12.31.2008

It works...

Last night after dinner I was so tired. Ryan and I took a little nap. Then he went home to gather his gear for his day long hunting adventure today. I lied around and played with my camera and messed with my blog. I was thinking. I was thinking about someone that has been in my life from the very beginning. Someone I see every year maybe two or three times. Someone I know but only because her mother tells me stuff about her when I ask. I have been to all of her homes and know her husband and her dog, but I really know nothing personal about her. I mean minor details.. yes I know the basic. But really know know them... no. Not like I know the equal on the other side. Bt last night, I said a quick prayer. Not really knowing exactly why I was praying about her and situation but just prayed.

Today in the mail, there was a letter from that person. They offered thanks and a quick message that said "I wish we could spend more time together, so we could get to know each other better."

Prayer = Answers.

12.30.2008

A marble...


On Christmas Eve, my Mamaw gave out marbles. She had a big bowl of marbles on the table the entire night. No one really thought anything about it. We just assumed it was decoration. Then she told us all to come into the kitchen... or try to fit in there all together... and listen to her. She handed us all two marbles. 
She said to keep one and to pass the other one on to
 someone we care about. 
The marble had a meaning and a purpose. 
We were to carry it on our pocket or purse to remind us how Jesus died for us.
 It is a reminder to pass on the Word to others who might not know. 
A reminder that Jesus loves us.
 
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son 
and whosoever believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." 
John 3:16

Have you thought about it yet....


.... we are about to start another new year! Do you have any plans? Do you have any goals? Are you making a resolution or are you throwing them out the window cause you realize that for past decade you have set a resolution.. and yeah nothing came of that. 

As for me... I don't think I have ever kept a new year's resolution... at least not one I was aware I was keeping. I have goals though. My main goal being to FINISH college and NEVER go back again! 

Never. 

I want to take so many pictures. I am talking so many that my computer does not want to hold them ad my camera does not want to snap anymore. I want to fill my entire wall in my bedroom with black and white still life shots. Not just of anything but of things I love, admire and aspire. 

I want to cook more. I mean I have to face it... I may never be the cook my Momma is... but watching and not helping is not going to make me get any better. I also want to learn how to decorate and bake really pretty cakes. I think I was a pastry chef in my first life. My Momma says she was a gangsta... seriously she said that. I guess in our second time around we traded places.

Haha...

I want to go to New York. I want to eat a piece of pizza from a street vendor because yes they are the best kind of pizza. I want to take a taxi to 5th Avenue and walk into the largest Chanel store in America. I am not going to say now that I will buy my dream bag... because I won't be able to afford it. But I will look... and try on every bag in that place!

I also want to buy an awesomely, unique pair of stilettos while I am visiting.... fyi.

I want to be less quick to judge and more quick to pray.

I want to be more happy than sad... which I usually am happy and in my own little world... but I should be more happy :)

I want to be more positive and more helpful. I want to tell more people about the Lord Jesus Christ. He saves ya know...

I want to make a difference... 

I want to read more... the classics, the new age, and all that lies between.

I want to start saving money... at least a little anyway.

I want to get closer to landing my dream job.... I think the economy will need a miracle before that happens... so I will pray on that note... everyday.

I want to be the one people remember because of how I smiled so much... I am currently the one they remember because of the snarling look I can give and amaze them with the size of my nostrils (aka RD and Nicholas). 

That was random... but it's something I plan to work on.... 

Anyways...

I want to wish everyone a VERY happy new year!!! I will blog again... next year :)

12.29.2008

Ok... here is an idea....

Your thoughts...

is this something close to what you are looking for?

If not.. what do i need to change?

If so... where do you want me to send it?

BE HONEST! :)

12.28.2008

Oh Christmas is over...

ok... Christmas was wonderful! I spent Christmas Eve painting elephants and driving to Hayden to have Christmas Eve dinner Breakfast with my Momma's side of the family. We usually play dirty Santa but this year decided to have our own version of sips and strokes... where you paint a picture. Everyone painted whatever they wanted and then we drew numbers to decide who got which lovely piece of artwork.... I got my uncle Frog's. It was funny because he painted two dinosaurs with a palm tree and named them Codie and Heidi (the only other girl grand child). 

Then on Christmas day... I woke up to Ryan calling... which was lucky for my brother cause I warned him that if he came in and woke me up at the crack of dawn like he had been doing for last 17 years... it was war! Anyways... we had a fun and exciting Christmas morning. Ryan even showed up to give me a present... a beautiful black pearl ring! I was so excited that he do not make me wait until Christmas night! 

Then me and the fam went down to my Nannie's house for lunch....


I absolutely love this lady! She is awesome! Words cannot explain. Put it this way.. she prepares a huge meal everytime we eat go to eat with her... and I always have my VERY OWN bowl of instant potatoes... because yes... i like the fake ones better than the real ones!

Then I came home and played with my new camera and wii fit... which is totally addicting by the way.... so much fun! Chase and I tried to figure out this digital picture frame my dad got Susie.. no luck... we can get it to show a slideshow, but we made it show the weather... idk.
Then I went to Nan and Paps for Christmas dinner with Ryan and his family. Then we came back to my house for Christmas with Ryan... this is when he gets all his presents and gives the fam their presents from him... He got my mother a red ryder bb gun. She is in love with it. She has a case for it and little cool target things.. she also has 4000 bb's. It is so so stinkin funny! 

This is us trying to figure out the digital frame... yeah no luck.. again... notice RD's glasses... he was pretending to be Creeddaddy i think... 

I had an awesome Christmas. 

The day after Christmas I went to visit Shelley and the boys. I had so much playing with all the toys. It literally looks like Toys R Us exploded in their house! So much fun! Especially this Super Mario game for DS that Anna got... yeah we're addicted to it. Then we went shopping and to the Olive Garden... yummy! 

p.s. i watched the Christmas Story 4 times all the way through... I never turned my TV off while it was on and RD refused to watch it with me. I love that movie.




A present for Payson...

Ok... wow... Christmas is over! I am sad. I didnt even feel like it was Christmas until the day after... anyways so much happened and all together it was an awesome time! 

I wanted to share a project I did in my absence from my blog... sorry! (It was so funny... real quick... this morning at church Mrs. Sue asked me if my computer as broken! I think if I had not been at church she was going to gather a search and rescue crew! I have been neglecting my blog the past few days.)....

Ok back to the point... several months ago Shelley and I were shopping at Goody's on a random Saturday night shopping trip to Sylacagua. . There was this precious little elephant on a baby blanket. However, the blanket and elephant were both pink.... but it was just so cute. She decided it would be fabulous if Payson (her youngest son) had an elephant to hang in his room... so that is what he got for Christmas!


This is a close up of his ear... 

I forgot to buy ribbon to hang it from... because I am scatter brained ... but anyways just pretend... 

12.22.2008

The next best thing...




My friend April Nicole really wanted this pink gun.... however the gun was very expensive and everyone she asked to buy it said no. It was like a real gun... like the kind you kill deers with. Anyways... my friend Jayme and I decided we would buy her a pink BB gun. Well... obviously pink BB guns are the hit Christmas item this year. We waited around and missed out on getting one. So we got the next best thing... An original Red Ryder BB. 
I added some glitz and glam... the two glitters (pink and white...) came together to make red... not the original plan.... but it'll work. Instead of a pink gun, she will be getting an one of a kind, Alabama Roll Tide Red Ryder BB gun! 

*** special thanks to Shelley and Matt for bringing me a bottle of Elmer's glue from Walmart at 10:00 at night... without you this mission would not have been accomplished! :) ***

I just had to share this very random, unique BB gun.

12.21.2008

A Wii bit of a win....

Today was a an eventful day. I got up at 8... went to Lighthouse Community Church to see my little brother's Christmas musical. He had a solo and did an awesome job! It was all together a very enjoyable and unique program. Then I went to my church. Then me and RD went to Uncle Monk's to eat, only to trade plates in the middle of our meal because I decided I wanted roast and he decided he wanted chicken and dressing. It was quite funny. Then we went and took our usually Sunday nap. I talked him out of going hunting... actually the wind talked him out of going hunting but I will take credit :) Then we went to Nan and Paps for birthday cake. (It is Pap's birthday.) And then we had a dinner date with Susie and Creeddaddy. She made salad just like the Olive Garden with alfredo dipping sauce and breadsticks. AWESOME. And chicken tetrizini... yes i know that is spelt horribly wrong. Say it like I spelt it and it will make sense. Then it was GAME ON....

Let me go back first.... several months ago we got a Wii. RD and I had intensive matches with every sport game that we had. He won almost everything.... especially baseball. However there is one game he cannot beat me at... and i love it. Bowling. That is my bag. Not only do I beat him... I brutally beat him. LOVE IT!!!

Chase took a picture of the final score.... then texted it to me when we were on the way back to Ryan's house.... it was awesome. 

I am the cute one with pig tails... he is the one is the shades :)

12.18.2008

A present for Cash...

Ok... so... I had to work from 6:30 to 6:00. I hate working all day. I think it should be illegal. Or at least it should be a law that we get an hour lunch followed by a nap. Mandatory. Anyways... I felt awful all day and was trying to make the best of it and did a pretty good job. I just kept thinking that there were a couple of more gifts to wrap when I got home and I had to make Cash's gift. 

Cash is my friend Jayme's son. He is 4 months old. He doesn't need clothes. Toys are not really that exciting to a 4 month old who pretty much can be entertained with  a bottle, a bink, or a ceiling fan.... and did I mention Jayme made me swear not to buy either of her children toys. So what was I to do... So i decided to make him something for his room.

His room is very creative and unique. It is like an antique red color with black trim and baseboards. He has a black ceiling fan and a black door. On the walls are black and white pictures of old cars, trucks, and other vintage things to do with cars and trucks. It does not sound very babyish but you throw a black crib in the corner and a black rocker by the window... and you will fall in love. He has a black toy box with diamond plate on the front. My dad made this for Jayme when she first found out she was having a boy. Jayme's husband cut his name out in diamond plate and the letters sit on a shelf leaning against the wall. He also has a night light. A red light. An actual red light ... like the ones that stop you on 280 every 30 yards or so...except it is older. It glows with soft light that makes the room very cozy and inviting. 

With all this in mind.. and the colors red, black and white. I set out to create a gift suitable for such a room and a sweet little man. I decided he needed a picture of himself... being such a handsome little man... and a picture of his sister because she is the sweetest little girl ever. I figured if I stayed with color scheme I would be ok without using the cars and trucks. I think I succeeded. 

I had so much making this!  :)


12.17.2008

My own little workshop...

Ok so.... Today was an awesome day. Awesome. I slept late. Woke up and ate a boiled egg and some toast because those are the only things my mother and I could find in this house. Got a shower. Got all comfy yet cute in a dress, with some leggings and cozy flats. Then me and Susie headed to Birmingham. We had only one thing on the agenda... Eat at Olive Garden. We had 3 bowls of salad and two dishes of dipping alfredo sauce. And waaay too many breadsticks to mention. :) We then ran into the Galleria and I bought her a prize from my Dad (who is currently in Texas working) while she was in the bathroom. I almost got caught. Then we headed home after spying the cutest dress ever and getting it on sale for $28 originally $99. Go us.  

Then Coco wrapped presents... for hours. Literally hours. Good thing I enjoy wrapping presents. I sat in my room and wrapped presents. Chase would stop in and chat then Susie. RD stopped by to get a key to the shop. Susan would come back in and chat... I never stopped wrapping. I had a system going. I even hummed a carol every now and then... but mostly listened to CSI. It stayed on a while then I enjoyed a rather disturbing Criminal Minds that I now wish I had not watched. ... anyways.... I got a lot accomplished. Every gift is ready except for 2 but they will handled tomorrow or for sure by Saturday. Oh and Ryan's final gift is somewhere on a UPS truck between here and South Carolina Not sure where because the UPS site is choosing to leave out the details. All I know is that for some unknown reason this package traveled North to Virginia and is currently not traveling South..... which equals not good... so we'll see....


Yah!! Almost finished!!! I cannot wait until Christmas... oh and there are more....

 These guys won't fit under the tree. Well they will but then I cannot open the door to the porch ... so they are posted up on the sidelines. :)

12.16.2008

An RTR Christmas...

Ok so... I am at work. All day. 8-6. Bored out of my little mind! I brought my computer today and then begged my boss to give me the internet wireless password. (she gave in and gave it to me and then i felt like an idiot for not cracking it by myself.... it was that simple) Anyways.. I played around with Illustrator because I really want to know more about that program. I made my first solo document using the program. It did not turn our quite like I hoped but I really kinda still like it. It RTR... how can one not? I miss football season so bad. It's kinda sad....
Anyways... I am thinking about making this look WAAAY better and then it using it as a gift tag. I am just pumped I figured out how to use Illustrator a little more. I need to become less Photoshop dependent.... like way less. Ok... I should get back to work now.... should :)

12.15.2008

A very sweet treat...

Ok... so last night me and RD went to eat at Golden Rule and then stopped by Walmarts. We have been wanting some cookies for a minute so we got some of those slice and bake. We got home. I cooked the cookies and ate one. He ate like 4. Then tonight we were sitting at my Christmas dinner for work and he asked me if I had looked in my purse today. I was like well yeah of course. He just smiled and said please hand me your purse. He pulled out a bag of cookies. WOW... i had gone ALL day with cookies in my purse. That is when you KNOW you need to clean that joker out! Anyways I thought this was the sweetest most random treat...ever.... 

12.13.2008

I really wanted them...

Ok... so this past Thursday  I drove to Tuscaloosa, picked up my art portfolio so it would not be trashed over break and then met my cousin Heidi in Birmingham to shop. We went to several places and found lots of great deals. I was really into the Christmas spirit and was doing an awesome job of NOT buying prizes for myself. This is something that is really hard for to do. Then I stumbled onto the shoe aisle of Marshalls. There they were... now I am warning you ... they look like horrible witch shoes in this picture... but in real life... OMG they are amazing! And get even better once they on your feet.... However... i thought about how good I had been all afternoon. And how I had not bought myself one thing. And decided it best that they stay on the shelf on the 3rd aisle of shoes in the section marked 7.5 about 6 shelves high... i miss them. 
They also had them in purple. Which I loved almost as equally as the black ones. They were so cute with the little dress I had pictured from my closet and maybe possibly some tights action... or without... I might need to go get them. After Christmas. 

12.12.2008

Brown paper packages...

....tied up with string. These are a few of my favorite things!

Ok... so Memaw (what I call myself...) stayed in her warm room all night and wrapped Christmas gifts and watched House. I am going with the theme of one of my favorite songs ever... the one from The Sound of Music . I have always liked this movie. Idk.. they even took me to see the play when i was younger. I mean Memaw loved it. Now... I just really like the song. 

Anyways... I decided this year I would keep it simple and chic with the gift wrapping. It is my favorite part of the whole present exchange process. However this year... I am giving several pictures and frames as gifts. Frames are not so fun to wrap. 

I thought I would share what I have so far... I am no where near completed with this task. 

As a matter of fact.. I am still waiting on 3 gifts to be shipped! I really hope they make it by Christmas... otherwise Susie Q (my momma), RD and Chase are going to be getting after Christmas prizes! 

12.09.2008

A blue crimmues tree....

This year I decided to surprise my Nannie and get her a Christmas tree. I went to Walmart on my lunch break and got her  tree. I wanted to get a real one but she would kill me if I brought a real tree into her house. She would determine right then and there that the tree was the cause of all and any ale-ment. So i opted with the whole fake, pre-lite genre. I originally had a pretty pink one. I gathered a variety of silver ornaments and fake glittery snow for a tree skirt. I also grabbed some little silver presents since there will not be any there until Christmas morning. It needed something under there. Then as I was getting off work I randomly remembered a comment she once made about pink. Something about how it is everywhere and how it is over rated. I quickly called her and said blue or pink? She quickly responded with blue. 

I went to her house and decorated the tree while she watched me. She swore for the first hour it was green then determined it was blue... no doubt about it she said... that tree looks like a smurf. It was so much fun. I laughed so hard! Anyways... I just wanted to share her little blue crimmus tree with yall :)


12.06.2008

You'll shoot your eye out...


Ok... for those of you who do not know... I am obsessed with the movie "A Christmas Story". Like when it comes on for 24 hours.. I literally catch at least 18 hours of that. I can recite every line. People hate watching this movie with me. Hate it. I am saying the lines right along with Ralphie! So... with this knowledge in mind... my sweet Momma bought all the fixings at Wally World for this tree. I had no idea she was going to do this. When I got home... she had completed this masterpiece... minus the gold tinsle (not quite sure how to spell that)... which she saved for me... because i love throwing things :) 

This is the tree skirt... love it.


The star on the top looks sooo much like the one in the movie... 

Ok.. I tried to get some good ones of the ornaments.. but my camera is being stupid. But as you can see.. there is Red Rider BB Gun ornament. There are also ones of the leg lamp (that light up), the fragile box the lamp was delivered in, and the radio where Ralphie listened to the radio program. Also.... there are a few mini lunch boxes... one of which has a picture of Flick with his tongue stuck to the pole outside of school! Love it!!!


This is Ralphie in his Pink Bunny costume his Aunt sent him.

This is the leg lamp lit up. There are 2 strands of them on the tree. The tassles are even real! :)

I am in love with this tree. I think when I move out and get my own house to decorate for Christmas, that this will be my main tree. Haha.. no really. I want it to be. :)

11.30.2008

Been a minute...

It has been forever since I have blogged... WOW! I was actually going pretty good keeping up with this... I failed in my mission. Most likely because I have been crazy because of lack of sleep! Serious lack of sleep... Lets see... where do i start.....

Well I made it back from Vegas in one piece... I turned 23 on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I had an awesome birthday! I shopped all day, had dinner with Ryan (RD..sorry ...had to Shelley... I never call him Ryan anymore...) and Nicholas at Carrabas, then we went to Derby Junction to hear Lynam play... LOVE THEM!!... Shelley, Rachael, Jayme, Heidi and Britney met us there.. we had so much fun. I got home at like 3... had to be up at 7. 

The next day was Thanksgiving... I slept through most of it. And came home to climb into my big, comfy bed... and then Shelley called. She had this idea that we should go shopping... at 3:00 in the morning... And me... being such a sweet friend... thought it was a great idea and went over to have a slumber party. Needless to say I didnt hear my alarm on my phone and we were 30 minutes behind schedule... and Rachael was not happy with this... but we went shopping at 3:15. Really. We went to Anniston though so... it was WAY more calm than the Ham. We shopped until 9 or so and headed home. We then started decorating Shelley's house and watched football. And laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed... we had the best time... NOTE: I HAVE NOT BEEN TO BED YET.

Later that night I had plans with my friend Jayme... which turned into MASS confusion and me not getting home until 4 in the AM. I sleep until Shelley calls... at about 9.

We then spent the rest of the morning until the afternoon at the laundry mat in Childersburg washing her comforter that Mattson got dirty. We hung out in a laundry mat for 3 hours. haha... great times! Then it was time... ALABAMA WAS ABOUT TO PLAY AUBURN... did yall hear it was a shut out? Cause it was! ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!! 36 -0. Enough said.

I got home about 9 or so... and slept until 9 this morning! Can i just say I literally though I was in Heaven!!! Awesomeness... I went to church and then spent the day with RD. He even let me watch anything I wanted to watch on TV... this never happens... never. 

I had the best birthday and Thanksgiving break... ever. This is just the highlights in a nutshell... Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!!! :)

11.24.2008

Viva Las Vegas!!! ...i miss it already...

I am in love with Vegas! In love!!! It is a really interesting place. My favorite time was night time. The lights are amazing! I flew in during the day, so I didn't get the arial view of all the lights and I was pretty amazed when the sun was shining... but when they turned all those lights on.... WHOA! It is awesome! We went to several different casinos at night. We also hit up the club scene. I saw Nick Cannon, who ended up being the DJ at Pure Friday night, one of the clubs we went to. His wifey, Mariah Carey, showed up later on. It was kinda cool. We danced ALL night long. It was sooo much fun. I went to bed at like 6 Vegas time... 8 Bama time. Crazy.
We stayed at the Bellagio. We had a suite on the 33rd floor. There are only 35 at the hotel so we were waaay up there. Our suite was breath taking. Every single room, bathrooms included, had a plasma flat screen television. There were 3 bathroom. One was a 1/2 bath, one had a bath tub with jets, and one had a shower WITH A STEAMER!!! OMG... i want one. The entire hotel and casino was amazing. On the ground floor there was a mall... not like Old Navy, Express, ect... but Fendi, Dior, and CHANEL!!! I tried on every single bag in that room. I did not want to leave. 
We went to a nice dinner and then went to a night club called Blush... but something was missing. So 4 of us loaded into a taxi cab and went to ride roller coasters. Where else in the world can you leave a club, grab a cab and ride a roller coaster at 2 in the morning? This is pic of the Big Shot. It's the tallest point in Vegas. They shoot you up and let you drop down. Over and over... AWESOME!
This is my new purse... Also known as my favorite part of the trip... besides watching "O" by Cirque du Soleil. If you ever in your life get a chance to see this.. please do. It is so awesome I cannot even begin to describe it. Seriously. Anyways... I bought this super hot Juicy bag and clutch/wallet. It's not the Chanel I had picked out.. but it will do for now. The inside in black and white houndstooth... got to love it!
Vegas was awesome and I already want to go back. However, everything is really expensive out there... I am talking a Coke at dinner was $7... yeah crazy... I was glad to get home though. I hated the flight. People kneed the back of my chair the entire way there and people in front of me smelt bad. Real bad.  

This post does not even begin to touch on what all I did this weekend. But I had an awesome time. Maybe I will post more pictures from the trip later on. For now.. I am going to bed. I still have the time all messed up... 









11.20.2008

the best early birthday present ever...

ok... so I get to work today at 7. I didn't realize that I had to be at work 7, because I usually get there at 8, until my dad walked in my room at 6 to get my truck keys because apparently I was blocking his truck in the driveway somehow and nonetheless WOKE ME UP! I never wake up when people try to get me to but when they are attempting to be quiet, I wake up. I didn't stay mad long though because it hit me I had to be at work at 7. By this point it was 6:37. Yeah... no shower, no make up, it was a miracle that my scrubs even matched. I get there and people are already lined up at the door with dying dogs or feeble cats... same ole story everyday. They were all fine for those animal lover readers out there :) I love them too but day after day their drama queen owners make out like it's cancer when really it's a cold. literally. Anyways as you can tell my morning was stressful and I didn't have time to stop at Jack's. About 8 or so Jayme comes into work carrying a big pink gift bag. She could no longer keep my birthday present from me. She had made me a quilt. I had no idea she was doing this. I am a huge Alabama fan and I am obsessed with elephants. Her and her mother made this entire thing. It is perfect for my queen size bed but of course I am too in love with it t actually use it. But is this not awesome!? Roll tide roll! :)

I had a full length shot but I forgot to flip it in iPhoto and basically I am too tired to wait for another image to upload. So just imagine the same image over and over until it's queen sized! 

11.19.2008

I need feedback....

Ok... In my VERY last advertising class I am ever going to take in college... we were split into groups and were told to do an entire campaign for Moe's Southwest Grill. (I think I have blogged about this previously...) Anyways 2 members of my group, including myself, live far away from Tuscaloosa, so we divided up what has to be done. I did not receive my list of duties until tonight. This is all due by Sunday so we can have it professionally printed and all that jazz. I have to make 2 newspaper ads, a coupon and a flyer. (And go to Vegas in between!!) The flyer has to include to promo were are going to do dealing with school children and college kids. You get an A and Moe's will give you a free taco. Below is the flyer I designed... let me know what you think. BE HONEST! (even if you 100% hate it... tell me. I would love to know! Seriously.) Since our group cannot work together on this we are really relying on peer evaluations. Thanks!!!! :)


Packing shoes...

I am sitting at school. I wish I was at home. I could be packing! I am leaving for Las Vegas and I have not even begin to think about what clothes I am going to take. (much less washed the clothes...) For those of you who do not know, I am a gigantic fan of shoes! I have shoes of every color, style and design. Picking out clothes is easy compared to what shoe is going to be worn with the clothes! On my drive to Tuscaloosa today, I pictured all my shoes in my head... the ones I could remember... and began to think which ones would qualify for a fun filled weekend in Vegas. (I know I am totally stupid but it made the time go by super fast.) I also thought about what fun I am going to have and how random this quick weekend trip is going to be. Then, I started thinking about how I hope I get some extra money soon to go blow on new shoes... then I remembered that I currently don't even have enough money to go on this trip much less buy Christmas presents when I return home... my idea of new shoes went out the window. Oh well... maybe later on...



Both of these are "Layla's" by Jessica Simpson. She has the most comfotable heels in the world. I have her "Henri" collection in about every color she made them in, including the boots. I am sorta in love with them. You can actually run in these. Trust me I have had to... waay too many times. They also cannot be broken when a UFC fighter steps on you. Your ankle might stay black and blue for 2 weeks but you heels will be wearable next time they are called upon. (This is a true story.) Anyways I really love both of these shoes...a great deal. Now I am depressed and must go sit through a boring History class. Ahhh...


11.18.2008

3 sweet pumpkins...

I have been meaning to get these pictures from Shelley for a while now. But every time I go over there I never remember. Anyways.. I remembered tonight! I played with a few of the shots from Baker Farm on photoshop. Shelley has not even seen these yet! ( I hope you like them!! )



These 3 children are truly little angels. They never fail to make me laugh so hard every time I am around them. They can make your worst day become your best day. Love them! :)

11.17.2008

1 gift down! Waaay too many to go....

I started my Christmas shopping! This is not actually the first thing I have purchased but it's the only one that has arrived. (Besides the DVD box set of the PBR World Finals but I figured that would not be an interesting post....) It's a picture of my friend Jayme's little her and her dog. She has been talking about how she wanted to get the picture enlarged, matted and framed. She already has a place picked out in her living room. I decided this would be the perfect gift. I also got a deal at Hobby Lobby! They have some awesome sales. If you catch them, you are sure to save some major dollars! I was able to get the frame custom made, matted and all put together for $50. Yes... just $50. That is amazing. Truly. 

11.16.2008

Not yet...I'm workin' on it...

I know it is 2:03 in AM. I understand that I have to be up in the morning and get to church on time. I know this. I just can't sleep. I am oh so tired though. My day started VERY early for a Saturday....

At 7:30 my phone rang. It was Shelley. She was giving my friendly wake up call. I was going to keep the boys while she and Matt went and got a few things for his new job. (I am so happy and proud for them about that...) I had so much fun with Mattson and Payson. Those little boys are truly Heaven sent. Mattson never fails to make me smile. ...Even when I do have to bust out the carpet cleaner to get the red kool aid up from the hallway. He always says the most random and cute things. I asked him if he had poopied and he responded with  "Not yet, I'm workin on it..." And sweet Payson.. that child is just precious. He just eats sleeps... and loves to rock in between. He just blushes all the time too. Like a sweet old man.. So cute. In between Payson's naps we all played in the floor together and watched football. We had a really good time. We grilled out and watched Alabama beat Mississippi State. It was awesome! Then me and Rachael went out for a minute.. the guy tat owned the place gave me the shirt off his back. Literally. Random but fun.

Here lately, I have began to realize what growing up feels like. I don't know if it's the fact that I am about to be 23 or that everyone is going their own direction, but I know that God has a plan. And I need to be patient. Sometimes it just feels like the entire world is moving forward and I am just watching it all take place. I try to savor every moment now. When I used to just go 90 to nothing. I realize also that different people move at different paces. And sometimes you might have to let go for them to realize they need to catch up. And sometimes they might not catch up. But maybe there will be something else there to fill their running place. I find myself paying a lot. About everything. Which I know this is a good thing but I mean I pray for random people I pass on the interstate now. Even if it's just a quick "Lord bless 'em". 

I cannot wait until May 9, 2009. I will be graduating. For some reason I feel that after this date things will start to pick up. I may have to give up on some old dreams in order to make others happen. But you know what... you gotta let go and let God. I am going to try and stop worrying about things I have no control over. Because like I said... I have not an ounce of control over something I cannot control. None. 

It's just a tough situation. You have this vision of how things are supposed to be. You have had it for as long as you can remember. And it's not playing out right. And the worst part of it all, is that you know it could play out. Perfectly. Even down to the minor details. The details so tiny that no one but you would notice, but nonetheless you know they could play out as well. 

It's just hard to completely give up on something, when sometimes you feel you're the only one that is going to be getting the raw end of the deal. It's not all worked out yet... but I'm workin' on it. 

11.13.2008

Where to begin...

It has a been a hot minute since we last spoke.. or I blogged rather... so much has happened. So much. For starters I had an awesome weekend. I spent Friday night eating chili and playing DVD trivial pursuit with Shelley, Nana, Anna, and Mattson. It was kinda hard considering it was a game designed for children. I don't remember who won but nonetheless it was fun. Anna loves to play games. I was just excited she didn't have us playing Uno. I am so over Uno. 

Saturday I went to work until 12. It was an awful day. It was sooo packed and busy. Double booked does not even begin to describe the schedule... try like double double + 4 booked. That's closer. Then I journeyed to Hayden, Alabama to watch football with my entire family. It was my grandmother's 80th birthday. She wanted a football party! Alabama was playing LSU... after many split sweet teas, me jumping like an idiot, scaring my uncles because I was more into the game than they ever though about being, and holding back curse words... we won!!! It was awesome! After the game, I came back to Vincent, got ready, and went out with my friend Jayme. We first went to some sketchy place in Riverside only to leave and go to an even more sketchy place in Leeds. Nonetheless, we danced for hours, drank nothing but water, and had a blast. Sure there was the un-called for drama that always accompanies a good time, but we just kept dancing...until the a.m.

Sunday is always a good day. I got up, took a shower, got ready and ventured off to Church. After church, RD and I went to Chelsea to grab a quick bite to eat at Uncle Monk's, stopped by Walmart to get some supplies for an art project, and came back to Vincent. We watched the PBR finals and took a nap. While napping on Ryan's couch, I heard this little voice saying Coco...over and over and over again. "Coco wake up! Ryan wake up!" It was Mattson. I woke up no problem but he had to slap ole uncle Ryan a few times to get him to wake up. We played with Mattson and Payson. Ryan almost died when Philip changed Payson's diaper. He decided at that moment he was not ever having children. That thought lasted about 3 seconds.... and he was over it. After the boys left, we went to grab a  bite at KFC, watched more TV, and I went home.

Monday was Monday.... I went to class. Came home. Went to sleep.

Tuesday was work. I went to work...all day. Came home. Ate supper. RD stopped by. Went to sleep. 

Wednesday started off swell. I got up late. Got ready in a fast, quick hurry. Went to class. Actually I ran to class from the car. Took a spanish vocabulary quiz. Actually passed it. (I didn't study because I forgot about it.) Left that class and drove to Tuscaloosa. Went to HY 417 and then off to photography. Learned what my last assignment was going to involve and started my walk to the parking deck. I called Shelley and told her I was getting out of class early and that I was coming to visit. I got in my car. Spent my LAST $10 I HAD TO MY NAME in gas. And started my drive home. I made it all the way to Dairy Queen / Lowe's on 280. I was sitting still. Minding my own business. And suddenly... the next thing I know I am breathing air bag dust, thinking about that stupid commercial where the chick has the wreck and puts the car in park and applies the emergency brake...thinking I should probably do that too, and trying to figure out how in the world to open my door. I was rear ended. I was pushed into the guy in front of me, who was pushed into the guy in front of him. 

Luckily, Matt had just went by so he came back until my Dad got there. From there I went to emergency room. After 4 hours there.. My neck is killing me. I can't walk on my right knee. I have been straight chilling in my bed since Wednesday night. I hate being stuck in the same place. My car is totaled and my truck is currently broke down. Blogging this is like lifting a burden I think. I know everyone is tired of hearing me complain. Especially RD... he might snap soon. oops... anyways blogging is officially a stress reliever. Love it. 

Anyways I am going to go back to sleep now. Avoid 280. :)

11.06.2008

Sunshine...

My friend's little girl has about a million hair bows. They are currently all piled into one basket and it is always a job to find the one you're looking for. We tried to come up with a cute way to organize her hair bow collection. Her room is purple, very fun and happy... so I wanted to think of something really sweet that would really add to Harper's room. I told her I would keep thinking about it. She has not idea I worked on this today... I hope she likes it! :)

11.05.2008

Tea and rotten eggs...

As I wait for my new Adobe Creative Suite 4 to upload on my computer... (my early birthday present... i am so excited words cannot even begin to express my feelings about this!!!) ...I am going to blog....
 
I am not going to go all political on this post. (even though I so could.. I will reframe myself from doing so...) The decision has been made. It's in the good Lord's hands now. May he guide Obama to lead this country into better days without things getting out of control... enough about that.

Anyways... Today in class I learned how to tone images. It was really quite interesting! I had no idea what was going on at first because we all walked into the dark room and for one the lights were on and two... it smelt like rotten eggs. This was because we were about to get a demo on toning. (The rotten egg smell was from the sepia toning chemicals... it smelt horrid.)  Anyways we got a quick and lesson and then we got to play... I am going to post a couple of them on here. They are not very good because I only was able to use images that I already had printed off.... because they forgot to tell us ahead of time that we were going to be able to do this today...  anyways... here they are!

Ok... blogger will not let me type under the images so I am explaining them above them....

The first one is sepia toned. I like this image because it really looks old. (RD would prolly kill me if he knew this was on here... oh well.) The second image was toned using tea. I think this is so cool... it's actually the tea we drink. The next image was first bleached, then toned in blue and was then sealed with copper tone. And the last image was already solarized (which makes it black and sorta glow) and then I toned it in blue.  
 

11.04.2008

Hot dog hot dog...



Mickey Mouse for President :) ... that's a fun thought! 

I thought I would stop by for a moment and let everyone know how excited I am that election day has come... and IS ALMOST GONE!!! It's 7:12 and I am going to bed. I really hope no one calls me and tells me who got President. At this point I think it should be Mickey Mouse. It would be fun I think. Our flag could be a plain red background with Mickey's Silhouette in the middle in blue with white stars. And our national anthem could be Hot Dog Hot Dog Hot Diggity Dog!!! We could all wear ears... it would be grand! I am really looking forward to watching TV without it being election related. 

Anyways... I hope everyone had a great day. I was sleepy all day. But I learned something today. I know that the Bible teaches us not to judge. But in today's world it is hard not to judge. I will be the first to admit that I judge people.. often times without even realizing that I am judging people. When I know good and well I have NO RIGHT to judge people... at all!!! A dear friend of mine is in an odd situation and I was quick to judge and state my opinion. I did so without realizing all the details and without considering what I would do in her situation. After I understood what was going on completely I realized that I had jumped the gun and decided things without knowing the whole story. After I was filled in on all the details, I understood. I might not have agreed, but I understood. 

So tomorrow when you go out and face the world and all the strange people around us we call friends, family, and strangers ... don't be quick to judge. Try and put yourself in their shoes. What would you do then? Think about what the Bible tells us and how we can apply these teachings to our lives. And most of all pray. Pray everyday. Pray for everyone you know and even those you don't. Seriously... prayer works. 

Anyways... I have been thinking about this all day. So now that I have it off my shoulders... I leave you with this.... Click here. (Shelley go grab Mattson.. he is going to love this! )

11.03.2008

oh Monday...

Oh today.. was a crazy day!!! ( ...and flippin' blogger will not let me put my pictures where i want them...so ahhhh!!) As you read earlier I totally missed my first class. (if you didn't read the post about the time change... reading it will so catch you up on what I am talking about)... I then drove to Tuscaloosa and prepared for another day of classes back to back to back to back....

I went to History 417 which is probably the most interesting a history class can be and I still was fighting sleep. I used to like history but I have taken 7 history classes... seriously what more history does one need to know... I actually could take 3 more and be a double major... but I am not going to that... no way. I then ventured over to Woods Hall to Art 218. This is my photography class... I made some really cool prints today. The assignment I am currently working on is called "Experimental". Basically, I get to take prints and negatives I have already used and develop them in new, slightly more exciting fashions. Like solarization and diffusion... and making them be negative and opposite from the original. It's really quite interesting. I will try and post a few on here... my favorite ones are still in Tuscaloosa though. And then after that... I walked over to Reese Phifer Hall. This is my favorite building on campus. It's my college! There I had a group meeting with my APR 422 partners. I am really loving this class. We are getting to make an entire advertising campaign from scratch about Moe's Southwest Grill. (too bad i HATE Moe's... i always get sick ... i just hate it...anyways...) We are on the final portion. Before we actually get to start making ad layouts and designing new products... hopefully one day they will be using my group's ads... keep your fingers crossed! I get some gift card or something for life if we win... my brother pretty much can't wait for this. He is in love with some Moe's.... eww. After my meeting, I then departed for my long journey home.. i swear I think the road home is longer than the road to Tuscaloosa. Seriously. 

When I am driving I think. When I say I think ... I mean I think a lot. Really random things... one day I am going to think out loud and record myself so people will actually understand that I really am "that random". I was thinking about how I am graduating in May.. but I have not even started to seriously look for a job! Christmas is less than 2 months away.. and I have not a dollar to my name! I will be 23 in 23 days... and that blows my mind! 23...eww it does not even sound fun at all.... I think 23 is a nicer way of saying OLD... without just putting it out there! I listened to a cd the entire trip because all that was on the radio had either to do with McCain or Obama or both of em or their running mates or taxes or abortion or whether or not God made the sky blue or was it really a more lavender tint... seriously I am OVER the election. Over it. I cannot wait to march my happy tail down to city hall tomorrow on my lunch break...vote... go back to work and wait to hear who wins. And celebrate (regardless who actually winds just for the pure fact I won't have to hear about the election anymore!!!) At this point, I just want it to be over. OVER... I know I sound irritated. I am. I can no longer hide it. I mean I couldn't even walk across campus today without someone handing me a flyer or attempting to stick a sticker on me. I slapped at one dude. He did not fully understand what I meant when I said "no thank you" to his offering of an Obama over McCain sticker. No means no. Even when it comes to random stickers that end up on the ground all over campus that the poor yard guys have to peel up off the cracking sidewalks. They should really outlaw stickers unless they are in the form of a houndstooth hat, support an university or team, and ultimately end up on a vehicle. That's my thought about stickers. Anyways then I get home, after stopping by Shelley's to eat Thanksgiving dinner. (It as seriously like Thanksgiving on a random Monday....thanks again!!!) And I am now bloggin' cause the time change is killing me....

Anyways the whole point of this rambling was to tell you I am excited about my Moe's campaign (even though I hate Moe's), I wanted to share some of my new photography experiments, stress the fact I am over the election, and that i think stickers are stupid. :)

The first image is solarization. It takes a lot of prints to finally get it right. This one is still not right but I gave up on it and moved on... it turned out kinda cool.

The second image is a negative print of my original print.

The third is diffusion. I placed a wet paper towel over the paper when it was under the enlarger.

And the last print is a double print. It took FOREVER to do this. But I like how it turned out. RD (Ryan) has no seen it yet. He is obsessed with the picture of his gate so I think he will like this one too.