play because it is good for your soul

Is it strange that I kind of want one of these? Happy Wednesday!


Summer is a callin’,
KP

NYC must go see

I have already been contemplating when and how I would manage to sneak away for a little New York get-away, and then I came across the new summer exhibit at the Met. This new discovery has officially put these plans into urgent mode.


The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion, the spring 2009 exhibition organized by The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, explores the reciprocal relationship between high fashion and evolving ideals of beauty, focusing on iconic fashion models in the latter half of the 20th century and their roles in projecting, and sometimes inspiring, the fashion of their respective eras. The exhibition is on view at the Metropolitan from May 6 through August 9, 2009.

I especially thought of my friends, Natalie and Melanie. They, too, will be hosting garage sales to go and partake of this Fabulous Met Exhibit.

sweet treat

My man is thoughtful and dear. He has been traveling a great deal lately and sent me the best "I miss you." surprise EVER.


Have you ever been given a cookie bouquet of all your favorite zoo animals? He sent this deluctible and adorable treat to my office two weeks ago. It brightened my day in a way that only he can.

love you hubby, wifey

sleepy rainy friday

I really could have slept in today. Anyone else? The upside... it is Friday fun day.

Daydreaming...

... of summer, swimming pools and sipping lemonade.

songbird

This precious girl goes to Baylor University and is only 20 (I think). She and her song are both equally enchanting and BEAUTIFUL. I am not quite sure how Chris (my husband) found her, but he invited her to open a couple of their shows and I wish she would play every show with them. She will also be playing with Sleeperstar on Friday, May 1st at the House Of Blues in Dallas. I would pay a $100 to listen to Jillian Edwards sing her songs and play her guitar.

Also, Sleeperstar will be playing on the big stage this year at the Taste of Addison. They just added them to the roster, so look for their info to be updated to the events page soon. They will play in the late afternoon sometime on Saturday, May 9th.



This Friday Sleeperstar is playing for a great cause. Come one, come all.



Happy listening,
KP

hardly mellow yellow

A ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds, the color of daffodils and the title of one of my favorite Coldplay songs, Yellow. Summer is just around the corner can you feel it? I can! Happy Friday! I am going on a girl excursion weekend and will post pictures upon my return. So fun.

Relaxation + Red wine = Yes, please.


1st Row: Oscar de la Renta dress
3rd Row: Anthropologie rug, Southern Living Room
4th Row: Kate Spade & Crane invite, flowers from Martha Stewart, Anthropologie Chair

Yes Dress

Bigger isn’t always better, but it certainly is in this case. Do you remember this 1000 layer Versace number SJP dawned? This dress is art. It is MAJOR drama in the best way possible. The palette of sea foam and grays is serious, and yet it is playful like a fairytale. Patricia Field is a GENIOUS and I can only imagine how pleased she was with how this look traslated on screen. If I owned this dress, I might not ever take it off which would eventually be awkward for everyone who knows me.

What a beautiful day...

Detachment

I am reading a book called, The Glorious Pursuit and the last chapter I read was about Detachment...so good:

It is one thing to be surrendered. It is another thing entirely to be detached. Surrender is an act of the will, accepting physical circumstances or situations God has ordained and looking for HIS good purpose in them. Detachment means we stop finding our meaning and security in people, things, positions, money, and power so they no longer lure us into actions we know are unwise or unprofitable.

I don't know if this has ever been spelled out for me before. My sin has mostly felt cyclical and I think that is why. I have a life saturated with surrender but at times void of detachment. Detachment requires me to not merely look at how I am acting out, but to really sit and search my heart for the root... to examine the craving...

When a Christian falls today, 99 percent of the spiritual effort is spent trying to control the "stumbling"—that is, we focus on outer strategies to help us avoid situations in which we sin. A young dating couple will be told never to be alone together; an alcoholic will be warned away from bars or liquor stores. If the heart is bent by the appetite that leads to sin, all the external discipline agreed upon in moments of strength will wilt in the heat of desire.

Iron will—external discipline that creates physical distance but not spiritual deliverance—will be met with only limited success. John on the Cross explains, "We are not discussing the mere lack of things; this lack will not divest the soul if it craves for all these objects. We are dealing with the denudation (stripping of) the soul’s appetites and gratifications. This is what leaves it free and empty of all things, even though it possesses them. Since the things of the world cannot enter the soul, they are not in themselves an encumbrance… rather, it is the will and appetite dwelling within that cause the damage when set on these things."

If you have been fighting sin unsuccessfully, in large part because while you offer up the action, you can’t stop the craving, then you need the virtue of detachment. This virtue begins when we turn our eyes from the created to the Creator.

This is a long and daunting process I think, for our hearts to be in a place where they aren't just ignoring or going without the desires that they are bent towards. What would it be like to no longer even have the craving and more so for those cravings to be turned into something righteous and holy? As long as there are cravings, there will be broken sinful actions and/or spiritual exhaution and possibly resentment. Legitimate needs will be met in illegitimate ways. This resonated with me because the reality that we can talk to each other until we are blue in the face, knowing we are not getting through to the ones we love, felt kind of hopeless. At the end of the day people (all of us) are going to try and alleviate the hunger pains of our cravings. We do what we want. I want to want different things, to have different longings. How do we posture our hearts in a way where God can change our appetite?

Charming Dress Tuesday

Can we say gorgeous? The soft whimsical styling’s of Luisa Beccaria are really tickling my fancy of late. I should like to wear this dress one day. I love the way it hugs her silhouette, so feminine. The bottom keeps it interesting without taking it over the top. And I will never get over the color black. It will never be replaced and I will always choose it first, loyal to the bitter end. Hope you enjoy her handiwork as much as I do.

Luisa Beccaria

taste of italy

I have been thinking happy thoughts today, all the beautiful ways I have gotten to see God over the last four years. Maybe you could use a little "macation" (make believe vacation) in your Monday? Enjoy...

Feeling Blue?

According to the Dictionary blue can be defined as, "the pure color of a clear sky; the primary color between green and violet in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 450 and 500 nm." Sounds good to me. Blue hangs out on the cool palette and often gets associated with winter, sadness, a particular style of music, that little detective dog that children seem very fond of and a myriad of other things that don't directly have to do with the color itself. Blue is both breezy and complex. I have seen people with blue hair, blue eyes, blue nails and blue cars. There was even that fantastic song, titled, "I'm blue". Do you remember that melodious wonder?

i'm blue da ba dee da ba die...

i have a blue house with a blue window.
blue is the colour of all that i wear.
blue are the streets and all the trees are blue.
i have a girlfriend and she is so blue.
blue are the people here that walk around,
blue like my corvette, it's standing outside.
blue are the words i say and what i think.
blue are the feelings that live inside me.

You are welcome for that little blue treat. Another blue treat you should give yourself is Miles Davis', Kind of Blue, accompanied with a good soak in the tub and the beverage of your choice.

Cheers mates...

1st Row: Lanvin Dress, the fresh slower wreath is from Martha Stewart
2nd Row: Blue Heels are Manolo Blahnik, the painting is by Edgar Degas (Blue Dancers)
3rd Row: guest books are Martha Stewart

i heart your bike

"Ever see a sweet bike on the street and wish there was a way to tell that person how much you love their bike? Well I do, so I made these tags, perfect for hanging on the handle bars of all my favorite bikes in town. Just carry a few in your pocket everywhere you go so you'll always be ready to leave a note to share some bike love.” (Heroes & Criminals)




I found this on someone else’s blog last week and ADORED them so much I went back and found the source. Heroes and Criminals Press are the thoughtful designers. They sell these tags on Etsy, 6 for $5.00. What if we all committed to giving a random compliment to a complete stranger this week? Wouldn’t that be fun? One day I was driving home and thought a person’s yard looked beautiful, a meadow waiting to be frolicked and rested in. How much would I have loved to have left them a snazzy decorative tag on their front door?!

Spread the love…one bike at a time! Purchase tags at
Heroes and Criminals Press

Accordian AWESOME

I think this idea is completely brilliant. These photo books are little accordion folds with ribbon. The books are beautiful and too many pennies for me, but I was thinking you could create a similar item and have your local printer print them for way less? You could find ribbon you liked and make a sweet gift for someone, a memoir of sorts from a past trip with ticket stubs, favorite snapshots, subway maps...me oh my the possibilities are endless! Good Stock







My papaw plays the accordian for real. Happy Wednesday!

11 Days Young

Not much to report in the most wonderful way. Baby Luke is doing what babies do: cry, sleep, eat & make dirty diapers. He is so adorable; I couldn't help but to share this photo.

Friday Fun Day

Knock, knock…who’s there? Orange. Orange Who? Orange you glad Friday’s color focus is Orange? I think orange is fabulous. It is the color of Crush Soda and my high school mascot. It is a bold color, close to red but more fun, close to yellow but way more intense. Orange is deep and flirty. If orange was a kid in high school, he/she would have been voted “Most likely to have a good time with.” I don’t think that was an actual award, but maybe it should have been. I can’t get enough of Orange these days. Let’s all appreciate and look for orange out there amongst us, today.



1st Row: Prada Dress, J Crew Umbrella
2nd Row: Christian Dior Sunglasses, wedding party from Martha Stewart, Chair from Target
3rd Row: Juicy Couture Swimsuit

It's a ...

Beautiful baby boy.

Luke Thomas Hooper made his grand debut today. Tamara and Scott were amazing and the Lord has bestowed the greatest of blessings upon our family with the gift of this babe. I hope sweet Tamara gets good sleep tonight.

I will write more later but just had to post a couple of pictures of the new life.




We love you baby Luke! Love, Uncle Chris & Aunt Kim

bébé

Petite Cub is almost here! Tamara has had a pedicure and her hair colored; she is all ready now for the babe to come ;-) If he/she hasn't already come on his/her own then Tamara will induce on Thursday morning real early!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had several moments today where I just blurted out, "The baby is coming! The baby is coming!!!!!!" My gracious boss who offices with me is kind and put up with my outburst and even rejoiced with me. Words do no justice for all the feelings bouncing around inside of me, an already overzealous proud Auntie. Baby baby baby.... Reese Janelle or Luke Thomas is big and chubby; the doctors predict over 8 1/2 lbs!

Love to you and yours... please pray for a safe arrival for the babe.

White Now

In English law, a proclamation is a formal announcement made under the great seal, of some matter which the King in Council or Queen in Council desires to make known to his or her subjects. Now, I don’t believe I am a Queen nor do I think anyone is my subject but I would like to make a modern day proclamation, maybe more of a normal person’s declaration.
Friday blog entries from this day forward will be dedicated to color until I don’t want to anymore. When I was in elementary school, I remember playing with my friend Rena. We were just chatting and I asked her what her favorite thing that God created was. She immediately responded, “Color.” Brilliant, I thought. She then turned the question around on me, to which I replied, “Water, all forms of water. Snow, Rain, Ocean, Ice, Drinking, baths…” It is fun how we are all so different.
This blog is dedicated to Rena, the one who so appreciated God’s magnificent pallet at a young tender age. The color I want to start with is white. White is so pure, chic and simple. It is the color reserved for making marriage commitments, the one most of us feel a little afraid to wear because we probably will do something to soil its perfection. If I sat down and had a conversation with ‘White’ , it might say things like, “Relax. Stop. Take a Deep Breath. Shhh…You are doing just fine. I’m breezy. Come rest here. I have a summer home in the Hamptons that you are always welcome to visit”. . White seems perfect all on its own and yet it is always there beckoning me to come and linger for a visit. It is the color of innocence and doves. It is a vanilla ice cream cone on a hot day and the pillow I lay my head down to sleep on at night. It is a cotton field in west Texas where my dad grew up and the left over icing on a spatula my mom always lets me lick. White is clean linens and seasonal white chocolate covered Oreos. It is soap and bubbles. It is the frothy milk on my cappuccino. White is sophisticated and lovely. What white things tickle your fancy?

baby haven

By definition, a haven is a safe and secure place. We all need havens. A haven doesn’t have to be a room or a physical place. It can be a person or even a state of mind. In a world that can be cruel and unkind, havens can serve as a respite or a creative place to be inspired. Tamara and Scott (sister in love and brother) have been busy at work creating the perfect haven for Baby Hooper or as I like to call he/she, petit cub (small cub).





I have never known anything, to date, that encompasses God’s love like that of a new babe born of love. Isn’t that the very nature of God? That He creates life out of nothing? That he would take away and GIVE? There seems to be this undeniable rhythm to it all. I love our future niece or nephew so much it makes me cry sometimes with tears of joy.



I can’t imagine how Scott and Tamara must be feeling. Scott and Tamara have been so gracious to let us be a part of the process. I wanted to share with you all some pictures of the nursery I took. The picture in the weathered window frame is from Canton. It is a blown up image of a postcard from the 1930s.



I think it is so sweet and nostalgic. The little camo boots won’t fit the tiny guy for quite sometime but I feel certain they will be put to good use in no time.


One more quick story, Scott sent us all an email the other day at work with an attached PDF map of the hospital with directions on where to go once we arrive at the hospital. He also gave everyone their quickest routes to the hospital from all of our various location, either work or home. So sweet. He is already Father of the Year!






We love you baby Hooper, only bake as long as you need to and then hurry up and come out already; we can’t wait to meet you ;-)