i'm painting again!

some of you may not know this, but once upon a time i used to paint signs/furniture/anything i could get my hands on really and i loved it. in fact, in college, i worked here for 3.5 years. i don't know what happened, i guess life happened, but i haven't picked up a paint brush in two years.

until last night. lexi "commissioned" me to make a sign for kira & sauer's wedding (more specifically kira's dressing room) this upcoming weekend and for some reason i agreed to do it. ha. i'm putting the finishing touches on it as we speak, so i'll show you a sneak peak:



i'm pretty pleased with the way the damask detailing came out, but i'm out of practice with my lettering. but i am happy to say that i use no markings, stencils, or rough drafts...i do all my stuff free hand. it's not me, the trick is the brush. you gotta use a really fine tipped brush. (i recommend a 20/0 multi-media liner.)

i think i will start painting on a regular basis. i'm havin' a lot of fun out here on my back porch. you should see me right now...covered in paint, bandana on my head, "airstream song" blaring...my neighbors think i'm crazy. they're probably right.

CONGRATULATIONS TO KIRA & SAUER who are getting married in miami this saturday!!!!! doesn't she look so happy? so pretty.

unbelievable

in reference to my previous post about the kindness of strangers and life's little things, i had to share this because i just think it's too cool. through a business card left with our check at las palapas, tabitha was able to contact the doers of goodwill and properly thank them. she received this response via email:

By the way,....I'd totally forgotten about that,.....If you hadn't of mentioned it in your Honestly Sincere & Respectful E-Mail containing the Thank You "Greeting" or "Heading",.....My Late Mother taught me to do things for strangers and never expect anything back. That's The Way That The Lord Worked His Wonderful Blessings,....Not that I'm even remotely considering myself "Christ-Like",....In any Way, Shape, Form or Manner,...But we Sinners can Aspire or rather, Commit To Being Better Human Beings (But still,...Sinners),.....Everyday.

rich

promise, i copied and pasted directly from the email. once again, it's not anything miraculous, but i'm so blown away by this unintentional concept of paying it forward. humanity is so good. God is even better.

pretty awesome day for a monday.

it's the little things in life...

i am convinced they matter most. sometimes it's just a matter of noticing the little things. if you don't stop and consciously look around, you could miss it...and that would be a tragic thing.



i, for one, woke up this morning just as happy as a clam on cloud nine because i had a weekend comprised of these little things i'm referring to. to give you some idea of what i'm talking about, i'll give you an attempt at a consolidated run down:

friday night, my friend tabitha and i saw the new tyler perry film (which was great) and then we spontaneously decided to go to bodean's place to do some boot scooting (have i mentioned how much i love to dance? when i'm spinning around a dance floor, it's like nothing else in the world matters.) tab and i were famished after hours of dancing so we headed to las palapas for some greasy late night mexican food. we talked and talked and ate enough chips and salsa to feed a small country, but guess what happened when we asked for the check? our waitress announced that the people in the booth behind us had already taken care of it! when we turned around to graciously thank our philanthropists, the mysterious strangers had vanished. i don't know if this has ever happened to you, but wow, it's small, but so profound.

saturday morning i woke up to a symphonic thunderstorm and declared that this was a morning better spent under the covers. i had a wonderful morning sleeping in and waking in my perfect REM cycle (never underestimate this!) a few moments after waking up, i got an unexpected call asking to have lunch with my bud tyler. we went and had burgers @ momak's (home of texas monthly's #19 best burger!) and had the best conversation! at the end of lunch, tyler says, "miss sowder, i know you loooooooove them sad country songs, but i've been thinkin...we have GOT to break you of your keith whitley-gary stewart maudlin episodes." for the record, it is NOT that bad. tyler continued, "i have devised a list of songs for you that are going to do you a world of good." i went home with tyler's bent up index card and downloaded all the tracks and he was right - dierks & patty griffin's "beautiful world" and tenth avenue north's "by your side" are full of the best encouragement. tyler, you're a good friend...and it is always a pleasure to spend an afternoon with an aggie boy whose mama raised him right!

i spent saturday night with some great company tracing the path along the river walk and having the most excellent dinner at the iron cactus! if you haven't been, you need to check it out! remember, i never endorse anything unless i totally believe in it. i'm willing to put money down that this place has the best margarita on the river. after dinner, we went to see the critically acclaimed san antonio rose live at the historic aztec theatre. this show traces country music from the 1920s to the 1980s and while the whole thing screams branson and we were about 40 years younger than every single person in the audience, i LOVED every minute of it! what is not to love about a whole cast of characters wearing scully shirts and singing conway, tammy, george, hank, merle, and lefty? i admit, not everyone's idea of a rip roaring good time, but i was in hog heaven! i'm bound and determined to get my grandmother frances down here for this spectacle.

sunday, i woke up and went to my life group and service at the best church in the world (ok that's presumptuous)! i say "best church in the world" because this church has meant so much to me personally and it has really changed my life. i NEVER thought i would go to a mega church and the thought of attending the biggest church in san antonio frankly scared the hell out of me (is it ok to say "hell" when talking about church? well, sometimes i'm not PC, but i'm real and i think God knows my heart.) the point is, going to a church that looks like a small college campus can be quite daunting, but CBC is just the opposite. the people i have met here are the warmest, kindest, most joyful souls i have ever known. this sunday was just great because the legendary dennis jernigan recorded a live CD and chris' message on romans and the inseparability from the love of God was just what i needed. if you ever want to come to church with me, please let me know!!!

i capped off the weekend with an afternoon barbecue, visiting my old college room mate alexis, watching the acm's, and finding out that one of my best friends got engaged - CONGRATULATIONS TO JESSICA & BRANDON! we'll be getting ready for a big, beautiful wedding in st. louis, missouri!

nothing terribly exciting of course, but i've found a lot of happiness in the intricacy of the smallest things. i know you could care less about what i did for the weekend and you're right, it doesn't really matter. i'm just an ordinary girl trying to live life the best way that i know how, but i do know that life is full of goodness and it's too short to be wasted. i know it sounds incredibly delusional and like i must be popping prozac at an alarming rate, but my message is genuine: do not let your heart become embittered, resentful, scarred, or held captive because not only can you be set free from that, but quite frankly, why would you want to live like that anyway?

my acm stream of consciousness writing

in case you didn't know, the academy of country music awards telecast was tonight. in case you didn't know, i'm kindof freakishly into country music.

1. miranda & carrie opening the show was amazing! TWO HOT BLONDES! (carrie baby, thought your dress was a tad bit short, but i do love your rock...blinding!)
2. what is it about blake shelton?
3. thought laura bell bundy was dreadful. dear, perhaps you didn't get the memo that wearing fringe and having plastic chaps on DOES NOT MAKE YOU COUTRY! if this is the future of country radio, then i don't like it at all...
4. reba's hot. looks incredible for her age.
5. aw toby has a sensitive side.
6. zac brown band is so patriotic!
7. oh la la joe nichols.
8. i still think "people are crazy" should win an award. such a well-written country song.
9. lady antebellum is the real deal. they deserve everything they get. and "need you now" is a fantastic song. sometimes i jam out to it when it comes on the radio and it gets recorded on certain people's voicemail. ;) sorry lauren.
10. not a taylor swift hater, but i don't like her live. off pitch.
11. gloriana = see #3. terrible. "wild at heart" is unbearable to listen to in any format.
12. YAY LUKE BRYAN! tell me, do i have to go all the way over to georgia to find a boy like you?
13. joey + rory, so sweet and so authentic. i don't like them white trash hoes either!!!!!!
14. never been a fan of rascal flatts. for obvious reasons.
15. SO PROUD OF MIRANDA!!!!!!! texas girl done good. and so gracious. "house that built me" gets me every single time.
16. jack & dierks & barbie doll...it's a classic in the ingram canon. loved it.
17. carrie, you're a real life barbie doll! the most beautiful woman in country music today and you've got some of the best pipes in the business.
18. love how country people always thank Jesus Christ!
19. brad paisley, you never go out of style.
20. dear matthew mcconaughey...i would like a pair of your boots too. xoxo shan.
21. brooks 'n dunn, you shall live immortally in my heart forever. see you boys on the last rodeo tour!!
22. that reba slideshow of country love stories was just down right inspiring...ahhhh. johnny & june, waylon & jesse, george & norma, alan & denise...
23. I LOVE YOU CARRIE! GOD BLESS COUNTRY MUSIC!


b&d, i'm gonna miss you when you're gone...

this chick understands me

want to give a special shout out to my dear, dear friend megan koontz(ybear). she sent me the following card (proudly displayed on my fridge) in the mail and it warmed my heart to no end. never ever underestimate what a kind word can do for someone...it may make their day, week, or even month! seriously, if you send me a handwritten note via snail mail...i feel personally indebted to you forrrrrrrrever and i'm putty in your hands.

thank heaven for little girls.

the most beautiful thing i've ever laid eyes on was born last week and i got to drive out to bandera tonight and see her! her name is olivia grace walker and she is precious. everything about her is absolute perfection. her mama happens to be one of my best friends...and since my best girlfriends are really like family, that makes little liv my niece.


she smells soooo good and she has the most lovely cupid bow little lips. she'll be a knockout someday!


aunt shan & liv


i'm gonna spoil this one rotten!


allison's a mom! can you believe it?

18 days until george!

18 days until george! EIGHTEEN DAYS UNTIL GEORGE!

that's right. he's making the last stop of the tour in his hometown and we are oh so grateful. mind you, reba, lee ann, and randy rogers will be there too...but really, who are we kidding? my heart only belongs to one.

would you believe that king george hasn't played in san antonio in over five years...this town is going to go crazy! don't worry, a detailed post-concert report will follow!!!!!! i know y'all think i'm crazy, but i haven't been this excited about something since...shoot, i don't know when?! :)

my dear friends from wacko, thank you for the sign...i hang it in my hallway with a tremendous amount of pride.

a little video i made

i've been wanting to play around with my mac so i finally wasted some time putting together a little photo montage. in honor of the opening of tejas rodeo season, hope you enjoy!

you'll have to check out THIS LINK to watch it...couldn't get the dimensions right to post it directly to the blog.

warning: very amateur, but it was fun! and you get the main idea, which is: MAMAS, PLEASE LET YOUR BABIES GROW UP TO BE COWBOYS! :)

neiman marcus, why do you torture me so?

beauty queen alexis suggested that i meet her at neiman's yesterday for lunch and who am i to turn that invitation down?! fabulous company and great life advice, that infamous cream cheese spread, and feeling like you're the creme de la creme of old san antonio society...it's delightfully fun for an afternoon.

oh sure i'm like any other girl and i do love to get dressed up, but if you couldn't tell from reading this blog; by and large, i'm a jeans and boots gal. you'll never find me holding a handbag (i hate carrying baggage - ha!) or wearing stilletos all night long. i didn't take classes at baylor called "fashion forecasting" like several of my friends and i don't really give too much of a damn about designers. what do i get excited about? when a new line of double d ranchwear comes out, when the king ranch saddle shop catalog arrives, when i find something amazing at bass pro or cabela's, when i get to go out wearing a white tank and a baseball cap!!!!! (just don't mistake me for gretchen wilson.)

however, when a girl walks into neiman's everything changes. it's like a hazy, intoxicating dream. one minute you're being offered a glass of champagne and the next you're fingering the prolific artistry of an oscar de la renta ball gown or a missoni knit top. the next thing you know, i turn into holly golightly and i imagine a life where i have movie premieres and fantastic dinner parties to wear all of these gorgeous clothes. then reality hits and i longingly pull myself away from staring at the tory burch tunic and michael kors sandals.

then my pre-prepared track plays in my head, "shannan, you chose to save the world and cultivate social change. that was a conscious decision that you made and with that comes the obvious fact that social workers cannot live like the housewives of orange county dear!!!!! remember that the clothes do not make the woman and you must always know the difference between NEED and WANT - because you know there's a difference."

i agree that my subconscious angel on my shoulder is right and that while my life may not be filled with tangible signs of wealth, i am rich with the things you can't see and that's all that matters to me.

as i walk out of the hallowed doors of nieman's, i smile and laugh at myself. oh the joys of being a girl...

take me to the lake...

because that place soothes my soul. it always has and it always will. peace and tranquility abound in marble falls, texas. the sound of rain on a tin roof with the mixture of cleansing fresh air, the music of van morrison and not a billboard in sight is pure bliss. not to mention those gorgeous, gorgeous bluebonnets...everyone swears this is the finest bluebonnet season we've seen in years.

i love you hank williams jr., but i think i'm gonna change the words to your song: if heaven ain't a lot like THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY, then i don't wanna go. ;)


uncle tom (field & stream's archetypical protagonist) and one of his catches for the day. would you believe that those buffalo fish were swarming all around our boat?!


another cat we caught. oh my lanta, i do love to fish. i have NEVER ever understood that brad paisley song, "i'm gonna miss her." heck, my man better like to fish as much as i do!!!


told you it was pretty.


i'm sorry i'm like a toddler and i like to take cheesy pics in bluebonnet fields...it's just what i do.

hope you had a fantastic easter weekend surrounded by your friends and family, but more importantly, hope you were able to see that God is so good and we are so unbelievably blessed to receive His sacrificial love and unmerited favor.