Listed {An Update}

This is what made my May Day beautiful yesterday.

Thank you GG ~XO

So I wanted to do this yesterday, as we started a new week, but it turned out that I just couldn't be bothered (hehe!).  But if memory serves, I have some list updating to do....

• Exercise....You know, like yoga or semi-brisk walking Eat lots of ice cream

I would like to be hugely self congratulatory and say that, as of today, I have been to yoga TWO whole Mondays in a row. I really didn't think I could actually make myself do it...... Well, I guess I really showed me, didn't I?

Plus! Please note exhibit A:

Exhibit A

I'd say that this pretty much covers the whole, lots of ice cream thing, huh? Six glorious scoops of cherries jubilee. And just for future reference when you order six scoops of ice cream they put it in a giant tub, which quite possibly makes it even better. Oh, I would like to say that this is totally different then getting, like, a hand packed pint or something. The difference being pints are made to be eaten in servings, scoops are meant to be eaten all at once {and really they just taste better don't they?}.

• Expose the boys one new thing a week {Because I love it when Cade says "I've never seen that afore!"}

This week in new-things-news, Cade got to take a special trip to the firehouse and go on a private tour, complete with fireman hat and badge. Then as an added bonus the bird nest in the planter right outside the back door, which one day we discovered four perfect little eggs in  {Cade and I checked up on them daily of course} finally hatched! And there really were tiny little birds in them! {I can't explain to you what part of this surprised me} 

Exhibit B

Yes, I know it just looks like a funny little pile of fluff, and no, baby birds aren't particularly adorable {as far as baby animals go} but it was amazing, and exciting, and seeing the joy and wonder it brought Cade was priceless. 

• Throw gobs of uber amazing parties

As an update I would just like to say that I am actively and fervently working on bringing this one to fruition!

• Make lots of lists

Oh the lists I've made this week.....

• Blog more regularly *

I'm going to go ahead and say CHECK

Here's to another great week XO~'83

Grace.  It is my favorite.  It is one of the few single words that means so much, holds such much power and peace.  I can hear it or read it anywhere and instantly identify, be almost transported.  I like it so much I have thought about giving that name to a daughter, and am proud that my name holds it as its meaning.  Mostly, Grace is my God. 

And I am always awed how God works.  As of late this concept has been ‘gracing’ my path often.  I have started a book and a workshop on Grace Based Parenting – Wow, I think it’s gonna be good.  Then Easter, the best example of Grace I know.  The Easter church service focused on God’s Grace.  My experiences over the last week; filled with grace.

For me grace is freedom and security.  It is how I can face each day. It is my hope, hope that I can be a better person and learn from yesterday.  Not be stifled by my mistakes and shortcoming.  It is joy.  It is life lessons.  Truly, is it indefinable, at least in its entirety.   I do know that Grace is my Jesus and for that I am forever thankful….

Here is a glimpse into my recent grace.



New Discoveries



 Beginnings

My daughter understanding more deeply the burial and Resurrection of Christ this year.  We made resurrection rolls as a fun tangible way to understand



Creating together



The gift of creativity and humor

Being able to be called Mama by these two gifts.  Understanding a bit more about how much God loves us, His children, as a result. 



Simple joys



Peace

A family to love and that loves me.  A family that brings learning experiences and forgives shortcomings.  A place to try to practice grace and reap its benefits when we get it close.  A core from which God's Grace is reflected, I hope.

I am forever grateful   ~ '79

Listed

I love lists.

I love making lists, I love crossing things off my lists, I love reading lists. Lists of every shape and size; grocery, places, wants, needs, and the good old fashioned To-Do. I once made a list of things I should make lists of.

Normally one would assume that lists are the sign of a well organized person right? Oh no, that I am not. I have dreams of becoming so, but I am solidly planted on the disheveled, messy side of the equation. It is not at all uncommon for me to find half finished, abandoned lists in pockets, drawers, or purses. I'm not even organized enough to keep track of my lists. Good news for me that most of my gratification comes from creating, not completing.

There-in lies the beauty of the personal list; it's just for you! No one will hold you accountable for finishing it, or veering off-list {well, with the exception of the commandments, that one's a pretty steadfast list} But say my grocery list says CRANBERRY JUICE then I get to the store and I want pineapple orange banana - done!....and nobody is ever the wiser. Plus, I feel completely justified when I cross CRANBERRY JUICE off my list of course. All I mean is that I keep my lists private for this very reason; there is no guilt.

That being said I am about to do something that is very out of the ordinary for me... Make. A. Public. List. Why would I do such a thing? Because I want to finish it. If I say it outloud {so to speak} it infinitely increases my odds of completion.

My Summer To-Do List

• Get a tan {This one is very important, and nearly impossible for me... fingers crossed}
• Find a fantastic pair of shorts to display said tan
• Exercise....You know, like yoga or semi-brisk walking Eat lots of ice cream
• Camp out with Cade in the backyard 
• Make a watermelon drink dispenser
• Flea markets. As many as possible.
• Expose the boys one new thing a week {Because I love it when Cade says "I've never seen that afore!"}
• Throw gobs of uber amazing parties
• Make lots of lists
• Enjoy several official PAJAMA DAY's with the boys
• Turn 28
• Paint a room
• Go to the dentist {for the first time in an unmentionable amount of time}
• Prescott. At least twice.
• Payoff my credit card once and for all
• Wear a romper
• Go somewhere new with my husband
• Blog more regularly *
• Enjoy an end of summer girls weekend somewhere fabulous ~ Who wants to come?!?

*I may be setting myself up for failure with this one, so I would like to say that by 'regularly' I mean not so long in between posts that I must first make sure the blog still exists

I plan, and I'm using that term very loosely, to update this list by checking them off. Wish me luck! XO~'83

Empty Nest

Today brings to an end one of the longest weeks I have ever experienced; one in which time seemed to pass painfully slow and I felt at a loss for what to do with myself.... My older son, Cade, spent the week on a guys only, rodeo road trip with his dad. In other words, heaven on earth for a two year old boy filled with wanderlust and more than ready for a little adventure. Not so heavenly for me. While he spent the week blissfully immersed in testosterone and dirt, I whiled away the hours wondering how I would make it through another day without his affection and adorableness. I have no problem admitting that I am cripplingly codependent on his cuteness.

All this time to think led me to three conclusions. 1.) I am simply not cut out for long term, long distance absence from my babies {and by long term I mean more than say, 6 hours}. 2.) It's a real good thing we have two children because those sweet baby smiles were all that was keeping me sane in Cade's absence. And 3.) I must have had a whole lot of free time on my hands before I had kids. A whole lot.

Having just one child with me this week was a breeze...until his first nap time, and that's when things got tricky.... it was at that moment I found myself alone, in a quiet, clean, peaceful house during daylight hours with {gasp} nothing pressing to do. Nobody needed anything, there was no multitasking to be done, and that meant I didn't know what to do with myself. When you have a husband who travels 9 months out of the year, are trying to launch a new business, and have two boys 2 and under, you just get used to being busy. I won't lie, I didn't take advantage of it and do something productive; I didn't answer emails, plan menus, and obviously I didn't blog {shame on me, I've been so naughty}. I think I ate cookies on the couch while I watched backlogged episodes of Modern Family and online window shopped. What can I say, it was the closest to multitasking I could come up with.

Several days worth of naps later, when that was no longer proving to be enough of a distraction from my growing sorrow and loneliness, It was time for plan B. {plus I was out of cookies and TiVo}. I buried myself in busy work and set about completing some of the projects, that had until now, lived only in my mind. One of the funnest was a couple projects for my girlfriend Maggie from Heaven Scent. I have wanted to make some bunting flag banners for the Bluebird launch at the end of the month, so making a special one for her served dual purposes: great practice for me, springtime cheerfulness at Heaven Scent!

I had also recently picked up a fantastically old book at a thrift store, who's age the woman behind the counter had remarked over as she wrung me up and made it impossible for me to tell her that I would soon be cutting my $3 find to bits. I do think it's safe to say though, that many more people will be able to enjoy all that it has to offer now, than when it was sitting on that dusty old shelf.

Pleased with the outcome of a project well done and the company of a great friend, off we went for a yummy Mexican lunch and celebrated the impending arrival of my first born over margaritas ♥ ♥ You can check out the Heaven Scent Blog HERE or "Like" her on Facebook HERE. I, of course, recommend both! XO-'83

Love Birds { No. 8 }

Happy Valentines Day ♥ ♥ Which brings us to Love. I love, love! Who doesn't? All you need is love, it's what makes the world go round, right? It is what drives us, inspires us, and moves us. Love is everywhere! Love at it's best is selfless, and generous, and humbling. I have been blessed with much love, of the very best kind. To give unwavering, true love is as great as receiving it. So today I hope that you too, are inspired by love as much as I am. Places you love, things you love, and most importantly the people you love ♥ ♥ ♥

Love Birds { No. 7 }

Sundays. They're my favorite. I LOVE Sundays. I also love sundaes, but that is an entirely different matter. I love them because they are special ♥ They're special because everything moves slower (like me), and they have that easy feeling that so often gets lost in the hustle and bustle of life. On Sunday, you can stroll instead of walk, you can brunch instead of breakfast, or have supper not dinner. You can stay in your P.J.'s till noon an nobody is going to wonder what is wrong with you ("What! she's still in her jammies?? I wonder whats wrong with her ... "Oh, it's Sunday you say? Well in that case..."). Plus it is a proven fact (by me) that babies give their mamas more kisses on Sundays. Then there's my personal favorite; it is entirely exceptable to get back into bed at any given time, even if you're over 5.

Not everyone respects the sanctity of Sundays the way they should though; in fact I am ashamed to say that my husband rarely observes this weekly holiday. It's appalling really, I mean even God took a nap on Sunday. Mark my words I will convert him into a Sunday lover ... If it's the last thing I do... For this is the day that the Lord has made ♥ For now, if you need me I will be cozy, in my yummy little bed, watching extra T.V. and collecting kisses.

Love Birds { No. 6 }

I have a very dear friend, who, in more ways than one has been heaven sent... Actually she's Heaven Scent to be precise. As in Heaven Scent Apothecary and Accoutrements in Santa Ynez. Maggie Winther is one of the most genuine people you will ever meet; she is warm and funny, and has killer taste♥ More of her customers consider her a friend than not, and they're fiercely loyal. As soon as you walk through her door it becomes very easy to see why. She works hard to find boutique label, high quality products and best of all she is very budget savvy. There are goodies there for everyone and every occasion, she's got it all. She is starting a new blog as well which you can check up on HERE♥

Just this past week she had a Valentine's Day Wine and Chocolate Social, and asked if I would like to come and put together a little table for her, which would also help me get the Bluebird word out. I, of course, jumped at the chance! I rushed home, pulled out all my glitter and fluff, and went straight to work ... voilà, 18 hours later I think we had turned out some pretty bang up results!

Now I will admit, it helped a lot that I shamelessly stockpile fancy little odds and ins all over my house (let's face it, a girl never knows when she might need a glittered ampersand) In fact once when my mother was visiting she asked why I had so many junk drawers.... obviously this comment was met with an appropriate level of disgust on my part (junk..how could you!?) And more than once my husband has pulled a wonderful random tidbit out of a drawer and asked "Are you saving this for something?" The answer is always an emphatic YES.

For now, I am bravely testing the water with fingers crossed, and heels on (that one's for you '79 ♥) XO -'83

Love Birds { No. 5 }

Babies ♥ I LOOOVE babies. Their smell, their smiles, their chubby little baby necks. There isn't much I wouldn't do to steal kisses from a sleeping baby either; that sweet baby breath and fluttering eyelids, completely peaceful and innocent. It's easy to loose yourself in those moments with them. I know I try to do it as often as possible ♥ I always thought my parents were a little bit crazy when they told me how fast time goes by; that's a hard concept to grasp when your young and it feels like you will be seven foooreeeverrr! I think it takes becoming a parent to really understand just how fleeting these days are. And I can't stand it. I also can't tell you how many times when I have rocked my littlest to sleep, or my older son says something completely hilarious and sweet, that I have stopped and just thought (well more wished, like you do when your eternally seven and all you want is for your mom to turn into Dolly Parton) 'Please never, never grow up'. Because you know that inevitably it's going to happen but there is a little tiny bit of you that thinks maybe if you hope against hope hard enough, time just might stand still. Or for heavens sake at least slow down a bit!

My combined love of babies, and capturing these moments and memories led me to Meg Fish. She is a photographer I found in Santa Barbara, and specifically focuses on pregnancy and newborn. As soon as you look at her work you can understand why; she is immensely talented! Not to mention she is very sweet, patient and truly loves what she does. She has a very tranquil and ethereal aesthetic that perfectly conveys all the love that is wrapped up in these tiny little bundles. She was kind enough to share her talent with me and I would like to now share with you. You can see all her work here and she also has a yummy little blog which she posts some of her stunning work on here She has a new little one herself, who is absolutely darling, and I must say if I had her talent I would never get anything done because I would be forever snapping away at my own babies!

I am, of course, particularly proud of her shots of my own blissful little baby but there is a shot on her blog of a brand new baby asleep on the back of a horse that is beyond beautiful! It almost makes me want to have another baby ... almost XO-'83

Love Birds { No. 4 }

Orange ... I can't explain it but lately I have been loving a whole lot of orange. Anyone who knows me will understand just how big an anomaly this really is. You walk into my closet and its a neutral paradise, filled with every shade of grey, white, black, and beige under the sun. I generally consider navy to be a pop of color. I had to think about it for two weeks before I bought my son red sheets. I did buy a pair of pink shoes once when I was feeling particularly frisky ... see, color is a huge commitment for me. But these days I see orange and I want need it; clothes, accessories, bedding, and all types of various home adornments. I love all shades, from coral to rust, muted to bright (thankfully I haven't forayed into neon territory yet!). And I want to pair it with every other color I see: blue, oat, aqua, bright white, pinks and reds, and especially grey ♥

Therein lies the fantastic news(!) my wardrobe is FULL of those colors; boring and unassuming, just crying out for a little orange. Obviously I am more than happy to oblige. The only problem I find myself running into is mustering up the gumption to leave the house in it. I am a bit afraid of unknowingly looking like a big, happy, creamsicle (or rather a family of creamsicles, as I also wish to dress my boys in orange)

It's so cheerful and fun ... you know, come to think of it, I have been feeling especially optimistic these days! Maybe my new found affinity for it comes from my excitement for the future, or feeling like spring is just around the corner, but seeing it instantly makes me feel more creative and inspired. Well, whatever it is that has brought about this surprising color change of heart, I think I'm going to run with it ♥ XO -'83

Love Birds { No. 3 }

Ah, Paris ~ can you imagine a more romantic place?? It is the quintessential Valentines Day destination, non?? Ok a little confession, I have never actually been there persay, but I do have lovely little day dreams about it quite often and I took two years of french in high school ... that counts for something right? The point is, that if the Parisian reality of it all isn't everything my dreams are made of, then I would prefer to remain blissfully unaware.

I adore images of Paris, with the amazing architecture and gorgeous design, the opulent intérieurs; I find it all so charming ♥ Every time I see photos of a perfectly staged Parisian apartment I start itching to buy obscenely ornate white furniture, or something gold and baroque, or velvet, or...

So until the day comes that I find myself in Paris with my own handsome Valentine I will just continue to lust after their macaroons, fashion {talk about a love affair ♥ ♥}, and fabulous corner cafes. I will keep shamelessly forcing my son to learn the words to Frère Jacques, while I pretend to be Marion Cotillard giving a garden party at Versailles. Qu'ils mangent du gâteau! XO -'83

Love Birds { No. 2 }

Vintage. Vintage. Vintage! That's what I am loving today. Well, actually I love it everyday. I love vintage jewelry, and clothes, and photos; but mostly I love vintage furniture ♥ ♥ ♥ In fact I don't have enough hearts to express just how much I love it. Suffice it to say, it's a lot. I also love parties (oh, that one will be getting its very own day!) and last weekend the most miraculous thing happened .... these two things collided in a most marvelous and serendipitous way...

See I've had my heart set on featuring some head turning, vintage furniture at a very special upcoming soiree, but had no idea where in the world I would be finding the kind of pieces that existed in my mind. Then in a moment of semi-divine, internet intervention, there it was ... Found. No really, it was called Found. A vintage rentals company in L.A., and the answer to all my {furniture} prayers!!!

Here is just a sneak peek of a few of the pieces I have coming my way, which is just a taste of what they have to offer. Loves! You can view their extensive inventory here, but consider yourself warned that you may just fall hopelessly in love.

They have been a dream to work with; anyone who shares my love of fabulous vintage furniture and has taste that good, is a friend of mine. The only down side to all this is how I am ever going to bring myself to part with them. Oh, I hate goodbyes. XO-'83

Love Birds { No. 1 }

In honor of Valentines Day being exactly one week away, I've decided to create a post each day filled with goodies, inspiration, and just general, all-around loveliness!

I am a huge Etsy fan, and I love when someone can point me in the direction of a new and wonderful store (since you can easily spend all day lost in Etsy wonderland and still miss little gems like these!) One of my favorite blogs introduced me to this one and it truly was as splendid as promised! Of course, I quickly had a cart full of trims, tags, and all the fabulous adornments a girl needs for some first rate DIY Valentines ♥

Inspire Lovely (a fantastically appropriate name!) specializes in those finishing touches that makes something remarkable, and is chalk full of all the makings you need to bring the projects in your imagination to life.

I know that I am so looking forward to the many, many more Inspire Lovely purchases in my future ♥ And you simply must go check them out here ~Inspire Lovely~ XO-'83

Barbara Nell

A few evenings ago I found my husband in the kitchen mixing up some yummy, tropical cocktails for us after the kids were in bed. Besides being completely delicious (and one itty-bitty umbrella short of perfect), it instantly reminded me of my Grandmother. Liquor and your Grandmother you ask?? Well, it was only because I noticed that in his pile of ingredients were some of those tiny cans of Dole pineapple juice. She always had those little cans of juice at her house, and to a little girl, they seemed like such a special treat ♥ ♥ It got me thinking about her....

She was a southern girl gone west, and she is my "Grandy". Oh, she is decidedly southern in many ways; she loves her food fried - fried okra, fried fish, hush puppies, and a favorite was fried dove. She likes her melon salted and her crackers buttered. The family peach cobbler recipe is my great, great, Aunt Loby's and calls for "an eggs worth of butter". We have always been her "Fweethearts", she declared many things ... as in "Well, I declare..", and she often blesses our hearts, i.e., "Well, bless your heart". When she meets someone new she becomes infinitely more southern, the ya'll-s become thicker and she, more coquettish. She never receives company without full hair, make-up, and heels (and by company, I mean anyone). See, she isn't just a woman, she is a lady.

However, that being said, she is a lady of the finest sort; the kind full of moxie and a sweet streak of tomboy thrown in. She had a favorite walnut tree she climbed well into her college years, and a mother, Annie Mae, who was a very fine hunter and fisherman fisherwoman. She was school teacher, like her mother before her, and taught both here and abroad. She is mother to five children and raised them mostly on her own. Everything she did took determination and courage. Growing up, I remember her always with a song on her lips and a twinkle in her eye; you never knew what was coming but chances are it was probably going to be fun. She taught me songs that I still remember, and that nobody else my age knows (save for my sisters of course!) and that I fully intend on passing down. She's a perfect mix of refinement, and mischief. My Mother is like her in more ways than one (just don't tell her that!) and all of them are great. They are both strong, creative, brave, playful, and love whole heartedly ... And they are both truly an inspiration to me.

...In fact, I do declare that she will make a most perfect muse for a proper, southern party someday soon! Who wants to make the mint juleps?! XO-'83

Cat's Meow

Suffice it to say that fashion has never been my forte! So my fellow birds of the feather have to help me flock towards anything fashionable…

I admit that whenever I try to pick out any type of clothes or shoes, I have to pass it through my (learned the hard way) test; Would this likely be seen on any reasonable person over age 65? Sadly, more often than not the answer is yes. Great news – I now know that means back to the rack it goes! You see, the rest of our breed has fashion down. Sure it helps that one lives in California and the other is still part of the in-crowd, or at least this is what I tell myself. Truth is I think the fashion jean just skipped me and they each got an extra ½ dose. Don’t despair; they also got a fair dash of generosity and sense of obligation towards their kin. Not only have they shared their expertise but also their leftover clothes. Their hand-me-downs are probably a season behind for them but light years ahead for me. They also have a knack for organizing and purging a closet to boot! While doing a clothes inventory recently I discovered my closet is not so void of vogue these days. The sisterly help in purging my closet, equal to donations to my fashion fund has left me with almost entirely with a bequeathed boutique; hence fashion heaven for me!

Don’t forget the gifts... I am now hooked on fancy pants! Yes these are the ones that are not Levi or Wrangler brand and cost over $25.00. But boy can they start the day off right!! Add a great pair of shoes (oh how I love) and a donated top – viola. I love the feeling of leaving the house in a good outfit. Many a time I have received compliments on an outfit and had to confess that, out of the whole get-up, the only self purchased item was the undergarments!

So now I share with you a few tidbits learned along the way: Navy and black can be worn with jeans; shirts should go past your waist but your pants should not go above your belly button; flip flops and high heels are appropriate footwear for jeans; belts can be worn so high that it double as bosom support (ok, almost); its posh to spend an inordinate amount of money for new jeans that they have already worn out and ripped for you; and my favorite so far – jeans have whiskers and, properly placed, can enhance your figure. So thanks to advice from my fashionable feathers and picture message double checks they just might turn me into the Cat’s Meow yet! ~'79

What is making me happy today...

Aside from the obvious; waking up next to my husband (what a treat!) and good morning baby kisses (heaven!), these things are bringing sunshine into my life today...

My great friend Jennifer, whom my son calls G.G. (of course now we all do), makes the most delicious treats. Imagine my excitement when this yummy little bundle showed up! I confess, when paired with a cup of coffee it makes for my dream breakfast! Guilty pleasures...

Even more exciting than cookies (I know!) is a special little package I got I the mail the other day; a darling box of my very own business cards! See, there was this little idea that had been hatched to start up a boutique event styling business a while back. (I would call it "Bluebird Productions", more on the name inspiration later...) Timid as I am, I was having a hard time committing to putting myself out there in such a big way, and then out of the "blue" these lovelies arrived! My friend had commissioned them and sent them to me, I'm thinking it was just the kick in the fanny I needed.... Here goes nothing! I will keep you posted as to where this new adventure takes me! XO-'83

This is how I feel when I think about sisters....

I have always considered myself fabulously blessed to have sisters like I do. Each of them, in their own unique way, bring a bit more bliss to my life. They are my biggest fans, my unwaivering support, and my sounding board. They are like glitter and petit fours; they make my life a little more beautiful and certainly more delicious.... XO-'83

P.S. I don't care which of you is which, you may fight it out amongst yourselves.

The Three Birds

1979. 1983. 1989.  Insignificant to some? Probably… but not to me! You see these are the years that each of the three birds ‘hatched’.  No one could have guessed what these three lives would turn into.  At least I can say for sure that I would have never been able to guess, or even ask for, all the blessing and experiences I have had over the last 30 years.  Amongst the most pleasing to me is the relationship I have with my sisters.  Had you asked me when I was young and we were all growing up in the house together I would have told you we would always be sisters;  but friends – doubtful.  Sure we had fun and made some great memories but I believe it fair to also say we were also skilled warriors!  Time passed, things change, people moved, families grew and so did my heart for my sisters. Simply put, I love these chics!

You see, they inspire me.  They inspire me to be a better person. To seek adventure. To be more spontaneous. To be more giving and caring.  To be a better mother.  To be more humble.  To be more creative, try different things.  They push me to love deeper.  I say that is one of the greatest gifts; especially when I find that with each contact I love them more, differently, and deeper.  Sure sometimes I get caught in the competition trap again – if my sister can do it I should do it better.  Then I step back and realize what she is giving me is a gift; challenging me to be a better person, or, best of all, complimenting me – picking up where I leave off. 

Recently, I have thought back on a few of our latest adventures.  I giggle to myself when I reminisce as an outsider about how we all relate.  It seems trite to say but we are really like a well oiled machine. Without thought we finish each other’s sentences, say the same thing at the same time, function like an assembly line to get a task done or simply take enjoyment just basking in each others presence.  We know what simple little giggles really mean, have all the code words down, know exactly what the thingamagig she is trying to talk about is, and most of the time, even what they want to order at the restaurant! 

We now have kids that will grow up with each other and who have fantastic Aunties.  It brings me indescribable delight to think that the immeasurable legacy of our sisterhood might just continue through these little lives.  It also makes one of my biggest prayers that my children will find the same sibling bond in each other that I have been blessed with.  We have shared in so many things, good, bad, indifferent; from childhood into adulthood.  To think of all the wondrous life milestones we have shared is almost staggering.  We all think we ask too much of the other, but in reality the giver wouldn’t want it no other way; in fact I think they feel as if they haven’t given enough.   We have even endured the trying times together, and I do believe that we came out better and closer on the other side.  I have never felt alone during the hard times, in fact I find myself gravitating towards the comfort of my sisters. 

You see, the moral is, we make the perfect group.  I love the vantage point from the top of our little tree of sisterly love.  Mostly I love the warmth, comfort and joy from my fellow feathers!  So with this I resolve to love you both more this coming year and each to come.  And here’s to making more memories.  I so look forward to the roots the tree we perch atop to grow deeper and stronger.  I love you so…