Hope on the Horizon

This evening we will be attending Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope, a message about the economy and what we can hope for.

Happy Earth Day

Such a generic title. I know.
I'd like to get to this movie opening today, to celebrate. Surprisingly, Amazon alerted me to this, as opposed to Disney itself, even though I am on the Disney mailing list. Huh. Probably because I bought Planet Earth off of Amazon.  :)

UPDATE: I wish I could demand a refund of my $16.50. If by "the next chapter" they mean the identical footage already shot and produced and released in Planet Earth... then sure.
Having seen everything already - it was a disappointment. Even more so it was frustrating and irritating, as they gave human emotions to animals and added supremely tacky/stale/used/generic dramatic music, ruining the natural majesty of the animals themselves. They pretty much tried to cram the entire 5 disc set into 90 minutes - it was such a disarray of scenes... 10 seconds or so for each. Ugh. Disjointed. Not to mention the narration by James Earl Jones was flat, lacking the deep, gravely, rock-solid pitch he usually has...and that all his lines were either verbatim from Planet Earth, or so dumbed down it was scoffable.
I think the worst part was when the "daddy" polar bear didn't make it, "but his spirit will live on in the hearts of his young ones". There was an identical audible exclamation of disbelief and disgust from Pete and myself. (You're kidding me, right?)

Thank you Lord

Someone just made us an offer on our house!
Now the paperwork just needs to go through.  I can't begin to explain this feeling of relief.

Write Everyday

It's something I've always wanted to do.  Maybe I can try and keep up with that.  Even if I don't publish it on the blog.  Just write something.

Apron Possibilities

One thing I'd like to change about my daily routine, is to wear my nicer clothes every day and not only when I need to leave the house.  In the past, I'd just throw on a pair of comfy yoga-type pants, a graphic/printed tee and maybe a sweatshirt.  But this kind of apparel does not make one feel very attractive or productive.  Just blah and lazy.  One could reason that while cleaning and cooking, you'd want to wear these types of clothes so as not to get your good clothes dirty.
Remedy:  An Apron
Duh.  How did I not think of this before?
Ok, on to the pattern searches.
I only found a few, but they all have potential:

Butterick, McCall's, McCall's, Heather Bailey
But why make one when I could buy one for about the same price as fabric, the pattern and the time it would take to make it?
Good idea:

Fresh Pink Poppies Polka Dot Ruffled Full Apron - by My Sunday Apron


The BELLA Vintage Inspired Brown Modern Pears with Turquoise Full Apron - by Boojiboo


The FAMOUS CHLOE Vintage Inspired Black and White Damask Full Apron - by Boojiboo
I have to say, this last one just might be my favorite!!  It was featured in a SONY magazine ad.  SO DARLING!!
But then, I could just enter a giveaway and WIN one.  That just might be the easiest!
New To This Whole 'Mommy' Thing is giving a Boojiboo apron away, as is Simply Stacie.  So, ladies, here is a blog post about the aprons and your giveaways!

What I Miss

Seeing as our house is still on the market in Texas, it is always on my mind.  And usually not in a pleasant, calming way, but a, nagging, unsettling, worrisome sort of way.
Well, at least something happy crossed my mind in regard to the house today - I love how I never had to turn on a light until about 7 or 8pm, because there was so much natural light streaming in through the windows.  It was so comfy and sunny, and I really miss that.  An apartment doesn't give you much in the way of natural light.  While we do have windows (and lots of them in one room) we don't get any more than an hour of a sun-patch.  It's all indirect light.  And, while I suppose that I should be grateful for that, I do miss the bath of sunshine you got when in the house.
On a completely separate issue, are cats supposed to massively shed for 3 months?

I think

I think I take on too many projects at once.

Foto Friday: Cannelle et Vanille

While I wish I was a genius in the kitchen, I am not,  but that doesn't stop me from drooling over other peoples' culinary talents.  Aran of Cannelle et Vanille, is one of those individuals who can not only make something delicious (I can just tell from the ingredients she lists) but beautiful as well.  She captures her lovely food with stunning photographs, making them even more mouth watering.  She can take something simple, like sorbet and make it look positively divine.

{photo from Cannelle et Vanille}

She also has a flickr site, with just the photos of her fabulous food.

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Foto Friday is a weekly installation, occurring every Friday, exploring Photographic websites and books as well as other Photographic topics.

Just Have To Add

I am loving the homepage today!  Yay first day of Spring!  Yay Eric Carle!

While I Wait

I just started (yes, another project) a free online .... system... for lack of a better word right now.... that deals with keeping your home and family and life organized, clutter free, clean and cheery.  One of the things that one must do, is every morning (for those who don't work outside the home) to "get dresses to shoes".  As for me, I still don't know why they insist on a grammatically incorrect phrase, but the gist of it is to get dressed from hair and make up, all the way down to tying up those shoe laces.  This way, you're always ready, and have a can-do mentality right from the get-go.  As for me, I am a firm believer in the no-shoes-in-the-house philosophy.  Less dirt, no scuffs, and more importantly, no broken kittie toes in the case of accidental steppage.  (just loud meows.) 
The solution to this is to have a pair of shoes only for house-wearing.  So, I stopped by DSW on my way home from dropping off Pete's forgotten keys, and was saddened to find not one satisfactory cute pair of tennies.  (They HAVE to have laces - no slip-ons.)  Enter the internet.  Behold, the shoes I am waiting for.

Image found on goldencan.com.
I only hope the colors are more like the photo on dsw.com....

I've been busy!

Catchin' up on some projects...

More coming soon!
P.S. Look what came in the mail on Friday:
SO EXCITED!!!

I won something!

Not just any something, a really awesome something!  Holly Hanks, author of The Charmed Life blog, Design Team member of Label Tulip, Pink Paislee, and Chatterbox, Inc., held a giveaway on her blog last Wednesday.
 She graciously was offering a brand new copy of Elsie Flannigan's Love, Elsie Recipe Idea Box, a book that I have wanted since it came out, but everywhere had sold out of! 

And I won!!
Thank you so much Miss Holly!!!

Once a month

Or so it would seem.  My track record for blogging this year.  Just about.
Huh.
Sigh.
Anyways, I could ramble on about some of the things going on in my life right now, but that would produce a slightly confusing and somewhat disjointed read.
So, I'll just complain about my evening.  How's that?
Well, actually just the movie we went to see tonight.
I'm sure many people out there will disagree with me (and others will emphatically agree) but I just have to say something about Watchmen.
First, a disclaimer that I have never cracked a comic about the Watchmen, let alone heard of them until they started running Watchmen covers on the EW magazine.  Obviously, my husband is not of the same camp as I.
I cannot believe that that movie only got an R.  And that it was 3, three -- THREE hours long.  I'm not SUPER squeamish, but really, the butcher knife, and the electric circular saw thingy.. c'mon. 
Then the movie just started getting ridiculous.  It so wasn't believable or realistic.  And I know it was a comic, but so was Iron Man and Batman, and X-Men, but somehow those characters and plots seemed so much more believable.  Suddenly, there is a blue and white and black tiger like thing with matching fur-covered horn-like appendages shooting out of its head.  Right.
Oh, and since it is CGI, we can show men-parts.  Full frontal.  Ugh.  Oh, and a almost pornographic bedroom scene, or really, flying owl-like hover craft- ship-plane-thing scene.  Which of course, had all the high school kids tittering and squirming.  Gross.
Speaking of gross, can I just say that the guy who sat next to me seemed harmless enough at first, but then as the torture dragged on, I heard smacking every 30 seconds or so... like, mouth smacking.  And not in the kissing kind of way.  Just, opening and closing of the mouth.  Constantly.  Then, about half way through, I notice he's picking his nose.  Often.  Yeah.  Sick.  THEN he starts leaning on the armrest, which my coat happens to be kind of resting on, so now I must get it dry cleaned.  And finally, the icing on the nasty cake, at the end of the movie, he stands up, I see a ball of socks in his hand, as he shoves his BARE feet into his shoes.  Um, this nasty person was BAREFOOT throughout the whole movie.  I was two seats from the aisle, but I would have rather braved shoving myself through the completely immature and super messy teenage boys who took up the rest of the row in the other direction than leave over the floor where the smacker-boogie-leaner-barefoot individual had sat.
Shudder and cry.
On a side note about the movie, Pete says of all the movies he has ever seen, it was the most faithful to the book/comics.  Which, in that case, I'll just pass on reading them.
And now, I don't have enough time to make bread in my bread machine for a craft gathering tomorrow, because I spend three hours at that movie.  Sigh.

HAPPY happy HAPPY ha ha ha

(Zoolander reference - we watched it last night.)
I'm trying to stay positive about the whole Project 365 kit thing.  But now, my parcel has been lost by UPS.  And I have to wait for the second round of kits to ship out mid-February.  This doesn't seem TOO bad, except for the fact that I don't believe them anymore.  There has been SUCH a HUGE problem with this company, telling people different things, lying, etc, I don't know how to feel.
On one hand, my interest in this project is waning because I don't have a kit to work with and remind me, and be excited to put stuff in it... on the other hand my interest is waning because this is one big mess, and I don't know if I even want to keep doing it, when I may not even get a cute kit.
I know there are other options to the kit, hundreds of people have shared them.  Sigh.  I don't know.
My mood is probably building on the not selling the house, the not finding a job, and the trying to get out of debt and wow this is hard.
Maybe playing with the kitty will cheer me up.  It usually does.  :)
On a side note, 2 days ago Poppytalk featured the studio of a couple and I almost fell out of my seat!
Ben Floeter and Natalie Wright have an amazing place to create, and their work is just fabulous!
But these things were not what surprised me - I've never met Ben, but his dad is the man who married us!  He is a friend of my dad's!  Ack!  So, this was extremely cool.  A bright spot in my gray mood.
But then, gray is kind of in right now.  As far as fashion and design go.  ;)

tank found at J.Crew

Is it still January?

I'd like to say it's been busy... and that would explain my absence.  But that would be false.  I've just been away from the blog for a few weeks. 
While I was gone, we went on one of these:

To go to one of these:

(a wedding)
And to visit this place:

That 4 day trip involved two nights with 2 hours of sleep, a 4am wake up, a 4:50am wake up and one of the worst motels I've ever stayed in.  Shudder.  The wedding was beautiful, the company delightful, and the day at Disney, divine.  The weather was perfect for the two important days and crummy for the two travel days.  We'll be visiting Disney World in January from now on... no more of that July business.
-In other news, I'm still working on Project 365 - but without a kit.  There has been a HUGE problem with the ordering... and I thought I had managed to avoid most of it.. but no.  I still have yet to get anything in the mail.  I'm calling again today.
-We've been working on Every Monday Matters, and this week is to sign up for AMBER alerts, which we've done via cell phone texts.
-Last week was to turn off the TV more often and designate certain times to watch it.  We haven't had that problem much, as we don't get cable or the satelite anymore.  Sadly tho' this week I found a website you can watch shows on, for free.  I will have to make sure I apply this self-discipline to the website, so I don't spend hours watching Survivor, The Amazing Race, Fringe, etc online.
-I'm really starting to get serious about finding a job, as it is becoming more and more important to our income. 
-As for our house... well, it's still up for sale.  Prayer is constantly happening.
-Happily, I've begun a ladies bible study at church, and am enjoying it immensely.
-I just finished a project with A Life Well Crafted, but have to upload the photos and edit them.  I'll try and get those up tomorrow.
This post is really choppy and bulleted... but it's all I got for now. :)

Attribute Album

Ok, so I did get to this today. Yay!
This album could have been done for anyone, but I chose myself.  At first it seemed a little selfish, and somewhat braggy... but then I reminded myself those reasons are why I needed to make this for me.  To remind myself that I am worth these titles.  Some more than others, but still, all are a part of me.

Our Anniversary

A week or so ago, Pete and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary.  Not a big to-do, we're going to Disney with a few friends next weekend, so that will be our gift to each other.  But we still got each other cards and went out to a very nice dinner.  I  just wanted to share the gift from my parents (mostly my mom) who made us another quilt.  Her most labor-intensive one yet.  And my absolute favorite ever of her practical quilt repertoire.  (She makes small, art-wall-hanging quilts too.)
I think she said it's called Flying Geese Around the Lake.  This is just one small corner.
LOVE IT!!
Thanks mom!

One more goal (well two, really) and Bruce Campbell

Another of my goals for 2009 is to take a photo daily, as well as create something (somewhat daily).  This has been on my mind for months.  Well, it just so happens that someone has put these two things together into an easy-to-use, easy-to-keep-up-with kit. 
Unfortunately, it sold out in 2 hours.  Luckily, I was able to snag one kit.  It took me an hour and a half of dealing with their crashing server, but I got one.  From what it sounds like, hundreds did not.  I'm saddened to hear that almost all of them are taking it out on one person (the one who did the promoting of the kit) but I cannot blame nor judge them, as I was one of the few who's order went through.
What is this elusive kit you might be wondering?
It's called Project 365, (similar to the flickr site's project 365) and the concept is to either take a photo daily or keep some sort of memorabilia bit, such as a receipt or shopping list or report card or what have you.  Then journal about the day.  Nothing too fancy or complicated.  The appealing this is that it's all pre-cut and fits together perfectly, colors matching, etc.  You don't even need adhesive!
You put it all together to make something like this:
 (photo courtesy of Becky Higgins, created by Maggie Holmes)
Simply adorable.  Simply simple.
So, I will be fulfilling two goals in one swoop.  Check.
As for the Bruce Campbell thing, he was (maybe still is) promoting his new movie, My Name is Bruce, and as far as the promoting went, he showed up after each show to do a live Q & A.  If he had not be there in person, I'm not sure I would have gone with Pete to the show.  But still.  I took my camera, and immediately lamented that I failed to bring the zoom lens.  We had assigned seats, and were about 2/3rds back in the smallish auditorium (stadium seating style - it was a movie theater).
What I was able to catch are the following photos.  Blurry and far away.  A flash produced a dark foreground and thus had to use the lighting from the ceiling.  Bah.

Here's what he looks like (for those who don't know) in a proper photo (minus the glasses - it was midnight, perhaps his eyes were tired.):

I have to say, it was neat to see this guy in person; pretty funny at impromptu wacky questioning. 
The Q & A ended with one girl in the back saying, "I don't really have a question, I just wanted to tell you that I have a tattoo of you."
B.C. "Wow, that's awesome, where is it?"
Girl "On my calf."
B.C "How much did it cost?"
Girl "$400"
B.C. (surprised) "Well, here - it's not $400, but make sure it gets back to her." (And proceeds to remove a $5 bill from his wallet and it goes hand over hand to the back of the theater to her.)
It was pretty cool.

One Little Word 2009

A few years ago, Ali Edwards put out a challenge to her readers to pick one word for the coming year that they will hold close to their hearts, to inject into their every day's work.  Something to embody your life for the next year.  Something to work on, to change, to keep as a reminder.
I have spent the last 3 years withdrawing into myself even more so than is in my normal character (to be self-sufficient and quiet and reserved).  I have not made the effort to branch out and meet new people.  To try new things.  To see new places.  To take a stab at failure.  To do anything that I am unsure about.
In choosing the word CONNECT, I am hoping to remind myself daily that I need to put myself out there and connect with other people.  Connect with the world in which I live.  Connect with my Heavenly Father.  And too, connect with myself.
It will take multiple reminders, most likely daily... even hourly.  But I hope to come out of 2009 with more courage to take that first step of putting myself out there and connecting with others.

See ya 2008.  Bring on the new and unknown.
Having spent some time away from my blog, I've come to realize that this must be something I choose to keep up with.  Something that I make time for, that becomes part of the routine, and that I learn to open up to.  It seems to me that one evolves over time when writing in a blog.  And it seems that others who have kept it up faithfully come to cherish and rely on their blogs and blog readers.  That is something that I'd like to have happen, but cannot force it.  It must be a natural process.
That being said, many other things have been on my mind lately.  Like the things the people always promise themselves to begin in the coming year.  I always feel that if I'm to start something, it must be at the beginning of the week, month or year.  It doesn't make sense to me to begin in the middle.  So, the start of a new calendar fosters newness in other things in my life as well.
Here are the things I'm adding to my goal sheet for 2009 (with the exception of the first line, in no particular order):
*Spend time in the Word daily, and not just on Sunday in church.
*Take one photo a day (not necessarily a self-portrait).
*Create something weekly, if not daily.
*Find a job.
*Keep house in orderly condition.
*Join gym and attend regularly (frequency TBD).
*Read often.
*Participate in Every Monday Matters with husband and parents.
*Keep a journal.
*Blog regularly (again, frequency TBD).
*Incorporate my One Little Word for 2009 into my daily life.
*Participate in the activities and discoveries of What's Your Red Rubber Ball?!.
I think that's all for now.
I'll expound on some of these tomorrow.
For now, have a safe and blessed New Year!