Just us three girls.

Todd was out of town last week, leaving us girls alone!  He met up with his uncles in Atlanta, and they had a little golf vacay.  Sooooo... our chef was out of town, which meant pizza for his girls. 

And, as usual, we kept in touch with Dad via pics sent through text messages.

We decided to really spice it up.

We were all struggling to figure out how to cross our eyes.  It became downright comical.

Ellie can only cross her eyes if she looks up.
I can apparently only cross my left eye!?

And it looks like maybe Gabbi has that same disorder.

This became the winner.  I actually posted this one on Instagram and Facebook.  Nobody can call me vain.

I could say, well look at this... we got to all spend the night in the same bed while Dad was gone.  But... nothing new.  We spend the night in the same bed EVERY night, regardless if he is here or not! haha.  And they are getting big!!  I'm still encouraging them to their own bed, but so far... they're not buying it.

Is this cute or what?!  Sometimes they really look like they love each other.

Of course, I am just kidding.  They DO love each other!

But, this right here can make my heart swell!

They are growing up.  As you know I take a morning #grovesgirls pic.  And that new Timehop app that shows me throw back pics from up to 5 years ago.

I cannot get over how much they have grown.

I know that is such a normal thing for all mamas to say, but really... it is something to behold!

ANd ta daaaaahhh... the good looking #Grovesguys!  
Uncle Tim, Todd the Bod, Jeff (practically a Groves!), and Uncle Toby.  The fabulous foursome in Atlanta, GA!

He's home now.  And the Groves girls are happy to have him back.

Mo

A lazy Sunday morning.

Part one of yesterday's blog post really should have started here!  It was Sunday morning, and we'd had a big, big Saturday.  It was the day of the company retreat, and old Mel just needed a little down time on Sunday.  Soooooo... we chilled around the house.  

Jessi's daughter, Kaitlyn, spent the night with us, and she and Gabs got up, grabbed some Tupperware, and made themselves some cereal.  (We're fancy like that!)

Oh.  I have a new set of cabinets at my office, and I think I want them this color.  But I am trying to decide if I want the stained over the paint look which gives it a touch of distress or....

just the solid green done in an oil base as to minimize scratches and paint chipping, etc.

I am going through a book study on the book, Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill.  It is being facilitated by my mentor, Paul Martinelli.  I find that I kill many birds with one stone when I paint my notes.  First, I am using a multi sensory approach to really learn the material.

(Sidenote:  when I clean my palettes in the art room, I save the old paint I pull out of the reservoirs, and then make things out of it!)

See?  One man's trash... you know... TREASURE!

Ok.  Back to the story.  I also love that I am slowly but surely developing a KILLER slide show of key phrases for when I teach this same material.

And I WILL be teaching this book someday.  It is life changing when applied.

(Hello.  Ellie and her friends DID go to church.  She stayed with Baylee, second from left. )

By 10ish on Sunday morning, I had this many "slides" painted.  They can also be turned into cards to use in journals that I almost always give to my class participants.  And not just any ol journals, mind you...

Naaaay.  I have fabric journals custom made for my class participants.  It's called OVER delivery, and I make it a goal every class!!

This first chapter that we studied was on Persistence.  We were instructed to read it 14 days straight.  If we miss a day, it is advised to go back and start over.  After all, THAT is persistence.  Can you see the dates on the right hand side of my book in the pic above?!  Well, that was on my 9th day of reading.  I missed my 10th.  CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!  So guess what!

I am motoring along with the group for studying the rest of the chapters, but I am going to need to linger here in persistence.  After all, it seems to be a tad bit difficult for me.  But, as the book explains, PERSISTENCE is a key to success.  And so, I persist!!

I'll be offering a class on this book this summer.  Has anyone ever read it?!  If so, leave me a comment with your thoughts.  I'd love to hear them.

Until tomorrow.

MO

Books a Million... and getting psyched for the retreat!!

So exciting!!  I had time to load up all kinds of pics today.  So, here we gooooo...

I was in Books a Million this past Sunday evening, and I walked past this display of top recommended personal growth books.  And...wow!!  on the top row, I have 5 of the 7.  ON the second row, I have two.  ON the third row, I have 3 of 6.  You get the idea... I have a kickin' library.  I knew I did, but now I KNOW for SHO I do.  I have people who gift me books often, and I totally dig that, and then, I will buy a book if I hear something about it, or for some reason even get an urge that it is something that I need to invest my time in.  

Another thing I do in the bookstore that is sorta obsessive is take pics of ideas.  This is the cover of a magazine.  I NEED my house to look like this!!  Riley... you coming down early for the retreat?!  Can you work magic like THIS!?!?

Actually, I already have Hayden helping me get the beds ready with spring flowers.  I LOVE this time of year.

Hey... who can build this for me?  Anyone in West Monroe read my blog and think they can build this?  Give me a holla!!  I need this!!

This book looked like  a cover of a book I am going to write someday.  I am not sure what the book is going to be about, but i have a feeling it might have a whimsical cover like this.

And then I sent this book cover to a couple of guys in my office who I think will also write books someday, and this looked like one either of them could write.

I liked the look of this too.  And since I paint and doodle, maybe this is what mine will look like.

Just for kicks... anybody have an idea of what I'd need to write about?  Do you have a feeling of what I SHOULD write about.  I have tons of ideas.  Narrowing them down will be the hard part!

I don't have this one, but it has just made it to my "next to buy" list!

I went in with THIS!!  I had a huge basket full of things to work on and read.

But I STILL went and found magazines that inspired me and spent time dreaming.  I need some crates painted this color too... for whoever reads my blog and wants to build that wall bookshelf!!  AND these please.

Riley, I've been collecting these for ya.  We're gonna do the fresh flower thing the whole weekend!!  I'm figuring on your being the decorator at the retreat!!

I NEED these too!!  1121 to be exact.  These need to be in my front yard!

DUDE.  How gorgeous?  I just got my clothes arranged by color in my closet.  I can't imagine how great my world would be if I could organize my magazines in an ombre like this!!!

VOILA.  a better view.  TWO bags full!

I've never used this product that I saw in a magazine, but I think I need to buy some.  these would be GREAT in our journals!!  And I LOVE the flower petals cut out of old books!

Yeah.  This will also be a display at the retreat or in my art room.  I LOVE these twine-wrapped branches.

And what an EASY project.  I think I'm gonna do a class in the studio to make these.  I just NEED them!! I might do a pastel-y color for my girls' rooms, but I love the arrow motif.

And then, I settled in, with a caramel frappe, might I add, and looked at the "dreams" of my MMPT employees.  We'd had our annual company retreat the day before, and I asked them all to dream big.  Let me know what they'd LOVE to see in their work lives.  After all, how can I help them if I don't know what they really want?!  I got this many dream slips back.

I went through them one by one.  I really wanted to marinate with each one.  I love my staff.  I truly want to see them succeed.  I'm excited for their and our futures.

I had my girls with me the whole time.  They hung out in the kids' section, and would periodically, sit and read with me in the coffee area.

I just love an afternoon at the bookstore.  Don't you?!

MO