Flowers From God

I spent a couple of hours wondering who sent me these flowers. I mean it's signed God, but someone had to have physically sent them. Then I realized I was putting a limitation on God. If my Creator wants to send me a gift from His creation, who am I to doubt.

Thank you, God, for my beautiful flowers =o) I love you too...

Wordless Wednesday

101 in 1001??

I’m a blog stalker. Have I mentioned that before? I probably have. I read a whole bunch of blogs and set up my iGoogle with all of the RSS feeds so I can keep up with who has and who has not updated. All this to say: I stealing an idea from a blog that I stalk. Happily I can say it’s someone I know! Kate is an amazing photographer I used to work with when she was still in college (and we called her Katie) and working part time at my still-current place of employ. You should definitely check out her site here!

So, the other day, Kate wrote a blog titled 101 in 1001. She got the idea from someone else and now I’m stealing it, too! It’s an interesting idea, almost like a bucket list but instead of it being a list of things to do before you die, it’s a list of 101 things you want to do in the next 1,001 days! INTENSE!

Since my starting date is today, I want finish doing this list of 101 things by November 20, 2012.

Some of these I have a lot of control over, some are really up to God… but I would like for all of these to happen =o)

------------------------------------------------------

1. Make it to at least one of my niece/nephew’s birthday parties.
2. Take my car in to get a ‘check-up’.
3. Travel home to surprise my parents.
4. Read the Bible cover to cover.
5. Get a passport.
6. Travel somewhere that requires my passport.
7. Lose the weight. 1001 days is more than enough time to lose all of it and be healthy!
8. Get a new (to me) car.
9. Take a girls weekend road trip to somewhere obscure and fun!
10. Become more proficient in using my camera.
11. Get out of debt.
12. Travel to a state I’ve never been before.
13. Actually take up coworker offers of ‘letting me practice my photography’ using their children.
14. Go on a short term mission’s trip.
15. Take a photography class
16. Buy a new camera lens I “can’t live without”.
17. Get a new tattoo.
18. Go to Paris, TN to take photos of the Eiffel Tower.
19. Go to Memphis and see the Civil Rights Museum.
20. Have a “photography day” in Nashville with friends who like to take pictures.
21. Spend a quiet day by a lake with only God, my Bible, and a journal for company.
22. Visit my cousin in Canada.
23. Join a small group.
24. Run a half marathon.
25. Do a ‘professional’ photo shoot (actually charge someone).
26. Meet the man of my heart that God has for my future.
27. Start dating him.
28. Get engaged to him.
29. Marry him. (Of course it’s all God’s timing on this and the 3 above. A girl can hope!)
30. Move to a safe apartment that I actually like.
31. Travel to another state I’ve never been.
32. Turn my blog into an income.
33. Go to The International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina.
34. Celebrate my 30th birthday by doing something fun and a little bit crazy…
35. Get certified to do medical billing and coding.
36. Visit my BF and her hubby in Iowa (at least once).
37. Start a photography blog.
38. Grow my hair long enough to donate (and donate it).
39. Go to a Cubs game.
40. Go to a Bears game.
41. Go to a drive-n movie double feature.
42. Swim in the ocean.
43. Dance in the rain.
44. Read Les Miserables.
45. Watch every Cary Grant movie (minus ones I've seen already, and only if I can find them on DVD).
46. Watch a sunrise.
47. Watch a sunset.
48. Bake bread using one of my Grandpa K’s recipes.
49. Take my vitamins every day, not just during the week when I’m in a routine.
50. Complete a 365 day photo challenge. (Perhaps for my 30th year?)
51. Find a CD that I love and actually buy the disc, not just the iTunes copy.
52. Watch (in marathon format) all three Lord of the Rings movies.
53. Go to the Big Bang piano bar in Nashville with R-Jo.
54. Get my personal e-mail inbox to 0.
55. Donate blood.
56. Go to the dentist.
57. Go on a picnic.
58. Fly a kite.
59. Have an adventure.
60. Go to the Aquarium in Chattanooga.
61. Cook at least one thing from each of my cookbooks.
 - The Joy of Cooking ~ French Bread
62. Buy something from Etsy.
63. Tie a note to a balloon and let it go.
64. Go to a concert.
65. Make a Bucket List.
66. Participate in NaNoWriMo.
67. Actually get the massage I always promise myself.
68. See a play or musical at TPAC.
69. Knit a new blanket.
70. Knit a scarf and give it away.
71. Read 10 books that I haven’t read on my bookshelf.
 - A Child Called 'It'
72. Have a ‘Me Day’ once a month.
73. Post an Operation Beautiful note once a month.
74. Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet.
75. Go to a wine tasting.
76. Finish a 1000+ piece puzzle.
77. Give clothes I don’t wear to Goodwill.
78. Learn to crochet.
79. Try geocaching.
80. Have a photo I’ve taken that I love turned into a canvas for my wall.
81. Watch all of AFI’s top 100 movies (including re-watching ones I’ve already seen)
 -#100,
82. Take a dance class (Zumba doesn’t count!)
83. Enter a photo I’ve taken into a photography contest.
84. Vote for candidates I actually read about in a non-Presidential election.
85. Send a card to each of my close friends ‘just because’.
86. Send thank you cards.
87. Organize my craft supplies.
88. Make cards to have on hand.
89. Have a girl’s night once a month.
90. Save $5 for every completed task.
91. Donate $10 for every uncompleted task to a worthy organization.
92. Buy a pair of sandals from http://www.ssekodesigns.com/.
93. Make and send Christmas cards (on time!).
94. Buy flowers for someone.
95. Take a Yoga class once a week for three months.
96. Make a ‘Living in Tennessee’ scrapbook.
97. Take my camera and actually use it when I hang out with Chicago friends.
98. Go to Brookfield Zoo.
99. Buy a cheap but awesome piece of wooden furniture and refinish it.
100. Watch all of the LOST season’s in order after they’re all out on DVD.
101. See Rock City.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Are you celebrating today?? Having Mardi Gras parties or enjoying a paczki (if you are, enjoy one for me!!) or king cake? Do you celebrate Fat Tuesday or observe lent?

I’ll be ‘celebrating’ with my friend R-Jo. We’re going to start off by meeting at the gym and end by eating (a couple of) things we’re giving up for lent! =o)

At least we’re going to the gym first.

I think:

… that I’m feeling rather opinionated today. (Where better to express that than my blog?)

… that my family is amazing & I don’t tell them often enough.

… that my stress levels are finally coming down to an acceptable level.

… that I’m going to miss traveling now that I won’t be for a few months.

… that both weddings I’ve been in over the past three weeks were quite lovely.

… that my BF & her new hubby’s (professional) photos are exceptionally beautiful.

… that flip flops are a totally appropriate form of footwear when it’s cold outside.

… that the older gentleman who told me Merry Christmas at work today was incredibly adorable.

… that I’m not only wearing my hair in a low side ponytail today, but I’m making it look GOOD!

… that the ground outside of a first lane drive up at any financial institution must look like a pen graveyard.

… that water actually tastes good (not just when I’m working out!)

… that I should workout even more than I already am.

… that I should tell my friends more often how grateful I am for them.

… that the “Pant’s on the Ground” guy is a genius and boys should listen to the wisdom in the lyrics!

… that 30 isn’t going to feel as old as it sounded when I was 15.

… that hearing about an earthquake in Chicago freaked me out a little bit.

… that I REALLY wanted to gush about the photo from my Wordless Wednesday yesterday, but it was wordless so I couldn’t.

… that it’s hysterical someone thought I had done ‘princess Leia’ hair for my roommate’s wedding.

… that I need to get on top of editing photos so I can do some wedding/snow/ice blog posts.

… that I would rather be at the gym right now instead of work.

… that I need to do some major spring cleaning in my bedroom.

… that my boss is very understanding about me not wanting to ‘float’ too far outside of Murfreesboro.

… nothing makes me feel older than the ‘lite/mix’ radio station playing music from when I was in high school

… the last statement I wrote is probably tied with kids I babysat getting their Masters Degree’s.

… this list is getting too long……

Wordless Wednesday

The Biggest Loser

The company I work for is having a Biggest Loser competition for all of us employees. It's pretty much based off of the TV show. All of us who compete put in $10 and it's based on percentage of weight loss as to who ends up taking it all home.

As of Friday, the pot was at $860. It could go as high as $1100. Needless to say I could really use that financial gain! How great is that motivation?

With my roommates wedding last week, I did NOT  have a good week. However, I'm looking forward to better weeks and more weight loss to come....

Wish me luck!

Wordless Wednesday