Friday Eye Candy: Royal Wedding

You know it.
We woke up at 4am.

Had to be at a party...

this party...


Thank goodness all we had to do was
roll out of bed in our jim jams,
throw on a hat and head out our back patio
to our fantastic neighbor's back porch.

This was waiting for us.
Nummy.

Cucumber mint sammies
(no crust, of course)
Fresh Strawberries
Proper English Clotted Cream
Jam
Tea
*We humbly donated the Scones

Look at the glasses placed on the leaf?
So cute...

Miss Christin explains the food and beverage options.
Love her.

We weren't the only early risers.
This is Yvette.
She drove all the way down from Connecticut.
She wouldn't miss this shin dig!

Look at my girls.
Enthralled.


Their first Royal Wedding.

We hung on every word...

And oh, that dress!
Still can't decide which I like better,
Kate's
or Pippa's?

Donning hats,
sans make-up,
in jams.

A parting gift even?

Stop it...
Who's the best?

Miss Christine!

Tell me how you experienced the
Royal Wedding...

Will + Kate = TLA

Timeless Goodness of Parsons Tables

Mixing old and new.

Modern and traditional.
Sleek and textured.

Nothing like the timelessness
of a good old
Parsons table.

You can put them in any space.

Whether a side table, sofa table,
kitchen table or desk.

They never go out of style.

Could you use a Parsons table in your space?

www: on the run, anyone?

This is what happens

when you are on the run...

a shot of you and your sis-in-law
in
cruddy workout clothes.

Okay,
Lululemon ain't so cruddy.

Tell me your fave clothes
to work out in.

Would love to hear...

What is Your Patio Furniture Style?

Need your input, peeps.

Now that I've got a deck to furnish at the new pad,
wheels have been turning.

Yeah...

this deck.
See more shots here...

What style do I land on,
I ask?

Here are my needs:
dining,
lounging,
happy hour.

Give me your take...

L-O-V-E this indoor/outdoor style
Great for dinner-on-the-deck night.

If only I had a fire-pit to surround...

Or pool to surround...

So drawn to the sofa-outside-look.

Plush

This one is for sure, one of my faves.
But where would my
dining portion take place?

Again,
need your thoughts...

Navy Life and Holidays

The Navy life ain't always easy

around holiday time.

Happy Easter,
by the way.

As you may know,
Mr. Man is working hard at Fort Bragg
doing super secret, long-hours stuff.

He couldn't be with us for Easter
(although we did just have a great
house-hunting week together as a family in NC)

Mr. Man is very sad not to be with his family
on this special holiday.

My big plans, without hubs, you ask?

Church and a movie...

That was, until a dear dear family in our hood,
extended an invitation to join them at their table.

This is the silver lining, gang.

The navy life has brought amazing
people into our lives.

My girls babysit their girls.

Let me introduce you...


I so wish I had a picture of their mom and dad.

Not only did they invite us into their home,
but they have enveloped our family with
repeated hospitality, warmth and
a friendship I know
will go on and on.

For this I am grateful, so grateful.

The girls help with the little ones and their little baskets.

Nice picture, huh?
I got a lot of flack for this one...
thanks girls.


Feel so grateful when my family is taken in and
treated so well.

Little do people know,
the impression it leaves on us.

Happy Easter,
Brookes style.

Signed a lease!

Glory be!

In town one day...
looked at two houses
and scored this one.

Would you look at that porch?
Love.

American flag,
hanging ferns.
Love.

We women love a good kitchen.
For me...
white all the way.
Another score.

I can just see the fam,
having dinner on the back porch.
Cocktail, anyone?

More hanging ferns...

a kazillion azaleas.
More love.

North Carolina,
you've made us feel very welcome.
I see good things coming our way.

So what do you think?

House Hunting In North Carolina

Pardon my absence peeps.

The Brookes Fam is off
searching for a place
to live for the
next two years.

Fayetteville,
here we come.

I'll check back in and
show you what we find!

Guest Room Part 2

This is Guest Room
Part 2.

If you missed part 1,
here it is...

That was our way of
making grandma
(our very first house guests)
feel welcomed,
special,
and very much honored.

Now that we are a bit more seasoned
with prepping our guest room,
here are a few more tips
to extend that welcome even further.

Fresh flowers
Alarm Clock
Empty drawers
(okay, only 2, but that's something, right?)

a pair of generic readers
for the +40 crowd

Mirror for sprucing up.

Wish I would have thought of this one
a long time ago...
guest book.

How much fun would that have been
to have started this way back when,
spanning all
all our guests over the years,
and all our duty stations?

Better late than never, right?

Hand written welcome note

Goodie
"welcome to dc"
baskets

Uncle Mike and Aunt Les
adult version:
mags, cliff bars, water, granola

Izzie and Little A
kid version:
DC coloring books, new box of crayons,
sidewalk chalk, candies, bottle of water.

I think the candy in the baskets was the biggest hit.

So if you haven't seen me for a while,
I'm off making family memories
with my peeps.

Tell me ways YOU welcome lay down the welcome mat...