Snippets....

This is a post of snippets from our week with our friends

who came down to visit us from Washington. 

A couple pics. from the garden walk we went through.

The fun time we had browsing through the antique malls. 

A yo yo quilt I would have loved to bring home...

but the sticker price of $265.00 blew me away!

Freckles plays a teeny tiny piano...so cute!

Oooh and old children books...my favorite!

We also had a bit of fun at The Wild Animal Park...

Freckles even got to splash a bit...

perfect for cooling down on a warm day.

 Our most favorite part of the Wild Animal Park

is of course the elephants! 

We got to see Horton and even two more 

new babies just born in February and April. 

They are absolutely adorable. 

There are actually 8 baby ellies there!

Miss Freckles even bellowed out her famous elephant call. 

We had a great time there..

just letting loose and being wild!

We were so sad to have to see them leave yesterday. 
But surely, we have some awesome memories together.

Our friends are true blessings!

Handmade with LOVE....

It all began when my daughter & I were browsing through a catalog and we spied a sweet elephant purse. Well, I knew I didn't have anymore money for Christmas so I thought....
Gee I can make something like that.
It is sure good to be crafty & resourceful.

I gathered up some old vintage red wool, some fabric, trims and vintage buttons.
Sketched out an elephant and whipped it up in less than two hours.
I gave it to her on Christmas Eve.
Yes, she thought I ordered it...
I told her Mama made it with LOVE for her.
And that made her so HAPPY!

P.S. She loved the Pink Sugar Elephant doll I made her too !
( scroll down a couple posts about elephant doll)
She said it was her bestest gift!

Elephant Bottoms.....

What do you do when your kids pants get dirty knees and holes in them?
I decided since freckles, favorite jeans got a hole in the knee + stains I couldn't get out, that I would save them & turn them into a whole new fun pair of pants.

I cut off the lags from the knee down and added a floral print fabric ruffle to that.
We affectionately call them Elephant Bottoms.

Hence, this is a frugal time in our life. So, I decided to save the pants !! And,
Freckles still gets to keep her favorite jeans...
must I add, they are stinkin' cute on her.

I think they are even cuter than before. Freckles, is definitely stylin'.

A Very PINK Room.....

This is my daughters VERY PINK bedroom.
She has a love for pink and a fondness in her heart for elephants.
A very old quilt hangs on her wall as a piece of art work.

This is her antique bed... it's a full size iron bed over 100 years old.
Over her bed is Big Shabby Chic Letters which spell out DREAM.
Below the DREAM letters we have collected a few darling prints from
my friend Jenny at
Every Day Is A Holiday

She also collects elephants...

All kinds from stuffed to vintage and figures.

She has hundreds of elephants.

You will find her collection of antique and vintage dolls as well.

We also collect old baby dresses, old children books and miscellaneous vintage items.

I think she is just like me.

We both have a love for old things.

Home Schooling At The Zoo & February Tid Bits.....

Hello !!!!

Welcome February !!

This post consists of tid bits...... I am happy to say this has been officially one full month since my daughter & I started walking three times a week with our friends at The Wild Animal Park. We used an odometer to count the many steps we take on each walk, which was in the thousands, giving us a 2 1/2 mile trek around. Not only has it been fun to see the animals and my daughters beloved elephant pals, but it is also beautiful and educational.

My little girl keeps up or shall I say I keep up with her. Fridays we set the day with a walk,

picnic lunch an animal show and playground fun as the kids reward for doing an awesome job.

The great thing is if you are a member of the San Diego Zoo you get unlimited visits to both The San Diego Zoo & The Wild Animal Park for a whole year !!!

Last Friday we went to The SD Zoo and took our teen boy's along.

Before I go on....Did I tell you my daughter was an elephant whisperer?

See this story on her blog Elaphant Dreams

Well, she has this way of making a very realistic elephant sound. Her first visit to The Wild Animal Park was magical when almost the whole African herd ran up toward her while trumpeting back and reaching up their trunks to her.

She gave her magical elephant call, this time at the zoo... and before our eyes an elephant turned toward her with ears flying, trumpeting back at her. In the picture below my daughter to the right is calling the elephant...the elephant is coming toward her in the upper left.

Not only do our little ones enjoy their experience at the zoo, but so do the teens ! My son had a (moment) when he saw a stick bug...which he remembers holding one in pre school. Talk about eyes lighting up. So I took a picture of him next to his stick bug buddy.

The boys were really into the bugs...

whats up with the fascination between bugs and boys???

I chuckled just watching them. Look how into it they look just watching the ants in their tunnels. I guess they never really grow out of that sort of thing.

Ready for your teen to drive???

This is all the driving they'll be doing for a little while longer.

Adventurous aren't they?

Field Trips coming this month:

1. The Museum of Making Music

2. My Mom Dresses Me Funny Day

3. Valentine Party/Valentine card exchange

4. My daughter starts soccer

The Aftermath.....

Christmas has come and gone yet, in a blink of an eye. It was just the other morning that my children were in their Jammie's opening up their gifts on Christmas morn. It was a lovely day in which we spent together... just the four of us. It is so wonderful to hear that my daughter's favorite gift was surely the one that I made for her. She has been sleeping with it every night since. Her very first vintage style sock elephant filled with lavender and love was surely the hit of the morning.

My son sits here sporting his handsome hat. Yes, my boy asked for a nice hat to where when he goes to Church. He has always had such an old soul to him. He looks quite dashing in it too !!! Christmas was not big with presents this year... it was truly focused on Christ and family.

We have enjoyed the many Christmas season activities this Winter. My parents came for Christmas Eve, which I must confess my favorite part of the evening was singing Christmas Hymns with them. The children enjoyed going ice skating. A first for us..... and they want to go again. Now we look forward to the new coming year ahead, as well as look back on this years blessings.

A Special Elephant Pin Keep !!!

Hello !!! Yet again it has been a while since I have participated in Kelli's Show & Tell Friday !!! Summer keeps one busy outside.

My little girls 8th birthday was yesterday in which I had made her a special elephant pin keep. I found the pattern through Indygo Junction.

I just knew she would love it since she loves elephants and sewing !!!

I chose cotton candy colors for her sweet Ellie with coordinating colors for the yo yo saddle.

She is quite a handy Lil' Ellie who holds little sewing scissors, pins, safety pins, buttons etc...

Did you notice the little tail is made of a string of old bone buttons? And her hat is a thimble which I added to the design, she also has the perfect ears for holding sewing needles !!!

Was my little girl thrilled with her special gift? Her picture here speaks a thousand words !!!

For the love of elephants, my daughter has a special blog she started a while ago to share these wonderful God given gentle giants as well as her collections etc... Please stop by to see her little place !!!

Thank you for stopping by this week !!! Have a great weekend !!

Bri's Elephant Dreams Blog