work horse

oh thank you for all the comment love. you have no idea.

i'm stopping in to say, there shall be no more horsing around, blogging my week away. i have way too much work to do. from now on i can be found at my desk 'neath a pile of projects. with the deadline clock tick-a-tocking. am going to be disciplined and steadfast. only taking breaks to play peek a boo from behind the couch. yep, benji can now climb up on the couch unassisted. we are in for a wild winter indoors, people. sometimes i catch myself thinking, why am i crawling on the floor and he's up on the furniture?

oh and this week, i'll be teaching boy scouts the marvels of meatloaf + mashed potatoes. (complete with baby meatloaves for each. i doubt they'll even notice all the cuteness that a little loaf has to offer, but still i'll feel like a happy mama bear, donning my apron. will be channeling my inner-julia.) i will attempt to catch up on clearing out my inbox too. a cluttered inbox is worse then a messy room. as a general shout out about emails; i read them, can't get enough of them and appreciate them, thank you.

although i'm taking a teeny tiny break this week, i will return for this thursday giveaway. you won't want to miss it. hope to see you then.

p.s. against my will, i am not even opening this post up for comments. gasp. because i'll be too tempted to check to see if i got any clever comments. that's how serious i am about getting serious. lucky for me, my imagination is real big, therefore i'll be imagining all of your encouraging, go get 'em tiger type comments. i hear you cheerleading my productivity.

p.p.s. once i return, i plan on blogging all about sweet hostess gift ideas. and yes, there will be another post featuring my beloved: bulk candy.

am a fan.

am a fan of wearing aprons around the house. am not joking. after working so many years in a bakery, i feel incomplete without one in the kitchen. and i feel like its some sort of bad omen if i attempt to bake anything delicious without one. with a one year old i am very tempted to wear one all day, everyday.

am a fan of baking bread. and using a silicone baster brush to top the loaves with butter. it's a wholesome activity that i can practice; sort of like tennis. am getting better and better at it. baking bread is not something you can conquer. simply something you can improve.

am a fan of writing long letters on stationery. with coordinating envelopes.

am a fan of project runway. especially because dan will watch it with me. am a fan of the three finalists. am pulling for miss carol hannah. but am still a fan of logan. he is originally from blackfoot, idaho (and i love to see a spud in the spotlight). however my guess is that irina will win in the end. in more tv news, i am excited to see ellen on oprah on monday. and am sure dan's excited for whatever bear grylls is up to.

am a fan of this charming set of rub a dub tub toys. benji loves splashing with the foam cars, buses, trucks and tracks at bathtime.

am a fan of gloriously large apples. inspiring me for the caramel apples. they are just pleading for a cloak of caramel and some candied buttons.

am a fan of redbox. love love love it. unless you plan on picking up the recent sequel to transformers. without a doubt that movie can be missed. sci fi. army guys. big explosions. cool cars that turn into robots. a plot that has no reality whatsoever. megan fox. it has boy movie written all over it.

am a fan of the ginormous ice cream bars at the costco snackbar (where snacks are so cheap you almost forget how much you just spent on bulk groceries). am newly converted at first bite. this link made me laugh.

am a fan of the recent sesame street google designs. happy fortieth.

am a fan of letting cookies cool on a cooling rack. it captures the essence of homemade.

am a fan of taylor swift. am new on her bandwagon, i only know one or two of her songs, but i think she's awesome. so young. so talented. so responsible. so determined. so motivated. so full of potential. i, along with thousands of thirteen year olds, am putting her new album on my christmas wish list.

am a fan of the wooden toys now available at target for a dollar. so perfect for ornaments or stocking stuffers. or for a little boy named benji who loves to spin the airplane propeller.

am a fan of dark nail polish. very late in the game, i realize.

am a fan of au lait extra large milk soap. it has the perfect subtle fragrance. am keeping it on my gift shelf for now. although it may find its way into my linen closet and then into my bathtub.

am a fan of the white tee i am wearing at the moment. it's soft enough and long enough and stretchy enough and i love everything about it. but i have to keep it a surprise until later.

am a fan of the recent martha stewart weddings issue. love the article about confetti.

am a fan of cardigans. am always and everytime drawn to the girlie cardi. dainty and darling. what that says about me, i don't know.

am a fan of buying christmas presents early. am thinking it would be fun to send out it's beginning to look a lot like christmas gifts at the very start of december. i am always full of good intentions at this time of year. am hoping to actually follow through.

holiday prep 003

• write at least one thank you email a day
• discuss turkey brining techniques with dad
• buy sparkly cider while it's still on special
• dream up a fun activity for our little thanksgiving party
• research rosemary bread possibilities for best stuffing in the world
• drop mini mart packages off at the post office
• begin rounding corners of christmas cards
• browse craft store open house this saturday
• google carameled apple making (tips + advice?)
• decide which 'dish' to teach the boy scouts how to make (suggestions?)
• yoga three times a week to help negate inevitable holiday poundage
• stock up on pretzel rods for dunking and dipping in december

happy weekend.

giveaway: tape swell

methinks its the year of the masking tape. haven't you noticed all the darling options for our beloved sticky stuff?! i, for one am thrilled with all the easy peasy stick-it-to-me possibilities for prettier packaging. add some fun, add some flair. (especially at this time of the year when mailing packages becomes my part time job. some wonder why i love the post office so much. i honestly inherited the trait from my dad. whenever i go, i always ask to see the latest stamps. and i think, dad has likely been to his post office today too. like kindred spirits mailing our hearts out. lets just say i've never met a penpal i didn't like.) am thinking i'll try out some envelope wraparounds for my christmas card addressing. thankfully, TapeSwell has a wide range of designer tape you'll want to cling to.

TapeSwell is kindly offering one m.writes reader a $20 gift card for their choice of prize! i like the scroll mailing tapes and their cute combo packs too. want to win? simply leave a comment to enter. please link to your blog or leave an email address so i can hunt you down if you've won. now go ahead and comment.. tell me about a DIY project you hope to conquer. return to this post saturday night for the random winner announcement.

thank you for entering this giveaway. i love knowing i am not the only one with a handful of half-finished projects waiting. the winner is angela who said, I love the tape! I'm planning to refashion a dress I picked up at a clothing swap into an a-line skirt.

thank you, eileen and the entire TapeSwell team.
your terrific tape is too cute not to stick with.

featured: the mother huddle

am over the moon about the recent opportunity to spill my guts on the fabulous blog; the mother huddle. (cutest website name ever, right?!) theirs is a wonderful source of information + inspiration. i couldn't be more pleased with the warm welcome. thank you destri and mother huddle!

since my specialty is giving unsolicited advice on this blog and elsewhere, am hoping the solicited stuff is worth your while.

again, thanks for reading. thanks for encouraging. thanks for supporting my shop. (the mini diaries are all sold out! this makes me excited and sad all at once. i selfishly like them all stacked up together, just waiting. but mostly i am so very glad you like them and completely pleased they are in happy hands. diaries deserve to be jotted in with wild fury to catch the moments before they pass.) and thanks for sharing your thanks (this ongoing commenting is totally my version of twitter). thanks for being so wonderful with emails and enthusiasm. i imagine you as all very adorable friendly people behind those computer screens.

you're pretty much my dream team.

• tune into m.writes this afternoon for a chance to win the seasons first thursday giveaway.

sunshine and crispy leaves

today we went to our favorite park. we had just dropped off papa at the airport and suddenly it felt more like just you n' me than our usual afternoons together. it was unbelievably sunny. so we had a spontaneous picnic lunch in the park, just you n' me. sharing a burrito on a bench, a first. like we discussed, our goal is to take advantage of the swings every chance we get before the blankets of snow arrive. after our burrito bites, we moseyed over to the playground.

your small shoes and little jacket somehow make you look so big. your willing smile and tiny teeth all lined up make me happy to the core. you are so cheerful these days. maybe it's your new-found freedom of walking, five steps at a time. or maybe it's your molars. or your dapper haircut. i marvel at your chipper chit chat throughout the day. (you may have inherited your mama's gift for gab.) and your expressions. they are full of life.

you climb 3 steps to turn the captain's wheel, i play peek-a-boo behind the bars, you swing and kick your legs with a mighty smile, and you worship the big boys who play hot lava with wooden sticks. they jump across the equipment with talk of attacks and spies. you can't keep your eyes off of them. i can picture you doing the same when you are their age. i can't wait to hear your big ideas in your little voice, tumbling from your imagination.

later, you n' me found ourselves walking along the chain link fence, which surrounds the baseball diamond, to crunch the leaf piles beneath our feet. you loved every minute of our leaf adventures, stopping only to examine the crispy specimen curled between metal and space within the fence. holding onto one until you reached another. i found a few myself which are now pressed between the pages of a book.

i loved watching you today. free to roam and crunch leaves and babble your conversation and bounce the fence back and forth in wild excitement. so little and perfect. exploring the big wide world. you are without fear. with wide eyes and curious fingers. we took the afternoon at a slow pace, nowhere to go, no errands to run nor places to be. just you n' me walking around a baseball diamond. someday i may in fact be watching you on the other side of that fence as you strut up to bat in little league. with your uniform and cleats.

i have a wide open space in my heart for you to grow up in. yet i am saving space that keeps you little forever in my mind.

today you are you. and i'm thankful, ever thankful to be your mama.

shop festivities

the mini mart is in full swing with brand new seasonal goodies.
i must admit, i am super excited about each + every item.


its true, i am a girl full of words, however i love the idea of letting a little label tell all. the possibilities with this set of labels are endless. it is so simple to create virtually any grouping into a Christmas Advent and a Twelve Days countdown. functional meets fun. specifically, for the Twelve Days of Christmas, i like to hang envelopes on a swooping ribbon or in the branches of the tree with notes detailing surprise outings, household chore coupons, a small love letter or a series of scripture about the true reason for the season.



these thick velum note cards were a favorite from the moment i laid eyes on them. photos don't do them justice. they are subtle and special all at once. and the polka dots make them perfect.



santa claus labels are my way of bringing a bit of youthful magic back into the holiday. they also pay homage to my mother who would pen in santa's signature with her own classic cursive every year.



as you know, i love a darling party favor. these boxes are simple to assemble and ready to hold any miniature treasure. add a small sprig of evergreen for a festive theme, write a name for an instant place card or stack them in large jars for a stunning centerpiece.


please browse around while your favorite tunes are playing.
you'll find me rockin around the christmas tree.
enter discount code NOEL for 15% off your order.
thanks so much for coming.

wrapping up last minute details

tune in tomorrow for the festivities.

and thank you for all of the enthusiasm and support for project :: thankful.
that meant a lot to me. you mean a lot to me. (i really mean that much to you?)
please tell me you know where that line came from.

p.s. yes, indeed! please feel free to link project :: thankful on your own blog.
p.p.s. i enjoyed reading your responses so far. including yours, dear dan.

project :: thankful

good morning and hello november (thank you for giving us one more hour to sleep, that's always a good way to make a friend). i hope your halloween was happy. can you believe its already november?! the days are flying. but there is something so satisfying about the first day of the month corresponding with the first day of the week. like all the stars aligned. this month is gonna be a good one, i can feel it.

introducing...


i love november because it is a month full of planning, excitement, anticipation and good food. traditions begin. ideas for the holidays are brewing and the hot chocolate starts flowing. long chats on the telephone and long days indoors fill the month. we run our errands, stock up on decorations, mull over the guest list and determine the significance of a centerpiece. we rifle through recipes and press our heirloom linens and print the names of loved ones on place cards and stir gravy (and shine up the gravy boat) for our thanksgiving feasts. we gather round the table and give thanks.

this season i want to focus on the things that mean the most. an attitude of gratitude, as they say. here are the project details: tell me something you are thankful for. right now. it can be big. it can be small. lengthy or short + sweet, share it aloud. this project will be open until thanksgiving day for your comments. (see sidebar button for easy access.) feel free to post as many expressions of gratitude as you like, whenever you think of them. i will be posting my own thankful thoughts throughout the month in the comment section. i hope you'll join me and enjoy reading what others have to say. thankfulness is contagious. catch it.

am excited to see what comes of this.

november calendar

25 days until thanksgiving.
click. save. print. plan. eat.

halloween at our house

we took our zebra out of his cage last night for trick or treating. benji had a ball walking around the local shopping mall with lots of little ones hunting for sweets and lollipops. we were delighted to bump into our favorite bumble bee, lydia. by seven o'clock this zebra had fallen fast asleep in his stripes.

monster brains

tonight i boiled some monster brains to pile up on my little boy's highchair tray for dinner. (i wonder how many pounds of pasta will be prepared this weekend for halloween festivities in this country..) benji gobbled it up, strand by strand, like any good goblin would. smiling at me without noticing any difference from his usual favorite, noodles and sauce. he was cloaked in your classic spaghetti boy costume then treated me with a trick, giving me a big hug, burying his face into me, so lovingly sharing some of his monster brains supper. then i, superwoman, swept him up for bathtime. as per usual. fourteen months is such a cute age. do i say that every month? perhaps i do. boy do i love this little goblin, slimy or squeaky clean.

happy halloweening everyone. we will be celebrating early with a trip to dan's office tomorrow. the rest of the weekend will be cozy with hot cider and cookies. and maybe a hitchcock flick.

can't wait until next week i'll be introducing a few new holiday goodies for the mini mart.

j to the crew

am loving the latest j.crew catalogue. skinny belts, lush ruffles, chic cardigans and hot pink ankle socks are popping up on every page. tell me this, who among us is about to sport hot pink socks to the company christmas party? although.. i am bold enough to make my to do lists in red sharpie on top of all the pretty pictures just to have an excuse to hang them up.

the olive dress and galleria dress are top on my would-love-to-wear list. i love a classic basic dress to wear forever and ever.




the mens section is dreamy too; boots, flannel shirts and watchbands to dream about.

pictures as promised

a few photos from last weekend's wedding.
technically this was the after party on friday night.
dan deserves all photographic credit. thanks, babe.

the happy couple. rachel and ben.

jason. whit. sarah. rachel. megan. me. katie.

brooke and chad.

singing around the piano.

'tis true, i've had to grow up with these long legged lovelies my whole life. you'd think i'd stop posing in pictures with these dolls. my cousins are such beauties. thanks for a wonderful evening.

quote wall 08

earlier this month, i listened to a conference of religious speakers and felt inspired by and in awe of all the important things i was reminded of. things i know but sometimes allow to slip from my mind. day to day i tend to forget the wealth of knowledge i can reach out and read about. (no matter what we believe in, there is always more to learn. about life. about people. about history. about what matters.) i tend to forget the bounty of blessings and everyday miracles i enjoy. i tend to forget how many are less fortunate than me, how many are fighting for freedom, how many are feeling lost and alone. i tend to forget to open my heart to those in need. i tend to forget to be slow to anger (and quick at apologizing). i tend to forget to think of others more than myself.

what i never forget is that God loves us each individually.
no matter what, no matter what.

the featured quote is from a speech by Dieter F. Uchtdorf titled The Love of God. it is one of my all time favorites. am printing it out for future reference. i hope you read it and believe that you are loved too.

just some thoughts for a happy wed-nes-day.

p.s. am planning a special project come november. it's going to be an all play. i do hope you will join me.

story-of postcards

i've had postcards and postage on my mind a lot lately. my dad sent me a boatload of pretty stamps that i wonder what i should do with and i am toying with the idea of creating postcards for christmas. anyhow, i was thrilled when wakako emailed me with a link to her website, story-of. her shop and blog are not to be missed. neither is this fantastic life timeline done with story polka dots. bravo.

her postcards are simple and sweet, each with their own story.
art, photography, the written word and postal service.
four of my favorite things.

if you have an online site you think i might like, shoot me an email.
i'd love to see your artwork.

p.s. for those of you who inquired.. we are feeling much better. hallelujah. just about ready to head out for halloween with our tiny tot. thank you for all of your well wishing.

from blog to book.

today marks the big release date for two books i hope to get my hands on.

the pioneer woman cooks by ree. read more about it here. she is known for her fantastic food, photography and funniness. this woman is one whirlwind of happiness. don't you just love her?! i know about three (hundred) friends i'd like to give her cookbook to this christmas. if you're lucky enough to live near one of these cities, you may be able to get a signed copy.


rules for my unborn son, a collection of advice by blogger walker lamond. frankly, there is nothing i couldn't like about a yellow bound book. another perfect choice to wrap up this holiday.

unlike some, i love it when blogs turn into books.
am hoping i get to cut and paste my memoirs someday.

hello (again) handmade

nothing like pretty gift ideas to make a girl feel better.

i felt giddy when the girls at hello handmade emailed me announcing their big comeback. (you'll remember my delight over last years calendar.) this season their shop is stocked with more charming and unique goodies. three hip hoorays for a handmade holiday.

visit shanna + betsy + their sweet shop.

weekend wrap

home sweet home.

we're back from our quick roadtrip and am happy to report we're alive and well, to be honest, slowly getting better. i will refrain from describing the gory details of the 24 hour flu we contracted. lets just say it hit us like a freight train. will focus on the good things of the weekend as to not infect you with this horrible bug.

am thankful that number one, the monster of an illness did not hit until after the rehearsal dinner and ceremony. i loved listening to (big) benji play the piano just like my grandpa used to. my cousins and i reminisced and we stayed late chatting. pictures to come. we hardly ever go out on the town all dressed up anymore, i loved remembering that dan is my favorite date of all. i love holding his arm and crossing the street in heels. we were able to see the beautiful wedding ceremony in the newly built temple in utah. i was so happy to be in the amazing setting; so peaceful and wonderful. going through the temple always leaves me happier. am wishing the newlyweds a fantastic honeymoon in new york city.

second of all. thanks to the pints of hand sanitizer we've used, (little) benji's flu shot and repeatedly knocking on wood, our boy is not sick. thank goodness. he is still smiling and chatting and climbing all over. so good to have a healthy happy person in this place.

number three. it is still lovely autumn weather here. am determined to appreciate (and consequently, photograph) every day before the cold and dreary days of winter. they are creeping upon us, mornings are dark and nights are chilly. the heating blanket i purchased on sale at target last year has already been well worth it's marked-down cost. i am one who loves feeling toasty. anyhow here are some snapshots i took last thursday...


number four. if there is an upside to this miserable state - both of us being sick means we can completely commiserate with each other while watching a roger moore edition of james bond. is there any better way to measure modern technology than to watch an old double oh seven flick?

number five. ronda's homemade chicken noodle soup (a dear friend completely came to our rescue today), a fridge packed with jello and sprite and a new InStyle magazine in my lap. methinks we are on the mend.

to think and to look at life with new eyes

today i drove the loop with benji after swinging at the park and getting him completely worn out in the autumn gorgeous outdoors. he loves falling asleep in the car and i love driving the loop of farmroads and just thinking. this is our routine on days like this. days when i need to get out and think.

the trouble is, i rarely can simply think. which is why i keep the mini clipboard next to me. because i can't relax unless i write the stuff in my head down on paper. it has to be official. so i drive. ideas come. and the quiet sets in. and i watch my rearview mirror and see my babe doze off. and he snuggles down into his camo hoodie. he lies his head to the side and his eyes flutter closed and his dark lashes settle against his cherub cheeks. he is sometimes loosely grasping a toy or his shoe or a cup and i smile at his sleepy darlingness. i feel so lucky to be with him, to be driving in a land of peace and wheatfields and potato farms and cloud cover. i feel lucky my man is a hard worker and that i get to be a mom at home. with freedom to grow and make ideas into reality.

these past few months i've been working on designs for a very important book. the layout and scanning has not only been wonderful work, but it has been a mesmerizing tale. completely taking control of my heartstrings. never has a project made me think about my life in this way. when you blow off the dust and clear the clutter, my life is a lovely one and i cannot complain about the crumbs and the tediousness of minor annoyances. we are rich with love. just look around. life is never perfect, but it is whole and it is good.

will be discussing more about this client project another day. for now, am taking a little break from blogging. have a list to cross off and a wedding to go to this weekend. i love jet-setting for a celebration of marital bliss. and boy, do i love this kid. the groom is my cousin and his name is benji. of course, now that he's all grown up, he's ben. (still, he's benji to me. and is a very big part of the reason i adore the name.)

am excited and lucky to be with family, once again.