Sunday, January 31, 2010

Wallpaper is not my friend

Woke up to Chris making waffles this morning before taking the girls to Sunday School. I love that man!

We've lived in this house almost 11 years and today we (I) am taking down the wallpaper in KJ's bathroom. I can NOT wait! I've hated that wallpaper since the day we moved in and plan to decorate to match her bedroom....3 walls white, 1 wall bright orange. The white walls will have various colors (hot pink, lime green, orange) and sizes of polka dots to match her comforter set.

Had a nice night with Matt & Britt. We went to Cucina Superior at Brookwood and then took them to Yogurt Mountain. Poor things! It was SO cold last night. I don't think Matt even had on a jacket! I had my info wrong, it's not a bulldog they're getting today, it's a boxer!


When we came home from our evening w/ Britt & Matt, we watched the Miss America Pageant. So disappointing! We thought Liz was magnificent and one of the prettier girls. Some of the girls looked kind of sloppy and disheveled. Not so crazy about the winner, Miss Virginia. She seemed a little fake, not a natural, friendly approachable kind of girl. JMHO.

The sun is shining today but still very chilly. The girls will be on the turf @ BSC at a lax clinic so I'll have some peace & quiet to tackle the wallpaper.

I've really been into my blog lately and I really enjoy tweeting, twittering, whatever you call it. For the last week or so I've been toying with the idea of cancelling my FB account. I love keeping up with my high school friends and friends from around the country, but there are a couple of drama mamas I'm trying to distance myself from. These mom's are all up in everyone else's business but completely unaware of their own children's reputations. What's that saying, "Ignorance is bliss??" I also like "People in Glass houses...." The one mom in particular is in for the shock of her life when someone finally gets fed up with her BS and her "holier than thou" attitude and tells her what's really going on with her kid. I don't think she'll be able to show her face around town again.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Weather, Weather Everywhere and Beauty Queens


We had one super nice day this week and then bam! The rest of the week went to hell in a handbasket. Cold, rainy and gray. Chris was asked to coach an Addidas team this weekend in Nashville but the tournament has been cancelled due to weather/snow. He was really looking forward to it and was pleased to have been asked to coach. This rain is destroying the fields here and is really messing up practice schedules. The girls are probably going to get on the turf tomorrow at BSC.

So T found out last night she did not make Belles. A couple of her really close friends did -- Molly, Taylor K & Kristy -- and they will be wonderful and beautiful representatives for the town! They are lovely girls and we are very excited for them! We've known Molly & Kristy since we first moved here and I'm very proud of them. Love to see kids we know do well.

T spent the night at a friend's house last night. T dances with this girl and she is competing for Miss Outstanding Teen (or something like that, I can never keep those pageant titles correct!). Anyway, her platform is the Make-A-Wish foundation so they made a party out of it and spent the night rolling loose change. Tonight is the Miss America pageant. I'll TiVo it and watch it when we get home. Got to get my tiara's and dust them off. KJ & I, of course, are rooting for Liz Cochran, Miss Alabama! She's such a beautiful, classy, elegant young lady. Very poised and graceful (she stand 6'1'' in her stocking feet!). Miss Pennsylvania is also incredibly beautiful.

KJ has a pottery painting party today and then we are meeting our niece and new nephew-in-law for dinner. They live in Tallahassee but are meeting with a breeder here in B'ham tomorrow to pick up their new dog. I think it's a bulldog. They are very excited about the dog. I don't think I've ever seen a bulldog puppy.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Lovely Bones


I just caught the tail end of Meredith's interview w/ Morgan Harrington's parents. Morgan, you may recall, was the VA Tech student who has been missing since October 17, 2009 after attending a Metallica concert with friends. Morgan's remains were found this week in a remote field approximately 7 miles from campus. Her parents made a comment about Morgan being "lovely bones, lovely girl." Her mother clarified by saying, "I looked at her in a sonogram, I've now looked at her empty eye sockets in her cranium." Lovely bones. I just sat there for a moment and really, really let that sink in. These parents, particularly this poor mother, has watched her child's life come full circle. I can't even begin to imagine the absolute hell these parents have gone thru the last couple of months. As with the parents of the missing Haiti students, the "not knowing" is awful.
Every time I hear of a young lady missing or found dead, I get positively sick to my stomach. My biggest fear in life is that one of my beautiful daughters will be abducted or suffer a far worse fate. I harp on them constantly about thinking smart, staying safe, making wise decisions, never go to the bathroom alone, don't leave the building (once you're out of the building no one can help you), always keep in touch and let me know where you are (especially if plans change). I always tell them, "I don't want you to be a statistic. I don't want to be on TV holding up a photo of you."

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Letting my Inner Preppy Flag Fly

Well, not exactly. I'm probably the farthest thing from a "true" preppy but I do like reading several preppy girl's blogs and appreciate their total devotion to all things green and pink (I'll be honest, there's a heck of a lot of black and neutrals in my closet). I saw this cute little dress on someone else's blog, I think it's called the Elliott dress by Lilly Pulitzer. I love the colors and the shape. Cute for a spring day.

I also saw these scarves on the Lilly website. They are called the Murfee scarf. This is a little more my style. I think these would be cute with my "go to outfit" -- a plain white T and a pair of jeans. I'm a fairly simple dresser and live in jeans and t-shirts pretty much all year round. I'm crazy short and a little overweight. I don't exactly have a love affair with clothes. But I do love me some accessories! I usually have a charm bracelet on one arm, maybe some kind of a statement necklace and, depending on the weather, it's either flip-flops or cowboy boots on my feet. I also like a really great purse. And don't even get me started on shoes! My latest obsession has been rings. Big, bold statement rings. Last spring I bought both a denim skirt and a khaki skirt and got a lot of use out of both of them. Let's face it, between Chris and the girls, I'm at the lax field 4 to 5 days a week beginning late February. I don't have to dress up for anyone and I like to be comfortable when I'm sitting in the bleachers eating my chicken fingers platter from the snack stand.

Every spring I buy a bunch of plain t-shirts at either Gap or Old Navy in several different colors, a couple long sleeve or 3/4 sleeve and a couple short sleeves. I also like to buy vintage looking T-shirts. I'm not exactly sure what you'd call them but they're more like a graphic T or a "rocker" T. Nothing with dorky sayings or slogans. I'm also a big fan of the LBD (little black dress). I've noticed the last couple of weddings and/or social gatherings we've attended, I've had on some variation of the LBD. Whatever. It works!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

bibliotheque? bibliotecha??

"The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it." -- James Bryce

I. LOVE. TO. READ. I would rather read than eat. I would rather read than sleep. I would rather read than shop (unless it was to shop for more books). I love everything about books. I love spending hours and hours in the book store. I love scouring Ebay for great deals on a hard-to-find book. I love the anticipation of reading a new book. I love the jacket art. I love reading about the author and seeing if their photo matches up to my pre-conceived notion of what they should look like. I love finding an author I like and then reading all of their books. I love anxiously waiting for a book in my favorite series to come out. I love snuggling on the couch with my favorite blankie on my feet reading a good book.

"Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house." -- Henry Ward Beecher
I know Amazon's Kindle and the Sony Reader are the hot new things. As an avid book lover, I just can't seem to warm up to them. Here's some info I swiped from Amazon's website regarding the Kindle:

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Lightweight: At 10.2 ounces, lighter than a typical paperback

Books in Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

3G Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle; no annual contracts, no monthly fees, and no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots

Global Coverage: Enjoy 3G wireless coverage at home or abroad in over 100 countries. See details. Check wireless coverage map.

Paper-Like Display: Reads like real paper without glare, even in bright sunlight

Carry Your Library: Holds up to 1,500 books

Longer Battery Life: Now read for up to 1 week on a single charge with wireless on, a significant improvement from the previous battery life of 4 days

Built-In PDF Reader: Your Kindle can now display PDF documents natively. Native PDF support allows you to carry and read all of your personal and professional documents on the go.

Read-to-Me: With the experimental Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read newspapers, magazines, blogs, and books out loud to you, unless the book's rights holder made the feature unavailable

Free Book Samples: Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy

Large Selection: Over 400,000 books, including 101 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers, plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs. For non-U.S. customers, content availability and pricing will vary. Check your country.

Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are $9.99, unless marked otherwise. When traveling abroad, you can download books wirelessly from the Kindle Store or your Archived Items. U.S. customers will be charged a fee of $1.99 for international downloads.



If I travelled extensively for work, I think I might like a Kindle. Sometimes travelling with a book can be cumbersome and they take up a lot of room in your carry-on. I also have a bad habit of finishing the book while I'm travelling and then need another book. So, I buy something at the airport or the gift shop and now I have TWO books in my luggage. I'm also wondering if people who don't ordinarily read actual books are reading more thanks to the Kindle. As much I love reading, unfortunately, my children and husband do not share my enthusiasm. I'm wondering, if in this iPOD / Nintendo DS / iPhone crazed society, could I get my family to read more if it were on an electronic device rather than a good old-fashioned book?

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Baywatch Babe, Rite Aid & Botox

Catchy title, huh?? I saw a link today on one of my favorite gossip sites "StarPulse" about Pam Anderson hawking her new perfume. In a Pennsylvania Rite-Aid no less! I thought that was kind of weird. I would have thought she would have had some type of launch at a swanky LA Boutique...Kitson, Fred Segal, etc. I don't think she's a Rodeo Drive kind of girl but definitely some place on Robertson or Melrose. In any event, I shudder to think what this new fragrance smells like? Tommy Lee? Skank? I also don't think Pammy is aging well at all (she's actually 2 months older than me). Too much time in the sun?? Hard living? Too many rockstar husbands? http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2010/01/26/pamela_anderson_promotes_her_new_fragran

Pam needs to take a page from some of these ladies and learn how to age gracefully (and still be sexy): Helen Mirren, Sophia Loren, Sandra Bullock, Vanessa Williams, Halle Berry (personally, I think she's made some type of deal with the devil), Maura Tierney, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Melina Kanakaredes (daughter #1 and I both agree that we would KILL for hair like that!), Marg Helgenberger, Kyra Sedgewick, Brooke Shields and the entire cast of Desperate Housewifes (with the exception of former castmate Nicollete Sheridan; I think she looks like a hag. What's that unflattering saying? "She looks like she was rode hard and but away wet").



I also found a juicy tidbit about one of my favorite "stars" on Starpulse: Kristin Chenoweth. Luv, luv, luv her! She is perfect and can do no wrong in my book (she put up w/ Kathie Lee yesterday on the last hour of the Today Show). So? She does botox? Who cares? She's 41 years old. Other than 15 or 16-year old Dakota Fanning, I don't think there are many women in Hollywood who are "au natural." For crying out loud, I think more than half of my neighbor's have had some type of work done to enhance themselves (boobs being the most common, extensive dental work, botox/microdermabrasion, laser treatment for spider veins, etc.). As someone who suffers from migraines, I would consider botox as a migraine treatment and if it got rid of those 2 vertical lines beginning to appear in between my eyebrows, BONUS!!
http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2010/01/25/kristin_chenoweth_insists_she_uses_botox

P.S. Get your Michael Jackson/Grammy Show Tribute 3-D Glasses at Target! I was there yesterday and they had stacks and stacks of them on a table by the front door. Apparently they were erroneously printed with the logo of the "This is It" DVD but there are no 3-D effects in the DVD. They were intended to be used for viewing the Tribute during the Sunday night's Grammy's.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Yay! The Sun Is FINALLY Out!!

Nice day weather-wise. A little windy but the sun is strong. We have had the worst weather the last couple of days. The lax fields are swamped and now the kids can't practice for a couple of days.

So I finally finished decorating the mantle for Valentine's Day. I had put the banner up the other day and the ribbons and the crystal heart garland. This weekend I added the red votives (again, another Christmas left-over) and also added heavy square crystal votives.



Disclaimer: I should just call this post "Monday Miscellany" because I've got some really random thoughts to put down:
First and foremost, Kathie Lee Gifford really annoys the heck out of me. I love Hoda Kotb and don't know how she puts up w/ KLG day in and day out. I've watched the Today Show faithfully since I was a little girl and love Al (met him in person in the Bahamas), Matt, Meredith and Ann (quite possibly one of the classiest people on TV). I usually have the TV one while I'm doing laundry in the morning or cleaning up the breakfast dishes so I end up catching the Hoda & Kathie Lee hot mess. KLG is such a hypocrite and an egomaniac. She somehow turns EVERY news feature into something about her or her family.
Secondly, I can't stand Rosie O'Donnell. Just when I thought it was OK to watch TV again, they keep bringing her back. She's like a bad penny. I don't care that she's gay, I don't care that she broke up with her former partner Kelly (also the mother of her children, I think) and I don't care that she has a new partner. Does Oprah really need to interview her? I think she's a horrible woman. She failed at her own TV show, her magazine was a failure and then she failed on The View. Note to Network Executives: Please stop shoving Rosie O'Donnell down our throats!!
Thirdly, I have decided not to buy any more shampoo, conditioner, body wash or body lotion until everything in my bathroom is gone. I, like a lot of women I know, like products. Doesn't matter what kind, I just like to have STUFF. Just depends on my mood or my requirements (i.e., the seasons totally wreck havoc on my skin....dry-skin in the winter, oily in the summer). Some mornings I feel like mango shea butter, some mornings I feel like pomegranate body scrub. Some mornings I use my Aveda Shampure, other mornings I like John Frieda's Blonde line. Just depends. I also like Johnson & Johnson's Melt-Away-Stress Wash and the body lotion at night to help me relax. I plan to use EVERYTHING on my shelf in the shower, my linen closet and my cabinets, whether I like it or not, and not buy new. Just putting this out there in case you see me walking down the street with really bad oily skin, dry hair and bad cuticles. Now you know.
Having decided that I will NOT purchase any new shampoo, conditioner, body wash or body lotion today I exfoliated from head-to-toe and slathered on a really thick body butter. I also used a pumice stone on my feet to get rid of any dry spots and used a foot cream and put on heavy cotton socks to help the cream absorb. Now you know.
An an entirely unrelated note, I've noticed on several other blogs that people have nicknames for the people in their lives (I've seen "DH" used a lot and I have no idea what it means. Dear Husband???). For example, one blogger I follow refers to her husband as "Coach" (he obviously coaches some type of team) and another blogger refers to her husband as "Parrotthead." I affectionately refer to my daughters as either T or KJ (or Daughter #1 and Daughter #2 respectively). Which now brings me to Chris. What should I call him? In high school and college he was Cosmo. Down here, everyone refers to him as either Coach (the boys and some of the parents call him that) or Cos (our friends refer to him that way). I guess the more important question should be, "What would he call ME on HIS blog???"

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sunday Silliness

Had such a wonderful day yesterday. The lacrosse team had a fundraising pancake breakfast at Applebee's Saturday morning and it was a huge success! The boys worked hard and did a great job! It was wonderful seeing all the parents and we had great support from the community.

T had her Belles interview yesterday morning also. She said it went well and she looked so professional and grown up in her black pencil skirt and pumps. Now we have to wait until Friday to find out if she made the cut.

After her interview we went shopping for a Sadie's Hawkins dress. She had originally seen this dress on the ArdenB website so we went to our local store to see if they had it in stock.
They did not but they did have a fairly decent selection of cocktail dresses and she tried on several. I did not care for this pink one. It was way too busy. However, the back had a large elastic insert making the dress fit perfectly. Sometimes a zipper and eye hook just doesn't cut it.
T also tried on this dress black dress with feather trim. It fit incredibly but was waaaayyyy too sexy for a high school dance. She looked like a 25 year old going to a club.
She tried on this dotted dress because it was similar to the dress she had seen on-line. I loved it. It was my favorite. The XS fit perfectly but T didn't like it because it bunched up a little bit when she walked and she was afraid it wouldn't be comfortable when she sat down. She also wasn't sure how she'd wear her hair. She doesn't really do "up-do's" and the one-shoulder thing was throwing her off.
I liked this black dress with the sequin bodice but I thought it looked to much like the dress she wore for homecoming. Kind of "been there, done that."
So, she did find a dress that she loves but I'm going to be a tease and not post it on here. Now she just needs to help her date find a shirt and/or tie to coordinate with her dress.
Last night we tried the new Mexican restaurant that opened in the Target shopping center near our house. The food was good and the place was busy but they really, really rush you. We barely had our butts in the seats and they brought our chips and salsa. Our food came out super quick and I kind of felt like they were rushing to turn our table.
KJ spent the night with her friend "El Diablo" (T's nickname for her). We used to call her GW because when she pulled her blond curly hair back in a low ponytail, she looked just like George Washington.
Chris was supposed to have BamaLax try-outs all day today but they closed the sports park due to inclement weather. T was also supposed to have lax practice. So, thanks to last night's and this morning's crazy rain, we now have a nice, quiet relaxing day to stay home and watch the Jets!!!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Friday Fun

Had a nice busy week and the weekend will be just as busy. Monday the girls had off from school and we did T's photo shoot. Tuesday Chris had lax practice, Wednesday & Thursday T had dance, Wednesday I had the Sirius radio in my car fixed, met the hubby for lunch and we had Trey's scholarship signing. Last night I went out to dinner w/ some of the lacrosse moms and had a really nice time. I like those mom's alot. Very nice ladies and their sons are all good kids too. Tonight Chris has lax practice and T and I were supposed to go to a benefit show @ Workplay with friends but Chris had already told KJ should go have a friend over. I think T is still planning to go to the show. Saturday morning the lax team is having a pancake breakfast @ Applebee's. They've done this once before and had a really good time. One of the dad's is in the restaurant industry and Applebee's is a great community partner. Tomorrow is also T's Hoover Belle's interview (should be interesting....we have no idea what to expect!). Sunday is BamaLax try-outs and T has lax practice. Whew!

I learned something new this week....at the top of my blog dashboard is a feature called "next blog." If you hit the arrow, some really interesting blogs come up. I've noticed that a lot of photographers have blogs. Not complaining, I love looking at photos. Any kind of pictures. But especially like wedding photography, babies and family portraits. It doesn't even matter if I don't personally know the subjects (actually, that makes it even more interesting!). I'd love to post some of my favorite pictures on here but I don't want to infringe on any copyrights.

Here are some of the miscellaneous blogs I've looked at this week:

I've also noticed that today's bride is much more sophisticated and savvy than I was when planning my wedding. These couples are just so darn cute! I heard an interesting tidbit on the Today Show this morning (and everyone knows if Matt & Meredith discuss it, it must be true!). Research has found that when a couple is married after the age of 25, they are more likely to be married longer. They also found that living with someone before you're married doesn't necessarily insure longevity contrary to popular belief. You can read about it here: http://community.todaymoms.com/_news/2010/01/21/3789840-does-age-affect-your-marriages-success and also check out these two cute couples:

Another blogging trend: Southern. Many, many more southern women seem to blog than their northern counterparts. Hmmmm. I wonder why? I haven't come across many blogs with the name "northern" this or "northern" that or "yankee" in the title but whether you're from North or South of the Mason-Dixon line, here are some blogs to check out:


Thursday, January 21, 2010

Haiti

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583514,00.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+foxnews/latest+(Text+-+Latest+Headlines)

This story has been disturbing me on many many levels the last couple of days. I've only caught the tail end of a couple of interviews with this group of parents and I still don't know what to think.

I can't even begin to imagine what these parents are going through. The not knowing must be unbearable. They sent their children to Haiti to do the right thing ... visit orphanages and distribute food and may never know what became of them.

Let's go back a couple of years to Katrina. New Orleans is completely shut down ... no power, total chaos. I will never forget one of the cable news shows interviewing an elderly woman who had been in the Superdome or perhaps some kind of make-shift shelter for a couple of days. She was complaining because she "had been here a couple of days already and no one has offered her a hot meal." Hot meal? Lady, the city is under several feet of water. Where did you expect to get a hot meal from??? This story about this group of parents kind of reminds me of the woman in New Orleans.

I am not an Obama fan nor will I ever be. However, I will be the first to admit that this administration acted swiftly when the earthquake first hit Haiti. One of the things that is bugging me about this group of parents is that they are demanding the US send troops (as many of 500-1,000) to this particular hotel to look for these American students. One distraught mother on the Today show said, "we should be sending bulldozers and heavy machinery to this hotel." Another parent said she is angry that she's not getting information from the government; U.S. officials say they're doing what they can under difficult conditions considering most Americans in Haiti did not register at the US Embassy. There is really no way of knowing exactly how many Americans were in Haiti at the time the quake hit. Another parent made some comments about "This is the United States of America. They perform miracles all across the world ... Where's our miracle?" Unfortunately, this event did not occur on American soil. When you travel out of the country, particularly to a third world country, there are certain risks you have to assume. Haiti's infra-structure, on a good day, was shaky at best.

One of the more outspoken parents, "Len" if think, said these kids went down there on a "journey of hope, that's what it was called, and it's turned into a journey of hell." Again, I will never pretend to understand what these poor parents are going through but I think their anger at the US government is displaced.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Valentine's Day Decor (Just a few of My Favorite Things)

I'm pretty done with my Valentine's Day decorating. I love setting my dining room table. I try to mix things up every year and not do the same old same old.
This is the foyer. Nothing fancy but I love that big Southern Living hurricane glass (maybe it's called the Madeline??). I've just put a bunch of random Valentine's Day fabric and ribbon scraps in there. I think there's also a old pearl belt from one of T's denim skirts from when she was a toddler. It had pink ribbons on the end and for some (odd) reason I just couldn't part with it. The weird black thing in the corner is actually a mitten drying rack I picked up at a lacrosse fundraiser. I hang different seasonal ornaments on it (since we don't even own any mittens having moved South!).

I am going for a shabby-chic kind of look in the dining room. The wine goblets are from our wedding crystal, the red champagne glasses are from Wegman's in Williamsport, PA (no lie, I actually bought them at Christmas years and years ago and get so much use out of them....Christmas, Valentine's Day, 4th of July). The cake plates are antique Limoge and my great Aunt Wanda gave them to me (I have 8). I have 4 of the little glass heart plates (they are kind of hard to see in these photos). I have red glass salad plates but they are too close in size to the cake plates to use as chargers. And this year I grouped a bunch of topiaries together for the centerpiece. I think a couple of these topiaries are actually Christmas topiaries but they had red accent colors so I thought they'd look good for Valentine's. I also like the apothecary jar filled with candy conversation hearts.


Here's the kitchen table. I luv, luv, luv this platter but the placemats are really, really old. I've had them forever. Still not loving the kitchen table, I think it's a little busy and maybe needs some "height." I bought this Valentine's Day banner a couple of years ago. It was one of my first purchases from Etsy and I enjoy displaying it each year. I still have some candles that need to be put on the fireplace.
So, that's about it. I have a lot of candles out on the coffee table and end tables, some more heart shaped platters and dishes in the kitchen and I also have some heart/pink/red kitchen towels that look nice on the island. (Did I mention that I love Valentine's Day??)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

T-bone -- My Daughter, My Friend

"Watching your daughter being collected by her date feels like handing over a million dollar Stradivarius to a gorilla." ~ Jim Bishop
So yesterday was T's photo shoot. As previously mentioned, she is participating in a local pageant and needed some new photos to submit for the Photogenic category. We really lucked out weather-wise. The weekend had been so gray and dreary but MLK Day was gorgeous!
These are NOT the finished product. These are just some pics I snapped with my own little camera while trying to be unobtrusive and not irritate the photographer. http://www.robertnorrisphoto.com/ He was fun and low-key and really let T do her thing. She had 3 outfit changes: denim/white T/cowboy boots, black leather and a tutu, a skirt and shirt w/ black pumps.
T-bone or Daughter #1 as I fondly refer to her, is an amazing, resilient young lady. She had a rough year (a bad break-up with her boyfriend of 1-year, her first "real" serious boyfriend), she had some friends "issues" . . . found out the hard way who she could trust, who she couldn't and who will ALWAYS have her back. She survived it all but it left her a little gun-shy, a little afraid to put herself out there again and like someone. So, basically, the little f**ker who dumped her messed her up for a bit but I think she's back on track now and better than ever. I think yesterday's photo session brought back some of the confidence T had lost. I caught a glimpse or two of the "old" T-bone (or, as I commonly refer to it as: "pre-breakup T"). I saw that twinkle in her eye again, that confidence in her step. As a parent there's nothing you won't do for your child and I just want my two girls to grow up to be fun, fearless women. T is very unusual for her age . . . she's smart, she's pretty and she really knows what she wants to do with her life. She has very specific opinions and ideas about what she will and will not do. Words cannot possibly express how I incredibly proud I am of her. She truly is a shining star and I know whatever she decides to do in life, she will do with class and grace (with a little bit of sass thrown in for good measure).
"A mother's treasure is her daughter." ~ Catherine Pulsifer, Inspirational Words of Wisdom
She is so sassy and so much fun to be around. She truly is a joy to me. I think we have a wonderful close relationship now and think we will only get closer as she gets older.

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend. ~Author Unknown

“Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep... wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds you...r hand in front of his friends, who thinks you're just as pretty without makeup on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky his is to have you.... The one who turns to his friends and says, 'that's her.'”
"Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty, and sometimes attract pests." ~ Author Unknown

"A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self." ~ Author Unknown

To My Daughter at Fifteen:
Beloved daughter, we have arrived at the time of life where I cannot give you everything you want and need. We have come to the time where you must learn to walk alone. That is hard for me, but it is right and good. It is the way things should be.
Listen to me now, for there are things I want to tell you as you stand, trembling, on the edge of womanhood.
I know that boys have become fascinating and mysterious to you. They live in a strange world of their own, the world of young men. It is a world of new muscles and deepening voices. It is a world of astonishing energy and physical movement. I know your eyes are drawn to them. I know your heart beats faster when you watch them. And I know you dream of a boy who will love you.
I also know there are girls at school who giggle and fawn over the boys. They lean in close, laughing hysterically at something he said and letting their shoulders bump. They know how to let their hand rest gently on his shoulder or his thigh, just for a moment. Just long enough. No, I do not know where they learned to play this game so well.
Now, my young woman. Now have come the days of your choosing. You are both discovering and deciding what kind of woman you will be. You are deciding what of your life will be hidden and what you will show. Choose carefully, for what shames you now may serve you one day. And what serves you now may one day make you ashamed. Many girls will lose themselves in this time. They may find themselves again someday, but many years will be lost.
Hear me now, daughter, for my place in your life grows smaller every day. And I would give you a blessing while I am able. Come to me, because I know you. I know that you still sleep with your blanket. I saw the Dr. Seuss book laying beside your bed. I know you have one foot in each world. Come to me now and receive my blessing.
You are a strong young woman. Your mind is strong, as are your opinions. Strong and well-formed. You have not traded what is precious for what is fleeting, though life these days would have been easier in some ways if you had.
You are a tender young woman, compassionate and kind. You believe in goodness and work for it. You care about the feelings of others. You are a loyal and faithful friend. You are brave enough to trust others, and others are not afraid to trust you.
Your faith in God is not simple or falsely stated. Your understanding of God is a growing, hurting, questioning, struggling thing. This too is as it should be.
You are a young woman who knows what love is. You have been loved and are loved. You understand love and will settle for nothing less. You will accept no facsimile, reasonable or otherwise. Listen to your heart when it comes to love, because your heart is as soft now as it was when you were young and your heart rested gently in my hands. I guarded that heart as long as I could.
Those are the things I know about you. Here is what I think you should do:
Walk the halls of your school with your head held high. While others may worship at the altars of camouflage, conformity, and compromise, you stand above those shortcuts and soul slayers. Rise up, young woman, and do not be afraid. Rise up and be true to yourself. Let the strength of your presence transcend hair and clothing and music and boys. Let your true colors show in the halls and know that many in high school have scales on their eyes. They only see what they want to see. Many will not see you. There will be times when you walk the halls and feel invisible.
But here is a secret that I know. One boy will see you. He will see you in the middle of the noise and the energy and the hype and the crowds. He will see your strong walk and your eyes. He will listen to the answers you boldly call out in class. He will hear your voice and know your power. He will watch you until he knows you, and then his heart will fall into his stomach, for he will understand that there is only one like you.
Look for him. He is the only one that matters. Do not listen to boys who say they love you. Instead believe in the boy who wants to cherish you. If you hide now, ducking into the crowd like so many others, dressing and looking and acting and praying for safety, you might indeed be safe, but the only boy that matters will miss you. He will miss you because he is looking for a girl like no other. And you will have become just another girl in the crowd.
Your heart now rests in the hands of those who might hurt you. That’s hard for me, but it could not be any other way because you would not leave your heart in my hands. If I must give up your heart, then listen to my words.
Stand up. Stand out. Be smart and strong. It may be some time before you find the one who can appreciate who you are. So be it. Settle for nothing less. Because if your heart must rest in the hands of another man, I want him to be a man strong enough to love a strong woman.
Go into the world, my string of pearls. Go into the world and make me proud.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Sun, Fun & Photos!!!

Yippee!!! The sun is finally shining in Central Alabama! I think I was starting to suffer from that disease when you lack sunshine (can't remember if that's a vitamin D deficiency).


Today we have T's photo shoot. She needs to have some updated professional photos and this time we're going with a local guy (rather than jetting off to Chicago! Although I will admit the photographer we used in Chicago was awesome and we've even seen him focused on an MTV reality show). I've seen some of this local guy's work so hopefully we won't be disappointed. We're going for a very casual, jeans/t-shirt/cowboy boots kind of look today. I know mid-January isn't exactly the prettiest time of the year to take photos but I think the starkness will just add to the overall look.

Enjoyed the Golden Globes last night. I don't really watch the actual awards show but I do like the red carpet. I get aggravated w/ E sometimes because they spend a lot of time actually interviewing. I'd like it a lot more if they just stood there with a camera and took video of celebs as they arrived. Enough with the talky-talky. Here are some highlights and low-lights:

I was not a fan of Kate Hudson's dress. She has not succumbed to the pressure of breast implants and has an extremely small bust. The bodice looks like she was stuffing her dress with tissues.


A lot of celebs also wore short cocktail dresses. Gennifer Goodwin from HBO's Big Love wore a short, bright colored little number. Julia Roberts is just way too casual for the Golden Globes. I love it, don't get me wrong. I would totally wear something like that. Just not to the Golden Globes. Kristen Bell's little white number is cute but I don't like the black clunky heels. Maybe a light, airy silvery sandal???

Here are couple of my least favorites. I think Penelope Cruz is stunningly beautiful but I hated this dress. It feels like we've seen her wear the same thing over and over on the Red Carpet. I actually thought it would have been more appropriate on Sophia Loren (who, BTW, is still one of the most beautiful women on the planet). Sophia Loren, Helen Mirren and Glenn Close totally held their own last night and were beautiful, classy and strong. Unfortunately, I can't find a photo of any of them from last night.
I don't know if Tina Fey was feeling silly and frisky last night or what but this was a little too youthful on her. She's done so much better in the past.

Fergie's gown looks off the rack. It looks cheap. Like a bad prom dress or a bad bridesmaid gown. She's edgy and sexy and should have been rocking a little black leather number. She did have some nice eye candy (her hubby Josh).
Again, I love Julianne Moore. Think she's gorgeous. Just wasn't feeling it last night. She looked short and dumpy and like she was wearing a sack.
Here are some of my major disappointments from last night Golden Globes. Cameron Diaz. Cameron Diaz is starting to look really haggard. Like maybe she's not taking care of her skin or something. She looks really old in this photo next to Kate Bosworth.
Drew Barrymore is so stinking cute but I'm not sure how I feel about this gown. The shoulder accent doesn't bother me as much as the blob on her hip. Someone on the red carpet said those accents were made of spun glass or something. Doesn't sound very comfortable. Almost sounds like fiberglass or insulation.


Again, not sure how I feel about Sandra Bullock's gown. Kind of prom-y?
And now on to (my) winners! This actress plays (the former) Al Bundy's wife on the show "Modern Family." I've only recently started watching the show but it's super funny. Anyway, I think she looks beautiful and very confident.
Emily Blount looks so so beautiful in this pink gown. Not sure who the designer is but she looks so elegant yet fresh and age appropriate. She's another one who had great accessories (her fiance is the cute guy form the Office, John something or other).
I love Samantha Harris and I love this orange gown. She always looks amazing on Dancing with the Stars.
I think my hands down absolute favorite of the night was Olivia Wilde from House. OMG! This gown just positively hangs off her body and drapes and fits in all the right places.
So there you have it! You can catch me tonight on E! with Joan Rivers, Guiliana Rancic and Mr. Jay Manuel.

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"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." -- Dr. Seuss

"Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful." -- Sophia Loren



"There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them." -- Sylvia Plath

“Life is too important to be taken seriously.” – Oscar Wilde

If people are truly, madly, deeply in love with each other, they will find a way.~Gilda Radner

“Never judge a day by its weather. Sunshine is uplifting; rain, nourishing; wind, exhilarating; snow, cleansing; hail, stimulating. Any weather is better than none.” -- Author Unknown

"Everything you see I owe to spaghetti." -- Sophia Loren

"I know I'm vulgar, but would you have me any other way?" -- Elizabeth Taylor

"After thirty, a body has a mind of its own." -- Bette Midler

"Cherish forever what makes you unique, 'cuz you're really a yawn if it goes." -- Bette Midler

“I know I can be diva-ish sometimes, but I have to be in control. The nature of my life, the nature of what I do, is divadom, it really is." -- Mariah Carey

"I want minimum information given with maximum politeness." -- Jackie Kennedy Onassis

"I've been called a diva, queen diva, diva supreme, and I love it. However, that's really for others to decide, not me." -- Aretha Franklin

"No one loves a party more than I. I am a people person." -- Aretha Franklin

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." -- Jackie Kennedy Onassis
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