This Here New Blog **UPDATED**

If you've ever been here before you may have noticed that I've changed my blog. A lot. And even if you haven't been here before, you might notice me changing it in the future. A lot.

I got inspired by this post over at Samster Mommy to make some changes to my blog. So what started as a little interest to make some changes (like adding a navigation bar) became a MAJOR OBSESSION over the past few days. I think that a day hasn't gone by in the last week that I haven't changed something haha. In fact, I even made a test blog so I could try designing some other blogs and I made one for my sister-in-law that she doesn't even know about yet (hi Kassie). I'm sure the excitement will wear off soon, but the fact that I could make changes outside of the preset limits just got me so pumped that I couldn't stop.

Anyway, like Samster Mommy did, I thought I would post a few tips on how I did it. Also like she did, I'll be posting a lot of links to other people's tutorials that really helped me (actually a lot of the same ones). And I'll also post some things I figured out on my own. Ok, enough preamble. Here's the breakdown:

• To make my navigation bar I used this tutorial from The Girl Creative. You're going to want to make sure you look at parts 1 AND 2. I made my graphics using this picture and color pallet that I had made:
  
  ...see how some of those colored squares look the same color as my tabs? That's because they ARE my tabs! I edited each one (crop, add text, ect.) in Picnik, which is a free online photo editing tool. There is a fancier version that you can pay for but I only use the free one.

• To make my "About Me" and "Life List" pages I actually originally made regular old blog posts and linked them to the tabs. (A lot of bloggers actually do this) but I literally JUST found out how to make a separate page that is not a blog post. If you go to your "Posting" tab on your blog and click on the link that says "Edit Pages" you can make pages to link to your tabs. So that's what I did. Moving on!

• To make my pictures bigger I used this tutorial from Stephmodo. I don't really have anything to add to that because it's all very simple.

• To make my header image I used this tutorial from Clover Lane. She does the whole thing in Picasa (which I also use) but I only made my collage in Picasa and then edited the rest (cropped, added text ect) in Picnik because I like their fonts better. Also, instead of uploading my picture directly from my computer (blogger was having an issue with that where the picture would come out blurry) I hosted the picture on Photobucket and uploaded it using the direct link. I used a tutorial that I can't find so if I find it I'll update.

• To center my header this is what I did: I clicked DESIGN>EDIT HTML and then scrolled down until I found this piece of code: ]]>/b:skin I then pasted this piece of code directly in front of it:

}#header-inner
{
width: 775px;
margin: auto;
}

There are a lot of tutorials on how to center your header but this was the easiest for me. The original number was 700 instead of 775 but I adjusted it until my header was where I wanted it. And you can too!

**UPDATE**
This actually ended up being so much easier. The tutorial I posted above does work but it didn't seem to work all the time for me.

• To make a button for your blog, I used this tutorial. Very easy.
  

I think that's about it. The only other stuff I really did was play around with the different effects in the "Template Designer" link that is located under the "Design" tab on your blog and add some pictures to the side. The "Template Designer" is how I edited my blog width, changed the fonts and colors of fonts, links, ect. The only other thing I would recommend is, once you've got your blog how you like it, go under your "Design" tab and click on the "Edit html" link and copy everything in the box. Then save that in a word document or send it in an email to yourself (that's what I did) so you'll have it in case you decide to make any changes later and you mess up your blog haha.

Alright, sorry for the long post. Have fun blog editing!

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I'm thankful for:

Trips to Atlanta



&

Snuggling

The Proverbs 31 Woman

So in light of what I was saying yesterday, I decided to look up Proverbs 31. I figured that it might help me to look at an example of a women who really seems to have it all going for her.

I know that a lot of women, including myself at one time, have a really hard time with this passage of scripture. The woman described in this chapter of Proverbs seems to be almost perfect. She seems unattainable, overwhelming and unfair. This time I decided to read the chapter in several different translations to see if I could get anything more out of it that seemed more relevant to my life. I came across one version that I particularly liked:

A Wife of Noble Character

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?

She is more precious than rubies.
Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She is energetic and strong,
She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.

Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes.

She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.

She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.

Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Proverbs 31:10-31 NLT

I decided to break it down and see what I could pull from this passage and actually apply to my life. Because let's be real, I'm not going to be spinning any time soon. I think, instead of being a to do list that women feel they should follow, Proverbs 31 should be more of a picture of a woman who does all that she can to be the best wife and mother that she can be, which is something that I am VERY interested in. :) Here's my take.

A truly good wife is something valuable,
something that, when found, a husband should hold on to.
She is completely trustworthy and open with her husband.
She doesn't nag him or bring him worry or strife.
Instead, she is a joy to be around and he looks forward to coming home to her.

She finds creative ways to help provide for her family,
and she is creative in the meals she makes and the things she buys,
She takes care of her house and the people in it
and she makes sure that the things that need to get done, get done.

She spends her money wisely and without impulse
and makes decisions that benefit her whole family.
She isn't lazy, but a hard worker
and she makes sure that the things she does do not go to waste.

She is giving and does not hesitate to help those less fortunate than herself.
She doesn't worry about her family's needs,
because she has planned for the future and for emergencies.
She makes sure that her family has what they need.

She is resourceful.
She pays attention to her appearance and dresses appropriately.
Because of her conduct, people can respect her husband
and she supports him however she can.

She holds her head high and has strength of character.
She doesn't worry about the future because she knows it's in God's hands.
She thinks before she speaks
and is kind to everyone.
She makes sure all is right in her home and family.

Her children respect her,
Her husband is proud of her and says:
"You're the best, honey!" ;)

A women who loves the Lord has inner beauty,
which is longer lasting and more valuable than good looks.
The things she does are recognized by others.

Now, please don't take my words as scripture or as what I think you should be doing. They are just my interpretation as it applies to my life. Enjoy:)

Mission Statement

Today I am working on my mission statement. I know that might sound kind of strange, but I do have a reason. Let me explain:

I don't know if this is obvious or not (I think it is), but I like a lot of different things. One thing that I see as a sort of failure in myself is the way I get really excited about something and then abandon it when the excitement wears off. Some examples: couponing, crochet, crafts, ect.

I thought I had written about this before but I haven't been able to find the post so maybe I didn't. BUT...I've been trying to find some more solid direction for my life lately. I think that trying to dip my toes into so many things is contributing to my lack of that direction. If things are important to me, then I need to work on doing them consistently, if they are not important to me, I need to drop them.

"'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord." Jeremiah 29:11

...and I'm pretty sure His plans for me don't involve me flailing around with no direction and no idea of who I am or what I'm supposed to be doing or what I even want to be doing.

So that's where my mission statement comes in. I'm going to be sitting down and deciding what's really important to me: my values. Then I'm going to figure out what it is I want to achieve, like, the big things: my goals.* Lastly I'm going to think about the things I really enjoy and am good at (don't you usually enjoy the things you're good at?):my interests. Hopefully at the end of all this I will be able to look at those lists and see a way that I can put them together so they are all flowing in the same direction. (i.e. what I'm doing is something I really enjoy that lines up with what's important to me and helps me achieve my goals). Make sense?

So that's my plan. I may update when I'm done if it doesn't end up being too personal.

What is your mission statement?



*These are not the goals I make on a regular basis (which I do, A LOT) but rather, goals about where I want to end up, goals about the person I would eventually like to be.

What a long weekend!

We went to Atlanta (as we try to do about once a month) to visit family. Got to see Trey's mom and stepdad as well as my sister-in-law and niece Lily:)

We went to Ikea like we almost always do when we go to the ATL:

It was fun to get away and spend some time with my in-laws. It's always hard to come back though because I get used to being with Trey all the time and then we have to separate at work. Haha. O well.

So now we're back and life is back to normal. I'm trying to get back in the groove. I've made a ton of little projects for myself to do this month so I'm trying to make sure they all get done. Since it's the annual 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting at our church, I haven't been watching any TV. It actually hasn't been that hard for me but I thought it would so I took steps to make sure I kept busy! Haha. So I decided to make January my new "Spring Cleaning" month. I've been going through all the rooms in our apartment and cleaning everything to death. I've also been trying to decorate the place a little bit so that's been lumped in with the spring cleaning. Plus I've got this huge running list of projects for myself so I've been working on some of that too. So I have been pretty busy and it's been really good.

Trey is really enjoying his new job which makes me really happy. When you're married, it's just hard to be completely happy if your partner is not.

Alright, all for now.

Thankful Thursday

I'm going to try and focus more on the things I'm thankful for this year instead of wishing for things I don't have. So hopefully I can make this a weekly thing:)

This Thursday I'm thankful for:

beans

&


picture editing software.

10 Things I'm Looking Forward to in 2011

I just saw the list I made last year of "what I'm looing foward to in 2010."

Let us just see how that turned out shall we?

My 2010 List:

10--Some kind of direction as to what we are supposed to be doing now (eh not exactly)
9--A pregnancy? (lemme check...o. Nope.)
8--Checking things off my life list (Well I did this one. Yay!)
7--Getting a more organized life (I would say my life is more or less the same amount of organized as before)
6--Making new friends (eh...)
5--Meeting my little niece, Lily, in March! (well this was going to happen no matter what I did. And boy am I glad it did)
4--Taking control of my health (hahahahahahahahahahaha)
3--Taking a more relaxing view of life (replace "relaxing" with "lazy" and I might have done this)
2--Our first year anniversary! (we made it!;))
1--Seeing my family again (That I did)

And here we see how life just doesn't work out like you plan it! But still, I think I'll do the same thing for 2011. So, without further adu:

Top 10 Things I'm looking Forward to in 2011

10--Finally (please God!) being settled into our jobs and life
9--a (possible) pregnancy? (again)
8--Our second anniversary!
7--A summer not in North Caroliana
6--getting a tan
5--Taking Trey on a trip
4--this year being SO MUCH BETTER than 2010.
3--Lily's first birthday!
2--reading a lot
1--loving my body

This was actually hard to make. I dont' know if I have nothing to look forward to or if I'm just ready to take this year as it comes, without expectations :)

Fun with Picasa

I've been playing with Picasa a lot lately. You should check it out. Also it's partner: Picnik.

Well I guess I can say it now: Trey got a new job! He is working at Highlands (our church.) He started yesterday. It has really just been a huge answer to prayer for us as his old job, while good in a lot of ways, just wasn't really working for us. This new job is going to require an adjustment for us but we are both really exctied at this new chapter and the possibilities that it will open up for us.

As for me, there really isn't much new to tell. I've been workinng at the cafe as usual. My favorite thing about working at the cafe is getting to interact with all the staff members at Highlands. They are a great group of people and I love that I get to see and talk to so many people every day. Which is kinda weird since I wouldn't exactly call myself a "people person." Plus, Trey works here now so...BONUS!

We are going to Altanta next weekend. I may be more excited that necessary but I'm excited, still. I feel like Atlanta is my home away from home and everytime we leave, well, I feel like I'm leaving home. It's weird.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with this blog. Maybe it's because of all the editing I've done to the blog itself, I don't know. But I know I want to get better at posting regurlarly and I know I want to add some kind of consistiancy and order to my little corner of the internet. I don't know what all that entails yet but I'll let you know when I do!

Alrighty, signing off now. I'll be back, hopefully SOON!

Don't go changin....

Obviously I've been making some changes around the ol' blog. I'm trying to find something that is more unique to me, which means a LOT of trial and error and a lot of learning about html code. There will probably be more changes around here in the next little bit while i try out different things. Thanks for being patient with me and expect regular (or maybe better than regular) posting to commence in the near future:)

A New Year, A New Start

Already this year is looking up. Didn't I say this would be a good year? It's only day 6 but I venture to say that my predictions are shaping up nicely.

Our Christmas actually turned out really well and our New Year's was low key, which was totally fine with me! We spent lots of time with the family and got in some precious hours with my niece, Lily, who is all things cute and sweet.

I've made grand plans for this year so I hope they don't bite me in the butt. I know that if I want this year to be great I have to keep moving forward!

Happy New Year! Here's to big changes and workout videos ;)

Until Next Year...

Anything I feel like posting right now sounds negative and whiney. So I'm just going to say a "Merry Christmas!" and a "Happy New Year!" and leave it at that until next year.

Love you all! <3

Just Call Me Mr. Grinch

I must say, this Christmas season has been less than jolly for me. Whereas I am looking foward to time spent with family, I am just as eagerly anxious for it to all just be over.

Maybe it would make a difference if our finances were in a different place, maybe not. It doesn't feel like Christmas, and I don't feel very Christmas-spirity.

As we've talked about (and I've thought a lot about) having children, this Christmas has been making me think a lot about how we want to raise our children. It's sad to me (an I admit to doing it as a child) that Christmas has become such a commercialized greed-fest. I don't think that I want to go so far as to not do presents with our children, but I do think I definitely want to focus more on the family and giving aspects of the season rather than the "gimme, gimme, GIMME!" that nearly makes me sick. I already know that I don't want a bunch of plastic, noisy crap littering our home just because we have kids. Part of that is because I don't like random crap everywhere, part of it is because I don't want our kids always after toys and the latest "thing" and part of it is because I'm hoping that our kids will have an IMAGINATION. I want them to play outside and read and make forts.

So Merry Christmas. I'm sorry I'm not in a better mood about it. I really am.

#8- Establish a Yearly Christmas Letter

So I did this. Ya, it's not super fancy and no one is probably going to flip out over my Christmas letter, but I set out to do this this year, and I did.

Maybe next year will be better.

Actually, it has been insanely hard for me to get in the Christmas spirit this year. (Kind of like last year.) I think I'm just really becoming disillusioned with Christmas. I mean, I still see value in the birth of Jesus, obviously, but the rest of it just seems like a huge money-sucking, stress-inducing waste of time to me. Sorry. Maybe I would feel better if there was snow. Or I was gonna see my family. Or we had two dimes to rub together.

Anyway, the Christmas Letter is established. Onward!

I like...

...mail and the library.

A lot.

#44 Read the Clock Without a Face

Did it! Actually read it out loud to Trey which, for me, is a feat of it's own. (I hate reading out loud). If you don't know what this book is you can check it out here or here, which is where I first heard about it.

Love. I must write a book like this.

Writers Itch

Around this time last year I had a really strong urge to write things. Poems, stories, a novel, anything really. Then for a long time I didn't have much of a desire to write at all.

I don't know if it was because I went back to look at some of the things I wrote, or because I've been reading poetry lately, or just because it's that time of year again, but the itch is back. The problem is, I just don't know where to begin. So maybe some writing will show up on this blog in the near future. And maybe not. I'm just here to give the heads up;)

Grocery Shopping Tips

Yesterday I went grocery shopping. As I was coming home I thought it might be fun to do a post about how I make grocery shopping a little easier for me. So for anyone who cares:

My Grocery Shopping Tips:

1. We keep a magnetic list on the fridge that can be added to whenever we see or think of something we need.

2. Every other week I make meal plans for the next two weeks (I like to only go grocery shopping every other week). Then I go through the plans and add all the ingredients I need to the list.

3. I keep a small notebook so that I can organize my list more effectively. Instead of running all over the store with the list from the fridge, I use the notebook to put the items on my list order of the store sections I know them to be in.

4. I go through my coupons and select the ones I need for that week and put them in a pocket in the little notebook so they are easy to access at the store.

5. Once I get to the store, I start at the back and work my way to the front.

6. Once I have all my items I go to the checkout. I organize my items on the checkout belt as well. I put frozen stuff together, cold stuff, dry goods ext. This makes it easier to unpack once I get home.

7. I bring reusable bags. Not so much because I am all "green" and whatnot, but mostly because more food can fit in each bag and the handles are longer, making the bags easier to carry and allowing me to take fewer trips.

In the past I have hated grocery shopping. Now that I am enjoying cooking so much I hate it less but I still want it to be as painless as possible. So, as with a lot of things I do, I prepare so I can make things easier for me in the long run:)

#12 Find a Pen Pal

Well, last night I received my first letter from my pen pal. And today I sent my first letter to her. I don't know what is going to happen from here but I really hope it works out:)

So #12, Check.

Obviously I'm on a poem kick. Another from Anne of Green Gables. I've got imagination and bosom friends on the mind...

The Lady of Shalott
Alfred Lord Tennyson

Part I

On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And thro' the field the road runs by
To many-tower'd Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.

By the margin, willow veil'd,
Slide the heavy barges trail'd
By slow horses; and unhail'd
The shallop flitteth silken-sail'd
Skimming down to Camelot:
But who hath seen her wave her hand?
Or at the casement seen her stand?
Or is she known in all the land,
The Lady of Shalott?

Only reapers, reaping early
In among the bearded barley,
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly,
Down to tower'd Camelot:
And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers " 'Tis the fairy
Lady of Shalott."

Part II

There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.

And moving thro' a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear.
There she sees the highway near
Winding down to Camelot:
There the river eddy whirls,
And there the surly village-churls,
And the red cloaks of market girls,
Pass onward from Shalott.

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad,
An abbot on an ambling pad,
Sometimes a curly shepherd-lad,
Or long-hair'd page in crimson clad,
Goes by to tower'd Camelot;
And sometimes thro' the mirror blue
The knights come riding two and two:
She hath no loyal knight and true,
The Lady of Shalott.

But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror's magic sights,
For often thro' the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot:
Or when the moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed:
"I am half sick of shadows," said
The Lady of Shalott.

Part III

A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,
He rode between the barley-sheaves,
The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot.
A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd
To a lady in his shield,
That sparkled on the yellow field,
Beside remote Shalott.

The gemmy bridle glitter'd free,
Like to some branch of stars we see
Hung in the golden Galaxy.
The bridle bells rang merrily
As he rode down to Camelot:
And from his blazon'd baldric slung
A mighty silver bugle hung,
And as he rode his armour rung,
Beside remote Shalott.

All in the blue unclouded weather
Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather,
The helmet and the helmet-feather
Burn'd like one burning flame together,
As he rode down to Camelot.
As often thro' the purple night,
Below the starry clusters bright,
Some bearded meteor, trailing light,
Moves over still Shalott.

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;
On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;
From underneath his helmet flow'd
His coal-black curls as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.
From the bank and from the river
He flash'd into the crystal mirror,
"Tirra lirra," by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.

She left the web, she left the loom,
She made three paces thro' the room,
She saw the water-lily bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott.

Part IV

In the stormy east-wind straining,
The pale yellow woods were waning,
The broad stream in his banks complaining,
Heavily the low sky raining
Over tower'd Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And round about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.

And down the river's dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance--
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.

Lying, robed in snowy white
That loosely flew to left and right--
The leaves upon her falling light--
Thro' the noises of the night
She floated down to Camelot:
And as the boat-head wound along
The willowy hills and fields among,
They heard her singing her last song,
The Lady of Shalott.

Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darken'd wholly,
Turn'd to tower'd Camelot.
For ere she reach'd upon the tide
The first house by the water-side,
Singing in her song she died,
The Lady of Shalott.

Under tower and balcony,
By garden-wall and gallery,
A gleaming shape she floated by,
Dead-pale between the houses high,
Silent into Camelot.
Out upon the wharfs they came,
Knight and burgher, lord and dame,
And round the prow they read her name,
The Lady of Shalott.

Who is this? and what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they cross'd themselves for fear,
All the knights at Camelot:
But Lancelot mused a little space;
He said, "She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott."

#34 Sew Something and Actually Wear It

Ok so it's not the best picture of the actual clothing item since I was really taking a picture of my hair...

...but I made the skirt I'm wearing in this picture. I made it out of Ikea fabric that I've had lying around waiting to be sewn forever. I finally got fed up with my lack of skirts to wear this fall (I'm going through a hating pants phase) and so I finally sucked it up and made one. It was really pretty easy so I'll probably be making some more:)

Check

The Walrus and the Carpenter

Another great. I'm in a poetry mood tonight.

The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead--
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said.
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf--
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

The Highwayman

Ever since I heard this poem on Anne of Green Gables I loved it. Then I tried to use it when we had to recite a poem in english class when I was in school. I could never find it back then so I used a different poem. Something about tonight made me want to look it up and I found it:) And actually, I just read it in its entirity for the first time and it's a bit...rough? But I'm still leaving it up cuz of my Anne love lol.

The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door.

He'd a French cocked hat on his forehead, and a bunch of lace at his chin;
He'd a coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of fine doe-skin.
They fitted with never a wrinkle; his boots were up to his thigh!
And he rode with a jeweled twinkle—
His rapier hilt a-twinkle—
His pistol butts a-twinkle, under the jeweled sky.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred,
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter—
Bess, the landlord's daughter—
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim, the ostler listened—his face was white and peaked—
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter—
The landlord's black-eyed daughter;
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say:

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart; I'm after a prize tonight,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light.
Yet if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

He stood upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair in the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the sweet black waves of perfume came tumbling o'er his breast,
Then he kissed its waves in the moonlight
O sweet black waves in the moonlight!,
And he tugged at his reins in the moonlight, and galloped away to the west.

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon.
And out of the tawny sunset, before the rise of the moon,
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon over the purple moor,
The redcoat troops came marching—
Marching—marching—
King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door.

They said no word to the landlord; they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed.
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets by their side;
There was Death at every window,
And Hell at one dark window,
For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.

They had bound her up at attention, with many a sniggering jest!
They had bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her. She heard the dead man say,
"Look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way."

She twisted her hands behind her, but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,
Till, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

The tip of one finger touched it, she strove no more for the rest;
Up, she stood up at attention, with the barrel beneath her breast.
She would not risk their hearing, she would not strive again,
For the road lay bare in the moonlight,
Blank and bare in the moonlight,
And the blood in her veins, in the moonlight, throbbed to her love's refrain.

Tlot tlot, tlot tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hooves, ringing clear;

Tlot tlot, tlot tlot, in the distance! Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The redcoats looked to their priming! She stood up straight and still.

Tlot tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot tlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment, she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight—
Her musket shattered the moonlight—
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him—with her death.

He turned, he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn did he hear it, and his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs in the golden noon, wine-red was his velvet coat
When they shot him down in the highway,
Down like a dog in the highway,
And he lay in his blood in the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.

And still on a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a gypsy's ribbon looping the purple moor,
The highwayman comes riding—
Riding—riding—
The highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard,
He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred,
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter—
Bess, the landlord's daughter—
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Another

I actually have like 8 more of these stored in my drafts folder. Told ya I'm obsessed lately. I get on these kicks where I obsess over a certain thing and...ya...

Image via http://melly-wood.blogspot.com/

What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up

Private Eye

Mother

Gardner

Fashion Designer

Therapist

Pianist

Photographer

Magazine Writer

Author

Chef

Ballerina

Tina Fey

Photographer: Image via here

Magazine writer: Image via here

Chef: Image via here

Ballerina: Image via here

Pianist: Image via here

Gardner: Image via here

Mother: Image via here

Private Eye: Image via here

Fashion Designer: Image via here

For Fun

Well...it didn't come out as well as I had hoped...but this is my first color pallet! I've been obsessed with doing this for some reason. Also, I don't know why it's tiny so click for a larger image:)

Image via wildflowersphotos.com

People I'd like to meet

Tina Fey

Martha Stewart

J K Rowling

Demi Lovato

Tape

Tonight I drove by, what looked like, tape pulled out of a video tape strewn along the side of the road. It glittered in the streetlight and it caught me off guard. For some reason that sparkle of tape reminded me of the sparkle of snow on the side of the road. And that memory made me homesick. It made me long for the snow in the moonlight and the crisp air of a Colorado winter. For the blue skies and your breath catching in your throat. But more than anything it made me miss my family.

I've never been one to be really homesick, but the older I get, the better my relationship with my family gets and the more I miss them.

The holiday season is approaching like a freight train and I wish I could see them. I love my in-laws to death and I am so blessed to get to live close to them. But sometimes I wonder if I underestimated the cost of living so far from my parents.

If you live close to all of your family, know how blessed you are. I'm jealous of you.

Can you believe it's almost November? Where did this year go?! It seems like hardly any time at all since I was making my grand plans for 2010, and now I'm gearing up for 2011.

I'm really thinking *this* year is gonna be an awesome year. 2010 was hard, it was painful. I'm just really looking forward to picking myself up, dustin' off and making some progress this year. I'm looking forward to moving forward instead of sliding backwards and grasping at straws, like this year felt a lot of the time.

But if I've learned anything this past year, it's to let life do what it does. I can make all the plans I want and still at this time next year, life is going to look nothing like I imagine. That's just the way of it.

"Live like you're going to die tomorrow, plan like you're going to live forever."

#94--Make a Pie from Scratch

Ok so pretty much since I saw this video when I was little:

...I have been intrigued by the idea of making a pie from scratch. It's funny to think that something that used to be the norm fascinated me so much. Haha.

Then, a couple of months ago I went to Utah to visit my parents. There had been this restaurant I used to work at that had the best homemade pies and I was so looking forward to having some pie. There are just not that many places that sell pie, you know? Unfortunately the place was closed down so my pie dreams were dashed. That's when I decided to add "make a pie from scratch" to my life list. And last night, 3 months later, I finally did it and satisfied my pie craving!

Mixing the pie dough

Most of the recipes I found had you making the filling from scratch and then using store bought, pre-made, dough. But that's not the way I wanted to do it. I also wanted to make my own pie dough. After searching the internet for a while I decided to see what Martha had to offer. (Thanks to the free subscription I got to Martha Stewart Living I'm now obsessed with Martha haha). So I found this recipe for apple pie and this recipe for pie dough and went from there.

Dough to be cooled in fridge

Pie filling!

All ready to pop in the oven

Fresh out and piping hot

Yum yum yum

I was kind of nervous about making it because so often things I plan to do don't turn out like I thought. I was afraid the pie would explode or sink or SOMETHING. But it turned out amazing! It was actually a lot more time consuming than I thought but it was fun and I was super excited about it. I will definitely be making this again. Probably for Thanksgiving!

#10--Get a professional massage

Wow, I actually did this on Saturday, the 16th but, in the meantime, we've been moving and it's been crazy.

So my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law and I went out to lunch and then to the spa for our birthdays. It was awesome and I really enjoyed the massage. But most of all I enjoyed the family time:)

I didn't take any pictures cuz..hello? That would be weird. Plus...my cameras were still packed. So....suffice to say CHECK! I'm pretty happy about it too.

The life list is going pretty well this year lol. I'm also pretty excited because after what feels like SCOURING the internet, I finally found a site to post an ad for a pen pal! And I also wrote to some people on the site, so I'm hoping that I can cross off #12 sometime in the near future! I think this is the life list item I am most excited about right now:)

Last but not least: meet Sally Squirrel!

O hai Sally Squirrel

Ya I know she looks nothing like a squirrel. And ya this is a terrible picture. I unpacked my cameras but I decided to go the lazy-cellphone-picture route.

I've had her since I was three. She actually used to have fur but it's long since rubbed off. I have no idea how I still have her or how I got her back from wherever she was hiding for several years. But whatever. She's been on a couple of mission trips with me now and, although I never took any pictures with her before, I've decided to start including her in some of my pictures, especially life list posts. Sooooo...welcome to the blog Sally Squirrel:)

Tip of the Day

When one day is all "exclamation points!!!!" and the next is all "CAPITAL LETTERS," take a benedryl and go to bed early.

Darn it, darn it all to heck

I am AGGRAVATED!

I feel like LAUREN SMASH. Such a weird feeling. I feel like if someone looked at me wrong right now I might scream. Not necessarily *at* them but just a general, guttural scream of frustration.

I am in an incredible *mood* tonight. I know what is setting me off, I just don't know why it's effecting me so deeply.

I've been going through these up and down swings of, I don't know, self-esteem maybe? I kind of feel used, which is something I've never really felt before. And I'm longing for something *real*.

This past weekend I worked a women's conference at the church and I got to attend most of the sessions. And ya know, it was really good and the main part I got out of it was something I needed to hear: you could have been born at any time, yet God chose for you to be born when and where you are. And all this made me feel awesome, like "I have a purpose!" and then I was all, "what the heck is my purpose?!"

It's something I had already been struggling with lately since I turned 23. I know I posted about it before but I really just thought my life would be different now. Like, MORE, I guess. I thought I would be important and I don't feel important. I thought I would be special and smart and I don't feel those things either.

I feel lost and like I'm still looking for "me." And I'm upset because I have (or I had) higher standards for myself and my standards say it's unacceptable for me to still not know who I am. Or what I want. Or what I even like.

And I feel like I'm making strides. And I'm trying to take steps in the right direction. Not just "step"-steps but actual meaningful and thought-out steps. And yet I still feel like for every step I take forward, I have to take two steps back for damage control.

So I'm frustrated. And I'm angry at the world. Like a child, I'm angry at the world for not giving me what I want. For not being what I expected. And I'm angry at myself for being childishly angry at the world. And I'm angry at myself for not pushing myself and making this life what I wanted it to be. I'm just so ANGRY.

And I'm lonely. And I'm sad. And I'm looking for someone to talk to and no one is there.

And I'll probably feel better in the morning. And foolish for posting this.

#103 Go on a hayride to a pumpkin patch

Trey with his pumpkin

aaannnddd...with another pumpkin

The farm had the most beautiful sunset.

Me and Trey

It's blurry cuz we were moving


Check!

This month is being a good life-list month for me.

Yesterday Trey and I went to a pumpkin patch with some friends. It was totally fun. I was really afraid that this item on my list wouldn't live up to my expectations. You know how that sometimes happens? So I was really trying not to get my hopes up too much, but it ended up being really fun! We got to go on a hayride, see some animals, pick out pumpkins and go through a corn maze.

Overall I really enjoyed it, although the best part was probably just being outside and getting to spend some time with my husband and some friends!

The view looking up from the hayride

Hayride!!

Punkins

Baby cow wants some MILK

Tip of the Day

Try plucking your eyebrows in the car (during the day)(not while you're driving)(duh). It makes a big difference.

Tip of the Day

Laugh lines are the trophies of a life well lived. Never back down from a good laugh.

#102? I'm saying CHECK

In a semi-effort to start #102 on my life list, as well as just for my own random pleasure, I thought it would be fun to start leaving random little things around in random places.

So today I got some paper and my gluestick (I wasn't kidding about that tip of the day) and made a little mini-book. And I wrote in it and drew (drawled) in it and now I'm just looking for a place to put it. I got like the hugest kick out of it ever so I'll probably do this again.

It also gets me super depressed to think about it getting thrown away so I made a duplicate and stuck it in my journal lol. Because I am awesome. The only thing left to decide is if I should try and track it somehow a la Operation Beautiful or something like that. Eh, maybe not.

I wish someone was leaving me random cute things to find in random places. I think I might be a hero.

Tip of the Day

Always have your gluestick with you. You never know what you might need to glue.

Tip of the Day

Don't continue to open up to someone who wont open up to you.

They obviously don't want the same kind of relationship with you as you want with them.

Stuck

I feel trapped.

I feel like there is some opportunity that I am missing out on. My internal environment is all in turmoil right now. I am just so FRUSTRATED and not completely sure why.

I feel like a bomb about to go off.

I guess that, for me, moving has always been the start of a NEW adventure. I've never moved back to anywhere before. And as much as I wanted to move back to Birmingham and I missed Birminham and I love Birmingham, it's like it goes against my nature to move back to Birmingham. Where is my NEW adventure? Can I find it in a place I've been already? It doesn't help that I have also, basically, lived here for four years now and my internal-time-clock is saying "it's time to move!" Old habits die hard.

You know, I think I watch too much TV and too many movies. Because my life never seems exciting enough. And lets be real, who's life is as exciting as TV? Even reality shows aren't reality. (And who wants the reality show brand of "exciting" anyway? ew.)

I want grand gestures! and great adventures! and to never work! Haha.

I hate Tuesdays.

Celebrate!

I think October is my FAAAVOORITE month. It has finally started to cool down a bit (knock on wood), the leaves will be falling soon and it all just makes me feel like it's FALL! my favorite time of year.

Yesterday I celebrated with some more fall-y jams and my {current} obsession:

Iced sugar cookie from Edgars! Plus...it is (was) a pumpkin! Hello! FALL!!!

Fall just gets me all pumped up for new adventures for some reason. And I also feel like it gets my creative juices a-flowin. Now if I just had some space...

Regardless, I see big things on the horizon and I feel like I've been walking around with and extra bounce in my step. Maybe this year can be salvaged yet!

Expectations

Can I just say, 2010 did NOT exactly go according to plan. Ya ya, I know, 2010 is not over yet. But hey, I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and say that my expectations for an entire year are not going to come to frutation in the next three months.

Last winter I thought 2010 was going to be MY YEAR! It was going to be the best YEAR 4EVER YAY! Not to say that it was *all* bad, but ya...it was pretty rough.

I try not to look at things as failures. Instead, I try to see things as learning experiences and times of growth. That being said, I hope I grew a TON this year. Haha.

I was looking back at some of my old blog posts and thinking about all that I was going through at the time and all the things I was hoping to get out of this year. And you know what? Most of what I wanted to get accomplished did not get accomplished. And the dreams I had got put on hold and this year was a lot of heartache and pain. But I'm still glad I'm not where I was last year. I guess I'd say I'd rather be here than there. So I'd call that progress. And hey! there's always next year!

Come on 2011!