Scavenger Hunt Sunday: July 31, 2011

Walking Empty Streets

Week 31 | July 31, 2011

Repeating Patterns

Mom's apron she just finished for her first customer!

Floor

Abby on the floor.  She loves people--espcially if there is a possibility of food being dropped.

Then/Now

THEN--Pieces of my new quilt--in the process

NOW--squares

Finger Tips

Week 30 | July 29, 2011

Linked up here.

Week 29

July 21, 2011
Painting toes

I am

One of my mom's really good friends has a garden where she labels her plants with friends names.  She finds similar characteristics between the person and a plant and names the plant after that person.  We had known that mom was in her friend's garden, but little did I know I was there too.


I am a sedum.  
Sedums are cultivated as garden plants, due to their interesting and attractive appearance and hardiness.


Hardiness.


Mom is a sedum too and we learned that we were given that plant because of the characteristic of being hardy and strong.  We were described as this plant because of what we have gone through and what we continue to go through on a daily basis.  We are strong and can endure whatever storms come our way.  

I assure you that isn't always the case.  There are many days where we wonder if we will ever get through this.  But we seem to manage and continue to have faith.  I am honored that someone sees me as being strong even when I don't see or feel it myself.  
What an honor.

Silpada Style Weekend

In February 2010 I became a rep for Silpada Designs.  They are a sterling silver jewelry company that operates by home/book parties.  It has been a great experience to work for this company and it has helped given me some marketing experience.

This weekend was national conference.  This was my second one to attend and I had a blast!  It is definitely an experience I will never forget.  Thousands to women wearing all the jewelry they can ,jingling down the halls of a huge conference hall.  It is wild and entertaining and fun all at the same time!

Here are a few pictures to document the trip.

Opening Session:Lots of women

The St. Joe team!

All of us are in the same team.  

My sponsor.  I was her first recruit!  We were waiting to go to the jewelry preview party to see all the brand new jewelry!

The Founders!

Getting ready for the awards show!

At the awards show

If you are interested in Silpada--whether it is how to order jewelry, how to get FREE jewelry or become a representative yourself, please feel free to contact me.  You can view the brand new jewelry here.

Tomato-Bacon Cups

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Golden Layers buttermilk biscuits (not Grands)

6 slices cooked bacon, chopped

1/2 cup chopped Roma tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped white onion

1 tsp basil

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

Directions:

Mix bacon, tomato, and onion.  Add basil, cheese and mayo. Set aside.

Spray mini-muffin pan.  Cut each biscuit in half.  Flatten each biscuit half and form into a cup shape in the tin.  (You will have 20).

Fill cups with tomato mixture.

Bake at 350° in oven until biscuits are golden brown.  (20 minutes).  Serve warm.

Linked up here.


*If you try this please come back and let me know what you think!

Week 28 | July 14

The thing I have learned while doing my 52 week project is that if often reflects my moods or activities/events that are going on in my life.  This photo evoked both.
An emotion.
An event.

I have never had any big medical event happen to me.  I have never broken a bone.  I have never had a cavity.  And I have never had surgery.  In fact, the last time I was in the hospital for me was the day I was born.  Over 22 years ago.  And when I had to have a shot in my spine when I was six months old.  But lets face it--I don't remember either one of those events.

But last week that all changed.  I had to have a biopsy and my first mammogram.  I don't want to go through too many details, but I found a lump in my breast and it needed to be looked at.  I had several tests done and to rule out cancer completely, my doctors (and my family) agreed to do a biopsy.  (We are still a little sensitive to the idea of cancer and we just didn't want to risk not having it checked out completely.)  All in all, I am fine.  It came back benign and I just have a little scar the size of a stitch.  All is good.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday: July 17, 2011

Black and White

This is Sasha.  She lives with a family that I babysit for.  While I was watching the baby, Sasha came inside for a visit and to cool off from the unbearable heat.  (I wouldn't blame her.)

Linked up here.

Reflection in Glass

Not wild about the car in the background, but I like the photo.  Plus I had fun wondering around downtown with a good friend.  We even met someone that owns a building and let us up on the roof for to take some photos.  Very cool experience.

Headlights

I forgot to take a photo of headlights so I had to run out real quick to get a photo.  Abby didn't mind the spontaneous car ride :)

Seeing Double

The door handles to the church my parents got married in.

Bare

Linked up here.

12 of 12 July

01.  Morning kisses from Abby.  She likes my hot, stinky morning breath :)
02.  Spent the entire morning at the hospital...
03.  ...in this department.
04.  Plants that were potted in Aprils 12 of 12.
05.  Clouds.  Leaving the hospital.
06.  Getting the last bits of fabric for my quilt I started a 3 days ago.  I think the colors in this picture will be for my next one.
07.  Parents.  Dad was working on the hardest puzzle in his soduko book while mom supervised.
08.  The swallows that like to build nests on our front porch.  They had 2 babies this year.
09  Reading The Island by Elin Hilderbrand.  So good!
10.  Bed.  I took a 3 hour nap this afternoon.  Guess the hospital wore me out-I never take naps.
11.  Super hot today.  Feels like 106 degrees!
12.  Made sugar cookies for dad.  He loves trains and I found this awesome cookie cutter the day before.  (He loved it!)

BB/BS Dog Walk 2011

I've been meaning to post some pictures from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Dog Walk back in May, but never got around to it.  Oops!  

Overall the dog walk went really well.  It was suppose to rain, but thankfully the rain held off until later in the evening.  There was a decent turn out.  (I guess there were more people the year before.)  I had my own table where people could look at some of my photos and for a small donation they could have a picture taken with their pet (and e-mailed to them later).  All the proceeds went to Big Brothers Big Sisters.  

For the few hours I was there I took a little over 200 photos.  These ones are my all time favorite :)

"That's what I love you for:

Your inability to perceive all my hideous flaws."

~Time Travelers Wife

Linked up here.

Friday Five | July 9, 2011

1. We have been watching the Casey Anthony trial every day all day. It has become a part of our daily conversation. I don't want to go into many details but I will say that we are Shocked. Stunned. Amazed. Bewildered. at the outcome.

2. I got badly burned on the 4th of July and I'm starting to peel. Badly. I mean skin is just falling off. It is gross.

3. My creative side is starting to make it's appearance again. I made my own bulletin board. (I'll show you at a later time.) I've also been picking out material for a new quilt and I'm so excited about starting it. I'm ready to get started now--I just need to get all the material first.

4. I've been thinking of little day trips to take that are close to home. We have been needing to get out of house and have some new scenery. We went on our first one today to go to a farmers market in Wathena, Kansas and it turns out it was shut down. Major fail. But I think we will go to the one in our hometown. We are needing some watermelon and don't want to pay 5 bucks for an itty bitty baby one.

5. The flodding along the Missouri river is getting even worse. It is fascinating to go downtown and see roads closed off because the river is now going on roads (that are not right next to the river).

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you also have a great weekend!

Ten | Week 27

My sweet baby girl is ten today!

Words cannot express how much joy she has brought to our family.

She puts a smile on my face every single day.

I love this puppy so so much!

Abby |  Few months old

100

In honor of my 100th post I made a list of 100 Things About Me.  I have to admit, compiling this list was much harder than I thought it would be.  In fact it took a few months.  But it was fun and I would randomly thing of little quirks I have and would have to make a mental note to not forget them.  All in all it was a fun little project.  

Can you think of 100 things to describe you?

1.  I am an only child.

2.  My family means the world to me.

3.  Sharks terrify me.

4.  I don't like having my nails filed.  It sends chills down my back.

5.  I like routines.

6.  My dog Abby brightens my day.

7.  I'm slightly ambidextrous.

8.  I have to eat breakfast every morning.  I don't function well without it.

9.  My favorite food is chicken alfredo with broccoli.

10.  I like vegetables better than fruits.

11.  I've lived in three different states.

12.  Having my toes painted makes me happy.

13.  I clean at night when I don't want to go to bed.

14.  I enjoy driving.

15.  Becoming a wife and mother is something I desire the most.

16.  I have a love/hate relationship with technology.

17.  I love scrapbooking.

18.  I like surprise parties.

19.  I get car sick when I ride in the back seat of a car for over an hour.

20.  I am not claustrophobic, but I can get claustrophobic when I'm driving in the middle lane.

21.  I  danced ballet for 6 years, 3 years on pointe.

22.  Dressing up always makes me feel special.

23.  My favorite flower is a tulip.

24.  I am a list maker.

25.  My favorite ice cream is 'the green kind' i.e. Mint Chocolate Chip from Baskin Robbins.

26.  I love everything about photography and enjoy getting 'surprise shots'.

27.  I went to 2 different high schools.

28.  I've never colored my hair.

29.  I like falling asleep to the sound of rain.

30.  My favorite song is Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen.

31.  I have tendonitis in the bottom of my foot and cannot run anymore.  I developed this while training for cross country.  How ironic!

32.  I haven't grown in height since I was in 6th grade.

33. I am a people watcher.

34.  I love to bake.

35.  I believe prayers can be answered.

36.  My favorite season is fall.

37.  I don't cry easily.  When I do cry it means I am extremely upset about something.

38.  I do not like roller coasters.

39.  I am a mac person.  I own a mac laptop, iPad, and iPhone.

40.  My favorite colors are teal and pink.

41.  I am ticklish.

42.  I don't like how I look with my hair up...at least I don't look good in pictures this way.

43.  I love getting letters in the mail.

44.  I would love to see Celine Dion in concert.

45.  I love finding new music.

46.  I hate drying my hair.

47.  People think I am quiet, but once they get to know me they know I can talk a lot.

48.  I like cutting coupons in the Sunday paper.
49.  I love having my back rubbed.

50.  The foods I usually crave the most are chocolate milk and kraft macaroni and cheese.  

51.  I split my tongue and chin open during a bowling accident when I was 4.

52.  I am a Canon girl.

53.  I love the look of freshly fallen snow.

54.  I love pj pants.  I own way too many.

55.  I'd rather save my money and buy something with quality than buy something similar but cheaply made.

56.  I love it when Abby howls.  It brings a smile to my face every.single.time.

57.  I'm terrified of losing the people who mean the most in my life.

58.  I like car rides.

59.  I hate waking up early.

60.  I don't like it when people try to manipulate me.  It is a huge pet peeve.  (I would think this is on everyone's list though.)

61.  I'd love to have a summer home in Colorado.

62.  I do not like scary movies.

63.  I hope people feel inspired when they see my photos.

64.  I would rather stay at home than go out every night.

65.  I wish my extended family were much closer than it is.

66.  I often eat cereal multiple times a day.

67.  I have a new love of decorating.

68.  I don't drink soda.

69.  I'm an 'indoor girl'.

70.  I spent a summer watching the movie Titanic almost every day.  I even watched all the extras and learned a lot about how they made the movie and random facts about Titanic.

71.  I spend way too much time on the computer.  A habit I'd really like to break.

72.  I have seen Matt Nathanson in concert 3 times in one year.

73.  I play with my hair...another habit I need to break.

74.  I am too good a procrastinating.

75.  I've never had braces.

76. I don't like to eat fish.
77. I love kids. I babysit all the time.
78. I love tv shows, but not reality shows-unless if it's a competition like the bachelor/bachelorette.
79. My favorite type of books are ones that are a part of a series.
80. I like to keep things organized but often go through messy, cluttered times.
81. I always have multiple water bottles scattered around the house or in my car.
82. My eye brows grow in every few days. Thank you grandpa.
82. I care what other people think.
83. I enjoy making mixed CDs.
84. I enjoy going to the grocery store on the weekends with mom.
85. I don't like making decisions-especially when other people are involved.
86. I have to have all my doors shut when I sleep.
87.  I've never broken any bones.
88.  After I eat I either get really quiet or really hyper.
89.  I like being a girl.
90.  Twinkle lights are my favorite type of lighting.
91.  I don't like feeling lonely.
92.  I don't like to get wet (unless if I'm showering or going to the pool).
93.  I have a new found love for leopard print.
94.  I almost never wear sweats unless I'm at home.
95.  I'm often blown away by sunrises and sunsets.  They are always so beautiful and so different.
96.  I like Christmas, but it often makes me sad.
97.  I like quotes.
98.  I never leave the house without some kind of makeup on.  (Unless if I'm just going for a car ride and I can wear shades.)
99.  I like to see movies at the movie theater, but almost never do.

100.  Chick Flicks are the best movies.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday: July 3, 2011

I had no idea what to do for X-Ray so I decided to not do it and do Hidden and Farm.  Hope that's ok :)

Pop of Color

Crossing Thresholds

Don't really like this one, but I didn't know what to do.

Toy

Charlie--the best stuffed animal ever

Hidden

It took Abby a little while to figure out where her bone-bone went when I thru it and then it took just as long for her to figure out how to get to it.  Mom had to help her out in the end.

Farm

This is from the archives back in November.  The business fraternity I'm in toured the Shatto Dairy Farm.  We milked cows and got to pet the new babies.  I loved this little guy--reminded me of Abby.

Linked up here.

The beginning of the flood.  Sadly it has gotten much worse.

Linked up here.

Week 26

"I loved you at your darkest"

~Romans 5:8