Beach Love

There is something magically simple and romantic about impromptu trips to the beach.  It may be that the moments or hours before (depending on how many kids you have)  are never filled with the excitement of making certain everyone has a towel, snack, drink, flip-flop or two.

My heart always blooms when a quick decision to alter from the plans end us up at the beach. The sea spray on my check and the rhythm of the crashing waves makes me feel like one with the earth. Glancing over at my son and I'm filled with happiness at the excitement and wonderment in his eyes as if it was the first time to enjoy the sand.

Today's trip proved to be the perfect retreat from the everyday ritual and has prepared us all for the days ahead.

Wishing you a very happy and refreshing Sunday.

Beach Hike

We moved to a new city along the California coast and come to find out it has about 31 different hiking trails.

This past week we had the opportunity to enjoy one of these trails and ended up on the beach of Abalone Cove. What a treat! Quietly hidden away, this small cove is home to some beautiful creatures.

We had a wonderful time exploring and I hope that you enjoy the pictures.

A Beta Project

Hello friends,

It's been pretty busy around here. After the move we have decided to continue forward with some exciting projects. We are in the process of launching livingchildhood.com and can't wait to share with you all the exciting news.

I can however extend to you a request. An invitation of sorts.

I need a few good parents to be our beta testers. We'll send you a little something and in return  honest feedback is all that we ask. At this time we are looking for those that are stateside.

So, if you are interested in some free goodies please let me know here. The first round of packages will be shipped the beginning of February. (We have a limited number available so first come first served)

And as always, thanks so much for reading.

Stephanie
Living Childhood

Party Love

We had a little party to celebrate the New Year and for the first time ever we mixed our children with our childless friends. It was also the first time the kids witnessed exactly what it is that we do when we have our "grown-up" parties.

They helped with the custom poppers, mingled well, offered a little entertainment and the middle daughter documented the evening. A wonderful time was had by all and I do hope that the experience will remain a positive highlight in their little memory banks. I think that they were slightly surprised that it was not all to boring or as crazy as their imaginations may have lead them to believe.

I hope that your New Year celebration was happy & full of love.

Wishing a wonderful 2013 to all of you!

Hello Love

After a few weeks of thoughtful conversations and quite a few months of personal growth I realized just how much I enjoy sharing and documenting tid bits of our Adventures of Childhood.

The blank canvas of this App has lent itself to the happiness of early morning words and the colorful experiences that fill each day.

I can not promise that I will post on the daily or even weekly, but I certainly will try. More frequent doses in the form of picture words can be found on Instagram via happystephaniegirl. Links have not been provided (hello, blogger programmer- please step it up)

Thank you for joining me as I blog about the experiences of childhood I hope live will on within my children as they change and grow.

❤ Stephanie

Stitching Love

As much as I appreciate the variety of educational Apps & how quietly they keep the little ones busy during periods of waiting & car tripping, there is something wonderfully peaceful about traditional busywork.

I start the kids stitching at an early age and it is something that they always go back to when in the mood for something quiet and calming. There are so many great printed fabrics & blue line patterns available that there is something for everyone. Tracing a print with their thread is a great way for them to practice a variety of stitches. I love all that the fabric shops on etsy have to offer. A couple of my favorites can be found here, here & here. 

My crew loves the pictures and clear stitching instructions found in Aimee Rae's books and frequently refer back to those pages. 

The older ones are working on a secret project (I'll reveal at a later date) that incorporates their sewing, color theory & stitching skills. We are all very excited about this philanthropic endeavor they have decided to embark on.

So far this week :

Traditional Handiwork - 1

Apple - 0

How do you keep your little ones busy?

Stephanie

Playing Catch-Up

Our school year is almost over and we are looking forward to the new adventures summer has to offer. It would seem that I have a little photo catch up to do before then. Enjoy a little view into the last four months.