Author: Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Gina Munsey is a Mexico-born, Eastern Europe-raised missionary kid who ended up being a Californian by way of Florida outside of Nashville, Tennessee. She lives her days full of coffee and adventures while her 12-year-old learns Mandarin Chinese and Greek, her 3-year-old uses all the markers, and her artist-husband creates worlds from pixels and light. A blogger since the turn of the century (ouch!) she's an editor, co-op teacher, and writer who has only completed four chapters of her languishing manuscript. You can find Gina right here at oaxacaborn.com, or in the middle of [home]school surrounded by stacks and stacks of books.
Inspiration, Little Style

products i love: etsy shop ‘strawberry poppins’

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

how cute is this little handmade dress from the darling etsy shop strawberry poppins? the only thing better than these amazing clothes is the reason why marie has started this shop. (the excerpt below is directly from her etsy bio) —

In January 2012, my family and i will be moving to Moldova, Eastern Europe. Moldova is the poorest European country and our desire is to serve the people there. 90% of sales will go towards our moving costs, flights, living expenses, etc. Additionally, 10% of sales will go to another cause very dear to our hearts – – orphan care and awareness. Please visit www.hopetakesroot.com if you are interested in learning more about this cause. [read more]

Pillowcase Dress for little girls - Strawberry Poppins on Etsy(image via strawberry poppins on etsy)

Inspiration

summer 2011 toast UK catalogue

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

the newest toast UK summer catalogue has officially given me the travel bug.featuring images from Toast UK's summer 2011 catalogue

featuring images from Toast UK's summer 2011 catalogue

featuring images from Toast UK's summer 2011 catalogue

featuring images from Toast UK's summer 2011 catalogue

featuring images from Toast UK's summer 2011 catalogue

featuring images from Toast UK's summer 2011 catalogue

featuring images from Toast UK's summer 2011 catalogue

See other Toast UK round-ups:

Life in Photos

a spring vacation week with lauren: the instagram version

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

this week was amazing. my lovely friend lauren–who was a bridesmaid in my wedding–came to visit! i haven’t seen her since 2008, so (obviously!) this was her first time meeting aveline.

they got along smashingly. lauren was so patient with the fact that aveline’s naplessness and teething took precedence over going out and about. so, we settled in on the couch and took turns holding aveline while drinking iced coffees, tweeting to each other, and watching back to back (to back) episodes of say yes to the dress. (ssshhh, don’t tell.)

Auntie Lauren and Baby Aveline - Baby is sporting NatureBabiesUK Leopard Pattern Cloth Diaper Cover

we did have a few outings. it’s always fun to wander around ross, right? especially when you’re with a friend, and you get the giggles upon spotting the creepiest clearance rack ever. i mean, seriously! how can this get much worse? mr. chipped-ear-elephant gave me the willies. and why exactly is he giving the bottle of yeast the eye?

TwinLab Yeast Supplement and Ceramic Elephant with Chipped Ear - Creepy Clearance Aisle at Ross Store

we also drove downtown and took a lovely walk around lake eola. in all the times i’ve been there, i’ve never noticed this monument to the confederate states. it kind of blew my mind. i should have taken a photo of the inscription on the base of the monument. a lot of people will argue that florida isn’t really the true south, but if that’s the case, why are they celebrating the confederacy every time i turn around? i’ve seen more confederate flags here than any other place i’ve ever lived. it’s bizarre.

Confederate Monument at Lake Eola, Orlando Florida

but i digress…

while lauren was here, we also drove to the coast and spend the afternoon at cocoa beach. this beach as a special place in my heart, as my family came here on an amazing vacation when i was 16 years old, and it’s where josiah proposed in 2008. this time, we introduced little aveline to the ocean for the very first time.

Gina and Aveline under umbrella at Cocoa Beach - baby's first trip to the Atlantic Ocean

she was dressed as lawrence of arabia for the majority of the time, but i think she enjoyed herself. it was a gorgeous, beautiful day. i just love the florida coast. as i was sitting on the beach looking out over the rolling crystal blue waves, i commented to josiah that as awesome as california is, i really do love florida and i wouldn’t mind living here for years. i see beauty everwhere here now. i know God has done a work in my heart, as i really am so content and happy here this time around — and it wasn’t like that at all before. thank you, Lord, for this wonderful peace.

Lauren and Gina with baby Aveline at Cocoa Beach, Florida - Baby's first trip to the Atlantic Ocean

doesn’t lauren look every part the doting auntie? we had an amazing time together.

Auntie Lauren and Baby Aveline (and Lauren's new haircut courtesy yours truly!)

 

Life in Photos

of weekends and sunshine and circuit breakers and phineas & ferb

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

some weekends sail more smoothly than others. friday night started out with the power in three rooms flickering in and out. saturday morning, lights still flickering in the house, josiah discovered a hole in one of the radiator hoses in the car. meanwhile, the apartment maintenance man flipped breaker switches on and off, replaced an outlet, said lots of words like volts and circuits and hmmm, this isn’t good. (he said a few other kinds of words, too.) sunday, the iAlarm didn’t go off and we all accidentally overslept. despite my best scrambling efforts, we weren’t ready in time for church. aveline cried herself to sleep last night and woke up wailing at 6 this morning.  (and the next thing she did wasn’t really that pleasant, so i’ll spare you the details. let’s just say the washing machine got an early wake-up call too.)

but there were nice things about this weekend, too. we went shopping. we saw a little kid drop dr. doofenschmirtz onto the floor while we were in a store, and my eyes popped out of my head. so we immediately went searching the toy section to see what sort of doofenschmirtz merchandise was for sale. (and yes, josiah pointed out that we are indeed 27 years old; but did you know they sell a mini perry the platypus figure, complete with gnome disguise?!)

so as you might have guessed by now, we watched phineas & ferb cartoons this weekend. we also ate tilapia and avocado. and went downtown, and walked around the lake as we people-watched. it was sunny and gorgeous and wonderful and people were, predictably, funny to watch. aveline wore her sunbonnet and snoozed on daddy’s shoulder.

Phineas and Ferb screen capture; tilapia, avocado, and brown rice dinner.

Aveline, Josiah and Gina - Downtown Orlando

Lake Eola Orlando; baby Aveline wearing lacy sunbonnet

so things are looking better. today, the electrician is coming to (hopefully) fix the sizzly problem. and best of all? my dear dear friend lauren is flying in from chicago.  can you believe i haven’t seen her since 2008, when she was a bridesmaid in my wedding? this reunion is long overdue. i can’t even tell you how excited i am!

Life in Photos

“there’s a joy in your sweet abandon, like the cowgirl ballerina”

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

i just adore my little family. we are unbelievably blessed. when i look at her bright eyes, i can’t help think of this beautiful rich mullins song:

26PM Josiah Munsey and baby girl Aveline Alenka -- father and daughter photo

“O Eli
There’s a sanctity in your innocence
A certain beauty and no uncertain strength
That brings me to the faith
I don’t know if I
If I am climbing to or falling in
But it comes like grace from your tiny hands
When I hold you in mine

And I pray that the eyes
Of your heart
Shine bright
With the hope to which you’re called
And may you know with all the saints
The height ~ the depth ~ the width ~ and the length
Of the love of God

O Eli
There’s a joy in your sweet abandon
Like the cowgirl ballerina
Leaves that ride
The wild and holy bucking wind that the sky
Sent through you to blow away these walls I’ve built
Walls of selfishness and walls of guilt
That leave me free to be a child

And I pray that the eyes
Of your heart
Shine bright
With the hope to which you’re called”