Union Univeristy Graduation - May 18, 2013

Saturday was a very exciting day. 

I graduated with my second masters degree from Union University.

The hubs and I after graduation. 

Unfortunately, my family was not able to be here on Saturday. 

Mom was taking part in her own graduation events in Kansas. 

She had students graduating. 

I thought it fun that at nearly the same time, while she was declaring degrees 

in Kansas I was getting one in Tennessee.

Alas, you never go through graduation alone. 

In this picture, a family friend from our church and also 

the mother of two of my school students.

Here we are after the graduation ceremony in Jackson. 

You may have noticed from some of these photos that my hair is different. 

I caved. 

I have ombre hair no more. 

I'm all brown, once again. 

How'd I do? 

...back to graduation...

 walking in was a ton of fun...

There were a ton of graduates, and guess what they called ALL the names. 

Which, you're always glad for...but it takes a while.

 Good thing our division was close to the front.

One thing I find interesting about living in "The South" is the age of things.

For example, the school I teach at is in it's 166th academic year. 

Union University just had it's 188th annual graduation. 

Coming from Kansas...things aren't quite as old.

 there I am in the program

The campus looked really pretty as we lined up to walk in. 

 I was so excited to get this little puppy in my paws. 

Once we sat down our whole row was quick to open the leather bound diploma.

Ahhhh....Done.

This just in : Blue Dot Strut Tables : WishList

Do you see that pink table she's sitting on?

Well...actually it's not "pink" it's "watermelon".

As described by Blue Dot.

And guess what...I want one.

That's all. 

Happenings in May

I can't believe that May has nearly come and gone and ALSO that another school year has nearly come and gone.

Many great things happening for the Dow Ward household in May 2013. Some to share in about a week, some news that has already been celebrated, some that will be celebrated in the first of June and more.

To share as of now...
My Mother's book is being published this summer. That is exciting news at our house. You can see her book HERE.  We look forward to celebrating with her when they come for a Memphis visit in early June.

I graduated from Union University on Saturday, mat 18th. It was a lovely service and was outdoors. I was afraid the whole time it was going to start pouring down...alas it didn't. The breeze was lovely, it was, as my father in law says, "rather civilized".

We are 99.9% sure we will have an exchange student living with us next year. She will be a junior at St. Mary's Episcopal School where I've been teaching for the past 3 years. She is from Thailand and we are so excited to have her. 

As per the other 2 items of news...I'll give you a shout out in about a week..or so!
(NO BABY...in case you were wondering.)

Wondering what graduation looked like? Click on my Instagram feed on the top right of my blog!

San Francisco and Bay Area

 

We have been home from San Francisco for nearly a week.  A week ago today we were at Alcatraz. (more on that soon) It's hard to believe that a full week of school has gone by since spring break. I'm always in marvel of that. This week we have started the process of learning music for the end of the year and that's another element that's hard to believe...that's we're a sleigh ride from summer. 

As I have shared in previous blog posts, I'm completely cheating on all other forms of social media given my frequent posting through Instagram. My IG feed is posted to the top right corner of my blog's homepage. 

I pulled a few photos from the trip to share as memorable parts of our trip, the ones perhaps we have reflected upon the most since coming home to Memphis. 

This photo below is probably one of the most beautiful views my eyes have ever seen. This photo does not do it justice, but it serves to spark my memory for how sweet it was to see with my own eyes.This photo was taken in the garden that belongs to Thomas Keller's restaurant, FRENCH LAUNDRY.

Absolute heaven on earth. 

Each and every component of this establishment is manicured to a "T" and is so outrageously beautfil, I've now run out of fun words to describe it. Should you ever want to eat here, you need to save about $500 for 2 people and make your reservation approximately 2 months in advance. 

Another place I'd been dying to see with my own eyes (now this is silly in comparison, Room Service. I've been eyeing their furniture for a couple of years and soon, well sometime soon, I'm goign to make a purchase.  So...while on the trip we included this as a stop in our plans. (They only have stores in California.) Guess what happened when we got there...Go on...Guess!?!?!
They were closed.  I felt like I went to Wally-World and the gates were closed. Kind of silly.
They reopened 2 days later and we went back.  Disaster averted. I got to see some pieces and examine some fabric samples. All is right with the world once again #firstworldproblems

As I said, a week ago today, we were at Alcatraz.  Traveling all the way to San Fran and not going was not an option. So, we went.  I went with great hesitation.  Here's the big news, IT'S SUPER CREEPY.  Newsflash, it was a prison! (Yes I know you know all of this.) But for these very reasons, the fact that it is now a national park is a little on the flip side to me. Weird.

When you go in they give you a headset tour guide.  There are probably 250-500 people at any given time on the island, so you're not totally alone.  The thing that is a big addition to the ultra creepy-ness is that while all these people are walking through the cell house, they all have their headphones on listening to the guided tour.  So it's silent.  SILENT. Not a peep. Nothing coming from this large mass of people walking through a prison at a slow, glacial pace.  Creepy, right? Yeah, I thought so too.

Now, once you get outside of the cell block, it's one of the most beautiful places ever.  Ironic, right?
Did you know that people actually lived there...like on purpose? Well, they weren't random people,  the families of the prison guards. But they lived there with their little children.  If my husband had that job, I'd put the big "NO" in place on that whole living situation. Doesn't matter how pretty it is.

One of the primary reason for our trip out west, school visits. Not just any schools, but schools with strong music programs.  One of the schools on our list...the Pacific Boychoir Academy. And, it was lovely.  Ever.Single.Aspect. We spent a good portion of their Monday music schedule with them including rehearsal time before school was out, some time with the children after school, dinner, and an evening rehearsal. One of the pieces the boys were singing during their afternoon rehearsal was the Mozart Requiem. Did somebody read my mind? I just about died.  Of all the music to be sung and to get to hear...'twas this.  How in the world could it have been such to hear my very most favorite piece of must. What alignment with "the stars"...or something.

This is a wonderfully nurturing environment (as a school should be) where the students receive the utmost in attention and respect.  It is very obvious to my eyes and mind that hours upon hours of blood - sweat - and tears have gone into making it a solid learning environment that's full of encouragement, discipline and love.  When the students graduate the 8th grade from this school it's intuitive for them to stick around, after all why would you want to leave an environment like this?

If you're in the bay area, make sure to see if they're performing during your visit. Or better yet, if you're in the bay area...send your son there!

And then there was the food. We spent a day in Sonoma, Napa, and Yountville. I've seen many pretty things in this fine country of ours, but this is actually where heaven on earth is. Seriously. What a celestial place to spend your time. And the food and drink aren't bad either.

Should you be interested in more trip pics...please check out my Instagram link on the top right corner. Quite seriously, there are approximately 100 photos from our trip. Some call it "overload"...I call it "documentation".

Spring Break

Geoffrey and I have returned home from a delightful trip out west. The delight rests in many facets of the experiences we had, some more humorous and enjoyable than others.

If you follow my Instagram feed, with link-age over on the top of the right bar, you have seen what the trip was like. My IG account gets heavily used for many reasons, the primary being as a way to archive and subsequently print photos.  I've used a #hashtag for the whole trip as did G so that we could keep the photos together between our two accounts. Our #hashtag was #ghsf2013. Between the two of us we collected many good photos. The goal in this obsecene number of posts through IG is to print a collage through Printstagram. For the past approximately 2 years, this has been the best way to print photos. And then, display them. I've printed many through Printstagram and have really enjoyed having them as a landscape in our "art" collection.

Good experiences in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Sonoma, Napa, and Yountville, California. Thankfully, we did have a car. Which was one of the highest recommendations we received when planning the trip. And as we found, the BART isn't all that and a bag of chips.

We are glad to be home this evening after a full week of travel, and nobody is happier to have us home than our little kitty, Handsome (rather BIG kitty).

Harlem Shake at St. Mary's Episcopal School

Our school mascot at St. Mary's Episcopal School in Memphis, TN (The Turkey) 

is in the running for the USA TODAY best school mascot award. 

So, in the meantime, our faculty and students have decided to do the Harlem Shake.

I'm so proud.

...that is all.

cards and imagination....

Spring time is practically here.  I'm starting to think about some possible projects for the upcoming months to freshen up our house. We finally took the tree down after Valentine's Day.  It sort of multi-holidayed through my birthday and then into February.  We only put it up on December 21st (or there about) so hey, I was catching up.

Handsome was ready for it to come down as it was blocking his clear view in the sun room of his kingdom (AKA, the front yard).

Handsome also apparently has a problem with what's going on in our guest room.  Which, by the way has turned into an impossible storage space.  The guest room is getting used this weekend, I have t-minus 2 days to get it worked out! In the meantime, Handsome refuses to go in. He just stands in the hallway and looks in.

 The butler's pantry hasn't ever been a source of clutter (for the most part) but in this case it is also having some difficulties. I took this photo last night while sitting in a rocking chair in the middle of the room.  That's probably not going to work out in there....Sheesh.

On another...completely unrelated note....I have new calling cards.

I ordered them from Zazzle   and am so excited with how they turned out. 

The paper thickness is great, the printing is very clear. 

They had great design options and I was able to include components I required. 

The front has my name and city (duh, obviously) and 

the back has all of my social media outlets. 

Twitter, blog, IG, phone number, and email.

I've had business cards before for lessons and what not...but I found that I never really used them. Even after all these years.  The times I found I needed them were really to disburse my phone number or email.  SO this time, I just went for a calling card instead of a business card. The information I included on the music business card wasn't as fun quite frankly and truth be told.... the design wasn't either. I digress.  I really like this one and I think it will fit the needs of the task.

Stella and Dot

 

I'm sure many of you have heard of it.

Well, I have joined the party.  I had a little bit of birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. And knowing how I roll with that whole money burning in my pocket thing plus the fact that I do love jewelry... Ipso-facto, that's what happened. That's my story.

 

 The Olivia Bib Necklace

 

Rebel Pendant Necklace

 Pegasus Necklace

Among my first purchases were these 3 lovely necklaces.  I'm so excited to have them and I've quite seriously worn them almost every day.  The Pegasus necklace is absolutely lovely. It's not heavy, it doesn't make my neck hot, and it's not itchy.  All things I considered when making my purchase.

Should you have any interest in these jewels or anything in the line, I hope you'll look them up on my Stella and Dot web page.

THIRTY

WELL. I'm nearly 2 weeks into being thirty years old. (gulp.) It seems like I just said I was 95. I think for some turning 30 is no trouble, yet for me it seemed to be more of the trauma persuasion. None the less, it happened. It came, it went, it's done. The celebration has continued, the last party was just yesterday. Here are a few snap shots from the actual birthday and the day after.

 

 Precious hands of students at school.

A banner on my classroom door. 

 

 birthday balloons at our house

 

 surprise flowers from Mom and Dad

 

 Friday evening brought a surprise birthday party at our house. 

Mary Clayton, a gal pal and teacher friend from school.

 

 Mary Poppins at the Orpheum last Tuesday.

P.S. it was most spectacular.

 

 Friday night party, Geoff cooked some of my favorite things.

 

 Birthday (day) dinner at Acre my new favorite place.

 

 A lovely banner on my classroom door from another precious class. 

All in all, these things helped me into my 4th century of life. 

All good things and blessings to have, hold, and enjoy!

Beauty products worth looking into.

I absolutely love beauty products. I've always loved them, as in way back when! As I grow older, I love them even more. Below are products I love and frequently purchase, along with others I'd like to try.

//get it here//

A little pricey but I hear it's worth the coin. Not something you'll likely roll across at your neighborhood drugstore. I had to do some digging to see where I could purchase it.  I don't think I could get it anywhere in Memphis, this would have to be an online purchase.  It's a little funny to me to consider spending that much money on something so small.  But...considering what it does perhaps it could be worth it.  There's nothing worse than a badly chapped lip.

//read about it here//

At this price it should be something you give everyone you know! What a steal. I hear it's better than some of the high dollar bronzers. For sure will be something I'll pick up next time I'm at Walgreen's or CVS. 

//get it here//

I bought two of these around Thanksgiving and I really love them.  Probably one of my very favorite lip products ever.  I have it in a hot pink and in a bright red.  Wearing colors like this are sometimes dangerous because they sure can bleed. Having your lip product go all over your face isn't never desirable. This stains where it's put, stains appropriately and has a lovely bit of moisture throughout the time it's one (which is a long time by the way).  Glad that this comes in several colors! Also available at in Memphis at Joseph. This isn't one I wear on a daily basis (to school for example) but it sure is nice to have when you get all gussied up!

//read about it here//

I've used this foundation on and off for about 2-3 years. I really like the amount of coverage it offers and I also think it smells really good.  Something that's that close to your nose should smell nice, ya know? Available on line and at most department stores. 

//read about it here//

This is a new product to me in the last year. I went to buy a new bottle of my favorite foundation, mentioned above, and this was mentioned to me as a complimentary product.  Emphasis on complimentary, it sure is nice! Plus, sometimes I think there should be some products you wear together that are from the same line.  These two products are a little bit more expensive, but if you're going to spend money spend money on the skin care types of items.  Having bad foundation can really wreck your day, all the things under it...that goes double! 

//nail polish extravaganza//

Yes, this is the 3rd Chanel product I'm listing.  I don't use all of their products, but these are the ones I really like.  Their nail polish is amazing. I've bought the $3 version before and practically by the time the polish dries...it's chipping off.  This polish stays on my fingers for at least 6 days.  And that's through playing the piano many hours a day along with all the other things my fingers encounter.  Bottom line, another product worth the coin! Available at most department stores. 

//look it up here//

When I was a teenager I got into the habbit of buying new mascara every few weeks.  There's something about this product that makes me not want to use it for very long.  I keep it probably about 6 weeks at the most.  As a result of this, I'm not willing to shell about $30 that often on new mascara. 

I've used several different drugstore brands and completely commit to this one. It's just great. And at that price is worth the frequent purchase. This product also comes off easily. So those nights I don't have the stamina to do a big facewash/mask song and dance...this comes off quite easily. 

//the photo says it all// 

Buying new lipstick is one of my favorite things to do.  I already have 2 other lip products on this post so that should be a testament that I love them so. This one is new, I just bought the first one about a week ago and so far I LOVE IT!  This is an easy drugstore purchase, one you could find practically anywhere. My favorite colors so far are Berry Smoothie and Cupcake. Easy to throw in my purse and put on at any time of the day. Nothing fancy. 

//Clarisonic Mia//

Best invention since sliced bread. I've had one of these for about 2 years and I love this thing. I read about them for quite awhile before I made the leap and bought one, but I've been very happy with the way it keep my skin clean. I'm very acne prone and also sort of lazy about washing my face.  This was a bit of a trick for me...made it sort of fun ya know? They are best used with liquid face soap without any beads in it. It's nice to have the face wash in a pump by the sink, then you're ready to go. 

If you've having any skin troubles, I suggest reading some reviews and trying one of these! 

//it's just the greatest//

I bought the first bottle of this in September. I try to vary my face wash a little bit. I go back and forth between 2-3 of them.  This bottle has lasted for 4 months and is just splendid. My only "deal-io" with this product is that I don't like that it comes in this tube.  I'd rather it come in a bottle with a pump.  But I guess that's a #firstworldproblem and nothing legitimate. 

//clambake//

My very favorite nail color period the end. I posted the Chanel polish as it is a lovely consistency.  This is my favorite color.  There's a difference, *chuckle*.  Essie polishes are available everywhere these days.  It used to be a hard one to get, but now...it's all over.  Another favorite is Ballet Slippers.

Do you have favorite beauty products? Do you use any of these? What are some that you like and are in your favorites category?

photos via Google image