Friday, March 30, 2012

fRiDaY...here is to hoping for a better weekend than last.

It's time to  fill in the blanks.  Some of these are really getting deep.  I'll try to keep it light-hearted or at least short.


My greatest strength is living up to my name - constant.  I am a very faithful person and if I say I will do something I do it - even if I really really don't want to.


My greatest weakness is being a worrier and a people-pleaser.


People always compliment me on my teeth/smile.


If you found me procrastinating you'd probably find me looking at my phone.


The most cozy place in all the world is my bed of course.  I have also recently found that I go there when I am feeling down or worried or just to withdraw I just want to hunker down and hide away. - I've spent a lot of time there this week.


Something new that I tried recently was buying clothes without trying them on first.... it hasn't really worked out for me.


This weekend I would like to get a lot of my freelance work under way.  I have a huge project that I need to make good headway on and a few other items like my sister's wedding invitations that need a good deal of work done on them.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Don't get too excited.

There is a reason why I don't generally get excited about things and if I do I don't tell anyone, I keep my poker face on and just let it ride.  I am pretty sure I have a reputation as a pessimist among those who know me well - but I can't help it it is a pattern in my life that is perpetual.

For those of you who read my blog regularly you may have noticed an out of the ordinary post with exuberance and thrilling excitement.  If you missed it, this is the one I'm referring to.  You should probably read it to understand fully the rest of this post.  Anyway, I should have known not to post to claim excitement but I couldn't help myself and now - well now we "pay for it".

So close to graduation, after 3 years in PA school, 6 years back in school to follow a dream; we were 60 days away from completion. And then this weekend happened.  I mean seriously!  Phil has been playing soccer since he was a little kid.  Never breaking a bone, played all through PA school and this weekend he trips up and breaks his wrist (his scaphoid).  HIS WRIST!  Uh, it makes my gut hurt to comprehend the irony (he was about to start his LAST rotation orthopedics) of it and the "you shouldn't have been excited feeling" that plagues me.


Not his x-rays just wanted you to know where the bone is and what a pin in it will look like.

So we ended up in the ER to confirm our worst fear that it was truly broken and then headed on Monday to the ortho. doc to confirm our other worst fear it  needs a pin and healing will be 12 weeks or to put it in more relational terms 90 days...um yeah that's more than 60!  So what's the verdict?  The last rotation must wait.  Thankfully he should still graduate but the rotation will have to be completed after graduation.  So tack on another month, move the PANCE back and there you have it.

There are so many other factors that could have just changed a little to make this work out without having to move everything but not a single one has gone our way so I will reclaim my poker face and just do one day at a time.

Now before you start quoting scripture and words of encouragement, don't get me wrong.  My hope is in the Lord, I know He knows the plans for our lives, and I know that He is enough.  But I also know that His plans aren't always easy, I might not always like them, and this side of Heaven is full of hardships.

Things that I am thankful for in all this:

  1. An unwavering husband who somehow still always looks on the bright side - looking for how all this can be a huge blessing in the end.
  2. My parents who were willing to switch cars with us, since the Jeep is a standard transmission and I can't drive it (I know I really need to) and neither can Phil right now.
  3. Friends who pray for us and made us food and bring a smile even in unfortunate circumstances.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, 
   my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91:2




Friday, March 23, 2012

Colorful Friday!

Oh how I LOVE color.  I love to learn about color, see color, play with color so I am very excited that today's Fill in the blank questions all center around COLOR!!!  So fun!  Also I thought it was interesting that today as I was deciding what to where I chose to combine an orange small patterned shirt with a bright pink sweater.  I told myself that it was just a little bit of "color blocking".  Yeah I'm nerdy like that.


My favorite color is overall it's green.


My home decor color palette includes mostly green, brown, blue with accents of other colors.

Other people always tell me I look good in the color light pink, dark purple (colors that I admittedly avoided for many years)


The color I detest is  this is a very hard question for me because I pretty much think that any color can be beautiful in a specific context... but one I have the hardest time with for my own use is bright orange.
Although maybe I should embrace it - cause this laundry room  is awesome!
If you were to look in my closet most of the colors you'd see would be in college the answer was most definitely brown.  so weird I know but I had an overwhelming about of brown, to the point that my classmates nick-named me Brown. I have since made a conscious effort to keep an array of colors in my wardrobe so as to not be boring.  Probably jewel tones would be the majority of what you would see though.


A color that I simply cannot pull off no matter how hard I try is red.  I hardly own any red because it makes me look all splotchy.  I can accent with it is super small amounts but a whole shirt and I look ... well not good.
Maybe I should try red pants cause this is a super cute outfit.


The color of my favorite dress is magenta or black or maybe a flower pattern... I don't know!







Thursday, March 22, 2012

Bobbie and I vs. Bobbie and me

I general I tend to be ones of those people who is anxious about not knowing all the proper grammar rules and worried that one of those "grammar police" will catch me in a great grammar faux pas and rap my knuckles.
But there are certain - maybe it's the more common - grammar mistakes that just catch my attention.  This particular grammar issue tends to catch my attention mostly because I don't feel as though it is the persons fault for not knowing - they aren't ignorant people who "need to learn basic grammar rules" - on the contrary this mistake is made by diligent people who think they have it right.  So why is is so common - and why do they think they have it right.  



Well my theory on the subject is this: When you are growing up you are constantly corrected by the adults in your life when you would say, "Me and Bobbie are going down the street."  A very good-natured and well intending adult would correct you and say, "Bobbie and I!"  This is of course the proper correction to your childish sentence. But what you didn't ever hear is when it is proper to say, "Bobbie and me..."  So we have a bunch of adults in the world who think they should ALWAYS say "Bobbie and I".

So here it is - this is for free ;)  An easy way to remember when it is okay and indeed proper to say, "me".


You use I and me in a sentence when you would use I or me when there is not another individual involved.

So for example you would say, "I am going to the store." if you were going with Bobbie you would say, "Bobbie and I are going to the store."  but if you were told to go to the store you would say, "Aunt Louise told me to go to the store." and if you and Bobbie were told to go to the store you would day, "Aunt Louise told Bobbie and me to go to the store."  You would not say, "Aunt Louise told Bobbie and I to go to the store." because you would never say, "Aunt Louise told I to go to the store."

Furthermore, if you are labeling a picture keep this is mind.  You would not point to a picture and say, "This is I at the Dallas Zoo." no you would say "This is me at the Dallas Zoo."  So again you would say, "Bobbie and me at the Dallas Zoo."

Now if you feel more comfortable always using Bobbie and I for fear of getting your knuckles rapped then you can always reword the sentence.  "Bobbie and I would like to thank you for your support, it means the world to us." is a good way to reword "Thank you for all your support, it means the world to Bobbie and me."  but don't say "Thank you for all your support, it means the world to Bobbie and I." .... why again?  cause you would NOT say, "Thank you for all your support, it means the world to I."  no you would never say that; you would use me.

So let us try to become more comfortable with "me".

hee hee I'm not the bad... right??? :)

You don't have to take my word for it, here are a few references:
http://robin.hubpages.com/hub/Grammar_Mishaps__I_versus_Me
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-linking-verbs.aspx 

http://www.heiressintraining.com/2008/10/29/understanding-the-me-vs-i-grammar-rule/ 



Tuesday, March 20, 2012

First day of Spring 60 Days until Graduation!

Woohoo!  Talk about spring fever and senioritis hitting hard.  No I'm not talking about my husband I am in fact talking about me!  I love Spring it brings green - greener than you remember from last year, strong storms (I love 'em), pretty flowers, all the neighbors outside, backyard bird watching resumed, and much needed extended sun time!  Ah I feel refreshed just thinking about it.  And this year Spring brings with it only 60 days - SIXTY - 6.0. days until Phil walks across the stage and finishes PA school!


Oh how I cannot wait!  I'm so excited for him to be finished - although he will still have to study and take the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) which he has registered to take June 7!!! He has work so so hard, driving 1+hour each way everyday to get to school, study crazy hours, be Vice President of his PA class and all the extra work that comes with that, maintain a marriage, be involved in church fellowship, play in community soccer leagues and still have time to have a little fun (well only sometimes).  I know he will feel such a great sense of accomplishment and pride (little p not big P) to have completed this journey.  I am so proud of him!


Friday, March 16, 2012

New Food Adventure

Quinoa!  That is KEEN-wah for those who don't know how to pronouce it... I didn't.  I have heard little tid-bits now and again about this little mystery of a food, or grain, or nut, or seed.... Like I said I had only heard a little bit about it, enough to know it's "good" for you but not enough to even know what it is.  I now know it is a gluten-free grain ;)  (Not that I need that but it's nice to know.)  You kind of cook it like rice.  Anway I found this great article at EatingWell.com and it has recipes that I am going to try.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Making a House a Home

Thank goodness it's Friday!!!  Not having a weekend last week has been a little overwhelming as I have tried to resume "normal life", the last three days being back home, but without the weekend my house is a mess and dusty, the refrigerator is empty, the dishes are piled up and I feel all out of sorts.


This Friday's questions are all about home decor.  I did a little of this a few weeks ago but I can never get enough interior design!   Funny fact:  When I was in high school (I think)  my Mom and I went to a Haverty's design center and took a couple week course on interior design!  It was a really fun experience and something I'm so glad I got to do with my Mom.


My favorite room in my home is the dining room area  because it is a multi-functional room that can be easily transformed for large group or parties it is open to the kitchen and back patio.


My current decor style is transitional  but I wish it were more vintage.
Love the bright fabrics and patterns mixed.  I need to be more experimental with fabrics.

Like the green chalkboard cabinet doors!




I wish I could redecorate the office in my house to make it more artsy and clean and functional. It is for sure one of my problem rooms because it has some of the greatest use and purpose in our house.  It is quite possibly the room we spend the most time in and both Phil and I usually have two computers each, our own work stations, it is also my craft room and Phil's main study area.

I think I really need to get some storage up high.
Love the glass work area.
Really want a high craft and cutting area. Love the cubbies too.
My dream house absolutely has to have a wrap around porch or at least a giant front and back porch.


One house item I am willing to splurge on is a couch.  I am pretty picky about the fabric and style of a couch so I am willing to pay to get what I want.  Also I guess you could say flooring.  I love our wood look laminate and our FLOR rugs!  




A decor trend that I just don't "get" is wicker furniture. ;)  I know random but I am pretty open to most design trends and styles because I can appreciate aspects of it.  But when it come to wicker I just don't get it.



Nope not inviting - not cute -  no matter what color.
I mean seriously ruin a perfectly good porch.
Lamp lighting  is a little touch that makes my house feel like home   I prefer a whole bunch of lamps to light a room rather than a single overhead light. (Plus it is much more flattering to people)        


Hope you have a wonderful weekend.   Keep Creating!



Thursday, March 8, 2012

Salt Lake City pictures

I think this was one of the best hotel views I have ever had. Actually saw the sunset from the room one night before heading to dinner!



Another evening I went for a walk to see the Temple Square but before I got there I was intrigued to find this glass blown art in the Symphony hall.


I just loved how it made all the glass glow!
 Here are a few pics I took of the Temple in Temple Square.




Well that's it for now.  Hope you all are having a great week.  Too-da-loo!


Sunday, March 4, 2012

From SL,UT

Okay well the title is a little outrageous but hey that's how you get readers right!?!  haha.  Anyway, I'm in Utah, Salt Lake City specifically and apparently there is a t-shirt that simply says SL,UT... stay classy Salt Lake.

I'm here for a work trade show so my days have been spent setting up our booth and working the booth.  Not too exciting.  I wish it were summer I would make more of a point to be outside but it's mostly been in the 30's and that is just cold to me.  

well that's the back of my in our booth anyway.
Custom College binders... that's why we are here, that's what we do.
Me feet are tired of standing so I plopped myself in my hotel bed and decided it was a good chance to catch up on my blog postings especially since I missed my Fill in the Blank Friday.


The highlight of my week was taking Arden (one of my Beagles) over to a friends for the weekend.  I wasn't excited to send him away for 5 days but I think it turned out to be a highlight because he was just so darn cute when we dropped him off.  He was so nervous about a new place and they have a cat that he was super scared of.  Every time I talked to him or pet him he just seemed reassured.  It warmed my heart.  Gosh what a basket case I will be with kids one day if my pup can get me so nostalgic.
sweet Arden.
If I had to classify my interior design aesthetic it would be hmm I have had people attempt to classify it  but I'm not exactly sure, it's a combination of modern and traditional... so I did a little research and in interior design terms this style is called Transitional.  I think this article sums it up pretty well.


Here are a few pics of my house.  I should probably take some updated pics.




My first vehicle was a 1990 ( I think) silver Nissan Stanza!  I loved that car.  It was my Dad's car and when I got my driver's license my Dad put a big silver bow on it and passed it down to me.  Dad even replaced the transmission and we drove it till it had about 300,000 miles on it.
GXE 4-door Sedan - booya!
An item I need to have in my day in order to function is right now it is coffee.  I want to change that so I don't have to have my morning caffeine in order to function and survive the day.


My favorite way to waste time is it varies.  I look at Facebook or play games on my phone, blog, read, paint my nails, Pinterest, figure out my next craft.  


Right now I could really go for a massage.  Standing all day is rough when you aren't busy or moving around much.  I feel a bit compacted.


This weekend I will be  well since it is the weekend and I am in Utah that seems like the best answer.
heehee