Yes to the Dress

We had a special outing planned for this afternoon. And I have some exciting news to share...

Today I found the wedding dress of my dreams!

My mom, Jess, and I made an appointment at our local bridal boutique, where I tried on several stunning dresses.

But the emotion I felt when I saw myself in this gown told me right away that it was the one.

I want to wait until the wedding to show you the whole dress, but here's a little sneak peak...

Don't you just love the detail? It feels very 1920s vintage to me.

And it goes perfectly with the veil my grandma made for my mom to wear when she was married 31 years ago.

my "something old"

Soon I'll be walking down the aisle in a dress I love to say "I do" to the man I love even more.

~ Nel ~

Through Childrens Eyes

From time to time, I am going to show you some of my favorite poems.  Here is one of them.

Through the eyes of children

The world seems bright and gay

The misgivings of our society

Seem to drift away

Through childrens eyes a man's not judged

By the color of his skin

But the way he acts and conducts himself

That makes him feel kin

A child sees the simple things

That we pass by each day

And views them with an awe

In a very special way

If we could only view the world

The way that children can

We could reach and touch the souls

of our fellow man

~Gill

~Sheri

   

                              

Wedding Doll

Nel is getting married in five months!  I was looking at my china doll that sits in my china cabinet, and it reminded me of her.  My mom made this for me 31 years ago.  My mom was an amazing seamstress that could sew just about anything.  What is so special about this doll is that she is wearing a replica of my own wedding dress, which my mom also made.  When she saw this doll, she wanted to make a smaller version of my dress, so I could remember it always.  She hand sewed the beads on the veil, and she even found a doll who has brown eyes and long brown hair, just like me.

Her eyes look so real-like.  I think she is lovely.

 

This is a jewel to put on a candle that I saw at Pier 1 Imports.  I still have to get a wedding candle for it.

Nel, it won't be long now that you'll be walking down that isle...

 

And driving away in this!!

 

"And thou shalt in thy daughter see,

This picture, once, resembled thee."

~Ambrose Philips

~Sheri 

A Night in Paris

Sometimes we have themed get-togethers to add a bit of festivity to the weekend. One of our favorites is French night.

For dinner, we went downtown to a lovely little French cafe all lit up just like the City of Lights.

We dined on French onion soup, quiche lorraine, and meat lasagna.  

We had planned to take a picture of our delicious meal for you...But the food was so good that we got a bit carried away and forgot all about the camera until we had eaten just about everything up! Here's a little taste for you though...

Afterwards, we were stuffed, but we just had to order one of their decadent desserts to go.

Nothing goes better with a glass of French wine than rich, velvety tiramisu.

When we got home, we popped in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. Have you seen it? It's a charming story about a writer in Paris who travels back in time to the 1920s Jazz Age. Along the way, he meets expatriate authors Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Pablo Picasso even makes an appearance. 

The beautiful shots of Paris make you feel as if you've been transported back in time too. If you love French culture or 1920s literature, this adventure through Paris is a must see!  

"I can never decide whether Paris is more beautiful by day or by night."

~ Midnight in Paris ~ 

If you have a themed night in the near future, let us know how it turns out!

♥ Bisous! ♥

~ Nel & Jess ~

A Prayer for You

Dear God, This is my friend whom I love and this is my prayer for her.  Help her live her life to the fullest.  Please cause her to excel above her expectations.  Help her to shine in the darkest places where it is impossible to love.  Protect her at all times, lift her up when she needs You the most, and let her know when she walks with You, she will always be safe.  Amen!

~Sheri, Jess, and Nel~

A Home For The Animals

I am a lover of animals, and we took a trip to the zoo this weekend so I could see some wonderful animals up close.  The Folsom Zoo is not your typical zoo.  It is a special place for animals that are old, have injuries, or are unable to take care of themselves in the wild.  This sanctuary gives them a safe and caring environment to live the rest of their lives in.

Mama deer is alert as ever.

Big Bear is on the prowl for dinner.

The sneaky squirrel, upside down, was stealing the deer's food.

Our tiger friends were taking a nap without a care in the world of what goes on during the day.

This rooster was roaming all around showing his beautiful colors.

I am always fascinated by the monkeys.

Everybody loves an old donkey, especially when it breas.

My favorite attraction of the day was the Peacock.  There's only one word I can think of to describe this bird....

Magnificent.

What a fun day we had.

Have you been to the Zoo lately?

~Sheri

A New Journey Ahead

I have some exciting news.
  
I have been struggling for some time now trying to decide what I want in a career. 

I have been working in the architectural design field since I graduated from college, and I have learned that this line of work is not meant for me.  Unfortunately, I just can't sit in an office and use a computer all day...every day...

I long for variety, action, and a rewarding career.  One of my major goals is to be able to say, "I ♥ MY JOB."


I have been racking my brain for a couple years now trying to find my calling...and I think I may have finally found it! 

I have decided to go back to school for my teaching credential in order to teach elementary school. 

I have been working so very hard preparing school applications, taking required exams, writing personal essays, and taking relevant classes... 

and I just found out that I was accepted into my University of choice! 

There are big changes coming my way.
  

I am so excited to start school in the Fall, to learn and be inspired every day, to work with children, to overcome challenges, and to hopefully become an exceptional elementary school teacher. 

If you teach or have any advice for me and my upcoming journey, it would be much appreciated :-)

~Jess