“I just bought these boots and I’ve already received two complements!” she told me after we’d met.
“Because they’re awesome!” I said. For whatever reason, the boots weren’t selling,
so Stacie picked up these beauties for a steal. Is there anything
better than a pair of wonderful boots paired with a white dress?
Model: Stacie
Filed under Portraits
I take care of this little man a few days every week.
He has the pudgiest cheeks and beautiful dark blue eyes.
His wee feet are ticklish.
And best of all, he laughs uproariously when I bark like a dog!
She’s tiny, with long inky black hair and a sweet smile.
He’s tall and sports an easygoing smile.
Everyone was worried about the weather that day.
“We’ll definitely have rain, look at those clouds.”
“But maybe it’ll hold off until later?”
“Please please let it be over quickly!”
The rain come down with a vengeance while Ashely and Derek exchanged vows.
Afterwards, everyone tumbled outdoor and into the sunshine, where water droplets sparkled on bright green grass.
It was time for pictures and–aside from a slight drizzle during the group shot–the weather was on its very best behavior.
Shot with Swank Photo Studio, Raleigh, NC
Filed under Weddings
The temperature hadn’t yet swelled to an uncomfortable 90-something degrees. I remember asking her if she’d be cold, tramping around campus in a skirt and tank top.
“Nope!” she replied breezily.
We’d met at the chapel’s front steps. Majestic buildings constructed of chalky grays and warm sandy cremes surrounded us. But only a few steps away, a shaded space of vivid greens beckoned.
“This patch of grass,” I pointed.
“How about that one?” she asked. “It’s clover.”
“Perfect!” I said. Clover, beware! I promise to recognize you from now on.
College students sauntered past, turning a blind eye to our presence on their campus.
Model: Nikki
Filed under Portraits
After a chat with my sister-in-law, I was shocked to realize that my reading list consisted primarily of cotton candy. i.e. the fluff stuff. i.e. novels that required approximately 15% of my attention (enough brain power to make out the words and nothing else). I was reading soap operas and cheap action flicks, basically.
So I made a quasi New Year’s resolve to read more good stuff. And by good stuff, I don’t mean I dove off the pier into nothing but the ‘ol classics. I wanted books that would stretch my brain. Whether it’s to the right, left, or down the lane and through the woods somewhere, these books have done all that and more. Sounds sappy, right? Well, that’s what happens when you read nothing but fluff. Hand your brain something halfway decent and it jumps for joy.
So the batch I’ve laid before you–some of which I’m still in the middle of–consists of Southern Appalachian literature (can’t live in the south and not catch the bug); a few spiritual gems; a favorite classic; a mystery or two; and one of my fluffy reads (it’s the Kindle’s fault, not mine).
I’ll be ready for my next batch of books in a few weeks…any recommendations?
One of my very best friends was pregnant with her little boy. I wanted to give him something special, something that five or six years down the road, he could snuggle with on a chilly day, pull over his head when he was scared of the dark, or tuck over two chairs to make a fort.
This particular pattern appealed to me because it looks like a quilt. And what’s better than a quilt? A knitted blanket made to look like one. :p
So this is for Daniel Joseph, a little guy I can’t wait to meet. Happy birth day, Danny!
“Wouldn’t it be funny if I proposed, right here, right now?” he asked. “People would think it’s the real deal and start congratulating us!”
“Do it!” I smiled at him, loving the idea of an impromptu proposal on the beach. There was no one around–neither of us actually wanted a crowd of onlookers for this imaginary proposal. The wind was blowing madly around us, causing goosebumps to dot my arms. I shivered. He dropped to one knee on the brown sand. A strand of hair flew across my eyes and I tucked it back.
“Will you marry me?” my best friend asked me.
“Definitely yes!” I shouted.
No one cared that the actual proposal happened three years, eight months, and seven days ago. We exchanged goofy grins. Up ahead, I saw the wispy strands of green grass where I had hidden our beach towels. I reached for his hand and squeezed it.
Filed under Personal
I saw two bikini-clad girls heading to the pool today, sandals flapping. It was that warm. When I first moved to Durham, I thought the area would be a warmer version of Asheville. Today, I wore a sleeveless shirt to dinner. I instinctively pulled a sweater off the hanger on my way out. My husband was amazed–a sweater (long sleeved to boot) in this heat? I’ve decided that Durham is, in fact, a colder version of Florida. The sooner I reconcile myself to this, the happier I will be.
Filed under Personal
We walked through the door at 3:30 and were ready to eat dinner. The scent wafting through the apartment was tantalizing. Envision a crockpot full of bright orange sweet potatoes, chunks of beef, onion, and sticks of carrot simmering in a sauce of beef broth and wine (an entire 1 1/4 cups!).
I had made the (fatal) mistake of pouring myself a glass of wine on an empty stomach. Bad idea. What happened next was just plain sad. I had followed the recipe and added a tablespoon of a butter & flour mixture to thicken the sauce. Nothing doing. So I hurriedly scooped out our portions and then grabbed the container of cornstarch. I dutifully mixed the white powder with some cold water and poured it into the crockpot. The entire thing instantly turned a lighter brown and began to fizz. Uh oh. Turns out that I mistakenly added baking soda to my lovely beef stew instead of corn starch. Ouch. Double ouch.
Thank God I had ladled out portions, otherwise I would have been running to the nearest pizza joint. Let’s just say the second servings didn’t taste quite right….one for the books, eh? Although I DID hear the memorable story of how a family member accidentally dropped two eggs into her meatloaf while on the phone one day.
“What’s the biggie?” I asked Drew.
“Two WHOLE eggs,” he stressed. “Like still in their shells.”
“Ohhhh,” I said. “Yiiikes!”
Later that evening, my mom asked me why I had thought to ladle out the food before adding the baking soda.
“Only God knows,” I said.
