LiFe {unscripted}

B and B

This is my mom-in-law, Benna.  I go by Becky, so that 's us - B & B.

She celebrated a birthday this week.  Adam and I will get to celebrate with her this coming month when we go for a visit to MO. 

Looking for a photo of the two of us, I realized that I don't have that many of the two of us.  We need to correct that in our upcoming visit.  She and I are usually the ones behind the camera.  Much like me, we enjoy taking lots of photos of the people and places around us. 

Benna is a wonderful mom. She is smart, caring, loving, and kind.  I remember the first time that we took Henry for a visit, she loved him just like she would a grandkid.  When he peed on the carpet, Adam and I freaked out.  Not Benna.  She just smiled and said, "its okay, its just carpet" with a warm smile. 

She doesn't hassle Adam and I about when we might have children of the human variety - she just gently comments with a wink and a smile.  I think she understands that we are on a different timeline, and that is okay.  That means so much.

She can text.  My own mom doesn't text so this is huge to me.  I love getting her texts and being able to communicate during a busy days. 

She reads and comments on my blog and I love that, too.  It really means a lot to me. 

She always makes the best meals.  She is the reason I have a staple to take to dinner with friends and family - Company Potatoes.  The recipe that changed my life (smile). 

My mom-in-law is truly a wonderful MIL. 

Happy belated birthday, Mom.  We are excited to see y'all next month!!!

Thanks for dropping by :)

old to new

Last night I finally decided that my beloved soft mint green towel had seen better days.  This is my favorite towel to wrap my wet hair up in.  It's thin, and soft and works perfectly.  Unfortunately, as I pulled it out of the dryer last night, it looked like this.

So I decided right then and there that I would re-purpose it into something useful.  A bath rug.  I dropped what I was doing and took it to my sewing machine. 

• I folded it in half,
• sewed up the right and left sides,
• turned it right side out,
• ironed the top seam and sewed it straight across to close it up,
• and then came the lace. 
• With a zig-zag seam along the lace, a bit of strategery (as George W. would say!) for the corners
• and just a couple straight stitches on the inside, I came up with this

See what I mean about the corners?!  I sort of used Kim Kesti's Technique of How to Bind a Quilt (I use this for my quilts and it works PERFECTLY). 

 

My Mama would would be so proud (smile).  She is my re-purposing role model, always creating new and beautiful items from old things. 

Thanks so much for dropping by :)

"Wake up!"

Henry tried three times to get me up this morning.  He seems happy to have someone still at home with him.  I'm excited to have stayed in bed past 5:40 AM. 

Glorious summer vacation is officially here. 

So what are our plans for today?

Natalada(not-a-lot-of) on my plate.

Especially for today.  Which is why I rolled out of bed, slid on my flippy flops, grabbed my computer and headed outside with Henry.  He is enjoying playing with Butters the cat in the yard while I blog. 

No worries, cat lovers (Rachel), Henry doesn't harm Butters.  He just gets him riled up enough to chase him.

Ah, yes, this is what I have truly been looking forward to. 

Thanks for dropping by :)

just a few hours shy of midnight.

And I am posting for Friday, May 25th, 2012. 

Posting something that has nothing to do with anything else going on  - I just love this saying :)

Today was a busy & good day.  Wrapping up the loose ends, cleaning up, cleaning out, and saying goodbye to the  2011-2012 school year. 

I'm ready for summer.  Ready for a break.  And ready for this long weekend spending time by the pool and hanging out with wonderful friends.

Aaaahhhhhh.  Finally.  After a 1/2 work day tomorrow, of course. 

 

My Desk

Is full of to-do lists like these.  I finally compiled them into just two, but seriously, this is a busy time of the year. 

What ever happened to the last few days being water park play and picnics?! 

Thanks for dropping by :)

Word...it's Wednesday.

Word: String.

 

String art that is.  I mentioned it on Monday's "Creating Current."  I made this one first, and started a Texas today in hopes to put them on display together to rep our home states and where we love the most.  Not sure if I am crazy about the yarn (I think bakers twine might looks more polished?), but it's about the process, right?.

Word: Smile

I smiled this morning on my way to work because it was a gorgeous morning and I was feeling ready for the day.  The fourth to last day of the 2012 school year. 

And then I got to work and realized that it's the fourth to last day with my senior students - a bitter sweet feeling I recall from last year.  Bittersweet because I have now known another class since they were freshman.  Watched them grow, and gotten to know and appreciate their creativity and leadership in my classes.  And I will miss each and every one of them. But I smiled and signed their books and wished them well because I am excited for them and excited to see the places they will go.

And tonight, as I uploaded this photo from my iPhone, I smiled again...

because I look like my mom.  Adam even commented that "you look a lot like your mom in that photo." 

And now I know how she felt on her fourth to last day of her fourth and fifth year of teaching high school students.

It's a weird and awesome feeling all at the same time. 

Thanks for dropping by :)

Picking Favorites on a Monday Night

I've had a lot of favorites lately.  And after being home today for our districts last bad weather day (favorite!), I thought I'd share them in list form.

Favorite songs as of late:

1. As It Seems by Lily Kershaw - beautiful song - was on a television show and so touching.
2. It's Time by Imagine Dragons - Adam and I sat in the car while we finished listening to it - it's not often that we both like the same song.
3. Free by Graffiti 6 - Such a fun song and reminds me of our first dance song at our wedding (smile).

Favorite T.V. Shows

1. Revenge - I am all caught up, thanks to my iPad and the ABC app.  It's very soap opera-ish, I think, but great actors make it really good t.v. 
2. Scandal - WOW!  Shonda Rimes is incredible.  First Grey's, then Private Practice and now this show - a definite must watch, in my book.  
3. Criminal Minds - not a new favorite, by any means, but the season finale was so amazing.  A real edge-of-your-seat-nail-biting episode.  And one that ends with a great song (see song no. 1).

Favorite Products

1. Bath and Body Works wallflower in Green Grass - this scent is making our home smell like summer and I love it.
   
   
   
   
2. Bath and Body Works body Cream in Pink Chiffon - another summer-y scent that I am enjoying...I've used BBW body cream for ever, and this one is right up there with my Vanilla Bean Noel favorite.
   
   
3. Gold Glitter - and LOTS of it.  I glittered the front of the "h" I made for a word I am hoping to spell over our mantle.  
   
   
   
4. The Silhouette is still one of my all time favorite scrapbook products.  Recently, I needed to make a card for a friend for, in his words, "sometimes Hallmark doesn't have a greeting for everything."  And it's so true!  In this case, the Silhouette came in handy and worked like a charm.
   
   
   
5. I've not been much of a eye make up wearer.  Like ever.  That's why I love finding cool make up at discount stores, like Big Lots (lol!), that make it fun to experiment without spending lots of $.  Plus, this one, by Philosophy, has instructions - fool proof.  A favorite.
   
   
   

And finally, my favorite photos from the weekend (plus, the one from the last post).

1. Laughter among friends - we all agreed that laughing was our favorite form of exercise.
   
   
   
2. Needless to say, we did a lot of "exercising" Friday night during our girl's night out.  I mean, how could we not?!
   
   
   
3. And of course, you knew it was coming (wink, wink, smile!)...A new favorite of my happy camper with his new squeaker toy.
   
   
   

Whew.  Lots of favorites lately, huh?! 

Thanks for dropping by :)

Currents

time: 4:59 p.m.
location: home.
watching: Grey's Anatomy season finale. 
drinking: nothing.
wanting: the next four week days to fly by.
needing: To get to the gym for a good run+workout tonight.
loving: that I had the day off to absolutely what I wanted...so what if that ='ed a whole lotta nothing. 
creating: string art...I'm excited to share, but want to finish first. 
thinking: about art projects, and summer time to do those art projects. 
wondering: if technology has really made my life easier, or if it's just one more thing that is time consuming?  I spent 2+ hours syncing my iphone and ipad today.  ugh...seriously, does it have to be that hard to delete a photo album from your iphone? 
excited: That summer vacation is less than five days away, and we have a great weekend planned to celebrate Memorial Day!
sharing: this photo of Adam and I from the weekend.  It's actually not too often that we get in front of the camera phone at the same time.  If you are an instagram follower, sorry, you've already seen this ;) 

Thanks for dropping by :)

 

Architecture Monograms

Remember these?!

Well, it's that time of the year again.  The last couple weeks and we are deep into chipboard, Dixie cups, and paper tape.  My classroom may look like a disaster area, but these babies are a a hot ticket with teens which equals maximum productivity at a time when everyone is restless and super ready for summer vacation. 

And for me that + end of year to-do lists = busy, crazy busy day's. 

So thank goodness that the weekend is upon us! 

And in other news, I just have to share this amazing photo my sister texted me from her work trip a the Domain in Austin. 

The Louis Vuitton display that I am guessing is just in time for Father's Day.   I could probably afford one of those arrows, so thank goodness Adam doesn't need a Father's day gift yet (smile). Either way, it's a sweet display, and I'm super proud of my sister who claims to "not know art" when she see's it. 

I beg to differ.

Thanks for dropping by :)

These images...

will never get old to me.

Henry with a fresh new bone after a walk in the park.

Henry, in efforts to hide his half eaten bone, gets tangled up in the rug.  Poor baby, but such a good sport to be patient enough for a pic.

Holding H on my lap on a Sunday afternoon drive.  He just loves to feel the wind in his face.  I love watching the wind in his face and the sheer happiness he gets from it.

Sleeping in on a Sunday morning.  Head on pillow and everything.

And going to sleep early on a Sunday evening with Adam.  THIS scene, especially, will never ever get old to me.

And last night while I was on my computer, Henry climbed up on the bed (bone in mouth), walked up to my legs and dropped his bone on my foot.  Since he was a puppy, he has always trusted his mama to take good care of his bones so he could get some sleep.  A sweet exchange that sometimes ends with me waking up with a bone under my pillow. 

I had a conversation with a friend today about how much joy our dogs bring into our lives.  Indescribable companionship.  A true friendship. 

Some may say it's because Adam and I don't have children.  Others might think I'm obsessed .  A "weird animal lover."  And for some, my consistent talk about Henry might get really old.  But for me, these are the images that will forever be in my heart - and never ever get old. 

What can I say, I love my sweet Henry. 

Thanks for dropping by :)