Sisters.....Sisters....

Who can name what movie the following song comes from?

*******************************

"Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters,

Never had to have a chaperon, no sir,

I'm there to keep my eye on her

Caring, sharing
Every little thing that we are wearing

When a certain gentleman arrived from Rome

She wore the dress, and I stayed home

All kinds of weather, we stick together
The same in the rain and sun
Two different faces, but in tight places
We think and we act as one

Those who've seen us

Know that not a thing could come between us

Many men have tried to split us up, but no one can

Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister
And lord help the sister, who comes between me and my man"
**********************************************************
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Every Christmas there are two movies that me....Honey...and the chil'en. watch....

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.....AND......(The movie that the previous song came from)

So in honor of that song.....and of just one of my sista's...Here is a quick glimpse of one of "the ones" who got the good genes and left me nothin'!

Like all my sista's she is an incredible homemaker! She is not a professional decorator....yet she does stuff like this...

And this.....
And this....
And this.....
You got it.....this too...
And this nook....
And she looks this fabulous....all the time!!

And she produces a fabulous looking child...
Do you see why I "ain't got no" talent? Nothin'.....Nadda'......
I think it was quite selfish of her and the rest of the FAM'.....to leave me with zero....zilch...
Such gall...don't you think?! To take all the creativity....talent.....looks....
(I already showed this didn't I?)

I think that I should write a strongly worded letter to my siblings......
I think I will start a petition right here! Who will sign with me?
Let's all stand up to the siblings in the world who take everything!!!
There is a couple people missing from this photo...so.....

Stay tuned for the "rest of the family"....

Don't forget to name that movie!

LOUISIANA WORK FORCE....BEST OF ALL STATES!!

I am a very strict parent!

They must show progress.....improvement....ingenuity, team work....at all times!!

Anything less, is failure!

I demand it!

My children want their inheritance, so they abide by my rules of strictness, and they progress...improve...and invent AT ALL TIMES!!

They started out with just one mattress....until they realized they could improve upon their ingenuity......

Perform with the team.....capitalize on hidden talents of various individuals.....
So they added another mattress....to progress their distance.....
Still.....it wasn't the best they could do....Remember they have to be worthy of an inheritance....

My standards aren't for the weak.....We have to uplift our family name....as quality in their ingenuity!
It was determined that a sleeping bag would speed up the production line.....
Then....another mattress pad was added....to soar to the stars....to reach beyond the goal!!
Then we recognized our employee of the month.....the child that will shoot beyond the stars.....a child that would plunge head first into any project! Ladies & Gentlemen....our team.... star player.....
IMPROVEMENT.....PROGRESS....TEAM WORK..INGENUITY!!!

Lisa'fied!

Ya' all know of one project I have done for Christmas so far....

I Christmas'ed the candle.....and found just one spot for my beautiful Christmas birds, that my sista' thinks is ugly.....

But at my sista's I did this......

And she had this gold framed mirror that she hated and thought looked cheap.....at this point it just had one coat already.....so it doesn't show the full "gold" that it was.....

You can get a better feel of the end result....

She was very very happy....but I want another coat.....

Then....I Christmas'ed her candle......

I love how her candle matched better than my candle......

Then, we found these fabulous candles on our shopping expedition....

I was on a roll with the pearl garland.....

Can you tell I have a new fetish now?!

Guard your candles, or it will be Lisa'fied....

NEED A RIP ROARING LAUGH TODAY? Read a true Hobby Lobby story that happened to my friend...here.

LAUGHTER THROUGH TEARS IS MY FAVORITE EMOTION!

It seems that it's blog "taboo" to talk about sad things. For the whole purpose of blogging is to uplift, inspire, and to take a person away from their own troubles, if only for a few brief moments. I too, tend to follow the blogs that are funny and light in mood, and I stay away from the blogs that are negative in nature.

So, if you will pardon me and just indulge me for a little while, I hope this blog post will bring some sort of relief, or help to those who are presently traveling the path of grief.

I went home for the first time since my mother's passing a few months ago. I have learned some things. I like learning things. Now remember, I have lost 8 people this year!

So to walk into her home, was more difficult than I thought.

To see the chair that she would sit in, and talk on the phone to her friends and family....

To see her robe hanging where it always hung.....

Or perhaps the place where she would rest her head, not only daily, but when she passed from this life, with myself flanked on one side, holding her hand....and my sister on the other...

And her hat still sat next to the door that she went out of ....

So that she could sit and admire her roses....

Ended me on the floor in a million little pieces......

But perhaps the saddest of all, is seeing her name printed upon a tombstone that a Christmas spray is placed upon...

You ask me how I get through it? I can only share what works for me....

*#1-I cry when I need to cry. I don't feel guilty. I don't give into other's expectations of me to "get over it". I don't hold back when I cry! There are days when I am on the floor in a full blown wail. There are days when I am melancholy the entire day. I embrace those days. I embrace them because I don't want to.....my mother doesn't want me to....and my family doesn't want me to....CARRY MY GRIEF INTO MY FUTURE. There is a relief that comes after the wail. It's like the pressure builds up, and the only thing that let's it go, is the hard cry.

*#2-I laugh when I feel like laughing! I love those moments. I can feel, so strongly, that my mom is loving my laugh. I let loose. I can feel this healing balm, soothe my soul, when I laugh! I laugh so hard, my mouth opens and shows my fillings, and I cackle like a witch! However, the interesting part, is that I found, I really heals my soul, to make other's laugh!!

*#3-There is soooooo much I have learned in this whole grief process. For trials are our greatest teacher. I will perhaps share them someday.

*#4-Now on to what my sista' and I did to get through. We had finished Thanksgiving dinner at another sista's...and had visited with yet another sista', and of course, our brother.

This holiday, we had sat there missing her cooking... and missing her at the table..... We had placed the Christmas spray upon her grave....our heart's were heavy. We had returned home....and were just sitting in silence, pondering the loss......My sista' just didn't want to do the traditional Christmas decorating. Neither one of us wanted to head into this season.

Then.....

......I had a thought.....

My sista' said....."What?"......I said, "I was wondering how your couch would look over there."

She said, "Let's do it!"

At that point, we got up and started moving furniture around. Before we knew it, we had spent the entire day, moving furniture around, and redecorating her house!! That inspired us to get out the tree and Christmas decor. Which inspired us to go out and go shopping. Which inspired us to cook. Which inspired us to laugh...and do more projects! Which inspired me to come back to Louisiana, and do my own projects!! WHAT FUN!!

What's interesting, is that we felt our mother rooting us on! We felt she was pleased with what fun we were having! So here are just a few things that I have been working on since I have been home. What fun I have been having!

On this project, I started out with a 3 small canvas'....

I put french writing on them...

And of course my fluer de Lis!....

But I wasn't pleased with how white the background was, so.......I "tea" stained them....

Then, I added ribbon..........

(I'll show you later, where I hang them!)

Next....I took a plain candle....

And did this debauchery.......

OK...sis....the next photo is dedicated to you....and baby it is just the beginning!

(My sista' LAUGHED at me when I bought these birds! She laughed!! She thought they were the ugliest thing she has eva' seen. So in honor of my sista'.....I am going to show my birds in various "Christmas situations".)

So take that sis! Whose laughing now?!

And here are a few other "Ugly" things I bought on clearance!

You neva' know.....my birds just might end up under your tree SIS!

HEY YA' ALL......

Do ya' miss me?

Should I post another post?

What would you like to hear about?

How my sista' and I got through our first Thanksgiving without our mom?

The projects we worked on?

What the menfolk did?

What book I am reading?

LAUGHTER!

We were out on our weekly "Friday night date"... last night.

I noticed an odd happening.

Another table was roaring laughing. It wasn't too loud of a roaring laughter. It was just that the whole table was red in the face, from laughing very hard, at a dinner companion's story.

It made me laugh, just watching them laugh!

The odd happening was that....

A woman at a nearby table rolled her eyes.
She rolled her eyes because she was annoyed by their laughter.

In all that's happening in the world......of all the stress that we are all under....in all the tragedies and heavy loads that people have to carry....why would someone get annoyed at laughter?

I love to laugh! It's one of my favorite things to do. I love a rip-roaring....beet red face.....tears rolling down my cheeks...showing my fillings.....laughter!!

I love how it doesn't cost any money to do it. I love how everyone....everywhere...every cultural enjoys it.

If you are like me, and this is your first Thanksgiving and Christmas, with someone missing from the table, I encourage us all to do what we would want our loved ones to do......LAUGH!!

These won't give you a rip-roaring.... red in the face....tears streamin' laugh, but they will give you a chuckle to start your thankful celebration right!

What was the last thing you laughed at?

A Hot Mess

Livin' in Louisiana, is a catalyst for a full life!

Everyday, brings someone.....something.....some experience, that makes me smile, or scratch my head, at the end of the day.

One day I can be at a bonfire, the next day at a classic play, or perhaps a fad....new....chic cafe.

I get to witness creative people, who have incredible talent and skills. I get to witness incredible people, who carry truckloads of hardships, and carry them in the most humble and divine manner.

Here's a week in the life of Louisiana Real Wife .........


There is not a Louisiana sunset that goes by, that is not incredibly beautiful, and that I admire and appreciate. I stop where I am, and look at it....and point it out. This particular evening I walked out my front door, and I stopped.....I admired....I turned around and went back inside and got my camera...... I'm late....."You're a hot mess." said 'Honey'. "I can't help it", I reply.
He says this because I always take pictures of sunsets, and I have hundreds, but I always complain that they neva' turn out like the real one.

It didn't turn out like the real one.....

One night I went to Zoe's. A chic...fad....joint. It's famous for it's chicken salad! Southern women have the market on chicken salad.
They serve drinks like..."Sparkling Pomegranate".

Now these three are a hot mess!! (I'm borrowing this new phrase, 'hot mess', from the one in the middle.) It's her new buzz word. But neva' mind the two on the left....they have had there 15 minutes of fame on Livin' Louisiana. See that gorgeous hunk of hot mess on the right? You and I would walk along and see her out somewhere and think, "Run her ova'!" She's that beautiful!



We would think that because she is unbelievable gorgeous! Yes..... of course she has the perfect body, the perfect face, the perfect hair, the perfect wardrobe, the perfect house, the perfect kids! What would you think if I told you that this is the first night she has been out in 7 years?
What would you think if I told you that she carries a daily load that is so incredibly hard, that the majority of us, couldn't do it. We would collapse under the pressure. But she does it. She does it with grace, and style, and courage! She's a hot mess too!

(we followed up Zoe's with the play Arsenic & Old Lace)

Then, another night I went to this incredible production of, "Believe". You know it's going to be somethin', when you walk in and see this......

And this.....

Oh my, there's a story comin'..........

See the woman on the right with the glasses? She's a local, Louisiana Real Wife. Seven years ago, she didn't know how to play the guitar. She wrote every note, every word of the songs, and the script of 'Believe'.

Believe me when I tell you that this will be BIG! This production was incredible! It is sooooooooo cool to think such incredible talent comes from a woman, who set her mind on somethin', and did it. It's incredible to think, that she took a small dream, and made it a big reality!!

(I know Leah in the middle. Incredible voice!! Vintage beauty! Another hot mess!)

The attendance of this production was all the more special, when you sit across the isle from her, another hot mess! Meet Helen. Helen is a blond Sela Ward. Helen was raised by parents that are both blind. Their story is fascinating. Next time Helen, give me a 'Sela Ward' smile! She's a ......(you guessed it).....a hot mess!

On the other side of me was London, and her daughter, Kristen. Another chica you would want to run over right? She's that beautiful! However, she is another one that under all that beauty, lies a woman who has survived tragedy, and everyday hardship. London, please let me tell your story. A story of a Louisiana Real Wife! You hot mess you!!
This guy. This guy is single ladies. He is sooooooooo funny!!! I love this guy! Meet Tim. I've known him for about 2 years. I had no idea he can sing. I felt like Simon Cowell, waiting to hear a 'hot mess' start singing. My heart leaped. He was that good!!!

This is last night's adventure.....

I have saved the best, "HOT MESS" for last.

I am gonna get killed for this......

Ladies and gentlemen........

Meet Mr. "HOT MESS....MR. CHAMPION AIR GUITAR" himself.......

'Honey'............