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.

Field Trips and other fun

We love field trips. Especially the ones where we get to connect with nature. I think one of the things I like most about our home school group is the outings to local places we didn't even know existed!

Last week we spent time at a nature center that in actuality, is hiding, snuggled away, just off of the freeway in Long Beach. It was informative, fun and beautiful with a 1 mile trail, 2 mile trail, pond & learning center. The grounds were well maintained and full of life. Such a great learning experience.

 Turtles have spines & their shells have patterns & textures.

After that we headed to the beach for lunch on the pier. There is something cool & creepy about eating lunch in an old building on the part of the pier that has the original looking timber. 

 

Racing about with a hand full of shells.

Do you have any favorite outings?

-Stephanie

Business Love

It amazes me how our eldest has pretty much always known what she wanted to be when she grew up. She started writing stories through pictures when she was just a tot and is now enjoying art high school with her many writing conservatory classes.

Our youngest is following in her footstep in the sense that for the past two and a half years he has told us that he is going to be an artist which has now turned into artist/designer. He is 5 and continues to enjoy learning new skills in the area.

Our middle girl has struggled as she is an "in the moment" girl. This fact has often found her feeling left out as if she didn't have any talents. She has many talents, but like someone else, she has less focus. That is until this past year. We introduced her to interior design and textiles. She is smitten. She created a board for her bedroom remodel and did quite a good job executing her ideas. Her hand stitching continues to improve and she is learning how to block print using her drawings. It is very exciting to see her light up as she creates.

She has some exciting news brewing, but, you'll have to wait for that. (hint: Spoonflower) She does plan on including it on her OCHSA application next year. So exciting!

I love watching them as they figure out who they are at this moment. I know they will grow and change, but I do Love watching them enjoy being the writer/artist/designer they are now.