project 365 - Part 11

Day 61 - Ribs all by myself. Our next door neighbors just had a baby and Cade promised we’d take them some ribs. Thanks to Aunt Catherine’s recipe, the meat fell off the bones as we were trying to serve it up. Yum. Yum!

Day 62 - Vanderbilt ER. Today I spent over 7 hours in the ER. Tish, our tenant from downstairs, had been sick for a few days and I was keeping an eye on her because her husband was out of town. Around 11 a.m. I took her to the ER because she felt awful. The ER was freezing and I didn’t want to leave her alone until I knew she was okay, not even to get some lunch. Once I got home around 7 p.m. it took me a long time to warm up. (Tish was released the next day is doing much better now!)

Day 63 - Baby Face. I love when my baby has just shaved and I love this look that he gives me when I’ve said something silly. =)

Day 64 - To the right. We went to a driving range today with Jon and Bella. I didn’t hit many golf balls because we were sharing Jon’s clubs, and they are too big for me. Cade likes to hit the balls to the right. Pretty consistently. But he still looks hot! =)

Day 65 - So patient. It seems like we get a knock on the door at least once a day from our neighborhood kids. Their requests range from a glass of water to borrowing a certain tool to fix their lawn mower or bike. These “to be fixed items” always acompany them, so on any given day it looks like we’ve set up a repair shop in our yard. Today, Jordan from accross the street, wanted to borrow our water hose. Cade is always so patient with them and usually heads out to get it from the shed. This is what it looks like from our bedroom window.

Day 66 - City Church Picnic. We gathered to eat yummy food and spend time with friends at Shelby Bottoms Park.

6th love language

Most of you have probably read the 5 love languages book by Gary Chapman. When I read it years ago, I was positive that my highest love languages were physical touch and quality time. I am so thankful that those seem to rank very high on Cade’s list too because it makes certain parts of our “giving love” a bit of a no-brainer.

Recently however, I’ve begun to suspect that I have another love language becoming ever so strong. It is both a way I express love and a way I feel loved in return. It is vulnerable. It is real. It helps me feel connected.

My 6th love language is this blog.

Every post is me spilling my love on you through the internet. Every comment is a hug and a kiss back to me. That’s how serious this is!

So now you know. If you and I can’t have 2 hour coffee dates each week and if you can’t give me a physical hug everyday, there is still a way you can fill my love tank! (Does this sound selfish or what? =)

Hopefully you feel loved through my blog and if so, hopefully you’ll fill me up in return.

Smooch!

P.S. Thanks for all of the love that’s been given without even knowing it!!!

my song

When I was a teenager I enjoyed writing. I confess, most of it was inspired by boys, so I kept it all to myself. Not until I was in Durango, Mexico studying music, did I put music to something I wrote. One particular class required us to present 6 songs at the end of the semester. We had to write the lyrics AND music. I enjoyed the process but still had no desire to share them. One year for Christmas my Mum talked me into recording them for her using a small tape deck we had, and because she is my mum, I did. I’m scared to listen to it now. =)

While I lived in Parral, Mexico I wrote a worship song and I played it for the pastor’s wife. Not sure what got into me. =) As a result, Haznos Uno (Make Us One, based on John 17), was sung many times at the church. A few weeks after introducing it, I was asked to sing it for a worship conference of over 5,000 people in Mexico. Nerve-racking! Then a year or two later it was recorded on a worship CD.

Even though I didn’t write it with all of this in mind, it is fun to look back on it as a sort of “accomplishment”.

Now, 6 years later, my song has been recorded once again, this time through the Instituto Canzion Schools here in the states. Fabian, a friend I studied with in Mexico, who is heading up this CD project, recently sent me to a link to a video of his little girl, Violeta, singing her version of the song. In the video she keeps singing one line, over and OVER.

I am so flattered and she is so cute!

Violeta Singing

If you can’t get to the link from there (because it might be hosted on my friend’s facebook page and I don’t know how to change it) …. go to my facebook profile page. I linked to the video from there.

project 365 - Part 10

Day 54 - Chicken wings. I prepared chicken wings for the first time today and almost threw up in my mouth. Don’t think I’ll try that again. Wing Stop is way better and less gross. =)

Day 55 - Sweet Caroline. Today I did a portrait session with this adorable 1 year old. It was so hot outside that my shirt was literally soaked by the time we got done. Yuck! But the photos turned out great!

Day 56 - Arrington Vineyards. Amazing afternoon picnic with girl friends on the side of a hill, looking out over some vineyards. The sunset was the prettiest I’ve seen in a long time. At the wine tasting, there was a raspberry wine that was accompanied by a chocolate truffle. It was so good!

Day 57 - Small, orange, round things. We went grocery shopping today. I bought a large bag of tangerines. I’ll need to eat about 3 a day so they don’t spoil. Easy!

Day 58 - Brand New! I got my rings back today and I feel like I just got engaged all over again. They look so sparkly and new and distracting!

Day 59 - Out with the old… It had been over 5 years since Cade bought a pair of jeans. That’s right. Since I’ve known him, he’s been wearing the same ones, over and over! I finally convinced him to go shopping so we could replace the ones with holes in the knees. When we got home, I pulled out ALL of his jeans and helped him decide which ones needed to “roll out”.

Day 60 - Death after 14 months. When we moved into our house last spring, one of Cade’s co-workers gave us an old lawn mower. We knew it had issues but we were grateful. For 14 months, Cade trudged along behind this piece that made even our neighbors feel sorry for us. It would sputter and throw tantrums just like a 2 year old. Sometimes Cade would go back over the same area twice because it thought it would be funny to skip certain blades of grass. Yesterday it decided the only way to rest was to die, and it did! So we went shopping. Later that evening, Cade mowed the grass and weeds in what seemed to be fast forward mode. Nice!

project 365 - Part 9

Day 47 - Game. What game? (Non SP). Some friends invited us over to watch a basketball game. I have no idea who played and what they are trying to win. =)

Day 48 - Boutique Hotel (Non SP). We traveled to Kansas City for Danielle’s wedding and stayed in a hotel that is listed as a Boutique Hotel. It is very cute inside but the walls are VERY thin. I called hotel security to silence our noisy neighbors at 3 a.m.

Day 49 - Danielle’s Wedding (Non SP). What a beautiful wedding! I was Danielle’s matron of honor and even though I have been a maid/matron of honor 3 times, here I gave my first toast! Secret: I ate breakfast around 10:30 a.m. but then didn’t have anything else to eat until around 8 p.m. I was so busy helping Danielle that I didn’t think about food until I was a 1/4 into my fruity cocktail. High heels, alcohol and an empty stomach don’t mix. Needless to say I was a little bit dizzy so I sat down and ate some food. =)

Day 50 - Archn’t you cute? (Non SP). Sunday morning we slept in, ate Gate’s BBQ and then drove back to Nashville. We decided to visit the Arch on our way back.

Day 51 - Planning Meals (SP). I try to sit down and plan a week’s meals and then make my grocery list before going to the grocery store. This has made my life SO much easier and I’ve enjoyed cooking as a result of having all of the ingredients I need instead of skipping the ones I don’t have. Meals taste better that way. Go figure. =)

Day 53 - Papaya (Non SP). I bought some papaya today. Cade tasted it for the first time and he liked it.

Day 54 - Naked Finger (SP). I am having my wedding and engagement ring re-coated with white gold. They have begun to look yellow gold which unacceptable. =) At least once a day my heart jumps when I reach for them and they aren’t there. Shesh!

customer service

A few weeks ago I was looking at some photoshop actions online. This particular set was from a “reputable” photographer and from the look of the sample images on his website, I thought I had found the product I needed to further enhance my images. I already have one set of actions that has paid for itself MANY times over since I use at least one action per image.

My only concern was that the “before” sample image was really tiny. You couldn’t enlarge it and it was hard to see. I loved the way the “after” image looked once the action had supposedly been applied and of course this image was large. I should have known better but I ordered the set.

$179.00

During the last few weeks I have tested these actions on my images and guess what, they DIDN’T make my images look the way I had hoped.

I was so mad at myself. I HATE wasting money with a passion. This was the first time I had spent business money on something that was turning out to be useless.

Since this product was downloaded from this photographer’s site and installed on my computers, I figured there was no refund available.

To make matters worse, a few days ago I came across another photographer’s site, whom also sells actions. This time each image was displayed in a large format and you could see the before and after CLEARLY. AND it was only $145. Yah. I was ticked again.

I decided to email the first company and explain my disappointment, if nothing else asking that they, for the sake of other photographers, show better samples so that one knows what they are ordering. I didn’t expect to hear back from them.

A few hours later I got an email. I was thanked for such specific input and told that they would be happy to issue me a refund.

WOW!

They explained how I could uninstall the actions (a feature they built into the actions which generates a “removal code”). Then it was only a matter of time before the refund went through.

I am amazed. Even though I really didn’t like the actions, because of their customer service, I would not hesitate to work with them in the future.

the boys

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

Knock.

I opened the door and there stood Derek and another neighborhood kid on our porch with their bikes laying in the walkway.

Derek: “Can we have some water?”

Me: “Sure. Hold on a minute.”

I headed to the kitchen wondering if I was becoming like a convenience store to them? =)

I opened the door and handed them both a cup full of water. It was around 2 p.m. and I decided it was as good a time as any to take a quick break. So I stepped outside and hung out on the porch with them while they rested.

Derek: “This is Cory.”

Me: “Hey, Cory.”

Only a few seconds went by and the question came.

Derek: “Can we cut your grass?”

Me: “Cade isn’t here right now and I’d have to ask him first.”

Derek: “Why do you have to ask him?”

Me: “Because he is the one that mows the lawn. He gets to decide if we pay someone else to do it or not.”

Derek: “Does he get mad at you when you spend money?”

Me, smiling: “No, he doesn’t get mad. But we talk about how to spend our money and sometimes we prefer to work and save it so we can use it for other things.”

Derek: “Oh.”

They had a little race to see who could gulp down the most water but neither of them could finish because it was too cold.

Cory: “Do you guys have kids?”

Me: “No. Not yet.”

Derek: “Having babies hurts.”

I begin to smile again because I can tell this is going to be a funny conversation.

Cory: “Yah. You can die having a baby.”

Me: “Yes, childbirth sometimes can be dangerous. That’s why most people go to a hospital.”

Derek: “In the hospital the doctor pulls the baby out.”

Me: “Well, the doctor doesn’t pull the baby out. That happens naturally. The Doctor is there to help if something goes wrong.”

I wish I could remember the other details about this conversation but it was so funny hearing them talk about it, both seemed so confident of their information, even though some of it was straight up wrong. =)

As they picked up their bikes and started to leave they both said, “Thank you for the water.”

Me: “You are welcome and thank you for saying “thank you.”

Benefit concert

In case some of you haven’t seen this already, you should check it out: www.inarastudios.com/blog/

project 365 - Part 8

Day 42 - Thai Food Anyone? (SP). We LOVE us some Thai food especially when we get to share it with friends!

Day 43 - Brushing (Non SP). I don’t think we will realize how big our bathroom is until we move into a different house.

Day 44 - Our outdoor dining room (SP). We love eating outside and until we have new porch furniture, the steps will do just fine.

Day 45 - Hotty-Totty (Non SP). Cade has a big meeting with an important government official today. Looking good!

Day 46 - Dirty Laundry (SP). I really don’t mind doing laundry, at least not now, when there are only two of us to contribute to the pile.

project 365 - Part 7

Day 38 - Three Years! (Non SP) - We celebrated our third anniversary by going to Eastland Café. The margarita pizza, pot stickers and Cubantini were amazing!

Day 39 - Neighborhood BBQ (Non SP) - Since we moved to Marina Street, we have become a part of a smaller neighborhood hang out… consisting of about 5 couples/singles. We get together about once a month for food, games, rock band… None of them go to our church and so it’s another neat way we are getting to know the East side.

Day 40 - Ruthie’s Benefit Concert (Non SP) - A friend of ours from church, Ruthie, is in need of an extensive surgery, one that is not covered by her insurance. Her husband plays the drums and has played with many bands including Sixpence None the Richer. In order to raise money for Ruthie’s surgery, many of her friends gathered together to put on benefit concert. Ruthie asked us to photograph the event for her. We got to see some really great artists and photograph them!

Day 41 - Large checks (SP) - Today I sent out our quarterly tax payment. Yuck!