Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my window...the bright blue sky is freckled with fluffy white clouds, and someone is mowing the lawn creating a breeze of freshly cut grass. Summer is so yummy!

I am thinking...I may have spent a few too many minutes out by the pool. I'm a bit crisp.

From the learning rooms...Old sunscreen doesn't work as well as new sunscreen.

I am thankful for...friends in distant places who still make me feel loved!

From the kitchen...we're going out with a man who works with Eric and his wife. I've never met either of them, but it should be a good time! We're eating at a local joint called Murry's and then heading to the movies.

I am wearing...a strapless jersey knit dress, light and airy so it doesn't irritate my burn.

I am reading...The Madonnas of Leningrad (I picked it back up and started over!)

I am hoping...to finish it this time :)

I am creating...a beautiful office.

I am hearing...the air conditioning on high and Eric talking to his mom on the phone.

Around the house...ooooh...the house is a bit of a disaster since we're beginning to separate things and preparing to pack for our move

One of my favorite things...going to the farmer's market! Who knew?!

A few plans for the rest of the week...work a little on my lesson plans, clean house, and begin packing!

A picture thought I am sharing with you...

Hooked On...Vintage Ice Cream Parlors!

This is my first time participating in "Hooked on Fridays!" Check out Hooked on Houses here!

I just bought this ADORABLE ice cream chair for only $20!!!

I'm hooked on Ice Cream Parlors...and Ice Cream advertisements!!!

MY FAVORITE!!!

...and old shops still around today...

Visit Hooked on Houses to see what others are hooked on!

To buy or not to buy...I need your help!

I found these art deco paintings of dogwoods and I'm trying to decide whether to buy them! They are 40% off right now, bringing them down to $7.50 (for both!) Are they cute? Do you think they will look good with the new ice cream chair I just purchased (pictured below)? Do they look good with my white desk (also pictured below)?

Our Jaunt to Springfield

A quick stop at Krispy Kremes BEFORE breakfast...just a little something for breakfast dessert.

The "kids" and their husbands at Cheddars.
Baby Adam turned 1 year old!! He's spoiled but not rotten. He smiles CONSTANTLY even when he's crying. It is adorable.
Just a friendly family football game. The boys think they're still in college, I guess. The game ended early before any of them passed out from exhaustion.

An American in Paris

I recently watched An American in Paris on Netflix (the "view instantly" feature, you should try it!) The movie was....interesting, but this isn't a movie critique. I watch old movies for inspiration and I was ultimately inspired by the antique coffee pots with straight handles! I want one so badly! In the movie, Jerry uses the coffee pot/creamer set at the local cafe. I found these online, but I didn't find any affordable ones! I'm intrigued by the modern Fiesta versions!

Learning Crewel

I'm teaching myself the art of contemporary embroidery. I'm not sure what sparked the desire to learn how to hand embroider, but I'm REALLY enjoying it! I think I'm going through creative withdrawal from all the research I've been doing for my thesis.

First, I purchased a book of contemporary crewel designs.
Then I practiced on needlework canvas

Then I made a T-shirt!! Isn't it adorable?!

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

No Daybook today...We're in Springfield for the weekend!

We'll be back tomorrow.

Have a beautiful long weekend!

Favorite Photo Friday

Remembering

Memorial Day by ashleyhasty on Polyvore.com

Avant Cirque

Eric and I attended the 65th Annual Stephens College Fashion Show a couple of weeks ago. At the end of the show there is a model parade that I video taped with my camera, not thinking I took the video vertically and it has taken me this long to figure out how to rotate the video so you all didn't get kinks in your neck trying to watch it! The models walk pretty fast in the model parade so I also included a few photographs of the highlights. Enjoy!

Update: The video doesn't appear to be working on my computer at home (it worked at the school computer) so I hope you can view it. If not, just enjoy the photos!

Stephanie LaHue, the director of the fashion show class.

The pink gown made of feathers is done in honor of women fighting breast cancer. Every year Stephens College does a collection of pink gowns made from materials other than fabric in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The opening number is always my favorite part of the show. The choreography is complex and original, the designs are done in accordance to the theme of the show, and the music sets the mood for the rest of the evening.

A few of my favorites:

To Owensville We Go!

My Summer Vacation Goals:

9. Take a weekend to visit my friend Julie (check)

Julie, a friend of mine since middle school has been living with her grandparents (Grammy and Papa) for the past year. She writes a hilarious blog of her adventures in a tiny midwestern town, Owensville. You should check her out at My Year of Retirement.

Abby, another friend of mine since middle school, and I decided to visit her last weekend and experience this life of retirement for ourselves. We had a ball!!

The weekend began at Wenwood Winery in Bland, MO. Isn't it hilarious that a winery is located in a town called Bland??


We started off our visit to the winery with a tasting of a portion of their wines. After trying them all, we chose two bottles to enjoy in the barn while catching up and listening to music.



Julie and I split from Abby to visit Clancy's, one of Grammy and Papa's favorite places to eat. They always get the special, but since they weren't with us we ordered off the menu. Shhh! Don't tell them!

Abby's boyfriend's family owns Miller House, a bar in Owensville. We ended our evening visiting with the locals and listening to a band.
The guy in the plaid hat is not in the band, it was his birthday and he swore he was 10x better than the band! He wasn't. In fact, he really didn't sing much so a guy sitting off to the side sang for him....hahahah! This guy also ended up getting into a bar fight with another guy but ten minutes later they were both back in the bar having a good time together.
Grammy and Papa's house is beautiful, but it is the back yard that I love the most! Julie and I watched birds for hours, they have all kinds of birds: blue jays, cardinals, finches, red-winged black birds, even Grackles (which we tried to scare away).
I fell in love with quilting on this visit. I made a few stitches in Julie's quilt but I'm dying to make my own! I'm trying to convince Eric to rig up a stand like this one in my new office.
This is Julie in her room at Grammy and Papa's.

I already miss Owensville, we're planning a trip back to the winery soon!