Photo Challenge: Food

Food is great. I don't blog about it much, because well
I've told about my terrible cycle before and to be
perfectly honest it hasn't changed that much.
Except if Mr. Friend (who needs a new name)
graciously feeds me fancy food, because I'm worth
it or something like that. He is nice like that.

But one of my favorite photos happen to be of some
delicious blueberries I had at our farmer's market a
few months back. They are so pretty. And shiny.



If you want to join the Pastor's Girl's Pondering's photo
challenge hop over to her blog and enter.



Fun for all!

Sunday's Thought and Picture

Second post today, but I needed to do my Sunday thought.
"Life is good, if we live in such a way to make it so.' . . . 'A good life' comes as a result of the way we do things, of the words we choose to say, and even of the kind of thoughts we choose to have."


Have a lovely Sunday all!

Sunday's Thought and Picture

I don't know where I got this poem but I love it.
It reminds me that life suffering is mandatory,
but misery and sorrow are optional.
Remember life is about rejoicing.
Happy Sunday to you all!
Luvs!

The Weaver

My life is but a weaving between my God and Me,
I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.

Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,
Forget that He seeth the upper, and I the underside.

Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly.
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares, nothing this truth can dim.
He gives His very best to those who leave the choice to Him.

Mom in Pictures

I don't get to play with my camera as much as I

would like. I feel so jealous sometimes of some of the
pictures I see others doing. I really wish I had the
money and time to study it better. Photography
is an amazing skill. I feel like it is the ability to capture
light and moments.
I find it cool that pictures can spark memories.
{My parentals. Mom and Dad with a classic Dad face.}

I was looking at some of my old pictures and they
made me ache for my mom. These simple pictures
reminded me how safe mom makes home feel.
They are cozy and warm and remind me that my
mom makes everything beautiful.
I'd thought I would share.

I love ya Mom.
I know you probably hate these pictures of you,
but you have to love me remember. I am your
daughter.

Photo Contest

Why hello! After what seems like a really long weekend

with my newly returned brother and family I feel very
disconnected from the world, not to mention I have a
thousand lesson plans to catch up on.
(Sometimes I am very grateful that student teaching is
pass or fail. Just kidding!) :)

Anyways, I don't have much time to post.
I am doing a quicky here and just giving you a picture
from this weekend and a contest to enter.
Carlotta from "pastor's girl's ponderings" has a lovely
idea for a photo contest.
The theme is color.
Feel free to enter.
Fun for all.



My photo is my nephew whom I call Monkey.
I love the complementary colors is this photo.
The yellow truck, with yellow-orange leaves, contrasted
by his cute blue overalls.
I don't know if we can have people in our
pictures, but I can't resist him.



{raw photo, no editing, no time}
Luvs!

Quote This.

Try to make at least three people smile everyday.

Realize that life is school and you are here to learn. Problems
are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away
like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

Life isn't fair, but it is good.
Life is too short to waste time hating someone.

Don't take yourself too seriously. No one else does.

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
journey is all about.

What other people think of you is none of your business."Simplicity is pure sophistication."

Transitory

Fall feels like a transitory state.

You can feel change in the air; like the earth is
holding its breath until winter decides to come.

Change is a funny thing. It is good. It is bad. And
yes, it hurts.
I look back on this summer as one that I will never forget.
I started out married, lying about who I was, and very miserable.
I had to face some hard facts about myself and my mistakes.
I had to cry a lot, pray a lot, and grow a lot of strength.
I had to readjust my convictions.

I don't recommend what I went through.
But my life is so good now. It isn't simple. Never easy.
But extremely good.
I find myself divorced and completely happy and ready
for this transitory state.

I feel good about who I am. I am becoming daily the
person I want to become. My Heavenly Father
believes in me.

Today is good.
I just want to smile and enjoy the sunshine.
Take in life and it's wonderment.
Love it.
Someone gave me a big bottle of confidence
and I am still just enjoying the side effects.

And I am going to keep soaking it up.

I love me a Farmer's Market

There is the smallest little farmer's market here in town. I
decided to take my camera down there and see if I could get a few
good shots in. I am a budding photographer remember. It was so much
fun, ended up staying longer than I should have talking with all the vendors.
Mostly fruits and veggies, but some really fun people. I bought me an apron and
raspberry honey.

If I had me a little boy, I would have bought him one of those
adorable little wooden swords. There was a group of little farts
running around waving them over their heads, but I'm a little slow
trying to get my camera settings right and missed them.

I couldn't resist not trying these little beauties and let me tell you
they were beautiful in my mouth as well.

I hope you have an enjoyable Saturday and eat something healthy.
Any photographers out there or amateurs like me, I would love
some tips or advice.

And I want to give a shout out to all my readers- I appreciate
you all so very much. Just sending some love through the e-world.

Glee and Nature: Stay Well Rounded

I thought I'd share some nature (and awesome Glee quotes)
with you because I know that you aren't going to get out tonight with
GLEE starting!!!

{This is some of my photography. I know that it isn't
genius but if you use it please make sure you give credit.
I am a photographer in process.}

Enjoy your evening!

Sue: I realize my cultural ascendance
only serves to illuminate your own banality.
But, face it, I'm legend. It's happened.

Kurt: I'm so depressed I've worn the same outfit twice this week.

Sue: Nobody quits the Cheerios. You either die or I kick you off.

Brittany: Kissing my armpits is a really big turn-on for me.

Sue: On assembly days, I arrange for the rest of the
school to be fumigated, so the gym is the only place with clean air.

Sue: I will no longer be carrying around photo ID.
Know why? People should know who I am.

Sue: I just lost my train of thought because you have so much
margarine in your hair.

Rachel: My personality, though exciting and full of personality,
isn't exactly low-maintenance.

I don't know why I like Glee so much. Maybe I just think
life would be cool if everyday was a musical. And Sue is funny.

Moving, Deodorant, and Wal-mart

I've arrived.

It has been a mess. Boxes and piles everywhere, but slowly

my room and apartment have emerged.

It is definitely a change.

I'm not at college anymore, but not really in the "real world" either.

I don't know anyone in this town and my roommate has

to work every night. So its been lonely getting all moved in and hauling

boxes up the stairs. (I've definitely gotten my workout the past few days.)

I've been to Wal-mart enough times to know which cashiers

are fast and which are slow. And I've broken in my new car.

(I'll tell you that story soon. I need to figure out its name first.)

And my poor Van Gogh

doll with the detachable ear was torn up by the roommate's dog.

(I'm an art teacher. I can have Van Gogh dolls.)

Thursday and Friday this last week were a lot of teacher meetings.

I met with my cooperating teacher and university supervisor to go

over what is expected of me.

I don't know how they think anyone can be comfortable teaching

knowing that in the back someone is critiquing every word said.

Plus, I sweat a lot when I am nervous. (Well, kind of all the time really.)

It is gross and I'm really paranoid that I'll have huge tacos in front of everyone.

I'm sorry if this is grossing you out, but I've had nightmares about it.

I have tried almost every antiperspirant and I can tell you personally:

THEY ALL LIE.

This last student teaching experience is a pass or fail course.

These two people decide whether I can be a teacher or not.

It is scary and very, very intimidating.

Highlight: My parent love me. They gave me three roses with

good luck note. This is a big change for me and kind of scary.

I'm so grateful for them and their support.

I start with real kids on Monday. Wish my luck.

Where I Come From It's Cornbread and Chicken

{me with the pigs}

If someone were to ask me what experience has shaped my life and personality the most, I would say, without the slightest pause, growing up on a farm. There is a certain sense of pride that comes from having your dad work with his hands and your mom take care of her family. As far back as I can recall, we've always had cattle and enough land to keep us more than busy.

Lessons learned on the farm were countless. Such things as

• I was born knowing how to drive a truck and a tractor.
• It is important to know how deep and thick something is before you cross it.
• The better you treat an animal the more they are willing to give you.
  
• Everyone feels hot and sticky and miserable in a 2pm sun --you’re problems are not unique.
• There is always going to be another solution. You can't do it one way you can do it another.
• A piece of twine will do some amazing things. (It is similar to duct tape.)
• You can't start it-- push it. You can't push it--pull it. You can't move it--ask your brother.
• The best time to sing at the top of your lungs to Dixie Chicks and Tim McGraw is while driving a tractor. Country music doesn't belong anywhere else.
• It isn't always easy to find "this size bolt" from 6 five-gallon buckets of rusty pieces of metal.
• And it important to always have a lot of duct tape and WD-40 on hand.
• You don't get to take a hour lunch.
• Machines talk. They tell you when they are feeling normal and when something is amiss. STOP if anything sounds bad.
• Go to bed when you have the chance.
• Run everything to the dirt and then some.
• An most importantly, the harder you work at something the better you feel about yourself.
  
  Family and your stories are part of who you are and what you stand for. Dad can fix anything and mom knows how to make everything good. The habits you keep for years are as strong as life itself. We are part of the land we work. Pray a lot because it all depends on Him. However, work like it doesn't.
  
  No other experience in this world can offer the satisfaction I feel when I watch the sunset after a day of sweat and hard work and the realization I've "done some good in the world today."

Monday's Musings

1. One of the best feelings in the world is new socks.

2. I wish I had more money to buy shoes. Shoes are the bomb diggity.

The bonus is they always fit, even if you are having a frumpy day.

3. I want to go skinny-dipping sometime in my life.

4. I have one freckle on my left palm.

5. My least favorite household chore is vacuuming the stairs.

6. I find working with clay extremly relaxing, perhaps making it my

favorite form of artwork.

7. I feel guilty for not painting.

8. My new favorite book is Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax.

If you want to understand girls and boys better this is the most genius

book I've ever read.

9. I really need to do laundry.

10. I am trying really hard not to be bored, but I am. I am use to having

lots to do with school and work. But I have nothing to do waiting for my

student teaching. It didn't make sense to get a job only for 5 weeks.

________________________________________________

Ugh! My toe ended up being worse than I thought. Yesterday, it kept getting bigger and bigger and the swelling starting going up my foot. It itched like crazy. I woke up last night itching it.

Mom got me some Children's Allergy medicine today and it knocked me out. I slept all day. I hate doing that because I feel like such a slug. Plus, I am going to be flying high all night. I had planned to to do some crafts today. Guess it will have to wait until tomorrow.

I did one semi-productive thing today. I made some delicious cupcakes. I think they are pretty. Of course, the recipe is from the Food Network website. I guess I've been watching too many Cupcake Wars and I couldn't stand it anymore. Watching all those perfect cupcakes being eaten did me in. Diet starts tomorrow.

My plans for the rest of the night: eat a delectable cupcake (recipe) and watch the season finale of the Bachelorette.

Summer Rain

Look at this sucker:

I might just die.

I stepped on a thistle yesterday and I woke up to my poor toe

swelling, itching, and driving me nuts all through church. Grr.

I'm addicted to trying to make it bend. It feels really funny.

Its been raining a bit lately. I love summer rain especially at home.

The smell of wet grass and wheat from the field in our backyard, makes

it such a cozy experience. I feel kind of smug being inside where the rain

can't get me.

(That my car in the back, she's a beauty huh?) :)

My families home is so beautiful. Slowly through the

years we've built it as a familyand I have a sense of pride witnessing

how safe it is. The tin roof makes the sound of rain echo through the house;

it is extremely soothing and empowering. I want to sit by a window with a

soft blanket and read a book or even just act like it. I find something romantic

about it all.

It's just amazing what God can do and how beautiful this world is.

I love being able to watch the storm come up without anything obstructing

my view for miles and miles. The big dark clouds hanging over the mountains

and after the shower how everything sparkles and colors seem more

vivid, it leaves me awestruck. I try and take pictures, but they just don't do

it justice. Plus, I don't want to ruin my camera,

so I have to stay where it is dry.

I like sunsets here too.

Hope you have an amazing sunday!

Sometimes I Try and Think Deeply

I hate feeling self-pity. It is a disgusting monster that sucks the life out of a person.Life isn’t the easiest right now and I hate complaining about it because I know it is due to my own folly. I happen to be in a transition period, trying to adjust to a new label that has been placed upon me. I don’t want to be defined by my past, but ultimately this is the path I’ve chosen and the consequences I have to live with. Contrary to what I'd like to believe, problems are not imposed upon me by life-circumstances that happen at random. They occur as a combination of situations that grow out of a series of choices. And usually at the end, I can see how wrong my thinking was and how naively I entered into hurtful circumstances. How I wish for a time machine to go back and correct my life.

The bottom line is that we all learn through experiences. It doesn’t matter how hard they were and how painful the learning process, it is the only way we would have truly known. So while I chaff under the judgments of others, I am grateful for the knowledge I’ve gained, the pain I experience, and the help of true friends and a loving family.

There is a powerful quote by Hugh Nibley that I love:

“If every choice I make expresses a preference; if the world I build up is the world I really love and want, then with ever choice I am judging myself, proclaiming all the day long to God, angels and my fellowmen where my real values lie, where my treasure is, the things to which I give supreme importance.”

How easily we get stuck on the petty problems in our lives and shut out all the wonderful things of which we are capable of. How easily we convince ourselves to take the path of lesser pain that ultimately leads to a sinkhole. Life is what we make out of it. We have been blessed beyond capacity for deeper intelligence, thought, and enlargement.

How excited does this make you?

Our search for knowledge should be ceaseless for we never know enough. So while life is tough right now, I’m going to accept the problems and the heartache on my journey.

Sometimes I just need to remind myself it's worth it.