December 4th already?

Where exactly does the time go? Wow, I just can't believe it's Christmas again! Traveling to Nebraska was so much fun. Spending Thanksgiving with my family, going to the Nebraska-Colorado game with Chris' parents, seeing Nebraska play Creighton in Basketball, and having all our friends over to hang out was SO much fun! We were ready to get home, but knowing we are going back in a few weeks made it all that much easier to say goodbye. Thankfully, I had time to decorate before we left, and I've now had 5 wonderful days to enjoy our decorations (although I haven't had a chance to take any pictures yet.) The time is going far too quickly. I just love this time of year, and I'm really trying to slow down and enjoy it...and to remember WHY I celebrate it. It's so easy to get caught up in everything else that goes on, so I have to constantly remind myself to think about the birth of Christ, the manger, Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and the amazing miracle of His birth.
I once had an interesting conversation with someone about the "politically correct" way to greet people. I don't get offended if someone says Happy Hanukkah to me if that is what they celebrate. I choose to say Merry Christmas because the Birth of Christ is why I celebrate Christmas. Regardless of what anyone celebrates, I think we should be able to express our beliefs without abandon. With that being said, Peace to you this Christmas!

autumn in nashville

How beautiful is autumn in nashville, you ask? There's really no way to experience the beautifulness (is that a word?), but hopefully a picture will suffice. I couldn't resist taking some pictures of the red, flame-colored leaves on the maple tree in front of our house. It truly is breathtaking. Fall colors make me so joyful.

wild west wonderment

oh, how i love alliteration! it just makes me happy. I don't know why. While in Wisconsin, I happened upon a movie on the Hallmark Movie Channel (a channel, i must admit, i've never watched before) and to my surprise, it caught my attention. Most of the time, while flipping channels, i rarely find anything worth mentioning. This time is different. Even christopher will admit that this movie is worthwile. Now I've only seen half (of apparently the 2nd in a series of 6) which is why I am recommending it. I'm dying to get it so I can see them from the beginning. The movie in which I'm refering to is based on a book series by Janette Oke. The first movie, "Love Comes Softly", debuted in 2004, stars Katherine Heigl, and is set in the mid-late 1800's. I got caught up in the story of the second movie, "Love's Enduring Promise." I love the era, I love the wholesome values, and I love the hardships. I don't know what it is, but it's so appealing. I can't wait to see them all!




Along the same lines, in this weeks issue of 'People' Magazine, a photographer/writer was mentioned along with her website, and I am now completely addicted to her blog. She is a 30 year old writer from Wyoming who lives on a ranch, with her coyote, dog, and housecat. I am so enthralled by her life in the open country. It's like i'm living vicariously through her as I see the pictures. Something about the country is just so breathtaking. I highly recommend checking it out.

www.dailycoyote.net

goodbye dolores

All week we had been praying for my grandmother, Dolores Crane, and God answered our prayers for comfort and peace by taking her home on Friday, October 24. I am so thankful she is no longer uncomfortable and in pain. I am confident she was ready to leave this earthly body, and is now in Heaven. I am thankful for all the prayers, cards, e-mails, etc. We will be traveling to Wisconsin on the 7th for her funeral, and we are looking forward to not only saying goodbye, but celebrating her life.

The worship retreat was so amazing. I had the privilege of leading alongside Kelly Minter (an amazing speaker, singer/songwriter, author, and currently our worship leader.) She has definitely become an inspiration to me, as I've had the opportunity to get to know her better. I am finally reading her book, No Other Gods. I highly recommend it to everyone out there. It's available on Amazon for 11.19! It's something we all struggle with and a message I believe we all need to hear.

new friends

It's so crazy what a small world we really do live in. I used to have reservations about the whole six degrees of separation theory, but I'm beginning to believe it's not far from true. I have been so blessed to have been meeting new friends lately...in the oddest ways. I've never been much of a "friends with everyone" person-mostly as a result of my own insecurities growing up...but I think God has changed me for the better because I'm finding that the more I accept myself, or rather, who He created me to be, the more people I find coming into my life that have shared those same feelings. I found myself saying the other day, what a great season this has been. Not necessarily this "season" but you know, of life. It becomes more evident everyday that God has led us to this place for a purpose. Though we don't know the full scope of it yet, I have been so thankful to have had such peace over the past year. I always looked forward to leaving Nebraska, but never expected I would feel so fulfilled. At times, I find myself feeling guilty that it has been such an easy transition. This is not to say that I miss our family and friends any less, but that God has provided for us here. One lesson I feel i've learned lately is to trust in Him for guidance, taking it one step at a time, being prayerful of the future, but not rushing through the present. I feel as if the only way to do this is to continually be in service to God and reverence of all that has been so graciously bestowed upon us. This coming weekend, I have the privilege of leading worship at Rolling Hills annual women's retreat. I am so excited about it, and really praying that the Holy Spirit will move in and through the entire weekend's events. Please pray that this weekend goes smoothly, as well as for my paternal grandmother who is currently in intensive care at a hospital in Milwaukee...and for my dad who is trying to handle things from afar.

much love to all.

fall cleaning means picture time!

As I spent the better part of today deep cleaning the house, I realized I'd hardly taken any pictures since we moved in! Things have changed a lot around here, so it's time to document those changes with updated pictures! My latest renovation involved the powder-room downstairs. It's hard to see the color with the flash, but it's a pumpkin orange. I also made frames with ribbon, using some of our pictures from beijing, i printed them in sepia and hung them in a row. I just love DIY house projects!

bah, humbug

So, after a lengthy time off from writing on my blog, I've finally been motivated to write again. Sometimes I just don't feel that I have anything all that important to blog about....

Some of you know, some may not, that I have been struggling with fatigue for the past 8 months or so. Our lengthy trip prohibited me from seeing a doctor again until now. Back in February, my physician indicated that I may have Hypothyroidim...a condition in which the thyroid does not get enough hormone from the pituitary glannd. It can cause a host of symptoms, not limited to FATIGUE (which is my main problem), weight gain, dry skin, etc. The only major symptom i've had so far is fatigue but I knew I needed to go back in for more testing. So other than feeling like a not so 20-something crazy person, I have just been down about not having normal energy. The blood tests came back and I guess they didn't show enough of a deficit to begin any thyroid treatment. Wow.
I really can't understand how the tests wouldn't show anything. I was positive they would. Most of the time, I feel like a zombie, I'm so tired...but nothing? What is the cause of this? My doctor recommended I see a sleep specialist. How am I going to be able to sleep in a lab (crappy hotel type room with monitors hooked up to me) and have them get any useful information? The other VERY odd thing to me is that I think you would know if you didn't sleep well (getting up every few hours, etc.) but I don't know of anything that disturbs me other than the fact that I am tired when I wake up- I don't mean tired as in, ohh I could sleep a little longer- I mean tired as in I feel like I ran a marathon yesterday. It's just SO frustrating. I truly feel like an 80 year old woman in the body of a 27 year old. I sleep 8 hours a night, eat relatively healthy (gluten free), take a daily prenatal and calcium vitamin, and walk regularly. And I'm tired of people telling me things such as: you sleep too much, you need a routine, you don't have a good schedule, etc. etc. Those things don't help. I'm not saying you have to understand where i'm coming from, but AT LEAST be understanding. It's not as if I want to feel this way. I just don't know what else to do.

So in the meantime, i'm going to try my best to deal with this fatigue and work through it....I don't think it's gonna be easy, but I know there are people out there that can relate. I just need to find them....

pictures are up!

Here is the address for pictures from our trip to Hawaii and China. It only took 10 hours to load them all to flickr.

www.flickr.com/photos/lawsonscreek

p.s. remember Dawson's Creek (I LOVED that show) This is where the inspiration came from.

things i need to do, but haven't

So, it's been just under 2 weeks since we returned from our AWESOMELY huge trip and the laundry list of things that need to be done keeps growing. You know that overwhelming feeling, when you realize that you are so far behind in things you said you were going to get to (but didn't)....yeah, i've got that. The yard is a disaster. The weeds are a mile high. A sunflower grew under my bird feeder (a GI-normous one!) The dog made confetti out of a tennis ball, which has now found its way to various parts of the house, as well as a roll of toilet paper. The pantry has been stuffed and re-stuffed with groceries, and the stale food is just in the back now.....grrr....the front door needs to be repainted, the railings need rust-o-leum.....the deck could use a wash, the garage as well.....

So, hmm, so far today I've been to target. Not very productive for a day off, but that seems to be a trend here.

We do have some fun things planned for Labor Day weekend though :) Tonight, Ashely and Billy are having people over....tomorrow is the farmer's market...Nate and Audrey are having people over on Sunday night, and last night was the worship team party, complete with a bow and arrow course (in the middle of Green Hills, mind you). What gathering is complete without great Mexican food and a bow and arrow?

for packer fans everywhere....

ohh, the jet lag

Well, we've been home 5 days now, and the jet lag is still kicking us. Going to bed around 8 PM each night, getting up at 4:30 or 5....it's just so strange. I've never experienced anything like this. It's one thing going to Europe and being 7 or 8 hours ahead, but 13 hours? It's like someone sucker punched you and there's no getting around it. I think we're adjusting about an hour each day or so.

Seeing the Olympics on television is making me want to be back in Beijing. I have to say that this was unequivocally the most amazing trip I have ever or will ever take in my life. As much as I loved Asia before, this just solidified the fact that I am in awe of China, Beijing, the people, the culture, the language, EVERYTHING. It truly is a beautiful country (and I'm not just talking about the cleaning up they did for the Olympics.) It is an incredible city. The people are extraordinary. They love foreigners. It was a great opportunity to practice the little bit of mandarin I've picked up from Pimsleur mp3's. I'm now convinced that this is one language I hope to learn more of. There's a school here that offers adult classes, so I think C and I are going to enroll in them together.

The first few days back were surreal. I didn't want to be home, as much as I like home, I wanted to stay in Beijing a little longer, learn a little more, see a little more. It wasn't a normal vacation...it felt different, like we were part of something (even just seeing a few events) it felt like we were part of something bigger. Knowing how monumental this was for China and experiencing their joy as the Opening Ceremonies got underway....they were so proud, and we were proud for them. I didn't want it to end.
But alas, here I am, back home, back to life as it was, and I can't help but feel like part of me has changed. I don't know what it is, exactly, but I am going to continue exploring it.

For now, I need to finish writing my brief synopsis of each day, so I don't forget it all!

Beijing is AMAZING

I can't even being to describe how amazing it has been to experience the Olympics in Beijing. Wow! I so wish I had been journaling, so I'm going to attempt to get all of my thoughts on each day down in this post, so I have something to look back on while I am scrapbooking this three week journey.

Day 1- Monday August 4th
We left Honolulu for Tokyo on Sunday, August 3rd, at 8:30 in the morning. After a 9 hour plane ride, we landed safely in Tokyo, at 4 PM Monday afternoon. CRAZY TIME CHANGE! The Tokyo airport is probably one of the nicest, cleanest airports I've ever seen! We had fun being in Japan for 3 hours, we even took a picture to prove we were there. Saw some USA athletes on our plane to China. We landed in Beijing at 8 PM Monday evening, where Andrew, Nicole, and Asher picked us up. Our luggage came out quickly, we went through customs pretty quickly, and then took the train back to their apartment (which stops just a block away!) It was a very smooth travel day, with no delays, thankfully!

Day 2-Tuesday August 5th
We got up pretty early (our bodies were so messed up from the 13 hour time change) but Nicole took us to the Llama Temple, a huge Buddhist temple. It was cool, but sad seeing everyone bowing to the idols everywhere. We also ate at a little cafe called "Vineyard Cafe" which serves western food. I had a Ceasar Salad and fries, Chris had pizza. We also stopped at a cool jewelry shop and walked around the city a bit.

Day 3- Wednesday August 6th
Chris and I tried to get into the Temple of Heaven but it was closed due to the Olympic torch coming through, which we never saw, but we talked with lots of local people and had fun bargaining at the Pearl Market. We were out in the city for several hours....we made it back for Tacos at Andrew and Nicole's with their friends "family" Gabe and Helen. We also took some seriously cute pictures of Asher in a chinese headband holding the Olympic flag...SO CUTE!

Day 4- Thursday August 7
Chris and I visited the Summer Palace, and had LOTS of fun shopping for cool Chinese stuff! Andrew and Chris again tried (to no avail) to find the Olympic Torch, amidst a sea of Chinese. I was SO tired, I took a nap, but we all went out for Korean BBQ, which was really fun because you cook the meat and veggies on a pan at the table. Andrew and Chris went out to a concert with Gabe that night, and Nicole and I went home to watch a movie, and chill.

Day 5- Friday August 8th (OPENING CEREMONIES)
Sleeping in is fun. I can't remember what we did this day....and it's getting super late, so I'm going to add to this in the morning :)

beautiful kauai

Our second full day on the island has been amazing...although the roosters keep me awake at night! We went on an ATV tour today and saw the beautiful countryside/mountain range. We met some fun people and swam in a waterfall, saw wild piglets, and got SUPER dirty from the red dirt! It was a great time. Chris drove, so I was able to really take in the view! We saw the mountain from Jurassic Park, and the rope swing used in Raiders of the Lost Ark. I just can't get over how amazing the ocean view is from the lanai.....incredible! I love when the water crashes over the rockes, spilling onto the road. The forbidden island "Ni'Ihau" (prounounced knee-ee-how) is just 14 miles off shore. They have no electricity and the kids take a boat to Kauai where they go to school each day. Amazing how primitive it is, as visitors are NOT allowed unless invited. I just love the history of the islands, learning about the native plants and animals, except, of course the chickens! Aloha!

aloha!

We arrived in Kauai last night, after spending the previous night in Honolulu, just off Waikiki beach. It was amazing! We stayed at a beautiful hotel called Ilikai Waikiki. We arrived in Honolulu at 3 PM (8PM Central) on Friday. Having that much daylight really messed up our system, but I think we're finally back on track. We headed out to the beach, walked along the water, found our way to the international market and had a LATE dinner (11 PM Central Time). We walked around the shops, and I am just amazed at how many people in Honolulu speak Japanese. It's so fun! C had some great conversations in Mandarin with some of the little shop owners. We had a great time, albeit short, in Honolulu. On Saturday we spent the morning at Pearl Harbor, where we took the boat out to the Arizona Memorial. We also went to the Aloha Swap Meet at the Aloha Stadium :) It was fun to take it all in; this truly is paradise. So it's Sunday morning now, and after a good nights sleep, the roosters woke us up (darn those chickens!) and we are relaxing at the house with family. It's a beautiful sunny day on Kauai, so we hope to spend some time outside today. The view from the Lanai is amazing! I didn't know if I'd have access to the computer, but turns out Jan and Ed brought their laptops ;) You can't keep me away for long! Aloha~

leavin' on a jet plane

Well, tomorrow morning we are shipping out on our big trip to Hawaii...then off to China for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing! Woot! I can't believe it's here already! Wow, time flies. We've waited a year for this trip, and it's finally happening. We've spent the past few days packing and preparing things, so I'm feeling pretty confident it won't be too stressful this evening. We leave early tomorrow morning, fly to Denver, then on to Honolulu for the night. We'll be on the island of Kauai with Chris' mom, dad, step-sister, brother-in-law, and kids, which should be SO much fun. We're going zip-lining, tubing, 4-wheeling, and hopefully we'll get a good tan doing so! We arrive in Beijing on August 4th, where we will be staying with one of Chris' good friends, his wife, and their new baby. Since we won't have access to e-mail or the internet for a while, this will be my only post until we return! Please pray for safe travel for us and our family! I can't wait to update with some amazing pictures when we return! much love to you!

i don't love what you do for me, toyota

Lately, I've been doing a lot of research on fair trade companies, and other such things, and I'm really trying to be conscious about what and most importantly WHOM I am supporting with my business. So, I've become very interested in the issues of human traffiking and sweatshop labor. I recently ran across some very disturbing news, and while a whole 10 people may read my blog, it's the only thing I have to vent the disgust I have with the allegations recently revealed about the Toyota corporation.

I know here in America, most of our goods are outsourced and it's incredibly expensive to buy locally, and to buy green, but I want to make sure that I'm not naive to the fact that these things are happening around the world, and that we DO support them by purchasing their products. Take Walmart for example...for the longest time I refused to shop at Walmart because of their practices. Now that the economy has taken a turn for the worse, I've found myself buying into the idea that I need to save money, so I should get a few things there. Now I'm feeling guilty knowing that even one cent of mine has been given to this corporation, which emphatically denies any wrongdoing. I can't sit idly by while people are overworked, underpaid, and basically abused to make goods. It hurts my heart that this happens, and I want it to stop. Most importantly though, I want to be educated about my buying habits. I want other people to be as well. I wish I could do more, and I hope to one day.

Please, read the article HERE

Learn how to shop smart by visiting this website HERE

For a SweatFree shopping guide click HERE

Link to the National Labor Committee HERE

revamped, renewed, reused, repurposed!

I need a little input. I have been planning on doing this project for 3 years now, and it's finally happened! I have refinished a hope chest (READ: old toy trunk) that my parents wanted to toss out. It had some serious problems, and I had to reinforce a few areas by pulling out some old rusty nails, but I decided to upholster the top and paint the bottom. I'm happy with the results, but they didn't exactly work out as planned. I need help deciding if I should try to achieve a crisp white on the bottom, or stick with the "shabby" finish that the paint decided to do on its own. Chris really likes it the way it is, and I think it looks cute, I just can't decide! Anyhow, I still need to replace the hardware, etc...but here are the before and afters. Feedback please!

i can't put my arms down!

Ohh, only six more months 'til I can watch that beloved movie, you know, the one with Ralphie...woot! For some reason, this quote was in my head, because my arms hurt! But actually, it's the other way around, I can't LIFT my arms. Our China trip is just two weeks away (and as a result, I needed some immunizations to stay safe in Asia.) So three shots later, and both arms are in MAJOR pain! They said the injection sites may hurt for a day or two, but the entire upper arm? So frustrating!
So I am just a debbie downer today. I can't help it, I have no motivation of any kind. I could barely manage to wash my hair in the shower, so I've been a lump most of the day. We are going camping tomorrow..we're starting off slow, only going about 20 miles from our house, but hey, gotta start somewhere....
I DID, however, find time to update my layout :) and surf the web of course...

4 thoughts on the 4th

1. I love watching fireworks, especially when they fill up the sky
2. I love having parties with friends (and Kabobs, yum!)
3. I miss my parents and family and friends
4. Happy Independence Day from Nashville!

happy july!

A patriotic hello from the ville! Here's Moe in his new star spangled bandana...he loves it! Here he's ready to go on a walk, and not really interested in posing for a picture, ohh well.
Not a whole lot going on here. We're still trying to make plans for the 4th, though I don't know what we'll actually end up doing. So far we know we are going to make kabobs...mmm...also, hopefully go to see some fireworks! I am so excited C has off Friday! Woo hoo!

Foreign Language Poll Update

An overwhelming majority of 75% (3 people, hehe) said that Spanish was the language they would most like to be fluent in. Only 5 votes were recorded for this poll, which makes it nowhere near scientific, but still lots of fun! New poll to come soon!

sew fun!

I am now a seamstress (a very basic one mind you), but a seamstress none the less. I have finally completed 4 sewing projects. As you can see, I'm quite proud of myself. I've managed to tackle 3 bandanas (2 for Moby, one minature one for Soco) and a long flowy dress to wear to Hawaii! I am so excited and incredibly motivated to make more cool things! Unfortunately, I am borrowing my neighbor and good friend Martha's machine. Thankfully, she's willing to help me! I'm really enjoying these new hobbies though. I also covered the back of my plain white bookshelf with some VERY cute contact paper. It no longer looks like a cookie-cutter shelf! I LOVE doing crafty home projects.
We finally have our new camera and I will be posting pics of all of these projects VERY soon! I'm also looking forward to getting my new luggage! I recently ordered Eagle Creek Luggage - I've heard great things about Eagle Creek and I'm REALLY excited about traveling in style (and with ease.) Here's what I decided to get:

The Eagle Creek Wheeled Underseat Tote in Tree Frog Green

The Eagle Creek Hovercraft 25" in Tree Frog Green

The coolest thing about these is that the smaller one attaches through a little pocket in the back onto the handle of the larger one, which makes them easy to tote together! I am super excited about this! I can't wait to get them in the mail!
*pics to come soon!

it's been so long

Traveling sure makes it hard to get back into the swing of things.....especially updating blogs....so here I am once again, and I'm going to try not to be so distant from now on. Nebraska was awesome. I didn't get to see everyone, but the people I did see make me so happy! I wish I could've spent another week. It's nice to be home, but I hate being so far away from friends and family! My recent purchase, and one I am SO excited about, is my new WEBCAM! I can't wait to Skype with my people! Woo hoo! Best of all, the entire thing cost $11 and since Skype is free, it'll be great! We leave for China in just under a month....27 days to be exact...and we're still finalizing hotel plans in Honolulu, and Toronto. We're going to be visiting 4 different countries in 3 weeks (albeit briefly). We'll be in the US (obviously), Japan, China, and Canada! I don't know exactly what I will look forward to when we get back, but probably the fact that we can relax for the next couple of months, until Thanksgiving when we return again to Nebraska. More updates soon!

Here is a recent picture from a stand-up comedy show at Zanies....we went to see Mike Birbiglia. Also, Em cut and colored my hair, so it's the most recent picture I have!

Three Years!

To my dear husband,
Happy Anniversary, love! I can't believe it's been 3 years! Time goes too quickly, but I am SO lucky to have you as my wonderful husband.


Tonight, we went out to dinner at Morton's Steakhouse, where they had our menu printed with "Happy Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. Lawson." So cute! It was a GREAT evening. I can't believe it was 3 years ago tonight that we were dancing away at our reception!

P.S. Happy Anniversary Mark and Ash tomorrow!

back from la la land

Yes, we're finally back from LA, and have been SUPER lazy all weekend so far. Should be at church right now, but I wasn't feeling spectacular last night, so we decided to forgo it. I am super sad because Moby completely destroyed my USB connector for my camera.....that's going to make it pretty tough to post pictures anytime soon! My camera is on its last leg anyway, so maybe it's time to get a new one?
LA was SUPER fun. Unfortunately, Chris came down with a terrible fever, so we weren't really able to do anything fun together. I did get to spend lots of time with Christy, which was SO great! I have a picture of us out at dinner, but of course, no way to load it onto my computer. Grrr! I'm super excited to head back to Nebraska for a week! Can't wait to see everyone!

a poetic interpretation of alien city

it's late
i'm super tired
we're in los angeles
having a splendid time
calling l.a. alien city
because all the old ladies
have scary plastic surgeries gone array
i'm convinced that these women
would look much better
had they stayed just the way they were
perhaps then, they would look like people
instead of accident victims

backyard daisies

I think this would make a pretty good band name, don't you? Seriously though, the inspiration for this post comes from the hundreds of weeds (daisies) in my backyard! I love picking them and putting them in a little vase on one of my shelves in the kitchen....



We're off to LA on Thursday where C will be working with Boeing all weekend on FCS stuff. We're excited to have this mini-vacation to see and stay with his Dad and family. I also hope to see my long lost friend (my maid of honor) whom I haven't seen in 3 years, on May 29th. So excited to finally reconnect with her! Also, I finally found my dream suit to take along. It's SUPER cute and classy, and plain black so it'll last through the years! Happy flower picking friends!

mom,

A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.
Cardinal Mermillod

midwest modern

I've finally stumbled across a designer that emulates the EXACT design style I love! Her name is Amy Butler, and along with her husband David, she designs fabrics, patterns, furniture items, and a host of other fun things! I am dying to get into the book she recently published, but I haven't been able to find it at our library, so I'm hoping to save some money and get it on Amazon. The book is "Midwest Modern."

Komapsumnida

It's "thank you" in Korean. An easy way to pronounce it is ko-mop-soup-knee-da. We had a delightful dinner with our Korean friends at a Japanese/Korean restaurant not far from our house last weekend. We were treated by a co-worker of C's- Dr. Li. Our friends Brian and Jeanne, and their two ADORABLE children Nathan (2) and Daisy (7 months) were there too! We had lots of fun learning some Korean words and eating traditional Korean foods.

a much needed update

I was so excited to post, but I've been so busy I haven't had time to do so. LOTS of yardwork took place on Saturday, and I just realized it's been over a week since I updated. I wanted to wait until I had some pictures to share, and now I do! What BEAUTIFUL weather we have here....something we aren't used to, but are LOVING every minute of. We have been in the 70's for almost a month now. Every night seems to be the perfect night for a walk. I LOVE Tennessee weather! If you haven't heard yet, C accepted a new position with a company called EDAS. He put his notice in at Vanderbilt last week, and will be starting on June 2nd. He has enjoyed working with everyone at Vanderbilt, but he's excited for the new challenges ahead. To find out more about EDAS visit edasinc.com. I really couldn't begin to explain what they do (hey, i'm a writer, not a genius), but they have a great website. They are located about 35 minutes South of us, which will make the drive a little less stressful for him.

First on the list, my fabulous find at the Franklin Arts/Crafts fair last weekend. It's a copper butterfly from Wise Metal Sculpture (www.torchcut.com). He has BEAUTIFUL leaf wall-hangings as well. I just LOVE them!

After a long day of mowing, weeding, watering, and trimming, our house looks MUCH better!


The windows were all open, and all 3 kitties decided they HAD to cram into the smallest window in the house in the master bathroom. They're so silly sometimes!

silly songs

It's Saturday, YAY! We LOVE weekends. We are planning on heading down to this art/craft fair in historic Franklin, TN here shortly. The weather is cool and cloudy, but thankfully it's not raining. The week flew by. I have been frequently requested to sub for an elementary school P.E. teacher, which is SUPER fun. I just LOVE the kids at this particular school-especially the 3rd graders. They are HIGH-larious. Isn't it funny how things continue to be passed down from generation to generation? They were doing this hand game thing that I remember doing around that age (where 2, 3, or more girls stand around in a circle and hit hands in repetition) sing songing different lyrics (kinda like patty cake). This particular one they made up....We hit the balls, we get the balls, Mr. Chandler tells us to get the balls, WE EAT MEAT-BALLS! So I jumped in and we were all laughing hysterically....ohh to be 10 again! Have a splendid day!

ring pops and crab rangoon

Driving around in an ethnically populated area can have a strange effect on a person....so begins the story of the quest for gluten free crab rangoon. Yes, those delectable little morsels almost everyone loves, I have been craving for about two years. On a recent trip to the international market not far from our house, I ran across Rice Paper Spring Roll Wrappers. As excited as I was, I wasn't sure exactly how to use them. After some research, I found they are quite simple. A little water to get them sticky and pliable....cream cheese, imitation crab meat, steak sauce (don't ask me what this does), and garlic powder...pop them into the deep fryer (or fry in a pan with 1 inch of vegetable or canola oil and VOILA! Piping hot gluten free crab rangoon!

And of course, what dinner would be complete without those nostalgic ring pops?

sweet sweet saturday

The results of the poll are in. all 7 of you voted! thanks for reading my blog... apparently, there are a wide variety of home decor styles amongst us. I have been trying my hardest not to get stuck in just one, because I appreciate aspects from many types of decorating styles. So far, i'm trying to incorporate modern and contemporary furniture, with whimsical/vintage pieces. One genre I am particularly fond of is Art Deco. I have dreams of doing an Art Deco room at some point. Anyway, thanks for weighing in on the poll. Another will be posted soon!

I just love Saturdays with C. We took a much needed nap, and enjoyed spending the day taking Moby on a walk and doing some chores (I weeded, while he mounted our ceiling bike pulleys.) It's so nice to have a relaxing day at home TOGETHER! It's been a long time. We needed a laugh last night so we popped in the Ellen Degeneres stand-up. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it. It's VERY clean, so even kids can watch it! I just LOVE it!

home sweet organized home

A new hobby of mine is organizing our home. I feel so much more peaceful when things are in place....probably a result of my Type A personality...and ocd of course...but it's nice to have things clean. On a recent trip, i purchased some much needed organizational tools from Ikea in Atlanta. One in particular, a magnetic board, comes in super handy and keeps my fridge clear of clutter. The birds above were a thoughtful birthday gift from my lovely husband, and they match my kitchen perfectly! Gotta love Pottery Barn Kids! The magnetic board is home to our calendar with monthly happenings, as well as coupons we collect and art from one of my kindergarten students. We placed it right next to the garage door, where it is visible each time we exit and enter. It keeps us on track and reminds us of important dates.



A few weeks ago, I also painted our master bathroom- with the help of my incredible neighbor! I owe you girl! I guess the motivation came from being tired of seeing all the tan walls in our house. It was nice and neutral for a while, but it's nice to have some color. I know I tend to lean toward the bolder colors, but it's only paint! Plus, I am usually a bright sunny person...so I guess it just fits. As always, teal is a favorite of mine so I chose this from the spring Pottery Barn collection. It's Benjamin Moore Blue Lake. I just love how serene it is! I chose to accent it with brown rugs and white towels with brown accents- courtesy of Kohl's early bird specials!

This morning I got a call from my dad about the 5.2 earthquake in Illinois early this morning. Though we didn't feel it because we were sleeping, it was about 150 miles from us, so I'm sure it could've been registered by seismograph. We had a lovely weekend with C's parents last weekend and we're always looking forward to having more visitors! Next on the list...find patio furniture, and a glider, as well as an eliptical machine. Dad? Any idea when you can get some of these things out here? (hehe)