music to work to

i've been high res scanning away on my mac all week long. it gets so repetitive and booorrrring!!! thank god for the black keys. i broke down and bought their full album and have been jamming out. seriously i don't buy full albums(unless it taylor vieger of course)- i just don't-rarely does a band move me enough to purchase the whole thing. i usually just by 2-3 songs and enjoy those. but the brothers album is a start to finish rock n roll soul jam.

speaking of jamming- yesterday i got the privilege and honor to babysit my nephew luke(after a fun girls lunch with hilary at the modern cafe in ft. worth) for a bit and man does that little guy like music. seriously i think i sang every disney song i knew- little mermaid hits, lion king, jungle book, beauty and the beast...the list goes on. i was just thinking how funny it is how creative you can get to keep a baby occupied. i love that little mister :)

yoga in times square

check out the masses in nyc doing yoga in times square to celebrate and commemorate the first day of summer. "Yoga in Times Square" was first organized eight years ago, with a mere two participants. It's grown significantly since, with 5,000 people pre-registering from 31 countries this year. pretty amazing- if that doesn't make you have a 'motivational monday' i don't know what will. found here

have a relaxing weekend!

hopefully i will get some of this in

until monday-relax and enjoy the weekend! and be sure to stay cool-it's a hot one:)

change is good

currently in the process of forward movement. a good place to be but scary as well. no one said it was going to be easy but anything that is worth working hard for usually isn't easy. i am so excited about the future of my design company- avdesign(website coming in august!) and all the adventures that come along with this next venture in my life. there is something to be said about starting a project on your own- watching it grow and develop. it's scary but exciting. sometimes at night i lie and bed and my head is filled with ideas and i don't even know where to start! but that is good- just wish i had one of those little light pens so i could write them all down in my sketch pad without waking the hubby up. i leave you with this quote by Neale Donald Walsch.

listening to

it's monday- i've been up since 4:30. i'm tired but this little blondie is keeping me trucking along. not sure what she is signing about but it's beautiful and reminds me no matter what i'm feeling music always lifts my spirits. check her out.

have a great weekend!

i'm excited for tonight because taylor and i are going to venture out to a craft party in bishop arts district for etsy dallas! more info here

saturday night is date night! we even have reservations- i can't believe it?!! it has been awhile that the hubby and i have gone on an official date. we are hitting up the moth in the arts district for round 2. this time we are prepared for ordering. their drinks and apps are going to be the focus. i made the mistake of ordering a salad last time- not so much. i even had to send the chicken back that was on my salad- won't go into details but we agreed it's better to stick with the favorites- their more stellar items on the menu. we are definitely going back for is their roasted parsnips- delish!!!! your mouth thinks it's creamy potatoes but without the carbs:)

church on sunday morning and then dad's day at the races- a baker family tradition! hope the two steves (mr. steve baker and mr. steve vieger) like their theme gifts i dreamed up this year. i will let you know what i got later- their could be spies reading this- ha!

design inspiration

love love love

so fresh, so clean

make me laugh monday

instead of my usual inspirational monday i'm adding a new fun category for monday- make me laugh monday because who doesn't need a good laugh on monday? i know i do- along with a good nap but that's a whole different issue.

mango banana coco smoothie

ok so i just got home from teaching the 5:30am, 7:30 and then i took the 9:30. during the whole floor series when i was taking class- all i could think about was what tasty refreshment i was going to whip up in the vita-mix after a TRIPLE!?*@#! i mean seriously...i could drink a gallon of water and not get enough to drink- i'm still thirsty! so i made a mango banana coconut almond milk smoothie. i used one small mango(amalfi- can't spell correctly), 1 frozen small banana(peels off guys:), 1/2 scoop jay robb,1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and 1/4 cup ice. oh my gosh it was sooooo good!!! i've been burned out on smoothies for awhile but now that it feels like the depths of H-E double hockey sticks outside i crave cold refreshments. added pics of all the ingredients- enjoy!

summer reading

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body

Joseph Addison

i don't know what it is but i can get my hands on books to read fast enough. i love reading! i love diving into someone else's adventures, someone else's life, another time another place. i love turning the page and at the same time a small part of me not wanting to because i don't want it to end. it sounds silly but i think i love reading because it's your own little movie in your mind. how many times have you read a book and then seen the movie and you imagined it so much differently - so much better!

a tree grows in brooklyn- is the book i am currently reading- so good. oh and did i mention i am taking a break from facebook. less facebook more living. that's my motto for now- we will see if my break up with fb lasts. but you can check out more about me and my books here :)

here are my books for the summer

some how they all seem to be somewhat in the same color scheme

what a funny coincidence?!

these are my visual inspiration books for the summer

i'm not gonna lie they both are awesome- you can check out more on both of these here and here

flower head

don't be a flower head

or do!

aren't these images fantastic! i love how not being able to see the human face gives

them a spooky quality. speaking of spooky art- did anyone catch the new show on bravo last night- work of art

oh man- it took me back to those college critiques where you have to put your art on the wall and everyone gives their opinion. so far my favorite artist is miles. i've attached his 'death' portrait below. don't worry-the subject isn't dead-it is a modern interpretation of the back in the day portaits or photos people took to remember their loved ones. a little weird- yes but very interesting.

motivational monday or tuesday.....

have a great day!

ranch pics!

heres a recap of the weekend fun- pictures speak a thousand words:) it was so great to get away in relax. just laying in the pool and spending time with the fam was ah-mazing. i feel refreshed and ready to take on the week. if only that didn't include 4:30am wake up calls for class. oh well- you can't win em all.

mister man!

the lone ranger

mom and baby

hubby and lady

haaaaaaaayyyyy

meet mr. donkey

taylor and i nicknamed him rastafarian donkey-those are some serious dreads

(this photo is courtesy of steve baker productions:)

more donkeys..also taken by steve

blooming cactus- no this is not the new appetizer at outback

purple-another by steve

my favorite mound of madness- there is something very calming about this image

more flowers- weeds really but pretty weeds

my favorite shot of the purple glory

my handsome hubby

taken by the hubby

lukes' first pool time ever! so fun!

piggy back ride!

fun in the sun

taylor cruisin along

a pic from our shopping trip in town- gabby you were missed