Archive for the 'It’s a Girl Thing' Category
July 26, 2010 @ 6:17 am | Filed under: Family,It's a Girl Thing,Pure Sunshine
My heart is full.
I am fresh off of our girls-only weekend and it was all I had hoped for, and more!
We met on Thursday afternoon, drove to San Marcos, and spent the next twelve or so hours shopping the outlet malls. Of course – we also made time for an awesome dinner, breakfast with Jordan and Elizabeth, and lots of bonding time in the hotel room.
Then “Phase II: San Antonio!” We loaded all our luggage and our San Marcos purchases and headed further south…to San Antonio, where we checked into the Hyatt on the Riverwalk. The littles swam “on the roof”, while we talked and laughed and – honestly – just enjoyed the fact that we’re family.
And what a great family…what a great group of ladies.
Shawn:
Shawn is the eldest of the six grandchildren – but only by three months. She was always my partner in crime during our growing up years and I have nothing but fond memories. Even though we spent a LOT of time in trouble! Shawn is also the one who stood with me in front of the mulberry bush in Mama & Dad’s yard on Dudley St. and belted out Delta Dawn as only two ten year olds can.
Shawn is married to David, and they have two beautifulful daughters – Brittani and Ashleigh. Brittani joined us for the first time on this trip and it was amazing for me to get to know her as a young adult. She is almost twenty and will be married in December. Getting to know her, and seeing her vibrant personality and the deep care she has for her family, made it evident what an awesome mom Shawn is.
Sharlyn:
Sharlyn is married to Chad and they have three amazing daughters. Twins – Brooklyn & Kennedy, and Macy.
What I admire most about Sharlyn is her ability to drink in life, but in the most calm, most serene way imaginable. When you are around her, you feel nothing but tranquility, and this quality shines through her daughters.
This was Kennedy’s turn to join the group for the annual girls weekend and I had a blast getting to know this little beauty a lot better! She is a jewel and a little mini-me of her beautiful mom.
Stefanie:
I have several stunning pictures of Stefanie and her family and I started to use one of those.
But the truth is that this picture of Stefanie’s family is a brilliant representation of the essence of Stefanie.
She is the heart of the party. I love this girl to pieces. She loves life and watching her enjoy it just makes you want to dive in and do the same!
Stefanie is married to Brian. They have three gorgeous children: Shaggy, Daphne, and Scooby. Oh wait…! Make that Braxton, Makynah, and Brayden!
These women shared my childhood in ways that will be known to only us. We made countless memories together, and those memories will forever be a part of the landscape of my life.
But this weekend – and each one like it that we spend together as adults – we make new memories.
And now…
These memories are the ones that will also be a part of our children’s lives.
I like that.
And I love them!
Family, grandchildren, summertime memories
July 21, 2010 @ 6:21 am | Filed under: It's a Girl Thing,Pure Sunshine,The Writing Life,Uniquely Me
I love beautiful, simple things.
Like old aprons with a rich history, books with a timeless story, people with a look of love in their eyes, and days dotted with laughter and meaning.
There is something about real simplicity that speaks volumes to my soul. It renews me somehow, reminds me of all that is truly important and all that is not.
Simplicity is an apron tie that binds my heart strings…
I appreciate the brilliance of the Kindle, but on some days there is nothing that gives me greater satisfaction than holding a book in my hands…breathing in that deeply musty scent and fingering the pages even while the words take my mind to a place far, far away.
I adore my iPhone and all of the apps and texting and messaging it allows me…talking to many friends at once without really talking at all…But on some days there is nothing that does my heart more good than to sit down over a cup of coffee with a friend who knows my heart and talk for real…and laugh and laugh and laugh…and even cry a tear or two if the moment calls for it.
Simple, beautiful things. They are the apron ties that create simple, beautiful moments…
And I’ve learned how life often hands them out.
Good and beautiful moments followed by trying and sad. Complex hurdles and challenges balanced perfectly with simple happy days. Intricate layers of learning and knowing, feeling and being, moving forward and being content to simply reside in the moment.
I don’t think I’d have it any other way. I love the simple, the good, the happy. But without the trying, the complex, the sad, the good just wouldn’t seem as good and there would be no desire to inch forward…to the better that is just waiting to be realized.
(1) my grandmother’s apron…worn thin and stained from a lifetime of making pecan pies for the family! (2) my newest find in Natchitoches, Louisiana – love the retro look! (3) the apron I’m TRULY jonseing for…it’s calling my name!
I find myself challenged lately to really think about the broader scheme of life and circumstances, and how to have a greater understanding of purpose.
Wanting to live purposefully and knowing that, at any given moment when things seem just as they should be – whether it’s enjoying a luxurious morning with a delicious book or a relaxing afternoon with a dear friend over a cup of coffee – my awareness alone for the simple and beautiful things in life is the beginning of my purposeful journey.
I’m trying to capture these thoughts and more for a new story I’m working on this summer. Without further ado – may I introduce you to my summer writing project…a way I’ve found to mix all that I love (people, books, God) with all that I find inspiring (food, aprons, writing).
Here’s a peek…I hope you enjoy!
The Apron Ties that Bind Series:
“Amanda, Jessica, Elizabeth and Lauren are more than mere sisters. They own and operate a business together—their family’s old world-style Italian cafe. Four sisters—four distinct personalities—and four ways of managing the cafe their parents willed to them.
Amanda, the eldest and the most conservative, runs a tight ship and keeps a strict eye on finances.
Jessica, the free spirited bohemian of the bunch, finds life inside the restaurant too confining for her taste.
Elizabeth, quiet and loyal, is the peacemaker, putting her own ambitions on hold for the sake of her feuding siblings.
Lauren, the baby of the family, is exuberant and carefree, oblivious to her sisters’ quandaries as she spends her days in college classes and her evenings chatting up the neighborhood boys who venture into the cafe.
As life and love stir the hearts of the Benetti sisters, they struggle to find their own place in the world…without losing each other in the process.”
If you don’t mind, keep this story – and me – in your prayers!
Embrace YOUR apron ties today! Let the binding {and more of life’s simple, beautiful moments} commence…
July 1, 2010 @ 6:54 am | Filed under: It's a Girl Thing,Uniquely Me
Rainy days have a certain kind of magic.
I’m quite certain of it, because when the rain starts to fall, these little things begin to happen inside of me. Little moments. Bursts of productivity, interrupted often with sentimental thoughts. Stopping and seeing the moment for what it really is.
Pausing and remembering what really was.
This went on throughout the afternoon and then came the really good…the hardest rain…and the most precious moments of my day.
I escaped the confines of the four walls, easing onto the highway with all the other rain-soaked commuters. I left in plenty of time to make it with ease to church, stopping first to run a couple of the briefest errands on the way.
At the first store the rain was just cascading in torrents and – wouldn’t you know it - the umbrella did the unruly umbrella thing and popped two spokes. Leaving me soaked and more than just a bit wind-blown in a parking lot full of distracted, hurried shoppers.
Finally inside, I remained stuck, banished by the rain to my quaint little spot, so I meandered the aisles and waited for my best chance for an exit. I fingered exquisite pieces of merchandise I would not ordinarily look at twice, and took the time to stop and purchase a warm cup of coffee.
Back in the car, premature darkness hovered, and the insistant pounding of the rain turned me back towards home…finally, home…where it continued to rain, dimming the house into a cozy place where I changed into dry, warmer clothes and then curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea.
Now that’s a sentence I never thought I’d type in the middle of summer in Texas!
I lit a candle , sipped tea, and lazily flipped through picture albums, and it hit me.
Rain or shine…I am content.
That is a very good feeling.
June 22, 2010 @ 8:30 am | Filed under: Family,It's a Girl Thing
My bags are packed and in a couple of hours I’ll be on I-30 headed to my parents’. I’ll be there for the next week looking after my grandfather while my mom and dad take a much needed – much deserved - vacation.
I spent Sunday afternoon going over all the details with my mom: his meds, his schedule, the days and times the nurses and aides are in, his food preferences…
I’m a little nervous, but mostly looking forward to whatever the next few days may hold. I know these times with my grandfather are limited. I plan to soak up each second and make each moment count.
But I have to admit that I’m looking forward to a few other things this next week as well…
TARGET, people!
I’m not a big shopper. In fact, I heard my mom telling someone not too long ago that I didn’t inherit the “shopping gene.” I guess you could call me a social shopper, because I absolutely love our annual cousins’ Girls Only weekend. But you can’t really call that shopping as much as it is just lots of looking, eating, and – my favorite – talking!
I much prefer dropping in to the store for only what I need when I need it, and if it can be purchased online, all the better! Which is a good thing since…
We’re half-way through the first phase of our Big Adventure and, now that I’ve been in Small Town America for a full year, I must say that I am head over heels in love with this way of life. I relish the laid-back atmosphere, I adore the friendliness I’ve found in the community, I appreciate the simple things.
When we removed ourselves from the clutter and chaos, we found a bit more tranquility. But along with that new slower pace of life came the leaving behind of Target, Barnes & Noble, and day spas. If it can’t be found at Wal-Mart or Brookshire’s it’s not likely to make it into our home.
Shopper or not, ladies, you know what I’m talking about! There is something very cathartic about cruising the perimeter of Target because everyone knows that the best deals at Target are found on the end caps!
So while I am sure to be terribly occupied over the next seven days preparing meals and visiting with my grandfather, I am making plans to squeeze in time for a long-overdue pedicure, a leisurely cruise through the bookstore, and a slow and deliberate observation of all the delicious goodness Target has added to their shelves over the past twelve months.
Anticipating it all!
grandparents, pedicures, Target
March 30, 2009 @ 7:29 am | Filed under: It's a Girl Thing,It's funny!
March 6, 2009 @ 5:25 pm | Filed under: It's a Girl Thing,Uniquely Me
Has anyone noticed that Spring has arrived in all her vibrant regalia in Hobby Lobby?
I mean, long gone are the days of pale pastel pinks, blues, yellows and greens from when we were kids. No, now Spring pulls out the big guns – rich, luxurious versions of the older hues. The next generation, I guess, of the Springtime hues.
Well, they were on point today at Hobby Lobby, catching my attention as soon as my windswept hair was corralled back into place and I could actually take a first look around. Lining each endcap and display for as far as the eye could see were these sassy, flirty colors that for some reason just made me want to climb up on a chair and yell, I’m glad I’m a girl!
I had ducked inside for what I thought would be a five minute errand. The mission was simple, the plan was perfect. I was in the middle of making centerpieces for Lindsey’s shower and needed a couple of terra cotta pots, a few dowel rods, tulle, and some spray paint.
Having lost patience with most all stores in the past months and finding even the most simple of shopping excursions bordering on excruciating these days, I pulled out my meager list and prepared to knock this mission out in no time flat.
I managed to pick out the pots before the fever struck, thank goodness. I manuevered the cart through the aisles, trying my best to shield my eyes from the cute, trendy, Spring-y things that all of a sudden seemed to surround, then envelope, me.
By the time I reached the fabric department, I wasn’t feeling like myself at all. I grabbed the bolts of tulle and handed them to the clerk to cut. I tried to maintain my conversation with her, but I was terribly distracted by bolt after bolt after bolt after bolt… (and yes, I could go on) of the most precious, brightly colored calico printed fabric I’ve ever seen in my life. Bold stripes, perky florals, and amazing polka dotted prints reached out for me.
My reaction was immediate. I must sew. Never mind the fact that I’ve not sewn a stitch since the great Home Ec debacle of 1985. And forget about the fact that nothing has been known to try my patience and make me want to say not-so-nice words like having to rip out seams and begin again. And – oh yeah – I’ve not owned a sewing machine in over a decade.
It was so tough, but I finally managed to drag my eyes from this coveted fabric and back to the mission at hand. Centerpieces, Staci, centerpieces. Avoiding all eye contact with end caps, I walked around the store and procurred my dowel rods and two cans of spray paint. Feeling slightly more like myself again, I headed for the register, still not really sure what had just happened, but feeling certain I had just eluded something critical.
I paid for my purchases and reached for my bags, proud that everything fit into two small bags. Now how often does that happen? I was within ten feet of the front entrance of the store – almost home free, mind you – when the second wave of mystery disease hit. Large framed watercolors – ornate and inspiring – surrounded a mamouth sign heralding an upcoming workshop where “You can indulge that inner painter that lives within you.”
Yes! I must paint. I took in the paintings, instantly recognizing techniques and methods that must have somehow lodged in the depths of my brain after my art history class last semester and not been able to find a way out. A deep appreciation for the arts that I never even knew I had (not even during a thirteen week class devoted to the subject) gripped me in that moment and my fingers itched to grasp a brush, sit before a blank canvas on a green, grassy knoll somewhere -
I made a run for it at that point, clutching my two meager little bags to my chest, and letting the wind have its way with my hair.
And that, my sweet friends, is what you call SPRING FEVER!!!
August 26, 2008 @ 5:49 pm | Filed under: It's a Girl Thing,Pure Sunshine,Soul Food
Madie on Thunder
Bailey on Cowboy
“The true way to render ourselves happy is to love our work and find in it our pleasure.” – Francoise de Motteville
They say that when you love what you do, it’s not really work. At least it doesn’t feel like work. Instead there is a deep satisfaction that comes from diving head first into our passions, overlooking the hours of hard work, the occasional “dirty” job, and the huge learning curves we sometimes have to navigate.
I began to think about this several weeks ago when Madie, age 8, and – a few weeks later, Bailey, age 10, attended horse camp. Both girls have loved horses…well, since forever. They chose books about horses. They like t-shirts with horses printed on them. They played “horses” while other little girls played Barbies.
They really, really claimed to love horses.
What sets these two apart from many other kids their age who also make the same claim is that they have now proven that they truly DO love horses. While other kids love the idea of horses, these two love the horses.
They’ve proven it.
They have learned to feed the horses. (Who knew horses like peppermints?) They’ve tirelessly brushed the manes and rubbed a cool down after a ride. And while the other kids at horse camp enjoyed an hour of free play after lunch, Madie and Bailey both elected to remain behind and muck the stalls.
They really love horses.
Not just the idea. They love the reality.
As I think about my life and the things that I am passionate about, I can’t help but think about this horse camp. I think as long as I have these pictures handy, they may always serve as a reminder to me to only carefully pursue the things that are worth all the hard work to bring to reality.
I don’t want to merely love the idea of something.
I want to really, really love that something.
July 25, 2008 @ 9:41 am | Filed under: It's a Girl Thing
Onesoles
Cute covers!
When I was in Kemah a few weeks ago, I did a bit of shopping in the coolest little shop.
I found these great shoes (which I am now wearing on an almost daily basis!) called OneSoles. What you do is this. You pick out the sole you want (Mine is a black wedge) and each pair of soles comes with a standard cover. (Usually either black or tan.) Then you can buy all of these cute little covers to change the look of your shoes!
So cool!
May 19, 2008 @ 7:15 pm | Filed under: 3 Day Walk,Friends,It's a Girl Thing,Uniquely Me
I have taken on an incredible challenge. On November 7th – 9th I’ll be walking 60 miles over the course of three days, camping out at night with thousands of other women and men taking this journey with me.
It’s for an event called the Breast Cancer 3-Day, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. Every advancement in breast cancer research, treatment, education and prevention in the last 25 years has been touched by a Komen for the Cure grant. They are working hard to build a future without breast cancer, and I plan on raising $2200 to help bring us closer to that goal.
Please consider making a donation to this great cause. If you can’t give a certain amount all at once, you can spread it out over four months, using the payment plan option, if you donate online at http://www.the3day.org/. Please also ask your employer if they will double your donation with a matching gift.
This year I am walking in honor of the women in my own life who have battled breast cancer and have lived to celebrate beyond it. For those of you who know me well, you know that raising breast cancer awareness is one of the passions that I’ve taken into my heart.
Finding Faith is my novel set to release the end of this year and it chronicles one woman’s journey through this difficult and – too often – deadly disease. But there IS hope. There IS help. There IS healing. I am honored and excited to be taking part in this amazing walk for life.
Without a cure, one in eight women in the U.S. will continue to be diagnosed with breast cancer. That’s why I’m walking in the 3-Day. Because everyone deserves a lifetime.
To make a donation, go to http://www.the3day.org/. Click on Donate Now and search for my personal fundraising page. If you don’t want to donate online, please fill out the enclosed donation form and mail it to the address on the form. Or you can call 800.996.3DAY to donate over the phone. I would like to reach my fundraising goal by October 1st so please don’t delay!
breast cancer, Susan G. Komen, the 3 day walk
May 15, 2008 @ 4:20 pm | Filed under: It's a Girl Thing,Uniquely Me
I’ve not watched a single episode of America’s Next Top Model this past season so all of my info is at least second-hand, if not third.
But I can’t help but be greatly disturbed – and puzzled – by the hype that this year’s winner has garnered. Rather, that her size has garnered.
Whitney, a twenty-year-old student from Atlantic Beach, Florida, received the coveted prize of being the 2008 face of America’s Next Top Model. Perky and energetic, with fresh-faced good looks of the girl next door, Whitney truly is beautiful.
But the wild thing – and the one thing that I just cannot possibly wrap my mind around is that at five-foot-ten and a size 8/10, Whitney is being heralded as ANTM’s first-ever plus size model! In fact, this is the headlines that hit news stands everywhere last Wednesday:
‘ANTM’ SHOCKER! CROWNS ITS FIRST FULL-FIGURE WINNER
Huh…? Seriously?
Because I know that thousands of young girls – including many that I know in my life - are tracking this show and the models that walk its runway, it upsets me that this kind of message is being broadcast. If a size 8 is now considered plus-size, then our little girls don’t have a prayer of a chance to grow up with a healthy view of their bodies and their self-image.
I think that what disturbs me even more is that everyone, everywhere, seems to be accepting this fact without even blinking an eye. Even Whitney. She says this:
“People always say you have to be stick-skinny, emaciated and unhealthy and I’ve kind of stood up for [being full-figured] my whole life,” Thompson told The Post in her first post-victory interview.
“I’m not going to lose 50 pounds – if someone asks me to do that, I’ll go to another [modeling] agency,” she says. “I’ve already heard online from boys and girls all over the world who are dealing with eating disorders.
“They’re thanking me for standing up and saying, ‘I am a plus-size model and I am beautiful.’
“This is what people should look like,” she says, referring to herself, “rather than skin-and-bones, which is disgusting and sends a bad message to people everywhere.”
I applaud her spirit and her words, and agree whole-heartedly with the message that she wants to send. But in saying this she is acknowledging that she believes her size 8/10 self to be plus-size!
If this is plus-size, then, honey – make me a plus-size any day of the week!
