My New Favorite Blog of All Time

Go here... because I said so and because I think everyone could use a happy thought. This chick is my idol of the day for being so fruity and so happy being fruity!

www.jenlemen.com/blog/

Thank you, now GO!

Makes you wonder~

So please forgive me for this one. I know you all prefer the light-hearted, picture ridden posts that I usually put up but something occurred to me today and I wanted to put it here- so there! Also thanks to mom for provoking this thought indirectly.

I am sure those of you that keep up with current events heard that DJAM was found dead of a drug overdose yesterday. For those that are going "who?" he is, forgive me was, a popular sought after DJ among that crowd. But he is even more well known (at least among the other crowds) as being one of two survivors in a plane crash about a year ago where he and Travis Barker (musician, Blink 182) jumped from a plane as it went up in flames!

So tell me what kind of world do we live in that a man can have the bravery and will-power to jump from a burning plane to save his life but this same man is weak over his demons which led to his drug use and ultimately his untimely death.

Moving on...

Still fresh on our minds is the recent loss of Michael Jackson. Now I was not a tremendous fan of Michael Jackson; however, I admired his free spirit and desire to create a more compassionate world. Michael Jackson had everything at his fingertips and was known by all and loved by many. And yet again.. could not find power over his demons which led to his drug use and ultimately his untimely death.

And yet another...

Billy Mays. Okay so maybe he was no DJAM or Michael Jackson but he had a niche and he worked it with pride in front of audiences - I'll call that bravery. And as with the others.. well you know the drill.

This really bothers me that some very influencial people with so much at their fingertips and so many people surrounding them could end up this way. How is it that such powerful and brave people can go down like this?

Anyway- thanks for hearing my rant. Feel free to comment- I dare ya!

Feeling a bit random here...

Oh Monday.. nothing exciting going on today except some cleaning and homework. Thought I'd take a minute to blog because well.. I <3 to blog.

SO... for those that don't know I have recently taken an interest in photography and through that interest I have discovered a hand full of really awesome web sites and/or blogs. I think you should check them out because you are obviously bored if you are reading this page..haha!

Dawn's All Time Fave: www.pioneerwoman.com

Do you like photography too? How about cooking? This lady has a great perspective on life and is just really fun to read and there are always lots of pretty pictures to keep you interested too.

Dawn's New & Quickly Growing Fave: www.zenhabits.net

SO maybe we aren't all contemplating the switch to Buddhism but nonetheless this site offers some really simple tips to a less tramatic life. Love it. There are always good quotes on this page too and if you know me you are already aware of my addiction to quotes.

How about a few of my many inspiration pages:

www.gallerystandouts.com
www.beckyearlphotography.com
www.thedailydigi.com
www.sheyerosemeyerphotography.com/blog/

OOH my very favorite photography blog..

www.theblogisfound.com

And for those of us that often find ourselves walking that damn black dog..

www.walkingtheblackdog.com

Now I have about 50 subscriptions in my Google Reader and love them all but when I see a new post from one of these.. I smile a little bigger! :P

BTW speaking of things that make me smile...

mom.. this one~



OH wait... I could not get through my day without www.playlist.com either!!!

And in case you only come here for the pictures.. you know who you are..: )


THE END!

Because I love my blog so much more with music...

Here's some fun stuff to look at then it's off to the shower so I can go have spa day with the girlies at Natalie's. If your curious check out www.pinkpapayaparties.com/aubreym! Have a great weekend!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!




I'M OBSESSED WITH THIS PHOTOSHOP ACTION. THE ONLY WAY TO EXPLAIN IT IS "ALMOST BLACK & WHITE" BUT THEN YOU MESS WITH ALL THE OPACITY AND THAT'S WHAT YOU GET AND HERE'S A PAGE MADE WITH PHOTOS THAT WERE "ALMOST BLACK & WHITE."



CREDITS:
PAPER BY:KAFROUNETTE PAPIER DESIGNS,A TEETS AMERICANA AND SPLASH BY KIMDS DESIGNS @OSCRAPS AND PAPER DATE WHEEL BY GUNHILD STOREIDE AND MAKE A WISH BY WG JAYE DESIGNS @ SUNSHINESTUDIOSCRAPS.COM

Hope you enjoyed!

Don't you want to know how it went...?

Yes- of course she absolutely loves first grade, she has a new (and was happy to see her old) BFF, she is just breaking into the adventure of homework and test taking and she loves that her class mixes her with second graders as well. All is good!

Piper has been ornery as usual. We have decided to slowly begin the potty training process and she thinks it is a blast although she has yet to make any deposits into the potty. We'll keep you posted.

AND OMG... after 2 1/2 years I am going back to work starting next week. I couldn't be more excited. I will be working the desk for the brand-spankin' new Holiday Inn Express.. and can I just say it is GORGEOUS!!!! From leather wall paper to the pertiest head boards I've seen I wish I could show you how pretty right here... maybe one day I can post a link and you will see for yourself! Meanwhile... can you tell I am stoked?

As for Jon he is a busy man- plotting his Halloween takeover as usual. That' s my boy!So long as he can make our house look creepy he is a happy man.


Picture courtesy of Kimmie Herrera.

Well that is the low down... how about a quote.. or lyric rather... I <3 this song!

"sometimes i lay under the moon and thank God i'm breathing and (i) pray (He) don't take me soon, cause i'm here for a reason..."
-One Day by Matisyahu

Killin' Time

So.. tomorrow is the first day of school! Yippee! Today we met the teacher and liked her. Avalyn's class is a "big girl class" no more pretty blocks and counting bears.. it's the real deal here. She is so excited and sound asleep ! YAY for sleeping children!

On a more somber note... we were to return the kindergarten gerbil, Rosie tomorrow and I needed to get her cage cleaned today. Meanwhile Jon and I had noticed she hasn't been running the wheel every morning as usual... YUP, you guessed it. Rosie (probably out of fear of returning to the kindergarten class) passed away sometime in the last two days. SO how does that work? Do I need to replace her? Do you think they'd take a wiener dog as her fill in? Anyway... let us take a moment of silence in honor of dearly beloved Rosie the Gerbil.

OKAY.... moving on. I finally had that interview I have been holding my breath for. I spent an hour with the GM of the new hotel and I am sooooo excited and crossing every crossable part on my body. I'll keep you informed but it looks like I won't know anything for a couple weeks.

BTW I have just 3 short weeks left of these 2 classes, then one more 9-week class and HALLELUJAH I am done with this round of my education. Then I only get to look forward to paying for it.. oops!

That's about all the info I have for now. Please say a little wish, prayer, spell or whatever you prefer that this hotel gives me a spot. It's that time... time for me to be doing what it is I do best (next to blogging of course)... and making money doing it.



I learned something new!!! Picture in the middle of the blog wahoo... BTW this is my attempt at arty-fartsy...
Night, night!!

All over the board...

So first things first...

Avalyn goes back to school in a few days, a big bad first grader! Wow. It has turned out to be quite an excellent summer. I was concerned in the beginning that we would waste it away and I would go back to work and Av to school feeling as if I wasted the 2 1/2 years I was home-but I think I'm ready. I've learned some new things in the last couple years like how to photoshop pics and scrapbooks, how to take better pictures, and a bit more. I've read a hand full of books that I didn't get to do much of before. I've nearly completed my Associates degree. I've managed to get Piper to 21 months old with never having even a fever and I got Avalyn through 2 pageants one (this passed weekend) where she took first runner-up with no real training or experience. I have mowed a lawn, caulked a shower or two, baked a bit, cooked a little,spent more than my fair share and learned how to budget/ re-budget and re-budget some more. We've refied twice and consolidated more times than I could count. BUT the point of this rambling is that I took full advantage of the time at home with the girls and all the financial annoyances were well worth the headaches and hair-pulling.

So I think I am having an emo day that started with my trying to scrapbook our eventful summer and realizing that there was just too much and too many people to cram into a page or two! Made me realize I got exactly what I wanted- so YAY!

Now on a completely unrelated but equally (if not more) emo note I was reading a blog that I do not frequent but sometimes check out because I hear about it often it is some man who refers to himself as Fatty and he likes to bike ride. (the page is fatcyclist.com). well come to find out said fat cyclist's wife has been battling cancer for some time and I read (through the grape vine- pioneerwoman.com) that his wife just passed. Now- a lot of people have been losing people close to them which is obviously sad but a certain part of this man's blog hit me harder than I imagined. He said after 21 years of marriage to his wife he never imagined that he would be so grateful for the 2 he had with her recently. He wrote a whole entry about how out of her near coma his wife awoke completely clear minded and for roughly two hours he was able to have a talk with his wife about well- everything husbands and wives would talk about. It made me realize how we take for granted the time we have with our loved ones and how sometimes it is gone in an instant.

I am fortunate to not have to have faced this loss too often in my life but I hope that when I have to face loss I can feel like I took advantage of the time I had with my loved ones.

OK... how about some pictures. BTW I am sure everyone is saying "why's she got the beans above the frank?" (pictures above words) well... I haven't learned how to put pictures within my blog just yet... stay tuned!