mind + body + soul

First, let's start with Body- I'm eating chocolate covered pretzels right now and definitely feel like my inner aspect has been nourished. seriously- they are so goooood. Anyway, have a few things that are fun to share.

::mind::Was listening to talk radio today as I ran a couple errands for work. Mark R. Levin was being interviewed, if you're interested in thoughts and observations regarding our founding philosophers and how we've arrived in our current political frame of mind check out his book. I haven't read it yet, but am curious and excited. Politics were easy peesy back in 1984- I thought Ronald Reagan was king of the world and Walter Mondale was some creepy guy from Russia trying to take over the White House. nice.

::body:: I grew up as a tomboy and never really learned the womanly arts of hair and makeup. I can fake it pretty good, but I'm clueless. So I felt like I'd stumbled across the big sister I always wished for in high school when I found this girl on YouTube, sweet! I feel like I've hit the jackpot, she offers tutorials and reviews on makeup and hair. Coincidentally, Marta at martawrites is doing a panel study on beauty if you'd like the insight she's uncovered.

::soul:: Just finished reading an amazing story this week. Couldn't put it down- heart beating fast and wrenching in the end. It's so beautifully written I keep thinking of the characters as real people, wondering what they're doing and how life is turning out for them. At the end I felt my soul calling out for something more. A need to understand/be a part of more than the little story I see unfolding around me in Shreveport.

Le Tour de Jardin

A few weeks ago I got to view some of the prettiest gardens in Shreveport with my gardening friends. I looove the garden tour, this was my second one- the creativity and beauty are so inspiring! Here a few of my favorite pics.

If you're looking for gardening ideas Better Homes and Gardens website has easy to follow garden plans for every style, soil and time. Found lots of inspiration for our backyard, we started from scratch after ripping out 33 (!) boxwoods and all kinds of aimless debris.

Here was the front of our home, pictures we took with the realtor the first time we visited. Good thing we didn't mind boxwoods...

the sad little patio- "boxed" in

we thought the boxwoods out in the middle of the yard used to surround an old tool shed, but our neighbors told us the previous owner had two chairs in the middle of them, it's where she enjoyed the backyard. You can't see it too well... but there's an old gas lamppost keeping the hedges company... and that's poison ivy growing up the chain link fence..

Ta Dah!! We've painted the house, pulled up the rickety gas lamp and now our new plants are filling in pretty good this spring. The lamb's ear in front was a small gift a sweet friend gave me right before our wedding, look how much it's grown!

the patio is just starting to flower, I had a nice surprise when zinnia's started popping up everywhere. i dug them up and replanted them together in the bottom right corner of the pic (they'll bloom in a couple weeks)
our lovely backyard... free from poison ivy, shrubs and fire ant mounds!

Happy Memorial Day

It's been a busy month, wow! Mother's Day, graduations, and 6 birthdays in our family made for lots of projects. Hope you're summer has kicked off to a great start this Memorial Day weekend. Found myself repainting our kitchen {Ozark Shadows by Benjamin Moore- pictures coming soon!}, organizing our church's attic, feeling the burn in Pilates class, fellowshipping with the ladies in the toddler room Sunday morning, tubing on Cross Lake, cervesa + salsa + grilling in our backyard with friends, starbucks, starbucks, starbucks!

This is Drake's finished painting, around the edges are stripes to match the big fish. Matches the MiGi Splash nursery set, was great helping you KiAnne, thank you!

Drawing it out

Finished a painting this week and thought you might enjoy peeking into my sketch book. It's funny, I never noticed how messy or how many times I sketched over other patterns until I was finished and reopened the book.

and just starting the painting for baby Drake...
will post the finished project next week!

Summer Fun List

click here to enjoy the super talented and inspiring Kelly Moore of Kelly Moore Photography in good ol' Ruston, LA. She's so dang awesome.

A list of things I want to do before this summer passes by:

01. pick blueberries

02. swim in the Little Missouri in Arkansas

03. dig my toes in the sand at Gulf Shores

04. enjoy cervesa + chips + salsa outside with good friends

05. eat veggies from our garden!

06. watch fireflies in the backyard

07. have friends over for dessert and chatting around our fire pit

08. pedicure and gladiator sandals

09. saturday morning farmers market run with Dan

10. playing outside with all my little "nieces and nephews"

How to Cultivate Amazing Character

I received this e-mail from a dear friend and thought the video was the best teaching I've listened to in a long time. If you have time it's worth it! The teaching part begins about 5 minutes into the video.

"If you have an hour, you should really watch this video... great teaching on 1 Peter 3 ... wives and submission. The sermon was great and ended with Q&A from Grace Driscoll. The next week is the followup to this section on how husbands are expected to treat their wives."

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/trial/marriage-and-women

Happy Easter

Hope your Easter was
relaxing and joyful.

I had great intentions of taking pictures
of our family
laughing and talking,
but
the camera just sat on
the side table.

Oh well, good indication of a nice afternoon.

I did get a chance to snap shots of our home fresh & ready for spring! There's nothing I love better than flinging back all the curtains on a pretty day!

{saturday morning breakfast was a slow treat in the backyard- nice}

Easter felt so special this year,
driving to church so early
it was quiet.
I imagined the women
making their way to the
tomb.

It was probably still -
expectant, slightly overcast
like our morning.

I felt the same excitment,
like I was making my
way to the tomb,
but no head bowed
with sadness like Mary.
In my minds eye
we were jumping
up and down
to see the Lord Risen!

wow... can you imagine being there for that?