Giving thanks

Sometimes, you need to drop everything you’re doing and just enjoy life. I’ve had a great time doing just that over the last few days. We’ve been spending a lot of time with friends and catching up with family, which seems especially important since we’re spending Ada’s first Thanksgiving away from home. I hope you’ll pardon my absence, but rest assured that it was time well spent.

With Thanksgiving around the corner (and let’s not even talk about Christmas, people), I’ve been thinking a lot about the things I’m thankful for. I know it’s hokey, but I can’t help myself.

D and I try to keep a “less is more” philosophy so that we can avoid clutter, both physical and emotional, as much as possible. When we decided to grow our family, we very much liked the idea that all you really need to keep a baby happy are love, diapers, and boobs. Everything else is a bonus. Of course, we’re lucky enough to have a few more goodies than that, but we’re trying to stick with a “one in, one out” policy on toys, and we’re purging baby clothes as soon as Littlebee outgrows them.

There are those around us that think we are ascetics, crazy people, or that we fall into that (large) category where the two overlap. To them I say: Please take a look at this incredibly charming family living a fabulous life in 380 square feet (via ohdeedoh). Not only do I love that their parenting philosophy so closely mirrors our own, but also that they look so blissfully happy with so very little.

So here are the things that I’m grateful for today (beyond love, diapers, and boobs):

My husband, who is going to laugh at me for calling him beautiful, but he’s the most beautiful man there ever was, in every sense of the word.

This little one, who never fails to give me a lift (and a good chuckle).

The imprint this little ear leaves on my forearm after a nice long nap on my lap (if I ever get another tattoo, I know what it will be).

The walking foot on my sewing machine. It’s a recent purchase, and I’m wondering how in the world I ever got along without it!

Somehow, in between packing and wrapping up arrangements for our trip, finishing up a project for a friend’s baby shower, working on Christmas presents, and medicating our cat (she’ll be fine, guys, no worries), I’ve managed to squeeze in a few minutes here and there to work on a (very belated) gift for a friend. I’ve been giving that walking foot a workout!

A sneak peek:

Note: yes, that is dupioni mixing with a knit. I washed and dried the dupioni in the machine first, which radically changed the material, but in a very good way! I’m going to want one of these for myself!!