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A baby girl!

Yes, I have been quite silent on the blog front these past few months. My apologies. I just couldn’t bring myself to emerge from my new mommy bubble…even to say that I was in one!

So to get back in the blogging groove, I’m sharing these photos of my sweet baby girl, born April 26. Her name is Ruth Mary, named for my grandmother. We’re calling her Ruthie. To say I’m in love is quite an understatement.

[photos by Teddi Yaeger]

The last photo is a shot of Ruthie with my baby picture - you can see where all the hair comes from!

Now that I’m a mom (I just love saying that!) I have been thinking on a more personal level about how to capture all the little moments in Ruthie’s life. So later this week I’ll share my plan for preserving her first year of life. It’s not as fancy as you might think, for someone who makes books for a living!

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Old-fashioned savings accounts.

Mine wasn’t so yellowed and wonderfully old-fashioned as this (my great grandparent’s) but my first savings account was recorded in one of these passport-like booklets.

A far cry from online banking! I showed this to my younger cousin who didn’t even know what it was…

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I spent last weekend visiting my Dad’s family in Bakersfield, where I have lots of family history. My aunt dug up some old family photos for me and there were some real gems.

I especially love this one of my grandmother (on the right) and her girlfriends. Something about it - they’re just so carefree and happy to be together. Girlfriends are timeless.

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I didn’t think so.

The Real Simple article is out, and for those who haven’t seen it…here it is!

I have loved hearing from people who have been inspired by the article. So fun! But mostly, I just can’t get over how cute my grama is.

I’m going to see if I can get my hands on some of the photos that weren’t included in the article. The photographer took oodles of pictures that day and I’d love to share them here. Will keep you posted.

Thank you for all the sweet notes everyone!

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OK, here is yet another reason to never throw away your old high school yearbooks…

Your friend’s son may someday become president! Woo hoo!!

And trust me, when that happens your kids will want to see your old yearbook photos.

Yes, my mom was high school friends with Barack Obama’s mom, Stanley Ann Dunham. So today I made my mom drag out her high school yearbooks. And here is what I found.

French Club, 1958. Look for the sassy glasses and serious look. That’s my mom. Obama’s mom is the next row back with the dark shirt.

Mercer Girls, 1960. Look for the girl who forgot her sweater that day. That’s Obama’s mom. My mom is right next to her.

Now, if that’s not cool I don’t know what is!

Thank you for not tossing your yearbooks, mom. And more importantly - thank you for your son, Stanley.

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My Papa is no longer alive, but my Grama celebrated today in the perfect way. By remembering.

She got out the old wedding scrapbook she made (adorably titled wedding daze) with all the cards, photos, and news clippings from their engagement and wedding. And she read through them all, sharing them with us family as we stopped in to say hello and happy anniversary.

Here’s a little peak.

Isn’t that a great photo of my Grama by the bridge? I especially love the look of the black paper and photo corners with white handwriting. Vintage and simple.

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I just got back from a wonderful week in my very favorite place on earth: Tofino, Canada. (photo is me, overlooking Tofino)

You’ve heard me ramble about my family. Well, this place is the heart of us, thanks to my grandparents. My grandpa bought property here 45 years ago when it was considered a foolish thing to do and it took 2 days to drive here on bumpy unpaved logging roads.

But the whole family loved it. Especially my Papa. He relished the opportunity to live off the earth (fishing, crabbing, shrimping, clamming) and especially loved sharing this special place with others. Growing up, my brother and I spent countless hours with him learning to harvest the ocean while my Grama worked on her beautiful carvings.

 
(my Grama, Papa, and Aunt Christy with her homemade driftwood Tofino sign)

 
(and the sign, a bit weathered, but still hanging today!)

Tofino is where we family (yes, family as a verb!) and I was even lucky enough to get married there last summer (you can read a bit about our wedding here).

So now you know…I love Tofino!

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Am trying to start on a book right now and am having a bit of designer’s block.

So being inspired by all things vintage, I headed to my collection of my grandparent’s old books I inherited. (OK OK, technically no one wanted them and they were headed for Goodwill when I snatched them up. My Grama just shook her head asking, “Why on earth do you want these old books, Kimmy?!”)

For inspiration, of course.

So what do you think? Am I crazy for thinking this is a great little book cover? I love the simple title, centered with those stars and the triple lines wrapping around the spine.

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My grandmother just re-read me part of my grandfather’s memoir, and there’s a great little story I had completely forgotten about.

It’s a lesson he received on the inner workings of a business when he was 9 or 10 years old. It reminds me that not all things are as they appear!

“Grove and Catherine owned the City Electric and Fixture Company, located at 216 James Street. They did some contracting as well as sale of lighting fixtures. They would sell a fixture from a catalog. I then went out the back door and ran down second avenue about three blocks to get the fixture they had sold as if the sold fixture were in their inventory.”

Comedy!

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I’ve been fortunate in my lifetime to know my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother - or grammy, as we called her.

So, this Mother’s Day I honor all 3 of them with this little photo tribute. These are a few of the many gifts they’ve given me. I am so grateful.

Thank you, thank you.

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