i bought a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a flannel for my face, pajamas, a hairbrush, new shoes and a case. i said to my reflection...

honestly, these last few weeks have been pretty killer. i was talking to a best friend earlier and she was saying that she read a quote about how americans tend to take life way too seriously these days. i need to find the exact words on this from her. granted, some things are serious and can't be belittled or ignored. but sometimes, the things we stress about are just not as big of a deal as we make them. it amazes me how one day can seem so completely more overwhelming than the day before did. none of the circumstances of daily life have changed that much, but somehow, things can seem different enough to warrant a dismal mood. i'm sure hormones are a contributing factor to some degree.

these last few weeks have been chock full of change and add to that the nostalgia that autumn brings, getting back into the early rising routine, and the onslaught of a cold.....well, it can be a little tough at times. so, when i am having one of those days that seems kind of blah, i usually enjoy cooking something fun with my family, reading something mindless or looking at a couple of pretty websites to make myself to lighten up. these kinds of days or weeks, will pass.

so here is one of my favorite websites. emerson made. i love this couple. they started out making hand-sewn fabric flowers and have expanded with a clothing line. i like their story, their look, their lifestyle. if you have the time, peruse their site and see all of the great things they make. just looking at their photos helps me get out of this place...

www.emersonmade.com

in his own words, "you're welcome"

we have a very special treat for this post. i have asked my silent partner, photo boy, to be the guest blogger tonight. he just finished 9 holes of golf and is home to grill some shrimp, sausage and potatoes for dinner. so while he is relaxed and drinking a beer or two, he is granting us an exclusive interview on his forecast for fall. we will see what he has on tap for this 2010 season, what he will be wearing, any new music he has downloaded, and anything else that might be on his must-have, must-see, must-do list for fall...

photo boy (we will be affectionately referring to as pb) arrived for the interview in a pale, orange polo and patagonia shorts. his casually tousled hair was covered with a hat, and he was sporting old-school adidas flip flops. he turned the music up, opened the french doors and took a seat on the patio. he seemed relaxed and pretty much ready for whatever i had planned to ask him. the temperature was so comfortable tonight and there was a breeze in the air. it felt a bit like fall.

(pg, what i am affectionately calling myself)
pg: so, thanks for sitting tonight and sharing some of your thoughts on fall. let's start with music. i know you are a huge music buff and have recently tapped into a new source via an atlanta buddy. what are some of your latest downloads to freshen up your ipod for fall?

pb: (as he flipped the shrimp and took a long swig of beer) you know, some dr. dog, some spoon, some inxs live. you know, i'm a big fan of live music. there is a lot of emotion and passion that you don't get in a studio album.

pg: anything else on the list?

pb: edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros.

pg: any suggestions for a good fall beer? or anything new you have found that you will be enjoying during football season?

pb: you know what, spent a couple weeks in n.c. with the wife, and visited a cool bar/restaurant in asheville called enoteca. i'm always interested in a good wheat beer. they introduced me to a beer called allagash, out of portland, maine. it's a good, light wheat beer. not too filling like a blue moon.

pg: where can you find it?

pb: it's not available in very many places in rome but you can have it ordered at such places as scant's or roy's.

pg: roy's??? ok...let's change gears a bit. thinking about fall and looking forward to temperatures cooling off, what will you be transitioning into fall with, as far as clothing goes?

pb: you know, i would go with a good pair of fall back jeans. i'm not talking about seven's or anything too expensive, just a good pair of jeans that you can pull out of the closet on a moment's notice.

pg: what about footwear?

pb: well, a pair of jeans always looks good with a brown boot, whether it be a 3/4 pull-on or a lace-up.

pg: i know that you stumbled upon the j. crew warehouse sale on your trip to asheville in june. any finds that you are dying to pull out as fall approaches?

pb: cashmere. it's a light enough sweater to wear alone or over a button-up. it's a classic staple that i like to keep in the closet. there is a good sports coat that i found too. you can't go wrong with that either.

pg: you can't think about fall without thinking about football. it's a pretty well known fact that you are a die hard auburn fan. any games that you are planning on going to or any other football plans?

pb: you know, fall brings this passion to me unlike any other. i do everything for my wife for 9 months out of the year, but i put all of my eggs in one basket when football season starts...starting this thursday night. it's time for pb to have his time. i'm expecting at least a 9-3 season from auburn. we have a new dual quarterback, cameron newton. he looks to lead the tigers to the promised land.

pg: any tailgating plans?

pb: you know, ranging from a low country boil to a boston butt that is cooked for 8 to 12 hours. there is no greater feeling, other than being with pg, than spending a saturday afternoon with a jack and coke, a nip in the air, and watching football with 87,500 of your closest friends.

pg: we see that you are pretty stoked about football season. let's change gears again. you are now the step dad to 2 amazing kids. both have started new phases of their lives this year with school. can you tell us what is going on with them?

pb: it's great to see children take that next step in their lives and watch them grow. it's interesting to see how they were 2 weeks ago as compared to now. now they are playing the "parts" of their next steps. they don't necessarily understand the new stages, but they are playing the parts. in the coming weeks they will hopefully be understanding the responsibilities that come with the new stages of their lives. it's new to all of us...parents and kids.

pg: what's going on currently with your photography business?

pb: well, i started a photography class, a 3 week session, that teaches some of the basics of photography. it has helped me to review some of the things i learned and been a joy to see some amateur photographers learn some new skills. i look forward to offering this again in the future.

pg: i know that last year you offered a christmas special for new and existing clients. are you doing this again this season?

pb: i am. it's kind of the same deal but i have added some new options this year. i am offering a package that includes a personalized christmas card design that clients can order.
(phone call interruption)
you know, fall is the harvest time. and on a side note, east bound and down is a recommendation for a tv show. kenny powers is a hero of mine. it airs on hbo. i'm looking forward to spending time walking downtown with my family and enjoying the leaves changing and this time of year. you know, the gold, orange and brown leaves. it's a time of change. i look forward to change every year. it keeps my soul going and my spirit thriving.

gp: well, there you go. thanks for that interesting stream of conscious thought. and thanks for sitting down with me, letting me watch you cook, and ask you some very pointed questions. we don't hear from you enough. anything else you want to say to your fans?

pb: i'm just proud of my wife for being who she is and of all that we try to do. there are, of course, stumbles along the way. but who better to stumble through with? i look forward to hearing from the readers and my fans and tackling more of these topics in the future.

awww, with that, pb closed the interview and picked up his phone. i'm guessing to check emails or something. thanks for all of your thoughtful insight and your answers. thanks for this epic interview.

all things fall and j. crew

the new j. crew catalog came yesterday. again, why does something so small, arriving in the mail, make my day? i could not wait to sit down last night and look through it, go back through each page slowly, and then dog-ear the pages that i realllly love. why is this such a treat? i love fall so the anticipation of wearing jeans, boots, sweaters and scarves just adds to it. however, i won't be wearing any of my cute jeans to school this fall...

so in thinking back on what i saw in the catalog and checking out the website, i have come up with my must-have list for fall. and let me mention that on my fall to-do list is seeing the movie, the romantics. it was a 2010 selection for the sundance film festival. j. crew paired up with the costume designers in this production and featured clothing from the fall line. check out all of the photos and footage on the j. crew website. very inspiring. on another side note, i am looking for the soundtrack to the movie. it's not on itunes yet, but from what you can preview on the trailer, i have a feeling it is going to be amazing. and i need new tunes for fall as well!

so here are a few of my wishes for fall:

1. a lightweight denim shirt. ok, i had one 10 years ago or so, but they are back. paired with something unexpected it will be totally different and non-stodgy this time.

2. a blue gingham shirt. not the tiny or the huge gingham. there is one on sale at j. crew right now that is perfect.

3. a velvet jacket. i want one that is fitted but not too structured and very feminine.

4. something with sequins. most likely a top. the pants offered by j. crew are way too pricey for the life of the pant. very trendy.

5. a vest. ok, i don't know how to explain this one but i know what i want. i'm just thinking it could be an inexpensive addition to the fall wardrobe that would make something plain look more edgy and current. i've been seeing them a lot...

6. more of the corduroy toothpick pants at j. crew. they were my favorite last fall so i have them in several colors thanks to the clearance sale. they tuck into boots perfectly and are cute with flats. and, i can wear them to school.

7. wedge booties. preferably chocolate or black suede.

8. a new blush. i love benefit's georgia peach. it is so light, natural and smells delicious. i'm hoping to find a similar version for fall but if not, i will stick to this one.

9. more black leggings...a thicker version that are more like a riding pant legging.

10. already have this but it was on my list so i'm including it. i had my eye on the army green cargo houlihan pants by j brand. again, not worth the investment for a trendy pant. a friend of mine found the knock-off at target for $19.99. they are a dead ringer for the original version. can't wait to wear them because they are going to go with everything!!!

wake up, muffy, we're back...

remember the official preppy handbook? The authors are rebooting it this month with and updated edition. i read about it earlier this morning while drinking coffee and checking email before school. i got so excited and have been waiting all day to blog about it. i know several people who are going to share in the same gleeful joy that i am experiencing. this handbook conjures up so many memories. blucher moccasins, l.l. bean totes, cardigans with ribbon button holes, ribbon belts, tretorns, anything embroidered with whales, turtles, or ladybugs. and of course, anything navy, kelly green or pink. anything monogrammed. i remember where i bought my copy. i remember spending that summer by the pool with my sister and our friends, pouring over every word of this holy guidebook. we were choosing preppy nick-names, studying the outfits and accessories that we needed for fall and soaking up every word like it was to become some sort of sacred mantra for our lives. it was like a secret club or a lifestyle that we all wanted to be a part of no matter what.

i'm sure the new edition won't be able to impact our lives like the first one did. however, i will be purchasing one as soon as i see it on amazon. i still like the preppy look. only now, i prefer it with a little patchouli or something faded and torn. we'll see what the new version has to offer those of us who loved it the first time but have grown up and out of that phase of our lives. it's a different world than it was in the 80's so this should be interesting...

"it's coming from the top"

i am one of those people that doesn't fare well with abrupt confrontation. really, i don't like confrontation at all. and when it takes me by surprise and is delivered with a bark, it shakes me to the core. such an occurrence happened this morning at school. without getting into too many details, i was barked at about something that i had no idea was an issue at school this year. the bark was followed by a few more words to drive the point home even further...i guess. not being a good recipient of this kind of confrontation, i nodded my head and somehow managed to hold back the tears. i went back to my room and tried to regain my composure before the arrival of eleven 4-year olds. in this process, i tried to remember that this person typically does this sort of thing without thinking and there was probably something that had happened earlier this morning that caused said going off on me. and in my moments of reflection i was also struck with a more meaningful thought. how does a child i am teaching feel if i bark at him or her just because i am having a bad day? how does that child feel if i overreact in a situation and he or she is totally caught off guard? i may know that i didn't mean to hurt the child's feelings but he or she does not necessarily see it that way. hmmmmm.

i will say that not too long after the incident, the person came and apologized. thank goodness. because the email i was composing in my head did not need to be sent. several overly nice gestures continued to follow the apology throughout the day.

it's all part of the process

today is a weird day, which is the ending of a weird week. this is one of those posts that i hope wil and em will read one day and know how i felt. both of them are moving to new schools this year and i will be by myself at the lower school. i remember when wil started at the middle school. i was more freaked out than he was. it seemed so foreign and so grown up compared to what i had known and been comfortable with at the lower school. those were the safe, precious years when everybody was nice (or at least tried to be) and i knew what was going on with my children at all times of the day. with middle school came new kids, new teachers, less parent involvement, a different campus and a rotating schedule.

yesterday we took wil to orientation at the upper school. this time i think the level of nervousness was about equal between the two of us. he was herded from one table to another getting his schedule, making sure we had turned in all necessary forms and then filling out a form to be drug tested. an upper school requirement. it's a good thing pb was there. it was everything i could do not to fill out the forms for him. and the jarring moment of the day was when pb nearly yanked my arm out of the socket as i tried to follow wil down the hall to the bathroom for his drug testing. no, i wasn't going in with him but it is just instinct to follow him. i can't begin to explain the gamut of emotions we were all experiencing. i'm excited for him because i know that he is going to have the time of his life. but it also means i have to let go and let him grow up.

so after this gut wrenching experience, i took em to the middle school to put her books and supplies in her cubby. ahhh, a word i am familiar with and love. the same middle school that seemed so big, new and unfamiliar 3 years ago, now seemed so small and comforting after being at the upper school. she has a cubby in her classroom, she stays on one hall for most of the day, and her name is on her desk.

i realize that this is all part of the growing up process. each stage requires a little more letting go and a little more trust that each child will be okay. it is all exciting and when i think about how much they both have ahead of them, it is also a little overwhelming. wil and em, i hope you have a great year and i promise not to peek in your classrooms and check on you. i can't anymore.

mink muffs for your toes

girls, here's a new polish for fall. i spotted this on a style website that i love and then my friend who has been living in the hamptons says it was the color to have this summer. i think it is a perfect color for a pedicure for fall. it looks a bit like mud in the bottle but on your toes it is great. a dark neutral taupe shade that will go with everything as you are transitioning from the heat into fall. mink muffs by essie.

the high road

taking the high road. that has been on my mind this week. it's something that i tell wil and em to do when they are struggling with sibling rivalry or petty fighting out of boredom. it's something that i try to do as an adult in various situations that life throws my way. lately, it seems as though the benefits of taking the high road have been less than subtle, and more...very much in my face. when it is my choice to take the high road, it can seem painful or a bit like i am having to swallow a tennis ball size of pride. i can see and know that it is worth it, but it can still be difficult at times. but when i am on the other end and receiving the returns of someones choice to take the better road, or if i am just an observer, watching another take the high road for one that i love, it is an amazing thing to experience. it is a heart warming thing to watch and benefit from someones generosity and kindness.

summer faded into fall, with it came the writing on the wall

where did summer go and why does it end so soon now? i thought summer used to be june, july and august. i will say that the passing of one season into another does stir up mixed emotions for me. and while i was taking my last early summer morning walk today, i thought, you know, it's all about choices. really. it is sad that summer is coming to an end. if i choose to think about it long enough, i can wallow in some pretty deep nostalgia over what is ending and miss whatever is on tap for today. it's my choice in how i look at this passing of summer and i do love fall. and honestly, i am pretty geeky about school starting. i always loved the first day, new school supplies, a fresh start. and i still do. i love getting organized and back into a routine, football season starting, the leaves changing and of course, fall clothes. change is good and it's my choice to accept it and look forward to all that it has in store for me or not. this is my official last day of summer vacation and i am so thankful for the great summer that we have had. a lot of good memories were made and a lot of change is in store for us now. in so many arenas. so i'll allow myself a little nostalgia today and then i'm embracing the change that is ahead and inevitable.

strawberry swing

here's a subject to ponder on: obsessions. that word can conjure up so many ideas. i use it lightly with my friends, as in "i am obsessed with those frye riding boots or the new j.crew catalog for fall." or "i am obsessed with this new restaurant that we found". or it can take on a more serious tone as in "why am i so obsessed with cleaning the house?" or "stop obsessing over that situation/issue, when it's something i can't control anyway." there are many avenues that this word can take you down so i'm going to ponder on the lighter side of obsessions today, and disclose my on-going obsession with gwyneth paltrow.

this all came to mind today when i was cleaning (hmmm, ocd, a darker side of the subject) the cubbies in our laundry room. mine is neatly organized with my purse (which was an obsession), my backpack for school (another obsession), a few books, my lookbook (...and another) and the latest vogue with gp on the front of it. another friend of mine that shares in my intrigue and love for her, emailed me while on her vacation to ask if i had purchased it yet. i had not so i went to kroger immediately. i did have some other things to buy but the issue of vogue pushed me to make the trip despite it being a wednesday. (let's just say wednesday is a very busy day for the rome, ga kroger). i read it from cover to cover that evening while pb laughed and made cute remarks. he doesn't understand the obsession. i can't explain it to him. i have followed her over the course of the past 10 years, seen all of her movies (the quirky ones and the flops), and my lookbook is full of things i have torn out of magazines about her...ideas for clothes, haircuts, home stuff, etc. i think what is comes down to is that it is just mindless entertainment and just fun to follow someone's style and life as they grow and change. i'm finished with trying to defend it. it is what it is. that being, something that is silly, but something that i can share with a few girlfriends who love her too.

my lunch date

i had lunch at greener burger, a new restaurant in rome, today. it is located in the building where the old krystal and star jewelers used to be on broad street. i ate hamburgers at the bar in krystal when i was little and got my ears pierced at star jewelers when i was 7. the building has gone through a complete makeover and feels like the restaurant is someplace other than rome. the concept is to offer a burger that comes from beef that contains no hormones or chemicals and it is cooked on a rotisserie, not grilled. They raise the cows, which are 95% grass fed, and oversee the whole process from start to finish. there are no soft drinks, only fresh squeezed juices, sweet tea and alkaline charged water. they have several salads on the menu, other beef entrees and a daily blue plate special. the dessert list looked phenomenal. so did the smoothies. they offer seasonal fruit and vegetable items on the menu as well. the walls are a tranquil shade of green and there are accents of stone and stainless steel as part of the interior. the white tablecloths are also a nice touch. there is an option for outside seating in the front and a deck in the back, which will be great in the fall, a perfect dining choice during riff weekend. i had the southwestern salad today, which was very light. i will order a burger next time, just too hot today for that. try it sometime.

green acres

i have a new favorite place. the peachtree road farmers market. i went yesterday with one of my best friends while we left the husbands at home to cook saturday morning breakfast for the kids. we went down friday night for dinner and spent the night. they have this farmers market every saturday until december 18, from 8:30-12:30. it is located in the parking lot of the cathedral of st. philip. my photos do not do it justice. it is not a huge event so it's not too overwhelming. there is the perfect collection of vendors, farmers and artists. they have a cooking demo each saturday by a chef from a local restaurant. yesterday it was the chef from aria. i had a cup of the best organic coffee and we sampled homemade salsa, biscotti, yellow watermelon, and just tried to take it all in...despite the heat. it is a great place for people watching and so refreshing to be somewhere different...so inspiring. there is a traveling brick oven pizza vendor that was making the most mouthwatering pizza. you can follow him on twitter to find his truck and the location that he is set up at on the weekends. we talked to a 12-year old "clayologist" that makes little clay animals and jewelry to sell. she donates $1.00 from every sale to the atlanta humane society and has donated over $1,000.00 so far. she was very poised and well-spoken. i bought some rosemary peppermint soap that smells so good you want to eat it. i cannot wait to go back one saturday this fall. it is definitely something the whole family can enjoy or if you want to leave the kids and have a saturday morning date, it would be perfect for that too.