there is something about my brother that i think you all should know.
i’ve already highlighted how incredibly talented he is. i’ve already told you how funny he is. wait…maybe i haven’t told you that… i’ve already narrated how protective he is. and i’ve already shown you how amazingly lucky he is.
but what you don’t know. what i’m just discovering. and appreciating. more and more.
is how selfless he is.
levi has one more year of school and then will graduate with his graphic design degree. he’ll marry bekah. move to bartlesville. and start working as a photographer. hopefully in his own business.
right now, he works as a designer for a local photographer in okc and freelances on the side.
he’s worked hard to develop his style. his name. his product.
he’s invested in good equipment. in programs. in education.
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then i enter the picture.
i want to start taking better pictures. i want to learn the tricks. i want to start my own business.
and so i ask for levi’s help.
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here’s where a normal person {read: me} would start to feel territorial. selfish of competition moving in. prideful in the work they’d put in on their own. and leery of sharing too much with someone else.
it’d be easy for him to say, “go buy your own equipment.” when i ask to borrow his light diffuser. or “i have my own pictures to work on.” when i ask for help on photoshop. or “stop trying to do what i do, loser.” when i ask if i can be just like him when i grow up.
but he doesn’t.
he generously loans out his equipment. without hesitation, gives his time. and enthusiastically encourages my pursuits.
it’s summertime. and while my type A “gotta get things accomplished” side cringes at the thought of this. my “i need to take a chill pill”, “stop and smell the roses…er…look at the pictures” side says: yes!
with the invention of facebook, twitter, hulu, netflixs. and let’s face it. food. i’m never really at a lose for time wasters.
however, i’m recently found my new obsession: pinterest.
now i’m not the first to jump on this bandwagon. in fact, i’m probably one of the last to know. introduced just recently by my little sister. i hate it when she finds something cool before i do.
but i’m happy she found this! and then showed it to me!
if you don’t know what pinterest is, let me fill you in. when describing themselves, they say:
Think of Pinterest as a virtual pinboard — a place where you can create collections of things you love and “follow” collections created by people with great taste.
People use Pinterest to collect and share all sorts of things — wedding inspiration, favorite T-shirts, DJ equipment. You name it, people are pinning it.
We know you have great taste in something. Our mission is to make Pinterest the best place for you to share your taste with the world.
i like to think of it as my favorite magazine. snapshots of inspiration.
here are my top 5 favorite boards {and a sample of each}:
“Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
i’ve never lived in a house without a flower garden. as a child, my mom always surrounded our porch and walkways with flowers. all arrays of flowers. my gramma too. both of them. flowers everywhere.
every spring, my mom and grammas would start putting their beds together. weeding and pruning. mulching and watering. until beautiful things emerged again.
this was one of the things i looked forward to the most with having a house. the planting of a flower garden.
it just says home.
because of the changing dynamics of my life over the last few months, i’m having to keep a close eye on my purse strings. manage my money a little more creatively. cut out what is not needed. and some of what is.
but even in that, i’ve gone ahead with my flowers. thanks to birthday gifts and gift cards.
i think that’s why i like that emerson quote so much. their beauty does outweigh the utilities of the world. it’s a beauty that reminds me of God’s goodness. of His faithfulness. of His attention. of His love.
i’m on a diet again. or should i say. still. it’s a life long process, really.
but this time i’m fo’ reals, yo.
so today. on this very cold and gloomy monday. (how quickly i was spoiled by this february’s 70 degree weather.) i bring you the monday must haves. the diet edition. everything i. and probably you. must have to succeed in the world of dieting.
are you ready for this?
1. a little healthy competition. be it a fault or not, i have come to terms with the fact that i have a very large competitive bone running through my body. whether it’s a game of settlers, a lap around the park, or the speed of my reading, i need a competitor. and if i don’t have one. i find one. sometimes unbeknownst to them.
so, when my sister suggested we compete to see who could lose the most percentage of weight in a certain time period. and the winner receive a big fat pay out. i didn’t have to think twice. i was in. and doggonit. i’m gonna win this sucka.
2. a website to track my weight lose. on skinnyo, not only can i enter my weight, but my sisters and i (and some of our friends) are able to keep all our competition stats up to date. it has neat little graphs and everything. best part: no one but you sees your actual weight. only your loses and percentage. score.
3. food that take a long time to eat. this is key. if i can get through a meal in ten minutes flat. i’m done. that’s it. bring on the deep dish pizza. because i’ve just shot myself in the foot. i need to be able to sit there for a while and enjoy the deliciousness of… say, my romaine lettuce and sliced tomato. you hear me on this?
4. speaking of foods: i can’t live without my cottage cheese. is that gross? get over it. i’m a sucker for a good sauce. gravy. dressing. give me something creamy and i’m in heaven. however, most of these, my loves, are laden with calories. and i find cottage cheese to be the perfect substitute. who needs salad dressing? i gots me some cottage cheese. plus, it’s chock full of proteins. yay.
5. and finally. last but not least. my bathroom scale. i know you’re not supposed to. they recommend you don’t. but i do anyway. i weigh every day. in the morning. before my shower. i just need to to know. it keeps me on my toes.
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so, what about you? what can you not live without when you’re trying to whittle down that waist line. and get rid of some winter baggage. in time for bikini season? inquiring minds want to know…
it’s day three of the oklahoma snowpocalips. snowmagedon. snowtastrophy. snowtorious. snowzilla. snowdiculous. snolysmokes.
whatever.
it’s day three of our snow days.
i’m sitting in my pjs. drinking coffee. deepening my impression in my favorite chair. and dreaming about warm weather. running. and racing. again.
looking for some motivation to get me training again, i’ve ploughed knee deep into race research. better that than snow, i say. better than snow.
originally looking for an event within my area, i got sidetracked. and now i give you, my dream runs. like most dreams, not very realistic. not always feasible. but there to make your mind go wild with possibilities.
this 3.26 mile race takes place in norther texas and is fraught with mud pits, rope walls, hay bales, slippery slopes, fire jumps, river runs, rock repelling, and tire course. when you finish, you can write a chapter of your journey in pilgrims progress. or go take a shower.
i’m doing this one! i already texted ethan my plan last night. with an invitation to join. anyone else?
held in athens, greece. a city wrought with historic significance. it was here that the citizens athens held off the persians in the famous battle of marathon. overwhelmingly outnumbered, victory was won and democracy was preserved. (until they became greedy and competitive and fell from within. but that’s another story.) legend has it, when the battle was over, the athenian messenger phidippides ran 24 miles to athen, carrying the news of the persians defeat. and then he died. the modern marathon commemorates this feat. his run. not his death.
recently, my best running buddy and i went to the one night showing of the h2c (that’s that those in the know call it) event. a documentary of the 197 mile oregon relay race. the theater was packed with runners. you could tell. the body fat count was below 8%. until i walked in. in front of us, sat a group sporting their h2c relay shirts. they’d run the race. and lived to tell it. and i wanted their autograph.
with a group of 12, you start at the top of mount hood and make your way, for the next 24 hours, alternating legs of the course, to the coast of oregon.
a few obstacles to running this race are:
because of the popularity, you have enter a lottery to run. no guarantees.
i need 11 (make that 10, i’ve already got holly) other crazy people to join my team.
ever since i watched spirit-of-the-marathon, a documentary of runners from all walks of life preparing to run the chicago marathon, i’ve been hooked. there is such history. such inspiration. such tradition. with this marathon. plus, the city is pretty amazing too.
plus, you’re bound to run into some famous people along the way. because apparently, it’s where all the cool people run.
i’ve been to the great wall three times. but never. never. never. have i run those steps. talk about a burn. how could i be a true china-lover, if i didn’t dream of running a marathon on their great wall?
with 5,164 steps, this marathon is not an easy run. in true china cliche, they say: “don’t be scared, just be prepared.” the race starts with the wall and then takes you through a journey of history and culture with the surrounding countryside of tianjin.
with that, i guess i better get crackin’. peace.
“…and let us run with patience the race that is set before us…” hebrews 12:1
it’s the year of the… rabbit. ok. it doesn’t have quite the same ring as the badly drawn boys’ song, Year Of The Rat. but you get the idea.
it’s chinese new years, yo. well, tomorrow is. technically. but tomorrow is already today. or today is already tomorrow. in china. so here we go.
first, a history lesson:
the origin of the chinese new year is itself centuries old – in fact, too old to actually be traced.
days before the new year, a huge clean-up gets underway and chinese houses are cleaned from top to bottom, sweeping away any traces of bad luck. door and windows are given a coat of paint, usually red, and decorated with paper cuts and couplets with themes of happiness, wealth, and longevity.
the eve is perhaps the most exciting, as anticipation creeps in. traditions and rituals are carefully observed. dinner is usually a feast of seafood and dumplings, signifying good wishes.
at midnight, the sky is lit up by fireworks.
on the day itself, an ancient custom called hong bao, meaning red packet, takes place. this involves married couples giving children and unmarried adults money in red envelopes.
then the family begins to greet from door to door, first to their relatives and then their neighbors.
the underlying message is one of peace and happiness for family and friends.
and now on to something more exciting. in honor of the holiday, i bring you a collection of my chinar moments. lessons i learned along the way. in snap shot form.
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chinese babies are the cutest. with their 20 layers of mismatched clothes, their spiky black hair,and their split pants.
who can resist?
the locals know the best food joints. this is syd, bady, and cathy. and some yummy, yummy grub.
when foreigners try the point and order technique, they sometimes end up with bugs for lunch.
the forbidden city really isn’t forbidden anymore…
… to us, or the rest of china’s population.
students are students….
… and friends are friends. no matter what country you come from.
sometimes you’re asked to do really embarrassing things for the sake of those relationships.
but it’s those things that build trust. and give you an opportunity to speak Truth into their lives.
brrr…. it is cold here in my neck of the woods. it’s even snowed a little. though in my opinion, snow’s only good if it closes school. no tamale.
today, to keep the winter blues away. i bring you this weeks favorite things! all things winter!
what i wouldn’t give to have these items in my possession…
1. to start off, what’s winter wear without piles and piles of thick, winter sweaters? i’m a cardigan kind of girl. but on a blustery day like today. and all the days that follow. i’d love to be kept cozy in these. (editor’s note: click on the pic to follow the link. but be warned – these are pricey. i just like the style…not the price.)
2. to top off those lovely sweaters, how about a little outerwear. who doesn’t love a good coat? and a cute one at that? i think these are great ~ i’m keeping my eye out for second wear at the goodwill!
3. so, the top is covered. but how those legs? and feets? we need to keep them nice and toasty as well. i love. love. love. these boots. i’m not much into high heels. as running has ruined my toes. and my job requires me to stand. the. whole. day. long. so, these are right up my ally.
4. this next addition makes me want to belt out ~ FAME! i’m gonna live forever! remember the dance school and their ever-lovin’ leg warmers? well, they’re back, folks. with a vengeance. this is one bandwagon i’d like to jump on and ride to the end of the line. who’s with me? p.s. i even hear you can get them at target!
5. and finally, we humans aren’t the only things cold out there. let’s show a little love to those left out in the elements. check out this art exhibit ~ tree sweaters!
mmm… you gotta love the mamas and the papas. i tell ya.
so, here we are. back to the grind. back to the work week. back at it. just plain ol’ back.
christmas break, i love you. why did you leave me so?
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sigh.
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let’s end this monday on a happy note. shall we?
this week’s five monday must haves! ready and waiting!
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1. my favorite happy blog: mrs. troop by my dear friend karen. she’s a mom to eight amazing kiddos. wife to her amazing coach. she’s witty and insightful. will make you smile. and make you think. oh… and bonus! she’s a runner! love her!
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2. my dream vacation: singapore or bust! oh man. if only! when i lived in china, i had the opportunity to spend a holiday in singapore. me. my two besties. and the cleanest asian country in the world. oh, and there’s something about a nigerian futball player and a marriage proposal that is creeping out of the recesses of my mind. but that’s another story. for another day.
today, as i was looking at airline tickets for my summer trip {information coming soon!}, i found a round trip to singapore for just over a thousand dollars! shut up! i’m going tomorrow.
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3. my favorite netflix flickette: 18 and counting. have you ever watched it? crazy stuff. the family, who live in arkansas, have 19 kids now! i love it. i’m completely obsessed. i don’t want to be them, mind you. but watch them? sure!
4. my favorite new artist: my little sis kel. she painted this. for her friend’s new baby. isn’t she great?
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5. and my favorite favorite! my new meal helper: e-mealz. ah maa zing. and quite possibly the best thing since sliced mozzarella. just saying.
here’s the skinny ~ you sign up (with just a little dough, yo.) they give you a week’s worth of menu AND a shopping list. and you can specialize. order carb free or fat free or ww points or… get this. glutton free. pretty cool beans, i say.
dave ramsey even endorses it! dave ramsey, people!
happy official first day of christmas break, all you school-people! and happy last monday of work before christmas, to the rest of you. i’m sorry.
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are you ready for my favorites? my monday must haves? here goes:
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1. my fav christmas book: the best christmas pageant ever. ”hey! unto you a child is born!” our babysitter read this to my older sister and me when we were in elementary school. i started feeling nostalgic for it a few days ago. i may have to make a visit to the public library. settle down on their cushy reading couch. and enjoy it again. (i’d check it out and bring it home. if it weren’t for those dang library fines.) read this book. now. well, read the rest of this post first. but then go read it!
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2. my fav new (not new) hairstyle: pigtails! my short hair is growing out to the “hard to deal with” length. isn’t that lovely? so, i’m bringing back the doggy ears. elementary school style! funny story: i recently overheard some high school girls criticising a tv personality for wearing pigtails. ”why would grown woman wear their hair like that?” i laughed to myself. and in their faces. ha! i do what i want! take that, high schoolers!
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3. my fav coffee mug: it’s getting to look a lot like christmas. i am not. i repeat. i am not a fan of holiday memorabilia filling my house and cupboards. however. i make one exception for this mug. i’ve had it since i was knee high to a grasshopper. aka: last year. no, a few years before that. i promise. i even took it with me when i moved out my parents home into my own. and that’s been ages ago, folks. you can’t tell much in this pic. because i have a horrible camera. but, santa is at the end of a line of shoppers next to a sign that says “3 hours wait from this point on”. at the front of the line, the intercom says “the store will be closing in 5 minutes.” santa looks like he’s gonna go crazy. maybe hurt someone. can anyone sympathize? don’t have a cool christmas coffee mug? i would suggest buying this.
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4. my favorite painting tool: teeny tiny roller. yes, that is it’s official name. i’ve spent the last three days helping paint my parent’s new home. if anyone knows about paint rollers, paint brushes, paint sticks. or just paint in general. it’s me. ugh. this little baby has saved many a headache. perfect for in between walls and door jams. or around windows. or the edge of a shelf. or just to use on the wall when you want to feel very, very big.
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5. my favorite christmas purchase: easy bake oven, baby! no, it’s not for me. if only i’d be so lucky! it’s for a little girl my family is buying gifts for this year. i’ll tell you more about it later. don’t worry. but, oh my! how excited was i to get to buy this! i remember having one when i was a kid. loved. it. i totally recommend this for any little girls you may have in your life. P.S. ethan was not nearly excited as i was. he’s a poser in this picture.
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and bonus! i know i already gave you five. but i have one more favorite thing. and this is something you definitely need to get for yourself. because you can’t have mine. today’s most favorite thing: my little sister, kiki. who cleaned my house and did my dishes while i was helping the rents with their painting. made me pretty stinkin’ happy. i even squealed like my mama! thanks kel!
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and now answer me this: should a grown woman wear pigtails? i’m not going to base my personal style on your answer. i’m just curious. promise.
it’s monday! poor monday, it really gets a pretty bad rap.
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to cheer it up, i’m starting a new series: monday must haves! where i’ll highlight my top five fav things from the previous week. check ‘em out.
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plus! special this week! a giveaway! just for you! (note: you can tell i’m excited by the exorbitant amount of explanation points i’ve just used.)
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1. my fav new blog: today’s letters. emily fills her blog with letters to her husband, mr. loerke. and to the other significant things in her life. like woobies (her blanket) and tim tams (cookies) and their biscuit (bed). and everything in between. she’s cute. and fun to read. i think i want to be her when i grow up. except she’s younger than me. drat. oh well, you should check ‘er out.
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2. my fav new accessory: 3D glasses. as every fashionista knows, these should only be worn while viewing the latest narnia movie. the voyage of the dawn treader. and should be accompanied by a good friend. if you haven’t yet, go see it over christmas break. you’ll be glad you did!
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3. my fav new book: mini shopaholic. i love. love. love. all the shopaholic books. maybe you’ve seen the movie? that’s good too. but the books. oh my! the funniest! and the latest didn’t disappoint. need a fun read over the break, check it out.
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4. my fav pastime: painting with mixed media. oils and paper. nothing takes the stress away like spending quality time wrapped in paint thinner fumes. especially when i should be grading.
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plus. bonus for you ~ i’m giving it away! leave a comment telling me your favorite procrastination activity. i’ll randomly select and give you the painting. you’ll have to be local though, cause i’ve got no money to ship. or you can pay for the shipping, baby. it’s 14 X 18 on a thin canvas panel. add it to your christmas gifts!
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you have until friday. then a winner will be announced!
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5. my fav christmas song: christmas wrapping by the waitresses. man, it’s good. makes you want to get up and dance. there is no music video of the song. just the song itself. enjoy!
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hi, i'm tara. but you can call me... tara. i'm a designer by day. rock star by night. when i grow up i want to be a painter. a sculpter. a baker. a gardner. a hippie. an author. a wife. and a mom. but mostly, i want to be... me. this is my journey.
