Saturday, July 31, 2010

The List

We keep a notepad on the fridge and every time Marty or I think of something we're going to need on our next Walmart trip, we write it down on "the list".

The other day, as I was headed to go shopping, and about to take the list off the fridge, I noticed something... a little extra item had been added to the list.


By this person:

(to see more photos from this photo shoot with my new camera, check out the latest entry in my photography blog)

Anway, she'd never said anything to me about wanting a hamster, she just casually added it to the list.

Wouldn't it be great if getting things in life were just that easy?

So when I came home she said, "So Mom, did you get my hamster?"

And I said, "Nope".

And she said, "Well, did you at least get string cheese?"

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Over the Moon!

Last week I posted this picture that I'd taken for Brynn's birthday party invitations.


This week, Pioneer Woman is holding one of her famous photography contests and the theme is "water".

I'm never entered one of her contests, or any photography contest for that matter - the photos that are entered always blow my mind, they are just so gorgeous and interesting and incredible.

But I thought, "This photo of Brynn is kind of unusual and dramatically lit and her eyelashes look amazing with all the minuscule drops of water on them, and she's even wearing blue... perhaps I'll enter it - just for fun."

Well, you'll never guess - go ahead, try to guess. Oh, you'll never guess, I'm just going to have to tell you.....

MY PHOTO GOT PICKED IN THE FIRST GROUP!

Can you believe it? I still can't. I'm so psyched, I can't wipe the silly grin off my face!

And there several people in the comments who said mine was their favorite. So nice, what a totally fun thing.

So there will be 5 groups and then she'll pick the finalists. Now wouldn't that be fun?

So check out the contest and all the amazing water photos: PW "water" photography contest.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Because it's Been So Bleedin' HOT!

I don't do well with heat, I really don't. I handle cold a lot better than the extreme heat we've been having around here the last couple of weeks.

Our valiant little swamp cooler that we installed when I was pregnant with Brynn is just a pluggin' away trying to keep ahead of the heat, but when it gets to be over 100 degrees outside, it has a pretty hard time. And it doesn't help with my heat issues that I have horses who insist on being fed and cared for even in the dead of summer, and also a part-time job working outside with the horses during the hottest part of day.

But tonight as I was organizing my picture files, I ran across these pics that made me feel a little cooler.


We live near a verra big mountain, and on the other side of this gigantic mountain is the closest Walmart. So once every three weeks or so, I set out across this mountain to do my major shopping. It's quite a drive - steep and curvy with deer and elk, sheer drop offs and the occasional raging forest fire to keep things interesting. But I like it, it's so pretty up there, and I know the road like the back of my hand.

Anyway. About 5 weeks ago, around the middle of June, I went across the mountain in a snow storm. Now, I have driven over that road about 49 times in blizzards, but never before in the middle of June. And is was so pretty and stormy and cool that I snapped a few shots with my little point and shoot camera.



There was actually snow sticking on the ground at one point.


So tonight, when I was filing these pictures, I thought it might be nice to post them and take my mind off how Africa-hot it's been around here lately.

Anyone else feel like they're living in Africa too?

Saturday, July 17, 2010

wanna get wet?

She wanted to make her invitation with blue construction paper and a sharpie pen and I almost let her. But I just don't roll that way! And this one literally took me 15 minutes - from taking the photos to printing them out.


And she loves them.

I say, if you have the technology, why not?

I want to marry Photoshop.

I'm letting her use my sharpie on the envelopes.



And she did a fine job.



"I love my dadgum camera!" - Pioneer Woman

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Well, it's finally happened....

My husband is a hunk.

He seriously is.

He's 41, has worked hard all of his life and between his work ethic, the everyday kinds of things that he does (like running a grader, welding, hauling hay and shoeing horses), and his genetics, he's just physically tough. He has good balance, great reflexes and he's super-duper strong. He's kind of a freak, actually.

Well, no, that's not true. He's not a freak. But it makes me feel better about my own lack of physical prowess to thinks so.

Anyway.

The other day when his brother's family was visiting, one of their 16 year old twins was showing off his ripped biceps. Now this kid is also really athletic and can run a 4:40 mile, but his biceps are not especially large. Not that they don't look lean and mean and very impressive, mind you, but when you're married to the kind of biceps I'm married to.... well, it's all relative.

So when Justin was showing off his biceps, I turned to Marty and said, "Show him yours, honey." And Justin's "old" uncle raised his arm and popped up a Popeye muscle that was about 3 times the size of Justin's.

Justin took one look, said, "I think I'm going to cry," and then wandered dejectedly away.

I almost felt bad for him for a minute, but then I decided that all cute, ripped, cocky 16 year old boys ought to have an uncle or a dad or a grandpa who can show them up once in a while. It's good for their character.

For years I've been trying to get my hubba-hubba-hubby to flex for a photo for me, and he's been absolutely unwilling and completely unsympathetic to my cause. But the other day, as I was complimenting him on the handsome cowboy shirt he was wearing (that I bought for him at a thrift store, of course) and he was feeling charitable toward me for telling him how hunky and manly he looked, he finally agreed to flex for the camera. IF he didn't have to hold his arm up and have his face in the picture. I also had to do a little extra bargaining, but I jumped at the chance even though his muscle looks bigger when he holds his arm up.

As soon as I finished taking the photo he said, "Are you going to put that picture on your blog?" And I said, "You BETCHA baby! We made a deal!"

So much to his chagrin, it is now on my blog. He should have thought of that before he let me take the shot.

Here he is in all his freaky glory.

In a pink shirt, no less.

Notice the bulging muscle in his HAND as well. And let me tell you, that hand is heck on jar lids!


Take THAT Marlboro Man! (You have to be a follower of Pioneer Woman to appreciate that reference.)

And then, as if the muscles weren't enough, he went right out and cooked us dinner in a dutch oven.


Be still my heart.

(Just a photographic side note: It was very interesting to me to notice the difference in the color of his shirt in the house - 1st picture - and outside under the awning. Hmmm. But they're both PINK. :O) Did I mention that he's also a little bit color blind? I think he thinks this shirt is red. Shhh, don't tell him.)

Sunday, July 4, 2010

I Love My Country!


This is the view looking up the street in my little town. Flags line both sides of our main street on all federal holidays (courtesy of the boy scouts) but, for me, they are especially gorgeous and striking and amazing on the 4th of July.

I love the 4th, it is my favorite holiday. I am a patriot every day, but I really love the 4th and all it means.

I'm grateful to live in a very patriotic part of the country, our little community is full of patriots and it's good to be surrounded by like minded people.

And I belong to a very patriotic church. I found these great songs by our Mormon Tabernacle Choir - on YouTube, of course. I couldn't decide which ones to post, I could have included a dozen patriotic songs by the Mo-Tab, but I restrained myself and only posted 3.










Happy Independence Day!


Saturday, July 3, 2010

Saving the Flag

When I was at girl's camp a couple of weeks ago, there was a story told during the closing devotional about Rick Monday saving the American Flag. I'd never heard this story before and it really touched me. I promptly went home and found it on YouTube (dang, you gotta love YouTube!) and have been saving it for an Independence Day post.

You may have already heard this story before, but even so, it bears repeating.