happy birthday mama!

today is a very special day.

it's my mama's birthday!!

meet my mom.

Shelly Lynn Burt Akerly.

 [she's the pretty one on the right]

 

she's mother of 4: me, grayson, grant, and our puppy Jake,

super organized, very practical, and great at organizing and planning vacations!!

[grant, me, grayson]

she trains dogs, bakes bread, sews quilts, loves Jesus, and makes really yummy pancakes.

mom and kid #5, i mean, my dad.

look at that adorable family she's raised! 

we'd be hoodlums if it wasn't for her.

can you imagine my dad raising us?

[anyone who knows my dad is probably rolling on the floor right now.]

i can't imagine having a better mom.

[sorry, no trades accepted.]

and of course, 

my mom wouldn't be here if it wasn't for granny! : )

thanks for being a great mom to my mama!

and that is why my [life is lovely]!

super sundays!

in my efforts to focus on the positives in life, i've decided to start taking a weekly look on the things i'm loving about life. 

[insert my giant smile of excitement here]

[1]  the rediscovery of sex and the city.  

i know i'm only eight years behind the rest of the female population, but the benefits of my lack of being up on the trends is that i get to watch the "made-for-tv" versions, and i get to fill up my dvr, making for some perfect laundry folding tv-viewing.

[2] in love, by lollia.  i have to control my self when it comes to squirting it on in the mornings, because lets face it, just because you love it doesn't mean your cubicle neighbors do. 

[p.s. i'll take the bubble bath in case you were wondering.]

[3] my lovely friend courtney has a super spectacular blog, and i think you should check it out and give her some love!!

she's gonna kill me for posting that picture, but i'm pretty sure that photo defines everything that is my fun and life loving best friend! : )

[4] i loveeeeee that my super sweet boyfriend let us stop at the j crew outlet on the way back from c-stat today.  i didn't even have to ask or beg or make a deal.  pretty sure he's got me figured out. ;)

[5] bruno mars! oooo man, that boy knows how to make a girl wiggle around and sing it out like there's no tomorrow.  no shame, just shake that grove thing.

[6]  keebler grasshopper cookies, or if you're my father...grasshopperillos!!!

pretty positive i didnt realize that wasn't their real name until i was probably in middle school.  prime definition of how your parental units make you who you are.  i'd highly recommend you put them in the freezer for a few hours, and then enjoy with a giant glass of ice cold milk. perfect way to enjoy oscar night.  you can also purchase them from your local girl scouts, but in the off season, kroger it is!

[7] coffee! lots and lots of coffee and lots and lots of hazelnut.  bring it on mondays.

[8] wii boxing.  i am the champion.  bryce is a cheater.

[9] simply orange juice with pineapple and cinnamon raisin bread.  can any one say perfect breakfast?

[10]  my mommas birthday is tomorrow!!

 yay! but more on that tomorrow.

happy birthday baby brother!

meet my baby brother.
he is pretty stinking cool. he's a boy scout (soon to be eagle!),
he plays the ukelele, and now he's 17.

what the heck! 

how did that even happen??



he also has a lot of really cool thoughts, which you can read on his tumbler.

i speak for grayson when i say the two of us claim all responsibility for the success and awesomeness of our youngest counterpart.
we taught him everything he knows.

 but don't you dare forget:
no one can have a birthday without having a mom.
so mom,
thanks for the baby brother!

be a maker

i'm feeling inspired. 

i watched a TED Lecture this afternoon called "we are makers".  TED is an online forum dedicated to lectures about ideas worth sharing.  my management professors always seemed to find "interesting" TED lectures for us to watch, so watching these videos tend to bring back memories of my 8AM organizational behavior class. it's quite a brilliant website, full of people with great ideas inspiring other people who have great ideas, and thus we are all inspired to become makers.

i want to be a maker! i have so mamy ideas and dreams floating around in my little head.  my lack of ideas is not my problem.  my problem is my lack of follow through.  i've been feeling really convicted lately about my lack of follow through, so when this came up on my google reader, i knew it had to be fate. especially when it got to the part about the singing fish....prepare yourself.

i'm not entirely sure what my version of being a maker is going to be, but when i figure it out i'll let you know. and maybe the (-) 3 people who read this can help keep me accountable on that.

and just because i didn't quite get my singing fish fix from the short clip in the lecture (as i'm sure no sane person would....) i would love to share the full video with you.  i hope it brings you as much joy as it brought me!

p.s. i'm loving my new blog header, and please note the beautiful bruno mars on my playlist.  get ready to get your boogy on.

a sweet surprise

5 things i'm absolutely beyond grateful for today:

1. $4.39 kid's pepperoni pizza at schlotzsky's. yummmmmmm!

2. lemon fresh clorox disinfecting wipes. i might have gone a little crazy this morning wiping down everything in sight (three times over...), but everything is cold and flu germ free, and my desk smells lemony-fresh!

3. pandora radio. gooodness. the perfect work list makes smooths the rough spots of your day right out.

4. my new lauren willig book, "the orchid affair"

5. sweet boyfriend surprised me after work with a giant bouquet of roses and gerber daisies. i am the absolute luckiest lady in all of houston. : )  since i couldn't manage to fit the giant vase under my trench, i picked three of the perkiest daisies and smuggled them up the elevator.  i love me some beautiful daisies! :)

What are you grateful for on this beautiful Wednesday??

prayer is a powerful thing.

a boy from my church got in a pretty terrible accident a few weeks ago, 42 days ago to be exact.  he's been in a coma since the accident.  as far as i know, the doctors are still pretty unclear as to what is going to happen next.

he's 18, strong and talented, loves Jesus with all of his heart, and he's laying, sleeping, in a hospital bed for the beginning of the end of his senior year of high school.

i don't really know Luke, and i don't really know his family, but every time i read what his sweet parents are writing on his caring bridge journal, i can't help but sob and ache for his family, and for his dearest friends.  i'm constantly blown away by his testimony, and the testimony of his friends as they continue to pray for luke, and the doctors, and provide for his family.

i know his family would appreciate your prayers.

luke's caring bridge site

the love tree! :)

i have a super cute and tiny tree that has been sitting on my desk since christmas, and i just couldnt seem to put it away. so i made a few adjustments......

there's no better way to start your day than to be greeted by a love tree! :)

digital garden!

here's a little sunshine for all of my snowed in friends out there:

pretty flowers! :)

just click and drag your mouse, and watch your garden grow!