...the whole world is on your side as long as...

one of my favorite days of the month is the day in which my southern living magazine appears in the mailbox. that day was yesterday!

this month they highlighted charleston and their signature piazzas (open air porches that run along the length of a home). here are two beautiful shots.




and, this quote from the article about Charleston made me smile, "imagine the south without azaleas. that's like trying to conjure this land of ours without grits, Elvis, football, sweet tea, wednesday church, "y'all" and women who apply implausible amounts of make-up"

Steve Bender, writing about "Charleston's Colorful Gifts to the South"

our home in mississippi had more by azaleas than i can remember - they stretched across the front of the house and were in each pine bed. oh, and the crepe myrtles!

that said, we're expecting 6 - 10 inches of snow tonight.

friday: a girl can dream day

another day driving to work with temperatures in the teens. these winter days are running together! a quick trip to naples earlier in the week made winter in michigan seem even more unbearable. oh, how i miss the mild south. enough of that -- it's friday! a girl can dream day! therefore, in that spirit, enjoy the below. i'm dreaming i go to fabulous parties and wear these fabulous backless gowns.

a little add-on to yesterday's post...oh, so true

or, is this it?

"it's said that when earl weaver, one-time manager of major league's baseball's baltimore orioles was unhappy with a call by an umpire, he used to charge out of the dugout and shout at him, "are you gonna get any better, or is this it?"

~ john maxwell's the difference maker

that question has been weighing heavily on my mind.

are you gonna get any better? or, is this it?

is this it?

unequivocally, this better not be "it." and, if this isn't "it" then when, oh when, am i willing to do the work to change "it;" change "it" for the better.

how about if i get busy - right now - getting better.

friday: a girl can dream day

i love bookshelves. built-ins. my next home...definitely lots of built-ins.

it's friday...this girl is dreaming.

do you remember?

i ran across this image tonight. do you remember? she broke aiden's heart right here. she returned the ring that she simply couldn't put on her finger, the ring that she wore around her neck.

who's your team?

cupcakes take the cake

happines is....

never having to use your ice scraper.

6:15 of bliss

friday: a girl can dream day

if i was lucky enough to visit pic 1 and pic 2, i would sooo be wearing pic 3.

designer jules reid...not your momma's lily pulitzer...edgier.... love it.

it's over!

recruiting ends tomorrow! tonight is the last night coach is on the road. what a long stretch it has been. he's been (mostly) on and (occassionally) off the recruiting road since december (or was it the last week of November). blur.

now, the transition begin. i haven't had him home ~ for any considerable length of time ~ since august! funny, it always takes a couple of weeks to get use to having him around. can't wait.

you don't earn it

how hard is it to learn, understand and live out this concept? how many books, devotions must I read; how many messages must I hear to internalize this Truth.

i think it's a heart/head thing.

in my head, i reiterate this message to myself. in my heart, though, do i really believe it? if my head and heart were in sync, would it be so difficult to grasp it or, better yet, to live it out.

i heard this on the radio today. it spoke to me as i've been turning this concept over and over in my head (while trying to convince my heart?) i've always loved the song and for whatever reason i listened, really listened, to the words.

how amazing ~ and often inconceivable ~ is God's grace?

happy monday

for the love of books

love books, but with limited reading time i have to be careful when i pick one up.

for when i pick one up, i can become obsessive about finishing it. laundry and dishes can pile up. husband and child may whine at the amount of time my nose is buried deep. that said, i won't be doing much reading in the coming months. at least not until after ncaa tournament time (if you don't live your life by the calendar of big 10 athletics that means march/april).

however, here are a few books i've read since thanksgiving.

yes, i know...'bout time.

this is a classic i had never read. thought i should. so i did.

this book tells the story of a clandestine love affair between frank lloyd wright and mamah borthwick cheney. the ending haunted me for days. based on true story.
trust me...there is absolutely NO way to predict how this book ends.

i have half of this book underlined. it's been a wonderful resource to me in dealing

with a very intense time professionally.

"a great leader doesn't treat problems as special. he treats them as normal."

this book is being read my Bible study group. i've only finished chapter one.
so far it's been enlightening.

i've just picked up this book. it's a book of short essay so i'm hoping my ocd won't kick in.