I LOVE MY HOBBY!!!

I LOVE photography....
I'm still working on angles, editing and staging
but I'm having a blast!
Praying for the Lord to provide me with a camera
so I don't have to borrow from friends anymore...
I'm editing in Picnik right now....one day
I'll upgrade to PhotoShop!

I'm thankful for the friends that trust me
to take their pics.

The family in the above picture are dear friends of mine...
they asked ME to take their family pics this year...what an HONOR!
They were in Tulsa for Thanksgiving so we headed out
to Woodward Park...it was PACKED with people
taking their family pics...
We had a lot of fun and the kids got Slushees for smiling! :-)
Good call Mom & Dad!

The kids did a great job and they're stinkin' CUTE!!!
Thanks for letting me take the family pics this year
and giving me an opportunity to learn more.

Ariella asked me to take her senior pics....
We did 2 different sessions....
One in the summer and one in the fall...
For the summer session we spent some time
in Downtown OKC...
We hit the railroad tracks, Automobile Alley
and downtown...
For the fall pics...we found an open field with
flowers and a pond..

She's absolutely BEAUTIFUL on the inside & out...
AND you should hear her sing!!!

A couple of these aren't edited but they're
still beautiful...

I would love any feedback....or suggestions for editing, tools, camera equipment, etc...

Christmas is HERE....HE's Here!!!!!

This Christmas the Lord has put a longing in my heart like never before....
This song is "Mary's Song"



I can't imagine looking into the sweet face of baby Jesus...
knowing He was here....
knowing He came to save us....
knowing that meant He was going to die....
right before her very eyes....

My heart is longing to see Him like never before....
it ACHES...but in a good way!

Thankful for His PERFECT Gift....
Jesus....
Thankful that He didn't leave us alone...
Holy Spirit....
Thankful that the longing in my heart will one day
be fulfilled!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
May your heart be filled with His presence!

Nichole Nordeman - Every Season (with subtitles)

Sooo....I've never been a fan of Winter...I LOVE Summer, Fall & Spring tie for 2nd...Winter...I could do without.

I've been thinking a lot about the Lord and how He purposly made 4 seasons...that's beyond me because I would have 85-90 degree weather year round if I could :-) My roommate fully embraces all of the seasons....she talks about how in the winter....roots go deep.

There's a significance to each season and I desire to embrace them for what the Lord does in each. We all go through different seasons of life, as well, and the Lord continually works in us and grows us to be more like Him in each of those seasons of life.

A new friend heard this song on her way to work this morning and I LOVED it! It talks about the way the Lord is in each season and what takes place in each...it's really beautiful...and the funny thing is...I LOVE the verse about WINTER!!! It's giving me a new perspective of winter and I may actually look forward to it this year! :-)

I hope you Enjoy it as much as I do.

Blessings

An Offer....or Giveaway I Couldn't Refuse

I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY!!! I've stumbled upon a couple of lovely sites that have decided to have a REALLY GENEROUS giveaway!!!

Florabella has beautiful shots and nice action & textures to purchase to edit photos. She is giving away $250 to shop for these beautiful Actions & Textures.

A Workshop Workbook plus free posing guide with a value over $500- From Skye Harwick

A phone consultation with Skye Harwick Valued at $350

Here's hopin' I'm one of the Lucky 6 that is chosen! Say a little prayer & keep your fingers crosses.

This is the jump start I need to grow my talents of photography....I have a LOT to learn and would LOVE the opportunity to win such a beautiful package from these talented ladies!

Don't Play With Your Food....Maybe You Should!!!

I know they say not to play with your food...

But I just couldn't resist it this evening...

I was in a creative mood!

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So, I decided to spruce up one of my favorites...

Chicken Salad

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The Cast of Characters:

1 Lg. Can White Chicken

Dill

Mayo

Red Onion

Red Grapes

Craisins

Sea Salt to taste

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I buttered two slices of Wheat Bread

Dusted with Garlic Powder

Topped it with Parsley Flakes

Turned the oven on Broil and put the bread in

until lightly toasted

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Placed some Shredded Cheese on one slice...

added the chicken salad on top...

garnished with some Red Leaf Lettuce...

Mmmmm...mmmm...GOOD!!!

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Had Cottage Cheese with sliced Grapes on the side

& Some Raspberry Lemondade....

Sounds like Summer!

Check out this GORGEOUS Collection!!!

I love blogland...I find so many talented people out there with beautiful things they make...I'm totally impressed...probably because I can barely sew 2 squares together to make a pillow and then, I need someone to help me stitch it closed by hand once I've stuffed it! LOL I'm always blown away at the things people come up with...their creativity is something to be admired...and I DO!!! Check out A Bushel and a Peck then visit her Etsy shop for more beautiful, one of a kind items you might like...I know I've found LOTS that I like...below are just a couple of the items I'm lovin'!

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Ruffle Tote

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Ruffle Apron

Aren't they beautiful and girly?!?!

I GOT A BIKE!!!!

Ok...back in September I moved into this gorgeous neighborhood with tree tunnels, hills, lots of flowers and streets marked with Bike Lanes :-) The weather has just been amazing so thanks to my awesome friend, Ty lending me his bike, I've been riding through the neighborhood and really loving it. It has been YEARS since I've ridden or even owned a bike. When I was younger I used to spend hours with my friend & neighbor, Dara. We would spend the days and nights of our Summer riding around the great town of Jenks, America. We had some laughs too, thanks to me and my clumsiness! Note to self...next purchase...HELMET!!!

All that to say...I've really missed biking and when I found out I was getting a decent tax return, I thought...Let's give Ty his bike back and get your own! Sooo...I started shopping on the net and trying to get an idea of what I would want. I stopped by a bike shop yesterday on my lunch hour and narrowed it down even more, however...they didn't have what I wanted. So, I got on-line and looked for a dealer that carried the specific brand of bike I was looking at and found Schlegel Bicycles!

Enter Cliffton Hays. This guy was so nice and helpful on the phone (far different than the experience I had at the other bike shop on my lunch break). I told him my price range and the type of bike I was looking for. He asked all the right questions to make sure he could help me find just what I needed. I went in to the shop right after work...I was on a mission...I wanted to buy a bike TODAY! Cliffton showed me a few bikes in my price range and fit me to make sure I had just the right size. He went across the street to their warehouse to see if they had what I needed in stock. While he was checkin' things out over there Christine came to keep me company and make sure I wasn't just sitting there alone...great customer service & teamwork.

Photo provided by Schlegel Bicycles

Cliffton came back with this bike...the TREK 3500. They didn't have one in my size assembled yet but he wanted to make sure I liked the bike...even down to the color scheme...He knows...even the color scheme matters to this girly girl!! Have I mentioned that Cliffton was really helpful?!?! He told me when I pick up my bike they'll make sure the handles are right where I need them for a comfortable fit and everything!

He even knew, since I'm just getting back into cycling after several years, some trails at Lakes Hefner & Draper that I can do as an amateur. When all was said and done...I was able to stay within my price range, get a great bike and have an incredible experience. I was pretty nervous to be quite honest. I don't know a whole lot about bikes but everyone at the shop made it a fun and relaxed experience...they have me as a customer for life!

Photo provided by TREK

Tomorrow is the big day...I get to pick up my new bike...unfortunately the weather is supposed to be crummy the next few days so I won't get to break it in right away...but I can't WAIT!

Thanks to Schlegel Bicycles & their amazing crew!!!

Now....I can't wait to start posting pics of my rides :-)

It's Getting Kind of Ridiculous!!!

You got it...another beautiful blog giving stuff away...Little Emma English Home Check it out...you'll enjoy it!



I PROMISE, I'll blog about something important soon...I've been sooo bad about updating my life in Blog! I went to a gorgeous wedding reception so I'll have lots of pics to post soon...I'll probably do some editing though, so it won't be right away.


Ok...I do have a couple of things to share...Thanks to this awesome thing called Groupon...I'm getting a 1 hour massage, valued at $185....BUT, I only paid $25!!! I'm soooo excited. It's been too long since I've had a massage and my back is needing it! Come tomorrow at noon, my body will be like jelly! For those of you in the OKC area...check it out...for those in other areas...you should go on a mad search for the thing that's like this in your city....they ALWAYS have great deals!

2nd thing to share....I'm getting a great tax return this year for once...and....I'm buying a BIKE!!! I haven't owned a bike since college. I live in a gorgeous neighborhood that has minimal traffic and beautiful tree tunnels (I LOVE tree tunnels)...so, I've been bike shopping! I'm super excited. I think I'm going the Mountain Bike direction or the Hybrid. I might go to the Bicycle Alley this weekend to try and make up my mind.




Here's a pic of the bike I like so far...I'll post pics once I get my actual bike! :-)

Beautiful Blog...My House of Giggles

Great stuff can be found on this beautiful Blog..My House of Giggles....there's also a giveaway!

Check it out...you might find some great decorating ideas for your own home...I love looking at blogs and finding different & clever ideas to decorate in a way that makes a home feel cozy, inviting & beautiful all at the same time....check out this blog...you'll find just that!

Can You tell I'm All About Sweet Giveaways?!?!

My Sweet Savannah is giving away these

GORGEOUS clock hands that I'm

in LOVE with!!!

I already have a beautiful idea of how

I would display them when I have my

own home.

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Stop by and look at her blog...it's full of

eye candy for the bargin shopper, thrift

store lover & decorator!

Beautiful Giveaway....I'm Determined to Win One of These Things!!

A GORGEOUS blog that I follow, Dreamy Whites, is having a very GENEROUS giveaway...one that I'm very excited about in particular....I've been wanting new bedding but can't justify buying it when mine is still in great condition...just a bit outdated....enter...Annette Tatum!!!

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She's generously giving away a Queen Duvet from her new Spring collection...browse the beautiful and relaxing catalog.


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She also has this amazing book called the Well Dressed Home

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Happy Browsing...it's beautiful stuff!

P.S...keep your fingers crossed...I would really love to win this one!

Pretty Things

Sooo....one of my favorite Bloggers is having a Pretty Things Give Away...Stop by Lola B's and enjoy the beautiful things she's giving away...then keep looking and enjoy her Blog...it's rather enjoyable and full of beautiful and fun ideas!

Who Wants to Join Me?!?!?

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon

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Sooo, I like to take on new challenges. I'm no marathon runner by any means of the word but I love to challenge myself. I also feel like the Lord is taking me through a season of my life where I want to set more goals and have new adventures in my life. I will NOT be running the marathon for many reasons, one being, I haven't even trained...BUT, I can start small and do the 5K walk...who knows, this may ignite something in me to start training to run in the future!

Who wants to join me?!?!

My recollection of April 19, 1995:

It was my senior year of college. I was getting ready to leave second hour when the news came on that there had been a bombing in Oklahoma City. That moment rocked Oklahoma City and our state tremendously. I remember, shortly after it happened, driving from Jenks to Oklahoma city and walking the grounds of this tragic event. The fence was covered with pictures of men, women and children that lost their lives, stuffed animals, ribbons, poems and flowers. It was a sobering moment...a moment where you realize you aren't invincible...being a teenager at the time, I erred on the side of "nothing bad will happen to me". I remember having a sense of hope with the sight of this one small tree that survived the blast...strong, man made buildings around this tree crumbled but God's creation remained...A symbol that God is our strength and that Oklahoma would make it through this...that we would not crumble!

Camera Purchasing Tips From an Ameature Photographer

A dear friend blogged about the need to purchase a great camera since hers just died :-( She is a busy mom of 3 sweet little boys and you MUST have a great camera to capture all the fun moments of life they have ahead of them!


I LOVE taking picture and I know how important it is to have a nice yet affordable camera that takes great pictures and won't break the bank! So, I sent her this information and thought...this might be helpful to other bloggers...Soooo....


Below are 3 recommendations I have...they're listed in order of cost from least to greatest :-) Canon Powershot SD1000 Elph- This is the one I bought before I went to India and I LOVE IT!!! It's small, takes fantastic pictures, lots of different settings to choose from, video, great zoom, etc.

I chose this picture so you could see the size

Canon Powershot G11- I saw this one in Malawi, my friend had just purchased it...it's not as cumbersome as the one listed below. It has great resolution, the distance that it can zoom is great, has video, an Lcd screen that flips out, and the list goes on and on...my friend that has this camera had a much larger camera when we were in Ethiopia and multiple lenses. She LOVES this one over her other camera...it was a Canon as well.



Canon Eos Rebel T1i This one is that my cousin Josh got for Christmas...it's fantastic...it's more on the semi-pro level...you can attach different lenses. It's a good size and a bit heavy but I was impressed with the pictures it took. I know lots of Mom's like to buy a great camera that will last through the years and grow with the needs of their children...My cousin Rhonda had one similar to this because she wanted good quality pictures and her boys play sports so she wanted to be able to zoom in and get nice clear action shots. Sometimes with a smaller camera, when you zoom, the pictures can come out a bit grainy.

Ok...I LOVE taking pictures...and these are the 3 I would suggest depending on how much you want to spend, your needs and size. If I were to go out today and pick one...I would get the Powershot G11...I think it's a great combination of the other 2...light weight, great zoom and all around great quality pictures! As you can see...they're all Canon...I'm pretty much sold...they make GREAT cameras!

Hope this is helpful.

Happy Shopping! :-))))

My Decorating Style

A friend of mine had this on her blog and I couldn't resist tryin' it out!
Go to Sproost if you're curious to see what your design style is!
Sproost says my interior design style is:

40% French Eclectic

40% Classic

20% Nantucket Style

I think this is right on with the things that I like. I LOVE textures and all of these design styles offer lots of texture. I'm usually into neutral, warm and comforting colors but I'm open to brighter yet relaxing colors too.
I often find myself doubting my ability to have a home decorated in these styles because I automatically think...too expensive, but thanks to my friends that LOVE to go thrift shopping and garage saling...I don't think it's impossible!
Maybe the first place I'll start is my bedroom...since I am renting in a friends home...don't think she would want me taking over the whole house with my designs! LOL

Here are some pictures of the different design styles....LOVE THEM ALL!!!!

French Eclectic

Love the colors in this one (below)

Classic

Nantucket Style

Enjoy Finding your Design Style!!!

Running- Klaus Featuring Kari Jobe

I hear the voice
It’s the voice of the One I love
He’s callin my name
I hear the voice
The voice of the One I love,
Hes callin my name
Hes sayin…
Come up higher
I hear the angels sing
Come up higher, my beloved
Come up higher and leave this world behind
I find you to be beautiful
I am running, running after You
Youve become my soul’s delight
I am running, running after You
Here with You I find my life.

It's been a long time.... but after hearing this song, I had to post and let everyone in on something that really ministered to my heart last night.
I heard this song during a prayer time at a friends church. It reminds me so much of God's relentless pursuit of our hearts. It's absolutely beautiful....enjoy, I hope it ministers to your heart as much as it did mine!