[the status of my status]. | newburyport, ma

It’s been recently pointed out that perhaps I shouldn’t be so “honest” when I put a facebook status out there because it makes me look like a jerk if I don’t follow through.

Well, what could I possibly say to that – it’s MY status I can say what I want, when I want, blah.blah.blah.

It makes me wonder too, why people even care what i say, or if I say for example that I am “breaking up with sugar” and I only last a week – it’s the truth and something I struggle with. I guess I wasn’t aware that there are some people that are emotionally affected by my status updates. But here’s the thing, I have spent a good portion of my life caring what others think about me and I’m exhausted by it. Down right could crawl up in a ball and go to sleep exhausted by it.

I’m a work in progress. I’m 99.9% sure I will always be a work in progress. You can’t please them all. I wasn’t put on this earth to please them all – now don’t get me wrong, I do agree that I say I’m going to do something and I don’t stick with it. Not all the time, but a lot of the time – and it’s usually based on things pertaining to moi. But that truly is my struggle – the follow through. Maybe I don’t think enough about myself to relish in the victory of success. But for whatever reason I guess it’s a part of me. Death and taxes will always be - here are some other things too:

v  Change is good

v  One day at a time only works one day at a time

v  Keep it to yourself

v  I love my girl more than anything else in the world

v  Photography feeds my soul

v  I live for books that you can’t put down

v  Carly Simon will always be my fav

v  I struggle with my weight, with exercise, with putting one foot in front of the other

v  I’m never happy with my hair

v  I regret not continuing my college education

v  I regret quitting piano

v  And while we’re on the regret path – I regret quitting ballet

v  I love Boston and had the best time of my life living there, but I wish I chose NYC instead

v  Mean people suck

v  I’m addicted to sugar

v  I miss my house

v  I love the ocean but I hate going to the beach

v  My mother told me “I could do whatever the hell I want to do” and I will

v  I will no longer care what you think about me

v  I love meeting new people

v  My closet is very unorganized, so are my drawers and so is my filing cabinet, ok… my entire house is unorganized

v  I have a hard time following through on anything for me

v  I give good advice. I don’t listen to my own.

v  I miss my mom. I will always miss my mom and if you don’t like it. Tough.

v  I watch reality tv. There I said it.

v  I mean well

v  I genuinely care about a lot of people and I genuinely dislike a lot of people too

v  I never finish my to do list

v  I still can’t fit into my jeans

v  I complain a lot about not fitting into my jeans

v  I’ll keep you posted on not fitting into my jeans

v  I have an incredibly generous family

v  I love to laugh

v  I’m pretty much stuck in the 80’s when it comes to music

v  I hate my couch

v  I don’t have a green thumb

v  I have a stack of domino magazines that I will never throw out

v  I have a lot of changes that I need to make

v  Oh and I’m breaking up with sugar again. You better alert the media, stop the presses, put it on your facebook status – judge me when I fail because it makes me feel so good.

v  I don’t care

[until you dreamed]. | newburyport, ma

and that song you used to sing to me.

the one about the little pigs and the frog who live under my bed.  

you sang until i dreamed.

yesterday, i sang the song to you.

you remembered the words and sang along.

we laughed. 

and i stayed until you dreamed.

{no. 156 m. duval}

i love the moment right before she sleeps. i can feel her little body relaxing. finally coming down from her busy day of twirling and flitting and singing and reading and dancing and giggling. she likes me to rub her back. this is a new thing. i can feel her breathing in and breathing out. the covers moving ever so slightly with each breath. slowly drifting. i can always tell when sleep has arrived. there's a calmness - a stillness. it's such a precious moment. one minute she could be chatting away with me and the next silent. dreaming. i stare at her beauty. the tiny freckles marching across her cheeks. her beautiful dainty hands. i know behind her eyelids, those blue eyes are sparkling. where do her dreams take her? i'm sure she is dancing and twirling. does she know how loved she is? how cherished? she's the moon and stars and sun for me. she delights me in so many ways. when she calls me momma i melt. i melt right into a puddle on the floor. music to my ears. she catches me staring at her from across the room and she'll stop and give me a cheshire cat grin. i adore her so. my amazing beautiful child. sweet dreams. xo

[the august break]. | newburyport, ma.

One of my very favorite people in the world happens to be on the other side of the ocean - which of course makes her even more charming to me. I honestly cannot recall how I happened upon what was then known as the blog - Ink on my Fingers (brilliant name I might add) but I knew my life in cyberspace would never be the same. Susannah Conway is amazing in so many ways. Her journey has mesmerized me for years now and her strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other regardless of what life has thrown at her is more than an inspiration. And her polaroids, seriously, gorgeous imagery through her lens is a gift and one I drink in as often as possible. I'll be first in line when her long awaited book is published. If I was asked who would I like most to share a pot of tea with, Susannah is on the top of that list. We haven't met, but we've chatted a few times in the blogosphere and it's like she has always been there. Kind and warm, the friend who would always be there for you in the middle of the night - for a chat and a laugh and who wouldn't let you leave the house wearing THOSE pants! I enjoyed beyond words her Unravelling course and look forward to taking part deux. 

The August Break. I told myself that this year I would participate, and participate I shall. Nothing stressful, just my photography - monday thru friday{if I can - no stress it's the summer after all!} - with words, without words. A sort of holiday for me and my cam. Great photos or not so great photos, personal or perfect strangers - this will give me the opportunity {and a place to showcase it} to get down to the nitty gritty of  what my photography is all about. The good, the bad, the perhaps slightly out of focus. I won't hold back. And that includes my N90s -  Meg and her camera{s} will take August by storm and even when I'm on my little vacay I will hunt down an internet connection,{insert fingers crossed here}.

Looking at August - one photo memory at a time!

[vintage alice birthday]. | newburyport,ma.

"I had a strange dream," said Alice. She told her sister about the White Rabbit, the mad tea party, the Queen of Hearts and the trial. But her sister wasn't paying attention. "You're reading again," mumbled Alice. As she stretched, Alice saw a little White Rabbit with pink eyes scurry behind a tree.

Happy Birthday Miss Bailley - no. 10  Double Digit Girl.

xo

 















































event planner. pipsqueak parties
venue. the old salt. hampton falls.nh
alice in wonderland accessories. auntie's jammies on etsy
cake + cupcakes. eat cake. newburyport.ma
teapots. teacups. private collection

[spin through the stars] | boston, ma

want to pack your bags something small
take what you need & we disappear
without a trace, we'll be gone, gone
The moon & the stars follow the car
& then when we get to the ocean,
we're going to take a boat to the end of the world...
all the way to the end of the world
oh and when the kids are old enough
we gonna teach them to flyyyyyyy

you & me together we can do anything, baby
you & me together yes, yes
you & me together we can do anything, baby
You & me together yes, yes

You & I we're not tied to the ground,
not falling but rising like, rolling around
eyes closed above the roof tops
eyes closed we're gonna spin through the stars
our arms wide as the sky, we gonna ride the blue
all the way to the end of the world,
to the end of the world 

oh and when the kids are old enough
we gonna teach them to flyyyyyyy

you & me together could do anything, baby
you & me together yes, yes
you & me together we can do anything baby
You & me toghter yes, yes

we can always look back at what we did
always remembering you & me baby
But right now it's you and me forever girl
you know we could do better than anything that we did
you know that you and me we could do anything


you & me together c' do anything, baby
you & me together yeah, yeah

two of us together we c' do anything, baby
you and me together, yeah yeah
the two of us together yeah, yeah
the two of us together, we can do anything baby 

{d. matthews}

i got the call monday morning and was there monday evening to witness this love. this wonderful love. kate and nick it was an honor to be present for you, i wish you a lifetime of happiness and of course continued fun with all your beautiful babies. {combined - no. 7 coming to a cradle soon!} xo

this beautiful elopement

happened on: 7.11.2011

at: approximately 7:40pm

why 7:40? because the bride realized she left the marriage license at home so the wonderful groom fought commuter traffic and raced home - about an hour each way - now that's love!

where: christopher columbus park, boston

witnessed by: jasmine macdonald and yours truly

privately celebrated: the bride and groom dined at mama maria in the yummy north end

flowers by: exotic flowers

jp: thomas welch

toasted by: jasmine and yours truly at joe's american bar and grill - hey any excuse to get out. and now that the secret's out  everybody raise their glasses too - let's all celebrate kate and nick!! xo

this was an incredibly romantic evening. kate and nick have their wedding planned for next july - but sometimes love can't wait and besides it's good practice. perfect! xo