Life lately

I tend to slack off from blogging in the Summer, and since you liked my last post on what else I'm up to, I thought I might share another one to help you understand why my blog posts dwindle during these months :) I used my new Instagram app to take these pics.

With friends at the Dixon Art and Soul party.

Playing frisbee with this sweet baby...who could say no to those puppy dog eyes?

Riding my new bike! Happy to report no injuries (yet)

With my dad and brother at Talladega!! And yes, I am the race fan. They just came along to humor me :)

On the start/finish line at Talladega. (My pants were coral...this filter turned them red)

The winner Brad Keselowski and his celebration burnout!

At the FedEx Forum to cheer on the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 of the first round of the NBA playoffs.

 Still optimistic and ready to wave my towel, before they lost...

Helping raise funds for St. Jude at a Tri Delta alumnae "Sip and Sign" where we wrote letters to friends and family for support. Such a fun group of ladies!

So that's what has been going on lately! A little bit of everything...

When I'm not Staging and Spray-Painting...

I am always really hesitant to make my blog very personal, since this is a site to compliment my actual business website and to give some insight into my job and also how that translates to my own home, but I thought you may like to see what I've been up to lately...you may be surprised!

Hanging out with babies...

 This is Charles, who's room you may remember from this post.

This one was too funny not to post...this is my godson Wade. Taking his self-portrait.

My friend Mackenzie with Helen, one of her twin girls...you  may remember her from this post.

We were hanging out at an Easter-eve concert here in Memphis at the Levitt Shell..it's a great place to watch a show and picnic!

I also got to ride-along in a racecar!!

I survived!

And got to meet Jeffrey Earnhardt (Dale's grandson)! If you know me you know how cool this was!

And yesterday, I got to meet my favorite band Chevelle and watch their entire show from the stage! They performed at Minglewood Hall in Memphis. I LOVE music and getting close to the action was such a treat!

My view...

 They were so nice! I am obviously saying something really profound telling them thank you over and over and rambling on and on about who knows what...I am such a nerd!!!

They are a little heavy for some people's taste, but that's my jam! Here is my favorite song. It's actually one of their tamer ones :) http://vimeo.com/14862186

I hope you enjoyed a look into my past couple of weeks! Was it what you expected?

See y'all back here for "Thrifted Thursday!"

Tribute To My DIY Hero

I have been absent from my blog over the past week because I have been home for an unexpected trip. My grandfather passed away Tuesday, and thankfully I was able to spend his 2 final days with him. He was 97 years old, and until 2 weeks ago, was still driving, growing his own greens, and living independently. He was an inspiration to many, but I feel priviledged to have been his grandaughter, and also to be able to carry on both his and my grandmother's knack for DIY-ing. They were DIY-ers mostly out of necessity, but also because having expensive material posessions was not what mattered most to them. Family and friends were their top priorities, and I think we all need to take a page from their book to make sure that these are our priorities as well.

 My brother, me, and Opa
My Opa (He was dutch, and this is what we called him...it is what many Europeans use as the word for grandfather) kept a giant garden for many years, built his own work-shop behind his house, and added on an entire bathroom (while in his 70's!!). He could build just about anything, and fished for and grew most of the food that he (and we) ate.

My cousin Cathy, Opa, and me on one of his birthdays.
He made many of the furniture pieces in my grandparent's house, and I am so glad to have one of the pieces he made in my home. He was always checking on others and was more than generous with the food that he grew in his garden and the fish that he caught. He took me on long walks (in the stroller) through the neighborhood when I was little and pushed me on the swing (teaching me dutch songs) until the sun went down. He always let me "help" in the garden and in the shop, and even sometimes let me mow the lawn!

Opa's grandkids on his 96th birthday. The last pic of all of us together.
He loved his family and my Oma, and I am grateful for the time that we had with him. There will never be another one like him.