Friday Favorites are back, baby!

This week has been, in the words of my fellow blogger Elsie Larson  a very "un-photogenic week" haha.  I don't think  I picked up my camera even once!  Now before that news gives you a stroke,  I will tell you that it's only Friday (week's not over yet".. Actually, it's pretty well done. Nevermind ;)

This was a busy week for us  with the kids in school, their taekwondo classes, and my business meetings.  Only 2 faves this week that really stand out

Favorite   - been watching Season 7 of this show ( and YES, I'm quite aware that we're a season behind, thankyouverymuch  NO spoilers please! ;)   It makes me laugh SO hard. ( You know when you're laughing so hard that no sound comes out and you just winding up silently gasping and clapping your hands together like a seal? ya, that's me)

 

 Favorite - My next new hair color??   

 

 

I'm currently obsessed with rich dark shades of brown for autumn again, (think Rachel Weisz aka. "Mrs. 007" or Angelina Jolie back in her "Lara Croft: TombRaider" days) . Plus, I liked the contrast between my green eyes and the deep, cool-hued browns  It's been awhile since I had my hair this dark, so I'm gonna have to make sure that I don't let myself get too pale this winter or I'll wind up looking like  Kristen Stewart's Twilight character  . And let's face it, nobody wants that!

 

My weekend to-do list is to enjoy our Date Night tonight, try to get some canning done ( peaches & pears), stain the patched-up part of my coffee table leg. My self-commissioned photo challenge is to try to snap a few candids of my kids getting along. 

 

In better-than-paparazzi-stealth mode,

-J

 

 

Weekly Friday Favorites

woot woot!  It's my favorite day of the week again! Somehow fridays are always more productive for some reason. Maybe there's motivation to work harder knowing there's a day off coming? who knows, haha. 
here's some favorites of mine this week:

These handmade "coffee cozies"

photo credit

Besides keeping your hands protected from the scalding hot coffee to-go cups, it's re-usuable  (aka enviro- friendly) and personalized - so you can tell your drink apart from everyone else's ( helpful when you buy a round of coffees for all your friends or coworkers!) and TOTALLY ADORABLE ( who doesn't love puppies?)

I want one!

 

 

THIS perfume has been my favorite wear-it-every-day-'cause-it-smells-divine scent for years now

photo credit

I actually have almost run out of it (again) and so I'm trying desperately to limit myself to just wearing it occasionally until I can get more. In the meantime, I've just been wearing a good 'ol standby, vanilla oil from The Body Shop.

 

The three little words:

 

 

For some strange reason my kids don't like these words nearly as much as I do, hahaha!  But the school supplies shopping is a fun part, and we always have a back-to-school party with, you guessed it - CUPCAKES!

 

Speaking of school, that brings me to my next favorite,

This painting: by one of my favorite artist's, Elsie Larson of Red Velvet Art

 

Photo credit

I wish I could fill my entire house with her paintings. Love love love!

 

The kids and I are still mid-way through our painting project so that still has to be finished up this weekend. Tonight is our regular "Friday pizza and a movie" night (can hardly wait!) and hopefully tomorrow we can finish painting the walls and do some grocery shopping down across the line in "the Americas". School supply shopping might get postponed till Sunday, and I still have preparations for the baby shower next week. Oh, and at some point I have to reorganize the supply closet in my art studio, and a few home closets as well.

That concludes my to-do list for the weekend. What are your plans?

 

Weekends fuller than my unorganized closets, 

-J

 

 

 

More Favorites ....

Time for this friday's favorites again.  I hope you have all enjoyed your week, and if not, cheer up because it's nearly over!  We've had an especially busy week around here and it's going to be busy right on into the weekend a bit. But you know what? That's okay because first thing next Monday morning I'll be packing up the kids to go camping for a few days! Really looking forward to that and you can count on a post with the camping pics once we're back.

Favorite #1 - THIS FACE :)  I was looking through photos to add to my photo gallery and I came across one of my adorable sons at age 10 months. Look at those cheeks! mwaaa!

Favorite # 2  - Red Velvet cupcakes

photo credit

My longtime obsession with these delicious southern treats was only deepened this week after making a whole batch of them and topping them with fresh local cherries. I would have posted one of my own photos of the ones I had made, but in all honesty we ate them all before I even thought of reaching for my camera, haha!  

Favorite #3 - peaceful places to think (or read!)

Doesn't the branch of this tree look like the perfect "chair" to sit on and think deep thoughts? haha. It's right along one of my favorite running routes and each time I run past it I tell myself that I'm going to sit on it one day and read a book! (I sense a new year's resolution brewing)

Favorite #4 - tiny baby birds!

My mom took this photo - I've never seen birds this young before, she took this photo right after she watched them hatch!   Way to catch a photo op, mom ;)  I'm so proud!)

Favorite #5 - good friends ;)

My girl Jocelyn on the right, my former roommate and one of my good friends, with whom I have shared many adventures with over the years is coming to visit this weekend, yay! Yes I realize this photo is not in any way professional and ridiculously unflattering, but I love that cause it makes me laugh every time I see it!

What are some of your favorites this Friday? Comment below!

More hugs than cupcakes,

 -J

Friday Favorites

Fridays are usually bittersweet for me. It means the end of the workweek (yay!) and it also means I have to say goodbye to two my amazing children as they go to their dad's for the weekend ( awww man!) . It means  I finally get precious alone time spent and alot of that time winds up being used to take care of mudane weekend tasks/chores that still need taking care of ( awww man!) .
In light of this I try to keep focused on the postive and so I'm proposing a Friday Favorites weekly post, to keep everyone's spirits up as the weekend approaches and hopefully challenge YOU to pick out your top five ( or heck, even ten) favortie things!

#1 - funky cellphone camera options

Take a look at this simple beautiful yellow gerber daisy. I played with my phone camera's options and settled on the "negative" option for this one. I thought it looked kinda funky.  Here's the "normal" (aka "boring" shot)

BUT I love love love the actual color of this flower. I wish my cellphone had a better camera to capture the intensely rich yellow, it's one of my most favorite colors!


#2 - frozen blended lattes
a yummy and much needed pick-me-up during the summer to help pull me out of the mid-afternoon slump ;)

(all you awesome girls at JoJo's cafe totally rock!)

#3 - the beach

I joke that I've become a "local" in the destination resort town that I live in because the summer is half over and I've barely been the beach at all, and not even once for a swim! haha

#4 - this fun card!

The adorable card was made by my beautiful, creative mentor and friend Barb - who is one of my most favoritist people on the whole planet! Make sure you head on over to her blog  to see how she made it, and for all you digital scrapbookers out there, she has lots of freebies as well as amazing elements you can buy! 

#5 - These guys ;)  These two are my ALL TIME FAVORITE ever! xoxo.  I consider myself the luckiest, most blessed Mama on the planet to be blessed with the privilege of growing these two sweet boys into strong, compassionate men!

Ok! well I hope this inspired you keep your thoughts on all the wonderful blessings in your life as you head into the weekend.
  I'm headed into the city to rescue some friends from an hour-long channel float, and then make them feed me,  haha!

Look Ma, No hands!

My first REAL climbing experience ( real= no indoor climbing wall with mats below, haha) came this weekend. Here I am in my friends' harness, perched precariously on the side of the bluff, giving the thumbs up sign,  haha.

 

 I was surprised by how easily I became fascinated by the challenge of  it. It's all about pushing yourself beyond your mental limitations and proving to yourself just how much you can accomplish. On a personal level, I don't think there is anything more rewarding. Challenging myself is what I'm all about!

One of my friends took these couple photos of me climbing, while the other belayed me from the ground.  I can honestly say that as far as Trust Building Moments go, there's no greater exercise in trust than having to lean back over a 36-meter cliff and trust your friend to lower you safely to the ground. Seriously, as far as seeing trust in action, this is a HUM-DINGER! hahaha!

I wished I had a longer zoom lens with me, it would have made for some incredible shots. unfortunately not though. 

So that wraps up our weekend climbing adventure.

I hope you all were able to get out and enjoy from fresh air at some point over your weekend. If not, make yourself a promise that you'll get out next weekend, and keep your promise. Your health with thank you for it!

Thumbs up from way up there,

-J

Top 5 Weekend Favorites

How was your weekend?  Was is hot and sunny?  Or did you wake up to find a blizzard outside your window?  Or was it just Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs?  hahaha  (my kids liked that movie)

Being where I live, I got a combination of weather, It was pouring buckets when I woke up this morning, and overcast as we headed out for the day.

BUT

this was the sight that greeted me earlier in the evening as I headed for long overdue visit to my wonderful, dearly missed, never-get-enough-time-with-her friend Barb's house ( I have blogged about her several times in the past, at least) you can visit her too, at lalalime.blogspot.com

Favorite #1 - sunshine-lit orchards and vineyards - right at my doorstep

I pulled over, super excited that I ACTUALLY had my ACTUAL full SLR camera ACTUALLY with me for an unexpected photo op of nature.

So I pulled it out, pressed the shutter and .....  nothing happened.

No memory card! 

No problem, because unbelieveably I just so happened to have my smaller kodak camera on hand also. (almost never happens that I have both at the same time)  I hastily grabbed the memory card from that one, popped it into my camera and . . . . . .   nothing happened.

{That awkward feeling when you realize the battery is dead}

DOH!   I know, I know, rookie mistake! 

So this pics was taken with the only other camera I had with a working battery, my Kodak Play-ful waterproof camera.  Which is my new favorite back-up camera!

Favorite #2 - Kodak Play-ful waterproof camera. 

I brought this baby along with me to Mexico and it held it's own in some pretty big waves! haha

Favoite #3 - cute rocker-girl guitar picks

I've been goofing around on my guitar for years with only a handful of lessons under my belt ( I prefer to teach myself) and I couldn't resist taking a pic of the funky picks that caught my eye in the music store today!

Favorite #4 -Mango-Pineapple fruit smoothies from McDonald's

Totally addicted.     Seriously.

My Starbucks frappaccino days are in danger of extinction!

Favorite #5 - Smiley-face balloons! ( a whole laz-e-boy full of 'em!)

Honestly, just because =)

I hope you all had a great weekend, and I hope you had a chance to enjoy one or two of your favorite things. Or maybe you had an opportunity to discover a new favorite thing!  

-J