go now, lovers of iTunes . . . and buy this song

loving a person
by sara groves

Loving a person just the way they are, it's no small thing
It takes some time to see things through
Sometimes things change, sometimes we're waiting
We need grace either way

Hold on to me
I'll hold on to you
Let's find out the beauty of seeing things through

There's a lot of pain in reaching out and trying
It's a vulnerable place to be
Love and pride can't occupy the same spaces baby
Only one makes you free

Hold on to me
I'll hold on to you
Let's find out the beauty of seeing things through

If we go looking for offense
We're going to find it
If we go looking for real love
We're going to find it

scrappin' on a tuesday

these are some of the pictures that herb took of me in mexico this spring.
we were on a bike ride and saw an outcropping
so we ditched out bikes and peaked over the edge
to find this beautiful piece of beach below
covered in small conch shells
i mean COVERED!
i asked herb to take some pics of me
and let's keep it real . . .
because i don't want to fall into the blog & scrapbooking temptation
of just sharing the nice and pretty stuff . . .
the truth is that herb gets kind of embarassed when i asked him to take my pictures -
like a little photo shoot . . .
not his favorite thing.
and things can get kind of weird and tense
because i like having my picture taken
and he doesn't really get it.
but he is a good sport about it.

i laid down on the shells,
right where the tide was hitting when it came in
and herb took pics as the waves washed over me
they are such beautiful pictures
they just remind me to live from the essence of myself.
not to get caught up in what others want me to be
but to really know myself
who god made me to be
get to know THAT girl
really really well
take good care of her and let her soar!

these pics just remind me of freedom
simplicity
no complications
essence
peace

do you have a favorite picture of yourself?

my fun fun project

a few months ago, kim asked if i would make a piece for her kitchen
i said of course
and then i realized how much more fun it would be if her family
worked together to make their own pieces for their kitchen.

so, today they came over and between a little team building game
and a milk & cookie break,
they made art together!

it started with a prompt to paint the background
of their canvases and then to add a square

at this point, i asked them to rotate to the next person's station
and turn the square into a house.

they were positively horrified!
the thought of somebody else touching THEIR canvas
absolutely insulted them!
and that was just the six year old!

but isn't that the way it is with families?
"don't touch my little square of the world!!!"

it was so fun to watch them,
as they rotated around the room,
adding their touches to each other's canvases.

by the time they made it back to their own piece
and added a few more finishing touches,
they were thrilled with what they had created
and it turns out they even suprised themselves
and each other with the talent they have!

some art and a funny husband

good morning!

here is a little saturday morning art lovin' for you!

tamara came over last week and we had so much fun playing!
she totally inspires me and really helped me loosen up and just have fun with paint.






the next morning, i did a little more playing on my own!
so much fun!
and i have more to share later!


well, i am doing something really really cool this morning
really really cool.
and i cannot wait to share it later this weekned!
it is going to be so much fun!

and here is just a funny little bonus for you:

continuing with the saga of owning a rental property . . .

herb has been putting all of the lawn waste and large trash
(ie: the evil kitchen carpet)
into a large dumpster that has been sitting on the
lawn of the villa on corona.

yesterday, the dumpster guys came to pick it up
there was a crane involved
so you can rest assured that herbie scurried out there
to catch all the action!

so cute and funny!

the randoms

june and july
were sort of insane

truly
insane

which means that there was a lot to share
but not very much time in which to share it.

so, here are a few pics from the crazy 60 days
that are (finally) behind us!

over memorial day weekend
we took a little trip to milwaukee, wi
for a the wedding of herb's cousin anne

we went to the modern art museum
amazing building
decent collection

spent a little time at the
people's market - pretty cool

herb looked hot
so we did a little photo shoot





in june
my cute grandma came to town
we found out that her sister-in-law
(the only other person still alive from her husband's side of the family)
is living in colorado springs
so we took a little trip down there
it was so sweet to watch them reconnect




i rallied my office mates
and we painted our counseling room
because i wanted to vomit
instead of work
everytime i looked at the
perviously pale yellow walls

the main walls are a green-ish tan
and the accent wall is this fantastic teal
nobody went for the dark celery.
oh well, maybe at home.



at the end of june
we went to winter park to celebrate
herb's birthday
i love watching herb with these boys
they all love and "get" each other so much!!!
they have been buddies for many years now
i love that!



my sweet friend kelly
from granby, co
came through town a few times
and we got to hang



mom went to crested butte, co
for a vaca
we joined her for a few days
she saw some "july snow"
and i saw some cows




on my actual b-day
herbie put together a little happy hour
with some local friends

i am not so sure about this second picture
sort of a "my-two-dads" meets moulin rouge




a random self-photo-shoot moment



herb and i managed to still like each other
(most days)


we had some ugly kitchen carpet
at "the villa on corona"
(our lovely rental property)


but herb ripped it up
and now we don't

he is so strong and buff and manly
and unfortunately,
now he is probably
infested with aesbestos


sorry, all of you 50's kitsch lovers . . .
the stove has to go
being that it is a gas stove from the 50's
it is just too much of a liability at this point
any takers?
we're selling.



last week we had some friends come play with us
while we painted the entire upstairs of the villa on corona!



our lovely "mamma renter"


and one of her darling cuties
we are really cracking up that
our neighbor status is about to go from
having an 89 year old man
who never turned the lights on
to having three little munchkins
and their two musician, gypsy-like parents
living next door
so stinkin' fun!
we are blessed people!


and this is why we need community around us
there is no way we could have done this alone
without many tears
and our moto is
"choose beers, not tears."

about a birthday . . .

my sweet little vintage overnight bag. i can't believe herb and i both packed overnight bags, only to go to the water park and then come home! he is a clever little sneak!


latonya, me, sarah, and mikki
these are my "forever friends" . . . my "3am friends" . . . the ones i can always call. they were my college roommates. i love them so so so very much! we are all in the middle of change - latonya is moving to TEXAS!?!??!, sarah is getting married, and at the ripe old age of 29, mikki is prego with bebe number three! wowza! i might be the most stable right now!








i had "THE birthday" a few weeks ago.
the first "THE birthday" since the last
"THE birthday"
you know, first comes the one where you can buy beer?

yeah.

that one happened a while ago.

i had the next one.

the one where people tend to either look at their life
and say, "dang. this is not what i hoped for."
and they get sad and do something drastic
like marry the guy that they shared their first
schlitz with on that OTHER birthday
and in a drunken stupor declared to each other
that if, heaven forbid, they are not married by the time
they turn 30, that they will tie the knot

or people say, "wow! this is going to be the best year of my life!"
and they do everything they can to make it the best!
gym memberships
new cars
new jobs
new attitudes

you know?

30

for me, it has been fairly inconsequential so far.
but do feel like it is going to be a great year.
i am happy with where i am
and what i have accomplished
somedays, i am happy with who i have become

there is plenty to be grateful
and plenty of room to grow and bloom.
so, i sure won't be bored!

now, let's talk about my husband for a minute.
he does not really care so much about his birthday.
but he is beginning to understand how much it means to me
i love birthdays!
his and mine.

so i was told to save the weekend of the 21st.
of course, i assumed we are going on a trip
so he uses this to his advantage and has me
convinced we are traveling.
so i pack my little overnight bag.
and a fleece!
because "you never know what the weather is going to be like there".
a fleece i tell you!
it was around 100 degrees in denver on saturday!

then he took me to nirvana (see post from August 16th, 2006)
and all of my best friends where there
you know, the ones who have known me
for 10 years or more

they ALL traveled from out of town to be here
and he planned the whole thing
beginning 2 months ago

after floating on the lazy river for three hours
the girls and i went to the oxford hotel
for a little pampering.
then home for a bbq
and some of our local friends joined up with us at this point

the next day, my pals and i just lounged about
and went to one of those malls down south
to check out sarah jessica parker's new clothing line - BITTEN
at first, i was not finding anything
and i just felt stung
but then i looked closer and i was in love - totally BITTEN!

you must check this out!
there is not a single piece of clothing in this line that costs more
than $20
honestly, it makes Old Navy and Forever 21 look
like Sax 5th Avenue!
i will never buy $27 jeans again
nope, not when i can get 'em for $15!!!!

so, three cheers to my babe
who made me feel so very very loved
on my 30th birthday!

smoooches, my baby!
big time smoooooooooches to ya!