Valentine's Day Just a Few Days Late . . .

On Tuesday (Valentine's Day)  I awoke to candy and flowers and a beautiful card waiting for me in the kitchen.  Thank you, my love.  : )  After I dropped Megan off at school I drove home wishing that I had my camera with me.  I haven't been taking many photos lately and I start to get a feeling of withdrawal when this happens.  The light was so pretty so my camera and I took a ride around town to see what caught our eye.  As usual, I wasn't disappointed.  We live in such a beautiful town and I took over 150 photos.  I went down by the river and into some little neighborhoods that I haven't been in before.  I thought I'd share a few of the hearts that I found scattered about.  My honey called me from work to ask if it was okay that he worked a few extra hours so that his co-worker that was coming in for the overnight shift could take his girlfriend out to dinner and score some points with her.  I remember those days of wanting to make the special occasions extra special.  We've been together for 11 years now. He makes me feel special and appreciated most every other day of the year.  He also knows I'm pretty much a sure thing.  No dinner and alcohol needed.  : )

~ Wendy

A Few Special Days . . .

It was a weekend long Valentine celebration here in the McDonagh/Valentine house.  Mr. Valentine and I had a wonderful and much needed date night on Saturday.  Dinner was delicious.  Probably one of the best restaurant meals we've both had in a very long time.  We ate at a little place called the Canterbury Brook Inn.  Now you know it has to be incredibly charming with a name like that!!  The restaurant is filled with several small rooms that make things a little more intimate and less noisy.  We ate in a room with a fireplace and candles were lit on every table.  The wind was blowing like crazy and it was a not so balmy two degrees outside which made it all the more cozy inside.  We skipped dessert because we were both so stuffed.  We also skipped the movie we had planned on seeing (not many good choices right now) and instead did a little shopping for Miss Megan's 100th Day of School celebration. 

The kindergartners were asked to dress up like little old people as part of the 100th day of school festivities.  We found some pearls and faux glasses and some clothes on the clearance rack in Bon Ton's.  Added some red lipstick and powder in her hair and voila!!  Too cute!!!  

It was absolutely adorable to see all of the kindergartners lined up at the fence at the start of school!!  There were gray wigs and canes and over-sized church hats and purses.  I'm going to disregard the fact that Megan told me she could wear some of my things to make her look like an old lady.  She's lucky she's cute.  : )


Many blessings on this beautiful Thursday!!  ~ Wendy

Sunday Sayings . . .

Image from Google.com.

I first heard this several years ago and it changed my life.  I started to look at my relationships with people, including myself.  It has given me the awareness to think about why I may be struggling at times.  Am I coming from a place of love or from a place of fear or are THEY coming from a place of love or a place of fear?  Sometimes it takes me a while to get back to this way of thinking.  Sometimes I can't get out of my own way.  Sometimes I don't want to get out of my own way and instead want to have a stomping temper tantrum in my mind for a while.  Just because. We are all works in progress after all.  : )


May your Valentine's Day be filled with more love and less fear.  xoxo



Namaste ~ Wendy

Light and Love . . .

I've been doing a lot of posting on Instagram lately.  It's replaced my obsession with Pinterest for the time being.  Looking thru lots of past photos and remembering the moments like they were yesterday.  Some I've shared before and others, now, for the first time. 

Most photographers will tell you that light is your best friend.  It's scarce in the winter time usually.  We've had a lot of grey days here but there is a slow but sure return to light happening. 

Rapidly approaching is that time of year when we suddenly worry about how our toe nails look and how pasty/ashy our skin is.  I've been feeling like a frumpy, middle-aged house wife for a few months now and I took a big step and cut off all of my hair.  I've been toying with the idea on and off for a long time now and I woke up two days ago and knew it was time.  I had it cut, colored and even had some chunky hi-lites added.  I'm in my jammies with mascara under my eyes right now but I'll share a photo.  I'm not big on selfies but if I can take a good one I'll share.  I know how much I love to see the beautiful ladies behind the blogs I read so I guess it's an okay thing for me to do without feeling too narcissistic.  : )

Jim and I are going out on a date this weekend.  Dinner and a movie tomorrow night.  Just us.  Alone.  No kids.  No interruptions.  No sudden song and dance routines at the table by a rather dramatic five year old.  Just a nice quiet dinner for two.  From my mouth to God's ears.  : )  Any movie suggestions? I haven't checked what's playing lately.  Thankfully, Jim is not opposed to a good chick flick.  Don't tell him I told you this but sometimes he cries harder than I do.  : )  One of the many reasons I love him.  Did I mention his last name is Valentine?  Really it is!!   : )

Here's to a weekend filled with light and love!!  xoxo

~ Wendy

Some Vintage Goodness and Happy News . . .

Did this week fly by or is it just me??  I've been busy in my Etsy shops this week.  I've been pulling out some bins from the garage.  It's like a treasure hunt to me.  I never know what I'm going to find!!  I have bins that were in the garage at our other house for years and at this point don't have a clue as to what's in them.  Needless to say, I'm having lots of fun and also getting lots of new items listed in my Etsy shops.

A few of many vintage Valentine's I found . . .

 These two have been keeping me company in the studio. 

Is that a look of contentedness or what??  LOL!!!!

Definitely one of my favorites!!

I also found a bunch of vintage baby cards that I'm still going thru and hope to be listing soon.  They just don't make them like this anymore. 

I need to do some organizing and cleaning up before I take anything else out of the garage.  I'm beginning to not be able to see my counter tops!!


We also had this happen this week . . .

Hurray for Trevor!!!  His cast is now below his knee.  We thought it wouldn't be until the next visit so it was a very pleasant surprise!!!  He goes back in three weeks to have the cast completely removed and then he'll have to wear a boot and finally be able to start to put some weight back on it.  He'll also start physical therapy then.  There's still a long way to go but there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!  : )
 
I wish you all a wonderful weekend!!  We're expecting rain here in New York.  We did get to see some snow in the last few days but nothing to write home about. Miss Megan has not one but two birthday parties to attend tomorrow.  She'll be making pottery in the morning and bowling in the evening.  She told me she wants to pick out her party outfit as soon as she wakes up in the morning.  Oh, the life of a five year old girl!!!  : )

Taken at last week's birthday party.

Many blessings to you all ~ Wendy