A Busy Break.

This Spring Break was special. Family was in town! We went downtown and explored the city in the rain. We ate some incredible food, went to a vineyard, played at the park, visited a museum, had an American Girl cupcake swaree', tie dyed t-shirts...

It was a busy week filled with great times and loving, creative memories.

Below are some of the moments captured on my iPhone or with my camera~

 

La Familia.

My Dad and Pat came to visit the girls and I for a week. Dad and Pat stayed in their RV at a local RV park. We were able to have dinners with them and show them around our city a little bit. 


We ate at some really great local restaurants, having "the best hamburger Pat has ever had", eating wonderful Mexican food (twice). Of course, you cannot be in Texas and not eat "chicken fried steak"...so, we did that too. We also went on a glass bottom boat tour!
The only thing we didn't do was saddle up a horse and ride along the river. Next time perhaps?


It has been 3 years since my Dad has come to our little neck of the woods, so it was a nice change of pace for us. The girls enjoyed the time with their Grandparents and I enjoyed having my family around!

Radical.

Being a parent means making the toughest decisions of your life. You will hurt harder than you thought possible and love so deeply you feel like you will die.

In church, we are learning about what it means to be "Radical" and what it means to really follow the Lord. 

Radical: of or going to the root or origin, fundamental.

As a parent, we are the "Radical", the root from which our children were born. We only have their absolute best interest at heart and unconditional love for them. As the Lord does for us, his children. 

Letting go and allowing your children to think for themselves and do for themselves is a vital part of parenting. Difficult or not. That is a "radical" step for a parent, the art of letting go....


When your child comes home from school and someone has upset them, your heart aches. You want to put a protective shield over your child so that nothing can keep their ray of beaming light from shining brightly.
That is not always possible. Little by little, even though we can never really release our children completely, we have to let them out of our grasp. A hard thing to do because our heart is attached, no, WOUND all around our children. It is as though our heart goes on beating outside of our chest.


Bella is getting more independent as the days progress, she doesn't need my help with her hair, getting dressed, doing homework. She still needs me and wants me by her side in some ways, but I am certain the day is coming when even something as minor as walking her to her classroom in the mornings will be  passe'.

So, day by day, week by week, I am loosening my grip, letting my children grow into what God has created them to be. I hope that my voice, my guidance and my parenting will continue to guide them throughout their lives.


I am 41 and my Mom and Dad still give me guidance, advice, direction and love.  I have to decipher between the emotions and see the meaning and love behind their words. It is not as though they are tightening their grasp on me, but their heart is wound all around me, so when I hurt or make decisions that seem harmful, it makes them ache too. 


Parents are radical, the root. Children are the seeds. God is the glory and the sunlight. Together, we are family. Connected by our hearts, forever.


Today, I hope that as you loosen your grip, that you not only find your child growing in their independence, but that you also find yourself growing too.

SeRiOuSlY.

disclaimer:
I drive my kids to school. 
I am very much a rule follower. 
I believe myself to be a respectful and kind human being, I pride myself on it, in fact.


One morning, a member of administration for the school said "Just so you know, you cannot turn into the school that way. If you do and a cop see's you, he will give you a ticket". I appreciated the tip. However, I don't understand why I cannot turn into 1 of the 3 lanes that lead into the school. Makes no sense to me...but, OK, I appreciate the insight!

TODAY,  the same person stops me on my way out and says "EVERY DAY you park in my parking space, I know it is a little thing, but it is my spot". 


I say, "EVERY DAY? hmmm, that is only the 2nd time I have EVER parked in that spot, it is not marked, I apologize". Everyday... yesterday and today = Every day...


She says "Well, they are working on marking the parking lot because that whole row is reserved for administration". Gotcha, it is not marked, but I should know better. 
I apologize and tell her it won't happen again. 


SOOOO, I go to my car and see that very very faintly, the parking spot is reserved...for the Vice Principal. Not the lady who stopped me. 


Perhaps I should send the VP a cookie bouquet apologizing for my inability to read a practically invisible marking, for being so self driven that I would park in a RESERVED spot because I am so much more important than others. 


If that were the case, I would just park in the PRINCIPAL's space. I mean, if I am going to break the rules....I am going for it baby, all the way!


 

Stuck on YoU.

Acupuncture....
What does it do? 

Acupuncture stimulates the bodies own ability to heal physically, chemically & emotionally.

I have spent the past 15 years being a sufferer of migraine headaches. After many MANY medications, tests, MRI's and other medical means, I decided to travel down a different path.

In January, I was treated with herbal care, acupuncture, chiropractic and voodoo. Ok, I made that last one up. 

I am terrified of needles...

I am also terrified of having a brain aneurism, so I opted to overcome my fear of needles to heal my brain of the awful migraines.

Instantly, my migraines were better. I was able to go for 3 weeks without a single headache. That is remarkable for my track record.

I went back for more treatments last week. 5 days of care that is changing my body, my life.

 Let me say this, I eat healthy, I exercise and I am happy inside. Those ingredients, along with learning to manage stress, coupled with the treatments I have received are allowing my body to rid itself of migraines.

This is monumental for me. Life is too short to feel bad, to suffer. 

Take a step, for yourself, to healing something that is ailing you. Whether it is your health, your life, your happiness....go after it. Get healed. After all, you only get one shot at this life. May as well enjoy it and feel great!

With Love....

On a recent photo shoot, my subject turned the lens on me. 

In college, I modeled for a company that made evening wear. It was the most fun I could have had in fashion college. Make money while trying on dresses all day long, hello, dream job! I feel pretty comfortable in front of a camera or on a runway. 

Just don't ask me to read a book to 21 Elementary school kids, I tremble. Lexie's 2nd grade teacher and I just had this conversation. I spoke at a conference in front of 13,000 people in New Orleans, about 17 years ago....yeah, I was a little nervous at first, but after a few seconds, I was clear headed and calm. Give me material that I am unprepared for, put me in a room full of happy 2nd graders and I get freakishly nervous. Strange.

Here is a little history to crack you up. When I said "model", I didn't say that I was good at it......Click on the photo to see it larger. Get ready to laugh.

Passion for Photography...

Some people have a passion for cooking, fashion, crunching numbers, construction....I have a passion for photography. These pictures are some of the one's I have taken over the past year that really speak to me in some form.

I love the architectural structure and design of bridges. The way that a bridge connects two things together that were otherwise meant to be apart. The suspension is phenomenal to me...how the structure hovers over water or railroad tracks, in mid air, and can support thousands of pounds at a time is beyond my comprehension. My brain doesn't have an engineering capacity, so I am fascinated.

Much like bridges, I really am drawn to flowers. The way they bloom from a seed, with only water, minerals and light. How they reach for the heavens and are so pure, colorful and majestic. Every flower has its own pattern, design and identity, like people. 

I hope you enjoy my perspective through the lens as much as I enjoyed capturing the images....

New Goods!

My Sassy Pants just returned from Market. We shopped until we dropped....
Your turn! Check out the new, fun, sassy items here OR click on the Facebook sidebar on this blog... 
(psst, over there ------------>)

She's an All American Rock Star!

Sparkly Sweet Dreams.

Tonight~

We watched a movie, I made special basil parmesan popcorn. I put a small jar in the center of the girls popcorn bowls with candy in them.

Taco's and Lemonade for dinner.

The girls took a bath in this chemistry "GOO" that was purple. It felt like squishy tapioca pudding. While they were doing their bath experiment, I was creating a fort in my room for us to sleep in. 

One ladder, 4 sheets, a hammer, a couple of nails, a stapler, string of lights, 12 pillows, 4 blankets, 2 sleeping bags, stuffed animals, 2 flashlights, a ton of books and a BIG imagination.....

PRESENTING....

"GIRLS NIGHT IN"

 

All That Glitters.

This Christmas, there was no shortage of bright sparkly things to catch a little girls eye. Brilliant hues of red, pink, purple, turquoise and lime green. Christmas morning has that same magical quality and feeling as when you enter the gates of Disney World©. Only, it is over in about 10 minutes. Then, all we are left with is a graveyard of wrapping paper, boxes, tissue, twist ties, bows and whatever else was binding the toy to it's package.
I made my annual Creme Brulee' French Toast, Thick Cut Bacon and Sparkling Orange Juice. 
We went to Christmas dinner at my girl, Shannon's house. Mark and Shannon made a delicious dinner and I felt blessed to celebrate with people that I dearly love on Jesus' birthday. 
Christmas is a season and a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, to celebrate life, appreciate family and to be thankful for all that glitters in our world.