Photo A Day: January 3 - Heart

I am so very well loved, in all the big and little ways. This has become extremely evident to me in light of being newly married. Brian loves me so well. He truly has a servant's heart and is always thinking about me before himself. To be honest, it overwhelms me daily and makes my heart very full. And while he's good at the big things, it's the little things that bring my heart joy...like pouring my sweet tea into a mason jar and having dinner ready when I get home :) Such a great reminder of how God's love is even bigger.

Photo A Day: Jan 2 - Something New

Brian and I have had a Super Mario Bros game for the Wii sitting on our tv stand for months. Over break we finally decided to play it and it's kind of our new obsession :)

Photo A Day: January 1 - Today

I have decided to make a re-entry back into the blogging world via the FMS Photo A Day Challenge. Amongst several New Years Resolutions, Brian and I have both decided to live better, all around. So how did we decide to live it up one last time (for now at least)? Total splurge at Outback. Great first day of the year. And p.s., I just love spending time with the hubs.

Quote of the (Yester)Day

While walking around Target, I overheard this conversation:

Boy: So you have a king sized bed?
Mom: Yes
Boy: Is a king sized bed bigger than a queen sized bed?
Mom: Yes
Boy 2: Duh?!
Boy: I always thought a queen sized bed was bigger because it seems like girls always get whatever they want

I laughed, out loud, and just smiled at the mom, who replied "Teach 'em young."

The Time Has Come...

...the walrus said, to begin a new blog challenge.

Apparently, I have become quite incapable of updating my blog without a very clear goal, so I have decided to join my friend Grace in a 31 day blogging extravaganza. Obviously, the ideal scenario is to blog daily, but for now, we'll just start with Day 1: Something You Are Looking Forward To This Year.

I believe the answer to today's blog has to be two-fold, one personal and one professional.

On a personal note, I am going on a cruise this November and I am pretty stoked about it. Last year over Halloween I went on a cruise for the first time and I fell in love with that kind of vacation. I am fully aware that it is somewhat mindless and not the "ideal" way to travel and experience another culture, but sometimes that is exactly what vacation should be. It's perfect for getting completely away from normal life and I get to spend a week with some of my favorite people--I win.

Professionally, I feel very blessed that I have a job that allows me to pursue my passions, even if those passions came as a surprise to me. This fall I am heading up some new programs at the Y that will continue to serve the children I work with through Camp G.R.A.C.E. and that is super exciting to me. The Lord has really surprised me with how passionate I am about serving children with special needs and even though I know it will be a hot mess and add to my plate, I can't wait to get things started. Let's be real, a run club, run by a girl who hates running? It's bound to be entertaining!

Today, I can say I truly and totally enjoyed ALL of my kids at work. And gleaned this awesome Quote of the Day from one kid, fresh from his first day of 5th grade:

"We're going to have to learn about puberty the second half of the year. I already know about the puberty, my mom talked to me about it."

Perfect Strangers

I love when I have "moments" with complete strangers. It's one of those little reminders that deep down people are all kind of the same.

Today I was driving through a parking lot when I come across a goose. Just sitting. Right in the middle of my lane. With absolutely no intention of moving.

I stop, of course, and to the right of me is a woman and her daughter sitting in a mini van. We are both at a stand still, watching this obstinate bird take a load off, when we just look at each other, both laughing at the situation, throw our hands up, and move along.

Nice to know I'm not the only person who's that easily entertained.

A Long Awaited Finish...

After a good run of consistent posting, I got a little sloppy towards the end of this 30 Day Challenge, but alas, today I finish.

The final challenge: A picture of someone you miss.


Charlotte Culotta. OMG. Senior Year Charlotte and I did EVERYTHING together, but since graduation we haven't seen much of each other. But she is an absolutely wonderful girl who I need much more of in my life.

You Always Make Me Smile

Sometimes life gets really busy and you suck at keeping up with your blog, but that's ok because you'll always make up for it eventually.

Day 29: A picture that makes you smile


The child in this picture does everything to the beat of his own drum. While his fellow campers were sitting nicely waiting for art to begin, he walks over to this fan, which was not on, turns it on, lays down, and stays there for about a half hour. I guess summer was just too hot that day :)

Irrational Fear

It's day 28 of the 30 Day Challenge (it's been way past 30 days since I started, but whatever) and today I am supposed to post something that I am afraid of. Honestly, I can't really think of anything that I fear, or anything that really makes me anxious or nervous. There are plenty of things like spiders and snakes that I don't necessarily love, but I'm not scared of them either.

I do, however, have a few random, completely irrational fears that are entertaining, so I figured I'd share one of those instead.

I wasn't exactly sure what to Google to try to get a picture for today, so I opted for "foot, door" and this is what I got, and it's the best that I can do to capture what I need. You're probably wondering what this picture could have to do with a fear. What could possibly be so scary about walking through a door? More than you might think.

For as long as I can remember, I have had this weird fear about doors opening in on my feet. So, it ain't no thing to walk through a door that opens away from me, it's when it opens towards me that I curl my toes up (whether they are exposed or not), out of fear of my toes getting hit by the door, and thus getting hurt. Weird, I know, but it is what it is.

401st Post

Apparently this is my 401st post and that seems significant. How shall I celebrate? By posting a picture of not just one family member, but the whole crew. I mean, why not go above and beyond with today's challenge on such an important occasion?

Well, there we are, the whole gang: brothers, grandparents, mom, aunt, uncle, my cousin Barbie, and even Fiona the Westie. This is this past Thanksgiving at Barbie's house, which is pretty much our Thanksgiving tradition and has been for many years now :)

My Coaching Philosophy

Below is the reason why I would never coach anything other than Pre-K sports:

A post-game conversation with Coach Brooke and the Pineapples:

Pineapple 1: "Did we win?"
Me: "Did you have fun?"
Pineapple 1: "Yes"
Me: "Then you won!"
Pineapple 1 (looking to the other players): "If we had fun, we won!"
Pineapples: YAY!!!!

You've Got Mail

I have always loved getting mail, real mail, the kind that requires a stamp and a truck ride and a walk to the mailbox. Getting the mail was always my job as a kid (ok, and as a teenager) and God help the sibling who ever had the idea to do that job for me. In fact, I still love getting the mail. Although, the older I get and with electronic communication overtaking the world, it happens much less frequently than it once did.

What I love about mail, and any letter or note to be honest (it doesn't necessarily have to be delivered by the United States Postal Service), is that it takes time to write a letter. There is a certain quality of preparation and work that goes into a letter. And I feel like, since writing things down makes them more real, there is an added level of carefulness and intentionality in the words written down. All of which combines to make a letter--a little memory that you can hold and keep for as long as you wish. It goes without saying, that any letter not possessing the above qualities, doesn't quite hold the same weight in my mind.

That being said, the topic of today's challenge is something that means a lot to you, and for that I choose getting letters. Thanks to some amazing friends and family, over the years I've developed quite a collection of letters and notes that have brought boatloads of encouragement to me and have been a reminder of how God has blessed me with some really amazing relationships in my life. Those who know me at all, know I don't always "do emotions" very well, so letters (both writing and receiving) is a great way for me to deal with that little hiccup :)

A Few of My Favorite Things

I don't cook often. I mean, I make food to eat, but not much that's very ambitious. This meal was not ambitious at all, but it did require more effort than I usually exert. Today I felt like tacos and sweet tea, so that's what I made. And that's a picture from my day. Day 25 done.

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If I Could Change The World

Ahh. 30 Day Challenge--Day 24: Something You Wish You Could Change.

I have to admit, my first three thoughts around this challenge involved thinking about song lyrics involving the word "change." Namely, "Change The World" by Eric Clapton, "Changes" by Tupac, and "Changes" by David Bowie. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how my brain works.

But back to the challenge. What would I change? That's a big question, but I think I've got it, and I'm gonna go deep here, so hang on.

I would change the constant barrage of lies, both explicit and self-imposed, that are fed to young girls and women. I would change the constant pressure to be prettier, skinnier, smarter, stupider, more athletic, funnier, more successful, in need of approval, and whatever else a girl could struggle with. I would change the media's glorification of sex and the lie that a girl isn't complete unless she's attached to some boy. I would change the grip Satan has on the heart of so many girls and women who beat themselves up over these very things and who just don't understand that God made them just the way they are. Yeah, that's a lot to change, but the world would be a better place without all that.

Quote of the Day

In regards to Scotty's performance on American Idol:

"It's like if George Bush got drunk at a karaoke bar." - Brian Spanner

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Little Women

So, I feel a little cheated that I never committed to reading Little Women when I was younger and that I had to discover it's beauty as an adult. That being said, I love that I was still able to get lost in the story the same way I used to get lost in books as a kid.

Little Women is an amazing story about family, growing up, friendship, love, loss, heartache, sisterhood, motherhood and so much more. I laughed, I cried, and if I ever have daughters some day I have ever intention of exposing them to this book early on.

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better

First off, I totally made quote of the day on my friend Katie's blog yesterday. She's awesome and you should read her blog. I'm thankful for Katie because together we could solve the world's drama if people would just listen to us :)

Thinking about today's challenge, something you wish you were better at, left me completely stumped because I'm just so awesome at everything.

HA! Not hardly.

This challenge is actually pretty easy to answer. I LOVE music. I love to listen to it, dance to it, and belt it out anytime the moment strikes (which is quite often). Unfortunately for me (and those who have to be around me), the Lord did not bless me with much musical ability. I don't play an instrument and I can't really sing, so I just have to settle for being an appreciator of music, despite my desire to be a rock star.

Forget You

I think anyone could easily put down middle school as the answer for today's challenge, something you'd like to forget, and be totally serious about it. I mean, let's be real, those are no one's shining years, and I know that's especially true for me. BUT since that would be such an obvious answer...I'll try again.

It was actually really difficult to think about something that I would completely want to erase from my memory. I mean, even in regards to middle school, if nothing else it makes me really thankful that God grew me up. However, in the interest of the challenge, I've posted this:


You might look at this picture and wonder why I would possibly want to forget what looks like such a great time? You might also wonder when the last time I had taken a shower was, but that's neither here nor there. Truth be told, this is actually a picture from a very hilarious night (and perhaps the only photographic proof of Jordan ever trying to dance). However, just a few short days after this picture was taken, life was going to explode and then continue to suck it up for a few months. That would be the summer of 2006.

That summer was terrible for a lot of reasons. One, the summer before was so amazing everything would pale in comparison. Two, we implemented a new leadership structure but forgot to clarify a lot of things and build in a support structure. We had a handful of sketch staff that brought a bad vibe into camp, poor choices made all around (myself included), and just an overall lack of spiritual maturity, leadership, and development going on. Not to mention, we had our ACA inspection that year, which is just stressful. A lot of tears and frustration were the result of that summer.

No summer at camp is ever perfect, but this one wasn't even close. I find it pretty funny that when we all hang out and reminisce about summers gone by, we all just pretend like 06 never happened..and that's ok.

In other news, I just thought this next picture was funny and I'd willingly forget the taste of Vita Malt...talk about yucko!

I'd Go To A Land Down Under

Today's challenge, post a picture of somewhere you'd love to travel, was a no brainer. There has been one place I've wanted to go since I was 11 and it's the one place that I want to make sure I spend some time in before I leave this world and that's Australia.


The fascination with Australia began with a camp counselor I had when I was 11 who was from Australia. I thought she was amazing and she talked about the place so much that I became totally hooked. It grew with Road Rules Australia, which in my opinion was the best season of the show. Then, of course, came Heath Ledger, and the rest is just history. Oh, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that Our Lips Are Sealed also helped my fascination a bit.

I really don't have any plan for when I do get around to visiting some day other than just see as much of the country/continent as possible...and soak up some major sunshine :)