Small town USA

For the past few months, Saturday mornings have been spent at basketball games.
And I love it. I love seeing the kids play, and observing the crowd.
(I could watch people all day long and be perfectly content...)

I thought I'd give you a little glimpse into not just our lives, but much of America's lives as well.
There are small towns like this all across the country.
The gym we played in has a stage.
This is the one and only auditorium at this school.
Concerts, high school plays, and ball games all happen here.


The bleachers aren't fancy metal or plastic, but old wood instead.


Windows galore... Beautiful light!


People dress like this, both young and old. This one just happened to be too cute to not snap a photo!


The top of the gym (which is really just a huge metal building) has been redone sometime recently.


I wanted you to see two things here.
1. That amazing woodwork at the top. So pretty!!
2. The timeclock. 25 seconds to go with a tied score. It was a good game!


We went into overtime. Our boys ended up losing by 1 point.


Some of the boys cried, which was heartbreaking for me. Not mine though.
He didn't cry at all. Not because he's so tough, but just because he really couldn't care less about basketball. Ha!
He's like, "Oh, the game's over now? Cool. Can we go get some snacks and play outside?!"
Hopefully next year he'll put his heart into it, but this year he just didn't care a bit.
It's way more fun to find girls to torture than to play basketball with a bunch of sweaty boys...

I do love to travel, shop, see big cities, and observe people wherever I go but I just don't think there's anything more beautiful than a small town in Middle America!

We're on TV! In New York City...

I'm not really a fan of the group deal type sites.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to shop them! I can shop with the best of ya.
But as a small business owner, I'm not crazy about them.
I've seen many small business owners get the short end of the stick by doing them.
We've been asked many times to do one and have declined them.
I've always said the only way we would do a deep discount deal is if Tory Johnson came calling.

Well guess what? She did!

And earlier this week, a segment featuring The Rusted Chain aired in the New York area, on WABC. (I think our spot is about half way through...)

The video has been hit and miss for working... if it won't work, click here to watch it.




The deal is over now, but for our regular readers and shoppers, we're offering 20% off with code NYC20. (expires Sunday night.)

I keep saying it lately, but thank you guys for supporting us!
We love you! :)

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
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(cell phone shot)

This week we were blessed with gorgeous weather again.
Every single day has been mild and beautiful, perfect for evening walks.
(and I've lost 1 pound. Can I get a wooHoo?!)
I have to admit, I could go for some snow right about now. But I'll never turn down sunshine either!!
Or pretty sunsets...
Or walks with The Man...
Or little blessings from God...
It's the little things...

Happy Friday to you, beauties!!

Vintage goodness...

Recently we were going through the attic looking for something and came across a stack of old photos.

I was so smitten with this one.
The post office.
It's timeless beauty.
Wondering who stepped through these doors...
Wondering how it looks today...


.
.
.
.
.

Okay that's a lie.
This is a post office we drive past on our way to and from Missouri.
And I've always wanted a photo of it.
So last weekend on my way home from my girl's getaway, I stopped in the middle of the road (for real), hopped out, snapped one quick photo, then jumped back in my car and moved on.


This is exactly how it looks today.
Isn't it cute?!
I would love for this to be in our little town!
I love buildings with a sense of nostalgia.

This one just looks like it has a story and I'm curious what it is...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (wait... what?)

Do you remember a while back when I said I was letting go?
Letting go of the pressure to do too much at the holidays...
One of the things I let go of was the idea of sending out Christmas cards.
I would have loved to do it. Really. But there was just no way it was going to happen.

So... I'm breaking re-writing the rules.
Who says cards have to be sent before Christmas?
Not me.
We're sending out Happy New Year cards!


We just put together sweet and simple handwritten cards wishing our loved ones a happy 2012.
We included a family photo from a session we had done late last year.




The idea is still the same, with heartfelt intent...
And people might actually be surprised by an unexpected card in the middle of January, right?!

You have permission to break the rules as well.
If you can't do it all (and who can?!), then just do what you can.
Even if it's a month later than expected.

This might become our new tradition.