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7. Forget the Miata and buy the mini-van. And don’t think you can
   leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don’t
   look like that. Buy a chocolate ice cream bar and put it in the glove
   compartment. Leave it there. Get a quarter. Stick it in the cassette
   player. Take a family-size bag of chocolate cookies. Mash them down
   the back seats. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There!

   Perfect!

   8. Get ready to go out. Wait outside the toilet for half an hour. Go
   out the front door. Come in again. Go out. Come back in. Go out
   again. Walk down the front path. Walk back up it again. Walk down it
   again. Walk very slowly down the road for 5 minutes. Stop to inspect
   minutely every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty
   tissue, and dead insect along the way. Retrace your steps. Scream
   that you’ve had as much as you can stand until all the neighbors come 
   out and stare at you. Give up and go back in the house. You’re now
   just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.

   9. Always repeat everything you say at least five times.

  10. Go to your local supermarket. Take the nearest thing you can find
   to a pre-school child with you. A fully grown goat is excellent. If
   you intend to have more than one child, take more than one goat. Buy
   your week’s groceries without letting the goats out of your sight.
   Pay for everything the goats eat or destroy. Until you can easily
   accomplish this DO NOT even contemplate having children.
 
  11. Hollow out a melon. Make a small hole in the side.  Suspend it
   from the ceiling and swing it from the ceiling and swing it from side
   to side. Now get a bowl of soggy Fruit Loops and attempt to spoon it
   into the hole of  the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
   Continue until half of the Fruit Loops are gone. Tip the rest into
   your lap, making sure that a lot of it falls on the floor.  You are
   now ready to feed a 12-month old child.

  12. Learn the names of every character from ‘Barney and Friends’,
   ‘Sesame street’, and ‘Power Rangers’.

   When you find yourself singing, “I love you, you love me” at work, you
finally       
   qualify as a parent.  Congratulations!

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The American Dream, sometimes in the phrase “Chasing the American Dream,” is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of prosperity and success. In the American Dream, first expressed by James Truslow Adams in 1931, citizens of every rank feel that they can achieve a “better, richer, and happier life.”[1] The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence which states that “all men are created equal” and that they are “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights” including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” -Wikipedia

Thank you to all who serve, have served and will serve.  Including my sweet husband!

On a side note, I thought it would be fun to have a little interaction.  This is 10 month old Grant and this series of pictures is only a fraction of the different faces he made during the session!  I will be having a contest on this post starting on Tuesday so stay tuned to participate!

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Not only is Miss Ava on her way to walking on her own, but Fort Worth is not just your typical cowboys and stockyards any more boys and girls.  We started our session in the most wonderful cupcake shop called J’Raes.  In the summer people flock to get their hands on their specialty cupcake “Pink Lemonade” and for the fall the favorite is “Pumpkin.  A must see for anyone looking for an interesting day out or a date night for all those couples looking for something different to do.  Read on to find out more about this up and coming area and to spot Ava’s sneak peek!

This ain’t your mama’s Cowtown. Much as Dallas is still trying to defeat the Sue Ellen and J.R. stereotype, so Fort Worth struggles with its own outdated rep as a small town full of big hats and oversized turquoise jewelry. Now don’t get me wrong, if you need a cowboy fix, brisket at Railhead Smokehouse BBQ followed by dancing at Billy Bob’s should do the trick. But if you’re interested in exploring a different side of the city, this list should be just about right to fill a Saturday, with offerings that range from chic antiques to ultra-hip fashion and furnishings, from juicy burgers to market-fresh cuisine utilizing the finest local ingredients.

Start your day trip at Byrd + Bleecker (2962 Park Hill Drive, 817-924-2973, byrdandbleecker .com) near Texas Christian University. Owner Libby Pettit, a darling New York transplant originally from the tiny North Texas town of Graham, opened the store a year ago. The deep, dark, almost-black back wall with a stark white fireplace greets you with a powerfully modern and graphic feel the minute you walk in. Pettit has filled the store with a blend of gifts and furnishings that include carefully selected letterpress stationery and cards, Kartell pieces, noteworthy art books and other decor delights.

Just down the street is one of my favorite FW spots and has been for years: Simple Things (1540 S. University Drive, 817-332-1772), a furniture and custom upholstery store in the University Park Village shopping center. It’s overflowing with goodness, thanks to owner Sherry Griggs’ great eye for obscure antiques and curious finds. She has a magnificent way of putting together the most random collections that could be considered mundane, yet are anything but. Last trip, it was a heaping bowl of plastic soldiers, and a row of vintage bowling pins lined up like artwork that added an unexpected twist to an otherwise serene and lovely setting.

Sometimes just driving by and spotting a neat sign or interesting window is the best way to find new places. That’s how I stumbled onto Home to Garden (3896 W. Vickery Blvd., 817-377-0318), just a few blocks from Simple Things. Even from the street, the brick cottage-turned-store looks cool. HTG’s main draws are its stylish succulents, including huge, almost architectural agaves, and other plant lovelies. But inside the quaint little building, you’ll find great old metal sign letters, home furnishings and other odds and ends. The wonderful indoor-outdoor space is also available for intimate parties. I’m trying to think of an occasion.

Herringbone Home (1628 Park Place, 817-927-0797, herringbonehome .com) is another new discovery, a store I’d read about on other blogs but had yet to check out. I adore the name and the graphic identity underscored by the elegant H logo and herringbone-painted wood floors. The small, exquisite store boasts an extensive collection of chi-chi period pieces, from mod ’70s Lucite-and-chrome chairs to French heirlooms – many also showcased for sale on Herringbone’s well-organized Web site.

With four stores under your belt, you may need some nourishment. I have two burger suggestions and advise just flipping a coin because you can’t go wrong either way. If you want the newest, hippest joint in town, head to the just-opened second location of celebrity chef Tim Love’s Love Shack (817 Matisse St., 817-348-9655, shakeyourloveshack.com) across from Montgomery Plaza in the blossoming West Seventh Street area. The hip interior takes its cues from a dive (chalkboard menu walls, Polaroids of Tim with friends and patrons), and flows into a cool patio where you can kick back and listen to live music. Condé Nast Traveler named Love’s 50-50 mix of prime tenderloin and prime brisket “the Lone Star State’s best burger.” And I can personally recommend the Dirty Love Burger, which dresses things up with bacon, lettuce, tomato, American cheese and a fried quail egg.

For a more authentic dive experience, nearby Fred’s Texas Cafe (915 Currie St., 817-332-0083, fredstexascafe.com) is a neon and weathered-wood joint that’s earned best-of awards for both its burgers and its party patio. Even on a Saturday afternoon, the line is out the door.

Back to the spending spree. If you’re a home junkie like me, you could easily spend an entire afternoon exploring The Old Home Supply House (1801 College Ave., 817-927-8004, oldhomesupplyhouse.com), “Fort Worth’s Renovation Headquarters.” Five buildings are bursting at the seams with reclaimed architectural elements. Anything you need, right here, from a glass knob to sconces or a claw-foot tub. Allow yourself some time on this one.

I’ve tried to think of a place in Dallas that comes close to the vibe of Dean-Kingston (821 Foch St., 817-698-8323, dean-kingston.com ) and I can’t. It is full-on rock ‘n’ roll – great, great jewelry; lots of hip black clothes; and retro-tinged men’s and women’s fashion from labels such as Ben Sherman, William Rast, True Religion, and Young, Fabulous and Broke. All housed in a brick-walled, 1930s-era warehouse for an overall effect that feels more LA than Cowtown. If the salesperson offers you a complimentary Lone Star or Chardonnay, say yes.

You might need a little snack after your antique-to-chic whirlwind, so walk the covered half block from Dean-Kingston to J. Rae’s (935 Foch St., 817-332-0090, jraes.com) for a little cupcake or cheesecake. Exceedingly delicious.

Before you wrap up your Fort Worth shop-and-eat-athon, stop by dh Collection (3320 W. 7th St., 817-877-1994, dhcollection.com), the contemporary offshoot of the more traditional Domain XCIV showroom down the street. This place is swarming with fabulosity – Missoni Home and Jonathan Adler accessories, Oly Studio furniture, Blissliving and DwellStudio bedding. This was the moment in the day when I really stopped to marvel,

“Where am I?”

Not ready to point the car back east? Cap the day with drinks and dinner at Ellerbe Fine Foods (1501 W. Magnolia Ave., 817-926-3663, ellerbefinefoods.com). The converted fuel station feels as comfy as an old house, with crisp white tablecloths and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Chef Molly McCook bases her menu on fresh, seasonal, local ingredients. People are nuts about it!

courtesy of the dallas morning news

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Preparation for parenthood is not just a matter of reading books and decorating the nursery.  Here are 12 simple tests for expectant parents to take to prepare themselves for the real life experience of being a mother or father.
 
  1.) Women:  To prepare for maternity, put on a dressing gown and
  stick a beanbag chair down the front. Leave it there for nine months. 
  After  nine months, remove 10% of the beans.
 
       Men: To prepare for paternity, go the local drug store, tip the
   contents of your wallet on the counter, and tell the pharmacist to
   help himself. Next, go to the supermarket. Arrange to have your
   salary paid directly to its head office. Go home. Pick up the paper
   and read it for the last time.
 
   2.)  Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who
   are already parents and berate them about their methods of
   discipline, lack of patience, appallingly low tolerance levels, and
   how they have allowed their children to run wild. Suggest ways in
   which they might improve their child’s sleeping habits, toilet
   training, table manners, and overall behavior. Enjoy it — it’s the
   last time in your life that you will have all the answers.
 
   3. To discover how the nights feel, walk around the living room from
   5 p.m. until 10 p.m. carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12
   pounds. At 10 p.m. put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight, and
   go to sleep. Get up at 12 a.m. and walk around the living room again
   with the bag until 1 a.m. Put the alarm on for 3 a.m. Since you can’t
   go back to sleep, get up at 2 a.m. and make a pot of tea. Go to bed
   at 2:45 a.m. Get up again at 3 a.m. when the alarm goes off, sing
   songs in the dark until 4 a.m. Put the alarm on for 5 a.m. Get up.

   Make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.
 
   4. Can you stand the mess children make? To find out, smear peanut
   butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains. Hide a fish stick
   behind the stereo and leave it there all summer. Stick your fingers
   in the flower beds then rub them on the clean walls. Cover the stains
   with crayons. How does that look?
 
   5. Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems: first buy an
   octopus and a string bag. Attempt to put the octopus into the string
   bag so that none of the arms hang out. Time allowed for this–all
   morning.
 
   6. Get an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a can of paint,
   turn it into an alligator. Now get a toilet paper tube.  Using only
   scotch tape and a piece of foil, turn it into a Christmas tree. Last,
   take a milk container, a ping pong ball, and an empty packet of CoCo
   Puffs and make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
   Congratulations, you have just qualified for a place on the play
   group committee.

Stay tuned for part two!

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But how do you define inspiration– is it something you do, see, hear, taste or smell? Is it anything which any of your five senses can perceive? It depends on the person really, the reasons behind why we look for it and the various situations surrounding it. And real inspiration can be compared to a fingerprint, different for every person.  Here is what I’ve found…

Inspiration is after all that very thing which makes you chase your dreams. It’s that blissful and exciting feeling that you get when your heart glides and your soul is moved.