Castle Livingroom

In line with the letting my children get bored this summer campaign, they have erected a zoo, castle, duck house and walkway through the living room. This is the last standing structure since the demolition yesterday... they will be starting again today I'm sure. AND loving what comes from being bored it by the way!!!

Castle Duck House

When it's as Fabulous as this....

It must be shared.


I generally feature my photography and/or my general musings on various subjects but I came across this hat and was just BLOWN away. How fantastic is this?

special feature from Cappys Fortune Shop

Experiences

We all get in the habit of life. We get up about the same time, we accomplish the things that need completed and we have the end of evening route. The summertime should be the time to let those routes go slack, at least a little bit. Lay in bed and read for a half hour before you have to be moving. Eat popcorn for breakfast. Stay up playing board games AND read the weekend paper that tells what fun stuff is happening in the next week... and go to some of them.

I've lived in Charlotte for almost 7 years and I had never been to the Summertime Symphony Series at the VERY cool amphitheater. There is a huge grassy area that you can bring blanket and chairs and food and a bottle of wine. I've heard about it and it just never came into my consciousness when thinking what to do on Sunday night. That weird habit thing...


Last night we were invited to go with a group of WONDERFUL friends, some new friends, some old friends and it was GREAT. It was the Big Band Theme night and it was just perfect. Now it will definitely be part of our "summer habits" that we look forward to every summer. 

WHat do you do with your wine when you need to clap?! Thanks for the demo

Chlorine is My Perfume!

Our neighborhood swim team won the other night against Foxcroft. It was a nail bitter! The kids like to write on themselves (and each other) with Sharpies with things like, "Eat My Bubbles"... This young girl felt that was being mean to the swimmers from the other team and has taken to writing "Chlorine is my Perfume". Fabulous!!!!!

Chlorine is My Perfume

Buy

On the Edge of Something Wonderful

a view from heaven

to purchase and view my gallery click here 

Ever feel like you are on the edge of something amazing? Today, I feel like I'm looking over the edge and if I just take a chance I'll soar. It's a weird feeling. Things are happening and changing everyday and this is very exciting. My career is starting to get a solid foothold. I've always been my own worst critic and doubter, but never letting it go. Now, I'm trying to listen when a very respected friend and businesswoman says, "... that I can't stop doing what I love, so I may as well not just make money at it but make a career out of it." I think it is time to do just that! More on that later...keep your fingers crossed!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

My husband is a baby tosser. He is non-discriminating on the age of the Tossee, as long as his back can take it. So be forewarned if you have a baby around him, he will try to toss it. I will say that the kids LOVE it! Most moms not so much. We have had MANY "Discussions" about this in our existence together. I've finally resigned myself to just warning unknowing parents with babies around us. 

This is a picture of my daughter Vivien being tossed by my husband. At least they were in a pool! This always makes me laugh....

It's hard to be a Dad, or a parent for that matter. I've been fortunate to know some REALLY great Dads, and can say with authority that I'm married to a REALLY great Dad. So to honor him, Here are a few pictures of the great Dads of his family.

Reverse Planet Alignment

OK, know the saying... "If the planet's align correctly then..." such as "If the planet's align correctly I'll be able to drop the dog off at the vet, get child #1 to school, buy the perfect shoes for the party that is tonight, get a bikini wax, and tidy the house in time to make it back to the school play at 1:30." Well I've discovered that there is a force in the universe that aligns planets to pull against you and create the perfect storm.


Evening out should have gone like this... 1-5:45 meet for dinner at GReAT restaurant King's Kitchen (discussion on that at a later date) 2-Go to the Filmore to hear Matt Kearney play! (yea) 3- depending on what time concert was over MAYBE grab a drink somewhere on the way home 4-Arrive with the teenage sitter having decided to clean the house after my angel children went to bed on time and without any incidents.

Summer Night

Instead this is how it went... 1-5:45 meet for dinner at GReAT restaurant King's Kitchen (so far so good) 2 - 7:25 Left for the concert. Filmore is not where we thought it was. We weren't lost exactly but just not at the Filmore. After asking help for a lovely local to the First Ward of Charlotte, we make it to the Filmore (super great venue). Confused by the age of the crowd, not just young but looked like many still needed babysitters. But excited so sort of glossed over it... 3 - 8:15 Get a drink WAY too easily (should have been a clue) 4 - 8:30 Standing in the crowd a sweet girl next to us announces that Matt Kearney has already played and we are patiently waiting for a group called Owl City. 

 

5 - While still reeling from having missed a concert that must have been five minutes long right when the doors opened at 7:00, the electronic pop sensation that recorded Fireflies begins. 4 - 9:00 decided we'd had enough of the music but stayed a couple of minutes to see how long this young girl could hold a plastic owl up to tower above the crowd. To my knowledge she made it the whole hour. Impressive! 6 - BRIGHT SPOT! Got free tacos and burritos from the TacoBell bus that is traveling the country. 7 - 10:30 Attempted to find a fun spot to have a beer, visit with our friends and laugh about the evening. Three bars later due to drinking contest, country music and just general interest in the atmosphere. We ended up at a local hotel bar. Nice jazz, great drinks, created our own seating and all was looking up... UNTIL 8 - The fire alarm starts going off and we have to evacuate!!!!! 


At that point I decided that the Universe wanted me to go home and write about learning when to say UNCLE! And to realize that it really was a fun and funny evening. I loved hanging out with my old friends and making some great new friends and get a little glimpse of what makes a 13 year old girl dance and sing at the top of her lungs!


Back to experiencing that go with the flow thing...

The Bounty that is Summer

Summer's Bounty

available on etsy

I love the simple cooking of summer. Cold, hot, last minute grilling, breakfast for dinner, anything seems to go for dinner in the summer months. The farmer's markets are busting at the seams right now with white peaches (the real kind not the ones you get at the chain grocery!) so sweet that you have to eat them that day or they will go bad, white shrimp fresh off the Lowcountry boats, and the berries! There are strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and many berries you've only read about in novels you were forced to read in high school. It is definitely the time to be a bit more Tao and just go with the flow. 

Too quickly it will be over

Heart and Soul

I've been working on editing photographs from a Spring Recital Weekend for a local school of dance. It always amazes me what comes out of such young bodies! Thought you might like to see a little of what I have been working on...

We All Could Do More

I think everyone could agree that we all could do more... More to help each other, more to help the environment, more to help the children of the world. Here is a wonderful story that the journey is just getting ready to start.

Enter JD Lewis and his sons, Jackson and Buck. One day Jackson asked why they didn't do more to help, and it caught fire! Now through much preparation and a HUGE leap of faith and a HUGE dose of courage, the Lewis Clan is embarking on a Twelve in Twelve adventure, twelve months, twelve countries to donate their time to help. They will end up their year in Mississippi to show that we all could help right here at home. Please take a couple of minutes to learn about their journey and maybe take their lead and help out someone or something this summer!

Boop Boop De Doop

I love this picture. It just makes me smile and realize how much I love Pez dispensers. I'm not exactly sure why but I do...

Betty Boop Triplets

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75636938/boop-boop-de-doop-8x12-fine-art-print?ref=pr_shop

Harry

Hogwarts Castle 2010

available for purchase at http://www.etsy.com/listing/71282492/hogwarts-castle

I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment in the movie series (due out in July), and dreading it all at the same time. Sort of like Christmas, you get all geared up for it and then it's over in a few hours... what to do?  I wonder how long this phenomenon will last. It's an incredibly huge saga and really a part of what many children and teens will identify with as their childhood, so will they tell the stories to their children and start chapter book reading with their children and the first book?


We have a rule in our house that you are not allowed to see a Harry Potter movie until you've finished the book. My daughter is currently on book 4, the Goblet of Fire (my personal favorite). We have many years ahead of us to visit and get reacquainted with Harry and the gang....


I guess time will tell. 


In the meantime, if you are like me and need just a little fix check out Potions Class...

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dee2c34dad08eef03924808/potions-class?ref=pr_treasury

Great Collection from CallOfEarth

Periodically friends at Etsy create some lovely treasuries that I must share. Here's one of those from Maria at Callofearth.etsy.com


http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dec0cca72048eef9b4517c0/dades-stuff

Green Peace

available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/74150721/green-peace?ref=tre-4dec0cca72048eef9b4517c0-16

Dophins RULE!

OK, you will have to indulge me this boisterous enthusiasm with a shout out to the Park Crossing Dolphins  Swim Team. Today marked the start of a six week long phenomenon in Charlotte ( and I assume many suburbias across the country), the neighborhood swim league season. My daughter will practice daily through the rest of June with one to two swim meets at neighboring communities a week. It's all for a race against the clock and in her group it takes about 22 seconds to swim 25 meters... and it's AWESOME. To hear the cheers of encouragement for the little kid that is actually doing breast stroke BACKWARDS until he FINALLY touches the wall, see the sense of pride spread across their faces when they finish with a 2 second better time than last week, and jumping out of their skin to encourage their teammate to swim a little bit faster because they are neck and neck with the swimmer next to them; It's encouraging and simple and so much fun.


I never thought I'd feel this way. I was the little sister of a swimmer and got carted all over Florida to sit in the heat and watch other people swim for an entire weekend. Up until two years ago REALLY not a fan! Boy have I changed my tune. I draw the line at writing "Eat My Bubbles" anywhere on my daughter's body, but I'll let her write it on her best friend!

OH, and we won our very first meet today! Go DOLPHINS!

 across the lanes 2011

pull 2011

Home

I'm not sure why the last few weeks of school feels like you are trying to cram as much in as possible that is FUN before your vacation. From Kick-Off Swim Team Parties, graduation party in elementary school, summer book swaps, ballet recitals, soccer play-offs, testing, budget panic for next school year, camp sign up, oh and a couple of birthdays in there, we are all frantic! 


I hope that this helps us all to find that feeling of being home. Safe, calm, reflective, content, and optimistic. I took this in Bimini Island, Bahamas earlier this year. This makes me feel that way.

Meditation

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75323713/meditation?ref=tre-4de9153d71838eef9a5ea213-2

Wine Musings

Sometimes wine is just a glass of wine, and other times it is a beautiful, celebration of the senses.

Opened a bottle of Chocolate Block from the Boekenhoutskloff vineyard in South Africa. 

It's a lovely, complex, balance, intelligent red and affordable.

image and many more available for purchase at my etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75254757/cheers-a-lesson-in-wine-at-groot

Featured on Etsy Treasure Hunters!

I'm not sure exactly what this means but it feels great to be selected. Especially these two treasuries, they are some of my favorites!

Etsy Treasure Hunters: oh-to-write-great-novel

Etsy Treasure Hunters: Things-that-make-our-hair-stand-on-end.html

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72880031/bubble-bubble?ref=tre-4de65202b40b8eefae9e8125-6

Bubble

Selected this morning for a beautiful collection.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4de65202b40b8eefae9e8125/bubbly?index=0