Outfit Post

There has to be a better title for outfit posts than "outfit post" right? Please don't suggest Claire's Closet. Something else. Help me out here! There is nothing in it for you other than bragging rights.

In case you are wondering, the only thing vintage in this particular outfit is the beaded necklace. I will be honest this was a really hard picture to post. This happens to be an ok angle, but I am not sure this is the most flattering outfit I have ever put together. I keep staring at certain parts of my body and wondering when my hands became my mom's hands (sorry, Mom, nothin' like having your daughter dissing your hands on the 'net).

PS I am not fishing for complements, but I have no plans to turn any down. 

Brave and Other Princessy Qualities

Thank you Pixar, thank you, thank you, thank you for finally introducing us to a real princess. A flawed, sometimes selfish, prideful tomboy of a girl in Brave. She sounds like a real prize, I know, but being a Disney movie, the princess in question, Merida, learns a lesson and it's a good one. It certainly translates to real life a little easier than, say, Cinderella or Snow White ("be really sweet and kind, girls, and your prince, or at least his footman, will come and sweep you away!).

Brave is essentially about the strained relationship between Merida and her mother, Elinor. As a daughter and a mother to daughters, I can really appreciate the misunderstandings between Merida and her mother. Elinor is trying to instil in Merida a love and sense of deep responsibility for their kingdom, culminating in the act of marrying the oldest son of a neighboring clan. Merida fights this tooth and nail and seeks a way out of her fate.

Merida's selfishness and Elinor's pride make it impossible for them to see eachother's point of view and results in the expected fairytale movie chaos. I loved how the antagonist of this movie wasn't some mean old stepmother or a witch, but Merida and Elinor, themselves. They had to work out their problems and come to a resolution. There isn't a prince in Brave, and all the men are actually pretty ridiculous caricatures, but it's nice to not have a romantic angle. I know. I am so selling this right now. Don't worry, it isn't a boring movie at all. I am not going to give anything else away other than to say this is a princess to be proud of.


Not that the other fairytale princesses, Disney or otherwise, are bad. It may be hard for our inner (or outer) feminist to embrace the princesses, but I'm going to argue there is something teachable in all the princesses personalities. Whether or not it outweighs the negatives is up to you, but no matter how you see it, there are worthy lessons in all the princess stories.

Snow White - The Fairest Princess is consummate home-maker, to be sure. She is sweet and loving, dwarves and forest animals love her, even if other women are deathly jealous of her good looks. She is kind to animals and keeps a mean house. Sufficie it to say that she is the princess I relate to the least.

Sleeping Beauty - As princesses go, she is a tough one. Chick fell asleep and literally waited for her prince to come. Nevermind that Sleeping Beauty has always been my favourite movie. It's cuz of those spunky fairies, I swear! Let's just skip her and pretend this never happened.

Little Mermaid - She is adventurous and willing to take risks to be happy. Maybe it wasn't such a hot idea to go to a Sea Witch to make that happen, but thankfully there isn't a sea witch in my 'hood to tempt my girls. (I am talking about the Disney version. HCA's version I'd like to shy my kids away from for obvious reasons.)

Cinderella - Alright, so she was forced to be a slave in her own home, but she tried to find happiness anyway. She tried to look for the bright side in a bad situation.

Jasmine - She is curious, questions the world and doesn't accept the status quo. Good qualities to have. Maybe she even got a college degree and did a semester abroad. She ultimately fell in love with a poor dude, but the cool thing about her is that titles and money don't matter to her.

Belle - Any girl who can read a book as intently as she did while walking through town and not trip over anything is hands-down my favourite. Oh yeah, she also managed to see beyond the really scary guy's temper and ox-like looks to fall in love with him. And she is dang wonderful to her dad.

Tiana - She works hard, is strong willed and patient. She shows that hard work and perseverance (and a prince of a husband) helps to achieve your goals.

Rapunzel - Strong willed, adventurous and willing to take risks. She is also pretty dang patient and self sufficient, seeing as she stayed in that tower for 18 years.

Honorable mention:
Mulan - She has no end of spunk, courage, and strength. She saved her country from the Huns, after all!

Movie they should have made:
Sacagawea instead of Pocahontas.

So, do you (will you) allow your daughters to watch princess movies? Why or why not?

Calling a Truce in the Mommy War

How have I judged thee? Let me count the ways.
I have judged your parenting choices, the good ones, the bad ones and everything in between. 

I have judged you for your schooling choices, where you go to church, how often your kid naps. 

I have judged you for breastfeeding, or not. 

I have judged you for being too conservative or too liberal. 

I have judged how you discipline and what you feed your kid.

I have judged you for being a working mom, stay at home mom and everything in between.

I have judged your for whether or not you vaccinate. 

I have judged you for baby-wearing and then turned around and judged you for raising your kid to speak his mind.

I have judged you for losing your patience with your kids in public.

I have judged you for having the nerve to judge me.

This isn't something I am remotely proud of and I hope you will forgive me. Just as I hope you can forgive those who do it to you. You see, I figure we can't have a mommy war if we just stop. Stop giving side-glances to our girlfriends at the park when we see a kid throw sand in precious Junior's face. Stop thinking our parenting choices are superior to everyone else's and stop beating each other down in the process. 

Do you make parenting choices I don't understand? Yes, you do. I'm not naive enough to think that my parenting choices don't baffle you sometimes. Maybe even all the time. Sometimes my parenting choices baffle me. I, like you, have one goal as a parent: raise kids who love Jesus and each other the way Jesus loved the world. Maybe you aren't a believer in Jesus, but I'd venture to guess that your goal looks pretty similar: love and treat others the way you want to be treated. We all want our kids to be kind, generous people who do good for the world. See? We want the same things. We can probably help each other out a little bit, can't we?

Those of us who are believers can rest in the knowledge that we have been redeemed and saved from judgement so that we can be with Jesus in eternal life. We have been tasked with sharing the Gospel through our words and  our actions. Judging each other does not fit into that plan. Pride does not fit into that plan.

When you see the mom who is clearly struggling with her kids in Wal-Mart, don't judge, (remember, you're shopping in Wal-Mart, too) ask her if she needs a hand. Go introduce yourself and your girlfriends to the mom of the delightful child throwing sand at the park. We can be friends and supporters to each other. In doing so we might open each other's eyes and hearts as to why we make some of the choices we do. There isn't room for judgement and pride in supportive friendships.

Now, I'm not saying that I'm perfect or that the next time I'm with my girlfriends I won't inwardly roll my eyes at something they do, or they to me. I will say I have been consciously trying to be supportive and not judgemental with my friends, family and random strangers at the park by not judging their choices. Sometimes it's harder than others. Ultimately there has been freedom in letting go of the judgement. I have been free to seek advice from other moms without caring what they thought of me for asking. I have been free to offer support to other moms without the burden of my pride getting in the way. I have, hopefully been a better friend and mom for it. 

And, the next time you see me yelling at my kids in Wal-Mart, just put your hand on my shoulder, assure me that you know the feeling and help usher my kids to the checkout line, m'kay? Thanks. ;)

Home Sweet Home

There is nothing like travelling to make you appreciate home. I spent the better part of this week in Colorado with my friend Sarye, and her family. Colorado is gorgeous, great big sprawling ranches and mountain ranges stretching as far as the eye can see. Sarye and I definitely embody the story "Country Mouse, City Mouse". Can you guess which mouse I am?

This was a whirlwind trip, so full of appointments and decisions and talk of decor and dresses and favors and cake topper or no cake topper?, that we didn't really get a chance to visit and talk. The biggest thing I appreciate about Sarye is that no matter how many years it has been in between seeing and talking to each other, we just pick up right where we left off. I loved being there to help her make all these decisions. This is going to be a beautiful wedding.

Smoke from the Highpark Fire, largest in CO history

Sarye lives outside of Denver, but is getting married in the mountain town of Estes Park. We visited the location she is getting married at on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. Literally the edge. About two feet from the ceremony site is a sign stating "national forest beyond this point". I don't know why, but I find that fascinating.

In the midst of all our appointments we took some time out for a beautiful lunch at The Stanley Hotel. The Stanley was the first hotel in the United States completely run on electricity. It is also rumoured to be haunted and insanely beautiful. While we were at our lunch in the elegant Cascades Restaurant I looked out across the courtyard at the other side of the hotel and noticed movement in an attic window. It wasn't a ghost, but rather a guest in his skivvies trying to yank the window down unaware that there were four ladies in the restaurant cracking up because we could see his tighty-whities. I wouldn't call that highlight exactly (because that would be weird) but it was pretty funny.

I so enjoyed being there with Sarye and her family, but at the same time felt very restless and out of sorts. Colorado is beautiful, but my heart is firmly in California. And it's funny, but the knowledge that the ocean was not a two hour (or even a day's) drive away sort of made me feel nervous and a little twitchy inside.

It was a such a sweet time with my friend, but boy was it wonderful to come home to my little family.

Welcome to Denver!

I'm in Colorado right now, helping my dearest, oldest (in length of time known, not age) friend plan her November wedding. I am also blogging from my phone, which I am sure is less than aesthetically perfect. Oh well!


In just a few hours we managed to get her (somewhat) registered, pick out bridesmaid dresses, and gather cake, invites, flower and favor ideas. This wedding is just about in the bag!

By the time you read this, we will be halfway to Estes Park touring the GORGEOUS venue. I am going to regret that 11 on bedtime...

it's the little things

A few of the "little things" that have blessed and encouraged me this week:
A sweet message from my dear friend, Nikki, in response to my posts about body image. Nikki and her husband, Jordan, are missionaries in Manila and are expecting their first baby in a few months, which is SO EXCITING! I love her and wish that she lived close by. I don't have a picture of her, but please do visit her blog and say hello.

Proud boy! With a mouth full of ice cream.

 Good grades!! Both my kids got fantastic grades this year and earned themselves a free ice cream at a local parlor. I am especially proud of my boy, who had a great year. Repeating first grade was the best thing we ever did for him. I am so proud of his improvement. This kid reads for fun now.

SUMMER! We had our first full day of summer yesterday. It was amazing. Farmers market, playdate, afternoon at the river. It does not get any  better. Also, I am tired.

The cove we played at yesterday. We have been awake 3 hours and the whole time my son has been begging to go back.

Forever Friends. Forever friends are hard to come by. I am so thankful that God has blessed us with more forever friends than anyone has any right to have. Aaron and my very first forever friend was a wonderful man named Jason. We have loved him like a brother for the last ten years. Two years ago Jason introduced us to Carolyn who would, a year later, become his wife. Within minutes of meeting her I knew that she would also become a forever friend. She and I have probably the most honest and real friendship I have ever had. We laugh together and cry together and pray for each other. I love Carolyn. Oh, and Jason, too.

Aaron and Jason

Beautiful Carolyn and me

Jason and Carolyn are leaving Sacramento to start a new adventure in Nashville while Jason pursues his PHD and Vanderbilt University. I couldn't be more proud of what he is doing while also being miserable that he is taking his sweet wife away from me.There are two consolations to this: 1) both their entire families live here, so they have to come back to visit and 2) I am adding "visit Nashville" to the Life List.

These are a few of our forever friends. There are no less than eight beautiful people missing from this photo.

A blog that I really enjoy, Hello Hue, encourages her readers to remember and be thankful for the little blessings in life. Each week, on Fridays, she lists all those who have participated in "it's the little things" that way we can all read about, and hopefully be encouraged by, each others blessings.

Forever Young

Last weekend my husband and I went to an 80s Prom themed birthday party. It was as hilarious as you might expect an 80s prom themed birthday party would be, which is to say pretty darn hilarious. I tried to find an 80s prom dress that would fit me, but had no luck, darn it. Not being one to go with the crowd anyway, we decided to go the completely other way and dress up as teachers.
 
Not the "cool" teachers, no the mean teachers that ruined everyone's fun by enforcing all the rules to the letter of the law. AKA, this scene was not very pretty. Not very pretty at all. Clearly I have no shame. In my daughters words : "Wow, Mom, you are an UGLY teacher." Ah. Well.

The above awesome pictures were taken by Eikon Photography. The bottom lame ones were taken by me.

In my own skin

I never did get around to showing off my Girls Night purchases. Showing off pictures of myself in the "What I wore Today" posts that seem to be so popular to the blogging world right now are not my idea of fun. If you know me in real life you can probably detect my mild discomfort. No one wants to see me slouch around in vintage this or that, right? I've rescheduled this post three times, rather than post it and put myself out there in all my full-figured glory. But I posted my kid-sister the day after we took pictures. I look at her and see nothing but adorableness.

I look at other bloggers who post cute outfits and think, "wow, she looks adorable." I don't ever notice their size. If it's something I'm not judging for others, then why am I judging myself so harshly?

One blogger in particular, Lilli, from Frocks and Frou Frou really has showed me that size really and truly does not matter. She is a curvy girl and proud of it. She always looks beautiful. She knows how to dress for her body type and she has great style. I would happily wear every single solitary thing in her wardrobe. I love looking through Lilli's posts, especially when I'm feeling pretty uninspired by my own closet. Also, she lives in Australia and is a book editor, so maybe I want her life a tiny little bit.

I don't know other people's motivation for posting outfit posts, probably just that they are proud of their style and cuteness. For me it's about embracing that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Trying to practice what I preach, here, ladies. 

Naturally, with my backyard FULL of vintage heaven, during Girls Night, I walked away with more than a few pieces. When Marayah had her storefront I would spend hours with her chatting and trying on clothes, but usually could only justify one or two pieces at a time. Let's just say I did not hold the same restraint this time.

I love this black dress. It will certainly become a staple on the 100 degree days, but note to self: do not wear to a windy picnic. No one wants to know me that well.

Gotta love clothes that are versatile. Dress that's a shirt or shirt that's a dress? I like it both ways, husband prefers it as a shirt, the kids are officially humiliated by my wardrobe.

1960's polyester pull over - LOVE this. I wore it to a family party and my brothers didn't even make fun of me. Either they are off their game or I am not the only one who thinks this is way cool.

I ♥ Sacramento {Old City Cemetery}

My dad was one of those Sunday driver kind of guys.We would hop into the car, go through the drive thru for a burger and take to the road. When living in Missouri we would drive through countryside, the city, and everything in between. In Hawaii we would drive around the island as best we could (you can't drive fully around the island) and back again. My dad always took the long way, everywhere.  

We moved quite a bit when I was young, and travelled a fair amount - by car, of course. When we moved from California to Missouri we drove across country. I believe it was one of my Dad's biggest regrets that we had to do the trip as a straight shot in two days. No meandering, no stopping at roadside oddities, no dragging out the adventure to ten times longer than it needed to be. I think it always bothered him that he had to bypass everything he loved about road trips and just get there.

I always wondered why he was so into the Sunday drive, but now I know exactly why. The practical reason is that a long Sunday drive in the 80s and 90s was cheap (gas didn't cost you your first born then). But the main reason he loved driving was that it was his ticket to unfamiliar places. On the Sunday drive he could daydream. I remember him driving to adjacent towns and cities, looking for nice neighborhoods and picking out houses and yards he and my mother loved. They would comment on the flower beds and paint colors, tree placement and what they would do it if was their house. He loved Victorian architecture  and talk to my mom about how cool it would be to fix up a giant Victorian for all of us to live in. She would nod and agree, but I'm pretty sure she thought he was nuts.

 
Sometimes we would get irritated about being stuck in the car for hours on end, with no destination in sight, but deep down we all liked the adventure, too. We would encounter little roadside stands, historical markers detailing who slept, ate, was born, died or pooped right here, open houses for houses we could never afford, the occasional family graveyard in more rural areas. All which must be explored before moving on.

Because of this, I now have an unnatural, knee-jerk reaction to pull over to read every historical marker I see, buy things from roadside stands and explore every graveyard I drive by. I married a far more practical man than my mother did (probably a good thing since there really isn't room for two of us in this relationship). The Sunday drive is an epic waste of time and money in his eyes and no thank you, let's not tour the wacky roadside whatever, because it will add two hours to the trip.

For years I have driven by the Old City Cemetery, and for years I have told myself Next time I am definitely stopping, although I never did seem to stop "next time". It reminded me of endless driving adventures with my family growing up, but I was always too busy to indulge my curiosity.  A few months ago we were driving by with nowhere to be so I demanded that my husband stop so we all could get out and wander a bit. He did, and while I don't think he really gets why I feel compelled to explore every strange place I see, he enjoys seeing me happy and can tell that his kids have inherited my sense of adventure.

Being in the Old City Cemetery with my kids, reading headstones, marvelling on how young the mothers and father were when they died, feeling a sense of empty loss at all the miniature graves marking babies and children, brought me right back to the Sunday drive days. One of my favourite stops in Missouri was an old Civil War era family graveyard that was tucked to the side of the road. I remember feeling thankful to be alive in this time and not a time when 50 was elderly and babies rarely made it out of their first year. I remember how my dad loved reading the headstones and exploring the graveyard and seeing us realise how lucky we were.

Old City Cemetery isn't sombre or depressing, it's a window into a world we aren't familiar with anymore. A world where families would tend to their loved ones even after death, where the graveyard was a park to quitely wander and remember your loved ones. The Old City Cemetery Committee runs tours and provides maps, information for which is on their website.

Old City Cemetery - Broadway and 10th Street
 Summer hours 7 am-7 pm; closed Wednesdays and Thursdays

Evaluation

In July I will have been alive 33 years, a Christian for 12 years and married to my wonderful husband for 11. We will have volunteered at our church in various capacities for 10 years. We will have been parents for eight and a half years, and home owners for eight. I, with my husbands support, will have been a business owner off and on for four.

That, in a very concise nutshell, is our life. When looked at in black and white it really isn't much, is it? It's easy to see the things that haven't been done. I didn't get a college degree or start a career. My business wasn't successful. I have never quite gotten a handle of what I want to do with my life. It would be easy to consider all this and feel deflated. Honestly there are moments when I do look at my life and and ask God if I should be doing something else, something more.

We all have those moments, don't we? Those moments when discontent creeps into our hearts and threatens to dismantle the lives we have built for ourselves. Sometimes a little (or a lot) of dismantling is needed to rebuild our small lives into bigger, better ones, but sometimes our small life is exactly what it is supposed to be. The trick is knowing when to dismantle and when to settle in, isn't it?

In the last year and half God has been teaching my husband, Aaron and I a number of lessons in contentment and embracing the life He has given us. One day, after a particularly challenging day at work Aaron called me from work to tell me that he had had a wonderful time of prayer about his job and where it was taking him. It was a job he enjoyed, but it was frequently frustrating, sometimes to the point that he wasn't sure he wanted to work there any more. He was calling me to say that even though there were lots of reasons to be unhappy about his job, he had been praying and felt a sense of peace and contentment about it. From that point on he declared he was going to choose to be thankful for and content in the job he had.

The next day he called me to tell me he had been let go, laid off.

Fired.

I thought it was a joke and laughed out loud. Aaron assured me it was not a joke; the tightness I could hear in his voice confirmed it. My heart dropped to my stomach.  Just yesterday he was saying how he felt a sense of peace and contentment, this couldn't be right? While it was nothing he did, his boss assured him, the office Aaron worked for was going in a different direction. They wouldn't be needing his position any longer. They would give him time to find a new job and could phase out his current duties over a period of weeks or months, if necessary.

This was one of those moments where my college degree or a career would have been rather handy.

While there was definitely some comfort in knowing losing his job wasn't effective immediately, it was always in the back of our minds that at some point the job would be permanently phased out and we couldn't really be sure when that would be. For eleven months my husband looked for a new job. He went on dozens of interviews for jobs that would have made significantly more money, required more time at the office, more travel or even a move. Several of the "best" jobs, he was one of two people considered. With each job he was second runner up. First loser, he joked after the third or fourth time. That was funny.

Except it wasn't. There is nothing more frustrating than being passed over for jobs you know you can do, and do well, over and over and over again. I know we aren't alone in the experience. There were many sleepless nights from worry. Eventually, Aaron found a job for less money in an agency he wasn't particularly excited about. I don't mean that to say it's not a good job, or great even, just that it wasn't what my husband wanted for himself. It wasn't where he had spent the last twelve years building a career. He had been doing his dream job, this new job just wasn't it. He took the job, and has been grateful for the opportunity.

It is no accident that this journey started with a declaration of contentment, and it shouldn't come as a surprise that the journey ends with one. Where we saw an opportunity to "better" our lives financially and career-wise, God saw as an opportunity to affirm that we are right where we should be.

We may have a small life in black and white, but in reading between the lines there is so much more. Our little starter house in our "not-so-great" neighbourhood is actually placed on a street with really great neighbours. In the last few months there have been increased opportunity for us to get to know and connect with them in ways that we haven't been able to before. The neighbourhood kids congregate here in packs that drive me half crazy, but they are here because they want to play with our kids. I have been given a great group of first-seventh grade girls to lead in a Girl Scout troop. We are plugged in at a great church where people know me us and love me us anyway. A desire to serve our church and community through Biblical counseling is growing in Aaron's heart. In other words, our lives are small, but steeped in opportunity to be purposeful and loving and kind.

Our life is good. God is good. There is so much to be thankful for in this small life, and so much more room to grow.

Playing Dress Up

My sister is 13 years old. Remember 13? Yeah, I blocked it out, too. Obviously, given our slight age difference we did not grow up together. We have the pleasure of having three brothers, so playing dress up was really not much a part of either of our childhoods unless we were visiting our cousins, which we were both lucky enough to have lots of girl cousins. Our mom is one of eight kids, so the cousins are pretty spread out in age. Us older kids used to call ourselves the Original Eight. We were all born in the 70s (me) and the 80s (all the rest of them). The Newbies (there are twenty of them, yes twenty) were all 90s babies, so clearly their childhoods were inferior.

Noelle regularly stays with us and helps me with my kiddos in exchange for getting to do fun stuff with us. I could tell she was pretty bored the other day when she was here and boredom to a 13 year old is a slow, painful, whiny, death. I couldn't let her die in my care, so we did makeovers and played dress up complete with a photoshoot. Because that's what you do. I got in on the action as well, modeling all my new vintage clothes from the weekend, which I will post later. This is Noelle's spotlight!
  

 
I think we adequately made up for years of not getting to play dress up and found a pretty fun way to pass the time. We loved going through my closet for clothes and jewlery that would be cute for her to wear. She tried really hard to get me to lend her my brown belt, but in true older sister fashion I said "Heck no, it's mine, go make mom buy you your own! "

The best part of the day was after I downloaded the pictures and showed them to her. Noelle was thrilled at how they turned out. I don't think she realised that she is truly a natural beauty. She is only wearing eyeliner, mascara and lipgloss. Lucky duck! I cannot wait to do another fashion shoot with her. I'll dress her up and pretend she is my own personal doll. That's normal, right?

Life Lists

We all have one: that list in your mind of all the things you would like to see, do, visit, make, eat, experience before you die. Thanks to Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, many people call it a bucket list. I have always found the term "bucket list" to be a little bleak, so I call it life list, but you can call it whatever you want to. This is mine.

Take my kids to see the houses I lived in as a child in Hawaii and St. Louis, MO.

Visit where my paternal grandparents grew up. Grandpa Baganz - NYC, Granny Baganz - Virginia.

Find out where my maternal grandparents grew up and visit. (Nevada, both, but unsure where)

Draw something everyday.

Embroider something everyday.

Yellowstone.

Quit being chicken and hike Half Dome.

Disneyland half marathon with my sister. I do not really want to do this. I hate running. But she does and she needs a running buddy. And it ain't gonna be our mom.

Europe. All of it. Austria if I have to pick one.

Para-sailing. Maybe. Probably. People die doing crazy stuff like that.

Do a multiple state road trip by car.

Do a cross-country road trip by train.

Visit Prince Edward Island. Act like a crazy literary tourist (though, let's be honest, if you are a literary tourist to begin with, you may already be crazy, not just acting) and visit what I imagine are the locations of all my very favourite Anne of Green Gables and LM Montgomery moments: the road that Matthew and Anne took from the train station where she chitter-chattered her way into his heart. The pond where she pretended to be Ophelia. The house she and her girlfriends lived in during college. Captain Jim's lighthouse. Kilmeny's orchard. I must take Allison and Megan with me, because only they could possibly understand.


Dapper Day at Disneyland I know. You're shocked this wasn't number one. There isn't any particular order and it wouldn't be number one anyway. Prince Edward Island would be number one because it is the one thing that I would do even if it meant never getting to do anything else on my list ever.

Give up soda. Forever.

Become far less dependent on my car. Walk and biking = good. Driving = Bad

Visit all the National Parks.

Restore a vintage RV.

Become a decent photographer. Use film more.

Attend Alt. Design Summit (or some other blogger/design conference)

Learn to play the ukulele.

I ♥ Sacramento {Florin Farmers Market}

Florin Farmers Market

8:00 AM - Noon
Florin Sears Store
Florin Road & 65th Street.
(Front Parking Lot) Open All Year 

I love a good farmers market and love the fact that a really good one is not far from me all year round. Last week I went out with my camera poised to take far more shots than I needed and instead was greeted with a low battery warning and dead camera about 10 minutes into our visit. I managed to get a few shots in before the camera died for good. 

If you decide to go today, be sure to look for me and Charlotte and say hi. We usually spend too much time at the bakery booth, the name of which I forget because my camera died before we got there.

  

Vintage Girls Night

There is nothing like a good Girls Night, is there? I love being able to get together with my friends and talk and laugh and eat and drink things I shouldn't on a regular basis (I'm talking to you, peanut butter brownies). I also haven't had that much fun trying on clothes with a group of friends since high school. When my friend Marayah called me asking if a vintage clothes party sounded fun, I'm pretty sure that I didn't let her finish her sentence before shouting YES! When she had her shop, Lulu Forever I spent hours there shooting the breeze. I also rarely left without buying something. I think she even had a corner of her store devoted to things I was holding and buying over time.

I used to wear vintage, or rather, thrift store finds (neither of which was cool in the 90s when I started out) all the time, but once I had kids the appeal of digging through racks of thrift store clothes solidly ran out. Marayah's fabulous collection has made it pretty much unnecessary for me to rummage thrift racks anymore and now she is even willing to bring the fun to me. WINNING.

So, Saturday night was the big night. Sangria was made days in advance, brownies baked, vintage jewelry and clothes gathered. My backyard was transformed, the husband and kids ushered off and the living room turned into a dressing room. The weather threatened to be horrible and in the 90s, however the Delta Breeze rescued us from sweaty disaster. The evening proved to be perfect for shopping and chatting with friends. Everyone who wanted to found a sparkly something or great item for their closet. I call that a success.

The best complement of all was that when it was over, several friends immediately asked me when the next one would be held and a few ladies who couldn't make it this time begged for me to have another one. Naturally I cannot disappoint, so Marayah and I are already getting our heads together for round two. Now, if you want to be included be sure to let me know! The more the merrier in my book!