Welcome to My World

Where have I been ???

2011-05-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

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..

2011-04-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2011-04-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

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....

2011-04-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

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 ....

2011-03-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

~~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...

2011-02-16T06:08:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-02-07T05:46:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-02-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

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.

Jocelyn's 101

2010-07-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

I have a friend, Jocelyn, who I met thru connections at work. Honestly - we have never met in person, but rather keep in touch via the virtual worlds in which we live (Facebook, Twitter, and our Blogs). She recently created a whole new blog devoted to a mission she is on - to do 101 new things in 1,001 days. I've often found my self trying to learn new things each day (I follow a site called Learn Something New Every Day) and since I have lived down the same road for over 25 years I challenge myself regularly to find something new on the way home - a barn in the distance that I never saw before, a name on a mailbox, stuff like that - either I am a really unobservant person or my surroundings change often b/c I am always finding stuff. But Jocelyn is taking it one step further and actually DOING stuff. I can't wait to see what she comes up with - and who knows - maybe I'll get the bug to DO something too.

Dang iPhone

2010-06-30T11:57:00.001-07:00

So I held off on getting an iphone until about 4 weeks ago when my Blackjack crapped out. My husband had an iphone, my sister had an iphone, my in-laws had iphones .. so I thought I may as well jump on the band wagon. Well let me just say that the stupids apps that you can get are addicting. Between Words with Friends, High School Heroes, Tap Resort and a slew of other games I spend my day constantly "checking in" to see who I need to fight, what I need to build, or who to add as a friend. Granted the ability to uploads pics to my Facebook and send them via text has been great. The grandparents love that I can send pics of the girls almost instantaneously. I fear that live will never be the same though. The fact that I can multi-task, and by that I mean feed a baby with one hand and play Solitaire with the other, is not something I intend to boast about (at least not too often).

Fidorka

2010-06-29T05:40:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who introduced me to this wonderful Czech chocolate. Actually it is a milk waffer (think inside of a kit-Kat). This delicious creation is called Fidorka. I was treated to this candy about 3 years ago and frantically searched to see if it was available in the states. Unfortunately, it can only be bought online and it has to be bought by the case. Although it would be no problem for me to finish of a case of the stuff my conscience just wouldn't let me order it. And so it went by the wayside. Then a few weeks ago my friend returned from a two week trip to Prague with Fidroka in hand. AND he brought me several different flavors (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, hazelnut and a few others). The only dilemma now is that I feel like hoarding them because I don't know if or when I will ever get more. So I will have to ration them sparingly.

Thanks Hondo!!

Re-INSPIRED

2010-06-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

So it has apparently been WAY too long since I put up a post. Unfortunately life got in the way for a bit ... but now, thanks to a friend's blog (Thanks Abby) I've been re-inspired to pick up and let the insanity continue. And BOY do I have a bunch of stuff to talk about.

Buckyballs - Part Two

2009-12-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

We had a gift exchange at our office Christmas party last night and one of my bestest co-worker friends had my name. Being the thoughtful ( and wacky) friend that she is - she got me BUCKYBALLS - wheehee!!! I did get one or two strange looks from some people as they asked what the heck they were - but once I opened the package and let people play with them I started to win the crowd over - they were a hit (I wouldn't be surprised if one or two more folks added them to their xmas list).

Now I will say that the "masterpieces" that I created last night were no where near the caliber of what you would see on the video - but I figure that just gives me an excuse to "practice" with them.

"Tis the season....

2009-12-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

So I can totally tell it is the holiday season due to the overwhelming number of emails I have in my inbox. Seems that every retailer that I subscribe to feels the need to email me at least once or twice a day about the WONDERFUL deals they have. Now any other time of the year I'd be happy to know about free shipping or how to 15 % off my next purchase -- but I am starting to feel a bit bombarded with all of the attention I am getting from them. I mean - I know I am a loyal customer and I am glad that they appreciate my business -- but seriously people - I don't need to know that at 2:30 in the morning and then be reminded again at noon. Of course I don't dare remove my name from the mailing list - because come January I will once again want to know about all of the sales (although I have a slight feeling that I may not hear from some of these folks again until May or June and their offers won't be near as enticing as they are now). So for now I guess I will just continue about my day and repeatedly check my box to delete the 20 or 30 messages that are waiting for me to sort thru. Fa la la la la - la la la la.

Buckyballs...

2009-10-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

I so want some of these. maybe if i am a good girl Santa will bring me some for Christmas. I figure this would be a good "creative tool" for my desk at work (who am I kidding - I get these things and I will never get any work done.)

Makes me smile....

2009-10-16T08:25:00.001-07:00

I just found this to be very amusing. I am trying to talk my office into doing one.

Improve Everywhere...

2009-10-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

This group is so interesting. Improv Everywhere is a group devoted to doing improv out in the streets in mass numbers. I've watched a couple of their videos and always think to myself afterwards..."Wow - how cool and fun is that." I'd highly recommend you look at the "Surprise Wedding Reception" episode and "the MP3 Experiment."

I'll leave you with one of the most recent and one of my favorite episodes "The Invisible Dog"..(note how some of these people really get into it and have very active dogs).

Who says you can't use a liberal arts degree...

2009-10-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Speechless....

2009-10-06T05:41:00.001-07:00

We were on our way home from a weekend camping trip with my in-laws - when all of a sudden my hubby said "is that a bald eagle"? Well....I don't know birds, but it appeared that way to me. Fortunately I had my camera with me - so we swung a u-turn and I shot a few quick pics from inside the car as the bird took off. I guess you never know what you'll see on a small central Texas back-road.

Swissmiss...

2009-09-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I posted something....who am I kidding - I can totally believe it. It seems like the last two months have just flown by and with fall and the holidays approaching it seems that there is no chance of it slowing down. I've also got kid #2 on the way (we hope to find out on 10/14 if it is a boy or a girl) so I can pretty well tell that this chaos is SURE to ensue for quite some time. I will say that one thing that has started to occupy a bit more of my time is this wonderful new blog that I stumbled across - Swissmiss is this wonderful array of all things creative. And it's randomness suites my off-kilter attention span just perfectly. If you have a few minutes I would highly recommend that you take a peak.

We had a Wonderful Time...

2009-08-06T10:56:00.001-07:00

At the Frio River. My family as well as another family spent several days at the end of July at the Frio River. And although there wasn't much water around, every still seemed to have a great time. The girls (Natalie, my niece Kelby, and niece Kevyn) had a blast splashing in the water - and since there was basically no current they could walk around with ease.

I also got to snap a few family photos for my sister and her crew.

Finally.....

2009-08-04T06:12:00.001-07:00

It's been a while - but I finally got a chance to go out and do some shooting again. My wonderful hubby and i took a quick trip to visit his grandparents out in Lone Grove (near Llano). They live on the family "homestead" and have all sorts of wonderful treasures out there. The old farm house that Darren's Great-Grandfather lived in (built in the early '30s); PawPaw's bee hives; and great scenery. It was a wonderful way to rejuvenate my spirits.

A few family photos....

2009-06-24T05:50:00.001-07:00

I got to spend the evening with my two nieces - so we got all three kiddos together to get some updated shots. Here is what developed (P.S. it is not easy to get three kids to sit in the same spot for more than like 3 seconds....)

Dearest Blog....

2009-06-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

I've so much to say an no time to say it. I love you - I've missed you - I'll write again soon. I've been knee deep in projects - but I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I hop to be able to share that all with you soon.

Busy as a bee...

2009-05-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

Well it's been several days since I last posted - but I have been busy as a bee with several major projects going on (I'll be sharing those later). And Giddings had their fair this weekend - so no work got done. I got to be a judge at the BBQ cook-off this year in my favorite category - Ribs. Nothing is better than getting to sample 12 different kinds of ribs accompanied by a nice cool beverage (a.k.a. Miller Light). It's kind of like a buffet that comes to you....you sit and they bring you a box - you eat - then they bring you another box - you eat - then they bring you another box...well you get the idea. I am definitely looking forward to doing that again next year. I've gotta run for now - heading off the the Ronald McDonald House with some co-workers for a volunteer project. More to come tomorrow....

Mmmmm....Reese's

2009-05-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

So Reese's peanut butter cups are my absolute favorite candy - but apparently when you have too many along with a Dr. Pepper or two it can turn you into that little squirrel Twitchy from Hoodwinked (Dee-na-mee-tay!!) Ha! Anyways, too bad these powers can't be used for good (like productive work) instead of bad (like blogging and blog-stalking). Spent a good chunk of this afternoon posting on my S-I-Ls site (sorry Amy). I'm guessing that I am doomed to hit the crash and burn shortly - unless the consumption of more sugars occurs (and that's unlikely).

Heading to Riverside

2009-04-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

The company I work for has a quarterly leadership retreat that we call "Riverside" (it use to actually be at a conference center that was located on the riverside). Anyways, it is a great chance to network with other folks from different divisions and the presentations are always great. But it is also hard to leave home for a night without my family. It is a bit of "homesick" with a bit of "missing you" and a part "feeling left out" from whatever may happen in the 24 hours that I am away. Surprisingly, it is also a lot of work making sure that my hubby has everything that he needs to keep Nat happy while I'm out - clothes laid out for school, groceries in the fridge, etc. And then I have two days worth of emails and phone calls to catch up on when I get back into the office. So, quite honestly I'm not all that excited about going aside from the fact that I get a queen size bed all to myself and the chance to sleep in a little bit.

I'd like to go to sleep please...

2009-04-29T06:08:00.001-07:00

I haven't had a good nights sleep in almost a week (I feel like I did the first week we brought Nat home from the hospital). I keep waking up around 3 am with thoughts of stuff that I need to do flooding my head - emails that I need to send out, phone calls I need to make, groceries I need to pick up. I have absolutely no problem falling asleep-just staying asleep. Work has been crazy busy lately - so I know that is part of the problem - but there aren't any signs of it slowing down until maybe the middle of May. The worst part is, that I know it is affecting me emotionally now. At first I was just physically tired - now I am emotionally drained too - and I feel sorry for just about anyone who has to deal with me during the day because I know that I am grumpy (and that it putting it politely). All I really want to do is go hide in a cave somewhere for about 12 hours and try to "catch up" on the whole sleep thing.

May I be a blessing...

2009-04-23T05:23:00.000-07:00

Lord, thank you for all of the blessings you have given me in my life; a wonderful family, great friends, a job a love, and the ability to express my creativity through my art. Please let me be a blessing to someone today.

I am working on an art project for my church...here are a few sneek peaks.

Easter Week....

2009-04-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

So my daughter got to go to 4 Easter egg hunts this year and as such we ended up with more candy than ever before. Mommy and Daddy have done their best to help consume the confectionary culprits but I just can't bring myself to eat those dang marshmallow bunnies wrapped in colorful cellophane or Peeps (quite frankly I think that they are just plain nasty). And I don't dare let Nat have them because the "sugar demons" (a phrase my mother-in-law is very familiar with) keep her up all night. Next year I am hoping that the Easter Bunny will have a kinder heart and just put stickers or money in the eggs...Don't get me wrong - she had a great time and we appreciate all of the effort it took to coordinate the hunts -- I just need a little time to come down from by sugar binge. We had a blast visiting with family, playing games, and partaking in various culinary treats (my family are big foodies and there is always an assortment of snacks, dips, and deserts). We look forward to seeing everyone again soon.

My mom and my adorable niece

Daddy Darren with Nat and my sister with her girls.

I tried very hard to get a decent shot of Nat - but the eggs were just too enticing.

Papa Fred (my dad) was quick to help Nat into all of the goodies.

My niece was a very avid hunter this year and wanted to have "the big basket" to get ALL of the eggs.

That eventually developed into her having 2 baskets with ALL the eggs.

Holy Guacamole Batman..

2009-03-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

So with the first signs of "true SPring" (it's Texas people - we have our own seasons) my hubby and I thought that it would be good to get all of the leaves in the yard raked up and a few flowers planted (note - we hadn't done this in the 3 years that we have lived here). Well after doing 20 bags on our own - we decided to call it a day. Darren contracted (or hoodwinked if you asked me) his part-time employee/friend Adam to come a rake the rest on Wednesday. After a few hours Adam informed Darren that he had run out of bags (82 - 30 gallon trash bags folks) I came home to find a HUGE pile of bags in my driveway. So okay -we got the place cleaned up but what the frick are we going to do will all the bags I ask? Yesterday Darren calls me to say that Adam found a lady that wanted them - ALL of them. She, her husband and a friend came by today with a trailer - and much to my amazement loaded and took the whole thing. Needless to say - we won't be letting the leaves go by the wayside and literally get snowed under again.

No snow--this is the kind of "drifts" and "banks" I have to deal with.

The 140+ bags that ended up in my driveway.

Darren and Nat as a frame of reference.

It just keeps getting better and better....

2009-03-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

So I have apparently gone a little click happy with all of the "stuff" on my page...Twitter, RSS feeds, links -- but they just make it too darn easy to add things - to the point that I am sure that it is a sensory overload for anyone who visits. Not to fear - I will scale it down a bit once i have decided what elements I truly like -- so bare with me as I explore my options. I only do it to better the experience of my visitor (well not really...I'm just a very curios cat - and you know what they say about that...)

Memories...

2009-03-24T05:43:00.001-07:00

Natalie (a day old)

Nat the day we came home from the hospital

Nat at age two.

It was 2 years ago yesterday that my sweet baby girl finally got to come home from the hospital. We were in the PICU at Children's hospital (the old one) in Austin for 17 days. Nat was born with a heart defect called transposition of the greater arteries (TGA) - we joke that her plumbing was just a little wrong and it had to be fixed. It was a long two and a half weeks. She had her first procedure done when she was a day old and then had open heart surgery at a week old. This time of year always makes me feel a little somber - remembering all of the chaos and angst, but it also makes me feel incredibly thankful that we have such an amazing GOD watching over us - he truly took care of us then and shows us everyday how powerful he is, in every one of her cute little smiles.

Oh what a night....

2009-03-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

So Amy and I went out for a super fun night shoot last night. Goofing around with different lighting and what not - it was a blast! We both played model and her hubby Matt was our lighting guy - he even got in on a few of the shots (he was super cool for helping us out - they are such a great couple)....And it makes me realize that I SO need to practice with dark settings. We both agreed that we need to go out and do it again, but for now - here are a few pics for you.

a creepy old tree

my favorite car

sunset

Amy (she'll probably kill me for posting this)

SPAMALOT = HaHaHa...

2009-03-16T06:21:00.001-07:00

My mother-in-law got us (all of the girls) tickets to go see Spamalot. And I thought it was hilarious. I would definitely go see it again. My S-I-L Amy and would just look at each other and crack up over some of the lines they said. And inspite of being under the weather - it was well worth the trip to Austin. The cast even worked in an "Eyes of Texas" tribute for Austinites (actually they did it twice - and the second time the whole crowd got into singing it - even as an Aggie - I thought it was great). So if you ever get a chance to go see it take it.

TGIF...

2009-03-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

All I can say is Wohoo!!! This has just been one of those weeks at work that you could really do without. Not to mention my two year old has been waking up at 2 am for the last three nights and crawling in bed with us - so I'm running on minimal amounts of sleep. Fortunately I only have one thing on my agenda tomorrow - a quick photo shoot at 9 am that should only last an hour or so. I am really looking forward to a long afternoon nap - especially if the weather stays all rainy and cold outside.

I have to admit....

2009-03-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

My profile photo was ganked from my uber talented Sister-In-Law Amy's blog page. I did a little tweaking but she is the true talent. I highly urge any of you who are interested in some new photos to check her out at Amy Blackburn Photography. Her slogan is "You. With a twist" and that is sooo true. She's got a way of bringing out the best in you and is super fun when it comes to a session. She is even kind enough to let me tag along to some sessions to observe. I'd like to think that we'd be friends even if we weren't family.

A Daughter's Journey...

2009-03-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

I have been following the blog of Scarlett Lillian lately and what a journey she has been through. Her father recently passed away after a battle with cancer. And I am in awe and amazement at the strength that she exudes, the courage she has to share such intimate moments, all in her beautifully talented way. If you haven't already visited her site take a look - just make sure you have a kleenx ready.

Out Sick - Kind of...

2009-03-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

So this is my second day this week that I am out from work due to a sick kiddo. One might think that this wouldn't be so bad - a day off, daytime TV watching, sleeping in late...however a child with Strep nixes a lot of that. We were up at 3 am and then again at 5:30 am - so no sleeping late. Daytime TV is only good if you get to watch something besides Dora, SpongeBob or the Backyardigans. And as for the "day off" - well I am more tired after a day with a cranky kid and trying to work intermittently from home - than the busiest day at work.

Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in - and the fever will subside and life can get back to normal.

I will say - that I did get to spend a little more time blog surfing - but I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Finally got a shot...

2009-02-28T18:33:00.000-08:00

So I like to take pictures - of random stuff - but I rarely have time to get out and shoot and even less time editing. I got to spend some time this weekend shooting with the help of hubby who was kind enough to chauffeur me around - and thought that I would share some of my images with you.

One of the local residents that I made friends with.

The old farm house.

"Uncle Melvin's" bike

A 1960 flatbed.

"Aunt Cindy's" first ride.

A room with a view.

Awe nuts!! (and bolts)

And the addiction grows...

2009-02-26T09:15:00.001-08:00

Gone are the days of going to my "favorites" list in my web browser to view random blogs throughout the day. My addiction is now fueled by the fact that I can simply set up an RSS subscription to all of my wonderful friends pages (I call them my friends - we have never met, nor do they probably know that I even exists - but as a vouyure into their worlds I feel as if I personally know each and every one of them).

Anyways, it feed everything into one simple place - what a time saver...now I only have to click one button. The bad part is - I now probably "visit" more sites on a daily basis than I ever did before. I only validate the system with the fact that I did sign up for one news feed - for intellectual purposes of course (too bad it's a local paper - and I only skim over the headlines). None-the-less, I do feel as though I am gaining an absorbent amount of information, tips, ideas, etc. So I'll call it a win for now.

Boom...

2009-02-25T10:38:00.000-08:00

My husbands family - really his sister, brother, and brother-in-law, love this group called Flight of the Conchords. They could sit and listen to the songs and quote line after line after line and just laugh their rears off to these goofy parodyesque type diddys. I thought that I would give it another shot - so as not to be a party pooper. After listening (or trying to) to about 15 songs or so - I finally found one that I can listen to repeatedly. Don't ask why this one - but I actually find it amusing. Maybe in a fews weeks I'll be able to venture out and find another one that I can hum along to.

You learn something new every day...

2009-02-18T12:46:00.000-08:00

I actually learned this a while back - and thanks to a recent conversation with a friend - it came up once again. But, did you know that the tiny little nut we call the cashew actually comes from a pseudo fruit commonly called a cashew apple. Apparently you can eat the apple and some had said that it resembles the taste of pineapple - with a funny bitter, burning aftertaste. Um... no thank you. But that does explain why the little guy is so much more expensive than his little cousin Mr. peanut.

Time for a Mental Holiday.

2009-02-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

It seems that every so often I feel the need to take a mental holiday. And that time has arrived once again. Too much work, too much drama, too much 'mommy, mommy, mommy..', too much 'real life'. So hopefully I can get away for a day or two and recharge the 'ol battery - no phone, no email, no facebook or myspace. Just a little R&R. And, hopefully when I return I'll have a little more creativeness to spill out onto these pages.

If you're lucky I might drop you a post card while I am out.

What a way to start the weekend..

2009-01-26T06:13:00.001-08:00

It was about 7:30 or so. Nat was in her room playing quietly. Darren and I were still in bed. All of a sudden there was a knock on the door. Darren peered out the window and said he thought he saw a broke down car. As he went to answer the door I looked out and to my amazement I saw a field fire in the pasture next to my parents house. The woman at the door was our neighbor - who knows that my parent live right down the street. She was kind enough to come over and suggest that we call them. I was already on the phone calling mom as Darren closed the door. He then grabbed the two tiny fire extinguishers that we have a headed down the road.

The Fire department was there shortly and so my mom, dad, and Darren stood out in my parents front yard for the next 45 minutes watching the crew put the fire out. I was running in and out of the house every 5 minutes - checking on Nat and then checking on the fire. I also managed to snap a few shots.

At last...

2009-01-21T05:37:00.000-08:00

I sat and watched TV pretty much all day yesterday - with news covering the inauguration of President Obama. And while I admit - this was the first inauguration that I remember watching and as historic as it was - I didn't really feel "emotional" about anything until I watched an interview with Beyonce Knowels yesterday evening. She sang "At Last" for the President's first dance - and she sang it beautifully. You could tell that during the performance that she was getting choked up by emotion - yet she held her composure. Afterward they did an interview with her and she began to sob - truly touched by the fact that she was singing, for the president, the first black president. I'll never truly understand the triumphs and tribulations of those fighting for this day for so long. Nor will I be able to fully understand the magnitude of Obama's road to the White House. But I do see know - how much it can mean to a person - to be a part of something bigger than they are. She was not a protester of the cause, or an activist of rights, or a political spokesperson. She was just a young lady overwhelmed by the moment. A moment that she will remember forever and now a moment that I too will remember forever.

American Idol .... again??

2009-01-14T05:34:00.000-08:00

So I watched part of the new season of American Idol last night. Seeing as how this show has been on for the last several years - I find it very hard to believe that there are still SO many disillusioned people out there that actually think that they sing well (or actually well enough to win the contest). I am all for uniqueness and creativity, but come on people - your friends have been lying to you if they said you were any good. And sadly enough, I continue to watch to see just how bad it can get.

I will say that at first impression I like the new judge for what ever it is worth (and I know that it's not worth diddley squat).

And So It Begins...

2009-01-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

So I've become inspired by my S-I-L Amy to create my own blog. I fell in love with her blog site Amy Blackburn Photography and now find myself checking numerous times throughout the day to see what sort of quirky thoughts, profound statements, or amazing pictures she has posted. It truly is an addiction and I seriously need help (for more than just this I am sure). Hello my name is Holly and I am a blogstalker.

I thought that I may be able to seek therapy - but found that there were no local chapters of BSA(blogstalkers anonymous) within my area. So I figure I'll have to take the self help route and figured my own page was the first step (only 11 more to go).

Until next time...