hydrangeas

on my agenda this week

was to start the drying process of the hydrangeas for our home

sometime in very early spring when I was dreaming of spring and summer

I mentioned how I wanted to dry my hydrangeas for our home...

well it's about that time

however as I thought they were all going to go in our bedroom

I'm having to nix that idea

just because pink does not go in our bedroom

my so-called white hydrangeas turned out to not be white

so next year...I'll just make my pink ones blue!

or go get me some white ones:)

In any event I have two excited girls because they now want them in their room

I think they will be perfect

I was going to dry them right on the vine

and actually most of the work has already been done on the vine with drying them

but some started to turn brown

so I'm making some slight adjustments and will try the water drying method to finish them up

but first meet my fantastic helper Madison

she snagged an itty bitty hydrangea for her hair

I couldn't help but love her perfect placement above her ear that she did with it

as I was cutting them she asked

"are these going in my room mama?"

well I hadn't actually quite thought about it

but that's when it clicked...

pink...

you bet you!

they'd be perfect!

how could I turn down this sweet face

she's the one who convinced me to let her have the chandi we got for our room

she utterly fell head over heals for it

and asked for it...

so to slide that one by Bobby

I said "what a great birthday present for her Bobby!"

she loved it and it made me smile to see her so excited over it

especially when it just got hung about 3 weeks ago

when we are home

she usually always has it on...

okay...

so this is what I did after reading online

I cut the stems to be about 12-18" like it said

peeled all the leaves off

{but looking at my next picture I missed a few tiny leaves}

I then filled my pitcher half full of water

organized the hydrangeas

Right now I have a beautiful display of hydrangeas to enjoy in the meantime

Once the water evaporates hopefully they will be completely dry and

ready to decorate the girl's rooms

thank you my sweetie for your help

just a tiny bit of pink...

these pictures of them just make me smile

for endless possibilities

the beauty of life

the cuteness of my little girl's legs

I love this picture so much I can't stand it

even if I got it a little blurry...

these legs make me smile and laugh

we spent an afternoon at the park the other day

and I promised them some swinging if they just let me get some pictures of them in these tutus

they quickly agreed...

"swinging" was all I had to say

but it was hot...

so I was drenched...

what's new, right?

and by the way the girls love the "Boogie Shoes" song I used for a couple of posts ago

so much so they ask for me to play it 3 times a day...

and what do you know they asked right before pictures

well darn if I didn't happen to carry my laptop with my playlist on me

so their response to me not having it...

because you know I just carry it with me always

{yah...right!}

just like I got asked today to pull a cheese stick out of my purse while we were driving along

{oh how I love they always think I have everything with me at all times}

no really...

I asked if they would stand closer together and that was their sad little faces I got

so I called them drama...

then I got a few sweet laughs from them

other than it being extremely stinkin' hot or humid

it was a great few hours at the park

and they loved, loved being around the pond taking pictures

well fun until we heard some seriously weird noises

because I guess we were close to some animals hideout or home

the girls asked what the noise was...

I simply said "nothing"

as I scurried them along trying not to freak out

because all I was picturing in my head was the stinkin' possum

I saw in our backyard a few months back

yes I realize that possums are are nocturnal...

and it wasn't a possum at the pond for sure~

 I just knew Bobby would kill me for having them so close to the water

with the girls telling them they heard weird noises

and sure enough that was his first comment when he saw the pictures

"do you have any idea?"

I said

"live a little honey!" {chuckle}

I told him we were fine...no worries {me laughing}

and the girls weren't scared because I didn't make a big deal out of it to them

we had a great afternoon of some sisterly hugs

did I ever tell you that I love how they love?

Hayley told me yesterday "I'm proud of you Mommy!"

and I melted...and didn't move it made me feel so good

she's not typically the one who necessarily loves with her words

{she does say very sweet things all the time but I hope you understand what I mean here}

she most often loves with her touch

she loves to love by being near and snuggling

I love that about them

how they compliment one another

Madison loves with words

{yes, she does love to snuggle too before family corrects me}

but I appreciate their differences so much

it makes me so happy to see them becoming their own little self

days like this are so happy and fun

for some reason these tutus made them want to dance...

the love between them

their comfort in their environment

and their love for the outdoors

is happiness for them

to them it's all about letting loose and making silly faces to one another

I about literally peed in my shorts when Hayley did this face because I had never seen her do it before

no one probably would have noticed it was so stinkin' hot

{I probably should have just kept that to myself, huh?}

and no I really didn't pee in my shorts....

I've decided when the girls aren't wearing these tutu's I'll hang them on a hook in their room

part of their room decor

to add the perfect touch

which is why they both have pink

because you know if they don't have the same...

"that's not good momma"

plus pictures together I thought it would look cute

I think I became a little tutu picture taking obsessed but they were having so much fun

it made me have fun snapping some photos of them

we had a wonderful day together

next time I just have to remember to not forget the water

but they didn't seem to mind to picking up their own drinks on the way home

I decided we *need* a little bridge just like that one in our backyard

it was so fun and Hayley hadn't been to it yet

it was just their size

I probably just got the eye roll from somone here...

because he is probably wondering where I would put a bridge in our backyard

when there is no way to do it

To that...I say use your construction imagination...honey...

yah...not going to happen I know

but I can just dream of all the greenery and flowers around it

sigh

sending some pink love your way this weekend

and just in case you would love a little tutu for a little girl you know or have

I know just the person to make them for you!!!

I've got a super sweet friend who makes them

she doesn't have her online site up quite yet but she's getting there

you can contact Tonya here {her e-mail}

she has tons of different colors and all sizes

gratitude

I was taken by surprise at my last yoga class...

I wasn't even quite sure how to handle it afterwards

but during it was so wonderfully peaceful in a way

you just never know when feelings are going to surprise you

and that was exactly what happened to me about a week ago

I started yoga because it was with friends and I wanted to supplement my running

something different to do and something I knew would be good for me

our class is focused on restoration of the mind...

practicing being still

respecting yourself
letting go of the daily grind
challenging the mind and body

all women of different flexibility and yoga history are involved in this class
our pastor's wife is our instructor

and God's words are spoken to us throughout

we were doing a simple resting pose towards the middle-end of our session
that we have done many times before...

it was child's pose
but she has us switch our child's pose
into a gratitude pose
a simple movement of our hands behind our neck in prayer form

and as my hands approached the back of my neck
I broke down in tears
right in the middle of my yoga class

I wasn't expecting to have feelings rushing out
I wasn't expecting to cry in the middle of class
I wasn't even thinking of anything in particular
it just came over me

but what I do know is

that for a moment in the midst of my own tears

I felt close to Him
I felt close to myself
I felt peaceful
relaxed
and loved

I was actually still

more still than I have ever been
{a big accomplishment for many}

and as I was trying my best to keep my tears very quiet
it only made them worse into continuous rolling hills
down my face
and onto my mat

but I had that moment
to myself
even though it was a class full of people
I felt like it was just us...

a moment that I felt
happy
grateful
and reassured about some things

it was peaceful
just as our instructor intended this class to be

you see
she has a voice that immediately calms you
and a gentle understanding of how important this class is for so many

a class that I started out to do with different intentions
has become a class that truly has taught me
to be still...

I felt embraced
and that I must be going in some sort of right direction
it was one of those moments where my hands were in prayer
and I lovingly felt them being held

The idea of being still is so very different
from actually experiencing it
there are lots of moments where I'm living in the moment and enjoying everything
having fun, laughing
but being still...
is a continual work in progress for me

 until her class
I never knew what it truly meant
it was different than living in a moment
I didn't feel "oh how much longer"
...I'm someone that goes by time
and I wasn't thinking about the time or to-do's for once

I finally practiced yoga as it was meant to have been practiced by me
not because I cried
but because I felt that stillness within me
I allowed myself to feel my own breath cycles
and finally was able for the first time to tune everything else out
that was the class where yoga became more than stretching to me

I was talking with my friend the other day about what happened
{she was next to me in class}

As I told her what happened...
I think she knew that it not only was about me feeling grateful at that moment
but she said...

"I think you needed that maybe
 to feel
and you were probably getting some stuff out
even if you weren't really thinking about it"

what I truly remember most
is the feeling of being grateful
exactly what I should have been feeling
and perhaps some baggage being tossed too...
I just don't know
but it was a confident feeling

 in relief she also said she didn't hear me
{woo-hoo...}
because its not like you want your stuff
whether it is a happy or healing cry
being cried out in front of everyone
that's just not me

but the power of my open mind that day
to allow myself to feel
and clear the mind
that is what I felt grateful for at that very moment
in the midst of my rolling hills of tears

for me...that was an experience of gratitude

my clutch...

okay girls...

this post is for you...

so I was watching SYTYCD

{taped by the way}

and they used this song...

"Boogie Shoes" in one of the dances

it got me thinking about how much I love the song

because this song is in one of my favorite clutch "girl movies"

I have my action "clutch" movies

I watch

{Bourne series, Italian Job, Kickboxer}

{clutch: meaning the movies you can watch a 1,000 times and never get sick of...}

 I've also got my clutch "girl" movies I turn to especially when Bobby is gone

The Wedding Date

is one of them

{with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney}

for some reason I never tire of it...

and so I thought of that movie as "Boogie Shoes" was playing the other night

it made me laugh

because that is one of my clutch movies

and this song

well it got me thinkin'

it sure did...

not only do I have my clutch movies

I've got my clutch shoes

I think I have found them this spring and summer

I never tire of them

they make me happy

as soon as I put those shoes on sometimes I feel myself instantly smile

and stand with my shoulders back a little bit more

{one of the things I'm supposed to be working on}

if I'm having a not so great day

yep...

these are the shoes I turn to

without a doubt...the problem solvers...

or "the make your day kinda shoes" on a great day already

I dress them up with a cute dress

or down with jeans

and shorts

these shoes never fail me...

I know confidence comes from the inside

but I'm going to be honest here

sometimes we need to just "put the confidence on" some days and carry forward

we all have certain outfits...

certain shoes...

that perfect shirt...

that just makes you feel great

mine are the shoes

they are fun...

just girly enough for me

they match nearly everything I have

soooo comfortable I may add...

not that it necessarily means anything that they are comfortable, right?

we've all gone through nights of heck to wear those perfect shoes

and the most important part...

when I stand next to Bobby in these shoes

I'm the exact same height or maybe...

just maybe

a 1/2 inch taller

he used to love these shoes

but when I noticed that...

maybe not quite so fond anymore

so if we are in a picture together and I have these shoes on

he stands on his tip toes

or has me sit down

now why would he do that?

just kidding

but I've got to tell you girls....

I told you this post was for you...

I took some fun pictures in these shoes just for you

I seriously cannot believe I did this

because I normally run from the camera if my face or any part of me that you can tell is me

is in the picture

but I had some fun...

it took me doing this to get there

getting in the zone....{chuckle}

but I did it...

because it's okay to have fun and be silly

and still be you!

drum roll...

you ready....

I'm so nervous....

but it felt so freeing.....

now I'm just showing you one here...

other than that...

no more

it would be too much for me {chuckle}

I'm telling you it's the shoes:)

I couldn't have done it without them

if you've seen the movie this picture may be funnier
because they have one fun Bachelorette get together....
except I didn't sport the golf outfit and heals...

in case you are wondering...

it was raining quite hard...

I'm not sweating in all the above pics:)

even though yes...I've already told you I'm a sweater...

tonight...is a girls night...

the only plans that were not cancelled this weekend

our date night was cancelled

wasn't able to see a good friend on Friday because of flights...

but I'll see her in a few weeks here:)

but the rain has parted and these plans aren't going to change tonight

and I'll be wearing these shoes

with a summer dress

and having a grand time at an outdoor theatre...

I'm so excited I don't even know what we are seeing and don't even really care

because how can you not have fun, right?