Sunday Sweets: Royal Wedding edition...

I remember being little, and my big sister Katie & I fawning over magazines that had anything royal family-related. She would share them and we would sit (sometimes with a jar of pickles) and just read and swoon the afternoon away.  I loved it.  I would point & ask who is 'that?' and she would share all of her royal knowledge with me.  I love those memories.  
I also remember she had pencils that said "I Heart Prince Wills" on them & that she gave me one.  (out of the 100 santa had brought her that year...)

I also remember the day Diana died. Vividly, although I was only eight years old. I remember all of it: I remember that we cried; I remember that we bought "Candle in the Wind" on cassette tape; I remember my sister Emily recording it on VHS(which we still have packed away).  Such a tragic day... 

...

However, this day (well, Friday) was one of absolute happiness.

I have been very sick, but insisted on rising early in the morn to watch it all LIVE.  (no regrets)

We watched it at the Kansas City Union Station and it was unreal.  So many people came to watch even though it was 4a.m.
Even Katie came before she went to work. And, I am so happy that she did.

As we sat there, watching everything so intently, getting giddy over every detail, it felt so much like the days when we were younger, and she would share all of her royal love with me.

 (and although it wasn't one of us, ,sister, at least he ended up with another Catherine Elizabeth.)

this is made me tear up. this too. oh & of course this.
but this is one of my new favorites. ; )

xo-

p.s. and to my two big sisters: I'll be the Pippa to your Kate, anyday. ; )

{Scotland} part five: a snowy, sparkling night in Glasgow.

My time in Glasgow was so invigorating but far too short.
I loved the night I spent with a friend who showed me the hot spots & lead me around the windy streets of town. 

I loved that the Christmas decorations were still lit-up
& how it started snowing huge, beautiful flakes, as we walked back home.

I loved feeling completely mesmerized when we happened upon the merchant city
& seeing it covered in lights, building to building.

I'll forever remember those moments. 

But most of all, I'll remember how Glasgow made my heart beat again for the first time in so long - how London filled my stomach with butterflies I thought had flown away forever - & how happy I was that I took such a chance, spread my weak little wings & had the time of my life.  

And those weak little wings? They are stronger now- much stronger.

xo-

“The human heart has a way of making itself large again

even after it’s been broken into a million pieces.”

Of Animals and Crisp Fall Mornings

little fox prince print by this years girl

 My mother and I use to live in a little old house up on a wooded hill. We had a frequent feral cat (who I took care of medically) named Ernie, I loved that skinny, striped orange guy with a crazy long nose and huge, slanted and inquisitive, endearing blazing green eyes, I was so sad when he stopped coming around. We had a roadrunner who loved to run across the road every time we drove on it. And we really loved this little baby fox that came around at nights. He or she kept a safe distance, but would come and sit with me outside a few feet away. I lov how butterflies are seen as summery creatures, but on our wedding day, 7 years ago in October, is was the Butterfly festival.

There is finally a little chill in the air. A bit of an autumn crisp in this warm state of Texas. But I ever so much welcome it as I stood outside, arms crossed, watching a squirrel jump from our pecan tree to the roof of the house and ponder, now I will have to force my young children to wear clothes every day.

It's been busy around here. You are now looking at a child entertainer, Princess Layla and Cookie the Clown of my little Ever After Entertainment side project to be exact. And on top of that, my mother is moving in with us this weekend so she can have surgery and recovery on some cervical herniated disks. It will be a good fall, just a crazy one. But this is the season for crazy, isn't it?

dancing totally runs in the family.

The Whitest Guys Dancing from Mike Ekey on Vimeo.

the video above is one of my very favorites.  it's my cousins jon & geoff dancing at my brother's wedding this past summer.  legit, i know. 

i am so happy i live in the times of video sharing, digital pictures, video chat & all that goodness. 

you see, most of my friends & family live in different cities.  it totally bums me out.  but then i get hilarious messages & photos & phone calls from them- & then i am happy. 

plus, the holidays are right around the corner.
i.can.not.wait.to.see.them.

it's been far, far too long since i've seen my best friends since birth.

photos from this awesome set-up.

xo-

The Little Memorial Shell

I love this shell. I grew up with it and for some reason, I took it when I moved out. I don't even remember doing it. I wonder if my mom misses it? There is no significance behind this shell that I can remember.

I can't remember if it came from a store, or if it came from a beach in Hawaii. But, it holds a special place in my heart. You see, there is a picture of my dad holding a Tritan Trumpet shell that he found scuba diving when we lived in Hawaii, he was a very young man. He is holding the shell, with a huge smile on his face, and someone in the picture is wearing a striped shirt... striped almost exactly like this shell. I need to find this picture.

So, in my slightly ocd, facts connecting mind, this shell reminds me of my dad. And I will always treasure it.

Do you have any objects that aren't actually heirlooms, but you treat them as such anyways because of feelings they produce for obscure reasons?

a beautfiul July wedding!

my beautiful cousin Julie got married this past weekend & i had the honor of being one of her bridesmaids.  This is right before the ceremony when we were all getting a little antsy.  So... we decided to all peak out the cry-room window to see the guests arrive.

pre-wedding bridesmaids & a quick snapshot of Jenny & me before the wedding commenced!

my nieces & nephew were flower girls & ring bearer!  they were darling & they were in awe when they first saw julie.  she really did look like Cinderella! 

Eeps i adore this picture.  How great is the smile on their faces!

the reception site was a beautiful winery where they had dinner indoors & dancing was outside next to a pond!  it was dreamy.

miss natalie decided to pal around with me & the bridal party during part of the reception.  She is so bashful!

we attempted a grandkid + great grandkids photo while we all were at the reception- i love it! (though we were missing a few of us...we missed you christopher & samantha!)

last dance of the night...

Congratulations, Julie! I am so excited for you & Garrett- you made a gorgeous bride & your wedding was even more beautiful than we could have ever imagined!  (it seems like yesterday we were lying in your bed with jenny, taking turns talking about what we wanted our big day to be like!)  time flies! 

-I love you, Julie & Garrett! 

xo-

Mom + Daugther love

I'm glad I still have my collection of bows.

(Via Jak & Jil)

my big brother got married!

all of my nieces & nephews were adorable flower girls & ring bearers!

& the newlyweds were stunningly gorgeous!

we are so happy for our brother- & our new sister, of course!

after the beautiful ceremony we attended the amazing reception-best party ever!

the celebration continued well throughout the night...everyone had a blast.

by the end of the day some of us were tuckered out- sleepy, but oh so very happy.

congratulations christopher & rachel!

see more sweet photos here.

& a hilarious video of my cousins 
geoff & jon dancing at the reception here.

xo-

{nostalgic for : scrapbooks}

. . . my grandmère in france has the most beautiful memory books filled with magical things, and it is perhaps for this reason that am always quite nostalgic for the look and feel of them -- souvenirs glued and taped to worn pages, pretty polaroids and bits of lace, sunny afternoons and lost memories of summers past . . .

{p.s.} more lovely pages

{images: a creative mint, more at a glamorous little side project}

happy mother's day!

[my mama & me circa 1989.]

i love you so much mom!

this song will always remind me of you.

Taylor Swift - New Music - More Music Videos

happy mother's day
to all you wonderful mamas! : )

xo-

smiles for friday.

[julia & natalie, january 2010.]

Happy Friday!
whew, another week closer to summer!
i think this calls for a
"lollipops & silly giggles"
kind of weekend!

xo-

French playhouses

There was nothing better than playing in my blue and white playhouse in the backyard when I was a little girl. My grandfather wired it so I could have lamps (I was into ambient lighting even as a child!) and I would fill it with stuffed animals and tea sets. Oh to be young again. These French playhouses took me back to those wonderful summers.

(via stephmodo)