Monday, August 30, 2010

....reach and some monday music

(my latest little creation)

i am feeling transition and change
surrounding me....
i am not sure if it is
the slight change of weather,
the knowledge that fall is
right around the corner,
the inspiration i have been
exposed to as of late,
the heavy but meaningful
conversations that i have held
near and dear to my heart
over the past several days....

i don't know....but i feel it,
i taste it.

and slowly but surely i am starting to "REACH"...
i am starting to feel it is time
for me to put one foot in front of the other...
easing closer and closer to the edge...
and then...
taking that LEAP!!!!

anyone else want to join me???

here is my choice for today's music...
it's from a soundtrack i never tire of!



xoxo

question....
i am looking for a name to call my
little guy in this painting.
any ideas as i have several sketches with him??


Friday, August 27, 2010

....good find friday and a blessing

happy friday friends!

i wanted to share with you a few
"finds" that either
made me smile,
made me laugh,
made me cry...
or all three at ONCE!!!

* THIS brought tears to my eyes
and a smile to my heart...Tara and Bella
deliver quite the message we ALL
should take straight to our hearts!!!
(why aren't we all more like this??)

*i am simply in love
with THIS artists work....
if you haven't already...
check it out!!

*THIS lovely shop that
recently opened by THIS
lovely soul

AND
on a side note....
(but tHEEE absolute best part of my week)

i became an auntie again to sweet
Isabella Monroe Vancil
born yesterday!!
mom and baby are happy and healthy!!!

this news made me laugh,
made me smile and
made me cry
many many many tears of joy!
another blessing from above!!

so, did you find
any "finds" this week???

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

say whaaaaaaaat wednesday???

HAPPY WEDNESDAY FRIENDS!

i am not sure about everyone else out there...
but for me since summer is over
i am trying to get
back into routine,
get a little more structured,
get a little more disciplined
with my time,
etc...

so today...
tell me...

DO YOU HAVE A MORNING "RITUAL"
TO HELP YOU START YOUR DAY??

For me...
I like to try to rise before the rest of my household
(now that schools' back in session),
grab my cup of coffee (this is a MUST),
sit down and write my "morning pages"
and then head out on a walk before
my house wakes up!!!

what do you do???
please share!!

oh and....how fun was last week
reminiscing about our tween/teen crushes?!?!?
SOOOO FUN!!!!!
thanks for playing along!

xoxox

Monday, August 23, 2010

monday music inspiration.....

(first day of school)

when Sydnie was about 1 and Sophia
was 4....she turned, wrapped her arms
around her, looked at her and said
"ill stand by you".
(que mom....goosebumps, tears!!!)

now they are 10 and 7 and even
though they fight like cats and dogs....
(and let me tell ya...they DO!)
i know she would still say
to her little sister...
"ill stand by you".



so...tell me,
who do you stand by???
xxoo


Wednesday, August 18, 2010

.......say whaaaaaaaaaat wednesday???!!!

HAPPY HAPPY HUMP DAY
MY FRIENDS!!!!

thank you all for taking part in last week's question
about things we are DARING to do!!
so fun to read everyone's responses!

so today....
tell me this....

WHO WAS YOUR TWEEN/TEENAGE
FAMOUS CRUSH???!!!

having 3 daughters (almost 16, 10 and 7 going on 21)...
i always hear the "oooohing and aaaahing"
over taylor lautner, justin bieber, the jo bros,
rob pattinson....it makes me giggle
and takes me back to thinking
about who my big crushes were!!


this sexy many was my absolute, positive
#1 crush....there was really no one who came close....
i mean look at those long locks, the full lips,
the sex appeal!!! i think i have
seen him in concert more time than
i can count!!
and...


look at him now....
better than ever!!

come play along!!
can't wait to hear!!
xxoo

Monday, August 16, 2010

.....monday music inspiration

HAPPY HAPPY MONDAY!!!

hope everyone had a wonderfilled
weekend!!!

wanted to share a pic
of my oldest

Mackenzie.
today was her first
day of 10th grade
i can hardly believe she will be 16
in less than 2 months!!!!

and i can hardly believe
i will be an auntie
again in less than a month!!!!!

here is a pic of the journal
i made for my sis-in-law
and brother (and of course
their little bundle)

her theme for the nursery is
classic pooh


so i thought this would fit
perfectly!!!
i cannot wait to see what they fill
up the pages with!!!

And here is my choice
for today's monday music....
feels like a Beatles kind of day!!



so....what about you...
what music is
inspiring you on this monday???

Friday, August 13, 2010

.....a day late


i am a day late for my
"say whaaaaaaat wednesday".....
SORRY!!!
my days are all screwed up for some reason!!!

so....please watch this video




then answer
THIS question....


what do Y O U
DARE to do?????

i can't wait to hear!!!

xoxoxo


Tuesday, August 10, 2010

....loving things for what they are


i was out and about visiting blogs yesterday
and stumbled upon THIS fabulous post!!

so...i wanted to post some of the things
that i love for what they are.


my silly, silly girls who always make me laugh

the view outside my window on my trip
back home to illinois

rain on a hot summer day

seeing God's creatures in their natural habitat

the spirit of life that so obviously resides
inside my youngest

fun times with good friends

my goofy almost 16 year old daughter
at dinner last night

crispy green beans from P.F. Chang's
(truly addictive)

the way candlelight dances throughout
my home each night

"we love the things we love for what they are"
- robert frost

so...what are some of the things
you love for what they are???


Friday, August 6, 2010

.....sisters


"sisters" come to us in
many, many
different ways....

there are those "sisters" who
we can talk with for hours and who
make us laugh so hard
we pee our pants...

there are those "sisters" who become
sisters through marriage
and are better for it...


there are "those" sisters
who have an innate desire
to protect those younger than them...

there are those "sisters" who
you meet through blogging or
an art retreat
who "get" you and have your back...
who you find hard to believe you
didn't know your entire life...

and there are those "sisters" who
share our childhood,
our ups and
our downs,
and love us in spite of all our craziness
and will pray for us when we need it
and guard our secrets with their lives.

but quite simply....

when it comes down to it,

we are ALL

Sisters at Heart!

i am beyond grateful for all the "sisters"
i am blessed enough to have in my life.

so...
let your "sisters" know today
how much you love and appreciate them!!
i know i am!!!

because, after all...
what would you do without em???!!!

thank you my sweet sisters at heart!
xoxo

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

say whaaaaaaaat wednesday???

happy wednesday my sweet friends!!
i hope your week has been good to you!!

i am finally back from the couple
family vacations we have been on
and am hopeful to get all caught
up visiting everyone's blogs
very soon!
i've missed you all!!!!

so today,
i would love to know...


(just began this commissioned piece today...)

what have you been
working on lately
or
have been inspired to do??

sending love
xoxo

(if you get a chance....hop on over here
to one of my most favorite persons' blog and
wish her a big, fat happy birthday!!!)


Tuesday, August 3, 2010


highway 395


"Every good painter

paints what he is"


-Jackson Pollock