My Week In Photobooth Photos

As you may have read, it was our 17th wedding anniversary this weekend.  One way we celebrated was with dinner at Jake's, shopping at Powell's Bookstore and stopping by the Ace Hotel photobooth.

(now if you visit Portland you have the three places to check out.  All within 2 blocks)

Happy Anniversary To Us!

   Papa and I have been married 17 years today.  I was about to bombard you with pictures from our life together, but I decided to tell our story with words this time.  Here you go...

2 days before our wedding

   I met Mav when I was 15 at my very first gig, The Adolescents.  He was 19 or 20 at the time and he and my older brother hung out in the same circle.  That night he may have kicked me under the table or given me an extra glance.  Somehow he gave me just enough attention to cause me to give him all of mine.   I fell in a 15 year old girls' version of love.  He really wasn't interested in me.  I was young and his buddy's sister-although that probably didn't bother him too much.  Soon after he went into the Army.  I wrote to him EVERY day.  (I get embarrassed for young me)  He was home on leave for my 16th birthday and I saw him out that night.  He was drinking with his friends and with a girl.  I managed to get him alone for a little bit.  Long enough for a kiss and him to say he loved me.  (did I mention he was drinking?!) He also said he would miss me and that I shouldn't go out with any of the other loser guys.  (the nerve!)  Well it was what I wanted to hear, so I refused to look at it level headedly (can someone that age even do that?)
  Again he left, and again I sent my letters, receiving maybe a handful in return.  After nearly a year I slowed.  I remember sending him a final letter where I inform him that when he someday returns,  married, unhappy and full of regrets, I will no longer be interested.  It was prophetic! (-except the I will no longer be interested part.)
 Fast forward to me at 21.  I have had my boyfriend for 4years and I'm out with a girlfriend.  I see Mav and we chat.  Yep, he's married, separated-but married.  I remember telling my friend "we either leave now or it's all over, I'm so his."  We stayed.
 It was a very rough year that followed, the best and worst of my life.  I was running from an abusive relationship and wanted him to rescue me.  He wanted to have fun with me but made it very clear there were to be no strings attached.  I agreed because I didn't want to push him.  There were nights I left his apartment and cried for hours.  I loved him, but he just didn't love me back.  We were in a small social circle, so I would hear about-or worse, see him with other girls.  My friends thought I was crazy, they hated me with him.  I recognize that some people will have a hard time that he was still married.   I saw him out with other women and knew of other relationships since his separation so the marriage really wasn't much of a concern to me.  (Yes, I see it differently now)  The thing about the marriage that gave me concern was knowing the last thing he wanted was to be stuck in another relationship.  I gave him all the space he wanted.
 Slowly, he began to change towards me.  I watched as he recognized his love for me.  He would fight it one day and give into it the next.  Then one day he told me he loved me.  We were walking in San Francisco and as he said it a homeless person began serenading us as we slipped in to an Italian cafe.  It was very romantic.  We still had a rough few months ahead of us.  It finally took me breaking down and telling him he was like a vampire who was killing me a slow and painful death. (I am twisted enough to find that kinda hot-)  I let him know I could not do it anymore.  That changed everything.  Within the month we had moved 400 miles away and had our own place.  It was all I had dreamed of.  He flew me to Hawaii to propose in October and we were married in November.  As soon as we knew we wanted to be married we went through a spiritual awakening as we knew we had to change our path.  I am not one to preach but I have to say without a new and growing faith we never could have survived.  We have not had to face any of the above issues again in our 17 years.  We had one heart breaking year and then we have had 17 fairy tale years.  It was more than worth it.  I would do it all over again.
When I look at our children, I believe I knew that first night we met that I had to have him and one reason was to have them.
So there is one facet of our story.  Friends we have now have a hard time believing we haven't always been a perfect couple.  Friends from then have a hard time believing we are even the same people.  I guess we really aren't.

The Cow Came Home

Betsy the cow with the little pink playhouse in the background.

Mav surprised me with this cow on Christmas, 2002.  Her name is Betsy and I adore her.  He and I had been out one day and saw her in a local antique shop's window.  Love at first sight.  We had a peek at her, but I am cheap and she wasn't.  Then a few days later I kept thinking about her.  I had my mom call the shop (I never call places-weird I know) and they let her know it had been sold.  Then, of course, I wanted her even more!  Fast forward to Christmas Eve when I come home and she is in the backyard.  Perfectly sitting under the apple tree where I can gaze at her out our kitchen window as I wash dishes.  (yes, I pretend I live on a farm) It took 4 men to get her lifted and moved into our yard because she is solid concrete. 

Here as a prop for Christmas cards

Just when you thought we couldn't possibly fit one more on her...

All four of our girls.  They have so much fun with her. 

Cow washing time!

My Week In Something To Dress Up For

Flash Back Friday

Coedith and Mike Ness 

I think this is 1990.  Private show on a boat out in the SF Bay.

How Do You Feel In That?

Today was a blustery and rainy day.  I had groceries to get, children to shuttle and a trip to the airport.  I got dressed in the above Portland mom look of nontraditional geek who doesn't care.  I mean it was cold and windy, I wanted pants and I only own capri length- so black thick socks and Danskos to the rescue.  But...um...not so much.  Was I comfy?  Yes.  Did I look comfy?  Yes.  Did I feel good about myself?  No.  

I hate to put so much energy into looks when there are thousands of things of much more importance.  I also hate to feel like crap because I believe I look like crap.   I am not a beauty.  (If I were I would most likely live in jeans and a tshirt.)  I need all the help I can get.  Which is why I have always worn vintage.  It simply flatters me more than other clothing.  Dressing to make myself feel good is one of the few things I do for myself.

So I changed into this.

Basically traded the pants for a skirt.  Made all the difference and it was just as comfortable.  Although when I left the house I looked like this..

With that hat and coat I pretty much could have worn anything underneath.  That is the wonderful thing about a good coat. 

Lounge In A Petticoat

A little late for a Halloween post...but oh well.

Here we are going out trick or treating.  I decided to dress up simply because I wanted to wear this wonderful petticoat that happened to be at my house.

I do not wear petticoats for two reasons

 1. I do not need any extra girth added to my hips.

 2. They are itchy.

While this one didn't help in the hip department it was super soft and comfy.  I am asking for one from Papa for Christmas just to lounge about the house in.  I will feel so decadent. 

I want one with a bit more length and I the perfect one here.  I pinned it to my 'Papa Buy Me' board over on Pinterest.  I hope he gets the hint.

My Week In Blogger's Fall Looks

http://blog.boobookittycouture.com/

http://livinvintage.blogspot.com/

http://blog.bygumbygolly.com/

http://tuppencehapennyvintage.blogspot.com/

http://www.twilajean.com/

http://artdecodame.blogspot.com/

"My grandmother use to tell me that you didn't have to always dress your best but at least dress well enough that you'd never be embarrassed if you ran into an ex-boyfriend or a girl you didn't like."  Art Deco Dame

The Girl's Room

This room is shared by Pearl, Grace and Dotty.  (although only Dotty sleeps in there-that's a whole other post)  It originally was mine and Mav's bedroom.  I picked out the wallpaper he hung for me.  But making a family of 6 comfortable in a small home requires sacrifice.   The antique dresser was refinished in this sunny yellow by my dad.  A big basket for stuffed animals (I swear they breed like rabbits) and a small chest for American Girl dolls.

Here is the old iron bed that has been passed down in our family.  Underneath are their Barbies, and no telling what else!  I love the idea of a hope chest at the foot of the bed-although at the moment it is full of my vintage clothing I can't part with.  The pictures are of local treasures, Ft. Vancouver and the Portland bridges.

Here is the closet they share.  On top are boxes filled with polly pockets, calico critters, and etc...

Dotty's clothes are in bins to help her "do it myself!"

You also get a glimpse of her bed.  She is just over 2, and has not yet discovered she can climb out. (fingers crossed)

Pearl's special chair her cousin Solanah painted her while in high school.

Ceiling Maps!

We (Mav) just finished this project which I absolutely love.  Maps on the ceiling.  If you were to look closely you might notice among them is a circle beginning with the world, followed by; our continent, our country, our state and our city.  This helps them recognize their place in the much larger picture.

Pinafore Destiny

Funny thing, yesterday when I was wishing I looked half way decent in overalls, I realized the next best thing would be a pinafore.  I looked at a few patterns....

 But do not sew.

What a coincidence that Mary Deluxe had a post the same day regarding a giveaway at The Black Pinafore.  I totally want this....

I entered the give away and so should you!  (even if that make us competitors)

Wait a minute....

I just realized something else.  I had saved this picture of Tasha of by gum, by golly for a post on Fall looks I love.  She is wearing a Black Pinafore creation.

As you can see it is destiny that I, one day soon, have one of these babies as my own. 

Unflattering Clothes I Love

I am putting together a post on maintaining a classic/vintage look while running errands and caring for small children.  My staple, a simple cotton frock, will no longer be practical in the cooler weather.  I am prepared with plaid and wool skirts, cardigans and tights-but what if it is windy?  I wouldn't want this to happen...

  There are days when you just need a good pair of pants.  What I totally want are the overalls pictured above.  That is my Grandma Lois, my mom and her dad, circa 1937ish.  How fabulous are those with the little caplets?!

But alas I do not sew, and overalls are only flattering to a select few.  (my grandma obviously was one of them) I am not one of them.  But I still want them.

My Week In Sunday Morning

What hips are for.

Loretta!

The girls slept in their fort.

Joey smells bacon.

Bacon upside down pancake

Remembering we have a bottle of champagne-perfect for mimosas.   

Resist Sweatpant Temptation

Introducing my winter uniform.  This outfit, or variations there of, will be my staple during the cold weather.   My go to outfit for the days I have "nothing to wear".  It is my version of the homeschool mom yoga pants.  

I have a handful of plaid skirts.  Although I love the Pendleton's they just aren't very comfortable.  I'll still wear the ones I have along with my other wool plaids.  But I also picked up a couple of these skirts from Lands End.  No they are not vintage, rather classic and timeless.  I love them-although I might like just a tad more length.  Cozy tights and sweaters complete the look and I am ready for winter!

What about you?  Do you have a go to look that keeps you from falling into the sweat pants rut? 

 I came across this post by The Glamourous Housewife.  Here she is going to run some errands.  Beautiful! 

    Share your everyday "cold weather uniform" by linking below or emailing me at coedith@gmail.com.  Next week I'll do a round up post so we can all gain inspiration from each other.

Mad For Plaid (and Dots!)

I am super excited for Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Mini collection for Target.

It is due out November 13.  I hope to get each of my girls coordinating plaid pieces for our Christmas pictures. 

Makes me wish for a boy!  I might have to find one to buy this for.

 As a mama who has had babies spaced over the past 15 years I can't tell you how happy I am with the direction children's clothing has gone.  Everything I once had to order from catalogues- as internet was still pretty new, is now available so easily.  Just finding leopard baby clothes was rare when my oldest was born. 

How perfect for my little Dotty?!  Too bad it isn't functional now that she is toiletted.