this funky junky

I painted a "woody" jeep!

2012-02-01T14:44:00.000-06:00

long lost junky posting art on blog (story at ten)

2012-01-31T11:26:00.000-06:00

new owl

2011-08-24T08:59:00.000-05:00

painted on wood panel "canvas"

the champs!

2011-08-24T08:45:00.000-05:00

peanut's team played in a tournament in auburn this weekend. it was a blast. they won the tournament! here are some fun pictures.

warming up to play the other homewood team in the semi-finals

both homewood teams! semi-finalists!

coach jeff with the trophies

the champs!

peanut and butter!

two new owls

2011-08-19T16:13:00.000-05:00

i have been in the studio a little bit this week. i painted these two owls and could not wait to show you.

decor change

2011-08-17T17:37:00.000-05:00

i found this coffee table at goodwill and have used it for a while. although, i despise the color. so, after my sister, the decorator, told me i had to get rid of it...i got rid of it. i am putting it outside with a "free" sign on it.

here is what the room looks like now. also with a new rug!

chair on the left needs to be scooted in.

a sad story

2011-08-17T11:18:00.000-05:00

we have had a dwarf hamster named "rico" for almost three years and peanut has been his caretaker. she has LOVED the hamster. he has been everywhere with us and has been a tiny little family member. a couple of weeks ago, rico lost the use of his back legs. he would spin around on his back trying to get up. peanut would have to hold rico and the water bottle and "feed" him water because he could not get on his back legs to drink. pitiful, sad, and hard to watch. so, yesterday i decided enough is enough. i called the vet and they told me that they would put the little guy to sleep for me. when they saw rico, they had nothing but pity in their eyes. little rico was just laying on his back. so, they put him to sleep. terrible story, i know, but this is our life! peanut was devastated when she got home from school and i told her. then she did her homework and did not cry anymore. i guess little hamsters are hard to lose but nothing like a dog or cat. aren't you uplifted?

my LAST "GROVE" PAINTING EVER

2011-08-16T10:09:00.000-05:00

i have been working on this painting of "the grove" at ole miss for three weeks. every little detail took thought. what should they have on? should they be holding a cup? a plate of food? a hand of another? these are all the thoughts that i had to think the entire time of painting this 24x30 monster. i love the end result and i think that the customer will be happy with it. i, although am never doing one again. it is too stressful and detailed. so therefore, this is my last grove painting ever. what do you think of it??

coach sean

2011-08-16T09:59:00.000-05:00

this coach of peanut's is amazing. we knew we were getting a great coach for the new travel team but he is a PEACH!! he is from Scotland which makes him a dream to listen to. he is hysterical! peanut comes home from soccer in a great mood because they laugh so much during practice. i am looking forward to updating you on quotes from Sean. the soccer whisperer!

"stop the soccer ball with your butt if you have to"

crunch is in kindergarten!

2011-08-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

the kids started school yesterday. it was crazy to see my baby crunch go to kindergarten. after i dropped him off in his classroom, i was off to the "sip n sob" party at the school. this is designed for parents to come and "sob" over their babies going to school. well, i did not sob at all. even when they read "the kissing hand" to us. i just sat there, about to jump out of my seat and yell, "i did it! i made it! my last one is in school! freedom for me until three each day!" of course i did not say that, but i was thinking it. man, the house is quiet. time to paint, go thrift store shopping, have lunch with a friend, and maybe take in a movie (haven't seen "the help" yet).
here are some pics from the GLORIOUS morning!
disclaimer: i love my kids dearly. i just need some down time after 10 years.

butter woke me up at 6:20 with his backpack on. he was "ready"!

ready to walk

walking to school!

the famous "picture by the sign"

crunch's best friend. amazingly out of 9 kindergarten classes, they got in the same class!

we LOVE our teacher!

this is going to be interesting!

beaver creek! this summer. a few pics.

2011-07-31T18:49:00.000-05:00

a few pictures from our time this summer in beaver creek, co.

my beautiful three at the RODEO!

peanut

ride em cowboy!!

AWESOME!

among the aspens!

good times.

what in the sam hill is pinterest?

2011-07-31T18:34:00.001-05:00

ok, so... facebook. i love it. i check it once or twice a day..or more. BUT, there is something else? PINTEREST? so, i checked it out and it is REALLY COOL. and i joined. i am not going to tell you what it is. you just have to see it for yourself. maybe you will "pin" something from this funky junky. "if liz EVER would post anything" you say, "then i would pin something...sheesh".
SO, i have been taking a bit of a break for the summer and have not posted SQUAT! in the last post, i was ranting about a bathing suit or something (which, i did not buy). i am still wearing my old maw maw ones. i figure it is too late to buy a new one. enough of that. some news, i am coming out of painting retirement! in january, i decided that i had HAD IT with painting and was done with it! this also began a time of little to no funky junky posting. I AM SO SORRY. i hope that coming out of painting retirement, the beginning of school, and a new lease on life...i will post more. i am ready to share about new art projects, stories about parenting, new adventures of peanut, butter, and crunch. so, get ready. i have my post fingers out! pinterestingly enough!

dear diary

2011-06-11T12:04:00.000-05:00

dear diary,
bert will not let me get a new bathing suit. i am not happy. i only have two maw maw bathing suits to wear now and i am going to the beach in two days. he is blaming it on money...but i secretly think he just wants me to put on my old bikinis and strut my flabby stomach around. maybe no other guys will look at me. this might be his defense mechanism to keep the enemy away! if i keep on pouting, maybe he will change his mind. i will keep you posted! i know you will be chomping at the BIT to know!
love, liz
ps. oh, and diary....please help me to find a CUTE maw maw bathing suit. must at least come to the knee.

bad bad! NO! REBEL!

2011-06-09T12:10:00.000-05:00

rebs has a problem. he eats toys and i can't seem to stop him or curb his appetite. when one has a house with two boys in it, there will be small figurines. he has eaten dinosaurs, ds game cartridges, once he chewed on a battery, i CAN'T believe he is still alive. other than the fact that he still poops and pees in the house, and he eats toys, he has taught MOSS THE DOG how to do the same. moss now has taken on reb's eating habits. there is some colorful poo in our backyard (and in my house) that HAD to hurt coming out. yikes! once i saw a lego face smack dab in the middle of a log. it was just looking at me like, "why?" and i could not even look into his eyes as i scooped.

he seems innocent enough...

yummy!

why?

for those concerned for reb. i NEVER have just LET him eat a toy. if i see him, i grab it! the 2nd picture was just for effect. he had ALREADY eaten the head and arm off of "the joker".

my "hiatus"

2011-06-06T10:02:00.000-05:00

some might be wondering why i have not blogged in a while. i have been trying to simplify some things in my life so that i can spend more time "being a mom". painting became very difficult for me. so, i kinda "quit" for a while. hopefully, when school starts and all three will be in elementary school, i will have time again to paint and blog more.
crunch is great BUT if he is not on his medicine, he is not easy. butter is so sweet and constantly practicing soccer in our back yard. i think he will be a really good athlete. peanut just made a traveling soccer team and we are all pumped. dad is working hard as usual and trying to balance being a dad and an estimator. my laundry is taking over the house and i NEED a laundress!
REBEL is still awful!

spa seee ba!

2011-06-06T09:46:00.000-05:00

spaseeba means "thank you" in russian! first of all, i want to tell you that pictures are on their way but i do not have any yet. i KNOW! so obnoxious!

i sat on the big plane that was taking us back to the states and LOST IT. i did not want to leave odessa. i did not want my experience on the mission trip to end. why was it so great you ask? my first answer is, "have you ever been on a mission trip??" my other answers i think i am going to put in "list" form because there are too many to put in paragraph form, and you might get bored.

Liz, why did you love your trip to odessa, ukraine?
1. it was the best experience of my life! (next to child birth and getting married!)
2. my husband was there to experience it with me!
3. we met amazing ukrainian people. interpreters, teachers, children, and street kids.
4. bert got to finish out a room in the street kid center. and have the best meal of his life from the street kid "mom" of the center.
5. OUR TEAM was amazing. our chemistry could not have been better.
6. we BONDED with precious children with autism and cerebral palsy.
7. we walked the kids down to the black sea which was a treat for them because it takes a team to get them there, and they had not seen the sea in about a year.
8. we ate at wonderful restaurants where we could decompress and talk all night.
9. we rode on public transportation where we were squished up next to everyone around us. this was not a favorite memory, but a memory none the less.
10. we toured an orphan halfway house for girls that was one of the NICEST places we had ever seen. we toured their strawberry garden, talked with the girls and had the best meal in ukraine. and two of our girls with us tried to "hypnotize" a chicken!!
11. we watched our special ed students work with the kids and were amazed by them. these kids CAN be taught. it just takes more than one teacher per room. ps. most kids were non verbal.
12. we watched more than one of our teammates cry from the emotions that odessa produces.
13. we played basketball and volleyball with some street kids.
14. we were touched by the love and care that the interpreters took to help us with the children in the orphanage.
15. we toured odessa and got to see the port and pier and climb some stairs very reminiscent of the stairs in "rocky"
16. i bought a painting in the little market across the street from our hotel. it was $10.00!!
17. i buddied up with one of the waiters at breakfast every morning and i miss him!
18. we stayed in a rickity old hotel that was so ukranian and PERFECT!
19. we had to brush our teeth with bottled water.
20. i experienced a "NO TOILET PAPER?" moment.
21.we learned that you are not to make eye contact with men or they would think that you were soliciting them. this was told to me AFTER i looked and smiled at TONS of people.
22. we had daily devotionals, and those times each morning were so precious.
23. and for the finale'.....one of out team members accepted Christ the last night of the trip and now comes to our church!
we had the time of our lives. the work was tough but with God all things are possible. we plan on returning next year.

we are going on a trip

2011-04-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

to UKRAINE! so exciting. but my entire existence for a month has been raising funds to get there. we have to raise 5,400 for the both of us to go. plane tix were purchased today. and we have about 2,000. with one month to spare. i sent out letters so every day i run to the mailbox to see if we have gotten any money. then i come back from the mailbox all discouraged. definitely not believing that He will provide the money. i want to believe it so bad but it just seems impossible. i know that all things are possible with Him who gives me strength. i have to keep reminding myself.

my fridge

2011-03-24T12:41:00.000-05:00

how long will my fridge stay this way? when will it be neat again? i am not sure that i wont miss this. actually.

spring break in MENTONE, AL!

2011-03-21T19:02:00.000-05:00

we had so much fun staying in a cabin in mentone, al (on lookout mt.) we took a day trip on the last day to ROCK CITY and RUBY FALLS in Chattanooga. SO FUN. and you need to know that rock city is called ROCK CITY not SEE rock city. well powder me up and slap my behind i always thought it was SEE ROCK CITY!! we also enjoyed about every waterfall in the area. we went hiking and horseback riding. i could write an entire story on the horseback experience. let's just say that our horse trainer leader dude was missing a tooth and smoked the entire ride with butter right behind him just suckin in the fumes. crunch had to ride bareback behind bert on his horse. it was crazy. we saw the falls where the legend of nocollula played out. she was an young indian girl that was betrothed to a young brave BUT she was in love with another. she lept (so the legend says) from a rock into the falls and died on her wedding day. there is now a wedding chapel and a state park campground next to the falls. it is so ROMANTIC. you can stay in your camper, get married and sight see at this romantically beautiful location! here are some pictures to commemorate our fun trip!

precious cabin in the mountains!

butter helping crunch down the stairs to desoto falls

bert and the gang

the falls

first sunset from the cabin

hot tub! no mt. cabin is complete without it

the little river canyon falls

hiking up from our picnic at the falls

little river canyon scenic drive

time for horseback riding!

the horse named "foxy"

pretty peanut!

crunch riding on the back of "gunsmoke"

i rode "sandy"

a church built on a rock!

inside the church. the rock comes in!

RUBY FALLS!

1 hour spent underground in the caves

lots of cave formations

and then let the drum roll begin.....

TA DAAAAAA!

and now, off to see ROCK CITY... SEE?

falls at rock city

SEE how much fun we're having??

you just have to SEE this place. it really was amazing!

my favorite little cabin that we saw!

last stop, noccalula falls!

beautiful

ok, cool pic. you can see noccalula's statue, the falls where she was jumping into, and the chapel across the falls.

worn out?

soccer tournament!

2011-03-14T14:09:00.000-05:00

peanut got to do something special. she substituted on a soccer team one grade level higher. she got to play in a tournament this weekend with girls better than her, bigger than her, and probably more confident than her. it was a GREAT experience for her. she loved it. she did well. GO PEANUT!

crunch enjoyed the day too

butter found his friend, brian

gracie the dog

2011-03-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

the cooolest thing that has happened to me in a long time, happened on friday. i was at my friend's house and her lab, Gracie was pregnant. we were pretty sure that her water had broken because, well, there was water.... so we set the dog up in the garage and just waited. we came in to check on her and my friend shouted THERE IS A PUPPY! well, there WAS a puppy halfway out just staying there. so i bent down and pulled lightly on the puppy and DELIVERED HIM and the placenta. no joke. for real. it was SO COOL! about two and a half hours later the second one came and then 6 more! the last one was WHITE! all of them black and then this one little white puppy. i missed all of the other puppies because i had to go. but i will never forget that first little puppy. i felt like billy crystal on city slickers when he delivers the calf!

when i came back the next day, this is what i saw!

so i grabbed my camera...

and she covered her babies!! how sweet!

what is up??

2011-03-09T18:15:00.000-06:00

i am pretty sure that crunch is addicted to the DS and the star wars game.

i realized that my bible had remained in the car since church last week. it won't get read that way. so i picked it up and read it. a little psalms to calm the spirit.

and

i discovered two adorable boys sitting quietly in the bath looking scrumptious!

i realize that i need to get the camera out more!

disclaimer: I AM NOT TIPMAMA

2011-03-09T17:41:00.000-06:00

ok....I am not "tipmama". SHE is a real person but not ME. OK. ALSO, let me tell you that i am not doing her diet because i can't and don't diet. i have taken ideas from her diet to help me come up with better choices. everything in moderation! right? tipmama is a work out queen also, and she looks the part. i asked her if she would have any tips for my junkies and so that is how tipmama came to be.

is tipmama hungry? PG

2011-03-08T10:40:00.000-06:00

this is why i am not trying her super diet!

e-mail from tipmama:

just had a 5 egg white omelet with celery, red pepper, a little cheese and ezekiel toast. i don't really love eggs. blah. last night i dreamt i made love to a frosted mini wheat. he wasn't so mini...

tipmama #3 HELL WEEK

2011-03-07T09:19:00.000-06:00

this is for those junkies who are not skeered to try Hell Week~!

got something to get ready for? i do...so this week for 7 days only i am going to do my tried and true method of getting leaner fast. its hard but it is usually something i only do for one or two weeks. want to try it with me? last year i lost 10 pounds of fat (6% of my total body fat) in 2 weeks. i don't plan on it working quite the same since that time i cut almost all carbs out of my diet. very hard and i would dream about big pieces of cereal. so, this time im going to add in my good carbs and leave out the simple ones. Heres what i do:

Total H2O intake is 120 ounces a day

Total caloric intake is 1200 a day split up like this:

Breakfast: 300 calories ie: steel cut oatmeal, almonds, natural peanut butter (no sugar added) on whole wheat toast, egg whites, whole grain cereal, greek yogurt etc...just remember salt is not our friend so limit the sodium. don't freak out about the fat in the nuts...we are concentrating on the calories. We NEED good fat so our bodies will stay full and satisfied.

Snack (around 10am) 200 calories ie: cottage cheese, peanut butter toast, protien bar, protein shake, hummus with vegetables, almonds, turkey, greek yogurt...

lunch 200 cal. you can do any whole grain bread and sandwich meat with veggies etc... or a salad with a low fat/low cal dressing. just make sure you have some protein with it. you really need protein for every little meal.

snack mid afternoon 200 i usually have 1/2 of my protein bar and 1/2 apple so i can have some fruit.

dinner 200 lean meat, veggies and option of complex carb (brown rice, sweet potato, etc...

after dinner snack 100

i just keep a little sheet in my kitchen and write down what i eat. you can find a good calorie counter anywhere on the internet. i copied one from the Atkins diet but i think the ipad even has an app for calories in foods. and no, you cannot eat 1200 calories worth of twinkles and chocolate. clean out the junk and concentrate on lean meats, veggies, and whole grains.

best tip: gum. i know it has artificial sweeteners but i have to stick a piece in my mouth after i eat as my desert. it gets me through. all 19 flavors i go out and buy when i start this. they even have chocolate gum!!!!!

from your friendly tipmama!

the worst trick ever played.

2011-03-07T09:16:00.000-06:00

this is a story about a "friend of mine" who played a NASTY trick (she admits the sinister nastiness of it) on her husband. she had always asked her hubbie if he wanted to just try a droplet of her breast milk. "UGGGGGHHHHHTTTHHPPP" he would say! well, she did not understand why he would not try it because his own precious baby drank it daily! and even she, herself, had tried the sweet milk. it sort of hurt her feelings. WELL, seven months pass and she was still plugging away but at this stage she was pumping her breast milk into little bags to save for the baby after she returned from work.
one faithful evening, she showed up after a late day at work and her hub was resting comfortably on the couch. as she passed him with the baby on one hip and the breast pump on her shoulder, he said in a sort of baby voice "will you bwing me a bwownie and some milk? pwease?". "SURE", she said, (i'm not doing anything else?!). then the light bulb went off. bing! she fixed his brownie and poured a glass of milk and then dumped about three oz. of breast milk in it. stirred it up and served it up. she found great joy in watching her husband drink the milk, eat the brownie, lick his fingers and say ahhhhhhh.
the woman, out of fear of the tantrum it might cause, waited four days to tell her husband. he survived.
moral: when your hormonal wife asks you to just try a droplet of breast milk, DO IT! it is better than three oz.!
this "friend of mine" does not suggest this trick. use it with caution!

tipmama's tip #2

2011-03-05T16:19:00.003-06:00

Good SAturday morning to you! my tip for a yummy alternative to IHOP? Krusteaz Multi Grain pancake mix (Costco has it). it is made with whole wheat flour, rolled oats, flax seeds, barley etc...and it does have some sugar but on the whole it is a great alternative to frozen or white grain pancake. it is really good too. (and very easy, just add water and an egg). instead of using syrup (yuck) put honey or agave on the table. i swear the kids just want the sweetness so they might not even notice.

tipmama's tip #1

2011-03-05T16:14:00.001-06:00

tip of the day:

remember to drink one gallon (128 oz) of water each day. get a big water bottle to keep by you during the day. yes, you will have to tee tee a million times but its flushing all of the fat out of your body. the first few days it will seem like a lot but by the third day you will be wanting the water every few minutes. the body really acclimates to it quite fast. and no, to answer the question that might be coming: you cant substitute! the artificial sweeteners in those diet drinks like crystal light and sodas can actually cause you to GAIN weight! more on "safe" sweeteners later.....ooohhhh exciting!

tipmama

2011-03-05T16:08:00.000-06:00

ok, my friend is going to be known as "tipmama". she is miss healthnut and great with different foods and health tips for me. i figured, every good blog has recipes and tips. i am using tipmama to do that. oh, and she is GORGEOUS, a wife and a mom of three, and has the whitest, healthiest skin i have ever seen. she is my crazy friend that i can tell ANYTHING to and she never gets grossed out or mad at me. she is a dear friend and i will love her forever! so, watch out for some tips coming up!

an unfortunate event

2011-03-04T16:09:00.000-06:00

yesterday, while the girls were practicing for their thriller dance, i thought i had a pretty good tip. "girls," i said, "when you JUMP on this part you have to JUMP high and make it look scary!" so i showed them like three or four times. with bess quietly protesting, "mom, stop, that looks weird. really, stop." then i looked over at her and she mouthed the words to me, "you can see your bald spot." i was SO EMBARRASSED and i realized that i had embarrassed HER. my little girl, while trying to protect me, was also embarrassed of me. it was a heartbreaking moment and i just wanted to disappear.
i felt so sad about what happened yesterday this morning and the fact that my hair does not seem to be re-growing. so i just protested to God "why Lord, do i have this problem?" then i said the dumbest thing "i promise i will be good and spend more time with you if you do this for me." i knew when i said it, how dumb it was to say. God does not work that way and i know it. i was reminded by bert later on the phone that i have to praise the Lord even in times like these. HE KNOWS ME. HE LOVES ME. HE IS IN CONTROL. "the lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being." prov. 20:27
i know that the Lord cares about my pain and feels it with me. there will be glory for Him in this. i will glorify the Lord EVEN if i do not like what is happening.
"but I call to God, and the Lord saves me. evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice." psalm 55:16-17
PRAISE BE TO GOD!

mustache

2011-03-02T14:24:00.000-06:00

i saw a love bug today while on my walk. it reminded me of the time that i drove to the beach during love bug mating season. they were EVERYWHERE. they were so bad that i had to use my windshield wipers. when we got to the beach the front bumper of my car looked like a mustache. and i don't like mustaches.

family of four kids and two dogs

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

this was a fun painting!

so NOT funny

2011-03-01T09:51:00.001-06:00

i NEEEEEDED to exercise the other day but did not have time before the kids got home to go on a walk. what can i do here???? hmmmm. yoga? na. dancing around the house? not in the mood. WHAT ABOUT THE TRAMPOLINE?!!!!!! so, i start jumping realizing that all the school children are on the playground behind my house, i did not worry....THEY don't care if i look ridiculous. so, i kept jumping. oh and i was jumping hard and sweating in the february sun. when suddenly a VERY LOUD coach from the school yells "GO MRS. LIZ!!!!!" across all the kids. some of them turned and laughed at me. you've got one coming to you coach d. ohhhh, sleep with one eye open!

thriller

2011-02-21T09:46:00.000-06:00

peanut is in a little dance group for this year's elementary school talent show. i was in charge of the costumes and hair. they had their audition on thursday. here is what they looked like. PS i do not like zombies! but, for the sake of the arts, dance, and the "king of pop" i am letting it slide!

she didn't say hey!

2011-02-20T16:40:00.000-06:00

living in the south. oh, it is a dream. everyone is nice and speaks to one another, waves at their neighbors and gets married promptly after college. we also ALWAYS look nice, don't act ugly to one another, and never leave home without our lipstick on. we consider the lady that helped our mamas raise us "a part of the family" (it is true). we are all republicans but certainly do not like "career politicians". we still adhere to all the fashion "rules" like no white after labor day. one is considered a "good mama" if they can juggle the junior league and four children. oh, and four is the new three. we DO wear hairspray and have eyeliner tattooed on. we go for walks in our pearls and would rather die than to not be wearing a sports bra. we preface all gossip "y'all bless her heart but.........and.........bless her, i would say this EVEN if she were sittin right here". we sometimes (god forbid) use prayer requests at bible study AS GOSSIP! we become highly offended when others do not notice and dote over our new baby. we cry during "my home's in alabama" and Dixieland". while on a power walk, if we see another person walking, we will shout right over our i-pods "hey" and become highly offended if they do not say "hey" back. while shopping, we MUST be spoken to by the salesperson. we then learn their name and consider them our personal best friend. ooh, we become best friends with at least one gay person and it usually is our hair dresser. oh, and the hairdresser and the salesperson talk about us when we leave. we can talk about God wherever we are and it is ok. for example: the lady at the checkout at the grocery store...me-"my what a great day we are having, how are you today? check out lady- oh, i'm blessed and you? me- "so blessed, God is so good isn't He?" check out lady- "mmmm mmm m yes he is ooh! that will be eighty-five dollars honey"... i just love the south. good and bad. we ARE the sweetest people in the country.

valentines day

2011-02-15T09:57:00.000-06:00

bert is an excellent cook and made rosemary chicken for the family last night for valentines day. it was delicious and the kids loved it. some might say that v-day is WAY over-rated. for those that might not have a "valentine", it disappoints. and for those that HAVE one, it sometimes can also disappoint. example: while i am thinking that a piece of jewelry might me nice, bert is thinking that he is going to come home to pamela anderson in her sunday best. neither of which happen and...voila!...disappointment. valentines for me NOW is all about getting those boxes of spiderman cards ready for a class party and making sure that the kids have a little goody waiting for them when they wake up.
for the first two years of brett's and my relationship, he, without realizing it, took me to BURGER KING for valentines day. disappointment. but, one valentines day bert gave me his fraternity "drop". sigma nu letters and a ruby on the top (my birthstone). so sweet! this was like an engagement to be engaged. a really good valentines day. no disappointment there. once or twice i had flowers sent to bert at his office. terrible idea. he was embarrassed! disappointment again. i guess what i am saying is let us not wait for valentines day to enjoy each other. like bert says, "valentines day is a hallmark holiday". for those without a valentine, your day will come to donate to the hallmark corporation, become disappointed in the day itself, and then write your own blog entry.
as far as this year's valentines day goes, my husband was sweet like he always is, got me a precious card (see photo), and told me that he loves how we work as a team together. music to my ears. romantic? maybe...sweet? of course! but was the day THAT different than normal? no. and that is good and simply not disappointing.

bert has taken peanut out on dates for several valentines days

my card from bert. i was impressed with his artsiness!

new (to me) coffee table

2011-02-13T15:44:00.000-06:00

i found a coffee table at Goodwill and i am super pumped. after sanding and painting it i will love it even more. any suggestions on color? i am thinking so dark brown it's almost black. i also got these ottoman/stools at southeastern salvage. they were not UBER cheap but not expensive either. it is SO HARD for me to buy full price but i did it. i switched my rooms. these two chairs were in the tv room but were so monstrous it was overwhelming. remember that i scored these at the salv arm for $80 each. booya!

owl for a baby boy's room

2011-02-13T15:31:00.000-06:00

an unfortunate bird

2011-02-09T09:36:00.000-06:00

there are holes in this wood that i used for this particular owl. but just look at her face.....did you look? she is HORRIFIED at where one of the holes hit. poor girl. a wardrobe malfunction. she should have thought about going out of the nest without her skivvies!
ps. this was unintentional on my part!

what in the sam hill have i been doing?

2011-02-08T17:32:00.000-06:00

watching butter play basketball.
drying his tears when he lost.
kids started back to school.
painted NOTHING. (in january)
enjoyed the "no painting" break.
went on a couple of dates with my husband.
felt like i was going crazy in the cold
we had ice and snow.
learned that i like "dry riesling"
grew my hair out.
cut my hair off.
went to bible study.
went to counseling.
found three pairs of "paige" jeans at the thrift store that fit me!
prayed for two friends who's babies were sick.
praised God when they came home from the hospital.
learned that i have a GREAT husband. even more so than usual.
cleaned out my studio.
finished 46 small paintings.
sent art to a show in carolina.
painting to catch up.
had writer's block for my blog.
found a thrift store coffee table.
raided southeastern salvage.
planted NO flowers.
found mcCarty pottery at the thrift store! three pieces!
haven't called people back.
had a cavity filled.
pulled a little girl's tooth out at church.
got a new pair of glasses! totally artsy.
lost it with my kids.
asked forgiveness from my kids.
fretted over my weight gain.
taken NO pictures for fun.
plan on taking some soon.
got a blackberry
went to tim and kim hudson's honky tonk weekend in atlanta and had a blast!
cried with friends
laughed with friends
cleaned up rebel the dog's pee and poop.
rejoiced at the end of JANUARY. my least favorite month.
welcome FEBRUARY!!! you are spelled so weird but you are MUCH better than the dark days of january!

as clean as my studio can get.

worked on finishing a painting (in february)

watched butter playing basketball

reb loves the fire

2011-01-11T14:07:00.000-06:00

yess you dooo yess you doooooo!

THANK GOODNESS we had bread!

2011-01-11T10:53:00.000-06:00

the BIG MONSTROUS snow storm of 2011 provided no school and an icy snowy mix everywhere. perfect for sledding! we had a ball. fire in the fireplace. house full of snow puddles and wet gloves thrown in the dryer. a walk to a neighbor's house for delicious spice tea and great conversation. a snow football game to get the boys warmed up for the national championship game. ps. in the south a toboggan is a hat and a sled is a sled. we tried to use a cookie sheet to sled in the early am. this did not go great.
we had a busy, fun day. those are the days you remember forever. here are a few pics.

7:30 am

of my many colored days

2011-01-07T13:27:00.000-06:00

some days are sad. i don't know why.
a cloud over my head hangs in the sky
the sun is out but i can't feel it's rays
because the darkness sometimes stays
nothing i have said or done. nothing to do
i just flat out am feeling blue
this is not to be taken light
to hide for another night
my friend prays a prayer for me
that through the darkness i can see
i am loved...especially by HIM
and though hope feels often slim

this too will pass i know this to be true
my dark sky will again be blue

dealing with occasional depression is super stinky. it feels like a weight sitting on your head. i share the poem above to HELP ANYONE feeling this way. through prayer and sometimes a doctor it is easily maintained. talk to someone, don't be ashamed. i am one of the most chipper people in the world and i battle this at times. don't let the darkness fool you. don't let it envelope you. get help. doctor, pastor, friend....or all of the above.

a bald trick. my alopecia areata is acting up!

2011-01-04T10:44:00.001-06:00

so, i have lost a good amount of hair on one side of my head. luckily there is hair that falls over it. BUT that hair is getting thin itself. here is a pictorial diary of how i handle this setback:

seems normal. BUT, if the wind blows, or if i tuck my hair behind my ears you can see baldness.

yikes! i know, it is freaky.

i found this on the internet and it is like an eyeshadow for your scalp.

(mine has been used A LOT)you are supposed to pick a color that is as dark as your roots and use the applicator

creating a "shadow" under my thin hair makes my scalp not as noticeable.

now i can even tuck my hair behind my ear!

our trip to madison! COUSINS REUNITE!!

2011-01-04T10:22:00.000-06:00

we went to visit my sister's family in madison, mississippi. this might be one of the cutest, nicest places in mississippi! we loved it. the town is so clean, and friendly. there is something going on all the time in their neighborhood. it is winter so not that many people were out and about but we enjoyed outside activities just the same! they have horse stables in the neighborhood and we enjoyed visiting the horses. we went to chic-fil-a and found out it is the number one chic-fil-a in the country (for breakfast). the kids rode on riding toys without fear of traffic until crunch ran into the neighbor's bushes. we made cookies, refereed the kids and played the wii. we went to the thrift store and i found an ole miss ashworth golf shirt for bert (score!). OH, and MOST importantly peanut and my niece got their ears pierced! here are some pics from the weekend.

making cookies with little mil!

beau wants some cookies!

maddie's turn

thank you VANA!

maniac

time for the big moment at "claires"

i'll hold your hand

here goes!

SHE DID IT!!

maddie's turn!

hold my hand?

a little nervous

big girls!!!

funny facebook post "REBEL"

2010-12-28T09:47:00.000-06:00

STATUS:
Liz- rebel the dog is not a christian. he keeps eating small bibles. you know, like the ones your children get as baptism gifts. NOT A CHRISTIAN. I am about to evangelize.

Bebo- Actually maybe he is so much of a Christian that he has to have the Word of God in his body. He is so incredibly Christian that he must ingest the Bibles. Next thing you know he might start speaking in tongues. But in that case I am sure it will just sound like a bark to the untrained ear.

ME- laughing out loud and surprisingly relieved

Patti- He is a christian...he's eating up the WORD!

Liz- LOVE IT!

new haircut

2010-12-28T09:40:00.000-06:00

CRUNCH decided to cut his bangs off yesterday and a little bit of the side of his hair. i noticed that as i was addressing some Christmas cards, he walked in with scissors in his pocket. then i noticed the new doo.

this is after the "fix it" haircut. notice how short the little area in the front is. i think he was going for a buzz!

playing with focal black and white on picassa

2010-12-22T11:15:00.000-06:00

i am a power dancer

2010-12-21T16:03:00.000-06:00

i am bored with going for walks. i can't always have a babysitter to keep the kiddo's while i go out for a long walk to burn off these xtra few lbs. and i get so antsy(is that a word?) when i am walking. i just want it to be OVER. that is why i have taken to indoor walking (yes, the mall) because i can window shop, smile at people, talk to babies, get a chicken terriaki sample shoved in my face, and then grab a cappuchino from the bookstore before i take my satisfying drive home. but, the mall walking has stopped because the kids are out of school...SO, i have had to become creative with my exercise.
this has come in the form of what i call "mom's power dance hour /thirty minutes". this is a humiliating time for my kids who just watch me in disbelief as i dance all over the house. FOCUSING on my "core" i am flailing about trying to mimic aerobic exercises from the past. one time i did step aerobics on my hallway steps. my arms going up and down like a bird flapping it's wings.
what music am i listening to? you have to know it is my i pod! so, the kids hear nothing while i dance about the house. if the song is slow, i might just drop and do twenty sit or push-ups. this can look strange to children and i am aware that it does, but some things just HAVE to be done.

i just finished the thirty minutes of "mom's power dance hour /thirty minutes" and i feel GOOD! i put in a dvd of michael jackson's greatest hit videos and i rocked out to "the way you make me feel" and "beat it" and of course "thriller" and "black or white". after that, i did some floor yoga and then i got bored with that and stopped. no terriaki chicken or cappucino as a reward. but to keep from eating the entire bag of chocolate covered almonds that someone sent, i am blogging! btw, why do people send food at christmas? i vote we switch to ornaments. everyone needs them. my jewish friend julie even had a hanukkah tree growing up. she would love a new ornament. please send ornaments. that is all i have to say about that. MERRY CHRISTMAS! and a flab free new years! start your own power dance hour/ thirty minutes! i won't laugh at you!

if you learn to dance really well you could score a dance with someone like Caesar

Antique Building Materials, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama

2010-12-17T16:54:00.001-06:00

shout out to fletcher horn! thank you SO much, fletcher and kimberly for giving me all of this incredible wood! i have had so much fun painting on it!
fletcher creates the most amazing furniture and designs for your home like beams and antique flooring. their own house is amazing! you can see it on his website (the photo of the house in the snow). the wood beams that they have on their porch are simply incredible. even their mailbox sits on a beam that catches the eye. he collects wood with serious history in it. the wood that he cut for me was from the 1850's and was in an old home in alabama. "if this wood could talk!" if you need any wood in your home...i know a guy!
fletcher@abmwood.com
http://www.abmwood.com/

four ladies dancing

2010-12-17T16:41:00.000-06:00

a house in oxford

2010-12-17T16:36:00.000-06:00

just did this one for a friend to give her in-laws! hope she likes it!

rebel-rooo

2010-12-17T08:10:00.000-06:00

the dog is getting better. he does not bite like he once did. he still occasionally tinkles on the downstairs carpet. he poops too. he really is pretty terrible. we still don't know who his weenie dog mom mated with to get this crazy "designer" breed! oh well. i am sure that he will set a trend as more and more people see him and want to copy his look by mixing all sorts of breeds together. they won't get it. they just can't. i think that he is a one of a kind! the only dog that was bread from a german shepherd and a weenie dog with a little chihuahua. so he is a "shepchiweenie"!
the problem is....we LOOOOOOVE him!
the kids love him!
oh well.

it's been driving me crazy. who the hector is parson brown?

2010-12-17T07:56:00.000-06:00

i do not know who "Parson Brown" is from that Christmas song. so i googled it. here is what i found out and i feel SOOO much better. and i also used to think that the song went, "later on we'll PERSPIRE, as we dream by the fire."

MY GOOGLE: PARSON BROWN

what popped up: from wikipedia

Who is Parson Brown and why are they making snowmen like him???

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

The following lyrics compose the musical bridge of the song:

"In the meadow we can build a snowman,

then pretend that he is Parson Brown.

He'll say 'Are You Married?'

We'll say 'No man, but you can do the job when you're in town!"

Being that a Floridan orange grower was the only well-known person by the name of "Parson Brown" at the time the song was composed, one can assume that "Parson" is used as a title, instead of a first name. In the period when this song was written, parsons (now known as a Protestant minister) often travelled among small rural towns to perform wedding ceremonies for denominational followers who did not have a local minister of their faith. Therefore, the children are most likely pretending that their snowman is a Parson with the surname "Brown," which would be visiting the town again in the future.

family of owls

2010-12-14T09:40:00.000-06:00

i did this painting for a fimily with 5 children! she loved it when she picked it up this morning! a surprise for her family. i think they will love it!

tall, blonde, confident....

2010-12-14T09:35:00.000-06:00

do i deserve dirty looks? i feel frustrated this morning as i think about a couple of incidents that happened to me this week. "GIRLS". i would think that the same things that happen in elementary school would be gone by say...our thirties. i have felt, my whole adult life that i have to PROVE that i am nice. there is nothing worse than a tall blond or brunette that is confident and is not nice. they can be misconstrued as snobby or aloof. i am fearful of this, so i am always friendly as possible. not fake, but friendly. when girls get together there is power and meanness in numbers. that group of girls that is chatting at a party find it fun to talk about every girl there. what they are wearing...etc. this brings me to what happened to me at a party this weekend. i was wearing a crazy looking faux fur jacket, jeans and boots with heals. i had done my hair and make-up and felt good about my appearance. 5 extra pounds and all. when i walked in, there were girls everywhere and one little pack of them looked at me said nothing but looked at each other and LAUGHED AT ME! i know they were laughing at me because they looked and then laughed. UGGGG. i was SO embarrassed.
then, while mall walking, i kept coming in contact with three girls pushing their babies. NOW, i knew one of them, have seen her many times...so i smiled, said hey......no return hello. i passed them again and made a comment about how cute their babies were.....no "thank you". once again, i was ignored.
you might be thinking...."liz, get over yourself!" i am aware that these girls could have been busy talking and simply not had enough time or been way too tired from pushing their buggies to say hello. let me tell you why i know that this might not be true. i have friends that have told me in words such as this: "when i first met you, liz, i thought...'i bet she is a snob or not nice'....then i was so surprised to find out how nice you were!" i have never known how to take this. why do i come across as someone who might not be nice? so, i MAKE SURE that they see that i genuinely am friendly, nice, and a believer. oh, btw being a believer can also warrant some unpleasantness! God warns us about this in the bible.
i am sorry to use my blog as a counseling session. but, i can. it's my blog.

the progression of circles painting

2010-12-11T09:53:00.000-06:00

first draft. too primitive. maybe too many dashes and geometric

almost

changing some colors here and there

flipped upside down!

the customer is happy!

an important fashion message: BABY GOT BACK

2010-12-11T09:43:00.000-06:00

i will not include photos in this post because it just would not be right. i want you to know that i DO have a photo or two of this actual thing...that i am about to rant about. when bert, the kids and i were in oxford, ms. for the game we ate in the town square. there were a lot of college girls in there. ok....ready?...they all had on tight leggings (yes, the ones that you wear UNDER dresses, skirts etc) with sweatshirts that come to the waist. all we were looking at is butts. all different sizes in embarrassing tights! uggg! for real? now, don't get me wrong, most ole miss girls are precious, beautiful and fashion forward. but, this? this is not ok? even if you are thin enough to do it.
LISTEN TO ME GIRLS....I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE. just because your friend is wearing tights with halter tops does not mean you can. ok? PLEASE! look at your body type and work with it. you can look fabulous! but NO ONE looks good in tights with your butt showing.
glad i got that off my chest. oh....speaking of chests.......

my Christmas mantle is a hoot!

2010-12-04T20:21:00.000-06:00

paintings on wood from the 1850's! super cool.

2010-12-04T20:17:00.000-06:00

36 years

2010-12-01T18:06:00.000-06:00

a pic of me looking especially old. and what did i do with my hair that night?

i've made it 36 years being able to eat whatever in the heck i want and now ALL OF THE SUDDEN....well, let's just say...spare tires are not just for your car. waaaaaaa! i know, you DON'T feel sorry for me. but i do. SO! i am on a mission to be healthy and "toned". it has been yucky weather in the HAM the past few days, so i have been "mall walking". THIS INCLUDES retail window shopping, an i pod, sketchers shape-ups, and ten of my new geriatric friends! i have been asked by my friends "where are you mall walking?" really, this is not a question it is a statement... "certainly you are not walking in OUR LOCAL MALL, in front of people?" OHHHH YESSSSS I AMMM! an not ashamed! one thing that i MUST have are the brownish grey orthopedic shoes that my friends at the mall are wearing. the sketchers must be intimidating as i breeze by them. sometimes lapping them (twice). i would like to let some of them know that if they are not pushing it a little harder they are not doing enough! i guess i will let their trainer tell them (there might be one at the Foot Locker) the sad thing is that i find great pleasure in being the fastest one there! come on you local junkies! come walk with me. i will probably be faster than you because i am DETERMINED to get rid of the tire. and my legs are long. so, as soon as i get the name of the taupe easy spirits i will be UNSTOPPABLE! so if i see you rounding the turn at BELK... that is not a frown on my face, it is my new concentration face. do not disturb. and i can't stop and talk....this is serious business. smile and wave, boys, smile and wave.

i've been so lame.

2010-11-30T10:44:00.000-06:00

my posts have all but stopped! i am so sorry. i know some of you junkies have been checking in and wondering if i have fallen off the face of the earth. see, here's the deal...i have SO much to say and NO TIME to say it in. at the end of my two art shows i ended up with some good money but a LOT of commissions on the calendar. i have been working steadily on those (even in Little Rock on thanksgiving) and then at the end of the day i am POOPED. i have had time to post a few funny facebook statuses. i need to figure out how to make twitter go directly on the blog (that is what i will try to do). ok, so this morning's post was something like "i ran out of my deodorant so i used TEEN SPIRIT of peanut's. is it weird that my armpits feel younger and a bit more argumentative?" yesterday's went something like, "i am a mall walker and i wear sketchers shape-ups. there, i said it."
so, do you want to see some of the art that i have been working on? hope so....cuz here it is anyway:

for a mother in law that was SO CLOSE to being tomato bowl queen...she could just TASTE it!

Lean On Me

on old barn wood

more barn wood

two meaningful paintings

2010-11-18T08:16:00.000-06:00

i will not go into detail about these two paintings. but they do have something in common. they celebrate the the lives of two tiny babies. and i was in tears and in praise to the Lord as i was painting them. for He alone is the provider of all comfort. thanks be to Him that He includes me in His work.

some paintings for the shows

2010-11-12T08:09:00.000-06:00

5 lambs (sold)

mary, did you know?

old wooden cross(sold)

wooden church(sold)

jen's tree (sold)

girlfriends in Christ

don't splash!

follow Me

you're a bird!

avacado and bubbles!

footsy

oxford and ole miss. our trip in pictures!

2010-11-11T08:02:00.000-06:00

OK! going to ole miss is an absolute treat for us! the first stop...our favorite dive...the always artsy, hippie wannabe hangout, home of the vanburan best seller turkey sandwich with raspberry mayo and red onions, THE BOTTLETREE BAKERY!

PS it opened when we were at ole miss and it has not changed a BIT!

referring to our new mascot "Rebel, the black bear"

square books....gotta love the Faulkner section

we could not resist the picture in the phone booth!

the grove was hoppin as usual and the kids are too!

a hilarious band that was hired by one of the tailgaters!

an old col reb look-a-like......or IS he?

the alumni band warming up in the grove

the whole band playing in the grove. our favorite event!

early to the game....freezing our tails off in the nosebleed section

peanut shells....many more to come

crunch met some PRECIOUS girls from Jackson and immediately captured their hearts. they were so sweet to him. he got all of the hugs! making their 12 year old boy "friends" very jealous.

before we left he had also drawn a cross in the air and told them that Jesus died on the cross, then came BACK TO LIFE!

PS. look closely at his gloved hand! he did that on his own...hope we don't have a "playa" on our hands! but, for sure an evangelist!

halloween pictures!

2010-11-01T10:02:00.000-05:00

the crew! ready a little too early for trick-or-treating. but the sunlight was good for pictures. btw, crunch picked out peanut's costume. can't imagine why he picked it!

i told him to pose....this is what i get. i think he is shooting me a web?

my handsome transformer!

36

2010-10-30T00:48:00.000-05:00

i've got a poochy tummy AND love handles. (they are new and i am not wearing them well)
ACNE! who has acne at 36? (most 36 year olds)
wrinkles starting to show. right around the eyes and "smile zones"
who needs to smile anyway? ( 36 year olds)
in math 36 "rounded" is 40. ug
who acts like they are 40 before they are 40? (other 36 year olds.) NOT ME
i used to LIKE photographs of me. now i have a "good side"
built-in bras are a JOKE. i'm not laughing
36 year olds are beautiful
my 36 year old pregnant friends have life in their faces... and tummies
they know much more than i did at 26.
36 isn't so bad. i think, rounded up...it might be the beginning of freedom
...from not caring about love handles, poochy tummies, wrinkles, acne...
and built-in-non-bras
maybe i'll feel free tomorrow. after my sit-ups.

disney tips from this traveler!

2010-10-27T11:02:00.000-05:00

ok so there was no Internet access in the room unless we paid for it. SO, i waited until the end of the trip to blog. disney is everything that people say about it. what they say is....it is MAGIC, a blast, fun! but, what they leave out is how TIRING it is. i just can't "hang" with my world traveling in-laws. they are so used to traveling and walking everywhere. i was more tired than they were.... i am convinced.
zig zag walking: another thing i was not prepared for. you have to be like "frogger" and just cross in front of other people. in the south...we just are not comfortable with this. excuse me, pardon me, i'm sorry, sorrryy!
strollers: they are EVERYWHERE and so are scooters. so one must walk at their own risk! one punch in the Achilles tendon with a buggy and you are trying not to cuss in the land of happy children. banks rode in a buggy that we rented each day. this is NOT CHEAP! note to others.....bring yours or borrow a buggy!
bandana: our red bandana tied onto the handle of our buggy distinguished ours from the 15,000 other light tan buggy's.
buy water bottles as needed. they are cumbersome and hard to carry unless you have cup holders on your buggy. they are only $2.50 each. a drop in the bucket.
bring your own snacks for long lines
get a fast pass for the big ride that you want to ride, early in the morning. so you can ride it twice...waiting in line once and then coming back at the designated time.
note: just cause your kid is the height for a ride does not mean that he needs to ride it. it might scare the crap out of him! Butter was terrified after the tower of terror!
we have not decided if the meal plan was worth it. easier, but might be more expensive and pb&j's could have sufficed! no time for eating anyway!
bright matching color tee's for your kids are a great idea.
we lost crunch for 20 minutes (i know you are SHOCKED) in the animal kingdom. if this happens, find a staff member immediately, they found him by radioing all around. PS he was helping himself to candy in a store when he was found. note: noone helps you if you are yelling your kids name. not one parent offered to help me!
we sharpied my cell # on the kids arms.
wear your most comfortable running shoes.
don't forget sunglasses and sunblock.
backpacks are a pain because they are not easily accessible. wear a fanny pack or a swing around bag. mine was a kavu.
don't waste your time on rides that are not rated with stars in your guide book. have it mapped out so you don't waste time.
let the kids pick a gift on the last day.
just cause the ride does not have a line does not mean the ride is not great.
just cause there is a line does not mean the ride is great. people just jump in line when they see people jumping in line! monkey see monkey do!

Crunch One liners:
at a show he poked a man in front of him and said "I CAN'T SEE!"
every time we saw a dressed up character he would look at us and say "that is just a BOY in a costume!" really loud!
when someone asked him if he had seen mickey mouse yet he said, matter of factly "why yes, i have been to his restaurant!" (chef mickey)
he told his grandfather that he was "not of this world".

favorite rides:

animal kingdom
dinosaur roller coaster, and inside dinosaur ride
cali falls river rapids
the safari!

hollywood studios
rockin rollercoaster
tower of terror
toy story
haunted mansion
honey i shrunk the kids (playground)

magic kingdom
thunder mountain
splash mountain
small world
pirates of the carribean
peter pan
micky's philharmagic

Epcot
SOARIN'
test track
spaceship earth
mission space
turtle talk with crush
buzz lightyear
countries (great for nighttime)

day five of disney and departure!

2010-10-27T09:49:00.000-05:00

one more swing through the magic kingdom! one more time on thunder mountain, a racetrack ride, and the hunt for souveneers.

they DO NOT want to leave. i am a bit relieved because i am TIRED!

playing in the airport

taking MICKEY home!

day four of disney

2010-10-27T09:42:00.000-05:00

DADDY!!!! what a surprise! his co-workers made him fly to be with his family!

i am forever a member of the Brasfield and Gorrie fan club!

THANK YOU!!

into EPCOT we go!

1st Bama fan spotted!

waiting in line for "Soarin'" the premier ride right now at disney!

a buzz lightyear shirt cheers up a sad crunch that did not make height restrictions for test track.

a street show back at hollywood studios for dinner.

peanut participated!

i'm hungry!

a glorified johnny rockets called "hollywood and vine" very yummy!

THOUSANDS pile in the amphitheater for FANTASMIC!

well worth it!

MICKEY!!!

day three of disney!

2010-10-27T08:32:00.000-05:00

THE MAGIC KINGDOM! i still have chills from this moment!

magic!

we saw peanut's favorite character FIRST THING! she was thrilled!

it's a small world after all.............repeat 150 times.....you're singing it now aren't you.

splashwater falls....nuff said.

PRECIOUS mimi with a chocolate covered banana!

getting tired???

fun day!

day two of disney!

2010-10-26T18:37:00.000-05:00

home of the rockinrollercoaster and tower of terror!

the great movie ride (a classic!)

entrance to the "hotel" that holds the tower of terror!

our tour guide (bert's dad)! he is the best planner. he had those guidebooks memorized!

indiana jones show. guess who was an "x-tra"? well, me of course. third from right.

the kids in their 3-D glasses for toy story ride!

a parade with all of the favorite characters!

mimi, peanut, butter, and crunch heading into epcot for dinner!

chop chop house in "japan"! YUMMMMMY!

JAPAN!

spectacular fireworks over the lake!

day one of disney!

2010-10-26T08:43:00.000-05:00

here is a photo gallery of day one. and then a wordsy post will follow later.

on our way to animal kingdom

so excited!

finally there!

1st roller coaster!

expedition everest! super scary roller coaster!

wet kali rapids ride! so fun! thank goodness for the ponchos!

incredible safari! for real. it was amazing.

amazing.

why did the rhino cross the road?

a beautiful park!

our "Contemporary" room. fabulous!!

dinner at "chef mickey's" the kids loved every minute!

a long day! but after fireworks at 10:00 they finally went to sleep!

DW!

2010-10-20T08:11:00.001-05:00

we are going to the big D and i don't mean dallas! DISNEY WORLD! the happiest place on earth. my sweet and very generous in-laws are taking the kids and me to DW for 5 days. i have been stressed out, packing, planning, and stressing. bert can't come because of a big work conflict that he could not work out. this made me VERY sad but i know he is doing the right thing. he is VERY RESPONSIBLE and LOYAL. i have all of the "must haves" for the trip.....ponchos......snacks......waters.....EVERYTHING! so excited and i plan on blogging it everyday. if i am not passed out with sheer exhaustion. so, see you there!

weekend with my neice

2010-10-17T07:40:00.000-05:00

ok, so my neice is a 50 lb goldendoodle that looks like a polar bear. my sister, aka, the dog whisperer and popular blogger of "the walker house" TRUSTED me with her first baby, "bei bei" (named after a town in china) they love china....so, bei went with us to the pepper place farmers market. probably the most charming farmers market in the south. it was not really fun because she is a showstopper and both she and moss the dog pulled peanut and her friend around the place. so, needless to say, we did not stay long...i bought some awesome goards... we had a drink from the general store, and cookies from the culinary school... we listened to a one man band play one of my all time faves, "angel from montgomery"... and then we left. here are some cute pics from the market and just bei bei in general.

who is that blonde woman driving my car?

trying to look like they are having fun!

a little hot, a lot tired. FYI bei is pure fluff she is 1/2 the weight of moss the dog!

can't beat the colors at the farmers market!

drinks at the most adorable general store i have ever seen.

this is rediculous. buckle up please!

bei with a pony tail

i think i am in love

me and my weenie, asleep on the couch. a tiring day.

sing hallelujah c'mon get HAPPY

2010-10-14T08:17:00.000-05:00

"happy" might be my fave! 20x20 $350

liar liar pants on fire!!!!

2010-10-13T20:41:00.000-05:00

i wish i could just yell this at my oldest child when i know she is telling me a TALL ONE! she looks away, her voice changes and she is LYING. somewhere in the book of rules you're not supposed to call your child a liar. i KNOW. so, what do you say? well, you change the wording.....i KNOW that you are NOT telling me the TRUTH. or, i can tell that you are not being honest. or, YOUR LYING! today i used the last choice. because i am tired of it. once i said....if JESUS were standing RIGHT HERE...and HE is...what would you say? but, this just makes her more determined and scared to tell the truth. don't get me wrong. this is not very often that she fibs. it is simply happening more than i am comfortable with. there is a great skit on you tube with bob newhart playing the character of a psychologist. his answer to all of his clients is STOP IT! click on the title of the post and you can watch one. it is HILARIOUS! maybe, and probably soon, my child will grow out of this and STOP IT!

i love books...and sometimes just for decoration and conversation!

2010-10-12T09:54:00.001-05:00

i've ALWAYS wanted to write in shorthand because my mom can label christmas presents with it. i always thought that was cool.

chinese and english Don Quixote! a dream come true!

SIMPLICITY! gimme!

food trays....GREAT idea!

so i did it!

i can be the hostess with the mostess!

another family painting

2010-10-12T09:37:00.000-05:00

hope she likes it!

a columbus day e-mail

2010-10-12T07:58:00.000-05:00

i thought this was pretty darn funny. from our soccer coach:

Hi folks

In honor of the Italian who thought he discovered India, I am canceling practice tomorrow. Take your kids out for cannoli tomorrow evening.

face pressed

2010-10-11T08:17:00.000-05:00

roaming around

face pressed

the glass is cold and dirty

"get your mouth off that glass!"

but what's inside i'm protected from

this face seeing all the wonders

and mom says "come ON"

on....to the next wonder

that i can't reach

let me pet that GORILLA mom!

PLEEEEEEEEEASE!

keeping it "EVEN"

2010-10-07T13:38:00.000-05:00

"EVEN" can't be done. THAT'S NOT FAIIIIRRRRRRRR!!! i used to say to my parents. LIFE IS NOT FAAAIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRR! they used to say back. oh how true their words were. life certainly is not fair and we don't all live "even" with one another.
i remember when i was pouring two glasses of milk. one for me and one for hansell, my friend. for those that know my hilarious friend, you can probably picture the exchange. i was hunched over to make sure that i had evenly dispersed the milk and she was just standing there. she interrupted the madness with...LIZ, it doesn't have to be EVEN. gimme the milk.....! ok i laugh so hard now at how ridiculous it is to always measure everything.
i was the oldest child and let's face it...oldest children always get to do more than their younger siblings. i got to stay up later, have a tv in my room, go on out of town trips with friends. it was not fair and certainly NOT "even".
now i do this as a mother. i try to keep things "even" but it does not work and the cycle continues. i do know that i will also repeat to my kids the "life is not fair" part also. this is especially true spiritually. is it fair for the unethical, cheating team to beat the fair team? nope, not fair...and they win the trophy! or the friend that spends her days and nights studying to be #1 in her class, becomes #2 because the "valedictorian" cheats on her final exam. oh well, life's not fair. i think i want to have a t-shirt that says that instead of life is good. it is WAY more practical. life is NOT fair, not "even", and....are you listening?.. it is NOT ABOUT ME! what? here i go again with my not about me tyrant. life is not fair, not about me, and fill in the blank________________give up? designed for God and ONLY HIS glory. sorry to all of the "winners in life" we are going to probably forget what you won. UNLESS you use it to His glory. then we will forget what you won and remember HIM. not fair? i KNOW. but oh soooo GLORIOUS! i am reminded of this passage in Corinthians:

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

is it fair that all run a race and train just as hard as the next guy and only one wins the prize? seems uneven and unfair. life is not fair. man is it NOT! but, i am going to strive to run the race in this life to HIS GLORY. i fall off the path, He picks me up. i stagger along, he massages my cramping muscles. i lose my running mates, He runs along side me. i do not win the "trophy"! but all along, i have been running with The Prize. a promise that He will never leave my side. eternity beginning at the finish line. i CAN'T wait to see his face. join me? man, what a race! how sad to run it alone. i won't do it! it is truly not "even". i am only made whole and "even" with Jesus Christ. the one who died for me.
don't do it alone. trust me, don't count on others to pick you up.....they are all pushing each other off the path to win a fleeting trophy that will end up in an estate sale.

but i don't WANT to go to the tummy doctor!!!! uggggggg!

2010-10-04T08:58:00.001-05:00

but i had to. i was having troubles. i won't be too specific but "Elvis would not leave the building" you know what i'm saying? here is a picture storybook of my appointment.

i am NOT happy to be here!

la ti da.....in triage

WHAT? THIS is the literature they put on the wall for the scared patients to read while in triage?? for the love of PETE!

whazzup doc?

does this hurt? no. does this hurt? no. does this hurt? no.

ma'am, why are you taking pictures?

OK, so. no real problems? nothing like the poster in triage? good. so i need to take miralax everyday? then you want me to send you what? IN THE MAIL???.........................

am i on "candid camera"?

can't beat the peace of mind!

if you are having tummy troubles. GO TO THE DOCTOR!

it is worth it!

this post is for my precious friend Tripp. may God Heal and work His miracles in your life! LOVE YOU!

behind the scenes at the fashion show

2010-09-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

i did a fashion show today! it was a blast! here are some pics from backstage!

working on my runway "pattern"

my pattern looks like a fallopian tube? weird

ruth, the choreographer and her apprentice, sissy

waiting backstage to do our run-through

and we're walking....i was "shooting from the hip" literally walking and taking pics from my hip. an act like this is like suicide for a model. you could get in trouble OR WORSE, trip and fall and accidentally photograph the fall.

hold still...look up...down....now with the blush and finish with glossssss!

let's just prick this hair up and NOW....that is good!

audrey the beautiful commentator!

she will always be the picture of fashion!

there she is! miss ALABAMA! she's so adorable it is just SICK!

my "dresser" was GREAT! she made the wardrobe changes run smoothly! and...she babysits!

mother and daughter models! beautiful!

the beautiful and sweet dianne!

"our work here is DONE!" great stylists!

"show ready"

whoa!

2010-09-27T08:21:00.001-05:00

i was just doing one of my favorite things. talking with a spanish accent. crunch hates it! he says, "talk like my mom!" i said, "jor mother eees not heer she vent to de store. i yam heer twen sisteer"
then...get this!...he slaped my cheek and said, "SNAP OUT OF IT, BUZZ"
no more "toy story" for him!

what in the sam hill hamster is THAT?

2010-09-26T20:53:00.000-05:00

i'll let you decide. all i have to say is the other hamsters at the shop had the same butts. the females were sold out! i wonder why? because ONLY the boy "black bear" hamsters have "back". but this hamster's butt has to be documented. it is SO BIG, BECKY!

a boy and his dog

2010-09-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

crunch and his "biting dog" as he calls him

rebel has gotten a whole lot better! as long as we keep up with his commands and practice, i think he will be a really good dog. his ears are hilarious! they have a mind of their own! they sometimes cover his eyes. when you talk to him they move all around to the different noises. the biting is MUCH better. for the most part he just has that kangaroo like expression all the time and growls a little at the kids. and his idea of a kiss is a lick on the nose and then a bite on the nose! not painful. just a love bite.

painting party!

2010-09-24T08:52:00.000-05:00

my friend elizabeth asked me to host a painting party for her birthday. we worked out the detes and then had the party last night. it was a lot of work to prepare my home for the event. two flights of stairs to bring all painting supplies to the outdoor covered porch. card tables, tablecloths, fans, and places for the girls to sit, eat and drink. i was a sweaty mess by the time they got here. we painted owls. i particularly like the owl that was named coco. can you find her? a GREAT time was had by the guests (i hope) and i had fun too. i hope to do more and now i know what to tweek. they were my guiney pigs (sorry girls).

prep

getting ready to paint!

wow!

finished HOOTS!

(elizabeth, far right)

where is coco?

hint: top row

recycled hoot

2010-09-21T17:14:00.000-05:00

i painted this "RED BARN OWL" for the Exceptional Foundation's art auction. i used a recycled "playhouse" window, an old kimono robe of mine, bottle caps, and of course, paint. i luv this one! the auction's on friday night for you birmingham junkies!

i am a REAL ARTIST!

2010-09-20T20:19:00.001-05:00

i have a checking account! just for my art business! i can't believe it. i am totally NOT going to spend all of my money now at garage sales and thrift stores. i promise. you know why? because i have to prove to my family that i can MANAGE money! and i also want to prove it to myself. so i tootled into BBVA Compass Bank in downtown Homewood (my favorite branch because it feels like a family bank)and started an account! just for me. not bert. ok, i will LEND money to him from my "this funky junky" account, but only if he begs!
ok, so this is funny.......my banker, Edward Elliot, is a friend from church, so if i overdraw like crazy he might wonder why i am taking communion! TOTALLY kidding! i am so excited about the whole thing.

"hey, liz! we are so excited you are here! want some money for your account?"

HEY, LIZ! i am SO excited to start your business account! BTW what did you think of this week's sermon? awesome!

I GET CHECKS??????? WOWZERS!

fancy and a cowboy!

2010-09-19T07:45:00.000-05:00

one of my "to do list" dreams came true friday night. i got to see REBA! she was in town with GEORGE STRAIGHT who is an added bonus because bert loves him. i was offered tickets at face value from a friend and they happened to be 5th row! i bought bert a "cowboy shirt" which was only a short sleeve plaid button down and i dressed "fancy" on the top and wore jeans and cowboy boots. well, when Reba came out....i freaked. ok, a little background.....martha (my roommate) and i used to drive down the road in oxford and sing to her music at the top of our lungs. she would tell me how great her concerts were and i would say, "oh, i'm going one day...FOR SURE!" we especially loved the songs "does he love you" and "fancy".
Lee anne womack opened up for them and she ended up making an appearance with REBA to do the duet...."DOES HE LOVE YOU". THIS is when i turned into a complete dork, sang EVERY word as if i was the star!
when reba came out...are you ready....i started crying! yes, this is REBA, not the beatles! but yes there i was on the 5th row bawling like a baby! bert's expression was priceless. it was like he was saying...FOR REAL?
let me add some more background. i watch the show REBA (re-runs) practically every day when i paint or fold laundry i feel as if we are dear friends! i laugh so hard because it is a HILARIOUS TV SHOW! so, i was seeing a legendary singer AND one of my favorite tv stars. it was just too much.
oh and i got on the JUMBO TRON i am sure with mascara running down my face!
George straight was GREAT. he plays like he is playing in a honky tonk bar and seems shy, humble and sweet. he was awesome and we had a fit during "ALL MY EX'S LIVE IN TEXAS"!
i got some great pictures i would love to share.

the duet

"Barbara Jean", one of my favorite REBA show cast members came out. she was HILARIOUS!

we were SO CLOSE!

GEORGE!

george shaking my hand!

me and MY cowboy!

a painting sent to the BIG APPLE!

2010-09-17T07:12:00.000-05:00

this NEW YORK "junkie" wanted this bible verse incorporated into her nursery. lettering is not my BEST thing but i gave it a valiant effort!

PS. SHE LOVED IT!

a clean room

2010-09-13T15:47:00.000-05:00

a couple of posts down you can read about our search for RICO our elderly hamster. we tore peanut's room apart to find him. well, someone had to clean it! since i am a control freak, i decided to clean it myself. throwing away any JUNK that i found and also putting together a give-away pile. it turned out well! here is a before and after:

oh my goodness!

MUCHO BETTERO!

remember the closet scene in E.T.?

have you ever watched "hoarders"?

daddy's girls!

2010-09-13T08:28:00.000-05:00

a painting of three girls and their beloved dog! a gift for a daddy's birthday! this was a joy to paint!

goalie!

2010-09-12T08:06:00.000-05:00

peanut's soccer team: the FIRECRACKERS played on friday night. first of all, i am a completely obnoxious sports mom. running up and down the sidelines cheering for each player. i can't stop! one of my friends (and you know who you are) was looking at magazines! and catalogs! LIGHT FIXTURES!! i just can't be that calm!
ok SO, peanut was at GOALIE for the first half and she did GREAT! i was so proud of her because the other team was good and they were ALL OVER the goal the whole half! i know nothing about soccer but pea and another little girl guarded that goal like their life depended on it. i was SO PROUD! they did score twice on them BUT, not without a fight! and MOST IMPORTANTLY, their costumes no...their UNIFORMS are cute as a button! correction...their uniforms are intimidating and LOUD! like FIRECRACKERS!! BOOM!

cuties! but TOUGH AS NAILS! can't you tell?

look at my girl!

chunk it sista!

get ready peanut!

is that my child THROWING herself on the ball? GO PEANUT!

fun times were had! soccer is a blast!

where was rico??

2010-09-11T20:42:00.001-05:00

well, RICO the elderly dwarf hamster, went missing sometime in the night on thursday night/friday morning. peanut noticed that he was not in his cage and had squeezed out of small gap that had been left from poor cage assembly. she ripped her room up looking for the little guy. no such luck. pea was devastated that her hamster might really be gone. we set the cage on the ground with the door opened. and VOILA! this morning, we found him...hanging out...on his wheel! in his CAGE! home sweet home. his own happy Brier patch. meanwhile THANK GOODNESS the weenie dog is back at the trainer. he would have had him a rico sandwich! for sure. he tries to get to butter's hamster and i know it is not to play! he is a hunter. we might just have to train him to dove and duck hunt. NOT hamster hunt.

tear the room upside down!

good idea!

rico, rico

where were you?

bess was crying and i did not know what to do?

we searched and scoured the messy room

hoping we would not find that you had met your doom

were you hanging out with barbie and her friend ken?

or were you on the couch? out in the den?

oh, rico you are one cool dude!

we are so glad you are not doggie food.

glad you are back from your vacation...

we are hoping you will stay in your plastic station!

"rico" a terrible poem by liz

dove hunting? you've got to be kidding!

2010-09-09T09:13:00.001-05:00

so, bert takes the peanut and butter to a dove shoot. ok, a little bonding time for them. neat. so neato. wait, daddy was actually shooting the dove?? they were falling, being retrieved by a dog and dropped cold and dead at your feet? and you thought that was NEAT? WHAT? there was a little boy POKING the dead bird in the eye? was that NEAT? i think NOT!! Bert, what have you done? if they had been flying hamsters, the mood would have been different! yikes, they LOVED IT! and are gonna do it again. this time....I AM GOING. i am going to monitor this dead bird thing. ok? by the way, the birds were DEEEEEELICIOUS! but that is beside the point. the point is...well i don't really have a point. just don't poke birds in the eye. ok? are we square? thanks.

don't waste your life

2010-09-07T07:26:00.000-05:00

here is an excerpt from John Piper's book that i am reading, "Don't Waste Your Life". it is so thought provoking!:

"I will tell you what tragedy is. i will show you how to waste your life. consider this story from the february readers digest: a couple 'took early retirement from their jobs in the northeast five years ago wen he was 59 and she was 51. now they live in punta gorda, florida, where they cruise on their 31 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells...' picture them before the Christ at the great day of judgement: 'look Lord. SEE MY SHELLS.' that is a tragedy.

when i meet the Lord face to face i want to fall at his feet and say, "THANK YOU JESUS for not letting me waste my life". i often feel like i am. as i putt around in nothingness and boredom...collecting shells. then i remind myself that HE ordains each day, FOR HIS GLORY. whether i like it or not. whether, my idea of what glorifies Him comes in a tragic circumstance that i hear about or happens close to home. i ask "why Lord??" i get on my knees, "Lord WHY?" then i realize something. i am ON MY KNEES. not because i just felt like PLEADING to the Lord that day...but because something of this world was so devastating that i fall to my knees and have INTENSE fellowship with him. it does not seem fair to the person of whom i am praying for. "IT'S NOT FAIR!" He never promises fairness. only REDEMPTION to the lost. only to mend our wounds, only to extend his arms and die for us. the least i can do is wake every morning and pray that today will not be wasted. that i will be OPEN TO HIS WILL. not that He won't do His will anyway but i can participate in the JOY. OR I can just sit there WASTING IT. today, i choose to participate.

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Matthew 6:21

there is a reason we call him weenie.(PG)

2010-09-05T07:52:00.000-05:00

Rebel, before his grand transformation, had a problem. this problem unfortunately involved his short stature and my black lab's anatomy. when he was TRYING to play with moss the dog he would try EVERYTHING to get him to play! one of his favorite ways to play was to walk under him and jump up and bite anything hanging down. MOSS would then "play" with him by trying to bite the stew out of him. hey, any attention is better than none! we understand why moss literally can't stand this little menacing dog and won't let him near him. sometimes "hanging loose" is not a good thing!

painting memories (ooh that sounds cheesy, but for real!)

2010-09-05T07:38:00.000-05:00

a friend asked me to do a painting from a picture that was taken in the late 70's maybe early 80's of her and a close friend. it has been a picture that she has cherished over the years and i was glad to bring it to the canvas. their little shorts are made of fabric, glued to the canvas. i used "tacky glue". it works like a charm.