Time with Minda

 I have a photo session Sunday in Springhill and wanted to check out the locale before the day.  What a GORGEOUS day it was!  I almost wished we could have done the shoot right then.  
Minda has become mm nearly-constant companion these days.  Running errands, photoshoots, even just quick grocery runs (because I'm out of floss and it's bugging me!) she throws on a jacket to ride along. 

 This day was no different.  We shot this for Josh.  That is Ross Peak behind Malinda and it was Josh's fave when he was here. Miss that fella.  The snow out here was knee deep, but untouched.  It was pristine!  I can't wait to shoot some lovers out here!  WooHoo!

Then came the drive home.  Neither of our other kids had to go someplace special to learn to drive.  We lived in the boonies (sorta) and just practiced going and coming on the backroads until they felt ready to conquer traffic.  Minda, however, has had her permit since August or Sept. and this was the first time she got to drive (Other than once from our driveway to a stop sign.  That experience made me say, "I think we need to go out of populated areas before you try that again."). 
Still a tad nerve wracking for Mama even on the 25 MPH roadway with no cars to be seen (she likes to hug the shoulder... or piggyback ride it... or she is intensely polarized by the center yellow line...) but, we made it.  She's ready for round 2.

The Thrills Keep Coming...

Margotbianca's linens ~ Set me thinking of spring and toasty sunshine.

DiTerra's Starry Night Mugs.  Summer nights. Fireflies. & swirling balmy air.

Shalet's felted acorns ~ There is something intrinsically delightful acorns.  When they are felted and a beautiful blue the delight is simply mesmerizing.

 Sewn Natural.  I have Baby Nephews and Nieces on the heart. So many ambrosial diversions.

 Wicked Pen.  Alluring sweet little nothings.

 Artyscapes seasonal tree pendants.  I think I would wear them to signify my moods.  LOL! Spring - feeling renewed & life is flowing, Summer - warmed & free; fruitful, Autumn - cozy, anticipating, letting go, Winter - quiet, mellow, introspective...

 Christy's Bags!  Oh My, Oh My, Oh My! I know I'm a little person, but I just love BIG bags. 

 Joom's notecards. & Everyday Grace's.  Simplicity speaks to me.  I used to, in my younger years, be into all the Victorian excess & foof & frill.  The older I've gotten the more beauty I see in the lack of those things. I find I breathe more deeply in the uncluttered.

Earthart.  ~ Dream are meant to be unaffordable, right?  At least unaffordable for the dreamer.  I love more than just the canvases above from Laura.  I think I'd put one of her pieces in every room of my home.

What is thrilling you ?!  Do tell!

Thrills & Guilty Pleasures

Marimekko Lumimarja Fabric in grey/white/bue  It's that soft robin's egg blue that sends me...

 Belle & Boo.  Seriously?!  This has to be one of the cutest shops ever!

PapernStitch's Littleput Land's Birdy Magnets.   I'm a bit obsessed with birds.  I have been for years, but it's crescendoed in the past couple years to a vociferous weakness that overcomes me whenever I see them...

Janey Mac's wall art.   We rent.  This may be the only way I get COLOR!  And what cuh-UTE color it would be!

 Wild Roses Grow Birdie Printed/ Embroidered linens and niceties  ~ Yah, I know, totally tweet!

 MacCheek's Mayhem cosmo imprinted mugs.  The other thing I would enter into the "Obsessed With" category would be trees & leaves - especially silhouettes! That, & I love pottery.

Reusable Snack Baggies by Bananasaurus Rex!  Several years ago I stopped using paper towels, & napkins.  I have been unable to get away from plastic, however.  These are so adorable & a step further down the path I'm hoping becomes my way.

 Playing Grown Up's chalkboard bunting magnet set  ~Actually, Playing Grown Up in general ROCKS! Clothes Pin chalkboards, Love Notes chalkboards, a photobooth set of chalkboards... *love* !  What I would really love is an entire chalkboard wall but, again, the whole 'renting' thing.

Olive's Pillows.  Complete & Utter delight.  They make me smile.

 Mayi's Sweet Notes.  Okay, I have to admit, I'm a list maker, note taker, & a 'check-this-box' kind of girl.  To be able to do it on something this darling?  *Swoon!*

Ingote's Slippers.  I need new slippers.  Forever and a day I have wanted pretty & woolen ones.  Ingote's are just what I see when I envision what would be perfect.

Max and Melody's slouchy hats.  Another longtime love.  See, I've wanted dreds for years ~ I now know I'll never have them, but I am smitten with the look of the hats.  Now the look is 'in' for all, not just those with dreaded "locks"! :)  Yay!

I have more to share with you, but I am out of time for today. 
Hey!  Something to look forward to!

At This Moment ::

At this moment, I am ...

:: wishing for just a bit of away time.  Obligation-less time.  Just heat, & lovely food & wine.

:: loving  the freshness the new fabric Malinda and I chose for our table cloth is adding to the mornings, and evenings gathered around it.  Also loving 60% off. :)

:: pondering  this season of life and all it's sweetness and challenges.  Who would have thought 40 would present a whole new set of questions?

:: thinking about family.  J&C just told us they are expecting a boy in June!  Hmmm.... What to make?  Oh! the possibilities! Must get on with it...

:: singing along to Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.  J'adore.

:: anticipating  the new (Tomorrow!! It comes out tomorrow!) Iron & Wine album (Kiss Me Clean) with butterflies. Might be on the playlist for the rest of my life.   *sigh*

:: smiling  & remembering time with friends this past weekend. Even sweeter with the Guster's giggles.

:: snuggling under handmade quilts and remembering how much I loved watching the aged & wrinkled  hands that made them.  Miss you GranGram.

:: rejoicing that work is over for the day.  Well, at least, I'm ignoring the rest of it for now.

:: planning an evening of Seven Hills Malbec, Beechers No Woman, and Spicy (you know me - out with the Pablonos, Helloooo Habaneros!) Maiz Molino con Polo (similar to this) with Mr. Delicious.

:: believing tomorrow will be a brand new day, with no mistakes in it, yet, and full of mercies  ~ renewed every morning by a great God.

Scenes from the Road

Along the way.  Shot through the car windows at 65 mph.

A Very Berg (Lancette, Turner, Kahn, Paul) New Year

Every now and then we find ourselves in the middle of a story that just seems to fit.  This life often leaves me questioning whether I am in the right place, if I'm doing the right things, if I am listening closely enough to the leading of the Holy Spirit, if Jesus is truly in the midst of it all... and then pieces fall into place.

That's what happened this past year.  In July we made a trip to Moses Lake to photograph the wedding of a dear friend.  One of the young men in the wedding party sorta stole our hearts.  He was goofy but you could feel the love of God in him.  Come to find out he was from Montana too.  An hour and a half away from our home.  He was also homeschooled and loved his family beyond belief!  My girls are so much better at making friends than I am.  They had "friended" everyone on Facebook by the time we left Moses Lake so they could keep in touch.  

By August Minda had friended the entire Berg family (8 kids + mom & dad) and they were making plans to get together again.  2 of them made the trip to be with us during a garden party, and we didn't want them to leave.   Then 4 of the girls and their mimi came to be with us for a day of fun and photos.  Mimi and I got to talk and become friends - because Jesus was so apparent in her it was easy to be open and transparent. 

It was our turn to visit them.  We made the trip to Helena (a huge feat for us at this stage in our lives) over New Year's eve/day to meet the entire family and their closest friends, the Turners.  Our hearts and conversations were drawn to Jesus ~ His grace, His love, His power, His forgiveness ~ over and over. We spent New Year's eve around the fire, the dinner table, the kitchen counter, the "dance central" upper room, so aware of His presence.

The kids stayed at the Berg house ringing in the New Year with music and laughter and more conversations about Jesus.  (How much do I love that my 21, 19, & 17 year olds have found others just their ages and younger that want to talk God?!!)  James and I stayed with Nick and Sharon and rang in the New Year with snores and soft fluffy pillows.  :)

The next morning was more of the same.  Food, Jesus, communion, laughter - and relationship was firmly established.  Even for the skeptics (Neither John or James~ the dads~ were sure this weekend was going to be anything other than uncomfortable. They ended up more connected than the rest of us, I think.) 

There were tears when we left.  On both sides.

We Love these people.  How does that happen so quickly?  How do you go from barely meeting someone at a wedding to spending the weekend with their entire family and walking away as an extended part of that family?

My only answer is

Jesus.

We are in His story.  His narrative. 

He makes all the pieces come together, and we stand in wonder at it all.

 A new year rung in with new friends, some sick dance moves and a whole lot of laughter!

Thanks Remi, Mimi, Becky, John, Nick, Sharon, and, of course, Josh, Zac, Caiti, Abi, Aly, Milli, Sophi, Maddi, Josh T., Tamara, Leea and Nosh (Ryan)!! We loved every minute of our time with you.
A new tradition has begun!