This made my heart happy today

via

Monday without Diet Coke

Good news, I'm still alive.

I know you were worried.

My lack of attention comes from the fact that we're nearing the end of the worst month ever invented. February has been worse than normal just because despite the constant gray we haven't even had a good snow. This yo-yo ing between 60 degrees with rain and 40 degrees with sun is quite capricious. Mother Nature - get your act together, you're toying with my emotions. No one likes a tease.

However, by the end of the week, annual awful will have ended and I can get back to sorts.

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with all of my sisters. We celebrated the youngest's birthday with lunch, mani/pedis and some new jewelry for her.

She's 15 and it is VERY STRANGE. I left for college when she was 8 years old and now she's most definitely a teenager. It's hard to start treating her as more of an adult - I just barely started seeing my 19 year old sister as an adult! But, her life is full of boys, cell phones, parties and new clothes so I'm pretty sure it's time I get over it and let her be as old as she is. This was the first year I had to check her schedule before I planned her birthday festivities. 

So Weird

As far as life without diet coke, I hate to admit this, but I think I actually am starting to survive without it.  

Wednesday was bad, headaches and shaking hands. 

Thursday was crippling. 

Friday the headache didn't kick in until noon. 

Saturday it didn't kick in until 4pm. 

Yesterday, no headache just exhaustion. 

Today, going good so far! 

I think I'm beating this thing!

Anyways, here are some pretty and happy things to help you survive the last few days of the most terrible month.

Since we've had a serious lack of snow this year, I thought I'd share a snowy paradise, straight out of a fairy tale.

Source: flickr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

When I went to Germany, we visited the Neuschwanstein Castle. It's the castle the Disney castle was modeled after and is very bizarre.  When you visit it, you feel like you're visiting a museum - everything is ornate and over the top. 

It was built in the late 1800s by King Ludwig II of Bavaria - at the same time the first skyscrapers were being built in America . He was a huge fan of music and theater and adored Wagner. His castle celebrates his love of art and he apparently had elaborate sleighs built so that he could travel around the countryside in historic attire.  It struck me as strange that such an old fashioned building decorated lavishly was built so recently. 

The location is gorgeous though and the castle really is magnificent.

I'm hoping spring is just around the corner. As such, I'm planning my garden for this season. One of the problems I've encountered with planting seeds is I always forget what I've put where.

Source: shineyourlightblog.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

I saw this idea on pinterest and can't wait to try it. We have plenty of corks at my house and I think this looks so much nicer than seed packets that get bleached and torn in the elements.

Finally, Easter is coming very quickly. I'm really excited to try Martha Stewart's spin on traditional Easter Eggs. These eggs are so sparkly and I think they will be really fun to make!

Source: marthastewart.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Say What?

"Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in solemn reflection through visible expression of a believer’s faith. It is a period where a visible reminder is given of the hopeful inward change that has occurred in the believer’s life. A visible cross of ash is put upon the head of the observer to remind them of what Christ has done. The inward change should lead to a outward confession of faith in this case of deeds to accompany our words. The ash is symbolic. It is a mixture of special oils and burnt palm branches. Generally the branches come from burning the palms gathered from Christmas palm branches gathered from remembrance of Christ triumphant advent into Jerusalem. The branches symbolically are burnt down into ash as a reminder that Christ triumphant entry would end on the cross on our behalf. The ash is then mixed with the oil and put on the head of the believer with the recitation of “remember that you are but dust and to dust you will return” and/or “repent and believe the gospel.” The picture of Ash Wednesday is suppose to be that of a deep reminder of how truly flawed we are and in need of Jesus to save us. It should be celebrated by those who label themselves Reformed particularly those who hold to Calvinism. Ironically many Reformed no longer practice Ash Wednesday or Lent."(Sojourns)

Do you participate in the Lenten season? 

This year I'm giving up something that may sound trivial to most, but anyone who knows me will know how big this is. 

This is something I have with me when I wake up, all throughout the day, and even some evenings.

So, I'm going to try life without it for 40 days. 

I've tried before and failed.

Kicking an addiction is rough - we'll see how it goes!

Yes, that's Will Ferrell - Happy Mardi Gras!

Just got back from a great weekend in New Orleans, where Will Ferrell made an appearance as the King of the Bacchus parade. 

We sampled hurricanes, king cake, shrimp and grits, alligator, catfish, jambalaya, pulled pork barbecue, many flavors of the local Abita brew and po'boys, which in New Orleans are a must. Every bit of food we tasted was delicious! I need to spend some time learning how to make Cajun food! 

People got really competitive trying to catch some swag. Contrary to popular opinion, you do not have to reveal yourself to get beads, you only have to wave your hands like a loon and cheer loudly. We came home with more swag than we know what to do with! 

Everyone warned us that Mardi Gras gets really crazy - it actually wasn't nearly as bad as what I expected! The city certainly knows how to throw a good party though. 

The amount of trash leftover after the parades was mind boggling. The streets were overflowing with waste. Apparently, the city can get an estimate on revenue generated by Mardi Gras based on the pounds of trash collected after the event.

 The most amazing part: the city had each parade route sparkling clean by the following morning. 

Inmates on good behavior worked through the night and everything was ready for the next set of parades the following day. 

New Orleans fascinates me. 

Much of the city is still blighted from Katrina and many residents still suffer the effects of the BP oil spill. 

I've never seen more abandoned buildings in one place. 

The parades included school marching bands and dance troupes and they were completely racially segregated. 

The poverty in the city is very apparent. The roads are a mess and because the city sinks at different rates, the sidewalks are chaotically uneven. Crime is rampant and the government is corrupt. 

However, the music, art, architecture, food and climate are all incredible. 

Contradictions abound.

Lower 9th Ward: The red marking is where the water line was on this house on September 10, 2005. The  marking was made as rescue workers searched for bodies - the number announces how many were found and if the house is clear. 

You can still see kids toys on the floor. 

Many homes haven't been rebuilt.

Brad Pitt has built many sustainable and affordable homes in the area for residents who have returned. Some bemoan the architecture chosen as it does not resemble the shotgun style of the original homes. However, he has contributed a significant amount to the area and to the people who did not have means to help themselves.

The blue posts mark the water levels. 

It really was eyeopening to see that the recovery process is this far from over.

"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one…just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had."

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Chapter 1 

Happy Valentine's Day

In honor of the holiday, I thought I'd share a bit of one of my favorite poems. 

Weekend Getaway - Cape May

Saturday, we woke to ominous skies, heavy with snow, just waiting for the right time to begin.

We took Lucy to the beach and never made it out of the truck.

Chris decided to take an unconventional exit as we left the shore.

Boardwalks were not built to be vehicular overpasses, but sometimes in life, you take on a role you were never intended to have.

Lucy wasn't quite sure that we made the right choice, but we made it through with a couple inches to spare.

We grabbed some tuna and 3 dozen oysters for dinner with Chris' parents.

There is nothing more rewarding than eating oysters after shucking them yourself!

We saved the last 4 for oyster shooters, and then feasted on seared tuna over forbidden rice.

Delicious!

The snow finally arrived after dinner and we enjoyed our desserts and drinks fireside.

Sunday morning we woke to gorgeous sunny skies.

We meandered to the beach after church and found that the wind had picked up significantly!

It whipped sand into the air and shot stinging pellets at our faces.

The gusts were so strong that I had trouble keeping balance on the jetty!

We thawed at the Lobster House with bowls of clam chowder and lobster bisque after our beach adventure.

All in all, it was a great weekend escape.

I hope you enjoyed your weekends and stayed warm!