The Morning in NoDa, Part I

I met up with some girlfriends at Amelie's in Noda this morning. This place is beautiful, inviting and delicious! I had to give you a little taste of what you may be missing. If only photographs could capture the scrumptious smell of the place.

The Morning in NoDa, Part II

We wouldn't be girls if we didn't throw in some shopping after getting our bellies' full and our coffee quota. We headed to our friend Cindy's shop, The Boulevard at NoDa for more eye candy. If you like to support local artists and business-owners or you just love beautiful things, you must check it out. They have everything from jewelry and clothing to pet supplies and original art pieces.

Happy, Happy

Doesn't this image just make you happy? I would love to walk into this room!

Found via Oh Happy Day

Clutter Control

Sometimes I feel like my mental and physical clutter is overwhelming!! I just can't get a handle on all the "stuff" around my house. This past week I have read several interesting blog posts that have helped me think differently about clutter. I thought I would share.

On the Unclutterer blog, this post

A very thoughtful article about children's toys here (found via the little green notebook blog)

A poster cataloging all of your belongings, that would make you think twice about what's really important in your home (found on The Violet Hours blog)

Matilda Jane

If your life involves little girls and a touch of whimsy, then you have to check out Matilda Jane clothes. I went to a trunk show today and could of bought one of everything for my lil' darlins...they were all adorable!

Love Week

It's Love Week at our church. This means that we have committed to volunteering 5,000 hours this week in the city of Charlotte. The latest count is 2,516 hours in the past two days. How awesome to be half way there! Tomorrow the husband and I are headed to Crisis Assistance Ministry to help sort clothes for those in need. It feels good to be a tiny part of something so big and generous. If Charlotte is your home, feel free to come out and show some love, just click here.

Spreading Love

This weekend we were out and about and wanted to spread a little joy. I printed out these cute cards, colored them and set out to increase smiles around the city. We left them in unsuspecting places and loved the thought of making someone's day a little bit brighter. (I have to tell you, while I was taking picture #3 in a restaurant bathroom stall, I forgot to lock the door and a lady walked in while I was taking the photo with my iphone. Needless to say, she probably thought I was a fruitcake. O.K., sometimes, I am...)

Valentine's Playlist

Just in case you need some love songs to slow dance to this weekend. Here are some of my favorites.

By Your Side -Sade

Such Great Heights- Iron & Wine

A Sunday Kind of Love- Etta James

I've Been Loving You Too Long- Otis Redding

Anyone Else But You- The Moldy Peaches

Question- Old 97's

Romeo and Juliet- Indigo Girls

Hallelujah- Jeff Buckley

Arms of a Woman- Amos Lee

Make You Feel My Love- written by Bob Dylan, performed by Adele

Fallen Slowly- Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

A Song For You- Donny Hathaway

Landed- Ben Folds

Whatever It Is- Zac Brown Band

Maybe one day...

midget on a skateboard, originally uploaded by Bill Stickers -c.

If you ask my husband one thing that I really want that he refuses to buy me, he will instantly say a skateboard. I always get the same response: "you're crazy, you're too old, you'll kill yourself". Maybe all that is true, but I still want a skateboard. I'm sure my dreamy images of one day being able to "drop in" a "half pipe" are a bit unrealistic, but a girl's gotta' dream. Valentine's Day is coming up...I'm not going to give up hope just yet.

Meatless Monday

I feel like we are all becoming more conscious about the food we are putting in our body; not only for health reasons, but environmental ones. Not too long ago I read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food and I am currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Both books are eye-opening and have really made me think twice about what I am feeding my family. We have a mighty long way to go to even be considered 'healthy eaters', but we did start Meatless Monday today. It is our way of making a deliberate choice to better our bodies and help the planet. Just think how far recycling has come....removing meat from our diet one day a week can also make a huge impact and it's really not that big of a sacrifice. A little something to think about.

An Ordinary Day

It's wonderful when an ordinary day turns into an extraordinary day just because you come upon a certain someone. Yesterday, I went to Barnes and Nobles to get coffee and catch up on some magazines (i.e. "me time")...I ordered my coffee and was greeted by the nicest man. Let me preface this by saying that I like older men, I think they are cute. But this one was not only cute, he was beyond nice and the love of his job simply made my day. Isn't it contagious when people love what they are doing? Perhaps we notice it more because we want that for ourselves. I'm not good with names, but thank you Mr. B & N barista man for making my Thursday so much more memorable!

Creature Comforts Giveaway

Creature Comforts is having a giveaway for the camera that I want so badly! My polaroid is basically defunct now because it's so darn hard to find film, so I think I need this nifty one to replace it. And it's so bright and white, I love it!

Today I Am Thankful For...

• A quick jaunt to the gym
• A warm house....brrrr, it's cold outside
• finally watching 'Julie & Julia' (Redbox isn't that economical when it takes you 5 days to watch a movie)
• listening to the twinsies talk about what they're getting each other for their birthday
• Bunco tonight with the girls
• what's cooking tonight for dinner
• snuggling with my little cricket (Twinsie A, she's the big-time snuggler)

Snow on the Brain

Snow on Second Street, originally uploaded by The Loopweaver.

Different days evoke different feelings for me. Monday is that "back to the grind" kind of feeling. While Saturdays are usually energetic and free! Sundays around here involve church in the morning and utter relaxation in the afternoon. Fridays, of course is doughnut day, but it also has an overall feeling of anticipation for the weekend. This Friday is full of even more anticipation because they are calling for snow. Around here, that is exciting! (We even had doughnuts with snowflake sprinkles today)

When I think about snow, I think about two things: fun and food. They seem to go hand-in-hand, you have to have food after you've had all that fun in the snow (along with hot chocolate). So last night I made my weekend menu and I thought I would share.

Friday Night: Chicken Scallopine, Creamy Grits with Sweet Corn and Green Beans with Almonds
Saturday Breakfast: Cinnamon Rolls, Eggs and Bacon
Saturday Dinner: Beef Stew, Something Green and Bread
Sunday: Chicken stuffed with Spinach, Mushrooms and Ricotta, Salad

There will be yummies in our tummies and many memories made during this (hopefully) snow-filled weekend.

Design Mom Prego Fashion

IMG_6140, originally uploaded by gabbyblair.

Gabby Blair, aka Design Mom did a post on her favorite fashions during her pregnancy. She is 25 weeks along with baby number 6. She looks like a rock star! See more of her fabulous ensembles here.

Sweet Surprises

I don't know what is better: sweet surprises or sweet family? In this case I got a sweet surprise from my sweet family....JACKPOT! My youngest niece painted this cupcake just for me. The best part is that she was on an outing with friends and made it for me "just because". There is nothing sweeter than that! Thank you Gracie, you're the best youngest niece on the planet!!!

A Few Favorites

If you were to be surrounded by some of the things (note: THINGS, not people) that truly make your life a little more enjoyable, what would they be? It's the new year, make your own list! Perhaps it's not in the cards to have them at your disposal all the time, but make an attempt to treat yourself every now and then.. You deserve it. Here are a few of mine.



Philosophy Lip Gloss...who can resist when there are flavors like red velvet cake, strawberry champagne, cake batter??


Orangina if I were skinny and rich my fridge would stay stocked.

Breyer's Ice Cream with a healthy pouring of cold milk on top...yum, yum.

Daffodils

Oilily Blue Perfume...T really likes the smell of this perfume on me and it's always nice when your hubby thinks you smell good.

The Moleskine (best journal, calendar, whatever you want to use it for)

The Capri Blue Candle....I'm convinced this is what heaven smells like...

Prayers...

Keep praying for Stephanie...she needs it as she goes through even more surgeries. She never ceases to amaze me with her strength.

Got The Blues

This week I revamped a desk that was in the playroom. I am really bad about taking "before" pictures, but in its former life it was dark brown wood. Now, it is complete eye candy and I am so jealous that it's not my size. I decoupaged the drawer with wrapping paper. I love little projects like this.

Haiti

Special Envoy for Haiti Gives Interview Outside Haiti Hospital, originally uploaded by United Nations Photo.

As days go by I seem to think about Haiti more and more. My heart breaks and I feel so helpless. Sending money just doesn't seem like enough; a huge part of me wishes I could be there to help first hand. There are so many stories yet to be told... of loss, of survival, of heroism, of love, of need and of suffering. I just hope that their stories fall upon open ears and hearts, the Haitian people are going to need that and so much more.

Friday Morning in Photographs

Gaga over the Lady

Lady-Gaga, originally uploaded by VJ Alisa!.

I admit that some of her lyrics are not kid-friendly (neither were Madonna's when I was listening to her as a wee girl), but our house has been on a Lady Gaga kick lately. Her music is catchy and she has such talent and spunk. On my walk yesterday (with her on the ipod) I was thinking about all of her crazy wardrobe choices and how time consuming it must be to reinvent yourself everyday with your clothes. I am not forgetting that she has a team that helps her with such things, but isn't it amazing how different we all are and how our creativity comes through in so many different ways.

She wrote this song 'Speechless' for her father. He was in declining health and refused to have surgery to repair his heart. He eventually relented, maybe because of this song.

New Thru 30

As a church and a family we are starting today to read The New Testament of the Bible in thirty days. I'm sure it will be a challenge, but with good resources and support it's a task we're excited about. Feel free to join us, everything you need is right here. One of the neatest things is that our oldest daughter was given a condensed reading plan. While she won't be reading everything we read she will read a portion and there are questions we can discuss as a family. The adventure begins!

My Star Sapphire

I remember going and getting Domino's pizza and taking it to the park and eating it on the hood of my dad's car....just me and him. Father-Daughter Date. How lucky I was! There is nothing better in this world than a girl feeling like they are the apple of their daddy's eye. For me, I felt like the apple and the pie. Always.

This past year I ignored the date of my dad's death in many ways...on my blog, to those important to me. Definitely not in my heart, but I did feel if I did not verbally acknowledge it, it would sneak away just like any other day. So I made ammends in my mind to make up for it on his birthday. I struggle in my mind whether it is important to celebrate the point where one joins the earth or leaves it. There is something to be said for both, but thinking about my dad on his birthday evokes more happy memories.

So, Happy 65th Birthday, Daddy! I love you and miss you!

Read This...

The Curse of the Good Girl by Rachel Simmons

I am only a third-way through, but have learned so much from this book. Not only about raising daughters, but about myself. It really is very insightful, also check out the PBS special: A Girl's Life.

Good Ole' Food

cornbread at the brooklyn star: southern comfort food, originally uploaded by cherrypatter.

As a Southern girl I whole-heartedly equate so many defining moments of my life to what I was eating. Mention Chicken and Pastry (that's what we call Chicken and Dumplings) and I immediately think about both of my grandmothers. Whole pigs cooking on a barbeque and there is my grandfather and uncle and so many wonderful gatherings. Chinese food: I think about my dad and his love for the Eastern cuisine. Deviled Eggs are a part of most every meal I've shared with my mom. I could go on for days...




I have often heard the term "emotional eating" as a very negative thing. But I constantly wonder how you can NOT be connected emotionally to food. So many cultures are partly defined by the foods they eat, whether it is everyday meals or celebratory feasts. I can not help but count food as a large part of what defines me. Every major (and minor) event in my life can be recalled with what was on the table and for some reason, that soothes me. I love being able to remember what food was shared after I got engaged, right after I gave birth, on a special trip, a birthday or at lunch with a special friend. Like I said, I'm a Southern girl and I guess the way to this girl's heart is through the stomach (too)!

Locks of Love

Lil' Darlin B (the youngest twin girl) donated ten inches of her hair to Locks of Love today. It's such a winning combination: someone in need of beautiful hair receives that gift while my little one gets a new do' that looks cute as a ladybug. She is beside herself with excitement!! What a great way to start off 2010.