One Year

Happy Halloween!

Tonight was rainy, windy, and coooold.

We had a last minute costume change from Finn Human (shorts and t-shirt)

to a vampire (he got to wear his Long Johns under his outfit).

We decided to break with tradition and head to the indoor heat of the mall.

But the mall was kind of a bust. Long long lines for very few participating stores.

So, I decided we needed to brave the wind, rain, and cold and stick with our tradition

of trick-or-treating in New Town.

We bundled Jasper up in an afghan and trick-or-treated our little hearts out.

Griffin rocked his manners with each house and even a few pretty gals got 

unexpected hugs from our little Don Juan.

In between each house: 

"This is the best day of my life!". 

****

One year ago today I baked 700 cupcakes for a small bakery I worked at then was abruptly let go. 

One year ago today, I cried the whole drive home, terrified as to how Matt would react. 

One year ago today, my pregnant self walked through the door of our new apartment and got

the biggest and best peace hug from my husband.

One year ago today he looked me square in the eye and said, 

"You are home now, where you belong. I will make this work.". 

And just like that, a new chapter had started.

This has been the most difficult and most rewarding year of my life.

One year ago, we lost much, moved into a little apartment, and I lost my job.

During this past year, I became a stay-at-home mom, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, 

Griffin started Kindergarten, Matt got a new job AND a part-time job.

With Matt's hard work, my photography, a few Etsy sales, 

and the charity of friends and strangers alike, we've made it.

One year.

Longest year ever.

Sweetest year ever.

We are rounding the top of the mountain. 

We have plans and hope to put them into action soon.

 First and foremost, it is time to dig ourselves out of a sizeable hole that was 

necessary to dig in order to survive.

We have a long road ahead of us but because of this past year,

what we've overcome,

who we've become,

how we have grown,

we have a very clear vision as to what we want our future to be.

Oh how sweet it is.

Also, cutest vampire EVAAAR.

 

Crazy Hair Day

Today is Crazy Hair Day at Griffin's school.

 His crazy hair was pretty easy to do. 

I just hair sprayed it exactly as it is when he wakes up.

Happy Tuesday!

Fall Traditions

It's Fall!

 And this week it certainly feels like Fall. 

It has been in the 50s and 60s all week and the trees are all ablaze here. 

There are certain things that I always do when the feeling of Fall hits. 

(iphone photo)

Wear my favorite sweater. 

 

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Read all the Harry Potter's and watch all the movies. 

 

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Reread everything Garrison Keillor ever wrote and listen to more PHC.

(On my bucket list is to go to a live taping. Swoon!)

 

(image)

Drink gallons of hot cocoa.

(image)

And go for long drives, listening to the Riverdance soundtrack. 

Do you have any Fall traditions? I'd love to hear them! 

Oh Happy Day!

Thinking Outside The Box

We are coming up on 1 year since I was let go of my job. 

It has been the roughest and sweetest year of my marriage so far. 

Matt and I have grown so much closer and we are so much stronger.

He has really stood up and took the reigns to make our life work. 

He now has a new full time job, which he loves, as well as a part-time job. 

And me? 

I have to think outside of the box. 

When I was let go, we put pen to paper and realized that it would cost us more money for me to work outside of the home than I would bring home. 

So, I began my life as a stay-at-home-mom 

(which has actually been a dream of ours from the get go).

However, we still need 2 incomes (even if mine is minimal).

There are mouths to feed and bills to pay and a rather large hole to dig out of

 from when I first lost my job.

My photography has been a great creative outlet for me and much needed 

extra income for our family.

But I needed something else too. 

For so many reasons. 

1) I missed creating things with my hands. 

2) In the Midwest here, there is a rather large "dead season" for photographers 

who do not use a studio.

3) I wanted to begin to pay it forward because so many people have helped us this past year. 

4) And because my diet requires a larger than most grocery bill.

So I opened an etsy shop a few months ago. 

rock paper sugar shop

I love every second of creating handmade items for people. 

I usually start with things I would make myself, like these head scarves.

During daylight hours I have to have my head covered because of my Lupus 

so I started creating reversible head scarves for myself because I didn't like bandana fabric.

I got a lot of fun compliments so I started making them for the shop!

 And hoops are just plain fun, don't ya think? 

Nothin' but happy.

I wear my embroidered and scrappy pendants all the time. 

So fun and happy!

I'm working on new designs and items to list all the time. 

It's moving a little slowly being a mom of 2 boys but it has become a 

huge passion of mine. 

And just this month I announced that 10% of each month's sales will go to a charity. 

Different charity each month!

Does my family need every penny that I make in sales?

Yes.

Do I believe wholeheartedly that if I give away, God will provide what else is needed?

Absolutely.

 I have faith.

I have to.

And because it's almost Halloween, enter discount code HALLOWEEN for $5 off any purchase of $10 or more through 10/27!

Here's to thinking outside the box.

To creating.

To supporting handmade.

And to living your passions!

Oh happy day!

 

 

Are You There, Blog? It's me. Cassie.

 

 I'm just going to jump right back in the old blog saddle as though I never really left...then tried to come back...then left again...then posted randomly. 

K?

K.

So. Awhile back I took the boys to the Butterfly House in St. Louis. I love living close to the city because when Griffin takes an interest in something, it's pretty much guaranteed that we can feed his curiosity with a location or museum or event. 

When he said that he thought butterflies were beautiful and he wanted to learn more about them, 

off we went.

The conservatory itself has the atmosphere like a rainforest, so it was super humid and really really hot but you kind of forget about all that. 

There are literally thousands of butterflies flying all around you.

Hundreds of species. 

Griffin was very patient and walked about very slowly and did everything he could.

But not a single butterfly landed anywhere on him. 

But he was able to get close and personal with a few to examine them.

The Owl Eye Butterfly was his favorite.

I've never experienced anything like the Butterfly House before. It was a thing of wonder.

Except for the cockroach exhibit. 

Yuck.

Jasper was there too.

Blog, meet Jasper.

Jasper, meet blog.

Is anyone still out there?

If so, thanks for sticking with me.

The past two years have served as a great learning lesson for us for a number of reasons and we had to set on the back burner many things we loved in order to get through. 

But hopefully you will see much more of me again soon.

Oh happy day!