Where do the years go? Can she possibly be old enough to dress up and go to prom? She has become a beautiful woman. And I am one lucky mother.

Remember when we went to Cincy a few weeks ago? Well, one of our great pleasures was meeting Brett and Jess of studio 3z. I found her blog months ago and began to confess my smittenness of their work. They are the most beautiful, unique family I think I’ve ever laid eyes on. And they homeschool too. Oh how I wish I lived in Cincy. Today, Jessica emailed me and said some of the pics were posted from our photo session and she graciously let me post a few of them on my blog too. You’re gonna wanna make some hot tea and nestle into a comfy spot when you visit her blog–it’s one of those you’ll get lost in.   Brett and Jessica are as warm and gracious and beautiful in person as they seem when you visit their site. I consider it a honor to call them friends. Enjoy their work!

two little love birds!

love the shots into the sun!

and who can resist an old blue caboose as a prop?

i couldn’t resist taking pictures of them taking pictures—-

and I think this is my favorite pic of their adorable family.

I know, you’re smitten now too, aren’t ya?

Just to be clear and to set the record straight, we weren’t looking for a house.   We love our house.  And our neighborhood.    And our pool.   And our trees.  We’ve lived here since we were married and our two littlest have lived their whole lives here.   I’ve made every single inch of this house  my own.   Neither of us are people who like the thought of moving.  And besides, when you collect as much wonderful stuff junk as I do,  the thought of packing it all up drives me (in a really fast car) to the brink of insanity.

So why did this house hunt us down and leave us no other choice but to buy it?    All the forces in this sweet little southern town seem to be working together to make sure we move to this house.    We were minding our own business when one of our wonderful friends—- some call her Martha, I  call her Fate’s right hand man—–begged and pleaded and then forced us under duress to ‘just go look at it’.    And when we got there, this is what we saw………

That’s so not fair.   To take us there at sunset.   It’s like we’d been taken hostage——by a lake house.

So, we’re moving.  And we may take ‘homebody-ing’ to a whole new level in this house.    Could you blame us?

And I’m a big bag full of mixed emotions.   There are so many things to love about the new place:   the lake, the sunset, a house full of windows, a dock and water toys,  a fun kitchen re-do,  having ‘school’ by the water,  teaching the kids to ski and sail and fish,  and did I mention that my husband grew up on the lake?  so he’s kinda like a kid in candy store right now.

But there are also many things that make me sad:  leaving this house, my friends and neighbors, my comfort zone,   not to mention trying to purge and pack and sort through all our stuff.      Then there’s the staging of this house to sell it (which I’m not thrilled about doing) after I’ve spent ten years making it our own personal cozy space.   It may kill me to try to make it generic for selling it.  Anyone wanna buy it as is? Turquoise cabinets and craft room and all?   How generic do you think you have to make a house in order for it to appeal to the masses?

In short, I’m a little overwhelmed.   I’ve starting the purging/packing process but it seems daunting.   {We’re supposed to close in one month.}   There are so many things that I don’t think will fit in the new house.   Did I say it’s all windows?    Which leaves little room for big furniture and wall decor?    Steve reminds me that the lake is my decoration.

And I remind him that I love my stuff.

And he reminds me that big open floor plans were meant to accomodate the sparse look.

And I remind him that I’m anything but sparse.

Then he goes back to looking at boats.

And I go back to looking  at kitchens.

OH do I ever need your help.  You’re gonna have to hold my hand and remind me to breathe.  I have so many wonderful memories here.  I’m gonna take pictures of every nook and cranny—-as if I haven ‘t already.   And then at the new house,  I think we’re gonna go for a beach/cottage look so flood me with your ideas and inspiration.   I’ve been scouring the latest issue of  Coastal Living magazine, drooling over Erika’s kitchens.   That may be all the inspiration I need but I’d love your input.

I’d also like to know from those of you who’ve moved recently, do you wish you had purged more or do you regret not holding on to some of your stuff?  Should I have a yard sale in the next few weeks or wait until we move and then have a moving sale with what’s left?  Maybe I’ll list stuff on Craig’s list or eBay?   Maybe I don’t have time for any of those options.

See the chaos that ensues when a house takes you hostage?

The Times They Are a Changin’

This weekend, I plan to:

1. Embark on a new bread baking adventure with my newest book  Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The luscious loaf that graces the screen above needs a little less salt—-otherwise, it is nearly perfection.  More to come on that next week.

2. Ponder the wonderful ladies I met and some I reconnected with at our first bloggers’ luncheon.   It was a delightful mixing of women, creativity, and technology.   Denise, Kelly, and Jessica were there.   I bet 12 in all.   I’ll introduce you to more of them later.  It was big fun.  You should try it in your local area.  Thanks Patty for organizing it.

3. Clean out various dusty and scary cupboards and corners of my winter worn house.   I’d love to throw open the windows and feel the cool breeze blow through my tired bun.   To make this clean-out yet more compelling, I plan to listen to the remainder of People of the Book.

4. Catch up on some Issues Etc episodes (smartest Christian talk radio out there) while I make my famous fish tacos.  Malachi and Marcus (Steve’s oldest and middle sons) introduced me to fish tacos several years ago in Des Moines and though I was skeptical, I knew immediately I had to try to make them at home.    I’ve been perfecting the recipe ever since.  I blame this all on Todd Wilken and his very funny facebook stream on cats and fish tacos.  And there could be a video tutorial in your future.   Be very afraid.  I often sing country songs while I cook.

5. Order Jasmine Green Tea (it’s  a bulk tea—no bags) from the Bulk Herb Store online.  My friend Susan (who also tutors my littles in Spanish and Latin) introduced me to this tea yesterday.  I’m nearly speechless.   I’ve always resorted to hot tea when I knew that to drink another cup of coffee would likely result in either a trip to the ER or a night full of infomercials in which I might order a bedazzler and/or a few sham-wows.   I’ve never really been smitten with hot tea.   This is hot tea that I am now craving.  It’s just that good.  Finally, a hot tea that doesn’t play 2^nd fiddle to coffee.  And a very talented friend who teaches spanish and latin, inspires me with her love for home and tea AND makes the best jewelry.

6. Peruse Home Depot, Lowe’s and Sherwin Williams for the perfect shade of fire engine red.  I think it’s almost time to paint again.  I’m sure the Lowe’s staff has missed me.  And yet after all the painting I’ve done in the last year,  my favorite project is till my turquoise painted kitchen cabinets. Maybe it’ll always be my favorite.   I think all kitchen cabinets should be turquoise.

7. Make a few handmade goodies for upcoming birthdays.  I’ve really enjoyed making Darby’s rice bags. They’re easy and fun and ONCE YOU LOAD YOUR NEEDLE CORRECTLY, take no time at all.   I really don’t deserve my sewing machine.  If it could talk, it would yell obscenities at me and my needle loading skillz.

8. Try to make time to clean up some of the links on my blog that haven’t worked since I switched to wordpress.   Maintaining a blog can be a lot like work sometimes.   Which reminds me,  if you’ve asked me a question via email and I haven’t responded or heavens to betsy, if I promised to mail you a bookmark, please email me again with your address.  And accept my sincerest procrastinating apologies.   I’m not very organized with my correspondence.   Or my spice cupboard.  I intend to right all wrongs in both places if given half a chance.

9. I must stop at eight because my 7 year old is ‘needing’ the computer and screeching things in my ear like, “Mahhh-uuum, you can’t do more than EIGHT things this weekend.  Pleeeeeease can I have the computer now?”  In all fairness, she wants to try out a new typing program on the computer.

So, I’d love to know,  what are you doing this weekend?