My dad has always called me “princess”.
He still does.
But this day was about the queen.
{{and she won’t like me calling her that}}
It was her birthday. Her day to feel the specialness that makes up her being.
She is my mama.
She requested my organic whole wheat chocolate chip cookies in lieu of cake and I happily obliged.
We found sparkly pink drinks and gave her six glass butterflies, one for each granbaby. Even Mabel.
We gathered on the veranda (or VUH-RAHN-DA as we like to call our big porch).
We laughed at the one magic candle she tried to blow out.
The lush humidity made us sweaty and glowy. My lens kept fogging, making our pictures ethereal.
Like a fog rolling in, we marveled at the smokey country southernness of our life.
We were joined by wasps and lizards and frogs and didn’t bat an eye.
Because we’re always joined by them.
The night concluded with a solid game of Monopoly.
{{which is still raging on today…five days later…}}
My bestie Sara Sophia inspired me to celebrate more. To make it special – even if it’s with effort, instead of with pocketbook.
I’m so glad we did.
**Check out my Flickr stream for more photos…
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
learning this too. we made a big deal out of Pip’s b-day this week. we made a memory.
this was wonderful!
Kelly Langner Sauer´s last blog ..“find – the moon”
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
@Kelly Langner Sauer, my mom has always said “we’re making memories!” and it’s true. So special.
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Happy Belated Birthday to your Mama. Those photos are magical. I love the one of her holding her lit cupcake and the self pic of you with the rest of your fam.
Each day is to be celebrated and embraced and enjoyed and thank you for helping me to realize that!
domestic extraordinaire´s last blog ..Shes got some Keys to Safe Driving Now
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
@domestic extraordinaire, the self pic took several tries b/c my head is SO BIG OMG.
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Beautiful!! What sweet pictures and a beautiful memory that you I am sure you will treasure always. You will have to share a link to that recipe for those cookies- yum!
Amy´s last blog ..Welcome- Parenting Magazine Readers!
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
@Amy, It was actually a Betty Crocker recipe! You can find it here: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-cookies/391acf6b-df6c-49d3-894b-4ac705dc9cb2
I tweaked it to use all organic ingredients, raw sugar, no margarine (EW) and whole wheat pastry flour. SO GOOD.
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What a beautiful celebration!
And your mama is just gorgeous :) You look alike!
Corinne´s last blog ..The journey of my nose and a needle
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
@Corinne, We have the same hair, that’s for sure. Everyone thinks we look alike but I can’t see it!
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Oh.
Ari.
LOVE.
(and I die a thousand deaths for gorgeous glass butterflies)
(WAY better than Cinderella’s slipper)
<3
*your cookies make me hungry.
sara sophia´s last blog ..Buddies
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
@sara sophia, they are perfection.
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I love the pictures of your parents! So lovely. And your boys are quite handsome!
Nell
Casual Friday Every Day´s last blog ..old- scratched up hardwood floors
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
@Casual Friday Every Day, Thanks!!
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you make me want to be southern, while I am 100% northern. It looks absolutely beautiful.
designHer Momma´s last blog ..DesignHER wants to be a ChargeHER at BlogHER
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
@designHer Momma, oh I used to think I was too west coast to live here but GIRL. You must visit. Or maybe not, because you won’t want to go back up north.
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What a beautiful tribute to your Mama…..she is gorgeous just like you. The pictures are little bits of heaven. Happy Belated to her….lots of love to you.
Danielle Smith´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday- The Small Dude Gets in the Game
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
@Danielle Smith, Aw, thank you sweets. :)
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When I can come visit your veranduh? :)
Steph
Adventures In Babywearing´s last blog ..An entry probably meant for my anonymous blog- if I had one
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
@Adventures In Babywearing, Anytime! :) Actually there will be a suite open Aug 9-16…
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Ought thank you for taking and posting these photos! Miss you guys so much. Such a pretty celebration and I know mom loved it. I LOVE the self portrait with everyone in the background.
P.s. Jamie’s hair is out of control beautiful. His curls are back! Reminds me of him as a 2 year old and makes me tear up at how big he is ( they all are)!
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
@CaRrington, yes and he told me girls like curls and he does NOT want it cut.
Jonah on the other hand, needs to do something about the Don Johnson look.
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Happy birthday, Ari’s Mama!
We’re having a sit on the porch in the heat and play scrabble kind of night tonight with my parents. Those are my favorite nights!
Bridget´s last blog ..Of sand dunes and tar balls…
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
@Bridget, they are so special aren’t they? I don’t know how I’ve lived this long without a respectable porch.
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That porch looks like a most beautiful place … mostly because I can see the love brimming inside.
I’ve had a bad day; this post made me smile. Thank you. Happy birthday to your mama.
Hyacynth´s last blog ..Letters of Intent- An ode to things that suck
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
@Hyacynth, hugs! The porch has room for many. Come sit for a spell.
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Happy Birthday to your Mama!
LOVE the photos, especially that one of you grinning with your fam in the background.
Also. I’m going to be dreaming of visiting both you and Sara Sophia at the same time. Just saying.
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
@Heather of the EO, Sara Sophia must come here so that then you CAN visit us both at the same time. We could all three be on the porch and not even see each other. TIS HUGE.
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To be a mama, to celebrate a mama, to have a mama – that is beauty.
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
@Lisa-Jo @thegypsymama, I know this, sweet friend. Your heart void makes my heart void ache. The voids know each other and they nod and say “yes. we’ll be ok.”
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love this. looks like y’all had a wonderful time! great reminder to work to see the beauty in every day :)
Leslie @ every good and perfect´s last blog ..peace in the mountains- and in marriage
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
@Leslie @ every good and perfect, it’s so important, isn’t it?
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i love the pic ture you took with yourself smiling in the very front and the family in the back- so cute!
maggie may´s last blog ..Curry Family Picnic
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Arianne Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
@maggie may, I revealed a bit of my crazy. Just a snippit. ;)
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Happy Birthday to your momma…I think she is just as lucky to have you as you are to have her!
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Such a great tribute! I love how you used pictures to “tell the story” of the day.
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