New Family Member!

We have been stricken with a terrible case of LOVE!!! Puppy Love!! Welcome our furry little bundle of fun and puppy breath kisses - Boomer! He is only 2lbs 10 oz at his last doctor visit and is part Maltese and part poodle. He has very special beginnings, because he was the lone survivor in a litter birthed to one of the puppy mill rescue dogs. Mama survived too but Boomer was the only puppy to survive the premature delivery. He is all spunk and super fun to watch. Our neighbors thought we had acquired a bunny rabbit since all they could see was this little white fluff hopping through the grass. Yes, that's right he hops because his little legs are short. Each day is a new experience for him and he truly is a smart and special dog we look forward to loving on for years to come!

On my nightstand...

In addition to my kindle (on top) I have a good bit of summer reading ahead. Some fiction, some non-fiction. Can't decide what to start on. I am always looking for more good recommendations if you want to leave a comment on a "can't put down" book ~ would love to add it to my stack here!

The Flaming Parables

Sarah & her friends joined forces to form a self-described "team of nerds" for Heritage Middle School's annual volleyball event, Serve & Shout today.

The kids planned their team in their honors algebra class and instead of sporting their name on their shirt (such as "Reed"), they each chose an equation. Sarah was the slope intercept equation. Their teacher, Ms. Barlow, whom they all adore and love, dressed like a calculator and was their team mascot - Calcie (cal-kee).

Love this group of girls - so sweet, smart, silly and not too self-conscious to be goofy and have fun!

A new look for us... sort of

Four years of improper construction makes a nice case for rotting wood and leaks! UGH! Finally, after getting the run around from the builder and insurance company (neither of which I will name here --- although I should) we decided to cough up the cash and take care of this nasty problem once and for all.

For me the 'silver lining' to this huge bill and weeks of construction is it will finally be fixed correctly and I can decorate the music room. For the kids, the upside is they couldn't participate in their piano recital because the piano had to be sealed off for several weeks, hence, no practice or lessons.

Always something good!

Room for Roo

Recently in the middle Tennessee area, there was a huge puppy mill bust. Conditions were horrific and dogs in make shift jails were left outside, neglected without food or water, sitting in their own feces. Animal Rescue found more than 100 dogs suffering in this mill. My friend, Shawn Aswad of Snooty Giggles Dog Rescue took in the old, sick and suffering and rounded up fosters for these dogs until they can find forever families willing to love them. We were lucky enough to be able to foster a sweet little teacup Chihuahua named Roo. Roo is 5 years old (approximately) and a love. She is extremely timid, as she has never known real love and affection, and she is scared of sudden movements and sounds. But once she learns to trust, she is so cuddly and loving and will allow you to hold her. I would love for Roo to find a forever home who would love her, work with her and help her realize a true dog's life. If anyone is interested in adopting her, please let me know. Here are some pictures:

Help me find this sweet girl a home!

March Family Photo

At the end of our first whitewater rafting experience ~ I felt it was appropriate to choose this as our March family photo! Good times! Thank you Endless River Adventures for a wonderful, personal experience. And a big hearty thanks to Sarge, our guide, who kept us safe and entertained!

Time Away

We just recently spent some time away as a family ~ much needed with our crazy schedules and Vince's travel. A secluded cabin in the Smoky Mountains and some fun activities including white water rafting, ziplining, hiking and stop at Rock City on the way home.

We had lots of good laughs together and very little bickering. Peace. Oh how it makes this mama's heart swell with joy!

Here are some pictures from our time away:

Looking forward to a warm and lovely spring!

St. Patty's Day Beer Festival!

ok...so not exactly St. Patty's Day but my grandmother would be proud because we did wear Kiss Me I'm Irish necklaces and helped ourselves to some ale. Vince seriously was like a kid in a candy shop ~ the man can talk about beer forever and to whomever! Had fun with our friends Ryan & Teri! Cheers!!!

Around Here...

around here I am deeply entrenched in my new found love of mixed media art. Love the online tutorials provided by Christy Tomlinson of Scarlet Lime and am discovering my inner artist!

around here we have been trying to eat more organic, less chemicals and are considering buying a local grass fed cow.

around here we are watching Amazing Race: Unfinished Business and rooting for the cowboys again or the father/daughter from Kentucky.

around here Sarah is beginning trigonometry and not feeling confident.

around here I am struggling with the roller coaster ride of raising a teenage girl whom I love dearly, but dislikes me on most days because I have to parent her and most things I have to say she doesn't want to hear.

around here we have had a slew of rainy, gray weekends and we are all getting a little bit of cabin fever -ready for spring.

around here my niece lost her top tooth and she looks so different! It just serves as a reminder of how fast they do grow up!

around here Vince is home working here in his office without plans to go out of town for business for the first time in six weeks.

around here Ben is getting his permission slip signed to be allowed to watch the puberty video at school.

around here I have been on my knees and finding scriptural promises to hold on to when I feel I am defeated in life.

around here we are looking forward to a break from the routine and some time in the mountains for spring break.

President Ben!

Today my son went to school as the late John F. Kennedy for his biography book report. He even let me part his hair for the total look. Doesn't he looks so presidential?

My commander in chief....Love this kid!!

February Family Photo

Okay ... so, again not a glamour shot of the family. But it was the last day (or night) in February and I wanted to get a shot of all of us. We had just returned from the soccer arena where Sarah played her last two indoor season games - won one and lost one. She was amazing!!

Nobody was thrilled with the way we looked and I quickly set up the tripod in the kitchen under the leftover decorations from Ben's 11th birthday party. Sarah continued to text saying, "Well, you want us to look the way we always look so I am just gonna keep doing what I do!"

Ahhhhhh! So true.

SHE art!

Took an online workshop to teach me how to do mixed media art. Especially this kind of art with beautiful girls and inspirational sayings. I found Christy Thomlinson's online workshop and signed up! LOVE it!

When I see "my dreamer girl" I get a little picky and see all my mistakes but mostly am inspired to create more girls ~ beautiful angels, friends, daughters, mothers, sisters. I am so going to make my dreams come true!

Creating Something New from Something Old

I love old "junk" and finding a new purpose for it! Of course, this means my basement is full of treasures I haven't quite figured out how to use yet! :) Last summer I fell in love with these tattered old windows that my friend Shawn was selling at her silo sale. Loved them! At first I envisioned them being used in my garden some how - perhaps a screen? some amazing ivy creeping through the broken panes? But I could never quite "find a fit" within my yard.

So they sat in my basement.

I pondered the idea of using them with photographs too but couldn't quite figure out how since the glass was murky, some panes completely broken and cracked. And placing a photo in each square was a little too "matchy matchy" for my tastes.

So they sat in my basement a bit longer.

After months of waiting, I finally got my hubby to move a piece of furniture that was on this wall to another room --- and voila! I developed my new vision for these windows! I am not quite finished ~ the rest will come with time. I have a couple of cool architectural pieces I want to intersperse between the photos and I really want to find the initial R in a funky (preferrably antique) finish. I will post some pictures as it develops into the "final" piece!

If you have any cool suggestions or links, please leave me a comment!

I am working on...

I am working on being patient when things don't go the way I think they should.

I am working on journaling several scrapbook projects that need the stories finished.

I am working on each room in my house, one by one, taking the desperate areas and giving them a thorough cleaning. Today I did all my bathroom cabinets and drawers. ahhhh!

I am working on being a better friend. Instead of thinking about somebody, calling them to tell them. Instead of thinking of something nice to do, doing it.

I am working on my one little word for 2011 -- grace. I am trying to see it in my daily life. I am looking for ways to photograph it.

I am working on this office. I want a better handle on what I have and what needs to go. I want it to allow my work flow to flow.

I am working on backing up all my photos on to discs. Since I lost 3 years of photos, I feel the need to have a gazillion backup plans now.

I am working on carving out my quiet time reading God's word. I am working on relying and trusting Him instead of trying to figure my out of my messes I have created.

I am working on keeping it all in perspective.

etc. designs selling at Spring Hill Formals

I just made a line of formal earrings and bracelets for a local store - Spring Hill Formals to go with their prom dresses and formal wear. So if you are a local - go check them out!

Coming to a mailbox....

I love to cut and glue and use glitter! So making Valentine's was waaaaaay fun for me! Here are some of my creations for this year - coming to a mailbox soon!

Family Photo #1 ... little late

Okay...so it is not glamour shots! I decided to take a picture in our living room "as we were". You can see how thrilled Sarah is - hee hee! She is a teen lounging around in the AFTERNOON still in her pajamas and not gussied up, so she was not amused with my idea. To be fair, I had just returned from the gym without makeup and all sweaty too! So here we are for January (a little late) I hope to post a family photo each month just for fun!

letting it go...

this is my office.

One day I hope for it to be a guest room when I can spread out in the basement, but for now I am cramped up here with lots of ideas and limited space.

My office is constantly in a state of disaster and when it is not, my kids walk in and say "WOW" out of pure shock. Since my scrapbook weekend, I have fallen behind on life. I now have new stacks of things to do and bills to pay. I have orders to fill for etc. designs. And I have piles of unfinished scrapbook projects to tend to and piles yet to unpack.

grace.

I am going to give myself a little on this "thorn in my side" this year. I choose to look at this room as the hub of my life that is in constant motion, creating, managing, working, and will thus probably never be neat and tidy. Grace.

Feeling better already! :)

Family Photo

I decided to adopt a new tradition for the year - to take a family photo once a month. Not necessarily a fancy or formal photo - in fact, I would prefer it not be! I just want to document "us" through the year, watch the changes and reflect on times we were together. Already, my new great idea has been derailed because we saw very little of each other - together - in January!! Gasp! I have pictures of 3 of us together - but not all four...and 5 if you count Raffy. Life is already moving at breakneck speed and I do not like it, Sam I am! I did enjoy an great weekend away on my annual scrapbook journey to the Delaware coast - brrr! Made some great memories while documenting those of my children's school years. When I came back, Vince left to be with his dad in Texas; then home for a night only to leave again to Atlanta for a national meeting. So when Vince gets home on Friday I plan to take a picture of all us - no matter how sloppy or sleepy - I am going to make it my mission! In the future, be on the look out for more monthly photos and a few words to let you know what is developing in our lives.

In other news...I am still designing jewelry for my company etc designs and came out with a line of Valentine bracelets that sell for just $15! I think they are quite cute! Business was great at the holidays and I am hoping things go as well this spring. I may even consider a craft show or two. Not sure!

This week I am planning on playing catch up in my office: hook up my new printer (actually try to get the new hooked up printer working); make some jewelry for a local bridal shop; purge my old magazines to the recycle without looking through them for hours; write some snail mail (I'd really love to create some handmade Valentine's!!) and journal all those pages I created in DE!

welcome twenty 11

I can't say this year started out as calm and peaceful as I would have hoped, but it certainly has been busy. We rang in the new year with our neighbors in a fairly low key get together..then came Vince's 50th birthday celebration and then I finally got Christmas down and packed away. In a sense, I feel the year is finally "beginning".

I adopted Ali Edwards challenge of 'one little word' last year - where you pick a word in lieu of a list of resolutions. Last year my word was 'simplify'. I think I made great strides in simplifying my life although, I feel there is room for growth. This year my word didn't come to me as easily. Because I had such a struggle with depression this past year, I thought briefly of adopting the word 'joy'. Then because I am such a perfectionist, I thought I would do 'simplify' again and do it better! But one word kept creeping into my life in different ways and the word I feel finally chose me was 'grace'.

So, I will be excited to report back periodically and let you know how grace is shaping up for me in 2011. Pick a word for yourself this year - it's not too late and share with me! I would love to hear what speaks to you.