Life ...

Life has been full of many different twists and turns this year. Last month felt like two or three months instead of one. It was a month full of sorrow and sadness. Hope overshadowed by heartbreak. I watched my husband in pain and there was nothing I could do to help. Sometimes there is nothing you can do but remind the people you love how much you love them and be there when they need you.

Our family suffered a great loss but we are lucky enough to have endless memories of this special person. Every time I think of them I can’t help but smile to myself and chuckle a little. My husband is starting to heal. Some days are good and others a little harder.

Death really makes you think about life. How you treat others and what kind of person you are in life is what people remember about you when you are gone. It makes you want to live a good life so the people you love the most can remember you with love and happiness in their hearts not sadness and pain. Seeing death not only makes you want to live life to the fullest for yourself but for everyone you love.

Follow your Yellow Brick Road

My newest painting “follow your yellow brick road” was inspired by memories from my childhood, my sister, and the belief that you can do anything if you believe in yourself.

When I was little our yard in the spring would be covered in dandelions. My sister and I would run around the yard pretending we were in the Wizard of Oz and the dandelion covered lawn was the famous yellow brick road. We would enjoy playing in the sea of yellow and after the flowers turned our own little snow storm. Dandelions bring back so many wonderful memories.

The two girls at the top of the hill represent my sister and me. We have taken very different yellow brick roads but have always been there to support each other and cheer each other on. Whenever anything new or exciting happens to me she is the first person I call. I am so proud of the women she has become. I am so lucky to have such a smart, loving, and supportive sister.

Enjoy the Dandelions!

Love ...

Today is my husband and my 7th wedding anniversary. We met almost 16 years ago. For some reason the day we met has been frozen in memory. I remember what he looked like the first time I saw him, his blue hat, and his beautiful brown eyes. I remember what I was wearing, red gym shorts and my basketball sweatshirt, I remember what the weather was like, damp and overcast, I remember that I had just come from taking an English final, which I got an A on. I remember that day 16 years ago like it was yesterday.

I can’t imagine a life without him. Every memory we have made together, the good and the bad has helped shape our relationship and marriage. I wouldn’t trade any of them for the world.

A Little Inspiration From Some Vintage Christmas Records …

A couple of months ago when I started creating holiday paintings I had the hardest time getting into the spirit. It’s hard to think about Christmas when it’s warm and sunny. I asked my father if I could borrow a few of my parents records to help create some inspiration.

I love these records …

Elvis,

Glenn Campbell,

Floyd Cramer,

Andy Williams,

Charlie Pride,

and countless others.

To be honest other than Elvis I have no idea who any of the other people are. I was looking on the record jackets and most of them were made at least a decade or more before I was born. I haven’t heard these records in years, but once I put them on the record player I remembered the words to every song and the order they came in. I love how they sound, a little scratchy, not perfect, just like they did when I was small. I love how happy they make me, like everything is as simple as it was twenty years ago. Listening to them not only put me in the holiday spirit, but also helped me remember so many wonderful childhood memories, my mother baking kiffles, my father lifting my sister and I to the top of our tree to place our hideous angel on top. All of these wonderful old records make me smile.

The record player I am using was my aunts when she was a teenager. It’s a little warn and beat up, but it still plays nicely and the super cool 70’s disco lights still flash when the records play. I can only imagine my aunt as a kid dancing around while listening to records on this cute little record player.


My advice is to put away the iPods for a day and pull out the old record players. It’s a nice change of pace. If you want to see more amazing vintage items stop over at Coloradolady for Vintage Thingie Thursday . Have a beautiful Thursday.

Sunday’s Simple Pleasures, Strawberries

Our strawberries have started to come in and they are so sweet and juicy. When you bite into them they burst in your mouth. There is just something so special about growing your own fruits and vegetables, everything just tastes better.

Our strawberry plants are intertwined with my perennials so every time the kids and I go to pick them it’s like going on a mini treasure hunt. Abbey has been known to be a little impatient and picks green berries every now and then.

I have fond memories of picking strawberries with my great-grandmother, mother and sister. We used to fill huge Tupperware bowls full of berries and make delicious strawberry shortcakes with them.

Strawberries are simply delicious.

My Baby is Eight …

I can’t believe my baby turned eight yesterday. He was the biggest surprise of my life. One day I was a carefree college student and the next I was pregnant, engaged, a homeowner and finally a mother. Those nine months were the craziest, most stressful and amazing months of my life.

The day Noah was born was as unpredictable as the nine months leading up to the big day. I woke up at three in the morning on my due date with contractions. I went right to my pregnancy books to see what I should do, I loved those books. The next four hours were spent in the shower trying to cope with the pain and stay relaxed. We left around eight to go to my parent’s house, they lived only a couple of minutes from the hospital and we lived about forty minutes away. When we got to their house Michael left to grab breakfast and before I knew it I felt like I was ready to push. It seemed to be happening so fast, I kept thinking of my mother’s horror stories about how she was in labor with me for thirty-six hours and I had only been in labor for a little more than five hours. I called the doctors office and they told me to get to the hospital immediately. Once we got to the hospital I began begging for pain medication, unfortunately the nurse told me I was to late, I was already nine centimeters, and I was going to have my baby completely natural. My doctor made it there just in time for me to start pushing. I pushed for maybe ten minutes and before I knew it they were placing my beautiful baby boy on my chest. He was 8 pounds 4 ounces and 21” long he had ten fingers and toes and he had the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen.



Noah has a big heart; he is loving, caring, and brilliant. I am so proud of the wonderful little man he is becoming. He has a positive and magnetic personality, I believe he can do and become anything he desires.