Words that inspire me

Grace

Dream

Compassion

Integrity

Family

Adventure

Simplify

Sparkle

Treasure

Fresh

Loyalty

Peace

What inspires you?

Simplify.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.  ~Leonardo DaVinci

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.  ~Hans Hofmann

If there's one thing I'm putting on my list this Christmas, it's simplicity.  Don't get me wrong... I love my wonderful, overflowing life!  I'm extraordinarily wealthy in terms of love, family, and friends.  I've received over and above my share of grace!  I'm full of dreams, hopes, ideas, compassion, inspiration... there are plenty of areas to relish abundance in my life.

What I'm talking about is the distractions and the need for margin.  I find it easy to overindulge in the activity and the material things in life.  I'm certain it comes from my passion for creating fun in our lives.  If I'm honest, though, from time to time I catch myself stopping to think as I move from one thing to the next that I wish there was a little more time to savor the moment.

In a crazy season like Christmas, I want to be more intentional about choosing simplicity.  The social calendar is jam packed.  The work schedule is hectic.  The gift lists aren't even started.  Which is exactly why I need simplicity!  I did just a little reading about how to get it done... collect, choose the things I love, the essentials, the important; eliminate the excess, and organize the most important things that remain.  That's the plan.  Is anyone else feeling the need for this?  I'm starting with that unfinished gift list!

Girls Day Out at The Nutcracker Ballet

Ballet is sort of a mystery to me. And I don't want to unravel that mystery. ~Robert Caro

We've been planning a special outing to The {Houston Ballet}'s presentation of The Nutcracker since September.  Yesterday, the day finally arrived!  Lexi and I got all dressed up for a Girls' Day Out.



We're soooooo excited!



Love you, Mommy!



Big brother got a "mean face" picture out of me.

We met our sweet friends, April and Chloe, at Cheesecake Factory for a delicious lunch.

Time to leave for the ballet!



The ballet was at the Wortham Center in downtown Houston.  If you're not familiar with The Nutcracker, {here} is a simple synopsis.  Did you know that The Nutcracker was first performed 118 years ago today?  And the first time it was performed, it was considered a complete failure!?!  I'm sure those critics and audiences wouldn't believe how it has come to be such a beloved ballet.  The entire performance was wonderful.  Lexi's favorite was the Sugar Plum Fairy!

Chloe and April-beautiful ladies!



"My dress is bugging my legs, Mommy."



Vicki Mouse signed Lexi's playbill and posed for a photo

  

Peeking out the window at The Aquarium... looks like fun!

 

Preferred transportation



What a truly magical day!

p.s.  Jeremy, they'll be performing The Sleeping Beauty in March... hint, hint.

Stuff that matters and other stuff that doesn't matter much

We'll get the stuff that doesn't matter out of the way first

('cause it's still fun to talk about).

1.

So, this was on my Amazon wish list as as suggested stocking stuffer idea.  Unfortunately for Jeremy, I'm impatient and bought it yesterday.  It's {OPI's "You Don't Know Jacques}" nail polish.  I'm apparently way late on {trying out this trend}, but the brown/grey shade is perfect for the weekend ahead because of it's flexibility.  Case in point:  I'm sporting some grey dress pants at work today with open toed (zebra print!) shoes, but TONIGHT I'l be wearing a chocolate brown silk cocktail dress for our Progressive Dinner.  Somehow it chameleons between the two.  Smart and sexy.  I like!

2.

Being out sick for two days really makes life crazier.  101 emails.  33 missed calls on my personal line and nine new messages.  And an event today where everyone is putting in last minute requests.  Ah, good times!

3.

Apparently, I'm notorious to Jeremy for constantly trying new recipes and rarely repeating them.  Maybe I'm picky, but not many make the list of repeatable recipes.  I tried one called Autumn Harvest Stew over Thanksgiving that won't make the repeatable list.  Unfortunatelly, I made such a large quantity that it's being repeated anyways.  It's not awful, but it's far from my favorite.  Believe me, there are certain leftovers that I can appreciate, but this one... How long do I have to eat this stuff?!?

4.

I'm jealous of Meredith's sequin Santa hat.  I haven't seen it.  She tweeted about it this morning, though.  Leopard print would be just great, too.

5.

I'm excited about our dinner tonight~soup and salad at my place!

And now for stuff that does matter.  (also known as what's been on my mind)

1.

Second chances are amazing things!  I was given the opportunity to speak to the high schoolers last night.  They are doing a series where they preach the Gospel in language and pictures that make sense to our teens:  specifically using media to show the truth of Romans 1 (that the truth of God has been made plain to the world) and Psalm 24 (that everything in the world belongs to God).  So my theme was second chances.  People everyone have a built in desire for second chances.  We looked at two songs that deal with that idea:  "What I've Done" by Linkin Park and "Airplanes" by B.O.B.  Everybody can get the second chance they long for by making a decision for that second chance.  The Bible is full of people who were given second chances.  And I, for one, am seriously thankful that God gives second chances!  If you're interested in more about that, you can check out my notes {here}.

2.

People's name's are really really really important.  Refusing to even try to learn someone's name is the same as saying, "you're not worth my time or energy."  I get that it might a hard skill.  We identify with our names so much, it's worth the effort to let your fellow man (or woman) know they are a valuable human being simply because they are!

This is a skill I have to constantly work on... my short term memory is great for names.  The long term gets me into trouble sometimes.  Plus, I have my work cut out for me... between my job (managing a Conference Center for 9,000 employees and contractors in downtown Houston, plus others globally) and Jeremy's job (youth and family minister at a local church of 1,500), both are new within the last two years.  I've got a couple of names and faces to learn.

3.

Seriously craving some mama time with my kiddos!  Justus got his {album} in the mail this week.  He was thrilled!  Cannot wait to take Lexi to The Nutcracker with our girlfriends, April and Chloe, this weekend!