SOCIAL MEDIA

What 'Cha Thinking?

7.29.2007

Fitting...

7.28.2007
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." J. K. Rowling
Thought this quote was great and when I saw it I had to share it since the big book release was just last week. Ethan's actually got dibs on reading our copy first (actually on the couch right now reading it) and then it's my turn.
I'm taking part in the challenge this week over at Inspire Me Thursday and this week is an open topic for posting something (whatever) that you are working on...thought that I would share some of my most recent photos from my visit with Dad. Thanks for looking!

Tractor that is still used on my Mom and Ross' land. (Not sure why but I'm really in to capturing close-ups and color right now)!

Church where Ethan and I were married. (Love this place.)

Chimes on the deck.

Another...

7.27.2007

cool thing that I got time to spend doing on my little mini vacation break was to get to be able to take pictures and play a bit more with my camera! Yay! This was one that I took of a screen door at my Mom's that Ross (my step dad) made. Love the contrast of colors and the spokes and straight lines with the metal mesh of the screen.

Ramblings...


Some cool stuff about my visit with my Dad was that we also visited the college town where Ethan and I met. We were sure to stop in at several of our favorite old haunts as well, one of which was Steve's Pizza (see picture), really was so neat to see all the changes that have taken place in the community as well as taking notice that some things (Steve's) stays absolutely the same. I have so many pictures from this visit, I want to share them all! We also visited where Ethan and I were married (over four years ago now!) and my Dad took some really neat shots of Ethan, Zoey and I on the church steps and of the grounds surrounding the area...can't wait to share those too!

I've been keeping super busy it seems. Having the opportunity this summer to work at my local scrapbook store has been keeping me hopping (already worrying about not getting to work there this winter as they cut their hours for the off season) I really have enjoyed it so much and am looking forward to working there next summer as well. Two things that I've done for the store and will continue to do from home this Fall and Winter was to create the new Baker's Wife Blog as well as writing their monthly newsletter. Really have had nothing but positive feedback regarding the blog and newsletter thus far and it's been so exciting to be a part of it and to get to see the excitement of getting to take part in it from the other staff as well. A very small and tight nit group of gals (the staff) and I am so happy to be one of them! Working in such an open and creative environment has really shown me just how important it is for me to be working in/or with something (someone) that allows for that creativity within me to flow. I was reading another blog the other day and the post that interested me was regarding her having someone ask her how she finds the time to scrapbook (you can read the post here) and after reading it I just felt myself saying hmmmm, yeeesssss! I can totally relate! Many a time I've felt the awkwardness or have felt a bit silly about admitting that yes, when offered the choice of what I would like to do (almost always) I would most definitely spend my "free" time scrapping (this after of course spending time with Zoey and spending quality time with Ethan). That is my choice, and working at my lss has really empowered me in a way to feel good about that choice. Really thankful for that and for a husband that "gets" my passion and a daughter that loves stickers, paints, ribbons and papers almost as much as I do!

Another interesting opportunity that has arisen from working at the store has been my getting to meet with and work with representatives of many of some of my favorite manufacturer lines of scrapbooking products. Really has been interesting getting to see that end of things as well as getting to be a part of the ordering process for the store. And since I'm interested in the designing end of things regarding scrapping, it's gotten me thinking that there may be ways to approach possible designing opportunities within these companies down the road in the not too distant future.

And, finally...something that happened a while back but I was excited about and wanted to share was that one of my layouts was added to the Basic Grey website in their design gallery and can be viewed here. Pretty cool to be listed there on their site!

The Shape of Life...

7.22.2007

as well as the pace. Both I've been thinking about lately. We've been visiting my father for the past week and now I've come back home with a full heart and a mind that is more clear. It was so good to see him, to talk to him, to be reminded of what's important in life. He is my true kindred spirit if I was ever to know one. I feel like I've finally come to a place in our relationship that I am no longer a daughter only in need of filling up, I've now a lot to offer him as well. I know that if reading this he would be quick to say that I always have had something to offer (and I suppose I have) but now I feel less selfish, perhaps less needy of him and his affection. I see the bits and pieces that I know to be his life and now I am realizing (through applying my own life experiences) that life is not perfect for anyone, but because it isn't so does not mean that it holds any less meaning. I see that in life's imperfections, I (and we all) have the power and the ability to see it's beauty and to draw strength from that beauty. My father has done this over and over. His quiet nature, his sincerity and thoughtfulness, his genuine interest in me, my sisters, our lives, literature, art, humanity are the sources of my greatest inspirations and my springing hope of obtaining and living a full life.

Mini Art Journal Journey - Week Twenty-Seven

7.13.2007

Finally caught up again! (To see my past week's cards check out my link to the journal on the left of my blog). This week's prompt was given to us by Ali Edwards as Emily is taking the time to enjoy her new precious little bundle of joy Yindi Willow. So happy for her! Anyways, this week's prompt was: junk mail. Pretty easy to come up with some of that around here, seems like that's all we come home with some days from the post office!

A Couple of Days Ago...

7.10.2007
we met up with some friends that we haven't seen in over four years. Really good people... Aerque and Hillary. Aerque was Ethan's first friend that I met that was from his growing up days. He was the best man in our wedding and he is the one friend of Ethan's that I feel that I can totally be myself with and not feel awkward or insecure (maybe that has something to do with he and I having one too many Nutty Irishman's the first time we met-we're talking college days here!). He gets me, he totally gets Ethan and now that he finally has gotten to see our little family of three, I get the feeling that he gets that part of our lives now too.

Hillary is one of the most talented photographers that I have ever met and an amazing artist as well, soft spoken and intelligent she rounds out the Que very well!

We love you two so very much, thanks for making the trip to meet up with us and we promise that we will not forget that it is now our turn to meet you half way.








I've Been Tagged!

7.06.2007
Christine tagged me! How this works: I must post the rules, 7 random things about me and then tag others to do the same. Sounds fair enough, right? These are the rules….each player starts with 7 random facts about themselves on their Blog. People who are tagged need to blog 7 facts about themselves and post the rules as well. At the end of your blog list 7 people you are tagging. Let them know that they are tagged by leaving them a comment.

1. I got my nose pierced on my birthday after Zoey was born to confirm (to myself) that I still had an ounce or two of "cool" in me!
2. I was one of the lawyers in our mock trial in highschool and I absolutely LOVED it!
3. I have very fond memories of my teenage years and almost every one of those memories is attached to a country music song!
4. I cannot stand when people slurp their coffee!
5. I always go to bed with my socks on and once in bed I take them off and leave them in the bed under the covers (this annoys Ethan...not sure why!).
6. I have a fear of losing my teeth!
7. I finally feel like I am starting to grow up and am obtaining the confidence that I always assumed just came with age.

So that is a little about me! And now I am tagging:

1. Rachel
2. Babs
3. Wilna
4. Anja
5. Rosy
6. Anne
7. Lisa

Had a Happy Fourth!

7.05.2007

Really had some fun playing as a family here for our first "settled in" Fourth of July in our new hometown! So much was going on here, we were sure to take advantage of as much as possible. Here are some pictures from the parade. Zoey loved most of it, though there were a few parts that required some hands covering the ears! Couldn't quite believe just exactly how many people were in town for the holiday, thousands alone attended the parade. We had shuttle buses moving people to and from the island. It was chaos...controlled chaos, but chaos nonetheless. So fun to live here and get to take all of this in with Zoey. So fun to get to do all of this stuff with Zoey...makes me think about my childhood and memories of growing up. My fondest memory of the Fourth of July celebrations wasn't the parade, the candy or even the fireworks. What I remember most is pretending to fall asleep after the town fireworks had been set off and having my parents pick me up in the blanket (we always sat on a blanket and had snacks at a local park for the fireworks) my parents, each grabbing two corners would then walk home, swinging me the entire time. They obviously knew that I wasn't sleeping as I would always start to giggle and squirm! That's the stuff that I want Zoey to remember too. Did our best this holiday to attempt just that.