HeadBandits No HeadBand...No admittance!

Cousin Love

Maddy and her cousin, Anna, have been best friends since they were little.  Anna is 6 mos. older than Maddy and has loved her like a sibling since birth. ( I mean it when I say like siblings...love, irritation, tears, fights, smiles and all! )

My dad took these two on a trip to Sanibel Island Resort for Spring Break. 

 Needless to say, they had a blast.  They recorded their whole trip through photos (thank God for facebook sometimes...) and I just loved the images they came back with.  These photos really do capture their relationship. 

I remember being envious of friends with cousins (or siblings) that were close in age.  My closest sibling is 6 years older and my closest girl-cousin was 3 years younger...and I didn't get to see her very often. So I have really enjoyed watching these two. 

As I watch them grow, I picture them as high schoolers, then college kids, and eventually grown-ups. With their own families.  I hope they stay close!!  And I hope their daughters or sons are just as close as they are!

Spring Break!!!

Happiness is allllll around!

(and so is chocolate!)

One Word Wednesday (yeah right...)

LOVE

(today, i am looking for signs of love in all kinds of places.

i will choose to think of them as messages from the universe. even the weedy ones.)

I just remembered something that someone said about Maddy a while back. 

It think she was about 11 or so. 

She was still playing rec ball for the Y. 

 I got to one of her games a few minutes late and I said,

"What's going on?? What did I miss?" 

 And a man turned around and said,

"Well, you're daughter is slicing through their defense like a hot knife through butter! That's what's going on!"  

 I thought that was pretty awesome.

I remembered that today and it made me smile. 

One Word Wednesday

SPRING

(nothing says spring like TULIPS!)

Red Balloon

Stella's Red Balloon

This weekend, Stella went to a birthday party and came home with the above red balloon.

As I was processing photos, I was reminded of another little girl and her "red balloon" story.

When Hailey was 2 years old (she's 16 now), we went to a friend's birthday party.  When it was time to leave, she decided that she wasn't yet ready to go.  She was furious with me for making her leave.  FURIOUS.

As I buckled her into her car seat she yelled these words at me...

"I wish I was a red balloon!  I wish I was a red balloon! 

So I could go

UP

UP

UP

AND AWAY FROM YOUUU!!!!!!"

I remember thinking, "man this kid is gonna be SOMETHING ESLE when she's a teenager."

But she's really about the easiest teen in the world.

Nowadays, Stella is starting to show some real temper. 

 Can't wait to see what she comes up with!

"Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength."- August Wilson


I haven't been in the best of moods lately.  Definitely feeling the darker side of things.  When spring came early, I kept feeling like it was too good to be true.  Kept waiting for some cold days.  Somehow, we managed to have several weeks of wonderful weather.  BUT now we are in the doldrums again.  The temp went from somewhere in the 80s to 44 and rainy.  OH HOW I DISLIKE COLD RAIN.

Anyway, it isn't just the weather.  It's quite a few other things.  Mostly, indecision. 

Can't seem to decide what to wear, what to eat, what to do, or how to do it.  So this weekend I chose to stay in bed a lot.  Under the covers.  Sleepy, sleepy.  Lazy, lazy.

Now...to get ready for MONDAY.  How shall I do that???
Well.... I'll probably have to sleep on it!

My goal for tomorrow is to get out and find some sunshine.  I know it's out there.  I just need to bring some in here.

let the work begin...

Savannah, GA

We recently went on a quick trip to Savannah, GA for a gymnastics meet.  I was so excited to go because I have never been and have dreamed of that place my whole life. For a while, after college, I thought I would go and live there.  I had never even been there and was sure it was the place for me.  So you can see why I needed to go there!  I had to see what all the daydreaming was about.  It did NOT disappoint.  That place is full of old southern magic. 
The south has it's hefty share of sad and tragic historical moments.  But there are also fantastic stories of great courage and endless compassion.

I love the south.
LOVE it with all my heart. 
And Savannah reminded me of the good stuff. 

and of course, this didn't hurt our fantastic experience either!!!.....
  medals on beam, floor, and allaround!! woooohoooo!!

One Word Wednesday

Indulge

One Word Wednesday!!

(this is my new sketch book!  i created my own cover by using gesso first, then paint, and finally stamps with india ink. it says beautiful journey...in case you can't read it!)

(my new favorite thing...Artist Trading Cards.)

play!

Patio Surprise for Nick!

Before...

During

and

AFTER!!!

(can you see a little hidden surpise in the shot above?  look behind the chairs. :)

It's official. 

Our little corner of the world is convinced it's SPRING.  

One Word Wednesday!

ingenuity