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January 27, 2012

fashion week continues: grainy stripes on stripes

 slight obsession with stripes

of all kind

as you can see
i like  mixing them

 
 probably not fashionable
or chic
or with it

but right now
i'm a fan.



January 25, 2012

wardrobe wednesday: what i do when hubs is away

exhibit a:
one blue button down
(mens)

can you see where this is going?


nothing like 
walking around all day, 
knowing who's garb you are in.

especially when 
he's far and away


ah.
get back soon.


January 22, 2012

clutch love-blog love

totally understandable.

i need another bag 
like i need a hole in the head.

sometimes can't help myself 
 
mostly i stalk.
like this amazing


 not bad for just $56
real leather
tons of solid colors
want the stripes?  
have to add those bad boys yourselves.

please visit
(i regularly stalk this style icon...
impeccable master at layering)

you'll drool over her outfits,
much like i do.

also love this little


this  is sydney over at 

love her.
she's one of  my bff's
but she just doesn't know it yet.
you know.
one of those girls, 
you know you'll love the second you meet them.

tell me
if you share my sentiment

January 18, 2012

broad stripped panels: made my moi


finally...
my long time 
want
of making stripped panels
finally
turned into a 
reality 
this week.

 
 originally was going to hang them in my dining room.

see here

well.
that did not happen
but this did...

play room 
stripes.

love how it turned out.


so easy anyone can do it.


started out with a simple black panel
(from walmart)


and one white cotton shower curtain
(that i cut to make stripes)
so,
what do you think?

are diy stripped panels in your future?
easy
peasy.

and as always,


January 16, 2012

mlk jr


"I have decided to stick with love.
Hate is too  great a burden to bear."

Martin Luther King Jr.
1967

January 14, 2012

on the hunt...

 zara bag



coach

marc by marc jacobs

so which is it?

do tell...

January 9, 2012

new blog love

is it too early to share a 


when there is only one post?

naaa.

still going to share...



let me know what you think?

January 6, 2012

i couldn't help myself


ever watch your kid 
rock out to a song 
and wish you could capture it on video?

really.
couldn't help myself.

don't worry.
she gave me permission to
'release it'.

mamma loves you,
tay tay.


let's hear about a 'gotcha' you were involved in.

January 5, 2012

your new assignment: create a family manifesto

man-i-fes-to

noun

a written statement declaring publicly
the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer

yes.
big word.
manifesto.
every family needs one...or two.
heck,
we have three.

here is the scenerio,

ever have a kid crumble in your arms as soon as
they walk through the doors after a tough day at school?

how about when your teenage daughter
shares details of a drama filled day at school...
and you have to send her back on that bus
the very next day.

this is when you put your big ears on,
listen intently to every word
and simply state
your family manifesto,
your motto,
your mantra.

this will be the sentence you repeat time after time,
defining your family strategy of handling life.
this is the same sentence your child will run off to you
the day you need to hear it most.

it begins to take on a life of it's own.

speaking of,
tell me YOUR family manifesto?
the one phriase that can lift you when down?
exalt you as you celebrate?
define your character when questioning?
calm you when scared?

this, my dear friends,
is your new assignment.
print it, post it on the fridge,
hang it on your wall.
say it out loud and often.
whatever it is.

declare this as yours.

ours?
well, like i said,
we've got three floating around,
depending on the situation.

#1
nothing is bigger than us
(no matter what comes our way in life,
we are stronger and bigger than any 
problem or bump in the road)

#2
remain calm

(don't panic.  take a deep breath
and think about what lies in front of you.
you can do this)

#3
we are strong but not perfect

(our family is the foundation:
strong and mighty,
and perfectly imperfect.
let us not ever forget that.
in fact, no earthly creature is)


we repeat these when trouble comes our way,
when we celebrate,
and when we question our path
(that and a lot of prayer).

we have uttered these in good times and in bad.
they are our comfort,
words that ground us and remind us of what we are made of,
where we come from and where we've been.

that sums up our 
family manifesto, folks.

now tell me yours...
or go out and declare yours.

either way,
i'd love to hear about it.



January 4, 2012

from plastic to glass: making the switch

welcome  my new friends

i'm making the transition

from this
(bu-bye  plastics)

  to this:
glass

stackable
odorless
warp proof
stain proof

safe to travel:
dishwasher
oven
microwave
freezer

and 
of course
eco

all made in the 
glorious U.S. of A.

need i say more?

 tell me what's new for you
in 
2012.

January 1, 2012

2011: a year end review

2011

why does it have to go so fast?
is it really another year later?
so thankful for this blog
that let's me recall all that has shaped us and sharpened us
over the last 365 days.

indulge me as i highlight that last 12 months.

in a nutshell,
2011:

january



hubs is far and away at the moment.
i know when he returns
our little tradition will continue.
i look forward to this like there is no tomorrow.
thankful that mr man is gifted with the pen.
miss him dearly.

february

(good habits in marriage)


guess i'm missing mr. man
and the habits that come with him.
day dates.
miss them.
dream of what local delight we will sit at upon his return.
my fave highlight from last year, for sure.

march


without this little dinner table habit
i'd be at a loss.
thankful my girls are 
talkers
and 
sharers.
makes me a better listener.

april


boy did i learn this,
live this,
and
eat this up
in 2011
so so grateful for the 
ladies in my life who took my family in
and treated us like their own.
forever grateful
and look forward to paying this forward

may

so proud that grag walked 
into this new age of technology.
 even more proud that her grandkids now
have full texting access to her, 
and vise versa.
not always an easy step for those 
baby boomers
but one they will never
ever 
regret.
 
june

  little do we know
this will become one of our 
favorite little places to live.
(and  it's only been 6 months)

july
if you  haven't been.
go.
run don't walk.
be weary, though.
you might lose hours upon hours 
gaining inspiration,
ideas and 
boards.

august
defining the simple life for our family.

september

met a great lady
to walk through this chapter of life with.
so grateful for who she is 
and
all she brings into our life.
october



watching daddy head off 
was not something we
were thrilled about, 
yet we do understand 
it is part of the fabric of our family.
it shapes us.
sharpen us.
and define us. 
looking forward to 
daddys return
in 2012 
november

whoah.
debt free (credit cards).
unbelievable.
monumental day in the brookes abode.
yeah, yeah and yeah.
setting lofty financial goals for 2012

december



ah. 
so great to touch down on home soil.
2 years coming.
great to have been back.
reconnected.
refueled.
grateful for the love and hospitality poured out to us.
2011
once again brought my family
uncharted adventure,
another new place to call home,

  even more to call friends
and
renewed connections.

Thank you all 
in blog land 
for your visits, 
comments,
inspiration,
  and friendship 

you  mean the world.

once again.
without you...
this would be called my  journal.

2012
let's see what cha got.