Friday Rambling: Pre-Wedding Jitters

I found a spoon in my purse the other day.

I have no idea how the spoon got in my purse, but I do know it was not a clean spoon and yes, it was from my house.

While writing this post, I'm realizing it's still in my purse.

Such is life a week and a couple of days before my eldest daughter's wedding.

It's full of:

 Lists, lists and more lists.

Color coded lists. 

Lists in my car, in a notebook, one taped on the wall in the family room.

The latter being my favorite.

It's color coded and I make BIG MARKS when I cross something off.

I got so excited, I crossed off something that my husband had finished which upset him as it was HIS chore to be crossed off. I stole that fabulous feeling of accomplishment.

He was pretty disappointed. 

I tried making it up to him the next day and offered for him to cross off my stuff, but he declined.

I guess it just wasn't the same.

Let's see...

there's making my kitchen look like a bomb went off.

Oh, wait. 

That was from baking with my sweet friend Paula.

We knocked out 16 dozen gluten free cookies and 8 dozen gluten free fudge brownies.

After this day, I have free advice to mothers of young daughters:

Pray that Pinterest will be out of existence by the time your girls get married.

It will threaten your sanity in a severe way.

I'm all for DIY, but oh my.....

Shopping helps to break up the Pinterest craziness and the realization that EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL TAKE 2-3 TIMES LONGER THAN YOU THINK.

Weeks full of wedding prep need side trips with Brenna to make me realize the meaning of "a really good day."

Estate sales might add to the insanity, but as long as you are driving to sixteen stores and have only two hours, you might as well stop.

Cause you will find something for everyone, making it a 

"A really good day"

Holding fast to faith and expressing it through some quick painting during a full week is a good thing.

Seriously-even if all I do is paint chalkboard paint on something or stain a box- it helps.

Drinking something ice cold and a little sweet is fun. If, however, it has caffeine and you don't normally drink caffeine it isn't particularly recommended.

 BUT when you make 21 center pieces outside and it's 102 degrees at the end of flipping September you just can't help yourself.

and i only drank half.

Later in the week, the fulness in the week was made better by gathering with friends and working on projects. It is priceless, humbling and makes one truly grateful.

As full as this week and a half has been, it's gonna get FULLER!!!!!!!!!

I'll be offline to celebrate our daughter's wedding and finish up those lists....

Have a wonderful Friday and I'll be back soon to post pictures.

 linking to Paint Party Friday

Friday Ramblings: Real

Today I am inspired by my Fall Issue of Darling Magazine. 

Have you seen it?

No?

Find it. 

Absorb it.

It's fabulous.

charcoal, ink and gel transfer. photo not retouched.

The entire issue uses photographs of women that HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED.

(#realnotretouched)

Now there's a novel concept.

A couple of things about the photos stood out to me. One being the hands.

The beauty in the lines of a hand at work!

And the lines by the eyes? Those dreaded lines?

Utterly beautiful.

Why? 

Because they show when the people are smiling, and you realize those people are REAL- their lines have been wrought through smiling and sunshine, laughter and big, goofy grins.

acrylic, dylusions spray,  ink and Promarker. photo not retouched.

Which then brings me to think about my daughter, who, in less than a month, is getting married.

Last night, she came home for a quick trip to get some wedding planning done.

As many of you know, it's not an easy thing planning a wedding. The emotions run the gamut several times over and I find myself physically opening my hands over and over and over to remind myself of many things, but the most profound reminder is of letting go. 

I'm letting go in a way I have never done before as a parent.

This might sound cheesy, but as I open my hands to let go, I realize there is room. With that room, I welcome in a new person. 

With much joy.

charcoal, stabilo pencil in black, Montana paint pen, Faber-Castell Big Brush artist pen. photo not retouched.

I'm letting go of pride, control and the pace.

It will be a six hour -weepy- dance like crazy- laughter filled time.

If we were to have no flowers or decorations or dresses, guess what?

The most important part is that we show up and witness an amazing beginning.

Then celebrate it.

ink, acrylic paint and Heidi Swapp color shine spray in coral. photo not retouched.

In these crazy, emotional days, I say, @darlingmagazine, thank you for the reminder that in using photos that have not been retouched, it makes me look at my own life in a real way. 

In so doing, I am able to

see beauty, grace, weakness and strength. 

Which then prompts me to open my hands and embrace and celebrate these things just a little more each day.

linking to Paint Party Friday