Mother & Daughter Evening In...

Miss Collins and Mrs. Collins were the perfect hostesses and we had such an enjoyable evening! Laughter and conversation definitely filled the room that night!

Sitting down to a delicious dinner!

A feast for the eyes!!!

Abby, Jennie, Mallory, Myself, and Anna.

Drew comes down to Georgia!

I don’t get to see this little guy all that often but when I do I enjoy every minute of it! Here are a couple of shots that were taken during breakfast this past Saturday. The first time I met Drew I instantly had so much love for him! I am so blessed that I get to be his aunt and definitely can’t wait to watch him grow into a little boy!

This is my daily prayer...

The Daily Prayer
(From Victory of the Darkness by Neil Anderson)

Dear Heavenly Father, I honor you as my sovereign Lord. I acknowledge that you are always present with me. You are the only all-powerful and all-wise God. You are kind and loving in all your ways. I love you, and I thank you that I am united with Christ and spiritually alive in him. I choose not to love the world, and I crucify my flesh and all it's passions. I thank you for the life that I now have in Christ, and I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may live my life free from sin. I declare my dependence upon you, and I take my stand against Satan and all his lying ways. I choose to believe the truth, and I refuse to be discouraged. You are the God of all hope, and I am confident that you will meet my needs as I seek to live according to your Word. I express with confidence that I can live a responsible life through Christ who strengthens me. I now take my stand against Satan and command him and all his evil spirits to depart from me. I put on the whole armor of God. I submit my body as a living sacrifice and renew my mind by the living Word of God in order that I may prove that the will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect. I ask these things in the precious name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Brunch at J.Christopher's, Kate's 4th Birthday Party, and Easter Lunch with the Clifford Family!!!

Jennifer, Me, Drew, and my Mom having breakfast!

My mom finally got to meet my nephew Drew!

DREW!!!!

Game Time.

This was such a creative flower arrangment I just had to take a picture of it.

The Birthday Girl who is now officially 4 years old....my, oh, my...how time flies!

Blow 'em out Kate!!!

Now, this little girl was very entertaining...her actions were priceless!

With all the excitement the children were having during the opening of gifts,

she was much more interested in her ice cream sundae!

We all had a wonderful Easter lunch at the Clifford's...

Spring has Sprung!

Well, the first day of spring is tomorrow and I am officially getting the gardening bug! It's seems that every year around this time I get out all of the books along with my notebook full of magazine articles on how to plan the perfect garden for our yard. I always plant a few flowers here and there and try to take care of the huge hydrangeas that are all around our yard. However, I have big dreams for our yard, it's not that big but I think it has potential. I've always wanted a place outside that I could go and sit in a chair and look at flowers, sipping hot tea, and be able to be still before the Lord. When I'm in the middle of nature I see His beauty much more clearly than I would sitting inside. While getting ready for this season of planting and growing, I noticed a book that my mom had purchased at a used book sale sometime last year. It's called The Gardener's Guide to Life: Timeless Lessons Based on the Principles of Gardening Compiled and Edited by Criswell Freeman. It is filled with great quotes and old sayings and here are a few that I thought I'd share with you.

Did you ever think how a bit of land displays the character of the owner?

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Gardeners, I think, dream bigger dreams than emperors.

Mary Cantwell

Flowers are heavens masterpieces.

Dorothy Parker

A morning-glory at my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of books.

Walt Whitman

Photography by Liz West

Photography by Liz West

Meeting the Granddaughter of Marie von Trapp

Last night I had the privilege of seeing Elisabeth von Trapp in concert. A voice like no other, I was in awe of the beauty that came out of her. She had a cellist that accompanied her by the name of Erich Kory and they performed music from Bach to Broadway. From someone growing up watching the Sound of Music it was a dream come true to sing along with her to the song

My Favorite Things! Afterwards, I got her autograph and a picture!

-Elizabeth and Elisabeth-

Elisabeth Von Trapp in concert!

Living A Beautiful Life

There is one book that I go to on occasion for inspiration; it's called Living A Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard. She has such a way of creating beauty in the day to day things. At the end of each chapter she has ideas and tips that she calls "Grace Notes" and I thought I'd share with you some of her notes on the chapter titled Rituals.

~Grace Notes~

• Work smarter, not harder. When you feel overwhelmed, take a break from whatever is causing you pressure and attend to some necessary tasks that will please you and bring instant gratification. Organize your desk top or a drawer or two. Then go back with new energy to the bigger tasks.



• When you're feeling out of sorts and blue, pick up a favorite art book and rejuvenate yourself through the beauty of the pictures.



• Spray cologne in a box stationery and put the top back on. The wonderful scent will be there for you as soon as you open the lid to write a note. The recipient of your letter will enjoy it as well.



• Go to a specialty store, and buy some small, distinctive item. For instance, Tender Buttons in New York is a wonderful little store that has turned the button into an art form. I go there and buy a set of blazer or other buttons to spruce up an old coat. This makes me feel wonderfully refreshed.



• Line the inside of your closet door with art postcards. Use double-sided Scotch tape so you can peek at the back if you need to check an artist's name of the painting. Get dressed with art.



• Mark new seasons with childhood reminiscences: In spring, fly a kite, In summer, make a sand castle, In fall, rake leaves and go hiking, In winter, go for a walk in newly fallen snow.



• Hang a favorite quilt on your living-room wall behind your sofa, or in your bedroom over a loveseat. Use Velcro on a wooden strip and sew Velcro on the top of the quilt to protect the edges.



• Be three minutes early for your next appointment and wait calmly. While you'll show respect for someone else's time and life, you will also have time to compose your thoughts.



• Lift your mood with a new fragrance.



• Burn up calories as you bustle around tidying up. Put on some running shoes and be aware of bending from the waist as you pick things off the floor. Fast fixing up can be almost aerobic-like when you do it to jazzy music.



• Make your own quotation book. Every time you read or think of something you want to remember, enter it in your book. Reviewing your quotes gets you thinking.



• Make a personal source guide. When you discover a store that has a product you like, make a note; order by phone or mail, if possible.



• Being organized saves time, enabling you to accomplish more and feel more satisfied with yourself. Keep a careful datebook, and weed it out each month.



• Have a special basket for the mail. It looks pretty, and it's fun to bring into the living room or library, to open at leisure.

Catching up....

Photography By: Liz West

I hadn't realized just how long it had been since I last posted something here. Sorry, to those who continue to read this. Since the beginning of February I have had this overwhelming sense of getting some things on my to-do list, accomplished! I have been working on my new business venture and I purchased my first ever business license last week!!! I'm also in the middle of researching sewing machines and will soon be making my first BIG purchase for the business. Not to mention, on another note, I've begun to open the door for my photography. I went to a class on digital photography and will be looking into joining the local photography club. I was offered to be the official event photographer for my local Chamber of Commerce, hopefully that will give me the chance to get my name out there. So, anyway please bear with me in the following weeks with this blog. I look forward to sharing with you all where the Lord is taking me through my creativity! Here are some pictures I took on a photo shoot last weekend.