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The Weekender: Saying Goodbye, An Unbelievable Series, The Album That Made My Week and Empathy as a Super Power

Finding Peace In Goodbye

My grandma passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday morning. We knew it was coming. A broken hip led to a fever which led to a short hospital stay which led to a lump. In the days leading up to her passing, she had been asking for her husband, my Pap Pap, who said his farewell almost 11 years ago. (I was gutted then, and I still have a hard time going back to that time.) When my dad told me that she’d been calling out his name, the floodgates opened. To me, my grandma is not just my grandma. She’s Grandma and Pap Pap. My grandpap was not just my grandpa. He was Pap Pap and Grandma. The two go hand-in-hand, both literally and figuratively.

I saw the photo above for the first time on the day she died. It’s a photo from their wedding day, obviously, but to me, it’s so much more than that! Not only do I think it’s incredibly beautiful (that veil!), but the image of my grandpap carrying my grandma over the threshold gave me a happiness that I hadn’t felt since the news of her passing. I felt peace. I can imagine my grandma’s face, silly with glee as he carried through that front door. I also imagined him doing the same on Monday morning, carrying her home again, with him.

Psst: That photo at the very top of this post? That green chair was a wedding present to my grandparents, and we were lucky enough to take it into our home. I cherish that chair, that memory, with my whole heart.

Other Things:

Have you watched the Netflix series Unbelievable? It’s based on the true story of Marie Adler and the most ah-mazing female detective duo, and it’s been weighing on my mind all week. It’s heartbreaking. It’s powerful. It’s hopeful. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. All of it.

Made me smile.

Sturgill’s new album is something out of this world, and I wish I could hear it for the first time all over again. I’ll never get that moment back! Start at the beginning, take the album off shuffle and listen all the way through. It’s just… wow. Wowowow. It’s been a bright spot in my week.

our Minneapolis vacation

Many of you noticed the stroller we used while in Minneapolis – it’s a Bugaboo Lynx! We had a handful of pain points with Lucy’s first stroller, and we recently made the upgrade to the Bugaboo with the Blue Melange canopy. It’s lightweight and folds up nicely, and the storage underneath is a dream. Most importantly, Lucy loves it!

Empathy is my super power. (Scooped one up in Lucy’s size!)

Andrea’s Story series on Mexico is beautiful and welcomed.

My hair has changed drastically since I’ve had Lucy. It’s more brittle and dry than ever before, and it’s lost the lustre of my youth – oh, my youth. Ha! Years ago, I used this shampoo and conditioner and it was my everything. I stopped using it because it’s on the pricier end, but desperate for hair help, I picked up the shampoo and conditioner last week. O. M. G. Just two washes in, and I’m never looking back! Trust.

Scott’s mom and dad introduced us to a new board game: Qwirkle! It’s mind-bending, colorful and fun, and we already ordered our own set for the Tree House stash.

Weekend Sales!

Wishing you all a happy weekend, full of everything you need and nothing you don’t. xx

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  • Kristy M10.4.19 - 6:52 AM

    Just finished Unbelievable last night! It was very good. Great characters. Sad story for Marie. Great ending.ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.4.19 - 8:44 AM

      We were cheering on the couch!ReplyCancel

    • Carswell10.4.19 - 3:51 PM

      I watched it the weekend it came out. I was sitting there seething as the detectives badgered a minor into recanting the story of her rape. 
      The whole show has stuck with me for various reasons and I find myself thinking about it at odd moments. The mark of a well crafted production. ReplyCancel

      • Kim10.4.19 - 4:07 PM

        I kept hoping the original detective would think twice before closing the case, but no.ReplyCancel

  • Mel10.4.19 - 7:39 AM

    Oh Kim, i’m so sorry for the loss of your Grandma but her reunion with your Pap Pap must be something to behold (whether you believe in Heaven or something else).  My Grandparents were wildly in love.  When my Grandpa died 17 years ago I watched my Grandma’s frail body shake in the front row and just sobbed for her.  She had to wait 16 long years to be reunited with him.  in her last year she would tell my Mom that she just wanted to ‘go home to Elmer and Jesus’.  It just made me die.  I miss her but i’m so glad they’re holding hands again.ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.4.19 - 8:43 AM

      This is so sweet. They are such special people, aren’t they? I’ll never forget my grandma at my Pap Pap’s funeral. The whole family was so drained by the end, all we could do was sleep off our sadness for a few days before facing reality.ReplyCancel

  • Liz10.4.19 - 8:23 AM

    I am so so sorry for your loss, my grandma passed away two weeks ago as well and I can only imagine how you are feeling! The story and photo are so beautiful though, they made me cry a little. Sending love!ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.4.19 - 11:34 AM

      I’m so sorry, Liz. Sending you love and hugs.ReplyCancel

  • lak10.4.19 - 8:43 AM

    So sorry for your loss.  I find that the people who have meant the most to me, despite being gone, stay with me forever.  The old photo is great, so glad it could bring you peace.ReplyCancel

  • Ann10.4.19 - 8:50 AM

    The best thing is that Pap Pap and Grandma were able to be at your wedding ????ReplyCancel

  • Jenn10.4.19 - 9:36 AM

    Kim, so sorry for your tremendous loss and so close to Ms Libby’s passing. May you have peace soon.ReplyCancel

  • Hannah Gokie10.4.19 - 9:50 AM

    Ah Kim, I’m so sorry for your loss. <3 ReplyCancel

  • Alanna Schroeder10.4.19 - 11:13 AM

    Hi kim, So sorry for your loss and glad that photo brought you a feeling of peace. On a different note, how do you think your new stroller will handle in the snow? I am expecting my first in December and live in a northern canadian city and am looking for a good, lightweight stroller, that has good wheels for winter conditions. ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.4.19 - 11:34 AM

      Compared to our last stroller (which we thought was good for a long while), these wheels are SMOOOOOTH driving, friend. They’re larger than our last stroller as well, so they glide over sidewalk bumps much better. All around, it’s awesome.ReplyCancel

  • Jamie10.4.19 - 12:11 PM

    I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of your sweet grandmother. Prayers for you and your family in the coming days and weeks.ReplyCancel

  • Kim B.10.4.19 - 1:22 PM

    Dear Kim, I am so sorry for your loss.  Grateful for the love you had from your grandparents and so happy that photo showed up to give you a smile. 

    It’s so hard, but I always think how blessed I am that I had grandparents who were so worth missing!!! If that makes any sense. I hope that all in your family can be a comfort to one another. And love that you have that chair.  But truly it’s the joy in that photo, the movement, the precise moment captured that is just the best.ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.4.19 - 1:31 PM

      Thank you so very much, Kim. I’m incredibly lucky to have had the grandparents I did!ReplyCancel

    • Veronica10.5.19 - 6:22 AM

      Kim I’m so sorry for your loss. That photo is absolutely beautiful. I already really loved that chair just for its looks and now I love it even more.
      My husband was very close with his grandparents and like you Kim was gutted when he lost his Grampa while he was growing up.
      As sad as that sounds I envy you both – I don’t know my grandparents well. I want to make sure my kids are close with theirs as I can see how impactful grandparents can be. <3ReplyCancel

  • Courtney10.4.19 - 5:14 PM

    Every time you post about TreeHouse all I can imagine is tech-free weekends and TONS of board games.  The space is just perfect (inside and out, depending on season) for friends or strangers, nestled in, cold or warm beverage in hand, competing over a variety of board games.  Qwirkle is a good one!  If you love spacial arrangement games….try On The Dot, Swish, and Blokus.  Our faves!ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.4.19 - 5:42 PM

      We have and love blokus!! I’ll look into the other ones. And thank you, this is also how we imagine Tree House. ????ReplyCancel

  • Kaitlin10.4.19 - 6:43 PM

    The Weekender posts are some of my favorite. Your tribute to your grandmother was just beautiful. My grandparents died 31 days after each other- and it damn near gutted me. Our little Margo is named after my grandmother and it helps to have a real life reminder of her spunk and confidence. 
    On another note, do you read Joy The Baker? Something tells me you’d love her “Let It Be, Sunday” round ups. ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.5.19 - 10:20 AM

      I follow her on IG, but I’ll check out her Sunday round ups! Thank you. They’re some of my favorite as well, to see the more personal side of those that inspire me.ReplyCancel

  • Michelle10.5.19 - 8:27 AM

    Love Sturgill’s album too love his diversity????ReplyCancel

  • Michelle10.5.19 - 8:30 AM

    Sorry for your loss your grandparents lived a sweet ???? love storyReplyCancel

  • Nichole10.5.19 - 10:20 PM

    I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s wonderful to hear that she had a very loving family during her lifetime and that she is now reunited with your Grandpap. They sound like a very beautiful couple.
    Also, I didn’t know you guys were Sturgill fans so I was excited to hear how much you loved his new album. He’s an amazing country singer, but I love to see him bending genres and venturing into rock music. I’m not sure if you know this, but they had an anime film drawn up to accompany this album and it can be found on Netflix if you search for Sound and Fury.ReplyCancel

    • Kim10.6.19 - 11:31 AM

      Thanks, Nichole. :)

      And yes, we saw that there’s a Netflix special to go along with the album! We’ve yet to watch it, but it’s on our list. He can do no wrong, truly.ReplyCancel

  • Linda P.10.6.19 - 1:29 PM

    I totally agree about Unbelievable.   It was so well done, but the true story is enraging.  ReplyCancel

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