Projects a Plenty

I just LOVE a good project !

For some reason when I am creating I feel the very most alive..

Brad often asks if I will ever finish changing things...

I just laugh and hope that this is a man thing

because the thought of my house

looking the same FOREVER just seems coma inducing to me.

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A girl's just gotta decorate...

Or at least my "fairy tale" brain does..

It's a little bit like playing dress-up,

but with my HOUSE....

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WE got this dresser FREE from one of Brad's partners at work.

It was so brown and completely YUCKY boring..

But I needed the storage upstairs in my studio so I painted it

full of colors and of course polka dots...

Now it both works perfectly holding my stuff AND makes me smile.
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If you have never been to my house (then come on over)...

The upstairs was designed my a man who was obviously DRUNK....

It has 3 fairly large bedrooms with a GIANT room in the middle.

That big room is at the very least 700 square feet (maybe more)...

then.... the entire uptairs space has only 1 teeny tiny bathroom.

Why they didn't take a few feet of this MONSTER room

to make a bigger bathroom is simply beyond me...
ANYWAY.... it does work out great for most of my needs

because I use the whole thing for my studio space...

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My photography studio is upstairs also.

Though I shoot most all my work on locations

with the exception of the babies....

The chest of drawers above was a garage sale find for $5.

It too was YUCK brown.

I painted it white, and sprayed the original handles HOT pink.

The chair was a freebe on the side of the road.

I painted it white as well, and added a tutu and a frog and

NOW I smile every time I walk up the stairs.
I have had this tricycle for years and years and years..

No one ever noticed it at all (even in the garage)

SO.... I added some pink paint, my fave polka dots.....

and not a single person has left to go back down the stairs

without saying something about it.
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I found this lamp shade at a garage sale for $1.

It was in great shape.

Bought the pink fuzz at one of my favorite resale shops...

glued it on, added a butterfly, and my baby corner is
an almost guaranteed grin.
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While I was digging around in the garage for the tricycle,

I found a box I hadn't opened from my move 3 years ago.

IN IT...... were 2 of my very favorite things.

I got my kids to paint their self portrait many years ago

when I was in one of my painting moments.

Brook of course was so excited to do hers,

and Brent's ... WELL it was literally like pulling teeth.

Bless his heart - creativity is just not his forte.
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I redid the window on the stair landing 2 weeks ago.

I wanted a simple Black & White color scheme.

I'd seen one in a Pottery Barn magazine and LOVED it...

So I dug through all of my ZILLIONS of frames

(also in the garage) and found all the simple black ones.

I came across some white ones too and decided I'd mix them.

I went through my multitudes of image folders and picked out some of my

very favorite ones from years past to send to my lab.

It felt like Christmas

when I got them in the mail and put them in their frames.
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Here is another of my (you think I'm kidding)

ZILLION frames I had in the garage.
I always know I will change things up and this stuff will be recycled into

one of my "of the moment" treasures

so I keep TOO much stuff in my garage.

Anyway.... I painted the frame a fun, happy green and

put in a new KIM PARKER (love her so much )

print I bought several months ago.
Her florals are some of the mind Yummiest things.

Always colorful, full of smiles, and inspiration.

It matched the tones in my bedroom perfectly..
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Now... here is my all time (to date) very

"most wonderful" garage sale purchase..

WHAT an awesome chandelier I got for $25..

Brad got it working, hung it for me and I am just in WOW with it.

It gives my bedroom such a romantic feel.

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I absolutely adore it..

An elderly woman was moving to another state to live with her children and I promised her I would cherish it and take good care of it.

I know she must have loved it too...

But I just can't imagine her liking it as much as I do...

My bedroom is ..... "without a doubt" very favorite room in my house.
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Next project... MY wonderful chairs.
Brad's dad gave these to me a few weeks ago.
I can't tell you how thrilled I was to get them.
I am starting the painting process in my mind already...
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II honestly LOVE my house.
I feel like it has my name and my heart written all over it.
I completely adore looking at other people's houses because
they tell so much about the people who live in them.
BUT..........
my backyard is a total different story....
I simply don't ever get enough of being outside.
I enjoy the sun and fresh air
about as much as any other thing I know..
It feels me up and gives my soul energy..

BUT... the energy this backyard was giving has
the same components as the flu... GAG
These dogs (none of which are mine) have just turned
my already not great yard into something I would have to bleep to write @@##:::
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This fine specimen here....
who came to live with us after Brenae's mother sold her house
and moved into an apartment.... is the dictionary image of
"ugly but so darn sweet"
He is a breed (not yet discovered) with what I just have to call
FREAKISHLY large genitals.
Needless to say he has peed my bushes too literal death...
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This is what HGtv calls a blank canvas. ha
SO... My sweet Brad
(who I think is just tired of me fussing because I want to go outside)
has started the 1st stage of backyard makeover.....
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WE got the most fabulous antique rod iron fencing
from another partner of his at work..
(They give good stuff away)
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We are going to add it all around the patio
so AT LEAST I can have that portion Canine free to decorate.
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Stay tuned for more of the "BACKyard from Hell" makeover updates...
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May we never get too old for a PROJECT...

Homecoming Formal

Well............

Homecoming Week has come and GONE......

We all survived and the kids all had an "over the moon" good time..

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It is a little over the top I admit it,

but MAN how fun and fabulous.....

to get all dolled up in a WHAM dress,

incredible jewelry, smashing heels,

have your hair, nails, and make-up done,

go eat somewhere nice,

and dance your butt off with all your dearest of friends..

I don't know about you.....

BUT I'd love a night like that myself..

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I know I'm her momma...

But My little Brooky looked beautiful..

And bless her heart.....

From the day that child was born

she's loved playing dress up and having a good time.
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Brady had no clue what was going on...
However .........
you can tell from the look on his face that he too
knew it was something WOW...
He is always her favorite date too. hee hee
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The guys met us at the house and we did a few quick pictures here
before setting out to (what I must say)
is an absolutely incredible location for more pictures....
Thanks you April for showing it to me
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Brady kissed his "Boop" goodbye and off we went.
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What a wonderful movie star night

for all of the kids from Southwest High School.

Homecoming is such a huge tradition here,

and one where I'm sure....

the memories will last a lifetime..
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There are a few moments when you can honestly say........

that the look on your child's face...

"Is worth every penny"..

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May we all have a night we look back on and say

"WOW... that was incredible! "

Homecoming Hoopla

WOW.. What an exhausting week it has been.

HOMECOMING at Southwest High School

is a WAY big deal.

It's a week long adventure (and still going).....

Tonight is the formal dance ( I'll have pictures of that too)

Every day of the week was a special dress up day of some sort.

Then Friday is the MUM day...

All the girls met at our house

so we could take a few pictures before they went to school.

All I can say is whom ever invented mums...

was smart

(what a money making business)

Brook's date and I went to get all the stuff for her mum so we could make it.

We had the best time putting all the stuff together and decorating

what we thought she would want..

We knew one thing for sure......

it had to have some Bling and Glamour..
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She loved it......
and in the end that's all that counts...
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I had lots of stuff left over
and my main man was sure eying the whole process
SOOOOOOOOOOOO..
I made him a garter.....
feeling 100% certain that he would never wear it longer than 5 minutes....
But.. I made it anyway...
and that little fellow wore it the entire pep rally and the entire ball game.
I must say it.....
He was precious !
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We headed out to Brook's pep rally at 2.
Had to stand in line for 20 minutes to get a pass in the office.
( I hate that part) sure makes me miss Snyder's pep rallies.
We finally made it inside
ready to clap for "Boop" while she "cheelees"
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The pep rally was great.
Brook and Ashley lead the Jr.'s Cheer.
However (somehow) the Seniors always win those things.
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I looked over to see if ALL THE NOISE was bothering Brady
only to find out that he was sound asleep.
Now that one I just can not figure out.
I guess when your tired your just tired.
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Our team has 18 cheerleaders and their routines are always fun to watch.
I think pretty much anything young and cute is probably fun to watch...
but when it's your kid then it's even better.

They did a tribute Michael Jackson dance..
It was really fun...
Gotta say I was tapping my foot in my seat.
(It was the real Michael Jackson from the early days music)
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As our week comes to an end....
I have to stop and be thankful
that I am here to experience all of this with
my one and only gal..
Raising girls takes quite a different road than boys...
BUT gee what a fabulous ride!!!
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May we all roll our windows down, let the wind mess up our hair,
rev up our engines, and most of all enjoy the RIDE.

Unlikely Brothers

My precious 1st born son will be 20 years old in 2 weeks..

It simply amazes me that this fact is remotely even possible.

It's even hard for me to understand that I will have one turning 20

and Brady will still be 1 year old.

( Only for 2 months however) haha

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Yet.... when I watch these 2 guys together I can't imagine it any other way..

How wonderful it is for them both.

Brent will always have someone who looks up to him

and (without doing anything at all) is an absolute hero.

And Little Brady will forever have someone to think

most every thing he does is wonderful, fabulous,

and completely hang on the refrigerator worthy.

Now I don't know about you...

but I would just love a piece of that on a daily basis.
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As I watched my sweet Brady wave at his brother pulling out of the driveway

it almost brought tears to my eyes..

I thought about my brother.... and knew even in Heaven

He was waving at me too...

I then realized that brothers come in all shapes and sizes...

Some small, some tall, and some no longer there at all...

But maybe that's what makes them so special.

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May we all have someone there to wave as we pull out of the drive.

Feathers of LIFE

One of us takes Little Brady to the park almost every day..

Friday he found a feather while we were feeding the ducks.

He was totally mesmerized by this feather.

As I watched my "own personal angel" chase "his feather"

I couldn't help but think of the movie FOREST GUMP.

Who ever thought of the feather floating

in that movie

WAS BRILLIANT.

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Our lives are so much like that feather..

Sometimes we end up in a place we never dreamed life would take us....

YET.. somehow we made it here.
I think about all the people who have floated through my life,

as well as those yet to follow the breeze my way.

Each person we meet can teach us something if we let them.

Granted....... sometimes it may be what we DON'T want to be

but there is a precious lesson in that too.

Today the sweetest man named Dale at Hobby Lobby

again floated through my life.

He is a 6'4" man who weighs 300 lbs.

I know this because he told me..

He has tattoos up his arms and a pony tail hanging half way down his back.

YET... I swear he has the presence of an true angel.

He works in the Matting Department and I always look for him when I need help.

He is absolutely wonderful at what he does.....

BUT more importantly he does it with a SMILE.

Wouldn't our world be a magical place if we all did our work with a smile.

Thank you to all the incredible people with whom I pass each day

who make "my world" a better place

(because no matter what job you are doing)

YOU DO IT WITH A SMILE..

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May we always remember that we too

are the feather floating through someone's life today.

DO IT WITH A SMILE !!!!

No More MONKEYS Jumping on the Bed

WELL... we almost made it to 2 years old

without a single trip to the doctor except for shots...

THEN... our weekend at The River

came to an abrupt halt

Sunday night.

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Brady was jumping on the bed in the camper

and hit the metal window

seal right along the bridge of his nose.

It made the whole travel trailer shake.

Poor little guy..

I was sitting 10 inches from him putting in his movie,

and didn't turn around in time

to even slow down his crash...
It swole up immediately, and of course scared me to death too..

(I'm 42 years old, and don't LOVE to be frightened any more...)

Needless to day, we jumped in the truck

and drove 35 minutes

to the emergency room in Weatherford..

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I never even stopped to realize I was still bare footed ,

with a two day old river ponytail

and Brady was only wearing a diaper.

(YES.. we fully looked the part of the "white-trash" couple in the ER)

BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Head injuries, and fever just freak me out....

ANYWAY... by the time we left the hospital

he was blowing kisses to the nurse

and counting in Spanish while they took his blood pressure...
SO... other than that....

We had a fabulous weekend...

Before our head trauma............

Brady helped his daddy work on the tractor (and went for many rides) along the way..
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He put on his hat, let me do both the sunscreen, and the bug spray

like a true River Rat Kid...

All he cared about was getting in the boat, or playing in the water..

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And if me saying it isn't proof enough...

Just look at that sweet face

NOW... that is a boy who loves the water...

He just can't seem to get enough.

HE asks to go to the "RIBBER" as soon as he wakes up,

and all day in between until it's so dark outside

he can no longer see it or forgets it's there.

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That's when we have to get the colors out and begin our other adventures..

It is truly amazing what you can do

when there is no tv or Internet to distract you.

I think that is my favorite part of being at The River.

It is the complete package of "family time"....
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My little Budding Artist...

He sees me painting all the time and thinks it must be something fabulous to do

since I am always putting it up when he comes around..

So... this weekend I surprised Brady and bought him his own set of paints.

He is completely CRAZY about rocks

so we decided that they would be the perfect thing to paint.

And of course the River is in no short supply of ROCKS...

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However....

I am guessing the rocks got a tad boring

because in the time it took me to turn around and get my camera....

he was already on to painting legs..

I must say... He seemed to enjoy it more. haha
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OUR weekend ended with the happiest day of all.

My mom and step dad came out on Monday to spend the day with us..

Brady was already back to his normal "wild man" self after

his ordeal the night before.

Grandi however nearly had the "big one" when she saw his face...

So we eased her tension by taking her on a little ride. hee hee

I've secretly got to say this was one of the funnest parts of my weekend..

I laughed so hard I nearly couldn't drive..

Mom and I decided that if we'd wave we could be in a parade.

(AND in some towns.. by golly that's all it takes)

We were officially a float.
So.... we ended our wonderful weekend celebrating in a festival all our own..

Sometimes it's actually more fun!!!

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May we all have a day that's worthy of a parade.

In Charge of Children

The look of those fun smiling faces can tell a story all it's own.

However....

if you lived here with me and understood all that lies underneath

it would sadden your soul.

I don't often get on a negative soap box,

However....you reach a point in which you feel as though

you must stand up for those things most dear to your heart.

AND.. my children certainly are..

ONE would think that cheerleading would be the

postcard version of what fun, excitement, and overall good times are

as there could ever be.

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But.... if you are in the midst of leadership that is continually looking for faults

in 16 and 17 year old girls.... it can make your day miserable.

I don't know about you.... but when I was 16

I made so many little mistakes

(and still do for that matter)

that it would take a trailer to carry them all around.

Thank goodness I was surrounded by people

who understood that I was a teenager..

ONE whose reasoning skills were as of yet not as sharpened as they should be.

ONE whose sense of life was merely filled with the JOY of that moment.

ONE who lived for a day at school in the company of my friends....

NOT

someone who was watching my every move to CATCH me when I made a mistake.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible says... "seek and you shall find"

Well that in my opinion is exactly what is being done..

When you look for bad... YOU WILL FIND IT..

however the same is true

When you look for good... YOU WILL FIND IT TOO..

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May we be ever surrounded by people who AREN'T waiting to

"Catch Us"

making such horrible mistakes in life

LIKE.. chewing gum, forgetting the correct colored bow,

not having your hands behind your back, or for heavens sake

not removing all your jewelry..

Catching UP

I'm so sorry to all my

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BLOg buddies...

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I have been working like a maniac non stop for 2 full weeks,

and haven't had time to sit down long enough to post

anything breathtaking or insightful.

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I haven't even had time to go through my vacation pictures from the beach yet.

But.. I did a quick look and saw this one of "Little Brady" putting mud on his CRAB.

I think that was his attempt to keep it from getting away.

Watching him at the beach completely filled my heart with JOY.

We (or me anyway) often take for granted the things we see everyday

as if they are no longer exciting....

BUT to watch him see life

is like

an iv of incredible

pumped straight into my veins..

It somehow made us all look at the waves, sea gulls, mud, and those

ever so fabulous sea shells in a much different light..

Thank you LORD for this little gift of a child

to remind our family that we are surrounded by gifts each day

if we only take the time to stop and see them.
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May we all see today as a present and open all it's gifts..