We Graduated!!

And yes, I said "WE".

While it was most certainly Will earning his Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture, it was a combined effort and sacrifice on both of our parts.

Each of us gave up a LOT to get to this point. 

Our children gave up a lot of time with their Dad to get to this point.

This degree was a family affair!

Friday's Commencement Ceremony was certainly a big celebration not only for the 4 of us, but also for mine and Will's families. We couldn't have gotten to this point without the help from my parents, his mom and grandma and my grandparents. 

They were the ones chipping in for groceries, helping pay a bill and listening to me grumble in utter exhaustion and stress overload for the past 4 years.

Will worked his tail off for his good grades (good enough to make the Dean's List several semesters) and the past 2 years has done all this getting by on little to no sleep. I worked my tail off at home, keeping our life going and taking care of these 2 boys as well as making sure Will was taken care of many days/weeks seemingly as a single parent because his courseload required SO much of his attention that he wouldn't be home or would be working all day and night long. 

It's worth it.

It's done.

And I couldn't be more proud of my husband.

His 'dirt and worms' cake.

It's pretty fitting for a graduating Landscape Architect, huh?

Pre-Awards Banquet

Will, his mom and grandmother in front of his senior Capstone project 

Will was awarded the "Plants and Environment" award as the most knowledgeable of plants and environmental considerations out of his senior class.

Pretty good stuff right there.

Tripp was fairly certain we was wearing this "fancy hat" to graduation.

Tripp and Cadence, precious cousins as always.

Big Family Picture Moment :)

YAY!!!

Congrats Will! I'm so proud of you and all your accomplishments. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you in your journey as a Landscape Architect!

Treasure Maps

Also known as a Vision Board.

Treasure Maps are essentially a vision board put together in conjunction with the Aries new moon which is the beginning of a new astrological year. It's what you want to envision for yourself over the next year.

I like doing these because it gives me time to reflect on our life and what is going on as well as what we want to accomplish over the next year...

Things we want to come to fruition,

Positive words to reflect on during bad days,

Affirmations to encourage positive living.

A treasure map can be whatever you want it to be.

It's all about the process of reflection and aspirations.

Ask and you shall receive.

We cut pictures, words etc. out of old magazines and find pictures online to print.

Images that catch your eye and phrases that touch your soul.

Tripp really had fun this morning cutting and pasting, too.

 Tripp's treasure map

I love that he felt the need to "go big".

I also love that he cut out a huge pic of an old school 35 mm Nikon and put it on there as his representation of me. He put the dinner rolls on there for Will.

Mine. 

The left side is focusing on Will and his next move...hopefully a job as a landscape architect soon after graduation (in 3 weeks!!!).

The center is more affirming...the rocks represent balance.

I also want to focus more on my marriage since this is the first year in 4 years that I'm not pregnant or taking care of an infant and Will is graduating, we'll have more time for our own relationship. I miss my hubby!
and Lakshmi.
Can't go wrong with Lakshmi!

I also NEED time for myself. The top right is manifesting that in ways that center me to be a better woman, wife and mother.

Well, not the brooms.

The brooms serve double duty.

1. I want my house to stay more organized and clean.

2. I want to be okay with the fact that my house is not always going to be organized and clean. I have 2 boys under 4 and need to get real.

The bottom left is more focus on life and what I want out of it.

Abundance, Beauty in the Everyday, To be Patient and to be Present

The bottom right is focus on my boys and nurturing their souls and minds.

What do you want for your family and your self this year?

I'm a big believer in the power of positive thinking and manifesting your own destiny.

Only you are in control of the way you live. It's up to you to make the best of it and to find satisfaction in your daily life. If your not, it is then up to you to change it.

Because if you don't change your life for the better, who will??

Sit down.

Think about it.

Write it out or make a Vision Board.

Hold your thoughts accountable and make your life what you want it to be.

Happy Mapping!

The Makings of a Fairy House

My little diva of niece is turning 3.

So, what could be better than a Fairy House?!?!

I've been wanting to make Tripp a Gnome house for a while now, but never have gotten around to it.

A birthday party for Cadence gives  me a deadline, however. 

So, she gets her fairy house.

We made it using all materials we had or found around the house and yard.

It turned out pretty darn cool, if I say so myself.

Ha, ha! The Flower Fairy has a rubber band wrapped around her face.

Oops.

Poor thing.

Tripp and Will worked hard making the house while I whipped up these 2 little fairies.

Tripp decided he wanted to give Cadence one of his gnomes as well.

He's such a caring and sharing little dude.

Up next was adding a little fairy decor and terrain.

Will has really rubbed off on Tripp.

He totally landscaped this fairyville.

I wanted to use the coffee grounds a little more because it was a cheaper means than the fake modeling grass that Will uses for making models for class.

So, I told Tripp we were going to give the fairies a dirt floor in their house and mulch them a front pathway.

He then proceeded to inform me that they needed a mulched pathway to their table and around their campfire. 

The tree also needed mulch around it.

His other prized landscape-architect inspired contribution was the rock garden.

He took out his special bag of rocks and picked exactly which ones he wanted for the fairies' rock garden.

These were all his ideas, too. 

We're not one to trample his creativity with our own ideas.

The house o'fairies really turned out better than I could've imagined.

We had such a blast making it and it cost us basically $0.

All that was left was a test run...

Every Fairy House needs a large dump truck ;)

Boys!

Savannah Part Deux

Well, I fell behind on blogging our visit to MeMe's in Savannah.

I don't know HOW?

It's not like we all ended up with a stomach virus on top of the kids both having a horrendous cold.

I know, right?! What timing! 

Lucky for me, Gayle bought me a massage for Christmas and I got a nice break during the midst of all the puking and nose wiping to relax for an hour.

Regardless of all the sickies, we had SUCH A BLAST!

We loved getting to hang out with MeMe, Gramma and Keith for a whole week. 

We got to see a lot of cool stuff in Savannah and ate a ton of great food!

Here's some pics from the end of the week...

 examining the gators at the The Crab Shack

 Saturday Charlie and I stayed put at the hotel because it was his turn with the stomach bug.

Tripp got to go to the Artzeum!

Sunday afternoon, Will walked around downtown admiring all the beauty of Savannah.

He missed out on the great time MeMe, Gramma, Tripp, Charlie and I had at the historic Savannah Theatre at the production of "A Christmas Tradition". It was really an awesome show!

A BIG THANK YOU to you Gayle! 

We had such a great time despite the fact that the boys were so sick the whole trip. 

Oh well! Can't wait for our next trip!