Passion 2011

Back in January I have the awesome opportunity to serve at the Passion conference. I had always heard about it from my sister and knew that it was an AMAZING experience that changed her life. So one night God put it on my heart to volunteer. It took place over the New Years weekend and seeing as I am not a huge new years fan it was perfect that I was able to devote my time to serve these college students. It would have been so easy to not go through with volunteering with it being during 2 days of work, New Years, family being in town and life, but I just knew that I was needed and wanted to fulfill what God had called me to do. It was truly an UNBELIEVABLE experience that I am so thankful to have been apart of.

To see 20,000+ college students worshiping God was something that I will never forget. It was electrifying to feel the Holy spirit at work. I was just drinking it all in! As volunteers we were not allowed to sit in on the sessions or break out groups, but in our off time we could worship from a conference room via live feed that rocked my socks off! There was a section of the World Congress Center where they had constructed a whole hands on mission oriented exhibit called "Do Something Now". Un-Stinking-Believable. Students, staff and Volunteers were able to donate money towards human trafficking, wells in Haiti, clean drinking water in Africa, surgeries for sick children just to name just a few. For poor students to be humbled enough to 'Do Something' now it just goes to show the God can do anything. Like Chris Tomlin's Song says, "If God is for us then who can ever STOP us? If our God is with us then what can Stand against us?"

While there I bought the All Access Pass. SOOOOOO Glad that I did! Every week something new is available for Download from live videos to each of the live videos of the main sessions with the main speakers such as Louie Giglio, Beth Moore, Francis Chan, Andy Stanley, and John Piper. We are now able to watch this sessions in my small group. Next week the Passion CD 'Here for you' hits itunes and I am beyond stocked seeing as it was included in the access pass!! I bootlegged some of the songs off the live feeds during that week onto my phone and have been able to listen to them, but they seriously are not the best quality. Every time I hear one the songs or see a video or just being at PCC I am reminded of what an amazing experience it really was and how God can use me in the future!

{Hanging out with our new friend on the opening night of Worship}

{That stack of Towel that the students and volunteers brought to donate to a local homeless shelter in Atlanta}
{The front of 'Do Something Now'}
{Inside the Human Trafficking display, unbelievably touching}
{Signatures of all the students who proclaim the name}
{Inside the World Congress Center...6,000 students here to Worship Jesus}
{Another Demonstration in the 'Go Center'}
{My Daily reminder to pray for those attending the Ft. Worth Conference in 3 weeks}

Tom Thumb!

Have any of you readers (if I still have any or the few that there are) ever heard of TOM'S?

I had heard and seen them for awhile now, but they never really tickled my fancy, until I had been at Passion for 3 days. After seeing TONS of them and seeing all the different styles (which are really CUTE) I knew that I wanted to jump on the band wagon even if they are not my generation. Yes I know I'm no longer in college and I was at a college event, but come on people these shoes are seriously one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes that I now own! PLUS side is that when I bought my pair a child over in Africa gets a pair too! Neat huh? Now I know that some of the styles are kinda plain and down right fugly but I really like my gold herringbone. They have replaced my Sperry Topsiders they are that comfortable. Take it from me, I am normally a cute flats, boots, heels kind of gal, but these have become a regular in the rotation.



Do you have a favorite pair of shoes that you can't get enough of right now?

See ya January!

UH, where did January GO?

I can't get over the fact that it's over in a week. What have I been doing that it's already over so quick? Guess just everyday life! I actually had a really steller weekend! I couldn't have asked for a better time! I'm in the middle of planning a Anna Kates Birthday partybaby shower, making wreaths, seeking and waiting on my next step to the future, oh yeah and working. So I was glad to just have some carefree time to just have some fun!

Friday night was pretty chill with a nice dinner to California Dreaming with my friend Kali. Then saturday I got to spend to whole day with Dad. He had called during the week saying that he was coming into town for the weekend and wanted to see if I was free. Lucky me that I didn't have anything going on so I was game to join him. We started off visiting the High Museum of Art downtown. I haven't been there in a few years since the Louvre exhibit. It was so cool to see all the different colletions from the folk art to the Modern Collections, but my favorite was "The Veiled Rebecca" from 1866. It is truly AMAZING!!! I have become a Jane Austen junkie the last few months and this same statue is featured in 'Pride and Prejudice' as Elizabeth Bennett is touring Mr. Darcy's castle. It totally made my day to see this! I remember thinking to my self "How in the world does the sculpter carve the face out before carving the veil?", but once I got to study the masterpiece I see that it is a illusion of the eye. It is truly marveling.



After the museum we grabbed some tapas at Table 1280 where we had the BEST oysters ever! We wanted to keep lunch light since we had a dinner reservation over at McCormick and Schmick's, but we seriously couldn't resist the tasty menu they had so we also had the homemade tater tots and popcorn rock shrimp! Just check out the presentation of the oysters....Mouth. IS. Watering.

After dinner we headed to Centennial Park (where we FROZE our arse's off) to see the new Peter Pan play that is here from London, England! It was spectacular! The play took place in a tent that is 360 degrees around with the stage right in the middle. There literally isn't a bad seat in the house. The actors were really so talented. To see them fly around, it takes you right back to being a kid again. It was like you were flying with them through London to the "Second start and straight on til' Morning'. I kept telling dad that AK would totally be dying with everything they were doing! I HAVE to get her here ASAP!!!! It was surprising to look around the crowd and see that majority of the audience were adults with a few kids here and there. I highly recommend seeing it while its here in town. It really put the day over the edge! I will always cherish that memory! We always have a great time when we are together but this was so different than anything we have ever done before! Thanks DAD for such a great day!



On sunday AMB and CMQ had asked me to go do Sips~N~Strokes. Such a fun idea to do with girl friends! Lots of laughs, lots of UGGS, lots of OOPS. I am such a type A personality when it come to doing this that I literally could stay on one step for hours. Its bad! I want to pull my hair out when it doesn't look like the demo. Then I get ambitious and end up really wishing I hadn't. So whats left to do, just laugh! Learned my lesson for sure. Guess to the closet it goes, HA;) So glad we did this together though.


Is it Friday yet?

'Snow Dayzzzzz'

First snow of Twenty11 has come and shut down the whole city! We are 7 inches deep here in the Deep south. Things are starting to thaw out but low and behold we now have ICE...GRRR8T! Not gonna lie, glad to sleep late and stay in my PJ's, but this snacking is killing me! Boredom leads to snacking and snacking leads to tight pants.....not a good way to start off 2011, but keeping healthy about what I snack on;) LOTS of movies have been watched which is killing my mom to watch all these period pieces (pride and prejudice is my FAV) well at least its not the Twilight Saga marathon. I'm gonna start reading a book in a bit i think, The Carrie Diaries have been on the 'to read' list for ever now, so it just seems fitting. Really wish we had a fire going, to which we have tons of firewood , but no we gotta save it in case the power goes out. So I guess till then I'll have to stay warm under my electric throw blanket and then 'if' our power goes out we will then have a fire. N-E-Ways Just wanted to share a few pics from around our winter wonderland.

I'm not a huge snow player so Bella wanted to show you her cute self out in the snow. It was quite comical to see her try to go out in the snow....she had no idea one morning that it was going to be as deep as it was and went running full speed into the grass to which she was totally engulfed by the snow. It made for a great laugh at 6 AM.

Just thought that our cute Hog from "Hog Mountain" was super cute covered in snow!

We just has a friend run to the store for a few things and apparently the whole store is sold out of all fresh foods, bread, milk, eggs, and meats. Typical southerns!!Oh great! Thank God we have triple of things to eat....for two people! I kid, I kid! Hope yall are having a great start to 2011. It is in case you didn't know 1/11/11....very cool!

Christmas Ornament Memories

Christmas ornaments for me bring back some of my favorite memories from the years past. Just this morning I found one of my childhood cheerleading ornaments from 1992... So I was in 4th grade when I got this megaphone. It just so happens to be the last year I cheered for the Brookwood Broncos before moving to Dacula:( I think that sentimental ornaments are a great way to keep the past alive and remind us each year of all things we are thankful for. So I just wanted to share a few of my favorite ornaments that we have on our tree this year....
I LOVE this 'Merry Christmas' sign that is hanging right in the front of our tree. I have made it a point this holiday to say "Merry CHRISTmas" to people as I am out and about shopping. It is the reason for the season after all.
This is the newest one on our tree this year. I picked it up at Swoozies for an ornament exchange, but come to find out we ended up not doing the exchange. I am secretly excited not to have given it away cause I really love it.
I got this fun little beauty up in New York when my girls friends and I went up for Christmas a few years back. We had so much fun out on the town and I loved every second we were there. Christmas in New York is so magical and must be put on 'to do' list again. Everyone really should see it!
Isn't this neat? Mom picked it up last year at a fun boutique. The three are connected like a little swag for the tree.
In our house we are MAJOR fans of diet coke so this just seemed fitting that it should be part of our tree. It cracks me up every time see it! We are very thankful for it.
We have a LOT of glass and Waterford crystal ornaments on our tree that we have gotten over the years as gifts from family members or just for collecting . They really make the tree sparkle. Not sure of the significance the '1988' has but I like it cause it's from my childhood. I was three that year. I'm sure it was magical. Can't you just imagine a little redhead on Christmas morning?

Just wanted to share a few fun shots from around the house that I put together. Over at Thrifty Decor Chic, she gave me the idea to use our candy jars for a fun little display. Our vintage cookie sheet really pulls together the red and green in my opinion.

Keeping with the ornament theme, I thought I would include this collection of ornaments that is on our coffee table. I picked up this cool picture up in Wake Forest at a vintage inspired store. It warms my heart when I see it! Not sure if you can tell but the Santa in front has an ornament body, too funny.
Do yall have any favorite ornaments that bring back memories?? Finished Christmas shopping yet? Ugg, me neither:(

Holiday Mantras

I keep reminding myself through the Holidays.....

I CAN'T believe that I have seen snow twice this year so far, I'll take it thats for sure, but I wish it would be a 'White Christmas' just once:)

Happy Holidays!!!! Got your shopping finished yet? Not me, yikes!!

Quick Run Down

So in a nutshell here is what I have been up to:

Back in November I went to my first Military Ball.....


Then it was Thanksgiving so we went to Tryon, NC with my sisters family. There was lots of relaxing going on, a little hiking and a Barn tour for Christmas....




In addition to making wreaths I also made the girls some Christmas ruffle pants and then made my girlfriends some Christmas stockings.....


Then, my sister got me the HOOK UP at her school and had 8 wreath orders and two tree toppers...they all turned out FABULOUS if I do say so myself.... so I was a BUSY BEE for days....then I drove up late Saturday afternoon in the snow so that I could be in town to deliver the wreaths on Monday morning... it was a good excuse to see them again so soon.

We were busy doing all of the following Church at North Wake, Shopping, Watching Twilight Eclipse, Shopping, Dinner with Daddy, Brunch with Abbs and Steph, Shopping....





Other than that, just hanging out....Getting ready for the holidays, working till Christmas, parties, and Family! Sounds perfect to me! Still have a few wreaths if anyone is still in the market for a unique one or needs a gift....Big ones are $50 and small ones are $35. Email me:)