Forgotten Before and Finally After

This is the desk that has been stuck in a corner in my sons room for way too long. It was my husbands, and before that his grandfathers. I will adore this desk for those reasons alone, but now I finally love they way it looks.

                    

Now it's a little girlier, slightly polished, then roughed up, and perfectly cute. Here's the play by play on how I fixed it up.

Last Week at Lolies

It's citrus season. My favorite time of the year. Everyone swapping oranges for lemons, bags of grapefruits come home from work, and new recipes every year (meyer lemoncello here I come).

 

Self portrait from last week. I like having guests in my portraits!

                       

 The last birthday of the month. He looks so handsome!

 

   
Met up with friends and watched what happens when our offspring interact.
                        
 Had a lunch date with this girl. Very fun to see her in her setting.

It was nice and busy, filled with so much good stuff that looking back I'm feeling so grateful. Gosh, I feel like such a blogging sap. How can I not though? So freakin' blessed!

Another One

Today I'm lucky enough to have another birthday.

Another year to celebrate LIFE, and LOVE, and HOPE, and FAITH, and JOY, and all the little feelings that we can. Some scary, or nervous, or heavy and dark. Others that make you feel light and beautiful.
I'm so blessed to be here for them all.

So I felt so good about last years list. I mean I crossed off more than I thought:

• Lots of furniture finished.
• Plant pomegranate tree.  (Thanks mom!)
• Tattoo (I LOVE IT!)
• Font entrance light
• Fishing
• The Poet and The Cook up and running
• Big piece for my bedroom (coming soon)
• Small trip with Cambrell (Just in time to cross off the list)
• LET GO!

A lot of these things could not be done unless someone else ushered me to it. My dad is behind the fishing, Anty T with the blog, and my wonderful husband taking me on a trip.

I really feel like I was able this year to actually LET GO! I was stuck wondering what to do (job wise). As soon as I threw up my hands and said "Lord this is all you, I have no idea." - things fell in to place. A camera, a client, another client, a printer. It was all very perfect because none of it was me.

I also learned a lot from what wasn't crossed off: I kept up the garden for a while, but now I know what needs to be done and what my limitations in that area are. I don't want to run like I used to - it hurts. I didn't do a picnic because I'm really good at over thinking and over planning things. Sometimes life is best when I don't think.

I have a new list that I'm also VERY excited about.

                  

I have some photo goals. I need more pictures of me. I'm so often not in any picture of any event. I love seeing pictures of my mom, I want my kids to have some. (The picture up top is my second self portrait - Yay!)

The house needs a lot of work, but these are the ones I really want to get done some time this next year. Most of it is about my room, but lately I really wish it was more me. More green is meaning plants. I used to horde plants in my house, but now I have 1. I think I'm going to make some terrariums and some other succulents since it is the dessert.

The self stuff is just my own goals or wants. Business has slowed, as have I on the marketing, but I would like to get at least 3 NEW clients by June. I have another Tattoo idea for the other arm (hence the need for more clients). Happy workouts - I really have been thinking that working out should be less painful for me and more fun. I don't NEED to run and hurt my knees to get a work out. I've been doing the Black Eyed Peas dance game on the Kinect. I sweat and it's pretty fun.

Lot's of things to make. Most that I didn't get to from the last list and some more new ideas. I have a plan that involves Anty-T again for my food blog. Lots of random but fun ideas.

The Happy Stuff are things that I would like to start on a continual basis. Things that I think our family would really enjoy. These things aren't complicated, but I just have to get up and do them. Like the dates. Sheesh why is so hard for Cambrell and I to get out together. We have a great support here with family, but we just don't think to get out by ourselves. I'm thinking even small home dates - late dinners or desserts, etc.

Remember is simply what I think I need to keep in my head every day. Things to help me breathe and be closer to the Lord. To be a better mom, friend, wife, and human.

Hello 35! I think we're going to get along just fine.

January Ten On Ten: Winter Light

I made it to another 10 on 10. Yay!

I was thinking it was going to be a rather difficult one as my only plans for the day were to clean.

Then I noticed how different the light is in the winter. How much higher the sun is and everything sort of lost it's warmer tones.

It may be 70º out here, but the light is for sure winter light.

 

First sign of winter light - the lights are still on in the morning.

                    

 8:30 and still no good light from outside.


 

               

 Winter hangings to cheer up the house.

 

He still dresses like it's pool weather.

                           



January in AZ means citrus.

 

A self portrait because it's one of my goals.

 

Losing the light again.

 

Long cool shadows during homework time.


See other fantastic Ten on Ten posts here.

Cheers To Christmas Recap

  

This was our christmas: It was merry!

Waiting

              

It's one week before Christmas and the waiting is creating constant hysteria.

I remember that feeling, and it wasn't just about waiting to get a bunch of loot. It was the whole thing; the night before trying to sleep, waking to find cookies eaten, paper all over the floor and everyone was together.

In my family not everyone was together that often. I mean like my brother and dad in the same room with me at the same time. It was magic to me.

I sent a text this morning saying that leaving me alone with 3 kids a week before Christmas was cruel and unusual punishment. While yes, they are pumped to the point of sending me over the edge, I decided that I need to embrace this. I need to take hold of all of their enthusiasm while I can. I need to remember that it's this enthusiasm in everything that wanes with age.

I have one major project to finish up today, and the rest of my week I WILL steep myself in the child's wonder of Christmas. Making cookies, drinking hot cocoa, starring at lights, plinking coins in bell ringers pots and just being together.

Together is always magical to me no matter how old I get, and the waiting will never be as fun as it is now.

Happy Little Things

Just a quick post on some happy little moments from my cell phones point of view.

               

 He sings in the car now, or lip syncs to rap.

               

 I made this simply because I needed to make something out of it. It's actually the front of my bathroom drawer. It fell off in my hand and I thought "darn it, I'm going to make something pretty out of this piece of crap." I like it. It's just coffee filters and paper.

 

The oldest's room. It's so bright that it makes the hallway glow sometimes. I like it. I also like the painting he did above this desk. It looks like an abstract of aspen trees.

                     

 These came in and they make it feel more professional . . . and stuff.

 

 I finally redid my desk. I'll have a before and after soon.

                    

 And this is just my favorite. The day was sweet and he wanted me to take a picture to show daddy because "he would really like this candy." So sweet.