Sunday, March 26, 2006

So Much to Tell!

I finally have some time to sit down and catch up on my blogging.... I know what your thinking. How is it that someone who has no job and no kids NOT have time to write. Well, the answer is simple, really: We own a home. As I've mentioned a few times before, we closed last Friday, and since that day Mike and I have become absorbed in getting the house ready so we can move in. We are literally out at the house morning, noon, and night trying to get as much done as possible on the main floor and second floor, so we can concentrate on the getting the basement finished in the coming weeks. The couple who lived there before us were very eccentric in their colors, so we have spent most of our time painting all the rooms- a task that I thought would take weeks, but has actually gone pretty fast. The entire main floor is done: the living room, the entry way, the kitchen, and the dining room. Mike and I spent hours trying to find the perfect colors to paint the rooms, and eventually called up a friend of ours to come over and help because we were getting no where. She had such a good eye for it, and we are really happy with the outcome. We've been so blessed because we've had so many people come out and help us with the painting. Almost every night someone has been over, and it has made it so much fun, and so much easier!

I'll be sure to post pictures soon of the progress!


But on to other news.... it's been so long since I've posted, I just have so much to tell!



The most important and exciting news first.

Yours truly (that's me) is a bonified LIMBO CHAMP. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Champ. Not honorable mention, not second place, but CHAMP. When I went up to Rochester for the wedding a few weekends ago, I got the chance to go to a party at my old stomping grounds at Pearce 4 Kids. It was a staff party, and although I'm not a staff person anymore, I got to go as Becca's date. We ate, played games, found out that Oklahoma and Tennessee are two very different states (it's a long, embarrassing story that I care not to tell), we built castles (John and mine's group won, thank you very much), and played Limbo. Now I'd like to mention that there were kids playing also. Kids who were much shorter than me, and I STILL beat them. Just ask Becca, John, and Amy-you would have thought I won the lottery! I was so excited! I never win anything! After the party I called up my friend Rich and told him, and you know what he said!?! "I thought you were like, the most uncoordinated person ever." WHAT!?! I would like to know who exactly told him that so I could challenge them to a duel. A LIMBO duel, and then we'll see who's callin' who uncoordinated! Foolishness I say!


On to more substantial news...and let's just face it- MUCH more exciting than my last news!

I'm a kinda sorta-very distantly an AUNT! Woo hoo! My cousins Jamin and Sara had a beautiful baby girl named Naomi Elizabeth Barret, and she is PERFECT! I'm very glad that Sara is a fellow blogger, and faithful in keeping us updated on how she is doing. I can't wait to hold her, and shower her with kisses!!!! Miss you, Sara!!!


Now this is one of the more adorable tidbits of information that I found out when I went to Rochester. John- Mr. Like a Rock, never shows emotion, cried at my wedding! AWWWW! Amy told me when Becca and I went out to dinner with her, and I thought it was so adorable! He's TOTALLY going to kill me for writing this on my blog, but he'll get over it and love me anyway! I kept bringing it up at dinner, wanting to know all the details- were there tears, when in the ceremony did he cry, I wanted to know everything!! So adorable! And I promise John, in return I will be sure to cry at your wedding. For sure.


Mike and I have decided that we aren't going to move in to our house until the weekend after Easter because Mike is just way too swamped at work to be living out of boxes at the new place. We have 14 services at Crossroads that weekend, and Mike has to oversee it all. I can't even IMAGINE how hectic life will be for him. But it's awesome that we'll have so many people coming through the church doors, hearing the gospel! It will be crazy, but exciting!


Mike just came home with a new DVD player and surround sound system because the one we have right now is AWFUL. We have to beat the DVD player to get it to work. I'm not kidding. We literally have to hit it for it to work. That's a sure sign that we need a new one.

Time to have date night with my man!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Pics from the weekend

Wedding picture time!!! This past weekend Becca and I took pictures for Laura and Noel (otherwise known as Ken and Barbie because they are way too pretty for their own good). I posted a few for you to see. And hopefully Becca will post some of her own because I truly think she got better shots than me!!! She really has an eye for it! We both have very different ways of capturing the same shot, and I thought we made a great team! Enjoy!



This is one of the first shots of the day (they got bride and groom shots before the wedding), and they were still a bit shy of the camera. But honestly no shot is bad if these two are in it!




Becca and I had a system where she would run ahead of the couple and take pictures from there, and I would follow them. Hense the many butt shots that I have! but I thought that this one was very simple and touching.




The property that we took pictures on was AMAZING, and I loved all the bare trees around. I thought it added a lot of depth and creativity to the pictures.




This tree was so georgeous, and I had to get a picture of it. I had enough close up pictures of the couple, and I thought I would bring some of the surroundings into the shot.




During the lighting of the unity candle, Jennifer Hopper sang a beautiful song that she wrote. I actually didn't take many shots while she sang because I was so focused on the words Jenny was singing. She did an AMAZING job, and I just had to capture the words in a photo.




I had a blast at this wedding, and I was so glad to be there, and be part of Laura and Noel's day. I know God is going to bless their marriage in so many ways!

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Alright, Alright, I'll Write, I'll Write

Before I get chastised by all my friends and family, I better write something new! All I've got to say before I move on is that ya'll are pushy! Becca writes about as often as she cooks, and she doesn't get any lip! Come on, people!

Moving on....

So I have some interesting news. It has come to my attention that I have a blog stalker. I've traced this back to a town in New Jersey where a certain former bridesmaid of mine resides with her hubby. The situation is this: she oh so frequently checks blogs (mine being one of them....obiviously) and never takes the time to comment. Now she is a very smart and clever girl, and is very capable of witty remarks, but yet chooses not to.... I wonder why? So this goes out to my beautiful blog stalker, and to anyone else out there who may be stalking me.... let me know you're there!


Now I know that I've seen my fair share of crappy movies (as John so lovingly pointed out). Movies such as Zathura, The Pink Panther, The Brothers Grimm, and some may disagree with me, but I dare even say that Munich is on that list (way too bloody for me). BUT, I have redeemed myself, for I have seen one of the most enchanting and magical movies I have ever seen since Sleepless in Seattle. And all of you (and I mean all you men too) HAVE to see it! Pride and Prejudice is the movie I am speaking of, and it is amazing. I've read the book, but I think that anyone who hasn't can still appreciate the movie. I now want to change my future son's name from Kemper to Darcy, because he is by far the best character to ever grace the pages of a book, and the big screen. AND I'll get no lip from all you Kemper-haters!



So I have a favor to ask of all of you. I want to start my own photography business, and I need a name. I don't want to be boring and just use my name (plus after all the fiascos I've had to deal with because of my name, I find it wise not to do so), so I have to be creative. I want the name to be elegant, not cheesy or overly modern. It will primarily be wedding photography, but I hope to snag some studio space from a friend of mine, to do some senior pictures and engagement pics. So the name can't solely be about weddings. I would love to hear some of your ideas!



My entire family LOVES the show 24. I felt very left out, so this January I decided to start watching the show, and now I'm just as addicted to it as the rest of them. Here's the thing- I have small group for my church on Monday's, and it lasts till 9, so I've had to start taping it. It's not as much fun because I can't call my parents during commercials and chat about the show. At first I just called them on my way home from small group so they can catch me up on the first 20 minutes, but was still missing out on half the show. So last night there was a 2 hour special, and I TOTALLY forgot to tape the first half! I'm so DENSE! So mom, please call me and tell me about the first half of the show so I can watch the second half!!! THANKS!



Two weekends ago my sister and I, along with our best friend, Jaime took our annual trip to Circle C Ranch for the weekend. We've been doing this since college, and I look forward to it every year. But this year was a little different, for a couple of reasons. First, is that we didn't actually work. Every one who helps out for the weekend gets put on a schedule, and you have different jobs all weekend. You help out with things such as preparing meals, serving at meals, cleaning, working the counter at Miss Kate's Place (and so John can't make an obscene joke here, working the counter means selling candy, popcorn, drinks, etc at the game room). But this year we didn't pinpoint down a weekend in time to make it onto the schedule, therefore making the weekend more of a hangout time for all of us. And this actually worked out because there we a lot of friends there that Jaime and I had worked with the summer we were counselors. So we were able to spend more time with them...that and we didn't have to get up early to toast 300 slices of toast...big plus.
But I tell ya, it was like I was transported back to the summer of 2001, and we all spent hours and hours just reminiscing about old times, and it was just so much fun. It was also quite amusing that Becca new almost nothing about what we were talking about...take that Miss. I've been in 11 zillion weddings! Ok, enough razzing on Bec... but the weekend was awesome, and I'll be sure to post some pics of the weekend soon. And Rich, if you're out there, don't be a blog stalker, and comment!



I'm heading up to Rochester to shoot another wedding this weekend, and I'm so excited because I get to see all my Ra Cha Cha friends again, and it's been way too long since I've seen them. And Amy- we'll have to get in plenty of wedding chat so i feel in the loop. So watch out Rochester, the good twin is coming to your town! (Sorry Bec, had to put that last jab in!) You love me!

Blessings to you all....and Sara- could you please have that baby already!