yesterday

yesterday was peaceful

i love it here

"Though I might travel afar, I will meet only what I carry

with me, for every man is a mirror. We see only ourselves

reflected in those around us. Their attitudes and actions are

only a reflection of our own. The whole world and its

condition has its counter parts within us all. Turn the gaze

inward. Correct yourself and your world will change."

-- Kirsten Zambucka

Gary for Prez!

@ConanOBrienConan O'Brien

Gary Johnson has entered the Republican presidential race. Yes - THAT Gary Johnson!

Conan tweeted this the other day and I just about fainted - that's my dad's name! And my dad is a Republican! Seriously, when Conan gives a fake shout-out/tweet to a fictional person with your dad's name, it makes you pretty durn happy.

Gary for Prez 2012

(have tissue ready.....)

Holy cow.....

I don't know about you but I got the chills and the weepies just now. 

I love this so much.

If Maria was here she would be playing this on repeat - am I right, mama?

Almost Famous

The Views is the magazine for RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf), which is the membership and governance organization which all nationally certified interpreters belong to. 

I'm in it this month. It's just my story of how I became an interpreter. Basically, it's a video game magazine for a gamer, or a medical journal for a doctor, etc. Meaning - not interesting to anyone who is not in this field. 

Ain't no thang.

All The Single Ladies

Say it with me.......daaaaaaaaang! Although I don't think I would want my 7 year old (yeah, I looked it up) wearing that outfit or dancing like that. Call me old fashioned, I don't mind.

Fair is Fair is Fair

There's a cheap (i.e. scary) fair in town until May 1st. I love fairs, did you know this about me?

I learned that I'm awful at the dart game, even when the carnie lets me play for free!

How beautiful are ferris wheels?!?!

Nate, Devon and Sam. Too cute for words!

Fair food is a must. A must! Since this was a smaller fair, the selection was a bit limited, but still satisfied my need for fair food for at least a few months.

The reason I called it scary was because traveling fairs excite me and freak me out at the same time. They are far too mobile for my comfort. Um, hello - rides that are disassembled and reassembled every few days or weeks scares me to death! It doesn't stop me, but it sure does give me a fright!

"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars."

- Henry Van Dyke

What I Did Today

More to come later....

Sunday Will Come

Excerpts from "Sunday Will Come" 
by Joseph B. Wirthlin

"On that Friday the Apostles were devastated. Jesus, their Savior—the man who had walked on water and raised the dead—was Himself at the mercy of wicked men. They watched helplessly as He was overcome by His enemies.

On that Friday the Savior of mankind was humiliated and bruised, abused and reviled.

It was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored the Son of God.

I think that of all the days since the beginning of this world’s history, that Friday was the darkest.

But the doom of that day did not endure.

The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind."


"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come."


"The Resurrection transformed the lives of those who witnessed it. Should it not transform ours?"

Conversations With a 4 Year Old

Me: Tomorrow is your birthday! Should I send you a present?

Naomi: Yes

Me: Well what do you want?

Naomi: I don't know

Me: Do you want a book, or candy, or some new toys or maybe some clothes?

Naomi: Probably candy.

Crazy Cat Lady

i really, really like kittens

I Pin

Aubry has been pinning for quite a while now and I finally got around to checking it out.

For a hoarder of beautiful/funny/sad/clever images, this is the place for me! I have dozens of files on my computer dedicated to flowers, quotes, living room furniture, etc etc. Seriously, I have a hoarding problem. But Pinterest takes care of that for me!

Check it out - if you want to organize your life and find inspiration in this awesome community, let me know. I have 5 friend invites to give out and I'd love to give one to you!

Some of the stuff I pin:

on my "hurr" board

on my "me to a t" board

on my "weddings - because i'm a girl" board

I only started last week and I'm having a ball doing it! It's great for inspiration or just to organize all the things you hoard. I love! Let me know if you want an invitation!

Front Yard

Like I said in my last post - I love where I live! It's so beautiful here! And I don't care that dandelions are weeds, they make my life happier. 

Wildlife

We live in a gorgeous wooded area. Seriously, I love where we live.

However.

There is a family of deranged birds that live in our backyard. They screech none stop, at all hours of the day. Like in the movie "Failure to Launch", I'm tempted to buy a BB gun. I'm a night owl and days when I'm getting ready for bed at 3am, they are awake, making their presence known.

Blerg.

Missing Them

Maria, Naomi and Haven

Taylor and Porter

Granola girl Meghan

Big sister Elisabeth

Man, it kinda stinks when you grow up and you actually become friends with your siblings. Because then you all start doing big kid stuff and you move away from each other or you join the Peace Corps or serve a mission for our church or something. Yuck! No thank you!

What a glorious reunion it will be

Peep Show

For the past 5 years The Washington Post has had a Peeps themed contest where they ask for people to submit dioramas made from Peeps. Sick. Clever and amusing, but totally sick. Check it out here. Personally, I think that Peeps are the devil's candy but I am already working on ideas for next year!

Shudder.

"But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?"

- Albert Camus

Apparently, It's Video Friday

I would not even pretend to be brave. I would have wet pants and a bizarre smile/frown on my face.

La La La

Seriously, I'm moving here

Hello and Welcome

Hello and welcome to Georgetown!

Spring is in full bloom

I'm obsessed with this place!

That should be fairly obvious by now

Thank goodness I had my camera with me!

People probably thought I was nuts. 

I was twisting at all sorts of uncomfortable angles to get what I wanted

I love this canal, so sweet and peaceful today

Now if only I could afford it......

Hope Springs

We are having some wacky weather. It was sunny and delicious yesterday and stormy this morning. Buuuuuut, by the time I had a break and was able to walk around outside - it was warm and beautiful again.

Ahhhh, there is nothing like warmth on your face, flowers in bloom and girls wearing rain boots with shorts to make you feel hope. That's right - hope. Walking around Foggy Bottom today I felt hopeful.  Weird, right? I'm not hoping for anything in particular, but the weather and the good mood of the city just  made it impossible to dwell in the doldrums. I can't wait for Friday when I have the day off and I can run around and take some photos of everything that looks *hopeful!

I wish I could bottle this feeling! I *hope* you're feeling it too!

*guaranteed it will be lots and lots of flowers

(for some reason they just screams HOPE to me)

(except carnations, they scream TACKY to me)

Conversations With A Roomie

Me: So, I'm totally digging on ___________ at church!

Kayla: Oh yeah?

Me: Yeah. Here's the thing - I think we kind of look a like. Not in like a brother/sister sort of way, but, yeah. You know how couples who get married often have similar features? Science has proven that we are more naturally attracted to ourselves!

Kayla: ..........especially you.........

HAHAHAHA! I totally love this girl!

For Devon and Ashley

I'm the Chandler in this situation. You ladies are amazing and give the best advice.

I hope you know how I adore you!

Book Sale!

Duuuude - the ArlingtonCounty library had their semi-annual sale this weekend! Six books for $6??? Yes please! It started Thursday night so I expected to have pretty slim pickings today, but I was shocked by how much they still had. I could have looked a lot longer and found a lot more but I think this will keep me happy for the next 6 months.

I got three 2011 pennies - the back is different.....I don't like.

“… You must learn one thing.

The world was made to be free in,

Give up all the other worlds

except the one to which you belong.

Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet

confinement of your aloneness

to learn

anything or anyone

that does not bring you alive

is too small for you.”

- David Whyte, Sweet Darkness

Have a great weekend! I have a delightful one planned :D

KARMA!

Ha! My last post was about karma and then I found this! Ha!

Look closely.....

(hopefully y'all are up on your bankruptcies)

What Goes Around

I like to read. I spend a lot of time on news sites reading articles about any topic you can think of. Often, when I'm done with the article, I will read comments submitted by fellow readers. The one I just finished reading on Yahoo! (here) made me realize something.

Our society has completely gotten away from the idea of giving people the benefit of the doubt. We are suspicious of the motive of others around us. We Americans live in an individualist society and I think it's only getting worse. We are often more out for ourselves than for the group. Granted, this isn't everyone, but, blah - it's a lot of us. If you read the article and the comments you will see most people are assuming that there is some motive behind this child's act of generosity. Maybe there is, maybe there isn't, but why speculate? 

Should we live our lives guarded and suspicious? Or should we live believing in goodness and set ourselves up to be taken advantage of? I don't know, but I do know that this world has a way of balancing itself out. I truly believe in karma and that living a good life will leave you with peace of mind.

Sounds good to me!

"If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one."

- Dolly Parton

Pippi? Puh-lease

(image taken from Amazon)

I am obsessed with Netflix. I definitely feel like my $10 per month is well spent.

Two days ago I was sorting through tax stuff so I decided to throw on a movie to listen to because I most likely have adult onset ADD and therefore need constant stimulus. And multi-tasking, always multi-tasking. I figured that a kid's movie would be a good choice because I wouldn't be bogged down with complicated story lines and dreamy actors that deserved my attention.

When I was younger I loved this movie so since it was available to watch instantly, I thought I'd relive the memories. I wasn't expecting much, just validation that I had good taste in movies as a child. No big deal.

Mistake.

I am dumber now for having watched/listened to 'The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking".

How disappointing! I was hoping for a little nostalgia, like with 'The Goonies' or 'The Sandlot' (mmmmm....Benny......). Sad. I didn't even finish it.

You better believe I won't let my kids watch that garbage. Thanks a lot, mom!

(I have to throw her under the bus because she reads my blog now)

(Hi Mom!)

Let Go

I have a very hard time letting go of people.

When I've let you in my heart I root you in there nice and tight.

Sometimes it leads me to accept being treated in ways I don't deserve.

Sometimes it leads to an imbalance of feelings.

When it's time to let go, to lose the relationship, I resist.

I hate breaking ties - for any reason.

But coming to this realization recently has been a great thing for me.

Sometimes, you just have to give people up.

Not give up on them, but remove them from your priority list.

Take away their reserved parking spot in your heart.

You can go crazy if you don't.

I'm not interested in any more crazy around here.

Summer Hair

I can totally rock this.

Watch me!

"Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity."

- Colin Powell

Cherry Blossoms

Definitely worth fighting the crowds