Artfully Said

A wedding and a new blog you have to see...unrelated

So if you are at all into photograph or weddings you need to check of the wedding of Miss Megan and and her new husband Dave. Now - let me say, this is not your traditional wedding in the least but it looked SO fun and I am so envious of her independent spirit and willingness to do her own thing. I mean my wedding day was perfect for me but man...I don't know that I'd even have the moxie to host an event like they did. Go here to see some of the photos. The wedding was photographed by Becky Novacek and I have been reading her blog pretty often lately too. I think she is going to turn out to be pretty inspiring to me. You can read more about the actual wedding here as a photo from the wedding was recently featured on the cover and their wedding was featured within. Don't you wish you had been there?? I know of Megan from the paper arts event I attended last fall in Omaha, NE, Silver Bella. She attended and was a vendor and well I just admire her spunk.

I also want to introduce to you a new blog - brought to you by my very own husband Jason. Check out his handsome mug on the left ;) I have been bugging him for quite some time about starting a blog of his own. You may or may not know that he is a pastor and well, I love hearing about his way of looking at things and his understanding of faith and the Bible. I know I'm based and all but I highly encourage you to check him out. Faithful Alternative

I feel like a kid at Christmas and some sites to check out...

One of the more difficult aspects of my life is that we only have Grady 50% of the time. Now please know - this is the best thing for Grady. His Dad all in all is a pretty good Dad and they love each other to pieces. So that is what we do. Because it is about what is best for Grady, not about what we prefer or his Dad prefers or goodness knows what else. So every other week on my day to "get him back" I kinda have an extra bounce in my step. I watch the clock more closely and count down the time until I get to go and get my little guy with big energy and big cuteness. And today is that day. And I feel almost like it is Christmas. Or my birthday. Or some very special day. And I guess it is because today we get our Grady Bug back. The photo here is an older one from when I first got my camera last summer. But I love the silliness of it. You can always count on him to be a ham for me.

I also wanted to share with you the yummiest and free little magazine I came across at Chad & Jodi's House. Kraft's Food & Family Magazine is filled with simple, quick meals, lots are healthy and the ingredients won't cost you an arm and a leg. it is my kind of cooking. Oh and they have photos!! lots of them. I am a cook who needs photos to make sure I'm on track - the kitchen is honestly not my forte. In fact the we don't even jump any more when the smoke alarm goes off and I'm cooking. It is just a natural part of the process of my serving dinner. And I'm only exaggerating a little bit really. So anyhow - back to the magazine - go to Kraft Foods Magazine Archive to see past issues or Kraft Foods Magazine Sign up to get your very own copy delivered to your mailbox.

And last, I want to share with you this adorable catalog/magazine that my Mother-In-Law shared with me this past weekend.

Warm Biscuit has the most perfect children's decor for the person who loves vintage and retro type things. I especially like it because that is how we are decorating Baby M's room. They have retro inspired fabrics (I think my favorite is the paper doll fabric), the old-fashioned Fisher price toys that we played with as children - remember the clock and the phone? - they're in here. I honestly cannot afford most of what is on their pretty little pages but they are a great inspiration if you are a do-it-yourselfer like me. 

Asking for help…

Today I’m turning things to a little but more serious note. Because I need to. Lately, I am really working on having a more intentional relationship with God. I have this struggle with kind of keeping God at arms length. Thinking that God has better things to do than deal with me. But I think I’m wrong. In fact I know I am. So I’m working on it. And it is making a difference. One of the things I’ve started to do – ask for help.

Right now in my corner of my world I am incredibly blessed. I am carrying the child of the man I believe God made especially for me, I have a son whom I adore and lights up my world. Did I mention the very special man made just for me yet? I have not just a house, but a home. We are going on a big (for us) vacation in just 13 days to a place I have never been – that I have wanted to go to for as long as I can remember - and I am so excited to give this gift to Grady. I have a job in a struggling economy. I have family and friends whom I love and they love me. Heck – I even have a more functional than average relationship with my ex-husband. I am truly blessed. And some times - it is so easy to take it for granted. But not today.

When I take the tiniest step out of my direct corner of the world and I look at those I love I see the following – right now, today. A friend whose dad had a heart attack over the weekend and is in the hospital. A co-worker whose grandfather is in his final days.  Two couples close to me that will make simply fabulous parents and they are struggling with infertility. A mother to a 20-year-old and a 16-year-old whose was fighting cancer and winning, went in for a chemo treatment, got and infection, and died unexpectedly over the weekend. A toddler with a discovered peanut allergy that has caused much sickness over her first 18 months. Mom and her will visit the doctors office probably about 10 times over last week and this to diagnose etc. Several couples in my life struggling for their marriages and a son struggling with an alcohol addiction. These are people in my immediate circle or one step beyond my immediate circle of friends and family. When I think about it all, I feel like it could swallow me whole. So I'm going to God and ask for help.

I feel even more grateful that my life is calm, my waters smooth so that I may be a source of support for all these worried, hurting, struggling people in my life that I care so much about. I pray that they each experience healing and have the worry in their hearts eased, may they know that they are not alone in their struggles – and may they know they too can ask for help and it will make a difference. Won’t you maybe take a moment today too and think about each of these people and maybe some people from your corner of the world that need help and ask for help for them. Thanks.

Can someone help me with these ankes??!!

Serioulsy! It is ridiculous. The have puffed up like something out of a circus freak show. They frighten small children. I have little sausage tootsies. OK - strike the "little" in that sentence. And honestly - they are NOT very comfortable. Although - and here is the silver lining - they have given me an excuse to wear flip flips to my office every day. Because I cannot wear some of my other shoes. And when I do, the swollen skin puffs right up over the tops of my shoes and I feel oh so very ooo-la-la, let me tell you. So really - does anyone have advice on how to make these swollen little piggies and ankles return to normal despite being pregnant? Let me tell you what I have tried: 1) Guzzled lots of water. 2) Sleep with a pillow under my feet. 3) Sit in front of the TV for an entire evening with my feet up. 4) Gone for walks.

So here is the scoop - if you have a solution for me, please share it in the comments section below. And if it works - I promise I will dig up some kind of fabulous prize for you mail it right to your front door. Happy Friday everyone!

A little hello from Grady...

It has been a while since Mr. Grady has made an appearance on the blog so I figured it was about time he stopped by. Here he is in all his grown-up 7-almost-8ishness. I cannot believe how big he is. But he is still my little guy. He snuggles and gives kisses and hugs just because he wants too. Let's hope that doesn't stop for a long time. He loves sports - mainly soccer, baseball and football. He is an excellent reader - tested at the end of the school year at an end of 5th grade/beginning of 6th grade reading level - he is going into second grade. So proud of him for that! He loves his XBox 360 and would play it always if he could. He has lots of energy but still needs lots of sleep. And when he doesn't get it - he goes into hyper drive. He is a great helper around the house and earns his alowance with rarely a word of complaint and is more than often ready to help with extra with a happy heart. He has a tender heart and cried with me at the end of Charlotte's Web. He is our little prince and we could not be more blessed.

This photo is one from my assigment I turned in last night (read about my photography class in previous post here). Wendy gave a tutorial on a better black and white conversion. The color version of this image turned out rather nicely too I think. So I think I'll share that one too.

Oh and I have not told you yet! I'll let you in on a little something we have cooking for Grady. We are suprising him with a summer vacation to Disney World! He thinks we're just spending a lazy week at home on vacation...but little does he know! We are going to pack the car (he will be with his dad the day we pack - sneaky us) and then after church that Sunday we're just going to head south (we're driving). I have not figured out the best way or time to tell him the plan yet though. One idea we've had is to hand him a map and let him play detective. But I'd move to hear your ideas on how to best surprise him or Disney advice in general. If you have some, please feel free to leave it in the comments section below!

 

Treated Myself to a Little Pretty from Etsy

So in all my picture taking-ness that I have had going on I decided I wanted a pretty custom camera strap. So I ordered one. Here is a photo of it. I'm sure it is helping me to take better photos. It HAS definitely made carrying it easier b/c it is nice and long - a good 6" longer than the strap the camera came with. And isn't the Amy Butler fabric oh so pretty. I'm a sucker for pretty things. So think you might want a custom camera strap of your own?? Well you're in luck! You can visit the Etsy store I ordered it from. here is the link VMJess. Shipping was super, super speedy and I couldn't be more pleased with it!! While visiting Etsy be sure to look around. They have so many cute things!! Check out Pearly Grey's shop for super adorable retro baby and toddler bibs and burp rags and toddler skirts and things, I found Lou and Lee this morning in case you have a sweet little girl in need of some hair decor - I love felt. And this adorable blanket by Ninis Handmades I could just spend hours looking at all the pretty things!

To peek or not to peek...

We have decided to peek. On August 8 we have our 20 week ultrasound. After much deliberating back and forth we have come to the decision to find out what we are having at our ultrasound appointment! When I was pregnant with Grady, his father and I did not find out. So this experience may be a bit different...or maybe it really won't. So I'm curious - did you find out with your pregnancies? Why or why not? And the question I really have is for those of you that have done it both ways. How was the experience different??? Looking forward to your answers - just click on commens below here and leave them there!

Loving Pandora.com and a new picture or two…

A co-worker introduced me to Pandora.com.com a couple of weeks ago and I am SO lovin’ it!! Maybe I’m just a little bit behind the times?? Maybe my age is starting to show?? Regardless – if you have not tried it you NEED to do so. You just type in an artist you are interested in listening to and it generates a play list for you of music from that genre. How cool is that!!?? Oh and you can give specific songs a thumbs or down to further customize your list as it goes along. Create an account and it saves your station for you. I LOVE it. did I mention it’s FREE?? I cannot believe it’s been what - 2 weeks since my last post? I’ve been just too busy enjoying the summer I guess.

Grady is in his last 2 weeks on coaches pitch baseball (the step between t-ball and little league) and I have not shared a single photo. I’ll get those up soon. but for the time being I’ll just share a couple I am turning in for my photography class tonight. The cute little guy is my nephew Ivan. He’ll be 1 later this month and this is the first picture I have shared of him. What a neglectful auntie I am!! The other 2 images are just my attempts at some compositional rules for photography. We’ll see what Wendy has to say about them tonight!!