On a Gloomy Monday....

....we have been all about catch-up, laundry, dishes, lesson plans for tomorrow, playing a little of this and that. Today has been about practical everyday things, sprinkled with some simple pleasurss. Pleasures like having a hot cup of chai this morning with a beloved friend. And picking my little guy up from preschool and sharing lunch at Panera with him. I must say.....I had the handsomest lunch date in the place, don't you agree? He enjoyed a bread bowl with onion soup, while I opted for the vegetarian harvest queso soup and a half-chicken sandwich. And one of the best parts..........lunch was a gift of gratitude. A thank-you. So, thanks, Pastor Chad, for this entirely unnecessary but nonetheless appreciated surprise.......Hayden and I enjoyed our little lunch date, as you can see:

Family Wedding.

We just returned from a weekend away to attend the wedding of one of our nephews on my husband's side of the family. Now....weddings in my husband's family tend to be quite the events. And this one was no different. Because most of my husband's family is Catholic, there is always a LONG mass.....and I am always intrigued by the rituals and chantings and other elements that go into a traditional Catholic marriage. The psychologist in me just stood back and observed people yesterday as they engaged in all of the ceremony....the standing and sitting.....the rituals surrounding the Catholic communion....the songs.....the role that the priest plays in the ceremony. Having grown up in evangelical Christian churches all my life, entering my in-laws family was really my first exposure to Catholicism. Much different than the weddings I grew up attending....and to tell you the truth, I feel that a lot of JOY was left out of yesterday's ceremony. But, nonetheless, it was a great time with family celebrating Jason and Kelli as they move to Denver and become the first grandchild in our family to marry. My sister-in-law and I were the photographers for the wedding, so it was a very busy and pretty stressful day.
I am convinced the wedding photographers are not paid anywhere near enough for what they do, WHEW! But we were happy to do it for this young couple as they work to establish themselves. Here were some highlights from the day:

The wedding was in an historic Catholic church (right next to my in-laws house) with the most amazing architectural features and pressed tin walls and ceilings. It is where my brother and sister-in-law (the groom's parents) were married over 25 years ago). While I do not align with many of the elements of the Catholic ceremony, I certainly appreciate the history and tradition surrounding the wedding.

Hayden's First Day.

After getting Kennedy off for her second day of first grade today....it was Hayden's turn. Hayden is going to have 3 half-days of preschool per week this year, and the nice thing is that his teachers and classroom are all the same as when he was three. So, today seemed really comfortable as we picked out his clothes, put on his favorite yellow school bus backpack, and drove the short distance to his school. Funny......my daughter has always loved picking out a new backpack each year, but not Hayden.....he wanted to keep his beloved yellow school bus backpack and wanted nothing to do with a new one. So off we went to see his teachers and meet his new preschool friends. Hayden seemed like an "old pro" as he hung up his backpack and made a beeline for his favorite toy bins.....the cars and trucks. As you can see from the photos, he was in rare form and I got several "truly Hayden" shots of him making funny faces and just enjoying being a 4-year-old boy. Have a great year in preschool, Sweet Boy.....Mommy is looking foward to how you will learn and grow and thrive this year

A Good Message.

This is a layout I did that was just recently honored as one of the week's favorite designs over at ScrapinStyle, an on-line artist community in which I am involved. This is Kennedy at 3 years old, playing in the rain. Enjoy.

September 4th.

On Sept. 4, 1970.....37 years ago today....my parents were married. They have been tremendous role models of what it means to center your marriage on Christ and to create happiness through commitment and perseverence and faith. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad.


On Sept. 4, 1999......8 years ago today......my then-boyfriend led me into a darkened gym. In the exact spot where we had met after a ball game just 7 months earlier, there was a chair surrounded by flickering white candles. Our song "Love of My Life" was playing over the loudspeaker. As I cried, he knelt on one knee, professed his forever love, and asked me to be his wife. Happy Engagement Anniversary, Honey. I love you even more than I did that day.
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And today, Sept. 4, 2007, I dropped my daughter off at school for her very first day of first grade. Her first day of all-day school....eating lunch at the cafeteria....all those "big kid" things that come along with first grade. I'm so glad you had fun today, Kennedy, and I know that this year holds so many wonderful and challenging things for you. I am very proud of how brave and hard-working you were on your first day of first grade, and how you were a nice friend to your new classmates.

Happy 34th, Sister!

Today's post is a "Happy Birthday" tribute to my 13-month-younger-than-me sister, Kendra. She is one person in my life who I count as a constant--no matter the distance, no matter the challenges--she is always on my side. This is a photo of Kendra and her husband, Dan; they have been married for almost 2 years, and this photo was taken on their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic.

Kendra, you are a constant inpspiration to me. How you face challenges and maintain your optimism is amazing, and I have learned a lot from you. Know that I love you very much, count you as one of God's richest blessings, and hope that you have a very, very wonderful birthday. And, Dan, don't forget to pamper her a little! Happy 34th Birthday, Sister!

Post #250.

It is hard to believe, but I am nearing my first anniversary of this blogging journey I call Half-Baked and Firefly free. Today is post #250, but unfortunately, I am very tired as I stayed up until 3:00 am working on scrap projects last night.....so, I am not in a very philosophical or reflective mood. Rather, I think I will share some of the projects I have been working on the past few days and save the deep stuff for my one-year celebration. So here is a sneak peek of what I have been creating: