Hello, hello, hello!

I'm baaaack!  I had no intention of neglecting this blog for sooo long, or to stop reading your blogs.  I thought I would take a week hiatus and it turned into two months.  My most sincere apologies.  I honestly don't know what happened.  I used to constantly have blogging ideas floating around in my head but I think baby brain took over.  So how have you been?  I hope you all have been well.  So lets catch up quickly!  

Our most important news is: we are exactly one week away from our due date!!  Can't believe this portion of the journey is almost over.  I have had a wonderful pregnancy and can't wait to meet the bun.

In other updates, I finally cut my hair.  I have been wanting to donate it to Locks of Love for about a year now, but I wanted to make sure my hair would grace my shoulders once cut so I dealt with the ridiculous length.   As someone so painfully pointed out to me, I got my mom haircut...ouch!  But as we get closer and closer to B-Day, I am embracing it more and more.  

Make a splash, 2011

Happy New Year!  >> new decade!  >> new beginnings!

I tend to stumble upon things, more so than diving right in....particularly when it comes to my career.  I like to ease into situations, maintaining my comfort zone while I test the waters.  This year my resolution will be to get out of my comfort zone.  I think Billie is a bit like me {okay so she is only 13 weeks old and I'm 31 years old}.  Much like myself, she inadvertently discovered the swimming pool this New Years weekend.  She was just tagging along behind me when she stumbled over the edge of what she apparently thought was a blue rug.  She trotted right into the frigid water.  Her water dog instincts kicked in and she paddled herself back to the edge from which she tumbled.

I guess whether you stumble into something or dive in, you better make a splash.

Joie de Vivre V + Smilebooth

This month makes five years that we have been in our little casita and the fifth year we have had our Joie de Vivre party, serving up gumbo and good cheer.  I can't imagine what that first year was like since we had just closed on the house December 1st.  Needless to say there aren't any photos of that shindig.  Actually I usually break out the camera after the festivities.  So this year we had a Smilebooth to document all the camaraderie.  Here are a few of my favorite shots...I think Billie Holiday makes an excellent prop.  Hope your holiday festivities are rolling right in to the new year. 

I can't believe that I haven't blogged about Smilebooth before...as you can see it takes fabulous photos and looks great at your party.  My profile picture and our Christmas card last year were all from Queso. It's a really long story that started out with Queso and ends with a fabulous collaboration with Smilebooth.  Basically our cousin Josh made the finest, most modern, photobooth on the block.  

Introducing...

...the newest member of our family, Billie Holiday!  This snuggle-boo came home with us on Saturday and we couldn't be happier to have the little pitter-patter of four paws in the house again.  She is all that I want and need for Christmas!  

New York City calls.

No this isn't 1947 and this isn't my ticket but it was my grandma's! Have a wonderful weekend!

Update:  Sorry this was supposed to post last Thursday but didn't so I am throwing on here now.  I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend.    

The Tie That Binds

I am so stealing inspired by this idea [it might be straight up plagarism by the time I am done with it.]  I would buy one of these ASAP if it wasn't for the fact that my dad has an incredible collection of used ties from his long career in menswear.  Maybe I can request a COM [customers' own material] and send them into Turn Left Here.
So dad....all I want for Christmas is for you to box up your threadbare old ties and ship them down to Houston (remember that Zegna and Isaia are my favorite).

Image via Turn Left Here Etsy Shop

See isn't Dad precious!

Heading east and west this week.

My friend Wayne likes to tease me that I take a trip every Tuesday.  Well this week he is correct but I also took a trip on Monday.  Yesterday I traveled back to New Iberia, Louisiana to pay my respects to my Great Uncle Don who I consider my surrogate grandfather since mine passed away when I was six.  I use the term "great" not only in the genealogy sense but from the bottom of my heart this was a GREAT man. My relatives are the salt sugar-of-the-earth. They were sugarcane farmers; and honest, hardworking, devout men. Nothing is more comforting than to walk into a room and hear "now that's a Rodrigue!" as the hugs and kisses are poured on.  I love feeling like I am a part of a pack.  As time goes on and our families disperse across the country, I am going to try and remember that there is never enough time to let someone know how much you love them...remember your mortality.  As the priest said yesterday in the beautiful service, "we are sad, we are joyous, and we are thankful."  I am so lucky to have so many graceful relatives on both sides of my family.

Today I am heading west to Marfa, Texas.   Where hopefully I can get tons of drafting and blog reading done.  Promise that you will be seeing more of me this week. 

Sorry for such a sappy post, but I just can't get yesterday out of my mind!

You Are My Heart and Soul

Happy Birthday to my husband, soul mate, and best friend!

Randsom Notes via Harbenger Duo

Looking Fabulous at 60

Happy Birthday Mom!  You are just as beautiful today as you were in this high school photo.  I love you mucho!

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of an Awesome Photograph

I recently found these photos underneath the drawer liner of our dresser and I feel like I have unearthed a national treasure, filling my heart with patriotic pride.  The dresser belonged to Will's grandparents and we are not sure if his great grandfather is in either of these pictures.  Mole and Thomas were quite prolific in these "living photographs" staging officers and enlisted men in emblems of American history, these are two in the series of ten.  Can you believe that this was almost a century ago?  Amazing!

Sadly these have seen quite a bit of weathering, the Liberty Bell even has a tear in nearly the same location as the infamous crack...oh the irony! I would love some tips on how to restore|preserve these gems if you have them.