Dear Kate Spade, I Love You

Not sure when it happened, but somewhere around my junior or senior year of high school, I feel in love with a simple black, NYLON purse.(enter Kate Spade Classic Sam)

I can still remember the pure joy of opening it on Christmas morning. And I also remember my anger and heartbreak when it was stolen my last semester of high school. :( But then my sweet Meme replaced it as part of my graduation and all was once again right in the world.

Me loving a purse was not a big shocker since Meme bought me my first "designer" handbag in the 5th grade - man I loved that green Dooney and Burke! But thinking back to when I fell in love with that black bag, I still don't really know WHY I loved that bag so much (circle of truth: I still have it tucked away in my closet even though I haven't carried it since 2000/2001. The only one of my "designer" bags from middle or high school that I still have) But there is just something about Kate Spade that resonated with me then and still does today. And how can you not love a brand that is classic and retro, uses vibrant colors, witty sayings AND adorable graphics like this one?

For Christmas this year my sweet hubby bought me the most adorable Kate Spade cross body purse and a new PINK wallet! (He did good...really, REALLY good!)

My new Kate goodies started me off on this trip down memory lane. Over the years there have been several accessories and bags that have be added to my collection, most of which have never left.  I just realized that the makeup bag I carry in my purse, is the same olive green Kate Spade makeup bag I got in college. I still remember the trip to Florida when Kipper bought my travel makeup and toiletry bag. And then I realized the one piece that has really stood the test of time - my multicolored striped satchel!

It was my freshman year of college and I was looking for a cute book bag when Momma and I found this bright colored Kate Spade diaper bag at Nordstrom. Since that day it has been though a lot: attended college, 2 trips to Disney World, made its rounds in New England, visited more beaches than I can count, taken at least 3 cruises, explored the streets of New York, a trip to Chicago, survived multiple Miss Texas weeks, ventured to Vegas twice, over a dozen trips to Canton, a million work events and Kipper's first Tri! And those are just the things I can think off the top of my head!

Seriously, it is one awesome and well made bag!!! 

Now if I can just talked Kipper into getting me my dream bike..... and about 100 other things on the Kate Spade website!  :)

Happy 21st Birthday Miss B!!

How can my sweet little cousin be turning 21 today!?!?! Seems like yesterday you were...

Wow time sure files! And now you are on a plane, heading to Vegas to do up your 21st birthday in a big way! I am so bummed out that I am not getting to go with you (sometimes being a responsible adult sucks!) but I know you will have a blast! Happy Birthday and I love you Miss B!!

Happy 18th Birthday Little J!!!

I feel like just yesterday you were in middle school excited about starting high school! (And to your Secret Dad I think you will always be 13! Everytime I mention your birthday he says, nope Rei can't turn 18!)


Yet, no matter what Kipper says, you are 18! You are now officially old enough to share in the "adult in charge" duties! (but who are we kidding...we will make Kipper or Jor the adult in charge! lol) 


Love you sweet girl!

Time Sure Does Fly

Had to believe it has almost been 2 years since I directed my first JWC Spring Show. (For those of you who don't know what the heck I am talking about: every year the Junior Woman's Club of Fort Worth writes, produces and performs and original musical based off of the club wide theme for the year)  Even though I have directed twice now, that first year holds a sort of magic that I am not sure can ever be repeated. From start to finish, it was pretty much a magical experience (even if I pretty much had NO life for a year) and went down in my book as one of my greatest accomplishments to date. I can't begin to describe what is is like to watch your visions come to life through the script, dances and the show as a whole, but it is an experience I will never forget. 

Today Cascada's version of Kids In America (which was our closing number) came on and all of a sudden I still got the same giddy feeling I did the first time we performed for an audience. It is a mixture of excitement and relief that you made it to the end and the audience is still there, and clapping none the less. 

I know I will never be on Broadway or have the opportunity to direct a major show, so this experience was a dream come true for me, with little pieces of my heart sprinkled throughout.  It is always fun when something in your daily life sparks a trip down memory lane. :) 

 

I could go on and on about how much I love Spring Show (even if it does make me insane and want to punch people sometimes) but I will spare you all. I am sure there will be plenty of Spring Show related posts in the future, especially since Tricia and I are planing Eden Wood and MaKenzie Meyers from Toddlers and Tiaras in this years show! :) 

Someone To Watch Over Me

Warning: Serious Blog Ahead!

I have an extremely busy and stressful 6 weeks ahead of me at work. That combined with everything going on in my personal life has been wearing on me for a while. Today I hit a breaking point.

Frequently when I am stressed or upset I turn to singing.  It isn't unusual for me to belt out my favorite tunes as I drive to work in order to clam my nerves or help me get into a zone for the day. I guess it goes back to when I first started singing and I was struggling with parts of a song. One day Momma told me to pour my emotion about a certain situation into my singing and pretend that it was the only way I could express my feelings about it. As crazy as I thought she was....it worked and from that point on when I am upset/nervous/scared etc I sing.

This morning I woke up on edge. Kipper had another interview with Cook Children's yesterday and the wait to hear if he got the job is so stressful since it feels like his layoff date is speeding at us. And to top it off,  I knew I had a looming to do list waiting for me at the office. I started singing one of my favorite Broadway tunes but it just wasn't working for me today. I needed something inspiring. There is a Martina McBride song, that my dear friend Cristie Kibler sings that always does the trick. But for the life of me this morning I couldn't remember the name of it or the words. I could hear it playing in my head but the words wouldn't come.

At this point I was half way to the office and just plain frustrated that I couldn't remember the song. In a huff I turned on the radio and there it was. Blaring from the speakers was the beginning of the song I needed to hear/sing - Martina McBride's Anyway. Somebody up there was watching over me this morning. And as silly as this all seems, it was just what I needed to take on my day.

Fast forward to this evening. I spent most of the evening working on something for work. When I finally finished up around 11:30 I was exhausted beyond belief. As I tried to lay down and sleep, I couldn't quite my mind of all the things I have ahead of me, emotions I am feeling etc.  The floodgate of tears opened up.  Poor Kipper has to be up at 4am so the last thing I wanted to do was wake him up (which I did) With my mind still spinning, I got up to let Gulliver out to potty.

While he played in the yard and did his thing, I checked on the peppers and then plopped down on the lounger to enjoy the great weather. I sat there and watch little Gulliver run laps around our yard with his bone. And suddenly my mind was quite for a moment. I was able to just sit and enjoy watching Gulliver be is silly Puppynami self. Again, as small as it seems someone was watching over me when they put this little guy in our lives. I wasn't sure I wanted to get a 3rd baby, but our lives feel so much more complete with him and he brings me so much joy.

After about 15 min Dutchess came out to join us. Gulliver was laying in the yard, chewing on a bone and Dutchess came and sat right next to me so I could scratch her head (like she always does) As we sat in the quite of the night (errr I guess really early morning) everything started to flood back into my mind and the tears started to flow again. Dutchess didn't leave my side, she simply just nudged me as if to tell me it was going to be okay. We have always called Dutchess, Nurse Bull, because anytime I am sick, upset etc she will stay glued to my side. Tonight was no exception.


Most everyone knows that Dutchess was an engagement present to me from Kipper. From the moment I picked her up from the kennel at Petsmart we have had a special connection, that has only grown stronger over the last 10 years. I honestly wonder if little Dutchess Bull knows how much she has changed my life, how  many times she been there to console me when talking to someone else was more than I could handle?  As silly as it may sound to some, Dutchess is one of my very best friends. She knows more about me than probably anyone (except God) because she gets to hear my raw ramblings when I am upset/scared.  I truly believe I was being watched over from above as the series of events that placed her in our lives unfolded.

As I write this I am beginning to think of all people who are there in my life. I am so blessed that God has placed all these amazing people in my life to be there to help watch over me when I need it most. I think that is something I have taken for granted in the past and today has been a glaring reminder of  how blessed I really am!

Mm Mm, I’d like to linger here...Mm Mm, A little longer here

Mm Mm, I’d like to linger here

Mm Mm, A little longer here

Mm Mm A little longer here with you

Mm Mm, It’s such a special night

Mm Mm, It doesn’t seem quite right

Mm Mm, That it should be my last with you

Mm Mm, And when the winter comes

Mm Mm, I’ll think of you and sigh

Mm Mm, This was good night and not good bye Mm Mm

Those are the words of one of my all time FAVORITE camp songs. I loved when we would sing songs by the camp fire at girl scout camp. We always started with the more fun and silly songs. Yet as it got closer to time to put the fire out and turn in for the night, thing moved to slower songs. I could never put my finger on why it was my favorite song, maybe I just liked the way it sounded. Yet now that I am older I get it. Sure I liked the way it sounded, but the words really summed up how I was feeling. I loved camp. I loved being with friends at camp. And I didn't want it to end. I LOVE CAMP!!

Fast forward many, many, many years. You would be a million more times likely to find me sporting a new purse with some super sassy shoes, than all grubby by a camp fire or hiking. Then  I got the opportunity to work as a day camp counselor at Camp Carter YMCA....It was like a switch went on.  I remembered why I worked so hard to sell a million girl scout cookies to earn all those free weeks at summer camp. I remembered they excitement waiting to see what new adventures would unfold in the "woods."  I remembered the feeling of how when you are at camp you felt like you could do anything, even stuff you would be afraid to try normally.  That summer as a counselor might be one of the greatest summers of my life. 

Alas, I graduated from college and got a big girl job, but my rekindled romance with camp didn't go away. Thankfully I worked for the MS Society who put on a 1 week summer day camp called Journey Camp. I got the opportunity to help take Journey Camp for 5 days held at our office to a full blown day camp out at Camp Carter. After 2 years of Journey Camp I thought I would never be apart of a more special camp experience and not being able to do camp was one of the hardest parts of leaving to go work for the Heart Association. I came to terms with  just enjoying those great memories. 

After a few years those memories became a little less vivid and my burning desire every summer to run off to camp subsided...till now! Journey Camp was amazing, but the last two days of Camp CARE have been beyond anything I could imagine. We have kids whose parents are extremely sick with cancer, kids whose parents are smack dab in the middle of fighting for their lives, kids who live with a sibling who has cancer, and several kids who have lost a parent to cancer very recently (including one whose parent lost their battle within the last 2 weeks.) Most of them could never afford to go to camp because their families are draining their budgets to fight cancer. 

Each day they attend music, art and play therapy sessions as well as doing normal camp activities. Seeing the kids work their emotions out in their sessions (for many this is the first time they have had a chance to try and work out their feelings with someone other than a family member) is inspiring and heart breaking all at the same time. Yet it isn't just the sessions with therapist where the magic happens. Camp is therapeutic in so many ways. As I said before, at camp you can do anything! For a few hours these kids are able to put aside the pain and fear they are dealing with and just be kids!  We are only though day to and I can tell you already that this might be one of the most amazing weeks I will ever experience. 

In the spirit of my craftiness and the tie dying activity I am leading tomorrow I worked up a few "sample" shirts for the kids to look at. A few of us are going to wear one of the samples I tomorrow, but of course just ti dying wasn't enough for me...I rhinestoned mine and glitter a back up for Thursday! Hey I am conquering the world one rhinestone at a time, right??? 

And to close this blog out I want to share a few of my favorite photos for my camp experiences as an "adult" (I am sure I will have several more to add after this week!)

Mm Mm, This was good night and not good bye Mm Mm