The Awkward Adventures of Kiwi: Four Heart Friday: The Return

As much as I want to bring FHF Friday back with a bang, I feel I would be remiss in putting up a half hearted post aimed at showing you all the superficial things I am interested in right now. I do have some really great etsy stores and blogs I have found over the past few months that I am dying to tell you about. However right now my thoughts are a little closer to home. It has always been my aim to be honest with you guys, and I think that's the real reason that I have all you lovely readers to begin with. So my hearts this week are all going to 2 little girls, Autumn and Lili, my babies.

Autumn loves this look for fall and winter, I got a pattern and hope to make her a pair. I am 'ok' at knitting, it's going to be a challenge, but homemade goodies are my MO lately since I don't have the extra money to run out and grab all the little extras we all want. Plus, a homemade gift is from the heart and HEART is something we have a lot of around here. If you want to grab these you can find them at KerreraSkye's Etsy shop.

Over the last year this little family has gone through A LOT of changes and trials. Our lives have been turned upside down by some realities I wish they didn't have to know. I have spent countless hours trying so hard to hide from them the realities of our country's failing economy, but in the past year we have fallen on some pretty grim times. Losing my longtime job meant lots of cuts and changes to our little budget and finding work was hard. Just when everything seemed to start going right, something else would happen, and we were all forced to make some sacrifices.

HiddenGrin's plushies would certainly satisfy Lili's newly found love of stuffies. This pattern would be too difficult for me to replicate, luckily their pricing is reasonable, I could definitely see this making it's way into our Christmas list.

For these little ladies those changes mean having a little less of the things they want, and getting back to basics. As an adult you learn to take these things in stride and you really dig into yourself to see past the superficial things you want and realize that you have all you need. Family, community, shelter, food. You learn to get along without many of the comforts you used to indulge in, no more eating out, renting movies, buying things whenever you wanted them. For the kids though it's harder, constantly seeing those around you getting new and 'cool' things and hearing 'no' more and more when you ask if you can get something takes it's toll.

Sensible is definitely not on Autumn's mind when it comes to foot fashion, she is HUGE into the high boot, she would prefer a large heel to go with it. But with feet of snow on the horizon, and the lack of $250 extra dollars to spare on these bad boys, I think we will NOT be getting them. She does have good taste though, I LOVE these.

I love my kids, and I wanted them to stay young and innocent to the realities of adulthood as long as possible, while Lili at 3, doesn't really ask for much and doesn't give a hoot about the kind of shoes she wears, it's different for Autumn. At 12 you are surrounded by peers who judge you everyday. It's easy for me to tell her not to worry about what other people think, but I know, even as the words are leaving my mouth how hard that is to do. I remember being a kid, and being so convinced that my friends' opinions were the end all be all of my existence. I get it. I get how hard this is for her, and I admire her for not getting too weighed down by it. It's good to know that no amount of cut backs have been able to cut down her amazing spirit.