Where have I been ???

Geez - cant believe that is has been over a month since I did a post.  And sadly, I can't even tell you where I have been (not because it is some sort of secret or anything -- I just can't really account for where the time has gone).  Work has kept me pretty busy with our annual meeting and SWEDE conference - so I can put a little chunk there.  And we just had the LC Fair and Rodeo - so that ate up 4 days.  Other than that - it is pretty much a blur....

Spring Fever..

The weather outside is Beautiful! and aside from a slightly gusty wind - just about perfect.  I had the pleasure of shooting some senior pics for one of my friend's daughters - Avery.  Ave is a supper fab girl who went along with everything I asked.  And she os oh - so photogenic ... check her out.

 We also took a few of Ave and her friend Maci (a.k.a Marci)

I had a blast girls  -- Thanks!

My second life ...

So I have to get a little deep here ... not typically where I go with this.  But at this point last year is where I started my journey into the unknown - my battle with cancer (although I don't feel like I have the right to call it a battle because God gave me such an easy go of it). Since most of that is now behind me I've started what I call "my second life".  I've heard some people say that that they started their life over or were given a whole new life after going through a big ordeal. Well... I don't want a new life - I like what I had (have).  And I hated to say that I started a "bucket list" - because there aren't just too many things that I feel I just have to do before I die.

But there are some things I've opted to change.  Personal things in how I handle what comes my way.  I am acting on making myself a better person.  We always say we wish we "could" be, I'm making the commitment to just make it "be".  I stepped into an unknown role (a leadership role) as president of the day school board.  Frankly I think I make a much better indian than chief - but we'll see.  I sent a poem to a friend.  We always say we need to tell people how we feel before it's too late - so I am (poems, thank you notes, emails) I've devoted time to me. I started taking guitar lessons - which I love; and I am learning - just for me.  There's no pressure, no expectation to perform, or requirement to reach a certain grade/level.  It is amazing how much more enjoyable learning can be.

Life is good -- and it's only getting better.

New Digs....

So I got located to a new place at work (by request).  My co-worker and I had new desks built into our workroom that basically allow us to collaborate better - instead of being stuck in separate cubes.  So far I am loving it.  It is actually a smaller space than what I was in before - but it is soooo much more functional.  The only problem is that I had 5 years worth of junk crammed into the old space and now I am having to pilfer through all of that to get it to fit into the new area.  I have about 2/3rds move -- but I honestly don't know what to do with the rest of it.  I can't bear to throw some of it away - because I know the minute  do I will need it (old files and stuff).  And I don't really want to bring it to the new area - because I really want to try to keep the new area clutter free.

I guess I am going to have to look for some empty storage space in one of the 'community' file cabinets (which are already full).

Healthy Choice ... ?maybe

I am totally NOT a health nut or anything. In-fact I am quite the opposite. However, I have recently become much more conscious about what I am eating - trying to make smarter decisions. Just little things like drinking more water instead of soda, baked chips instead of fries, jello instead of a piece of pie. I am certainly not limiting myself -- just taking a second thought before I indulge. As part of that I have re-evaluated my lunch-time options.

It was typical for me to eat out every week and spend $8-$15 dollar per meal -- on food that wasn't even that good. Sure my Green Chai flatbread pizza with fresh spinach and feta is probably pretty decent on the health-o-meter. But I know the cheeseburger and fries from What-a-burger would score a big fat zero.

So the last two weeks I have tried to limit myself to only eating out once or twice a week (give me some credit - I can't go cold turkey). And then the other 3 or 4 days I bring in my little "Healthy Choice" microwavable dinner.

Well - it hit me today....as I ate my Chicken with bow-tie pasta in a pesto sauce, my measly three sprigs of broccoli with some carrot shreds, and the Cobbler-esque 'dessert' -- "Hey - can I really call this a healthy choice if I have to load it down with salt and pepper just to get it down. And then find myself snacking by 2 p.m. because I didn't get full from lunch" Needless to say I may have to re-evaluate the situation again. I am sure - somewhere out there - there a blissful combination of yummy, easy, cheap, quick, healthy goodness that I could work from. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to let me know. (And I don't do sandwiches).

What I want ...

What I had ...

BIG DIFFERENCE

It's just been one of those ....

Days Weeks Months. I can't believe that it has been over a month since I posted. Seems like thinks are finally back to normal after the whole cancer thing. But I forgot how busy 'normal' can be. It seems like there is something going on every day. And now that the weather is nice we are spending a lot more time outside (a.k.a. - gone). Darren is doing a garden again this year with the help of my dad and B-I-L Jeff. All three are really into it. And this year it is located down at my dad's instead of in our back yard. While I love this - it also means that we are down there just about every other night - if not more. And it is never just a 5 minute - water the plants - kind of thing.

Nat has really gotten into gardening too. She loves to go look for (and then eat) strawberries every day. If you are lucky she might share one with you. I love that she seems to be picking up on the green thumb I never got. And it is a great way to get her outside. We also have the typical squash, peppers, and whatnot - but she isn't near as excited about those things.

We've also planted a few new things this year like potatoes and 'black tomatoes' - so we will see how those go. I am little leery about the black tomatoes. From what I have seen online - they look like they are a few weeks past their expiration -- but apparently they have this great flavor. I will keep you posted on that one.

Just as a reference -- this is what is expected to come up ...

What if I Stumble...

So I have started taking guitar lessons. A little something to check off of my "bucket list". I have a super great teacher and we have a blast! I actually think I am doing pretty well. Learned my first chord change yesterday (and it is only my second lesson so...) Anyways, Laurie (my teacher) and I were talking about all of the Christian bands we listened to back in the last '90s. Jars of Clay, DC Talk, Third Day....it started to bring back a flood of memories. One of my favorites is "What if I Stumble" by DC Talk. I started to think about stumbling with this whole guitar lesson thing. What if I am not getting it. What if I stink at it. And then it hit me....I doesn't matter. It isn't like taking a class in school - where if you do bad, you fail and you have to take it again. This is just for me ... the good, the bad, the ugly...and I can continue or stop at anytime without any pressure or consequence. And that make me love learning to play even more!

I guess this makes me a nerd...

So no real surprise there -- I've always known that I tend to lean towards the Geek side of the spectrum. But after looking at this site and seeing how many of the items I love I'm thinking that the scale just shifted a bit.

I LOVE these Pantone phone covers.

check out Nerd Valentine for more awesome items.

Re-Invention of the same 'ol wheel.

Okay...so my life over the last um ...8 months has been wildly crazy. I had a baby in February (yes - that means she is almost 1 now) and went back to work full-time at the beginning of May. By the end of May I was on a wildwind journey to figure out why I had this annoying cough that wouldn't got away. August 13, 2010 - diagnosis - Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin's Lymphoma. You can read more about that whole journey here. Needless to say I spent a lot of my time and focus on beating that. BUT -- no I am back!! I am FINALLY starting to feel like the old me again (the old, not pregnant, not-chemo ridden, not radiation whooped ME). And I have developed a new look on things. I have challenged to do things that prior to this I would have just kept putting off. Little things like playing on the floor with my kids more, sending thank you cards and handwritten notes, focusing more on being a blessing in someones life each and every day. So you're gonna hear more and more about stuff like that on here now. But no worries -- you'll get to enjoy the same random crap from me that brought you here in the first place.