Smiling Down

The whole family got together tonight to celebrate the wonderful exchange that is about to take place. On Wednesday, Derrek and Chris will undergo the greatly anticipated kidney transplant. For Derrek, it is about giving the gift of all gifts, the gift of life, to his oldest, dearest friend and cousin. And for Chris, it means a life-saving, life-changing act of selflessness and love from his oldest, dearest friend and cousin. Jimmy toasted the two of them on behalf of the family. It was very heartfelt and touching, and left everyone speechless. Except for Chris, who stood up and graciously expressed his gratitude. The whole evening was amazing. This is what family is about. Vernon and Zola would be so proud.

Billie Pride...Uber Alles!

We went to watch Alli cheer in the pep rally last Friday. It was the first time since I graduated (1995) that I have attended an FHS event. Wow, did it ever take me back! The familiar, pounding sounds from the band, the exact same cheerleading dance (yes, I managed to refrain from joining in...barely), the unbridled school spirit, the Billie Goat mascot and the silly skits, and that tear-jerking Alma Mater (school song.) You should've seen the goosebumps I got and the permasmile plastered across my face. Willa enjoyed it, too, and you can see from the pictures how she was enthralled with the noise and big-kid excitement. If only I could re-live a home-game Friday back at FHS. Those were the days...

My Plate Project

Well, here it is. I'm a day late to post, but did you really expect any different? When my mom came over, she was totally in, just as I predicted. But between the two of us, we decided that I needed a few more plates. So yesterday, I hit the antique mall and found 3 new ones to add to the mix. Once I laid them all out, I got really excited about it and just couldn't wait for my mom. She was with me in spirit, definitely, as I remembered and followed her no-fail tips for plate-hanging. #1 Lay out your design prior to hanging to avoid putting unneccesary nail holes in your wall...I wanted an arching pattern that would draw the eye up and emphasize the back door and it's sunny view of the yard. #2 Keep your spacing consistent...I went with about a 3 inch gap between all of my plates to give it a clean and airy feel. #3 Avoid placing plates of similar shape (with the exception of round ones,) size, pattern, and color next to one another. I tried to spread out the solids and mix up the styles, but kept with a set color palette. And #4 It's not permanent, so don't overthink it. I had to keep repeating this one like a mantra. I have a habit of overthinking (everything.) I am thoroughly pleased with the results and I love my kitchen again!