just a few necklaces i made. [ with l-o-v-e ]
eeekkk. i thought i was at a stopping point until i realized that five is an odd number of necklaces and if you know me it's understood that i don't like odd numbers. i'm an even number gal. oh, shucks.

love,
m

this 
is 
ziggy 
slipping 
into 
september.

love,

m

I'm one of those crazy girls who loves to [frequently] move furniture around.
But..... just why is it that I get this itch at 11:30 tonight?
Instead I'm going to make more jewelry and if the sleepy monster still hasn't come to visit me I'll paint.

And if after that I am still wide awake as I am now I'll share some photos of my makings.

love,
m
 

I feel sure that you can guess which Pez was added to the collection yesterday as a prize for the boyfriend!

love,

m

Ziggy appreciates these things, too.

hello up there!

love,

m

The boyfriend cooked fine ( and I mean fine ) steaks tonight and made a crab sauce for the top and I fixed ( if I do say so myself ) a pretty darn good salad. 

The whole sha-bang was super yum yum. Just thought it was brag blog worthy.

The Plate above is extremely special to me. It's Noritake (flower power) but that has nothing to do with it. Flowers, I love. But nope, that has nothing to do with it either. This Noritake place setting was something passed down to me that belonged to my great grandmother, Mama B. She also (always) had a love for pretty flowers. I miss her.

love,
m

in 150 words or less write about salsa dancing:
i was asked to do this today, whaaaa? okay. here goes.

Salsa music has a beat that makes you want to get moving. Salsa dancing has a vibe that connects you with your partner. In some way, it's rather sexy. The moves in Salsa dancing come together with the music so well. I, personally, am not a salsa dancer. Although, the art of everything salsa (the music, the moves, the clothes, the connections between partners) keeps  the interest alive in me. If there is ever an opportunity to take lessons I would quit with all the curiosity and jump on the salsa train. If I had to guess, salsa dancing would probably forever be a part of my life. I imagine it being something filled with new friendships and countless hours of dancing. Oh, you know what tags along with dancing, don't you? Burning calories! That is surely something to build even more excitement. So, sign me up already. I'm interested in the outcome of learning just a basic step. Who knows, I could be competition level before a blink of an eye with the drive of something that sounds and looks as fun as salsa dancing.

love,
m

blah blah blah.

 

 
good tune tuesday.
Susan Tedeschi is a beautiful woman with bookoodles of soul. Seeing her live was a prefect touch to {my first}  Wannee Music Festival. Listen to this beautiful song while I share this story memory.  [that is....if you can do those two things at once]

The boyfriend and I just relaxed in a hammock tied from one gorgeous tree to another with my head rested on his chest and his arms wrapped around me and in that moment.... it felt so right. You guys, this place was full of beauty. The art around you seemed surreal at times. The huge trees with lights guiding your eyes to the tip top branch, the music (!!!!!!!!!!), the kind people, the love in the air (love for the company with you and love for the music), the hot days turned cooler nights for the little rest you got in the tent, the bongos going crazy and all through the night, the smell of campfires, the free spirits, hula-hoops, and the escape from all worries. Yes, it felt damn good to get a shower and sleep in my bed when I returned back to reality but the time away was a weekend full of art.... The kind of art that you will forever display in your own personal museum. I like to call it my "Memory Museum".

love,

m

{continued} text convo:
and yes.... we are still talking trash.

me- Oh Lawdy, David! She's BLUE!


d- Hahaha! LOL. What are we going to do? It IS a new can so it deserves a new name. Don't you think?


me- Oh Boy, okay. We can get through this together. RIP Betty Brown. You were a good little slore. And helllloooooo BLUE-HOO! You know, like the yoo-hoo chocolate drinks I don't care for. Blue-Hoo. Can we agree or do you have a more fitting name?


d- Blue-Hooo.... that sounds good to me! Just as long as she isn't as trashy as Betty Brown.


me- thumbs up!


d- Which gives me an idea....instead of Blue-Hoo we could call the new can Flat Foot Flewzy... cause I'm sure she'll be kinda' trashy.


me- What about Flat Foot Bluezy? :)

d- I like it.

me- Let's just hope she respects us (for replacing the Flewzy with Bluezy) and keeps her dang clothes on.


d- OR Bluezy Flewzy.


me- Flat Foot Bluezy is the name. And for a nickname  if we are feeling the need- Bluezy Flewzy. Agree?


d- Deal. I like the nickname better though... It just has a good ring to it. And it's cool.


me- Don't we have a wii character named Flat Foot Flewzy? If so,  I guess our trashy can is pretty tight with us.... I mean, a wii character has a sibling and it's our DUMPSTER! Twins - flewzy and bluezy. 


d- Heck, it's been so long since I played the wii I can't remember our characters names.... I know, I know, it's my fault we never play anymore. {talk to the hand}


me- Either way we can pretend. Because pretending makes me feel somewhat normal, somehow. Especially extreme pretending like thinking it is completely necessary to name our trash can! Thanks for participating in my weird bad arse games!


d- I enjoy the games.... you make them bad arse!

If you ever wonder why we are perfect together just ask me to kindly enlighten you with a convo we share similar to this one.

love,
m

(File under: NOTES TO SELF)

Be easy on yourself. 

You are going to be better than just fine.

There are friends I have from all phases of my life and it's {very}important to{always} be the self-less friend they deserve, or maybe don't deserve..regardless of how long I've known them....

And with the certain friendships that you will {maybe never} get in return what you put in, continue with your ways, whatever your ways may be. I was raised very well so I'm confident with the ways of my own. {thanks mama and daddy}

*this is one I have to constantly remind myself*

God has a plan. 

God has a plan. 

God has a plan.

YES!! FOR ME! God has a plan FOR ME!

And I know he has a purpose for taking his {dear sweet} time with helping me find a certain something.... don't jump to conclusions of the "certain something", please and thank you.

Reasons why I think God knows I can handle this 

long ride beautiful journey:

- I have prayed my whole life for patience and this is God's way of teaching me to have {excellent} patience.

- I keep my eyes opened to the beauty in things. I might {or might not} have a full time, hard core j-o-b right this moment but it all fits somewhere in God's plan he has for ME. 

- He is testing me in keeping the Faith. {That test, I think I can pass. Just steer clear of the math quizzes, pahh-leeze}

- I am in a very healthy/happy/gorgeous/determined/fun/spontaneous {okay I'll quit before it gets wayouttahand} relationship. God put me and David together for a reason.

- Somewhere in that plan God wants me to face other people that are digging deep in MY business.{trust me, i've faced that} He wanted to see how I reacted. WABAM! {eeeek. my patience} I left it in another town and had none here in ole' Covington County. {semi-recent happening in my life}

- Lesson: You can't fail all the tests but you can pass with a few bad quiz grades. Or test grades if that sounds more {or less} important to you. Whatev. It's possible. There is no study guide for passing the test of life. Cheat sheet? Those were made for high school when you were more concerned about your weekly crush than your upcoming test. Cheating the game of life  {yourself and others} is not going to make progress.The older you get the more you are faced with. Things get much, much bigger. Facing it is probably the hardest part if you are not 100% sure exactly what to do or where to go. Turn to God for a guidance map to keep you from getting {forever} lost. I am a firm believer that getting temporarily lost is not a bad thing. By taking detours you just might find a home, love, l-i-f-e, JOB, or bestfriendforever.

Pick that patience back up and  

"Keep on smiling what ya' go through"

*mama quit reading... or at least skip the next couple of lines*

Forge a signature {of approval} like you did in high school with a bad test grade and keep walking.... AT YOUR OWN PACE. Enjoy the blessings you are given and know that at the end of the day 

you did what you did {however, whatever, whoever, whenever} and tomorrow is a new day and

Another test.

Just remember: You win some, you lose some. 

AND ONLY YOUR DOG THINKS YOU ARE PERFECT!

love,

m

text convo:
d- Guess what? Topless Betty Brown is getting exchanged today.

me- Oh, really? Woo Hoo! We don't have to rename her do we? 
me- Let's just pretend she had a therapy session on how to quit being a trashy curbside hooker and hope she comes back as a "new", clean lady.

d- Hahaha.... sounds good to me. Even if the new one is blue like the rest of the trash cans on our street.

me- Noooooo!! It can't be blue! I will return it... OR, spray paint it brown!

d- Hahahah!

me- I'm now starring out the window like a crazy old lady waiting for our new trash can to get here in hopes that it's brown. Something is seriously wrong with this picture.


*our trash can (aka- Betty Brown) was involved in some things that wouldn't make parents proud. We would come home and find her beaten by the trash guys and sometimes topless. The last straw was the men taking her top with them.... But once a week she would just let it happen.....Today is a new day... We sent Betty Brown to get her problems in line! (hopefully)*

scenes from the front porch.

love,

m

this hangs above the fridge....full of leftovers.

I'm not t-totally satisfied with the background color being so matchy-matchy to the wall color. 

So, I'll keep my green eyes on it and see if something comes to the brain to change it up and make it pop a little better. Who knows, I might fall in love and keep it as is. Another little crafty made with love by me.

love,
m

this hangs....
above the little pantry of ours....
made with love....
by me....

love,
m

I spy...

pretty birds.

what do you spy?

love,

m

Looking forward....

KICKOFF STARTS IN FIVE DAYS! 

I've got football fever....bigtime!

Oh, also.... Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the coming up weekend has an extra day!! Woo-Hoo!

We had a couple from Troy come visit this weekend and shamefully, I didn't take a single picture to share. For that I kicked my own butt with my own foot. It rained. No surprise. That's just what it does on the weekends here, lately anyway. Bayou Lena has felt zero love come Happy Dance time (every weekend). She has just been cooped up in this creepy dark boat house all alone.Bless her soul! 

Mother Nature.... SAVE THE RAIN FOR THE WEEK DAYS! please.

Make the most of this Monday.... and make the most of the last two days of August. September will be here to slap you across the face and then kiss you on the lips come Wednesday! And I suggest you are at least ready! That month always seems to be full force! 

love,
m

wish list.

Jimmy Choo clutch = greatness!

love,
m

Yes, a bit excessive! But oh my goody, are these not adorable? So, so adorable?!! 

Talk about a cute boo-boo. 
oh also -  
One dollar from the sale of each tin will go to Design Ignites Change, an organization that engages high school and college students in design and architecture projects that address social issues in their own communities.



@Cynthia Rowley


love,
m

FALL HAIR REPORT:

Lots of body & throwback waves.

BRING ON THE VOLUME!

love,

m

endless

possibilities....

I could use this on a million things. I have a feeling it would be a lot like when I first discovered Mod Podge.... 

Everything in sight would be a victim of Japanese Washi tape!

love,
m

rewind

Before I can eat the lunch I just whipped up I have to take back my pouting about the chicken salad plan and be thankful I have food. There are people in the world who would have been thrilled to have chicken (any way) and they probably wouldn't have even cared to have a Guthrie's Specialty sauce to dip it in. Shhhh....  Lets pretend I didn't do that. 

So I am back to that early morning happy dance! And thankful to have always had a roof over my head and food in my belly! Good food, too. My Daddy can cook better than yours, I promise. And he fed... well still does, so feeds... my family to the extremes. It blows my mind sometimes with the taste he can put behind any kind of food.

 
love,
m

This shouldn't happen on a Friday.

I am was craving chicken salad. So off to cooking I went. Chicken boiling in the pot and all. I'll be a starving monkey now because we have zero mayo and zero eggs (which I knew already just planned on doing without the egg part).
So down the sink the boiling water goes and in the skillet the chicken cooks.
Now what...that was totally not my plan. It's almost like turning up a beer when you think it's a sprite. I'm cooking the chicken staring at it wishing it was never taken out of the freezer. I think I'm just going to pout for ten more minutes. I know I know, life isn't fair and I'm no Rachel Ray. But dang, chicken salad = the two words my tummy has been screaming for the past hour.Now it's just screaming ugly words at me.

love,
m

About that time!

HAPPY DANCE, PEOPLE! It's Friday!
Who's bad Glad?

love,
m

"Memo" Mail.

remember when i told you guys about my grandmother, memo, sending me hand written letters at least once a week? well i wanted to share the one i got today. she has the sweetest way of putting words on paper.

"Mallory and David,
    The blessings in our life are so much more meaningful when you have someone to share them with. I truly believe it was God's will when the two of you met at Mr. Ho's months ago. Mallory since you were born you have been a meaningful part of our lives. David since you are in Mallory's life now we feel the same about you. You both are so special and to God also. I can't imagine getting through anything without Grandad, faith, and love of family, (and friends...Ziggy I'm not leaving you out) Sending love and prayers. Memo and Grandad
P.S. I guess I'm just in a sentimental mood.
8-24-10
Thought for the day
"Always think good memories"
"Always value the love of family and friends"
"When you count your blessing, they always outnumber your problems"
"God can help us when we make mistakes- but HE can't do much for is if we do nothing."
"Age is mostly a matter of mind, If you don't mind it doesn't matter" (this is for memo and grandad)
"We take for granted God's spectacular creation which surrounds us. Everything in creation reflects God's glory. God's glory is all around us" (this is for you two at Gantt Lake, so pretty down there!)
<3 memo"




"memo mail" makes me feel so loved. and truly blessed. oh, and i cried, happy tears.


love,
m

the boyfriend brought wine home for our (almost) daily sunset cruise. cheers to that.

love,
m

I'm ready to wrap a scarf around my neck. 

I feel fall approaching more each day. 

Despite the temp still being in the 90's during the day.... something fall-ish is in the air.

And I lurves it.

love,
m

you got that right. 


tomorrow I have crafts planned. i had big ideas tonight to get it somewhat organized and ready to go at it hard core tomorrow. and then the giant size thing of glitter fell right at my feet from the tip top of a closet. it was pretty.... for two seconds. 
i did a happy dance right there by myself and then pinched my arm extra hard thinking about my celebration of the glitter that will now probably reside there forever. and ziggy will gladly help the glitter find it's way around the entire house i am sure. oh- it's gold.

love,

m

boil baby boil

hey, eyeballs.

a little on the spicy side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

super delicious. 
all of it. 
so good we ate it again tonight. besides this time it was more in a little piggy way. well, big piggy i guess since we both made "hungry man" size happy plates.

I wasn't lying when I said Ziggy approved. Oh, and Joplin is crazy in love with Ziggy. But I mean.... for real.... how couldn't you love Zig?

They are seriously entertaining together. I just hope that Joplin continues allowing Ziggy to push her (with her nose/whole head) across the porch at any time, any speed. She just purrs like a motor boat. It's a loud purr, too. I can even hear it when Joplin's whole head is (gently) in Ziggy's mouth. They are flippin' cute new bff's.

I'm like a peeping TOM Mom when these two are outside on the front porch together. And even unattended they are still so sweet to one another.




They eat out of the same bowl. Whaaaa? I didn't know cats and dogs normally did that.

Anywho... I personally think it's super duper cute. And I'm pretty sure you would as well. The only mini problem there has been so far was quickly cleared up. Ziggy made sure of a few things... the main things being that Joplin never got to sleep inside, ride the boat, go to the gator grocery and such. No worries Ziggy! None of that will be a problem.

love,
m

No.... this is not a picture of me watering the knives and cutting board in the sink. 

This is just what happens when you walk away while the watering can is filling up and venture outside and completely forget about the faucet being on. It overflows all over the floor and everywhere else possible... and you pour enough out to make it out the door in a quick, side step way as if you haven't already got the entire kitchen floor wet. I should have just slowed my roll and tried mopping the floor with miracle grow fertilizer and water. You never know until  you try... maybe next time if i ever space out again and let that stunt happen. 

I may or may not have a short attention span.

love,

m

Please allow me to introduce you to........

Joplin!

She is named. And loved. Still working on the boyfriend being weirded out when Joplin wants to show him love by rubbing against his legs. That totally throws him for a loop. But he completely suggested we keep it when he saw the little nugget killing all sorts of bugs while grilling out the other night. I wasn't even going to ask.... so of course when he suggested, I was thrilled. I love adopting anything that needs a new home and some good, good loving. Psssst - to all those shopping addicts... I'm completely open for adopting clothes you are tired of. My closet is tick-tocking me off here lately.
Oh and the more extreme/different the better.... Just keep in mind I don't look good in yellow, sadly. I wish it was a better color for me because it makes me so happy looking at that color. Especially when it's a flowy summer dress.... But anyways back to Joplin.... adoption number two for me in the last year of my life with animals. Ziggy approved because she knows how fortunate she is to have me as a mama. yes, i said it. :)

love,
m

this probably made me laugh more than most people but that's okay. laughing is a good thing. in fact it reminds me of the one time I got a round brush stuck in my hair (right at the flippin' roots) and had a panic attack trying to get it out... so much a panic attack that my reaction was to jump in the shower and try getting it out while pouring an entire bottle of conditioner on my hair. eventually, after a rough fight with the stupid round brush and my hair (many brain cells and a bottle of expensive conditioner later) i won that darn match. it also reminds me of this one time when ziggy was staying with the grandparents (back in her  o.o.c. days) and i called mama to check on the four legged child and her response was this "she's fine... i just went back there to check on her and she had a coat hanger around her neck... and i think she helped you take your christmas tree down since the holidays were over."

love,
m

scenes from a bridge.

READ: I am not responsible for this. Just a passerby.

  love,

m

 
good tune tuesday.
Grace Potter, are you listening?
If so....you have a stunning voice.
Icantgetenoughofyou kind of talent.

love,
m

pretty flowers the handsome one brought home.

 

I think we have a new family member. (outside only, though)
Ziggy is the boss and if she continues to approve I suppose it will be confirmed.... a new kitty.
David's friend, Paul, didn't think much of feeding a kitten at the house. Whaaaa??? You never feed a cat unless you want it to stay forever. Needless to say, It's been here since it's first bite of food... not to mention it was STEAK! So off to name picking.... We can't have a cat without a cool name.
I never saw this coming. And definitely never thought the words "I'm going to get some captain morgan and cat food" would come out of David's mouth.

love,
m

Sweet Daddy of mine was working out of town last week....happened to be in the beach area and oh-la-la picked up some fresh shrimp. Thoughtfully sent home a big bag of it with the boyfriend and I. So beefs shrimp's for dinner tonight. And if you can't tell.... I'm excited. Fresh seafood is a blessing to me.

love,
m

One day last week we had a house full and kabob's were the calories chosen to intake. 
I was prepping them before the crowd showed up just to spare some butt bumping in our small kitchen. I usually give my sister all the credit for the O.C.D. crown...until I found myself struggling big time with getting over the fact that the kabobs aren't going to be the same. Kabobs don't even need to be the same. Years ago, in my high school days, John Mayer brought something to my attention. He stopped in the middle of doing what he's paid well to do for a quick shoe tying re-do. He went on to explain (briefly) the reason that was necessary was because he was a very symmetrical person and one shoe was tied tighter than the other. My attention wondered from the next song played and thought only about myself having the same problem. I am the same way. John Mayer and I could be best friends. Well, honestly back in the high school time frame, style that causes me to make the eeekkk noise, young buck days I probably wasn't thinking we could be friends.... I was more  dreaming he could be my boyfriend because of that one common ground we shared. I'm a symmetrical kind of gal.... house hunting, cooking kabobs and balancing out matching end tables. That more than likely has something to do with me being a even number freak and spazzing about odd numbers. Yet, such an odd person I am. That's all.

kabob prep

love,
m

ironic litter.

crush the crush.

love,

m

this is proof that ziggy is an attentive driver.

this is emme helping david drive.

this is how to drive if doritos are on board.

this is a true "i got my eyes on you" look from ziggy.

 this is our honky-tonkin' and it deserves a salute.

this is me with a close friend visiting the dirty water.


this is my good-bye for now.
love,
m

"but a good brain ain't diddley
if you don't have the facts
we live in a breakable take-able world
an ever available possible world
and we can make music
like we can make do
genius is in a back beat
backseat to nothing if you're dancing
especially something stupid
like I.Q.
for every lie I unlearn
I learn something new
I sing sometimes for the war that I fight
'cause every tool is a weapon -
if you hold it right."
 -ani difranco, people. ani difranco. love her with me. it's not hard to do. the words that come out of her mouth could stalk my ears and always keep them filled. i wouldn't complain.

Today. This Monday, Monday....I'd say lets drink more coffee than normal and make it a hyper, bouncing off the walls Monday but I don't really care for coffee. So, someone do it for me. (i don't ask for much... come on)

love,
m

as some would find it very convincing that my brain is extremely random others might not.
so i get an itch to share a random.
not to change anyone's mind.
just because. bedtime stories never hurt.

The scariest dream I've ever had goes like this:
I was chased around for what felt like hours by 10 pink pigs. These pigs were oinking in some fierce "I hate you, I'm going to eat you" oink. As if the horrific oink wasn't enough I was being chased... in a dream.... I'd almost rather a mad chase like that go down when I'm awake because sucker, is it not the most "slow motion for me" run everrrrr while taking off in a dream nightmare. In a situation like that while awake I think I could have smoked em'! Not literally....just smoked as in outran. No doubt.... I can zoom pretty darn fast on the two feet of mine. But mmmm I would have worked up plenty of an appetite to have that other way of "smoking" a pig after a dream like that. Oh also... this high speed chase between me and all the little mean oinking pigs all took place in a single wide trailer. What in the world was going through my brain before I went to bed that night in order for this to happen while I was trying to sleep sweetly.... the end.

As for tonight....
I request pig-free dreams. Preferably a dream about a low-key little slice of paradise. Perhaps a dream about a fallsapproachingbreezyafternoon with just me, the boyfriend, Ziggy and a good book....
napping on and off all day long in a hammock somewhere away from the woods on the dirty water. Let's say.... Hawaii, please. Ahh, "picture me rollin'" (would 2pac be a lame excuse for whipping out that little gangsta-ness?)


love,
m

smile sunday.

 












today i am thankful for:
ziggy's crooked teeth smile.
the smell after you deep clean.
hard core thunder.
pandora radio.
the ability to be completely honest with yourself and others.

I love Sundays.
love,
m

Every time I clean the upstairs like I did today I need to open up a bottle of wine and remind myself that I am not the maid.... just the lady of the house.

love,
m

this song (well, whole album) makes me think of fall approaching.
and believe it or not i am eager for those days.
happy friday. whistle for the weekend!
and be good at being young.

love,
m

t

"these boots are made for walking....

and these paws are made for prancing....

so that's just what we'll do." -ziggy

Ziggy added her touch to that song and thinks she deserves a fist pump for her effort. i agree with her on that one. Pretty clever little pooch.

love,

m

 
"guess what i do for adventure? i hand glide on a dorito."
this is freakin' awesome.

love,

m

At the young age of 22 my beautiful cousin, Janna found out she has ovarian cancer. She is having another surgery this morning and I would like anyone who is reading this to pretty, pretty please stop what you are doing and say a prayer for her. Janna is keeping such a positive attitude and she is putting her trust in the Lord. Pray pray pray! (please, please, please) And don't just say one... keep them coming because she feels them. Thanks so very much.

love,
m