh! grunt!

i have always doodled. too much so. probably why school became a hardship as i entered into high school and college. i doodled more than anything else, and should have gone to art school...i love doodling cards for friends, and made this one for my friend Kelly years and years ago...her mother found it in a box of her college stuff, thought Kelly had drawn it and re-did it into a tile in a pottery class she took a few years ago...and finally it is mine. you can't help but feel good when other's appreciate your work...Kelly has always been a fan and continues to encourage me in my art endeavors.

can't believe how fast they really grow. this taken over the summer, but already seems ages ago.

needing another vacation like ours this summer. we even had pizza for breakfast one morning. priceless moments.

every store should have these for children. even mini-marts! thank you.

trying to work on my own jewelry and accessories too...i am obsessed with spray paint. i want to spend a day with a graffiti artist and watch them create. i love mixing colors and making a unorganized but stunning messes...

in my opinion lace always adds an element of feminine flare. i have loved lace since i was a young thing admiring my grandma's doilies. i added a few more things to my shop on etsy this past weekend. we have no family close by, and thus no help with the kids. i am moving and grooving with them from morning until night. i attempt to stay up and work when they sleep, but my body just shuts down. i want my children to be my top priority, but i also hope to get my name and work out there finally.

just found a folder filled with doodles that i did when pregnant with my Keoni 4 years ago. doodles have truly got me through everything in my life, or made the journey during rough patches a little less stressful. you can't help but smile when you see a lot of color.

 

sometimes the most pretty things are often a wee bit fuzzy...

liking these things...

stripes and zara, always liking these things...http://www.zara.com/us/

always liking pretty vintage rooms and quilts...

always like the cool stuff on this site...http://fancytreehouse.bigcartel.com/

liking these since I tried them the other day...yum, and a perfect snack when racing around with munchkins...

hubby and I are eating lots of squash and liking it...

liking the country homes and feel in Delaware...I want a big and beautiful country home...wouldn't mind if it was only a short distance to the city though.

liking this mask a lot...

I always like actually love drawing...but especially now that the boys want to draw and color with me.

liking the thought of the delicious vegan mashed potatoes my hubby makes us on Thanksgiving. They melt in your mouth, and everyone always has a second serving!

 

what are you liking right now?

 

Music on the Weekend...

Happy belated to the amazing Neil Young. His birthday was on the 13th, and he is one of my favorite artists of all time. His music is magical and beautiful to me, and I never grow tired of his voice. I hope you all enjoy this live performance with some of his fellow talented friends/musicians.

 

Happy Weekend.

rainboots in hawaii...

outfit details...sweatshirt-thrifted vintage (i love it), jeans-seven (oldies but goodies), rainboots-chooka, earrings-handmade by merdy...sad little munchkin-noa bear...

this is the usual attire for my weekends on the soccer field watching my stepson's games...comfy, touch of make-up, hair back (which was difficult seeing as though it is now super short)...and often because we trek to Hilo most weekends...rainboots! Hilo rains a ton...thus why everything is so lush and green and gorgeous over there.

strutting...

i have always loved a nice cozy sweatshirt and jeans. must be from growing up in the pacific northwest...i love fashion, but i also love comfort especially now that i run after messy/dirty boys all day. i can keep up and relax in outfits such as this. and with a little touch of concealer, mascara, BB cream and lip gloss I feel more lady-like! we are happy for the colder, rainy weather today. gives us an excuse to make cookies, soup and hot cocoa!

 

have a great day!

 

linking up with-

http://vodkainfusedlemonade.com/

 

and

 

and

picture fun...

the hubby is back from surgery and already trying to steal the thunder of my fashion photos...typical!

he has been stealing all of the families' thunder since his birth...

i love this stuff...

girly time...my fashion mag, a new headband and a freebie bare minerals mascara to try from a recent sephora order...

flower power...

i've been doodling a lot lately...since we have been home bound with sickness the boys and i have been getting our drawing on! wanted this to look like stained glass...

we made this with chocolate frosting to say welcome home to daddy aka my hubby...

yum...

he approved...

so did he!

 

 

 

Adjustments...

outfit-top-fancytreehouse http://fancytreehouse.blogspot.com/, jeans-F21, shoes-H & M, earrings-the hubby Pali aka Pookie Pants...or to the general public Kona Jeweler...

I am trying to adjust to the hair...it is fun and difficult at the same time. Sickness last week made it quite daunting because in pajamas and no makeup I felt very blawwhhh...once I am able to put a little blush, mascara and jewelry on my inner girly immediately shines...I took these shots a few days after the cut. Had to mix a little feminine lace and floral accents with my comfy jeans and new high tops from H & M...a final touch of my favorite earrings that my dear hubby made...it's all good!

 

linking up with:

http://www.clairejustineoxox.com/2013/11/1111-creative-mondays-blog-hop-and-this.html?showComment=1384210827317#c8644187130277174790

A Creative Monday blog hop...I love everything creative! Thanks Claire!

It's Always the Hair

Hair posts are starting to dominate my blog...I dreamt of shedding it all for a cute little pixie cut, and finally did it only to dream again of growing it long and curly once again. Moral of this story. Never trust or listen to Merdy about hair.

I have been in pajamas with my boys once again nursing another cold, and if I am not in the jammies I am swapping them for my work clothes. My personal work clothes consist of old t-shirts with stains and holes and sweatpants or shorts that don't mind getting down and dirty as I scrub floors, clean out everything, make frequent trips to dump or goodwill and so on...these work clothes are also suitable for toilet duty. Oh the luxuries of a stay at home mother and housewife!

I didn't mean for this to become a ramble of my less than stellar attire these past weeks, but instead an homage to the opposite of a pixie cut...longer locks...short long, medium long, and long long...Oh Beautiful Hair!!!

god bless her but this is too long. I think I would suffocate sleeping with this much hair. I did dream of it at one point in my life...maybe when I was 9 or 10 and saw a picture of Crystal Gayle. That moment lasted all of about 10 seconds...