My delightful spring flowers!

So, do you remember at the beginning of the year when I shared with you a piece that was transforming from a mess to a girl with wild hair?  Well, this piece was started about the same time, last fall.  Although, I actually got up the nerve to mess around with it and finished my little creation!

Here is the first shot of the piece....lots of fun color!

Then I began experimenting with shapes and movement as well as contrast value.

Finally she evolved into a vase of abstract, delicious flowers.  I love her!

 (here is a close up)

Have a super spring day & take time to smell the flowers! :)

Happy Spring...from the art studio!

Just a touch of whimsy to say happy spring to everyone!  Here are some shots of a whimsical spring canvas to start the season!

keep on hoppin!

Through My Lens

This past week I have tried to pick up my camera a bit more to tell and document the story of our lives around here.  Here are some of my shots and peek at my life.

I made a couple batches of homemade chocolate chip cookies because the weather was cold and I have hungry teens roaming the kitchen all the time.

I caught my favorite little guy (not so little anymore) being silly and dancing and singing to his new favorite song, Carry On by Fun.  He actually asked me if he could play it over and over.  How polite. I never asked when I was a teen, I just kept hitting rewind and play!

Mixed in some usual house chores...laundry.  The never-ending chore.

Been perusing this stack at night when I kick my feet up.  Honestly I have been so tired, I have not read much at all.

We said goodby to our two puppies we fostered, Finn and Dakota.  They lived with us for two weeks and found lots of love and affection while visiting.  They also hid one of my favorite flip flops which I have yet to find.  Sneaky pups.  I received word that they safely arrived in their forever homes in Rhode Island.

And of course, lots of soccer.  Sarah, Ben, faithful friends and family who come out to freeze and watch and cheer! :)  

We attended the baby dedication of Alexandra Johnson...such a sweet thing and a real blessing to rejoice in!

Sunday dinner was at our house.  St. Patrick's Day is Sarah's 1/2 birthday. As she was growing up we would have a little cake or something to mark her "half" and instead of gifts she would find things of hers to donate.

We did dessert in her honor....a half of a cookie cake.

But her boyfriend Cody helped find use for the second half and surprised her in front of everyone.

 She said "yes".

Sweet baby A photo shoot...

Got to take some two month photos of sweet baby Alexandra the other day and just thought I would share...because who doesn't love a sweet baby picture? :) These were my favorites.

You can almost smell her sweetness!! :)

To the rescue

The day after my mom left, I picked up two black lab/broad hair retriever mix puppies from our local dog rescue, Snooty Giggles.  Apparently, eight of these precious babies were dumped on her front yard.  So we took two to foster until they can find their forever homes.

Their official Snooty Giggles / names listed with the vet are Crummles and Woolwich.  But we didn't know this and our kids named them Dakota and Finn and that's what they have become known around our home.

They have been quite an entertaining force in our house, and our dogs Boomer and Raffy are not impressed.  Raffy has actually been better than Boomer, she just ignores them and does her own thing.  Boomer, however, has had his world rocked.

You can almost hear his little dog voice asking, "who are these kids and when are they leaving?  why are they playing with MY toys?" The first 48 hours with Boomer, he was constantly growling.  If they were in the same room as him, growl.  Walked by him, growl.

He has since accepted that they are staying for awhile and even engaged in playing with them on occasion, although I think he is really actually intimidated by them.

Here are some pictures.

Finn (aka Woolwich) playing peek a boo.

Finn (aka Woolwich) playing with Boomer and his toys.  Look at my living room it is like a dog romper room! Toys everywhere. :)

Finn and Dakota, just chilling together.

Dakota (aka Crummles) getting ready to catch up on some sleep.

Nap time for the pups!

Finn chewing on the gorilla he won.

Dakota (aka Crummles) outside for play time.

 Ben loving on Dakota.

Anyway, if you know of anyone who can give either of these precious fellows a home, please let them know.  They are both fun puppies full of personality and love!

All about Ben...

Just to re-cap where I have been...
No, I didn't travel, nothing exotic...just plain ole life coming fast and furious.

Mostly centered around the birthday boy.  This sweet kid is the light of my days ~ tender hearted, loving, funny, creative and super sensitive!  I could not have asked for a sweeter son.  It seems like a blink ago he was playing with trains and dinosaurs, now it's basketball and soccer.  He has a heart the size of Texas and has mastered some incredible manners that just make me a proud mama! Oh and did I mention how smart he is ~ a straight A student, got student of the year last year and this year was invited to take the ACT  with high school students and he scored in the 85th percentile in several categories!

Sigh...love this kid. Welcome to the teen years my sweet son, please don't change too much!

My mom came for a visit ~ to surprise Ben for his 13th birthday.  And we had all kinds of celebrations to mark the milestone birthday!

Sarah did a unibrow and a mustache ~ had to include it ~ too funny that kid!!

He had a group of friends go to Sky High Nashville where they bounced and played dodgeball.

We went to Melting Pot in lieu of Sunday family dinner with the whole gang and ate our faces off.  Then his actual birthday we made his requested "surf & turf" meal, polished it off with a red velvet cake and then went to Sarah's soccer game.

I have lost track of the number of ball games I have been to in the past two weeks between basketball and soccer, but too many to count.  We went to Sarah's indoor soccer championship game, where they lost, 7-2 after being tied at half time. Boo.  Have you ever seen indoor soccer being played? It is a totally different game and strategy than outdoor, faster and slightly more violent.  I love watching her play because she gets mad and aggressive and tough.  It is one of those times, when I think, it's good that she is stubborn!

Last night Ben won his championship game with his basketball team, the Bulls.  Talk about a butt clencher!!! They were trailing the entire game ~ something they had not done all season.  In the 4th quarter they tied it up with 10 seconds on the clock.  Then they stole the ball back, shot, scored two more with two seconds left and they won! Holy moly! I was screaming!

They had their own cheering section....the LaCoste girls and friends.

And Ben's aunt Alicia and cousin Emma (and Tanner not pictured)

I think those cheers made all the difference!

Tomorrow we head to the county tournament ~ more games in our future, then outdoor soccer this weekend for both kids.