Where is the love?

Taking a break from playing at the park in sunny San Diego, mom 
decides to get creative with the wood chips that cover the ground. 
There is no shortage of love in this sweet family. 

--- Chelsea B

A year of adventuring:

January: Vikki shared her hobby with us, I went on my honeymoon 5 years after getting married and introduced you to various family members

February: Cjane introduced a lot of you to us and then you became gypsies. Liam showed us Fiji and shared a secret, Megan and I had a tea party and she shared some wisdom, Vikki played in the snow

March: Blue Lily was our guest and we started our photography challenges. Megan started her photo tributes and introduced us to loved ones, life was changing for me

April: Naomi of The Rockstar Diaries was our guest and I explained how The Gypsy Feet isn't about foot fetishes but adventures and my little sister shared a picture of her baby with 6 toes on one foot, Megan reminded us to believe and Vikki revisted her childhood

May: Xenia of Lime Crime makeup and Doe Deere Blogazine was our special guest. Megan shared her summer play list and Vikki went to an art gallery. I introduced you to my mum and we cheered someone up. We also had a foot hater share some thoughts.

June: Jasmine of Experiment in Poverty was a guest, Megan showed us how fun mum's can be, Liam showed us where he works and Brooke of Conversations with a Cupcake gave us a recipe

July: We were fascinated by the wagon masters boots, I had a Blue Lily adventure in Seattle, Vikki had computer trouble AND got engaged, J.Peri gave us some advice (and became one of my favourite bloggers), Megan enjoyed the journey

August: Things started getting quiet around here. Lindsay of Penguin Stand Alone showed us her skillz, I had the greatest road trip of my life during a very difficult summer, we met a princess and her guitar hero, Vikki made us drool and also taught us a lesson as did Katherine, Leigh and Sarah Nicole

September: Things got quieter still... Vikki went climbing (and might have inspired a Miley Cyrus song?) and got sick, I moved state, Megan and Vikki both inspired us, Lissa shared her love story

October: I met Lindsay of Penguin Stands Alone in person and now we're BFF's, Vikki introduced us to her DNA and went people watching, Carla showed us how she scoots, my big brother took us on a tour of our hometown

November: Gussy and Dionne were our special guests, Vikki reminded us to remember, I celebrated sisterhood and a birthday

December: Gussy came back and did a giveaway, my big brother and his girl friend visited me for Christmas, Vikki had a white Christmas, Rachel showed us some beauty, Megan told us a secret, we met a beard called Marcus.

What a great year. Thank you all for being a part of our journey. Keep an eye on us in 2010, there's going to be lots happening.

Here's to 2010 and fresh adventures!

We want to see all your adventures.
Send us your pictures and stories to:
wandering_shoes@live.com

What time is it? Girl TIME!!

I'm so thankful for the good relationships that seem to just fall into my lap.

I'm thankful for:
The girls who will drive me places - like the showing of Top Gun and August Rush in the park.
The girls who visit me just for fun.
The ones who have left me treats and care packages.
The angels who text me to tell me something funny or exciting that's going on.
I love hearing my phone chirp letting me know that a special someone is trying to chat with me on gmail.

I love sisterhood!
What an adventure you girls make my life!

If feet could kiss...

This picture was taken the last week of February 2009.
My dixie chicken feet are the ones wrapped in sandals. The converse clad feet across from mine belong to my lover, Mr. C. When we set my camera down on the sidewalk and posed our feet for this picture, we had only known each other for a month. We were already ridiculously in love. A week later, we decided to tie the knot. And before we knew it, this picture wound up as a matted snapshot in our wedding announcements. Yes, a foot picture in wedding announcements. We lived that dangerously. And we loved it. We call it the kiss picture... if feet could kiss.

-Lissa

Going Coastal:

With the acceptance to school and the fact we'll be moving in less than 3 weeks - once we find somewhere to live - comes the excitement of being near the sea again.

I'm not sure why being close to the sea is such a big deal to me. I think I might have inherited it though. Wherever I am in the world so long as I'm near the coast I feel at home.

What makes you feel at home?

The Girl with A Cheery Disposition:

"I had such a wonderful time

spending a few days with my family...

I did some shopping with my mom and Nana,

Then my dad and me had movie night like we use to back in the day

(he is a sucker for chick flicks..shh don't tell him I told you)

Then we celebrated

my Great Aunt and Uncles 50Th Anniversary

I must say their gift for each over was the coolest gift ever!

They bought an old jukebox and had all their songs put in it.

Now I will be heading back home to Nashville tomorrow.

Which I am super excited about

because I just got news that guitar hero

will be flying home Thursday

for a few hours to see me!!!!!!

Yay, because 13 days is just way to long to go without him."

-Whitney

The Gypsy Cowgirl

"Despite growing up near the beach in Southern California, I met and fell for a handsome cowboy gentleman who was horrendously out of his element. Raised by loving salt-of-the-earth parents, he was a charming Southern boy at heart, lost in a sea of surfers and skaters and traffic. Seeing as how he is ridiculously gifted at music (and I am - of course - not at all biased), it became clear to me that I would someday need to hang up my Rainbows and follow this boy to Nashville, to chase together our wildest dreams.

Passionately traveling down our own windy and dramatic road of love, one Christmas a few years ago, before we were married, I received a single gift. Upon opening the box that held my gorgeous cowboy boots, my sweet cowboy said to me,

"I wish I could be giving you a ring right now, but since I can't - I'm giving you these as my promise that soon I'm gonna marry you and take you with me to Nashville. And if you're gonna live in Nashville, you're gonna need some cowboy boots."

True to his word, that handsome cowboy and I have been married since January 14, 2006 - and living in Nashville, TN, chasing down our dreams, since December 7, 2006.

My heart is his, my life is a beautiful adventure, and these cowboy boots of mine will always follow his - anywhere they go."

-Christiana

The Lady of the House:

I've told you about my mum before and how she taught me my Gypsying ways. She also instilled in me my love of photography, sunshine and handmade accessories. She's a knitting machine and has been since she was 3 years old. She taught me to knit and I can, about 23 times slower than she does and certainly not with my eyes closed like she does.

Visit here to enter her first giveaway.

Tell me something wonderful about your mother.

The Naked Feet Part Two. [Vikki]

Two weeks ago today I posted my introduction blog that showed my naked feet and gave you the naked truth.

Little did I know that mere hours after that post I would have to change number six which read:

6. I have a fantastic boyfriend who sadly lives in Salt Lake, or soon to be California... and long distance is terrible.

to

6. I have a fantastic fiance who sadly lives in Salt Lake, or soon to be California... and long distance is terrible.



That's right... on the 1st of July my American boy asked me to marry him via the most creative amazing proposal ever. He'd actually been planning and making it for over 3.5 months.

He constructed and made super grover and elmo, and then made a movie trailer featuring him in it. He set up the entire night to revolve around watching this movie, and proposed in reality after staging a performance that involved the TV and left me confused about what reality and fantasy are.

I, of course, said yes, and wear my Lego ring with pride. He insists that it's only temporary but I honestly love my lego ring so much.

Sorry to keep you all waiting a week to find out, I had to tell my Mother – to her face – first. I've still not told everyone though, but it's soon going to be hard to keep it in the bag.

The sad end of the tale is that a mere 4 days after getting engaged I left him for an unknown amount of time. Terrible. But it's easier knowing that, with time, I will be with him forever.

Want S'more Love.

My Gypsy feet currently have me five thousand miles from home.

I came for my best friend's wedding, and stayed because happily my boy love is here too.

He assissted in making me my first smore, and after being filled with chocolate and marshamallows, which didn't happen until well after we had lit the fire in the rain with borrowed wood and matches and paper from a neighbouring campfire.

We also got in lots of cuddle time next to the fire.

Say hello to my little friend... no seriously, say 'hi'.

I know Kirsten through my sister in law. I don't know when I first met her or when she became one of my favourites.

10 Reasons why K-Diddy is my fave:
1. She is hilarious! 
2. She eats honey roast peanuts on her salad and now I do too and love it.
3. She's hyperactive in the best way.
4. She is adventurous.
5. She's punctual - very important to me.
6. She's completely non-touchy but gives the best hugs. I treasure the one she gave me.
7. She has trademark phrases she uses with trademark pitch and tone and hand gestures.
8. She has a vast vocabulary.
9. She loves Queen almost as much as I do.
10. She's like the sister I never had... or fought with or shared a bed with.


Do you have someone you instantly clicked with? 

"Then great hope remains honestly..."

'The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land.'  
~G.K. Chesterton

My sis took this picture of us while we were kissing in the rodeo grounds.  HA!  When I posted it on my blog, the huz commented:

 

"look, she still curls my toes when we kiss. I love you, crazy".

-Alison

1. I love this picture & the story.
2. I love that you sent us a quote to go with it!
3. I adore your blog.
4. Your cuteness might actually be illegal. 

5. His reply to your picture reminded me of this song.

-Laura

Panda Expressions...

Along with Italian Soda's I have to admit that Panda Express Orange Chicken is another of my favorite American things. I was so excited to have it last night so I could strike it off my summer list. - Our gypsy, Megan is collecting Live lists. Check it out.

Growing up we'd sometimes get Chinese (or Indian) food as a treat, normally on a Friday or Saturday. It wasn't a frequent thing until we got older and were able to buy our own but we don't have Orange Chicken where I come from. My favorite and 'my usual' was Sweet and Sour King Prawn with Egg Fried Rice. Basically the best thing in the world. My older sister, Emma would always get Chow Mein and I always thought it looked slimey and gross until Panda Express. Now I'm like, "rice who?" YUM!

Panda Express has the best Orange Chicken - crunchy, crispy, zingy, sweet, sticky... but where's the Prawn Crackers? If it's not one thing it's another, right? Although, I think I'm happy to trade the crackers for the take-away boxes I always saw on American films. Love them.

What's your favorite take-away food? 

Don't let the sun go down on me...

Have I shared my love of traditions here before? I'm not sure if I have but I'm about to!
The tradition that goes with this picture is this:

Y2K. My parents made plans to get up and go down to the beach to take pictures of the millennial sunrise. The first sunrise of the new millennium did not disappoint. It was absolutely beautiful and quite a lot of other people had the same idea to go take pictures of it. Since then it's something my mum and dad have done together every year. 

I got married in 2004 and came to America. My husband was able to join in the early morning adventure in 2004 when he was visiting. After that we haven't been able to join in until this last New Year when we were in Scotland again. It's something I've missed. Bringing in the New Year surrounded by family. So tired and excited. I'm not a very emotional person but there's something absolutely completely magical and sacred about watching the sun rise on a new year.

I have a picture frame on my wall. The top picture is a beautiful red and orange New Year sunrise taken in 2002 and beneath that is a lovely blue and green sunrise of New Years morning 2004 with husband and I clinging to one another with ginormous smiles plastered on our chattering, frozen faces.

I found him in 2002 and married him in 2004 (that's his foot on that first morning of 2004 at that beach). It seems extremely appropriate that those two pictures go together. 

New beginnings. Adventures. Challenges. So many memories. New traditions of our own.

What are your favorite family traditions? Have you incorporated your childhood traditions into your grown up life? Made new ones all together? I want to hear about it!

Aging Feet

When I got married I had a few years to be the age my mum was when she got married.

Now I'm the age she was when she had my oldest sibling and I have no children.

I love my mum so much and have always wanted to be like her that it was difficult for a short amount of time for me not to be following exactly in the pattern that my parents lives fell into - it's their pattern and their lives and I'm ok with that.

Mum, I love you and still want to be just like you.

Happy Mother's Day.

-I hope my legs look as good as yours when I'm your age :D

summer love

“My feet shall run because of you, My feet, dance because of you, My heart shall beat because of you, My eyes, see because of you, My mind, thinks because of you, And I shall love because of you”

Ice Ice Baby

I spent 10 and a half weeks with my love.

Now that we're apart, I miss him terribly, all I have are the memories until I see him again.

One of my memories among other things is Ice Skating. We first did it as a double date at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval in Salt Lake's West Valley. Although I hadn't been in years, and I wasn't very good I enjoyed finding my balance and working it all out – with him.

I liked it so much it was even my 'leaving evening' activity of choice.

The love of the ice.