A Lovely Life

While this song is currently being played about twice every 30 minutes on the radio, I still LOVE it.   LOVE.  It's one of those songs that, as soon as I start to hear it, I turn the volume up and get HAPPY! Everything Pharrell Williams touches lately turns to gold.  His song with Robin Thicke, Blurred Lines was my jam last year and it's another one of those, "turn it up!" songs. Get a little happy and enjoy this pretty fun video! I hope this makes you smile on your Monday.  Here's to a fabulous week!

Well, sort of.  The last week of work has been, well, INSANE and there's still some work to do, but the worst is over.  I kept saying all week that I felt like I was on an episode of HGTV mixed with a little Punk'd . Everyday included an early morning, often working late into the night/early the following morning. We were furiously working to get the construction phase of everything ready for our big party on Saturday night.  It was close, y'all but we did it! This was LATE Monday Night/WAY early Tuesday morning Thursday We used LOTS of this stuff Wednesday morning's "mud puddle" front yard Toilet seat replacement Saturday right before the party! Unless you've lived it, it's impossible to truly grasp the amount of physical and emotional energy it takes to go from where we were on Monday to where we were on Saturday night.  I was pushed further than ever before, but the feelings of pure joy and accomplishment at ou

Behind schedule Botched epoxy jobs Learning how to build things Mud Mini freak outs HGTV comparisons Dump trucks Late nights Bobcats Polyurethane Deep breaths LOTS of coffee #ridefromtheashes #shoplife Questioning Praying  Staying positive

6 DAYS. We are 6 short, yet long days away from Peachtree Bikes' Grand Reopening Party. Monday morning marks the first day of trying to figure out where things will go while also remembering those last minute things we forgot.  Funny what you forget you use day-to-day when it's taken away from you . I'm apprehensive about this week.  We're on a tight schedule and far behind where we're supposed to be, but that's how it goes right?  "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."  Or something like that.  I'm anxious and sentimental setting up another shop knowing where we were just under 4 months ago.  I'm excited to put some of this behind us and to start fresh.  I'm scared that I won't complete my normal tasks in addition to this huge undertaking.  I'm happy to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I hope my little "Motivational Monday" post will not only help me today, but through the week and past tha

It's pretty apparent that I love a good list.   So, I thought I'd take a moment to make a list of things I'm loving right now just because.  :-) theSkimm. theSkimm is a daily email that I get with a quick version of the goings on in the world.  It gives me just enough info to be the "know" without having to read through a million news reports.  Check it out:   www.theskimm.com Julep.  LOVING this right now!  This is an service that sends you $40 worth of beauty products for $19 each month automatically.  What you receive is based on a quick and fun quiz to get your style profile.  You're given one of 5 different style profiles and that's how they determine what to send you each month.  I've already gotten 2 shipments and have loved the products I've gotten!  What I love even more is that your first box of goodies is FREE and once you're "in" you get a ton of great coupons, free shipping and sneak peaks of future products!   ww

The shop has been busy, busy with the reopening of our temporary location looming in the not-so-distant future.  We also started a 10 day sale on Friday that's created a big buzz and a TON of traffic in our Sandy Springs store.  Combine all of that with the set up of a brand new store all that goes with it and you've got OCD Helen in panic mode.   I don't think people really get what it means to have all of that craziness going on.  Fire.  Fire Sale.  Inventory reports to prove burnt stuff actually existed.  Daily duties.  Ordering for new store.  Setting up new store.  Staffing new store.  The list goes on...  The good news is that in two weeks, we'll be back into our 'hood and back to some sense of normalcy. The last few days, when someone has asked me how things are going I've been honest, but positive ending our conversation with, "It will all fall into place."  It's been said to me a couple of times and I've said it several times and

I'm not typically one to watch award shows, but I always find myself watching and listening to all the clips the next day.  I decided that this year's Oscars would be different and I was really happy I decided to watch!  From selfies, to pizza, Ellen, an amazing set design and a great tribute from Bette Midler, I was in heaven! In true form, Ellen was fantastic and hosted one of the most interactive and fun Oscars I've ever seen.  The shots of her in the audience paling around with some of the world's best actors was classic! I LOVE a good selfie and if you follow me on any form of social media there's hard evidence of that.  So, when Ellen looks as Meryl Streep and says she wants to take the most retweeted selfie ever, I was pretty pumped.  But then Julia Roberts jumps in.  And Bradley Cooper.  Then Jared Leto.  And Lupita Nyong'o and Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Lawrence and those Brad and Angelina people...  This was the result: I almost died. The set

As mentioned earlier , I'm not the most educated t.v. and movie watcher.  I rarely get it when people reference an incredibly popular scene.  I usually just smile and stare blankly when this happens, then embarrassingly admit that I have ZERO clue as to what they're talking about.  Yup, I'm that girl, y'all. To continue my earlier discussion about things I haven't seen that most of the world has, I thought I'd list a few movies that I haven't ever seen.  Ever. All of the Star Wars Movies The Godfather Lord of the Rings (I tried, but just couldn't get into it!) Gone with the Wind Monty Python and The Holy Grail Any of the Rocky Movies The Waterboy Rudy Any of the Harry Potter Movies Just to name a few.  Some I'm embarrassed to say I haven't seen and others, I just don't really care to.  I have been trying to broaden my movie knowledge lately.  J and I have recently added to my list of WATCHED movies all of the Bourne movies, all

Yesterday, we got the chance to say thank you to the men who so bravely fought the fire that took our store on December 4th.  While we suffered a total loss to our business, the entire building would be gone if weren't for their actions that night. We organized a ride from our Sandy Springs location over to Station 21 in Buckhead to meet the same guys who were with us that night.  The fact that they're the ones who fought our fire makes me smile a little bit.  They're the same guys that would drive by the shop, sirens blaring almost daily on their way to other emergencies.  If the doors were open or you'd happen to be walking outside, those sirens would make your ears bleed and my eyes roll... It was nice to chat with them.  They each played an important roll that night, like the guy who was on the roof resulting in our fancy new skylights.  :-)  Or the guy who, while we were standing on the street, brought us out our charred Peachtree Bikes stickers and burnt r