Color? White. It feels airy, open, clean, peaceful, fresh, uncluttered, and full of possibility.
Childhood memory? Working in the garden with my sisters, parents and grandparents. Planting those wrinkled pink seeds of corn, 3 at a time, into rows that my popaw had just plowed. Shucking ears of Silver Queen with my momaw, throwing the silks into a rolled-down paper bag. Watching her cut the kernels off with a knife, juice popping. Snapping fresh green beans. I remember the blue towel she kept on her lap to catch the strings and the ends of the pods. My sisters and I would race to see who could snap the most. I miss those simple days back home.
Dessert? My favorite dessert is a good chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing. But I most often eat chocolate chip cookies. And I’ll “settle” for a piece of cheesecake. ;)
Guilty pleasure? $5 coffee. Particularly, a Venti Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks. (Nonfat, no whip!) A friend recently turned me on to popcorn + m&ms, together, and THAT, my friends, is definitely a guilty pleasure. Sweet, salty, yum.
Book you have read? Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. Saved my sanity here at home more than once.
TV Show? You know, I rarely watch TV. Movies interest me, but not the idea of dedicating 30 minutes of my life each week to keeping up with a saga. I’ve probably only seen 3 episodes, ever, of American Idol. I have no idea what Lost is about.
Way to spend a Friday night? Dinner at the beach. Lots of stories and snuggling with the kids. Windows open, crickets chirping, music playing. Relaxing with Chris.
Boots or Flip-flops? Absolutely, without a doubt, flip-flops. Boots do not serve me well here in Florida! I’m either in flip-flops or just barefoot 98% of the time.
Mac or PC? I’m a Mac.
Beach or Mountains? Although I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, I do have to say I love the beach. Living in Tampa Bay, I can drive to the beach in about 20 minutes. I feel so lucky to live here!
Massage or Pedicure? Pedicure. When you wear flip-flops all year long, pedicures are a must.
Dog or Cat? Well, we have a cat. That doesn’t necessarily make me a cat person, lol! But he’s old and pitiful and sweet, so I endure his fleas and shenanigans. The kids love him to pieces. I think he’s down to about 3 lives at this point.
Coffee or Tea? Sweet tea courses through my veins, and I am a coffee snob (although I hate to admit that!). I really love the smell of black coffee but I can’t drink it without some sort of flavoring and milk. (See “guilty pleasure” above.)
Morning Person or Night Owl? I desperately wish I could be a morning person, but I’m a complete night owl (it’s almost midnight as I type this).
What are three words you would use to describe yourself? Caffeinated, scatterbrained, generous. Not necessarily in that order.
Some random fact about you very few people know. I am very insecure about a lot of things. A lot. I constantly second-guess myself and my work.
If you could have coffee with anyone famous (past or present) who would it be and why? This was actually the most difficult question for me. I don’t really idolize famous people or follow many celebrities, but I’d love to spend an afternoon with a few of my favorite artists and photographers and soak up inspiration. And laugh with them.
What or who gives you inspiration? My family. They inspire me the most. To see my husband’s eyes twinkling at me and watch his lip curl in a smile just makes me want to work harder to make him proud of me. Hearing my babies laugh pushes me to ensure I leave something wonderful for them to feel about our family, long after I’m gone. Light inspires me. Yummy, soft, warm backlight. Whenever I find myself surrounded by it I immediately search for someone or something to photograph within it. It’s magical and puts me right in the middle of my happy place. My peaceful, soul-filling, life-giving, couch-jumping place.
If you could share one bit of advice for your teenage self what would it be? Don’t base your decisions on what others may think. Be yourself, not the person that someone else wants you to be. There is so much about the world that you don’t even know exists. Be patient. You’ll experience so much of it if you just give yourself room to grow.
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