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?

i can do anything good...

the holidays make me feel

like this sometimes.

how bout you?

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...

jumping.

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, 

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

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?

check it out here

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

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,

got mr. ramsey's book.

 

kept a notebook.

plotted.

planned.

and stuck to the path.

had some setbacks,

but never wavered in my goal.

i asked for your accountability here

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

icon of the week:

 need i say more?

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.

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?

look here

this is how 

we get ready for her visit

 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 

front  porch

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.

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.

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

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:

apple vichyssoise

(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.