Wednesday, September 30, 2015

What's up Wednesday {9/30}




Last Wednesday of the month... already!  WOW!
So time to catch up on What's Up!

 
WHAT WE'RE EATING THIS WEEK
 
We are kinda in love with Asparagus Ravioli that we have found at the grocery.
It is AMAZING!
It's the Buitoni Pasta that you can find in the cooler section of the pasta aisle. 
TRY IT!
I usually make some portabella mushrooms with red peppers to go along with it.
This would be perfect for Christmas dinner #redandgreen
 
 
 
 
WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT
 
How fast time goes by...
In the next 2 weeks, its my oldest grandson's birthday & my twin nieces birthday.
To see them all now just blows my minds.
I still see them as little babies...
if its gone this fast already - how fast will the next few years be?
 
 
 
WHAT I'M LOVING
 
The Bible Study, Seamless ... I am loving something that is giving me a reason to stay in my Bible. & learning once again from stories I've known for my whole life.
God always speaks through His word.
 
 
 
 
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO

Ricky & I have been still praying & trying to figure out where God is leading us, sending us, putting us in our church life. 
We know right now, we are exactly where we should be while we are honored to worship God in a personal setting with our friends....
& we're open to see if God leads us back to our home, or to new adventures.
It's all new ground...
 
 
WHAT I'M DREADING
 
All the onslaught of last minute people that want to get pictures in Fall but wait until its actually Fall to try & schedule.  My October usually fills up for next year THIS October. People usually wait to the last minute & I end up trying to get everyone in... & that's why I'm double & tripled booked right now & I literally can't squeeze anyone else in...
& I hate saying no to people... but it gets to this point every year where I have to.
I hate being the bearer of bad news.
 
How I have to break the answer to people who want to schedule too late
 
WHAT I'M WORKING ON
 
Finding a good Fall wreath for my front door.
I haven't had one up in awhile & now I'm on the hunt.
Pinterest is teasing me into trying to make one
... but has anyone got a glimpse of my schedule?...
I wish I had time to craft... but life says no.
 
 
WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT

As much as I hated to pay for a new washing machine & dryer, I am pretty excited to get it this weekend & put it to use.
Anyone else hate messing up nice clean sparkling appliances?
My laundry pile is building though so I won't keep it all sparkly new for long



  
 
WHAT I'M WATCHING/READING
 
 
I am loving this book.
Anyone else read it & not just envision William, Kate, Harry & Pippa in their minds?
How do you not with this cover of the book?
I'm about half way done so don't give away any spoilers to me
... I'm dying to see how it all turns out!
 
 
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO
 
 
This is my go-to app now when I run.
I'm so thankful for this to show me what I need to look for in music
- the BPM (beats per minute) - it makes such a difference in my running now!
 
 
 
WHAT I'M WEARING

Am still loving the awesome of Gwynnie Bee dresses

Dress:
 
 
 
WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND
 
You guessed it - PICTURES!  & more pictures!
I tend to not do baby sessions because its a special field but I always say I'll do my bride & groom's just because I love watching their family's grow.
This is my last pregnant bride... I've had 3 this year.
All such precious babies!
 
 
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH
 
 
& by going on vacation, it basically means I'm probably still going to be working from home on photography stuff.
... sigh....
 
 
WHAT ELSE IS NEW
 
 FALL TV IS BACK!!!
I'm so excited & my DVR is already on overdrive with all the shows.
I'm already loving that new show Quantico! I can't wait to see what happens on there!

 
 
 


Tuesday, September 29, 2015

My story with coffee on National Coffee Day ... I'll try your ideas!


Coffee... its everywhere... & it seems that everyone drinks it.

It's pretty much known here & on my Instagram that I've turned into an iced coffee addict myself.

But would you believe that just a few short years ago, probably 2-3 years ago, I had never drank coffee in my life.

It's true.

We used to have Bible study or friends over at our house & some of them were coffee drinkers.  When you came to my house, you were just out of luck if you wanted coffee.  We didn't even OWN a coffee maker.

Then when Julie would come to visit, she is a coffee PRO!  I guess when you work hard to get a PhD, I'm sure coffee helps with long nights of studying.... girlfriend loves her coffee & knows all about it.  So we invested in the world's smallest coffee maker in the world for her visits.



That makes about 1 - 1 & a half cups of coffee.... it was really cute though... & did the job for Julie.

& then for some reason, I wanted to get a Keurig.  I had seen that they had hot chocolate drinks & teas for it, so Julie could use it while she was here for coffee & I could use it for tea.  Win Win.

I was in the big league.

Singing the theme from The Jeffersons right now
... moving on up....

& then life changed... I don't know how, I don't know why... but one day, I thought I would try an iced coffee from McDonalds.  It may have been one of those weeks where they have a free coffee... I'm not sure.  But I ordered it...

& fell in love.


But then I found out that not all coffee tastes the same.

I started doing what every one does when they want to learn something - go to Pinterest - & started looking up coffee things.  & then I started looking into how to make iced coffee like McDonalds at home.

I can never get it exact - mainly because I think McDonalds pumps something illegal in it to make you crave it & want to come back - but I am pretty good at making coffee that I like.

I use Vanilla syrup to sweeten it & I use the Natural Bliss Vanilla creamer & this is now my morning jam...

I can't live without these.
Have you ever read the ingredients in regular creamers? YIKES!!

but then I also started going into coffee shops & seeing how other stores make their coffee. 

It's so confusing because some places just hand you the cup of coffee & send you on your way to a bar full of sugar packets & containers of cream or milk & stir sticks... & I'm still a little confused by it all.

I like Starbucks because I can just walk up & say I want a Grande Vanilla Iced Coffee with cream & I don't have to do anything else but drink up.


I'm definitely finding out that not all coffee tastes the same too. 

Let's not forget my post yesterday on how bad the coffee tasted at 2 different coffee shops I went to this past weekend.... UGH!

I used to buy a whole great big box of Donut Shop K-Cups at Sam's Club... but am now turning into a snob where I prefer the Breakfast Blend Starbucks K-Cups.  I don't want to - those are more expensive - but I've said it before & I'll say it again, Ricky assures me I have expensive taste.

Life now has at least one coffee in it a day - if not two... & on weekends, watch out.



But guess what, I'm still learning what I like, what tastes good to me, what I have to ask for in coffee shops.

Because one thing I have learned - coffee people get REALLY offended if you don't know what you're talking about - or look at you like you have 3 heads if you ask any questions about it.

Barista's scare me....

So tell me - how do you like your coffee... is there something amazing I'm missing out on?  Help me out with my next order....

Tell me how you like your coffee....
 
I may just take all your ideas & try them one at a time :)
... except black... I cant handle plain black coffee...
 

HAPPY NATIONAL COFFEE DAY!

Monday, September 28, 2015

The weekend that was full of bad coffee, a girls day & money I'd rather spend somewhere else....



A big moon is hanging outside my window at work this morning... not the blood moon.  Just the regular big ole bright white moon.  A true sign its way too early for work.  Yet, here I am.

Another weekend gone... POOF....

My Friday started off immediately after I left Job #1 to go to a meeting for Job #2 - my photography gig.  I went to meet a bride to answer any questions she may have at a new coffee shop that I've never been to.  Apparently everyone loves this place - Heine Brothers... so I gave up the Starbucks meeting spot to try this one out. 

Oh no ... no no no no & no...

The coffee was awful.  I don't know if it was the vanilla flavoring or what it was. I couldn't even attempt to drink it.  That was disappointing.  Especially when I saw they had hot apple cider from the local orchard... I should have just gone with that.


But the meeting went great.  I was excited to meet this bride because I actually already know the groom.  He probably spends more time with my husband then I do Monday - Friday... he works with Ricky.  & I've heard lots of great things about this girl... & she was as great as all the stories.  Everything cute & adorable.  & I loved it because her mom came with her & then later her dad came in.  I've never had a dad come with a bride for a photo consult, but he was all about the questions  & concerns & thoughts & ideas & I just wanted to hug him with how cute his love for his daughter is. 

I ended up talking with these people for an hour & a half... & I hope I didn't cause any family drama when I agreed with the mother of the bride on what color her dress should be... & then found out the bride didn't want that.  OOPS!  I'm sure it will all turn out beautifully.

By the time I got home Friday evening, I didn't even want to do anything except put on comfy clothes & take advantage of my couch... which is exactly what I did.

Harvey had the same idea
... & yes, that's Ricky under there...

Saturday morning, Ricky had to work which means its the best time for cleaning while he's away... I mean, I put on a load of laundry, went & cleaned the kitchen & went to do another load of laundry..... when .... nothing....

my washing machine wouldn't come on. Power totally gone.  I unplugged & plugged it back in.  That's basically the same as CTRL + ALT + DELETE - right?  Nope. Not when it comes to washing machines.  Well poop.

See what happens when I try cleaning?... nothing good comes from it.

So I said I'm just going to back slowly away from cleaning & gave up for the day.  It was so nice out anyways so I just went & laced up my running shoes & got in a good little 5k.

I had to head home quick, clean up & head out because I had a date with 2 cute little girls...



When I took them to see Inside Out a few months ago, we saw the previews for Transylvania 2 & I said, WE ARE GOING!  They were all for it.  I just loved the first one & love all things Halloween & it doesn't look so weird for an adult going into a kid movie when you have some kids with you so it was a win win for everyone.

Saturday:
Though they don't look so little, do they? 

But before we went to the movie, we went out to eat.  I took the girls to Chuy's because I knew they liked Mexican... my kinda gals... & we even got to sit outside & feed the birds, watch a puppy that in the bed of a truck right in front of us (the owners were sitting next to us watching their puppy) & the girls loved the food.  I think I even heard the words, "This place is AMAZING"... Score for Aunt Bec!

Saturday:
Never too old to color
I actually tried to steal their papers & crayons but they weren't having it

Madi was having some issues with a tooth while we were eating & I thought she was joking when she said it was loose.  Well, I forget they still have baby teeth....

& then irony of all irony - in the movie, its about the little boy growing in his vampire teeth & right when there's a big scene about teeth - Madi's apparently fell out eating cookie dough candy...

Saturday:

I asked her if I could text the picture to her parents & tell her she made me mad enough to knock out her tooth :) 

I think she just lost the bottom tooth like really recently - so she's gotta big gap now right on the side. 

We went shopping a little bit & headed over to another coffee shop - where I got YET ANOTHER HORRIBLE COFFEE!  Like I cringed with the sip. It wasn't even a natural color.  The girls told me it reminded them of their dog's diarrhea.  I thought it probably had a similar taste too... ewwwww....

I had to hurry & get the girls home when their dad called & said Sophia's friend was at the house waiting on her.  WHAT?  Sophia was like, "I have no idea how this happened"... she cracks me up...

So I dropped them off, finished up my latest pictures & got all caught up on my TGIT shows... OH MY GOSH.... How to get away with murder?  Are you KIDDING me?

Sunday started off so amazing....

You know we've been doing 'home church' with our friends, right?  Well, we did have church with them, except we were back in our old church... because our friend was actually preaching. 

It was his first time preaching in that church & it was just the most amazing thing walking back in there & seeing the crowd of people that came to support him.  Steve is such an amazing man & his testimony is something to hear... but his love story with his wife, Vicki is the most beautiful story of all.  She is our friend that is fighting cancer right now & she hasn't been able to leave the house in weeks.... but she's never heard her husband preach before so her kids got the wheelchair, loaded up the oxygen tank & got her back to her church so she could see her husband on that stage.

Totally snagged the pic from Facebook a friend took
... Ricky couldn't believe I didn't take one but I was so caught up in the day...

It was all so emotional... seeing old friends pack the church... hearing our friend's words on the stage (so proud of him) & seeing Vic worship our God, standing with her kids & family around her.

Just pass the tissues please.

God is so good... what a day.

Ricky & I left church & then had to do what we've were dreading but knew we needed to do.... go washing machine shopping.

So many other things I'd rather do.

But we did stop out for lunch before... & I got to pick - so we went to Chuy's - AGAIN!  Yep - 2 days in a row for me.  I do love their veggie enchiladas. 

Sunday:

But we finished up & went to about 4 places & then found a washing machine on sale at Best Buy & then headed over to Home Depot, only to find out they had the same thing for more money.  The lady told us that they price match & BEAT the price... so they looked up the sales price  & then took an extra 10% off!  NICE!

& we were going just for the washing machine... but we got such a good deal on the dryer, & our dryer has been kinda hokey for awhile, so we went ahead & got a brand new set.

Say hello to our new family members....

Sunday:

Ouch... man, I hate the price of appliance shopping.  This is why I said the other day I don't like to travel - because the price of this - we could have had a great week in Gatlinburg, or had a few days in Disney World... but no, we spend that money on a washing machine & dryer. 

you gotta do what you gotta do.

We got home & I went over to see my mom & dad & they weren't there.  So I went down & loved on Cochese for awhile... this horse may be a little worse then Harvey at wanting attention...



Horse
This would have been a good picture
except the flies from Cochese flew right into MY eye right when I took the pic
How do horses deal with these flies!?!?!?!?!?

I headed home & took a shower & took my Bible Study stuff outside & enjoyed the night weather.  Ricky soon came out & brought his iPod & turned the evening into a game of "Name that Tune"... all I can say, that dude has the weirdest shuffle list ever on his iPod.  It went from hard heavy metal to Madonna to  "Raindrops keep falling on my head"... what?

I then was excited to snuggle in & watch Once Upon a Time... I love this show & the first episode didn't disappoint! 

I'm just glad Fall TV is back on.  My DVR is already scheduled out!

& now we are onto a new fresh week!  Well, I don't get my new washing machine until next weekend so maybe I won't use the word "Fresh" here....

So how was your weekend?
 
Do you love or hate appliance shopping?
 
What Fall TV show are you glad is back?

Friday, September 25, 2015

Friday Favorites



 Favorite Natural Product to Try


 
I have read about this product on some other blogs & then saw THIS article about Rosehip Seed Oil. Its supposed to moisturize, take care of fine lines & helps dark spots & circles.  Some claims are its like a natural Botox. WHAT?  All this AND a natural product?  I've got to give it a try.  Anyone else?
 
 Favorite Recipe

Blue Apron Tomato & Goat Cheese Pie

Get in my belly RIGHT NOW!
Doesn't this look delish?  ... & vegetarian! SCORE!!
Check out the link from Bianna at  B Loved Boston


Favorite Workout Reminder

#1 Weight loss TRICK that saved my life! :) How I lost over 28+  lbs of pure FAT in less than 4 weeks. THIS ACTUALLY WORKS! Can't believe the results I am getting:
 

Favorite Fall Craft

INDIAN CORN WREATH DIY-This is a GORGEOUS wreath and so so easy to make! --stonegableblog.com:

This seems like it would be easy!
Just hot glue those baby on a ring?
I can do this!!!
 

Favorite Beauty & the Beast


Disney Beauty And The Beast Belle Sketch Girls T-Shirt:


Favorite Knit

Afraid of Cables Hat - Knitting Patterns and Crochet Patterns from KnitPicks.com:


I printed out this pattern.
I love the cables on it, the slouchy-ness of it
& the pom pom at the end.
Even the color.



Favorite Funnies

 :

Well, I have a canvas bag full of plastics, then my travel bags store my other travel bags and purses.:


most interesting man meme:


This reminds me of my brother, introducing himself to someone and using their nickname.  Flat affect.:


(Please note - I know I've been an "adult" - quotes needed badly there
- for quite awhile
but this just made me laugh for a good 10 minutes)

Hahahahaha


... how it feels with Donald Trump still ahead in the polls

 
 
 ...when I'm all alone in the house & hear a sound in the other room

 

... how my busy schedule actually feels to me



... when my dentist keeps calling me to tell me they have openings for a cleaning




... when I think I'm going to be able to get everything done on my schedule AND clean the house



... me at 4:00



 


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