some super-serious, roly-poly cuteness happening over here. this month he's sitting up straight in that little blue chair! full of grins and giggles, loves nibbling his own plump little toes. tucker is into everything he can get his little hands on. sleeping through the night yet??? um, let's change the subject. yawn.

we love you tucker blue!

 
normally i like to wait until the start of december to break out the christmas decorations and put up the tree. this year, however, i'm taking the a little bit here, a little bit there approach, in hopes that decorating is less chaotic (how many ornaments did we break last year???) and also to savor the act just a little bit more. 

so, yesterday we broke out the bins and boxes and, despite the fact that it was warm enough to have the doors open, tuned into the pandora christmas station. we sorted and stacked and set things up here and there. 
our collection of christmas decor has evolved over the years to include mostly vintage, thrifted items. the tackier the better--i collect puffy wreaths, stuffed trees and hard plastic, lighted christmas figures. i love little handmade decorations like the tiny santas pictured above, which i strung up over hudson's bed at his request. i've got a mountain of old tinsel piled up in wait of the tree. and a heap of other glittery, gaudy stuff waiting to be put out. 

so in that case, more to come!


 
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a mystery chicken has been laying the prettiest little green eggs in our coop. all of the chicks that hatched this past spring and summer are finally getting old enough to lay, and though i haven't seen any of them in the nesting boxes, i know these green eggs must be coming from one of the two easter eggers. overall egg production is low, due of course to the shortening of days. we were able to sell and give away carton after carton of eggs this summer, now we have barely enough to feed ourselves. 

the ducks have kept at it and are laying very regularly. i see more ducks in our future--the eggs are large and the ducks themselves are very fun to have around. i like to see them pit-patting all around the yard. duck eggs though, are not so pretty to look at--the shells are kind of dingy and scratched. the easter egger chickens lay the picture-perfect eggs that look straight out of a martha stewart magazine. after nearly 6 years of keeping chickens, i am still excited to go out and collect eggs every day. 

as a write this i can see a bunch of soggy chickens walking about in the yard. they have access to a large, dry coop filled with fresh hay and yet they choose to be out pecking for worms and such in the wet ground. more power to them! i will stick close to my cozy fire, thankful for those hard-working gals in the yard. and speaking of giving thanks--wow, thanksgiving is here. slow down, autumn! we're not ready for winter yet!

 
total goal. gotta love it. happy weekend!
 
burr, a chill is most definitely in the air around here. the kids have been rockin' their lined boots and heavy sweatshirts. i've seen a scarf or two in the rotation. i myself am wearing socks, so you know the season has indeed finally shifted over to fall. i'm so thankful for those boots i found for tucker at the thrift store a few weeks ago. his little toes are warm when he's outside hanging (literally) in his favorite spot--the thrifted park swing. 

thoughts regarding food have turned to all things warming. the kids are no longer rising from their naps asking for homemade popsicles and sliced fruit, instead they want popcorn, peanut butter on toast, hot chocolate. we pop corn over the stove, then add butter and grated parmesan cheese. just the other day i made use of the leftover honey butter by melting it down and tossing it with the popped corn. i thought it was delicious, the kids thought it was just so-so. sticklers for the ordinary, those two.  

we make our own hot chocolate mix. i use this recipe, omitting the cornstarch (unless i happen to have organic on hand) and the cayenne. it's obviously quite high in sugar, so it is an every-so-often treat. i did get them a chocolate drink mix with organic greens, fruits and veggies mixed in, thinking they could enjoy it daily. they were not fooled, in case you're wondering. hudson actually told me i was naughty for making his milk taste bad. sorry, dude. 
how are you keeping warm?
 
a bit of a detour this morning. cotton candy clouds over the golden gate bridge. two little kids in awe over something so very big. it is, after all, where humphrey swam in so long ago. they love that story. i love autumn days that feel like spring, even though it's technically teasing. (i'll take what i can get before the true cold sets in). my babies against this stunning backdrop had me in good vibes all day. 

happy weekend!
 
the rest of the world may have been focusing on the elections today, but we had something else topping the list of things important. hudson no longer has to proclaim to the world, "but i'm almost THREE!" it's official. his birthday is finally here. 

i was feeling quite bad yesterday in realizing that i hadn't done much in the way of making anything for hudson's birthday. i had a couple of items tucked away as far as gifts were concerned (a vintage toy truck, a cement mixer and some thrifted brio train track), but nothing mama-made. then i saw lucy prancing around the backyard with a piece of paper clipped to her head, and plans for a birthday crown fell right into place. 
here we have:

figure a: the inspiration. old computer paper, done up with fringe and hair clips to make a " fancy indian crown." 
figure b: the perfectly-timed, highly-unlikely nap that made it all possible. please note the backwards shorts, the dirty feet and the bulldozer tucked under his bottom. little boys are fantastic.
figure c: the finished product. made from wool felt i had on hand and totally thrown together without a pattern or measurements (several fittings took place unbeknownst to the heavy sleeper). 
figure d: lucy's hair today, inspired by all things royal. 
the day's events included a fancy breakfast, a sushi picnic, his first soccer skills class, park time, naptime, tacos, presents, cake from scratch and a much anticipated bob the builder episode. three year olds are so easy to please when you're actively trying to please them. it's amazing. 

still looking forward to a party in his honor this sunday, plus a very special gift arriving next week by mail. to quote lucy, "birthdays are very happy days." yes, this was a good one indeed. 
 
this little guy was long overdue for a haircut. he, however, disagreed. i stopped picking that battle long ago. so when he came to me at 7:15 this morning asking for a trim, i whipped out the scissors as fast as i could. didn't even have to bribe him with a lollipop, although he did ask for chips and an orange while i was working. lucy was happy to oblige him of that. 
it's nice to see those pretty green eyes again! i didn't get a "before" shot but trust me, they were hidden under a mess of blonde fringe. i think he's happy with the results as well. "mama! i can SEE when i'm working!" yes, good vision is important for any farmer when he's out tilling his fields at 7:30. don't you think?
*note the farmer's choice on jammies--a vintage infant sleeping gown. it's in sad shape after being a long-time first pick from the pajama drawer, but a favorite nonetheless. every time i pull it from the washer i'm thrilled to see it still intact. so sweet on my little boy, who is getting bigger by the day. three years old on tuesday!!!