The Penelope Jane Blog

{family is the best}

2011-12-27T22:52:00.000-08:00

this Christmas i have been reflecting on how blessed i am. of the biggest blessings in my life is family. i am beyond blessed to have the most loving and close family. on top of that, my husband's family is truly incredible. i love each and every one of them with all my heart, and am utterly thankful for how they have welcomed me freely and whole-heartedly into their "pack" : }

what a royal treat it's been to get to have hubby's sister and her hubby come from out of town to celebrate the holidays with us. they are expecting their first babe, end of may. we are beyond thrilled to meet the newest addition to our crazy and awesome family.

this shoot today was wicked fun. i loved how obviously in love this couple is. their energy and passion for each other radiated, as you can clearly see, through these pictures...

love you, h&d, and you too, baby dear!

{love, love love!!!!}

{foto shoot ~ h fam}

2011-12-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

i love this sweet family! crazy ~ years and years ago e & t seemed so much older than me when they were in college and i was in high school. : } we were all in the same church high school/college group together. so fun to now have kids together, a couple even near the same age! t has been like another big sister to me.

i simply could not just choose a few favs to post...! this shoot was just so much fun, and the pictures all make me smile...

you guys are awesome! xo

{fun fact friday [a day early :]: 01}

2011-12-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

i love stuff like this. simple and effective ways to improve and organize your life. must be the fact that i am the daughter of a professional organizer. thanks Mom! : }

check these out!!!!!!

Via: lifehacker.com.au

my gosh! how freaking cool is this?! it's a gutter garden!!

Via: re-nest.com

a totally useful tip this time of year! storing Christmas decor in old egg cartons! fabulous!

Via: realsimple.com

got a burn? freeze aloe vera in ice cube trays for an awesomely refreshing and unique burn relief!

Via: jengrantmorris.blogspot.com

low on space? this is simply a tension rod that's been made into a cleaning bottle hanger for under the counter. marvelously ingenius!

Via: kiboomu.com

if you hate messes as much as i do, you will love this! back cupcakes directly in ice cream cones! simply brilliant! slap a little cream cheese frosting on top, and sprinkle a few pretties, and voila!

Via: amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com

i've yet to try coring strawberries like this...but a very close friend of mine just posted on her FB that she tried, and it worked. next time i buy strawberries, i'm buying straws too!

Via: unplggd.com

supposedly WD40 takes crayon marks off of walls, computer and TV screens! my twins are just getting into the crayon-drawing-phase; i've tucked this into my memory! : }

there ya have it folks! our first fun fact friday, a day early!! : }

any fun facts you have to add? would love for you to share!! i love to read your comments!

{congrats, Crista!!!!}

2011-12-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

a huge shout out of congratulatory happiness to Crista, our first ever Penelope Jane Blog Giveaway!! Crista, you will be the recipient of some pretty awesome products:

30 minute mini session from me : } with Belle Voir Photography that includes {1} 8x10
"Thermal Tote" from me : } with Thirty-One
"Small Batter Bowl" from Cami Householder with Pampered Chef
Handmade hair clips from April Wolfe with Maggie and Beatrice
$5 Gift Certificate from Jake's Café
"Apple Allure" scented candle from Christie Pasma with Party Lite
Handmade Burp Rags from Andrea Meek with Bugaboo Baby

thanks to all my vendor friends for their generous donation!!!

{most random shoot e_v_e_r ~ j&g}

2011-12-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

we started downtown, 2 towns over. like, r.e.a.l.l.y, downtown. pretty sure we saw a drug deal go down. can't remember if that was before or after i took a small, i like to think graceful, tumble to my bum, while energetically demonstrating a desired pose...gracefulness has never been a strong attribute.

next stop, still downtown, 2 towns over. outside the library. a truck drove by. g thought it was green, i swear it was silver. sister interjected that she remembered it being, uh, i don't remember, something different than green or silver.

that's beside the point -- all of a sudden i felt {and heard} a thud. then realized i was soaking wet. i hate being wet. seriously and passionately . must have been a water balloon. my jacket was sopping so i opted out of it's warmth. no worries, my extreme irate-ness kept me warm the rest of the shoot. i found myself wondering why these drive-by-water-balloon-chucking hooligans' mother's let them out of the house. my personal opinion as a victim of their detestable and immature prank, is that she should've kept them locked up. what happened to boys playing video games?!

let's just say when i got home, anything and everything taken on the shoot was scrubbed, washed, soaked, rinsed....you get the picture. i realized what a germ freak i was as i told myself that 2x washing my hair was good enough, and when i went to swab my phone 2x plus with rubbing alcohol.

drama, drama, dramaaaaa!!!!

anything for a good picture, right?! : }

...and we got some good ones...my sister is gorgeous. huh?

{guest post: a & h wood}

2011-12-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

when i found out i was pregnant with twins early last year, i was amazed at the horrible and sadly nieve comments of those around me. i often heard, "better you than me!" or "wow, your life will never be the same!" or "you're going to be HUUUUGE!".... i was horrified! just a month before i found out i was carrying my beautiful baby boys, i was told by my Dr. that i may have a very difficult time getting pregnant.

this was some of the most devastating news i have ever gotten. i was the little girl who always had a baby in my arms, and if no real live one was to be found, my baby doll Joanna had to do. when asked what i wanted to be when i grew up i'd respond, {after several times of saying "a daddy", i learned that only boys became daddies. :} "a mommy. with 99 kids." {for you see, i'd decided maybe 100 was a bit much. but surely i could handle 99. because of course i'd grow up and marry superman! and guess what, i did! :} the only dream i have ever had for my life was to be surrounded by my husband and our millions of kids.

so you can imagine that this possible reality was tough to swallow. i will never forget the feeling of overwhelming, ecstatic, glorious, amazing JOY when i found out that my husband and i were expecting.

now multiply that by infinity, and you get the idea of my sheer intoxicated joy when i looked up at that ultrasound monitor after the midwife gasped in disbelief, and then my eyes fixated on the TWO vibrant red crazy flashes of light that were my sons' 8 week old heartbeats!!!!

i've said so many times that i wish i could've bottled up those emotions and could pull them out and relive them again and again. : }

meet my friend Hannah. God's biggest source of inspiration and challenge to me during my pregnancy. we talked occasionally during the trials God was allowing in her life, with the miscarriage of her first born son, John, and then following, another precious Baby. i cannot tell you how many times her challenging words would ring through my mind amidst the discomfort of carrying twins, "Laurel, instead of thinking about what is happening to your body, and how it will never look the same, focus on the miraculously AMAZING giftS God has chosen to bless you with! with every uncomfortable hiccup, crazy kick, leaping jump...praise God for the lives He is choosing to bless your life with...!" she challenged me by reminding me that we never know when the Lord may call our babies {or ourselves!} home, and that every day should be a choice to rejoice in the 2 lives God was creating in my womb.

on those days when i was sick of the monotony and seemingly unending frustrations of bedrest, exhausted beyond belief just by getting out of bed to get a cup of water, and then having to use the loo 8 thousand times following said cup of water, God would encourage my weary self with Hannah and Andrew's incredible testimony of faith and perseverance through the tragedy of losing their first 2 children.

grab a box of tissue, and allow yourself to be deeply challenged. read through the end. God has recently brought a DARLING and miraculous little Bundle of Joy into my sweet friend's arms...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Baby John"

February 14th, 2010

To those who care,

Thank you. We were expecting to announce the birth of our first child

"John" Andrew Wood II sometime around February 23rd (his due date, the

day before my birthday). As is a common theme in my life, God had a

different plan. After not feeling John move for several hours on

Saturday (the 13th), we rushed to the hospital. No heartbeat was

found and it became quite clear that he had died that afternoon. A

C-Section was done and the doctor could not find out what had caused

his death. His cord was fine, the placenta was fine, and most of the

pregnancy had been completely trouble free. Hannah and I were

obviously crushed, and I was a wreck when the nurse brought baby John

in for us to see and hold. The thing I had looked forward to the most

was to see his face and now it was the thing that horrified me most.

He looked so much like me. I couldn't help but think, "why him and

not me?" As Hannah and I are grieving, praying, and reading Scripture

together here in the hospital we think about several things. "For

from Him, through Him, and to Him are ALL THINGS, to Him be the glory

forever, Amen" (Ro 11:36). You may hate to hear this, but God caused

this event for His glory. He does all things perfectly. He is the

sovereign potter, who has every right over the clay to do with it what

He wants. As we saw this precious little child who seemingly had

nothing wrong with him but a sin nature, we realized that God created

him, formed him, and took him for His own good pleasure (Ep 1:11).

Did we have any rights to this child? Absolutely not. How dare we

blame God with any injustice. Everything we have is a gift. What do

we have that He did not give us? Another realization we have to

remind ourselves regularly is that IF you are a genuine Christian, you

cannot lose. EVERYTHING that happens in your life, including your own

sin, God works together for your good (Ro 8:28). We have been so

encouraged by the examples of those in Scripture and friends of ours

who have suffered incomparably more than we have. Their testimonies

reveal a firm foundation built on Christ the solid rock. IF you know

God, He will make you stand when trials come. If you don't know Him

or don't believe He exists, beware, His flaming wrath is fierce and

you will be consumed. Repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus

Christ (Mk 1:15). If your objection to God is something along the

lines of: "How could a loving God do bad things to people?" You

probably don't know His love and probably don't know people very well

either. If you spend time reading the Bible from Genesis to

Revelation you'll find the God who is love within Himself - Father,

Son, and Spirit, the God who loves to save sinners like you and me,

but also the God who takes life and destroys those who reject Him

(read Gn, Ex, Lev, Nu, Dt, Josh, Judg... etc.). The question is, will

you bow before Him now willingly, calling Him Master and yourself

servant, or will your knee caps be crushed and your mouth be forced to

confess on the day of judgment, "Jesus Christ is Lord!"? Those of you

who are Christians, thank you so much for your prayers and

encouragement. We love you! We grieve, but not as those who don't

have hope. Those who don't know Him and are not known by Him, we have

much more concern for your soul than you could possibly have for us in

this loss. Stop suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. Start

renouncing your sin, taking up your cross and following Jesus.

Through this experience, seeing our son's face, God has given us a

greater understanding of how precious children are and He has given us

a greater desire to have many children of our own. We are seeing more

clearly that life is a vapor and we must cherish every moment. We are

not guaranteed the next one, here on earth with those we love. For

our brothers and sisters, here are some specific areas in which you

can pray for us: Our testimony here at the hospital - joy in the midst

of suffering, proclaiming Christ through our pain. That we wouldn't

listen to the lies of the enemy and feel false guilt over John's

death. That we would rely on God's strength through the little things

- the nursery set up at home, car seat in our car, etc. Pray for

Hannah's physical healing from the C-Section. The journey ahead will

difficult. Please pray for our families as well.

Love,

Andrew and Hannah

"Our Dear Baby John" poem

Our Dear Baby John,

He took delight in forming,

In wonderfully weaving you,

His hands touching each part,

Knitting you in my womb.

With joy we watched you grow,

Praising our gracious Lord.

We knew what a gift you were,

And our hearts praised Him even more.

His eyes were upon every detail,

Each tiny finger, each toe.

He gave you the eyes of your daddy,

Your momma’s mouth and nose.

It pleased Him to make your heart

Beat strong and caused you to move.

At times you seemed to leap with joy

And we prayed you were praising Him too.

Our earnest prayer had been

More than health or ease of days,

For your soul to be secure

Through a saving, miraculous faith.

The Lord, as He delighted to form you,

Also was pleased to take

You son, His own creation

For He’d already planned your days.

His Word says He wrote them down

In His book before any were.

So your life had been completed

Just hours before your birth.

Our tears, though kept in His bottle,

Are too numerous to count for man

As we grieve – oh how we miss you!

Lifting to God our empty hands.

But we’re seeing how God has answered

The many prayers we raised

When we asked Him to take and use you

For the glory of His great name.

For He’s chosen to take your life,

Though short like the grass of the field,

And use it to touch His people

Bringing about His eternal yield.

So though weeping, He’ll lift our face up

To rejoice and praise His name.

We will trust in His sovereign will

For He gives and takes away.

This was written as John's birthday came around in 2011:

A Valentine from my Heavenly Father

Valentine’s Day – this day has always been one of the few holidays that held special meaning to me, a day that was so near to my heart. Growing up in a home of 4 girls and one little boy, my dad always tried to make this day set apart to show his daughters how much we mean to him. My mom would make an extraordinary dinner and we girls would dress up in preparation for an evening with our man, the man who loved us and cared for us. When the announcement was made that “dinner was served,” one by one from oldest to youngest, we daughters would step into the living room to be escorted by our daddy to a beautifully dressed table. We were seated and served with sweet care through a lovingly prepared and always delicious meal. Daddy would give each of us a card, often handmade, telling us of how he loved us and desired that we serve our heavenly Father. He would encourage us in the growth he’d seen in our lives over the past year and lovingly reassure us to wait for the man that the Lord had prepared for us to one day marry. These celebrations were such a gift from my parents.

As time passed, I understood more and more what a blessing it is to have a father who loves and protected me. I also began to focus on the sweetness of the love of the Lord for me, His daughter. I would often send out letters to my friends encouraging them to delight in the love of the Lord and to not become distracted by our culture’s view of love. One Valentine’s Day I sent out this letter:

Dear sweet friends, my dear sisters,

How great is our Savior’s love for us! Today I have been simply overflowing with gratefulness to our Lord for His goodness and love for me, and how He demonstrates it through my family and friends.

Jer. 33:3

'The Lord appeared of old unto me, saying, ‘I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.’ '

The Lord’s love for us is EVERLASTING!! I hope this truth thrills your heart as it does mine.

Dear ones, in His presence is fullness of Joy (Ps. 16:11). He has put gladness in my heart, and His lovingkindness is ever before my eyes (Ps. 4:7, 26:3).

Rejoice today in the great, unfathomable love of your Savior and fall ever more deeply in love with Him.

Today as I was reflecting on our Lord’s love, the following poem formed in my mind. I hope this encourages you into a greater love for your Lord.

I love you!

Hannah

'My Savior’s Love for Me'

A love beyond description,

Unchanging, ever true,

Which covers my transgressions,

My heart to renew.

Given in abundance

Unworthy though I be,

Poured on the undeserving,

My Savior’s love for me.

Extravagantly pure,

The hopeless it has sought,

Causing me to understand

What far exceeds the thought.

And yet, this matchless love

Which sets the captive free,

Is high, mere words excelling,

My Savior’s love for me.

My only sustenance,

The rejoicing of my soul,

Exquisite, true delight

Through it I am made whole.

Surpassing lovingkindness,

In this I am complete,

Each longing satisfying,

My Savior’s love for me.

As last Valentine’s Day came, I was preparing to celebrate the love of the Lord and the love He gives me through others. Little did I know that my Father had planned His own celebration – the birthday of my first son, John Andrew. And little did I know that this birthday was purposed by Him to draw my heart ever more toward His love and cause me to realize that my Father can give nothing but good gifts to His children, even when they are wrapped in something we don’t expect.

Baby John had died… We delivered a beautiful little boy on February 14, 2010, and unless one knew that his life was no longer in his tender little body, one would think him to be sleeping, he was so beautiful. I held the body of my child, the child we loved more than we thought possible… tears rolled down the face of my husband and mine as I held each precious hand and foot, counting fingers and toes, looking at his sweet face and soft, dark hair. He was our son – our precious little boy so long prayed for and desired. And he was gone. As quickly as a vapor, his 37 week life on earth was over. And our hearts broke. We cried out to God for mercy to bear this grief and He answered with sweet hope and peace.

As Valentine’s Day of 2011 fast approaches, I am seeing once again the lovingkindness of the Lord. My Father did give me a precious gift last year in order to reassure me of His love and desire for me to always follow Him. “So,” you may ask. “Are you saying that God’s taking of John was a gift of love to you?” Yes. Yes I am. The Lord had very tenderly purposed this gift for me, and I don’t doubt that Jesus felt sorrow for us as it was prepared. Sometimes the most loving thing that can be done will bring about an enormous amount of grief before the joy comes. But the Lord was not cruel when He gave us this package. He did not give us anything that His strength would not sustain or His graces suffice. He did not give us more than we could bear through Him. Baby John was a means through which the Lord grew me in powerful ways. God chose to use my son to teach me more of His glorious might and power in all things, to teach me to surrender to His sovereignty, and to know what it is to rejoice through intense sorrow. My Father’s love for me has never been more real than it has been in this last year. I know His plans for me are good and that, as a loving Father, He will do what it takes to refine me more into the image of His Son. He does all things for His glory and for the good of all His children.

So, even through sorrow, I will agree with the Psalmist when he writes, “As for God, His way is perfect…”

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:19-23

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Baby Wood"

September 1, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,

The Lord has again chosen to bring about more of our refining into the likeness of Christ through affliction. We found out to our joy a few weeks ago that the Lord had blessed us with another child. But due to the fact that Hannah's HCG levels were not what they should have been, there was concern that the baby was not doing well. Over the course of a week and a half, Hannah's HCG levels went no higher than 83 - a live baby should have given Hannah levels as high as 830. It became clear through an ultrasound that there was not visible development of the baby and no heartbeat was ever detected. Our doctor who loves the Lord and is very cautious concerning the lives of children became highly alarmed that Hannah had an ectopic pregnancy and that the baby had died soon after conception. His concern was that the baby had implanted in the fallopian tube and that the growing tumor-like, empty placenta would burst the tube and cause Hannah to hemorrhage. Another Christian OB/GYN from Texas affirmed all of these conclusions. Just last night our doctor had to do an emergency surgery on a woman who had an ectopic pregnancy that ruptured her fallopian tube. We were advised for Hannah to take a medication that would protect her since the baby had already died. Agreement to this came through much prayer, counsel, and tears. On top of this, the Lord had impressed on Hannah's heart during a Bible study on Friday that we would not get to keep this baby. The verses that were being discussed were these:

"Satisfy us early with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, and for as many days as we have seen evil." Psalm 90:14-15

"A voice said, 'Cry!' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All flesh is as grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers and the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord will stand forever." Isaiah 40:6-7

We are so thankful that the Lord's Words will forever stand. He has given us peace and joy in the midst of our sorrow.

Other Scriptures that we are meditating on are these:

"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I do it, for how should My name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another." Is. 48:10-11

"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O Israel; Is My way not just? Is it not you ways that are not just?" Ezekiel 18:25

"Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the One who formed you, 'Ask of me the things to come; will you command Me concerning my children and the work of My hands?' " Is. 45:11

"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or brought to mind. But be glad and rejoice in what I create... No more shall be heard in Jerusalem the sound of weeping or the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days..." Is. 65:17-18

We know that the Lord will turn ashes into beauty and sorrow into joy. We trust Him completely, knowing that all things are for our good (Romans 8:28) and His glory (Romans 11:36). We can't lose! We are so thankful for this opportunity to know the Lord in a deeper way and experience the sufficiency of His grace and His perfect strength.

Thank you for your prayers and love.

Love, Hannah and Andrew

Isaiah 40:6-18 poem

All flesh is as grass

As a flower that passes away

Its beauty adorns

The field where it's formed for a day

Gentle rains come

And the warm sun causes growth

But after short days

Its beauty will fade as wind blows

It's the breath of the Lord

On the strong and the weak

Breathing over His work

For their time is complete

His ways are all just

There is no fault with Him

Even when His decrees

Blow out as the wind on the field

Who has measured the seas

Walked in the great deep but the Lord?

What nation can stand

Against His command or His sword?

Who will counsel Him

Teaching Him to understand what is just?

We must trust He's ordained

Even the flower that fades for we are dust.

It's the breath of the Lord

On the strong and the weak

Breathing over His work

For their time is complete

His ways are all just

There is no fault with Him

Even when His decrees

Blow out as the wind on the field

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Baby Titus"

How full of rejoicing we are in the gift of this new son. He was born on August 24. Our God is oh so good - and the trials have caused us to delight to the fullest in Titus Daniel. His name means "Honorable" and "God is my judge." We pray that as he grows and learns of Christ, that his life will be one that honors the Lord and thus honors his parents and that he always remembers that he is accountable to God.
1 Samuel 1 -
"I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD.

²⁷"For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him.

²⁸"So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD."

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

thank you, W family for sharing these pictures and your story! rejoicing with you!

giveaway!!

2011-12-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

i have been wanting to do this giveaway for several months! so happy to finally announce that we are ready to begin!

it's super simple to enter! just follow these THREE steps:

a} "like" this FB page: Belle Voir Photography

b} send an email to laurel@bellevoirphotography.com, with your name and email

c} share this on your FB profile:

"i just entered a chance to win this giveaway! check it out! http://thepenelopejaneblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/giveaway.html"

here's what this giveaway includes:

30 minute mini session from me : } with Belle Voir Photography that includes {1} 8x10
"Thermal Tote" from me : } with Thirty-One
"Small Batter Bowl" from Cami Householder with Pampered Chef
Handmade hair clips from April Wolfe with Maggie and Beatrice
$5 Gift Certificate from Jake's Café
"Apple Allure" scented candle from Christie Pasma with Party Lite
Handmade Burp Rags from Andrea Meek with Bugaboo Baby

crazy awesome giveaway, huh?! a big thanks to all my participating vendor buddies!

*the giveaway ends TUES Dec. 13, 2011 at midnight*

{s fam}

2011-12-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

this was a very fun shoot. all 3 kids were little ANGELS and did amazingly well at being perfect little models. : }

{a's winter ONEderland!}

2011-12-04T17:59:00.000-08:00

it's hard to believe she's already one! this sweet girl's mama is one of my dearest friends in the entire universe. yesterday i was honored to get to photograph her adorable one year party...

{sweet sister}

2011-12-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

it's become a tradition in my sister and i's families that once a year, we pack ourselves up, and head to a cabin in the mountains together. we took last year off, and the year before that, there was only one kid. naturally this year was filled with tons of fun and adventure since both of us now each have 2 kiddos. : }

we snuck in a 20 minute shoot while we were there. i was in photographer's heaven up there...

beach or mountains? for me the question is a no brainer ~ the beach is awesome, but i'll take the mountains any day!

love ya, sis!

{m fam}

2011-12-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

i met this sweet family before this little beauty arrived onto earth. they truly are some of the sweetest, genuine people i have ever met. i'm sure you will have as much fun viewing this shoot, as i had doing it! : }

happy saturday!

2011-10-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

hi all! in my absence, i have been working on new business ideas and products, and also on ways to better serve my customers. along with the busyness that comes with having 2 one year olds, that has left me happily swamped. : )

pj blog is going to be doing a giveaway soon...stay tuned for details in the next couple of weeks. right now i am in the process of gathering all kinds of fun products from awesome local small businesses. pretty sure you are going to be stoked! : ) i will keep you updated...

here are a few shots from some fabulously fun recent shoots:

{these sweet loves' auntie works with my hubby. she wanted to surprise her sister on her birthday with a photoshoot of her darling kids. they were SO fun to work with!}

{one of THE CUTEST preggo gals i've ever seen, this shoot was a royal blast! she is also a fellow small business owner. she sells tupperware. since this shoot, she's been blessed with a gorgeous baby girl! congrats to you, A!}

{this lovely lady and her hubby are family to one of my dearest friends on earth, so naturally i was thrilled to get to photograph them!}

{i met this gal at one of the ladies night out events i host monthly. she actually was one of my vendors 2 days ago at our Oct LNO! what a fun family of 3 (soon to be 4!! ; )}

{isn't he a peach?!}

{remember that sweet lady who did a photo shoot to surprise her friend?! well, a few days after, she did one to surprise her best friend! this was a blast. :}

{as you can tell by the amount of pictures i've chosen to post, i LOVED this shoot! a very sweet friend of mine wanted belly photos, and so she brought along her darling daughter, and her daughter's adorable best friend. since this shoot, she's given birth to a BEAUTIFUL baby girl. congrats, Y!}

{okay, darling girls or WHAT??!}

~~~~~~~~~~~~

as you can tell, i've thoroughly been enjoying these gobs of fun photoshoots! and yet another today that will involve a vintage pram...need i say more??!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

some things i've learned {or perhaps re-learned} personally since last blogging that i feel worth recording:

: )

i will never be perfect, but continually striving live stronger and wiser in love is a reward in itself ~ 1 Tim. 6:12 "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."Acts 20:24 "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
i ~~enjoy~~ LOVE crafting! {a blog from my iPhone soon to come detailing my recent projects :}
life is the most amazing and beautiful thing when one has the proper perspective ~ Isaiah 40:31 "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
love is what i am called to
when cooked right, i actually do like apple pie
i was right before, pumpkin pie is not my fav
i have the best family in the world {that includes my amazing husband's family}
i like bruschetta ~ although it tastes a little like mildly burnt vegetables
here on earth, GOD is my reward. His ways are always best.
my sons are sponges. the things i say, they too will say, even through their baby babble.

perhaps i should humor you with a story. don't judge.

yesterday my sister and i went out with our kids to run errands. for those of you who have multiples, you are used to the gawking, staring, and needless, unavoidably uncomfortable, and prying conversations you are forced into having with COMPLETE strangers about your multiples. sadly, this is the most exhausting part of leaving the house for me. : 0

yesterday, as we reached our last stop, in my obvious humanity, and in accordance with my personality who actually enjoys a bit of anonymity, i was fed up. a little earlier i had to {subtly} body block a crazy stranger who decided it'd be perfectly acceptable for her to touch my sons. mother bear is a mysterious thing not to be messed with.

exhausted. i was exhausted i tell you. the last straw was the sweet little woman who was trying to tell me how to parent my children. as we walked off, i turned to my sister, {thank goodness it was to her, and not to that sweet little well-meaning woman!} and informed her that my thoughts of bringing her and her adorable NEWBORN baby with me to reflect unwanted attention on my family, onto hers {she is much nicer and more patient than i in such settings :} was, much to my chagrin, NOT working.

i went on to tell her that if another person asked me if my VERY OBVIOUSLY same sized, same aged, mirror-image TWIN sons were indeed twins, the only response i had the energy for was, "DUHHHH!" {like i said, don't judge}

we finally all piled back into my suburban. sister and i were having a nice conversation. what do we hear ringing over and over in the backseat from my youngest twin, "duh! duh! duh!"

o dear. talk about God using your kids to convict you of error.

on a lighter note more uplifting not, since beginning this post, i have heard back from a couple of my vendor pals. this giveaway is going to be THE BOMB! i am absolutely excited for the one who wins! : )

more soon. happy saturday.

Aug Ladies Night Out

2011-08-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

last night's Ladies Night Out at Jakes was such fun! I was impressed with these local vendors ~ their passion and kind hearts are inspiring!

you guys were all so fun. thanks for joining me!!

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Meet: Me! :) ~ Belle Voir Photography & Thirty-One Gifts

{my Thirty-One table}

{these are my "baby bags" I leave in my vehicle. makes for getting out the door on time so much easier. and I'm pretty much always prepared!}

{both of my tables}

{www.BelleVoirPhotography.com}

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Meet: Debra Handley ~ Trading Hope

{I personally have been blessed by the ministry of "Trading Hope". here's an excerpt from their website, in case you hadn't heard of them before:

"Part international boutique, part contemporary bazaar, Trading Hope is an evolving marketplace. We offer a unique array of distinctive, inspiring items to make your world more beautiful.

The true beauty of each product is found in the story of hope behind its creation. Every Trading Hope item is handmade by an artisan whose life has been affected by poverty, injustice, disaster or crisis."}

{these awesome little toys make fabulous gifts! I bought my nieces and nephew each one for their birthdays. it felt good knowing I was supporting such an amazing cause.}

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Meet: Kim Bowers ~ Kim's Kreations

{my sweet friend Kim MAKES all of her products! and I must say, everything was ADORABLE!!! }

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Meet: Christie Pasma ~ PartyLite

{these incredible candles had the whole coffee shop smelling absolutely magnificent!}

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Meet: Alyssa Leusink ~ Tupperware

{this sweet lady made all of us vendors a spaghetti dinner last night, all done in the microwave, with Tupperware products! so yummy! doesn't she have the cutest baby bump?! :}

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Meet: Brenda Kramer ~ Lia Sophia

{all of the LS jewelry that I have gotten from Brenda is just fabulous!! they have gorgeous and unique products!}

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Meet: Our entertainment for the evening ~ these guys were awesome! Thanks Ryan, Zach, and Joseph!

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have a magnificently, marvelous evening, darling people!

m, k, & little darlings ~

2011-08-11T23:42:00.000-07:00

i've known these lovely folks for many, many years. it's been fun "having kids together"... :) these babe's sweet mommy has been like another sister to me since i was 10.

thrilled to get to capture their family love.

enjoy. :)

{this girl, ooo, what a doll!}

{this darling guy was SO good ~ hardly a peep out of him the whole shoot!}

{little friends!}

{family time}

{such love}

love you guys!

15% off August!

2011-08-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

my sweet mom (http://www.OptOutOfClutter.com) is a splendiferous professional organizer. she recently forwarded me an email from another fellow pro organizer, who wrote a terrific recommendation for thirty-one. i've selected the excerpts referencing thirty-one from said email :

ecstatic that the word is spreading about thirty-one!

below are a few pictures from the catalog of some new products/prints that i've fallen in love with...

one of the things i love about being a thirty-one consultant is the incredible sales i am able to provide to my customers. just for the month of august, to celebrate the launch of our new catalog, everything is 15% off! how cool is that?!

interested? click here to browse through more of the new catalog!

{next generation of law enforcement}

2011-07-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

last week i had the amazing privilege of photographing a police explorers training event involving departments from all across the state.

words cannot express how thankful i am to those in law enforcement who have sacrificed their time/lives/minds to the cause of keeping our nation a place of freedom. i know i take those freedoms for granted on a daily basis. shooting this event was humbling for me as i stared into the faces of a new generation of young people who are passionate about protecting our freedoms as American citizens.

"Somewhere a cop is being yelled at for taking too long to get there; trying to save the life of a total stranger; holding his bladder because his MDT just went off; starving because he missed a meal; having to keep a stone face at an accident scene where there's 2 dead kids; and now its 4 am, and he's missing HIS family while taking care of YOURS."

Thirty-One: Fall/Winter Catalog!

2011-07-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

twice a year, thirty-one comes out with a NEW catalog FULLLLL of incredibly A-DORABLE new products! in just 6 days, the new 2011 fall/winter catalog will available to order from! i am LOVING all the new prints and products! and i am thrilled that they now have a MEN'S line for us!

click this link to view the NEW catalog!

i am TOTALLY in LOVE with the new enrollment kit! take a look!

pretty darn cute, huh?! interested in being a Thirty-One consultant? all these fantastically adorable products can be yours for just $99 when you sign up!! Click here to join my team!

{my consultant id # is 47019}

~ this must be love ~

2011-06-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

he's not a good father. he's an absolutely incredible father. you can tell by the way they look at him. when he walks in the room, squeals of sheer delight echo throughout our house. in that moment it's as if they cannot crawl, scoot, catapult quick enough to lunge themselves into his arms. my sons have the most incredible daddy. holy freaking stockings, this picture makes my heart skip a beat!

today after i got home from my photoshoot, my heart melted onto the floor in about 537 thousand freaking pieces when my little men responded to my homecoming greeting, by hollering with almost panicked delight, as they realized that, yet again their little legs and arms could only aid their travel to my arms, so much. i quickly came to their rescue and scooped up all 40+ pounds of my two 9 month-ers into my arms, and we had a snuggle, kissy fest.

o. m y. g o s h. being a parent is, without a doubt, the most amazing privilege God has ever seen fit to bestow on me and my darling hubby.

on that intoxicatingly fantastic thought, happy sleep, darlings.

sister's bump

2011-06-26T21:02:00.000-07:00

today was the perfect day to snap some belly shots. and i knew just the model i wished to use! my sister is pregnant with her second daughter, my third niece. kyra, my second born niece, came along to make mommy laugh. :) thank you B family for letting us use your amazing property!

here's a few of my favs:

and what photographer, auntie or not, could resist snapping a few {or more! :} of this adorable creature?!

isn't she a peach?! i even had to get in a couple with her...

after we were all done shooting, a trip to starbucks won a unanimous vote..

taking pictures is exhausting, thought this little doll.

but then she went and got a snuggle, and all was better!

perfect ending to the perfect shoot!

thanks for tuning in, darlings!

they call her gramma ~

2011-06-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

my boys are so blessed to have such fantastic grandparents! hubby and I both have unendingly loving and supportive parents. incredible! Today my mum-in-law and I took the boys to our favorite local coffee shop, Jakes, to have have a meeting with the owner about the Ladies Night Out once a month events we are planning.

I've never lived in a small town before. there's something to be said about knowing almost everyone that walks through the door. Well, I don't know as many folks as my friends who have grown up in this area do. That and the fact that I am ever still forcing myself to get over my fearsome shy side! but, knowing people who know everyone, is intriguing to me! :}

We had a grand time hanging with Gramma today, as you can tell ...

isn't she beautiful? :) her love for my boys makes her EVEN MORE so!

every coffee shop should have a comfy orange couch to lounge on while sipping coffee, or, uh, bobbies, as my boys like to do. i've even shot bridal portraits on this very couch before!

When we got home i was unpacking {because you have to pack as if you were moving out of the country every time you leave the house when you have kids}, I looked down to see my eldest twin ... {he DOES have two legs i promise :}

No clue what he was doing, but he was VERY intrigued by his carseat. One of those times when I desperately wished for a window into his little brain. I'm sure, if he's anything like his mum, his mind was baby-racing a mile a minute!

Tom is such a good boy withe our babes. He's so gentle even when they yank on his fantastic, albeit very tempting-to-pull "hair"! {we don't call it fur, because Tom doesn't HAVE fur. Tom's hair is the type that us women pay THOUSANDS of dollars to have!}

It was like CHRISTMAS in my house today! My Thirty-One order arrived from the Ladies Night Out a few weeks back. Even though only 2 things were for me, I was elated while sorting everyone's stuff.

I finally decided this print is my print! Here's my new Zipper Pouch! Slowly, but surely, I am incorporating 31 items in this most fabulous print into my daily life. I LOVE being so fashionably organized! ;)

Happy birthday to my sweet Dad! So wish we could celebrate together! Boy can this guy play the guitar! I LOVED listening to him play and sing to me as a wee one. He's a quiet, yet strong man, who loves God with all his heart. I admire him for his devotion and faithfulness.

Love you, Dad!

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since you are on the penelope jane blog, here's another P.J. photo fav! my friend kassi's pup missy, letting P.J. know that all was safe, and no hungry kittens were nearby waiting to pounce! this was taken in '09. penelope darling must've been only 6 months or so.

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happy friday night, darlings. enjoy this amazingly refreshing cool weather!

~ l.r.

{operation: baby food}

2011-06-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

i've loved this adventure of discovering how to make my own baby food! it's fantastic. here's what i do:

I boil whatever veggie or fruit I am giving them, then i freeze it in ice trays. Once frozen, I put it in ziplock baggies. Makes it super easy as well as accurate when it's time to feed them. I know they each get X amount of "cubes"...

i was out of their food a couple days ago, so it was time to make more. i boiled squash and sweet potatoes. i also boiled organic eggs. {I just introduced them to boiled organic egg yolk this week, for a good source of protein.} i separated the egg yolk from the whites, and saved the whites for my hubby. the yokes i set aside to mix into the baby food. after the food was all done boiling, i used my trusty magic bullet to purée all the food together. {i kept the squash and potatoes separate from each other, but added the boiled yolks, and a little water, to each mixure.}

thanks to my trusty iPhone, i documented it for your viewing enjoyment. :}

{tonight's "dinner" defrosting. well at least for half of us. :}

{these little mesh bags are FAN-frggin-TASTIC! i crush up a "cube" of their frozen food, and then it's ready for them to eat, without me worrying about them choking. genius!!}

I also juice a lot for my babes, as well as for myself and my hubby. Making homemade juice obviously contains no added sugars, only natural fruit sugars. The reason i find it's beneficial to juice is because it breaks down the fruits and veggies and removes the fiber, which makes it easier for their bodies (and ours! :) to digest.

I'm not planning to make a habit of giving them too many processed food items or sugars even after the big first year bday. The only processed thing they've had is organic brown rice cereal.
I figure they will have their whole lives to eat whatever they want, so I want to give them the best nutrition I can when they're young. There's tons of different opinions out there, and I am no expert on what is "right or wrong" to give your babes, but this is working really well for us!

{this nifty contraption is an apple corer from Pampered Chef. since the apple seeds tend to hold in toxins, i use this guy to remove any and all seeds, without having to cut up the whole apple. you can purchase one for yourself from my rad sister by clicking here!

{washing in vinegar to remove any dirt and grime}

{ready, set, JUICE!}

{after i finish juicing, i make a yummy soup out of the pulp. haha...just kidding.
this is for the dogs. they freaking LOVE it! they come BOUNDING into the kitchen as soon as they hear me pull out the peeler, and then HOVER the entire juicing process until we get to this part:

yeah, they love this stuff}

{and some is set aside for our iguana}

{i didn't add any celery to my babies juice yet, so the canning jars have the celery added in, for hubby and i. here's what i did with the rest:

i froze it in ice cube trays so that it is a cinch to pull out, plop in a bottle, defrost, dilute, and serve! :}

{of course i had to have a glass after all that hard work! :}

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our ladies night out at jake's coffee shop last thursday evening was fab! so much excitement from the vendors, and visitors. i, myself had an absolutely marvelous time! we are all putting our heads together to come up with a fun once a month event to put on...i'm so excited!

here's a couple pictures:

my Belle Voir Photography table

my Thirty-One table

i was so proud of these hand made flowers! i made them earlier that day, and had to show them off! :)

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the other day i was typing an email, and as ALWAYS seems to happen to me, i wrote, "i am attaching a file for you to look at", but of course i DIDN'T remember to attach it before pressing "send".

so what does my "smatter than me" gmail do? why it grew a brain and a conscience, and thoughtfully alerted me with this message:

Did you mean to attach files?

You wrote "I've attached" in your message, but there are no files attached. Send anyway?

like the child that i am, i tried it 2 or 3 {ish :} more times before attaching the file, out of pure curiosity and awe! it NEVER would let me send, no matter how many times i pressed "send". i first had to either click "send anyway" {which i did NOT do}, or {like i finally did, once i was done goofing around} go back and add the file that caused such a ruckus. oh gmail, i love you!

a few days ago i bought myself a paper cutter. i am embarrassed to admit just how completely stoked i am over my new little paper cutter. to my defense, i literally am the world's WORST "free hand" paper cutter. literally. this new gadget is marvelous! it even has a SCORING BLADE! i can't believe i am admitting this, but i had to consult my friend Google again...i had NO CLUE what a scoring blade was! i'm thrilled to learn what it's useful for!

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in honor of father's day, a couple of my favorite childhood "daddy and me" memories . . .

every time i had a loose tooth, i would wait in excited anticipation for my dad to get home from work. then he and i would choose which one {usually i was too freaked} would yank it out {because i have absolutely NO PATIENCE at all whatsoever, so as soon as i felt it budge the TINIEST bit, it HAD TO COME OUT!}! after the extraction, i would head off to bed, feeling a little wiser {haha}, and awaiting the "tooth fairy"! dad was always so excited for me when i would lose another tooth!

he worked on a construction sight. some nights he would have to work all through the night. occasionally my sisters and i would have the exciting honor of going with him to the job sight, and camping out in the car, while he worked. i remember how stoked dad was to have his girls with him. he would spoil us with the best food ever on those trips. we always looked forward to those times with great anticipation!

one sunday after church, he took me and one of my sisters to work with him, and let us "drive" one of those MONGO cranes commonly found on construction sights. this was quite the bragging story for me growing up . . . "well, i've driven a HUUUUUGE crane before!" said the 7 year old, to another 7 year old, who was green with envy. :}

i love you, Dad!! happy Dad's day!

and happy father's day weekend, everyone!!

"attack each other, attack each other!"

2011-06-08T20:30:00.000-07:00

. . . kids really do say the darndest things.

my sister and i, as well as our friend miriam were all at the water park with our kids this fine warm weathered day. my twins were in their pac n' play enjoying the fresh air. they had been wrestling with each other earlier when mirm and her boys first showed up. it seemed her eldest son william found the sight of two babies in a crib, quite amusing. a little while later, i saw him mousy back over to the side of the occupied pac n' play, and as he peered down at my babes, he started energetically cheering ~

"attack each other! attack each other!"

haha, i had myself a hearty and fantastic laugh!! {makes me sound like santa claus!} i mean come on, what in the dickens could ever be more entertaining to watch than 2 babies wrestling with each other?! thanks for the grins, william!

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for those of you in the area, i am hosting a "ladies night out" at the local coffee shop tomorrow night, 6-9. stop by, grab a coffee, bring a friend!

2011-06-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

ok, so, mushrooms, olives, hominy, what do they all have in common? uh, that would be that they are vegetables that this veggie loving freak cannot stand. {"cannot" is underlined because i am extremely emphatic about my distaste for these edibles} unlike peas, which i really do not prefer, the prior list of veggies literally make me shiver.

i guess i really should've added squash and zucchini to my first list. really do not like. but, nonetheless, today i found myself washing, peeling, cooking, purée-ing ~ squash.

i had to hold my breath {no seriously, i did} when preparing these yellow puppies to be frozen in ice trays, for baby food.

so in a few days, i will be introducing squash to my poor children, and then i will see if they too find squash as detestable as their mum.

sad that such a pretty looking vegetable could taste {and smell} so vile.

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these, my darling friends, would be strawberries from my very own garden! o yeah, baby! nothing like home grown food.

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today i attempted to teach myself the skill of making paper flowers. i had this grand idea to photograph them once done designing them, so that you guys could all be wowed by my new found skills. :}

uh, yeah right. i tried taking a couple pictures of the ones i finally finished. let's just say it's pretty bad when you create something and then as you study the photograph taken, you can't tell if it's a rose, or a crumpled up "big mac" wrapper. haha, guess i'll try again!

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have a fantastic sleep, friends! may your dreams be lovely and happily picturesque, and may you wake up feeling refreshed. :}

baby shower decor!

2011-06-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

my sweet sister is expecting her 2nd little girl this summer. i am thrilled to be able to put on a couples baby shower for her and a few of her close friends, in a few weeks. i went to the Dollar Tree today and was utterly and completely thrilled with their inventory ! who knew ? !

even though the shower isn't until next month, i got a head start on beginning to create the decorations . . .

"Bottles and booties, diapers and pins, this is where the love begins!" ~ Unknown

magnificently dreary june day

2011-06-05T22:56:00.000-07:00

my goodness sakes alive i love this weather! call me crazy , and most would , as it seems everyone around me is frustrated with this weather. but it is glorious! i love being able to have the windows open and hearing the rain trickle down, just right outside. and since it is in fact june, i AM able to have the windows wide open seeing as it is a little warmer than it typically is when this kind of weather presents itself.

i've been challenged the past few days as i've been LOVING this weather, to remember when the summer heat comes, not to complain. we can always find something to complain about. so, let's not. rain or shine, i want to be thankful. we have been blessed with so much. i am humbly grateful for the safety my family and i have experienced, while others across the country have tragically lost their homes, and loved ones durning the tornados.

today's been a good day! my little family and i went back to the church we visited a couple weeks back. what a fabulous church family. i was encouraged by the attitude that oozes from the congregation of, "come just as you are".

i enjoyed meeting some of the other young moms, as i spent most of the service in the nursery. one of my kiddos wanted to talk during the sermon, and the other decided to express his happy contentment after his bottle by growling. yup, growling. we decided this might be slightly distracting the other members of the small congregation. :)

here's a few pictures from my day...

{i'm sure all of you moms can sympathize with this ~ anytime i go anywhere i feel like i am MOVING IN! thank goodness for Thirty-One, i am now finding some semblance of organization when i venture out into the world with my darlings. here's my diaper bag today ~

the first "Zipper Pouch" (#3045 in "Boho Patchwork Paisley" ~ $12)

with my wallet ("Fold N GO Organizer with Note Pad" ~ #3090 in "Free Spirit Floral" ~ $24) and other necessities,

the second "Zipper Pouch" in last season's "I'm A Hoot Owl" print with dipes, wipes, change of clothes for my babes. the

the other bag is my "Thermal Tote" (#3000 in "Floral Fanfar" ~ $14) for bottles and formula

and lastly, my "Market Thermal Tote" (#3464 in "Free Spirit Floral" ~ $38) which amazingly holds it all, with room to spare! :) }

{i love that it has a zipper!}

{this was lunch following church and grocery shopping this afternoon ~ whole wheat sandwiches with mustard, mesquite turkey, cheddar cheese, pickles, purple onions, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes. with a side of strawberries and sparkling grape cider needless to say it was FANTASTIC!}

{chocolate chip cookies for dessert! baked on my amazing "Pampered Chef" cookie sheets, sold by my darling sister! check out her website!}

{walnut-less for hubby}

{and walnuts for me!}

{something about this combo...}

{the leftover dough went in the fridge for later! :}

{this is the best formula we have found, and have been completely satisfied since having to start supplementing}

{need a good baby vitamin? visit my friend kassi's blog and message her for more details on Shaklee products! these are working very well for us}

{attempting to start a new plant. i freaking LOVE these marvelous little guys! i've nearly killed them so many times, and with a drenching and pruning, they spring to life again, happier than ever!}

{and this guy may look kinda cool, but he is actually a very powerful plant! check out this link for more on spider plants and their fight against carbon monoxide in the home}

{my favorite part of grocery shopping}

{new book my hubby and i are going to be reading}

{beautiful phoenix}

{crazy furries}

i had this horrific dream the other night about a GIGANTIC snake. and, he was a TALKING gigantic snake. i mentioned in my first post about how i have been trying to get over some of my irrational fears. well, i have come to terms with the fact that this one isn't going away. and, i'm ok with that! :) after i got married, i realized how much my husband liked snakes. so i was trying to see if i could possibly get over my insanely freakish fear of them... so one day i was in the pet store {getting the hee bee gee bees as i type!} and this guy walks in with this tiny baby snake. i asked to hold it. sort of like a self inflicted "snake fear hazing" of sorts, i guess. i was shaking so bad, and thought i was going to pass out. somehow i managed to keep my composure long enough to hand the nice man back his disgusting creature and quickly vacate the building.

i went home and told my husband that there was no curing my fear of those vile creatures.

maybe that's why i always seem to have dreams about them! haha. in my dream the other night, the poor snake was pleading with me, trying to get me to be his friend. even in my dream i refused!

have a splendidly marvelous sleep, people! enjoy the rain, don't worry the heat is coming!