the grey gull 2011

i love the beach... it is the most peaceful place i could ever think of. i love the beach even more because every year we get to spend a week with my mom's family here at the ocean. the grey gull in ocean shores has been the home to the annual drugge family reunion for many years. i am so blessed to have the family that i was given. we have gotten to really play and become close to our cousins and aunts and uncles here. i always leave here feeling refreshed, renewed and thankful for my family.

over the years almost my entire life i have come here, i have pictures from most years and this i have grown with this place, it is amazing to have been here from when i was a toddler, to kid, to teenager, young adult and now as a mother. i have evolved from when i used to eat the sand, play with buckets, pails, kites, to when we used to run and play. then as we got older we drove mopeds, played golf, played games. we had to stand lined up by age along the pool edge with all my other cousins in our swimsuits while our photo is taken year after year become more and more embarrassed -- diving lessons from grandpa arnold, bobbing in the pool with grandma olive, shaky johnson stories, beach bonfires, dancing the macarena with grandma, holding our breath under the water competitions, eagerly watching from our deck waiting for the pool to open. now as i come this year i get to share this experience with my son and now history is repeating itself. it is simply amazing to be a part of this wonderful family and tradition.

mac[=[=]0;-=

mac helped me with my title : )   can't help but blog about my adorable little guy mac. oh how i love thee mac moody! he is just my little blessing. everyday i find a way to love more and more. jared and i are so blessed to have mac. he is our happy, determined, strong willed, loving, curious and high spirited little guy and we just can't get enough.

my green thumb or purple thumb?

i have recently gotten into gardening. i never thought i would channel that inner part of me, but i am glad that i did, well with the help of jared nudging me along. he knew i would like it and encouraged me thoughtfully to try it and of course he was right, i do. it is quite wonderful and the anticipation is the best part... i can't wait to see what those little seeds produce... and i also love looking for vintage pots of course.

when we moved into our house we had a perfect surprise we found out we had 3 asian pear trees, 1 bosc pear tree and a plum tree. we were so excited we felt like we were living off the land, but really we had a couple of decent pears and i think i ate 1 plum, but you know that is the closest we have been to living off the land : )

this year i have planted :: 
cilantro
basil
chives
lemon balm
lavender
mint

i hope to plant :: 
onions
celery
peonies : )
hydrangeas

wishlist :: 

things that i would love to add to my garden : )

soil mates

aged herb pot - pedestal

kid tested, mother approved...

mac the foodie?
well here is what mac is eating today...

breakfast :: 
bagel with strawberry cream cheese
mandarins
sesame seeds and blackberry yogurt

lunch :: 
grilled cheese on whole wheat bread (he likes cheddar and parmesan cheese mixed)
strawberries
cottage cheese mixed with avocado, worcestershire and johnny's seasoning... he eats it by the spoonful  and i eat it like guacamole with chips of course : ) it is delicious.

snack :: 
mac's very own trail mix which includes rice chex, raisins, craisins, sesame seeds, walnuts and goldfish mmmmm : )

dinner :: 
breaded halibut with a little tartar sauce
strawberries ... again i know he loves them
banana
craisins mixed with blue cheese, almond slivers and vinaigrette or salad without the lettuce

dessert :: 

pudding and with daddy of course : )

if i was super mommy...

i would have worked out, showered had the house cleaned, laundry done, meals warm and ready and still have time to play all day with mr. mac. but who does that.

well, i have decided. i am not super mommy and i have no plans on being one any time soon. so we will just go with what we got. besides, we know how to have fun. i don't like housework in fact it feels like a waste of time. but hey somebody has to do it right. well when the sun is shining... actually wait let's just say when it isn't raining, housework gets to go to the bottom of the list of things to do. we have more important things to do like empty the tupperware cupboard, count the rocks in the backyard and run in the grass. so move over laundry the moody train is coming through.

so instead of doing this :: 

 picking up mac's pillow castle

 or cleaning the bathroom

we did this :: 

 watched boats in the water

 ran in the grass

went for a run 

danced on the table

watered the deck

then watered the dog and the yard

finally played in the pool

and then made more messes : )

house tour :: mac's nursery

before ::

  sometimes we wonder how we bought this house but we are sure glad we did!

after a little love ::

much of my inspiration came from ohdeedoh.com. i spent a lot of time before our little guy arrived browsing through the lovely's posted on their site.  it is a style blog for people with children : ) take a peak you might just like it...

i just love creating it is a passion of mine. home to me is peace, comfort and simplicity. i truly believe that you don't have to have the biggest or newest house, or the most money to make a home beautiful. all it takes is just a little inspiration, a lot of patience, time and motivation. mac's room is a mixture of old, new, refurbished all mixed in with lots of love. it's amazing what a white ceiling and a bucket of paint will do.