Summer In Texas

So it's summer in full swing here in Texas. Has been pretty much since we got here in March. That's part of what I love about this place. I've no idea why but the hotter it is, the more I'm grateful to be here. I've lived in the Midwest all my life and so I'm pretty used to dealing with high temps in the summer months but I'm used to those months being a lot shorter than they seem to be here in the south. So in the spirit of trying to stay cute and stylish in the summer heat, I've been thinking through every part of my daily routine. What works, what doesn't. Moving from San Francisco I lived in thin scarves and cardigans non stop. Here I can't really wear either of those things. I don't wear necklaces for the most part and so have been looking for something summery and cute for my everyday. Ta da!!!

Summer scarf made from an old t shirt. SO easy. No sewing and like five minutes tops required. I did mine without even reading instructions but just using this pic from Pinterest. I wish I could give this lovely person credit but I guess I didn't pin it to my board. Silly me. Anywho, like I said. Easy, fast, cute summer project that you will love. I promise. It makes the most simple of dress look more special and fun. Give it a try.

Back soon with summer makeup fun, more crafty projects and details on a very cool thing going on in my life that I keep putting off talking about in this space for some reason.

Stay cool, nm

Me A to Z

So the lovely Elycia from Love Elycia did a little Me A to Z post over here. I thought it was a fun idea. So here's a little get to know the strangeness that is me for you today.

I'll be back soon with fun things. I've been brainstorming some blog post ideas that should be FUN!

Me A to Z- Naomi Martin

A. Age: 28. Little known fact about me, I can never remember my age and have to do math to figure it out. Goofy but true.
B. Bed size: Queen. Just big enough.
C. Chore that you hate: Putting away clean and folded clothes. I like every part of laundry but the putting away.
D. Dogs: Two. Jack Russell named Emma and an Italian Greyhound named Yorda. They were my babies before I had a baby and they still are my ever faithful Girls. The both are quirky as heck and a constant source of entertainment.
E. Essential start to your day: Coffee and a kiss for my Bee.
F. Favorite color: Mint Green and Coral at the moment. Also Yellow because it’s Hazel’s favorite and it makes me think of her.
G. Gold or Silver: Gold and glittery if possible. =)
H. Height: 5’4. Being an entire foot shorter than my husband has it’s challenges but thankfully I’m a fan of tall shoes.
I. Instruments you play: um, does the clarinet in grade school in which I was REALLY terrible at count?
J. Job title: Stay at Home Mom and Wife
K. Kids: One, Hazel. Also known as Bee, Honey Buns, Sweetie Biscuits, and MANY other names that she will hate me for when she is older.
L. Live: Chandler, Texas. Living in Texas has always been in my heart. This year we finally were able to make it a reality. I am in heaven, despite the heat.
M. Mother's name: Tammy
N. Nicknames: Miss Nomes, Kid, Nomers or my personal fav “MOMMY!!!”
O. Overnight hospital stays: Two. Both I barely remember. One when I was a baby due to pneumonia. Second when I had Bee. Thank you drugs for helping most of that stay seem like a magical carnival ride.
P. Pet peeve: When people snap at me. So don’t.
Q. Quote from a movie: “Alright, alright, alright. From henceforth, we're all to be known as Team Alpha Super Awesome Cool Dynamite Wolf Squadron.” Donkey, Shrek 3. We pretty much watch mostly kid movies around here. We aren’t really all that cool on the movie thing.
R. Right or left handed: Right but I am learning to do things left handed since Hazel is a leftie. I find myself setting things up for a left handed person out of habit now.
S. Siblings: None! Although I did beg my parents for an Indian Brother for ages when I was small. Somehow I’m not really upset I never got one.
T. Time you wake up: I’ve taken to waking up late actually. Eight on most days. Hazel wakes up a little bit after that, so it’s perfect. I am a person who is typically awake a hundred times a night though. Also I have taken to staying up really late at night now that my husband works out of town during the week. I get lost in a book or on the internet. It’s a really bad habit I can’t seem to break.
U. Underwear: Um, what about it. Yes, I wear it, if that’s what you mean. Sheesh. So personal. =)
V. Vegetable you hate: Um, which do I not hate would be an easier question.
W. What makes you run late: Usually my husband. I’m nearly always on time, even with Hazel to get ready. John is always late. He can’t help it. He has complicated hair, or so I’m told.
X. X-Rays you've had: teeth, back, shoulder. Nothing interesting.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Um, I don’t really have a special thing I make that I’m known for. I just cook stuff. I do love to cook and enjoy reading about it and trying new things. I plan to dive into some of the recipes from the two food magazines and twenty five cookbooks I own REALLY soon.
Z. Zoo animal: I love owls but the last time we went to the zoo I took more pictures of the plants than that animals. I’m a dork that way.

more later, nm

Quick Hello

Hey Y'all! Since I actually live in Texas now I have fun right to say that whenever I want!! Yay!

Thought I would stop in for a quick Hi. Life has been busy. I am going to be back soon with some excited stuff. I promise. But for now, you'll have to do with a quick "hello" and a silly photo from my life today.

More soon,

nm

Spring Style

Ruche Spring 2011 Lookbook Ruche Spring 2011 Lookbook

Spotted Moth

My Girl Thursday

Cath Kidston

A Beautiful Mess- Meg Makeover

So lately I've been dreaming up something new for Spring. Gathering inspirations here and there. I love everything about these images. Hair, Make Up, Dresses, Shoes. I want it all. Yes, please. I love Meg's makeover story over at A Beautiful Mess. I see a lot of myself in Meg. I'm a momma who gets bogged down with trying to keep things rolling and lose sight of my own style and confidence. I'm so in love with what Elsie is doing with this new make over series she's doing. It's given me so many ideas that I'd love to try in the future. Plus, she's brought back my interest in vintage. I'd love to be one of her Red Velvet make over stories! For now, I'll have to dream on my own and keep drooling over the awesomeness that comes from the sites above.

More soon!

nm

Featured Today @ Caldwell Co

Hey, I know I've been away. Sorry. Getting all moved in and unpacked and relaxing has taken it out of me. Haha.

Anyways, if you are looking for something extra to read today. I'm featured over at Caldwell Co by my beautiful friend Stephanie. Just a little something something for your day. Talk to you soon my lovelies!

Where In The World Is Naomi Martin?

China Town
Monterey Bay Aquarium Jellies

Monterey Bay Aquarium

John & Hazel. My favorite people in the world.

My favorite graffiti in SF

Hazel's Valentine Gift from Mama

Hazel turned Two! We did these instead of cake.

She's balloon crazy. Daddy did good!

Hazel on her birthday. She woke up sick and we ended up in the er with a very high temp for many hours of the night. We've spent the last two weeks trying to make up for that. Poor girl.

So where in the world have I been? Good question! I feel like the last few weeks have been crazy for our family and I haven't had much time to visit this space like I would have liked. I'm here now though, even if it's just for a quick hello.

See two weeks ago, today actually, my husband gave his two weeks notice at his job here in California. Today is his last official day. If you've been around here for a bit you know we moved to CA about a year ago for this job of his and the adjustment has been really hard on our entire family. After much deliberation we decided the best thing for our family was to move back "home" and be a part of the lives of the people we love the most again. We don't regret this move to CA in the least. We all learned so much about ourselves and each other while being here. It was an amazing opportunity for us and one that has changed our lives forever.

Now the next season is about to begin and we couldn't be more excited about it. Here are the details in short. We are moving from San Fransisco CA to Texas. Near Dallas. Our plans are very loose at the moment. We have family there that we will move in with to begin with and then we'll get a house at some point. John doesn't have another job yet but we aren't worried about it. God will honor his commitment to our family and give him favor with the right people. It's sometimes hard to not feel overwhelmed by the lack of a solid plan for the future but thankfully John and I haven't been feeling those feelings at the same time yet. When one is weak, the other is strong and so on. That's what marriage is all about, isn't it?

Anyways, in four days our lives will change again. We are currently surrounded by boxes, packing tape, paper, bubble wrap. The house is a mess and the cat is getting nervous. Saying goodbye to this place and the people we came out here with will be hard but we all know it's for the best. We will miss you all more than we can say. If you are ever in Texas, stop by. You are ALWAYS welcome.

So next time you hear from me, I'll be in a new state, a new house, with new stuff to talk about. Thanks for stickin with me. I'll be back soon!

Until Then, nm

Naomi + Amy = Love

Amy Butler that is. I am so amazingly excited for the Charm Clutch pattern that is now out on Amy's website. I've been lusting (I know, such a strong word!) over this bag for ages. I've been looking all over trying to understand why I can see it on her site but there isn't a pattern for it anywhere. Well today (well at some point, I just checked again today) Amy made my dream come true. I can't wait to get this pattern and sew up a little something for myself. I'm already thinking about adding a longer strap to the bag as well because my life is such with a toddler that you sometimes need both hands. The hard part is now to select fabric. Lord I have trouble in that area. There are so many wonderful thins to choose from and I suffer from a little fashion ADD from time to time. I am all over the map on any given week. Picking something that will touch all of those styles might be a challenge. I'm up for it though. More updates on this soon.

The weekend is almost here again. I'm so glad. I should also have some exciting mini Naomi makeover news next week. With that, I'll leave you on the edge of your seat breathlessly awaiting whatever nonsense I have to share next week.

Peace, Love, Owls (I saw that some place the other day and it made me smile).

nm

Veronica Mars

Something is wrong with me. I'm always late to the party. I always get into shows WAY after they are popular. Take Veronica Mars for example. I've been glued for weeks watching old episodes on netflix. I try and pace myself. I usually fail. Since nothing else particularly exciting is going on in my life at the moment, I took my new show love to a entirely new creepy level. I spent the morning making a polyvore of Veronica Mars style. What is wrong with me? Seriously. I've turned into a teen girl here people! I never really did this stuff when I was a teen girl, so maybe I'm making up for it now. Anyways, here is my VM style polyvore. Click the pic for a bigger view. Remember, I'm crap at tech-y stuff. That is why I have my husband. He's awesome.

I'd gladly trade styles with VM. Most of the things here are her, a few are more me. Was anyone else into this show when it was on? I just read Kristen Bell wants to fund a VM movie herself but Warner Brothers won't release the rights. Figures. I haven't made it to the end yet. I'm in the middle of the last season. I hear the finale is a let down. I'm not really looking forward to it now. Sad. If you weren't or aren't into VM, what shows keep you up at night these days? You know, I've got to start making my list for three years from now what I'll be watching FAR behind everyone else. =)

Away We Go

So since my everyday hasn't been full of much exciting stuff lately, I decided to tell you about a movie we watched last night that we loved. It's called Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. In short, they find out they are pregnant, the family the having living nearby decides to move to another country, so they realize they don't have to stay where they currently are. So the entire movie is them traveling around trying to find someplace that feels like home to put down roots. Along the way they visit family and friends trying to find a place they feel they fit and want to bring up their unborn baby. There are funny parts, silly parts, sad parts but mostly it's life as it really is on display. The two main characters, Burt and Verona, are people you can completely relate to. John and I both recognize fears we've had or had in the past in the characters. Would be a fun date night with your hubby movie. The music is also awesome. It's almost completely Alexi Murdoch, which OMG, he's great. Be warned, there is a little cussing. So if that kind of thing bothers you, be forwarned. We watched it after Hazel went to bed. It was a nice end to a long day. All that was missing was the ice cream but I was to lazy to go to the store to get some. Ha!

Season Confusion

Over the weekend we had a bit of season confusion here. The weather here was wonderful. In the 60's both day and sunny. We couldn't resist a trip to the beach. It was very odd to be walking on a beach on Jan 15th but we enjoyed ourselves all the same. Hazel loves to play in the sand and we had a much harder time getting her to get in the car to come home this time than before. Her current favorite statements are "No Way!" or "I'm Not Tired!". Guess we've reached that stage. Thankfully she's napping again. Sometimes it's only thirty minutes but that's thirty glorious minutes I get to myself in the middle of the day.

Sunday I cooked a full "Thanksgiving" feast for us. Last week sometime I got a bee in my bonnet about all that stuff and decided to cook a big dinner for us to eat on for a few days. Since our Thanksgiving this year was different than every other year of our lives, we didn't get to take many left overs and so I'm thinking we didn't get it all out of our system. I only got one fairly unattractive picture before the boys dug in though.

The last few days have been really foggy in the mornings. We've heard this is how it normally is but we've yet to see it this thick where we live. It's been really cool to wake up to this thick blanket of white. Not exactly snow but still something different outside our windows to see.

Why Oh Why?

Why oh why does Fossil always make me swoon over things I SO don't need? I have no reason in the world to have shoes like this anymore and i certainly don't need a new purse but OMG these things are cute!

later gator, nm

Snack Time

I live in a snack house. A house full of people who love to snack and would rather eat snacks than meals most of the time. I didn't used to be that way but I am now. I still love a good meal. I certainly love to cook a good meal but sometimes you just want a little something, not a big something. I try and keep this snacking habit of ours on the healthy side. We always have fresh veggies, fruit, yogurt, granola bars, etc around. I decided this weekend though to try my hand at making one of Hazel's favorite things. Graham Crackers. They turned out wonderful and I thought, if like us, you either have little ones to feed OR just love a good homemade (and easy) snack, you'd enjoy this. So here you go:

Easy Grahams

2.5 cups all purpose flour

1 cup dark brown sugar

3 tbsp wheat germ or flax

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut up

1/4 cup honey

2 to 4 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350 f. In a large food processor fitted with the paddle attachment (or by hand) mix flour, brown sugar, wheat germ or flax, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Cover and process until well combined. Add butter (use tines of a fork if mixing by hand). Cover and process until fine crumbs form. Add honey, milk (start with the 2 tbsp and see how your dough looks. I needed more, so I added till I was happy with the consistency) and vanilla. Mix until mixture starts to hold together. Divide dough in half and flatten each into a disk.

Place one disk in the fridge to keep the dough ready for rolling. On a lightly floured surface roll out first disk of dough to desired thickness. Leave thicker for a softer "cracker" or thinner for more of a crispy texture. Once the dough is rolled you can either cut them out with cookie cutters or just cut them into rectangles with a pizza cutter. Arrange them at least 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. With tooth pick or skewer you can decorate them as you like.

Bake about 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. I used cookie cutters and this recipe made 36 cookies.

Enjoy!

More soon, nm

1.1.11

Picture 1. He and Me "late" on New Years Eve. We almost never stay up for midnight on new years. I'm not sure why. This year was no different. My Gran texted me at 10 our time, 12 hers. I told her we were going to bed and she called us "weenies". I guess she's right but I'm ok with that.

2010 was year of change for us. Heck, so was 2009 but who's counting? Some changes we're getting used to, others we may never find ourselves liking. All in all though, they've made us better. They've helped us grow up, grow closer, grow stronger, grow more into who we are. So let's see what you got 2011. I think we're ready for you.

Picture 2. Me today, 9pm. I spent the first day of the year doing just want I vowed I'd do more of this year. Make our home what we want it to be. Even if it is an apartment. It's where we are now. So in the effort of putting one foot in front of the other, I baked, cooked, sewed, laughed and found myself proud at the end of the day. Not at the amount I accomplished but proud of myself for being me. Proud of making our home, mess and all, ours. So in 2011 (NO this is NOT a resolution!!!) I vow to make our space more of a home even though our hearts are so very far from where they belong.

More soon, nm