Calm the freak down and Carry on...

When I first saw this saying in England a couple of years ago, it seriously spoke to me, and I knew that I would have it in my house.
Then I saw/heard it 1 million times and I was so done with it.
Fast forward a long time like 2 years later and I saw this video on you tube. It spoke to me again and I knew I had to have it in my house. I didn't care that I had seen it way too many times.

I love its story, I love that bookstore where it resurfaced, I love that when I see it it reminds me of England and finally I love that I have a reminder to calm the freak down.
My honey and I made it last night with the table top that used to go on the kitchen island. It seriously looks likes it has been in the attic since WW2 just as I envisioned. I look at it, smile, and very temporarily calm down.

I am grateful for all things English. It keeps the memories that I hold so dear a little closer to my heart.

Almost Here...

With Easter just around the corner we have been busy having ourselves way too much fun with eggs and bunnies. So here are some sneak peeks...

A personal favorite.

We copied it from Williams and Sonama and saved ourselves $60.00.

(Shhh don't tell them but I think it's even cuter than theirs.)

We put Cadbury eggs in the nest because I think they are the best thing that has ever happened to chocolate. I wanted to see how long it took my kiddos to sniff them out. I am happy to report that they are indeed children after my own heart and it was under 6 hours.

I have wanted an island in the kitchen for sometime now and my magician of a honey whipped this one out for $9.00.

I am grateful for my island and also Cadbury eggs. Hope you are having a glorious spring wherever you are.

Just a little something

Well I realize I have dropped off the blogging planet and I am not sure why. Busier?...maybe. I am taking a photo shop class on line and so whenever I sat at the computer I would watch my tutorial video. So maybe that's it but I have to say mostly I am just not feelin' it.
I plain just didn't want to blog.
I am going to try and start taking pictures again because I have taken a hiatus on that as well. Hopefully that will get me going because I have super cute things to show you and fun stuff that me and my honey have been up to.
But until then a couple of fun pictures.

This was taken in Turkey when I was on a family trip in September.

Oh how I loved Rome and this was in a stunning little market.

Beautiful Carmel-By-The-Sea

This was in Carmel also. Oh how I love a bike with a basket on front.

I am grateful for the magical little moments each day. Hope your day is filled with them.

s

True Love

How wrong is it to seriously love a door?
I want to look at it all day and send it Valentines.
I know, I know it is dead wrong but I can't help myself.
I have thought/dreamed of a new door for almost as long as we have lived in this home but they are so stinkin expensive. But that didn't stop me from continually taking pictures of all the front doors I love. You should see the looks I have gotten from getting busted. I have to say it's a little embarrassing.
I originally wanted a dutch door but they are really hard to find used in decent condition. We even talked about sawing mine in half but it just seemed a little risky.
So when Tom gave this to me for Christmas I broke out in song(OK loud screams) because it is everything I have dreamed of and more. He just installed it last weekend so I am still giddy with it's shear beauty. I will take more pictures later but yesterday the lighting was stinky and my yard is wintry, dead and ugly. So for now you just get this sneak peak of my utter happiness.

Before: This was the only picture I could find with the 10 seconds I had and it is certainly not a bad front door. Normal people wouldn't even care or notice the difference but I have totally excepted the fact that I am so not normal.

After: Ta Da

We are in a serious fish bowl but we had zero privacy before because of all my front windows without blinds and the side windows on my front door. But for real unless you live on my cul de sac you don't go by my house. Well unless you wanted to take a picture of my front door.

Well I have to go now and stare at the new love of my life.

I am grateful for silly things that bring such happiness.

My Friend's Giveaway

My friend Wendy Vansosen that I told you about at the end of my the last post is having a giveaway for an awesome printing lab called IPIX. So check out their products and Wendy's beautiful photography and enter to win 16x24 foam-mounted standout.

I am grateful for this giveaway! Have a great week-end....

Family Pictures/ Childbirth

How completely heinous are getting family pictures taken?

Well maybe that's a huge generalization and whoever is reading this is thinking, "That's strange, I absolutely love getting family pictures taken."

But I dread them. I mean get sick and feel nauseated just thinking about them kind of dread.
I used to forget how bad it was from year to year--a little like childbirth but just like childbirth, if you have enough children you will eventually remember just how ghastly it is.
I have had enough family pictures to totally remember.

-I remember trying to get us all in matching outfits

-I remember worrying about the weather

-I remember me freaking out because in veritably we are running late no matter how early I get us started.

-OK I remember me freaking out just in general.
-And most of all I remember the bribes to get the other 4 people to cooperate and look super cute and smile normal and not to punch someone if they happen to be standing a little close to them because probably they will be.
And to make matters super fun this year Benjamin's zipper broke as we were all getting in the car. His boxers were hanging out of his fly and I am trying to calmly safety pin it shut.
See this is not a good time.
The problem is, like childbirth, I LOVE the result. I love, love, love my newborn baby and I love, though not quite as much, family pictures. I love walking down the picture hall in my house and seeing my family growing through the years. I love looking at their toddler curls morph into teenagers. I love the expressions and the colors. It is art and my children are the subjects.
So next December I will definitely remember all the hassles of taking a family picture. But the kiddos will have grown a little or a lot and someone will have their braces on or off and someone will have a crazy haircut and I will certainly want to remember all of that.

This is a sampling of what we were up against this year with Charlie.

This gets the favorite picture award this year

I am grateful for photography....It captures emotions and those irreplaceable moments in time.

As a side note my good friend Wendy Vansosen, who is a professional photographer is doing a series on what to do with those family pictures. She is having a guest blogger every day in January to help get those creative juices going and get those family pictures on the wall. So check it out because there are some really great ideas.

My Christmas Present

My honey made my sign and gave it to me for Christmas and I couldn't be more pleased.

I almost lost out at the last minute too because the kiddos in my family were not happy that our home was not called "Hotel Call-ifornia." I get it. That is super cute and clever and they can call it that anytime but as for the official name the Mama's choice reigned supreme.

I am grateful for my home no matter where it is or what the name happens to be.