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great inspiration

I've recently started on a new project at work that has been "dead" for the last year. I actually helped with some of it last summer when I was an intern, but then when I started full time, the project was cancelled for various reasons. Anyway, as I'm going back and re-familiarizing myself with the project, I've come across the inspiration images that I found for the project last summer. I forgot how much of a "perryn project" this is, right up my alley. These are some of the inspirational images I'm having to delve through:






















back to the summer diaries

more of what I've been doing this summer:

Nicaragua Fundraiser Summer Social. A group of 12 of my friends from Redeemer ventured out on a mission trip (this week actually!) to Jinotepe, Nicaragua to do some mission work at a private orphanage. Before the trip there were lots of fundraisers and events to raise awareness and financial support for the group going. I helped organize the "small town Saturday night" themed event...because I have a lot of experience with small towns & Saturday nights, I guess. The event was a blast!

Just one of the many weekends spent "fixing up" the new apartment. Christine spent many Saturdays in Manhattan because our ceilings are 10 feet tall! Beautiful, but somewhat of a pain when you're just short of 5'6" and trying to paint to the top. Thanks Stine for your help!!

Brent and Monica's visit to the city. I never thought I'd say this, but I think I actually wore Mon out! We had a blast though going between NYC and Morristown. And having 3 out of the 4 Pettus kids together in the Big Apple is almost unbelievable. Paige, please come visit soon!!


July 4th! Probably the most fun and unique fourth I've ever had. It started out on a beach in Coney Island, which happened to be the same day as the ESPN-covered International Hot Dog Eating Contest. The beach was...well... an interesting and fun experience and definitely very contrasted from the calm, beautiful white sandy beaches of Florida. Then after our time in Coney Island was done, we crossed the river and ate and watched the fireworks from Jersey City. I think we had the best view!

500 pencils

If anyone is looking to get me a birthday present or a present anytime within the next 20 months, I'll give you a clue what would be one of the most exciting presents ever: 500 Pencils.


happy day to all the left-handers out there!

August 13 is internationally recognized as "Lefthanders' Day"! Click here to read an article from a fellow left hander about the challenges and obstacles we all face on a daily basis.

A blip from another lefthander website stated that this day is set apart to raise awareness of the inconveniences facing us left-handers in a predominantly right-handed world (It's true. If you're a righthander, I bet you've never even thought of this, have you?). It celebrates our "uniqueness and difference"! This nice article also mentions that there appears to be a direct connection between lefthandedness and intelligence. But, I could have told you that a long time ago...

So to all those lefties out there, go celebrate! It's your day. Eat a cupcake today, left-handed, with pride! I know I will.

trouble in paradise

It looks like things are about to get ugly. I'm not sure why I find this so hilarious... but still, I do. Might be partly due to the fact that it is ridiculously humorous and absurd how the media follows Slick Willy and documents his every move, still. and it looks like Hillary has had about enough of it!

first days of school

There are many (many) reasons I can think of to be so glad that I'm not starting school today, or anyday for that matter, and especially kindergarten or second grade. The biggest reason probably being that I don't have to be anxious and worried about who I'm going to sit by at lunch or whether someone will have on the same outfit as me. But, seeing these cutes faces and outfits and knowing that they have all new crayons and school supplies in those backpacks does make me a tiny bit jealous. How can it not?

McKay on her first day of Kindergarten and Mayce (the old pro) going to 2nd grade

Tate, just being like his big sisters

Elliot on his first day of Kindergarten

uniform project

Why can't I ever think of anything cool like this until... it's already been thought of? The Uniform Project is an "exercise in sustainable fashion." (I mean, what ISN'T sustainable these days?!) For 1 year, 365 days, this girl will wear the same dress- every day. just accessorized differently. And the reason? To raise support and funds for an organization called the Akanksha Foundation, which is a program hoping to revolutionize education in India and helping to fund other expenses for school (such as uniforms) for children living in Indian slums.

She started this fundraiser in May 09. This is her 102nd day, and her outfit today:


Check out the website to see ALL of her outfits thus far!

4 vs. 25

(another short break from the summer diaries for this): Yesterday was my week to teach Sunday school, and there's always a funny story to tell by 11 am on Sunday mornings. As soon as Joe walked in (the usual class clown) I had to stifle my laughter. Check out the picture below and see if his outfit reminds you of anything I posted previously in the last 6 months...?

If it doesn't, click here to see the resemblance! It's uncanny. However, keep in mind: Joe is 4. I guess this confirms a lot of my suspicions... :)

happy anniversary gg's!


A short hiatus from catching up on my summer to say, 63 years is almost 3 times my age. I can't really even fathom that long but nevertheless, happy anniversary to the GG's!!!

the new humble abode

welcome to 3E! While the movers continued to load box after box...after box at 14G, I went up to the new apartment to make sure everything went smoothly on the move in. This is a glimpse of the apt pre-move-in or decoration. Even with nothing there, you can still see that it's a pretty sweet pad, with lots and lots and lots of windows!!!

This is my bedroom! And you can't tell here, but it has not only one, but TWO windows.

Our kitchen.

The living room, and there is again ANOTHER window that you can't see in this picture...

Another view of the living room and the couch the guys so generously left for us. But lots and lots of work to do on making this place a home...

the ABC studios from outside our living room window. I look for Kelly Ripa every morning... haven't seen her yet, but I'm still crossing my fingers!

saying good-bye isn't always hard

I got back from vacationing on a Sunday night at the end of June and within the next three days, I had to pack my entire apartment (nothing for the new apt had been finalized until I was on vacay, so I hadn't packed one single thing before I left...needless to say, things got a little hectic!) and have everything ready for the movers to arrive on Wednesday. This is what our apartment looked like in the process:


It was a pretty tiny place... hard to believe how many boxes we fit in there. (I wish I knew the exact number, but I was too afraid to count...) I think the movers were a little shocked. Although they said they knew what to expect with three girls moving out.

My sad little cave-like room was not hard to say good-bye to. It was even more sad and empty with nothing in its place.
Nevertheless, good riddance 14G!

a retreat from the city

At the end of June I took a much needed break from the city to join in the family vacay on Okaloosa Island, Florida for a week. After several (let me emphasize, several) setbacks with flights and delays in getting back to the beautiful- and HOT- south, I finally got there! My conclusion after a week of lying on the beach, tanning, and reading with waves crashing beside me for hours on end: my next major move will be to a beach somewhere...

back to the blog-stone

so I've slowly been trying to get myself back into blogging. I think the time is finally here: I can feel some good thoughts coming in and since I've missed virtually my whole summer (tear...because that means summer is almost over) on the blogosphere, the next few posts are devoted to what's been going on in the last three months during my 3rd summer in the big apple!