Sunday Somethings

Oh, how I do love strawberries. I didn't used to...but now I do. As a matter of fact, Ben and I had some lovely company over last night for dinner, and we fixed strawberry pretzel salad as a side dish. Actually, Ben fixed it...I'm not going to lie. But it was delish - we just had some with our dinner tonight, which is amazing, because we NEVER have leftovers. Comes with the "married with no kids" territory.

How about a peek at another new project?



I made this for my um...aunt, technically speaking. (Another story there.) Anyway, I've done this two other times - once for my parents as a gift for our wedding, and once as a gift for someone else's wedding. I love it because there is no end to the possibilities of colors, patterns, and fonts...unless you have a really long last name and then you are out of luck. :-) I haven't made one of these for us yet, but someday I will. If you ever need a fun and personal wedding gift for someone, I am available to do these!!!


Here's an appropriate quote for the weekend:

THOUGHTS TO LIVE BY TODAY:

"There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is Yesterday with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday had passed forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back Yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed; we cannot erase a sinle word we said. Yesterday is gone...and gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow with its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendor or behing a mask of clouds...but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day...TODAY. We can fight the battles of just one day, it is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities...Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives us mad...it is remorse or bitterness for something which happened Yesterday and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring."


I am especially relying on this quote as I stew over words spoken (and typed) at school last week. You can't go back....gotta go forward.



It's movie night at the Hacienda de Haskamp, and I'm looking forward to it. Be in the present...enjoy the present...

HOLLA -

New Projects

Here is an art piece that I made over the weekend. I saw this idea in a store at the Lake of the Ozarks over Spring Break, and I fell in love with it!! I plan on making more of these with different words using different small items. At least this first one will inspire me to keep CREATING!!

In other project news, I am in the beginning stages of writing a book. I plan on going out this week to buy a voice recorder, so I can work on my way to and from school. I don't know how it's all going to work out, but I do know that I have to write this book, because I can't stop thinking about it - Ben is so encouraging and is even helping me with ideas. SO EXCITING!!!

Hope you are finding time for fun projects that get your creative juices flowing!

HOLLA -

LOVE LOVE LOVE

BEN - a poem.

Ben, Ben, my best boy friend,
You know I'll love you 'till the end.
You are so cute, you are so sweet,
You are so good at cooking meat.
You laugh with me, we have such fun,
I said "YES!" 'neath the setting sun.
You're very smart, you draw great maps,
You let me sit upon your lap.
On trips is where we like to go,
Except when there is lots of snow.
You listen when I gripe and moan,
Your pet peeve's talking on the phone.
My home is where you always are,
The door's too heavy on your car.
And even though you like MU,
I'll always love and honor you.
There's lots of games we like to play,
Maybe I'll let you win someday.
Sometimes we chase each other 'round,
If someone saw us, they would frown.
"Those silly kids are acting out!
They run and scream and play and shout!"
We make up songs, we make up rhymes,
We are so goofy all the time.
We get along, we never fight,
Although I pick one on some nights.
But then we kiss and hug and love
And give a playful, little shove
For we're the perfect match, you see
A piece of heaven, you and me
You do not hear the name I call
Because you're watching basketball
I'm not with you - you are not here
I've some infection in my ear!
When you get home I'll hug you tight
And thank God as the day turns night
For giving me the perfect guy
You're ketchup to my greasy fries.

xoxo

SPRING BREAK!

This week I am on Spring Break - one of the many reasons I love being a teacher. Spring Break gives us a chance to rejuvenate, relax, and reorganize as we head into the warmer, brigher months ahead. I spent half of my Spring Break so far on a wonderful trip with my mom to the Lake of the Ozarks - I will try to get pictures up soon. Today I am faced with a list of remaining goals, tasks, and challenges to accomplish. Because I just LOOOOOVE making lists (really!), here it is, for my own sake:

1. Read my new book I just ordered. I could tell you what it's called, but then I'd have to kill you. (just kidding.)

2. Find a new place for the GIANT trunk that's sitting in my kitchen. Much to my whole family's sadness, my lovely and wonderful great aunt Jean passed away a few weeks ago, and Ben and I were fortunate to get an amazing old trunk that belonged to my uncle. Where will we put it, you ask? That is the $10,000 question I'm determined to answer before Ben gets home tonight.

3. Start yoga. I just called and signed up for a yoga class tomorrow at our Community Center. I'll be honest with you - I'm not really a yoga person. I'm more of a cardio/aerobics, "grapevine/step-ball-change" type of a person. But reducing stress has become a high priority for me lately, so I'm jumping on the yoga bandwagon, at least for now. I'll let you know how it goes after tomorrow.

4. Create a new piece of art. I haven't made or done anything in a while, and I'm getting itchy. I found an awesome inspiration at a cute store at the lake, and I can't wait to get started.

5. Reconnect with friends. I'm looking forward to catching up with one of my best friends in the next couple of days. There's nothing better for the soul than spending time with someone who loves and cares about you, but at the same time is honest enough to let you know when you're being an ass and/or you've got lettuce in between your teeth. Throw in an appetizer, some sunshine, and an ice cold beverage, and you've got a winner of a night.

Even if you don't get a Spring Break at your job, I hope you find some time to cross something off of your list this week. It feels good, dang it, so do it.

YOU'LL BE GLAD!

HOLLA -

Stick Your Nose In It.

So whenever I go to the theater or to a movie, and there is someone near me wearing cologne or perfume, I instantly associate the smell with whoever is on the stage/screen. My brain tells me that whoever I'm looking at smells like whatever I'm smelling. This situation happened to me just last night. Seth Rogen's cologne is kind of musky, just in case you were wondering. :-)




How was Charlotte, you ask? I'll just say, Charlotte has found a new place on my Shit List. No actual person has made it onto the list, by the way. Just the city of Charlotte. I was horribly sick the whole time and still haven't recovered. I didn't really get to enjoy it much, since I spent most of the time pretty drugged up with aches and chills.

This was my view from the 20th floor of our hotel...



And this is me hating my life for being sick every time we go on vacation.




However, since I am trying to overcome my pessimistic side, I will share with you some GOOD THINGS that happened on my trip, because there were some.

1. We saw our friends Dave and Mandy. Their daughter is beautiful, their company was uplifting, and their words were especially insightful.

2. I went to see "He's Just Not That Into You". By myself. It was the first time I'd ever been to the movies by myself, and it was great! I think Bradley Cooper is insanely gorgeous, but I wish he would stop being such a dick.

3. I went to the Museum of the New South. Amazing. Did you know that soon after the Civil War, one lonely soul was responsible for teaching all students from ages 6 to 18? Yikes. Schools operated less than 4 months a year to let the kids go home and pick cotton. Before child labor laws, children worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week in the factories. I'd like to send some of my students to work in a factory for 6 days and see if they still complain about the stuff I make them do. HA!



I love this quote - click on the picture and you should be able to read it. I can imagine that this guy's feelings have reverberated through time quite often - they are especially poignant in our current economic state.

Also check out my shoe in the lower right hand corner. Good photography, eh?




4. KU beat MU at Allen Field House. We had to search far and wide for a bar that was actually playing the game, but oh was it worth all the effort. :-)

5. I sat next to Joakim Noah at the hotel bar. Joakim led the basketball team at the University of Florida to back-to-back National Titles a few years ago. He is a very, VERY large man. He graciously signed my cocktail napkin, and all of us at the bar snickered to each other as he sat behind us and scarfed down a chicken sandwich with his oh-so-ding-batty girlfriend. I only wish his teammate Kirk Heinrich would have stopped by for a drink...

For now, a travel reprieve. Next stop, PENNSYLVANIA!!!!!

HOLLA -

Procrastinating, once again

We are packing for Charlotte, NC. Actually, Ben is cleaning, I am blogging, and neither one of us has packed yet, but this is our routine. We will wait until the very last possible minute to get ready, because it is against my religion to do anything on time.

While in Charlotte, we will be visiting some friends of ours who just adopted a beautiful baby girl. I can't wait to meet her.

I will also be enjoying some relaxation and reflection time while Ben is at a conference. On Tuesday, I will be forced to explore the city as Ben's conference doesn't end until 5:00 and our hotel is kicking us out at noon.

I've never explored a city by myself before, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Choosing not to seek out shopping opportunities (although I wouldn't necessarily pass up the chance if one presented itself), I will be seeking something meaningful that will expand my knowledge of well....something.

I look forward to sharing it with you when we return.

Let's hope they can dig our plane out of the snow in time for our 6:45 a.m. flight tomorrow....

HOLLA -

Doing Something

Helping people. I'm going to do it more. Anything I can. What if today was the last day we had to live? What if you didn't have to think about paying your bills, but only using the gifts you had that day to help people to the best of your ability?

I feel something BIG coming. I'm going to keep my eyes, my ears, and my heart open.

No great things. Only small things with great love.

LOVE.