be mine?

for my GALentines.

Hey darlings,

most weeks I can say that not much is going on (besides work) in the delta, but last week was WILD with birthday celebrations and social events. it was pretty fun to have a full dance card...and see so many people who aren't teachers and don't need/want/have to have my advice but just want to chat about life, books, the news, and upcoming events.

we did take time out of our busy schedules to watch 30 rock and parks and rec thursday night, and they were totally worth the time. PLUS, leslie knope inspired me to re-think valentine's day as GAL-entines day. ;) great, right?

i'm THE world's WORST at mailing things on time, plus we live an 1.8 hours away from any decent shopping spot, but if i could overcome these obstacles, these are the things i'd want to give my best gals.
gifties found here:pillow so they know how much they mean,  cool umbrella pushpins, a pretty notebook to help us remember (we're getting old)   elise mahan "together in the sky" print , or maybe some fun stripey straws

you say it's your birthday...

i've said before that birthdays should be for moms and dads...they do ALL of the work and we just get to be born. now that i have friends who have become mothers or others who are in the final days of pregnancy, i think this at least 300 times as much as I did before. 

i honor of the ones who made me exactly 29 years ago today, here's one of the first family photos from my first forty-eight hours in this world.

 

my parents have been JUST this loving and supportive every day of my entire life, so to have 29 years with these two folks has been the greatest birthday gift of my life. so, happy birthday to me...but most importantly, thank you mama and daddy. 

happy weekend!

happy weekend!

boone and i are spending this dreary saturday the perfect way. we're going to be inside vegging on 1st season law and order episodes, blogging at mess of greens, and sermon-writing and then heading out to see an old fave band of mine tonight.  i hope your weekend is filled doing exactly what you want to do, as well. (or maybe filled with magic and fun, like this perfect photo from dara scully i stole from my friend's pintrest page)

let's get down(ton abbey)

only 6 more days until a personal wish of mine is granted! the season 2 of Downton Abbey premieres on PBS Sunday and i've been waiting since last spring to see it. i can hardly stand it.

everything about the first season was so incredible...the clothes (and hats!) the characters, the time period (the hats!), the story, the setting...i was so aboserbed that i watched the entire season in one weekend. i loved this BBC miniseries MORE than the BBC's pride and prejudice, which is saying something since it had colin firth in it...and i don't think i'm the only one. twice recently i asked someone what they'd watched and liked recently and they gushed with me about DA for many, many minutes. if you haven't seen it, start watching it on netflix or pbs streaming right this minute (or if you're at work, the MINUTE you get home.) if you watch one episode a night and two on Saturday until Sunday when the new one premieres, you'll be 100% caught up. you'll thank me, i promise.

if you aren't convinced, here are a few stills, and a link to the website, to whet your appetite.

 oh, did i mention that the hats are amazing?

of course i love the soap-opera-ish romances and the pot-boiling feuds between the sisters, the in-laws, and the servants, but some of my favorite pieces are the little period details and social and professional expectations of the world at that time since between the sinking of the titanic and beginning of World War I there was an incredible historical turning point. also, something about the society reminds me of earlier generations of southern families. i'm glad i don't live in those times, but i'm so intrigued...

also, if i'm preaching to the choir and you've already watched the show and are as excited as i am, take 2 minutes for the character quiz to find out your downton abbey doppelganger! the last season ended as world war one began, so i can't wait to find out where the writers pick up. let me know if you'll be watching so we can chat about it.

images from google

contemplation...

“you do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. what you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.”
- thomas merton

 

what are you contemplating in the new year? i'm considering truly how to get healthy, make the best possible career switch, and putting down deep roots somewhere. i thought an apple a day's photo perfectly captured what it feels like to stare deeply into the future, and the unknown and be content. ;) happy happy happy new year!

Happy New Year!

 boone and i are spending the new year in austin, tx with some of our dearest. when i think of nye, i think of sparkly clothes, champagne, and streamers, so we've not only packed our dancing shoes but also i'm thinking of packing my very own vintage champagne saucers because they feel SO old world and glamorous.

i hope YOUR new year's eve (and more importantly, your new year) is magical, glamorous, and filled with the ones you love.