Every family has their own way of making each holiday their own. Traditions that are carried on from year to year are expected to make their appearance with the arrival of each holiday. During my childhood, I came to expect a squirt-gun {or some type of outside game}, a new outfit and a trip to grandma's house. In Wyet's family, a Cherry Creek weekend getaway and an Easter Egg Hunt always accompanied this spring holiday. Wyet and I experienced completely different childhoods, and neither of us would change any part of that. The memories we made will stay with us for a lifetime.

Over the years, as Wyet and I have turned into a little family of our own, we have made our own traditions. Incorporating a bit of his past with bit of mine, we have made Easter a holiday all of our own, and I look forward to it with each coming year.

Although coloring eggs is a generic tradition that nearly everyone practices, it will always be important to me. Wyet and I have been coloring eggs together with our closest of friends for as long as we have been together. {Even during those few years when Wyet and I weren't a couple, we still got together each Easter to keep the tradition alive.}

Easter 2010

Wyet and Kevin; Easter 2011

Coloring eggs at Wyet's house; Murphy, Easter 2012

Easter 2013

Whit and Wyet; Easter 2014

Alex, Whit and Wyet; Easter 2014

In order to fulfill Wyet's expectations of Easter, we decided we needed to go camping. Rather than surrounding ourselves with the mayhem of camping on Easter weekend, we set up camp in our own backyard. {The best part about this was being able to have the pups with us!}

Wyet setting up for our Easter campout

Our site was even fully equipped with a campfire

Roasting marshmellows with my little pups

Wyet with Rio; "She has always loved camping."

To satisfy my wants for this Easter holiday, the Easter Bunny brought us some new yard games. Badminton anyone?

Easter morning

Wyet opening his gifts

From the Little's to you, Happy Easter!

Showered with Love

Babies have always been like the great unknown. I have had very little exposure {and even less experience} with life’s little miracles, and due to that, I am somewhat terrified. On the rare occasion that I am in proximity with little ones, I freeze. What am I supposed to say? How am I supposed to act?  I often wonder if I will always carry this persona of awkwardness with me when it comes to children, or if perhaps, it will one day just click.

While the thought of having a baby myself is enough to give me an anxiety attack, I am overjoyed that I have a little one about to enter my life {a little less directly}. JC and Alexsis are expecting a baby boy on May 20^th, and I am filled with excitement {and curiosity}. I wonder if my awkwardness will fall away and if I will be able to bond with my little nephew. I ponder over what he will look like and which parents' personality he will take after. There are so many unanswered questions that will only be known in time. Until then, I will anxiously await his arrival and hope that he can teach me all I need to know about my great unknown.

Last weekend, we honored the soon-to-be mama with a baby shower which turned out to be a huge success. It was an afternoon filled with great company and great food {and great gifts for the mama and babe}. Most importantly, Alexsis was showered with attention, and we were all able to see how incredibly loved baby Hendryx already is.

The food, the decorations and the company were all wonderful!

Alexsis with her family!

Family and friends worked on tying this adorable baby blanket.

Our family {finally all together}!

Alexsis couldn't have received better gifts!

Shannon decorating a bib!

So excited for my new sister to bring this little guy in to the world. We all love you Alexsis and can't wait for this little miracle to join us.

All Cats Go To Heaven

Though always an animal lover, I have never been a cat person. Perhaps due to severe allergic reaction, I have never had a desire to get close to the feline species {physically or emotionally}. Cats never interested me the way that dogs {and other animals} do. They never seemed to possess any of the characteristics that I have grown to love in a pet. Thus, I have always chose to enjoy the comfortable accompaniment of a pet through my dogs. Until now.

Last summer, as Wyet and I were outside, we noticed a stray cat had come into the yard and was approaching us. As soon as we knelt down and began cooing her to come over, she did so immediately. She was a stray, but she was not afraid of humans which we found a little bizarre. Once the cat was near, we began to understand why the cat didn't act in fear. She was still a kitten, and she was starving. Regardless of my allergies {and primarily the fact that we did not need another pet}, I told Wyet that we had to do something. As he agreed, he mentioned that once we fed this stray, the probability that it would continue to come around was high. I didn't want a cat, but more than that, I wanted to help. That's how we came to have Cat in our life.

Certainly enough, every night just before dark, Cat would come to our back door and patiently wait for me to a bring her out a bowl of food {dog food, to be precise}. I felt like one cup of food a night was a small price to pay for saving her life. Then, as the months passed on and winter took over autumn, I felt terribly that this small cat had nowhere to escape the cold. Luckily for me {and the cat}, Wyet has a soft spot for animals, too. He built her a home before the first snowfall.

That was that. We housed and fed a stray cat named Cat, and I felt like we had done our part to help get feral cats off the street {even if it was just one}. Then, nearly one month ago, as I was standing near our backdoor, I heard the tiniest squeaks to ever sound. I instantly knew, and my thoughts were confirmed when I peaked in the cat house. We had kittens. A dog lover, allergic to cats, had a litter of kittens.

Over the past few weeks, my feelings towards these kittens have fluctuated. I have been excited, terrified, uncertain and miserable. Once the kittens started to move around and crawl, I was more happy than I could believe. I had never seen anything grow and develop since birth, and it was truly miraculous. It was heart touching to watch as my small stray cat turned into a mother and nurtured her little kittens.

Last night, Cat and I both had our hearts broken. I noticed Cat was acting strangely. She seemed so anxious; walking in and out of her house. As I bent down to see what was that matter, one little kitten was sitting right inside meowing adorably. However, as the other two lay nestled in the towel I had given them, I realized why Cat was so distraught. She had lost two of her babies.

I went inside, grabbing the only thing that makes me feel better {Murphy}, and I cried. I cried over the loss of two tiny kittens that were fine just a day ago. I cried over the mama losing her babies, and I cried for the lives of stray animals everywhere. As we buried our two tiny kittens, I realized that I need to do my part in minimizing the number of stray cats that roam. More importantly, I realized that I am a cat person, through and through.

Meet Mama Cat

My heart melts for this tiny little creature.

I finally have realized how big of a problem stray animals are. I will be getting Cat and Kitten spayed/neutered as soon as they both are ready. Click here to see more information on how you can help.

Scrap Styles

Scrapbooking has been one of the constant hobbies that I have kept since childhood. In my younger years, my mom and I would spend weekend days with all of her supplies spread across the kitchen table. We would make die cuts, stamp, emboss and stencil on our pages. While the styles of scrapbooking have evolved, the love of spreading all my supplies in front of me and spending the entire day documenting memories has remained in tact. 

The aspect that I love most about scrapbooking is that there are no rules. You can make the process as simple or complex as you wish. I change my approach to scrapbooking with each passing week. At times, I will work on full 12x12 layouts, and then, the very next day I will move on to a mini book. Granted, my method results in a dozen half finished projects, but it also guarantees that I never get bored.  

Below are a few of the different styles of scrapbooks that I am currently working on. Depending on my mood or how much time I have to devote to scrapbooking that day generally determines what type of project I will take on. Scrapbooking isn't only about the finished project; much of the joy in scrapbooking comes from enjoying the project as you work and remembering the beautiful moments along the way.

Mini books have recently become my preferred way to scrapbook. The amount of time it takes to finish one page decreases significantly {which helps me feel like I am actually making progress}. I also like being able to have a book which focuses on one primary event or time period.

The great thing about working in the scrapbooking industry is that I am always introduced to new styles and techniques. Most recently, I discovered Memory Files by Heidi Swapp {click here for a link to her blog}. Memory Files are decorative file folders that can be assembled in a variety of ways. I love the different layers that this type of scrapbook has which make it so interactive.

Project Life is another bandwagon I jumped in on. This is by far the most time-friendly way to scrapbook. I generally use this type of scrapbook when I have a lot of photos that I need to document because I can use the pocket system to get many photos on one page.

Once I complete a project {rarely as that is} I love to display them. Whether it be by leaving finished albums on the bookshelves or having cards set out, I spent a lot of time and energy preserving these memories, I might as well enjoy them.

March Madness

March is such a monumental month; a month I have always looked forward to. March signifies the arrival of the highly anticipated spring season, rain showers and most importantly, a few celebratory occasions. In March, the days get a little longer, the sun shines a little brighter and life seems to reset.

As each day becomes more and more spring like, my motivation to renovate grows. My to do list extends each day with the idea of brightening our home and yard to match the clean, fresh changes that spring radiates. While I can't stop day dreaming about which color I will paint our bedroom or which pots we need to invest in for our flower arrangements, my top priority right now is to simply enjoy the natural changes occuring around me and to take every opportunity to celebrate this beautiful life.

As I mentioned before, March is filled with occasions which call for a toast. One of the most important would be the 21st birthday of my two little brothers. Jerrod and Cameron are, without a doubt, two of the most important people in my life. I rely more on them now than ever before. They are always beyond willing to help me with anything I need, and they do so without expecting anything in return. Jerrod's subtle, dry humor and Cameron's zest for life make these two the perfect pair to spend time with.

Jerrod and I right before the birthday celebration begun!

Cameron and I

Another exciting event I always look forward to in March is St. Patrick's Day. Although I {or anyone I know for that matter} am not Irish doesn't mean I pass on this holiday. This year, Wyet decided to do SPD traditional style and made us a wonderful dinner of Corn Beef and Cabbage {and of course, a full-bodied beer courtesy of my lovely friend Sharon}.

Wyet went all out on this dish and put the meat in a brine the day before St. Patty's. It was so delicious, and it was fun to participate in such a festive tradition.

Sharon never disappoints on a holiday! This year, she got me a green coozie and beverage to enjoy. Click this link to see her other adorable St. Patrick's Day treats.

This March, a baby shower was held in honor of my friend Tonja and her little man Max. The friendship that I share with Tonja is wonderful because we can go weeks {sometimes months} at a time without seeing each other, and when we finally meet up, it is as though no time has passed. Tonja is one tough mama and is so deserving of this little boy that is about to come in to her life.

Tonja and I have been through a lot together over the past seven years, and I am so happy to be around for the arrival of her second baby!

The best reason to celebrate this March is because Wyet hit the one year mark for being cigarette free! To quit smoking is such a huge obstacle to overcome, and Wyet did it with more ease than I knew possible. I am so proud of him for making this lifestyle change and kicking the habit that I had to get him a little something to say congratulations. As always, kitchen essentials are the way to go when gifting Wyet so I opted for a new chopping block {and I even managed to keep this one a surprise!}.

I knew this was the perfect board to get Wyet to congratulate him on his accomplishment.

I am so proud of this guy! He is proof that if you put your mind to something, you can succeed. One year down, many to go!

Words

The intensity of life, whether good or bad, demands to be felt. To make sense of these feelings, everyone needs an outlet. In my life, I have always utilized writing as my main form of expression. I attempt to use words as a way to express all of the thoughts that clog my mind and all of the feelings that grapple my heart. Words, though nothing more than alphabets placed and spaced in various patterns, have a way of touching lives. Words, phenomenal words by inspiring people, have touched mine.

Anyone whom has ever borrowed any book from me will know that I treat my books like journals. I underline any and everything that affects me. I write ideas in the margins and notes on the cover pages. I treat my books like extensions of my own thoughts; my lifelines. When I pick up a book that I haven't read in years and find notes and coffee stains on the pages, I am immediately taken back to the moment when I first read those words.

I have a special place in my heart for every book I have ever read and will save a spot for the many books to come. Perhaps one day, if I ever figure out what it is that I am trying to say, I too may try and write something awe-inspiring. Until then, I will leave it to the masters and relish in their thoughts and the words that express them. As I flipped through the spines of a few of my favorite books to rediscover bits of myself, I came across the following phrases that touched my heart when I first read them and still touch my heart today. To all of the authors whom I so admire, thank you for the following beautiful words:

• "I was not proud of what I had learned, but I never doubted it was worth knowing." - The Rum Diary

• "I often wonder about the hours when a man sits alone, watching the smoke of a cigarette. I wonder what great things have come from such hours." - Atlas Shrugged

• "But I didn't want to get drunk. Nights like this one didn't come along often, and I wanted to remember it." - The Fault in Our Stars

• "We have come to see how great is the unexplored, and many lifetimes will not bring us to the end of our quest." - Anthem

• "If faith were rational, it wouldn't be - by definition - faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch." - Eat, Pray, Love 

• "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen, 7 Sins for a Life Worth Living

• "Ask no guarantees, ask no security, there never was such an animal." - Fahrenheit 451

• "We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." - Joesph Campbell, 7 Sins for a Life Worth Living

• "This is a good sign, having a broken heart. It means we have tried for something." - Eat, Pray, Love

• "I couldn't care less about evidence and proof and assurances. I just want God." - Eat, Pray, Love

• "Pain or love or danger makes you feel real again." - The Dharma Bums 

• "My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose." - Anthem 

• "Grief does not change you. It reveals you." - The Fault in Our Stars

• "I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." - The Fault in Our Stars 

Though a small book collection, I love it dearly. If I don't have a library in my old age, I have done something wrong.

 

Remembering Geraldine

There are so many experiences that we each have that it would be impossible to remember them all. Rather, our minds {and hearts} select a few of the most important moments and keep record of them. However, as time passes some memories fade, and unfortunately, some may be forgotten all together. The importance of documenting these memories, whether it be by taking photos, writing in a journal or maintaining a blog, is unsurpassable. Though I only started this blog less than a year ago, there are memories which extend much further into my past that I want to document. I want to acknowledge these memories now before they too fade.

This past week marked the 82nd birthday of my Grandma Carter {though I never refer to her by her first name, Geraldine, I wanted to mention it here because I have always thought it to be such a beautiful name}. Although my grandma has been gone for nearly 7 years, I remember many of her characteristics vividly. She had an encompassing love that radiated throughout everything she did. She was creative and passionate about every project she took on, and I can't help but believe that's where I acquired it. Here is to one of my greatest inspirations, happy birthday Grandma.

Just one of the many cross stitchings my grandma made for me {she knew me all to well}

My Grandma and I after one of my dance recitals, she never missed one.

Young and lovely

This picture shows both of my grandparents personalities so well. I will always remember my grandma just like this - smiling.