Photos by Shelby...

Shelby is a talented photog with an ETSY Shop.. See HERE.

Posh Girl Vintage...

See this and other pretty vintage dresses here.

Lap Desk...

I think these are so cute. Especially if you were to find yourself working on a lovely beach somewhere... hmmmm.. :)
See them here.

Curious Cupcakes...

I LOVE these cupcakes... do you?

See them HERE!

The Killer Angels...

The Killer Angels tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg through the thoughts of the generals who led the troops on both sides. The book kind of reads the thoughts and minds of many of the generals and officers, but concentrates mostly on James Longstreet of The Confederacy and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain of The Union, who was my favorite character.
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a man who, like Lincoln, had an ability for sophisticated moral reasoning. It is amazing throughout the book to listen inside his head as he struggles with the moral questions of war and does his best to do right.
While beloved and respected and a brilliant man, Robert E. Lee does not have the same ability. And, his main confident and friend James Longstreet sees the weakness in the man that is so revered that his devastated troops take courage at the sight of him. Longstreet, who is a brilliant tactician has ideas about defensive warfare that are generations before his time. He is brilliant and wise, but not recognized as so. His heart-sickness over unnecessary slaughter of his troops and the deaths of his children are heart-breaking to read.
This book reads almost like a play and is very different in style from anything else that I have ever read. If you have any interest in the Civil War, read this one for sure.

Alexandra...

Alexandra's July newsletter is up..

Painting by Alexandra's favorite artist Roger Muhl.

New Pink Shoes...

I'm so excited to see my new pink shoes when they arrive... I hope they fit. :)

WALL.E... The Big Lie on the Big Screen...

The California environmental lobby (i.e Hollywood) hasn't noticed a few things... like: garbage containment, recycling efforts, water and air quality have improved A LOT in just the last 20 years. There have also been some technological advances that make it possible for us to grow enormous amounts of food with less land and less soil erosion. But, whatever.. sell the kiddos down the doom and gloom path and bore me to absolute madness on the way. Please don't throw rotten tomatoes at me, but it would be impossible for me to tell you how I loathed this film. Can I get my $5.50 back?

Flawless...

This is a really fun show about a diamond heist. Don't miss. :)

A Bit of Humbug...

Our town is really great in a bazillion ways. I love the fireworks on the 4th of July, for example. But, the parade... I stayed home this year in protest. C and c went. The jet fly-over was great.. The high school marching band is awesome... the floats were lovely... both of them... :( Our parade is usually a bunch of guys in their trucks with signs advertising their local businesses. I have less difficulty with the commercialism at Christmas (at least then, it may be helpful in that you need a gift for someone..) Where C was standing, the populace of our town could only make a weak applause for the truckload of Veterans, you know those people who've served our country in foreign lands and lost their friends and sometime their limbs defending OUR freedom. I'm so glad I wasn't there. I would have said something I think. It's not THAT hot people, you can stand up and cheer. C and c came home a bit disgusted.

I think reading the Paul Revere book was a great way to celebrate the approaching Independence Day, but it made me wonder how many people really know what we are celebrating.. me included. My guess is that my cousin Mike, who is on his way back to Iraq for a third time, who has seen the devastation of tyrant rule and the ensuing poverty and hopelessness has some idea what a gift liberty really is.

The Girl in the Cafe...

This film was fairly well written and acted. Bill Nighy plays a work worn and lonely man who is highly placed in the British government. His work involves trying to solve third-world poverty. He meets a girl in a cafe, Gina played by Kelly Macdonald who is also a lonely care-worn sort of person. They try to become friends and companions and a romance ensues which is stressed by her honest expression of HIS opinions to his bosses.

The political part is quite naive and very Hollywood. Just hand out tons of money and that will solve Africa. How many billions of dollars have just been stolen by the corrupt governments of that continent... will we ever know? It is a far more complicated problem than it's made to seem in the film. Still, the idea of being the generation that rises to the occasion and solves the problems of extreme poverty is inspiring to contemplate.

There is a love scene with nudity... so not for kids.

Hannah Anderson Sale...

Janice mentioned the Hannah Anderson sale... If you happen to have a 10-12 month old daughter.. this little dress is only available in that size. Isn't it sweet!

Carefree with Fred & Ginger...

A really fun show as far as dancing and costuming. But, poor Ginger gets a shiner in the end.. and that bugs. Still, these two are magic to watch.

Lessons of the past week...

This is a photo of the flowers that my darling nieces and nephews chose for their father's casket. Everything they did to honor their father was so appropriate and graceful. C gave a beautiful talk and sang beautifully with his other brothers. c sang with all the cousins and sounded lovely too. My nieces and nephews (the children of the deceased) all spoke and one niece sang. How did they do that? They were so brave.

I learned a lot this week. 1. It is so important for adult children to make arrangements to honor a beloved parent and even younger children can benefit a lot from feeling included. 2. There are some things in life, maybe many things that don't have a "do over" button. Do those things right and have no regrets. 3. People grieve in different ways. 4. We never know how long we have. Make sure the people you love know you love them. 5. When you speak with a person, you never know if it's going to be for the very last time.

We spoke with C's brother on a Sunday, the following Tuesday he was in a coma from which he never regained consciousness. Thursday he was gone. I'm so glad that conversation on Sunday will always be a pleasant memory.

Thank you so much for all your kind words. So many people told us that they would remember us in their prayers and that has given us a peace nothing else can. I hope you'll forgive me for sharing just those few thoughts... It will help me move on to happier subjects from now on. Wrap your arms around those you love.. and may they all be well.

Paul Revere's Ride...

Were Hollywood to make this book into a film, I'm afraid that the public would find it somewhat marvel comicesque. It is difficult to fathom the personal tragedy, the wisdom, the character, the honor, the efforts, the intelligence, the courage and the faith of this one man.

Captured in the middle of his midnight ride, Revere faced his captors with courage and defiance. Knowing the truth to be his best weapon, he informed the British Officers that he had alarmed the countryside, that the Minutemen were gathering and headed their way. Threatened and with a pistol to his head to tell the truth, Revere responded with spirit, "I call myself a man of truth, and you have stopped me on the highway, and made me a prisoner I knew not by what right. I will tell the truth, for I am not afraid." Eventually, the truth frightens the officers who take Revere's horse, but set him free. During the night, in addition to warning the countryside, he rescues John Hancock and Samuel Adams twice, saves the secret papers of the revolution and is witness to the first shots fired on Lexington Green.

Paul Revere was one of many midnight riders, although he may have been the most effective of them. However, it is interesting to me to learn of another patriot who using his own unique talents and abilities helped to found this nation and gifted to the world a new definition of liberty.

Where ever we are, may we remember the liberties that we enjoy and spread them throughout the world to those who are oppressed.

"Each year, that old memory is carefully renewed. On the 19th day of every April, at the same hour when the messenger of alarm arrived in 1775, the town's great bell is made to ring again in the night. The people of the town awaken suddenly in their beds, and listen, and remember. It is an ancient tradition in the town that the ringers should include the children, so that the rising generation will remember too. The bell itself was made by Paul Revere. Still it carries his message across the countryside."

I hope that one day tyrants will not be tolerated, and like Paul Revere, all the people of the world will carry a standard of Liberty, one that guarantees freedom for every living soul and thus ensures peace in every nation and heart.

Happy Independence Day!

Sorry...

Sorry to be gone so long. C's brother suffered a medical trauma on Tuesday and passed away Thursday... so I won't be checking in much for the next week.

Jessica, I'm sorry. I will get your package in the mail when things settle and I will have an extra giveaway since I missed one.. once I get back.

Thanks for understanding.

Love Boxes...

New Love Boxes.. in..

THe LoVe BoxES ShoP

Loves Enduring Promise...

A bit sappy, but pretty good.

Input please..

I have been having some difficulty making a final decision on this design for some reason. I guess that I appreciate various stages of simplicity or complexity, or I just don't groove on this one.. still not sure. If you have an opinion, I'd love to hear it.



These boxes will all be found in..
ThE LOve BOXes SHoP
later today..

Giveaway...

Don't forget there is a Giveaway going on down there below all my long windedness... It ends Midnight EST tonight.. so there is still time.