Thankful for Friends

 binoculars and adventure map in hand scaling the alligator bridge.

She says I'm her best friend. That makes me smile (Crossing my fingers that she feels that way in 30 years). 

adventure gear - sleeping bag, pencils, a journal, warm clothes, daddy's back pack.

I'm finding as I get older how much my friendships have changed. Some fade. Different life stages at different times reak havoc on what you have in common. The conversations are different, fewer, farther in between. Life and schedules get in the way. It actually hurts a little. I mean a gal needs her pals.

But I have also found that your friends. Your true friends. The ones who really get you (and always have). Faults and all (no judgements) - will be there. You find common ground. You love each other. You are there for each other when the chips are high and low. No matter what. I am very thankful to have a few.

tree climbing with her handy rope (and daddy)

Including this one. I admire her so. Such an adventurer. I'm trying really hard not to live too vicariously through her.  I know she'll probably out grow me. At least for a little while.

In the meantime, I'll do my best to be a good friend. So we can find our way back to each other again.

Two Turtle Doves

So I decided to do a little research to see how late I really was with this whole Twelve Days of Christmas thing, and as it seems.. I'm quite a bit early.

Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany  (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th).   In the Western church, Epiphany is usually celebrated as the time the Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to the young Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). 

You can thank me (and resources at wikipedia) later for this history lesson:-)

So yes.. GIFTS.. My true lave gave to me.  Or at least a gift I always appreciate is a great pair of shoes.. As I searched for shoes that I would really love to add to my collection, a pair of cute heels, some comfy stylish loafers, and a new pair of boots, I realized.. I'm quite boring in the shoe department.  Or at least not nearly as daring as I once was in my young and footloose and fancy free days.. I mean, I once wore a pair of silver, mule, clogs.. to a college football game no less.. 

and you people called yourselves my friends!

Something on this lady's site always catches my eye. She does a good job of dropping an eye catching item from her collection in your email box (if you're a subscriber) to peak your interest.

I'm totally smitten with these Cicely Satin High Heel Pumps by Tory Burch.  I'd pair them with dress pants or a pencil skirt or even a cute a line dress.. In my current condition I wont be attending any fancy parties this season, but a girl can dream cant she...

As preppy as I am, its hard for even me to believe that I dont already have a pair of drivers//loafers.. I've been eyeing the selection at Cole Haan for some time, but have never made the splurge..  

I ran across Tods's gommino loafer and fell in love with these patent leather beauties.. 

So I was in Anthropologie a couple of weeks ago and saw a chic in the cutest purple cowl neck sweater dress and black wedge boots. They were mesmerizing.. I wish I would have just asked her where she got them from.. but I didn't.. and this was the closest I could find...

I like the clean and simple lines of this Rachel 1 black leather boot  by BCBG at Piperlime.com.

And last bur certainly not least.. I love this woman. Tracee Ellis Ross is always so effortlessly stylish put together..  And the hair,  I would sell  off a few of my prized possesions for those signature curly q's of hers.. but I digress. 

fashionbombdaily

Oddly enough I would totally rock these sneakers.. Currently I only own the pair of Saucony running shoes that I worked out in when I  was all gung ho over the summer. 

Keeping in true Pearls and Khakis fashion however, I would probably wear these  Isabel Marant’s $725 Bekett Sneakers with some skinny jeans, a white Gap, long sleeve tee and my favorite cropped trench I found on super duper sale at Target:-) 

So yes! 

I had a few friends over a few nights back to finish up a little project that we had planned to do with the kids but realized it was a bit more complex and required some concentration and adult beverages...

oh and snacks!

YARN and FELT WREATHS (click here for the tutorial i snagged)!

Which must always be paired with SWEET POTATO PIE!

 See what you can accomplish with Spinach Dip and Bruschetta nearby:-)

Voila!

is he still looking at me?

 i had to post this pic.. i think its hilarious. its my munchkin and her boo at his 2nd birthday party! they were about to head off for a little hay ride at his circus themed party. more pics to come..

i cant believe they are so grown up.. he gave me the sweetest little hug..

happy birthday cole!!!

part 2

just a few more pix from the munchkins 2nd birthday party.. just a few of her closest pals came over for the tiniest sunflower seed butter and preserves sandwiches and cup cakes...

we danced a little..

grand mommy was even able to come in and celebrate!! isnt her hair SO cute!

and we before its all said and done.. we cant go hoome without our favorite game... ring around the rosie.. pocket full of posies.. ashes! ashes! we all fall down!!

i made the list!

I was totally flattered to recieve this email from one of my dearest friends Lydia:

I jotted down my current list of favorite dishes (in no particular order) and you're on there! Too much free time I guess.

it IS actually pretty yummy, but i cant take the credit. try it:

Bunnie's Chicken and Hummus Pita Burger:
trader joes:
roasted chicken patties
roasted red pepper hummus
pita bread (dab a little olive oil on both sides and brown)
a little arugula.

Serve with home made sweet potato fries or my black bean salsa and tortilla chips (chips also from trader joe's:-).

YUM!

a parcel...

dont you love that word? parcel.. just sounds like something special...

hubby must have sensed the exhaustion in my demeanor tonight at dinner b/c without my asking he whisked the little munchkin upstairs to put her down for bed... he even came back down stairs and cleared the table and put the  munchkins toys away? now i can blow of a little steam and hit the sack a little early tonight.

a slight emergency as we couldnt find CoCo briefly before bed... but she was tucked away safely in the dryer.. wonder how she got there:-)

at any rate, today to my surprise i received a parcel from a very dear friend.. well a letter.. at first i just ripped open the envelope and started to read it on my way up the driveway. but then i realized that my letter along with some hot trader joes chai tea, a brownie (the last one i promise!) and some warm fuzzy socks would be the perfect way to end the day..

in south beach

thanks lee-lee!

cough cough...

my throat has been killing me the last couple of days.. asthma, coughing.. no fun.. hubby stepped up his game today and took over the house. i didnt change a single diaper today.. he made eggs and turkey bacon, a yummy chicken pita with hummus and arugula, and chicken, potatoes and broccoli for dinner. he even made a grocery run with the munchkin in tow.  i took two long naps and watched the jersey shore reunion:-( you should not be allowed to take NyQuil and drive. I was literally dizzy.

at any rate. i pulled it together last night long enough to go to dinner with my bestest pal j. for her big 23rd birthday!!

i would have to have posted a pic from last night, but since i forgot my camera and noone has posted any pics for me to snag yet, i went searching through the crates for an old pic to no avail..  i really wanted to dig up and oldie because not only is j. one of my dearest friends she is one of my oldest friends. we met freshman year in college and have been inseparable since.

unfortunately i couldnt figure out how to use my scanner, but found this dusty pic on someone's old myspace page:-)

i think it most accurately displays our relationship.. too much:-)

bunnie's bachelorette weekend in miami beach 2006.

love you j! here's to the next 23!
:-)


going to bed now.

all grown up now...

his weekend we went down to Florida to celebrate one of my dearest friends 30th birthday. We rented a house on the beaches of St. Augustine, Florida with friends and just relaxed. I dropped my little munchkin off with her grandparents an hour away...

its been such a long time since the hubby and i just slept and didnt get out of bed until we absolutely had to. the last trip we took, i ended up bringing home a gallon of pumped milk so this was TOTALLYdifferent. on the 5 hour drive back we talked about finally feeling "settled." like this is OUR little family. the last 6 and a half years have been such a world wind. I met the love of my life, finished b-school, got engaged, then married, bought our first house, then carried my munchkin for 38 weeks, and now i've been learning how to be a good wife and mommy and friend for the last year. so now here we are. all grown up.

LOVES IT.

isnt he handsome:-) 

 

{photo by lydia scarlett}

my darling Lydia.. Happy Birthday!

Crescent Beach

woo hoo!

this little girl makes me SO HAPPY! her sparkling eyes and toothy grin just make me so proud to be a part of her life.. she will be whatever she can imagine is possible!

Gi-gi came over for dinner on Sunday.. and Uncle Penn was in town.. mommy made a SOUTHERN dinner again... collard greens (do we see a theme here), mashed sweet potatoes, honey citrus salmon (not so southern?) and smoked gouda mac and cheese (okay bourgeois southern:-). hubby did not finish his plate (tisk tisk!), but everyone else did!

We went to brunch on Sunday at Wahoo Grill in Decatur.. Loves it!

Oh.. my little helper was determined to help get dinner prepared:-)

And one of hubby's favorite snacks is my black bean salsa: red onion, black beans, corn, garlic, tomatoes, basil, oregano, kosher salt, pepper, jalapenos, and lime juice.. YUMMY! (hubby always finishes his plate!)