Collin Welsh! Original! Is MINE!!!

Do you remember when you were a kid and wanted something really really bad?  For me it was the easy bake oven.  They were expensive in 19xx, to much even for Santa Claus.  So I never got one.  My best friend Carol Lewis got one though for Christmas in 2nd grade.  We would make cookies when I went to her house.  It was the coolest thing ever!
Well today I feel the excitement of finally getting something you really really really want!  I have admired Collin Welsh's artwork for years.  I LOVE her trees, and appreciated the "day of the dead" people.  But when she posted a sneak peak of one of her dead people paintings on facebook for the Pecan Street festival I fell in love.  It reminded me of friendship - and my friend Stacie. 
I went to the festival to purchase an original of the trees.  But there was the original I had seen on facebook.  I knew it was suppose to be mine.  I haven't decided where to hang the "Margarita Ladies" (as I've named them).  But they are the coolest thing ever!



Forget Man UP! Granny UP at my house...

I didn't get alot of her things when she passed, Granny didn't have alot of material things.  She had everything else in spades.   The few things I do have of hers is spreadout through our house.  No one would ever notice them, their not special to look at.  A worn yellow towel I should have thrown out years ago.  I keep it in the back of our towel closet.  I remember her every time the laundry gets low. 
An old 9x13 baking pan, that she probably paid $5 dollars for in 1978.  But it has her name on the back where she scratched it into the pan with a knife.  I love that baking pan, I swear my kitchen smells like Granny whenever I use it!
Granny was a force.  She was stronger than just about any man in the neighborhood.  She would work all day, and come home to rake her entire yard.  Front and back, at 60+ years of age. If you weren't raised in the South, we raked our yard every week, no twigs, no limbs, and no pine needles.
When I decided to pursue photography and had doubts about my ability I would think about Granny. 
I read magazines ALOT for posing ideas and trends.  An advertisement the other day had "Man UP" on the caption.  I laughed out loud.  "Granny UP" is more like it!
I thought about that tonight.  A recipe I had tucked into one of my cookbooks fell out as I was starting dinner.  It was Granny's recipe for Peanut Butter Balls.  Yum!  These are great and you can easily make ahead.
Granny Tallent's Peanut Butter Balls
 2 cups confectioner sugar
3/4 cup graham crackers  (crushed)
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup Peanut butter.

Mix all together, form balls (size of quarter), refrigerate 2 hours.
Melt chocolate bark, dip balls into chocolate with toothpicks.

So when you think your down and can't slay anymore dragons, just think to yourself "Granny UP"...if not fix these peanut butter balls - you'll feel better in NO time!   Promise!

I can't remember who's birthday it was.  But Granny was always in the spirit!

Simpler Days...and A sense of Humor!

I didn't expect to wake up at 4:00 am this morning with a migraine - but I did, and YUCK!   I've started getting them just in the last couple of years and they are as bad as everyone says.  I feel for those of you who have had to endure those monsters all of your life. TRIPLE YUCK!

For my day job I drive and drive - ALOT.  I am always on IH 35 headed North.  This morning with a migraine from you know where I sat out for my destination at 7:30.  This morning I detoured off 35 and went thru McGregor.   McGregor is one of those small Texas towns that makes me sigh everytime I go thru them.  I long for simpler days. 

This morning I was surprised by a sign I saw in the window of a bank building downtown.  So surprised when I drove by I said out loud "Did I just read what I thought I read?  I had to turn around and go back.

Yep.  That IS what it said.  So glad someone in McClennan County has a sense of humor.  I laughed out loud.  The stress left my body.  And finally so did my migraine.  Thank you! Thank you!, to whomever owns that building.

 

Sorry it's a pic from my Iphone.  The caption reads : "Hey Barack, Don't go to Arizona, They ask for PROOF of Citizenship There!"

Happy Thursday!!

Order of priorities...Did I get it right today?

Working full time and doing photoshoots 2-3 times a month keeps me hopping.  I have dreams ALOT about whether I'm doing the right thing.   I'll dream I'm busy working and forget to pick the kids up from school, or  I'm busy playing with the kids and forget to go to work - or call my boss.  I know most Mom's feel the same way, whether you work outside the home or not - you wonder if you should be doing it the other way around.

But the kids have gotten "into the act" from the beginning.   Rach and I can be out shopping and when I stare off into space she'll say "You've got another photoshoot idea, don't you?".   Nine times out of ten I do and I'll run it by her.   It's kind of like when a golfer talks about how he used his 7 iron on number 12.  Just not nearly as irritating! 

A few days ago I needed to go downtown to capture some images for a series of Note Cards I'm designing.  Mark didn't like the idea of me going by myself so we all went.    It was a really busy downtown Saturday night in Austin.  They dropped me off (with camera and ladder) in front of my landmark.  I made quick work of it and we were on our way home.   Maybe not as much fun as a round of golf - but just as much quality.  And it didn't take four hours.

I strive to keep my priorities in the right order.  I know sometimes my parenting skills are lacking.  But I also know that doing what makes my heart sing gives me joy and a peace inside that is difficult to describe.  Yesterday Rachel said "I am so Happy", "I just LOVE my life", with that she danced out of the room.  
I danced right behind her.

I can't take a picture dancing...so here's a recent snapshot!

Although we have gotten rain lately, this is still Texas. The kids love it when Balcones water the greens!

Sometimes you just need a Haircut!

The second dog my husband brought home last year was a wheaton terrior.  I was unfamiliar with the breed.  The dog hair is like silk and grows and grows!  It grows all around his face, which is cute, but it mats up so quickly!

If I don't have time to keep him combed out (and I mean the metal fine tooth dog comb) it can get pretty narly.   What did I do with all of my free time before??  Any hoo, such was the case last week.  Moby didn't seem to mind.  Who wouldn't want a haircut in Texas in AUGUST.  Here is the before and after pictures.

After: Do you really want to take my picture?

Ok I'll sit but I won't open my eyes!

OK, I'll open my eyes but I won't be happy about it.

OK, OK I'll pose...

This is the best I got.

I hope he's not embarrassed.  At least now he can fit into his T-Shirts!

How to Display Kid's Artwork - I LOVE THIS!

No matter where I go I am always looking at how art is displayed.  I always focus on the walls and how items are displayed on the walls.  The color scheme of the room is important and if that color compliments the art.

Fortunately we have a little Picasso and Pizzarro.  Every school year I struggle with how to display their creations.  WELL!  I have found a solution, and for only $4.99 at your local IKEA you can too!  Just find a blank wall in your house.

Aren't these great?  Just secure to the wall and attach the clips.  No need to change in and out of frames.  Easy Peazy - GOT to LOVE that!  So once I select a wall, we will have a rotating gallery of their recent masterpieces.

Back to School sneaked up on me.  This find takes a little of the stress off!

Laundry...Glad somebody likes it!

I pride myself on my organizational skills.  Lists and preplanning have always been my forte.  Laundry on the other hand is never done.  Never finished.  I am always just different levels of behind.

Out sweet Heidi though loves it.  Other than my lap, being on a pile of dirty clothes is her favorite place to be.

She is use to me taking her picture, and only moves now to raise her leg...hoping for a belly rub!

Here's hoping you finish your laundry, if not - maybe you will get your belly  feet rubbed!

My Christmas Wish List...

Although school hasn't started yet our kids have already made out their Christmas lists.  Yeah, they had it done in JULY!

At first I thought - what?   Are you kidding me?  But then I realized, why NOT?  Why couldn't that work for me? Besides, I've been good all year! (Just hope Santa reads my blog!).

Here are some of my TOP picks!

LIGHTS! 

Chandiliers (Ikea) ...Can a girl EVER have enough of them?  They are only $49.95 each.

Sconce (IKEA).  Can't you see the candles glowing for a night photoshoot?...dreamy!

Moroccon Lanterns (Anthropologie).  These would look beautiful placed in trees!

CAMERA!

Of course, what I drool over - The CANON 5D MarkII.  (My husband's name is Mark - so it is meant to be!) (Only $2,400 + tax)  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/583953-REG/Canon_2764B003_EOS_5D_Mark_II.html

A new camera wouldn't be complete without a new lens right?
The Canon 85mm 1.2 L.  SWEET!

ACTION?

Make it a surprise.  I love surprises.  Just remember I have been good all year.

I'm so not COOL! And I can prove it...

Funny Story.  When we lived 45 minutes from Manhattan we would always take visiting friends to the Big Apple.

Anyone that has ever eaten in a restaurant there knows that space is at a premium and you are usually sat with other people.  Total strangers.  On one occasion we were sitting with friends at a downtown chinese restaurant when the host sat a large family and their friends at our table.  No prob, we all got along fine.

When it came to the end of the meal and we were handed our fortune cookies I said "WAIT a minute!".  When you read your fortune you are suppose to say "IN BED" at the end of it. Cause I'm so cool right?  So we went around this big round table and everyone would finish their fortune with the words "In BED".  Everyone thought it was funny.  We laughed at every fortune.

When we left and were walking to the car my husband turns to me and said I can't believe you did that! (as he was laughing).  I asked why? everyone thought it was funny.  He said yeah, especially the Methodist preacher and his family visiting from South Carolina...    I am so not cool.

As I was fumbling in my top desk drawer this afternoon I found the last fortune cookie I got.  It was so good it had to be saved.

I hope I'm living it.  Cool or not.

In love with HATS!

Last Spring Break we had NO idea where we were going for the week when we got into the car.  We have NEVER and I mean NEVER done that before.  The only thing I had packed were shorts, swimsuits and a some t-shirts.  The Austin lifestyle has definitely rubbed off on us!

We ended up in Sante Fe, New Mexico - Skiing!  It was fabulous, a real winter wonderland.  I had never seen snow like that before.  It was especially exciting in my flip flops.  Yeah we picked up a few items on the trip.

But the real reason for this post is to talk about what we found on our way.  We meandered up 183 and ended up in Brownwood, Texas.  If you are ever in the area you must eat at Underwood's Cafe next to the Ford dealership.  M-M-m-m-m Good!  My son loved the country fried steak and they never quit bringing out the fresh hot made rolls with butter.   We searched for something interesting to see and found it at the Brown County Museum of History.  This place was such a find.  Until 1980 it served as the county jail.  They then turned it into a Museum.  The upstairs is just as it was in 1980 when it was the jail.  Awesome piece of history to see.  They also had an impressive collection of guns. (which the boys liked). And downstairs they had several rooms of women's attire from the turn of the century.  Lot's of hats from the 1940's and 1960's.

There was two rooms full of gun cases.

I can't imagine in the day of no air conditioners having to wear a petticoat under a thick dress.  WOW.

Some wedding dresses on display.

Aren't these amazing?  The one on the right is a wool swimsuit.

I fell in love with this flapper dress from the 20's.

This was entry into one of the cell blocks in the jail on the upper floor.

Look at these steel beds.

Everything looks as if they just decided to close one day and walked out.  It was haunting.

We had plenty of time for fun.  Here my hubby is getting into the part of an ancestor.

Of course our son was also more than willing to play the part!

No doubt an ancestor, here is a picture of the former Sheriff "Jack" Hallmark.  Of course I didn't know until we moved to Austin that Mark had ancestor's in this part of the country.  A great-great-great-great Uncle of his fought at San Jacinto.

We are all history buffs and just love this sort of detour! 

The museum was such a beautiful piece of history.

Happy Tuesday!

A letter to Momma...

A letter to Momma…


I don’t know when her memory started to lapse. It came slowly. I just can’t seem to remember anything she would tell me. Sometimes I can’t remember when you were little. Then one day recently she called and left me a voice message.

There wasn’t anything odd to her voice to start with. Then she said I’ve been thinking. I’ve been thinking about you all day and how I treated you when you were growing up. I’m so sorry. I should have been a better Mother to you. There are so many things I should have done better. I’m so sorry.

I don’t know why our mind only remembers or focuses on what we think are mistakes. I quickly called Momma to remind her of all the wonderful things she did for me. Then I realized she might forget. In this modern world of emails, and texts, and Facebook, and Twitter we’ve lost something. Something very valuable. We can go back and re-read a letter, look at the underlined words in red. Feel the bumps where tears dried. Smell the hint of perfume from long ago. Yes there is something very valuable about taking your time to write from the heart.

So I’m gonna write a letter to Momma. I have a great memory from my childhood to write about. My Momma was very involved in the PTA. For a fundraiser, Walnut Park Elementary had a Football Queen contest. The winner was chosen by whoever raised the most money - one penny at a time. My Mom made the sash for the winner. It was gold velvet ribbon with blue glitter letters. I thought it was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. We put my picture on mason jars and put them all over town hoping I would win. And I did. I have misplaced a lot of stuff. I’ve lost all sorts of “favorite” jewelry, my letter sweater, and designer gowns. But I still have my Football Queen sash safely tucked away.

I thought about that sash tonight when I was making the sash for my Brownie Girl Scout troop. They are going to receive their try-it patches tomorrow night and I wanted to make something special that their Dad’s could pin on their vest.

I’m gonna write about that too – in my letter to Momma.  Happy Mother’s Day all you Momma’s out there.

Christmas Day 2009

Another great Christmas has come and gone.  We are thankful for our wonderful children, our health, and all of the wonderful gifts God has given to us.   I ate SO much yesterday.  I am still full.  Mark made the most wonderful squash souffle and the best dressing EVER!  He missed his calling -should have been a chef!  Besides the kids, the dogs were waiting in anticipation for every gift that was opened.   I think they peeked and knew there were new beggin' strips to be had!

Hope you and yours have a Happy Holiday!

29 Plus...December 2, 2009

It is that time again. How did it get here so quick? I'm not talking about Christmas, I'm referring to my Birthday.
Birthday's are always special at my house. We usually have the 12 days of Birthday. The 12 days of Mark, the 12 days of Sheila, etc. Not this year. Not enough time and it seems like everyone has had a cold or strep for a month! No biggie. I'm 29 Plus...again.
It all started 2 years ago when Rachel was 5. I don't remember where we were but someone asked me how old I was. Rachel replied very matter of fact "She is 29 Plus". Never have I been more proud. Of course she is a bright, articulate sweet bundle of joy. But in that one short sentence she stopped the question cold. I don't know that I'm that quick witted now, I know I wasn't at 5.

So we all went to dinner tonight and had a nice meal together. And toasted me, Mom, who is 29+ once again.

Thank Heaven for little Girls...

We got a new Dog...about a year ago

Almost a year ago Mark informed me that we were getting a new dog. Actually he told me the night before he was to pick up this dog. I wasn't excited to say the least. Anyway, the next day I called Mark around 4:00 in the afternoon and mentioned that I hadn't had a good day. He said well let me tell you about my day...

He picked up the dog and brought it to our house. He put her in the garage and was getting her a bone when she decided to take off. She was at our house a total of THREE minutes. By the time Mark got to the back of our yard the dog was half way down the golf course. So the chase began. Mark jumped into his car, drove around the neighborhood calling for "Abby". He got our neighbor MaryAnn to help him out. So two cars were driving around our neighborhood looking for this dog. They met at the club, and got two more people to look with them. All four of them got on golf cars and tried to pin the dog in a corner. "Abby" wasn't having any of it. They chased that dog for 3 1/2 hours. All the while Mark was in his suit (on break from the office). What a break it was. So Mark announced I guess we don't have a dog.

That night we had a meeting at the Balcones Country Club to discuss the future of the club. I got a babysitter so we could both go. We went, and then drove around another 45 minutes looking for this dog to no avail. I told my husband it just wasn't meant to be. (oh darn...)

The next day I took the kids to school, came home and went for my morning walk. When I got back from my walk I noticed a dog standing in our back yard. No collar, no harness. She wouldn't come to me so I sat on the ground and opened both hands out. She walked over to me, shaking, and sniffed my hands. She then licked my hands. I then put my arms around her and put her in my lap. There she sat for a good 10 minutes just shaking. When she finally quit shaking I picked her up and took her into the garage. I then yelled at Mark to come to the garage I wanted to show him something.

Needless to say he couldn't believe that dog found it's way back to our house. She is four years old and grew up on a farm 90 minutes from here. But there she was, hungry , tired, but tail wagging. She never leaves my side. It took her two weeks before she would have anything to do with anyone but me. Now she lays in the floor or on the bed with the kids. She is a blue heeler mix. Oh, and her name isn't "Abby". I couldn't figure out why she never would come to me when I called her by her name. (Mark said it was Abby). Then I looked on her vaccine papers, her name was HEIDI, as in HIDE eeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are a few shots of the dog that has became a big part of our family!

My Little Sister's Wedding

Ok, so I was excited when my little sister told me she finally met the man she wanted to marry and have kids with. They planned a simple wedding at the Chapel in the Pines on Lake Logan Martin in Pell City, Alabama. Yeah! that's right, Alabama baby- where the pine trees are tall and plentiful and the lakes...well unlike Texas they actually have water in them.
The weather was beautiful, and the bridesmaids were all 6 and 7 year old little girls. Little girly girls with bows in their hair wearing white sun dresses from Strasburg. My 7 year old girly girl fit right in!

It was such a sweet wedding. But I have to admit it made me sad. Not that the weather could have been any more perfect, nor that I hadn't lost those last ten pounds before the big day. I was sad that although my sister is grown, graduated college twice (we are so proud, nurses rule), but she doesn't seem so little anymore. I didn't want her to grow up. It took having my own kids to realize you can't keep them young, even little sisters. You have to let them grow up. And if that means driving 1,000 miles for two days in a car (with a 7 and 9 year old) across 4 states just so you can give them away - you do it. I hope you have your own girly girl one day and you'll know what I mean. At least for now, I still have my 7 year old girly girl at home.


Oh, and yeah I took my camera. Here are a few favs from the day.