Ten on Tuesday

1. After a good week of easy posts, I'm back to Ten on Tuesday to get the flow going again.
2. It always makes me happy when my facebook friends use one of the photos I took as their profile picture. It's validation.
3. Last night's basketball game against our home town rival was as exciting as it gets...especially since Wilson won. 
4. Tonight I made chocolate chip cookies for Brie's basketball players. They came out pretty darn perfect, if I do say so myself. 
5. Well, except for one batch which I left in too long. Lately it seems that I can't bake cookies without burning one or two batches. SOOOO frustrating.
6. Said it before and I'll say it again, baking should be a sport. It takes a lot o stamina for an old girl like me. Is it sad that it's my form of exercise?
7. Put in my paid time off request for 2012 this week, including the two weeks in June for Italia. I was surprised when my boss asked about an annual conference that I used to attend as a Product Manager. Luckily it's later in June than in the past so it doesn't conflict with our dates for Italy. Hoping I do get to go to the conference because this year it's in BOSTON!!
8. Seriously thinking of volunteering to relocate on a short term basis if we do end up acquiring another company. The thought both scares and excites me at the same time.
9. Seriously need to stop spending so much money. Really want a LensBaby and a tripod but trying to hold off until I have more money in my savings.
10. Taking stock of my resolutions. I've done some good things but I need to get on the ball with my service to God.

CHA CHA CHA

Pretty paper and embellishments,

Vintage objects used in creative ways,

Even brown paper packages tied up with string....

These were a few of my favorite things at CHA on Sunday.

i heart faces photo challenge|oh so silly

These girls are beautiful inside and out. And for some reason, this puppy dog pose has become their signature pose this season. Why should picture day with the squad be any different?

This photo was submitted to the I Heart Faces photo challenge – www.iheartfaces.com

Speed Scrapbooking

Somehow I managed to start and finish a scrapbook in less than a week.

No, it doesn't have a thousand embellishments. But it has pictures I love, and (did I mention?) I finished it in less than a week. As an added bonus, it was also made with materials that I had at home.

At this rate, I can probably finish 40 scrapbooks this year. I'm hoping for just one project a month. That would make me happy.

This scrapbook makes me happy, too!

Coming down from my happy place today. It's just been one of those days. Had some sad news in the morning that has left me feeling off-kilter.

Life just stinks sometimes. That's all there is to it. Mostly because of our own actions, sometimes because we feel and live and breathe. There are days, when In-n-Out Burgers don't help, when friends let us down. All we can do is hold on knowing that tomorrow may be different.

All we can do is look at our reflection and ask God to help us through the night.

This too shall pass. But in the meantime, please send a prayer for my friend and co-worker, David and ask God for a miracle for him. Because I believe God can perform one, if it would be his will.

Sun on My Face

Today, I had the top down, a smile on my face and the joy of Jesus down in my heart.

I was happy to be alive. Work was lucky that I came back from lunch.

I love California in January

Believe Me

Believe me when I say, this morning was breathtakingly beautiful. I have no pictures of the morning, nothing to show the glorious skies, nothing that replicates the cool, crisp, clean air. Only the memories of how alive I felt, how quick the spring in my steps were as I walked from the car to the office. I love, love, love California in January.

If it weren't for the responsibilities I have, it would have been simple to put the top down and keep on driving. But then, again, if it weren't for the responsibilities I have, I probably wouldn't have been awake to see the sunrise that I did.

I did get to drive home with the top down and a smile on my face. It was a wonderful feeling to have my hair whipping around. The peppiness has long left me and I'm trying to get motivated enough to do something more than just lay in my bed.

Yesterday I got enough of my wind back to learn how to add textures to my photos so I could change the look and feel of my photos from this:

To this:

Thanks to Kim Klassen's Textures in Ten class.