well hello there!
hope this finds ya wearing a smile... having a good one.

tell me how cute these dog notecards are!
go on...
you can say it!
they ARE so cute aren't they?
i simply ADORE them!
have plans for them too once we get into the house.
can't wait!
can almost envision it already.
and would you look at the dashshund!
how cute is he?!
that sweater!!!

they're from the rifle paper co.
i love their simple & light-hearted designs.
they're so fresh & clearly FuN.
i'd say their designs have personality!

and then i see this fox.
come on now!
the girl's love finding things with their name on it.
well... me too.
and the fact he's wearing a clever eye piece... my goodness!

these cards make me happy...
thought you might get a kick out of them too.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

now before i shoo... some fun...
the winner from last week...

the good 'ol random generator just drew a number from the hat...
and the winner is...

HALLEY

thought i'd share a few from our session with wendy...
aka one half of the awesome blue lily.

we totally lucked out!
christmas was fast approaching and i had nothing.
i mean nada!
when i clicked over by chance to see their schedule... what?...
they're coming here.
with only one slot left... we jumped in it!

so glad we did.
we had so much fun!
after the session... and during... i was left thinking several things.

wendy is so comfortable behind the camera...
she sure makes you feel comfortable... at ease... no doubt has a serious gift...
and... i want her hair!
.
we need to do this more often.
i'm embarrased to say... though i take lots of snapshots of the girls...
we've only had a couple actual family sessions... and that was forever ago.
they were wee babies.
that's rediculous.
as much as i'm crazy about the joy photos bring... it's now a must!
.
with all the change/upheavel we've had over the last year...
all this crazy "unsettled"...
we've had each other... and bottom line... that's what really matters.
it'll be neat to look back at these... "that was when... ".
.
the setting... i couldn't believe it when we arrived...
it looked like a page straight out of a book.
those trees!!!
.
if i remember correctly... the humidity was at about 80% that day.
once done... we drove straight to orange leaf!
.
what a fun afternoon.

 

i love how these capture their individual personalities so well.
pegged.

if you look in the back... see the cat?
she was funny... lives on the property... and really wanted to make print.
i think it's cute.

btw... fyi... blue lily travels.
just about eVeRywHeRe.
it's amazing really!
they are all over the place.
if you've by some crazy chance never heard of wendy & tyler...
make sure to jump over here...
check out their schedule...
they might just be coming to your neck of the woods.
besides you'll be in awe of the beauty they capture... and they're a hOOt!

♥

happy valentines day yall!
hope it has you feeling the love...
sharing lots of hugs...
and for sure enjoying a sweet treat... or two.

i wanted to share something today that i simply adore.
it's something red... how perfect for today...
and it just so happens it was made with a whole lot of love.

recently the beautiful Paige... of Simple Thoughts...
mentioned this great new thing she was embarking upon.
a new adventure.
i was taken in by her passion... often am... she's so inspiring... encouraging.
she's a spirit lifter for sure!
has a heart on fire for life... her family... and our mighty God.

her new adventure...... becoming an ambassador for the Noonday Collection.
have you heard of Noonday?
know the story?
i have to admit... it was new to me.
i tell you... i couldn't be more thrilled to now know about them.
what a great idea!
what an amazing purpose.

"Our passion at Noonday Collection
is to connect you with the lives of artisans struggling for a better future
while styling you along the way.
Fashion and design are a vehicle for opportunity and change.
You, too, can be a voice for the oppressed!"

these women are being empowered.
being shown what they have inside is special.
they are special.
literally creating hope & a passion for themselves and their children. 

and they're creating beauty too.
the collection... the artisians... make all kinds things!
you've got to see.

while i was learning more... peeking around...
this vibrant beauty caught my eye.
it's multi layered strands... pop of color.
um... hello!
then when Paige shared Coral's story with me...
my goodness... it was so neat to see the face behind those beads.

ever since the day it arrived... it's been on me almost every.
it's a fun piece!
and oh the compliments... it gets attention.
a lady at the grocery yesterday nearly tripped trying to get to me to ask about it.
she was funny... so cute.
it was pretty neat telling her about noonday too.

now...
since i love you all so much...
and truly believe in what these artisians are doing...
believe each & every piece counts... spreads the word & purpose...
i want yOu to have a chance to pick out something special for yourself!
yes.
i'll be drawing a name for a $50 gift certificate to noonday!

yay!

all you have to do to be entered...
take a peek over at the Noonday Collection and then drop me a comment...
right down there... just below this post.
tell me something that struck your fancy.
caught your eye.
or just how you might use the gc if you're the winner.
that's it!
i'll be drawing a name next week!

thanks for peeking in today yall.

i'm off to enjoy the rest of this happy heart day...
wearing my feisty red necklace!
♥

we've had lots of rain lately.
crazy droughts all over texas... and now... it seems like it rains every other day.
crazzzzy!
the earth needs though no doubt.
good thing the builder has been great at squeezing in progress on those dry days.

i think i last shared when they cleared some trees from the lot.
we now have a slab and the framing has started!
yEs!

it was a big day... at least it felt like that to me... when the cement trucks rolled in.
i think i could have stayed there all day and watched... really!
 it was like all that wait... all those delays... were about to be squashed.
bye bye.

walking on the slab...
first..
it looked tiny... "how in the world is this right"?
ha!
of course it is.
such an odd perspective though... how your eyes see it.
second...
it felt awesome!

after school yesterday we got to walk through some of the rooms.
she was all smiles... "so my bed will be here?".

and i kid you not...
in the garage... this caught our eye.
part of a clementine... a peel discarded by a worker.
i can imagine... if they even noticed...
they must have thought i was nuts... taking a darn picture of a fruit peel!
when i see a symbol of hope... no matter the matter... it's just that...
a little token.
what some would say... silly... i say... it's a gift of fun... a nod of hope.
i love those kind of surprises!

and this morning...
it's raining.
oh boy.
gonna remember that silly fruit remnent... it's all good.
it's going to happen.
in the end...
we'll have a bowl fiLLed with fresh clemnetines sitting on that kitchen island!

hoping today has you seeing little surprise gifts too.
hAppY fRidAy yaLL!
♥

i have a thing for TOMS.
love their shoes.
my girls do too.
reaLLy love their movement!

i have a thing for burlap... it somehow "feels" like my style.
and i also have a thing for ballet flats.
wear them lots.
almOst as much as my boots.

when i saw TOMS was going to be adding a new style to their collection...
a ballet flat at that...
i nearly fell out of my chair!

then to go to their site and see it's coming in a burlap variety!
ummmm... it was like music...
the really funky kind...
to my ears.

the box arrived today!
and they're even prettier in person!
cauuuuuuute... is all i have to say.

they're uber comfy.
packed with personality.
and i think they're the perfect amount amount of hip.
:)


i mean... lOOk at that burlap!


confident these will quickly become a favorite!
my go to pair!

so... do you have a pair of TOMS?
love them too?
which are your favorite?

before i shoo...
thought i'd let you know... next week's "had to have it"...
oh my!
something i had never heard of before... sO glad i did... can't wait to share.
AND...
there will be a drAwiNg!
:)
♥

kind of like finding the perfect nut.
whoo hooooo... fRiDaY is here!

i say we crack it open & dig in!

♥

we use them to greet people... say goodbye... say i'm sorry.
we use them to give comfort.
show love.
getting & giving them... out of the blue... jUst because... is pretty awesome too.

i say we nEEd hugs!
have to have 'em.
i think so.
that human connection... thoughtful touch... that hey "i love you".
there are times words just won't do.
and often times the hug says more than our words ever could.

my eldest gave me a hug pass some time back.
at that time she also gave me a few others...
i think one was to do the dishes... the other... to take out the dog.
not sure where those others are... but this one... i'm hanging onto.

it's special... that lil snippet of paper.
it gets me hugs!

the best part...
it NEVER expires!
i lOve that she added that.

a lil something different today... but the best kind of "have to have it".
:)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

before i go...
YALL ARE SO MUCH FUN!
glad you too liked those cards last week.
AND thank yOu... thank you for playing along!

the two winners (randomly generated)...

Margie
Love, love, love these products.
hugs, Margie

and

Tina
I love these!!!
This reminds me of when I was a senior in high school
and
my mom would insert notes like these into my brown bag lunch -
so I always knew she was thinking of me
and
I have no idea but she always seemed to pick the perfect one for the perfect time!
You always find the best things!!!

yay!
:)
if yall would please do me a favor...
and give me a shout here...
with your address...
i'll get those fun cards headed your way.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 ♥ + hugs
:)

well good morning... and hAppY monday!

the weather was dreamy yesterday...
so we decided to run out to the zoo and see some of our favorites.

the meerkats... top!
truly... we could watch them for hours.
they're so silly & have the best personalities! 

the big ones are always fascinating too... just their sheer size... their graceful steps. 

it was hard to believe... being january... and we were walking around the zoo.
we loved it though... a neat treat.

what are your favorites to see at the zoo?
those not to be missed wilds?

hoping your week kicks off just so.
gotta love mondays.
oh they can be wild... but it's fun to take that big leap... fresh step... into the week!

hugs + smiles yall!
♥