blogasaurus rex

blogging is so the new thing and i love it. like facebook, you just get a glimpse into people's world that wasn't available years ago.
anyway...photography seems like the new thing (maybe not for all), but i know a lot of AMAZING photographers. (links are on the right...jen hunt, smitten, blue bucket to name a few)
well, i usually make my rounds on all 3 sites once a week to see what is new. one time i found this project that Amy Free is doing on hers (blue bucket)...here is her vision:
The quote:
"Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful."
Sophia Loren

The goal:
The goal? Empower you, the women around me, to see yourself from a new angle. To enjoy what others love seeing in you—grace, love, humility, confidence, talent, sincerity, fierceness, loyalty, laughter and joy. The fact of the matter is that we are bombarded all the time with images that tell us how we should define beauty, and I have had a lifetime of wrestling with how I fit within these definitions of beauty. This project is all about empowering women to believe in their own beauty.

Think about this: when you look around your house, how many photos do you have displayed of yourself? I'm guessing there are wedding photos, family photos, and maybe a few random snap shots. But what about a beautiful image of you? Just you? Well now is your chance.

The style:
Each image will be unique to each woman because our definitions of beauty can range and my desire is for these images to capture that uniqueness. I will shoot on location in natural light.

I wanted to do this with my sister. If I could, I would do it with all my girl friends. so i inquired and we had our shoot with Amy a couple weeks ago and i just got the disk. it was so fun. she is amazing at her job and it was sweet to do this with my gorgeous sister. so, check us out (and many others) at www.bluebucketphotography.typepad.com.

Pack Rat

I know why I hold onto things.
I am on my second weekend of fall cleaning and I decided to go through our 2nd bedroom's closet. When we moved in, we put boxes of stuff and Christmas decorations and clothes and all sorts of office stuff and other random things in this closet. It's fairly spacious. I figured it would be good to go through and see what is actually in there and either keep it & organize it or throw it out.
I found some old cards & letters as I went through a box. Tied together was a stack of construction paper cards from my going away party that the staff & leaders gave me in Cab. Co. before I left for Louisiana to do Young Life back in 2002.

"I just want you to know that I think you are truly amazing. Yes, you are hilarious. In fact you are the funniest person I have ever met. But I want you to know that I see past that. I think you are a genuine and wonderful person, and I think you're an absolutely beautiful woman."
"I don't think you can imagine how awesome it has been having you on my team! you truly showed me what it means to be a YL leader and to serve and give of yourself for others."
"I've been blessed by our friendship and have no intention of letting it end here..."
"You are truly a woman of God and I'm thankful for all that I've been able to learn from you."

These are few excerpts from the notes I received. I was so amazed at what other people thought of me. I was so thankful for it. And I was so glad that I kept it.

celebrate under 30

i know i just turned 30, but i have to post about the excitement i feel when i fill up my subaru for under 30 bucks. it's amazing.
we all know it's hard-knocks right now for most of us, BUT, we can buy gas for under $2!!! that's freaking awesome! so, right now i get excited to go to the pump. i love to be on empty so i can fill up for a dollar seventy-six at Costco.
i know it's sad that my mood is based on the cost of filling up my car. (uh, and in reality, it's not)
pump it up!!

finally some pics of the 30th

my beautiful sister, julie

my sweet friend, leah

my awesome cake that my sister "designed" for me

really? do i need to say anything about this one?

so, there are a few pics from the night. there are more, but mostly blurry and random. none with me and adam. what a shame!! my friend, jessamy, has some good ones of the surprise.
it was such a great party.

fall cleaning

I love a clean house, but i have to admit; we don't live in one. Adam accumulates a lot of books, printed articles and papers from Grad School. I accumulate a lot of stuff. Period. We have crazy schedules and a small apartment with a lot of stuff. Needless to stay it can be a real craphole. Which gets really old and hard to live in. ugh!
I spent most of this weekend cleaning out and cleaning up. I tried to get rid of stuff b/c I need to and Goodwill needs donations. Gotta start somewhere.
Trader Joe's sells these all-natural Lavender dryer bags that can be used for carpet scents after a few loads in the dryer. So, I sprinkled the Lavender across the cleared carpet. As the vacuum crossed over, the scent filled the air.
As I sit here admiring my work, I'm hoping we can keep it this way and not let it turn into a craphole again.

books galore!

I love to read. Lately, I've rediscovered reading. I've never really been into buying books b/c a) they are too expensive and b) you only use them once. I like the public library too, so I try to check out books from there when I can. However, the books are usually checked out so I have to put in a hold request and inevitably I turn them in late. I could probably buy a book with my late fees.

Anyway, I'm just pretty jazzed about the book selections at my local Thrift Stores. I've shopped at various thrift stores (Value Village, Goodwill, etc) since Jr. High. Yet, recently I've found some great titles in their book section. Books here are from 50 cents to $3. Usually I come back with a stack, which lies around on our table for weeks. Even my English Grad Student husband gets annoyed at my book obsession. I just get so excited when I find a book I've wanted or heard about at a Thrift Store for so CHEAP.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri for 99 cents
a Jonathan Kellerman thriller (cheesy, i know) for a buck
Me talk pretty one day by David Sedaris for $1.49
the classic Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers for $1.49
Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich for $1.30
Taking Charge of Your Fertility for 99 cents
just to name a few!!

happy reading!!

turning 30

i never thought much about turning 30. until i got here.

i realized a couple months ago that i wanted (needed) to be celebrated on my birthday. i just wanted someone to do something for me. well, my hopes and expectations were blown away. a couple weeks ago adam told me that they (my sister and friend, Chaille) were planning a party for me. in the same conversation he told me that i am hard to WOW. i can't just sit back and let others wow me. i'm not sure why this is. so, i decided at that point i would do just that...sit back and be wowed. i didn't ask questions or push any more. the party was planned for sunday, the 9th at my dad's house in Tega Cay. okay.
once the e-vite was sent, there was absolutely NO talk of my impending celebration. i thought it was a bit strange that NO ONE would say, "hey, i'm excited about your party." or when i asked my friends if they were coming, they'd quickly say yes and that was it. i mentioned this to Chaille...just thought it was weird.
i woke up a 30 year old on saturday morning and was looking forward to hanging out with my husband and whatever he had planned then my party of Sunday. he told me to pack an over-night bag and be ready by 6:30pm. my other instructions were to straighten my hair and wear mascara. watch out!! by 6pm i was looking good!! we go outside to leave and there is a TOWN CAR waiting for us. i've never had a driver before. Lloyd drove us down..oops..uptown. our first stop--check in at the hotel, motel, holiday inn. then back in the car to the restaurant ZINk. adam told me we should have reservations under "patwa." uh- okay. so we are greeted by the hostesses and lead to our table. as we approach the black curtain, i thought, "that's weird, they must separate the restaurant by a curtain. this must be a private section." well--it was private all right. as i enter the "back room" there, standing before me are 30 odd friends and family who yelled "SURPRISE!!" i was beside myself. almost literally. i stood there for what seemed like 10 minutes with my mouth wide open in amazement. cue the tears. i was completely surprised and overwhelmed.
i've been doubting that people loved me. i'm not sure why. lately, i've just needed to know that people want to be my friend; that i am loved just because and for who i am. it's a strange place to be at approaching your 30th birthday. i was so ridiculously loved and celebrated Saturday night at my party...friends i've known for 15 years and some that i've just developed a friendship with recently. they were all there for me; to celebrate my life. it was simply amazing.
i kept wishing i could freeze-frame the whole deal. that as the SURPRISE scene froze, i could walk about the crowd of loved ones and just soak it up.
a few people asked if i had any idea. NOT AT ALL!! my sister kept saying how excited she was for my party...and now i know why. they were telling me about a fake party on Sunday while planning this amazing surprise party on saturday. it was incredible. my husband, my sister and best friend and everyone else really did it...they WOWed me. and i'm so very thankful to and for them. i needed this and they met that need. God really shows up in the lives of my friends and i'm so thankful for that. i love how He knows just what i need.
so, here i am. 30. i think my thirties is going to rock our world. i'm excited for what lies ahead...travel, kids, adventure, growth, friendships, and whatever else God has in store. i'm excited. (i will post some pictures from the night later)