homemade with love...

My older sister, Rachel, LOVES making things from scratch.  For this, along with many other things, I admire her.  
Most of her family's food is made from scratch and almost every gift she gives was made with her own two hands (or the hands of one or more of her five children).  I love spending time with her and mulling over creative ideas with her.  
Our baby sister recently got married and Rachel knit a beautiful green afghan for her and her husband.  Thus began the afghan wedding gift tradition.  The afghan is the inspiration for this blog post. 

This is a picture of the gift that Rachel is knitting for me and my fiancee, Caleb, for our wedding.  I can't wait to see the completed project and was blown away by the number of stitches involved and how much time and energy Rachel spends working on it.  
What inspires me even more than the generosity of putting her fingers to sleep numerous times a day on a project like this is that she does these things for other people.  She isn't slaving over these potential heirlooms for herself.  She works day and night, creating beautiful works of art, then turns around and passes them on.  
Because of this inspiration, I've decided to pay it forward.  This year, once a month, I will be making something from scratch and sending it on to someone I care about.  Be ye warned, because, while we may share a somewhat similar sense of humor and ability to make grandma rolls disappear in the blink of an eye, I do not share her natural ability to make beautiful/delicious/practical items from scratch.  I will give it my best shot and hope to inspire others along the way.  

New Photo Challenge..

So, I was inspired in a round-about way by my love to up my blog content a bit... I love to post crazy pics, but after talking to him about it realized that these pictures don't really add up to much... don't get me wrong, I am still close with my dad and still love remembering, with fondness, Captain Weiner, but there's got to be more to life than who I'd like to change places with for a day (I mean, at the risk of sounding a bit too much like Keith Urban, I got the one I love beside me, my troubles behind me, I'm alive and I'm free, who wouldn't wanna be me??)

So, with that motivation, I've decided to change my blog a bit... from now on I will be posting pictures that have inspired me in one way or another... some of these photos will be self-taken, some will be ones I've found elsewhere... either way, no more frivolous photos with little meaning to me... on that same note, this means that my blog may or may not have a new post each day, cuz let's face it, somedays it's hard to find anything inspirational around... I work with two wonderful, adorable children who inspire me almost daily, but have a problem posting pics of other people's kids online... something about pedophile predators... 

I'm starting this new blog with a picture of some flowers that, despite the harsh frigid winter days we've been having here in good ol' GR, managed to sprout up in the yard outside Caleb's apartment... and if that weren't inspiring enough, the love of my life picked some of these flowers, planted them in a pot and placed them on our end table for me... 

  We have no idea what kind of flowers they are, or what kind of plant they came off, but I think they're absolutely beautiful... 
So, when the days seem cold and dreary and you just can't wait for warmer brighter days, remember these flowers and be sure to shine no matter what the weather outside is doing... : )

Photo Challenge - Day 5

My favorite memory... now, how could you expect me to limit it to just one?  I mean, there are just so many... "No ducks in the water!", watching Dad work on cars in the garage, singing along with old country songs in the car, fun times in WY...

But one of my absolute favorites from childhood is when Dad would "dress up" a hot dog with chips, mustard and ketchup... and thus was 'born' Captain Weiner...

I remember Mom thinking that Dad was teaching us to play with our food, but we all loved it... this pic is actually of the most recent Captain Weiner, taken just two or so years ago... but the 'tradition' started many moons earlier... 

Long live the Captain!!

Photo Challenge - Day 4

My night... hmm...

Mom and I went bowling... 109, 98, 103... one of the best nights of bowling I've had in a while...

Now, we're watching Ghost...

while munching on oyster crackers and I'm enjoying a Cherry Coke Zero...

So, I realize that none of these are pictures I've actually taken... so here's one just for your enjoyment... 

Me & Mom chillaxin' together...

Photo Challenge - Day 3

Ok, so I don't have just one favorite show... but I was able to narrow it down to two...

How I Met Your Mother... this show makes me laugh and was the inspiration for the title of my blog...

Criminal Minds... I have been known to go through "Spencer Reid withdrawl"...LOL  This show is also responsible for my observation of license plate numbers and ability to describe what people look like (ya know, just in case my assistance is needed for a police sketch)... : )

Photo Challenge - Day 2

Ok, ok... I know I should be on Day 4 by now... a slacker, am I...

Here is a picture of me and the person I've been closest to for the longest..

.

I don't get to see my dad nearly as often as I'd like, but I know that I can always call/visit/stay with him anytime I need or want to.  He's been my voice of reason in a lot of areas and someone who can make me laugh even when everything in me wants to cry.  

No matter the time of day, I know if I need him, he'll be there... I've tested this theory by calling him at 11:30 at night.  Only two questions were asked before he came 'to the rescue'... What can I do to help?  Where are you?  

This is the man who paid my sister to take me out one night because he felt I was spending too much time at home and needed to get out of the house and have some fun... LOL

Late hours, early hours, broken down cars, broken heart, hungry stomach, boredom, bad mood, birthdays, holidays, good news, bad news...no matter the reason or time of day, he's always been there for me... I love my dad!!!

everybody's doin' it...

What better way to start a blog than using the 31 day photo challenge??  So, here goes...

Day One: A picture of me with ten facts...
1. I will be married to this man in 121 days.
2. I love my job.
3. I have one tattoo, but would like to get more.
4. I enjoy reality tv, crime shows and funny sitcoms.
5. No matter how much time Caleb and I spend downtown, I still get nervous driving around GR.
6. I play the guitar, but not as often as I'd like. 
7. My nephew taught me how to do Sudoku.
8. Anything you say to me can and probably will put a song in my head.
9. I like every color (as long as it's green).
10. I eat chocolate almost every night before bed.