I can't wrap my head around the fact that it is the middle of May. Of course, freezing temperatures several nights this week haven't helped, but this year just feels like some crazy fast-forward whirlwind. Reality is, that in 2 short weeks my daughter graduates, my son turns 15, and then he can legally operate a motor vehicle. Ridiculous.  

I have been working on a big project that will happen in a few more weeks. I can't share anything now, but I will have lots to show you in June.  

There are so many great things going on in my kids lives this month. I am really trying to hold on to these special moments and breathe them in. It can be a little overwhelming as I look at my calender each day, but, I am making every effort to appreciate them and their amazing talents and accomplishments and be present. Just a few more weeks of high school...

I found this great site, The Glow, that shares glimpses into the world of inspiring and fashionable moms.

They are all hugely accomplished successful ladies, but, in all of these photos we are allowed to see them in their homes, with their kids, and in just the sweetness of being moms. 

They share their passions, resources, sweet stories, and great tips.

Being a mom -- it's really what it's all about.

{all images via The Glow}

Did you have a great weekend?? Were you mommas loved on by your littles? Or, perhaps you got to spend the day with your own mom? I had a wonderful brunch with my kiddos and we spent the whole weekend on a lovely 30' sailboat.

Sounds lovely, right???

Well not the whole weekend, but most of the weekend.

And not really a sailboat. More like a pirate ship.

And, we really were no where close to water. More like on a theatre stage at the Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University....

There she is....the beautiful 'Marbella' that we were honored to be a part of making.

   Our kids are performing the comic opera, 'The Pirates of Penzance', this weekend and we got to help create the pirate ship.

 She is 30' tall and 30' long and she is making her debut this weekend.  She will host 100 of our kids as they perform on WCU's stage for 4 performances. And just in case you weren't aware--this cast includes a bunch of our nationally ranked Show Choir. The same Show Choir that performed as back up singers for Foreigner {!} a few months ago, and just returned from perfoming at Carnegie Hall in NYC. Yeah, we're good like that...as in THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY!!!   

{part of our Play Production class. Maris is the Stage Manager}

A few drop cloths, rope and some PVC, and we had the Marbella a-float!

And when you see her floating in front of the fancy pants painted backdrops along with the other set pieces -- it's pretty darn impressive!!

If you are able, please come see one of the performances and support our incredibly talented high school kids!!! Look for my Jack -- he's a pirate!

I have so many old patterns {and sooo many more that I unfortunately gave away years ago} so this pretty prancing pattern princess, getting her groove on, makes me terribly happy.

* if you have teenagers, you know that this dance is the dougie. It makes me cooler for knowing that, right?!

**check out Miss Too Cool for School in the black. oh yeah. oh yeah.

***a size 16 has a 29" waist???? what the?

This week is out of control, who am I kidding, May is out of control -- real posts coming soon, promise!} 

{dancing patttern via poppytalk}

Can I just tell you how great it was to see the sunshine yesterday morning after 3 days of downpours? Of course, our weather girl has promised us it won't last so I tried to soak up the golden rays for the few moments we were allowed with her. We thankfully had a window of pretty weather on Friday afternoon which allowed us the best possible time at our High School's Mustang Round-Up. It is the big Field Day that involves inflatables, water sports, food, music, and loads of competition. Teams of 6 compete in a number of different events that are hilarious to watch.

Maris and her crew of 'Sassy Seniors', were competing in the fill the water bucket competition which was basically, one at a time, the girls had to use a sponge dipped in water, run down the track to a 2nd bucket and wring out the water, and run back to hand off the sponge. The team with the most water in the 2nd bucket wins. Why, you ask is Maris holding the bucket up to her mouth? She decided to carry a little more water than just what the sponge would hold----and poured that nasty water in her mouth. No joke.  

 And because peer pressure was all kinds of prevalent, all the rest of her team followed suit. disgusting.

As that didn't prove itself to be totally effective {IN the bucket Tate!} They then decided to use all resources available

Yep, Maris's huge mane went straight in the bucket. Cause it could hold like at least a liter, right??? Surprisingly, that 'do simply soaked it all in. {But points for creativity}

{Remember back in the day when we were kids and we would become 'blood sisters', well, this group is now 'spit sisters'}  

They took breaks between events to pose with friends/competitors. Because, really, 'posing' is also an event for this crew. 

At the end of the whole shebang, guess who was victorious?

A tiny little hint...

 {I have been using bigger pictures lately, what say you--do you like them bigger or back to smaller????}

Did anyone sip mint juleps while watching the Kentucky Derby this weekend? Did they have rain, too?? I missed it but, I did get to see the Today's Show Derby Hat contest on TV. And as I'm watching, I'm like 'that looks like Brittany'....Brittany Jepsen!! Say what?? YES! Fabulous blogger Brittany behind The House that Lars Built. Now let me just first say, you guys know how much I love flowers -- real flowers, tissue flowers, felt flowers, spoon flowers, even wall flowers, so when one of the Queens of Paper flowers, Brittany, was one of the finalists, obviously this is what her hat looked like:  

 STOP IT!!!!!

Of course she won! You can see her segment here. And check out the rest of her blog while your there. She's super talented.