Monday, November 29, 2010

a portrait of friendship


 i have been blessed with many precious friends.
in highschool, my bff's were twins.
we did everything together.

they plucked my eyebrows for the first time  
& cut my hair into a fabulous feathered bliss.
we ran track together
doubled at homecomings & proms.
we were all in each others weddings.
have stood beside each other
while one buried a baby
& while one buried a husband.
we've shared secrets and hearaches.
& share our hopes , our shoes & our recipes.

my best girlfriend kristin
has been a loyal encourager
& been a cheerleader to me
when i felt all alone
in this world.
my maid of honor
an artist who creates beauty in everything she touches.
i'm so thankful she has touched my life
& the life of my family.
her friendship is a priceless treasure.
she stands beside me & champions me on...to do anything.
i love these girls!!!



i love for savannah that she too has an amazing best friend.
i love how they seem to be so opposite
yet fit together so well.
i have loved watching them mature together
double date together
share secrets
share life.
in a few months sweet bailey will head off to Ole Miss.
 i know in my heart
that no matter where life takes them,
they will be best friends
forever

i love you two beautiful girls...

























wishing a happy birthday
to my
most
favorite
friend

ever.

allofmylove2you

Thursday, November 25, 2010

confessions from a non-decorated home

i'll be honest, it has been a challenge for me to not get all knotted up in the fact that my home is not decorated for christmas yet.
in fact, i'm not exactly sure when it will be completed.



for years, i pulled out the plethora of christmas decorations the second week of november. it would take me about two weeks but i'd be all done by thanksgiving. but the last couple of years i've wanted a much 'less decorated' home. i really don't want the clutter, albeit cute festive clutter, all over my home. makes me nervous. and this year, i want even less clutter.
especially with my dark floors and white furniture finally the way i've dreamed...



i mentioned this less is more plan to savannah who promptly told me that one of the main reasons christmas is her favorite holiday ( besides the obvious birth of christ) is the way our home is decorated.
who knew?


i look back at photos of how my home was decorated years ago & i think...WHY? why did no one save me? seriously. manic clutter everywhere. oh my word. now i love it in shops and other peoples homes but why oh why did i have every single piece of christmas decor that i owned all over my house? there is no answer.



i think i sorta feel guilty not using all of everything. isn't that the stupidest thing? i mean just because i have red & white polkadot goodies doesn't mean i need to mix them with all things glittered. every single ornament does not need to hang from the tree every single year.
 liberating thoughts. i know.



fresh greenery
vintage ornaments
silver & gold
there you have it
that's the plan




so anyway, back to the uncompleted home.
here is a list of my disclaimers if for no one else but me~
i worked day shift at my job on thanksgiving day.
i've done a few photoshoots....another story for another post.
savannah is knee deep in basketball cheering & emi is soon to start her season. yep, two girls cheering basketball. otherwise known as the sport with a gazillion games that never ends.
i've been sick for a week.
i have a teenager who is lobbying to be at the mall first thing friday morning. shoot me now. not to be confused with the teenager old enough to drive herself and her closest friends who plans on arriving at said mall at five a.m.
& it should rain all day the day after thanksgiving. making for a tough time getting a tree.
i may have as many as three photo shoots saturday.
sunday we have church morning & evening.
monday is my sweet guy's birthday.
so
the house may get decorated in december. not november.
big deal, right?


tonight i came home to a house that i truly grateful for
with 5 people who i love more than life itself.
after eating dinner with a brother who i think hung the moon & his fantastic wife
& her incredibly talented sister. ( go dawgs)
and my parents who have been married to each other for over 44 years & love each other like it has only been 44 days.
my heart is full .....

we were finishing up our dinner when dan got a call. one of his friends had passed away tonight. a young man who loved the lord & was an excellent role model to the kids he taught. absolutely heartbreaking.
to the williamson family, you are in our prayers tonight. we are so sorry....

that call , a bittersweet reminder of the fragility of life. a reminder that death is no respector of holidays.

14 years ago my friend susan came over and wrapped christmas lights around the tree for me.  gregg had passed away a couple weeks prior to thanksgiving.  that labor of love, i will never forget. was it before or after thanksgiving? it matters not. the sweet friend who wanted to 'be there for me'...that's what i remember.

anyway.

my home may not be decorated yet for the holidays.
but i pray my heart never loses site of what THE holiday is all about.
i pray i never get so busy worrying over things that although are nice and lovely, are only temporary and lose vision for what is eternal.


matthew 6.21
For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.

Monday, November 22, 2010

a little hallway before & after


this weekend i completed a little project
in our entryway.
the photo above is the before.
mostly old photos
in gold frames
all good but i wanted a change.

i found some slightly distressed creamy white frames
from none other than walmart
& ordered several enlargements of some recent shots of the girls.

despite my love of photographing them
all the time
i have very few images around the house.
i have several in the family room
& a huge linen covered cork board in the kitchen
so i really wanted to do a gallery style
in this somewhat small space.

what is shocking about this project
was that i made a plan.
i drew out all the frame sizes on craft paper 
& spent a while placing them in different positions before i put the nails in the wall.
 totally out of character for me.
i'm more of a hang it, move it, hang it again kinda girl.
but the new floors & new sisal up the stairs inspired me to be a tad more precise.






i often tell dantheman
who incidentally does not have a facebook account
how fantastic that social network is.
i found him a chiropractor that way for crying out loud.
anyway..
our printer no longer scans & we needed a little update.
i posted asking for tips on brands
& within 5 minutes
had a friend offer us a brand new wireless printer
for a super price.

i think he's decided i will be the social networker
& i can just pass along the deals, news & scoop to him.

before we scored said wireless printer scanner
i took some photos of photos
taken pre-digi days
of some oldies but goodies of the girls
around thanksgiving time over the years.

 
my little blonde indian girl

emi in kindergarten days
playing pilgrim woman dressed in black on the front row.

 

emi age 2...cracks me up!

when they were little i tried to photograph them
with all their artwork incase i
didn't save them all.
this awesoem painted turkey however
still remains!

savannah & madison sportin some strasburg.
they actually wore these dresses when dan & i married


 

my dad's favorite thanksgiving memory
is madison singing 5 fat turkeys are we.
over
&
over
&
over

looks like emi gets the award for most turkey art

for years all my girls had bobs.
darn they were cute

obviously by the witch hat in the background
this was not taken at thanksgiving
however i love this image of emily
playing the violin...
sniff sniff
she nixed that plan a few years ago.
also wanted to share our former red raspberry kitchen.
the girls fave color.
they frequently request i paint it that color again.

one of my most favorite images of my girls.
who are all teenagers now....
sigh

alrighty
i probably won't be back around this week.
i want to wish each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving!


ps~
a little shout out to savannah's 2nd fave holiday
black friday
go forth & spend


Friday, November 19, 2010

6 impossible things before breakfast?

 so the queen tells alice
that she has believed as many as six impossible things
before breakfast

days like today
i'm doing good just to get breakfast!

yes, brinkley & i are rolling a little slow this morning


i bought some roses last night & am enjoying them
& my hazelnut latte
on this gorgeous day
before we drudge out for the 5 miler i shoulda run yesterday




my bed remains unmade
very out of character for my ocd self
however i did whip up some eggs
for myself & little bit

older two spent the night out after the midnight premier of
harry potter

yes
i did score some cool mom points for allowing that on a school night.
don't judge me
k?



scrambled with feta, sausage, mushrooms & spinach
side of salsa
seriously yummy


speaking of food
madison has asked if she could cook for the fam
once a week.
i call her giada.
she rocks in the kitchen

last night she prepared sesame chicken
fried rice
& roasted brussel sprouts

she looked up all the recipes on line & just gave me the grocery list

let me tell ya
roasted brussel sprouts are the bomb.
the entire family
ate
them
all






let me throw out this disclaimer
mgk wanted to put everything in lovely serving dishes
but we were flying to sissy's basketball game.
so i had to roll with the keeping it real shots.
but mgk,
YOU are awesome
thank you sweetie!!



love taking photos of still objects!
they obey
& are always pleased with their results

these are straight out of the camera...
scrumptious colors!

have a good weekend everybody
i'm off to make the bed
& run

maybe