Just a Quickie

It is Holly's third birthday....we will do the real celebrating this weekend.

PKM visited Susan Branch's sale. Read Pam's blog to see the photos and cupcakes (one of the requirements of a good road trip). See I have bloggyland peeps out there with a sense of adventure and willingness to travel. Thank you.

More photos from our weekend in Turlock. There wasn't a lot of time between the rehearsal dinner and the wedding but we had to try. Check out Main Street. Images from the family minivan.




American Country. Primative County. I still appreciate the look and accessories even tho I do swing to the Cottage end of Country.


Sweet neighbor of American Country. Didn't have time to run in but don't you just want to?

We also visited the Turlock Quilt Guild show at the Stanislaus Country Fair Grounds. mOrE to follow.

P.S. See Susan Branch's comments on 2/18/10. I've add the links on my Favorite Places to visit.

Wedding Bliss

Michele and Duarte were married yesterday. I had the honor and pleasure of officiating.

It is such an emotional undertaking, for me at least. As the preacher you have an intimate view of the the couple's relationship and share in one of the most significant days in anyone's life their wedding day. Thank you Michele and Duarte for trusting me and allowing me to be a part of what was an amazing ceremony.

Friday Night Rehearsal Dinner

Turlock Country Club, the Country Club staff and servers we amazing. They anticipated every need and were cordial while providing superior professional service. There were glowing reviews all around. Good job Michele and Duarte is selecting such a wonderful venue for your Big Day.

Duarte and I are waiting to practice walking down the aisle. We were all silly. I think it is the excitement and the nervousness all wrapped up together.




The Bride and Groom walking down the aisle after our third practice run. Perfectly done...smiles of relief and anticipation. I am telling you this is such exciting stuff. The JOY of life.















This is one of my favorite images. Here I with my two and two of my great nieces. I love being Tia Eugenia to a new generation. Alyssa and Hope.

Our little family arrives for the ceremony. Jacob meaures himself nearly every day. I am sure he will pass me up by the time he is nine or ten.




















Patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin.












These were brand new, never worn, on Friday. Just one day later...boys.




My brother's daughters, my amazing nieces, have all had their mom and dad walk them up the aisle. It is a beautiful tradition. That is my brother, Ilidio, the father of the bride, on the right. Immediately to the left of Marie, the mother of the bride, are two of Michele's three sisters, Larissa and Staci. I love this image because it tells a touching story of the passing of the Bride from her parents to her Groom. It is old fashioned, but endearing especially for the parents.



I grew up with Marie (we called her Mary growing up), I remember that I wore my communion dress for their wedding. It has been a life time. So many memories. Aren't we cute.

We are a family that likes to party and we had a blast. A beautiful Wedding Day and a beautiful beginning for a couple that can REALLY cut a rug. The Bride and Groom can really dance...I always think that is a good sign.

Susan Branch

I love Susan Branch so much. She reinforces so many things that I hold dear. Check it out, she lines her cupboards, too. Aren't they beautiful? And as soon as it is available, again, I will purchase this adorable shelf liner.

Her Antique Show and Sale is this weekend on Saturday, February 20. Someone has to go to represent and take pictures for us poor pathetic souls that do not get to go. Boo hoo. Plus, don't forget that as an added bonus Sharon Lovejoy will be there, too. I can not even imagine all the surprise that will be in store for those that are so very fortunate to attend. (Is the guilt working at all?)

I almost swooned, literally, when they both visited my blog and left comments. I haven't been able to speak about it because it was simply magic. These two amazing women have made their own dreams come true and living an artist's authentic life.

They have elevated domestic and gardening arts to the respectable and noteworthy enterprises that they are. They have legitimized all the things I hold dear. Thank you Susan and Sharon. Hugs and kisses girls.

Moving Day Weekend

Last weekend was the big Sacramento moving day. Our goal was to move the big pieces of furniture and line the kitchen cabinets. Seemed simple enough. The boys moved all the furniture from the old place and staged the furniture in the new place while I lined the kitchen cabinets and unpacked boxes.


Everyone helps.

It may be old fashioned to care about things like lined cabinets but I don't think a home is a home without the small details. Joe and I have gotten into the habit of saying, "Mother, would have wanted it this way or she would have wanted us to do this or that." So we do our best and try to allow her influence to shine through. She definitely would have cleaned and lined the cabinets. No matter that things were old...they were always clean and pressed and we try to continue the tradition.

In the end, we all thought the place looked so warm and comforting. A new home made fresh with pictures on the walls, lined cabinets (at least the ones I could reach from the step stool) and mother's favorite rose on the patio. Then, there were the personal treasures that provided the

finishing touches. A bed with clean and new linens seemed very inviting.

Since we were focused on achieving our moving day goals, we did not have an opportunity to stop or shop at roadtrip typical venues like a used record stores, bookstores, cupcake bakeries or nurseries. May I mention , another cupcake venue. We did, however, mark the territory for our next visit check out the links.

I know there are Sacramento bloggy land friends out there. Please check out the cupcake places and leave a comments for me.

We did have to have a yummy sandwich and ice cream at Vic's.


Charming...

Knitting

So I was over here reading Alicia's blog. She is writing about knitting and I start to bawl. My mother was a whiz at knitting. She didn't count her stitches...it was like music she just got into a rhythm. She could just fly while we watched Lawrence Welk or I Love Lucy..our all time favorite shows.

So many things I wish I had learned. She taught me so much but I wish I had learned more especially to knit. I didn't because the feel of yarn was always gross to me. I liked the feel of fabric, the feel of floss but never yarn. But now, yarns are beautiful , feel yummy, and are available all over the place.

I don't know if I will ever have my mother's knitting rhythm but if what Alicia describes is true I want it.

Weekend Adventures

Saturday

Even with the pouring rain...we headed to glorious San Diego for the Handmade Revolution show. Look here for Lee in the center of the photo and I am on the left side. So much fun. Jacob's loot included a notebook. I got a t-shirt and Holly chose a little stuffed heart. Holly is just being goofy here.

oh, mama, there is glare in my eyes and rain out here. But, check out the awesome journal, made by reusing an old hard cover book and inserting new pages. The vendor told Jacob it was her very favorite one. He was thrilled.

Later the same day, we visited San Diego's Little Italy Farmer's Market. Lee thought this was funny, but I will tell you there weren't any poopies on the street.

Simply a charming community. Farmer's markets are great for fresh goodness, at this markert there were dried fava beans, fresh cooked fish tacos, grape vines ready for planting in your back yard, fresh gluten free baked goods, herb plants and handicrafts. Simply some thing for every member of our little gang.

Off to the nearest Discovery Shop. Just make yourself at home kids. Very nice people in every Discovery Shop we have ever visited.


Ocean Beach shoppes..expensive but beautiful eye candy all around.

Mural borrowed from the Portuguese flag... Crown may just work as a tattoo. I like the dice like center..from the flag, too.

Santa Monica and Toluca Lake...sigh.


Santa Monica first...for new frames. Of course, I did not purchase these, too chicken, but how much fun was it to try so many frames on. I tried dozens on.


The nose is huge, I know peeps, but focus on the funky frames. I love the bling, never thought I would but I do. Still what I purchased was more conservative and will work for my professional environment. On the weekends anything goes.

This is the best way to choose frames, use a digital camera and see for yourself, especially if , are visually challenged and need your glasses to see not just as a fashion statement. The folks from Allyn Scura are the nicest people, responsive long after the purchase, and the lab they use results in perfect perscription lens and frames. Trust me I have progressive bifocals. You absolutely have to visit them at a show to purchase frames. Tell them Eugenia sent you. If they say who give them the blog address.


This time we had hot dogs but next time I promised Lee we could stop at Bob's. Thank you for stopping by.

What to Do????

Oh my goodness peeps. What do to? What I should be doing is homework, remember in all of this I am trying to work on completing my MPA.

What I WANT to do, and it shouts in my head just like that, is go to this:

Handmade Revolution on Saturday. Or this: vintage fashion show under the Allyn Scura site look on "shows" for show information this weekend and for half price voucher. More handmade goodness, vintage frames and possibility a dress for Michele's wedding.

Now Susan Branch will be having a big sale on February 20. I can't attend but may be someone out in bloggyland can and will send pictures to me... Sharon Lovejoy is going to be there. She used to have the most charming shop in Cambria, near Hearst Castle. Joe visited there with us years ago. Sharon Lovejoy also wrote a column in Country Living magazine. See Susan Branch's website for more information. It is NOT fair.

Speaking of fair what about the Long Beach Farmer's Market this weekend.

I would travel any where for you. For transparency sake, I want to say that I did map it out on Google maps to see if I could do both in one day but it is a 9 hour round trip from Turlock to Arroyo Grande. If I weren't acting as the preacher that day I would attempt the trip and savor success. (Lee is rolling his eyes..and saying, "You are driving.") You know I would. My mother used to say that she knew I could do anything if I put my mind to it. She knew me well.

Life is good. God is good. I miss my mother so much. I'll be honest even in all the JOY. And I mean JOY. I am thankful in all things everyday. In it all, I feel and welcome the waves of grief. My parents were married during the week of carnival...Fat Tuesday is fast approaching. Everything reminds me of what is missing. Lent is my favorite church season. A time to reflect, to sacrifice and to give praise. That sounds like sadness but it isn't. Grief is what we feel because we were blessed to love so deeply. Sadness is disappointment, shallow, more in than out.

Say it with me. This is life. Life is good. God is good.