Hello

Oh, hello there “summer”.  Summer for Texas that is, because spring is a very brief season in our fair state. It’s entirely unpredictable, as a couple of hours later it decided to storm and launch tornadoes and sling hail on all of us. But for the first part of the day, it was summery, full of sunshine and clear skies all around. Such weather is when a crop top needed to be worn, I think. Of course, with a denim jacket thrown over. Two outfit post in a row!

And of course we are praying for the people affected by the storms, while we were pretty safe. Also, while we are at it…let’s hope to the heavens that this weekend will be comfy and clear. We are planning to attend the Dallas Asian Festival. We have never been and are pretty excited to experience the foods, sights and sounds! Friday evening can’t get here soon enough!

Smattering of Here and There

It’s been a full month, a very full and up and down month. From doctors’ visits, to traveling a bit and unpacking yet our house still has boxes? Are they multiplying? Many a fort could be built from the boxes we have accumulated. Getting settled into a new place and a new phase of life is never easy. Learning how to sleep in a new space to readjusting to having only bathroom with one sink, our life is never dull nor boring. Many a challenge to face and overcome. Currently, we are getting ready for Mothers’ Day. Our moms mean the world to us and we do take the time to try and honor them as best we can! (I’m not a mother yet, but maybe I can talk Emory into getting me a new iphone…eh…eh??)

And you know what makes for an amazing month? Amazing Lost in Drawers loves…special thank you cards received and best of all, beautiful ladies who look out of this world in our dresses. Our studio is set up, new dresses are up in the store and we have so much more on the horizon!

Of Love and Dreams To Share

The Peanuts were right…”Snowflakes in the air, Carols everywhere, Olden times and ancient rhymes, Of love and dreams to share…”

Except for that whole snowflakes in the air part. Texas is stubbornly avoiding winter weather, BUT Christmas came early regardless. We had Christmas with the Liles side of our family last weekend. And I got one of the best things from my mother-in-law. A Year Of Pies cookbook! Who needs New Year’s resolutions, when one should start the New Year out with pie! I know I do! Also new? A new shorter haircut seemed appropriate for the new year. Change is good? It’s been a good holiday, giving to others and receiving mighty good things in the post and even all the way from our friends across the pond. Our worldview is growing and that is a joyful thing for 2013.

Playing the part of our own little Elf on the Shelf, Emory has been full of shenanigans lately. Do we need 40 sock monkey friends in bed with us? No, no we do not. But each night a parade of stuffed monkeys appears by our feet, or on top of our clothes, or in luggage. We’re actually trying to pack for our Christmas trip to Florida, and evidently he wants his friends to go along.

In between it all, we have been spending some Christmas time around Fort Worth, and taking in the Christmas around us despite the balmy temps. And the best thing of all was experiencing with some great joy while at the grand old Christmas tree downtown, was a couple getting engaged right in front of us! It was a very special moment for them, and as strangers it was nice to see the love.

And finally, as we still hurt for the great loss in the community of Newtown, we are holding our families close, keeping things in our world in perspective and always attempting to be brave and kind.

Decking the Halls and All That Jazz

It’s that time again. A little early this year it seemed, but after you’ve had about the 9th plate of leftover Thanksgiving food in 3 days you get a little crazy from all the carbs(?) So, being carb overloaded and all, we decided to put up our new tree which was given to us by Bo’s parents.

We now have two fairly big trees, and picking a theme proved to be difficult. (First world problems, I guess) So, we did one of the things we love the most. Disney, Disney, Disney. Note that this might not be the the hippest, coolest or Pinterest friendly thing we could have chosen. Just something we love a whole lot. It brings us joy, and that’s what Christmas is all about right?

These photos weren’t without struggle. We had a little pomeranian boy that was sick of our shenanigans, and despite its warm glow Christmas lighting, lets just say, isn’t the most flattering. And what do we say? Perfection is overrated! But it’s just November 25, maybe we will get it right soon enough!

Here we go holidays-See the blazing yule before us,: Fa la la la la la la la la. Strike the harp and join the chorus.

Fa la la la la la la la la RIGHT?!

 

Mary Poppins Comes Back

 ”There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.”-Linus

Linus could not be more truthful.

Heather and I had a pretty uneventful Halloween. Our lovely friend Jill graciously invited us over for a porch party on this All Hallows’ Eve. But alas, we couldn’t make the trip  due to my having to work a little late…so what to do as adults on such a night? How about a quiet dinner and the bi-monthly grocery shopping trip. (YAY?) But it’s Halloween…and why else have a studio in your spare bedroom? Because it wasn’t quite midnight yet and seemed a perfectly good time to bring our take to our favorite characters, Mary Poppins and Bert.

Call it an homage, call it our 21st century take on the classic, but we had fun putting together our costumes (any excuse to use coal on my face?) and taking advantage of our backdrop. Only Mister Emory seemed less than thrilled.

And to top the night? Carmel apples and chocolate chip pumpkin bread procured from my mom…not to mention coffee and salted caramel hot chocolate bought by Heather for the occasion!

In the end, sometimes low key is best, even “practically perfect in every way.”

Bo

And of course going with a Disney theme-We have Emory…this was all his idea.

It’s Time to Turn Thirty-Three!

Don’t Worry Baby

Sometimes, summer gives you a stretch of days that are memorable in the smallest yet most grand of ways. This weekend has been such a weekend. When we found out our family were coming in town this weekend, not even the weekdays’ thunderstorms could dampen our mood. So, in spite of missing the Beach Boys shows that they attended in Houston, we were excited about the possibilities of a summer weekend with family. Emory made a new friend in a Kermit plush doll and has really been into vintage petticoats(?), and Heather experimented with Nail Effects as we tried to not consider not getting to see Brian Wilson & Co.

In the end, what took our minds elsewhere? MOONRISE KINGDOM, the new film by Wes Anderson. We have always been obsessed with the mid-1960′s, so being transported there in the style of our favorite French films and the music of Francoise Hardy (Heathers favorite album) and experiencing Anderson’s tale of first love was just the answer and the best way possible to begin the weekend! I finally entered the current century with an iPhone. Hellooo, a whole new world. The weekend also brought time with family at the Omni Hotel – Fort Worth and its wonderful salt water pool and a bucket full of sunshine.  It makes the sun feel better, the skies a little more blue and the hope for summer and all its adventures – like our trip to New Orleans for Bo’s 33rd birthday(!) As Heather has been (watching and re-watching The Princess and the Frog) singing around the house “Dreams do come true in New Orleans!”

Bo

Valentines Day

To keep Valentine’s Day in perspective, things in life aren’t always perfect and romance shouldn’t be set for just one day. Regardless, kindness is always nice, love is wonderfully amazing…and a few presents? Well, presents are my favorite. Truth be told, it’s my love language. So, it’s not too shabby to receive flowers arranged by one’s husband, a long-coveted leather bound copy of Alice In Wonderland, and along with Emory, a few Disney items! To top it all off, we were able to have some time in the trees of the Botanical Gardens and then off to dinner at our favorite, Jinbeh Japanese Restaurant in Las Colinas. Some things are just a necessity. It feels nice to have a day where life is about giving to each other and blocking out the distractions caused by the busyness of life. It’s about allowing each other the space to truly enjoy each other.  And then go record and book hunting and head home from a night out on Valentine’s Day with 1/2 dozen delicious donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts. Because nothing says you are comfortable with your place in life like an armful of donuts. And remember, “Love is love” so let’s share it every day. Happy Valentine’s Day!

P.S. – Being it is our 4th Valentine’s Day together, we thought we’d document the moment with some photos of us now. It’s always nice to be able to see who we are and how far we’ve come from when we met those years ago.

Currently…

I had a grand old time reading this post from Sometimes Sweet! So we thought we would take a swing at these wonderful categories presented there:

Obsessing over: Christmas movies, shows and specials – so thank you to our DVR and Netflix, as it has brought us the original Grinch and the roast beast, Charlie Brown and some wonderful Peanuts dancing, Scott Cooper and his Santa Clause, just to name a few; wassail recipes; Christmas sweet treats; holiday music; and all things Christmas!

Working on: we are deep into business prepping and planning, holiday scheduling and creating; writing all sorts of things and generally reflecting on the year and preparing for an exciting new one!

Thinking about: our future – so often it gets discouraging to see other people seemingly coasting through life with plenty of comforts and such while we have very much struggled while trying to the right things for our little family of three; we continue to pray this new year will bring positive changes and forward progress in a lot of areas of our life.

Anticipating: Christmas Christmas Christmas!  We both adore Christmas (who doesn’t!), and this year Bo has 11 days off so we are going to be traveling and seeing family and generally having a very merry Christmas and happy New year.  We both would pack our bags today, but we have no idea what we will be taking on our adventure.

Listening to: How The Grinch Stole Christmas on ABC Family in the background and the pitter patter of Emory’s little paws running about the house.  This is his second Christmas, and he is such the little big boy or so he thinks.

Drinking: drinks are a big thing in our house: water, coffee, Coca-Cola, hot chocolate, wassail, orange and apple juices, and a rotation of beverages making guest appearances from ginger ale to real ales to juice boxes to mimosas and bellinis.

Wishing: for renewed purpose, our business, rest and health, new environments and healed relationships, new friendships, inspiration, opportunities to give, and chances to to show everyone love just as they are, where they are.

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Fah who foraze! Dah who doraze! Welcome Christmas, come this way!

Now, truth be told we put up our Christmas decorations a little early this year, a few weeks early to be exact. We happened to be bored one night and wanted our little house to be festive for the holidays a bit early. Who knew that it was going to be a busy week of Thanksgiving goodness and we wouldn’t have the time. And so here we are, four weeks away from Christmas and the house is decorated and lit, we have and will be loading up on hot chocolate and wassail and presents will be bought and wrapped and put under our nature themed Christmas tree. It truly is ’tis the season!

*Note the gloves on our chair, tilted Ikea lamp shade and Emory’s confused look! A very Merry Christmas indeed! *