CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOG LAYOUTS, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

My BFF

Way back in middle school, I met a girl at school named Allie. We never really were all that close; just casual acquaintances.  Fast forward to high school.  Allie and I became better friends, and soon best friends.  We were near inseparable.  We double-dated to dances at school, went to concerts together, stayed at each others houses, attended family events together, and covered for each other when need be. From sneaking alcohol and dancing in our old prom dresses, to taking a Spring Break trip to Vegas, to getting tattoos, Allie and I did it all.

Here are some pictures of us throughout the years:

 


Our senior year of high school, we both had boyfriends who were far away.  So, we were each others dates to things!  We say plays together, went to dinner, and just did basic best friend stuff.

Then, after graduation, Allie moved to Hawaii for college.  We were both devestated, but vowed to make our friendship work.  And work it did!  We talked several times a day, everyday, shared photos, kept up on Mypsace, etc.  It was kinda like we weren't even apart.

Allie eventually moved back to Washington, but went to the University of Washington in Seattle.  We still stayed close, but eventually drifted apart for several reasons.  This took place over a couple of years.  It crushed me to know that my best friend was no longer there; I had lost my Allie-Bear.

We have recently (since Spring 2009) begun repairing our friendship.  It kind of started while being in Mass one Sunday.  The Homily discussed repairing those relationships we have lost.  It struck my heart; I knew I wanted to repair my friendship with Allie.  That night, I tried texting her old number; I had it memorized still.  She answered, and we begun talking that night.  We hung out once this summer, when I went to Seattle to see her.  It was the first time we had seen each other in over a year.  It was awkward, and strange, but it was also familiar.  And I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This past weekend, Allie was down here in Olympia for the holidays.  Saturday, we got together for lunch and a little shopping.  And I didn't want it to end!  I am loving getting back into our friendship, and wish she lived closer so we could do this type of thing more often.  I'm already planning a day to go up to Seattle soon.  Our birthdays are close together in February, and we have tentatively planned to go skydiving for our birthdays together, since we have always talked about doing it.

I am so excited to see how this all pans out!


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

People ARE C-R-A-Z-Y!

What is it with fads and trends? What makes us as humans latch onto something simply because a bunch of other people have it? I will admit that I too, succumb to trends at times.  But some people just take it too far.  Case in point:


People are C-R-A-Z-Y about these Starbucks cups.  And yes, I do own one. 

I saw these cups a while back, and thought they were neat.  I intended to get one, but never got around to it.  In case you don't know about these cups, they are modeled after the Starbucks clear, cold beverage cups.  But these ones are a hard plastic, and double-walled, with a rigid plastic straw and screw-on lid. 

Then, my mom came home with a "grande" sized one for her the other day.  Complete with candycane striped holiday straw.  Then I found out they make the "venti" size too!  And I decided that, okay, I really wanted one.  I was able to get the grande one with relative ease.  Problem is, these venti suckers are now hard to find!  Most Starbucks stores will have a few of the grande ones in, but almost no store in the country had the venti ones!  These puppies are selling like hot cakes! (PS- where the heck did that phrase come from, and why are we still using it?!)  People have actually bought several of these, and are selling them on eBay, craigslist, and amazon.com for between $50 and $80.  For a $16 plastic cup.  I will admit that I have searched for this larger sized cup in several Starbucks locations on my way to work, all to no avail.  But I will in no way spend that much money on a clear, plastic, cup.  A cup that doesn't automatically refill my water, or keep it extra cold, or wash itself, or fly or do anything special.  So, here I sit, sipping water out of my grande Starbucks tumbler, refilling it more often that I would have to if I had a venti one, but that's alright.  At least I'm not one of those -C-R-A-Z-Y people.

*Sidenote:  I have always had a problem with not drinking enough water.  However, drinking it through a straw just seems so much easier.  I gulp down 5 or 6 of these cups a water during the day without even batting a Maybelline Colossal Volume Express-coated eyelash.  Same thing with my Nathan-brand stainless steel flip-straw waterbottle.  Why this is, I have no idea.


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

P90X: Day 1

Yesterday was day 1 of my 90 day P90X journey. I did the Chest & Back workout, along with the Ab Ripper X workout. Chest & Back is mostly pushups and pullups. Since I don't have a pullup bar, I use resistance bands.  Ab Ripper X is a 15 minute session of just abs, and man do you feel the burn!

After my workout, my arms felt like jello.  But in a good way.  And this morning, I am a little sore, but mostly my arms just feel tired.  And so do my abs!  However, I like knowing that I did something.  That I pushed myself.

This evening I will be doing Plyometrics.  I'm going to try to get Josh to do this one with me.  Wish us luck!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Accountability

When I was in school, I was held accountable for my actions. Or my lack thereof. If I didn't do my homework, my grades reflected it.  And my parents kicked my butt.  But now that I am out of school, that same system of accountability doesn't apply. 

So I am creating one.

Getting into better shape, feeling healthier, and losing the pounds that I have gained over the past year have been a huge goal of mine.  However, it seems that whenever I try to start working out, it doesn't last very long.  I want to fix that.

So. 

Here it goes.

I am embarking today on a 90 day journey.  A journey called P90X.  If you haven't heard of it, turn on your TV late at night and watch the infomercials.  You'll find them.  This is an intense, at home workout program.  I have known many people to experience significant success on the program.  I just need to stick to it!

So my plan is to use this blog to chronicle my journey.  Everyday, I will blog about my day's workouts, any results I have seen, etc.  I am hoping this will drive me to achieve this goal of mine.  But I'm asking for your help!  If I don't blog for a while about my experience, PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT IT!  This will, in a sense, force me to keep going. 

So, wish me luck!  I will be blogging later tonight about Day 1!

Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

This past weekend, we went and got our Christmas tree! Now, in my parents' house, we have 16 foot ceilings in the living room. And every year, I try to get the biggest tree possible. Well this year, I succeeded! Our tree is a whopping 12.5 feet tall, AFTER we had to cut 12 inches off to fit the trunk in the base! Here are some photos from our tree-getting experience.








These trees made us all laugh so much.  They were tall trees, with the lower limbs cut off.  We called them ostrich trees.  Then Nathan had the brilliant idea that these trees looked like ladies lifting their skirt bottoms up so they didn't get them dirty or wet.  That kid cracks me up!













Check out my photography blog for the above photo of my dad, edited in a different way!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

DJ & Kristina's Wedding

Here are some pictures from the wedding of two of our friends recently... none of these photos are edited, so please forgive me for the quality. I will be posting a few edited ones on my photography website!

Click here to view these pictures larger


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Josh's Trip to Wyoming

Recently, Josh, his cousin, and his uncle took a road trip to Wyoming to do some hunting. It was his cousin's first big hunting trip with the "big boys". He and Josh both snapped photos along the way. There was no way I was sending Josh with my Nikon, so he took my old Sony CyberShot camera.

Here is a slideshow of their photos, edited slightly by me.

WARNING:  PHOTOS BELOW ARE FROM AN ACTUAL HUNTING TRIP, AND DO SHOW THE ANIMALS THEY KILLED.  IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, PLEASE DO NOT SCROLL DOWN ANY FURTHER!







My Christmas Craft Project

I recently completed a project inspired by an idea from Jessica Sprague.  I wanted to do something crafty and homemade for Christmas, and this is what I ended up with!


I started by painting some terra cotta pots a deep red color.

After they dried, a put a clearcoat on them, which had red glitter in it.  Who doesn't like glittery Christmas decorations?!

I cut Christmas scrapbooking paper into strips, and started layering the strips around the trees, according to color/pattern.





To assemble the trees, I pained wooden dowels a dark brown, for the trunks.  I placed rocks in the bottomof each pot, because the trees themselves are a little top-heavy.  I put Styrofoam in each of the pots, and covered with artificial moss over the Styrofoam.  Then I just jabbed the dowel into the tree Styrofoam and the pot Styrofoam.

I finished by putting silver bows on the top of each of the trees.  I ended up with 5 trees in varying heights.

These trees are by no means perfect or professional looking, and I like that.  They are uneven, maybe a little crooked, but they are mine.  And I love them!

Monday, December 7, 2009

So Behind Schedule!

I have seriously been slacking lately!  I have so many projects and photos I want to post, but I just can't seem to find the time!  Here is brief rundown of (hopefully!) the posts to come this week:
  • My Christmas craft project
  • My beignet recipe
  • Our recent Leavenworth trip
  • Our friends' wedding
  • Josh's trip to Wyoming
  • My Christmas cooking plan/recipes
  • My grandma's 75th birthday
  • A special blog I think everyone should follow
As you can see, I have much to do!  I am going into work late tomorrow, and getting off early today, so hopefully I will be able to get things checked off my list! 

Be on the lookout for many posts soon!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Unfinished Projects and a Hunting Trip

Josh, his uncle, and his 10-year-old cousin Jack left at 4:30 AM today to head to Wyoming!  They going on a big, week long hunting trip every year, and this is the first year that Jack has been able to go.  He was so excited!!  I made cookies last night for the boys to snack on, and Josh took my old point-and-shoot camera and my Garmin GPS with him.  Josh called around 8 AM, and said they made it to Ellensburg, but that they had a flat tire.  The tire place they went to didn't have the exact tire they needed, so they put a used, similar tire on that would allow them to make it to Moses Lake to get the right tire.  Guess what?  Moses Lake didn't have the right tire either!  So, they ended up with a comprable tire that will make it through their trip.  And, as of 12:30 PM, they were 20 minutes from the Montana border!  They are hoping to make it to Billings, MT tonight, sleep for a few hours in the truck, and then head to Hulett, WY.  This is the nearest town to where they will be hunting.  Hopefully, nothing else goes wrong along the way!!

My to-do list is growing.  Quickly.  I seem to have undertaken several projects lately, and have finished none of them. 
  • Reading 8 books at once.
  • Doing a Bible study
  • Doing 2 Christmas craft projects
  • Doing a Thanksgiving craft project
  • Editing photos from 2 separate occasions
  • Finding recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas
  • School applications
  • Christmas shopping!
  • Working towards my fitness/weight loss goal
I feel as though I can't stay caught up on any of them!  With Josh being gone for a week, I'm hoping to finish at least some of them. I'll be posting later tonight on the progress of at least of my projects that I'm so excited to share with you!!

Goodbye for now,

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Holidays in Hand: Assignments 1 & 2

I recently signed up for an online class offered by Jessica Sprague entitled "Holidays in Hands".  This class focuses on the holiday season, and creating a project that you can use to capture memories.  This is the first class of this type that I've ever taken, and I'm very excited for it!

I will be using my blog to do my class assignments, and to post some of my project!

It seems like the holiday season has snuck up on us all of a sudden; it was nice and warm and still summer, and instantly its fall/almost winter!  My red holiday Starbucks cup sitting next to me bears witness to this fact.

Here is Assignment 1:
Write you values and goals.

My goals for this holiday season are:
  • to continue already established holiday traditions
  • to start new traditions with my new family members (the Davis')
  • to be able to attend church services on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (the weather last year prevented me from making it)
  • to have Josh attend those services with me
  • to spend time helping those less fortunate than me to have a memorable holiday season
So, I will be working towards these goals for the next 6 weeks or so.  My progress will be documented in my project!

And now for Assignment 2:
Commit.

I am committing to spend at least 20 minutes per day in December either recording/writing/photographing/savoring/printing/gluing/scrapbooking/remembering/slowing down.  That is a big challenge to me!  Especially since I blogged yesterday about my lack of time management skills.  But this project is important to me, and so I hope to give it importance on my priority list.

I will either be posting the next assignment's blog later tonight or tomorrow morning.  I'm excited to share with all of you!!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Prioritizing, Organizing, Deligating, and Time Managing

I have a large problem with managing my time properly.  There are so many things that I want to cram into my day, but I seem to be incapable of prioritizing my time well enough to actually do it all.  Here is a brief rundown of all my goals for the day:

  1. Workout (1.5 hours)
  2. Pray (30 min.)
  3. Laundry (30 min.)
  4. Tidy up my room/bathroom (30 min.)
  5. Bible study (45 min.)
  6. Prepare my lunch for following day (10 min.)
  7. Pay bills/sort mail (10 min.)
  8. Edit photos/take photos/do photo projects (1 hour)
  9. Spend time with Josh and my family (as much as I can!)
In my head, I know that I can accomplish much of what I want to if I just push myself.  Here is what my schedule should be like:

5:00 AM - Wake up when Josh leaves.
5:15 AM - 5:45 AM - Pray
5:45 AM - 7:15 AM - Work out
7:15 AM - 8:00 AM - Get ready for work
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM - Work
6:00 PM - Bedtime - Whatever comes up/needs done

This schedule would allow me to use my evenings to accomplish things from my list such as photography, paying bills, cleaning, etc.  However, what really happens is that after Josh leaves, I either go back to sleep or just lounge in bed until I need to get ready for work.  And then after work, I eat dinner, and lounge around with Josh.  We usually end up playing board or card games.  Or watching movies.  And although I greatly value the time I get to spend with those important to me, I can't help but feeling like I've wasted my day when I haven't gotten anything crossed off my list.

Does anyone have any suggestions for time management and prioritizing?

Monday, November 9, 2009

Just a quick update

I seem to be running out of time lately to accomplish things that I want to.  Maybe my priorities are a little out of order.  Maybe I need to manage my time better.  Maybe I should work on this....

This past weekend, my family celebrated my grandma's 75th birthday party in Randle.  My cousin Jess and I played photographers for the day, and snapped countless pictures.  I have been going through them and editing them as necessary.  I will be sharing more of the photography aspects of that day on my photography blog.

This coming weekend, two friends of ours are getting married!  Josh and the boys went to Portland last Saturday night for a "boys trip", which involved who knows what.  Josh just said they were "good" and stayed out of trouble.  It was the groom's last "hoorah" before tying the know.  I have been busy helping the bride prepare for the big day, and there is still lots to do in the coming days!  Friday night is the rehearsal dinner, and Saturday morning will be a whirlwind of activity, to get the venue set up, the boys dressed up, the girls primped and ready, and then actually sitting back and enjoying the wedding itself.  The photographer isn't going to be there in time to shoot the girls getting ready, so the bride asked me to be there to take photos.  ME.  That scares me!!  I also plan to shoot throughout the wedding/reception, to better learn wedding photography.

I am still working on my Esther Bible study, but just have not found time to blog about it.  But I am loving learning more about Esther, and am thoroughly (as always) loving my walk with God.

We are still looking for a house to buy.  It just seems like no new listings are coming out; its just a repeat of the same ole' ones.  It is slightly discouraging, but we are determined!

And, finally, my knees are better!  They still hurt every once in a while, but not nearly as bad as before.  Which is a relief, because walking in heels for the wedding Saturday would have been impossible if they were still in their initial shape!

I think that's it for now... I will have lots of photos to post in the coming week!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Our Visit to the Roloff Farm

A few weeks ago, my family visited the Roloff Farm in Oregon.  For those of you who do not know, the Roloff's are from the TLC show "Little People, Big World".  We were able to see/meet each member of the Roloff family, and it was such a neat experience!  There are all so friendly, and they make a point to have an actual conversation with everyone and anyone that approaches them.  Here is a slideshow of the photos I took while there - it would take me far too long to upload them all individually. Enjoy!!



Monday, October 26, 2009

Updates on Us

Things sure have been crazy around here lately! Here is a quick rundown of what's new with Josh and me.

  • We are still looking for a house.  The few that we have found that we actually liked have been short-sales, and those are tricky to get into.  We are hoping the First Time Homebuyer tax credit will be extended into 2010, but if not, we still plan on buying in the next few months.
  • I have been busy taking, editing, and printing photos lately from various adventures.  I have a real-live session coming up with a friend of mine and her toddler son.  I would love to someday make photography a full-time gig, but for now I will settle for it being a much-loved hobby.
  • I recently went on a hunting trip with my dad, and while tromping through the woods, I strained my lateral collateral ligament in both legs (it runs along the outside of each knee), which is in turn causing the meniscus of each knee to be pinched (the meniscus is the cushion in the knee joint).  I am using oral anti-inflamatories, and also an anti-inflammatory cream.  That is in addition to doing my own physical therapy both at home and in the clinic I work at.  All of this has put a serious damper on my hunting season.  Its hard to walk through clearcuts when each steps brings you to near-tears!
  • I have just begun (today, actually) my Esther bible study by Beth Moore.  It took me a while to track down the book, but I finally found a local store that carries it.  I also downloaded the mp3's off of iTunes, and am all gear up to begin!  I already have three more 90 day devotionals lined up for once this one is completed.

That's it for now!  God bless!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Amy's Freshman Homecoming

Head over to my photography blog to see some edited photos from two weeks ago... she looks beautiful and sooooooooo much older than she really is!!



Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Blogging Women of Glory: Crystal, of "Boobs, Injuries, and Dr Pepper"

Note:  This week is a kind of two-for-one special!  I'm featuring two bloggers in one post!!


To preface this post, let me explain the concept of this weekly feature.

I plan to feature a different blogging woman each week, with highlights of her blog, interesting facts about her, and why I am addicted to reading her blog each and every day.

And yes, this may make me sound stalker-ish.
Publish Post


But I'm okay with that.

Here it goes!

Crystal of "Boobs, Injuries, and Dr Pepper"

If you haven't read Crystal's blog, you must.  Like right now.  She's hilarious.

And an excellent writer.  Her "Finley" story is awesome.

And the thing I like most about Crystal, is that she is real.  She has made some mistakes in her life recently, and has publicly dealt with them.  She confessed, discussed, and is moving on.  She didn't try to sugarcoat anything; she laid it all out on the line.  And I respect her for that.  Because well, that takes guts.

Crystal's husband, Chris, has his own blog too.  This guys is just as hilarious.  And he's just as honest as Crystal.  He commonly features funny videos and pictures he comes across online, and blesses us all by sharing them on his site.  Chris is also a great storyteller, and his fishing stories are the best!!

If you need a laugh, or some entertainment, check these two out!!

P.S. - I know, I know... I forgot to do a post last week....Go ahead and slap me on the back of the hand.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Wenatchee Hunting Trip

This past weekend, my dad and I took a trip over the mountains to Eastern Washington.  We have a family friend who lives there, and we planned to meet up with him and spend opening weekend of modern deer season scouring canyons and valleys for big bucks.

I didn't take many photos, because if I carried my Nikon around in my pack, it would be in a million pieces (I tend to be rather clumsy).  Therefore, I left it in the truck, and snapped pictures while we drove.  I did pack my old Sony Cybershot point-and-shoot camera, but the battery was almost dead, and it just takes crappy pictures.

Here are a few pictures I did take while up in the canyons near Rock Island Dam.


Wow... I just realized I took more pictures than I thought!

We didn't end up with any deer this weekend, but the trip was still definitely worth it.  Getting the chance to spend time with my dad is always a blessing.  He truly is one of my closest and best friends.  We got to spend 4 days straight together, doing something we both love, in some of the most beautiful countryside around.

Memories like that can't be beat.



Beth Moore's Esther Bible Study

I have been trying to run lately, mostly in the mornings before work. I planned to run today, since I haven't gotten to since Friday morning. However, hiking all weekend through CANYONS made up for it I think. And, my knees are killing me. Running tonight wouldn't have worked so well. I'll give it a shot tomorrow morning though.

I have decided to embark on the Beth Moore Esther bible study. I was actually able to find the audiobook version on iTunes, and have since downloaded it. Now, my plan is to listen to it while I run. I can make it through 1-2 sessions during my scheduled run time.

Anyone currently reading her book, or listening to the audiobook version? Wanna join along on my journey? Leave me a comment if so... I'm considering starting up a forum for this discussion!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Yes, I Am A Bad Blogger

I know, I know.  I am two days behind on posting.  But I've been busy!

My dad and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon for a 4 day hunting trip.  I am so excited!!  I have been trying to gather all my necessities, and trying even harder to stuff them into one small bag.

I will try to post pictures from this past weekend tonight or tomorrow morning, as well as try to catch up to the posts I am behind on!