dissection

Another things I did today was dissecting the hotel bed.  We have a Heavenly Bed in our home but it never quite feels like the Heavenly Bed at the hotel.  So today I took everything off the bed and studied and noted each and every label.  Armed with my new info I will be trying to recreate this Heavenly feeling at home.  I know what you may be thinking-- just go to the hotel website and purchase the bedding off there.  I am here to tell you, due to my super sleuth skills, I can attest that it is NOT the same!

productivity

As luck would have it, Mr. D. had a conference in Atlanta.  I tagged along and Shelby spent her first nights away with her Grandma.  This could not have come at a better time for me since I have SO much to do before school starts.  I have been very productive these last few days and have completed much of the first of the year busy work.  I even got a nap in too!

Life's too short to.....

Ever ever ever wear these shoes again.  Before you think bad of me or say to yourself a poor person would have loved those shoes, I can assure you they wouldn't.  

Buuuuh-bye.  

evolution

Since we moved into our "starter" home in 2004, the back quadrant of our home has been ever evolving. When we first moved in the room on the left was the guest room/craft and the room on the right was Mr. D.'s office/hang out where we spent a lot of time.  He liked to play his play station and I liked to use the desktop computer...because it was 2004 and people had desktop computers.  Then somewhere along the way the room on the left became a nursery and the room on the right became the guest room/office/craft room/catchall room.   Then the room on the right because the guestroom/office/playroom and the crafts went into the closet along with 99% of Mr. D.'s stuff.  This week the room on the right is being transformed back into a guestroom/office.  That said...ALL of the toys have been moved into the room on the left...er...uhhh, well those that made the cut anyway.   All of this has been quite the experience with my 2 year old (not so much of a) helper.  I still have A LOT of work to do on this project.   Today I spent some time digging out of the crazy to reclaim my tiny little space in our home.  It had been a catchall for the last two months.  

Note we still have a desktop computer... because someone in this house just can't. let. go. even though it hasn't been turned on in a long long long time.  I need to cultivate my area a little more in the coming weeks, as well as continue on the transformation journey.  I have come to the realization that we are not moving to a new house any time soon.   Therefore, if I want a bigger house I need to get rid of the many many things that are making my house seem so very very small.   It's a process.

August 1st: the day I started blogging again

As I woke up this morning and saw that it was August first the realization that my summer is almost over hit like a ton of bricks.   Time is running out for all of the amazing plans I so desperately clung to in the month of May.   I can honestly say my summer didn't go as I had planned.   I haven't completed reading one book.  I have not organized anything.  I haven't napped, or gotten into shape or (insert lofty goal here).    I have played with dolls, playdoh, and flashlights. I have colored.  I have potty trained for countless hours with very little results.   I have sang and danced and enjoyed being home.  I have cooked amazing meals for my family.     And, today August 1st, I started blogging again.

Queen of Mardi Gras

 Here are some super silly pictures that Shelby's teacher sent me of Shelby wearing a Mardi Gras crown.

This handsome young Gentleman is Shelby's friend Austin.  He used to be our neighbor and he and Shelby have literally grown up together since he was 4 months old and she was born.


You will also see the necklace I bought Shelby for Valentine's day- which she got early.  I have an amazing personal crafter.  I saw a photo of a necklace like this on the cover of a magazine.  This crafty lady looked at it and duplicated it.  We just LOVE it! Check out my personal crafter's site here.

Valentines Day 2013 photo shoot

I have had Shelby's Valentines photo shoot planned in my head for a few weeks.  Time however is something I seem to be short on lately.  So, the Sunday before Valentines day was the day of the photo shoot.  My Mother was here so I have the extra hands I needed to be able to pull off something elaborate.
I spent about an house painting the props.  I gave strict instructions to NOT let Shelby come into the kitchen under any circumstance.  I have found with these type of shoots the element of the newness of the activity is what wins the perfect expressions and great photos.   Somehow despite my insistence, Shelby not only ended up in the kitchen, but also right beside me painting little canvases.   I was frustrated because all of my preparation went right down the drain.  The moment was instantly lost.  In my frustration I painted part of the prop backwards, but no one even noticed until halfway through the shoot.  We fixed it but still the shoot wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be.  I feel it could have been better.   I didn't even print or send cards this year!

Tonight I asked my sister in law Meredith to pick a number between 1 and 25.   She chose 4-- so I present to you 4 randomly chosen photos from the photo shoot.

 Bonus:  Here is the picture I posted on Facebook. 

Double Bonus: This photo cracked me up!! 

 I will probably be doing a similar photo shoot with paint later in the spring outdoors.  Stay tuned.