November 29, 2011

blazer love

bought one of these diddy's
and am 
loving it 
more than i ever thought.


oh so versatile


 

 have to say


i consider it a top ten piece

 in any closet

 any climate

any season

with wide legs

or cropped skinnys

you in?

November 28, 2011

i can do anything good...


the holidays make me feel
like this sometimes.

how bout you?

November 26, 2011

kind of a trend around here: jumping

had the most wonderful thanksgiving
(even though mr. man was far far away)

hope you did, too.

table was decked,
food was scrumptious,
and the company was even better.

drank prosecco with fresh rosemary,
haven't tried it?
you should.
mmmm mmmm

one thing team brookes tends to  mark
special days with...

so we did not stray

took a couple of these


also landed our xmas card pic yesterday.

you'll see that a little later.
promise.

enjoy your holiday weekend.

as always, 


November 24, 2011

i give you thanks

Psalm 30:12
that my heart may sing to you 
and not be silent. 
O LORD my God,
I give you thanks.
 

happy thanksgiving
2011

November 23, 2011

peacocks and pinecones: my thanksgiving table


love 
love 
love
having thanksgiving in my home

the food
the smell
the company
the after-dinner walk around the hood

and of course 
the piece de resistance

the table
all dressed up and ready to 
par-tay

i have yet to set it
the same way 
two years in a row

i know
crazy to some

guess it feeds
my creative urges


 this year
it's 
peacocks 
and pinecones

maybe with a little
monogram thrown in for good measure
interested in past 
thanksgiving tables?

9 people
2 missing
both in a combat zone
protecting our freedoms


thankful
for the
loved ones i am surrounded by
and the table that's big enough 
to feed them


this is,
people,
my fave holiday
of 
all 
time

 kicks off
the season of giving
you see.


 and isn't that 
what life is all about?


tell me about how you celebrate
this glorious day
and of course
your table setting
and those you gather with

November 15, 2011

thank you dave ramsey and thrifty decor chick

can i say it out loud?
is this really happening?
has the day really come?

this is me,
hardly believing it

we

are

debt

free!!!!!

this is huge, peeps.

have imagined this day
have dreamed about it
have admired it in others living it

and lo and behold
it has happened.

let me back it up
i read this post
over at thrifty decor chick 
 way back in february of this year.

was so happy for her.
jealous of her, in fact.
wanted that to be me.
that was all it took.

after that day,
kept a notebook.
plotted.
planned.
and stuck to the path.

had some setbacks,
but never wavered in my goal.


reality set in?

not sure it has

probably will sink in next pay period when
i go to chunk down mr and ms credit card
and realize they are not begging for all my money anymore
and they have gone away.
far away.

for now.
i want to breath in this moment.
enjoy the freedom associated with it.
let it fill me 

aah

feels good

peeps,
i know how passionate money can be.
we all have our stories associated with it,
our hot buttons,
our preconceived ideas about it
oh  and let's not forget those in denial about it.
wherever you are on the spectrum

debt free living is:

pure
authentic
honest
noble
forthright
challenging
responsible
and 
living right by God

i want to stay right here for a while

so 
thank you,
dave ramsey

thank you,
thrifty decor chick

you did this to me

i am forever grateful.

please tell me your story.
where are you in this process?
does this ignite the same passion in you
as it does in me?

would love to swap stories,
be your cheerleader,
listen 
empathize.

we are all in this together.


“You must gain control over your money 
or the lack of it will forever control you.”
-dave ramsey


November 14, 2011

November 11, 2011

honoring those on this veterans day

veterans day
november 11

honoring all those
who have served
and continue to serve.



whether on the battlefield,
on foreign soil, 
or in our own community.


thanking you for your dedication 
and loyalty to our country.

deeply appreciating the sacrifices made
to keep our country free.


November 9, 2011

grag a comin'

this lady will be 
boarding a plane in minutes.
the girls and i are giddy with anticipation.

not sure who this little lady is?

this is how 

 will be her first time 
to our new north carolina digs

 can't wait to show her 
a proper southern welcome.

this is what we have planned:

1.  explore the culinary delights 
that only fayetteville has to offer

2.  fully utilize our 
and those awesome black rockers

3.  take a field trip to raleigh
for a pre-christmas shopping
extravaganza

4. get in our jams at 7:30
only to climb in bed and do hair train 
with the girls.

5.  laugh...
(we do a lot of that 
when grag is around)

6.  play scrabble

7.  enjoy a glass of merlot 
while we make her famous mashed potatoes
that only she has perfected.
8.  count our blessings that we have each other
and live close enough for regular visits.

will let you know exactly 
what we end up doing.

photos and deets comin'

tell  me how you enjoy 
your most special loved ones 
when you get them all to yourself.


November 8, 2011

new shoe love: clogs

heidi struts in her's

Julianne Moore rocks her's

jessica prefers red ones

kate like's 'em high.

this is what i just picked up.

 
in them now.
love them.
i like to call them my outdoor slippers.

tell me about a pair of your comfies.

November 7, 2011

trust in the lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your path.
proverbs 3:5-6

November 3, 2011

getting ready for turkey day

not sure about you 
but team brookes goes thru
a little routine each year as we gear up
 for turkey day.

have i mentioned my fave holiday is turkey day?
well, it is.
probably because it's smack dab in the middle of 
'the season'
and it surrounds good smells, good food and family.
good stuff, i tell ya.

so
this little old process of gearing up starts early for us.
like just after we put the halloween stuff away. 
i fully realize we 
have a whole three weeks until the big day
but who's counting?
certainly not me.


first thing we do:
we listen to christmas music

probably not what you would expect.
i know.
so for  those of you
who aren't crazy about listening to carols in november,
better not come over here.
just saying.

and
 believe it or not, 
it was my girls who
cranked up pandora's christmas radio 
without a word from their mother.

have i corrupted them, or what?

yeah pandora!

2. start making soups

we love eating soup for dinner around this time of year.

some of our faves:

(pretty much apple, potate leek soup)

harvest butternut squash soup

split pea with ham


add bread and salad.
num.

lastly,
we love to ring in thanksgiving with a thanksgiving tree.

now normally i don't put up this bad boy until 
the week of thanksgiving.

but with nothing but time on my hands
and no living relatives in my vicinity to give me a hard time,
i'm wide open.

bring on the tree.

(pics to come,
it's not quite up yet...but it will be)

in the meantime
here are some pics from past thanksgivings

2007
starfish, sparkly coral and golden oak leaves

thanksgiving tree,
aka: homecoming-red-white-and-blue-tree
2008

2010
fleur de lis, peacock balls, gold sprigs

mulling over what will be on the tree this year

tell me how you get ready for thanksgiving.

or not.