safe.

Beds are a safe place in our family.  Every night we read to our kids there, sing, and talk about the things in their lives that are important, exciting, or scary.  They are the safe place to spill your guts,cry, be comforted, be listened to, and be heard.

I know it sounds a little crazy.

This sweet moment with Mike and Gracie happened just as the day was getting started.  Gracie felt that she was being left out of the play and the kids were wanting to do some grown up playing that they didn't think exactly worked with Gracie involved.  Sometimes it's tough to only be four years old-- wishing you could be older.  I love though, that she knows that she can come to us and we'll have the time to talk to her, hear her sadness, and get a sweet and understanding hug. 

Don't wait to make a safe place in your home.  A place where anything can be said and heard.  A place where your toughest secrets can be shared and a place where you know you'll be loved no matter what the rest of the world may think.

One night when I was laying in bed with Emma talking about how scary school had been, how much she didn't like going, and how much she missed Gracie and I every day..the truest reason school was so scary finally came out.  Emma was scared of lunch time.  She would stress out as she stood there looking at all the choices knowing she had to decide with all of the class standing behind her telling her to hurry up.  She couldn't take the pressure.  Right then and there we decided to look at the lunch menu every night so that she could decide if she wanted to eat lunch at school and, if she did, what specifically, she was going to eat or if she was going to take a lunch.  Since that day school has been wonderful for her.  World Problem Solved.  There's something about the sleepy time just before bed, talking about the way the day went, the lights being off, and wanting to make sure everything in the world is just right before falling off to dream land. 

No matter when or where -make sure there are safety places in your life and home.  You'll have wonderful moments that will open your eyes to the depth of you and the sweet people you live with. 

love. LIFE.

Really.

There really is a Piggly Wiggly in my town.  I think that means I definitely live in the South.

Have you seen the movie "Sweet Home Alabama"?  I remember the line when Reece Witherspoon's character says to her ex-husband, "What?!  Do they not sell soap down at the Piggly Wiggly?"  I thought that they had MADE UP that name. 

Not so.  It's a grocery store in Clover, South Carolina...

crazy. LIFE.

Want to win something? Like a spot to the upcoming November 2008 Love Affair Workshop in San Diego, California?! WE ARE GIVING AWAY A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A FREE SPOT!

Here's the deal...

Send in something, ANYTHING, that has Love Affair in it. It can be an essay, a picture, a video, a poem, ANYTHING. The only requirement is that it has the words "Love Affair" in it. We dare you to be creative!

Send your submissions to info@loveaffairworkshop.com by August 22nd and YOU could be the lucky winner of an awesome workshop spot for free!! (and YES, if you are already registered, you can still apply.)

What you will win: 1 spot at the workshop. To read more about this completely amazing learning experience from 4 women in photography, go to www.loveaffairworkshop.com. All you have to pay for is your hotel, flight, and meals and we'll take care of the price of the workshop and the fun!

Although we don't expect you to do the same thing that last year's winner, Shannon Montez, did we did want to give you a little peak of how this girl warmed out hearts and tickled our senses!

Could you walk instead?

Try and consider what if would be like if you didn't have a car to take you everywhere.  How would you get around?  Are there places you would be walking to?

We are now a one car family.  We sold Mike's car before moving here because it really didn't seem like it would be completely worth it to bring it with us.  When Mike drove off last night in the van to take Emmett to football I had had plans to go get some things done with the girls. I  suddenly realized we wouldn't be able to go anywhere now that the only car we had just drove off.

We decided to take our dinner to a park nearby and then walk to get a little treat.  Even though it all involved food (gotta love that) we were still staying active.  I also realized that there were more ways that I could keep moving instead of sitting and letting a machine take me places.  It was fun to be out in the summer evening really getting to feel those lazy days of summer just strolling around town. 

How could you get more movement in your life?

Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Walk to your friend's house around the corner instead of drive.

Walk to the store to pick up a few things.

Go outside and kick the ball around with your kids.

Go on the monkey bars instead of sitting and watching your kids play at the park.

Get things yourself instead of asking your kids to do it for you (you know you do it!).

Walk to the park or bike to the park instead of driving.

Ride your bike to the pool.

Walk to the library.

Find a way to walk or ride a bike to your job.

Take the stairs at a hotel (this is when I'm the laziest about taking the stairs).

Take an lazy, relaxed evening walk instead of sitting in front of the tv.

What do you do to get yourself moving?  Tell us in the comments!

moving. LIFE.

No pictures.

Hello blog friends!  I'm having some blog issues on the back end of things.  I can't post pictures although I really want to!  I have pictures of clients, the kids, our house, and lots more but for some weird reason I can't get them onto the place where I give them an internet address.  My webmaster and I have been trying to figure it out.  Thanks for you patience!

Have a great weekend!