dinner at eight :: love songs

{Dinner at Eight is a special project I am doing with my friend Andi this year - planning date nights at home for our husbands every other week, putting the kids to bed early and being intentional about our marriages! Read more dinner at eight posts HERE!}

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Andi and I chose the theme love songs for this weeks date post. I love how picking a theme gets our juices flowing and I always love reading how Andi interprets the themes for her dates. This time Andi has written a gorgeous collection of vignettes about special meaningful songs that have played a role in her relationship with her husband. I love how music has that power to evoke the feelings and emotions of certain memories it can bring you back to a point in time almost instantly. If you get a chance do read her sweet reflections HERE it is so beautiful and inspiring!

Chris and I too have many songs that mean so much to us. My husband is a music buff he could sit and listen to records all day long and if he is given any "fun money" well you can bet it's going to purchase some sort of music. A record for his collection, a download, a concert ticket. Most recently we celebrated our Anniversary by going to see Paul Simon at the Showbox here in Seattle. Paul Simon is one of his biggest musical influences (he even wrote about it on his blog HERE). We were floored when we heard about an extra show added to Paul Simons latest tour and were able to get tickets. It was a magical night to see this amazing legend on stage!

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But for this week I simply asked my sweetie to make me a mixed tape with no real rules just a mix of songs he thought I would like or that would mean something to me. He jumped on it - seriously one of his favorite things to do is make a mix. Then we simply poured a yummy drink and put on the collection of songs and listened together. Some of the songs were new to me many of them were meaningful to me. I loved this sweet + simple date. A couple of songs came on one in particular that we played while our bridal party entered the church on our wedding day (all the heavens, third day) and it brought tears to my eyes. We laughed and remembered sweet memories. Another song reminded me of his old Oldsmobile and the lookout point (wink). I asked him if he remembered that and he cracked up and said "of course I do".  It was lovely and wonderful and such a simple and easy way to spend an evening together.

And that is truly the purpose behind this intentional time. Remembering our relationship and why we fell in love in the first place. Writing these memories down can be so powerful as Andi did because it causes you to look back and be so thankful for the gift that is marriage. It is not always about hosting the perfect over the top date - although I think those dates are so fun and special too - but the point is to focus on each other once in awhile.

So what about you, what song has meaning to you? Here is the playlist Mr. Gough made for me - may it encourage you in dating your sweetie pie. Maybe consider making a playlist, pour a glass of wine and sit and listen and see what sweet memories come back. Dance to your wedding song again - or joke about the early years of your relationship!

Happy Friday!

So yesterday was weird - blogger was down all day. I am sure if it didn't directly effect your blog you might have noticed post were missing and comments lost around blog-ville. Looks like most everything has been restored but needless to say Andi and I both lost our posts for dinner at eight - sad face...but that's okey dokey we are going to re-group this weekend and post those on Monday instead. Mr. Gough made me a mixed tape and I am going to share it with you!

 Instead today I just have a few pretty pictures of my Grandma Barbs hankie collection. I have often contemplated making them into a real bunting but since she gave them to me just before she passed away to take my scissors to them has not been something I have been able to commit to yet. Maybe someday soon but for now I tied them together and hung them over my window. They remind me of her so much - she always had a pretty hankie tucked up her sleeve no kleenex for her she was way to classy. Oh how I miss my Grandma Barb.

I hope you have a happy weekend - we are going to a wedding so I finally broke down and used the anthropologie gift card I've been hording since Christmas. I bought a new skirt to wear I can't wait! I always love a chance to get dressed up and have some adult conversation. We are also taking the boys on a surprise outing since they have both completed their star charts. Their really big charts and so usually every six or so months they fill em up and then get a big fun outing. Last time we went to the fair this weekend should be pretty great I will share more details next week! What do you have planned for the weekend, anything good?
Whatever you do I hope it is wonderful - xoxo!

{my may favorites}

{one} - 3 little bells {two} - the boonie life {three} - re.collected {four} - a cottage family {five} - alita jewel treasures {six} - raimy faere {seven} - in the details {eight} - annalea hart {nine} - stacy bostrom photography {ten} - bunches and bits

Thanks to everyone who participated in Ten on Ten this month, there is still time to link up below if you haven't yet.  I have loved checking out each one of your beautiful sets - I only wish I could stop and comment on them all but trust me your days are full of such amazing life and beauty it is a joy to see!

This month my favorites are all full of the whispers of summer and sunshine something we haven't had much of here is Seattle this year. Fun little fact it has been the coldest spring on record for Seattle - true story so these selections are to remind myself that one day we will have more than a twelve hour stretch of warmth and light around these parts! Click to enlarge the collage and see it a bit bigger. Some really great photos to choose from this time! I hope you all have a wonderful week - looking forward to another installment in June but until then, happy photographing my friends! xo

Ten on Ten :: May 2011

I am loving all of your gorgeous sets this month they are amazing! If you haven't yet link up on the post below - I will be looking at everybody's set and will be back some time tomorrow with my favorite ten photos from the month!!

 

Ten on Ten :: May 2011

Hello and happy tenth everyone!! May you all have an absolutely amazing day today capturing the beauty woven throughout your lives. When you are ready add your set to the linky below - I am really looking forward to checking out how your days take shape later on!

And if you are new to the project to play along all you have to do is: take one photo an hour for ten hours and then post the photos on your blog - capture a snapshot of the ordinary beauty of a simple day in your life!

Have fun and happy photographing,
Rebekah

The Winners!

 

Congratulations to Kristen and Chas for winning the Mother's Day Giveaway!!! Go ahead and email me your address girls and your pick of either the flower or the horse necklace and I will send you both a box of treats! Thanks to everyone who participated you guys are all the sweetest I only wish I could send you each something special! xoxo

On another note here is a friendly reminder to charge your camera batteries tonight and get ready for tomorrow's installment of Ten on Ten I can't wait. If your new around here and don't know what the Ten on Ten project is you can read about how to participate HERE and I hope you do it is so much fun! See you all tomorrow!

make something monday :: teething necklace

Josie has been teething like crazy the past few weeks no actual teeth have popped through just yet but she is drooling and chewing up a storm on anything she can get into her mouth. This past weekend when we were exploring the city I had her with me in the ergo carrier and she was a busy bee. I kept thinking that I wish I had a necklace on that she could put in her mouth and play with that I wouldn't be picking up repeatedly and cleaning off. I have often admired the teething necklaces made my Tweet Baby Designs and thought that I might be able to make one myself using an old sheet and some beads. It didn't take long to put this one together and Josie seems to love it.

I made this necklace for me to wear and Josie to play with - it's nice to have it on me so that she can't drop it but I couldn't get a picture of the two of us so this one will have to do this morning...here is how I put it together.

You will need:

♥ a long piece of fabric or vintage sheet cut 5" wide and as long as you can make it. Mine was 54" long.

♥ some large wood or plastic beads. I had these lucite beads on hand since I have an insane amount of jewelry making supplies around here but you can buy cheap bags of wood beads at the craft store.

♥ scissors and a sewing machine

1. Cut a strip of fabric 5" wide by roughly 54" long. sew it together with right sides facing and then flip it right side out and form a long tube.

2. Measure about 13" from one end and then tie the tube into a knot.

3. Slip your first bead into the tube and then tie another knot right after the bead.

4. Continue adding beads and knots until you have about the same length as the first side of your tube left. Finish with a knot.

5. Now cut each end of the tube into three equal strips - feel free to snip and then tear it, it doesn't have to be perfect.

6. Braid each side and then sew the ends together with a sewing machine. I didn't really bother making the back look nice since it is essentially a toy for my daughter but if you wanted to make one as a gift or simply for yourself I would suggest a button on one end and a tiny piece of elastic made into a loop on the other for a simple button closure.

Simple and practical - perfect!

Alright everyone I will be back later with the winners of last weeks giveaway. If you haven't entered yet there is still time I've decided to leave the comments open until 5pm - this is the last day of voting over on circle of moms and if you would consider a last minute thumbs up vote for me today I would be so very grateful. You guys have been so kind and supportive thank you all! If you vote again or have already today make sure to sign your name again HERE for another chance to win!

Have a wonderful Monday friends! xo

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