{ patience & perfection }

Blogger 411

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:26:00 +0000

Some of my favorite ladies have posted this informative Q&A (Blair's Head Band, M is for Moxie), so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. I love learning more about other people, so of course I assume you want to know allll about me. Humor me, y'all.

1. The BasicsWho are you: I'm Sarah {waves}. Also known as Sassy to my family. Who knew a childhood speech impediment could lead to a lifelong nickname...
Where do you blog: Right here at Patience & Perfection
How did you pick your blog’s name:I need more patience and less perfection in my life, so why not combine the 2 into a place where I can strive for both?

2. Location, location, location
Where did you grow up: Atlanta, GA (sometimes called The ATL {ok}, Hotlanta {NOT OK}, the Dirrty Dirrty {questionable okayness})
Where do you live now: The ATL
Where would you live anywhere in the world: Either San Francisco or a small town in Tuscany.

3. Let’s talk beauty - what is your favorite or signature:
Lipstick: I've tried 20x to find one that I like. I think I'm a Fresh Sugar Berry or cherry chapstick girl for life. My lips are naturally pigmented so it's hard to find a color that doesn't look funky on top of my natural color.
Mascara: Cover Girl Lash Blast in the orange tube #devoted
Perfume: Narciso Rodriguez for Her, SJP Lovely, Gucci Premiere, Marchesa

4. Yummies - what is your favorite:
Cocktail: Anything with champagne
Dessert: Ice cream or anything that combines dark chocolate and mint.
Pizza Topping(s): Proscitto, mushrooms, spinach

5. I always have these three things in my refrigerator:
Un: Wine {Le Duh}
Deux: Organic skim milk
Trois: berries of some sort

6. Get artsy - what is your favorite:
Movie: So hard to choose. Probably any Jane Austen adaptation. Also, not quality but Clueless, Mean Girls, and any James Bond movie.
Book: The Bible. Choose Joy. Pride & Prejudice.
TV Show: SCANDAL. Homeland. The Tudors. Revenge. The Voice.

7. Kid stuffs - three questions about your youth:
What did you want to Be when you grew up? I honestly had no idea. Probably a SAHM...{let's laugh about how far from a reality that is}
Who was your favorite teacher and why? I had a few art history teachers in college that I LOVED
What was your worst sickness/surgery/hospital visit as a kid? I was VERY lucky and never had anything too serious happen. Broke my ankle in 6 grade, wore the aircast for 6 weeks. No drama.

8. The Pretty Things - what is your:
Favorite color: Bluey-green minty aqua colors {so specific}
Favorite flower: Tulips, peonis, hydrangeas
Favorite artist (painter, photographer, etc.): Working with artists, this is a toughie! We'll go with my favorite classic artist, which would be Renoir.

9. Shop ‘Til You Drop
What’s one thing you buy the most often: I buy a LOT of striped shirts...
Do you prefer to shop online or in-store? Online
Imagine you open your own store - what would you sell? Clothes for tall people. Seriously. The proportions on clothes these day are made for wee Asian lasses, which I am not.

10. Be a Hater: what are three things you would like to go away?
Ein: The pollen - I don't think anywhere has it as bad as Atlanta.
Zwei: Anxiety
Drei: Ignorant, bigoted, judgmental people, especially those who hide behind a cloak of "Christianity" {vomit}

11. The Final Three (x Three)
I hand you a genie - what are your three wishes? World peace...um. No. Ice cream and sweets with zero calories. A car that never needs work. A magic credit card that never needs to be paid off.
List 3 things you can see out of your window right now.There are no windows in here, only a lone skylight...From outside I can see lots of sad looking industrial buildings, a Persian carpet dealer, and a semi truck chilling on the street.
Who are three people, living or dead, you would invite over for dinner? Some funny ladies like Leslie Mann, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler, some cool smart dudes like Mr. Obama, and some talented peoples like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll be watching The Masters, as one does in the state of Georgia during this particular week in April.

You Can't Shake Me

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Lady loves - I am so sorry to have abandoned my wee bloggie for so long. Life, it be busy. And mine has been especially craaaazy of late.

So I quit my old job. And started a new job. And it was a terrifying but exciting experience. This was my first time leaving a job that I LOVED for a job that I thought I *might* love MORE. And so far it's been great!

I have re-entered the world of hospitality oriented corporate art consulting, which in laymen's terms means I'm picking out art for hotels. Guest rooms, conference rooms, lobbies, what have you. Projects range from a Holiday Inn Express in Chicago to a snazzy La Jolla resort. Next time you're staying at a hotel, look at the art and think of meeeeee. Somebody has to pick it out.

I worked at a similar firm just after college, so while it's not a totally new ballgame for me, I've had to completely reverse my mindset after working in a gallery for the past 3 years. Obviously with hotels we're dealing mostly with reproductions and not with originals {The rare public space project with a big budget is what dreams are made of.}. Before, I was all "Noooo, don't reproduce, it will devalue your original body of work, yadda yadda." Now, while I would never want an artist to compromise their integrity in any way, I recognize that selectively reproducing work can benefit the artist in the long run. Think about famous artists that everyone has heard of and most likely has a poster of their work somewhere in their house- Picasso, Warhol, Monet, etc.. Their work has impacted far more people, long after their death, because reproductions are easily available to the general public. If you want your name to live on, you need to get your art out there for the masses. {off soapbox}

My life has done a complete 180. Not only am I no longer working around the corner {literally}, but I'm working Big Girl Hours {9-6} and trying to juggle workouts, social commitments, and the #1 stressor, the dog. I brought her with me to the gallery just about everyday, which was awesome. New Job lets me bring her as well, but sometimes I have lunch plans/after work plans/etc.. and since my office doesn't have a door...I don't really know where to leave her. In a pinch {on a warm day} I left her in the car last week, but obviously that's not going to work all the time.

So I'm interviewing a dog walker on Wednesday. I feel like the ultimate yuppie just writing that. But Sophie doesn't enjoy daycare {ppsshh, so common. See also: she thinks she's a person not a dog and refuses to play}, so the in-home option is the best one for us. Plus, Mimi has VERY graciously offered to keep her Sunday night - Tuesday night {Grandparent Day Camp!}, which means I'm only coordinating 3 days vs. 5. This is why you live close to your parents - I'm seeing the merit of this and I don't even have real kids yet.

To completely finish this post that is All About Me {!}, I'll also be getting to travel some with New Job which.is.AWESOME. First stop? VEGAS in May! Someone pinch me. And it's my birthday week to boot!

I'll leave you with a picture of the gorgeous flowers my parents sent me on Valentine's Day. I'm a lucky girl.

2013, you're off to a great start!

P.S. - Let's talk about how freaking excited I am that LAM is back in Atlanta and back to blogging. Y'all, check out her blog: Trivially Significant. Her life is pretty baller, and she tells a funny tale. :)

Welcome, 2013!

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:51:00 +0000

Happy New Year!
A new year, a fresh start (in whatever sense you need it to be)....lots to celebrate! I'm not a big fan of waiting till the new year to make a resolution to change something (do it when you think it!), but I do enjoy looking forward and reflecting on what I want to do different/better/the same this year.

Source: scubapaola.tumblr.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

It's hard to believe it's been a year since my sweet grandfather passed away. His 90th birthday was on Sunday, December 30th so my parents and I went to visit his grave at the Georgia National Cemetery. I don't know the name of the organization that lays these beautiful wreaths on all of the graves, but to whoever you are, thank you! I know it brings my mom comfort to know that the area around his grave is receiving constant attention.

We added some red roses since he was a Christmastime baby. As sad as it was that he passed away right after his birthday, I love that we now have the tradition of going to visit him for his birthday/New Years/anniversary of his death. Happy things mixed in with the sad.

I had not seen my grandmother's inscription since it was finished, so that was a nice treat. Her information is on the backside of the headstone (and they're buried (cremated remains) on top of one another). Together forever.

For once I had FUN New Year's plans! Is NYE not the most over-hyped, under-performing holiday ever?! I went to the Chick-fil-A Bowl with my roommate and some of our small group friends. Ashleigh's work hosts a big cocktail reception before the game every year, as a thank you to their clients, and I was happy to hook my wagon onto that party train.

LSU vs Clemson
#GeauxTigers #SEC

Yellow bubble necklace came in handy to help me cheer on LSU! How funny to have 2 teams playing each other who are both the Tigers and both have purple as a team color.

We left the game a little early - I know, I know, such fair weather fans. But we were sure LSU was going to win {false}.We needed some time to throw on a few sequins and get jazzed up for the midnight festivities!

2013!

(I finally downloaded Picfx and have been having a little too much fun with the photo editing...)

So here we are. The holidays are over. We're all back to work. Life goes on.

My New Years Day looked a lot like this...

My Pure Barre studio is offering a New Year's challenge: 21 classes in 31 days and, if you do it, you get 50% off your next package purchase. Um, that's a LOT of monies, and I can't say no to a challenge {wee bit competitive} {only with myself} so I signed up. That's, like, 5 classes a week. Ouch. Wish me luck!

My first day of work in 2013 started with this: coffee, a snuggly robe, and Jesus Calling. I read most of it last year and really enjoyed using it as a daily devotional, so I'm starting over again this year. Reading God's word with repetition is the only thing that really helps it stick in my mind.

What I'm wearing today. Some happy yellow since it's a grey day here in Atlanta.

I'm not making any big resolutions this year. I want to focus more on my state of mind rather than big lifestyle changes.

-Find happiness every day, from within. Happiness from external sources is fleeting.

-Thankfulness : An attitude of gratitude will take you where you want to go.

-Put extra effort into growing the friendships that I already have, instead of focusing on new making new ones.

-Shop less, save more #Duh

-Patience : Have more of it.

-Faith : Have more of it. God knows what He's doing.

-Send more cards by snail mail.

-Tell the people in my life how much I love/appreciate them.

What are you focusing on this year? Last year, I dedicated 2012 to being my year of FAITH. This year, I'm making 2013 all about not fearing the FUTURE.

This is the verse that I am clinging to this year.

I'm excited to see where life takes me, and thank you for coming along on the ride with me!

xoxo

Merry merry to all!

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 18:49:00 +0000

As expected, my world has been a little topsy turvy this fall. Lots of changes, mostly good, but even good things can be somewhat painful, oui?

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends, whatever you celebrate! This year we spent Christmas with my dad's family in Charleston, which was a lot of fun! Normally we do Christmas Eve with my mom's family, Christmas Day at home, and then head to Charleston afterwards. It's a rare treat for Mimi and I have to have 5 (!!!) whole days in the Holy City when it's virtually tourist free. Normally we can barely drag my dad over for 40 hours on a weekend, so I was counting my blessings this year.

Of course a quick jaunt to beach at the Isle of Palms was necessary. Had to make everyone back at home ooze with jealousy. Mimi and I are so thoughtful like that.

I'm such a cheese.

I got my decorations up early and my tree up late. So it goes. I was home sick ALL of last week with the flu (like the legit flu, sniffle sniffle) and managed to throw the tree up in a fever induced haze.

I remember seeing this picture a few years ago and thinking "One day I will totally deck out my house in white, aqua, and silver for Christmas," and you know what, I kind of did that this year. La Maison be looking snazzy (because of course all my decorations are still up. DUH). The beauty of a fake tree: it can act like a giant nightlight as long as you want it to and it doesn't die.

Source: redefinedhome.wordpress.com via Sheilz on Pinterest

Here's a small sampling of what I did this year!

My dining room. The ornaments are peacock themed - next year I want to do an entire peacock themed tree! I've been hoarding rolls of peacock ribbon for the last 4 years, and I'm dying to use feathers for a tree topper.

Ornament wreath hung over my kitchen sink.

After it fell twice (Command hooks no likey tile), I moved it to the dining room. I made 8 (yes, 8) of these last year in the anxiety firestorm I experienced during holidays + major townhouse renovations + Mimi having major surgery Dec. 22. So thankful I kept 1 for myself! I gave all of the others as gifts (You're welcome to anyone who received one).

Source: Uploaded by user via David on Pinterest

Cheers to a new year and 2013!

2012 had some major highs for me and also a few lows, but overall, it gets put into the "good year" category. I'm excited to see what the future holds! And I'm going to try to be a better blogger this year. Hopefully life will give me some interesting things to write about. If not, too bad, you'll be stuck listening to me drone on anyway. :)

Of Dogs, Decorations, and Dots

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Most exciting news of the year: my parents got a new dog!! Our sweet Tia passed away 6 months ago {sniffle}, and they were finally ready to get Miss Dottie a friend. And wow, did they ever luck out!

Meet Duke
{Go Blue Devils! Ahem.}

I had no idea they were planning to get a new dog right now, but last Sunday my mom texted me, "Want to go look at dogs at the Humane Society?" Um, is the Pope Catholic?! OF COURSE I DO.

My track record at the Humane Society is not good: I went one time, and I have one dog that came from that visit. Y'all do the math. But I figured if I was going with someone else to pick out a dog, my little heart could handle it as long as we left with one of those cuties in our car. To set the scene, I'm at brunch with friends at The Flying Biscuit on West Paces. Mimi rolls up in the farm truck with my brother and Dottie the Jack Russell in tow. We looked like the Clampetts. Awesome.

Duke is around 2 and some kind of lab/hound mix. He's a very pretty, sweet boy, and not aggressive at all. {Of course Sophie started a fight with him within 2 minutes of meeting him. Alpha female much? Totally not his fault.} He loves all people and dogs - Tia was so abused before we got her that she was scared of anything and everything. Kind of weird to have a "normal" dog....He loves to play ball and run around outside, and thus far, doesn't seem inclined to run AWAY which is #winning when you live on a big piece of property. His owner turned him in to the ASPCA because he was "too noisy", aka cried all day because he was locked up while the owner was at work. Ugh.

I have major MAJAH beef with people who treat animals like disposable objects. In our family, they are like family and keepers for LIFE unless something awful happens like a biting incident. Off soapbox.

Big dogs come with BIG stuff. It's been awhile since we had one, yowza.

Onto the pretties.

New H&M leather jacket that I anticipate wearing All The Time this fall. Still rocking the pink lips occasionally, need to find a good red for fall.

J Crew silk dot blouse that I scored on major sale online. $22. Boom. Done. In my closet.

My daily wrist wear {see how I tried not to say "arm party?}

A sampling of some of the mercury glass I picked up for my living room. Thank you, Marshalls.

So why am I finally getting around to finishing my living room? My mantle was bare and needed some love, as did my coffee table - and I noticed this because I've spent 13 hours in there the past 2 weeks watching Season 1 of Homeland. OBSESSED would be the understatement of the year. I am eating, breathing, dreaming Carrie and Brody. I'm almost caught up with Season 2 which will be a Sad Day because then I have to wait till Sunday nights like a normal person. Boo.

xoxo

My Best Friend's Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:30:00 +0000

I got back late Sunday night after a wonderful, whirlwind wedding weekend in San Francisco. My BFF married her Mister of 6 years, and the whole affair couldn't have been more beautiful. She spent 15 months planning the weekend down to the last detail, and it really showed (you should have seen her typed out time lines. Im.press.ive.). I was so honored to stand by her side as she said "I do" - I feel like we had been dreaming of this day for 10 years!

Friday started off with a blowout at Dry Bar (San Francisco's lack of humidity and my curly hair do not play nice together.). One of her mom's friends hosted a mani/pedi party, complete with goodie bags and mimosas. Then it was onto the bridal luncheon, hosted by more sweet friends of the Mother of the Bride. I'm not exaggerating when I say that people literally fought over the opportunity to host showers and parties for her - they are one loved couple!

Each place setting had an adorable Lilly Pulitzer tumbler with our name tags tied to the straw. One of the hostesses is from Chattanooga originally - Dirty South, represent!

We jetted home for a quick siesta before we had to meet at Grace Cathedral for the rehearsal. I stayed with a fellow bridesmaid and her husband, which made the weekend so much more enjoyable. Plus her husband acted as our taxi - even better. :) I also had my first experience with Uber Cab, which we just got in Atlanta. AMAZING. Download the app ASAP if you have it in your city!

I snapped this picture of the bride & groom at the Rehearsal Dinner. They did a little mini photo shoot outside with their photographers. Can't wait to see the professional pictures!

The RD was held at a really cool event space in the Mission, a part of San Francisco that's not as familiar to me. All of the wedding festivities were centered around Nob Hill, and the bride lives in the Marina/Cow Hollow area, so that's pretty much the extent of my SF knowledge.
I gave a toast and did not cry. Snaps for Sarah. The same cannot be said for the wedding day...

And suddenly, it was Saturday. THE DAY. We all arrived at the Huntington Hotel at 9am on the dot to start the beautification process (4pm wedding start time necessitated an early morning). My day-old Dry Bar hair was thrown into an up do in 5 minutes flat #winning, and the make-up artist worked her magic on all of us.

Right after we all cried our make-up off after the bride saw her dad for the first time.
And so began the theme of the day....#tears

How stunning is she?! Monique, you make a damn pretty wedding dress.

(I'd like to borrow the jeweled belt for my own wedding. Sisterhood of the Traveling Belt..?)

Before we knew it, it was time to head across the street to the church (convenient) to take pictures. They decided to do a first look so we could head straight to the cocktail hour after the ceremony.

Of course I have no pictures of anything because I was, um, IN the wedding, but trust me when I say it was gorgeous. Grace Cathedral was modeled after Notre Dame in Paris....so yeah.

The ceremony lasted about 30 minutes and was a lovely, traditional affair. I made it down the aisle with a smile on my face, but as soon as the organist started playing the bridal march, Canon in D, I totally lost it. Ugly weepy crying. And I am so not a crier but I was just so...emotional all weekend. Filled with so much love and happiness for the couple (Cheesey, yes. True, yes.).

After the ceremony we immediately hopped onto the rented cable car and took a tour around the block. It should be noted that while sunny it was COLD, and the open air car was...chilly. Good thing we received pashminas as part of our bridesmaid's gift. :) A string quartet greeted us as we entered the cocktail hour. Her flowers were all inspired by the floral arrangements in the Georges V lobby in Paris - very clean and architectural.

Escort card table

I have very few reception pictures because 1. I was busy and 2. The private club where the reception was held has a very very strict "no photography" policy. Purple was her accent color, and she wove it throughout the reception in a subtle, elegant way.

Flowers on the head table

They had an amazing 80s cover band that really made the reception. And custom monogrammed Wayfarers so we could all rock out in style (the groom's idea, of course!). Every single person was out on the dance floor - a sign of a fun wedding in my book.

The next day there was a brunch hosted by the parents of one of the other bridesmaids. It was so nice to have a chance to spend time with the couple before they left for their honeymoon - 2 weeks in Bora Bora, color me jealous. :)

And now I'm home. Still glowing from the weekend and desperately missing my BFF who I normally talk to 5x a day. For serious. But I know she's having a great time on vacation, and I can't wait to hear all about it when she gets back!

That was my last out-of-town wedding for the year. BOOM. 1 more local shindig in November and I'm done for 2012.

xoxo

Another Nashville wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Hello! Hope you had a fabulous Labor Day weekend! I had an absolute blast in Nashville celebrating the nuptials of Whitney and Alex. It was an elegant, Southern affair - exactly what the bride envisioned - and we didn't let a little rain get us down.

Started off the weekend with the rehearsal dinner at Giovanni's (merci to the groom's parents!)

Our sorority family, still intact after all these years. The gorgeous bride is in the strapless dress.

The wedding took place at Belle Meade Plantation, which really set the tone for the evening. Due to some unfortunate rain showers the day of the wedding, the ceremony was moved into a tent. Whitney has never looked more lovely!

Her decor involved a plethora of garden roses, burlap, crystal chandeliers, and votive candles. So pretty!

Loved the monogram on the dance floor!

First dance

My sorority Lil Sis, Taylor. So glad she lives in Atlanta!

My wifey, who will become a real wife in less than 3 weeks. Cannot wait to celebrate in San Fran so soon!

The highlights of the wedding were the delicious Southern BBQ good, our friend Kyle singing "Sweet Caroline" (standard fare at any Vandy wedding), and the bride and groom doing the Jewish "chair dance" - I will refrain from posting pictures but Whitney's face was priceless. I would be freaking out!

Back in Action

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Hi hi! I can hardly believe we are already at the END of August! Fall is coming...I hope...so sick of all my summer clothes.

The most important news of the day is that it's officially COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON! My 'Dores kick off against South Carolina tonight. Let's hope that our team lives up to all the pre-season hype. It still baffles my mind that Vanderbilt is capable of winning.football.games. My freshmen and sophomore years combined I think we won...3. #AnchorDown #GoDores

A few weeks ago {where has the time gone?!}, my roomie invited me to go to a pre-season Falcons game. Despite a parking fiasco {taking Marta next time}{Yes, I just volunteered to take Marta}, we had a blast! Her company seats are the bomb.

Probably not the outfit most people would wear to a football game. Hey, at least it's not a dress (#SEC for life!)

Top: JCrew, Jeans: LOFT, Shoes: Zara

I attended an engagement party for my friend Maggie- she is one of the sweetest people ever {I mean that, she works on the Aflac Cancer Floor at Scottish Rite. That takes a special person.} I'm still loving this lace top from JCrew! Also wearing one of my new pairs of nude shoes from Marshalls. Totally worth the $25.

Top: Jcrew, Skirt: LOFT, Shoes: Tahari via Marshalls, Necklace: Kate Spade

A few weeks ago {again, where has the time gone?!}, we experienced some amazing cool temps in the morning. I took this on the way to the gym - it actually said 59(!) degrees right before I snapped the picture. Heaven.

I found this new pretty for my house at HomeGoods. Perfect for my entryway! I still need art and a wrought iron fireplace screen for the living room, but I'm getting there.

This dog is such a cheeseball. I can't even - resting her head on the coffee table?! Presh.

Token puppy shot #2. My <3.

I've been drinking more juice lately. Arden's Garden is an amazing local chain in Atlanta that sells fresh juice and smoothies. If these weren't $3 a pop, I would drink them all day long.

It took me all summer, but I finally made it to SweetWater for a Friday night beer tasting. My friend Kayla works there and always hooks me up with generous pours. ;) I used to have an entire collection of these glasses. I wonder what happened to them...

We've been doing a blog series about our favorite coffee table books over on the gallery blog. We all had to pick a book and have our picture snapped over at the store. Apparently Sophie wanted in on the action...haha. My choice was Celerie Kemble's "Black & White" - such chic, timeless interiors.

I picked up this purple jersey dress on mega sale at LOFT and have been wearing it all over the place {picture above and picture below}. I could live in dresses like this during the summer. They also make great layering pieces for fall - add a cardigan, boots, and tights, and you're all set.

Here are a few other outfit snaps of late. Finally cool enough to wear silk shirts and jeans again! I get more wear out of my white jeans in spring and fall versus summer because it's just too darn hot here to even think about wearing pants.

Top & Belt: Ann Taylor, Jeans: JBrand, Flats: Gucci

Loving this necklace I found at H&M! The summer of statement necklaces continues.

Dress: Banana Republic, Flats: Tahari, Necklace: H&M

I love the lazy Sundays that I spend out on the farm with my parents. I snapped this picture last weekend - such a gorgeous day!

Hope you have fun plans for Labor Day! I'm driving up to Nashville on Saturday morning for a dear college friend's wedding. Hard to believe it's been 10 years since I was a freshmen at Vandy. It's always strange to be back in Nashville when school's in session - I feel OLD.

xoxo

I've got my toes in the water....

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 14:03:00 +0000

2 weekends ago, my parents and I packed up and drove over to Charleston for a quick weekend getaway at the beach. My dad is a Charleston native, and we hadn't been to see his family since February. We rented a cute little cottage on the Isle of Palms and did nothing but lounge on the sand, eat boiled peanuts, and watch the Olympics. It was 2 days of pure bliss and just what I needed to recharge my batteries!

Finally bought this. I tore through Divergent while I was in France, and I always try to delay reading the sequel as long as possible, in hopes that the third book will be on the horizon. No such luck here, but I couldn't wait any longer.

Bliss. We rented chairs and an umbrella both days which was the best decision ever. I sat here for hours.

Mmmm, dessert! We made dinner at my grandmother's house on Saturday night, so of course some sweet treats were needed. I never say no to chocolate. :)

What is a road trip without gas station snacks?

I have a sick obsession with mint + chocolate ANYTHING. Apparently DaisyJD shares this trait with me, although she is preggo which makes it slightly more acceptable...

Ciao ciao, Charleston! See you at Christmas!

Insta-Brain-Dump

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:15:00 +0000

Long time no blog, friendly friends. Sorry about that. It seems like I should be slowing down as summer winds down {hallelujah} but that hasn't been the case. Before I get too behind, here are some randoms from the past few weeks...

Both of my parents went out of town a few weeks ago, so their Jack Russell, Dottie {also formerly known as My Dog before I went to college and she became the 3rd child} came to stay with me and Sophie for a few days. Having 2 little terrorists in the house was...interesting. Dottie is 11, set in her ways, and doesn't get off the farm that much. You do the math. ;)

Promise she is 100% JRT, even though she has Corgi ears.

Pardon the unmade bed. Sophie was less than enthused to be sharing her space...Things are going to get interesting if I ever have a baby, that's for sure.

I've been ALL ABOUT some necklaces lately. Most of my outfits scream, "Too hot, don't care," so a necklace is a nice way to jazz it up a bit.

Necklace: China via ebay ;) , Shirt: JCrew Chambray

Necklace: Bauble Bar

Necklace: Forever 21 via ebay , Shirt: JCrew

The last necklace has become one of my new favorites! I've also worn this outfit at least 3x in the past 2 weeks...Do any of y'all do that - find an outfit you love and serially repeat it with different groups of people?

The gallery's Bastille Day show was a HUGE success! We had a line of people out the door which is always a good sign! My parents came in for the show and then took me out to dinner afterwards. <3

I often have Mondays off of work, and Mimi and I love to take advantage of a free weekday to go out to lunch and do some shopping. Murphy's is one of our favorite places! We picked up these yummy candles, and my house has been smelling heavenly ever since. I tend to go for scents that are more clean than floral.

This picture makes me laugh. I scored 3 {awesome} pairs of nude sandals at Marshalls for $25 apiece. Of course I had to pull ALL Of my nude sandals out of my closet to make sure the new pairs were "different" from anything I already had. Ha. Ha. Apparently I know what I like...

I realize this is the biggest #WhiteGirlProblem EVER, but I have finally {finally!} found the perfect light pink gel nail polish. Not too sheer, not too pinky.

Gelish Pink Smoothie <3

What's your favorite manicure color? I normally do something bright like OPI Strawberry Margarita but lately I've been wanting something a little more neutral on my hands.

xoxo

Girls Night

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Happy weekend, lovelies!! And Happy Bastille Day! The gallery throws a big party every year to celebrate French Independence Day, so I've been scrambling around all week getting ready for the soiree this evening. Fingers crossed it all goes well and our A/C doesn't decide to crap out on us like it did that one time...

As luck would have it, I was able to squeeze in a fun girls dinner last night with some sweet friends from out of town. Lyndsey is pregnant with Baby Girl #2 so I loved being able to give her belly rub in person! Erin and Nina are in town for Market Week, and Callie is another native ATLien like myself. Wish we all lived closer to each other, but I know I'll see them again soon.

Lyndsey, Callie, Nina, Erin, et moi

We ate at JCT Kitchen (I love that place, 3rd time there in a month), and per usual, I rolled myself out after enjoying some delicious food. Deviled eggs, truffle Parmesan fries, pimento cheese, chicken'n'dumplings, brioche donuts. Y'ALL. Yum.

Loving my Bauble Bar necklace and lace JCrew top. Rainy night = a cute outfit to revive my mood.

Hope you have some fun things planned for the weekend! As much as I love the late afternoon thunderstorms that have been popping up lately, I really hope that doesn't happen tonight for our party. Rain rain go away!

Dog Days of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 19:22:00 +0000

Haven't blogged in forever and a day - sorry y'all! Too busy fanning myself and chugging (un)sweet tea over here. I know, I know, it's been hot everywhere. That doesn't make it any less miserable, although at least us Georgians are a little more accustomed to crazy temps than peeps in New England.

So life. It's been pretty boring lately. And I like it that way.

Mimi & I threw an adorable Sip & See for precious baby Reid last weekend. Here are some pictures from the day:

Adorable invites. Don't mind my gnarly old lady hands.

Y'all know I die for some pretty paper. If you need some help with a party, definitely consider using Sweet Birdie's Nest. They did an AMAZING job!

I now know that those are called "food tents." Word.

Cupcakes from Little Cake Bakery, the best place in Atlanta. For serious. Their red velvet has was all kinds of awards.

The bar area.

Best part about a Sip & See? Baby has arrived so everyone can have some boooooze.

Tissue pom-poms that I actually made for Reid's big brother's shower 3 years ago. My, how time flies!

~~~

Onto Instagram. Which makes my life feel way more hipster-ish and less lame than it really is.

I aggressively wore my pink lipstick to work on multiple occasions. Witness.

Arm pop at my desk. Cuz I'm just that cool.

Opening of the new Lululemon Howell Mill store!

Cute friends.

We are nerds.

Jeremiah 29 has been on my mind lately. Good stuff.

Flowers are still alive. Think I'm ready for children? No? Maybe just another dog...

Back on the cardio bandwagon, as much as I don't want to be. Consumption of wine > hatred of the gym. Just do it.

Finally hung my pretty new mirrors in the keeping room off the kitchen (also known as a small living room or family room to those of y'all not from the South. I confused people on twitter with my "keeping room" reference).

Whitney's Second Annual Birthday Dinner @ JCT Kitchen. So good!

I went in for my biannual hair chop and it wasn't too traumatic.

Mimi's organic garden grew some MEGA zucchini. Still trying to figure out how to eat it all..

Large diet lemonade from CFA is the only thing that sounds good when it's 100 degrees outside.

I spent my Sunday parked here. I love escaping to my parents' farm on the weekends - it's the most peaceful place. AND, there is always a breeze since the house is on a giant hill. #winning

~~~

I'm busy busy at work this week getting ready for a party at our new home store on Friday and our annual Bastille Day show at the gallery on Saturday. Send hugs and champagne. Both are needed.

xoxo

#SheReadsTruth

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:25:00 +0000

I could not have stumbled across this wonderful blog - She Reads Truth - at a more perfect time. I feel like the Devil has been knocking on my door lately, taking every opportunity to use my weaknesses against me. I left the door open a crack and he has rushed in with a ferocity that takes my breath away.

I know that I live a busy, distracted life, and the fact that I haven't been spending enough time in prayer and Bible study has just been thrown back in my face. Seriously y'all, I am humbled. And shamed. The thoughts I've been having lately and some of my actions are SO not in accordance with the kind of woman/friend/daughter that I want to be. Thank goodness God's mercies are anew each morning, otherwise I would be le screwed.

Waves upon waves of anxiety have been washing over me this week - and I know when this happens it means that I have strayed from the Lord. When I do my daily devotionals, pray, give thanks for my many blessings, and make time in my everyday life for God, I am anxious about nothing. I know that my life is being lived out according to His perfect plan, and there's no reason for me to worry.

Yesterday, Jeremiah 29:11 was on my mind all day - "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Whew. Someone has a plan. I don't have to be in charge.

I'm going to try to really dive into this study in the hopes that I can get my attitude and actions back on track. If you're not a religious person, feel free to skip over these posts. :)

Here is a little snippet I pulled from their site that sums up the new plan "Living the Surrendered Life" :

Today She Reads Truth launched their second plan and it’s a good one. What started out as a Bible study between two friends 35 days ago has grown into a huge community of encouragement among women. Imagine that–women encouraging women.

You can do it too! And since today is Day 1, you are right on time. Maybe you’ve seen the Tweets, the Instagrams and the hashtags #shereadstruth and have wondered what it’s all about.
It’s easy!

Download the YouVersion app on your smart phone. I love this app because you get all sorts of versions of the Bible, in case you need to just read something another way to get it to stick. (I recommend the Message. I call it the Pop Tart version of the Bible because sometimes the French pastry is a little rich for me.) If you don’t have a smart phone? Create a login via your web browser.
After creating an account, go to the Plans section + search “Living the Surrendered Life.”
Check the blog or twitter to find out which day the group is on.
Keep a journal. Write down your thoughts. What you think the day’s reading means. You never know how what you share might spark in someone else.
Take a picture. Share it via Instagram, Twitter (my account is SassySES13) or leave a comment on the She Reads Truth devotional page for that day.
Grow. Share. Repeat.

Love and blessings to all of you!

I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:52:00 +0000

Oh my friends, I had the most fantastic time on my trip! I left no glass of wine un-drunk or piece of cheese un-eaten, so suffice to say, I am back on the workout bandwagon this week. And I'm proud to say I made it Saturday through Wednesday before I cracked and had a glass of wine...so much for detoxing for the rest of life (what I was saying on the plane..ha.ha.not.)

I owe you a full trip recap, but in the meantime, here are a few snapshots from this week.

My copilot on our way to Dan & Mimi's house. Notice how Sir Skunk is never far from her clutches...

New pretty that finally arrived from Bauble Bar. <3

If you are ever flying through Paris and can get in the Air France lounge, DO IT. Unlimited champagne and all the stinky cheese your heart could desire. I drank at least a bottle by myself pre-flight...

Nothing screams "OH HAPPY DAY!" like a fresh gel manicure after 2.5 weeks of beating up your hands. Nail polish was still looking #1, cuticles were not so stellar. This is Strawberry Margarita by OPI.

I loved my outfit yesterday, but it's impossible to do a full body shot sans mirror. Here's my best effot. Chambray shirt + chiffony skirt + favorite new sandals from France (obsessed.)

This picture is a perfect example of why I need a haircut. LION'S MANE. I haven't had one since October...going in next Saturday for a chop-chop...

Mimi & I are throwing a Sip & See in honor of this cute lil (10lb3oz) peanut who was born last Tuesday. Welcome to the world, Baby Reid!

Trip pictures coming soon! If you're planning a trip to the Luberon, I'm your girl for the 411. We went EVERYWHERE on this trip! ;)

Bon Voyage!

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:03:00 +0000

Tomorrow I'm jetting off to lovely, sunny Provence for 10 days of relaxing bliss. I wish I could pack you all in my suitcase, but alas, I'm trying to leave some extra space for all the treasures I find at the markets.

Au revoir, mes amis!

Happy Birthday to ME!

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Yesterday was my 28th birthday! And Mother's Day. 28 years ago I was born ON Mother's Day and Mimi was {2 weeks shy of} 28 years old. How's that for crazy?!

Source: Uploaded by user via James on Pinterest

We celebrated with a yummy dinner at Antica Posta on Saturday night. My favorite aunt and uncle, Ellen and Bob, were able to join us, as was my dear friend Erin. She *might* have been nursing a slight case of the cocktail flu, but she was so sweet to come out anyway. :)

I kicked off the festivities with a blowout at Dry Bar. That place never disappoints! Cosmo-Tai this time.

Continued getting in a festive spirit at home with a bottle of baby champers for one. #GeniusInvention

All dressed for dinner! This DVF dress always brings a smile to my face, so I figured why not wear it for my birthday? :)

After dinner, we went back to Ellen and Bob's house for a homemade mint chocolate chip/cookie dough ice cream cake. SO GOOD. Ellen is the official "birthday baker" in the family, so at my brother's birthday dinner on Monday she took my order for an ice cream cake. Lucky me. :)

I was a little concerned about how flammable my hair was...#HairSprayLove

Love my family. Even though Danny isn't smiling. Punk.

Me & Erin. My heart sister. <3 Gorgeous without even a stitch of make-up on!

And of course, the Mimi. Sometimes I forget to tell her how much she means to me, how grateful I am for all that she's done for me, how I love her to the moon and back. She's my best friend and #1 cheerleader. I'm truly blessed in the parents department. Daddy Dan is pretty great too. :)

Sunday was a nice low-key day. Woke up, went to church, had brunch at Tin Lizzy's with some lovely ladies, and then headed out to my parents'. All Mimi wanted for Mother's Day was a piece of chocolate cream pie from Jim'n'Nicks (they make it fresh everyday), and I was happy to oblige. I may have whet my whistle with some lemon icebox pie..mmm..

We then did a grand tour of Targets, Wal-marts, Lowes, and Home Depots on our way home and picked up all kinds of goodies for my patio. I'm now the proud owner of a GRILL. We'll do my pots/plants this weekend. I'm feeling incredibly domestic right now, someone pinch me.

Happy {belated} Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

If you need a laugh...

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:16:00 +0000

...watch this video of the Harvard baseball team lip-synching/dancing to Carly Rae Jepson's "Call Me Maybe."

I am DYING laughing!

You can thank me later. :)

Vegas Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Happy Wednesday! I got back from Vegas at 1:30am Monday morning, so suffice to say, I started out this week waaaay sleep deprived {we will not even talk about the 10 cumulative hours of sleep I got over the weekend..}

Sadly, this will not be a titillating recap of our Cinco de Bachelorette weekend. Just a few photo snippets to commemorate the event. The pictures are all on lock down - although none of them are terrible. We're good girls. ;)

We stayed at the Palazzo, which was GORGEOUS! I highly recommend it. Great location on the strip, amazing shopping and restaurants within, plus it connects directly to the Venetian. We had 2 suites that connected and another room across the hall. The rooms at the Palazzo are significantly larger than the ones I've stayed in at the Bellagio, just FYI.

I did some minor sprucing up of one of the rooms to make it feel a little more "Bachelorette festive."

We had great views since we were on the 21st floor. Directly in front of us was the main pool, Treasure Island, and of course, that amazing Vegas mall. Proud to say I did zero shopping this trip.

Friday night we went to dinner at Sushisamba..mmm..and again, IN our hotel. So convenient. Then we had some Bachelorette fun.. ;)

Saturday we woke up and trekked downstairs to find coffeeee before assuming our position at the cabana by the pool. We were at one of the smaller pools (the top pool in the above pic of the main pool), which was next to Azul, aka the "party pool." Think techno music starting at 11am on the dot and poolside beds instead of chairs..umm, yeah, that place looked sketchy. But we did get to enjoy the music all day.

Saturday night we had dinner outside at Lavo, which overlooks the strip. The food was great! The bride's sister's friend {follow?} hooked us up with a table at the Chateau nightclub in the Paris hotel. We joked that we took the bride to Paris on her Bachelorette...haha?!

We lucked out and our table was on the outside patio, overlooking the Bellagio. The weather was perfect, and the view couldn't have been better! We watched the water show multiple times.

My only legible/appropriate picture of the night - me and the bride's childhood bff. <3 her.

There was a whole group of Marines on the roof with us as well, who had just returned from Afghanistan 3 weeks ago. We had a blast hanging out with them! Who doesn't love a man in uniform? And that's all I'll say about that. :-X

Life has returned to normal. On Monday we celebrated my brother's 26th birthday with dinner at Pricci. I was stuffed but can always make room for dessert. :)

Back to work...can't really complain about my view.

Our hydrangea bush in front of the gallery bloomed this year! Last year it looked dead and sad, but I've learned {from panicked internet research} that sometimes hydrangeas will go dormant for a year or two and then come back. Lucky for us, it came back this year!

Only 2 more days until the weekend! I'm hoping this gloom and doom clears up in Atlanta so I can squeeze in some good pool time before my birthday dinner Saturday night. :)

xoxo

May Day and Happy Birthday, AKP!

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:21:00 +0000

It's May! woo woo!

Which means...3 days till I'm in Vegas. 12 days till my birthday. 30 days till my work trip to France. Throw approximately another 10 birthdays into the mix, and you have one awesome, ballertastic month in the making.

To start it off right...Happy May Day! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my precious roommate and soul sistah, AKP! With the help of our amazing group of girlfriends, a surprise birthday breakfast was sneakily orchestrated. I couldn't really cook anything without ruining the surprise, so...the other girls stepped up to the plate with fruit salad, birthday cupcake/muffins (gluten-free FTW!), and an amazing egg/sausage/cheese/grits casserole that I'm still swooning over. I provided the venue, mimosas, balloons, and the birthday girl.

Right after I woke her up and hauled her downstairs at 7:15am with the promise of a "surprise." She thought the surprise was that I had made us coffee..ppsshhh.

{This is why you never see me in glasses.}

Kelly made these amazing cupcakes with gluten-free vanilla mix, blueberries, and lemon zest, complete with homemade cream cheese frosting infused with lemon zest as well. A veritable health food, what with all the fruit...right...?

Love these ladies! We're so fortunate that most of them live right in our 'hood, so it's easy to pop over for breakfasts and what not.

I was so nervous about how this was going to work out. I went to Publix before work yesterday to buy balloons, flowers, and champagne, which I hid in my bathroom. Poor Ash was super confused about why I was ALL about getting ready in HER room before dinner last night. The dozen balloons in my bathroom would have totes given the surprise away.... I set my alarm for 3am so I could decorate, put out plates/glasses, prep the coffee maker, etc.. I also figured out how to turn the chime off on our alarm system so I wouldn't wake the living dead with everyone coming in at the crack of dawn. See, I have skills?

Are you someone who enjoys being surprised?

I like it, in theory, but I always act like a jackass in the moment. And say dumb stuff that I regret later. And over interrogate about how it was all executed. Sheesh, lighten up Sarah.

I finally caved...

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:44:00 +0000

...and pre-ordered this necklace.

Source: baublebar.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I've had my eye on it for awhile and what better thing to do on a Sunday morning than online shop?!

My mint green obsession knows no bounds - a shade of minty/aqua green is the accent color in my casa. I would like to point out, for the sake of, um, making me look like not such a trendster ;) , that I've loved this color for quite some time and am kind of PO'ed it has become so popular. I don't want my house to scream Spring 2012!, ya know? I did decorate it in Fall 2011, so there. {insert tongue sticking out}

Case(s) in point:

I've also been rocking this shirt (from ASOS) whenever I can:

And y'all saw the dress I wore to Keeneland...

Mint green = LOVE.

I know mint and coral are the "hot" shades for spring, but alas, as much as I love coral, I'm not sure it will work for me unless I'm mega-tan. I love coral nails, but Mimi vetoed the 3 coral dresses I brought home when I was on a desperate Keeneland-dress-shopping-binge. Britt (see above) rocks the coral with her tan and blonde hair...perhaps I need to contemplate highlights and more self tanner...?

Do any of your mom's have strong opinions about things that you wear, which in turn leads you to never want to wear that color/style/etc..? Mimi told me she doesn't like me in yellow or red, thus I will NEVER buy anyhing in those colors. I personally loathe red, and I could like the right shade of yellow, but it's not worth the disapproving looks I would get. Oh mamas, we love you so big. ;)

Confessional Friday : Link Up

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Happy Friday, ladies!

I'm not working on Saturday this weekend so I get a Real Friday Night, which is very exciting. Except that I doubt I'll be doing anything exciting besides laying by the pool, going for a run, and bathing myself in fake tan. These legs...shwoo...NEED SUNLIGHT.

I'm linking up with Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition for her weekly Friday confessional. Here goes...

1. 1 week from TODAY I will be in VEGA$! I'm still trying to find the perfect outfits, but no matter what I wear, I know we'll have a blast. GLR wants to keep it more "Bride-to-Be" and less "Bachelorette" so there will be no inappropriate props or over the top craziness. Which is a-ok with this girl.

2. Tomorrow I'm going to a charity Pig Roast, organized by some of my dearest friends. It's $20 for all you can eat/drink, and the proceeds are going to a charity of their choice. Such a great idea! What better way to spend a Saturday than eating BBQ, playing flip cup, catching some rays, and drinking a few (err..) beverages? The event runs from noon till...? so I have a feeling some folks will be in fine form come evening time. I'm having Southern Social over for wine and cheese so I'll keep myself in check. Apologies, L, if you show up to a hot mess train wreck. :)

3. I can't believe that I'm turning 28 in approximately 2 weeks. It seems so..grown-up. But you know what: I am a grown-up. I enjoy keeping a clean house, grocery shopping runs, quality sleep, not letting the laundry pile up...you know, things that smack of responsibility. My birthday gift from Mimi & Dan will be redoing my back patio. Yup. No shoes (well, Mimi did buy me a pair of shoes last week as an "early birthday gift"), no jewelry...I want pots, plants, a GRILL, new outdoor cushions, etc.. Color everyone shocked, me the most! Thus far my late twenties have blown my early twenties out of the water, and I feel like the best is still yet to come.

4. Some people might think this is gross, but I let my dog lick every bowl/plate/yogurt cup/etc.. She's my pre-rinse cycle. :) It keeps my recycling bin from smelling like old yogurt and my dishes don't get food stuck on them while they wait in the dishwasher. Win win!

5. I'm addicted to gel manicures. I'm hard on my hands at work, with constantly moving paintings around, but the gel will last a full 2 weeks before needing to be redone. I could go longer except my nails grow crazy fast so I have too much new growth at that point. I get the Shellac brand because I've heard it's the "least bad" for your nails since it soaks off in about 5 minutes.

What are your plans for this weekend?

Catching Up

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Wow, a girl walks away from Blogger for a few weeks and BOOM!...the entire format changes. This will be..fun. Hmmm.

April was a busy month!

I went to the soft opening for STG Trattoria, a wonderful new Italian "tapas" and pizza place in Buckhead. The food was delish! Going back for dinner next week.

GranDan and Anders hunted for Easter eggs. Men are competitive in all stages of life, lemme tell ya...

My dog is cute.

I went to Lexington to visit the fabulous Mrs. D and her Mr. Coincidentally, her friends had planned a surprise 30th birthday party for her on Saturday night after Keeneland. Katherine and Kim did a phenomenal job with all the details. Go to Katherine's blog to read more about it!

Mrs. D <3

Mr. D. Always so dapper. No comments about why we were leaning on the hedges.

Me, Kim, Britt, Rachel, Dana (all her besties from college!)

Ponies. woo woo.

Whole group, waiting for the car. Sorority squat: intact. Britt has no idea what's waiting for her at home..

Drank a lot of this.

While sitting on THIS!

My new couch from Restoration Hardware finally arrived after a looooong 12 weeks of waiting. Well worth the wait. :)

The gallery hosted a solo show for one our French artists, and it was a huge success! I am dead tired after getting everything ready for the openings last Thursday and Friday evenings, but it was totally worth it. Felicitations, Pascal!

This is just a very small sampling of the 25 new works he painted for the show.

Still loving the Cosmo from Dry Bar. Werk it.

One of these day I'll stop playing catch-up, but for now...

May is one of my favorite and BUSIEST months! My roommate's birthday is next Tuesday, BFF's birthday is Thursday, I leave for Vega$ on Friday for BFF's Bachelorette, bro's birthday is May 7th, my birthday and Mother's Day all on the same day this year, May 13th...the list goes on, but suffice to say, it's all fun stuff. Just lots of it in a short period of time.

Let's not talk about the fact that I have a spreadsheet planning next week down to the HOUR so I can squeeze in all the work meetings/birthday celebrations/mani/pedi/spray tan/Pure Barre classes needed to get me out of town and looking great!

xoxo

An Easter People

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:05:00 +0000

The strange thing when you have a blog is you find yourself writing a post and thinking, "Wasn't I just writing this exact same post...?". No, I wasn't working on a draft last week, I was thinking about my post from last YEAR. Amazing how fast time can fly by!

This year's Easter is drastically different from last year's. No 5 hour long Mass on Holy Saturday, no family celebration at my mom's oldest sister's house. Since we were all together on Friday for my grandmother's funeral, we're taking a breather from family time and skipping the Easter gathering. We have some family friends who are more like family than friends, so they're coming over later today for an early supper. Nothing screams Easter like watching the Masters and Honey Baked Ham, eh?

Our pastor in church today reminded us that we are an "Easter people." I LOVE this. Love, love, love. Without Easter, we are nothing. Yes, Jesus was born on Christmas, but the true miracle happened today, with the Resurrection. Today we are filled with hope and grace and reminded of God's love for us.

Source: chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com via Nicole on Pinterest

⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, ^[a]is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. ¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹ Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

{Romans 6: 8-11}

I've been listening to this song on repeat all week. It truly embodies the meaning of Easter, in my opinion. :)

Have a blessed day! And Happy Passover to all my Jewish friends. :)

A Day to Celebrate

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:39:00 +0000

Thank you all SO much for all the kind words of support about my grandmother passing away.

Her funeral was yesterday at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, and then the "home going" party was at my parents' house. There was an eerie sense of deja vu about the entire day since we had literally been doing the same exact thing 3 months prior when my grandfather passed. While the day of his funeral was full of tears and sadness, yesterday was a Happy Day. They're together again! As my mom so aptly put, she felt like she was bringing her mom to her dad to say, "Look Dad, we took good care of her while you were gone, and now she's ready to be back with you again." {cue tears}

My grandmother's information will be engraved on the back of the headstone. I love that they make room for servicemen AND their wives at the cemetery. So sweet that they can be together. This was my first chance to see the headstone - and the words my mom and her sisters chose to put on it are perfection.

All of the daughters laid calla lilies on the grave, since those were my grandmother's wedding flowers.

Here's a wonderful picture of all of the girls in our family.

Front: my cousin-in-law and her sweet 3 week old baby girl, aptly named Elsie Mae after my grandmother.

Middle row (L-R): Aunts Sandy, Karen, Ellen, Kathy, Cousins Carly and Amy

Back row: Cousin Corey, Aunt Pam, Mama Mimi, and myself.

A sassy, loud group of ladies, fo' sho'.

xoxo

The Inevitable Ending

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:21:00 +0000

You know how they say bad things come in 3's? I really hope that's the case. The first quarter of 2012 has brought more loss and sadness than I have ever experienced in my entire life.

My grandfather passed away exactly 3 months ago today. He was buried on a sunny Friday. My grandmother joined him in Heaven yesterday, and she will also be buried on a sunny Friday. Together again. Reunited. It's hard to be sad when we know that they are back together after the longest separation they ever experienced in their 65+ years of marriage (not counting when my grandfather served in WWII. They weren't married yet then. :).

She's been fighting Alzheimer's for almost 10 years - my rage towards cancer is perhaps surpassed by my hatred of Alzheimer's. How cruel to not only not know who YOU yourself are but to not remember or recognize your loved ones either. The only blessing has been that she never knew my grandfather was gone. Never had to grieve or mourn his loss.

R.I.P. Elsie Godsted Rosynek and Frank Sylvester Rosynek.

Until we meet again on the other side.

As weird as it sounds, I've found such comfort in prayer. I know they can hear me. And it's nice to know I have two more people watching out for me from above. :)

Thank to all my friends, near and far, who have reached out to me to let me know they're praying for my family. We appreciate it SO much!

xoxo