little chapters....

26

Thursday, April 29, 2010

It's been a week of reflection on what's transpired the past 8 months

I didn't plan for this

it caught me by surprise when my daughters brought home their school schedule for the next 7 weeks....

that's when it hit me

the realization that another Little Chapter in my children's big book of life

will be written in a mere 7 weeks....

they are winding up

dotting all the i's crossing all their t's on another school year...

I had a slide show or I should say a flip book flash before my eyes...

I swear it was the first day of school just weeks ago....

I thought...

I have whiplash

it has gone/going by so fast

after seeing their schedule for the month of May it's only going to get faster...

it's jammed packed

May's calendar is full I tell you

F U L L

Confirmation

Cinco de Mayo {you can't pass up an opportunity to have a Margarita}

piano recitals

band concert

talent show

my son's birthday

8TH grade class trip

morning coffee break with friends {a must}

toss in the unexpected events that love to catch us by surprise

etc...

It sent me into reflection mode of all that will need to be done...

making lists to help keep me and everyone organized

outfit planning for the whole family

thank you gifts that will need to be bought

thank you letter's that will need to be written....

finally

the multiple parties that need to be planned

because every "Little Chapter" needs a party!!!

Here's to a day, a week, a month of capturing time

bottling it up

hugging it tight

celebrating

all the little chapters!!!

xo,

day out & a Chicken Feeder....

33

Friday, April 23, 2010

I took a little detour today...

tossed my sweet laundry basket aside...

loaded the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher

dropped my girls off at school after around of hugs and kisses

grabbed my son's backpack

filled it with a few treats....

hung my "gone junking" sign up

together we hit the road to

pick a friend who needed to toss her laundry basket aside for the day as well!!!

Nothings better than a quick road trip

to meet up with more friends...

a little treasure searching...

arrive home just in time for the school bell to ring

with a Chicken Feeder

yeeHa girls

who knew this once California girl

transported to the country girl

has a passion for

Chicken Feeders....

here's to new passions and explaining my new love for Chicken Feeders to darling hubby...

{just thinking about the conversation I'm going to have when he arrives home has me in a fit of giggles}

haPPy FriDay....

xo,

day dreaming.... just because....

28

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I surrender...

to a day of day dreaming

cozy latte breaks earlier than usual

just because

some days you just need to stop...

to dream

to plan

to think

having an Outdoor Spring Fling...

because that's where my dream took me...

there was nothing else to do but surrender

plan....

so Welcome

to my garden dream

come on in and grab a cold drink

have a stroll through the yard....
let nature do the decorating...
everything is turning so lush, so vibrant....
add some tea light candles
good friends

pick a seat...
any seat...

grab your flatware

feast on a scrumptious meal
of ____________
this is where my dream ended and my chickadees came home from school

to be continued.....
{daydreaming pictures found from BHG, Country Living & Cottage Living}

What are you dreaming about today?

xo,

BriGht PoPs of CoLor....

20

Monday, April 19, 2010

that's how I would describe my weekend....

from everything we put into our mouth

all the way down to the tips of our toes...

it was a weekend that celebrated birthdays

it was a weekend to celebrate friends...

sweet as sugar

so kind

caring

and accepting....

they let a little sister and a little brother be included in ALL the fun...

the joy that acceptance brought to my littler ones melted this mamma's heart!

For my 10 year old daughter's friends

our little thank you to them

was an American Girl Mystery book with a pair of haPPy SocKs!!!

a few dozen colorful donuts!!!

Really after staying up all night what's better than a box full of sprinkles...

for everyone!!!

As I was watching them eat

listening to their laughter with a mouth full of goodness

and have them fill me in on who fell asleep first

I felt so blessed to have a house full of kids who are all different, all colorful, all amazing...

they all have their own special story to tell

their own journey to travel....

friendship

is such a gift to be treasured!!!

Thank You to all of YOU for sharing your friendship with me each day!!!

wishing you a week living in

COLOR

bright

POPS

amazing

COLOR!

xo,

happy feet

23

Friday, April 16, 2010

What's a girl to do when one daughter has her 14Th birthday on Easter weekend...

What's a girl to do when another daughter was born 9 days later which put her birthday at the end of Spring Break...

and their friends were all on Spring trips....

This girl said.....

no worries...

lets just push the one big slumber party for both girls to

t o n i g h t!

while we're at it

lets have them

arrive in their pajamas

silly slippers

crazy socks

for

a girls evening of

snooze~a~palooza

f u n

{Country Living}

You would think I would be ready...

You would think the cupcakes were baked, frosted and waiting

You would think the bite sized brownies were baking in the oven

You would think the gift bags were tied with ribbon ready to go

You would think I'd be ready for my house to be filled with youthful hyper giddiness...

when in fact

I'm so not ready....

why?

Spring has truly left me completely distracted...

with flower shop stops to decorate the front porch

big herb garden ambitions that are settling for one big herb pot...

baby steps to see how green my thumb is...

sparkly flip flops that make my feet so darn happy I can't stay in one spot long enough...

not to mention I'm in the midst of being completely bathroom obsessed...

I told you I had every intention of dragging my new bathroom redo out...

patience

searching for the perfect soaps...

cotton ball container

is so much fun

when you have sparkly flip flops on your feet!

Here's to happy feet, a full house, and sneaking out for a glass of wine by the pool when the noise level reaches the point of me saying

what was I thinking!!!

time is ticking...

best kick off my flip flops and get serious....

have a wonderful weekend!!!

x0,

sunshine & celebrating life....

40

Monday, April 12, 2010

Last week was one of those weeks....

juggling my kids being home....

it definitely felt like Spring...

looked like Spring...

but

I have no idea where the so called

Break

was!!

There was no break...

it was go go go...

our city outing was everything a city outing should be...

museums, lunching, coffee shop stops

walking

absorbing the amazing sights and sounds of history

family laughter

sore feet

"please hold me"

more sore feet

{did I mention coffee shop stops!!!}

a 4 year old temper tantrum over not holding a super sized cookie that was down right embarrassing

But in all seriousness...

it was down right

glorious!

it was LIFE

my senses felt alive.

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending to

Spring Break

then

Celebrating the birth of my

10 year old daughter....

what a blessing

what a life

what a smile!!!

Go ahead grab a fork

dig right in

love all it has to offer

the good and not so good

because

it's Spring

and life is down right glorious!!!

xo,

bathroom break....

25

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

I think it's time I start taking up yoga seriously....

I mean seriously....

for real...

not just say I'm going to start my new yoga routine...

but actually place the DVD into the machine...

pull out the bright pink yoga mat

put on my yoga attire for the actual purpose of working out

not to just wear it because I find it to be so comfy and stylish...

Why the new sudden need besides it's good for my health....

because

I've come to a very big realization...

that my friend Lisa brought to my attention while we were chatting on the phone...

she was telling me she didn't have a great week

her mood was off

because she hadn't worked out

she heads to Spin Class to clear her mind...

get the funk feeling out of her system

it recharges her battery

she's ready to tackle all life has to offer....

when she Spins...

What do I do?

I crack open a paint can

P a i n t

It immediately puts me in the zone

I feel my muscles stretching

my back is bending over to dip my roller into the tray

I'm standing on my tippy toes...

practicing my balancing act on the ledge of the tub

all because the ladder is not in arms reach...

I'm rushing up and down the stairs 100 times for something the chickadees need...

that's how I've ended up with a unfinished master bathroom...

I didn't have a plan when I started...

I just had the need to head to the gym or go for a run feeling

for me

that feeling translates to

P a i n t i n g

When I started this project it came as a little surprise to my husband and oldest daughter...

they heard strange noises coming from the master bathroom

they came to investigate the noise to find me with a sander in one hand and a spackling bottle in the other

What are you doing?

ummm

well...

I felt like exercising!

Now that I'm tackling my latest project...

ideas are bouncing around

I've been searching the magazines for inspiration

found so many pictures that capture the essence of the look I'm going for

loving the new paint color...

it's just what I wanted

but I'm

taking my time...

I'm purposefully dragging it o u t

Why?

because now I need to actually find the yoga DVD before I finish

so next time I feel the need to unwind

clear my mind

feel my muscles working

I'll reach for the yoga mat instead of the paint brush....

Tomorrow you'll find me speed walking...

heading out with the chickadees

for a little adventure

to the city...

See you soon!

{all dreamy bathroom photos from Country Living}

xo,

heLLo...

28

Monday, April 5, 2010

good morning...

or should I say

almost afternoon.....

it was a jam packed

all good things

kind of weekend

we had 2 celebrations

Easter and my oldest daughter's 14 birthday...

all rolled into one weekend

double the fun

double the rejoicing....

I'm looking forward to a full week

of flip flopping fun...

finishing some projects I "just had" to start before the weekend...

what's a little bathroom makeover right before Easter and a birthday...

I mean really

it's not really a celebration in our house without a little bit of painting mess and a few paint brushes in the refrigerator sitting right next to the egg salad!!

Here's to a get it all in kind of week...

projects mixed in with a few day trips...

heLLo SprinG BreaK

I'm ready for YOU...

in one hand I have a latte

in the other a paint brush

because

multiple bikes are in the driveway...

multiple shoes are lining the front door...

the welcoming noise of friends voices are being heard throughout the house...

it's Spring Break after all

the more the merrier...

so if you have the Spring bug head on over

there's an extra paint brush sitting in the fridge right next to the egg salad just waiting for YOU!!!

xo,

Snippets of a room....

34

Thursday, April 1, 2010

I'm madly deeply passionate about yellow!

makes

h a p p y

it brightens a room

it brightens my life...

it's one color I can't live without

it was just what my living room needed...

bright pops of delicious yellow...

the revamped living room is still under construction...

during my evening of switcherooing I pulled a few of my yellow pieces from other areas of my home

the minute I added yellow...

it became a brightly lit room!!!

it inhaled

mixed with dark chocolate...

slipcovered duckcloth ottomans

vintage treasures...

I have a few more ideas tucked up my sleeve

patiently waiting for me to

implement them...

however, in the mean time

it's positively

glowing...

Hello April,

I'm so tickled to see you

if today is any indication of what you have instore for us it's definitely going to be a month that positively g l o w s!!!

xo,