Being a girl...

I remember going through periods of time where I secretly wished I would have been born a boy. I remember being in Elementary School and admiring the simplicity they seemed to posses even then. Whether that's a compliment or not, I enjoyed being around it. I even vividly remember the moment when my mom had to tell me it was no longer appropriate for me to take my shirt off when playing with my brother and boy cousins. We had built a slide from a plastic exercise mat and found you slid much faster if you took your shirt off and sat on it....


I was devastated. Jenny prayed for God to make her a bird, I prayed he would make me boy.

Don't get me wrong, I was all girl. Make believe, dolls, horses, Prince Charming, you name it. Being a girl just seemed complex at times.

But I have truly grown to love being a girl and all that entails. I love feeling free to express and feel every emotion that flickers through my brain. I love that I get to love things just because they are pretty. I love that I am fully capable of killing any bug and taking care of any varmint I may come across, but if I prefer, I can scream for my husband to come and take care of it. I love that seeing wildflowers in bloom make me happy. I love that seeing a beautiful horse run across a field can actually move me to tears. I love that I can carry a 100lb backpack across Alaska for a month with no showers, but still pack fingernail polish for my toes and tweezers for my eyebrows. I love that I can actually be laughing, fighting and crying all at the same time. But my favorite thing?? The thing I love most about being a girl? The reason I can't wait to have daughters? You guessed it, the Dress Up.

Whether it's a princess dress, a rock star wig, a make believe costume, grandpa's army clothes, mama's shoes, my great-grandma's jewelry or my favorite... a hodge podge of whatever you feel like. And for me, as much fun as it was when I was little, I happen to still enjoy it. Steven's working late tonight...runway time! High heels with flannel pants? Stunning. Would these two dresses look good layered on top of each other? Interesting. Should I add these boots? Fantastic. Would I ever wear this in public? Hell no. But that is what I love. And I pretend that Steven loves that about me too. Will he come home to sexy diva housewife? Or homeless layered up bag lady? It keeps it fun, right?

Dress up is just another thing I love about spending weekends with my niece Maeve. She's just on the verge of full blown dress up (she's only 2). But it's amazing to me how innate it is inside every little girl to pretend. But more then pretend, the realization that what we put on the outside doesn't define who we are but it does allow us to experiment and express what ever whim we happen to have at that time. And THAT is fun :)


Does this hat go with this flashlight??


Swimming anyone?


It's not too big, it's perfect!


This is way cuter to play in.


This is me, starting young.


ULTIMATE DRESS UP!!

And last but not least, if you were going to take a stroll at sunset wouldn't you choose a turtleneck, white stockings, red galoshes 2 sizes too big, and mama's headband to wear?? Of course!

Fierce Love and Tangible Joy

So there's this girl, a woman actually. More than that, she's a beautiful woman.

A beautiful woman, with a beautiful soul.

A woman with a growing life inside a growing belly.

She is strong, yet loving. She can be stern, yet always nurturing. She is a leader and an example without being bossy.

She is a woman who gives and guides, hugs and kisses, comforts and encourages. She is a woman who loves...

This woman already has one baby, a young girl actually. More than that, she's an angel.

An angel sent here as a little girl.



She is spirited and strong, but as sweet as honeysuckle. She will love her baby brother as fiercely as she has been loved.

She is joy in a tangible form. She is excitement and adventure and peace and contentment all wrapped into one.



She is a little girl who laughs and smiles, hugs and kisses, and she dances... she dances just because she can.



This little girl is love...

Oh, did I mention that the beautiful, nurturing woman is my big sister? And that the tangible piece of joy is my niece?

As my mom would say, my cup runneth over.

She Walks in Beauty

She walks in beauty, like the night. Of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that's best of dark and bright meet in her aspect and her eyes.

Thus mellow'd to that tender light, which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, had half impair'd the nameless grace.

Which waves in every raven tress, or softly lightens o'er her face; where thoughts serenely sweet express how pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, so soft, so calm, yet eloquent. The smiles that win, the tints that glow, but tell of days in goodness spent.

A mind at peace with all below, a heart whose love is innocent!

~Lord Byron


Not much of a challenge to take beautiful pictures of a beautiful woman. Thank you Robyn for your support and your patience and for a wonderful afternoon. I can't think of anything more fun than playing dress-up!

Do you have a gingerbread ornament with your 8 year old face on it?

I've been married for 6 months now and quite often when I go home to visit my parents, I still end up coming back with more than I left with. And will probably continue to do so for awhile. More and more pieces of me leaving my parent's house and finding a place in my new home.

I believe I still have 7 keepsake boxes to go.

I'm sure you can only imagine my husband's excitement and anticipation for the day I come back with my trolls and beanie baby collection, my unicorn figurines, my Elvis shrine, my folder full of every note I passed to my BFF's in elementary school, the Wheaties cereal box from 1996 that featured the girls Olympic Gymnastics team, my river rocks from Alaska that were once bright beautiful colors and are now all, well, grey...

I could go on, but you probably would not be able to handle the amount of awesomeness and number of priceless treasures that I have collected and saved throughout my 26 years of living. Things that I'm absolutely positive Steven has always imagined trying to find a place for in his home.

This last visit, I was saying my goodbyes and Mama brought out a giant bag for me to take home. It's something she did when my sister got married and this year for me and my brother. It was a bag of all of my Christmas ornaments. Those I had been given throughout the years and the ones I had made as well. The idea is that now, all three of us will hang those ornaments from our childhood and our past on a Christmas tree with our new families.

And of course, Steven I'm sure is so excited to get a tree so we can go through each one of them and I can tell him every story and memory they each possess. And I am waiting, they're still in the bag and I will patiently wait for our tree. But, I could not resist giving him just a sneak peak. A glimpse of what will be the fore front of our Christmas decor for years to come....

Yes.

My parents displayed this on our Christmas tree for almost 2 decades.

What? You want a closer look?

Phenomenal Woman

This past Sunday I spent a long overdue afternoon with one of my best friends, Rachel. She is one of the most caring and giving people I know. And she is right by my side in the quest to pursue our passions in life! If I could give Rachel anything in the world, it would be the ability to see with her own eyes what an incredibly beautiful woman she is inside and out.

...It's in the reach of my arms, the span of my hips, the stride of my step, the curl of my lips.

I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me.

I walk into a room just as cool as you please. And to a man, the fellows stand or fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, a hive of honey bees. And I say, it's the fire in my eyes, and the flash of my teeth, the swing in my waist, and the joy in my feet.

I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me.

Men themselves have wondered what they see in me. They try so much but they can't touch my inner mystery. When I try to show them they say they still can't see. I say, it's in the arch of my back, the sun of my smile, the ride of my breasts, the grace of my style.

I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me.

Now you understand just why my head's not bowed. I don't shout or jump about or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing it ought to make you proud. I say, It's in the click of my heels, the bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, the need of my care.


'Cause I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me.

~Maya Angelou

Rachel thanks for being a phenomenal friend and my model for the day :)