2.26.2015

currently... mama jumbo


The deal: Use our themes or use your own - just let us know what is 'currently' going on with you. Be sure to stop by and say hello to the other bloggers linking up - especially to my amazing co-host Randalin of Kale & Beans.

This week's themes: 
calling, going, taking, breaking, wondering

This week my kids have been Calling me some pretty funny, pretty wonderful things. Loretta took to telling secrets and her favorite is to lean in close and whisper, "I think you're beautiful, mama." Even though she would tell this same secret to the mailman (she's a one secret kind of girl) it still gives me butterflies. On the flip side, last night Otto told me I have enormous legs. Yes, Sir Toothpick Legs of the Land of Droopy Underoos thinks I've got thick stems. I was like, "They're supposed to be that size."  

The only Going we have planned is/are a couple of trips to Portland in the next few months and then Arizona at Christmas. We are really staying. But lots of plans to start hiking and daytripping and seeing parts of Oregon that we've yet to explore as soon as the weather gets just a bit nicer.

Loretta has been Taking her pants, all her pants, and rolling/squishing them up over her knees. It's her new signature style. Rob was taking her to school the other morning and waited for her to get her pants all hiked up the way she likes them, then they opened the door and it was like 25 degrees outside and she goes, "Oh I guess I better roll these down! It's chilly!" So at least she's not a slave to fashion.

Last night my heart was Breaking. Otto was being kind of a pill and we were having a talk about whining and acting entitled and he just broke down in tears and said he'd had a really hard day. Never forget that your kids don't always tell you everything that's ruminating inside of them. We had no idea when we picked him up from school that earlier in the day he'd had a really rough experience. By bedtime he was totally emotional (partially my fault for giving him night time ice cream which always sounds fun but leads to breakdowns). Without getting into details, a few of the boys in his class have decided to start picking on other kids. Otto got called names and hit. It also sounds like the kids have been ganging up to get other kids in trouble and Otto got punished and had to miss recess because a teacher believed the boys. Oh how I remember the feeling of unfairness when things like this happen as a child. But I was never bullied. And so I'm not sure what to do. I'm a natural fighter and Otto is not. The Mama Jumbo inside of me wants to go crazy and throw chairs and tell Otto to punch those little shits' faces when they go near him. Instead we talked about tactics Otto could try to avoid getting hassled in the first place and to shut them down if they try. And we also talked about talking. We want to make sure Otto knows he can tell us anything and that we're his champions and will help him work through problems. He's going to try to handle this on his own, but he's also going to tell us right away if he has another bullying experience so that we can step in and take action. Their insistence on letting the kids work out EVERYTHING for themselves is one of my few complaints about Montessori. When it's a classroom that ranges in age from 5 to 8 and the older kids are picking on the little ones you can't expect a 6 year old to just figure it out. You guys have no idea how badly I want Otto to chase these boys into a dumpster and fly away on his wish dragon.

I am Wondering if it's the weekend yet? We have a no-plans weekend and those are my favorite. If the sun shines we'll head to a park for some outside time. But aside from an exercise class and grocery shopping it's all peaceful easy coming up this weekend and I can't wait.

That was this week & here are next week's theme's:
setting, using, watching, choosing, imagining 

2.24.2015

our first photo shoot for Ot & Et Shop!


It's funny that as a marketing professional I'm so nervous to market this new business. Part of it is that I'm starting out so small and kind of trying to stay small for a while. Another part is just how close to my heart this whole thing is. I don't want to let this shop down, because it means so much to me and feels so personal. Suddenly I'm shy, who'da thunk?

I am excited to share some images from a little photo shoot we did this past weekend. I wanted to get shots of the kids IN the clothes up on the home page and in some of the descriptions. These shots are making me realize that my set up of taking shots of the tees and pants on my plywood background isn't going to cut it. Natural light is so much better and it's also impossible to capture in my little home studio (darn you Oregon & roofs with overhangs). Thinking cap engaged.

Finally, we just added 3 new tees to the inventory. Pluto is not a planet by Handmade Escapade (aka Katy McKinley). I LOVE THESE TEES! You can read more about Katy's life as a mama, a maker, and a West Virginian at her Wild & Wanderful blog here which also links to her super rad Etsy shop.

2.19.2015

currently... do that which we think we cannot

(image via)

The deal: Use our themes or use your own - just let us know what is 'currently' going on with you. Be sure to stop by and say hello to the other bloggers linking up - especially to my amazing co-host Randalin of Kale & Beans.

This week's themes: 
pushing, enjoying, missing, reading, cooking

Earlier this week I was Pushing through some real insecurities, fear, and fatigue in order to get my new small business officially up and running. I know I have been hinting on here for a long time about this little mystery biz. That's because I was terrified of saying it out loud until it was real. But, somehow someway, as-of yesterday I am a small business owner (of the Ot & Et Shop). It feels amazing and I am walking on sunshine.

Currently we are all Enjoying a little sun on our poor translucent white Oregon skin. Weird February you make me nervous but I love you.

Lately I have been Missing baby snuggles with Loretta. No one get me wrong. It's just that she's hit that phase where she is lanky and near-awkward to rock at night and it reminds me that she's growing up and about to leave babyhood behind. She'll be 3 in a few short weeks. What in the world?

What should I be Reading? I'm stumped. I've read too many farm lady memoirs in a row and if I read one more I'll lose my "COOL" badge. What books are you guys loving these days?

This week we are back to Cooking on the meal plan and I cannot believe how much easier life is when we just stick to plan. I'm thinking of doing something fun with a crock pot this weekend. Hold onto your hats; it's getting crazy up in here!

That was this week & here are next week's theme's:
calling, going, taking, breaking, wondering 

2.18.2015

announcing! the Ot & Et Shop


I am so excited to share with you guys the launch of Ot & Et Shop. It is brand spanking new and only has a tiny initial inventory but more is coming soon.

Ot & Et Shop is a (very) small children's clothing boutique. We partner with small businesses from all around to create one-of-a-kind tops and bottoms for your little ones.

This little shop is my dream come true and I can only hope it will continue to grow and get radder as time goes by - just like the real Ot & Et (my two kiddos, Otto and Loretta).

I love and have always loved charming, unique, well-made clothes. Clothing with heart and a story. When my kids came along, I found inspiration for their closets in vintage, at thrift stores, on Etsy, Instagram, Pinterest, and craft markets. Ot & Et Shop hopes to bring all of that inspiration together in a single place, supporting small artists, providing small batch one-of-a-kind styles that are precious, pitch-perfect, personality plus, comfy, and that spread smiles.

The kickoff line includes worm tanks by Aaron Robert Miller and my dream kids pants, brought to life by Pickee Kids. Coming soon, tees by Handmade Escapade and more.

I couldn't be more excited (or terrified or giddy) after almost 2 years of dreaming, thinking, plotting, and planning, to finally open the "doors" on this little dream.

xoxo,
Lindsey  

2.12.2015

currently... hair bears


The deal: Use our themes or use your own - just let us know what is 'currently' going on with you. Be sure to stop by and say hello to the other bloggers linking up - especially to my amazing co-host Randalin of Kale & Beans.

This week's themes: 
falling, talking, warming, seeing, saying

Last weekend Otto's long, luxurious hair was Falling to the floor. He decided he wanted a haircut. We talked him out of the "Luke Skywalker" because some things you just can't say yes to... no matter how much you want to indulge your children.

Besides the fact that I wanted to cry because suddenly my baby looked fifteen, I also wanted to cry because he spent the entire haircut flirting with his (ok, she was super cute, I can't blame him) hairdresser. They were Talking about Michael Jackson, the Home Alone movies, and dancing, of course. I was a long forgotten piece of cheese standing on the sidelines. After his haircut, he did a little moonwalk for her and she game him some pointers. He needs to pick his feet up more. People always talk about how emotional the first haircut is, but I bet the first haircut where you simply aren't there is worse. I have to tell you, at age six I'm already playing the role of chauffeur :(

This week I have been Warming up whatever we have around and calling it dinner. We're trying to pinch pennies just a bit and we had odds and ends overflowing out of our cupboards so I thought, No big deal, we can figure out a week's worth of meals from what's around. It's been pretty hit or miss. I'm looking forward to a meal plan and shopping list this weekend.

We have all been Seeing Loretta's "saucy edge" relax, at least a little, lately and it's been nice. She always hits this point of raging yellingness right before making a huge leap in some way or another and sure enough after a couple of edgier months she has calmed down right around the same time she's just about nailed using the toilet and saying please and thank you. So that was totally worth it because using the toilet! Someday soon I may rarely touch poop once again, which is my super-preferred rate of poop-touching.

Last night I was playing princess castle with Loretta (aside --> I call them queens but she pretty much ignores that at this point. I'll never stop though. I'll be that little voice in her ear, planting the seeds of aspiring to ultimate female power status). Anyways, I was taking a very important break to get my freak on with the Keurig. I overheard Etta and a little conversation she was enacting between her princess/queens, who were sitting down to a plate of cookies. One was Saying to the other, "Are you kidding me?!?! That's not healthy." I had to laugh. One of those princess/queens sounds an awful lot like this mama, haha.

That was this week & here are next week's theme's:
pushing, enjoying, missing, reading, cooking 

2.05.2015

currently... 3:30am wakeups


The deal: Use our themes or use your own - just let us know what is 'currently' going on with you. Be sure to stop by and say hello to the other bloggers linking up - especially to my amazing co-host Randalin of Kale & Beans.

This week's themes: 
smelling, drinking, wearing, making, loving

Recently I have been Smelling a rat. Its name is Loretta. It does not sleep more than a handful of hours at a time. It wakes up to play puzzles at 3:30 am. It cries in this nails-on-a-chalkboard voice that sends me into a panic because DO NOT WAKE UP THE WHOLE HOUSE. It's kind of making my life a little miserable since... I can't remember a time before this week. And I'm just complaining because sleep deprivation makes it hard to think about much except how you wish you were sleeping, in a hotel room, all by yourself, on a tropical island, far from anything except the ocean and a waffle restaurant.

Therefore I have been Drinking coffee like a freak fiend and trying to remind myself that these are the good old days. But I think like two years from now might actually be the better old days. Is that terrible to say?

Otto has been Wearing his self-created Michael Jackson cool outfit every day lately and it's pretty fantastic. Fedora, white long-sleeve button-up, sparkle bowtie, sometimes a white ballroom glove, and then dance moves like you wouldn't believe. He's been watching "How to Dance Like Michael Jackson" tutorials on YouTube. I love his awesome awesome little mesmerized heart.

This weekend we will be Making what I predict to be some pretty janky homemade Valentines for Otto's class. I am hoping to fit all of our errands into Saturday so that Sunday can just be a sitting around kind of day.

I am pre-Loving this weekend.

That was this week & here are next week's theme's:
falling, talking, warming, seeing, saying