THANKFUL

Thankful for so many things this Thanksgiving day, but mostly these people, who love me despite all of my faults! (and believe me, I have many) ;)

Mom & Dad

My awesome son Lukas

My sweet niece Sophia

My darling nephew Isaac

And my siblings who know me through and through!

Really don't know where I would be without the love and support of these people. Also thankful for true friends, the ability to work for myself, moments when I write something that I really like, quiet reading time, LAUGHING, and dark chocolate. And last but not least, hugely grateful for being inspired by a community of  AMAZING people online.That would include you, dear blogger friends. :)


HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

Luminarium - Architects of Air

How happy I was when my friend told me about this wondrous attraction happening at the local summer festival in our town! Below is the Amococo Luminarium, a brilliantly lighted walk-through set of connected domes, semi-resembling a child's moonwalk structure on the outside, but without the bouncy bottom on the inside. It was, in a word, MAGICAL!

I LOVE surprising Lukas with neat little outings like this, and I think this particular one tops almost all of our little adventures in the past year!



The outside of the structure reminded me of a cartoon. I completely felt like an overly excited child when we were waiting nearly 2 hours in line to get in!





Just before entering. We were both so eager to see what this Luminarium hype was all about!



There was peaceful music playing in the background, and I kept thinking of how awesome it would be to be completely alone inside with nothing but the quiet and light.



My friends enjoyed the experience so much too! I preferred the red light, to me it was the most calming.




The top of the red dome looked like the sun on the horizon. Love the way this pic turned out of Lukas & his friend!



Lukas kept saying he felt like a little worm in his holey worm home underground. I'm so happy he loved it! :)




 Peek-a-boo!



We were pretending we were on mars. I love this pic of my Luke!



Check out the website because apparently the structure is touring now and definitely explore the dome if it comes to your area! It was totally worth the 2 hour line wait! Here's a little video if you want to learn a little bit more about the wonder that is the luminarium.

I love adventurin' with my son! We're headed off for another one just after I'm done with this post. Northern Mitten here we come. (I'm on a vintage hunt!) :D Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

XOXO

High School Besties!

Finally getting around to posting a few pics of when my high school best friend came to visit. This is Pahoua Monique. {Pa-hoo-a} I call her Poohbear. ;) A couple of years ago I visited her in down in Miami. I hadn't seen her since then. She used to live in Detroit, but moved shortly after the scary Michigan economy started going down, so I really can't blame her. It was sooo good to see this girl when she came back to the mitten though! When she moved to my high school in our 10th grade year, we hit it off immediately. I loved her excited nature, she screams this cute little scream when something grand happens, and it's how I know good news is coming when I answer her phone calls! I was floored by her closet in high school and even now -- she's the friend I mentioned who keeps her clothes organized by color. (we're so different!) But she's got such a cute style, and because we are very similar in size, it was a blast trading clothes as teens!

Back in our senior year we had decided we'd live together, attend the same school, and all of the other things high school besties plan out together. Funny how things change, huh?! She is now a logistics genius in the corporate world in Miami and I'm still in the mitten, now running my own little vintage shop online. I just wish I still had all of those vintage dresses from our thrifting days way back then!

Do any of you girls still keep in contact with your high school best friend? Isn't it fun to rehash memories of adolescence together? ;)

Phillip, the cute German boy she brought along for the trip.

Dorm Mate Lunch

Friends, I'm sorry if it seems like I'm so out of the blog loop lately. Sometimes I feel like I'm such a bad blogger. Oftentimes I find myself thinking "hmmm, what exactly does the world want to know about me?" And then I thought just today, "well what do I want to know about people usually? Why do I choose to read the blogs I choose to read?" I came up with this list, and it's surely not the end of it, just what I came up with at the top of my head. ;)

- what makes people happy
- the ins and outs of their day
- what inspires them
- and what they're wearing, of course!

I apologize for the lack of my outfit/personal posts. I'm gonna try to start being better with them starting today.  *fingers crossed* It's so much easier to do outfit posts when it's nice out, because I'd rather be taking pics outdoors, now I'm just waiting for Spring to really kick in here in the mitten!

Last week I was sooo happy to get a surprise visit from my college dorm mate. We met the very first day of move-in back in the late 90's. We've been friends ever since. Initially, she was not my roommate, but we changed that 2nd semester when we both realized we'd be much more suitable for living together than the first crazy dames we were paired with.

This is Sarah.
It was so nice to have this girl by my side when I was learning about the ins and outs of  romantic relationships way back then! We were always relating to each other about how our feelings/issues with guys could be explained in a song, and had I never met her, I never would have been introduced to this band or this one among many others she put on mixed tapes for me! One of these days I'll scan some pics of us from our college days. It's pretty fun to see how much we've both changed!

Do any of you still keep in touch with your college roomies? So happy this girl & I are still friends! Unfortunately, she hates to shop (makes me laugh), but I can always count on her for some great conversation and many laughs about our good ole' college days. :)

My 2 Sweethearts

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you who celebrate. This weekend I celebrated the holiday by spending some quality time with my boyfriend, Mike. And although my son was with his dad this weekend, I had to include him in this post too, because he's the other sweetie of my heart. :)

Just a few quick things I find quite lovable about my honey:
After finding out about how much I love cowboys, he dressed up and pretended to be a real one in downtown Nashville and for a dancing night at a country bar - adorable! Woke me up one earrrrly morning to watch the sunrise. Designated an official m.o.p. for us. hahaha! Taught me how to whistle with a blade of grass. Is nice to my friends and family. Breaks into crazy dialects with me just for fun. Gives me piggy back rides when I get tired of walking. Likes to thrift, just like me. Strong hands. Incredibly gentle. Sweetly affectionate. Loves his animals. Loyal to his family. Told me I'd look pretty with gray hair! And will occasionally sing to me if I plead long enough. (I looooove that so much!)

singin' Frank Sinatra after our Valentine's dinner. ( hope I'm not in trouble for posting this!) hahah!

And my little Valentine. . .
I'm getting so into the mommy blogs lately. I especially adore reading the blogs of women who have just recently become mothers. It takes me back to all of my dear memories of when my son was younger and I have realllly started to miss those times lately because he is already 11! Many bittersweet tears come with watching a child grow up, I've realized! Just want to keep him young forever I guess.

my favorite photo I keep at my desk (age 3)

Quite possibly the best love letter I've ever received. heehehe :D

Just one of the MANY valentines I'll be keeping forever. (2nd grade)

Growing up soooooooooo fast.

Can't wait to hug these two later on today when I see them.
GRATEFUL. ;)


Hope you all enjoy this holiday with your own sweethearts, blog friends!

XOXO

Botanical Heavens

In the dread of a Michigan winter, my chosen mini-vacation is the local botanical garden greenhouse, which is, fortunately for me, just minutes away from my apartment. Filled with oxygen-rich greenery and tropical plants and flowers, the huge greenhouse is the ultimate little spot to get away while it's snowy and cold just outside. When my mom was visiting last week, I made it a point to take her there - I have wanted to for so long, and was super happy that we made it because, being the green thumb that she is herself, she loved it!

Enjoy some of my favorite images from our 2 hour visit. After we walked around, we just sat at a table set up by the waterfall and talked and relaxed. Ahhh, humid bliss, even in the dead of January.

Honestly though, this place never fails to fascinate me, no matter what month of the year it is.



















What a spring tease this visit ended up being!

Thanksgiving Blessing

I was supposed to post these pics just after Thanksgiving, but I kinda got sidetracked with all of the other 9 billion things going on in my life right now. Isn't this time of year so crazy, you guys? We have to make sure everyone is taken care of on the Christmas list, all cards are sent out,(with proper addresses, stamped), and meanwhile I'm trying to keep the shop updated, and then working, and being a mama. . . WHEW! December definitely challenges us!
Initially at Thanksgiving I was bumming because my own little boy was going to be with his dad this year. But when I got home to Mom and Dad's I realized that this was the perfect opportunity to bond with my little nephew, Isaac. I had to share these pictures because I think this little boy's sweetness just shines right through in that smile. (I also had to post these because I promised I would put him "on the computer" so he could see himself) ;) Here's a funny little snippet about him: While we were all lounging around relaxing for the holiday, he asked me to get him some toast and jam and he had kindly said "please" with his request. I went up to him and said, "Thank you so much, Isaac. I love when little boys use their manners, that makes my heart so happy." He sat at the table for a second lost in thought and a moment later says to me, "Aunt Jessica, how does your heart feel when little boys do naughty things?" As hard as I tried not to laugh, I couldn't help it, I lost it!silly boy.  Even though he lives 2 hours away, I'm so thankful to have him in my life!

"Aunt Jessica, I can show you my yoga moves."

Showed him some coin tricks.

That smile melts me!!

*Love*

little rascal!


I wish my family lived closer. I've often thought about moving closer to them, but their internet is so slow (and it's "high" speed) that I'd have to probably give up my little etsy shop. No way, Jose! But it does make the time when we see each other all the more special. ♥