Blue ribbon girl

I have been calling Caroline my blue ribbon girl this week~~

she rocked & won both her 25 free & 25 backstroke. Turns out little bit is ranked in the top swimmers in the county for her age group! Swim & tennis is big here in Atlanta......we just do recreational swimming but its fun none the less. Both she & emi swim but unfortunately Emi has battled pneumonia since Memorial Day ( can you believe!!) & still isn't cleared to swim. She is a great swimmer too.

I haven't taken my camera to the swim meets because I was waiting on the new digital to come. As you can see, I am now having big fun playing. Still so much to learn---lighting, aperture, blah blah blah. But I do love the whole instant gratification of a digital!

Why can't I look that cute in my bathing suit???

Red White & Blue

I ordered this precious kit from Jeanne that included an adorable crown from Dee Foust & fun patriotic ephemera. Decided to make a little 4th of July book. The book is an 8x8 from the $1 section from target. Looks like each year i have headed over to Old Navy for their 4th of July clothes...tanks , bikinis, & star spangled dresses!

I love pulling out this huge flag bowl each year. We used to have a wonderful paint your own pottery shop just around the corner. I think Savannah painted this for me when she was 8!

Rebel Bliss

What a thrill it is to see the FedEx man!!

Of course, he was pulling in as the ice cream man was driving by, so I had background music while my new digital rebel was being delivered! Nothing like a little extra drama in a house of 5 women....( its the little things!)

The girls had fun outside while i played with my new camera~~

Savannah did some cheer leading tumbles & Caroline just goofed off!

Happy day!

I'm expecting...

her to arrive friday!!! I'll still love her, but I can't wait to play in the digital world!! Just in time for vacation as I took 26 rolls of film last year....shhh...crazy I know , but yippiee!!

Oh how I love a field full of sunflowers!!!

Lucy

This dog isn't Lucy. I'm not sure what her name is.
But I want a golden retriever, always have.

I was blessed to have two wonderful dogs live with me for a long time. We had planned on having a yellow lab & a golden retriever. We bought the lab first and named her Chelsea. What a sweet precious laid back dog. She lived for 14 1/2 years.

We planned on getting a golden next until Gregg found Bailey. Bailey was a great dane mix. I remember coming home from work to see his new "treasure" only to find a malnourished brindle puppy. Someone had tied her up & left her at a nearby vets office. I must admit, having never seen a brindle dane, i thought she looked like she had been through a fire. But I grew to absolutely love this dog. I would take her running at the park & people would always comment how gorgeous she was. I loved Bailey. She had a loud bark & looked like a great guard dog....which was wonderful while I was a single mom. She lived to be 13....I miss her.

Our youth pastor & his family have a golden named Daisy. Hopefully they will breed her this year. It would be so special to have one of her puppies. Yes I have already named her Lucy.
I originally wanted the name Lucy because I love Lucille Ball. However after seeing the movie Narnia & becoming more acquainted with the characters I flipped over the character Lucy ....precious child who looks just like my Emily...& her sweet character is so loyal & forgiving...wonderful character qualities.

So hopefully one day I will be blessed to post pictures of "My Lucy".
Until then, Chelesa & Bailey thank you for a lifetime of memories from two wonderful loyal doggies...we miss you!

The love of a family

The new cd from Martina Mcbride, Waking Up Laughing is wonderful. Has to be my favorite of hers & she is my all time favorite female vocalist. The lyrics are simply beautiful & her voice is truly magical. One of the songs brings me to tears each time I hear it. House of a 1000 Dreams is a sweet tender song about the love of a family. You have to hear it but I wanted to share any way.....talks about a dad working hard to provide for his family only to feel as if the imperfections of their home is a disappointment to them. The mom loves the dad , thinks he's wonderful & will make the best of the situation. But the sweetest part is the end where it talks about the children....how much their parents love each other & how this gives them security. & how they hope they live forever in this home, obviously blissfully unaware of its perfections. wow---its such a tender reminder how much our children love for us to love our spouses & what a secure place that gives them to enjoy life. how so often we spend our time worrying about things that don't ultimately matter anyway....

i probably messed up the imagery but its a lovely cd!!

Beachside Bliss

For me, the most peaceful, blissful place to be is at the seashore.
Something about white sand & crystal blue water that is so spiritually cleansing to me.

The wonder of the ocean
the salty breeze
the sun rise over the water
how could anyone doubt the Creator?

The waves know exactly where to stop.
Each grain of sand, the Lord knows it all.

One of my favorite visits is a beach called Carillon. I know I have mentioned this place before. Each time we go , it seems as if we are the only family there. My few moments of solitude in the grand open seaside. The sky is so bright & glorious, the taste of the salt water on my lips. I could sit there all day~actually my girls would say I do just that.

I have spent the last couple of days thinking about many things. The frailty of life. How it can just slip away at the blink of an eye. How illness & crisis are always such an inconvenience. We are never granted more than this day, but many times we just blitz through life believing just the opposite. We think we will have "forever" with our loved ones. And yet sometimes forever is stopped in the blink of an eye. I am far from trying to be a downer. I just never want to take a single day for granted. I want my girls to grow up with thankful hearts & spirits of gratitude for even the simplest of days.
After I lost my first husband, I swore I would never think "forever" was just something to be taken for granted. To live each day & appreciate all the blessings I have been given. To never complain of boredom....did you ever realize ( if you have had the unfortunate opportunity) to sit beside a sick one, you would trade anything for just a normal day. Yet so many times, normal days come & go without appreciation.
Well, enough on the soap box.
Thank each of you for your kind words here on the blog & for those who have sent me private emails after the loss of my friend. Such a bond of sisterhood out there in cyberspace.

I lost a friend today

I lost a friend today.

Marilyn Purswell died this morning after battling breast cancer for 4 years.

I have heard people say someone "lost their battle with cancer". I have heard people say someone "won their fight" or "earned their wings". whatever. I'm not sure what the correct terminology is today.

bottom line
today
a husband lost his wife
3 children lost their mother
a grandson lost his grandmother.
& friends lost a great friend.



Maryilyn & her husband were friends of my parents. However she & I developed a friendship too. She gave me a wonderful bridal shower before I married Gregg. Her home was amazing. She lived in an old farm house-even had little chickens whose eggs she would gather in the morning. I always admired her & her sense of style. She was shabby chic before anyone had even heard of shabby chic. Anyway, that shower she gave me crabtree & evelyn scented drawer sheets & a laura ashley gown. I thought the gifts were wonderful.
Our first christmas together she gave me pink victorian ornaments- some of my most favorite treasures today.

She opened a little shop in the village where I grew up, named Friends & Daughters. It featured Mary Engelbreit cards & gifts. Before she moved she sold her shop to her best friend, another precious friend of mine. I bought the shop from her. My little baby- I loved it. Unfortunately when Gregg was diagnosed with cancer I could not keep it up & had to sell it myself. But I loved her vision & retail flare. When I asked her why she chose the name "friends & daughters" she told me that she hoped her beautiful twin girls would grow up & not only be her daughters but her kindred spirited friends as well.



She & her family moved to Exeter New Hampshire- a picturesque coastal town filled with political history. Dan & I went to see them a few years ago while the leaves were turning. If I wasn't such a gulf coast lover I think I may want to live there......gorgeous town! We arrived to her well over 100 year old home late that fall evening. I remember she had a candle lit in a pumpkin faced galvanized tin at the the entrance. ( As soon as we got back to Atlanta I had to find me one too!) She had the largest cinderella heirloom pumpkin sitting by her stone fireplace. Thus began my love affair with pumpkins.
She had re-opened her shop up there & filled it with wonderful flax clothing & gorgeous home decor.



She was soft spoken but had strong opinions.

She was a beautiful woman with timeless charm.

She was an entrepreneur.

She was a strong supporter of the Republican party.

She loved George Bush.

She was a wonderful mother.

She had style & elegance.

She was loved.

Cute Beach Buns

Ok, so my girls will flip when they see have a blog entry about their little backsides--sorry girls couldn't resist!!