Saturday, May 30, 2009

UP!

If you haven't gone to see the new PIXAR movie UP, you need to stop reading this and go right now! I love PIXAR movies and got together a group friends and went last night. I don't care what age you are this movie is great. I wouldn't bother with the 3D though, it would just seem superfluous and detract from the movie rather then enhance.

Carl and Elle are to kids with a love of adventure and desire to one day travel to Paradise Falls to follow in the foot steps of their favorite explorer. They grow up together and fall in love and live a beautiful life together. Most of this is done with out words. It was wonderful and made me cry! Despite saving their pennies they never do make it to Paradise Falls. The rest of the movie follows Carl learning to live with out Elle and finding a new lease on life.

I'm not going to tell you anything else, you just need to go see it for your self! Don't worry about anyone in the family being bored, it will keep everyone entertained. Another tip, if you have a Costco card buy your movie tickets there it's way cheaper!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Deep Breath

I am 22 years old and do not have my drivers license. I'll wait a minute while all y'all gasp in shock............finished? Okay, well I have some good reasons but mostly it was being to cheap to pay over $50 a month for doing something I hate and was afraid(yes afraid!) of doing. I have been meaning to get it ever since I turned 18 or 19, but I, I'll think of it tomorrow after all tomorrow is another dayed! myself for three years now.

The last and final hurdle holding me back? Calling the DMV! I know that for most of you that is the easy part, but me? I can answer the phone just fine, well okay maybe not just fine. I sound like a dweeb, but I don't mind. It's just how I sound on the phone and I'm okay with it now. But calling people! Especially an entity like the DMV! I have been dreading it for 2 months now, I finally called today after doing all of the other things on my mental list of things to get done today, I even folded fitted sheets, yep fitted sheets! If you have ever had to do that you'll now how much I didn't want to call the DMV.

I finally shlumped over to the phone book and hauled it off the desk like it weighed a ton, and flopped it open. Hmmmmm, where would I find the phone number for the DMV? I looked in the white pages and all of the places I could think of in the yellow pages, happily delaying the inevitable!

I got done thumbing through the phone book and crept downstairs hoping that my dad was on the computer, alas he was not! I look up their website and hope hits me like a mac truck. Hey! You can do everything online, maybe I could sign up for my test online! You can't I discovered after vainly checking all the promising looking links. So, I went to the info page and got the number and shot back upstairs for I knew that if I delayed much longer I was going to pull another Scarlett O'Hara!

I sat down on my bed took a couple of very deeeeeeep, loooooooong, slooooooooow breaths and dialed the number. Maybe I'll get an answering machine I thought, but before I had even finished the thought a faintly Brooklyn sounding voice said,"Hello?" Akkkkkk!!

"Um, I'd like to make an appointment to take my driving test......

It went pretty typical from there, nothing crazy or outlandish, it was rather fun listening to her talk though. I wonder if she is from Brooklyn? Now for the easy part! I'm not nervous about the driving test at all, well maybe a little bit. What if I get the driving instructor test person thing from the black lagoon?! Be praying for me on June 10!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Easy as Pie......right?

Nothing can make me cry like making pie crust! Yep, I am ashamed to admit it, but there you have it. Such a simple idea, flour, shortening, water etc. Just role it out and put it in the pie plate. Easy as pie(hehe) right? I made a chocolate cream pie yesterday and the only reason the interference of my Mom telling me that I was doing it wrong once more didn't make me shed tears of frustration was the presence of a friend. So, I just laughed like a nut case and he got treated to a show!

My older sister was also privy to the display and brought up the fact that she makes perfect pie crust! It's so very easy. That helped let me tell you!!! Then later that night as my ugly little pie crust was brought up once again(sigh) the topic of sibling jealousy came up. This has always been a huge problem for me, and just in recent years gotten better.

Being the second born to an older sibling that seems to have been given all of the gifts that make life in this world easier, looks, outgoingness, artistic ability's, the ability to make pleading eyes with out looking like a sick cow(I could go on, but I'm pretty sure that you get the picture!) Made life growing up hard. I admit to being slightly freakish in the dress department and acting out trying to take some of the attention away from her. It never worked for long, I felt like Wile E Coyote trying to catch the road runner, never quite succeeding!

I grew out of the freakish stage but was still pretty miserable, living in big sisters shadow. She got taller and I didn't. She got skinnier, I got rounder, the boys started to pay attention to her and I got a pat on the head(I still do, but I like it now!) if I got noticed at all. Nothing my Mom said about being different or special helped. I don't want to be different, I want to be like everybody else.

This is were I should trot out a bible verse and tell you about the big life changing event that happened, but I can't! It has mostly been a slow realisation that I am not like everybody else. There are people in this world that just have more talent and get noticed more. Until I get this pounded into my head, I will never be happy with my self. I know it sounds trite but that is just the way it is. I have long patches of contentment, but like with yesterdays pie crust the green eyed monster pops out once again.

I've realized something through out these years, the beautiful people have their own set of problems. I've seen big sis deal with things I will never have to worry about. Like people asking the what collage are you going to question they just ask about big sis, skip me then head right on to sis number three! I haven't had to deal with the disapproving glances and the up turned noses! I've also never had to deal with the heartache of male attention. As nice as it sounds, there are loads of problems with it. I will get noticed by the man God has for me, no past relationships to feel guilt over for me!

God has been working on my heart and maturing me, but believe me we still have a long way to go! If you deal with this, the only thing I can tell you is pray! Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. He has made me for a specific reason and purpose. I am perfectly equipped for the road ahead of me. So, I will forge ahead and try to keep my little green eyed friend in his cage!

Friday, May 22, 2009

New Glasses

I have been needing to get new glasses for a bit now and as I no longer have insurance I needed to find some place cheaper to get my eyes checked. I found a Binyons coupon in the paper, an eye exam for $50. Cool!! It said no appointment necessary so I did a walk in and was seen about 15 minutes later. The staff were all very nice and helpful. Do not be afraid of the buzzing gray box they attach to your arm! I repeat do not be afraid, it's just taking your blood pressure! Dr. Steven Kopp was very friendly and efficient. He also had very clean fingers, they all did. A very important thing to know when people are dealing with your face!

I was going to get new frames there as well, the current ones were never my favorites and hey they were having a sale, but they were all designer. My abnormally large head and check book could not find anything that we liked there. Then I went to Costco, while our past experience with their optometrist was not good their frames selection was much more to my liking and they were much cheaper! The staff was friendly and the service was fast.

So, if you find your self in need of eye wear, Binyons and Doctor Steven Kopp for your prescription and Costco for cheaper frames!

Think, think......
"Wow, the frames look really red in this picture! If you ever meet me in person ask to see the inside of my frames, it's my favorite part!!
Ignore the very large and shiny forehead, why do I always try and put my bangs back, why?! "=)

WIFD~Day 6

Just me today and another beautiful shot of our closets!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

WIFD~Day 5

Giant Becca
Fee, fi, fo fum, hey where's my lunch? I wasn't done!

Megan being chased by a herd of children!


My cool and collected Mom.
No crazy shenanigans for her, just a cool drink and her shades!


A very flattering picture I know! Hey, it's a long way down, who's knows what could have happened=)





Wednesday, May 20, 2009

WIFD~Day Four

Becca feeding her leopard gecko, Lotus.

My mom cutting up apples for chunky apple sauce, yum!!

Me using the self timer for the first time. Hence the funny pose! Sorry about the messy closets, we don't have room for doors on them so......... =)


This is my favorite skirt because it twirls so well, this is an attempt to capture the swirl on film(or memory card I guess!)



WIFD~Day 3


Me "watering" the flowers. We actually did water the flowers today but the leaky hose just didn't look as nice as the watering can!

My mom folding towels and once again I apologize about the sideways picture!
My sister Becca practicing the piano, she's getting very good!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Backyard Vignettes

Melvin

Murry and Matt

The Faeries path

Forget~Me~Not

Bleeding Heart

Lilys of the Valley

I hope you enjoyed your little tour of my backyard!
Any comments on my photography skills are welcome, opinions over here at my house are varied.

WIFD~Day Two

Spring cleaning the kitchen was our afternoon project today!
Here I am cleaning the upper part of the kitchen, I usually do the top parts and the floors. I really just like standing on the counters!
Here is my Mom washing the tins that I'm handing down to her.

Megan got to wipe down the dining set and clean the china hutch. Don't you love the butterfly camo skirt? I have plans to make on as well!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Why do you........

There is no one question that I dread answering the most when I get asked it by girls then why do you wear skirts or dresses all the time? I hate that question, I shouldn't because it is a chance to share about my relationship with Christ. Never the less, my tummy hurts when it is brought up. Why you may be asking! Well, it's because about 90% of the people who have asked me that question have acted offended and hurt by my answer and never talk to me again! There have been some good reactions, but most of the time it ends up badly.

What should I say? Should I tell them it's because my legs are stumpy, my butts big and I can't find anything with a 24" inseam? Those things are all true, and I think very good reasons, but they always want more(Looking like a jean clad sausage isn't enough reason!?!) I have come to realize that I can't avoid this question, so I will answer it to the best of my abilities. Hopefully I will learn how to say what I believe with out offending people!

All joking about stumpy or large body parts aside, I do have a biblical reason for dressing like I do. I believe that we should strive to be modest in our dress: 1 Timothy 2:9 -10 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works
This seems pretty clear about modesty, but pants can be modest as well. I mean skirts and dresses can be as far from modest as anything!! I just don't happen to like pants very much. Besides it much easier to imagine that I'm a princess or Anne of Green Gables in a dress! Twirling about in pants just can't ever compare, life is just more enjoyable for me in a swirly skirt! I believe that girls should look like girls and that boys should look like boys, it's as simple as that. God separates and defines our roles as men and women in the bible, non of that gender neutral stuff!

Verse 10 is the important part that we girls forget about sometimes, modesty in dress is not the most important part. It's far more important to act modest and Christ like. If we are dressing modestly but acting worldly what kind of message are we sending? We get so bogged down by rules and legalism, we forget what's really important!

1 Peter 3:3-4 - Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

That last verse says it all, it matters far more what your heart looks like, rather then what your wearing. The outside will change to reflect the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. What a thrilling idea! I strive to have that gentle and quite spirit, what more could a girl ask for then to be very precious in the sight of God?

Week in Feminine Dress~Day One





This is the first WIFD that I've had a blog for and I'm excited! From left to right it's, my Mom(Happy B~Day Mom!) my sister Becca and me Katy. I'm looking forward to sharing this week with you gals!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Young at Heart

I don't wanna grow up was the Toys R' Us theme song when I was a kid. I loved that commercial and would sing along every time it came on. I still love that store, even today it fills me with child like awe and the need to push all the TRY ME! buttons in sight! I love Disney movies and cartoons like Sponge Bob. I find that I like childrens books better then most grown up ones. Couple these things with the fact that I am very easily amused and as mentioned in a pervious post rather gullible, I find it hard sometimes to fit in.

For the first time since I've become a "young adult" I am regularly hanging out with a group of my peers. The last time I'd done that was when I was 15, it's totally not the same! I'm still talking about little siblings, chores and Blues Clues. When did my peers grow up with out me!?

I just sit and listen with my mouth agape when they all talk about collage, driving across country, trips not with their family's but with friends and pepper their conversation with "bad" words. I makes me want to hold out the cuss jar and collect quarters. It's even worse when it's just the girls, the talk ALWAYS turns to boys and past relationships. Ummmm, I had a plan to marry Mark Summers and run our Family Double Dare empire together. That's as far into a relationship as I have ever gotten. But, I mean honestly how many times can we talk about your old flames. It could be it's not as fascinating to me because I can't join in the talk, but as someone who's had to listen to it a lot...... I hope not!

I know that I've lived my life how God wants me to and that I'm right where He wants me, but I feel left out and about 12 sometimes! Then something will happen like a mom will ask me for advice about her sick kid, or the fact that the middle aged Sparks leader is looking to me for what she should be doing. Leading the bible study that I'm in, I've found that teaching my peers is just as unscary as teaching kids. What was I worried about? Then the talk will once again turn to something that seems to be the norm among the people my age. Then I am once again reduced to feeling 12 and like maybe I should try harder to let go of my childhood and "grow up".

Do I need to let go of my love of things not grown up? Can I be mature and still laugh at Sponge Bob and Finding Nemo? Should I seek out those experiences that would make me feel like I fit in? Or just learn to be different and continue to day dream when the talk turns to the things I have no experience with? I've gotten both yea and nay answers to these questions! I know God has lead me where I am, if He wanted me to have those experiences He would have lead me down those roads! Yet, sometimes it would be nice to fit in!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

He Will Teach My Heart to Sing

I love to sing, or at least I love the idea of singing! For whatever reason I was not blessed with the ability to sing well. Oh, I can make noise, but that's the kindest thing you could call it(or so I've been told!) And no matter what a dear friend of mine said recently the only difference between someone who can sing and someone who can't is not just training!

Growing up in church I thought that worship was singing and that singing was worship, that's all I'd ever heard about the subject. I was pretty much miserable, like I was lacking in some way. It wasn't until we joined the church that we are in now that I started to learn something. Worship is not just the part of church where you sing! Worshiping is giving glory to God and you can accomplish this through singing, but it's not the only way.

God doesn't care what I sound like! I could set the dogs to howling everytime I open my mouth and God will still love to listen if I'm lifting my voice in His name. I still sing quietly all the same, God doesn't care, but the people around me might!

Praise Him through prayer, serving Him and living your life according to His plan. These are all ways of worshiping the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 9:10a Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might
Colossians 3:17a And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus

I love the second verse, whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of Jesus. What a task we've been given, what a noble quest! To bring glory to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! As christians no matter what we are doing, it will reflect on His name. Give that a thought and tell me it doesn't send shivers up your spine! So, whether we are serving in kids church, fighting with our siblings, helping out at a homeless shelter or saying that bad word it all reflects on the name of Jesus. What king of "fame" are you bringing to Gods name?

Monday, May 4, 2009

My Way or the Highway?

Is there really only one right way to do anything? Or does the old saying there's more then one way to skin a cat hold true for the other things in life(besides skinning cats that is!) My Mom would tell you yes there is only one way to do most things, but I'm not so sure. I've been raised conservatively, not as sheltered as some and not as in the world as others and some of it by choice. I had always been told that I could start dating at 16, but didn't you date to find husband? I didn't want to get married at 16! I was going to wait until I was ready to get married(This was before my family decided that we would court and homeschool and all that jazz)

I've been raised that there is really only one way that God tells us to do most things, and that we should try our hardest by word and example to make people see it our way. Is there really only one way that God tells us to date, raise our kids, worship, and all of the other things that we fight and divide ourselves over? No! I don't think so, God has called me to make some unconventional life choices, but as long as you let me live the life God has laid out for me, your welcome to your own opinions.

There are obviously guide lines laid out in the Bible for all these things and we should strive to find out what God is telling us to do. As for things that the Bible isn't specific on? Like kids church, my family doesn't put the kids in Sunday school during church(if you would like more info on why, contact me!)but I still love to help out in kids church and may put my own kids in. A lot depends on what my husband has to say about the issue.

Call me a people pleaser and PC but God calls us all to walk our own road and as long as you are following Gods will and seeking guidance in His word for the things He does tell us to do I don't see a problem in doing things differently! That's part of what makes this world a wild-wonderful-exciting-beautiful place to live, wouldn't it be boring if we all did everything exactly that same?

I would like to say once again though, that there are things that God tells us to do a specific way and that we should never compromise on. Just to make it clear I'm not starting a free love, do whatever makes you happy type group or anything!=)

Feel free to share your thoughts or tell me I'm wrong, I always like to know when I'm way off base!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

May Day

My family started to celebrate May Day after I read about it in a book. I bothered my Mom enough and we started giving out May baskets about 5 to 6 years ago. Now the whole family loves it and we have fun every year. Here are some of the things we've learned.

1. When making the may baskets start before 10pm the night before May day!

2. Adding water to the jars is NOT an option when the candy is already in the jars (Go ahead and ask me how I found that one out!)

3. A giant red 15 passenger van is the most stealthy car in the world! Nobody can see us we are the blend masters!

4. Kids are prone to be tired at 6am, so making them run around outside in the dark holding glass jars is a wonderful idea.

5. Barking dogs sound much louder at 6am, though they do make the kids run back to the car much quicker.

6. When you've been spotted out of the front window dropping to the ground and army crawling to the front porch is probably not the most subtle way to avoid further detection(But does that stop us? Nope, the army crawl is here to stay!)

7. When you have a long driveway to go down ducking your heads in the car so it appears to be driving it self is a sure fire way to make the man innocently eating his breakfast; at the table right in front of the window, with a perfect view of his 1/4 mile long drive, not wonder what on earth the Pillsburys are doing now!

8. And the final thing we've learned is have fun and always use your oldest sister as the May Pole!