TGIF!

It's been a few days, so I thought I'd post a little "Happy Friday" blog. :) I love Fridays...it's casual day, it's the day we go out for lunch with friends, it's a laid back working day...plus there are new episodes of Monk and Psych. (We are basically nerds.)

It's been a pretty good week. I made supper a few times, which was nice, and we are getting to break in our new kitchen stuff! Last night was a lot of fun...we went downtown to the Sidewalk Arts Stroll that they have on the square in the summer. My good friend Ashley is an artist, and she had some work out. Nathan really likes going to see the classic Southern stuff. There is one artist who had a painting of an RC Cola bottle last time we went, but they weren't there this time. Anyway, if you haven't been, it's a lot of fun. It's just around the square in the late afternoon and evening...there is music and it is very laid back. You can definitely spend as much or as little time walking around as you want and there is a good variety of art...something for everyone.

Speaking of art, you may or may not know that I have been developing as a collage artist over the last few years. I have been talking to some of the really nice people at the Huntsville Art League about joining as an exhibiting artist, which I really want to do once we get settled and I can get back into my work. What I really like about HAL is that they are super laid back, not very "high art" hoity-toity...which does not get me going. I have a lot of art therapy research behind me that has influenced my belief that art is what you make of it, and I basically choose to take the attitude that art should be by and for everyone. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate great artistic talent, but...I also appreciate the framed finger paintings that my 20-month-old nephew made for me! I love getting people to just get in there and make things. Creating with your hands is extremely therapeutic. That is why I love collage so much - it is a very flexible and adaptable medium. Don't ever feel like just because you're not "An Artist" you can't make art or play with crafts. I like making art with my mom at her kitchen table.. Nathan has even asked me if he can do art with me sometime. Gosh, listen to me go on and on....I'm all riled up now. I feel like paper macheing something. haha.

Anyway, still thankful it's Friday...we are not planning on doing a whole lot tonight, though I have some last-minute birthday shopping to do for Nathan after work. (He turns 26 on Tuesday!) Tomorrow we are planning on spending the majority of the day moving more things in the house and trying to settle in and clean up more. Little bit at a time, I guess! Then Nathan has to work at Barnes & Noble again on Sunday, which he is not thrilled about, but it will give me time to work on more birthday things in secrecy!

One last thing -- we finally have the computer set up at home, and I am working on getting wedding photos set up in a Flickr account. Once I get posting pictures to the blog figured out, I will post some of the house and whatnot. Soon, I promise!

Happy Weekend!

Shannon