live and learn

snowed in....

and i have to say, i'm fine with it, at least for the moment. i wouldn't mind if it let up later, so that we could keep our plans with donna and jamie for tonight. we're planning on going to a showing of fireproof at the local college.  then tomorrow, i was planning to go to the estate dispersal shop (which is only open once a month) and then tomorrow night, we have cooking club! we haven't been as consistent lately with cooking club, so i'm glad we're having it, and hopefully, we'll get back on track. i've missed it.

i do love good food. i don't think i appreciated the beauty of food until i worked with terri troia. she really taught me to look at food differently. she was practical...not fussy at all, but she had this gift of making even the most common foods look and taste wonderful. i don't think i've ever thought of food in the same way. she would talk about the beauty of a bowl of fresh lemons, or even a well grilled chicken breast. she's the friend i've mentioned before, who could taste a dish at a restaurant, and come back to the cottage the next day, and recreate it. she's also the friend i've mentioned who could walk into my kitchen right now, and put together a great meal with what i have on hand. it's a real gift. she inspired me. now i look at a salad with fresh produce and i see the beauty and appreciate it. i love food presentation. not that i'm that great at it, or always make it a priority. i think that's why i love cooking club so much. it's a time set aside to really focus on the whole process, from preparation, to presentation, to dining. i also appreciate the art of fine dining, in a way that i doubt i would have even gotten without my years at carey cottage. a well set table, good food and company make one of the best settings for great conversation. there are few things i enjoy more than sharing a beautiful meal with loved ones.

tom and i had a beautiful salad a few nights ago-

 

simple, not fussy at all, but so tasty.we don't always eat healthy. last night we shared an order of mini corn dogs and fries. oops. i haven't been baking much at all in the last few years, with the kids gone. yesterday, i was organizing my recipes, and as i was sorting through all these great looking recipes, it made me want to cook and bake. i found a recipe i had printed a while ago, and decided to bake some cookies in honor of valentine's day-

 

i took a plate of them to our small group last night...but i still have this huge batch tempting me here today. i MUST workout. and be strong. here's the recipe if you want to try these: outrageous chocolate chip cookies. i know i found this recipe on a blog, but i can't remember whose? sorry, i like to give credit, but i'm at a loss. 

another food related pretty:

   my beautiful handmade pear from kelly. i smile every time i walk by this beauty!~

this makes me smile too-

 the pretty pink roses tom brought me lastnight. they are soooo pretty! huge heads and they smell divine! sometimes, i like to put fresh flowers in our bedroom, rather than the more public living spaces. i love walking in our room throughout the day and smelling the overwhelming scent.

and how could i NOT smile when this goofball turns up in almost every house shot?

 

scooter has more nicknames than you can shake a stick at....scoots, goofball, stinky, brownie butt, baby girl, little man (tom thinks she was supposed to be a male)....and the list goes on. she is a funny one.

k, i'm having problems posting, so i should probably move along. if i don't get here tomorrow, happy valentine's day! and God bless!

a little creativity....

i've been spending a little time in my studio lately. making stuff, just for the sake of making it. that makes me happy. i've also been working on a mini-book that goes way back. i came up with the concept a LONG time ago...but fortunately it's still relevant. i'll be offering this mini as a class at the loft very soon. i'll announce the date and details in the next few days. here are a couple of peeks-

 

 

as with the past classes i've had, this will also be a small, hands-on class with lots of one-on-one time.

another fun creative thing i have to share is this:

 

this book is the brainchild of the talented, brilliant artist, claudine hellmuth. 

  

here's my little contribution :)  

i honestly love what i'm doing. i love that i'm able to create every day. whether it's via my camera, or paper and glue, or canvas and paint....i just love that i can do what i love every single day. what do you love? i am envisioning that some of you love to sing and have to sing every day...we all have something we're passionate about. for the good of your soul, if you don't know what your passion is, figure it out! stop going through the motions of life, be conscious and LIVE your life, in the way God intended. He didn't put these desires in our hearts for nothing. get after it!

"Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him." (Psalm 37:3-5, 7a)

i used to sort of fight the "desires of my heart", thinking it was selfish of me...now, i see that it's just a part of the equation of life. if the desires are unhealthy, or become an obsession above my faith...then i should be fighting them...but if they are a healthy part of who i am, then i think God blesses these desires. better to be fulfilled and satisfied by healthy passions, than by unhealthy thoughts and actions, right?

in my quest for balance, i'm trying to make time for exercise. it's one of the first things to go, when my schedule gets interupted. i was dressed and ready for a workout yesterday for hours, before i actually got the workout in. i was going to take a walk to the thrift shop, as incentive to get some cardio...but somehow one thing after another happened and i didn't get it done. finally, at dusk, i made it out for a walk/run (yes, i'm even able to run a little now!) and then i came home and did my pilates ab workout. when i woke up this morning, my first thought as i rolled over was, "oh yeah, i feel that". ouch. my abs hurt so much, i'm almost nauseous! i love that kind of pain. reminds me of my bodybuilding days. i literally always had an aching body part. i know those days are long gone...but i am thankful that i'm still able to workout and feel good about it. my body is FAR from the way it was back in the day, but i am okay with the imperfections. my body paradigms have changed dramatically. i appreciate my imperfect body for how it has served me and continues to do it's "job". i have energy and recognize what an amazing thing it is to still be able to rely on my body to do what i need it to do. does that make any sense at all?

i'm looking so forward to our weekend! we have tons planned...some in celebration of valentine's and some not relating to it at all. but it should be lots of fun! and i plan to have my camera with me. i've been slacking on that lately, so i'm saying it here, so that my friends will hold me accountable.

take care of yourselves, my dear blog friends....and God bless you!

in answer to a few questions...

i try to answer questions or expand on topics that are mentioned in comments left, or emails sent. i'm not always prompt in answering, but i try. so today will be an effort to cover a few things that i may have missed or that may have been asked recently.

but first, this observation: i think tom and i may officially be "getting old". last night, we had plans to celebrate our anniversary with dinner at one of our favorite higher end restaurants. but at the last minute we started talking about the chicken madeira at cheesecake factory. so we changed our plans and went to cheesecake factory and shared chicken madeira. oh and we ate at 5:30. BUT, in our defense, we planned to do some shopping after dinner...thus the early dinner.

while i was in CA, jenn (who could sell a yak to a couple living in a studio apartment in NYC!) had the coolest jeans...which i tried on and was determined to find when i got back home. i did an online search and found a few boutiques and one department store who carried them. so, after dinner, we went to von maur in search of david kahn jeans. they had a few styles, but not the ones i'm after. so i will be checking out the local boutiques soon. jenn is the person who forced  talked me into joining facebook, last fall, before the explosion recently. she's also the one who has shown me lots of amazing products at sephora (we spendhours at sephora, whenever we're working the shows). she was on a webkins kick for a few months...and i DID resist that. she just has a phenomenal way of presenting things. if anyone is looking for a salesperson, jenn is your girl!

after checking von maur out, we did some shopping for new clothes for tom. he's lost 50 pounds and hadn't bought anything new. his clothes are huge on him. one day he came home for lunch and i noticed how "empty" the fabric at his butt and hips looked...so i pulled on the back of his pants as he walked away from me...and the fabric stayed pooched out. we laughed so hard about that. tom has a reputation for being very frugal, (some might call him squeaky) so buying new clothes has been a struggle. plus he has the typical weight loss issue, of not believing he really has made that big of a change, and not believing he could be two sizes smaller. anyway, he went to the hardware store when his belt wouldn't hold his pants up any more, and bought a leather punch, so he could make more holes in his belt. that is classic tom novacek. i really do need to do updated photos of him.

*b* list q & a

1. I would actually love to hear more about your devotional routine. Do you get up early? Do you jump out of bed? (this is from my good pal maureen)i was thinking about this just this morning. from what i can figure, i think i have consistently been getting up and doing devotions for about 10 years (and before that, i was sporadic...i remember when brooke was a baby, i did quiet time at 3:00 every day, when i put her down for her nap). i, personally can't imagine what my days would be like without it. i look forward to it...it's not a struggle at all. it's one of my favorite daily rituals. i don't get up super early....my alarm goes at 6:30, but a lot of times i hit snooze until 7:00. some days i pop right up and can't wait to start my day. on the weekends, i don't set an alarm, but i still wake up at the same time. i read years ago about the importance of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, and how beneficial it is...so i've made it a habit. i do truly look forward to my quiet time...so much so, that even when i was super busy this past fall, and going to bed at 3 or 4 am, i still wanted to get up in the morning and have that quiet time. i think it kept me sane during those months! and it always keeps me focused.
2. Becky....talk more about Mary and Martha. I am always interested in that subject.
   I'm the one in the kitchen, crabbing about doing all the work!!! (from my friend marybeth)i'm right there with you mb. i am very task oriented. i am a firm believer in "being productive"...which i think can be counter productive, when it comes to relationships. anyway, the book i referred to "God is closer than you think" and ortberg's writings were fresh to me. to very loosely paraphrase what he writes: it's not that martha chose a bad thing, working on the meal and being concerned about hospitality, it's that she didn't choose the best thing. he writes about how when you're the worker bee, and no one joins in to help, there's an "amplification phenomenon"....where you get more and more angry that no one is helping, and it becomes even bigger than it is. Jesus says to martha, "mary has chosen what is better." he goes on to write, "i suspect many of us are like martha. we have good intentions. we have invited Jesus into our homes. but we end up missing out on His presence-not because we rejected him, but because we just got overwhelmed by preparations for life. we got distracted.....sometimes in our martha moments we live under the illusion that worry enhances our ability to control the world. somehow we fear that if we stop worrying about something completely, it will really go wrong." he goes on to write about letting go. living in the moment. making good choices. not being distracted. it really spoke to me.
3. What tripod would you recommend for an amateur photographer, without a fat wallet?(an email from laura) i bought my tripod a few years ago-it's an induro A313 with the 3 way head...you can see them here (my local camera shop) i like it.
4. When I first stumbled on your blog a couple months ago, I recall seeing you test out some photoshop actions that you purchased (I believe) from another blogger.  I've looked through your blog again and now I can't seem to find the posting.  If you can remember the blog, I would be very happy!  Or if you have any other suggestions, that would be great as well.  (from an email from amelia) i'm not sure which photoshop actions amelia is referring to, but i will share my favorites. i use itty bitty actions, totally rad actions and   my new favorite bw conversion method (which kelly hooked me up with...she finds the best stuff online!) 

  

above is before...not bad. but compare to the after-

way more crisp and contrasty....less muddiness. the before is the action i used to use, and that is after tweaking it.

that's all i have time for today! i wanted to share one more thing before i post this:

 

 

the new wedding essentials magazine is out! i am so thrilled that they used the photo of katie and garrett with the wall of canvases! it's my favorite! 

i'm just about ready to proceed with details on the mini-book class that i've been writing about for months! maybe even a year! it's so fun! hopefully tomorrow i'll show some sneak peeks and have a date! i have another really fun thing in the works that i hope to reveal very soon! the loft will soon be a busy place!

have a great day and God bless! 

weekends = busyness

a different kind of busyness, in our household. not complaining at all. it's usually good busyness. it started on friday afternoon, with a tea party.

 

it was such a pretty setting. pam made her delicious scones and brought along all of the pretties. i simply provided transportation to cindy's and enjoyed.

 

i wish we could sit down for tea with friends every afternoon. such great conversation and goodies.

on saturday, we moved my sister. she moved from one split level to another. suzy and i were runners. in other words, we stood at the door, and the guys handed us boxes, or whatever, and we either ran it upstairs or down. i was surprised that i was in fairly decent shape. i guess living in a house with a million steps has it's benefits. i thought i would be really sore yesterday, but i wasn't at all. my aunt mary and dave, my cousins, mark, mike(and mike's son caleb) and marcy, my jared, and our friend suzy all helped...and i have to say, that it was fun. the grefes always make work fun. we laughed through the whole deal. after the move, we went to mom and dad's for sloppy joes, beans and brownies, compliments of mom, dad and brooke. i love my family. we don't get together with extended family often enough.

i asked brooke if i could have grey for a while saturday afternoon, because the light in my living room was gorgeous!

 

 

  

and then scooter joined us....

   

she is such a goofball. she has the energy of a puppy.

kirby, amber and addie came to town last night. sadly, it was too dark to get any shots...but we're planning to do a family shoot soon. it was great to see them and hang out. sometimes, i think it's okay that the camera isn't a factor. brooke and i realized recently that i've only taken photos with all 4 of their kiddos once since grey was born. time goes by so swiftly.

and speaking of that. today is our anniversary. 13 years. i have a good man. i may have mentioned that before. but he really is. i am most impressed that he is the same no matter who we are with, or where we are. that is integrity. he doesn't change to fit in to any given situation. the man i hang out with in our home, is the same man that i go out in public with. i can't even explain how much i love and appreciate him. he has my whole heart. he represents home to me. he doesn't have a phony bone in his body. he's the real deal. i am blessed.

have a great monday! God bless!

little things...

i think i've used this title quite a few times. i love the little things, the details of life, the everyday rituals. my morning ritual is almost sacred to me. my cup of coffee, my favorite chair, my Bible reading and prayer time. it grounds me. it keeps me level. it starts my day with intention. i think it's every bit as vital to my well being as what i eat and drink, and how i sleep. all this to say, my new coffee mug makes me happy-

 

when i was at target on wednesday, i couldn't resist it. i also picked up 8 little striped melamine plates. i thought they were perfect for our 8 little people. especially in the summer when we eat outside. the colors are yummy.

another little thing that makes a huge difference to me, are quotes. i'm reading two books while i'm on the nordic track (no eliptical for me, oh no, i'm old school), one is called "God is closer than you think" by john ortberg....it's a great, thought provoking read. two different teachings have been particularly thought provoking to me-one on the story of mary and martha, and another on job's life. new ideas for me. the other book i'm reading while working out is "time alive", by alexandra stoddard. she is one of my favorites, despite her at times "new age-ish" philosophies. i still love her. her decorating philosophies have really inspired me. her way of thinking of her home and surroundings are very much like mine...or maybe when i read her writings years ago, they shaped how i wanted to be. anyway, here are  a couple of quotes from these two books:

"if we don't take charge of its direction, our life will be controlled by the outside. how we choose what to do, and how we approach it, that will determine whether the sum of our days adds up to a formless blur, or to something resembling a work of art." mihaly csikszentmihalyi

(interestingly enough, mihaly csikszentmihalyi is quoted in both books, as different as stoddard and ortberg's writings might be)

here's another of his quotes:

"how many of our demands could be reduced if we put some energy into prioritizing, organizing, and streamlining the routines  that now fritter away our attentions." mc

and here's one by thomas moore:

"we ourselves have both the task and the pleasure of organizing and shaping our lives for the good of our soul."

i am still stuck on finding balance. that's probably why these quotes resound with me. it is my constant struggle. i am pleased to see the progress i've made, but i have to stay conscious on this. priorities, time, energy...basically, it's figuring out how to invest time in the things that are most important to me. not using the famous excuse, "i don't have time". i've used it, i will probably use it again...but it's really like saying, "that's not important enough to me right now, to spend my time doing it."

tom and i are going to a small group studying prayer by jim cymbala. i am in awe. it is the most inspiring small group study i've ever experienced. every week it challenges me and inspires me. if you ever have the opportunity to do this study, DO IT! i highly recommend it. it's called, "what happens when God's people pray". there are videos with powerful teaching and a study book. jim is the pastor of the brooklyn tabernacle church in nyc. his demeanor and teaching style sort of remind me of billy graham (who i adore). they both have such a way of conveying real Godly love...not the stereotypical, judgemental kind of "churchy" love. don't get me wrong, i know that many churches get it right...but i do think there is a sort of conditional love associated with some churches. instead of accepting people right where they are. let God deal with people's inadequacies...it's not our deal. i know i need grace and i hope i extend it to others.  it's inspired me to be more service oriented. last night, my head was spinning with ideas of things i might be able to do, that will make a difference. anyway, our studies and conversations within our group have been so incredible. i don't want the six weeks to end!

have a great day and weekend, and God bless!

finally...

a post about scrapbooking/CHA/new products. i know i'm a little late with this. i had a great time checking out all the new products, seeing some of my favorite people and soaking up the inspiration. every time i go to a show, i come home super inspired to create. however, it usually hits me while i'm away, and it kills me until i get home!

so before i have an interuption, or forget, here are some of my favorites:

• fancy pants not only are they truly nice people, they make great products. i adore the kraft kuts line and the new clear albums.
• fiskars the new border punches. in particular the apron lace and upper crest border punches. i know i will use the over and over. 

 

 i used the upper crest punch on this layout.

• melissa frances you can see a tour of the booth if you click on the link. i adore the bottle brush trees, crepe paper sheets, rhinestones and the attic treasures collection! 
• jenni bowlin i have to say, there has never been anything that jenni has made, that i haven't loved! seriously. i can't even pick a favorite. whenever i walk in her booth, i feel at home. 
• autumn leaves i can't wait to play with the new stamps! the mindy's zoo and silhouette family figures are my faves right now.
• sassafras lass i remember their first collection. so happy to see rebecca and her team blossom and grow. they consistently put together great products! 

as always, i'm sure i forgot something....so i'll just plan to add to this list as the week progresses. i just have to say, that i'm really happy that product still excites me. as i wrote a week or two ago, i still really love to scrapbook. i love to be in my little studio, sketching, planning, creating. it fulfills something in me that nothing else has been able to. of course, i am passionate about photography...but it doesn't fill the need to create in the way that hands-on crafting does. so i will continue to enjoy both to the utmost. 

other things that make me happy:

• lauren hutton on the cover of jcrew. i grinned so big when i saw the cover! 
• a clean frig to bring fresh produce home to :) 
• reading. i have been reading an exorbinant amount of books lately. well, exorbinant for me anyway. i've read 7 or 8 books already this year. by the way, i finished "loving frank" recently. sorta beautiful and tragic...not what i expected at all

bittersweet. this beautiful lady passed from this life to the next on sunday.

 peg is our daughter in law jennifer's grandma. a dear lady.

thank you for all the nice comments on the lovey post yesterday. i'll let you know if jamie starts a blog.

God bless you!

love is in the air...

before i get into the topic of the day, i just need to say, if you are under the age of 18, you may want to stop reading right now. it's not that i'm going to post anything really racy...i just don't want to bore you. jamie's post on the other hand, may be racy! i decided to post a pre-valentine's day entry, because i thought it would give us all time to really think this through and not wait until the last minute to address what we're doing for our sweeties for valentine's day.

a couple of unrelated things first. i know it's common knowledge, but i can't NOT mention how sad i am about this. i can't believe how many great publications have gone down recently. but domino? oh my. i thought they were solid. i am such a magazine freak, i hope that they don't become obsolete. i love the internet, but i NEED my magazines. 

on a more positive note, i am so excited about this. i adore her stuff. even though it doesn't necessarily fit in with my decor, i still find it very pleasing to look at. i just adore target. they have done a fabulous job of snagging great designers. 

okay, so i asked our good friend jamie to help me with this post. i thought it would be cool to get a male perspective on romance. i have been encouraging jamie to start a blog for quite a while now...after reading their Christmas letter a year ago (i think?) i gave him a very basic idea of what i wanted, and it's  interesting to see his approach compared to mine. venus and mars, that's all i'm gonna say.

my list first:

*b* list on what women wish men knew about valentine's day and romance

1. go with your heart. you know your woman. (and if you don't, that's a problem) you know what she loves...and if you don't, it's time to get to know her. we (women) give hints, if you're listening and paying attention.

2. be thoughtful. think about it, women, generally speaking, take care of their families. there are many details involved, and it can become overwhelming. so think about what your woman has mentioned overwhelms her, and then figure out a way to ease that pressure...even if it's only for a day. hire a one time housecleaning, offer to run all the errands that she would typically take care of, give her a day off with the children, do household tasks for a day. or do what tom novacek has done, take over cleaning up after dinner and doing the laundry-all the time. when my business started to take off, he took over those two things. i have never felt more loved or romanced. last night, i ended up making this pasta dish with tons of different steps and ingredients (rather than the parmesan chicken) so the cleanup was pretty intense. when i saw him roll up his sleeves and start handwashing the pots and pans, i have to admit, he looked good to me :)

3. use your imagination. get creative about HOW you give gifts or surprises. i have an example: a "friend" was modeling in a local style show, for a very highend boutique. even though they offered a significant discount, there was still no way she could purchase the amazing dress she modeled. she mentioned the experience briefly to her husband, and put it out of her mind. a week or two later, she was getting her haircut, and after her cut was done, her stylist told her that he had something to show her in the back room. he led her back to the room, and hanging on a closet door, was the amazing dress. gentleman (if any of you are reading) this is romance....thoughtfulness, generosity and maybe even sacrifice, and a huge element of surprise.

4. take care of details. when you plan a date, offer to take care of the details...hiring a sitter, pick the sitter up and take her home. maybe you can make the plans-buy the tickets to a concert, take her to a favorite restaurant, on a walk, out for ice cream or whatever. in your defense on this one, i realize that some women are uncomfortable relinquishing control of some things, but you can at least offer.

5. about giving flowers. i thought this would be common knowledge, but according to a few of my friends, NOT SO. this is important guys: don't take the "less is more" approach to giving flowers. a single red rose may be cool to give your sweetheart when you're in 7th grade, but a grown man, with a job should express his love with flowers by being generous...or not at all. this is an all or nothing subject. either give a big generous bouquet(not necessarily expensive-a huge bouquet of daisies is inexpensive) or don't give flowers at all. no single red roses. wow, i sound tough. : )

6. presentation. chicks dig a well presented gift. maybe pass, on the walmart bag?

7. make a small sacrifice to spoil her. by this, i don't mean to use the money for the electric bill...that would just stress her out.

8. treat her as you want to be treated. i'm into the golden rule as my general rule for all relationships. it honestly works like nothing else.

9. turn off the tv. one night recently, tom and i sat by the fire, and talked for hours. no tv. it's crazy the difference that makes. and to be fair, with me, it would be a matter of turning off the computer...right tom?

10. be protective. even in this time of equality, i think most women want to feel protected. give her your jacket if she's cold, take her hand in a crowd, check the doors before you go to bed....you get the idea. jamie will address how men feel about being protected too.

i'm pretty sure that as i'm showering or working out, i'll realize that i've forgotten something important, but i think this is a good start.

here's jamie's take:

"what men wish women knew about valentine's day/romance?

hmmm, romance, i know, SEX! WOOOOHOOOO, right guys! wait, sizzling passionate SEX! there's the romance-passion, with sex being the icing on the cake. OK-OK, let me put some more thought into this, but really, guys, have three maybe four good brain cells that really can't hold much more. (sorry if i sold you out on this one, but wait, you ladies probably already knew it, eh?) then i thought i'd write something witty & ohhhh he's so clever and suave, but if i could (which i really doubt i can) my lovely wife will read it and look me in the eyes to say, "REALLY, where in the world did THIS come from. so now, i think i would have painted myself in the proverbial corner.

okay, first i must visit mr webster and see what his term of "romance" is. it says; "the adventures of knights and other chivalric heroes, later a fictitious tale of wonderful and extraordinary events, characterized by much imagination and idealization". hmmm, this is why to state, "what men wish women knew about romance" may be so difficult to put into words. so let me put the word LOVE in place of romance."

*okay, i have to insert my words here. jamie will do anything to get out of writing about romance!....okay back to jamie's words!*

"love will delve deeper into our lives than romance. romance can be so superficial and cheesy, because we might imagine what it should be like, if compared to some cheap romance story. then we get really bummed when that romance that we dream of doesn't end up like we thought it would. i understand that there will be romantic times, don't get me wrong, and romance is out there, and you know who your mister knight in shining armor is. here's the dirty little word again, sex, maybe, just maybe, surprise him a little, maybe not in the bedroom only, but somewhere else in the house, car, who knows, but surprise him.

*ah, so men and women both like surprises :)...back to jamie*

now, guys, just because that may happen, don't expect it's going to be that way all the time and everyday, k? (ugh, don't read this honey, i'm the worst at this, like the dog wagging his tail signaling now, now, now, huh, huh, huh?) okay, beckus, you can't put my name on this *oops* my untarnished image will be blown away when they read it.

but let's look at something which will last long beyond that, LOVE. read what paul says about LOVE. (what? you say, after what he said, he's going to quote the Bible? he needs prayer!) remember, love covers a multitude of sins, and boys, we got 'em. that's probably one of the things that i look at and wish we ALL knew a bit more about. don't just give us a break, but love us and forgive us of our short comings, inablities to multitask, stay focused, when we come home from work and fall on the couch itching those not so awe inspiring places with a burp or two. love is patient, wait for us guys, we are a little slow in getting things sometimes, like what you ladies desire. love is also kind, will you be a little softer on us when we seem so rough and untrainable. it doesn't envy, meaning that envy desires to deprive another of what he has, if that is the guys getting together, wanting to have fun going to a game or whatever, let them go with a kiss and a blessing to have fun. (that is as long as you guys don't take advantage of this and do something stupid) love is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong, we seem to be able to make you ladies angry a lot, and it is sooo easy to keep tabs or record of it, again, forgive us please. forgive us when we are not quite forgivable. love protects, we need emotional protection (admit it guys, we do), love always trusts, this one can be tough at times, but please trust us; love always hopes, what an encouragement for us, when we see that hope in your eyes that you have in us (not the hope that someday he will see it my way); love always preseveres, meaning to continue in some course of action, in spite of difficulty. and it can be difficult at times, i understand, but then remember, love never fails! even though we will fail you at times, (hopefully not desiring too) and our lives together may not always be that romantic little story in that romantic little flower covered cabin that we imagined, but it can still be full of LOVE. it is a choice that me must make, and remember our vows, through better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, LOVE.

as i say these things, i am pointing the proverbial finger at the women, but what is pointing back to me? three more, so let this also be a "what do i think my wife would want me to know about romance?" pick up your clothes, clean the house, get off the couch, do something, when will you fix that whatever, is that all your going to do?

*wow. talk about insight. and i don't know about you, but i think i figured out my friend's love language, just reading her man's writings :) thank you jamal, for writing and sharing your thoughts with us! i so appreciate the insight.

once again, this book could be very helpful. one final thought i have about love, valentine's day and romance. if you are stuck in a rut, not really "feeling" it in your relationship, don't stay stuck! i had a friend once, who was not happy in her marriage. she would talk about her husband sort of negatively or apathetically, and i finally said, "STOP". either do something to fix it, or stop complaining. i hope i always invest time and energy into my relationship with tom, and never take him for granted. i sometimes think of what my life would be like without him, and it stops me dead in my tracks. i would be lost without this amazing man. he is my best friend and i want him to know how much i love and appreciate him.

 

 

jamal & donner

 

and more of my favorite pics of couples-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

okay, typepad won't let me add any more! maybe on valentine's day i can do another batch :)

"many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." song of soloman 8:7

may God bless you and your loved ones.

back in my routine...

and i like it. there is something to be said for a normal routine. as long as i'm flexible enough to change it up if i need to. today, my focus will be on catching up around the house. last night, when i should have been sleeping, i was checking out facebook, and noticed this. i need to do this. turnoff the tv, computer, ignore the phone and see what i can get done in an hour. my house needs this. i think i've become accustomed to the bits of clutter here and there. i need to deal. today is the day! 

update on photography workshop: the photography workshop for saturday march 7, is now full. i have started a waiting list, and if that fills up, i'll offer another workshop, within a few weeks. so to those who signed up and to those who have indicated interest, thank you! i so appreciate you.

  i love collecting kitschy vintage art. i started collecting a few years ago, but never really had a great spot to hang it. this probably isn't the greatest spot, but i love that i can enjoy looking at it. this is the bedroom wall at the loft. the room is completely empty, other than this collection on the wall. i actually have more, but i kept a few favorites at the house. i'll photograph them sometime soon and share.

while i was in california, tom painted the guest room! it is such a beautiful blue. i am so anxious to get the room put together. i need to buy bedding and eventually get to ikea for a storage piece that i have in mind. i would like to move my sewing machine in too, so that i can sit, rather than stand to sew. eye-yi-yi.

so many projects. my goal of a project a month, sorta happened. at least the room is painted, right? i need to make a february project plan now. i don't think removing all the popcorn ceilings is realistic. oh how i wish.

i'm also anxious to re-do the laundry room, but i have it in my mind, that we'll wait until our antiquated washer and dryer die. after 10 years at the lake, i can't believe they are still running. it's a good thing...i'm not complaining. lots of other things i'd like to replace first.

since i'm getting back into my normal routine, i plan to get back to some healthy eating. we've sorta slipped in that area. with me being gone, and then the weekend hitting right away, we haven't done real well. even the fruit bowl is empty. not good! i'm making our old standby-parmesan chicken tonight. so simple, but so good. i plan to make roasted tomato basil soup this week and fruit slush too. plus, i'm planning to hit my workouts hard. i didn't gain any weight over the past week, but i haven't lost either...and with our pool opening within a few months and jared and beth's upcoming wedding, i'd like to be down a few.

we watched this little dude play basketball this weekend-

 

i think the lighting in this gym is the worst i've dealt with. i converted every image to black and white....the green tones were outta control! i think it's adorable, that he has the jordan tongue action going! it's in pretty much every image where he's in on the action!

i just realized that i still haven't shared my favorite new products from the show. forgive me! and it's not that they're forgettable...it's just me! i will still get to it. tomorrow i have a fun plan for the tuesday list. i have a male guest poster, as well as my own list. the lists? what men wish, and what women wish, regarding valentine's day/romance. should be fun!

have a wonderful monday and God bless!

a sense of awe...

this morning, tom and i went to a funeral, for a friend's mom, at our local catholic church. scott's brother is a priest serving in the military in baghdad iraq and he officiated the service. it was the most touching, beautiful funeral service, i think i've ever experienced. very heartfelt and spiritual, with just enough humor to keep everyone at ease. i grew up in the missouri synod lutheran church, so i know the sense of awe that exists in a large, liturgical church, and i must say that i miss that. i adore my church...but, whenever i visit a catholic, lutheran or other liturgical service, i realize that a part of me, misses the sense of awe, respect, and reverence that is a part of a more traditional church. i was moved to tears more than once...and it had a lot to do with feeling the presence of God, as well as the sadness that comes with loss. whenever i go to a funeral, i think of my own mortality, and sometimes, i think about what i would want at my service. i know i want *my* boys to carry me, jared, josh, ryan, kirby and my grandsons. that is important to me. i tell tom that every time we go to a funeral. today, he said he wants that too. i know i want the songs, "amazing grace" and "lift high the cross". i want uplifting, encouraging Bible verses read, and i want a message of Jesus' love and grace given. okay, now it's in writing, and the world knows! if i die soon, you guys all know what i want! anyway, while we were at the funeral, i couldn't help but think about what a great chaplain scott's brother must be. he had such a great sense of humor and seems so very kind. i'm sure he gives a lot of comfort to the military personnel who he serves. that was encouraging. another sort of unrelated thing that i thought was this: we all worship in different ways and have slightly different doctrines, and yet if we worship the same Savior, why can't we all respect each other's faith? an ecumenical body, united in the same purpose. as long as the bottom line is the same? Jesus is our Savior. period.

i guess my mind is really focused on life and death, because not only did scott and kathy lose scott's mom, but my bud donna lost her mom very unexpectedly yesterday too. i know one of the biggest cliche's in the world is, "life is short", but it's so true...and none of us knows the time or hour of our death. i want to be ready. i don't want to have any regrets. i want to spend time with the ones i love, and not hold back on living my life...doing what i love, and hopefully being a blessing to others. i don't want to be so driven, that i miss out on real life, killing myself to "make" it.

so, i mentioned that i would share my favorite products from the show today. since it is late, i will wait and post that another day when i can give it some proper thought. however, i will share some pretty faces that i promised. i love these girls.

 

this is kim. kim and i have so much in common. i think the main thing being our values. she is a gem.

 

 

tracy has taught me more about this industry than anyone else. she is so proper and businesslike...but at the same time, so fun to be around. love tracy!

 

i am so sad that i didn't do any headshots of jenn. she looks so good! oh well, her facebook profile pic that she took herself is awesome!

 

wendy. gorgeous, intelligent and on the same page politically with me :)

 

 

kelly is so funny...she says that every time we work a show, i try to talk her into headshots! you can see why, right?

   

iliana is so sharp...she always has the best clothes and accessories.

 

 

amy & kl...two of my favorite peeps. love these girls. so glad i got to see them and hang out a bit. i wish i had taken more photos. i always say that at the shows.

update on photography workshop: i'm doing a beginning photography workshop on saturday march 7 at the loft. i have a few openings left, so if you're interested, let me know! there is a lot interest, so i anticipate that it will fill up :)

one more thing photography related. i would like to find an adventurous young couple who ice skate. you don't have to be good...just willing. and not wimpy about cold temps. cute snow gear would be beneficial too. i would also like to find newborn twins to photograph. i am actually dying to do a shoot of multiple newborns....so if you know of anyone that might fit the bill, pass the word.

wow. i've covered the gamut today. i hope you have a great day and weekend. God bless!

every time...

i travel, i have the exact same feeling about coming home. a feeling of gratitude and peace.  i really have a good life and i appreciate it. i go away, i have a wonderful time, i am ready to come home, and i'm always overjoyed when i get here. great to have the opportunity to go, but always awesome to get home!

i struggle posting on my blog when i get back from trade shows, because i'm so overwhelmed. so many people i love and admire, so many beautiful, fresh products, so many ideas swirling in my head. i want to share, and yet i hate the idea of leaving anything or anyone out. i do have a new bff-

  i loved her on dancing. her age, combined with her killer bod, really inspired me. and in reality, she is so beautiful and seemed truly gracious as she painted. she made me want to paint. paris hilton was there too, but i couldn't get close enough to even catch a glimpse. i think i would rather see jane seymour anyway. oh and jenn and i saw deborah norville too.

i know i am behind on emails. i have 210 in my inbox right now. i will get on it. tomorrow i'll update on where i'm at with openings for the photography workshop. so excited about this!

so much more to say, but i'm dying to work out! i missed it! i can't believe it, but it's true. i'm ready to get back on track with eating and working out. feels so good.

more on the show tomorrow. i'll get my photos organized and share some pretty faces :) i'll also list some of my favorite products. i still love new products. my excitement doesn't seem to fade on this!

i've missed my connection with you all!

God bless you!