Living Life in the Shades of Gray

Found!

2012-01-27T21:10:00.001-06:00

My favorite pen! I was so excited when I found it while digging through a box of random craft supplies this week. I even found the extra ink refills!!!

Silly, I know… but I think my handwriting looks so good when I use it =o) I got the pen from my job back in Chi and its the fanciest pen I've ever had.

Isn't my penmanship prettier? (humor me)

Missing

2012-01-25T22:47:00.001-06:00

If I were to choose a least favorite month, January would be it. Its hard and stressful, work becomes extremely busy for at least the first two weeks and even more, I really miss my family.

It probably shouldn't be that bad. After all I just went to Chicago for 10 days at Christmas… how bad could it be?

Bad.

There are young kids in my family and I love getting to sit to dinner with my parents; my sis-in-laws are amazing and now that we're "grown ups" my brothers and I have actual conversations about life. And getting to be there, getting to spend time there… it was 10 days! Life starts to become normal (minus my not going to work, ha!) babysitting with my parents and getting to meet up with a few friends somewhat randomly. No planning a month ahead of time, trying to fit in plans 15 minutes at a time… just living life.

I felt so blessed getting to spend time with people who have known me for more than a decade of my life, people who get past the surface level of me easily. People who call me out when I'm being ridiculous and talk with me about life and community and the need for depth…

January stings. Its a daily reminder of missing people that I love.

2012

2012-01-11T18:15:00.001-06:00

... and a new second blog!

I'm shutting down my former 365 blog since I'm done with my 365 challenge and it won't be available any longer.

what will be available?

Losing It

My attempt at being transparent and therefore more accountable about losing weight.

Read it if you want to.

I'll be back on here too, about the rest of my life... soon...

I promise!

Day #12 - Celebrate the Day!!!

2011-12-25T10:40:00.010-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Day #11 - It Was Not a Silent Night

2011-12-24T10:40:00.007-06:00

I know I had this song on the list last year, but I dont' care. It's one of the most powerful songs that I've heard in years and a song that makes me think even more about Jesus entrance into the world.... It was not a silent night:

Day #10 - Wonderful

2011-12-23T06:40:00.012-06:00

My parents played this for me last year. They watched this special on TV and recorded it and really enjoyed this song. Natalie Cole is really just as wonderful a singer as her father, so since it's normally Nat King Cole I put on my Christmas video music list of the year, this year I'm going to put up Natalie:

Day #9- John Mayer

2011-12-22T11:37:00.000-06:00

Really... he could sing this to me... I'd be ok with it...

Day #8- I'll Be Home... Today!

2011-12-21T06:37:00.003-06:00

I'll be home for Christmas today! I can't wait to hug my family...

Day #7 - She & Him

2011-12-20T09:31:00.002-06:00

Every year I have a Christmas tradition for myself. I buy myself a new Christmas album. This year I picked up She & Him: A Very She & Him Chistmas. I love the sound of Zoey Deschanel's voice. The lovely airy feel and the 1960's vibe she has. I hope you enjoy She & Him:

Day #6 - Little Drummer Boy

2011-12-19T08:25:00.000-06:00

I think this is the oddest video I've ever seen. It was brought to my attention this year and I can honestly say I never thought I'd ever see Bing Crosby singing with David Bowie. But here it is. Bing and Bowie:

Day #5 - Dreaming

2011-12-18T10:19:00.001-06:00

Ok, so it's not Beverly Hills and the sun isn't always shining, but it is hard to get into Christmas mode when it's in the 60's (and sometimes raining!). I am, however, dreaming of a somewhat White Christmas (even though Chicago hasn't gotten much this winter yet). I hope your days are merry and bright...

Day #4 - Christmas Time

2011-12-17T09:15:00.002-06:00

Today is Roommate Christmas! None of us are actually roommates anymore, but we still like to get together whenever we can =o) So in honor of Roommate Christmas day with A, C, and RJ; Charlie Brown's Christmas. Really this is especially for C who really dislikes the music from this movie... she'll have to explain that to you ;o) Merry Christmas C, A, & RJ! I love spending time in the busy Christmas season with you guys!

Day #3 - Marley and Marley

2011-12-16T18:07:00.000-06:00

I'm reading A Christmas Carol for the first time this Christmas. I've owned the book for several years and it is one of my very favorite Christmas movies (especially the George C. Scott version!). I'm just done with the first chapter which ends right after Scrooge's visit from Marley and I had this song stuck in my head the whole time I was reading it! So here you go, Scrooges visit from Jacob and Robert Marley in a Muppets Christmas Carol!

Day#2 - In the Bleak Mid-Winter

2011-12-15T16:03:00.000-06:00

Is it just me or does it seem that every year brings a new Christmas song that you seemingly hear everywhere? Not necessarily a brand new song; perhaps something old that just seems to all of the sudden be popping up everywhere. This year, for me, it has been In the Bleak Mid-Winter. Our church choir sang it at our Carols of Christmas program where our Worship Minister shared about how this song was originally a poem that someone wrote music for. I shared the poem below the video so you could really read/hear the words/lyrics. I think it's hauntingly beautiful.... What songs have been following you around this year?

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Words: Christina Rosetti

Music: CRANHAM (Gustav Holst)

In the bleak midwinter,

frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron,

water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him,

nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away

when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter

a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels

may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim

thronged the air;

But His mother only,

in her maiden bliss,

Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him,

poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd,

I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man,

I would do my part;

Yet what I can give Him: give my heart.

Day #1 - The Grinch Song

2011-12-14T14:11:00.002-06:00

Happy first day of my 12 days of Christmas. I know that technically the real 12 days of Christmas start on Christmas day, but I thought we could all use a little bit of Christmas music and movies and fun to help get rid of a little bit of holiday-related stress ;o) Today's song is for all of my favorite Grinch's this year! haha... I have a lot of coworkers and friends who are very bah-humbug-y this year. For you guys, The Grinch Song:

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T01:00:00.001-06:00

Issues

2011-12-07T00:58:00.001-06:00

I'm sorry for the lack of blogging… I have actually had things to say and do. We've been having some internet issues at the house, but hopefully they'll be resolved with a new router very soon!!

Wordless Wednesday (Thankful Edition)

2011-11-23T14:00:00.000-06:00

After Skipping the Weekend

2011-11-21T17:19:00.000-06:00

14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?

One name - ee cummings

I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I HATED having to study ee cummings freshman year of high school. He was crazy nothing he did made sense and we had to explain his poetry. Random punctuation and spacing words cut into three seperate lines? None of it was logical, none of it made sense.....

Until the last couple of years. All of the sudden the man became a genius. I don't know if a flip switched in my mind or if I just had to live more life to realize the complexity of his creativity.

I'm also starting to enjoy Jackson Pollack, but I still see insanity so I don't know that that counts...

I Hope Not

2011-11-16T19:00:00.000-06:00

18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

There is only one big thing in my life that I think I really really hope for (maybe 2 now that I'm really thinking about it more) but either way, I hope I don't have to let go.

I know that my life is in God's hands and I really do pray that no matter what I am just doing whatever it is the He wants for my life.

But those 2 things (one of which is marriage/family)... I just want them so much that I can't imagine God saying He won't ever give them to me.

Oh, in case you haven't guessed, I'm not mentioning the other thing. ;o)

I have friends that would say I might need to let go and then just let them happen if God chooses, but I don't necessarily think I'm clinging so hard that they consume me. The thing I mentioned and the thing I didn't are parts of my dreams, but not something I think about... not every day... and I don't think that thinking about them occasionally is really a bad thing.

So to sum up, I hope that I'm not holding onto something I need to let go of.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T09:18:00.002-06:00

A Fun Little “Make Blogging a Habit Again” Challenge for Me

2011-11-15T17:17:00.002-06:00

Longest blog title ever, don’t you think? =o)

A little while back, I stumbled across a challenge of sorts. Answering the “50 Questions that Free Your Mind”. I don’t know about freeing my mind and what that really entails, and I don’t know that I’ll ever answer all 50 questions, but I’m going to attempt to blog through these guys, hopefully thru the end of the year… we’ll see how that goes. It will be besides the Thanksgiving-type posts and the Christmas-y ones. Just a general determination to try to get myself going again.

So here goes. I’m going to start with question………………………..

32. If not now, then when?

Now? Haha… I thought this was appropriate considering the premise of wanting to make better habits and be more consistent. With blogging being the least of my “want-to-be’s” If I don’t do it now, if I don’t make myself start…..

I had a big realization not too long ago about my health. About needing to lose weight. I realized that I too often wait for someone to do it with me. I want to go to the gym with others. I want to cook with friends. I’m almost afraid of doing things alone. If I don’t start now. If I don’t ask for God’s strength to get me there even when I feel alone… I’ll never do it.

If not now, never.

I choose now.

Stalking Pinterest

2011-11-14T18:25:00.000-06:00

I should qualify this blog post with the fact that I haven't been on pinterest in the last several days because I'm taking advantage of my 14 day free trial at ancestry.com; however.....

There are things that Pinterest has done for my life lately:

1. Motivate me! There are so many healthy recipes (that are delicious) and at-work mini at-your-desk "workouts" and quotes that inspire me to lose weight.... I dig it!

2. Made me realize that I waste money on things that I am perfectly capable of making myself. There are so many cute ideas for storage and organization and decorating that I can do with things I already own...

3. I want to cook more often! I did when I lived alone and I did when I first moved in with my roommate, but lately I just haven't been cooking and I miss it.

4. I want to grow my hair out (that phrase strikes me as odd right now). There are so many great hairstyles out there that look ok on my currently shoulder-length hair, but they would look SO much better done to my formerly longer hair. Here's to having the patience? I too often lose patience and hack it off....

5. I want to craft again. I want to make things and be creative. I'm a little jealous of my friend A who has changed jobs recently and re-found the time and energy and desire for crafting. We have been so crazy at work and there has been so much going on that I somethimes feel like I have zero creativity. I miss it. Maybe I should start coloring during my lunch breaks at work..... it'd be something anyway...

6. Probably most importantly for my health... I want to start using homemade/natural cleaning products. I refuse to make what I need until I'm done with what I have, but after a bout with a not-to-be-named bleaching spray this weekend I realized how sick harsh chemicals make me. My skin has broken out, I had a headache for two days and a slight rash on my face and arms. I don't know why we started going crazy with the chemicals, but I just can't use them anymore... so goodbye bleaching stuffs and hello vinegar and baking soda (they're in almost everything)!

Are you with me? Or not... I just think there is so much out there and I just had to share!

Oh, and speaking fo sharing... want to know something pretty cool? I'm not the first person in my family to have been in the town I live in. Thanks to some family geneology, I found out that my Great Great Grandfather fought in a battle in the Civil War in this very town!! Crazy, huh? I can't wait to see what else is out there.................

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T16:22:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

Remember Martha?

2011-11-01T18:07:00.003-05:00

Remember when I made my own laundry detergent?

I told you I'd give you an update...

Here it is.

I *HEART* IT!!! I really really think this is just the greatest stuff I've ever used in my laundry! It's scent free and dye free and my clothes get o-so-clean! I had read that vinegar was good to use as a fabric softener but because I didn't use that knowledge for a few weeks, my clothes (especially towels) got very rough. Once I started using vinegar (about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup) in the wash, everything is nice and soft!

And I promise, the vinegar doesn't make your clothes stink! And it has the added bonus of cleaning your washing machine while it works!

I'm so glad someone found the "recipe" on Yellow Brick Home and added it to Pinterest so I could make/use it! Here's the recipe and my photo again for reference:

1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
1 bar of Ivory Soap, grated (the original "recipe" calls for Fels Naptha)

A Few Words for a Friday

2011-10-28T14:28:00.000-05:00

Hello friends in the blog-o-sphere, how has life been treating you?

I have been sick. Often. Too often. Stomach flu a few weeks ago followed by a nasty cold this week. I find myself praying to be healthy and sleep through the night! Last night was my closest, only up twice and pretty much able to go back to sleep right away. I chalked it up as a win =o) Who knows, maybe tonight will be even BETTER! My friend R is going to be staying at my place for the weekend, so maybe sleeping through the night will happen just because we'll end up staying up too late ;o)

My youngest nephew is 2. today. officially. 2. I can't believe it! As "they" say, kids grow so quickly =o\ They really do! My brother K sent me a few pictures via text last week and I can't believe how much little E is looking more like a little boy and less like a toddler... *sigh* Christmas can't come soon enough. I can't wait to spend a big part of my time home with the 4 kiddos... I just want to hug them!

Tomorrow I don't have to work and R and I are going to have a roommate day with A and hopefully C? C isn't sure yet, but hopefully we can steal her from her hubby for a couple of hours... Who knows what we'll do, but I'm sure it will be fun regardless! I love getting to spend time talking and laughing with these gals! Of course I recommended a picnic, but no one has said anything, so I'm not entirely confidant. You can't blame a girl for trying to make the most of a 62 degree and sunny fall day, can you? If we do picnic, or really no matter what, I'll try to remember to take my camera with me to capture a few moments.

Sunday is our Fall Festival at church! You should come! There's more info about it here.

I accidentally put my most used USB drive in the dryer. I'm not going to lie, it kind of freaked me out when I opened the dryer and saw it laying there. I mean, I know I have back-ups of everything on my external hard drive, but still... it's my favorite. ha. Happily, it is still working! Such a resilient piece of hardware! Proof you ask? Here you go... a photo from the dried USB. Have a great weekend Blogger Friends!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T13:34:00.002-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T13:49:00.000-05:00

Catching Up

2011-10-14T12:33:00.001-05:00

hhmmm.....

It's been a while since I've really really posted, hasn't it blog friends? Lets see... I moved, but I still haven't unpacked, so I can't show you photos... my room is a 'zaster! I'm getting used to having a roommate again, but it's been a while, so give me time ;o)

God has been working on me. I don't know how much more I'm up for sharing, but it's true... He has been changing my heart a lot and opening my eyes. I love when He does this almost as much as it can hurt when He does this...

My parents are coming to town this weekend!! I can't wait to see them!

I have been talking with a friend lately about real friendship and communication, how far someone is really willing to go to open up to others. You should read G's blog post here. I'll have to write more on it sometime soon...

I did a photoshoot for a coworkers son. Senior photos... that's where this past weeks Wordless Wednesday came from. I took that shot with my brand new lens (#16)!!! I'm so excited to have a wide angle (that slightly fish eye's) and I think it's going to be an awesome addition to the camera family ;o)

hhhmmmmmm.....

I don't know what else to say at the moment (my brain is on "excited to see my parents mode") so I'll leave you with another photo taken with the previously stated new lens =o)

Have a great weekend, blogging friends! I know I will ;o)

Attitude changes Everything

2011-10-13T14:17:00.000-05:00

I had a terrible start to my today. I woke up late on the first morning I was planning on going to the gym before work (and get back to the gym at all) and then some guy kept honking at me for maintaining the speed limit and not hitting pedestrians on my way to work...

Needless to say, I was irritated by the end of my 8 minute drive.

But I brought my new earrings to work today to show my coworkers. They're not really "meant for work" earrings... they're more "I'm feeling hot and going out with friends" earrings.

But one of my coworkers convinced me to put them on.

**BAM**

Attitude change.

Suddenly, I'm a rockstar. I'm awesome and sassy and I know it. I can rock earrings like this simply because I'm awesome. I don't need another reason!

What can change your mood in a moment? Apparently I just needed these:

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T11:06:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T17:59:00.000-05:00

iWish

2011-10-03T08:21:00.000-05:00

I wish I had had more time last night. Somehow there were more hours in my evening, or maybe just for a newer faster laptop?

I had a photo shoot of a coworkers son. Aaron is a really cool Senior in High school and we did some senior shots for him around "the farm" a couple hundred acres that I would love another chance to explore! But instead I will try to keep my weary eyes opened tonight to get at least a few of my favorites edited and uploaded so you can see them!

I kind of want to enter one or two into a photo contest....... you'll have to let me know what you think!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T11:04:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T09:35:00.004-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-14T15:21:00.001-05:00

Martha #2

2011-09-13T07:56:00.000-05:00

I made homemade laundry detergent this weekend! After roaming around Pinterest (which I'm digging!) for a while one day, I saw a link to homemade laundry detergent on Yellow Brick Home; a blog I hadn't heard of before, but now enjoy and they're from Chicago and that makes them even cooler! **deepbreath**

So, I read the blog and then a whole bunch of the comments and then thought about it for a while and decided to go for it! In the long run it's cheaper than buying *insert name of commercial laundry detergent I used to use here* and everything I read said it worked really well. I figure I can always go back to non-said detergent if I had to and instead of searching for the Fels Naptha soap somewhere here in the south, I went with user comments and grated up some Ivory instead!

Non-skin-irritating, non-scented, clean. I'll be trying it out with my next load of laundry since I finished using my other laundry detergent with my last load of laundry last night... I'll let you know how it goes!

Just Call Me Martha

2011-09-12T19:49:00.000-05:00

A good friend of mine called me Martha Stewart after I posted a photo of my first ever made-from-scratch marble cake… well really… my first ever marble cake! It was surprisingly easy and pretty moist! You just make the batter and split it in half adding melted chocolate into one half of it! I think if I do make this recipe again, I would add a little bit more melted chocolate to the chocolate cake half so the cake would look a little darker and taste a little more chocolatey. Maybe 4 oz of chocolate instead of 3. Or maybe bittersweet instead of semi-sweet? I’ll have to play around with it sometime. The recipe I used is from here. I also made 2- 9 inch (8 inch? I can’t remember my pan sizes! Oops!) cakes in order to make a layered cake, but that was my own edit since the recipe showed 1- 10 inch round, 3 inch tall cake… It was PLENTY of batter for both or my pans!

After they were cooked and cooled and ready, I wanted to decorate the cake to match the plates/napkins/cups that we were using for my coworker’s baby shower…

(aren’t they cute!) So that meant looking for a great chocolate frosting recipe. Also something I never attempted before! My friend PC was out of town and I didn’t want to bother her for her recipe, so after a little bit of Googling, I found out that William-Sonoma had some frosting (and other) recipe’s on their website! I figured since I was going to use their chocolate butter cream, I would use their regular butter cream as well, for colored polka dots =o)

Melting chocolate for two separate parts of this cake made me dream of having a real double boiler instead of my make-do makeshift metal bowl on top of a pot faux double boiler, but it worked… and the frosting turned out well...

as did the cake!

A coworker told me I was the Queen of Cake… I guess that makes me:

Martha Stewart, Queen of Cake

Come back sometime tomorrow to see my other weekend Martha moment ;o)

I Was...

2011-09-11T12:27:00.000-05:00

At work already.

I was thinking about the day.

I was unaware.

It was about 8am (central time). I'd been at work for 1 hour and 15 minutes

A gentleman who was on our board of directors asked me if I had a radio. It didn't matter what station, I just needed to turn it on.

I did. Just in time to hear the words, "The second tower has been hit, both of the world trade center towers have been hit."

It was surreal.

I don't think I really grasped it. There was so much confusion. People didn't know what was going on. Was it real? Was it a terrorist attack? What was going on?

I wasn't until I heard that the Pentagon... the place I always thought was impenetrable... was hit too.

That's when I got scared.

It was the hardest day I've ever had to suffer through work.

If This...

2011-09-08T14:42:00.001-05:00

was all I had to move, life would have been easier!

As it is, there was LOTS more and I'm still trying to get settled in and unpack as well as spending some time reading and doing... well... nothing =o) Hopefully soon I'll be back around with updates of life and photos of my new place and such, but until then? Please pardon my absence!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T14:06:00.002-05:00

Flashback Friday

2011-09-02T06:30:00.000-05:00

Wait What?

2011-09-01T23:04:00.002-05:00

Here I go, telling you I was going to go back to Wordless Wednesday's and I already failed you 3 weeks in! I'm sorry. I totally failed you. But there are reasons, I promise! The biggest of which is that I'm moving into a new apartment. The decision was made and will be executed in right at a weeks time, so you can understand that I've been busy trying to get other things done. But tonight I gave myself the night off! So you got a post about the Bears game and now this... And tomorrow, to make up for my lack of Wordless Wednesday, I'll give you a...hmmmmm... Flashback Friday. Enjoy a photo from a few years back (probably taken with a cell phone or a film camera!)

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend friends!

#40. Go to a Bears Game.

2011-09-01T18:08:00.000-05:00

(clockwise)

1. PC & JP came with me!

2. Me in my cute new Bears shirt

3. View from my seat

4. The cup holders have cell phone holders! it was nice!!!

5. A random game shot

6. Da Bears taking a knee and saying a prayer pre-game

7. (center) Practicing

I'm not 5... although sometimes I feel like I am =o)

2011-08-26T14:15:00.000-05:00

It was so much easier as a kid. Making friends. We both liked dogs or swinging or maybe our parents were friends or we were the only two kids in out class with only brothers. Making friends was as simple as one common denominator between you and me. I know it wasn't always that easy and I know that there had to be something more to stick it out longer; to become good or even best friends.

How does it work now? Sometimes it seems effortless, like sharing a room with someone when you're on vacation and talking until 3 am (or later) or sitting on the floor of your living room singing Bohemian Rapsody into hairbrushes (I told you, I'm younger thanmy 31 years!) but sometimes... just sometimes... do you ever meet someone and think to yourself, "I want to be friends with them."

I've had that a few times lately, and I'm almost at a loss of how to go about getting to know these people better. I think it would be easier if I was in... I don't know... the same stage of life as these people? If I was married, if they were single. There would be more common denominators, maybe? But what if the only common denominator that you could think of is their love of God, their deep faith along with how much you both like (uuummmmm) cute headbands?

Sure, there's facebook, but as a friend recently blogged about facebook, twitter, technology isn't necessarily real friendship. I think that's why I have given it more and more of a back seat or even trunk location in the car of my life lately. How can you get deep with people and really get to know them across the interwebs? Can I, as an adult, go up to someone and say, "hi! I know we're facebook friends and we see each other at church sometimes... I know you're ________ (married/kids/in school, fill in the blank), but I'd really like to be real life friends with you".

What if I just wanted to see if the limited knowledge (i.e. facebook knowledge) I have of them could turn into something more meaningful."

Would I need to end that with, "I'm not a stalker, I promise"?

Why does this feel so much trickier as a 31 year old?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

A Haiku

2011-08-23T10:41:00.005-05:00

The road is empty,
The skies are sunny and clear.
Let's go for a drive.

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde

2011-08-22T16:39:00.000-05:00

Mr Dumby: What a mystery you are!

Lady Plymdale: (looking at him) I wish you were!

Mr. Dumby: I am -- to myself. I am the only person in the world I should like to know thoroughly; but I don't see any chance of it just at present.

__________________________________________

Sometimes I feel dreadfully like Mr. Dumby. I'd love to get to know myself better and just don't always seem to have the time.

I am trying, however...

Plans?

2011-08-19T14:41:00.004-05:00

What are your plans for the weekend, blog friends? Anything big and fun? Relaxing? Celebratory?

Today is my beautiful niece C's birthday and I can't believe she's 6!!! Of course, I still need to get her present in the mail, but I've never been the best at 'on time' ;o) It's on my plans for this weekend...

I have to work tomorrow, but then I'm going to do my best to make it to the post office to mail C's present, a USB of some photos to my uncle, and some netflix movies... then I need to drop off my rent and go to the grocery store and then to the butcher...

That made me feel a little Olde Timey to say... going to the butcher... but I'm excited! My awesome coworker PB gave me her old stand mixer (my very first ever!)

I used it to make this cake, which was also my first time trying to use fondant (it was made from scratch!)...

I painted it with a food coloring/vodka mix which was like watercoloring! It turned out ok... not my best by a long shot... but it tasted good (per all of my coworkers!)

But back to the Butcher... One of the attachments that came with the mixer was a meat grinder! AND after talking to my Mom, I got a recipe that she found written in my Grandpa S's handwriting for Polish Sausage!! I'm going to make it... I also might make a sweet bread for PB (from a recipe she loves and hasn't had in years) for giving me the mixer and a quick batch of gum drops because they looked so cute and quick on Bakerella's website!

Be prepared for some future photo baking blogs =o) I hope you have as fun a weekend as I'm planning to have!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T09:37:00.000-05:00

My Car's Name is Charley

2011-08-16T19:16:00.000-05:00

And today, Charley attacked me. I was getting out of my car at work and before I could move to close it, the door slammed shut hitting my shin on its way.

Now my shin is hurting and bruised and it had been bleeding but all I can think of is:

"OW! Charley bit me... and that really hurt Charley...... and it's still hurting....."

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T09:32:00.000-05:00

School's Back In & It's Stil Summer

2011-08-09T17:51:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it? Does it seem to anyone else that kids are starting school earlier and earlier? I remember maybe a 1/2 week of school before Labor Day and then we had a three day weekend and back to school full time. Of course here in TN there's a fall break... is there fall break by you? I feel cheated by not having one... only not really, because I didn't have to go to school for most of August!!!

It's been a tough summer for me, but a great one, too. Some friends threw me a wonderful birthday party complete with photo booth and balloons, cupcakes and punch, a scrapbook that made me cry and a projected movie under the stars =o)

(click on the photo to make it larger)

I went to the ATL to relax with family and I learned that there is actually a proper way to use the word "eh" and I learned how to use it! You can see posts about that (the ATL, not 'eh') here, here, here, here, and here!

I spent a couple of hours with R at the Stones River Battlefield watching some Civil War reenacting. Her mom and brother both reenact (although only her mom was there that day) and there were several things to see...

(click on the photo to make it larger)

I'm most proud of the shot where I got the fire coming out of the barrel of the gun! Awesome, no? I can't wait to go to a full battle reenactment to try to get more shots like that (it's harder than it looks... I took close to 100 shots and only had 2 with any kind of fire, and the photo in the top left corner was really the only good one...)

Next up for my end of summer plans is to complete #40 on The List. Go to a Bears game! I'm going to a preseason game they have against the TN Titans at LP field!! I'm going with a good friend of mine, PC, and we're in section 116... here's a view from our section!!

I'm so very excited!!

Other than that, I'll be bringing back the Wordless Wednesday's to the blog now that I'll be back into some sort of a schedule, and working on posting more regularly... Thanks for meandering your way through my very random summer with me, I hope you had a good one with a mix of fun busy and relaxation... =oD

Theraputic

2011-08-08T19:55:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was a very rough day. My emotions were all over the place... I teach 1's & 2's at church and this was our last week with some of them as they've grown up and are able to move on to the next class. This on the heels of losing one as her parents moved out of state and another family moving this week...

The family moving happens to be one of the pastors at my church and I'm having a hard time even typing about them going. DO is... was.. my singles pastor and he and his wife MBO along with their kids have meant so much to me in my life in TN, in my walk with God... They came to the church a little over 6 years ago and about 3 months before I started going there; and have been there for me through so many of the ups and downs I've had since then. I am going to miss them so very much...

But I'm excited for them! DO will be going to a pastoral school to be able to do church planting through Sovereign Grace Church and it is going to be exciting to see how God uses them!

I'm just bad a goodbyes.

But in this time of transition, I'm also in this struggle in life... in my faith. It's personal and I haven't really talked to anyone (other than my mom) about it. So as this goes on, as I say goodbye, as I'm beyond emotional, I've had this song breathing through me... the words the peace of it. It's been theraputic for me, and I hope it blesses you.

Still, My Soul Be Still

Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend

Still my soul be still

And do not fear

Though winds of change may rage tomorrow

God is at your side

No longer dread

The fires of unexpected sorrow

God You are my God

And I will trust in You and not be shaken

Lord of peace renew

A steadfast spirit within me

To rest in You alone

Still my soul be still

Do not be moved

By lesser lights and fleeting shadows

Hold onto His ways

With shield of faith

Against temptations flaming arrows

Still my soul be still

Do not forsake

The Truth you learned in the beginning

Wait upon the Lord

And hope will rise As stars appear when day is dimming

Janis Sometimes Sings for Me...

2011-08-04T12:27:00.000-05:00

You Never Know

2011-07-22T14:15:00.001-05:00

which photos will be your favorites...

I remember…

2011-07-18T20:07:00.000-05:00

...my love of reading. I used to read with a flashlight under my covers staying up way too late anticipating the next move of whichever main character I was following.

I read books that got cancelled from reading lists in school.

I still have my senior year lit book because I loved the stories in it.

Somewhere after high school, I’m not sure when, I stopped reading. Maybe not stopped completely, but definitely slowed down in intensity. It’s unfortunate, really. There’s nothing I enjoyed more than losing my imagination within pages and pages of written word. The way an author can twist and turn… expressions of color and movement that become completely clear in my mind’s eye… the thrills of knowing that I figured out “who done it” before the author reveals them…

*sigh*

One of the reasons I put #71 on the list: Read 10 books that I haven’t read on my bookshelf is because of my lack of reading. I too often choose to sit in front of a tv or (more likely) a movie. I allow someone else’s imagination to take me on a journey instead of letting my own paint pictures.

How boring.

Well, no more! I’m renewed in my decision to read and actually read 3 books last week (in 2.5 days) =o) The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay all by Suzanne Collins. I was going to check them off as books 4, 5, & 6 on the list, but didn’t since I ended up being given one and borrowing the other two about 500 days after the list was created. Not books already on my shelves, you see…

But I’m determined to read more whether on my shelf or not…

Any suggestions?

Wishing for Longer

2011-07-15T08:54:00.001-05:00

Baby You're a Firework

2011-07-14T08:45:00.001-05:00

Alabama

2011-07-13T09:44:00.013-05:00

Still in the ATL

2011-07-12T08:42:00.000-05:00

WOW!

2011-07-11T08:44:00.000-05:00

I posted for the entire month of June and now here it is July 11th before the next one posts... oops! I've been busy, blogging friends! I got to go to an impromptu mini family reunion (I'd say about 1/2 of my mom's side of the family) over the weekend of the 4th of July and since then, I've been playing life catch-up!

Of course I'm still working on it (I think I have 1 load of laundry left?) so until I get more together, enjoy some photos this week (Mon-Fri) from my family visit in GA and AL!

Day 1 - GA

Z is for Zoo

2011-06-30T08:18:00.000-05:00

I went last summer with my siblings, SIL's and my amazing niece and nephews. It was so much fun seeing the joy in their eyes as they watched animals and played together. It's such a forever memory. I didn't have a photo of all of us together, or even any of the kids together, so here's the 1 animal photo I took. ha!

Y is for Yankee

2011-06-29T08:13:00.000-05:00

That's me! Of course I never really realized it until I moved south of the Mason Dixon line just over 6.5 years ago =o) Now, sometimes it's hard to forget, but other times? I just blend right in darlin'!

X is for the X-Ray Technicians Dilemma

2011-06-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

Have you ever made up a game with friends but you feel crazy when you try to explain it? That's where the X-Ray Technicians Dilemma came from. It's a (non-drinking) game using the alphabet and basically we could never think of anything for X. So, what do you think his dilemma is?

(photo from here)

W is for Wanderlust

2011-06-27T08:17:00.000-05:00

Wanderlust
1. very strong or irresistible impulse to travel

(photo from here)

What Do I Know Of Holy?

2011-06-26T08:28:00.003-05:00

V is for Vehicle

2011-06-25T08:16:00.001-05:00

I got a new one! Her name is Charley =o)

U is for Unbelievable

2011-06-24T08:16:00.000-05:00

Remember yesterday when I did T is for Thirty? I said I was thirty for a little while longer? Really it was just for 24 hours longer... Today is my 31st birthday! Happy Birthday, Me =o)

365 Pieces of Me

2011-06-23T13:34:00.002-05:00

365 Pieces of Me, a set on Flickr.

Taking a break in my alphabet to share the now finished 365 Day Photo Challenge that I started on 6/24/2010! You can also see every day if you go to my other blog! =o)

T is for Thirty

2011-06-23T08:15:00.000-05:00

… my age… for a little while longer ;o) So far it has been such an awesome year!! I have enjoyed it o-so-much all the way from New Orleans until now…

S is for Siblings & SIL's

2011-06-22T08:15:00.011-05:00

Meet my brothers and Sister-in-laws. They're pretty awesome, aren't they? It's not often enough I get to go home to Chicago and spend time with my family, but when I do I love that these four relatives of mine make time to specifically spend time with me in their busy schedules. I love spending time with them (and their kids!)!

(top photo stolen from my oldest brothers photos from a recent trip they took!)

R is for my two R’s!

2011-06-21T08:15:00.000-05:00

They’re two of my best friends, share a first name, got engaged to their now husbands the same week and got married on the same day (luckily for me, one was a morning wedding and the other was an evening wedding!)

Q is for Quest

2011-06-20T08:11:00.000-05:00

I literally started looking at a dictionary to find a word with Q and it worked! I'm on a quest right now... a quest into family history, a quest into genealogy. I'm really enjoying learning about grandparents and great great aunts and uncles and I can't wait to see where my journey leads.

Forgiven and Loved

2011-06-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

P is for Penelope

2011-06-18T08:10:00.000-05:00

Meet Penelope... sn't she lovely? =o)

O is for Organic.

2011-06-17T08:10:00.001-05:00

I wish, wish, wish I lived closer than 30-45 minutes away from my nearest organically grown/made/created store! Specifically, I wish the town I lived in would have a Whole Foods or Trader Joes! I think we are definitely a large enough town to sustain a store like that and then I wouldn't just have to dream about it...

(photos from here and here)

N is for Niece and Nephews!

2011-06-16T08:10:00.000-05:00

I have the most adorable intelligent AMAZING niece & nephews in the world!

M is for my Mom

2011-06-15T08:10:00.000-05:00

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:25-31

L is for Lamp.

2011-06-14T08:09:00.000-05:00

This is my very favorite one...

K is for Knitting

2011-06-13T08:09:00.000-05:00

I know how to! I've been working on projects on and off for a while now, but I'm trying to get up the nerve to start another blanket. Nothing fancy, just something else to help keep me warm in the winter. I learned to knit in the 4th grade for school after we read a book called The Mile Long Muffler (I'm determined to own it someday!).

Shine

2011-06-12T07:20:00.000-05:00

J is for (Captain) Jack Sparrow

2011-06-11T08:07:00.000-05:00

Not for any reason other than I saw the midnight showing of Pirates of the Caribbean... It was AWESOME!!!!

I is for Inspiration

2011-06-10T08:06:00.000-05:00

…and finding it everywhere. I think one of the biggest compliments I have ever received went something like this, “I love how you see beauty in even the littlest things, like ice on a branch. I don’t’ even notice until you point it out”. It was a humbling compliment.

H is for Hats!

2011-06-09T08:06:00.000-05:00

I *heart* hats!! I have an entire album on facebook dedicated to me wearing hats of all kinds and I really wish they would come back into style so I could wear them everywhere!

G is for the Guys.

2011-06-08T08:01:00.000-05:00

It’s what I’ve referred to them as for years! It’s hard to believe I’ve know them all for almost 13 years now.I also don't know what I do without them (even though I don't get to see them often enough!)

F is for F.

2011-06-07T08:01:00.002-05:00

My best friend since grade school… we haven’t lived in the same state since we were 21, but miles don’t matter. She’s married now and has a BEAUTIFUL baby girl that I love seeing photos and videos of, and I can’t wait to someday actually meet.

E is for ee cummings

2011-06-06T09:43:00.000-05:00

The crazy poet that likes to use random punctuation and seemingly doesn’t make any sense at all. But he actually does. Now that I’m getting older this poet I once very much disliked has become a favorite. It begs the question, Do I just understand him now that I’m older or do I just make the time to understand him now that I’m older, or do the years I’ve had to learn about life since I studied him freshman year of high school give me the understanding I needed?

To read all of my ee poems on the blog, click here.

June Music

2011-06-05T23:01:00.000-05:00

I know its a late post, but a post for today, none the less! When I went to the conference in Chicago, Keith and Kristyn Getty did our music. I was so touched my their music. I hope you enjoy what was essentially our theme music for the conference...

D is for Dad.

2011-06-04T09:43:00.002-05:00

What can I say, I'm beyond blessed to have a dad who is an earthly representation of my Heavenly Father.

C is for C!

2011-06-03T09:43:00.001-05:00

Another former roommate who very recently got married, who’s wedding I coordinated and who had a pretty cute DJ at her reception that I flirted with most of the night (I figured I should put that out here since I suspect I'll get teased about it for the rest of my life!) what was his name again????

B is for Baking

2011-06-02T08:43:00.000-05:00

Something I've done for years but very much want to get better at! I stalk baking blogs and read all kind of tips and ideas and I would love to learn more, but everyone I know including myself is dieting, so who do I practice for? I do what I can when I can, and most often baked in my kitchen? COOKIES!

A is for… well… A!

2011-06-01T08:15:00.001-05:00

One of my former roommates and one of my favorite people to e-mail with =o) We don’t get to see each other nearly enough now that she lives 45 minutes away, but I love when we do get to spend time hanging out, especially the first Saturday of December every year for our annual Christmas day in Franklin, TN!

My Real Life Alphabet / My 400th Post!

2011-05-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

My amazing friend R has been telling me I need to do a post similar to the one she did a while back. A real life alphabet. Something starting with each letter of the alphabet in my very own life. It's not easy... I was going to do exactly that. One big post. HUGE in honor of this post. My 400th. But then I started thinking... I haven't been a very good blogger lately, and I apologize for that. I do... So, instead of posting a ginormous ridiculously long blog post, I'm going to make you a deal instead. (My adorable nephew likes to make deals, too... I think its precious!) I'm going to blog the alphabet through the month of June. A post Monday thru Saturday every week. 26 promised posts. I'll try to throw something out there on Sundays; and who knows, maybe I'll still throw in some Wordless Wednesdays as well!

What do you think, blogging friends? Can I do it? 30 (or more?) posts in 30 days.

It's on!

Oh, and since I skipped a Wordless with the idea of a special 400th post, here's a photo for the road:

I'll see you tomorrow with the letter A!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T10:26:00.000-05:00

I Want To Be An Extreme Couponer

2011-05-17T15:48:00.000-05:00

Have you seen this show on TLC? Extreme Couponing! It’s INSANE. People are out there buying $1800.00 worth of groceries for around $45! Now, where I get really confused by them is the reasoning behind why anyone in their right mind would need to have 64 bottles of mustard in their house… or 60 bottles of hot sauce… or enough paper towel rolls to fill a bathtub/shower.

BUT

I would love to do it because I realized something… getting all of those groceries and such for so cheap (even if I was closer to the people that spend $15 on $700 worth of groceries)… I could take what I could actually use/need and give the rest to soup kitchens or food pantries…

That would be AWESOME!

I know...

2011-05-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

I know you can be overwhelmed, and I know you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?

Because I think that's what I am right now...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T11:30:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-27T14:25:00.002-05:00