inspiration board

I couldn’t agree more with this quote. The instant we feel “comfortable” God challenges us to embrace change. This past week has been busy, full of the change I am talking about, overwhelming and lots of fun all at the same time. I called my mom Tuesday morning, as I normally do as part of my morning routine – for no reason in particular. Just our routine morning chat. However, this particular early Tuesday morning was more out of a I feel a little lonely feeling?  Or even homesick (I use this term loosely). She reassured me that I must continue to embrace every moment that life sweeps my way. Sometimes those moments are good, and some are bad. Some of socially eventful, and some are lonely. Some will strike up feelings of JOY, and some pure self-pity –not going to acceptable in my book b/c I have to many blessings to be grateful for. Mom’s words that morning reminded me of this, and I voted (for myself) that I was going to skip down the street with my head held high. So I encourage you to live by Walsch’s words, and step out of your comfort zone and let life play out in real time. Along with this comes social awkwardness, tears, solo meals, walks alone and lots of “me” time. However these feelings are always accompanied by new friendly faces, confidence, a stronger relationship with the Lord, smiles, laughs, life lessons and lots of memories. Comment if you have a chance, in what ways do you find yourself stepping out of your comfort zone today? I pray for your strength and courage. Remember your roots AND fly (aka Mom’s words to me!)

Why the fascination with spoon? That little sign made these concrete sidewalks actually mean something to me. This is the street I work on, and spoon is basically our neighboring friend. And a housewarming, inviting friend if I might say so myself. They offer up that sweet, yummy goodness of southern hospitality. It is one of those lovely unique city treasures, tucked away off the busy 7th Avenue.

So for tonight that’s all folks. You got a two for one. One of my favorite designers, Tory Burch AND a new local favorites the fab spoon!

And from the outside:

At night I lie in bed and watch out the west side of my window as the planes fly in over the Hudson en route to LaGuardia. One after another the file in, and they never stray from their course. They follow the same path. One…two…three…four…five…si…s…I wonder into a deep sleep. This reminds me of when I was little, the first school night after a long and playful summer. I could not find peace inside my anxious little seven, eight, nine year old body. My mom would try to comfort me, I could not sleep, she’d tell me to count all the little sheep in my dreams. I don’t really remember if it worked, but I eventually dozed off into a deep sleep. 

I look around at the walls of my apartment. I see what I (we) have done in just a weeks time, and I feel a jolt of inspiration to go out into the city, yet again, and continuously paint the charm of city’s uniqueness on the inside. 

I have been stuck inside all morning-besides a short gym training session this morning-because I have been waiting on the cable man to arrive. He is just now done. I am headed outdoors (with my camera). I have an agenda. I’ll be back soon with some photographed inspiration for you. 

xo. happy friday my lovely readers.

Back with more for all my lovely readers, family and friends when life allows for more “down time”. 

Happy Monday!

xo! julie

We left Atlanta on-time. Perfect, I thought. I’ve always felt once you pushed back from the gate and were airborne you were good. The factors of delay are completely out of the picture, right? I mean you have to come down out of the air. So we were set…One hour in. Yay, only 30 minutes left. The captain comes on the loud speaker to tell us passengers that we have been given a “holding pattern”? What? We basically float around in the sky aimlessly for 30 minutes. We then are told that the fuel is getting low so if this last much longer we are going to be diverted to Raleigh-Durham. Wait, things sound good, the weather in D.C. might be passing. Nope that was a tease. We are going to be diverted to Norfolk, Virginia. That is one place I have always wanted to explore (sarcasm, though I am sure it is a lovely place), but really?? Not today? We sit in the plane on the runway for about one hour? Still cannot leave for D.C. We are stuck. We finally get a gate, and must deplane. The weather clears in D.C., we are set to re-board. Oh wait, never-mind because now the weather in Norfolk is blowing UP!!!!  The weather is slowly passing, and we are set to re-board again. Oh no…this time the flight crew’s time is almost over. There are no “extra” crew member “floating” around the Norfolk airport to help us out. Hear me out, this place have one restaurant. Praise the Lord, the crew agrees to work overtime, and we make it to D.C. EIGHT hours later. By this time we were just happy to of actually made it.

It was well worth it. The memorial service was really special, but the family time with my cousins was priceless. Especially when Riley, aka Marley (from Marley & Me) greeted us post-service with a grand surprise in the family room and kitchen. A chewed up i-pod, swallowed ear buds, flowers AND vases strewn EVERYWHERE!! Even an eaten platter of cinnamon rolls with lots of remnants scattered amongst the kitchen floor, and evidence (dog fur) across the top of the Viking stove range! It was a priceless moment. Of course “mom of the house” was trying to send him outside before we left, but we complained it was too hot. And who’s i-pod got eaten…the mom of the house. Perfect Riley!

On another note, the architecture in Great Falls and the Falls Church area is fabulous. Lots of beautiful homes, and stunning architecture. Sorry, I have NO pictures to share. My cousins house is historic, and the room we slept in George Washington is said to of slept there twice in his lifetime. It is recorded in historic journals of his. The history in our Nation’s Capital is pretty stunning. If you have not been there for a visit, it should be on the top of your list. And, venture out of the city proper. You will be sure discover lovely land, beautiful homes, enormous trees and fabulous restaurants.

This morning alarms were set for 6am. We get a call, flights cancelled. We are to be rerouted at 3:30pm through Michigan, then Atlanta. One hour on the phone we work it all out. God is good.

Traveling=Not so Glamorous. Time with family=Priceless!

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Finally we took her inside for a change of clothes, water break and a whole lot of AC + a cold stone floor.

And when it was all done we got to see her new addition to her dance bag :: dance foot undeez by capezio for modern, lyrical and jazz dancers

and for now, it’s a wrap!

we picked up two baskets of these babies.

although these peaches are yum-O on their own, you all know there is just nothing better than homemade peach ice cream.

:: here is the recipe ::

my grandma’s homemade peach ICE CREAM

6 eggs

1 can condensed sweetened milk

3 cups sugar

1-1/2 t. vanilla

-Blend the above ingredients in a blender until throughly combined. Whisk in 1 large can of evaporated milk. Stir in 7-8 mashed fresh peaches.

-Put the mixture in electric ice cream maker. Fill with whole milk until it reaches the “fill line”. Let it do its thing for per the instructions included with the machine. And finally ENJOY!!

Oh and better yet…

if you live in Auburn and do not feel like making your own homemade ice cream, you can buy it by the pint at Amsterdam Cafe. I do kind of find it ironic to “buy homemade ice cream”. But hey you cannot go wrong with anything from Amsterdam. They buy local, and as a matter of fact their peach ice cream is made with Chilton County Peaches too. It is DELICIOUS.