Archive for the 'Pure Sunshine' Category
August 23, 2010 @ 6:03 am | Filed under: Family,Pure Sunshine
There are five years between my brother and I. Growing up, I was a typical big sister – looking out for him, protecting him from unseen “dangers,” and – generally – heralding his accomplishments more loudly than anyone else.
I began having my children while he was finishing high school. By the time he began having children, my boys were ten and nine years old.
I don’t suppose we ever dreamed together of what it would be like if we both lived on the same street. Of what it would be like to have our kids and grandkids running back and forth, with large family gatherings and impromptu saturday afternoon backyard cookouts.
And yet we are very close to envisioning that very thing right now. Sprawling acreage where the kids can roam, where we can gather late into the evening – while the cicadas chatter in the background – and bask in the kinship that our kind of love deserves. We’re in the dreaming stages right now, with the hope that Kevin and his family can have a weekend place that adjoins ours sometime in the near future.
There is a sweetness to being with family…like this past week.
When all the kids – who have been separated from seeing each other for months – came together in one, long, jubilant visit that was filled to the brim with giggles, stories, swims, and sleepovers.
We crafted, we swam, and we watched late night movies while munching popcorn.
We visited the North Texas Children’s Musuem, lunched, and took the entire crowd to Chuck E Cheese (where Andi ate her lunch under the table in order to avoid Chuck E. )
Everything seemed sweeter…hugs were tighter…and the minutes were cherished because they were oh-so-valuable.
This past week was filled with only the good.
Only the best.
I think maybe that means we did something right.
August 19, 2010 @ 6:30 am | Filed under: Family,Pure Sunshine
Family, grandkids, memories, summertime memories
August 18, 2010 @ 6:47 am | Filed under: Family,Pure Sunshine
Carter: “Nana, if you could be any animal in the world what would you be, and why?”
Me: “Like…a zoo animal, or an animal in the wild?” Because – really – wouldn’t that make a difference?
Carter: (shrugging) “Whichever. If you had the power to change into any animal, what would it be, and why?” He was persistent, I’ll give him that…
Me: “A monkey.”
Carter: ” Seriously. Seriously? A monkey. And why?”
Me: (suddenly doubting my choice just a tad but not able to think of a single animal on the planet I’d like to be…) “Um…because they are the most like humans, they are entertaining, and they are basically non-threatening. What about you? What would you be?”
Carter: “A bald eagle.” His answer slipped quickly and easily off his tongue. “Because it is able to soar high above everything else, it is the national bird, and no one can touch it.”
Suddenly I felt this eight-year old was the wiser one in this conversation.
Who wouldn’t want to soar above it all, secure in the knowledge that they cannot be touched?
Family, grandkids, life lessons
August 16, 2010 @ 8:46 am | Filed under: Family,It's funny!,Pure Sunshine
Carter and Kendall arrived yesterday.
So much can be read into that first sentence! We’ve been anticipating this week for over a month now, counting down the days until the grands come for their week-long stay. They radiate such energy and sparkle and unconditional love that me and my trusty camera have a full-on love fest anytime they are around.
There were a few welcome goodies waiting for them on their beds when they arrived yesterday. After all, what’s a trip to Nana & Pops’ without a little bit of good ‘ol fashioned spoiling, right? Some NFL trading cards and a novel for our boy, and a bucketful of craft beads and a couple of readers for our girl.
There is no lack of conversation with the four of us. They are lively and fun and – quite often – informative. For Pops and I, that is! Carter, fresh off of a week of sleep-away camp, was full of stories and funny antecodotes. The kind of things that fill up rich, full little boy memory banks in the most wonderful ways possible.
Stories of the unlikely Bible superhero, Gideon, and how – through him - we learn all about faith and trust in God. Carter’s eyes sparkled as he excitedly said, “Hey Nana, did you know…” about four hundred jillion times. But I never once grew tired of shaking my head in wonder. “No, buddy. Tell me.”
Kendall is six going on sixteen. Like, quite literally…talking about “when I turn sixteen I am going to…” Pops and I cut our eyes at one another and mentally sent notes to one another to be sure to send up lots and lots of prayers for her parents over the next decade! She is a fireball of animated conversation that always keeps me laughing and always has her Pops muttering beneath his breath, “She is just so beautiful.”
Kendall: “When I am sixteen I am going to have a Jeet.”
Nana: “You’re going to have a what?”
Kendall: “A Jeet. You know. The cute cars. It’s going to be really, really cute.”
Carter: “You know you’re going to have whatever I have. You do know that, right?”
Kendall: silence
Carter: “And I’m going to have whatever Mom has. That’s how it’s going to be.”
And there you have it, in a quaint, precious nutshell. Our two grands.
A cute combination of dreams and realism. I told them last night they are absolutely perfect, and what an amazing brother-sister duo they make…
With a head in the clouds and feet firmly planted on the ground, these two will no doubt do amazing things!
They are grand, after all!
Family, grandkids, laughter, summertime memories
August 11, 2010 @ 6:15 am | Filed under: Family,Pure Sunshine
“
A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you’re at home.”
There is something about the smile on the face of someone you adore – with a cRaZy kind of love – that makes every single thing just a little bit better.
That smile can make cloudy days appear sunnier, heavy loads a little less cumbersome, and the darkest of nights a bit brighter. It can melt shyness, dissolve anger, and restore feelings of pure goodness.
Saturday was a day saturated with these smiles. Just thinking about them now makes me start smiling all over again. My camera wasn’t fast enough or good enough to capture all the smiles on display. Of course, one of the problems may have been that I was just too busy holding babies, chatting with Carter about his first-ever tag football practice, hearing about Amy and Paul’s vacation, and laughing with my brother and sister-in-law.
One big, long table during the middle of the day – filled with some of my favorite people. Sounds of laughter, kids playing, shared stories…
It’s in these moments – when I am sitting sandwiched in between my brother and Amy, with the sound of the grands playing with Andi, and the sight of my husband loving on the nephew across the table from me – that I feel so completely surrounded by all that is good and sound and right in this world.
It arrived again on Saturday, that feeling of perfect contentment. Of fully appreciating living this life of simplicity. Of daily making the choice to see the beauty in the everyday, in the people we love and in the life and home we’ve created.
Because no matter what stress we may face from time to time, no matter the challenges that almost certainly lie ahead, and no matter what changes sometimes detour us, the reality remains the same.
It’s these individual moments that make up a lifetime.
I don’t want to miss a moment. Not one single…
smile.
Family, grandkids, living simply, memories
August 2, 2010 @ 6:05 am | Filed under: Pure Sunshine,Soul Food,Uniquely Me
Setting out for the long drive, I settled familiarly into the passenger seat with all of my traveling accoutrements: a couple of books, a lap quilt, my iPhone, and a pile of magazines. A few miles in, though, along Highway 16, and it’s clear I’m not interested in any of these distractions.
A few turns and we top a hill and there lies…the most majestic view ever.
GLIMPSES has – over time – become the spot where I leave insights into things I consider beautiful and meaningful. Places, people, cirumstances – that speak to me. When I sit down to write – to paint the portrait in the window of life of that day, I discover there are colors I didn’t know existed.
I have begun to see life more beautifully and find myself appreciating so much more.
This, I realize, is one of those moments…
We drive further. The trees get lusher and thicker as stores and gas stations grow more sparse. The traffic is light and our fellow road companions seem about as mellow as we do on this day. It’s definitely enough to make me believe Robert Frost was on to something when he penned “The Road Not Taken…”
I choose to write about the good, to catalog the beautiful…and by doing so, the bad has all but disappeared, even in my mind.
My soul has settled into a grateful place. A very, very good place to be.
And grateful places need good rest. But before good rest comes our acknowledgement of good things.
We glimpse it then. The sign. And we made the turn, almost without talking about it first, and certainly without giving it much thought. The lane was just too irrisistible, too inviting.
We heeded the beck and call, following the distant, dusty trail that pointed us about as far past civilization and noise and busyness as we could possibly get…past the traffic, the stores, the lures of anything else we’d planned for this trip.
And we pulled off of the planned – the purposed – and took a moment to breathe in serenity. Places of serenity are the spots where you find fresh inspiration, and these wells need to be mined for all they’re worth. They appear every so often along our path and, if we can see them for what they are and drink them in, then Serenity Road is a road well-traveled.
I am refreshed and excited.
To tackle it all. Because I’ve done it so far and the satisfaction of pulling it off ignites me to keep doing it. I’m actually looking forward to some crazy organization days ahead…finishing Summer II classes…delving into the big middle of the current novel I’m trying to write…preparing for the exciting yet challenging changes in MJ’s job and travel schedule…getting my resume and letter of introduction ready to send…carving out some new beautiful traditions for our family this fall…cooking…and spending as much time as possible with the kids and the grands in the coming weeks.
All this busyness and craziness will be good for us. Because you know what? This is just life, and this is how life rolls. It’s kind of like the road before us…this road I’ve dubbed Serenity. It has ups and downs and twists and turns. It grabs my stomach when I least expect it and gives me more reasons to smile than to frown.
Things will slow down, and oh don’t you know we will graciously welcome the lull when it comes. But, for now, it’s okay. Because we are together and we are happy and there are a hundred moments a day when we can stop what we are doing in exchange for something quick and simple.
Like a hug. Or a family dinner. Or a story or two.
Or pulling off the side of Serenity Road and breathing in the beauty of…simplicity.
And you know how I crave simplicity.
living simply, memories, summertime memories
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 14, 2010 @ 6:36 am | Filed under: Pure Sunshine,Soul Food,Uniquely Me
There is something refreshing about things that are real.
Real chocolate. Real deals. Real people.
When we walked into this old-fashioned hardware store on Saturday and spotted glass-bottled Cokes for sale for $1.00, it was a REAL deal waiting to happen.
Not to mention that it was an “honesty policy” and you merely pulled your ice cold beverage from the cooler and left your dollar in a simple attached tube that read:
”LEAVE $1.00 HERE”
There is something so refreshing about moments like this one.
Moments where you find tiny treasures hidden amongst the dusty ordinariness of normalcy. Moments where those treasures remind you that it’s the dust you truly treasure, ’cause that’s where the work is, that’s where the memories are, that’s where love resides. Quiet and paitent…waiting to be lived.
Moments like this are refreshing.
There is something equally refreshing about sharing them with someone who is the real deal. Someone who says what they mean, and mean what they say. Someone like my MJ.
Today is his birthday, and the birthday boy will be on the Red-Eye home from Chicago sometime later tonight.
I’ll ask him Thursday morning what he wants to do for his big day (even though it means we’ll be celebrating a day late) and he’ll shrug and say, “I’m doing it already.”
And then we’ll pretty much just hole up in this happy solitude playin’ life by ear. We’ll sip coffee at ten and shower by eleven, or maybe noon. We’ll have a loose plan for dinner, meaning all the while to shoot for a real, honest-to-goodness night out, but in the end we’ll probably have another impromptu living room picnic.
We love life, love our home, love each other.
We love the beauty of our languid mornings and cozy evenings, but sometimes it’s during the in-between that we notice most what makes us happy. It’s during the demanding weeks when he’s on the road and I’m immersed up to my neck in school or writing that I’m more inclined to notice just how extraordinary the mundane moments can be.
I’m reminded how happy my favorite coffee mug makes me.
Or how much I love hot baths.
Embracing the real things rises to the occasion best when life is nitty gritty. Or when it’s tough and busy and not-always-fun.
But today is good. It is very, very good.
It is real.
And I do love real things.
Happy Birthday, Mike!
living simply, summertime memories
July 12, 2010 @ 6:25 am | Filed under: Food and Drink,Friends,Pure Sunshine
Every once in a great while you meet someone that truly leaves a lasting impression.
I met Thomas this weekend, and I feel just that way about him. I’m telling you, he is a young man to watch; He’s on to something, and will go far in this big, blue world!
We strolled the Natchitoches Farmer’s Market along the Cane River, perusing the booths, sampling the salsas, stopping every now and then to snap a few photos.
And then we came upon Thomas’ booth and I was instantly drawn to him. Besides the fact that he had a large inviting basket of homemade bread and invited us to step inside and sample a bite, he had that special little something that you can’t quite put a name to. But you know it’s the “it” factor, and you know it will take him far.
And then I tasted the tiny, mini-muffin style piece of bread and I. Was. In. Instant. Love. This bread was the best I’ve ever had, I kid you not!
“It’s all natural,” Thomas insisted, pointing to his signage. “All you add to the mix is 12 ounces of carbonated beverage.”
Carbonated beverage? Like…Coke? Diet 7-Up? Sprite?
Turns out that ginger ale and Diet 7-Up makes the BEST bread! Who knew? At this point I could no longer resist the jarred bread mix, the samples, OR the cute little dark-headed boy selling me on the product.
It was a package deal and it totally sold.
Thomas doesn’t yet have a website, but I told him he’d soon be on my blog and that I was going to tell ALL my friends about his great bread mix and that he’d better prepare for the onslaught of business.
Be on the lookout for Thomas, folks! And watch out, Mrs. Bairds…there’s a new cowboy in the bread world today!
